I blame Norv Turner for last week's Chris Ogbonnaya disaster. Not only did I recommend him in most league formats, but I picked him up in both of mine! It's a tough pill to swallow, but that's the beauty of FanDuel and DraftStreet weekly leagues, right? It's a new week, and we move on! The week 16 picks are ready and waiting to outperform that bum Ogbonnaya...although that's not saying much when he only pulled 7.1 points.
Quarterback
Jay Cutler, @ PHI. $8,000. Even though Cutler may be good for an interception, having Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey both available could make my dad a viable pick against an Eagles' defense that let Matt Cassel look good. The only thing to worry about here is weather - we don't want snow to turn a multi-TD game into a multi-turnover game.
Colin Kaepernick, vs. ATL. $7,900. The Falcons D gave up 23 points to Kirk Cousins last week in Atlanta. Add the fact that Michael Crabtree seems to be back up to speed after scoring his first TD (and best game) of the season, and Kaepernick has three above average receiving options in addition to a strong running game. The biggest risk here would be the team running up the score early, removing Kaep during the fourth quarter.
Kirk Cousins, vs. DAL. $7,000. As previously mentioned, Cousins had a good game last week against Atlanta. This week, at home against the worst pass defense in the league, Cousins may not be able to duplicate the comeback that Matt Flynn had, but he should better those numbers. Don't be surprised to see another three-TD, one-INT game.
Running Back
Danny Woodhead, vs. OAK. $6,000. Don't get it twisted - Woodhead will not repeat Jamaal Charles' performance from last week, but almost all of Charles' production came through the air. This bodes well for Woodhead, who should see plenty of short passes come his way, any of which could be taken for a long gain.
Jordan Todman, vs. TEN. $5,800. With Maurice Jones-Drew a game-time decision, Todman could hog the touches again, but this time get in the end zone! The Titans have given up the second most TDs to running backs (20), including two last week to Rashard Mendenhall. If Mendenhall can find pay dirt, so will Todman.
Wide Receiver
Kendall Wright, @ JAC. $6,100. The Jaguars give up the 5th most TDs to receivers, and the 6th most fantasy points. Who better to take advantage of this than a guy who got an amazing 20 targets last week? Wright and Ryan Fitzpatrick have chemistry, and it will shine in this game.
Emmanuel Sanders, @ GB. $6,000. Sanders has quietly scored 13+ points in three of the last 4 games, and faces a defense which gave up 500 yards to Ben Roethlisberger in 2009. Yes, it's four years later, but smart QBs have always been able to throw against Dom Capers' defense, and this secondary doesn't have the skills / depth to stop everyone. If the Packers are smart and give safety help on Antonio Brown, Sanders will have a field day.
Steve Smith, vs. NO. $4,900. Smith got in the end zone when these teams met in New Orleans, and he has a better chance of doing the same at home. The Saints' defense won't have the benefit of crowd noise affecting the offense, especially on big plays, which is when Cam Newton looks for Smith.
Tight End
Dennis Pitta, vs. NE. $5,700. Don't let last week fool you, the Lions are the second-best in the league against tight ends, and Pitta was no exception. However, the Patriots are middle-of-the-road against the TE position, and Pitta has at least an inch on every Patriots LB. He'll have much more than the four targets he saw last week, as the Ravens should find the red zone in New England.
Martellus Bennett, @ PHI. $4,800. Bennett carries more value as a WR than a TE in this game, and it'll show when he lines up outside. At 6'6", he's taller than Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey, so he'll arguably be just as valuable as them in the red zone if the Bears spread out the offense and push the second-worst pass defense to cover every big target on the field.
Kicker
Justin Tucker, vs. NE. $5,300. I'm sure you heard of Tucker's 61-yard field goal to win last week, showcasing his powerful leg. He's made every kick he's taken this year, as well as every kick under 40 yards in his career. The offense's ineptitude at running the ball makes me love Tucker again this week, even if the outdoors won't let him make 60-yarders every time.
Defense
Rams, vs. TB. $5,400. The Rams held Drew Brees and the Saints for three quarters last week, only giving up garbage time yards and points. As good as Mike Glennon has looked this season, his targets are not at the same depth that Drew Brees has. If the Rams' fans show up like they did last week, I wouldn't be surprised to see another studly defensive performance with multiple turnovers and sacks.