Fantasy Football: Week 16 Sunday Superlatives
© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The final Sunday in most fantasy seasons was filled with many highs and lows that resulted in league champions crowned. We also witnessed the Philadelphia Eagles (8-7) take control of the top spot in the NFC East with a 17-9 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Carson Wentz and the Eagles can win the division with a win next week over the Giants. Meanwhile, the Ravens (13-2) made team history with their 31-15 victory over the Browns, marking the first time in their 24-year history that the road to the Super Bowl in the AFC will go through Baltimore.
Daniel Jones and Andy Dalton posted the most fantasy points among all quarterbacks. Saquon Barkley, Devonta Freeman, and Kenyan Drake were exceptional, while Michael Thomas, Julio Jones, and Christian McCaffrey rewrote the record books.
Let's take a look back at Championship Sunday.
Surprise of the Week
Daniel Jones, QB, Giants
Jones, who had missed the last two weeks with a high ankle sprain, was sensational in Week 16 against the Redskins posting 38.8 points. The rookie quarterback, who set career highs in attempts (42), passing yards (352), and touchdowns (5), surprised everyone with no rust or limitations from the recent injury. "Danny Dimes" showed that with a healthy Saquon Barkley and a full allotment wideouts he is easily on the QB1 radar come 2020.
Top Quarterback
Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens
It only fits that the soon-to-be-named league MVP would land atop this list for the final week of the 2019 fantasy season. Jackson cemented the award with another fantastic performance throwing for 238 yards and three touchdowns against the Browns. The superstar signal-caller added to his record-setting rushing yards (1,206) in a season by a quarterback with his fifth 100-plus rushing game. The second-year sensation finished the fantasy season with a fantastic touchdown (24) to interception (1) ratio over the final seven weeks carrying owners everywhere to league trophies.
Top Running Back
Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants
Barkley made Giants franchise history setting the club's single-game yards from scrimmage (279) record in Sunday's 41-35 overtime win over the Redskins. He finished the game with 189 yards on the ground in addition to four receptions for 90 receiving yards and a touchdown. His 43.9 PPR fantasy points were a season-high and rewarded owners who drafted him among the top three in drafts this summer. The second-year star running back showed owners over the final two weeks of the fantasy playoffs why he will be in the discussion for the number one spot once again in 2020 after finishing with 422 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns.
Top Wide Receiver
Tyler Boyd, WR, Bengals
While the Cincinnati Bengals were locking up the top pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the fourth-year wideout was stellar in Week 16 hauling in nine of fifteen targets for 128 yards and two touchdowns in the Bengals 38-35 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins. Boyd, who had struggled over the last several weeks, posted a league-high 33.8 points among all wide receivers and had many fantasy owners deciding how to spend the extra holiday cash earned from winning their fantasy league.
Making History
Michael Thomas, WR, Saints
The best wideout in the NFL made league history breaking Colts WR Marvin Harrison’s single-season reception record (143) set back in 2002. Thomas caught 12 of 17 targets for 136 yards and a touchdown against the Titans en route to his new record of 145 receptions. The fourth-year wide receiver had an amazingly consistent fantasy season posting double-digit PPR fantasy points in every game this season leading the way in receiving yards (1,688) while second in receiving touchdowns (9).
Julio Jones, WR, Falcons
The veteran wideout became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 12,000 receiving yards in just 125 career games breaking the previous mark of 142 games held by Hall of Fame WR Jerry Rice. Jones hauled in 10 of 15 targets for 166 yards in Atlanta’s 24-12 win over the Jaguars. The ninth-year wide receiver was a fantasy star over the final two weeks of the playoffs with 23 receptions for 300 yards and two touchdowns.
Christian McCaffrey, RB, Panthers
McCaffrey made history becoming the first running back in NFL history with 100-plus receptions in multiple seasons. The third-year fantasy stud had a day for the ages setting a Panthers franchise record for most receptions (15) in a single game, while also breaking his own previous NFL record for most receptions (109) in a season by a running back on Sunday against the Colts. He is 67 yards away from becoming the third player in NFL history with 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season.
Stop & Take Notice
Mark Andrews, TE, Ravens
Andrews was phenomenal on Sunday against the Browns catching six of nine targets for 93 yards and two touchdowns. The second-year tight rewarded fantasy owners becoming a top target for Lamar Jackson in 2019 Andrews leads all NFL tight ends with ten touchdowns through 15 games.
Kenyan Drake, RB, Cardinals
Drake was incredible Sunday rushing for 166 yards and two touchdowns while also adding three catches for 18 yards in the passing game. The fourth-year back exploded for 303 rushing yards and six touchdowns in the last two weeks emerging as an unlikely playoff hero for many owners who were able to employ his services en route to fantasy glory.
You Ruined Christmas!: Coal Stocking Recipients
- Russell Wilson, QB, Seahawks
- Kyler Murray, QB, Cardinals
- Nick Chubb, RB, Browns
- James Conner, RB, Steelers
- Derrick Henry, RB, Titans
- DK Metcalf, WR, Seahawks
- DJ Moore, WR, Panthers
- DJ Chark, WR, Jaguars
- Tyler Lockett, WR, Seahawks
- Dede Westbrook, WR, Jaguars
- Marquise Brown, WR, Ravens
- Christian Kirk, WR, Cardinals
- Darius Slayton, WR, Giants
It was a great 2019 fantasy football season, congrats to all those who became league champions!
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