We've talked about it a lot in the waiver wire column and Start 'Em and Sit 'Em that this is a difficult week for Fantasy owners. There's no guarantee who is going to play aside from teams trying to lock up their playoff position.
The good news is we've gotten some clarity from the Steelers and Cowboys, who are locked into their playoff spots, that their offensive stars will be resting. That unfortunately leaves us without guys like Le'Veon Bell, Ezekiel Elliott and Antonio Brown, but it also opens the door for some sleepers.
DeAngelo Williams and Darren McFadden now have the chance for productive games in Week 17, and the Texans could also lean on Alfred Blue with their playoff spot secure and Lamar Miller (ankle) banged up. But the sleepers aren't just limited to the teams dealing with playoff scenarios.
Guys like Darren Sproles, Cameron Meredith and Charles Clay could be great in Week 17. And if you're still alive in your Fantasy league then these are players who could be difference-makers in leading you to a victory.
For all your must-start options go here for the Week 17 Start 'Em and Sit 'Em.
Editor's Note: Projections are provided by CBS Sports and not Jamey Eisenberg.
Quarterbacks
Stafford hasn't thrown a touchdown since hurting his finger in Week 14 and has just one game with at least 20 Fantasy points in his past nine outings. But he scored 32 points at Green Bay in Week 3, and three quarterbacks have multiple touchdowns against the Packers in the past four games. He's a low-end No. 1 passer this week.
Winston is coming off his first 20-point outing in Week 16 at New Orleans since Week 10, and he scored just 16 Fantasy points at Carolina in Week 5. But the Panthers have allowed three of the past five opposing quarterbacks to score at least 19 points, and Winston should be in that range again this week.
In two games for the injured Ryan Tannehill (knee), Moore has at least 19 Fantasy points in each outing against the Jets and Bills. New England has allowed just one quarterback in the past four games to score more than nine Fantasy points, but those guys were Jared Goff, Trevor Siemian and the stellar combination of Bryce Petty and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Moore should get at least 18 Fantasy points this week.
Running backs
Blue is expected to start again for the injured Lamar Miller (ankle) and just had 90 total yards and a touchdown in Week 16 against Cincinnati. The Titans have allowed a running back to score or gain 90 total yards in six of their past seven games. If Blue gets the same workload this week against Tennessee like he had in Week 16 (21 carries and four catches) then he should finish as a Top 20 running back.
Sproles is the last man standing in the Eagles backfield against a Dallas defense that could be resting players. He's scored at least nine Fantasy points in a standard league in three games in a row and had 15 carries for 86 yards and five catches for 17 yards at Dallas in Week 8. We should see Philadelphia lean on Sproles in this matchup with Ryan Mathews (back) on injured reserve. Sproles should be considered a Top 20 running back this week.
Duke Johnson (ankle) is hurt but is expected to play. But the Browns should still lean on Crowell this week. He just had 20 total touches for 58 total yards and two touchdowns against San Diego in Week 16. With the Steelers likely resting players this week, Crowell could get a full workload against reserves, which is a positive scenario. It's hard to trust a Browns player most weeks, but this game should be productive for Crowell.
Matt Asiata is also a sleeper this week with Adrian Peterson (knee) not expected to play. The Bears have allowed six touchdowns to running backs in their past two games, and McKinnon has 80 total yards or a touchdown in two of his past four games. He's also been great for PPR owners of late with at least five catches in each of his past four outings, with 25 total catches over that span.
LeSean McCoy (illness) is expected to play, but if he's out then Gillislee would be a must-start option in all leagues. With McCoy, Gillislee is still a potential No. 2 running back given the Jets poor run defense of late, which has allowed three running backs to score double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league in the past three games. He has at least nine Fantasy points in three of his past four games.
Williams or Fitzgerald Toussaint could be in line for a big game this week with Le'Veon Bell not expected to play since the Steelers are locked into the No. 3 seed in the AFC. In the past two years when Bell has been out with an injury or suspension, Williams has 10 games with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league in 13 outings. An ESPN report Thursday suggested Williams will get a "healthy" workload against the Browns, making him a Top 20 running back heading into Week 17.
The NFL Network reported Thursday that McFadden should get the majority of reps this week with the Cowboys doing the smart thing and resting Ezekiel Elliott in advance of the playoffs. Alfred Morris also could get some playing time, but McFadden has become the No. 2 running back in Dallas. And he's facing an Eagles defense that has allowed six touchdowns to running backs in the past six games. McFadden had 27 carries for 117 yards in his last meeting with Philadelphia last season. He's a No. 2 running back this week.
Wide receivers
We've laid it out for you the past couple of weeks that Meredith is clicking right now out of the slot with Matt Barkley, and he has 18 catches for 239 yards and a touchdown on 25 targets in his past two outings against Green Bay and Washington. The Vikings have struggled with slot receivers this year, and Meredith should have another solid stat line this week. He should be Chicago's No. 1 receiver in this matchup.
Thielen has been building momentum for weeks now, and he exploded in Week 16 at Green Bay with 12 catches for 202 yards and two touchdowns on 15 targets. He also had 10 Fantasy points in Week 14 at Jacksonville before hurting his neck in Week 15 against Indianapolis. The Bears have allowed four receivers to score at least nine Fantasy points in the past three games, and Thielen has the chance to stay hot for one more week in the season finale.
Stills has scored in three games in a row, including two with Moore under center, and he appears to be the go-to receiver for the backup quarterback. He has four catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns on 11 targets for Moore, and Stills also scored in Week 2 at New England with two catches for 39 yards on four targets. The Dolphins will likely be chasing points in this matchup, and Stills is a Hail Mary play as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all formats.
Hopkins doesn't really qualify as a sleeper, but I wanted to write him about him this week, so here he is. He's obviously been a bust this season, mostly due to his quarterback situation, but the Titans are a slump buster as Allen Robinson proved last week. Tom Savage should feature Hopkins in this game to get that rapport going heading into the playoffs, and Tennessee cornerback Jason McCourty (chest/shoulder) will likely be out again. Hopkins has Top 20 appeal this week.
Like Hopkins, Tate isn't much of a sleeper, but I needed a spot for him. The Packers have allowed eight receivers to score or gain 100 receiving yards in the past four games, and they allow the most Fantasy points to the position. We could see Marvin Jones or Anquan Boldin also play well here, but Tate is the most likely Lions player to succeed in Week 17. He's a must-start option given the matchup.
Tight ends
There's a downgrade for the Bills passing attack from Tyrod Taylor to EJ Manuel at quarterback, but Clay is playing great coming into this game and has a fantastic matchup against the Jets, who have allowed seven touchdowns to tight ends in their past four games. Clay has scored at least 11 Fantasy points in three games in a row, and Manuel should still lead him to a quality performance this week. He remains a Top 10 tight end despite the quarterback change.
Pitta just had his third game this season with at least seven Fantasy points in a standard league with eight catches for 75 yards on 11 targets at the Steelers in Week 16. He still has just one game with a touchdown this year, which was Week 13 against Miami, but this is a good matchup to trust him if you've been streaming tight ends. The Bengals are No. 3 in Fantasy points allowed to tight ends, although Pitta had just three catches for 34 yards on five targets when these teams first played in Week 12. He's better in PPR than standard formats, but this is a week where he could deliver another decent stat line.
It would be so like Fleener to play well this week with many Fantasy leagues already over, but the matchup sets up for him to produce. One of his best games this season was Week 3 against the Falcons when he had seven catches for 109 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets, and Atlanta has allowed the fifth-most Fantasy points to tight ends this year. Fleener has one game with eight Fantasy points in his past five outings, but don't be surprised if he ends his disappointing campaign on a high note. He's a low-end starting option this week.
Jameis Winston has 27 passing touchdowns this year, and 11 have gone to his tight ends. Cameron Brate has eight of them, but he's not playing this week because of his back injury. Myers will see an expanded role now and is a Hail Mary play in deeper leagues based on the matchup against the Panthers, who allow the second-most Fantasy points to tight ends. He had six targets for two catches and 21 yards in Week 16 at New Orleans when Brate got hurt.
DFS Advice for Week 17
Here's my FanDuel lineup for Week 17
- QB: Kirk Cousins ($7,900) vs. NYG
- RB: David Johnson ($9,300) at LAR
- RB: Jacquizz Rodgers ($5,200) vs. CAR
- WR: Jordy Nelson ($8,200) at DET
- WR: DeSean Jackson ($7,000) vs. NYG
- WR: J.J. Nelson ($5,300) at LAR
- TE: Travis Kelce ($5,800) at SD
- K: Matt Prater ($5,000) vs. GB
- DST: Seahawks ($5,200) at SF
Here's my DraftKings lineup for Week 17
- QB: Aaron Rodgers ($7,700) at DET
- RB: David Johnson ($9,800) at LAR
- RB: Darren Sproles ($4,000) vs. DAL
- WR: Jordy Nelson ($8,100) at DET
- WR: Steve Smith ($4,900) at CIN
- WR: J.J. Nelson ($4,600) at LAR
- TE: Martellus Bennett ($3,900) at MIA
- FLEX: Kenny Stills ($3,900) vs. NE
- DST: Cardinals ($3,000) at LAR
The Redskins have something to play for this week, and the Giants will likely be resting players. That should help Cousins and Jackson put up big numbers, and they are a great stack on FanDuel. Johnson should be worth every penny since he's the last elite running back expected to play this week with Bell and Elliott resting, and Jacquizz Rodgers has a great track record with a heavy workload, which he'll get now that Doug Martin (suspended) and Charles Sims (injured reserve) are out. Jordy Nelson is the No. 1 Fantasy receiver, and J.J. Nelson is hot right now, so they are easy choices this week. And Kelce is the No. 1 tight end. I'm excited about this lineup in Week 17.
On DraftKings, I have some similar players with Johnson, Nelson and Nelson. I stacked Jordy Nelson with Aaron Rodgers, and the Packers duo should be awesome at the Lions with the NFC North division title on the line. Sproles should get a heavy workload against the Cowboys, and I love Smith this week in his final NFL game since he's expected to retire. Bennett has a great matchup against the Dolphins, and he's scored in two of his past three games. And if Bennett and the Patriots score as expected this week, that should help Stills accrue stats in a comeback effort. This lineup also has plenty of upside.
#fantasymail
@JameyEisenberg odd question:
— EaglesFlyersPocono (@Milford236Eagle) December 30, 2016
Rank these QB's for week 17. McGloin, Manuel, Fitzpatrick, Sanchez, and Cassel#fantasymail
Wow, this is some group, but that's what you get in Week 17. The only one of these guys I would feel comfortable with is Manuel based on his weapons and the matchup with the Jets. The other guys are all in tough situations and should be avoided at all costs.
@JameyEisenberg Rodgers or D Williams in standard? #fantasymail
— Michelle Watson (@watsonml77) December 30, 2016
On Friday, I would start Jacquizz Rodgers over DeAngelo Williams because we don't know how much Williams will play. But if we find out Sunday morning that Williams is starting then I might make the switch. Williams has more upside given his matchup with the Browns, but Rodgers has a higher floor. This is actually a nice problem to have with two running backs who could be awesome in Week 17.
@JameyEisenberg play Zeke or McFadden this week, it's my super bowl, I'm playing hubby! Who starts at rb 4 Steelers? #fantasymail
— Renee Minnemeyer (@ReneeMinnemeyer) December 30, 2016
Elliott will likely start, but McFadden should get more work and is the Dallas running back to use this week. Williams is expected to start for the Steelers, and McFadden and Williams could also be a great Fantasy duo in Week 17.
.@JameyEisenberg#fantasymail looking at 2017 rookies could u rank top 5-6 in terms of talent/upside & not going to take 3+ years to develop
— Jeff Jacobs (@AlphaMaleJMJ) December 30, 2016
We have a long time to talk about these guys, and the biggest thing will be where they end up in the NFL. But Leonard Fournette and Dalvin Cook should be special no matter where they play, and those will be the top two rookies to target in 2017. Christian McCaffery is the No. 3 option, and we'll get more into this over the next few months.
@JameyEisenberg Standard, Clay or Bennett? Pick top 3: J Rodgers, D Williams, Meredith, Garcon, Kelley, Montgomery, or Gordon?#fantasymail
— Kendal Adamson (@foxxykjs) December 30, 2016
I like Bennett better given his matchup and quarterback. And I would go with Rodgers, Williams and Kelley in a standard league. If we find out that Fitzgerald Toussaint will get a bigger workload then Williams for the Steelers then you can plug in Meredith as the No. 3 option.
@JameyEisenberg Can I trust Eli Manning this weekend or roll the dice with EJ Manuel? #fantasymail
— bradroy (@bradroy) December 30, 2016
You might be better off going with Manuel over Manning unless we find out the Giants plan to play their offensive starters for most of the game. Both are risky, but you'd rather have the quarterback playing four quarters than someone in limited action.
@JameyEisenberg pick 2: Toussaint, J Rodgers, Blue, and McFadden for week 17 Championship game #fantasymail
— Zach Attack (@FFChalupaBatman) December 30, 2016
I'd go with Rodgers and Blue as of Friday afternoon, but that could change if we find out McFadden will start and get a heavy workload. Blue was great in Week 16 and should do well again, but McFadden has the higher ceiling if both get a similar amount of touches in Week 17. Rodgers is the No. 1 option of this group.
@JameyEisenberg#fantasymail Where would you rank Mongomery in your RB rankings !?
— Nikoloz Kutateladze (@rush_attack) December 30, 2016
He would be in the 20's, and you can see where he stacks up in our Top 15o rankings for Week 17. He is behind the backup guys like McFadden, Blue and Williams, and I'd start someone like McKinnon and Gillislee over him this week as well.
#fantasymail Robert Kelly or Tevin Coleman? Palmer or Bortles? Thanks for advice.
— Jay Dale (@Jdubdale) December 30, 2016
Kelley is safer and should play well if the Giants plan to rest guys on defense as expected. And I like both Palmer and Bortles, but I like Bortles matchup at the Colts better than Palmer at the Rams.
@JameyEisenberg best keeper options- Booker, Dixon, Rawls, Ty Hill? All 7-10th rnd. #fantasymail
— Brandon Bartlett (@BBartlett819) December 30, 2016
All of these guys are interesting and have plenty of potential, but I still think Thomas Rawls is your best bet if he's the starter as expected for Seattle and the offensive line improves. Kenneth Dixon can also be great if he's the starter for Baltimore, but Rawls has the most upside, even with C.J. Prosise on the roster.
@JameyEisenberg I have both Gordon and Zeke, have McFadden, Williams, Henry, Toussaint. Who starts? #fantasymail
— Pinky McFinklefoofen (@CoreyNimmer) December 30, 2016
It's the theme of the week, which is what reserve running backs can you trust. And of this group, I'd lean toward McFadden and Williams. Melvin Gordon could be great if he's healthy with his hip injury, but I'd plan on starting McFadden and Williams in Week 17.
