If you're reading this, chances are you are in the fantasy championship, where even the smallest decision can make all the difference. We gathered this intel with the intent to help you raise a trophy. Choose wisely.

What could be better than being crowned a fantasy football champion over the holidays? If you’re reading along, chances are you’re in position to do just that. Before you look ahead in your quest for fantasy supremacy, take a moment and bask in the accomplishment of navigating an injury-riddled 2024 fantasy landscape and remaining in contention for the trophy. 

O.K. … and that moment is over. There’s still work to be done to finish the job and win your league, and for a final time this season, we’re here to help.

As we state on a weekly basis, all “start” suggestions are pooled from players who are being started in 70% or less of Sleeper leagues at time of writing. Since Week 17 is stretched out from Wednesday to Monday, with a pair of games on Christmas Day and the rest spread beyond that, we’re splitting our last 2024 edition of start/sit into two parts: a start/sit from each of the two Wednesday games, followed by the more robust and typical list for the rest of the slate.

Christmas Day treats us to a doubleheader featuring four teams that are headed for the playoffs in the AFC, and that’s where we’ll begin our attempt to steer you toward the gift of major point production and away from fantasy coal. 

Christmas Day Starts

WR Hollywood Brown, Kansas City Chiefs

at Pittsburgh; Saturday, 1 p.m. ET

In his Chiefs debut, Brown made an immediate impact, hauling in five of eight targets for 45 yards against the Texans. The veteran wideout, who instantly displayed solid chemistry with Patrick Mahomes, will encounter a Steelers secondary that has struggled of late containing opposing wideouts, allowing an average of 162.8 receiving yards and seven touchdowns total since Week 13.

TE Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans

vs. Baltimore; Wednesday, 4:30 p.m. ET

Schultz, who finished as the overall TE4 in Week 16, has now posted 15+ PPR fantasy points in two of his last three games. With WR Tank Dell (knee) being lost for the season, expect C.J. Stroud to once again lean on his veteran tight end, as the Ravens will likely focus on doubling star wideout Nico Collins.

Christmas Day Sits

RB Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers

vs. Kansas City; Wednesday, 1 p.m. ET

It may be hard for many managers to replace an RB2, especially with so many injuries across the RB landscape. Despite being the overall RB21 (11.9 PPR points per game), though, Harris is regressing way too much to trust him with a title on the line. After last week’s 42-rushing-yard performance, Harris has only topped 53 rushing yards twice since Week 8. 

On Christmas, he draws a brutal matchup against a Chiefs’ defense that is allowing the third-fewest rushing yards in the NFL, with opposing RBs rushing for just 63.1 rushing yards per game.

RB Joe Mixon, Houston Texans

vs. Baltimore; Wednesday, 4:30 p.m. ET

Mixon ranks as the overall RB13, averaging 19.2 PPR points per game, but after scoring 11 total touchdowns over his first eight games, he has only scored once over his last four, falling outside of RB2 territory over that span. To compound matters, next up he faces a Ravens’ defense that is only allowing 65.5 rushing yards per game to opposing RBs this season. 

It’s highly unlikely that any manager has the depth of options to sit Mixon, but armed with the knowledge that only two backs have rushed for 60+ yards against Baltimore this season, expectations need to be tempered with fantasy glory on the line.

The Rest of Week 17

STARTS

The remainder of our list kicks off with a player who warrants MVP consideration this season. He’s a veteran QB who is second in passing yards (4,095), second in completion percentage (71.4%), second in yards per completion (8.7), second in passer rating (112.2) and fourth in touchdowns (33). If that isn’t enough, he is the overall QB1 over the all-important first two weeks of the fantasy playoffs, averaging 33.2 points per game. Time to ride him to the promised land.

QB Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

at San Francisco; Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET 

In Week 16, Goff silenced his critics who point to his well-known home/road splits. The Lions’ QB torched the Bears for 336 yards and three TDs. Over the last three games overall, Goff has tossed a whopping 11 touchdowns, resulting in an average of 29.8 fantasy points over that span. 

Goff, who is shockingly only being started in just 51% of Sleeper leagues, now trails Joe Burrow by just 134 for the passing yards title. In Week 17 he faces a stiff test against a 49ers defense that has surrendered the second-fewest passing yards (2,931) this season. 

Despite the tough matchup, Detroit’s leader has bucked every trend this season and earns our top spot for the most pivotal week of the season in a game that is expected to be a high-scoring affair.

QB Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

vs. Detroit; Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET 

If we toss out the ‘Monsoon Game” in Week 15, Purdy has been solid, posting 22.1 points in Week 14 against the Bears and Week 16 against the Dolphins.

On Monday night, Purdy, who is only being started in 45% of Sleeper leagues, is primed to outperform Sleeper’s projection of QB8 (18.3 points) against a Lions defense that has surrendered multiple TD passes in three of its last four games. 

Despite the 49ers’ season slipping away, look for the San Fran QB to exploit the rash of injuries in the Lions secondary in order to keep pace with the NFL’s top scoring offense.

RB Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns 

vs. Miami; Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET  

Taking over RB1 duties for Nick Chubb (broken foot), Ford delivered a season-high 24.1 fantasy points just when managers needed it the most. 

With a full workload ahead in Week 17, Ford draws a favorable matchup against a Dolphins defense that has allowed 118.8 total yards per game and 15 TDs total to opposing RBs.

Fantasy managers need to incorporate this late-season league-winner into starting lineups with supreme confidence.

RB Gus Edwards, LA Chargers

at New England; Saturday, 1 p.m. ET 

Last week, Edwards rushed for 68 yards and two TDs against the Broncos, rewarding managers with a season-high 20.1 PPR fantasy points. 

The veteran back, who is only being started in 13% of Sleeper leagues, is someone to capitalize on, although there’s a big “if” involved. J.K. Dobbins is eligible to return in Week 17 after being designated to come off IR following a knee injury, though L.A. could opt to take it slow with their fragile starting back. So IF Dobbins, who has missed the last four games, does indeed return in Week 17, then Edwards’ viability would plummet. 

But assuming the backfield remains his, Edwards draws a favorable matchup against a struggling Patriots defense that has allowed 360 total yards (6.12 yards per rush) and four TDs total to opposing RBs over the last two weeks.

WR Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

vs. Carolina; Sunday, 1 p.m. ET 

We listed the rookie wideout in this section last week, and we are going to trust him yet again. Fantasy managers, who are sleeping on a player who is the overall WR11 (57.1 PPR points) over the last three games, need to get on board.

With Cade Otton out of the lineup nursing a knee injury, McMillan has become a top weapon for Baker Mayfield, scoring a TD in three straight games (four overall). McMillian, who is only being started in 22% of Sleeper leagues, is strongly projected to extend that streak in a matchup against a Carolina defense that has allowed a NFL-high 28 passing touchdowns this season. 

SITS

WR Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns

vs. Miami; Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET  

Fantasy managers' worst fears came to fruition last week, as Jeudy’s torrid production streak came to a crashing halt with Dorian Thompson-Robinson guiding the Browns offense. After a string of seven straight games of 12+ PPR fantasy points with Jameis Winston as his QB, Jeudy had just two receptions for 20 yards in the fantasy playoff semis.

DTR, who is an obvious downgrade at QB, should result in Jeudy being sent to your bench with championship hardware on the line. In Week 17, the overall WR12 draws a tough matchup against a stout Miami defense that has allowed the fifth-fewest passing touchdowns (18) on the year. 

Despite his massive production this season, Jeudy is a major risk for continued regression with DTR under center. In the off-chance that Winston returns, with DTR popping up on the injury report on Monday (calf), then the Jeudy calculus would change.

TE Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

at Washington; Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET  

The tight end who was averaging 16.1 PPR points per game over Weeks 5-8 is a far distant memory. Since Week 11, Pitts has amassed a grand total of 58 scoreless receiving yards!

There is simply no way any manager should be trusting a player who is averaging a ghastly 2.6 PPR points per game over his last five games. Beyond that, in Week 17, he draws a tough matchup against a Washington defense that is only surrendering 40 receiving yards per game to opposing tight ends. Find someone else.

QB Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

at Cleveland; Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET

Tagovailoa, who was the best quarterback in fantasy football in Weeks 11-13 (77.2 points), has absolutely busted the last two weeks, ranking as the overall QB25 (9.7 points per game).

While he was red-hot in a return from his latest concussion, he will now head into cold Ohio temperatures. It is well-documented that Tagovailoa is 0-8 as a starter when the temperature is 45 degrees or lower, and while the forecast calls for slightly warmer temps, it’s still not a setting conducive to his success.

In Week 17, he’ll face a Browns defense that has allowed seven passing touchdowns over the last three games, but even with the plus-matchup, managers should look to pivot in a winner-takes-all week.

WR Amari Cooper, Buffalo Bills

vs. NY Jets; Sunday, 1 p.m. ET 

Exactly how many warnings do fantasy managers need? After not drawing a single target in Week 15 against Detroit, Cooper followed it up with just one reception for 10 yards last week against the Patriots.

Since joining Buffalo, the veteran is the overall WR82, averaging a frustrating 4.3 PPR points per game from Weeks 6-16.

On Sunday, Cooper, who has just 17.3 PPR points combined over his last five games, will face a difficult matchup against a Jets defense that has only allowed five TDs to opposing WRs since Week 8.

WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals

at L.A. Rams; Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET

Arizona’s talented rookie wideout is the epitome of “boom or bust” in fantasy football this season. The No. 4 overall pick in last April’s NFL Draft has posted five games of 15+ PPR fantasy points, while producing 8.9 or fewer PPR points in his other nine games. 

The former Ohio State standout, who has only topped 50 receiving yards in two of his last seven games, has only scored twice over that stretch. Inconsistent play, combined with facing a Rams defense that has only allowed two or more TDs to opposing WRs twice since Week 4, makes Harrison a player managers should look to avoid starting, if possible.

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