RADIO
No. 12 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle Seahawks) vs. Minnesota Vikings
It’s time to give Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba his flowers. Hamstrung by a vanilla Shane Waldron offense in 2023, JSN was asked to do little as a rookie and unfairly derided as a potential bust. In his sophomore season he is enjoying a breakout and emerging as the Seahawks’ new number one at wide receiver, owning a 85-994-5 line going into Week 16.
Since Seattle’s Week 10 bye, Smith-Njigba has had two 10-catch performances and logged at least 74 receiving yards in each game. Quarterback Geno Smith left the Seahawks’ Week 15 game early with a knee injury but there have already been positive reports suggesting he will be ready for Sunday. If so, JSN will prosper against a Vikings defense that has allowed the most receptions (69) and receiving yards (829) to opposing wide receivers over the last four weeks.
No. 11 - Courtland Sutton (Denver Broncos) vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Denver’s Courtland Sutton had a down week in Week 15, catching three passes for 32 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. Prior to that bummer (score aside), Sutton had been one of the NFL’s most productive receivers of late. In the five games preceding the Broncos’ Week 14 bye, Sutton had the second-most catches (42) and receiving yards (569) among wide receivers.
In Week 16, Denver will face the Los Angeles Chargers, which might not seem like an inviting matchup at first glance. However, over the last four weeks the Chargers have allowed the seventh-most receptions (51) and the fourth-most yards (676) to opposing wide receivers. Sutton could boom again if he and quarterback Bo Nix get back on the same page. Los Angeles allowed Tampa’s Mike Evans to post a 9-159-2 line last week.
No. 10 - Brian Thomas, Jr. (Jacksonville Jaguars) vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Jacksonville’s Brian Thomas, Jr. was the fourth of seven wide receivers selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. With 15 weeks in the books, Thomas leads rookie wide receivers in receiving yards and touchdowns and has the second-most receptions. His 956 receiving yards ranks eighth among all wide receivers in the league.
The Jaguars have been forced to turn to Mac Jones after Trevor Lawrence suffered a season-ending injury in Week 13. Nevertheless, Thomas continues to amaze, racking up 18 receptions for 191 yards and two touchdowns on 26 targets in his last two games. In Week 16, the Jags face a Raiders defense that has given up the fifth-most yards (674) and a league-worst six touchdowns over the last four weeks to opposing wide receivers, putting Thomas in line for another big day.
No. 9 - Davante Adams (New York Jets) vs. Los Angeles Rams
After a slow start in Week 15, Davante Adams ended with a historic performance. Adams was held without a catch in the first half but in the third quarter he caught three passes, one being his 100th career touchdown. Then in the fourth he went berserk. In the final four minutes of the game he gained 135 receiving yards, the largest amount of yardage gained in that amount of time in NFL history.
Adams finished that game with a 9-198-2 line, his second straight nine-catch, 100-yard game and his third consecutive game with a touchdown. In Week 16, the Jets face the Rams, who have given up the third-most touchdowns to opposing wide receivers over the first 15 weeks of the season. Adams stands a good chance to extend his scoring streak to a fourth game on Sunday.
No. 8 - A.J. Brown (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. Washington Commanders
They say the squeaky wheel gets the grease and that’s just what happened in Philadelphia in Week 15. In the Eagles’ first game after star receiver A.J. Brown was openly critical of the team’s passing attack, he saw a season-high 11 targets and finished with a 8-110-1 line. It was Brown’s most receptions in a game this year and his fifth 100-yard game of 2024.
In Week 16, the Eagles are up against the Washington Commanders, who have done well at keeping opposing wide receivers in check as of late. Brown himself was limited to a modest five-catch, 65-yard game in the teams’ last meeting in Week 11. Running back Saquon Barkley missed some time in Week 15 due to injury so it may be in the Eagles’ best interest to continue feeding Brown who is likely hungry for a better showing against a division rival.
No. 7 - Nico Collins (Houston Texans) vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Houston’s Nico Collins posted a truly strange stat line in Week 15 against the Miami Dolphins. Collins was held to just four catches and 17 receiving yards, however two of those grabs happened to be short yardage touchdown receptions, his fifth and sixth of the season. Despite playing in just nine games through the first 15 weeks of the season, Collins ranks in the top 20 for receiving yards with 849.
In Week 16, Collins might have an easier go against the Chiefs. Kansas City’s defense has earned its good reputation in 2024, however they have struggled against the pass lately. Over the last six weeks, the Chiefs have given up the most receptions and fourth-most receiving yards to opposing wideouts. Collins should see much better totals (aside from the touchdowns) when the teams meet in a special Saturday matchup.
No. 6 - Puka Nacua (Los Angeles Rams) vs. New York Jets
In an absolute stinker of a game to open Week 15, the Rams and 49ers played to a 12-6 final on Thursday Night Football with Los Angeles coming out on top. Despite the primetime dud, Puka Nacua still finished with another solid outing, grabbing seven of eight targets for 97 yards and adding 11 rushing yards on two carries.
Since returning from injury in Week 8, Nacua has now seen at least eight targets seven times and has had 97 yards or more six times. It is apparent that the torch has been passed from Cooper Kupp to Nacua as the Rams’ premier option in the passing game. In Week 16, he will face a Jets secondary that gave up 10 catches, 100-plus yards, and a touchdown to Brian Thomas, Jr. and Tyreek Hill in consecutive weeks.
No. 5 - CeeDee Lamb (Dallas Cowboys) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Dallas’ CeeDee Lamb posted his strongest game since October in Week 15, finishing with nine catches for 116 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets. It was the most receiving yards he has seen since Week 8’s game against the 49ers. Despite the loss of quarterback Dak Prescott, the Cowboys still lean heavy on the pass and Lamb benefits most. He now has a league-leading 144 targets.
In Week 16, the Cowboys take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who gave up a touchdown to both Quentin Johnson and Ladd McConkey of the Chargers in Week 15. Tampa has not allowed a 100-yard receiver since Week 7 (Adam Thielen had 99 in Week 13) but the team has allowed the third-most receptions to opposing wide receivers in 2024. If the Cowboys continue to take to the air then Lamb should come away with another solid line.
No. 4 - Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions) vs. Chicago Bears
What a week Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown had in Week 15. His 14-catch, 193-yard game pushed him up the statistical leaderboards where he now ranks second in receptions (95) and fourth in receiving yards (1,056). He also snapped his three-game scoreless streak with a 66-yard touchdown, his 10th of the season.
Week 16 brings a rematch against the Chicago Bears. When the teams met in Week 13, St. Brown had a modest five catches and 73 yards. Aside from that meeting, Chicago has been roughed up by opposing wide receivers in recent weeks, giving up big games to the likes of Jordan Addison (8-162-1), Jauan Jennings (7-90-2), and Justin Jefferson (7-73-1). St. Brown will look for better results in his second go-round against the Bears.
No. 3 - Mike Evans (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) vs. Dallas Cowboys
Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans exploded for nine catches, 159 yards, and two touchdowns in Week 15. The receptions and yardage were both new season highs and it was the third time this season that Evans scored twice in one game. Despite a three-week absence due to a hamstring injury earlier this year, he ranks fourth in receiving touchdowns with nine.
Evans’ quest for his 11th consecutive 1,000 yard season continues with a meeting against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 16. Sitting at 749 yards on the season, Evans needs to average 84 yards per game to reach that milestone. Over the last eight weeks, Dallas has given up the third-most receiving yards and fourth-most receptions to opposing wide receivers making the matchup a great opportunity for Evans to gain significant ground.
No. 2 - Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings) vs. Seattle Seahawks
Justin Jefferson’s second outing this season against the Bears went significantly better than the first. Back in Week 12, he set season lows in receptions and yardage with a two-catch, 27-yard game. In Week 15, the elite talent brought in seven of his 13 targets for 73 yards and a touchdown, his eighth of 2024.
In Week 16, Jefferson and the Vikings head to Seattle to face the Seahawks and their middle-of-the-road secondary. Over their last three games, the Seahawks have allowed four touchdowns. When Minnesota last played Seattle, Jefferson went off for nine catches, 118 yards, and a touchdown. A similar finish is well within his potential on Sunday.
No. 1 - Ja'Marr Chase (Cincinnati Bengals) vs. Cleveland Browns
Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase had another solid outing in Week 15, catching nine of eleven targets for 94 yards. The performance kept him in the lead for each category in the NFL’s receiving triple crown as his season-long totals moved up to 102 receptions, 1,413 receiving yards, and 15 touchdowns.
In Week 16, the Bengals have their second meeting with the intrastate rival Cleveland Browns. The Browns have allowed a touchdown to an opposing wide receiver in all but two games this season and they have given up the second-most passes to travel 20 or more air yards. Chase is in a good spot for another big week.
