NFL Fantasy Start & Sit Week 16: Matt Moore Is On The Rise

Most leagues are gone and forgotten by this time of the NFL season, but somewhere out there, fantasy football still reigns in the hearts of fierce competitors.

And for those mighty few who set their line-ups in a frenzy and in great worry, we here at The Red Zone Report are still working hard to guide you to that elusive championship trophy.

Take last week's solid 9-6 pick standings to heart and trust in us with our 15 selections of start, sit, and sleeper calls for Week 16 :


Start

Brett Favre, QB, Minnesota Vikings

Favre, Brad Childress, and all of the Vikings have been in the midst of negative publicity, but that's nothing a weak Chicago Bears defense can't cure. Minnesota should get back to pounding the ball with Adrian Peterson, which will open up the play-action pass for Favre. Even if the weather isn't great, he could have a big day .

Prediction: 17-24, 245 yds, 3 TD, 0 INT

Alex Smith, QB, San Francisco 49ers

Smith has been a solid fantasy option since taking over for Shaun Hill in mid-season but needs some stellar play and probably at least one more win to convince the 49ers front office that he's their guy for the future. Playing the Lions should help immensely, as Detroit gives up big points to quarterbacks and has been doing so all season long.

Prediction: 20-29, 306 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT

Jerome Harrison, RB, Cleveland Browns

I know a lot of people are telling you not to buy the hype on the guy who just came out of nowhere to run for 280+ yards and three scores, but we're here to say, "Do it anyways!"

Harrison won't run for 200 yards or three scores again, but with Derek Anderson back under center, he'll be needed even more than last week, and the match-up does bode well for him.

Prediction: 22 att, 134 yds, 1 TD, 4 rec, 45 yds, 1 TD

Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers

With his 100+ yards and a score last week against a usually stout Vikings run defense, combined with starter DeAngelo William's ankle injury, Stewart is suddenly a hot commodity (again).

The last time Stewart took over for an injured Williams, he fulfilled RB2 expectations, and even if he doesn't get the start, he should come very close to doing so again against an average New York Giants run defense.

Prediction: 14 att, 78 yds, 1 TD, 3 rec, 14 yds, 0 TD

Terrell Owens, WR, Buffalo Bills

I know it's hard to trust T.O., and it's even harder to trust any offensive weapons in Buffalo, but this is the week to use him. And considering that it's likely your championship week, it's time to pull out all the stops and see if this guy can still help you win a title.

Brian Brohm could show up and play just like, well, Brian Brohm, but as long as T.O. gets some solid looks, he has a good chance at doing some damage against a vulnerable Falcons pass defense. Hey, if Braylon Edwards can, then why not T.O.?

Prediction: 5 rec, 77 yds, 1 TD

Sit

Jay Cutler, QB, Chicago Bears

It's not crazy to imagine several Cutler owners throwing caution to the wind and weighing the "pros", thinking that because he's "due" for a solid game, playing at home, and facing a weak as of late Vikings secondary, Cutler would be a good play.

But he still isn't. The Vikings still have the ability to rush the passer and create turnovers, and without a strong running game, the Bears will be forced to pass more than they'd like to, which will end badly for Cutler, who already owns 25 interceptions on the season. Make it 28 after Monday night.

Prediction: 22-34, 289 yds, 1 TD, 3 INT

Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons will likely have just as hard of a time moving the ball and scoring against Buffalo as they did last week against the Jets. The Bills can definitely be run on, but without Michael Turner handy, Ryan will likely be forced to pass against an elite pass defense more than he'd like to.

Prediction: 23-36, 279 yds, 2 TD, 3 INT

Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants

Fantasy owners should have learned by now. You don't play quarterbacks against the Raiders, Bills, or Panthers pass defenses. You just don't. For Manning, look no further than Brett Favre and Tom Brady's struggles with an improving Carolina pass rush, as well as stingy coverage.

Manning and his Giants passing attack have looked good, but this could be an ugly week.

Prediction: 21-34, 227 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT

Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

We could just as easily tell you not to start Ray Rice (who plays in the same game), but we're going with the guy who is less likely to have an impact in the passing game and has an even less chance of making something happen in between the tackles.

Mendy should get the touches, but the yards just won't be there this week.

Prediction: 15 att, 66 yds, 0 TD, 3 rec, 18 yds, 0 TD

LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego Chargers

Tomlinson should begin "rest mode" this week, as the Chargers don't have much else to play for in the final two weeks, and even if he does play the whole game, the match-up doesn't bode well for him. The Titans stop the ball on both ends pretty well, so he should be tied up all day.

Prediction: 12 att, 44 yds, 0 TD, 1 rec, 5 yds, 0 TD

Sleeper

Brian Brohm, QB, Buffalo Bills

Are we suggesting Brohm as a late-season sleeper because we see something Green Bay didn't, or that we even have a ton of confidence in the former Louisville quarterback? No, but we do half-way bank on Terrell Owens producing at least one more decent fantasy game, and we wouldn't be surprised to see Lee Evans get some make-up stats as well.

Brohm is far from polished and lacks great confidence, but a second go-around could be all he needs to get running in the right direction. A decent match-up with an at times suspect Atlanta Falcons pass defense this week doesn't hurt.

Prediction: 19-35, 231 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT

Charlie Frye, QB, Oakland Raiders

He didn't finish last week's game and had to watch JaMarcus Russell win the game, but regardless, Frye gets another crack at running Oakland's offense in Week 16. We still don't expect much from Frye, but he is facing the team that drafted him and threw him to the side, and considering it's the lowly Cleveland Browns, there's always the potential for a big game.

Prediction: 18-27, 233 yds, 2 TD, 0 INT

Matt Moore, QB, Carolina Panthers

A lot of people are over-looking Moore simply because they think he over-achieved or "got lucky" against the Minnesota Vikings last week, and while that may have some truth to it, the guy is still producing decent numbers, is backed by a heck of a rush attack, and faces a beatable Giants pass defense in Week 16.

He's not a superstar in the making, or so it doesn't seem, but he knows how to get Steve Smith the ball, and for now, that's all it takes to make him a decent sleeper.

Prediction: 17-24, 255 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT

Michael Bush, RB, Oakland Raiders

Bush isn't quite in the mold of Jerome Harrison, as he did just recently have a huge game that came out of nowhere (133 rushing yards and a score), but his role and touches are much more unpredictable.

Leading up to his break-out performance, Bush had touched the ball just eight times in his previous three games. It's possible the Raiders have been and will continue to go with the "hot hand", which could negatively affect Bush's value, even in a great match-up with the Browns.

Still, an elite sleeper pick he does remain.

Prediction: 15 att, 68 yds, 1 TD, 1 rec, 9 yds, 0 TD

Lance Moore, WR, New Orleans Saints

Moore could be a nice late-season pick-up, as he's just coming back and should be at full health after his first start in nearly seven weeks. He scored a touchdown on his only catch in Week 15, and while he'll surely be brought along slowly so he can be effective in the playoffs, he could be in for a nice two weeks, especially with the other starters likely getting dome down time.

Prediction: 4 rec, 55 yds, 1 TD