Fantasy Football Flashback: Who are the players who helped punch title-game tickets?
Welcome to the Week 16 edition of Fantasy Football Flashback, where we celebrate the accomplishments of the week's most reliable players. The semifinals were bit of a dud in terms of explosive playmakers, as a combination of key QB injuries and extremely cold weather led to a week with just one 30-point performance. But the following 10 players managed to lead their squads to the championship round by putting up the highest totals of Week 16.
No. 1: Cam Akers, RB, Los Angeles Rams, 33.70 points
Akers put the finishing touches on one of the most volatile fantasy seasons of all time when he rushed for 118 yards and three touchdowns in a 51-14 romp over the Broncos. The 23-year-old was drafted as a mid-level RB2 before gaining zero yards in Week 1. He didn’t play at all from Weeks 6-8 and was seemingly on his way out of Los Angeles before the Rams failed to find a trading partner. A forgotten man in many fantasy leagues by playoff time, Akers mostly came out of nowhere to lead all point scorers in the biggest week so far this season. He is now a borderline must-start player for his Week 17 matchup against the Chargers.
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No. 2: T.J. Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings, 29.40
Hockenson joined Josh Jacobs as the only non-QB’s this season be a top-two scorer in two separate weeks when he caught 13 passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns in a narrow win over the Giants. Remarkably, his Week 16 results were slightly lower than his Week 4 effort as a member of the Lions, when he produced 179 yards and two scores. Hockenson logged mediocre statistics in his initial five games with the Vikings, but his two big games have accounted for 41% of his total points scored this season (160.9) and propelled him to being the No. 2 TE.
No. 3: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys, 29.00
Lamb keyed the biggest Dallas win of the season when he caught 10 passes for 120 yards and two scores in a 40-34 victory over the Eagles. This performance was indicative of the third-year pro’s newly elevated ceiling, as he has gone over the 100-yard mark in four of his past seven games after not reaching that plateau once during the initial eight weeks of the season. Lamb could post another game-changing total when he faces a reeling Titans squad in Week 17.
No. 4: Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys, 28.98
Prescott did much more than complete passes to Lamb on Saturday, finishing the win over Philadelphia with 347 passing yards, 41 rushing yards and a trio of aerial scores. The Cowboys signal-caller has recovered plenty of fantasy value after missing a chunk of time due to injury by throwing for 2,109 yards and 19 TDs in his past eight games. Like Lamb, Prescott is a great option against the Titans in Week 17.
No. 5: DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles, 27.30
Smith and teammate A.J. Brown both went over the 100-yard mark in Dallas on Sunday, and Smith also found the end zone twice during his 8-catch, 113-yard afternoon. Both wide receivers have been great in recent weeks, with Smith holding up his end of the bargain by producing 405 yards and four touchdowns in his past four games. Whether working with Jalen Hurts or Gardner Minshew, Smith is a lineup lock for his Championship Week game against New Orleans.
No. 6: George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers, 27.00
Kittle was Brock Purdy’s favorite option on Saturday, catching 6-of-8 targets for 120 yards and two touchdowns. This was the 29-year-old’s second straight two-score game, and his third multi-touchdown effort in the past six weeks. However, like most tight ends this year, Kittle has been inconsistent, having logged fewer than 30 yards in six games. Still, Kittle is a great option for Week 17, when he faces a Raiders defense that has been below average against the pass.
No. 7: Tyler Higbee, TE, Los Angeles Rams, 25.90
Higbee punctuated a big week for mid-level tight ends by producing nine catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns in the lopsided win over Denver. Like his teammate Akers, Higbee mostly came out of nowhere with this game-changing performance, as he entered Week 16 with just 482 yards and one touchdown. Higbee is more likely to be a one-week wonder than a Championship Week contributor, as the Rams passing attack with Baker Mayfield at quarterback is not one that can be relied upon.
No. 8: Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions, 25.70
Goff looked different from past Lions QBs in many recent weeks, as he helped fantasy teams while also winning games. But the 28-year-old was more like a typical Detroit signal-caller on Saturday, falling behind early and then racking up plenty of passing yards in a futile attempt to pull his team back into the game. Still, Goff deserves credit for averaging over 300 yards and two scores in his past five contests, and he is a great option for his Week 17 home start against a porous Bears defense.
No. 9: Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals, 25.50
Burrow looked like he was going to single-handedly lead his fantasy teams to victory when he threw three first-half touchdowns in Week 16. But the former No. 1 overall pick couldn’t find his groove in the second half and finished the contest with a good stat line (375 passing yards, three scores, two interceptions) rather than an eye-popping one. With 1,831 total yards and 17 touchdowns in his past six games, Burrow has been a late-season savior who will be tasked with a tough Championship Week matchup when he visits the Bills.
No. 10: Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings, 25.30
Jefferson started slowly against the Giants before picking up steam in the second half and finishing the game with 12 catches for 133 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown. The third-year pro now leads the NFL by a significant margin in both catches and receiving yards. He has also run away from the WR competition in total fantasy points, leading Tyreek Hill by more than 30. Jefferson will receive strong consideration as the No. 1 overall pick in 2023 fantasy drafts.
