Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey led the Chargers in catches again in a Week 16 win, making six catches on six targets for 87 yards. McConkey made some huge catches in this one and got some solid yardage after the catch as well. His long play was a 27-yard gain on his first target of the game. Quarterback Justin Herbert ended up targeting 10 different pass catchers in this game, but McConkey still remained the clear first look on most plays. The Bolts spreading the ball around so much limits McConkey's counting stats, but he's still a solid WR2 with a high floor week in and week out.

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New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (hand) wants to return before the end of the 2024 regular season, according to Matthew Paras of The Times-Picayune. Carr has been sidelined since the waning minutes of Week 14, and it appears the Saints are leaving the door open for him to start in Week 16. Even if he doesn't recover in time to suit up on Sunday, the veteran quarterback has communicated to interim head coach Darren Rizzi that he wants to play again this season. If active in time for Week 17 against the Las Vegas Raiders, Carr would rank as a mid-range fantasy QB2.

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Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth has scored in three straight games and will look to take advantage of a juicy matchup against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens in Week 16. The Ravens surrender the most passing yards in the league and the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. Freiermuth has seen an uptick in his opportunities lately with George Pickens (hamstring) sidelined. He should continue to get plenty of looks from quarterback Russell Wilson on Saturday as Pickens will once again be inactive. Fantasy managers who have been streaming the position or searching for a consistent option can start Freiermuth as a low-end TE1 with upside this week.

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Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer made three catches in a Week 16 win over the Denver Broncos. Palmer tied for the team lead in targets with six, making his three catches for 41 yards. He also made an incredible catch to score on a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter. Palmer made some solid plays in this game and remains an important part of the Chargers offense on the field, but it just isn't translating to fantasy value. He and the Bolts will face the Patriots on Saturday in Week 17.

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Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams certainly had a bigger role in the offense with Jaleel McLaughlin (quadriceps) out in the Thursday night loss to the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers, but not in the way that many would have predicted. Williams took a back seat to rookie Audric Estime on the ground in the 34-27 loss with only four carries for 24 yards (6.0 yards per tote), but he surprisingly led the team in targets (11), securing a team-high and season-high seven catches for 29 yards through the air. Rookie QB Bo Nix was content to check it down most of the night, with Williams benefitting. The 24-year-old came into Thursday's game with a disappointing 3.5 yard-per-carry average on the ground, although he was much more efficient on limited touches against LA. It's unlikely he'll be this involved in the passing game again, but if McLaughlin misses another game, Williams will have RB3/flex appeal in a plus matchup against Cincinnati in Week 17.

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Los Angeles Chargers tight end Stone Smartt made three catches on three targets in a Week 16 win over the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football. Smartt got another start with Will Dissly (shoulder) still unavailable. The Bolts did activate tight end Hayden Hurst before this game, but Smartt was still the clear starter at the position. With his three catches, Smartt gained 37 yards with a long gain of 19. He's been a solid contributor since joining the starting lineup and should continue as a solid TE2 option as long as Dissly remains out.

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Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Kimani Vidal ran the ball five times in a Week 16 win over the Denver Broncos, gaining 24 yards. He was not targeted in the passing game. Most of Vidal's yards in this game came on a big 19-yard run. He spent some time as the lead back while Gus Edwards was tended to on the sidelines due to an injury, but when Edwards was healthy he was the clear lead back for the Bolts. That will likely continue next week when the Chargers face the Patriots on Saturday in Week 17.

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Despite the Denver Broncos' Week 16 Thursday night loss to the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers, rookie quarterback Bo Nix had a solid showing for his fantasy managers by going 29-for-40 for 263 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Nix was sacked twice for a loss of 18 yards and ran the ball three times for 25 yards in the 34-27 defeat. He fumbled once, but the Broncos were able to recover. Most importantly, the first-rounder out of Oregon avoided turnovers after tossing five interceptions the last two games. The 24-year-old looked really good in the first half against a strong defense, with both of his touchdown passes coming in the first two quarters, but he struggled in the second half and the vaunted Denver D was unable to hold a two-score lead. Nix has 250-plus passing yards in four of his last five games and will have clear QB1 upside in a great matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals next week.

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Los Angeles Chargers running back Hassan Haskins scored a touchdown in a Week 16 win over the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football. Haskins did not record a rushing attempt, but he was targeted twice in the passing game, making two catches for a total of 39 yards. His touchdown came on a shovel pass from quarterback Justin Herbert that turned into a 34-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Haskins will continue playing an important role on the real life Chargers, but he's unlikely to do much in fantasy leagues despite his exciting play in this game.

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New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler is expected to start in Week 16 if Derek Carr (hand) isn't able to play, according to ESPN's Katherine Terrell. Carr faces an uphill battle to play, but the Saints are leaving the door open for him to suit up against the Green Bay Packers. Regardless of who starts next Sunday night, neither quarterback is a reliable option for fantasy purposes in leagues with 14 or fewer teams. Carr has just one turnover over his last five games but has delivered subpar production in fantasy football. Meanwhile, Rattler came off the bench last week and went on to tally 135 passing yards and one touchdown. This news is equally noteworthy for Kendre Miller, Juwan Johnson, and Cedrick Wilson, whose fantasy values hinge on reliable production at the quarterback position.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III saw an expanded role in last week's loss and will hope to do more with his opportunities in a Week 16 clash with the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore has been decimated by wide receivers all season, surrendering the second-most fantasy points to the position. Because Pittsburgh will again be without wideout George Pickens (hamstring), Austin should operate as a top option in the passing game after playing on 81% of offensive snaps and tallying 65 receiving yards in Week 15. He certainly has upside in this matchup, but Austin's utilization has been far too inconsistent to trust in him in most fantasy formats. The 25-year-old can be viewed as a desperation flex option in deeper leagues on Saturday.

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With Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin (quadriceps) out for the Week 16 contest on Thursday night against the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers, rookie Audric Estime was Denver's lead rusher in the 34-27 loss. Estime had team-highs in carries (nine) and rushing yards (48) while finding the end zone for the first time in his NFL career. He was not targeted in the passing game. The nine carries were the second-most that the 21-year-old fifth-rounder has seen in his first year in the NFL, and he averaged a healthy 5.3 yards per carry. The Broncos certainly have high hopes for Estime in the long term, but how big of a role he'll have in a strong matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals' porous defense in Week 17 will probably all come down to the health of McLaughlin. The fact that Estime hasn't really been utilized in the running game would also make him no better than an RB3/flex if McLaughlin misses another game.

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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren was quiet in last week's loss but will look to get back on track in Week 16 against the Baltimore Ravens. Although the Ravens have been stout against the run this season, they surrender plenty of catches and receiving yards to the running back position. When Warren last faced Baltimore in Week 11, he hauled in all four of his targets and posted 68 total yards. With George Pickens (hamstring) already ruled out for Saturday's contest, expect the Steelers to lean on the running game and get Warren involved as a pass-catcher, especially if Pittsburgh falls behind on the scoreboard. Fantasy managers can consider Warren as a flex option in half-and-full-PPR leagues this week.

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Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards scored two touchdowns in a Thursday Night Football win over the Denver Broncos. Edwards ran the ball 14 times for 68 yards and added one catch on two targets for three more yards. It was the best Edwards has looked in a long time, as he ripped off a huge 43-yard run that completely changed the game's momentum in the Chargers' favor. Edwards first touchdown came on a one-yard goal line plunge in the first quarter and his second was on a five-yard run in the third. He did miss some time in the middle of the game with an injury, but was able to come back and actually looked better after his return that before he went to the sideline. This was by far the best game of the season for Edwards, who will get some extra rest before facing the New England Patriots on Saturday in Week 17.

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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris had his worst showing of the campaign in Week 15 and unfortunately draws another tough challenge against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday. Baltimore has given up just 3.41 yards per carry to opposing backs, the fewest in the NFL. It is worth noting, however, that Harris played well against the Ravens just a few weeks ago. In a Week 11 meeting with his division rival, Harris totaled 93 yards from scrimmage and finished as the RB17 in half-PPR scoring. With George Pickens (hamstring) set to miss a third straight contest, Pittsburgh could try to dictate the tempo at home by establishing the run with Harris and Jaylen Warren. Fantasy managers should keep their expectations in check given the difficulty of the matchup, but Harris can be started as a low-end RB2 or flex option this week.

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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson has thrown for fewer than 200 yards in two straight games and will hope to find more success in Week 16 against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are surrendering the most passing yards in the NFL and the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. However, it may be difficult for Wilson to take full advantage of the favorable matchup with his top target George Pickens (hamstring) sidelined for a third consecutive week. Because of this, Wilson is not a recommended streaming option in single-quarterback leagues, but he can be started as a low-end QB2 in superflex formats.

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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert played well in a 34-27 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 16. Herbert was decent in the first half and then really turned it on in the second half. In total, he completed 23 of his 31 passes for 284 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Herbert also added 28 yards on the ground on eight carries despite clearly not being 100% with his wrapped up ankle. Herbert completed passes to 10 different receivers and threw his touchdowns to Hassan Haskins and Derius Davis. The Chargers will have a little extra time to rest and heal and will take on the New England Patriots in Week 17.

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Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews is the TE6 overall and TE8 in terms of fantasy points per game this season. He's tied for the most amount of touchdowns for the position with George Kittle and there's a chance that the receiving corps is thin with Rashod Bateman (foot) and Nelson Agholor (concussion) both questionable. That could lead to some more targets for Andrews who only saw three against the Steelers in Week 11. He has scored in each of the three games since then, and should be considered a TE1 with his role in the offense, especially if any of the wideouts have to miss this game.

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Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker hasn't finished in the top 12 since Week 9 when he came in as the K4 on the week. In fact, he has more finishes outside of the top 12 than he does inside. During Week 15's blowout win, Tucker made five extra points, and that was the extent of his fantasy outing. The Ravens take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16 who give up the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing kickers. The last time these two teams played, Tucker registered six fantasy points for a K18 finish. There are better kickers out there for the fantasy playoffs right now.

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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers has posted some disappointing fantasy outings over his last few games. In half-PPR formats, he hasn't scored more than nine points in any of his last three matchups. He did, however, finish as a WR2 in their last game against the Pittsburgh Steelers when he found the end zone despite catching only two throws. With Rashod Bateman (foot) and Nelson Agholor (concussion) listed as questionable, there's a chance that Flowers could be the only normal starter in the receiving corps. His volume of targets should remain high which brings his ceiling to a high-end WR2.

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