After months of heavy hitting and truly exhilarating football, we are finally here at Week 17 in the NFL. While many of you are relaxing since your fantasy seasons have already come to a close, there are still fantasy owners grinding for a strong Week 17 to win their leagues and gain bragging rights over their in-laws. That being said, many starters might see little to no game time this week, so here’s a couple players you might want to pick up and start in this crucial week.



QB Pick-Up: Jameis Winston vs. ATL



I recall previously suggesting Winston before. In those times, he surpassed my anticipated point totals and actually won games for me. Is the third time the charm and he’ll go off this week? Absolutely.



Yes, Jameis has thrown eight interceptions in the past three weeks. But that shouldn’t discourage you from playing him. To much surprise, he’s the fourth best quarterback in fantasy — scoring 35 points in three games this year. Before his atrocious Houston game, Jameis scored 81 points in TWO games. He’s been a meme all year, but Winston is going up against a weak Falcons defense in which he torched for 29 points the last time they played. He’s listed as questionable going into Sunday, but regardless, I would start him this week.



FLEX Pick-Up: Breshad Perriman vs. ATL



Following the Tampa Bay trend, Breshad Perriman is a solid FLEX play if you’re uneasy about your current player. The Falcons’ defense allows an average of 22.4 fantasy points to receivers, and with the injury of Chris Godwin, Perriman could see a huge chunk of targets, yards, and touchdowns on Sunday.



After struggling for most of the year, Perriman has picked up the pace as of late, scoring more than 15 points in each of his last three games including a three-touchdown game against the Detroit Lions. Of course, his increase in production is related to star receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin’s injuries, but nonetheless, Perriman has emerged as a viable target in Tampa with two straight 100-yard games. I see Winston having another 30 point game today, and there’s no doubt Perriman will be a significant contributor to those points.



D/ST Pick-UP: Philadelphia Eagles D/ST @ NYG



It’s hard to pick a solid defense to start in the last week of the season, as many teams won’t go 100% or play all their starters. However, the Philadelphia Eagles are coming into Week 17 with a “win and you’re in” situation, so they’re looking to give it their all.



Although Philly’s last breakout game on the defensive end was in Week 5, the Eagles have consistently showed up throughout the season — including double digit games against top teams like the Buffalo Bills and the Seattle Seahawks. Their defense is in the middle of the pack in average fantasy points per game with 6.6, yet they’ve scored 15 points over the past two games. Last time they played the New York Giants, the Eagles allowed only 17 points and their defense notched five fantasy points. Although talling less points than usual, the Eagles come into this game with much more motivation and need for a win. If Philly’s defense doesn’t go all out Sunday and score more than 10 fantasy points against a very weak offense, I’d be wildly surprised.