2021 NFL Fantasy Football Start/Sit – Week 16

We may no longer have bye weeks, but the current COVID outbreak in the NFL has made putting together a fantasy team a minute-by-minute decision.

I’ve been keeping an eye on a COVID List Tracker to make sure I’m up-to-date on all the players who may miss this week. After they updated the protocols for return, it’s possible a large number of the players should be cleared by this weekend…but a good number could be added on the list as well.

The Kansas City Chiefs have a few key offensive players on the COVID list. How will they fare against the Steelers?

Here is our Fantasy Football Sit/Start for Week 16 of the 2021 NFL season…and enjoy our awesome MS Paint masterpiece of QB Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals.

I want to explain what I mean by “sit” and “start.” Of course you are going to start some of the guys i say to bench this week, because you probably used high draft picks or a lot of money in an auction for them. My ‘sit’ players are guys I am just not completely sold that they will have good weeks. If you have a guy that you are on the fence about, maybe this will help you pick between the players.

START’EM

  • QB Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals) – Burrow faces the Ravens on Sunday and Baltimore’s secondary is short-handed due to injuries. He had 416 passing yards in their last meeting back in Week 7. He should have a solid fantasy performance on Sunday,
  • WR Russell Gage (Atlanta Falcons) – Gage has gained a larger chunk of the Falcons targets since RB Cordarrelle Patterson’s production fell off a bit. Gage caught eight passes on eleven targets against the Niners. He should receive a good number of targets this week against Detroit.
  • TE David Njoku (Cleveland Browns) – Njoku is coming off a three-catch performance against the Raiders. His teammate TE Austin Hooper was out on the COVID list, so he played more of a TE1 role. I expect Hooper should be cleared soon and will be active this week. Njoku plays best when he’s the redzone tight end. The Packers secondary is very good, so I expect the Browns will utilize their tight ends a lot this week.
  • RB Michael Carter (New York Jets) – Carter didn’t play great against the Dolphins as he only gained 18 yards on eight rushes, but he has an easier opponent this week (Jacksonville). He is splitting snaps with RB Tevin Coleman, but Carter has the better hands. He should be a solid flex play this week.
  • QB Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles) – Hurts played great in his return from injury. He completed 20 of 26 passes and scored three total touchdowns. The caveat is that he did this against a shorthanded Washington team, but he is facing the Giants this week, who have dealt with injuries all season. Hurts should be a nice streaming option at quarterback.
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defense & Special Teams – The Bucs are coming off a shutout loss to the Saints, but their defense played pretty darn well. They face Carolina, who has struggled on offense in recent weeks. The Bucs are a great streaming defense this week.
  • WR Mecole Hardman (Kansas City Chiefs) – The Chiefs are dealing with a COVID outbreak and WR Tyreek Hill landed on the list early this week. Hardman hasn’t received more than four targets in a game since Week 9, but he is due for an expanded role if TE Travis Kelce and Hill miss this week’s game against the Steelers.
  • RB Ronald Jones II (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – Bucs RB Leonard Fournette injured his hamstring last week and Jones is expected to be the starter for a couple weeks. He hasn’t received more than 10 carries all season, but he did well in relief of Fournette last week (eight carries for 63 yards).
  • TE Zach Ertz (Arizona Cardinals) – Ertz wasn’t a big part of Arizona’s offense before QB Kyler Murray went down with an ankle injury, but he earned a larger chunk when backup QB Colt McCoy targeted him more. Murray is trusting the veteran tight end and has been a solid start the last two weeks.
  • WR A.J. Green (Arizona Cardinals) – Cardinals will be without WR DeAndre Hopkins (knee) until the playoffs. Green has stepped up the last two weeks with a combined total of 11 catches for 166 yards. Arizona faces Indianapolis this week and the Colts secondary is their weakest position. Green could have a solid fantasy outing.
  • RB Justin Jackson (Los Angeles Chargers) – Ekeler (ankle) hasn’t practiced this week, but he isn’t on the COVID list either. Jackson could be a nice handcuff pickup if you’re worried about Ekeler. He’s a talented back and if featured, he could be a nice playoff spoiling streaming option.
  • Philadelphia Eagles Defense & Special Teams – The Eagles face the Giants on Sunday and the G-Men offense is a struggle. The Eagles defense should be able to get to whichever quarterback they trot out there this week.
  • QB Jimmy Garoppolo (San Francisco 49ers) – Jimmy G faces the Titans on Thursday Night Football. The Niners have been running the ball a lot lately, but Garoppolo hasn’t been a quiet fantasy player. He’s averaging 249 yards in the second-half of the year. The Titans pass offense hasn’t been great this year, so I could see him throwing a couple touchdowns on Thursday.

SIT’EM

  • RB Zack Moss (Buffalo Bills) – Why is Moss stilled owned in 42% of leagues? He’s been a healthy scratch in back-to-back games. The only way he’s worth a roster spot is if COVID decimates the running back room in Buffalo. I’d rather start Seahawks RB Rashaad Penny or Jets Michael Carter.
  • QB Ryan Tannehill (Tennessee Titans) – Tannehill doesn’t have the weapons in the passing attack to warrant a start. Also, the Titans are trying to keep their running offense alive with players about half as talented as injured RB Derrick Henry. Tannehill is only worth a start in super deep leagues.
  • WR Courtland Sutton (Denver Broncos) – Sutton is another player whose ownership percentage makes no sense. He’s owned in 71% of leagues and hasn’t caught more than two passes in a game since Week 5. Also, it appears that Broncos QB Drew Lock will be starting this week after QB Teddy Bridgewater spiked his head into the ground against the Bengals.
  • RB Mark Ingram II (New Orleans Saints) – Ingram hasn’t been worth a roster spot since Saints RB Alvin Kamara returned from injury. He only gained ten yards on nine attempts the Bucs. Ingram has lost a few steps since his previous tenure with the team. I’d rather start Titans RB D’Onta Foreman or Bucs RB Ronald Jones II.
  • QB Mac Jones (New England Patriots) – The last time Jones faced the Bills, it was on a night with 50mph winds. He didn’t need to pass the ball as their running game was better than the Bills (and still is). Jones will need to throw against the Bills this week, but not enough for him to be viable in fantasy.
  • WR Van Jefferson (Los Angeles Rams) – The Rams were dealing with a major COVID outbreak and their game was delayed until Tuesday evening. They were able to get some of their guys back on offense, but it was basically The Cooper Kupp Show. The wide receiver caught nine of 13 targets for 136 yards. Jefferson only had two receptions for 23 yards. I don’t see him as a viable streaming flex play this week.
  • TE Evan Engram (New York Giants) – Engram is an insanely-gifted tight end, but until he’s in an functioning offense, he’s lost in the shuffle. He could have a third-string quarterback out there against the Eagles. I’d rather start Bears TE Cole Kmet or Jaguars TE James O’Shaughnessy.
  • Washington Football Team Defense & Special Teams – Washington’s defense didn’t show up to play on Tuesday against the Eagles. They have a tougher task against the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. They need to get some of their COVID players back, but it’s not clear when that will happen.
  • TE Tyler Conklin (Minnesota Vikings) – Conklin has had back-to-back duds and I don’t foresee him turning it around against the Rams defense. He’s only broken the 50-yard mark in one of his last seven games.
  • Pittsburgh Steelers Defense & Special Teams – The Steelers travel to Kansas City on Sunday and will play a Chiefs team who currently have 13 players on the COVID list. That numbers will most likely change, but the Chiefs still have enough talent on offense to score on Pittsburgh.

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sweetbob-author-picAbout the Author…

Bobby Roberts (otherwise known as Sweetbob) is the creator of ‘America’s White Boy’ and contributor at Project Shanks. His writing has been featured on ESPN’s ‘SportsNation’, Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks, Guyspeed, and various other sites. You can follow him on Twitter at @Sweetbob.