1 of 5 | Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins can be plugged into fantasy football starting lineups in Week 16. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo
Tee Higgins is among my three must-start wide receivers for Week 16 of the fantasy football campaign, with teams battling for postseason glory.
Ja’Marr Chase leads my Week 16 Top-50 rankings, which are listed below. Mike Evans, Davante Adams, Justin Jefferson and Puka Nacua join Chase inside the Top 5 of my rankings. Advertisement
A.J. Brown, CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy, D.J. Moore and Nico Collins join those pass catchers in my Top 10. Jaxon Smith-Njigba joins Higgins and Adams as my three must-start plays.
Those who roster George Pickens, Jaylen Waddle, Cedric Tillman and other players dealing with injuries should monitor their status before plugging them into starting lineups.
Week 16 running back and quarterback rankings also are available. Players from Thursday’s Denver Broncos-Los Angeles Chargers game were removed from my rankings. Advertisement
My rankings, which will be updated based on injuries and other factors, should assist in your starting lineup deliberation.
Davante Adams
Adams scored just twice through the first 12 weeks of this season. He found the end zone four times over his last three games, including a monster 198-yard, two-score effort in the New York Jets’ Week 15 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He also averaged the most fantasy points per game among wide receivers over the last four weeks.
This week, he will take on a Los Angeles Rams defense that just allowed the 11th-most fantasy points and tied for surrendering the third-most receiving scores per game to wide receivers through 15 weeks.
I expect Adams to eclipse 100 yards and find the end zone for the fourth-consecutive game. He is my No. 3 option.
Tee Higgins
Ja’Marr Chase rightfully earned most of the attention out of the Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers room, but Tee Higgins also continues to provide stellar statistics for his fantasy football stock owners.
Higgins found the end zone and/or eclipsed 75 receiving yards in five of his last seven games. Advertisement
The Bengals now will face a Cleveland Browns defense that allowed the fifth-most fantasy points, ninth-most receiving yards (154.1) and tied for surrendering the fifth-most receiving scores (1.1) per game to wide receivers so far this season.
Higgins, who caught four passes for 82 yards and a score against the Browns in Week 7, should have similar success in Week 16.
Look for at least 75 yards and a score from the Bengals playmaker, who sits at No. 11 in my rankings.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Smith-Njigba has been the Seattle Seahawks’ top fantasy football wide receiver this season. The second-year playmaker totaled at least 69 receiving yards in each of his last seven appearances. He also scored four touchdowns during that span, including two in his last four appearances.
Smith-Njigba and the Seahawks will host the generous Minnesota Vikings pass defense Sunday in Seattle. The Vikings allowed the most fantasy points, catches (15) and receiving yards (190.9) per game to wide receivers so far this season.
The Seahawks pass catcher, who is my No. 13 play, is another low-end WR1/high-end WR2 play in Week 16.
Week 16 wide receiver rankings Advertisement
1. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals vs. CLE
2. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at DAL
3. Davante Adams, New York Jets vs. LAR
4. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings at SEA
5. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams at NYJ
6. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles at WAS
7. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys vs. TB
8. Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns at CIN
9. D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears vs. DET
10. Nico Collins, Houston Texans at KC
11. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals vs. CLE
12. Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars at LV
13. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks vs. MIN
14. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions at CHI
15. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders vs. PHI
16. Malik Nabers, New York Giants at ATL
17. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons vs. NYG
18. Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens vs. PIT
19. Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings at SEA
20. Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders vs. JAX
21. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams at NYJ
22. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins vs. SF Advertisement
23. Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions at CHI
24. Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals at CAR
25. Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans at IND
26. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets vs. LAR
27. Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills vs. NE
28. Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers vs. NO
29. Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers at MIA
30. Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons vs. NYG
31. Keenan Allen, Chicago Bears vs. DET
32. Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers vs. ARI
33. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Tennessee Titans at IND
34. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers at MIA
35. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles at WAS
36. Calvin Austin III, Pittsburgh Steelers at BAL
37. DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks vs. MIN
38. Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs vs. HOU
39. DeAndre Hopkins, Kansas City Chiefs vs. HOU
40. Amari Cooper, Buffalo Bills vs. NE
41. Tank Dell, Houston Texans at KC Advertisement
42. Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens vs. PIT
43. Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers vs. NO
44. Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts vs. TEN
45. Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at DAL
46. Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts vs. TEN
47. Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears vs. DET
48. Ray-Ray McCloud, Atlanta Falcons vs. NYG
49. Andrei Iosivas, Cincinnati Bengals vs. CLE
50. Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers vs. NO
NFL: Houston Texans defeat Miami Dolphins
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud throws a pass during the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins at NRG Stadium in Houston on December 15, 2024. The Texans beat the Dolphins 20-12. Photo by Kevin M. Cox/UPI | License Photo
