Week 16 Avoids: Eli Manning, Matt Ryan to Severely Stumble?

If you’re one of those fantasy fanatics that’s constantly consuming start ‘em- and sit ‘em-type articles, the title of this particular piece might seem somewhat familiar. Yup, throughout the season, this exact quarterback duo has been labeled by a number of fantasy football sites as a “bust.” This week, things are no different—Eli Manning and Matt Ryan are going to struggle, once again.

Yes, in spite of his team’s struggles, Manning has had some jaw-dropping performances for fantasy owners this season. That said, this week, he’ll be taking on a healthy Vikings’ defense without the help of a suspended Odell Beckham Jr. Seriously, according to coach Mike Zimmer, Harrison Smith, Linval Joseph and Anthony Barr are likely to make Manning’s Week 16 performance a forgettable one.

Sure, motivation will be high seeing as how the New York Giants could officially be eliminated from the postseason if the Washington Redskins beat the Philadelphia Eagles, but having to rely purely on the likes of Dwayne Harris and Rueben Randle to catch passes certainly isn’t a recipe for success. Even in two-quarterback leagues, it’ll be tough to give Manning the nod.

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Believe it or not, there are actually a handful of NFL quarterbacks out there who regularly play better on the road than they do at home—Matt Ryan isn’t one of them. In fact, in his last three road games, Ryan has combined for a total of 31 fantasy points—pathetic, to say the least. Worse, in his past eight starts, Ryan’s only brought in more than 20 fantasy points on two separate occasions.

So, what’s your next move? Look to matchups, right? Well, you’re not going to find much help in Ryan’s corner if that’s your game plan. This Sunday, he’s taking on the Carolina Panthers. The last time the Atlanta Falcons faced the Panthers, Ryan had his worst game of the season, totaling only four points on 224 passing yards, one interception and zero touchdown passes.

Though there very well could be a fantasy turnaround for Ryan next year, it’s not going to happen in the time he has left this season. Needless to say, it’d be best for both you and your fantasy team to pass on Manning and Ryan this weekend. In the end, you’ll be glad you did.