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Week 16 has arrived and for many it is championship week of the fantasy football season. These past 15 weeks have been full of injuries, breakout stars and disappointing performances which have all lead to a very busy season on the waiver wire. So for the last time this year let’s take a look at what players can help you bring home your fantasy league’s championship.
Quarterback
Colin Kaepernick, SF- You can’t be upset with what Kaepernick did in Week 15 as he totaled about 17 fantasy points in most formats in what was a favorable matchup against a bad Falcons defense. In Week 16 he will draw a Rams defense that is allowing the 13th most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season should again provide a prime opportunity for Kaepernick to succeed.
Tom Savage, Hou- Savage was drafted by Texans coach Bill O’Brien and tabbed the starter for Week 16 after he lead a comeback against the Jaguars in relief of the struggling Brock Oswieler. In Week 16 the Texans will face off against a Bengals defense that will be on the road and allowing the 12th most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season.
Matt Moore, Mia– Moore shredded the Jets defense in Week 15 for 236 yards and four touchdowns on his way to massive fantasy performance. In Week 16 things get a bit more difficult as the Dolphins travel to Buffalo and will face a Bills defense that is allowing the 12th fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season.
Running Back
Ty Montgomery, GB– The Vikings are allowing the second fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs this season but it’s hard to ignore Montgomery’s Week 15 output which saw him carry the ball 16 times for 162 yards and two touchdowns. The Packers will also be playing in a dome in Week 16 which should bode well for the speedy Montgomery who can take advantage of this fast track while offering a dual threat thanks to his pass catching ability.
Dion Lewis, NE – The game plan to beat the Broncos is to run the ball and the Patriots did just that in Week 15 however it was Dion Lewis and not LeGarrette Blount that lead the team in rushing as he took 18 carries for 95 yards while adding two catches for nine yards. In Week 16 the Patriots will face off against a stout Jets run defense which should lead to Lewis seeing a bigger role as pass catcher but his shiftiness as a runner should also keep him in line to see an increased role in the running game as well.
Justin Forsett, Den– Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak pegged Forsett as the team’s starting running back for the final two weeks of the season and while Forsett on a whole has struggled this season the fact that he will get this opportunity should help his overall fantasy value. In Week 16 the Broncos will face a Chiefs defense that just allowed 150 yards and two touchdowns to Titans running backs and have allowed five rushing touchdowns over the last three weeks.
Wide Receiver
Robby Anderson, NYJ- Anderson has really come on of late for the Jets, having caught 14 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns over the last three weeks. In Week 16 the Jets will face a Patriots defense that is really coming together of late however they are prone to giving up yardage through the air so there is a good chance Anderson can put up a solid game in PPR formats.
J.J. Nelson, Ari–Nelson has caught a touchdown pass in three straight games and could have had a multiple touchdown game in Week 15 if not flat out dropping a deep ball thrown by Carson Palmer. In Week 16 the Cardinals are going to have their hands full as they face a tough Seahawks defense but that defensive focus will likely be on stopping David Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald. In Week 7 Nelson did catch three passes for 84 yards against the Seahawks so there is some upside here given his big play ability.
Pierre Garcon, Wsh– Garcon has been as steady as they come this season yet his ownership levels are still below 50 percent in most standard leagues. In Week 15 against the Panthers Garcon caught seven passes for 78 yards and in Week 16 he will get to face a Bears defense that is allowing the seventh most fantasy points to opposing receivers this season.
Tight End
Ryan Griffin, Hou– With C.J. Fiedorowicz dealing with a concussion Griffin got the start at tight end and ended up with eight catches for 85 yards against the Jaguars. In Week 16 the Texans will face off against a Bengals defense that is allowing the third most point to opposing tight ends this season and if Fiedorowicz is unable to suit up then Griffin becomes a low end TE1.
Hunter Henry, SD– Much the dismay of Antonio Gates owners everywhere Henry continues to snag touchdown passes from Philip Rivers as he snagged his fourth over the past five games. Henry only caught three passes for 37 yards in Week 15 and prior to that he had not caught more than two passes since Week 6. Henry is a total high risk/high reward play given his touchdown dependency but that is what it takes to win a fantasy championship.
Charles Clay, Buf– Clay caught seven passes for 72 yards and a touchdown against a bad Browns defense in Week 15 but he has now found the end zone in consecutive weeks and in Week 16 he will face his former team in the Miami Dolphins who are allowing the 12th most fantasy points to opposing tight ends this season. With both teams vying for a playoff spot Clay could figure to again be a focal point of the Bills passing attack as teams look to take away Sammy Watkins.
Player News
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said the team does not “have any feelings on competition” when asked about the quarterback room.
O’Connell was asked about a potential quarterback competition on the Rich Eisen Show Wednesday and was unclear on whether J.J. McCarthy would have to compete to start. He said, “we’ve got an obligation as coaches to put our players in position to attack that competition phase.” O’Connell discussed first putting Brett Rypien and the newly acquired Sam Howell in a position to play before any competition would occur. He continued that McCarthy is “owning it” this offseason and is taking snaps from starting center Ryan Kelly. After missing last season with a torn meniscus, McCarthy has been ramping up workouts in the offseason and is the front-runner to start for the Vikings in 2025. As of now, Howell looks to be reinforcement at the backup spot in case it turns out McCarthy is not ready to start.
Texans re-signed DT Foley Fatukasi.
Fatukasi initially joined the Texans last offseason on a one-year contract. The 30-year-old was a rotational defensive lineman, tallying four tackles for loss and one sack. He returns to Houston for 2025, where he will be a part of a deep Texans front seven.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports Tyreek Hill’s second wrist surgery was part of the original plan and his timeline remains unchanged.
Hill announced the second surgery on social media and Pelissero quickly added some context to the situation. The speedy receiver suffered the wrist injury just before the start of the season and it lingered throughout the year, though he never missed a game because of it. If the second surgery truly is a non-story, an offseason to recover might be what Hill needs to return to form after a down 2024 season. On the other hand, Hill is 31 years old, played his worst football last year, and his offense prioritized targets for Jonnu Smith and De’Von Achane. As it stands, Hill might have the highest risk-reward split in fantasy drafts.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports there are “multiple people in the league who believe the new regime is not so high on Travis Etienne.”
Fowler also noted Tank Bigsby’s fumbling issue but didn’t directly relate that to the feelings of the new brain trust in Jacksonville. The Jags clearly felt they were lacking at running back this offseason and addressed that opening via the draft with Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round and LeQuint Allen in the seventh. The pair of additions complicate an already-messy backfield by committee. Etienne is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is a long-shot to be brought back in 2026. The Jags could opt to move on early by trading him, clearing $6.1 million in cap space in the process. If the team does trade Etienne, Tuten would likely be the team’s top back in the long run, making him a high-upside bet in early fantasy drafts.
Broncos signed third-round pick WR Pat Bryant to a four-year contract.
The deal includes $1.4 million guaranteed and is worth $6.6 million in total. Sean Payton compared aspects of Bryant’s game to those of Michael Thomas in his post-draft press conference and there are at least a few similarities in their profiles. Bryant stands at 6'2/204 and ran a 4.61-second Forty at the combine. Thomas measured in at 6'3/212 and clocked a 4.57-second Forty. Though the two have similar physical characteristics, Thomas was known for his proficiency from the slot while Bryant primarily played on the outside as a field-stretcher at Illinois. Bryant’s transition to slot duties may take some time, but third-round draft capital makes him worth a shot in dynasty leagues.
Colts EDGE Samson Ebukam (Achilles) said he is expected to be cleared for training camp.
Ebukam suffered a torn Achilles in training camp last year and did not play in the 2024 season. He broke out in 2023 with a career-high 9.5 sacks in his first season with the Colts. He now has one year left on his deal and will be looking for a rebound season as he stares down free agency in 2026