The day following Christmas is celebrated across Canada as Boxing Day. Each year Tom Brady, a secret Canadian spy, celebrates Boxing Day with an extravagant brunch with all of his favorite football bros–for the first time in a decade Julian Edelman didn’t receive an invite. This year Brady was slinging omelets all over the place, going 22/27 for 348 yards and 4 touchdowns–he now has 36 passing touchdowns on the year–in only one half of football due to blowout circumstances. Rob Gronkowski (2 catches for 28 yards and his 6th and 7th touchdowns) and Mike Evans (10 catches for 181 yards and his 12th and 13th touchdowns) showed up early to the feast, devouring all of the bacon. Chris Godwin (5 catches for 84 yards and his 5th touchdown) got to the party a little later to collect some of the scraps and Leonard Fournette (9 carries for 34 yards, 3 catches for 32 yards and his 6th touchdown) popped in for a brief appearance before ducking out early to score some shopping deals–Boxing Day is a big shopping holiday ya know. Even Antonio Brown (4 catches for 35 yards and his 2nd touchdown) was able to screw his head on long enough to grab himself a Belgian waffle. Anyway, in this post I’ll go over questionable players to watch closely Sunday as well as some sneaky starts this week, who just might be available in your free agent pool depending on how many players are rostered in your league. Plus find my freshly updated week 16 rankings below. Good luck in your fantasy championship pursuits!
Injury Report – Will try to update these periodically Sunday as more info comes out
James Robinson (ankle)- OUT
Jarvis Landry & Rashard Higgins (COVID close contact) – Another Saturday surprise! All of the Browns receivers were COVID close contacts and ineligible to play Sunday. OUT
Daniel Jones (ankle, hamstring)- IN
Tyreek Hill (hamstring) – Questionable, sounds like he’ll play. IN
Antonio Gibson (foot) – Questionable, expected to play. IN
Keenan Allen (hamstring) – Questionable, could be a gametime decision and plays in the afternoon. Make sure you have a backup plan. UPDATE: Not expected to play. OUT
Allen Robinson (hamstring) – Questionable, practiced Friday and expected to play. IN
Terry McLaurin (ankle) – Doubtful, didn’t practice at all this week. OUT
Ezekiel Elliott (calf) – Questionable, expected to play. IN
Sneaky Starts (Yahoo ownership %)
QB
Baker Mayfield (54%) – Hopefully you have a high end option for your title run, but if not, Baker has been locked in lately and now faces the Jets. UPDATE: He no longer has any receivers.
Mitchell Trubisky (16%) – Da Mitch has been surprisingly good since his return and gets the Jags this week.
RB
Dare Ogunbowale (6%) – James Robinson is out, expect Ogunbowale to see some work in the passing game.
Devine Ozigbo (1%) – James Robinson is out, expect Ozigbo to be the Jags early down back. Beware, this isn’t a great matchup against the Bears–these RBs are only for the most desperate.
WR
Russell Gage (31%) – Julio is out again.
Tee Higgins (69%) – They don’t have a QB but Tyler Boyd is out so the opportunity should be there for both Higgins and A.J. Green (36%).
Marvin Hall (4%) – The last Browns receiver standing.
TE
Donald Parham Jr. (0%) – This one’s for real deep leaguers. Hunter Henry is on the COVID list and Herbert likes to use his tight end.
Please feel free to ask any questions you might be pondering down in the comments section.
Here’s my updated week 16 rankings which I’ll continue to update all the way until 1PM ET Sunday:
Any help appreciated. Half PPR.
QB: L Jackson
WR: D Adams, C Samuel, T Higgins
RB: D Cook (DONE), D Swift (DONE)
TE: G Kittle (DONE)
FLEX: J Wilson Jr (DONE)
K: D Carlson (DONE)
DEF: Miami (DONE)
Bench: J Herbert, J Hurts, L Bell, R Gage, C Lamb
FA WR of note: J Meyers, T Patrick, M Hall, J Reagor, A Green, C Hansen, M Gallup
Championship game, with D Adams as the obvious WR1. Otherwise, there are still question marks.
At WR, I need to start 2 of C Samuel, T Higgins, R Gage, C Lamb, or a FA
I’m off to an OK (but not great) start in this championship week. And as you can see, there’s not too much available on the wire, but should I consider Marvin Hill or one of the others? My first reaction is to stay far far away, but I also don’t love my current situation.
My opponent has a solid team, but doesn’t have A Kamara so I don’t need to shoot for the stars. Given D Swift’s lackluster performance, I’m looking for some upside out of my WR2-3 if possible, without giving up the farm.
As for QB, Herbert got me here but Jackson won me the semi-finals. My plan is to stick with him unless there’s a better reason to go with Herbert or Hurts (who I mainly picked up to make sure no one else could use him — unless you think he’s the better bet?).
What do you think? Stick with Samuel and Higgins at WR or is there more upside elsewhere?
Any better options than Lamar? Thanks!
I’d go with Lamb in one of the WR slots and then I have Higgins and Gage at a coin flip so fine with sticking with Higgins if that’s your preference.
I prefer Lamar at QB as well.
No problem, good luck!
10 team PPR. Need 2 WR and a flex. Beasley, Hollywood Brown, Gage, Coutee, Logan Thomas or…James Conner?? Obviously, my stud WR’s are on IR and as good as Beasley’s been, John Brown is back and New England shut him down last time. Also considering Josh Allen sitting for Deshaun Watson…the overthinking is real!
I’d go with Beasley, Hollywood and Gage. Conner close to Gage for me if that’s your preference, he’s the risk/reward play.
Allen/Watson is a coin flip to me, slight lean to Watson though. Good luck!
Hey Donkey! In a standard league are you starting Pollard with Zeke playing or tyron Johnson with Keenan out in the FLEX. I also have DK starting in a bad matchup but can’t stomach sitting him for kupp. Thanks!
Hey Balls!
Is Kupp an option at flex instead of Pollard/Tyron? If so, I’d go that route. If not then I’d go with Pollard over Tyron.
No problem, good luck!
Morning man! Here it is! I feel I’m toast!
Full ppr I’m down 72-70.
Players already went for me:
QB: Brady, 39 pts
RB1: Dalvin Cook, 19 pts
WR1: Hopkins, 12 pts.
——-
My opponents players that went:
Mike Evans : 45 pts
Josh Jacobs: 8 pts
Gronk: 19 pts
——————
My remaining players:
RB2: Chubb, 1pm
WR2: tyreek hill but he’s dealing with a hamstring injury & maybe he’s a decoy ? 1pm
WR3: Calvin Ridley, 1pm
Flex : Zack moss, MNF
Defense: rams D, 4pm
On bench if I don’t trust tyreeks hammy I have Kupp
Kicker I stream leaning bass or zuerlein
————————
My opponents remaining players:
QB: baker, 1pm
RB2: Montgomery, 1
WR2: Allen Robinson, 1pm
WR3: Keenan Allen, 4pm
Flex: zeke : 4pm
D: Washington: 4pm
Kicker: Seattle kicker: 4pm
I need a miracle to pull this off
Forgot to mention I also have Tonyan tonight at TE
Morning Bobby! Eh, I don’t think you’re in as bad of shape as you think. Baker has no WRs and Keenan is out. Anything can happen. Good luck!
He just swapped Keenan for Ty Hilton ! Here we go it’s game day!!
Happy new year DT
Nice, happy new year!
The Cleveland situation threw a wrench into things. My question is what to do with the RBs. I have both Chubb and Hunt, as well as Landry. Here was my lineup before I heard the Cleveland news:
QB Allen
RB Chubb
RB Wilson Jr
WR Hill
WR Landry
TE Kittle
Flex Hunt
Bench: Conner, TY Hilton, Lockett, and Pollard.
Question #1: Need to replace Landry with Lockett or TY. Or, I could grab Chad Hansen or Mike Williams off the wire. Williams could be an option given Allen’s injury.
Question #2: Do I roll with Chubb and Hunt under the assumption they have nobody else to rely on? Or, do I take less risk, keep Chubb but switch out Hunt in the flex with someone else on my roster?
Thank you for the advice!
1) I’d go with Lockett. He’s overdue for a breakout.
2) I’d stick with Chubb and Hunt
No problem, good luck!
Thanks, DT! If Gibson plays (vs CAR), do you still like Dobbins (vs NYG) over him? I also have Taylor (@ PIT). I need to choose one of these three. Thanks!
Yes, it’s close but I still prefer Dobbins. There’s just no telling whether or not they ease Gibson back in and I’d still prefer to avoid the Steelers run D.
No problem, good luck!
Well I screwed up yesterday and didn’t realize Wilson had a Saturday game and left him on my bench as Yahoo told me Robinson was out in the middle of Wilson’s game.. Now Zeke is playing so Pollard is a less attractive choice…anyway, I need a flex in a standard league. Options include –
Kupp, Pollard, C Davis, Cooks, Hilton, T Higgins, Ogunbowale, Gage
Thanks as always
Ah dang! Hopefully it doesn’t end up mattering. I’d go with Kupp there.
No problem, good luck!
The murky waters of WR (.5ppr) ~ D Mooney, T. Johnson, J Reagor … who contributes to a championship?
Very murky. I like Mooney though. Good luck!
Thank you … happy holidays!!!
No problem, good luck!
Looks like Zeke is playing. Would you start Lamb or pollard in .5 ppr format? Thanks
Coin flip territory but I lean Pollard still. No problem, good luck!
need a WR2 today lost mclaurin, landry and boyd
start 1, 16team half-ppr: chad hansen, tyron johnson, marvin hall, cam sims or aj green
tyty!
Terrible luck! I’d try Tyron.
No problem, good luck!
Due to.covid and changes at QB, my choices for Flex in a 12 team ppr are..
Chark- with one of the weakest-armed QBs and no Robinson against Bears D (though there are holes in the zone)
Mooney- same game, dumber QB..
Or Logan Thomas- I guess its Haskins throwing to him
Thanks for your help today.
I’d go with Chark but it’s a toss up between him and Mooney. Could be convinced either way, if you have a gut feeling then go with it.
No problem, good luck!
Need to fill one more flex spot, looking at Gibson, Hunt, Lockett or Logan thomas. Half PPR and a bonus at 100 yards…
Gibson
May have asked you this early in the week but let’s check again .non-PPR 10 bonus points at 100 rushing or receiving yards. Pick three please . We both have 6 players left and I’m down 20 waller got him the bonus
David Johnson, JK dobbins, Jonathan Taylor, Antonio Gibson
Sounds familiar. I’d go DJ, Dobbins, Gibson.
Good luck!
Sit Ezekiel Elliott for Russel Gage at flex in PPR?
Nah I’d stick with Zeke.
Beasley, Claypool, Hilton, Goedert, or Pollard for .5 PPR flex?
I’d go Beasley if your confident in your matchup and want a floor play, Pollard if you feel like an underdog and need some upside.
Matchup currently sits at 50% chance of winning. Half PPR. Which 2 would u play? Henderson, Kareem hunt, gio bernard.
I’d go Gio and Hunt
this doesn’t affect me directly at all in weeks, as i’ve not started either since at worst/most recently darnold’s 1st game back (even in very deep leagues) but it sure looks like gase’s gameplan involves getting useful WR looks to ANYBODY NOT NAMED PERRIMAN and MIMS!!!, which so happen to be their best 2 receivers (crowder too, esp for darnold’s current skill set). obv either of those are ONLY by this point owned as bench players in 20 teamers and/or dynasties for when gase gets the F out and we get to finally see what darnold looks like for real with a chance. but it’s really irritating to see the box score continually showing that each week (esp when both of these HAD good weeks, consecutively even, earlier in year). darnold’s brain might just have so many ghosts forever that gase has ruined him entirely of course no matter what coach/system/o-line whatever gets improved later.
AAron jones i saw that out of bounds before the announcers had to resee it on replay. yep out of bounds, TEN coaches, these guys (like KC a few weeks ago) seriously can’t pay people who’s entire job is to say WATCH THE PLAYS THAT AFFECT YOUR TEAM CLOSELY?! i’m not minding the extra dozens of yards on that, it might set me to win in some spots.
what about those weirdos hanging out during draft at vrabel’s house? i bet they’d not cost much (of course who’s to say how quick to react or accurate they’d be of course)
Ha. I bet those are already the guys in charge and that’s why they missed it.
since c.davis did nothing (appeared to have alexander on him more than on aj brown (which seems odd), tannehill didn’t throw well or the offense mostly at all in snow weather (i REALLY should’ve checked on weather for this game by sat, wouldn’t have played c.davis if i knew that) and GB’s kicker did almost nothing (blocked FG, missed xt point, another xt point they tried going for it) and a.jones was out for a bit in the first half and by the 4th quarter wasn’t used since they were winning by so much i would’ve lost in one important spot if that play didn’t count.
– those weirdos already in place would make sense. too much nitrous/booze/weed/god knows what else likely in them to react quickly.