It’s finally here- Week 17 of the 2023 season, and another DraftKings main slate. We are back offering you DFS advice to try and help you navigate your way to victories throughout the season. The players selected here are based on their price, their ability to hit value and likely ownership. The selections are leaning more towards GPP slates, rather than cash (50/50) slates. But let’s get into it
Brock Purdy @WAS ($7,000)
The leftover turkey from Christmas dinner, the box of chocolates I was given as a present from a work colleague, the bottle of sherry my mum and I cracked open watching Strictly Come Dancing…all things that swiftly disappeared on the 26th of December…just like Brock Purdy’s MVP hopes. The former Mr Irrelevant and former MVP candidate was clearly still full of the festive spirit as he gift wrapped 4 interceptions for the Baltimore Ravens defense, as San Francisco’s 6-game winning streak came crashing to a halt on Tuesday night. The loss at home to Baltimore was by far Purdy’s worst performance of the year, with his 4 picks accompanied by his 2nd worst completion percentage of the season – the former Iowa State man completing only 56% of his 32 attempts. It would be easy to fade Purdy and his 6.4 fantasy points, many managers will have lost in their re-draft playoffs on the back of his performance…but don’t abandon ship just yet. The 49ers travel to the nation’s capital this weekend to face a Washington Commanders defense ranked dead last against opposing quarterbacks on the year. The Commanders have given up at least 200 passing yards and a touchdown to every QB they have faced this season, apart from Josh Dobbs in the opening week – expect Purdy to bounce back in a BIG way as the 49ers look to cement the No.1 seed in the NFC.
Matthew Stafford @NYG ($6,300)
I’ll try my best not to be overly hyperbolic, but Matthew Stafford may just be the best quarterback in fantasy football right now. Since week 12 Stafford has completed 119 passes (T-3rd) for 1,388 yards (T-2nd) and 14 touchdowns (1st), all with only 1 interception (T-1st). His 10:0 touchdown to interception ratio in his last 4 games leads the league, with 6 of those scores coming against 2 top-4 defenses in the form of Baltimore and Cleveland. Do I need to go on? Purely to make my word count, I’ll stop, but the bottom line is this…Stafford is an elite fantasy QB (for now at least). The Rams travel to New York to face a Giants team already dead and buried in the playoff race, but the G-Men will want to protect their .500 home record so should put up some resistance to Stafford and Co in their post-season quest. Big Blue just gave up over 300 passing yards to Jalen Hurts…with Nacua, Kupp and Robinson all red hot at the moment, as well as the option of Kyren Williams out the backfield, I’m expecting at least that level of production from Stafford on the road in the Big Apple – start him with confidence at only $6300.
Also consider C.J. Stroud v TEN ($7,100) & Baker Mayfield v NO ($6,100)
Christian McCaffrey @WAS ($9,600)
Brock Purdy’s 4 INTs may have ruled him out of the race for the league’s Most Valuable Player, but 49ers fans still have a reason to chant “MVP! MVP! MVP!” as long as Christian McCaffrey keeps up his blistering pace on this offense. San Fran’s quarterback may not have had the most productive of outings in their 19-33 home loss to the Ravens on Tuesday but it was business as usual for CMC posting 103 rushing yards alongside 28 yards through the air on 6 receptions…as well as the obligatory touchdown we’ve become accustomed to this year. McCaffrey appears to be matchup proof, but that wouldn’t matter a jot this weekend as he gets to go up against a Washington Commanders defense who allowed Breece Hall to tote up 191 total yards and 2 touchdowns last time out. This could be record breaking stuff coming for CMC, I’m all in on his $9600 price tag, make it $10k and I’d still pay it – he should be a lock to be RB1 on the week.
Bijan Robinson @CHI ($6,600)
Atlanta’s rookie running back enters week 17 as the RB12 on the year in PPR formats; possibly a little disappointing for some given his fantasy draft capital heading into the season, but few can deny the explosive talent we have seen from the No.8 overall pick in his debut outing. Bijan banished the demons of his week 16 performance going for over 100 total yards against the Colts – the 5th time he’s eclipsed 3 figures in his young career. As impressive as his 72 yards from only 12 opportunities on the ground were, it’s Robinson’s involvement in the passing game that makes him such a valuable fantasy asset. The former Texas Longhorn hauled in a season high 7 receptions last Sunday for 50 yards through the air. The Chicago Bears 23rd ranked run defense were just torched for 112 total yards and a score by James Conner…expect more of the same when Bijan and the Falcons roll into Soldier Field this weekend.
Josh Jacobs @IND ($6,200)
On behalf of fantasy football managers everywhere, I am begging you Josh, please get healthy and suit up for this one. The Raiders star running back has missed their last 2 outings (ironically both victories with a combined score of 83-35) and has been listed as an estimated DNP in both of the teams walkthrough practices so far this week. The former 1st round pick out of Alabama, now in his 5th season with the Raiders is viewed as a true game time decision for the 1pm Eastern kick off this Sunday, and fantasy managers everywhere will be hoping last year’s rushing leader suits up for what is a very juicy matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Indy’s 30th ranked run defense is allowing over 150 yards on average to opposing backs, giving Jacobs every opportunity to notch up his 4th 100-yard game of the year. At $6200, if he’s healthy, Jacobs is a smash start into a high % of my DFS lineups…if he sits understudy (and the man who broke my heart on Christmas Day) Zamir White, who has put up 230 yards and a score in Jacobs’ absence, is an excellent Pivot at only $5100.
Also consider James Cook v NE ($7,100) & D’Andre Swift v AZ ($6,500)
Cooper Kupp ($8,100) / Puka Nacua ($7,900) @NYG
Let’s make this easy…please go back and read everything I just wrote about Matthew Stafford and you’ll see why both Kupp and Nacua make sense. The Rams are ranking top 5 for almost every passing metric going, so why wouldn’t you want one, if not both of their top receivers in your lineup? 5th round rookie pick Nacua has been a revelation, in his debut season he ranks as the WR7 on the year in PPR scoring, hauling in 96 of his 146 targets for 1,327 yards…4th in the entire NFL. Cooper Kupp has possibly disappointed fantasy managers this year due to injury and a couple of sub-par performances…but let’s not forget, he’s Cooper Kupp. Nacua may have been the star of the show in the Rams week 16 win over New Orleans, but Kupp still led the team in targets and for my two-cents is the defacto No.1 receiver on this team. I’ve already highlighted how frail this Giants pass defense is; giving up almost 170 yards per week to opposing wideouts…one, if not both of these Rams receivers are going off on Sunday…start either with confidence.
Mike Evans v NO ($7,800)
Have I made a last ditch attempt to trade for Mike Evans ahead of my big money dynasty league championship game this week…yes. Is that because I firmly believe he can be the wide receiver 1 on the week…also yes. Evans will be ticking a box on his bucket list this weekend as he gets to face NFC South rivals New Orleans without perennial thorn in his side Marcus Lattimore. Evans is a first ballot hall of famer, but Lattimore has had his number every time the pair square off…no Lattimore means no problems for the Bucs lead receiver as Tampa Bay look to tighten their grip atop the division and cement their place in the post-season. Evans leads the league in TD receptions with 13…expect him to add to that tally on Sunday at the Raymond James – at $7800 he feels like a steal.
Brandon Aiyuk @WAS ($7,000)
Can we just take a moment to appreciate how good a wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has become? I will be the first to admit, I am a Deebo Samuel fanboy…but Brandon Aiyuk is by far the best receiver on the 49ers roster, and he is proving it this season. The former Sun Devil’s 113 yards in San Fran’s 19-33 loss against Baltimore in week 16 was the 6th time this year Aiyuk has posted over 100 receiving yards. Aiyuk has posted 219.3 fantasy points this season, good enough to rank him the WR15 on the year…1 spot, and 1 point behind teammate Samuel. Coming off a brutal home loss to the Ravens, San Fran will look to bounce back as they head to Washington to take on the worst pass defense in the league. The Commanders give up yards through the air like Santa Claus gives out presents on Christmas…Aiyuk is in line for a huge fantasy day (as are all the 49ers) and at $700 cheaper than Deebo, he’s the 49ers WR I want in my lineup on Sunday.
Also consider Michael Pittman Jr. v LV ($7,500) & Chris Olave @TB ($6,800)
Travis Kelce v CIN ($7,000)
I have made some chalk picks this week, and possibly none more so than Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. “Gee Paul, please tell me why you think Travis Kelce is a good player to roster in my lineup this weekend”…with pleasure. Let’s be honest, it doesn’t matter how you slice it, Kelce has been a disappointment this year. I want my tight end to be known for hauling in passes and scoring touchdowns…not for dating the most fabulous woman on the planet (sorry, but aside my partner, she is) and hosting the world’s most popular sports podcast (which in his defence, is hilarious). Kelce, now 34-years old, is on the decline…I know it, you know it, even he knows it…but that doesn’t mean he isn’t still the best tight end in the game, and this week the No.1 TE gets to face a team ranked No.32 against the position; the Cincinnati Bengals. No team gives up more yards, or fantasy points to opposing tight ends and the Chiefs badly need a win after their Christmas Day loss at home to the Raiders. Kelce should, nae will go off this week, and if he doesn’t, we are never ever ever getting back together…ever.
Trey McBride @PHI ($5,700)
I have Travis Kelce on my dynasty roster, and as I’ve already highlighted – at age 34, this may just be the curtain call on one of the best tight ends to ever grace the field in the National Football League. Luckily for me on that same dynasty roster I also have the next Travis Kelce…the Arizona Cardinals’ Trey McBride. Since week 8, no tight end has more receptions than the sophomore out of Colorado State, T-McB leading the league with 57 grabs on his 72 targets. In that same spell McBride is T-1st with the 49ers George Kittle in points per game, putting up an average of 15.8 fantasy points each week in a PPR format. Arizona now travels to Philadelphia, looking to avoid a defeat that could see them slump to 3-13 and potentially the worst record in the league. With Kyler Murray suffering with an illness all week and Hollywood Brown being placed on IR with a heel injury all signs point to a comfortable home win…and I expect that to be the case, however Arizona won’t go down without a fight and aside from James Conner, McBride is their only weapon of note. He’s a tad pricey at $5900, but the volume should be league leading this week.
Also consider George Kittle @WAS ($5,600) & Isaiah Likely v MIA ($4,600)
Jacksonville Jaguars @CAR ($3,800)
Spin the wheel one more time! The New York Jets aren’t on this slate, so I’m restricted to recommending one of my two staples at the DST position…whoever is facing the Carolina Panthers! The Jags defense hasn’t delivered a double digit fantasy performance since week 8 on the road in Pittsburgh…but expect one here as they host the hapless Panthers in a bid to tighten their hold on the AFC South. In defense of Carolina, they were unfortunate not to gain their 3rd win of the season last week in a 33-30 defeat against a Packers team that scored a last second field goal to secure the win. The Panthers have managed to establish a run game in recent weeks, but with so little to offer through the air, the Jags should be a solid option at the position this weekend.
Los Angeles Rams @NYG ($3,500)
If I could start a full lineup of LA Rams, I would…including their defense. There’s nothing I don’t like about LA this weekend, and that rings true even at the DST position. Tommy DeVito will be riding the pine this week, with 13-year veteran Tyrod Taylor getting the start under centre for the G-Men. Taylor is undoubtedly an upgrade from DeVito, but there is still little for the Rams defense to fear, facing off against a QB who has only thrown for 3 touchdowns in his 9 appearances on the year. LA are a full TD favourites on the road in a matchup with a 43.5 point O/U…expect the Rams to be up big and fast, forcing T-Mobile to throw early and often. If the men from SoFi get into a big lead, their defense should feast on the inevitable mistake from Big Blue…at $3500, I love the Rams DST on the slate.
Also consider Chicago Bears @ATL ($3,400) & Houston Texans v TEN ($3,000)
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Image Credit: Kyle Terada – USA TODAY Sports
