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With Week 16 here, every fantasy football league is in playoff mode, Matthew Stafford and Dak Prescott could be the difference between winning and going home.
While Stafford has a fairly high floor and a limited ceiling, Prescott is coming off a very disappointing performance that likely cost hundreds of managers dearly. Analyzing their matchups is key in predicting if the QBs will go big in Week 16, and no stone should be left unturned at this stage.
Let's look at the fantasy outlooks of these two QBs, starting with Matthew Stafford:
Is Matthew Stafford a good fantasy pick in Week 16?
After a middling campaign that has seen a fair share of injuries, Matthew Stafford and the LA Rams have looked a much better team over the last month. Stafford has caught the attention of fantasy football managers after throwing for 10 TDs in three weeks and followed up with two TDs in Week 15.
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On the season, Stafford has thrown for 3,320 yards, 21 TDs and 9 INTs, good for 209.80 points in fantasy football and the QB16 rank. The good news for Stafford is that the Rams are about full strength, with Kyren Williams looking terrific at RB and Cooper Kupp back at his best.
The Rams have a tough challenge in Week 16, as they have the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football. The Saints have a defense studded with stars but have seen some porous displays this season. New Orleans is sixth against QBs in fantasy in 2023, which is cause for concern.
Sportskeeda's Start/Sit tool projects Matthew Stafford to record 17 points in Week 16, which is about his recent average. Stafford is a dependable QB in fantasy, and though he may only go above this number by four or five points, he's unlikely to underperform by much either.
Is Dak Prescott a good fantasy pick in Week 16?
Dak Prescott is looking to bounce back in Week 16 after a poor showing against the Buffalo Bills.
After an incredibly dominant string of performances from Week 6 to Week 14, Prescott came unstuck against the Bills, recording only 6.06 points on the day. That undoubtedly cost a lot of managers their seasons, and as such, Prescott's ability to recover in Week 16 is a matter of great importance.
On the season, Prescott has thrown for 3,639 yards, 28 TDs, seven INTs and rushed for 212 yards and two TDs, making two two-point conversions. That totals 278.76 points in fantasy football, which makes him the QB3 of the season.
The Dallas Cowboys have a tough game in Week 16, as they face the Miami Dolphins. This is a tough game to call and could be a high-scorer given the weapons both teams have at their disposal.
The Dolphins' defense has looked very good in recent weeks and nilled the New York Jets in Week 15. While the Cowboys are much better with the ball than the Jets, it's still cause for concern. Miami is 14th against QBs in fantasy football, a so-so stat that doesn't help either way.
Sportskeeda's Start/Sit tool projects Dak Prescott to record 21.50 points in Week 16, which means he's a must-start in a playoff situation. While last week was bad, and there are concerns about Miami's cornerbacks and pass rush, you can't ignore his potential for big points and get too cute at this stage of the season.
Matthew Stafford or Dak Prescott: Who should I start in fantasy football Week 16?
Looking at the numbers, Dak Prescott is a better pick than Matthew Stafford in Week 16. While Stafford's floor is likely more dependable than Prescott's with last week in mind, the Cowboys QB has some huge numbers in him on a good day.
The below breakdown gives an idea of what to expect from both QBs in Week 16:
The real difference between the QBs is the potential for TDs. While neither gets many rushing TDs, Prescott is more likely than Stafford and also has a greater chance at throwing for three or four on top.
Stafford is by no means a bad pick, and for teams struggling at QB due to injuries or inconsistency you could do a lot worse. But if you have Dak Prescott, you have to start him.
