Do you have tough lineup decisions to make on Saturday and Sunday? We’ve got you covered. Welcome to your one-stop shop for Week 16 fantasy football start/sit advice. In this article, Jeff Pratt and Dan Johnson highlight one pick from each of their positional start ’em, sit ’em articles for this week’s slate. Check out each article for a deeper dive into that position!
Quarterback
Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers) vs. Dallas Cowboys
I’m starting Justin Herbert (QB) in Week 16 because the matchup finally tilts his ceiling into the red zone. Dallas plays defense like a scratched record: soft on first downs, late on throws, and leaky when the pocket moves. Herbert’s season has been uneven on paper, yet the underlying shape stays fantasy-friendly. He’s at 3,191 passing yards with 23 touchdowns and 12 picks, and the rushing piece keeps rescuing drives. Across 569 plays, he’s basically neutral at 0.01 EPA per snap, but the split matters. His passing EPA sits at -10.34, while his rushing EPA jumps to +14.48. That’s not random; it’s a quarterback creating answers when structure gets noisy.
He’s scrambling on 7.41% of his dropbacks and has 419 rushing yards to show for it. Now give that skill set a defense allowing 0.14 EPA per play and 0.19 EPA per pass. Dallas is also conceding 68.15% completions and has already leaked 31 passing touchdowns. They’re giving up 24.2 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, which is a weekly invitation. That combination invites the exact Herbert game I want: efficient underneath, then a couple vertical payoffs. If Los Angeles protects with quick game, Herbert should stack easy EPA and stay ahead of the chains. If pressure arrives, he can still steal chunk yards with his legs and keep drives alive.
I expect two-plus passing touchdowns, a live rushing floor, and the kind of fourth-quarter volume that finishes fantasy weeks. I’d rather bet on Herbert’s mobility than any “safe” streamer’s prayer.
Check out all of Dan’s start/sit Week 16 QBs here!
Running Back
Sit’ Em: Ashton Jeanty (Las Vegas Raiders) at Houston Texans
The Raiders simply can’t score points.
Over the last three weeks, Vegas has averaged 10.3 points per game. On the season, that number only rises to 14.0, by far the lowest total in the league. As you may imagine, if your team doesn’t score points, it’s not exactly easy to produce fantasy value.
Jeanty has seen an RB1’s workload all season, but his subpar offensive line and supporting cast drastically limits his upside. The rookie has failed to score double-digit fantasy points in back-to-back games, and now is set to face the best defense in the league. Houston will almost certainly jump out to a big lead in this matchup, effectively removing Jeanty from the game script. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to trust him in a must-win week.
Check out the rest of Jeff’s Week 16 RB start/sit picks here!
Wide Receiver
Start ‘Em: Jakobi Meyers (Jacksonville Jaguars) at Denver Broncos
Meyers’ recent TD streak finally came to a close last week, but he still managed to eclipse the double-digit fantasy point mark for a fifth straight time.
Trevor Lawrence has turned into a legitimate QB1 during the second half of the 2025 campaign, with the addition of Meyers playing a large role in his spike in form. Meyers is firmly locked in as one of Lawrence’s top two receiving options alongside Brian Thomas Jr.
The 29-year-old saw a team-high seven targets against the Jets, hauling in five of them for 71 yards. This week, the Jaguars draw a tough matchup in Denver, but that could actually be good news for the route technician. With reigning DPOY Pat Surtain II likely locking in on Thomas Jr., Meyers should see plenty of looks from Lawrence throughout this duel. Fire him up as a strong WR2 on Sunday.
Check out the rest of Jeff’s Week 16 start/sit WR picks here!
Those are Dan and Jeff’s start ’em, sit ’em Week 16 fantasy football picks! Stay tuned for more fantasy advice next week.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
