The fantasy football season is winding to a close, and most leagues are hosting their championship games in Week 17. That creates one final, crucial set of lineup decisions for fantasy managers.
Managers with elite starting quarterback options like Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson or Jayden Daniels don’t have to worry about the quarterback position. Those high-volume passers are plug-and-play starters who should not be benched for any reason.
But if you made it to the fantasy championship game streaming quarterbacks, you will face some difficult start ’em, sit ’em decisions. Why? Because several of the fringe QB1s have tough matchups this week.
Additionally, anyone who made it to the fantasy championship despite Jalen Hurts‘ injury will have to worry about the quarterback’s status entering Week 17. It won’t be easy to make a decision at the position without knowing his availability, but with six games set to be completed before Sunday’s NFL action, Hurts owners will have to be calculated with their decision.
Who are the best quarterbacks to start and sit in Week 17? Here’s a breakdown of the signal-callers to trust and fade in this week’s fantasy playoff matchups.
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Fantasy football start ’em: Week 17 QBs
Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (at Minnesota Vikings)
Love had a volatile game in the Packers’ early-season matchup with the Vikings in what was his first game back from a knee injury. He threw for 379 yards and four touchdowns in that contest but tossed three interceptions in Green Bay’s loss.
Love may not have to throw 54 times like he did in that game, but the Vikings are averaging 33 points over their last three games. This could be a shootout against a defense that has allowed the fourth-most passing yards per game (248.7) this season, so expect Love to finish as a top-10 in Week 17.
Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks (at Chicago Bears)
The Bears have generally been good against quarterbacks this year, but their play has continued to tail off as the season has continued. While the team has allowed just 17 passing touchdowns to quarterbacks, 10 have come over its last five games. And in four of those five contests, opposing teams have thrown for at least two touchdowns.
That bodes well for Smith’s chances of repeating his Week 16 performance. Smith threw for 314 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions against the Vikings. He should have an easier time finding space against a Bears defense that doesn’t get a lot of pressure. The Seahawks also need to win on “Thursday Night Football” to stay in the NFC West race, so Seattle may be willing to take more downfield chances than usual in this contest.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Carolina Panthers)
Mayfield didn’t have a big outing in his first game against Carolina a few weeks ago. Since then, he has averaged 295.3 passing yards, 26.3 rushing yards and three touchdowns per game. Mayfield may endure some turnovers, as he has throughout the season, but he still has one of the strongest floor/ceiling combinations among quarterbacks for Week 17.
Mayfield also has something to play for, as a loss and an Atlanta Falcons win could eliminate Tampa Bay from postseason contention.
Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers (at Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Trusting Young to win you a fantasy championship may sound scary, but he has the potential to be a sleeper hit this week. The Buccaneers are allowing the second-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks and Young has continued to take noticeable steps forward in his first year under head coach Dave Canales.
Notably, Young is averaging nearly 30 rushing yards over his last six games and has three touchdowns on the ground in that span. He is coming off a career-high 68 yards on the ground, so if he continues to run against a Tampa Bay defense that has allowed six rushing touchdowns to quarterbacks (tied for third-most in the NFL), he could end up with a bigger line than expected.
Don’t necessarily start Young over some of the other fringe-QB1s like Sam Darnold, but consider him if you’re in a bind looking for a potential Hurts replacement. Young can serve as a decent lineup anchor this week.
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Fantasy football sit ’em: Week 17 QBs
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (at Pittsburgh Steelers)
Mahomes looked good on a short week after suffering a mild high-ankle sprain in Week 15 against the Cleveland Browns. Can he perform well on another short week in Week 16? That will be a tougher test, as his mobility won’t catch Pittsburgh off-guard while the Steelers are allowing the third-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks.
Mahomes will always have a high ceiling, but if the Chiefs take a ground-dominant approach after watching Derrick Henry gash the Steelers last week, that could limit Mahomes’ impact on the game. He has thrown for just one touchdown in three of his last four games, so his floor is too low to trust in a championship game over other higher-volume streaming options.
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (at New England Patriots)
The Patriots had a couple of bad games against the pass to start their five-game losing streak, but they have been much better the last three weeks. They have allowed an average of just 164.3 passing yards and a touchdown per game over the last three weeks, which is less than five yards more per game than they are allowing running it.
The Chargers want to be a run-first team and Herbert has been nursing a balky ankle in recent weeks. Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman may view this as an opportunity to get a win by trusting the team’s running game and defense, so don’t be surprised if Herbert has a quieter day than usual.
Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers (vs. Detroit Lions)
Purdy has seemingly alternated good fantasy performances with bad ones this year. That isn’t a reason to fade him outright in Week 17, but his matchup against a Lions defense that has allowed just 15 passing touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks (second-best in the NFL) this season probably is.
Also, Detroit will be looking to exact revenge upon San Francisco for its NFC championship loss last season. Meanwhile, the 49ers were eliminated from the playoffs in Week 16, so they aren’t guaranteed to put their best foot forward in this matchup. Simply put, they’re a team from which to stay away in a tough matchup.
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Fantasy football start ’em, sit ’ems, Week 17
Looking for more fantasy football advice? USA TODAY Sports has you covered:
→ A good running back makes all the difference. A bad running back can cost you a lot of points. Here’s who to start and who to sit in Week 17.
→ Kickers are people, too. Here are the most clutch kickers to start, and some to sit, for Week 17.
→ Tight ends can be the perfect X-factor for any fantasy team. Here’s who you should start and sit in Week 17.
→ The wide receiver position has been decimated this season. Protect yourself in Week 17 with start ’em, sit ’em advice for wideouts.
→ A good defense can shut down your fantasy opponent’s offense. Here are some D/ST options to start and sit for Week 17.