December 20, 2025
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback
Trevor Lawrence had a breakout game last week, but fantasy managers shouldn't overreact for a tough Week 16 matchup with the Denver Broncos. He put up six total touchdowns last week against the New York Jets, but the Broncos are on the opposite end of the AFC standings for a reason. Denver's defense leads the NFL in sacks, ranks fourth in total yards allowed, and third in points allowed. The Jaguars' offense may be clicking at the moment, but it should have a much harder time thriving against the stout Broncos defense. Just like the rest of the offense, fantasy managers should think twice about automatically inserting Lawrence into lineups despite last week's performance.
--Seth Quinn - RotoBallerSource: Trevor Lawrence RotoBaller
December 20, 2025
The New Orleans Saints D/ST allowed 17 points, recording one sack and one fumble recovery in the Week 15 victory against the Panthers. The Saints defense has been surprisingly solid all season, allowing 23.7 points per game (19th), 311.2 yards per game (11th), and ranking 19th in takeaways. They draw an ideal matchup in Week 16 against the Jets, who have turned the ball over three times in each of their last two games and have allowed 50 sacks on the year, the third-highest total in the league. New York will also start rookie quarterback
Brady Cook, who threw three interceptions and was sacked three times against the Jaguars. The Saints D/ST is a top-tier fantasy option this week.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
December 20, 2025
Dallas Cowboys quarterback
Dak Prescott is coming off back-to-back fantasy finishes outside the top 12 at the position, and in Week 16, he faces a Chargers defense that has been the third-toughest matchup for opposing quarterbacks. While the deck may seem stacked against him, Prescott remains a strong play for the fantasy semifinals. Both
CeeDee Lamb (illness) and
Javonte Williams (neck) were able to log full participation at Friday's practice after beginning the week limited, giving Prescott his full complement of offensive weapons for a game with the second-highest over/under of the week. Notwithstanding his recent mini-slump, in which he's thrown only one touchdown over the past two weeks, Prescott is still averaging 336 passing yards per game across his last four outings, despite facing three of the league's five best passing defenses in that span. He is RotoBaller's QB4 for the week.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
December 20, 2025
Rico Dowdle had 16 carries for 49 yards and one touchdown in Week 15 against the New Orleans Saints. The Carolina RB added five receiving yards on one reception to total 12.4 PPR points. Since Week 9, Dowdle has averaged 15.4 PPR points and finished with double-digit PPR points in five games. Carolina will face their NFC South rival, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in Week 16. Tampa Bay ranks 23rd in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to RBs this season. They have also surrendered the most receiving yards to RBs in the league this year (783). With solid volume and a decent matchup, Dowdle is worth starting as an RB2 for the fantasy football playoffs, even with his workload being split with
Chuba Hubbard. Dowdle has logged 16+ carries in five of his last six starts. He will see important work in the major NFC South showdown against the Buccaneers.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
December 20, 2025
New Orleans Saints wide receiver
Mason Tipton is questionable for Week 16 against the Jets due to an illness. He caught one pass for five yards on two targets in last week's win over the Panthers and now has seven receptions for 47 yards across three games this season. With
Devaughn Vele (shoulder) on IR and injuries thinning out the Saints' offense, Tipton has a path to a larger role as the WR2 in an air attack that has averaged over 33 pass attempts per game across its last four contests. If Tipton is unable to play, Kevin Austin and
Dante Pettis would be next in line. If he does suit up, Tipton profiles as a WR4/WR5 option.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: New Orleans Saints
December 20, 2025
New York Giants tight end
Theo Johnson has established a consistent floor for production as the team's TE1. Johnson has recorded at least three receptions in 11 of 14 games this season and has served as one of the Giants' most explosive playmakers. The 24-year-old leads all tight ends with three games of at least three receptions and a yards per reception of 20 yards or more. His three highest yardage totals have come in the past five games, but he hasn't found the end zone since Week 9 against the San Francisco 49ers. Johnson profiles as a TE2 for Sunday's matchup against a tough Minnesota Vikings defense that hasn't allowed a touchdown through the air in five straight weeks.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Pro Football Reference
December 20, 2025
New Orleans Saints wide receiver
Chris Olave reeled in six of his nine targets for 85 yards and a touchdown in Week 15's victory over the Panthers. After a slow first half, Olave came to life in the second half, and his touchdown grab came on 3rd-and-6 with 2:29 remaining in the fourth quarter to tie the game. He then added a 15-yard reception on the following drive to help set up the game-winning field goal. With
Devaughn Vele (shoulder) on IR,
Mason Tipton (illness) questionable, and both
Alvin Kamara (knee) and
Devin Neal (hamstring) sidelined, Olave is likely to carry a massive workload against the Jets' secondary. A season-high in targets would not be surprising, placing him firmly in the WR1 ranks this week.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
December 20, 2025
Bryce Young has not produced ideal fantasy numbers this season, but he has a great matchup in Week 16 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In Week 15 against the Saints, Young completed 15-of-24 attempts for 163 yards and a touchdown. He also had a season-high 49 rushing yards on seven carries, totaling 15.4 fantasy points. The Carolina QB has registered more than 15.0 fantasy points in three of his last four starts. He has averaged 14.2 Fantasy Points Per Game in 13 games played this season. He has a good shot of playing above his usual 14 to 15 point range this week, though. Tampa Bay ranks 30th in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to QBs this season. Last week, Atlanta QB
Kirk Cousins finished as the fantasy QB3 overall. He totaled 26.9 fantasy points against the Buccaneers. Week 15 was the fifth straight week where Tampa Bay allowed a top-10 fantasy QB finish. Despite Young's mediocre and inconsistent production this year, the matchup against Tampa Bay makes him a quality QB2 starter for fantasy football playoff teams in superflex formats. The NFC South lead is on the line, and Young may have to throw often to keep pace with
Baker Mayfield.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
December 20, 2025
New Orleans Saints running back
Evan Hull handled four carries for 12 yards in Week 15's victory against the Panthers. The 25-year-old saw additional work after
Devin Neal exited in the second quarter with an injury. With
Alvin Kamara (knee) and Neal (hamstring, IR) ruled out for Week 16, Hull is expected to share the backfield with
Audric Estime. Hull's NFL opportunities have been limited, though he averaged 4.1 yards per carry and caught 55 passes at 9.9 yards per reception in his final season at Northwestern in 2022. The Jets present a favorable matchup in Week 16, ranking third in PPR points allowed to running backs and fourth in total rushing yards. Hull's usage should be monitored, and he is ranked RB48 on Rotoballer this week.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: Rotoballer
December 20, 2025
Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift (groin) is expected to play in Saturday night's divisional matchup with the Packers after limited practice sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. Green Bay has been one of the most difficult defenses to run against for most of the season, but it remains to be seen how the unit will adjust to losing Micah Parsons (knee) for the year after the All-Pro face of their defense tore his ACL in a Week 15 loss to the Broncos. Swift is coming off a 98-yard, two-touchdown performance against a similarly staunch Cleveland front, and he is 65 yards away from his second career 1,000-yard season. He should be viewed as an RB2 with a potentially high ceiling if the Packers are unable to rally without their injured star.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Jeremy Fowler
December 20, 2025
New York Giants wide receiver
Darius Slayton saw his most targets of the season in Week 15's loss to the Washington Commanders, catching four of 10 targets for 53 yards. Slayton will have a tougher time seeing that kind of volume against a stingy Minnesota Vikings defense in Week 16. The Vikings have allowed the fifth fewest passing yards per game and the third fewest receptions per game to wide receivers. The 28-year-old wideout is a volatile option who is reliant on big plays to return fantasy value. Slayton has only scored one touchdown this season, with one game posting more than 70 receiving yards, making him a boom-or-bust flex option at best in Week 16.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Pro Football Reference
December 20, 2025
Atlanta Falcons quarterback
Kirk Cousins had his best game of the season by far last week in a 29-28 win over the Buccaneers, completing 30 of 44 passes for 373 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. The 37-year-old focused his attention on his top pass catchers, and should get another weapon back in Week 16, with
Drake London (knee) expected to suit up on Sunday. The veteran should have a full complement on offense for Sunday's road matchup against the Cardinals, a defense that is middle of the pack in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, but that has yielded 35 points per game over their last three games, which is nearly the worst in the league over that stretch behind only the Cowboys and Jets (35.3). Even so, with a strong run game to lean on in the form of
Bijan Robinson and
Tyler Allgeier, Cousins projects as a low-end QB2 for this week's contest.
--Jarod RuppSource: ESPN
December 20, 2025
New Orleans Saints running back
Audric Estime rushed three times for 11 yards and added 39 yards on three receptions in the Week 15 victory against the Panthers.
Devin Neal exited in the second quarter, and with
Alvin Kamara also out, Estime split touches with fellow back
Evan Hull for the remainder of the game. With both Neal and Kamara out again this week, Estime is expected to take on a larger role and will "probably" draw the start against the Jets, according to Nick Underhill. Even if touches are shared, New York presents a strong matchup, allowing the third-most PPR points to running backs and the fourth-most rushing yards per game. The favorable matchup boosts Estime into FLEX consideration for Week 16.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: Nick Underhill
December 20, 2025
New Orleans Saints quarterback
Tyler Shough completed 24 of 32 passes for 272 yards and one touchdown in the Week 15 victory against the Panthers. He was also a threat on the ground, rushing eight times for 32 yards, though he drew multiple unnecessary roughness penalties, including one with 12 seconds left that helped set up the game-winning field goal. This was Shough's second meeting with Carolina, and he is now 2-0 against the division rival and has now lead the Saints to a two-game win streak. He will look to carry this momentum into Week 16's home matchup against the Jets, who are allowing the third-most points per game and the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Shough ranks as a QB2 this week with intriguing upside for that one.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
December 20, 2025
Buffalo Bills tight end
Dawson Knox caught three of four targets for 37 yards and two touchdowns in the 35-31 victory over the New England Patriots. Despite
Dalton Kincaid's return in Week 14, Knox has dominated, totaling 130 yards and two touchdowns over his past two games. Knox played 70% of the snaps in Week 15, while Kincaid played only 34%. With his connection to star quarterback
Josh Allen, Knox has starting value in Week 16. He faces a Browns defense that ranks middle-of-the-pack against tight ends this season. The door is open for Knox to have another big outing in Week 16, but he remains a low-end option with Kincaid in the picture.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
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