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
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The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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*ChatGPT assisted.
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