Sit/Start 2023 Week 17: Reviewing All Fantasy Relevant Players In Every Single Game

Game Info

Kickoff: Saturday, December 30th, 2023, 8:15 PM ET

Location: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX

Betting Odds: Cowboys -6, O/U 53.5 via OddsShark

Network: ESPN

Writer: Christian Otteman (@COttemanPL on Twitter/X)

Detroit Lions

Quarterbacks

Jared Goff (Start, QB1)

Happy Holidays to Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions, who spent Christmas Eve celebrating their first division championship since 1993. Goff played well enough in Week 16, completing 75% of passes for 257 yards and a touchdown, but it was the defense and ground game that primarily led the Lions to victory. This is the reality for Jared Goff: he is a key component of the Lions offense, but he is often limited in scoring simply because the Lions are so effective on the ground, leading to a feast-or-famine kind of fantasy output.

The good news for Goff owners is that this week’s game against the Cowboys profiles as a high-scoring affair in which the Lions will likely need to throw the ball to keep pace with Dallas’ offense, meaning Goff’s chances to throw multiple TD passes is higher than usual. The Cowboys’ defense is middling against QBs, ranking 13th in points allowed to the position this season. All of these elements mean Goff profiles as a low-end QB1 for the fantasy championships, but he is a riskier option than others.

Running Backs

Jahmyr Gibbs (Start, RB1), David Montgomery (Start, RB2)

The total touches were evenly split 50/50, but it was the Jahmyr Gibbs show in Week 16, as he was the far more efficient Lions RB against the Vikings. Gibbs once again showcased why Brad Holmes and company spent the 12th overall pick on him with his trademark explosiveness and agility, finding the end zone twice en route to a Lions win. Gibbs finished as the overall RB3 in PPR last week, his sixth top-3 finish of the season. With the Lions having the second-best rush matchup in the trenches this week according to PFF (behind only the Eagles against Arizona), Gibbs should be fired up as an all-systems-go RB1 to help you capture your fantasy championship. If there’s a wrinkle in this, it’s that the Cowboys allow the fifth-fewest receiving yards to opposing RBs, but with the Lions’ elite offensive line and Gibbs’ level of talent and opportunity, there should be no doubts about starting him this week.

All of the above can be used as reasons to trust David Montgomery in the fantasy championships as well. Montgomery hasn’t been as productive as Gibbs over the past few weeks, but he still found the end zone in Week 16 and had 19 total touches. Monty also took a hard hit against the Vikings, which could partially explain why the Lions leaned so heavily on Gibbs in the second half. If the Cowboys get out to an early lead, the Lions will likely utilize Jahmyr Gibbs more as a pass-catcher, but Montgomery still has as good a chance as anybody to score and turn in a productive outing.

Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends

Amon-Ra St. Brown (Start, WR1), Jameson Williams (Sit, FLEX), Josh Reynolds (Sit), Kalif Raymond (Sit), Sam LaPorta (Start, TE1)

Let’s start this section off with three facts. Fact #1: This game has the highest implied total of any game in Week 17, with an O/U of 53.5. Fact #2: Amon-Ra St. Brown is among the most targeted players in the league and is coming off back-to-back games with 100+ yards and a touchdown. Fact #3: According to PFF, Amon-Ra St. Brown has the most favorable matchup of any wide receiver in the league this week when he lines up in the slot against Jourdan Lewis. Combine these three things and the stars are aligning in the fantasy championships for the “Sun God” in what looks to be a smash spot. St. Brown is a no-doubt WR1 this week.

As for the remaining Lions receiver options, none profile as ideal starts for this week, but Jameson Williams has seen more involvement over the past two weeks, hauling in nine catches on 13 targets in that span. It’s no secret that Williams’ top weapon is his game-breaking speed, and all it takes is one big play to turn in a useful fantasy outing. Without that play, though, you’ll likely be wishing you went for a more reliable option at this point in the season. With tougher matchups on the outside against Stephon Gilmore and DaRon Bland, Jamo should be left on benches, but there are certainly worse desperation plays out there. Meanwhile, neither Josh Reynolds nor Kalif Raymond are viable options at WR for this week.

The other Lions pass-catcher that should be started in every league is rookie TE Sam LaPorta, who has effectively functioned as the Lions’ WR2 this year. LaPorta was quiet in Week 16, producing only 18 yards on three targets, but that shouldn’t deter you from starting a player who has three TE1 overall finishes on the season. In what will likely be a high-scoring matchup, LaPorta has a chance to deliver your team a big advantage with another strong performance against a Cowboys defense that ranks middle of the pack in terms of points allowed to the position.

Dallas Cowboys

Quarterback

Dak Prescott (Start, QB1)

If you zoom out on Dak Prescott‘s season, it looks a little bit like a QB1 sandwich: between Weeks 6 and 13, he produced six top-3 QB finishes, while outside of that he hasn’t mustard mustered a finish higher than QB14. The good news for Prescott owners hungry for a fantasy championship is that he gets a Lions secondary allowing the sixth-most points to the position. If Nick Mullens can throw for over 400 yards against this team (ok, yeah, 4 INTs, too), then Dak certainly has the potential to feast this week and end his fantasy season on a high note as the Cowboys continue to fight for the NFC East crown. Don’t worry about his slowing down in tough games against the Bills and Dolphins – Dak ranks as a QB1 this week.

Running Backs

Tony Pollard (Start, FLEX), Rico Dowdle (Sit)

It’s been a rough season for Tony Pollard, who has been largely inefficient in his first season as the Cowboys’ lead back following the departure of Ezekiel Elliott. Pollard’s struggles around the goal line came to a head in Week 16 as he could not punch the ball in from the 1-yard line on a play where it looked like he had a clear path to the pylon but decided to cut inside instead. Things won’t get easier for Pollard against a Lions defensive line that allows the second-fewest points to running backs in the league. Pollard should still be a viable option on the RB2/FLEX borderline as the lead back of a good offense, but I wouldn’t blame you if you decide to put your faith elsewhere during championship week. Rico Dowdle, meanwhile, can confidently be left on benches or waivers due to his small workload.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

CeeDee Lamb (Start, WR1), Brandin Cooks (Start, WR3), Michael Gallup (Sit), Jake Ferguson (Start, TE1)

CeeDee Lamb has been among the most consistent fantasy options at WR this season and now gets to face a Lions defense allowing the sixth-most points to opposing wideouts. CeeDee will mostly see impressive rookie Brian Branch when he lines up in the slot, but he’s as matchup-proof as they come and ranks as a WR1 this week with the upside to be the top scorer of the week.

Things get a little more interesting when discussing Brandin Cooks, who has enjoyed a handful of productive weeks this season but hasn’t quite given the reliable weekly output we’ve come to know from the veteran. The good news is that Cooks’ spike weeks share a trend – in the four weeks Cooks finished as a top-24 wideout, he’s faced a secondary ranking 20th or worse against receivers (Seahawks, Commanders, Giants, and Chargers). Of course, this hypothesis isn’t bulletproof, as he’s struggled in both matchups with the league’s worst defense against WRs (the Eagles), but it does point to Week 17 as a potential spike week against the Lions, earning him WR3 consideration. He will face some combination of Jerry Jacobs, Khalil Dorsey, and Cam Sutton in coverage, none of which rank in PFF’s top 75 corners. This also means that Michael Gallup may have a better chance than most weeks to score against the Lions, but he has only caught seven balls over the past five weeks and remains a firm ‘Sit’ recommendation, even in this ideal matchup.

Finally, we get to Jake Ferguson, who PFF grades as having a favorable matchup against Alex Anzalone. The Lions’ defensive weakness through the air extends to the TE position, as Detroit allows the fifth-most points to TEs. Ferguson is riding a four-game streak with eight targets and has a great chance to finish his season strong as a TE1 in Week 17.

Good luck to you all as you work to close out 2023 with a fantasy championship!