Everything fantasy football managers need to know for Week 16

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Every goal you had for your fantasy season is still attainable. Let's get these two final wins, then plan the parade route. It's trophy time, friends. Here's the news you need to set the best possible lineup in the fantasy semis ...

📈 Week 16 rankings: If ever there was a time to be all in on Jacoby Brissett, it's now. Brissett has finished among his position's top 12 in every start he's made this season. He's the QB5 for Jake Ciely this week.

📝 Cheat sheet: Jess Bryant delivers a comprehensive, updated rundown of every key injury situation across the league.

🎙 More news to know: Everyone seems to have an opinion on Joe Burrow's mood and mindset. Ignore the noise. Burrow himself sounds like he just wants to play ball. Don't hesitate to fire him up in Week 16, with your fantasy season on the line.

📊 Market share report: Mike Evans and Tony Pollard have earned must-start status based on recent usage. It's just like 2022 all over again.

At a narrative level, the Philip Rivers story is a charmer. It's just incredibly heartwarming. An actual grandfather has returned to the game he loves. This should become a wide-release feel-good film. Let's get Sam Worthington on board and begin production.

As a fantasy wrinkle, however, the Rivers situation is a nightmare.

Just have a look at his Next Gen passing chart from last Sunday's loss at Seattle. It's a cautionary tale. He attempted only two throws beyond 20 yards, one of which was merely incomplete and the other intercepted. Every pass was a floater. Nine of his 18 completions were behind the line of scrimmage. He averaged only 4.4 yards per attempt. Not ideal.

Rivers has clearly retained his elite celebratory flair, no question, but his right arm is a spent force.

Jonathan Taylor handled 28 touches in Week 15, so he's not a serious fantasy concern, despite the QB issues. Every member of Indy's receiving corps is suddenly a low-ceiling risk, however. Michael Pittman was barely a rumor last week. Tyler Warren caught just three balls for 19 yards. Alec Pierce operates at a level of the field that the 44-year-old Rivers can no longer reach.

I'd love nothing more than to give you a pep talk about your various Colts, but I'm afraid most of mine are on the bench. I do not wish to head into Monday night needing significant contributions from any Indianapolis skill player who isn't JT. Over to Jake Ciely with more:

The process was correct in assuming Rivers didn't have much of an arm left, and he sent a team-high six "attempts" in Warren's direction last week. We know what that turned into, but Rivers also targeted Pittman five times. The Josh Downs touchdown could have been a Warren score and we wouldn't be so worried, but we can't play all these ifs. I would only risk Pittman as a WR3 and Warren as a fringe TE1 in the Juwan Johnson realm.

In addition to the usual thoughtful assessment of the player pool, Jake absolutely nailed the definitive hierarchy of all-time fantasy playoff heroes in the Week 16 edition of his rankings. Do not skip the intro this week, people. It would be disrespectful to Jerome Harrison, Billy Volek and other fantasy immortals.

Fantasy football is ultimately a matchup game, and KC Joyner certainly has you covered in that department each week. Here's a sampling of the strongest and weakest plays for Week 16:

When we reach the money weeks of the fantasy season, any player you aren't willing to start becomes a cut candidate. It's a harsh game, but we can't keep an unplayable guy on the bench as a mascot. You have our official permission to discard any of the following players:

Ideally, you would not be forced to start Saints RB Audric Estime in the fantasy semis, but some of us have been hammered by injuries and our options are limited. Flexes aren't just falling from the sky. Estime looked excellent in limited duty last week, running in relief of the injured Devin Neal. He played 25 snaps and converted his six touches into 50 total yards. Estime appears to now be headed for the lead role in a two-man backfield with Evan Hull, and the matchup ahead against the Jets is a gift.

At any given moment, there's a good chance one of The Athletic's writers is conducting an AMA in our fantasy football Discord server. No reasonable question is ever refused. Here's a relatable situation described in Friday's chat:

ZTKL: I have options of Kirk Cousins, Caleb Williams and Tyler Shough, essentially. What are your thoughts here? Going for upside, as I just got (Puka) Nacua'd. Kind of leaning Cousins because he looked good and comfortable in that offense last week, and now he gets his best weapon back. But I am open to thoughts.

What we need to remember about Cousins is that a shocking percentage of his total fantasy output over the past two years has been delivered against Tampa Bay. He's thrown 24 touchdown passes as a member of the Falcons, 11 of which have come in his three games against the Bucs. Unfortunately, he has not been fantasy relevant against any other opponent.

You're definitely right to chase a ceiling game after Puka's nonsense. For me, Caleb is the upside play (although he is not without downside). He offers the sort of rushing potential you simply can't get from Kirk. I realize his receiving corps is missing two big pieces, but Moore and Loveland are more than enough. Removing Micah Parsons from the chess board is simply a massive boost for Chicago's offense.