This article is part of our NFL Reactions series.
Week 17 is the fantasy championship for most leagues. In today's recap, we'll focus on players who had positive or negative impacts on this week's games. For player usage updates and roster context, check out RotoWire's NFL Depth Charts, and don't miss the Weekly Projections to see how the upcoming matchups shape up.
Bengals 37 Cardinals 17
The Bengals delivered exactly what fantasy managers hoped for in championship week. Joe Burrow carved up an injury-ravaged Arizona defense for 305 yards and two touchdowns before starters were pulled early. Chase Brown continued his late season surge with 101 rushing yards, two scores and three catches for 40 yards. Ja'Marr Chase added seven receptions and two touchdowns despite only 60 yards. Tee Higgins was quieter with four catches for 59 yards and has been the least reliable of the quartet of Cinci stars.
Arizona struggled behind a battered offensive line and never found consistency. Jacoby Brissett finished with 212 passing yards and late touchdowns that salvaged his fantasy day. Trey McBride posted a strong 10-catch 76-yard and touchdown line, and even without a ceiling eruption he gave fantasy managers a great edge. Michael Wilson added 89 yards and a score, and although the crazy ceiling games dried up, he remained a fantastic weekly start. Marvin Harrison exited early with a heel aggravation and left fantasy managers disappointed. Michael Carter managed just 43 scrimmage yards, and despite a great game script, he was unable to have a big day.
Browns 13 Steelers 6
The Steelers offense completely stalled in a game with major implications. They managed only two field goals and never found a rhythm through the air. Pat Freiermuth led the team in receiving yards with a modest total, underscoring how limited the passing attack was. Jaylen Warren provided some efficiency on the ground with 64 rushing yards but was not involved as a receiver. Kenneth Gainwell struggled, finishing with only 38 scrimmage yards and three receptions in one of his worst outings of the season.
Cleveland relied on defense and timely execution rather than sustained offense. Harold Fannin scored the game's only touchdown early in the first quarter and finished with two catches for 30 yards. The touchdown was his last play of the day, as he aggravated a groin injury. Dylan Sampson was unable to take advantage of lead-back opportunities, rushing 11 times for 27 yards while adding three receptions for no gain. Overall production was limited, but Cleveland did enough to secure the win.
Saints 34 Titans 26
The Saints continued to lean on their most productive players and it paid off again. Tyler Shough took full advantage of the matchup, throwing for 333 yards and two touchdowns while operating the offense efficiently. Chris Olave stayed scorching hot late in the season with eight catches for 119 yards and a touchdown. Juwan Johnson made the most of limited targets, catching all four passes for 95 yards. Audric Estime delivered a strong performance with 94 rushing yards and a touchdown after being an afterthought the previous week. Fantasy managers who started Estime had to be thrilled with the outcome.
Tennessee scored 26 points but did not feature any truly dominant individual performance. Tony Pollard continued his solid stretch with 95 scrimmage yards and two receptions, providing stability if not a ceiling game. Cam Ward threw two touchdowns that went to Chig Okonkwo and Elic Ayomanor. Chimere Dike added 62 scrimmage yards on four touches. Tyjae Spears followed up last week's breakout with a complete dud, finishing with just one scrimmage yard.
Jaguars 23 Colts 17
Jacksonville earned an important road win while delivering steady but unspectacular fantasy production. Trevor Lawrence threw for 263 yards and an interception but once again boosted his output with 26 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. Parker Washington was a major surprise with two straight weeks of being the team's most productive receiver, leading the team with 10 targets and converting them into eight catches for 115 yards. Travis Etienne posted a respectable 92 scrimmage yards and two receptions. Jakobi Meyers and Brian Thomas were both held in check in another quiet performance.
Indianapolis struggled to move the ball consistently, but Jonathan Taylor still delivered the lone bright spot. He finished with 84 scrimmage yards, three catches, and a touchdown after having another score wiped away. Philip Rivers threw for just 147 yards, leaving little production for pass catchers. Tyler Warren led the team with five receptions for 43 yards. Josh Downs, Michael Pittman, and Alec Pierce were all limited, while the team's only passing touchdown went to Mo Alie-Cox. Thanks for that, Philip Rivers.
Dolphins 20 Buccaneers 17
Baker Mayfield turned in his best fantasy performance in weeks despite a sloppy real life game. He threw for 346 yards and two touchdowns while also tossing two interceptions and adding 16 rushing yards. Chris Godwin delivered his best outing of the season with seven catches for 108 yards and a touchdown. Mike Evans found the end zone but finished with just 31 yards. Bucky Irving continued his late season fade with 33 scrimmage yards, though five receptions helped soften the blow. Jalen McMillan unexpectedly led the team with 114 receiving yards.
Miami leaned on De'Von Achane, who delivered another strong all around performance with 112 scrimmage yards and three catches. Jaylen Waddle exited early with injured ribs and finished with only one rush for seven yards, ending his fantasy season on a sour note. Quinn Ewers threw two touchdowns that went to Theo Wease and Greg Dulcich. There are very few fantasy managers who benefitted from those touchdowns. Darren Waller struggled, finishing with one catch for zero yards in a forgettable outing.
Patriots 21 Jets 10
The Patriots offense erupted in what many expected to be a low-volume passing game. Drake Maye attempted just 21 passes but turned them into 256 yards and five touchdowns in one of his biggest fantasy performances of the season. Rhamondre Stevenson was highly efficient, posting 102 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on only 13 touches. Stefon Diggs stayed hot with six catches for 101 yards and a score. Hunter Henry delivered another strong game with 49 yards and a touchdown even with Austin Hooper also finding the end zone. TreVeyon Henderson was very efficient, but failed to reach nine fantasy points.
The Jets offense offered very little production. The passing game was completely muted, finishing with just 152 total yards. Breece Hall was the lone standout, ripping off a 59-yard touchdown run and ending the day with 129 scrimmage yards and a score. No other player provided meaningful output, and New York struggled to sustain drives throughout the game.
Seahawks 27 Panthers 10
Seattle stumbled early but took control after halftime behind a dominant rushing attack. Zach Charbonnet outpaced Kenneth Walker, piling up 122 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns in a powerful performance. Walker finished with 57 scrimmage yards in a quieter outing. Sam Darnold continued to struggle, throwing for just 147 yards and one touchdown. Jaxon Smith Njigba led the receiving corps with nine catches for 72 yards, and as usual, offered one of the most incredible scoring floors in all of fantasy. Tight end AJ Barner chipped in with 43 yards and a touchdown, and those who needed to start him had to be thrilled.
Carolina's offense was nearly nonexistent. Bryce Young threw for just 54 yards and an interception but added 27 rushing yards and a late rushing touchdown. The passing game failed to generate anything of note, with Jalen Coker leading the team at two catches for 16 yards. Rico Dowdle was the most productive skill player, finishing with 63 scrimmage yards and three receptions in a game where opportunities were scarce.
Giants 34 Raiders 10
The Giants faced little resistance from a Raiders defense missing Maxx Crosby, and the offense took full advantage. Jaxson Dart rebounded in a big way from last week's disaster, throwing for 207 yards while adding 50 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. He did not throw a touchdown pass, but his legs carried the day. Wan'Dale Robinson dominated the passing game with 11 catches on 14 targets for 113 yards. Devin Singletary made the most of limited touches, turning eight carries and four receptions into 70 yards and a touchdown. Those who needed Singletary got an unexpected gem.
Las Vegas could not keep pace and struggled to generate consistent offense. After last week's breakout, Ashton Jeanty was unable to repeat that success, finishing with 73 scrimmage yards and two receptions despite a late 24 yard run. With Brock Bowers on injured reserve, Michael Mayer stepped into a heavy role and delivered one of his better performances of the season. The tight end caught nine passes for 89 yards, providing one of the few bright spots for the Raiders in a lopsided loss.
Eagles 13 Bills 12
Heavy rain dictated the tone of this game and capped upside across the board. Josh Allen struggled until the team was down two scores in the fourth quarter, but then had a great day with late production. Allen passed for 258 yards while rushing for 27 yards and two scores. James Cook delivered a steady performance with 76 scrimmage yards, while Khalil Shakir also provided a respectable PPR floor in the short passing game with six catches for 35 yards. Of course, if you were one of the five people on the planet who started Brandin Cooks, congratulations on a 100-yard performance.
Philadelphia moved the ball effectively early and carried a halftime lead before shifting into an extremely conservative approach. A.J. Brown did most of his damage in the first half, finishing with five catches for 68 yards. Dallas Goedert added a short touchdown, giving the tight end a passable fantasy performance. Meanwhile, Jalen Hurts struggled to generate yardage despite throwing a touchdown pass. Saquon Barkley was bottled up throughout and finished with limited production without any involvement as a receiver.
Injuries
- Breece Hall sustained a knee injury.
- Jaylen Waddle left with injured ribs.
- Marvin Harrison aggravated his heel injury.
- Harold Fannin injured his groin.
- Rashid Shaheed suffered a concussion.
- Darnell Washington broke his arm.
Conclusion
As we wrap up this NFL weekly recap, Week 17 gave us plenty of ups and downs as fantasy managers agonized over each play. As we head towards the NFL Playoffs, staying proactive is the key. Keep an eye on RotoWire's NFL Weekly Recap and Injury Report to stay ahead as the fantasy season winds down.
