Start/Sit Hub – Week 17 – Fantasy Football Blueprint

Happy Friday and Happy New Year to all the fantasy followers reading this. Welcome back to my weekly Start/Sit HUB! Mike Hubbard Jr here, providing you with information that can help you win your fantasy league week in and week out. For all things fantasy football, follow me on Twitter (@FantasyHubbard) and Instagram (@fantasyhubbard). You can tweet me or message me on either social media with any questions you might have regarding the fantasy football season.

Welcome to week 17 where the fantasy football playoffs are concluding and so is the year 2021. If you made it this far congratulations and well done! If your fantasy season ended, you can still watch football and play other fantasy games or start planning for next season. I hope you’re enjoying the fantasy football experience and continue to fight hard to win. This season has been very unpredictable with injuries and now COVID is becoming an even bigger issue. Stay informed and play smart.

Week 17 usually would have begun with TNF, but games are only on Sunday and Monday this week so congrats on surviving a Thursday without the NFL. The matchups I look forward to watching the most this Sunday are the Chiefs/Bengals game, the Rams/Ravens game, the Cardinals/Cowboys game, and the Vikings/Packers game. So much at stake for each team.

My advice to you in this last week is to start your studs. You probably already were planning to, but this is your reassurance. I’m here every Friday during the fantasy football season with start and sit suggestions that can impact your team each week. My decisions as always include obvious and not so obvious picks. I would also like to clarify that my sit suggestions are based on the assumption you have or can add a player that has a better chance at success. Good luck this week and continue to check out my weekly articles.

START OF THE WEEK

Start – Aaron Rodgers – Aaron Rodgers is on pace to win back-to-back MVP awards and his 4^th of his impressive career. Rodgers looks immortal out there carving up defenses with and without valuable offensive teammates at times. He is in for a fight with Minnesota this week, but Rodgers still should pick them apart. Minnesota might score enough to keep this competitive, but that just makes it better for Rodgers owners as he would need to throw even more to keep a lead. Rodgers to Adams is something you’ll never get tired of hearing in fantasy football. Look for Rodgers to put on yet another primetime performance to be remembered. Keep in mind he threw for 385 yards and 4 TDs when they met in week 11. Rodgers still somehow lost that game so I’m sure revenge is on his mind. He is my top QB this week.

Eagles @ Washington

Start – Jalen Hurts – Hurts is facing Washington for the 2^nd time in 3 weeks. He had an impressive game against them throwing for 296 yards, rushing for another 38 yards, and scored 3 total TDs in a 10-point win. While Washington’s defense is coming off an embarrassing performance on and off the field, Hurts is coming off a game where he had a season low 7 rushing yards on 2 carries. Hurts didn’t need to scramble much against the Giants. He has been playing with an ankle injury, but that doesn’t seem to be affecting his performance. Hurts is competing for a playoff spot in the NFC and his play should reflect that. I expect a lot of rushing for the Eagles in this game., including Hurts. He might want to throw to Goedert who lit Washington up for 135 receiving yards already. Jalen has been a top 6 fantasy QB this season so I’m rolling with him.

Sit – Terry McLaurin – Scary Terrys stats this season seem to be well, scary when he doesn’t score. McLaurin has scored in 4 games this season. In those 4 games he totaled 455 receiving yards and 5 TDs. In all other games he hasn’t exceed 62 receiving yards in any of them. He only has more than 4 receptions in 1 game this season where he failed to score. So, you really need him to score this week in order to play him. The problem there is he will most likely have Darius Slay covering him or keeping a close eye on him. Slay shuts down WRs often, like he already did to Terry 2 weeks ago when he held him to 2 receptions for 51 receiving yards. Apparently Heinicke will start at QB for the WFT but Kyle Allen is probably going to play as well, per coach Rivera. That could help or hurt McLaurin’s chances of success. I would avoid the entire situation if you can.

Falcons @ Bills

Start – Devin Singletary – The Bills should start the new year very happy with a dream matchup against the Falcons defense in Buffalo. Most of the Bills offense is healthy and should play, giving Josh Allen a strong surrounding cast. Allen and Diggs are must starts, probably Knox too with all of his red zone targets/receptions. This week I could see the Bills running up the score. The Falcons are capable of scoring plenty, but that hasn’t been the case this season and playing the Bills defense is not ideal. Singletary should lead the game in rushing attempts for the Bills this week in most game scenarios. Devin has double-digit carries in 4 of his last 5 games including 2 rushing TDs, and also has 12 receptions for 86 receiving yards over his last 3 games. Singletary is a top 15 RB for me this week when it matters most.

Sit – Russell Gage – Russell Gage was putting up some good numbers recently, until week 16 when he faced the Lions. Gage caught 4 of his 5 targets for 39 receiving yards. Kyle Pitts took advantage of the matchup catching all 6 of his targets and hitting the century mark with 102 receiving yards. This week all Falcons should struggle against the Bills defense who averages just over 17 points allowed each game this season. If I have to start Falcons this week, they would be Patterson, Pitts, Gage in that order.

Giants @ Bears

Start – David Montgomery – Montgomery is in a great spot this week facing the bad defense of the Giants and playing at home in Chicago. Montgomery has had a great month in terms of volume and PPR appeal. He has averaged over 17 carries each game, scored 2 rushing TDs, and averaged over 6 receptions per game in December. He has a ton of opportunity here to produce in all game scenarios. He can rush with a lead, receive while behind, and do both in a tight game. There should be much in the way of a nice stat line for Montgomery. Top 5 fantasy RB potential this weekend.

Sit – Evan Engram – Who is starting QB for the Giants this week? Jake Fromm? Mike Glennon? Will they split time and go with the hot hand (if there is a hot hand)? Regardless, the Bears should be able to handle both without too much trouble. Engram caught a garbage time TD last weekend against the Eagles which saved him from fantasy irrelevance since he had just 17 receiving yards. Since the Giants week 10 BYE, Engram has averaged just 3 receptions and 28 receiving yards per game. The Bears may be 5-10, but they’re a top 10 defense against opposing TEs this season in fantasy.

Chiefs @ Bengals

Start – Travis Kelce – The Chiefs travel to Cinci looking for their 9^th consecutive win. Kelce was held out in week 16 due to COVID but is in line to play this Sunday. The Bengals have given up 7 TDs and nearly 1000 total receiving yards to opposing TEs this season. Kelce is tied for my top TE this week with Mark Andrews. Start your studs, especially in the final game of the fantasy season with a good matchup and history of excellence.

Sit – CJ Uzomah – CJ made todays list for sits, but that is mainly because there aren’t highly owned players on either team that I would feel comfortable benching. With the exception of Uzomah, what starting offensive Bengal are you going to sit? This game has shootout written all over it. The over/under is 51 which is tied for the highest this week. CJ is on the bench this week because it is the most important week of the season and he hasn’t scored since week 7. From week 8 on, Uzomah has just 1 game with more than 36 receiving yards. The risk is way too high this week. CJ is outside my top 15 TEs in week 17.

Dolphins @ Titans

Start – AJ Brown and Jaylen Waddle – After watching the Dolphins defense destroy the Saints on MNF I am leaning towards Waddle over Brown, but both WRs are too good to sit. Brown came back to life last week being targeted 16 times on his way to 11 receptions, 145 receiving yards, and 1 TD. That is his 3^rd game this season with over 130 receiving yards and a TD. Jaylen Waddle just racked up 10 receptions, 92 receiving yards, and 1 TD on 12 targets. 42 targets and 36 receptions for Waddle in his last 4 games played. Titans struggle with opposing WRs making the matchup even juicier. Both WRs should put on a show in an important late season game with playoff implications on the line.

Sit –Ryan Tannehill – Tannehill has been driving the struggle bus for a good amount of time. The QB has been without WR weapons a lot of the time and it has affected his performances. Ryan has 3 passing TDs and 6 INTs in his last 5 games. Luckily, he is able to rush for a TD every other game or so. The Miami defense has been elite winning 7 in a row and they won’t want this ride to end. If Miami can shut down AJ Brown, Tannehill will most likely struggle. This is not the time to gamble on a QB.

Raiders @ Colts

Start – Derek Carr – Carr is 3^rd in the NFL in passing yards this season. He will need to add a lot to that if the Raiders are going to win this weekend. Josh Jacobs has been great and could be again, but they might not have enough time to establish a healthy run game if the Colts get out to a lead. I like a Carr and Renfrow stack this week with the uncertainty of Darren Waller and Bryan Edwards. Carr has top 15 potential this week but that means there are probably around 15 better options out there if you have choices so tread lightly.

Sit – Carson Wentz – Like mostly every week, this is a Jonathan Taylor week. Raiders struggle against the run and JT is on a whole different level this season. Wentz is going to start if he can get past the COVID protocols, but I don’t think he will need to do too much. Wentz is capable of big-time performances, but I think Taylor continues to dominate and show why he thinks he should be MVP all while securing a playoff berth. Don’t risk playing Wentz.

Jaguars @ Patriots

Start – Dare Ogunbowale – Ogunbowale is set to start at RB for the Jags after James Robinsons Achilles injury. He finished week 16 with 17 caries for 57 rushing yards and a TD, and also caught 2 of 4 targets for 15 receiving yards. The matchup is less than ideal going up against Bill Belichick and the Patriots in New England, but the Jags tend to score on the ground more than through the air. Only 1 reception TD for the Jags in the last 8(!) games. I’m not saying the Jags will even score a TD, but if they do, the chances of it being a rush from Ogunbowale is higher than mostly every other scenario in my opinion. Dare is the only Jag I would consider starting this week.

Sit – Mac Jones – Mac Jones has lost his last 2 games after a 7-game win streak. Jones has played well, especially for a rookie, and does all the little things that go a long way. I believe the Patriots will not have a problem containing Jacksonville and will put up enough points for a comfortable win. Damien Harris is my favorite play in this game, even with Rhamondre Stevenson playing, which doesn’t help Mac for fantasy purposes. I’ve seen a lot of bizarre things, but Mac Jones being your league winner would be pretty crazy. I’m steering clear.

Buccaneers @ Jets

Start – Ronald Jones – Ronald Jones season is in full effect. No Leonard Fournette, no problem. Jones finally has RB1 status and a workload that will help him prove why he deserves to be there. Jones only ran for 65 rushing yards, which is his season high, but he did get 20 carries. He also scored a rushing TD and caught 2 of his 3 targets for 16 receiving yards. The Jets are one of the worst defenses in fantasy against opposing RBs this season. Brady shouldn’t have to do much to get a good lead even without most of his surrounding stars. Jones is a top 10 RB for me this week and has a great chance to be top 5 when the week is over.

Sit – Michael Carter – Carter led the Jets in carries and rushing yards last week against the Jags. This week he gets the Tampa Bay run defense. Carter and Coleman will probably split chances again giving Carter less value in an already difficult matchup. You probably already weren’t going to start any Jets this week, but this is just another alert that you shouldn’t. Elijah Moore could be a sneaky play, but Zach Wilson scares me too much.

Rams @ Ravens

Start – Sony Michel – The Rams made it clear last week that Sony Michel is RB1 and Darrell Henderson is not. Henderson is now on IR making it even more obvious that Michel is the guy. Cam Akers has the chance to play in week 17 but that shouldn’t scare you away from starting Michel with confidence. Michel is averaging over 100 yards rushing in his last 4 games and scored 2 total TDs. I expect a lot of passing in this game from Stafford, but Michel has been too good lately to ignore and should still have enough volume to make starting him worth your while.

Sit – Devonta Freeman – Freeman is coming off of back-to-back games with just 6 carries. Those 12 carries resulted in 39 rushing yards and 1 TD. He only has 3 receptions for 5 receiving yards in the last 2 games as well. Lamar Jackson is supposed to be back and if not, it seems Tyler Huntley will be good to go in Jacksons absence. Both QBs are able to rush downfield and air it out when needed. Freemans role has been decreasing while Latavius Murrays role has started to become a little more impactful. The matchup at home against the Rams isn’t bad for Freeman, but he is still on my bench for week 17 with too many uncertainties.

Broncos @ Chargers

Start – Javonte Williams – Denver struggled to get any rushing momentum in week 16 against the Raiders. They finished the game with under 20 total rushing yards. But luckily Javonte has a great matchup against the Chargers this week. Rex Burkhead just ran for 149 yards and 2 rushing TDs in week 16 against the Chargers. Williams and Melvin Gordon (if Gordon plays) should both get chances to try to tear apart the chargers run defense. Javonte is lethal in the open field and can bust a huge gain on any down being the dual threat he is. Drew Lock is starting at QB for Denver this weekend so hopefully they use Williams as the guy to relieve pressure off of Lock by running it as often as possible. Javonte is a top 20 RB for me this week and is close to top 10 if Gordon doesn’t play.

Sit – Jared Cook – Cook has been below average this season and I don’t see that changing this week against a good Denver defense that has shut down most opposing TEs this season. Cook hasn’t surpassed 4 receptions and/or 48 receiving yards in any single game since week 4. Cook is TD dependent and even when he scores, he doesn’t have many receiving yards to go with the TD. Let’s leave Cook on the bench and not overthink it.

Texans @ 49ers

Start – Trey Lance – Okay so it’s still unclear who is starting at QB for the 49ers as I write this, but if Jimmy G is out, Trey Lance makes for an interesting and tempting play. Lance played 2 games early in the season that he had at least 18 passing attempts. He threw for 192 yards and ran for 89 yards in a game, and he threw for 157 yards, 2 passing TDs, and 41 rushing yards in the other game. His rushing ability makes him very appealing against the Texans this week. The 49ers have been great at rushing, and if Lance needs to air it out, he has Deebo and Kittle ready to roll. Keep an eye on the Jimmy G situation in order to make an informed decision. No Jimmy could result in a top 10 fantasy QB day for the rookie.

Sit – Brandon Aiyuk – Aiyuk isn’t a terrible play this week. He has scored in 2 of his last 3 games and has become fantasy relevant late in the 2021 season. I have Aiyuk in the sit category because I believe the 49ers are going to try to rush as much as possible. When not rushing, either Garoppolo or Lance will have to throw, and the best options are Kittle and Deebo. Aiyuk would be the next choice, but he isn’t as heavily involved as I would like a starting WR in week 17 of the fantasy season to be.

Cardinals @ Cowboys

Start – Zach Ertz – Ertz has an intriguing week 17 matchup. He gets the Cowboys who he has been playing 2 times a year for 9 years. Ertz already played Dallas in week 3 when he was still an Eagle. He caught 4 passes for 53 yards and a TD in that game. He was also competing with Goedert at TE in Philadelphia so Goedert had 66 receiving yards in that game. Now being a Cardinal, Ertz doesn’t have TE competition and has become a reliable target for Kyle Murray, being targeted 31 times in his last 3 games. I like Ertz as a top 5 TE this week. Yes top 5. It is not without risk, but Ertz is being targeted plenty and is familiar with the Cowboys. Sounds like a recipe for success.

Sit – Arizona DEF – So there weren’t many, if any, offensive starters for either team that I would recommend sitting. I chose Arizona’s Defense because the Cowboys offense is hot, and the Arizona Cardinals are not. Arizona has given up at least 22 points in each of their last 4 games and the Cowboys have scored at least 21 points in each of their last 5 games. Dak and company are playing well at the right time and Arizona is the opposite. If you’re starting a defense in this game, it should be the Cowboys defense.

Panthers @ Saints

Start – Taysom Hill – Taysom Hill is scheduled to start at QB once again for the Saints now that he is back to being healthy enough to play. The Panthers haven’t won a game since mid-November and are averaging just over 14 points per game since they last won. Hill’s last 2 starts resulted in wins for New Orleans. Hill has over 200 yards rushing in his last 3 games played. Taysom will save you with his rushing abilities that we have seen on full display lately. I like Hill a lot this week. Hill and Trey Lance are very similar this week, but Lance gets the slight nod over Hill because of his pass catching weapons and matchup. Hill could potentially be a league winner if he can get it going on the ground.

Sit – Chuba Hubbard – Hubbard may have the best last name in the entire NFL but that’s all I have to say about him this week that is positive. Chuba hasn’t eclipsed 40 rushing yards since Halloween and has just 2 receptions in that time period. Hubbard isn’t expected to be a big impact player against the Saints run defense, and Ameer Abdullah has been the primary receiving RB. Let’s leave Chuba on the bench and not think twice about it.

Lions @ Seahawks

Start – Rashaad Penny – Penny had another monster game in week 16 when he rushed 17 times for 135 yards and 1 TD. In week 14 he rushed 16 times for 137 yards and 2 TDs. He has proven himself worthy of fantasy appeal and this week he gets a great matchup against the Lions. Seattle should be able to outscore the Lions this week, especially with Tim Boyle as the projected QB. Penny is top 20 RB this week with a lot of potential depending on how many carries he gets.

Sit – Jamaal Williams – Williams gets the Seattle defense this week that has been very generous to opposing RBs this season. Detroit should have 3 healthy RBs this week including D’Andre Swift, Williams, and Craig Reynolds. Swift is RB1 when he is healthy, and Reynolds has shown he can produce rushing when given the opportunity. Williams should be involved plenty, but with the other 2 RBs active as well, Jamaal’s volume shrinks. Start Swift if you can.

Vikings @ Packers

Sit – Tyler Conklin – Conklin is in my sit spot for this game due to the lack of players I would feel comfortable sitting in a huge primetime game that could be a shootout. No Adam Thielen for the Vikings since he was placed on IR which opens up a little more opportunity for Conklin but not enough. Jefferson should have a huge game, Dalvin Cook will have his volume, and Osborn is the main beneficiary of Thielen’s absence. Conklin has been absent from practice so make sure you pay attention to his status prior to Sunday if you own him. He has not scored since week 10 and is averaging a little over 31 receiving yards each game since then. When he faced the Packers earlier this season, he recorded 3 receptions for 35 yards.

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