With many fantasy leagues done and a bunch of meaningless games, football fans crave DFS in Week 17. With plenty of teams resting starters or trying out different player combinations, there is some excellent value to be found. From a veteran quarterback’ last hurrahs to backup running backs seeing the bulk of the carries and teams resting players on defense, here are the best values in DFS for Week 17 of the NFL season.
QB – Eli Manning $5000
In what could be his last game in a Giants’ uniform, Eli Manning gets the nod as the best value at quarterback. Coming in at just $5000, Manning is primed to have one last, great game as a New York Giant before moving on to “teal-er pastures.” The Washington Redskins shut down Manning earlier in the season. However, in the three games after, Manning has thrown for 925 yards and four touchdowns.
With nothing left to play for but pride (as the Giants are locked into the two-spot in the 2018 NFL Draft), the Giants may just let Eli be Eli and gunsling his way to some ridiculous stat line, which is what we are hoping for in Week 17.
RB – Charcandrick West $4400
With Kansas City Chiefs locked in the four spot in the AFC, the team is electing to play some backups. Although Kareem Hunt is expected to start the game on Sunday, how long he plays is uncertain, with most leaning towards two drives max. Since Hunt is expected to play sparingly, Charcandrick West will see the bulk of the touches in Week 17. Despite only touching the ball 45 times this season, West has four touchdowns this season. West is a receiving specialist, with 60% of his touches this season coming in the passing game.
He could see some extra targets with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. The rookie is making his first NFL start. If he struggles against the Denver Broncos pass rush, he may look to West as a check down option. As long as he gets the touches, West is a great value at the running back position.
WR – Rishard Matthews $4100
In Week 17, sometimes you have to look past the matchup ranking to find the best value. Although the Jacksonville Jaguars are the best team in DraftKings against wide receivers, they have nothing to play for in Week 17. Locked in at three in the AFC, the Jaguars will think more about injuries than stopping Rishard Matthews from having a big game. Publicly, the Jaguars have said that they are going to play their starters. Behind closed doors, it’s hard to believe. They’re very likely to face the Titans again in the first round of the playoffs, so why put too much effort into this one? They need to be rested and healthy for the playoffs and this game has no bearing on where they go.
At just $4100, Matthews is a great value. He is averaging over four receptions and 65.8 receiving yards in his last six home games. Matthews had three catches for 43 yards in a road game against the Jaguars in Week 2, numbers he should surpass in Week 17. Since this is a must-win game for the Titans, expect the team to take some bigger shots downfield to Matthews. If he can get behind the secondary, he could finish Week 17 as a top-15 wide receiver. He may start off facing A.J. Bouye and Jalen Ramsey early in the game but don’t be surprised if they are resting after the half.
TE – Jason Witten $3600
There is less value at tight end this week than usual. Because of that, Jason Witten, the reliable veteran, is the best value in Week 17. Witten splits this season are much better on the road. He averages 10.4 yards per reception (up from 7.5 at home) and has scored 60% of his touchdowns outside of Dallas. Averaging just over four receptions per game gives Witten a nice bump in full-point PPR scoring. In addition, the two other times this season Witten was priced at under $4000, he caught a touchdown. In a game where Witten could face the Eagles backups, he is a great option.
Click here to bet on the football futures for the 2017 NFL season right now. DSI will have all of the latest lines, spreads and props for this year’s action!
