The Biggest Start/Sit Decisions for Week 17 (Fantasy Football)

This is it. This is what the grind was all about. Every waiver wire claim, every late-night trade negotiation, every tilted start/sit decision—all of it has led to this moment—championship week. You’ve earned your shot at fantasy football glory, and now, it’s time to bring home the trophy. (And if you don’t have a trophy yet, what are you even doing? Use Code: UDKCHAMP24 for $10 off Fantasy Champs). Let’s be real: the work isn’t done yet. You didn’t come this far to stumble at the finish line. This is the week where every decision matters, where every lineup choice could be the difference between your name on the trophy or your name etched into the “almost” column. That’s why we’re here. Championship week demands your best foot forward—and I’m here to do just that. Using the Footballers’ Start/Sit tool, I’ll dissect your toughest lineup decisions, give you the edge you need, and hopefully help you secure the ultimate prize. Let’s make sure your championship story ends with victory. Now, let’s get to work.

First up, let’s play a little game. I’ll call it “Murray or Worry?”

Kyler Murray or Justin Herbert?

Let’s start with Kyler himself. What a struggle it has been to predict when to start Kyler. He ranks 14th over the past five weeks in consistency via the Fantasy Footballers Consistency Chart, behind Patrick Mahomes and Russell Wilson. That said, when Kyler hits, he hits, delivering the kind of top-five fantasy performances fantasy managers love. This week the Cardinals travel to L.A. to take on the Rams. Vegas has the line set to 47.5. Kyler faced the Rams in Week 2 and finished as the QB1. A lot has changed since Week 2, however. The Cardinals’ offensive line has taken some heavy hits, with both starting tackles (Paris Johnson Jr. and Jonah Williams) landing on IR with knee injuries. The Rams have also improved on defense. They’re forcing turnovers and locking things down—unless, of course, you’re a powerhouse like the Bills or Eagles. Over the past two weeks, they’ve been especially dominant, allowing fewer than 10 points in each game. There’s one thing Kyler has in common with the quarterbacks who’ve found success against this defense: mobility. Like Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen, Kyler can make plays with his legs—and he might need to, considering the pressure he’ll face behind a patchwork offensive line. The Cardinals are eliminated from playoff contention, however, so I don’t know how willing Murray is going to be to risk injury.

When it comes to playoffs, the Chargers can lock in a spot this week with a win over the New England Patriots. That’s it—just win, baby. Justin Herbert and the squad will be pulling out all the stops to make it happen. The Patriots have lost five straight, and with their draft positioning at stake, they should keep the streak alive. As for the Chargers’ backfield, we won’t know until tomorrow if JK Dobbins is suiting up. Even if he does, his injury risk likely means Harbaugh will limit his touches. With Gus Edwards already ruled out, this game is shaping up to fall on Herbert’s arm. Herbert hasn’t been Mr. Consistency himself though. He ranks behind Kyler over the past five games according to the Fantasy Footballers Consistency Chart. An ankle injury has noticeably limited Herbert, but last week he finally was off the injury report for the first time in a while. Healthy Herbert had a good week, throwing for 284 yards and two touchdowns—a top-10 performance.

Verdict: I’m rolling with Herbert. Motivation is crucial in Week 17, and the Chargers have plenty of it. With playoff implications on the line, their offense should thrive against a middle-of-the-pack Patriots defense. One team benefits from winning, while the other gains more from losing. On the other hand, Kyler doesn’t have the same drive with his team already out of playoff contention. Plus, the Cardinals’ banged-up offensive line only adds to my concerns. Sorry, Ballers.

Kyler Murray or Bo Nix?

Is this actually a top-searched start/sit? Denver has a higher over/under and faces a Bengals defense that’s been bleeding fantasy points. Plus, they’ll need to keep pace with Joe Burrow and that explosive offense, which will likely put up a ton of points.

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Bo Nix's 21.02 fantasy points on my bench, is just the right amount of points for me to accept benching him for Aaron Rodgers this week.

If we survive to see another week, full confidence for Bo in a Week 17 matchup with Cincy 🫡🏆

— Joe Beldner (@JoeBeldner) December 20, 2024

This competitive game script should force Bo Nix to throw more to keep up. And let’s talk motivation—just like I mentioned with Herbert earlier, Bo Nix and the Broncos are highly motivated. A win would secure their first playoff appearance in nine years. No pressure, Bo.

Verdict: Bo Nix.

Kyler Murray or Sam Darnold?

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If you would’ve told me in Week 1 that in championship week we’d be deliberating between Kyler Murray and Sam Darnold on who to start…. I would have laughed. Guess who’s laughing now? Darnold himself. What a season Darnold has had, not losing a game since Week 8—only two on the whole year. I’m shook. Kyle Borgognoni has him as a favorite DFS cash pick:

“He has a 7.3% TD Rate at home this year and Minnesota still controls its own destiny in the NFC vying for a 1st round bye. If I’m picking a game to go off, GB/MIN certainly fits the bill.”

I agree with Kyle, this game should be a fun one with the Vegas line set to 48.5. Last week, Darnold threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns against Seatle—I don’t see why he can’t do the same against the Packers.

Verdict: Sam Darnold. Well, Kyler went 0-3 with the start/sits this week. That means worry. Try to play anyone but Murray. Maybe I’m still bitter because his inconsistency nuked my home league playoff hopes (yeah, probably). But honestly, I can’t risk holding the bag in championship week if he doesn’t show up. Trust is earned, and Kyler isn’t exactly cashing in right now. No playoff hopes for the Cardinals is the nail in the coffin.

Now that we’ve sorted out our Kyler start/sit dilemma, let’s shift gears to the flex.

Cooper Kupp or Jalen McMillan?

I’d be a hypocrite if I picked Cooper Kupp over Jalen McMillan after raising consistency concerns about Kyler Murray. Honestly, if you rostered Kupp you probably aren’t vying for the championship after the dud he put up Week 15. Last week wasn’t much better, either, with just 3.9 fantasy points. Still, he shows up in the most searched start/sits for the week… so maybe he’s been riding the bench of the CeeDee Lamb or Tank Dell owner. Well, guess what? Keep him right there on the bench honey. Yes. There’s no way in good faith I can advise you to start Kupp after those back-to-back performances. The matchup against Arizona’s defense isn’t easy. They’ve only allowed 18 touchdowns through the air.

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Do you trust Cooper Kupp this week? pic.twitter.com/8R74R2YMje

— Fantasy Footballers (@TheFFBallers) December 27, 2024

Jalen McMillan has been on fire over the past three weeks, posting 14, 16, and 19.9 fantasy points while racking up four touchdowns. Even more impressive, he’s outpaced Kupp in targets during this stretch, with 20 to Kupp’s 14. Since losing Chris Godwin, Laser Mayfield has leaned heavily on the rookie, unlocking his potential just in time for the fantasy playoffs.

Verdict: Sorry Ballers, I’m going with Jalen McMillan over Kupp.

Deebo Samuel or DeVonta Smith?

This one’s a no-brainer. No Jalen Hurts and Kenny Pickett as QB? There’s no way I’m starting DeVonta Smith. Pickett isn’t capable of supporting A.J. Brown, let alone Smith. Expect the Eagles to lean heavily on their run game this week. Saquon Barkley is chasing history as he closes in on Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards. He’s just 268 yards away with two games to go. The game total is laughable—a mere 38 points. I don’t want any parts of that.

Although the 49ers are no longer playing for playoff implications, Deebo Samuel and Brock Purdy are playing for contracts. Money is as much of a motivator as winning. The game total is also almost double that of the Eagles.

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Verdict: Deebo Samuel.

Chig Okonkwo or T.J. Hockenson?

Chig has been rolling for the past couple of weeks. TE3 last week since we are keeping track. That’s really hard to ignore. The target share has been impressive as well. 10 and 11 targets respectfully over the past two weeks with Mason Rudolph as QB. This week the Titans travel to Jacksonville. In Kurt Mullen’s Matchups to Consider article he outlines beautifully why this is a good spot for Chig:

“There couldn’t be a better matchup to be leaning on Chig for fantasy this week than the Jaguars. Jacksonville’s defense is allowing 1.7 fantasy points above expectation to opposing TEs this season and has allowed 15+ points to opposing teams’ WRs in two of their last four games.”

Hockenson showed promise after returning from his ACL injury, posting TE6 and TE4 finishes in Weeks 10 and 12. However, he’s failed to crack the top 12 since then, despite seeing at least five targets in each game. The Vikings will face off against the Packers in an NFC North showdown, and Vegas is high on this matchup, with the over/under set at 48.5—a significant jump from the Titans/Jags line of 39.5. Green Bay is a good matchup for Hockenson, as they’re the ninth easiest team for tight ends according to the Strength of Schedule tool.

Verdict: This one was definitely the toughest start/sit for me this week. Both are solid options with similar matchups. Both have produced this year. But you can’t start both—you’ve got to pick one. I’m going with Chig. He’s been on a roll lately, and Hockenson just hasn’t been producing as much recently. Plus, Chig doesn’t have the same target competition as Hockenson. Even though Hockenson’s line is better, it feels like the production is more about the system and the team, not just him. On the other hand, Mason Rudolph doesn’t really have the luxury of looking elsewhere—Chig is his go-to option.

The grind and preparation that got you this far is all about to pay off. Trust those instincts, rely on the Footballers’ tools, and make those key start/sit calls to seal your spot as league champion. If you’ve got any last-minute questions or need help with your strategy, I’m here for you! Let’s lock in, finish strong, and make sure you’re the one holding that trophy while your league looks on, jealousy filling their eyes as they realize they fell short yet again. Good luck FootClan, and let’s finish this season with a bang!