Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Early Fantasy Lineup Advice for Matchups of Week 16

Week 15 only ended on Tuesday, but fantasy managers have a quick turnaround to Week 16. The schedule opens with the San Francisco 49ers and Tennessee Titans on Thursday night. Two games follow on Christmas Saturday, with a relatively normal Sunday and Monday slate to wrap the week.

Don't forget to tweak your lineups before the Thursday and Saturday games—and finding the right lineup is critical.

Now that we've reached the fantasy postseason, it's win or go home. There's no feeling worse than losing to an inferior roster in the playoffs some of your top players didn't make it off the bench.

Here, we'll dive into some of the best and worst plays of Week 16. To avoid obvious sits, we'll be looking specifically at players rostered in at least 50 percent of Yahoo and/or ESPN leagues, according to FantasyPros. All picks are based on points-per-reception scoring.

Week 16 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

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Start 'Em

Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams

Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings

James Robinson, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Cordarrelle Patterson, RB, Atlanta Falcons

Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers

Tyler Boyd, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Zach Ertz, TE, Arizona Cardinals

Sit 'Em

Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins

Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans

James Conner, RB, Arizona Cardinals

Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

Marquise Brown, WR, Baltimore Ravens

Chase Claypool, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Dalton Schultz, TE, Dallas Cowboys

Start 'Em: Kirk Cousins vs. Los Angeles Rams

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins isn't widely regarded as a top-tier signal-caller. However, he's been a fantasy star more often than not in 2021. He's thrown at least two touchdown passes in seven straight games and provides a remarkable fantasy floor.

Managers may worry about a Cousins' lack of use in Week 15 against the Chicago Bears. The Vikings leaned heavily on the run, and Cousins finished just 12-of-24 for 87 yards, two scores and an interception.

However, Minnesota isn't likely to face a similar defensive struggle this week against the Los Angeles Rams. L.A. can put up points in bunches, and Cousins will likely find himself in a duel with fellow quarterback Matthew Stafford.

As matchups go, this isn't a great one for Cousins. The Rams have allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks and can wreak havoc up front with Aaron Donald and Co. In a back-and-forth game, though, Cousins should find his regular two touchdown passes and put up enough yards to warrant a start.

There's no reason to pull Cousins now.

Sit 'Em: James Conner vs. Indianapolis Colts

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There are a couple of reasons to lean away from Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner this week—even though he's been a fantasy superstar most of the season. For one, Conner is dealing with a heel injury and was listed as out of practice on Tuesday.

The Cardinals didn't actually hold a practice, but Conner would have been out if they had.

With the Cardinals facing the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday, Conner's situation is dicey at best. Managers need to have a backup plan in place before the weekend, swapping in Conner only if he's available and it's absolutely necessary.

This isn't a great matchup for Conner, as the Colts have been stout against the run. Only three teams—including Arizona—have allowed fewer fantasy points to opposing running backs this season.

There's simply too much risk and not enough potential reward to make Conner a top option in week 16.

Start 'Em: Brandon Aiyuk at Tennessee Titans

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49ers wideout Brandon Aiyuk is coming off a down performance against the Atlanta Falcons. He caught only one pass for 36 yards and was only targeted twice. This may cause some managers to lean away from Aiyuk in a critical Thursday night matchup.

Don't be one of those managers. Aiyuk has gained a steady role in the passing attack with Deebo Samuel evolving as a backfield presence. That trend is likely to continue against a Titans team that has learned to stop the run.

Tennessee has allowed the second-fewest rushing yards per game this season while ranking 20th in passing yards allowed per game. Expect the 49ers to lean heavily on Jimmy Garoppolo and the passing game in this matchup, which should lead to more opportunities for Aiyuk.

Before Week 15, Aiyuk had no fewer than six targets in four straight contests. Expect him to see that sort of workload again on Thursday.

The Titans have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing receivers.

Sit 'Em: Chase Claypool at Kansas City Chiefs

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It's fair to wonder if Pittsburgh Steelers wideout Chase Claypool is in the proverbial doghouse after his Week 14 game against the Vikings. Late in that game, Claypool wasted precious seconds celebrating a first down—though quarterback Ben Roethlisberger placed the responsibility of discipline on the coaching staff.

"To me that goes up to Coach Tomlin. That's what he needs to do. That's his job as the head coach," Roethlisberger said, per CBS Sports' Jeff Kerr. "As the quarterback, it's my job to help manage what we do on the field."

On the field, Roethlisberger didn't look Claypool's way often in Week 15. The second-year receiver was targeted only twice

Even if Claypool makes his way back into the game plan, this isn't a good week to start him. The Kansas City Chiefs defense has become a tough matchup for receivers. Kansas City has allowed the 11th-fewest fantasy points to the position.

Fantasy roster information and points allowed via FantasyPros. Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference.