As much of a mess as the end of the fantasy football season has been, owners have gotten off fairly easy in terms of weather. Well, that changes in Week 17. The forecast for almost every outdoor game shows a decent chance of wind, rain, snow, and/or frigid temperatures. It might not be prohibitive in terms of your start 'em, sit 'em decisions, but it's still another factor you'll have to take into account. Fortunately, RotoGrinders' meteorologist Kevin Roth to help us break down the NFL weather updates you need to know ahead of championship week.
Before we get into the Week 17 forecasts, here's a reminder that if you have any questions about sports weather or how weather could impact play (and, potentially, your fantasy, DFS, and gambling decisions), don't hesitate to reach out to RotoGrinders' meteorologist Kevin Roth on Twitter (@KevinRothWx) or check out the hourly NFL weather forecasts on RotoGrinders. To take your game to the next level, subscribe to RotoGrinders' exclusive WeatherEdge tool and see how different weather conditions have impacted historical scoring.
WEEK 17 FANTASY:
NFL Week 17 weather updates
Forecasts courtesy for Kevin Roth at RotoGrinders
Chiefs @ Bengals. Temperatures will be around freezing with 10-15 mph winds. There's also a slight chance of precipitation. Given the high-powered offenses in this game, you shouldn't bench any "must-starts" based on the weather, but things are less than optimal.
Giants @ Bears. It's gonna be cold -- like 20 degree cold -- and with winds around 15-20 mph, it will feel even colder. Given the dead-man-walking nature of these two offenses, it could be even more of a sloppy, offensively challenged game than initially expected. Other than the starting RBs, the Bears D/ST, and maybe Darnell Mooney, this feels like a stayaway.
WEEK 17 DFS LINEUPS:
Eagles @ Washington. This game won't be cold, but with winds around 12 mph and a decent chance of rain, it could get sloppy. Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert remain must-starts because of the matchup (barring a big uptick in the chances/heaviness of expected rain), but the RBs and Eagles' D/ST are the best plays here. (Update: The wind looks a little less likely to play a fact than earlier in the week, but there's still a 50-percent chance of precipitation.)
Rams @ Ravens. The forecast here is very similar to the Eagles-Washington forecast, though maybe a bit windier. Again, barring a change in forecast, there's no need to take chances with borderline pass-catchers (or Baltimore's QB). It will be tough to sit Odell Beckham Jr. or Matthew Stafford given Baltimore's recent defensive struggles, so we're not recommending that, but lower your expectations slightly. The same goes for Hollywood Brown if he plays. Cooper Kupp and Mark Andrews obviously remain must-starts.
WEEK 17 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Buccaneers @ Jets. This game will likely see at least a little rain, but the winds will be more than manageable. For now, there's no reason to downgrade Tom Brady, his key receivers, or Ryan Succop. (Update: The chances for rain have been lowered slightly.)
Jaguars @ Patriots. We're basically looking at a carbon copy forecast for this one as the Bucs-Jets game. There aren't many players in either teams' passing games you'll be starting here, so there's no need to make any radical changes to your start 'em, sit 'em plans. Hunter Henry remains a decent play, and you can even try Jakobi Meyers in PPR leagues since New England will still utilize its short passing game.
Falcons @ Bills. Classic winter weather in Buffalo here: Temps in the 20s, 10-15-mph wind, and potential snow showers early. It will be tough to sit any of Buffalo's key passing game components (or Kyle Pitts), but tread lightly if you can afford to. Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs are certainly still in play, but this could be a run-heavy game plan for both teams, which will really benefit Devin Singletary.
Dolphins @ Titans. There's a chance of rain turning into snow -- yes, snow -- and winds around 10-15 mph. Considering both of these teams are "warm weather" squads, it could be even sloppier/slower than most games with potential precipitation, but because of the poor pass defenses, you still have to start Jaylen Waddle and A.J. Brown (and probably Mike Gesicki). The RBs are also risky because they'd all be risky even in perfect conditions, so be careful with this game.
WEEK 17 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Lions @ Seahawks. There's a high chance of rain and winds around 10-15 mph, so like a lot of the other games this week, don't force anyone. Amon-Ra St. Brown, DK Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett (and Russell Wilson) feel like must-starts, but given the general inconsistencies of these offenses, there are still worries about everyone in both teams' passing and kicking games. (Update: The winds look like they're going to be even stronger than initially thought, perhaps gusting up to 20 mph. Rain is still highly likely.)
Vikings @ Packers. This one is just going to be frigid, with temperatures in the single digits. How much that will affect offenses is always tough to predict, but for now, we wouldn't suggest sitting anyone you weren't going to sit anyway.
MORE WEEK 17 DFS: Best stacks | Best values | Lineup builder
All of this is subject to change as we get closer to kickoff. You can follow meteorologist Kevin Roth on Twitter (@KevinRothWx) and check out the hourly NFL weather forecasts on RotoGrinders. For the best weather-related fantasy advice, take a look at WeatherEdge.
