
Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 17: Final Fantasy Football Lineup Decisions to Consider
This is it.
Week 17 of the 2020 NFL season, or the one for all the marbles in all the fantasy football leagues still awaiting their champion's coronation.
It's almost time to exhale, but there's one more day of games to tackle. Let's knock around some tackling dummies, then, by prepping for the Sunday session by identifying some of the top start-or-sit recommendations ahead of this winner-take-all weekend.
Start: Tom Brady, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons
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With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers playing "to win," opportunity should be knocking for Tom Brady to end his 2020 season on a high note.
He's already sprinting to the finish line. He has eight touchdown passes with nary an interception his last three times out, and he's thrown for better than 340 yards in back-to-back weeks.
Now, the football gods are giving him a chance to up the ante, as he draws an Atlanta Falcons defense that has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, per Yahoo.
Brady just put up 390 yards and a pair of scores against this unit two weeks back, and if the Bucs don't give him an early hook, he could replicate that production.
Sit: Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers
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Drew Brees still resembles Drew Brees from a bird's-eye view (70.7 completion percentage, 21 touchdown passes against just six interceptions), but he's not the high-end fantasy option he was in the past.
Twenty-one quarterbacks have more fantasy points than Brees this season, per FantasyPros. Changing the metric from total production to average points helps, since he missed time with a punctured lung and broken ribs, but not a ton. Even in weekly scoring, he sits just 19th at the position, trailing the likes of Carson Wentz, Gardner Minshew II and rookie Joe Burrow.
The Saints often put their scoring chances in the hands of other players now. Last week, Brees threw for 311 yards but never found the end zone, because Alvin Kamara feasted on six scores and Taysom Hill vultured another. Brees has three games with more than two touchdown passes and four with less than two. He may not pose much risk, but the reward isn't rich enough to entrust with your championship hopes.
Start: Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions
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Justin Jefferson could use a pick-me-up after three straight scoreless contests, and the schedulers set the table for one by putting the Detroit Lions on the docket.
The Lions have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. And the most passing touchdowns. And the third-most passing yards. And the sixth-highest completion percentage.
Folks fortunate enough to roster Jefferson, are you salivating yet?
He's had at least 70 receiving yards in six of his last seven outings and posted three triple-digit yardage totals over that stretch. He has the fourth-most fantasy points across those seven weeks, and he has a great chance to keep ascending.
Sit: Christian Kirk, WR, Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams
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The idea of Christian Kirk is fascinating. As a smooth route-runner with the elusiveness to turn short grabs into big gains, he's theoretically the guy defenses could lose track of as they're busy focusing on DeAndre Hopkins, Larry Fitzgerald and Kyler Murray's rushing threat.
But Kirk's reality is blah. He's WR41 on the season, and it's honestly surprising he even ranks that high. He hasn't scored since Week 9, and he just cleared 50 receiving yards for the first time since Week 11.
Oh, he's also drawing the worst matchup in fantasy for opposing wide receivers, and he could tell you all about it. When he last locked horns with the Los Angeles Rams in 13, he managed just a single reception on three targets for all of two yards. No thank you.

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