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FFL: Playoff Week 3 | NFL: Week 17

Champions Draft Results

Wed Jul 3 10:36am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Hurts was first quarterback picked


RealTime Fantasy Sports is proud to present you the results of our “Champions Draft." The draft this season once again consists of the top rated fantasy players on our site. We invited players rated near the top of our Top Fantasy Players report. So this is the best of the best on our site.

In this column, we'll give you a round-by-round look at the draft. Each round includes some notes on that round, talking about what just went down. Hopefully, this gives you some insight into the draft and helps prepare you for all your drafts this coming year.

Before we get to that, here is a quick overview of the league format. We used the same rules as we do for the "All-Pro" fantasy leagues on our site. So you can view the entire set of rules on our main page for that game. But here is a brief look. Each team starts a quarterback, two running backs, two receivers, a tight end, a defensive/special teams, a kicker and a flex player (RB, WR or TE). Scoring is pretty standard. Touchdowns are worth six except for passing touchdowns, which are worth four. And it is a points per reception league, giving every player a point per reception. Defenses get points for sacks, interceptions and fumble recoveries. The rules are pretty standard with how many leagues operate these days.

ROUND 1

 1. Ballers - Christian McCaffrey RB, SF

 2. Birds - CeeDee Lamb WR, DAL

 3. CRUNCHY - Bijan Robinson RB, ATL

 4. Super Paurs - Breece Hall RB, NYJ

 5. Wreckingcrew - Tyreek Hill WR, MIA

 6. PaurPlay - Justin Jefferson WR, MIN

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Amon-Ra St. Brown WR, DET

 8. Bubbles Army - Ja'Marr Chase WR, CIN

 9. HORNS - Jahmyr Gibbs RB, DET

 10. Goodfellas - Puka Nacua WR, LAR

 11. Suncoast - A.J. Brown WR, PHI

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Saquon Barkley RB, PHI

NOTES: The first round was pretty chalk, going very similar to the current ADP. These savvy owners didn’t take many chances with the first round. There were five running backs and seven receivers picked in Round 1. It was not a surprise to see no tight ends or quarterbacks picked in the first round. The only mild surprise was seeing Jonathan Taylor failed to get picked this round. He normally goes at the end of the first round, but didn’t in this one.

ROUND 2

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Jonathan Taylor RB, IND

 2. Suncoast - Garrett Wilson WR, NYJ

 3. Goodfellas - Sam LaPorta TE, DET

 4. HORNS - Travis Etienne RB, JAX

 5. Bubbles Army - Davante Adams WR, LV

 6. Crusty GON Pod - Chris Olave WR, NO

 7. PaurPlay - Josh Jacobs RB, GB

 8. Wreckingcrew - Kyren Williams RB, LAR

 9. Super Paurs - Devon Achane RB, MIA

 10. CRUNCHY - Derrick Henry RB, BAL

 11. Birds - Isiah Pacheco RB, KC

 12. Ballers - Marvin Harrison Jr. WR, ARI

NOTES: Sam LaPorta was the first tight end picked, getting taken by Suncoast this round. He went a tad sooner, having an ADP of 24.99 but he wasn’t going to last to Suncoast when he picked again, so he had to pull the trigger now if he wanted him on his roster. . . . This was a running back heavy round, seeing seven go off the board. This is normally a trend in many drafts with a lot of owners going receiver in the first round. . . .Isiah Pacheco might have been the only surprise running back of this round. The Birds selected him with the 11th pick. This wasn’t too far off his ADP, though, normally going pick 26.62. . . . .Marvin Harrison continues to be the first rookie picked on draft day. The Ballers picked him with the last pick, making him the 24th pick overall.

ROUND 3

 1. Ballers - Drake London WR, ATL

 2. Birds - Michael Pittman Jr. WR, IND

 3. CRUNCHY - Nico Collins WR, HOU

 4. Super Paurs - Deebo Samuel WR, SF

 5. Wreckingcrew - James Cook RB, BUF

 6. PaurPlay - Travis Kelce TE, KC

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Rhamondre Stevenson RB, NE

 8. Bubbles Army - Rachaad White RB, TB

 9. HORNS - Stefon Diggs WR, HOU

 10. Goodfellas - Joe Mixon RB, HOU

 11. Suncoast - Mike Evans WR, TB

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Brandon Aiyuk WR, SF

NOTES: This round was a little more receiver heavy once again, having seven go off the board. This seems to be a trend in a lot of drafts, having owners get two receivers and a running back after three rounds. . . . .Travis Kelce is the second tight end picked, which is a little unusual for him, but definitely a trend. Kelce has an ADP of 30.8, going after LaPorta in most drafts. Paur Play is hoping he has at least one more big season in him. . . . .It is always interesting seeing how owners value the two top receivers for the Texans. Nico Collins went before Stefon Diggs in this draft. Collins was picked third this round by CRUNCHY while the HORNS picked Diggs with the ninth pick.

ROUND 4

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Jaylen Waddle WR, MIA

 2. Suncoast - Jalen Hurts QB, PHI

 3. Goodfellas - D.J. Moore WR, CHI

 4. HORNS - DeVonta Smith WR, PHI

 5. Bubbles Army - Josh Allen QB, BUF

 6. Crusty GON Pod - D'Andre Swift RB, CHI

 7. PaurPlay - Patrick Mahomes QB, KC

 8. Wreckingcrew - D.K. Metcalf WR, SEA

 9. Super Paurs - Amari Cooper WR, CLE

 10. CRUNCHY - Kenneth Walker III RB, SEA

 11. Birds - Lamar Jackson QB, BAL

 12. Ballers - Trey McBride TE, ARI

NOTES: This was a quarterback heavy round, seeing four go off the board. Jalen Hurts was the first quarterback selected, getting picked by Suncoast. He went ahead of Josh Allen, who normally is the first quarterback picked in drafts. . . . .Trey McBride was the third tight end picked, going to the Ballers with the last pick in this round. McBride is flying up draft boards this year after this strong finish last season. He has an ADP of 48.2, so this spot for him is not out of the norm. . . .There was just two running backs picked this round after seeing at least four picked each of the first three rounds. D’Andre Swift and Kenneth Walker were the backs picked this round.

ROUND 5

 1. Ballers - Zay Flowers WR, BAL

 2. Birds - Mark Andrews TE, BAL

 3. CRUNCHY - Aaron Jones RB, MIN

 4. Super Paurs - Cooper Kupp WR, LAR

 5. Wreckingcrew - C.J. Stroud QB, HOU

 6. PaurPlay - Alvin Kamara RB, NO

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Kyle Pitts TE, ATL

 8. Bubbles Army - Dalton Kincaid TE, BUF

 9. HORNS - Anthony Richardson QB, IND

 10. Goodfellas - James Conner RB, ARI

 11. Suncoast - David Montgomery RB, DET

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - George Kittle TE, SF

NOTES: David Montgomery was one of the top league winners last year but falls to the fifth round of this draft, going to Suncoast with the 11th pick. Fantasy owners have concerns for a repeat season from Montgomery, having an ADP of 68.9. This could end up being a make or break pick for the defending champ. . . . .Cooper Kupp is another polarizing figure this season. He was a very early pick last year, but goes to the Super Paurs with the fifth pick in Round 5. He has taken quite the fall in drafts, having an ADP of 46.5. . . .There were four tight ends pick this round. Dalton Kincaid is the biggest mover from last year. The Horns picked him with the eighth pick. Kincaid is normally the fifth tight end off the board, so Horns might have gotten a little value with him being the seventh tight end selected with this pick.

ROUND 6

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Malik Nabers WR, NYG

 2. Suncoast - Najee Harris RB, PIT

 3. Goodfellas - Jaylen Warren RB, PIT

 4. HORNS - Zack Moss RB, CIN

 5. Bubbles Army - Christian Kirk WR, JAX

 6. Crusty GON Pod - George Pickens WR, PIT

 7. PaurPlay - Calvin Ridley WR, TEN

 8. Wreckingcrew - Jordan Love QB, GB

 9. Super Paurs - Zamir White RB, LV

 10. CRUNCHY - Tee Higgins WR, CIN

 11. Birds - Jayden Reed WR, GB

 12. Ballers - Tony Pollard RB, TEN

NOTES: The one pick that stands out in this round was the Birds taking Jayden Reed with the 11th pick. He has an ADP of 86.9, so they might have went a little early on Reed. He certainly has potential after scoring eight touchdowns his rookie season, but the Birds might have been able to get him a few rounds later. . . .The quarterback position slowed down a little this round with Jordan Love the only quarterback selected. He goes with the eight pick to Wreckingcrew. Love was fifth overall in fantasy quarterback scoring last year, so getting him after the elite guys are gone could turn out to be good value for Wreckingcrew. . . . .Some running backs that could be splitting work this year flew off the board. Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Zack Moss, Zamir White and Tony Pollard were all picked. They all have some question marks about playing time but if one emerges, they could be great value in Round 6.

ROUND 7

 1. Ballers - Terry McLaurin WR, WAS

 2. Birds - Jonathon Brooks RB, CAR

 3. CRUNCHY - Rashee Rice WR, KC

 4. Super Paurs - Joe Burrow QB, CIN

 5. Wreckingcrew - Evan Engram TE, JAX

 6. PaurPlay - Diontae Johnson WR, CAR

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Keenan Allen WR, CHI

 8. Bubbles Army - Austin Ekeler RB, WAS

 9. HORNS - Chris Godwin WR, TB

 10. Goodfellas - Tank Dell WR, HOU

 11. Suncoast - Javonte Williams RB, DEN

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Raheem Mostert RB, MIA

NOTES: Our first rookie running back was picked this round, seeing the Birds take Jonathan Brooks with the second pick. Brooks could start the year slow, recovering from his knee injury, but could be a huge factor down the stretch for the Birds. Brooks went around 10 spots later than normal, having an ADP of 64.3. . . .Rashee Rice is a player facing a possible multi-game suspension. If not for that, he would be going much higher. Instead, he falls to CRUNCHY with the third pick this round. Rice has an ADP of 81.6, so he goes about where he normally does in drafts. If he can end up avoiding a suspension, this pick will be a huge steal for CRUNCHY. . . .Raheem Mostert is another intriguing player to watch in drafts. He was a league winner for many last year but is not getting drafted like that. AlwaysBetOnBlack gets him with the last pick this round. Mostert has an ADP of 84.8, so most drafters are not betting on a repeat of his huge season.

ROUND 8

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Brian Robinson Jr. RB, WAS

 2. Suncoast - Marquise Brown WR, KC

 3. Goodfellas - Dak Prescott QB, DAL

 4. HORNS - Nick Chubb RB, CLE

 5. Bubbles Army - Devin Singletary RB, NYG

 6. Crusty GON Pod - Tyjae Spears RB, TEN

 7. PaurPlay - J.K. Dobbins RB, LAC

 8. Wreckingcrew - Blake Corum RB, LAR

 9. Super Paurs - David Njoku TE, CLE

 10. CRUNCHY - Jake Ferguson TE, DAL

 11. Birds - Christian Watson WR, GB

 12. Ballers - Trey Benson RB, ARI

NOTES: Nick Chubb is returning from another major injury and lasts until the fourth pick of Round 8. He has big question marks, but the Horns could take a chance on him with three quality backs already on his roster. . . .The Ballers took a chance on rookie Trey Benson in Round 8. After taking Christian McCaffrey with the first pick, the Ballers filled up other positions on his roster before taking chances on running backs later in the draft. . . . .There were seven total running backs picked this round. Many owners are hoping to find that great mid-round value, looking for the Raheem Mostert of this season.

ROUND 9

 1. Ballers - Zach Charbonnet RB, SEA

 2. Birds - Ezekiel Elliott RB, DAL

 3. CRUNCHY - Kyler Murray QB, ARI

 4. Super Paurs - Ty Chandler RB, MIN

 5. Wreckingcrew - DeAndre Hopkins WR, TEN

 6. PaurPlay - Chase Brown RB, CIN

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Caleb Williams QB, CHI

 8. Bubbles Army - Jordan Addison WR, MIN

 9. HORNS - T.J. Hockenson TE, MIN

 10. Goodfellas - Gus Edwards RB, LAC

 11. Suncoast - Courtland Sutton WR, DEN

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Trevor Lawrence QB, JAX

NOTES: Three quarterbacks go this round, giving every team at least one quarterback except one. Ballers is the only team that doesn’t have a quarterbacks after nine rounds. The three quarterbacks picked this round were Kyler Murray, rookie Caleb Williams and Trevor Lawrence. . . .Teams continues to load up on mid-round running backs with five getting of the 12 picks being running backs. None of these backs are sure things but both Ezekiel Elliott and Gus Edwards have some touchdown potential on their teams. . . .DeAndre Hopkins is not getting drafted as he was in the past. He goes with the fifth pick to Wreckingcrew. This spot is even later than normal for Hopkins, who has an ADP of 79.6.

ROUND 10

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Xavier Worthy WR, KC

 2. Suncoast - Dallas Goedert TE, PHI

 3. Goodfellas - Ladd McConkey WR, LAC

 4. HORNS - Keon Coleman WR, BUF

 5. Bubbles Army - Jaxon Smith-Njigba WR, SEA

 6. Crusty GON Pod - Jerome Ford RB, CLE

 7. PaurPlay - Jameson Williams WR, DET

 8. Wreckingcrew - Rico Dowdle RB, DAL

 9. Super Paurs - Mike Williams WR, NYJ

 10. CRUNCHY - Brian Thomas Jr. WR, JAX

 11. Birds - Curtis Samuel WR, BUF

 12. Ballers - Brock Purdy QB, SF

NOTES: Round 10 is the round of the rookie. There were four rookie receivers picked this round, including Xavier Worthy, Ladd McConkey, Keon Coleman and Brian Thomas. These are four receivers that all have the chance to emerge as top playmakers in their respective offenses. . . . .Ballers is the last team to take a quarterback, picking Brock Purdy with the last pick in Round 10. Purdy was seventh overall in fantasy quarterback scoring last year. . . . Suncoast was the last team to select a tight end, taking Dallas Goedert with the second pick. Goedert can be erratic but has a high weekly ceiling in his offense.

ROUND 11

 1. Ballers - Kendre Miller RB, NO

 2. Birds - Josh Downs WR, IND

 3. CRUNCHY - Rome Odunze WR, CHI

 4. Super Paurs - Gabriel Davis WR, JAX

 5. Wreckingcrew - Brandin Cooks WR, DAL

 6. PaurPlay - Jahan Dotson WR, WAS

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Cole Kmet TE, CHI

 8. Bubbles Army - Brock Bowers TE, LV

 9. HORNS - Jerry Jeudy WR, CLE

 10. Goodfellas - Jayden Daniels QB, WAS

 11. Suncoast - Tyler Lockett WR, SEA

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Brandon Aubrey K, DAL

NOTES: We had our first team take a second quarterback. Goodfellas took rookie Jayden Daniels with the 10th pick. They picked Dak Prescott two rounds earlier, giving him what could be a potent one-two punch at quarterback. . . .Our first kicker was picked. Brandon Aubrey was taken with the last pick this round by AlwaysBetOnBlack. It is a tad earlier than normal for our first kicker. Aubrey has an ADP of 133.1. . . .The top tight end in this year’s draft, Brock Bowers, was picked by Bubbles Army with the eighth pick. Bubbles is hoping Bowers is the Sam LaPorta of this year’s rookie class.

ROUND 12

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Dallas Cowboys Def/ST, DAL

 2. Suncoast - Jakobi Meyers WR, LV

 3. Goodfellas - Kimani Vidal RB, LAC

 4. HORNS - Khalil Shakir WR, BUF

 5. Bubbles Army - MarShawn Lloyd RB, GB

 6. Crusty GON Pod - Antonio Gibson RB, NE

 7. PaurPlay - Justin Herbert QB, LAC

 8. Wreckingcrew - Pat Freiermuth TE, PIT

 9. Super Paurs - Jared Goff QB, DET

 10. CRUNCHY - Kirk Cousins QB, ATL

 11. Birds - Tua Tagovailoa QB, MIA

 12. Ballers - Chuba Hubbard RB, CAR

NOTES: AlwaysBetOnBlack took the first kicker and followed that by picking the first defense. The Cowboys defense is the first off the board, giving AlwaysBetOnBlack both the Cowboys kicker and defense. . . . .There were a couple rookie running backs picked this round. Kimani Vidal and MarShawn Lloyd don’t have a clear path to playing time with their respective teams but have some potential if given the opportunities. . . .Four teams took backup quarterbacks this round. It is interesting to see Justin Herbert fall so far, but he has question marks because of a new offense and lack of playmakers in the passing game.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 16

Player Notes
Jaleel McLaughlin Dec 26 11:30pm ET
Jaleel McLaughlin

Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin (quadriceps) practiced in full on Wednesday and Thursday and has been cleared to play in Week 17 for the big game on Saturday against the Cincinnati Bengals. McLaughlin was inactive for the Week 16 loss to the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers last Thursday. He was Denver's leading rusher the previous two weeks, but even though he's back in a good matchup against Cincy's porous defense this weekend, fantasy managers in championship matchups shouldn't feel comfortable relying on McLaughlin as a low-upside flex play. Denver's offense has improved since the start of the season under rookie QB Bo Nix, but their ground game here merely been mediocre all year. Not to mention, McLaughlin looked like the RB3 some four weeks ago in the Broncos' backfield. There's no guarantee he'll see more than a handful of touches in his return on Saturday.

From RotoBaller

Bo Nix Dec 26 11:20pm ET
Bo Nix

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix is in the QB1 picture for a Week 17 showdown on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday. After a slow start to his rookie season, Nix has come on strong in the second half and is currently the QB11 in overall fantasy points thanks to 3,235 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while also rushing for 352 yards and four additional touchdowns. Nix has been the QB14 in the last five weeks in terms of fantasy points per game (21.4). The 24-year-old is in a situation this weekend to put up strong numbers once again in a big contest with playoff implications for both Denver and Cincy. The matchup is an excellent one for Nix also, as the Bengals defense has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to QBs this year and the seventh-most passing yards per game (231.6). Nix should be considered a top-10 fantasy QB.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Brooks Dec 26 9:50pm ET
Jalen Brooks

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Brooks (knee) was upgraded to a limited participant during Thursday's practice session. Brooks sat out of practice to begin the week after missing last week's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Normally, the status of Brooks isn't too important, but he could be in line for a larger workload with fellow wideout CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) done for the season. The 24-year-old hasn't done much this season with 11 receptions for 165 yards and a touchdown in 12 games. He's too risky of a streaming choice to trust in important fantasy championship games this weekend.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Tolbert Dec 26 9:40pm ET
Jalen Tolbert

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert (finger) was a limited participant in practice for the second straight day on Thursday. It appears Tolbert is still dealing with the finger injury that forced him to exit early during last week's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tolbert is likely to see an increased role going forward with fellow wideout CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) done for the season. The 25-year-old has been quiet lately with two receptions or less in each of his last six games. There's some flex appeal here if Tolbert is able to suit up for this weekend's matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.

From RotoBaller

Kyler Murray Dec 26 9:30pm ET
Kyler Murray

The Los Angeles Rams defense/special teams unit will look to continue its recent improvement this week as the team welcomes the division-rival Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night. Last week, they held the Jets to just nine points in the cold of New York with one sack and two fumble recoveries. The previous week, they held the 49ers to just six points in another low-scoring road game. While they have held opponents to a total of 29 points in their last three road games, they allowed 42 and 37 points in their two most recent home games. They also gave up 41 points to the Cardinals when they met in Week 2. While Kyler Murray's Cards have turned the ball over six times in the last four weeks, they have only allowed six sacks. This could be a tougher matchup than many think, leaving the Rams ranked as the DEF17 this week, right in the middle of the pack. There are worse options to start this week, but there are also plenty of better ones to consider.

From RotoBaller

Kalif Raymond Dec 26 9:30pm ET
Kalif Raymond

Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (foot) has been designated to return from the injured reserve on Thursday. Raymond has been out of action since suffering a foot injury in late-November. He returned to practice as a full participant on Thursday. It appears the 30-year-old is trending in the right direction ahead of Monday's game against the San Francisco 49ers. He'll likely need to get through a few more practice sessions before the Lions decide to clear him for game action. If active, Raymond won't be a recommended streaming option as he has basically been depth throughout the season. He doesn't offer enough upside to start in any formats in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Harrison Smith Dec 26 9:20pm ET
Harrison Smith

Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (foot) was a full participant during Thursday's practice session. This is good news after Smith sat out of practice to open the week, but a full session puts him in the right direction ahead of Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers. The veteran safety sat out of last week's game due to a foot issue, but could return this weekend. His return to the field would be a huge lift to this secondary. Smith has 79 tackles, nine passes defended, and two interceptions in 14 games this season. If he sits, Jay Ward would likely be asked to start at strong safety.

From RotoBaller

Andrei Iosivas Dec 26 9:10pm ET
Andrei Iosivas

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas is having the best season of his young career. In 15 games, the 25-year-old has 31 catches for 408 yards. He also has six touchdowns, with one occurring in the Week 16 victory over the Cleveland Browns. However, Iosivas has been far from consistent, so he hasn't seen much attention from fantasy managers throughout most of the 2024-25 campaign. With that in mind, Tee Higgins (ankle, knee) may not play in Saturday's game against the Broncos. If that's the case, Iosivas could find himself in the flex conversation, although his presence in fantasy lineups wouldn't be without risk.

From RotoBaller

Ja'Marr Chase Dec 26 9:00pm ET
Ja'Marr Chase

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase is the best wideout in the National Football League, catching 108 passes for 1,510 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. With the Bengals hoping to secure a spot in the postseason, Cincinnati needs a victory over Denver on Saturday. Without question, the Broncos defense could be a challenge for Chase and the rest of the offense. However, he should remain the preferred target for Joe Burrow (knee, wrist) in the pivotal matchup. Chase could be even more involved if Tee Higgins (ankle, knee) doesn't play.

From RotoBaller

Mike Gesicki Dec 26 9:00pm ET
Mike Gesicki

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki had only two catches for 14 yards in the Week 16 win over the Browns. That type of production has been the norm for the 29-year-old for most of the 2024-25 campaign. However, Tee Higgins (ankle, knee) is questionable for Saturday's game against the Broncos, meaning Gesicki and others may need to step up. Considering Gesicki has 26 catches for 312 yards and two touchdowns in five games without Higgins this season, he's worth considering in deeper fantasy setups in Week 17. But Higgins will need to be ruled out first.

From RotoBaller

Chase Brown Dec 26 8:50pm ET
Chase Brown

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown didn't score in the Week 16 win over the Cleveland Browns. However, he's still had a quality year, amassing 923 yards off 209 carries and catching 50 passes for 336 yards. The 24-year-old has also found the end zone 11 times. With the Bengals still looking for a postseason spot, the team needs a win over the Broncos in Week 17. The Denver defense is one of the best units in the National Football League. But Brown should continue to get plenty of work as a runner and receiver, even more so if Tee Higgins (ankle, knee) isn't on the field. Fantasy managers must keep Brown starting in all formats.

From RotoBaller

Joe Burrow Dec 26 8:40pm ET
Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (wrist, knee) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice. However, he doesn't carry an injury designation heading into the Saturday's showdown with Denver. With the Bengals still barely alive for a postseason spot, it would take a lot to keep Burrow off the field for the pivotal game against the Broncos. The signal-caller is coming off another quality outing, throwing for 252 yards off 76.7% passing against the Browns. He also tossed three touchdowns for the fifth time in as many weeks. While the Denver defense possesses more of a challenge to Burrow, he's one of the best quarterbacks in the National Football League, keeping him a starting fantasy option for Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Cameron Dicker Dec 26 8:20pm ET
Cameron Dicker

Los Angeles Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker will look for another strong game in a Week 17 matchup against the New England Patriots. Dicker has been a top-five fantasy kicker this season and there's no reason to think he won't end up with a top-10 finish in this game. With the Chargers favored over the Patriots, Dicker should see several chances to put up points, although he's not likely to get another chance at Week 16's exciting fair catch free kick.

From RotoBaller

Joshua Karty Dec 26 8:10pm ET
Joshua Karty

Los Angeles Rams kicker Joshua Karty went 2-for-2 on field-goal attempts last week and 1-for-2 on extra-point attempts, but this week, he'll be in much more favorable conditions at home and kicking against the Cardinals, who have been a top-10 matchup for kickers this season. On the year, the rookie from Stanford is 23-for-28 on field-goal attempts and 30-for-34 on extra-point attempts. Despite playing indoors, he has been more productive on the road, partly because he has gotten more road opportunities since the Rams' offense is more effective at SoFi Stadium. Karty is ranked as RotoBaller's No. 16 kicker this week, so in most formats, you can probably find a better option. However, since he ranks in the middle of the pack, he isn't an awful play, either.

From RotoBaller

Josh Palmer Dec 26 8:10pm ET
Josh Palmer

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer is too risky to trust in a critical Week 17 fantasy week. The Chargers will take on the New England Patriots on Saturday, and while that's a good matchup for Palmer, he's been playing in much more of a support role in the Bolts passing game than anything close to a featured one. He's had one week with double-digit fantasy points in the past seven games, and while he's developed a floor of around three or four fantasy points, that's not something you want to rely on in most league's fantasy championship week. Palmer is best left on the bench or the waiver wire in most formats.

From RotoBaller

Matthew Wright Dec 26 8:10pm ET
Matthew Wright

The Tennessee Titans signed free-agent kicker Matthew Wright to their practice squad on Thursday. Nick Folk (abdomen) has not practiced this week and is danger of missing another game in Week 17 when the team takes on the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars. Brayden Narveson filled in at kicker in the Week 16 loss to the Indianapolis Colts and missed his only field-goal attempt, which prompted the team to waive him this week. So if Folk is ruled out on Friday, the 28-year-old Wright will be added to the 53-man roster by Saturday to serve as the kicker on Sunday. Wright has appeared in three games in 2024 with the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs and has gone 11-for-12 on field goals and 5-for-5 on extra points. He's been solid in a small sample size but should be ignored in fantasy lineups in Week 17 if Folk is ruled out for Tennessee.

From RotoBaller

Stone Smartt Dec 26 8:10pm ET
Stone Smartt

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Stone Smartt could remain as the starter in Week 17 against the New England Patriots, but that remains to be seen. Fellow tight ends Will Dissly (shoulder) and Hayden Hurst (illness) are both listed as questionable. Dissly missed the past two games but practiced in full on Thursday after logging two limited practices earlier in the week. Hurst practiced in a limited fashion on Wednesday but was listed as DNP on both Tuesday and Thursday. Dissly would be the bigger threat to Smartt's fantasy value. If Dissly is able to play, Smartt is best left on most fantasy benches, but he could have some lower-end TE1 value if he's the only active tight end on the LA offense.

From RotoBaller

Quentin Johnston Dec 26 8:00pm ET
Quentin Johnston

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston will have another good matchup where he can try to find some consistency in Week 17 against the New England Patriots. Johnston has had a boom-or-bust season without too many huge booms. In the past four games, he has either finished as a top-25 fantasy receiver or outside of the top-80. The Patriots defense hasn't done much to slow down opposing wide receivers, so Johnston could find himself in more of a WR2 boom week. His floor is always close to zero, but he should be able to put some points up this week.

From RotoBaller

Tyler Boyd Dec 26 8:00pm ET
Tyler Boyd

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tyler Boyd (foot) missed a second straight practice this week on Thursday. Boyd suffered a foot injury in last week's loss to the Indianapolis Colts and is now in danger of having to sit out this Sunday's divisional contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 30-year-old veteran will need to return to practice on Friday to avoid being ruled out entirely. In Tennessee's lackluster offense and low-volume passing attack in 2024, Boyd hasn't really been on the fantasy map while working behind WR1 Calvin Ridley. In 15 games in his first year with the Titans, Boyd has a mere 37 receptions on 53 targets for 376 yards and no touchdowns. He has not had more than six receptions or 55 yards receiving in a single game in 2024. In the last four games, he has just eight catches for 103 yards. Avoid Boyd in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Sterling Shepard Dec 26 7:50pm ET
Sterling Shepard

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard (foot, hamstring) was listed as a non-participant in practice for the second straight day on Thursday. Shepard is now in danger of sitting out the Week 17 contest against the division-rival Carolina Panthers this Sunday. He will likely need to return to the practice field on Friday to avoid being ruled out entirely. Tight end Cade Otton (knee) also hasn't practiced this week and is on track to miss a second straight game. Shepard injured his hamstring in the Week 16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The 31-year-old missing this weekend's game would mean that Ryan Miller and Trey Palmer would compete for WR3 duties behind Mike Evans and rookie Jalen McMillan. When healthy, Shepard has been a hard sell as a WR4/5, even in deep fantasy leagues. He's scored just once on the year and has two catches for 36 yards in the last two games.

From RotoBaller