Reserves get their time in spotlight
Few teams will go all out in Week 17
The playoffs have ended in most fantasy leagues, but for those who still have something to play for, there’s a minefield of playing time issues to avoid in setting lineups for Week 17.
STUDS
QB Drew Brees, New Or
leans Saints: Only the Cleveland Browns have allowed more fantasy points to quarterbacks than the Atlanta Falcons. Brees should cap yet another prolific season with a huge game. RB Devonta Freeman, Falcons: Freeman gashed the Saints defense in the first matchup between these teams, only needing 14 carries to top the 150-yard mark. The Falcons are still playing for a first-round playoff bye, so don’t worry about Freeman resting before the playoffs. WR DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans: Hopkins has disappointed all season, but you
can trust him against a Tennessee Titans secondary that allowed the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars to produce their best performance of 2016. Coach Bill O’Brien has said the playoff-bound Texans will not rest their starters. QB Aaron Rodgers, Green
Bay Packers: In a must-win game, Rodgers will feast on one of the league’s worst pass defenses. The Detroit Lions have allowed three or more passing touchdowns four times this season. Rodgers should make it five.
DUDS
RB Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams: Gurley’s dud of a season will end in disappointment, as the Rams are taking on an Arizona Cardinals run defense that has allowed 3.6 yards per attempt. Keep him on your bench. QB Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins: It’s hard to trust Cousins. He’ll lay an egg every so often, and the chances of him doing so again are good against one of the league’s best pass defenses. The New York Giants have allowed 14 passing touchdowns. TE Delanie Walker, Ten--
nessee Titans: The Texans defense is playing its best football of the year. It has shut down almost every tight end it’s played, including Walker, who caught two passes for 34 yards when the teams met in October. WR Amari Cooper, Oakland Raiders: Cooper likely will draw the Denver Broncos’ Chris Harris Jr. in coverage, and Derek Carr’s injury might persuade the Raiders to focus on the running game. If that’s the case, Cooper won’t get a lot of targets and will have a tough time shaking Harris when Matt McGloin does look his way.
SLEEPERS
RB DeAngelo Williams, Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers are locked into the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs, so look for Pittsburgh to rest its starters. That includes Le’Veon Bell, so it’s time to get Williams off your bench or to pluck him off the waiver wire. He has a great matchup against a Browns defense that has struggled all season. QB EJ Manuel, Buffalo Bills: You’d have to be mighty desperate to even consider Manuel, but with many teams resting starters, he isn’t the worst option. The New York Jets secondary has been horrid all year, so there’s a good chance Manuel takes advantage of the opportunity. WR Paul Richardson, Seat
tle Seahawks: Seattle placed Tyler Lockett on injured reserve this week, which means Richardson is the team’s lone deep threat. He’ll have plenty of opportunities to show off his speed against an overmatched San Francisco 49ers secondary. TE Jesse James, Steelers: The start-anyone-playing-the-Browns strategy has worked for fantasy owners all season, and that won’t change in Week 17. Yes, the Steelers are resting their key starters, but James won’t be one of them. And the Browns have allowed the most touchdowns to tight ends this season.