Tag: Fox Sport News

There aren’t many days in the history of women’s sports more significant than Sept. 20, 1973.

Despite the garish spectacle of Billie Jean King being carried into the Astrodome on a chariot by barely-dressed men, then presenting Bobby Riggs with a baby pig to symbolize his chauvinism, tennis’ iconic Battle of the Sexes is remembered — and rightly so — as a serious turning point in the fight to legitimize female athletes in the eyes of a male-dominated culture.

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Set against the backdrop of Title IX’s passage the year before and the establishment of the WTA Tour months earlier, 90 million people worldwide watched King’s victory on television. It turned her into a global superstar. It validated women’s tennis as a commercial enterprise, opening the door for other women’s sports to do the same. In many ways, it turbocharged the women’s liberation movement into households and workplaces across the country.

“(It) was really political,” King told BBC Sport in a recent interview. “It was rough, culturally, what was coming with it. I knew I had to beat him for societal change. I had a lot of reasons to win.”

For comparison’s sake, the next Battle of the Sexes on Dec. 28, 2025 is, uh, not going to be that.

If anything, the match between world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and tennis bad boy Nick Kyrgios — in Dubai, of all places — is a nakedly cynical, agency-arranged cash grab representing little more than the cultural rot of social media and the same addiction to meaningless theatrics that gives our overstimulated brains the dopamine hit we now wake up craving.

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“Hollow and unserious and feckless while still being nugatory and pointless,” longtime commentator and soon-to-be International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee Mary Carillo wrote in an e-mail to Yahoo Sports. “But in the larger sense it’s a useless, invalidating, inane piece of flapdoodle.”

It might be unserious, but it comes with a serious question: Given that women’s tennis is well past the point of needing gimmicks to gin up attention, would it potentially be damaging if the No. 1 player in the world and a four-time Grand Slam champion loses to a tennis carnival barker who has played six official matches since the start of 2023?

Evolve, the sports agency that represents both players and set up the event, is billing the match as an homage to the legacy of what happened 1973.

But not only is that ridiculous on its face, it’s completely unnecessary.

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For one thing, this isn’t even going to be a real tennis match. Whereas King and Riggs played a standard best-of-five set format — a huge part of what made King’s 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 victory so meaningful — the dimensions of the court for this one have been modified so Sabalenka has about 9-percent less real estate to defend on her side of the net. Also, both players will only get one serve, which probably plays to her advantage since Kyrgios — one of the biggest servers in tennis history — will be forced to play a bit safer.

So even if Sabalenka wins, the modified rules ensure an automatic asterisk.

“It’s more of a show — it has nothing to do with the Battle of the Sexes, with what Billie Jean King versus Bobby Riggs meant,” former No. 1 Garbiñe Muguruza said recently on the Spanish COPE podcast.

Let’s face it, there’s also the misogyny of it all, starting with where the match is going to be held.

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While the United Arab Emirates constitution guarantees equal rights in areas like education, employment and property, human rights groups have identified several areas of concern, especially regarding domestic violence and family laws that do not protect women equally and do not align with Western values.

There’s also the Kyrgios issue.

In 1973, Riggs was a 55-year old has-been and country club hustler whose garden-variety, Archie Bunker-style chauvinism was both cartoonish and reflective of a society in transition.

Kyrgios reflects modern society’s thirst for a circus from his on-court meltdowns, to his prodigious but largely wasted talent, to a guilty plea in Australia for pushing his ex-girlfriend onto the pavement during an argument in 2021 (the magistrate in the case did not record a criminal conviction) to an episode in 2024 where he had to disavow self-described misogynist and controversial influencer Andrew Tate over social media activity that became the source of complaints during Wimbledon when he was working as a broadcaster for the BBC.

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At this point, with Kyrgios’ tennis career hanging by a thread, it’s hard to escape the feeling this is one last shot at a giant payday, using a vapid instrument that will accomplish nothing except once again validating his ability to generate attention.

“In whatever we do in today’s day and age there’s always going to be negative noise, there’s always people trying to tear us down,” he said in an interview with UK-based Talk Sport. “I have ultimate respect for Aryna. We have a good friendship. It’s done in a good way. We’re going out there to compete and we’re entertainers, going to have some fun, but we want to play a hard match. That’s it. She’s the No. 1 player in the world, she’s very capable. There’s going to be millions of people watching this. If I don’t get a good start it’ll feel like the world’s on my shoulders.

“Think about all the good that’s going to come from this.”

Good for his bank account, maybe. But for tennis? For the popularity of women’s sports? For the advancement of women’s rights in the Middle East?

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Please.

“It’s quite funny to see how some people say that,” Sabalenka said on Piers Morgan Uncensored. “We’re just bringing our sport to the next level and bringing the show and the visibility this event got in the last couple months is incredible and we’re going to compete and fight and it’s going to explode our sport a bit more.”

Sure, if you believe all attention is good attention.

But the beauty of being a top-ranked women’s tennis player in 2025 is that you don’t need to do stuff like this. Largely thanks to the foundation King laid for the WTA Tour and pushing for equal prize money at the Grand Slams, Sabalenka has made $15 million this year alone in on-court earnings. Women’s tennis can stand alone as a premiere sport in practically any country in the world.

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In fact, the whole point of what King accomplished that day in 1973 was building a sustainable sport so that women didn’t have to do anything like that again to get respect as athletes.

To reduce that legacy to crass commercialism and social media views is disappointing, but fitting.

“The only similarity is one’s a boy, one’s a girl,” King said. “That’s it. I hope it’s a great match. I want Sabalenka to obviously win. It’s just not the same.

Fantasy football championship week. Week 17. The final Tale of the Take for 2025. It’s been a wild ride of tall tales that hit big and a few that face-planted, but you stayed locked in from kickoff until now and I appreciate you for it.

If these calls helped you advance or kept you entertained on Thursdays throughout the season, that’s a win in my book.

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We ain’t playing around here this week. We’re going for week-flipping outcomes. I’ll lay out the tale, then give you the take you can use when it’s time to set the lineup that decides the trophy.

Trevor Lawrence, Week 17’s QB1 overall

The Tale: Trevor Lawrence is straight up balling right now. There’s no other way to put it. Since Week 12, he’s been the QB1 by 5.0 points per game, averaging 26.7 and stacking production like a closer. Boom, boom, boom.

From Weeks 12 through 16, he’s thrown 17 touchdowns, and the surge matches what we’re seeing on the field. It started a little rocky, but the chemistry between Lawrence and Liam Coen is fully in sync. They’re ripping off commanding wins, and Lawrence is answering every week with big-time throws and clean decision-making. He’s finding answers in the red zone with his legs or his arm. He’s protecting the ball and playing with the type of confidence that tilts a fantasy matchup by halftime.

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Now the Jags roll into Week 17 with a chance to finish the job against Indianapolis. The Colts have watched their season slide from division favorite to just hanging on, and this defense has been a target for fantasy lineups. Jacksonville still has something to grab here, and Lawrence is playing like a quarterback who refuses to give the week back. You can feel when the switch flips. The processing is crisp, the placement is money and the urgency shows up, snap after snap. You want volume, you want touchdowns, you want a quarterback who has been carrying lineups since Thanksgiving. That’s T-Law in this spot.

We’re not playing around. As Denzel Washington said, “I’m leaving here with something.” Week 17, we’re leaving here with a fantasy championship, thanks to Lawrence.

The Take: Trevor Lawrence finishes against the Indianapolis Colts as the fantasy QB1 on the week.

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The December King returns; Derrick Henry is back

The Tale: December belongs to Derrick Henry. Baltimore dropped one at home to New England, yet the only reason it stayed tight was No. 22 taking over. He scored two touchdowns, averaged 7.0 a carry then barely saw the ball in the fourth. Head Coach John Harbaugh said it was inexcusable to go away from Henry late. Lamar Jackson left before halftime with a back issue. Lesson learned.

This week, the plan is simple: hand it to Henry and let him set the tone.

Now, it’s Green Bay. The Packers are banged up and just gashed by the run versus the Chicago Bears last week. D’Andre Swift went 13 for 58, Kyle Monangai went 9 for 50 and the Bears rolled to 150 rushing yards on 5.8 a pop. On the season, Green Bay is allowing about 103 rushing yards per game, which sits 22nd.

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This isn’t the spot to get cute. Baltimore needs to get in, control the clock and get out on a short week with Lamar less than 100% (if he even plays). Henry is the Ravens’ hammer in December. Feed him early, finish drives with him then close the door when defenders want no part of tackling No. 22 late. Last week’s mistake won’t repeat. Volume meets December form and the outcome feels inevitable.

The Take: Derrick Henry finishes as a top-five running back on the week.

Bengals vs. Cardinals = fantasy fireworks

The Tale: You should be grinning from ear to ear if you roster pieces from this game. Two teams at the bottom are about to give us a top-shelf fantasy script with a 52.5 total and Cincinnati favored by 7.5. This is the start-everyone game. The Bengals are allowing 402 yards per game, most in the league. Arizona isn’t far behind at 350, seventh worst. That’s the recipe you hunt in championship week. Joe Burrow to Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase is live from the opening drive. Chase Brown gets a runway against a front that leaks chunk gains. Even Mike Gesicki can get home if you’re digging for a tight end.

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On the other side, I know Jacoby Brissett let you down last week and Trey McBride didn’t bail you out, but the matchup swings back in their favor. Cincinnati has been a target for tight ends; it allows the fourth-most passing yards per game to the position. Arizona allows the 10th-most rushing yards and the 11th-most passing yards, which is a problem when the opposing quarterback is Joe Burrow. This isn’t the spot to get cute or overthink last week’s dud. Brissett distributes, McBride reclaims the volume, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson both carry spike potential, and Michael Carter slides in as a strong flex against the league’s softest run group.

It’s a true fantasy dream that checks every box — high total, bad defenses, concentrated usage and a quarterback on one side who can force the pace for all of us.

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The Take: Start everybody in Bengals-Cardinals for Week 17.

Ashton Jeanty’s volume rolls

The Tale: These teams are heading in the same direction for the wrong reasons, but this tale is about how bad the Giants’ defense has been. They are giving up 150 rushing yards per game, second-worst in the league and a league high 5.5 per rush. They have allowed the fourth-most total yards per game and it shows in every phase. Missed fits, sloppy angles, late tackles. Yes, Brian Burns and Abdul Carter can flash with pressure yet this unit still struggles to finish drives or flip field position. That is the type of team you can attack with a strong running game.

Especially with a rookie back who is built to handle contact and keeps gaining yards with every touch.

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Last week, we finally saw Ashton Jeanty look like the top running back drafted. The Raiders committed to him early to manage the game and he answered with 24 carries for 128 yards at 5.3 a tote, plus one explosive catch that reminded everyone he is dangerous when the ball finds space. It was his first 100-yard day since Week 5 and his first multi-touchdown game since that same Week 5 performance. The volume is bankable, the role is secure and the motivation is real with a path to 1,000 on the season.

New York has not stopped anyone on the ground all year. This is where you lean on a workhorse, play from ahead then salt the fourth with body blows that add up by the whistle.

Jeanty can play. The matchup is outstanding. The clock will be your friend once Jeanty starts stacking first downs.

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The Take: Ashton Jeanty finishes as a top-three running back on the week.

Justin Jefferson, for old times’ sake

The Tale: It hasn’t been the season anyone signed up for with Justin Jefferson. The Vikings have shuffled quarterbacks all year with J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer taking snaps, and now McCarthy is out again for championship week. Still, you saw the door crack open last week. I told you the Giants matchup made Jefferson viable, and while it wasn’t one of those vintage monster spikes, it was a step forward for a star who spent about a month stuck around two catches a game. Jefferson answered with six for 85 and looked like the steadying force this offense needed when everything else felt shaky.

This is a spot in which Jefferson should be able to do damage. Detroit is in a defensive free fall. Since Week 12, no team is allowing more than 400 total yards a game except the Lions, and they aren’t just over 400 — they’re bleeding 458. They’re giving up a league-high 313 passing yards per game and close to 150 on the ground. Pressure hasn’t arrived, even with Aidan Hutchinson.

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On the other side, the Vikings defense has made life hard for quarterbacks, allowing the fewest passing yards since Week 12, which can tilt the game toward controlled targets for the best player on the field. That’s Jefferson. New quarterback or not, the job is simple in Week 17 — throw Jefferson the ball, then keep throwing it to him.

The Take: Justin Jefferson finishes as a top-15 wide receiver on the week.

Welcome to Week 17 of the fantasy fades and busts of the week — championship week and the finale of this column! I am your host, Matt Okada, and have pulled together half a dozen players to avoid one last time!

As a note, just because a player earns a “fade” or “bust” designation doesn’t automatically mean they should be benched — it depends on the rest of your roster or the options on your waiver wire. But you can expect them to fall short of expectations (when I get them right).

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Happy holidays and, without further ado, here is my list for Week 17 of the 2025 season.

RB Breece Hall, New York Jets

All season long, I’ve actively attempted to avoid going back-to-back with a player in this column. But with Breece Hall remaining on the edge of RB2 territory in most rankings — and heavily started in most leagues — I feel compelled to offer one last reminder on the former top-five fantasy back.

With the devolution of the Jets offense, Hall has been unplayably inefficient for three straight weeks now, averaging just 5.4 points per game over that span despite seeing at least 14 opportunities in all three contests. His 3.3 yards per carry following New York’s Week 9 bye is fourth-worst among all qualified running backs and he’s scored just one touchdown in his last six games. Now, he draws a matchup with the Patriots defense, which has been lights out against the position all season. Barring a sudden resurgence in his receiving work — Hall has just 31 receiving yards over the last month — the former must-start RB is a must-sit in Week 17.

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What to do ❓ I suppose those who continue to rank Hall as a borderline RB2 are doing so based purely on volume, but it still doesn’t make much sense. That volume could diminish as the Jets wind down a lost season, and even if it doesn’t, his lack of efficiency takes him off the starting radar outside of deep-league flexes.

RB Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers

Former fantasy darling Rico Dowdle led off the “Stock Down at RB” section of my weekly Stock Report column, and the decline should drop him all the way out of lineups in the fantasy championship. He has scored just one touchdown over his last five games and logged fewer than 60 rushing yards in six straight, while Chuba Hubbard continues to leech just enough volume to hurt Dowdle’s upside.

In Week 17, he and the Panthers clash with a Seattle defense that’s surrendered 13+ fantasy points to just one running back in the last 11 weeks (Kyren Williams, who scored 16.1). If they can suppress backs like Bijan Robinson, Jonathan Taylor and Williams, they can hold Dowdle to another single-digit Sunday.

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What to do ❓ Dowdle is always a threat to break off a big play on the ground or through the air, so I like him a bit more than Breece Hall, but he still belongs in RB3 territory for this weekend.

WR DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles

On the one hand, DeVonta Smith has seen 8+ targets in four of his last five games, a product of Philadelphia’s extremely narrow target distribution. On the other, he’s only logged more than 50 receiving yards once since Week 11 and has consequently posted single-digit fantasy points four times over that span, despite a run of mostly “green” matchups. Against the one tough defense he’s faced through this late-season stretch —the Chargers — Smith caught just four passes for 37 yards. And now he heads to Buffalo to face the Bills’ secondary at Highmark Stadium in freezing temperatures, high winds and definite rain (or snow). It’s shaping up to be a heavy ground game for both teams and would likely take a miracle downfield touchdown for Smith to return starting value this weekend.

What to do ❓ Unless you have no better options — someone like Jakobi Meyers, Wan’Dale Robinson or even Stefon Diggs — send Smith to the bench in this one. It has all the makings of a three-catch, 30-yard dud.

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WR Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers

What I really mean here is to bench every Chargers wide receiver (and tight end), but I’ve highlighted Ladd McConkey for the convenience of our fearless editors and social team. Also, he’s the most highly started (and ranked) of the trio, ahead of Quentin Johnston and Keenan Allen.

But let me repeat: sit everyone in this Los Angeles air attack on Saturday.

They’ve been horribly unproductive lately, outside of last week against the Cowboys defense (if you can call that a defense), and welcome the ravenous Texans secondary into SoFi this weekend. No single slice of this pie is reliable or trustworthy enough to start, and with a dysfunctional offensive line and a battered Justin Herbert, the overall pie isn’t great either. You’re basically taking a nearly blind shot on which receiver will catch a touchdown (if any) and hoping that’s enough to elevate an otherwise lackluster day against Derek Stingley Jr. and Co.

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What to do ❓ Bench them all. Seriously. Ladd McConkey falls below names like Diggs and Robinson (mentioned above), as well as all the WR3 Juniors — Brian Thomas Jr., Chris Godwin Jr., Michael Pittman Jr. and Marvin Harrison Jr. … And I wouldn’t touch Johnston or Allen with a 39-and-a-half-foot pole.

TE Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles

For three straight weeks, Dallas Goedert has been a shining light for the Philly offense and for fantasy football. He’s snagged 17 catches for 180 yards and three touchdowns over that span and scored double-digit fantasy points in all three. But all good things must come to an end. As I noted with Smith above, the weather in Buffalo looks absolutely atrocious for Sunday afternoon, and while the Bills are decent against wideouts, they’re downright terrifying against tight ends. Only the Eagles themselves have allowed fewer points per game to the position, and Buffalo’s “softest” showing against a tight end was Evan Engram’s 11.3 points back in Week 5. On the whole, they’ve allowed the fewest receptions and second-fewest yards and touchdowns to tight ends all season. Unless Jalen Hurts forces the ball to Goedert, which seems unlikely in this weather, he’s going to be yet another victim of this run-funnel defense.

What to do ❓ If you’re starting Goedert in your fantasy championship, you’re in trouble. Go with your alternate tight end if you have one, or try to find a streamer on the waiver wire if not. Dalton Schultz, Darren Waller and Colston Loveland would all work, and you might even consider dropping to AJ Barner in a pinch.

Using matchup data, I’ve got 13 sleepers who could help you bring home that fantasy football championship — or, if you’re like me and got bounced, the following folks present good value in DFS environments. Good luck and let’s go …

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Quarterbacks

DEEP SLEEPER: Shedeur Sanders vs. PIT

• The Steelers have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to the position and are tied for the third-most touchdowns allowed to opposing signal callers.

• Five straight quarterbacks have scored two or more touchdowns against this defense.

• I’m also intrigued by the fact that the Steelers have forced the ninth-lowest QB pressure rate this year. Clean pockets are very important for Shedeur at this point in his development.

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Jacoby Brissett vs. CIN

• The Bengals are bottom-five in quarterback pressure rate, passing yards and fantasy points allowed to the position.

• Brissett let you down last week, but the Cardinals QB has been dang-near automatic this year, scoring two or more touchdowns in eight of his last 10 games.

• The point total is set at 52.5, not just the highest of the week, one of the highest of the year. The boys in the desert are anticipating a ping-pong match, meaning increased touchdown exposure for everyone involved.

Tyler Shough vs. TEN

• Barring last week’s game against an injury-ravaged Chiefs team, the Titans have been getting shredded by opposing quarterbacks. Prior to the KC game, Brock Purdy, the aforementioned Sanders and Trevor Lawrence scored 20+ fantasy points against Tennessee in consecutive weeks.

• Even including the Chiefs, the Titans have given up 2+ touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks in seven of their last nine matchups.

• And Shough has been low-key solid; he’s racked up 300+ yards or 2+ touchdowns while scoring at least 17 fantasy points in four of his last five games.

Running Backs

Michael Carter vs. CIN

• The Bengals allow 5.99 YPC to running backs on outside runs, second worst in the NFL. Meanwhile, Arizona running backs rely heavily on outside runs with the seventh-highest outside run rate, per Next Gen Stats.

• See above regarding the point total.

DEEP SLEEPER: Zach Charbonnet vs. CAR

• The Panthers give up the eighth-most fantasy points and ninth-most rushing yards to running backs but it’s how they go about doing so that has me intrigued. The 5.14 YPC allowed to running backs on inside carries is the third-worst mark in the NFL.

Rhamondre Stevenson vs. NYJ

• Dre Day is practically a must-start with TreVeyon Henderson working through a concussion. The Jets have given up the most touchdowns to the position and seven different running backs have scored a touchdown over their past six matchups.

• Overall, the Jets have given up the fifth-most fantasy points to the position, and this doesn’t even include all the production they gave up last week to Taysom Hill, who made a bunch of plays as a de facto running back.

• Rhamondre is playing well; he’s averaging 5.4 YPC over his last three games. Let’s just pray he doesn’t fumble and/or get vultured at the goal line.

Wide Receivers

Parker Washington vs. IND

• Following his monster day versus Denver (a career-high 145 yards), Washington has a favorable matchup against an Indy defense that absolutely cannot stop the pass right now.

• The Colts have allowed the third-most fantasy points to receivers and have specifically been getting sliced up on the inside. They’ve allowed the most receptions and the second-most yards to inside receivers.

• Remember, Washington missed this game a few weeks back and in his stead, the lightly used Tim Patrick filled that void. Patrick promptly had his best game of the season, posting a 6/5/78/TD slash line and scoring 18.8 fantasy points in PPR formats.

Luther Burden III vs. SF

• Rome Odunze has no timetable for his return and Olamide Zaccheaus has been painfully inconsistent. While I like DJ Moore in this spot as well, Burden has the opportunity to go out there and put up big numbers, too. The Niners have, at times, been gashed by outside receivers. Alec Pierce with a dead-arm Philip Rivers scored two touchdowns just last week and, over their last eight games, six different outside receivers have either scored a touchdown or collected 100+ yards (or both).

Michael Pittman Jr. vs. JAX

• The Jags have really struggled to contain outside receivers, having allowed the third-most fantasy points when isolating for alignment.

• I get that Pierce has been the much splashier player this year but I still think that Pittman’s skill set in the intermediate area of the field fits best with what remains of Rivers’ arm.

• Pittman had one of his better games against the Jags in their Week 14 matchup: 12 targets, good for nine receptions and 79 yards.

DEEP SLEEPER: Jack Bech vs. NYG

• The box score has not reflected it but Bech is playing good football. He’s seen his snap share skyrocket over his last three games, averaging 78% snap share in that span.

• Plus, the matchup is good as the Giants have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to outside receivers this year.

Tight Ends

Darren Waller vs. TB

• Keep an eye on the injury report as Waller is nursing a groin injury, but if he’s good to go, he’s in a good spot this week. The Bucs are tied for the second-most touchdowns allowed to the position and overall, they’ve allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to the group.

• If Waller is out, Greg Dulcich isn’t a bad option either.

DEEP SLEEPER: Cade Otton vs. MIA

• It’s obviously a crowded pass-catching group now that all the receivers are back but the matchup is ideal. The Dolphins have allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing TEs.

Michael Mayer vs. NYG

• With Brock Bowers out for the season, Mayer could be in line to benefit. While the floor for all the Raiders is horrifyingly low, there is ceiling here, too. Against the Titans, when Bowers was out, Mayer saw seven targets, good for five receptions, 50 yards and a touchdown, totaling 16 PPR points.

Happy holidays from yours truly! I hope the last couple of days have been time for you all to relax and enjoy time with friends and family as the season and year wind down. However, we’ve got work to do. There’s a fantasy football championship on the line.

Hopefully, the action on Thursday got you out in front of the most important matchup on the schedule. However, if you’re looking for some players to monitor, I’ve got a couple from all of the remaining contests worth watching to close out our playoff runs.

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Houston Texans @ Los Angeles Chargers

C.J. Stroud was on a tear after his return. He was averaging 246.3 passing yards per game, and even dropped three touchdowns on the Cardinals in Week 15. But his outing against the Raiders has me concerned. Their defense only pressured Stroud on 19.4% of his dropbacks, but his passing success rate and yardage total dropped. The Chargers’ pass rush, which has limited passers to fewer than 200 yards in nine games, may create even more problems for the Texans’ aerial attack.

I have to assume Justin Herbert’s MVP candidacy will gain national media consideration if the Chargers win. He hit season-highs in passing success rate and EPA per dropback against Dallas. Plus, the Bolts’ QB is averaging 6.7 touches per game. He had hand surgery three weeks ago! We all thought the Texans’ defense was impenetrable throughout most of the season. But after stumbles against the Cardinals and Raiders, Herbert may be catching the Texans at the right time.

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Baltimore Ravens @ Green Bay Packers

The downturn in opportunity for Isaiah Likely has been baffling. He had back-to-back games with six targets in pivotal, divisional matchups. Both in which even more chaotic events negated touchdowns for Likely. Since then, he hasn’t had the ball thrown his way. Despite being on the field for over half of the team’s dropbacks, Likely has given doughnuts in his box score to fantasy managers. Independent of who starts under center for the Ravens, you’d think OC Todd Monken would try to get another option in the passing game going in order to keep the offense on schedule.

I keep hoping we’ll see more of Jayden Reed, but it could be that his on-field deployment doesn’t match the identity of the offense. Since his return, the Packers’ primary slot man has a receiving aDOT of 6.2 air yards. Meanwhile, Jordan Love has been averaging 12.8 and 10.5 air yards per attempt on his throws. Even Malik Willis was 9.2 after Love got hurt last week vs. the Bears. Green Bay is in the playoffs already after the Lions lost on Christmas, but both QBs are hurt, Christian Watson got banged up two weeks ago and Romeo Doubs hurt his wrist last week. Reed should play a larger role in a push to get the offense back on track, but his past usage doesn’t help make the case.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Miami Dolphins

If I had Bucky Irving on my roster in the fantasy championship, I’d be terrified. Sure, he’s handled 63% of the RB carries since coming back in Week 13. But they’ve been empty-calorie touches. Rachaad White has taken most of the receiving work. Irving didn’t get a single target against the Panthers. Even worse, Sean Tucker is the goal-line back, with 88% of the carries from inside the five-yard line. Without a fantasy-relevant role, Irving is, at best, an RB2 for Week 17.

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On the bright side, Darren Waller has earned at least five targets in the last two games. Somewhat better, HC Mike McDaniel has moved Waller into the slot on 39.6% of his snaps. His 38.1% target share from the interior has given him more lay-up looks to continue producing. However, on the flip side, his target quality has plummeted with the QB change. Last week alone, Waller was at a 60% catchable target rate as Quinn Ewers tried his best against the Bengals. The opportunity should make Waller a viable TE2, but Ewers’ accuracy may be an issue.

Seattle Seahawks @ Carolina Panthers

Only a subset of the fantasy community got to benefit from Kenneth Walker III’s 164-yard outburst in primetime. Now, gamers who are still fighting for a championship and single-slate advocates get to ponder the same conundrum. Walker outproduced Zach Charbonnet. But Charbonnet still had all of the goal-line touches and out-targeted Walker. Somebody’s going to come up with the bright idea to start both of them against the Panthers, but correctly selecting the better of the two has been one of this season’s biggest discussions.

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If you need an explosive catch, Jalen Coker has you covered. Over his last five games, the Panthers’ slot man has at least one catch of 15 yards or more. And he’s more than just a big-play option in the receiving game. Coker has become Bryce Young’s reliable WR2 with 14 of his 18 receptions resulting in either a first down or a score. His ability to beat press coverage, especially in obvious passing situations, has put Carolina on their path to leading the NFC South. However, as the Seahawks’ coverage has been stingy against all WRs not named Puka Nacua, Young and Coker will need another strong outing to keep their lead over the rest of the division.

Arizona Cardinals @ Cincinnati Bengals

Ironically, Jacoby Brissett is the Cardinals’ version of Joe Flacco, who’ll be on the opposite sideline. Brissett only has one win since taking over for Kyler Murray. But his 41.6 attempts per game are keeping fantasy managers with Michael Wilson and Trey McBride happy. He’s thrown for over 200 passing yards and at least one TD in his 10 starts. Cincinnati’s secondary has made some improvements against WRs. But the Bengals’ historic inability to cover TEs should keep Brissett as a viable starter in Week 17.

Ja’Marr Chase hasn’t caught a TD pass from Joe Burrow since Week 2. But on the flip side, let’s not get greedy. Burrow has thrown the ball to his best friend 12.3 times per game since coming back from his turf toe injury. The result has been 98.8 yards per game or 17.8 PPR PPG. Simply put, we haven’t been lacking in fantasy production. However, since the Cardinals’ secondary has been something of a problem for Arizona, it’d be nice to see Chase doing his own version of the Griddy after leading the team in targets yet again.

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Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns

At least against the Lions, the Steelers were trying to do their best impression of the Bears’ offense. Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren combined for 31 touches, with both showing off their individual skillsets. Warren ripped off two long runs for TDs after breaking multiple tackles. And Gainwell scored on one of the most improbable receptions of the season. Between Gainwell’s 5.3 targets per game and Warren’s 11 attempts a week, Pittsburgh has the personnel to keep Cleveland’s defense away from Aaron Rodgers without DK Metcalf.

Every week that Harold Fannin Jr. plays, his 2026 ADP goes up a round. Shedeur Sanders has looked for his rookie TE 8.5 times a game over the last month. Granted, Cleveland’s only other pass-catching option is Jerry Jeudy. But Fannin has caught over half of his targets and averaged 5.2 yards after the catch per reception, making him a strong option at the position for Week 17.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis Colts

The part of Trevor Lawrence’s outbursts over the last couple of games that only fantasy gamers would appreciate is his rushing. HC Liam Coen was doing the same for Baker Mayfield, as Mayfield hit career highs in attempts and yards in 2023 and 2024. Lawrence has already surpassed his season-high total of five TDs with seven on the ground, and he’s just 18 yards short of resetting his single-season rushing mark. We already watched the 49ers dice up the Colts’ secondary, but with Lawrence’s mobility, we should see him in the top 12 again after Sunday.

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Alright, I understand why the Colts brought Philip Rivers out of retirement. I know the 49ers’ defense has dealt with injuries. But they got through the Colts’ offensive line on a third of Rivers’ dropbacks. His response was to have a passing aDOT of 9.6 air yards, which was the third-most of any Colts’ QB this season. And he was getting the ball out quickly to his receivers, too (2.41 average time to throw). At worst, it brings his receivers back onto our fantasy radars, with the Jaguars offense likely putting the Colts into a pass-friendly game script.

New England Patriots @ New York Jets

Kayshon Boutte and TreVeyon Henderson have combined for 5.8 targets per game since Boutte’s return in Week 12. The potential for additional work should have someone like Stefon Diggs as a high-end WR2, but it’s been tough to pinpoint his role. Diggs has been around a 60% route rate in three of his last four games. His 10 targets were the most he’d seen in a single game in almost two months. We would like to start anyone against the Jets’ defense, but how often Diggs is on the field has me hesitating.

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Brady Cook averaged 0.8 air yards per attempt during the first half against the Saints last week. New Orleans only pressured him on 20% of his dropbacks. Cook only generated 74 yards through the air. The Patriots’ pass rush and coverage are above the league average in limiting opposing QBs. As Cook continues to flounder, there’s no reason to trust anyone attached to the Jets in Week 17.

New Orleans Saints @ Tennessee Titans

Chris Olave was already having a career year before last week. Through Week 15, he was hitting season-high marks in targets per game (9.2) and PPR PPG (14.7). Taking on 16 targets against the Jets certainly helped his case for 2025 being his best season yet. And after seeing multiple receivers hit double-digit PPR points against the Titans (Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, Jerry Jeudy, Jakobi Meyers, etc.), Olave will be right at the intersection of talent and opportunity for Week 17.

We’ve now seen three consecutive 100-yard games for Tony Pollard. Of course, part of the success lies with the veteran RB. He’s been up to a 20% forced missed tackle rate over his last three games. But the other portion goes to the Titans’ offensive line. Pollard has been able to enjoy 1.05 adjusted yards before contact since Week 14. The Saints have allowed the 10th-most rushing yards per game to opposing rushers since their bye, setting up Pollard for a strong finish to the fantasy season.

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New York Giants @ Las Vegas Raiders

I want to start Wan’Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton and Theo Johnson. Well, at least relative to their respective expected outcomes as mid-to-low-end WR2s or 3s or fringe TE1s. But the offense is different now. Slower, to be exact. Jaxson Dart was averaging 29.2 pass attempts per game over his first six starts. However, he was down to 13 against the Vikings. Total offensive plays have been down with Dart back under center. The Raiders haven’t quit either and continue to put opposing QBs under duress. If they continue to get to Dart, I’d expect fewer attempts for his pass-catchers.

Ashton Jeanty belongs in the league. His ability to create explosives as a rusher and a receiver was on full display against one of the toughest defenses in the league last Sunday. All he needs is a bit of space to make a play successful. Luckily, the Giants have allowed not only the third-most rushing yards per game over their last six games, but the third-most yards before contact. There’s no question about how often we’ll see the ball in or moving toward Jeanty’s hands. But more-efficient touches are what we need for fantasy productions.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Buffalo Bills

Let’s assume the Bills keep the game competitive throughout the entire contest. I want to see if OC Kevin Patulo asks Jalen Hurts to open up as a passer. Since Hurts’ multi-turnover snafu against the Chargers, the Eagles’ QB1 has averaged less than seven air yards per attempt. His total yardage hasn’t crested 200 without a pick since late November. So if Josh Allen has his way, Hurts will need to be a solid thrower of the ball in order for the Eagles to walk away with a win.

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We can all agree that Josh Allen’s superpower is his mobility. Not just strolling through defenses for 40-yard touchdowns (no, I’m not still upset about Cincinnati’s loss), but within the pocket and buying time for passing lanes to open up. But his foot injury should have everyone on edge. Allen didn’t attempt to run in the second half. Accordingly, the Bills’ yards per drive and third-down conversion rate plummeted. There’s no doubt Allen will be out there to ensure Buffalo makes the playoffs, but his level of effectiveness should be on everyone’s mind.

Chicago Bears @ San Francisco 49ers

Sure, DJ Moore (and Caleb Williams, of course) was the hero against the Packers last Saturday. And Rome Odunze’s continued absence should entice fantasy managers to keep Moore in their lineups. But he only had seven targets that night. Olamide Zaccheaus only had one fewer pass thrown his way through regulation. Moore’s connection with Williams and Williams’ reliance on Moore for big plays should keep the veteran WR as a top-24 option. But putting him in the top-12 discussion might be a bridge too far.

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Coincidentally, Jauan Jennings isn’t too dissimilar from Moore. Let’s assume Ricky Pearsall needs another week to get right. George Kittle’s ankle injury will have the veteran TE limited at best. In other words, you’d think the targets would condense around Jennings. But without Pearsall in primetime, Jennings was at an 18% target rate. However, he led the WRs in targets in obvious passing situations and when Brock Purdy threw into the end zone. As a result, Jennings’ contextualized usage should keep him in our lineups for Week 17.

Los Angeles Rams @ Atlanta Falcons

There’s a scenario where the Rams have a clear playoff picture prior to kickoff. It’s not a certainty, but between now and Monday night (and for Week 18, to boot), motivation may be in question for L.A. But for Matthew Stafford, there’s nothing but certainty. Stafford sits at 40 passing TDs, seven more than the next QB (Jared Goff). We’ve seen HC Sean McVay ensure his guys get their season-long accolades. Confirming his QB makes a case for the NFL’s greatest honor shouldn’t be much of a surprise.

Kyle Pitts Sr. may not have turned in a season that fantasy managers expected. However, it’s been better than most would want to admit. Pitts sits behind only Trey McBride in the amount of yards and first downs generated. And if you’re a stat nerd (like me), Pitts’ 1.75 yards per route run ranks third amongst all TEs. Again, it’s taken Drake London missing time and Darnell Mooney playing on a busted collarbone for us to get back to some semblance of Pitts’ historic rookie year. But, as much as some won’t want to admit, we’re seeing it through four months of action.

Quintrevion Wisner, the Texas Longhorns’ leading rusher over the past two seasons, is entering the NCAA transfer portal, according to his agent.

The 20-year-old Texas native has recorded 597 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground this season while missing three games due to a hamstring injury. Over a full season in 2024, he picked up 1,064 yards on the ground and five touchdowns, plus 311 receiving yards on 44 receptions while helping the Longhorns reach the College Football Playoff semifinals.

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Wisner, who is entering the final year of his eligibility, becomes the fourth Texas running back to enter the portal this season, joining CJ Baxter, Jerrick Gibson and Rickey Stewart Jr. He is one of many departures on Steve Sarkisian’s roster.

The 6-foot, 194-pound running back sat out those games in September with an injury, but finished the regular season strong with a 155-yard performance during a 27-17 win over then-undefeated Texas A&M, who were ranked No. 3 at the time.

The Longhorns will finish their season on Dec. 31 with a Citrus Bowl matchup against Michigan.

The Week 17 NFL schedule features a smorgasbord of holiday delights.

For starters, there are a trio of matchups between double-digit-win teams (five of whom have already punched their postseason tickets, and all of whom are battling for playoff seeding).

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There’s also a clash of division rivals headed in opposite directions (with one firmly in the playoffs and the other on the verge of being eliminated).

And there’s an interconference prime-time battle in which both squads are in must-win mode — and both may not have their starting quarterbacks.

Which brings us to our holiday gift to you: a deep dive into current and historical NFL betting trends related to all five of these matchups (four of which feature point spreads of 3 points or less).

(All listed odds are via BetMGM and subject to change.)

Kickoff: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET

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Money line: Texans +110/Chargers -130

• Houston barely extended its winning streak to seven in Week 16, escaping with a 23-21 victory over the Raiders.

The Texans never came close to covering as 14-point home favorites, snapping the team’s 5-0 ATS run.

• The Chargers have won and covered four in a row — the most recent triumph a 34-17 rout of Dallas as 1.5-point road underdogs on Sunday.

It was Los Angeles’ third straight outright victory as an underdog, following upsets of Philadelphia (22-19 in Week 14) and Kansas City (16-13 in Week 15).

• Since starting the season with three straight losses and non-covers, Houston is 10-2 SU and 8-4 ATS. During this stretch, the Texans are 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS on the road, and 4-1 SU and ATS as underdogs.

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Meanwhile, Los Angeles is on positive runs of 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS overall, 4-0 SU and ATS at home and 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS as a favorite.

One lengthy NFL betting trend working against the Bolts: They haven’t covered the spread in five consecutive games since a 5-0 ATS run to start the 2014 season.

• Houston’s top-ranked defense has surrendered 20-plus points in consecutive games for the first time in 2025. However, only two opponents have scored more than three TDs against the Texans: Seattle (27-19 win in Week 7) and Jacksonville (36-29 loss in Week 10).

The Chargers’ defense has been similarly dominant, holding four straight opponents to less than 20 points. Furthermore, that defense has surrendered more than 20 points just once in the last eight games.

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• Chargers QB Justin Herbert had a league-low three interceptions in the 2024 regular season, then threw four in last year’s wild-card playoff loss at Houston.

Herbert has thrown 12 picks this season, including at least one in 10 of the last 13 games. This week, he faces a Texans defense that has recorded 17 interceptions (tied with the Chargers for third-most in the league).

Herbert’s odds to throw an interception Saturday: -140.

Kickoff: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET

Moneyline: Ravens +180/Packers -220

• Baltimore and Green Bay experienced similar negative outcomes in Week 16. Both teams blew late fourth-quarter leads, lost their star quarterbacks to injury and are now fighting for their playoff lives — although thanks to Detroit’s 23-10 Christmas Day loss to Minnesota, the Packers are now in the postseason.

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Facing New England at home, the Ravens squandered an 11-point advantage with nine minutes to go and fell 28-24 as 3.5-point favorites on Sunday Night Football.

Twenty-four hours earlier, the Packers frittered away a 10-point lead with two minutes to play at Chicago, losing 22-16 in overtime as 1-point underdogs.

Adding injury to insult, Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson (back) and Green Bay’s Jordan Love (concussion) didn’t finish their respective games last week. Both are listed as questionable for Saturday night’s showdown at Lambeau Field.

• The Ravens have followed a five-game SU winning streak by losing three of their last four. They’re also mired in a 1-5 ATS slump (all as the favorite).

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On the bright side, Baltimore is riding a four-game road winning streak (3-1 ATS), with the defense surrendering a total of 41 points (10.3 per contest).

[Check out all of Yahoo’s sports betting content here in our new betting hub]

• The Packers, who preceded their loss at Chicago with a 34-26 defeat at Denver, have lost consecutive games for the second time in 2025.

Since starting the season with blowout home wins over Detroit (27-13) and Washington (27-18), Green Bay is mired in ATS slumps of 4-9 overall, 3-8 as a favorite and 2-3 at home.

The good news for the Packers: They haven’t endured a three-game losing skid since a four-game slide from Weeks 4-8 in 2023 (bye week included).

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• While Love’s status for Saturday’s game is in doubt, there are two NFL betting trends worth noting in case he does suit up:

The Packers’ quarterback has thrown for less than 235 yards in six of his last seven starts (and nine of 15 overall) and completed fewer than 20 passes in five of his last six outings (and 10 of 15 overall).

Then again, the Ravens’ secondary yields 242.7 passing yards per game (fifth-most in the NFL). Last week, second-year Patriots quarterback Drake Maye threw for a career-best 380 yards at Baltimore.

• Ravens RB Derrick Henry had 128 rushing yards on just 18 carries against New England, his best outing since torching Buffalo for 169 yards in Week 1.

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Henry has posted back-to-back 100-yard outings, and he’s eclipsed 90 rushing yards in three straight games and six of his last 10.

On Saturday, the two-time NFL rushing champ is projected for 81.5 rushing yards — against a Packers defense that hasn’t allowed a single player to reach 70 rushing yards in the last seven weeks.

Kickoff: Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET

Moneyline: Jaguars -275/Colts +225

• Jacksonville went on the road in Week 16 and pummeled the Broncos 34-20 as a 3.5-point underdog.

In the process, the Jaguars snapped Denver’s 11-game winning streak and extended their own winning streak to six in a row.

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Jacksonville covered the spread in all six games during its current heater — the team’s first 6-0 ATS run since 2010. The last time the Jags covered in seven consecutive contests: Weeks 10-16 in 2007.

• The Colts’ cold spell reached five in a row with Monday night’s 48-27 home loss to San Francisco.

Since starting the season 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS, Indianapolis has gone 1-6 SU and 2-5 ATS.

The blowout loss to the 49ers aside, the Colts are still 6-2 SU at home and 4-2 ATS as underdogs.

• The Jaguars clobbered Indianapolis 36-19 as 2.5-point home underdogs in Week 14. In the process, Jacksonville knocked out the Colts’ top two quarterbacks: Daniel Jones (season-ending Achilles injury) and rookie Riley Leonard (knee sprain). That led Indy to drag 44-year-old Philip Rivers out of retirement and insert him into the starting lineup.

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Despite the scoreboard results, Rivers has vastly exceeded expectations in his first two starts since 2020, completing 66% of his passes for 397 yards and three touchdowns.

• With their Week 14 victory at home, the Jags have now won six of the last eight meetings against Indy.

Jacksonville also is 17-3-1 ATS against the Colts since the start of the 2015 season (7-2-1 ATS at Lucas Oil Stadium).

Another rivalry-related NFL betting trend worth mentioning: Each of the last six Jaguars-Colts clashes have surpassed the closing total. All six featured at least 49 combined points.

• Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence has 15 touchdown passes in his last five games, tossing multiple scores in each contest. It’s the longest such streak in Lawrence’s five-year career.

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Lawrence threw for two scores in Week 14 against a Colts secondary that just allowed the 49ers’ Brock Purdy to throw five TDs.

Kickoff: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

Moneyline: Eagles +105/Bills -125

• Buffalo traveled to Cleveland last week and barely held off the Browns 23-20, failing to cash as a 10.5-point road favorite.

On the field, the Bills have won four in a row and seven of nine. However, they’re just 5-4 ATS during this stretch.

In fact, Buffalo has alternated ATS wins and losses in its last eight contests. Also, the team’s 7-1 SU record at home is offset by a 3-4 ATS mark (1-4 ATS as a favorite).

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• Philadelphia rallied from a 10-7 halftime deficit at Washington in Week 16 and cruised to a 29-18 victory as a 7-point road favorite.

It was the Eagles’ second consecutive victory and spread-cover, following an 0-3 SU and ATS nosedive.

One interesting NFL betting trend pertaining to this contest: The straight-up winner has covered the spread in each of Philadelphia’s last 14 games.

• Going back to the start of the 2024 season, Philadelphia is 5-0 SU and ATS as an underdog.

The Eagles were underdogs of 3 points or fewer in each game, four of which were on the road. The other: a 40-22 rout of the Chiefs in Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans.

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• Philadelphia’s game at Washington last week barely eclipsed the 43.5-point total, ending the Eagles’ 6-0 under streak.

It was the fifth time in Philly’s last seven road games that the total cleared 44 points.

Meanwhile, the Bills have hurdled the total in three straight weeks, and the over is 5-2 in Buffalo this season. Six of those games in Orchard Park, New York, topped 44 points. The only exception: the Bills’ 23-20 Week 5 loss to New England.

• Eagles running back Saquon Barkley shredded the Commanders for 132 rushing yards last week, his second-highest total of the season.

That effort aside, Barkley has only topped 60 rushing yards six times this season. This week, the NFL’s reigning rushing champ takes on the league’s 30th-ranked run defense, as Buffalo yields 144.3 ground yards per game.

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• Jalen Hurts has failed to get into the end zone in four straight games, matching his longest touchdown drought since taking over Philadelphia’s offense in 2021.

Hurts will face a Bills defense that has allowed an NFL-high 24 rushing scores. However, only three quarterbacks have scored against Buffalo: Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield and Drake Maye (twice).

Kickoff: Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET

Moneyline: Bears +140/49ers -165

• The Bears pulled off arguably the most stunning comeback of the NFL season in Week 16, scoring 10 points in the final two minutes to force overtime against Green Bay.

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On the first possession of the extra session, Chicago recovered a Packers fumble and immediately cashed in the turnover with a 46-yard touchdown pass to steal a 22-16 victory as a 1-point home favorite.

Since beginning the season with back-to-back losses, the playoff-bound Bears are 11-2 SU and 9-3-1 ATS. They’re also 5-2 SU and ATS both on the road and as an underdog.

• Brock Purdy threw a career-high five touchdown passes to lead the 49ers to a 48-27 beatdown of the Colts in the Week 16 Monday Night Football contest.

San Francisco easily cashed as a 4.5-point road underdog and is now on a 5-0 SU and ATS roll.

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Since the calendar flipped to November, the Niners are 6-1 SU and ATS, with the offense averaging 33.1 points per contest.

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• Chicago’s NFL betting trends on Sunday Night Football aren’t pretty: Since 2019, the Bears have lost eight consecutive Sunday games under the lights, going 1-7 ATS.

Then again, San Francisco has split its 10 SNF games this decade, going 4-6 ATS. However, the Niners have won four straight Sunday night home games (3-1 ATS).

• The over is 5-2 in San Francisco’s last seven. Conversely, five of Chicago’s last seven have fallen short of the total.

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Overall, the 49ers have cleared 52 points five times this season (all in the last seven games), while the Bears have done so three times.

• San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey, who had two receiving touchdowns in Monday’s win at Indianapolis, has scored in five straight games and 10 of his last 12.

During this 12-game span, the dual-threat running back has a TD in five of six home contests.

• Bears running back D’Andre Swift is averaging 80.6 rushing yards in his last 10 games — and that includes a 15-yard dud against Pittsburgh in Week 12.

Swift hurdled 60 rushing yards in seven of those games, including five contests with at least 90 yards.

The Yahoo Fantasy Football crew is back to share their boldest predictions, one last time for the 2025 season. Hopefully, these takes help you bring the hardware home in Week 17!

Ja’Marr Chase wins your fantasy championship on his own

Ja’Marr Chase scored a league-high 17 receiving touchdowns in 2024, a weekly occurrence. After having five touchdowns early on, the Bengals’ star receiver has had 102 targets in a row without a touchdown. With the offense back on track, Joe Burrow healthy and Chase continuing to be the focal point of the offense, there is no reason his touchdown production wouldn’t bounce back in a major way.

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In the second half of the season, only the Arizona Cardinals are giving up 30+ PPG, with a mark of 34.7 points allowed per week to opposing offenses. I would expect Chase’s eighth 100+ yard game this season, but this time with a touchdown or two. He last played Arizona back in 2023, scoring 52.2 fantasy points on 19 targets. — Joel Smyth

Tyrone Tracy Jr. finishes Championship Week as a top-10 fantasy RB

There hasn’t been much that’s gone right for the New York Giants this season. Two wins, a whole lot of pain and now Week 17 brings a heavyweight tank-off with the Las Vegas Raiders that feels like a fight for the No. 1 overall pick. But trust and believe, Tracy is the dude you can start with supreme confidence. Since rookie sensation Cam Skattebo’s season-ending injury, and since the Giants stopped messing around with Devin Singletary, Tracy’s been living in that 15-plus carry neighborhood.

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He’s stacked back-to-back 70+ rushing yard games, punched in two touchdowns over the last two weeks and now draws a Raiders defense that looks like it’s hanging on with duct tape. If Maxx Crosby can’t go, the resistance gets even lighter. Volume wins titles, and Tracy’s volume is about to cash a check. — Ray Garvin

Jacoby Brissett throws for 400 yards at Cincinnati

I understand if anyone has cold feet on the Arizona offense after last week’s clunker. The key is to recognize that Brissett and company were wildly productive in the nine prior weeks, and now there’s a gettable Cincinnati defense on the schedule.

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Trey McBride is the key element here, as he’s been the runaway TE1 all year and the Bengals are awful with seam coverage. McBride has multi-touchdown upside in this spot, and Brissett and Joe Burrow can give us a pinball, back-and-forth game — just what you want for championship week. — Scott Pianowski

Rhamondre Stevenson ends as an RB1 in championship week

This is a boring, simplistic analysis; anytime you can start a running back who is going to take the lead on a team projected to score 28 points in a game, you do it. When that running back’s team is set to face a defense that’s allowed the fifth-most rushing yards since Week 12 and a league-high eight receiving touchdowns to the position on the year, it’s even more of a reason.

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When that player, despite getting vitriol from the fantasy community this season because he’s “stolen” touches from a younger and more exciting player, is a proven quality NFL runner, it’s the final piece of the puzzle. All of those boxes are checked by Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson as he prepares to play the Jets in Week 17 with TreVeyon Henderson likely out with a concussion. — Matt Harmon

Omarion Hampton finishes as a top-7 fantasy RB

The Chargers will be dealing with a severe mismatch, between their banged-up offensive line and the Texans’ ferocious pass rush, in what projects to be a low-scoring affair in Week 17. Normally, that would be enough to steer clear of a backfield, but it’s exactly the scenario Ashton Jeanty was in last week when he racked up 188 scrimmage yards and two scores against this same Houston defense.

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Hampton is another talented rookie runner who’s coming off his best performance (95 yards and a TD) since returning from injury. Meanwhile, the Texans have allowed at least 90 scrimmage yards or a touchdown to five straight starting running backs. With Kimani Vidal likely sidelined due to a neck injury, Hampton should see the bulk of the touches en route to a strong finish to his first fantasy campaign. — Justin Boone

Chris Olave gives fantasy managers another WR1 performance

Devaughn Vele and Devin Neal being out sure helped Chris Olave’s case to be a top-12 option last week against the Jets. However, he didn’t necessarily need the expanded workload. Since Tyler Shough took over under center, Olave has turned into the WR1 we all knew was in his range of outcomes from a talent perspective. His catchable target rate is up to 72%, and his yards per route run jumped from 1.64 to 2.17 since Week 9. It’s no wonder that with two pass-catchers down, HC Kellen Moore opted to make Olave the focal point of the passing game with 16 targets versus spreading the ball out to the other role players.

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Olave now gets to face a Titans’ secondary that, outside of their game against the banged-up Chiefs, has given up 15 or more PPR points to a single WR in every contest since their bye. With a similar situation to Week 16 setting up for the Shough-Olave connection, fantasy managers should expect to see the former Buckeye in the top 12 again this weekend. — Chris Allen

The following is an excerpt from the latest edition of Yahoo’s fantasy football newsletter, Get to the Points! If you like what you see, you can subscribe for free here.

If you need help setting your fantasy football lineups for Week 17, Scott Pianowski offers some assistance.

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Start-sit decisions can be vexing for even the best of fantasy managers. Here’s our Week 17 traffic report to help you set those lineups.

Green Light ✅

QB Jacoby Brissett at Bengals: Your confidence might be shaken after the flop against Atlanta, but the Bengals are here to save the day. Cincinnati’s tight end coverage has been awful all year, which puts Trey McBride in a smash spot. Brissett can come along for the ride, especially if Joe Burrow is cooking on the other side.

WR DJ Moore at 49ers: It’s been a bumpy ride at times, but Moore charted as the WR5 and WR7 the last two weeks, moving forward while other Chicago receivers are hurt. He should lead the Bears in targets Sunday night.

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RB Tony Pollard vs. Saints: It took a while for Pollard to get rolling, but he’s posted three straight 100-yard games. New Orleans is a neutral matchup, and the game script should keep Pollard relevant for three hours.

RB Kenneth Gainwell at Browns: He’s probably the most underrated pass-catching back in the league; the Steelers rave about Gainwell’s hands, and he has 33 receptions the last six weeks (only Jahmyr Gibbs has more among RBs). With DK Metcalf (suspension) unavailable, Gainwell can help pick up the slack.

WR Chris Olave at Titans: Only Puka Nacua has outscored him on the WR board the last two weeks. Olave is clicking with competent rookie QB Tyler Shough, and the narrow usage tree is also a boost.

TE Kyle Pitts Sr. vs. Rams: The contract surge appears real, as Pitts has started to smash as he enters his free-agency season. It hasn’t just been the touchdowns; Pitts also has six catches over 20 yards in the last four games. No matter Drake London’s status, Pitts is approved for Monday night.

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Yellow Light 😕

RB Blake Corum at Falcons: He’s become the richer version of Tyler Allgeier, a secondary running back who sees about 10 carries a week and holds goal-line equity. If you need to let your hair down with a flex play, Corum carries a surprising floor.

RB Bucky Irving at Dolphins: He has 17-20 touches in his back pocket before the game starts, and volume is most of the case when we analyze fantasy backfields. But Irving’s floor is muted somewhat by Sean Tucker (goal-line back) and Rachaad White (pass-game contributor). If Irving is going to beat his projection, he probably needs a distance touchdown.

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WR Zay Flowers at Packers: He’s finally started to positively regress with touchdowns and he’s also on a nifty WR8-WR17-WR10 run the last three weeks. But Flowers gets a tricky Green Bay matchup in Week 17, and he’ll probably be working with backup QB Tyler Huntley. Flowers is playable if you need three receivers this week, but pass in a shallow format.

TE Colby Parkinson at Falcons: He had to share tight end work and did little in last week’s high-scoring loss at Seattle, much to the chagrin of expectant fantasy managers. But the Rams use 13-personnel at historically a high rate, which means Parkinson still holds all the goal-line equity that we liked in previous games. He remains above the cut line in this spot.

Red Light 🚨

QB C.J. Stroud at Chargers: He only has one multi-touchdown game in his last five starts. This matchup is also a problem, as the Chargers are sixth in pass defense DVOA. It won’t be surprising if this game turns into a low-scoring rock fight.

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RB Breece Hall vs. Patriots: He’s been outside the top 40 among running backs the last three weeks as the Jets struggle to move the ball. New York is a 13.5-point underdog to New England, so Hall’s volume is far from guaranteed.

WR Marvin Harrison Jr. at Bengals: The matchup is divine but can Harrison take advantage? He’s missed so much time and Jacoby Brissett obviously seems to click with Michael Wilson over Harrison. Remember in fantasy football, we just want the numbers — the names don’t matter.

WR Emeka Egbuka at Dolphins: His production and his opportunity have cratered in recent weeks — he played a season-low 56% of the snaps last week. With other key personnel now healthy in the Tampa Bay offense — but Baker Mayfield still in a funk — Egbuka doesn’t have Circle of Trust privileges in Week 17.

Week 17 of the 2025 NFL season is here — and there’s no better place to get last-minute start-sit advice for your title matchups this Sunday than the season finale of Fantasy Football Live.

Our top-notch fantasy analysts will answer your lineup questions live during the 90-minute show, starting at 11:30 a.m. ET.

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Yahoo Fantasy’s Matt Harmon, Joel Smyth and Chris Allen join host Jason Fitz to guide you right up to kickoff of the 1 p.m. ET games.

Here’s what’s coming up on this week’s show:

• Top fantasy storylines:

  • Who was this year’s fantasy MVP?

  • Bounce-back candidates for 2026

  • Way-too-early first-round mock draft for next season

• Identifying matchup-proof players

• Previewing some of the week’s key fantasy games:

• Sharing our favorite player props for the week

• And most importantly — answer YOUR lineup questions

More Week 17 advice

Rankings from each Yahoo Fantasy analyst

Consensus Half-PPR Rankings

Consensus PPR Rankings

Looking for even more help on Sunday?

We’ve got you covered:

• Analyst Scott Pianowski will be answering start-sit questions on Twitter/X (@YahooFantasy) beginning at noon ET — just tag your questions with #AskFFL (consider it your fantasy Bat Signal).

Where and when to watch FFL

Catch Fantasy Football Live on YahooSports.com, the Yahoo Sports app, the Yahoo Fantasy app or YouTube, starting at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday.

Want to get your question featured on the show?

Use #AskFFL on Twitter/X and join the conversation.