It’s championship week. Congratulations if you’re here, or even if you’re playing for third place, the consolation bracket, or just to avoid last place. I appreciate you all, every year… if you don’t play with the stompers. Repeating last week’s format, I’ll take a look at the tight ends with good and bad matchups in the Week 17 fantasy football rankings. Reminder: The 101 link (below) covers all the ways, starting/sitting hard calls and more, so read that first. Good luck with the last week (for many).
#CheckTheLink-age
Disclaimers | Week 17 SOS series
Fantasy Football 101 (weather, lineups, trades, more)
Everything in football (video)
2022 Week 17 Fantasy Football Sleepers
🚨 HEAD 🚨 These are sleeping. They will not 100% copy my rating. This is a heady pursuit and often carries more risks.
Like last week, I’m going to mix it up a bit. At this point, you don’t need a paragraph for each player. So, using APA (link above), I’ll give you good and bad matches for side dishes (aka, sleepers or possibly benchables). This does NOT mean that the good has to start, or that the bad has to sit everywhere. These are just a look at potential upside plays and players you might think twice about with a quality replacement on hand.
SQUARE
Good matches
- Aaron Rodgers, GB — Rodgers has been on the floor this season, but at least the Vikings have given up double-digit fantasy points to every quarterback this year after… well… Rodgers’ 3.7 in Week 1.
- Russell Wilson, DEN — Speaking of the floor, Wilson has averaged eight points in three of the last four games, but the Chiefs let Wilson have his second-highest total of the season in Week 14.
- Jared Goff, DET — Goff not only played well on the road, but had one of his best games of Week 16 and now heads home to face the Bears.
- Brock Purdy, SF — Mack Jones is the only quarterback who hasn’t reached double figures against the Raiders, and Purdy has averaged 14.3 to 21.7 points in each of his four starts.
Bad matches
- Taylor Heinicke / Carson Wentz, WSH — Yes, the Browns had the advantage of facing three of the worst quarterbacks in the last four games, but they also limited Joe Burrow and Josh Allen, plus teams can run at them without the need to pass.
- Deshaun Watson, CLE — Not only is Watson still rusty, but the Commanders have only given up 18.4 points to Justin Fields’ 18.4 quarterback since Week 3, and that was Jalen Hurts, who averaged 21.8.
- Derek Carr, LW – When it comes to limiting quarterbacks, few, if any, do it better than the 49ers, allowing just two quarterbacks to top 17.4 points and hold eight to 10.3 points or fewer. :
- Geno Smith, Sea — Smith’s last two games have been pretty bad with streaks of 238-1-0 and 215-1-1 against the 49ers and Chiefs, respectively, and now Smith must try to bounce back against the Jets. They’ve held eight quarterbacks to 14.1 points or less without throwing more than one touchdown since Week 3.
RUNNING BACK
Good matches
- Zonova Knight, NYJ — Knight gets the favor of the Seahawks, but more importantly, Mike White is back at quarterback, who understands using his running back as a receiver.
- Tyler Allgeier, ATL – Leading the backfield, he has 20.1 and 13.7 over the last two games, and Allgaier faces the Cardinals, who are coming off a 27-108-0 rushing line and a 14-13-107-1 receiving line. For Leonard Fournette. and Rachad White.
- Brian Robinson, WSH – Antonio Gibson hits, but even if he doesn’t, the Browns are a favorable matchup where teams can rely on the run. Alvin Kamara went 20-76-1 on the ground against them last week.
- Zack Moss, IND – This seems dangerous given the state of the Colts’ offense, but Moss was the clear leader in Week 16 and saw similar work at the ring, plus the Giants have struggled against the run all year.
Bad matches
- Jeff Wilson / Rahim Mostert, MIA — Wilson returned to the lead in Week 16, but it was still a split that could lead to disappointing usage, plus we have a matchup against the Patriots defense and Teddy Bridgewater, likely at quarterback.
- Ken Walker, Sea — It’s tough to bench Walker, anywhere, but the Jets defense is strong almost everywhere, allowing under 4.0 YPC and 18.7 points to none other than Nick Chubb. Even with 25 touches (22 rushing), Travis Etienne had just 112 yards at 4.5 yards per carry.
- Gus Edwards, BAL — Edwards has been a reliable floor RB3, but he may struggle against the Steelers. Edwards went 13-for-66 in Week 14, but Josh Jacobs was simply bottled up a week after the Panthers did nothing against them, and few teams have been able to rush even one player in 70 years.
- Najee Harris, PIT — Harris, on the other hand, has volume in his favor, but his Week 14 game against Baltimore was saved by a touchdown (12-for-33 rushing). In fact, the Ravens have allowed just three running backs to rush for 80+ yards, and no RB has topped 100 (Nick Chubb fell short, 21 for 99).
WIDE RECEIVER
Good matches
- Christian Watson, Allen Lazard, Romeo Dubs, MB — If Watson is out, Lazard and Dubs are close to must-starts. And if Watson plays, he’s a lock with Lazard and the Dubs as worthy turnaround picks. All three Giants receivers averaged 9.9+ against Minnesota last week, and back in Week 14, four Detroit receivers averaged 10.4+ against the Vikings.
- Brandyn Cooks, Chris Moore, HAU — Cooks is a solid WR3 as long as he plays, and while the Jaguars stopped the Jets, it was Zach Wilson and terrible weather. The Jaguars have allowed two double-digit touchdowns in five games, and two of those have had three wideouts to mark that mark.
- Russell Gage, Mike Evans, TB — Gage replaced Evans as No. 2, at least in production. If you’re looking for a reason to risk Evans’ upside (I can’t believe I just said that), the Panthers are ready to rally after letting Goff light them up… outside.
- Rashid Shahid, NO — This is only if Chris Olave is out, as only one Saints receiver will be at risk per week. The Saints will need to step up to challenge the Eagles and they have been more sensitive in the second half of the season.
Bad matches
- Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Curtis Samuel, WSH — Back to the Browns game, McLaurin and Dotson could be tough off the bench, but either quarterback is more at risk than usual.
- Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, CLE — The same goes for the Browns duo, as the Commanders have only allowed Justin Jefferson to exceed 13.1 points since Week 7.
- Van Jefferson, LAR – Sure, the Rams torched the Broncos, but it wasn’t due to any wide-ranging performances, and the Chargers have blocked opponents more often now that everyone has gotten healthy.
- Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, NJ – Even with White protected, it’s risky to gamble on Davis or Moore because the Rams, 49ers and Chiefs didn’t have a WR top 31 yards against Seattle in the last three weeks. Additionally, only 13 receivers topped 10 points against the Seahawks, none of which exceeded 18.2, and five teams did not have a scorer in double figures.
TOUGH END
Good matches
- Cole Kmet, NO — Good matchup, no weather worries and Kmet has 24 targets in his last four games.
- Dalton Schultz, DAL — Schultz has been quiet the last two games, but has scored 10+ points in four of six games, and the Titans have given up some of their biggest tackles this year (Evan Engram and Mo Ali-Cox anyone).
- Gerald Everett, LAC — Fewest points allowed in double figures by the Rams since Week 8.
Bad matches
- Logan Thomas, WSH — Just three double-digit scores from tight ends against the Browns (again, teams don’t need them), and one of those was Taysom Hill, who rushed for 9-56-1.
- Tyler Higbee, LAR — Higbee is back to matching up with Baker Mayfield, but it could be tough this week given the Chargers matchup again. Just like the Browns, they’ve only allowed three double-digit points … although one of those was Kelce’s monster game.
- Hayden Hurst, CIN — Assuming he returns, it would be risky to use Hurst out of injury and against the Bills. Only Kelce, that guy should be good, huh, scoring over 8.0 against them.
Week 17 Fantasy Football Predictions
🚨 CHIEF: 🚨 These may differ from my rating and my The classes are the order I would start the players added out of context, such as “Highest position required, even if risky.” Also based on 4-point TDs for a QB, 6-point rests and Half-PPR
Download link added on Thursday
***These NO updated Sunday morning, FYI***
Week 17 Fantasy Football Rankings
🚨 CHIEF: 🚨
- We may have found a solution to the rating widget problem using Fantasy Nation (via Football Diehards). All three units work and are editable by me (unlike before), and the widget will allow scrolling on Android (in the browser) without using two fingers. YAY!
- Updated regularly, so check back before the cover is locked.
- DST ratings are located under the Standard Rating tab
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
.
