Week 16 of the fantasy football season means just one thing. It’s time to crown a champion! After one of the craziest seasons in recent history, you’re just one win away from the ultimate glory. Don’t let a mishap in your wide receiver room derail your quest for victory. Our Week 16 fantasy WR rankings break down who you should start and help you avoid those costly WR busts.
What to keep in mind heading into Week 16 and searching for the best fantasy football wide receiver
Week 15 saw a whole raft of wide receivers ruled out due to injury. Therefore, make sure you check the injury report right up to kickoff. Michael Thomas won’t play another game for your fantasy team this season after heading to injured reserve last week. Atlanta Falcons’ pass catcher Julio Jones was ruled out last week, as was Detroit Lions wide receiver Kenny Golladay.
Both could be considered fantasy WR busts, with Jones managing just 771 yards and three touchdowns in 2020.
Week 16 encompasses the holiday weekend, and the NFL has a present for you. The Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints face off on Christmas Day. Meanwhile, on Saturday, there is a triple header of festive football action, starting with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers traveling to Ford Field to take on the Detroit Lions.
As a result of so many games early in Week 16, it’s important to make sure you set your lineup early. There are several pass catchers from our Week 16 fantasy WR rankings in action in those early games. Make sure you take advantage of these must start receivers and avoid those WR busts.
Tyreek Hill tops the top 5 fantasy WR rankings
1) Tyreek Hill, KC vs. ATL
2) Davante Adams, GB vs TEN
3) Keenan Allen, LAC vs DEN
4) Adam Thielen, MIN @ NO
5) Allen Robinson, CHI @ JAX
Tyreek Hill is an absolute home run hit at the top of our Week 16 fantasy WR rankings. His matchup against the Atlanta Falcons gives him the perfect opportunity to add to his already impressive fantasy football resume. The Falcons have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to the wide receiver position this season.
Hill leads the NFL in total fantasy points this year. He also ties the lead for receiving touchdowns ahead of Week 15. He is a must-start, and owners of Sammy Watkins and Mecole Hardman should feel comfortable about starting them as well. There will be no such thing as WR busts in the Kansas City wide receiver room this week.
Consistent scorers and prime matchups
Behind Hill, Davante Adams and Keenan Allen have been two of the most consistent high scorers in fantasy football as per Phillip Caldwell’s Fantasy Football Consistency Score. Allen already has a double-digit game against a Broncos defense that allowed huge fantasy points to the Buffalo Bills in Week 15. Therefore, Allen is a must-start as he looks to break 1000 receiving yards for the year.
Chicago Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson has defied mediocre quarterback play to consistently produce for your fantasy football team this season. His matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars earns him a place in the top 5 of our Week 16 fantasy WR rankings. The Jaguars have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to wide receivers in 2020.
Robert Woods rounds out the tier 1 fantasy WR rankings
6) Robert Woods, LAR @ SEA
7) Mike Evans, TB @ DET
8) Stefon Diggs, BU @ NE
9) Jarvis Landry, CLE @ NYJ
10) Emmanuel Sanders, NO vs. MIN
The theme of consistency and favorable matchups continues to define our Week 16 fantasy WR rankings. Robert Woods faces a Seattle Seahawks defense that has allowed the third-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season. Woods continues to be a more reliable option in this Los Angeles Rams offense than teammate Cooper Kupp.
Mike Evans, Jarvis Landry, and Emmanuel Sanders might not have been the highest scorers for your fantasy football team, but they have fantastic matchup opportunities this week. Therefore you would be foolish not to start them. Sanders, in particular, has the potential to score big. He should be the favored target of Drew Brees as a result of Michael Thomas’ injury, and the Minnesota Vikings have allowed the most fantasy points of any team.
Tier 2: Fantasy WR rankings for Week 16
- DeAndre Hopkins, ARI
- Calvin Ridley, ATL
- Amari Cooper, DAL
- A.J. Brown, TEN
- Justin Jefferson, MIN
- Tyler Boyd, CIN
- Chris Godwin, TB
- Cooper Kupp, LAR
- D.K Metcalf, SEA
- Terry McLaurin, WAS
Tier 3: Fantasy WR rankings for Week 16
- Brandon Aiyuk, SF
- DeVante Parker, MIA
- Tyler Lockett, SEA
- JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT
- Robbie Anderson, CAR
- Michael Pittman Jr., IND
- Jamison Crowder, NYJ
- Cole Beasley, BUF
- Nelson Agholor, LV
- D.J. Moore, CAR
Tier 4: Fantasy WR rankings for Week 16
- Corey Davis, TEN
- Marvin Jones Jr., DET
- Brandin Cooks, HOU
- CeeDee Lamb, DAL
- Tim Patrick, DEN
- Chase Claypool, PIT
- Tee Higgins, CIN
- Jalen Reagor, PHI
- D.J. Chark Jr., JAX
- Mecole Hardman, KC
Tier 5: Fantasy WR rankings for Week 16
- Marquise Brown, BAL
- Sterling Shepherd, NYG
- KJ Hamler, DEN
- Tre’Quan Smith, NO
- Allen Lazard, GB
- Rashard Higgins, CLE
- Diontae Johnson, PIT
- Travis Fulgham, PHI
- Antonio Brown, TB
- Darnell Mooney, CHI
Tier 6: Fantasy WR rankings for Week 16
- Mike Williams, LAC
- Sammy Watkins, KC
- Darius Slayton, NYG
- Breshad Perriman, NYJ
- Danny Amendola, DET
- Laviska Shenault Jr., JAX
- Christian Kirk, ARI
- Russell Gage, ATL
- Kendrick Bourne, SF
- Hunter Renfrow, LV
Want more fantasy football analysis and news?
Be sure to follow us on Twitter: @PFN365 to stay up to date with all things around the NFL and the 2020 fantasy football season. Also, continue to visit Pro Football Network for NFL news and in-depth analysis while also seeing our fantasy football section for more coverage and up-to-date rankings.
Oliver Hodgkinson is an NFL Draft and NFL analytics contributor for the Pro Football Network. You can follow him on Twitter at @ojhodgkinson.