Week 17 is usually very uneventful, Fantasy Leagues are done, Most Teams are playing for little and you’ve been filled with enough food, booze, lack of sleep, College Games, kids screaming to have the energy to really grasp everything. I’m usually in this boat, but after looking at everything I’m here to help make it very clear for you. Happy New Year to all! Follow me on Twitter @FantasySavvy and stay tuned for some NFL Playoff Picks, Fantasy Info and more.
1PM Games
Green Bay @ Detroit (Det -7, O/U 44)
Neither team is in contention but the Lions are playing all starters and Green Bay will be without Rodgers, Davante Adams, and Jordy Nelson. Detroit looks like a good play here, Brett Hundley has been turrible. Stafford should have his way through the air, so Marvin Jones, Golden Tate and the surging TE Eric Ebron should all be productive. 27-16 Lions.
Chicago @ Minnesota (Min -12, O/U 38)
Vikes clinch a bye and the #2 seed with a win here. Also clinch with either a Saints Win or Panthers loss. Pretty much looks like they got it wrapped up. Bears have a stingy D, but have been leaking holes in the run game. Latavius Murray figures to be a solid Fantasy Play. Also 12 points is a lot to cover, but don’t see Bears doing much at all here in this spot. Vikings D could be in for a huge day. Don’t see the Bears scoring more than 10 points. Possibly give the under a look. 23-10 Vikings.
Cleveland @ Pittsburgh (Pit -6.5, O/U 37)
Steelers can get the #1 overall seed with a win and a New England loss to the Jets, but Mike Tomlin knows there is no chance Bryce Petty is beating New England in Foxboro. Thus, Pittsburgh is resting most of it’s starters most notably Le’Veon Bell and Big Ben. Landry Jones will start at QB, he’s awful. On the flip side, Josh Gordon should get a ton of looks from DeShone Kizer and seems like the best Fantasy Play in this game. 20-17 Cleveland
Dallas @ Philadelphia (Dallas -3, O/U 40)
Philly is all clinched up with the #1 seed in the NFC and has nothing to play for so they are likely to rest players early or not play anyone at all. Also we really don’t know what Dallas is going to do on their side of the ball. Staying away from everything in this game seems like the best approach. UPDATE: Cowboys are expected to play all their starters. 24-17 Dallas.
New York Jets @ New England (NE -15, O/U 43.5)
New England wins and they lock up homefield throughout the playoffs. So all systems go for the Pats. Jets are starting Bryce Petty, he is not good. This looks like blowout city. Dion Lewis will get a ton of carries again at RB as Rex Burkhead is OUT again. Gronk and Cooks also should have good days along with the Pats D. Brady of course. 34-10 Pats.
New York Giants @ Washington (Skins -3, O/U 40.5)
Neither team is playing for anything. Giants will start Eli 4 quarters, but he’s without Evan Engram and Sterling Shepard. RB Wayne Gallman should catch a lot of passes and is an affordable DFS play. Skins should control this game, look for Jamison Crowder and Josh Doctson to have good games. Skins looks good in this one. 27-17 Skins.
Houston @ Indy (Colts -5.5, O/U 41.5)
Another meaningless game. Houston is starting T.J. Yates, he may be the worst starting QB this week and are without Star WR, DeAndre Hopkins. Their pass D has also been brutal, meaning Jacoby Brissett may have a nice day along with T.Y. Hilton and Jack Doyle. Future Hall of Fame RB, Frank Gore is looking for 10 straight seasons with 1,000 yards, something only NFL greats Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton and Curtis Martin have accomplished. Gore needs 139 yards which is unlikely, but the Colts probably will give him a bunch of carries. Colts look like the play in this game. 24-13 Colts.
4:25 PM Games
San Francisco @ L.A. Rams (49ers -4.5, O/U 43.5)
Rams are clinched up and resting basically everyone, including Todd Gurley and Jared Goff. Good news for rising QB Jimmy Garrapolo. SF will look to keep their momentum and finish strong going into 2018. 23-16 San Fran.
Cincinnati @ Baltimore (Baltimore -9, O/U 40)
Ravens clinch a playoff spot with a win or a Bills or Titans loss. Andy Dalton and Marvin Lewis have both needed to go for years, but remain. I like Alex Collins and Baltimore D from a fantasy standpoint. Could see this one being somewhat close. 23-16 Ravens
Buffalo @ Miami (Buffalo -2.5, O/U 42.5)
There are three Week 17 scenarios in which the Bills would make the playoffs:
— Bills win AND Ravens loss OR
— Bills win AND Chargers loss or tie AND Titans loss or tie OR
— Bills tie AND Chargers loss AND Titans loss
Buffalo is likely to feed LeSean McCoy heavily in this game. Tyrod Taylor should have a decent day and Charles Clay looks like his best bet this week in the passing game. On the flip side, Phins would be smart to get the ball back in the hands of RB, Kenyan Drake. Jarvis Landry should have another nice day. 24-17 Buffalo.
Arizona @ Seattle (Seattle -9, O/U 38)
Seattle wins and Falcons lose and they are in. Russell Wilson and Doug Baldwin are extremely solid, safe fantasy plays. Larry Fitzgerald should have a big day for the Cards. 24-13 Seattle.
Kansas City @ Denver (Broncos -4.5, O/U 38)
K.C is not playing for anything here. Both teams will start new QB’s. KC will start their shiny big armed Rookie QB, Patrick Mahomes and Denver will start 2nd year QB Paxton Lynch. Chiefs will be resting basically all their players. Mahomes will be interesting to watch against a still extremely solid Denver D. C.J. Anderson should get a ton of work on the ground. Emmanuel Sanders is out for Denver so Demaryius Thomas should get a ton of targets. Paxton Lynch has just looked really bad in his few career starts. I would take the points, but Denver D could cause some havoc. 20-17 Denver.
Jacksonville @ Tennessee (Ten -2.5, O/U 42)
Jacksonville is playing for nothing but will start their starters to get try to get some momentum going into the playoffs. Not sure how long they will play. Titans on the other hand need a Win to get in, so they will be all in. Or they can get in with both a Chargers and Bills loss. Derrick Henry will get all the carries this week as DeMarco Murray is out with a MCL tear. He looks like the only solid fantasy play in this one. Possibly Keenan Cole for the Jags. 20-17 Titans.
Carolina @ Atlanta (Falcons -4, O/U 45)
The Falcons need to win or have Seattle lose to get in. They are playing for a lot. The Panthers are playing for a first round bye, but it seems unlikely. For that to happen they must defeat Atlanta, New Orleans must lose or tie at Tampa Bay, the Los Angeles Rams must lose or tie to San Francisco and Minnesota must lose at home to Chicago. What seems more likely is them winning the NFC South and playing a first round home Wild Card game. They need a win and a Saints loss for that to happen. Atlanta has more to play for in this one, but you know Cam and the Panthers won’t make it easy. Julio Jones, Mohammad Sanu, Cam Newton, Greg Olsen and Christian McAffrey are suggested Fantasy Plays. Carolina 27-24.
Oakland @ San Diego (SD -7, O/U 42)
San Diego needs a win and major help to get in.
Chargers clinch a playoff berth with:
— Chargers win AND Titans loss or tie AND Bills loss or tie OR
— Chargers win AND Titans loss or tie AND Ravens win or tie OR
— Chargers tie AND Titans loss AND Bills loss or tie.
Chargers will bring it in this game, Oakland has been lost all season. I like Antonio Gates in this game, in possibly his last game as a Charger. Chargers should roll with their strong defense. 27-17 San Diego.
New Orleans @ Tampa Bay (NO -5.5, O/U 49)
The Saints are in, but playing for the NFC South title and a home game in the WildCard round. They achieve that with a win or a Panthers loss. Their running game should once again dominate with Ingram and Kamara. Ted Ginn could be a sneaky fantasy play. Saints should do most of the scoring in this one. They are my pick to represent the NFC in the Superbowl. 31-20 Saints.
Any questions email me, SteveDeAngelo@gmail.com. See you in 2018!
Fantasy Savvy 