Week 16 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Advice on Fantasy Football Stars to Play or Bench

Fantasy football managers have lost a lot of sleep this NFL season while weighing the always tricky start-or-sit debates.

The difficulty of those decisions—and the stakes attached to them—is unfortunately only increasing in Week 16, as a wrong guess or two could spoil your entire season and send you packing from the playoffs.

We promise we aren't purposely increasing the pressure you're feeling, but that's the win-or-go-home reality we're all facing this time of year. We'll try upping your chance of winning by providing our top start and sit call at each of the three marquee positions.

The Rams are rolling, and Matthew Stafford is a major reason why. The veteran signal-caller has tallied multiple touchdown passes in each of his last four games, a stretch during which he has 12 touchdown throws against a single interception.

The Saints aren't a great matchup, but Stafford is in too good of a groove to worry about that.

Russell Wilson is stumbling to the finish line with some of the worst passing numbers you'll find. He'll sort of salvage his day with a rushing score every now and then, but you definitely don't want to rely on his rushing ability, as he's had single-digit rushing yards in three of his last five games. He's also thrown for fewer than 225 yards in four consecutive contests, managing just five touchdowns against four interceptions over this stretch.

Don't look for him to right the ship against a New England defense that has held five of the last six quarterbacks it's faced to fewer than 20 fantasy points, including Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert.

Ever since losing Rhamondre Stevenson to a high ankle sprain in Week 13, the Patriots have handled Ezekiel Elliott like a featured back. The veteran ball-carrier has seen 50 rushing attempts plus 19 targets (16 receptions) over this stretch, totaling 278 scrimmage yards and a score.

If his volume stays up, he could have a huge outing against a Denver Broncos defense allowing the second-most fantasy points to running backs, per Yahoo.

Jerome Ford is a floor-over-ceiling play, and his basement has dropped of late. He's had fewer than 55 scrimmage yards in three of his last five games, and he's scored just two touchdowns over this stretch.

He shares field time with Kareem Hunt, faces a tough matchup in the Texans and has seen his offense grow increasingly pass-heavy with Joe Flacco at the helm. Stay away from Ford.

Stefon Diggs has had a mostly miserable second half, but he has faced a ton of stingy defenses in this stretch. The only time he didn't was the only time he delivered in fantasy of late, when he burned the Philadelphia Eagles for six receptions, 74 yards and a score in Week 12.

The Chargers aren't quite as generous as the Eagles, though no one is. Los Angeles does, however, allow the third-most fantasy points to the position and just let Davante Adams snap out of his own mini-slump with eight catches for 101 yards and a score.

Terry McLaurin just authored his best game of the season (six receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown), but don't try chasing that production here. Most of those numbers came after Washington replaced Sam Howell with Jacoby Brissett, and despite the spark the latter provided, the former still holds the starting job.

Not to mention, McLaurin goes from having a decent matchup to literally the worst a wide receiver can have. If you have a remotely viable alternative, use them.