Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Fantasy Football Week 17: Kickers
Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR scoring system in fantasy football. This column will not cover the elite players in the NFL like Patrick Mahomes, Jonathan Taylor, Davante Adams, or Travis Kelce. Instead, I'll look at the players you have the most questions about to help you set the most effective starting lineup possible. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check out my weekly player rankings which will be updated daily throughout the 2021 NFL season.
Week 17 PPR Rankings: QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | WIDE RECEIVERS | TIGHT ENDS | FLEX | KICKERS | TEAM DEFENSES (D/ST)
Week 17 Start ‘Em: Kickers
Start of the Week
Nick Folk vs. Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Folk was the hottest kicker in fantasy land, but he’s scored just 14 combined fantasy points in his last three games. Still, I’d keep him in starting lineups when the Patriots host the Jaguars. Their defense has allowed 18 field-goal conversions and the second-most fantasy points to kickers since Week 9.
Week 17 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | WIDE RECEIVERS | TIGHT ENDS | KICKERS | TEAM DEFENSES
Start ‘Em
Ryan Succop at Jets (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Succop scored 14 points in last week’s win over the Panthers, making up for the goose egg he had the previous game. This week, he should have another nice stat line as the Bucs face a Jets team that has allowed the third-most field goal attempts and 9.7 fantasy points per game to opposing kickers.
Greg Zuerlein vs. Cardinals (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): Zuerlein has scored at least eight fantasy points in four straight games, and he’s only failed to hit that mark once since Week 5. This week’s contest against the Cardinals should be a high-scoring affair, so look for Zuerlein to post another strong total in this important NFC battle in Dallas.
More Starts
- Jake Elliott at Football Team (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
- Mason Crosby vs. Vikings (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
Sleepers
- Randy Bullock vs. Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
- Michael Badgley vs. Raiders (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
Week 17 Sit ‘Em: Kickers
Sit of the Week
Younghoe Koo at Bills (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Koo has been solid for fantasy fans lately, as he’s scored a combined 28 points in his last three games. I’d still fade the veteran this week, though, as he faces the Bills in blustery Buffalo. Their defense has given up a mere 10 field-goal conversions and the fifth-fewest points to kickers since Week 9.
Sit ‘Em
Daniel Carlson at Colts (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Carlson has been difficult to trust in recent weeks, scoring five or fewer fantasy points in two of his last three games. He could post another modest stat line this week, as he faces a Colts defense that has given up fewer than eight fantasy points to kickers in six of their last seven games of the year.
Dustin Hopkins vs. Broncos (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS): Hopkins has been on quite a hot streak, scoring at least nine fantasy points in three of his last four games, including 11 points last week. Still, the Broncos have allowed just one kicker to score more than nine points against them while playing away from Mile High, so I'd be wary of Hopkins.
More Sits
- Chris Boswell vs. Browns (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
- Chase McLaughlin at Steelers (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Busts
- Evan McPherson vs. Chiefs (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
- Jason Sanders at Titans (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for your late-breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business!
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