Jesse Moeller and Joe O’Leary are back with another rendition of fact or fiction. The guys take on a few important fantasy football topics and each presents their case for or against.
it’s time once again for fact or fiction.
Cordarrelle Patterson over 17.1 PPR points (Sleeper Projection)
Joe: Fact
Cordarrelle Patterson was a big letdown for fantasy football managers in Week 15 of the playoffs, managing only 4.3 PPR points. If you were lucky enough to survive his performance or had a bye last week, better days are ahead in Week 16 for the breakout sensation against the Lions. Patterson still saw good volume in Week 15, gathering 13 total touches. Detroit is 28th in the league allowing 133 rushing yards per game to opponents.
17.1 points is a lot but I like Patterson’s chances this week. This is a get-right spot for Cordarrelle at home versus the Lions. Give me the over.
Jesse: Fact
Are you telling me slash gets to go against the Lion’s defense this week? Please, sign me up for the over here. The Lions can’t stop running backs this year, as they have bled points and yards throughout the season. Patterson has come out of nowhere to average just under 17 fantasy points per game, and Detroit is 4th in fantasy points allowed to the position.
Whether through the air or on the ground, the Lions are bottom five against running backs. When dual-threat running back meets up with a defense that cannot do anything except present fantasy football points, I cheerfully smash the over.
Cooper Kupp outscores Justin Jefferson Week 16 (PPR)
Joe: Fact
It’s a battle of two of the top fantasy football wide receivers in the game this week as Cooper Kupp and the Rams face Justin Jefferson and the Vikings. The two have combined to manage only one game combined under double-digit PPR points. They are both as automatic as it gets.
I’m going to side with Kupp in this one, facing a better matchup with the Vikings secondary. Jefferson’s matchup isn’t one to completely fear, but he will have moments squared up against Jalen Ramsey.
I expect both to deliver in Week 16 but, Kupp gets the slight edge in this heavyweight battle.
Jesse: Fiction
Let me be clear, there is no wrong answer in this debate. Cooper Kupp is the fantasy football MVP this season. He is currently on pace to post the best fantasy WR season of all time. He is triumphing over the all-time greats such as Rice, Owens, Moss, Megatron.
Jefferson needed a break to beat Kupp down the stretch. With the injury to Thielen, Jefferson got the boost he needed. Jefferson’s Target Share has jumped to 49% in the two games without Thielen. That’s practically unheard of. While I do expect it to come down, Jefferson will be force-fed targets against the Rams in Week 16.
Even if Thielen does come back in Week 16, the first game back from an ankle is not the week to trust that wide receiver. I expect both wide receivers to shine in this matchup, and I anticipate Jefferson shining the brightest.
Week 16 Sleeper
Joe: Ronald Jones
Well wouldn’t you know Ronald Jones would re-emerge before the season is over to toy one more time with fantasy football managers. RoJo steps into a golden opportunity with Leonard Fournette expected to miss “ a game or two”.
The Bucs are down Giovanni Bernard as well, so Jones is in line for a large role Sunday. The Panthers are giving up 119.3 rushing yards per game on the ground. Jones is in a great spot this week as the Buccaneers are double-digit favorites looking to shake off the stink from the Saints game last week.
Ronald Jones has fantasy playoff hero potential in Week 16.
Jesse: Christian Kirk
With DeAndre Hopkins sidelined for the rest of the year, Christian Kirk took full advantage of the opening. Against Detroit, Kirk led all pass-catchers in snaps (72/75), routes run (52), and targets (12). Kirk was also efficient on that volume as he was thee WR5 with 24.40 fantasy points.
Given all the hype the fantasy football community put on Antonio Brown coming back this week, Kirk flew under the radar; and now the WR1 chair in Arizona is his for the taking. Kirk is in store for a big day against the Colts pass defense. I expect him to hit a few big plays and find the endzone this week. Start him with confidence against Indy.
Saturday Night Special: Which position player scores the most PPR points?
Joe: Jonathan Taylor
Ok maybe I’m cheating a little here. I’m not going to play around by taking the best running back in football right now, Jonathan Taylor to lead all position players for Saturdays doubleheader. The Cardinals just gave up 100 plus yards on the ground to Craig Reynolds. While Reynolds is a hell of a story, he’s no JT.
Taylor continues his torrid 2021 against the Cardinals in Week 16.
Jesse: Davante Adams
I am betting on the best wide receiver in the NFL to score the most points this Saturday. There are many excellent choices include some elite running backs in Jonathon Taylor, Nick Chubb, or Aaron Jones. I am betting on Adams because of the numbers he continues to put up.
Adams 17-game pace is ridiculous. The Slash line of 125-1632-10 is what you expect from Adams. That tells you all you need to know about him as a player. It does not matter who you line up against Adams. He is practically unguardable one-on-one. Adams has his third consecutive season of a 30%+ Target Share, along with a RedZone Target Share of 26%.
The numbers and tape tell us that Rodgers funnels targets to Adams. Against a pass defense that is by no means a difficult matchup, I expect Rodgers and Adams to connect early and often against the Browns.
