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We always get asked about playing Fantasy Football into Week 17 and if it's worth it. Usually the answer is no because you have the headache of teams resting for the playoffs, but this year we're relatively lucky for you brave souls still setting your lineups.
The Redskins are the only team locked into their playoff spot as the No. 4 seed in the NFC, and they could be resting their regular starters. Otherwise, we're expected to get close to full games from the Patriots, Panthers, Cardinals and all the relevant teams competing for seeding in the postseason.
That helps with your lineup because you should know who will give you their usual production. Now, we obviously have injuries to monitor, but teams have already ruled out Marshawn Lynch (abdomen), Dez Bryant (foot) and Alshon Jeffery (hamstring), among others, which should help you prepare.
So hopefully you're ready for this week, and as always, we'll give you some suggestions below. Thank you for sticking with us all season, and have a healthy and happy New Year.
You always have to wonder about a player's motivation in Week 17 when nothing is on the line. They obviously don't want to get hurt because going through surgery or rehab in the offseason is likely an awful experience. But they also want to end their season with a bang.
Eli Manning is likely looking at the latter, but not nearly as much as Odell Beckham after being suspended in Week 16 for his actions with Carolina cornerback Josh Norman in Week 15. And I'm counting on Beckham this week to carry Manning to a big game against the Eagles at home.
It helps that Manning has been in this scenario before against the Eagles. In 2012, Manning went off against Philadelphia in the season finale at home for 208 passing yards and five touchdowns for 38 Fantasy points. He also had 21 Fantasy points against the Eagles in the final game last year. And Manning has scored at least 19 Fantasy points in each of his past four home games against Philadelphia.
For this season, Manning is facing a terrible Eagles defense that allows 24.5 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Six of the past eight quarterbacks against Philadelphia have scored at least 20 Fantasy points, including four scoring at least 36 points.
Manning was bad against the Eagles in Week 6 with 10 Fantasy points, but a lot has changed since then, including Chip Kelly being fired prior to this game. That could motivate Philadelphia to play harder, but most likely the Eagles are looking ahead to the offseason.
Manning could be in the same mindset after a disappointing season, and this could be the last game with Tom Coughlin as the coach of the Giants. We expect Manning and Beckham to go all out, and Fantasy owners who play in Week 17 and start Manning should benefit with a big performance.
I'm starting Manning over: Aaron Rodgers (vs. MIN), Russell Wilson (at ARI), Drew Brees (at ATL), Matthew Stafford (at CHI) and Blake Bortles (at HOU)
Quarterback
Start 'Em
Blake Bortles
NO • QB • #9
at HOU
Projections
Bortles has established himself as a standout Fantasy quarterback this season, and he should be considered a Top 10 option heading into 2016. His receiving corps is exceptional with Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns and Julius Thomas, and he's benefitted from a bad defense that has left him in plenty of comeback situations. He had 28 Fantasy points against the Texans in Week 6, but Houston's defense has improved dramatically since then with only two quarterbacks scoring more than 17 points in the past eight outings. Still, Bortles is on an impressive roll coming into this game with at least 25 Fantasy points in five games in a row. He's also scored at least 19 Fantasy points in every road game this year, with four games of 24 points or more. He should close the season with a strong performance and should remain active in all leagues.
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Matthew Stafford
LAR • QB • #9
at CHI
Projections
Stafford has been on quite a run over the past seven games, and it's a shame he got off to a slow start because he hurt a lot of Fantasy owners early in the season. He's averaging 25 Fantasy points a game over that span compared to 17.4 points in his first eight games, and he has at least 20 points in five of his past six outings heading into Week 17. One of the few bright spots early in the year was his matchup with the Bears in Week 6 when he scored 41 Fantasy points in a standard league. Chicago has allowed four quarterbacks in a row to score at least 22 Fantasy points, and Stafford should be able to lean on Calvin Johnson this week since he's scored six touchdowns in his past five meetings with the Bears, including three in a row with at least 100 receiving yards. Stafford also needs one touchdown for 30 on the season.
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Drew Brees
QB
at ATL
Projections
Brees showed last week that his foot injury won't slow him down from playing at a high level after he scored 34 Fantasy points in a standard league against the Jaguars. He has now scored at least 24 Fantasy points in four games in a row, and we expect him to play well against the Falcons in Week 17. It's always risky trusting Brees on the road since he has just one game with more than 19 Fantasy points in six outings, but this game is indoors, which is a plus. He had 18 Fantasy points against the Falcons in Week 6, and three of the past four quarterbacks against Atlanta have scored at least 20 points. Brees has passed for at least 300 yards in four of his past five games in Atlanta, but he only has multiple touchdowns in two of them. Still, this could be the last game for Brees and Sean Payton together, and it appears like they are going out on a high note if this is the end of their time together in New Orleans.
Ben Roethlisberger
PIT • QB • #7
at CLE
Projections
Arguably the worst loss in Week 16 was the Steelers at Ravens, which could cost Pittsburgh a playoff spot. The Steelers need to beat the Browns and hope the Jets lose at Buffalo, which could happen, but Pittsburgh went from controlling its own fate to now needing help. And Roethlisberger let down plenty of Fantasy owners with his performance at Baltimore with four points in a standard league. He's struggled on the road this season, but you should still trust him in this matchup at Cleveland. The Browns have allowed six of the past eight opposing quarterbacks to score at least 20 Fantasy points, including Alex Smith in Week 16. Roethlisberger had 33 Fantasy points against the Browns in Week 10, and we hope he will replicate that performance in the rematch. This should be his best game on the road this season, and we'll find out if he can still get Pittsburgh into the playoffs with a win and a Jets loss.
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Matt Ryan
IND • QB • #2
vs. NO
Projections
Ryan has been a terrible Fantasy quarterback this season, but facing the Saints should allow him to finish the year on a high note. He's gone five games in a row with 16 Fantasy points or less, but he scored 22 Fantasy points at New Orleans in Week 6 and should be in that range again this week. In fact, he's averaging 22.1 Fantasy points against the Saints in his past seven overall meetings. You know the deal by now with the Saints that most quarterbacks have huge games against this defense, and they are allowing 28.9 Fantasy points to opposing passers this year. And it should help Ryan that Julio Jones needs 243 receiving yards to break Calvin Johnson's single-season record of 1,964 yards set in 2012. We doubt he breaks the mark, but it should be fun watching Jones try and chase history.
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Sleepers
Sam Bradford (at NYG): NYG allow 23.4 Fantasy points to quarterbacks.
Brian Hoyer (vs. JAC): He had 29 Fantasy points at JAC in Week 6.
Alex Smith (vs. OAK): He has 12 total TDs in his past four games vs. OAK.
Sit 'Em
Kirk Cousins
ATL • QB • #8
at DAL
Projections
You're going to notice a theme here with the Redskins that you should plan on sitting all of the relevant guys because Washington should rest their players with the No. 4 seed in the NFC locked up. The Redskins have nothing to gain by trying to win this game, and the only thing that should matter is being healthy for their playoff game in two weeks. Cousins has been awesome down the stretch with at least 23 Fantasy points in four of his past five games, and you can start him if you believe the Redskins will play their starters for most of the game. I'm expecting Cousins to spend most of the game, if not all, on the bench, and I would make alternate plans for my Fantasy roster this week.
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Derek Carr
NO • QB • #4
at KC
Projections
The Chiefs have a chance to win the AFC West if they win and Denver loses against San Diego. With that in mind, expect Kansas City to go all out in this game, which should be tough for Carr. He's been at exactly 17 Fantasy points in three of his past four games, including Week 13 against the Chiefs at home when he passed for 283 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. Carr has scored more than 17 Fantasy points just twice in his past six outings, and Kansas City has only allowed two quarterbacks to score more than 17 points in the past 10 games. With Amari Cooper (foot) at less than 100 percent, it makes it hard to trust Carr in anything more than two-quarterback leagues.
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Philip Rivers
IND • QB • #17
at DEN
Projections
Rivers played better than I expected in Week 16 at Oakland since he was coming off the emotional victory against the Dolphins in Week 15, but he scored just 17 Fantasy points. That's about his ceiling this week in what should be a tough matchup against the Broncos. Denver is still trying to lock up the AFC West and a first-round bye with a victory, so the Broncos will be highly motivated in this matchup. Rivers had six Fantasy points against Denver in Week 13, and the Broncos have allowed just three quarterbacks to score more than 17 points this year. Rivers also has scored 17 Fantasy points or less in five of his past seven games, and he should not be trusted in Week 17.
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Jay Cutler
MIA • QB
vs. DET
Projections
Cutler won't have Jeffery for the season finale since he was placed on injured reserve Wednesday. That's bad news for Cutler since he's struggled without Jeffery this season. In the five games Cutler has played without Jeffery he is averaging just 14.8 Fantasy points a game. He had Jeffery in the first game against the Lions in Week 6, and Cutler scored 21 Fantasy points in that game. But Jeffery accounted for eight catches, 147 yards and one touchdown in that matchup. The Lions have allowed just two quarterbacks to score more than 19 Fantasy points in the past six games, and Cutler has scored more than 17 points just once in his past six outings. I would expect Cutler to score around 17 Fantasy points this week, which makes him a decent option in two-quarterback leagues but not someone to rely on in standard formats.
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Tyrod Taylor
NYJ • QB • #2
vs. NYJ
Projections
I expected Taylor to struggle in Week 16 against Dallas, and he played poorly with 11 Fantasy points. He was on a roll prior to that game with at least 30 Fantasy points in a standard league in three of his past four outings, but the Cowboys posed a tough test, which resulted in a poor performance. He should have a tough time again this week against the Jets, who held him to 13 Fantasy points in Week 10. The Jets have allowed just two quarterbacks to score more than 19 Fantasy points in their past seven games, including Marcus Mariota, who needed a touchdown reception to score 20 points in Week 14. Taylor's receiving corps is banged up with Robert Woods (groin) and Charles Clay (back) out, and Darrelle Revis will make things tough on Sammy Watkins. Even though the Bills and Rex Ryan want to knock the Jets out of the playoffs, Taylor should struggle as a reliable Fantasy quarterback in this matchup.
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Russell Wilson
PIT • QB • #3
at ARI
Projections
Wilson has been amazing to close the season with at least 22 Fantasy points in six games in a row, and he's helped Fantasy owners who stuck with him after a tough start when he averaged just 17.3 points in his first eight games. He's taken advantage of a great schedule against San Francisco, Pittsburgh, an injured Minnesota, Baltimore and Cleveland over that stretch, but he had a rough time against St. Louis in Week 16 and needed a late touchdown against the Rams to score 22 Fantasy points. His last bad game was Week 10 against Arizona when he scored just 18 Fantasy points, and the Cardinals have allowed just two quarterbacks to score more than 18 points in their past seven games. Seattle also could rest some starters heading into the playoffs, and Wilson might not play a full game. It's hard to bench Wilson, but just be cautious with him this week in a tough matchup where he might not play all four quarters.
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Running back
Start 'Em
Tim Hightower
SF • RB • #22
at ATL
Projections
Hightower has been great for Fantasy owners and the Saints for the past three games after Mark Ingram (shoulder) went down. He should have scored a touchdown in three games in a row if not for a penalty in Week 15 against Detroit, but he's scored three touchdowns over that span with at least 80 total yards in each outing. The Falcons are down a key cog in their run defense with defensive tackle Paul Soliai (calf) out, and Atlanta has allowed five touchdowns to running backs in the past five games. Ingram had two touchdowns against the Falcons in Week 6, but he struggled with 20 carries for 46 yards and three catches for 10 yards. I expect Hightower to do better than 56 total yards, but I'll settle for 17 Fantasy points in a standard league. New Orleans has had a running back score at least nine Fantasy points in a standard league in 13 of 15 games, and we expect Hightower to reach that mark again this week.
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James White
NE • RB • #28
at MIA
Projections
One running back from the Patriots backfield is going to have a big game this week because the Dolphins run defense is terrible. White makes the most sense based on his role, but I have a sneaky feeling New England leans on Steven Jackson this week with the playoffs looming. Consider Jackson and Brandon Bolden sleepers in Week 17, but White should be a starter in the majority of leagues. The Dolphins have allowed a running back to get at least 90 total yards in 10 games in a row, including Dion Lewis in Week 8 when he had five carries for 19 yards and six catches for 93 yards and a touchdown. White has scored a touchdown in four of his past six games and eight Fantasy points in a standard league in four games in a row. Tom Brady is 364 passing yards away from 5,000, so he could be throwing a lot in this matchup as the Patriots try to lock up the No. 1 seed in the AFC. White is one of his main targets and should be heavily involved this week.
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Rashad Jennings
NYG • RB • #23
vs. PHI
Projections
Jennings has become a standout Fantasy running back over the past three games, but where was this all season? Was it the Giants failure to lean on him? Was it the offensive line issues? Were Orleans Darkwa and Andre Williams really that good in practice? I don't get it, but Jennings has scored at least 10 Fantasy points in three games in a row and should do well against the Eagles this week. He's had at least 16 touches in each of the past three outings against Miami, Carolina and Minnesota, and the Eagles have allowed a running back to score or gain 100 total yards in nine games in a row. The last team that failed to have a running back hit either mark was the Giants in Week 6 when Jennings had 13 carries for 63 yards and three catches for 20 yards. Eight Fantasy points should be his floor, but I expect him to do better than that given his past three games and the Eagles lack of defense coming into this matchup.
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Darren McFadden
DAL • RB • #20
vs. WAS
Projections
McFadden has been much better than anyone could have expected this season, and his durability has been something to marvel at given his history. He's already set a career high with 227 carries, and he needs eight touches for a career high there. He's playing well coming into this matchup with a touchdown or 99 rushing yards in five of his past six games, and he scored against the Redskins in Week 13. The Redskins could also be resting guys on defense, and Washington has allowed a running back to score in four games in a row. Despite a lack of talent around him on offense, McFadden has been consistent with his production and has a favorable matchup this week. He should remain a starter in the majority of leagues in Week 17.
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Frank Gore
NYJ • RB • #21
vs. TEN
Projections
The last time a Colts running back had 100 yards rushing in a regular-season outing was Week 15 in 2012, a span of 49 games. That's significant because Gore is 109 yards shy of rushing for 1,000 yards this season for the ninth time in his career. Only Emmitt Smith (11), Curtis Martin (10), Walter Payton (10) and Barry Sanders (10) have done that at least nine times, and I'm sure Gore would love to reach that mark and break the streak for the Colts. Indianapolis has to lean on Gore this week with Andrew Luck (kidney) and now Matt Hasselbeck (shoulder) out, and Gore was great last week as expected in his homecoming to Miami with 95 total yards and two touchdowns. He had 14 carries for 86 yards and two touchdowns and one catch for 8 yards at Tennessee in Week 3, and the Titans have allowed a running back to score or gain 100 total yards in three of the past four games. It's risky to trust Gore given the quarterback situation for the Colts, but his motivation for history should make him at least a No. 2 running back this week.
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Sleepers
DeMarco Murray (at NYG): Kelly's departure should be good for Murray.
C.J. Anderson (vs. SD): He has the chance for a big week in this matchup.
Pierre Thomas (at DAL): He should be the best RB for WAS this week.
Danny Woodhead (at DEN): He's the best weapon in SD right now.
Jeremy Langford (vs. DET): His role could increase with Forte banged up.
Sit 'Em
Alfred Morris
NYG • RB • #41
at DAL
Projections
This is another Redskins player you should avoid this week with the chance he could rest in Week 17. And it's not exactly like Morris was a trustworthy Fantasy option all year to begin with. Matt Jones (hip) could play this week if healthy, but the Redskins should also keep him out to rest for the playoffs. We anticipate a backfield rotation of Thomas and Chris Thompson, and Thomas could perform well in a good matchup with the Cowboys, who have allowed five running backs to score double digits in Fantasy points in the past three games.
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Denard Robinson
JAC • RB • #16
at HOU
Projections
The Jaguars are talking about giving Jonas Gray some more work this week with T.J. Yeldon (knee) still hurt and Robinson struggling. Gray had five carries for 31 yards in Week 16 at New Orleans, and Robinson was held to six carries for 20 yards and five catches for 51 yards. Robinson is still a decent option in PPR leagues with 13 catches in his past two games, but he's failed to run for more than 50 yards and now has a tough matchup with the Texans. Houston has allowed one rushing touchdown in the past eight games and only LeSean McCoy has scored double digits in Fantasy points over that span. Robinson is not worth trusting in most standard formats and should be considered just a flex option in PPR leagues.
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Christine Michael (at ARI)
Projection: 5.6 Fantasy points
Michael was a huge letdown in Week 16 against St. Louis with six carries for 6 yards and two catches for 14 yards. He failed to build on his performance in Week 15 when he had 16 carries for 84 yards against Cleveland. He will again share touches with Bryce Brown and Fred Jackson, and none of these running backs are trustworthy in a tough matchup on the road, even with Lynch still out. Lynch scored against the Cardinals in Week 10, but he was held to eight carries for 42 yards and one catch for 8 yards. And Arizona has only allowed one rushing touchdown to a running back in the past five games, which was Adrian Peterson in Week 14. We would avoid the Seahawks backfield if possible this week.
Giovani Bernard
TB • RB • #25
vs. BAL
Projections
I expect the Bengals to win this game with the No. 2 seed in the AFC on the line, and Jeremy Hill should be considered a No. 2 Fantasy running back in the majority of leagues. The Ravens have allowed a running back to score or gain 100 yards in three of their past four games, and Hill should continue to get the majority of work in this backfield. Bernard could play well also, but he's gone nine games without a touchdown and has one game with more than eight Fantasy points over that span. He's combined for 15 Fantasy points in a standard league in his past four outings, and he had 13 carries for 49 yards and three catches for 34 yards in Week 3 at Baltimore. I could see him scoring seven Fantasy points again in the rematch, but that's likely his ceiling. He doesn't find the end zone enough to make him trustworthy in the majority of Fantasy leagues.
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Ameer Abdullah
LV • RB • #22
at CHI
Projections
I thought Abdullah had the chance to play well last week against the 49ers, but once again he was disappointing with eight carries for 39 yards and four catches for 9 yards. He was outplayed by Theo Riddick and Joique Bell, and Abdullah will likely have to wait until next year to prove his Fantasy worth. He's now gone three games in a row with single digits in carries, and Riddick continues to dominate passing downs. He had 14 carries for 48 yards and three catches for 21 yards against the Lions in Week 6, and he will likely be held to about six Fantasy points or less again in the rematch. We hope Abdullah can get a bigger role in 2016 and play at a higher level, but he failed to live up to the hype this year and has left a lot of Fantasy owners disappointed.
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Lamar Miller
NO • RB • #36
vs. NE
Projections
Miller had a strange stat line in Week 16 against the Colts with 15 carries for 31 yards and a touchdown and five catches for 36 yards. It was nice to see him get 20 touches, and that's happened just one other time in his past six games. But clearly he would have struggled without the touchdown, and the Dolphins gave Jay Ajayi the first chance to score from the 1-yard line in the second quarter before Miller punched it in. He has scored double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league just twice in his past six games, and he struggled against the Patriots in Week 8 with nine carries for 15 yards and a touchdown and five catches for 19 yards. New England hasn't allowed a running back to score in the past four games, and Miller has run for 61 yards or less in his past four meetings with the Patriots. He should only be considered a low-end No. 2 running back or flex option this week, and Ajayi should continue to have a role, which will cut into Miller's workload.
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Wide receiver
Start 'Em
Michael Floyd
BAL • WR • #13
vs. SEA
Projections
Brown was dealing with a hamstring injury the first time Arizona played Seattle in Week 10, and he was held without a catch. Floyd and Larry Fitzgerald beat up the Seahawks with 17 catches for 243 yards and two touchdowns, and all three Cardinals receivers are in play this week despite Seattle still having a standout secondary. Richard Sherman likely won't follow a specific receiver, so look for Carson Palmer to lean on whoever is open, and his receivers will all move around. Floyd has a touchdown or 100 receiving yards in seven of his past nine games, and Brown has a touchdown or 99 receiving yards in six games in a row. There's also a chance the Seahawks could pull their starters during the game to rest for the playoffs, while the Cardinals are trying to win with the chance of overtaking the Panthers for the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
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Allen Hurns
MIA • WR • #8
at HOU
Projections
There's a good chance the Jaguars will be trailing in this game because that's what typically happens with them. They can't run the ball, and Bortles will be throwing a lot in a comeback effort. Hurns, Allen Robinson and Julius Thomas all have the chance to play well, and Hurns has a touchdown in seven of nine games where he's had at least six targets. He had seven targets in Week 6 against Houston and had two catches for 30 yards and a touchdown, and he's scored in two of three career games with the Texans. Houston also has allowed a touchdown to a secondary receiver in four consecutive games with Robert Woods, Keshawn Martin, Donte Moncrief and Tre McBride all finding the end zone.
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Jordan Matthews
CAR • WR • #85
at NYG
Projections
Mr. Garbage Time will hopefully come through once again, and this game has the chance to be high scoring based on the Giants defense - or lack thereof. Matthews has scored a touchdown in four of the past five games and at least nine Fantasy points in a standard league in each of those outings, and the majority of his production has usually come in the fourth quarter. It's hard to rely on something like that, but it's not like he hasn't been involved otherwise with 19 targets in his past two games against Arizona and Washington. He had six catches for 59 yards on 11 targets against the Giants in Week 6, but New York has allowed eight receivers to score at least nine Fantasy points in a standard league in the past five games, with seven touchdowns over that span. Nelson Agholor should also be considered a sleeper this week in deeper leagues, but Matthews is worth trusting as a No. 2 receiver in this matchup.
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Martavis Bryant
DAL • WR • #12
at CLE
Projections
Bryant was one of the biggest disappointments for Fantasy owners in Week 16 against the Ravens, but he has the chance to redeem himself this week against the Browns. He was held to one catch for 6 yards on three targets at Baltimore, but the whole passing game was bad in that game and should bounce back this week. Bryant torched the Browns in Week 10 for six catches, 178 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets, and we expect Roethlisberger to keep featuring him this week. He's had at least seven targets in every game prior to Week 16, so Big Ben should go back to what works with the Steelers needing to win this game for their playoff chances. It helps that Cleveland has allowed 20 touchdowns to receivers this year, including eight in the past five games. Look for Bryant and Antonio Brown to come up big in this matchup.
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Anquan Boldin
BUF • WR • #80
vs. STL
Projections
Boldin, 35, is a free agent this offseason, but he's expressed a desire to return to the 49ers. We'll see what happens, but this could be his last game in San Francisco, which could provide extra incentive. It helps that he's facing a Rams defense he's had plenty of success against in his career. He missed the first game at St. Louis this year in Week 8 because of a hamstring injury, but in his past four meetings with the Rams he has at least five catches for 90 yards in each outing and three touchdowns. St. Louis has also allowed a receiver to score double digits in Fantasy points in six games in a row, including the No. 1 option do it five times (Kamar Aiken, A.J. Green, Michael Floyd, Mike Evans and Doug Baldwin). Calvin Johnson was held to one Fantasy point in Week 14, but Golden Tate scored two touchdowns in that game. Overall, the Rams have allowed seven touchdowns to receivers in the past five games, which bodes well for Boldin, who has scored at least nine Fantasy points in a standard league in three of his past six games, even with Blaine Gabbert throwing him the ball.
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Sleepers
Nate Washington (vs. JAC): He scores every time Cecil Shorts is out.
Keshawn Martin (at MIA): He had 11 targets from Brady in Week 16.
Kamar Aiken (at CIN): He's a PPR star with 16 grabs the past two games.
Rueben Randle (vs. PHI): He's scored in four of his past five games.
Willie Snead (at ATL): He has at least 75 yards in three straight games.
Sit 'Em
DeSean Jackson
BAL • WR • #1
at DAL
Projections
The three players the Redskins should be the most cautious about this week are Cousins, Jackson and Jordan Reed. They can't afford Cousins to get hurt, and Jackson and Reed have dealt with injuries this year, with Jackson still battling a knee problem heading into this week. He was limited in practice Wednesday and will likely be listed as questionable for the game. It would be shocking to see him play four quarters with Washington's playoff spot secured as the No. 4 seed in the NFC, so don't plan on using Jackson in the majority of leagues this week.
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Tyler Lockett
SEA • WR • #16
at ARI
Projections
I'm concerned about Doug Baldwin this week also, but you can't sit a player with 11 touchdowns in his past five games. And he had seven catches for 134 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets against the Cardinals in Week 10. Patrick Peterson could line up on Baldwin this week, so keep that in mind. But if Peterson stays on the outside and leaves Baldwin in the slot that could mean bad news for Lockett. He's been hot of late with at least nine Fantasy points in three of his past four games, and he's had seven targets in each of his past four outings. He only had one catch for 7 yards against Arizona in the first meeting, and he should be held to minimal production again in the rematch.
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Amari Cooper
CLE • WR • #2
at KC
Projections
I hope Cooper plays well this week and ends his rookie season on a high note, but you can't trust him in Week 17 after what happened in Week 16 against San Diego with his injured foot. It was a Thursday night game, but he barely played and was limited to two catches for 10 yards on three targets. He was again limited in practice Wednesday with the foot problem, and you have to wonder about his playing time in this tough matchup on the road. Kansas City held Cooper to four catches for 69 yards on eight targets in Week 13, and he's had seven Fantasy points or less in a standard league in five of his past seven games. If Cooper were 100 percent healthy this week then you should start him with confidence, but clearly his foot is an issue and will likely limit his production again this week. He should be considered a No. 3 Fantasy receiver at best in Week 17.
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Randall Cobb
NYJ • WR • #18
vs. MIN
Projections
Let's hope Cobb plays well in the regular-season finale in what could be Green Bay's final game at home because this year has been a disaster for him. If the Packers lose this game then the Vikings win the NFC North, and Green Bay will go on the road as a wild-card team. Cobb had his worst game of the season, which is saying a lot, in Week 16 at Arizona with three catches for 15 yards on three targets. He's now scored single digits in Fantasy points in a standard league in seven games in a row, including Week 11 at Minnesota when he scored a touchdown. He finished that game with just two catches for 24 yards on nine targets, and he only has three games this season with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league. In his past five meetings with Minnesota he's averaging just 42.8 receiving yards and two touchdowns, so he's not worth trusting this week in the majority of leagues.
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T.Y. Hilton
DAL • WR • #13
vs. TEN
Projections
It would not be a surprise to see Hilton go off this week. The Titans are awful in pass defense with 11 touchdowns allowed to receivers in the past five games, and Brandon Weeden just allowed DeAndre Hopkins to go off for seven catches, 117 yards and a touchdown last week against Tennessee if you're looking for a relevant comparison of a backup quarterback helping an elite receiver produce in a plus matchup. But Weeden might be considered a Hall of Famer compared to what Indianapolis could have at quarterback this week with Luck and Hasselbeck out. Josh Freeman and Ryan Lindley are competing for the starting job, and both were signed by the team this week. That doesn't exactly inspire confidence to trust Hilton, who has gone four games in a row without a touchdown and one game over that span with more than 65 receiving yards. Based on the matchup, I'd still use Hilton as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver, but it's definitely risky to trust him given the quarterback scenario for the Colts.
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Mike Evans
TB • WR • #13
at CAR
Projections
If there was ever a game for Norman to shadow a standout receiver this is it because Tampa Bay has Evans and little else with Vincent Jackson (knee) out. Beckham and Julio Jones might have posted good games against the Panthers over the past two games, but Evans isn't on their level just yet. He should dominate targets in this matchup and has 25 in his past two games, but he has a bad history against Carolina with 10 catches for 82 yards and a touchdown in three career meetings. He scored in his lone trip to Carolina last year, but he finished with just two catches for 13 yards in that game. The Panthers are trying to lock up the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a victory this week, so they have plenty to play for. It should make for a long day for Evans, especially if Norman follows him around the field. He should be considered a low-end starting option at best in this matchup.
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Tight end
Start 'Em
Zach Ertz
WAS • TE • #86
at NYG
Projections
You have to buy into Ertz with what he's been doing lately, and he has a great rapport with Bradford heading into this week. Ertz has scored a touchdown or gained 90 receiving yards in four games in a row, and he should have the chance for another big game against the Giants. New York has allowed nine touchdowns to opposing tight ends, including two in the past two weeks against Greg Olsen and Kyle Rudolph. And Ertz comes into this game with 37 targets in his past three games.
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Zach Miller
CHI • TE • #71
vs. DET
Projections
Miller will be the No. 1 option in the passing game with Jeffery out, and this is a great matchup for him. He has 20 targets over his past three games and led the team in targets in Week 16 at Tampa Bay with eight and finished with seven catches for 69 yards. Detroit has been miserable against tight ends all season with 12 touchdowns allowed to the position, including two in the past two weeks against Benjamin Watson and Vance McDonald. Eight of nine tight ends with at least six targets have scored against the Lions this year.
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Delanie Walker
TEN • TE • #82
at IND
Projections
Walker had a rough game in Week 16 against Houston with nine catches for 59 yards on 15 targets. Aside from the yards, you would take the targets and catches again this week, and Walker has three games in his past four outings with at least 12 targets and seven catches. The issue for Walker is playing with Zach Mettenberger, and that doesn't inspire much confidence. But he had seven catches for 68 yards on 10 targets against the Colts in Week 3, and Indianapolis has allowed six touchdowns to tight ends this year and six to score at least nine Fantasy points in a standard league. Walker is a must-start option in PPR leagues, and he should finish as a Top 10 option in standard formats as well.
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Sleepers
Vance McDonald (vs. STL): He should remain a go-to option for Gabbert.
Kyle Rudolph (at GB): He had 16 Fantasy points vs. GB in Week 11.
Will Tye (vs. PHI): PHI has allowed five TDs to tight ends since Week 11.
Sit 'Em
Jordan Reed
SF • TE • #81
at DAL
Projections
Again, you know where we're going with this about the Redskins in this game. And here's what Jay Gruden said, per the Washington Post: "Number one, it's the health of our football team with these injured guys who are legitimately injured and can't play. Then, from there, we'll have to figure out the able bodies that we have - personnel groupings will be adjusted - and then throughout the course of the game, we'll make adjustments depending on the situation." You can play Reed if you're comfortable with him maybe playing a quarter or a half, but Gruden shouldn't risk playing Reed at all given his injury history. I would stay away from Reed in the majority of leagues.
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Heath Miller
PIT • TE • #83
at CLE
Projections
Miller will pop up every now and then with a decent stat line like Week 14 at Cincinnati when he had 10 catches for 66 yards, but he hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 2 and has a bad track record against the Browns. In his past five games against Cleveland, Miller has 16 catches for 143 yards and no touchdowns. He also hasn't scored a touchdown at Cleveland since 2011, a span of four games. The Browns have also allowed just one tight end to score in the past six games, and Miller likely will again have four Fantasy points or less in a standard league, which he's done 10 times this season. He's not worth trusting in the majority of leagues.
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Richard Rodgers
LAC • TE • #82
vs. MIN
Projections
Rodgers was a hero for many Fantasy owners with his Hail Mary touchdown against the Lions in Week 13, but things have gone downhill for him since then. He had a 3-yard touchdown catch for his only grab in Week 14 against Dallas, but he has combined for two catches and 9 yards in his past two games against Oakland and Arizona on seven total targets. He had three catches for 7 yards at Minnesota in Week 11, and the Vikings haven't allowed a tight end to score in their past seven games. Rodgers should be considered a risky starting option in Week 17.
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Austin Seferian-Jenkins
NE • TE • #88
at CAR
Projections
Like Matthews, Seferian-Jenkins has become a great garbage-time producer. He scored a meaningless touchdown late in Week 15 at St. Louis, and then he caught a 43-yard Hail Mary touchdown in Week 16 against Chicago. He has yet to have more than three catches in a game in his four outings since coming back from a shoulder injury, and aside from the Hail Mary he's been at 31 yards or less in each game. The Panthers have allowed two tight ends to score in the past four games with Watson and Tye, but only four tight ends have scored at least nine Fantasy points against Carolina this year. Seferian-Jenkins could always score a late touchdown again this week, but we wouldn't count on it, which makes him a low-end starting option at best in this matchup on the road.
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Defense/Special teams
Start 'Em
Bengals (vs. BAL): Ryan Mallett did a great job making his first start with the Ravens last week against the Steelers, and he ended Baltimore's streak of six games in a row of throwing an interception. He also helped the Ravens score 20 points for the first time in the past four games, and he was sacked just once. But now he has to repeat that performance on the road against a Bengals defense that failed to get an interception for the first time in the past six games last week at Denver. Cincinnati also allowed 20 points for just the second time in the past five games, and the Bengals should be highly motivated with the chance to earn the No. 2 seed in the AFC. Cincinnati needs to win this game and hope the Broncos lose to the Chargers or else the Bengals will definitely be playing in the Wild Card round next week.
Sleepers
Colts (vs. TEN): TEN has seven turnovers in the past two games.
Rams (at SF): Gabbert has been sacked 16 time in the past three games.
Steelers (at CLE): PIT gets a boost in value with Johnny Manziel out.
Sit 'Em
Seahawks (at ARI): The Seahawks DST scored 15 Fantasy points against the Cardinals in a standard league in Week 10, but the unit was saved because of a defensive touchdown. Seattle gave up 39 points in that game and over 450 yards of total offense, and the Cardinals have been stingy against opposing DST units for most of the year. In the six games after the Seattle game, Arizona has not allowed a DST to score more than six Fantasy points, and the Cardinals have just four turnovers over that span. They also average 32.2 points per game, and the Seahawks DST should be considered a low-end starting option at best in this matchup.
Kicker
Start 'Em
Josh Brown (vs. PHI): Brown got off to a hot start this season with at least eight Fantasy points in a standard league in seven of his first 10 games. He's scored eight Fantasy points just once in his past five outings and has one made field goal in his past two games. He was also held to one extra point in Week 6 at Philadelphia. But Brown has made 16-of-17 field goals at home this year, and no kicker has missed a field goal against the Eagles this season in 24 attempts. Philadelphia has also allowed seven of the past nine kickers to score at least eight Fantasy points in a standard league, and this game should be high scoring. Brown should finish Week 17 as a Top 10 Fantasy kicker in the majority of leagues.
Sleepers
Nick Novak (vs. JAC): JAC has allowed seven FGs in the last three games.
Caleb Sturgis (at NYG): Only OAK allows more Fantasy points to kickers.
Shayne Graham (vs. NO): He's made five field goals in his past two games.
Sit 'Em
Connor Barth (at CAR): Barth got off to a hot start when he took over as Tampa Bay's kicker in Week 5 with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league in four games in a row, but he's significantly cooled off since then. He only has two games with more than six Fantasy points in his past seven outings and has made one field goal or less in three of his past four outings. The Panthers also allow the second-fewest Fantasy points to opposing kickers, and only two kickers have made multiple field goals against Carolina in the past eight games. Tampa Bay's offense should struggle to move the ball this week, and points should be hard to come by on the road. We would avoid Barth in the majority of leagues this week.
Full Disclosure from Week 16
Most Fantasy championships were played in Week 16, and we hope it was a successful finish to your season. Charcandrick West, our Start of the Week, let us down with only six Fantasy points in a standard league, but the rest of our Week 16 column was championship quality.
For our start suggestions, we had, including sleepers, the No. 1 quarterback (Kirk Cousins), running back (Tim Hightower) and tight end (Jordan Reed). We also got Top 5 quarterbacks in Blake Bortles, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Matthew Stafford, and we were right on Frank Gore, Latavius Murray, Karlos Williams, Allen Hurns and Zach Ertz.
We missed on start calls in Ben Roethlisberger, Denard Robinson, Ameer Abdullah, DeSean Jackson, Martavis Bryant, T.Y. Hilton, Benjamin Watson and Julius Thomas. And our guys to sit where we were wrong included Javorius Allen, A.J. Green and Austin Seferian-Jenkins.
The sit calls that were correct included Tyrod Taylor, Chris Ivory and Gary Barnidge, among others. It was a good week, and if you play into Week 17, we hope to once again leave you on a high note.
| Full Disclosure from Week 16 |
| Start of the Week |
| Player | Sportsline projected Pts. | Actual Fantasy Pts. | Start % | Pos. rank |
| Charcandrick West, RB, Chiefs | 12.1 | 6 | 62 | 36 |
| Recommended starts who made us look good |
| Kirk Cousins, QB, Redskins | 15.8 | 40 | 13 | 1 |
| Frank Gore, RB, Colts | 10.6 | 21 | 59 | 3 |
| Allen Hurns, WR, Jaguars | 9.5 | 22 | 55 | 3 |
| Recommended sits who made us look good |
| Tyrod Taylor, QB, Bills | 21.2 | 11 | 41 | 25 |
| Gary Barnidge, TE, Browns | 8.0 | 4 | 72 | 18 |
| Chris Ivory, RB, Jets | 10.2 | 3 | 88 | 52 |
| Recommended starts who made us look bad |
| Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers | 21.6 | 4 | 63 | 32 |
| Ameer Abdullah, RB, Lions | 7.8 | 3 | 20 | 51 |
| Julius Thomas, TE, Jaguars | 8.7 | 1 | 72 | 28 |
| Recommended sits who made us look bad |
| Javorius Allen, RB, Ravens | 9.9 | 16 | 67 | 10 |
| Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Buccaneers | 6.7 | 12 | 34 | 3 |
| A.J. Green, WR, Bengals | 8.8 | 11 | 99 | 16 |
