DraftKings Reignmakers | Week 16 Main Slate Breakdown

This NFL season, we are pleased to have partnered with DraftKings as a content provider, covering their exciting new NFT-powered fantasy football game, DK Reignmakers! Each week in this space, we will be breaking down the upcoming Reignmakers NFL slate. Be sure to check out our Fair Value Card Estimates and Contest EV tool as you build your lineups.

Friday Update

• Jalen Hurts (shoulder) will give way to Gardner Minshew under center in Philadelphia this week when the 13-1 Eagles visit Dallas. Hurts was unable to practice in any capacity this week, and Philadelphia has a two-game lead over Minnesota for the top seed in the NFC. It wouldn’t be surprising for the team to hold their star quarterback out of the lineup until he is 100 percent healthy.
• Lamar Jackson (knee) will need at least one more week of rest as he works his way back from a sprained PCL. He has been ruled out for Week 16, while Tyler Huntley (shoulder) is expected to start despite being listed as questionable, according to head coach John Harbaugh.
• The Patriots once again have a lot of moving parts on their injury report. In the backfield, Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) and Damien Harris (thigh) are both listed as questionable to play in Week 16. Harris was a limited practice participant throughout the week, and that would normally have me optimistic about his prospects of playing this weekend. But Harris followed the exact same practice pattern last week before being ruled out, so I’m not sure what to expect here. Stevenson does seem likely to play tomorrow after playing through the same injury last week. At receiver, DeVante Parker (concussion) has been ruled out, while Jakobi Meyers (shoulder) is questionable.
• Chris Olave (hamstring) has been ruled out for tomorrow’s game after missing practice all week. Olave apparently suffered the injury in last week’s game, when he was on the field only 49 percent of the time. Unfortunately for New Orleans, Jarvis Landry (ankle) has been placed on IR and will also miss Week 16. Rashid Shaheed and Juwan Johnson should be busy against the Browns.
• Kenny Pickett has cleared the concussion protocol and he’ll start in Week 16, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll will have his WR1 in Diontae Johnson to rely on. Johnson is questionable to play with a toe injury after missing Pittsburgh’s last two practice sessions this week.
• Tyler Lockett (finger) has been ruled out for Week 16 after having his broken finger surgically repaired earlier in the week. The notoriously optimistic Peter Carroll said the surgery went “perfect” and there’s a chance Lockett will return next week.
• Kenneth Walker III (ankle) was held out of practice all week, but he is expected to play this week according to ESPN’s Brady Henderson. 
• The Titans will be without Ryan Tannehill (ankle) against the Texans this weekend. Tannehill was able to finish the game last week after sustaining the injury, but he was listed as a DNP (did not participate) in practice throughout the week. Rookie Malik Willis will likely get the start for Tennessee in Tannehill’s absence.

Week 16 Headlines

• It’s a week of cold temperatures and low totals across the NFL. Seven games feature game totals under 40.
• Jalen Hurts is uncertain to play after surprising news of a shoulder injury surfaced on Tuesday.
• Mike White (ribs) is out for at least one more game. Zach Wilson gets his second straight start.
• Lamar Jackson (knee) has a chance to play, but his status remains uncertain.
• Ryan Tannehill (ankle) is iffy for Week 16 after leaving Week 15.
• Russell Wilson is expected to return from a concussion to start on Saturday.

Jaguars @ Jets, Thursday 8:15 PM ET

One week after Evan Engram’s 11-162-2 breakout Week 14 performance, he was again heavily involved in the passing game in Week 15, this time commanding 10 targets for a 8-62-0 receiving line. Given the state of the tight end position this year, I’d have more confidence in using Engram at the TE spot in Deep Roster formats than almost any other tight end outside of Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews. Engram and Zay Jones have both posted slate-winning fantasy scores over the past two weeks, but it can be difficult to predict where the targets will go on a game-to-game basis, making them interesting contrarian Captain options.

After four disappointing performances in a row, while dealing with a lingering foot injury, Travis Etienne Jr. looked “back” in Week 15 with a 19-103-0 rushing line. The Jets' defense presents a difficult matchup, but Etienne is as safe a bet as any when it comes to touchdown scoring on this slate, and he should be a popular Captain option after Garrett Wilson and Trevor Lawrence, who I expect to be the most-utilized at the multiplier spot.

All eyes will be on the quarterback for New York, where Mike White was forced to miss Week 15 with a rib injury that will also keep him sidelined in Week 16. Zach Wilson filled in, throwing for 317 yards in a losing effort against Detroit. The change at QB didn’t affect Garrett Wilson, who led the team across the board in targets (nine), receptions (four) and yardage (98). Wilson might be my favorite Captain option on this slate, but I’d be wary of buying into elevated Showdown prices with the Jets’ playoff odds falling.

Zonovan Knight (foot/ankle) left last week’s game briefly with an injury, but he was able to return. Knight has not appeared on the Week 16 injury report yet, and it looks like he’s good to go moving forward. It’s possible the injury played a factor in Knight’s poor production though – he totaled only 23 yards on 13 carries against a Lions defense that has been gashed on the ground all year. Despite Knight’s lack of production, he still out-carried Michael Carter 13-4 on the day. 

Best Buy: Travis Etienne Jr. ($2.69, $14, $125, $600, N/A)

Bills @ Bears, Saturday 1:00 PM ET

Josh Allen had a huge performance in Week 15, throwing for 304 passing yards with four touchdowns while adding another 77 rushing yards as the Bills got the win over the Dolphins. Despite the yardage through the air, Stefon Diggs had only 60 yards, though he did lead the team in targets with nine. Diggs has now disappointed in back-to-back games, but as long as he remains without the SuperStar designation, he’ll be one of the more valuable receivers in Reignmakers. 

After it looked like James Cook had leaped ahead of Devin Singletary in Week 13, Singletary has now out-carried Cook 21-9 over the past two games. Cook did save his fantasy day with a receiving touchdown in Week 15, but I’m hesitant to recommend him as a buy over Singletary for the time being. As for Singletary himself, he is showing up as a slight value early in the week using Lucky Trader’s price estimates, and this is an offense I want to continue buying ahead of the playoffs.

The Bears' offense was depleted heading into Week 15, with Chase Claypool (knee) joining Darnell Mooney (ankle) on the sidelines at receiver, and Khalil Herbert (hip) still on IR. To make matters worse, Justin Fields was forced to leave last week’s game with a leg injury. Things are looking brighter for Chicago’s offense heading into Week 16 though, as Fields was able to return to the game, putting to rest any concern for a serious injury, Herbert was designated to return from IR on Monday, and Claypool may have a chance to play as he has avoided IR so far.

Even if Claypool is able to return though, I won’t have any interest in the Bears’ receiving group, and Herbert’s potential return to the active roster muddies the backfield picture as well. Justin Fields remains a high-end QB1 option in fantasy, but keep in mind you won’t be able to use his cards in playoff slates, and that makes him a tough buy at his current marketplace prices.

Best Buy: Devin Singletary ($2.49, $8.49, $79, $480, $2,500)

Falcons @ Ravens, Saturday 1:00 PM ET

The Ravens struggled to get anything going through the air in the team’s second game without Lamar Jackson (knee). Jackson reportedly has a chance to play this week, and his practice participation will be worth monitoring. Jackson is currently priced as just QB28 (using CORE Genesis pricing), and he would be a strong buy-low candidate if he is able to suit up this week. It’s hard to endorse Mark Andrews, who has now been held under 65 receiving yards in seven straight games, but I do have interest in J.K. Dobbins, who has returned from injury to take over the Ravens’ backfield over the past two weeks, averaging 122.5 rushing yards per game over that time.

Desmond Ridder threw for only 97 yards in his regular season debut, though he did add 38 yards rushing. Ridder’s rushing ability does give him theoretical upside, but I don’t think this is the spot for him given the game’s low 39.5 point total. Ridder’s low volume through the air also takes all Atlanta receiving options out of play beyond Drake London, who has logged target shares of 50 percent and 42 percent over the past two weeks. Tyler Allgeier kept Atlanta in the game last week with a 17-139-1 rushing line, but he’s still stuck in a committee with Cordarrelle Patterson, who totaled 14 rush attempts last week.

Best Buy: Lamar Jackson ($4.69, $18, $222, $1,599.77, $4,989)

Lions @ Panthers, Saturday 1:00 PM ET

Sam Darnold lost his first game since taking over QB duties in Carolina from Baker Mayfield and P.J. Walker, but he has earned another start in Week 16 against the red-hot Lions. Both teams are attempting to claw the way back into the playoff picture, and the Lions are listed as 2.5-point road favorites.

In recent weeks, Carolina had found success on the ground, but they got away from that plan in Week 15. The Panthers rushed the ball only 16 times against the Steelers after racking up 46 attempts in Week 14 and another 46 in Week 13. I would expect them to focus on the ground game against the Lions with a healthy allotment of carries distributed between D’Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard.

DJ Moore posted two of his three highest yardage totals of the season over Darnold’s three starts, but the other game was a 0-0-0 receiving line on three targets in Week 15. Moore should still be thought of as a boom-bust fantasy option, but we have seen many receivers hit ceiling outcomes against Detroit this season.

The Detroit backfield continues to be frustrating for fantasy purposes with D’Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams and Justin Jackson splitting the workload. Williams has maintained the highest share of the three, but Swift has had the more stable role in the passing game (nine targets last game). At their current prices, I’m not interested in any of them, but I do acknowledge that Swift still does possess upside potential down the stretch.

The Lions have continued to bring first round draft pick Jameson Williams along slowly following his recovery from an ACL tear. Williams has yet to exceed a 20 percent snap share in any game this season.

Jared Goff completed passes to 10 different receivers last week, and the depth chart is too muddled beyond Amon-Ra St. Brown for me to have interest in the short-term. With Detroit’s playoff chances looking more and more real, I do like the idea of grabbing some St. Brown cards here even though he looks overvalued at his current prices, according to our price estimates. 

Best Buy: D’Onta Foreman ($1.69, $6.70, $80, $200, $1,550)

Saints @ Browns, Saturday 1:00 PM ET

The Browns are now 2-1 in the Deshaun Watson era, though Watson himself has underperformed, averaging only 189 passing yards per game. Amari Cooper has led the team in target share during Watson’s tenure, but Donovan Peoples-Jones is not far behind. Given this game’s slate-low 34.5-point game total, the only player I’d have interest in is Nick Chubb, who continues to command a hefty workload out of the backfield.

In the team’s first game without Mark Ingram (knee), Alvin Kamara racked up a season-high 70 percent rushing share in Week 15 en route to a 21-91-0 rushing line. Kamara didn’t post a huge fantasy score, but the usage is there, and with New Orleans only one game behind Tampa Bay for the NFC South lead, I’m warming up to him down the stretch. 

Best Buy: Alvin Kamara ($2.99, $12.50, $250, $1,111.12, $2,999)

Bengals @ Patriots, Saturday 1:00 PM ET

For fantasy purposes, the New England passing game has only been useful for propping up Rhamondre Stevenson’s value. Mac Jones had his worst performance of the season last week, completing only 42 percent of his passes for 112 scoreless yards, and after a promising start to the season, Jakobi Meyers has now failed to exceed 65 receiving yards in each of his last eight games. I’m not able to make a case for any Patriots pass-catcher here. 

As for Stevenson, he was able to play through a “questionable” tag last week to lead the offense for New England – racking up 172 rushing yards on 19 carries with a touchdown in that game. Damien Harris (thigh) remained out, but as a limited practice participant throughout last week, I’d expect to see him back on the field this weekend. Given Harris’ imminent return to the offense and the team’s dimming playoff hopes, I’d have a hard time purchasing Stevenson’s player cards right now.

Ja’Marr Chase is starting to find his stride down the stretch. Chase has logged two of his three highest target shares of the season over the past two weeks (47 percent in Week 14, 34 percent in Week 14), as Cincinnati’s passing game has revolved around Chase even with Tee Higgins (hamstring) and Tyler Boyd (finger) back in the lineup. The Patriots' defense did hold Davante Adams to only 28 scoreless yards in Week 15, and they will undoubtedly focus their defensive game plan around Chase this week. With that being said, as long as Chase remains without the SuperStar designation, he’ll continue to be my favorite play in Reignmakers on a week-to-week basis.

Since returning from a concussion two games ago, Joe Mixon has ceded more work to Samaje Perine than was the case earlier in the season. Mixon’s rushing shares of 54 and 52 percent over the last two weeks are down from his season average of 62 percent. I’d like to see the workload tilt a little more in Mixon’s favor before I’m ready to jump back in here.

Best Buy: Ja’Marr Chase ($11.11, $66, $699, $2,299, N/A)

Texans @ Titans, Saturday 1:00 PM ET

Without Dameon Pierce, who was placed on IR earlier in the week with an ankle injury, it was not Rex Burkhead, but Royce Freeman who led Houston in carries in their Week 15 loss to Kansas City. In fact, Burkhead did not record a single carry as Dare Ogunbowale was the only other Texans running back to record a rushing attempt. Wide receiver Chris Moore feels like the only DFS-relevant player on the Texans down the stretch, and because he is not yet available in Reignmakers, I think it’s safe to ignore Houston in Week 16.

Ryan Tannehill suffered an ankle injury last week that caused him to briefly leave the game, and miss 10 snaps in the first half. Tannehill was able to return and close out the game, but there is concern that he will be forced to miss Week 16. If that’s the case, we’ll get another look at 2022 third-round draft pick Malik Willis.

Willis started two games earlier in the year, beating the Texans 17-10 and taking the Chiefs to overtime before losing 20-17. In those games, Tennessee relied heavily on the ground game, limiting Willis to 26 total pass attempts over the two-game stretch while averaging a comically low 67.5 passing yards per game. Even if Treylon Burks (concussion) is able to return in Week 16, the entire Titans' passing game would be off the table if Tannehill is unable to go this week. We can expect a healthy dose of Derrick Henry, who is now shaping up as one of the top plays on the entire slate given the matchup and anticipated reliance on the run game. 

Best Buy: Derrick Henry ($5.56, $25, $400, $2,499.77, $17,499)

Giants @ Vikings, Saturday 1:00 PM ET

Last week was a wild one for the Vikings, who came back from a 33-0 halftime deficit to defeat the Colts in overtime. The comeback was led by an unlikely hero in K.J. Osborn, who had 300 receiving yards entering Week 15 before his 10-157-1 explosion. That usage came mostly at the expense of Adam Thielen, who posted a season-low seven percent target share last week. I am viewing this as a one-week blip for now, rather than an indication that Osborn has surpassed Thielen on the depth chart. 

Daniel Jones’ passing yardage has now declined in five straight games, bottoming out at only 160 yards in last week’s win over the Commanders. Jones has thrown for more than 230 passing yards only once this season, and unless he scores a rushing touchdown, both Jones and his receivers feel like weak plays for now. The Giants' offense will go as Saquon Barkley goes, and in Week 15, Barkley was back over 100 scrimmage yards for the first time in over a month. Fortunately for Saquon, he gets a strong matchup in Week 16 against a Vikings run defense that just allowed 171 yards rushing to Zack Moss and Deon Jackson.

Best Buy: Saquon Barkley ($4.95, $18, $155, $699, $5,999.99)

Seahawks @ Chiefs, Saturday 4:05 PM ET

Losers of four of their past five games, the Seahawks find themselves as 10-point road dogs heading into Kansas City this weekend. In the team’s most recent loss to San Francisco, Geno Smith tied a season-high with 44 pass attempts, but he converted that volume into only 238 passing yards. Things were not much better on the ground, where Kenneth Walker played through an ankle injury to lead the team in rushing with 47 yards.

Playing in a game with a healthy 49.5-point total, I don’t mind firing up Geno, Walker, DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett once again, but they are beginning to feel like uncomfortable long-term holds as Seattle continues to fall in the playoff hunt.

Jerick McKinnon was the story of Week 15 for the Chiefs after racking up 122 scrimmage yards with two touchdowns in a win over the Texans. McKinnon’s 10 carries were a season-high and he now has 17 targets over the past two games. McKinnon’s late season fireworks have come at the expense of Isiah Pacheco, whose snap share has declined in four straight games. Clyde Edwards-Helaire (ankle) has now been on IR for the minimum four games, meaning he could be activated at any time, but for now, his return timeline remains unclear. Head coach Andy Reid did say CEH is close, but not ready for Week 16.

Mecole Hardman (abdomen) was activated from IR last week, and he’s tentatively expected to play in Week 16. Travis Kelce continues to set the pace in target share, but it should be noted that JuJu Smith-Schuster is trending up with target shares of 26 and 24 percent over the past two games. Patrick Mahomes has now exceeded 300 passing yards in a silly eight-of-nine games, dating back to mid-October and more fireworks should be expected as his pass-catching core finally approaches full health.

Best Buy: Patrick Mahomes ($9.99, $39.90, $525, $3,795, $39,420.69)

Commanders @ 49ers, Saturday 4:05 PM ET

The 49ers are now 3-0 in the Brock Purdy era after last week’s win over the Seahawks. Purdy is averaging just 204 passing yards per game, but he has been careful with the ball, as evidenced by his 6:1 TD:INT ratio. Over Purdy’s three starts, Christian McCaffrey has led the team in targets with 21, including a 31 percent target share in Week 15 with Deebo Samuel (knee) on the sidelines. Samuel was unable to practice in any capacity last week, and he’s expected to miss another couple of weeks. While CMC has been the target beneficiary in Deebo’s absence, Jauan Jennings saw the largest snap increase (84 percent last week).

Jahan Dotson’s stock is trending up after the rookie posted his second consecutive week with a target share above 20 percent in Week 15. The problem with this for fantasy purposes is that Washington now has three receivers (Dotson, Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel), who have been hovering around the 20 percent mark, and this offense does not score enough points to support all three in fantasy. 

We’ve had a similar issue in the run game, where Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson had formed a near 50/50 committee in previous weeks. More recently though, Gibson’s rushing share has declined to the 20-25 percent range over the past three weeks, as Robinson has stepped up. But with that being said, Robinson has not been involved in the receiving game all year, and with Washington listed as a 7.5-point road dog in this one, it may not be the spot for him either.

Best Buy: Christian McCaffrey ($7, $34.75, $420, $1,675, $13,999)

Eagles @ Cowboys, Saturday 4:25 PM ET

The big news out of Philly is centered around Jalen Hurts’ shoulder injury, which was revealed on Tuesday when ESPN’s Adam Schefter called Hurts “uncertain to play” this week. Head coach Nick Sirianni subsequently said the team would prepare both Hurts and backup Gardner Minshew as starters leading up to the week in preparation for all scenarios. At 13-1, Philly has little incentive in rushing Hurts back on the field before he is fully healthy and I am anticipating him to miss Week 16, but that is not yet official. 

Obviously, Hurts’ status will have massive impacts on the fantasy landscape this weekend. Minshew is a capable backup, but it would be hard to get overly excited about A.J. Brown or DeVonta Smith without Hurts. If Hurts does sit out this weekend, I will probably look to buy some of his player cards at falling prices ahead of the Eagles’ playoff run.

Dallas Goedert, who has been out with a shoulder injury since Week 10, was designated to return from IR last week, but ultimately left off the active roster against the Bears. Before he was ruled out, Goedert told reporters that “things are trending in the right direction,” and he expected to play. While that ultimately did not pan out, I am considering him probable to play in Week 16 for now.

For the first time in three weeks, Tony Pollard out-carried Ezekiel Elliott 19-16 in Week 15, but both backs continue to hurt each other’s value in the committee. With Pollard’s prices roughly 2x Elliott’s at each tier, Zeke seems like the better – albeit less exciting – buy for now. After many were calling for Michael Gallup to take control of the WR2 role in Dallas, it was Noah Brown who stepped up last week with a 6-49-2 receiving line.

James Washington is being worked back into the offense after missing most of the season with an injury, and the team recently signed T.Y. Hilton as well. CeeDee Lamb remains the only receiver I’d have interest in for now, though he is appropriately priced in the marketplace.

Best Buy: Dallas Goedert ($1.50, $9.98, $110, $399, $1,850)

Raiders @ Steelers, Saturday 8:15 PM ET

Kenny Pickett was unable to clear the concussion protocol before last Sunday, which meant it was Mitch Trubisky under center against the Panthers. Trubisky managed the offense to a 24-16 win but was held under 200 passing yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Whether it’s Pickett or Trubisky next week, I’m not sure it makes a huge difference to Pittsburgh’s pass-catchers. Both QBs have peppered Diontae Johnson with targets (37 over the last four weeks), and the offense hasn’t been strong enough to support options beyond Johnson.

Pittsburgh racked up 45 rushing attempts in Week 15 as they were able to play from ahead for the entire game, and I’d expect them to take a similar approach as 3-point home favorites against the Raiders in Week 16. That makes Najee Harris a top Captain option on this slate as he has been able to fend off Jaylen Warren to remain the clear lead back in Pittsburgh.

Despite being listed as “questionable” heading into the game with a quad injury, Josh Jacobs commanded 22 of a total 23 rushing attempts for the Raiders in last week’s win over the Patriots. Jacobs remains a high-end RB1 in Reignmakers, especially since he lacks the SuperStar designation. But keep in mind that the Raiders are still a long shot to make the playoffs despite last week’s win. 

Davante Adams was held in check by the Patriots last week, registering only 28 scoreless yards, but he still led the team in targets with nine. Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow both returned to the field following extended absences, but I would expect Waller and Renfrow to pull usage away from Mack Hollins and Foster Moreau, rather than Adams. When Las Vegas had all three of Adams, Waller and Renfrow healthy in two games to start the year, Adams posted target shares of 49 and 18 percent.

Best Buy: Darren Waller ($1, $5.74, $59, $314.65, $2,477)

Chargers @ Colts, Monday 8:15 PM ET

The Colts lost Jonathan Taylor to a high-ankle sprain in Week 15, making it unlikely that we’ll see him on the field again this season. When Taylor missed time in Weeks 5, 6 and 9, it has been Deon Jackson leading the Indianapolis backfield, but in Week 15, it was Zack Moss who led the team in carries (24). Expect Jackson to remain involved, but it looks like Moss will be the biggest beneficiary of Taylor’s absence this time around. 

Despite scoring 36 points last week, the Colts threw for only 182 yards, with a ridiculous 45 percent target share going to Michael Pittman Jr. That massive volume turned into only 60 receiving yards, and Pittman has now failed to exceed 70 yards in seven of his last eight games. With that being said, he’s still my favorite Captain candidate on the Colts.

Indianapolis will pivot at QB from Matt Ryan to Nick Foles, according to interim head coach Jeff Saturday. Following that news, the spread moved only a half-point away from Indianapolis, and I’m expecting similar levels of production from this offense with Foles at the helm. Of course, this does bring Foles into play on the Monday Showdown slate, but his price has already risen in the marketplace.

The Chargers also had a scare with their star RB last week when Austin Ekeler briefly left the game in the first quarter with an apparent shoulder injury. Fortunately, Ekeler was able to return and close out the game, and head coach Brandon Staley said tests on Ekeler’s shoulder came back negative in his post-game comments.

Keep an eye on Ekeler’s practice participation, but I am considering him probable to play. Because Ekeler did miss some time, it opened the door for Joshua Kelley to log a season-high 42 percent rush share, and while Kelley did get into the endzone, he was largely inefficient, gaining only 24 yards on his 10 carries.

Mike Williams and Keenan Allen finally seem to be past the nagging injury issues that have plagued their seasons, and for the first time in 2022, both Williams and Allen logged snap shares north of 80 percent in Week 15. Williams will be a popular Captain option on the Monday night slate, but Allen has actually out-targeted Williams in each of the last two games since Williams returned from injury. As long as Williams and Allen are both healthy, Josh Palmer will be tough to trust as anything more than a dart throw in fantasy formats.

Best Buy: Keenan Allen ($3.48, $23.99, $399, $850, N/A)

That's All!

Be sure to check our Lucky Trader’s Player Card Estimate and Contest EV tools throughout the week, then head over to the Reignmakers Marketplace to start building your teams!