It’s been an intriguing year for fantasy football wide receivers. As someone who opted to focus on the position early in drafts, I’ve had mixed results depending on the league. Injuries to players like Keenan Allen and Eric Decker hurt, but not as much as wasted seasons from DeAndre Hopkins and Kelvin Benjamin, who have struggled for various reasons.
Fantasy football rankings, Week 16: Wide receivers for standard leagues
The SB Nation fantasy team reveals which wide receivers rank in the top 50 for standard leagues heading into Week 16.
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If you made it to the championship, you probably have a good idea of who you will deploy at WR this weekend. However, there are some borderline players who are in position to significantly hurt or help your championship chances. Here is a quick breakdown and our Week 16 rankings.
A.J. Green — Sounds like he will play this week, but the question is how much. The Bengals can’t make the playoffs, and Green’s hamstring could be aggravated yet again. I have him in two leagues in which I’m in the championship round, and I have no plans to play him this weekend. You can’t deny his talent, but you also can’t deny the risk involved should you play him.
Robby Anderson — I’m always late to the party when it comes to guys like Anderson who get hot when they did nothing of note beforehand. I’m officially on the Anderson bandwagon — if Bryce Petty starts. If Ryan Fitzpatrick is under center, I’m not touching him, and giving Brandon Marshall a big bump in the rankings.
Alshon Jeffery — Started slow last week but went on to net six receptions for 89 yards receiving and a touchdown. He’ll likely see the most of Josh Norman, but Washington is suddenly slumping, and Jeffery needs to put his skills on display, as he’ll likely be playing for a new team next season. I’d start him as a WR3 or flex this week, as he has a good shot at another 50-plus yards and a touchdown.
Julio Jones — The Falcons didn’t need him last week against the 49ers, but the Panthers are a different story. If he is active, I’m starting him with confidence. The Falcons need another win to lock up the NFC South, and Jones went bonkers to the tune of 300 yards receiving against Carolina earlier in the season.
Tyler Lockett — Seattle wanted to involve him more, and he didn’t disappoint in Week 15. He took over Jermaine Kearse’s spot in two wide receiver sets and has at least six targets over the past four weeks. The Cardinals are imploding, and although the first game against the Seahawks was a snoozer for fantasy purposes, Lockett is a great play as a boom-or-bust flex.
Wide receivers (standard), Week 16
(ZS: Zach Senvisky, SK: Scott Kaliska, JG: Jeff Goldberg JM: Jason Marcum, DG: Derek Gordon, KB: Kyle Bennett)
| Rk | Consensus | Tm | Opp. | SK | JG | JM | DG | KB |
| 1 | Odell Beckham Jr. | NYG | @ PHI | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 2 | Antonio Brown | PIT | vs. BAL | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | Mike Evans | TB | @ NO | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | T.Y. Hilton | IND | @ OAK | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 5 | Jordy Nelson | GB | vs. MIN | 4 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 5 |
| 6 | Julio Jones | ATL | @ CAR | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| 7 | Dez Bryant | DAL | vs. DET | 8 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 6 |
| 8 | Michael Crabtree | OAK | vs. IND | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| 9 | Julian Edelman | NE | vs. NYJ | 10 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| 10 | Brandin Cooks | NO | vs. TB | 9 | 10 | 9 | 18 | 10 |
| 11 | Michael Thomas | NO | vs. TB | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 |
| 12 | Doug Baldwin | SEA | vs. ARI | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 16 |
| 13 | Demaryius Thomas | DEN | @ KC | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 13 |
| 14 | Amari Cooper | OAK | vs. IND | 14 | 14 | 14 | 23 | 12 |
| 15 | Emmanuel Sanders | DEN | @ KC | 17 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | Tyrell Williams | SD | @ CLE | 13 | 13 | 13 | 30 | 14 |
| 17 | Alshon Jeffery | CHI | vs. WAS | 15 | 15 | 15 | 33 | 17 |
| 18 | Ty Montgomery | GB | vs. MIN | 18 | 18 | 18 | 26 | 18 |
| 19 | Dontrelle Inman | SD | @ CLE | 19 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 22 |
| 20 | Davante Adams | GB | vs. MIN | 23 | 23 | 24 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | Larry Fitzgerald | ARI | @ SEA | 24 | 25 | 25 | 13 | 23 |
| 22 | Golden Tate | DET | @ DAL | 25 | 24 | 23 | 20 | 19 |
| 23 | Jarvis Landry | MIA | @ BUF | 20 | 19 | 20 | 38 | 21 |
| 24 | Jamison Crowder | WAS | @ CHI | 21 | 22 | 21 | 28 | 29 |
| 25 | DeAndre Hopkins | HOU | vs. CIN | 28 | 28 | 29 | 15 | 27 |
| 26 | Rishard Matthews | TEN | @ JAC | 22 | 21 | 22 | 39 | 24 |
| 27 | Stefon Diggs | MIN | @ GB | 30 | 29 | 30 | 27 | 28 |
| 28 | Kenny Britt | LA | vs. SF | 29 | 27 | 28 | 32 | 33 |
| 29 | Malcolm Mitchell | NE | vs. NYJ | 26 | 26 | 26 | 46 | 26 |
| 30 | Steve Smith | BAL | @ PIT | 37 | 34 | 32 | 17 | 34 |
| 31 | Sammy Watkins | BUF | vs. MIA | 31 | 33 | 38 | 22 | 30 |
| 32 | DeSean Jackson | WAS | @ CHI | 27 | 30 | 27 | -- | 25 |
| 33 | Tyreek Hill | KC | vs. DEN | 35 | 38 | 35 | 25 | 31 |
| 34 | Willie Snead | NO | vs. TB | 33 | 31 | 33 | 34 | 36 |
| 35 | Kelvin Benjamin | CAR | vs. ATL | 38 | 36 | 31 | 24 | 42 |
| 36 | Mike Wallace | BAL | @ PIT | 32 | 32 | 34 | 45 | 39 |
| 37 | Taylor Gabriel | ATL | @ CAR | 34 | 35 | 37 | 47 | 32 |
| 38 | Robby Anderson | NYJ | @ NE | 41 | 44 | 46 | 29 | 35 |
| 39 | Allen Robinson | JAC | vs. TEN | 40 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 40 |
| 40 | Terrelle Pryor | CLE | vs. SD | 44 | 37 | 39 | 35 | 46 |
| 41 | A.J. Green | CIN | @ HOU | -- | -- | -- | 11 | 38 |
| 42 | Tyler Lockett | SEA | vs. ARI | 36 | 41 | 36 | 48 | 44 |
| 43 | Brandon Marshall | NYJ | @ NE | 49 | 40 | 41 | 36 | 48 |
| 44 | Jordan Matthews | PHI | vs. NYG | 42 | 43 | 45 | 43 | 41 |
| 45 | Cameron Meredith | CHI | vs. WAS | 39 | 47 | 43 | -- | 37 |
| 46 | Ted Ginn | CAR | vs. ATL | 43 | 46 | 44 | 49 | 43 |
| 47 | Pierre Garcon | WAS | @ CHI | 45 | 42 | 42 | -- | 47 |
| 48 | Jeremy Maclin | KC | vs. DEN | 48 | 45 | 47 | 42 | 49 |
| 49 | Randall Cobb | GB | vs. MIN | -- | -- | -- | 31 | -- |
| 50 | Sterling Shepard | NYG | @ PHI | 46 | 49 | 49 | 50 | 45 |
| -- | Devante Parker | MIA | @ BUF | -- | -- | -- | 37 | -- |
| -- | Marvin Jones | DET | @ DAL | -- | -- | -- | 40 | -- |
| -- | Donte Moncrief | IND | @ OAK | 47 | 48 | 48 | -- | 50 |
| -- | Tavon Austin | LA | vs. SF | -- | -- | -- | 44 | -- |
| -- | Chris Hogan | NE | vs. NYJ | 50 | 50 | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | Marqise Lee | JAC | vs. TEN | -- | -- | 50 | -- | -- |
