Five contemporary tales for 5 gamers in Week 16, all tied to the matchups that determine your fantasy soccer playoffs. I’ll stroll you thru the setup and ship 5 takes. It’s Week 16 Tale of the Take — good luck and let’s get it.
Trust and targets ought to journey to Detroit for Kenneth Gainwell
The Tale: You don’t want a cutup to see it. When No. 14 has the ball, it’s simply completely different than when Jaylen Warren has it. On a (*16*) offense quick on trusted cross catchers, Kenneth Gainwell is one of Aaron Rodgers’ guys. Full cease.
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The information tracks the eye check. Gainwell has a 28.1% targets per route run fee, dwelling in a neighborhood often reserved for alpha wideouts like Ja’Marr Chase, Rashee Rice and Amon-Ra St. Brown. He’s additionally in that tiny circle of working backs main their workforce in receptions, alongside Christian McCaffrey and De’Von Achane. That issues in Week 16 as a result of utilization that sticky travels regardless of the look, and this week’s look is tailored to feed him.
Detroit can rating factors in bunches. Vegas hung 52 on the complete with the Lions indoors as 7-point dwelling favorites, which suggests quantity for the Steelers’ passing sport stays alive all day. Since Week 12, the Lions protection has sprung leaks, permitting a league-high 328 passing yards per sport, a league-high 453 complete yards per sport and a league-high 24.5 first downs per sport. That’s precisely what you wish to hear when your working again is a route winner who earns targets each week. Gainwell isn’t simply catching checkdowns. He’s shifting the chains, making performs in house and establishing the offense to maintain the sticks shifting.
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Against Miami, Gainwell dealt with 14 carries and 7 catches. The roles appear fairly outlined. Warren provides physicality between the tackles and at the purpose line, whereas Gainwell is the outlet, the tempo, the participant the quarterback trusts when drives are pressured to go to the air. (*16*) needs to maintain stacking momentum inside the division. Detroit must win to maintain its hopes alive, so the tempo and strain ought to maintain. I’m enjoying Gainwell with zero hesitation and I count on one other excessive workload in the receiving sport with sufficient rush makes an attempt to maintain him locked on the starter radar.
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The Take: Kenneth Gainwell finishes Week 16 as a top-15 fantasy working again.
Slump buster on deck for Justin Herbert
The Tale: It’s been tough. Justin Herbert hasn’t cracked a top-10 quarterback end since Week 9, and the slide matches the state of the line. The Chargers have shuffled our bodies all season they usually’re lacking each bookend tackles, Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater. Even with that, I’m not shying away from Herbert in Dallas. The complete sits at 49.5 with the Cowboys favored by 2.5. The additions up entrance have undoubtedly helped their run protection, but via the air, they’re still giving up manufacturing. Jared Goff went for 309 and a rating. J.J. McCarthy posted two passing touchdowns and added one on the floor. Patrick Mahomes threw 4 touchdowns on 261 yards. Jalen Hurts dropped three touchdowns in the most up-to-date exhibiting.
This is a get-right lane for a passer who can push it.
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The goal tree has been a headache. Ladd McConkey hasn’t hit. Keenan Allen hasn’t delivered. Quentin Johnston has been inconsistent, interval. The backfield has been the lone regular drumbeat. Where Dallas can be had is in house in opposition to that linebacking corps. Oronde Gadsden II’s dimension and pace — plus these second-level points in Dallas — can create actual issues for the ‘Boys. Gadsden can win his own battles or free up teammates on in breakers and red-zone work.
I can’t let you know precisely which Chargers wideout pops. I’m telling you the quarterback bounces again. Herbert’s arm expertise paired together with his willingness to run is sufficient to break the stoop in opposition to this cross protection. Dallas will rating and that can power the Chargers to attain. And right here’s the factor — they will. They completely can. Dallas is a slump-buster protection and this can be a slump-buster spot for Herbert.
The Take: Herbert shakes off the funk and delivers a prime quarterback end in Week 16 versus Dallas.
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Ashton Jeanty vs. Houston — Volume meets a brick wall
The Tale: Listen, I do know the place we drafted Ashton Jeanty. I do know what he was presupposed to be in your roster. The reality is, this surroundings isn’t constructed for constant dashing success proper now. The Raiders are damaged. This workforce has misplaced eight straight and simply acquired buried by the Eagles, barely clearing 100 complete yards of offense. It has been 11 weeks since Jeanty hit 100 yards. He hasn’t scored a dashing landing in six weeks. The receptions aren’t flipping fields. He hasn’t been in a position to present the full skillset behind an offensive line that isn’t holding up and a quarterback scenario in flux between Geno Smith and Kenny Pickett. Geno returning to follow helps, but the job on deck in Week 16 is a buzzsaw.
Houston is an issue. On the season, the Texans have the fourth-best dashing protection at about 92 yards per sport and the fourth-best passing protection at about 176 per sport. Their sack fee sits at 8.5%, which is sixth finest. They enable the fewest first downs per sport at 16. They are top-three on third down. Time of possession tilts their approach and the Raiders enable opponents to carry it for 32 minutes.
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It’s win or go dwelling for us in fantasy. None of that is about Jeanty’s expertise. He’s getting all the things you’ll be able to ask for from a utilization standpoint. He’s a top-three again by utilization. But all the things round him is poor.
If you must roll him as a volume-based RB2, I get it. But on this identical sport, if Woody Marks sits and Jawhar Jordan will get the work, I’d guess Jordan outscores Jeanty. There are different names you can begin over Jeanty this week, even when they don’t sound fairly.
The Take: Ashton Jeanty finishes outdoors the top-20 working backs in Week 16.
Under the lights, it’s subsequent man up — and that’s Colston Loveland
The Tale: Bears and Packers in Chicago on Saturday evening with the division scent in the air. Chicago simply dealt with Cleveland. Green Bay simply took a intestine punch from Denver and got here out of it lighter on our bodies. It misplaced arguably one of the finest defenders in the league in Micah Parsons, whose skill to generate strain and alter the point of interest of protections tilts each snap, and it already misplaced Devonte Wyatt for the season. On prime of that, the Packers may be down a key protector in offensive lineman Zach Tom. That’s a battered group strolling right into a hostile constructing.
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Rookie tight finish Colston Loveland has performed like a grown man at instances this season, has been prepared when his quantity will get referred to as and the runway is there for a spike sport in prime time.
Chicago may be skinny at wideout. As of Wednesday, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III didn’t follow. We’ve seen the Bears make Loveland half of the plan early, then the ball will get unfold and the quantity cools. Even with that, the utilization is actual. Loveland has 5 targets in 4 straight video games. He’s caught not less than 4 passes in three of these 4 and he’s discovered the paint in two of the 4. When he touches it, the power modifications. He’s a pleasant window over the center and a bully in visitors when it’s time to maneuver the sticks.
Green Bay’s protection is dinged. The cross rush and the center of the area gained’t look the identical with out their most important dudes. If Chicago is down a number of receivers, Loveland turns into the strain launch and the finisher in scoring areas.
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I feel Loveland turns into extra of a focus in the offense. The Bears can take a step up in the NFC North with a win, and the rookie is lined as much as assist them get it completed.
The Take: Colston Loveland scores a landing and delivers an enormous Week 16 in opposition to Green Bay.
Big Bengals bounce again
The Tale: It’s been dangerous. Cincinnati opened the fantasy playoffs with a zero in opposition to Baltimore, Joe Burrow threw two picks and took hits and whereas Ja’Marr Chase still stacked catches and yards, the offense was not good. As of Wednesday, Tee Higgins practiced after lacking Week 15 in concussion protocol, and now the Bengals head to Miami as -4.5 favorites. The Dolphins are beginning rookie Quinn Ewers after Tua Tagovailoa was benched. Even in a season that went sideways, these Bengals have stated they wish to put up factors, put up yards, placed on a present. I feel that’s precisely what occurs this weekend.
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Miami’s protection isn’t terrible, but it may be had. It’s permitting about 202 passing yards per sport, but it’s a lot softer on the floor at 132 per sport, which is sixth-worst. On the different facet, Cincinnati is the absolute worst, permitting almost 160 dashing yards per sport, so De’Von Achane can pop explosives that hold this sport spicy and hold Burrow throwing. A rookie quarterback on the different sideline additionally opens the door for quick fields. If Ewers presents a turnover or two, Burrow gained’t want seven-step magic to money. He’ll want rhythm, timing and his guys wholesome sufficient to do what they do.
I count on knowledgeable response. Burrow locks onto Chase early. Tee Higgins’ return issues in the purple space. Chase Brown’s burst performs in opposition to a entrance that tires late in video games. Warm air, clear footing, assured quarterback together with his prime receivers. Cincinnati may be out of the combine, but pride still counts for fantasy soccer. This is the week the Bengals pay you again on the street with quantity, effectivity and sufficient splash to hold lineups.
The Take: Cincinnati will get proper in Miami as Burrow rebounds and Chase, Higgins and Brown ship large fantasy strains in Week 16.