NFL
Week 17 Game Scripts to Target in Daily Fantasy Football
Christian McCaffrey's Panthers have a long-shot chance at a first-round bye if they can defeat the Falcons on Sunday. Which other games should you be targeting in Week 17 DFS?

Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers

Over/Under: 46.5
Falcons Implied Team Total: 25.00
Panthers Implied Team Total: 21.50

In a week full of divisional games, a strong argument could be made that this is the most significant contest. The Carolina Panthers are fighting for an NFC South championship and have an outside shot at a first-round bye, while the Atlanta Falcons are desperately trying to hold onto the final NFC playoff spot.

With the second-highest over/under on the slate and an enormous impact on NFC seeding, this is the game of the week from both a real-life and fantasy football perspective. There will be no starters resting in this one, and that automatically vaults it to the top of our list.

Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons
FanDuel Price: $8,400

It's been a strange season for Julio Jones. Even though the veteran has secured 83 receptions for 1,364 yards en route to his fifth Pro Bowl selection, his 2017 has often been looked at as underwhelming. After all, he's only found the end zone three times and his per-game catch and receiving yard averages of 5.5 and 90.9, respectively, are his lowest since 2012.

None of that matters this weekend though, because he's facing a Panthers team that he has dominated over the course of his career. In ten games against his divisional rivals, he's averaged 5.7 catches, 106.1 yards, and 0.5 touchdowns per contest. Those numbers have been even better in recent years, as Jones has accumulated 38 catches, 744 yards, and 2 touchdowns over his last five games against Carolina, including a 300-yard performance in 2016 that left Falcons fans (and fantasy players) like:


Atlanta's season is on the line this week, and the Panthers are permitting the fifth-most FanDuel points per contest (29.8) to opposing wideouts. Forget about that dropped touchdown pass from Week 9. Even at his high salary, Jones represents incredible value and a potential foundation player for your lineup.

Christian McCaffrey, WR, Carolina Panthers
FanDuel Price: $6,900

All in all, Christian McCaffrey's rookie year should be looked at as a success. And before you ask: No, I'm not just offering kind words for my "cousin" (no relation, we spell our last names differently). While he hasn't made the impact many expected him to as a runner, he's performed better as the season has worn on. And it's his receiving prowess that has made him such an appealing fantasy option.

McCaffrey's 75 catches are tied with fellow rookie Alvin Kamara's for second-most among all NFL running backs. The Falcons have allowed 104 receptions to opposing runners this year, which is 10 more than any other NFL franchise. This is an ideal match-up for his unique talents, and you can have him in your lineup at the 12th-most expensive among running backs. Expect the rookie to close out his first regular season with a strong performance.

Others to Consider

Cam Newton ($9,400) is coming off a rough outing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and struggled mightily as a passer when he faced the Falcons earlier this season. But Cam's rushing ability always keeps him in play. In fact, Newton has rushed for 50-plus yards or a touchdown in each of his last seven games. Unfortunately, he's dealing with a groin injury and comes with QB4 cost this week, so he is accompanied by a decent amount of risk.

Matt Ryan ($8,300) has seen his numbers fall across the board since his 2016 MVP season. The veteran has only produced three 300-yard performances in 2017 after posted six of them a year ago. Ryan also hasn't tossed multiple touchdown passes in a game since Week 11. While he's still a very good real life NFL quarterback, he hasn't offered much upside in fantasy in 2017.

Devonta Freeman ($6,900) is one of the better running backs in the league, but has four fumbles in his last three games and faces a Panthers defense that is allowing the third-fewest FanDuel points per game (17.2) to opposing runners. It's something of a shy away match-up, even for a player of his caliber.

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