Week 17 is here. This is the last week of the regular season, and many players may get pulled out of games or might not play at all. You will need to pay special attention to the inactives this week as some teams will sit players because they have nothing on the line. We already know that Patrick Mahomes will be resting, and you can expect other Chiefs players to join him on the sideline as they have absolutely nothing to play for at the moment.
You will also want to pay attention to teams that have things on the line this week, as their starters will be going and playing hard to determine playoff positioning; in some cases to try to get into the playoffs. The Dolphins, Colts, Titans, Ravens, and Browns are all playing for something in the AFC. Meanwhile in the NFC the Packers, Bears, Cardinals, Seahawks, Rams, and Washington Football Team all have something to play for.
Also, I am running a Fantasy Playoff Challenge on NFL.com in conjunction with Ride Hard Breath Easy which is an organization that raises money to help fight lung cancer. This will be a $10 buy in with half the money going to the charity and the other half going to payouts. Please send your email address, and NFL.com ID to receive an invitation to mreedy29@gmail.com.
Happy New Year! If you are new around here this is how it works:
Money Maker – I think this person will perform well this week and be better than projections
Heart Breaker – These players will not meet their projections
Quarterbacks
💰 Money Makers
Tom Brady ($8,400 on FanDuel and $7,200 on DraftKings)
If you didn’t notice, Brady really does a fantastic job of beating up on lousy defenses. He hit the Falcons defense up for 390 yards and 2 touchdowns in Week 15 and draws them again in Week 17. The Falcons are the worst defense against quarterbacks in fantasy.
This is what a robot looks like. @TomBrady just an absolute machine with every aspect of QB play @Buccaneers protect the QB—can host the SB#nflgamepass pic.twitter.com/r99tfliNXv
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) December 30, 2020
Kirk Cousins ($7,700 on FanDuel and $6,300 on DraftKings)
In Week 9 Cousins threw for 220 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Lions. He draws the Lions again in Week 17. Dalvin Cook is out and the passing game will be clicking. I would expect another 3 touchdown game or more this weekend.
Philip Rivers ($7,300 on FanDuel and $6,000 on DraftKings)
The Colts play the Jaguars in Week 17. The Jaguars have given up multiple touchdowns to the passing game in 9 straight weeks. The Jaguars have only one game on the entire season where the quarterback has not passed for either 30 yards or multiple touchdowns against them. Rivers is a strong floor play.
Other quarterbacks to play in Week16:
There’s the obvious: Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, and Justin Herbert
The not so obvious: Cam Newton and Ryan Tannehill
💔 Heart Breakers
Kyler Murray
Murray has an injury that kept him out of practice on Wednesday, which is not a great sign. He’s also going to go up against the Rams defense which is the toughest against opposing quarterbacks in the NFL. Murray did throw 3 touchdowns against the Rams in Week 13, so there is hope.
Baker Mayfield
The Steelers are the second toughest defense on quarterbacks in the league behind only the Rams. Mayfield struggles mightily last week against the Jets with all of his wide receivers on the COVID list; this week doesn’t get easier even if they’re all back.
Andy Dalton
The Cowboys play the Giants in Week 17. You probably weren’t going to play Dalton anyways, but you may have considered him for DFS as he had an amazing game in Week 16 against the Eagles with 377 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Giants are a much better defense against the pass, giving up an average of 258 yards and a touchdown weekly to opposing quarterbacks.
Other quarterbacks to avoid: Sam Darnold and Jalen Hurts
Running Backs
💰 Money Makers
David Montgomery ($8,200 on FanDuel and $7,700 on DraftKings)
Yes, Montgomery is listed here yet again. With 100 yards and/or a touchdown in each of the last 5 games will get you noticed. Playing the Packers bottom 10 defense against running backs will ensure I play you. Montgomery keeps rolling to finish out the season.
Most missed tackles forced on runs:
1. Dalvin Cook – 68
2. Derrick Henry – 64
3. David Montgomery – 52
4. Nick Chubb – 51 pic.twitter.com/itbR8i2OtT— PFF (@PFF) December 30, 2020
Jonathan Taylor ($8,400 on FanDuel and $7,400 on DraftKings)
The Jaguars who give up an average of 117 yards and a touchdown per game on the ground. Meanwhile Taylor has been on fire, having rushed for 307 yards and 5 touchdowns in total over the past three weeks. Giddy Up Taylor, giddy up.
Melvin Gordon ($6,800 on FanDuel and $5,700 on DraftKings)
Gordon didn’t produce all that well the last time he played the Raiders; only 46 yards on 11 carries. The Raiders are the fourth friendliest defense for running backs in fantasy football. The Raiders give up an average of 106 yards on the ground and another 44 yards receiving to running backs weekly.
Other running backs to play in Week 16:
The obvious: Aaron Jones, Alvin Kamara, Nick Chubb, and Derrick Henry
The not so obvious: Josh Jacobs and J.K. Dobbins
💔 Heart Breakers
Todd Gurley
If you were planning on playing Gurley in DFS, you must be absolutely crazy. If you have him in season long, he is up against the Buccaneers and their defense which has given up only a single 100 yard game all season. WOOF!
Miles Sanders
The Washington Football Team is actually very good against the run. They give up an average of 107 total yards to running backs on average. The last time the WFT gave up 100 yards rushing to a running back was Week 3 to Nick Chubb. It doesn’t look good for Sanders in Week 17.
Kenyan Drake
The Rams defense is one I talk about every single week as it’s one of the best in the league against both the pass and the run. In Week 13 Drake had 49 yards and a touchdown against the Rams. IF he doesn’t get that touchdown, it’s a horrible game. No one has rushed for over 100 yards against the Rams this season. This doesn’t look good.
Other running backs that will cost you in Week 16: Devin Singletary and Chris Carson
Wide Receivers
💰 Money Makers
Antonio Brown ($6,000 on FanDuel and $5,500 on DraftKings)
Atlanta sucks against wide receivers. In Week 15 Brown had 5 receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown against the Falcons. Brown also had a touchdown last week against the Lions, and I expect him to make it a trifecta with yet another touchdown this week.
Bucs coming through in Week 16 and there’s still another half to go:
– Tom Brady, 29.92 fantasy pts
– Mike Evans, 24.0
– Chris Godwin, 19.4
– Leonard Fournette, 15.6
– Antonio Brown, 11.5
– Rob Gronkowski, 10.3— Michael F. Florio (@MichaelFFlorio) December 26, 2020
Kendrick Bourne ($4,900 on FanDuel and $4,300 on DraftKings)
Bourne is literally the last wide receiver standing for the Niners. The Niners are playing the Seahawks and the second friendliest defense for wide receivers. In Week 8 Bourne hit this defense up for 8 receptions and 84 yards. This week will be the Bourne Supremacy.
Sterling Shepard ($5,500 on FanDuel and $5,200 on DraftKings)
The Cowboys are the third worst defense against wide receivers in the league. They were burned deep last week by DeSean Jackson. Shepard had a 29% target share last week against the Ravens, which he turned in 77 yards and a touchdown. This looks like a great place to plug Shepard into your DFS lineups and cash in.
Other wide receivers to play in Week 16:
The obvious: Davante Adams, Allen Robinson, Stefon Diggs, Calvin Ridley, and DK Metcalf
The not so obvious: Brandin Cooks and Marvin Jones
💔 Heart Breakers
Christian Kirk
The Rams are the number 1 defense against wide receivers. In Week 13, Kirk had 1 reception for 2 yards against the Rams. I know that Kirk looked great last week with 7 receptions for 76 yards; that was last week.
Desean Jackson
Let’s just make this all Eagles wideouts. The Washington Football Team is good against wide receivers, the Eagles passing game has looked good as of late. The WFT gives up only 150 yards in total to this position weekly and have only given up 10 touchdowns to wide receivers on the season.
Jarvis Landry
The Browns play the Steelers in Week 17. In Week 6 Landry had 3 receptions for 40 yards against the Steelers. He’s someone I am staying away from in DFS lineups. Landry will need a touchdown to be productive.
Other wide receivers will cost you: DeVante Parker and Mike Williams
Tight Ends
💰 Money Makers
Mark Andrews ($7,200 on FanDuel and $5,800 on DraftKings)
Andrews has become more active in the passing game for the Ravens recently. Andrews has double digit fantasy points in each of his last 4 games played. He also had 6 receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown against this same Bengals defense in Week 5. Looks like a fantastic play this week in DFS or your playoff lineup.
Robert Tonyan ($6,300 on FanDuel and $5,000 on DraftKings)
The Packers play the Bears in Week 17. In Week 12 Tonyan had 5 receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown against the Bears. You can expect similar numbers this week, as tight ends have scored the second most fantasy points against the Bears defense this season.
Other tight ends to play in Week 17:
The obvious: Darren Waller
The not so obvious: Logan Thomas, T.J. Hockenson, and Hayden Hurst
💔 Heart Breakers
Austin Hooper
Hooper had a very good last week against a poor Jets defense with none of the Browns starting wide receivers playing. This week he draws the Steelers defense, which is the toughest against tight ends in the league.
Jimmy Graham
In Week 12 Graham had 3 receptions for 32 yards against the Packers fourth ranked defense against tight ends. I wouldn’t expect much more in Week 17. The Packers only give up an average of 44 yards per game to the position.
Thanks for checking out our Money Makers and Heart Breakers column. For more great content from The Undroppables, follow us on Twitter, follow @MikeReedyFF for more great content.
