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Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr., and Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams are three possible starting options at quarterback for fantasy football teams that have made it this far.
While they have varying levels of talent and one of them hasn't even started a game this season, each has shown that they have a chance of producing well in Week 16.
So should fantasy football managers start or sit these quarterbacks for Week 16 and the fantasy football playoffs? Let's break them down.
Should I Start Jayden Daniels for Fantasy Football?
Daniels has been fantastic this year, but he draws an awful matchup with the elite Philadelphia Eagles pass defense on Sunday. And he'll be without his WR2, Noah Brown (kidney), and potentially missing TE1 Zach Ertz (concussion). JD just doesn't have many pass-catching weapons, as elite as he's been.
Jayden Daniels’ evolvement as a pure pocket passer has been really fun to watch. He’s a different level when he fires through his lower half, gets downhill & trusts his eyes.
Ball just pops. pic.twitter.com/0CmCfdik4O
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) December 17, 2024
He's been making great strides as a pocket passer, as you can see from the above post, and his rushing ability is elite for a QB. The problem is the matchups -- without a solid WR2, and with WR1 Terry McLaurin potentially being sent to Quintanamo Bay again (i.e. being guarded by elite rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell), it could be a tough day for the freshman QB.
Still, we recommend starting him. Sometimes you just have to go with the talented players.
Should I Start Michael Penix Jr. for Fantasy Football?
Penix will get his first start in Week 16. It will be an extremely easy matchup with the New York Giants, and he'll have a great arsenal of pass-catchers to throw to in wide receivers Drake London and Darnell Mooney and running back Bijan Robinson.
This @DrakeLondon_ route is too cold 🥶https://t.co/4yVnQQtuax x #ProBowlVote pic.twitter.com/3LgpyAvPkb
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) December 17, 2024
Penix is a solid player to start in deeper leagues and a must-start in two-QB leagues.
Should I Start Caleb Williams for Fantasy Football?
We cannot recommend starting Williams. He's had an awful rookie season. The author of this article wrote a piece about the Bears many weeks ago, suspecting that Chicago simply looked good because it faced a few terrible defenses. We can quote the piece: "If the future opposing defenses they will face can remain relatively healthy, they'll make life hell for Williams."
Don't say anything bad about Caleb Williams
Don't say anything bad about Caleb Williams
Don't say anything bad about Caleb Williams
Don't say anything ba pic.twitter.com/B7Z8xRtJk6— Steven Patton (@PattonAnalytics) December 18, 2024
That turned out to be a pretty accurate evaluation and prediction for future games. Among his many other problems, Williams is the worst QB at avoiding sacks in recent memory. It's not the offensive line's fault, either. It is fine.
Pass protection composite ratings week 15
Sheesh Broncos pic.twitter.com/v0TMXikUrS
— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) December 18, 2024
CW also is the worst QB in the league at throwing the ball deep.
worst catchable throw rate on deep passes in @fantasyptsdata history:
1. Caleb Williams, 2024 (32.8%)
2. Mac Jones, 2023 (35.8%)
3. Zach Wilson, 2022 (39.4%)Rome Odunze ranks 12th in air yards (1,217) but just 49th in catchable air yards (508) https://t.co/BCf47288FJ
— Scott Barrett (@ScottBarrettDFB) December 17, 2024
Williams will face a decimated Detroit Lions defense that's dealing with approximately 9,000 injuries, though. Maybe he'll be able to pad his stats in garbage time again. Still, there are better players to start.
Popular Week 16 Searches - Start/Sit Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 16 searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix Jr., Caleb Williams compared to others. You can also use the free Who Should I Start tool to run your own start/sit comparisons, up to four players at once:
Jalen Hurts or Jayden Daniels
Aaron Rodgers or Jayden Daniels
Sam Darnold or Jayden Daniels
Bo Nix or Caleb Williams
Jordan Love or Jayden Daniels
Kyler Murray or Jayden Daniels
Baker Mayfield or Jayden Daniels
Joe Burrow or Jayden Daniels
Aaron Rodgers or Caleb Williams
Jared Goff or Jayden Daniels
Bo Nix or Jayden Daniels
Bo Nix or Michael Penixjr
Justin Herbert or Caleb Williams
Tua Tagovailoa or Jayden Daniels
Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penixjr
Justin Herbert or Michael Penixjr
Anthony Richardson or Michael Penixjr
Cj Stroud or Caleb Williams
Anthony Richardson or Caleb Williams
Anthony Richardson or Jayden Daniels
Patrick Mahomes or Michael Penixjr
Aaron Rodgers or Michael Penixjr
Brock Purdy or Jayden Daniels
Patrick Mahomes or Caleb Williams
Russell Wilson or Michael Penixjr
Brock Purdy or Caleb Williams
Cj Stroud or Michael Penixjr
Geno Smith or Caleb Williams
Justin Herbert or Jayden Daniels
Aidan Oconnell or Michael Penixjr
Cooper Rush or Caleb Williams
Drake Maye or Caleb Williams
Jordan Love or Michael Penixjr
Mac Jones or Michael Penixjr
Matthew Stafford or Caleb Williams
Michael Penixjr or Caleb Williams
Michael Penixjr or Jayden Daniels
Bo Nix or Caleb Williams
Bo Nix or Michael Penixjr
Brock Purdy or Michael Penixjr
Bryce Young or Michael Penixjr
Caleb Williams or Jayden Daniels
Caleb Williams or Michael Penixjr
Cooper Rush or Michael Penixjr
Drake Maye or Michael Penixjr
Jameis Winston or Caleb Williams
Kyler Murray or Caleb Williams
Kyler Murray or Jayden Daniels
Lamar Jackson or Jayden Daniels
Mason Rudolph or Michael Penixjr
Matthew Stafford or Caleb Williams
Patrick Mahomes or Jayden Daniels
Sam Darnold or Caleb Williams
Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penixjr
Aidan Oconnell or Jayden Daniels
Bo Nix or Caleb Williams
Bo Nix or Caleb Williams
Bo Nix or Michael Penixjr
Brock Purdy or Caleb Williams
Drake Maye or Michael Penixjr
Drake Maye or Michael Penixjr
Jalen Hurts or Jayden Daniels
Jameis Winston or Jayden Daniels
Jared Goff or Caleb Williams
Jared Goff or Jayden Daniels
Jayden Daniels or Caleb Williams
Joe Burrow or Jayden Daniels
Jordan Love or Caleb Williams
Justin Herbert or Caleb Williams
Justin Herbert or Michael Penixjr
Kyler Murray or Michael Penixjr
Lamar Jackson or Caleb Williams
Lamar Jackson or Jayden Daniels
Matthew Stafford or Michael Penixjr
Patrick Mahomes or Jayden Daniels
Rachaad White or Caleb Williams
Sam Darnold or Michael Penixjr
Sam Darnold or Michael Penixjr
Sam Darnold or Michael Penixjr
Tua Tagovailoa or Caleb Williams
Tua Tagovailoa or Caleb Williams
Tua Tagovailoa or Caleb Williams
Aaron Rodgers or Caleb Williams
Aaron Rodgers or Caleb Williams
Aaron Rodgers or Caleb Williams
Aaron Rodgers or Jayden Daniels
Aaron Rodgers or Jayden Daniels
Aaron Rodgers or Michael Penixjr
Aidan Oconnell or Caleb Williams
Aidan Oconnell or Michael Penixjr
Amonra Stbrown or Jayden Daniels
Amonra Stbrown or Jayden Daniels
Anthony Richardson or Caleb Williams
Anthony Richardson or Jayden Daniels
Anthony Richardson or Michael Penixjr
Anthony Richardson or Michael Penixjr
Anthony Richardson or Michael Penixjr
Baker Mayfield or Jayden Daniels
Bo Nix or Caleb Williams
Bo Nix or Caleb Williams
Bo Nix or Caleb Williams
Bo Nix or Caleb Williams
Bo Nix or Jayden Daniels
Bo Nix or Michael Penixjr
Bo Nix or Michael Penixjr
Bo Nix or Michael Penixjr
Bo Nix or Michael Penixjr
Brock Purdy or Caleb Williams
Brock Purdy or Jayden Daniels
Brock Purdy or Jayden Daniels
Brock Purdy or Michael Penixjr
Bryce Young or Caleb Williams
Bryce Young or Michael Penixjr
Carson Wentz or Michael Penixjr
Chuba Hubbard or Caleb Williams
Cj Stroud or Jayden Daniels
Cj Stroud or Michael Penixjr
Cj Stroud or Michael Penixjr
Courtland Sutton or Caleb Williams
Derrick Henry or Caleb Williams
Detroit Lions or Caleb Williams
Drake London or Jayden Daniels
Drake Maye or Caleb Williams
Drake Maye or Caleb Williams
Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels
Drake Maye or Michael Penixjr
Drew Lock or Caleb Williams
Geno Smith or Michael Penixjr
Hunter Henry or Michael Penixjr
Isaac Guerendo or Caleb Williams
Jalen Hurts or Jayden Daniels
Jalen Hurts or Jayden Daniels
Jalen Hurts or Jayden Daniels
James Cook or Jayden Daniels
Jared Goff or Jayden Daniels
Jared Goff or Jayden Daniels
Jared Goff or Jayden Daniels
Jared Goff or Michael Penixjr
Jatavion Sanders or Caleb Williams
Jayden Daniels or Michael Penixjr
Jerome Ford or Caleb Williams
Jordan Addison or Michael Penixjr
Jordan Love or Caleb Williams
Justin Herbert or Caleb Williams
Justin Herbert or Michael Penixjr
Justin Herbert or Michael Penixjr
Keenan Allen or Michael Penixjr
Kyler Murray or Caleb Williams
Lamar Jackson or Michael Penixjr
Mac Jones or Caleb Williams
Malik Nabers or Caleb Williams
Malik Nabers or Jayden Daniels
Matthew Stafford or Caleb Williams
Matthew Stafford or Jayden Daniels
Matthew Stafford or Jayden Daniels
Matthew Stafford or Jayden Daniels
Matthew Stafford or Jayden Daniels
Matthew Stafford or Jayden Daniels
Patrick Mahomes or Caleb Williams
Patrick Mahomes or Caleb Williams
Patrick Mahomes or Jayden Daniels
Patrick Mahomes or Michael Penixjr
Rachaad White or Michael Penixjr
Russell Wilson or Jayden Daniels
Sam Darnold or Caleb Williams
Sam Darnold or Caleb Williams
Sam Darnold or Jayden Daniels
Spencer Rattler or Caleb Williams
Terry Mclaurin or Caleb Williams
Tua Tagovailoa or Caleb Williams
Tua Tagovailoa or Caleb Williams
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