2023 NFL DFS Week 17 Contrarian Plays: Top DraftKings & FanDuel Picks
NFL Week 17 is fully underway and it’s time to look at building some winning DFS lineups for Sunday main slate GPP tournaments. We know the masses are going to focus on the two games with the highest point total. Just take a look at our DFS Ownership Projections. While it’s fine to eat some of the chalk and get explosive players like Christian McCaffrey into your lineups, you also need to hunt down some of those lower-owned players who are expected to pop in order to really move the needle in a large-field, multi-entry GPP. Welcome to the NFL Week 17 Contrarian Corner where we try to do just that.
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Top FanDuel & DraftKings NFL DFS Week 17 Contrarian Plays
C.J. Stroud, QB Houston Texans
What a great spot for C.J. Stroud to remind everyone why he is going to win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award this season. After missing the past few weeks due to a concussion the Texans QB returns with a home matchup against the Tennessee Titans, one of the worst pass defenses in football. He has a healthy Nico Collins at his disposal and the emerging Noah Brown in the slot to take on this Titans secondary. Given the Texans poor rushing attack and the Titans ability to stop the run it wouldn't shock me to see Stroud throw 35+ times in this game.
Isiah Pacheco, RB Kansas City Chiefs
Pacheco has been cleared from concussion protocol and will return to the Chiefs lineup this week to face a baby soft Bengals run defense. The Chiefs passing attack has not nearly been as explosive this season as in previous years which has led them to run the football a lot this year and Pacheco is an absolute battering ram that also makes plays in the passing game. Remember what Ty Chandler did against the Bengals a few weeks ago? Yeah, Pacheco could make that kind of impact this week at single digit ownership.
Cooper Kupp, WR Los Angeles Rams
Puka Nacua was questionable all week and while he is expected to suit up here against the Giants that injury designation has me eyeing the only slightly more expensive Cooper Kupp this week in a great matchup against a young and inexperienced Giants defense. Kupp was very close last week to having a monster game but was unable to hold onto two passes that may have ended up as touchdowns against the Saints.
Darren Waller, TE New York Giants
How about a little contrarian game stack? The Los Angeles Rams are one of the worst defensive teams against opposing tight ends this season and we saw Waller have some success with Tyrod Taylor as the team's QB earlier this season. If the Giants are going to pull off the upset then a big game from Waller is likely one of the contributing factors here.
Player News
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports Chargers RB Najee Harris is expected to be back on the field “sooner rather than later.”
Speaking on The Insiders on NFL Network, Rapoport relayed words from Harris’ agent that backed up previous reports that said the eye injury sustained by the veteran running back were superficial, adding that Harris is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season and should be back on the field “sooner rather than later.” Rapoport also stated that Harris is not expected to miss significant time. Even so, any missed time in camp could widen the expected snap rate gap between he and rookie first-round selection Omarion Hampton to start the regular season, something fantasy managers will want to keep an attentive eye on as the following weeks play out.
Chargers placed WR Mike Williams on the PUP list.
Players placed on the PUP list ahead of camp can come off at any time. Williams was dealing with an unspecified injury before the start of camp and was believed to be on track toward playing once camp kicked off. Clearly needing more time to recover, Williams will join WR Jaylen Johnson, S Elijah Molden, LB Del’Shawn Phillips, and OT Savion Washington on the PUP list as they continue to ready themselves for camp.
Jets signed WR Garrett Wilson to a four-year, $130 million contract extension.
Wilson’s deal includes $90 million in guaranteed money and will keep him with the Jets through the 2030 season. The former No. 10 overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft has churned out three-straight seasons of 1,000-plus yards to start his career and posted career-highs in receptions (101), yards, (1,104), and touchdowns (7) last season. Now reunited with former college teammate Justin Fields, Wilson hopes the Jets can put together his first winning season as a pro and the Jets’ first winning season since 2015. Wilson profiles as a fringe WR1/WR2, but will likely settle more in the WR2 range in 2025 due to the Jets’ emphasis on the run and Fields’ ability to take off and scramble on passing downs.
Raiders waived QB Carter Bradley.
Bradley joined the Raiders last offseason as a rookie UDFA and spent all of last season on the practice squad before being promoted to the 53-man roster in December. The former South Alabama Jaguar didn’t attempt a pass in his rookie season and will now look to catch on with another team ahead of training camp in hopes of battling for a roster spot. Bradley may be better suited for a spring football league where he would have an opportunity for more playing time.
The Athletic’s Chad Graff believes Stefon Diggs (knee) will “likely open camp by working on the side until he’s cleared from his injury.
Diggs suffered a torn ACL in Week 8 of last season, but surprised during spring practices when he took the field in a limited capacity with the team. While he’s yet to be cleared for full football activities, Graff believes the encouraging spring we saw from Diggs may lead to some limited work to the side in camp while leaving the door open for Diggs to eventually participate in full closer to the end of camp. While opening the season on the PUP list, which would require him to miss a minimum of four games, remains a possibility, Diggs’ involvement in camp will be worth monitoring as the Patriots aim to get their WR1 back on the field.
The Fort Lauderdale Police Department released a report detailing additional information regarding Quinshon Judkins’ arrest for domestic battery over the weekend.
The full report can be found at the link provided at the end of the blurb, but the details are quite disturbing. Arresting officer Steven Pohorence reported that the victim of Judkins’ alleged assault reported the incident the day after it occurred, alleging Judkins “punched her in the mouth/chin area with a closed fist” while adding he later struck her in the arm and thigh. The victim also showed pictures of her chin/lip area, with officer Pohorence noting in the report “the bruising was clearly evident.” Bruises could also be found on her arm and thigh. This situation is far from resolved and could have a direct impact on Judkins’ availability for training camp as he remains unsigned at this time.