Fantasy WR PPR Rankings Week 17: Who to start, sit at wide receiver in fantasy football

Jackson Sparks

Fantasy WR PPR Rankings Week 17: Who to start, sit at wide receiver in fantasy football image

By now, you're tired of hearing about the latest player who has been placed on the reserve/COVID list, but unfortunately, we can't ignore it, as fantasy football owners and need to be prepared for all scenarios. Our Week 17 fantasy WR PPR rankings aim to help you decide who to start at wide receiver, as well as get an understanding of deeper parts of the rankings. We could see several key wideouts out of action without warning, so the potential sleepers lower down the list are as important as ever.

Justin Jefferson (@ Packers), Diontae Johnson (vs. Browns), and Keenan Allen (vs. Broncos) face some of the toughest WRs matchups, but especially in PPR leagues, the upside is too high to bench them, as any of them can have monster days without explosive plays. Adam Thielen (@ Packers) and Chase Claypool (vs. Browns) are tougher calls, but especially in PPR, Claypool is a low-floor play and best suited for benches. (Update: Thielen is out.)

WEEK 17 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

In the middle of our rankings, some of the best matchups go to Robby Anderson (@ Saints), Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (vs. Vikings), Van Jefferson (@ Ravens), Isaiah McKenzie, Cole Beasley, and Emmanuel Sanders (vs. Falcons), and Christian Kirk (@ Cowboys). All of these guys are usually boom-or-bust type fantasy asserts, but with strong matchups, they can be seriously considered in PPR leagues. There are also guys, such as Jamison Crowder/Braxton Berrios (vs. Buccaneers), Kadarius Toney (@ Bears), Nico Collins (@ 49ers), and Darnell Mooney (vs. Giants), who are in bad offenses, but they are always capable of producing with enough volume in favorable matchups like those. (Update: Toney and Crowder are out.)

WEEK 17 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

You can also take a leap of faith with former studs A.J. Green (@ Cowboys), Allen Robinson (vs. Giants), Kenny Golladay @ Bears), and Julio Jones (vs. Dolphins), but we know they don't have the safest floors. All but Robinson have had at least one 100-yard game this year, though, and they are in some of the most favorable matchups. Jakobi Meyers and Kendrick Bourne (vs. Jaguars) find themselves in a good matchup, too, but the Pats' passing offense has no real floor and New England could opt to simply run the ball all day. Meyers still has enough PPR upside to be considered a "safe" flex.

WEEK 17 FANTASY: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em

On the other side of the matchups, Marquise Brown (@ Rams), Michael Pittman Jr. (vs. Raiders), and Jerry Jeudy (@ Chargers) were once considered to have high ceilings, but it tough matchups this week, that doesn't feel like the case. (Update: Jeudy is out.)

MORE WEEK 17 DFS: Best stacks | Best values | Lineup builder

Borderline starters like Josh Reynolds (@ Seahawks), Russell Gage (@ Bills), and Rashod Bateman (@ Rams) have virtually no floor, so they're unlikely to deliver solid fantasy days in tough matchups like those, though Gage always has some potential in PPR leagues. (Update: Reynolds is out.)

WEEK 17 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel | Yahoo

So, there you have it. This will be the last week of fantasy football for the overwhelming majority of people, so just get your start-or-sit decisions right one more time and earn those bragging right as the champion of your league.

UPDATE: NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports the NFL informed clubs that unvaccinated players who tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days are eligible to play on Sunday under the new protocols provided their symptoms have improved. That said, Mike Williams (vs. Broncos) and Gabriel Davis (vs. Falcons) could play this week, after initially having no shot at clearing protocols.

Note: We'll be updating these WR PPR rankings as needed throughout the week, so check back for the latest changes and analysis.​ For individual analysis of key WRs, click here.

Fantasy WR PPR Rankings Week 17: Who to start at wide receiver

Rankings based on full-point PPR scoring

Rank Player
1 Cooper Kupp, LAR @ BAL
2 Davante Adams, GB vs. MIN
3 Deebo Samuel, SF vs. HOU
4 Justin Jefferson, MIN @ GB
5 Stefon Diggs, BUF vs. ATL
6 Jaylen Waddle, MIA @ TEN
7 Antonio Brown, TB @ NYJ
8 Keenan Allen, LAC vs. DEN
9 Tyreek Hill, KC @ CIN
10 Tyler Lockett, SEA vs. DET
11 Brandin Cooks, HOU @ SF
12 D.J. Moore, CAR @ NO
13 Diontae Johnson, PIT vs. CLE
14 A.J. Brown, TEN vs. MIA
15 Tee Higgins, CIN vs. KC
16 DK Metcalf, SEA vs. DET
17 DeVonta Smith, PHI @ WAS
18 Ja'Marr Chase, CIN vs. KC
19 DeVante Parker, MIA @ TEN
20 CeeDee Lamb, DAL vs. ARI
21 Odell Beckham Jr., LAR @ BAL
22 Brandon Aiyuk, SF vs. HOU
23 Amari Cooper, DAL vs. ARI
24 Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET @ SEA
25 Terry McLaurin, WAS vs. PHI
26 Hunter Renfrow, LV @ IND
27 Darnell Mooney, CHI vs. NYG
28 Kenny Golladay, NYG @ CHI
29 Mike Williams, LAC @ DEN
30 A.J. Green, ARI @ DAL
31 Marquise Brown, BAL vs. LAR
32 Courtland Sutton, DEN @ LAC
33 Mike Evans, TB @ NYJ
34 Van Jefferson, LAR @ BAL
35 Michael Pittman Jr., IND vs. LV
36 Jakobi Meyers, NE vs. JAX
37 Gabriel Davis, BUF vs. ATL
38 Marquez Valdes-Scantling, GB vs. MIN
39 Christian Kirk, ARI @ DAL
40 Robby Anderson, CAR @ NO
41 Russell Gage, ATL @ BUF
42 Braxton Berrios, NYJ vs. TB
43 Emmanuel Sanders, BUF vs. ATL
44 Jarvis Landry, CLE @ PIT
45 Cole Beasley, BUF vs. ATL
46 Kendrick Bourne, NE vs. JAX
47 Allen Robinson, CHI vs. NYG
48 Chase Claypool, PIT vs. CLE
49 Michael Gallup, DAL vs. ARI
50 K.J. Osborn, MIN @ GB
51 Breshad Perriman, TB @ NYJ
52 Keelan Cole, NYJ vs. TB
53 Tyler Boyd, CIN vs. KC
54 Nico Collins, HOU @ SF
55 Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, TEN vs. MIA
56 Allen Lazard, GB vs. MIN
57 Chris Conley, HOU @ SF
58 Donovan Peoples-Jones, CLE @ PIT
59 Marquez Callaway, NO vs. CAR
60 Rashod Bateman, BAL vs. LAR
61 Jalen Guyton, LAC vs. DEN
62 Marvin Jones, JAX @ NE
63 Laquon Treadwell, JAX @ NE
64 Mecole Hardman, KC @ CIN
65 Josh Palmer, LAC vs. DEN
66 DeSean Jackson, LV @ IND
67 Curtis Samuel, WAS vs. PHI
68 Antoine Wesley, ARI @ DAL
69 Laviska Shenault Jr., JAX @ NE
70 T.Y. Hilton, IND vs. LV
71 Isaiah McKenzie, BUF vs. ATL
72 James Washington, PIT vs. CLE
73 Sammy Watkins, BAL vs. LAR
74 Chester Rogers, TEN vs. MIA
75 Dee Eskridge, SEA vs. DET
76 DeAndre Carter, WAS vs. PHI
77 Tyler Johnson, TB @ NYJ
78 Jauan Jennings, SF vs. HOU
79 Zay Jones, LV @ IND

Jackson Sparks