Fantasy Football Week 17 Start Decisions Involving Packers and Ravens: Zay Flowers, Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry and More

We just went over some fantasy football options in the Texans/Chargers game, and will now do the same for the Packers/Ravens game, which is the second Saturday game in the NFL.

Also be sure to check out my Saturday DFS lineup article.

Having trouble deciding who to start? Let the FantasySP start/sit tool help you make a decision.

Quarterbacks

Determining the top fantasy quarterback from this game is an absolute mess.

Green Bay starter Jordan Love and backup Malik Willis are both questionable to play. Baltimore's Lamar Jackson is doubtful to suit up.

If Love or Willis cannot go, it would be Clayton Tune starting for the Packers. Tyler Huntley is likely to start for Baltimore with Jackson out.

The Packers' defense is a tough test for a fantasy QB. The Ravens are a slightly above-average matchup.

I ranked Love 13th among the starting fantasy quarterbacks around the league. Jackson was 18th. Willis would fall after Jackson if he starts for Green Bay, and Tune would fall near the end of the list. Huntley would also fall toward the end of the rankings.

As long as Love or Willis are out there, I don't see a drastic dropoff in the fantasy outlooks for the other offensive players in Green Bay. Jackson not playing would be a legit hit to several Baltimore players.

Running Backs and Trending Start Decisions

One Raven who could benefit from Jackson being out is running back Derrick Henry. Keaton Mitchell is the top backup in Baltimore, while Rasheen Ali is also a bit involved every week, and maybe would be more if Jackson is out.

Josh Jacobs is the Packers' top back, and is cleared to play. Emanuel Wilson led the way last week after Jacobs fumbled. Chris Brooks could also be a bit involved, but Jacobs being healthy negates Brooks' outlook.

The Packers are a tough fantasy test for running backs, while Baltimore is again an above-average matchup. 

I ranked Henry eighth this week, as I expected Jackson to not play. Jacobs fell all the way to No. 15, while no other backs made my top-30 list for week 17.

I still believe in Henry despite a tougher test ahead. I think on volume alone, he delivers big. Jacobs is a riskier starting option after getting benched last week, but this game screams a run-first approach for the Packers' offense, regardless of who is at QB.

Henry is in a trending decision with Los Angeles Chargers' Omarion Hampton, who also plays Saturday. Fantasy owners like Henry, while starting both 75% of the time.

Hampton ranks 19th for me going into a tough test against the Texans. I think Henry is the far safer starting option in a tougher matchup, so that decision is easy.

Wilson is also part of a trending decision with Hampton. Owners like Hampton easily over Wilson.

That makes sense now that Jacobs has been cleared to go. A better matchup, and with Jacobs being benched last week makes this decision a bit more interesting, but I think you have to trust the Chargers' top back over the Packers' No. 2 back, unless late word comes out that Wilson will lead the backfield in week 17.

Wilson is really just a deep-league option in my mind, but a bit better one than most might think.

Mitchell is a decent deep-league option, especially if Jackson is out, but he's more of a flex option in deeper leagues, not one to trust for big results.

Ali and Brooks round out the top RB fantasy options in this game, but are both desperation plays in the deepest of leagues.

Wide Receivers and Trending Start Decisions

Zay Flowers is the top Baltimore wide receiver, and is really the only good option at this point. DeAndre Hopkins and Rashod Bateman are some other ones worth mentioning.

Green Bay has Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks and Matthew Golden among its options. Watson is questionable to play because of a shoulder injury and illness, so that complicates things again.

The Packers are just above being an average matchup, while the Ravens are a very favorable matchup for wideouts.

Flowers is the top fantasy wideout in this contest, and he ranked 17th for me. Nobody else in this contest ranked in my top 30.

Flowers is really close to the flex line because of Jackson's injury. He'd take a hit if Huntley starts, but I still think he's worth trying in a good amount of leagues after doing OK last week and going into a good enough matchup.

Hopkins and Bateman are just deep-league starting options, and more flex-level options in those leagues because of their production levels over the course of this season.

The Packers' wideout room is a mess, especially with Watson injured. You could also have Savion Williams and Bo Melton factoring in, along with everyone else I already mentioned. Throw in an uncertain QB room and I think every Packer is just a deep-league option.

I'd rank the wideouts from this game as follows: Flowers, Reed, Doubs, Watson, Hopkins, Bateman, Wicks, Golden, Williams and Melton.

Only Flowers is part of trending decisions among the receivers in this contest. He's up against New England's Stefon Diggs, San Francisco's Jauan Jennings and Cincinnati's Tee Higgins.

Fantasy owners prefer Flowers over Diggs, with both wide receivers starting 52% of the time. I ranked Diggs 19th this week heading into a slightly below-average test against the Jets, who he excelled against earlier this season. Jackson being out makes this a coin toss, but I still like Flowers ever so slightly.

Flowers is preferred over Jennings as well this week, although both guys are starting in 63% of leagues. I don't agree here, as I have Jennings all the way up at No. 14 heading into a nice matchup against the Bears. I think Jennings is the better option because of a higher fantasy upside.

Flowers is also starting over Higgins, with both wide receivers being started in 53% of leagues. Higgins ranks 12th for me this week going into a below-average matchup against the Cardinals. The matchup makes this close, but I'd feel much better starting Higgins over Flowers this week.

In the cases where I didn't like Flowers, I'd still be fine starting him, depending on your other fantasy options. Start Flowers in a wideout spot though, and save those flex spots for players playing on Sunday or Monday.

Tight Ends

The reason Baltimore can get away with just three wideouts being involved, and really only one producing, is because they have Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely at tight end.

Green Bay has Luke Musgrave. Josh Whyle should be the top backup tight end in Green Bay this week.

The Packers are a below-average fantasy test for tight ends, while the Ravens are an even tougher test. 

Andrews ranked 17th for me among tight ends heading into week 17. I gave Musgrave the No. 25 spot.

Andrews and Musgrave are better deep-league starting options, especially in tougher matchups. Each could surprise with a score, or a handful of catches, so that's why they made my top-25 rankings. 

Likely is another deep-league option, but not a great one in a tougher matchup and coming off some uninspiring fantasy outings. Whyle is only a desperation starting option in super deep leagues, and maybe only if Watson misses the game for the Packers.

Just like at the quarterback position, no tight ends from this game appeared in any trending start decisions at the time of publication.