Did you dominate your Week 16 matchup, only to find yourself onto a championship game in Week 17? If your fantasy football league attempts to go the extra mile with a full 17-game season, do not fear the loss of Todd Gurley, Jared Goff, Travis Kelce and DeAndre Hopkins. Play these best value players at each position in DFS and seasonal fantasy leagues based on advanced stats, metrics, and analytics player profiles.
Jacoby Brissett, QB, Colts
This may be the last regular season football game Jacoby Brissett starts for a long time with hopes running high that Andrew Luck will return for the start of the 2018 season. Fortunately, Brissett and the the 3-12 Colts have a chance to go out on top against a Texans team that currently sits at 4-11. Brissett has been underwhelming as the full-time replacement for Andrew Luck this season, throwing for 2,984 passing yards (no. 21), 12 passing touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
Far from a desirable start in fantasy football, Brissett brings value to the quarterback position this week against the Texans, who are allowing 4.41 fantasy points per game above league average to opposing quarterbacks. Brissett enjoyed one of his best fantasy weeks of the season in his Week 9 matchup against the Texans. He threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns without turning the ball over. He finished as the QB8 with 20.5 fantasy points that week.
In a week that could see several starters riding the bench in preparation for the NFL playoffs, Brissett will be the mainstay in Indianapolis for at least one more week. If you’re without your top quarterback this week, now is the time to play the matchup numbers on a quarterback that is likely floating around on your league’s waiver wire.
Jamaal Williams, RB, Packers
Aaron Rodgers is done for the season, and Brett Hundley has forced Green Bay to run the ball far more than in years past. Following injuries to both Ty Montgomery and Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams has taken the bulk of the team’s offensive carries since Week 10, averaging 17.4 carries per game over that span. Williams now gets an end of season matchup against the Detroit Lions, who are allowing the second most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs (6.06 points above league average).
Despite his underwhelming athleticism that features a 4.59 40-yard dash time (46th-percentile), a 95.5 Speed Score (42nd-percentile) and 112.5 Burst Score (18th-percentile), Jamaal Williams has flourished with high volume. This is largely due to an offensive line that ranks first in Run Blocking Efficiency (119.7) on PlayerProfiler.
Jamaal Williams Advanced Stats & Metrics Profile
We’ve seen players like Williams find success in similar situations before (2016 Jay Ajayi), and while that success isn’t always sustainable, it carries plenty of promise for Williams in Week 17. Jamaal Williams has finished as an RB8 or better three times since taking over as the starter in Week 10. He now has a chance to crack the top 10 in the final week of the season against a susceptible Lions run defense.
Jamison Crowder, WR, Washington
Jamison Crowder has been one of the most efficient wide receivers for Kirk Cousins and Washington all season. In week 17, he faces an underwhelming Giants’ secondary. Acquiring players who face the Giants has become a staple in the art of fantasy streaming in 2017. The Giants are allowing the most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks (7.21 points above league average), the most to opposing tight ends (7.40 points above league average), and the seventh-most to opposing wide receivers (3.98 points above league average). It’s hard to sit any player in the passing game who faces the Giants, and Jamison Crowder is certainly no exception this week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dylD1o8ErPA
Crowder has slowly turned into the receiver everybody was hoping to see this season. With one game left in the season, Crowder has hauled in 63 receptions (no. 17) for 764 receiving yards (no. 30) and three touchdowns (no. 43), while averaging 11.2 fantasy points per game (no. 35). Not to be overlooked is his 364 Yards After Catch (no. 11) and 2.14 Target Separation average (no. 5) as he heads into a matchup with Ross Cockrell.
Crowder has found the end zone in two straight games, and finished Weeks 15 and 16 as the WR18 and WR15, respectively. He’s ranked as the No. 17 wide receiver in our player rankings this week, and has a chance to stretch his touchdown streak to three consecutive games against the Giants in the Meadowlands.
Charles Clay, TE, Bills
All season long I have been a conductor on the Charles Clay hype train. His preseason ADP of 180.83 (No. 25 among NFL tight ends) considering his 2016 body of work (57 receptions, 552 yards, 4 touchdowns) made him a prime candidate for an increased target share when the Bills lost both Robert Woods and Sammy Watkins in the offseason. Clay appeared to be making a run as a top-10 fantasy tight end before a torn Meniscus and MCL sprain sidelined him for three games. Prior to his injury in Week 5, Clay had spent three of the first four weeks of the season as the TE6 or better, and has now slowly been rebuilding his chemistry with Tyrod Taylor.
Since returning from injury in Week 10, Clay has not caught more than five passes in a game, has not topped 68 receiving yards in a game, and has failed to score since Week 3. Fortunately for Clay and his owners, his best game of the season came against the Miami Dolphins in which he logged 5 receptions for 68 yards.
Charles Clay Advanced Stats & Metrics Profile
It’s also a bit of a revenge game for Charles Clay, who spent the first four years of his career in Miami before coming to Buffalo in 2015. Despite missing three games, Clay still ranks 12th among tight ends with 57 receptions and 18th in receiving yards (552). His four touchdowns are good for the 12th highest total at his position, and his 28-percent Red Zone Target Share (No. 5) is among the best at the tight end position. The Dolphins are surrendering 5.00 points above league average to opposing tight ends this season (No. 3), and Charles Clay has a chance to take advantage of that this week. Clay boasts a 96.6-percent Snap Share (No. 6) and is averaging 5.8 targets per game. When he’s healthy, he’s one of Tyrod Taylor’s favorite and most efficient targets. If you’re roaming a tight end graveyard in Week 17, Charles Clay could help you find your way out.
