By Brooksie on December 21, 2022
Before we get into Week 16’s Starters, let’s see what I got right and what I got wrong with the starters from Week 15.
QB: Somehow the Colts scored 36 points, but Matt Ryan only had 187 passing yards with 1 passing TD. Somehow I was wrong to start him. Andy Dalton had less yards passing, 157, but he did manage to throw 2 TDs, which barely, and I mean barely, put him over the line making me right to start him. Then there is Mac Jones who only threw for 112 passing yards with no TDs against the Raiders. Yes, you read that right. Against the Raiders. I must be taking some crazy pills. I was wrong.
RB: Pacheco had 86 yards rushing and 11 receiving but did not get any TDs. He had a great ypc, but Reid insisted to use McKinnon and, well, Mahomes is just greedy wanting all the good stats for himself. It was close, even without a TD, but I was wrong to start him. Robinson was put in the same boat. He had a great ypc with his 89 yards rushing and 18 receiving. Why are they running Samuel and Gibson? Why? His numbers, while only a little better, are actually slightly over the average line making me right to start him. I should have been more right, though. Who is greedy now? And to even things out, we have Akers who had 65 yards rushing and 35 receiving with no TDs. His numbers split the other two making this one a push.
WR: I guess Mr. Irrelevant did not need Aiyuk as much as I thought he would. I was wrong to start him. Peoples-Jones only had 31 yards receiving, but he got a TD, thereby giving me a break and pushing me over the edge to the right side. Meanwhile, Allen and Williams had 86 and 67 yards with no TDs by either one. Looks like I was wrong to start both, collectively and individually.
TE: I was so very right that Kittle was going to star against Seattle. In case you haven’t noticed, all tight ends star against them. He had 93 yards and 2 TDs. Taysom Hill did not have 2 TDs in 2 different ways like I said, but he still threw for one along with 60 yards passing and 30 rushing. For a tight end, I was right to start him. Then there is Dulcich. He had 11 yards and no TD. How the? What the? Rypien, that’s how and what and who and blew.
D: Saints got the W, gave up 18 points, recovered a fumble, and had 4 sacks. Yep, you are right, those are good numbers making me right. Pittsburgh got the W, gave up 16 points, and had 4 sacks. Also very good numbers. Also making me right. The Pack won, gave up 12 points, less than 200 yards offense, 1 INT, and 5 sacks. Not even close. I was right and I dominated this group this week.
Let us see who is available to possibly put in your starting lineup for this week.
QB:
Zach Wilson: He is going up against a porous Jags D. You need a sub? He’s your guy.
Derek Carr: He is going up against Pittsburgh. Somehow, of all the teams, he has played well against them over the years. Why would that stop now? Sorry Tomlin. Your streak is about to end.
Rodgers: Time to put him back in. He is going up against the Dolphins, a team that has not been stellar on D. He can be good as he once was, at least one more time.
RB:
Jerick McKinnon: Time to jump on the bandwagon. He is all over the place for KC and Seattle is giving up the 2nd most rushing yards so far this year.
Alvin Kamara: Have you given up on him? Time to put him back in. For one, he is due. For two, the weather should be bad for the throwing guys, so expect more carries than usual. Oh and one more thing, the Browns are at the bottom in rushing yards allowed, yards per carry, and rushing TDs. These numbers better not lie.
Jeff Wilson or Raheem Mostert? – Which one to play against a susceptible Packers run defense? Both? Let’s do rock, paper, scissors to decide. Ready. Go. If you picked rock, then play Jeff Wilson. If you picked paper, then play Mostert. If you played scissors, and you have both, then play both.
WR:
D. K. Metcalf: If I did a must start of the week, it would have to be this guy. No Lockett and up against a KC passing defense that is at the bottom of the league.
Mike Evans: He finally had a decent game this past week. I expect him to do even better and get on the board against a Cards team that has given up lots of passing TDs.
Diontae Johnson: He doesn’t have a TD reception all year. He has done decent with yardage recently. I say he gets that first TD against the Raiders this week.
TE:
Like Metcalf, with Lockett out, I expect Noah Fant to get some more looks. I also expect a garbage time TD from him.
If you have learned anything with the start articles all year, it should be that the Cards are horrible against tight ends. This week they have Cade Otton and Cameron Brate. I say Otton answers the phone.
Meanwhile, Robert Tonyan prefers an in house visit, so if the phone is not ringing, but someone is knocking on the door to do well, he will answer it. He has the Dolphins this week who are also at the bottom of the league against tight ends.
D:
The Browns just shut down the Ravens. They have the Saints this week who are not lighting it up on offense. The game is supposed to have bad weather. These things point to playing the Browns D.
Speaking of the Ravens, can you say back with a vengeance? Can you say they have the Falcons and a rookie QB? Can you say start them?
The Bucs finally have a plus matchup this week. Unfortunately, looks like Brady will get a W for the holidays. Bah Humbug.