Welcome to the semi-finals! Or if you did not make it to the final four but you’re still dedicated to crushing your opponent each week, welcome in!
Let’s take a moment to applaud everyone who is still battling for a championship this year.
Here’s to you, and may the odds be ever in your favor!
Week 16 features a slew of WR starts that might require a little extra fortitude to submit. It’s paramount to appropriately gauge floors, upside, and exploitable matchups.
As always, remember this is just a game, and do not target NFL players on social media for lackluster fantasy performances.
LET’S GO!
WIDE RECEIVERS TO START IN WEEK 16
Jakobi Meyers vs. Denver Broncos
Did Meyers score a TD last week? Nope! Did it matter? Nope!
The question is… are you going to push your chips in on Trevor Lawrence? I say yep!
Liam Coen is an offensive genius, and Lawrence has been incredible the last half of the year.
Lawrence has scored at least 21 fantasy points in five of his last seven, and this is, in no small part, due to the impact of Meyers as a reliable go-to option!
Last week, Meyers saw seven targets and caught five for 71 yards.
With Patrick Surtain likely chasing Brian Thomas Jr., Meyers will be in line for a bump in targets and could reignite another TD streak ahead of the NFL playoffs.
He’s a solid WR2 this week with low-end WR1 upside!.
Ladd McConkey vs. Dallas Cowboys
If not now, why roster him? Ladd has got to get things going this week. The Chargers offense needs to reignite its cylinders and get that freight train humming ahead of the playoffs.
If the Chargers offense can get flying again, they instantly become arguably the most dangerous team in the NFL. If the Colts lose and the Bolts beat the Cowboys, then the Chargers are in!
Now back to McConkey and his disappointing three catches for 32 yards over the last three weeks. Puke!
He hasn’t seen six targets since week 8, but the Cowboys have become a bit of a pass-funnel defense. Ladd and QJ (if active) should be in line to roast this week, and I wouldn’t be surprised if each caught a TD pass.
After all, the Cowboys allow the most fantasy points per game to wide receivers. So I ask again, if not now, why roster him?
DJ Moore vs. Green Bay Packers
Boom! Bust! DJ Moore!
Stop me when I say something that doesn’t belong.
This season, Moore has scored fewer than five points in four games. He’s scored between five and eight points five times. And he has three outings over 20 fantasy points.
Last week was one of those outings.
With Luther Burden and Rome Odunze being listed as estimated non-participants in practice, Moore is in line to be peppered with targets.
Moore could be the key to moving on to fantasy championships! Track the status of Burden and Odunze through the week and start Moore with confidence.
Jalen Coker vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Since week 11, Coker has been pacing for 926 yards and 8 TDs on 72 targets. In other words, Coker has been cooking!
He plays almost every snap in 11 personnel since returning from injury, PFF noted. This makes him a bit more gamescript dependent than most fantasy managers would like.
Still, Coker has been heating up, posting at least 50 yards in three of his past four games. He’s averaging 12.7 points per game, and he has a favorable matchup in week 16 vs. the Bucs.
Tampa Bay has allowed the fourth-most receptions to slot receivers, making Coker an enticing flex option in week 16.
WIDE RECEIVERS TO BENCH IN WEEK 16
Brian Thomas Jr. vs. Denver Broncos
The shadow of Surtain will likely be too much for Thomas to overcome.
Denver ranks 7th against fantasy WRs, but Thomas has been on a bit of a heater lately. He’s produced at least 70 total yards in three straight. So what happens if an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?
Okay, that was a little hyperbolic and meant to make readers chuckle.
In Lawrence’s week 15 eruption, Thomas was targeted seven times and caught four for 66 yards and a score in the back of the endzone.
He’s pacing for over 1,000 yards since week 11 to go along with 6 TDs. His recent resurgence is almost certainly going to get Surtain’s attention, and that’s enough to make me fine sitting him this week.
Justin Jefferson vs. New York Giants
What fun this could have been if Jefferson and JJ McCarthy were in sync. Watching him and Malik Nabers duel with Jaxson Dart slinging the rock would have been electric!
This isn’t all on McCarthy. Let’s be clear. Jefferson has had unreliable hands all season and dropped a TD pass against the Cowboys last week.
Still, there comes a time when managers have to make a stand. Go down with the ship or try to get in the lifeboat and escape.
Over his last six games, Jefferson has caught 19 of his 45 (yes, 45) targets for only 183 yards and no TDs. Has anyone ever seen him and Kadarius Toney in the same place?
All jokes aside, if I had Jefferson anywhere, he would sit on the bench this week.
Troy Franklin vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Whether to start or sit Franklin is the question of the week.
Fantasy Points shows that the Jaguars allow 59% of targets to the wide receiver position and have allowed the second-highest total targets to receivers in 2025.
With the Jaguars tightening up its defense across the board, allowing just 14.4 points per game over the last five weeks.
Jacksonville has also sacked opposing QBs 16 times and has forced nine turnovers.
While the Broncos boast a top-five offensive line, Bo Nix expects to be under siege a lot, with Josh Allen and Travon Walker expected to be breathing down his neck all night.
With roughly 33% of Franklin’s 12.8 xFP/g being deemed uncatchable, and the status of Pat Bryant up in the air, Franklin projects as a low-end WR3 at best. He should be played only as a potential TD + upside play.
Deebo Samuel vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Since his brief week 11 resurgence against the Dolphins, Deebo has been trending back down in role and production.
Other than scoring 20.7 fantasy points in week 11 against the Dolphins, Samuel hasn’t finished as a WR2 or better since week 5. He’s finished with single-digit fantasy points in five of his last eight games
What is the upside to playing Samuel? The Eagles rank as a top 5 defense vs. wide receivers, allowing around 16 ppg to the position.
With a low floor and no ceiling vs. a tough matchup, why play Deebo in week 16?
