Fantasy Football's Week 17 IDP's Start/Sit

By Sean Haugh

Here’s hoping you are basking in at least one Championship after week 16, even if you are preparing for one more week of fantasy football. I know I am, having brought home the Maniaxs dynasty league inaugural Championship trophy last night. Whooo-hoooo!

The starting IDP lineup for my Carolina Regulators settled into Julius Peppers at DE, DeMeco Ryans and Jerod Mayo at LB, and Charles Tillman and Chris Gamble at DB.

The heart of the scoring juggernaut however was my WR corps of Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, Roddy White, and Dwayne Bowe. Of course, trading up for Adrian Peterson and my midseason acquisition of Tyler Thigpen didn’t hurt either...

In my other leagues, I’m not doing so hot. A couple teams are close to but not quite at the top after some serious late season swoons. I went mad trading for Joseph Addai in hopes of capitalizing his soft second half schedule, and we all know how that went. In two other leagues, my teams stank it up early only to wake up and spoil a bunch of Championship dreams down the stretch.

Three of these leagues play 17-week schedules with no playoffs, and my home keeper league holds it’s Super Bowl this week as well. I take the minority view on playing in week 17. I love it!

Complaining about how it’s so hard to field a lineup when so many players are rested for the real playoffs is weak and lazy. To me, it just adds a new twist. The savvy fantasy football owner can account for it.

Playing in week 17 rewards owners who have cultivated deep rosters. One key to my success—that is, when I have success—is not overloading my team with prospects and making sure I have plenty of players riding my bench who can be plugged into my lineup on a moment’s notice and relied upon for some points any week.

Here are a few of those deep roster gems who can help you win in week 17:

Defensive Linemen to Start

The Vikings have been giving up points in bunches to opposing defensive linemen the last few weeks. Their opponent this week, the Giants, have been showing some vulnerability on their offensive line lately as well. There is a fear that the Giants may rest some starters since they have already wrapped up home field advantage, but that’s not Tom Coughlin’s style. You can start Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka with confidence.

There is no such doubt with the Vikings, who have everything to play for. Ray Edwards has finally started making good on his preseason bravado. He’s been red hot these last few weeks and is a great start...

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