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Who should I start for Week 16? Fantasy football outlooks for Brian Thomas Jr., Jalen McMillan, Jaxon Smith-Njigba. 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, and sparing yourself of any public humiliation.
This article will closely examine some interesting players and their matchups this week, including Brian Thomas Jr., Jalen McMillan, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
I’ll highlight recent statistics for these players, share my recommendations for Week 16, and evaluate whether they should be in your starting lineups.
Should I Start Brian Thomas Jr. for Fantasy Football?
If I told you that Jacksonville Jaguars rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was WR6 in the 2024 season, you might laugh at me. I am here to tell you that Thomas Jr. has produced a 64/956/8 stat line thus far, qualifying him as a WR1. Considering he has had an injured Trevor Lawrence and Mac Jones under center throughout the season, that is super impressive.
Thomas Jr. tore up the New York Jets defense, finishing with ten catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns on 14 targets. The 14 targets were first on the team, and with the injuries to Christian Kirk and Evan Engram, Thomas Jr. should continue to see that type of volume moving forward, considering the Jaguars (3-11) are typically playing from behind and need to pass.
BRIAN THOMAS JR. HOUSE CALL! ☎️
85 YARDS!
(via @Jaguars)pic.twitter.com/wOpE2uXF6v
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) October 6, 2024
He plays against the Las Vegas Raiders this week, and fantasy managers can confidently start him in their lineups in Week 16. RotoBaller ranks him as our WR10 in Week 16.
Should I Start Jalen McMillan for Fantasy Football?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan has been sitting on the waiver wire throughout most of the season until recently. He has recently posted 15-plus fantasy points in back-to-back outings and has built a good rapport with quarterback Baker Mayfield, seeing a 24% target share in Week 14 and a 22% target share last week.
That is the type of target share fantasy managers typically look for in our WR2/flex position. McMillan has stepped into Chris Godwin's (ankle) role to become a solid contributor.
Jalen McMillan wide open for his 3rd TD in his last two games!
📺: #TBvsLAC on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/CZJMupZ9Po— NFL (@NFL) December 15, 2024
McMillan still needs to prove more to garnish a consistent starting spot in fantasy managers' lineups; however, if you are in a pinch with injuries or looking for some production in three wide receiver leagues, McMillan is a good look. RotoBaller ranks him as our WR35 in Week 16.
Should I Start Jaxon Smith-Njigba for Fantasy Football?
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught 10 of 12 targets for 83 yards in a Week 15 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Smith-Njigba was one of the lone bright spots for the Seahawks in this game. Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (knee) went down with an injury early in the second half of that game, and it all went downhill for the Seahawks after that.
On the season, JSN has been excellent for fantasy managers. Putting up WR1 numbers on the season, outperforming fellow wide receiver DK Metcalf, and a steal based on his Average Draft Position (ADP). As long as Smith plays on Sunday, fantasy managers can confidently start Smith-Njigba. If Smith doesn't play, Smith-Njigba would still be a top 25 play, but his ceiling may be capped.
2 TDs
180 yards
Clutch catches@jaxon_smith1's breakout game was a work of art. @Seahawks @NFLAfrica pic.twitter.com/uh2mpNuOcM— NFL (@NFL) November 4, 2024
Smith-Njigba will go up against the Minnesota Vikings defense, which has given the most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. RotoBaller ranks him as our WR14 in Week 16.
Popular Week 16 Searches - Start/Sit Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 16 searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Brian Thomas Jr., Jalen McMillan, Jaxon Smith-Njigba 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:
Courtland Sutton or Brian Thomas Jr.
Josh Downs or Jalen Mcmillan
Ladd Mcconkey or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Jauan Jennings or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Tee Higgins or Brian Thomas Jr.
Dj Moore or Brian Thomas Jr.
Jayden Reed or Jalen Mcmillan
Deebo Samuelsr or Jalen Mcmillan
Ladd Mcconkey or Jalen Mcmillan
Courtland Sutton or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Drake London or Brian Thomas Jr.
Deandre Hopkins or Jalen Mcmillan
Courtland Sutton or Jalen Mcmillan
Jerome Ford or Jalen Mcmillan
Adam Thielen or Jalen Mcmillan
Jerry Jeudy or Brian Thomas Jr.
Jakobi Meyers or Jalen Mcmillan
Jameson Williams or Jalen Mcmillan
Quentin Johnston or Jalen Mcmillan
Tyreek Hill or Brian Thomas Jr.
Dk Metcalf or Jalen Mcmillan
Malik Nabers or Brian Thomas Jr.
Cooper Kupp or Brian Thomas Jr.
Alexander Mattison or Jalen Mcmillan
Rome Odunze or Jalen Mcmillan
Ladd Mcconkey or Brian Thomas Jr.
Romeo Doubs or Jalen Mcmillan
Christian Watson or Jalen Mcmillan
Kendre Miller or Jalen Mcmillan
Garrett Wilson or Brian Thomas Jr.
Jakobi Meyers or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Rashod Bateman or Jalen Mcmillan
Zay Flowers or Jalen Mcmillan
Jerry Jeudy or Jalen Mcmillan
Jerry Jeudy or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Terry Mclaurin or Brian Thomas Jr.
Cooper Kupp or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Khalil Shakir or Jalen Mcmillan
Chuba Hubbard or Brian Thomas Jr.
Jaylen Waddle or Jalen Mcmillan
Michael Pittmanjr or Jalen Mcmillan
Rhamondre Stevenson or Jalen Mcmillan
Brian Thomas Jr. or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Rachaad White or Jalen Mcmillan
Calvin Ridley or Jalen Mcmillan
Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Brian Thomas Jr.
Keenan Allen or Jalen Mcmillan
Garrett Wilson or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Marvin Harrisonjr or Jalen Mcmillan
Mike Evans or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Darnell Mooney or Jalen Mcmillan
Jauan Jennings or Brian Thomas Jr.
Jauan Jennings or Jalen Mcmillan
Malik Nabers or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Tee Higgins or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Brian Robinsonjr or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Bucky Irving or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Dj Moore or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Jordan Addison or Jalen Mcmillan
Terry Mclaurin or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Drake London or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Isiah Pacheco or Jalen Mcmillan
Keon Coleman or Jalen Mcmillan
Amari Cooper or Jalen Mcmillan
Breece Hall or Brian Thomas Jr.
Rayray Mccloudiii or Jalen Mcmillan
Rico Dowdle or Brian Thomas Jr.
Tank Dell or Jalen Mcmillan
Breece Hall or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Bucky Irving or Brian Thomas Jr.
Davante Adams or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
James Cook or Brian Thomas Jr.
Khalil Shakir or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Najee Harris or Jalen Mcmillan
Rico Dowdle or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Aaron Jones or Brian Thomas Jr.
Javonte Williams or Jalen Mcmillan
Jonnu Smith or Jalen Mcmillan
Terry Mclaurin or Jalen Mcmillan
Tony Pollard or Jalen Mcmillan
Travis Kelce or Jalen Mcmillan
Tyrone Tracyjr or Jalen Mcmillan
Brian Robinsonjr or Jalen Mcmillan
Davante Adams or Brian Thomas Jr.
Dk Metcalf or Brian Thomas Jr.
Isaac Guerendo or Brian Thomas Jr.
Tank Bigsby or Jalen Mcmillan
Zay Flowers or Brian Thomas Jr.
Zay Flowers or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Adam Thielen or Brian Thomas Jr.
Aj Brown or Brian Thomas Jr.
Brock Bowers or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Ceedee Lamb or Brian Thomas Jr.
Dandre Swift or Jalen Mcmillan
Devonta Smith or Jalen Mcmillan
Dk Metcalf or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Jonathan Taylor or Brian Thomas Jr.
Khalil Shakir or Brian Thomas Jr.
Mark Andrews or Jalen Mcmillan
Nico Collins or Brian Thomas Jr.
Rhamondre Stevenson or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Amari Cooper or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Ameer Abdullah or Jalen Mcmillan
Calvin Ridley or Brian Thomas Jr.
Devonta Smith or Brian Thomas Jr.
Dj Moore or Jalen Mcmillan
Isaac Guerendo or Jalen Mcmillan
Jakobi Meyers or Brian Thomas Jr.
Jalen Mcmillan or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
James Cook or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Jayden Reed or Brian Thomas Jr.
Jerome Ford or Brian Thomas Jr.
Joe Mixon or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Malik Nabers or Jalen Mcmillan
Sam Laporta or Jalen Mcmillan
Tyreek Hill or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Tyrone Tracyjr or Brian Thomas Jr.
Xavier Worthy or Jalen Mcmillan
Cedric Tillman or Jalen Mcmillan
Cooper Kupp or Jalen Mcmillan
Davante Adams or Jalen Mcmillan
Demario Douglas or Jalen Mcmillan
Drake London or Jalen Mcmillan
Isaac Guerendo or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Jalen Coker or Jalen Mcmillan
Jalen Mcmillan or Brian Thomas Jr.
Jameson Williams or Brian Thomas Jr.
Marvin Harrisonjr or Brian Thomas Jr.
Nick Westbrookikhine or Jalen Mcmillan
Tony Pollard or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Travis Etiennejr or Jalen Mcmillan
Trey Mcbride or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Tyreek Hill or Jalen Mcmillan
Adam Thielen or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Aj Brown or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Alvin Kamara or Brian Thomas Jr.
Alvin Kamara or Jalen Mcmillan
Brandin Cooks or Jalen Mcmillan
Brenton Strange or Jalen Mcmillan
Brian Thomas Jr. or Brian Thomas Jr.
Brian Thomas Jr. or Jalen Mcmillan
Ceedee Lamb or Jalen Mcmillan
Darnell Mooney or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Deebo Samuelsr or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Elijah Moore or Jalen Mcmillan
Elijah Moore or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Isiah Pacheco or Brian Thomas Jr.
Jayden Reed or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Jerome Ford or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Joe Mixon or Brian Thomas Jr.
Jonathan Taylor or Jalen Mcmillan
Jonnu Smith or Brian Thomas Jr.
Jordan Addison or Brian Thomas Jr.
Josh Downs or Brian Thomas Jr.
Keenan Allen or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Kenneth Walkeriii or Brian Thomas Jr.
Marquez Valdesscantling or Jalen Mcmillan
Marvin Harrisonjr or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Mike Evans or Brian Thomas Jr.
Nico Collins or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Patrick Taylorjr or Jalen Mcmillan
Raheem Mostert or Jalen Mcmillan
Rico Dowdle or Jalen Mcmillan
Trey Mcbride or Jalen Mcmillan
Zach Charbonnet or Brian Thomas Jr.
Aaron Jones or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Aj Brown or Jalen Mcmillan
Alexander Mattison or Brian Thomas Jr.
Alvin Kamara or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Amari Cooper or Brian Thomas Jr.
Amonra Stbrown or Brian Thomas Jr.
Breece Hall or Jalen Mcmillan
Brian Robinsonjr or Brian Thomas Jr.
Brock Bowers or Jalen Mcmillan
Bucky Irving or Jalen Mcmillan
Cade Otton or Jalen Mcmillan
Cade Otton or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Calvin Ridley or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Carson Steele or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Ceedee Lamb or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Chuba Hubbard or Jalen Mcmillan
Cj Stroud or Brian Thomas Jr.
Cj Stroud or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Dalton Kincaid or Jalen Mcmillan
Dandre Swift or Brian Thomas Jr.
Darnell Mooney or Brian Thomas Jr.
David Njoku or Jalen Mcmillan
Deandre Hopkins or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Deebo Samuelsr or Brian Thomas Jr.
Derrick Henry or Brian Thomas Jr.
Devaughn Vele or Jalen Mcmillan
Devon Achane or Brian Thomas Jr.
Devon Achane or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Devonta Smith or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Garrett Wilson or Jalen Mcmillan
George Kittle or Jalen Mcmillan
George Kittle or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
George Pickens or Brian Thomas Jr.
George Pickens or Jalen Mcmillan
George Pickens or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Hunter Henry or Jalen Mcmillan
Jalen Hurts or Jalen Mcmillan
Jalen Mcmillan or Jalen Mcmillan
James Conner or Brian Thomas Jr.
James Conner or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
James Cook or Jalen Mcmillan
Jameson Williams or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Jaylen Waddle or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Jonathan Taylor or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Jonnu Smith or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Jordan Addison or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Justin Herbert or Jalen Mcmillan
Kavontae Turpin or Jalen Mcmillan
Kavontae Turpin or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Keenan Allen or Brian Thomas Jr.
Kendre Miller or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Kenneth Walkeriii or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Kyren Williams or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Los Angeleschargers or Brian Thomas Jr.
Malik Washington or Jalen Mcmillan
Michael Penixjr or Jalen Mcmillan
Michael Penixjr or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Najee Harris or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Pat Freiermuth or Jalen Mcmillan
Puka Nacua or Brian Thomas Jr.
Puka Nacua or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Rachaad White or Brian Thomas Jr.
Rachaad White or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Ray Davis or Jalen Mcmillan
Romeo Doubs or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Sam Laporta or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Tank Bigsby or Brian Thomas Jr.
Tee Higgins or Jalen Mcmillan
Tj Hockenson or Jalen Mcmillan
Tony Pollard or Brian Thomas Jr.
Travis Kelce or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Tre Tucker or Jalen Mcmillan
Tyjae Spears or Jalen Mcmillan
Tyler Allgeier or Jalen Mcmillan
Tyler Lockett or Jalen Mcmillan
Wandale Robinson or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Xavier Legette or Jalen Mcmillan
Zach Charbonnet or Jalen Mcmillan
Zach Charbonnet or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
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