Puka Nacua and Chris Olave Top Week 16 Fantasy Football Leaderboard
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Week 16 of the NFL season was quite the experience with standout performances galore. Now, we had that instant classic on Thursday night between the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks. Then, there were several routs including Cincinnati piling up 45 points on Miami. This weekend had a little of it all including a Drake Maye comeback that some may have missed.
One thing sadly that marred the fantasy landscape was all the injuries this weekend as well. It feels like this year has truly taken a turn for the worst there.
Always remember we use standard point scoring with PPR. Okay, let's begin with those quarterbacks.
Quarterbacks
Player | Points |
|---|---|
Trevor Lawrence (JAX) | 31.16 |
Matthew Stafford (LAR) | 30.88 |
Justin Herbert (LAC) | 30.2 |
Joe Burrow (CIN) | 28.96 |
Jared Goff (DET) | 26.46 |
The ends of this list looks really familiar to last week. That is because they are! Trevor Lawrence did just enough in Denver to top the quarterback charts in Week 16. Lawrence broke the 30-point mark on the road and helped hand the Broncos their first home loss of the 2025 season. Also, there was Joe Burrow, who got some rest after racking 300+ yards and four touchdowns on Sunday.
Now, the only reason why Burrow is not higher on this list is because Cincinnati let off the gas in the fourth quarter. This was hinted as a possibility. Anyway, Justin Herbert bounced back big against a Dallas team that cannot defend the forward pass. Finally, Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff round out the list in losing efforts.
Running Backs
Player | Points |
|---|---|
Chase Brown (CIN) | 32.9 |
Ashton Jeanty (LV) | 31.8 |
Bijan Robinson (ATL) | 29.8 |
Jaylen Warren (PIT) | 29.1 |
James Cook III (BUF) | 26.4 |
One of the wildest things from a fantasy perspective this 2025 will be Chase Brown. Brown led running backs on Sunday with 32.9 fantasy points including two receiving touchdowns and a rushing touchdown. The Cincinnati runner since the first Pittsburgh game now has 100+ yards from scrimmage in seven of those nine games with seven touchdowns. That is inside Top 10 production.
Conversely, we have to admit we were wrong about Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty benefitted from an unexpected 60 yard catch against Houston where he broke quite a few tackles and then a 50+ yard touchdown on the ground where he did the same. The Texans gave up 188 total yards to the rookie. Jeanty led all running backs with 100+ yards with 24 carries. He is a workhorse!
Wide Receivers
Player | Points |
|---|---|
Puka Nacua (LAR) | 46.5 |
Chris Olave (NO) | 36.8 |
Parker Washington (JAX) | 26.5 |
George Pickens (DAL) | 26.0 |
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (SEA) | 23.6 |
Puka Nacua had an amazing game again for the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night. Controversies aside, the Seattle Seahawks could not cover Nacua. He had 225 receiving yards, a dozen catches, and two scores. If one has bonuses for receiving yard plateaus, then you cleaned up in Week 16. Lost in the mix was Chris Olave, who will be in the Jets' nightmares into next week.
Olave had 10 catches for 148 yards and two scores in a 29-6 rout for the Saints. Taysom Hill and Tyler Shough found him for touchdowns in the win. Then, there was Parker Washington who broke out with 145 yards and a score. Washington got behind the Denver pass defense several times which is not easy to do.
Tight Ends
Player | Points |
|---|---|
Harold Fannin Jr. (CLE) | 19.5 |
Kyle Pitts Sr. (ATL) | 18.7 |
Juwan Johnson (NO) | 16.9 |
Chig Okonkwo (TEN) | 16.4 |
Elijah Higgins (ARZ) | 16.1 |
After the monster Kyle Pitts Sr. Week 15, he only had 18.7 fantasy points this week. That was still good for second among Tight Ends. Harold Fannin Jr. led the way with 19.5 in the Cleveland loss. Fannin had a one yard rushing plunge to go with a receiving touchdown. No Tight Ends broke the 100-yard-mark in Week 16. Elijah Higgins from Arizona came the closest at 91. Who?
Higgins got a little more play when Trey McBride just could not catch the ball on Sunday (four catches on eight targets). Chig Okonkowo benefitted from Tennessee getting the ball more times than usual against a Chiefs team that went down to its third quarterback after the Gardner Minshew injury.
Kickers
Player | Points |
|---|---|
Charlie Smyth (NO) | 19.0 |
Ka'Imi Fairbairn (HOU) | 16.0 |
Chad Ryland (ARZ) | 15.0 |
Cairo Santos (CHI) | 14.0 |
Harrison Mevis (LAR) | 13.0 |
It is nice to get one of these crazy streamer picks right with Charlie Smyth this week. Yes, the New York Jets (like the New York Giants) are really that bad! Smyth was five for six kicking field goals on Sunday as New Orleans scored 29 points in all. Smyth racked up 19 fantasy points, leading all kickers. Just think, it could have been more.
We have to tip the hat to Cairo Santos who kicked three field goals in Green Bay including a 50+ yard boot. I guess the leg is just fine!
Defense/Special Teams
Defense | Points |
|---|---|
New Orleans Saints | 19.0 |
New York Giants | 17.0 |
Minnesota Vikings | 13.0 |
Tennessee Titans | 12.0 |
Houston Texans | 11.0 |
These were the only five units that broke double digits in Week 16. Houston is probably the only team expected to be in the Top 5. After that, it resembles something from "The Gods Must Be Crazy". Again, fantasy football often has wrinkles like this in December and early January.
The Giants and Vikings combined for maybe one of the sloppiest games of the day. Mistakes galore with defensive touchdowns, sacks, and turnovers. Houston gave up 21 points but snuck on the list behind a Pick-6 of Geno Smith. New Orleans allowed six points to the woeful Jets, caused two turnovers, and allowed only 195 yards. And that was the week.
