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The fantasy season is coming to a close...
For many leagues, Week 16 represents the culmination of all the hard work put into offseason preparation, start/sit decisions, and waiver wire adds. All that is left between you and fantasy glory is one final week where it all comes together. The championship is on the line and Rotoballer has you covered.
Although there is no Thursday Night Football to grace our television screens, football fans get three back-to-back days of action including two Saturday games. The Colts head to Baltimore to take on the Ravens in what could be a ground-heavy affair in the rain while NFC North rivals clash in Green Bay when the Minnesota Vikings face the Packers. Let's dive in to Saturday football matchup analysis!
Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers received five total writing awards and 13 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, tops in the industry! Congrats to all the award winners and nominees including Best NFL Series, MLB Series, NBA Writer, PGA Writer and Player Notes writer of the year. Be sure to follow their analysis, rankings and advice all year long, and win big with RotoBaller! Read More!
Week 16 NFL Game Notes
Sunday and Monday games:
- You can read about all the Sunday matchups here
- You can read about the two Monday night matchups here
Indianapolis Colts @ Baltimore Ravens
Date and Start Time: Saturday, December 23 at 4:30 PM ET
Notable Injuries and Status:
- Donte Moncrief (WR, IND) - Ankle - Doubtful
- Jeremy Maclin (WR, BAL) - Knee - Doubtful
Offensive and Defensive Rankings (2017):
| Colts | Ravens | |
| Passing Yards | 30th | 29th |
| Rushing Yards | 22nd | 12th |
| Pass Defense | 30th | 9th |
| Run Defense | 29th | 14th |
Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers
Date and Start Time: Saturday, December 23 at 8:30 PM ET
Notable Injuries and Status:
- Kyle Rudolph (TE, MIN) - Ankle - Questionable
- Davante Adams (WR, GB) - Concussion - Out
- Clay Matthews (LB, GB) - Hamstring - Questionable
- Davon House (DB, GB) - Shoulder/Back - Questionable
- Demetri Goodson (DB, GB) - Hamstring - Questionable
Offensive and Defensive Rankings (2017):
| Vikings | Packers | |
| Passing Yards | 9th | 22nd |
| Rushing Yards | 9th | 18th |
| Pass Defense | 3rd | 24th |
| Run Defense | 2nd | 20th |
Must Starts
Top Performers That Have To Be In Your Lineup
Jack Doyle (TE, IND)
The yardage totals for Doyle have been less than stellar in recent weeks and there is little touchdown upside in this one, but owners in PPR formats should take note that his 71 receptions are just six behind being the second most in a season for a Colts tight end. The Ravens are also particularly susceptible to the tight end position, ranking 20th in receptions per game allowed to tight ends and having allowed eight top-15 PPR tight end finishes in 2017. Doyle should remain a fixture in championship lineups.
Alex Collins (RB, BAL)
I shouldn't have to mention that the Colts defense is in shambles as it closes out the regular season looking to plan for the future. Collins might have under-performed against the Cleveland Browns last week, but his volume of 17 touches is incredibly promising given how likely it is for game script to work in his favor. Indianapolis has allowed one top-15 PPR running back in each of their last five contests and a battle in the rain could mean lots of dump-off passes to compliment the rushing workload.
Latavius Murray/Jerick McKinnon (RBs, MIN)
With Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers off to injured reserve, the Vikings are more than likely to accumulate a strong lead early and spend much of the game handing the ball off to their two prolific runners in Murray and McKinnon. What's more, the Packers defense has given up 12 total touchdowns and an average of 26.1 PPR points to backs while allowing the second-most catches to the position. Both players are being set up for big days that couldn't come at a better time than championship weekend.
Adam Thielen (WR, MIN)
Despite Thielen playing slightly less out of the slot in recent weeks, he remains the most reliable receiving option in Minnesota with a minimum of five targets in every game this season. The porous Green Bay Packers' secondary has surrendered 17 touchdowns to wide receivers this season, including seven over their last four games. Play him with confidence as a huge week is all but guaranteed.
Must Sits
Players To Avoid Putting In Your Lineup
Jacoby Brissett (QB, IND)
Brissett has been on the low end of streaming options for the last four weeks, finishing no higher than QB-21 over that span. Funnily enough, the highest fantasy quarterback finish against the Baltimore defense has been QB-21. Putting two-and-two together means a dismal floor and another week where Brissett needs to be relegated to the bench.
T.Y. Hilton (WR, IND)
The hope for a big play will be all that fantasy owners have if they start Hilton against a Baltimore squad ranked 9th against the pass. The loss of cornerback Jimmy Smith for the season might make it seem like the odds are in his favor here, but Hilton has had only one reception longer than 16 yards over his past five games and the forecast looks to project a rainy day in Baltimore. A ground-oriented game means a no-go for the No. 1 Colts wideout.
Jamaal Williams (RB, GB)
It should be no secret that the Green Bay offense is likely to fall back to a more run-heavy attack without quarterback Aaron Rodgers leading the way, but the Vikings are second in yards from scrimmage allowed to backfields and are more than capable of forcing the inconsistent Brett Hundley to have to throw an uncomfortable number of times. Backfield-mate Aaron Jones could also steal snaps given how he was more efficient than Williams in Week 15, but the only way with which either is a viable fantasy option is if one happens to stumble for a touchdown.
Jordy Nelson (WR, GB)
It has been a sad fall from grace for Nelson this season, going from one of the top fantasy wide receivers in 2016 to one that is averaging 22.6 yards per game over his past eight with a high of 35 on the year. As if the loss of Aaron Rodgers couldn't make it worse, the likely absence of fellow wideout Davante Adams means a top-30 cornerback in Xhavier Rhodes (according to Pro Football Focus) will be shading him. None of the signs point to expecting anything different from usual with Nelson, meaning he is all but a liability in fantasy lineups.
Other Notable Must Sits: Frank Gore/Marlon Mack (RBs, IND), Chester Rogers (WR, IND), Brett Hundley (QB, GB), Aaron Jones (RB, GB), Davante Adams (WR, GB)
Solid Options/Sleepers
Which Players Will Have Solid Games and Which Could Surprise?
Solid Option: Mike Wallace (WR, BAL)
The likely absence of wide receiver Jeremy Maclin opens up the door for Wallace, who has been a top-30 wideout in four of his past six games with 66.7 yards per game over that span. The Indianapolis secondary is unlikely to inspire fear in the hearts of opposing receivers with cornerbacks Quincy Wilson and Kenny Moore II playing on the boundaries. Wallace will be the go-to guy with a great floor in PPR formats against a Colts defense ranked 31st in rate of completions allowed to gain 10 or more yards and 32nd in rate of completions allowed to gain 20 or more yards.
Solid Option: Case Keenum (QB, MIN)
Keenum owners can put down their pitchforks for not seeing him in the must-start category, as I know that he has been one of the most consistent options at the quarterback position with 16 or more points in seven consecutive games. He is also going up against a Green Bay defense that is currently a swiveling door for points and touchdowns, but the shift in game script from a shootout with Aaron Rodgers to a early-lead clocking affair means his ceiling will be especially limited in Week 16.
Sleeper: Kyle Rudolph (TE, MIN)
A limited snap-count for Rudolph against the Cincinnati Bengals might lead fantasy owners to question his value, but don't overthink the situation too much. He is one of the most consistent red zone threats in a high-powered Minnesota offense with a touchdown in four straight games, meaning a Packers crew that has allowed four touchdowns to opposing tight ends over their past four games is a golden opportunity for a continuation of that streak.
Sleeper: Randall Cobb (WR, GB)
It's tough to trust a single Green Bay wide receiver in Week 16, but Cobb could very well be the beneficiary of a Brett Hundley-led Packers' offense. His 15 receptions over the past two weeks along with the likely absence of Davante Adams means the targets should continue to flow, but the quality and overall number will be limited in a game that figures to have Minnesota dominate the time of possession.
Other Notable Solid Options: Stefon Diggs (WR, MIN)
Other Notable Sleepers: Joe Flacco (QB, BAL), Javorius Allen (RB, BAL), Benjamin Watson (TE, BAL)
