NFL Week 17 is here, and we get another fantastic opportunity to put some extra holiday cash into our pockets as we build winning DFS lineups together. 

The Sunday main slate is a lot smaller with two games on Christmas Day, one on Thursday night and three Saturday games. We’re looking at just eight games if you’re playing on DraftKings; nine if you’re playing on FanDuel. And I’ve got a really good feeling about the best NFL Week 17 DFS Watch List.

 

 

 

Something to remember – you have a lot of casual players active this week with the holidays. People are off from work and hanging around with friends and family, so why not play some DFS and see if we can’t win the Milly Maker for Christmas, right?

You’re going to see a lot of amateur lineups which could help your GPP game a little more but also make things a little more difficult in cash as they will likely be throwing more darts than usual and if the chalk and some darts hit, well, you know.

This is where the process comes in and is most important. We’re doing actual analysis. We’re not relying on some lineup optimizer to spit out 150 lineups. We’re digging in and looking beyond basic projections.

Don’t forget, the NFL playoffs are taking shape, and a lot of teams are mathematically eliminated. We’ll throw some darts at the bottom-feeding teams auditioning youngsters, but we do want to remain focused on teams with something to play for and players with contract incentives or milestones to hit.

We’ll dive into it all throughout the week, but for now let’s get our first look at the best NFL Week 17 DFS Watch List!

 

 
 

 

Best NFL DFS Week 17 Watch List For 2024

Before we dive into the NFL DFS Week 17 Watch List, I always like to go back and check in with our hits and misses from the previous week’s Watch List. Remember, this list is still very fluid, and some names will make it to the final DFS Playbook and DFS Dart Board while others will be removed. It always depends on the latest NFL Injury Report and other news. Sometimes a great value opens up and bumps someone off.

Last week, for example, Breece Hall was in the Watch List, but he never made it to the final Playbook. We had some late value open up and there were other running backs I liked more at his price point. Even with the value he was on DraftKings. Ray-Ray McCloud also never made it to the final Playbook due to the quarterback change. Michael Penix wasn’t bad, but he also wasn’t good for fantasy purposes.

But guys like Bucky Irving, Jameson Williams and even Kyler Murray all made it to the final Playbook and all returned value for us. Some more than others, but not every player in the Watch List is going to smash. But enough about last week. Let’s talk about the upcoming weekend and let’s get to the best NFL DFS Week 17 Watch List.

 

 

 

Top DraftKings DFS Week 17 Watch List

Anthony Richardson, QB Indianapolis Colts ($5,900)

Let’s see if we can’t pick up some momentum off last week’s performance. Granted, Richardson only threw the ball 11 times against the Titans, but he threw one touchdown pass, ran in one of his own and tacked on an additional 70 rushing yards. He would have had two, but they called him down on the half-yard line and then gave the TD to Jonathan Taylor. 

Now Richardson will face a Giants team that ranks near the bottom against both the run and the pass and has very little to play for this week. The Colts are still in the playoff hunt so expect them to keep pressing in this one.

Rachaad White, RB Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($5,700)

We’ll be looking for Bucky Irving as well, but that will likely be more as a cash game play. Everyone is so into Bucky right now that we can get White at a much lower ownership rate and a better price. He’s basically splitting the work 50/50 right now. 

Some weeks he has a higher snap count and some week’s the advantage tilts to Irving. But both backs should be able to eat against a soft Panthers run defense that ranks near the bottom in most defensive metrics.

Calvin Ridley, WR Tennessee Titans ($5,500)

I don’t love his quarterback, but this is about matchups and the Jaguars pass defense is absolutely atrocious. 

The team is focusing more on the run given Mason Rudolph’s shortcomings, but Ridley is still seeing a decent target share and he’s doing a good job stretching the field. He’ll be targeted often in this one and comes in at a nice cost. 

T.J. Hockenson, TE Minnesota Vikings ($4,500)

While most of the quality targets go to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, this match-up should free up Hockenson for a decent target share. 

The Packers rank 20th in DVOA against the tight end, allow an average of 55 receiving yards per game to them and give up the eighth-most fantasy points per game to the position.

 

 

 

Best FanDuel DFS Week 17 Watch List

Sam Darnold, QB Minnesota Vikings ($7,700)

We’ve got a couple of powerhouses in the NFC North going at it this week in the game with highest game total on the main slate. 

These teams faced each other back in Week 4 when Darnold threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns and the Packers run defense has gotten better and better so I expect him to continue slinging the rock. The home field and the potential of no Jaire Alexander makes this passing attack look really strong.

Jonathan Taylor, RB Indianapolis Colts ($7,800)

While we aren’t chasing 200-plus yards and three touchdowns, this match-up for Taylor against the Giants is just too damn tasty to pass up. 

The Giants are allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to the running back position and are allowing the second-most rushing yards per game. With 16 rushing touchdowns allowed on the year, I feel like Taylor is headed for another strong effort.  

Darnell Mooney, WR Atlanta Falcons ($6,400)

Falcons OC Zac Robinson had Michael Penix focusing on the low-aDOT passing to maintain efficiency and take the pressure off of him and while that may be the game plan coming into this week, I expect them to let Penix take more shots downfield. 

While Marshon Lattimore will be covering Drake London, our little Moon Boy gets to tangle with Benjamin St-Juste, and you all know how I feel about that!

Tommy Tremble, TE Carolina Panthers ($4,800)

How about a little dart -throw at the tight end spot. Outside of Brock Bowers I don’t love any of the tight ends on the slate, so if I’m not paying all the way up, I’m paying all the way down to Tremble. 

He’s seeing more snaps and targets than Ja’Tavion Sanders and gets to face the Bucs who are one of the worst teams when it comes to covering the tight end.

 

 
 

 

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