RADIO
Congratulations! You made it to the fantasy football semifinals AND we're less than one week away from Christmas! But that also means the weather continues to take a turn for the worse. And in the NFL, weather can significantly impact games, particularly as we head into the colder months of the season. In this article, we will examine how various weather elements could influence the games scheduled for Week 16 of the 2024 season and what implications this may have.
We will rely on the most accurate and up-to-date weather forecasts for each stadium from AccuWeather, a source that provides comprehensive weather maps. Factors such as temperature, precipitation, wind speed/direction, and visibility can play a crucial role in shaping game outcomes and statistics.
Our goal with this article is to assist you in making informed decisions for your fantasy teams and other betting activities, allowing you to capitalize on opportunities or navigate challenges posed by weather dynamics. Here is your comprehensive fantasy football weather report for Week 16 of the 2024 season.
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Dome Games (No Weather Impact)
Some games in Week 16 will benefit from being played in domed stadiums, where the weather won't affect the outcome. These indoor venues provide a consistent environment.
- New York Giants at Atlanta Falcons
- Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts
- Jacksonville Jaguars at Las Vegas Raiders
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys
Minimal Weather Impact
These outdoor games in Week 16 don't appear to have very many weather concerns.
Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs (Saturday, 12/21 at 1:00 p.m. ET)
The Texans travel to Kansas City, Mo., to take on the Chiefs on Saturday. It'll be the coldest game Houston has played all season, and it'll still be around 40 degrees. It appears winds will be very light with just a 2% chance of precipitation in this one.
Patrick Mahomes will play after suffering an ankle injury in Week 15. It should be a good matchup against two very good AFC teams, but it might be more of a defensive struggle than a shootout. This game boasts an over/under of just 41.5, but you're still starting your studs in this one. That includes Nico Collins, Travis Kelce, and Joe Mixon.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens (Saturday, 12/21 at 4:30 p.m. ET)
The Steelers travel to Baltimore this week to take on the division-rival Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. It'll be a nippy one, but nothing either of these two cold-weather teams can't handle. High temperatures will be in the mid-to-upper 30s, but it will feel like it's closer to 25 given the somewhat windy conditions.
Winds are forecasted to be sustained around 15 miles per hour (mph) with gusts up to 30 mph. While that could affect some longer passes for some quarterbacks, it's unlikely to have much of an impact on Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson. However, the kickers could face some challenges if the winds continue to gust up to 30 mph for the entirety of the game.
Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears (Sunday, 12/22 at 1:00 p.m. ET)
By Chicago standards, it'll be nice and toasty on Sunday with a high temperature of almost 32 degrees. And even though they call themselves the Windy City, it doesn't appear conditions will be too bad throughout the game. Winds will be picking up throughout the day, but the forecast calls for around 10 mph sustained winds and 20 mph gusts during game time.
That said, Jared Goff doesn't play very many cold-weather games, and when he does, well, it hasn't gone all that well.
Jared Goff hasn’t played in a cold weather game yet in 2024
It’ll be COLD in the Windy City Sunday
His last few “cold weather” games
2023 Week 14 @ CHI
- 161 yds, 1 TD, 2 INTs2022 Week 15 @ NYJ
- 252 yds, 1 TD2022 Week 18 @ GB
- 224 yds2020 Week 16 @ SEA
- 234 yds, 1 INT pic.twitter.com/0QeMDsc6h4— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) December 18, 2024
You're not sitting Amon-Ra St. Brown or Jahmyr Gibbs, no way, but maybe you second-guess Goff as a streamer or his other pass-catching options such as Sam LaPorta and Jameson Williams.
Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals (Sunday, 12/22 at 1:00 p.m. ET)
It'll be a beautiful day in Cincinnati when the Bengals play host to the Browns. Temperatures will be in the low-to-mid 30s with a very light breeze. It would have been the perfect game for Jameis Winston and his pass-catchers to go off, but instead, the Browns have decided to roll with Dorian Thompson-Robinson under center.
Fire up your usual suspects on the Bengals, but don't for a second think Jerry Jeudy is the same kind of must-start option as he has been with Jameis under center.
Los Angeles Rams at New York Jets (Sunday, 12/22 at 1:00 p.m. ET)
It's going to be a cold one outside in East Rutherford, N.J., for a Rams team that has played indoors in 10 of 14 games this season. High temperatures will be in the mid-20s, but luckily for both teams (and fantasy managers), there's a 0% chance of precipitation and winds should remain relatively light. It's supposed to be windy early in the morning, but winds are expected to taper off throughout the day.
Fire up Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp, Kyren Williams, Davante Adams, Garrett Wilson, and Breece Hall. Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers make for decent options as well in a game that sports the fifth-highest over/under (46.5) in Week 16.
Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers (Sunday, 12/22 at 1:00 p.m. ET)
It'll be a bit chilly for the Charlotte area, but otherwise a perfect day for football. Highs will be in the low 40s with minimal wind and not a cloud in the sky. Kyler Murray hasn't played in the cold all season, but the favorable conditions otherwise this weekend shouldn't cause any concern.
Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders (Sunday, 12/22 at 1:00 p.m. ET)
Just like in most of the Northeast, it'll be a cold one in Landover, Md., when the Philadelphia Eagles travel down I-95 to take on the Washington Commanders. Temperatures may not get above freezing, but winds will be light between 5-10 mph and there's a 0% chance of precipitation.
This should be a good game between division rivals. It could also potentially be a high-scoring one, so you'll want to fire up all your studs on Sunday.
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills (Sunday, 12/22 at 4:25 p.m. ET)
It'll be bitingly cold in Buffalo when the Patriots take on the Bills. However, winds are expected to be very light and there's only a very slight chance of precipitation. Both teams are used to playing in cold conditions, so there shouldn't be much of an impact in this game on Sunday.
Buffalo has a massive implied point total of 30 in Week 16.
San Francisco 49ers at Miami Dolphins (Sunday, 12/22 at 4:25 p.m. ET)
It'll be absolutely beautiful in Miami for the 49ers and Dolphins game on Sunday. Winds could gust up to 20 mph, but that shouldn't have many impacts. If the forecast changes and the winds start to gust upward of 25 mph, then it might be a good idea to look elsewhere for your kicker. Otherwise, it'll be in the low 70s and partly sunny in South Florida.
New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers (Monday, 12/23 at 8:15 p.m. ET)
I debated whether or not to put this game under minimal or severe impact, but landed on minimal. There's a chance of snow on Monday, but it's only for one hour. The chances that the snowfall has a major impact on the game appear to be slim at this time. It also won't be too cold and the winds are expected to die down by nighttime. Sustained winds are forecasted at just 5-10 mph by the time this game kicks off at 8:15 p.m. ET.
Keep an eye on the forecast in Green Bay on Sunday morning before most of the other games kick off as you may need to pivot elsewhere rather than rely on players who could be affected by unfavorable weather conditions. We've seen snow affect passing games before. This could potentially impact guys like Jordan Love, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Severe Weather Impact
Let's focus on matchups where weather conditions could substantially influence the game.
Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks (Sunday, 12/22 at 4:05 p.m. ET)
It appears the Vikings and Seahawks will be battling the rain at Lumen Field in Seattle. The forecast on Sunday calls for just north of 0.5 inches of rain occurring between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. It shouldn't be too windy, but it looks like the field conditions could be compromised from consistent rain throughout the game.
This could have an impact on the passing game. Currently, this game has an over/under of just 42 points, potentially as a result of the forecast. Keep tabs on the forecast as we get closer to kickoff, but this one has a chance to be a bit messy.
Geno Smith and Sam Darnold might not be the best QB streamers in the fantasy football semifinals if the rain doesn't let up. However, it'll be hard to sit the stud receivers in Justin Jefferson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
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