Week 17 is a bit tricky. It’s hard to say who will play and who won’t. Fortunately, there are several teams this season still playing for either their playoff hopes or for positioning in the postseason.
Really the only team one should avoid players from this year is Indianapolis. Tony Dungy has made it clear he plans to rest his starters for the playoffs.
Tennessee could also be risky. The Titans have home-field advantage, so expect the great RB duo of LenDale White and Chris Johnson to be rested.
It’s probably safe to avoid Steelers as well. They’ve got the second seed and a first round bye wrapped up.
The Giants are also a risky play this week with home-field advantage taken care of.
So who do you go with?
Think Chargers. San Diego is playing a bad defense, giving Phillips Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates, Vincent Jackson and others great matchups.
Atlanta also has a chance to clinch the NFC South title and face the putrid Rams.
Arizona is in dire need of some consistency and momentum and get a terrible Seattle squad to prepare with.
Here’s how they rank in the final week of the season. Hopefully, you can get a great late Christmas present with a fantasy football championship.
Elite (25+ points)
1. Phillip Rivers, QB, San Diego
vs. Denver
Rivers is going for a passing title and Denver probably won’t do much to prevent it from happening.
2. Michael Turner, RB, Atlanta
vs. St. Louis
A rushing title is a bit out of reach for Turner, but he does have a shot at second. The Falcons will want to ride him one last week to give them a shot at the NFC South title.
3. Ryan Grant, RB, Green Bay
vs. Detroit
Green Bay doesn’t have much to play for other than pride. Detroit wants its first win of the season. Regardless of who wins, Grant will have a chance at a big day.
4. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay
vs. Detroit
Oddly enough, Rodgers has been better than Brett Favre this season, but the Jets are better than the Packers.
5. Kurt Warner, WR, Arizona
vs. Seattle
Warner’s MVP status is fairly dead now. He’s still been one of the league’s best QBs this season.
Super (20-24 points)
6. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona
vs. Seattle
Fitz has actually passed teammate Anquan Boldin as a fantasy option. He’s the top fantasy WR this season.
7. DeAngelo Williams, RB, Carolina
at New Orleans
And here’s the top fantasy RB in 2008. Who would have guessed this one? Williams was supposed to be playing second fiddle to Jonathan Stewart. Instead, he’s become the feature back.
8. Jay Cutler, QB, Denver
at San Diego
Cutler remains a top fantasy option at QB and San Diego remains an underachieving defense.
9. LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego
vs. Denver
Denver is one of the league’s worst at stopping the run. LT should top 100 yards.
10. Tony Romo, QB, Dallas
at Philadelphia
It’s a big game and rumor is Romo doesn’t play well in big games in December. Strange that everyone forgets how well he played against the Giants a couple weeks ago. More than anything, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett needs to become more aggressive with his play calling.
11. Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta
vs. St. Louis
Ryan for rookie of the year? Possibly. He’s been the best rookie QB since Ben Roethlisberger.
12. Tyler Thigpen, QB, Kansas City
at Cincinnati
Thigpen has been a surprising development. Still, he’s not the future at QB for KC. He’ll put up a nice performance in possibly his final game as the starter.
13. Greg Jennings, WR, Green Bay
vs. Detroit
Jennings proved to be one of the league’s best big play receivers all year.
14. Matt Schaub, QB, Houston
vs. Chicago
Houston missed out having its first winning season in franchise history with a loss to Oakland last week. Schaub to Andre Johnson is the best QB/WR connection in the league, though.
Strong (15-19 points)
15. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans
vs. Carolina
Brees won’t have a huge game against Carolina, but his numbers are always respectable from a fantasy standpoint.
16. Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota
vs. NY Giants
Peterson might find running on the Giants difficult, but he’s the best RB in the league. It’s not like you bench him vs. anyone.
17. Brandon Marshall, WR, Denver
at San Diego
Marshall got off to a blazing start. He’s cooled off significantly. Can he finish similar to how he started 2008?
18. Roddy White, WR, Atlanta
vs. St. Louis
White came into his own this season and, more than anything, proved how bad of a QB Michael Vick really was. So the problem for Vick in the NFL wasn’t his WRs? Amazing.
19. Matt Forte, RB, Chicago
at Houston
Forte has the highest percentage of his team’s offensive production than any other rookie in the history of the NFL.
20. Vincent Jackson, WR, San Diego
at Denver
Jackson has been great for the Chargers late in the year, and while Lee Evans is often referred to the top deep threat in the league in this column, Jackson has a strong stake at that claim, averaging more than 18 yards a catch.
21. Anquan Boldin, WR, Arizona
vs. Seattle
Boldin hasn’t been scoring as much lately, but is still tied with Randy Moss for the most receiving TDs in the league.
22. Donovan McNabb, QB, Philadelphia
vs. Dallas
McNabb ripped up Dallas last week and might have to do it again as Brian Westbrook looks as if all the bumps and bruises he’s suffered this season have caught up with him.
23. Antonio Bryant, WR, Tampa Bay
vs. Oakland
Has anyone in the league made more spectacular catches this season? Bryant should be up for a breakout player of the year award.
24. Kevin Smith, RB, Detroit
at Green Bay
Is it a prediction of a win for the Lions? No. Smith’s presence on the list is more of an indication of how bad the Packers’ run defense is.
25. Steve Slaton, RB, Houston
vs. Chicago
Coming out of his junior year at West Virginia, this writer didn’t like Slaton in the NFL for most schemes. The zone blocking scheme in Houston is perfect for him, though.
26. Steve Smith, WR, Carolina
at New Orleans
Can New Orleans even play pass defense?
27. Brian Westbrook, RB, Philadelphia
vs. Dallas
Westy doesn’t look healthy, but he is a Cowboys killer.
28. Andre Johnson, WR, Houston
vs. Chicago
It’s been said many times in this column this season. Johnson is the best WR the league has to offer.
29. Marques Colston, WR, New Orleans
vs. Carolina
Colston is really starting to look like his pre-injury self. Unfortunately, the Saints season is over.
30. Matt Cassel, QB, New England
at Buffalo
Cassel made himself a lot of money this season. The perennial backup will get his shot at commanding an offense for a full season next year.
