There were hits and misses on the sleeper page last week, like any other week. Jalen McMillan scored again and Alexander Mattison snuck into the top 20 at running back. Drake Maye was solid. Of course, Aaron Rodgers was a brick, Brenton Strange appeared to be benched and although Antonio Gibson collected 12 touches, he did little with them.
We hope your Championship Week lineup is filled with stars and players who essentially start themselves. But if you find yourself digging deep for support, here are some players to consider.
TE Chig Okonkwo at Jaguars (22%)
This is my favorite play of the week, the surging Okonkwo up against a Jacksonville secondary that’s been a mess all year. Okonkwo’s game has spiked with Mason Rudolph the last two weeks (8-59-0, 9-81), and Rudolph has been announced as the Week 17 starter. Most of the Yahoo crew has Okonkwo safely inside the TE1 cutline.
WR Jalen McMillan vs. Panthers (49%)
It feels like cheating to use McMillan again, but he’s under the 50% line so we’ll repeat the usual words. He’s the No. 2 option in a good passing game, and points figure to flow easily against the Panthers (the total is 48.5). The only concern is that Carolina’s defense is more vulnerable to the running game, so you hope Tampa Bay’s scoring isn’t too slanted toward its talented backs. But with McMillan scoring four touchdowns in the last three games and settling into a reliable target share, I’m not afraid to proactively start him.
QB Bryce Young at Buccaneers (11%)
Young has started to run proactively in recent weeks, with touchdowns in two straight games and a season-high 68 yards last week. He should also find plenty of passing lanes on Sunday, up against a Tampa Bay defense that’s the third-easiest group to score against. Tampa Bay usually plays pinball games, and hopefully Young can hold up his end of the deal.
RB Ameer Abdullah at Saints (28%)
Game script probably won’t matter for Abdullah because he’s the regular in the passing game, securing 12 catches the last two weeks. And he was also handy as a runner against Jacksonville, turning in seven carries for 38 yards and a score. The New Orleans defense has fallen apart — you saw it Monday at Green Bay — and I feel confident Abdullah will push past double-digit touches again.
WR Kayshon Boutte vs. Chargers (4%)
You need to be in a larger league to consider this play — at least 14 managers, perhaps more. But Boutte has shown some rapport with Drake Maye of late, hooking up for a gorgeous sideline touchdown last week and clicking on a 2-point conversion against the Colts. Boutte has 18 targets his last three games, and it’s possible New England will be forced to throw aggressively in the second half if the favored Chargers build a lead. If Boutte can manage even the slightest bit of separation, Maye can find him.
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From the experts at Yahoo Sports
WR Parker Washington vs. Titans (3%)
Another deep cut for those in the jumbo-sized leagues. First the downside: Mac Jones is the quarterback and Tennessee’s secondary hasn’t been bad. But Washington did secure all six of his targets last week and he’s posted 54 yards in back-to-back games. He even had a blowup 21.3-point showing against Houston in the recent logs (Week 13). If one of your regular wideouts is unavailable this week, Washington might be the boom replacement you’re looking for.
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