One of the most crucial parts of playing fantasy football is playing the match ups. Now some players are considered match up proof. You aren’t going to sit Tom Brady, Le’Veon Bell or Antonio Brown. Below are some week 17 fantasy football starts and sits to help you to win your week 17 match up.
Week 17 Fantasy Football Starts and Sits
Starts
Kirk Cousins
Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins has been inconsistent throughout the season. He is averaging around 18 fantasy points per game this season with six games of 12 or fewer fantasy points. In his last two games he has been a solid quarterback for fantasy owners, scoring 16 or more fantasy points. In week 17 he is going up against the the New York Giants who are giving up the most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season.
Matthew Stafford
Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has been in a slump the last few weeks. Since week 11 he has scored over 17 fantasy points just once (week 15: 17.4 fantasy points). Stafford has a chance to bounce back and finish the year strong in this week against the Green Bay Packers. The Lions are at home where Stafford traditionally plays better. The Packers are giving up the seventh most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. Stafford should produce solid fantasy numbers in the Lions last game of the season.
Kenyan Drake
Miami Dolphins running back Kenyan Drake has been one of the best running backs in fantasy football since week 12. He is averaging around 14 fantasy points per game since week 12. This week he is going up against the Buffalo Bills who have been giving up the most fantasy points to running backs this season. Drake put up 17 fantasy points against the Bills just two weeks ago. He is a solid RB2 this week with RB1 upside.
Bilal Powell
New York Jets running back Bilal Powell has quietly been a solid RB2 over the last few weeks. He has scored now in three out of four games. Powell is coming off his best game of the season with 145 yards and a touchdown for 20 fantasy points. In week 17 he is going up against the New England Patriots who have been a solid match up for running backs throughout the season. Powell should continue to produce solid fantasy numbers in week 17.
Jamison Crowder
Washington Redskins wide receiver Jamison Crowder has been a boom or bust throughout the season, scoring 70 of his 92 fantasy points in six games this season. In the last two weeks he has scored over 10 fantasy points in each game. Crowder has also found the end zone in two straight games. In week 17 he is going up against the New York Giants who he scored 20 fantasy points on earlier this year. Crowder is a high risk high reward WR2 thus week.
T.Y. Hilton
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton has been very match up dependent this season. He is coming off a 100 yard game last week. This week he is going up against the Houston Texans who are giving up the second most fantasy points to wide receivers the season. Hilton torched the Texans for 175 yards and two touchdowns in week nine this season.
Eric Ebron
Detroit Lions tight end Eric Ebron has come to life over the last few weeks, just in time for everyone to call him a breakout again next season. He is scoring seven or more fantasy points in three straight games. In week 17 he is going up against the Green Bay Packers who have been decent against tight ends this season. With Ebron’s production over the last few weeks he is worth the risks in week 17.
Antonio Gates
Los Angeles Chargers tight end Antonio Gates is another age less wonder. He is37 years old and still producing solid fantasy points, including scoring in back to back weeks. Last week he totaled 81 yards and a touchdown for 14 fantasy points. Gates has another solid match up against the Oakland Raiders who are giving up the eighth most fantasy points to tight ends this season.
Sits
Andy Dalton
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton has struggled over the last few weeks, totaling only 19.5 fantasy points through three games. This week is another bad match up against the Baltimore Ravens who have one of the best defenses in the NFL and fantasy this season. They are giving up the second fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. The Ravens also held Dalton to negative three fantasy points earlier this year.
Marcus Mariota
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota has been one of the biggest disappointment in fantasy football this season. He is currently ranked as the 18th quarterback in fantasy, averaging around 13 fantasy points per game. In week 17 he is going up against division rival the Jacksonville Jaguars who are giving up the fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. They held Mariota to 13 fantasy points earlier this season.
Jerick McKinnon
Minnesota Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon has been splitting carries fellow running back Latavius Murray. McKinnon is more of the passing down back, while Murray operates between the tackles. He is averaging around eight fantasy points per game per game this season. In week 17 he has a tough match ups against the Chicago Bears who have been a tough match for running backs this season. They are giving up the sixth fewest fantasy points to running back this season. McKinnon is a risky play in standard leagues and a decent flex in PPR.
Jay Ajayi
Philadelphia Eagles running back Jay Ajayi has been a decent RB2 over the last three weeks, scoring at least eight or more fantasy points in that streak. However in week 17 he us going up against the Dallas Cowboys who are giving up the ninth fewest fantasy points to running back this season. The Eagles have already clinched home field advantage for the playoffs, leaving their starters play time in question. Ajayi is a risky play this week.
Josh Gordon
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon is in a three game skid of less than five fantasy points per game. Gordon is seeing the targets but is not putting up the yards and has only one touchdown. In week 17 he is going up against their arch rival the Pittsburgh Steelers who are giving up the 11th fewest fantasy points per game to wide receiver.
Amari Cooper
Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper is coming off a solid week 16 for 66 yards, a touchdown, and 12.6 fantasy points. It was his first game in three weeks as he has been dealing with injuries. In week 17 he is going up against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers are limiting wide receivers to the sixth fewest fantasy points per game. Cooper is a high risk flex play this week.
Cameron Brate
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cameron Brate has struggled over the last three weeks. Brate has totaled only seven fantasy points is three games. He has only one game of over two fantasy points since week eight. He is going up against the New Orleans Saints who are giving up the fourth fewest fantasy points to tight ends this season. The Saints limited him to one fantasy point in week nine.
Jason Witten
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten has been one of best tight ends in fantasy for around a decade. He is the ninth ranked tight end in fantasy this season, averaging around 5.5 fantasy points per game this season. This week he is going up against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles have been tough on tight ends this season, making Witten a risky play this week.
Main Image:
