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With the injury to Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (hamstring) and the plethora of ailments to key running backs heading into Week 16, fantasy managers are rightfully wondering who they should start in place of their key players if they end up missing the next slate of games.
The Steelers have two potential options at wide receiver, and the Baltimore Ravens have a pass-catching running back that could provide some upside during the fantasy football playoffs.
Let's break down three players that you may be considering starting heading into the penultimate week of the fantasy football season (for most leagues anyway). There's more below!
Should I Start Mike Williams for Fantasy Football?
If Pickens isn't able to play, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Williams is still not worth starting. The Steelers traded for him earlier in the season, and despite having been with his new team for six weeks now, he has been targeted just seven times in those games. His snap shares have been simply abysmal as well.
The Steelers are going to need more catches like this from Mike Williams if George Pickens is inactive again on Sunday against the Eagles. pic.twitter.com/WTAldfhCuv
— Billy Hartford (@CamHeywardFan) December 10, 2024
Williams hasn't had a game with more than 40% of snaps with his new team. It's important to remember that he's 30 years old and tore his ACL in 2023, so he could be struggling to recover. But for NFL receivers, separation is king. Some argue it doesn't matter, but that's simply not true.
Williams simply has not been separating well. He's a big-bodied, tall receiver, but quarterbacks still prefer to throw it to WRs who are open, rather than risking passes being intercepted straight away or the ball being tipped into the air for a potential pick or incompletion.
We don't recommend you start Williams this week. He simply does not have the playing time or volume to justify putting in your lineups.
Should I Start Calvin Austin III for Fantasy Football?
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III is a much more intriguing option than Williams. If Pickens plays, it's hard to justify starting CAIII outside of deeper leagues, but if Pickens misses the game, Austin could have another solid day. He caught all five of his targets for 65 yards last week against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Russell Wilson with the flea flicker play to Calvin Austin for a huge chunk of yards 😱 pic.twitter.com/XZMa3rgRXV
— Ninety 😤 (@Wattaburgher) December 15, 2024
But around half of his yardage came on a trick play in which he didn't gain a ton of separation from the opposing defender. And Austin was targeted only four times in Week 14, catching just one pass for four yards. The potential for him to put up another dud is huge. Even in games without Pickens, he hasn't been very productive.
He occasionally scores long touchdowns, but those are very difficult to count on. We don't recommend starting Austin unless the team's WR1 doesn't play and you're in a very deep league, like one with 16 or more teams. It's simply a massive risk.
Should I Start Justice Hill for Fantasy Football?
In games where Hill doesn't get a touchdown, he tends to have nice fantasy football scores, at least in PPR. In games where he hasn't found the end zone, he has just one game of double-digit PPR fantasy points and averages just under a mere 5.7 PPR FPTs per game. That's not remotely startable, so you're essentially relying on a touchdown for him to be viable.
Justice Hill receiving stats this season
50 targets
42 catches!!
383 yards
9.1 avg
3 tdsOne of the best receiving backs in the league, dude really blossomed into a great player last year and especially this year. pic.twitter.com/fnFSpm346m
— 𝙕𝙖𝙘𝙝🦦® (@NewEraZach) December 17, 2024
Even though he's had nice receiving numbers, it's not been enough to move the needle in fantasy football. He remains a handcuff for lead back Derrick Henry. Starting players the game after they get touchdowns when they don't find the end zone often isn't a very good strategy.
Of course, in deep PPR leagues, Hill's not the worst option. The Steelers have been effective against the run, holding opponents to just 4.0 yards per rush attempt on the season, though. You never know with these divisional games, but, notably, Henry didn't have a great day against Pittsburgh last time.
Still, Hill might not get much volume even if Henry doesn't have a great day, so it's hard to trust starting him outside of very deep PPR leagues.
Popular Week 16 Searches - Start/Sit Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 16 searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Mike Williams, Calvin Austin III, Justice Hill 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:
Jerome Ford or Justice Hill
Tyjae Spears or Justice Hill
Christian Watson or Mike Williams
Jaylen Warren or Justice Hill
Kendre Miller or Justice Hill
Tank Bigsby or Justice Hill
Alexander Mattison or Justice Hill
Ameer Abdullah or Justice Hill
Ameer Abdullah or Justice Hill
Jalen Mcmillan or Justice Hill
Javonte Williams or Justice Hill
Justice Hill or Calvin Austiniii
Kendre Miller or Justice Hill
Michael Wilson or Calvin Austiniii
Najee Harris or Justice Hill
Najee Harris or Justice Hill
Rayray Mccloudiii or Justice Hill
Rome Odunze or Justice Hill
Travis Etiennejr or Justice Hill
Travis Etiennejr or Justice Hill
Zach Charbonnet or Justice Hill
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