Week 17 NFL Injuries Recap & Wild Card Round Fantasy Playoffs Lineups Advice

Despite most leagues having their championship round play out in Week 16, some fantasy owners out there do still play to the end of the regular season or at the very least in a weekly salary cap game. That being said, this week’s recap will be a much more slimmed down version than weeks prior since we’re entering the NFL playoffs. You’ll notice less fantasy talk and more real-life analysis with some exceptions sprinkled throughout.

There are still playoff versions of fantasy out there so why not stretch it out as much as we can? It’s all in good fun after all, let’s make it last. Lastly, the Week 16 took a peak ahead to the 2015 fantasy season so you can expect more of that as well. With coaches and personnel changing more frequently than perhaps any other sport, there’s something to react to virtually every day of the NFL off-season. Let’s get to it.

Week 17 Game-by-Game Analysis

Browns @ Ravens

The biggest takeaway from this game outside of the real-life implications for Baltimore’s playoff hopes was the fact that Josh Gordon was suspended for this game for skipping practice. Throw in a guy named Connor Shaw starting at quarterback and you’ve got yourself one of the more unstable offenses in the NFL in the Cleveland Browns. I don’t think anyone has any clue as to whom the Browns will trot out at QB next year and that includes the Cleveland organization. What we do know, however, is that Gordon is beginning to appear more trouble than he’s worth. He’s a tremendous talent who had an unbelievable season in 2013 but the guy simply can’t stay out of trouble. The suspension makes Gordon ineligible to become an unrestricted when his contract expires due to not appearing in the required amount of games within the first few years of his career.

Honestly, would anyone be shocked if the Browns just straight up release him at this point? How many suspensions can they deal with before deciding to just hit the reset button and find a new receiver? As it currently stands Gordon doesn’t have any legal problems (as far as we know anyway) so he should be treated as if he’s playing Week 1 of 2015 but with the unfortunate tag of being extremely risky due to his history. If it was simply a question of talent, he’d be a 2^nd round pick but his inability to stay on the field crushes his draft stock. In short, I think Gordon’s days in Cleveland are numbered and his fantasy relevance will continue to dwindle until he can get himself together. It only takes one sentence to sum up the Baltimore offense for those of you playing in a playoff version of fantasy football so here it is: Justin Forsett is the only guy you can legitimately count on, with Steve Smith and Torrey Smith being high-risk high-reward plays even against a weak Pittsburgh secondary.

Cowboys @ Redskins

In a game that actually did still matter for the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Redskins simply got crushed 44-17. The story of the Redskins all year has been the public tug-of-war between quarterback Robert Griffin III and Heach Coach Jay Gruden. It is astounding how much Gruden has thrown RGIII under the bus in public. The Redskins have made it clear they intend on keeping Gruden as the team’s coach but many expect RGIII to be shipped out of Washington. The problem is, the team gave up a lot to have the right to even draft him so they’ll likely want top dollar. Good luck getting it though. With the way Griffin has played, I would be shocked to see a team sell the farm for him after two struggling seasons in a row.

Besides, this isn’t the first time RGIII has butted heads with his coach as Mike Shanahan had an equally as bad public display of friction with the QB. The only true candidate to make a wild move like that would be a team like the New York Jets who consistently attract the media circus and make bold moves to try and win right away. I truly believe that much like Josh Gordon, the path to Robert Griffin III’s real-life and fantasy success is on a different team albeit for completely different reasons. He needs a fresh start in a city that isn’t frustrated with him and with a coach that will play to his strengths without bashing him publicly. As for the Cowboys, the team had to play their starters the whole game since they still had a shot at a bye and the number one seed in the NFC. Basically, if you started a relevant Cowboy in Romo, Murray, or Dez Bryant, you’re satisfied. The Cowboys face a tough Detroit defense in round one but both Murray and Bryant are well worth the price in a playoff salary cap league.

Colts @ Titans

This game didn’t mean anything for either team with the Titans firmly eliminated and the Colts locked into the four seed. Wide receive Reggie Wayne suffered a groin injury here after a huge play that almost resulted in a touchdown. Wayne pretty much had a lost season in 2014 after being a big bounce back candidate since suffering a torn ACL in 2013. I can’t imagine Wayne returning to prominence next year either having grown a year older and with Donte Moncrief showing he can play well enough as the team’s number two receiver. I expect Moncrief to be a trendy sleeper next year while T.Y. Hilton if firmly entrenched into low-end WR1/high-end WR2 territory. The Titans desperately need a quarterback and one that can stay healthy.

Luckily for them, Sunday’s loss cemented their spot at number two in the draft order, putting them in prime position to select Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota should they choose to do so. The expectation is that the Buccaneers will take Mariota at one so the Titans will have a huge decision to make about Winston. Everyone is well aware of Winston’s off the field troubles so no one should be surprised to see him fall in the draft. I suppose the Titans could make a move for a veteran starter until a more reliable rookie comes around. There are some serious receiving optinos in Tennesee between Delanie Walker, Nate Washington, Justin Hunter, and Kendall Wright so any QB that ends up there would be worth keeping an eye on.

Jaguars @ Texans

The Texans were still alive for a playoff spot but those hopes were dashed once Baltimore finished off the Browns. Andre Johnson waited all the way to Week 17 to put up big numbers with his 10 reception 134 yards and a touchdown. Johnson had the targets all year but just couldn’t find the endzone. It wouldn’t shock me to see fantasy owners forget about him in 2015 and then he ends up being the bounce-back veteran no one drafted high enough. Personally, I’d likely wait on him but wouldn’t be opposed to the idea of him as my WR3/flex. Either way, DeAndre Hopkins is the clear number one wide receiver in Houston now after his big breakout year. Hopkins finished with 76 receptions for 1,210 yards so I expect him to be a hot commodity in keeper and dynasty leagues in the off-season. What is there to say about the Jacksonville Jaguars? Their most fantasy relevant player this year was Denard Robinson who was sent to the IR a few weeks ago. No one else stepped up all year or when they did, no one knew what games they would breakout in. Another year, another lowly season for the Jags.

Chargers @ Chiefs

This is a classic Chargers performance if there ever was. In a game where Alex Smith was surprisingly ruled out and the only early contest that meant something to both teams, the Chargers limped their way to just seven points on the day, losing by twelve. The biggest takeaway from San Diego in 2014 was the resurgence of Antonio Gates. Gates had been a stellar fantasy tight end for years but put up a few mediocre years in a row as of late. With his return to form this year, I think it’s safe to place Gates back in that group of TEs that are all the same but still pretty solid at the position. The most amazing aspect of Kansas City’s season is that they went the entire year without throwing a touchdown pass to a wide receiver.

All of their passing touchdowns went to tight end Travis Kelce and their running backs Jamaal Charles and Knile Davis. While that’s a seemingly unrepeatable feat, the ‘Chiefs just aren’t that potent of a throwing team. They lean on Jamaal Charles and their aptly nicknamed tight end Zeus to get it done offensively. Given how much Andy Reid likes to throw the ball, it would probably aid the offense if they were to draft a big name wide receiver in the draft. It seems like someone trades up for a pass catcher every year these days so maybe that’s something they should consider. I could see them trading up to land Amari Cooper but hey, I’m not an NFL GM.

Jets @ Dolphins

37-24 Jets. That is so Jets. Winning the last game of the regular season in a meaningless matchup, thus dropping two spots in the draft order. Granted, there’s a slim chance their biggest need at quarterback would have been filled at four anyway but still, just lose for the sake of the team when it’s called for. There’s no way the Jets trot out Geno Smith in 2015 so if they don’t draft a rookie QB there’s a 100% chance they start a veteran who is not currently on the roster. The aforementioned RGIII would be the Jetsiest move to make but why not someone less risky and that doesn’t require 24/7 media coverage? You know what else wouldn’t shock me? Them trading for Jay Cutler or how about bringing back Mark Sanchez? I don’t mean to rip on the Jets (okay, maybe I do) but all of those scenarios aren’t out of the question. The team has also gotten rid of head coach Rex Ryan and general manager John Idzik, surprising no one. Ryan will almost certainly find a new gig immediately and whoever the team hires as GM should put his focus on the offense.

When everyone in the football universe knows what the Jets needed to do it isn’t really all that newsworthy when they finally pull the trigger. Apparently Mike Wallace was benched in the second half and didn’t take himself out of the game as many initially thought. There have been some murmurings of friction in the organization between the coaching staff and Wallace so that’ll be an interesting story to pay attention to through the spring. Wallace was linked to a few other teams while he was a free agent so I can envision a scenario he ends up elsewhere. With a better QB and a more competent offense I think Wallace could be a sneaky/cheap WR2 on a different team.

Bears @ Vikings

Time to clean house in Chicago. The Bears expectedly fired head coach Marc Trestman and GM Phil Emery with Jay Cutler possibly being on the move as well. The problem with moving Cutler is that his contract number is enormous so trading or even cutting him may be impossible but I would bet my house the Bears will at least try. There are several teams out there that would keep Cutler’s career afloat for both real-life and fantasy purposes. The Titans, Bills, Texans, and Eagles all have questions at the quarterback position but have plenty of pieces in place Cutler could work with. Personally, I’d like to see him end up in Houston. Cutler in a dome with a solid defense backing him up could be entertaining and would instantly make the Texans better on offense.

Speaking of off-season moves, perhaps the most hot button topic come March will be where Adrian Peterson ends up which directly impacts who gets the starting gig in Minnesota. It seems unlikely the Vikings would bring him back at this point and have shown they can stay competitive with Matt Asiata and Jerrick McKinnon rushing the ball. It is way too early to speculate about what team Peterson could land on given he’s even thought about leaving football entirely. The more tangible bit of news is the Asiata/McKinnon dynamic. Asiata finished the year as the starter due to McKinnon’s injury but I believe the latter is the more talented player and the one that would most likely be more fantasy relevant in 2015.

Bills @ Patriots

This was another game that meant nothing in the standings for either team, leading to the Patriots pretty much resting all of their starters. The Patriots were the most obvious team to avoid as far as usable players for a Week 17 fantasy matchup. With the Patriots having a bye in the first round, their first matchup would easily call for Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, and Julian Edelman to be inserted into a fantasy playoff game lineup regardless of who they play but I’m not touching their running backs. The New England run game was unpredictable at best all year so I don’t expect that to change in a playoff game.

As for the Bills, Fred Jackson already re-signed for one more year in Buffalo while C.J. Spiller is expected to walk. That’s the best thing that could happen to Spiller as a fresh start on an RB-needy team could rejuvenate his career. The worst possible thing that could happen is for Spiller to go to yet another team where he has to split the work. If he’s smart, he’ll go to somewhere like Indianapolis where he can hoard all the carries and automatically become fantasy relevant on a good offense. You know what would be horrible though? Spiller going to New England. Oh come on, you KNOW that’s not out of the question.

Eagles @ Giants

Breaking News you’ve heard 100 times already: Odell Beckham is absolutely ridiculous. Every week he makes highlight reel type plays. I can guarantee you he’ll be the most hyped guy heading into fantasy drafts next year and he completely deserves it. I have no issue taking him at the top of the second round in re-draft leagues and that’s likely where he’ll go. Keep in mind, however, that not all of these rookies are going to repeat their performances from 2014. Here’s a list of first-year receivers who were fantasy relevant at one point in the season: Odell Beckham, Kelvin Benjamin, Mike Evans, Brandin Cooks, Sammy Watkins, Jordan Matthews, Davante Adams, Martavis Bryant, Donte Moncrief, and Jarvis Landry. Some were obviously more useful than others but the point is some are bound to be busts next year. On the flipside, there will be players on that list who were less than spectacular in 2014 but have huge breakout showings in 2015.

Just as an example, it’s not crazy to think that Evans was a one year wonder who was highly touchdown dependent while guys like Martavis Bryant and Jordan Matthews could become legit top 20 guys with another year of experience. Both Bryant and Matthews are on surging offenses while Evans is on a 2014’s worst team in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I know this is somewhat of a tangent but it’s a longwinded way of me saying Odell Beckham is the best rookie wide receiver this year based purely on talent. Of all of the guys I just mentioned, he’s the one guy I would bet on being just as good going forward.

Saints @ Buccaneers

Mark Ingram had himself a solid year in 2014 and could have easily won you a fantasy championship but guess what? There is no way on Earth I am drafting him as high as I would need to in 2015. The Saints are just as bad as the Patriots in terms of rotating running backs and I don’t think half a season is enough to change my mind on that. I’m not buying into the late-career emergence of Mark Ingram. I’ll let someone else take him in the third round while I’m securing my second wide receiver. That’s really the only takeaway as far as the Saints are concerned. As for Tampa Bay, Vincent Jackson left this game with a groin injury but it didn’t mean much in terms of the outcome. Jackson was a topic of discussion around the trade deadline so expect those talks to heat up again once the post-season concludes.

I would love to see Jackson traded to a team with a solid QB where he doesn’t need to be the number one guy. Jackson still has talent left in him but between shaky QB play and Mike Evans’ breakout year it was hard for him to gain any ground. He would be the perfect deep threat on a team like the Patriots or an excellent compliment to Dez Bryant in Dallas. Basically, almost anything would be an upgrade at this point in his career.

Panthers @ Falcons

The battle for the NFC South resulted in the Panthers thumping the Falcons 34-3. That led to Falcons head coach Mike Smith getting the axe, which isn’t a huge surprise. It’s time for a change in Atlanta as the team has been flirting with greatness for years now without actually making a true move. There are some serious offensive weapons in Atlanta but they need to gain some consistency while fixing up the defense. I shot the idea of a Rex Ryan/Marc Trestman combination in Atlanta to a friend of mine who roots for the Falcons and we both agree that could work should Trestman end up as the offensive coordinator. Ryan is a solid head coach who simply needs someone else in place to run the offense.

Trestman is almost the exact opposite of Ryan; he’s been referred to as the quarterback whisperer yet trots out defenses that could give up 40 any given week. The marriage of the two could be what that team needs but again; I’m not a GM. The Panthers will host the Arizona Cardinals in a matchup that features a 7-8-1 team hosting a playoff game and Ryan Lindley as a playoff starter. What sorcery is this? I’m sure the game will be entertaining, perhaps for all the wrong reasons but man, whoever faces the winner of this matchup will be grinning from ear to ear.

Lions @ Packers

One of the most terrifying images in Sunday’s games was seeing Aaron Rodgers being carted off to the locker room. Luckily for true NFL fans, Rodgers was able to return leading to a 30-20 Packers victory. The Packers are now the number two seed in the NFC while the Lions will head to Dallas in what could easily be the best game of the weekend. A Calvin Johnson versus Dez Bryant matchup is well worth the price of admission in a salary cap playoff game. That could easily turn into a shootout so get them into your lineups. There really wasn’t much to take away from this game outside of the scare with Rodgers. The injury was to his calf but since he was able to return to the game there’s no reason to expect he won’t be able to go two weeks from now. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: Joique Bell is the better running back in Detroit. Sorry Reggie Bush fans, it’s just a fact. He’s the RB I would happily draft on the Lions next season and I wouldn’t even worry about Bush eating away at his workload too much.

Raiders @ Broncos

The Peyton Manning struggles as of late are actually starting to become worrisome. I don’t know if he’s more hurt than he’s letting on, this “Peyton can’t play in the cold” thing is legit, or he’s simply starting to show his age but something is amiss with The Sherriff. 21 for 37 on 273 passing yards is not Peyton-esque. With all due respect, that sounds like a Kyle Orton stat-line. Another game without a touchdown for Peyton led to C.J. Anderson racking up three of them. I’m shocked this team has become so dependent on the run after seeing them struggle mightily with Montee Ball at the start of the year.

Ideally, the team decides to part ways with Ball or Ronnie Hillman, perhaps both, allowing us to buy into Anderson long-term. Either way, Anderson has been good enough to put faith in him as a fantasy starter but I would be wary about getting too high on him if the other two guys are still around. There is only one name worth monitoring in Oakland and that is Latavius Murray. He was the only fantasy relevant player on the Raiders and will be a trendy sleeper for fantasy purposes next year. Expect the team to part ways with Maurice Jones-Drew and continue to diminish Darren McFadden’s role.

Cardinals @ 49ers

Amazingly, the Cardinals were actually in this game and almost won on the heels of Ryan Lindley’s 316-yard day with two touchdowns. How’s that for a week 17 surprise? The biggest story attached to this game was that of Jim Harbaugh’s last game in San Francisco, opting to return to his alma matter of Michigan. If the 49ers were smart, they wouldn’t hire a big name guy for kicks. They should just focus on fixing the team and signing the best available head coach.

Frank Gore put up big numbers with his 144 yards here in what could very well be his last game in San Francisco. Gore is now a free agent so expect Carlos Hyde to get the first crack at the starting gig in San Francisco as I doubt the team re-signs him. In fact, as a 31 year old running back, I wouldn’t be shocked if Gore just decides to hang it up and retire. Either way, I’ve always been a fan of his but I’m looking forward to a change with Hyde as the starter.

Rams @ Seahawks

There was a point in yesterday’s second batch of games where the Rams were up 6-0 and it looked as if the Cardinals could sneak their way into a bye behind the mighty Ryan Lindley. (That’s the third time I’ve typed his name. Bet you weren’t expecting that this week.) That never materialized as the Seahawks came soaring back, winning 20-6. Marshawn Lynch is another guy that could very well end up on a different team next year as he’s one of the most interesting characters in the NFL.

Lynch has been open about wanting to retire early and with the Seahawks having other backs on the roster that could easily start, it wouldn’t shock me to see Lynch’s last days in Seattle be in January/February. I will say though that should Lynch stay, I would have no issue with him as a top five fantasy RB in 2015. He’s still putting up the numbers and has shown no signs of slowing down. Speaking of running backs in this game, Tre Mason struggled here but will be a solid RB2 prospect going forward. The team ultimately committed to him as the lead back in St. Louis as Zac Stacy’s and Benjamin Cunningham’s days appear to be over.

Bengals @ Steelers

If Rodgers exiting the Packers contest to a leg injury wasn’t enough to scare you how about the devastating shot to Le’Veon Bell’s knee Sunday Night? Thankfully, an MRI has revealed no ligament damage but it’s possible Bell still has to sit out on Saturday. It was a brutal hit that could have been a lot worst for Bell and the Steelers. If Odell Beckham is the receiver most likely to catapult into the second round, Antonio Brown will be one of the few players drafted ahead of him at the position. He’s firmly solidified himself as the best receiver in the NFL and with a tasty matchup against a feeble Ravens secondary round one, he has to be the number one receiver for the wildcard round.

A.J. Green suffered a concussion in this game which is a huge story to monitor ahead of their matchup with the Indianapolis Colts. Concussions are the most impossible injuries to predict but the obvious beneficiary should Green be ruled out would be Mohamed Sanu. Either receiver would have to contend with cornerback Vontae Davis but Davis does stay on one side of the field. Either way, if Green is ruled out, Sanu is probably worth a salary cap play given his price.