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- 3 Week 16 Smashes & 2 Shocking Duds
Man, fantasy football really is a cruel hobby.
You draft Ashton Jeanty in the top 20 picks, miss the playoffs, and then watch him explode for 31.3 points vs … checks notes … the toughest defense in football.
You spend a second-round pick on Chase Brown only to watch him not clear more than 13 points through the first seven weeks of the season, and then, naturally, he nukes for 30.9 in Week 16.
You draft Jaylen Warren as a sleeper, do cartwheels when you realize Kaleb Johnson isn’t going to be a thing, become depressed when you later realize that Kenneth Gainwell very much is a thing, and then punch a hole in the drywall when Warren explodes for 28.1 points … on your bench.
And don’t even get me started on Trey McBride. The runaway TE1 in 2025, the heir to Gronk, a scorcher of earths … and he flops for 4.7 points the week you need him the most.
The same could be said for Amon-Ra St. Brown … he destroyed the Rams in Week 15 for 34.9 points, propelled you to the semifinals and then gave you a 7.4-point encore.
I don’t know where I’m going with this other than to say I feel your pain, I feel your agony.
It wasn’t all unpredictable doom and gloom, though. If you had Chris Olave (31.8), Bijan Robinson (26.3) or James Cook (25.9), you can sleep soundly tonight knowing you played the best plays and were rewarded accordingly.
That Puka Nacua explosion feels like ages ago … and we still aren’t done yet. Let’s see what Philip Rivers (and I suppose CMC, too) have in store for us tonight …
Are You Starting Tyler Warren Tonight?
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Fantasy
What We Learned From Every Week 16 Game …
Every year, there are the players we don't see coming—they emerge in the fantasy playoffs and become memorable contributors who win us titles and we toast for millennia.
Enter Kenneth Gainwell.
Since Week 11, Gainwell has become a major component of the Steelers passing game. Gainwell delivered another big performance, with nine carries for 50 yards and five catches for 78 yards and a TD on seven targets in a 29-24 win over the Lions.
Gainwell had 23.8 PPR points. He has at least 16.2 PPR points in five of the last six games. Gainwell has at least seven targets in three straight games and 38 targets over the last six. Only DK Metcalf has more, with 45 in that span, and there’s a chance Metcalf could miss Week 17 after striking a fan. In Week 17, Gainwell faces a Browns defense that has struggled against running backs the last few games. Gainwell needs to be in lineups for Week 17.
Let's dive into some other observations, including what Ashton Jeanty’s big game means for his prospects in Week 17 and beyond …
Fantasy
Looking Ahead to Week 17 with Kendall …
Happy Fantasy Football Championships to all who celebrate (or everyone who didn't face Puka Nacua)! We're going to keep this short and sweet, because if you've gotten this far, you're probably going to be dancing with the players that got you here. If you had an untimely injury, though, do not worry, I am here to help!
All rostership percentages are from Yahoo, and, as always, I try to focus on highlighting players less than 40% rostered. Also, don't forget our Waiver Wire Tool, which will have even more targets on a weekly basis.
Dylan Sampson (11% rostered) / Raheim Sanders (0% rostered), RBs, Browns
Unfortunately, we saw Quinshon Judkins suffer a fractured fibula and dislocated ankle in Sunday's game against the Bills. Dylan Sampson has missed the past two games due to hand and calf injuries, but if he's available for Week 17, he should get the bulk of the carries. If he's unavailable, we saw Raheim Sanders finish with 11 carries for 42 yards, along with one catch for four yards. You should only be considering these two running backs in deep formats.
Tyjae Spears, RB, Titans (25% rostered)
YES, we are absolutely talking about a Titans player heading into championship week, because we like to live a little! Tyjae Spears had 13 carries for 52 yards and also found the end zone. But he didn't stop there. Spears also caught five passes for 53 yards, which gave fantasy managers who started him a season-high 21.5 fantasy points. This was Spears' first touchdown since Week 8, and maybe he can keep the good times rolling against the Saints.
Fantasy
Around the Watercooler
The latest fantasy nuggets, silliness and NFL gossip from our merry band of football nerds.
🚑️ Key Week 16 injuries to watch. And this doesn’t even include Judkins. More on him here.
💪 I could watch Darnell Washington highlights forever … and never get bored.
🥊 Um, DK Metcalf took a swing at a fan? And then got to keep playing. Weird.
🚀 Drake Maye has put fantasy teams on his shoulders. King Henry and Diggs were pretty good, too.
📆 Current 2026 NFL Draft order. Some shuffling at 3-5.
👀 This catch was simply unreal. And nice throw from Maye.
🏈 Lamar Jackson and TreVeyon Henderson were both ruled out Sunday night. We’ll have to follow their status.
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