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Who should I start for Week 16? Fantasy football outlooks for Joe Mixon, Isiah Pacheco, DeAndre Hopkins. Our expert fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks.
Can you believe it’s already Week 16, and we’re making start/sit decisions for the fantasy football semi-finals? If you are still playing for a championship, congratulations! Regardless, some of you may be playing for third place or in the consolation bracket, avoiding the league penalty for last place.
This article will closely examine some interesting players and their matchups this week. Including Joe Mixon, Isiah Pacheco, DeAndre Hopkins
I’ll highlight recent statistics for these players, share my recommendations for Week 16, and evaluate whether they should be in your starting lineups.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
- Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
- Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
- Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Kicker (K) fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Should I Start Joe Mixon for Fantasy Football?
At this point in the season, it's essential to continue starting the guys that got you here. In this case, the Houston Texans' running back Joe Mixon is a prime example. Mixon struggled in Week 15 and only had 12 carries for 23 yards and caught five of his six targets for an additional 33 yards. Before Week 15, Mixon had scored 16 plus fantasy points in seven of his last eight games.
His volume and workload are undeniable, as he has zero competition in the backfield. The only concern for Mixon heading into Week 16 is his matchup, as the Texans travel to Arrowhead to take on the Kansas City Chiefs defense, which ranks first in least points allowed to opposing running backs.
Joe Mixon: pic.twitter.com/KCmyeQ9ocw
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 19, 2024
Although Mixon's matchup is less than ideal, he still provides a safe floor with his volume on the ground and has garnered four-plus targets in the passing game over his last five contests. Look for the Texans to lean on their star running back if they want to walk away from Arrowhead with a win. RotoBaller ranks Mixon as the RB13 for Week 16.
Should I Start Isiah Pacheco for Fantasy Football?
Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco had 13 carries for 32 yards and one catch for 15 yards in the 21-7 win over the Cleveland Browns. What is concerning is after dominating opportunities out of the backfield in Week 14, Pacheco evenly split the workload with Kareem Hunt in Week 15. His snap percentage also dropped from 46% to 37%.
The dip in opportunities and snap percentage raises a red flag, as it doesn't look like the Chiefs are rushing to give Pacheco the full workload after returning in Week 13 from the leg injury he sustained in Week 2. The Texans rank third in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs this season, making them one of the most challenging matchups for fantasy managers.
Isiah Pacheco refusing to go down ‼️
📺: #Kickoff2024 on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/7PwbG2WqSu— NFL (@NFL) September 6, 2024
Another thing to note is that Patrick Mahomes (ankle) is banged up, which may cause the Chiefs to rely on the ground game against the Texans whether he plays or not. Mahomes was listed as a full participant in practice on Tuesday, which is good for the Chiefs' offense as a whole. Pacheco is a low-end touchdown-dependent RB2. RotoBaller ranks Pacheco as the RB26 in Week 16.
Should I Start DeAndre Hopkins for Fantasy Football?
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins has had an up-and-down season in 2024. The 32-year-old finished second on the team in receptions and receiving yards in Week 15. He is the number two option in the passing game behind All-Pro Travis Kelce. Hopkins has had a fantastic career but is a WR3 for Week 16.
As mentioned above, Mahomes's status plays a pivotal role in deciding whether or not Hopkins deserves a start. Carson Wentz would be under center if Mahomes doesn't play, and the Chiefs' passing game may suffer. Keep an eye on Mahomes's health throughout the week.
The league really allowed the Chiefs to add Deandre Hopkins
pic.twitter.com/Q4fmpbT92f— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) November 5, 2024
Since joining the Chiefs in Week 7, Hopkins has scored ten or more fantasy points in four of nine contests. RotoBaller ranks Hopkins as our WR37 in Week 16. Fantasy managers should consider looking elsewhere for production at the wide receiver position in two WR format leagues.
Popular Week 16 Searches - Start/Sit Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 16 searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Joe Mixon, Isiah Pacheco, DeAndre Hopkins compared to others. You can also use the free Who Should I Start tool to run your own start/sit comparisons, up to four players at once:
Chuba Hubbard or Joe Mixon
Jerome Ford or Isiah Pacheco
Mike Evans or Joe Mixon
Adam Thielen or Deandre Hopkins
Bucky Irving or Joe Mixon
Bucky Irving or Deandre Hopkins
Derrick Henry or Joe Mixon
Romeo Doubs or Deandre Hopkins
Cooper Kupp or Joe Mixon
Darnell Mooney or Deandre Hopkins
Isaac Guerendo or Joe Mixon
Jameson Williams or Deandre Hopkins
Jaxon Smithnjigba or Deandre Hopkins
Chuba Hubbard or Joe Mixon
Brian Robinsonjr or Joe Mixon
Chuba Hubbard or Joe Mixon
Courtland Sutton or Joe Mixon
Deebo Samuel or Deandre Hopkins
Deebo Samuelsr or Deandre Hopkins
Devon Achane or Joe Mixon
James Conner or Joe Mixon
Jayden Reed or Deandre Hopkins
Jordan Addison or Deandre Hopkins
Rashod Bateman or Deandre Hopkins
Romeo Doubs or Joe Mixon
Dandre Swift or Isiah Pacheco
Adam Thielen or Deandre Hopkins
Amari Cooper or Deandre Hopkins
Breece Hall or Deandre Hopkins
Brian Robinsonjr or Joe Mixon
Brian Thomasjr or Deandre Hopkins
Calvin Ridley or Deandre Hopkins
Christian Watson or Deandre Hopkins
Chuba Hubbard or Joe Mixon
Derrick Henry or Joe Mixon
Derrick Henry or Joe Mixon
Dk Metcalf or Deandre Hopkins
Garrett Wilson or Deandre Hopkins
Isiah Pacheco or Deandre Hopkins
Travis Etiennejr or Isiah Pacheco
Jakobi Meyers or Deandre Hopkins
Jalen Mcmillan or Deandre Hopkins
James Conner or Joe Mixon
Bucky Irving or Joe Mixon
Jauan Jennings or Deandre Hopkins
Jayden Reed or Deandre Hopkins
Jerome Ford or Joe Mixon
Jonnu Smith or Deandre Hopkins
Tony Pollard or Isiah Pacheco
Adam Thielen or Deandre Hopkins
Breece Hall or Isiah Pacheco
Keenan Allen or Deandre Hopkins
Keenan Allen or Deandre Hopkins
Kyren Williams or Joe Mixon
Marvin Harrisonjr or Deandre Hopkins
Najee Harris or Deandre Hopkins
Najee Harris or Joe Mixon
Derrick Henry or Joe Mixon
Rico Dowdle or Joe Mixon
Rome Odunze or Deandre Hopkins
Saquon Barkley or Joe Mixon
Tank Bigsby or Deandre Hopkins
Najee Harris or Isiah Pacheco
Tony Pollard or Deandre Hopkins
Tony Pollard or Deandre Hopkins
Tony Pollard or Joe Mixon
Travis Etiennejr or Deandre Hopkins
Xavier Worthy or Deandre Hopkins
Zach Charbonnet or Joe Mixon
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