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Who should I start for Week 16? Fantasy football outlooks for Aaron Jones, Travis Etienne Jr., Alexander Mattison. Our expert fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks.
Sometimes good running backs have bad games, sometimes bad running backs have good games, and sometimes running backs who everyone thought were good due to past performance end up having terrible seasons. Each of these truths leads us to -- you guessed it -- start-sit decisions!
And it's Week 16, so those choices are more important than ever this season in fantasy football. It's impossible to get it right every time, but you should at least try.
Let's take a closer look at three RBs who could help you in your championship push, and whether we think they actually will.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
- Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
- Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
- Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Kicker (K) fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Should I Start Aaron Jones for Fantasy Football?
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones should have never left your starting lineup anyway. Last week, he touched the ball 20 times, taking 18 carries for 86 yards and a touchdown and catching two of his three targets for 20 yards. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell knows Jones gives his team the best chance to win.
Creative play design doesn't need to be a lot of bells and whistles. It can just be using simple concepts modified to create chunk plays.
Kevin O'Connell has found multiple ways to get Aaron Jones the football and convert 3rd and 10+ on easy button type plays pic.twitter.com/e9Pmb2wlin
— Tyler Forness (@TheRealForno) December 19, 2024
You can't bench a talented player with this kind of volume. He has an easy matchup against the Seattle Seahawks -- not that that matters much because you should start him in all matchups.
Should I Start Travis Etienne Jr. for Fantasy Football?
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. seems to be returning to his old role somewhat. He hasn't looked like himself for most of the season, but that could be due to a multitude of injuries he's suffered so far. He carried the ball 14 times for 65 yards and caught five of his four targets for 20 yards in Week 15.
Watch Brian Thomas Jr on this play, that Mac Jones turns into a 2 yard play to Travis Etienne pic.twitter.com/h90kDjWwIQ
— JP Acosta (@acosta32_jp) December 16, 2024
He played 73% of the team's snaps as well, so he's the clear RB1 it seems. And quarterback Mac Jones seems to like dumping it off to him, so that helps in PPR. He's returned to a solid RB3/FLEX play against a weak Las Vegas Raiders defense in Week 16.
Should I Start Alexander Mattison for Fantasy Football?
No. Las Vegas Raiders running back Alexander Mattison (neck) practiced in full and appears to be in line to play on Sunday. But that doesn't mean you should start him. He hasn't rewarded the team for giving him snaps with any reasonable production this year.
Alexander Mattison’s 2024 production:
Fantasy Points/Game: 10.0 (#33)
Expected Fantasy Points/Game: 11.4 (#33)
Total TDs: 4 (#33)Can Mattison bounce back and find the end zone in Week 16? 🤔🔥 #Raiders #FantasyFootball #NFLpic.twitter.com/EQGKpHWq6F
— PlayerProfiler NFL (@Profiler_NFL) December 19, 2024
We expect RB Ameer Abdullah to handle the majority of the snaps, run more routes, and get more targets. The Raiders have been a terrible pure running team this season, so PPR upside is where most of the value of this backfield resides. And we doubt Mattison will have it.
Popular Week 16 Searches - Start/Sit Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 16 searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Aaron Jones, Travis Etienne Jr., Alexander Mattison compared to others. You can also use the free Who Should I Start tool to run your own start/sit comparisons, up to four players at once:
Jerome Ford or Alexander Mattison
Tyrone Tracyjr or Travis Etiennejr
Jerome Ford or Travis Etiennejr
Rico Dowdle or Aaron Jones
Kendre Miller or Alexander Mattison
Chuba Hubbard or Aaron Jones
Najee Harris or Travis Etiennejr
Jaylen Warren or Alexander Mattison
Joe Mixon or Aaron Jones
Ladd Mcconkey or Aaron Jones
Tyrone Tracyjr or Alexander Mattison
Javonte Williams or Travis Etiennejr
Dandre Swift or Travis Etiennejr
Travis Etiennejr or Alexander Mattison
Adam Thielen or Travis Etiennejr
Kenneth Walkeriii or Travis Etiennejr
Rachaad White or Alexander Mattison
Tank Bigsby or Travis Etiennejr
Ameer Abdullah or Alexander Mattison
Bucky Irving or Aaron Jones
Alexander Mattison or Travis Etiennejr
Jalen Mcmillan or Alexander Mattison
Malik Nabers or Aaron Jones
Patrick Taylorjr or Travis Etiennejr
Rachaad White or Travis Etiennejr
Javonte Williams or Alexander Mattison
Jayden Reed or Alexander Mattison
Tank Bigsby or Alexander Mattison
Tyjae Spears or Alexander Mattison
Alvin Kamara or Aaron Jones
Dandre Swift or Alexander Mattison
Darnell Mooney or Travis Etiennejr
Isaac Guerendo or Aaron Jones
Isiah Pacheco or Alexander Mattison
Kareem Hunt or Alexander Mattison
Najee Harris or Alexander Mattison
Romeo Doubs or Alexander Mattison
Brian Thomasjr or Aaron Jones
Gus Edwards or Alexander Mattison
Isiah Pacheco or Travis Etiennejr
James Cook or Aaron Jones
Jonathan Taylor or Aaron Jones
Kyren Williams or Aaron Jones
Brian Robinsonjr or Aaron Jones
Calvin Ridley or Travis Etiennejr
Courtland Sutton or Aaron Jones
Deebo Samuelsr or Alexander Mattison
Jalen Mcmillan or Travis Etienne
Kendre Miller or Travis Etiennejr
Khalil Shakir or Aaron Jones
Rhamondre Stevenson or Travis Etiennejr
Rico Dowdle or Travis Etiennejr
Adam Thielen or Alexander Mattison
Darnell Mooney or Alexander Mattison
Deandre Hopkins or Alexander Mattison
Derrick Henry or Aaron Jones
Dj Moore or Aaron Jones
Jaxon Smithnjigba or Aaron Jones
Jaylen Warren or Travis Etiennejr
Josh Downs or Alexander Mattison
Kenneth Walkeriii or Aaron Jones
Kenneth Walkeriii or Alexander Mattison
Patrick Taylorjr or Alexander Mattison
Brian Robinsonjr or Alexander Mattison
Calvin Ridley or Alexander Mattison
Drake London or Aaron Jones
Elijah Moore or Alexander Mattison
Jalen Mcmillan or Travis Etiennejr
Jamaal Williams or Alexander Mattison
James Conner or Aaron Jones
Jayden Reed or Travis Etiennejr
Josh Downs or Travis Etiennejr
Alvin Kamara or Alexander Mattison
Ameer Abdullah or Travis Etiennejr
Bucky Irving or Alexander Mattison
Bucky Irving or Travis Etiennejr
Chase Brown or Aaron Jones
Courtland Sutton or Travis Etiennejr
Deandre Hopkins or Travis Etiennejr
Deebo Samuelsr or Travis Etiennejr
George Kittle or Travis Etienne
Isaac Guerendo or Alexander Mattison
Jauan Jennings or Travis Etiennejr
Jerry Jeudy or Alexander Mattison
Jonathan Taylor or Alexander Mattison
Jonnu Smith or Travis Etiennejr
Keon Coleman or Travis Etiennejr
Khalil Shakir or Travis Etiennejr
Mark Andrews or Alexander Mattison
Marvin Harrisonjr or Alexander Mattison
Mike Evans or Aaron Jones
Patrick Taylorjr or Aaron Jones
Quentin Johnston or Travis Etiennejr
Rhamondre Stevenson or Alexander Mattison
Tee Higgins or Aaron Jones
Tony Pollard or Aaron Jones
Tony Pollard or Travis Etiennejr
Ty Johnson or Alexander Mattison
Xavier Worthy or Alexander Mattison
Zach Charbonnet or Aaron Jones
Adam Thielen or Aaron Jones
Amari Cooper or Alexander Mattison
Breece Hall or Alexander Mattison
Calvin Ridley or Aaron Jones
Cedric Tillman or Alexander Mattison
Cooper Kupp or Aaron Jones
Courtland Sutton or Alexander Mattison
Devin Singletary or Alexander Mattison
Devonta Smith or Alexander Mattison
Dk Metcalf or Travis Etiennejr
Garrett Wilson or Aaron Jones
Gus Edwards or Travis Etiennejr
Jakobi Meyers or Alexander Mattison
Jauan Jennings or Aaron Jones
Jerome Ford or Aaron Jones
Joe Mixon or Alexander Mattison
Joe Mixon or Travis Etiennejr
Jordan Addison or Aaron Jones
Kareem Hunt or Travis Etiennejr
Quentin Johnston or Alexander Mattison
Rayray Mccloudiii or Alexander Mattison
Rhamondre Stevenson or Aaron Jones
Sincere Mccormick or Travis Etiennejr
Terry Mclaurin or Aaron Jones
Tyjae Spears or Travis Etiennejr
Zach Charbonnet or Alexander Mattison
Zamir White or Alexander Mattison
Aaron Jones or Aaron Jones
Aaron Jones or Travis Etiennejr
Aj Brown or Aaron Jones
Alexander Mattison or Alexander Mattison
Allen Lazard or Alexander Mattison
Amari Cooper or Travis Etiennejr
Audric Estime or Alexander Mattison
Breece Hall or Aaron Jones
Brian Robinsonjr or Travis Etiennejr
Cade Otton or Travis Etiennejr
Calvin Ridley or Travis Etienne
Chase Brown or Travis Etiennejr
Christian Watson or Travis Etiennejr
Craig Reynolds or Alexander Mattison
Craig Reynolds or Travis Etiennejr
Dalton Kincaid or Alexander Mattison
Dandre Swift or Aaron Jones
Denver Broncos or Alexander Mattison
Derrick Henry or Travis Etiennejr
Devon Achane or Aaron Jones
Devonta Smith or Aaron Jones
Devonta Smith or Travis Etiennejr
Dj Moore or Alexander Mattison
Dj Moore or Travis Etienne
Dk Metcalf or Alexander Mattison
Drake London or Alexander Mattison
George Kittle or Alexander Mattison
George Kittle or Travis Etiennejr
George Pickens or Travis Etiennejr
Greg Dortch or Alexander Mattison
Isaac Guerendo or Travis Etienne
Isaac Guerendo or Travis Etiennejr
Jakobi Meyers or Travis Etienne
Jakobi Meyers or Travis Etiennejr
Jalen Mcmillan or Aaron Jones
Jameson Williams or Travis Etiennejr
Jaxon Smithnjigba or Alexander Mattison
Jaxon Smithnjigba or Travis Etiennejr
Jayden Reed or Aaron Jones
Jaylen Waddle or Alexander Mattison
Jaylen Waddle or Travis Etiennejr
Jordan Addison or Alexander Mattison
Jordan Addison or Travis Etiennejr
Josh Jacobs or Aaron Jones
Joshua Palmer or Alexander Mattison
Justice Hill or Alexander Mattison
Justice Hill or Travis Etiennejr
Kareem Hunt or Aaron Jones
Keenan Allen or Aaron Jones
Keenan Allen or Travis Etiennejr
Kendre Miller or Aaron Jones
Keon Coleman or Alexander Mattison
Kyren Williams or Alexander Mattison
Kyren Williams or Travis Etiennejr
Ladd Mcconkey or Alexander Mattison
Ladd Mcconkey or Travis Etiennejr
Marquez Valdesscantling or Travis Etiennejr
Marquise Brown or Travis Etiennejr
Marvin Harrisonjr or Aaron Jones
Marvin Harrisonjr or Travis Etiennejr
Puka Nacua or Aaron Jones
Rachaad White or Aaron Jones
Raheem Mostert or Alexander Mattison
Rashod Bateman or Alexander Mattison
Rashod Bateman or Travis Etiennejr
Ray Davis or Alexander Mattison
Rico Dowdle or Alexander Mattison
Rome Odunze or Travis Etiennejr
Romeo Doubs or Aaron Jones
Romeo Doubs or Travis Etiennejr
Sam Laporta or Aaron Jones
Sincere Mccormick or Aaron Jones
Tank Dell or Alexander Mattison
Terry Mclaurin or Alexander Mattison
Tj Hockenson or Alexander Mattison
Tj Hockenson or Travis Etiennejr
Tony Pollard or Alexander Mattison
Ty Johnson or Travis Etiennejr
Tyler Allgeier or Alexander Mattison
Tyreek Hill or Aaron Jones
Tyreek Hill or Travis Etiennejr
Xavier Legette or Alexander Mattison
Zach Charbonnet or Travis Etiennejr
Zay Flowers or Travis Etiennejr
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