Patriots vs. Broncos SNF Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Russell Wilson, Courtland Sutton, Ezekiel Elliott, Javonte Williams, Demario Douglas

Fantasy football start em, sit em lineups advice for the Patriots vs. Broncos on Sunday Night Football in Week 16 (2023). NFL matchups analysis and starts/sits.

The Week 16 Sunday Night Football matchup features a bottom dweller in the AFC and a team looking to stay alive in the playoff race. Below you can read our Sunday Night Football matchups analysis article for the Patriots vs. Broncos game to help make any fantasy lineup decisions for both season-long and DFS.

The Patriots have been eliminated from playoff contention and are playing for pride, while Denver is on the outside looking in for a Wild Card berth. Either way, there are players in this game that could help fantasy managers advance to the championship round.

Read our fantasy football breakdowns for this game -- the recommended starts, sits, and matchups we love heading into Week 16. Good luck, RotoBallers!

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New England Patriots at Denver Broncos

Spread: Broncos -7.0
Implied Total: Patriots (14.25) vs. Broncos (21.25)
Pace: Patriots (10th) vs. Broncos (24th)
Patriots Off. DVOA: -8.6% Pass (28th), -8.9% Rush (19th)
Broncos Off. DVOA: 13.6% Pass (17th), -2.6% Rush (12th)
Patriots Def. DVOA: 11.2% Pass (21st), -20.4% Rush (1st)
Broncos Def. DVOA: 14.1% Pass (25th), 7.9% Rush (32nd)

Matchups We Love

Courtland Sutton (WR, DEN)

Denver got embarrassed and exposed in Detroit on Saturday. Their defense held strong for the first quarter, but eventually, the floodgates opened. Sutton failed to score a touchdown against the Lions, which to this point, automatically meant he had a down week. However, in Week 15, that was not the case. He caught five passes for 71 yards, showing there's still a path to success. Fortunately, he now gets the Patriots secondary, which likely means he'll find pay dirt in Week 16. He remains a top-24 wideout.

Matchups We Hate

Patriots WRs

Between Henry and the backfield taking away targets, DeVante Parker and Demario Douglas are left to fight for the scraps. Parker caught all five of his targets for 44 yards while Douglas caught three of five for 33 yards. Patrick Surtain II is likely to focus on Parker, so Douglas would be the better choice this week, but neither has much intrigue unless Hunter Henry were to miss.

UPDATE: Henry has been ruled out, increasing the excitement for Parker and Douglas with Douglas as the preferred option.

Javonte Williams (RB, DEN)

The Lions made a point to shut down the run early, which removed Williams from the game plan. His 12 carries went for 27 yards while his two receptions lost seven yards. Samaje Perine and Jaleel McLaughlin were involved with a combined eight carries and four targets. The Patriots still have a solid run defense, so Williams could struggle on the ground. They'll likely be leading, so you wouldn't expect as much Perine and McLaughlin, but he falls outside the top 24.

Other Matchups:

Russell Wilson (QB, DEN)

Wilson managed to score on the ground and through the air during comeback mode late in the game. He went over 200 yards, so in the end, he was an alright streamer. New England will be an easier matchup this week, plus it's a game they should win handily. He's not someone to chase for a ceiling, but if you need a solid floor option, he's in the mix.

Ezekiel Elliott (RB, NE)

Almost everything we anticipated and wanted occurred for Elliott in Foxborough. He hauled in five passes, totaled 16 touches, and remained the clear-cut starter. Unfortunately, Kevin Harris stole his touchdown, which would've boosted his total and compensated for his inefficiency on the ground. The matchup is good again, so he'll get the shot to remedy his poor output against Denver as a top-24 back, assuming Rhamondre Stevenson continues to miss time.

UPDATE: Stevenson has been ruled out again, paving the way for Elliott.

Notable Injuries

Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle)
Hunter Henry (knee)
Greg Dulcich (leg)

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