For fantasy owners, one last hurdle in Week 16

Week 16 is upon us and with it fantasy championship games. But to keep fantasy owners on their toes, Week 15 tossed out its fair share of curveballs.

• The Cincinnati Bengals’ star receiver, A.J. Green, left Sunday’s game in the third quarter because of a back injury. The first three quarters of play with new quarterback AJ McCarron produced a single catch for 37 yards. Green’s production will be a concern anyway this weekend at the Denver Broncos vs. one of the best secondaries in the NFL. The Broncos struggled at the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the Bengals lack the offensive firepower the Steelers have.

• Danny Woodhead’s production had waned after Week 9, as the San Diego Chargers running back went four consecutive weeks with no score and never more than 47 total yards. But aided by the departure of Melvin Gordon, who injured his knee in the second quarter, Woodhead enjoyed a career-best game vs. the Miami Dolphins. He rushed for only 10 yards on eight carries but scored once. However, he did major damage in the passing game with six receptions for 50 yards and three more touchdowns. Gordon was place on injured reserve Monday, which gives Woodhead another chance to shine. Before Sunday, his best game of the year was in Week 7, when he ran five times for 26 yards and had 11 catches for 75 yards and two touchdowns against the same Oakland Raiders team he’ll face this weekend.

• Washington Redskins wideout DeSean Jackson tied his season high with six catches, which resulted in 153 yards and one touchdown, in the win against the Buffalo Bills. Jackson has a score in four of his last five games. Quarterback Kirk Cousins passed for 319 yards and four touchdowns and added a rushing score as well. The Redskins visit the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend with Cousins looking to improve on the 290 passing yards and two touchdowns from Week 4 in their first meeting. Jackson was out with a hamstring injury then but is healthy now. He’ll try to string his third consecutive 100-yard effort on his ex-employer.

• Wide receiver Stefon Diggs of the Minnesota Vikings was red-hot through Week 8 but cooled significantly and didn’t score or gain more than 66 yards over the next six weeks. Against the Chicago Bears, Diggs caught three passes for 55 yards and two scores. He’ll merit fantasy consideration this week at home against the New York Giants. Adrian Peterson is likely to be slowed by his sprained ankle, which will force QB Teddy Bridgewater to seek out his favorite receiver.

• Bills running back LeSean McCoy sprained his knee and might not play this weekend against the visiting Dallas Cowboys. That will create a backfield committee using Mike Gillislee and Karlos Williams. The Cowboys have the 28th-ranked defense against running backs, making Gillislee and Williams viable fantasy options.

Slowing their roll

A vast majority of fantasy leagues know to play their title games in Week 16 because the final week can serve up uneven performances and all too often star players are rested for the final quarter, half or even the full game. Of course, that can occasionally happen in Week 16 as well.

The Carolina Panthers, quarterback Cam Newton in particular, are carrying plenty of fantasy teams toward a championship. It is unlikely any Panthers will be held out of this weekend’s matchup at the Atlanta Falcons, but playing a full game could be asking a bit much. Given their bye in the wild-card round, the Panthers’ first playoff game would not be until Jan. 16 at the earliest. That’s 27 days. Taking it easy for nearly four weeks makes a team rusty for its most important game of the year.

Considering the last meeting with the Falcons, a 38-0 shutout two weeks ago, the chances are high the Panthers won’t need Newton for the entire game. He sat out the final quarter in the last meeting and was dinged up in Sunday’s win against the Giants. He’s sure to play for the next two weeks, and there is the specter of a perfect season to pursue. But the Falcons put up no fight in Week 14, and Newton could take another early seat. And if he does, Greg Olsen and even Ted Ginn Jr. could join him.

Matchups to exploit

When you need your players to show up big for championship week, these games could provide excellent springboards:

•Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New Orleans Saints: Jacksonville quarterback Blake Bortles and his receiving corps both rank in fantasy’s top five, and they face the worst pass defense in the NFL. Not only have the Jags scored an average of 38 points a game over the last three weeks, but their defense also has yielded an average of 30 points. Bortles, Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns are all must-starts in a potential shootout. The Saints are playing in their final home game. Quarterback Drew Brees could even be playing his final home game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Jaguars have allowed three passing scores in each of their last two road games, so look for nice efforts from Brees, Brandin Cooks, Willie Snead and Benjamin Watson.

•Vikings vs. Giants: Both teams are vying for a playoff spot. A win keeps their respective divisional chances alive, and a loss could mean missing the playoffs entirely. The Vikings are home, facing one of the worst defenses in the league and are coming off a 38-17 win against the Bears. Besides Adrian Peterson, who could be limited, Bridgewater and Diggs merit consideration this weekend. The Giants have four passing touchdowns in each of their last two games. This is a desperation game, and the Giants will ask Eli Manning to do whatever it takes to win. That makes Manning, his receivers and running back Shane Vereen good bets for a high volume of work.

•Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens: This likely won’t be a back-and-forth battle, but it should see a lot of points scored by the Steelers. They are on a five-game streak with at least 30 points and are only getting better. Against one of the weakest secondaries in the league, Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant and even Markus Wheaton are considerations in what should be another high-scoring effort.

•Kansas City Chiefs vs. Cleveland Browns: Kansas City has rolled up 30-plus points in four of its last five games. Cleveland just gave up 30 points to the Seattle Seahawks. The Chiefs defense is a lock to generate turnovers and sacks. On offense, Charcandrick West, Jeremy Maclin and Travis Kelce face one of their softest opponents.