Of course, to achieve success, we must be on top of recent developments. Keep an eye on Austin Ekeler (@ Colts in Week 16), who got dinged up and ceded some carries to Joshua Kelley in the Chargers’ Week 15 knock-down, drag-out battle with Tennessee. Still, Ek was clearly more explosive (5.0 yards per touch compared to Kelley’s 3.1) and qualifies as a potential matchup-winner against the Colts if he’s a full go this weekend. Speaking of Indy, Jonathan Taylor (ankle) hit the trainer’s room early last Saturday, and with nothing left to play for, he could be out again this week. Enter Zack Moss and Deon Jackson (vs. Chargers) into the flex conversation, as L.A. has surrendered the fifth-most fantasy points to RBs this season. 

Jerick McKinnon (vs. Seahawks) could also be a league-winner, as he’s caught fire over the past two weeks. McKinnon has surpassed rookie Isiah Pacheco in terms of floor and ceiling after back-to-back monster performances. Both backs are strong plays against a soft Seahawks D allowing the most fantasy points to RBs over the past four weeks (41.6 per game). 

WEEK 16 PPR RANKINGS:QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers

Jeff Wilson Jr. (vs. Packers) could return from his hip injury this week, but we have running mate Raheem Mostert remaining ahead of him in the rankings, as he should continue to see the bulk of Miami’s RB touches. Similarly, New England’s backfield belongs to Rhamondre Stevenson (vs. Bengals), so we don’t have high hopes for Damien Harris (thigh) even if he does return.

WEEK 16 STANDARD RANKINGS:QBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers

We saw meager Week 15 game logs from the RBs in the Lions-Jets game, but we’re not too worried about Detroit’s Jamaal Williams and D’Andre Swift (@ Panthers) or New York’s Zonovan Knight (@ Jaguars). Carolina just surrendered 156 ground yards and three rushing TDs to the Steelers last week, and the Jaguars have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to RBs in the NFL over the past two weeks (and 11th-most on the season). We also expect bounce-back efforts from Tampa Bay’s Rachaad White and Leonard Fournette (@ Cardinals), who remain almost equal in value. Arizona has yielded the seventh-most fantasy points over the past month, so consider both backs in the RB2/flex conversation.

WEEK 16 DFS: Best values | Best stacks

The same goes for Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott (vs. Eagles) in a slightly below-average matchup against Philadelphia and Devin Singletary and James Cook (@ Bears) in a favorable matchup in Chicago. Given their respective offenses, their ceilings are too high for you to sit them in 12-team leagues. D’Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard (@ Lions) are slightly riskier, especially with Detroit playing better defense lately, but the Lions entered Week 15 allowing the seventh-most rushing yards per game, so you can take a chance on Foreman as a low-end RB2 and Hubbard as a flex. Ditto for JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards (vs. Falcons) in a favorable home matchup.

WEEK 16 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel

Several prominent backs could be on start ’em, sit ’em bubbles thanks to tough matchups this week, including Travis Etienne Jr. (@ Jets), Joe Mixon (@ Patriots), Miles Sanders (@ Cowboys), David Montgomery (vs. Bills), James Conner (vs. Buccaneers), Cam Akers (vs. Broncos), and Brian Robinson (@ 49ers). Mixon and Sanders are in too good of offenses to sit in 12-team leagues, and Conner is playing his best football of his season right now, so we’d stick with him, too.

WEEK 16 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Busts | Start ’em, sit ’em

Akers is a tougher call, but he serves as the Rams’ bell-cow back for the foreseeable future, and Denver just let Conner rack up 91 yards and a score, so he can still work as a 12-team flex. Montgomery is interesting with Khalil Herbert (hip) possibly back, but he’s versatile enough to rack up some cheap points in catch-up mode against Buffalo. Etienne is truly on the bubble, as Robert Saleh’s D has allowed 52.6 ground yards per game to the past five lead backs New York has faced, but Etienne gets good enough volume work as a flex in most formats.

Robinson Jr. has also played well enough to merit consideration as a flex, but he shouldn’t be blindly started against San Francisco’s top-ranked run defense, especially with Antonio Gibson continuing to steal touches. Similarly, Cordarrelle Patterson and Tyler Allgeier (@ Ravens) eat into each other’s values, and in a matchup against Baltimore’s third-ranked run defense, it’s tough to trust either despite their obvious talent.

We also want nothing to do with Houston’s committee of Royce Freeman, Dare Ogunbowale, and Rex Burkhead (@ Titans). If you need to start one, Freeman looks like the best bet, but you can do better. Dameon Pierce was the only fantasy-relevant asset in H-town, but his Week 14 ankle injury ended all that. Don’t ruin your playoff run by trusting the untrustworthy. 

Note: We’ll be updating these RB rankings throughout the week, so check back for analysis and the latest player movement.

Week 16 fantasy RB rankings for standard leagues

Rankings based on standard, non-PPR scoring leagues

Rank    Player 1    Derrick Henry, Titans vs. Texans 2    Austin Ekeler, Chargers @ Colts 3    Alvin Kamara, Saints @ Browns 4    Christian McCaffrey, 49ers vs. Commanders 5    Dalvin Cook, Vikings vs. Giants 6    Josh Jacobs, Raiders @ Steelers 7    Saquon Barkley, Giants @ Vikings 8    Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots vs. Bengals 9    Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks @ Chiefs 10    Najee Harris, Steelers vs. Raiders 11    Nick Chubb, Browns vs. Saints 12    Tony Pollard, Cowboys vs. Eagles 13    Raheem Mostert, Dolphins vs. Packers 14    JK Dobbins, Ravens vs. Falcons 15    Jamaal Williams, Lions @ Panthers 16    Jerick McKinnon, Chiefs vs. Seahawks 17    Zonovan Knight, Jets @ Jaguars 18    Devin Singletary, Bills @ Bears 19    Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs vs. Seahawks 20    Rachaad White, Buccaneers @ Cardinals 21    Aaron Jones, Packers @ Dolphins 22    David Montgomery, Bears vs. Bills 23    Joe Mixon, Bengals @ Patriots 24    Miles Sanders, Eagles @ Cowboys 25    Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys vs. Eagles 26    Zack Moss, Colts vs. Chargers 27    D’Onta Foreman, Panthers vs. Lions 28    Travis Etienne Jr., Jaguars @ Jets 29    James Conner, Cardinals vs. Buccaneers 30    Leonard Fournette, Buccaneers @ Cardinals 31    D’Andre Swift, Lions @ Panthers 32    Deon Jackson, Colts vs. Chargers 33    Jeff Wilson Jr., Dolphins vs. Packers 34    Cam Akers, Rams vs. Broncos 35    Brian Robinson Jr., Commanders @ 49ers 36    Chuba Hubbard, Panthers vs. Lions 37    James Cook, Bills @ Bears 38    Tyler Allgeier, Falcons @ Ravens 39    Cordarrelle Patterson, Falcons @ Ravens 40    Latavius Murray, Broncos @ Rams 41    Gus Edwards, Ravens vs. Falcons 42    Royce Freeman, Texans @ Titans 43    Antonio Gibson, Commanders @ 49ers 44    Damien Harris, Patriots vs. Bengals 45    AJ Dillon, Packers @ Dolphins 46    Michael Carter, Jets vs. Jaguars 47    Jordan Mason, 49ers vs. Commanders 48    Khalil Herbert Bears vs. Bills 49    Joshua Kelley Chargers @ Colts 50    Jaylen Warren, Steelers vs. Raiders 51    Samaje Perine, Bengals @ Patriots 52    Dare Ogunbowale, Texans @ Titans 53    Kenneth Gainwell, Eagles @ Cowboys 54    Kyren Williams, Rams vs. Broncos 55    Kareem Hunt, Browns vs. Saints 56    Alexander Mattison, Vikings vs. Giants 57    Justin Jackson, Lions @ Panthers 58    Marlon Mack, Broncos @ Rams 59    Zamir White, Raiders @ Steelers 60    Travis Homer, Seahawks @ Chiefs 61    JaMycal Hasty, Jaguars @ Jets 62    Keaontay Ingram, Cardinals vs. Buccaneers 63    Ameer Abdullah, Raiders @ Steelers

Week 16 RB fantasy projections, rankings from Draft Sharks

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