Hungry for More: The Fantasy Footballers’ Predictions for Week 17
The final week of the fantasy season is upon us and fantasy managers lucky enough to still be playing for something need all of the advantages they can get! Finding a player who has a week-winning performance out of nowhere in championship week isn’t unheard of – it actually happens every year! The Ballers have their sights set on a few players they think can take that step forward and help bring home titles in this week’s Hungry for More presented by Uber Eats!
Each week the Ballers will pick a player who super-sized their game in the past week and decide if they’ll continue to eat at the big guy’s table or go back to the kid’s table. Of course, I’ll give you an extra side dish or two to go along with Andy, Mike, and Jason’s main course! Let me know if you think we’re cooking up a high-end meal or if it’s more like gas station sushi!
Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens – RB
| Week 16 | ||
| Receptions | Receiving Yards | TDs |
| 9 | 72 | 1 |
While he disappointed fantasy managers in the first round of the fantasy playoffs, Zay Flowers delivered the type of performance that has Mike all hot and bothered ahead of championship week. Flowers has been a top-24 WR in three of his last four games and has caught a TD in as many games for the Ravens. What’s most exciting for Flowers WR14 finish this past week were his three targets inside the red zone, the most he’s seen since Week 1. If Flowers can follow up his career-high target day with another strong finish when it’s title time, fantasy managers will rejoice.
The matchup with Miami for Flowers this week can only strengthen his case for another big performance. The Dolphins allow the 11th-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points for WRs and have given up at least 30 points to opposing WRs in two of their last three games. With a 47-point over/under this week, there should be plenty of opportunity for Flowers to have another big day for fantasy managers.
James Conner, Arizona Cardinals – RB
| Week 16 | ||
| Carries | Rushing Yards | TDs |
| 12 | 45 | 0 |
After a slow start returning from injury, James Conner has been lights out over his last three games which has Jason back in line for fourths. In the last three weeks, Conner has finished as the RB5, RB11, and RB5 with 27, 17, and 17 opportunities. During that stretch, Conner has seen 33% of the Cardinals rushing attempts and targets which puts his usage among the elite in the league for any fantasy player.
Looking at championship week, Conner may be one of the hardest start/sit decisions for fantasy managers with such a tough matchup against the Philadelphia run defense. The Eagles have been one of the worst matchups for fantasy RBs this season, but have softened down the stretch giving up a top-24 RB finish in every game since their bye in Week 10, including three top-10 finishes over the last four weeks. If Conner can continue to see the elite amount of usage he’s seen over the last few games, he should still be able to play a role for fantasy managers in the biggest week of the season.
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants – RB
| Week 16 | ||
| Carries | Rushing Yards | TDs |
| 23 | 80 | 1 |
It’s been an up-and-down life over the back stretch of the season for Saquon Barkley, but the high points have been so good that it has Andy wanting another helping for championship week! Barkley’s big games this season have come down to the game script for the Giants. In games that New York has won, Barkley has averaged 19.4 fantasy points per game and scored seven of his eight TDs. Whenever the Giants lose, Barkley is averaging 8.6 points less even though the opportunities have been there.
What may have more fantasy managers willing to rely on Barkley this week is the change at QB for the Giants with Tyrod Taylor getting the start. Tommy DeVito has been the starter at QB through this inconsistent stretch that Barkley has seen over the last month, so it could directly benefit the RB. In the other two games that Taylor started and played 100% of snaps, Barkley finished as the RB17 and RB9. Hopefully, Barkley can give fantasy managers another big helping of fantasy points to cap off the season.
Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints – WR
| Week 16 | ||
| Receptions | Receiving Yards | TDs |
| 9 | 123 | 0 |
It feels like we’ve been waiting for a huge fantasy day from Chris Olave the entire season and were extremely close to getting it last week. Olave matched his career-high with nine receptions in Week 16 and had his biggest fantasy point output that felt like it could have been even bigger. Over the last six games he’s played, Olave hasn’t finished lower than WR26 and has been a top-12 WR three different times. During that stretch, Olave has seen a 28% target share for the Saints’ passing game, including 50% of targets that go to New Orleans WRs.
The matchup for fantasy championship week couldn’t get any better for Olave against the Tampa Bay defense. So far this season, the Buccaneers have allowed the most passing yards and the fifth-most yards per passing attempt in the league. Tampa Bay has allowed a top-30 WR in each of their last six games and a top-20 WR in five of those weeks. Fantasy managers should expect Olave to reward them again this week with the upside of having a championship-winning performance.