Fantasy Football Rankings & Tiers. Week 16
It is time to make those tough lineup decisions for Week 16, and Dwain has you covered with in-depth player tiers, rankings and analysis.
It is time to make those tough lineup decisions for Week 16 of the fantasy football season.
Below you’ll find positional rankings, player analysis, betting totals, and implied points for every game on the slate.
Find all of our positional rankings here.
Fantasy Football Rankings & Tiers – Week 16
Last updated: 4 pm, Wednesday, December 21st. Please refer to our Rankings page for updates!
Quarterback
| Tier 3 – Tua Tagovailoa | Tagovailoa is a mid-range QB1 for Week 16. | QB Notes & Movers: | Tier 3 – Trevor Lawrence | Lawrence is a low-end QB1. | Tier 4 – Gardner Minshew | Minshew is a mid-range QB2 with upside. | Tier 4 – Deshaun Watson | Watson falls to mid-range QB2 territory. | Running Back | Tier 2 – Dalvin Cook | Week | Snaps | Rush Att | Routes | Targets | TPRR | SDD Snaps | i5 Att | LDD Snaps | 2MIN Snaps | PPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 77% | 71% | 71% | 12% | 13% | 71% | 0% | 80% | 89% | 13.8 | |||||||||||
| 2 | 69% | 67% | 63% | 13% | 19% | 100% | 0% | 80% | 44% | 7.6 | |||||||||||
| 3 | 61% | 68% | 32% | 0% | 0% | 100% | 100% | 73% | 38% | 15.6 | |||||||||||
| 4 | 62% | 77% | 43% | 6% | 10% | 75% | 0% | 13% | 100% | 10.6 | |||||||||||
| 5 | 57% | 58% | 40% | 5% | 12% | 50% | 67% | 30% | 38% | 26.1 | |||||||||||
| 6 | 87% | 76% | 46% | 4% | 6% | 100% | 0% | 78% | 100% | 15.3 | |||||||||||
| 8 | 76% | 74% | 52% | 20% | 27% | 89% | 100% | 88% | 100% | 25.1 | |||||||||||
| 9 | 86% | 77% | 64% | 9% | 11% | 67% | 100% | 86% | 100% | 13.7 | |||||||||||
| 10 | 84% | 61% | 73% | 11% | 12% | 83% | 20% | 89% | 100% | 23.6 | |||||||||||
| 11 | 60% | 65% | 53% | 4% | 5% | 40% | 0% | 63% | 100% | 7.2 | |||||||||||
| 12 | 85% | 81% | 68% | 14% | 19% | 100% | 100% | 82% | 0% | 9.6 | |||||||||||
| 13 | 75% | 74% | 54% | 9% | 14% | 71% | 100% | 79% | 100% | 16.3 | |||||||||||
| 14 | 86% | 88% | 48% | 5% | 9% | 100% | 100% | 82% | 100% | 10.6 | |||||||||||
| 15 | 85% | 71% | 75% | 8% | 9% | 80% | 67% | 82% | 100% | 29.0 | |||||||||||
| YTD | 75% | 72% | 57% | 9% | 12% | 79% | 65% | 71% | 80% | 16.0 |
Cook is second in the NFL in RB snap share (75%), third in rush share (72%), and fifth in route participation (57%). And for all of the Vikings' shortcomings, they are a top-ten offense in non-overtime plays and convert 24% of their possessions into TDs – the 11th most.
This weekend, Cook lands a soft matchup against the Giants, who allow a ridiculous 154 yards per game on the ground in non-overtime play. New York is the fifth-worst graded PFF run defense (46.4), and the matchup is one of only three games with a total of 48 or higher.
Cook is a top-six RB and a SMASH play.
Tier 3 – Isiah Pacheco
Pacheco disappointed fantasy managers in a great matchup thanks to a heroic effort from the Texans, who flipped the game script on its head. However, we get another chance for the rookie to boom in a great spot against the second-worst run defense, who allow 156 yards per game in non-overtime play.
There is room for Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon to shine – they play different roles.
| 28% | 44% | 17% | 2% | 9% | 24% | 28% | 6% | 7% | 7.4 |
|---|
The Rutgers product remains the primary early-down option, averaging 15.8 rushing attempts per game since Week 10.
Pacheco is once again in a SMASH spot as a mid-range RB2 with RB1 upside.
Additional RB Notes & Movers:
- Tier 2 – Jerick McKinnon has back-to-back No. 1 RB finishes and will look to keep his streak going in a mouth-watering matchup against the Seahawks. Seattle gives up the second-most yards per game on the ground in non-overtime play (156) and is the second-most heavy zone coverage unit (79%). McKinnon’s target rate is 21% against zone – five percentage points higher than man. The veteran RB is a must-start low-end RB1.
- Tier 3 – David Montgomery will have a legit challenger for touches, with Khalil Herbert returning for Week 16. The Bears are 9.5-point underdogs against the Bills. Chicago’s 15.5-point team total is third-worst on the slate. Montgomery downgrades from a high-end RB2 option to a low-end RB2 with bust potential. He is a FADE.
- Tier 4 – Zack Moss is the lead candidate to take over most of the work left behind by Jonathan Taylor. The Colts are committed to the run and have the fourth-most favorable matchup against a Chargers unit allowing 151 yards per game in non-overtime play. Moss is a high-end RB3 with top-15 potential.
Wide Receiver
| Tier 1 – DK Metcalf | Tyler Lockett | Metcalf ranks as the WR7 and is a SMASH play this weekend. | Tier 3 – JuJu Smith-Schuster | Smith-Schuster is a mid-range WR2 with WR1 upside. | Tier 3 – DJ Moore | Sam Darnold | Additional WR Notes & Movers: | Tier 3 – Christian Watson | Romeo Doubs | Aaron Rodgers | Watson is a mid-range WR2 with WR1 upside in a game that could shoot out. | Tier 3 and Tier 4 – DeAndre Hopkins and Marquise Brown s | Trace McSorley | Colt McCoy | Hopkins slides to mid-range WR2 status, and Brown is a low-end WR3. | Tier 3 – Amari Cooper | Cooper is a FADE option as a mid-range WR3. | Tier 3 – Chris Olave | The rookie is a mid-range WR3. | Tight End |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TE1 | Travis Kelce | vs SEA | 48.5 | -9.5 | 29.00 | 19.9 | |||||||||||||
| 2 | TE2 | George Kittle | vs WAS | 39.5 | -7.0 | 23.25 | 11.6 | |||||||||||||
| 2 | TE3 | Mark Andrews | vs ATL | 37.5 | -7.5 | 22.50 | 12.6 | |||||||||||||
| 2 | TE4 | Evan Engram | at NYJ | 38.0 | 1.0 | 18.50 | 10.6 | |||||||||||||
| 2 | TE5 | T.J. Hockenson | vs NYG | 48.5 | -3.5 | 26.00 | 11.7 | |||||||||||||
| 2 | TE6 | Dalton Schultz | vs PHI | 46.0 | -4.5 | 25.25 | 8.6 | |||||||||||||
| 2 | TE7 | Dallas Goedert | at DAL | 46.0 | 4.5 | 20.75 | 12.6 | |||||||||||||
| 2 | TE8 | Pat Freiermuth | vs LV | 39.5 | -3.0 | 21.25 | 10.7 | |||||||||||||
| 3 | TE9 | Darren Waller | at PIT | 39.5 | 3.0 | 18.25 | 8.9 | |||||||||||||
| 3 | TE10 | David Njoku | vs NO | 32.0 | -2.5 | 17.25 | 11.0 | |||||||||||||
| 3 | TE11 | Gerald Everett | at IND | 47.0 | -4.0 | 25.50 | 9.2 | |||||||||||||
| 3 | TE12 | Greg Dulcich | at LAR | 36.5 | -2.5 | 19.50 | 8.0 | |||||||||||||
| 4 | TE13 | Taysom Hill | at CLE | 32.0 | 2.5 | 14.75 | 9.0 | |||||||||||||
| 4 | TE14 | Dawson Knox | at CHI | 40.5 | -9.5 | 25.00 | 8.7 | |||||||||||||
| 4 | TE15 | Chigoziem Okonkwo | vs HOU | 37.0 | -5.0 | 21.00 | 5.9 | |||||||||||||
| 4 | TE16 | Cole Kmet | vs BUF | 40.5 | 9.5 | 15.50 | 8.1 | |||||||||||||
| 5 | TE17 | Noah Fant | at KC | 48.5 | 9.5 | 19.50 | 7.2 | |||||||||||||
| 5 | TE18 | Juwan Johnson | at CLE | 32.0 | 2.5 | 14.75 | 9.1 | |||||||||||||
| 5 | TE19 | Tyler Higbee | vs DEN | 36.5 | 2.5 | 17.00 | 8.5 | |||||||||||||
| 5 | TE20 | Hunter Henry | vs CIN | 41.5 | 3.5 | 19.00 | 6.0 | |||||||||||||
| 5 | TE21 | Tyler Conklin | vs JAC | 38.0 | -1.0 | 19.50 | 7.6 | |||||||||||||
| 5 | TE22 | Jordan Akins | at TEN | 37.0 | 5.0 | 16.00 | 6.6 | |||||||||||||
| 5 | TE23 | Daniel Bellinger | at MIN | 48.5 | 3.5 | 22.50 | 7.0 | |||||||||||||
| 6 | TE24 | Austin Hooper | vs HOU | 37.0 | -5.0 | 21.00 | 6.0 | |||||||||||||
| 6 | TE25 | Cade Otton | at ARI | 41.0 | -6.5 | 23.75 | 6.5 | |||||||||||||
| 6 | TE26 | Robert Tonyan | at MIA | 49.5 | 4.0 | 22.75 | 6.4 | |||||||||||||
| 6 | TE27 | Trey McBride | vs TB | 41.0 | 6.5 | 17.25 | 3.2 | |||||||||||||
| 6 | TE28 | Logan Thomas | at SF | 39.5 | 7.0 | 16.25 | 5.3 | |||||||||||||
| 7 | TE29 | Will Dissly | at KC | 48.5 | 9.5 | 19.50 | 6.0 | |||||||||||||
| 7 | TE30 | Mike Gesicki | vs GB | 49.5 | -4.0 | 26.75 | 5.5 | |||||||||||||
| 7 | TE31 | Jelani Woods | vs LAC | 47.0 | 4.0 | 21.50 | 6.7 | |||||||||||||
| 7 | TE32 | Cameron Brate | at ARI | 41.0 | -6.5 | 23.75 | 4.2 | |||||||||||||
| 7 | TE33 | Foster Moreau | at PIT | 39.5 | 3.0 | 18.25 | 6.4 | |||||||||||||
| 7 | TE34 | Kylen Granson | vs LAC | 47.0 | 4.0 | 21.50 | 4.7 | |||||||||||||
| 7 | TE35 | Isaiah Likely | vs ATL | 37.5 | -7.5 | 22.50 | 5.6 |
TE Notes & Movers:
- Tier 2 – Evan Engram is the No. 1 TE over the last four games, averaging 17.2 points, and his underlying utilization is substantial. The veteran TE has an 82% route participation and is the third-most targeted Jaguar (18%). The Jets could slow this passing attack down, but Engram remains a mid-range TE1 option.
- Tier 2 – Dallas Goedert should return to action this weekend against the Cowboys. He will have to fight A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith for targets, but the fourth-year TE carries high-end upside in a potential shootout environment. Goedert is a mid-range TE1 with upside.