Week 17 of the NFL season is here, and it is once again my privilege to highlight my favorite wide receivers for your Week 17 NFL DFS lineups on the main slate for FanDuel and DraftKings. This week looks a little different in terms of NFL DFS, seeing as we have games on Christmas Day, the day after Christmas, and Saturday, leaving us with a smaller main slate. Also, I hope you and yours have a great Holiday season!

 

 

 

From the top priced receivers to the value wide receivers, and everything in between, we got your Week 17 daily fantasy football lineups covered! Take these insights and numbers and check out some NFL player props for Week 17 as well, as some of the insights in this article can help uncover some advantageous lines for you to exploit!

Lastly, be sure to check back through the week leading up to Sunday, as we’ll make updates to the NFL DFS WR Coach based on injury reports, practice statuses, and more!

Without further ado, let’s jump into the NFL DFS Week 17 WR Coach, here exclusively at Fantasy Alarm!

NFL DFS Week 17 WR Coach For FanDuel & DraftKings Fantasy

While I love having football on nearly every day of the week, I’ll admit, it’s a bit tougher for our DFS lineups, as we have just eight games on the main slate. Also, some of the matchups are, well, underwhelming. However, there are some advantageous matchups to target, and could be some more interesting game environments, depending on injuries, quarterback decisions, etc. 

Keep on reading for some insights as to the particular receivers I like this week at all different price tiers!

 

 

 

NFL Week 17 Wide Receivers

With games on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday this week, we are left with only an eight game main slate, and a lot of notable offenses are off the main slate, including Detroit, Baltimore, Cincinnati, the LA Rams, and more!

Quick notes on the slate:

  • 3 games with a line of at least 46.5
  • 4 games with a line of 41 or fewer points
  • 5 teams are at least 6-point favorites!

 

 

 

NFL DFS WR Coach Week 16 Results

Our top tier picks were excellent as Ja'Marr Chase, Davante Adams, and Amon-Ra St. Brown all had productive days.

Brian Thomas Jr was the star of the show in the mid-tier, but Nabers was fine, too.

The value tier wasn’t all that great, outside of Thielen’s 43 yards and a touchdown.

Our fade of the week, Michael Pittman, went for sub-10 fantasy points, and Jerry Jeudy was pretty good as our play of the week, going for 24.8 DK points.

Fading Khalil Shakir was the right move (2 receptions for 22 yards), but Puka Nacua didn’t have as big of a game as I was predicting.

 

 

 

NFL DFS WR Top Tier Picks For Week 17

Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DraftKings: $7,500 | FanDuel: $8,600

The Bucs are still in the playoff hunt, and there is a bit of history chasing here with Evans, as he is at 818 yards with two games to go. Evans has gone for 1,000 yards in all 10 of his professional seasons, and I expect the Bucs to pepper him with targets to not only win the final two games of the year and make the playoffs but also get him his 1,000 yards for the season. 

He tallied 118 yards and a touchdown a few weeks back against Carolina, and since returning from injury, he’s averaging over eight targets and 96 yards per game.

Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings - DraftKings: $8,300 | FanDuel: $9,000

I mean, we’ll have the money, so why not target the best WR in the league in this divisional showdown? He’s had big games against this team before, and Sam Darnold continues to get him the football and rack up fantasy points. Jefferson has 27 targets over his last two games, five touchdowns over his last three, and at least seven receptions in four straight.

Davante Adams, New York Jets - DraftKings: $7,100 | FanDuel: $8,100

Adams will just not slow down, as last week’s 13 targets against the Rams give him 4 straight games with 10+ targets, and six of his last seven! He’s found the end zone five times over his last four games and now draws a matchup against the Buffalo Bills that figures to see New York playing from behind. 

The Bills have allowed the most fantasy points per game to wideouts over the last four weeks, and they also rank in the bottom six in the NFL in terms of yards per game, yards per route run, and yards per target over expectation out of the slot over the last six weeks, per Fantasy Points Data Suite. Over his last four games, Adams is 3rd in the league in receiving yards out of the slot, with an impressive 2.71 yards per route run, per PFF.

Brian Thomas, Jacksonville Jaguars - DraftKings: $6,800 | FanDuel: $7,500

At this point, how do you not play Thomas? Not only does he have 100+ yards and a TD in two straight games, but he’s found the end zone four times over his last four games and has double-digit targets in all four contests. 

Per Fantasy Points Data Suite, over Mac Jones’ last three starts, Thomas has 50.7 percent of the team’s air yards, a 32.8 percent target share, and 44.7 percent first read rate. This is elite usage for the rookie, and he draws a favorable matchup against a Tennessee defense that has struggled on the perimeter over the last month or so.

Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders - FanDuel: $7,900

McLaurin is only available on the main slate for FanDuel, but this is an affordable price point for Washington’s No. 1 wide out. Atlanta has allowed the 11th-most fantasy points per game to receivers over the last four weeks, and McLaurin has at least five receptions, 60 yards, and a touchdown in four straight games. 

Notable of late, you want perimeter receivers against the Falcons, and McLaurin is the epitome of that. Expect him to feast on the perimeter in this matchup, as Washington should be able to go up and down the field.

 

 

 

NFL DFS WR Mid-Tier Picks For NFL Week 17

Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers - DraftKings: $5,700 | FanDuel: $6,200

This matchup is setting up quite nicely for Thielen. Simply put, Tampa Bay has struggled in slot coverage in recent weeks, and they play a lot of zone defense. Well, over the last four weeks, Thielen leads Carolina in targets (16) and receptions (13) against zone coverage, not to mention 2.01 yards per route run, per PFF. 

Also, during this four-game stretch, Thielen has caught 82.1 percent of his targets out of the slot, with 2.43 yards per route run, and a 10.6 aDOT, per PFF. The veteran receiver went for 99 yards and a touchdown a few weeks ago against December, and the Bucs have allowed the fifth-most receptions to wideouts over the last four weeks.

Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers - DraftKings: $5,100 | FanDuel: $5,600

Since returning from his concussion, Doubs’ volume has been pretty modest, but he did have two touchdowns against Seattle in his return to action. I’m not going to look too much into Week 16’s shellacking of the New Orleans Saints, as Jordan Love only had 28 pass attempts, and only Dontayvion Wicks received more than five targets in that game (albeit for just 13 yards). 

Minnesota has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to wideouts over the last four weeks, and perimeter receivers have feasted on this defense in recent weeks. 

Minnesota varies its look, but at their core, they play a lot of zone, and for the entire season, Doubs trails Jayden Reed by just three total targets when facing zone coverage, per PFF, but guess who leads Green Bay in air yards share, target share, and first read rate when facing zone (per Fantasy Points’ Data Suite)? Yep, exactly… Doubs.

Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans - DraftKings: $5,500 | FanDuel: $6,300

Will Levis, Mason Rudolph, who cares! Ridley has the 11th-highest air yards share in the NFL over the last three weeks, while also commanding 21.2 percent of the team’s targets, per Fantasy Points’ Data Suite. 

Jacksonville loves to play man coverage, and Ridley’s posted 2.97 yards per route run and 20.2 yards per reception against man coverage over the last four weeks. Could we see another shootout for the Titans like we did last week? Perhaps…

 

 

 

NFL Week 17 DFS WR Value Picks

Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DraftKings: $4,600 | FanDuel: $5,900

How do you not look at McMillan right now? The price is very affordable for a guy who has at least six targets, 57 yards, and a touchdown in three straight games. He’s posted 3.73 yards per route run over the last three weeks when facing man coverage, not to mention a healthy 16.2 yards per reception! 

Carolina is scoring points of late, so we could see a shootout-esque matchup here between these divisional foes, and McMillan is an affordable target in this matchup. Mike Evans will get his, but after that, it’s McMillan.

Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills - DraftKings: $4,500 | FanDuel: $5,400

The volume for Coleman isn’t particularly strong, but when he makes a splash, it tends to be a big one. The Jets have allowed the seventh-most receiving yards to wideouts over the last four weeks, and Coleman actually handled a higher snap share than Amari Cooper last week. 

Josh Allen looks for Coleman downfield, and when facing man coverage, something the Jets love to deploy, Coleman’s posted over 24 yards per reception and a team-high 2.09 yards per route run this season, per PFF.

Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts - DraftKings: $4,800 | FanDuel: $6,100

Here’s what scares me with Downs. Indy scored 38 points last week, and there was 68 total points scored in the game. However, Richardson had just 11 pass attempts. Sure, Downs was targeted four times on those 11 targets, but the passing volume just isn’t there right now, especially if Jonathan Taylor and Richardson are going to have immense success on the ground. 

You can run on the Giants, so it gives me some pause there, but I won’t deny the matchup. Andru Phillips has allowed an 81.3 percent reception percentage in slot coverage over his last four games, and as a whole, New York has allowed the ninth-highest yards per target over expectation to the slot over the last six weeks, per Fantasy Points’ Data Suite. 

If Alec Pierce were to miss this contest, I’ll also give a nod to Adonai Mitchell, as he’s a home run hitter, and New York is ripe for the picking on shots downfield.

Malik Washington, Miami Dolphins - DraftKings: $4,000 | FanDuel: $5,100

With no Jaylen Waddle in the mix, Washington took the majority of his snaps in the slot last week, catching three of four targets for 28 yards against the 49ers. If Waddle were to miss this week’s game, it could be an even bigger day for Washington, as the Browns have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to wideouts over the last four weeks. 

Furthermore, they have really, really struggled out of the slot, and Washington could have a larger role in this matchup. Over the last six weeks, no defense has allowed more yards per route run, or more yards per target over expectation than the Cleveland Browns, per Fantasy Points’ Data Suite.

 

 

 

NFL DFS WR Fade For Week 17

Amari Cooper, Buffalo Bills - DraftKings: $5,500 | FanDuel: $5,100

Cooper was good a few weeks back against Los Angeles, but since getting 14 targets in that game against the Rams, he’s caught just one ball on two targets over the last two weeks. 

The returns of Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid have taken targets (and snaps) away from Cooper, and the production is just too volatile. While the price point may look attractive against a somewhat vulnerable New York secondary, playing Cooper is just getting too cute, even on a smaller slate.

 

 

 

NFL Week 17 WR Play Of The Week

Malik Nabers, New York Giants - DraftKings: $6,600 | FanDuel: $7,700

Over the last four weeks, it likely comes as no surprise that Nabers has an elite 30.6 percent target share, and he’s one of just eight players with at least 30 receptions over the last four weeks, per Fantasy Points’ Data Suite. Indy loves to sit in zone coverage, and wait until you see these numbers for Nabers against zone coverage over the last four weeks (courtesy of Fantasy Points’ Data Suite and Pro Football Focus):

  • 38.2% first read rate
  • 27.7% target share
  • 2.27 yards per route run
  • 10.0 average depth of target (aDOT)

The clock could drain fast in this one, especially if Indy runs the ball at will, but if Nabers can get to at least eight targets against Indy’s zone-heavy scheme, we should be able to get the 2-3x return on investment we need.

 

 

 

NFL DFS Week 17 WR Projections

Check out the NFL DFS Week 17 projections table below to help build your NFL DFS Week 17 lineups. 

Be sure to also check out not just the NFL Week 17 DFS WR Coach, but the rest of our NFL DFS Coaches, Watch List and NFL DFS Playbook as you build those winning daily fantasy football lineups for Week 17 of the 2024 NFL regular season.