Week 16 is all about Gardner Minshew. With Jalen Hurts (shoulder) out at Dallas, Minshew will start for the Eagles, and he has top-10 potential as a Fantasy quarterback.
Minshew started two games for the Eagles in 2021 (without A.J. Brown on the roster) and scored 22 Fantasy points at the Jets in Week 13 and 18 points against the Cowboys in Week 18. The matchup at Dallas is tough, but Trevor Lawrence just lit up this defense for 34 Fantasy points in Week 15.
I don't expect Minshew to replicate that, but he could be the fifth quarterback this season to top 20 points against Dallas. The weapons for Philadelphia are amazing -- Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert -- and Minshew threw two touchdown passes to Goedert against the Jets last season.
It stinks to lose Hurts in the Fantasy semifinals, but Minshew is a tremendous fallback option. He's one of my favorite sleepers at any position in Week 16.
Every Friday, you can find this column on sleepers and DFS plays on DraftKings and FanDuel. I'm also going to include our Friday show notes from Fantasy Football Today on CBS Sports HQ, which gives a game-by-game breakdown of starts, sits, favorite props and favorite DFS plays. It should help you with some lineup decisions each week.
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Week 16 Sleepers
Week 16 Preview
Sleepers
Sleeper QBs
Jones struggled in Week 15 at Washington with only nine Fantasy points, but prior to that he scored at least 19 points in four of his previous five games. I like his matchup in Week 16 against the Vikings, who have allowed four of their past six opposing quarterbacks to score at least 21 Fantasy points. He's worth using as a low-end starter in all leagues.
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Purdy is worth using as a low-end starter in all leagues. He's been solid stepping in for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo (foot), scoring at least 20 Fantasy points in both starts. Even without Deebo Samuel (knee/ankle) in Week 15 at Seattle, Purdy was 17-of-26 passing for 217 yards and two touchdowns. You have to worry a little about the lack of attempts (47 in both starts), and the 49ers run game can potentially dominate this matchup with Washington in Week 16. But Purdy is taking advantage of Kyle Shanahan's system and leaning on his playmakers, specifically Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle. The Commanders haven't allowed a quarterback to score more than 19 Fantasy points since Week 10, but I still trust Purdy to be successful once again.
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Darnold has started the past three games for the Panthers, but he's been at 18 Fantasy points or less in each outing. He hasn't attempted more than 24 passes in any game. But this could be his best game to date against the Lions, who allow the most Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks for the season. Carolina will struggle to run against Detroit since the Lions run defense has been amazing for the past two months. That should force Darnold to throw, and five of the past six quarterbacks against Detroit have scored at least 22 Fantasy points, with the lone exception when Trevor Lawrence had 18 points in Week 13. Darnold should score at least 18 Fantasy points, but hopefully he has a higher ceiling. He's worth trusting in deeper leagues in Week 16.
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Sleeper RBs
You'll have to wait on injury updates for Jeff Wilson (hip) to see just how good Mostert can be this week, but he should keep the lead job for the Dolphins after his performance in Week 15 at Buffalo even if Wilson returns. With Wilson out against the Bills, Mostert had 17 carries for 136 yards and one catch for 20 yards and scored 16 PPR points. It's a good matchup against the Packers, who have allowed a running back to score at least 13 PPR points in each of the past five games, with seven total touchdowns over that span. I like Mostert as a low-end starter in all leagues with Wilson out, but Mostert is still a solid flex option if Wilson plays.
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Murray is coming off a standout game in Week 15 against Arizona with 24 carries for 130 yards and a touchdown and one catch for 12 yards, and he scored 24 PPR points. He should have another game with a lot of work against the Rams in Week 16, and Murray is worth trusting as a low-end starter in all leagues. He now has at least 21 total touches in three of his past five games, and he scored at least 16 PPR points in two of them. The Rams have allowed five running backs to score at least 12 PPR points in their past five games, with Josh Jacobs, Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon all scoring at least 19 PPR points in the past three outings.
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Singletary is risky because he continues to share playing time with James Cook, but you should be able to use Singletary as a flex in Week 16 at Chicago. He only has one touchdown in his past four games, but I like that Singletary had three catches on four targets in Week 15 against Miami. The Bills might lean more on their ground game in this matchup with the Bears because of the weather, and Chicago has allowed three running backs to score at least 13 PPR points in the past three games. For the season, the Bears are No. 9 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs.
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It was encouraging that Dillon was able to avoid the concussion protocol after getting hurt in Week 15 against the Rams. And it's encouraging that Dillon is finishing the season strong after a disappointing start. He has at least 17 PPR points in three games in a row, and he scored four touchdowns over that span against the Eagles, Bears and Rams. He also has three catches in each of those outings on 10 targets, and it's nice to see him involved in the passing game. Aaron Jones remains the best running back for the Packers, but Dillon is finally performing like a solid running mate. In non-PPR leagues, Dillon should be considered a low-end starter, and he's a high-end flex in PPR against the Dolphins, who have allowed five total touchdowns to running backs in their past three games.
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Sleeper WRs
With Tyler Lockett (finger) out, Goodwin should have a bigger role opposite DK Metcalf, and Goodwin is worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues. Goodwin has five games this season with at least five targets, and he scored at least 20 PPR points in two of them. This is also a great matchup against the Chiefs, who are No. 5 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, and five receivers have scored at least 12 PPR points against Kansas City in the past five games. Goodwin is a great boom-or-bust Fantasy receiver in all leagues with Lockett out.
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Slayton, Richie James and Isaiah Hodgins are all worth a look this week against the Vikings, who are No. 3 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. Eight receivers have scored at least 12 PPR points against Minnesota in the past four games, and this game has the potential to be a high-scoring affair. Slayton has combined for just 13 PPR points in his past two games against Philadelphia and Washington, but he has scored at least 13 PPR points in three of his past six outings overall. James has 27 PPR points in his past two games, and Hodgins has 15 PPR points in each of his past three games as well.
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Dotson might surprise you this week with the Commanders likely throwing the ball a lot while chasing points at San Francisco. And Washington will probably struggle to run against the 49ers, which is why Terry McLaurin is also a solid start. But Dotson is hot right now with 15 targets for nine catches, 159 yards and two touchdowns in his past two games against the Giants, and he's scored 36 PPR points over that span. Dotson actually leads the Commanders in touchdowns with six, which is impressive since he's only played nine games. The 49ers have actually allowed six receivers to score at least 12 PPR points in their past five games, and Dotson should be considered a quality No. 3 receiver in most leagues.
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Cooks is expected to play Saturday after being out for the past three games with a calf injury, and I like him as the best Texans receiver in this matchup at Tennessee, especially with Nico Collins (foot) out. Chris Moore has done a nice job of late as the top Houston receiver, but Cooks has more upside now that he's back. While he hasn't played well this season -- just one touchdown and two games over 11 PPR points -- he should take advantage of this matchup. The Titans allow the most Fantasy points to opposing receivers, and seven receivers have scored at least 13 PPR points against Tennessee in the past five games, with seven touchdowns over that span. Cooks had four catches for 73 yards on six targets against the Titans in Week 8, and I expect him to at least replicate that level of production this week. He's worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues.
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Sleeper TEs
I hope Fant is healthy for Week 16 because he could benefit in a big way with Tyler Lockett (finger) out at Kansas City. Fant is dealing with a knee injury, but he's expected to play against the Chiefs. Fant scored in Week 15 against San Francisco with five catches for 32 yards on six targets, and he now has 14 PPR points in two of his past three outings. He's worth using as a streaming option in all leagues in a game where the Seahawks are likely chasing points and throwing a lot on the road. And the Chiefs just allowed two tight ends to score for the Texans in Week 15.
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If the weather is as bad as expected in Cleveland with wind and snow then we could see more of Hill and less of Andy Dalton as the Saints use a run-heavy approach against the Browns. Cleveland just allowed 198 rushing yards to Baltimore in Week 15, and Hill has at least six rushing attempts in three of his past four games. It's risky to trust Hill, but the conditions could help his playing time and production against the Browns in Week 16. He has top-10 upside in non-PPR leagues, but I also like him as a No. 1 Fantasy tight end in PPR as well given his potential role in this game.
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The Titans have allowed a tight end to score at least eight PPR points in three of their past four games, and Akins is worth a look in deeper leagues if you need a streaming option. He just scored a touchdown in Week 15 against Kansas City with three catches for 22 yards on six targets, and he now has at least 11 PPR points in two of his past four games. He also has three games with at least five targets over that span. Akins should be useful as a low-end starter given how bad the Titans have played in their secondary of late against tight ends.
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Week 16 Preview
DFS GAME PREVIEWS & LINEUPS
These are game previews from our Fantasy Football Today show on CBS Sports HQ on Friday from me, Adam Aizer and Dave Richard. The player props are from Caesars Sportsbook.
Bills at Bears (Dave Richard)
- Injury of note: Chase Claypool (knee)
- Start or Sit: Sit Gabe Davis
- DFS play: Dawson Knox (DraftKings $4,100/FanDuel $5,700)
- Prop to play: Devin Singletary over 47.5 rushing yards (-117)
Saints at Browns (Adam Aizer)
- Injury of note: Jarvis Landry (ankle), Chris Olave (hamstring), Amari Cooper (hip), Nick Chubb (foot)
- Start or Sit: Start Alvin Kamara
- DFS play: Alvin Kamara (DraftKings $6,800/FanDuel $7,400)
- Prop to play: Alvin Kamara over 69.5 rushing yards (-127)
Bengals at Patriots (Jamey Eisenberg)
- Injury of note: Hayden Hurst (calf), Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle), Damien Harris (thigh), DeVante Parker (concussion), Jakobi Meyers (shoulder)
- Start or Sit: Sit Jakobi Meyers
- DFS play: Bengals DST (DraftKings $3,400/FanDuel $4,000)
- Prop to play: Joe Mixon under 59.5 rushing yards (-119)
Texans at Titans (Dave Richard)
- Injury of note: Nico Collins (foot), Brandin Cooks (calf), Chris Moore (foot), Ryan Tannehill (ankle), Treylon Burks (concussion)
- Start or Sit: Sit Chigoziem Okonkwo
- DFS play: Jordan Akins (DraftKings $2,900/FanDuel $4,900)
- Prop to play: Derrick Henry last TD scorer (+340)
Falcons at Ravens (Adam Aizer)
- Injury of note: Lamar Jackson (knee), Tyler Huntley (shoulder)
- Start or Sit: Start J.K. Dobbins
- DFS play: Drake London (DraftKings $4,700/FanDuel $6,400)
- Prop to play: Tyler Huntley under 0.5 passing touchdowns (+165)
Lions at Panthers (Jamey Eisenberg)
- Injury of note: None
- Start or Sit: Sit Jared Goff
- DFS play: D.J. Moore (DraftKings $5,500/FanDuel $7,100)
- Prop to play: D'Onta Foreman under 53.5 rushing yards (-131)
Seahawks at Chiefs (Dave Richard)
- Injury of note: Tyler Lockett (finger), Kenneth Walker III (ankle), Noah Fant (knee), Marquise Goodwin (wrist/ankle), Mecole Hardman (abdomen)
- Start or Sit: Start Marquise Goodwin
- DFS play: Marquise Goodwin (DraftKings $4,300/FanDuel $5,800)
- Prop to play: Travis Kelce over receiving yards 75.5 yds (-115)
Giants at Vikings (Adam Aizer)
- Injury of note: None
- Start or Sit: Sit Adam Thielen
- DFS play: Kirk Cousins (DraftKings $6,000/FanDuel $7,700)
- Prop to play: Daniel Jones over 33.5 rushing yards (-117)
Commanders at 49ers (Jamey Eisenberg)
- Injury of note: Deebo Samuel (knee), Jordan Mason (hamstring),
- Start or Sit: Sit Brandon Aiyuk
- DFS play: Jahan Dotson (DraftKings $3,900/FanDuel $5,700)
- Prop to play: Brock Purdy over 1.5 passing touchdowns (+133)
Eagles at Cowboys (Dave Richard)
- Injury of note: Jalen Hurts (shoulder)
- Start or Sit: Start Gardner Minshew
- DFS play: Gardner Minshew (DraftKings $4,800/FanDuel $6,100)
- Prop to play: Gardner Minsher over 1.5 passing touchdowns (+123)
DFS Lineups
DraftKings
QB: Taysom Hill (at CLE) $4,800
RB: Derrick Henry (vs. HOU) $8,600
RB: Jerick McKinnon (vs. SEA) $5,900
WR: DK Metcalf (at KC) $7,100
WR: D.J. Moore (vs. DET) $5,500
WR: Terry McLaurin (at SF) $6,200
TE: Jordan Akins (at TEN) $2,900
FLEX: J.K. Dobbins (vs. ATL) $5,800
DST: Ravens (vs. ATL) $3,200
Let's have some fun with Hill at quarterback in this lineup. He should get the chance for plenty of carries against the Browns, and he scored at least 18 Fantasy points in three of his final five games in 2021 when he lined up at quarterback.
Hill's cheap price allows me the chance to play Henry, who has owned the Texans, and McKinnon, who is on fire right now. I also like Dobbins at flex, and he's my Start of the Week.
Metcalf should have the chance for a big game with Tyler Lockett (finger) out, McLaurin should be chasing points at San Francisco and Moore has a great matchup against Detroit. I love these receivers, and Akins is a sneaky tight end in his matchup with Tennessee.
FanDuel
QB: Sam Darnold (vs. DET) $6,700
RB: Miles Sanders (at DAL) $7,100
RB: J.K. Dobbins (vs. ATL) $7,000
WR: Amon-Ra St. Brown (at CAR) $8,400
WR: D.J. Moore (vs. DET) $7,100
WR: Marquise Goodwin (at KC) $5,800
TE: Taysom Hill (at CLE) $6,500
FLEX: Jerick McKinnon (vs. SEA) $7,300
DST: Bengals (at NE) $4,000
Hill is even more appealing on FanDuel, where you can play him at tight end. And I'll stack Darnold in this lineup with Moore given their matchup against the Lions.
I also have McKinnon and Dobbins in this lineup as well, and I'm expecting plenty of production from those running backs. Sanders should also have the chance for a big game against Dallas, and in one start with Gardner Minshew in Week 13 at the Jets in 2021, Sanders had 142 total yards with three catches.
Since I stacked Darnold and Moore in this lineup, I'll come back with St. Brown for the Lions. And I'll play Goodwin in this lineup since he should do well with Tyler Lockett (finger) out.
