Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 17: Final Locks and Flops of Fantasy Football Season

It has been a disappointing season, to say the least, for the Detroit Lions. This was a team that surged to the playoffs in 2014 and was one call away from beating the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Game and advancing to the divisional playoffs.

It hasn't gone that way this season, as the Lions got off to a miserable start and were never able to turn it around. They are closing out the season with a game at the Chicago Bears, and the loser will fall into the basement of the NFC North. 

The Lions are not going to let this game get away from them without a fight. The biggest reason for that is the presence of skill-position players such as Matthew Stafford, Golden Tate and Calvin Johnson.

Stafford has thrown for 3,964 yards and 29 touchdowns, and if the Lions had given him sufficient protection from the offensive line in the first half of the season, they most likely would not have suffered through such a disappointing season.

The Lions have the ninth-most prolific passing offense in the league, and the Bears may not have the defensive personnel or the inclination to do much to stop Stafford in the final game of the season. Look for Stafford to approach 300 passing yards and three touchdowns in this game.

Position	Player	Team	Opponent	Lock/Flop
QB	Matthew Stafford	Detroit	Chicago	Lock
QB	Philip Rivers	San Diego	Denver	Flop
QB	Eli Manning	N.Y. Giants	Philadelphia	Lock
RB	DeAngelo Williams	Pittsburgh	Cleveland	Lock
RB	Matt Forte	Chicago	Detroit	Flop
RB	Todd Gurley	St. Louis	San Francisco	Lock
WR	Odell Beckham Jr.	N.Y. Giants	Philadelphia	Lock
WR	Randall Cobb	Green Bay	Minnesota	Flop
WR	Michael Floyd	Arizona	Seattle	Lock
TE	Zach Ertz	Philadelphia	N.Y. Giants	Lock
TE	Jordan Reed	Washington	Dallas	Flop

Fantasy Locks

RB DeAngelo Williams, Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers did not take advantage of the opportunity they had in Week 16 against the Baltimore Ravens, and they may regret it throughout the offseason.

As a result of that loss, the Steelers need help if they are going to get to the playoffs. Not only do they have to beat the Cleveland Browns in the season finale, but they also need the Buffalo Bills to beat the New York Jets. If either result does not occur, the Jets will make the playoffs and the Steelers will not.

Look for the Steelers to unleash their offensive prowess against the Browns. Prior to their 20-17 loss at Baltimore, they had scored 30 or more points in six straight games. The Steelers should regain their offensive stride here, and look for a huge game from DeAngelo Williams.

The running back has done a stellar job since replacing injured Le'Veon Bell in the starting lineup. Williams has rushed for 899 yards and 11 TDs while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. He has also caught 38 passes for 354 yards.

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

Williams should have a huge day against Cleveland's 32nd-ranked run defense. Look for Williams to run past the 1,000-yard mark for the season as he gains 125 yards and scores a touchdown. He needs to be in your Week 17 fantasy lineup.

WR Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants

After sitting out a one-game suspension in Week 16 for his actions against the Carolina Panthers' Josh Norman, Odell Beckham Jr. returns to the lineup for the New York Giants in the regular-season finale.

Beckham has a lot of competition from receivers such as Antonio Bryant, Julio Jones and DeAndre Hopkins for the No. 1 wide receiver spot in the NFL, but no receiver in the game makes more spectacular plays than Beckham.

He gets a chance to show off his amazing skill set against the Philadelphia Eagles, who are in flux after owner Jeffrey Lurie fired head coach Chip Kelly with one game to go in the season.

The Eagles are likely to come up with a solid effort to show their former coach what they think of him, but they will be in no position to stop Beckham.

The superstar has caught 91 passes for 1,396 yards and 13 touchdowns, and the Eagles have the 29th-ranked defense in the league. He also has a chance to etch his name in the team's record book.

This will be a field day for Beckham, and he will catch at least eight passes for 125 yards and a score. He is a must-play in your fantasy lineup.

TE Zach Ertz, Philadelphia

We believe the Eagles will be in a celebratory mood without Kelly on the sidelines, and they will show off their happiness with a better effort than they had in Week 16, when Washington beat them badly at home.

Sam Bradford should enjoy the freedom of playing without the demanding Kelly, and he should have a big game.

Look for him to find tight end Zach Ertz with regularity. Ertz has caught 66 passes for 702 yards and two touchdowns, and he is the second-leading receiver on the team. 

The Giants rank 30th in pass defense, and they have not had much success stopping opposing tight ends. Ertz will catch at least six passes and should get into the end zone in a high-scoring game.

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Fantasy Flops

QB Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

Philip Rivers in among the most competitive players in the NFL, and in a season in which the San Diego Chargers have been gutted by key injuries, he has tried to keep his team afloat.

While he has given maximum effort every week, the Chargers go into the season finale at the Denver Broncos with a 4-11 record.

San Diego has been held to single digits in three of its last six games, and one of those games was in Week 13, when the Chargers dropped a 17-3 decision at home to the Broncos. The Broncos will clinch the AFC West, a bye in the first round and still have a shot at the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs if they win this game.

They also have the top-rated defense in the NFL, and they are going to make life difficult for Rivers once again.

While we have all the respect in the world for the Chargers quarterback, he needs to be on your fantasy bench this week. 

RB Matt Forte, Chicago Bears

Matt Forte is one of the most versatile running backs in the NFL, and he can cause a ton of damage running with the ball or as a receiver. However, he will be a free agent at the end of the season, and the Bears coaching staff has been letting backups Jeremy Langford and Ka'Deem Carey get quite a few of his touches.

Are the Bears going to re-sign Forte in the offseason? That is debatable and will be decided in the coming weeks and months.

In the meantime, the coaches know what Forte can do. They may want to give Langford and Carey more opportunities in Week 17 against Detroit, and it will be at Forte's expense. 

He won't get more than 12 touches in this game. Keep him on your fantasy bench.

John Cordes/Associated Press

WR Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers are hosting the Minnesota Vikings in a winner-takes-all battle for the NFC North title.

The Packers have Aaron Rodgers, who is probably the best quarterback in the game when he has all his weapons. That has not been the case this season, though. The Packers never had No. 1 receiver Jordy Nelson, the running game has been inconsistent at best, and the offensive line has been a disappointment.

The Vikings have one of the most aggressive and opportunistic defenses in the league, and this game is likely to be an old-school, hard-hitting defensive showdown.

Mike McCarthy is not going to want to risk turnovers in this matchup, and the Packers are going to play a conservative game. That means wideout Randall Cobb will play the role of decoy and occasional short-pass recipient.

Cobb is the Packers' leading receiver with 73 catches for 792 yards and six touchdowns. He will be limited to no more than 60 receiving yards this week, and he won't find the end zone.

You can't afford to play Cobb this week.