Week 17 Fantasy Football Rankings: Jamie Calandro’s Outlooks for Championship Week

Overview of Week 17 Fantasy Football Rankings

Jamie Calandro shares his Week 17 fantasy football lineup rankings for running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, and quarterbacks. After 16 weeks, he is still No. 3 on the leaderboard among the most accurate rankers in the industry and brings updated rankings for championship week. This rankings article also includes rankings analysis that is intended to help with tough sit/start decisions. Regular starting options are included to highlight that some must-start players have a good chance of supplying winning totals, and much of the analysis focuses on decisions between similarly valued players. The rankings are updated as news breaks until the full slate begins on Sunday, and the analysis is based on half-PPR scoring rules.

Running Back Rankings – Fantasy Football Week 17

Players marked with asterisks have injury designations with uncertainty.

In the matchup between the Giants and Raiders, it is difficult to predict what each team will do, but there is an inclination that the Giants will play it straight. Their remaining coaching staff is still auditioning, as are some players. Tyrone Tracy Jr. has 36 touches in the last two weeks, and the Giants have become a complete run-first team, making Tracy a strong championship-week start.

The status of TreVeyon Henderson is significant. He practiced in full on Friday, which is a good sign, but he still needs to be cleared from concussion protocol to be active. If he plays, he has major upside against the Jets, who have allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to running backs. If he is out, Rhamondre Stevenson is a must-start and is probably FLEX playable regardless.

Omarion Hampton is a fine start who will rise significantly if Kimani Vidal, dealing with a neck issue, is ruled out. It is not an easy matchup, but Hampton is a dynamic runner who will get all the touches. The Browns-Steelers game has a low total, and managers are advised not to start Raheim Sanders or Dylan Sampson unless absolutely necessary. Sampson is still questionable, which would make Sanders more intriguing if Sampson is ruled out.

Woody Marks has struggled with efficiency at 3.4 yards per carry against the Chargers, who have allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs. Nick Chubb and Jawhar Jordan should both have involvement. The Panthers have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per game to running backs, so the matchup for Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet is solid, but they cannibalize each other’s upside.

Tony Pollard has surged lately, averaging 6.1 yards per carry over his last three games with three touchdowns scored. Tyjae Spears remains involved, especially in the passing game, but the Saints have a below-average run defense that Pollard can exploit. Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren are both solid plays, with Gainwell being the preferred option. DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin III are both out, which could swing even more passing work Gainwell’s way.

Wide Receiver Rankings – Fantasy Football Week 17

Players marked with asterisks have injury designations with uncertainty.

Kayshon Boutte and Mack Hollins are both out, and DeMario Douglas is questionable. Stefon Diggs is coming off a huge performance against the Ravens and now faces an even weaker secondary in the Jets, elevating him into elite territory for the week. Jaylen Waddle produced a 5-72-0 line on nine targets from Quinn Ewers, suggesting he should be fine to start against the Buccaneers.

D.J. Moore needed a long overtime touchdown to salvage his box score, but he remains in start territory even with Luther Burden III returning. Burden himself moves into a strong spot, averaging well over two fantasy points per route run. Marvin Harrison Jr. is known as a dominant option alongside Michael Wilson, and both could find success against the Bengals, who have allowed the most points per game this season. If Harrison, who is questionable, sits, Wilson’s outlook improves further.

Jakobi Meyers and Brian Thomas Jr. are both excellent plays against a Colts secondary missing its two starting cornerbacks, with Meyers pushing into top-12 territory. Wan'Dale Robinson leads all relevant receiving categories from Jaxson Dart and continues to be startable, though managers should be mindful of the overall environment in that game.

Zay Flowers was heavily targeted after Tyler Huntley entered the game, but he cannot be trusted as much as he would be with Lamar Jackson. He can be started if necessary, but benches should be explored. Similar caution applies to A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, who are talented enough to start but face a Bills defense built to limit wide receivers.

It is difficult to trust any Raiders pass catcher with the team openly tanking, but Tre Tucker has the speed to get behind a shaky Giants secondary. Adonai Mitchell is the de facto WR1 for the Jets and leads the team in targets from Brady Cook, with potential garbage-time production making him viable. For the Colts, most pass catchers are risky outside of Tyler Warren, as Philip Rivers has spread the ball around and the Jaguars’ pass rush could cause problems. Josh Downs is the only Colts receiver worth using in a pinch, with 14 targets from Rivers in two weeks.

Tight End Rankings – Fantasy Football Week 17

Colston Loveland’s value dips with Luther Burden returning, but he remains usable against a 49ers defense that has struggled to defend tight ends due to key injuries. Brenton Strange has upside in a red-hot Jaguars offense with an implied total of 28 points, and the Colts have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to tight ends.

Tyler Warren has one of the best matchups among Colts pass catchers, as Indianapolis has allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends. Warren leads the team in targets from Philip Rivers. Michael Mayer led the Raiders in targets in one of the three games Brock Bowers missed and logged over a 90 percent snap share in all three, making him a viable streamer.

Darren Waller appears more appealing than he actually is. The matchup against the pass-funnel Buccaneers is attractive, but he played under half of the snaps against Cincinnati last week. Dalton Schultz has produced strong box scores for two straight weeks but faces a difficult matchup against the Chargers, making him a fade in favor of higher-ranked options if possible.

Quarterback Rankings – Fantasy Football Week 17

Jalen Hurts remains a high-upside option, but several factors work against him this week. The Bills are built to shut down passing games, and Philadelphia can lean on Saquon Barkley. Hurts always has rushing and goal-line upside, but managers should not automatically start him without considering alternatives.

Tyler Shough is the QB7 over the last four months after another 300-yard game and is firmly in play to start championships against a Titans team that ranks in the bottom ten in pressure rate. Quinn Ewers has some hope against the pass-funnel Buccaneers and is worth a look in two-quarterback or SuperFlex leagues.

Malik Willis is expected to start for Green Bay but is not a recommended option in standard leagues, as Baltimore has been strong against quarterbacks over the last five weeks outside of Drake Maye’s recent heroics. Jaxson Dart is also a sit despite a solid matchup against the Raiders, as the Giants have become a run-first team and Dart is missing key offensive linemen.

Baker Mayfield has struggled in the second half of the season, but his receiving corps is finally back to full health, and the Buccaneers need to go all out after losing division control to the Panthers, making him a viable start against Miami. Justin Herbert is one of the toughest decisions of the week; he has been spiking recently, but Houston has allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. He is fine if there are no better options, but streamers such as Shough, Mayfield, or Caleb Williams can be considered.

Additional Fantasy Football Resources

The original article also referenced in-season fantasy football rankings, matchup-based start/sit picks, analysis of potential breakouts versus flukes, and waiver wire rankings for the following week. These resources complement the Week 17 rankings and outlooks by providing broader context on player value, schedule strength, and late-season roster management.