Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 16: Wide Receivers - Sleepers, Fades, Matchups, DFS Bargains

Start 'em and sit 'em wide receivers for Week 16 from senior fantasy football expert Michael Fabiano.

Week 16 Start ‘Em: Wide Receivers

Start of the Week

Brandon Aiyuk at Cardinals (4:30 p.m. ET, AMAZON): Aiyuk has been a savior for fantasy fans, averaging 22.1 points while seeing a 34.1 percent target share in the last two weeks. He’ll remain the top option in the passing game this week too, as Aiyuk and the Niners face the Cardinals in the desert. Wide receivers have put up 15-plus points against Arizona 13 times in 2020, including eight performances of 20-plus points. Consider Aiyuk a high-end No. 2 wideout once again.

Week 16 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

• QUARTERBACKS
• RUNNING BACKS
• WIDE RECEIVERS
• TIGHT ENDS
• KICKERS
• TEAM DEFENSES

Be sure to check out my Week 16 rankings before finalizing any lineup decisions or if your league has special scoring rules, sign up for SI Fantasy+ for customized rankings.

MORE: Week 16 Rankings, Articles, Reports & Tools Hub

Start ‘Em

Cooper Kupp at Seahawks (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX): It’s tough to trust the unreliable Kupp this season, even more so with fantasy Grinch Jared Goff throwing him the football. However, Kupp remains on the No. 2 wideout or flex starter radar based on a positive matchup against the Seahawks. Their defense has been awful versus slot receivers, allowing the most catches, yards, and fantasy points to the position. It'll take some faith, but I'd keep Kupp active in this NFC West battle.

Antonio Brown at Lions (Sat. 1 p.m. ET, NFLN): Brown produced a solid stat line last week, posting 93 yards and one touchdown in a win over the Falcons. He gets another smash spot this week, as the Buccaneers face a banged-up Lions defense that’s been generous to wideouts. In fact, their hapless defense has allowed nearly 195 yards and the fourth-most fantasy points per game to the position. I’d start all of Tampa Bay’s top trio of wideouts, including Brown.

Tee Higgins at Texans (1 p.m. ET, FOX): Higgins hasn't been great since the Bengals lost Joe Burrow, but I do think he's worth a look as a No. 3 wideout or flex this week. That's due in large part to the loss of veteran slot man Tyler Boyd, who will be out of action with a concussion. That leaves Higgins as the top option in the Bengals passing game against a Texans defense that's allowed 20 touchdowns and the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing wideouts this season.

Emmanuel Sanders vs. Vikings (Fri., 4:30 p.m. ET, FOX): Sanders didn’t put a huge line last week, scoring 11.6 fantasy points while leading the Saints wideouts with a 15.2 percent target share. Still, I like him as a potential flex starter when the Vikings come to the bayou. The default No. 1 wideout in New Orleans with Michael Thomas on injured reserve, Sanders should produce a nice line against a defense that’s allowed 21 touchdowns and the sixth-most points to wideouts.

More Starts

• Amari Cooper vs. Eagles (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX)
• Corey Davis at Packers (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
• Russell Gage at Chiefs (1 p.m. ET, FOX)

DFS Bargains

• Tee Higgins at Texans (DraftKings: $4,700)
• Greg Ward at Cowboys (DraftKings: $4,000)
• Tyron Johnson vs. Broncos (DraftKings: $4,000)

Week 16 Sit ‘Em: Wide Receivers

Sit of the Week

Tyler Lockett vs. Rams (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX): The fantasy postseason is not the time to get cute, but those deep at wideout or looking for DFS action might want to fade Lockett. He’s failed to score more than 12.3 fantasy points in seven of his last eight games, including four games with eight or fewer points. Lockett also faces a Rams defense that held him to just five catches and 66 yards in their first meeting of the season, so I’d beware the veteran wideout this weekend.

Sit ‘Em

Robby Anderson at Football Team (4:05 p.m., FOX): Anderson secured his first-ever 1,000-yard season last week, so he’s a tough player to sit in most formats. Still, this week’s matchup in Washington is a difficult one. Their defense has been tough on receivers lined out wide, allowing just eight touchdowns and 21.3 fantasy points per game to the position. Their defense has also allowed just four receivers to score more than 16 fantasy points on out-wide routes in 2020.

D.J. Chark vs. Bears (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Chark continued to struggle in the stat sheets last week, scoring just 9.3 fantasy points despite facing a Ravens defense that was down two of its top cornerbacks. He’s now failed to score double digits in five straight games, and a matchup against the Bears makes him a sit ‘em again. Their defense has allowed just eight touchdowns to receivers lined out wide, and wideouts have scored the fourth-fewest points against them overall.

Chase Claypool vs. Colts (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Claypool was on a bananas streak earlier in the season, but he’s failed to score a touchdown since Week 11 after finding the end zone eight times over the first 11 weeks. The rookie has also put up fewer than 12 fantasy points in four straight games, including three with fewer than eight. The Colts have allowed just seven touchdowns and the sixth-fewest fantasy points to outside receivers, so Claypool is a risky flex option.

Marquise Brown vs. Giants (1 p.m. ET, FOX): Brown has put up much-improved numbers in recent weeks, scoring 13 or more fantasy points in each of his last four games. Still, an upcoming matchup against the Giants makes him a risky flex at best. New York has allowed 15-plus fantasy points to just two receivers lined out wide, and the position has scored just six touchdowns all season. The G-Men will also have top CB James Bradbury back from the COVID-19 list.

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More Sits

• T.Y. Hilton at Steelers (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Jerry Jeudy at Chargers (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Jakobi Meyers vs. Bills (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)

DFS Fades

• Tyler Lockett vs. Rams (DraftKings: $6,500)
• Chase Claypool vs. Colts (DraftKings: $5,900)
• Marquise Brown vs. Giants (DraftKings: $5,700)

Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all of the latest breaking fantasy football news and the best analysis in the business!

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