Fantasy Football Week 17 Start 'Em & Sit 'Em Wide Reciever: Drake London set up for a strong bounce-back game
Wide receivers you want in Week 17 lineups, and those you should avoid
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Drake London returned from a four-game absence with a knee injury in Week 16 at Arizona, and he struggled with three catches for 27 yards on eight targets. Hopefully, London will improve in Week 17 against the Rams.
The good news for London is he was thrown right back into the mix for the Falcons. He played 69 percent of the snaps against the Cardinals, and while he was third on the team in targets behind Bijan Robinson (11) and Kyle Pitts (nine), he still had plenty of opportunities.
I'm hopeful Week 16 was the shake-the-rust-off game for London, and he should do better against the Rams, who are No. 9 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. There have been five receivers who have scored at least 17.4 PPR points against Los Angeles in the past four games, including Michael Wilson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, all scoring at least 23.6 PPR points.
London was producing like that before he was injured in Week 11 against Carolina. And, if healthy, he can return to that level again in Week 17. He's worth using as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues.
WRs to Start
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Rome Odunze (foot) and Luther Burden III (ankle) missed Week 16 against Green Bay, and Moore stepped up with five catches for 97 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. He has now scored at least 21.9 PPR points in two games in a row and in three of his past five outings. Caleb Williams should continue to lean on Moore if Odunze and/or Burden can't play in Week 17 at San Francisco, and Moore is worth starting in all leagues in this matchup.
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Jennings stayed hot in Week 16 at Indianapolis with five catches for 71 yards and a touchdown on six targets, and he has now scored a touchdown in four games in a row and in six of his past seven outings. We'll see if Ricky Pearsall (knee) will play in Week 17 against Chicago after missing the Colts game, and George Kittle (ankle) could be out against the Bears. But I'm starting Jennings as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues, no matter who is active for San Francisco, as long as Brock Purdy is playing. The two have a solid rapport right now, and Chicago has allowed four receivers to score at least 14.4 PPR points in the past five games.
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McLaurin might seem tough to trust with Josh Johnson starting for the injured Marcus Mariota (hand/quadriceps), but I still like McLaurin as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues against the Cowboys in Week 17. Dallas is No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, and eight guys in the past five games have scored at least 14.5 PPR points against the Cowboys, with nine touchdowns. McLaurin missed Week 7 against Dallas due to injury, but he combined for 13 catches for 164 yards and two touchdowns on 18 targets against Dallas in two games last year.
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Robinson had a miserable game in Week 16 against Minnesota with three catches for 19 yards on six targets, but Jaxson Dart attempted just 13 passes in that brutal matchup. This is a much easier opponent against the Raiders, and Robinson scored at least 16.4 PPR points in two of three games prior to facing the Vikings. Robinson also is averaging 15.6 PPR points in eight road games this season, and I would start him as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues.
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Diggs was a star in Week 16 at Baltimore with nine catches for 138 yards on 10 targets. He should have the chance for another standout game in Week 17 at the Jets, especially if Kayshon Boutte (head) and Demario Douglas (hamstring) are out. Diggs had nine catches for 105 yards on 11 targets in Week 11 against the Jets, and he needs four more catches for $500,000 in incentives if he's at 80 receptions. And he gets another $500,000 if he gets 131 yards for 1,000 on the season. Diggs is worth using as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues.
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Waddle had a solid game in Week 16 against Cincinnati in the first start for rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers, with five catches for 72 yards on nine targets. The targets tied a season high for Waddle, and this was the most yards he had in a game since Week 10. Tampa Bay has allowed five receivers to score at least 12.9 PPR points in the past five games, and Waddle is worth using as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues in Week 17.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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In the last two games that Watson played with a healthy Jordan Love, the two connected for eight catches for 169 yards and three touchdowns on 14 targets against Detroit and Chicago. Since then, Watson left Week 15 at Denver with a chest injury, and Love suffered a concussion in Week 16 at Chicago. It seems like Love will play in Week 17 against Baltimore, and that's great news for Watson. The Ravens are also No. 5 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, and seven guys in the past five games have scored at least 12.6 PPR points against Baltimore. Watson is a borderline No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues if Love is active.
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Thomas was shut down in Week 16 at Denver with two catches for 18 yards on three targets. Prior to that, he was playing better with seven catches for 153 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets in two games against the Colts and Jets. I expect him to get back on track at Indianapolis, and the Colts are No. 3 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. Thomas also has 15 catches for 312 yards and a touchdown on 25 targets in three career games against Indianapolis. All three Jaguars receivers are worth a look in this matchup, and I like Jakobi Meyers as a low-end No. 2 Fantasy receiver, with Parker Washington as a high-end No. 3 option. Thomas is also a high-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver, and this should be one of his better games this year.
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Pat Bryant (concussion) is likely out in Week 17 at Kansas City, which should give Franklin the chance for a prominent role. Bryant missed Week 15 against Green Bay with a hamstring injury, and Bryant stepped up with six catches for 85 yards and a touchdown on six targets. He also had four catches for 84 yards on eight targets in Week 11 against Kansas City, and Franklin should be considered a high-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues.
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Philip Rivers will start again for the Colts in Week 17 against Jacksonville, and that's good news for Downs. In two starts with Rivers against Seattle and San Francisco, Downs has eight catches for 78 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets. I like Alec Pierce the best of the Indianapolis receivers, but it's close who is second between Michael Pittman and Downs. Regardless, I would use Downs as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues against the Jaguars at home.
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Brock Bowers (knee) was placed on injured reserve, and Tucker will hopefully step up in Week 17 to help the Raiders passing attack. He's coming off a strong outing in Week 16 at Houston with four catches for 43 yards on five targets, and he also added two carries for 11 yards. And in three games earlier this season, when Bowers was out in Weeks 5-7, Tucker combined for 14 catches and 165 yards on 17 targets, and he scored at least 11.1 PPR points in two of those games. The Giants are No. 6 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, and Tucker is worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in deeper leagues.
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WRs to Sit
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Harrison returned from a two-game absence with a heel injury in Week 16 against Atlanta and played a season-low 29 snaps. He only had three targets and finished with one catch for 14 yards, although he dropped a potential touchdown. We'll see if he plays more in Week 17 at Cincinnati, but this is a tough matchup since the Bengals are No. 4 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. I'll still use Michael Wilson as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues, but Harrison is only worth starting in three-receiver formats.
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I love that Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard said Wednesday that he wants to get Egbuka the ball early in the game to get him involved, and hopefully that happens in Week 17 at Miami. But in two games since Mike Evans returned from his collarbone injury, Egbuka has combined for five catches for 104 yards on nine targets. He hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 10, and Egbuka has scored 10.4 PPR points or less in six games in a row despite getting at least seven targets in five games over that span. I would only use Egbuka in three-receiver leagues against the Dolphins, who are No. 8 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers.
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Johnston had a standout game in Week 16 at Dallas with four catches for 104 yards and a touchdown on five targets, and he scored 20.4 PPR points. That was a season-high in yards, and Johnston scored for just the second time since Week 9. The matchup against the Cowboys was favorable, but Johnston should struggle in Week 17 against Houston. The Texans are No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, and Johnston is not worth starting in most formats in this matchup. I would still use Ladd McConkey as a low-end No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues, but Keenan Allen is also someone to avoid in Week 17.
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Shakir has scored 9.6 PPR points or less in three of his past four games, and he has one touchdown since Week 8. He also has five targets or less in four games in a row, and Josh Allen isn't leaning on Shakir like he did earlier in the season. We'll see if that changes in Week 17 against the Eagles, but Philadelphia is No. 7 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. I would only use Shakir as a low-end starter in three-receiver leagues.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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It's been a frustrating season for Jefferson and his Fantasy managers, and it will be tough to trust him in most two-receiver leagues in Week 17 against Detroit. Even though the matchup is favorable since the Lions are No. 2 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, we've seen Jefferson struggle in these scenarios already, with 3.1 PPR points against Washington in Week 14 and 4.2 PPR points in Week 15 at Dallas. Max Brosmer is also starting for the Vikings in place of J.J. McCarthy (hand), and Jefferson had two catches for 4 yards on six targets in Brosmer's last start in Week 13 at Seattle. Jefferson should perform better against Detroit, and he had six catches for 47 yards and a touchdown on nine targets against the Lions in Week 9. But I would only use Jefferson in three-receiver leagues in Week 17.
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