Fantasy QB Rankings: Early Week 16 Start-Sit Advice for Tua Tagovailoa, Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers, and Others

Take a look at our Week 16 consensus QB fantasy rankings to help with your lineup choices, including start-sit recommendations, waiver wire targets, and trade opportunities.

Week 16 of the fantasy football season has arrived, and it’s more important than ever to know which players deserve a place in your starting lineup. Considering player talent, recent form, and matchups, we’ve put together our PFSN consensus Week 16 QB rankings.

These rankings were last updated at 7:00 AM ET on Monday, December 15, 2025.

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Week 16Fantasy QB Rankings

1) Josh Allen | Buffalo Bills (at CLE)
2) Jalen Hurts | Philadelphia Eagles (at WAS)
3) Drake Maye | New England Patriots (at BAL)
4) Joe Burrow | Cincinnati Bengals (at MIA)
5) Matthew Stafford | Los Angeles Rams (at SEA)
6) Dak Prescott | Dallas Cowboys (vs. LAC)
7) Brock Purdy | San Francisco 49ers (at IND)
8) Jared Goff | Detroit Lions (vs. PIT)
9) Jacoby Brissett | Arizona Cardinals (vs. ATL)
10) Lamar Jackson | Baltimore Ravens (vs. NE)
11) Bo Nix | Denver Broncos (vs. JAX)
12) Jordan Love | Green Bay Packers (at CHI)
13) Trevor Lawrence | Jacksonville Jaguars (at DEN)
14) Justin Herbert | Los Angeles Chargers (at DAL)
15) Jaxson Dart | New York Giants (vs. MIN)
16) C.J. Stroud | Houston Texans (vs. LV)
17) Baker Mayfield | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at CAR)
18) J.J. McCarthy | Minnesota Vikings (at NYG)
19) Caleb Williams | Chicago Bears (vs. GB)
20) Tyler Shough | New Orleans Saints (vs. NYJ)
21) Tua Tagovailoa | Miami Dolphins (vs. CIN)
22) Bryce Young | Carolina Panthers (vs. TB)
23) Kirk Cousins | Atlanta Falcons (at ARI)
24) Sam Darnold | Seattle Seahawks (vs. LAR)
25) Aaron Rodgers | Pittsburgh Steelers (at DET)
26) Marcus Mariota | Washington Commanders (vs. PHI)
27) Shedeur Sanders | Cleveland Browns (vs. BUF)
28) Cam Ward | Tennessee Titans (vs. KC)
29) Brady Cook | New York Jets (at NO)
30) Kenny Pickett | Las Vegas Raiders (at HOU)
31) Philip Rivers | Indianapolis Colts (vs. 49ers)

J.J. McCarthy, QB, Minnesota Vikings (at NYG)

Can you imagine actually trusting “Nine” in the fantasy semi-finals? I can…because I am. Such is my plight after losing Patrick Mahomes last week (not that Mahomes was anything to write home about anyway).

Ever since head coach Kevin O’Connell told J.J. McCarthy to just go out there and play, he’s been a changed man. McCarthy has now posted back-to-back games of 20+ fantasy points since missing one game with a concussion. The volume hasn’t quite been there, but as long as McCarthy is finding the end zone, it doesn’t matter.

MORE: Free Fantasy Start/Sit Optimizer

This week’s game features two teams playing out a lost season. There’s really no reason for either team to play conservatively, which could lead to some fun, fast-paced offense.

The Giants allow the fourth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. McCarthy has accounted for six touchdowns over his last two games. The odds that the Vikings continue scoring all of their touchdowns through the air are low, but if McCarthy can merely get two, that would make him worth putting in lineups.

Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers (at DAL)

It takes a lot of stones to put Justin Herbert in your Week 16 lineup. He hasn’t even come close to posting a usable fantasy week since Week 9. Herbert’s best performance over that span was 14.7 fantasy points.

Fortunately, the Dallas Cowboys are the gift that keeps on giving. The gap between them and the team allowing the second most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks continues to grow.

Herbert hasn’t had soft matchup in over a month. Granted he’s flopped in favorable spots before, but it quite literally does not get better than this. And for all his struggles, Herbert does have at least one touchdown pass in all but one game this season. My guess is he throws at least two against Dallas.

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