“Shore Thing Sleepers” isn’t your ordinary fantasy football Week 16 start/sit article. Instead, our analyst duo of Seth Woolcock and Nate Polvogt highlight lower-valued players that can provide starting-caliber production for a specific week. These are usually players near the end of your bench or even on the waiver wire/free agency. You can catch an additional sleeper pick live at the end of our weekly in-season Friday podcast episode.
Rostership percentages are based on ESPN Points Per Reception (PPR) redraft fantasy football leagues.
Week 16 Start/Sit Consideration: Shore Thing Sleepers
Chris Moore (WR, Houston Texans) | 14.2 Percent
The Houston Texans don’t have much to play for the rest of the 2022 season. Both wide receivers Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins have been nursing injuries as of late, and there is a good chance the team shuts them down for the rest of this year. That will give veteran wide receiver Chris Moore an opportunity to be the WR1 for the hapless Texans.
Moore has been reliable when called upon in 2022. The last two weeks he has seen 19 targets, catching 14 for 166 yards. The Texans face off against Tennesee in Week 16, and the matchup couldn’t be better for the seventh-year WR. The Titans have been the best matchups for wide receivers. With Moore likely the primary target for either Davis Mills or Jeff Driskel, he could be in line for significant volume. Moore is only rostered in 14.2 percent of ESPN leagues, so chances are you can get him off free agency. Get him in your lineups as a solid WR3/FLEX play with high-end WR2 upside in Week 16. – Nate Polvogt
Tyler Boyd (WR, Cincinnati Bengals) | 72.2 Percent
I’m touting Tyler Boyd as my “Shore Thing Sleeper of the Week” for the third time this season, and for good reason. Boyd continues to excel with Ja’Marr Chase in the lineup, averaging 16.7 PPR points over his last four healthy games with Chase out there. He’s averaging 6.3 targets per game and 2.1 fantasy points per target in that span as a result. Meaning he’s virtually a lock for double-digit PPR points if he’s out there.
A once-intimidating Patriots’ secondary has been a top-eight matchup for receivers over the past month. Cornerback Jalen Mills has already been ruled out for Saturday. Plus, No. 1 cornerback Jack Jones and No. 2 Jonathan Jones remained limited in Thursday’s practice and are subsequently questionable to play. In a game that weather may impact and tight end Hayden Hurst out, Boyd should be the primary short-yardage target out of the slot in Week 16. – Seth Woolcock
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