Week 16 Quarterback Preview: Will Jacoby Brissett Stay Hot?
Top Fantasy QBs for Week 16
TIP
Get customized projections and start/sit advice for your quarterbacks with the Team Intel tool.
Let's break down the key usage notes and matchups that are driving our Week 16 QB Rankings.
1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
QB1 on
Since a Week 7 bye, Allen has finished as a top-10 QB in all but two games. That stretch includes three finishes at QB1 or QB2. Sunday’s forecast calls for freezing temps and wind gusts up to 30 MPH in Cleveland, but Allen remains an upside QB1.
2. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts
QB2 on
Jalen Hurts
QB2 on
Hurts followed one of his worst-ever performances at L.A. with about as efficient an outing as you could hope to see in a lopsided win over the Raiders. His 12-of-15 passing marked the third time this year that he hit 80% completions. Washington arrives this week as the third-best scoring matchup for QBs by our adjusted fantasy points allowed.
3. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson
QB3 on
Lamar Jackson
QB3 on
Jackson attempted only 12 passes last week in a 24-0 win. But he hit 2 TD passes for the first time since Week 9, while he managed 12.5 yards per attempt. His momentum should continue this week in a positive matchup vs. New England. The Pats could be without starting CB Carlton Davis (hip).
4. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow
QB4 on
Joe Burrow
QB4 on
Burrow is coming off one of his worst performances in recent history, a 225-0-2 line at home vs. Baltimore. The good news? He draws a Miami team that’s playing on short rest, one that’s also likely to play without top DB Minkah Fitzpatrick (calf). Burrow will stick in QB1 range, even if Tee Higgins remains out.
5. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Drake Maye
QB5 on
Drake Maye
QB5 on
Maye hasn’t finished worse than QB15 since Week 5. Despite a tough passing day last week vs. Buffalo, Maye belongs in fantasy matchups for a neutral matchup vs. Baltimore. The Ravens could be without CB Chidobe Awuzie, who’s battling a foot injury.
6. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Jared Goff
QB6 on
Jared Goff
QB6 on
Goff went 25/41 for 338 yards and 3 TDs in the Lions’ loss to the Rams. That placed him as QB5 for the week. He now has two top-five performances over the past six weeks. The Steelers have started to have some success against opposing QBs, but injuries are starting to rack up for them. With Goff’s success at home, this is a great spot to trust him to deliver.
7. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Brock Purdy
QB7 on
Brock Purdy
QB7 on
Purdy is coming off a masterful Week 15 performance, completing 77% of his passes for 295 yards and three scores. He's in a nice spot on Monday night indoors vs. a Colts defense once again without its top two CBs in Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward. San Francisco's 26-point implied total is tied for fourth-highest on the week.
8. Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
Jacoby Brissett
QB8 on
Jacoby Brissett
QB8 on
Brissett just scored the most fantasy points by any QB against the Texans this season. He's now finished as a top-12 fantasy QB in a remarkable nine straight weeks. There's no reason to bet against Brissett making it 10 in a row against Atlanta's 20th-ranked QB defense. He might even get WR Marvin Harrison Jr. back for this one.
9. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
QB9 on
Last week marked the first time in six games that Nix had finished higher than QB15. Jacksonville doesn't look like a pushover matchup, but the Jags' fantasy points allowed looked much friendlier before they got Cam Ward, Riley Leonard, and Brady Cook as the primary QBs the past three weeks. The 22.8 fantasy points per game Jacksonville was allowing to QBs through Week 12 would tie the Commanders for third-highest right now.
10. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert
QB10 on
Justin Herbert
QB10 on
Herbert's recent profile presents a guy you don't normally want to start in the fantasy playoffs, thanks primarily to poor pass protection and lower team passing volume. But this week presents a Dallas matchup that's been most lucrative for opponent QB scoring all season. The Cowboys have more weeks of allowing a top-2 QB scorer (five) than weeks where the opposing QB finished outside the top 12 (three). Herbert has supplemented his passing production with impressive scrambling all year.
11. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
QB11 on
Prescott's scoring has wavered some recently, including a QB25 finish last week that marked his lowest since Week 3. But he has still ranked among the top 13 fantasy QBs in four of five outings since Dallas' Week 10 bye. The Chargers matchup has been difficult for QB scoring, which depresses Prescott's Week 16 outlook. But don't reach too far for a replacement.
12. Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
Jaxson Dart
QB12 on
Jaxson Dart
QB12 on
The Giants lost their sixth straight last week, but Dart played well. He had his second-highest passing total of the season (263), threw for a pair of TDs, and rushed for 63 yards. Overall, Dart posted QB9 numbers, but this week brings a tough challenge. The Vikings have given up the third-fewest fantasy points to QBs. Dart's rushing ability keeps his floor relatively high, so he stays in QB1 territory in a week that the position is lacking depth.
13. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
QB13 on
Stroud brought the goods last week, throwing for 260 yards and 3 TDs against the Cardinals. With the various QB concerns for this week, Stroud is a borderline QB1 facing a Las Vegas defense that is fading. The Raiders allowed Jalen Hurts to throw for 3 TDs last week and have now allowed the 14th-most fantasy points to QBs. Look for Stroud to challenge this secondary early and for the Texans to try to build a big lead and ride their elite defense to an easy win. View Stroud as a strong play in all formats.
14. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
QB14 on
It's been a rough stretch for Mayfield, who hasn’t had a top-12 finish in four straight games. But with all of his pass catchers healthy, Mayfield should have the opportunity for a spike week. The Buccaneers had the highest pass rate over expected last week, and if that approach continues, Mayfield will carry some added fantasy value at Carolina.
15. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love
QB15 on
Jordan Love
QB15 on
In Week 14, the Packers defeated the Bears 28-21. Love threw for 3 TDs in that game and finished with top-10 fantasy numbers. The rematch projects to be another positive matchup for Love. Chicago has allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to QBs, including 27 TD passes, which is tied for the fourth-most in the league. If you've been starting Love, we see no reason to shy away from keeping him in lineups in Week 16. We'll just keep an eye on the health of WR Christian Watson (shoulder/chest), who's expected to suit up.
16. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
QB16 on
Shough ranks 12th among QBs in fantasy points per game over his last five outings and finds a great spot this weekend. The Saints are at home, so weather won't be an issue. And they get a lifeless Jets defense that's coughed up 34 points to the Dolphins and 48 to the Jaguars over the last two weeks. For the season, New York ranks 31st in our Pass Defense Power Rankings and 28th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs. Shough is a viable Week 16 spot starter.
17. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
(Played on Thursday)
18. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
QB18 on
The Bears lost to Green Bay two weeks ago. In that game, the Packers limited Caleb Williams to 186 yards passing, but he threw a pair of 1-yard TDs. Overall, Green Bay is allowing the 11th-fewest fantasy points to opposing QBs, but they got shredded by Bo Nix last week. Williams' modest production in Week 14 resulted in a QB16 finish against this defense. That's about the range we have him in for Week 16 -- a mid-to-low end QB2.
19. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence
QB19 on
Lawrence is coming off five straight top-12 finishes and might remain a better option this week than we're crediting. But Denver arrives as the fourth-toughest matchup by our adjusted fantasy points allowed and the No. 6 defense in pass DVOA. Only one QB has reached 20 fantasy points against the Broncos since Week 7.
20. J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
J.J. McCarthy
QB20 on
McCarthy has posted back-to-back 3 TD games and should keep the momentum going in Week 16, facing a New York Giants' defense that allows the second-most fantasy points to opposing QBs. The Giants have allowed multiple TD games to QBs in eight of their last nine games. McCarthy's passing volume hasn't been as impressive, and the Vikings will also look to exploit New York's sagging run defense. That makes McCarthy somewhat TD-dependent. The matchup is great, but there's enough downside risk to keep McCarthy in back-end QB2 range.
21. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
QB21 on
Rodgers was QB18 last week, going 23/27 for 224 yards and 2 TDs. That followed up a QB8 performance against the Ravens two weeks ago. He's in a great rhythm and gets a Lions’ secondary that injuries have weakened. Rodgers has struggled against man coverage, though, and that is the primary defense for the Lions. He's best treated as a deep-league option only.
22. Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders
Marcus Mariota
QB22 on
Marcus Mariota
QB22 on
We have Mariota lower in our Week 16 rankings (QB22 in default) than his lowest fantasy finish as a starter (QB19). Perhaps we're a little too pessimistic against a Philly defense that has allowed the second-most QB rushing yards this year. But the Eagles have also allowed just 13 TD passes and eighth-fewest passing yards. Mariota's rushing gives him a more attractive floor than most guys in QB2 range. But the upside looks shaky this week.
23. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
Sam Darnold
QB23 on
Sam Darnold
QB23 on
(Played on Thursday)
24. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
QB24 on
Young went 15/24 for 163 yards and a TD last week in the Panthers’ loss to the Saints. He has had two top-five finishes in the past four games, but the other two saw Young finish outside the top-20 QBs for the week. The volume just hasn’t been there for Young to consistently hit top-20 QB status. He's best left on your bench, despite a positive matchup.
25. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons
QB25 on
Cousins is coming off a huge 373-yard, 3-TD outing vs. the Buccaneers and gets another plus matchup on Sunday against a Cardinals defense that ranks 27th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs over the last five weeks. Cousins had averaged just 192 yards and 0.75 TDs across his first four starts of the season, though. We're simply not trusting him as more than a low-end QB2 after just one big game.
