For nearly all fantasy football leagues, it all comes down to Week 17. Two teams have survived the injuries and abhorrent coaching decisions, along with a cobwebbed waiver wire most of the season. It’s like getting ready for a first date with a longtime crush. It feels natural to be in this position, but nervous energy can overwhelm the ability to think rationally. The good news is that anything goes this week. Your intuition can and should override the cliched need to “start your studs, no matter what.”
Winning a fantasy championship can sometimes require a departure from the prideful stubbornness that helped you reach this point. In 2018, I benched QB1 Drew Brees for erratic rookie Josh Allen to take down an undefeated juggernaut and hoist the trophy. Anything can happen in Week 17, so plan accordingly to maximize your team’s resiliency to the oblong spheroid’s treacherous bounces. For those who have trudged their way into the final showdown, deflecting shrapnel along the way, here are the top fantasy football storylines for Championship Week 17.
If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup, based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant – which allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team and by how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.
40-Burger and a Slay Ride
The Eagles and 49ers have enjoyed a lot of (earned) love as favorites in the wide-open NFC playoff picture, but the scariest team in the conference might be the most hated of all of them. The Dallas Cowboys lead the NFL in points per game with Dak Prescott under center this season. They emerged victorious over the Eagles in a thriller on Sunday, albeit against Philly’s backup QB Gardner Minshew. It was Philadelphia that eked out a narrow win over Dallas earlier in the season when Cooper Rush was playing in place of Prescott.
Both teams are more than ready for a deep playoff push, but the aerial display that Dak put forth against the best secondary in the NFL should sound all the alarms in the City of Brotherly Love. All-Pro CB Darius Slay was BBQ chicken at Jerry World on Sunday, allowing both touchdowns to CeeDee Lamb and not drifting deep enough in his zone to prevent a 3rd-and-30 bomb to Ty Hilton that helped the Cowboys snatch the victory. Dallas already dropped a 40-burger on Minnesota this season, while San Francisco’s Achilles heel might be their secondary. Cowboys fans are jaded into oblivion after 26 years of dashed expectations, but this could be their year.
High Wattage in Canton
J.J. Watt is calling it a career. I don’t believe there was such a thing as IDP fantasy football in 2014, but Watt would have been the alpha and omega in that magical season. He won Defensive Player of the Year and garnered MVP votes with 20.5 sacks and five touchdowns, including two as a receiver. His checkered health in recent years has somewhat faded the memories of his dominance. It should not be understated that he is one of the best defensive ends in the history of football. His mark as a football player still pales in comparison to his work as a philanthropist and humanitarian. Watt was the face of the city of Houston in the wake of Hurricane Harvey in 2017, where he raised more than $37 million for local relief efforts.
His 2022 season for the Cardinals has been very impressive for a player of such grizzled wear and tear. He has turned in 9.5 sacks in 14 games, along with six passes deflected and a forced fumble. He was a game wrecker from start to finish, and a good human to boot. Hats off to J.J. on one hell of a great career.
New Year’s Resolution: Tight End
Don’t look now, but the TE position was not as much of a travesty in Week 16. In fact, it was incredible. Eleven TEs cracked double-digit PPR points, including four with more than 25. The TE1 on the week that vaulted many into their league’s championship round is none other than TJ Hockenson. His 35.9 points for the Vikings in their close win over the Giants was incredible, but not entirely unexpected. Since he was traded from the Lions to the Vikings in Week 9, Hockenson leads all TEs in receptions.
Tight end receptions since TJ Hockenson’s Minnesota debut in Week 9:
1) TJ Hockenson (52)
2) Travis Kelce (50)— Adam Pfeifer (@APfeifer24) December 27, 2022
It isn’t just TJ Hockenson who is thriving down the stretch at TE. George Kittle and Evan Engram are also on league-winning production arcs. Dawson Knox and Tyler Higbee have far surpassed their ability levels with their receiving production in recent weeks, while Darren Waller is finally healthy and contributing again at the most opportune time. Earlier in the season, tight ends were a dystopian wasteland for fantasy. Now, having the right one will likely contribute to fantasy glory.
Jetting to 2k
Some of us in the fantasy football space saw this coming. My good friend Matt Harmon from Yahoo! predicted that Calvin Johnson’s record for receiving yards was in jeopardy. Justin Jefferson has been everything we predicted. He needs only 208 receiving yards in his final two games this season to match Megatron’s 1,964 yards for the Lions in 2012 and 244 to become the first WR to eclipse 2,000 receiving yards in a single season. I thought my prediction in August was mega-spicy. As it happens, I was right on the money.
How are we looking, fam? This was one of my spiciest #PICANTakes from August…also a complete 🎯in my book. pic.twitter.com/rNUIOOuvAv
— Bo McBrayer; 👑 of 🌶 (@Bo_McBigTime) December 27, 2022
The Vikings’ passing game under new head coach Kevin O’Connell has been a goldmine. Jefferson, along with Hockenson and even K.J. Osborn, has given Kirk Cousins explosive options all season. Cousins has elevated his game and is fifth in the NFL in passing yards. Jefferson already has the most receiving yards through a player’s first four seasons in NFL history, despite not yet completing his third campaign. Those dynasty rosters with Jettas will be contending for titles for a very long time. He is already an all-time great at 23 years old. Let’s hit the Griddy a few more times this week, for the ‘ship.
If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup, based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant – which allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team and by how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.
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