Getty Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants
Week 16 of the 2019 NFL season served as Championship Weekend for the majority of fantasy football leagues across the globe.
NFL players took notice as superstars answered the bell, putting up some of the best performances they have all year. Other trending names laid duds at the absolute worst time possible for their fantasy owners.
Take a look at some of the biggest storylines, top studs, and devastating duds from Week 16 below.
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Saquon Barkley Saved His Best for Last
If you are a Saquon Barkley fantasy football owner and you were able to survive his string of underwhelming performances, boy did he repay you for your faith in your title game.
Barkley led all players on Sunday with an absurd 43.9 fantasy points vs. the Washington Redskins, in the midst etching his name in the team’s record books.
GettySaquon Barkley broke Tiki Barber’s NYG single-game yards from scrimmage record on Sunday
While Barkley was a major disappointment for the majority of the season, he proved to be worth the high-draft capital as he won numerous fantasy owners league championships this week.
Other Notable Week 16 Studs
- Daniel Jones, QB, NYG
Jones tossed five touchdowns on his way to a 35.28 point outing vs. the Redskins. The rookie currently sits as the QB1 in fantasy this week. Jones has tossed four-plus touchdowns in half of his past six games.
- Alvin Kamara, RB, NO
Much like Barkley, Kamara had been an utter disappointment up until Week 16. However, as Barkley did, he showed out when it mattered most. After going scoreless in every game since Week 3, Kamara found the end zone twice in Week 16, finishing with 29 fantasy points.
- Devonta Freeman, RB, ATL
Freeman once again didn’t wow in the run game. However, when you haul in nine receptions for 74 yards and score two touchdowns, does it really matter? Freeman broke the 30 point barrier for the first time this season on Sunday.
- Breshad Perriman, WR, TB
Fantasy aside, Perriman is beginning to look like a legitimate wide receiver in this league. In terms of fantasy, he proved the haters wrong, after being one of the more discussed players of this championship weekend. Perriman topped 100-yards, rewarding fantasy owners who bit on his waiver-wire hype.
- Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, MIA
If you listened to us in our Week 16 QB Rankings column, you may have rolled the dice on Fitzpatrick. If you did, you’re likely well on your way to a league championship. Fitzmagic topped 32 fantasy points by tossing four touchdowns and 400+ passing yards.
- DeVante Parker, WR, MIA
Speaking of players looking like legitimate receiving options, Parker has emerged as a bonafide WR1 in Miami and is one of the top stashes in keeper leagues heading into 2020. Parker put up 22+ fantasy points in back-to-back weeks, making him one of the best fantasy players down the playoff stretch.
- Tyler Higbee, TE, LAR
Lost in the mix of the Rams loss on Saturday was the fact that Higbee topped the 100-yard mark for the fourth consecutive week. Some owners were wary of his fantasy outlook in a tough matchup against the 49ers, however, after a 19.4 point showing, Higbee has proven to be essentially matchup proof.
Deshaun Watson-Deandre Hopkins Duo Burns Fantasy Owners
Chances are if you had one of, or both members of the lethal Houston Texans aerial attack of Deshaun Watson and Deandre Hopkins, you found yourself in the midst of a deep playoff run and a potential championship title.
However, both players burned their fantasy owners on Saturday in what was supposed to be a prime matchup for the two stars. Watson put up just 10.06 points, while Hopkins scored in single-digits for the first time since Week 4.
- Other Notable Week 16 Duds
- DJ Chark, WR, JAC
Despite seven targets, Chark put up just 3.8 points in his return to the Jags lineup, leaving a sour taste in what has otherwise been a breakout season for the wideout.
- Nick Chubb, RB, CLE
A meager 4.5 fantasy points by your likely RB1 will not get the job done. The matchup was tough, however, fantasy owners were hoping for a lot better considering that Chubb chewed up Baltimore for 165 yards and three touchdowns earlier this season.
- JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, PIT
The least surprising dud on this list, JuJu returned to the Steelers lineup but had no business being in your championship lineup. 4.2 fantasy points is almost impressive when you consider the Steelers QB position and the fact that Smith-Schuster admitted to being less than 100 percent.
- Joe Mixon, RB, CIN
Mixon was second in the NFL in rushing over the two weeks prior to Week 16. On Sunday, he fought through illness to muster up just 50 yards on the ground and only 9.30 fantasy points. A crushing blow for a player who seemed to turn the corner after a miserable start to the season.
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Injuries to Top Options Crush Championship Hopes
- Will Fuller, James Conner, and DJ Moore all scored fewer than four points in Week 16 prior to leaving their games with injuries.
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- Yet, the biggest injury news likely came out of Baltimore, where Mark Ingram went down with a non-contact injury. Ingram did manage to rack up 17+ points before leaving the game, however, if your league runs into Week 17 you may be at a devastating disadvantage.
- *Check out our Week 16 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Ems to further optimize your lineups
- Start-Sit [ QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | DEF | Ks]
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