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 Texans make just their third ever visit to Lambeau Field Sunday. It’s a dandy matchup as the Texans try to run their record to 6-1 at the expense of the 4-2 Green Bay Packers. The Texans have one win and one loss in Wisconsin. In 2008 the gameday high temperature was 13 degrees. Kris Brown kicked a 40 yard field goal as time expired to give the Texans a 24-21 win over a Packers team that struggled to a 6-10 record under first-year starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Texans posted their second consecutive 8-8 finish that year. In 2016 the mercury reached a balmy high of 34 degrees as the Texans fell 21-13 at Lambeau. Inexplicably, Rodgers somehow managed to win the quarterback matchup with Brock Osweiler. The Texans and Packers each won their division that year. Both Texans’ trips to “America’s Dairyland” occurred in December. No risk of frozen tundra this time around. The forecast for Green Bay Sunday calls for a high of 75 degrees! That’s almost 20 degrees warmer than normal there for October 20.
It’s a dynamic QB matchup with C.J. Stroud and Jordan Love sharing the field. Love broke out in a huge way in 2023 after serving a two-year apprenticeship under Rodgers. After a stumbling 3-6 start to their season the Packers went 6-2 the rest of the way to snag a playoff spot. They obliterated the Cowboys in a Wild Card game in Arlington (before everyone obliterated the Cowboys in Arlington...) then led at the 49ers with under 90 seconds to go before San Francisco scored to win 24-21. The Packers made crystal clear their belief in Love by signing him to a four-year 220 million dollar contract extension in July. That’s 55 mil per season. Stroud becomes extension-eligible after next season. Anyone think he won’t be in position to command at least 65 mil per season?
Stroud sure looks to be the guy to finally give the Texans the long-term stability and excellence they have never had at the most important position in the sport. The Pack is all in on Love continuing its unreal long-term QB stability and excellence. Love took the reins after Rodgers helmed the offense for 15 seasons. Rodgers took the reins after Brett Favre’s 16-year tenure. So if Love makes it for nine years as the starter, that’s three primary QBs in 40 years. Absolutely amazing.
After missing two games because of a sprained knee ligament suffered in the final seconds of the Packers’ season opening loss to the Eagles in Brazil, Love has thrown 10 touchdown passes in three games. But he has only completed 59 percent of his passes, and has thrown at least one interception per game.
The Texans’ first trip to the NFC North this season went brutally badly, the 34-7 beatdown from Minnesota. The Vikings beat the Packers 31-29 in week four of the season. That was Love’s first game back, he threw four touchdown passes and three picks. One defensive weapon the Texans will have against the Pack they did not have against the Vikes is Denico Autry. The 34-year-old Autry returns from his six-game banned substance suspension. That happens as one of the fill-ins for him, Mario Edwards, starts his own four-game substance abuse suspension. That should be a net improvement for the Texans.
X-factors
The single biggest variable in swinging the outcome of football games is turnovers. So far this season the Packers have been a takeaway machine. Last season the Packers generated just 18 turnovers over their 17 regular season games, only six teams took the ball away less often. Through just six games this season the Packers already have 17 takeaways. No other NFL team has more than 13, the Texans have just seven. The Packers have produced exactly three turnovers in five of their six games, and got two in the other. Every defense preaches turnovers, so it’s not as if first-year Green Bay defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has introduced radical concepts that are yielding magical results. But the results are what they are.
If the Texans take care of the ball, they have a terrific chance to win. Having Joe Mixon back aids the cause on two fronts. One, Mixon is obviously the Texans’ best running back. Two, Mixon last fumbled in 2021. The Texans probably best plan to score 25 or more points to win this one because the Packers figure to score a bit. In Love’s four starts the Pack has lit the scoreboard for 29, 29, 24, and 34 points. On the other hand, the Texans’ D has been pretty stout, allowing the third-fewest yards per game (Green Bay rates 18th). It’s a strength vs. strength battle. The Texans have allowed no opponent more than 313 yards in total offense. The Packers have amassed at least 378 yards in five of their six games, and managed 328 in their worst performance.
For Texans’ conversation, catch Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me on our Texans On Tap podcasts. Thursdays feature a preview of the upcoming game, and then we go live (then available on demand) after the final gun of the game: Texans on Tap - YouTube
The Astros are always in season for discussion. Our Stone Cold ‘Stros podcasts drop Mondays: Click here to watch!