Like It, Love It, Gotta Have It: NFL Week 16

It's my favorite time of the year, and no not Christmas. Every year we settle into the Valero household and make well over 15 types of cookies. We make ordinary cookies like chocolate chip, and macadamia nut, but we also experiment this time of year as well. We've had Butterfinger cookies, Baby Ruth cookies, and a lot of others.

My Mum has taught me a lot but one of the things I cherish most about our relationship is our passion for cooking. It's a running joke that I can cook better than all of my sisters, but when I was a kid I always paid attention to my mom when she cooked. I find a lot of joy in cooking. She taught me everything I know in the kitchen. There are still times when I'm in the middle of making a cheesecake and I need to ask how much sour cream I need to put in the recipe, or how long I have to cook it for. She always answers and always tells me, even for the 100^th time.

I am asking Santa for a just a few things this year; at the top of my list is a very healthy Week 16 for all the DFS players. We haven't gone a week without a major guy going down, and hopefully this week will be a little different.

For this week, I am going to pair my favorite cookies that I make with my Mum with my top plays for the week.

Like it – Snickerdoodle – (This is one of the most underrated cookies in all of cookie-land. A very simple cookie to make, but a warm Snickerdoodle right out of the oven? Not sure it gets much better than that.)

Christine Michael vs. St. Louis Rams - $4400 (DraftKings) - $5500 (DraftKings)

Michael has been in the Twitter Hall of Fame for quite some time and just when you thought he was dead, he finds his way back to us.

Never in a million years did I think I would suggest Michael, but he received 16 carries to Bryce Browns' 9 and he totaled 84 yards, on a healthy 5.3 YPC.

Teams have found running room against the Rams in the last four weeks, averaging 129 YPG, with an impressive 5 YPC.

The Seahawks are the #2 ranked rushing team in football and with the familiarization of the offense, Michael will continue to dominate the carries until Lynch is back.

Richard Rodgers vs. Arizona Cardinals - $4000 (DraftKings) - $5300 (FanDuel)

During the current eight game win streak for the Cardinals' they are averaging 30.25 PPG. During the Packers' current win streak they are averaging 28.3 PPG. What I am trying to say is points are going to be scored.

Tight ends against the Cardinals have had a glorious history, but to start the season they fared well against them. Things have changed over the last few weeks.

Rodgers hasn't lit the world on fire since the infamous touchdown catch, but Aaron Rodgers is great at exploiting opposing teams weaknesses.

Greg Olsen will be a popular choice this weekend, and without a doubt has a great matchup, but I am paying up elsewhere and like this matchup a lot.

Love it – Peanut Butter Blossom – (Peanut Butter cookies are hands down the best cookie, and I am not sure it's really close. I am a Peanut Butter nut; I could live off it and have no issues. Let's factor in the clutchness of the Peanut Butter cookie and throw a Hershey kiss on top? I am not sure it gets any better than that.)

Antonio Brown vs. Baltimore Ravens - $9300 (DraftKings) - $9300 (FanDuel)

Heading into week 15 the Broncos had only given up two touchdowns to opposing wide receivers, then they gave up 3 to the Steelers. Antonio Brown is matchup proof folks.

He gets a late Christmas gift as he takes on one of the worst defenses in football. This typically is a rivalry game between the two but this Ravens team is just trash, and honestly hard to watch.

In the last four games the Ravens have given up 596 yards and 9 touchdowns to opposing wide receivers.

Brown has 10+ targets in seven straight games, and with the Steelers offense showing no signs of slowing down; Brown has proven he is worth paying the hefty price.

Kamar Aiken vs. Pittsburgh Steelers - $5400 (DraftKings) - $6600 (FanDuel)

Jimmy Clausen and Matt Schaub, those are the names of the quarterbacks that Aiken has been catching passes from these last four weeks.

I really thought this offense would be a dumpster fire, and honestly they really are, but Aiken has been able to produce with the targets he has thrown his way.

He caught 8 of his 12 targets for 128 yards, and a touchdown against a really good Chiefs' secondary. He has become the king of the garbage time, and in week 16, that will not change.

As impressive as the Steelers passing game has been, their secondary has been awful. Opposing receivers have had no trouble racking up the yards; they have reached 200+ yards in 5 out of the last 6 games.

Aiken's price is still in the middle of the pack, the Ravens are going to have to throw and throw a lot to stay in this game. Aiken will give plenty of return for his value.

Gotta Have it – Kiffles – (Some may not consider this a cookie but I am writing this, so I will go with it. This is a BIG TIME favorite in the Valero household, they are normally the first cookie gone every year and we always regret not making more. A kiffle, doughy like goodness that forms from Cream Cheese/Flour/Sugar/Butter that once rolled out you stuff it with either Walnuts or Jam, the taste is perfection.)

Blake Bortles vs. New Orleans Saints - $6500 (DraftKings) - $8200 (FanDuel)
Allen Robinson vs. New Orleans Saints - $7500 (DraftKings) - $8400 (FanDuel)

Talk about a gift that keeps giving, that's anyone against this Saints' defense.

Bortles has been good over the last 4 weeks.

And quarterbacks against the Saints' defense have been even better.

Bortles can make a case against anyone of those quarterbacks (outside Cam Newton).

Allen Robinson may not be racking up the yards over the last two weeks, but he has scored touchdowns in 4 straight games. If you dig deeper into the stats, Robinson has 100+ or a touchdown in 10 straight games.

More of a case for Bortles/Robinson against the Saints defense:

Have given up 3^rd most passing yards – 3870
The most yards per pass attempt – 8.6
the most touchdown passes – 39
Highest passer rating – 116.5
Most touchdowns to opposing receivers
2^nd most yards per reception 12.6

The price for these two is premium but well worth it, the fantastic matchup will pay off handsomely for this stack.