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| Sunday, January 2, 2022 |
| A bit of general advice for you today: Try not to look at your live scoring too much. |
| Playing for a championship is stressful enough, and once you hit the submit button, there's nothing you can do about it. So, just kick back, toss your phone on a table out of arm's reach, and just watch the games. I promise it'll be a more enjoyable way to spend your Sunday than sweating every single shift in your win probability. |
| Of course, that's easier said than done, and anyway, you might be stressing out about your lineup decisions right now anyway. We're here to try to help you with the tough questions, and the first thing you should do is read the rest of this newsletter for all the injury updates and my latest rankings. The next thing you should do is reach out directly to us for help. Adam Aizer, Frank Stampfl and I are going live on the Fantasy Football Today YouTube channel at 11:30 to answer as many of your questions as we can -- literally hundreds of them. Come watch the stream, get your questions in, and let's get you some answers. |
| And, of course, Jamey Eisenberg, Dave Richard, and Heath are on CBS Sports HQ until kickoff of the 1 p.m. games to answer your questions and keep you updated on all of the news you need to know on the FFT live show. You can also go to Twitter and use the hashtag "#AskFFT", where our whole team will be answering questions all morning. That's what Sunday morning is all about. |
| Here's the rest of our preview content to get you ready, and check out my updated position rankings at the bottom of the newsletter to help with any early lineup dilemmas you may have: |
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Week 17 Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: QB | RB | WRStarts, Sits, Sleepers and Busts | Cheat Sheets: PPR | Non-PPRWeek 17 Position Previews: QB | RB | WR | TE
My Week 17 Rankings: Flex Top 150 | QB | RB | WR | TE |
| Injury report and rankings updates |
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| Quarterbacks |
| Injury Report |
| Out: Kirk Cousins (COVID), Teddy Bridgewater (concussion), Jared Goff (knee), Lamar Jackson (ankle), Justin Fields (ankle) |
| Sean Mannion will make his first appearance of the season Sunday when he starts for Cousins, which lowers the entire offense's upside against the Packers. Drew Locke and Tim Boyle do the same for the Broncos and Lions. |
| Questionable: Jimmy Garoppolo (thumb) |
| Fields is questionable for Sunday's game, but Andy Dalton has already been named the starter for the game against the Giants. Dalton is just a low-end QB2. And, if I had to guess, Jackson and Garoppolo are probably more on the doubtful side of questionable. If they are out, Tyler Huntley and Trey Lance are both top-12 quarterbacks for me. |
| In: Carson Wentz (COVID), |
| Wentz was officially cleared Sunday morning and will start against the Raiders. |
| Week 17 QB Rankings |
| Josh Allen vs. ATLTom Brady @NYJPatrick Mahomes @CINJustin Herbert vs. DENMatthew Stafford @BALDak Prescott vs. ARIKyler Murray @DALJoe Burrow vs. KCAaron Rodgers vs. MIN Jalen Hurts @WASTyler Huntley vs. LARTrey Lance vs. HOUTaysom Hill vs. CARRussell Wilson vs. DETTua Tagovailoa @TENCarson Wentz vs. LVRyan Tannehill vs. MIABen Roethlisberger vs. CLEDerek Carr @IND Taylor Heinicke vs. PHIMac Jones vs. JAXAndy Dalton vs. NYGBaker Mayfield @PITMatt Ryan @BUF |
| Running backs |
| Injury Report |
| Out: Antonio Gibson (COVID), Miles Sanders (hand), Clyde Edwards-Helaire (collarbone/shoulder), Tevin Coleman (COVID), David Johnson (COVID) |
| With Gibson out, I expect Jaret Patterson to be the lead back, but Johnathan Williams will have a significant role and might actually be the better option for Fantasy since he's more likely to take on passing situations while getting a share of the running work. In PPR especially, he's closer to a starting RB than Patterson, who will likely need a touchdown against a tough Eagles defense to be worth using. |
| With Sanders out, Jordan Howard and Boston Scott figure to split time. I would expect Howard to be the "lead" back and get a bigger goal-line share, but both he and Scott are worth using as low-end RB2/3 options. Darrel Williams is the best of the injury replacements for this week, as he should have goal-line opportunities and third downs for the Chiefs; he will still split with Derrick Gore as well, however. |
| And Michael Carter and Rex Burkhead should be in line for significant roles in their offenses. I would rather take a chance on Carter than Burkhead, despite the latter's big game in Week 16. |
| Legitimately questionable: James Conner (heel), Cam Akers (Achilles), Kareem Hunt (knee), Alex Collins (abdomen) |
| My guess is Akers is more on the doubtful side, while Collins will likely have little role even if he's active. Conner's presence looms large, because Chase Edmonds is a top-six RB if Conner is out. If Conner plays, they're more in the RB2/3 range, with Edmonds preferred in PPR especially. Hunt is in that RB2/3 range if he plays, too. |
| Likely in: Damien Harris (hamstring), Elijah Mitchell (knee), Melvin Gordon (hip/knee), Javonte Williams (knee), Jordan Howard (stinger) |
| I'm assuming Harris is in after playing last week, especially since we haven't heard of a specific setback. However, because it's the Patriots, we really don't know. Rhamondre Stevenson is expected back from the COVID list, and I expect they'll share work, but keep an eye on inactives in case one is a surprise inactive. |
| Mitchell presents a tough decision. He was a must-start option before his injury, and the question now is whether he'll return to being the lead back, or if he'll be in a timeshare with Jeff Wilson. I'm worried it'll be the latter, so I'm wary of trusting Mitchell if I can avoid it, especially with Lance at QB likely to play a big role in the goal line area. |
| Reports Sunday indicate Howard will be active and that both Williams and Gordon will play. |
| Week 17 RB Rankings |
| Jonathan Taylor vs. LVAustin Ekeler vs. DENDalvin Cook @GBDavid Montgomery vs. NYGChase Edmonds @DALAlvin Kamara vs. CARJosh Jacobs @INDJoe Mixon vs. KCSony Michel @BAL Ronald Jones @NYJNick Chubb @PITNajee Harris vs. CLED'Andre Swift @SEAEzekiel Elliott vs. ARIDarrel Williams @CINRashaad Penny vs. DETAaron Jones vs. MINDevin Singletary vs. ATLJavonte Williams @LAC Saquon Barkley @CHIMichael Carter vs. TBAJ Dillon vs. MINDamien Harris vs. JAXCordarrelle Patterson @BUFMelvin Gordon @LACD'Onta Foreman vs. MIADevonta Freeman vs. LARJeff Wilson vs. HOUDare Ogunbowale @NE Kareem Hunt @PITJordan Howard @WASBoston Scott @WASRex Burkhead @SFJaret Patterson vs. PHIJonathan Williams vs. PHIMyles Gaskin @TENRhamondre Stevenson vs. JAXJamaal Williams @SEAAmeer Abdullah @NO Mark Ingram vs. CARDevontae Booker @CHIAlexander Mattison @GBMike Davis @BUFJames Conner @DALChuba Hubbard @NOBrandon Bolden vs. JAXJustin Jackson vs. DENCam Akers @BAL |
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| Wide receivers |
| Out: Adam Thielen (ankle), Jerry Jeudy (COVID), Tim Patrick (COVID), Nelson Agholor (concussion), Jamison Crowder (calf), Tre-Quan Smith (chest), Josh Reynolds (COVID), Tajae Sharpe (COVID), Kalif Raymond (COVID), Kadarius Toney (shoulder), Jaelon Darden (COVID), Darius Slayton (COVID), Emmanuel Sanders (knee)Legitimately questionable: Marquise Brown (illness), N'Keal Harry (hip), Jakobi Meyers (thigh), Rondale Moore (ankle), Devin Duvernay (ankle)Expected to play: Mike Evans (hamstring), Antonio Brown (ankle), Courtland Sutton (illness) |
| Evans is expected to play but will likely be on a snap count if he does. He was apparently having trouble with his conditioning after coming down with COVID during practice, so expect them to use him sparingly, likely in the red zone primarily. That makes him a boom-or-bust WR3 for me. Antonio Brown is a top-10 WR if he plays, though there is apparently more concern than there was last week after a mid-week setback. He is expected to play, however, per early Sunday reports. |
| Marquise Brown is the biggest question here, because he would be a top-20 WR for me if he plays, but there is certainly risk that his conditioning may not be where it needs to be. However, he had 14 targets for 10 catches in his previous game with Tyler Huntley starting and should be a good PPR option if he plays. |
| Gabriel Davis is still a viable starter with Sanders out, by the way. Don't overlook him. |
| Week 17 WR Rankings |
| Cooper Kupp @BALDavante Adams vs. MINKeenan Allen vs. DENStefon Diggs vs. ATLDeebo Samuel vs. HOUDiontae Johnson vs. CLETyreek Hill @CINJustin Jefferson @GBAntonio Brown @NYJ A.J. Brown vs. MIATee Higgins vs. KCJaylen Waddle @TENCeeDee Lamb vs. ARIJa'Marr Chase vs. KCBrandin Cooks @SFHunter Renfrow @INDRussell Gage @BUFMarquise Brown vs. LARAmon-Ra St. Brown @SEA Tyler Lockett vs. DETAmari Cooper vs. ARID.J. Moore @NOChristian Kirk @DALMichael Pittman vs. LVD.K. Metcalf vs. DETOdell Beckham Jr. @BALJarvis Landry @PITTerry McLaurin vs. PHIMike Williams vs. DEN Mike Evans @NYJGabriel Davis vs. ATLTyler Boyd vs. KCBrandon Aiyuk vs. HOUDeVonta Smith @WASDeVante Parker @TENChase Claypool vs. CLEMichael Gallup vs. ARIJakobi Meyers vs. JAXMarvin Jones @NE Kenny Golladay @CHIVan Jefferson @BALK.J. Osborn @GBDarnell Mooney vs. NYGCole Beasley vs. ATLAllen Lazard vs. MINCourtland Sutton @LACA.J. Green @DALBraxton Berrios vs. TB |
| Tight ends |
| Out: Darren Waller (knee/COVID), Jared Cook (COVID), Hayden Hurst (COVID), James O'Shaughnessy (hip), Nick Vannett (COVID), Dan Arnold (COVID/knee), Tyler Kroft (COVID), Questionable: Tyler Conklin (hamstring), Jack Doyle (ankle) |
| There really aren't many moving pieces here, but Conklin seems like a pretty risky player to trust in my eyes, given his inconsistent production and the injury. If you're looking for a streamer in a deep league, Stephen Anderson will start for the Chargers with Cook and Darnold Parham out. |
| Week 17 TE Rankings |
| Mark Andrews vs. LARTravis Kelce @CINGeorge Kittle vs. HOURob Gronkowski @NYJKyle Pitts @BUFDallas Goedert @WASDalton Schultz vs. ARINoah Fant @LACZach Ertz @DAL Mike Gesicki @TENDawson Knox vs. ATLGerald Everett vs. DETTyler Higbee @BALJames O'Shaughnessy @NECole Kmet vs. NYGHunter Henry vs. JAXRicky Seals-Jones vs. PHIFoster Moreau @INDAustin Hooper @PIT Tyler Conklin @GBMo Alie-Cox vs. LVStephen Anderson vs. DENDavid Njoku @PITJohn Bates vs. PHI |
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