Empty the Bench

Aaron Stecker Photo Credit: Aaron M. Sprecher/Icon SMI

Plugging in your fantasy studs at RB, QB, and WR is easy; sorting out the fringes of your roster, not so much. We agonize over these decisions until 5 minutes before kickoff, then kick ourselves about the guys we started 10 minutes after kickoff. We’re talking about the WR/TE Flex and WR/RB Flex plays, and they’re a pain in the friggin’ arse.

Our Position Rankings now include more running backs and wide receivers, so you can refer to those ranks for your WR3 and RB2 options. ETB’s Cheat Sheet only focuses on those crucial flex-spot ranks.

Week 16 Cheat Sheet Rankings

Week 16 RB/WR Flex Plays

1. Aaron Stecker, New Orleans vs. PHI
2. Kolby Smith, Kansas City @ DET
3. Adrian Peterson, Chicago vs. GB
4. Jerious Norwood, Atlanta @ ARZ
5. Derrick Mason, Baltimore @ SEA
6. Kevin Jones, Detroit vs. KC
7. Bobby Engram, Seattle vs. BAL
8. Thomas Jones, New York Jets @ TEN
9. Laurence Maroney, New England vs. MIA
10. David Patten, New Orleans vs. PHI

Fortune Cookies: As of Friday afternoon, the Saints were still holding out hope that Reggie Bush would be available on Sunday. Even if he does play–we don’t think he will–backup Aaron Stecker figures to still carry the load for the Saints. If you’ve been rolling with him over his past two productive weeks, keep on keepin on… Last week we saw LT and third-stringer Darren Sproles dance past the sorry Lions defense for a total of 238 rushing yards and 4 TDs–no shit, that’s not a typo. Kolby Smith is no LT, but he’s at least as good as Sproles, so… Even if Adrian Peterson is contained running the ball out of the backfield, Bears quarterbacks are basically incapable of throwing it farther than 10 yards down the field, so AP is catching a lot of short swing passes. He should be good for at least 75 combined yards… Let’s see here: Warrick Dunn had 8 carries for 32 yards and a fumble lost last week against the Bucs; Jerious Norwood, on the other hand, totes the pigskin 9 times for 73 yards. With ex-coach and Norwood-hater Bobby Petrino out of the mix, Norwood should exceed 15 carries this week and could post big numbers against the very, very average Cardinals DEF… Derrick Mason is one of a handful of Ravens who aren’t just going through the motions, and is worth a flex start for those in PPR leagues… You never know what you’re going to get from Kevin Jones: will it be the guy who had 5 carries for 16 yards last week, or the one with 23 for 92 yards and 2 TDs in Week 14? Have fun predicting… Love the effort from Bobby Engram this year in his twelfth NFL season: he has already established a career high in receiving yards (1,013) and is three away from tying his best for receptions in a season (88). The 5 TDs are nice too… Thomas Jones is the starting running back for the New York Jets. That’s about all you’re going to get from us on this free-agent bust… Laurence Maroney received his heaviest workload of the season last week (26 carries, 104 yards, 1 TD), but as we’ve said many times his coach hates fantasy football players and probably will give Maroney less than five touches this time, knowing his RB will be in many’s lineup. Avoid if possible… David Patten has been quietly effective over the past two weeks, putting up 13 catches for 193 yards and 2 TDs combined.

Week 16 WR/TE Flex Plays

1. Bobby Engram, Seattle vs. BAL
2. David Patten, New Orleans vs. PHI
3. Vernon Davis, San Francisco vs. TB
4. Santana Moss, Washington @ MIN
5. Owen Daniels, Houston @ IND
6. Reggie Brown, Philadelphia @ NO
7. Greg Olsen, Chicago vs. GB
8. Shaun McDonald, Detroit vs. KC
9. Brent Celek, Philadelphia @ NO
10. Reggie Williams, Jacksonville vs. OAK

Fortune Cookies: With 9 receptions for 84 yards last week, Engram shows no signs of slowing down even with Branch back. Playing at home and against a truly weak Ravens secondary, expect nothing less than 5 receptions, 60 yards and 50/50 odds on a TD… As the New Orleans passing game returned to health Patten emerged as a viable flex option, and you should feel comfortable rolling with him this week in the Superdome… Vernon Florida really made us look bad earlier this year (Andrew especially), but he’s starting to flash some of the skills that had us so high on him on Draft Day. He has as least 5 receptions and 40 yards in three of the last four games, with 2 TDs in there as well. The Tampa defense is tough, so we expect San Fran’s deer-in-the-headlights of a QB to check down to Davis early and often… It’s been a truly terrible year for Santana Moss with only 622 yards and 1 TD, but at least he’s showing a little bit of consistency over the last five weeks. This is a huge game for Washington, and Minnesota’s pass defense is suspect. The Vikings are especially weak against speedy receivers, so you can plug Moss in and just hope for the best if you need him… Owen Daniels isn’t putting up eye-popping stats, but he has 60 receptions and 739 yards on the year with at least 3 receptions in all but two games. In most seasons that would make him a top-5 TE. The Colts pass rush and TE defense has been suspect recently, so Daniels should be good for at least 4 receptions and 50 yards here… Reggie Brown has been reasonably involved in the Philly passing game with 3 TDs over the last six weeks, but nothing like we expected before the season started. There’s still time for some heroics from this disappointment though, as the New Orleans pass defense is one of the weakest in football and we expect this game to be somewhat of a shootout in the Big Easy… Next year will really be the one to own Greg Olsen, but the Rappin’ Hurricane has acquitted himself nicely as a rookie while fighting for playing time and looks with Desmond Clark. Green Bay’s weakness in the secondary is over the middle, down the seam, and that’s where Olsen thrives, so he could be in for some long receptions while Chicago plays catch up… You really don’t know what to expect from the Detroit passing game, and Shaun McDonald is oddly their most consistent weapon with at least 5 receptions in seven of the last eight games. Go figure. Detroit is at home, so start him as a strong flex option… Oh boy, this guy probably should have been our sneaky play of the week. Brent Celek set career highs in receptions (3) and yards (50) last week, and he’s auditioning to be the Eagles TE of the future with L.J. Smith pretty much gone. Indoors and against a terrible New Orleans secondary, he’s a very smart play for a desperate owner in a deep league… We’re avoiding Williams at all costs this week, even though on paper he’s a decent play. Two words: Nnamdi Asomugha.

More Free Week 16 Fantasy Goodness:

- ETB’s Week 16 Fantasy Football Position Ranks

- ETB’s Week 16 Fantasy Football Matchups

- ETB’s Week 16 Fantasy Football Stock Report