MLB
Quarterbacks:
There are a few must-win games in Week 17 this year and chief among them is the Titans who can clinch the AFC South division with a win over the lowly Texans. I would expect a big effort from Tannehill and his offense as they remember full well how much damage they did in the playoffs last year, coming within a half of making it to the Super Bowl. Houston is giving up some ugly numbers on the defensive side of the ball and who knows if they will even roster their full complement of starters. I love a Tannehill and Derrick Henry stack this week because this Titans offense should go to work.
The Ravens are a massive road favorite in Cincinnati but with their playoff hopes on the line, expect the Ravens to come out firing against a Bengals team that has won two straight games, as they close out another disappointing season. Jackson thrives against these weak defenses and had his way with the Bengals in their first meeting this season, and that was when Joe Burrow was still under center. The Ravens should come out focused and expect Jackson to get you that nice fantasy point floor with his legs as he has rushed for at least 80 yards or a touchdown in four straight weeks.
Brady and the Bucs may fly under the radar this week as a team that has clinched a playoff berth. Head coach Bruce Arians has already gone on record to say that the Bucs are not resting anyone and are coming to win on Sunday against Atlanta. This offense is heating up at the right time as Brady threw for 390 yards and 2 touchdowns in Week 15 against this same Falcons team, and then proceeded to drop 348 yards and 4 touchdowns on the Lions in Week 16. A lot of people are going to lean towards the quarterbacks who are in games that will make or break their playoff chances, but I don’t mind a Buccaneers stack at all as a contrarian way to approach this slate.
Running Backs:
We have rode him through the second half of the season and the rookie has delivered week in and week out. Now, the Colts need to ride him to have a chance at an AFC Wildcard spot against the lowly Jaguars who have long packed in the season after they locked up the number one overall draft pick in next year’s NFL Draft. The Jags are giving up 145 rushing yards per game and 21 rushing touchdowns so I love Taylor as a building block for your DFS lineups this week.
Another backup who should get major run, Mattison is filling in for Dalvin Cook who is away from the team due to the unfortunate passing of his father. Mattison should get all of the touches he can handle in a meaningless game against a Detroit defense that packed it in weeks ago. You have to love the prices for Mattison especially on FanDuel where he is only $5000. The Lions have allowed 135 rushing yards per game and a league worst 25 rushing touchdowns this year.
The Seahawks are in the playoffs and have locked up the NFC West division this year but they still have a chance at first overall in the NFC if things go their way in the morning. Keep an eye on the scoreboards to make sure this game counts, but I would not expect Seattle to want to risk Russell Wilson’s health by allowing him to rush or hang in the pocket too long against this 49ers defense. The Seahawks will just want to grind out an ugly win so that usually means a lot of work for Carson.
Wide Receivers:
It’s really hard not to lock in Adams after the season he has had, and even in large-scale GPPs, having his safety can elevate your lineup considerably. Green Bay wants to lock up first place in the NFC to secure the bye and home field advantage so I fully expect the Packers to come out blazing against the Bears who have nobody in the secondary that can hang with Adams. By this point you should not need an explanation as to why to play him, just lock him in your lineups especially with all of the running back value there is on the board.
After a bumpy season where Brown showed very clearly how frustrated he was for not getting the ball enough, he has had 90 yards or a touchdown now in every week since Week 11. I would think Harbaugh will want to get his offense humming before they get to the playoffs so I like a Lamar-Brown stack more than most this week, especially when the deep shots are in play against this terrible Bengals secondary.
This one could get ugly fast in Houston, but the hope, for DFS players at least, is that Houston can take advantage of this bad Titans defense to keep the game close. It remains to be seen if Deshaun Watson is going to play, so monitor the injury reports before kickoff. If the Texans are all playing, this one has shootout potential, and if it is AJ Brown should run wild all over this Houston secondary!
Tight Ends:
The Bears have given up a ton of fantasy points to the tight end position this year, and last time these two teams played, both Green Bay tight ends scored touchdowns. Tonyan has an incredible 10 touchdowns on 50 receptions, but has really gained the trust of Aaron Rodgers this year, especially in the end zone. I like Tonyan to at least put up a touchdown and maybe some nice yardage as well.
Another game with massive playoff implications, the Giants or Cowboys need to win to keep their NFC East title chances alive. With Daniel Jones back under center I think the Giants will be able to move the ball this week against this Cowboys defense that looked better against Jalen Hurts and the Eagles, but has still had a terrible season. The Giants had no issues moving the ball against Dallas in Week 5 and even though Engram hasn’t been used as much as fantasy owners would like this season, I think he has a good chance to return value in Week 17.