Monday Night Fantasy Football Start Decisions and Rankings: Tyler Warren, Jauan Jennings, Michael Pittman and More

After putting together DFS lineups for the Monday night game between the Colts and 49ers, let's go over the top fantasy football options for the contest!

We'll break things down by position.

Use the FantasySP start/sit tool for help with any last-minute lineup decisions.

Quarterbacks

Brock Purdy will lead the Niners into battle, while Philip Rivers starts again for the Colts.

Purdy has a tougher matchup, as the Indy defense allows opposing fantasy QBs to score 15 points per game. Rivers has an above-average test, with San Fran allowing 17 fantasy points per contest to opposing quarterbacks.

Those matchups don't make this a close decision though - Purdy is the better fantasy asset, by a good margin too. I ranked Purdy sixth for week 16. He's coming off a big game, and I expect him to deliver big again.

Rivers ranked 28th for me. He was just a deep-league starting option, and not a very good one, despite a decent matchup. I just wasn't inspired by his first start.

Running Backs

Christian McCaffrey powers the Niners' backfield, while Jonathan Taylor does the same for Indy. Ameer Abdullah is the top backup for the Colts, while Brian Robinson gets the backup touches in San Fran.

The matchup for McCaffrey is a bit tougher, with Indy's defense allowing 20 fantasy points per contest. The Niners' defense allows 23 fantasy points per game, which makes it a slightly above-average matchup for Taylor.

I still like the San Fran player more though, and I actually ranked McCaffrey first at the RB spot for week 16. Taylor was my No. 6 fantasy RB for this week. No other backs from this game made my top-30 list.

McCaffrey and Taylor have been must-start fantasy backs all season, and that's true again tonight. CMC can deliver in any matchup, so don't worry about his tougher test. Taylor was still pretty good last week in Rivers' first start, so in a better matchup tonight, he could deliver another big fantasy score.

Robinson and Abdullah are both decent deep-league options. For Robinson, a lopsided win could get him enough touches to put up a double-digit fantasy score. I like Abdullah over him though, especially after a decent PPR performance in week 16.

Abdullah had four rushes for 15 yards and five receptions on as many targets for 32 yards. He should be pretty involved again, and in a decent matchup, he could surprise for a second straight week.

Wide Receivers

At wide receiver, San Francisco has Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne and Demarcus Robinson. Jordan Watkins or Skyy Moore could get involved with Ricky Pearsall already ruled out. 

Indy will have Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce and Josh Downs leading the way. Laquon Treadwell could also play a few snaps, but isn't on the fantasy radar at all.

The matchup for the Niners' wideouts is super favorable, as the Colts' defense allows 37 fantasy points per game to the position. The Niners' defense allows 32 fantasy points per game, which is ever so slightly an above-average matchup.

Jennings was my top-ranked fantasy wideout from this game coming into week 16, ranking 25th. With Pearsall out, I'd feel even better about starting him tonight.

Pittman also made my top-30 list, coming in 28th. The matchup helped him make the list.

After those two, I'd rank the other wideouts as follows: Downs, Pierce, Bourne and Robinson. Watkins, Moore and Treadwell are just desperation plays in the deepest of leagues, and would rank at the bottom of my rankings (at the end of this article).

Tight Ends

San Francisco's George Kittle and Indianapolis' Tyler Warren form a pretty good 1-2 fantasy tight end punch in this contest.

Both have similar above-average matchups, with each defense allowing 15 fantasy points per game this season.

Kittle has been the better fantasy asset this season, and definitely of late. I ranked him first for week 16 among tight ends.

Warren has been more streaky, and struggled last week. He did get six targets, so that was still positive. I ranked Warren seventh among tight ends for week 16.

No other tight ends in this game are big fantasy assets. San Fran's Luke Farrell and Indianapolis' Mo Alie-Cox and Drew Ogletree are probably all better super deep-league assets over Watkins, Moore and Treadwell.

Kittle and Warren are the best-two fantasy tight ends though, and are near the top of the fantasy line among pass catchers on their respective teams. Start them both in most leagues, and definitely all deeper leagues.

Kickers

Eddy Pineiro kicks for the Niners, while Blake Grupe is the Indy kicker now.

Grupe has appeared in two games for Indy. He is perfect on his five field goals and has made both of his extra points as well.

Pineiro has appeared in 11 games now for San Francisco. He is perfect on his 25 field goals, but has missed four of his 26 extra point tries.

Pineiro is projected for nine fantasy points tonight, while Grupe is at just seven projected points. Pineiro is starting in 38% of leagues, while Grupe is under 1% started, showing the fantasy value of each guy.

Pineiro is the easy choice between the two tonight, especially as I think San Fran does most of the scoring in this game. Pineiro could deliver a big score if San Fran controls the game and moves the ball, but breaks down in enemy territory a couple times.

Grupe was just an option in deep leagues this week. 

Defenses/Special Teams

The 49ers DST is projected for six fantasy points tonight, while the Colts DST is at five projected points.

San Fran's DST is being started in 25% of leagues, while Indy's DST is starting in 15% of leagues.

The Niners DST would be starting in more leagues if the defense wasn't so-so in some statistics. The defense is allowing 20.9 points per game, which ranks 11th in the NFL. San Fran's defense has 14 takeaways (seven in the past four games) and only 16 sacks as well.

The Colts' defense is allowing 21.6 points per game, which ranks 13th in the NFL. The defense has 18 takeaways, with at least one in every game until last week. The defense has 36 sacks as well.

I prefer the Colts DST most weeks, but like the 49ers DST more tonight in a game I expect them to win comfortably. I'm surprised the Niners DST wasn't starting in more leagues, but a lack of big plays hurts their fantasy outlook, so I get it.

Trending Start Decisions

There's a few trending start/sit decisions on the FSP tool. Let's go over those quickly before getting to the overall rankings.

Purdy is being debated against Taylor, with fantasy owners starting Taylor every time, but starting both guys 70% of the time. I like both as starting options in all leagues tonight, but would want Purdy over Taylor for an OP spot.

Fantasy owners like Warren over Pittman, but both Colts starting 36% of the time. It's very close, and is more a tossup, but I'd give Warren an ever so slight edge over Pittman.

Taylor is starting over McCaffrey, with both starting in 93% of leagues. I like CMC more this week, but would be starting both these backs.

McCaffrey is the favorite over Purdy, with both guys starting together 76% of the time. I'd agree with taking CMC over Purdy, as you'll see soon. I'd love to start both guys together though.

Offensive Overall Rankings (OP or Flex Spots)

1. Christian McCaffrey 

2. Brock Purdy 

3. Jonathan Taylor

4. George Kittle 

5. Jauan Jennings 

6. Tyler Warren 

7. Michael Pittman 

8. Philip Rivers 

9. Josh Downs

10. Alec Pierce 

11. Ameer Abdullah 

12. Kendrick Bourne 

13. Brian Robinson 

14. Demarcus Robinson