Revised Week 16 Quarterback Rankings: Essential Fantasy Start-Sit Decisions for Your Lineup

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In most league formats, the fantasy football playoffs start in Week 16. For the quarterback position, all starters are in play — for better or worse.

Well, except for Patrick Mahomes, who suffered a season-ending torn ACL as the Chiefs’ playoff hopes for this season also ended.

Luckily, in most fantasy games, quarterback replacements from the waiver wire at least have a high weekly floor compared to other positions, and Mahomes managers have plenty of replacements.

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Fantasy QB Rankings Week 16: Start-sit quarterback lineup advice for your league playoffs

These Week 16 quarterback rankings are based on 4-point passing touchdowns and one point for every 25 passing yards.

↕️ Fantasy Rankings for Week 16: RB | WR | TE | D/ST | PK | Flex Cheat Sheet

RkTrNameTMOPPChg11Jared GoffDETPIT 21Jalen HurtsPHI@WASDONE-SAT32Drake MayeNE@BAL 42Josh AllenBUF@CLE 52Lamar JacksonBALNE 62Brock PurdySF@IND 72Matthew StaffordLAR@SEADONE-TNF83Trevor LawrenceJAX@DENDN-593Sam DarnoldSEALARDONE-TNF103Jacoby BrissettARIATL 113Bo NixDENJAX 123Joe BurrowCIN@MIA 134Aaron RodgersPIT@DET 144Justin HerbertLAC@DAL 154J.J. McCarthyMIN@NYG 165Caleb WilliamsCHIGBDONE-SAT175Jordan LoveGB@CHIDONE-SAT185Dak PrescottDALLAC 195Jaxson DartNYGMIN 206Gardner MinshewKC@TEN 216Bryce YoungCARTB 226Kirk CousinsATL@ARI 236Tyler ShoughNONYJ 247C.J. StroudHOULV 257Shedeur SandersCLEBUF 267Baker MayfieldTB@CAR 277Cam WardTENKC 288Quinn EwersMIACIN 298Geno SmithLV@HOU 308Marcus MariotaWASPHIDONE-SAT318Brady CookNYJ@NO 328Philip RiversINDSF       339Riley LeonardINDSF 349Jameis WinstonNYGMIN 359Dillon GabrielCLEBUF 3610Davis MillsHOULV 3710Joe FlaccoCIN@MIA 3810Mason RudolphPIT@DET 3911Max BrosmerMIN@NYG 4011Teddy BridgewaterTB@CAR 3011Kenny PickettLV@HOU 4111Tanner McKeePHI@WAS 4211Trey LanceLAC@DAL 4311Malik WillisGB@CHIDONE-SAT4411Jake BrowningCIN@MIA 4511Nick MullensJAX@DEN 4611Kedon SlovisARIATL       QUE–Justin FieldsNYJ@NO QUE–Tyrod TaylorNYJ@NO INACTIVE–Tua TagovailoaMIACIN IR–Patrick MahomesKC@TEN IR–Jayden DanielsWASPHI IR–Daniel JonesINDSF IR–Kyler MurrayARIATL IR–Michael Penix Jr.ATL@ARI 

📋 BEST PLAYOFF PICKUPS: Week 16 waiver wire pickups

Which QB injuries should I monitor for fantasy Week 16?

Who are the best Week 16 fantasy QBs?

Following a historic Week 15 fantasy performance, Trevor Lawrence vaults into must-start territory — even against the lauded Broncos pass defense. The Jaguars offense is rolling, and Lawrence still may be available in shallow leagues as a Patrick Mahomes replacement.

Jared Goff (338 passing yards, 3 TDs) sits atop the rankings before a matchup with the Steelers, generally a top-10 friendliest fantasy matchup for QBs and wide receivers for most of the season. 

🐐 See where Trevor Lawrence ranks among QBs: Who has the most fantasy points in a game?

Who are the best Start ‘Em QBs for Week 16?

While calling them “sleepers” is a stretch, the fact that every healthy QB is available shouldn’t keep us from giving these names a boost:

• Aaron Rodgers gets the Detroit Lions, who are allowing a league-high 29.2 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks over the last month. Check on whether the Steelers quarterback makes it out of Monday Night Football before using him.
• Justin Herbert vs. the Cowboys: Every quarterback’s dream, especially if Quentin Johnston (groin) returns and Herbert remembers TE Oronde Gadsden II exists.
• Superflex/2QB options and deep-league 1QB streamers include: Yes, Gardner Minshew (at Titans); Bryce Young (vs. Buccaneers); Kirk Cousins (at Cardinals);Tyler Shough (vs. Jets), and CJ Stroud (vs. Raiders).

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Who are the riskiest Sit ‘Em QBs for Week 16?

Just as the sleeper territory is weird, those who live the streamer life can be picky with everyone available.

The offenses of the Bears’ Caleb Williams and the Packers’ Jordan Love may each elect to lean on the run games, who have carried the action for at least Chicago recently in D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai. The Josh Jacobs Show in Chicago during December sounds logical, too, especially if Soldier Field’s weather becomes a factor as it did for Bears-Browns.

Though I’m keeping Jaxson Dart in top-20 territory, the Vikings are literally the toughest matchup for fantasy QBs all season and over the past four weeks. Don’t drop Dart in deep leagues, but this is where a streamer could leapfrog his production easily for one-QB lineups.

Which fantasy QBs are on bye this week?

The NFL has no more weekly byes for the 2025 regular season. All active fantasy players are available for lineups.