It’s fantasy championship week, folks! Let’s set those fantasy lineups and take home a championship! Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups in a given week for fantasy football leagues. Each week, I’ll examine the quarterbacks who could either exceed or fail to meet expectations based on their weekly opponent.
For your final lineup decisions, check out my fantasy football player rankings. I update them daily! Also, make sure you subscribe to the Fantasy Dirt Podcast with Lindsay Rhodes and me, as we break down all things fantasy football five days a week!
Start of the Week
Bo Nix at Bengals (Sat. 4:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network): Nix bounced back last week, scoring 21 points in Los Angeles. I like him to produce a top-10 performance this week, as the rookie faces a plus matchup against the Bengals. Their defense has allowed 24-plus points to three quarterbacks since Week 10, and the players who didn’t hit that mark in that time were backups Cooper Rush, Mason Rudolph, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Bo Nix is the Week 17 QB Start of the Week!
Start ‘Em
Baker Mayfield vs. Panthers (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Mayfield went off last week, putting up 303 yards, two touchdowns, and 22.3 fantasy points in Dallas. He has now scored 18-plus points in four of his last five games, and a matchup against the Panthers makes him a nice option in the fantasy championships. Since Week 8, their defense has allowed 14 total touchdowns and the fifth-most fantasy points (18.4 PPG) to opposing quarterbacks.
Kyler Murray at Rams (Sat. 8:15 p.m. ET, NFL Network): Murray, listed as last week’s start of the week at quarterback, finished with 20.4 fantasy points in a loss to Carolina. I like him this week too, as the veteran goes up against the Rams in an NFC West battle. Their defense has allowed 18-plus fantasy points to four quarterbacks since Week 8, and Murray beat them for 28.5 points in their Week 2 matchup. He’ll be a low QB1 this week.
Brock Purdy vs. Lions (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): Purdy rebounded from an awful Week 13 stat line, posting 21.1 fantasy points in a loss to the Dolphins. He has now scored 21-plus points in two of his last three games, and a matchup against the Lions makes him a nice option. Their defense has allowed 10 total touchdowns and the most fantasy points to quarterbacks over the last four weeks, so look for Purdy to post another nice line.
Anthony Richardson at Giants (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Richardson, listed as a start ‘em last week, threw for 131 yards and one touchdown while rushing for an additional 70 yards and a score in a win over the Titans. In all, he finished with 20.2 points. He has now scored 20-plus points in two of his last three games, and an upcoming matchup against the Giants makes him a viable fantasy starter in championship week. AR could be on waivers, too.
QBs With Good Matchups
- Josh Allen vs. Jets
- Lamar Jackson at Texans (Wed.)
- Jalen Hurts vs. Cowboys
- Jayden Daniels vs. Falcons
- Joe Burrow vs. Broncos (Sat.)
- Baker Mayfield vs. Panthers
- Bo Nix at Bengals (Sat.)
- Sam Darnold vs. Packers
- Brock Purdy vs. Lions (Mon.)
- Kyler Murray at Rams (Sat.)
Complete Week 17 quarterback rankings.
Sit of the Week
Patrick Mahomes at Steelers (Wed. 1 p.m. ET, Netflix): So much for a high ankle sprain! Mahomes put up 23.7 fantasy points in last week’s win over the Texans, which was his best stat line since Week 11. I still say it’s tough to trust him in championship week with a tough matchup vs. the Steelers on the slate, however. Their defense has allowed just seven scoring strikes and 12.7 points per game to quarterbacks in Pittsburgh this season.
Sit ‘Em
Justin Herbert at Patriots (Sat. 1 p.m. ET, NFL Network): I’m on the fence about Herbert after his big performance against the Broncos last week, but I would beware of this week’s matchup in New England. Over the last two weeks, their defense has held Kyler Murray and Josh Allen to fewer than 12 fantasy points apiece. That’s no easy task. Herbert had also failed to score more than 13.4 fantasy points in his three starts prior to Week 16.
C.J. Stroud vs. Ravens (Wed. 4:30 p.m. ET, Netflix): Stroud has been one of the biggest fantasy duds of the season, failing to score more than 16.1 points in nine straight games. Next up is a bad matchup on paper against the Ravens, whose defense has surrendered fewer than 18 fantasy points to each of their last five opposing quarterbacks. Stroud also lost Tank Dell for the season, so his weapons in the passing game have decreased.
Russell Wilson vs. Chiefs (Wed. 1 p.m. ET, Netflix): Wilson has posted mostly mediocre totals in the last month, scoring 16 or fewer fantasy points in five of his last six games. I don’t see him getting better this week either, as he heads home to face the Chiefs. Over the last four weeks, their defense has given up the fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks. With or without George Pickens, Wilson is a sit ‘em in this important AFC matchup.
Matthew Stafford vs. Cardinals (Sat. 8:10 p.m. ET, NFL Network): Stafford has put up two straight stinkers, scoring a combined 14.2 points in his last pair of starts. I’d keep him on the sidelines this week too, as the veteran faces a Cardinals defense that held him to just 6.6 points back in Week 2. What’s more, Arizona has allowed just two quarterbacks to beat them for more than 17.5 points since Week 7, so Stafford could have a bad week.
QBs With Bad Matchups
As you finalize your rosters for this crucial week, remember to weigh these matchups carefully. The right decisions could lead you to fantasy glory, while the wrong ones might leave you wishing you’d made different choices. So, who will you trust in your championship lineup? Make those picks count!
