The Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles face off at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, this Saturday at 5:00 p.m. EDT.
The NFL sure does love its NFC East teams playing in primetime, and Washington has been the beneficiary several times this season already. This is the first of two meetings between the Commanders and Eagles in 2025, and this matchup couldn’t be any more different than the NFC Championship.
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The Eagles are still the Eagles, despite Saquon Barkley falling off a little. Philadelphia is 9-5 and sits currently atop the NFC East. Washington has won just four games this season and chose to shut down Jayden Daniels for the remainder of the season since they have been eliminated from playoff contention.
All of that said, there are still players in this game who have fantasy football value. Let’s take a look at who to start and who to sit from this Week 16 matchup. (Hint: There aren’t any surprises)
Start: QB Jalen Hurts
Jalen Hurts remains a top-tier fantasy quarterback with lots of upside. He faces a Commanders’ secondary that’s been dismantled and repeatedly taken advantage of this season. Hurts can beat you through the air or on the ground, and he’s predicted over 22 fantasy points this weekend. With a patchwork secondary, the Commanders will be hard-pressed to stop the attack. Hurts is a must-start in every fantasy league.
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Sit: QB Marcus Mariota
As capable a quarterback as Mariota is, he has thrown seven interceptions and been sacked 15 times in 10 games. The Chiefs have a solid defense, and the Commanders’ offense hasn’t clicked well all season. Mariota is risky to start this week with his propensity to turn the ball over, so it’s best to leave him on your bench.
Start: RB Saquon Barkley
There’s really no major explanation here. Barkley is an elite running back facing a decimated defense that hasn’t stopped much of anything this season. He’s a must-start every week unless he’s injured.
Sit: Commanders’ offensive skill players
This has more to do with Mariota being under center than a lack of talent on the field. Mariota spreads the ball around quite a bit, and the Eagles’ defense ranks near the top of the league in most categories. The one player who might see a big game is Jacory Croskey-Merritt, because stopping the run is where the Eagles struggle. But, honestly, none of these guys should be in your starting lineup this week.
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Sleeper: TE Dallas Goedert
The Commanders have allowed the second-most fantasy points to tight ends this season, and Goedert has emerged as a reliable target for Jalen Hurts. He’s recorded 70 or more yards in each of the last two games and scored two touchdowns against the Las Vegas Raiders last week. He has the potential to find the end zone multiple times against the Commanders on Saturday.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Week 16 fantasy start/sit vs. Eagles
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