Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Quarterbacks for Fantasy Football Week 17

Michael Fabiano | Dec 29, 2024

Bo Nix (left) is a start this week while Justin Herbert (right) is a sit. / Bo Nix: Michael Owens/Getty Images Justin Herbert: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

It’s fantasy championship week, folks! Let’s set those fantasy lineups and take home a championship! Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups in a given week for fantasy football leagues. Each week, I'll examine the quarterbacks who could either exceed or fail to meet expectations based on their weekly opponent.

For your final lineup decisions, check out my fantasy football player rankings. I update them daily! Also, make sure you subscribe to the Fantasy Dirt Podcast with Lindsay Rhodes and me, as we break down all things fantasy football five days a week!

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Fabs’ Top 10 Quarterbacks

1. Josh Allen vs. Jets
2. Lamar Jackson at Texans (Wed.)
3. Jalen Hurts vs. Cowboys
4. Jayden Daniels vs. Falcons
5. Joe Burrow vs. Broncos (Sat.)
6. Baker Mayfield vs. Panthers
7. Bo Nix at Bengals (Sat.)
8. Sam Darnold vs. Packers
9. Brock Purdy vs. Lions (Mon.)
10. Kyler Murray at Rams (Sat.)

Complete Week 17 quarterback rankings

Week 17 Start ‘Em: Quarterbacks

Bo Nix is the Week 17 QB Start of the Week. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Start of the Week

Bo Nix at Bengals (Sat. 4:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network): Nix bounced back last week, scoring 21 points in Los Angeles. I like him to produce a top-10 performance this week, as the rookie faces a plus matchup against the Bengals. Their defense has allowed 24-plus points to three quarterbacks since Week 10, and the players who didn’t hit that mark in that time were backups Cooper Rush, Mason Rudolph and Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

Start ‘Em

Baker Mayfield vs. Panthers (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Mayfield went off last week, putting up 303 yards, two touchdowns and 22.3 fantasy points in Dallas. He has now scored 18-plus points in four of his last five games, and a matchup against the Panthers makes him a nice option in the fantasy championships. Since Week 8, their defense has allowed 14 total touchdowns and the fifth-most fantasy points (18.4 PPG) to opposing quarterbacks.

Kyler Murray at Rams (Sat. 8:15 p.m. ET, NFL Network): Murray, listed as last week’s start of the week at quarterback, finished with 20.4 fantasy points in a loss to Carolina. I like him this week too, as the veteran goes up against the Rams in an NFC West battle. Their defense has allowed 18-plus fantasy points to four quarterbacks since Week 8, and Murray beat them for 28.5 points in their Week 2 matchup. He’ll be a low QB1 this week.

Brock Purdy vs. Lions (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): Purdy rebounded from an awful Week 13 stat line, posting 21.1 fantasy points in a loss to the Dolphins. He has now scored 21-plus points in two of his last three games, and a matchup against the Lions makes him a nice option. Their defense has allowed 10 total touchdowns and the most fantasy points to quarterbacks over the last four weeks, so look for Purdy to post another nice line.

QBs With Good Matchups

• Joe Burrow vs. Broncos (Sat. 4:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network)
• Sam Darnold vs. Packers (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Jared Goff at 49ers (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Week 17 Sit ‘Em: Quarterbacks

Aaron Rodgers is the Week 17 QB Start of the Week. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Sit of the Week

Aaron Rodgers at Bills (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Rodgers is coming off a stinker last week, 12.8 points in a loss to the Rams. He’ll be hard to trust in one-quarterback leagues this week too, as he’s dealing with an injured knee and faces a tough matchup against the Bills. Their defense has allowed an average of just 15 points per game to quarterbacks, and that average shrinks to 12.2 points per game in Buffalo. There’s also a good chance of rain in the forecast.

Sit ‘Em

Justin Herbert at Patriots (Sat. 1 p.m. ET, NFL Network): I’m on the fence about Herbert after his big performance against the Broncos last week, but I would beware of this week’s matchup in New England. Over the last two weeks, their defense has held Kyler Murray and Josh Allen to fewer than 12 fantasy points apiece. That’s no easy task. Herbert had also failed to score more than 13.4 fantasy points in his three starts prior to Week 16.

Russell Wilson vs. Chiefs (Wed. 1 p.m. ET, Netflix): Wilson has posted mostly mediocre totals in the last month, scoring 16 or fewer fantasy points in five of his last six games. I don’t see him getting better this week either, as he heads home to face the Chiefs. Over the last four weeks, their defense has given up the fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks. With or without George Pickens, Wilson is a sit ‘em in this important AFC matchup.

Matthew Stafford vs. Cardinals (Sat. 8:10 p.m. ET, NFL Network): Stafford has put up two straight stinkers, scoring a combined 14.2 points in his last pair of starts. I’d keep him on the sidelines this week too, as the veteran faces a Cardinals defense that held him to just 6.6 points back in Week 2. What’s more, Arizona has allowed just two quarterbacks to beat them for more than 17.5 points since Week 7, so Stafford could have a bad week.

QBs With Bad Matchups

• Caleb Williams vs. Seahawks (Thurs. 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video)
• Drake Maye at Chargers (Sat. 1 p.m. ET, NFL Network)
• Bryce Young at Buccaneers (1 p.m. ET, CBS)