The San Francisco 49ers will face the Miami Dolphins in Week 16. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, especially regarding QB Brock Purdy.
Is Brock Purdy Playing in Week 16?
Purdy is not listed on the injury report this week, so barring any setbacks, he is on track to play this weekend.
We’ll continue to monitor the 49ers injury report. You can also visit and bookmark our NFL Injury Tracker and Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Should You Start or Sit Brock Purdy in Week 16?
What has happened to our reliable Brock Purdy?
Last season, Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts were the only QBs in the league with more 20-point performances. The ceiling wasn’t elite, but we felt good about what we’d get weekly, and that was enough to start Purdy with confidence.
This season? Not so much. Over his last five games, Purdy has cleared 18.0 fantasy points three times and failed to reach 4.0 twice. That’s not what we signed up for, and it’s possible that last week’s dud against a vulnerable Rams defense doomed you.
Fantasy doesn’t always mirror reality, but in this case, the inconsistencies align. Against LA, Purdy completed just 9 of 19 non-pressured passes, the worst rate of his career (47.4%). His lack of confidence in his bail-out options is clearly a part of this mess, and, sad to say, that’s not going to change.
Purdy’s completion percentage this season drops from 70.8% when Christian McCaffrey is on the field to 63.8% without the star tailback.
But there’s hope. Er, there’s hope if you think this 49ers team can live up to their potential for the next 60 minutes, understanding that there aren’t likely to be weather concerns and a mini-bye this late in the season is never a bad thing.
Since the beginning of October …
- Purdy’s fantasy points in wins: 24.0 PPG
- Purdy’s fantasy points in losses: 11.0 PPG
Your confidence in Purdy comes down to your projection of this game. I happen to like San Francisco’s chances, which is why he slips into my top 12 at the position. However, I’d be lying if I said I was starting him with the utmost confidence (eight carries for 18 yards thus far in December).
I’m nothing if not a hopeless optimist, so I’ll leave you with this — the last time Purdy had extended rest, he threw for a season-high 353 yards in Florida. This offense remains talented, and if this turns into a track meet, we should see the “good” version of this now wild card option.
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Week 16 Fantasy Start-Sit Advice Cheat Sheet for every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Brock Purdy’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 16
As of Sunday morning, Purdy is projected to score 19.9 fantasy points in Week 16. This includes 265.7 passing yards, 1.8 passing touchdowns, and 0.8 interceptions. It also includes 3.9 rushing attempts for 14.3 yards and 0.2 touchdowns.
Check out the free PFN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
Brock Purdy’s Fantasy Ranking
Our Weekly Consensus PPR Rankings are below — both positional and overall. They were last updated at 8:30 AM ET on Sunday, January 12. If you're in a Superflex league, make sure you check out our Wild Card Superflex Rankings.
Wild Card QB PPR Rankings
1) Josh Allen | BUF (vs. DEN)
2) Lamar Jackson | BAL (vs. PIT)
3) Jalen Hurts | PHI (vs. GB)
4) Jayden Daniels | WAS (at TB)
5) Baker Mayfield | TB (vs. WAS)
6) Sam Darnold | MIN (at LAR)
7) Bo Nix | DEN (at BUF)
8) Justin Herbert | LAC (at HOU)
9) Jordan Love | GB (at PHI)
10) Matthew Stafford | LAR (vs. MIN)
11) Russell Wilson | PIT (at BAL)
12) C.J. Stroud | HOU (vs. LAC)
13) Justin Fields | PIT (at BAL)
14) Kenny Pickett | PHI (vs. GB)
15) Jimmy Garoppolo | LAR (vs. MIN)
16) Kyle Trask | TB (vs. WAS)
17) Devin Leary | BAL (vs. PIT)
18) Nick Mullens | MIN (at LAR)
19) Mitchell Trubisky | BUF (vs. DEN)
20) Marcus Mariota | WAS (at TB)
21) Jarrett Stidham | DEN (at BUF)
22) Easton Stick | LAC (at HOU)
23) Davis Mills | HOU (vs. LAC)
24) Malik Willis | GB (at PHI)