RADIO
As we enter Week 17, most analysts operate under the assumption that this is the last week for almost all of your leagues. I've told you before that most savvy fans and fantasy commissioners purposefully avoid their fantasy titles being decided in Week 18. While there are more teams playing for something than there used to be in the final week, it is still a time when stars rest for all or large chunks of a game. With that in mind, there are two ways to look at this final week.
From a redraft perspective, this is it. There are two teams with something to gain. If your league punishes the last-place team in your league, then there are also two teams with something to lose. Those two or four teams are it, no one else should make waiver claims. That means competition for waivers should be lower, and defender pools should be higher. It also means teams have decisions to make. Do you go for upside as an underdog or security as the favorite?
In dynasty or deep IDP, things are different. Many dynasty leagues still allow trades and most allow waiver pickups for all. That means your league’s losers will hold on to good defenders and add new ones, instead of dumping assets or tuning out. So, those in dynasty or deep IDP leagues will have tougher choices to make. You won’t have the luxury of picking from the top of my rankings, instead looking at my lower tiers or even my deep streamers that come out tomorrow.
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IDP Scoring System for Rankings:
6-points per Defensive Touchdown
4-points per Forced Turnover (FF/INT)
3-points per Sack
2- points per PD, FR, Safety
1-point Solo Tackle
0.5-points Assisted Tackle
Note: These rankings are also based on leagues that start one player at each defensive position (DL, LB, DB) and two DFLEX.
Top Fantasy Defensive Linemen of the Week
| Rank | Player | Team | Opponent |
| 1 | Myles Garrett | Browns | Jets |
| 2 | Nick Bosa | 49ers | Commanders |
| 3 | T.J. Watt | Steelers | Seahawks |
| 4 | Maxx Crosby | Raiders | Colts |
| 5 | Micah Parsons | Cowboys | Lions |
| 6 | Bradley Chubb | Dolphins | Ravens |
| 7 | Josh Allen | Jaguars | Panthers |
| 8 | Andrew Van Ginkel | Dolphins | Ravens |
| 9 | Trey Hendrickson | Bengals | Chiefs |
| 10 | Montez Sweat | Bears | Falcons |
| 11 | Danielle Hunter | Vikings | Packers |
| 12 | Haason Reddick | Eagles | Cardinals |
| 13 | Alex Highsmith | Steelers | Seahawks |
| 14 | Harold Landry III | Titans | Texans |
| 15 | Khalil Mack | Chargers | Broncos |
| 16 | Aidan Hutchinson | Lions | Cowboys |
| 17 | Kayvon Thibodeaux | Giants | Rams |
| 18 | Justin Madubuike | Ravens | Dolphins |
| 19 | Chris Jones | Chiefs | Bengals |
| 20 | Chase Young | 49ers | Commanders |
| 21 | Javon Hargrave (Q) | 49ers | Commanders |
| 22 | Jonathon Cooper | Broncos | Chargers |
| 23 | Christian Wilkins | Dolphins | Ravens |
| 24 | Kwity Paye | Colts | Raiders |
| 25 | Jonathan Allen | Commanders | 49ers |
| 26 | Cameron Heyward (Q) | Steelers | Seahawks |
| 27 | Carl Granderson | Saints | Buccaneers |
| 28 | Will Anderson Jr. | Texans | Titans |
| 29 | Jonathan Greenard (Q) | Texans | Titans |
| 30 | Derrick Brown | Panthers | Jaguars |
| 31 | Dexter Lawrence | Giants | Rams |
| 32 | DeForest Buckner | Colts | Raiders |
| 33 | Aaron Donald | Rams | Giants |
| 34 | Boye Mafe | Seahawks | Steelers |
| 35 | Harrison Phillips | Vikings | Packers |
| 36 | Quinnen Williams | Jets | Browns |
| 37 | Byron Young | Rams | Giants |
| 38 | Rashan Gary | Packers | Vikings |
| 39 | Brian Burns | Panthers | Jaguars |
| 40 | Zach Seiler | Dolphins | Ravens |
| 41 | Denico Autry | Titans | Texans |
| 42 | Shaquil Barrett | Buccaneers | Saints |
| 43 | Leonard Floyd | Bills | Patriots |
| 44 | Michael Hoecht | Rams | Giants |
| 45 | Jalen Carter | Eagles | Cardinals |
| 46 | Josh Sweat | Eagles | Cardinals |
| 47 | Jadeveon Clowney | Ravens | Dolphins |
| 48 | Ed Oliver | Bills | Patriots |
| 49 | Vita Vea | Buccaneers | Saints |
| 50 | Ya Ya Diaby | Buccaneers | Saints |
DL Riser of the Week:
Derrick Brown, Carolina Panthers
As was mentioned above, championship week can call for a different strategy than most weeks. Typically, I will preach chasing upside with your defensive linemen. My Standard IDP Scoring and the scoring in many other formats pays a premium for sacks, and DLs rarely collect tackles with regularity. So, chasing sacks makes sense. However, if you feel good about your championship being close or a big win, safe DLs are the play.
Brown has five games with seven or more tackles this season. Better yet, the Auburn alum has only four games with fewer than five total tackles. That's stability at a usually unstable position. He now faces a Jaguars offense that is sixth in offensive plays per game and could be without its starting quarterback. Brown should be good for at least four standard fantasy points this week, which is all you may need.
DL Disappointment of the Week:
Carl Granderson, New Orleans Saints
Let’s put my “fade” of Granderson into perspective. He is still a borderline DL2 with a steady tackle floor, even if sacks are unlikely. However, this is the week of the fantasy championship. As I mentioned in my introduction, only two teams have anything to play for this week. This means you should be extra cautious about bad matchups like Granderson has this week, especially if waivers are flush with options.
Granderson lines up over the left tackle on 89.4% of his defensive snaps. That puts him on Tristan Wirfs for the vast majority of Week 17. Wirfs has allowed the second-fewest quarterback pressures and has earned the third-highest PFF pass-blocking grade of any tackle who has played 80% or more of his team’s snaps. He is responsible for just five sacks and 24 pressures all season long. Wirfs is a rock.
Top Fantasy Linebackers of the Week
| Rank | Player | Team | Opponent |
| 1 | Zaire Franklin | Colts | Raiders |
| 2 | Foyesade Oluokun | Jaguars | Panthers |
| 3 | T.J. Edwards | Bears | Falcons |
| 4 | Roquan Smith | Ravens | Dolphins |
| 5 | Ernest Jones | Rams | Giants |
| 6 | Bobby Wagner | Seahawks | Steelers |
| 7 | Logan Wilson | Bengals | Chiefs |
| 8 | Lavonte David | Buccaneers | Saints |
| 9 | Alex Singleton | Broncos | Chargers |
| 10 | Terrel Bernard | Bills | Patriots |
| 11 | Azeez Al-Shaair | Titans | Texans |
| 12 | C.J. Mosley | Jets | Browns |
| 13 | Fred Warner | 49ers | Commanders |
| 14 | Jordan Hicks | Vikings | Packers |
| 15 | Quay Walker | Packers | Vikings |
| 16 | Nick Bolton | Chiefs | Bengals |
| 17 | Eric Kendricks | Chargers | Broncos |
| 18 | Bobby Okereke | Giants | Rams |
| 19 | Khaleke Hudson | Commanders | 49ers |
| 20 | Jordyn Brooks (Q) | Seahawks | Steelers |
| 21 | Patrick Queen | Ravens | Dolphins |
| 22 | E.J. Speed | Colts | Raiders |
| 23 | Cody Barton | Commanders | 49ers |
| 24 | Dre Greenlaw | 49ers | Commanders |
| 25 | Tremaine Edmunds | Bears | Falcons |
| 26 | Devin Lloyd | Jaguars | Panthers |
| 27 | Demario Davis | Saints | Buccaneers |
| 28 | Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah | Browns | Jets |
| 29 | Robert Spillane | Raiders | Colts |
| 30 | Frankie Luvu | Panthers | Jaguars |
| 31 | T.J. Watt | Steelers | Seahawks |
| 33 | Christian Harris | Texans | Titans |
| 34 | Josey Jewell | Broncos | Chargers |
| 35 | Micah Parsons | Cowboys | Lions |
| 36 | Shaquille Leonard | Eagles | Cardinals |
| 37 | Kenneth Murray Jr. | Chargers | Broncos |
| 38 | Quincy Williams | Jets | Browns |
| 39 | Bradley Chubb | Dolphins | Ravens |
| 40 | Andrew Van Ginkel | Dolphins | Ravens |
| 41 | Divine Deablo | Raiders | Colts |
| 42 | Markquese Bell | Cowboys | Lions |
| 43 | Kaden Elliss | Falcons | Bears |
| 44 | Germaine Pratt | Bengals | Chiefs |
| 45 | Blake Cashman (Q) | Texans | Titans |
| 46 | Alex Anzalone | Lions | Cowboys |
| 47 | Denzel Perryman | Texans | Titans |
| 48 | Mykal Walker | Steelers | Seahawks |
| 49 | Nate Landman (Q) | Falcons | Bears |
| 50 | Jahlani Tavai | Patriots | Bills |
LB Riser of the Week:
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Cleveland Browns
Owusu-Koramoah made our streamers list recently. We noted he has been playing over 85% of the Browns' defensive snaps since Week 10, which is well above his career average. During that span, he's averaged 10.1 fantasy points per game. Were that his season average, he'd be LB6 per game this season.
The Jets are a fine matchup for the Notre Dame product, too. He is a coverage linebacker with an elite ability to cover screens and tight ends. Breece Hall is averaging 8.8 targets per game over his past five contests. Better, Trevor Siemian’s average Intended Air Yards per Target is lower than any quarterback with enough attempts to qualify.
This current iteration of the Jets’ offense is built to feed opposing linebackers. Hence, Cody Barton and Khaleke Hudson both notching double-digit tackles last weekend.
LB Disappointment of the Week:
Ivan Pace Jr., Minnesota Vikings
My regular readers will know how much it pains me to put Ivan Pace Jr. on my disappointment list. He's arguably the best defensive player on the Vikings this year. He is without question one of the four most consistent defenders on the roster and is battling Jordan Hicks for the top defensive grade from PFF. The rookie's film is tremendous as well, as his ability to impact fantasy in all phases.
Unfortunately, the Vikings seem unable to put Pace, Hicks, and Josh Metellus on the field at the same time. When Hicks returned last week, Pace saw his defensive snaps cut in half. In fact, Pace has just one game with more than 68% of the snaps when Hicks is healthy. Worse, Pace hasn’t played more than 38% of the snaps since Week 5, unless Hicks is hurt. You can’t trust that usage in your fantasy championship.
Top Fantasy Defensive Backs of the Week
| Rank | Player | Team | Opponent |
| 1 | Antoine Winfield Jr. | Buccaneers | Saints |
| 2 | Derwin James | Chargers | Broncos |
| 3 | Kyle Hamilton (Q) | Ravens | Dolphins |
| 4 | Jessie Bates III | Falcons | Bears |
| 5 | Jaquan Brisker | Bears | Falcons |
| 6 | Camryn Bynum | Vikings | Packers |
| 7 | Xavier McKinney | Giants | Rams |
| 8 | Paulson Adebo | Saints | Buccaneers |
| 9 | Josh Metellus | Vikings | Packers |
| 10 | Kamren Curl | Commanders | 49ers |
| 11 | Devon Witherspoon (Q) | Seahawks | Steelers |
| 12 | Jordan Battle | Bengals | Chiefs |
| 13 | L’Jarius Sneed | Chiefs | Bengals |
| 14 | Jalen Pitre | Texans | Titans |
| 15 | Justin Reid | Chiefs | Bengals |
| 16 | Reed Blankenship | Eagles | Cardinals |
| 17 | Rayshawn Jenkins | Jaguars | Panthers |
| 18 | Charvarius Ward | 49ers | Commanders |
| 19 | Kevin Byard | Eagles | Cardinals |
| 20 | DaRon Bland | Cowboys | Lions |
| 21 | Jevon Holland (Q) | Dolphins | Ravens |
| 22 | Dax Hill | Bengals | Chiefs |
| 23 | Kenny Moore II | Colts | Raiders |
| 24 | Desmond King | Texans | Titans |
| 25 | Budda Baker | Cardinals | Eagles |
| 26 | Taron Johnson | Bills | Patriots |
| 27 | Kyle Dugger | Patriots | Bills |
| 28 | Jalen Thompson | Cardinals | Eagles |
| 29 | Ji’Ayir Brown | 49ers | Commanders |
| 30 | D.J. Reed | Jets | Browns |
| 31 | Donovan Wilson | Cowboys | Lions |
| 32 | Marcus Williams | Ravens | Dolphins |
| 33 | Jonathan Owens | Packers | Vikings |
| 34 | Nate Hobbs | Raiders | Colts |
| 35 | Mike Hilton | Bengals | Chiefs |
| 36 | Jordan Whitehead | Jets | Browns |
| 37 | Tyrann Mathieu | Saints | Buccaneers |
| 38 | Kerby Joseph | Lions | Cowboys |
| 39 | Justin Simmons | Broncos | Chargers |
| 40 | Alohi Gilman | Chargers | Broncos |
| 41 | Brian Branch | Lions | Cowboys |
| 42 | Taylor Rapp | Bills | Patriots |
| 43 | Richie Grant | Falcons | Bears |
| 44 | Derek Stingley Jr. | Texans | Titans |
| 45 | Roger McCreary | Titans | Texans |
| 46 | Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner | Jets | Browns |
| 47 | Zyon McCollum | Buccaneers | Saints |
| 48 | Jayron Kearse (Q) | Cowboys | Lions |
| 49 | Jordan Poyer | Bills | Patriots |
| 50 | Benjamin St- Juste (Q) | Commanders | 49ers |
DB Riser of the Week:
D.J. Reed, New York Jets
Since Joe Flacco took over as their starting quarterback, the Browns have averaged the most offensive plays and the second-most pass attempts in the NFL. That is elite volume for opposing pass defenders.
Amari Cooper is obviously the top weapon on Cleveland's offense, but he splits his time equally on the left and right sides. Likewise, the Jets do not shadow, so Reed and Sauce Gardner should both see a lot of Cooper. Because Gardner is so feared, Reed leads this secondary in targets and completion rate. Expect Flacco to target him a lot, which should lead to good fantasy volume.
DB Disappointment of the Week:
Kenny Moore II, Indianapolis Colts
It's tough to bench a DB2 you've relied on all season, as many of you have with Moore. We aren't telling you to outright bench him, either. However, in your championship matchup, you have to consider fading him for available defenders with better matchups and more projected volume.
The Raiders are averaging the third-fewest pass attempts per game over the past three weeks. Their preferred formula is running the ball and controlling the clock, which was evident when they attempted a league-low 21 pass attempts against the Chiefs. Moore takes 63.5% of his snaps in the slot, which is an area of the field Las Vegas targets with 19% of its pass attempts. Moore could be in for a very low-volume day.
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