
Mike Evans has a fantastic matchup against a Panthers D that has given up almost 39 FPTS/G to the WR position over the last month. Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Facebook
Below are my early 1/2 PPR fantasy rankings for Week 16. Most leagues are using points per reception these days, so take that into consideration when looking at the ranks. Six points are awarded for every receiving and rushing TD, and four points for every passing TD. If you are playing in a non-PPR league, pass-catching running backs lose a bit of value and so do possession receivers. Make sure you check the status of players that have been limited or out of practice.
QB
1 T. Brady NE
2 C. Newton CAR
3 R. Wilson SEA
4 B. Roethlisberger PIT
5 M. Stafford DET
6 D. Brees NO
7 B. Bortles JAX
8 N. Foles PHI
9 P. Rivers LAC
10 J. Goff LAR
11 C. Keenum MIN
12 D. Prescott DAL
13 J. Garoppolo SF
14 M. Ryan ATL
15 J. Winston TB
RB
1 T. Gurley LAR
2 L. Bell PIT
3 E. Elliott DAL
4 D. Freeman ATL
5 A. Kamara NO
6 K. Hunt KC
7 L. McCoy BUF
8 M. Ingram NO
9 M. Gordon LAC
10 A. Collins BAL
11 L. Fournette JAC
12 K. Drake MIA
13 D. Lewis NE * White and Burkhead won't play, so Lewis should get a ton of touches.
14 J. Howard CHI
15 C. McCaffrey CAR
16 C. Anderson DEN
17 L. Murray MIN
18 M. Lynch OAK
19 J. Ajayi PHI
20 J. Williams GB
21 J. Stewart CAR
22 D. Murray TEN
23 J. Mixon CIN
24 C. Hyde SF
25 T. Coleman ATL
26 L. Miller HOU
27 M. Davis SEA
28 T. Riddick DET
29 J. White NE *Inactive
30 J. McKinnon MIN
31 I. Crowell CLE
32 P. Barber TB
33 D. Johnson CLE
34 B. Powell NYJ
35 K. Bibbs WAS
WR
1 D. Hopkins HOU
2 M. Thomas NO
3 K. Allen LAC
4 J. Jones ATL
5 M. Evans TB * DeSean Jackson is inactive, so Evans should be peppered with targets.
6 T. Hill KC
7 B. Cooks NE
8 D. Baldwin SEA
9 A. Thielen MIN
10 A. Green CIN
11 M. Jones DET
12 D. Bryant DAL
13 J. Landry MIA
14 J. Gordon CLE
15 D. Funchess CAR
16 J. Smith-Schuster PIT
17 L. Fitzgerald ARI
18 M. Crabtree OAK
19 A. Jeffery PHI
20 M. Wallace BAL
21 M. Bryant PIT
22 D. Thomas DEN
23 G. Tate DET
24 S. Shepard NYG
25 S. Diggs MIN
26 M. Sanu ATL
27 D. Westbrook JAC
28 R. Woods LAR
29 S. Watkins LAR
30 M. Goodwin SF
31 R. Cobb GB
32 J. Crowder WAS
33 C. Kupp LAR
34 N. Agholor PHI
35 R. Matthews TEN
36 T. Williams LAC
37 J. Nelson GB
38 K. Cole JAX
39 R. Anderson NYJ
40 A. Cooper OAK *Questionable, and he plays on Monday night. Hard to trust him.
TE
1 R. Gronkowski NE
2 T. Kelce KC
3 Z. Ertz PHI
4 G. Olsen CA
5 D. Walker TEN
6 E. Engram NYG
7 J. Graham SEA
8 K. Rudolph MIN
9 J. Doyle IND
10 C. Brate TB
11 V. Davis WAS
12 E. Ebron DET
13 J. Witten DAL
14 C. Clay BUF
15 B. Watson BAL
DEF
1 Ravens
2 Jaguars
3 Chiefs
4 Vikings
5 Eagles
6 Steelers
7 Bears
8 Redskins
9 Lions
10 Chargers
11 Cardinals
12 Rams
13 Panthers
14 Patriots
15 Seahawks
Kicker
1 J. Tucker BAL
2 S. Gostkowski NE
3 C. Boswell PIT
4 H. Butker KC
5 J. Elliott PHI
6 M. Bryant ATL
7 S. Ficken LAR
8 P. Dawson ARI
9 W. Lutz NO
10 J. Lambo JAX
11 M. Prater DET
12 K. Forbath MIN
13 D. Bailey DAL
14 G. Gano WAS
15 R. Gould SF
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Astros keep doing this, and it’s getting hard to ignore
Jun 25, 2025, 10:01 pm
While the rolling Astros have a week of possible World Series preview matchups against the Phillies and Cubs, it’s the Rockets who made the biggest local sports headline with their acquisition of Kevin Durant. What a move! Of course there is risk involved in trading for a guy soon to turn 37 years old and who carries an injury history, but balancing risk vs. reward is a part of the game. This is a fabulous move for the Rockets. It’s understood that there are dissenters to this view. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, including people with the wrong opinion! Let’s dig in.
The Rockets had a wonderful season in winning 52 games before their disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Warriors, but like everyone else in the Western Conference, they were nowhere close to Oklahoma City’s caliber. While they finished second in the West, the Rockets only finished four games ahead of the play-in. That letting the stew simmer with further growth among their young players would yield true championship contention was no given for 2025-26 or beyond.
Kevin Durant is one of the 10 greatest offensive players the NBA has ever seen. Among his current contemporaries only Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic make that list. For instance, Durant offensively has clearly been better than the late and legendary Kobe Bryant. To view it from a Houston perspective, Durant has been an indisputably greater offensive force than the amazing Hakeem Olajuwon. But this is not a nostalgia trip in which the Rockets are trading for a guy based on what he used to be. While Durant could hit the wall at any point, living in fear that it’s about to happen is no way to live because KD, approaching his 18th NBA season, is still an elite offensive player.
As to the durability concern, Durant played more games (62) this past season than did Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith, and Tari Eason. The season before he played more games (75) than did VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Alperen Sengun. In each of the last two seasons Durant averaged more minutes per game (36.9) than any Rocket. That was stupid and/or desperate of the Suns, the Rockets will be smarter. Not that the workload eroded Durant’s production or efficiency. Over the two seasons he averaged almost 27 points per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor, 42 percent from behind the three-point line, and 85 percent from the free throw line. Awesomeness. The Rockets made the leap to being a very good team despite a frankly crummy half-court offense. The Rockets ranked 21st among the 30 NBA teams in three-point percentage, and dead last in free throw percentage. Amen Thompson has an array of skills and looks poised to be a unique star. Alas, Thompson has no credible jump shot. VanVleet is not a creator, Smith has limited handle. Adding Durant directly addresses the Rockets’ most glaring weakness.
The price the Rockets paid was in the big picture, minimal, unless you think Jalen Green is going to become a bonafide star. Green is still just 23 years old and spectacular athletically, but nothing he has done over four pro seasons suggests he’s on the cusp of greatness. In no season has Green even shot the league average from the floor or from three. His defense has never been as good as it should be given his athleticism. Compared to some other two-guards who made the NBA move one year removed from high school, four seasons into his career Green is waaaaaay behind where Shae Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, and Devin Booker were four seasons in, and now well behind his draft classmate Cade Cunningham. Dillon Brooks was a solid pro in two seasons here and shot a career-best from three in 2024-2025, but he’s being replaced by Kevin Durant! In terms of the draft pick capital sent to Phoenix, five second round picks are essentially meaningless. The Rockets have multiple extra first round picks in the coming years. As for the sole first-rounder dealt away, whichever player the Rockets would have taken 10th Wednesday night would have been rather unlikely to crack the playing rotation.
VanVleet signs extension
Re-signing Fred VanVleet to a two-year, 50 million dollar guarantee is sensible. In a vacuum, VanVleet was substantially overpaid at the over 40 mil he made per season the last two. He’s a middle-of-the-pack starting point guard. But his professionalism and headiness brought major value to the Rockets’ kiddie corps while their payroll was otherwise very low. Ideally, Reed Sheppard makes a leap to look like an NBA lead guard in his second season, after a pretty much zippo of a rookie campaign. Sheppard is supposed to be a lights-out shooter. For the Rockets to max out, they need two sharpshooters on the court to balance Thompson’s presence.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
_____________________________________________
*Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!