NFL Week 16 Must Sit: Jeanty, Bowers, Dart, & More!

Welcome to NFL Week 16 Must Sit. This week’s decisions for the article will serve a similar purpose to last week’s. You may have to start them, but you should be trepidatious when considering their expectations for these players. Here are 5 players that I would consider sitting this week in our Championship Semi-final.

Ashton Jeanty/Brock Bowers

The Las Vegas Raiders looked terrible. They had their worst loss, maybe ever, against the Philadelphia Eagles this past Sunday. I do not want to sit here and tell you that it will get better, but there is uncertainty at the QB position again in Las Vegas. Kenny Pickett was so bad that the team might try to rush back an old Geno Smith from injury when they are in contention for the #1 overall pick. Pickett only aided the Raiders to about 75 total yards, but in all honesty, it may get worse against the Houston Texans.

Ashton Jeanty’s target share has been insane since their bye week. It is easy to see how he is still not producing on this Raiders team that is just horrendous and uninspired. You have to consider sitting Jeanty, especially if this is your potentially last playoff matchup. He has finished outside of the top-30 RBs in this even further down trend for the Raiders over the last three weeks. Brock Bowers is another one I would consider, but ONLY if Pickett plays over Geno. Bowers is still great and could get all of the potentially catchable targets from Pickett.

Kenneth Walker III

Kenneth Walker III was my okay, fine, I will draft you player this year, and that has not worked out whatsoever. Walker III has Kenneth Gainwell ranked over him. He has finished as an RB1 three times in total this season and only once since week three. His weeks are not just RB2 or 3 weeks, but four or five if you want to even go that high. I absolutely will not start him in my championship semi-final. Start anyone else with a better upside. This Los Angeles Rams defense that he has to go up against is no joke, and the odds are not in his favor. The last time that Walker played against the Rams was his last good fantasy game, but I am not so sure it was a Rams issue more than it was an anomaly within his season. Bench him this week.

Terry McLaurin

Terry McLaurin sat out to begin training camp this year, and that was all she wrote for his success in 2025. When guys sit out, it hurts their stock so much. I do not blame McLaurin for being happy for himself and his money, but he is not the steady hand that the Washington Commanders needed in this nightmare season after “the season”. He has missed 7 games in total, but when he’s been on the field as of late, he has been productive. In three out of his last four games, he finished as the WR16 or better. That is great production, but they play the Philadelphia Eagles this week, whose defense is hot, coming off that throttling of the Raiders. Sit McLaurin this week. Jayden Daniels will also be out for the remainder of the year.

Brian Thomas Jr.

Brian Thomas Jr. has made me sad all season, and if you did not listen to me and still have him on your team… Give me one more chance to prove you right. He will be matched up against Patrick Surtain II, the best cornerback in the league and maybe the best player in the league coming from the defensive side of the ball. It will not go well for this Jacksonville Jaguars squad and Brian Thomas Jr. against the Denver Broncos. Thomas had one of his best games of the season last week against the Jets, scoring his second touchdown of the season. That statement right there is not necessarily a positive one. Yeah, he scored his second touchdown of the season. I am not congratulating him; I’m rolling over in anger as it took him 16 weeks to get there. DO NO, start him this week.

Jaxson Dart

Jaxson Dart is making his 11th NFL start this week, and he has only just barely finished outside of the top-12 three times in his career to this point. That is an unbelievable rate so far. The New York Giants are playing the Minnesota Vikings this weekend, and that is a horrible sentence to hear for a young quarterback. The Defacto best defensive coordinator in the NFL may have Dart in circles. Although I have not felt this good about a rookie (Jaxson Dart) since Joe Burrow, I think Brian Flores is a tough enough match for Dart.