Fantasy Football: Boom, bust performances to consider ahead of Week 16

• The frustration around Justin Jefferson continues: Huge usage, lack of catchable targets, and two TD chances gone. Hard to start with confidence next week.

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Estimated Reading Time: 4minutes

BOOMS

TE Kyle Pitts Sr., Atlanta Falcons

This is the Kyle Pitts fantasy managers hope to get each season.

Kyle Pitts delivered the 5th-highest PPR TE performance EVER last night 🤯 pic.twitter.com/9Xl0OlKy8G

— PFF Fantasy (@PFF_Fantasy) December 12, 2025

Week 15 served as a reminder of what Pitts, who was behind the fifth-best PPR game by a tight end of all time (45.6 points), is capable of.

Pitts has been elite over the past three weeks, owning a 30.1% adjusted target rate (first among Falcons players), racking up the fourth-most receiving yards in the NFL and securing three touchdowns (tied for the most). With Kirk Cousins at the helm, Pitts has looked like a bona fide top-five tight end in fantasy football. 

Temperature Check: Top-five TE over rest of season

RB Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars

Etienne hauled in three of Trevor Lawrence‘s six passing touchdowns and led the Jaguars in receiving yards on just those three catches in Week 15.

There isn't too much else to say. Etienne was inefficient on the ground against the Jets‘ defense, averaging just 2.7 yards per carry. The touchdowns and the receiving yards heavily carried the day, but that's all it takes in fantasy football — especially the playoffs.

Temperature Check: Mid-tier RB2

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions

St. Brown dropped his first 40-point game of the season against the Rams in Week 15, hauling in 13 receptions for 164 yards and two touchdowns. 

Jared Goff was locked onto St. Brown from the jump, resulting in a 50% target rate — 27.3 percentage points higher than any other Lions teammate. Detroit has a middle-of-the-pack strength of schedule for wide receivers over the next two weeks, facing the Steelers and the Vikings. St. Brown should be able to keep the momentum going into the fantasy championship round.

Temperature Check: Top-five WR over rest of season

BUSTS

RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions

The week-on, week-off trend continues for Jahmyr Gibbs. 

Jahmyr Gibbs touchdowns since week 10:

📈 Week 10: 3
📉 Week 11: 0
📈 Week 12: 3
📉 Week 13: 0
📈 Week 14: 3 https://t.co/LWMiOb6kTfpic.twitter.com/yzI7YfBTgB

— PFF Fantasy (@PFF_Fantasy) December 5, 2025

He failed to find the end zone in Week 15, albeit in the second-hardest matchup for running backs of the slate. Even so, the Rams held him to only 2.9 yards per carry and fivr yards per reception. If you manage to advance in the fantasy playoffs with Gibbs' dud, he has a favorable matchup in Week 16.

Temperature Check: Top-three RB

WR Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers

The Panthers finished with just 164 passing yards against the Saints in Week 15, and McMillan accounted for a meager 25 — putting him behind Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette.

McMillan ranked fourth on the team in adjusted target rate, and he and Bryce Young were not on the same page. The rookie has a tough schedule through the fantasy playoffs, so pick your spots wisely down the stretch.

Temperature Check: Mid-tier WR2

WR Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

Jefferson logged 4.2 PPR points in Week 15 but could have easily racked up 20-plus points and ended his fantasy slump.

Instead, Jefferson dropped a touchdown and had a score overturned by a penalty. He still recorded the highest adjusted target rate on the team (34.8%), but only three of his eight targets were deemed catchable. 

If you manage to advance in the fantasy playoffs after this week from Jefferson, it will be difficult to start him next week. 

Temperature Check: Low-end WR3