Sunday’s Best NFL DFS Core Plays: GPP Building Blocks – Week 17

Welcome to my NFL Daily Fantasy Sports guide for this Sunday’s games! In this article, I’ll walk you through my strategic approach for selecting top players and crafting optimal lineups to give you a winning edge in NFL DFS for 2024. I’ve thoroughly analyzed each game and position to highlight the best plays and explain the reasoning behind my selections.

*I’ll be updating this article on Sunday morning Sunday Updates

 Quarterback Rankings (salary considered) 

• Joe Flacco
• Baker Mayfield 
• Josh Allen

Running Backs

Saquan Barkley

Jalen Hurts is confirmed out. This is huge for a couple of reasons. First, the Eagles must rely on the run with the league’s best back in 2024. Second, the tush push is non longer a Barkley vulture. He is now the red zone threat the opposing defenses will have to prove they can stop.  Last week, when Hurts got injured early, Saquan Barkley finished the day with 29 carries for 150 yards and two touchdowns. He takes on the rival Dallas Cowboys who are ranked 29^th against the rush in DVOA. They have given up 15 rushing TDs, and two receiving to RBs this season. They allow 25 fantasy points per game to the position, which is 6^th worst on the slate. 

If you want a big brain pivot in large-field MME, Kenny Gainwell is worth a shot. 

Tyjae Spears

Tony Pollard has been ruled out thrusting Spears into the starting role. He has racked up over 20 DK points per game in the past two contests alone, on limited carries, and now has finally got a starter role at only $5,400. This is chalk you are going to eat. The Jacksonville Jaguars are 23^rd in DVOA against the run while giving up the second most fantasy points to RBs this season (28.3 per game). Additionally, they have allowed the third most reception to backs, which is something Spears excels at. This is about as close to a lock button as it gets. 

Bucky Irving/Rachaad White

The Carolina Panthers are 32^nd in DVOA against the rush. They allow the most fantasy points to the position (31.3 per game) – which includes 16 rushing TDs and three receiving TDs. Bucky Irving is going to handle the actual “rushing” work, while White will be more involved in the passing game. White is intriguing in a trailing game script, but also because Cade Otton has already been ruled out. He should operate as a WR2/3 regardless of the game script. 

Others to consider: 

• Aaron Jones
• Kendre Miller
• Raheem Blackshear

Wide Receiver 

This section is smaller than usual, but I know exactly where I am going. 

Josh Downs/Michael Pittman/Alec Pierce

The Giants are ranked 27^th on the season in DVOA against the pass. 

Josh Downs will get the majority of slot routes against the Giants. He will see slot corner Andru Phillips who has been having a rough season. He allows 1.28 YPRC while Downs has 2.17 YPRR (the highest of any starting Colts WR). Downs has the highest target $ (28.4%) on the Colts. He has also been Joe Flacco’s preference when he got starts earlier in the season. At only $4,800 on DraftKings, sign me up. 

Michael Pittman draws the best on-paper matchup, out of any receiver on the slate (who gets starters snaps) in Week 17. You can also argue he is getting a QB upgrade, on what may be Joe Flaccos last hurrah. Pittman runs on the outside 75% of his routes. He will see a lot of Deonte Banks, who allows 1.52 YPRC. This is the worst YPRC for any corner facing a starting receiver on the main slate. Pittman will see Banks for about a significant amount of snaps, while also seeing Adoree’ Jackson, who primarily covers the left for around 35% of his snaps. Jackson has been far better, but the Giant’s defense is still just waiting for the season to end. Pittman at only $4,700 on DraftKings is a joke, and you will want a lot of him, or any other Colts receiver, like Josh Downs or Alec Pierce. As mentioned above, Downs will see most of the slot snaps, while Pierce will mirror Pittman on the opposite side of the field. Either Pittman or Downs will be on Banks essentially the entire game. 

Brian Thomas Jr.

The former LSU product is making a huge push at the end of the season with Mac Jones at QB. In the past two weeks, he has been targeted 27 times and dropped just over 66 DK points, in those two weeks combined. He now faces a lifeless Titans secondary ranked 20^th in DVOA against the pass. Perhaps there is also a little incentive for him to have more rookie receiving yards than Brock Bowers. Thomas currently has 1088, while Bowers has 1067. 

Mike Evans

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have to win this game to stay in contention for the NFC South, given the Falcons play the last game. I expect them to do just that against Carolina. The Panthers are ranked 31^st against the WR1. Mike Evans played this same team in Week 13 and put up 28.8 fantasy points with 118 yards and a TD. On the season, he has 818 total receiving yards. His 1,000-yard season streak is in jeopardy and he has to put up a very nice game to keep the streak in tac. He should hit 100+ yards here, and be peppered by Mayfield is what we can consider a must-win game for the Buccaneers at home. 

Calvin Ridley

The Jaguars, Ridley’s former team, are ranked 32^nd in the NFL, via DVOA, against the WR1. The only issue is that his quarterback is Mason Rudolph. 

Others to consider: There are a ton of midrange receivers to like this week. 

• Jayden Reed
• Jaokbi Meyers
• Jalen McMillan
• Parker Washington
• Cowboys: As of writing this both Tolbert and Brooks are questionable. There is sure to be some value, besides Cooks and Turpin, but we are going to have to wait until Sunday morning to see what we are dealing with. 
• Jalen Coker

Tight End Rankings

• Payne Durham: He is coming off a seven-target game with Cade Otton ruled out. He costs only $2,900. He is perfectly acceptable as a cheap TE option. 
• Jake Ferguson: Bad matchup, but a much larger opportunity with CeeDee Lamb ruled out
• Brock Bowers: It would be great to spend up for the stud this week, but that is just not how my builds are landing. He is your guy if you have a salary for a top-tier TE.
• Foster Moreau: This is more of a bet. His receiving prop of 18.5 yards made me laugh out loud. I don’t think he breaks the slate or anything, but if you want to take a shot in large field GPP’s, I wouldn’t be shocked if he exceeded value. It is much safer to just bet his over though.

Defense

Eagles

Again, I will update this article if anything changes. Be sure to come back and check for the most up-to-date plays.