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

Sneaky Starts, Pivot Plays, and Post-Waiver Pickups for Week 17 - Brock Purdy, Tyler Allgeier, Jahan Dotson, Hunter Renfrow, Greg Dulcich

Tyler Allgeier - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Championship week is here! Whether you start preparing for your drafts in June, July, or January (for you sickos) – this is the week you dream of! You envision yourself playing and winning a fantasy title. But before you can win it all, you have to get there. And if you are still playing, that part is complete. Now all that is left is to go out and win the damn thing.

Hopefully, you are not in need of many sneaky start or pivot options, but if you are, you know we got you covered here at RotoBaller. That said, do not get too cute and start someone listed in this article over someone you have been starting each week. People tend to overthink things this time of year and it can cost them. 

And before we fully get into the pivot options, I just want to thank everyone who read along this season! I hope this article provided some help for your fantasy teams and some entertainment for your week. That is the reason I write it each and every week and I would not have that opportunity if it wasn't for you – the reader. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for making this dream job of mine possible. 

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for the 2025 playoffs:

 

Quarterback Pivot Options for Fantasy Football 

If QBs Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa don’t play, you can pivot to… 

Daniel Jones has been playing well as of late. Last week, he threw for 334 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 34. The running aspect has been nothing new, as Dimes has been adding value with his legs all season long. Since Week 10, he has topped 17 fantasy points in all but two games. The risk is that the Giants jump out early and just ride Saquon Barkley against a helpless Colts team. But given his recent play, Jones is certainly in play as a streaming option this week. 

Brock Purdy has averaged 18 fantasy PPG in his three starts this season. He has scored at least 15.96 in each start, showing that he brings a reliable floor. But this week could be a week when he shows his upside as he faces the Raiders, who have allowed the sixth-most fantasy PPG to QBs this season (18.86). If you are streaming QBs this week, you can do a whole lot worse than Purdy. 

Mike White is once again starting for the Jets and he has a lot to prove in these final two games as he is a free agent at the end of the year. White scored 24.8 and 17.5 fantasy points in his first two starts for the Jets before getting injured in his third. Now, he gets a Seahawks defense that is in the top third in the NFL in fantasy points allowed to QBs. He is in play as a pivot option this week. After these three options, Teddy Bridgewater would be next in line as the top streamer. 

 

Running Back Pivot Options for Fantasy Football 

If RBs Derrick Henry, Tony Pollard, Miles Sanders, Latavius Murray, and Antonio Gibson don’t play, you can pivot to… 

Tyler Allgeier played nearly 60% of the snaps last week with 18 carries and five targets while going for nearly 120 yards and a touchdown. Allgeier was the preferred play over Cordarrelle Patterson when they split work, as he was the far more explosive runner. Now he is just the option to firmly trust here. Especially since he gets the Cardinals, who have allowed 26.5 fantasy PPG, the fifth-most in the NFL.

Zack Moss played 69 percent of the snaps last week, finishing with 70 yards on 12 carries and one target. The week prior, Moss played 67 percent of the snaps with 24 carries and one target. Moss is clearly the Colts' lead back now with Jonathan Taylor out. This is about the volume, but the matchup isn’t scary as the Giants rank exactly middle of the pack against the run. Moss is a strong pivot option. 

James Cook has been up and down usage-wise, but he has consistently played around 40 percent of the snaps as of late. Last week, he carried the ball 11 times for 99 yards and a touchdown while seeing two targets in the passing game. He is more of a boom-or-bust option, but a lot of points should be scored in this one. I anticipate the Bills will try to get Cook going, as he is their most explosive option in the backfield. He doesn’t bring a safe floor, but he brings an upside. 

 

Wide Receiver Pivot Options for Fantasy Football 

If WRs Tee Higgins, Chris Olave, and Christian Watson don’t play, you can pivot to…

D.J. Chark scored 14.8 fantasy points last week, going for 108 yards. He has topped 90 yards and 14 fantasy points in three of his last four games. He doesn’t bring the safest floor, but he brings the upside. He faces the Bears, who are just outside the top 10 in fantasy PPG allowed to receivers. Plus, the Lions are home where they have been much better. He is a strong streaming option. 

Hunter Renfrow is coming off his best game of the season, where he scored a touchdown and finished with 14.2 fantasy points. The Niners are an elite defense, but if there is a weakness, it is against receivers. The Niners have allowed the fifth-most yards to slot receivers and are in the top 10 in touchdowns allowed as well. Additionally, they have allowed the fifth-most fantasy PPG to receivers in general (36.0). He was more appealing with Derek Carr, but he remains in play as a deeper streaming option. 

Jahan Dotson has scored a touchdown in three straight games. He has at least six targets in all of them and nine in two. Plus, he has topped 70 yards in each of his last two games. He also has fared better with Carson Wentz. He’s averaged 10.3 fantasy PPG with Taylor Heinicke compared to 13.1 per game with Wentz. While Curtis Samuel gets the biggest boost here, Dotson remains in play as a high-upside pivot option. 

Isaiah Hodgins and Richie James are both in play for those who are in need. Hodgins saw 11 targets last week, catching eight of them for 89 yards and a score. He has at least six targets in three of his last four games. James caught eight of his 12 targets last week for 90 yards. He has seen at least nine targets in two of his last three games. These are deeper options for sure, but if you are looking for a plug-and-play starter off the waiver wire, the GMen got you covered. 

 

Tight End Pivot Options for Fantasy Football 

If TE Hayden Hurst doesn’t play, you can pivot to…

Juwan Johnson may have busted last week, but do not forget how reliable he was averaging nearly 15 fantasy PPG in his seven prior games. He had scored seven touchdowns in that span and is always a threat to score. The Eagles are a tough matchup, but Johnson is a high-upside tight end play. 

Greg Dulcich saw eight targets, catching four of them for 38 yards and a touchdown last week. He has now seen eight targets in the last three games that Russell Wilson has played. Now he gets the Chiefs, and there is a very strong chance the Broncos will be chasing points. That should once again lead to volume for Dulcich. He is very much in play as a streaming option this week. 

Hunter Henry has shown us he can be useful in the right matchups and that is exactly what he gets this week in Miami. The Dolphins have allowed the third-most fantasy PPG to tight ends (15.4). If you are in need of grabbing a tight end off the waiver wire to start, Henry is in play. 

Make sure to follow Michael on Twitter, @MichaelFFlorio.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




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

NFL19 mins ago

Patriots Re-Sign Ben Brown, Demontrey Jacobs
Michael Porter Jr.24 mins ago

Available Without Restrictions
Cleveland Browns26 mins ago

Dawand Jones Undergoes Knee Surgery
Aaron Gordon29 mins ago

Ready To Go On Thursday
Jamal Murray32 mins ago

Available On Thursday
Los Angeles Chargers32 mins ago

Chargers Agree To Three-Year Deal With Elijah Molden
Joe Kelly40 mins ago

Could Retire
Jarlin Susana46 mins ago

Bringing The Heat In Camp
Jeremy Lauzon52 mins ago

Ruled Out For Rest Of Season
Luis García Jr.54 mins ago

Luis Garcia Jr. Firmly Entrenched As Starting Second Baseman
Dallas Cowboys59 mins ago

Zack Martin To Retire
Kyle Connor1 hour ago

Scratched On Thursday
Jose Quintana1 hour ago

Mets, Jose Quintana Discussing Reunion
Josh Morrissey1 hour ago

Will Not Play On Thursday
Igor Shesterkin1 hour ago

May Be Available Against Sabres
Seth Martinez1 hour ago

Marlins Claim Seth Martinez
Bryan Rust1 hour ago

Ready To Return To Penguins Lineup
Evgeni Malkin2 hours ago

On Track To Return Saturday
Andrew Heaney2 hours ago

Signs One-Year Deal With Pittsburgh
Precious Achiuwa2 hours ago

Miles McBride Starting Against Chicago
Seth Jarvis2 hours ago

Rejoins Canada's Lineup Thursday
Ryan Yarbrough2 hours ago

Signs Minor-League Contract With Toronto
OG Anunoby2 hours ago

Ruled Out On Thursday
Brady Tkachuk2 hours ago

Good To Go Thursday
Trae Young2 hours ago

Cleared To Meet Orlando
Bobby Miller2 hours ago

In Concussion Protocol
Damian Lillard2 hours ago

Active Thursday, Will Have Minutes Restriction
Giannis Antetokounmpo2 hours ago

Available On Thursday
Jonathan Kuminga2 hours ago

Back Practicing, Out On Friday
Marcus Smart3 hours ago

Set To Make Debut For Washington On Friday
Juan Yepez3 hours ago

Working At Third Base In Camp
Khris Middleton3 hours ago

To Make His Wizards Debut On Friday
Fred VanVleet3 hours ago

Will Be A Game-Time Decision On Friday
Malcolm Brogdon3 hours ago

Out Of Action For Friday
Jabari Smith Jr.3 hours ago

Ready To Return On Friday
Michael Toglia3 hours ago

Says He's An Everyday Player
Dwight Powell4 hours ago

Doubtful To Return Friday
Charlie Morton4 hours ago

Under The Weather
P.J. Washington4 hours ago

Questionable Friday Against The Pelicans
Albert Suárez4 hours ago

Albert Suarez To Start Grapefruit League Opener
Kevin Love4 hours ago

Out Friday Versus Raptors
Tyler Herro4 hours ago

Likely Good To Go On Friday
Paul Goldschmidt4 hours ago

To Play In Spring Opener On Friday
Ian Hamilton4 hours ago

Faces Live Hitters
Jarred Vanderbilt4 hours ago

Ruled Out Thursday
Jakob Poeltl4 hours ago

Ruled Out For Friday Versus Heat
Landen Roupp4 hours ago

To Start Cactus League Opener On Saturday
Tyler Fitzgerald4 hours ago

Resumes Baseball Activities
Norman Powell4 hours ago

Is Questionable Thursday Against The Bucks
Bobby Miller4 hours ago

Struck By Comebacker In Cactus League Opener
Aaron Judge5 hours ago

To Be Held Out Of Spring Games Until March 1
Spencer Steer5 hours ago

To Start Throwing Soon
Eury Pérez5 hours ago

Eury Perez Placed On 60-Day Injured List
Paul Blackburn5 hours ago

Throws To Hitters
NFL6 hours ago

Doug Nussmeier Officially Lands Saints Offensive Coordinator Job
Las Vegas Raiders7 hours ago

Offensive Lineman Jon Feliciano Calls It A Career
Philadelphia Eagles7 hours ago

Cam Jurgens Undergoes Back Procedure
Gerald Everett10 hours ago

Unlikely To Stick Around With Bears
Miles Sanders10 hours ago

Panthers Likely To Cut Miles Sanders
Buffalo Bills10 hours ago

Bills Must Do Something About Von Miller's Contract
Baltimore Ravens10 hours ago

Marcus Williams Expected To Be Cut
Atlanta Falcons11 hours ago

Falcons Could Cut David Onyemata To Get Younger Up Front
Arizona Cardinals11 hours ago

Jalen Thompson A Potential Cap Casualty
Stefon Diggs11 hours ago

Texans Open To Bringing Stefon Diggs Back
Jared Spurgeon13 hours ago

Battling Illness
Nico Hischier13 hours ago

Targeting Saturday Return
Thatcher Demko13 hours ago

Deemed Week-To-Week
Kirill Marchenko14 hours ago

Could Return On Saturday
Adam Lowry14 hours ago

Set To Return On Saturday
Charlie McAvoy14 hours ago

Develops Shoulder Infection
Seattle Seahawks21 hours ago

Ernest Jones IV Not In Play For Franchise Tag
Los Angeles Rams21 hours ago

Rams Unlikely To Use Franchise Tag On Alaric Jackson
New Orleans Saints21 hours ago

Paulson Adebo A Long Shot To Receive Franchise Tag
Keenan Allen23 hours ago

Bears Likely To Let Keenan Allen, Teven Jenkins Walk In Free Agency
New England Patriots23 hours ago

Patriots Release Sione Takitaki
Keith Kirkwood23 hours ago

Ravens Re-Sign Keith Kirkwood
Darius Slayton1 day ago

Won't Be Franchise-Tagged
PGA1 day ago

Kris Ventura A Strong Value Pick At The Mexican Open
Sam Ryder1 day ago

A Player To Watch At The Mexican Open
Aldrich Potgieter1 day ago

An Intriguing Option At The Mexican Open
Mac Meissner1 day ago

Looking To Regain Form At The Mexican Open
PGA1 day ago

K.H. Lee A Player To Avoid At The Mexican Open
Stephan Jaeger1 day ago

Aims For Consistency At Mexican Open
Nicolai Hojgaard1 day ago

Poised For Strong Performance At Mexican Open
Joel Dahmen1 day ago

Difficult To Trust At Mexican Open
Michael Thorbjornsen2 days ago

Looks To Get Things Going In The Right Direction At Mexico Open
Davis Riley2 days ago

An Unlikely Candidate For Success At Mexico Open
Luke List2 days ago

A Risky Play With Upside At Mexican Open
Carson Young2 days ago

A Volatile Option At Mexican Open
Ryan Fox2 days ago

A Boom-Or-Bust Play At Mexican Open
Alex Smalley2 days ago

A Solid Play At Mexican Open
Kevin Yu2 days ago

A Risky Play With Upside At Mexican Open
Taylor Moore2 days ago

An Intriguing Option At Mexican Open
Rasmus Hojgaard2 days ago

Eyeing A Major Bounce-Back At Mexican Open
Michael Kim2 days ago

Looks To Keep Momentum Going At Mexican Open
Sam Stevens2 days ago

Continues His Excellent 2025 Season At Genesis Invitational
Patrick Rodgers2 days ago

Finishes Tied For Third At Genesis Invitational
Thorbjorn Olesen2 days ago

Makes First PGA Tour Start In 2025 At Mexico Open
Nathan MacKinnon3 days ago

Pots Two Goals In Monday's Win
Sam Reinhart3 days ago

Dishes Out Three Assists Against Finland
Lucas Raymond3 days ago

Tries To Extend Point Streak Against USA
William Byron3 days ago

Trusts His Instinct To Win Second Straight Daytona 500
Jake Guentzel3 days ago

Looks To Extend Multi-Point Streak Monday
Jimmie Johnson3 days ago

Has Unexpected Emotions After Podium Finish At Daytona 500
Jake Oettinger3 days ago

Starts Against Sweden
John Hunter Nemechek3 days ago

Gets First Career Top-Five Finish At Daytona 500
Jake Sanderson3 days ago

Slots Into Team USA Lineup
Matthew Tkachuk3 days ago

Ruled Out Monday
Gregory Rodrigues3 days ago

Gets TKO'd At UFC Vegas 102
Jared Cannonier3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Nazim Sadykhov3 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Ismael Bonfim3 days ago

Suffers Fifth Career Loss At UFC Vegas 102
Rodolfo Vieira3 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 102
Andre Petroski3 days ago

Extends His Win Streak
Ryan Blaney3 days ago

Strong Daytona 500 Performance Falls Short Of Victory
Kyle Larson3 days ago

Continues To Struggle At Daytona After Underwhelming Result
Chase Briscoe3 days ago

Scores First Top-Five Finish With Joe Gibbs Racing At Daytona 500
Tyler Reddick3 days ago

Quietly Finishes The Daytona 500 As The Runner-Up
Ross Chastain3 days ago

Daytona 500 Effort Ends In An Early Crash
Connor Matthews4 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 102
Jose Miguel Delgado4 days ago

Jose Delgado Gets Quick Win In Debut At UFC Vegas 102
Dylan Budka4 days ago

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss At UFC Vegas 102
Edmen Shahbazyan4 days ago

Gets Knockout Win At UFC Vegas 102
Calvin Kattar4 days ago

Suffers Fourth Straight Loss At UFC Vegas 102
Youssef Zalal4 days ago

Gets Decision Win At UFC Vegas 102
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

Fights For The Win But Gets Eliminated In Last-Lap Crash
Austin Cindric4 days ago

Has Best Run At Daytona 500 Until Last-Lap Crash
Justin Allgaier4 days ago

Earns First Top-10 Finish Since 2015
Martin Truex Jr4 days ago

.'s Sour Luck Continues With Early Daytona 500 Crash
Helio Castroneves4 days ago

Eliminated From Daytona 500 In Crash With Teammate
Joey Logano5 days ago

May Be A Favorite To Find The Front At Daytona, But What About For DFS?
Denny Hamlin5 days ago

Is Denny Hamlin Worth Rostering For Daytona Lineups?
Chase Elliott5 days ago

Could Chase Elliott Be Worth Rostering At Daytona This Week?
Ryan Blaney5 days ago

Should DFS Players Trust Ryan Blaney This Week At Daytona?
Alex Bowman5 days ago

Will Be One Of The Best DFS Plays Of The Week For Daytona
Brad Keselowski5 days ago

Is A DFS Lock For Daytona Lineups
Ross Chastain5 days ago

Has A Real Shot Of Winning But Should Be Avoided For DFS
Chris Buescher5 days ago

Undervalued For The Win At Daytona
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Shedeur Sanders - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Quarterback Rankings - Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, Jalen Milroe, Jaxson Dart, Quinn Ewers, Will Howard, Dillon Gabriel

Rookie draft season in fantasy football is almost here, and while the 2025 quarterback class isn't necessarily loaded, there are a few signal callers who have significant upside. To help your rookie draft efforts, our NFL team has released its early 2025 fantasy football rookie quarterback rankings before the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. Navigate the […]


Tyler Warren - College Football Rankings - NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks - NFL Draft

2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Tight End Rankings - Tyler Warren, Colston Loveland, Elijah Arroyo, Harold Fannin Jr., Mason Taylor, Gunnar Helm, more

A handful of rookie tight ends have had productive seasons over the last few years, and the 2025 group of rookie TEs is promising at this point in the pre-draft process. To help you prepare for your rookie drafts, our NFL team has released its early 2025 fantasy football rookie tight end rankings before the […]


Jaxson Dart - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

NFL Draft QB Prospect Comparisons: Which 2025 Rookies Resemble Today’s Fantasy Stars?

It never hurts to compare the best college prospects at each position to pro players who are similar in many respects. Unfortunately, it might not be the most useful thing to do in a weak quarterback class, but I'll try my best either way. There is one gem that's being underrated, though, and he'll be […]


Marvin Mims Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Five Wide Receiver Sleepers For 2025 Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues

Wide receivers are in high demand in dynasty fantasy football leagues. They come off draft boards early and can be difficult to acquire in trades. Even with many pass-catchers available, values and sleepers still exist in this position. Identifying a few can give you a nice advantage over the rest of your league. They might […]


Travis Hunter - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Draft Prospects, NFL Rookies

Early 2025 Fantasy Football IDP Sleepers and Draft Targets

As any manager in an IDP league can tell you, adding defensive players to a fantasy draft changes the math. IDP formats not only require wider knowledge of league-wide rosters, it asks managers to create value systems like the real NFL Draft.  Managers having wildly different value systems are often part of the fun. Is […]


Shedeur Sanders - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

2025 Fantasy Football QB Rookie Rankings (Pre-NFL Draft) - Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, Jaxon Dart, and more

It's time to get excited. The NFL Combine is just weeks away; the NFL Draft will be here before we know it. Even rookie fantasy drafts have been slowly popping up all over the place. If you have a draft coming up or you're looking for some additional information about a player your favorite team […]


Tre Harris - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks, NFL Draft

NFL Draft WR Prospect Comparisons: Which 2025 Rookies Resemble Fantasy Stars?

While pro comparisons are difficult to make accurately, as we don't know how a prospect's career will go and how much they'll develop their skills at the next level, it can help frame more accurately what a player's ceiling and floor are in the NFL. Not every career path is linear in the NFL, and […]


Luther Burden - College, NCAA, Draft, Prospects, CFB, Missouri

2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Wide Receiver Rankings - Tetairoa McMillan, Luther Burden, Emeka Egbuka, Isaiah Bond, Tre Harris, Jalen Royals

The 2025 wide receiver draft class isn't viewed as one of the strongest in recent years, but there are always early-round and late-round rookies who make instant fantasy football impacts. Our NFL team has released its early 2025 fantasy football rookie wide receiver rankings before the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. Below, you can find out […]


Quinshon Judkins - College Football Rankings - NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks - NFL Draft

2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Running Back Rankings - Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, Kaleb Johnson, Quinshon Judkins, Devin Neal, RJ Harvey

It's almost time for the NFL scouting combine, which means the NFL Draft and fantasy football rookie drafts are right around the corner. Our NFL team has released its early 2025 fantasy football rookie running back rankings before the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. Luckily, this is a loaded running back class. Let's check below to […]


Kyren Williams - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Dynasty Fantasy Football Avoids - Players To Trade Away and Fade in Dynasty Start-Up Drafts

There are always players that are overvalued in Dynasty fantasy football, and if you happen to take them in a start-up draft, you can be in big trouble. It's not always easy to predict how players' careers will go, though. They can seemingly rise and fall in drafts without much warning. And owning a player […]


Caleb Williams - Fantasy Football Rankings, QB, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Early 2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers and Draft Targets - Quarterbacks

The Super Bowl has come and gone which means there is officially a wrap on the 2024 NFL season. All that means is that the 2025 fantasy football season has essentially begun. It is never too early to evaluate who we may be targeting during this fall's drafts. Quarterback has been an interesting position to […]


Tyler Warren - College Football Rankings - NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks - NFL Draft

2025 Fantasy Football TE Rookie Rankings (Pre-NFL Draft) - Tyler Warren, Elijah Arroyo, Harold Fannin Jr., and more

The positional strengths of certain positions cycle every year. Last year, the quarterback and wide receiver classes were strong. This season, they give way to the running back and tight end positions. As prospects prepare to hear their names called at the NFL Draft, fantasy managers look to gain the upper hand on their competition […]


Travis Kelce - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL DFS Picks, Injury News

The Tight End Age Cliff: When Should You Fade Aging Fantasy Football Veterans?

In professional football, the "age cliff" of a player is the age at which their production takes a sharp downturn and never recovers. While plenty of players have down seasons and others suffer career-ending or career-altering injuries, these are different than simple declines due to their bodies not being able to handle NFL punishment or […]