Week 17 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Top Matchup Plays and Sleepers

Fantasy championships will be decided in Week 17 based on managers' understanding of who to start and sit in their match-ups.

That may mean making a tough decision, such as sitting a two-time league MVP and the face of the NFL in 2024. It might mean taking a risk on a second-year quarterback whose play has been spotty, to say the least.

It may even mean trusting a running back who has not quite lived up to the game-breaking potential most tapped him for at the start of the fantasy year.

Who are those players who need to start and sit to ensure victory?

Find out with this preview of the second-to-last week of the NFL, and fantasy, season.

The New York Giants are ranked 24th against opposing quarterbacks, a perfect match-up for the Colts' Richardson.

The second-year player out of Florida has been a top-20 finisher in all but one week since returning to the starting lineup in Week 11. In that span, he has thrown four touchdowns and ran for five while keeping Indy's playoff hopes alive.

Against a Giants team simply playing out this nightmarish season, he should find success and, potentially, a top-10 finish.

He still throws too many interceptions (five since Week 11), which costs managers points, but he is a dynamic playmaker who makes up for it via his ground game.

Available in 41 percent of Yahoo and 47 percent of ESPN leagues, he is a worthwhile start for managers in need of an upgrade at the quarterback position for their playoff match-ups.

The words "sit" and "Patrick Mahomes" don't typically go hand-in-hand but in Week 17, it is the best course of action a fantasy manager can take.

Mahomes is already nursing a bad ankle and, despite one of his best fantasy performances of the season against Houston, has a short turnaround against a tough Pittsburgh Steelers defense.

Four days after beating the Texans, the defending Super Bowl champ battles a Steelers squad giving up the fourth fewest points to opposing quarterbacks at 14.13.

Add to that the fact that Mahomes has scored 20-plus points just once this season and you have a quarterback who has not been as explosive or dynamic a fantasy option as he once was.

Sit him this week and potentially next against the Broncos, if he even plays in that game with the division and, potentially, No. 1 seed wrapped up.

Breece Hall entered the season atop many a draft board but has failed to live up to the No. 2 overall number that was assigned to him by fantasy analysts.

Despite the overall disappointment, Hall has still played more snaps than any other Jets playmaker and against Buffalo earlier this year, he had his best game of the season. In their Week 6 match-up, Hall rushed 18 times for 113 yards and caught six balls for 56 yards.

The Bills have allowed 86 receptions, 714 yards, and six touchdowns to opposing backs in the passing game, making them susceptible on two fronts.

Expect Hall to factor heavily into New York's game plan as the Jets look to deal the Bills a devastating loss and finish a miserable season out strong.

Adam Thielen is the league's oldest wide receiver at 34 years old but he is still having a blast and showing up as one of the bright spots for a Panthers offense that has improved upon Bryce Young's return to the starting lineup.

His 38 receptions, 461 yards, and three touchdowns won't inspire excitement among many managers but his match-up in Week 17 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should.

The Bucs rank 26th against opposing wide receivers, giving up 36.30 points to the position.

With Young playing the best football of his young career, he will likely look for Thielen against a Buccaneers team that will give the Panthers plenty of opportunities to find pay dirt.

Managers who don't love their match-ups, or are in need of a replacement due to injury, should consider Thielen, who led the Panthers in targets, receptions, and yards in Week 16.

All stats via FantasyPros unless otherwise noted