The Houston Texans will take on the Baltimore Ravens in what is the final game of the fantasy football playoffs for most leagues. Of course, the championship is the most important game, and a handful of Texans players are commonly rostered by fantasy managers this year.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud, running back Joe Mixon, and tight end Dalton Schultz are all present on fantasy managers' teams, to varying degrees. Whether you should start them in your pivotal Week 17 matchup is an important question.
Let's try to answer that below with our Week 17 start/sit recommendations for your fantasy football lineups. Good luck!
Should I Start C.J. Stroud for Fantasy Football?
If you made it to Week 17 in fantasy football with Stroud as your quarterback, congratulations. That's extremely impressive. He's the QB18 overall in leagues with normal quarterback scoring, and he's been having a miserable season. It's not necessarily all his fault, but that doesn't matter for fantasy.
C.J. Stroud film -- Week 15 vs. Miami
First play of the game:
1. A bit surprised Stroud checks down rather than trying the timing route to Nico Collins2. I love Nico. Gets turned down? No worries, let's find somebody to block. Good energy is all I ever see from 12 pic.twitter.com/pDBOysl9yh
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) December 17, 2024
One of the biggest problems with him this season is his team's offensive line. He doesn't trust them to make blocks and pick up blitzes properly, and there's a ton of film of him getting smoked by blitzes. Wide receiver Nico Collins gives him a nice floor, but with the injury to WR Tank Dell (knee), who's out for the season, it's even harder to trust Stroud.
We'd still say he's fine in 2QB leagues, as most teams don't have any better options, but in 1QB leagues you should look elsewhere.
Should I Start Joe Mixon for Fantasy Football?
In most leagues, yes. If you're loaded at RB and truly have better options for all your RB and FLEX spots, that's different, but he should still be treated as an RB2 with RB1 upside. He'll face the tough Baltimore Ravens run defense in Week 17, and they allow the least yards per carry to opposing rushers.
ANOTHER WEEK, ANOTHER JOE MIXON TD ‼️
📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/8KFCgnZ8x7
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) December 1, 2024
Despite his poor day in Week 16, he still is the undisputed leader of his backfield. Good players have slumps sometimes, but we know his upside is still huge.
Should I Start Dalton Schultz for Fantasy Football?
Schultz scored 15.5 PPR fantasy points in Week 16, but it was just his second game of the year with double-digit PPR FPTs. We wouldn't recommend starting him. He tied his season-high in targets, but he's been unreliable this year, and it's hard to trust him in must-win matchups.
I’m a peacock, you gotta let me fly pic.twitter.com/N7oroJEumr
— Dalton Schultz (@BinghamBaller9) December 4, 2024
There are plenty of better options at TE, like New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry, that you could go with.
Popular Week 17 Searches - Start/Sit Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 17 searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for C.J. Stroud, Joe Mixon, Dalton Schultz compared to others. You can also use the free Who Should I Start tool to run your own start/sit comparisons, up to four players at once:
Chuba Hubbard or Joe Mixon
Tua Tagovailoa or Cj Stroud
Justin Herbert or Cj Stroud
Bo Nix or Cj Stroud
Bucky Irving or Joe Mixon
Courtland Sutton or Joe Mixon
Matthew Stafford or Cj Stroud
Derrick Henry or Joe Mixon
Aaron Rodgers or Cj Stroud
Brenton Strange or Dalton Schultz
Cooper Kupp or Joe Mixon
Caleb Williams or Cj Stroud
Justin Herbert or Cj Stroud
Anthony Richardson or Cj Stroud
Cooper Rush or Cj Stroud
Jerome Ford or Joe Mixon
Mike Evans or Joe Mixon
Jared Goff or Cj Stroud
Russell Wilson or Cj Stroud
Aaron Jones or Joe Mixon
Kyren Williams or Joe Mixon
Brian Robinsonjr or Joe Mixon
Cade Otton or Dalton Schultz
Drake Maye or Cj Stroud
Stone Smartt or Dalton Schultz
Brock Purdy or Cj Stroud
Isaac Guerendo or Joe Mixon
Tucker Kraft or Dalton Schultz
Davante Adams or Joe Mixon
Dk Metcalf or Joe Mixon
Michael Penixjr or Cj Stroud
Rico Dowdle or Joe Mixon
Sam Darnold or Cj Stroud
Brenton Strange or Dalton Schultz
Brock Purdy or Cj Stroud
Jakobi Meyers or Joe Mixon
Jayden Daniels or Cj Stroud
Justin Herbert or Cj Stroud
Noah Gray or Dalton Schultz
Rico Dowdle or Joe Mixon
Baker Mayfield or Cj Stroud
Breece Hall or Joe Mixon
Brenton Strange or Dalton Schultz
Brock Purdy or Cj Stroud
Bucky Irving or Cj Stroud
Dalton Kincaid or Dalton Schultz
Dalton Kincaid or Dalton Schultz
Devon Achane or Joe Mixon
Jameis Winston or Cj Stroud
James Conner or Joe Mixon
Pat Freiermuth or Dalton Schultz
Aaron Jones or Joe Mixon
Aaron Jones or Joe Mixon
Aaron Rodgers or Cj Stroud
Aaron Rodgers or Cj Stroud
Alexander Mattison or Dalton Schultz
Alvin Kamara or Joe Mixon
Anthony Richardson or Cj Stroud
Baker Mayfield or Cj Stroud
Baker Mayfield or Cj Stroud
Bo Nix or Cj Stroud
Brenton Strange or Dalton Schultz
Brenton Strange or Dalton Schultz
Brian Robinsonjr or Joe Mixon
Brock Bowers or Dalton Schultz
Brock Purdy or Cj Stroud
Bucky Irving or Joe Mixon
Bucky Irving or Joe Mixon
Chase Brown or Joe Mixon
Chig Okonkwo or Dalton Schultz
Chuba Hubbard or Joe Mixon
Chuba Hubbard or Joe Mixon
Chuba Hubbard or Joe Mixon
Cooper Kupp or Joe Mixon
Cooper Rush or Cj Stroud
Dandre Swift or Joe Mixon
Daniel Bellinger or Dalton Schultz
Derrick Henry or Joe Mixon
Devon Achane or Joe Mixon
Dj Moore or Cj Stroud
Drake London or Joe Mixon
Garrett Wilson or Joe Mixon
Jake Ferguson or Dalton Schultz
Jake Ferguson or Dalton Schultz
Jake Ferguson or Dalton Schultz
James Conner or Joe Mixon
James Cook or Joe Mixon
James Cook or Joe Mixon
Jaxon Smithnjigba or Joe Mixon
Justin Herbert or Cj Stroud
Juwan Johnson or Dalton Schultz
Kirk Cousins or Cj Stroud
Kirk Cousins or Cj Stroud
Kyle Pitts or Dalton Schultz
Mike Gesicki or Dalton Schultz
Patrick Mahomes or Cj Stroud
Romeo Doubs or Joe Mixon
Russell Wilson or Cj Stroud
Terry Mclaurin or Joe Mixon
Tony Pollard or Joe Mixon
Tua Tagovailoa or Cj Stroud
Tua Tagovailoa or Cj Stroud
Tyreek Hill or Joe Mixon
Aaron Jones or Cj Stroud
Aaron Jones or Joe Mixon
Aaron Rodgers or Cj Stroud
Aaron Rodgers or Cj Stroud
Aaron Rodgers or Cj Stroud
Aaron Rodgers or Cj Stroud
Alvin Kamara or Joe Mixon
Alvin Kamara or Joe Mixon
Alvin Kamara or Joe Mixon
Anthony Richardson or Cj Stroud
Anthony Richardson or Cj Stroud
Anthony Richardson or Cj Stroud
Anthony Richardson or Cj Stroud
Baker Mayfield or Cj Stroud
Bo Nix or Cj Stroud
Bo Nix or Cj Stroud
Bo Nix or Cj Stroud
Bo Nix or Cj Stroud
Breece Hall or Joe Mixon
Brenton Strange or Dalton Schultz
Brenton Strange or Dalton Schultz
Brian Thomasjr or Cj Stroud
Brock Bowers or Joe Mixon
Brock Bowers or Joe Mixon
Brock Purdy or Cj Stroud
Bucky Irving or Joe Mixon
Bucky Irving or Joe Mixon
Cade Otton or Dalton Schultz
Cade Otton or Dalton Schultz
Caleb Williams or Cj Stroud
Ceedee Lamb or Joe Mixon
Chase Brown or Joe Mixon
Chuba Hubbard or Joe Mixon
Chuba Hubbard or Joe Mixon
Chuba Hubbard or Joe Mixon
Chuba Hubbard or Joe Mixon
Chuba Hubbard or Joe Mixon
Chuba Hubbard or Joe Mixon
Chuba Hubbard or Joe Mixon
Chuba Hubbard or Joe Mixon
Cole Kmet or Dalton Schultz
Cooper Kupp or Joe Mixon
Cooper Rush or Cj Stroud
Cooper Rush or Cj Stroud
Courtland Sutton or Cj Stroud
Dalton Kincaid or Dalton Schultz
Derrick Henry or Joe Mixon
Derrick Henry or Joe Mixon
Derrick Henry or Joe Mixon
Derrick Henry or Joe Mixon
Derrick Henry or Joe Mixon
Devaughn Vele or Dalton Schultz
Devon Achane or Joe Mixon
Devon Achane or Joe Mixon
Drake London or Joe Mixon
Drake Maye or Cj Stroud
Drake Maye or Cj Stroud
Geno Smith or Cj Stroud
Geno Smith or Cj Stroud
Gus Edwards or Joe Mixon
Hunter Henry or Dalton Schultz
Isaac Guerendo or Joe Mixon
Isaac Guerendo or Joe Mixon
Jake Ferguson or Dalton Schultz
Jalen Mcmillan or Cj Stroud
James Conner or Joe Mixon
James Conner or Joe Mixon
James Conner or Joe Mixon
James Conner or Joe Mixon
James Cook or Joe Mixon
Jared Goff or Cj Stroud
Jared Goff or Cj Stroud
Jared Goff or Cj Stroud
Javonte Williams or Dalton Schultz
Jaxon Smithnjigba or Cj Stroud
Jaxon Smithnjigba or Joe Mixon
Jaxon Smithnjigba or Joe Mixon
Jerome Ford or Joe Mixon
Jerome Ford or Joe Mixon
Jerome Ford or Joe Mixon
Jonathan Taylor or Joe Mixon
Jonathan Taylor or Joe Mixon
Jonnu Smith or Dalton Schultz
Jordan Addison or Joe Mixon
Jordan Love or Cj Stroud
Josh Jacobs or Joe Mixon
Justin Herbert or Cj Stroud
Justin Herbert or Cj Stroud
Justin Herbert or Cj Stroud
Justin Herbert or Cj Stroud
Juwan Johnson or Dalton Schultz
Kendre Miller or Cj Stroud
Kenneth Walkeriii or Joe Mixon
Kyler Murray or Cj Stroud
Kyren Williams or Joe Mixon
Kyren Williams or Joe Mixon
Ladd Mcconkey or Joe Mixon
Matthew Stafford or Cj Stroud
Matthew Stafford or Cj Stroud
Matthew Stafford or Cj Stroud
Matthew Stafford or Cj Stroud
Michael Penixjr or Cj Stroud
Michael Penixjr or Cj Stroud
Mike Evans or Joe Mixon
Mike Evans or Joe Mixon
Mike Gesicki or Dalton Schultz
Najee Harris or Joe Mixon
Pat Freiermuth or Dalton Schultz
Puka Nacua or Joe Mixon
Rachaad White or Joe Mixon
Ray Davis or Joe Mixon
Rome Odunze or Dalton Schultz
Russell Wilson or Cj Stroud
Sam Darnold or Cj Stroud
Saquon Barkley or Joe Mixon
Saquon Barkley or Joe Mixon
Terry Mclaurin or Joe Mixon
Tj Hockenson or Dalton Schultz
Tony Pollard or Joe Mixon
Travis Kelce or Dalton Schultz
Tua Tagovailoa or Cj Stroud
Tyjae Spears or Joe Mixon
Tyreek Hill or Joe Mixon
Zach Charbonnet or Joe Mixon
Zach Ertz or Dalton Schultz
Zach Ertz or Dalton Schultz
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