Russell Wilson or Jake Browning: Who should I start in Fantasy Football Week 16?

Russell Wilson and Jake Browning are two quarterbacks under the microscope in fantasy football this week. With Week 16 underway, the fantasy football playoffs are here for everyone and every position and player needs to be analyzed carefully.

Wilson has led the Denver Broncos to a huge turnaround after a bad start, but came unstuck against the Detroit Lions in Week 15. Jake Browning has hit the ground running for the Cincinnati Bengals since Joe Burrow got injured, but with the lights burning bright in Week 16, will he continue to do so?

Let's take a look at the fantasy outlooks for these two QBs, starting with Russell Wilson:

Is Russell Wilson a good fantasy pick in Week 16?

While Russell Wilson does not have the same kind of ceiling in fantasy football as Jalen Hurts or Josh Allen, he certainly has a reliable floor. The Broncos QB has been instrumental in the franchise turning a corner in 2023 as after a 1-5 start, Denver went on a spree and won six of their last eight games.

In that period, Wilson has represented consistency in fantasy football, as while he hasn't looked hugely dominant, he has put up 14-19 points every week. This doesn't scream must-start, but for teams hampered by the string of QB injuries this season, consistency could get you over the line.

On the season, Wilson has thrown for 2,832 yards, 24 TDs and 8 INTs, while rushing for 321 yards and 3 TDs. This amounts to 233.38 points in fantasy football, as well as the QB13 rank.

In Week 16, the Broncos host the New England Patriots, who have a stingy defense and a proclivity for low-scoring games this season. The Patriots are ranked sixth against QBs and this is a concerning stat.

The counter to that argument is that Wilson doesn't seem to fluctuate in fantasy football based on the defenses he faces. Regardless of the opposition, he hits around the 15-17 mark.

Sportskeeda's Start/Sit tool projects Russell Wilson to record 15 points in Week 16, which feels about right. While the Broncos are expected to win this game, they have been perhaps a little risk-averse at times and are not afraid to run the ball in the red zone. Expect Wilson to hit Courtland Sutton in the end zone in what could be a low-scoring affair.

Is Jake Browning a good fantasy pick in Week 16?

When Joe Burrow was ruled out for the season, everyone thought that was the end of the line for the Cincinnati Bengals. That has not been the case and QB Jake Browning has stepped up to the plate and performed admirably under pressure.

Browning has gone 3-1 in his four starts and the Bengals stand at 8-6 and are very much alive in the hunt for the postseason. Browning has thrown for 1,248 yards, 7 TDs and 3 INTs, adding 77 yards and 2 TDs on the ground. This totals 91.42 points in fantasy football, which is a decent return for a backup QB.

Week 16 sees the Bengals face the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team that cannot get out of its own way this season. After firing OC Matt Canada for what was a very poor tenure, the offensive honeymoon lasted about a week and now the Steelers are putting up fewer points than ever.

They have also lost to two teams that will be drafting very early in 2024 and looked poor in the process. Week 15 saw the Steelers dispatched by the Indianapolis Colts with ease and with injuries mounting throughout the defense, there has never been a better time to play Pittsburgh.

As such, Browning could have a huge upside in Week 16. With the weapons at his disposal, this could be a big day, unless the pressure and the Steelers' pass rush get to him. There will indeed be a lot of pressure, as the game will be in Pittsburgh on Saturday and has huge AFC North implications. The crowd will be noisy, but if Browning can get them booing their own team, the pressure will ease significantly.

Sportskeeda's Start/Sit tool projects Jake Browning to record 13.80 points in Week 16, which is likely out of respect to T.J. Watt and the Steelers' pass rush. Even so, this feels like a conservative estimate. Given that Browning has had three very good weeks in fantasy football and the Steelers locker room appears to be turning on itself, Browning looks a good pick.

Russell Wilson or Jake Browning: Who should I start in fantasy football Week 16?

Looking at the numbers, Russell Wilson has a higher and safer floor in Week 16 than Jake Browning, however, Browning could hit higher numbers. This is a dice roll and your pick will depend on what else you have in your lineup and your opponent.

The below breakdown gives an impression of what to expect from these QBs in Week 16.

If a safe floor will get you over the line here, start Wilson. However, if you are involved in a high scorer and need to reach for the stars, start Browning. Pick your poison and hope for the best.