The Fantasy Footballers’ Starts of the Week for Week 17 (Fantasy Football)
One more week of staring at your lineup, second-guessing every Start/Sit, and convincing yourself this is the right call. One more week before a championship trophy is all yours. Take a breath, you are not doing this alone. The Ballers are back with their favorite plays of the week to help you survive the chaos and push you across the finish line. Let’s get you a ring. Here are the Ballers’ Week 17 Starts of the Week:
Andy’s Starts of the Week
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QB Caleb Williams @ SF
Caleb Williams was Andy’s Start of the Week last week, and he delivered as a top-10 QB: 250 yds, TDs, plus 30 on the ground. That’s the exact profile you want when ceilings matter. The matchup keeps lining up. San Francisco just let Philip Rivers carve them up for 277 yds and two TDs on Monday night, and this defense isn’t generating any real pass rush right now. Over the last eight weeks, the 49ers rank 25th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs. Caleb’s confidence is growing, the rushing floor is real, and the matchup says keep firing. Lock him in as a QB1 and keep the train rolling.
RB Chris Rodriguez vs DAL
Coming off an injury, you might’ve expected Washington to ease Chris Rodriguez back in. Instead, they leaned on him. He handled 63% of the team’s rush attempts and got three carries inside the 10, which tells you everything you need to know about how they view him right now. When they get close, they want the ball in his hands. The matchup carries a 50.5-point total, and Dallas’ run defense has been a mess. They’re 31st in EPA per rush and 27th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs. Teams aren’t just running on them; they are doing it efficiently. This isn’t about chasing some flashy name. It’s about trusting the role, the goal-line work, and a defense that keeps getting gashed.
WR Jakobi Meyers @ IND
This one doesn’t need a ton of overthinking. Jakobi Meyers has quietly been exactly what you want from a fantasy WR. Over the last six weeks, he’s sitting on a 25% target share, averaging five catches and about 60 yds per game. And then there’s the matchup. Indianapolis’ pass defense is 31st in passing yards allowed and 30th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs. If you are looking for a defense to attack through the air, this is it. Lock him in as a strong WR2 and move on with your week.
TE Tyler Warren vs JAX
Andy gets it. If you’ve rostered Tyler Warren, the last two weeks probably felt frustrating. The production hasn’t matched the opportunity. But the opportunity is still very much there. He’s seen 15 targets over that span, and Philip Rivers flat-out missed him on a red-zone look where Warren was wide open. That’s the kind of miss that doesn’t keep happening forever. This is a must-win game for the Colts to stay alive; it’s happening in a dome, which we love for fantasy, especially in December. When teams tighten up and play with urgency, TEs tend to stay involved, especially near the goal line. The matchup helps Warren this week. Jacksonville ranks 23rd in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs, which puts Warren squarely in a get-right spot. This isn’t chasing last week’s box score. It’s trusting the targets and the game environment.
Jason’s Starts of the Week
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QB Trevor Lawrence @ IND
Trevor Lawrence has been an absolute rock down the stretch, QB4 overall, and since the bye, he’s been the QB2. His floor has been incredibly high, and this setup only reinforces it. The game environment is exactly what you want for fantasy championships. This one’s in a dome, carries a 47.5-point total, and the Jaguars are sitting on a 27-point implied total. Jacksonville isn’t taking the air out of the ball either. They are letting Trevor cook. Over the last month, the Jags rank 3rd in Pass Rate Over Expectation, which means the volume is locked in. The Colts rank 31st in passing yards allowed per game. Easy to see why Jason is excited for TLaw going into Week 17.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson @ NYJ
Rhamondre looked like Rhamondre again in Week 16, and that’s the biggest takeaway. Against Baltimore, he played 84% of the snaps, turned eight carries into 51 yds and a TD, and stayed involved through the air with three targets. It gets even better this week. TreVeyon Henderson is in concussion protocol, which only clears the runway further for Rhamondre. Add in the game script, The Patriots are 13.5-point favorites with a 28-point implied total. Jason is expecting a heavy dose of Stevenson, especially as the game wears on. The matchup against the Jets seals it for him. Over the last six weeks, the Jets rank dead last in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs. Teams aren’t just willing to run on them; they succeed when they do. Heavy snaps, goal-line work, a smash game script, and a run defense that can’t stop anyone. Rhamondre is a high-end RB1 this week and an easy Start of the Week.
WR Jauan Jennings vs CHI
Of course, Jason is going to bring up the fact that Jauan Jennings body-slammed Papa Josh on Monday night and officially ended his playoff hopes. Tough scene. But for fantasy? Absolute gold. Since Week 9, Jennings has been a consistency machine. He’s the WR12 in total fantasy points over that stretch, which does include a bye week. Now he gets a massive Sunday night spot against a Bears defense that can’t cover anyone. Chicago ranks 29th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs. Big stage. Locked-in role. Soft matchup. Jennings is firmly in your lineup this week as a strong WR2 with upside.
TE Juwan Johnson @ TEN
This one’s a victory lap. Jason called Juwan Johnson as a spot start last week, and he came through in a big way. We are talking nine targets, eight catches, 89 yds. With Devaughn Vele out, Johnson has settled in as the clear No. 2 option behind Chris Olave, and the Saints have been comfortable featuring him. The matchup against the Titans isn’t anything to fret over. They rank 25th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs, and they’ve consistently struggled to contain the middle of the field.
Mike’s Starts of the Week
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QB Drake Maye @ NYJ
If Drake Maye got you this far, don’t get cute now. Maye has been unreal for fantasy (and for the Patriots). He’s QB3 in total fantasy points, while leading the league with a 71% completion rate. The efficiency is elite, the confidence is obvious, and the Patriots are still playing with real stakes. They’ve got a legitimate shot at the No. 1 seed and the bye, so this isn’t a coast-through-the-week type of game. The Jets allow the 2nd most schedule-adjusted fantasy points to QBs. There’s no reason to pivot off Drake Maye this week.
RB Tyrone Tracy @ LV
This is a volume bet, and those are usually the best ones. Over the last two weeks, Tyrone Tracy has handled 18 opportunities in back-to-back games while playing 72% of the snaps. The stakes here are… interesting. This game helps decide the No. 1 overall pick, which usually means conservative play-calling and plenty of runs. Fewer risks, more handoffs, and a steady diet of whoever you trust most. Right now, that’s Tracy. Over the last five weeks, the Raiders rank 29th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs and 28th in yds after contact allowed.
WR Drake London vs LAR
Welcome back! Because the usage was immediate. In his first game back, Drake London saw eight targets. Now he gets a Monday night game in a dome with a 49.5-point total, which is exactly the kind of environment you want when you’re chasing ceiling. Points should be flowing, and this matchup is as friendly as it gets. Over the last five weeks, the Rams rank 30th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs, and they have been getting torched consistently on the outside. Prime time. High total. Soft secondary. All the things you want to secure a championship title.
TE Harold Fannin Jr vs PIT
Over the last five weeks, Harold Fannin Jr. has commanded a 31% target share. For a TE, especially a rookie, that’s absurd usage. He’s not a secondary read. He’s a focal point. And historically? Elite. Over the last 35 years, rookie TEs to hit 70/700/5 are basically a unicorn list:
- 2023: Sam LaPorta
- 2024: Brock Bowers
- 2025: Harold Fannin Jr.
That’s it. That’s the list. The matchup is on his side this week, as Cleveland hosts the Steelers. Over the last five weeks, Pittsburgh ranks 26th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs. Get Fannin into your lineup.