Fantasy Football Week 17: Biggest Sleepers at Every Position
Congratulations to all the fantasy football managers who have advanced in the playoffs or made it to the championship round. For Week 17, we have familiar names for anyone who prefers to play it safe and some new faces with boom potential to chase points if necessary.
This week, managers should take a look at a unique quarterback-receiver stack that features a backup signal-caller and a big-play wideout who leads his team in receiving yards.
As is the case almost every week, teams with key injuries must fill voids on offense, which creates opportunities for handcuff running backs and reserve wide receivers.
We could see a No. 3 wideout become a high-volume secondary option in a pass-heavy offense and a third-string running back take on a workhorse role on Sunday.
Check out our batch of sleepers below. They're all available in at least 50 percent of leagues according to FantasyPros' consensus roster percentages.
QB Derek Carr at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31 Percent Rostered)
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Even in lopsided games, Derek Carr has a tendency to rally late and rack up passing yards and touchdowns.
Last week, the New Orleans Saints fell behind the Los Angeles Rams 30-7 by the fourth quarter, but Carr still finished with his highest fantasy point total (26) of the season.
Coming off a Thursday game, the Saints should be well prepared for a division matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but if Baker Mayfield stays hot, New Orleans may have to operate with a negative game script in consecutive weeks. If that's the case, Carr would have to throw a lot more in the second half like he did last week (40 pass attempts).
Carr should have success against the Buccaneers through the air. Tampa Bay gives up the most passing yards per game, and the Bucs are tied for 10th in passing touchdowns allowed. By the way, Buccaneers starting cornerback Carlton Davis III is in the concussion protocol.
Managers should keep an eye on wide receiver Chris Olave's status with his ankle injury. On a positive note, Carr has developed a rapport with wideout Rashid Shaheed and tight end Juwan Johnson in the aerial attack. Also, running back Alvin Kamara has been a key part of the short passing game with 73 receptions in 12 games.
QB Tyrod Taylor vs. Los Angeles Rams (0 Percent Rostered)
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On Wednesday, the New York Giants tabbed Tyrod Taylor as the starter for this week's contest with the Los Angeles Rams. In Big Blue's previous outing, he replaced Tommy DeVito after halftime and provided a spark on offense, throwing for 133 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
In two quarters of play, Taylor put together a solid outing in relief duty. He could post respectable numbers against the Rams' 22nd-ranked pass defense. Keep in mind that Los Angeles gives up the fifth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks.
Taylor has shown a solid command of the Giants' offensive system, throwing for 725 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in nine games (only two four-quarter starts), and he's also rushed for at least 21 yards in four of those contests.
Taylor has a high-floor fantasy outlook, and he can give you a slight boost with some yards on the ground, too.
If you don't like your starting quarterback's matchup this week, or you lost your QB1 for the season, Taylor could help you get to the finish line with solid production at the position.
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire vs. Cincinnati Bengals (32 Percent Rostered)
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Clyde Edwards-Helaire may be in line for a massive workload this week.
The Kansas City Chiefs have placed running back Jerick McKinnon on injured reserve, and fellow running back Isiah Pacheco exited the team's previous game on Christmas Day with a concussion. Pacheco would have to clear concussion protocol on a short turnaround to suit up on Sunday.
Edwards-Helaire could start in Kansas City's backfield as the unquestioned RB1, which would put him in a position to rack up big numbers against the Cincinnati Bengals' 26th-ranked run defense. Cincinnati is also tied for the second-most yards allowed per carry (4.7).
In the event Pacheco clears protocol, Edwards-Helaire should still see a fair number of touches with some looks in the short passing game. He's caught nine passes for 135 yards and a touchdown over the past three weeks.
Managers should add Edwards-Helaire and keep an eye on Pacheco's status. If the latter sits out, plug the former into the RB2 or flex spot without hesitation.
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RB Justice Hill vs. Miami Dolphins (17 Percent Rostered)
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The Baltimore Ravens have a less crowded backfield with Keaton Mitchell on injured reserve, and Justice Hill led the team in carries (10) in the team's 33-19 victory over the San Francisco 49ers last Monday.
Though running back Gus Edwards plunged into the end zone on a goal-line carry against the 49ers, Hill's touch volume seems encouraging in terms of his fantasy outlook. Along with his 10 rush attempts for 26 yards, he caught three passes for 31 yards.
Of course, managers want to see Hill average more than 2.6 yards per carry, but he has a decent floor of production with double-digit touches.
The Miami Dolphins have been stout against the run this season allowing the fifth-fewest rushing yards per contest, but as the Ravens' primary pass-catching running back in a two-man backfield, Hill has some upside in PPR leagues. He's a viable flex option this week.
WR K.J. Osborn vs. Green Bay Packers (20 Percent Rostered)
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Regardless of who starts at quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings this week, K.J. Osborn will likely see a significant uptick in targets.
Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson will miss the rest of the regular season with a torn ACL and MCL. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, wideout Jordan Addison could play through an ankle injury, but his status for Sunday night remains unclear. Hockenson and Addison lead the team in targets.
Without Hockenson, Osborn should see more looks in the passing game, and he'll become a high-end WR2 if Addison sits out.
Over the past two weeks, the Green Bay Packers have allowed an average of 325.5 passing yards per game and six touchdowns in total through the air.
Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry has garnered due criticism for the team's inability to slow down opposing aerial attacks, and the Vikings can further exploit a vulnerable pass defense that won't have two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander, whom the club suspended for conduct detrimental to the team.
Osborn could rack up gaudy numbers as a complement to star wide receiver Justin Jefferson in a matchup with Green Bay's reeling defense.
WR Darius Slayton vs. Los Angeles Rams (3 Percent Rostered)
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At this point of the season, we rarely see a team's receiving yards leader available in more than 97 percent of leagues, but you can find the New York Giants' top pass-catcher in the category on the deep end of the free-agent pool.
Darius Slayton leads Big Blue with 602 receiving yards, and he's caught seven passes for 153 yards and a touchdown over the previous two weeks with Tommy DeVito and Tyrod Taylor under center.
Last Monday against the Philadelphia Eagles, Taylor replaced DeVito, and he connected with Slayton on a big play near the sideline for a score.
With Taylor slated to start on Sunday, Slayton could continue to rack up chunk yardage against the Los Angeles Rams' bottom-third pass defense.
The Rams are tied for 10th in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers, rank 22nd in pass defense and have surrendered the ninth-most touchdowns through the air.
TE Gerald Everett at Denver Broncos (34 Percent Rostered)
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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Easton Stick has played in three games since he took over for Justin Herbert, who underwent season-ending surgery on his broken finger. In all of those games, Gerald Everett saw eight targets.
Five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen missed the Chargers' previous two games because of a heel injury, which freed up targets for secondary pass-catchers. That being said, in Week 17 Everett could continue to see a steady volume of targets even with Allen in the lineup because of an advantageous matchup.
The Denver Broncos allow the most fantasy points to tight ends, and they've allowed four tight end scores (three to Sam LaPorta) in their past two outings.
With Allen banged up and wide receiver Joshua Palmer in concussion protocol, Everett could be a must-start tight end option this week.
TE Chigoziem Okonkwo at Houston Texans (32 Percent Rostered)
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Whether Ryan Tannehill or Will Levis starts under center, Chigoziem Okonkwo will likely have a solid role in the Tennessee Titans' passing game.
Okonkwo has seen six targets in three of the past four weeks, two of those contests with Levis at the helm and one with Tannehill in the huddle.
Last week against the Seattle Seahawks, Okonkwo racked up a season-high 63 receiving yards and caught a touchdown pass from running back Derrick Henry.
Okonkwo's involvement in the passing game coupled with a solid matchup with the Houston Texans—they allow the sixth-most fantasy points to tight ends—mean he belongs on your sleeper radar.
Last week, Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku caught six passes for 44 yards and a touchdown against the Texans. Okonkwo won't have Joe Flacco delivering lasers to him, but his target share indicates that he'll have a chance to reach the end zone.
Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com for details.
Fantasy points scored against statistics are provided by FantasyPros.
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
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