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Start 'Em & Sit 'Em
Starts of the Week
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Tom Brady is going to finish his career as the greatest quarterback of all time. And he may add another Super Bowl victory to his impressive resume this season, which would be his seventh ring. But this hasn't exactly been his finest year when it comes to his production, and his Fantasy stats have suffered.
There are many reasons for it, including an inconsistent offensive line and receiving corps, as well as the lack of a quality running game. He's also 42, and Father Time might be catching up to him.
But the nice thing about the all-time greats is that every now and then they can still remind us of why they are special. And this will be one of those times for Brady.
It's no secret why he's in this spot for Week 17. His matchup against the Dolphins is one we've exploited time and again as Fantasy managers. Brady even had one of his best games this season at Miami in Week 2 when he passed for 264 yards and two touchdowns, and he also had a rushing score for 28 Fantasy points.
He should have the chance for similar production this week. Miami allows the most Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks for the season at 25.8 points per game, and five of the past six quarterbacks against the Dolphins have scored at least 20 Fantasy points, including Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield, Carson Wentz, Sam Darnold and Andy Dalton.
As you can see, it's not an elite list of passers who are dominating this defense, and hopefully Brady follows suit in Week 17. He only has one game with more than 18 Fantasy points since Week 8, but he should beat up on Miami, which he typically does. He's scored at least 24 Fantasy points in four of his past five meetings with the Dolphins, and he's averaging 23.1 points over his past 10 outings against Miami.
The Patriots also need to win this game to lock up the No. 2 seed in the AFC and secure a first-round bye in the playoffs. Brady should be ready to go, even in the final week of the regular season.
It's not often that we write about Brady in this spot because he's been so dominant in his career. That hasn't been the case this season, but he should have a big game in Week 17 against the Dolphins.
I'm starting Brady over: Deshaun Watson (vs. TEN), Aaron Rodgers (at DET), Russell Wilson (vs. SF), Josh Allen (vs. NYJ), Kirk Cousins (vs. CHI)
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Quarterbacks
Start 'Em
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Tannehill has been a star for the Titans and Fantasy players, and he should stay hot for one more week as Tennessee tries to claim the final wild-card spot in the AFC. He's scored at least 28 Fantasy points in three games in a row, and he's been at 22 points or more in eight of his past nine outings. One of those 28-point performances was against the Texans in Week 15, and Houston could be resting starters if the Chiefs beat the Chargers earlier Sunday. I like Tannehill as a top-five quarterback in Week 17.
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The Cowboys need to beat Washington and hope the Eagles lose to the Giants to win the NFC East. Prescott should do his part against this defense, which has allowed three of the past four opposing quarterbacks to score at least 26 Fantasy points. Prescott scored 32 Fantasy points at Washington in Week 2, and he's scored at least 21 Fantasy points in all seven home games this season. He's also scored at least 21 Fantasy points in three games in a row against them.
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I'm sticking with Winston this week even after he was a disaster in Week 16 against Houston with 12 Fantasy points, which was marred by four interceptions. It was the first game for him without Mike Evans (hamstring) and Chris Godwin (hamstring), so take that into account, but he should rebound this week against Atlanta. He scored 29 Fantasy points against the Falcons in Week 12, and his track record against Atlanta is impressive. In his past five meetings with the Falcons, Winston has at least 261 passing yards and three touchdowns in each game. He should finish 2019 on a high note.
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Wentz got hot at the right time for the Eagles and Fantasy managers, and he should have another quality outing in Week 17 at the Giants. He's scored at least 20 Fantasy points in four games in a row, and Philadelphia will win the NFC East with a victory against New York. He faced the Giants in Week 14, scoring 23 Fantasy points in an overtime win. He also had 30 Fantasy points at the Giants last year, and New York has allowed eight quarterbacks in a row to score at least 20 Fantasy points. There's a lot to like about Wentz in Week 17.
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Jones has the chance to be a starter in Week 17 with his matchup against the Eagles. He just scored 45 Fantasy points at Washington, and Eli Manning had 20 Fantasy points against the Eagles in Week 14 when Jones was hurt. Philadelphia also allows an average of 19.1 Fantasy points per game, and three of the past four opposing quarterbacks against the Eagles have scored at least 20 points. It also helps Jones that cornerback Ronald Darby (hip) is out for Philadelphia.
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Sleepers
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Mayfield has been among the biggest busts this season, but he should finish the year strong against the Bengals in Week 17. While he only scored 10 Fantasy points against Cincinnati in Week 14, he did beat the Bengals up for 64 Fantasy points in two games in 2018. Cincinnati also allows 23.0 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks for the year, and Ryan Fitzpatrick just had 38 points against the Bengals in Week 16.
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There's no guarantee Griffin plays the whole game for the Ravens with Lamar Jackson resting for the playoffs since Baltimore can also use Trace McSorely. But I would expect Griffin to get most of the playing time, and we'll see if he can thrive in this offense. The Ravens are going to rest a lot of key guys, but maybe Griffin can make some plays with his legs, as well as his arm. He's far from a must-start quarterback in all leagues, but I wouldn't be surprised if he finishes in the top-10 this week, even in a tough matchup with the Steelers.
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Dalton only scored nine Fantasy points against the Browns in Week 14, but I'm counting on his momentum from Week 16 at Miami to carry over to this week. He had 41 Fantasy points against the Dolphins last week, and this is likely his last start as a member of the Bengals since he should be replaced in 2020. Cleveland allows an average of 20.2 Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks for the season, and Dalton will hopefully go out with a big game at home in Week 17.
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Sit 'Em
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Bills coach Sean McDermott said Allen will play in Week 17 against the Jets, but he hinted that Allen likely won't finish the game. Said McDermott, "They're not all going to play the same amount in the game. We're going to be smart with that." McDermott added that backup quarterback Matt Barkley is likely to play, so we don't know if Allen will play one series or most of the game before coming out. I'm not taking that risk, even in a great matchup with the Jets, and I would bench Allen in all leagues.
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It's not a Monday night game, so Cousins should be fine compared to his Week 16 melt down against Green Bay that left him with eight Fantasy points. He's now scored 15 Fantasy points or less in three games in a row. But Cousins might not play a full game against the Bears with the Vikings locked into the No. 5 seed in the NFC. He also scored seven Fantasy points at Chicago in Week 4. There's just no reason to trust Cousins in Week 17, especially if he's not guaranteed to play four quarters.
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Fitzpatrick has been one of the best surprises this season, as he helped plenty of people win a Fantasy championship in Week 16 when he scored 38 points against the Bengals. He's now scored at least 26 Fantasy points in four of his past five games, but I expect his run of success to end in Week 17 at New England. The Patriots have allowed just three quarterbacks to score more than 15 Fantasy points this season, and those were Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson and Allen. Fitzpatrick certainly is unconventional enough to find his way into quality Fantasy production, but I'm skeptical of him doing it in New England when the Patriots have a lot on the line. I'd only use Fitzpatrick in two-quarterback and Superflex leagues this week.
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The Chiefs defense has been on an impressive run over the past five games, and it started in Week 11 when they held Rivers to 14 Fantasy points. He had the best performance against Kansas City over that stretch, as Derek Carr, Brady, Drew Lock and Mitchell Trubisky all scored 12 Fantasy points or less. Arrowhead Stadium has been a house of horrors for Rivers lately as well since he has four touchdowns and eight interceptions in his past five trips there, and I expect him to struggle again at Kansas City in Week 17.
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The expected temperature in Denver on Sunday is 39 degrees, which is bad news for Carr. He's 2-10 in his career when the temperature is under 50 degrees and 0-5 when it's under 40 degrees. He has one game with more than 200 passing yards in those circumstances, with just four touchdown passes. Even though Carr has scored 23 Fantasy points in two of his past three games, I'm not going against the trend of Carr in the cold. He's someone to avoid this week.
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Bust Alert
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The reason Watson is listed here is the chance the Texans don't play him for a full game against the Titans. Houston will know before kickoff at 4:25 p.m. ET if Kansas City, which plays at 1 p.m. ET, has won or lost against the Chargers. A Chiefs win locks the Texans into the No. 4 seed in the AFC, and they might want to be cautious with Watson prior to facing Buffalo in the wild-card round next week. Now, if Kansas City loses, Watson should go off against Tennessee with the No. 3 seed on the line. I'm expecting the Chiefs to beat the Chargers, which means Watson is a risky starter in Week 17.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Running Backs
Start 'Em
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Throw out Week 15 at Kansas City when Lindsay only had seven carries for 32 yards and no catches in the snow. Otherwise, he's had at least 18 total touches in three of his past four games. In two of those, he's scored at least 13 PPR points, and I expect him to do well here against the Raiders, who have allowed seven total touchdowns to running backs in their past five games. Lindsay also said the Raiders, who are still alive for a playoff berth, aren't getting into the postseason with a win against the Broncos. "If they think they're going to come in here and try to clinch the playoffs, they've got something coming because we're here to win the game," Lindsay said.
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Mack, one of our co-Starts of the Week last week with Devonta Freeman (both were awesome), should stay hot for the second week in a row against the Jaguars. He had 14 carries for 109 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville in Week 11 in the game where he broke his hand, and he just had 16 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown, as well as two catches for 6 yards, in Week 16 against Carolina. Since Week 9, a span of seven games, 13 running back have either 100 total yards or a touchdown against Jacksonville, which is amazing.
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The Chiefs were clearly thrilled to get Williams back in Week 16 at Chicago after he was out for the previous three games with a rib injury. He got 16 carries for 65 yards, as well as three catches for 27 yards and a touchdown on three targets, and his 19 total touches were the most for a Kansas City running back since Week 10 when he had 24 total touches against Tennessee. Williams was hurt in the first meeting with the Chargers in Week 11 in Mexico City, but last year he had 29 PPR points against the Chargers in Week 15 at home. And the Chargers come into Week 17 having allowed three touchdowns to running backs in their past two games.
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Drake has been a star in the Fantasy playoffs, and that should continue this week against the Rams. In his past two games against Cleveland and Seattle, he has 46 carries for 303 yards and six touchdowns, as well as four catches for 27 yards and five targets. He struggled against the Rams in Week 13 with seven PPR points, but I expect him to do better in the rematch based on his performance the past two games. In their past two games, Los Angeles has allowed four rushing touchdowns to Ezekiel Elliott (two), Tony Pollard and Raheem Mostert.
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Mostert continues to prove he's the best San Francisco running back, and hopefully his touchdown streak reaches six in Week 17. He's scored in each of the past five games and is averaging 16.0 PPR points over that span. Seattle has been awful against the run of late with seven touchdowns allowed to running backs in the past four games, including Christian McCaffrey and Drake each scoring twice. It's a huge game for the 49ers to try and lock up the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and Mostert should help San Francisco secure the win on the road.
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Sleepers
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I've put Jones in this spot in each of the past two weeks, and he delivered in Week 16 with 19 PPR points against Houston. He had three catches against the Texans and should continue to be involved in the passing game due to all the injuries at receiver for Tampa Bay. Jones also scored 15 PPR points at Atlanta in Week 12.
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This might be Peterson's last game in the NFL since he's 34 and nothing is guaranteed for his future. One thing we do know is he's been playing well coming into Week 17 with at least 12 PPR points in four games in a row. He has eight games this year with at least 13 carries, and he's scored at least 11 PPR points in seven of those outings. Dallas has allowed a running back to score in each of the past two games.
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Edwards and Justice Hill are worth using this week with Mark Ingram (calf) out. Edwards should get the majority of touches for the Ravens, which could be awesome, even against the Steelers. He's averaging 5.2 yards per carry, and Ingram has scored a touchdown in five of the past seven games. Ingram also scored against the Steelers in Week 5. Hill is more of an option in deeper leagues, but he is someone to consider as a flex, especially in PPR.
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Even though Seattle made headlines this week by signing Marshawn Lynch, as well as Robert Turbin, it should be Homer who has the most touches for the Seahawks now that Chris Carson (hip), C.J. Prosise (arm) and Rashaad Penny (ACL) are out. In Week 16 against Arizona when Carson and Prosise got hurt, Homer had five carries for 16 yards, as well as six catches for 26 yards on eight targets. He's worth using as a flex in PPR against the 49ers, who have allowed three touchdowns to running backs in the past two games.
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Michel has been a regular on the sit list for most of the season, but he should do well this week against the Dolphins. And let's give him credit, he does have over 100 total yards in each of his past two games against the Bengals and Bills. But he hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 7, which has been frustrating, and the Patriots continue to use James White and Rex Burkhead to take away touches. I like Burkhead as a sleeper this week, and White should be started in PPR. But Michel should do well also, and he had 21 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown at Miami in Week 2.
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Sit 'Em
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Let's rewind a week and forget everything we said about Boone in Week 16 against the Packers. He was a disaster replacing Dalvin Cook (shoulder) and Alexander Mattison (ankle) with 11 carries for 28 yards, as well as one catch for 5 yards on one target. If Cook and Mattison are out again in Week 17 against Chicago, I'd rather use Ameer Abdullah instead of Boone. Abdullah had four carries for 27 yards and six catches for 31 yards on seven targets against the Packers, so consider him a sleeper this week. Boone cannot be trusted against the Bears, even though the matchup is favorable.
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Even though the Vikings might be resting guys on defense this week to prepare for the wild-card round of the playoffs, it's still risky to use Montgomery in most leagues. Despite getting 14-plus touches in seven games in a row, he only has one game with more than six PPR points over that span. I'm going to draft a lot of Montgomery in 2020 when most people pass on him, because his workload should remain consistent, and I expect the Bears offensive line to improve this offseason. But his rookie year hasn't been great, and I don't expect him to finish with a strong performance on the road at Minnesota. He also had just nine PPR points against the Vikings in Week 4 despite 24 total touches.
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It was great to see Johnson back in Week 16 at Denver after being out for the previous eight games with a knee injury. He had 10 carries for 42 yards and one catch for 1 yard on one target, but he shared touches with Bo Scarbrough, who had eight carries for 34 yards. I expect that split to remain in Week 17 against the Packers, and Green Bay's run defense has looked better in the past two games against Chicago and Minnesota. This game matters to the Packers for seeding in the NFC, and they should be able to contain Johnson on the ground. He's a flex at best in Week 17.
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Laird could be looking at a big workload in Week 17 at New England with Myles Gaskin (ankle) out, but that shouldn't matter much against the Patriots. Laird has struggled the past two games against the Giants and Bengals with a combined eight PPR points, and he only has one touchdown on the season. The Patriots have allowed just two touchdowns to running backs on the season and should be able to dominate the Dolphins at home. At best, Laird is a flex option in PPR.
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Hyde was awesome in Week 15 at Tennessee with 26 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown, and he's scored in consecutive games against Tampa Bay last week. But this really isn't about his performance or the matchup, and it's more about how much he might play. As we said about Deshaun Watson, the Texans might have nothing to play for this week if the Chiefs beat the Chargers and lock up the No. 3 seed in the AFC. That would leave the Texans in the No. 4 spot, and they might decide to rest key guys, including Hyde. Then again, if the Chiefs lose to the Chargers, the Texans will try to win, so Hyde could be fine. It's risky, and I expect the Chiefs to win, meaning Hyde could play limited snaps against the Titans.
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Bust Alert
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The theme of Week 17 is who will play and how much when it comes to teams heading to the playoffs with nothing on the line. The Bills are one of those teams since they are locked into the No. 5 seed in the AFC. We don't know exactly how long Sean McDermott will play his key guys, but it's doubtful Singletary will get a full workload. As such, look at Frank Gore and T.J. Yeldon as potential sleepers against the Jets. I'd be nervous to trust Singletary in Week 17, so look for an alternative given his potential to get limited touches in a meaningless game.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Wide Receivers
Start 'Em
It was nice to see Brown get quality Fantasy production in Week 16 against New Orleans even when his receiving numbers were down. He only managed one catch for 34 yards on two targets, but he still scored on a 49-yard touchdown run. He's now scored at least 14 PPR points in four of his past five games, including a 25-point outing in Week 15 against the Texans when he had eight catches for 114 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets. He's a star in the making and should play big once again in Week 17.
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Perriman and Justin Watson are two of my favorite receivers for Week 17 – just as they were in Week 16. Both delivered against the Texans last week, with Perriman getting seven catches for 102 yards on 12 targets, while Watson had five catches for 43 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. They should stay hot again in Week 17 against Atlanta with the Buccaneers again down Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Scott Miller due to hamstring injuries. Both should get double digits in targets again, and Perriman has scored at least 13 PPR points in four games in a row. Watson has scored at least 15 PPR points in two of his past three games.
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Golladay had five catches for 121 yards on nine targets in Week 6 at Green Bay, and he's either scored or went over 100 receiving yards in three games in a row against the Packers. He's now scored at least 17 PPR points in three of four games with David Blough under center, and it was great to see him get 12 targets in Week 16 at Denver, finishing with six catches for 66 yards and a touchdown. He's having a breakout third-year campaign, and he should finish strong in this matchup at home with Green Bay.
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Keep an eye on Darius Slayton (knee), who could be out this week. That would bode well for Tate and Sterling Shepard against the Eagles, and I like both a lot in this matchup. Ronald Darby (hip) is out for Philadelphia's secondary, and Tate and Shepard should see plenty of targets from Daniel Jones. In Week 16 against Washington, with Slayton banged up, Tate had six catches for 96 yards on 11 targets, and Shepard had six catches for 76 yards and a touchdown on six targets. Slayton dominated the Eagles in Week 14 with five catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns on eight targets, but this week could be Tate and Shepard doing most of the damage if Slayton is out.
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I like Gallup and Amari Cooper a lot this week, and Cooper remains a must-start Fantasy option, especially at home. In seven home games this season, Cooper is averaging 21.6 Fantasy points per game. Gallup is averaging 13.2 Fantasy points per game at home, and he's worth starting this week in all leagues. He had 12 PPR points in Week 2 against Washington, and the Redskins have allowed five touchdowns to receivers in their past four games. Gallup just had five catches for 98 yards on 11 targets in Week 16 at Philadelphia, and we hope to see him get that type of volume again in Week 17.
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Sleepers
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Ward has scored at least 11 PPR points in consecutive games, and he should stay hot against the Giants this week, especially if Nelson Agholor (knee) remains out as expected. In his past two games, Ward has 14 targets for 11 catches, 132 yards and a touchdown. He would also benefit if Zach Ertz (ribs) can't go.
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Sims has scored at least 15 PPR points in consecutive games for Washington, with 21 targets over that span. He had five catches for 45 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets in Week 15 against Philadelphia, and then he had six catches for 64 yards and two touchdowns on 10 targets in Week 16 against the Giants. He would likely see a boost in value if Terry McLaurin (concussion) can't play as well.
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Renfrow has scored at least 11 PPR points in four of the past five games he was able to finish, including Week 16 against the Chargers when he had seven catches for 107 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. The targets, catches and yards were a season high, and hopefully he'll build on that performance this week.
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I'll stick with Miller for one more week, even after his down game in Week 16 against the Chiefs. He only had one catch for 2 yards on two targets against Kansas City for one PPR point, but prior to that he had at least 11 PPR points in five games in a row. He could easily rebound in Week 17 at Minnesota and remains at least a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues.
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I like Tom Brady a lot this week as the Start of the Week, and his receivers should do well against the Dolphins, who allow the most touchdowns to opposing receivers with 27. Julian Edelman is obviously a must-play receiver, but someone from Mohamed Sanu, Harry, Jakobi Meyers or potentially Phillip Dorsett should step up in this matchup. I'll take a flier on Harry, who has scored a touchdown in two of his past five games. Hopefully, he finds the end zone at home in Week 17.
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Sit 'Em
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In two games back from his four-game absence with a hamstring injury, Thielen has combined for three catches for 27 yards on seven targets. He might not play a full game in Week 17 with the Vikings locked into the No. 5 seed in the NFC. But even if we knew the Vikings would play Thielen for all four quarters, you just can't trust him right now given how he's performed in his return. He also had just two catches for 6 yards on six targets in Week 4 at Chicago. Stefon Diggs is also a risky starter with the chance Minnesota rests him in Week 17.
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I hope Williams gets the 37 yards he needs for his first 1,000-yard season, but his 2019 campaign has to be considered a bust. While his yards increased dramatically from his 2018 season (664), and his 47 receptions and counting this year are a new career best, he went from 10 touchdowns last year to just two heading into Week 17. He definitely had some good moments this year, but the lack of scoring has been frustrating. This week, he should struggle against the Chiefs, who held him to two catches for 76 yards on six targets in Week 11. Kansas City also has allowed just one receiver to score since Week 11. At best, Williams is a No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week.
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Like most of the Bills players we've talked about for Week 17, this is a team you likely want to avoid in the majority of Fantasy leagues. Buffalo could end up sitting most of its top players after being locked into the No. 5 seed in the playoffs. That includes Josh Allen, Devin Singletary, Brown and Cole Beasley. Now, if the Bills play their guys a half or even longer, Brown could go off against this Jets secondary. In Week 1, Brown had seven catches for 123 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets, but we just don't know how much he will play in Week 17. It's risky, and it's a situation you might want to avoid.
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Samuel's first game with Will Grier didn't go well in Week 16 at Indianapolis. He only had two catches for 17 yards on five targets, and I would be hesitant to trust Samuel this week against the Saints. D.J. Moore (concussion) might be out this week, which would put more attention on Samuel, and he's proven to be touchdown-or-bust this season since he only has one game this year with more than 70 receiving yards – and none since Week 6. At best, he's a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in deeper leagues.
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I'm hopeful 2020 will be better for Hilton because this year has been tough for him. He lost Andrew Luck to retirement before the season, failed to top 100 yards in any game, missed six games due to injury and is limping to the finish line. In his past two games, Hilton has seven catches for 51 yards and no touchdowns on 13 targets. He hasn't scored since Week 7, and I can't trust him, even with a favorable matchup at Jacksonville. It would be great to see him go off in Week 17, but I would bench him in most leagues given his lack of production of late – and for most of the year.
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Bust Alert
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Parker has been awesome this season, and on Wednesday's Fantasy Football Today show on CBS Sports HQ we awarded him the Comeback Player of the Year for 2019. He comes into Week 17 with at least 11 PPR points in every game he's been able to finish since Week 3, including four over that span with at least 20 PPR points. But I'm concerned about his production this week at New England. He was held without a catch against the Patriots in Week 2 on seven targets, and in his past five meetings with New England he has 11 catches for 108 yards and no touchdowns. Granted, he's a different receiver now compared to any of those previous meetings, including Week 2, but the Patriots secondary is elite. They allow the fewest Fantasy points to opposing receivers, and they've only given up four touchdowns to the position this year. Parker is more of a bust alert than a must-sit option, but I'm not excited about his outlook in Week 17.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Tight End
Start 'Em
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Higbee might not have Jared Goff for all four quarters this week if the Rams decide to rest him with nothing to play for. Still, I would start Higbee even if Blake Bortles is the starting quarterback. He's on a tear coming into Week 17 with more than 100 receiving yards in four games in a row. Even with Gerald Everett back in Week 16 at San Francisco, Higbee still managed nine catches for 104 yards on 11 targets. And now he gets the Cardinals in Week 17, who have allowed the most Fantasy points to opposing tight ends by a wide margin this year. I can see Higbee finishing as the No. 1 Fantasy tight end in all leagues this week.
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Goedert should be considered a No. 1 Fantasy tight end even if Zach Ertz (ribs) plays in Week 17 at the Giants, but he would be a top-five option if Ertz is out. Ertz has missed practice time this week, so we'll have to watch that as the week goes on. Goedert has scored at least 10 PPR points in four of his past six games, including 24 PPR points in Week 16 against Dallas. In Week 14 against the Giants, the Eagles had 19 targets for Ertz and Goedert, and Ertz finished with nine catches for 91 yards and two touchdowns (Goedert had three catches for 31 yards). This week, it could be Goedert as the star if Ertz can't play.
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In his past three starts with Daniel Jones, Smith has scored at least 12 PPR points in every outing, with six targets in each game. He just had his best game in Week 16 against Washington with six catches for 35 yards and two touchdowns on eight targets, and he would benefit if Darius Slayton (knee) can't play. Smith should be considered a No. 1 Fantasy tight end in Week 17 against the Eagles.
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Sleepers
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Smith is on a nice roll coming into Week 17 against the Texans. He's scored at least 11 PPR points in three games in a row, including 16 PPR points in Week 15 against Houston. He had five catches for 60 yards on five targets in that game, plus a 57-yard run. He also could see an uptick in targets if Corey Davis (concussion) is out. I like Smith as a top-10 tight end in Week 17.
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I like Hollister as a No. 1 tight end against the 49ers, and he had 20 PPR points against them in Week 10. He also has at least six targets in three of his past four games. We could see the Seahawks throwing a lot with injuries decimating their entire running back corps, which bodes well for Hollister, Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf this week.
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It's tough to trust Howard given his performance the past two games against Detroit and Houston, but I'll still give him one more chance as a low-end starting option. He has seven targets in each of his past two games and will remain involved in the passing game for Tampa Bay due to the injuries at receiver. Hopefully, this is a game where Jameis Winston and Howard are able to connect for a few big plays.
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Sit 'Em
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Rudolph and Adam Thielen have played eight full games together this season. In those eight games, Rudolph has combined for 22 PPR points, including Week 4 at Chicago when he had one catch for 12 yards on one target. There's no reason to trust Rudolph in Week 17 if Thielen is healthy, and the Vikings might not play their starters since they are locked into the No. 5 seed in the NFC.
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In one start with Will Grier in Week 16 at Indianapolis, Olsen struggled with two catches for 33 yards on five targets. He's only scored a touchdown in one game this season, Week 3 at Arizona, and he has just four games this year with double digits in PPR. This could be the final game of Olsen's career, which means the Panthers would probably love to send him out with a productive game. But the Saints need to win this game for seeding in the NFC, and they should be able to limit Olsen in this matchup.
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Doyle has four games with a touchdown this season, and all four came in games where T.Y. Hilton was hurt. Only once this year has Doyle scored in double digits in PPR when Hilton was on the field, which was Week 8 against Denver. In the 10 games where Hilton and Doyle have played together, Doyle has averaged just 4.6 PPR points per game. I'm sitting Doyle this week against the Jaguars as long as Hilton plays as expected.
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Bust Alert
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Gesicki was great in Week 16 against Cincinnati with six catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns on 12 targets, but he should struggle in Week 17 at New England. He had one catch for 11 yards on two targets in Week 2 against the Patriots, although he's much more involved in the offense now. But keep in mind that prior to Week 16 he combined for nine PPR points in two games against the Jets and Giants, so he's a low-end starter at best against the Patriots this week.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
DST
Start 'Em
Chiefs (vs. LAC)
Sleepers
- Colts (at JAC)
- Cowboys (vs. WAS)
- Falcons (at TB)
Sit 'Em
Seahawks (vs. SF)
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
KICKERS
Start 'Em
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Sleepers
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Sit 'Em
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