I can’t believe it’s Week 16. We’re winding down to the end of the season, and it saddens me that we only have three weeks of regular season football left. I’m in the minority, but I prefer regular-season sports to playoffs. I don’t have any favorite teams, and I love the grind of every team playing every week in each of these individual sports. There’s nothing like it across a calendar year, and I’ve also truly loved writing these articles for all of you. With that said, let’s look at this Week 16 main slate from a GPP standpoint.
NFL Week 16 DFS GPP Lineup Advice & Picks
The players below are ones I’m looking at for GPP considerations for Week 16:
Quarterbacks
DraftKings
Baker Mayfield (QB – TB): $6,000 vs. JAX
We’ve had Baker in this GPP section all season, and he’s proven to be an excellent option. The Cleveland cast-off is averaging 18 DraftKings points per game this season, scoring a season-high 33 DK points in his most recent outing. A gem like that makes him impossible to fade against Jacksonville, who posts a 30th OPRK against opposing quarterbacks.
Joe Flacco (QB – CLE): $5,500 at HOU
This doesn’t feel real. Flacco has been out of the league for years, but he’s come back and been fantastic since taking over in Cleveland. The veteran has scored at least 17 DK points in all three games, posting a 22-point average. That’s a total you usually see from a player at $2,000 more, but it’s not shocking with how many weapons he possesses in this offense. Houston isn’t a horrible matchup, either, allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing signal-callers.
FanDuel
Tua Tagovailoa (QB – MIA): $8,000 vs. DAL
Nobody will want to use Tua with how he’s been playing recently. But we disagree, because this is expected to be one of the shootouts of the weekend. Miami will also need him to sling it, and he averaged 23 DK points per game across his first eight outings. The last month hasn’t been the same, but the return of Tyreek Hill could get him back on track in a game where the Dolphins are projected to score 26 points, which is one of the highest team totals of the week.
Geno Smith (QB – SEA): $6,600 at TEN
Geno has missed the last two games, but he should be ready to return here. That will make him an excellent GPP option because he’s priced around the same amount as backups. This guy was a Top 10 quarterback last season and has the weapons to go off for one week. It’s even more likely against Tennessee’s terrible secondary, which has a 22nd OPRK against opposing quarterbacks.
Running Backs
DraftKings
Aaron Jones (RB – GB): $6,400 at CAR
It’s been a tough year for Jones, but this guy still has a massive upside. AJ has been a Top 5 running back at times in the past, and he was finally fed in Week 15. Jones had 13 carries and four catches last week, which is the usage that made him a stud in the past. That means he’s finally fully healthy, and we want to exploit that usage since Carolina is allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing rushers.
Chuba Hubbard (RB – CAR): $5,700 vs. GB
It’s shocking that Miles Sanders has been relegated to bench duties, but it’s hard to overlook what Hubbard has done for this team. Chuba has scored at least 12 DraftKings points in four consecutive fixtures, averaging nearly 20 fantasy points per game in that span. That’s absurd from a sub-$6K player, not to mention the fact that Green Bay has a 24th OPRK against opposing backs.
FanDuel
Tony Pollard (RB – DAL): $7,000 at MIA
Nobody will want to use Pollard after the stinker we saw on Sunday. However, we’re willing to take the risk on him in a GPP because he’s still the bell-cow back for one of the best offenses in the NFL. Pollard has scored at least 13 FanDuel points in four straight outings before that dud in Week 15. Miami is not a concerning matchup either, posting a 21st OPRK against opposing running backs.
Antonio Gibson (RB – WAS): $5,500 at NYJ
This is only a good option if Brian Robinson is out, but it’s hard to understand why Gibson is just $5,500. Gibson is one of the best pass-catching backs in the NFL, and he could be locked into double-digit carries if B-Rob is out again. The Jets are not as scary of a matchup as they sound either, allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing rushers.
Wide Receivers
DraftKings
Calvin Ridley (WR – JAX): $6,300 at TB
Ridley was ineffective on Sunday night, but we’re encouraged by his workload. The Jags’ receiver had 12 and 13 targets in his last two outings, taking over this passing game in the absence of Christian Kirk. That’s what we want from one of our wideouts, and that should lead to a successful outing since Tampa is allowing the third-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers.
DeAndre Hopkins (WR – TEN): $6,100 vs. SEA
Hopkins has been volatile all year, but that’s why he’s in the GPP section. This former All-Pro player has scored at least 16 DK points in three of his last five outings, averaging 14 fantasy points per game this year. Those are outstanding totals from a $6K player, and this matchup with Seattle is sensational. The Seahawks are surrendering the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing wideouts.
FanDuel
Garrett Wilson (WR – NYJ): $7,000 vs. WAS
Wilson is one of the league-leaders in targets, posting an elite 31% team target share. He’d be $9K if he had a quarterback to play with, but he’s averaging 10 FD points per game for this horrible team. That’s not too shabby for such a talented player in a situation like this, because Washington posts a 30th OPRK against opposing pass-catchers.
Chris Godwin (WR – TB): $6,900 vs. JAX
Godwin had nearly 300 air yards over his last two games and scored a season-high 21 FanDuel points in his most recent outing. He did that damage without scoring a touchdown, but getting 23 targets in that span is fantastic. If he gets double-digit targets against Jacksonville, Godwin should go off, and the Jags have a 27th OPRK against opposing receivers this year.
Tight Ends
DraftKings
Evan Engram (TE – JAX): $5,400 at TEN
Stacking Engram is going to be one of the best options out there in a GPP. Tennessee has been terrible against every passing game they’ve faced, surrendering the third-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. That’s terrifying with the way Engram is playing, and he scored 33 and 23 DraftKings points in two of his last three games. That directly correlates with Kirk’s injury, and it should garner Engram double-digit targets once again.
FanDuel
Tyler Conklin (TE – NYJ): $5,000 vs. WAS
Conklin is far from an exciting option, but he continues to get targeted heavily. The Jets tight end has gotten at least six targets in six of his last seven outings, averaging nearly five catches per game in that span. That’s a tremendous total from a $5K player, and we don’t mind that Washington is allowing the most passing yards in the NFL!
Defense/Special Teams
DraftKings
Chicago Bears D/ST: $2,800 vs. ARI
It’s hard to find any usable defense below $3,000 on DraftKings, but the Bears have been great since making some moves at the trade deadline. They’ve scored at least 14 DraftKings points in three straight outings, recording 12 interceptions in that span. That’s terrible news for this atrocious Arizona offense, which has been allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing D/STs.
FanDuel
Washington Commanders D/ST: $3,800 at NYJ
Most people will use the Jets against the Commanders, but both sides of the ball could be interesting here. We’re looking at a 37.5-point total because these are two of the worst offenses in the NFL. The Jets have been awful, surrendering the second-most fantasy points to opposing D/STs. That alone makes Washington an excellent option south of $4K because only a few teams have a lower salary.
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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.
