Fantasy Football: 4 Unexpectedly Great Week 16 Performances

Eric Ebron, TE, Detroit Lions

NFL.com Start Percentage: 34.4%
Week 16 Fantasy Points: 14.3

Eric Ebron finished as this week's top fantasy tight end on the strength of 5 catches, 83 yards, and a touchdown.

If you listen carefully, you can hear legions of exasperated fantasy football players saying, "Oh, now you have a big game." Frustration with Ebron's season is only exacerbated by his recent stretch.

Through his first nine games of the year, he only managed four or more receptions in a game just once. But over his last six games, he's cleared four receptions in every game. That stretch includes two of his five-best career receiving games. His 94 yards against two weeks ago set his career high, while this week's performance against Cincinnati was his fifth-best career game.

So which Ebron is the real Ebron?

Considering his season as a whole, he's a fantasy TE1 in both point per reception and NFL.com scoring. The Detroit Lions have picked up Ebron's contract option for next year, meaning his salary will be guaranteed, so it's safe to assume that they plan to give him a decent workload. He's shown he's a startable option at a thin position, but keep an eye on his draft cost and don't overpay for him.