More Week 16: Waiver Wire — Streaming Options — Rankings — Start 'Em and Sit 'Em — Cheat Sheet
Editor's Note: All rankings updated as of Sunday at 10:30 a.m. EST to reflect the latest news and changes our experts have made.
PPR Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DST
Note: All rankings for Standard scoring.
Quarterback Rankings
| Week 16 QB Rank |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cam Newton CAR (vs TB) | Cam Newton CAR (vs TB) | Cam Newton CAR (vs TB) |
| 2 | Russell Wilson SEA (at DAL) | Russell Wilson SEA (at DAL) | Russell Wilson SEA (at DAL) |
| 3 | Tom Brady NE (vs BUF) | Blake Bortles JAC (at SF) | Tom Brady NE (vs BUF) |
| 4 | Matthew Stafford DET (at CIN) | Tom Brady NE (vs BUF) | Matthew Stafford DET (at CIN) |
| 5 | Nick Foles PHI (vs OAK) | Nick Foles PHI (vs OAK) | Alex Smith KC (vs MIA) |
| 6 | Blake Bortles JAC (at SF) | Alex Smith KC (vs MIA) | Ben Roethlisberger PIT (at HOU) |
| 7 | Ben Roethlisberger PIT (at HOU) | Drew Brees NO (vs ATL) | Nick Foles PHI (vs OAK) |
| 8 | Drew Brees NO (vs ATL) | Case Keenum MIN (at GB) | Philip Rivers LAC (at NYJ) |
| 9 | Alex Smith KC (vs MIA) | Matthew Stafford DET (at CIN) | Jared Goff LAR (at TEN) |
| 10 | Philip Rivers LAC (at NYJ) | Joe Flacco BAL (vs IND) | Kirk Cousins WAS (vs DEN) |
| 11 | Case Keenum MIN (at GB) | Ben Roethlisberger PIT (at HOU) | Jameis Winston TB (at CAR) |
| 12 | Dak Prescott DAL (vs SEA) | Dak Prescott DAL (vs SEA) | Case Keenum MIN (at GB) |
Do we agree on anything? There certainly appears to be less consensus at quarterback this week than in the past. Some of that will change throughout the week as we make good arguments that convince each other to make adjustments. But the big arguments seem to be between Dave and I:
- I have Tom Brady 1st; Dave has him 4th
- I have Ben Roethlisberger 5th; Dave has him 11th
- Dave has Blake Bortles 3rd; I have him 14th
- Dave has Joe Flacco 7th; I have him 16th
There are easy explanations for most of these discrepancies, but the Roethlisberger ranking stand out the most. With Roethlisberger you have to decide if his road splits and the loss of Antonio Brown are enough to scare you away from what has been the second best matchup this season.
Nick Foles is legit. Foles is my favorite streaming option at quarterback this week and as you can see Dave and Jamey are even higher on him than I am. Foles probably won't throw four touchdowns again, but I've been saying similar things about Carson Wentz all season. One thing we all agree on is that you can start him over Drew Brees, Jared Goff and Dak Prescott.
Running Back Rankings
| Week 16 RB Rank | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Todd Gurley LAR (at TEN) | Ezekiel Elliott DAL (vs SEA) | Le'Veon Bell PIT (at HOU) |
| 2 | Le'Veon Bell PIT (at HOU) | Le'Veon Bell PIT (at HOU) | Todd Gurley LAR (at TEN) |
| 3 | Ezekiel Elliott DAL (vs SEA) | Todd Gurley LAR (at TEN) | Ezekiel Elliott DAL (vs SEA) |
| 4 | Kareem Hunt KC (vs MIA) | Kareem Hunt KC (vs MIA) | Alvin Kamara NO (vs ATL) |
| 5 | Devonta Freeman ATL (at NO) | Mark Ingram NO (vs ATL) | Kenyan Drake MIA (at KC) |
| 6 | Dion Lewis NE (vs BUF) | Devonta Freeman ATL (at NO) | Melvin Gordon LAC (at NYJ) |
| 7 | Melvin Gordon LAC (at NYJ) | Alvin Kamara NO (vs ATL) | Mark Ingram NO (vs ATL) |
| 8 | Alvin Kamara NO (vs ATL) | LeSean McCoy BUF (at NE) | Dion Lewis NE (vs BUF) |
| 9 | Kenyan Drake MIA (at KC) | Melvin Gordon LAC (at NYJ) | LeSean McCoy BUF (at NE) |
| 10 | Mark Ingram NO (vs ATL) | Kenyan Drake MIA (at KC) | Leonard Fournette JAC (at SF) |
| 11 | Alex Collins BAL (vs IND) | Dion Lewis NE (vs BUF) | Kareem Hunt KC (vs MIA) |
| 12 | Leonard Fournette JAC (at SF) | Leonard Fournette JAC (at SF) | Devonta Freeman ATL (at NO) |
| 13 | LeSean McCoy BUF (at NE) | Jordan Howard CHI (vs CLE) | C.J. Anderson DEN (at WAS) |
| 14 | Jordan Howard CHI (vs CLE) | Latavius Murray MIN (at GB) | Alex Collins BAL (vs IND) |
| 15 | Latavius Murray MIN (at GB) | Alex Collins BAL (vs IND) | Jordan Howard CHI (vs CLE) |
| 16 | C.J. Anderson DEN (at WAS) | Jonathan Stewart CAR (vs TB) | Jay Ajayi PHI (vs OAK) |
| 17 | Jay Ajayi PHI (vs OAK) | Christian McCaffrey CAR (vs TB) | Christian McCaffrey CAR (vs TB) |
| 18 | Jonathan Stewart CAR (vs TB) | Joe Mixon CIN (vs DET) | Latavius Murray MIN (at GB) |
| 19 | Christian McCaffrey CAR (vs TB) | Lamar Miller HOU (vs PIT) | Marshawn Lynch OAK (at PHI) |
| 20 | Joe Mixon CIN (vs DET) | C.J. Anderson DEN (at WAS) | Joe Mixon CIN (vs DET) |
| 21 | Lamar Miller HOU (vs PIT) | Jerick McKinnon MIN (at GB) | DeMarco Murray TEN (vs LAR) |
| 22 | Jerick McKinnon MIN (at GB) | Jay Ajayi PHI (vs OAK) | Jamaal Williams GB (vs MIN) |
| 23 | Jamaal Williams GB (vs MIN) | Duke Johnson CLE (at CHI) | Frank Gore IND (at BAL) |
| 24 | Bilal Powell NYJ (vs LAC) | Jamaal Williams GB (vs MIN) | Jerick McKinnon MIN (at GB) |
Mid-week update: Tevin Coleman and Theo Riddick have been cleared and look like they'll return in Week 16. That's a slight downgrade for Devonte Freeman and eliminates any thought of Tion Green as a sleeper this week. Neither Coleman or Riddick make our top-24 but Riddick is a good flex option in PPR. Joe Mixon could join these two soon, he's practiced Wednesday and Thursday. If he's back then Gio Bernard is obviously out, and Mixon would be a low-end No. 2 running back.
Zeke returns. With Ezekiel Elliott returning he jumps right back into our consensus top five. Elliott looks to be in great shape and faces a Seahawks defense that just got embarrassed at home by Todd Gurley. We expect a full workload and a monster day. If you made it to your championship with Elliott on the bench, congratulations. Now get him in your lineup.
One more week for Gio? Giovani Bernard has given us back-to-back weeks of No. 2 RB production despite the fact that his matchups haven't been great. That would change this week against the Detriot Lions, assuming Joe Mixon doesn't come back. That's how I have it ranked this week, with Bernard in my top 10. Dave and Jamey aren't quite as bullish, but we all have him in the top 20. As bad as the Bengals are, Bernard's current usage in all facets of the game makes him pretty close to must-start without Mixon.
Wide Receiver Rankings
| Week 16 WR Rank | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DeAndre Hopkins HOU (vs PIT) | DeAndre Hopkins HOU (vs PIT) | DeAndre Hopkins HOU (vs PIT) |
| 2 | Michael Thomas NO (vs ATL) | Michael Thomas NO (vs ATL) | Keenan Allen LAC (at NYJ) |
| 3 | Keenan Allen LAC (at NYJ) | Keenan Allen LAC (at NYJ) | Julio Jones ATL (at NO) |
| 4 | Julio Jones ATL (at NO) | A.J. Green CIN (vs DET) | Tyreek Hill KC (vs MIA) |
| 5 | Adam Thielen MIN (at GB) | Mike Evans TB (at CAR) | Adam Thielen MIN (at GB) |
| 6 | Tyreek Hill KC (vs MIA) | Adam Thielen MIN (at GB) | Brandin Cooks NE (vs BUF) |
| 7 | Marvin Jones DET (at CIN) | Doug Baldwin SEA (at DAL) | Michael Thomas NO (vs ATL) |
| 8 | Mike Evans TB (at CAR) | Tyreek Hill KC (vs MIA) | JuJu Smith-Schuster PIT (at HOU) |
| 9 | A.J. Green CIN (vs DET) | Brandin Cooks NE (vs BUF) | Demaryius Thomas DEN (at WAS) |
| 10 | Brandin Cooks NE (vs BUF) | Marvin Jones DET (at CIN) | Sterling Shepard NYG (at ARI) |
| 11 | JuJu Smith-Schuster PIT (at HOU) | Alshon Jeffery PHI (vs OAK) | Marvin Jones DET (at CIN) |
| 12 | Mike Wallace BAL (vs IND) | Larry Fitzgerald ARI (vs NYG) | Robert Woods LAR (at TEN) |
| 13 | Demaryius Thomas DEN (at WAS) | Devin Funchess CAR (vs TB) | Mike Evans TB (at CAR) |
| 14 | Doug Baldwin SEA (at DAL) | Josh Gordon CLE (at CHI) | Doug Baldwin SEA (at DAL) |
| 15 | Robert Woods LAR (at TEN) | JuJu Smith-Schuster PIT (at HOU) | Mike Wallace BAL (vs IND) |
| 16 | Alshon Jeffery PHI (vs OAK) | Marquise Goodwin SF (vs JAC) | Josh Gordon CLE (at CHI) |
| 17 | Josh Gordon CLE (at CHI) | Michael Crabtree OAK (at PHI) | Larry Fitzgerald ARI (vs NYG) |
| 18 | Larry Fitzgerald ARI (vs NYG) | Julio Jones ATL (at NO) | A.J. Green CIN (vs DET) |
| 19 | Michael Crabtree OAK (at PHI) | Dez Bryant DAL (vs SEA) | Golden Tate DET (at CIN) |
| 20 | Sterling Shepard NYG (at ARI) | Demaryius Thomas DEN (at WAS) | Alshon Jeffery PHI (vs OAK) |
| 21 | Jarvis Landry MIA (at KC) | Jarvis Landry MIA (at KC) | Michael Crabtree OAK (at PHI) |
| 22 | Golden Tate DET (at CIN) | Robert Woods LAR (at TEN) | Marquise Goodwin SF (vs JAC) |
| 23 | Dez Bryant DAL (vs SEA) | Mike Wallace BAL (vs IND) | Dede Westbrook JAC (at SF) |
| 24 | Dede Westbrook JAC (at SF) | Dede Westbrook JAC (at SF) | Devin Funchess CAR (vs TB) |
Mid-week update: With Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams ruled out we really don't have much interest in any part of the Packers passing game. This is a bad matchup with a below average quarterback and the No. 1 receiver is out. Randall Cobb could be a decent flex in PPR because of volume, but it's mostly a stay away. I also downgraded Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs because I don't think the Vikings will ned to throw much in this game.
"You forgot to rank Dez!" Nope, he's there. At No. 33. And I know that sounds ridiculous. But you know what has been ridiculous? His performance this season. Bryant has one game all year with more than 73 yards. He's scored less than seven Fantasy points in four of his last six and five of his last eight. Bryant is a touchdown-dependent No. 3 receiver due to low volume and low efficiency.
Tight End Rankings
| Week 16 TE Rank | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rob Gronkowski NE (vs BUF) | Rob Gronkowski NE (vs BUF) | Rob Gronkowski NE (vs BUF) |
| 2 | Travis Kelce KC (vs MIA) | Zach Ertz PHI (vs OAK) | Travis Kelce KC (vs MIA) |
| 3 | Zach Ertz PHI (vs OAK) | Travis Kelce KC (vs MIA) | Zach Ertz PHI (vs OAK) |
| 4 | Greg Olsen CAR (vs TB) | Delanie Walker TEN (vs LAR) | Greg Olsen CAR (vs TB) |
| 5 | Delanie Walker TEN (vs LAR) | Greg Olsen CAR (vs TB) | Delanie Walker TEN (vs LAR) |
| 6 | Evan Engram NYG (at ARI) | Kyle Rudolph MIN (at GB) | Eric Ebron DET (at CIN) |
| 7 | Eric Ebron DET (at CIN) | Evan Engram NYG (at ARI) | Cameron Brate TB (at CAR) |
| 8 | Kyle Rudolph MIN (at GB) | Jimmy Graham SEA (at DAL) | Jimmy Graham SEA (at DAL) |
| 9 | Cameron Brate TB (at CAR) | Eric Ebron DET (at CIN) | Charles Clay BUF (at NE) |
| 10 | Jimmy Graham SEA (at DAL) | Cameron Brate TB (at CAR) | Evan Engram NYG (at ARI) |
| 11 | Jack Doyle IND (at BAL) | Jesse James PIT (at HOU) | Jack Doyle IND (at BAL) |
| 12 | Benjamin Watson BAL (vs IND) | Benjamin Watson BAL (vs IND) | Kyle Rudolph MIN (at GB) |
Sticking with Jimmy Graham: Jimmy Graham has been abysmal the past two weeks. Absolutely awful. But we can't get him outside of our top 10. That's partially because of the talent we know still exists in Graham, and mostly because the tight end position is so devoid of talent. Eric Ebron and Cameron Brate are two tight ends that might be on waiver that you could start over Graham.
JUST MISSED: Here are the next three in the rankings for each analyst, in case you need a streamer:
- Jamey - Antonio Gates, Charles Clay, Ricky Seals-Jones
- Dave - Garrett Celek, Jason Witten, Tyler Kroft
- Heath - Jason Witten, Austin Hooper, Vernon Davis
