Weekly Rankings: Ranking Each Position For Week 16

Welcome to QB List’s weekly rankings! Each week, I’ll be taking a look at the upcoming matchups and ranking each position, as well as flex positions.

Note: rankings will be updated throughout the week, so continue checking back here as the week goes on. Also, check out our defensive rankings article for explanations on those, and our Kickin’ It article for explanations on the kicker rankings.

Week 16 Notes:

• Just a friendly reminder that Ezekiel Elliott is back from his suspension this week. If you’ve made it this far into the fantasy playoffs/championships without him, good for you, and don’t forget to slip him back into your lineup.

• I still think Kareem Hunt is an RB1 this week, but I’m not as bullish on him as others are. I know he had an amazing week last week, and a good one before that, but I’m worried that bad Kareem Hunt could come back. The fact that the Dolphins are one of the ten-worst run defenses in football (from a fantasy perspective) keeps him an RB1 though.
• Mike Evans hasn’t really been what fantasy players drafted this year, but that’s mostly been the fault of the team around him rather than he himself. That being said, I still see him as a WR1 this week going up against a Carolina Panthers defense that’s given up the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers so far this year.
• Even in standard leagues, Jarvis Landry has had plenty of value thanks to his volume, and in PPR leagues, he’s been awesome. This week, he’s going against a Kansas City Chiefs defense that’s given up the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers, which should make him a solid low-end WR1/high-end WR2.
• I’ve got A.J. Green as a high-end WR2 this week rather than a WR1 like he would be most weeks, and that’s for one reason: Darius Slay. I expect Slay to be on Green this game, and while I still think Green will have value this week, I think Slay will keep him closer to WR2 value than WR1.
• Brett Hundley is starting for the Packers this week, which is good news for his favorite target, Davante Adams. I know Adams is going up against a good Vikings defense, and they’ve given up the 11th-fewest fantasy points to opposing wide receivers, but I think Adams should have a flex-worthy day given how much Hundley likes targeting him. UPDATE: Adams has been ruled out for this week. I like Randall Cobb more than Jordy Nelson to take Adams’ targets, and I think he makes for an interesting flex play, albeit a little risky.
• I don’t know why anybody places any kind of trust in Eric Ebron at this point. The Bengals haven’t been great against the tight end so far this year, but they haven’t been bad either, and given how bad Ebron has been, I don’t see him as much more than a mid-level TE2.
• Is it the return of Antonio Gates to fantasy relavence this week? I think that’s possible. With Hunter Henry out for the year now, Gates has a really nice matchup against the New York Jets who have given up the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. I don’t think Gates is a TE1 this week, but he’s close.