If you managed to advance to the next round of the fantasy football playoffs with rough fantasy outings from Trevor Lawrence, Sam Howell, and Gardner Minshew, then consider it an early Christmas gift and turn your attention to the championship round.
Here are some of my start/sit options at the QB position for Week 17 of NFL action.
Which QB Should You Start in Fantasy This Week?
Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions have already clinched the NFC North and punched their ticket to the postseason. Now, they enter the month of January with a level of optimism that hasn’t been associated with this team for a very long time.
Furthermore, the Lions are still very much in the thick of the race for home-field advantage in the NFC. A big part of the reason why this team is positioned so well has been the play of QB Jared Goff.
MORE: Positional Start/Sits — RB | WR | TE
Goff has 3,984 yards and 27 scores through the first 15 games of the season and could be in for another busy day in Week 17 with a matchup against a Dallas Cowboys squad that has lost two straight but will return home where they have been far more successful this year.
Goff has thrown for more than 200 yards in all but one game this season, and could find himself in a shootout if the Cowboys offense continues to put an average of 39 points per game at home this season.
Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints (@ TB)
For the New Orleans Saints to have any opportunity to sneak into the playoffs, they need their quarterback to show up in a big way over the final two games of the season.
Carr has been very productive through the air over the last three games with eight touchdown passes while topping the 300-yard mark last week against the Los Angeles Rams.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
Carr finally appeared to click on an elite level with WR Chris Olave, who had a season-high 123 receiving yards and nine receptions on Thursday night.
If Carr and Olave can exploit a Tampa Bay Buccaneers secondary that has given up an average of 264 yards per game — which is the most in the league — then Carr could sneak inside the top 15 at the QB position for Week 17.
Which QB Should You Sit in Fantasy This Week?
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
I give Trevor Lawrence all of the kudos in the world for battling through a plethora of injuries over the last four weeks. He’s suffered a concussion, a high ankle sprain, and now a shoulder injury. For the record, he still hasn’t missed a game this year, which speaks to this kid’s toughness.
However, the production has dropped off considerably over the last two games, one of which featured a matchup against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense that has been one of the most favorable fantasy matchups for opposing QBs this year.
Not to mention, the losses of Christian Kirk and Zay Jones aren’t exactly doing him any favors at the moment, which makes him a very risky play heading into Week 17.
Trending Searches for QB Start/Sit
Did you know that we have a Start/Sit Optimizer here at Pro Football Network?! It’s completely free to use, and it allows you to enter up to six players to find the best option to plug into your starting lineup!
It also allows us to see the most popular trending searches, some of which we’ve jotted down here to help provide some clarity on!
Should You Start Jared Goff or Russell Wilson?
The Denver Broncos nearly pulled off a miraculous comeback against the New England Patriots on the arm of Russell Wilson, but it still started out pretty ugly for Denver’s passing attack.
MORE: Fantasy QB Streamers and Rankings Week 17
Wilson has a favorable matchup against a leaky Los Angeles Chargers defense, but I’m not going to bench the consistent Goff in a more productive offense in a big spot in Week 17.
Should You Start Trevor Lawrence or Matthew Stafford?
Matthew Stafford has strung together five straight games with 200+ yards passing and multiple scores. On the flip side, Lawrence is a banged up. The Jaguars pass catchers are banged up, and the team is in the midst of a free fall in the AFC standings.
I’m going to roll with the hot hand, Stafford, in the Week 17 championship round.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!
Join Theo Ash: Your Football Opinion
Listen to the Your Football Opinion with Theo Ash! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Find us on the Pro Football Network YouTube Channel!