Fantasy Football Start/Sit: Week 17

For the majority of fantasy football leagues, Week 17 is Championship Week. If you're still diving into fantasy football analysis this late in the year, let me formally congratulate you for making it this far (or for being a sicko; either way you're welcome here).

But the job isn't finished. We aren't out here playing for second place.

Hopefully your starting lineup is fairly set-in-stone at this point, but the NFL is a cruel game. Between injuries, role changes, and tough matchups, there's likely at least one starting spot you're still debating.

As always, this piece lists out every fantasy-relevant player, sorted by position and bucketed into tiers with the higher-tiered players deemed more startworthy. For specific start/sit advice between two players in the same tier, refer to our NFL projections, which come via numberFire.

These tiers are meant to reflect your typical 12-team, half-PPR scoring formats with only one starting quarterback -- though the general rankings can be loosely applied to most formats. Here's a quick breakdown of the tiers:

• Tier 1: Lineup Locks
  • Players you aren't thinking twice about.
• Tier 2: Solid Starts
  • Players you start with confidence.
• Tier 3: Flex Plays
  • Players you start but with less confidence.
• Tier 4: Streamers
  • Players that work in a pinch.
• Tier 5: Sit if Possible
  • Players you're only starting as a last resort.

Any player not listed can be assumed sit-worthy in most leagues.

All betting references refer to the NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. All statistics via NFL Next Gen Stats and Pro Football Focus unless otherwise stated.

Fantasy Football Start or Sit: Week 17

Quarterback

Tier 1: Lineup Locks

Josh Allen (BUF) vs. NYJ
Lamar Jackson (BAL) @ HOU
Joe Burrow (CIN) vs. DEN
Jayden Daniels (WSH) vs. ATL

Tier 2: Solid Starts

Jared Goff (DET) @ SF
Baker Mayfield (TB) vs. CAR
Kyler Murray (ARI) @ LAR
Sam Darnold (MIN) vs. GB
Brock Purdy (SF) vs. DET

Tier 3: Flex Plays

Anthony Richardson (IND) @ NYG
Bo Nix (DEN) @ CIN
Justin Herbert (LAC) @ NE
Tua Tagovailoa (MIA) @ CLE
Jordan Love (GB) @ MIN
Caleb Williams (CHI) vs. SEA

Patrick Mahomes (KC) @ PIT
Patrick Mahomes has been a much more consistent fantasy producer over the second half of the year, and he's fresh off his third-best fantasy performance (23.7 points) of the season. Even so, it's hard to get very excited about his ceiling in an outdoor game against Pittsburgh -- a secondary that's top 10 in EPA per dropback and passing fantasy points per dropback allowed. There's a solid floor here, but if you're looking for upside, there are better matchups to chase in Week 17.

Tier 4: Streamers

Drake Maye (NE) vs. LAC
Geno Smith (SEA) @ CHI
Matthew Stafford (LAR) vs. ARI
C.J. Stroud (HOU) vs. BAL

Bryce Young (CAR) @ TB
Bryce Young is coming off his best fantasy outing of the season (27.1 points) and is quietly the overall QB10 since Carolina's Week 11 bye. He's flashed some real upside on the ground with three rushing touchdowns in the last four games and now draws a Bucs defense that's permitted the second-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks -- one he just torched for 23.6 fantasy points in Week 13. It doesn't feel great putting your season in the hands of a Panthers quarterback, but Young is set up well on paper.

Tier 5: Sit if Possible

Aaron Rodgers (NYJ) @ BUF
Russell Wilson (PIT) vs. KC

Running Back

Tier 1: Lineup Locks

Jahmyr Gibbs (DET) @ SF
Bijan Robinson (ATL) @ WSH
Chase Brown (CIN) vs. DEN
De'Von Achane (MIA) @ CLE
Saquon Barkley (PHI) vs. DAL
Kyren Williams (LAR) vs. ARI
Chuba Hubbard (CAR) @ TB
Jonathan Taylor (IND) @ NYG
Bucky Irving (TB) vs. CAR
James Cook (BUF) vs. NYJ

Tier 2: Solid Starts

Josh Jacobs (GB) @ MIN
Joe Mixon (HOU) vs. BAL
Derrick Henry (BAL) @ HOU
Tony Pollard (TEN) @ JAC
Breece Hall (NYJ) @ BUF
Aaron Jones (MIN) vs. GB
Zach Charbonnet (SEA) @ CHI

Tier 3: Flex Plays

Rico Dowdle (DAL) @ PHI
Isaac Guerendo (SF) vs. DET
D'Andre Swift (CHI) vs. SEA
Tyrone Tracy Jr. (NYG) vs. IND
Brian Robinson (WSH) vs. ATL
Rachaad White (TB) vs. CAR
Gus Edwards (LAC) @ NE
Kendre Miller (NO) vs. LV
Tank Bigsby (JAC) vs. TEN
Tyjae Spears (TEN) @ JAC
Jaylen Warren (PIT) vs. KC

Jerome Ford (CLE) vs. MIA
Jerome Ford thrived as Cleveland's top back last week, turning 21 adjusted opportunities into 131 scrimmage yards and 21.6 fantasy points. He did so despite the Browns' offense taking a step back with Dorian Thompson-Robinson under center -- though there's a chance we get Jameis Winston again with DTR banged up. If Winston is under center, Ford is a near must-start. But even with DTR, Ford proved more than capable of handling (and producing in) a real RB2 workload.

Tier 4: Streamers

Rhamondre Stevenson (NE) vs. LAC
Travis Etienne (JAC) vs. TEN
Alexander Mattison (LV) @ NO

Javonte Williams (DEN) @ CIN
Well, we can't blame Denver for Javonte Williams' lack of fantasy production. The Broncos fed Williams 26 adjusted opportunities last week; he rewarded them with a mere 53 yards and 8.8 fantasy points. And while he easily led Broncos running backs in route participation (50%) and targets (11), rookie Audric Estime doubled his red zone snaps and saw both of Denver's red zone rush attempts. Even in a strong matchup against the Bengals, I just don't see a path to upside for Williams.

Tier 5: Sit if Possible

Isiah Pacheco (KC) @ PIT
Najee Harris (PIT) vs. KC

Wide Receivers

Tier 1: Lineup Locks

Ja'Marr Chase (CIN) vs. DEN
Puka Nacua (LAR) vs. ARI
Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET) @ SF
Mike Evans (TB) vs. CAR
Davante Adams (NYJ) @ BUF
Justin Jefferson (MIN) vs. GB
Nico Collins (HOU) vs. BAL
A.J. Brown (PHI) vs. DAL
Brian Thomas Jr. (JAC) vs. TEN

Tier 2: Solid Starts

CeeDee Lamb (DAL) @ PHI
Tee Higgins (CIN) vs. DEN
Tyreek Hill (MIA) @ CLE
Malik Nabers (NYG) vs. IND
Jakobi Meyers (LV) @ NO
Zay Flowers (BAL) @ HOU
Garrett Wilson (NYJ) @ BUF
Courtland Sutton (DEN) @ CIN
Jauan Jennings (SF) vs. DET
Terry McLaurin (WSH) vs. ATL
Ladd McConkey (LAC) @ NE
Keenan Allen (CHI) vs. SEA
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (SEA) @ CHI
D.K. Metcalf (SEA) @ CHI

Tier 3: Flex Plays

D.J. Moore (CHI) vs. SEA
Khalil Shakir (BUF) vs. NYJ
Drake London (ATL) @ WSH
Jordan Addison (MIN) vs. GB
Adam Thielen (CAR) @ TB
Calvin Ridley (TEN) @ JAC
DeVonta Smith (PHI) vs. DAL
Marvin Harrison Jr. (ARI) @ LAR
Jameson Williams (DET) @ SF
Jalen McMillan (TB) vs. CAR
Deebo Samuel (SF) vs. DET
Rashod Bateman (BAL) @ HOU

Tier 4: Streamers

Jerry Jeudy (CLE) vs. MIA
Romeo Doubs (GB) @ MIN
Darnell Mooney (ATL) @ WSH
Christian Watson (GB) @ MIN
Jayden Reed (GB) @ MIN
Josh Downs (IND) @ NYG
Quentin Johnston (LAC) @ NE
Kayshon Boutte (NE) vs. LAC

Rome Odunze (CHI) vs. SEA
Odunze continues to sport intriguing utilization metrics, sporting a 22.1% target share while averaging 4.4 downfield targets (10-plus yards), 1.3 red zone targets, and 1.2 end zone targets per game since Chicago's Week 7 bye. That's only led to two top-24 finishes at the position, but it does offer upside in a home matchup against the Seahawks. Though Seattle has a talented secondary, they've been an average WR matchup and were just torched by Minnesota. Odunze has upside, at the very least.

Tier 5: Sit if Possible

Michael Pittman Jr. (IND) @ NYG
Jalen Coker (CAR) @ TB
DeAndre Hopkins (KC) @ PIT
Keon Coleman (BUF) vs. NYJ
Wan'Dale Robinson (NYG) vs. IND
Xavier Worthy (KC) @ PIT
Amari Cooper (BUF) vs. NYJ

Cooper Kupp (LAR) vs. ARI
I can't imagine many teams rostering Cooper Kupp are still alive after his back-to-back duds. But I cannot imagine starting him in a championship game after the last two weeks. Kupp has caught just three of six targets the last two weeks, serving as a clear secondary option to Puka Nacua. Arizona is a good matchup for wide receivers, and this is a much better on-paper game environment than the last two games were. But he's been so uninvolved that I'd rather swing for upside elsewhere with your season on the line.

Tight Ends

Tier 1: Lineup Locks

Trey McBride (ARI) @ LAR
Brock Bowers (LV) @ NO
George Kittle (SF) @ CHI
Jonnu Smith (MIA) @ CLE

Tier 2: Solid Starts

Sam LaPorta (DET) @ SF
Travis Kelce (KC) @ PIT
T.J. Hockenson (MIN) vs. GB
David Njoku (CLE) vs. MIA
Mark Andrews (BAL) @ HOU
Hunter Henry (NE) vs. LAC

Dalton Schultz (HOU) vs. BAL
Dalton Schultz finds himself as Houston's No. 2 pass catcher heading into Week 17's showdown with the Ravens. Schultz has cleared double-digit fantasy points in two of his last three games and could easily see a season-high in targets with Tank Dell joining Stefon Diggs on the sideline. Baltimore's been a solid fantasy matchup for tight ends, too, allowing the 12th-most fantasy points per target to the position.

Tier 3: Flex Plays

Cade Otton (TB) vs. CAR
Dalton Kincaid (BUF) vs. NYJ
Pat Freiermuth (PIT) vs. KC
Tucker Kraft (GB) @ MIN
Jake Ferguson (DAL) @ PHI

Chigoziem Okonkwo (TEN) @ JAC
I'm legitimately concerned Chig Okonkwo is too low on this list. Chig has taken off with Mason Rudolph under center, commanding a 19.4% target share in five games with Rudolph under center. He's seen 21 targets the last two games alone, putting him in the starting conversation against a lackluster Jags defense which has permitted the sixth-most fantasy points per target to opposing tight ends.

Tier 4: Streamers

Brenton Strange (JAC) vs. TEN
Juwan Johnson (NO) vs. LV
Isaiah Likely (BAL) @ HOU
Stone Smartt (LAC) @ NE
Noah Fant (SEA) vs. DET
Cole Kmet (CHI) vs. SEA

Tier 5: Sit if Possible

Kyle Pitts (ATL) @ WSH
Mike Gesicki (CIN) vs. DEN

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.