The 2017 regular season, and the fantasy football season, ends this coming Sunday. For fantasy leagues that extend to Week 17, setting a lineup is still on the radar.
With that in mind, here are my final quarterback, tight end and team defense streamers for this year.
Quarterback: Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans
Bortles turned back into a pumpkin a bit in Week 16, with three interceptions against the San Francisco 49ers. But he also had multiple passing touchdowns for the fourth straight game, and topped 300 yards through the air for the third time in those four games.
Despite not being able to improve their playoff seed, early indications are the Jaguars will not be resting guys against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. So Bortles will be starting and playing the whole game, barring injury of course, in a very favorable matchup.
The Titans have allowed more than 300 passing yards in three of their last four games. Going back to after their bye, they’ve allowed over 260 passing yards and/or multiple passing touchdowns in six of eight games. The only quarterbacks not to reach either or both of those marks over that span are Jacoby Brissett and Blaine Gabbert.
Bortles is straddling the line to be considered as a fantasy streamer. But with one week left all reasonable options are in play, and Bortles should finish on a high note.
Yahoo! Ownership: 65%
ESPN Ownership: 49.3%
Others To Consider:Â Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens vs. Cincinnati Bengals; Jacoby Brissett, Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans; Case Keenum, Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears; Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New Orleans Saints; Jimmy Garopppolo, San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams
Tight End: Antonio Gates, Los Angeles Chargers vs. Oakland Raiders
Gates had his best game of the season in Week 16, with six receptions (on eight targets) for 81 yards and a touchdown. He has a touchdown in back-to-back games now, with 11 targets over that span.
Gates had just one catch for 16 yards against the Oakland Raiders back in Week 6, but Hunter Henry had five receptions for 90 yards on seven targets in that game, and he’s out for the season. So now Gates will get some extra opportunities in the Week 17 rematch.
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The Raiders have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to tight ends this season (ESPN PPR scoring), including the most yards (992) and the second-most receptions (86) to the position. They’ve been stingy in terms of touchdowns allowed to tight ends (five all season, just one over their last six games), but Gates is lined up to end his 15th NFL season with a big game.
Yahoo! Ownership: 22%
ESPN Ownership: 16.9%
Others To Consider:Â Eric Ebron, Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers; Charles Clay, Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins; Jesse James, Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns; Vernon Davis, Washington Redskins at New York Giants
Team Defense: Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers
In eight of their last nine games, the Lions’ defense has put up at least 7.5 fantasy points (Yahoo! scoring) with multiple takeaways or multiple sacks seven times in that span. Back in Week 9 they held the Green Bay Packers to 17 points with three sacks of Brett Hundley, and they’ll get a second crack at them in Week 17.
The Packers were shut out by the Minnesota Vikings in Week 16. While Hundley’s best games have come on the road, like Sunday’s game will be, he has thrown for 130 yards or less while averaging less than four yards per attempt in two of his last three games.
There’s some risk here, as the Lions have nothing to play for and could simply be checked-out against Green Bay. But the matchup is too good to ignore in a fairly light week for defense streamers.
Yahoo! Ownership: 56%
ESPN Ownership: 57.4%
Others To Consider: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos; Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks; Washington Redskins at New York Giants;
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