Three games Saturday, a bunch more on Sunday, and the main event Monday night caps off Week 16 in the NFL. Incredibly, it’s the final weekend for most fantasy football leagues so here’s hoping your team gets a sprinkling of post-Christmas magic!
Below are my top four sleeper and DFS value picks. Happy Holidays, and hit me up with any questions on Twitter @AndyMc81 using #AskAndy. Good luck!
Greg Ward, WR, Eagles
Yahoo! League ownership = 4 per cent
Draft Kings salary = $4,000
Any time a rookie quarterback takes over during a season his preferred targets can come into question. Jalen Hurts is now in charge, and with that awakens Greg Ward’s fantasy potential. Ward hauled in a pair of touchdowns last week and the ball is been chucked his way exactly five times in each of Philadelphia’s three previous games.
The undrafted sophomore is one of several options as Hurts spreads the ball around, but there is definitely a growing comfort level between the two. It’s a plus matchup for Philly wide receivers as they take on the rival Cowboys whose defense is allowing the third-most fantasy points to that position group.
Is there a risk slotting in Ward? Of course. However, he is the most widely available wide receiver out there that could provide some solid production. Makes for a nice value contrarian DFS choice as well.
Jeff Wilson Jr. – RB – 49ers
Yahoo! League ownership: 58 per cent
Draft Kings salary: $5,000
The 49ers season of injuries continues as another quarterback bites the dust and running back Raheem Mostert is now on I.R. For fantasy owners this at least provides clarity in San Francisco’s murky backfield as Jeff Wilson Jr. jumps into top spot for first and second downs. There’s always a chance that the fading Tevin Coleman comes out of nowhere or Jerick McKinnon pops, but head coach Kyle Shanahan has leaned on Wilson when healthy.
A heavy rushing strategy would make sense with third-stringer CJ Beathard under centre and facing a middle of the pack Cardinals front-seven. Wilson has also found the endzone on the ground in consecutive weeks.
Tyler Higbee, TE, Rams
Yahoo! League ownership: 51 per cent
Draft Kings salary: $4,000
I’ve been getting a ton of tight end streaming questions leading into fantasy championship matchups. Outside of Travis Kelce, Darren Waller, and the now reactivated George Kittle, there are very few sure things at that position in 2020. That’s why we need to watch for upward trends in usage. This is where Tyler Higbee comes in.
After a mostly disappointing campaign, Higbee’s found pay dirt in two of his last three with an increased target share in those pair of successful outings. Rising rookie star running back Cam Akers will not suit up, which will hopefully lend itself to more passes coming Higbee’s way. There’s a shootout possibility versus Seattle, and the 6’6” Western Kentucky alum did post 60-receiving yards on these Seahawks when they previously squared off in Week 10.
If you’re fighting for a fantasy title I hope you have a better tight end rostered, but if not, there’s at least a path to success for Higbee.
Gio Bernard, RB, Bengals
Yahoo! League ownership: 67 per cent
Draft Kings salary: $4,800
Cincinnati upsetting Pittsburgh on Monday was a fun ride (especially for this Browns fan!), and they now take on a worse defence at Houston on Sunday. Gio Bernard was unlocked for 25-carries as well as a touchdown in the Steelers’ victory, and is an under the radar flex play for PPR formats.
We can’t count on any of the Bengals backup QBs to do much, however, the Texans have given up the second most FPTs to running backs. It would be nice to see Bernard establish touches early on as pass-happy coach Zac Taylor attempts to control the clock. For whatever it’s worth, the veteran is the clear RB-1 in Cincy’s backfield.
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