Fantasy Football: Start Em, Sit Em: Week 17
Rather than quickly listing start em and sit em players on my Week 17 NFL Picks page, I thought I’d devote a new page for this. Follow @walterfootball for updates.
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Dallas Cowboys (9-6) at New York Giants (5-10)
Start Em:
DAL: None.
NYG: RB Saquon Barkley, WR Odell Beckham Jr. (if he plays).
Sit Em:
Dallas may sit its starters. A classic case of why all fantasy championships should be in Week 16.
Sterling Shepard finally had a big game. I don’t expect it to happen again.
Check out Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Rankings for more analysis
Carolina Panthers (6-9) at New Orleans Saints (13-2)
Start Em:
Ian Thomas is playing well and can be used versus a rested defense.
CAR: RB Christian McCaffrey (if he plays).
NO: None.
Sit Em:
New Orleans may sit its starters. A classic case of why all fantasy championships should be in Week 16.
Check out Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Rankings for more analysis
New York Jets (4-11) at New England Patriots (10-5)
Start Em:
Robby Anderson’s outlook is more promising now with Sam Darnold making strides.
NYJ: None.
NE: RB Sony Michel, RB James White (PPR), WR Julian Edelman.
Sit Em:
Detroit Lions (5-10) at Green Bay Packers (6-8-1)
Start Em:
Kenny Golladay is the Lions’ lone healthy, viable receiver, and he has a great matchup.
Aaron Jones is out, so Jamaal Williams is handling the entire workload.
DET: RB Theo Riddick (PPR).
GB: QB Aaron Rodgers, WR Davante Adams.
Sit Em:
Jacksonville Jaguars (5-10) at Houston Texans (10-5)
Start Em:
JAX: RB Leonard Fournette, Jaguars Defense.
HOU: QB Deshaun Watson, WR DeAndre Hopkins, Texans Defense.
Sit Em:
Lamar Miller is banged up. D’Onta Foreman doesn’t look 100 percent either.
Check out Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Rankings for more analysis
Atlanta Falcons (6-9) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-10)
Start Em:
Tevin Coleman is day to day. He should be started if he’s active. If not, put Brian Hill in your lineup.
ATL: QB Matt Ryan, WR Julio Jones.
TB: WR Mike Evans, TE Cameron Brate.
Sit Em:
Peyton Barber has a tough matchup versus a run defense that has improved with Deion Jones back.
Check out Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Rankings for more analysis
Miami Dolphins (7-8) at Buffalo Bills (5-10)
Start Em:
MIA: Dolphins Defense.
BUF: Bills Defense.
Sit Em:
Kalen Ballage and Kenyan Drake are splitting touches evenly.
LeSean McCoy isn’t seeing the entire workload, so I don’t think he can take advantage of this positive matchup.
Check out Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Rankings for more analysis
Oakland Raiders (4-11) at Kansas City Chiefs (11-4)
Start Em:
OAK: TE Jared Cook (if he plays).
KC: QB Patrick Mahomes, RB Damien Williams (if Spencer Ware is out), WR Tyreek Hill (if he plays), TE Travis Kelce.
Sit Em:
None of these guys are appealing despite the matchup. I don’t expect Doug Martin to duplicate what he did Monday night.
Check out Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Rankings for more analysis
Philadelphia Eagles (8-7) at Washington Redskins (7-8)
Start Em:
PHI: WR Alshon Jeffery, TE Zach Ertz.
WAS: RB Adrian Peterson.
Sit Em:
Which of these guys will score or get the most touches? No one knows!
Check out Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Rankings for more analysis
Cleveland Browns (7-7-1) at Baltimore Ravens (9-6)
Start Em:
Lamar Jackson can be started because of his great rushing ability.
Gus Edwards, who has taken over as Baltimore’s starting running back, has a nice matchup against a middling Browns run defense.
CLE: RB Nick Chubb, TE David Njoku.
BAL: Ravens Defense.
Sit Em:
Baker Mayfield had a rough outing the last time he played a great defense on the road.
I would not use Baltimore’s receivers with Lamar Jackson starting at quarterback.
Check out Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Rankings for more analysis
Cincinnati Bengals (6-9) at Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6-1)
Start Em:
The Bengals are awful against tight ends.
CIN: RB Joe Mixon.
PIT: QB Ben Roethlisberger, RB James Conner (if he plays), RB Jaylen Samuels (if James Conner is out), WR Antonio Brown, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Sit Em:
With A.J. Green and Tyler Boyd hurt, no Bengal receiver is worth starting.
Check out Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Rankings for more analysis
Chicago Bears (11-4) at Minnesota Vikings (8-6-1)
Start Em:
CHI: RB Tarik Cohen (PPR), Bears Defense.
MIN: RB Dalvin Cook, WR Adam Thielen, WR Stefon Diggs, Vikings Defense.
Sit Em:
Trey Burton has mostly been invisible.
Kyle Rudolph just had a big game, but I can’t trust him at all.
Check out Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Rankings for more analysis
Los Angeles Chargers (11-4) at Denver Broncos (6-9)
Start Em:
Mike Williams should be able to bounce back in an easy matchup.
DaeSean Hamilton has become Case Keenum’s favorite receiver.
LAC: QB Philip Rivers, RB Melvin Gordon, WR Keenan Allen, Chargers Defense.
DEN: RB Phillip Lindsay (if he plays).
Sit Em:
The banged-up Courtland Sutton has not been very productive.
Check out Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Rankings for more analysis
Arizona Cardinals (3-12) at Seattle Seahawks (9-6)
Start Em:
Pete Carroll has a history of playing his starters, and he may want the No. 5 seed to avoid the Bears or Rams in the first round.
ARZ: None.
SEA: Seahawks Defense.
Sit Em:
Arizona’s offensive line can’t open holes for David Johnson. Larry Fitzgerald will need Mike Glennon to bail him out again.
Check out Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Rankings for more analysis
San Francisco 49ers (4-11) at Los Angeles Rams (12-3)
Start Em:
Matt Breida is out, so Jeff Wilson can be started in a pinch.
SF: TE George Kittle.
LAR: QB Jared Goff, RB Todd Gurley (if he plays), RB WR Brandin Cooks, WR Robert Woods, Rams Defense.
Sit Em:
Check out Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Rankings for more analysis
Indianapolis Colts (9-6) at Tennessee Titans (9-6)
Start Em:
IND: QB Andrew Luck, RB Marlon Mack, WR T.Y. Hilton, TE Eric Ebron (if he plays), Colts Defense (if Blaine Gabbert starts).
TEN: RB Derrick Henry.
Sit Em:
Check out Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Rankings for more analysis
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