Start/Sit Advice Plus Top 50 WR Fantasy Rankings: Helu Out, Felix 50/50 to Play

Figuring out who the best wide receiver plays are for the week is probably the toughest of all the fantasy decisions you make on a weekly basis.

With some of the league's top players injured and a few divisional rivalries to consider, Week 16 is certainly no exception.

That's why those of us in the fantasy industry put together these lists for you—to give the reader a gauge of what to expect from his or her players on any given Sunday.

With that, here is some last minute Start 'Em, Sit 'Em advice along with the weekend's top 50 wide receivers including detailed analysis on the five best plays for the week:

START 'EM

QB

Tim Tebow (@ Buf)
Rex Grossman (vs. Min)
Matt Ryan (@ NO)
Matt Moore (@ NE)

RB

Michael Bush (@ KC)
Reggie Bush (@ NE)
Rashard Mendenhall (vs. StL)
DeAngelo Williams (vs. TB)
Kevin Smith (vs. SD)

Sammy Morris (vs. Phi)

WR

Dwayne Bowe (vs. Oak)
Jabar Gaffney (vs. Min)
Santonio Holmes (vs. NYG)
Nate Washington (vs. Jax)
Malcom Floyd (@ Det)
Randall Cobb (vs. Chi)

TE

Brent Celek (@ Dal)
Brandon Pettigrew (vs. SD)
Dustin Keller (vs. NYG)

SIT 'EM

QB

Eli Manning (@ NYJ)
Ben Roethlisberger (vs. StL) - Active, but will NOT start today
Ryan Fitzpatrick (vs. Den)
John Skelton (@ Cin)

RB

Felix Jones (vs. Phi) - Will not play if the NY Giants beat the NY Jets earlier in the day, is only 50/50 to play if the Giants lose

Roy Helu (vs. Min) - Declared OUT for the game today
Cedric Benson (vs. Ari)
Marshawn Lynch (vs. SF)
Beanie Wells (@ Cin)
Steven Jackson (@ Pit)
BenJarvus Green-Ellis (vs. Mia)

WR

Darrius Heyward-Bey (@ KC)

Vincent Jackson (@ Det) - His groin injury is so bad that he would be declared OUT if the game meant nothing to the Chargers
Stevie Johnson (vs. Den)
Brandon Lloyd (@ Pit)
Michael Crabtree (@ Sea)
Mario Manningham (@ NYJ) - Declared OUT for the game today
Anquan Boldin (vs. Cle) - OUT for two weeks due to knee surgery

TE

Anthony Fasano (@ NE)
Kellen Winslow (@ Car)
Heath Miller (vs. StL)
Marcedes Lewis (@ Ten)

TOP-50 WIDE RECEIVERS

50.           Early Doucet (@ Cin)

49.           Robert Meachem (vs. Atl – Monday Night)

48.           Golden Tate (vs. SF)

47.           Deion Branch (vs. Mia) – QUESTIONABLE TO PLAY

46.           Andre Roberts (@ Cin)

45.           Eric Decker (@ Buf)

44.           Greg Little (@ Bal) 

43.           Titus Young (vs. SD)

42.           Randall Cobb (vs. Chi – Sunday Night, Christmas)

41.           Torrey Smith (vs. Cle)

40.           Steve Breaston (vs. Oak)

39.           David Nelson (vs. Den)

38.           Damian Williams (vs. Jax)

37.           Michael Crabtree (@ Sea) 

36.           Lance Moore (vs. Atl – Monday Night) – QUESTIONABLE TO PLAY

35.           Mike Williams – TB (@ Car)

34.           Malcom Floyd (@ Det) – POSSIBLE SLEEPER

33.           Nate Burleson (vs. SD)

32.           Plaxico Burress (vs. NYG)

31.           Denarius Moore (@ KC)

30.           Brandon Lloyd (@ Pit) 

29.           Stevie Johnson (vs. Den)

28.           DeSean Jackson (@ Dal)

27.           Demaryius Thomas (@ Buf)

26.           Darrius Heyward–Bey (@ KC) – POTENTIAL BUST

25.           Antonio Brown (vs. StL)

24.           Santana Moss (vs. Min)

23.           Hakeem Nicks (@ NYJ)

22.           Nate Washington (vs. Jax) 

21.           Laurent Robinson (vs. Phi) 

20.           Mike Wallace (vs. StL)

19.           Vincent Jackson (@ Det) – QUESTIONABLE TO PLAY

18.           Santonio Holmes (vs. NYG)

17.           Victor Cruz (@ NYJ)

16.           Dez Bryant (vs. Phi)

15.           Percy Harvin (@ Was)

14.           Miles Austin (vs. Phi)

13.           Jeremy Maclin (@ Dal)

12.           Jabar Gaffney (vs. Min)  

11.           Jordy Nelson (vs. Chi – Sunday Night, Christmas)

10.           Julio Jones (@ NO – Monday Night)

9.             Dwayne Bowe (vs. Oak) 

8.             Steve Smith – Car (vs. TB)

7.             Roddy White (@ NO – Monday Night)

6.             Larry Fitzgerald (@ Cin) 

THE TOP FIVE

5.             Marques Colston (vs. Atl – Monday Night)

By no means has Colston been a fantasy savior this season, but he has been turning it on as of late and he absolutely loves to play these Atlanta Falcons.

In fact, Colston has scored more touchdowns and caught the second-most balls in his career against this team.

Back in Week 10 when these two teams faced off in Atlanta, Colston walked away from the Saints victory with eight catches on nine targets for 113 yards, numbers he should at least be able to repeat this Monday night.

Considering how much these two teams score whenever they hook up (49.8 points per game in their last eight games), it wouldn’t shock me to see Marques end up with a touchdown or two to go along with his 100 yards.

4.             Brandon Marshall (@ NE)

Brandon Marshall started off the year on fire thanks to a seven-catch, 139-yard performance against the Patriots back in Week 1.

The 13 targets and 139 yards he put up in the game are still both season highs for him, though it’s very possible he out-does one or both of them this Saturday.

Just last weekend, a similar-sized yet much less experienced Demaryius Thomas had seven catches on 13 targets for 116 yards against this awful Patriots defense, so it doesn’t look like they’ve figured out how to defend the pass over the course of the season.

If Miami goes down early, which they should, look for Marshall to get somewhere around 15 targets from Matt Moore playing in catch-up mode and possibly end up with his best fantasy game of the season.

3.             A.J. Green (vs. Ari)

A.J. Green is the best rookie receiver I’ve seen since Randy Moss back in 1998—and I don’t throw around praise like that too often.

He’s basically one of those types of players that can seemingly get the job done no matter what a defense throws at him.

Last weekend, he burned the St. Louis Rams for 115 yards on six catches even though he played with a separated shoulder the entire second half, but it looks like he’ll be fine for the game today.

Considering Arizona allows the second-most catches and yards in the league to opposing wide receivers, I expect A.J. to have his normal rookie-of-the-year type of stats by the end of the game.

2.             Wes Welker (vs. Mia)

The Dolphins have certainly turned their season around after a dreadful 0-8 start with at least half of the credit going to the defense, but then you realize that not one of their five wins have come against a team better than 7-7.

New England handed Miami their first loss of the season back in Week 1 in a game that saw Wes Welker catch eight of his 12 targets for 160 yards and two touchdowns, so it’s obvious Brady and Belichick know what to do to beat them.

With the Patriots controlling their own destiny in an effort to secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs, you can bet your ass they’ll be using the same game-plan that beat Miami the first time around—which means a whole hell of a lot of The Slot Machine this afternoon.

1.             Calvin Johnson (vs. SD)

After being double- and triple-covered for the majority of the second half of the season, the Oakland Raiders decided to lay off of Megatron for the most part in their matchup last weekend.

BIG mistake.

Calvin Johnson went off for a career day scoring two touchdowns while catching nine balls for 214 yards en route to a last-minute 28-27 victory for Detroit.

I can all but guarantee San Diego doesn’t make the same mistake, making Johnson a risky call as my No. 1 receiver for the week, but the guy is simply too talented to deny with the Lions still vying for a playoff spot in the NFC.

The Chargers are one of only 11 teams who have given up more touchdown catches than games played this season, so look for at least one out of Calvin today.

Click here to see the Rankings for QBs, RBs and TEs

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