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

Tee Higgins should rebound in Week 16 vs. the generous Ravens' secondary.

Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR scoring system in fantasy football. This column will not cover the elite players in the NFL like Patrick Mahomes, Christian McCaffrey, Davante Adams, or Travis Kelce. Instead, I'll look at the players you have the most questions about to help you set the most effective starting lineup possible. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check out my weekly player rankings which will be updated daily throughout the 2021 NFL season.

Week 16 PPR Rankings: QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | WIDE RECEIVERS | TIGHT ENDS | FLEX | KICKERS | TEAM DEFENSES

Week 16 Start ‘Em: Wide Receivers

Start of the Week

Tee Higgins vs. Ravens (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Higgins put up a stinker last week, posting a mere 4.3 fantasy points in Denver. For those that survived that outing, he’s in a good spot to rebound. The Ravens defense has been generous to wide receivers, allowing nine touchdowns and the fifth-most fantasy points per game since Week 9. Baltimore has also allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing receivers lined out wide.

Week 16 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | WIDE RECEIVERS | TIGHT ENDS | KICKERS | TEAM DEFENSES

Start ‘Em

Antonio Brown at Panthers (1 p.m. ET, Fox): The Buccaneers will be without Chris Godwin (knee), and Mike Evans is in question this week due to an injured hamstring. That leaves Brown, who should return from suspension in time to face the Panthers. This isn’t about the matchup and more about target volume and rapport, which Brown clearly has with Tom Brady. He could even be available in some leagues this week.

Amon-Ra St. Brown at Falcons (1 p.m. ET, Fox): St. Brown has been on absolute fire, scoring 63.6 fantasy points in his last three games. During that time, he’s seen 35 targets. Let’s hope that trend continues, as the rookie wideout faces a great matchup against the Falcons next on the slate. St. Brown will come with more risk in the absence of Jared Goff (reserve/COVID-19), but he's still worth a flex spot in lineups this week.

Raj Mehta/USA TODAY Sport

Christian Kirk vs. Colts (Sat. 8:15 p.m. ET, NFL): Kirk is coming off a monster stat line against the Lions, seeing 12 targets and posting 24.4 fantasy points in the first game since DeAndre Hopkins was lost for the season. He’ll be a viable flex starter this week, as the Colts have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to receivers lined out wide. Look for Kirk to leave plenty of fantasy gifts under the tree on Christmas Day.

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Russell Gage vs. Lions (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Gage has been one of the best free-agent adds in fantasy football in the second half of the season, scoring 18-plus fantasy points in three of his last four games. He's also seen a high target share in the offense, and a matchup against the Lions makes him a nice flex option. Their defense has given up the eighth-most fantasy points per game to enemy wide receivers since Week 10. 

More Starts

• Hunter Renfrow vs. Broncos (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS)
• D.J. Moore vs. Buccaneers (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Amari Cooper vs. Football Team (1 p.m. ET, Fox)

DFS Bargains

• Odell Beckham Jr. at Vikings ($5,300)
• Antonio Brown at Panthers ($4,900)
• Mecole Hardman vs. Steelers ($3,500)

Week 16 Sit ‘Em: Wide Receivers

Sit of the Week

Chase Claypool at Chiefs (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Claypool scored a back-breaking 1.9 fantasy points last week against the Titans, as he played just 31 snaps and had a mere two targets. He’s also now failed to score more than 7.4 points in two of his last three contests. Next up is a date with the Chiefs, who have allowed just three touchdowns and the eighth-fewest fantasy points to receivers lined out wide in the last six games.

Sit ‘Em

Marquise Brown at Bengals (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Brown continues to see huge target totals, so consider this a warning for those fantasy managers in standard leagues. He’s had no more than 55 yards in a game since Week 9, and he hasn’t had a touchdown in his last six games. While Brown did well against the Bengals earlier in the season, just two opposing wideouts have had more than 90 yards against them since Week 5.

DeVante Parker at Saints (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): Parker was a strong play last week, scoring 16.8 fantasy points in a win over the Jets. I wouldn’t chase those points though, as the Dolphins will get Jaylen Waddle back from the reserve/COVID-19 list. The matchup against the Saints is also much tougher, as their defense has given up 14.6 or fewer fantasy points to all but two wide receivers in their last six contests.

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

DeVonta Smith vs. Giants (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Smith has struggled lately, as he’s failed to score more than 10.1 fantasy points in each of his last four games. In that time, he has been held to single digits three times. I’d fade him against the Giants, who just held the trio of CeeDee Lamb, Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup to a combined 20 fantasy points last week. At best, Smith should be seen as a risk-reward flex option.

Darnell Mooney at Seahawks (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): Mooney's numbers have tumbled in recent weeks, as he's scored a combined 22.2 fantasy points in his last three games. I see him as no more than a risk-reward flex option this week, as the Seahawks have quietly been tough on receivers lately. In fact, their defense has allowed just two touchdowns to opposing wideouts since Week 9. I'd beware Mooney this weekend.

More Sits

• Kenny Golladay at Eagles (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Courtland Sutton at Raiders (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Jakobi Meyers vs. Bills (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

DFS Fades

• Darnell Mooney at Seahawks ($5,400)
• Kenny Golladay at Eagles ($5,300)
• Chase Claypool at Chiefs ($5,100)

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. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for your late breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business!

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