Week 17 of the NFL season is a big one for many teams still fighting for a playoff spot, but in fantasy football, it's championship week. Depending on the structure of your leagues, chances are Week 17 is either the end of your fantasy season, or the beginning of your final matchup. With that in mind, it makes it very worthwhile to check out our Week 17 start 'em sit 'em quarterbacks list for this very important week.
Week 17 fantasy football start 'em sit 'em: Running backs | Wide receivers | Tight ends
For our full Week 17 predictions, listen below:
By now, there's a decent chance that you have a good idea of who some of the more reliable starting quarterback options are, which makes sifting through the start 'em sit 'em dilemma a bit easier. But there are some surprising starters and bench warmers on our list here, so without further ado, let's get into the list and see who should be starting and sitting for you at quarterback in Week 17.
Week 17 Start ‘Em: Quarterbacks
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Jared Goff's emergence as a relevant fantasy football option at quarterback has been one of the more positive developments this season for managers. Sure, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Russell Wilson have all been unusable, but at least Goff is playable, and that trend will continue in Week 17. Goff came through in a huge way for managers (myself included) who used him as a streaming option in Week 16, and in Week 17, he has an even better matchup on his hands against the Chicago Bears. If you have a chance to get Goff on your roster, it makes a lot of sense to give him the start again with a championship on the line.
Gardner Minshew, Philadelphia Eagles
Gardner Minshew was one of the most polarizing quarterbacks options in Week 16 as he took over the Philadelphia Eagles' offense with Jalen Hurts on the sidelines. On one hand, the Eagles' offense is very good, which made Minshew an appealing option. But on the other hand, they were going against a strong Dallas Cowboys defense. Minshew ended up putting together a strong fantasy outing, which meant managers who started him reaped the rewards. In Week 17, Minshew seems likely to play again with Hurts still injured, and considering he has a more favorable matchup against the New Orleans Saints, he seems like a safe play this week.
Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
Justin Fields is definitely a more sensible starting option than the other two names on this list, but this is really meant for fantasy football managers with two starting-caliber quarterback options. Fields has a fantastic matchup on his hands for this game, setting him up well for a bounce-back contest after a poor showing in Week 16. Fields torched the Lions in his first meeting with them this season, putting up 39.38 fantasy points per ESPN's standard quarterback scoring, and he could be in for an even bigger day this time around. Fields may be the top quarterback option in Week 17, and if you have him on your roster, he has to be starting over every other quarterback in the league.
Week 17 Sit ‘Em: Quarterbacks
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
It's kind of strange to think about, but Justin Herbert has actually been a fairly big disappointment for fantasy owners this season. He was expected to be a top-three quarterback right behind Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, but instead, he has been the 11th-best quarterback in terms of total fantasy points using ESPN's standard quarterback scoring. Herbert hasn't even eclipsed 10 points in the past two weeks using the same scoring method, and while the Los Angeles Chargers are moving the ball on offense, it's not resulting in consistent fantasy points for Herbert. The Los Angeles Rams provide an interesting challenge, and while Herbert may bounce back, it feels safer to invest in other options.
Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Geno Smith has been a revelation at quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks this season, as well as fantasy football managers. But he has cooled off a bit in recent weeks, pushing him from a surefire starter into the murky in-between category. Smith looked lost without Tyler Lockett on the field alongside him and DK Metcalf in Week 16, and while Lockett could end up playing in Week 17, the Seahawks have a tough matchup against the New York Jets. Getting Lockett back would obviously help, but the Jets' secondary is tough, and after a poor showing in Week 16, it feels best to avoid Smith this week.
Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
Kirk Cousins has been on a heater lately, and he has quickly become a must-start option in many managers' eyes heading into Week 17. This isn't necessarily a proclamation that Cousins will be bad in Week 17, but he's a very inconsistent starter to say the least, and with a tough Green Bay Packers defense waiting for him, it feels like this could be a week where Cousins comes back to earth. Maybe he has simply figured the Vikings' new offense out, but it doesn't feel that simple. You don't necessarily have to avoid Cousins at all costs, but if you have other options to start over him (such as Fields or Goff), it feels like a better move to play them over Cousins in this one.
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