It’s week #17 of the NFL season, the last regular season week on the calendar. Many teams have already solidified their place in the postseason. Others are looking for their best games of the year in this final stab at making the playoffs. This will undoubtedly influence the outcome of player performances. As you get your daily fantasy football schedule solidified, take a look at our analysis on a few top players.
Quarterback You Should Consider
Aaron Rodgers: There’s no question that Rodgers is a great fantasy choice. Our concern is not about his performance, but about his price. Rodgers is likely the most expensive QB in your daily fantasy league. He has the stats to back that price tag up, though. He’s averaging 275.2 yards per game, has 36 touchdowns, and is one of the most consistent QBs in the NFL right now. Plus, the Detroit Lions are ranked only 25th in the NFL when it comes to defense against the quarterback. Rodgers is in a position to perform well here, but he’s not going to be the best pick for all rosters.
Tom Brady: This is one of those matchups where you would probably be completely fine drafting Rodgers. But if you are trying to get a tiny bit of extra value out of your lineup, drafting Brady as your QB is the way to go. Although they are likely going to score very similarly from a fantasy perspective, Brady is priced a bit cheaper, giving him more value here. Brady has averaged 298.0 yards per game this season, which is a bit higher than Rodgers has performed, giving him an edge here, too. Also, the Patriots are going up against the Miami Dolphins, who have given up more fantasy points to QBs this season when compared to the Lions. Because of these three factors, Brady is our fantasy choice this Sunday.
Wide Receivers are Ready
Mike Evans: There’s a very good argument for drafting Evans, but we believe that he’s not the top pick at wide receiver this weekend. Yes, the Bucs are going against the defensively weak Carolina Panthers, but even with this, Evans is not likely to perform as well as some of the other wide outs that are playing on Sunday. Evans has averaged 83.7 yards per game this season with 11 TDs, but even with these strong stats, there’s more potential from others. We expect him to perform at a slightly above average level, and will not fault you for drafting him. He will make a great second tier WR if you are able to balance your roster well, finding value in other spots.
Antonio Brown: Brown is a bit more expensive than Evans, but has the background to not only have this make sense, but is in a position to give him a higher value despite this expense. Brown has averaged 85.6 yards per game this season and has 12 TDs. He is one of the most consistent WRs in the NFL, and because the Steelers are going against the Cleveland Browns, the Pittsburgh offense is in a good spot. Both Brown and Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger should have above average games here. Yes, the Browns have shown signs of life over the last couple weeks, but that shouldn’t be enough to halt this duo.
Running Backs Stay the Course
Ezekiel Elliott: Elliott has made a huge splash in his rookie year and is one of the top RBs out there. But for this week, the rookie sensation might not be your best pick. Although he is averaging 108.7 yards per game and has 16 TDs, Elliott is expensive this week, and not in the best matchup for his skills. The Philadelphia Eagles defense is surprisingly strong against the rush, leading us to believe that this is a situation where Elliott will not be at his best.
Devonta Freeman: Freeman is not averaging as many fantasy points as some of those ranked above him, and he will likely not be a top choice for most rosters. However, he has a ton of potential this week at a cheap price. He’s averaging just 65.5 yards per game, but this week the Falcons are up against the #30 ranked New Orleans Saints. Freeman should shine here. If you can draft Freeman and another top tier RB this week, that would be ideal. But for us, Freeman is the top value pick here.
