By SCOTT FELTS
Welcome to Week 16 and, officially, the playoffs.
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations. It’s almost over for another year, but there are still moves to be made to bring home a championship and possibly even build your roster for next season if you’re in a keeper league.
With all that in mind, let’s get to it.
SIT
QB: Jaxson Dart, New York Giants (vs Vikings). There are not a lot of guys coming off of a 23-plus point performance who you would then sit, but Dart faces a tough Vikings defense that held Dak Prescott under 12 points in Week 15. Minnesota has surrendered the third fewest fantasy points per game this season. Jaxson’s last name is the most dangerous weapon he has this week.
RB: Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks (vs LA Rams). After 19 yards on 10 total touches against Indianapolis this week, its time to shut Walker down for the year. This week‘s opponent allows the third fewest fantasy points to running backs per game, which means Walker will likely finish with five or fewer points for the eighth time this season.
WR: Stefon Diggs, New England Patriots (vs Ravens). You would think a receiver with a quarterback as good as Maye would be worth a start, but after five straight weeks of 10 or more points, Diggs has scored less than five fantasy points three straight weeks and plays in Baltimore in week 16 where the Patriots will likely keep running the ball in the cold winter weather.
TE: Hunter Henry, New England Patriots (vs Ravens). Henry was targeted just three times with one catch and 18 yards last week. He had a tough matchup against the Bills, but arguably a tougher one against the Ravens, who allow the fifth fewest points to tight ends. Henry isn’t worth a start if he doesn’t score a touchdown and in the fantasy playoffs that’s a dangerous game.
START
QB: Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals (vs Falcons). Yes you’ve seen him mentioned here before but that’s because he deserves to be here. Since taking over as the Cardinals QB1 in Week 6, Brissett has scored at least 18 fantasy points every week. Also, he is ranked as QB3 in points per game and total points scored over that span. Even against the tough Houston defense last week, Brissett scored over 20 fantasy points. You could win a championship with him as your starter.
RB: Woody Marks, Houston Texans (vs Raiders). Yes, Marks left in Week 15 with an ankle injury, but his head coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday that he could’ve gone back into the game. Before he left, he had 30 yards one catch and his sixth touchdown of the season and he has scored over 10 fantasy points in two straight weeks. Everyone else with a pulse in Houston will definitely miss Week 16 but Marks will play against a terrible Raiders defense.
WR: Puka Nacua, LA Rams (vs Seahawks). Puka scored almost 50 points combined in the last two weeks. In week 15 he had 9 catches on 11 targets for 181 yards and two carries for 8 yards. That was a season high for receiving yards this season for Nacua. His teammate Davante Adams injured his hamstring and will likely not play Thursday. That means Puka will see heavy usage as Stafford‘s top target.
TE: Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons (vs Cardinals). If you started Pitts last week, welcome to round two of the playoffs or at least a better seed if you start Pitts again this week. Pitts caught 11 out of 12 targets for 166 yards and three touchdowns on Thursday night, setting new single-game career highs in all three receiving categories. He has at least 82 yards receiving in three straight games and faces a lackluster Cardinals defense in Week 16. Don’t let him put up points on your bench. Get him in your lineup.
SNIPE
QB: CJ Stroud, Houston Texans (Rostered in about 40% of leagues) Stroud was solid in Week 15 (260 yards, 2 TD), assembling over 23 fantasy points in a win against Arizona. It was his first good week since Week 8 but now he faces the Las Vegas Raiders. As their Week 15 game proved (a 31-0 loss to the Eagles), the Raiders are obviously in offseason mode. Stroud could be a streaming option if your starter is in a tough matchup or you could just stash him to keep an opponent from doing the same.
RB: Michael Carter, Arizona Cardinals (Rostered in less than 15% of leagues) Several weeks ago he was probably on a roster in twice as many leagues, but the Cardinals backfield is a complete mess. Trey Benson is out for the season and Bam Knight suffered an ankle injury in Week 15, leaving Carter as the last man standing for the final couple games. Carter scored over 13 points and faces the Falcons in a possible flex spot start after playing over 80% of Arizona’s offensive snaps last week.
WR: Adonai Mitchell, New York Jets (Rostered in less than 40% of leagues) Mitchell has scored 17 or more points in two of the last three weeks. He is the Jets’ clear number one receiver for the final couple of games. Over those three weeks, he has 27 targets so the volume is there.
TE: Colby Parkinson, LA Rams (Rostered in less than 10% of leagues) Parkinson has been a diamond in the rough in recent weeks and further solidified that with a two touchdown, nearly 30-point fantasy output in Week 15. Since Week 10, Parkinson is averaging one more PPR point per game (13.5) than Brock Bowers. Colby has scored 12 or more points in four of his last six games and with Davante Adams going down in Week 15, Parkinson should see even more targets.
Playoff Platter of Extra Stats
The Bengals finally learned how to play defense against tight ends. Ravens tight ends caught only two passes in Week 15, the fewest amount allowed all season by the Bengals.
Justin Herbert hasn’t given a top 15 quarterback performance since Week 9.
Jauan Jennings has scored six touchdowns over his last six games.
Trey McBride is having an amazing season. He has 41 more targets than any other TE with 30 more catches, 27 more receiving yards, 96 more PPR points, and leads all tight ends with 10 touchdowns. If he were eligible at wide receiver, he would be WR4 overall.