It all boils down to this. All the agonizing matchup calls, the inevitable bench explosions, and the Monday Night Football sweats have culminated in one final week for fantasy football. For those of you at the end of your road, it's time to embrace the moment. Much like the players on the field making or breaking your dreams of fantasy immortality, none of us are 100 percent. The fantasy season takes its toll on every manager. While you might feel inclined to celebrate your semifinal win after clinching it less than 24 hours ago, the holiday schedule keeps those celebrations brief. It's already time to shift focus to the ultimate showdown.
Before digging deep on lineup advice, there’s one last thing to note: some of you may be gearing up for a two-week final, or worse yet, facing the scenario where your commissioner decided to schedule your championship for Week 18. If that's you, perhaps ignore this pep talk for now - you've still got another week. Just kidding! We value all league participants.
Now, let’s get to the crux of the matter. For those mulling over options at running back, intriguing names like Tony Pollard, Brian Robinson Jr., Isiah Pacheco, and Kareem Hunt should be at the forefront of your decisions.
Week 17 Sit-Start Decisions
RB Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans
Pollard's performance with the Titans has been somewhat mixed this season, landing him at RB19 in PPR scoring formats, according to Footballguys stats. He's been serviceable as a mid-tier RB2 for fantasy managers, highlighted by three games where he rushed for over 100 yards, including Week 14 against the Jaguars. Pollard had 21 carries on 63 percent of the snaps during this game, garnering 14.4 PPR points even without hitting the end zone.
It's important to keep track of Pollard's health leading up to Sunday. Despite participating last week, he missed practice prior to the Week 16 matchup with the Colts. His backup, Tyjae Spears, claimed 61 percent of the snaps, and if Pollard’s practice time isn’t solid, the backfield split might be more unfavorably skewed. Jacksonville currently limits opposing running backs effectively, surrendering only 62 rushing yards on average over the last two weeks. Given the risk of Pollard's potential limited involvement, it might be prudent to explore other options.
Recommendation: Sit Pollard
RB Brian Robinson Jr., Washington Commanders
Last week, Robinson contributed to two of the five turnovers during the Commanders' divisional battle against the Eagles, finishing with only 24 yards on 10 carries. The Eagles are tough to crack, granting the second-fewest points to fantasy running backs. Compounded by the Commanders trailing for most of the game, Robinson's output has been subpar.
The matchup against Atlanta doesn’t bode well either, with the Falcons allowing only 21.1 fantasy points per game to running backs—the ninth-lowest total. That said, Robinson has managed to gather three targets out of the backfield recently, but even those opportunities combined with the current defensive challenge likely won’t be enough to yield significant fantasy points.
Recommendation: Sit Robinson
RBs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City backfield resembles more of a committee than any singular workhorse. Since Hunt's return to the squad, he has deftly filled the gap left by Pacheco's absence. Now active, Pacheco continues to share the workload, but Hunt managed to exceed him last week, with his work share hitting 43 percent. Though Hunt had his fair share of looks, Pacheco logged just one red zone touch compared to Hunt's three.
Pacheco's passing work remains uncertain, much like Hunt's. Their competition, including players like Carson Steele and Samaje Perine, muddles potential ownership shares as well. The Steelers defense, fresh from defensive struggles against Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry, has shown they can limit rushing threats effectively, conceding no rushing touchdowns since Chase Brown scored against them. If managers are bordered with options, Hunt may edge out the competition due to his higher periodic touchdown potential.
Recommendation: Lean Hunt
For those wrestling with close calls and curious about player rankings, the Week 17 rankings await to guide decisions. Here’s hoping your next fantasy conversation carries the echo of champions!
