Week 16 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Advice on Fantasy Football Stars to Play or Bench

The rush to fantasy league titles or some semblance of glory in consolation brackets continues in a tricky start-sit slate within the NFL's Week 16 schedule. 

A week removed from seeing Damien Williams mix in with top scorers like DeAndre Hopkins while a star like JuJu Smith-Schuster stumbled, the task only gets more difficult for those owners left standing thanks to spoilers and lineup shuffling as a result of the playoff outlook. 

Cam Newton is the most prominent example, as the Carolina Panthers won't even let him suit up with the playoffs out of reach, according to The Athletic's Joe Person. 

With these hurdles altering things, let's compare and rank some of the most notable matchups of the week before diving into start-sit riddles at each position. 

QB

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
Russell Wilson (vs. KC) vs. Ben Roethlisberger (at NO)	Russell Wilson
Aaron Rodgers (at NYJ) vs. Deshaun Watson (at PHI)	Aaron Rodgers
Patrick Mahomes (at SEA) vs. Andrew Luck (vs. NYG)	Andrew Luck
Matt Ryan (at CAR) vs. Baker Mayfield (vs. CIN)	Baker Mayfield
Philip Rivers (vs. BAL) vs. Marcus Mariota (vs. WAS)	Philip Rivers

Star to Know: Dak Prescott, DAL (vs. TB) 

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is a scary name in general, but especially so when his random dips in production could harm a season-long effort. 

Case in point, Prescott only put up 7.24 points his last time out despite a whopping 39 attempts. While he's had some nice games since Amari Cooper arrived, it also marked the seventh time this season he has failed to reach the 15-point mark. 

But Prescott shouldn't have any such problems in Week 16 with a cupcake matchup against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team allowing the fourth-most points to opposing quarterbacks on average this year. 

Those Buccaneers have coughed up big games to names ranging from Eli Manning to Mitchell Trubisky, so Prescott at home shouldn't have too many problems. 

Star to Sit: Kirk Cousins, MIN (at DET) 

Andy Clayton-King/Associated Press

Like Prescott, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has had a certain risk to his play this year. 

While Cousins is the guy who can hit 27.38 points like he did in Week 12, he's also the guy who hasn't reached the 11-point mark in two of his last three outings. 

The risk-reward with Cousins is a massive point total at times, but it isn't a good idea to cross the fingers about one in Week 16 with Cousins on the road against the Detroit Lions. Cousins only put up 7.86 points against the team in Week 9, and they rank 16th in points allowed to quarterbacks. 

In fact, two of Detroit's last three quarterbacks faced haven't even scored double digits, so Cousins could be the next to underwhelm. 

RB

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
Todd Gurley (at ARI) vs. Nick Chubb (vs. CIN)	Todd Gurley
Joe Mixon (at CLE) vs. Chris Carson (vs. KC)	Joe Mixon
Derrick Henry (vs. WAS) vs. Saquon Barkley (at IND)	Saquon Barkley
Christian McCaffrey (vs. ATL) vs. Ezekiel Elliott (vs. TB)	Christian McCaffrey
Alvin Kamara (vs. PIT) vs. Dalvin Cook (at DET)	Alvin Kamara

Star to Know: Joe Mixon, CIN (at CLE) 

It looks mostly bad on paper. Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon has to go on the road against a hot Cleveland Browns team and try to run the ball while the defense doesn't have to worry about names like Tyler Eifert and A.J. Green. 

But the initial look can be deceptive. In reality, Mixon faced a similar situation in each of the past two weeks and tallied 22.3 and 26 points. And those Browns don't pass the closer-look test and happen to cough up the ninth-most points to backs this season. 

Back when the Bengals were giving Mixon questionable usage, he still touched up this Browns defense for 19 points in Week 12. 

That was on only 14 carries, whereas Mixon has 26 or more in each of his last two outings. The combination of factors creates best-of-week potential. 

Star to Sit: Mark Ingram, NO (vs. PIT) 

The last thing owners want to hear this time of year is that a guy like New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram might not be viable in Week 16. 

So it goes for a back in Ingram's situation. He hasn't received more than 13 carries in each of his last four games, a stretch that has seen him hit double-digit production just once—and it required a touchdown to happen. 

Now Ingram gets to stay at home and deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, owners of a defense allowing the sixth-fewest points to backs this year. 

Game flow could be a problem, as Ingram might have to watch from the sidelines as the Saints participate in an aerial shootout. Usage and matchup create the biggest of red flags here. 

WR

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
Mike Evans (at DAL) vs. T.Y. Hilton (vs. NYG)	Mike Evans
DeAndre Hopkins (at PHI) vs. Davante Adams (at NYJ)	DeAndre Hopkins
Julio Jones (at CAR) vs. Tyler Lockett (vs. KC)	Julio Jones
Jarvis Landry (vs. CIN) vs. Michael Thomas (vs. PIT)	Michael Thomas
JuJu Smith-Schuster (at NO) vs. Stefon Diggs (at DET)	JuJu Smith-Schuster

Star to Know: Doug Baldwin, SEA (vs. KC)

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin is coming through at the right time for owners. 

Baldwin put up 21.7 points in Week 15, his best output of the season after routinely struggling to get going for varying reasons. 

Those reasons continue to fade as Russell Wilson and the Seahawks continue to roll. He's had six or more targets in three of his last four appearances now and scored four times over that span. 

This run of quality output could reach new heights in Week 16 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Not only could the game flow lend itself to a shootout, the Chiefs miserably cough up the 10th-most points to wideouts this year and don't have anyone who can blanket Baldwin. 

Star to Sit: Josh Gordon, NE (vs. BUF)

Sometimes a solid floor has to outweigh the dice roll of major upside.

So seems to be the case in Week 16 with New England Patriots wideout Josh Gordon, who looked well on his way to a massive performance a week ago after back to back trips to double digits—only to post 2.4 points.

Gordon has been all over the place as a scorer this year, even in New England with Tom Brady, where he's put up six trips to double digits but hit less than 10 five times.

It should be more of the latter for Gordon in Week 16, where he has to line up against a Buffalo Bills team allowing just the sixth-fewest points to wideouts this year thanks to superb players like Tre'Davious White.

TE

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
George Kittle (vs. CHI) vs. Nick Vannett (vs. KC)	George Kittle
Evan Engram (at IND) vs. Jared Cook (vs. DEN)	Jared Cook
Travis Kelce (at SEA) vs. David Njoku (vs. CIN)	Travis Kelce
Eric Ebron (vs. NYG) vs. Zach Ertz (vs. HOU)	Zach Ertz
Trey Burton (at SF) vs. Jaylen Samuels (at NO)	Jaylen Samuels

Star to Know: Jared Cook, OAK (vs. DEN) 

For those who can still afford to, now would be the time to forgive Oakland Raiders tight end Jared Cook. 

Yes, Cook spoiled a strong run by only posting 3.3 points in an exploitable matchup in Week 15. But it isn't a good enough reason to avoid going back to the well in Week 16 against a Denver Broncos defense allowing the sixth-most points to tight ends. 

Before the anomaly, Cook had recorded 10 or more points in four consecutive games as perhaps the only offensive bright spot for the Raiders. 

Things should return to normal in Week 16, where Cook boasts a superb floor, not to mention the ceiling thanks to the matchup. 

Star to Sit: Jimmy Graham, GB (at NYJ)

The miserable run for Jimmy Graham is almost over. 

Since joining the Green Bay Packers, Graham only has four trips to double digits and hasn't accomplished the feat since Week 9. 

Look for this streak to continue thanks to a road game against the New York Jets in Week 16, meaning a date with the defense only allowing the fourth-fewest points to tight ends all year. 

Graham isn't even guaranteed a solid floor at this point, as he posted just nine points on a superb 11 targets in Week 13. A slow game in the cold will only make Graham's situation worse. 

All scoring info, points-against info and ownership stats courtesy of Yahoo standard leagues (half-PPR).