Start 'Em, Sit 'Em D/STs: Week 16 fantasy football

Week 16 of 2024 is upon us and it's probably safe to say that everyone is feeling the pressure.

Between holiday shopping, end-of-year commitments and so much more, we are all going through a lot. Somewhere in between haggling over whether you want the new car before the sales end and making good on some New Year's resolutions before they become 2025's problem is a fantasy football dilemma.

Make no mistake, however. The teams across the NFL are feeling it too. There are just three weeks left in the regular season, meaning there are three more opportunities to make that final playoff push. For us though, the playoffs are here and nearing their conclusion already.

Every start/sit decision is important and getting the right lineup together is just another thing on the list. So, while you shop until you drop and ponder what gift to get for that special someone, let our team here do the hard work for you before ringing in the new year as a champion.

Here are four D/ST units that we believe will get the job done in Week 16 and four that we think should be avoided if you can.

Fantasy football start 'em: Week 16 D/STs

Minnesota Vikings (at Seattle Seahawks)

The Seahawks options on Sunday are either an injured Geno Smith or Sam Howell. Neither of them profile as good options, especially with Seattle's season hanging in the balance. It's even worse when you consider the Vikings are coming to town, with a renewed energy in the race for the NFC's top seed. They are chasing the wounded Lions, sitting just a game back in the standings. An aggressive Brian Flores defense is a matchup disaster for a more immobile Smith or Howell, who is no stranger to taking sacks. Start one of fantasy's best defenses with confidence in Week 16.

Buffalo Bills (vs. New England Patriots)

Bills believers, you can exhale now. After finding themselves on the wrong side of this column in recent weeks, the Buffalo defense can finally get back in the fantasy game. The last two games were shootouts, but the Patriots aren't bringing that level of firepower to western New York in Week 16. New England has the league's second-lowest-scoring offense, averaging just 17 points per game. Much like the Vikings, the Bills have a glimmer of hope again in the race for the top seed. With the Chiefs staring down a potential absence for Patrick Mahomes, Buffalo is suddenly alive with just a few weeks to go. Expect that to come through on Sunday, especially when a rookie quarterback comes to town.

Arizona Cardinals (at Carolina Panthers)

Carolina had the chance to change the narrative in Week 15, playing as betting favorites for the first time in nearly two years. Instead, they showed why they've been underdogs in every game for nearly two years. Bryce Young came crashing back down to earth after a promising few weeks and the Panthers were smacked by the Cowboys, 30-14. Dallas managed four turnovers and six sacks, leading to a great day at the fantasy office. Arizona now gets a chance to make a statement as they attempt to keep playoff hopes alive. While they've fallen short in recent matchups, especially against New England, they are worth the risk in Week 16.

Indianapolis Colts (vs. Tennessee Titans)

It doesn't matter if it's Will Levis or Mason Rudolph; we're targeting the Titans in Week 16. We prefer Levis, but if Rudolph starts ahead of Christmas, we won't be losing sleep. Tennessee is the sixth-lowest scoring offense in the league, averaging 18.1 points per game, and is prone to turnovers. So, it is no surprise that the Titans have allowed the most fantasy points per game for D/ST in fantasy. All the factors are there for the Colts to deliver a solid performance. Fire them up for Week 16.

Fantasy football sit 'em: Week 16 D/STs

Atlanta Falcons (vs. New York Giants)

Well, here we go again. The unpopular pick of the sit side comes in the form of the Atlanta Falcons. They have been one of the worst fantasy defenses, but match up against one of the best teams to target. What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? We might get an answer on Sunday. While starting a D/ST against the Giants is enticing, we just saw this Falcons group nearly collapse against the Raiders of all teams in Week 14. It'll likely be a low-scoring affair, but this Atlanta offense and their tendency to turn the ball over is concerning. A short field can doom a D/ST. There are better options out there. Don't let your playoff hopes rest on this Falcons group.

Pittsburgh Steelers (at Baltimore Ravens)

Pittsburgh was dealt a dose of reality on Sunday against their cross-state rivals in Philadelphia. They are now being treated to a short week to face the rival Ravens in Baltimore on Saturday. There will be no soft landing in this contest. While the week is a tad longer with the game on Saturday, we've seen how these Steelers look without a full week of rest. They fell short on a Thursday night in Cleveland as Jameis Winston stole the show. With one of the league's best offenses on the other side and an injured T.J. Watt on theirs, this is a week to avoid the Steelers.

Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Houston Texans)

While most of the focus is, rightly, on the quarterback situation for the Chiefs, we're choosing to focus on their defense. Outside of the Browns' turnover-fest on Sunday, K.C.'s defense has been a struggling fantasy unit lately. They recorded six turnovers and five sacks in a Week 15 victory. Those six turnovers match the number they forced in the eight games after the Week 6 bye. C.J. Stroud won't be confused with Winston anytime soon and the Texans, although arguably a disappointing team in 2024, represent a step up in competition. Put aside any recency bias and fade the Chiefs.

Cincinnati Bengals (vs. Cleveland Browns)

The Browns could be starting Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell at quarterback and we'd still want to avoid the Bengals. They have been a horrible unit for fantasy purposes, and we aren't going to let the Titans' six turnovers, one of which went for a touchdown, cloud that judgment. No one gets anywhere by avoiding risk, but Cincinnati has shown all season that they can't be trusted. Don't let them be the unit that derails your postseason run.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fantasy football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 16: 8 D/STs to start or sit