Kyler Murray hopes to stay hot against the 49ers, Drew Brees looks to get back on track vs. the Vikings and Jalen Hurts eyes a dream matchup in the Cowboys.
Other positions: Running Back | Receiver | Tight End/Kickers/Defense
Updated 12/27 at 11:45 AM ET. Removed Alex Smith.
Week 16 Quarterbacks
RK | Player | Opp |
1 | ATL | |
2 | TEN | |
3 | NYG | |
4 | SF | |
5 | @DAL | |
6 | Josh Allen | @NE |
7 | @GB | |
8 | CIN | |
9 | @DET | |
10 | DEN | |
11 | LA | |
12 | @JAC | |
13 | MIN | |
14 | @SEA | |
15 | @KC | |
16 | @NO | |
17 | @PIT | |
18 | @LV | |
19 | IND | |
20 | TB | |
21 | @WAS | |
22 | MIA | |
23 | @NYJ | |
24 | BUF | |
25 | @LAC | |
26 | PHI | |
27 | @ARI | |
28 | CAR | |
29 | @BAL | |
30 | CHI | |
31 | CLE | |
32 | @HOU |
QB Notes: For the fantasy finals, Patrick Mahomes gets a Falcons Defense permitting the most quarterback fantasy points. Merry Christmas. … Coming off one of his quietest starts of the year, Aaron Rodgers has a prime rebound spot in a Titans Defense coughing up the sixth most QB fantasy points and fourth most passing yards. The Packers are 3.5-point home favorites in a contest with a stratospheric 55.5 over/under. … Lamar Jackson is the QB1 by both total and average points over the past three weeks. He has 10 total scores in that timespan, four of which have come on the ground as he’s averaged 7.9 yards per carry. The spiraling Giants just got clowned by Baker Mayfield. … Kyler Murray exorcised a month’s worth of demons on the Eagles, throwing for a season-high 406 yards while finding the end zone on the ground for the first time in five weeks. The 49ers just surrendered over 40 points to the Andy Dalton-led Cowboys. … Jalen Hurts’ second career start was the sixth biggest fantasy quarterback performance of the season. It came against a Cardinals Defense that has been anything but a smash spot. The Cowboys? They’re a smash spot. This is a ton of faith to place in such a limited résumé, but the upside is such that it will be almost impossible to leave Hurts on benches for the fantasy finals.
Ryan Tannehill was the Week 15 QB4 on 27 attempts. His volume limited by his opponents the past two weeks, that will not be the case in Green Bay as he tries to keep up with Aaron Rodgers. The Packers do a decent job of limiting enemy QB production, but it’s impossible to envision Tannehill finishing outside the top 10 in this guaranteed shootout. … The Patriots have been one of Josh Allen’s career kryptonites, but he has taken his game to the next level in the month of December, ripping three decent-to-strong defenses. This could be a “final boss” defeating-type of moment for the Bills’ ascending superstar. I wish I had believed in the summer. … Deshaun Watson has been the QB9 by both average and total points in three games since losing Will Fuller. That’s after facing three straight strong defenses. Despite what Ben Roethlisberger might have you believe, the Bengals are not a stay-away unit. In a more just world, Watson would have been an MVP contender. … It’s impossible to shake the feeling that Tom Brady is still working out the kinks. The Lions are an ideal place to do so, especially with Patriots spy Matt Patricia no longer in the building. The Lions have a truly terrible defense, and with Ronald Jones still sidelined, Brady’s arm will be the main means of moving the ball.
[[ad:athena]]
Justin Herbert seemed immune to the typical rookie struggles until his Weeks 12-14 skid. The Raiders got him off the schneid last Thursday night, providing a QB6 finish in a playoff-eliminating loss. The Broncos are not quite as forgiving, but their defense is being held together by duct tape and glue, especially in the secondary. … Russell Wilson is perhaps finals week’s toughest ranking. He’s produced more than one score in 1-of-4 games, and more than two through the air just once in the past seven weeks. He had a zero touchdown effort in Week 10 against the Rams. The upside is self evident. The same has sadly become true of the downside. … I kept fading Baker Mayfield in the ranks and he kept laughing in my face. Mayfield’s past three starts have produced QB14, QB3 and QB3 finishes. The risk is that the run-heavy Browns simply opt to Mack Truck the pathetic Jets, but there are not three pass defenses worse than this unit. It is time to give Mayfield some rankings due. … Mitchell Trubisky knows what to do with a good spot. There are few better than the Trevor Lawrence-craving Jaguars. This game should quickly become farce.
I have low levels of confidence in my current ability to rank Drew Brees. Even without Michael Thomas, he was mostly a 280/2 metronome earlier this season. That was a distant memory in a Week 15 tragicomedy where his ribs injury appeared to very much be a going concern, but the Vikings seem tailor made to get Brees back on track. … It has been several months since the Seahawks represented a truly plus matchup for rival signal callers. That, of course, has coincided with a soft schedule, but what does Jared Goff constitute at this point? Goff had a decent day in the sides’ Week 10 meeting, though his 302 yards were accompanied by zero scores. With Cam Akers (high-ankle sprain) on the shelf, Goff’s arm will get a second chance. … Kirk Cousins is continuing to play mostly well. The Saints are not a plus matchup, but Cousins won’t have the luxury of sitting on the ball as a touchdown road ‘dog. Any time you project for around 35 pass attempts with Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen at your disposal, you have some QB2 juice. … Philip Rivers’ five game multi-score streak will be put to the test against the Steelers. Lost in the chaos of the Steelers’ Week 15 collapse was their utter eradication of the Bengals’ passing attack.
Matt Ryan finally reanimated for a strong Week 15 against the Bucs’ tough pass defense. The Chiefs are similarly daunting, but the Falcons will have no choice but to throw all afternoon. Hopefully Julio Jones is back for a contest with a 54 over/under, but it sounds unlikely. … The Dolphins are as tough as it gets, though they have surrendered the ninth most quarterback rushing yards. Marcus Mariota had the second best rushing day of his career in his Week 15 relief appearance. His legs will have to remain a point of emphasis if he gets the call over Derek Carr (groin). Carr would not be QB2 viable if he plays. … Tua Tagovailoa’s positive play has not necessarily translated to fantasy goodness. Getting some of his injured skill corps back against the Raiders’ awful defense could change that. Tua might get a late-week rankings bump. … Ben Roethlisberger’s past five games is what career collapse disorder looks like. 5.3 yards per attempt and eight touchdowns compared to six picks. This is a slate that included the Jaguars and Bengals. Only Ben’s weapons keep him near the top 20. … If Matthew Stafford (thumb, ribs) plays, there’s always the possibility he randomly has a top-12 day. Lord knows the coachless Lions will have to be throwing.
Don’t forget, for the latest on everything NFL, check out Rotoworld’s Player News, or follow @Rotoworld_FB or @RotoPat on Twitter.
