Week 16 Fantasy Football Starts & Sits (2021)

We have made it to a common start week for the fantasy football playoffs! Whether you are contending for a championship or trying to avoid last place punishments, Week 16 fantasy football lineup decisions are some of the most important of the whole season. No pressure. And if Week 15 was any indication, we are in for another wild week of surprise performances, unpredicatble duds, and needing to have backup plans in case of Covid. Now, we head to Week 16 Fantasy Football matchups!

Here are your 4-EYED Starts & Sits of the Week!

Quarterbacks

Start: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys against the Washington Football Team

Week 15 showed us that you can’t simply go with the ones that got you there but don’t overthink this one too much. Prescott has the best matchup possible against the WFT as their defense is giving up the most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. He does have three straight performances of fewer than 13 fantasy points, but I think he rebounds in Week 16.

Additional Week 16 Fantasy Football Starts:

Jalen Hurts against the New York Giants, Russell Wilson against the Chicago Bears, and Jimmy Garoppolo against the Tennessee Titans.

Sit: Mac Jones, New England Patriots against the Buffalo Bills

The first time these divisional opponents met this season Jones was non-existent largely due to intense weather conditions so don’t base your decision solely on that. That being said, the Bills defense is still giving up the second-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. This matchup just sucks and hopefully, you have another option under center.

Additional Week 16 Fantasy Football Sits:

Derek Carr against the Denver Broncos, Carson Wentz against the Arizona Cardinals, and Kirk Cousins against the Los Angeles Rams.

Running Backs

Start: Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos against the Las Vegas Raiders

Since the Broncos bye week in Week 11, Williams has had at least 14 carries in all four games the team has played. He has finished as a top-17 running back in each week while finishing as a top-8 RB in three of the games. The Raiders are giving up the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs so set Williams in your starting RB spot and forget about it.

Additional Week 16 Fantasy Football Starts:

Clyde Edwards-Helaire against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miles Sanders against the New York Giants, and Sony Michel against the Minnesota Vikings.

Sit: Eli Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers against the Tennessee Titans

Mitchell is dealing with concussion symptoms as well as knee pain on a short week. If he is able to go, he will likely be at less than 100%. Pair that with the worst possible matchup for a running back in fantasy and you get the sit recommendation. This applies to whoever the starting back is for the 49ers. They are going to win this game through the air.

Additional Week 16 Fantasy Football Sits:

Myles Gaskin against the New Orleans Saints, Ronald Jones against the Carolina Panthers, and Chuba Hubbard against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Wide Receivers

Start: Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers against the Tennessee Titans

You were probably going to start Samuel anyway, this is just a sign that you should indeed do that. For one, the Titans defense is giving up the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers. Also, Samuel plays on Thursday so if Covid ravages the rest of your team, at least you have his score solidified in your lineup.

Additional Week 16 Fantasy Football Starts:

Amon-Ra St. Brown against the Atlanta Falcons, Amari Cooper against the WFT, and Tyler Lockett against the Chicago Bears.

Sit: Kenny Golladay, New York Giants against the Philadelphia Eagles

The Giants have lost Sterling Shepard for the year due to injury, but that doesn’t mean the next man up automatically has value for your lineup. Golladay is coming off a three reception, 53-yard game. When these teams last met, Golladay had a similar 50-yard game. If you are in need of like five to seven fantasy points, sure flex Golladay. But much more likely, this isn’t going to do anything for you so leave Golladay on your bench.

Additional Week 16 Fantasy Football Sits:

Brandin Cooks against the Los Angeles Chargers, Jerry Jeudy against the Las Vegas Raiders, and Marvin Jones Jr. against the New York Jets.

Tight Ends

Start: Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals against the Indianapolis Colts

Ertz has been up and down with his fantasy performances since joining the Cardinals, but he is coming off a high. He was targeted 11 times and caught six of them for 74 yards in the team’s Week 15 loss to the Detroit Lions. With Week 15 proving that picking a starting tight end is a crapshoot, may as well go with Ertz due to his upside.

Additional Week 16 Fantasy Football Starts:

Cole Kmet against the Seattle Seahawks, Jared Cook against the Houston Texans, and Hunter Henry against the Buffalo Bills.

Sit: Noah Fant, Denver Broncos against the Las Vegas Raiders

Fant has been one of the biggest fantasy disappointments this season. The Broncos will likely have Drew Lock under center with Teddy Bridgewater suffering a scary injury in Week 15. Even with the great matchup for Fant, he has been too untrustworthy for lineups and with playoffs on the line, I don’t trust him.

Additional Week 16 Fantasy Football Sits:

Evan Engram against the Philadelphia Eagles, Dawson Knox against the New England Patriots, and Jonnu Smith against the Buffalo Bills.

With IDP options being so plentiful in fantasy football, each week we’re going to list for you an option at each position with honorable mentions to help set your lineups with confidence.

Defensive Linemen

Start: Sam Hubbard, Cincinnati Bengals against the Baltimore Ravens

Hubbard hasn’t been playing super well recently, but this matchup favors him. When these divisional rivals met in Week 7, Hubbard had three tackles, two assisted tackles, and two and a half sacks and finished as the DE1 on the week. With how run-heavy the Ravens offense is, Hubbard should see a lot of action again.

Additional Week 16 Fantasy Football Starts:

Cam Heyward against the Kansas City Chiefs, Christian Wilkins against the New Orleans Saints, and Harold Landry against the San Francisco 49ers.

Linebackers

Start: De’Vondre Campbell, Green Bay Packers against the Cleveland Browns

The bye week must have come for the right time for Campbell as his best finish in the four games prior to it was as the LB29. In the two games after the bye week in Week 13, Campbell turned in LB10 and LB12 performances and now gets the run-heavy Cleveland Browns. He should be in line for another big day.

Additional Week 16 Fantasy Football Starts:

Fred Warner against the Tennessee Titans, CJ Mosley against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Jordan Hicks against the Indianapolis Colts.

Defensive Backs

Start: Jeremy Chinn, Carolina Panthers against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Speaking of the bye week coming in clutch, Chinn looks to have benefitted as well. Coming off back-to-back games of 16 fantasy points, Chinn is primed for a third straight startable performance. The Buccs are going to be down Chris Godwin and potentially Mike Evans so they will have to rely on different people to produce. Chinn will likely shadow a combination of Gronk and Scotty Miller who Brady is going to rely on.

Additional Week 16 Fantasy Football Starts:

Justin Simmons against the Las Vegas Raiders, Harrison Smith against the Los Angeles Rams, and Kevin Byard against the San Francisco 49ers.