The first round of the 2024 fantasy football playoffs was complete pandemonium.
With MNF pending in Week 15, Aaron Rodgers, Mac Jones, and Cooper Rush all rank inside the top-10 at quarterback, while Kyler Murray, Matthew Stafford, Tua Tagovailoa, and Brock Purdy all failed to finish inside the top-20. At running back, Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Joe Mixon, Chuba Hubbard, and David Montgomery all ranked outside the top-25. However, if you somehow started Tyjae Spears, you’re looking really good in your consolation bracket. Plenty of stud wideouts pooped the bed as well. Tyreek Hill, DK Metcalf, and Marvin Harrison Jr. each failed to crack five half-PPR points, while I caught the same number of passes as Cooper Kupp. Finally, tight end did its usual thing — Brenton Strange, Forster Moreau, Chig Okonkwo, and Adam Trautman all ranked as TE1s. Fun.
Here’s a look at my Week 16 fantasy football rankings. Toggle between standard, half PPR (point per reception), and full PPR to see where players rank in your league’s format.
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Please note: These rankings will change significantly as the week goes on. Check back on Sunday morning for final updates.
Week 16 fantasy football quarterback rankings: Risers and fallers
UP: Baker Mayfield – The overall QB5 on the season, Baker has finished as the QB9 or higher in 11 of his 15 games. For reference, that’s as many top-10 finishes as Josh Allen and more than Jalen Hurts and Joe Burrow. He’ll face a Cowboys defense that’s allowed seven quarterbacks to eclipse 20 fantasy points against them.
UP: Caleb Williams – The rookie is fantasy’s QB8 since the Bears fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. That includes a QB5 finish against the Lions in Week 12. He’s an excellent streaming option against a Detroit defense that’s been decimated by injuries in 2024.
UP: Anthony Richardson – While his passing numbers are still abysmal, Richardson has shown an improved floor since retaking the starting job in Week 11. In Week 16, he should be a QB1 against a Titans defense that’s allowed at least 17.7 points to seven of the last nine quarterbacks they’ve faced.
DOWN: Jared Goff – This is about the time of year when Goff’s home/road splits come into focus. In three starts at Soldier Field since 2021, Goff has finished as the QB23, QB22, and QB25.
DOWN: Justin Herbert – After finishing as a QB1 for five consecutive weeks, Herbert has come crashing down to earth. Over his last three games, the veteran has posted ranks of QB30, QB19, and QB17. A tough matchup with the Broncos awaits in Week 16.
DOWN: C.J. Stroud – The second-year quarterback has now finished as the QB14 or lower in nine of his last 10 games. Only two quarterbacks have reached 20 fantasy points versus the Chiefs since Week 1, making Stroud an unappealing streaming option.
Week 16 fantasy football running back rankings: Risers and fallers
UP: Bucky Irving – If you exclude the Week 14 outing where Irving was clearly banged up, the rookie has been one of the top backs in fantasy. He should feast on a Cowboys defense that’s allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to running backs.
UP: Jerome Ford – With the news that Nick Chubb suffered a broken foot, Ford is firmly back in the RB2 conversation this week. The 25-year-old became just the second running back all season to surpass 13 half-PPR points against Kansas City, and now he gets a mouthwatering matchup with the Bengals. Cincinnati has ceded the second-most fantasy points to opposing backfields over their last four games.
UP: Kendre Miller – Alvin Kamara left Sunday’s game with a groin injury, which put Kendre Miller in a workhorse role for the remainder of the game. Miller would be on the RB2 radar if Kamara can’t go against the Packers. What could complicate things is that the game is on Monday Night Football, and we might not know Kamara’s status until game time.
DOWN: Jonathan Taylor – For those who expected RB1 numbers, Taylor’s season has been quite the disappointment. The Wisconsin product has ranked higher than RB4 once all season, and he’s finished as the RB22 or lower in four of his last six games.
DOWN: Isiah Pacheco – Pacheco hasn’t looked as explosive since returning, and that’s resulted in fantasy finishes of RB47, RB31, and RB34. It’ll be tough for him to get going against a Texans front that’s surrendered the fourth-fewest fantasy points to the position this season.
Week 16 fantasy football wide receiver rankings: Risers and fallers
UP: Courtland Sutton – While he’s coming off back-to-back mediocre performances (by his recent standards), Sutton could explode in Week 16. Since Week 9, only the Falcons have been more generous to wideouts than the Chargers.
UP: Brian Thomas Jr. – The rookie bump is very real with Thomas. In the three games since Jacksonville’s bye, Thomas has racked up 10, 12, and 14 targets, finished as a WR2 or better in all three contests. He should stay hot against a plummeting Raiders defense.
UP: Romeo Doubs – After grabbing two touchdowns against the Seahawks, Doubs has now finished as a top-15 wideout in half-PPR formats in three of his last six fully healthy games. With the Saints having allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to receivers this season, Doubs is firmly on the streaming radar.
UP: Jalen McMillan – The rookie has garnered 13 targets in his last two games, which he’s turned into nine receptions for 134 and 3 touchdowns. He’s a solid streaming option against the Swiss cheese defense of the Cowboys.
DOWN: DK Metcalf – Since Week 4, Metcalf has ranked as the WR28 or worse in eight of his nine outings. With Geno Smith a question mark for Week 16, Metcalf could struggle once again, even in an enticing matchup.
DOWN: Zay Flowers – Flowers has had some explosive performances this season, but it’s been a struggle of late. He has ranked as the WR31 or lower in five consecutive games, and matchup with the Steelers doesn’t help matters.
Week 16 fantasy football tight end rankings: Risers and fallers
UP: Brenton Strange – Injuries have driven Strange near the top of the pecking order for Jacksonville’s passing game, and that resulted in a whopping 12 targets against the Jets. Since Week 8, Las Vegas has ceded a whopping 20.1 fantasy points per game to tight ends, 4.4 more than the next-closest team.
UP: Noah Gray – Since Week 11, Gray is the TE4 in fantasy while teammate Travis Kelce is all the way down at TE14. The 25-year-old’s four red zone touchdowns during that stretch are tied for first among all pass-catchers. The Texans have allowed the third-most fantasy points to tight ends since Week 10, which puts Gray in play for those streaming at the position.
DOWN: Cade Otton – Otton hasn’t finished inside in the top-10 at the tight end position in any game that Mike Evans has played this season. In fact, since Tampa’s Week 11 bye, Otton ranks as the TE21 in half-PPR formats.