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Who Should I Start for Fantasy Football Week 17? Michael Carter, Rico Dowdle, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Jakobi Meyers, Travis Etienne Jr., Jauan Jennings, Breece Hall, D'Andre Swift, Kenneth Gainwell

Kenneth Gainwell - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Sleepers

Who Should I Start for Week 17? Fantasy Football outlooks for Michael Carter, Rico Dowdle, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Jakobi Meyers, Travis Etienne Jr., Jauan Jennings, Breece Hall, D'Andre Swift, Kenneth Gainwell.

Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some of the most common Week 17 fantasy football lineup decisions involve players like Michael Carter, Rico Dowdle, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Jakobi Meyers, Travis Etienne Jr., Jauan Jennings, Breece Hall, D'Andre Swift, Kenneth Gainwell. However, don't worry, we are here to help you make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 17. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 17 of the 2025 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.

Who Should I Start for 2?

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Fantasy Football Matchup Outlooks

Below are some fantasy football outlooks written by our NFL team here at RotoBaller, bringing you their fantasy football analysis and advice on which players to consider starting in Week 17:

Michael Carter, RB, Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter filled in as the starter in Week 16 for the team's banged-up backfield, and he had a solid game against the Falcons. He took 11 carries for 65 yards but failed to catch either of his two targets or get into the end zone.
 
Carter played well ahead of Emari Demercado and Corey Kiner and will likely lead the backfield committee again in Week 17 with James ConnerTrey Benson, and Bam Knight all on the shelf for the rest of the season. Carter and the Cards get a favorable matchup in Week 17 against the Bengals, so if you need some emergency help in the backfield, he's a solid streaming option with touchdown-dependent upside in Week 17.
 
Rico Dowdle, RB, Carolina Panthers
 
Rico Dowdle had nine carries for 29 yards in the Panthers' 23-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16. The Carolina RB also added four receptions for 14 receiving yards, totaling 8.3 PPR points. Dowdle has cooled off in the last four starts, averaging 10.5 PPR points per game during that span. For the second consecutive week, Dowdle outperformed Chuba Hubbard, who finished Week 16 with 34 scrimmage yards and 4.4 PPR points.
 
Despite the workload being split between Dowdle and Hubbard, Dowdle logged the most snaps (57%). In Week 17, the Panthers face the Seattle Seahawks. In the last four weeks leading up to Week 16, the Seahawks ranked seventh in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to RBs. Fantasy players who have their championship in Week 17 cab consider reserving Dowdle due to the tough matchup.

 
Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

As the 2025 season has progressed, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell has emerged as one of his team's most reliable all-purpose weapons. Over his last six games, the 26-year-old has recorded 568 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns on 84 touches. Gainwell has earned 38 targets in that six-game stretch and has now hauled in at least five receptions in five out of his last six outings.
 
The Steelers continue to deploy a near 50/50 split in the backfield between Gainwell and Jaylen Warren, which limits the upside for both players to some degree. However, as long as Gainwell continues to function as a featured piece in the Pittsburgh passing game, he should provide a safe production floor in PPR fantasy leagues. In any league where he remains available, Gainwell is a must-add player off the waiver wire heading into his Week 17 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.

 

Who Should I Start Tool

You can also see the Who Should I Start tool here.

Week 17 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Michael Carter, Rico Dowdle, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Jakobi Meyers, Travis Etienne Jr., Jauan Jennings, Breece Hall, D'Andre Swift, Kenneth Gainwell. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 17.

Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.

Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed that our 'Who Should I Start?' tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, stats, projections, strength of schedule, players news, and enhanced search results with data to compare with a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!

How It Works. Each week our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.

Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do, is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circle), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.

Popular Week 17 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 17 (2025)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.

 

Popular Week 17 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons

Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Week 17 for Michael Carter, Rico Dowdle, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Jakobi Meyers, Travis Etienne Jr., Jauan Jennings, Breece Hall, D'Andre Swift, Kenneth Gainwell:

Jauan Jennings
vs
Woody Marks
Jauan Jennings
vs
Rhamondre Stevenson
Jauan Jennings
vs
Khalil Shakir
Jauan Jennings
vs
D'Andre Swift
Jauan Jennings
vs
Colston Loveland
Jauan Jennings
vs
Luther Burden III
Jauan Jennings
vs
Kenneth Walker III
Jauan Jennings
vs
Stefon Diggs
Jauan Jennings
vs
RJ Harvey
Jauan Jennings
vs
Dalton Kincaid
Jauan Jennings
vs
Courtland Sutton
Jauan Jennings
vs
TreVeyon Henderson
Jauan Jennings
vs
Zach Charbonnet
Jauan Jennings
vs
DJ Moore
Jauan Jennings
vs
Davante Adams
Jauan Jennings
vs
Hunter Henry
Jauan Jennings
vs
James Cook III
Jauan Jennings
vs
Christian Kirk
Jauan Jennings
vs
Kyren Williams
Jauan Jennings
vs
Blake Corum
Jauan Jennings
vs
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Jauan Jennings
vs
Rome Odunze
Jauan Jennings
vs
Christian McCaffrey
Jauan Jennings
vs
Kayshon Boutte
Jauan Jennings
vs
Puka Nacua
Jauan Jennings
vs
Dalton Schultz
Jauan Jennings
vs
Cooper Kupp
Jauan Jennings
vs
Kyle Monangai
Jauan Jennings
vs
Colby Parkinson
Jauan Jennings
vs
Tyler Higbee
Jauan Jennings
vs
Jake Tonges
Jauan Jennings
vs
Pat Bryant
Jauan Jennings
vs
Jayden Higgins
Jauan Jennings
vs
Demarcus Robinson
Jauan Jennings
vs
Brandin Cooks
Jauan Jennings
vs
Ricky Pearsall
Jauan Jennings
vs
Brian Robinson Jr.
Jauan Jennings
vs
Jaylin Noel
Jauan Jennings
vs
Ray Davis
Jauan Jennings
vs
Kyle Juszczyk
Jauan Jennings
vs
Kyle Williams
Jauan Jennings
vs
Marvin Mims Jr.
Jauan Jennings
vs
Keon Coleman
Jauan Jennings
vs
Kendrick Bourne
Jauan Jennings
vs
AJ Barner
Jauan Jennings
vs
Olamide Zaccheaus
Jauan Jennings
vs
Troy Franklin
Jauan Jennings
vs
Ronnie Rivers
Jauan Jennings
vs
Nick Chubb
Jauan Jennings
vs
Demario Douglas
Jauan Jennings
vs
Evan Engram
Jauan Jennings
vs
Reggie Gilliam
Jauan Jennings
vs
Xavier Hutchinson
Jauan Jennings
vs
Cole Kmet
Jauan Jennings
vs
Dawson Knox
Jauan Jennings
vs
Efton Chism III
Jauan Jennings
vs
Konata Mumpfield
Jauan Jennings
vs
Tutu Atwell
Jauan Jennings
vs
Luke Farrell
Jauan Jennings
vs
Xavier Smith
Jauan Jennings
vs
Jackson Hawes
Jauan Jennings
vs
Dare Ogunbowale
Jauan Jennings
vs
Devin DuVernay
Jauan Jennings
vs
Cade Stover
Jauan Jennings
vs
Austin Hooper
Jauan Jennings
vs
Skyy Moore
Jauan Jennings
vs
Frank Gore Jr.
Jauan Jennings
vs
Jarquez Hunter
Jauan Jennings
vs
Davis Allen
Jauan Jennings
vs
Adam Trautman
Jauan Jennings
vs
Josh Allen
Jauan Jennings
vs
Matthew Stafford
Jauan Jennings
vs
Caleb Williams
Jauan Jennings
vs
Bo Nix
Jauan Jennings
vs
Drake Maye
Jauan Jennings
vs
Brock Purdy
Jauan Jennings
vs
Sam Darnold
Jauan Jennings
vs
C.J. Stroud
Jauan Jennings
vs
Seattle Seahawks
Jauan Jennings
vs
Houston Texans
Jauan Jennings
vs
New England Patriots
Jauan Jennings
vs
Denver Broncos
Jauan Jennings
vs
Buffalo Bills
Jauan Jennings
vs
Los Angeles Rams
Jauan Jennings
vs
San Francisco 49ers
Jauan Jennings
vs
Chicago Bears
Jauan Jennings
vs
Jason Myers
Jauan Jennings
vs
Harrison Mevis
Jauan Jennings
vs
Matt Prater
Jauan Jennings
vs
Cairo Santos
Jauan Jennings
vs
Ka'imi Fairbairn
Jauan Jennings
vs
Wil Lutz
Jauan Jennings
vs
Eddy Pineiro
D'Andre Swift
vs
Rhamondre Stevenson
D'Andre Swift
vs
Luther Burden III
D'Andre Swift
vs
Jauan Jennings
D'Andre Swift
vs
Stefon Diggs
D'Andre Swift
vs
Woody Marks
D'Andre Swift
vs
Dalton Kincaid
D'Andre Swift
vs
Khalil Shakir
D'Andre Swift
vs
TreVeyon Henderson
D'Andre Swift
vs
Colston Loveland
D'Andre Swift
vs
DJ Moore
D'Andre Swift
vs
Kenneth Walker III
D'Andre Swift
vs
Hunter Henry
D'Andre Swift
vs
RJ Harvey
D'Andre Swift
vs
Christian Kirk
D'Andre Swift
vs
Courtland Sutton
D'Andre Swift
vs
Blake Corum
D'Andre Swift
vs
Zach Charbonnet
D'Andre Swift
vs
Rome Odunze
D'Andre Swift
vs
Davante Adams
D'Andre Swift
vs
Kayshon Boutte
D'Andre Swift
vs
James Cook III
D'Andre Swift
vs
Dalton Schultz
D'Andre Swift
vs
Kyren Williams
D'Andre Swift
vs
Cooper Kupp
D'Andre Swift
vs
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
D'Andre Swift
vs
Kyle Monangai
D'Andre Swift
vs
Christian McCaffrey
D'Andre Swift
vs
Colby Parkinson
D'Andre Swift
vs
Puka Nacua
D'Andre Swift
vs
Tyler Higbee
D'Andre Swift
vs
Jake Tonges
D'Andre Swift
vs
Pat Bryant
D'Andre Swift
vs
Jayden Higgins
D'Andre Swift
vs
Demarcus Robinson
D'Andre Swift
vs
Brandin Cooks
D'Andre Swift
vs
Ricky Pearsall
D'Andre Swift
vs
Brian Robinson Jr.
D'Andre Swift
vs
Jaylin Noel
D'Andre Swift
vs
Ray Davis
D'Andre Swift
vs
Kyle Juszczyk
D'Andre Swift
vs
Kyle Williams
D'Andre Swift
vs
Marvin Mims Jr.
D'Andre Swift
vs
Keon Coleman
D'Andre Swift
vs
Kendrick Bourne
D'Andre Swift
vs
AJ Barner
D'Andre Swift
vs
Olamide Zaccheaus
D'Andre Swift
vs
Troy Franklin
D'Andre Swift
vs
Ronnie Rivers
D'Andre Swift
vs
Nick Chubb
D'Andre Swift
vs
Demario Douglas
D'Andre Swift
vs
Evan Engram
D'Andre Swift
vs
Reggie Gilliam
D'Andre Swift
vs
Xavier Hutchinson
D'Andre Swift
vs
Cole Kmet
D'Andre Swift
vs
Dawson Knox
D'Andre Swift
vs
Efton Chism III
D'Andre Swift
vs
Konata Mumpfield
D'Andre Swift
vs
Tutu Atwell
D'Andre Swift
vs
Luke Farrell
D'Andre Swift
vs
Xavier Smith
D'Andre Swift
vs
Jackson Hawes
D'Andre Swift
vs
Dare Ogunbowale
D'Andre Swift
vs
Devin DuVernay
D'Andre Swift
vs
Cade Stover
D'Andre Swift
vs
Austin Hooper
D'Andre Swift
vs
Skyy Moore
D'Andre Swift
vs
Frank Gore Jr.
D'Andre Swift
vs
Jarquez Hunter
D'Andre Swift
vs
Davis Allen
D'Andre Swift
vs
Adam Trautman
D'Andre Swift
vs
Josh Allen
D'Andre Swift
vs
Matthew Stafford
D'Andre Swift
vs
Caleb Williams
D'Andre Swift
vs
Bo Nix
D'Andre Swift
vs
Drake Maye
D'Andre Swift
vs
Brock Purdy
D'Andre Swift
vs
Sam Darnold
D'Andre Swift
vs
C.J. Stroud
D'Andre Swift
vs
Seattle Seahawks
D'Andre Swift
vs
Houston Texans
D'Andre Swift
vs
New England Patriots
D'Andre Swift
vs
Denver Broncos
D'Andre Swift
vs
Buffalo Bills
D'Andre Swift
vs
Los Angeles Rams
D'Andre Swift
vs
San Francisco 49ers
D'Andre Swift
vs
Chicago Bears
D'Andre Swift
vs
Jason Myers
D'Andre Swift
vs
Harrison Mevis
D'Andre Swift
vs
Matt Prater
D'Andre Swift
vs
Cairo Santos
D'Andre Swift
vs
Ka'imi Fairbairn
D'Andre Swift
vs
Wil Lutz
D'Andre Swift
vs
Eddy Pineiro

More Fantasy Football Analysis



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