Just like that, we already have 16 weeks of NFL football in the books. One of my favorite parts is fantasy football. One of my favorite aspects of fantasy football has become playing on DraftKings. Every week is like a new puzzle to figure out. Whether you are more of a cash game player or a tournament player, each presents a unique challenge. Let’s take a look at my favorite Week 17 DraftKings plays.
READ MORE: Week 17 Stream Team
Week 17 DraftKings Plays
Week 16 Recap
It’s always good to be completely transparent and demonstrate accountability. That’s what I like to do with everything I do, and that also goes for fantasy football. Whether it’s bold takes or DraftKings recommendations, I always like to keep track of wins and losses. It’s not only good for the readers to know, but it also helps me learn from mistakes moving forward.
🚨RECAP THREAD🚨
For full transparency each week I'll recap my #DraftKings plays to see if they hit the 2.5x we generally shoot for each week in cash builds!#FantasyFootball#NFL#NFLTwitter #DFS@BlazedRTs@MyFantasyLeague
https://t.co/k60JtaMzh7— ✴️Rob Norton✴️ (@norton0723) December 25, 2022
Looking back at Week 16, it was a solid week for recommendations. This week 48% of my recommendations hit the 2.5x value we look for in cash game lineups. This time the quarterback and tight end groups led the way at an 80% success rate. Meanwhile, the running back group brought up the rear at a 28.6% success rate. Personally, it was another profitable week. We’ll look to get it going even better with the picks and get more profits in the Week 17 DraftKings plays.
- Week 16 – $237 → $597 ($360 PROFIT)
- Year Total – $3,414 → $4,230 ($816 PROFIT)
Quarterbacks
Daniel Jones (NYG) – $5,700 v IND
Daniel Jones finds himself a featured cash-game play once again this week after coming through with 24.8 DraftKings points last week. Surprisingly enough, his salary only increased by $100 which allows him to be a great play once again this week. The matchup this week against the Indianapolis Colts won’t be quite as good as last week’s setup, but it’s not one to avoid either. The Colts have been middle-of-the-road against quarterbacks this season. Jones himself, however, has simply played very well in 2022 and his salary has not caught up. He’s only thrown five interceptions all year and is averaging 18.0 DraftKings points per game this year. Jones has only scored single-digit DraftKings points twice all season. He’s been able to do that due to his 109 carries for 617 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Those are all top-five marks among all quarterbacks this year. Jones should have no problem returning value once again.
Jared Goff (DET) – $5,600 v CHI
Jared Goff looks like he might be one of the very best Week 17 DraftKings plays at the quarterback position, especially from a point-per-dollar standpoint. Goff has enjoyed a nice bounce-back season in 2022. He’s up to 3,959 passing yards and 26 touchdowns with only seven interceptions. Goff is averaging 18.6 DraftKings points per game this year. Most of his best games have all come at home, the place he’ll be in this one. It makes sense considering the Detroit Lions play in a dome which gives a nice boost to passing offenses. This week he’ll also get a juicy matchup against the Chicago Bears. The Bears have allowed the eighth-most DraftKings points to quarterbacks this year. They’ve also seemed to progressively get worst throughout the season after trading away key pieces on the defense. On top of that, this game has the highest combined total on the slate at 52.5 points. The Lions have the highest implied team total on the slate at 29.25 points. All the stars are aligning for Goff to have a great game in this one.
Jared Goff ranks over the last 5 weeks
Rank
Interceptions 0 1st
Pass TD 11 t-4th
Pass Yards 1,517 3rd
Pass Rating 107.3 3rd pic.twitter.com/rvE6GNhSqw— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 28, 2022
Others to Consider: Brock Purdy (SF) – $5,500 @ LV, Mike White (NYJ) – $5,400 @ SEA, Gardner Minshew (PHI) – $5,500 v NO
Running Backs
Christian McCaffrey (SF) – $9,000 @ LV
It’s a circle of life and that circle has led right back to the best running back in fantasy football: Christian McCaffrey. While it hasn’t been the otherworldly level of production fantasy managers had gotten used to, he is still averaging 21.3 DraftKings points per game this season. Only a few running backs are averaging more this year. McCaffrey has only scored single-digit DraftKings points just twice this year and only once since being traded to the San Francisco 49ers. He’s been even better since Deebo Samuel went down with an injury as he’s scored at least 28 DraftKings points in three of the last four games. If Samuel were to miss again, it would only boost his outlook this week. Even if Samuel plays, this is a juicy situation. The Las Vegas Raiders have allowed the sixth-most DraftKings points to running backs this year and have been one of the worst defenses in terms of allowing receptions to running backs. The 49ers also have one of the highest implied team totals at 25.5 points and this game will be played in a dome as well. McCaffrey should be one of the safest Week 17 DraftKings plays.
Travis Etienne Jr. (JAX) – $6,400 @ HOU
After starting out slow, Travis Etienne Jr. has had a really great year in what is essentially his rookie season after he missed the entire 2021 season with a Linsfranc injury. After the Jacksonville Jaguars traded away James Robinson he went on a tear that saw him score double-digit DraftKings points in six straight games before getting a little banged up. That derailed him for a few weeks but he’s been producing lately with 30.9 DraftKings points over the last two weeks combined. On the season he’s up to 1,000 rushing yards and 267 receiving yards with four touchdowns. Etienne Jr. is averaging 12.8 DraftKings points per game this season which includes those rough stretches. This week he should be able to keep the good production going against the Houston Texans. The Texans have allowed the most DraftKings points to running backs this season and just get gashed on the ground every single week. The Jaguars also have a nice 23.75-point implied team total and are four-point favorites despite being on the road. Everything sets up for Etienne Jr. to smash this week as long as he receives a full workload.
Travis Etienne hits the 1K mark in his first season of NFL action!#DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/a1zk7LRD7z
— Rotoworld Football (@rotoworld_fb) December 23, 2022
Others to Consider: James Conner (ARI) – $7,200 @ ATL, Rhamondre Stevenson (NE) – $6,800 v MIA, Miles Sanders (PHI) – $5,900 v NO, Brian Robinson Jr. (WAS) – $5,200 v CLE, Zonovan Knight (NYJ) – $5,100 @ SEA
Wide Receivers
Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET) – $7,800 v CHI
Plug Amon-Ra St. Brown into a cash-game lineup and profit has seemed to go hand-in-hand during the 2022 season. The year of the “Sun God” has been awesome. On the season he’s now up to 96 receptions, 1,050 receiving yards, and six scores. He’s also chipped in 95 rushing yards as well. St. Brown is now averaging 18.5 DraftKings points per game this season and has scored double-digits in seven straight games. He has the sixth-most targets and fourth-most receptions among all wide receivers despite missing some time this year. St. Brown is second among all wide receivers in target rate at 33.2%. Those are truly absurd numbers and he’s entered into the truly elite wide receiver discussion, especially in full PPR formats like DraftKings. This week he should be able to have another great week. The Bears are not a good defense and the Lions have been great offensively, especially at home. This game has the highest combined total on the slate at 52.5 points and the Lions have the highest implied team total at 29.25 points. Throw in the fact that this game is in a dome and St. Brown should have not only one of the highest floors but also the highest ceilings among all wide receivers. That makes him one of the best Week 17 DraftKings plays.
Garrett Wilson (NYJ) – $5,500 @ SEA
Mike White is back at quarterback for the New York Jets and that’s incredible news for Garrett Wilson. That means he doesn’t have to deal with Zach Wilson holding him back. The splits with and without Zach Wilson this year for Garrett Wilson are drastic. It’s been great with White at the helm. In those three starts, Wilson has averaged ten targets and 112 yards per game. Those are truly elite numbers. On the season as a whole, he is up to 71 receptions, 996 receiving yards, and four touchdowns. Both of those are Jets’ rookie records. This week he gets a great matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks have been more vulnerable against the run but are not a good defense against the pass either. The Jets also have a nice implied team total of 22 points and the combined total sits at 42.5 points. With a close spread and a nice total, it could turn into a sneaky shootout. Ultimately, with White under center, Wilson has simply been too good and seen too much target volume for his current price tag.
Garrett Wilson: 90.1 REC Grade vs man coverage this season
5th highest among all WRs✈️ pic.twitter.com/A6dMqTt9vK
— PFF College (@PFF_College) December 22, 2022
Others to Consider: Jakobi Meyers (NE) – $5,000 v MIA, Justin Jefferson (MIN) – $9,500 @ GB, Rashid Shaheed (NO) – $4,000 @ PHI, Brandin Cooks (HOU) – $4,800 v JAX, Drake London (ATL) – $4,900 v ARI, Elijah Moore (NYJ) – $3,500 @ SEA
Tight Ends
Evan Engram (JAX) – $4,400 @ HOU
The Evan Engram haters are absolutely sick to their stomachs with each passing week at the amount of DraftKings points that Engram continues to score. Over the past four weeks, he’s been playing like a man possessed. During that span, he’s averaging 10 targets, eight receptions, 92 receiving yards, and about a touchdown per contest. That puts him at 22.9 DraftKings points per game in that same span. This is truly elite usage and production from anyone, let alone a tight end. No tight end has scored more during that stretch. Engram has also scored at least 14 DraftKings points in all four games as well. He should have no problem keeping the good times going against the Texans. As previously mentioned, the Texans are not a good defense and the Jaguars have a nice implied team total of 23.75 points. It’s also being played in a dome. The Texans are easier to beat on the ground but Engram’s usage and production are simply too good to pass up considering his salary hasn’t caught up yet. Engram is one of the best Week 17 DraftKings plays.
Tight ends with multiple 100+ yard games this season:
Evan Engram
Travis Kelce
Mark Andrews pic.twitter.com/PKlS5uhRjy— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 23, 2022
Tyler Conklin (NYJ) – $2,900 @ SEA
Tyler Conklin started out the year hot with three straight double-digit performances before falling off a bit. Since that point, he’s only scored double-digit DraftKings points once. Conklin hasn’t done so in the past eight weeks. That being said, the usage with Mike White at quarterback was very encouraging. Conklin saw 15 targets in the last two games with White at the helm. If he gets that sort of volume he’s going to return great value at his cheap price tag, especially against the Seahawks. The Seahawks have allowed more DraftKings points to tight ends than any other team in the NFL in 2022. They simply can’t stop opposing tight ends. That’s great news for Conklin who also gets White back this week as well. It’s very likely that had that been established before the pricing was set, he wouldn’t be this cheap. As it stands, that’s something to take advantage of. As previously mentioned, this game could be a sneaky shootout with a close spread and both having competent offenses. The Jets have a nice 22-point implied team total. Conklin definitely should be one of the best Week 17 DraftKings plays, especially from a point-per-dollar standpoint.
Others to Consider: T.J. Hockenson (MIN) – $5,400 @ GB, Cole Kmet (CHI) – $4,500 @ DET, Jelani Woods (IND) – $2,800 @ NYG
Defense/Special Teams
In terms of choosing a defense/special teams, it’s the last spot I fill in every week. It’s pretty random but there are a few areas to gain an advantage. I aim to target the heavily favored teams, who usually play with a lead. This forces their opponent to throw it more often, which can help lead to extra sacks, turnovers, and hopefully a touchdown. Another aspect to target is turnover and sack-prone quarterbacks. My advice is to fill out the rest of your lineup first and then pick your favorite D/ST out of the remaining money.
My Tentative Cash Game Lineup
- QB – Jared Goff
- RB – James Conner
- RB – Travis Etienne Jr.
- WR – Amon-Ra St. Brown
- WR – Garrett Wilson
- WR – Jakobi Meyers
- TE – Evan Engram
- Flex – Brian Robinson Jr.
- DST – San Francisco 49ers
Thank you for reading all season. Best of luck to everyone and let’s all enjoy some football and win some money!