Week 17 Fantasy Football Playoff Rankings: Position by Position

We have made it to the championship round of the 2022 fantasy football season. Well, when I say “we”, I mean “hopefully you”, because I did not make any finals this year. It would be disingenuous of me to suggest that it is all skill when I win and all luck when I lose. So I will simply say that if you are reading this and have made it to your championship, you have my respect and you should pat yourself on the back. Hopefully, my advice and rankings have assisted you on your journey on some level. Now enough of that because you have a championship to win! Second place is just the first loser, if you’re not first, you’re last, and so on and so on.

Below are my updated playoff rankings. Please keep a couple of things in mind before citing these as gospel. First, these are only for this week and do not incorporate Week 18. Most leagues worth their salt have eliminated Week 18 due to the wonky nature of the proceedings. So in a manner of speaking, these are essentially my early Week 17 rankings. They are also based on half-PPR scoring. If you use a different scoring system, please adjust as needed. Finally, there is still quite a bit in the air concerning injuries and the like. Make sure you keep up with the latest news on the injury front regarding these players. Now that all of the formalities are out of the way, here are my updated playoff rankings. Go win yourself a championship!

Updated Playoff Rankings for Fantasy Football

Quarterback Notes and Playoff Rankings

Jared Goff, Gardner Minshew, and Sam Darnold were all top-eight fantasy quarterbacks in Week 16. As strange as those finishes may seem, none of them hold a candle to Chris Streveler outscoring Justin Herbert. As we head into Week 17, there are still some question marks surrounding some popular signal-callers. Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson may miss another week with their respective injuries. And Tua Tagovailoa is in the league’s concussion protocol for the second time this season. You could surmise with a quick gander at my rankings that I do not expect any of them to play on Sunday.

If they cannot go, Gardner Minshew is the only backup I would consider a potential fantasy starter in Week 17. I have him ranked as my QB14, and that may be a bit low. Minshew was the overall QB5 a week ago, putting up 360 total yards and three touchdowns against Dallas. A matchup against the New Orleans Saints is fairly neutral from a fantasy perspective. The Saints have only allowed 16 passing touchdowns on the year, tied for fourth-best in the NFL. However, they have also intercepted just four passes, which is tied for the fewest in the league. I have Tyler Huntley 18th and Teddy Bridgewater 23rd this week among quarterbacks. Neither is a recommended start against defenses who are top-three in interceptions this year.

RANK	PLAYER	TEAM
1	Josh Allen	BUF
2	Patrick Mahomes	KC
3	Justin Fields	CHI
4	Joe Burrow	CIN
5	Justin Herbert	LAC
6	Trevor Lawrence	JAC
7	Daniel Jones	NYG
8	Tom Brady	TB
9	Aaron Rodgers	GB
10	Jared Goff	DET
11	Dak Prescott	DAL
12	Kirk Cousins	MIN
13	Geno Smith	SEA
14	Gardner Minshew	PHI
15	Brock Purdy	SF
16	Deshaun Watson	CLE
17	Mike White	NYJ
18	Tyler Huntley	BAL
19	Mac Jones	NE
20	Derek Carr	LV
21	Russell Wilson	DEN
22	Colt McCoy	ARI
23	Teddy Bridgewater	MIA
24	Desmond Ridder	ATL
25	Andy Dalton	NO
26	Kenny Pickett	PIT
27	Davis Mills	HOU
28	Nick Foles	IND
29	Sam Darnold	CAR
30	Baker Mayfield	LA
31	Malik Willis	TEN
32	Lamar Jackson	BAL
33	Carson Wentz	WAS
34	Taylor Heinicke	WAS
35	Jalen Hurts	PHI
36	Jeff Driskel	HOU
37	Tua Tagovailoa	MIA

Running Back Notes and Playoff Rankings

For now, I am still treating Rhamondre Stevenson like the top-10 fantasy back he has been this season. However, there are a couple of factors to consider. First is the potential return of Damien Harris. Harris has missed a month with a thigh injury but could be back this week. On top of that, you could make the argument that Stevenson has cost the Patriots two games in a row due to his lack of ball security. New England is in a must-win scenario on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. Miami has allowed 17 total touchdowns to opposing backs this year, including an NFL-high six through the air. If Harris cannot go, I think Stevenson is in line for a huge workload even with his recent struggles. No other Patriot running back besides Stevenson and Harris has more than 18 carries for the entire year.

Another situation to keep an eye on is in Dallas, where Tony Pollard is also dealing with a thigh injury. The Cowboys play on Thursday night, so at least we will know what to do with Pollard. I ranked Pollard lower than I normally would if he had a clean bill of health. Still, I would imagine that if he is a-go, you would be starting him in most instances. His possible absence would give a boost to Ezekiel Elliott, but I also think you are staring Elliott anyway. There is a narrative that suggests that the Tennessee Titans will rest some key players on Thursday, as they only need to win their Week 18 matchup against Jacksonville to secure a playoff berth. I don’t know if I buy into that, but such a scenario could also benefit both Cowboys’ backs.

RANK	PLAYER	TEAM
1	Christian McCaffrey	SF
2	Saquon Barkley	NYG
3	Austin Ekeler	LAC
4	Derrick Henry	TEN
5	Dalvin Cook	MIN
6	Travis Etienne	JAC
7	James Conner	ARI
8	Rhamondre Stevenson	NE
9	Josh Jacobs	LV
10	Alvin Kamara	NO
11	Joe Mixon	CIN
12	Kenneth Walker	SEA
13	Aaron Jones	GB
14	Nick Chubb	CLE
15	Cam Akers	LA
16	Miles Sanders	PHI
17	David Montgomery	CHI
18	Brian Robinson	WAS
19	Tyler Allgeier	ATL
20	Isiah Pacheco	KC
21	Ezekiel Elliott	DAL
22	Leonard Fournette	TB
23	D'Andre Swift	DET
24	Zonovan Knight	NYJ
25	Tony Pollard	DAL
26	Najee Harris	PIT
27	AJ Dillon	GB
28	D'Onta Foreman	CAR
29	Jamaal Williams	DET
30	Rachaad White	TB
31	Latavius Murray	DEN
32	Jerick McKinnon	KC
33	Zack Moss	IND
34	Devin Singletary	BUF
35	J.K. Dobbins	BAL
36	Cordarrelle Patterson	ATL
37	Raheem Mostert	MIA
38	Michael Carter	NYJ
39	Jeff Wilson	MIA
40	Antonio Gibson	WAS
41	Chuba Hubbard	CAR
42	James Cook	BUF
43	Royce Freeman	HOU
44	Deon Jackson	IND
45	Gus Edwards	BAL
46	Kareem Hunt	CLE
47	Khalil Herbert	CHI
48	Samaje Perine	CIN
49	Dare Ogunbowale	HOU
50	Damien Harris	NE
51	Joshua Kelley	LAC
52	Kenneth Gainwell	PHI
53	Jaylen Warren	PIT
54	Chase Edmonds	DEN
55	Justin Jackson	DET
56	Marlon Mack	DEN
57	Jordan Wilkins	IND
58	JaMycal Hasty	JAC
59	Kyren Williams	LA
60	Jordan Mason	SF
61	Alexander Mattison	MIN
62	David Johnson	NO
63	DeeJay Dallas	SEA
64	Keaontay Ingram	ARI
65	Matt Breida	NYG
66	Rex Burkhead	HOU
67	Hassan Haskins	TEN
68	Boston Scott	PHI
69	Ameer Abdullah	LV
70	Clyde Edwards-Helaire	KC
71	Kyle Juszczyk	SF
72	Raheem Blackshear	CAR
73	Nyheim Hines	BUF
74	Julius Chestnut	TEN
75	Tyrion Davis-Price	SF
76	Alec Ingold	MIA
77	Jonathan Williams	WAS
78	Pierre Strong	NE
79	Benny Snell	PIT
80	Kevin Harris	NE
81	Patrick Ricard	BAL
82	Ty Johnson	NYJ
83	Darrel Williams	ARI
84	Justice Hill	BAL
85	Avery Williams	ATL
86	Kenyan Drake	BAL
87	Travis Homer	SEA
88	Gary Brightwell	NYG
89	Malik Davis	DAL
90	Trey Sermon	PHI
91	Taiwan Jones	BUF
92	Malcolm Brown	LA
93	Trayveon Williams	CIN
94	Eno Benjamin	NO

Wide Receiver Notes and Playoff Rankings

More Week 17 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Flex Rankings

Saints rookie standout Chris Olave missed last week’s game due to a hamstring injury. Fantasy managers did not miss much based on how that game played out. The game was played in brutal weather conditions and quarterback Andy Dalton threw just 15 times for 92 yards. While it is safe to assume that Dalton will be busier on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, we do not yet know Olave’s status. Olave has not had many “ceiling” games of late. In his last seven games, he has only scored one touchdown. That came back in Week 11, which was also his last double-digit fantasy output. However, he has consistently shown a relatively high floor. He has at least three catches and 40 yards in every game in which he has played. If he plays on Sunday, I think Olave is a mid-range WR3 in 12-team leagues.

Another wide receiver whose Week 17 status is in doubt is Tyler Lockett of the Seattle Seahawks. Lockett broke a finger less than two weeks ago and had surgery immediately thereafter. Head coach Pete Carroll was optimistic about Lockett’s ability to return after missing just one game. We have not heard anything definitive from Carroll or the training staff since last week’s game. Lockett has been one of the most consistent fantasy wideouts this year, a far cry from previous campaigns. He has at least 60 yards in six of seven ballgames and had scored in six straight before the game in which he broke his finger. I currently have Lockett outside my top 50, but he is likely a top-20 fantasy wide receiver this week if we get good news in the next couple of days.

RANK	PLAYER	TEAM
1	Tyreek Hill	MIA
2	Justin Jefferson	MIN
3	Ja'Marr Chase	CIN
4	Amon-Ra St. Brown	DET
5	Davante Adams	LV
6	Stefon Diggs	BUF
7	CeeDee Lamb	DAL
8	DK Metcalf	SEA
9	A.J. Brown	PHI
10	Jaylen Waddle	MIA
11	Garrett Wilson	NYJ
12	Tee Higgins	CIN
13	DeAndre Hopkins	ARI
14	Keenan Allen	LAC
15	Christian Kirk	JAC
16	Chris Godwin	TB
17	Christian Watson	GB
18	Jerry Jeudy	DEN
19	Mike Williams	LAC
20	Terry McLaurin	WAS
21	Michael Pittman	IND
22	Mike Evans	TB
23	DeVonta Smith	PHI
24	JuJu Smith-Schuster	KC
25	Amari Cooper	CLE
26	Zay Jones	JAC
27	DJ Moore	CAR
28	Drake London	ATL
29	Brandon Aiyuk	SF
30	Brandin Cooks	HOU
31	Jakobi Meyers	NE
32	Marquise Brown	ARI
33	Gabe Davis	BUF
34	Allen Lazard	GB
35	Diontae Johnson	PIT
36	Darius Slayton	NYG
37	Chris Olave	NO
38	Courtland Sutton	DEN
39	Tutu Atwell	LA
40	George Pickens	PIT
41	Corey Davis	NYJ
42	Curtis Samuel	WAS
43	Chris Moore	HOU
44	Jahan Dotson	WAS
45	Richie James	NYG
46	Adam Thielen	MIN
47	DJ Chark	DET
48	Donovan Peoples-Jones	CLE
49	Michael Gallup	DAL
50	Van Jefferson	LA
51	Mack Hollins	LV
52	Tyler Lockett	SEA
53	Chase Claypool	CHI
54	Tyler Boyd	CIN
55	Joshua Palmer	LAC
56	Rashid Shaheed	NO
57	Elijah Moore	NYJ
58	Parris Campbell	IND
59	Isaiah Hodgins	NYG
60	Alec Pierce	IND
61	Isaiah McKenzie	BUF
62	K.J. Osborn	MIN
63	Terrace Marshall	CAR
64	Olamide Zaccheaus	ATL
65	Marquez Valdes-Scantling	KC
66	Russell Gage	TB
67	Demarcus Robinson	BAL
68	Romeo Doubs	GB
69	Marvin Jones	JAC
70	Treylon Burks	TEN
71	Noah Brown	DAL
72	Marquise Goodwin	SEA
73	Josh Reynolds	DET
74	Brandon Powell	LA
75	Tyquan Thornton	NE
76	Randall Cobb	GB
77	Hunter Renfrow	LV
78	Jauan Jennings	SF
79	Quez Watkins	PHI
80	DeVante Parker	NE
81	Robert Woods	TEN
82	Julio Jones	TB
83	Byron Pringle	CHI
84	Greg Dortch	ARI
85	DeSean Jackson	BAL
86	Phillip Dorsett	HOU
87	Deebo Samuel	SF
88	Laquon Treadwell	SEA
89	Dante Pettis	CHI
90	Nick Westbrook-Ikhine	TEN
91	Trent Sherfield	MIA
92	Tre'Quan Smith	NO
93	Kendrick Bourne	NE
94	Kendall Hinton	DEN
95	Damiere Byrd	ATL
96	Kalif Raymond	DET
97	Steven Sims	PIT
98	David Bell	CLE
99	Nelson Agholor	NE
100	Jamal Agnew	JAC
101	Kadarius Toney	KC
102	Laviska Shenault	CAR
103	Robbie Anderson	ARI
104	Justin Watson	KC
105	Ray-Ray McCloud	SF
106	Equanimeous St. Brown	CHI
107	Sammy Watkins	BAL
108	A.J. Green	ARI
109	Marquez Callaway	NO
110	Shi Smith	CAR
111	Ashton Dulin	IND
112	Jameson Williams	DET
113	Amari Rodgers	HOU
114	Skyy Moore	KC
115	Mecole Hardman	KC
116	Velus Jones	CHI
117	Trenton Irwin	CIN
118	DeAndre Carter	LAC
119	Khalil Shakir	BUF
120	KhaDarel Hodge	ATL
121	Braxton Berrios	NYJ
122	Austin Trammell	LA
123	Cedrick Wilson	MIA
124	Denzel Mims	NYJ
125	Zach Pascal	PHI
126	N'Keal Harry	CHI
127	T.Y. Hilton	DAL
128	Lance McCutcheon	LA
129	Freddie Swain	DEN
130	James Proche	BAL
131	Chris Conley	TEN
132	Danny Gray	SF
133	Samori Toure	GB

Tight End Notes and Playoff Rankings

There was almost a sense of normalcy at the tight end position last week. Almost. We had double-digit performances from T.J. Hockenson, George Kittle, Evan Engram, Travis Kelce, Greg Dulcich, Taysom Hill (of course), Dawson Knox, and Pat Freiermuth. Others such as Dallas Goedert, Darren Waller, and Mark Andrews fell a bit short of expectations. But even they provided fantasy managers with a decent floor. Then, of course, you have Shane Zylstra scoring twice and finishing as the TE4. Or Marcedes Lewis going for 32 yards and a score when he entered the game with just 36 yards and a score on the year. Such is life in fantasy football, but seemingly more so at the tight end position.

I think my tight end rankings this week are pretty standard. One player whom I have dropped in my fantasy football playoff rankings compared to two weeks ago is Chigoziem Okonkwo of the Tennessee Titans. Before last week, Okonkwo had seven straight games of at least 30 receiving yards as well as four straight with at least three receptions. That is not anything to scoff at when it comes to the tight end position. However, the loss of quarterback Ryan Tannehill hurts Okonkwo’s stock. The Titans simply do not trust rookie Malik Willis to throw the football. And honestly, it’s hard to blame them. Willis has made three starts and has yet to throw for 100 yards. That feels almost impossible to accomplish, regardless of outside factors. Okonkwo has exactly one catch in each of Willis’ three starts, making it difficult for fantasy managers to trust him.

RANK	PLAYER	TEAM
1	Travis Kelce	KC
2	George Kittle	SF
3	T.J. Hockenson	MIN
4	Evan Engram	JAC
5	Mark Andrews	BAL
6	Pat Freiermuth	PIT
7	Tyler Higbee	LA
8	Dallas Goedert	PHI
9	David Njoku	CLE
10	Dalton Schultz	DAL
11	Cole Kmet	CHI
12	Dawson Knox	BUF
13	Darren Waller	LV
14	Juwan Johnson	NO
15	Greg Dulcich	DEN
16	Gerald Everett	LAC
17	Hayden Hurst	CIN
18	Tyler Conklin	NYJ
19	Noah Fant	SEA
20	Hunter Henry	NE
21	Jordan Akins	HOU
22	Daniel Bellinger	NYG
23	Logan Thomas	WAS
24	Cade Otton	TB
25	Trey McBride	ARI
26	Chigoziem Okonkwo	TEN
27	Robert Tonyan	GB
28	Jelani Woods	IND
29	Taysom Hill	NO
30	Austin Hooper	TEN
31	Isaiah Likely	BAL
32	Jonnu Smith	NE
33	Shane Zylstra	DET
34	Mike Gesicki	MIA
35	Tommy Tremble	CAR
36	Colby Parkinson	SEA
37	Foster Moreau	LV
38	Noah Gray	KC
39	Kylen Granson	IND
40	Ian Thomas	CAR
41	Brycen Hopkins	LA
42	Donald Parham	LAC
43	MyCole Pruitt	ATL
44	Josh Oliver	BAL
45	Brevin Jordan	HOU
46	Anthony Firkser	ATL
47	Cameron Brate	TB
48	C.J. Uzomah	NYJ
49	Brock Wright	DET
50	Adam Trautman	NO
51	Teagan Quitoriano	HOU
52	Mo Alie-Cox	IND
53	Harrison Bryant	CLE
54	James Mitchell	DET
55	Durham Smythe	MIA
56	Marcedes Lewis	GB
57	Will Dissly	SEA
58	Ko Kieft	TB

Defense/Special Teams Notes and Playoff Rankings

If you have an elite fantasy defense such as Dallas or Philadelphia, you are likely riding the wave in Week 17. Those teams will be facing Malik Willis and Andy Dalton, respectively. If you are playing the streaming game, there are a couple of interesting options this week. Only five fantasy defenses have scored fewer points than the New York Giants this season. However, New York hosts an Indianapolis squad that is limping toward the finish line. They have lost five straight and have scored fewer than 20 points in four of the five. The Colts turned to Nick Foles last week, but he threw three interceptions and failed to generate a touchdown drive. The Los Angeles Chargers and Cleveland Browns have underwhelmed from a fantasy D/ST point but could be in line for good weeks as well.

RANK	TEAM
1	Kansas City Chiefs
2	Dallas Cowboys
3	Jacksonville Jaguars
4	Detroit Lions
5	Philadelphia Eagles
6	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
7	Baltimore Ravens
8	San Francisco 49ers
9	Washington Commanders
10	Los Angeles Chargers
11	Atlanta Falcons
12	New England Patriots
13	New York Giants
14	New York Jets
15	Cleveland Browns
16	Buffalo Bills
17	Green Bay Packers
18	Miami Dolphins
19	Pittsburgh Steelers
20	Seattle Seahawks
21	Los Angeles Rams
22	Indianapolis Colts
23	Cincinnati Bengals
24	Tennessee Titans
25	Arizona Cardinals
26	Las Vegas Raiders
27	Minnesota Vikings
28	Houston Texans
29	New Orleans Saints
30	Carolina Panthers
31	Chicago Bears
32	Denver Broncos

Kicker Notes and Playoff Rankings

What a difference a week makes. Last week we had bomb cyclones and frigid temperatures throughout much of the land. This week, not a single game is projected to be played in freezing weather. And none are expected to have high winds either. That means it should be status quo on the kicking front. It seems that half the league is playing in must-win games this week. The advent of analytics has been tricky for fantasy managers to navigate when it comes to kickers. Many coaches go for it on fourth down more than ever, forgoing field goal attempts or even punts. I wonder how many will continue to do so with their season potentially on the line this week. I have a feeling we will see more field goal attempts than usual this week.

RANK	PLAYER	TEAM
1	Harrison Butker	KC
2	Justin Tucker	BAL
3	Evan McPherson	CIN
4	Brett Maher	DAL
5	Younghoe Koo	ATL
6	Mason Crosby	GB
7	Graham Gano	NYG
8	Robbie Gould	SF
9	Michael Badgley	DET
10	Jake Elliott	PHI
11	Ryan Succop	TB
12	Jason Myers	SEA
13	Nick Folk	NE
14	Cameron Dicker	LAC
15	Riley Patterson	JAC
16	Tyler Bass	BUF
17	Cairo Santos	CHI
18	Daniel Carlson	LV
19	Greg Joseph	MIN
20	Ka’imi Fairbairn	HOU
21	Joey Slye	WAS
22	Greg Zuerlein	NYJ
23	Jason Sanders	MIA
24	Chase McLaughlin	IND
25	Chris Boswell	PIT
26	Cade York	CLE
27	Eddy Pineiro	CAR
28	Matt Gay	LAR
29	Matt Prater	ARI
30	Wil Lutz	NO
31	Brandon McManus	DEN
32	Randy Bullock	TEN