FantasyPros Fantasy Football Podcast: "6 Must-Start Players for Week 16 | The Primer (Ep. 1908)"

Date: December 19, 2025
Hosts: Seth Wilcock and Derrick Brown ("Dbro")

Episode Overview

In the thick of the fantasy football semifinals, Seth Wilcock and Derrick Brown dive deep into six must-start sleeper players for Week 16, focused on those under-the-radar picks who could be the difference between heartbreak and a fantasy championship berth. With playoffs upon us, the hosts break down favorable matchups, underappreciated trends, and actionable insights for managers aiming to maximize their chances. The duo manages their trademark friendly banter and competitive fantasy wisdom in equal measure.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Quarterback Sleeper: J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota Vikings)

• Dbro’s Take: “People could hate on it all they want to and I don’t care. JJ McCarthy, man, he has been the QB9 and QB6 in fantasy last two weeks...ECR is hating it. They got him at QB20, which is just ludicrous to me.” (03:38)
• Supporting Stats:
  • Giants' defense since Week 11: 7th most yards/attempt, 4th-highest passer rating allowed, and worst completion percentage over expected (CPOE).
  • McCarthy since Week 14: 5th in yards per attempt, 1st in "hero throw rate," 3rd in fantasy points/dropback, visible rushing utility.
• Notable Moment: Seth quizzes Dbro on the last QB not to throw a TD against the Giants — trick question: “none” this season. (04:51)
• Start/Sit Debates: Stacking McCarthy vs. Dart as a high-upside play; both viable, but McCarthy is a preferred sleeper given matchup.

2. Running Back Value Plays: Jordan Mason (Minnesota Vikings) & Tyler Allgeier (Atlanta Falcons)

• Dbro: Groups both RBs together under the “1B with a great matchup” umbrella for flex appeal.
  • Jordan Mason
    • “He’s been their goal line back...over the last two games he has had six red zone rushing attempts versus Aaron Jones’s two.” (07:16)
    • Since Week 11, Giants allow most rushing yards/game, 2nd-highest explosive run rate, and most yards after contact/attempt.
    • Mason ranks top 24 in rush attempts inside the 10, and top 20 inside the 5-yard line.
  • Tyler Allgeier
    • “Both of these guys are being ranked in RB4 territory and both of them are strong RB3s. And if they both score touchdowns this week, they might be RB2s.” (09:32)
    • Since Week 11, Cardinals: 4th-highest explosive run rate allowed, 5th-most rush yards/game.
    • Allgeier is top 16 in rushes inside both the 10 and 5-yard lines, making him a real red zone threat.
• Betting Angle: Seth recommends considering an “anytime touchdown” prop for these goal-line specialists.
  • “If you’re going to play Tyler Allgeier, my advice would also be go to the betting streets. Take him for an anytime touchdown.” (12:21)

3. Wide Receiver Deep Plays: Jaden Higgins (Houston Texans) & Jalen Coker (Carolina Panthers)

• Jaden Higgins
  • Dbro: “He’s been consistently like a wide receiver three in most weeks with wide receiver, two upside...since week 10: WR22, 35, 23, 26 finishes.” (12:50)
  • Raiders defense: “11th most PPR points/target to perimeter WRs, 12th highest passer rating allowed.”
  • Higgins is running more routes than ever, with expanded opportunity as the Texans continue to evaluate young talent.
• Jalen Coker
  • Dbro: “Shout out to all the cokeheads out there. Jalen Coker, baby. WR42 in ECR. Since week 10, Jalen Coker has three weekly finishes inside the top 24 wide receivers at WR24, 15, and 24.” (15:19)
  • Target share, efficiency: 14% target share, 1.85 yards/route run since Week 10, 2.15 fantasy points/target, 114.7 QB rating/target.
  • Panthers injuries open the door for Coker to possibly be the WR1 if McMillan is out.
  • Great matchup: Buccaneers struggle defending interior/slot WRs (“4th most PPR points/target, 2nd most receiving yards/game to slot WRs”). (16:44)
  • Seth: “Targets go to die when they go out to Xavier Legette...But you actually look at what Coker is doing from an efficiency standpoint...it’s very, very high.” (16:58)

4. Tight End Sneaker: Brenton Strange (Jacksonville Jaguars)

• Dbro: “I’m telling you right now and I’m going to say this on my chest, Brenton Strange is the top 12 tight end this week...Since Week 12, Brenton Strange has two top seven tight end weekly finishes: TE4, TE7.” (18:05–18:21)
• Key Points:
  • 2.08 yards/route run, 5 red zone targets, 4 deep targets since Week 12 — high-upside TE usage.
  • Favourable matchup vs. Denver: “Since week nine, the Broncos have allowed the third most receiving yards to tight ends and the fifth most fantasy points...Tight ends quietly versus this defense have been smashing.” (18:42)
  • Jaguars forced to target TEs due to tough matchups outside; expect Strange to be a beneficiary.
• Seth’s thoughts: “He’s a really good blocker, so he can play three downs...right now he’s getting about three design targets per game. I think I would just want that to go up just maybe a little bit.” (19:42)
• Actionable: Strange is a strong streamer this week, especially with so many injuries at WR/TE.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dbro on J.J. McCarthy:
  “People can hate it, they can run away from it, but much like Thanos, it arrives all the same. And that’s J.J. mcCarthy. Fantasy points this week.” (04:32)

• Dbro on the Vikings’ matchup:
  “If the Vikings get a lead or if they just want to, like, honestly just pound the rock...Mason, this is the fantastic spot to do that.” (07:51)

• Dbro on Generation Z favorite Jalen Coker:
  “Shout out to all the cokeheads out there. Jalen Coker, baby.” (15:19)

• Seth on watching Coker instead of Legette:
  “Targets go to die when they go out to Xavier Legette...but you actually look at what Coker is doing from an efficiency standpoint, Derek, he doesn’t qualify for a lot of these metrics...but still, 2.15 fantasy points per target. I can tell you that’s very high.” (16:58)

• Dbro on tight end Brenton Strange:
  "Set it. Forget it. Play him. Hashtag. We are Penn State, baby. Brenton Strange. Smash." (19:39)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Quarterback Sleeper - J.J. McCarthy: 03:38 – 06:10
• Jordan Mason and Tyler Allgeier RB Discussion: 07:16 – 12:41
• Jaden Higgins WR Recommendation: 12:50 – 14:54
• Jalen Coker Deep Dive: 15:19 – 17:34
• Tight End Sleeper Brenton Strange: 18:05 – 21:30

Tone & Style

• Energetic, conversational, with a blend of statistical analysis and friendly banter.
• Advice is actionable, direct, and sprinkled with fantasy lingo and cultural references (e.g., movie analogies, team in-jokes).
• The hosts are frank about fantasy hits and misses, and encourage feedback and engagement (“Comment down below your favorite Week 16 sleeper starts”).

Summary Table: Must-Start Sleepers for Week 16

| Position | Player | Team | Rationale | |----------|---------------------|-----------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | QB | J.J. McCarthy | Minnesota Vikings | Hot hand, stellar matchup vs. Giants, good rushing and passing metrics. | | RB | Jordan Mason | Minnesota Vikings | Goal line specialist, league-worst Giants run D. | | RB | Tyler Allgeier | Atlanta Falcons | Top red zone usage, plus matchup vs. porous Arizona run D. | | WR | Jaden Higgins | Houston Texans | Consistent WR3-level production, increased routes, soft Raiders perimeter D. | | WR | Jalen Coker | Carolina Panthers | High-end efficiency, trending usage, huge slot matchup vs. Tampa Bay. | | TE | Brenton Strange | Jacksonville Jaguars | High ceiling usage, top-3 matchup vs. TEs, trending up in usage and opportunity. |

Final Thoughts

This week's Primer arms fantasy managers with key stats and a bold mindset for semifinals week. Whether it's rolling with J.J. McCarthy in a contrarian QB slot, betting on Mason or Allgeier to scoop red zone TDs, or finding unexpected value at WR/TE, the line between advancing and elimination is razor-thin. Trust the matchup data, consider these starts, and keep chasing that fantasy gold.

Happy Holidays and good luck in your semifinals!