Week 16 Fantasy Streamers: Top QB, TE, and DEF Picks

And we’re on to the semi-finals. That advancement became a WHOLE LOT EASIER if you started my Stream of the Week QB last week, as Trevor Lawrence went off, scoring six TDs. SIX! What a time to be alive! That performance buoyed my year-long performance, as my Streams of the Week now rank top-10 at every position, and my Best Pick is Top 2. You can read more on that in the Accountability section, but now, let’s get you to a championship with my Week 16 picks.

Each week, I highlight five streaming options at QB, TE, and DEF. These players are available in at least 50% of ESPN leagues and can still provide a matchup edge. With fantasy teams hoarding many of these start-one positions, I have also added a “Look Ahead Option” so you can plan for next week as well. Now, let’s dive into this week’s picks and find the upside you need.

Accountability

Am I any good at this? I’ll let the numbers speak for themselves. In this section, you’ll see how my Stream of the Week (SOTW) and Best Pick finish every week. Since I always provide five options, my Best Pick is the one that scores the most points, even if I didn’t designate it as the Stream of the Week. Essentially, the Best Pick line shows what you could achieve if you streamed only from my weekly lists.

Scores and rankings are based on PPR scoring and 4-point passing touchdowns. Most leagues use 6-point passing touchdowns, but data providers default to 4-point systems, so I’m keeping things consistent.

If you want to see my old picks, this link will take you to my past Stream of the Week articles.

Week 16 Fantasy Streamers

Quarterback

Jacoby Brissett vs. ATL

I am not sure how much more I need to say about Brissett. He has been my Stream of the Week for five of the last six weeks, and he has delivered, plain and simple. He is the QB3 in fantasy since taking over the job in Week 6 and has never scored fewer than 18 fantasy points. It’s inconceivable that he has been available in this many leagues, but my guess is I won’t be able to use him next week. He gets CIN in Week 17, and after this week, he will be well over 50% rostered. Congrats to those who landed him. I could sit here and tell you why ATL is a good matchup, but I’ll end with this: If he can score 20-plus fantasy points on the Texans’ defense, he will be just fine against the Falcons.

Other Options

• C.J. Stroud vs. LV
• Trevor Lawrence @ DEN
• Tyler Shough vs. NYJ
• Bryce Young vs. TB
• Look Ahead Option: You want Brissett or Lawrence, who get CIN and IND, respectively. If you miss them, Shough plays TEN.

Tight End

Colby Parkinson @ SEA (Thursday)

I really wanted this to be Darren Waller. For three weeks, I have been telling anyone who would listen that Waller gets CIN in Week 16 and was a lock for Stream of the Week. But two things happened. First, the Bengals shut down the BAL TEs last week. It was the first good game against the position in a long while and at the worst possible time. Then, the Dolphins benched Tua Tagovailoa. No, he’s not a great QB, but there was a level of trust there that I certainly don’t have in Quinn Ewers. I still like Waller, I just don’t love him. So, we pivot.

Parkinson also scored two TDs last week. In fact, he has scored at least one TD in five of his previous six games, and he found the endzone against SEA in their earlier game, before he was the full-time starter. Throw in the fact that Davante Adams is going to miss the game, and you have an excellent recipe for Parkinson to score yet again. It is a Thursday game, so add him now. But if you miss, Waller is still a solid consolation prize.

Other Options

• Darren Waller vs. CIN
• Dalton Schultz vs. LV
• Brenton Strange @ DEN
• Juwan Johnson vs. NYJ
• Look Ahead Option: Much like at QB, you want Parkinson or Waller, who play ATL and TB, but again, the Saints play TEN, so Juwan Johnson is an option.

Defense

New Orleans Saints vs. NYJ

Choosing the Stream of the Week defense was a toss-up between Kansas City and New Orleans. Both have good matchups, but the Saints seem to be rallying, though they have nothing to play for, while the Chiefs are moving in the opposite direction with their playoff hopes dashed. The Saints are pretty mediocre in both sacks and turnovers, but they can get after the QB. The Jets have allowed multiple sacks in each of their last five games, and are starting Brady Cook once again. The Jaguars managed nine fantasy points against this offense last week, and that is a solid potential output for a streaming defense this late in the season.

Other Options

• Chiefs @ TEN
• Falcons @ ARZ
• Vikings @ NYG
• Panthers vs. TB
• Look Ahead Option: As you may have pieced together above, the Saints play TEN. They are your Championship streaming DEF.

Be sure you’re following Ryan on X/Twitter! If you’re looking for more, you can find Club Fantasy’s Week 16 rankings here!