“The more a person needs to be right, the less certain he is.” – Meir Ezra
Trust the process. I cannot emphasize this enough. Create a process and follow that. Over my last two years of creating weekly predictions for 5th Down, my process has tightened, and I have begun to see the numbers for what they are. Write things down! Put symbols beside the players you believe have massive potential, and don’t sway from that. Review ownership at the week’s end and ensure you have the necessary pieces in play. Do not be afraid to take chalk players if you are different in areas that make sense. I will discuss this more in my DST selection. I want to help you pay down that Holiday debt. Now, look at Week 16, blow it out of the water with our early Christmas gifts.
Week 16 ‘Pick-Six’ Picks
1) Dak Prescott QB, DAL $7,900 – Prescott currently has the second-highest ceiling projection with a 7% ownership. After a down week against Buffalo and facing a hot Dolphins team, there is still a lot of upside here. By far, we have the best quarterback on this slate in the best game environment of the weekend, barely projected to see ownership. This game hovers around 50 points for the O/U, and I want to attack this explosive matchup. The best QB on the main slate is the big gift we all hope for under the tree; think of it as your Nintendo 64 back in the day.
2) Derrick Henry RB, TEN $6,800 – For a man named King, he has faced a lot of trials and tribulations this year. As King Terenas Menethil said to his son Arthas, “No king rules forever, my son.” Henry has the 3rd highest carry total on the season, and when they get down to the red zone, there is no tush-push; Henry will pound it in. He is 6th on the season for rush yards and just had a down game. This is a great bounce
back for a sub $7k price tag. This is like getting the video game you wanted with your new console— Goldeneye, Donkey Kong Country, or maybe Ocarina of Time.
3) Terry McLaurin WR, WAS $5,700 – This is our rumble pack, the part that made gaming better than we realized. You didn’t think it would change anything, but you missed what it provided once you didn’t have it. The number one WR for the Commanders has been hot and has a QB who loves to toss the rock. In his last three games, McLaurin has averaged 12 targets per game. Facing the number one DST selection of the week is the contrarian key to breaking them down. Star Fox 64 was a fantastic game, and the rumble pack took it to the next level.
4) Jake Ferguson TE, DAL $4,900 – Remember your first N64; the controller that came with it was plain grey. The other colors of the additional controllers were bright and vibrant. Well, let’s pair our new N64 with the bright color of your choice. Ferguson is tied for 1st when it comes to red zone targets for TEs. The other TE is Taylor Swift’s boyfriend. In a week where paying up for a TE seems mandatory, I like the potential of Ferguson hitting 20+ points to push you over the edge into big winnings. Above him are many expensive chalk plays, and I want to pair him with my QB.
5) Parker Washington, JAX $3,800 – Washington is our stocking stuffer. It’s a little thing that you needed and didn’t realize. A new toothbrush, socks, a Toblerone? Something that tops the big day off and feels right with it. As a Bucs fan, I never want to go against my boys. Our secondary is how you beat us. There will be a lot of attention on Ridley, and Washington has put up 100 yards and two TDs over his last two
games. Zay Jones is out, and Christian Kirk is still on IR. This is a tournament play; do not play him in cash games. Trevor Lawrence is in, and he will throw the ball as the Bucs run D ranks as the 9th best.
6) Lions DST, DET $3,500 – In the mortal words of the Beastie Boys, “Our backs are now against the wall? Listen all y’all, it’s a sabotage!” This week, there is heavy ownership of all of the Vikings’ offensive players. Is Nick Mullins really the savior? Can Ty Chandler bust over 100 yards, Justin Jefferson rocket himself into a 100-yard game? Maybe, but I am willing to bet against that. If the Lions DST delivers, you are beating out the field by a massive margin. Let’s deliver coal to all the naughty boys and girls. Here is the projected ownership of the Vikings—QB Mullins 13%, RB Chandler 34%, WR Jefferson 21%, and TE Hockenson 8%. This team put up 3 points against the Raiders two weeks ago. Do not fall for this trap chalk.
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Zay Jones officially inactive for Week 16
Week 16 fantasy football rankings
