Start 'em and sit 'em wide receivers for Week 17 from senior fantasy football expert Michael Fabiano.
Week 17 Start ‘Em: Wide Receivers
Start of the Week
Brandin Cooks vs. Titans (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Cooks is coming off his best stat line of the season, posting 141 yards, one touchdown, and 27.1 fantasy points in a loss to the Bengals. Assuming Deshaun Watson (hand) is active, Cooks would be in line for another solid performance, this time against the Titans. Their defense has given up 20 touchdown catches and the third-most fantasy points to wideouts, including the most points to receivers lined out wide, in 2020.
Week 17 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em
- QUARTERBACKS
- RUNNING BACKS
- WIDE RECEIVERS
- TIGHT ENDS
- KICKERS
- TEAM DEFENSES
Be sure to check out my Week 17 rankings before finalizing any lineup decisions or if your league has special scoring rules, sign up for SI Fantasy+ for customized rankings.
MORE: Week 17 Rankings, Articles, Reports & Tools Hub
Start ‘Em
Corey Davis at Texans (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Davis put up a stinker in last week’s loss to the Packers, failing to score a single point on just two targets. Regardless, he still has a great matchup against the Texans next on the schedule. Houston has allowed 21 touchdown catches and the sixth-most fantasy points to wideouts, so Davis is in a good spot to rebound. In what is a very meaningful game for the Titans, I’d consider the veteran an attractive flex starter.
Marquise Brown at Bengals (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Brown has caught fire in recent weeks, scoring 12-plus fantasy points in five straight games. He’ll look to make it six straight against the Bengals, who have allowed 15 touchdown catches and the eighth-most fantasy points to receivers lined out wide. That includes a Week 5 game against Baltimore where Brown posted six catches, 77 yards, one touchdown, and a season-high 19.8 fantasy points in a 27-3 win.
More Starts
- Diontae Johnson at Browns (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
- Marvin Jones Jr. vs. Vikings (1 p.m. ET, FOX)
- Antonio Brown vs. Falcons (1 p.m. ET, FOX)
DFS Bargains
- Marvin Jones Jr. vs. Vikings (DraftKings: $5,100)
- Tee Higgins vs. Ravens (DraftKings: $5,000)
- Richie James vs. Seahawks (DraftKings: $3,100)
Week 17 Sit ‘Em: Wide Receivers
Sit of the Week
Cooper Kupp vs. Cardinals (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): This week’s matchup against the Cardinals is a good one on paper, as their defense has allowed the 11th-most points to receivers out of the slot. In fact, Kupp beat them for 15.3 points in Week 13. Jared Goff (hand) is questionable at best for the game. However, his potential absence would leave UDFA John Wolford to start. Kupp has also been placed on the COVID-19 list, which could keep him out too.
Sit ‘Em
Tyler Lockett at 49ers (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX): I've been fading Lockett for weeks, and for a good reason. He's failed to score more than 12.3 fantasy points in each of his last six games, and he's been held to single digits three times in that time. Next up is a date with the 49ers, who have held slot receivers to average numbers but kept Lockett in check (7.3 points) in Week 8. At best, the veteran wideout should be seen as a risk-reward flex starter in most fantasy leagues.
D.J. Chark at Colts (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Chark put up a nice stat line in a loss to the Bears, scoring 16.2 fantasy points. Of course, it was also his first game with more than 9.6 points since Week 9. Next up is a date with the Colts, who need a win to have a shot at a postseason berth. Their defense has also allowed just eight touchdowns and fewer than 21 fantasy points a game to outside receivers. That’s bad news for Chark, who is a flex option at best this week.
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More Sits
- Jamison Crowder at Patriots (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
- Chase Claypool at Browns (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
- Christian Kirk at Rams (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX)
DFS Fades
- Tyreek Hill vs. Chargers (DraftKings: $8,300)
- Robert Woods vs. Cardinals (DraftKings: $6,300)
- Cooper Kupp vs. Cardinals (DraftKings: $6,100)
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. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all of the latest breaking fantasy football news and the best analysis in the business!
