Identifying Week 16 sleepers and avoiding potential duds can make all the difference for your team. Whether you’re looking for under-the-radar players poised for a breakout or trying to dodge late-season letdowns, our team of Featured Pros has you covered. In this article, we’ll dive into the key players you should start and those you might want to bench based on expert insights and analysis.

Week 16 Fantasy Football Start/Sit Advice

Sleepers

Which player outside of the top 100 in the FantasyPros flex rankings is a good sleeper start, and why do you think he has upside this week?

Brenton Strange (TE – JAC)

“Brenton Strange is a volume play, but he logged 82% of the snaps and earned 12 targets (for 11 catches!) last week. Evan Engram is on IR, and he’ll face a Raiders defense that ranks 28th vs. TEs in 2024.”
– Kevin Roberts (Breaking Football)

“Brenton Strange is the TE1 in Jacksonville with Evan Engram out for the year but he’s also the number two receiver in that offense. He commanded 12 targets, behind only Brian Thomas Jr. and more than all other Jags WRs combined. In 5 games without Engram this year, Strange averages 4.6 receptions, and his 2.16 YPRR on the year is better than Sam LaPorta and Mark Andrews. The Jags face a Raiders defense that is already one of the worst vs. tight ends and just lost Maxx Crosby, making Strange not only a high-end streamer but a viable replacement for Travis Kelce if needed.”
– Pierre Camus (Fantasy Endgame)

Keon Coleman (WR – BUF)

“The player outside of the top 100 in the FantasyPros flex rankings who is a good sleeper start this week is Keon Coleman (WR-BUF). He’s returning from a wrist injury, and they are working him back up to speed. He did lead the team in week 15 in snaps played with a 63% snap percentage. He has the potential to be a top-15 wide receiver this week, especially with a great matchup at home against New England. Just look at what he produced before his wrist injury as a solid metric.”
– Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Football Empire)

Pat Freiermuth (TE – PIT)

“If you’re looking for a sleeper in a tough position, you might want to consider Pat Freiermuth. Pittsburgh plays the Ravens tough, and Russell Wilson will be looking for his tight end while under duress. This could look like an old-school football game.”
– Steve Anagnos (Double G Sports)

Craig Reynolds (RB – DET)

“Craig Reynolds is a solid starter this week in half-PPR formats. The Lions will not have David Montgomery available and should not allot 80% or more of the snaps to Jahmyr Gibbs this week, given that they face an easily beatable Bears team. Chicago ranks second-worst in the NFL against the run, according to DVOA, and the Lions are not trying to lose any more key pieces. The last time Reynolds received double-digit touches (Week 8 of 2023), he posted 86 yards and could repeat that this week with a touchdown as well.”
– Kev Mahserejian (RotoBaller)

Darius Slayton (WR – NYG)

“Darius Slayton. The prophecy has come true, and Tim Boyle will get the start for the Giants against a Falcons secondary that is very overrated. Boyle will have a career performance that ignites his future as a starting QB in the NFL for many years to come. Part of this career performance includes a beautiful deep bomb TD to Darius Slayton as the Giants are not afraid to “Let Tim Boyle.””
– Muntradamus (Beast Dome)

Dalton Kincaid (TE – BUF)

“Full disclosure- I don’t really like anyone outside the Top 100 or even consider Dalton Kincaid a sleeper, but according to how a sleeper start is defined, he is one here. Kincaid is still one of the best young receiving TEs in the game. He also plays on one of the league’s most explosive offenses, the Bills. Ringo thinks Mr. Kincaid could give his true love (fantasy owners in a must-win playoff matchup this week) a TD and a partridge in a pear tree, haha!”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)

Alexander Mattison (RB – LV)

“It’s gross … but Alexander Mattison is a viable RB3 or Flex play this week, assuming Sincere McCormick is out with his ankle injury. In four games as Vegas’ clear lead back earlier this season, Mattison averaged 16.5 carries and 4.0 targets per game. He ranked seventh among RBs in expected PPR points per game over that stretch — but just 31st in actual points per game. Perhaps RB Ameer Abdullah gets a bit more work this weekend, but Mattison should see enough volume to post a respectable fantasy line against the Jaguars’ 30th-ranked RB defense.”
– Jared Smola (Draft Sharks)

“Alexander Mattison could make for an intriguing start this week against a porous Jacksonville D. The Jags concede the 3rd most points to opposing RBs and have allowed 100 yards or a TD to opposing RBs in every game this year but two. Sincere McCormick is doubtful, and Zamir White is on IR, leaving Mattison with Ameer Abdullah and Dylan Laube to compete for touches. Mattison should get plenty of opportunities in this matchup, including red-zone work, making him a potentially nice option for fantasy managers this week.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)

Duds

Which player inside the top 40 in the FantasyPros flex rankings is likely to disappoint fantasy managers this week?

Zach Charbonnet (RB – SEA)

“Zach Charbonnet. He’s a good player with a nice role if Ken Walker remains out, but the Vikings (3rd vs RBs) are a brutal matchup on the ground. If Walker renders Charbs obsolete, I’d be worried about Cooper Kupp. He did literally nothing last week and is very much second fiddle to Puka Nacua at the moment.”
– Kevin Roberts (Breaking Football)

Kenneth Walker (RB – SEA)

“Kenneth Walker/Zach Charbonnet. Assuming KW3 makes his return, expect a heavy RBBC approach to close out the season from the Seahawks. Charbonnet has shown the Fantasy Football world over these last two weeks, he is an RB1. Not a bad problem for the Seahawks to have, but a terrible one for Fantasy Football owners as both players become unstartable. Especially against a tough Vikings defense.”
– Muntradamus (Beast Dome)

Jerry Jeudy (WR – CLE)

“The player inside the top 40 in the FantasyPros flex rankings that is likely to disappoint fantasy managers this week is Jerry Jeudy (WR-CLE). This is solely based on whether there is a change at the starting quarterback this week. If Dorian Thompson-Robinson starts over Jameis Winston in Week 16, Jerry Jeudy‘s ceiling is significantly lowered. Jeudy has already faced the Cincinnati Bengals back in Week 7, where they held him to only 2.3 fantasy points.”
– Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Football Empire)

Joe Mixon (RB – HOU)

“Joe Mixon carried a lot of fantasy teams into the playoffs, but he might be due to letdown again. He is coming off a 23-yard performance where he also suffered a mild ankle injury. He had been slowing down already, running for fewer than 50 yards in 3 of the last five games. In Week 16, he faces a Chiefs defense that allows the fewest fantasy points per game to RBs on the year and may want to slow the game down with either a backup QB or a gimpy Pat Mahomes.”
– Pierre Camus (Fantasy Endgame)

“Joe Mixon is in a tough spot against the Kansas City Chiefs this week. Not only do the Chiefs rank seventh versus the run, but Mixon is coming into the game with a potential ankle issue. Week 15 was not kind to the Texans’ workhorse as he rolled his ankle early in the game and was laboring through the injury. Mixon fell short of his fantasy projections with 56 yards on 17 touches and no TD. If Mixon is limited throughout practice this week, there is cause to bench him for somewhat similar options off your bench.”
– Kev Mahserejian (RotoBaller)

Ja’Marr Chase (WR – CIN)

“Ja’Marr Chase could be a candidate to disappoint this week with division rival Cleveland opposite him and playing well against the pass. I’m not suggesting you bench him, obviously, but don’t expect a monster game.”
– Steve Anagnos (Double G Sports)

Brian Robinson Jr. (RB – WAS)

“The tradition of Festivus begins with the airing of grievances. I’ve got a lot of problems with the players ranked inside the Top 40, and now you’re going to hear about them. Brian Robinson Jr. is a power RB. He doesn’t get a lot of catches (15 receptions total this year). The matchup against the stout Eagles’ defensive line, featuring Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter, is not ideal for a Festivus fantasy miracle, according to Ringo Costanza.”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)

Terry McLaurin (WR – WAS)

“The Eagles have been lights out against WRs since their Week 5 bye. In the 10 games since, they’ve allowed just 10.1 catches, 103 yards, and 0.3 TDs per game to opposing wideouts. Only 2 WRs — Puka Nacua and Adam Thielen — have topped 65 receiving yards vs. Philly over that span. WRs that have failed to top 65 yards include Malik Nabers, Ja’Marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb, Cooper Kupp, and … Terry McLaurin, who caught just one ball for 10 yards. He should fare a little better in Sunday’s rematch, but don’t count on McLaurin winning the week for you.”
– Jared Smola (Draft Sharks)

“The wounds from a one catch for 10-yard game for Terry McLaurin last time out against Philly still linger. The Eagles concede the fewest points to WRs on the year and have only allowed 15 passing touchdowns this year, which is tied for 5th in the league. This is not a call to sit McLaurin, as many fantasy managers may not have a better option, given how great McLaurin has been. This is a call to manage expectations and to downgrade McLaurin this week.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)

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