Fantasy Football Picks to Click- Week 17
Win stacks of cash with these fantasy football picks to click in the final week of the regular season!
Quarterbacks
Top Pick: Matt Ryan (ATL), $14,500 vs (CAR)
A healthy Aaron Rodgers would once again get the nod as the top pick at the quarterback position this week, but since he’s nicked up and facing a tough Lions defense, Ryan is my favorite option. The Boston College product ranks fourth in Pro Football Focus (PFF) QB Rating, fifth in passing yards, and tied for 10th in touchdown passes. He’s been especially hot of late throwing for over 300 yards in four straight contests and totaling nine touchdowns to just three interceptions in those games. A middle of the pack Panthers defense that PFF ranks 18th in pass coverage and Football Outsiders (FO) ranks 13th defending the pass should provide little resistance to Ryan posting another strong game where Vegas Insider has the Falcons serving as a four point favorite in a game with a betting total of 47.5.
Value Pick: Tony Romo (DAL), $13,200 @ (WAS)
Romo was a star last week when I touted him as the value pick at quarterback, and he gets the nod again facing the worst pass defense in football. PFF ranks Washington dead last in pass coverage and FO grades them out as the worst pass defense. Washington will have zero shot at keeping white hot Romo in check. The Cowboys signal caller has three or more passing touchdowns in five of his last six games, including three in a row. Over his last three games played he’s thrown zero interceptions. For the year he’s been excellent too, ranking second in PFF QB Rating, first in Yds/Att, and tied for fifth in touchdown passes while leading the position in completion percentage. The Cowboys are a 5.5 point favorite in a game with a 49 point betting total, so there will be plenty of points to be had by Romo and the Cowboys.
Running Backs
Top Pick: C.J. Anderson (DEN), $13,150 vs (OAK)
Anderson joins Romo as a repeat touted option in DFS games, and like Romo, he delivered on the endorsement last week. The second year back has emerged as a stud in the Peyton Manning-led Broncos offense. He’s rushed for 80 or more yards in five of his last seven games, and he’s bested 100 yards from scrimmage in five of those contests too. He has a nose for the end zone, tallying seven touchdowns this year despite being buried on the bench until early November, and he’s a factor in the passing game totaling 32 receptions on 38 targets for 304 yards receiving. Anderson has been leaned on heavily eclipsing 20 touches in five straight games, and he’s more than just a high volume guy. He ranks tied for 20th among running backs that have played 25% or more of their team’s snaps in YCo/Att. The hard rushing running back faces a middle of the pack Raiders run defense that will give him a boost in value thanks to their poor rank defending running backs in the passing game (26th according to FO).
Value Pick: Jonathan Stewart (CAR), $9,100 @ (ATL)
The same duo of tailbacks find their names etched in the Fantasy Football Picks to Click column this week, as Stewart is back again. Last week marked his third game in a row receiving 20 or more carries and his fourth straight rushing for 75 yards or more. Despite a rocky career marred by injury, Stewart has been spry and piling up yards after contact this year ranking tied for 12th with 2.6 YCo/Att and a whopping 428 yards after contact (18th most). The fly in the ointment for Stewart is his paltry three rushing touchdowns, but he’s facing a Falcons defense that has allowed the most rushing touchdowns this year and ranks just 17th against the run at PFF and 28th at FO. I’m expecting a huge game from Stewart this weekend and that makes him a steal at under five figures.
Wide Receivers
Top Pick: Demaryius Thomas (DEN), $14,350 vs (OAK)
With the Broncos favored by 14 points in a game with a 48 point betting total, there is room for more than just Anderson in this piece. The Broncos number one wide receiver has been a stud once again this year and he ranks second in targets and receptions, third in receiving yards and YPRR, and tied for fourth in touchdown receptions. DT will be a handful for a Raiders defense that PFF ranks 27th in pass coverage and FO ranks 28th in pass defense and 30th defending number one wide receivers. His price is steep, and Dez Bryant received some consideration, but ultimately Thomas got the nod.
Value Pick: Josh Gordon (CLE), $8,300 @ (BAL)
With Connor Shaw expected to start for the Browns this week, I nearly opted to highlight Charles Johnson or Nick Toon instead, but then I came to my senses. Gordon worked with trash at quarterback in the 2013 season and all he did was lead the league in receiving yards even with a two game suspension resulting in a late start to his campaign. The Ravens secondary, sans Jimmy Smith, has no answer for Gordon. The upside in using him is immense, and his price allows him to come well short of having a monster game to deliver on his cost.
Tight Ends
Top Pick: Jason Witten (DAL), $9,500 @ (WAS)
Witten graduates from value pick last week to top pick this week after a very strong seven reception for 90 yards and a touchdown showing against the Colts. It was his second straight game of reeling in seven passes, and while Witten isn’t the stud he was earlier in his career, he’s still managed to crack the top-10 at tight end in targets, receptions and receiving yards while ranking tied for 11th in touchdown grabs. The five figure options at the position have too many questions to feel comfortable rostering at such a steep price. Meanwhile, Witten faces a Washington defense that PFF ranks last in pass coverage, FO ranks last in pass defense and ranks 30th defending tight ends.
Value Pick: Charles Clay (MIA), $7,850 vs (NYJ)
My favorite option at tight end this week is Clay. He provides a useful savings from spending on Witten, and he has a super soft matchup against a Jets defense that FO ranks last stopping tight ends. As for Clay, despite missing a couple weeks due to injury, he ranks 14th in targets, receptions and receiving yards at the tight end position. Since returning from injury at the beginning of the month, he’s played in three games totaling 14 receptions for 214 yards receiving including a 114 receiving yard outburst last week.