Week 16 is here and it’s the second week of the playoffs in most leagues. Each week this column will analyze a player at each position rostered in 50 percent of Yahoo leagues or less. This group of players is basically a dream stream team. For reference, the threshold used for Wins and Losses in this article will be if the quarterbacks can score at least 17 points, if the tight ends can score at least eight PPR points, and if the rest can score at least 10 PPR points. Here is the Week 16 stream team.
Week 16 Stream Team: Ronald Jones, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and More!
Week 15 Recap
Quarterback
- Taysom Hill (NO) @ TB – 9.46 points – Loss
- Tua Tagovailoa (MIA) v NYJ – 15.74 points – Loss
- Justin Fields (CHI) v MIN – 16.90 points – Loss
- Totals – Week: 0-3 / Year: 19-26
Running Back
- Jordan Howard (PHI) v WFT – 6.90 points – Loss
- Rashaad Penny (SEA) @ LAR – 6.40 points – Loss
- Jeff Wilson Jr. (SF) v ATL – 22.90 points – Win
- Totals – Week: 1-2 / Year: 15-30
Wide Receiver
- Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET) v ARI – 23.50 points – Win
- Sterling Shepard (NYG) v DAL – 3.50 points – Loss
- Rondale Moore (ARI) @ DET – 4.00 points – Loss
- Totals – Week: 1-2 / Year: 25-20
Tight End
- Ricky Seals-Jones (WFT) @ PHI – 6.90 points – Loss
- James O’Shaughnessy (JAX) v HOU – 10.00 points – Win
- Gerald Everett (SEA) @ LAR – 10.00 points – Win
- Totals – Week: 2-1 / Year: 23-22
- Grand Totals – Week: 4-8 / Year: 82-98
Week 16 Stream Team
Quarterback – Tua Tagovailoa (MIA – 46%) @ NO
The past few weeks have been a bit rocky for Tua Tagovailoa but he has still been solid. He has not scored 20 fantasy points in a week since Week 7. The thing is, the Miami Dolphins are one of the worst rushing offenses in the NFL, and this week they face the stingiest rushing defense in the NFL, the New Orleans Saints. The Saints have allowed the least fantasy points to running backs this year but the ninth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks. Their strengths align with the Dolphins weaknesses and vice versa. It would not be surprising at all to see Tagovailoa drop back more than 40 times in this one and that gives him a great shot at having a nice fantasy day. This game will also be played in a dome which is another nice boost for both teams passing offenses.
Honorable Mentions – Matt Ryan (ATL – 41%) v DET, Justin Fields (CHI – 26%) @ SEA
Running Back – Ronald Jones (TB – 36%) @ CAR
Ronald Jones has been a tease in the fantasy football community throughout the years. He would have stretches that it would look like he would become a must-start option and then a fumble would get him benched for weeks at a time. This time Jones may become a savior for teams during the fantasy playoffs. Leonard Fournette, unfortunately, suffered a serious hamstring injury that is likely to keep him out for the next few weeks. Jones is the next man up starting this week against the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers look like a tough matchup on paper but most of that was early in the season. Lately, they have not been a very good team on either side of the ball. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are currently 10.5-point road favorites which should help the potential game script to stay in Jones’ favor for this one. Any fantasy manager needing a running back, which is pretty much everyone, should take a shot on Jones for this week and beyond.
Ronald Jones in 4 games Leonard Fournette missed last season:
26 touches, 128 yards
20 touches, 125 yards
25 touches, 121 yards, 2 TD
19 touches, 84 yards, 1 TDThat does not include his 198-yard game vs. CAR in Week 10 (Fournette played 29 snaps)
— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) December 20, 2021
Honorable Mentions – Duke Johnson (MIA – 2%) @ NO, Justin Jackson (LAC – 6%) @ HOU
Wide Receiver – Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET – 30%) @ ATL
For those counting at home, that makes three straight weeks of at least 11 targets for Amon-Ra St. Brown. That is also three straight weeks of 15+ fantasy points. For some reason, he is still available in 70% of Yahoo leagues. It is probably because he plays for the Detroit Lions and nobody wants to buy in on such a bad team. St. Brown has established himself as the top target for Detroit over the last three weeks. T.J. Hockenson is out for the rest of the year so that should cement St. Brown’s target share over the last few games.
This week’s matchup against the Atlanta Falcons is also a juicy one. The Falcons have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this year and their defense is not very good at all. This game will also be played in a dome which should help the passing game on both sides. The Lions are also currently six-point road underdogs which should help keep them throwing early and often to the benefit of St. Brown. Expect him to keep up his current production and have another good week in the playoff semifinals of most leagues.
Amon-Ra St. Brown has a 31% target share over the past month – only Justin Jefferson and Cooper Kupp are higher
— Michael F. Florio (@MichaelFFlorio) December 20, 2021
Honorable Mentions – Russell Gage (ATL – 50%) v DET, Gabriel Davis (BUF – 19%) @ NE
Tight End – Evan Engram (NYG – 31%) @ PHI
Evan Engram is basically the Ronald Jones of tight ends. He has been a constant tease over the years. Engram has flashed so many times but bouts of inconsistency and injury have plagued his entire career. Since the bye week, he has seen at least four targets in all five games and has seen at least five targets in four of those games. Unfortunately, Sterling Shepard suffered a season-ending achilles injury which should boost Engram’s target share a bit. This matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles is as good as it gets. The Eagles have had trouble stopping opposing tight ends this year as they have allowed the most fantasy points to the position. The New York Giants are also currently 10-point road underdogs which should help the game script stay in Engram’s favor. Engram has flashed in the past and then disappointed but this week looks like a nice spot to take a shot on him if in need of a tight end.
Honorable Mentions – James O’Shaughnessy (JAX – 2%) @ NYJ, Cole Kmet (CHI – 25%) @ SEA
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