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| Rank | Player | Opponent | Summary |
| 1 | Aaron Rodgers GB | at DET | Rodgers is the best QB available that has something to play for no matter what in Week 17. This game has been flexed for Sunday Night Football. The stars have aligned for a huge output for Mr. Rodgers Neighborhood, don’t get cute here. Rodgers is a MUST START. |
| 2 | Drew Brees NO | at ATL | Brees won’t make the playoffs this season, but in what could possibly be his and/or Sean Payton’s last game with the Saints. Brees will be plenty motivated to knock off the Falcons. He’s still Drew Brees and can put up 400 yds. and multiple TDs like no other. If you’ve made it this far, don’t get cute. Brees is a MUST START. |
| 3 | Matt Ryan ATL | vs NO | Ryan’s Falcolns are still playing for playoff positioning, and are guaranteed a first round bye with a win. Reports suggest top wideout Julio Jones will be a full go this week after being limited last week in his return from injury. While the Falcolns will be without slot receiver/playmaker Taylor Gabriel, the Saints defense should allow for Ryan to have an explosive game in what figures to be a shootout between these two NFC South rivals. Ryan is a MUST START. |
| 4 | Russell Wilson SEA | at SF | It hasn’t been a very fun season for Russell Wilson, as he has had to deal with a pesky ankle injury, and also watched his big play threat receiver Tyler Lockett struggle and deal with injury early in the season. And wouldn’t you know it, right when Lockett seemed to be healed, he suffered a gruesome broken leg injury in Week 16. That said, look at the opponent, the absolute worst defense in 2016, along with the fact that Wilson has three powerful weapons who will play, wideout Doug Baldwin, tight end Jimmy Graham, and his legs which are now much healthier. Considering this is a must win to lock up the third seed in the NFC, with the potential of sneaking into the second seed with a Falcons loss. The Seahawks have plenty to play for in Week 17. Wilson is a MUST START. |
| 5 | Andrew Luck IND | vs JAC | While the Colts will be playing for pride on Sunday, Andrew Luck is still Andrew Luck and will still do Andrew Luck things. Expect a full complement of snaps, and Luck and company could be playing for Coach Chuck Pagano’s job. This makes Luck a MUST START. |
| 6 | Kirk Cousins WAS | vs NYG | You like that? Perhaps no QB has more on the line in Week 17 than the yet to be paid, potential franchise QB. While the Giants are locked into the fifth seed for the playoffs, the Redskins are win and get in* (barring a Lions-Packers tie*) scenario. This makes Cousins a SUGGESTED START. |
| 7 | Matthew Stafford DET | vs GB | In what figures to be a shootout for the NFC North title and entry into the Playoffs, Matt Stafford will have the green light to make as many passes as needed to beat Green Bay. Stafford is a SUGGESTED START in somewhat of a tough matchup. |
| 8 | Tom Brady NE | at MIA | In order to guarantee the #1 seed, the Patriots must win in Miami. For some reason Brady has struggled in South Beach throughout his career. Also, the fact that the combo of Wake and Suh have caused QB nightmares lingers in this one. This has the potential of bring a LaGarrete Blount touch game. This makes Brady a START BUT BEWARE candidate for Week 17. |
| 9 | Jameis Winston TB | vs CAR | So you’re saying there is a chance? Tampa Bay is still technically alive in the NFC playoff picture but it ain’t looking good. That said the Bucs can control one thing, ant that is beating the comically bad Panthers. Running the ball against the Panthers is still somewhat challenging, but passing the ball is as easy as it’s ever been. Winston will be without tight end Cameron Brate, but will have #1 wideout Mike Evans. The only knock here is that the Panthers could bracket coverage on Evans which makes Winston a STARTÂ BUT BEWARE. |
| 10 | Blake Bortles JAC | at IND | So Gus Bradley gets fired and all of a sudden, Bortles remembers how to throw a deep ball to Allen Robinson? While there may be something fishy about that, the fact is Bortles also CAUGHT a touchdown pass last week and the Jags looked rejuvenated under interim coach Doug Marrone. But this is still Blake Bortles we are talking about here, in a good matchup with nothing but pride to play for, Bortles is a START BUT BEWARE play vs the Colts. |
| 11 | Cam Newton CAR | at TB | Cam Newton came into the season as the first QB on many fantasy owners boards, and did not produce this season as expected. With TE Greg Olsen likely to be limited in what will amount to a meaningless game against an improved Bucs defense, this may turn out to be a trap game matchup. If you are without a top 10 option , Newton is a START IF YOU MUST play. |
| 12 | Philip Rivers SD | vs KC | While Rivers and the Chargers have been eliminated, they will presumably need to pass the ball a lot with the MASH unit of RBs they currently employ. When Kenneth Farrow can’t even avoid IR, it’s a bad deal. This is a rivalry game against the Chiefs and perhaps more than likely the las game for the Chargers in San Diego. Expect Rivers to pass, pass, pass, albeit against a tough KC defense. START IF YOU MUST. |
| 13 | Alex Smith KC | at SD | Oh Alex Smith, on paper looks like an excellent matchup, but as everyone should know by now, Captain Checkdown is much better in real life than for fantasy purposes. One has to hope for a swing pass to the explosive Tyreek Hill, or a catch and rumble from TE Kelce for a big play out of Smith. Smith makes an all or nothing play this week, with the probability of a nothing being increased. AVOID IF ABLE. |
| 14 | Carson Palmer ARZ | at LAR | Palmer has a bad matchup and a banged up WR core that no longer has Michael Floyd. One bright spot is JJ Nelson, but a deep threat needs time to get down the field. Against a ferocious pass rush, and behind a not so good O-line, Palmer probably won’t have that kind of time, which could lead to marginalized fantasy points. AVOID IF ABLE. |
| 15 | Joe Flacco BAL | at CIN | Cool Joe heads into Cincy with no chance at the playoffs after a deflating loss to the Steelers. The matchup appears to be good, but one has to wonder if the Ravens simply mail it in for Week 17. Steve Smith, Sr. may be the focus here to get the ball, but it’s never a good idea to lock onto a WR, and has caused Flacco issues in the pass with throwing INTs. AVOID IF ABLE. |
| 16 | Eli Manning NYG | at WAS | Typically, Eli would rank a lot higher, except for the pesky fact that the G-Men will have exactly nothing to play for in this game. Also taking into consideration that Bob McAdoo already loves to run a conservative offense, this is a situation that screams trouble. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. |
| 17 | Andy Dalton CIN | vs BAL | Limited weapons, nothing to play for, and an already limited skill set, oh and the Ravens rank #1 vs the pass. That leads to a hard pass on Dalton for Week 17. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. |
| 18 | Sam Bradford MIN | vs CHI | It’s still Sam Bradford people. Don’t expect a repeat performance from Theilen like last week. The Bears are playing for their coach and GM, at last check the Vikings for the Vikings, not so much. Plus there’s the whole Bradford lost to the Bears earlier this year thing. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. |
| 19 | Carson Wentz PHI | vs DAL | Phily seems to miss Andy Reid so much that they cloned their QB and named him Carson Wentz. In all seriousness, Carson Wentz has an eerily similar skill set to that of KC’s Alex Smith. I’d bet the farm that doesn’t change in Week 17. JUST SAY NO! |
| 20 | Matt Moore MIA | vs NE | Backup QB. Check. Facing Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. Check. Already in the playoffs. Check. Expect the Ajayi and Drake show to dominate touches in the latest production of keep the ball away from the Patriots offense. How deflating! JUST SAY NO! |
