Week 16 Fantasy Football Rankings: Positional Overview, Guide and Advice

Week 16 in the NFL means playoff time for many in fantasy, with decisions looming on the right superstar to plug into the right match-up in hopes of maximizing points.

Taking the right running back who can contribute on the ground and in the passing game, rostering the right wide receiver with the best match-up, and finding the right tight end to exploit the middle of the field are all winning strategies.

So is selecting a sleeper candidate that can tally points that opponents may not have seen coming.

Ahead of the upcoming slate in the NFL, these are the best fantasy options at each position and sleepers to consider.

1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots

2. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders

3. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Ohio

4. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks

5. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles

6. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

7. Kylar Murray, Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers

8. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams at New York Jets

9. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers vs. New Orleans Saints

10. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys

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Sleeper: Cooper Rush, Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Don't look now but the Cowboys backup has been a top-20 finisher at his position in four of the last five weeks.

Since Week 11, Rush has thrown nine touchdowns to two interceptions and finished with less than 14 fantasy points only once.

His best game of this season was his most recent, a three-touchdown performance against Carolina that should have risen some eyebrows among fantasy managers looking for an upgrade at quarterback or facing uncertainty surrounding injury, as is the case with Justin Herbert heading into Week 16.

Dallas Cowboys QB Cooper Rush threw for 3 touchdowns against the Carolina Panthers (a career high), all of which came on passes that traveled over 10 air yards.

Over his last 2 games Rush is 7/10 for 119 yards with 5 TDs on passes over 10 air yards.

(via @NextGenStats) pic.twitter.com/sEmcjH3UfY

— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) December 15, 2024

Against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense giving up the second most points to opposing QBs at 20.74, there is a real possibility that Rush's upward trajectory continues.

Managers with an under-performing signal-caller should consider adding the fourth-year player. He is available in over 90 percent of ESPN and Yahoo leagues.

1. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders

2. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

3. James Conner, Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers

4. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears

5. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams at New York Jets

6. Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns

7. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons vs. New York Giants

8. James Cook, Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots

9. De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins vs. San Francisco 49ers

10. Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers vs. New Orleans Saints

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Sleeper: Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys

Since Week 10, Irving has been a top-10 running back three times and a top-20 back four. He has contributed in both the run and passing games and developed into one of the Buccaneers more dynamic players.

In Week 16, he faces a Cowboys defense ranked 25th against the run and giving up 24.03 points per game. Dallas has also yielded the ninth-most receiving yards to opposing backs with 543, making them even more susceptible to a big day from Irving.

Less available than other sleeper candidates typically are thanks to his early season performance, the rookie back is available in just 16 percent of Yahoo and 13 percent of ESPN leagues so managers needing an upgrade or injury replacement at the position should jump while they can.

1. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns

2. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams at New York Jets

3. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears

4. AJ Brown, Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders

5. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

6. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins vs. San Francisco 49ers

7. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys

8. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks

9. Davante Adams, New York Jets vs. Los Angeles Rams

10. Nico Collins, Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs

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Sleeper: Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots

Shakir has been a double-digit point scorer in PPR leagues in all but two of his games this season, bringing a quiet consistency to fantasy teams.

He has found the endzone in each of his last two games, too, making him even more valuable to managers.

Josh Allen's favorite target has caught at least five balls in nine weeks, meaning the volume is there and will make up for the lack of touchdowns (4).

Against the New England Patriots, 20th against wide receivers and giving up 33.11 points to the position per game, Shakir will have another opportunity to accumulate catches and potentially find the end zone against a defense that has allowed 13 receiving touchdowns, tied for seventh-worst in the league.

1. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

2. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers

3. TJ Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks

4. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers at Miami Dolphins

5. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans

6. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

7. Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers vs. New Orleans Saints

8. Hunter Henry, New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills

9. Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs

10. Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Sleeper: Chig Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts

Okonkwo had his best game of the season against Cincinnati in Week 15, catching eight balls for 59 yards. He is not a dynamic tight end and in most cases, would not be considered for sleeper status. A favorable match-up against a Colts team that struggles against opposing tight ends makes him a sneaky option this week.

Indianapolis gives up 15.81 points to opposing tight ends, third worst in fantasy.

With a quarterback struggling as much as Will Levis has, Okonkwo becomes somewhat of a safety blanket. Look for him to exploit openings and tally catches, potentially as many as the week before.

Do not expect him to find the end zone, though.

Okonkwo has scored just twice in 2024. Still, he has seen an uptick in targets (20 since Week 13) and should be a solid option for managers facing an injury at the position or looking to freshen things up amid a lackluster performer.

Defense and Special Teams

1. Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots

2. Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears

3. Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns

4. Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans

5. Green Bay Packers vs. New Orleans Saints

6. Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers

7. Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers

8. Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee Titans

9. Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks

10. Atlanta Falcons vs. New York Giants

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Kickers

1. Brandon Aubrey, Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2. Ka'imi Fairbairn, Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs

3. Cameron Dicker, Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos

4. Chris Boswell, Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens

5. Tyler Bass, Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots

6. Chase McLaughlin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys

7. Younghoe Koo, Atlanta Falcons vs. New York Giants

8. Will Lutz, Denver Broncos vs. Los Angeles Chargers

9. Brandon McManus, Green Bay Packers vs. New Orleans Saints

10. Chad Ryland, Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers

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All stats from FantasyPros unless otherwise noted.