Week 16 Thursday Fantasy Football Starting Options: Broncos' Bo Nix or Chargers' Justin Herbert? Should You Be Starting Ladd McConkey, Courtland Sutton and Any RBs or TEs?

Week 16 of the NFL regular season opens with a big game between the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers.

Let’s go over the best fantasy options from the contest.

Looking for start/sit help? Be sure to check out the FantasySP Who Should I Start tool.

Quarterbacks

Justin Herbert will lead the Chargers into battle, while rookie Bo Nix continues to guide the Broncos.

Herbert, who is working through an ankle injury, has 2,959 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and two interceptions on 63.9% passing this season. He also has 224 rushing yards and two scores. 

He scored 14 fantasy points the past two weeks. He tallied 14 the first time these teams met in week 6.

Nix has 2,972 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on the season. He’s rushed for 327 yards and four scores.

Nix also scored 14 fantasy points last week, while having 12 the game before that. He tallied 21 fantasy points the last time these teams met.

The Chargers are an average matchup for quarterbacks, while the Broncos are a below-average matchup. In the weekly projections, Herbert is set for 16 points, while Nix is at 15.

I actually like Nix a bit more in this contest. Him performing well in the first matchup helps get me to that decision, while I also prefer him because he’s been the better fantasy performer this season.

Running Backs

Gus Edwards and Kimani Vidal have split the Chargers’ backfield since J.K. Dobbins was placed on injured reserve. Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime have split the Broncos’ backfield all season.

Edwards has only scored 16 fantasy points in the three games since Dobbins was out of the picture, and a touchdown pumps that number up. He hasn’t gone for over 36 yards in one of those games.

Vidal has gotten 15 rushing attempts and two receptions on four targets in the three games with Dobbins out. He hasn’t gone over 34 total yards.

Williams has had a couple big games, but hasn’t scored in double figures as a fantasy performer in three straight. He only has 14 rushing yards and 17 receiving yards in that span.

McLaughlin is dealing with a quad injury. He was good in week 13, but only had 34 total yards on 10 touches in week 15. He hasn’t scored in double figures in six straight contests.

Since a 53-yard showing on 14 carries in week 10, Estime has just 17 carries over the past four games combined. He hasn’t scored over six fantasy points in any game.

Both of these defenses are below-average matchups for running backs. In the weekly projections, Williams is projected for nine PPR fantasy points. Edwards is at eight, McLaughlin six, Vidal five and Estime four.

I don’t like any of these backs in standard leagues this week, especially in the tougher matchups. Williams would be my top fantasy starting option, with Edwards behind him - I’d try not to start either back though. I’d round things out with McLaughlin, Vidal and Estime, but stay away from them at all costs.

Wide Receivers

Ladd McConkey, Joshua Palmer, Quentin Johnston and D.J. Chark are the most relevant fantasy wideouts for the Chargers. Courtland Sutton, Devaughn Vele, Troy Franklin, Lil'Jordan Humphrey and Marvin Mims are playing enough snaps to mention for the Broncos.

McConkey got back on the field in week 15 after missing week 14 and had five grabs for 58 yards and a score. He’s scored over 14 points in his last four appearances.

Palmer had just 10 yards on two catches and three targets last week. He had a six-catch, 78-yard performance in week 14, but that’s been his only double-digit fantasy performance since week 9.

Johnston went for 45 yards and a score on five receptions last week. He had nearly the same line in week 14, but with three more yards. Those two performances were a nice bounceback after having just 12 yards on two catches and nine targets in the previous two games combined.

Chark is starting to factor into the Chargers’ offense after missing the first half of the season. He’s had 25 yards on three catches and targets over the past two weeks.

Sutton scored 12 fantasy points last week, which was his lowest mark in the past seven contests. He’s had at least eight targets in each of those games in that span.

Vele didn’t catch his only target in week 15, and only had a 16-yard catch on three targets in his previous game. He had three straight double-digit fantasy performances before that.

Franklin has at least four targets in three straight games, but no more than 31 yards. He’s scored in double figures three times this season, and he scored a touchdown in two of those weeks.

Humphrey has just one target over the past two weeks. He’s scored in double figures twice this season, and he scored a touchdown in one of those games. 

Mims had just 20 yards on four catches and targets in week 15. It was a letdown after going for 105 yards and a score on three grabs and four targets in his previous game. Mims has scored six or more points in five straight contests.

The Chargers are a pretty average matchup for receivers, while the Broncos are a bit tougher test. In the weekly projections, Sutton leads the way with 16 PPR points, while McConkey is at 15. Vele is projected for 10 points, Johnston nine, Palmer seven, Mims six, Franklin and Humphrey five and Chark four.

Sutton is the clear top fantasy option in this game, and should be starting in most fantasy leagues. McConkey is another good starting option, but is closer to the start/sit line.

Everyone else is a deep-league option or players to avoid. I like Johnston, Vele, Palmer and Mims as possible deep-league options. Franklin, Humphrey and Chark are all wideouts I’d try to avoid this week.

Tight Ends

The tight end position is a mess for both teams. 

Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst are the top LA options, but are both on the injury report. Stone Smartt was the TE who played the most snaps with those two out last week.

Nate Adkins, Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull all played between 24-29 snaps last week, showing no clear leader in the TE room in Denver.

It’s tough to go into who the best options are with no clear leaders and several hurt players. It’ll be an average matchup for whatever Chargers’ tight end plays, while being a very tough matchup on the Broncos’ tight ends.

Dissly is the only tight end from the Thursday game to crack the top-27 players in the tight end projections. He’d be the only fantasy TE in this game worth maybe starting this week - Hurst could replace him if he’s activated, but if Dissly is out, I like Smartt the most.

I only view the top Chargers’ tight end as a deep-league starting option though. I’d avoid all the Denver tight ends, and do my best to not play the LA tight ends too.

Kickers

Wil Lutz kicks for the Broncos. Lutz is 27-of-30 on his field goals and has nailed all 35 of his extra points.

Cameron Dicker is the kicker for the Chargers. He’s 29-of-31 on his field goals and 25-of-28 on his extra points.

Dicker is projected for six fantasy points, while Lutz is set for five. I trust Dicker more as a fantasy player, and think the Chargers win, which should mean extra scoring chances for him. I’d think there are better options available to you though.

Defenses/Special Teams

Denver’s defense allows 315.3 yards and 17.6 points per game. The Broncos have 23 takeaways to 18 giveaways.

Los Angeles’ defense gives up 336.7 yards and 17.6 points per game as well. The Chargers have 19 takeaways and only eight giveaways.

Both defenses are projected for six fantasy points. I like the Chargers’ D/ST slightly more, even though the Broncos’ D/ST has been the top fantasy unit all season. I wouldn’t mind playing either D/ST this week.