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Editor's note: Welcome to Week 17! We're handling Jamey Eisenberg's Start 'Em & Sit 'Em column a bit differently this season. You're still getting the same in-depth analysis as always, we're just presenting a bit differently, in an effort to get it out to you earlier in the day. This column takes a long time to write, and in the past, we've usually gotten it out to you in the evening. This year, we're going to publish it position-by-position, to get it into your hands quicker. Here's Jamey's take on quarterbacks for this week.
Don't worry: If you want the classic Start 'Em & Sit 'Em, we'll still be publishing that at the end of the day with every position included. For now, here's quarterback.
Projections are provided by SportsLine.com. Projected points are for PPR leagues.
Quarterbacks
| 22.6 projected points | 
Matt Ryan
Atlanta Falcons QB
|
| Let's take a moment to recognize how good Ryan has been this season as a Fantasy quarterback. He enters Week 17 as the No. 3 Fantasy quarterback behind Patrick Mahomes and Ben Roethlisberger, and he trails Roethlisberger by just three points at 384-381. He's failed to score at least 20 Fantasy points just four times, and he has five games with at least 33 points. One of those was against Tampa Bay in Week 6 when he had 355 passing yards and three touchdowns. In his past five games against the Buccaneers, Ryan is averaging 312.4 passing yards with 11 touchdowns and no interceptions. Ryan will end 2018 with a bang this week (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, available on fuboTV). | |
| 22.8 projected points | 
Jared Goff
Los Angeles Rams QB
|
| The Rams will lock up the No. 2 seed in the NFC with a win against the 49ers this week, which means Goff will be playing most of the game. And he's due for a big performance after going four games in a row with 18 Fantasy points or less. Only one of those games was at home in Week 15 against the Eagles when he scored just 10 Fantasy points, but he averaged 32.7 Fantasy points in his first six games in Los Angeles this year. He had 20 Fantasy points at San Francisco in Week 7, and the 49ers have allowed four of the past six opposing quarterbacks to score at least 22 points. Goff is a solid starter this week. | |
| 17.6 projected points | 
Nick Foles
Philadelphia Eagles QB
|
| I liked Foles last week when we listed him as a sleeper in this column, and he delivered in a big way with 38 Fantasy points against Houston. He should have the chance to go off again in Week 17 at Washington. While the Redskins will like to play spoiler and keep the Eagles out of the playoffs -- they must win and hope the Vikings lose against the Bears to earn a wild-card berth -- Foles should have success against this defense. Washington allowed three of the past five opposing quarterbacks to score at least 23 Fantasy points, with the two who failed to reach that total being Cody Kessler and the combination of Marcus Mariota and Blaine Gabbert. Foles will be a top-10 Fantasy quarterback again in Week 17. | |
| 22.4 projected points | 
Josh Allen
Buffalo Bills QB
|
| I expected Allen to struggle in Week 16 at New England, and he had his worst game in his past five outings with 13 Fantasy points. He will rebound this week against the Dolphins in a big way. Allen had the best game of his rookie campaign in Week 13 at Miami with 32 Fantasy points when he passed for 231 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, as well as 135 rushing yards. The Dolphins will likely have little interest in playing this game in Week 17 at Buffalo in what could be the final game for coach Adam Gase. In full disclosure, I considered Allen as a potential Start of the Week, and I love the outlook for him in this matchup. | |
| 17.6 projected points | 
Lamar Jackson
Baltimore Ravens QB
|
| Jackson is still looking for his first outstanding Fantasy game, and so far his high is 22 points against Oakland in Week 12. He only has one other game with more than 20 Fantasy points, which was in Week 14 at Kansas City. Still, I like his outlook this week against the Browns in a game the Ravens must win to make the playoffs. With a victory, Baltimore would win the AFC North, and Jackson has been a big reason, going 5-1 as a starter in place of Joe Flacco. I expect the floor for Jackson to be about 18 Fantasy points, with the ceiling his best game ever. He seems like the type of player who rises to the occasion in big spots, and I expect him to thrive in Week 17. | |
Sleepers
- Jameis Winston (vs. ATL): The last time Winston played the Falcons was in Week 6, and he was our Start of the Week. He had 37 Fantasy points then, and I'm counting on another strong performance in Week 17. He's scored a combined 20 Fantasy points in the past two games on the road at Baltimore and at Dallas, but he had three games in a row with at least 22 points prior to Week 15 -- all at home. Winston is a low-end starter this week.
- Kirk Cousins (vs. CHI): Cousins scored 20 Fantasy points at Chicago in Week 11, and the Bears might not play their starters for most of this game since they will likely end up as the No. 3 seed in the NFC. Chicago needs to beat the Vikings in Week 17 but also have the Rams lose to the 49ers in Los Angeles, which isn't likely to happen. The Vikings also need this game to make the playoffs, and a victory against the Bears will lock up the final wild-card spot in the NFC. Cousins needs to deliver, and he should play well at home, especially if the Bears start pulling starters.
- Teddy Bridgewater (vs. CAR): I'm speculating on Bridgewater here for two reasons. One, I expect the Saints to rest Drew Brees for most of this game against the Panthers since New Orleans has locked up the No. 1 seed in the NFC. And two, we don't know if the Saints do rest Brees that Bridgewater will be the preferred option over Taysom Hill. I expect Bridgewater to get most of the playing time, and he's a great option in daily leagues in Week 17.
| 16.8 projected points | 
Mitchell Trubisky
Chicago Bears QB
|
| I'm not expecting Trubisky to play a full game in Week 17 against the Vikings. And even if he does, he shouldn't be expected to produce at a high level. He scored just 16 Fantasy points against Minnesota at home in Week 11, and the Vikings have held 10 quarterbacks in a row to 16 Fantasy points or less, including Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Russell Wilson. It's a risk to trust Trubisky even in two-quarterback leagues. | |
| 8.8 projected points | 
Drew Brees
New Orleans Saints QB
|
| It's pretty simple to sit Brees since he isn't expected to play much – if at all – in Week 17 against the Panthers. Whether it's Bridgewater or Hill getting the most time at quarterback, the Saints should be smart and rest Brees for the playoffs with home-field advantage clinched. Now, Brees is 8 yards shy of 4,000 passing yards for the season, which he's done in each of the past 12 years for the Saints, so he should do enough to get that. But that might be all. Avoid Brees in Week 17. | |
| 14.0 projected points | 
Dak Prescott
Dallas Cowboys QB
|
| Like Brees, Prescott isn't expected to play much in Week 17 at the Giants. The Cowboys have nothing to play for since they are locked into the No. 4 seed in the NFC, and we already have an example of what Dallas will do with Prescott going back to 2016. That season, the Cowboys had already locked up the No. 1 seed in the NFC heading into Week 17 at Philadelphia. Prescott played sparingly, completing 4 of 8 passes for 37 yards, before giving way to Tony Romo in his final hurrah, and eventually Mark Sanchez. Prescott is not worth trusting this week in any format. | |
| 13.4 projected points | 
Sam Darnold
New York Jets QB
|
| Darnold has been a star for the past two games and is showing why he has a bright future. He scored 25 Fantasy points in Week 15 against Houston, and he followed that up with 31 points against the Packers in Week 16 when we called him a sleeper. But he should struggle this week at New England. While the Patriots allow an average of 20.2 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks for the season, they only give up an average of 18.1 points per game to quarterbacks at home. Darnold is worth using in two-quarterback leagues this week, but he should struggle compared to his recent performances, especially with the Patriots needing to win this game and lock up the No. 2 seed in the AFC. | |
Bust Alert
Mayfield delivered a huge performance in Week 16 against the Bengals with 30 Fantasy points when he was the Start of the Week. But this game should be a letdown on the road at Baltimore. Keep in mind that prior to facing the Bengals, Mayfield went three games in a row scoring just 15 Fantasy points in each outing against Houston, Carolina and Denver. He also scored 19 Fantasy points against Baltimore at home in Week 5. The Ravens have been on a tear defensively in recent weeks, holding four of the past five opposing quarterbacks to 11 points or less, including Ryan, Winston and Philip Rivers. The one quarterback with success against Baltimore was Mahomes in Kansas City in Week 14. Mayfield is only worth starting in two-quarterback leagues this week since the Ravens will be extra motivated to win this game at home with a playoff berth on the line.
So who should you sit and start? And what shocking quarterback could win you Week 17? Visit SportsLine now to get Fantasy football rankings for every single position, and see which shocking QB finishes in the top 10 this week, all from the model that out-performed experts big time last season.
