6 DraftKings Bargains for Week 17

Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons

DraftKings Price: $5,900

The Atlanta Falcons have been a shell of the team that nearly marched its way to a championship last season. Many reasons have been thrown around to try and explain their futility in 2017. Was it the loss of Kyle Shanahan? Was it natural regression? Did the seed of doubt planted by the Patriots last February grow like kudzu and suck away their very will to live?

I don't know. What I do know, however, is that Matt Ryan has not been the fantasy savior that he was last year.

The season-long QB2 in 2016 has plodded his way to being usable in only two-quarterback leagues this season, failing to score 20 fantasy points in any game this year. He's the QB15 on the season, averaging 7.8 fewer DraftKings points per game than he did last season. That's not a slight drop -- that's falling off of the observation deck of the Burj Khalifa.

After a dreadful season, Ryan could still redeem himself, his team, and fantasy owners who are willing to take a risk on him this week. If the Falcons beat the Carolina Panthers, they make the playoffs as the 6 seed. I'm no football player, but it's hard to imagine a more motivating scenario than "win and you're in."

The Panthers have allowed multiple passing scores or 300 yards and a touchdown in 10 of 15 games this season, including 6 of their past 7. Ryan's highest-scoring game this campaign came against Carolina in Week 9, when he finished with 18.42 points.

If Ryan is going to go off, this is the week.