Fantasy Football Week 16 Deep-Sleepers: Audric Estime and 4 Other High-Upside Picks

We love a good sleeper pick in Fantasy Football, don't we? Well, I have five of them for you. These are players with roles often of a low-caliber, but now projecting to a high-upside in Week 16. They may have tremendous volume and great advantages on paper to see a performance worth playing. Do your research, and you may just benefit.

Bryce Young, QB (vs Buccaneers)

Bryce Young has a 95.5 passing grade on 20+ yard throws this season — 5th best in the NFL.

The growth he has shown since his rookie year is a sight to behold. He has been tossing dimes.pic.twitter.com/Y37UD2eE5A
— Mike Kennedy (@MikeKennedyNFL) December 14, 2025

Young is benefiting in facing the Buccaneers 31st ranked defense versus Quarterbacks. He has only twice played a defense ranked 25th or worse against the position. In these games, Young has (253.5) Yards per Game with (6) Touchdowns and (2) Interceptions.

Tetairoa McMillan will look to takeaway Jamel Dean and this should open up the field for Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette. Dave Canales is a mind I trust to navigate Young towards a good game. An added bonus statistic for you — the Buccaneers are the 32nd ranked team in Receiving Yards Allowed to Running Backs. Rico Dowdle breakout??

Audric Estime, RB (vs Jets)

Devin Neal injured his hamstring on this TD run & was immediately ruled OUT

Audric Estime showed the most juice after that…
🧃 3 carries
🧃 3 receptions
🧃 50 yards

New Orleans faces the Jets at home this week 👀

🗣️ Audric Estime is a TOP-15 fantasy RBpic.twitter.com/ZaUauYIIRn
— FANTASY UMPIRE (@FantasyUmpire) December 17, 2025

Estime may have been the 4th stringer at one point, but he is now the RB1 in New Orleans. Estime is a second year player, drafted on day 3 by the Broncos. He now gets the go to start over Evan Hull.

If you checkout our Saints backfield preview, you may gain additional information on the outlook here. In short form, Estime will be the lead back, potentially rushing the ball over 50% of the time in this backfield. The Jets have fallen to 31st versus Running Backs, very much missing Quinnen Williams. If a former 4th stringer could find a score, it will be in this matchup.

Michael Carter, RB (vs Falcons)

The Cardinals have the most injured backfield I have seen in my entire life. Carter was literally a 6th stringer at one point this season. He will now be the starter this week, as announced by Jonathan Gannon.

Volume is volume, and it can be played every single time. Carter may have 15+ touches at his upside. The Falcons oppose as a mediocre 18th ranked unit versus the Running Back.

Chimere Dike, WR (vs Chiefs)

It seems like the Chiefs are quitting their season as they have now been eliminated. Their injury report is brutal to look at. The vibes of the situation should only help Dike, and hurt the coverage that he will face.

Dike has been boom-or-bust, but he is highly explosive, and this game trends towards us seeing that jet fuel in use. Chamarri Conner is the slot corner in coverage on Dike. He is among the worst slot cornerbacks in the NFL, statistically speaking.

Jalen Coker, WR (vs Buccaneers)

Coker is outplaying McMillan in recent weeks. I would mark this up to being a product of McMillan's injuries, but it does not deny that fact that Coker is a good player, beloved by his coaches. If he were not, Xavier Legette would be the WR2 of recent, not Coker.

We expect Jamel Dean to cover McMillan. This will open up the field for Coker as the Buccaneers are 23rd versus Wide Receivers and among the worst units once we takeaway Dean.

Darren Waller, TE (vs Bengals)

I am not sure if Quinn Ewers will help, or hurt Waller. Common sense would make us think that it should not matter. They have run Waller as a hot-route when on the field, and Ewers would be smart to trust him. Ewers may not have high expectations, but he has experience, and he may use it.

At Texas, Adonai Mitchell was the WR1 as Xavier Worthy was the WR2. These are two big-play guys that Ewers trusted successfully. Again, he would be smart, and expected to target Waller. The Bengals are far-worst versus the Tight End.