Week 17 WR Starts and Sits (Slot vs Wide Analysis)

We’re finally here! It’s the fantasy football championship. Good luck this week and thank you again for all your support this season. If you have any off-season questions, feel free to hit me up on Instagram or Twitter.

This season, I’ll be taking you through my favorite wide receiver start/sits using the brilliant Slot vs Wide tool on the Razzball website. This tool is revolutionary in analyzing not just the difficulty of a wide receiver’s matchup but also the success of their opponent against a specific style of player. I recommend using it to help you with those tough start-sit decisions though you’re welcome to add your questions in the comments too. Please also check out my rankings at ffdfantasyfootball.com and you can find my long-form videos on the Fantasy First Down YouTube channel and my Slot/Wide analysis on the Razzball Fantasy YouTube channel.

Be sure to check out the latest tools on Razzball.com: Slot vs. Wide PPG Allowed | WR Slot vs. Wide| DEF Targets Allowed | Home vs. Away | Wins vs. Losses | TD Tool

Top WR Starts

• Player: Calvin Ridley
• Matchup: Jaguars
• Out Wide Matchup Rank: 7

He’s surviving on lower volume thanks to the benching of Will Levis, but Calvin Ridley is still the top wide receiver in Tennessee. The emergence of Chig Okonkwo has diluted Ridley’s target share badly but he’s still a solid start in a plus matchup against the Jaguars.

• Player: Devonta Smith
• Matchup: Cowboys
• Out Wide Matchup Rank: 8

Former first-round pick Devonta Smith hasn’t had the same impact he’s had in previous seasons with the arrival of Saquon Barkley. But with no Dallas Goedert, this offense drives solely through its triumvirate of elite weapons. Smith may be the third on that list, but in a good matchup against the Cowboys, I’m comfortable with using him in my fantasy final.

• Player: Jakobi Meyers
• Matchup: Saints
• Out Wide Matchup Rank: 9

I’m more nervous than usual about Jakobi Meyers, as the Packers showed you can beat the Saints purely on the ground. But Alexander Mattison and Ameer Abdullah aren’t the weapons I’d be relying on if I’m Antonio Pierce fighting for my job. I expect a healthy dose of Meyers and Brock Bowers in a game expected to be close.

• Player: Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings
• Matchup: Lions
• Out Wide Matchup Rank: 10

The 49ers will need to chase points against the rampaging Lions and Detroit is top four at shutting down the run and tight ends. That should mean an open passing game, relying on wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings. They’re risky but positive starts in Week 17.

• Player: Khalil Shakir
• Matchup: Jets
• Slot Matchup Rank: 2

There is one wide receiver worth starting in Buffalo, and that’s Khalil Shakir. The slot receiver gets the better matchup too, against a Jets secondary that is elite on the boundary but weak against the slot. The weather could well play a factor, but pending fine weather, I’m OK with starting Shakir as a PPR flex play.

Desperation WR Starts

Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson (GB @ MIN): The Packers may finally need to start passing the ball again after weeks of relying on the ground game against inferior opposition. It’s hard to trust any of their out-wide receivers, especially when Christian Watson is injured and Dontayvion Wicks is stealing snaps from Watson and Romeo Doubs, but there’s enough upside to make them viable desperation starts in Week 17.

Olamide Zaccheaus (WAS v ATL): With the injury to Noah Brown, Olamide Zaccheaus has emerged as the WR2 in Washington. This should be a good matchup for the second out wide Commander, but Zaccheaus is floating between the slot and out wide while also spending some snaps off the field entirely. That’s enough to make him a low-end desperation option for me, but one with plenty of upside if you’re desperate.

Top WR Sits

• Player: Darnell Mooney
• Matchup: Commanders
• Out Wide Matchup Rank: 26

It’s been a fun ride, but I’m getting off the Darnell Mooney Express at this station. This is a tough out-wide matchup and I simply can’t trust him with Michael Penix under center, despite last week’s positive outing.

• Player: Jameson Williams
• Matchup: 49ers
• Out Wide Matchup Rank: 25

Jameson Williams was fantastic against the Bears last week, blowing through a tough matchup for 143 yards and a touchdown. I’m not banking on him backing it up though. His floor is way too low for me to trust him in my fantasy championship.

• Player: Cooper Kupp
• Matchup: Cardinals
• Slot Matchup Rank: 23

Cooper Kupp has been awful the last two weeks, turning 6 targets into 24 yards. With another negative matchup, he can’t be trusted in the most important fantasy week of the year.

• Player: Josh Downs
• Matchup: Giants
• Slot Matchup Rank: 21

Josh Downs fluked a good result last week and he now faces a Giants outfit that shuts down the slot. Given his recent low route counts (he ran just 12 routes last week), I’m not even slightly considering him for my Fantasy Super Bowls.

WR Exceptions

All Saints Receivers (NO vs LV): I refuse to trust any Saints receivers despite that strong outside matchup against the Raiders. Spencer Rattler has looked impotent at the best of times and he enters this game without the majority of the Saints’ starters from the beginning of the season. The juice is just not worth the squeeze.

Kayshon Boutte (NE vs LAC): Kayshon Boutte had a breakout performance against the Bills and he now gets a good matchup against the Chargers, but I’m not risking him given his very low floor in the low volume Patriots passing offense.

Courtland Sutton (DEN @ CIN): The Bengals have been great against outside wide receivers of late, though that’s been mainly due to matchups. I’m still willing to start the Broncos’ only elite pass-catching option in Courtland Sutton.

Good luck in Week 17 and remember, every player will be a sit in some leagues and a start in others so if you have any start-sit questions, drop them in the comments below or hit me up on Instagram @TheFantasyFirstDown