Week 16 brings us plenty of action. While the Saturday slate of games is intriguing, our main focus remains on the Sunday slate with a jam-packed set of games, including some real offensive firepower. If you’re playing cash games (Double-Ups or Multipliers) then these are the best players to target on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
Week 16 DFS Cash Game Advice & Picks
Quarterbacks
Joe Burrow (QB – CIN) vs. Browns | DraftKings: $7,500/FanDuel: $8,300
Few fantasy situations have been as consistently clear over the second half of the season as the Bengals have been. When Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Chase Brown and Tee Higgins are all healthy, they’re all excellent fantasy contributors, and top-end ones at that. Burrow is 23 passing yards away from his third 4,000-yard passing season and is now tied with Tom Brady as the only quarterbacks to pass for 260 yards and three touchdowns in six consecutive games.
The Browns’ defense has never looked close to its 2023 form, ranking 25th in pass defense DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) and allowing a league-high 11.92 yards per target on third downs. The Bengals need to keep winning to have even the faintest chance of a playoff campaign.
Kyler Murray (QB – ARI) @ Panthers | DraftKings: $6,100/FanDuel: $8,000
It’s been a bumpy season for Kyler Murray with him displaying less consistency than we’d usually like for a cash-game quarterback, but the matchup is simply too good to ignore this week.
The Panthers’ defense has been on the struggle bus all year long, ranking 30th in pass defense DVOA, allowing the seventh-highest completion rate to opposing offenses and tied for the most passing touchdowns allowed (27). At this price range, we’re hoping for around 18 points, something the Panthers have allowed on seven occasions, including in Week 12 and Week 14.
Running Backs
Jahmyr Gibbs (RB – DET) @ Bears | DraftKings: $7,500/FanDuel: $8,300
When Jamhyr Gibbs was drafted in 2023, many people were frustrated we wouldn’t get a chance to see Gibbs be a true workhorse with the Lions already having paid David Montgomery a matter of weeks before. Now with Montgomery’s unfortunate MCL injury, Gibbs has a chance to win fantasy leagues and pay off handsomely in DFS.
In the three games Gibbs has played without Montgomery over the last two years, he’s averaged six more PPR points. He couldn’t have asked for a better matchup than the Bears, who have struggled against running backs all year.
The Bears have allowed eight top-12 performances to opposing running backs, giving up the sixth-highest yards per carry, the seventh-most rushing yards per game and the fifth-most total fantasy points to the position.
Chase Brown (RB – CIN) vs. Browns | DraftKings: $7,700/FanDuel: $8,200
Since Week 9, Chase Brown has been the fantasy RB2. Only Saquon Barkley is averaging more than the 24 touches Brown sees per game.
Brown has been a top-four back in four of the six games he’s played without Zack Moss and has finished no worse than RB9 in that period. The price is creeping up but it’s warranted for a player in scintillating form.
James Conner (RB – ARI) @ Panthers | DraftKings: $7,100/FanDuel: $8,400
Speaking of players in scintillating form, James Conner has truly rolled back the years in 2024 and — don’t jinx him — is having his healthiest season ever, with career-highs in rush attempts all while getting better as the season progresses.
Conner has seen 63 touches over his last three games and peaked with RB7 and RB1 performances in his last two games. Conner gets a cupcake matchup versus the Panthers, who are allowing the most running back fantasy points and rank 30th in run defense DVOA. Playing one of Murray or Conner seems essential this week in cash games.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. (RB – NYG) @ Falcons | DraftKings: $5,500/FanDuel: $6,400
The Giants seem to have cooled on Tyrone Tracy Jr. in recent weeks, reducing his opportunity share from 75% in Week 12 to 56% against the Ravens last week. Devin Singletary recorded two of the team’s three carries inside the 5-yard line in Week 15.
However, at his price, it’s very hard to look past Tracy, regardless of the negatives. Tracy has scored 14+ points in six games this year and faces a Falcons defense that’s allowed seven top-12 finishes, including three since Week 10. We’re going to have to save salary somewhere and Tracy looks to be one of the better options for doing so.
Wide Receivers
Mike Evans (WR – TB) @ Cowboys | FanDuel: $8,800 (Fanduel-Only Play)
The Buccaneers are still fighting for the NFC South with only a one-game lead over the Falcons. They also seem to have put a great deal of importance on Mike Evans reaching 1,000 yards for the 11th straight season.
Evans needs to average 84 yards per game to reach that total, despite missing three games this year. Evans has averaged a 28% target share since returning from injury and can have a fine game here against the Cowboys, who rank 28th in pass defense and have allowed the 10th-most wide receiver fantasy points this year.
Brian Thomas Jr. (WR – JAX) @ Raiders | DraftKings: $6,300/FanDuel: $7,300
Despite the offensive turmoil surrounding Brian Thomas Jr. this year, he’s been nothing short of excellent and leads all rookie pass-catchers in yards, as well as being the WR9 in total points. Thomas is averaging 20.4 PPR points over his last four games and has found the end zone in seven games this year.
The Raiders are a plucky defense, allowing the ninth-fewest wide receiver fantasy points this year. In recent weeks, however, they’ve dropped off and have allowed three different receivers over 19 points since Week 11. With Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis and Evan Engram out for the year, the Jaguars’ pass attack has little option but to run through the promising rookie.
Keenan Allen (WR – CHI) vs. Lions | DraftKings: $5,300/FanDuel: $6,200
It hasn’t been a classic season by Keenan Allen’s standards but he’s trended up in recent weeks with the offensive changes the Bears have made. Since Week 8, Allen has had at least a 20% target share each week and leads the Bears in that period with 72 targets.
Allen also leads the Bears in touchdowns during that spell with four. The Lions’ defense is reeling from injuries. For a team that relies so heavily on man coverage schemes having to play backups can be a precarious situation, not to mention that the Lions have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this year.
Jauan Jennings (WR – SF) @ Dolphins | DraftKings: $5,900/FanDuel: $7,000
Perhaps Deebo Samuel can turn things around at some point, but it feels unlikely with him being the WR78 in PPR points per game with 278 yards in seven games and with zero touchdowns since Brandon Aiyuk got injured.
Instead, it’s been Jauan Jennings who has been the more reliable option within the Niners’ wide receiver group, boasting a 30% target share over the last six games and leading the Niners in target share across the whole season (23.5%).
Miami has been excellent at defending close to the line of scrimmage and within 10 yards this year but they’ve struggled against deeper passes where Jennings leads the Niners with a 33% first-read target share on throws 20+ yards downfield.
Adam Thielen (WR – CAR) vs. Cardinals | DraftKings: $5,600/FanDuel: $6,200
The Panthers flew too close to the sun, being favored by the sportsbooks for the first time in almost two years. A very sunburnt Panthers side found themselves desperately trying to recover some of the feel-good vibes they earned in the run-up to last week’s game.
Adam Thielen is averaging 77.3 yards per game over his last four and matches up well against a Cardinals side that’s allowed the fifth-most receiving touchdowns to slot receivers.
DK Metcalf (WR – SEA) vs. Vikings | DraftKings: $5,500/FanDuel: $7,500
This pick might not be for everyone, but how often do we get DK Metcalf at such a discount? Metcalf has averaged 61.8 yards per game over his last six games but hasn’t found the end zone, which has hampered his fantasy production somewhat.
Thankfully for Metcalf, he finds himself in a matchup with the Vikings, who allow the most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers and have allowed the fifth-most receiving yards on deep targets of 20+ yards. If Geno Smith is healthy enough to play, Metcalf is a potential salary-saving bargain on DraftKings, but less appealing on FanDuel.
Tight Ends
Trey McBride (TE – ARI) @ Panthers | DraftKings: $6,200/FanDuel: $7,500
It seems impossible to not consider one of the two top young tight ends for cash lineups this week as they continue to sustain strong volume and wave in the next generation.
Trey McBride might not have a receiving touchdown this year but he does have the ninth-most targets of any player and that volume is worth chasing. Carolina allows the second-most fantasy points to tight ends and has surrendered 10 touchdowns to the position this year, including three since Week 12. Maybe this is the week it all comes together?
Brock Bowers (TE LV) vs. Jaguars | DraftKings: $6,500/FanDuel: $7,700
The Desmond Ridder experience is thankfully over. Aidan O’Connell should return to the starting lineup for the Raiders in Week 16.
Ridder provided Bowers with 35 receiving yards, which was his lowest total since Week 4. Bowers can bounce back against a Jaguars defense that’s allowed five different tight ends to score over 15 points.
Brenton Strange (TE – JAX) @ Raiders | DraftKings: $3,500/FanDuel: $5,200
You might have been forgiven for thinking the Jaguars weren’t missing their top tight end when Brenton Strange ran a route on 82% of dropbacks and had a 27% target share in Week 15.
Strange caught 11 of his 12 targets for 73 yards and finished as the TE2 for the week. Mac Jones has consistently targeted tight ends this year. The Raiders allow the fourth-most fantasy points to the position.
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