I hope that if you are reading this right now it means you are preparing for a fantasy football championship matchup victory.
Congrats on making it this far, now it's time to bring home a championship.
A lot of early-round running backs have been workhorses this season, while a few late-round guys like Bucky Irving have paid off as major values. Let's examine a few of the matchups for some relevant running backs on Sunday.
Should I Start Jonathan Taylor for Fantasy Football?
There's a good chance that Jonathan Taylor's performance last week is the reason that your team has come this far! The last thing you are doing is putting him on the shelf this week, especially in a favorable matchup against the lowly New York Giants.
JONATHAN TAYLOR HAS 38.3 FANTASY POINTS IN THE FANTASY SEMIFINALS 🚨pic.twitter.com/jgaUA3ObII
— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) December 22, 2024
New York has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs. And the Colts need to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. With 325 yards rushing in his last two games, Taylor is finishing the season strong and is poised for another big day on Sunday. Hopefully he can carry you to a championship.
Should I Start Bucky Irving for Fantasy Football?
If you were lucky enough to snag Bucky Irving late in drafts or grab him off the waiver wire earlier in the season, then you are most certainly going to have him in your lineup for this week's matchup against the Carolina Panthers.
Bucky Irving averages 4.2 yards AFTER CONTACT per carry this season
Best among all rushers with at least 50 carries 💪 pic.twitter.com/gQV29isY7s
— PFF TB Buccaneers (@PFF_Buccaneers) December 27, 2024
Irving's best game of the season came a few weeks ago against Carolina and we know that the Panthers have struggled to stop the run all season - ranking dead last in rush defense and allowing the most fantasy points to opposing backs. Bucky might even get a few extra snaps if Rachaad White is in the doghouse for fumbling on the final offensive play against Dallas last week.
Should I Start James Cook for Fantasy Football?
While Cook missed the Bills' first meeting with the Jets earlier this season, he's had success against them in his career, and his backup, rookie Ray Davis ran roughshod over this Jets front seven.
James Cook missed the Bills’ week 6 matchup against the Jets in East Rutherford. Here are his career stats against the Jets ahead of Sunday’s game in Buffalo.
• 4 games played
• 17 carries
• 140 rushing yards
• 10 receptions
• 73 receiving yards
• 1 receiving TD pic.twitter.com/eayayMmIOc— CookMuse (@JamesCookMuse) December 27, 2024
Cook is leading the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns and the Bills are home favorites this week. Expect Buffalo to feed him the rock and pound the football against New York. He's a must-start in all formats and he seems to be peaking at just the right time for fantasy managers.
Popular Week 17 Searches - Start/Sit Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 17 searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Jonathan Taylor, Bucky Irving, James Cook 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:
Joe Mixon or James Cook
Chuba Hubbard or James Cook
James Cook or Bucky Irving
Joe Mixon or Bucky Irving
Chuba Hubbard or Bucky Irving
James Conner or Bucky Irving
Aaron Jones or James Cook
Breece Hall or James Cook
Chase Brown or Bucky Irving
Devon Achane or Jonathan Taylor
Josh Jacobs or Bucky Irving
Brian Thomasjr or Bucky Irving
Jonathan Taylor or James Cook
Zach Charbonnet or Bucky Irving
Breece Hall or Bucky Irving
Jaxon Smithnjigba or Bucky Irving
Bucky Irving or James Cook
Aaron Jones or Bucky Irving
Derrick Henry or Bucky Irving
Derrick Henry or James Cook
Joe Mixon or Jonathan Taylor
Josh Jacobs or Jonathan Taylor
Rachaad White or Bucky Irving
Bucky Irving or Jonathan Taylor
Chase Brown or Jonathan Taylor
Jerome Ford or James Cook
Jonathan Taylor or Bucky Irving
Rico Dowdle or Bucky Irving
Bijan Robinson or Bucky Irving
Chuba Hubbard or Bucky Irving
Courtland Sutton or Bucky Irving
Jaxon Smithnjigba or James Cook
Tee Higgins or Bucky Irving
Tony Pollard or Bucky Irving
Aj Brown or Jonathan Taylor
Aj Brown or Jonathan Taylor
Brian Robinsonjr or Bucky Irving
Chuba Hubbard or Bucky Irving
Chuba Hubbard or James Cook
Chuba Hubbard or Jonathan Taylor
Chuba Hubbard or Jonathan Taylor
Joe Mixon or Bucky Irving
Ladd Mcconkey or Bucky Irving
Zay Flowers or Bucky Irving
Alexander Mattison or James Cook
Breece Hall or Bucky Irving
Bucky Irving or James Cook
Bucky Irving or Jonathan Taylor
Chase Brown or Bucky Irving
Chase Brown or James Cook
Chase Brown or Jonathan Taylor
Chuba Hubbard or Bucky Irving
Chuba Hubbard or Bucky Irving
Chuba Hubbard or James Cook
Chuba Hubbard or James Cook
Chuba Hubbard or Jonathan Taylor
Cooper Kupp or James Cook
Courtland Sutton or Bucky Irving
Courtland Sutton or Jonathan Taylor
Derrick Henry or Bucky Irving
Derrick Henry or Bucky Irving
Derrick Henry or Jonathan Taylor
Devon Achane or Jonathan Taylor
Devon Achane or Jonathan Taylor
Devon Achane or Jonathan Taylor
Devonta Smith or Bucky Irving
Devonta Smith or Jonathan Taylor
Dk Metcalf or Bucky Irving
Gus Edwards or Bucky Irving
James Conner or James Cook
James Cook or Jonathan Taylor
James Cook or Jonathan Taylor
Jared Goff or Bucky Irving
Jauan Jennings or Jonathan Taylor
Joe Burrow or Jonathan Taylor
Joe Mixon or Bucky Irving
Joe Mixon or Bucky Irving
Josh Jacobs or Bucky Irving
Josh Jacobs or James Cook
Kareem Hunt or Jonathan Taylor
Kenneth Walkeriii or James Cook
Mike Evans or Bucky Irving
Najee Harris or Bucky Irving
Nico Collins or James Cook
Nico Collins or Jonathan Taylor
Rhamondre Stevenson or James Cook
Rico Dowdle or Jonathan Taylor
Saquon Barkley or Jonathan Taylor
Terry Mclaurin or Bucky Irving
Tony Pollard or Bucky Irving
Tyreek Hill or Bucky Irving
Tyrone Tracyjr or Bucky Irving
Tyrone Tracyjr or James Cook
Zach Charbonnet or James Cook
Aaron Jones or Bucky Irving
Aaron Jones or James Cook
Aaron Jones or James Cook
Aaron Jones or Jonathan Taylor
Amonra Stbrown or James Cook
Amonra Stbrown or James Cook
Amonra Stbrown or Jonathan Taylor
Bijan Robinson or Bucky Irving
Bijan Robinson or James Cook
Bijan Robinson or James Cook
Breece Hall or Bucky Irving
Breece Hall or Bucky Irving
Breece Hall or Bucky Irving
Breece Hall or James Cook
Breece Hall or James Cook
Brian Robinsonjr or Bucky Irving
Brian Robinsonjr or Jonathan Taylor
Brian Thomasjr or Bucky Irving
Brian Thomasjr or James Cook
Brian Thomasjr or James Cook
Brian Thomasjr or Jonathan Taylor
Brian Thomasjr or Jonathan Taylor
Bucky Irving or James Cook
Bucky Irving or James Cook
Ceedee Lamb or Bucky Irving
Ceedee Lamb or Bucky Irving
Ceedee Lamb or Jonathan Taylor
Ceedee Lamb or Jonathan Taylor
Chase Brown or Bucky Irving
Chase Brown or Bucky Irving
Chase Brown or Bucky Irving
Chase Brown or Bucky Irving
Chase Brown or Bucky Irving
Chase Brown or Bucky Irving
Chase Brown or James Cook
Chase Brown or Jonathan Taylor
Chase Brown or Jonathan Taylor
Chuba Hubbard or Bucky Irving
Chuba Hubbard or James Cook
Chuba Hubbard or James Cook
Chuba Hubbard or James Cook
Chuba Hubbard or James Cook
Chuba Hubbard or James Cook
Chuba Hubbard or James Cook
Chuba Hubbard or James Cook
Chuba Hubbard or Jonathan Taylor
Courtland Sutton or James Cook
Dandre Swift or James Cook
Davante Adams or Bucky Irving
Derrick Henry or Bucky Irving
Derrick Henry or James Cook
Devon Achane or Bucky Irving
Devon Achane or Bucky Irving
Devon Achane or Bucky Irving
Devon Achane or Bucky Irving
Devon Achane or James Cook
Devon Achane or James Cook
Devon Achane or Jonathan Taylor
Devon Achane or Jonathan Taylor
Devon Achane or Jonathan Taylor
Dj Moore or Bucky Irving
Drake London or James Cook
George Pickens or James Cook
Isaac Guerendo or Bucky Irving
Isaac Guerendo or Bucky Irving
Isaac Guerendo or Jonathan Taylor
Jalen Mcmillan or Bucky Irving
James Conner or James Cook
James Conner or Jonathan Taylor
James Conner or Jonathan Taylor
James Cook or Jonathan Taylor
James Cook or Jonathan Taylor
Jameson Williams or Bucky Irving
Jameson Williams or James Cook
Jauan Jennings or Jonathan Taylor
Jaxon Smithnjigba or James Cook
Jerome Ford or Bucky Irving
Joe Mixon or Bucky Irving
Joe Mixon or Bucky Irving
Joe Mixon or Bucky Irving
Joe Mixon or James Cook
Joe Mixon or James Cook
Joe Mixon or Jonathan Taylor
Jonathan Taylor or Bucky Irving
Jonathan Taylor or James Cook
Jonathan Taylor or James Cook
Jordan Mason or James Cook
Josh Jacobs or Bucky Irving
Josh Jacobs or Jonathan Taylor
Justin Jefferson or Bucky Irving
Keenan Allen or Bucky Irving
Kenneth Walkeriii or Bucky Irving
Kenneth Walkeriii or Jonathan Taylor
Kyren Williams or Bucky Irving
Kyren Williams or James Cook
Kyren Williams or James Cook
Kyren Williams or Jonathan Taylor
Malik Nabers or Bucky Irving
Malik Nabers or Jonathan Taylor
Mike Evans or Bucky Irving
Mike Evans or Jonathan Taylor
Nico Collins or James Cook
Nico Collins or Jonathan Taylor
Patrick Mahomes or Bucky Irving
Saquon Barkley or Jonathan Taylor
Tee Higgins or James Cook
Terry Mclaurin or Bucky Irving
Terry Mclaurin or James Cook
Tony Pollard or Jonathan Taylor
Travis Etiennejr or James Cook
Tyjae Spears or Bucky Irving
Tyjae Spears or Bucky Irving
Tyjae Spears or James Cook
Tyreek Hill or Bucky Irving
Tyreek Hill or Jonathan Taylor
Xavier Worthy or Bucky Irving
Xavier Worthy or Bucky Irving
Zach Charbonnet or James Cook
Zach Charbonnet or James Cook
Zach Charbonnet or Jonathan Taylor
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