Well Rush Nation, we made it. It’s Championship Week. If you are still in the hunt for a title, then congratulations. Being in a Fantasy Football Championship game is a wonderful thing. It is something that is always taken for granted. But it absolutely so not be. However, it is not over. There are still 8 days ahead of us before we can say we are Champions. And the only place to start is this Waiver Wire Week 17 article.

So if you need to add to your bench, navigate those COVID protocols or just want to stop your opponent from taking down the title, it’s time to make those Waiver Wire Week 17 adds.

Quarterback

Jimmy Garoppolo – 20% Owned Vs. HOU Week 17

I can’t advocate for anyone else. I can barely advocate for Jimmy G. He’s a perfectly average Quarterback who is likely to get you 15 or more points Vs the Texans in Week 17. 16 points will probably get you within touching distance of a QB1 finish the way QB scoring has been the last couple of weeks. Therefore, he’s the only add here.

Running Back

Rex Burkhead – 23.8% Owned @SF Week 17

Welcome to 2021. I’m encouraging you to pick up Rex Burkhead. In PPR scoring, at time of writing, Burkhead is the RB3 on the week. He went for 149 yards on the ground and 2 Touchdowns! Absolutely crazy. I started him in the Kings Classic Semi Final this week, out of pure desperation, and it paid off! With Running Backs going down like flies, Burkhead, with little to no competition, is well worth an add. If you had subscribed to my Fantasy Brain Dump newsletter, you might already own him. 

Dare Ogunbowale – 0.2% Owned @NE Week 17

Ogunbowale is probably the only fit Running Back with experience on the Jags roster. Carlos Hyde is out and James Robinson went down with a suspected Achilles injury. I highly doubt he is back this week. Also, Ogunbowale looked good on Sunday. He went 17-57-1 on the ground and added 2-15 receiving. The issue for him next week is he faces New England, in New England. This will be a likely low end RB2 play purely on the volume he will receive alone. 

Boston Scott -13.1% Owned @WFT Week 17

If Jordan Howard is healthy, he will be the back to own. However, he was banged up in the win over the Giants. Whilst Miles Sanders broke his hand. Sanders is likely to be out. This should mean an uplift in work for Scott, as we saw in the second half vs the Giants. If Howard is also out, or hurt, Scott will be the main back on a run first offense, trying to get into the playoffs. He must be owned at this point.

Wide Receiver

Josh Palmer – 4.3% Owned Vs. DEN Week 17

As Mike Williams is unvaccinated, he is out of the Week 17 game vs the Broncos. That means Palmer will be next man up again. He scored on Sunday, and could likely do it again in Week 17 as the Chargers try to bounce back and get back into WildCard contention.

Isaiah McKenzie – 0.3% Owned Vs. ATL Week 17

If you read Fantasy Brain Dump or are reading this on there, then you already know about McKenzie. McKenzie is currently the WR4 on the week going into Monday Night Football in PPR leagues. With Beasley likely out in Week 17 and Sanders dealing with injuries and dropping off a cliff, it will be between Gabe Davis and McKenzie for that all important foil role next to Stefon Diggs. This role has netted 3 Touchdowns in the last 2 weeks so it’s an important one.

Tight End

Gerald Everett – 17.3% Owned Vs. DET Week 17

I said on the flagship show a few weeks ago that after some of the worst games I’ve ever seen a Tight End play, he would be done. Turns out that whilst snaps went off his workload, that was not necessarily the case. 2 Touchdown’s in his last 3 weeks have seen him rise to a form of fantasy relevance again. I wouldn’t hold a ton of stock on his performances. However, he does look the best bet out of the rest of the Tight Ends to find the End Zone on Sunday.

Kicker 

Dustin Hopkins – 6.3% Owned Vs. DEN Week 17

Hopkins has managed 4 double digit weeks as a kicker now in his last 5 outings. He will be kicking at home, indoors in Week 17 and I expect the Denver Defense will force him to kick a couple Field Goals. This looks like a solid set and forget play for Week 17.

D/ST

Chicago Bears – 12.9% Owned Vs. NYG Week 17

As I’m constricted to keeping all Waiver Wire Picks under 30%, I have arrived at the Chicago Bears. They have some talent on that side of the ball, and the Giants are down to a second/third string Quarterback and an injured set of offensive players. I expect the Bears will keep the score low, and snag some turnovers. 

Don’t forget, all of my Waiver Wire Week 17 picks come from those owned under 30% on ESPN.com Fantasy Football. Also, if you want to hear other suggestions, subscribe to the 5 Yard Rush Podcast and listen to the Waiver Wire Podcast for other suggestions.

Also, tune into listen to all our podcasts this week as we work with you to deliver a ship for you this season. 

– Murf (@Murf_NFL)