It’s never too early to look toward your next matchup and a chance to bolster your fantasy football lineups. Here are some options to consider for Week 17 — the championship round of the fantasy football playoffs in most leagues.
Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers (7% rostered)
Remember when Bryce Young was benched earlier in the season? He looked like he wasn’t an NFL-caliber quarterback, much less able to win a game this season.
Man, does that feel like a thousand years ago.
Young’s play has improved immensely, and his Week 16 performance in a 36-30 victory over the Cardinals was an exclamation point to that effect. Young showed poise and dual-threat ability in a back-and-forth affair, and we might just get a similar performance in Week 17. Young and the Panthers will take on the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are no strangers to high-scoring games.
You can bet that Young will be motivated to close his season strong and show the Panthers that they should stick with him under center.
If you’re seeking QB help in the hunt for a trophy or a third-place finish in your league, especially in SuperFlex and two-QB leagues, consider Young vs. TB.
Chig Okonkwo, TE, Tennessee Titans (6%)
Football fans and fantasy managers alike have been tantalized by the talent shown in glimpses by Chig Okonkwo in the past. Unfortunately, the Tennessee passing game hasn’t been buoyant enough for him to be anything more than an occasional streaming option in fantasy leagues.
But maybe that’s changed the past two weeks.
Okonkwo delivered his best performance of the season in Week 16, going 11-9-81 with a 2-PT conversion. This comes after Okonkwo collected 8-of-10 targets for 59 yards in Week 15. He seems to be developing a strong connection with Mason Rudolph, looking like the clear second option in the receiving game after Calvin Ridley.
The Titans get a third straight fantasy-friendly matchup in Week 17, this time against the Jaguars. Okonkwo looks like a startable option for managers in need of TE help.
Devaughn Vele, WR, Denver Broncos (13%)
The Broncos fell to the Chargers in Week 16, meaning they’ll be motivated for a victory in Week 17 to improve their playoff chances and position. That also means that Bo Nix and the offense will need to be firing on all cylinders. That includes Nix’s top targets, and it’s looking like rookie receiver Devaughn Vele is climbing up that hierarchy.
Vele has had his moments this season, and in Week 17, he’ll get to take on what has been a truly wonderful fantasy matchup for wide receivers: the Cincinnati Bengals.
With the way Joe Burrow has been playing, this will likely be another shootout. It could be a shot in the dark, but Vele is on the desperation flex radar.
