Not every fantasy football league closes shop before Week 17. Luckily for players fighting until the end, nearly the entire NFL will share those motivations.
In a bizarre twist, the 8-7 Washington Redskins are the only team locked into playoff positioning. They will host a Wild Card Game as the No. 4 seed regardless of this weekend’s outcome against the Dallas Cowboys. Kirk Cousins and Jordan Reed won Week 16 championships, but they won’t repeat those heroics this weekend.
Aside from Washington, everyone is playing for either a playoff spot, seeding or pure pride. Instead of worrying about who will get benched, gamers must determine if eliminated clubs will play with honor or slog to the finish line.
Here’s an early look at the final Sunday’s flex rankings for standard and point-per-reception (PPR) leagues.
Despite ruining the Carolina Panthers’ perfect season, the Atlanta Falcons were knocked out of playoff contention in Week 16. Yet they can cement a winning record at home against the New Orleans Saints, and Devonta Freeman will have a personal milestone to chase.
Since it’s a nice round number, a 1,000-yard season is treated as the Holy Grail. Perhaps that’s now more fitting, as only four running backs (Adrian Peterson, Doug Martin, Todd Gurley and Latavius Murray) have hit the mark. The Falcons rusher, who didn’t get the starting gig until Week 3, is 20 yards away.
Before gaining 73 rushing yards against Carolina, he downplayed the individual achievement to ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure.
“I know it’s close, but I haven’t thought about it,” Freeman said of 1,000 rushing yards. “I just play the game. If I get it, I get it. If I don’t, I don’t. I’m still happy. I just want to win this game and whatever happens, happens.”
He’s only averaging 3.0 yards per carry during his last four games, but Freeman can remedy his swoon against a Saints defense surrendering 5.0 yards per run. He also remains heavily involved in the red-zone and receiving game, and he carved up New Orleans for 156 yards and two scores earlier this season.
Next year, he’s a prime first-round overpay candidate. For now, he’s poised to end his breakout season in grand fashion.
The New York Jets are a win away from returning to the postseason. They’ll face the Buffalo Bills, whose No. 20 defense eroded before enjoying Kellen Moore’s first career start for the Dallas Cowboys. Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker are weekly regulars to comfortably start, but their backfield isn’t as easy to navigate.
With each passing week, Chris Ivory loses his grip on top-back status. The starting rusher registered 42 yards for the second consecutive game. Meanwhile, Bilal Powell offered 90 yards on 12 touches, including five receptions.
Due to a knee injury, Ivory missed some time during Sunday’s overtime stunner over the New England Patriots. As noted by the New York Post‘s Brian Costello, Powell took charge and maintained his spot on the field:
In a lesser role, Powell has tallied more total yards than Ivory in three of Gang Green’s last four games. He’s averaging 89.8 yards over those games, tallying three scores and 25 catches. He’s the far superior PPR play, and standard players might also have to adapt accordingly.
After spending time as a perennial stud, Ivory is now someone to flex and hope for the best if managers don’t have any fruitful reserves.
For the second straight year, the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants will conclude the season with nothing at stake. Jordan Matthews’ fantasy owners will hope for a similar result, as he ended 2014 with 105 yards and a touchdown during their final showdown.
The strong finale helped him merit breakout appeal this season, which the second-year wideout is quietly honoring with a strong finish. Matthews has recorded four of his six touchdowns over the last five games, and he’ll enter Week 17 with consecutive 100-yard outings:
A colossal bust for most of 2015 now has 78 catches for 943 yards and six scores, making him NFL.com’s No. 25-ranked wide receiver. While the Eagles shouldn’t require garbage-time feats against the Giants, he should actually shine for four quarters against the NFL’s worst passing defense.
Despite instead getting shredded on the ground Sunday night, the Giants relinquish 297.9 passing yards per contest and 14.7 receptions to wideouts, per NFL.com. Matthews didn’t break the bank open during their Week 6 meeting, but he received 11 targets during a 27-7 victory.
As he looks to transform a disappointing season into a 1,000-yard campaign, he’s a viable No. 3 receiver despite the lack of playoff implications.
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