For your Week 17 waiver wire pickups, players to drop
Yahoo Sports Special
In Week 17, we will be making a slight shift in how we approach fantasy drops. It’s time to eliminate anyone who doesn’t have the potential to start, but you certainly don’t want to let anyone go who can be used against you, either.
Check out your opponent’s roster and load up on anyone you think they might want to add, sending bench riders to the waiver wire for good. Let’s look at some players who may have made it this far on your squads but can be dropped before that sweet, sweet championship game.
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Jamaal WilliamsRB, Lions (91%) rostered on Yahoo
Jamaal Williams’ fantasy heroics in 2022 were some of the most memorable, however his time on rosters is over. Although the 27-year-old might have been a factor in getting you to this point at some point during the season, let us hope that you have better options at RB for Week 17. Williams’ usage and output are trending down, as he hasn’t topped 37 yards since Week 12 and crossed the pylon since Week 13. In each of his last three contests, Williams’ touches decreased from 16 to 13 to 9 from Weeks 14-16.
The Lions will have a better matchup this week against the Bears. They are 26th in RB Schedule-Adjusted Fantasy Points allowed. This means that there is less chance of the Bears having their backfield drafted out of production. However, there are still some good options. D’Andre Swift back in the mix and Williams dealing with a leg injury, we’re at the point of hoping Williams slides in for a touchdown, and that type of dependency isn’t ideal for a fantasy championship. If your opponent is truly RB needy and you think Williams could be used against you, then push him to the end of your bench, but chances are if they’re in the final game they have better choices at the position and so do you.
Cordarelle Patterson, RB, Falcons (85% rostered)
Cordarelle Patterson is still on the Yahoo manager roster for 85%. His time in fantasy sports ended early this season. Rookie Tyler Allgeier out-touched the 31 year-old, 40-24, since their Week 14 bye. To make matters worse, Patterson’s usual work in the receiving game has been minimal, with just two catches for 14 yards since the bye and only 13 receptions for 79 yards on the season, a stark change from the 52-548-5 line via the air last season.
This week’s matchup against Cardinals looks fantastic on paper. They are currently dead last in RB aFPAHowever, the Falcons will likely outsource the majority of this task to Allgeier, who will be assessing the future of Atlanta’s backfield. Patterson is highly touchdown-dependent heading into Week 17, and similar to Williams above, that’s not ideal for Championship Week.
Derek Carr, QB, Raiders (70% rostered)
Chances are you are not in your league’s title game with Derek Carr as your QB, but stranger things have happened, especially in 2022. The 9th-year QB just finished a season-high 3 interception game, and has averaged 11.4 fantasy point per game in the last 3 weeks.
To make things worse, Carr gets a tough task in Week 17 against a stout 49ers defense, a unit that hasn’t allowed any QB to score over 15.3 fantasy points since Matthew Stafford’s 17.4 back in Week 8. Carr will be happier if he uses the waiver wire to close the season in hopes of a new start in 2023. If you’re in need of QB help in your championship, look to Daniel Jones Oder Brock Purdy.
Antonio Gibson, RB, Commanders (83% rostered)
It’s been four contests since Antonio Gibson has led the Washington backfield in touches, with Brian Robinson seeing 78 opportunities to Gibson’s 37 since Week 12, and Jonathan Williams is now in the mix for backup duties with five touches last week to Gibson’s seven. The third-year back seems to have fallen out of favor with Ron Rivera and the Commanders’ coaching staff, and it’s tough to count on him for any viable fantasy production this week.
Let’s hope the 83% of you who are rostering Gibson have some better options to consider in his place, and if not, there are some decent players on the waiver wire like Tyler Allgeier, Zack MossYou can also call it: Chuba Hubbard.
Treylon Burks WR Titans (45% rostered)
You’ve held onto the rookie this long, so it may be tough to say goodbye, but it really shouldn’t be too painful to drop Treylon Burks this week. Back from concussion protocol, Burks didn’t catch either of his targets and had one rush for 15 yards against the Texans.
He has the talent and he has a bright career, but this season was not to be. Burks had several health issues and now is dealing with the loss of his wife. Ryan Tannehill because of an ankle injury. Burks should not be included in any fantasy starting lineup, with Dallas and rookie Malik Willis on the horizon for Week 17. Grab another person who has at least a chance of being called if you need to.
Say Goodbye To These Injured Players
Here are some drop-worthy guys who are either not suiting up for Week 17, or if they do, aren’t worth hanging onto anymore:
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Ryan Tannehill, QB, Titans
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Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Dolphins (keep an eye on him this week, but it doesn’t look good)
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Chris Olave WR Saints
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Hunter Henry, TE Patriots
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Tyler Boyd, WR, Bengals
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Jonathan Taylor, RB, Colts
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Dameon Pierce, RB Texas
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Nico CollinsTexans
This list could go on and on, but it’s kind of tough to gauge all of your unique rosters heading into this final week. It was a joy to once again write this column, and I was happy to assist you all along your fantasy football journey through 2022.
Send me any questions via Twitter @Stanley_BennettJenEakinsNFL.
This article was originally published on 4for4.com
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Jennifer Eakins is proud to be a graduate of UGA Grady College of Journalism. Jennifer has worked in the sport industry for more than a decade. She has worked with CNN Sports, Atlanta Hawks, and Colorado Rockies. Her fantasy football draft began in 1996 when she selected Ricky Watters, the first overall selection. Ever since then, she’s been a fantasy degenerate.