This article is part of our DFS NFL series.
With plenty of games spread out from Saturday through Monday, we have a lot of options on Rival Fantasy. In addition to season-long fantasy leagues, Rival offers a Fantasy Bingo contest and a Challenges contest. For new users, click here for a first deposit match of up to $200.
Let's focus on the Challenges contest for Week 16. Challenges put two players in a head-to-head matchup. The player who scores the most fantasy points wins the contest.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Jake Browning, Cincinnati Bengals
Browning has done a good job filling in for Joe Burrow (wrist). He has thrown for at least 324 yards in two of the last three games and has six total touchdown passes in his last four starts. He does have three interceptions during that span, but he has also added two rushing touchdowns. Week 16 brings a matchup against the Steelers, who have been middle of the pack in terms of pass defense this season.
While Browning doesn't have a bad matchup, Mayfield has a great one against the Jaguars. They have allowed the fourth-most passing yards per game in the league and the seventh-most passing touchdowns. Coming off a Week 15 performance in which he threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns versus the Packers, Mayfield is the player to roll with in this battle.
Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders vs. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
Adams finally produced a big stat line during the Raiders' drubbing of the Chargers in Week 15. He caught eight of his 12 targets, finishing with 101 yards and a touchdown. It was just his second game of the season with at least 100 receiving yards and his fourth game with a touchdown. The schedule is not in his favor this week with the Raiders going against a Chiefs team that has allowed the fifth-fewest passing yards per game in the league.
Higgins is in a more favorable position to win this Challenge. Injuries have forced him to miss four games this season and have contributed to him recording just one 100-yard game. However, he is coming off scoring two touchdowns versus the Vikings last week. He is also in line for a leading role with Ja'Marr Chase (shoulder) out. During a four-game stretch when Chase was sidelined last season, Higgins caught 26 of 36 targets for 371 yards and two touchdowns. That actually included a game against the Steelers in which he caught nine passes for 148 yards.
Travis Etienne Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals
It has been a difficult stretch for Etienne, who has totaled 111 rushing yards in the last three games. Going back even further, he has not rushed for more than 56 yards in a game since Week 8. After a stretch earlier in the season in which he had multiple touchdowns in three consecutive games, he has two touchdowns in the last six games. A difficult matchup awaits in the Buccaneers, who have given up the ninth-fewest rushing yards per game in the league.
The good news for Mixon is that he has four touchdowns in his last three games. The bad news is that efficiency has continued to be a problem. He averaged just 3.9 yards per carry during that stretch, which is right on par for his overall mark for the season. That puts him on pace to average fewer than 4.0 yards per carry for the third time over the last four seasons. A saving grace is that he has been more involved in the passing game, posting 14 receptions for 153 yards in the last four games. Add that to his touchdown upside and let's lean toward Mixon for this matchup.
