5 Players With Tough Week 16 Matchups

The decisions we make this week are for all the marbles, dollars, bitcoin or whatever the stakes are in your specific league. No pressure at all, of course. Should you start your studs, i.e. all of the players who got you here this week? Not so fast.

Here’s a look at some players with difficult matchups in Week 16, ones who you may want to start with caution or at least lower your expectations.

Week 15 Wrap-up

Other than Matt Ryan who came in at QB9, the rest of last week’s suggestions in this column underperformed as predicted. Josh Allen’s QB16 performance wasn’t great for those who rolled with him, LeVeon Bell checked in as the RB28, and Tyler Boyd had a rough week with just 5.6 PPR points (WR64).

Week 16 Risky Plays

Julian Edelman (Patriots) vs. Bills

I really hate to see him here this week since he was so brutal for so many fantasy managers in their semifinals, but Edelman is a fade for me in Week 16. He faces a Bills defense who already shut him down once this season in Week 4, limiting the New England wideout to just four catches for 30 yards on seven targets.

You may not be able to bench him, but at least limit your hopes and dreams for Edelman’s output on Saturday.

Jared Goff (Rams) @ 49ers

Hopefully, you have a better option than Goff on your roster already, but if not, you may want to consider grabbing a streamer like Ryan Fitzpatrick or even Philip Rivers. Things could get tough for Goff this week in San Francisco, as he’s already faced them once this season with meager results. In Week 6, he completed just 13 attempts for 78 passing yards, with zero touchdowns and two fumbles.

With everything on the line, Goff just can’t be trusted even in a neutral matchup, but with this buzz saw of a defense in front of him, I’d roll with another signal-caller.

Kenny Golladay (Lions) @ Broncos

It’s really difficult to conceptualize putting a fantasy championship in the hands of one David Blough, on the road, in Denver. He and his wideout only connected three times just a week ago and Blough has struggled against softer defenses than the Broncos. Golladay will most likely go toe to toe with Chris Harris Jr., which doesn’t help things for the duo.

I know it may not be easy to bench the 26-year-old receiver this week, but at least factor in his brutal matchup when weighing your options.

Josh Allen (Bills) @ Patriots

Foxborough is no joke to play in, especially with playoff implications in the balance. The last time these two teams met, Allen threw three picks and lost a fumble, with zero passing touchdowns that day.

The sophomore quarterback has looked pedestrian over the past few weeks against other solid defenses in the Ravens and Steelers, and I don’t think he’ll gain any momentum this week to garner a fantasy start.

Jason Witten (Cowboys) @ Eagles

With some sort of late-season boom, Witten is the fantasy TE7 over the past four weeks, averaging 10.5 PPR points per contest, which is wonderful for him and those who have been starting him. However, things may get sticky for the 37-year-old veteran tight end this week in Philly. It may seem like a plus-matchup at first glance since the Eagles secondary has been struggling, but their safeties are holding it down up the seams, ranking eighth in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed (aFPA) this season to opposing tight ends.

Perhaps grabbing a streamer like Jacob Hollister, Tyler Higbee or O.J. Howard may better your squad this week and assist in hoisting up that trophy or putting that green in your bank account.