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FantasyAces NFL Lineup Advice: Week 17

Jeremy Maclin will probably face a duo of suspect corners this week

Jeremy Maclin will probably face a duo of suspect corners this week

The 2015 regular season draws to a close with a full slate this Sunday. Blake Bortles, Karlos Williams, David Johnson and Rueben Randle all hit or exceeded value in Week 16.

Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers were the big bust of the week for everyone as they flopped in a prime matchup. Julius Thomas managed not to participate in Bortles’ big day while Kamar Aiken just missed his value threshold. After highlighting some of last week’s hits and misses, let’s take a look at the lineup for Week 17.

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Quarterback

Matt Ryan ATL vs. NO $6,600
It’s been a prudent move to attack this dreadful Saints’ defense all year and Week 17 is no exception. The Saints are allowing 281 passing yards per game and nearly three touchdown passes per contest. Ryan certainly has had an inconsistent year, but I expect him to finish the 2015 season on a high note against a team he scored 21.75 FantasyAces points on earlier this year.

Brian Hoyer HOU vs. JAX $5,750
The Texans need to win to lock up the AFC South and Hoyer looks to be cleared to play this week. The Jaguars have allowed the fourth-most passing yards per game and Hoyer should have no troubles exploiting this porous defense.

Running Back

Tim Hightower NO @ ATL $4,900
Hightower continues to produce while dominating the touches out of the backfield and he is underpriced given the volume he has seen over the last three weeks. Atlanta ranks 28th in fantasy points allowed per game to running backs, and this game has a projected total of 53 points. There should be plenty of scoring, so look for another solid outing from Hightower.

Rashad Jennings NYG vs. PHI $4,450
There’s always risk involved when utilizing a running back from a crowded backfield, but Jennings has racked up 345 total yards and a touchdown on 57 touches over the last three games. 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 Receiver

Julio Jones ATL vs. NO $6,350
Jones leads the league in targets, receptions and yards per game and he will face a Saints’ defense that simply cannot defend the pass. There isn’t much else that needs to be said about this play. New Orleans has allowed the most touchdowns to receivers this season, and I expect Jones to add to that total.

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 likely means Maclin will see some time against both T.J. Carrie and D.J. Hayden, who are both ranked 100th or worse among cornerbacks per Pro Football Focus. Look for Alex Smith to exploit this Oakland defense, which is allowing the sixth-most passing yards per game.

Tight End

Zach Miller CHI vs. DET $4,000
The Lions allow the third-most fantasy points per game to tight ends, which helps make Miller a fine target this week. He has seen 20 targets over the last three games and the volume should continue this week, especially with Alshon Jeffery now done for the season. Keep an eye on Miller’s status as he did not practice on Wednesday, but he is a top-three tight end value if he plays.

Flex

Darren McFadden DAL vs. WAS $4,800
The Cowboys don’t have a lot 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 matchup to take advantage of in Week 17. Washington allows the seventh-most rushing yards per game, so McFadden is a top-five value among running backs this week as a result.

Eric Decker NYJ @ BUF $5,100
Decker has been a touchdown machine this season, and he’s found the end zone in four out of the last five games. He lines up in the slot around two-thirds of the time, and that should mean he will see plenty of Nickell Robey.

Robey is undersized against Decker, and he ranks 93rd among all cornerbacks per Pro Football Focus. Look for Decker to score in a fourth-straight contest this week.

Defense/Special Teams

St. Louis Rams @ SF $2,850
The Rams will face a San Francisco offense that has scored more than 17 points just once in their last nine games, and that was an overtime contest. The 49ers have an implied team total of just 16.75 points, so lock the Rams into your lineup 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.

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