Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR scoring system in fantasy football. This column will not cover the elite players in the NFL like Josh Allen, Austin Ekeler or Tyreek Hill. Instead, I'll look at the players you have questions about who could exceed or fail to meet expectations at each position. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check out my weekly player rankings which will be updated daily throughout the 2022 NFL season.
Fabs Top 10 quarterbacks
1. Josh Allen at Bengals (MNF)
2. Patrick Mahomes vs. Broncos
3. Joe Burrow vs. Bills (MNF)
4. Justin Fields at Lions
5. Dak Prescott at Titans (TNF)
6. Trevor Lawrence at Texans
7. Jared Goff vs. Bears
8. Kirk Cousins at Packers
9. Justin Herbert vs. Rams
10. Daniel Jones vs. Colts
Week 17 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | WIDE RECEIVERS | TIGHT ENDS | KICKERS & TEAM DEFENSES
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Week 17 Start ‘Em: Quarterbacks
Start of the Week
Justin Fields at Lions (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Fields is coming off one of his worst stat lines of the season, scoring just 9.9 fantasy points in a loss to the Bills. Still, he’s a virtual must start when the Bears face the Lions. He beat them for nearly 40 points earlier in the season, and no team in the league has allowed more fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Look for Fields to rebound in this NFC North contest.
Start ‘Em
Dak Prescott at Titans (Thur. 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video): Despite facing an Eagles defense that had allowed the fewest points to quarterbacks, Prescott still scored a season-high 28 fantasy points last week. He should produce another nice stat line this week, as he’ll go up against a Titans team that’s allowed the third-most points to quarterbacks. In all, eight have scored 18-plus points vs. them.
Jared Goff vs. Bears (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Goff is coming off his best stat line on the road in 2022, scoring 25.7 points in a loss to the Panthers. He’s now back at Ford Field where he’s been quite productive, throwing for multiple touchdowns in all but one game. The Bears have allowed nearly 24 points per game to quarterbacks in the last four weeks, so Goff should put up a nice stat line this weekend.
Trevor Lawrence at Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Lawrence has been on fire lately, scoring the fifth-most fantasy points among quarterbacks in the last four weeks. I like that success to continue against the Texans, as the first-place Jaguars look to make a postseason push. Houston has been tough on quarterbacks on paper, but its defense has surrendered 18-plus points to three signal-callers since Week 9.
Daniel Jones vs. Colts (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Jones has produced 17-plus points in three of his last four games, including 20.8 points in last week’s loss to the Vikings. Next up is a date with the Colts, who have struggled against quarterbacks lately. In fact, Jalen Hurts and Kirk Cousins have both beaten them for more than 24 fantasy points in games since Week 11, and Derek Carr had 18 against them in Week 10.
More Starts
• Gardner Minshew vs. Saints (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Brock Purdy at Raiders (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox)
DFS Bargains
• Jared Goff vs. Bears ($5,600)
• Gardner Minshew vs. Saints ($5,500)
• Brock Purdy at Raiders ($5,500)
Week 17 Sit ‘Em: Quarterbacks
Sit of the Week
Russell Wilson at Chiefs (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Wilson has a great matchup, as he’ll face a Chiefs defense he beat for almost 26 points in Week 14. So why is he a sit? Well, it’s championship week and I find it tough to trust a player who is maybe the biggest bust among quarterbacks. He looked awful last week, scoring 8.3 points, and Wilson has failed to score more than 14.2 points in all but three games.
Sit ‘Em
Geno Smith vs. Jets (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): Geno has a big-time revenge game, as he’ll face his former team, the Jets, in Seattle. He’s produced two stinkers in a row, however, and Gang Green has been tough on opposing signal-callers. In fact, the position has averaged fewer than 15 fantasy points per game against New York. So, while the revenge game narrative is in place, the matchup is bad for Smith.
Aaron Rodgers vs. Vikings (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Rodgers has a nice matchup on paper, as the Vikings have allowed the fifth-most points to quarterbacks. Here’s the problem: Rodgers played a Dolphins team that’s even worse against QBs last week, and he scored just 13.3 points. The veteran has scored fewer than 16.9 points in all but one game, including seven with fewer than 14 this season. I'd sit Rodgers.
Deshaun Watson at Commanders (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Watson has failed to put up more than 16.3 fantasy points in his four starts this season, and he’s failed to score more than 12.6 points three times. I can’t trust him to help me win a fantasy title against the Commanders, who have allowed an average of 14.3 points per game to quarterbacks since Week 13. Watson can be released in one-QB formats.
Baker Mayfield at Chargers (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Mayfield had a solid game last week in what was a blowout win over the Broncos, but do you want to play him in championship week? I don't, not even in a multi-quarterback league. The Chargers have allowed just 15 fantasy points per game to the position too, so the matchup isn't to kind in the battle of Los Angeles. Keep Baker out of your kitchen.
More Sits
• Mac Jones vs. Dolphins (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Kenny Pickett at Ravens (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for your late-breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business to help you win a fantasy championship!
