Week 17 Fantasy Football Rankings: Position-by-Position Outlook

Fantasy football playoffs are underway, with league championships on the line as the 2024 NFL regular season nears its end.

Every lineup and positional match is crucial to managers' hopes of establishing bragging rights and boasting victory. That means picking the right player at the right position to combat whatever roster selection the opposition makes.

Ahead of the all-important Week 17, these are the rankings for each position, as well as a handful of sleeper options to consider for managers in deep leagues or facing a scenario where an upgrade or replacement in necessary.

Quarterback rankings for Week 17 are as follows:

1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans
2. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders vs. Atlanta Falcons
3. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Denver Broncos
4. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets
5. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers
6. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
7. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants
8. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers
9. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers vs. Detroit Lions
10. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals

Sleeper: Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Young found the endzone three times in Week 16, twice through the air and once on the ground, making him QB2. He has thrown a touchdown in every game since Week 8 and has been a top-20 finisher at his position every week since Week 10.

He has also scored three rushing touchdowns in the last four games.

Last year's No. 1 overall pick has been a quietly steady start and that should not change against Tampa Bay in the penultimate week of the season.

The Buccaneers gave up the second-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in 2024 at 20.38. While they have improved in recent weeks, the Bucs still conceded 292 yards and a touchdown to Dallas' Cooper Rush.

If Young can replicate Rush's performance and add a rushing touchdown, the Panthers signal-caller should once again perform among the best at his position and is a worthy start for fantasy managers with middling-to-underperforming QBs.

Running backs rankings for Week 17 are as follows:

1. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys
2. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons at Washington Commanders
3. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants
4. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals
5. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers
6. Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers
7. Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Denver Broncos
8. De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins at Cleveland Browns
9. Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
10. Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Sleeper: Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars

With Titans starter Tony Pollard nursing an ankle injury, Spears finished in the top 10 among running backs in Week 16, finishing at No. 3 in PPR leagues thanks to two touchdowns on the ground.

A back who can contribute in the run and passing game, he recorded his first receiving touchdown of the season a week earlier.

Against Jacksonville, the second-worst team in fantasy against opposing running backs, Spears will have a chance to positively impact any team in deep leagues in need of a running back help due to injury or under-performance.

He may not have been a major contributor for the majority of the season but he is coming on late, as evidenced by his performance against Indianapolis. If he gets the touches that he did against the Colts, another high-ranking points day is not out of the question.

Wide receiver rankings for Week 17 are as follows:

1. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals
2. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers
3. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Denver Broncos
4. Nico Collins, Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens
5. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers
6. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers
7. AJ Brown, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys
8. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders vs. Atlanta Falcons
9. Davante Adams, New York Jets at Buffalo Bills
10. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles

Sleeper: Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings

The Green Bay wide receivers may be the most frustrating in fantasy football this season, thanks to an inconsistency that has prevented any of them from truly breaking out as a WR1. Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, and Romeo Doubs have had flashes but none of the three has established himself as a consistent threat or option for quarterback Jordan Love.

Despite that, Doubs is a worthwhile start against a Minnesota team that, despite their 13-2 record, has been the worst against opposing wide receivers in fantasy this season. The Vikings give up 41.16 points to the position and are susceptible to the big play.

Be cautiously optimistic that he can exploit the division rival's weakness, but also be realistic. Doubs has not had more than six targets a game since Week 7 but did flash brilliance two weeks ago against Seattle, where he scored twice.

Still, despite all signs otherwise, expect Doubs to be a potential game-breaker against Minnesota.

Tight end rankings for Week 17 are as follows:

1. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders at New Orleans Saints
2. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams
3. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers vs. Detroit Lions
4. David Njoku, Cleveland Browns vs. Miami Dolphins
5. Jonnu Smith, Miami Dolphins at Cleveland Browns
6. Hunter Henry, New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Chargers
7. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers
8. TJ Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers
9. Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
10. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers

Sleeper: Adam Trautman, Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals

Trautman has been a non-factor for the majority of the season but has two top-10 performances, including Week 15 against Indianapolis. In fantasy, the Colts are the second-worst team against opposing tight ends, and in Week 17, the Broncos battle the worst in the Cincinnati Bengals.

Against the Colts, the veteran tight end caught just two passes for 20 yards and a touchdown, finishing ninth at his position. That may well be an indictment of the state of tight end play in the league this year more than anything, but it also gives managers a reasonable expectation of what to expect against Cincinnati.

The Bengals allowed eight catches and 66 yards to David Njoku and while Trautman is not player that Njoku is, he should still be able to find success against a struggling Bengals defense.

A touchdown is not out of the question, nor is more than two catches and 20 yards.

Defense/special teams rankings for Week 17 are as follows:

1. Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys
2. Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots
3. Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants
4. Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
5. Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans
6. Cleveland Browns vs. Miami Dolphins
7. Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers
8. Washington Commanders vs. Atlanta Falcons
9. Las Vegas Raiders at New Orleans Saints
10. Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears

Kicker rankings for Week 17 are as follows:

1. Chris Boswell, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Jake Bates, Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers
3. Chase McLaughlin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers
4. Ka'imi Fairbairn, Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens
5. Cameron Dicker, Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots
6. Tyler Bass, Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets
7. Brandon Aubrey, Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
8. Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans
9. Brandon McManus, Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
10. Harrison Butker, Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers

All stats via FantasyPros unless otherwise denoted.