I hope you are playing for something this week. Hopefully, it’s to move on in your playoffs but maybe it’s to avoid that last-place punishment. Either way, it’s been a long season and I appreciate you reading this. I hope it brought you some extra points and wins. No matter what you are playing for this week, here are my favorite Week 16 wide receiver streamers and sleepers.
Week 16 Wide Receiver Streamers
Wan’Dale Robinson – New York Giants
The first six weeks of the season it looked like Wan’Dale Robinson was going to be the steal of fantasy football drafts. He was producing WR2 numbers and for most managers, he was picked up off of waivers. Since then Robinson has been more of a risky flex play. The past two weeks have continued that trend but his opportunities have started to climb. In the past two weeks, Robinson has seen 20 targets. You have to go back five games to get to that number again. While the Giants’ quarterback position is in flux, the targets and snaps are there.
In Week 16 the New York Giants are facing the Atlanta Falcons. While Robinson lines up primarily in the slot, he is playing on over 75% of the team’s snaps since the Week 11 bye and most recently it has been over 90%. Against the Falcons Robinson will see Dee Alford in coverage. PFF.com rates Alford as the 82nd-best coverage corner. It’s a matchup that Robinson can exploit. He should be able to get separation and find soft spots in the zone. This will give his quarterback, whoever that is a solid option on passing plays.
Zay Flowers – Baltimore Ravens
Sure Rashod Bateman had a big game in Week 15 with two touchdowns but Zay Flowers is still the main guy in the Baltimore Ravens passing attack. He is playing on over 80% of the team’s snaps. Flowers has seen more targets than any other receiver in the offense and has had five or more targets in the past seven games. He should be in your lineup every week but you might be scared because he hasn’t scored since Week 11.
Well, Week 16 gives you a divisional matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. They just played back in Week 11, which happens to be Flower’s last game with a touchdown. Matchup-wise, Flowers will see either Joey Porter Jr. or Donte Jackson. Both are poorly rated by PFF.com with Porter being slightly higher at 98th overall compared to 100th overall. The Ravens are looking towards the playoffs. This is a big game for that and the division crown. I expect the Ravens to empty their bag of tricks and look to put up points early to be able to lean on their potent run game. It all points to Flowers getting a high target volume and there being plays that will allow him to utilize his speed and elusiveness. You should fire him up with confidence this week.
Tee Higgins – Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a much better team than their record shows. They have one of the best offenses in football that boasts some of the most talented players across the board. One of them is wide receiver Tee Higgins. While he missed a good chunk of the season with injury he is back now and showing why he will command a large contract this offseason. Despite playing only 10 games this season he had six touchdowns and 581 yards. He will continue to be a focal point of the offense and continue to showcase his skills to potential suitors.
This week is against the Cleveland Browns. A team that Higgins has struggled against in his career but this season is different. Back in Week 4 Higgins caught only four of his eight targets but to the tune of 82 yards and a score. Part of what made that game so great was the coverage that Higgins will see again this week in Martin Emerson. He currently rates on PFF.com as the 106th out of 113 corners. It’s a matchup that Higgins can exploit while Ja’Marr Chase draws top-corner Denzel Ward. I expect Higgins to have another huge game and be in the conversation of top receivers on the week.
Wide Receiver Sleepers
Jalen Coker – Carolina Panthers
It seemed like so long ago that everyone was planting their flag on rookie Jalen Coker to be a breakout star. In Week 8 he had his first NFL touchdown and a nice 78-yard day. We haven’t seen those types of numbers again since he came back from an injury in Week 15. He posted a nice stat line of four receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown. Now it seems like everyone is back on the Coker train and maybe you should be as well.
Coker and the Carolina Panthers will be playing the Arizona Cardinals. The game script looks good for the Panthers throwing the ball often, Coker will most likely see Starling Thomas IV in coverage. Currently ranked as the 78th best corner by PFF.com. The Panthers will move their receivers around a bunch but none of the Cardinals’ outside corners rate higher than Thomas. Coker rarely plays in the slot which would have him avoid Garrett Williams who rates as the 13th best corner. The Cards do have a solid safety in Budda Baker and without a tight end to keep him in the middle he could take the big play away from Coker which is where he excels. I still believe that Coker is a solid wide receiver sleeper this week with upside. He should continue to build his chemistry with Bryce Young and cement his role as one of the top two receivers on the team.
Malik Washington – Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins passing attack has been off this season. Even when Tua Tagovailoa is healthy they haven’t been as dynamic as they were last season. They still have Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. We have seen the emergence of tight end Jonnu Smith yet something still isn’t clicking. Week 16 might be another week of dysfunction and disorder. Jaylen Waddle is dealing with a knee injury he suffered in Week 15 which opens the door for wide receiver sleeper Malik Washington. In Week 15 Washington saw a season-high six targets catching five of them for 52 yards. While his snaps share has been hoovering below 455 I expect it to jump if Waddle misses the game.
Washington should see the best matchup out of the Dolphins receivers. In two wide sets, I expect Deommodore Lenoir to be across from Hill and Charvarious Ward to be on Washington. Ward rates as the 88th-best corner compared to Lenoir who rates as the 16th-best. The question will be what happens in three-wide sets. Usually, Lenoir moves into the slot bringing Renardo Green into the game on the outside. Washington has split his snaps between out wide and slot but with no Waddle will he be inside or outside? The hope is he remains on the outside putting Tyreek across from Green and River Cracraft in the slot across from Lenoir. Washington is going to get his shot to step up and prove he deserves more playing time and targets and this could be the coming out party for him.
Tim Patrick – Detroit Lions
I don’t know anyone who isn’t happy to see Tim Patrick excelling in Detroit. After his years dealing with injuries in Denver, he is not only healthy but becoming a key part of a team with Super Bowl contenders written all over them. Patrick has now put together back-to-back solid weeks. Over the past two weeks, Patrick has seen 15 targets. He had only seen 26 previously in the season. Patrick is pushing Jameson Williams for the number two role on the Lions.
He gets to face the Chicago Bears in Week 16. The Bears have two solid corners. Jaylon Johnson is on the outside and Kyler Gordon is in the slot. Those two along with safety Johnathan Owens will likely try to contain Amon-Ra St Brown. Star safety Kevin Byard will likely have the task of keeping the top on Jameson Williams leaving Tyrique Stevenson on Patrick. Stevenson rates, by PFF.com as the 89th best corner in coverage. I like that matchup. The Lions need to win to keep their hold on the number 1 seed in the NFC playoffs after a big loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Lions barely beat the Bears back in Week 13 so expect them to learn from that and want to make a statement this week. Patrick should continue to be a big factor in the passing attack. He’s a sneaky flex play this week with upside if he can score a touchdown for the third week in a row.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 16 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!