Welcome to semi finals week everyone! I am so glad that you are here this week, and congratulations on a great week! For those that weren’t as lucky, commiserations to you all. Now, it is time for us to get a handle on which players are going to get us all to fantasy championships next week.
Before we get into the column this week, I want to take the time out to wish every single one of you, and yours, a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday season. This is a very strange time for all of us given the ongoing, you know, THING that has been plaguing us all literally and metaphorically for the last 18 months of our existences.
I also want to touch on this briefly, as this is a hard time for a lot of people on a psychological level. I know this Christmas for me is the first Christmas I will be celebrating without my grandmother, one of the most influential people in my life. She is the reason I keep doing what I do, to hopefully make her and all of you proud. I can only hope I live up to that billing.
I want to now discuss a subject that I talked about on a podcast this week, which really made me think really hard about a concrete answer here. A few weeks ago in this very column I wrote about my top 10 films of all time, which was met with some agreement and some disagreement. Come at me all you want, Revenge of the Sith is fantastic and you can’t tell me otherwise.
Now, it is time to stir the pot once more before your crazy Republican aunt gets to see your crazy Democrat uncle during the holidays. We all know the political conversations are coming, it is as guaranteed as presents under the tree. It is time to rank my top 10 athletes of all time. Now, before getting into it, I have to define what goes into this list. Some top 10 athlete lists will be based off of who has won the most, meaning Bill Russell of the great Boston Celtics teams would be the greatest athlete of all time given his 11 championships. For me, championships are a minor part of the package. When assessing the greats, I look at individual on field performance as much as I do their career honors.
So, let me have a go. Here are my top 10 athletes of all time.
Honorable Mentions: Pele, Simon Biles, Bo Jackson, Willie Mays, Jerry Rice, Kobe Bryant, Babe Ruth
10. Serena Williams – Perhaps the greatest tennis player of all time, man or woman, Serena has won absolutely everything there is to win in the sport as a singles and as a doubles competitor. Every major, an olympic gold medal, the highest earning female tennis player of all time, that is Serena Williams. She is iconic in every sense of the word. The only thing that keeps Serena back here is the chase for her elusive 24th major title to equal the great Margaret Court for most majors all time.
9. Tom Brady – I know exactly what you are thinking. Half of you are saying “oh that is way too low”, and the other half are saying “why is he on this list at all”. Fabulous question, Brady by the time he is all said and done will just about own every major passing record in NFL history. Couple that with his six super bowl championships, that makes this list by default. Oh, and how could we forget that he was a 6th round draft pick? Bet you haven’t heard that one enough times.
8. Jackie Robinson – The man who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball, Robinson’s inclusion on this list exceeds everything he did on the diamond. A six time all star and World Series winner in 1955, Robinson was also a standout football player and track star while at UCLA. The man could do just about everything, hence his inclusion on my list.
7. Wayne Gretzky – He is by far and away the greatest hockey player of all time, and it isn’t even remotely close. Yeah, we have stars in today’s game such as Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby, but they come nowhere close to the talent and skill set of The Great One. He has the nickname for a reason folks. Four Stanley Cup wins to boot, Gretzky also holds the NHL record for most points ever recorded in a single season with 215 (1985-1986).
6. Muhammad Ali – The greatest heavyweight champion of all time. Ali was able to make his mark on the sport of boxing during the 1960s and 1970s when the heavyweight division in the sport was as deep as it has ever been in history. His iconic bouts with Joe Frazier, the battle with then heavyweight champion George Foreman at The Rumble in the Jungle, Ali’s legacy was created during the golden era of boxing.
5. Jim Brown – Not only was Jim Brown great at everything he did, as he received thirteen separate letters in five sports, he also went on to become an All-American at Syracuse in both football and lacrosse. Fast forward to his time with the Cleveland Browns, Brown won three NFL MVP awards along with one NFL championship in 1964. In my mind, this is the greatest football player of all time as he simply dominated whenever he stepped foot onto the field.
4. Usian Bolt – The man has never earned a silver or bronze medal at the Olympic Games. Think about that for a second, out of eight Olympic medals all eight of them are gold. Now over his career, Bolt has won only 6 non gold medals out of 29 overall medals. The greatest olympic sprinter of all time, yes I am aware of Jesse Owens and my statement still stands.
3. Michael Phelps – The greatest men’s swimmer of all time, and quite possibly the greatest Olympian of all time? Just at the Olympics alone, Phelps has 23 gold medals out of 28 Olympic medals. His entire career, Phelps has 83 career medals with 66 golds.
2. Michael Jordan – The greatest basketball player of all time, bar none. Jordan never lost in the NBA Finals, won Finals MVP in all 6 of his appearances, won the league MVP award 5 times, and was a 13 time All-Star. No matter what the competition may or may not do, Jordan will always be at the NBA mountain top.
1. Tiger Woods – I cannot wait for the backlash with this one, but hear me out. When you talk about individuals who changed their respective sports, I will argue that Tiger Woods single handedly changed the game of golf more than any other has changed their sports. Take the ‘97 Masters for example, Woods becomes the youngest man to win at Augusta and the first non-white player to win a green jacket. Then winning a US Open at Torrey Pines on a broken leg? Then the off-course transgressions, to then come back and win again? Nobody can bet on Tiger to not make a heroic return after his accident in early 2021, and he will.
Let me have it. Give me all you got about my takes. Now, let’s get to week 16. Here are the best starts and sits for week 16, the fantasy football semifinals.
Quarterback Starts For Week 16
When surveying the quarterback position this week, there aren’t many smash plays for reasons we will get to throughout the column. However, one such instance of an immediate smash play this week is Justin Herbert as he takes on the Houston Texans. The Chargers signal caller comes in as my QB1 this week against a Texans defense that hasn’t allowed a 300 yard passing day in four straight games. But why does this make Herbert a smash play? Well when surveying who the Texans have faced in that four game stretch, they have had the Jets, Colts, Seahawks, and Jaguars. Now that Herbert is coming to town, I expect the defense to get lit up here. Herbert will pass for 300 yards and record three touchdowns in this one.
I understand how he records the fantasy stats he does, but at the same time I don’t understand it. That is the story with Jalen Hurts. He is a bang average passer, but is elite with his legs especially in space. Hurts takes on a Giants defense this week that is middle of the pack in points allowed to the position, yet I like Hurts given his very solid rushing floor. Hurts comes in as my QB8 this week, and that is fluid. He could be higher, he could be lower.
Other QB Starts This Week: Despite the various injury concerns in his offense with no Chris Godwin, Leonard Fournette, and probably Mike Evans, I still am confident in starting Tom Brady this week after he put up the clunker of all clunkers last Sunday Night. Brady is getting back a key piece to this offense in Antonio Brown and still has Rob Gronkowski. The Panthers just allowed a three touchdown day from Josh Allen last week, and I can see Brady having a nice bounceback. Brady is my QB6 this week. If there is no Lamar Jackson for Baltimore this week, I am on board with another Tyler Huntley spot start against the Bengals. See everything I said about Jalen Hurts and simply apply it to Huntley.
Start of the Week: Jalen Hurts
Quarterback Sits for Week 16
It pains me this one, but if you are in the fantasy semifinals with Dak Prescott starting for you, congratulations. I have no idea how you have managed it with Prescott playing as poorly as he is. While the matchup versus Washington may be nice, and it is a game that if Dallas wins they clinch the NFC East, I simply cannot trust Dak in fantasy right now. Four of his last five weeks he has posted under 11 fantasy points, which simply isn’t good enough. Dak is my QB10 this week.
Once again, another common visitor of the sit list is Russell Wilson and here he is as a sit this week. The Seattle Seahawks are a bonafide mess, and Wilson has been playing just average. While a lot could be attributed to his injured finger, I cannot get on board with Wilson even as a spot start against the Bears who allow the 6th most points to opposing quarterbacks. He is my QB16 this week.
Other QB Sits This Week: Against a ravenous New Orleans Saints defense, Tua Tagovailoa comes in as a sit this week for me. Did you see what the Saints did to the Buccaneers last week? That is all you need to know for this one, even if it is Monday Night Miracle territory. I also am not as hot on Jimmy Garoppolo as I was. He will score points, no doubt. My issue is he simply doesn’t have the necessary ceiling needed to be considered a smash play. Even in a strong matchup Thursday Night versus the Titans, he is simply not strong enough for me to warrant a start in my fantasy playoff matchups.
Sit of the Week: Jimmy Garoppolo
Running Back Starts for Week 16
Welcome back to James Robinson! Maybe it was Urban Meyer’s fault after all? Robinson looked like a new player last week against Houston, finally rolling into the end zone for the first time since week 11. Now up next for Robinson is a matchup with the New York Jets, who just allowed Duke Johnson Jr. to score twice on them last week. Robinson is my RB9 this week.
Especially in half PPR and full PPR, give me all of Cordarrelle Patterson this week versus the Detroit Lions. This is a game that the Falcons should win, and Patterson figures to see a bunch of work for the Falcons in the backfield. The Falcons have found something with Patterson this year, and good on the fantasy managers that took a chance on him way back in September. Patterson is my RB6 this week against a Lions defense that concedes the 4th most points to opposing running backs.
After a total dud last week versus the Lions, James Conner will be back with a vengeance this week for the Cardinals against the Colts. What does concern me slightly is the inclusion of Chase Edmonds for the Cardinals, especially on passing downs. I do think Conner scores in this one, which warrants a start here. Conner comes in as my RB15 this week.
Other RB Starts This Week: While I hate the situation, I love the matchup for Javonte Williams against the Raiders. Much has been discussed about the Broncos’ backfield, yet this still feels like a super strong play for me. Williams is my RB14 this week, and could be higher. One to monitor here as he is dealing with a quad injury, if he plays I like Miles Sanders a fair bit versus the Giants this week. Sanders was terrific against the Washington Football Team, totaling 146 yards of total offense. It is the second game in a row where Sanders has over 100 total yards, and I expect this to be a third for Sanders, my RB18 this week.
Start of the Week: Cordarrelle Patterson
Running Back Sits for Week 16
I am fully back on the sit Saquon Barkley train. The Giants absolutely stink, and Barkley simply has no room to maneuver. I did like the look of the offense last week when Jake Fromm took over for Mike Glennon, but can you trust Barkley to produce with Fromm? I can’t, and I won’t. Barkley is my RB21 this week, with expectations now really low for him.
I have no idea what happened with Michael Carter last week, maybe the Jets were working him back slowly? Whatever the case, I saw Tevin Coleman used pretty much equally to Carter, and that worries me for this week. Carter out-touched Coleman nine to eight, and while the matchup is decent for Carter, I cannot trust him this week. Carter comes in as my RB32, way lower than the Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR) have him.
Although he may have separated himself to be the lead running back for the Buffalo Bills, I need to see it again from Devin Singletary. Singletary got every running back touch last week versus Carolina bar one that went to Matt Breida, yet I am still not convinced with this flip flop backfield that just loves to keep fantasy managers guessing. Also consider the Patriots are good against opposing running backs not named Jonathan Taylor, Derrick Henry, Austin Ekeler, and Leonard Fournette. Those are the only running backs who have scored on the Patriots this year. Singletary is my RB29 this week.
Other RB Sits This Week: I want to fade the Patriots backfield if I can. With Damien Harris set to return this week, I would be hesitant to throw Harris right back in there. Also factor in that Raemondre Stevenson will get reps as well, and I want to stay away from this true 50-50 split. Ditto goes for the Chargers running backs, who will not have Austin Ekeler this weekend due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols. This now leaves Justin Jackson and Joshua Kelley manning the backfield for the Chargers. Both guys will see work in this game, no questions asked. But if I had to guess who the lead guy will be, my money would be on Jackson.
Sit of the Week: Devin Singletary
Wide Receiver Starts for Week 16
Antonio Brown is now the number one receiver for Tom Brady (pending Mike Evans misses the contest). That is all I need to see right there. Brady and Brown have had a nice connection this season as well, so I would expect Brown to step right into a feature role for the Bucs passing game if he is able to return from his own injury issues. Brown, as of right now, ranks as my WR13.
I am gonna stick with it, Ja’Marr Chase is a start for me this week. Now, I know it has been underwhelming for most of the second half for Chase managers. Yet, this Ravens secondary is beaten up and can be had. I see no issues here for Chase and Joe Burrow to hook up, and I see Chase having a solid day against the Ravens. Chase comes in as my WR9 this week, and I think he scores.
Holy smoke is Keenan Allen in for a big week. No Ekeler, no problem here for Allen. He should be in line for even more work for the Chargers, and against the Texans who have allowed a touchdown to a receiver in three of the last five, I love the opportunity here for a big time game. Allen is my WR5 this week, as Mr. Consistent looks to get his managers to a championship next week.
Other WR Starts This Week: Amon-Ra St. Brown is quickly becoming a favorite in Detroit, and a favorite of mine. He gets the nod for me this week against Atlanta, however expectations may be tempered if there is no Jared Goff for the Lions this week due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols. St. Brown, for now, is my WR21. If he plays, get A.J. Brown back into your lineups immediately. He should be peppered with targets right off the bat, and screams high volume all day long on Thursday. Brown is my WR16 as of now, and will move into my top 10 if he is confirmed active.
Start of the Week: Antonio Brown
Wide Receiver Sits for Week 16
You don’t feel great sitting him in fear of missing the big one, but D.K. Metcalf just has been awful for fantasy managers the last five weeks. He recorded his highest point total in week 15 since week 8 with 11.2 in full PPR, which simply isn’t good enough. I personally think Metcalf has been a colossal bust, even with the strong touchdown numbers, and he can no longer be trusted. Metcalf is my WR24 this week.
Ditto goes for Amari Cooper, only he may have a valid reason. Cooper missed two weeks due to COVID-19, and sources tell me that Cooper was severely affected by the virus. So it could explain why Cooper has not been great since. Cooper managed to score against the same Washington Football Team in week 14, and now gets to see them again this time in Dallas. I can get behind a Cooper start more than a Metcalf start right now, as Cooper comes in as my WR22.
The party is officially over for Brandon Aiyuk managers. After recording one catch for 36 yards last week versus Atlanta, he simply needs to be left on benches for this week. You simply do not want to risk having four or five points in your lineup after only Thursday night, and that is the downside of Aiyuk entirely. He is more than capable of producing a flat out dud, and that to me is too risky. Aiyuk comes in as my WR33.
Other WR Sits This Week: Chase Claypool has to sit for fantasy managers this week, even against the Chiefs. For one, his offense absolutely stinks. Two, he simply isn’t getting the work required. Claypool is my WR38 this week. Maybe controversial, D.J. Moore is out for me this week versus a sure to be ticked off Buccaneers defense. I see a safe-ish floor for Moore, but nowhere near a high enough ceiling for the former Maryland Terrapin. Moore charts out as my WR25 this week.
Sit of the Week: D.K. Metcalf
Tight End Starts for Week 16
With potentially no Travis Kelce and Darren Waller this week, this section could be make or break for fantasy managers. So here we go. I like Dalton Schultz a bit this week for Dallas versus Washington. I expect Washington to look to clamp down on the outside receivers, leaving the middle of the field open for Schultz to work. I have Schultz as my TE9 this week, with a touchdown not necessarily needed for him to be productive.
Hunter Henry is as much of a red zone threat as there is around the league. It is very simple, when Mac Jones gets anywhere near the end zone he is looking for Henry. Henry now has a career high in touchdown catches in only his first year in New England, and has really developed a great rapport with Jones. I like Henry as my TE8 this week.
Other TE Starts This Week: Cole Kmet could be a sneaky play for the Bears versus the Seattle Seahawks this week. Kmet has been creeping his way into fantasy relevance over the last few weeks, and shouldn’t attract too much attention from other managers. Kmet is my TE14 this week. Roll out Dawson Knox this week, as Josh Allen may have to spread the ball elsewhere as Stefon Diggs could have a tough time this week versus a stingy New England secondary. Knox is my TE6 this week, and could be top five at the position.
Start of the Week: Hunter Henry
Tight End Sits for Week 16
Kyle Pitts doesn’t score, so he cannot be trusted in fantasy for me. Although his matchup is really nice, I still cannot get behind it. If there ever was a time for Pitts however, this would be the week it happens against the Lions. Pitts is my TE7 this week, and I understand if fantasy managers do not have other options. For me, it is simply too risky.
Mike Gesicki has to score to retain any sort of value, and against a Saints team that concedes the 9th fewest points to opposing tight ends. The Saints also kept Rob Gronkowski very much in check last week, and I simply cannot see a pathway for success for Gesicki. Gesicki comes in as my TE11 this week, which is relatively low. But as mentioned I see Gesicki’s touchdown drought continuing, as the former Penn State man hasn’t scored since week 7.
Other TE Sits This Week: I want nothing to do with Seattle, so Gerald Everett is a sit for me after being a popular streaming option in week 15. I also cannot get behind Tyler Higbee, as he simply doesn’t get the volume in the Rams offense to be fantasy relevant. Despite the strong matchup, stay away from Jared Cook this week no matter how tempting.
Sit of the Week: Tyler Higbee
To close out the column this week, I want to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas. To those that are celebrating, please enjoy the festive period as much as you can despite the troubling times. For those not celebrating, please enjoy the weekend and relax as much as you can. To all of the semi-finalists, good luck in week 16. Next week, we do it one more time with titles on the line.
