NFL DFS Week 16 WR Coach: Top DraftKings & FanDuel Picks

UPDATED 12/23 @ 6:57pm ET

Another week, another main slate where we miss out on some good offenses for DFS purposes. This week, we don’t have the Los Angeles Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, and San Francisco 49ers on the main slate! Don’t fret, there are other teams for us to look at, including a tasty matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins that hopefully is a fantasy bonanza! 

By taking a look at projected game and team totals, as well as our NFL DFS Week 16 player projections, we’ll get a good look at how we can best optimize the wide receiver position in our NFL DFS lineups. From superstar receivers to top NFL DFS stacks, the NFL DFS WR Coach will have multiple plays at various pricing tiers to help construct your lineups. 

Without further ado, let’s dive into this week’s DFS WR Coach, highlighting the top plays, values, and fades at the wide receiver position to help build your NFL DFS lineups for Sunday’s main slate on DraftKings and FanDuel.

Be sure to check out the rest of the NFL DFS Coaches and DFS Watch List throughout the week!

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NFL DFS WR Top Tier Picks

Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

Jordan Addison had the monster game last week, but this week, Jefferson is in line for the big game. Jefferson still saw 10 targets last week, and now he gets to face Detroit, a team that has allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per game over the last four weeks. The big reason here to look at Jefferson is that he owns the Lions. In six career games against Detroit, Jefferson has 120+ yards in four of those six games! History tends to repeat itself, and Detroit’s recent issues in coverage are going to thrust Jefferson to 20+ fantasy points.

Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins

When Hill is out there, he’s always in play, so a ton of analysis isn’t always needed, because spoiler alert, Hill is really freaking good at football. However, Dallas plays a ton of man defense, and here is where Hill ranks, per Pro Football Focus (PFF), amongst receivers with 25 targets against man coverage:

The Cowboys have also allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to receivers over the last four weeks, further setting up the stage for a massive game for Hill.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions

St. Brown has a good matchup here against a Vikings team that has struggled with slot receivers all season long. Whether it’s Josh Metellus, Camryn Bynum, or even Byron Murphy Jr., the advantage goes to St. Brown here. The star receiver just went for 112 yards and a touchdown against the Broncos, and he’s been very consistent in his career against Minnesota. He has at least six receptions and 65 yards in every game against Minnesota for his career, and the three aforementioned slot corner options for Minnesota are allowing at least 1.50 yards per coverage snap over the last four weeks, per PFF. I’ll also give a nod to Jameson Williams, as this could be the week he pops up for 15+ fantasy points.

CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys

Matchup proof. End of story. The Dallas offense arguably had its worst performance of the season, and Lamb still managed to put up nearly 20 fantasy points, thanks to a rushing touchdown in garbage time. I expect much better results from the Dallas offense this week, and in one of the best game environments on the slate, Lamb is in a prime spot for massive fantasy production. Lamb has been playing in the slot a lot this year, and his slot snaps away from Jalen Ramsey and Xavien Howard will be the particularly profitable ones.

NFL DFS WR Mid-Tier Picks

DJ Moore, Chicago Bears

The Cardinals have been better in recent weeks against receivers, but that’s not stopping me from firing up Moore everywhere. Moore had a down week in Week 15, but still had eight targets and posted 52 yards in a tough matchup. Now, he gets a soft matchup against an Arizona secondary and Moore just might have one of the highest ceilings in fantasy football on any given week. He beat the Commanders for 230 yards and three scores earlier this year, and he’s averaging 10 targets and 82.5 receiving yards per game over the last four weeks.

DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks

An alpha receiver on the perimeter facing the Titans? SIGN ME UP! Only a handful of teams have been more generous to perimeter receivers this season than Tennessee, and Metcalf has double-digit fantasy points in PPR formats in five of his last six games. Geno Smith just might be healthy for this game, but even with Drew Lock, Metcalf has proven he can get it done. Jaxon Smith-Njigba will have the tougher matchup between him and Metcalf, and this feels like a monster game for Metcalf, i.e. 100+ yards and a score.

Nico Collins, Houston Texans

There are a lot of moving parts here, so let’s start with Collins. If he plays and is healthy, he immediately steps into a high-volume role, because he is the Texans’ best guy against man coverage, something the Browns love to deploy defensively. Noah Brown will get him, but Collins has been the guy against man this season, and that should play large here. Even with Case Keenum under center, he can get the ball out and give someone like Collins a chance. 

Houston may struggle to run the ball, which could lead to some screens and quick hitters to Collins, who has been a monster after the catch this season. Of receivers with at least 50 targets this season, Nico Collins’ 7.1 yards after contact per reception is the fourth-best mark in the league, per PFF.

Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns

Over the last three weeks with Joe Flacco under center, Cooper is averaging nine targets per game, and he’s posted at least 75 yards in back-to-back weeks. I typically like targeting the slot receiver against Houston, as Desmond King is the weaker of the three primary corners for the Texans, but it’s hard to ignore Cooper’s volume in recent weeks. This game should stay close, and with Houston being better against the run of late, the offense could be on the back of Joe Flacco, which would be beneficial to Cooper’s outlook for Week 16. If you don’t want to pay up for Cooper, Cedric Tillman would be a guy to look at.

Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

It might be too little too late from Godwin from those in seasonal leagues, but in DFS, we’ll enjoy the recent volume and production from the veteran wideout. He’s averaging 11.5 targets per game over the last two weeks, and he just had his best game of the year where he went for 155 yards against the Packers. 

In Week 16, he draws another favorable matchup against Jacksonville, a team that allows the seventh-most fantasy points per game and sixth-most receiving yards to wideouts over the last four weeks. He should see a good bit of Montaric Brown in this matchup, who has struggled over the last four weeks, to the tune of a 116.3 passer rating when targeted and 11th-most receiving yards allowed.

NFL DFS WR Value Picks

Garrett Wilson, New York Jets

Garrett Wilson let us down a bit last week, but I’m going right back to him in a matchup against the Washington Commanders. Over the last four weeks, the Commanders have allowed the most fantasy points per game to wideouts, including seven scores! For the entire 2023 season, Washington has allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to receivers, the most receiving yards overall, and the second-most touchdowns! 

Washington has also been soft against the run of late, so New York should be able to sustain drives, and give Wilson a crack or two at scoring touchdown number four on the season. Actually, let’s call it! Wilson scores this week against Washington.

Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts

Downs could see a larger role in the offense if Michael Pittman were to miss this game, but the fact remains that the Falcons have been rather generous to slot receivers this year, ranking in the bottom 10 in fantasy points per game to the position. Over the last four weeks, Atlanta’s Dee Alford has allowed the fifth-most yards in slot coverage, per Pro Football Focus, not to mention a 110.7 passer rating when targeted and 2.24 yards per coverage snap. Downs’ ownership in DFS likely increase if Pittman Jr. were to be out, so Downs could move closer to “chalk” territory, despite his down production in recent weeks.

UPDATE: Michael Pittman is OUT, so Downs becomes an appealing play in this matchup.

Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers

I’m terrified to trust Bryce Young, but here we are! Keisean Nixon hasn’t been overly impressive in slot coverage, and Green Bay as a whole has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers over the last four weeks. Thielen is a lock for seven-ish targets in this game, and if he gets that, he can feasibly get us at least 2x ROI, which we would gladly take. If you want another Carolina receiver other than Thielen, I’d lean toward Jonathan Mingo, who has averaged eight targets per game over the last three weeks.

SATURDAY ADDITION: Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay Packers

Christian Watson likely won't play, and Jayden Reed didn't practice all week. Wicks has enjoyed 6.5 targets per week over the last two contests, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him get another 6-8 targets in this matchup against Carolina. He's likely to be chalky amongst folks needing a cheap wide receiver, so don't be surprised when you see his ownership, particularly in cash games.

Parker Washington, Jacksonville Jaguars

Washington has been quieter of late, but he did see six targets last week, and Zay Jones is once again banged up. With Christian Kirk already out of the mix, and Jones being banged up, Washington could play a sizable role in this matchup against the Bucs. Of course, we need Trevor Lawrence on the field to feel confident in using Washington, but it’s a tasty matchup, as Tampa Bay has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game this season, and 10th-most over the last four weeks. We’ll keep an eye on the statuses of Lawrence and Jones throughout the week.

UPDATE: Trevor Lawrence should play, so Washington is in play as a value WR this week.

NFL DFS WR Fades

Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders

Why willingly go after the Jets’ corners? McLaurin just had a monster game against the Rams, but that won’t happen this week. McLaurin doesn’t go into the slot often, meaning he’ll D.J. Reed or Sauce Gardner for the majority of the afternoon. The Jets have allowed the third-fewest fantasy points per game over the last four weeks to wide receivers, and there are so many better options in the mid-tier at receiver this week.