Fantasy Football Week 17 Rankings: Top Players, Sleepers and Positional Guide

It is Week 17 in the NFL, and while top teams are jockeying for playoff positioning, you are likely competing for your fantasy football league championship. Or, in a worst-case scenario, looking to avoid last place and accrue some bragging rights at the same time.

Lineups are likely set with big-name players and fantasy studs, but often a sleeper pick comes from out of nowhere to help win leagues and championships.

While everyone knows to start Cooper Kupp and Aaron Rodgers, and to slot a Tee Higgins or Hunter Renfrow in the flex position, there are some players with favorable matchups in this week's slate of games who could prove the difference between a first- and a second-place finish.

These are those players, along with positional rankings for Week 17.

1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills vs. Atlanta Falcons
2. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings
3. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams at Baltimore Ravens
4. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Football Team
5. Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Jets
6. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys vs. Arizona Cardinals
7. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers vs. Denver Broncos
8. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys
9. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals
10. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks vs. Detroit Lions

Sleeper: Mac Jones, New England Patriots vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Jones has not been particularly good over the last three games, netting just two touchdowns to four interceptions and an average QB rating of 63.2. He has been subpar, to say the least, but the Jacksonville Jaguars are coming to town, and that bodes well for Jones' ability to have a bounce-back game.

The Jags are allowing the sixth-most passing yards in the league and are allowing 18.1 fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.

With the Patriots wanting to restore Jones' confidence ahead of a playoff run, they will likely let the rookie QB have opportunities to air it out against a suspect defense.

Do you want your fantasy championship to hinge on the possibility that Jones may ball out? No, but if you're in need of a quarterback because of injury or are strong enough at other positions to take a chance on Jones lighting up Jacksonville, there are worse options than a player head coach Bill Belichick will do everything he can to put in the best position to succeed.

1. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers
2. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts vs. Las Vegas Raiders
3. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings
4. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
5. Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers
6. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns
7. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys vs. Arizona Cardinals
8. Rashaad Penny, Seattle Seahawks vs. Detroit Lions
9. D'Andre Swift, Detroit Lions at Seattle Seahawks
10. Ronald Jones II, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Jets

Sleeper: Jeff Wilson Jr, San Francisco 49ers vs. Houston Texans

49ers running back Jeff Wilson Jr. isn't going to put up Derrick Henry or Jonathan Taylor-like stats, but he has found the end zone twice in his last two games, and he is a threat to catch passes out of the backfield and has 29.6 fantasy points over the last two weeks.

Sunday, he plays a horrifically bad Houston Texans rush defense that has given up the second-most rushing yards in the league in 2021 and is yielding 22.5 fantasy points to opposing running backs.

Yes, he is going to give up touches to Deebo Samuel, but the wide receiver and frequent runner is one of the best players in the league, so that should be expected. The biggest question surrounding Wilson's ability to benefit your team this week will be the status of running back Elijah Mitchell.

If the rookie running back is able to play Sunday, that will greatly decrease Wilson's value, so it is worth keeping an eye on injury reports leading into the Week 17 matchup against Houston. Head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed Monday that Mitchell "has a chance" to play this week.

Even then, with Mitchell likely not at 100 percent, Wilson will have opportunities to make a significant contribution to your team against a Texans squad that has leaked like a sieve in 2021. 

1. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams at Baltimore Ravens
2. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers vs. Houston Texans
3. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
4. Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings
5. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins at Tennessee Titans
6. Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals
7. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks vs. Detroit Lions
8. Antonio Brown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Jets
9. AJ Brown, Tennessee Titans vs. Miami Dolphins
10. Davonte Smith, Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Football Team

Sleeper: Van Jefferson, Los Angeles Rams at Baltimore Ravens

Yes, Rams wideout Van Jefferson has been anything but the picture of consistency in fantasy this year. He is as likely to put up 21 against a good Cardinals defense as he is to net 1.6 against a so-so Vikings squad. It is frustrating, sure, but he has put up double-digit performances in seven of 16 games and is a big-play threat every time Stafford gets him the ball.

Sunday, he faces a Baltimore Ravens secondary decimated by injury and giving up 25.2 fantasy points to opposing receivers. That bodes well for Cooper Kupp, the best wideout in the league, and Odell Beckham Jr. has had his share of success against the birds. Jefferson, though, presents a deep threat with plays of 67, 68, 79 and 52 this season.

He will be able to exploit a Ravens defense that will be outmanned against a potent Rams offense trending in the right direction. While much of the effort will be in trying to subdue Kupp and take away the goal-line threat of OBJ, look for Jefferson to get targets and potentially break both the game and your fantasy championship matchup wide open. 

1. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers vs. Houston Texans
2. Rob Gronkowski, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Jets
3. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens vs. Los Angeles Rams
4. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals
5. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Football Team
6. Hunter Henry, New England Patriots vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
7. Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills vs. Atlanta Falcons
8. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons at Buffalo Bills
9. Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams at Baltimore Ravens
10. Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys

Sleeper: Mo Alie-Cox, Indianapolis Colts vs. Las Vegas Raiders

The news Tuesday that Carson Wentz had been moved to the COVID-19 list ahead of Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders immediately created questions about the Colts' options at quarterback. There is rookie Sam Ehlinger or veteran backup Brett Hundley, neither of whom has seen substantial time under center in 2021.

Either way, Mo Alie-Cox's status as a sleeper option at tight end is unaffected.

Hardly the flashiest at his position, Alie-Cox is a great safety blanket and more than capable of finding the end zone. If Ehlinger or Hundley starts, he will be their go-to receiver. He's big, has good hands and figures to be within eyesight, even if they find themselves rushed by Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby. 

That the Raiders are giving up 15.95 fantasy points to opposing tight ends this season makes him an even more attractive option for your team, especially if you don't have one of the top three or four TEs in the game on your roster.

Even if Wentz plays, Alie-Cox is a smart, veteran player who will be able to exploit the middle of the Raiders defense and find plays. He did just that to the Cardinals in Week 16, catching a big 37-yard pass that contributed to Indy's upset win.