Ho, ho, ho! Week 16 and the semi-finals of the fantasy football playoffs are here! Do you need a Christmas miracle this week to advance? Let’s hope it’s not that bad. However, old Saint Nick might just have a few tricks left in his bag, and streaming a quarterback to a victory might just be the Christmas miracle we find! Two of our picks this week are safe quarterback streamers to take. However, the other quarterback looks to be dangerous enough to melt the snow off the roof. Put on the Christmas music, throw another log on the fire and pour one more hot toddy as I tell you the story of the Christmas quarterback miracle that could be.
Each week, we will be looking at players who are rostered in 40% or fewer leagues using ESPN data.
Fantasy Football Quarterback Streamers: Week 16 (2023)
Derek Carr (QB, New Orleans Saints) | 21.5% Rostered
On his best fantasy outing of the season, Derek Carr showed up and took care of business last week. He completed 23 of 28 passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns. He finished the day with 20.3 fantasy points. His top receiver, Chris Olave, was out of this game with an ankle injury. However, Olave should be back in time for the Thursday night matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.
The Saints will go to Los Angeles for the Thursday night game, and the Rams are giving up an average of 240 passing yards and 18.5 fantasy points per game to the quarterback position. Both teams are still in the hunt for a playoff spot. This is a game that they both need to move forward in, and it might be one of the best games during the Christmas week, making Carr one of the best quarterback streamers available.
Gardner Minshew (QB, Indianapolis Colts) | 15.5% Rostered
One of the most exciting quarterbacks to watch this season is Gardner Minshew. Outstanding would be the word to describe his performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16; he completed 18 of 28 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns for a total of 20.6 fantasy points. Minshew lost his top receiver, Michael Pittman Jr., with a concussion and at the time of publication, there is no word on his return for Sunday’s game. However, his last game was on Saturday, giving him a full seven days to clear the five-step process.
The Colts will travel to Atlanta to face the Falcons on Sunday. The Falcons are allowing an average of 215 passing yards and 17.3 fantasy points per game to the quarterback position. Both of these teams are in the playoff hunt, so there will be a lot riding on this game. However, I think Minshew still has some magic to push the Colts into the playoffs, making him another solid streamer at the quarterback position.
Jake Browning (QB, Cincinnati Bengals) | 36.7% Rostered
Jake Browning took over for Joe Burrow in Week 11 and looked like a typical backup. However, this is Week 16, and Browning isn’t the same quarterback we saw when he first got under center for the Bengals. Last week, in a fourth-quarter comeback, Browning showed that he has what it takes to win the big games. He completed 29 of 42 passes for 324 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He finished the day with 19 fantasy points. His leading receiver, Ja’Marr Chase, left the game with a shoulder injury. However, Tee Higgins stepped up right on time to fill any void left by Chase’s early departure. Keep your eye on Tyler Boyd, too, as the Steelers are giving up plenty of points to the slot receiver this year.
As alluded to, the Bengals will take on their divisional rivals in Pittsburgh this Saturday. The Steelers are surrendering an average of 241 passing yards and 14.5 fantasy points per game to the quarterback position. The Bengals have won three games in a row to stay in the Wildcard hunt. Browning has shown that he can lead this team to victory. With a little Christmas magic, look for Browning to continue the victory run.
We have just three quarterbacks listed for Week 16, but several more are available. Take time and check out more at ESPN.com or your league’s platform. Good luck with your quarterback streamers and all your Week 16 matchups! I’m wishing everyone a happy holidays and success in your matchups this weekend!
Thanks for checking out my suggestions for quarterback streamers in Week 16. Looking for more fantasy football advice? Follow me on Twitter @sdcochran99.
You never hit a home run by bunting!
*Photo Credit: Stephen Lew – USA TODAY Sports*