Fantasy Football: Players to Avoid in Week 17

With some fantasy football leagues playing into the last week of the regular season, who are the players owners need to avoid?

Although I don’t believe it’s a great idea for fantasy football leagues to extend into Week 17, there are some leagues who will play for the championship this week. The problem with Week 17 is there are teams who rest their starters because they have nothing to play for and/or because they want to get a look at some younger players. Here are a few players owners need to avoid putting in their starting lineup for the last week of the regular season.

• According to NFL Network’s Andrew Siciliano, the Rams will not play both Todd Gurley and Jared Goff. This is a big blow for Gurley owners because Gurley goes into Week 17 as the best fantasy football player this season and he’s coming off two-straight performances with 45+ fantasy points. To make matters worse, ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez is reporting wide receivers Cooper Kupp, Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods “won’t play much” in the season finale.
• Chiefs reporter BJ Kissel reported quarterback Alex Smith will not play in Week 17 and instead, first-round pick Patrick Mahomes will get his first career start. It wouldn’t be a shock to see players like Travis Kelce, Kareem Hunt and Tyreek Hill get some rest too.
• Philadelphia Eagles players – The Eagles have the No.1 seed locked up and their Week 17 game against the Dallas Cowboys is meaningless to them. Look for players such as Zach Ertz, Alshon Jeffery, Jay Ajayi and Nick Foles to not play a full compliment of snaps or to not play at all.
• Green Bay Packers wide receivers Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams – Both players are a little banged up and there’s no reason for the Packers to play them in a meaningless Week 17 game.

Next: NFL 2017: 5 Teams on Upset Alert in Week 17

• Tribune-Review Sports’ Tim Benz is reporting both Ben Roethlisberger and Le’Veon Bell might not play in Week 17. Benz was told this by Steelers offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert and NOT by a coach so it’s not 100 percent confirmed. However, where there’s smoke…
• NFL.com is reporting Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is expected to sit out Week 17. Hopkins goes into Week 17 as the second-best fantasy football wide receiver.