Tim Hightower should be an option for salary relief with a favorable Week 17 matchup
Whether constructing a cash game lineup or preparing for tournament play, you will need to be able to sort out the value options that are available each week. These plays can arise from a variety of reasons ranging from an injury to simple mispricing. Finding the diamonds in the rough can be the single difference between you and a high-scoring lineup.
These last 16 weeks flew by rather quickly and now Week 17 is upon us. The final round of regular season games brings us a full 16-game slate and there are still plenty of good matchups to target. Last week’s value plays included Sam Bradford, Frank Gore, Karlos Williams, Allen Hurns, Keshawn Martin and the Buffalo Bills defense. Let’s look at some value plays for Week 17.
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Quarterback
Brandon Weeden HOU vs. JAX $5,350
It’s pretty simple for Weeden as he just needs to win and he and the Texans will be playoff bound. He looked composed in Week 16 as he scored 23.1 FantasyAces points and he will face a porous Jacksonville defense this week. The Jaguars have allowed the fourth-most passing yards per game and Weeden will have a great shot at paying off that salary this week.
Running Backs
Tim Hightower NO @ ATL $4,900
Hightower continues to produce while dominating the touches out of the backfield and he has a good matchup in Week 17. Atlanta ranks 28th in fantasy points allowed per game to running backs and this game has a projected total of 53 points. Scoring should be plentiful, so look for another solid outing from Hightower.
Darren McFadden DAL vs. WAS $4,800
The Cowboys don’t have much to play for this week and with Washington unable to change their playoff seeding, they could rest some players. McFadden is just three yards short of 1,000 rushing yards on the season and he has a good chance to cap off a fine 2015 season. Washington allows the seventh-most rushing yards per game and as a result McFadden is a top-five value among running backs this week.
Rashad Jennings NYG vs. PHI $4,450
There’s always risk involved when utilizing a running back from a crowded backfield, but Jennings has logged at least 14 rushes in each of the last three games so I’m willing to roll the dice. The matchup is a great one as the Eagles allow the third-most rushing yards per game and Jennings carries nice upside due to his abilities in the passing game.
Wide Receivers
Jeremy Maclin KC vs. OAK $5,000
Maclin is a top-four value at receiver this week as the Chiefs host the Raiders. Kansas City still has something to play for as they could win the AFC West if Denver loses. Maclin moves around the field quite a bit, while cornerback David Amerson spends nearly 80% of his time on one side of the field. This should mean Maclin will likely see some time against both T.J. Carrie and D.J. Hayden, who are each ranked 100th or worse among cornerbacks per Pro Football Focus. Look for Alex Smith to exploit this Oakland defense as they are allowing the sixth-most passing yards per game.
Travis Benjamin CLE vs. PIT $4,000
If you’re rolling the dice on Johnny Manziel in tournaments this week, it might make sense to pair him up with his favorite target. Benjamin has been a no-show the last four games, but he did score 14.1 FantasyAces points when Manziel had his solid game against the Steelers as noted above. The matchup is a good one and the Browns will look to be playing spoiler against the desperate Pittsburgh Steelers.
Calvin Johnson DET @ CHI $4,800
Johnson will be looking to finish an inconsistent season on a high note against the Bears in a game in which he should see Tracy Porter in coverage. Johnson saw 10 targets last week and caught six of those for 77 yards and a score, so his ankle injury doesn’t seem to be too serious. Johnson is a WR13 on the season, but unfortunately he’s posted some real duds due to the emergence of Golden Tate. Take advantage of the depressed price tag this week.
Tight Ends
Zach Miller CHI vs. DET $4,000
The Lions allow the third-most fantasy points per game to tight ends and as a result Miller is a top-three value among tight ends this week. Miller has seen 20 targets from Jay Cutler over the last three games and the heavy volume should continue if Alshon Jeffery remains limited or out yet again.
Zach Ertz PHI @ NYG $4,550
Ertz has scored at least 12.3 FantasyAces points in each of the last three games and he’s seen a whopping 37 targets over that span. While he scored just one touchdown in those three games, that kind of volume is tough to ignore. There’s some risk involved now that Chip Kelly has been sent to the unemployment line, but the matchup is a good one. The Giants allow the second-most fantasy points per game to tight ends and Ertz checks in as a top-five value among tight ends this week.
Defense/Special Teams
Indianapolis Colts vs. TEN $2,650
The Colts will be somewhat motivated for this game as there is still an outside chance that they can sneak into the playoffs. They will face an unintimidating Zach Mettenberger at home and they are the top value play at defense this week.
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Adam Sutton is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Adam, follow him @DraftStars_Adam. You can find more of Adam’s work at DraftStars.net.
