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Week 17 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Preview

Top Fantasy WRs for Week 17

If you are debating who to start and sit in your fantasy lineup, this should help for WRs

Let's dig into the reasons you should -- or shouldn't -- play these WRs in Week 17

Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots

1 p.m. ET Saturday

Ladd McConkey, Chargers

The Pats supply a slightly negative matchup to slot WRs, according to adjusted fantasy points allowed. Still, volume should remain an ally here. McConkey’s earned 6+ targets in five consecutive games.

Quentin Johnston, Chargers

QJ’s scored in seven of 13 games and in two of his past three. He's hit 5 targets five times since Week 11. The second-year pro remains a decent TD bet with the Chargers implied for nearly 24 points.

Kayshon Boutte, Patriots

Boutte erupted for 5-95-1 last week vs. Buffalo. He’s now seen at least a 20% target share in three straight weeks. The second-year WR is a deep-league option against a Chargers defense that’s regressed over the second half of the season.

Demario Douglas, Patriots

Douglas has finished at WR59, WR39, and WR44 over his past three games. He remains a fringe fantasy option against the Chargers.

Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals

4:30 p.m. ET Saturday

Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals

Chase is leading the triple crown in receptions, yards, and TDs. He has at least five receptions in each of the past 11 games. His slot work should prove useful this week to create separation against a Broncos secondary that has been solid against opposing WR1s. Lock him in as a top option this week.

Tee Higgins, Bengals

Higgins continues to be a major target for Joe Burrow with 11 targets last week including a TD. He has gotten similar red zone targets to Ja’Marr chase as well. The volume and Bengals offense makes Higgins a WR1 this week.

Courtland Sutton, Broncos

Sutton had one of his worst games in recent memory last week but still caught five of six targets for 50 yards. He still is the main target for Bo Nix, and a gameplan built around passing should pay dividends for Sutton. He has WR1 potential this week. 

Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams

8:10 p.m. ET Saturday

Puka Nacua, Rams

Even with L.A. going light on passing production the past two weeks, Nacua tallied 15 catches on 17 targets over that span. He hasn’t seen fewer than 8 targets in a game since Week 9. We’re betting on a rebound vs. at least last week’s passing volume back home in favorable L.A. weather.

Marvin Harrison Jr., Cardinals

Harrison has followed the 12-target breakthrough at Minnesota with 8 targets in two of his past three games. We could see more passing volume this week thanks to James Conner’s knee injury and Arizona arriving as a 6.5-point underdog. But Harrison has averaged just 3.6 catches and 45.0 yards over his past seven games, with no games of more than 5 receptions or 60 yards in that span. There’s limited upside and a shaky floor.

Cooper Kupp, Rams

Kupp should rebound at least some vs. the past two weeks, when the Rams played road games in the rain and then frigid temps. But he has finished three of the past four games with 3 receptions or fewer. And his team hits this matchup as a 6.5-point favorite. So there’s clear downside risk to his target volume.

Michael Wilson, Cardinals

Wilson has totaled just 10 targets over the past three games, with no more than 2 receptions in any of those contests.

New York Jets at Buffalo Bills

Davante Adams, Jets

Adams is on this week's injury report with a hip, which bears monitoring. But assuming he plays, he'll be impossible to keep out of fantasy lineups. Adams has seen 11+ targets in four straight games, averaging 7.5 catches, 110 yards, and 1.3 TDs. The Bills have struggled against the pass lately, ranking 30th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs over the last five weeks.

Garrett Wilson, Jets

Wilson trails well behind Davante Adams in targets over the last four weeks -- but he's still averaging 8.3 targets per game during that span. He remains a fine WR2 play against a Bills defense that ranks 30th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs over the last five weeks.

Khalil Shakir, Bills

Shakir remains the only reliable Bills WR. He's seen at least six targets in nine straight games and caught 5+ balls in seven of those nine outings. Shakir gets a nice individual matchup on Sunday against a Jets defense that ranks 23rd in adjusted fantasy points allowed to slot receivers over the last five weeks.

Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars

Brian Thomas Jr., Jaguars

Only three WRs have averaged more PPR points per game than Thomas over the last four weeks. He's averaged 12.3 targets, 7.8 catches, 100 yards, and 1.0 TDs during that span. Next up is a Titans defense that ranks third in adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs. But Thomas' talent and volume makes him a must-start.

Calvin Ridley, Titans

Ridley has taken a backseat to TE Chig Okonkwo over the last two weeks, totaling only 10 targets and six catches. There's still big-play upside, though, especially in Sunday's excellent matchup against the Jaguars' 27th-ranked WR defense.

Parker Washington, Jaguars

Washington has tallied 54 receiving yards in each of the last two games. He's a full-time player but offers very little upside, especially in Sunday's matchup vs. the Titans' third-ranked WR defense.

Las Vegas Raiders at New Orleans Saints

Jakobi Meyers, Raiders

The Saints sit seventh-worst in PPR points allowed to WRs. Meanwhile, Meyers has hit nine targets in four of his past five games.

Chris Olave, Saints

Olave (concussion) practiced in full on Wednesday and Thursday. He has a chance to play for the first time since Week 9, although his efficiency is a concern alongside Spencer Rattler.

Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants

Malik Nabers, Giants

Nabers racked up the targets again catching seven of 14 for 68 yards. Game script allows high targets, which gives him PPR upside still. But, scores have been inconsistent since his concussion. Nabers is dealing with a toe injury worth monitoring. He is a WR2 with upside.

Wan’Dale Robinson, Giants

Robinson hasn’t had the same fantasy success since Daniel Jones left, but did catch seven of 12 targets for 62 yards last week. When the Giants get down early, there should be enough targets to make Robinson an intriguing WR4 in PPR.

Michael Pittman, Colts

The Colts just don’t have the passing volume to support any pass catchers for fantasy at this point. In a game against the Giants where they will likely be up early and can ground and pound with Jonathan Taylor and Anthony Richardson. Pittman would need a deep pass or big play to be worthwhile as a fantasy starter. Bench if you can, WR5 only.

Josh Downs, Colts

The Colts just don’t have the passing volume to support any pass catchers for fantasy at this point. In a game against the Giants where they will likely be up early and can ground and pound with Jonathan Taylor and Anthony Richardson. Downs did catch three of four targets for 61 yards and a TD, but that is hard to rely upon each week. WR5 only that should be benched if you can.

Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles

CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys – WR14

Lamb has just one game with fewer than 6 receptions since Cooper Rush took over – and that was a Thanksgiving game that saw injury limit his playing time. He enters this weekend off three straight outings of 6+ catches and 93+ yards.

A.J. Brown, Eagles – WR16

Brown drew 54% target share from Kenny Pickett after Jalen Hurts left last week. Missing his starting QB would obviously hurt the upside. But the target share keeps Brown well within starter range.

DeVonta Smith, Eagles – Wr38

Smith drew a strong 29% target share from Kenny Pickett after Jalen Hurts left the Washington loss. If he can do that again, he’ll be fine. But injuries to both Hurts and Pickett plus a game that’s likely to feature far less scoring and A.J. Brown as lead target all make Smith a high-risk Week 17 play.

Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mike Evans, Buccaneers

Evans needs 182 receiving yards over the last two weeks for his 11th straight 1,000-yard season -- a mark QB Baker Mayfield has said he wants to help Evans reach. Expect plenty of targets in Sunday's game vs. the Panthers, who Evans beat for an 8-118-1 line back in Week 13.

Adam Thielen, Panthers

Thielen has drawn a 25+% target share in four straight games, averaging 8.5 targets, 6.8 catches, and 74 yards over that span. That stretch includes a big 8-99-1 line vs. the Buccaneers, who Thielen gets again this weekend. Tampa Bay ranks 20th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to slot receivers over the last five weeks.

Jalen McMillan, Buccaneers

McMillan has scored four TDs over his last three games. We obviously can't count on that pace continuing -- but he's averaged 6.7 targets and 4.7 catches per game over that stretch. McMillan should stay plenty involved this weekend with WR Sterling Shepard and TE Cade Otton nursing injuries. The Buccaneers have a week-high 28.25-point implied total.

Xavier Legette, Panthers

Legette has been a full-go in practice this week and is on track to return from his hip injury for Sunday's game vs. the Buccaneers. The rookie saw eight targets in each of his last two healthy games, with one of those coming against the Buccaneers. But Legette hasn't topped 66 receiving yards in a game all season and remains a low-level fantasy option.

Jalen Coker, Panthers

WR Xavier Legette is on track to return this week, but we're expecting Coker to remain a full-time player alongside Legette and Adam Thielen. He mustered just eight scoreless yards last week but just missed a long TD. Coker is averaging 16.6 yards per catch on the season and is at least in play as a DFS tournament option vs. the Bucs this weekend.

Miami Dolphins at Cleveland Browns

Tyreek Hill, Dolphins

Hill would get a target boost if Jaylen Waddle (knee) remains out. However, Waddle returned to a limited practice on Thursday. Treat Hill as a low-floor, high-upside option against Cleveland. 

Jerry Jeudy, Browns

Jeudy tallied just 2-20 on three targets in game one alongside Dorian Thompson-Robinson. He retains a volatile outlook with DTR set to start against a Miami squad that’s surrendered the fifth-fewest yards to WRs.

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings

Jayden Reed, Packers

Reed's finished at WR50, WR13, WR69, WR36, and WR32 since Week 12. The second-year pro has topped 3 catches only once since Week 11. Continue to view him as a low-floor, low-volume fantasy option against the Vikings. 

Romeo Doubs, Packers

Doubs has reached 50 yards in only one of his last five games. He'll get a boost if Christian Watson (knee) is out -- but a low-volume passing game isn’t ideal.

Justin Jefferson, Vikings

Jefferson draws a Packers secondary that's expected to be without CB Jaire Alexander. The WR posted 6-85-1 at Green Bay in Week 4.

Jordan Addison, Vikings

Addison's finished inside the top-30 PPR WRs in five of his past six outings. He tallied 3-72-1 against Green Bay back in Week 4.

Atlanta Falcons at Washington Commanders

Terry McLaurin, Commanders

McLaurin has caught 5+ balls and scored in four straight games. He’s obviously no lock to keep both streaks alive, but nothing about the Atlanta defense challenges his potential to keep producing. The Falcons hit this week as the second-best scoring matchup for WRs by our adjusted fantasy points allowed.

Drake London, Falcons

London didn’t do anything big in Michael Penix Jr.’s first start. But he did draw a team-high 8 targets, 29.7% of Penix’s pass attempts. Washington arrives as a neutral matchup for WR scoring on the year.

Darnell Mooney, Falcons

Mooney matched Drake London in receptions last week and beat him in yards. But he trailed London in targets, drawing 22.2% of Michael Penix’s pass attempts in the rookie’s starting debut. That makes Mooney merely a decent WR3 option in a neutral matchup with Washington. We still don’t know much about Penix’s impact on his WRs’ fantasy production – or his team’s passing volume.

Ray-Ray McCloud, Falcons

McCloud drew just 4 targets in rookie QB Michael Penix’s starting debut, trailing Drake London (8) and Darnell Mooney (6). McCloud’s short-range game doesn’t line up great with the big-armed rookie, who should be a better bet than Kirk Cousins to aim downfield.

Olamide Zaccheaus, Commanders

Zaccheaus looks intriguing after a huge game last week. But that marked his first time with more than 4 targets in a game since Week 7. And that game included a season-high 39 pass attempts for Jayden Daniels. There’s upside for Zaccheaus again in an even more favorable matchup. But Washington’s unlikely to be playing catchup the way it was in that game. Consider Zaccheaus a low floor player with a nice ceiling for deeper-league use.

Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers

Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions

St. Brown had two top-15 performances over the past two weeks as the Lions passing game has exploded. He’s had at least six targets in each of the last eight games. He is reliably locked in as a WR1 this week in a potential shootout with the 49ers.

Deebo Samuel, 49ers

Samuel finally broke back out finishing as a top-five WR last week in PPR. He caught seven of nine targets for 96 yards and a TD and added five rushes as well. With how inefficient he has been, be cautious starting Samuel again, but he has potential in a high total game against the Lions.

Jauan Jennings, 49ers

After logging a top six performance a few weeks ago against the Bears, Jennings hasn’t even been a WR4 in either of the past two weeks despite a combined 15 targets. He should see the targets again this week against the Lions to match points, but the downside is apparent. Jennings is a WR3 this week.

Jameson Williams, Lions

Williams busted a long 82-yard TD to cap a 143-yard day, catching five of seven targets. He ended as a top-five PPR WR for the week. Being a big play threat has its benefits, but Williams entered the week with four straight as a WR3 or worse. The 49ers game could be a shoot-out, which would benefit a potential deep TD. Williams is a WR3 with upside. 

Shane Hallam, Writer

Shane has over 20 years of experience creating content and playing every fantasy football format including redraft, dynasty, devy, IDP, and more. He is a multi-year winner of $500 dynasty leagues on the FFPC and utilizes deep film and scheme study to enhance his fantasy performance.