The first game in the Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers rivalry matchup in Week 9 featured one of the biggest injuries of the football season, with Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers going down with a broken collarbone. Bringing it full circle, Rodgers is slated to return from the injury Sunday afternoon in the 4:25 p.m. ET game in Chicago between the two teams that will decide the NFC North winner. Whichever team wins gets to host a playoff game next week. Here's a look at the playoff contributors of note:
Fantasy football start/sit advice, Week 17: Packers vs. Bears
The afternoon games bring with them much more fantasy intrigue than their early counterparts, including this game, which is the first win-and-in game of the day.
Mike McGinnis
Packers
Start in every league: Aaron Rodgers, Eddie Lacy, Jordy Nelson, Mason Crosby
Start if you're desperate: James Starks, Jarrett Boykin, James Jones
Bench: Randall Cobb, Defense/special teams
Most of the time, a player back fresh off of a lengthy injury is a serious rust risk, and sure, maybe that’s the case with Rodgers, but if you own him, you still have to run him back out there. He’s the upsidiest of the upsides. ... It looks like Lacy will be a full participant in Sunday’s game despite his ankle injury, and against that bad Bears’ run defense, he’s a no-doubt must-start. ... Nelson’s production fell off without Rodgers out there; he’s got to be salivating at the quarterback’s return. ... Crosby checks in as a top-seven fantasy kicker, and with Rodgers back, the team should end up in scoring situations more often.
Starks doesn’t belong in the “if you’re desperate” category. Not really. He’s here because he will rise or fall based entirely on Lacy. If Lacy plays, Starks is unusable. If Lacy sits, Starks is a top-15 play. ... Boykin and Jones, like Nelson, have to be looking forward to Brady’s return, but how do you know which guy to trust over the other?
Rust is a factor with Cobb -- out so long, and with so many other weapons, you can’t roll him out, nice as it is to see his return. ... The Packers’ defense hasn’t hit double figures since Week 8, and the only time the unit scored more than 10 all season was Week 3.
Bears
Start in every league: Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Robbie Gould
Start if you're desperate: Jay Cutler, Defense/special teams
Bench: Martellus Bennett
It was a disastrous day for Forte in Week 16, but he’s been as reliable as running backs come for the most part, and he’s definitely a starter. ... Also definite starters are Marshall and Jeffery, who check in back-to-back at 6 and 7 among wide receiver in fantasy scoring. ... In a game that should promise lots of points, the generally reliable Gould should be used.
Cutler has been unspectacular since his return from injury. Sunday’s game should have plenty of offense, but he is still a worry. ... As bad as the Bears’ defense is against the run, it’s been decent against the pass, and with Lacy a question mark, and with the chance of rust for Rodgers, Chicago’s D is a super-high-risk pick with a fair amount of reward possibility.
Bennett has improved a bit of late, but overall he’s been overrated this season; most of his fantasy production came in Weeks 1 and 2.
• Week 17 fantasy football position rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST
