The final Starts and Sits article for the 2023 Fantasy Football season is here. Once the playoffs start, it is all about match-ups. Your stars got you to this point, but that does not always mean they will help you win it all. For example, I have Tony Pollard in a league and he will be on my bench this Sunday. That said, thank you to everyone who reads these articles every week. I hope I helped a ton of people out and helped them win their leagues.
Week 17 Starts and Sits
Quarterback Sits
Jared Goff @ Dallas Cowboys
Jared Goff is the QB12 in ppg overall, but in the past month has been a QB1 just once. Now, he gets a fierce Cowboys’ defense that is allowing the 14th fewest ppg to the position. This is a battle of NFC heavyweights, but I fear the pass rush of the Cowboys will get to Goff despite the offensive line he has. The Lions have an awful secondary and I feel like Goff will not be able to keep up with the Cowboys offense. This is a running game for the Lions this week and much better streaming options are available at Quarterback.
Tua Tagovailoa @ Baltimore Ravens
Tua Tagovailoa has not finished as a QB1 since Week 13. His play has been underwhelming the past few weeks and now has to face the best defense in football, the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens just humbled the 49ers and Brock Purdy, forcing him into FOUR interceptions. At just 11.3 ppg to Quarterbacks on the season, it is way too risky to start Tagovailoa with a fantasy championship on the line.
Running Back Sits
Tony Pollard vs. Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions’ run defense is a work of art. They have allowed under 900 total rushing yards to Running Backs the entire season and just 16.23 ppg. Tony Pollard started the season on fire but sizzled out throughout the year with a good game here and there. In the past month, Pollard has just one RB1 finish under his belt. He has been a major letdown this season and should not be in starting lineups in Week 17.
James Conner @ Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles’ pass defense has been the complete opposite of what it was last year. Their run defense is still elite behind that front line. On the season, the Eagles are allowing the fifth-fewest ppg to Running Backs. I also think the Eagles will be all over the Cardinals in Week 17 which means James Conner will not have that many chances to produce unless he finds the end-zone. You simply cannot bank on James Conner just because you have hope he scores. Conner makes the sits on Starts and Sits and is my favorite player to bench for championship week.
Wide Receiver Sits
Garrett Wilson @ Cleveland Browns
We will have to wait one more season for the top-five finish we wanted to see from Garrett Wilson. Wilson has not been a disappointment in my opinion. He has only been a letdown since Aaron Rodgers got hurt. Wilson still has had some good games in his sophomore season, but not good enough to start him against the Browns. The Browns have allowed the second-fewest ppg to Wide Receivers and have been on lockdown all season. Find a better option such as DJ Chark against his former team.
DJ Moore vs. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are a top-three team in terms of least ppg to Wide Receivers. DJ Moore also rolled up his ankle in a bad way last week. If he does play, I cannot trust him despite how great he has been this season. Jessie Bates and the Falcons defense have been clicking everywhere this season and it would be best to keep him on the bench as the Falcons will zone in on Moore.
Tight End Sits
Dallas Goedert vs. Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals may not be a good team, but they do defend well against Tight Ends. In the past month, the Cardinals have allowed just the sixth-fewest ppg to the position. With the Cardinals allowing the third most ppg to Running Backs the past month and the season overall, I do not like this spot for Dallas Goedert. Before his injury, he had just two TE1 weeks. Since his return, he has been the TE24, TE25, and the TE9. This will be a blowout with the Eagles rushing attack led by Jalen Hurts and D’Andre Swift. Stream elsewhere in the Tight End world.
Evan Engram vs. Carolina Panthers
The same with the Cardinals about Tight Ends can be said about the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers have allowed the ninth fewest ppg to Tight Ends this season and the eighth fewest in the past month. Although Evan Engram has been the second or the top option on the Jaguars since Christian Kirk’s injury, I’d rather aim for the stars and look for someone with the ceiling of a 15-plus-point performance.
Quarterback Starts
Kyler Murray @ Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are a -10.5 favorite this Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. That plus the Eagles allowing the most ppg to Wide Receivers and the second most ppg to Quarterbacks on the season, means Kyler Murray’s time for greatness is here. Keeping Kyler Murray stashed away is all coming together for this masterclass performance. Murray finished as the QB12 against the Bears last week who have allowed the ninth fewest ppg to Quarterbacks the past month. Kyler Murray is my favorite player to start in Starts and Sits and will capture you a Fantasy Football championship.
Nick Mullens vs. Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are dead last in DVOA pass defense from Weeks 12-16. They also have allowed the third most ppg to Quarterbacks in that span. Nick Mullens just threw it for 411 yards with two touchdowns. Yes, he did have four interceptions, but he still managed to finish as the QB11 for a second consecutive week. Mullens has a great chance to repeat a third straight QB1 week and I am starting him in any leagues that have uncertainty on their QB1.
Running Back Starts
D’Andre Swift vs. Arizona Cardinals
D’Andre Swift would have been the steal of drafts if he was able to score touchdowns. With Jalen Hurts having 15 rushing touchdowns, Swift’s fantasy impact has been stunted. With that being said, he has still been able to produce some great games and has had an amazing schedule for the Fantasy Football playoffs. As I stated, the Cardinals allow the most ppg to Running Backs and this game can get out of hand rather quickly. Keep Swift in your lineup as a chance at a 20-point game is higher than most weeks.
Austin Ekeler @ Denver Broncos
Austin Ekcler has played in just 12 games with five RB1 finishes. Four of those came in Week 10 or before that. Ekeler has not lived up to his ADP after being the RB1 in PPG a season ago. His last RB1 finish came in Week 14 against the Denver Broncos. After the ride it has been rostering Austin Ekeler this season, his having an epic Ekeler game would be just perfect for such a wild Fantasy Football season.
Wide Receiver Starts
George Pickens @ Seattle Seahawks
After a game like last week, George Pickens got a lot of people into their league championships. It is only right to keep him in your lineup against the team allowing the 14th most fantasy ppg to the position the past month. The upside with Pickens is sky-high as is the risk of him having an awful output with so much on the line. I like risks in life and I am playing Pickens in any leagues I have him.
DJ Chark @ Jacksonville Jaguars
DJ Chark came alive in the semi-finals as he had 27.8 points with two touchdowns. He gets his former team the Jaguars. The Jaguars have given up the 12th most ppg to the position and are seventh worst in pass defense DVOA. Chark has such a fantastic matchup to have against his former team and be an epic start in your flex. Both the receivers I have in Starts and Sits here are risky, but the upside is what captures these Fantasy Football Championships.
Tight End Starts
Kyle Pitts @ Chicago Bears
Don’t look now, but Kyle Pitts has had three TE1 finishes in the past month. He gets the Bears who have allowed the fourth most ppg to the position the past two weeks. With the rollercoaster ride it has been the past two years with Pitts, having him in this spot, I think he finds the end-zone in back-to-back weeks and has a 15-point game. My BOLD prediction for Starts and Sits is that Kyle Pitts has 70 yards and a touchdown.
Chigoziem Okonkwo @ Houston Texans
Chigoziem Okonkwo aka Chig just had a 18.3 outing in Week 16. It was his best game of the season and it is the perfect chance to continue this and finish the season strong. The Texans have allowed the fourth most ppg to the position this season. Even with Chig having his big game with Ryan Tannehill, I think he will still have chances to have his big plays with Will Levis back under center.
Final Thoughts
Good luck to everyone, thank you for all the questions on Twitter, the conversations and just letting me be able to get my thoughts out about something I truly enjoy doing every day. Let’s WIN!
Week 17 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Half-PPR by Position | Flex Rankings | Positional Ranks w/ K & DST | Dynasty | Superflex Dynasty