2025 Fantasy Football WR Rankings - Week 16 Start, Sit Wide Receivers

December 18, 2025

2025 fantasy football WR rankings - Week 16 start, sit wide receiver rankings. Win more with our updated WR fantasy football rankings and tiers for Week 16.

You're so close to hoisting the fantasy football championship trophy, so it's time to lock in. If you face tough start-sit calls for Week 16, we're here to help. Use our Week 16 fantasy football wide receiver rankings as your guide for lineup decisions. To find out where key wideouts on the start-sit bubble like Michael Wilson, Wan'Dale Robinson, Jayden Reed, Terry McLaurin, Tetairoa McMillan, and more, stand for the 16th slate of 2025, dig into the rankings table below.

Our WR fantasy football rankings for Week 16 are put together by Nick Mariano. Below the rankings, you will also find a summary of the important fantasy football news for this week. There are always key injuries and developments to keep track of, so check back throughout the week for updates.

Be sure to bookmark our fantasy football rankings portal and check back regularly for updates. Most importantly, our free mobile app is a must-have - download it and configure your push notifications. We deliver all the top NFL news, injuries, and fantasy analysis 24x7 with our free push notification alerts... all for free!

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Week 16 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings

Bookmark our PPR rankings, Half-PPR rankings, and standard (non-PPR) rankings 

Week 16 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Outlooks

Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars

Though this has been an undoubtedly frustrating season for Brian Thomas Jr., the Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver is coming off back-to-back solid performances as his team has ascended to the top of the AFC South. The second-year player, ranked as the No. 44 overall PPR receiver, is certainly in the conversation for the biggest fantasy disappointment of the season relative to draft position.

However, managers who weathered modest outputs and an injury may have a light at the end of the tunnel, as Thomas has looked more like his rookie self with 13 targets, 7 catches, 153 yards, and a touchdown during the past two weeks. The Jags have a tough Week 16 matchup against a Denver Broncos defense that ranks ninth against PPR receivers, but Jacksonville and quarterback Trevor Lawrence are on such a hot streak that Thomas should carry WR3/flex consideration for managers deep in the playoffs.

Jordan Whittington, Los Angeles Rams

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Jordan Whittington could earn more targets during Thursday's Week 16 contest against the Seattle Seahawks with Davante Adams (hamstring) not expected to play. Los Angeles has shown an inconsistent pecking order behind Adams and Puka Nacua this year, with players like Whittington, Xavier Smith, Tutu Atwell, and Konata Mumpfield all getting different opportunities to produce. With that said, Whittington is the early favorite to step up as the No. 2 receiver alongside Nacua this week.

He had two games with a snap share of at least 80% before the Rams' Week 6 bye, and he also commanded four targets in the game that Nacua missed earlier in the year. His role has dwindled lately, and his usage fell all the way down to a 6% snap share last week (partly due to injury). However, he is still one of the more established and dependable receivers on the depth chart, and he should get the first crack at earning Adams' vacated targets.

With that said, he'll be going up against a strong Seahawks defense that has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing wide receivers in 2025. Between his non-guaranteed role and a challenging matchup, Whittington isn't a dependable fantasy option in most leagues for Week 16.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba figures to continue his stellar season in Week 16 despite a tough matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. The last time these two teams met in Week 11, JSN recorded nine receptions for 105 yards. Outside of a 4.30 PPR fantasy point outing in Week 13, Smith-Njigba has been matchup-proof this year. Seattle will need Smith-Njigba's services often if it hopes to win this game.

Despite the talent the Rams boast in their defensive secondary, JSN should be able to overcome those challenges. Given his ability to thrive in most matchups this season, Smith-Njigba is not a player you should temper expectations for. Expect him to continue delivering WR1 numbers in the fantasy football semifinals, and set the rest of your lineup as you normally would with those expectations.

Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders

Overall, it's been a disappointing 2025 season for Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin and his fantasy managers. A quadriceps injury has limited him to only seven games, and it hasn't helped that starting quarterback Jayden Daniels (elbow) has already been ruled out for the final three games of the season. On the bright side, the 30-year-old has 13 catches on 24 targets for 206 yards and two touchdowns in three games since his return from a lengthy absence due to his quad injury.

All three of his touchdown passes on the year have come from veteran backup quarterback Marcus Mariota as well. Scary Terry played 75% of the offensive snaps in last week's win over the New York Giants, his second-highest snap share of 2025. Although McLaurin has a bad Week 16 matchup against the Eagles, he will continue to be Mariota's top aerial option, giving him weekly WR2 upside in fantasy.

Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson has made fantasy managers who scooped him up off the waiver wire look really good in the last five weeks. Wilson's strong run has coincided with appendix and heel injuries to Marvin Harrison Jr. that have kept him sidelined in four of the last five contests. In the first two games that Harrison missed following an appendectomy, Wilson went off for 25 catches and 303 yards on 33 targets. The last two weeks with Harrison out with a heel issue, the 25-year-old has caught 16 of 27 targets for 196 yards and three touchdowns.

He has seen double-digit targets in all four games that Harrison has missed. When Harrison returned in the Week 13 loss to the Bucs, Wilson caught just three passes for 36 yards. Wilson's ceiling will come down if Harrison returns this Sunday against the Falcons, but if Harrison misses a third straight game, Wilson will be a no-brainer, must-start WR1 in fantasy.

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