Fantasy Football Week 16 Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: Emeka Egbuka Vs. Stefon Diggs
In this story:
The fantasy football playoffs resume in Week 16, as managers require maximum output from this week’s lineups during the most paramount games of the season. At the wide receiver position, two leading wideouts raise one of the toughest start-sit decisions of Week 16: Stefon Diggs and Emeka Egbuka.
Egbuka and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will look to bounce back from a tough loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 15, working to secure the top spot in the NFC South. The rookie receiver and his team will go on the road for a divisional matchup against the Carolina Panthers for the top spot in the South.
Diggs and the New England Patriots are looking to rebound from a loss in their own regard, coming off a 35-31 divisional defeat to the Buffalo Bills last week. The AFC’s two-seed will gear up for a crucial matchup against the Baltimore Ravens with just a one-game lead over the Bills in the AFC East.
Both wideouts are slated to offer notable Week 16 fantasy production in the playoffs, but who makes the better case to start in this week’s lineups?
The Case For Emeka Egbuka
In an injury-riddled campaign for the Buccaneers, the team’s first-round pick stepped up, emerging as the offense’s premier threat for much of the season. Tampa Bay, which has relied on its passing game for much of the season, will continue to present Egbuka with encouraging volume down the stretch of the season.
A matchup versus the Panthers’ defense presents a favorable matchup for Egbuka and the Buccaneers’ passing attack. Carolina enters Week 16 with the 17th-ranked pass defense in the NFL, which should help the rookie sensation continue his streak of production and build on a solid bounce-back effort in Week 15 to quiet several down weeks of output.
Egbuka hauled in four of his seven targets in Week 15, racking up 64 yards through the air, his most since Week 10. He’ll sustain notable volume alongside Mike Evans and makes an encouraging case to start in a must-win game for the Buccaneers.
The Case For Stefon Diggs
Diggs has remained productive in his 11th NFL season, entering Week 16 as the leading receiver in a productive Patriots passing attack. The veteran wideout has sustained stout volume despite a recent dip in production, but remains a quality start option in a crucial game for New England.
The Patriots will take on the Ravens on Sunday Night Football, which presents a favorable matchup for Diggs and New England’s passing game. Baltimore’s pass defense ranks just 26th in the NFL entering Week 16, which could help Diggs bounce back from a quiet three-game span for the team’s top wideout.
Diggs is poised for a bounce-back effort following a three-catch, 26-yard performance in the team’s loss to the Bills and will carve out a far greater role against Baltimore. Fantasy managers can expect Drake Maye to target Diggs early and often during Sunday night’s game.
The Final Verdict
Both wideouts make quality cases to start in Week 16, with favorable matchups in explosive passing attacks. I’m going to take Diggs in a must-win game for the Patriots. I expect the four-time Pro Bowler to command significant volume against an inconsistent Ravens secondary to help New England carve out a win.
Egbuka should remain on an upward trend and should still be considered a quality start option in Week 16. Diggs presents the upper hand with an elevated ceiling against one of the league’s worst pass defenses.
Read More Fantasy On SI News
Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.