Week 16 Fantasy Football Rankings: Flex and PPR Outlook for Each Position

Week 16 of the 2024 NFL season will push fantasy football leagues further into the playoffs.

The traditional flex positions—running back, wide receiver and, to a lesser extent, tight end—will determine the outcome of more than a few postseason matchups this weekend. If quarterbacks, kickers and defenses effectively cancel each other out, it will be up to the aforementioned trio to literally and figuratively settle the score.

You'll need to maximize these positions as best you can, then, so we'll try to help make that happen by laying out our point-per-reception (PPR) rankings and highlighting a sleeper at each spot.

Top 20

1. Bijan Robinson, ATL (vs. NYG)

2. Jahmyr Gibbs, DET (at CHI)

3. Saquon Barkley, PHI (at WAS)

4. Josh Jacobs, GB (vs. NO)

5. Chase Brown, CIN (vs. CLE)

6. De'Von Achane, MIA (vs. SF)

7. Joe Mixon, HOU (at KC)

8. Derrick Henry, BAL (vs. PIT)

9. James Conner, ARI (at CAR)

10. Chuba Hubbard, CAR (vs. ARI)

11. Kyren Williams, LAR (at NYJ)

12. Aaron Jones, MIN (at SEA)

13. James Cook, BUF (vs. NE)

14. Jonathan Taylor, IND (vs. TEN)

15. Kenneth Walker III, SEA (vs. MIN)

16. Bucky Irving, TB (at DAL)

17. Breece Hall, NYJ (vs. LAR)

18. D'Andre Swift, CHI (vs. DET)

19. Brian Robinson Jr., WAS (vs. PHI)

20. Tony Pollard, TEN (at IND)

Sleeper: Kendre Miller, NO (at GB)

With Taysom Hill shelved due to a torn ACL, and Alvin Kamara unlikely to go with a thigh injury, Miller might have complete control of this backfield. The Saints have tasked him with 19 carries over the past two weeks (which he turned into 78 rushing yards and a score), and they could easily up his output given their injury issues and likely shift in focus toward the future.

The Packers are a middle of the pack matchup for fantasy running backs, but that's good enough when talking about a possible streamer who could handle as much volume as Miller might realistically see.

Top 20

1. Ja'Marr Chase, CIN (vs. CLE)

2. Justin Jefferson, MIN (at SEA)

3. Puka Nacua, LAR (at NYJ)

4. Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET (at CHI)

5. CeeDee Lamb, DAL (vs. TB)

6. Davante Adams, NYJ (vs. LAR)

7. Nico Collins, HOU (at KC)

8. A.J. Brown, PHI (at WAS)

9. Malik Nabers, NYG (at ATL)

10. Mike Evans, TB (at DAL)

11. Brian Thomas Jr., JAX (at LV)

12. Terry McLaurin, WAS (vs. PHI)

13. Tee Higgins, CIN (vs. CLE)

14. Cooper Kupp, LAR (at NYJ)

15. Drake London, ATL (vs. NYG)

16. Jauan Jennings, SF (at MIA)

17. DJ Moore, CHI (vs. DET)

18. Garrett Wilson, NYJ (vs. LAR)

19. Jakobi Meyers, LV (vs. JAX)

20. Tyreek Hill, MIA (vs. SF)

Sleeper: Adam Thielen, CAR (vs. ARI)

Thielen shouldn't be a super inviting option, given the nature of the Panthers' passing game and the fact he is a 34-year-old veteran on a team in dire need of a rebuild. And yet, the veteran has seen his usage skyrocket in recent weeks. He has been targeted 28 times over his last three games and converted those chances into 22 receptions for 252 yards and a touchdown.

The Cardinals haven't been super generous to fantasy wideouts, but they have been vulnerable against slot receivers. Seattle's Jaxon Smith-Njigba faced this defense in Weeks 12 and 14 and torched it both times, catching 11 of the 12 passes sent his way for 159 yards and a pair of scores.

Top 10

1. Brock Bowers, LV (vs. JAX)

2. George Kittle, SF (at MIA)

3. Trey McBride, ARI (at CAR)

4. Jonnu Smith, MIA (vs. SF)

5. Travis Kelce, KC (vs. HOU)

6. Sam LaPorta, DET (at CHI)

7. T.J. Hockenson, MIN (at SEA)

8. Hunter Henry, NE (at BUF)

9. David Njoku, CLE (at CIN)

10. Mark Andrews, BAL (vs. PIT)

Sleeper: Brenton Strange, JAX (at LV)

Normally, it's tough getting too excited about a streaming tight end, but this situation is a little...wait for it...strange. With shoulder surgery knocking out Evan Engram, Strange took center state in Week 15 and saw a whopping 12 targets from Mac Jones. Even better, Strange caught 11 of those passes, and while he didn't find the end zone or produce a ton of yards (73), the volume alone was head-turning.

If Strange sees anything close to this much action in Week 16, he has a chance to rank among the position's leaders in fantasy production. Only three defenses have allowed more fantasy points to tight ends this season, per Yahoo.