Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 17: Final Fantasy Football Lineup Decisions to Consider

For those still in the running for league championships or otherwise, the NFL's Week 17 slate is a fantasy football minefield.  

Not only do owners have to worry about the usual details like matchups, trends, usage and more, motivation and playoff scenarios come into play as well. 

Some of these details are visible on the surface. We know guys like Cam Newton and Drew Brees won't play at all. But owners can't always know who will show up ready to go and who will go through the motions. 

These are how matchup comparisons shake out, followed by some notable start-sit decisions. 

QB

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
Ben Roethlisberger (vs. CIN) vs. Jameis Winston (vs. ATL)	Ben Roethlisberger
Patrick Mahomes (vs. OAK) vs. Nick Foles (at WAS)	Patrick Mahomes
Matt Ryan (at TB) vs. Andrew Luck (at TEN)	Matt Ryan
Aaron Rodgers (vs. DET) vs. Deshaun Watson (vs. JAX)	Deshaun Watson
Eli Manning (vs. DAL) vs. Tom Brady (vs. NYJ)	Tom Brady

Start: Ben Roethlisberger, PIT (vs. CIN) 

At the least, owners know Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has plenty to play for in Week 17. 

Big Ben hasn't always been the most reliable, hence only one trip over the 20-point mark over his last four outings. But with names like Antonio Brown and James Conner in doubt, he should see plenty of chances to have a huge fantasy day against a struggling Cincinnati Bengals defense. 

Said defense coughs up the most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season on average, including 21.06 allowed to Roethlisberger back in Week 6. 

Without some of his more notable weapons and playing a possible spoiler, Big Ben has some of the highest upside of the week simply due to the quality of opponent and sheer quantity. 

Sit: Andrew Luck, IND (at TEN) 

The nice thing about the quarterback position is the way it streams, making it easier to sit big names like Andrew Luck. 

The Indianapolis Colts quarterback has a tough road matchup against the Tennessee Titans to close the season, meaning a game against a defense that only permits the fifth-fewest points to quarterbacks. 

Luck hit up Tennessee for 23.88 points back in Week 11, but there isn't any guarantee he can go for three touchdowns and no interceptions against the unit again—this time on the road with so much at stake. 

Over his last two games, Luck has outings of 9.68 and 22.58 points. He hasn't always been this erratic, but it is a reminder it is just fine to look elsewhere at the position. 

RB

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
Saquon Barkley (vs. DAL) vs. Melvin Gordon (at DEN)	Saquon Barkley
Derrick Henry (vs. IND) vs. LeSean McCoy (vs. MIA)	Derrick Henry
Christian McCaffrey (at NO) vs. Chris Carson (vs. ARI)	Christian McCaffrey
Nick Chubb (at BAL) vs. Ezekiel Elliott (at NYG)	Ezekiel Elliott
Joe Mixon (at PIT) vs. Adrian Peterson (vs. PHI)	Joe Mixon

Start: Joe Mixon, CIN (at PIT)

On the other side of the Pittsburgh-Cincinnati AFC North affair is Joe Mixon, the lone playmaker left standing for a Bengals team starting Jeff Driskel under center. 

Mixon has outings of 22.3 or more points twice over his last three games and has 17 or more carries in each over that span. He is finally the workhorse owners hoped he would be because the Bengals don't have anyone else, not with A.J. Green, Tyler Eifert and Tyler Boyd all out, to name a few. 

While the Steelers only allow the ninth-fewest points to backs this season, Mixon had 16.4 points against them in Week 6 on only 11 carries, which illustrates perfectly why his usage by the coaching staff this year has been so frustrating. 

The nice thing about Mixon this week is he's immune to game flow traps. A versatile presence, he'll still be fed targets and carries even if the Bengals fall behind. 

Sit: Nick Chubb, CLE (at BAL) 

Cleveland Browns rookie Nick Chubb might have saved a few fantasy seasons back near Week 10 after finally breaking out for outbursts of 34.4 and 26.3 points. 

He hasn't been over the 16.3-point mark in four games since. 

In fact, Chubb has just 22.5 combined points over his last two games despite 39 carries and 100 or more yards in each contest. It has simply been tough sledding against defenses like Denver's. 

The tough run of matchups continues in Week 17 with a road game against a Baltimore Ravens defense allowing the third-fewest points to backs.

Unlike Pittsburgh's offense making the opposing running game irrelevant via game flow, Baltimore has only allowed one running back over the 20-point mark all year and just held a notable like Melvin Gordon to fewer than 13. 

WR

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
Antonio Brown (vs. CIN) vs. T.Y. Hilton (at TEN)	Antonio Brown
Mike Evans (vs. ATL) vs. Robert Woods (vs. SF)	Mike Evans
Sterling Shepard (vs. DAL) vs. Jamison Crowder (vs. PHI)	Jamison Crowder
JuJu Smith-Schuster (vs. CIN) vs. Julio Jones (at TB)	JuJu Smith-Schuster
DeAndre Hopkins (vs. JAX) vs. Keenan Allen (at DEN)	Keenan Allen

Start: Jamison Crowder, WAS (vs. PHI)

It is always a little strange when a season-long fantasy effort hinges on a player like Jamison Crowder. 

Yet it isn't as silly as it sounds. The Washington Redskins spiraled out of control down the stretch thanks to injuries, but the guys left standing continue to rally around Josh Johnson. 

Crowder has quietly become Johnson's favorite target, leading the Redskins in receiving yards in each of the last three games—translating to a pair of double-digit outings. 

The real appeal here is matchup, as the Philadelphia Eagles allow the third-most points to wideouts this season. It makes Crowder a sneaky high-upside option at home in a good game flow with proven usage to boot. 

Sit: Doug Baldwin, SEA (vs. ARI) 

Doug Baldwin is one of those star players who could be a letdown due to playoff circumstances. 

Baldwin's Seattle Seahawks are in the playoffs either way, the only variance now being whether they hold the fifth or sixth seed. So while Baldwin's consecutive 20-plus performances look great on paper, those good matchups shouldn't outweigh the likelihood he doesn't play a full game. 

As odd as it sounds, a game against the miserable Arizona Cardinals isn't guaranteed production for Baldwin anyway. They allow the 13th-fewest points to wideouts this year and held Baldwin to just 6.6 points despite his seven targets back near the start of the season. 

Normally, riding a hot hand like Baldwin makes plenty of sense. But postseason scenarios throw a wrench in the usual, so there is no sense to lose everything after a season's worth of work because Baldwin only plays a quarter or two. 

TE

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
Travis Kelce (vs. OAK) vs. Austin Hooper (at TB)	Travis Kelce
Zach Ertz (at WAS) vs. Vance McDonald (vs. CIN)	Zach Ertz
Evan Engram (vs. DAL) vs. Jared Cook (at KC)	Jared Cook
Antonio Gates (at DEN) vs. George Kittle (at LAR)	George Kittle
David Njoku (at BAL) vs. Cameron Brate (vs. ATL)	David Njoku

Start: Jared Cook, OAK (at KC) 

It's time to start believing in Jared Cook again. 

The Oakland Raiders tight end and arguably top overall offensive weapon has back-to-back outings of fewer than four points. It ruined a run of 10 or more points in four consecutive games and seven times overall with 20-plus upside. 

But Cook shouldn't have any problems getting back on track against a Kansas City Chiefs defense allowing the most points to his position this year. He hit 19.5 points on seven catches for 100 yards and a score in the first AFC West matchup this season. 

While the Chiefs have plenty to play for and should play starters, it doesn't matter much when it comes to tight ends. 

Sit: Trey Burton, CHI (at MIN) 

The difference for the Chicago Bears in Week 17 boils down to the second and third seed, which means Trey Burton could be a major fantasy risk. 

Even without playoff details hanging in the background, Burton is an iffy play. He has outings of 11.6 and 5.5 points to his name over the last two heading into a game against a Minnesota Vikings defense permitting the eighth-fewest points to the position. 

Those Vikings held Burton to 1.4 points back in Week 11. Now he's on the road in a game perhaps ready to feature plenty of rushing, not passing. The Vikings haven't let up double digits to a tight end since Week 7, a stretch that includes shutting down Rob Gronkowski.

All scoring info, points-against info and ownership stats courtesy of Yahoo standard leagues (half-PPR).