NFL Predictions Week 17: Odds Projections, Fantasy Stars to Target and More

We're heading into the final week of the 2018 NFL season, and there's naturally a lot at stake for many of the league's 32 teams.

There are 15 teams that still have chances at the postseason, and there is a race for the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft. The 3-12 Arizona Cardinals are in the lead there.

The problem for fantasy football enthusiasts and for bettors is that the teams not fighting for the postseason don't have a lot to play for. Some teams are just trying to get to the offseason. The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints are also already locked into the NFC's first and fourth seeds, respectively.

This makes it difficult to predict which teams are going to play their starters through their regular-season finales. The Cardinals may outright tank in order to secure the top pick. This is a problem for fantasy players trying to set their lineups and for those looking for clear line and over/under plays.

We're here to help sort through the mess. Below are the latest lines and over/unders from OddsShark, as well as score predictions for each game. We'll also examine some top fantasy stars who you can depend on in the final week.

Week 17 Odds, Over/Unders and Predictions

Carolina Panthers (+7, 43.5 O/U) at New Orleans Saints: Saints 20, Panthers 16

Jacksonville Jaguars (+6.5, 40 O/U) at Houston Texans: Texans 25, Jaguars 17

Detroit Lions (+8, 45 O/U) at Green Bay Packers: Packers 30, Lions 21

Atlanta Falcons (-1, 52 O/U) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Falcons 27, Buccaneers 23

Dallas Cowboys (+5.5, 41 O/U) at New York Giants: Giants 22, Cowboys 18

New York Jets (+13.5, 45.5 O/U) at New England Patriots: Patriots 33, Jets 20

Miami Dolphins (+5.5, 39.5 O/U) at Buffalo Bills: Bills 18, Dolphins 16

Chicago Bears (+4.5, 40.5 O/U) at Minnesota Vikings: Bears 24, Vikings 23

Oakland Raiders (+14, 52.5 O/U) at Kansas City Chiefs: Chiefs 30, Raiders 24

Cincinnati Bengals (+14.5, 45.5 O/U) at Pittsburgh Steelers: Steelers 38, Bengals 20

Cleveland Browns (+5.5, 40.5 O/U) at Baltimore Ravens: Ravens 22, Browns 20

Philadelphia Eagles (-6.5, 42 O/U) at Washington Redskins: Eagles 30, Redskins 20

Arizona Cardinals (+13, 38.5 O/U) at Seattle Seahawks: Seahawks 33, Cardinals 17

Los Angeles Chargers (-6.5, 42 O/U) at Denver Broncos: Chargers 33, Broncos 20

San Francisco 49ers (+10, 48.5 O/U) at Los Angeles Rams: Rams 31, 49ers 26

Indianapolis Colts (-3.5, 43.5 O/U) at Tennessee Titans: Colts 26, Titans 19

Week 17 Fantasy Must-Starts

QB Patrick Mahomes vs. Oakland Raiders

QB Ben Roethlisberger vs. Cincinnati Bengals

QB Lamar Jackson vs. Cleveland Browns

RB Chris Carson vs. Arizona Cardinals

RB Damien Williams vs. Oakland Raiders

RB Joe Mixon at Pittsburgh Steelers

WR Julian Edelman vs. New York Jets

WR Mike Evans vs. Atlanta Falcons

WR Keenan Allen at Denver Broncos

TE Travis Kelce vs. Oakland Raiders

TE George Kittle at Los Angeles Rams

TE Vance McDonald vs. Cincinnati Bengals

QB Patrick Mahomes vs. Oakland Raiders

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is a fantasy must-start pretty much every week. That isn't going to change in Week 17. Yes, the Chiefs have already locked up a playoff spot, but even at 11-4, they need a win to secure the AFC West.

If the Chiefs lose to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, they run the risk of losing the division and the conference's No. 1 seed. The Los Angeles Chargers are also 11-4 and only behind the Chiefs because of tiebreakers.

Since the Chiefs and Chargers are both playing in the 4:25 p.m. ET slot, coasting through the game and hoping for a Los Angeles loss isn't an option. This game means the difference between having home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and being a fifth-seed road team. That's a big deal to the Chiefs and to Mahomes.

"We want to make sure we get to stay here the rest of the way out," Mahomes said, per the Chiefs' official website. "We know that if we can come together and play like we know we can then we can make a run at this thing."

Playing against an Oakland Raiders defense that has allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, Mahomes can help you make a run at your fantasy championship.

RB Chris Carson at Arizona Cardinals

The Seattle Seahawks aren't in position to grab or lose a first-round bye. In fact, they cannot even win the NFC West, as the Los Angeles Rams clinched that weeks ago. Seattle is locked in as a wild-card team. However, they still have to play to win on Sunday.

Should the Seahawks lose to the Arizona Cardinals and the Minnesota Vikings pick up a win, Seattle would fall from the fifth seed to the sixth. This is the difference between visiting the Dallas Cowboys or either the Rams or Chicago Bears in the opening round.

The Bears are playing the Vikings at the same time the Seahawks play, so again, coasting is not an option.

This makes running back Chris Carson a must-start in fantasy. He is the centerpiece of Seattle's rushing attack. He's also facing a Cardinals defense that has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season.

Carson is averaging 91 combined rushing and receiving yards per game this season. He's also found the end zone in each of his last three games. Don't expect this trend to end in Week 17.

WR Julian Edelman vs. New York Jets

Like the Chiefs and the Seahawks, the New England Patriots have to win in Week 17. There isn't a division title on the line, as the Patriots secured that last week. However, New England is in control of the AFC's No. 2 seed and could lose it with a loss to the New York Jets and a Houston Texans win.

The Patriots could even take the No. 1 seed, though it would require losses by both the Chiefs and the Chargers.

This is why wide receiver Julian Edelman is a must-start against the Jets. The Patriots lost Josh Gordon to an indefinite suspension, which pushes Edelman further up the list of Tom Brady's favorite targets—and he's already up there.

Over the last three games, Edelman has caught 22 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns. He's averaged six receptions and 71 yards for the season.

The Jets defense has allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season. Don't expect that defense to suddenly tighten up in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

*Fantasy matchup rankings via FantasyPros