Early Fantasy Football Start 'Em Sit 'Em Picks for Week 16 ft. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Philip Rivers, Gardner Minshew II, De'Von Achane

Week 16 is here in fantasy football, which means it is the penultimate week. If you've survived this long, congratulations, but there are still two of your most difficult games remaining. To help get you ready for them, Sportskeeda has compiled a list of names across the league worth starting and other names worth forgetting.

Here's a look at who you should start and who you should sit in Week 16.

Fantasy Football Week 16 Start 'Em picks

Jaxon Smith-Njigba at Indianapolis Colts v Seattle Seahawks - NFL 2025 - Source: Getty

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Many of the usual suspects who have been set-and-forget players are still here. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Puka Nacua and other stars are worth starting.

Two matchups worth circling are the Los Angeles Chargers facing the Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins facing the Cincinnati Bengals. Both the Cowboys and Bengals have struggled this year, setting the stage for big games for Omarion Hampton, Keenan Allen, and De'Von Achane.

Some names to consider off the beaten fantasy football path are Shedeur Sanders and Jerry Jeudy, as the Cleveland Browns face the Buffalo Bills, a team with a defense that has quietly been mortal this season.

Must Starts

Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Matthew Stafford
Puka Nacua
Davante Adams
Saquon Barkley
Jalen Hurts
Josh Jacobs
Jayden Reed
Justin Herbert
Omarion Hampton
Kimani Vidal
Keenan Allen
Justin Jefferson
Tua Tagovailoa
Jaylen Waddle
De'Von Achane
Mike Evans
Josh Allen
Josh Jacobs
Shedeur Sanders
Jerry Jeudy
Courtland Sutton
Bo Nix
Travis Etienne Jr.
Kyle Pitts Sr.
Michael Wilson
C.J. Stroud
Nico Collins
DK Metcalf
Derrick Henry
Philip Rivers
Christian McCaffrey
Amon-Ra St. Brown
Jahmyr Gibbs
Ja'Marr Chase
Jonathan Taylor

Fantasy Football Week 16 Sit 'Em picks

Lamar Jackson at Baltimore Ravens v Cincinnati Bengals - NFL 2025 - Source: Getty

While there are plenty of fantasy football names to consider start-worthy, there are also others that should be avoided. Lamar Jackson isn't trustworthy from a season-long perspective and also a matchup perspective in Week 16. Jackson is set to face the New England Patriots in prime time, coming off a big loss to the Buffalo Bills. Get out of the way on this one.

Another room you should think twice before featuring in your fantasy football lineup is the Pittsburgh Steelers running back room. The team is set to face the Detroit Lions, a team that is likely to control the contest, leaving the Steelers to chase.

Once the Steelers get behind, they won't have a choice but to throw often to get back into the contest, which could render Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell ineffective.

Another team fantasy football managers should avoid is the Kansas City Chiefs. With Patrick Mahomes out of the lineup and the offense struggling, you should not prioritize starting Gardner Minshew or his cohorts. Mahomes is expected to miss the rest of the season, according to a Sunday ESPN report, so Kansas City's entire offense will look much different to conclude the year.