“Shore Thing Sleepers” isn’t your ordinary fantasy football Week 17 start/sit article. Instead, our analyst duo of Seth Woolcock and Eric Romoff highlight lower-valued players that can provide starting-caliber production for a specific week. These are usually players near the end of your bench or even on the waiver wire/free agency. You can catch an additional sleeper pick live at the end of our weekly in-season Friday podcast episode.
Rostership percentages are based on ESPN Points Per Reception (PPR) redraft fantasy football leagues.
Week 17 Start/Sit Consideration: Shore Thing Sleepers
Rashid Shaheed (WR, New Orleans Saints) | 2.6% Rostered
Rashid Shaheed, coming off a week where he saw nine targets, is an intriguing option as the New Orleans Saints face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With less reliance on Taysom Hill and more passing attempts by Derek Carr (40 passes last week), Shaheed could continue to see increased opportunities.
In the previous matchup against the Buccaneers, Carr threw 37 times, targeting Shaheed seven times along the way. The Buccaneers’ defense has been a top-10 matchup for opposing wide receivers over the past month, allowing the fourth-most yards in that span (187.5 yards per game). Shaheed presents an upside play if you’re in need, with three PPR WR1 performances this season, although he does carry a low floor. Fantasy managers seeking a high-risk, high-reward option in Week 17 might find value in Shaheed. – Woolcock
Josh Downs (WR, Indianapolis Colts) | 20.7% Rostered
Despite coming back down to earth (PPR WR62 over the past month), Josh Downs maintains a consistent role in the Indianapolis Colts’ offense. He is on the field for most snaps, participating in 93% of routes last week. Downs also saw a significant 26% target share in that Week 16 matchup against the Falcons.
With the return of Michael Pittman Jr., Downs may face more competition for targets. However, Pittman Jr. could also help draw coverage away from the rookie and open up the offense as a whole. The Las Vegas Raiders’ secondary remains exploitable, and Downs likely draws coverage from Nate Hobbs, who allows a 77% catch rate.
Although Downs’ role may be slightly impacted by Pittman’s return, he still projects for a few extra catches this week. This puts him on the FLEX radar, with us projecting him for at least double-digit PPR points, making him a viable Week 17 start/sit consideration for fantasy managers. – Romoff
Thanks for reading our “Shore Thing Sleepers” to consider in your Week 17 start/sit decisions. Check out more of our fantasy football and other written content here at In-Between Media, or head over to our YouTube channel to get your fix via video.
*Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports*