Fantasy Championship Start 'Em, Sit 'Em (NFL Week 17)
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I've made it through to my Fantasy League's "Super Bowl" this weekend, and writing down my thought process as I think through the lineup. At the time of publishing, I had already (fortunately) left Xavier Worthy on the bench, who went for a whopping 0.10 points.
QB: Justin Herbert over CJ Stroud
Herbert helps Keenan Allen hit incentives?
Keenan needs to go 7/26/2 to tier out on his contract this season, and I wouldn't be shocked if he did it, at home, in front of thousands of adoring fans. Keenan is an OG possession WR and I could see him easily going over 10 targets in this game with at least 4 being in the red zone.
(I see no incentives for HOU and feel the narratives are overly fearful toward Texans D). I'm selling HOU D high here and rolling with Justin Herbert. I also give Harbaugh the coaching edge.
*it looks like Derwin James will suit up for LAC.
WR: AJ Brown and Mike Evans
Buffalo wind gives me pause and last second tinkering could change this, but AJ has had 5 consecutive double-digit performances.
Evans picked up where he left off as Baker's favorite target. In this warm weather matchup, I expect more of the same.
*My other available WRs are
- suspended (DK - PIT)
- had a third-string QB throwing to them against a good D (X. Worthy - KC)
- coming off a big week and have another WR with seniority going for incentives (Q. Johnston - LAC)
If I were to rank my expected LAC WRs by expected production this week, I'd say
- Keenan Allen 2) Ladd McConkey 3) Quentin Johnston
...and Orande Gadsden (TE) might even beat out Quentin
RB: Ashton Jeanty and Jonathan Taylor
W/R: Travis Etienne Jr.
W/R/T: Rhamondre Stevenson
I'm starting all the RBs I have this week, and tend to prioritize them later in the season as WR production drops off in colder weather.
TE: Kyle Pitts over Colby Parkinson
Parkinson could've had more points without drops last week.
Pitts is the only TE in Atlanta. Parkinson is part of a committee, which allows him to be hidden if prop bettors eye a bounce back performance. Even without TDs, Pitts gets volume.
D/ST: this one is giving me fits.
I'm not sure about TB D in Miami, nor SF D v CHI.
While I could see SF D turning Caleb into a 🎃, it's a risk as CHI is firing on all cylinders.
I may pick up NYG D against a hapless LV offense and hope for Jeanty TDs and Geno INTs.
*I've just picked up/started BAL D against a questionable QB situation in GB, and dropped SF D.