Week 17 Flex Rankings for Fantasy Football Championship Week

We have finally made it to Championship Week! The long, arduous journey that is the 2025 fantasy football season is about to reach its conclusion. Up next is a date with destiny for a coveted fantasy football championship.

Unfortunately, several situations remain unresolved as of late Tuesday night. With three games on Thursday and two more Saturday, conditions are not exactly ideal for ranking some high-profile players. Not to mention this being a holiday week and everything that goes along with that.

But we don’t make excuses, and the show must go on. With that in mind, below are my early Week 17 Flex Rankings. I have ranked just about 250 players, so managers in leagues of all sizes should be able to, well, manage. As always, these rankings are based on Half-PPR scoring, so adjust as you see fit.

I would also like to thank everyone who has read, liked, and shared my rankings throughout the season. Hopefully, my work has helped some of you along the way. Yes, this even includes the people who chimed in to complain at times. I have definitely had my share of bad calls this year. However, I am pleased with my rankings results this season. If I can ever figure out how to rank quarterbacks, look out. Maybe next year.

Running Back Notes

New England Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson has entered the league’s concussion protocol. The timing is rather unfortunate, considering the Patriots will face the New York Jets in Week 17. New York’s defense has allowed a league-high 23 touchdowns to opposing running backs. That number includes the three scores that Henderson put up against them last month. If Henderson cannot go, Rhamondre Stevenson would likely get all the work he can handle. I currently have Stevenson ranked as a low-end RB2 in 12-team leagues, with Henderson as an RB3. Stevenson would be a surefire starter in all formats if Henderson is unable to play on Sunday. D’Ernest Johnson would slot in as the receiving back in that scenario, but it is not a recommended play.

Vikings running back Jordan Mason is reportedly a long shot to play in Week 17 due to an ankle injury. That should enable Aaron Jones Sr. to get most of the backfield work against a Detroit Lions defense that has been extremely inconsistent lately. Detroit has allowed six touchdowns to opposing running backs in its last two games. That includes three touchdowns of exactly 45 yards each last week. I currently have Jones ranked inside my top-20 running backs. I will mention that it might be a good idea to add Zavier Scott if you have room on your roster. Minnesota is eliminated from playoff competition, and Jones is 31 years old. It is not crazy to envision a world where the Vikings give Scott an extended look.

With Cleveland rookie Quinshon Judkins out for the year with a significant leg injury, the Browns will most likely divvy up their backfield work between Raheim Sanders, Dylan Sampson, and Traveyon Williams. Sampson has missed the last two weeks with a calf injury. If he is out, at least it would give Sanders and Williams bigger pieces of the pie.

However, even in that case, I am not sure I would confidently start either Browns’ running backs. I currently do not have any of Cleveland’s running backs ranked inside the top-100 overall in my Week 17 Flex rankings. For what it’s worth, I have Sanders and Sampson ranked closely together, with Williams further behind. But this feels like a situation for fantasy managers to avoid with a championship on the line.

Wide Receiver Notes

Davante Adams has been a top-10 fantasy wide receiver this season. Rashee Rice has been a top-10 fantasy wide receiver on a per-game basis this season. But neither wideout played in Week 16 following injuries suffered the week prior. Adams re-aggravated his hamstring injury, while Rice suffered a concussion.

I included both receivers in the rankings, but it feels more like a courtesy ranking than anything. Kansas City is playing on Thursday, so I would assume Rice is not playing. The Chiefs are out of the playoffs and playing with a third-string quarterback.

Rams head coach Sean McVay indicated that Adams is unlikely to play. But with an extra day of rest and so much on the line, anything is possible. As great as Adams has been, I would rather start a more well-known commodity and avoid hoping for a Monday night miracle.

Rome Odunze is another wide receiver who falls into a similar category. Odunze is still averaging double-digit fantasy points per game in Half-PPR leagues. But he has reached that mark in just two of his last eight games while being hampered by injuries. I am not expecting him to play in Sunday night’s showdown with the San Francisco 49ers.

On the bright side, rookie wideout Luther Burden III was spotted at Tuesday’s practice. Burden had become more involved in Chicago’s passing attack in recent weeks before missing last week’s game with an ankle injury. Right now, I ranked Burden 95th overall in my Week 17 Flex rankings. That puts him just outside the range where I typically start a player. However, if he is close to 100 percent and Odunze is indeed out, I will probably bump him up into WR3 territory in 12-team leagues.

I mentioned earlier that I consider the Cleveland backfield one to avoid with the absence of Quinshon Judkins. I feel similarly about the wide receiver room of their Week 17 opponents, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The NFL suspended DK Metcalf following an altercation with a fan in Sunday’s win in Detroit.

Metcalf has more than twice as many receiving yards as any other Steeler this season. In fact, he has more receptions and receiving yards than the rest of Pittsburgh’s wide receivers combined. It is possible that someone steps up in his absence. But this feels like a game where the Steelers rely on their running backs and tight ends. I am not starting any Steelers wide receivers this week.

Tight End Notes

What would Championship Week truly be without fantasy managers having to contemplate starting Taysom Hill? Hill had yet to finish any week this season as a top-24 fantasy tight end before last week’s TE5 finish. And while that may lead one to believe his game was an outlier, I am not so sure it is.

Sure, he may not throw another touchdown pass, but Hill was heavily involved from start to finish. He led New Orleans with 12 carries (no other Saint player had more than five) even after losing a fumble on his first touch. Hill also earned six targets. Up next for the Saints comes a matchup with the Tennessee Titans. Tennessee is one of the worst teams in the league. You can certainly justify starting Taysom Hill this week, depending on your other options at an iffy tight end position.

San Francisco tight end George Kittle suffered an ankle sprain in Monday night’s victory against Indianapolis. Kittle is the overall TE2 in points per game, and currently ranks 10th in total points despite missing five games. This is a situation fantasy managers should monitor.

Jake Tonges was the overall TE11 in the five games Kittle missed earlier in the year. He also caught what should have been ruled a touchdown late in Monday’s game after Kittle was injured. I have not adjusted my ranking of Kittle or Tonges quite yet. I ranked Kittle as my overall TE2 behind only Trey McBride. Meanwhile, Tonges is quite literally at the very bottom of my Week 17 Flex rankings. However, Tonges would work his way past most of the tight ends ahead of him if Kittle cannot suit up.

Check out all of our Week 17 Rankings: Flex Rankings | QB Rankings | RB Rankings | WR Rankings | TE Rankings