X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

10 Fantasy Football Lineup Busts for Week 17

You've read about all the sleepers, waiver wire pickups and starter suggestions based on matchups. Now let me burst some bubbles and tell you who I think is going to bust big time in Week 17.

This isn't to troll or spread hate - that's what Reddit is for. Think of this as a public service for fanboys and truth deniers who insist that everything is going to be alright, when it's clearly not. If you don't believe me, just ask the general public on Twitter. They know everything.

Warning: while the picks made in this article are completely serious, you may find sarcastic humor laced throughout. If you don't have any sense of humor whatsoever, turn back now before you get all worked up. Comments, praise, complaints or ramblings can be directed to @pfunk00 on Twitter.

Editor's Note: New users that sign up on FantasyAces, make a $20 deposit, and enter any game will receive BOTH our full season NFL and NBA Premium Passes for free, a $119.99 value. Just email [email protected] with your new FantasyAces username - and boom, that's it! We will email you with your Premium Passes.

 

Week 16 Recap

Let me start by expressing remorse about Derek Carr. Not the broken leg thing - that wasn't my fault. I feel bad for betting against him the first time this year after he was my preseason fantasy MVP pick. He tossed three TD before suffering a bad break (literally) and finished his 2016 campaign with 28 TD, 6 INT and 3,933 yards. If he had finished out the season, we'd be looking at 30 TD and 4K yardage from a guy who was picked on average in the 10th round of fantasy drafts. It goes to show that leagues are truly won in the middle and later rounds. Unless you drafted David Johnson and Le'Veon Bell in the first two rounds, that is... but I digress. In honor of Carr, we'll employ a theme for this week's visual recap of Week 16 that Raiders fans can appreciate.

Booms (You Know How We Do It)

image281

Derek Carr (232 YDS, 3 TD)
Russell Wilson (350 YDS, 4 TD)
Steve Smith (7 REC, 79 YDS, 1 TD)
Davante Adams (4 REC, 44 YDS, 1 TD)
Tavon Austin (40 TOTAL YDS, 1 TD)

 

 

Busts (So Not Money)

AtRaidersGame-1
A.J. Green (DNP)
Robby Anderson (0 REC, 0 YDS)
John Brown (1 REC, 12 YDS)
Jeremy Maclin (3 REC, 9 YDS)
Coby Fleener (2 REC, 30 YDS)

 

 

 

Overall it was an OK week, with only the QBs having truly big weeks. We continue one more time, because some of you just want to squeeze every ounce of goodness out of the football season and ruin your Super Bowl by playing in a week that is meaningless for 90% of NFL teams. After this, you might want to go check out our waiver wire articles and matchups analysis. Now, get out there and Just Win, Baby!

 

Top 10 Busts for Week 17

Tom Brady (QB, NE) - Brady hasn't gone over 150 passing yards in his last game of the season since 2012. Resting him in this meaningless matchup isn't just logical, it may be necessary. He has a slight thigh injury and at 39 years old, he could use the recovery time. There is little chance of Brady producing enough value to make him a QB1 this week. If you only knew how much it pleases me personally to finally be able to put Brady in this column. We have good reason to hate on him, after all.

bradytweet

Cam Newton (QB, CAR) - Sadly, this isn't the first time Newton appears in this space and it has been well deserved each time. It would seem Newton is going to be the QB to start this game, but he probably won't finish it. Even so, Newton has become downright benchable these days, as hard as it may be to believe. He has failed to throw for 200 yards in four of the last six games and has only accounted for nine touchdowns in those games. Next year may be a different story, but Newton appears ready to throw in the towel on 2016.

newtontweet

Matt Cassel (QB, TEN) - You have to be a special kind of crazy to spend salary in DFS or take a chance plugging in Cassel for this week, even in a consolation game. The Texans allow the third-fewest fantasy points to QBs this season, making this a tough matchup regardless of who is behind center for Tennessee. Cassel was mediocre last week in relief of the injured Marcus Mariota, completed 13 of 24 passes for 124 yards, one TD and one INT. He's finished with a completion percentage under 60% in six of the last seven seasons with just three more TD than INT during that span (78/75). Believe it or not, even Landry Jones qualifies as a better option. It would have been nice to see Cassel back in the playoffs, though.

casseltweet

Jay Ajayi (RB, MIA) - Let's just put that last 200-yard rushing performance out of our minds for this week. Ajayi proved he is no flash in the pan, but Week 17 presents a unique situation. The Dolphins are already set in the wild card game, with little incentive to push Ajayi beyond 15 carries. He also suffered a sprained AC joint last week, adding to the likelihood he won't stick around in the second half. The Patriots may rest some starters on defense too, but they aren't the type of team that will cede a huge game to any player regardless of circumstance. If you are in your league's championship game this week (again, why?), you may need to keep Ajayi in your lineup just in case. Otherwise, he is best avoided, especially in daily leagues. If he were playing Buffalo again, that would be a different story.

ajayitweet2

Michael Crabtree (WR, OAK) - Now that I've professed my love for Carr, you can imagine how low my expectations are for the Oakland receivers this week without him. Matt Mcgloin isn't the worst QB out there, but it's the Denver defense he'll be facing in Week 17. Mr. Crabs will square off against a perpetually angry Aqib Talib. Crabtree has been limited by his finger injury lately and the Raiders have already clinched a playoff spot, so don't expect them to try to light it up through the air with a backup QB against the best CB duo in the league. Don't mess with Talib.

talibtweet

Brandon Marshall (WR, NYJ) - I know I said I wouldn't do it again, but the truth must be spoken. Despite facing a Buffalo team that will be without its head coach, Marshall should be avoided this week. Swapping Bryce Petty out for Ryan Fitzpatrick hasn't done Marshall any favors. He only caught two balls for 28 yards, giving him a grand total of 10 in the last four weeks combined with no touchdowns to offset that lack of production. The Bills have given up the seventh fewest receiving yards this season, so don't expect this to be his redemption songs. At this point (meaning the last two months), you should probably be avoiding every Jets player not named Bilal Powell. Yup, that's 2016 for you.

jetstweet2

Stefon Diggs (WR, MIN) - Last week, Diggs scored his first touchdown since Week 8 against the Bears. That's about the only positive that he has given fantasy owners over the last six weeks. Diggs hasn't gone over 60 yards and is averaging less than five receptions per game in that span. He currently has a hip injury and is doubtful to even play. Avoid as if he were... an offensive player for the Vikings.

vikestweet

Sterling Shepard (WR, NYG) - No OBJ, possibly no Manning in this game. That means little hope for Shepard finding open space to operate. The rookie has been coming on lately, scoring in three of the last four games and six of the last eight. Unfortunately, this is a case where one team desperately needs a victory (Washington) and the other couldn't care less. Shepard could find his way into the end zone, but if he doesn't then it will be a low point total this week. Still, it's been an excellent rookie year. Just imagine how high his ceiling will be next season with a little more experience and growth.

shepardtweet

Mike Wallace (WR, BAL) - Wallace simply hasn't been a fantasy asset in the second half of the season. His last productive game was back in Week 9, which is also the last time he scored. Since then, Wallace hasn't topped 62 yards, including a 57-yard game against the Bengals. If the Ravens are going to complete passes against the second-best fantasy defense against WR, it will be to the retiring Steve Smith. Avoid Wallace, but definitely get Smith into your lineups this weekend.

smithtweet

 

Jason Witten (TE, DAL) - If anyone deserves a week off, it's Witten. His consecutive games streak stands at 162 and counting. He will surely play in order to keep the streak alive, but if the Boys are smart, he won't see the second half. Even so, he faces an Eagles team that allows the second-fewest points to tight ends and limited him to two catches for 16 yards earlier this year. At least he's one player who doesn't have to worry about job security in Dallas.

jonestweet




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Stephen Curry7 mins ago

Questionable Tuesday
Max Greyserman49 mins ago

Trying To Shake Off Poor Weekend At Houston Open
Pablo Reyes1 hour ago

Could Make Opening Day Roster
Sam Stevens1 hour ago

Could Need Texas Sized Resolve In Houston
Colby Thomas1 hour ago

Returns To Action
Sam Ryder1 hour ago

On Good Form As Houston Open Approaches
Nick Kurtz1 hour ago

Goes Deep In Return
Andrew Painter2 hours ago

Progressing Well, Could Pitch In Extended Spring Games
Patrick Rodgers2 hours ago

Looking For Better Opening At Houston
Jeferson Quero2 hours ago

Returning To Minor-League Games
Andrew Novak2 hours ago

Struggling To Find Consistency
Joey Cantillo2 hours ago

Starting Season In Bullpen
Alex DeBrincat2 hours ago

Tallies Two Points On Monday
Jake Oettinger2 hours ago

Shuts The Door On Monday
Sean Monahan3 hours ago

Dishes Out Two Helpers In Return
Pius Suter3 hours ago

Tallies Two Points On Monday
Petr Mrazek3 hours ago

Exits On Monday
Declan Chisholm3 hours ago

Exits Early On Monday
Kyle Stowers9 hours ago

Makes Opening Day Roster
Kyle Wright9 hours ago

Alec Marsh, Kyle Wright, and James McArthur Placed On 15-Day IL
Ryan Gusto9 hours ago

Earns Opening Day Roster Spot In Bullpen
Luke Jackson9 hours ago

In The Mix For Saves
Yordan Alvarez9 hours ago

Isaac Paredes To Bat Second And Yordan Alvarez To Bat Third
Cam Smith9 hours ago

Hits Two-Run Triple In Monday's Exhibition Contest
Josh Jung10 hours ago

Leaves Game With Neck Stiffness
Mickey Gasper10 hours ago

Earns Opening Day Roster Spot
Kyle Hart10 hours ago

Earns No. 5 Rotation Spot For Padres
Randy Vásquez10 hours ago

Randy Vasquez To Begin Season In Padres Starting Rotation
Marcelo Mayer10 hours ago

To Begin The Season At Triple-A Worcester
Luis Campusano11 hours ago

Optioned To Triple-A
Chase Meidroth11 hours ago

To Begin Season At Triple-A Charlotte
Jason Heyward11 hours ago

Brandon Lockridge Expected To Platoon With Jason Heyward
Dedniel Núñez11 hours ago

Dedniel Nunez Optioned To Triple-A
Chicago Bears13 hours ago

Bears Sign Nick McCloud To One-Year Deal
New Orleans Saints13 hours ago

Saints Agree With Dillon Radunz On One-Year Deal
Philadelphia Eagles13 hours ago

Kendall Lamm Signs One-Year Deal With Eagles
New Orleans Saints13 hours ago

Saints Re-Sign Safety Ugo Amadi
Kansas City Chiefs13 hours ago

Chiefs Bring Back Mike Pennel
Travis Vokolek13 hours ago

Signs Tender Offer From Cardinals
Eric Saubert13 hours ago

Seahawks Sign Eric Saubert
14 hours ago

Packers To Take Tetairoa McMillan In The First Round?
New England Patriots14 hours ago

Patriots Say They Will Take The "Best Player Available" In The Draft
Stephon Castle14 hours ago

Questionable Versus The Pistons
Puka Nacua14 hours ago

Wants To Retire At An Early Age
Las Vegas Raiders14 hours ago

Leki Fotu Signs With Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers15 hours ago

Chargers Re-Sign Tony Jefferson To One-Year Deal
Bennedict Mathurin15 hours ago

Available Monday
Anthony Davis15 hours ago

On Minute Restriction In Return Monday
Ondrej Palat15 hours ago

Good To Go Monday
Sean Monahan15 hours ago

Rejoins Blue Jackets Lineup Monday
Domantas Sabonis16 hours ago

Returning Versus Boston
Elias Pettersson16 hours ago

To Sit Out At Least One Week
Yves Missi16 hours ago

Questionable For Monday's Matchup With Sixers
Rui Hachimura16 hours ago

Will Face The Magic
Thatcher Demko16 hours ago

Returns To Action Versus Devils
LeBron James16 hours ago

Good To Go On Monday
Gabriel Vilardi16 hours ago

Considered Week-To-Week
Bruce Brown16 hours ago

Won't Play Monday Versus Philadelphia
Leon Draisaitl16 hours ago

Not Ready To Return This Week
Cole Anthony16 hours ago

Remains Out On Monday
Connor McDavid16 hours ago

To Remain Out This Week
Anthony Davis16 hours ago

Will Play On Monday Night
CJ McCollum16 hours ago

Out Monday Against 76ers
Nikola Jokić16 hours ago

Nikola Jokic Sidelined Again Monday
Keith Mitchell16 hours ago

May Get Off To Good Start In Houston
Maverick McNealy17 hours ago

Trying To Stop Bad Stretch In Texas
Zion Williamson17 hours ago

Ruled Out Again On Monday
Sean Brady19 hours ago

Dominates At UFC London
MMA19 hours ago

Leon Edward Dominated At UFC London
Carlos Ulberg20 hours ago

Extends His Win Streak
Jan Blachowicz20 hours ago

Outpointed At UFC London
Jason Day20 hours ago

Returns To Action For Texas Children’s Houston Open
Kevin Yu20 hours ago

Finishes Tied For 12th At Valspar Championship
J.J. Spaun20 hours ago

Finishes Second At The PLAYERS Championship
Min Woo Lee20 hours ago

Finishes Tied For 20th At The PLAYERS Championship
Gunnar Nelson20 hours ago

Drops Decision At UFC London
Rickie Fowler20 hours ago

Finishes 71st At The PLAYERS Championship
Tony Finau20 hours ago

Misses The Cut At The PLAYERS Championship
Joel Dahmen20 hours ago

Misses The Cut At Valspar Championship
Wyndham Clark20 hours ago

Returns To Action After Withdrawing From The PLAYERS Championship
New England Patriots20 hours ago

Patriots Bring Back Christian Elliss
Kevin Holland20 hours ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Kirk Cousins20 hours ago

Could Waive His No-Trade Clause
Molly McCann20 hours ago

Retires After UFC London Submission Loss
Alexia Thainara20 hours ago

Wins Her UFC Debut
Aaron Rodgers20 hours ago

A "Safe Bet" To Eventually Sign With Steelers
Carolina Panthers21 hours ago

Julian Blackmon Visiting With Panthers On Monday
Chris Duncan21 hours ago

Gets Submission Win At UFC London
Joey Slye21 hours ago

Titans Sign Kicker Joey Slye
Jordan Vucenic21 hours ago

Remains Winless In The UFC
Morgan Charrière21 hours ago

Morgan Charriere Gets Outclassed At UFC London
Jonas Brodin21 hours ago

Not Playing On Monday
Nathaniel Wood21 hours ago

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Jake Oettinger21 hours ago

Starting On Monday
Kaiden Guhle21 hours ago

Will Travel With Team
Jakob Chychrun21 hours ago

Suffers Laceration, Questionable For Tuesday
Hudson Fasching22 hours ago

Sitting On Monday With Illness
Jake Christiansen22 hours ago

Remains Sidelined On Monday
NASCAR22 hours ago

Bubba Wallace Earns New Career-Best Finish At Homestead
Alex Bowman22 hours ago

Falls Short Of Winning At Homestead
William Byron22 hours ago

Has An Underwhelming Day At Homestead
Chris Buescher22 hours ago

Earns A New Career-Best Finish At Homestead
Ryan Preece22 hours ago

Scores His Second Consecutive Top-10 Finish Of 2025 At Homestead
Damian Lillard22 hours ago

Won't Play On Monday Against Suns
Giannis Antetokounmpo23 hours ago

Likely To Play On Monday
Devin Carter23 hours ago

Tagged As Questionable On Monday
Malik Monk23 hours ago

Iffy To Play Against Celtics
Domantas Sabonis23 hours ago

Questionable To Return From Absence On Monday
Ziaire Williams23 hours ago

Questionable On Monday Versus Mavericks
D'Angelo Russell1 day ago

Could Miss Monday's Game Against Mavericks
Quinton Byfield1 day ago

Busy In Sunday's Victory
Taylor Hall1 day ago

Scores Hat Trick On Sunday
Denny Hamlin2 days ago

Savvy Pit Strategy Helps Denny Hamlin Win Stage 2 At Homestead
Chase Briscoe2 days ago

Moves Above Playoff Cut Line With Fourth-Place Finish
Joey Logano2 days ago

Misses Top 10 Again After Pit-Road Spin
Tyler Reddick2 days ago

Underachieves But Still Finishes Eighth
Justin Haley2 days ago

Earns First Non-Drafting Oval Top-10 Finish For Spire Motorsports
Russell Wilson2 days ago

Giants Still Interested In Russell Wilson
Alex Bowman2 days ago

Earns First Non-Drafting Superspeedway Pole Since 2016
Denny Hamlin2 days ago

Poor Las Vegas Run Suggests He Might Be Overvalued For Homestead
Joey Logano2 days ago

Recent Homestead Record Misleading Due To Past Playoff Situations
Josh Berry2 days ago

Probably Needs To Lead To Have DFS Value
Daniel Suarez2 days ago

Poor Qualifying Makes Him A Strong DFS Option
Shane Van Gisbergen2 days ago

Likely Too Inexperienced To Gain Many Positions At Homestead
Austin Cindric2 days ago

Increased Staying Power In Races May Make Him More Valuable
Ricky Stenhouse Jr2 days ago

. Unlikely To Gain Enough Positions For DFS Value
NASCAR2 days ago

John Hunter Nemechek Delivers His Second-Best Qualifying Run At Homestead
Cole Custer2 days ago

Has Been Hapless At Homestead In Cup Series
JJ Yeley2 days ago

J.J. Yeley Needs Attrition To Gain Positions At Homestead
Las Vegas Raiders3 days ago

Zach Carter Returning To Las Vegas
Carolina Panthers3 days ago

Nick Scott Re-Signs With Panthers
Houston Texans3 days ago

Darrell Taylor Brought In By Houston
Sean Brady4 days ago

Looks For His Eighth UFC Win
Leon Edwards4 days ago

Set For Main Event
Carlos Ulberg4 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak At UFC London
Jan Blachowicz4 days ago

Set For Light-Heavyweight Clash
Gunnar Nelson4 days ago

Ends Long Layoff
Kevin Holland4 days ago

Set For Welterweight Bout
Alexia Thainara4 days ago

Set For Her UFC Debut
Molly McCann4 days ago

Aims To Get Back In The Win Column
Chris Duncan4 days ago

Looks For His Second Consecutive Win
Jake Knapp6 days ago

Looks To Stay Hot At Valspar Championship
Adam Hadwin6 days ago

Looking To Bounce Back At Valspar Championship
Cam Davis6 days ago

Avoid Cam Davis At Valspar Championship
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF