Getty Breshad Perriman of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Welcome to Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Wide Receivers for Week 16 of the NFL season. This week’s edition features a perceived first-round bust who has seemingly tapped into his potential over the last two games.
* Reminder: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em is intended to present you with the non-obvious choices for your fantasy lineup. We dig deep into player matchups, scoring trends, and other factors to best help you with your fantasy decisions. Superstars such as Julio Jones and DeAndre Hopkins will not be found in this column. If you’re looking for players of their caliber check out our weekly fantasy football wide receiver rankings.
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WR: Start ‘Em
Start of the Week: Amari Cooper at PHI
Don’t be fazed by Cooper’s 2.9 point showing a week ago. Last week was an odd game, where wideouts were left wide open in blown coverages by Los Angeles, leading to Dallas locking the game up early. Cooper will be needed in what is essentially a playoff game vs. Philly. The Eagles allow the most yards and fantasy points to outside receivers this season. Opposing leading receivers have averaged an absurd 146.6 receiving yards and totaled five touchdowns against the Eagles over the last three weeks.
AJ Brown vs. NO
Only Michael Thomas has averaged more fantasy points at the wideout position than AJ Brown’s 22.5 points per game over the last four weeks. The rookie has now registered 114+ receiving yards and one-plus touchdown in three of his last four games. Even with the Saints shutting down a hobbled TY Hilton, and a bunch of wideouts for Indianapolis that aren’t worth mentioning, the Saints still allow the third-most fantasy points to receivers this season.
Tyler Boyd at MIA
Boyd has averaged a healthy eight targets over the last four weeks, scoring 13.2 fantasy points or more in three of those games. Receivers to see at least eight targets against the Dolphins since Week 10 have averaged 122.3 receiving yards and totaled seven touchdowns.
Breshad Perriman vs. HOU
Fresh off of an absurd 113-yard, three-touchdown performance, Perriman is likely the universal waiver-wire must add of the week. The one-time draft bust has now scored four touchdowns over the past two games. With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin both likely out for Week 16, Perriman will only see his usage go up, which had already shot up from playing just 53.4% of the team’s offensive snaps over the team’s first 12 games, to 86% over the last two. Over the last three weeks, Houston has surrendered the third-most passing yards in football.
Sleeper: Will Fuller at TB
We’ll call Fuller a sleeper for the simple fact that he’s as untrustworthy of a fantasy option as there is football, a true Jekyll and Hyde. However, this week should be more boom than bust for the speedster from Houston. No defense gives up more fantasy points to opposing wide receivers than the Tampa Bay Bucs. They’ve also allowed a 100+ yard receiver in back-to-back weeks.
WR: Sit ‘Em
Sit of the Week: Kenny Golladay at DEN
This is no indictment on Golladay, but rather the man under center for the Lions. We can’t put our fantasy championship dreams in the hands of David Blough. The QB has just a 67% passer rating this season, and he connected with Golladay just three times a week ago. Denver is also the ninth-toughest defense for opposing fantasy wide receivers to go against in 2019.
Cole Beasley at NE
Beasley’s string of three consecutive games with a touchdown came to an end a week ago, as he laid a dud for fantasy owners in the playoffs. Don’t expect him to kickstart a new to touchdown streak in New England this weekend, as the Pats have allowed just three receiving touchdowns all season long to opposing wideouts, including just one to a slot receiver.
Robby Anderson vs. PIT
Anderson has averaged 18.35 fantasy points over his last four games, this coming on the heels of scoring fewer than nine points in each of his five games prior. I’d expect to see much more of the early-season Robby Anderson vs. the Steelers this week. Pittsburgh allows the 10th-fewest fantasy points to receivers this season, and just one receiving touchdown to this position since Week 11.
Buyers Beware: Cooper Kupp at SF
Kupp has scored a touchdown in three consecutive games, saving his fantasy value. However, he’s averaged just 39.8 receiving yards over his last six games, failing to eclipse 65-yards in any one. San Fran has been a bit more susceptible defensively of late, however, they still allow the fifth-fewest fantasy points to wideouts. Plus, the sporadic play of Jared Goff and the Rams offense as a whole should give you great reason to pause before inserting Kupp into your starting lineup this week.
- *Check out our other Week 16 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Ems to further optimize your lineups
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READ NEXT: Fantasy: Wide Receiver Rankings Week 16