There's a lot we don't know about Week 17. The Cowboys and Colts say they'll play their stars, despite basically no reason to do so. And, sure, maybe Dez Bryant, Andrew Luck, et al, do play, and play well, but there's at least a reasonable shot they sit, or they play a quarter and then kick back.
Fantasy football advice, Week 17: In FanDuel, use the guys with something to play for
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For season-long fantasy leagues, that matters only so much -- most leagues are over, most of the ones that aren’t are in two-week finals. And even then, you aren’t likely to have a better option than Luck, even with a minimal-play risk. For FanDuel, though, it’s a different situation. No sense investing a big chunk of your salary in a guy who might not play, or who might only play enough to make an appearance.
No, for this weekend’s tournament, I targeted a few specific names, guys I expect to actually be seriously involved in their games, something to play for or not.
Guys like:
- Jordan Todman. I think Todman is the kind of running back who can be good in small doses -- a couple games a year, not much more. Play him more than that, he'll get exposed, or he'll get hurt. But with Denard Robinson done for the year, Toby Gerhart hurt, and Storm Johnson not actually very good, I think Week 17 will be a big Todman week, at a cheap price.
- Mike Wallace. Wallace has closed the season hot; Week 15 was his best fantasy day of the season, until he topped it in Week 16. Now he gets to close the season at home against the Jets, which is a nice little investment.
- Coby Fleener. Dwayne Allen is almost certainly out Sunday, and Fleener has been very productive in those games. Even if Andrew Luck doesn't play a full game, Fleener's likely to stay involved, and I expect a good game.
- The Seahawks' defense. I mean, they've been great, and I expect that to continue.
- Odell Beckham Jr. I saved him for the end, because come on, this performance has been off the charts.
Around those guys, I filled in by covering my bases. Both Carolina and Atlanta will definitely be playing all out Sunday. One of them will win, which means that, in theory, at least one of them will get production from their studs. That’s why I went with these two rosters in my main tournament:
If the Panthers win, Newton, Stewart and/or Benjamin all should play a big role. The same goes for Ryan, Freeman, Jones and Bryant if Atlanta gets the win. Sure, maybe the final score is 7-3, or maybe Roddy White and/or Greg Olsen produce. But in the end, for this week's tournament, I think I have guys who will/should be active participants in their season-enders, and even more crucially, guys who have every reason to do a lot.
I might lose this weekend. But I don’t think it’s because my bases weren’t covered.
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