If you are coming across this article Monday morning, then allow me to be among the very first to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
For those of you who have already been eliminated from your fantasy football playoffs and are in search of scratching the fantasy itch on Christmas Day, then I have some DFS picks you should consider using on DraftKings for Week 16.
Week 16 Christmas Day DFS Locks
Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers ($6,700)
San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy feels like he has passed the vast majority of tests that have been thrown at him in 2023 with flying colors. His 3,795 passing yards and 29 TDs have him firmly in the thick of the MVP conversation, and he has a chance to separate himself from the field on the final game of Week 16 against another Super Bowl contender in the Baltimore Ravens.
In what many consider his two most important games of the year against the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, Purdy played some of his best ball with an average of 283 passing yards and four TD passes. Those are absurd numbers, considering the high level of competition.
One could make an argument that the Ravens’ defense is his toughest test yet, but I see Purdy rising to the challenge and proving he firmly belongs in the MVP conversation with another solid outing in Week 16.
Gus Edwards, RB, Baltimore Ravens ($5,700)
The loss of RB Keaton Mitchell may have a negative impact on the Ravens’ offense as a whole, but a strong case can be made that it could lead to more work for Gus Edwards for the remainder of the 2023 season.
If you recall, RB J.K. Dobbins suffered a season-ending injury in the opener against the Houston Texans, which immediately thrust Edwards into an expanded role.
From Weeks 2-8, Edwards averaged 14 carries for 56 yards per game.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
However, once Mitchell got into the mix from Weeks 9-14, Edwards’ averages have dropped significantly to eight carries for 36 yards per game.
Last week, when Mitchell sustained a season-ending injury, Edwards became the clear leading man in this backfield with 16 carries for 58 yards and a score.
The San Francisco 49ers’ defense does present a formidable challenge but expect Edwards to see north of 10 carries and find the end zone with the backfield thinning out after the loss of Mitchell.
A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (8,500)
The last time Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown was in the media spotlight after his sideline interaction with QB Jalen Hurts came under the microscope back in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings, he responded by rattling off six straight games with 120+ receiving yards.
Brown struggled against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football with just five receptions for 56 yards on 10 targets, which is disappointing by his lofty standards.
The last time Brown faced off against the New York Giants back in 2022, he produced 95 receiving yards on just four receptions. This Giants secondary hasn’t exactly been the best unit this season, giving up an average of 167 yards per game to opposing WRs, which is the eighth-highest mark in the league this season.
Heading into a game where WR Devonta Smith has missed two practices this week with a knee injury, expect Brown to be the clear focal point of the Eagles’ passing attack, which should see Brown have a big day in a favorable matchup.
Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs ($7,500)
Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce has still been among the most productive tight ends this NFL season, but his production isn’t head and shoulders above everyone else at the position this season like it has been in the past.
One could argue that Father Time could be tapping Kelce on the shoulder, but he is still a force when the Chiefs offense is clicking on all cylinders.
The Las Vegas Raiders have been allowing an average of 51 yards per game to opposing tight ends this season, but Kelce did drop 91 yards against this same defense back in Week 12.
With the Chiefs still in the mix for home-field advantage in the AFC and Kelce coming off of his worst performances of the season, expect him to be very involved early in this contest and deliver a vintage Kelce performance in Week 16.
Kansas City Chiefs Defense ($3,200)
As previously mentioned, the Chiefs still have a chance to ensure that the AFC Championship Game runs through Arrowhead if they can manage to run the table and swipe the one seed away from the Ravens if Baltimore stumbles down the stretch.
The Chiefs’ offense garners most of the attention, but it has been the defense that has been the most consistent unit for the defending Super Bowl champs this year.
The Chiefs’ defense allows just 15 points per game at home and has been far more successful in turning over opposing quarterbacks at Arrowhead.
Look for the Chiefs to force Las Vegas Raiders rookie QB Aidan O’Connell into a couple of mistakes in a hostile environment.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!
