These rankings will be updated throughout the week up until Sunday at 1 PM ET for injuries or other reasons. [Note: our rankings are for standard (non-PPR) leagues, but you can simply move guys up or down based on how many passes they are expected to catch]
QUARTERBACK
1. Tom Brady (v BUF)
2. Cam Newton (v TB)
3. Russell Wilson (@ DAL)
4. Ben Roethlisberger (@ HOU)
5. Philip Rivers (@ NYJ)
6. Jared Goff (@ TEN)
7. Drew Brees (v ATL)
8. Nick Foles (v OAK)
9. Alex Smith (v MIA)
10. Matthew Stafford (@ CIN)
11. Matt Ryan (@ NO)
12. Case Keenum (@ GB)
13. Blake Bortles (@ SF)
14. Dak Prescott (v SEA)
15. Joe Flacco (v IND)
16. Jay Cutler (@ KC)
17. Marcus Mariota (v LAR)
18. Kirk Cousins (v DEN)
19. Tyrod Taylor (@ NE)
20. Derek Carr (@ PHI)
21. Jameis Winston (@ CAR)
22. Mitchell Trubisky (v CLE)
23. Brett Hundley (v MIN)
24. Eli Manning (@ ARI)
25. Jimmy Garoppolo (v JAC)
Tom Brady struggled in the fantasy semifinals, but last week was more due to Pittsburgh’s offense staying on the field than New England playing poorly; he should be the top option at home over the final two weeks… Cam Newton’s season didn’t start the way he wanted, but he’s likely going to finish as a top-three fantasy quarterback… Russell Wilson has played his worst football against the Rams; he’ll be better against Dallas… Ben Roethlisberger won’t have Antonio Brown, but his other weapons should be enough to torch the Texans on Christmas Day… Jared Goff threw for just 120 yards last week, but he didn’t have to do much in a 42-7 win, and the Titans just allowed nearly 400 yards through the air to San Francisco… Drew Brees and Matt Ryan might be in a shootout this week after they both made some mistakes two weeks ago in Atlanta… I think most people should remember what happened in Nick Foles’ only career matchup with the Raiders… Matthew Stafford shouldn’t have too much trouble with the injury-riddled Bengals… Case Keenum could get some MVP consideration with a couple strong games to finish out the regular season… Blake Bortles is throwing for over 300 yards per game with a 7:0 touchdown-interception ratio in December, but while he’s worth a look, the wheels could fall off at any time… Playoff Joe Flacco is basically in effect right now, and the Colts are a great matchup on Saturday… Derek Carr gets the Eagles on Christmas Night, but I haven’t liked what I’ve seen from the Raiders all season.
. . .
RUNNING BACK
1. Le’Veon Bell (@ HOU)
2. Todd Gurley (@ TEN)
3. Melvin Gordon (@ NYJ)
4. Alvin Kamara (v ATL)
5. Mark Ingram (v ATL)
6. Jordan Howard (v CLE)
7. Kareem Hunt (v MIA)
8. Ezekiel Elliott (v SEA)
9. Devonta Freeman (@ NO)
10. Latavius Murray (@ GB)
11. Christian McCaffrey (v TB)
12. Kenyan Drake (@ KC)
13. Jay Ajayi (v OAK)
14. Leonard Fournette (@ SF)
15. LeSean McCoy (@ NE)
16. Dion Lewis (v BUF)
17. Tevin Coleman (@ NO)
18. Alex Collins (v IND)
19. Jerick McKinnon (@ GB)
20. C.J. Anderson (@ WAS)
21. DeMarco Murray (v LAR)
22. Derrick Henry (v LAR)
23. Lamar Miller (v PIT)
24. Carlos Hyde (v JAC)
25. Joe Mixon (v DET)
26. Theo Riddick (@ CIN)
27. Jonathan Stewart (v TB)
28. Wayne Gallman (@ ARI)
29. Samaje Perine (v DEN)
30. Mike Davis (@ DAL)
31. Marshawn Lynch (@ PHI)
32. Kerwynn Williams (v NYG)
33. Jamaal Williams (v MIN)
34. Isaiah Crowell (@ CHI)
35. Frank Gore (@ BAL)
36. Mike Gillislee (v BUF)
37. Peyton Barber (@ CAR)
38. Bilal Powell (v LAC)
39. Ameer Abdullah (@ CIN)
40. Elijhaa Penny (v NYG)
41. LeGarrette Blount (v OAK)
42. Corey Clement (v OAK)
43. Giovani Bernard (v DET)
44. Duke Johnson (@ CHI)
45. Matt Forte (v LAC)
46. J.D. McKissic (@ DAL)
47. Tarik Cohen (v CLE)
48. Javorius Allen (v IND)
49. Danny Woodhead (v IND)
50. Rod Smith (v SEA)
51. Devontae Booker (@ WAS)
52. Elijah McGuire (v LAC)
53. Aaron Jones (v MIN)
54. Orleans Darkwa (@ ARI)
55. DeAndre Washington (@ PHI)
56. Kapri Bibbs (v DEN)
57. Tion Green (@ CIN)
58. Marlon Mack (@ BAL)
59. T.J. Yeldon (@ SF)
60. Charcandrick West (v MIA)
Le’Veon Bell will be the unquestioned focal point of the Steelers offense on Christmas Day… Coming off a four-touchdown performance, Todd Gurley is probably a top-two MVP candidate with Tom Brady… Alvin Kamara was on his way to a big night before being concussed against the Falcons a couple weeks ago; he and Mark Ingram are solid RB1 options, and Kamara might be the top overall PPR option for the fantasy championship… Jordan Howard needs to be fed if Chicago wants to stop the Browns from getting their first win of the year… Kareem Hunt combined for 59 touches over the past two weeks after being held to 13 or fewer in three of the previous four weeks… Fantasy owners shouldn’t waste any time getting Ezekiel Elliott back in lineups… Devonta Freeman could lose more work to Tevin Coleman if he returns, but he remains a low-end RB1 with Coleman settling in as a high-upside RB2… Latavius Murray has been a legitimate RB1 over the past two months… All you had to do was listen to Troy Aikman on the FOX broadcast last week to know that Christian McCaffrey is special… Jay Ajayi could have a huge game on Christmas Night with the seemingly-unmotivated Raiders eliminated from playoff contention… Just 77 yards shy of 1,000 on the season, Leonard Fournette will hopefully play for fantasy owners in the championship, but he’s a volatile RB2… Alex Collins should bounce back following a quiet game against Cleveland… DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry need to carry the load for Tennessee to make the postseason, and the Rams are a good matchup… Carlos Hyde is just a FLEX against Jacksonville’s elite defense… James White should be more involved with Rex Burkhead injured… Bilal Powell, Matt Forte, and Elijah McGuire have a good matchup, but the three-man committee could prove frustrating for the fantasy championship.
. . .
WIDE RECEIVER
1. Julio Jones (@ NO)
2. Keenan Allen (@ NYJ)
3. DeAndre Hopkins (v PIT)
4. Adam Thielen (@ GB)
5. Michael Thomas (v ATL)
6. JuJu Smith-Schuster (@ HOU)
7. Devin Funchess (v TB)
8. Tyreek Hill (v MIA)
9. A.J. Green (v DET)
10. Larry Fitzgerald (v NYG)
11. Brandin Cooks (v BUF)
12. Demaryius Thomas (@ WAS)
13. Marvin Jones (@ CIN)
14. Nelson Agholor (v OAK)
15. Sammy Watkins (@ TEN)
16. Michael Crabtree (@ PHI)
17. Stefon Diggs (@ GB)
18. Dede Westbrook (@ SF)
19. Doug Baldwin (@ DAL)
20. Robert Woods (@ TEN)
21. Martavis Bryant (@ HOU)
22. Mike Evans (@ CAR)
23. Josh Gordon (@ CHI)
24. Alshon Jeffery (v OAK)
25. Mike Wallace (v IND)
26. Dez Bryant (v SEA)
27. Jarvis Landry (@ KC)
28. Golden Tate (@ CIN)
29. Mohamed Sanu (@ NO)
30. DeVante Parker (@ KC)
31. Marquise Goodwin (v JAC)
32. Sterling Shepard (@ ARI)
33. Cooper Kupp (@ TEN)
34. Keelan Cole (@ SF)
35. Jamison Crowder (v DEN)
36. Eric Decker (v LAR)
37. Corey Coleman (@ CHI)
38. Amari Cooper (@ PHI)
39. T.Y. Hilton (@ BAL)
40. Rishard Matthews (v LAR)
41. Jordy Nelson (v MIN)
42. Randall Cobb (v MIN)
43. Robby Anderson (v LAC)
44. Tyrell Williams (@ NYJ)
45. Josh Doctson (v DEN)
46. Eli Rogers (@ HOU)
47. Kenny Stills (@ KC)
48. Damiere Byrd (v TB)
49. Chris Godwin (@ CAR)
50. Danny Amendola (v BUF)
51. Kendall Wright (v CLE)
52. Paul Richardson (@ DAL)
53. Tyler Lockett (@ DAL)
54. Will Fuller (v PIT)
55. Kenny Golladay @ CIN)
56. Bennie Fowler (@ WAS)
57. Corey Davis (v LAR)
58. Geronimo Allison (v MIN)
59. Kelvin Benjamin (@ NE)
60. Ted Ginn (v ATL)
61. Travis Benjamin (@ NYJ)
62. Roger Lewis (@ ARI)
63. Cordarrelle Patterson (@ PHI)
64. J.J. Nelson (v NYG)
65. Brandon LaFell (v DET)
66. Dontrelle Inman (v CLE)
67. Seth Roberts (@ PHI)
68. Jermaine Kearse (v LAC)
69. Trent Taylor (v JAC)
70. Torrey Smith (v OAK)
71. Jaydon Mickens (@ SF)
72. Terrance Williams (v SEA)
73. Zay Jones (@ NE)
74. Adam Humphries (@ CAR)
75. Deonte Thompson (@ NE)
I think we should see an angry Julio Jones on Sunday after he and rookie cornerback Marshon Lattimore battled in their first matchup… DeAndre Hopkins needs to have a monster game for Houston to upset the Steelers on Christmas Day… Adam Thielen caught nine passes for 96 yards earlier this season against Green Bay, and he’s been even better since then… JuJu Smith-Schuster is a solid WR1 with Antonio Brown (calf) out, and Martavis Bryant has a more stable floor as a high-upside FLEX… Devin Funchess should bounce back after being held to one reception last week… A.J. Green is probably the only Cincinnati player worth considering this week, but he’s more of a low-end WR1 on a collapsing team… Brandin Cooks should see a lot of Tre’Davious White this week, and the rookie held him to 17 yards in Week 14… Demaryius Thomas needs to average 80 yards over the final two weeks to reach 1,000 for the sixth time in his career, and Brock Osweiler at quarterback gives him the best chance; Josh Norman hasn’t been a shy-away matchup this season… The Raiders don’t have anyone that can cover Nelson Agholor on Christmas Night; it’s a tougher matchup for big-bodied Alshon Jeffery… Dede Westbrook was quiet against the Texans, but he is a low-end WR2 against the 49ers this week… Josh Gordon is risky this week because Chicago does a great job of eliminating the opponent’s top receiving threat… Dez Bryant is averaging a career-low 12.2 yards per reception this season… Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams are ranked as if Aaron Rodgers isn’t playing, and it’s worth noting that shutdown cornerback Xaiver Rhodes shadowed Adams last game… Marquise Goodwin has been phenomenal since Jimmy Garoppolo took over as the starting quarterback, but he hasn’t faced the Jaguars yet… Chris Godwin is worth a look if DeSean Jackson doesn’t play.
. . .
TIGHT END
1. Rob Gronkowski (v BUF)
2. Travis Kelce (v MIA)
3. Zach Ertz (v OAK)
4. Greg Olsen (v TB)
5. Jimmy Graham (@ DAL)
6. Delanie Walker (v LAR)
7. Evan Engram (@ ARI)
8. Kyle Rudolph (@ GB)
9. Ricky Seals-Jones (v NYG)
10. Jack Doyle (@ BAL)
11. Cameron Brate (@ CAR)
12. Antonio Gates (@ NYJ)
13. Eric Ebron (@ CIN)
14. Benjamin Watson (v IND)
15. Jared Cook (@ PHI)
16. Jason Witten (v SEA)
17. Vernon Davis (v DEN)
18. Jesse James (@ HOU)
19. Tyler Kroft (v DET)
20. Garrett Celek (v JAC)
21. Charles Clay (@ NE)
22. Daniel Brown (v CLE)
23. Dion Sims (v CLE)
24. Austin Hooper (@ NO)
25. David Njoku (@ CHI)
Rob Gronkowski is basically unstoppable when he’s on the field… Travis Kelce and Zach Ertz are alone in the elite tier below Gronk, and both have really good matchups… Greg Olsen looked healthy enough when he put up 9/116/1 last week… Jimmy Graham has been arguably the biggest disappointment of the fantasy playoffs, but he still has nine touchdowns this season… Hunter Henry has a lacerated kidney, but if he plays in Week 16, he’s a TE1… Kyle Rudolph should be ready to roll on Saturday night after overcoming a doubtful tag last week and catching a touchdown… Ricky Seals-Jones has been quiet since a brief breakout, but a matchup with the Giants puts him in TE1 territory… Eric Ebron is holding onto the ball recently, so he’s worth considering for the fantasy championship… I’d rather play veteran Benjamin Watson on Saturday than veterans Jason Witten or Vernon Davis on Christmas Eve… Daniel Brown and Dion Sims both make the rankings because they face the Browns.
. . .
DEFENSE
1. Baltimore Ravens (v IND)
2. Jacksvonille Jaguars (@ SF)
3. Los Angeles Chargers (@ NYJ)
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (@ HOU)
5. Carolina Panthers (v TB)
6. Chicago Bears (v CLE)
7. Philadelphia Eagles (v OAK)
8. Minnesota Vikings (@ GB)
9. New England Patriots (v BUF)
10. Arizona Cardinals (v NYG)
11. Kansas City Chiefs (v MIA)
12. Los Angeles Rams (@ TEN)
13. Washington Redskins (v DEN)
14. Detroit Lions (@ CIN)
15. Dallas Cowboys (v SEA)
16. Denver Broncos (@ WAS)
17. Seattle Seahawks (@ DAL)
18. San Francisco 49ers (v JAC)
19. Cleveland Browns (@ CHI)
20. New York Giants (@ ARI)
. . .
KICKER
1. Stephen Gostkowski (v BUF)
2. Greg Zuerlein (@ TEN)
3. Justin Tucker (v IND)
4. Jake Elliott (v OAK)
5. Harrison Butker (v MIA)
6. Matt Bryant (@ NO)
7. Chris Boswell (@ HOU)
8. Matt Prater (@ CIN)
9. Will Lutz (v ATL)
10. Graham Gano (v TB)
11. Kai Forbath (@ GB)
12. Josh Lambo (@ SF)
13. Dan Bailey (v SEA)
14. Robbie Gould (v JAC)
15. Cody Parkey (@ KC)
Zeke #1
lost by 2 point on that last catch by Freeman last night in my lame ppr league smh
Keenan Allen at 2 I like it
First pick next year? Will it be just Bell or Gurley?
Kamara if Ingram leaves
CMC what a monster
But but but everyone said McCaffrey can’t play running back in the NFL.