Aidan O'Connell, Ty Chandler, Tre Tucker: Week 16 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football

Week 15 of the NFL is behind us and it's time to look ahead to next week's action. There were some surprising performances in the 15th week of the season, but were those surprising performances a sign of things to come for players?

Every week, I'll be looking at three to five NFL players whose numbers from the week before were better than expected. I'll be analyzing their games and making sense of what their showings mean in the larger scheme of things.

Below, you'll find an analysis of the biggest fantasy football surprises of Week 15. Are those surprising results a fact, i.e. a sign of good things to come, or a fiction, i.e. an anomalous result?

• Quarterback fantasy football rankings
• Running back fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
• Tight end fantasy football rankings
• Kicker fantasy football rankings
• FLEX fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• Superflex fantasy football rankings
• IDP fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

Should I Start Aidan O'Connell for Fantasy Football?

Last Week: QB3

Aidan O'Connell had by far the best game of his NFL career on Thursday against the Chargers, going 20-for-34 for 248 yards and four touchdowns. He didn't throw an interception and was sacked just once. The four touchdowns were his most in an NFL game, and the 248 yards tied for his second-most.

It was a great showing for the rookie, but it was also very much out of line with what he's produced so far. O'Connell had never even thrown for more than one touchdown in a game before this, and he came into Thursday with four touchdowns and seven interceptions in his NFL career.

Up next for the Raiders is a Monday meeting with the Kansas City Chiefs. O'Connell moved the ball well when these teams last met, throwing for 248 yards and a touchdown while completing 69.7% of his passes, the second-highest mark of his NFL career.

Verdict: O'Connell is coming off a good game and he was fine the last time he faced the Chiefs, but there are just far too many better QB options in one-QB leagues. O'Connell can be started as a low-end QB2 in a Superflex league, but that's about it.

Should I Start Ty Chandler for Fantasy Football?

Last Week: RB4

With Alexander Mattison out, the Vikings rode Ty Chandler in a 27-24 overtime loss to the Bengals. Chandler had 23 carries for 132 yards and a touchdown in the game, plus added three catches for 25 yards.

His 157 scrimmage yards were by far his most of the season, surpassing his previous high of 110. He also set a new season high in rushing attempts, with his previous best mark being 15 carries against the Saints.

It was a great showing for Chandler, but it's hard to really know what it means until we see Mattison back on the field. After claiming the starting job this year once the team moved on from Dalvin Cook, Mattison has already held off a challenge to the starting role from Cam Akers. Chandler will certainly cut into Mattison's touches some, but it's not like Chandler will suddenly be the every-down back in Minnesota.

Verdict: If Mattison is out on Sunday against Detroit, I'd view Chandler as a solid RB2 play. If Mattison plays, I'd think of him more as a low-end RB3. Either way, there's still likely a spot for him in your fantasy lineup in most formats.

Should I Start Tre Tucker for Fantasy Football?

Last Week: WR6

Las Vegas Raiders rookie wide receiver Tre Tucker had his best NFL game on Thursday against the Chargers, catching three passes for 59 yards and two touchdowns.

Was it a sign that Tucker's going to be a breakout player over the final few weeks of the season? Or was it just because he faced an awful Chargers defense? I mean, the Raiders did put up 63 points in that game, though some of that came via the Vegas defense.

One positive sign for Tucker: both touchdowns came in the first half, including a 30-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter to put the Raiders up 14-0. He wasn't out there putting up garbage time numbers.

Still, this was only the third time all season that Tucker had played at least 40% of the team's snaps and just the second time he was targeted more than three times.

Verdict: Outside of a 16-team league, Tucker can't really be trusted in fantasy in Week 16, but he's someone I'd love to have in dynasty formats right now.

Should I Start Joshua Palmer for Fantasy Football?

Last Week: WR7

The Los Angeles Chargers are in a bad spot. Justin Herbert is out and replaced by Easton Stick. Keenan Allen has a heel injury and it'd be a surprise to see him play again this year because there's just no incentive to risk re-injury to the star receiver.

That's handed Joshua Palmer the role of No. 1 receiver for the team. In Week 15's blowout loss to the Raiders, he was the only real bright spot, catching four passes for 113 yards and a touchdown in his first game back from a six-game absence.

Rookie Quentin Johnston is struggling to adjust to the NFL, so Palmer is likely to serve as the team's top receiver for the remainder of the 2023 season. That'd be a great spot...if it was Herbert throwing him the football. Of course, it's Easton Stick at quarterback, which mixes in a lot of uncertainty. Stick's numbers from this week look fine on the surface, but he didn't throw a touchdown pass until it was already 49-0 Vegas, and his second and third touchdowns came late in the fourth quarter with the Raiders up 63-7 before Stick made it 63-21 in garbage time.

Verdict: Palmer's role as the Chargers' No. 1 receiver isn't as nice as it could be due to Stick starting, and a Week 16 meeting with the Bills is a tough one. Still, his projected volume gives him flex appeal in a 12-team PPR league.

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