Fantasy Football Week 16: Everything You Need to Know for This Weekend's Action

Welcome to championship week. Hopefully, your fantasy football team survived the pitfalls of injury and bad luck throughout the year, perhaps with a little help from yours truly.

Whether you are playing for glory or pride, you can find everything you need to know about this weekend's action right here. 

Best of luck this final week and a Happy New Year to all. Thanks for reading this season.

Week 16 Rankings

Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press

Check out this week's rankings.

The 100

Rank	Player	Opponent
1	Adrian Peterson, RB, MIN	vs. NYG
2	Allen Robinson, WR, JAC	at NO
3	DeAngelo Williams, RB, PIT	at Bal
4	Charcandrick West, RB, KC	vs. Cle
5	DeAndre Hopkins, WR, HOU	at Ten
6	David Johnson, RB, ARI	vs. GB
7	Antonio Brown, WR, PIT	at Bal
8	Doug Martin, RB, TB	vs. Chi
9	Ben Roethlisberger, QB, PIT	at Bal
10	Rob Gronkowski, TE, NE	at NYJ
11	Cam Newton, QB, CAR	at Atl
12	Matt Forte, RB, CHI	at TB
13	Mike Evans, WR, TB	vs. Chi
14	Devonta Freeman, RB, ATL	vs. Car
15	Sammy Watkins, WR, BUF	vs. Dal
16	Blake Bortles, QB, JAC	at NO
17	Karlos Williams, RB, BUF	vs. Dal
18	Jeremy Maclin, WR, KC	vs. Cle
19	Darren McFadden, RB, DAL	at Buf
20	Doug Baldwin, WR, SEA	vs. StL
21	Lamar Miller, RB, MIA	vs. Ind
22	Todd Gurley, RB, STL	at Sea
23	Greg Olsen, TE, CAR	at Atl
24	Carson Palmer, QB, ARI	vs. GB
25	Christine Michael, RB, SEA	vs. StL
26	Tim Hightower, RB, NO	vs. Jac
27	Drew Brees, QB, NO	vs. Jac
28	Brandon Marshall, WR, NYJ	vs. NE
29	Russell Wilson, QB, SEA	vs. StL
30	Tom Brady, QB, NE	at NYJ
31	James White, RB, NE	at NYJ
32	Martavis Bryant, WR, PIT	at Bal
33	Denard Robinson, RB, JAC	at NO
34	Demaryius Thomas, WR, DEN	vs. Cin
35	Aaron Rodgers, QB, GB	at Ari
36	Eric Decker, WR, NYJ	vs. NE
37	Bilal Powell, RB, NYJ	vs. NE
38	Kirk Cousins, QB, WAS	at Phi
39	Brandin Cooks, WR, NO	vs. Jac
40	Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, CAR	at Atl
41	Julius Thomas, TE, JAC	at NO
42	Julio Jones, WR, ATL	vs. Car
43	Matthew Stafford, QB, DET	vs. SF
44	DeSean Jackson, WR, WAS	at Phi
45	Allen Hurns, WR, JAC	at NO
46	Eddie Lacy, RB, GB	at Ari
47	Michael Floyd, WR, ARI	vs. GB
48	Frank Gore, RB, IND	at Mia
49	Calvin Johnson, WR, DET	vs. SF
50	Delanie Walker, TE, TEN	vs. Hou
51	Tyrod Taylor, QB, BUF	vs. Dal
52	Jeremy Hill, RB, CIN	at Den
53	Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, NYJ	vs. NE
54	Jarvis Landry, WR, MIA	vs. Ind
55	A.J. Green, WR, CIN	at Den
56	Javorius Allen, RB, BAL	vs. Pit
57	Jordan Reed, TE, WAS	at Phi
58	John Brown, WR, ARI	vs. GB
59	Kamar Aiken, WR, BAL	vs. Pit
60	Ryan Mathews, RB, PHI	vs. Was
61	Teddy Bridgewater, QB, MIN	vs. NYG
62	Ben Watson, TE, NO	vs. Jac
63	Chris Ivory, RB, NYJ	vs. NE
64	T.Y. Hilton, WR, IND	at Mia
65	Larry Fitzgerald, WR, ARI	vs. GB
66	Zach Miller, TE, CHI	at TB
67	Golden Tate, WR, DET	vs. SF
68	Rueben Randle, WR, NYG	at Min
69	Ted Ginn Jr., WR, CAR	at Atl
70	Giovani Bernard, RB, CIN	at Den
71	Jordan Matthews, WR, PHI	vs. Was
72	Rashad Jennings, RB, NYG	at Min
73	Randall Cobb, WR, GB	at Ari
74	Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, TB	vs. Chi
75	Emmanuel Sanders, WR, DEN	vs. Cin
76	Stefon Diggs, WR, MIN	vs. NYG
77	Ameer Abdullah, RB, DET	vs. SF
78	Tavon Austin, WR, STL	at Sea
79	Tyler Eifert, TE, CIN	at Den
80	Willie Snead, WR, NO	vs. Jac
81	Matt Jones, RB, WAS	at Phi
82	Jameis Winston, QB, TB	vs. Chi
83	Tyler Lockett, WR, SEA	vs. StL
84	Ronnie Hillman, RB, DEN	vs. Cin
85	Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, TEN	vs. Hou
86	Shaun Draughn, RB, SF	at Det
87	Donte Moncrief, WR, IND	at Mia
88	DeVante Parker, WR, MIA	vs. Ind
89	Gary Barnidge, TE, CLE	at KC
90	Eli Manning, QB, NYG	at Min
91	Pierre Garcon, WR, WAS	at Phi
92	James Starks, RB, GB	at Ari
93	Travis Kelce, TE, KC	vs. Cle
94	Travis Benjamin, WR, CLE	at KC
95	Anquan Boldin, WR, SF	at Det
96	Alfred Blue, RB, HOU	at Ten
97	Markus Wheaton, WR, PIT	at Bal
98	Jeremy Langford, RB, CHI	at TB
99	Marvin Jones, WR, CIN	at Den
100	Brandon LaFell, WR, NE	at NYJ

Injury Update

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Probables

Quarterbacks

• Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers (non-injury): It seems the Panthers were giving Cam Newton a bit of rest after he was beaten up in last week's thrilling victory. The question is whether they will pull him mid-game if he takes a few more hits.
• Matt Hasselbeck, Indianapolis Colts (ribs): Without Hasselbeck, it'd be up to Clipboard Jesus to keep the Colts' playoff hopes alive. Fortunately, Charlie Whitehurst won't be starting against the Dolphins in Miami. This is great news for receivers in that offense.

Running Backs

• Isaiah Crowell, Cleveland Browns (non-injury): It isn't a particularly good matchup for Isaiah Crowell this week, but Duke Johnson's potential absence boosts his fantasy stock.
• Spencer Ware, Kansas City Chiefs (ribs): Ware's return mucks things up for Charcandrick West, who performed well as the main option last week. It's likely the duo will split carries and cannibalize each other's fantasy potential.
• Lamar Miller, Miami Dolphins (quad/ankle): Fantasy owners got burned last week when Lamar Miller nearly put up a goose egg in a good matchup. It looks like he'll have the opportunity to redeem himself or give owners deja vu against the Colts this week.
• Adrian Peterson (ankle) and Jerick McKinnon, Minnesota Vikings (hamstring): The Vikings will have their thunder and lightning this week after all.
• Denard Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars (foot): The backfield should be Denard Robinson's once more for the fantasy championship week.

Wide Receivers

• Ted Ginn Jr., Carolina Panthers (quad): Newton will have his No. 1 receiver this week after all, but Ted Ginn Jr. won't have a good matchup if Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant shadows him.
• Jarvis Landry, Miami Dolphins (knee): If cornerback Vontae Davis covers him all over the field, this isn't a good matchup for Jarvis Landry. 
• DeSean Jackson, Washington (knee/foot): DeSean Jackson isn't about to let an opportunity to stick it to the Philadelphia Eagles pass him by. It's a particularly good matchup for him to boot.

Tight Ends

• Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys (chest): Too bad the Dallas offense is irrelevant at this point.

Risks

Doug Baldwin, WR, Seattle Seahawks (hamstring)

To add injury to a bad matchup, Doug Baldwin could be a game-time decision this week. It's hard to recommend you bench a player who has scored 10 touchdowns in the past four games, but the arrow is pointing in the wrong direction for Baldwin.

Andre Ellington, RB, Arizona Cardinals (toe)

It didn't seem likely that Andre Ellington would play despite his questionable status, but the fact he practiced this week means he might finally come back to steal some of David Johnson's thunder.

Even if Ellington goes, there is little reason to believe Johnson won't be the lead back given how well he has been playing.  

Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions (ankle)

Injury partially drove last week's miserable fantasy output from Calvin Johnson. He didn't practice before Week 15 with a balky ankle, and he burned fantasy owners with one catch for 19 yards in a plus matchup.

This week, though, Megatron has actually been on the practice field. Though he is still listed as questionable, getting him on the practice field is great news for anyone who may have survived his disastrous Monday night.

Tyler Eifert, TE, Cincinnati Bengals (concussion)

The Bengals could use their star tight end on the field this Monday in a big clash with the Denver Broncos. Having that extra day could make a huge difference for Eifert, who got back onto the field but didn't practice late in the week. 

It's a good matchup, to boot.

Brian Hoyer, QB, Houston Texans (concussion/ankle)

This Sunday could be the battle of the backups if Brian Hoyer can't get on the field for the Texans. He did practice midweek, which could portend a start this weekend. Hopefully, he does, at least for his pass-catchers' sake.

Nobody wants to rely on Brandon Weeden to get DeAndre Hopkins the ball, after all.

Brandon LaFell, WR, New England Patriots (foot)

Danny Amendola, WR, New England Patriots (quad) 

Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots (foot)

The Patriots are playing injury mind games with the NFL here at the end of the season.

Julian Edelman is the biggest question mark, given he has missed the past several weeks. Danny Amendola got dinged up last week, so he could well miss the game this week. 

Just keep an eye on the injury reports Sunday morning. There is no telling what is going to happen.

Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints (foot)

Playing through a plantar fascia injury must be painful. It seems to be affecting Drew Brees quite a bit, and his status is up in the air for this week because of the injury.

Even if he does play, how effective will he be? What does that mean for his receivers and tight ends? 

The Saints are slated to play in one of the highest scoring games of the week, but that could be a trap.

Doubtful or Out

Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers (foot)

If the Carolina Panthers were in a tight race for a playoff spot, Jonathan Stewart might be out there this week. Since they are undefeated and facing a relatively easy matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, though, they can afford to rest him.

Stewart's absence opens up the door for his backups to shine in the fantasy realm, and we could see a couple of them put up nice numbers in his wake.

LeSean McCoy, RB, Buffalo Bills (knee)

Charles Clay, RB, Buffalo Bills (back)

There was some hullabaloo about LeSean McCoy possibly playing this week, but it was all hogwash. The Bills aren't going anywhere this season. McCoy is sitting on a giant contract, and Karlos Williams and Mike Gillislee are perfectly capable of handling the load.

Speaking of which, don't be shy to put Williams into your lineups this week, barring late-breaking injury news, of course.

Quarterback Tyrod Taylor, meanwhile, will be without one of his top weapons this week when Charles Clay sits with injury.

Tevin Coleman, RB, Atlanta Falcons (concussion)

You get in the shower, nice and steamy, ready to therapeutically wash away the day. Then you slip and give yourself a concussion. 

Tevin Coleman's injury is a microcosm of Atlanta's season. A promising undefeated start has given way to last year's despair.

At least Devonta Freeman will gobble up touches and increase his fantasy value in the process in Coleman's absence.

Alshon Jeffery, WR, Chicago Bears (hamstring)

One malady after another has befallen Alshon Jeffery this season. His hamstring has struck again, and the Bears are probably holding him out this week without any reason to put him out there.

Dez Bryant, WR, Dallas Cowboys (foot/ankle)

It might be best for the Cowboys to shut Dez Bryant down for the final two games of the year and get him a head start on healing for the 2016 season. At this point, it looks like he'll be out for Week 16 at the very least. 

T.J. Yeldon, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars (knee)

The Jaguars are playing it safe with their rookie running back, as they should.

Injury updates courtesy of Rotoworld unless otherwise noted.

Sleepers and Busts

Sleepers

Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Minnesota Vikings

Maybe the fact he threw for four touchdowns last week disqualifies him as a sleeper, but one can hardly count on Teddy Bridgewater from game to game, right?

The Giants have been rather generous to opposing quarterbacks, giving up the most fantasy points per game (PPG) to the position over the last five weeks. Bridgewater isn't likely to score 30 points, but he could toss a few touchdowns and score some points with his legs to boot.

Kyle Rudolph, TE, Minnesota Vikings

One of Bridgewater's targets happens to have a particularly good matchup this week. The Giants have given up the second-most fantasy PPG to opposing tight ends this season.

Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, Carolina Panthers

Last week was a huge bust for Fozzy Whittaker as a sleeper thanks to the unexpected workload for rookie Cameron Artis-Payne. With Jonathan Stewart out for the week, look for Artis-Payne to have a big week against the Falcons defense.

Busts

Ted Ginn Jr., WR, Carolina Panthers

If there is one thing the Falcons have going for them on defense, it's cornerback Desmond Trufant.

He has toiled in Josh Norman's shadow all season long, but Trufant has been almost as good as his divisional counterpart. He may not cover Ginn the entire game if the latter moves around, but Trufant did shadow his cover assignment last week.

Ginn is a deep threat capable of putting up a crooked fantasy number on a single play, but he is a rather risky proposition against Trufant in Week 16.

Doug Baldwin, WR, Seattle Seahawks

It has been a magical run for Doug Baldwin, who has scored 10 touchdowns in four weeks. But the clock is about to strike midnight on his fantasy production.

Granted, it doesn't seem like anyone can stop the Seattle offense these days. The Seahawks figure to blow the Rams out regardless, but the latter has a penchant for stinginess against opposing receivers.

That secondary has given up the third-fewest fantasy PPG to opposing receivers this season, including just 35 yards to Baldwin early in the season. That was before Russell Wilson pumped nitrous oxide into the offense, but the point remains—this isn't a good matchup for Baldwin.

Benching him is all but out of the question, but anyone trying to make a tough choice might want to put in a comparable player this week.

Start 'Em

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers

Did you draft Aaron Rodgers and make it to the championship game? Congratulations—that was no easy feat.

Rodgers hasn't quite been his MVP self this season, at times putting up some brutal fantasy scores. This week might seem like another good one to bench him, but he is going to Arizona with the Vikings nipping at his heels and a first-round bye still attainable. 

The Cardinals lost cornerback Tyrann Mathieu to a torn ACL, which should cripple their secondary. Packers receiver Randall Cobb is just the guy to take advantage of Arizona's misfortune.

Denard Robinson, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Early in the week it seemed like T.J. Yeldon might return while Denard Robinson was dinged up, but it looks like anyone who picked up the latter will get a chance to showcase him in the fantasy championship.

Robinson is good to go against a Saints defense that has allowed the second-most fantasy PPG to opposing running backs over the past five weeks, while Yeldon is probably going to miss another week. Get Shoelace in your lineups if you can.

T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts

Matt Hasselbeck or not, this is an excellent week to start T.Y. Hilton. The Dolphins are terrible on defense, particularly against speedy receivers. 

With Matt Hasselbeck slated to start despite his slew of injuries, Hilton should be in for a big week.

Zach Miller, TE, Chicago Bears

No Alshon Jeffery for the Bears probably means more targets for Zach Miller, who has produced well when given opportunities this season.

Sit 'Em

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants

No Odell Beckham Jr.? Big problem.

Eli Manning has been a nice asset for fantasy owners this season, but relying on him on the road without his all-world receiver is a recipe for disaster.

Beckham isn't just an excellent target for Manning, either. He draws a ton of extra attention from opposing defenses, which opens things up for the rest of the offense.

Chris Ivory, RB, New York Jets

Whereas Chris Ivory might have propelled you to a playoff spot with some early wins, he has been an albatross to fantasy rosters everywhere in recent weeks.

Bilal Powell has been explosive, and his role in the Jets offense has increased as a result. This has rendered Ivory all but useless in the fantasy realm.

Benching a running back who is still getting good playing time might be tough given the state of affairs in the fantasy realm, but don't figure on a big role for Ivory this week if the Jets find themselves in a huge hole against the Patriots.

Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots

Given we don't know much about Edelman's recovery from a foot injury, it's probably safer to keep him on the bench at this point. Nabbing him a few weeks ago was a great gambit, but it could backfire on anyone who tries to cash in this weekend.

Eric Ebron, TE, Detroit Lions

The 49ers aren't good at many things this season, but one thing they have done relatively well is defend the tight end. 

The DraftKings Scoop

Here is the Week 16 rundown for DraftKings, if you are of that persuasion. 

The Chalk

chalk (n.)—a player considered to be a consensus pick or a “must-start” option for a given DFS contest, especially in cash games.

David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals ($5,800)

A week later and David Johnson's investors are still glowing from last week's fantasy explosion. The best part? He is only $100 more expensive for Week 16.

We're not going to get three touchdowns out of Johnson again, but he is set to carry the load for the Cardinals. If he was a chalk play last week, he is an entire box of Tums this week.

Rueben Randle, WR, New York Giants ($3,500)

He is no Odell Beckham Jr., but Rueben Randle is going to do his best impression this week.

Whether that impression is accurate or not, Randle is going to have a lot of investors this week. The big wideout is only $3,500, and he is going to be the de facto No. 1 receiver for the Giants in a pretty good matchup.

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers ($6,800)

We didn't get a chance to see what Ben Roethlisberger could do against that Swiss cheese defense the Baltimore Ravens employ—he was injured the last time these two teams met.

Whatever the reason for his $6,800 price tag, Roethlisberger is going to far exceed value against his divisional foes this week. 

The Cash Plays

cash game (n.)—a contest in which at least 40 percent of the entrants earn a prize. High-floor players are desirable in cash games.

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers ($6,500)

The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to steamroll the Ravens this week. While this is a particularly great matchup for the passing offense, DeAngelo Williams is going to be heavily involved.

Charcandrick West, RB, Kansas City Chiefs ($5,700)

A big bump in price and a theoretical return from Spencer Ware shouldn't preclude you from putting Charcandrick West into cash lineups this week.

Ware will steal some carries—particularly on the goal line—but West re-established himself as the top back in the offense last week. He goes up against a soft Cleveland defense in what should be a blowout at Arrowhead Stadium.

The bigger the blowout, the bigger the workload for West and Ware.

The Stacks

stack (v.)—rostering two to three players from the same NFL team with the hope that if one player performs extremely well, then the other one to two players will also benefit.

Ben Roethlisberger, QB ($6,800) and Antonio Brown, WR ($9,300) or Martavis Bryant, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers ($5,600)

The Steelers are 10-point favorites on the road this week. They are slated to score a ton of points in a blowout. Their passing offense is brutally effective, while the Ravens defense is just brutal.

Aaron Rodgers, QB ($7,000) and Randall Cobb, WR, Green Bay Packers ($6,100)

The Packers offense has been a relative disappointment, and the Cardinals have been rather good on defense. So what makes this a good stack?

Simple—Rodgers is still a great quarterback, and Cobb might find himself open quite a bit this week. 

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, cornerback Tyrann Mathieu tore his ACL in Pyrrhic victory last week. He would be the man normally tasked to cover Cobb, who lines up in the slot often. Losing Mathieu will be a big blow to the Arizona defense.

Granted, he is just one man, but Vegas oddsmakers peg this as a high-scoring game with a 49-point over-under, per Odds Shark. A shootout is brewing in the desert.

Blake Bortles, QB ($6,500) and Allen Robinson, WR ($7,500) or Julius Thomas, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars ($5,100)

Play all your starters against the New Orleans defense, right? 

The Jaguars have featured a rather productive passing offense this season, while the Saints have featured one of the worst defenses. This is a recipe for fantasy success.

Kirk Cousins, QB ($5,500) and DeSean Jackson, WR ($5,000) or Pierre Garcon, WR, Washington ($4,200)

Pop quiz—which quarterback is second in the league in rushing touchdowns? If you answered Jameis Winston, you would be correct. If you answered Kirk Cousins, you would also be correct, which is relevant to this blurb.

Those two have five on the year, though rushing touchdowns won't do much to help receivers in Washington. Fortunately, the Philadelphia defense is soft enough to oblige.

The GPP Plays

GPP (n.)—stands for “Guaranteed Prize Pool.” It is a type of tournament for which the daily fantasy sports site promises a specific prize pool amount to be divided among the winners regardless of entry count.

Sam Bradford, QB, Philadelphia Eagles ($5,100)

On the flip side of that Philadelphia-Washington matchup, Sam Bradford has an opportunity to break out against his division rivals.

While the Eagles have been awful against the pass, Washington hasn't been much better in recent weeks. That unit has given up the 11th-most fantasy PPG to opposing quarterbacks in that span.

Karlos Williams, RB, Buffalo Bills ($4,500)

A shoulder injury makes Karlos Williams a bit of a risky proposition, but he could be in for a huge game if he can get through without aggravating it.

Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, Carolina Panthers ($4,300)

Stewart will be out another week, and this time we know who will carry the load...at least if last week was any indication, at any rate.

Dwayne Harris, WR, New York Giants ($3,000)

Randle might be a chalk play, but Dwayne Harris might wind up with a better day. Of course, he is simply a throw of the dart, but you could do far worse given his minimal price. 

Daily fantasy definitions courtesy of Cracking DraftKings over at FootballGuys.com.

Last-Minute Waiver-Wire Pickups

Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press

Mike Gillislee, RB, Buffalo Bills

If for whatever reason Karlos Williams isn't able to play this week, Mike Gillislee would pick up a workhorse's workload.

It looks like Williams will play, but Gillislee could be in for a large role regardless. He has become one of the hottest pickups of the week, but the second-year back is still readily available.

Tampa Bay D/ST

Need a defense to stream in the championship game? The Tampa Bay Buccaneers might be the best bet.

Tampa Bay takes on an ailing Chicago offense this week, and Jay Cutler has had a penchant for turnovers throughout his career. 

What Other Experts Are Saying

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Matthew Berry also loves Blake Bortles this week against that Saints defense in his weekly Love/Hate column at ESPN.com:

"

Going into the finals with Blake Bortles? Damn right you are. He's got 20 or more fantasy points in each of his past four games; only Tom Brady, Russell Wilson and Philip Rivers have had longer such streaks this season. In fact, Bortles' 102 fantasy points puts him behind only Cam Newton and Russell Wilson in that span. Oh, and you know...it's against the Saints. He's locked in as a top-five play this week.

"

If T.Y. Hilton wasn't the start of the week at receiver, Kamar Aiken would be with a great matchup against the Steelers. Yahoo's Brandon Funston agrees:

"

I love the way Aiken, week in and week out, makes tough catches in traffic. He's just a rock solid player, and he happens to have a nice matchup against a Steelers secondary that he hung a 5/77/1 line on back in Week 4. The Steelers have only regressed in pass defense since then, as they allow the second-most fantasy PPG to the WR position.

"

All fantasy rankings and statistics courtesy of FFToday.com. Snap count data is courtesy of FootballOutsiders.com. Las Vegas odds courtesy of OddsShark.com.