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Start/Sit (Week 17)

December 24, 2025

Quarterbacks

START

Caleb Williams at 49ers

Caleb has two straight games with 240 plus yards and two touchdowns. After a big win against the Packers, the Bears will be relying on Caleb to help secure their first NFC North division title since 2018. This week’s opponent, the 49ers, just gave up 277 yards and 2 touchdowns to old man Phillip Rivers. Caleb could exceed those numbers.

Baker Mayfield at Dolphins

After a tough loss to the Carolina Panthers to cede the division lead, Baker and the Bucs need a win to get back on track and set up a Week 18 division championship rematch against the Panthers. Luckily for Baker, he draws a Miami Dolphins defense that is reeling this week after getting lit up by Joe Burrow. Baker and the Bucs need a bounce back and he has the chance to deliver after a few poor performances.

Jacoby Brissett at Bengals

Since moving into a starting role in Week 6, Brissett is the QB5 in total scoring and the QB8 in average scoring. He had a down week against the Falcons, but his Championship Week matchup is against the Bengals who are the 32^nd ranked total defense and 29^th ranked passing defense with the second most passing touchdowns given up this year. You couldn’t ask for a better matchup on paper.

SIT

Aaron Rodgers at Browns

Rodgers has had a respectable season so far, but his toughest matchup comes this week against the Browns excellent pass defense. However, the Browns rank in the middle in terms of rushing defense and the Steelers’ rushing attack has been strong recently. Add on to all of this that top target DK Metcalf is now suspended, Rodgers should remain on benches this week.

CJ Stroud at Chargers

Stroud faces an upper tier Chargers pass defense this week. In twelve starts this year, Stroud has only surpassed 250 yards three times and only thrown for two or more touchdowns four times. He has had the advantage of relying on his defense all year and not had to perform at an All-Pro level. It will be no different this week.

Bryce Young vs Seahawks

Young has played well since his career day a few weeks ago against Atlanta but it has not translated to elite fantasy production. This week he will face a Seattle defense that pounces early on opponents and forces turnovers. BY will have to play well to keep his team in this game but too many forced passing situations could lead to turnovers.

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Running Backs

START

Tyrone Tracy at Raiders

Tracy has been highly productive when receiving a bulk of the workload and has outproduced Singletary as of late. I am starting with confidence against a Raiders team that is just looking to pack their bags and go home. Las Vegas is better than you think they are against the run, but they still rank in the bottom half of the league. Dart will get them up early, Tracy will grind down that lock.

Tony Pollard vs Saints

The Titans back has gotten hot right when you need him most by going over 100 yards in two of the last three weeks. It’s certainly been a rough go but I’m happy to report that you can start him with full confidence against a Saints squad that ranks 26th against the run. Opportunity will be there as the Saints defense has been surrendering 100+ yard efforts on the ground for weeks now.

Blake Corum vs Falcons

The former Michigan back might be the 1B to Kyren Williams 1A but, does it matter? He’s scored 5 touchdowns in the last 4 games and has clearly carved out a more reliable role for fantasy owners. What’s most interesting is that Corum played so well against Seattle despite only playing in 29% of the snaps. Even better, the Falcons present a juicy matchup where, even if Kyren gets more work than Blake again, there should be PLENTY to go around.

SIT

Rico Dowdle vs Seahawks

Though they’ve slowed down, Carolina still boasts a top ten rushing attack in the league, but it’ll be matching up against a top 3 run defense in the Seahawks. Seattle just gave up a decent amount of production to both of the Los Angeles backs, but it was on a short week against a division rival. Those games can be tricky with teams knowing each other so well. I would bet that Seattle gets back to shutting down opponent running backs. Especially here where Carolina could find themselves in a negative game script in a hurry.

Kareem Hunt vs Broncos

I just hope you’ve found something better to play on the waiver wire as the Chiefs are going to be in for a LONG day. A Gardner Minshew offense will leave a lot to be desired, and it’s not like this run game was something fantastic even before Mahomes exited the offense. The Denver run defense is right up there with the best in the league. Hunt was shut down the first time they matched up against the Broncos but was saved by a touchdown plunge. Kansas City won’t be in many opportunities to see an easy score.

Breece Hall vs Patriots

New England isn’t messing around. They’ve done a great job, as most teams have, shutting down the Jets and there’s just no reason to believe any of this will change in week 17. With the mixture of quarterbacks going in and out, Hall has struggled to even reach 3 yards per carry. Defenses just don’t respect the Jets ability to pass and I’d expect fantasy owners to be let down once again if they’re relying on Breece. With the possibility of checkdowns not being an alternative for points, I’d look elsewhere.

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Wide Receivers

START

Tee Higgins vs Cardinals

Since Burrow’s return, Higgins has been on a tear finding the endzone three times in two games. This week’s game against the Cardinals could turn into a shootout. With Chase drawing the defense’s attention and Higgins’ redzone threat, he could have a big week.

DJ Moore at 49ers

The Bears’ offense is humming. Moore has found the endzone in back-to-back weeks. Odunze and Burden may miss this week’s game again which will lead to additional target share for Moore against a 49er defense that is struggling right now.

Stefon Diggs at Jets

In the biggest game of the Patriots’ season so far, Diggs came up with a huge performance totaling 138 yards on 9 catches. After a few sluggish weeks, this past performance could have Diggs back on track as the Pats WR1. He now faces off with a Jets defense that he previously torched in Week 11.

SIT

Emeka Egbuka at Dolphins

The returns of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan, and Bucky Irving have hampered Egbuka’s target share. Pair that with Baker struggling on the field right now and the results have not been positive for Egbuka’s fantasy outlook. He has garnered only 7 catches over the past three weeks, none of which have resulted in touchdowns. The days of double-digit targets may be behind him for the rest of this season.

Michael Pittman vs Jaguars

Pittman has only had 5 targets in each of the two games since the return of Phillip Rivers, and only 58 total yards with no touchdowns. Rivers does not have the arm strength to take advantage of Pittman’s elite downfield abilities. The odds of Pittman and Rivers turning it around against the Jags this week are low.

Drake London vs Rams

This lingering knee injury has put a damper on what was shaping up to be a nice season from London. He returned last week to haul in 3 of 8 targets for only 27 yards. He also saw a lower snap count due to his injury which may indicate that he is not quite fully healthy yet. He has a favorable matchup against the Rams this week, but Uncle Kirk has been favoring TE Kyle Pitts over the receiving core since taking over as the starting QB.

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Tight Ends

START

Dalton Schultz vs Chargers

Schultz continues to be one of the most reliable TE’s heading into championship week, especially in PPR perspective. His steady target share in the middle of the field gives him a safe floor, and he’s shown solid red-zone chemistry with his QB. Even when the offense isn’t firing on all cylinders, Schultz finds a way to stay involved, making him dependable in a week where consistency matters most.

Theo Johnson at Raiders

Johnson has quietly emerged as a sneaky upside play at TE, particularly over the last few weeks. His athleticism and growing snap count have translated into more designed looks, and he’s becoming a preferred option on short-to-immediate routes. He was held without a catch in week 16, however that was due to Flores’ scheme against opposing offenses, so I wouldn’t worry about that. Against a defense that struggles to contain TE’s, Johnson has legitimate breakout potential and is worth starting if you’re chasing upside in Week 17.

Jake Ferguson at Commanders

Ferguson remains locked in as one of the top red-zone TE’s in the league, which alone makes him a strong start. His connection with the QB near the goal line had been consistent all season, he rarely leaves the field in high-leverage situations. In a week where TD’s can swing championships, Ferguson’s scoring potential makes him an easy start.

SIT

Brenton Strange at Colts

While strange has flashed at times, his role in the offense remains too inconsistent to trust in a crucial Week 17 matchup. His productivity heavily depends on game script and injuries around him, which creates a low floor. With limited red-zone involvement and unpredictable usage, Strange is better left on the bench this week.

Darren Waller vs Buccaneers 

Waller’s name still carries weight, but his on-field impact hasn’t matched the hype this season. Between lingering health concerns and inconsistent QB play, his target volume has been unreliable. In a must win fantasy week for most people, it’s hard to justify starting a TE who hasn’t shown dependable production or scoring.

Dalton Kincaid vs Eagles

Kincaid’s long term outlook remains bright, but Week 17 presents a tough spot for fantasy managers. His role has fluctuated, especially with other weapons demanding targets as well. Without guaranteed volume or red-zone looks, Kincaid carries more risk than reward, making him a sit in a championship week.

Keith, Author

Keith runs youth flag football leagues by day, and by night he hosts the podcast and writes articles with the confidence of a man who’s been rushing quarterbacks since dial-up. A longtime flag football DE and lifelong Falcons fan, he’s no stranger to heartbreak and enjoys watching the bears get slaughtered each week. Equal parts coach, critic, and chaos, Keith calls it like he sees it… even if it hurts.