The Yahoo Fantasy workforce shares their predictions for Week 16 — for many, semifinals week — the ultimate step towards a visit to the Fantasy Football Super Bowl.
An enormous week in retailer for JSN
It seems like we’ll get Geno Smith on this Week 16 sport, moderately than sack-eating backup Sam Howell beneath middle for the Seahawks. Even if Smith is a greater sack-avoider than Howell, he’s nonetheless set to face waves of stress from the Vikings entrance. Seattle’s offensive line is a mismatch vs. Minnesota. As such, anticipate a ton of fast passes to Jaxon Smith-Njigba all sport lengthy.
Per Fantasy Points Data, when Seattle has confronted two-high protection since Week 10 — Minnesota has been among the many most two-high-heavy defenses this season — JSN paces the workforce with a 3.2 yards per route run, whereas DK Metcalf sits simply above 1.0. It’s not a protection look that favors deep outside-the-number passes to start with, and Seattle’s quarterbacks not often have the time to uncork these throws behind their offensive line. — Matt Harmon
Maye will get the stamp of approval
I’m amazed Drake Maye continues to play properly each week regardless of a patchwork offensive line and an peculiar set of move catchers. He’s at all times poised regardless of excessive stress charges, and the athletic Maye has confirmed resourceful as an occasional runner. I view Maye as a safe-floor and interesting-upside possibility for Week 16, as New England must be extra aggressive because it possible faces a adverse sport script at Buffalo. Maye is strongly permitted as your second QB in Superflex codecs, and I’d take into account him as a QB1 in commonplace swimming pools in case your name-brand starter hasn’t been producing. — Scott Pianowski
Jauan Jennings returns to kind
At first look, Jauan Jennings’ manufacturing looks as if it’s taking a flip into excessive volatility. He’s completed as WR48, WR52, WR5 and WR67 over the previous 4 video games. However, there are legitimate excuses for that manufacturing.
Purdy missed Week 12 — the WR48 efficiency — as a consequence of damage. He returned in Week 13 however was clearly nonetheless coping with the damage and threw simply 18 passes. Purdy returned to kind in Week 14 towards a troublesome Chicago secondary, and Jennings thrived with a top-five end. Week 15 was the dreadful Thursday night time sport within the rain towards the L.A. Rams the place neither Purdy nor Matt Stafford exceeded 160 passing yards. This week is the proper bounce-back state of affairs towards the Miami Dolphins. Expect Jennings to return to his WR1 kind and thrive towards an inconsistent Miami secondary. — Tera Roberts
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Trey McBride lastly scores a TD … no, critically
I’m simply gonna proceed to situation Trey McBride propaganda till the person lastly returns to the top zone. It’s been an outrageously lengthy TD drought — one which merely has to finish quickly. McBride is simply too proficient and too closely focused for it to proceed. Somehow, this man is the general TE3 on the season and not using a single receiving rating.
This week, essentially the most touchdown-challenged participant in latest reminiscence is going through a Carolina protection that’s allowed essentially the most touchdowns to the tight finish place on the 12 months. Something has to present, at the least in principle. The Panthers have allowed 27 passing scores on the season, tied for essentially the most within the league. Ten of these TDs belong to tight ends. Fantasy luminaries akin to Noah Gray, Grant Calcaterra, Foster Moreau, Adam Trautman and Ben Sinnott have already visited the end-zone towards Carolina (a few of them greater than as soon as). Surely McBride can get house this week, proper?
If not, I’ll return to re-hype the person subsequent week. — Andy Behrens
Fire up Mr. Meyers!
Jakobi Meyers has seen the second-most targets (45) and air yards (447) within the league over the past month – and that was with Desmond Ridder beginning final week. Aidan O’Connell is trending towards taking part in Sunday, and his return can be a lift for Meyers.
The Jaguars have allowed the third-most fantasy factors to large receivers this season, and this matchup needs to be fast-paced. Meyers’ goal fee has jumped to 25.5% versus man protection this season, which Jacksonville has used on the league’s fourth-highest fee (38.2%). Meyers finishes as a top-15 WR this week. — Dalton Del Don
James Conner retains it rolling
Despite being practically 30 years previous James Conner is getting higher because the season goes on for the Cardinals. He’s coming off back-to-back season-high fantasy performances which incorporates an RB1 total end in Week 15 when he produced 138 yards and two touchdowns towards the Patriots. Conner earned 70% of the backfield alternatives on this sport which was greater than his standard function as a consequence of each of the Cardinals’ backups coping with accidents. Emari Demercado was positioned on IR earlier than Week 15 and Trey Benson injured his ankle within the second half towards the Patriots.
This elevated utilization for Conner might proceed in an incredible matchup this week towards the Panthers who enable essentially the most dashing yards per sport and second most dashing touchdowns this season. Carolina has allowed 125 dashing yards per sport to beginning RBs the previous six weeks making this the proper spot for Conner to place up his third straight top-10 weekly RB end. — Sal Vetri
