Week 16 Flex Rankings for Fantasy Football

I don’t know if words can accurately describe what has transpired in the NFL and the fantasy football landscape over the past 10 days or so. Perhaps this meme can do the trick. If you have survived to this point with a shot at your league championship, I salute you. But there is more work to be done, so let’s get to it. Below are my current Week 16 Flex rankings. Use these to assist you when it comes to waiver claims and FAAB bids. You should also use them with lineup decisions, but as has been demonstrated time and time again recently, things are subject to change. And these rankings will assuredly change between now and Sunday. Comment below or hit me up on Twitter with any questions you have regarding your teams, and hopefully, I’ll see you in the Championship Round next week!

More of our Week 16 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | PPR | Flex

Running Back Notes

After rumors swirled earlier in the week that the Los Angeles Chargers would place Austin Ekeler on the reserve/Covid list, they finally did so on Wednesday. Unfortunately, that means he will likely have less time to clear protocols before Sunday. Ekeler has also been dealing with a balky ankle of late. Justin Jackson received an increased workload last week against the Kansas City Chiefs, and the fourth-year back took full advantage. He ran for 86 yards on just 13 carries and secured his lone target for an additional 13 yards. Jackson has seen limited work in his NFL career but has averaged 5.1 yards per carry. He could be in line for a big day against a Houston Texans defense that has surrendered over 2,000 total yards and 18 touchdowns to opposing running backs on the year. The Texans also allow a league-high 2.09 yards per carry before contact.

I mentioned this in the intro, but please note that I will change these rankings on Sunday. The reason I mention this here is that I currently have both Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson ranked outside the starting range of running backs. That is because we do not yet know Ekeler’s availability for this game. But at least one of them will be worth starting in Week 16. If Ekeler cannot clear protocols in time, I would strongly encourage fantasy managers to start Jackson in most situations. He is likely an RB2 this week in the event Ekeler is out. At the very least, Jackson should be one of this week’s top waiver claims. As of this writing, he is rostered in just 38 percent of Fantrax leagues. If Ekeler plays, start him as an RB1 as you normally would.

Leonard Fournette is fittingly the RB4 through Week 15. Unfortunately, Lombardi Lenny will not end the season ranked that high. The Bucs back suffered a hamstring injury in Tampa Bay’s nightmare loss to the New Orleans Saints. Tampa has yet to officially place Fournette on injured reserve, which is annoying for managers looking to put him in their IR slot. I cut Fournette in a league, which is a bummer considering how productive he has been. But I am not expecting him to return until the NFL playoffs. Make sure Ronald Jones (80 percent rostered in Fantrax leagues) is not still available in your league. He has RB1 upside a Carolina Panthers team playing out the string. Bills running back Devin Singletary posted his first top-10 fantasy finish of the year last week in this same matchup.

San Francisco running back Elijah Mitchell will miss his third straight game with a knee injury. Jeff Wilson finally had the game many of us had been looking for last week against the Atlanta Falcons. Wilson ran for 110 yards and a score, and figures to be the lead back when the 49ers travel to Tennessee on Thursday. Of course, Deebo Samuel still lurks as a threat to Wilson’s workload. The alleged wide receiver has rushed for a score in five straight contests. The Titans boast the league’s top-rushing defense from a fantasy perspective. I ranked Wilson as an RB2 this week, but I am less bullish on him than I would be if this were a more favorable matchup. I am also relying on Wilson in both of my semifinal matchups, so I am convinced that he will drop a dud just because.

Craig Reynolds has been one of the more productive backs over the past two weeks. The undrafted free agent journeyman has rushed for 195 yards over that span, trailing only Dalvin Cook. It is certainly a feel-good story for the suddenly plucky Detroit Lions. However, I don’t know how much I’m buying Reynolds moving forward. The team activated Jamaal Williams off the reserve/Covid list this week, and D’Andre Swift got in a limited practice on Wednesday after missing the last three games with a shoulder injury. For now, this is a similar situation to the Chargers backfield concerning my Week 16 Flex rankings. I currently have Swift as my RB38. Spoiler alert – I will not keep him there if he is active on Sunday. Williams (RB40) and Reynolds (RB50) would get a bump if Swift cannot play on Sunday.

Wide Receiver Notes

The Kansas City Chiefs placed star wide receiver Tyreek Hill on the reserve/Covid list on Tuesday. Hill had been a bit underwhelming in recent weeks but exhibited his nearly unparalleled upside with a WR2 finish in Week 15. If Hill clears protocols in time for the game, I cannot imagine a scenario where you would bench him. Let’s all hope that is the case unless we are prepared to be hurt by Mecole Hardman or Josh Gordon again. With tight end Travis Kelce also on the reserve/Covid list, there is a chance Hardman and Gordon could be in for increased opportunities this week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. I added Byron Pringle in a league where I have Hill. I would rather rely on his floor than deal with Hardman and Gordon. But I can understand those chasing the upside.

Not all the news is bad for a change. The Tennessee Titans figure to have both A.J. Brown and Julio Jones in the fold for their Week 16 matchup against the 49ers. The Titans designated Brown to return from injured reserve after he missed the last four weeks with a chest injury. Jones left last week’s game early with yet another aggravation of his hamstring injury. His hamstring is likely the only entity more aggravated than his fantasy managers at this point. I simply have no faith in Jones putting up a big game on short rest given his injury woes. As for Brown, I ranked him as my WR19 for this week. I tend to be a bit conservative regarding players coming off a long layoff, but I would start him in almost any scenario.

Two weeks ago, I told anyone who would listen to start Marquez Valdes-Scantling. He caught three passes for 20 yards that week. In my defense, he was targeted once in the end zone and tackled at the 2-yard line on one of his catches. However, it says here in my notes that close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Last week, MVS went off for 98 yards and a touchdown because of course he did. But just when it seemed like Valdes-Scantling was looking like a trustworthy Week 16 option, he tested positive for Covid. With Green Bay playing on Saturday, the chances of him clearing protocols in time for this week’s game against Baltimore likely decrease. I still ranked him, but the preferred option in the Packers passing game behind Davante Adams should be Allen Lazard. Lazard is a potential Week 16 Flex if Valdes-Scantling is out.

Tight End Notes

Last week was a banner week for tight ends. An even dozen tight ends eclipsed the 60-yard threshold. Three scored multiple touchdowns, and three posted at least 100 receiving yards. Two (Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews) did both. As I mentioned earlier, however, the Kansas City Chiefs placed Kelce on the reserve/Covid list, leaving his Week 16 status in doubt. There is no way to replicate Kelce’s production on the waiver wire, so fantasy managers will have little choice but to make do as best they can. Foster Moreau. James O’Shaughnessy, and Albert Okwuegbunam all cleared 50 yards last week, and all are available in at least 70 percent of Fantrax leagues. I prefer O’Shaughnessy of the three, but all could be serviceable this week. As is the case with Hill, let’s just hope Kelce plays and renders this discussion moot.

Week 16 Flex Rankings

More fantasy football fun for Week 16: Waiver Wire | FAAB Guide | Start & Sit | Loves & Hates | Stock Watch | Sleepers & Streamers | D/ST Streamers

What!? Your league isn’t hosted on Fantrax!? Once you see how Fantrax stacks up to the competition, we think you’ll be singing a different tune next season.

Fantrax was one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites of 2020, and we’re not stopping now. With multi-team trades, designated commissioner/league managers, and drag/drop easy click methods, Fantrax is sure to excite the serious fantasy sports fan – sign up now for a free year at Fantrax.com.