The Fantasy Footballers’ Starts of the Week for Week 17
IT IS CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK! The moment we have all worked so hard for has come! As you make these final decisions to try and win the coveted championship, you must utilize The Fantasy Footballers! This week is also Christmas week, which could be very distracting; the good news is that the Ballers can help guide you to a championship as they stay focused. They brought you their Starts of the Week for Week 17 during Thursday’s episodes on Thursday. To watch the entire episode on YouTube, follow the link below.
If you need more information to help steer you into a championship, utilize the website or the premium tools on the mobile app. To access those, you only have to be a member of the #FootClan, which you can do by heading to jointhefoot.com and joining the community. Also, after winning the championship, you must head to social media and share your #FootClanTitles.
Let’s break down The Fantasy Footballers’ Starts of the Week for Week 17!
Andy’s Starts of the Week
QB – Brock Purdy vs. DET
Sometimes, you need a Monday night miracle, and if you want to hold out and wait, Brock Purdy could deliver you a high-end option. Everyone knows injuries have decimated the 49ers, and that has limited their offensive upside. However, this matchup against Detroit is a game where the opponent might have even more injuries. Detroit has plummeted as a defense, ranking 31st in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs over the last month and 31st in explosive pass play permitted rate. This week could be a big bounce-back game for Purdy.
RB – Bucky Irving vs. CAR
Do not pivot away from Bucky! He has probably been a pivotal part of the run you have gone on to make the championship, and you have to stick with him this week against the Panthers. In Week 13, when he played Carolina the last time, he was the RB1 on the week. This game is a must-win game for the Buccaneers to stay alive for the playoffs. Irving will be a focal piece as the Bucs face the Carolina defense which is dead last in rushing yards per game and in rushing touchdowns allowed. The Panthers also rank 31st in EPA per rush attempt. Teams are running on the Panthers 51% of their offensive snaps, the second-highest rate of any team over the last decade. Bucky will get plenty of work, and the defense he will play is perfect for him to capitalize against.
WR – Tyreek Hill @ CLE
If you have made it this far with Hill on your roster, it is time not to overthink the plan. Tyreek has flopped a bit the last two weeks, being outside the top 30. However, he is still the RB22 for the year, averaging more fantasy points per game than any WR ever when he is on the road. Miami is a 6.5-point road favorite against Cleveland, which ranks 31st versus fantasy wide receivers and 29th in explosive pass play rate allowed. Those are the Tyreek money plays where he can help you win your fantasy matchup, so you have to keep him in your lineup. You will kick yourself if you don’t.
TE – Dalton Schultz vs. BAL
The doctor has been better recently, as the offense has needed him as a pass-catcher. Last week, he finished as the TE4. If you chose to play him on Wednesday, Andy understood your decision. It didn’t produce a ton of points, but he didn’t goose you. The issues of the Texans’ offense on Christmas just were too much for Shultz to get over.
Jason’s Starts of the Week
QB – Baker Mayfield vs. CAR
Laser Mayfield is the QB6 of the year, and this is a good matchup for you to enjoy his quality performance. He is on pace for 4,444 passing yards, 39 touchdowns, and a 71% completion rate. Drew Brees is the only other quarterback in history to hit those metrics. Baker is truly cooking this year. Now he gets to end his fabulous season against the Carolina defense that ranks 30th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs and 32nd in fantasy points per dropback when using zone coverage. Even better news is that only Lamar is averaging more fantasy points per game when facing zone coverage. Keep Baker in your lineup and trust him to deliver.
RB – Breece Hall @ BUF
Jason and Breece have a complicated relationship, as Jason drafted Breece in a bunch of leagues, and in those leagues, Breece killed him and got him knocked out of the playoffs. However, since Jason was out last week and Breece performed well, Jason believes that Breece will continue to show off his talent this week. Last week, Hall had 77% snaps and 20 opportunities with six targets. That kind of usage made Hall so exciting coming into the year. Buffalo is allowing the highest explosive rush rate in the NFL, ranking 27th in adjusted yards before contact and they are 29th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs. They also are terrible against pass-catching RBs, as they allow the most RB receiving yards and the second most RB receptions and receiving touchdowns.
WR – Keenan Allen vs. SEA
Keenan has been on an absolute tear lately, making a believer out of Jason. Since Shane Waldron left in Week 11, Keenan has been the WR9, averaging 15.5 fantasy points per game. He is targeted on 28% of his routes, and 32% of the team’s first-read targets. He’s also never coming off the field, averaging 36 routes per game, which ranks him in the top 10 in the NFL. He is worth keeping in your lineup as he has been hot lately.
TE – Chigoziem Okonkwo vs. JAX
Andy jumped on the Okonkwo hype train, and the following performance was fantastic. Okonkwo has averaged more targets with Mason Rudolph as his quarterback, earning 10 and 11 targets in the last two weeks. Chig sees targets on 32% of his routes with Rudolph as the QB, the same percentage as Ja’Marr Chase. He is facing a Jaguars defense that ranks 26th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs. There is no reason to pivot away from Chig this week.
Mike’s Starts of the Week
QB – Bo Nix vs. CIN
Nix is the QB10 of the season, and this game is a must-win for both teams. There is a 49.5-point over/under for this game, one of the highest of the week. Nix is averaging 24 rushing yards per game, which is a lovely floor to start with for your QB. In addition to that, the Cincinnati defense ranks 28th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs and 26th in passing yards allowed per game. The good news is that the Bengals’ offense is impressive and should provide plenty of points for Nix to have to keep up with to get the win.
RB – Rachaad White vs. CAR
Obviously, this is a good matchup for RBs as both Tampa RBs are Starts of the Week. White has been right behind Bucky in fantasy points per game, though, and he gets the valuable work of the passing game. White averages four targets per game, giving him more value touches than Irving. Again, the Carolina defense is trash against RBs, ranking last in rush yards per game and rushing touchdowns allowed. Also, the Panthers are 31st in EPA per rush attempt. There is no reason to fear playing Richard White; he can help you as much as his teammate, and it’s a great matchup.
WR – Tee Higgins vs. DEN
Higgins is the WR8 in fantasy points per game, tied with AJ Brown. The only issue has been health; when he plays you have to get Higgins in your lineup. Denver can be a scary matchup if you think about CB matchups, but they have struggled lately. Since Week 9, the Bronco’s defense has morphed into a pass funnel, ranking 28th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs and 32nd in passing yards allowed per game. Teams have started having massive success against them, and that is great news for Joe Burrow and his pass-catching weapons, which means you need not pivot away from Higgins in your championship matchups.
TE – Trey McBride @ LAR
Last week, McBride was furious after the OT loss to the Panthers. Against L.A., it should be a week that McBride can help his team against a division rival. When playing zone defense, the Rams give up the third-highest fantasy points per dropback. McBride is a zone beater with the sixth most receptions among all pass-catchers against zone. Only Nabers and Chase have a higher first-read target percentage against zone. Look for McBride to see many targets and play his heart out for his team, which should suit your fantasy lineup this week.