Christmas was here and now it’s gone…a lot like the NFL regular season every year. Hope it was an awesome holiday season for you and your family.
Now to Week 17, where we revert to preseason strategies for GPPs and concentrate on motivations for cash games.
But we aren’t doing separate cash and GPP write ups for this last regular season week. Instead, we will focus on players that you can feel safe using in your lineups, for both formats.
Most of the players you find below all have motivations of some kinds, personal or team-related, and then some value plays that look to be safe bets for a full game in this last full NFL DFS slate.
There’s lots of injuries, coach speak and role changes this week, I won’t be touching most of those. If we don’t know as of this article, then the rest of the information will be up to me for myself and you. I suggest reading up on Evan Silva or listening to some late-week podcasts to keep your information in order.
But before we get to that, here’s some information about teams and their situations for this week, playoff and non-playoff bound. No scenarios, just who has something to play for and who doesn’t.
NFC playoff teams with nothing to play for…
New Orleans Saints
Dallas Cowboys
Seattle Seahawks
NFC teams in the playoffs with something to play for or teams still in the hunt…
Los Angeles Rams
Chicago Bears
Minnesota Vikings
Philadelphia Eagles
AFC playoff teams with nothing to play for…
None
AFC teams in the playoffs with something to play for or teams still in the hunt…
Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Chargers
New England Patriots
Houston Texans
Pittsburgh Steelers
Baltimore Ravens
Indianapolis Colts
Tennessee Titans
NFC non-playoff teams with nothing to play for…
Atlanta Falcons
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New York Giants
Carolina Panthers
Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers
Arizona Cardinals
San Francisco 49ers
Washington Redskins
AFC non-playoff teams with nothing to play for…
Oakland Raiders
Denver Broncos
New York Jets
Cleveland Browns
Cincinnati Bengals
Jacksonville Jaguars
Miami Dolphins
Buffalo Bills
QUARTERBACKS
Philip Rivers – Los Angeles Chargers – $6,400
Analysis: The Chargers need some help to snag the best possible playoff option, but they also have to win. A trip to Denver won’t be easy with divisional foe Broncos. However, this is a prime spot with a beat up Broncos’ secondary and an all-systems go Chargers offense who now has Austin Ekeler and Melvin Gordon back in action. Rivers has all the weapons he needs to face Denver, whose lone role is of spoiler.
Jared Goff – Los Angeles Rams – $6,200
Analysis: The Rams are trying to hang on to that No. 2 seed, but might be without Todd Gurley. Even with, Goff at home as been far more steady than on the road, averaging 28.6 FPPG in LA compared to 15.9 FPPG on the road. The 49ers have been a pass funnel defense all year and are allowing 214 yards passing and 2 TDs per game in their last four.
Josh Allen – Buffalo Bills – $6,000
Analysis: What, you think the Bills are going to bench Josh Allen?
Lamar Jackson – Baltimore Ravens – $5,600
Analysis: The playoffs stand in the balance at the hands of Lamar Jackson, who take on the Cleveland Browns at home. It’s a battle of first round rookies – Baker and Lamar. A win and the Ravens are in. A loss and they are done. Having homefield won’t hurt. The Browns have been a little tougher defensively, but this is a different style quarterback, one that has shown the ability to throw, but thrives on rushing. Lamar is getting the attempts, and that’s why you are playing him. Any passing stats are just a bonus.
Kyle Allen – Carolina Panthers – $4,000
Analysis: Last week Taylor Heineke was on his way to smashing his $4,000 price tag, got hurt, then came back in with his arm hanging from his shoulder, and still paid off. Now we get a lesser QB in a game where the only motivation is Kyle Allen showing what he’s got to potential employers. The Falcons, their opponent, also do not have anything to play for. So basically Allen is a punt play who has a little rushing ability in his past.
