Week 16 Flex Rankings for Fantasy Football

If your fantasy football teams are still alive at this point in the year, congratulations are in order. But there is still work to be done. The fantasy football semifinals are here, and we are one step closer to hoisting that championship trophy! Lineup decisions are crucial, so you must maximize each spot in your starting lineup. With that in mind, here are my Week 16 Flex rankings. I have listed over 300 players, which should assist you with your lineup decisions. As always, there are question marks regarding injuries, so keep up with the latest news. There are also several potential weather concerns for Week 16. I probably overreacted a bit too much to similar issues last week, but we still have to consider the potential impact. Let’s get to the rankings!

Running Back Notes

Jerick McKinnon has now been the overall RB1 in back-to-back weeks. Not bad for a player with 16 total carries over that span. As you may have guessed, McKinnon has done most of his damage in the receiving game. Over the last two contests, McKinnon has 15 receptions for 182 yards and three touchdowns. For reference, Ja’Marr Chase, the overall WR5 since Week 14, has 17 catches, 179 yards, and two scores in the same timeframe. If you managed to get McKinnon on the cheap earlier in the season, I would continue to ride the wave in the fantasy semifinals. The Kansas City Chiefs host the Seattle Seahawks in Week 16. Seattle is among the leaders in receptions allowed to opposing running backs. I consider both McKinnon and Isiah Pacheco as top-25 backs with immense upside in an explosive offense.

The Chiefs duo is not the only pair of backs who should be considered for your Flex spot this week. In Tampa Bay, Leonard Fournette and Rachaad White continue to split the duties. Since Fournette returned three weeks ago, each back has had at least 10 touches in each game. Though not ideal for fantasy managers, both backs provide a relatively safe floor. This week, the Bucs face the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals have struggled to contain running backs of late. In their last two games, Arizona has allowed 331 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns to opposing running backs. It is difficult to distinguish between Fournette and White for fantasy purposes. I consider both to be right on the cusp of Flex consideration, so it may depend on what other backs you have available.

Wide Receiver Notes

This may be one of those weeks where you are hard-pressed to fill your Week 16 Flex spot with a wide receiver. There is going to be bad weather at several games this week. I would not go overboard in most instances, but it is something to monitor in the days ahead. For now, my rankings are reflective of relatively safe weather conditions.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are one of the hottest offenses in the NFL of late. They have scored at least 28 points in three of their last four ball games. In each of those, Trevor Lawrence has thrown for over 300 yards as he continues his maturation process. Jacksonville now features two top-20 fantasy wideouts on the year, as Zay Jones has joined Christian Kirk in that exclusive club. Both will have a tough test on Thursday when they face the New York Jets. Ahmad Gardner is the league’s top-graded cornerback in his rookie season per Pro Football Focus. D..J. Reed and Michael Carter have played at a high level as well, posting top-20 grades. I would still start both Jags wideouts given their recent form. However, I consider both Kirk and Jones to be fringe WR2s, which is a bit lower than their level of production would suggest.

Falcons rookie Drake London has an interesting Week 16 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. In terms of fantasy points, Baltimore is a top-10 defense against running backs and bottom-10 versus wide receivers. That should be good news for London. However, it appears that Lamar Jackson will miss another game due to his knee injury. That likely means another week of Tyler Huntley leading the Ravens’ offense, which could be bad news for London. Baltimore has scored just 29 points since Jackson went down three games ago. We know Arthur Smith’s obsession with running the football, and the Ravens may not score enough points to force his hand. Still, London has now been targeted 23 times over his last two games. Fantasy managers are unlikely to ignore that type of volume even with questions about his quarterback situation.

Tight End Notes

As you probably know, I generally advocate against starting a tight end in your Flex spot in most cases. This week is no different. I currently have just eight tight ends among my top 100 Week 16 Flex options. Volume is king in fantasy football, and most players at the position simply do not have it. Just three tight ends average at least 10 fantasy points per game this year, compared to 30 running backs and 35 wide receivers.

One of the three tight ends averaging double figures this season is Dallas Goedert. Goedert will return to action after missing nearly six weeks with a shoulder injury. He may also be missing his quarterback Jalen Hurts. Still, I would start Goedert wherever I had him this week. From a matchup standpoint, Dallas is interesting. They have only allowed one receiving touchdown by a tight end all season long. However, they have allowed the 11th most catches to tight ends. Considering Goedert’s role and possible fill-in Gardner Minshew looking to keep things simple, I think Goedert is a safe play this week. He may not get into the end zone, but the volume alone should buoy him into a top-10 weekly finish.

Week 16 Flex Rankings for Fantasy Football

More Week 16 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Flex Rankings