Top 3 Fantasy Football Storylines of Week 17 (2025)

Championship week doesn’t have any massive storylines. Instead, it has a few eye-catching ones for the fringes of starting lineups, starting with the viability of a veteran running back in a banged-up backfield. Another team must navigate a suspension for their No. 1 wide receiver, creating a potential ripple effect. Finally, gamers in need of waiver wire help have to determine if one of Week 16’s biggest performers can be relied upon this week.

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Fantasy Football Storylines

Do the Vikings Have a Trustworthy Fantasy Option at Running Back?

Aaron Jones briefly exited Sunday’s contest with an ankle injury, and he was listed as a limited practice participant on Minnesota’s estimated practice report (they didn’t practice on Monday). Jordan Mason also injured his ankle on Sunday, and he didn’t return. Mason was also listed as a non-participant on Monday’s injury report.

According to the Fantasy Points data suite, Jones handled 21 of Minnesota’s 26 rush attempts and had a 48.3% route participation rate. He parlayed his excellent usage into 85 rushing yards, two targets, two receptions and eight receiving yards. Xavier Scott or Ty Chandler, if he’s activated from the injured reserve (IR), could spell Jones, assuming Mason is out. However, Jones could receive a bell-cow workload again this week against the Lions without Mason.

J.J. McCarthy left the Week 16 contest early with a hand injury, and he was listed as a non-participant on Monday. Max Brosmer would be in line to start if McCarthy is sidelined. There’s a total offensive failure risk for the Vikings with McCarthy or Brosmer, but Detroit’s defense is a plus matchup for Minnesota’s running backs. The Lions have coughed up the fifth-most half-PPR points per game (26) to running backs since Week 12. Jones’ likely heavy workload, coupled with a plus matchup, makes him a viable RB2/Flex option if Mason is out, even with the risk of the offense struggling.

Do the Steelers Have Any Beneficiaries of DK Metcalf‘s Suspension?

DK Metcalf is suspended for the final two games of the regular season, and the Steelers play the Browns in Cleveland this week. Pittsburgh’s passing game is bereft of quality wideouts. They’ll likely attempt to lean on the rushing attack against a wilting run defense.

In three games without Maliek Collins, the Browns have permitted 458 rushing yards (152.7 per game), 5.45 yards per carry, seven rushing touchdowns, 11 targets, six receptions (two per game), 63 receiving yards (21 per game) and 32.4 half-PPR points per game (32.4) to running backs. Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell can both eat against the Browns.

Warren handled 14 rush attempts for 143 yards and two rushing touchdowns and had a 26.7% route participation rate, two targets, two receptions and eight receiving yards against the Lions in Week 16. Gainwell toted the rock nine times for 50 yards, with a 48.9% route participation rate, 16.5% air yards share, 14.6% target share, 0.27 targets per route run (TPRR), six targets, five receptions, 78 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown against Detroit. There’s room for both to succeed in Week 17, making them RB2/Flex options.

Warren and Gainwell should be busy on the ground and through the air. Unfortunately, Pittsburgh’s lack of talent at wide receiver and its rotation of multiple tight ends render those positions uninteresting in season-long leagues.

Is it Point Chasing to Use Parker Washington in Championship Week?

Parker Washington has had a few stellar performances this year. However, Sunday’s showing was his best of the year, barbecuing Denver’s vaunted pass defense for six receptions, 145 receiving yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. It was his third game with at least 10 targets this year. Unfortunately, his showings have been inconsistent, creating a level of risk.

Washington has only a 58.4% route participation rate this year because the Jaguars have rotated wideouts. In his Week 16 blowup, Washington had a 65.1% route participation rate. It’s higher than his season mark, but it’s still not optimal. Nevertheless, Washington also had a 47.9% air yards share, 25% target share, 0.32 TPRR and a 23.8% first-read rate on Sunday.

Washington had a 28.6% wide alignment rate and 71.4% slot rate against the Broncos. He has a plus matchup against the Colts this week. From Week 12 through Week 15, the Colts allowed 33.6 half-PPR points per game to wide receivers. During that period, they allowed 21.1 half-PPR points per game and 9.68 yards per target to perimeter wideouts and 10.3 half-PPR points per game and 9.55 yards per target to slot receivers. Washington can carve up the Colts from the outside or from his primary alignment in the slot.

The most significant concern for Washington’s outlook is that the Colts don’t push the Jaguars after they lost to the 49ers on Monday Night Football. Their playoff fate would be decided by the time they kick off on Sunday if the Texans beat the Chargers on Saturday. Regardless, gamers in need of help at wide receiver should consider Washington. Frankly, I’d start Washington over more-widely rostered options such as Emeka Egbuka and Rashee Rice.

Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.