Fantasy Football Week 17 Waiver Wire: Who can close out the season strong?
Here's who can help out in Week 17.
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5 min read
For those of you who hold your Fantasy championship in Week 17, the NFL's new playoff structure might have worked in your favor. The only teams that might rest key players this week are the Chiefs and Steelers, which could be great for your lineups.
The Chiefs (14-1) have locked up the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye in the AFC. That means we might not see Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce or Tyreek Hill play much, if at all, against the Chargers, so plan to sit those guys in your Fantasy leagues.
And the Steelers (12-3), even though they could still get the No. 2 seed in AFC with a win and a Buffalo loss, are planning to start Mason Rudolph over Ben Roethlisberger. We don't know what that means for Diontae Johnson, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Eric Ebron or James Conner against Cleveland, but you probably don't want to trust those guys in Week 17.
Staying in the AFC, the Bills (12-3) are still competing for the No. 2 seed, which should be good for all their main Fantasy options. Even with Pittsburgh potentially resting players, Buffalo is expected to play their top guys, which is great for Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs.
The rest of the playoff picture in the AFC is wide open for several teams, with the Titans (10-5) and Colts (10-5) still fighting for the AFC South title, as well as a wild-card berth. And the Dolphins (10-5), Ravens (10-5) and Browns (10-5) are also competing for wild-card spots. If all of those teams win, the Colts would be eliminated, and Miami would be the No. 5 seed, Baltimore would be No. 6 and Cleveland would be No. 7.
If any of those teams lose, tiebreakers come into play, which we won't get into here. All you need to know is all of those teams will have their main Fantasy options on the field for Week 17.
In the NFC, the Packers (12-3) lock up the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye with a win at Chicago. A loss for Green Bay and a victory for the Seahawks (11-4) at San Francisco would give Seattle the No. 1 seed because of the common-opponents tiebreaker -- the Seahawks went 4-0 against the Eagles, 49ers, Vikings and Falcons, but Green Bay lost to Minnesota in Week 8 -- so expect both of those teams to play their main Fantasy options in Week 17.
The Saints (11-4) need to win to secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC over the Seahawks, and New Orleans has the edge over Seattle based on the conference-record tiebreaker (9-2 vs. 8-3). We expect the Saints to play their top Fantasy guys at Carolina this week
The NFC East and the No. 4 seed is still up for grabs, which means expect Washington (6-9), Dallas (6-9) and the Giants (5-10) to all be competitive. Washington wins the division with a victory at Philadelphia, otherwise the winner of the Cowboys-Giants game this week would be in. Washington holds the tiebreaker over Dallas because it swept the Cowboys this year.
The Buccaneers (10-5) have secured a wild-card berth, but they probably want to lock up the No. 5 seed and play the NFC East winner, which would be the No. 4 seed. A Tampa Bay loss and a Rams (9-6) win would drop the Buccaneers to the No. 6 seed since Los Angeles won the head-to-head meeting with those teams 27-24 in Week 11. That bodes well for Tom Brady and Co. playing in Week 17 against Atlanta.
The Rams get the No. 6 seed with a victory against the Cardinals (8-7), but Los Angeles can also earn a wild-card spot if the Bears (8-7) lose to the Packers. Chicago gets the No. 7 seed with a win against Green Bay or if Arizona loses. And the Cardinals would get in over the Rams if both teams are 9-7 because of having a superior division record.
It should be a wild Week 17. And for those of you still competing for a Fantasy title, most of your main players should be available, which is exciting. If not, we have you covered with some waiver wire options below.
Week 17 Waivers
WAIVER WIRE
Quarterbacks
- Injuries of note: Deshaun Watson (arm), Kyler Murray (leg), Jared Goff (thumb), Matthew Stafford (ankle) and Alex Smith (calf)
- Priority list: Philip Rivers (70% rostered), Andy Dalton (28%), Mitchell Trubisky (39%), Drew Lock (24%), Alex Smith (16%) and Sam Darnold (11%)
- If you're desperate: Chad Henne, David Blough, John Wolford, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jarrett Stidham. Henne could start or play most of the game for the Chiefs if Mahomes doesn't play or gets pulled early against the Chargers. Blough could be the Lions quarterback over Chase Daniel if Stafford is out. We expect Tua Tagovailoa to start for the Dolphins, but will he finish the game against the Bills? That puts Ryan Fitzpatrick in play. And the Patriots could opt to start Stidham over the ineffective Cam Newton against the Jets.
Quarterback
Week 17 Priority List
Rivers might be available in some leagues, and he's scored at least 21 Fantasy points in five of his past six starts. The Jaguars allow an average of 26.6 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, and nine quarterbacks in a row have scored at least 20 Fantasy points against Jacksonville.
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Dalton has scored at least 21 Fantasy points in four of his past six games, and hopefully he can stay hot against the Giants in a must-win game for both teams. The Giants have allowed Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson to each score at least 24 Fantasy points in the past two weeks.
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The Packers have held four quarterbacks in a row to 17 Fantasy points or less, but Trubisky scored 24 points at Green Bay in Week 12 in garbage time. Maybe the same thing happens this week in a must-win game for the Bears.
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The Raiders have allowed four quarterback groups in a row to score at least 21 Fantasy points, which bodes well for Lock this week in deeper leagues. He only scored eight Fantasy points at Las Vegas in Week 8, but hopefully he can take advantage of this matchup in the rematch at home. Lock only has one game with more than 14 Fantasy points since Week 9.
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Darnold has scored at least 21 Fantasy points in two of his past four starts, and the Bills just gave up 39 Fantasy points to Josh Allen in Week 16 in the first game without Stephon Gilmore (quad). Darnold might be useful in deeper leagues.
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Smith is expected to return from a two-game absence due to a calf injury, and he has a great matchup against the Eagles. Philadelphia has allowed four quarterbacks in a row to score at least 22 Fantasy points, and Smith could be an option in deeper leagues, especially if Terry McLaurin (ankle) is healthy.
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WAIVER WIRE
Running Backs
- Injuries of note: Christian McCaffrey (thigh), James Robinson (ankle), Cam Akers (ankle), Darrell Henderson (ankle), Clyde Edwards-Helaire (hip), Ronald Jones (finger/illness), Raheem Mostert (ankle), Chase Edmonds (hip), Joe Mixon (foot), Damien Harris (ankle), Jamaal Williams (thigh), Duke Johnson (neck), Phillip Lindsay (hip), Frank Gore (chest) and Alexander Mattison (concussion)
- Priority list: Jeff Wilson (66% rostered), Malcolm Brown (42%), Lamical Perine (16%), A.J. Dillon (11%), Darrel Williams (6%) and Dare Ogunbowale (4%)
- If you're desperate: Kyle Juszczyk, Ke'Shawn Vaughn, Royce Freeman, D.J. Foster J.J. Taylor. Juszczyk could be a factor in the passing game for the 49ers. The Buccaneers might give Vaughn some run in garbage time, even with Ronald Jones expected back. Freeman could get additional playing time with Lindsay out. Foster could step up with Edmonds banged up. And Taylor could get additional touches in tandem with Sony Michel if Harris remains out.
Running back
Week 17 Priority List
Wilson is the prize where available after his performance against the Cardinals in Week 16 with 27 PPR points. He doesn't have an easy matchup in Week 17 against Seattle, but Wilson is still worth starting in all leagues.
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Brown could be the No. 1 running back for the Rams with Henderson and Akers out, although there is a chance Akers could return this week. But if Brown is the lead running back for the Rams then he should be considered a No. 2 Fantasy option in all leagues. When these teams met in Week 13, Brown, Akers and Henderson combined for 27 carries, 116 yards and two touchdowns, along with four catches for 77 yards.
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Perine could be the lead running back for the Jets in Week 17 against the Patriots with Gore out. Perine just returned from a four-game absence with an ankle injury and had nine carries for 30 yards, along with one catch for 14 yards on two targets against the Browns. He should be considered a flex against the Patriots, who have allowed a running back to score or gain over 100 total yards in three games in a row.
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Dillon would be worth a flex option if Jamaal Williams remains out since the Packers could opt to give Dillon additional work against the Bears to make sure Jones is healthy for the playoffs. Dillon just had 21 carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns, along with one catch for 5 yards on one target.
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Darrel Williams might not play much for the Chiefs with the No. 1 seed in the AFC locked up. Or he could be Kansas City's best player. It's a gamble, but Williams might be worth starting if he plays in Week 17 against the Chargers. In the first game without Edwards-Helaire in Week 16 against Atlanta, Williams led Kansas City with 10 carries for 46 yards, along with four catches for 27 yards on six targets. If he starts, Williams could be a flex against the Chargers.
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Ogunbowale led the Jacksonville backfield in Week 16 against Chicago with James Robinson out. Ogunbowale had 14 carries for 71 yards, along with three catches for seven yards on five targets. If Robinson is out again in Week 17 against the Colts then consider Ogunbowale a flex option in deeper leagues.
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WAIVER WIRE
Wide Receivers
- Injuries of note: DeAndre Hopkins (chest), Keenan Allen (hamstring), Terry McLaurin (ankle), Brandon Aiyuk (ankle), Julio Jones (hamstring), Michael Thomas (ankle), DeVante Parker (leg), Tyler Boyd (concussion), Kenny Golladay (hip), Deebo Samuel (hamstring), John Brown (illness), Sammy Watkins (calf), Jarvis Landry (illness), Rashard Higgins (illness), Donovan Peoples-Jones (illness) and Michael Pittman (concussion)
- Priority list: Sterling Shepard (55% rostered), Michael Gallup (41%), Russell Gage (49%), Cam Sims (1%), Jakobi Meyers (50%) and Jerry Jeudy (67%)
- Check to see if available: Richie James, DeSean Jackson, Zach Pascal, Gabriel Davis, Jalen Reagor and Mecole Hardman. James could be the best receiver for the 49ers with Aiyuk and Samuel out, but you can also look at Kendrick Bourne as well. Jackson scored in his return last week, and he also has a revenge game against Washington. Pascal is in a great spot against Jacksonville with Pittman banged up. Davis could be the No. 2 receiver for the Bills with John Brown and Beasley hurt. Reagor has 15 targets in his past two games with Jalen Hurts. And Hardman and Demarcus Robinson could be the top receivers for the Chiefs with everyone resting.
Wide receiver
Week 16 Priority List
There have been seven games this season where Shepard and Daniel Jones have started and finished, and Shepard has at least six catches in each outing, while averaging 14.0 PPR points over that span. The Cowboys have allowed six touchdowns to receivers in their past four games, and Shepard is a low-end starter in PPR this week.
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Gallup has at least six targets in four of his past five games, and he's scored at least 11 PPR points in three of his past four outings. He had 11 PPR points in Week 5 against the Giants and is worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week in all leagues. I still like Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb better than Gallup, but he's closing the season on a high note.
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Gage had five catches for 68 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets in Week 15 against Tampa Bay, and he's scored at least 15 PPR points in three of his past four games. He has at least seven targets in three of his past four games as well.
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Sims could be the No. 1 receiver for Washington again in Week 17 against the Eagles if McLaurin is out, and it's a great matchup for Sims, who has 17 targets in his past two games. Philadelphia has allowed 76 catches, 1,171 yards and nine touchdowns to receivers on 102 targets in the past five weeks.
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I'm hoping the Patriots start Stidham over Newton this week to help Meyers, who could be a No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week against the Jets. He had 12 catches for 169 yards on 14 targets against the Jets in Week 9, and the Jets have allowed five touchdowns to receivers in their past four games.
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It's pretty clear the Broncos want to get Jeudy going after he had 15 targets in Week 16 against the Chargers. Now, he only had six catches for 61 yards in that game, but hopefully the volume is there again in this matchup with the Raiders. He had eight targets against the Raiders in Week 10 and finished with four catches for 68 yards, so hopefully he performs better in the rematch. Consider Jeudy a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in deeper leagues.
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WAIVER WIRE
Tight End
- Injuries of note: Hunter Henry (illness), Evan Engram (ankle), Dallas Goedert (calf) and Kyle Rudolph (foot)
- Priority list: Irv Smith (18% rostered), Zach Ertz (65%) and Austin Hooper (57%)
Tight End
Week 17 Priority List
Smith is tied to Rudolph, and if he's out again then Smith can be great at the Lions. He's scored at least 16 PPR points in two of his past three games, and Detroit has allowed a tight end to score in three of the past four games.
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Ertz has seven targets in each of his past two games, and now Goedert could be out. Washington has only allowed one tight end to score in its past five games, but Goedert and Ertz combined for 11 catches, 119 yards and two touchdowns on 16 targets against Washington in Week 1. And Ertz has scored at least 10 PPR points in four of his past five games against Washington.
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Hooper doesn't have an easy matchup in Week 17 against the Steelers, but he has scored at least 14 PPR points in back-to-back games. I doubt he gets 15 targets like he did against the Jets in Week 16 with all the receivers expected back, but Hooper should still be a big part of the offense (he had six targets in Week 15 at the Giants). He's a low-end starter against the Steelers, who are No. 1 against opposing tight ends.
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WAIVER WIRE
DST
- Packers (67%) at CHI
- Cardinals (68%) at LAR
- Buccaneers (68% vs. ATL
- Cowboys (41%) at NYG
- Vikings (48%) at DET
WAIVER WIRE
KICKERS
- Brandon McManus (23%) vs. LV
- Ka'imi Fairbairn (64%) vs. TEN
- Joey Slye (32%) vs. NO
