The Los Angeles Rams will face the New York Jets 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 WR Cooper Kupp.
Is Cooper Kupp Playing in Week 16?
Kupp 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 Rams’ 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 Cooper Kupp in Week 16?
We see elite-receiver tandems on occasion, but they are rare. There are instances in which, for a period of time, both alpha receivers are functioning at the peak of their powers, and we get something truly special.
But more often than not, one sees their stock rise while the other fades, making it only a matter of time until the narrative flips and the incumbent becomes the second read, the undercard, and the player whose name carries more weight than their production.
- 2003 with Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce
- 2009 with Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin
- 2017 with Davante Adams and Jordy Nelson
There is a changing of the guard that is uncomfortable for the nostalgic and difficult to pinpoint at the moment. It’s much easier to do what I am doing here and find endpoints with 8-21 years of hindsight in my pocket.
Are we there in Los Angeles? Is Cooper Kupp now Robin to Puka Nacua’s Batman?
I’m not far from going there. I’m not making sweeping claims as a reaction off of Kupp’s second catch-less effort of his career. But the recent advanced profile paints a convincing picture and certainly has me believing that these two are ranked in different stratospheres entering 2025.
Before I get into the long-term analysis (hey, I have to provide value to everyone, not just those fortunate enough to still be chasing a 2024 title, right?), here’s why you should still be starting the veteran receiver.
On the whole, without segmenting certain predictive areas, Kupp’s metrics are still on par with last season, if not ahead. His productivity relative to expectations falls within the 5% margin for error, just like it did in 2023, while his PPR points per target (1.75) are eerily similar (1.73).
Kupp’s overall yards per route are up 12.8%. Like the examples listed above, the veteran WR1 doesn’t fall off a cliff by traditional standards, he’s just not what he was, and that’s where the deeper dive can shed some predictive light as we begin to think about 2025 values.
- First six games: 32.4% on-field target share and a 29% red-zone target rate
- Last four games: 25.5% on-field target share and an 8.3% red-zone target rate
In the snapshot of 2024, that’s a disturbing trend that is unlikely to reverse course as Nacua’s stock takes off, but it’s not the most damning. Think about the best four WRs in the sport.
Pause.
Do it and jot it down.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Nacua, Nico Collins, Justin Jefferson, and Ja’Marr Chase populated the majority of your list, if not all of it. Those also happen to be the top four names on the receiver leaderboard this season when it comes to yards per route run when their quarterback is under pressure.
That tracks, right? When a signal-caller is feeling the heat, he’s going to seek a comfort target, and why would he not go where he is most comfortable?
Kupp’s yards per route when his QB is pressured by season:
- 2021: 2.58 yards
- 2022: 2.05
- 2023: 1.80 (Nacua: 1.64)
- 2024: 0.74 (Nacua: 3.04)
Oh boy. Kupp has been falling down my preliminary 2025 rankings for a month now, and I’m officially worried — for next season. There’s enough meat on the statistical bone to go back to him this week and for as long as your 2024 extends after last Thursday’s airball.
However, write it in the notes section of your phone now: Kupp isn’t likely to be the price of admission next season.
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.
Cooper Kupp’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 16
As of Sunday morning, Kupp is projected to score 15.7 fantasy points in PPR formats. This includes 5.9 receptions for 66.2 yards and 0.5 touchdowns.
Check out the free PFN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
Cooper Kupp’s Fantasy Ranking
Our Weekly Consensus PPR Rankings are below — both positional and overall. They were last updated at 3:45 AM ET on Wednesday, December 25. If you're in a Superflex league, make sure you check out our Weekly Consensus Superflex Rankings.
Week 17 WR PPR Rankings
1) Ja'Marr Chase | CIN (vs. DEN)
2) Puka Nacua | LAR (vs. ARI)
3) Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET (at SF)
4) Justin Jefferson | MIN (vs. GB)
5) Mike Evans | TB (vs. CAR)
6) Nico Collins | HOU (vs. BAL)
7) A.J. Brown | PHI (vs. DAL)
8) CeeDee Lamb | DAL (at PHI)
9) Terry McLaurin | WAS (vs. ATL)
10) Davante Adams | NYJ (at BUF)
11) Tyreek Hill | MIA (at CLE)
12) Tee Higgins | CIN (vs. DEN)
13) Brian Thomas Jr. | JAX (vs. TEN)
14) Courtland Sutton | DEN (at CIN)
15) Ladd McConkey | LAC (at NE)
16) Drake London | ATL (at WAS)
17) Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA (at CHI)
18) Malik Nabers | NYG (vs. IND)
19) Cooper Kupp | LAR (vs. ARI)
20) Garrett Wilson | NYJ (at BUF)
21) Jauan Jennings | SF (vs. DET)
22) Zay Flowers | BAL (at HOU)
23) DJ Moore | CHI (vs. SEA)
24) Jakobi Meyers | LV (at NO)
25) Keenan Allen | CHI (vs. SEA)
26) Jordan Addison | MIN (vs. GB)
27) DK Metcalf | SEA (at CHI)
28) George Pickens | PIT (vs. KC)
29) Calvin Ridley | TEN (at JAX)
30) DeVonta Smith | PHI (vs. DAL)
31) Khalil Shakir | BUF (vs. NYJ)
32) Adam Thielen | CAR (at TB)
33) Jameson Williams | DET (at SF)
34) Deebo Samuel Sr. | SF (vs. DET)
35) Jayden Reed | GB (at MIN)
36) DeAndre Hopkins | KC (at PIT)
37) Xavier Worthy | KC (at PIT)
38) Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI (at LAR)
39) Jaylen Waddle | MIA (at CLE)
40) Darnell Mooney | ATL (at WAS)
41) Jerry Jeudy | CLE (vs. MIA)
42) Josh Downs | IND (at NYG)
43) Jalen McMillan | TB (vs. CAR)
44) Hollywood Brown | KC (at PIT)
45) Rome Odunze | CHI (vs. SEA)
46) Romeo Doubs | GB (at MIN)
47) Amari Cooper | BUF (vs. NYJ)
48) Michael Pittman Jr. | IND (at NYG)
49) Rashod Bateman | BAL (at HOU)
50) Quentin Johnston | LAC (at NE)
51) Jalen Coker | CAR (at TB)
52) DeMario Douglas | NE (vs. LAC)
53) Wan'Dale Robinson | NYG (vs. IND)
54) Christian Watson | GB (at MIN)
55) Nick Westbrook-Ikhine | TEN (at JAX)
56) Elijah Moore | CLE (vs. MIA)
57) Marquez Valdes-Scantling | BUF (vs. NYJ)
58) Calvin Austin III | PIT (vs. KC)
59) Joshua Palmer | LAC (at NE)
60) Robert Woods | HOU (vs. BAL)
61) Parker Washington | JAX (vs. TEN)
62) Tim Patrick | DET (at SF)
63) Ray-Ray McCloud III | ATL (at WAS)
64) John Metchie III | HOU (vs. BAL)
65) Keon Coleman | BUF (vs. NYJ)
66) David Moore | CAR (at TB)
67) Devaughn Vele | DEN (at CIN)
68) Michael Wilson | ARI (at LAR)
69) Tre Tucker | LV (at NO)
70) Kendrick Bourne | NE (vs. LAC)
71) Mike Williams | PIT (vs. KC)
72) Marvin Mims Jr. | DEN (at CIN)
73) Andrei Iosivas | CIN (vs. DEN)
74) Kayshon Boutte | NE (vs. LAC)
75) Malik Washington | MIA (at CLE)
76) Olamide Zaccheaus | WAS (vs. ATL)
77) Brandin Cooks | DAL (at PHI)
78) Sterling Shepard | TB (vs. CAR)
79) Tyler Lockett | SEA (at CHI)
80) Demarcus Robinson | LAR (vs. ARI)
81) Adonai Mitchell | IND (at NYG)
82) Dyami Brown | WAS (vs. ATL)
83) Dontayvion Wicks | GB (at MIN)
84) Alec Pierce | IND (at NYG)
85) Allen Lazard | NYJ (at BUF)
86) Van Jefferson | PIT (vs. KC)
87) Darius Slayton | NYG (vs. IND)
88) Ricky Pearsall | SF (vs. DET)
89) Jalen Tolbert | DAL (at PHI)
90) Jamison Crowder | WAS (vs. ATL)
91) Tyler Boyd | TEN (at JAX)
92) Troy Franklin | DEN (at CIN)
93) Kevin Austin Jr. | NO (vs. LV)
94) Mack Hollins | BUF (vs. NYJ)
95) Tutu Atwell | LAR (vs. ARI)
96) Jalen Nailor | MIN (vs. GB)
97) KaVontae Turpin | DAL (at PHI)
98) JuJu Smith-Schuster | KC (at PIT)
99) Michael Woods II | CLE (vs. MIA)
100) Justin Watson | KC (at PIT)