Fantasy Football Start/Sit: Josh Jacobs, Jonathan Taylor, Woody Marks

Week 17 of the fantasy football season has arrived, which means your fantasy season has boiled down to one final lineup decision… or 12 of them, depending on how much second-guessing you’ve done since Tuesday. For most leagues, this is Championship Week — the moment where legends are made, group chats are muted, and one questionable Flex decision can haunt you well into the offseason.

To help you avoid that particular brand of misery, we’ve turned to our Featured Pros for guidance. The sleepers and duds below reflect expert consensus on which players are set up to outperform expectations and which ones might be quietly plotting to sabotage your title run. Trust the process, trust the data and, above all, trust that you’re not alone in stressing over whether this is finally the week your gut gets it right.

Fantasy Football Week 17 Start/Sit Advice

Sleepers

Which player outside of the top 100 in the FantasyPros Flex rankings is a good sleeper start, and why do you think he has upside this week?

Woody Marks (RB – HOU)

“When I look at players outside the top 100 in flex rankings, one running back stands out as a potential league-winner for championship week: Woody Marks. He’s dealing with an ankle injury, but he was able to log a limited practice last week before ultimately sitting out against the Raiders. That suggests he was close to playing, and the extra time off heading into Week 17 should have him ready to go. With the Texans still fighting for their playoff lives, this feels like a spot where they lean on their run game in December. While Jawhar Jordan has looked strong recently, those performances came against Arizona and Las Vegas—both top-10 defenses in fantasy points allowed to running backs. The Chargers present a tougher matchup, but Marks has already proven he can deliver in difficult spots, finishing as RB10 against Jacksonville and RB14 versus Kansas City. Don’t overthink this one—if Marks plays, fire him up and let the confetti fall.”
– Kyle Zeigler (Fantasy In Frames)

Duds

Which player inside the top 40 in the FantasyPros Flex rankings is likely to disappoint fantasy managers this week?

Josh Jacobs (RB – GB)

“The Packers are in a good spot to qualify for the postseason, but it remains to be seen what they’ll get out of running back Josh Jacobs until then. The 27-year-old is enjoying a solid season and has been reliable in finding the end zone, scoring 14 touchdowns this year. However, he wasn’t himself last week against Chicago, gaining just 36 yards on 12 carries. He was a game-time decision due to a knee injury, which remains a concern. Green Bay would probably prefer to rest him so he’s primed for a playoff run, so I’m passing on Jacobs’ services this week against the Baltimore Ravens, whose defense allows the 11th-fewest yards to running backs.”
– Matt De Lima (Athlon Sports)

“Josh Jacobs is clearly banged up. Last week, we all said that if Jacobs is in, you start him. That resulted in 12 rushes for 36 yards (three yards per carry), two receptions for 12 yards and a fumble. To add to concern, we didn’t see Jacobs in the second half of a must-win game. In the fantasy football championship, you can’t afford another 39% snap count and 2.8 points. Honorable mention, Justin Jefferson with Max Brosmer at quarterback shouldn’t be listed as the 41st-ranked Flex option. I am sitting, Jefferson and might even pull a Brian Drake and drop him as a trap.”
– David Heilman (Dynasty Trade Calculator)

Jonathan Taylor (RB – IND)

“Beware of Jonathan Taylor this week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. I’m not suggesting you bench him, but temper expectations and don’t expect a repeat of his 2024-level output in Week 17. He’s cooled off significantly since his red-hot start, where he had five 100+ yard games in the first 10 weeks of the season. Since the Week 11 bye, Taylor has failed to reach 100 yards on the ground in any game. The Jaguars currently boast the league’s best run defense, allowing just 87.3 yards per game and the second-fewest fantasy points to running backs. Given that, don’t be surprised if he finishes as an RB2 again, as he has in each of the last five weeks. Obviously, play him, but manage expectations.”
– Kyle Zeigler (Fantasy In Frames)