Week 17 Saturday and Sunday Fantasy Football Takeaways: Lamar Jackson, Kyren Williams, CeeDee Lamb, Juwan Johnson and More
Discussing some of the top performances from week 17 Saturday and Sunday NFL games.
Week 17 of the NFL season was a big one this season. Not only did many fantasy football leagues play their championship games this week, but many real playoff spots were earned or lost.
Let’s take a look at some of the best performances at the quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end spots.
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Top-Performing Quarterbacks
Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson may have cemented the MVP race with a huge outing against the Miami Dolphins. Jackson completed 18-of-21 passes for 321 yards and five touchdowns, while not throwing an interception. Along with his perfect 158.3 quarterback rating, Jackson rushed for 35 yards on six attempts.
It was the first time Jackson went over three touchdown passes on the season. The 321 yards were the second most he’s achieved this season. Jackson also set a new season high for completion percentage.
For those still playing in week 18, you might not be able to play Jackson because he is likely to only play a portion of the game - it’s exactly why fantasy football leagues need to end in week 17. He should be one of the top quarterbacks off the board in fantasy drafts next season.
Green Bay Packers’ Jordan Love helped lead his team to a huge win over the Minnesota Vikings in the final game of 2023. Love was 24-of-33 for 256 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He added a rushing touchdown for good measure.
Love is a top-five fantasy quarterback in most formats this season. He might not have finished quite as high if there weren’t so many injuries to the position around the league, but he looks to have locked in his starting spot in Green Bay for years to come. He should be a starting fantasy quarterback for most games next season.
Chicago Bears’ Justin Fields put together another strong performance and helped the team to a win over the Atlanta Falcons. Fields was 20-of-32 for 268 yards and a touchdown, while not throwing a pick. He added 45 yards and a score on 11 rushing attempts.
There’s been speculation about what the Bears might do with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 Draft, but Fields has played well down the stretch and made a case to remain the Bears’ starter going forward. For fantasy owners that roster Fields in dynasty leagues, you are hoping the Bears use the top pick on a skill player like Marvin Harrison Jr. instead of drafting a QB.
Arizona Cardinals’ Kyler Murray led his team to an upset win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Murray completed 25 of his 31 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns, while tossing one pick. Murray added 24 rushing yards on five attempts.
It was Murray’s second straight game with multiple touchdown passes and around 230 passing yards. He’s played pretty well in his return to the field, and has shown the league he can still be a starter. If he isn’t Arizona’s starter in 2024, he’ll be starting for someone else, and will be a pretty solid fantasy asset.
Running Backs that Delivered
Los Angeles Rams’ Kyren Williams put together another big performance to help the team clinch a playoff spot. Williams rushed 20 times for 87 yards and three touchdowns, while catching both of his targets for 14 yards.
It was the ninth time in 12 games that Williams topped 100 total yards in a game. It was the fifth game in which he scored multiple touchdowns.
Williams is a top-five fantasy RB in most formats, and could have possibly challenged Christian McCaffrey for the top RB spot if he hadn’t missed four games. Williams should be one of the first RBs off the board in 2024.
Kansas City Chiefs’ Isiah Pacheco was able to suit up after all and helped his team win another division title. Pacheco rushed 18 times for 130 yards and caught all seven of his targets for 35 yards and a score.
It was the third time this season that the KC running back went over 100 total yards. He recorded his most targets and receptions in a game and had a season high in rushing yards too. Pacheco should remain the team’s workhorse going into next season.
James Conner also had a big game for the Cardinals in their upset win. He attempted 26 rushes, going for 128 yards and a touchdown. Conner caught his only target for a 5-yard touchdown.
It was the third time in the past four games that Conner went over 100 total yards - he’s had multi-touchdown outings twice in that span. Conner will be 29 years old when the 2024 season kicks off, but played well enough when on the field this season to likely be the team’s No. 1 option again.
Best Wideout Games
Dallas Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb might have done enough in week 17 to finish as the top fantasy receiver for the season. Lamb caught 13 of his 17 targets for 227 yards and a touchdown.
He matched a season high in targets, while setting new highs in catches and yards. Lamb and the rest of the Cowboys will need to suit up in week 18, so if you’re still playing, he’s a great option.
Las Vegas Raiders’ Davante Adams had arguably his best game of the season in the team’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Adams caught 13-of-21 targets for 126 yards and two touchdowns.
It was an up-and-down season for Adams, mostly because the team’s quarterback play was inconsistent and revolving. I wouldn’t be surprised if Adams is moved in the offseason, and he’ll be one of the top wideout options again if he can land on a team with an established QB.
Chicago’s D.J. Moore was Fields’ favorite option in the passing game on Sunday. Moore caught nine of his 13 targets for 159 yards and a score.
Moore topped 100 receiving yards for the fifth time this season. He’d be another player that would benefit from the organization drafting Harrison.
Green Bay’s Jayden Reed put up one of the better fantasy outings for receivers despite only playing in the first half. Reed made six grabs on eight targets, going for 89 yards and a pair of scores.
It was a new season high in receiving yards for the rookie wideout, along with his second multi-touchdown performance. Reed has shown a ton of promise in his rookie season, but injuries have slowed him a touch. He probably will be the Packers’ top wideout drafted in fantasy drafts for next season.
San Francisco 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk helped his team lock up the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a win over the Washington Commanders. Aiyuk went for 114 yards and a touchdown on seven catches and eight targets.
It was the seventh time this season Aiyuk topped 100 receiving yards and he scored for the seventh time. He’s been one of the top fantasy receivers all season and should be one of the top WRs drafted before next season.
Best Tight Ends Outings
Per usual, not too many tight ends stood out this week. Cleveland Browns’ David Njoku had the most receiving yards (134) and would have been the best fantasy option if he could have found the end zone on Thursday night.
New Orleans Saints’ Juwan Johnson turned in his best outing of the season when he caught 8-of-12 targets for 90 yards and a score.
It was the third straight game that Johnson scored in. He’s a decent starting option for those still playing in week 18.
Baltimore Ravens’ Isaiah Likely only made two grabs on three targets this week, but both catches went for touchdowns. He finished with 42 receiving yards.
Likely has been solid in the place of the injured Mark Andrews. Hopefully Likely’s strong finish to the season can propel him to a strong 2024, even with Andrews back.
Two rookies, Buffalo Bills’ Dalton Kincaid and Detroit Lions’ Sam LaPorta each had good outings. They should be among the first few TEs selected before next season.
Kincaid made four grabs on seven targets for 87 yards. LaPorta finished with 84 yards on seven catches and 12 targets.
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