Fantasy Football Week 17 Sleepers at Every Position

They say all good things must come to an end. And in many fantasy football leagues, that end came last week. But some formats stretch out the season as long they can by scheduling the championship game on the final Sunday of the season.

Of course, a Week 17 title game carries with it one major bugaboo—teams that have already sewed up postseason seeds often rest starters. Players with nagging injuries on also-rans are often given the week off as well.

In 2018, that could ostensibly mean no Drew Brees. Or Ezekiel Elliott. Or Michael Thomas. Or Alvin Kamara. Or Odell Beckham Jr.

Just when fantasy owners can least afford them, holes are springing up all over their rosters.

And in some respects, that makes this final batch of fantasy football sleepers for 2018 the most important patches of all.

Let's get down to saving seasons and winning titles….hopefully.

Accountability Time

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Before we hit one last week of sleeper recommendations, let's take a look back and examine how Week 16's picks fared.

For the record, sleepers count as wins if they finish inside weekly starter territory in a 12-team, points-per-reception fantasy league that starts one quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, one tight end, one defense and the always popular flex play—a fairly standard setup.

Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens (204 passing yards, 39 rushing yards, 1 TD): Jackson and the Ravens got a huge win in Week 16 against the Chargers, but statistically speaking, he finished outside the top 12. So it goes. LOSS

Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills (217 passing yards, 30 rushing yards, 1 TD, 2 INT): Allen's fantasy value has been largely dependent on his ability to run the ball. The Patriots did a good job of taking that away from him last week. LOSS

Sam Darnold, QB, New York Jets (341 passing yards, 4 rushing yards, 3 TD): The Jets weren't able to hold a fourth-quarter lead against the Green Bay Packers, but Darnold had a big game in defeat. Whew. Things were starting to look ugly. WIN

Kalen Ballage, RB, Miami Dolphins (4 carries, 10 yards, 2 catches, 39 yards): In Week 16, the Dolphins looked the part of a team that has already made plans for a golfing vacation after Week 17. Stay away from Miami players this week. LOSS

Elijah McGuire, RB, New York Jets (14 carries, 35 yards, 3 catches, 50 yards, 2 TD): McGuire isn't tearing it up on a per-carry basis, but his top-10 PPR stat line among running backs last week likely won a few teams a shiny trophy. WIN

Robby Anderson, WR, New York Jets (9 catches, 140 yards, 1 TD): I'm pretty sure that three Jets players having a top-10 performance all at the same time in fantasy championship week in most leagues is a harbinger of the end times. WIN

Robert Foster, WR, Buffalo Bills (4 catches, 52 yards): It stood to reason that counting on two of the AFC East's tomato-can teams to both have good weeks offensively was asking for trouble. Too bad that didn't dawn on me before now. LOSS

Tim Patrick, WR, Denver Broncos (3 catches, 44 yards): For the second straight week, I tabbed a Denver WR. For a second straight week, a Broncos wideout was fantasy-relevant. And for a second straight week, I tabbed the wrong one. LOSS

Gerald Everett, TE, Los Angeles Rams (2 rushes, 16 yards, 5 catches, 28 yards): Everett wasn't terrible in Week 16, especially in point-per-reception formats. But he didn't crack the top 12, continuing my sterling streak of futility at the position. LOSS

Tennessee Titans Defense/Special Teams (292 yards allowed, 16 points allowed, 2 sacks, 2 INT, 1 TD): Where tight ends have been a nightmare for me this year, defenses have been far kinder. Malcolm Butler's pick-six here sealed the deal. WIN

WEEK 14: 5-5 (.500)

SEASON: 70-90 (.438)

That's two straight .500 weeks in the fantasy postseason. Feels good to finish relatively strong.

Sleeper of the Week

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Buffalo Bills Defense/Special Teams

It hasn't been a good season for the Buffalo Bills. But whatever problems they may have, playing defense hasn't been one of them. Entering Week 17, the Bills are second in the NFL in total defense and one of just two teams in the league allowing less than 300 yards per game.

However, thanks to a so-so scoring defense (due to a miserable offense that keeps putting the team behind the proverbial eight ball) and a lack of big plays, Buffalo's defensive success hasn't really translated to the realm of fantasy football. After 16 weeks, the Bills barely rank inside the top 25 team defenses in NFL.com default fantasy scoring.

The final Sunday of the 2018 season sets up well for one of Buffalo's best defensive performances of the year—from both an NFL and fantasy perspective.

The Miami Dolphins have spent most of this season fielding one of the worst offenses in the NFL. After piling up all of 183 total yards and seven points last week in a loss to the Jaguars, the Dolphins are 30th in the league in total offense and 25th in scoring. They've also allowed 48 sacks (fifth-most in the NFL) and have turned the ball over 19 times.

Add in that the 'Fins have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to team defenses and that this game is in Buffalo (shiver), and there's no shortage of reasons to like the Bills as a streaming option in Week 17.

Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens (vs. CLE)

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I know, I know—you're sick of seeing Lamar Jackson in this article. We're a half-step this side of the thing being called "Fantasy Football Week 17 Lamar Jackson and Friends."

But Jackson's ownership percentage at Yahoo is still under 50 percent—one of the wonkiest numbers in that regard that I can remember. So it's one more appearance here this year for the electrifying rookie.

Jackson actually had something of a "down" week statistically in last week's big win over the Chargers, averaging just 3.0 yards a carry and managing just one touchdown. But the Ravens got the victory that leaves them one win from a playoff spot, and as Ryan Mink reported for the team's website, head coach John Harbaugh continues to be impressed by his young quarterback.

"He's done a very good job," Harbaugh said. "He's a very even-keeled guy, very competitive, focuses on what's important, which is football. He keeps it simple, keeps it about the football. I do feel like he's kind of a 'gym rat' that way."

The Cleveland Browns, who stand between the Ravens and that playoff spot, haven't been a great fantasy matchup for the quarterback position in 2018. But they haven't been terrible either, giving up the 13th-most fantasy points to signal-callers this year.

With a defense that ranks 24th or worse against both the run and the pass, Cleveland should offer Jackson an opportunity to rack up some stats Sunday.

And with so much on the line, it's a safe bet that Jackson and the Ravens are going to leave it all on the field at M&T Bank Stadium.

Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. ATL)

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It's been quite the roller-coaster ride for Jameis Winston in his fourth season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The season began with Winston serving a three-game personal conduct suspension, during which he lost the starting job to veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick. Then, when Winston was handed the reins again after Fitzpatrick struggled, Winston went on a turnover binge that cost him the starting job a second time.

However, in his last five starts, Winston's been picked off just twice. While speaking to Scott Smith of the team's website after last week's loss to Dallas, head coach Dirk Koetter credited Winston with being more judicious with the football.

"I think we had him for 13 checkdowns yesterday, 13 times," Koetter said. "I'm sure that's the high for his career in a game. We knew we were going to have to do it, we knew they were going to play coverage the way they did and that's how they try to get you to play. And I thought Jameis stayed pretty patient throughout the game. He strayed a couple times, a couple of times that he could have stuck with his checkdowns and he went for the big one. But I thought for the most part he made good decisions, so I think he's improved there, definitely improved his accuracy, has improved protecting the football. I think Jameis has improved across the board. Our team has to improve on winning close games."

It's not a huge stretch to say that Winston's effectively auditioning now to be the team's starter in 2019, which puts a great deal of pressure on the 2015 No. 1 overall pick to finish strong against an Atlanta Falcons team that's fifth in fantasy points surrendered to quarterbacks in 2018.

Royce Freeman, RB, Denver Broncos (vs. LAC)

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A season of disappointment in Denver finally got around to claiming the team's biggest bright spot in 2018. After piling up over 1,000 rushing yards and becoming the first undrafted rookie in NFL history to be named to the Pro Bowl, a wrist injury has prematurely ended Phillip Lindsay's season.

It's a bummer for Lindsay and the team, but it does open up a chance for a big workload for another rookie tailback—the one most fantasy pundits expected to lead the Denver backfield in 2018.

Mind you, Royce Freeman hasn't been terrible in his first season. The former Oregon standout has averaged 4.1 yards a carry and has found the end zone five times. He just wasn't the human wrecking ball Lindsay was, and so he found himself playing second (or even third) fiddle much of the year.

But now, with Lindsay done for the season and the Broncos just playing out the string, this is a chance for Freeman to make his case to serve as Lindsay's backup next year, and a chance for Denver to truly see just what it has in him. A 20-touch afternoon at Mile High on Sunday isn't an unreasonable expectation.

Against a Chargers team that has given up a fair amount of fantasy points to the running back position (13th-most) in 2018, that kind of workload should portend a decent stat line.

Brian Hill, RB, Atlanta Falcons (at TBB)

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Brian Hill didn't begin this season as a big part of the Atlanta Falcons' plans. In fact, the second-year pro out of Wyoming wasn't even on the active roster. But as injuries tore through the running back position in Atlanta, Hill started moving up the depth chart.

When Ito Smith went down recently, it fell to Hill to serve as Tevin Coleman's backup last week against the Carolina Panthers. And when Coleman exited the game with a groin injury, that left Hill as the last man standing and the primary tailback for the Falcons.

The youngster made the most of the opportunity, rolling for 115 yards on the ground and impressing Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan.

"I thought he ran the ball really well," Ryan said of Hill, per Will McFadden of the team's website. "Between the tackle, really nice job, he was physical. He's a guy that has worked hard for us and finally has gotten his opportunity, and today he took advantage of that. Like all young players, he has a few things to clean up, and he'll do that. But his effort and the way that he ran was really good today."

Given that the Falcons aren't playing for anything but pride Sunday in Tampa, it makes little sense for the team to be in a hurry to rush Coleman back into action. That should mean a nice workload for Hill against a Tampa defense that has allowed the sixth-most PPR fantasy points to tailbacks this season.

Darren Sproles, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (at WAS)

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At 35 years of age, Darren Sproles is nearing the end of a fine NFL career. But as Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk reported, Eagles head coach Doug Pederson hopes the end of the line won't come until after next season—at least.

"I think Darren Sproles would be a great addition," Pederson told reporters. "He's a great leader. He works hard. He's a great mentor to a lot of young players. I think anybody wold love to have a Darren Sproles. I mean, I would."

It's not hard to see why Pederson would like to keep Sproles around. Since returning to action in Week 13, Sproles has found the end zone in three of four games. Last week against the Houston Texans, he piled up 108 yards from scrimmage in a win that kept Philly's playoff hopes alive.

Those hopes are faint. In addition to a win over the Washington Redskins this week, the Eagles also need the Minnesota Vikings to fall at home to the Chicago Bears.

But the Eagles can only control half of that equation—and that means going all out against a Redskins team that's been in free fall over the second half of the season.

Said Redskins aren't an especially good matchup for running backs—20th in PPR fantasy points given up to the position—but Sproles isn't a typical running back.

As Philadelphia's most dependable weapon in the backfield right now, the veteran will be a big part of the game plan for this must-win contest.

Jordy Nelson, WR, Oakland Raiders (at KCC)

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Jordy Nelson's first season with the Oakland Raiders hasn't really gone according to plan. But over the last month, the 33-year-old has played more like the wideout the Raiders hoped they were getting. Over the last four games, Nelson's racked up 29 catches for 308 yards, earning the respect of head coach Jon Gruden in the process.

"He's a good player, as good as you'll ever get the chance to coach," Gruden said, per Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area. "He is so instinctive, so smart, so versatile and so team oriented. That's why he is here. I think he's got close to 30 catches in the last four games. He's healthy, he's learned our offense, and he's learned how to play anywhere on the line. Third down or any down, he is still a really good quality wide receiver."

That hot month has earned attention from fantasy owners as well. Since Week 13, Nelson's a top-20 wideout in leagues that award a point for receptions.

Oakland closes out the 2018 campaign with a trip to Kansas City to face the Chiefs. It's not going to be a fun game for the Raiders—the Chiefs can secure the AFC West title and the No. 1 seed with a win.

But with Oakland playing catchup against a Kansas City team that has surrendered the sixth-most fantasy points to receivers, there's a great chance for some tasty garbage-time fantasy points in this one.

Mohamed Sanu, WR, Atlanta Falcons (at TBB)

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The 2018 season hasn't been a good one for the Atlanta Falcons. But of the many issues facing the team right now, the wide receiver position isn't one.

That receiving corps came up big against the Carolina Panthers last week, and per ESPN's Vaughn McClure, Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan gave the unit props after the victory.

"It is great to have a bunch of different guys that are capable of making plays at any time in a game," Ryan said. "We are at our best when everybody is involved and we are running the football and we [have] play-action pass off it, getting everybody involved. I thought we did a nice job of that today. Everybody created explosive plays.

"It makes it difficult to defend when you have to account for a lot of different people."

Most of the talk regarding the Atlanta receiving corps centers on veteran superstar Julio Jones and promising rookie Calvin Ridley. But as he showed last week in reeling in five passes for 81 yards (including a 44-yard score), seventh-year veteran Mohamed Sanu remains capable of making his mark on the box score in his own right.

When the Falcons and Buccaneers square off Sunday in Tampa, there won't be much at stake. But two of the NFL's more talented offenses will no doubt want to end the year on a high note.

That should mean a big game for the Atlanta pass-catchers against a Buccaneers squad that's seventh in PPR fantasy points given up to wide receivers in 2018.

And with Jones banged up thanks to rib and hip injuries in a game that doesn't matter, Sanu should see a bump in looks.

The best thing about meaningless stats is they count the same as all the others.

Chris Herndon, TE, New York Jets (at NE)

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The New York Jets have struggled through another down season, but among the losses, there have been glimmers of hope for the future.

The improving play of rookie quarterback Sam Darnold. The resurgence of wide receiver Robby Anderson.

The rapport developing between Darnold and tight end Chris Herndon.

In last week's shootout loss to the Green Bay Packers, Herndon had the best outing of his rookie season—six catches on seven targets for 82 yards and a touchdown. Those numbers made the youngster the third-highest-scoring tight end of Week 16 in PPR formats.

According to Sam Neumann of Jets Wire, if New York wants to end the season on a high note against the New England Patriots, Herndon will be a big part of the game plan in Week 17 as well.

"New England has allowed 69 catches for 817 yards and eight touchdowns to tight ends this year," he wrote. "That includes Chris Herndon's seven catches for 57 yards in the Patriots' November win against the Jets. For the Jets to have a chance on Sunday, they are going to need to feed Herndon like they did against Green Bay."

That production by tight ends against the Pats ranks them 13th in the league in fantasy points given up to the position. But this recommendation isn't about that slightly above-average matchup.

It's about Herndon's target share and upside at a position that's been a fantasy disaster for as many teams as not this season.

New Orleans Saints Defense/Special Teams (vs. CAR)

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When people talk about the New Orleans Saints, the conversation usually centers on quarterback Drew Brees, tailback Alvin Kamara, wide receiver Michael Thomas and the offense.

But the Saints are nothing to sneeze at defensively.

For the season, the Saints are a respectable 13th in the NFL in total defense (347.4 yards per game) and tied for eighth in the NFL in scoring defense, allowing just a hair over 21 points per game. New Orleans has been especially stout against the run, surrendering just 78.1 yards per game on the ground—best in the NFL.

Those numbers, combined with the third-most sacks in the NFL (48) and 24 takeaways, have propelled the Saints to a sixth-place ranking in fantasy points for the season. New Orleans has been a solid fantasy option—provided the matchup's right. But coming off what appeared an iffy one with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Saints are available in almost half of the fantasy leagues at Yahoo.

They shouldn't be, because this week's matchup is anything but iffy.

At first glance, the Carolina Panthers don't appear a good one; for the year, the team is 23rd in fantasy points given up to defenses. But that was with Cam Newton under center and Christian McCaffrey in the backfield. Newton's out for the season now, and reports are circulating that McCaffrey may sit out the finale rather than risk injury in a meaningless game.

Even if the Saints decide to rest some starters, New Orleans should feast at home against a third-string quarterback in undrafted rookie Kyle Allen.