Fantasy Football Week 16 Sleepers: Elijah McGuire, Jamaal Williams could be key to Fantasy success

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Week 16 will hopefully be decided by the play on the field, but we know injuries are likely going to be a problem. So let's review the guys we're monitoring heading into Saturday.

At quarterback, you know Cam Newton (shoulder) and Carson Wentz (back) are out, while Aaron Rodgers is expected to play (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, available on fuboTV) despite dealing with a groin injury, although he's no longer on the injury report. And Matthew Stafford (back) is expected to play, but no one is starting him against the Vikings.

The running backs have a lot of big names who are banged up and questionable, including Todd Gurley (knee), Spencer Ware (hamstring) and Matt Breida (ankle), who seems likely to play. We hope Gurley plays, though it would actually be nice if Ware is out so that we can trust Damien Williams as a starter in all leagues.

James Conner (ankle) isn't expected to play, which is good news for Jaylen Samuels. And Austin Ekeler (neck) is doubtful, although Melvin Gordon is coming back after a three-game absence with a knee injury. Joe Mixon (wrist), Lamar Miller (ankle) and Jamaal Williams (toe) are all expected to play, and LeSean McCoy should return from a one-game absence with a hamsting injury, but he's just a flex option at best at New England.

At receiver, we're waiting on the status of JuJu Smith-Schuster (groin), Keenan Allen (hip) and Julio Jones (hip), although all are expected to play as of early Friday afternoon. T.Y. Hilton (ankle), DeAndre Hopkins (ankle), Doug Baldwin (hope) and Kenny Golladay (chest) also are expected to play, but you should plan to be without Odell Beckham (quadriceps) for the third game in a row.

And at tight end, the only major injury is for Jordan Reed (toe), who has already been ruled out. Rob Gronkowski (ankle), Jimmy Graham (knee) and Austin Hooper (knee) are all expected to be fine.

From a non-injury standpoint, we also have the Josh Gordon (suspension) situation that happened Thursday, and he's done for the season. Our hope is Gordon gets his life back on track, but Chris Hogan is now a potential sleeper for Week 16 against the Bills.

More on Hogan below, as well as several other sleepers to consider this week. We hope the injured guys are healthy and perform like stars. But just be prepared in case they are out this week, and these are players who can help.

Quarterbacks

15.2 projected points	Sam Darnold New York Jets QB
Darnold had his best game of the season in Week 15 against Houston with 24-of-38 passing for 253 yards and two touchdowns, along with 35 rushing yards. He has the chance for a solid encore at home in Week 16 against the Packers, who have nothing to play for and have struggled on defense most of the season, especially on the road. Four of the past five quarterbacks against Green Bay have scored at least 22 Fantasy points, with the lone exception being Josh Rosen in Week 13. Darnold is a great streaming option in two-quarterback and super-flex leagues this week.
18.0 projected points	Nick Foles Philadelphia Eagles QB
Foles didn't have a great Fantasy game in Week 15 at the Rams, but he played well, completing 24-of-31 passes for 270 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. He only scored eight Fantasy points, but he could be an option in two-quarterback and super-flex leagues in Week 16 against Houston. The Texans are playing consecutive road games this week, and Darnold just had a solid outing against this defense in Week 15.
17.4 projected points	Derek Carr Oakland Raiders QB
Carr was a letdown in Week 15 at Cincinnati since he scored just 15 Fantasy points, which snapped a two-game streak of him scoring at least 22 points. He should have the chance to rebound at home in Week 16 against the Broncos, who are dealing with multiple injuries in the secondary. Carr has scored at least 22 Fantasy points in two of his past four games at home, and this could be the Raiders last game in Oakland. Denver also has allowed multiple touchdowns in the past two games against Nick Mullens and Baker Mayfield.

Running backs

12.3 projected points	Damien Williams Kansas City Chiefs RB
The reason Williams is listed here instead of as a must-start option is due to the uncertainty of Ware (hamstring) playing in Week 16. If Ware is out again then start Williams in all leagues after his performance in Week 15 against the Chargers when he had 10 carries for 49 yards and two touchdowns, along with six catches for 74 yards on six targets. He also had two touchdowns in Week 14 against Baltimore with Ware healthy for that outing. And Seattle has allowed a running back to score at least 14 PPR points in eight games in a row.
12.4 projected points	Elijah McGuire New York Jets RB
McGuire has stepped up in the past two weeks with Isaiah Crowell (toe) hurt. He's scored in consecutive games since Crowell first got hurt in Week 14 at Buffalo, and he has 35 carries for 102 yards and two touchdowns, as well as six catches for 52 yards on eight targets over that span. Trenton Cannon will get some work in tandem with McGuire, but it's clear that McGuire will be the featured running back in Week 16 against the Packers. And Green Bay has allowed a running back to score or gain at least 100 total yards in seven of the past eight games.
15.3 projected points	Jamaal Williams Green Bay Packers RB
Aaron Jones (knee) is out for the season, so we should see Williams once again in a featured role for the Packers. Williams played well in Week 15 at Chicago after Jones got hurt with 12 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown, as well as four catches for 42 yards on five targets. Williams started the first two games of the season with Jones suspended and struggled, scoring a combined 13 PPR points against Chicago and Minnesota. But this is a much easier matchup against the Jets, who have allowed four touchdowns to running backs in their past five games.
8.9 projected points	Kalen Ballage Miami Dolphins RB
With Frank Gore (foot) out, the Dolphins appear ready to give Ballage a big role, even ahead of Kenyan Drake. It's a little odd that Drake isn't expected to get more touches, but Ballage took over for Gore in Week 15 at Minnesota and played well. He had 12 carries for 123 yards and a touchdown, as well as one catch for minus-2 yards. I'm still expecting Drake to get a slight bump in his workload, but he's had nine total touches or less in three games in a row coming into Week 16. Gore had at least 13 total touches in five of his past six games prior to Week 15, and that's the workload Ballage could get. It's a tough matchup against Jacksonville, but Ballage is worth using as a flex option in Week 16.
4.1 projected points	Mike Davis Seattle Seahawks RB
As much as I like Chris Carson as a must-start option this week, I would also use Davis as a flex, especially in PPR. In Week 15 against the 49ers, with Penny out, Davis had five carries for 21 yards, as well as eight catches for 63 yards on eight targets. The Seahawks are likely going to be in a high-scoring affair with the Chiefs, and Davis will be vital in the passing game. Kansas City is tied for fifth in the NFL in receptions allowed to running backs with 88 for the season.

Wide receivers

7.9 projected points	Robert Foster Buffalo Bills WR
Foster has quietly been on a tear since Week 10, and he's worth using as at least a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues in Week 16 at New England. In his past five games, Foster has at least 13 PPR points in four, including three games with more than 100 receiving yards, as well as two touchdowns. He has 13 targets in his past two games against the Jets and Lions, and he finished with 11 catches for 212 yards and a touchdown in those outings. In their past five games, six receivers have scored at least 11 PPR points against the Patriots.
7.4 projected points	Antonio Callaway Cleveland Browns WR
Callaway has either 80 receiving yards or a touchdown in three of his past four games, including Week 12 at Cincinnati when he had four catches for 62 yards and a score on five targets. Baker Mayfield is leaning on Callaway with at least five targets in three of his past four outings, and he can be considered a No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week against the Bengals at home. A receiver has scored at least 14 PPR points against Cincinnati in each of the past four games.
9.5 projected points	DaeSean Hamilton Denver Broncos WR
In PPR leagues, Hamilton could be considered a must-start option given his production over the past two games. In the first two games without Emmanuel Sanders (Achilles), Hamilton has 21 targets for 14 catches, 93 yards and one touchdown. He's scored at least 11 PPR points in each game over that span, and he should continue to be a favorite target for Case Keenum against the Raiders, who have allowed eight touchdowns to opposing receivers in their past five games.
7.6 projected points	Tre'Quan Smith New Orleans Saints WR
I'm taking a flier on Smith as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week since he's back at home. In his past two home games in Week 9 against the Rams and Week 11 against Philadelphia, he has 12 catches for 180 yards and three touchdowns on 16 targets. He missed Week 12 against Atlanta with a toe injury and then spent the past three weeks on the road, but I'll take a flier on him in deeper leagues this week against Pittsburgh. The Steelers have allowed five receivers to either score or gain at least 90 receiving yards in their past four games.
7.3 projected points	Chris Hogan New England Patriots WR
Hogan has been a disappointment this season, so it will be hard to trust him in Week 16 even with Josh Gordon (suspension) out. But he should get a boost in playing time and hopefully production, and he just had a big game in Week 15 at Pittsburgh with two catches for 68 yards and a touchdown on three targets. This is a revenge game for him against the Bills, and he has six catches for 140 yards and a touchdown in two games against his former team. In the past four games, Buffalo has allowed six receivers to either score or gain at least 100 yards, which bodes well for Julian Edelman, but it could also benefit Hogan and potentially Cordarrelle Patterson in deeper leagues. I would take a flier on Hogan as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week.

Tight ends

11.4 projected points	Chris Herndon New York Jets TE
Herndon has gone six games in a row without scoring a touchdown, but he's essentially the No. 2 receiver in this offense behind Robby Anderson. And this week, Herndon is facing a Packers defense that has nothing to play for in this game on the road. Green Bay has allowed a tight end to score in two of the past five games, including Trey Burton in Week 15. And two tight ends in the past four games against the Packers -- Kyle Rudolph in Week 12 and Burton last week -- have scored 13 PPR points. Herndon is a low-end starting option in all leagues in Week 16.
5.3 projected points	Blake Jarwin Dallas Cowboys TE
Jarwin has become the No. 3 receiving option in Dallas behind Amari Cooper and Ezekiel Elliott. He has seven targets in each of the past two games against Philadelphia and Indianapolis, and he's converted them into 11 catches for 101 yards, which is good for a combined 20 PPR points over that span. This week, he's facing a Tampa Bay defense that has struggled with tight ends for most of the season. There have been 13 tight ends with at least four targets against the Buccaneers this year, and 11 have scored at least eight PPR points. If Jarwin continues to be involved in the offense and can score at least eight PPR points, that would put him in the mix as a low-end starter in Week 16.
5.6 projected points	Matt LaCosse Denver Broncos TE
LaCosse is worth a flier in deeper leagues given the matchup with the Raiders. Oakland leads the NFL in Fantasy points allowed to tight ends, and LaCosse is coming off a game where he was featured in Week 15 against Cleveland. He had a season-high six targets against the Browns and finished with four catches for 43 yards. In Week 2 against the Raiders, Case Keenum leaned on his tight ends, which were Jake Butt and Jeff Heuerman at the time, for six catches for 58 yards on nine targets. LaCosse will hopefully get a healthy number of targets again this week, and he's a low-end starter in deeper leagues.