Fantasy Football: Week 16 wide receiver rankings

Dec. 20 (UPI) -- If you are reading this, you are likely still alive in your fantasy football league's postseason. You might even be in the championship or in a bout for third place bragging rights.

Congratulations.

While the majority of fantasy football team owners have packed it in for the offseason, the lucky owners still need to make some lineup decisions in Week 16. This can't be overstated: start your studs.

Now isn't the time to get cute and bench a difference-maker just because of a subpar matchup.

To help you with those pesky lineup choices at wide receiver, I have ranked my favorite players at that position and detailed some of those options.

My top options for Week 16 include: Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen, New Orleans Saints playmaker Michael Thomas, Los Angeles Chargers star Keenan Allen, New England Patriots pass catcher Brandin Cooks and Houston Texans star DeAndre Hopkins.

Here are my Top 50 options at the position this week.

TOP 50 WEEK 16 RANKINGS BELOW

TOP SHELF

Minnesota Vikings target Adam Thielen is going to his first Pro Bowl after a stellar 2017 campaign. Although he disappointed in Week 15, he needs to stay in your lineup. Thielen ranks No. 7 in targets and is No. 5 in receiving yards among NFL wide receivers. This week, he faces the Green Bay Packers, a unit allowing the second-most receiving scores and fifth-most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers. Thielen remains a WR1.

Pittsburgh Steelers rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster should also be in your lineup this weekend as a low-end WR1. Smith-Schuster will be the Steelers' top option in Week 16 with Antonio Brown out of the lineup. I have the Steelers rookie at No. 11 this weekend, as he faces a Houston Texans unit allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game, third-most touchdowns and fifth-most receiving yards to opposing wide receivers.

SNEAKY PLAYS

Carolina Panthers pass catcher Devin Funchess is my No. 12 wide receiver for Week 16. The low-end WR1 has a tasty matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a unit allowing the most fantasy points per game and receiving yards to opposing wide receivers. The Buccaneers are also allowing the third-most receiving scores to the position. Funchess only had one reception in Week 15, but he is due to rebound against this weak secondary.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry is as hot as anyone at the position right now. He is the only wide receiver with at least five catches in every game this season. He also has a career-best eight touchdowns and ranks second in the NFL in receptions, trailing only Brown, who he should pass this week for the league lead. Landry comes in as my No. 14 option this weekend, due to a matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. This season, the Chiefs are allowing the third-most fantasy points per game, third-most touchdowns and fourth-most receiving yards to the position.

LONGSHOTS

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Mike Wallace is my No. 26 option at the position for Week 16. Wallace only has three touchdowns on the season, but he does have at least 72 receiving yards in three consecutive games. He also gets the Indianapolis Colts in Week 16, a defense allowing the third-most receiving yards and sixth-most fantasy points per game to the position.

Kelvin Benjamin hasn't done much this season, but the Buffalo Bills wide out is still a fringe WR2 for me this weekend against the New England Patriots. He scored his first touchdown two weeks ago as a member of the Bills. This week, he gets a matchup against the New England Patriots. I expect the Bills to be playing catch up in this contest. The Patriots are also allowing the second-most fantasy points per game and second-most receiving yards to opposing wide receivers. Benjamin comes in at No. 27 in Week 16.