Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 17: Top Matchup Plays and Sleepers for Final Games
The fantasy football realm returned to normal in Week 16, helping owners secure spots in title games or win leagues outright.
Well, mostly. Before Monday, the top scorers were familiar names such as Aaron Rodgers (36) and Russell Wilson (33). In third place was a guy named Adam Thielen (32) of the Minnesota Vikings.
Kidding aside, the point illustrates how both matchups and sleepers come into play even at the end of seasons. The big name is great in a good matchup, but an unexpected one in a great matchup can win a league.
Below, let's look at Week 17 matchup comparisons and identify some matchups and sleepers to know.
Quarterback
| Aaron Rodgers (at DET) vs. Andrew Luck (vs. JAC) | Aaron Rodgers |
| Drew Brees (at ATL) vs. Dak Prescott (at PHI) | Drew Brees |
| Matt Ryan (vs. NO) vs. Matthew Stafford (vs. GB) | Matt Ryan |
| Kirk Cousins (vs. NYG) vs. Ben Roethlisberger (vs. CLE) | Ben Roethlisberger |
| Cam Newton (at TB) vs. Blake Bortles (at IND) | Blake Bortles |
Top Matchup Play: Drew Brees, NO (at ATL)
Though his team isn't heading to the playoffs, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees will finish the season with a bang.
As expected, Brees had a down performance in Week 16 with 15 points against a stout Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense. But he's still the same player who has 20 or more points in nine games this year.
One of those came against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3, where he tossed a trio of scores on the way to 25 points. Now Brees gets those playoff-bound Falcons again on the road.
Whether Atlanta plays starters doesn't much matter considering the unit's woes against quarterbacks this year. Owners can expect Brees to flirt with the top-scoring mark of the week.
Sleeper to Know: Blake Bortles, JAC (at IND)
Quarterback is an easy streaming position on a week-to-week basis, but for owners in need of a sleeper for some reason, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles is the guy.
Just like he was last week—Bortles cruised to 25 points in Week 16 in a great matchup against the Tennessee Titans. Folks might shy away from Bortles, but it was his fifth trip above 20 points.
Owners can expect another against the Indianapolis Colts. Bortles lit up the Colts in Week 4 for 25 points.
Those Colts haven't improved at all against quarterbacks, not after Derek Carr of the Oakland Raiders dropped 21 on the unit in Week 16. Odd as it sounds, owners certainly have a Jaguars player to lean on this week.
Running Back
| David Johnson (at LA) vs. LeSean McCoy (at NYJ) | David Johnson |
| Ezekiel Elliott (at PHI) vs. Devonta Freeman (vs. NO) | Ezekiel Elliott |
| DeMarco Murray (vs. HOU) vs. LeGarrette Blount (at MIA) | DeMarco Murray |
| Le'Veon Bell (vs. CLE) vs. Frank Gore (vs. JAC) | Le'Veon Bell |
| Jeremy Hill (vs. BAL) vs. Jordan Howard (at MIN) | Jordan Howard |
Top Matchup Play: Le'Veon Bell, PIT (vs. CLE)
Those who took the gamble on Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell despite his three-game suspension to start the year sure look smart.
Bell has rushed for 93 yards or more in six consecutive games. He's scored six rushing touchdowns over the same span and on the season as a whole has double digits in every game except one, five of those performances coming in at 20 or more points.
It looks like Bell could wind up as the top scorer of Week 17 thanks to a game against the Cleveland Browns, the team that entered Week 16 allowing the second-most points to backs on average.
Par for the course, really, as Bell hit up the Browns for 25 points back in Week 11. Owners just have to hope Bell gets a full workload.
Sleeper to Know: Paul Perkins, NYG (at WAS)
Those in need of a wild card can look to New York Giants running back Paul Perkins.
A breakout game seems on the way for Perkins, who in two out of the last three weeks has received more carries than veteran running mate Rashad Jennings. He hasn't had a major scoring day yet, but it seems Week 17 is the spot.
After all, Perkins gets the Washington Redskins, the team that entered Week 16 permitting the fourth-most points to opposing backs on average.
With 10 or more carries in three games and counting, the Giants seem ready to lean on the more effective back. He has a good shot at finding the end zone against a struggling defense.
Wide Receiver
| Antonio Brown (vs. CLE) vs. T.Y. Hilton (vs. JAC) | Antonio Brown |
| Mike Evans (vs. CAR) vs. Jordy Nelson (at DET) | Mike Evans |
| Odell Beckham Jr. (at WAS) vs. Brandin Cooks (at ATL) | Odell Beckham Jr. |
| Michael Crabtree (at DEN) vs. Doug Baldwin (at SF) | Doug Baldwin |
| Demaryius Thomas (vs. OAK) vs. Tyrell Williams (vs. KC) | Tyrell Williams |
Top Matchup Play: Doug Baldwin, SEA (at SF)
Like the Seattle Seahawks as a whole, wideout Doug Baldwin has turned it on down the stretch.
In Week 16, Baldwin roasted the Arizona Cardinals for 13 catches, 171 yards and a score, good for 23 points. It was reminiscent of his eight grabs for 164 yards and one score, totaling 22 points, against the San Francisco 49ers back in Week 3.
Coincidentally, Baldwin gets those 49ers to close the season. And no, San Francisco hasn't changed much—the defense still entered Week 16 coughing up the third-most points to opposing wideouts on average.
Long story short, Baldwin will have another monster day as the offense's top target against a defense clearly unable of handling him.
Sleeper to Know: Adam Thielen, MIN (vs. CHI)
Why not double down on the man mentioned in the intro?
After all, the Vikings have made Thielen a viable option of sorts. The 32-point outburst in Week 16 was an anomaly given its ceiling, but it was his second double-digit outing over his last three games.
For those keeping track, Thielen now has four trips to 10 or more points this year going into a game against the Chicago Bears—owners of a defense ranked one spot below the 49ers in terms of points allowed to wideouts.
As a top target on a team looking to put on a show at home to close a disappointing year, Thielen should see healthy usage and have a nice day.
Tight End
| Greg Olsen (at TB) vs. Kyle Rudolph (vs. CHI) | Greg Olsen |
| Travis Kelce (at SD) vs. Martellus Bennett (at MIA) | Travis Kelce |
| Delanie Walker (vs. HOU) vs. Jimmy Graham (at SF) | Jimmy Graham |
| Hunter Henry (vs. KC) vs. Coby Fleener (at ATL) | Coby Fleener |
| Zach Ertz (vs. DAL) vs. Charles Clay (at NYJ) | Charles Clay |
Top Matchup Play: Charles Clay, BUF (at NYJ)
Buffalo Bills tight end Charles Clay simply can't be stopped.
Clay has turned it on when owners need it most, going for 11, 13 and 20 points over his last three outings, totaling four touchdowns in the process.
Now the Clay show hits the road to take on the New York Jets, the defense that entered Week 16 permitting the sixth-most points to opposing tight ends on average.
Granted, Clay only scored two points on the Jets back in Week 2, but much has changed since. Namely, Clay is healthy and apparently the top target of the offense, so owners need to pounce.
Sleeper to Know: Dennis Pitta, BAL (at CIN)
Baltimore Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta has been quite the hit-or-miss player this year.
Case in point, Pitta's last four games read as outings of 19, one, one and seven points. Alas, Pitta continues to be a focal point of the Baltimore offense, hence his sitting second on the offense in targets at 103.
This great usage pairs with a strong matchup against a weak Cincinnati Bengals defense. Cincinnati entered Week 16 allowing the third-most points to opposing tight ends on average.
In a rough divisional game, Pitta will see plenty of usage on the field where it matters most.
All scoring info and statistics courtesy of ESPN.com standard leagues, as are points-against info and ownership stats.
Follow Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) on Twitter.
.jpg?w=480 "NFL Draft Football")
.jpg?w=600 "Fans React to Simpson Pick 😱")
.jpg?w=600 "Vet Wideout Landing Spots After Draft 📍")
.jpg?w=600 "McVay's Reaction to Ty Simpson Pick 😅")
.jpg?w=600 "Full Eagles-Cowboys Trade 🤝")