Fantasy Football Week 16 starts, sits, and sleepers
BOSTON -- If your fantasy football season is still going, you're likely fighting for a spot in your league's championship bout. There is no margin for error at this point.
Mix in some holiday stress and you may be really feeling the pressure when trying to put together your Week 16 roster. But stress no more, because we have CBS Sports fantasy football expert Jamey Eisenberg to help.
Eisenberg gift wraps the best start and sit advice out there each and every week, and if you need a little assistance to build a winner for your semifinal matchup, look no further.
Quarterback
Start: Chicago's Justin Fields vs. Arizona
"This week, Fields should get back on track against the Cardinals, who allow the fifth-most Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks at 22 per game. Two of the past three quarterbacks against Arizona have scored at least 31.4 Fantasy points."
Sit: Denver's Russell Wilson vs. New England
"Wilson comes into Week 16 with five games in a row with fewer than 20 Fantasy points, and it's tough to trust him in the Fantasy playoffs. He's also facing a Patriots defense that has held five of their past six opposing quarterbacks to fewer than 20 Fantasy points, including Justin Herbert in Week 13 and Patrick Mahomes in Week 15. I would only start Wilson in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues in Week 16."
Sleeper: Cleveland's Joe Flacco at Houston
"Flacco should be considered a No. 1 Fantasy quarterback in all leagues for Week 16 at Houston. He comes into this game with at least 20.2 Fantasy points in all three starts for the Browns, with at least two touchdowns in each outing and at least 311 passing yards in his past two contests," writes Eisenberg. "This week, he gets to face a Texans defense that has allowed five of their past seven opposing quarterbacks to score at least 23 Fantasy points. It wouldn't surprise me if Flacco is a top-10 Fantasy quarterback in Week 16."
Read Eisenberg's full start and sit advice at quarterback for Week 16
Running Back
Start: New England's Ezekiel Elliott at Denver
"He's been excellent in the passing game in his past three outings with 16 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown on 19 targets, and he should remain heavily involved as a receiver against the Broncos. It also helps that Denver is No. 2 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and five running backs have scored at least 14 PPR points against the Broncos in the past six games."
Sit: L.A. Chargers' Austin Ekeler vs. Buffalo
"It's hard to bench Ekeler in the majority of leagues, but we saw the downside of this offense in Week 15 at Las Vegas in a 63-21 loss with Justin Herbert (finger) out, which could get worse in this matchup with Buffalo in Week 16. Keep in mind that Ekeler was awful in four of his past five games, with his one positive outing against the bad Broncos run defense in Week 14."
Sleeper: Pittsburgh's Najee Harris vs. Cincinnati
"It will take some guts to trust Harris in Week 16 given how bad he's been lately with 9.7 PPR points or less in three games in a row against Arizona, New England and Indianapolis, but this is a bounce-back spot for him and potentially Jaylen Warren."
Read Eisenberg's full start and sit advice at running back for Week 16
Wide Receiver
Start: Atlanta's Drake London vs. Indianapolis
"London loves playing at home. In his past five games in Atlanta, London has scored at least 14.1 PPR points in each outing, and he's averaging 19.7 PPR points per game over that span. We'll see how he does with Taylor Heinicke taking over for Desmond Ridder, and London missed Week 9 against Minnesota in Heinicke's first start. The Colts have allowed the opposing No. 1 receiver to score at least 14.4 PPR points in four of their past five games, and London is a borderline top-10 Fantasy receiver in all leagues for Week 16."
Sit: Baltimore's Zay Flowers at San Francisco
"Flowers is dealing with a foot injury, which caused him to miss practice Wednesday, but coach John Harbaugh didn't seem concerned. Flowers is coming off a bad game in Week 15 at Jacksonville with one catch for 7 yards on two targets, and I would only consider him a low-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver in Week 16 at San Francisco."
Sleeper: Minnesota's Jordan Addison vs. Detroit
"Addison was great in his first start with Nick Mullens in Week 15 at Cincinnati with six catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns on six targets. That was also with Justin Jefferson back, so Addison will hopefully be fine with a new quarterback and a healthy receiving corps. This week, the Vikings should be throwing a lot at Detroit, and the Lions are No. 9 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers."
Read Eisenberg's full start and sit advice at wide receiver for Week 16
Tight End
Start: Cleveland's David Njoku at Houston
"Njoku has scored fewer than 10.4 PPR points just once since Week 6, and he's been excellent with Joe Flacco in the past two games."
Sit: Washington's Logan Thomas at New York Jets
"I thought Thomas had a chance to be a sleeper in Week 15 at the Rams, but he was once again disappointing with one catch for 7 yards on three targets. He's now gone six games in a row without a touchdown, and he's combined for 22 receiving yards on three catches in his past three games, with just eight targets."
Sleeper: New York Giants' Darren Waller at Philadelphia
"Philadelphia has allowed five tight ends to score at least 10.8 PPR points in the past seven games, and Waller should see a healthy amount of targets with the Giants likely chasing points. He's worth using as a No. 1 Fantasy tight end in all leagues."
