GAME CAPSULES AND PLAYER PROJECTIONS WEEK 17 SUNDAY MATCHUPS. Matt Wilson FantasySharks.com Senior Writer

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1 GAME CAPSULES AND PLAYER PROJECTIONS WEEK 17 SUNDAY MATCHUPS By Matt Wilson FantasySharks.com Senior Writer

2 MIAMI DOLPHINS (7-8) BUFFALO BILLS (5-10) SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30 T H 1 : 00 P M ET N E W E R A F I E L D O R C H A R D P A R K, N Y L I N E : B U F 4. 0 O V E R / U N D E R : TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIV E MATCHUPS UNIT RANK SCOR. PTS/ RANK GM RANK YPG RANK YPG DO L P H I N S O F F E N S E B I L L S DEFENSE B I L L S O F F E N S E D O L P H I N S D E F E N S E MIAMI DOLPHINS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Ryan Tannehill (ankle, shoulder), Danny Amendola (knee) BYE: Week 11 Officially eliminated from playoff contention following a 17-7 choke job of a home loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars last week, the Miami Dolphins have been trending downward since their Miami Miracle victory over the New England Patriots in Week 14. With rumors flying about the likely exit of Ryan Tannehill and a full overhaul of the organization during the offseason, we re probably going to see a punchless Dolphins team just going through the motions against a Buffalo Bills team that s trending upward. Miami is just 1-6 on the road. ING MATCHUP With Frank Gore sidelined, the Dolphins clearly don t trust Kenyan Drake in a workhorse role (just 14 combo touches in the last two weeks), and the use of a timeshare with rookie Kalen Ballage (just six touches last week after logging 13 touches in Week 15) and veteran Brandon Bolden caps the value of all three ball carriers. Since Drake usually handles the receiving work, he comes with more value and has the best chance to find the end zone against a Bills defense that has coughed up the second-most rushing touchdowns and the fourth-most running back fantasy points during the last month. This past Sunday, Bolden

3 scored his third touchdown in the last three weeks on a shovel pass. His red-zone usage has quietly been rising, but the touchdown projected for him here is done with low confidence. ING MATCHUP With just one touchdown toss in his last two starts, Ryan Tannehill obviously has been slumping. In his last four road outings, Tannehill tossed only three touchdown passes and cleared 185 passing yards in just one of the contests. There s little reason to get excited about his matchup against a Buffalo defense that has permitted the fewest passing yards and the 11th-fewest touchdown strikes on the season. Buffalo has been where wideouts go to struggle. The Bills have allowed the eighth-fewest catches, the fewest receiving yards and the fifth-fewest fantasy points to the position. I don t feel strongly about any of the Dolphins wideouts. Danny Amendola leads Miami in targets, catches and receving yards, but he has scored just once (Week 7) and has cleared 50 yards just one time since then. All six of Kenny Stills team-high six touchdown grabs and both of his 100-yard games came in home contests. DeVante Parker, targeted just eight times in the last three weeks, has been all but phased out of the offense. PLAYER WEEK 17 PLAYER PROJECTIONS QB Ryan Tannehill RB Kenyan Drake RB Kalen Ballage WR Brandon Bolden WR Kenny Stills WR DeVante Parker WR Danny Amendola WR Brice Butler TE Mike Gesicki FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Jason Sanders P/A SK INT FUM DT Dolphins PREVIOUS MATCHUP: 2018 Regular Season Week 13 Miami downed Buffalo at Hard Rock Stadium. Ryan Tannehill threw for 137 yards and three touchdowns. Frank Gore amassed an rushing line and receiving line.

4 Kenyan Drake compiled a rushing line and a receiving line. Kenny Stills made four grabs for 37 yards and one touchdown on six targets. DeVante Parker caught four passes for 43 yards and one score on seven targets. Danny Amendola missed the game due to a knee injury. BUFFALO BILLS INJURIES TO MONITOR: LeSean McCoy (hamstring), Chris Ivory (shoulder) BYE: Week 11 The Buffalo Bills are just 2-3 since Josh Allen returned from a lengthy elbow injury layoff, but the team has been competitive. Two of the three losses were by just four points each. ING MATCHUP Thirty-year-old LeSean McCoy has posted the worst numbers of his career with only 488 rushing yards and two touchdowns on a paltry 3.2 yards per carry. Granted, it s hard to trust Shady after his stink bomb outing (19 combo yards on nine touches) against the New England Patriots last week and spotty production all season, but I think he ll wrap up an otherwise disapointing season on a high note with a solid performance versus a disinterested Miami Dolphins defense that has allowed the third-most rushing yards and the fourth-most rushing touchdowns to tailbacks. ING MATCHUP Flashing some subtle improvement as a passer, Josh Allen has thrown for at least 200 yards in his last four games but tossed multiple touchdowns in just one outing. Back in Week 13, Allen passed for 231 yards and two touchdowns, and carried nine times for 135 yards against the Dolphins in Miami. The Fish also have allowed the seventh-most rushing yards to quarterbacks. Allen will perform just fine in this home rematch. The Dolphins have struggled against wideouts during the last month, allowing the 10th-most receiving yards and the second-most touchdowns to the position. Zay Jones has been struggling while operating as a perimeter receiver, but he caught four balls for 67 yards and two touchdowns in the Week 13 Miami game, and he should dust them for a solid fantasy outing again. Robert Foster logged only one reception during his previous clash with the Dolphins. However, he has racked up at least 94 receiving yards or scored in three straight home outings, and I like Foster s chances to find the end zone. Since Allen should have success getting the ball to Jones and Foster on the outside, I don t think Isaiah McKenzie will make much fantasy noise. Jason Croom has replaced Charles Clay as the starting tight end, but Croom s production has been spotty with just five catches for 80 yards and two goose eggs in his last four outings. WEEK 17 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER

5 QB Josh Allen RB LeSean McCoy RB Chris Ivory WR Zay Jones WR Robert Foster WR Isaiah McKenzie WR Deonte Thompson TE Jason Croom FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Steven Hauschka P/A SK INT FUM DT Bills PREVIOUS MATCHUP: 2018 Regular Season Week 13 Buffalo lost to Miami at Hard Rock Stadium. Josh Allen passed for and rushed for LeSean McCoy amassed a rushing line and a receiving line. Zay Jones caught four passes for 67 yards and two scores on nine targets. Robert Foster hauled in one pass for 27 yards on three targets. Isaiah McKenzie made four grabs for 46 yards on four targets. Charles Clay caught one pass for nine yards.

6 ATLANTA FALCONS (6-9) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (5-10) SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30 T H 1 : 00 P M ET R A Y M O N D J A M E S S T A D I U M T A M P A, F L L I N E : A T L 1. 0 O V E R / U N D E R : 51.0 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIV E MATCHUPS UNIT RANK SCOR. PTS/ RANK GM RANK YPG RANK YPG F A L C O N S O F F E N S E B U C S D EF E N S E B U C S O F F E N S E F A L C O N S D E F E N S E ATLANTA FALCONS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Tevin Coleman (groin), Julio Jones (hip, ribs), Austin Hooper (knee, ankle) BYE: Week 8 The Atlanta Falcons were bounced out of the playoff hunt weeks ago, but they re still trying to win games. During the Falcons modest two-game winning streak, they ve scored a combined 64 points. Atlanta is 2-5 on the road. Unless the weather in Tampa Bay becomes a factor, this matchup between the Falcons and the Buccaneers has some high-scoring potential. ING MATCHUP If Tevin Coleman (groin) receives the medical green light to suit up, he probably won t be 100 percent. I m expecting Coleman, who hasn t logged more than 10 touches in a game since Week 11, and Brian Hill to operate in a committee with Hill receiving a slightly larger share of the touches since he s the healthier of the two. If Coleman is a no-go, early-down battering ram Hill will operate as the starter in a likely workhorse role and should build off his 115-yard rushing performance from last week. The Tampa Bay defense is ranked just 21st in rushing yards allowed to the tailback position, but the Bucs have permitted only one rushing score by tailback in their last four home contests.

7 ING MATCHUP Even if the Coleman/Hill duo holds it own, you can still expect plenty of throwing from Matt Ryan. Back in Week 6, he torched Tampa Bay with 354 passing yards and three touchdown strikes. On the season, the Buccaneers have hemorrhaged the 10th-most passing yards and the second-most touchdown passes. Tampa Bay, however, has permitted only three of seven visiting quarterbacks to throw for at least 300 yards and just one has tossed more than two touchdown strikes, but don t bet against Ryan. This past Sunday, a less-than-100- percent Julio Jones didn t play a full load of snaps against the Carolina Panthers but still managed to find the end zone for the third straight week and for the sixth time in his last eight outings. Jones supposedly is much healthier than he was for the Panthers game and should do some major damage against a Buccaneers defense that has allowed the fourth-most touchdown receptions and the seventh-most fantasy points to the wideout position. Starting Calvin Ridley, who has hit the rookie wall, is probably chasing points. I know Ridley snapped his three-game scoring drought in the Carolina game, but his 75-yard touchdown reception in that contest came on a busted coverage. Put aside that big scoring play, and Ridley has hit pay dirt and cleared 45 receiving yards only once since Week 9. During his clash with the Falcons in Week 6, Ridley made just three grabs for 47 scoreless yards. Mohamed Sanu has had previous success versus the Bucs he scored against them in Week 6 which is why he deserves flex consideration over Ridley. Austin Hooper gashed Tampa Bay for nine catches, 71 receiving yards and one touchdown on 10 targets in Week 6, but another strong performance in this rematch seems unlikely. The Buccaneers defense hasn't allowed a tight end score since Week 9. PLAYER WEEK 17 PLAYER PROJECTIONS QB Matt Ryan RB Tevin Coleman RB Brian Hill WR Julio Jones WR Calvin Ridley WR Mohamed Sanu WR Justin Hardy TE Austin Hooper FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Matt Bryant P/A SK INT FUM DT Falcons PREVIOUS MATCHUP:

8 2018 Regular Season Week 6 Atlanta outdueled Tampa Bay at Mercedes Benz Stadium. Matt Ryan passed for 355 yards and three touchdowns. Tevin Coleman compiled a rushing line and a receiving line. Ito Smith (knee surgery) amassed an rushing line and a 2-(-1)-0 receiving line. Julio Jones caught 10 passes for 144 yards on 14 targets. Calvin Ridley hauled in three balls for 47 yards on three targets. Mohamed Sanu made two grabs for 46 yards and one touchdown on two targets. Austin Hooper caught nine passes for 71 yards and one touchdown on 10 targets. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS INJURIES TO MONITOR: DeSean Jackson (Achilles tendon) BYE: Week 5 Although the Tampa Buccaneers are just playing out the string and look ripe for major offseason changes, they re still playing hard. The Buccaneers have won two of their last three games. ING MATCHUP The touchdown-dependent Peyton Barber found the end zone in four of his last six games (Jacquizz Rodgers vultured a rushing score last week), However, the earlydown bulldozer also failed to clear 50 rushing yards in four of his last five. Barber should cobble together a decent outing with a chance for a touchdown versus an Atlanta Falcons defense that has allowed the 11th-most rushing yards and the fifth-most fantasy points to running backs. The Falcons also have yielded a rushing score in two of their last three games. ING MATCHUP Making his last start of the season, Jameis Winston gets one more opportunity to try to impress the Buccaneers powers that be during a rough season that was marred by a suspension, turnover-prone play and a benching. The Falcons defense has coughed up the ninth-most passing yards and the ninth-most touchdown passes, and Winston slammed Atlanta with 395 passing yards and four scoring strikes back in Week 6. One more thing: the Falcons have yielded the second-most quarterback rushing yards. Since Week 12, Adam Humphries has out-targeted the must-start Mike Evans 41 to 39, and slot wideouts like Humphries, one of Winston s favorite targets, have been gashing Atlanta all season. If you need Humphries, this looks like a good week to use him. The Falcons defense has allowed the third-most scoring grabs and the ninth-most fantasy points to the wideout position. DeSean Jackson is a no-go. If you start Chris Godwin, you re betting that he ll bust out of a production funk (four receptions in his last three games). During the last five weeks, Cameron Brate has averaged a modest 4.8 targets per game and has hit pay dirt three times. The Atlanta Falcons defense is ranked 15th in scoring grabs allowed to tight ends and 13th in fantasy points permitted to the position. Back in Week 6, Brate scored against the Falcons.

9 PLAYER WEEK 17 PLAYER PROJECTIONS QB Jameis Winston RB Peyton Barber RB Ronald Jones RB Jacquizz Rodgers WR Mike Evans WR DeSean Jackson WR Chris Godwin WR Adam Humphries TE Cameron Brate FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Cairo Santos P/A SK INT FUM DT Buccaneers PREVIOUS MATCHUP: 2018 Regular Season Week 6 Tampa Bay lost to Atlanta at Mercedes Benz Stadium. Jameis Winston passed for 395 yards and four touchdowns. Peyton Barber compiled a rushing line and a receiving line. Mike Evans made four grabs for 58 yards on five targets. DeSean Jackson hauled in four passes for 77 yards on nine targets. Chris Godwin caught six passes for 56 yards and one touchdown on nine targets. Adam Humphries logged three receptions for 82 yards on four targets. O.J. Howard made four grabs for 62 yards and one touchdown on four targets. Cameron Brate reeled in one pass for 15 yards on one target.

10 DALLAS COWBOYS (9-6) NEW YORK GIANTS (5-10) SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30 T H 1 : 00 P M ET M E T L I F E S T A D I U M E A S T R U T H E R F O R D, N J L I N E : N Y 6. 0 O V E R / U N D E R : TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIV E MATCHUPS UNIT RANK SCOR. PTS/ RANK GM RANK YPG RANK YPG CO W B O Y S O F F E N S E G I A N T S D E F E N S E G I A N T S O F F E N S E C O W B O Y S D EF E N S E INJURIES TO MONITOR: None BYE: Week 8 DALLAS COW BOYS Win or lose this week, the Dallas Cowboys are locked into the No. 4 playoff seed in the NFC. Don t expect the Cowboys to play their starters for the whole game, and I suspect we won t see much of Ezekiel Elliott, Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper assuming they even suit up. ING MATCHUP Rod Smith isn t a special player, but he s a competent backup. Smith is expected to carry the ground game and the entire offense since inexperienced second-year pro Cooper Rush has attempted three regular-season passes. Third-year pro Jarius Jackson s next regular-season carry will be the first one of his career. The New York Giants have allowed the 10th-most rushing yards and the fifth-most rushing touchdowns to the tailback position. ING MATCHUP Since the very inexperienced Cooper Rush is expected to play a good chunk of the game, projections for him and the Dallas wideouts and tight ends are unreliable and not very promising to say the least. I don t recommend any of the Cowboys passing game fantasy stars this week. The score projected for Amari Cooper is done so with very low confidence.

11 PLAYER WEEK 17 PLAYER PROJECTIONS QB Dak Prescott QB Cooper Rush RB Ezekiel Elliott RB Rod Smith RB Darius Jackson WR Amari Cooper WR Michael Gallup WR Cole Beasley WR Allen Hurns TE Blake Jarwin FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Brett Maher P/A SK INT FUM DT Cowboys PREVIOUS MATCHUP: 2018 Regular Season Week 2 Dallas downed New York at AT&T Stadium. Dak Prescott threw for 160 yards and one score, and rushed for Ezekiel Elliott compiled a rushing line and a receiving line. Tavon Austin caught two passes for 79 yards and one touchdown on two targets. Cole Beasley made two grabs for 13 yards. Michael Gallup reeled in one pass for five yards on two targets. NEW YORK GIANTS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Odell Beckham (quad), Saquon Barkley (shoulder), Sterling Shepard (hip) BYE: Week 9 If you throw out the New York Giants fluky 17-0 loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 15, the G-Men have scored at least 27 points in five of their last six games. The Dallas Cowboys, locked

12 into the NFC s No. 4 playoff seed, are expected to rest key starters on both sides of the ball, so New York s top fantasy stars all look like safer-than-usual options. ING MATCHUP A lingering shoulder injury and hitting the rookie wall could explain why the must-start Saquon Barkley has compiled two straight outings under 80 combo yards. Barkley scored last week to salavage that performance. The Cowboys have permitted the fifthfewest rushing yards and the seventh-fewest rushing touchdowns. However, since Dallas isn t expected to play its starters for the whole game, if at all, this matchup has eruption potential for Barkley. If Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys) and Todd Gurley (Rams) both sit out, Barkley needs 237 rushing yards to win the NFL rushing title. By the way, the Cowboys have yielded the fifth-most catches to the running back position. ING MATCHUP Even though Odell Beckham (quad) has been parked on the injury shelf for the rest of the season, I think Eli Manning will have a strong outing. Dallas has yielded the 10th-fewest passing yards and the seventh-fewest touchdown passes, but the Cowboys, as noted, aren t expected to play their top guys all afternoon. Manning should be extra motivated in what could be his last game with the G-Men, too. This past Sunday, Sterling Shepard erupted for during the team s loss to the Indianapolis Colts, and Shepard should have another good outing as the main guy in the Beckham-less aerial attack. Dallas has allowed the fourthmost catches to tight ends, and a suddenly hot Evan Engram has cleared 70 receiving yards three games in a row. PLAYER WEEK 17 PLAYER PROJECTIONS QB Eli Manning RB Saquon Barkley RB Wayne Gallman WR Odell Beckham WR Sterling Shepard WR Bennie Fowler WR Cody Latimer TE Evan Engram TE Rhett Ellison FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Aldrick Rosas P/A SK INT FUM DT Giants PREVIOUS MATCHUP:

13 2018 Regular Season Week 2 New York lost to Dallas at AT&T Stadium. Eli Manning passed for 279 yards and one touchdown. Saquon Barkley compiled an rushing line and a receiving line. Odell Beckham reeled in four passes for 51 yards on nine targets. Sterling Shepard caught three passes for 24 yards on five targets. Evan Engram logged seven receptions for 67 yards and one touchdown on seven targets.

14 CAROLINA PANTHERS (6-9) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (13-2) SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30 T H 1 : 00 P M ET M E R C E D E S B E N Z S U P E R D O M E N E W O R L E A N S, L A L I N E : N O 7. 5 O V E R / U N D E R : 43.5 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIV E MATCHUPS UNIT RANK SCOR. PTS/ RANK GM RANK YPG RANK YPG P A N T H E R S O F F E N S E S A I N T S DEFENSE S A I N T S O F F E N S E P A N T H E R S D EF E N S E CAROLI NA PANTHERS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Cam Newton (shoulder injured reserve), Graham Gano (knee injured reserve) BYE: Week 4 With Cam Newton (shoulder) still hurting and Taylor Heinicke (elbow) parked on injured reserve, undrafted rookie free agent Kyle Allen will make his first career regular-season start for a Carolina Panthers team that has nothing at stake. The Panthers will battle a New Orleans Saints team that has already locked up the NFC s No. 1 playoff seed and likely will rest its starters. All Carolina offensive players fall into the start-at-your-own-risk category. ING MATCHUP Christian McCaffrey isn t expected to see much action if any at all, so early-down battering ram Cameron Artis-Payne will carry the backfield load. Passing-down specialist Travaris Cadet could see some action assuming he s active for only the first time this season. ING MATCHUP Kyle Allen is a complete mystery, and so is the usage of the Panthers wideouts and tight ends for this pointless contest. The touchdown grab projected for Ian Thomas

15 is done so with little confidence. PLAYER WEEK 17 PLAYER PROJECTIONS QB Cam Newton QB Kyle Allen RB Christian McCaffrey RB Cameron Artis-Payne WR Devin Funchess WR D.J. Moore WR Curtis Samuel WR Jarius Wright WR Torrey Smith TE Ian Thomas FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Chandler Catanzaro P/A SK INT FUM DT Panthers PREVIOUS MATCHUP: 2018 Regular Season Week 15 Carolina lost to New Orleans 12-9 at Bank of America Stadium. Cam Newton threw for 131 scoreless yards and rushed for Christian McCaffrey amassed a rushing line and an receiving line. Christian McCaffrey completed one pass for 50 yards and one touchdown. Devin Funchess posted a goose egg on one target. D.J. Moore caught two passes for 12 yards on three targets. Curtis Samuel made one grab for 17 yards on four targets. Jarius Wright logged three receptions for 21 yards on four targets. Ian Smith caught two passes for 14 yards on four targets. INJURIES TO MONITOR: None NEW ORLEANS SAI NTS

16 BYE: Week 6 With the NFC s No. 1 playoff seed all locked up, the New Orleans Saints tipped their hand Friday morning about how they planned to use their starters in this meaningless game by annoucing that Drew Brees would sit and Teddy Bridgewater would start. ING MATCHUP Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram dominated the New Orleans backfield all season long and probably will play very few snaps if any at all. Dwayne Washington is the only other true tailback on the roster, so he s expected to carry the bulk of the rushing load. The Carolina Panthers defense is ranked 10th in rushing yards allowed and 15th in rushing scores allowed to tailbacks, but I think homefield advantage, game script and a lack of interest by the Panthers should help Washington have a solid outing. ING MATCHUP Teddy Bridgewater is making his first start since This appearance will be an audition for 2019 free agency since Bridgewater isn t expected to re-sign. There s no way to predict how well or how poorly he ll play, so all Saints wideouts and tight ends are boom-or-bust starts. Ted Ginn returned from an 11-game injury layoff last week but probably will see some action against Carolina to knock the remaining rust off his game. The Panthers defense has yielded the sixth-most wideout fantasy points. It wouldn't be a surprise if the Saints set Ginn up to score against his former team. PLAYER WEEK 17 PLAYER PROJECTIONS QB Teddy Bridgewater RB Alvin Kamara RB Mark Ingram RB Dwayne Washington WR Michael Thomas WR Ted Ginn WR Tre Quan Smith WR Keith Kirkwood WR Austin Carr TE Ben Watson FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Wil Lutz P/A SK INT FUM DT Saints PREVIOUS MATCHUP:

17 2018 Regular Season Week 15 New Orleans outfought Carolina 12-9 at Bank of America Stadium. Drew Brees threw for 203 scoreless yards. Alvin Kamara compiled a rushing line and a receiving line on nine targets. Mark Ingram amassed a rushing line and a receiving line on two targets. Michael Thomas made seven grabs for 49 yards on nine targets. Tre Quan Smith caught two passes for 15 yards on four targets. Ben Watson hauled in one pass for 28 yards on two targets.

18 NEW YORK JETS (4-11) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (10-5) SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30 T H 1 : 00 P M ET G I L L E T T E S T A D I U M F O X B O R O U G H, M A L I N E : N E O V E R / U N D E R : TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIV E MATCHUPS UNIT RANK SCOR. PTS/ RANK GM RANK YPG RANK YPG J E T S O F F E N S E P A T R I O T S D EF E N S E P A T R I O T S O F F E N S E J E T S D EF E N S E NEW YORK JETS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Quincy Enunwa (ankle), Jermaine Kearse (Achilles tendon) BYE: Week 11 The New York Jets are only 1-2 since Sam Darnold returned from a four-week injury (foot) layoff, but they ve still been putting up a fight each week despite legit rumors about likely coaching staff changes during the offseason. With Darnold under center, the Jets have scored 27 points, 22 points and 38 points during the last three weeks, respectively. ING MATCHUP During the last three weeks, workhorse Elijah McGuire has averaged 19 touches, 80 combo yards and one rushing touchdown per game. The New England Patriots defense has allowed the fifth-most rushing yards but only two rushing touchdowns to tailbacks during the last month. Game script probably will stop McGuire from racking up big rushing numbers, but he should make some fantasy noise as a receiver since New England has been soft

19 against tailbacks in the passing game. ING MATCHUP Since Quincy Enunwa (ankle) and Jermaine Kearse (Achilles tendon) are both parked on the injury shelf, and a Patriots defense that has yielded the 10th-most wideout fantasy points during the last month probably will move Heaven and Earth to contain Robby Anderson, don t expect a big game from the steadily improving Sam Darnold. Chris Herndon, with 50-plus receiving yards and a touchdown reception in two straight contests, is the best bet for a score against a New England defense that has allowed the seventh-most tight end scoring grabs. PLAYER WEEK 17 PLAYER PROJECTIONS QB Sam Darnold RB Elijah McGuire RB Trenton Cannon WR Quincy Enunwa WR Robby Anderson WR Jermaine Kearse WR Andre Roberts WR Rishard Matthews TE Chris Herndon TE Jordan Leggett FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Jason Myers P/A SK INT FUM DT Jets PREVIOUS MATCHUP: 2018 Regular Season Week 12 New York lost to New England at MetLife Stadium. Sam Darnold missed the game because of a foot injury. Josh McCown threw for 276 yards and one touchdown. Elijah McGuire amassed a rushing line and a receiving line. Isaiah Crowell compiled a rushing line and a receiving line. Robby Anderson made two grabs for 22 yards on five targets. Quincy Enunwa caught four passes for 73 yards on four targets. Jermaine Kearse hauled in six passes for 66 yards and one touchdown on 12 targets.

20 NEW ENGLAND PATRI OTS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Rob Gronkowski (ankle, back) BYE: Week 11 The New England Patriots have already clinched a playoff berth. A victory over the New York Jets would lock New England into the AFC s No. 2 playoff seed. If Patriots lose, they would have to play in the Wild Card round as the No. 3 seed or No. 4 seed. ING MATCHUP Since the now Josh Gordon-less New England passing attack hasn t been clicking on all cylinders, a run-heavy game plan with Sony Michel, James White and Rex Burkhead seems likely versus a New York Jets defense that has been gashed on the ground in road contests. Michel, coming off his second outing with at least 110 rushing yards and one touchdown in the last five weeks, is the most reliable option in this three-headed backfield. White has averaged just nine touches and four receptions per contest since Burkhead returned from an injury layoff in Week 13. He s also averaging nine combo touches per outing. ING MATCHUP Fantasy managers are understandably nervous about Tom Brady because he tossed only one touchdown pass in three of his last four starts and has looked shaky at times because security blanket Rob Gronkowski just hasn t been himself due to injuries and what some folks think is a declining skill set. With the Patriots leaning on their ground game, Brady should still cobble together a moderate outing against a Jets defense that has permitted the seventh-most passing yards. Any of New England s wideouts could erupt since Gang Green has coughed up the second-most wideout fantasy points, but steady Julian Edelman (at least 70 yards or one scoring grab in nine of his last 10 games) is the safest play. New York has been gouged by slot wideouts all season. The Jets have yielded the eighth-fewest tight end fantasy points, and it s very hard to predict when Gronkowski will show up. PLAYER WEEK 17 PLAYER PROJECTIONS QB Tom Brady RB Sony Michel RB James White RB Rex Burkhead WR Julian Edelman WR Chris Hogan WR Cordarrelle Patterson TE Rob Gronkowski

21 FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Stephen Gostkowski P/A SK INT FUM DT Patriots PREVIOUS MATCHUP: 2018 Regular Season Week 12 New England throttled New York at MetLife Stadium. Tom Brady passed for 283 yards and two touchdowns. James White compiled a rushing line and a receiving line. Sony Michel amassed a rushing line and a receiving line. Julian Edelman hauled in four passes for 84 yards and one touchdown on five targets. Chris Hogan caught two passes for 47 yards on two targets. Rob Gronkowski caught three passes for 56 yards and one touchdown on seven targets.

22 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (5-10) HOUSTON TEXANS (10-5) SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30 T H 1 : 00 P M ET N R G S T A D I U M H O U S T O N, T X L I N E : H O U 6. 5 O V E R / U N D E R : TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIV E MATCHUPS UNIT RANK SCOR. PTS/ RANK GM RANK YPG RANK YPG J A G U A R S O F F E N S E T E X A N S D E F E N S E T E X A N S O F F E N S E J A G U A R S D EF E N S E JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Leonard Fournette (ankle, foot), Carlos Hyde (knee), D.J. Chark (quad), Josh Lambo (groin injured reserve) BYE: Week 9 What a difference a year makes. This 5-10 Jacksonville Jaguars team was only five points away from going to the Super Bowl last season. Jacksonville s sputtering offense has scored just one touchdown in the last four weeks. ING MATCHUP What a mess. Leonard Fournette has been ruled out, and Carlos Hyde (knee), assuming he plays, won t be 100 percent. I m guessing that T.J. Yeldon will handle the bulk of the touches with rookie David Williams sprinkled in. Or maybe Williams receives the

23 lion s share of the work with Yeldon sprinkled in. The Houston Texans have surrendered the second-fewest rushing yards and the seventh-fewest rushing touchdowns to tailbacks. ING MATCHUP Because Cody Kessler s level of play was descending into new levels of bad, the Jaguars turned the offense back over to Blake Bortles for the season finale. The Texans defense has allowed the fourth-most passing yards, but keep in mind that Houston usually plays better at home and this is a meaningful game for the Texans. While Bortles could do some damage against a suspect Texans secondary since he's a better passer than Kessler, Bortles also comes with a scary-low floor. If you need a Jacksonville wideout, Dede Westbrook is the safest option. He currently leads the Jaguars in receiving across the board, and the switch from Kessler back to Bortles shouldn't make much of a difference in Westbrook's target load. He was performing solidly overall during Bortles' first 12 starts of the season. A Houston defense that has coughed up the second-most wideout fantasy points during the last month usually plays much better at home, as noted, but Westbrook still deserves flex consideration in PPR leagues because of the Texans' shaky cornerback play. If you re desperate in a deep league, Donte Moncrief is worth a look. PLAYER WEEK 17 PLAYER PROJECTIONS QB Blake Bortles RB Leonard Fournette RB Carlos Hyde RB T.J. Yeldon RB David Williams WR Donte Moncrief WR Dede Westbrook WR D.J. Chark WR Keelan Cole TE James O Shaughnessy FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Josh Lambo PK Kai Forbath P/A SK INT FUM DT Jaguars PREVIOUS MATCHUP: 2018 Regular Season Week 7

24 Jacksonville lost to Houston 20-7 at TIAA Bank Field. Blake Bortles threw for 61 scoreless yards before he was benched. Cody Kessler passed for 156 yards and one touchdown. Leonard Fournette missed the game because of a hamstring injury. T.J. Yeldon amassed a rushing line and a receiving line. Donte Moncrief made seven grabs for 76 yards on 10 targets. Dede Westbrook caught two passes for 17 yards. HOUSTON TEXANS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Lamar Miller (ankle), Keke Coutee (hamstring) BYE: Week 10 The Houston Texans have locked up a playoff berth. If they beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston will capture the AFC South division crown and have a good shot a clinching the AFC s No. 3 playoff seed. ING MATCHUP Lamar Miller (ankle) will draw the start, but he s far from a safe play. Despite sitting out one game (Week 16) and most of another one (Week 15), some think Miller still isn t 100 percent. After the Jacksonville defense was pounded by Derrick Henry (Titans) for 238 rushing yards and four touchdowns back in Week 14, it looks like the Jaguars have repaired their run defense. During the last two weeks, Jacksonville allowed the second-fewest rushing yards and no rushing scores. In addition, D Onta Foreman and Alfred Blue are both available to step in if Miller struggles or aggravates his tender ankle. ING MATCHUP Jacksonville is still playing some tough pass defense. The Jaguars have permitted the second-fewest passing yards and the second-fewest touchdown tosses, but Deshaun Watson should use his legs early and often since Jacksonville has yielded the third-most rushing yards to the quarterback position. With Demaryius Thomas (Achilles' tendon) lost for the season, Watson will lean heavily on the must-start DeAndre Hopkins (ankle). He has either scored at least once or racked up at least 70 receiving yards in every game played this season, and Hopkins has been targeted 11.3 times per game during the last month. The Jaguars have permitted the fewest catches, the second-fewest receiving yards and the fewest scoring grabs to the wideout position, but don't worry about Hopkins. He has scored in three straight against Jacksonville. PLAYER WEEK 17 PLAYER PROJECTIONS QB Deshaun Watson RB Lamar Miller

25 RB Alfred Blue RB D Onta Foreman WR DeAndre Hopkins WR Keke Coutee WR DeAndre Carter TE Jordan Thomas TE Ryan Griffin FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Ka imi Fairbairn P/A SK INT FUM DT Texans PREVIOUS MATCHUP: 2018 Regular Season Week 7 Houston downed Jacksonville 20-7 at TIAA Bank Field. Deshaun Watson passed for 139 yards and one score, and rushed for Lamar Miller compiled a rushing line and a 1-(-1)-0 receiving line. Alfred Blue amassed an rushing line and a receiving line. DeAndre Hopkins reeled in three passes for 50 yards and one touchdown on eight targets. Keke Coutee made one grab for three yards on three targets. Will Fuller (ACL) caught six passes for 68 yards on eight targets.

26 DETROIT LIONS (5-10) GREEN BAY PACKERS (6-8-1) SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30 T H 1 : 00 P M ET L A M B E A U F I E L D G R E E N B A Y, W I L I N E : G B 8. 0 O V E R / U N D E R : 44.5 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIV E MATCHUPS UNIT RANK SCOR. PTS/ RANK GM RANK YPG RANK YPG L I O N S O F F E N S E P A C K E R S DEFENSE P A C K E R S O F F E N S E L I O N S D E F E N S E DETROIT LIONS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Matthew Stafford (back), LeGarrette Blount (knee), Bruce Ellington (back), Kenny Golladay (chest) BYE: Week 6 Expect the Detroit Lions to wrap up a truly disappointing season with loss number 11 in Titletown. A very depleted Detroit offense has scored 17 or fewer points in five straight games. ING MATCHUP The Lions insist on using a timeshare with LeGarrette Blount, Theo Riddick and Zach Zenner, even though Zenner is the only one with any fantasy relevance lately. During the last three weeks, the early-down plodder has been good for between 45 and 55 rushing

27 yards, and Zenner found the end zone in two of his last three outings. The Green Bay Packers defense has allowed at least 80 rushing yards and one rushing score to enemy tailbacks in three of its last four games. I think Zenner will hit pay dirt before game script turns sour on him. ING MATCHUP The struggling Matthew Stafford has tossed one or fewer touchdown passes in six straight games in a passing attack that s him and Kenny Golladay playing pitch and catch. It ll be a shock if Stafford tosses more than one scoring strike despite a plus matchup against a Green Bay defense that has allowed the seventh-most passing yards and the fifth-most touchdown passes in the last month. Golladay is the only Lions receiver that deserves starting consideration. He scored against the Pack in Week 5, and I think Golladay will find the end zone in this rematch. Green Bay has coughed up the fifth-most wideout fantasy points. PLAYER WEEK 17 PLAYER PROJECTIONS QB Matthew Stafford RB LeGarrette Blount RB Zach Zenner RB Theo Riddick WR Kenny Golladay WR Bruce Ellington WR T.J. Jones WR Andy Jones TE Levine Toilolo FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Matt Prater P/A SK INT FUM DT Lions PREVIOUS MATCHUP: 2018 Regular Season Week 5 Detroit outdueled Green Bay at Ford Field. Matthew Stafford passed for 183 yards and two touchdowns. Kerryon Johnson compiled a rushing line and a receiving line. LeGarrette Blount amassed a rushing line and a receiving line. Theo Riddick piled up a rushing line and a receiving line. Kenny Golladay caught four passes for 98 yards and one touchdown on nine targets. Marvin Jones made one grab for eight yards and one touchdown on four targets.

28 GREEN BAY PACKERS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Aaron Rodgers (groin), Equanimeous St. Brown (concussion), Davante Adams (knee), BYE: Week 7 Since the Green Bay Packers launched Mike McCarthy after a shocking Week 13 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, the Packers have gone a respectable 2-1 and are still playing hard. Look for Green Bay to finish up a disappointing season with an easy home victory. ING MATCHUP This past Sunday, Jamaal Williams dominated the Packers backfield, racking up 15 carries for 95 yards and one touchdown and six catches for 61 yards on nine targets. A Detroit Lions defense that s missing three starters upfront has slipped to 18th versus the run during the last month. Williams should have a nice outing as a fantasy RB2 with fantasy RB1 upside. ING MATCHUP This past Sunday, Kirk Cousins (Vikings) gashed a drooping Lions defense for 253 passing yards and three touchdown strikes (granted, one scoring pass came on a Hail Mary), but Detroit has clearly slipped against the pass. Look for Aaron Rodgers to build on his monster Week 16 outing against the New York Jets ( passing and rushing) with a strong performance here. The must-start Davante Adams dusted Darius Slay for on 12 targets back in Week 5, and Adams get the better of Slay again. The Lions have permitted the ninth-most tight end fantasy points during the last month, and Jimmy Graham has had success agianst them in the past. The touchdown projected for Randall Cobb is done so with shaky confidence. This could be Cobb s final game with the Green and Gold, so he should be extra motivated. PLAYER WEEK 17 PLAYER PROJECTIONS QB Aaron Rodgers RB Jamaal Williams RB Kapri Bibbs WR Davante Adams WR Randall Cobb WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling WR Equanimeous St. Brown WR Jake Kumerow TE Jimmy Graham

29 FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Mason Crosby P/A SK INT FUM DT Packers PREVIOUS MATCHUP: 2018 Regular Season Week 5 Green Bay lost to Detroit at Ford Field. Aaron Rodgers threw for 442 yards and three touchdowns. Aaron Jones compiled a rushing line and a receiving line. Jamaal Williams amassed a rushing line and a receiving line. Davante Adams reeled in nine passes for 140 yards and one touchdown on 12 targets. Randall Cobb missed the game due to a hamstring injury. Marquez Valdes-Scantling hauled in seven passes for 68 yards and one score on 11 targets. Equanimeous St. Brown caught three passes for 89 yards on five targets. Jimmy Graham logged six receptions for 76 yards on 10 targets.

30 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (8-7) WASHINGTON (7-8) SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30 T H 4 : 25 P M ET F E D E X F I E L D L A N D O V E R, M D L I N E : P H I 6. 5 O V E R / U N D E R : 42.0 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIV E MATCHUPS UNIT RANK SCOR. PTS/ RANK GM RANK YPG RANK YPG P H I L. O F F E N S E W A S H. D E F E N S E W A S H. O F F E N S E P H I L. DEFENSE INJURIES TO MONITOR: None BYE: Week 9 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES To make the NFC playoffs as the No. 6 seed, the Philadelphia Eagles need to beat Washington, and the Chicago Bears need to defeat the Minnesota Vikings. The Eagles are 2-0 with Nick Foles under center, averaging 31 points per contest. ING MATCHUP During the last three weeks, the struggling Josh Adams has scored only once and has failed to clear 38 rushing yards in a game. Adams should top the 50-yard mark

31 and has some upside this week against a Washington defense that has allowed the second-most rushing yards in the last month, but Adams has a scary floor if he doesn t score which I m not expecting. This past Sunday, Darren Sproles racked up 108 combo yards and hit pay dirt for the third time in the last four weeks. Washington has been vulnerable to running backs in the passing game, and Nick Foles hasn t been shy about checking down to Sproles. ING MATCHUP Nick Foles is coming off a monster outing 471 passing yards and four touchdown passes against the Houston Texans this past Sunday and has some nice upside versus a Washington defense that has been nothing special versus the pass. Eli Manning gashed Washington for 197 yards and three touchdowns in Week 14, and Carson Wentz pounded the Burgundy and Gold with 306 yards and two touchdowns in Week 13. Although Alshon Jeffery will draw coverage from Josh Norman, I d still roll with Jeffery. His play has improved during Foles two starts. Jeffery has compiled receiving lines of and in the last two weeks, respectively. The other Eagles wideouts are dart throws. Although Washington has permitted the 10th-fewest tight end fantasy points, you re not going to bench Zach Ertz. PLAYER WEEK 17 PLAYER PROJECTIONS QB Nick Foles RB Josh Adams RB Darren Sproles RB Wendell Smallwood WR Alshon Jeffery WR Golden Tate WR Jordan Matthews WR Nelson Agholor TE Zach Ertz FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Jake Elliott P/A SK INT FUM DT Eagles PREVIOUS MATCHUP: 2018 Regular Season Week 13 Philadelphia throttled Washington at Lincoln Financial Field. Carson Wentz passed for 306 yards and two touchdowns. Josh Adams compiled a rushing line and a receiving line. Darren Sproles amassed a rushing line and a receiving line.

32 Golden Tate made seven grabs for 85 yards and one touchdown on seven targets. Alshon Jeffery caught three passes for 31 yards on five targets. Nelson Agholor reeled in four passes for 56 yards on eight targets. Zach Ertz hauled in nine balls for 83 yards on 10 targets. WASHINGTON INJURIES TO MONITOR: Vernon Davis (concussion), Josh Docston (illness), Maurice Harris (concussion injured reserve) BYE: Week 4 Washington has been eliminated from the postseason hunt. Will the Burgundy and Gold phone this one in or treat it like it s their Super Bowl? Washington has lost six of its last eight games and has scored just 16 points in three straight with Josh Johnson under center (two starts). ING MATCHUP Adrian Peterson, looking more spry than he had in the last few weeks, ran well against the Tennessee Titans last week, carrying 26 times for 119 yards, which was just his third 100-yard effort of the season. The Philadelphia Eagles have permitted the sixthfewest rushing yards to tailbacks, but they ve allowed a score to the position in four of their last five. While Peterson won t erupt with a ton of yardage, I like his chances for a score. Chris Thompson has averaged just six touches per game during the last month and continues to lose work to Byron Marshall. ING MATCHUP Don t expect Josh Johnson to exploit a leaky Philadelphia secondary. The Eagles have hemorrhaged the second-most passing yards. Johnson simply isn t good enough and doesn t have enough quality weapons to make it happen. Jamison Crowder is the only Washington receiver that deserves starting consideration. He has either scored or racked up at least 75 receiving yards in two of Johnson s three appearances (two starts). Philadelphia has ceded the third-most wideout fantasy points. PLAYER WEEK 17 PLAYER PROJECTIONS QB Josh Johnson RB Adrian Peterson RB Chris Thompson WR Jamison Crowder WR Josh Doctson WR Michael Floyd WR Maurice Harris

33 TE Vernon Davis TE Jeff Sprinkle FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Dustin Hopkins P/A SK INT FUM DT Washington PREVIOUS MATCHUP: 2018 Regular Season Week 13 Washington lost to Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field. Mark Sanchez threw for 100 scoreless yards. Colt McCoy passed for 50 scoreless yards. Adrian Peterson compiled a rushing line and a receiving line. Chris Thompson amassed a rushing line and a receiving line. Jamison Crowder hauled in four passes for 36 yards on four targets. Josh Doctson made three grabs for 51 yards on five targets.

34 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (11-4) DENVER BRONCOS (6-9) SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30 T H 4 : 25 P M ET M I L E H I G H S T A D I U M D E N V E R, C O L I N E : L A 6. 5 O V E R / U N D E R : 41.5 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIV E MATCHUPS UNIT RANK SCOR. PTS/ RANK GM RANK YPG RANK YPG C H A R G E R S O F F E N S E B RO N C O S D EF E N S E B RO N C O S O F F E N S E C H A R G E R S D E F E N S E LOS ANGELES CHARGERS INJURIES TO MONITOR: None BYE: Week 8 The Los Angeles Chargers have clinched a playoff berth. If they win and the Kansas City Chiefs lose to the Oakland Raiders, the Chargers take the top playoff seed in the AFC. If Kansas City defeats Oakland, the Chargers drop down to the No. 5 seed regardless of whether they win here. ING MATCHUP Workhorse Melvin Gordon is a must-start guy as always versus a Denver Broncos defense that has permitted the sixth-most rushing yards to the tailback position. Austin Ekeler is expected to return after missing two games due to a neck injury. He s worthy of

35 flex consideration since the Broncos are ranked only 18th in running back fantasy points allowed, but Ekeler is usually more productive in home contests. ING MATCHUP Back in Week 11, Philip Rivers gashed Denver with 401 passing yards and two touchdown tosses, and he has thrown at least two scoring strikes in every road contest played this season. While the Broncos will put up a fight at home, Rivers shouldn t have too much trouble against Denver s Chris Harris-less secondary. With slot cornerback Harris sidelined, Keenan Allen should have a solid game. Projecting a touchdown for Mike Williams is admittedly a dart throw. The Broncos secondary is leaky, and the Chargers probably would like to get Williams back on track after his dud outing against the Baltimore Ravens (one catch for seven yards). Williams racked up three touchdowns versus the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 15. PLAYER WEEK 17 PLAYER PROJECTIONS QB Philip Rivers RB Melvin Gordon RB Austin Ekeler WR Keenan Allen WR Tyrell Williams WR Mike Williams WR Travis Benjamin TE Antonio Gates FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Michael Badgley P/A SK INT FUM DT Chargers PREVIOUS MATCHUP: 2018 Regular Season Week 11 Los Angeles lost to Denver at Rokit Field at StubHub Center. Phillip Rivers threw for 401 yards and two touchdowns. Melvin Gordon compiled an rushing line and receiving line. Austin Ekeler amassed a rushing line and a receiving line. Keenan Allen made nine grabs for 89 yards and one touchdown. Mike Williams caught two passes for 56 yards. Antonio Gates reeled in five passes for 80 yards and one touchdown.