Fantasy football QB rankings: Goff, Mayfield among Week 16 must-starts

MIAMI, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Jared Goff and Baker Mayfield are among my four must-start fantasy football quarterbacks for Week 16.

If you need more options for your roster, check out my top add/drops article. My Week 16 rankings for running backs and wide receivers also are available and will be updated throughout the week.

Josh Allen leads my Top 20 quarterback rankings, which are listed below. Dak Prescott, Jalen Hurts, Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes are my other Top 5 options.

Players from Thursday's Los Angeles Rams-New Orleans Saints game were removed from my rankings. Each of my must-start options land inside the Top 14 of my quarterback rankings.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday in Tampa, Fla. File Photo by Steve Nesius/UPI

Baker Mayfield

Mayfield threw for 381 yards and four scores and provided the second-most fantasy points among quarterbacks in Week 15. The veteran threw at least two touchdown passes in six of his last eight appearances for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Mayfield is a Top 10 quarterback over the last four weeks, in terms of fantasy points per game. This week, he will face a Jacksonville Jaguars defense that allowed the third-most fantasy points and fifth-most passing yards per game to quarterbacks through 15 weeks.

They also surrendered at least 300 yards and/or multiple touchdown passes to quarterbacks in five of their last six games.

I expect Mayfield to provide another multiple-touchdown game, with a high-yardage total for his stockholders. He is my No. 4 play.

Quarterback Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears will host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in Chicago. File Photo by Mark Black/UPI

Justin Fields

Fields is my No. 7 play for Week 16. The Chicago Bears quarterback accounted for just 166 passing yards and 30 rushing yards in Week 15, but should rebound strong Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals allowed the ninth-most fantasy points and tied for surrendering the third-most passing touchdowns per game to quarterbacks so far this season. The Cardinals also just surrendered four touchdown passes to Brock Purdy in Week 15 and allowed at least two touchdown tosses in seven of 14 games this season.

Fields has a great shot to throw at least two touchdown passes and should add value with his legs. He is my No. 7 play for Week 16.

Joe Flacco

Flacco can be plugged in as a low-end QB1 this week, when his Cleveland Browns battle the Houston Texans.

The Texans allowed the eighth-most fantasy points and seventh-most passing yards per game to quarterbacks through 15 weeks.

Flacco was a Top 12 fantasy football option, in terms of points per game, over the last four weeks. I expect the veteran, who threw at least two touchdown passes and totaled at least 250 yards in each of his last three games, to provide similar production against the Texans.

He is my No. 8 option and can be plugged in as a streamer if you are desperate for help at the position.

Quarterback Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions will face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in Minneapolis. File Photo by Mark Black/UPI

Jared Goff

Goff is the No. 12 player in my Week 16 quarterback rankings. The Detroit Lions veteran threw for 278 yards and five scores as the top quarterback in fantasy football for Week 15.

Goff threw at least two touchdown tosses in five of his last six games. This week, the Lions will play the Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings were decent at limiting fantasy football quarterbacks through the first 14 weeks of the season, but surrendered 324 yards and two scores to Jake Browning in Week 15.

Look for Goff and the Lions offense to stay hot Sunday in Minneapolis. He should throw for at least 250 yards and two scores in this NFC North division meeting.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is my No. 3 fantasy football play. File Photo by Laurence Kesterson/UPI

Week 16 fantasy football quarterback rankings

1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills at LAC

2. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys at MIA

3. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles vs. NYG

4. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. JAX

5. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs vs. LV

6. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers vs. BAL

7. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears vs. ARI

8. Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns at HOU

9. Nick Mullens, Minnesota Vikings vs. DET

10. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens at SF

11. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals at CHI

12. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions at MIN

13. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins vs. DAL

14. Gardner Minshew, Indianapolis Colts at ATL

15. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers at CAR

16. Jake Browning, Cincinnati Bengals at PIT

17. Bailey Zappe, New England Patriots at DEN

18. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks at TEN

19. Tommy DeVito, New York Giants at PHI

20. Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos vs. NE