NFL Week 16 DFS Christmas Day Example Lineups: Top DraftKings Picks & Top FanDuel Picks

Published: Dec 25, 2023
Is there anything better than mixing Christmas Day with NFL football? How about serving up a side of NFL DFS to go with it? We know your seasonal fantasy football playoffs and Week 16 match-ups are important as well, but at the end of the day – at the end of the Christmas Day games – wouldn't you prefer to have some extra cash in your pocket since you just spent so much on presents for your friends and family? I know I would and that's why I'm here in the early morning on the west coast, ready to build some NFL DFS Example Lineups to help you put the final bow on your holiday season.
An important thing to keep in mind for today is that, because it is a three-game slate throughout the day, I stick to GPP tournaments only. There is far too much overlap of players in cash games which raises the pay-lines and makes it tougher to cash. Today should be about having a little skin in the game and having some fun. These short-slate contests can get weird as many people who build lineups try to find that random dart that no one else has and if that player does hit, well, then there's a distinct advantage to the lower ownership. But as with any dart throw, there is tremendous risk that he could also be a bust. This is why I don't recommend playing too heavily with your bankroll and try to have some fun.
Two things to mention before we get to the examples…
- Read the Playbook – I've made updates throughout the night. I've taken players out and I've added some too. This is going to be important as I try to whittle down the player pool for you and offer you the better side of usable lineups parts.
- Read all the content – All the coaching articles are also free. All the match-up reports, game previews, etc. are all free today so be sure to take a tour and check out who everyone from the team is on today.
As I've always said before, there is more than one way to skin a cat and more than one way to build a winning DFS lineup. I've got some hand-built ones for GPP tournaments tournaments, but, if you have the time, I recommend using the NFL DFS Lineup Generator just to see what the computer has to say. I usually stick with what I've built by hand, but always like to run things by the computer and see if maybe I am overlooking a particular build. Sometimes it will put a player from the Playbook on your radar that you may not have been eyeballing. Sometimes it will show you that you were on the right track the whole time. Again, this is all a guideline and a helpful tool. Not the gospel.
Go through all of that, keep up with all the latest news and then start building your lineups. We put you on the right path, but ultimately these decisions are yours. These lineups below are meant to serve as examples for you. A sounding board if you will. They are not meant for you to plug in as your own. That's the lazy way and we don't condone it. We are trying to teach you how to be a better DFS player; we aren't lineup-sellers. You should be creating your own lineups using all the information we provide you throughout the week and then coming here to see if there is anything you may have missed or simply for an alternative perspective.
Best of luck to you, have some fun, enjoy the games and hopefully we win some money!
Pos | Player | Team | Opponent | Salary | Proj. Draft% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
QB | Lamar Jackson | BAL | SF | $7,400 | - |
Pivot | Tommy DeVito | NYG | PHI | $5,000 | - |
RB | Christian McCaffrey | SF | BAL | $9,500 | - |
RB | Isiah Pacheco | KC | LV | $6,400 | - |
Pivot | Kenneth Gainwell | PIT | CIN | $4,800 | - |
WR | Odell Beckham | $4,300 | - | ||
Pivot | A.J. Brown | PHI | NYG | $8,500 | - |
WR | Darius Slayton | NYG | PHI | $3,400 | - |
WR | Rashod Bateman | BAL | SF | $3,300 | - |
TE | Travis Kelce | KC | LV | $7,500 | - |
FLEX | Darren Waller | MIA | DAL | $4,500 | - |
DST | Kansas City Chiefs | KC | LV | $3,200 | - |
$49,500 |
Player News
Browns placed QB Deshaun Watson (Achilles) on the active/physically unable to perform list.
Watson tore his Achilles in Week 7 last season and ruptured it again in January. The Browns have four quarterbacks on the depth chart to replace his disappointing output from the past few seasons. He will now start the season on the PUP list and is expected to be out for most, if not all, of the 2025 season. DT Mike Hall Jr. will also be placed on the active/PUP list while WR David Bell will hit the active/non-football injury list.
ESPN’s Jenna Laine reports Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin underwent a second ankle procedure in the spring.
Godwin dislocated his ankle in Week 7 last season and has not been participating in team activities this offseason, starting camp on the PUP list. Now, we have a potential reason as to why his journey back has been slow. Laine reports Godwin had a minor procedure to clean up the injury, but it “wasn’t a surprise.” If he is still on the PUP list by cutdown day, Godwin will have to miss the first four weeks of the season. Fantasy managers can exercise caution as the 29-year-old has yet to return to practice as training camp begins.
The United States District Court in Northern Texas dismissed former Texas WR Isaiah Bond’s defamation lawsuit against his accuser in a sexual assault case.
Bond filed the defamation lawsuit against a woman who he and is lawyers claimed was making false statements in a sexual assault case against the 21-year-old NFL prospect. The case popped up in April, prior to the NFL Draft, and Bond turned himself in on a sexual assault warrant. He claimed innocence to the NFL and filed this defamation lawsuit. With it now dismissed with prejudice, Bond can’t refile the claim and he will continue to be under investigation. He went undrafted in April’s draft and remains unsigned by any NFL teams.
Dallin Holker retired after 1 season in the NFL.
Holker was signed by the Saints as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State last season. He caught three passes for 21 yards as a rookie and dealt with an ankle injury earlier this offseason. Holker was slated to be a depth piece in the Saints’ tight end room but now steps away from football at 25 years old.
Panthers placed DT Bobby Brown III on the active/non-football injury list.
Brown is dealing with a hamstring injury and is eligible to come off the NFI list at any point this offseason. The 24-year-old tallied four tackles for loss as the Rams’ starting nose tackle last season and signed a three-year deal with the Panthers in March. Brown will be a key defensive lineman for Carolina when he gets on the field.
Buccaneers placed OT Tristan Wirfs (knee) on the physically unable to perform list.
Wirfs underwent knee surgery earlier this month and could be out into the early season. Head coach Todd Bowles was uncertain about his availability and sure enough, Wirfs was officially placed on the PUP list Tuesday. He is the team’s franchise left tackle and will be a big missing piece if he is not ready for the start of the season. The Bucs worked out George Fant as a potential replacement.