Week 17 Fantasy Football Starts & Sits (2021)

We have made it to the second to last week of the football season. Fantasy football leagues are likely wrapping up this week so go for gold and try to avoid last place in your leagues! Last week, I did my best on quarterbacks and wide receivers hitting on 12 of 16 calls. Unfortuantely, predicting defensive backs seems tougher for me than determinging who killed JFK. Now, we head to Week 17 Fantasy Football matchups!

Here are your 4-EYED Starts & Sits of the Week!

Quarterbacks

Start: Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles against the Washington Football Team

Dak Prescott was my pick here last week and he finished as the QB1 after facing the WFT defense. Do I think Hurts replicates that performance? No. I DO think that Hurts is able to run on this defense with ease and he will do enough passing that he has a startable outing here with championships likely on the line in your league.

Additional Week 17 Fantasy Football Starts:

Trey Lance against the Houston Texans, Joe Burrow against the Kansas City Chiefs, and Kirk Cousins against the Green Bay Packers.

Sit: Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints against the Carolina Panthers

We saw on Monday night that the Saints desperately need either Hill or Trevor Siemian back under center. Assuming that Hill comes back from the COVID list, he takes on the Panthers defense that is allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Yes, Hill has the rushing upside, but try to find a better matchup.

Additional Week 17 Fantasy Football Sits:

Ryan Tannehill against the Miami Dolphins, Derek Carr against the Indianapolis Colts, and Davis Mills against the San Francisco 49ers.

Running Backs

Start: Ronald Jones II, Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the New York Jets

I feel like I am living in the upside-down recommending Ronald Jones as a start in fantasy football this season. With no Fournette, Jones had 20 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers. This week, he takes on the Jets defense that is giving up the most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs.

Additional Week 17 Fantasy Football Starts:

Rashaad Penny against the Detroit Lions, Javonte Williams against the Los Angeles Chargers, and Eli Mitchell against the Houston Texans.

Sit: Myles Gaskin, Miami Dolphins against the Tennessee Titans

You weren’t going to start Gaskin, but this is your sign to not even flex him. The Dolphins are deploying a three-pronged rushing attack and Gaskin is getting left behind in snap counts and touches. Combine that with the Titans giving up the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing running backs and you see why he can’t touch your lineup this week.

Additional Week 17 Fantasy Football Sits:

Chuba Hubbard against the New Orleans Saints, James Conner against the Dallas Cowboys, and D’Onta Foreman against the Miami Dolphins.

Wide Receivers

Start: Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins against the Tennessee Titans

Not only is the Tennessee defense giving up the most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers, but Waddle is getting a ton of volume. On Monday, he caught 10 of his 12 targets. He has double-digit targets in each of his last three games. He also has at least 90 yards receiving in each of those games. Fire him up.

Additional Week 17 Fantasy Football Starts:

DeVonta Smith against the Washington Football Team, Amari Cooper against the Arizona Cardinals, and AJ Green against the Dallas Cowboys.

Sit: Russell Gage, Atlanta Falcons against the Buffalo Bills

Gage had looked like he was coming into his own as the featured receiver for the Falcons, but then put up a dud performance in Week 16. Now, he draws the Bills defense giving up the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers. Not ideal with a potential title on the line so look elsewhere.

Additional Week 17 Fantasy Football Sits:

Jerry Jeudy against the Los Angeles Chargers, Marvin Jones against the New England Patriots, and Michael Pittman against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Tight Ends

Start: Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills against the Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons defense struggles to stop a nose bleed. Even though they aren’t the worst against opposing tight ends on a per-game basis, they are still about to get abused by this Bills offense. I think that Knox gets the volume to be productive here and he likely finds the endzone.

Additional Week 17 Fantasy Football Starts:

Gerald Everett against the Detroit Lions, Zach Ertz against the Dallas Cowboys, and Hunter Henry against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Sit: Ricky Seals-Jones, Washington Football Team against the Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles defense is going to get a break from giving up the most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends. RSJ was a sneaky pick for me two weeks ago and he responded with a whopping five fantasy points against the defense. Not fooling me again! Even with the good matchup, he is staying on my bench.

Additional Week 17 Fantasy Football Sits:

Noah Fant against the Los Angeles Chargers, Kyle Pitts against the Buffalo Bills, and Cole Kmet against the New York Giants.

With IDP options being so plentiful in fantasy football, each week we’re going to list for you an option at each position with honorable mentions to help set your lineups with confidence.

Defensive Linemen

Start: Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns against the Pittsburgh Steelers

When these teams met in Week 8, Garrett had 14 fantasy points which have been his third-best performance of the fantasy season. The Steelers O-line is awful and Garrett will leave a sour taste in Big Ben’s mouth for his final home start.

Additional Week 17 Fantasy Football Starts:

Leonard Williams against the Chicago Bears, Jonathan Greenard against the San Franciso 49ers, and Cam Heyward against the Cleveland Browns.

Linebackers

Start: Denzel Perryman, Las Vegas Raiders against the Indianapolis Colts

Perryman is going to have his hands full trying to help slow down Jonathan Taylor. Perryman is going to have to be his usual versatile self that is all over the field to try and limit this Colts offense.

Additional Week 17 Fantasy Football Starts:

De’Vondre Campbell against the Minnesota Vikings, Bobby Okereke against the Las Vegas Raiders, and CJ Mosley against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Defensive Backs

Start: Trevon Diggs, Dallas Cowboys against the Arizona Cardinals

With this likely being the final start/sit article of the season as most leagues wrap up in Week 17, I’m throwing this one back to Trevon Diggs who has 11 interceptions on the season. Kyler Murray hasn’t been as accurate with DeAndre Hopkins missing from the team, and I think Diggs is going to get his 12th pick of the year.

Additional Week 17 Fantasy Football Starts:

Budda Baker against the Dallas Cowboys, Vonn Bell against the Kansas City Chiefs, and L’Jarius Sneed against the Cincinnati Bengals.