Congratulations on making it to championship week! Or, congratulations on just staying engaged throughout the entire season!
Heading into what should be the championship week we have yet another rash of injuries at the running back position as well as some COVID adjustments to make in your lineups. Let’s focus on some last-minute changes you can make to your lineup heading into week 17
As always I will be focusing on players at less than a 50% rostered rate in consensus numbers in ESPN and Yahoo leagues compiled by Fantasy Pros.
Quarterback Streamers
Jimmy Garoppolo or Trey Lance, Consensus Roster Percentage 29.0% & 8.4%, Week 17 Matchup vs Texans
Jimmy G has a torn ligament and a chipped bone in his right hand. I’m no doctor but seeing as he is right-handed I would think that might hinder his ability to play the position. However, if he does play I am playing him against the lowly Texans irregardless (read, regardless) of their fluke performance against the Chargers last week. If Jimmy sits, even better, I will play Trey Lance as a top 10 option at the position.
Justin Fields, Chicago Bears, Consensus Roster Percentage 21.9%, Week 17 matchup vs Giants
Justin Fields’ availability is yet to be known for week 17 against the Giants, but if the Bears are confident enough in his ankle that they put him out there to start I am playing him without hesitation.
Davis Mills, Houston Texans, Consensus Roster Percentage 2.3%, Week 17 Matchup vs 49ers
Another Davis Mills start another solid fantasy outing. In his last 4 games, started Mills has thrown for either 300 yards or two touchdowns. The Texans are typically playing from behind and outside of last week have a complete inability to run the ball effectively requiring Davis Mills to typically throw the ball 30+ or 40+ times. It doesn’t feel good but if you are hurting at the position you can do worse.
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions, Consensus Roster Percentage 5.3%, Week 17 matchup at Seahawks
Goff has already been activated from the COVID list and will return to his starting duties in week 17 against the Seahawks. Goff has been extremely reliable the past month throwing for 898 yards on 69% completion rate and a 4.5:1 Touchdown to Interception Ratio. Goff still lacks the ability to have a true boom game but like Davis Mills should get the job down and not kill you.
Running Backs
Boston Scott, Philadelphia Eagles, Consensus Roster Percentage 14.0%
This is going to be a very complicated situation going into week 17. Miles Sanders has already been ruled out and Jordan Howard is very questionable with a stinger, while the team is hopeful to get him back. If Howard were to miss Boston Scott should shape up to take on a workhorse role with the team’s unwillingness to have Gainwell contribute on the ground.
Dare Ogunbowale, Jacksonville Jaguars. Consensus Roster Percentage 1.1%
Last man standing, war of attrition, sole survivor whatever you want to call it Dare Ogunbowale is it, won it? I don’t know. The only person they have left on their roster that plays the running back position other than Dare is Ryquell Armstead who just missed over a year after a long battle with COVID complications. I’d be willing to wager Armstead isn’t quite back in game shape and Dare should take on a workhorse role to finish out the season for the Jaguars.
Devontae Booker, New York Giants, Consensus Roster Percentage 23.9%
Booker received double-digit touches once again last week and finished out with a not-back-breaking 6.6 points in half PPR formats. I would expect a similar opportunity count again, with a possible uptick due to Saquon Barkley continuing to not be near 100% healthy as he has been for most of the season.
Rex Burkhead, Houston Texans, Consensus Roster Percentage 19.1%
Don’t go out picking up Rex Burkhead expecting to see another 2 touchdown, 150-yard explosion, but what you can expect to see if a running back guaranteed to receive 15+ opportunities on a bad team. I don’t believe 20+ points will be in the realm of possibility against a much better 49ers defense but Burkhead should be capable of getting you near 8 points and not crippling you.
Players to drop
- If a player will not be on the field for week 17 they should be drafted in full redraft formats
- Clyde Edwards-Helaire
- Darrell Henderson Jr.
- Mile Sanders
- Leonard Fournette
- Myles Gaskin
Wide Receivers
Robby Anderson, Carolina Panthers, Consensus Roster Percentage 41.1%
He hasn’t done a whole lot with them outside of week 14 but Robby Anderson has seen 30 targets over the past 3 weeks. Due to the terrible quarterback play this team has received all year Anderson has been borderline rosterable, but with the Panthers seeming to be committed to getting Robby involved, which makes sense as outside of Christian McCaffrey, Anderson is the offensive weapon this team has the most invested in financially. If you need a spot start you can do worse than Robby.
Zay Jones, Las Vegas Raiders, Consensus Roster Percentage 1.4%
Jay Jones has led the Raiders in targets the past two weeks as teams focused on taking Hunter Renfrow out of the game plan without Darren Waller on the field. The Raiders will have yet another tough matchup against the Colts defense this upcoming week who should continue the trend and focus on Hunter Renfrow allowing Jones some room to run free down the field.
Joshua Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers, Consensus Roster Percentage 6.2%
The trend continues. If one of the Charger’s top two receivers is out of the game Joshua Palmer becomes to go-to guy. Keenan Allen missed week 14 and Palmer was on the field for 87% of the snaps and received 7 targets as well as a touchdown. Last week Mike Williams missed and Palmer played 97% of snaps and received 6 targets and a touchdown. With Mike Williams already being ruled out for Week 17 we should expect to see the involvement for Palmer continue and we can cross our fingers and hope he finds his way into the end zone again.
This route is disgusting. #SeniorBowl
ā BroBible (@BroBible) January 29, 2021
JOSHUA PALMER TAKING ANKLES! š³pic.twitter.com/9ajXf7IwBt
Isaiah McKenzie, Buffalo Bills, Consensus Roster Percentage 1.2%
The Bills offense is a pass-first offense that has the volume necessary to sustain three viable fantasy options in the passing game. It has been a combination of Diggs/Knox/Beasley/Sanders/Davis all year. With Davis already being ruled out, Beasley being unvaccinated and not a shoe-in to come back and Sanders still returning to form after an injury McKenzie could be set up for a nice week 17 if Beasley and Davis were to both miss.
Players to drop
- If a player will not be on the field for week 17 they should be drafted in full redraft formats
Tight Ends
Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears, Consensus Roster Percentage 36.8%
Cole Kmet has established himself as a key piece to this Chicago offense and should be treated accordingly. Granted it is a bad offense that does not have a lot of production to go around but he is a threat every single week to be the leading receiver for this team and hovers around the TE15 mark.
Beautiful throw from Justin Fields to Cole Kmet for 24 yards! #DaBears pic.twitter.com/7svBL4eZGG
ā Pro Football Culture (@proftblculture) December 21, 2021
Foster Moreau, Las Vegas Raiders, Consensus Roster Percentage 22.0%
I recommended Moreau a few weeks ago and he burned me with a bad game with multiple drops, but you have to be ready to adjust in fantasy, and now is the time to do so with Foster Moreau. The tea leaves aren’t saying anything good for Darren Waller the rest of the season and Moreau is highly involved in this offense being the second most targeted player on this team for the past two weeks. If you need an emergency start for the championship Moreau is your guy.
Players to drop
- Don’t.
Defense/Special Teams
- Chicago Bears, Consensus Roster Percentage 14.5%, Week 17 Matchup vs Giants
- Seattle Seahawks, Consensus Roster Percentage 43.6%, Week 17 Matchup vs Lions
