NFL.com analysts provide one bold prediction for Week 16 of the 2025 NFL season, from fantasy forecasts to team-based takes.
No. 1 receivers steal the show in Charlotte.
Tampa Bay veteran wideout Mike Evans is coming off his best outing of the season in his return from a broken collarbone. Panthers rookie Tetairoa McMillan has been relatively quiet over the last three weeks, generating a total of 103 receiving yards, though he has scored two TDs in that span. On Sunday, the pair of opposing No. 1 receivers show out and combine for 250 yards and three touchdowns in a back-and-forth NFC South classic.
Gardner Minshew will be a top 10 fantasy quarterback this week.
Things look bad for the Chiefs. They’re out of the playoffs, and Patrick Mahomes is done for the year. But there might be some magic left ... Minshew Magic. Gardner Minshew will follow the lead of some other journeyman backups this year and play loose and carefree. Against a bad Titans secondary, that could lead to a productive day. It wouldn’t be crazy to see The ‘Stache post 250 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Packers limit Bears to fewer than 100 rush yards.
Some might count the Packers out as serious contenders after Micah Parsons's season-ending injury, but they come up with their strongest effort of the year Saturday. The Packers go turnover-free on offense against a Bears defense that leads the NFL in takeaways. They also limit Chicago's rushing attack to fewer than 100 yards to complete the season sweep and take over the NFC North lead.
Beaucoup fantasy points for Zay Flowers.
Flowers has been improving, with Lamar Jackson finally starting to get healthy; consequently, the receiver has posted back-to-back outings with 15-plus fantasy points, even in last Sunday's shutout of the Bengals, during which Jackson threw just 12 total passes. The offense should be much busier in a must-win game against the high-scoring Patriots, and Flowers is going to be a primary beneficiary ... to the tune of 30 fantasy points (a new career high) on 10 catches, 140 yards and a touchdown.
Saquon Barkley has his best fantasy game of the season.
According to Next Gen Stats, the Commanders' defense has ranked among the three worst teams in explosive run rate against and yards before contact allowed per carry since Week 11. What does that mean? RBs have had lots of room to run against Washington, hitting long runs at a high rate. Barkley is averaging about 1 yard before contact less compared to last year (2.4 to 1.3). With more room to run than he's normally been seeing this season, he explodes for his best fantasy game of the year.
Rookie quarterback shines in starting debut.
The Dolphins have little to lose by giving Quinn Ewers a chance at quarterback, and I think he'll hit some high notes. We don't have a large sample size for Ewers (mostly mop-up duty against the Browns), and he had a few early yips then and in the preseason, but I wouldn't be surprised if he fares pretty well against the Bengals. Accuracy and ball security are worries, but he can do well with screens, play action and the occasional deep shot.