Tough Calls and Strong Starts - Fantasy Football Playoffs Matchups for Week 16

December 21, 2022

Gladys' best and worst fantasy football matchups for Week 16 (2022). Make the right start/sit calls in the fantasy football playoffs for these tough matchups.

You made it to the second week of the playoffs. Congratulations. Or perhaps you had a bye and are coasting into the second week. Hats off to you, my friend. But now comes the hard part.

Are you a play my studs regardless kind of manager? Or are you a give me the best matchup and let the chips fall where they may kind of manager? Regardless, we have you covered.

Below are the three best and worst fantasy matchups for Week 16. Remember, you can't account for injuries (looking at you, Jonathan Taylor) or crazy weather (lake effect?), but you can attempt to zig and zag your way around the uncontrollable to fantasy glory.

Quarterback Playoff Matchups

With the injuries to Jalen Hurts, Russell Wilson (yeah, I know), Ryan Tannehill, and Mike White, looking at quarterback matchups might not be such a bad idea.

Bad Quarterback Matchups

Defenses that average less than 14 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks

There is very little chance of you trotting out Baker Mayfield in your fantasy playoffs, but stranger things have happened. Hurts is almost matchup-proof (if he plays). Minshew isn't Hurts.

Prescott's ceiling is limited not only by his Week 16 opponent but because of the run game with Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard. He has thrown for 170 yards, 284 yards, and 256 yards in those three games ( and those were against the Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, and Jacksonville Jaguars). In his last three games, Prescott has seven touchdowns and five interceptions.

Good Quarterback Matchups

Statistically speaking, the best quarterback matchup for Week 16 goes to Sam Darnold. Darnold and the Carolina Panthers will play the Detroit Lions, averaging 23 fantasy points per game to the quarterback position.

In week 15, Darnold attempted 23 passes and completed 14 for 225 yards and one touchdown. In Week 14 against the Seattle Seahawks, Darnold attempted 24 passes, completed 14 for 120 passing yards and one touchdown. The Panthers are averaging 22 pass attempts per game since Darnold's return under center.

Aaron Rodgers has the second-best quarterback matchup for Week 16. But as I sit and watch him get sacked yet again, statistics may not matter. The Green Bay Packers play the Miami Dolphins in Week 16. The Dolphins are surrendering an average of 21.3 fantasy points to the quarterback position.

The Dolphins have given up 304 yards and four touchdowns to Josh Allen, 367 passing yards and a touchdown to Justin Herbert, and 210 yards and two touchdowns to Brock Purdy. Rodgers hasn't eclipsed 250 passing yards since Week 9 against the Detroit Lions. Rodgers threw for 291 yards with three interceptions and one touchdown.

Also in consideration is Daniel Jones against the Minnesota Vikings' defense. The Vikings are giving up an average of 18.9 fantasy points to the quarterback position. In Week 15, Matt Ryan passed 182 yards with one touchdown; in Week 14, Jared Goff torched them for 330 passing yards and three touchdowns. The hope is that Jones falls somewhere in between.

The Giants average 28.8 passing attempts per game. Jones also has the rushing ability that raises his floor. He has 95 carries, averages 7.3 yards per carry, and has five rushing touchdowns.

Running Back Playoff Matchups

Jonathan Taylor, Dameon Pierce, and Zonovan Knight all have injuries. Two of them are out for the rest of the season. Let's see who has the best and worst running back matchup for Week 16.

Bad Running Back Matchups

There is no such thing as a bad matchup with McCaffrey, he is matchup-proof, but you knew that.

The problem with the Falcons isn't just a bad matchup but the timeshare between Allgeier and Patterson. Week 13 was Patterson at 46% and Allgeier at 52%. Week 15 Patterson was on the field for 50% of the offensive snaps and Allgeier for 49%.

Good Running Back Matchups

The sigh of relief is that the good matchups favor your studs with a couple of exceptions.

Derrick Henry goes against the Texans, who give up an average league-high 26 fantasy points per game to the running back position. Austin Ekeler goes against the Indianapolis Colts, who surrender 20.7 average fantasy points to the running back.

Here are a few men you might want to consider, Zack Moss rushed 24 times for 81 yards against the Vikings in Week 15 after Taylor went down. Deon Jackson rushed 13 times for 55 yards, averaging 4.2 yards per carry. The Colts play the Los Angeles Chargers, who give up an average of 22.0 fantasy points per game to the running backs. Last week Henry averaged 5.0 yards per carry while rushing for 104 yards and one touchdown against them.

If you want to put Alvin Kamara in the trust circle (but why), he is running against the Cleveland Browns, who have given up the third-most fantasy points to the running back (22.3) per game.

Kamara is currently RB16. He is on the field for a 79.2% snap share and a 76.2% opportunity share. He is currently 24^th in carries and 33^rd in red zone targets. Kamara is averaging 14.5 fantasy points per game. But in his last three games, he has had 5.7, 7.0, and 12.9 fantasy points per game.

Wide Receiver Playoff Matchups

The best matchup for wide receivers is a grab bag of maybe you could pick them up for one week. But first, let's look at the bad matchups.

Bad Wide Receiver Matchups

Let's take a second to notice how much teams that go against the top defenses against wide receivers use tight ends and McCaffrey. Also, notice that Week 15 was a good week against these defenses.

Good Wide Receiver Matchups

This is the list of the wide receivers who are looking at a good statistical matchup for Week 16:

DK Metcalf @ Kansas City Chiefs, Chiefs are giving up 23.7 fantasy points per game. No Tyler Boyd in this game, so more passes are going toward Metcalf.

AJ Brown/DeVonta Smith @ Dallas is giving up 23.9 average fantasy points to the wide receiver position. The only caveat is there may be no Jalen Hurts. Who believes in Gardner Minshew mania?

The Ravens wide receivers are hosting the Atlanta Falcons. So, who will lead the Ravens in the receiving department? Last week Mark Andrews led with seven targets, and Robinson had six targets.

The Ravens pass the ball the fifth-fewest in the league, averaging 28.0 passing attempts per game.

Davante Adams is matchup-proof. Now he gets the Pittsburgh Steelers secondary, giving up 24.8 fantasy points per game to the wide receiver position.

If only we knew who to count on, the New York Giants and the Houston Texans are in positions to take advantage of better matchups.

The Detroit Lions, everyone's favorite target, get to try and stifle DJ Moore. The Lions are giving up the second most fantasy points to the wide receiver position and Moore. Has been on the receiving end of six, three, and six targets in his last three games.

Tight End Playoff Matchups

We all have to admit that the tight end pool is always shallow. If you have these tight ends, you might want to rethink playing them in Week 16.

Cole Kmet has led the team in targets over the last three weeks. Unfortunately, this week he goes against the Buffalo Bills, who have given up the fewest fantasy points to the tight end position (3.9)

Dallas Goedert is coming off IR. There is a chance that Goedert will play with Minshew and not Hurts. And the Cowboys are only giving up 4.0 fantasy points to the tight end position.

George Kittle is someone you aren't going to bench, no matter who the matchup is. The same could be said for a healthy David Njoku.

Dawson Knox and Logan Thomas are on the cusp of the trust circle. Their matchups will make you think twice but sitting them in playoffs seems riskier.

Knox plays Chicago, who give up only 4.6 average fantasy points to the tight ends, and Thomas plays the 49ers.

Trey McBride is in a good matchup but with the third-string quarterback. Cade Otton or Cameron Brate will play Arizona, who is giving up the second-most fantasy points to the tight end position.

In Week 15, Otton played 65% of the offensive snaps and Brate 39%. It was the same for Week 14. Otton played on 59% of the offensive snaps and Brate 37%.

Mark Andrews is still the alpha dog in a limping offense. He is against the Seattle Seahawks, who allow the most fantasy points to the tight end position. The question is, who will be under center?

If Robert Tonyan is available, his matchup against the Miami Dolphins is good. The Dolphins have surrendered the third-most fantasy points to the tight end position.

Whether you are a "play the studs" or "best matchup goes" type of fantasy manager, stick with RotoBaller for the best information. Here is to you slaying your Week 16, good luck!

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