The 2025 fantasy football championship game is here at last. Another year of research, stress, bad luck and anxiety comes down to one final week.
Luckily for fantasy football managers, the quarterback slate is fairly favorable, making it easy for many to determine their lineups. Any manager who has made it to the championship game will be tempted to just leave in the star quarterback who has taken them to the dance, but there are still a few matchups to avoid.
Before the action unfolds in NFL Week 17, we will go over the top three fantasy football quarterbacks to start and three others to sit one more time.
Start: Cowboys QB Dak Prescott (at Washington)
The Dallas Cowboys have been eliminated from the playoffs for the second consecutive season, but Dak Prescott has been on a heater. Since his two-touchdown blunder against the Denver Broncos in Week 8, Prescott has been the seventh-best quarterback in fantasy football and has shown zero signs of slowing down entering Week 17.
Although Prescott is coming off a pair of “down” games, during which he still averaged 269 passing yards, he draws his softest defensive matchup in a month. Prescott has faced a pair of zone-heavy defenses, but he will go against the Washington Commanders' man-heavy scheme in Week 17.
The last time he faced man-dominant coverages, Prescott dominated November with three consecutive 300-yard outings. He was the No. 1 fantasy football quarterback during that frame, and now draws a Commanders secondary that is depleted without top cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore and Trey Amos.
Sit: Chargers QB Justin Herbert (vs. Houston)
Any fantasy football manager who relied on Justin Herbert in Week 15 was paid off handsomely with the quarterback's second 300-yard game of the year. Herbert benefited from facing the Dallas Cowboys' atrocious pass defense, but he will face much more resistance in Week 17 against the Houston Texans.
The Texans are on the complete opposite end of the spectrum, allowing the fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Houston has allowed just five quarterbacks to top 15 fantasy points against them all season, and none were able to reach 20.
Herbert also threw an interception in four consecutive games before facing the Cowboys. The Texans boast the second-best turnover margin in the league, averaging 1.7 takeaways per game.
Any manager relying on Herbert in the fantasy football championships against this secondary is praying for a 17-point game at best. That could certainly be enough, but most should have another option with a higher ceiling to feel more confident in.
Start: Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence (at Indianapolis)
Any Trevor Lawrence owner would find it difficult to bench him at this point in what might be the best stretch of his five-year career. Lawrence enters Week 17 with 1,082 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, zero interceptions, 112 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in his last four games.
Coming off his two best performances of the year, Lawrence and the red-hot Jacksonville Jaguars face the struggling Indianapolis Colts' defense. The Colts have struggled to defend the pass all season — allowing the second-most passing yards in the league — but they have had an even tougher time without star cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward.
While Gardner could potentially return from a calf injury in Week 17, the Colts have no reason to rush him back, with the playoffs slipping further away each week. Even if he plays, Lawrence and the Jaguars are heating up at the right time and just dominated an elite Denver Broncos secondary.
Sit: Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (at Green Bay)
The 2025 season has been one to forget for Lamar Jackson, who has been hardly usable in fantasy football since Week 11. Entering Week 17, the two-time MVP has just three touchdowns and five interceptions in his last six games, during which he has averaged only 10.6 fantasy football points per game.
Jackson is questionable for the Baltimore Ravens' upcoming game against the Green Bay Packers, but fans can expect him to play. The Ravens need to win out to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, and Jackson is currently considered day-to-day.
In the event he plays, a limited Jackson will have a difficult time ending his slump against the Packers, who have thwarted quarterbacks all year and rank just outside the top 10, allowing 15.5 fantasy football points to the position. Green Bay is particularly efficient at limiting scrambling opportunities, allowing the third-fewest rushing yards to opposing quarterbacks.
Jackson's back injury will limit his scrambling, and he is far less dangerous without the threat of his legs. He trots into Week 17 with just 15 completions for 251 passing yards in his last two games and will have another rough day against the Packers.
Start: Bengals QB Joe Burrow (vs. Arizona)
Just after he said he was no longer having fun playing for the Cincinnati Bengals, Joe Burrow pulled a complete 180 with his best performance of the year against the Miami Dolphins. The Bengals might be eliminated from playoff contention, but Burrow made sure everyone knew he is “having fun again” to end a frustrating 2025 campaign.
The fun should continue in Week 17, when the Bengals face another struggling defense. Cincinnati has been frustratingly inconsistent, but it draws an Arizona Cardinals defense dealing with a wealth of injuries in its secondary, leading to it ranking in the bottom 10 in passing yards allowed.
More than anything, Burrow struggles when he is under pressure. His two worst games of the year came against the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens, who sacked him three times each. Anything can happen against this Bengals offensive line, but the Cardinals' injury-riddled pass-rushing unit ranks fourth-worst in sack rate with just 26 sacks in 2025.
The Bengals' defense has been better of late, but they are still not good enough to blow out the Cardinals. Expect Burrow to put forth another strong performance in what could quickly turn into a shootout in Ohio.
Sit: Lions QB Jared Goff (at Minnesota)
Detroit Lions fans would love nothing more than for Jared Goff to win the 2025 NFL MVP award to complete his unprecedented career turnaround. Unfortunately, that storyline could be facing a speed bump in Week 17 when the Lions take on the Minnesota Vikings' underrated defense.
The Vikings' defense does not get the credit it deserves, particularly against quarterbacks. Minnesota has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks all season, with just 12.2 per game.
The Josh Metellus-less Vikings will have their hands full with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, but Goff could also become a victim of the Lions' success. Minnesota has already ruled out J.J. McCarthy for the Christmas Day game, leaving undrafted rookie Max Brosmer to make his second career start.
The last time Minnesota started Brosmer, it was completely helpless in a 26-0 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks' defense tortured Brosmer all game, leading to just 128 passing yards and zero touchdowns from Sam Darnold.
The Lions should roll in Week 17, but Goff will not be much of an asset in the fantasy football championship game.
