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Matt's wide receiver (WR) fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks for Week 16 of 2025. His WR lineups advice for Week 16 fantasy football start/sit decisions.
With the postseason kicking off in many leagues last week, the fantasy superstars came out to play. Amon-Ra St. Brown (41.4), Nico Collins (23.5), and Ja'Marr Chase (23.2) led the way among wide receivers, while Mike Evans, in his return from injury, dropped 19.2 fantasy points.
It’s crunch time for fantasy championship hopefuls. Taking calculated risks can pay off -- if you’re an underdog, consider upside plays; in close matchups, safer high-floor options reduce risk.
Here are RotoBaller's Week 16 wide receiver starts and sits.
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Week 16 Starts - Potential Fantasy Football Booms
DK Metcalf - WR, Pittsburgh Steelers at Detroit Lions
Look, Pittsburgh's passing offense is as boom and bust as it gets, and DK Metcalf is at the forefront of the conversation on whether or not to go with a high-floor play or look for upside. Facing Detroit, whose defense has struggled recently against wide receivers, Metcalf offers fantasy managers a little of both this week.
Before Metcalf stepped on the field against the Miami Dolphins to conclude Week 15, he had produced 14 or more fantasy points in two of the previous three contests, including a 148-yard receiving performance against the Baltimore Ravens in which the Steelers wideout was targeted on 12 occasions, hauling in seven passes.
Digging a little deeper into Metcalf's usage, you’ll find that he has been targeted seven or more times in four of the previous five contests before that Dolphins game. Furthermore, Metcalf has earned a 23.3% target share, a 22.4% red-zone target share, and a 19.3% end-zone target share.
Metcalf has the pleasure of facing a Lions defense that, over the last four games, has been tormented by opposing wideouts for 975 receiving yards on 62 receptions. Detroit has also allowed 9.56 yards per target on 102 targets and 52.6 fantasy points per game to the position.
Jameson Williams - WR, Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
One of the hottest receivers in fantasy right now is Lions pass-catcher Jameson Williams. This week, Williams faces a Pittsburgh defense that allows significant production to opposing wide receivers, which boosts his fantasy value. Since Week 9, Williams is averaging 18.7 fantasy points per game, and that includes the Week 12 contest against the Giants in which he was held without a catch.
JAMESON WILLIAMS WIDE OPEN
DETvsLAR on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/cHGFcUYv36
— NFL (@NFL) December 14, 2025
In those seven contests, Williams has been targeted six or more times in five games and has topped 100 receiving yards five times while finding the end zone on five occasions. While St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs catch most of the headlines, Williams has been giving fantasy managers the greatest return on their investment heading into the fantasy postseason.
Looking at a more recent sample, Williams has recorded at least nine targets and 95 receiving yards in each of the last three games, pushing him up the wide receiver pecking order in fantasy to WR2 overall, averaging 23.5 fantasy points. The only receiver who's been more productive over that span has been Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams.
Expect Williams and St. Brown to assert themselves as top fantasy options again this week. Both have the matchup and volume to deliver WR1 performances, giving fantasy managers a clear path to another week of strong production.
Michael Wilson- WR, Arizona Cardinals vs. Atlanta Falcons
What makes Wilson such a strong play this week is the matchup. Since Week 12, Atlanta has been one of the worst defensive units when it comes to defending opposing receivers in fantasy.
Over the Falcons' previous four contests, they have allowed 41.2 fantasy points per game to the position, the fourth most. Digging a little deeper into the Falcons' struggles, the five touchdown receptions over that period are the sixth most, while they have also allowed 731 receiving yards on 59 receptions.
Wilson is definitely a stronger play with Marvin Harrison Jr. out of the Cardinals lineup. Still, since Week 11, no receiver has been more productive in the fantasy realm than Wilson, who has averaged 23.1 fantasy points per contest. Over Wilson’s last five games, the Cardinals wideout has been targeted an unfathomable 67 times, converting those targets into 44 receptions for 535 receiving yards.
1-on-1... Michael Wilson wins 🔥
AZvsHOU on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/ubcbCnEAQa
— NFL (@NFL) December 14, 2025
Wilson has proved he can excel against tough matchups, rewarding confidence last week against the Texans. With his opportunity and the favorable matchup this time, now is the moment to capitalize on his momentum and secure a postseason advantage.
Week 16 Sits - Potential Fantasy Football Busts
Michael Pittman Jr. - WR, Indianapolis Colts vs. San Francisco 49ers
Philip Rivers will return under center this week, but the fantasy outcome for Michael Pittman Jr. is unappealing.
In Rivers' first start since 2020, Pittman was targeted five times, resulting in three receptions for 26 yards. While Seattle has been one of the more formidable defensive units this season, 120 passing yards doesn't do much when you spread it across Pittman, Tyler Warren, Josh Downs, Jonathan Taylor, and Alec Pierce.
You can’t put all the blame on Rivers for Pittman’s lack of fantasy production. Since Week 10, Pittman is averaging a pedestrian 8.5 fantasy points per game, checking in as the WR57 in those five contests.
Furthermore, the 49ers defense has been tough on opposing pass-catchers over the previous three contests. In those three games, the 49ers have allowed just one touchdown reception to the wide receiver position and have held opposing wideouts to 81.3 receiving yards and seven receptions per game. No, that’s not a typo. When you add up what’s there, you get 17.2 fantasy points per game, the third-fewest since Week 12.
George Pickens - WR, Dallas Cowboys vs. Los Angeles Chargers
I was bullish on George Pickens last week as the Cowboys faced the Vikings, and it turns out if I were Spiderman, my “Matt Tingle” was justified. After back-to-back finishes inside the top five among wide receivers in fantasy, Pickens has now finished 37th or lower in back-to-back games, failing to surpass 40 receiving yards in consecutive outings despite having 15 passes directed his way.
Things don’t get any easier this week, as the Cowboys face the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers defense has allowed particularly few points to receivers recently, tightening up the fantasy outlook for Pickens. Since Week 12, only five defenses have allowed fewer than 21.9 fantasy points per game to the receiver position than the Chargers.
In the Chargers' last three contests, they have limited opposing receivers to 356 receiving yards on 30 receptions and have not conceded a touchdown reception during that period. Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Tyquan Thornton combined for 11 receptions and 132 receiving yards last week, with Rice doing much of the heavy lifting.
Assuming CeeDee Lamb continues to be the top target in this Cowboys passing attack, there isn’t too much production left for Pickens, whose floor could be around that five-catch, 50-yard mark. That would leave fantasy managers contemplating some of their choices over the holiday season.
Terry McLaurin - WR, Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Since returning from injury, Terry McLaurin has posted a strong fantasy performance, followed by a not-so-good outing, followed by a solid performance. If that trend continues, this is shaping up to be one of those fantasy performances that fantasy managers will live to regret.
Since Week 13, McLaurin is averaging 15.2 fantasy points per game, which has him penciled in as a WR2 with WR1 weekly upside, as we witnessed in Week 13 when he was targeted 14 times, converting those targets into seven receptions for 96 yards. Then, against the Vikings, who are very comparable to the Eagles in recent weeks, McLaurin was limited to three receptions on six targets for 41 receiving yards.
In recent weeks, the Eagles defense has seemingly returned to its 2024 form, a problem for opposing offenses, particularly wide receivers. Over the last four weeks, Philadelphia has held opposing wide receivers to 6.66 yards per target and allowed just 33 receptions and 433 receiving yards. For fantasy, that equates to 21.3 fantasy points per game, the fourth-fewest since Week 12.
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