Week 17 Fantasy Football Start/Sit Candidates: Wide Receivers
Wondering whom to start and sit at wide receiver this week? Below are two top-notch start and two sit options at the wide receiver position for Week 17 of the 2022 NFL season.
Week 16 Review – half-PPR scoring
Starts
- WR DeVonta Smith (Philadelphia Eagles) @ Dallas Cowboys – 27.3 fantasy points (WR2)
- WR Richie James Jr. (New York Giants) @ Minnesota Vikings – 13.0 fantasy points (WR20)
- WR Gabe Davis (Buffalo Bills) @ Chicago Bears – 10.0 fantasy points (WR32)
Sits
- WR Zay Jones (Jacksonville Jaguars) @ New York Jets – 1.6 fantasy points (T-WR87)
Wide Receiver – Starts
Darius Slayton (New York Giants) vs. Indianapolis Colts
The New York Giants are implied to score a moderate 22.25 points versus the Indianapolis Colts.
New York’s Z-receiver Darius Slayton is taking meaningful reps lined up both on the perimeter and in the slot, giving him access to both aspects of Indianapolis’ injury-devastated secondary. Lackluster slot cornerback Kenny Moore II (ankle) has been out since Week 12, hinting at a likely high-ankle sprain, and stud perimeter cornerback Isaiah Rodgers was forced from their Week 16 game after suffering a knee injury. No. 1 cornerback Stephon Gilmore does not cover the slot, even when shadowing.
Among 72 NFL wide receivers with at least 50 targets, Slayton’s 2.07 yards per route run rank 20th and his 5.9 yards after catch per reception are tied for seventh, per 4for4’s NFL Player Stats Explorer.
New York quarterback Daniel Jones should experience cozy pockets against Indianapolis’ middling pass rush (19.6% quarterback pressure rate).
Allen Lazard (Green Bay Packers) vs. Minnesota Vikings
The Green Bay Packers’ home game against the Minnesota Vikings boasts a 48.5-point over/under.
Green Bay inside/outside wide receiver Allen Lazard offers reliable upside against the fantasy football’s most wide receiver-friendly defense (39.0 half-PPR points allowed per game), per 4for4’s Schedule-Adjusted Fantasy Points Allowed.
Slot cornerback Chandon Sullivan’s atrocious play signals red-carpet treatment for Lazard and fellow inside/outside wide receiver Christian Watson suffered a game-ending hip injury in Week 16. Per Adam Hutchison’s Injury Index, wide receivers average 1.5 games missed due to nonspecific hip injuries.
Minnesota’s 279.4 passing yards allowed sits dead last while their 10.3% explosive pass plays allowed rate ranks second to last. Their mushy pass rush (18.6% quarterback pressure rate) ranks 20th.
Drake London (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Arizona Cardinals
The Atlanta Falcons bear a helpful 22.5-point implied team total up against the Arizona Cardinals.
Arizona’s injury-plagued secondary is allowing 27.9 half-PPR points per game to opposing wide receivers, the 14th most in the league. The defense is allowing 235.6 passing yards per game while generating 0.06 interceptions per drive, both numbers rank top-12 most opponent-friendly in the league.
Atlanta rookie wide receiver Drake London has commanded 33.9% of rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder’s 59 pass attempts over the last two weeks, averaging seven receptions and 83 receiving yards per game.
*Check out our full WR Rankings here.
Wide Receiver – Sits
Donovan Peoples-Jones (Cleveland Browns) @ Washington Commanders
The Cleveland Browns are implied to score just 19.25 points against the Washington Commanders.
Cleveland wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones has produced 50 receiving yards or more in only one of quarterback Deshaun Watson’s four games post-suspension. Watson’s 276 passing yards in Week 14 are more than 100 yards higher than his next best out. At best, the temporarily washed up, Watson is averaging 0.5 touchdowns, 0.75 interceptions, and two sacks per game.
Thanks to breakout seasons from strong safety Darrick Forrest and slot cornerback Bobby McCain, Washington’s secondary has limited opposing wide receivers to just 20.4 half-PPR points per game, the fifth-best average in the league.
Washington is allowing 198.6 passing yards per game, the seventh fewest in the league, and their seventh-ranked pass-rush unit (22.9% quarterback pressure rate) recently returned defensive end Chase Young (knee).
