play1:33Daniel Dopp: CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens both top-15 WRs for Week 17Daniel Dopp breaks down the fantasy performances of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens vs. the Chargers ahead of a matchup vs. the Commanders.
play1:32Why Foxworth isn’t ready to close the window on the LionsDomonique Foxworth and Dan Orlovsky break down what the Lions’ disappointing season means for their Super Bowl chances moving forward.
play0:55John Elway impressed by Bo Nix’s maturity levelJohn Elway joins Rich Eisen and breaks down how Broncos quarterback Bo Nix’s maturity has been impressive.
play1:03Is RJ Harvey a good fantasy play vs. Chiefs?Daniel Dopp offers his fantasy forecast for RJ Harvey vs. the Chiefs in Week 17.
Daniel Dopp: CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens both top-15 WRs for Week 17Daniel Dopp breaks down the fantasy performances of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens vs. the Chargers ahead of a matchup vs. the Commanders.
Daniel Dopp breaks down the fantasy performances of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens vs. the Chargers ahead of a matchup vs. the Commanders.
Why Foxworth isn’t ready to close the window on the LionsDomonique Foxworth and Dan Orlovsky break down what the Lions’ disappointing season means for their Super Bowl chances moving forward.
Domonique Foxworth and Dan Orlovsky break down what the Lions’ disappointing season means for their Super Bowl chances moving forward.
John Elway impressed by Bo Nix’s maturity levelJohn Elway joins Rich Eisen and breaks down how Broncos quarterback Bo Nix’s maturity has been impressive.
John Elway joins Rich Eisen and breaks down how Broncos quarterback Bo Nix’s maturity has been impressive.
Is RJ Harvey a good fantasy play vs. Chiefs?Daniel Dopp offers his fantasy forecast for RJ Harvey vs. the Chiefs in Week 17.
Week 17 of the NFL season gets underway with a Christmas Day tripleheader of division rivalry games.
A pair of NFC East foes kicks off the action when the Dallas Cowboys (6-8-1) visit the Washington Commanders (4-11). Next up is an NFC North tilt, with the Detroit Lions (8-7) trying to keep their playoff hopes alive on the road against the Minnesota Vikings (7-8).
The Kansas City Chiefs (6-9) host the Denver Broncos (12-3) in an AFC West clash to wrap up the day.
Thinking of betting the games? Matt Bowen, Pamela Maldonado, Eric Moody and Seth Walder offer betting and daily fantasy insights.
Jump to: DAL-WAS: Picks | Props | DFS tips | Trends DET-MIN: Picks | Props | DFS tips | Trends DEN-KC: Picks | Props | DFS tips | Trends
Both Dallas and Washington have already been eliminated from playoff contention. The Cowboys have lost three straight, and the Commanders are coming off a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Washington has dealt with a plethora of injuries, most notably to starting quarterback Jayden Daniels, and Dallas’ defense has been exploited by opposing offenses all year.
Dallas is a touchdown favorite Thursday in a matchup that has the third-highest point total of the week.
Maldonado: The Cowboys dictate pace. When they score, Washington will be forced out of its comfort zone and into chaos. That’s where the points come from: scrambles, busted coverages, short fields and quick drives. The Commanders don’t slow the game down when trailing; they speed up and make mistakes. Dallas is efficient enough to capitalize every time. Control on one side and desperation on the other creates a fast, messy scoring loop. That environment favors points.
Daniel Dopp: CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens both top-15 WRs for Week 17
Bowen: Pickens had 130 yards receiving in the Week 16 game versus the Los Angeles Chargers and has posted 88 or more in four of his past six. Good matchups here on the perimeter against the Washington secondary, too. Deep-ball throws.
Moody: Lamb has cleared this line in three of his past five games and has averaged 9.0 targets per game over that stretch. He’s in a good spot against a Commanders defense that has allowed the seventh-most passing yards per game this season. Lamb also cleared this number against Washington back in Week 7.
Captain (scores 1.5x fantasy points): Dak Prescott ($16,500) has thrown for 290 or more yards — with at least two touchdowns — in four of his past six games. And he’ll have matchup edges at multiple levels of the field versus the Washington defense. Volume day in the pass game for Dallas.
Also in my lineup: Jake Ferguson ($6,200). Let’s play for Ferguson as a red zone target in this matchup. In the Week 7 head-to-head game versus Washington, Ferguson had two touchdown grabs. He’s an underneath outlet for Dak who can be schemed up inside the 10-yard line.
Also in my lineup: Dak Prescott ($11,000) should stay efficient and aggressive, especially if the Commanders score just enough to keep him throwing. He stacks cleanly with Lamb, capturing every touchdown path this offense creates. If the over in the game hits, it’s because of Prescott.
Captain (scores 1.5x fantasy points): Dak Prescott ($16,500) averaged 291.3 passing yards and 3.6 touchdowns per game in his past three meetings with the Commanders. Washington’s defense has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.
Why Foxworth isn’t ready to close the window on the Lions
The Lions are trying to keep their playoff hopes alive, and the Vikings are playing out the string of a disappointing season.
Max Brosmer will be making his second start for the Vikings, who defeated the Lions in Week 9 with J.J. McCarthy under center.
Maldonado: Detroit lost the first meeting by three despite outgaining Minnesota and displaying efficient passing. The Lions left points on the field through red zone failures, a fumble and special teams mistakes. Minnesota needed its ideal script to win and still barely escaped. If the Lions play even a slightly cleaner game, the gap shows. They have the offensive ceiling and margin to separate.
Moody: Even though the Vikings’ secondary hasn’t been kind to quarterbacks all season, Goff and the Lions will be aggressive in a must-win game to keep their playoff hopes alive. Goff has cleared this line in eight of his past 10 games, including a matchup against Minnesota earlier this season. With one of the league’s top wide receiver duos in Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, he’s well equipped to go over this number.
Bowen: Gibbs has at least seven receptions and 45 yards receiving in three of his past four games. And he will get opportunities as an underneath target/blitz outlet versus the Vikings’ pressure-heavy defense.
Also in my lineup: Isaac TeSlaa ($3,400) is a touchdown-dependent player in the lineup, but he also has touchdown receptions in three of his past four games. He can stretch the field or use his frame and ball skills as a red zone target.
Captain (scores 1.5x fantasy points): Amon-Ra St. Brown ($16.200). The Lions leaned on him the first time, and Minnesota struggled to limit his volume. If the Lions control game script, St. Brown’s target floor and red zone usage give him a shot at a slate-breaking score.
Also in my lineup: Jahmyr Gibbs ($11,400). Detroit needs more run efficiency than it had in the first matchup, and Gibbs’ explosiveness gives him multi-touch upside through both rushing and receiving. If the Lions play from ahead, Gibbs’ role expands.
In my lineup: Aaron Jones Sr. ($5,700) is an intriguing option with the Vikings potentially leaning more on the running game as J.J. McCarthy deals with a right hand injury. The matchup is favorable, and Minnesota’s offensive line ranks second in run block win rate. Jaylen Warren (32.1 fantasy points) and Kenneth Gainwell (23.8) both posted strong Week 16 performances against the Lions.
Captain (scores 1.5x fantasy points): Jahmyr Gibbs ($17,100). The Lions have their backs against the wall and are facing a Brian Flores defense against a backup quarterback. To me, that sounds like it’s time to dial up a huge Gibbs game. It will probably be a popular selection, but there are some decent lower-cost options in this game to make up for it.
Also in my lineup: Lions D/ST ($4,200). And here is one of those low-cost options. I make the Lions the most likely defensive/special teams unit in the league to score a touchdown this week, despite being quite a bit cheaper than the Denver Broncos D/ST, so I want to capitalize on that opportunity here.
The Broncos are tied for the best record in the NFL and currently hold the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Things are going well.
Denver had its 11-game winning streak snapped last week but is a 13.5-point favorite Thursday, tied for the biggest spread of the week.
Daniel Dopp offers his fantasy forecast for RJ Harvey vs. the Chiefs in Week 17.
Bowen: Nix has thrown for 300 or more yards in three of his past four games. Timing throws here, and the ball location is becoming more consistent. Take Nix to hit the over versus the Chiefs.
Moody: Sutton has been Nix’s most trusted target this season and has cleared this line in four of his past five games, averaging 9.2 targets and 13.6 yards per reception over that span. Denver is likely to lean on the passing game against a Chiefs defense that has been devastated by injuries, which bodes well for Sutton.
Captain (scores 1.5x fantasy points): Bo Nix ($15,500). As I mentioned earlier, Nix has been producing as a thrower, and that includes the Week 12 head-to-head game versus the Chiefs where he had 295 yards passing. Nix also gives you a dual-threat element on scrambles.
Also in my lineup: Courtland Sutton ($9,000) has seen a spike in target volume, with at least 10 in his past three games. Plus, Sutton has a touchdown reception in three of his past four. I’ll take that in the lineup versus a Chiefs team playing out the regular-season schedule at this point.
Captain (scores 1.5x fantasy points): Broncos D/ST ($8,400). Denver benefits from game script and the quarterback mismatch. Pressure, sacks and turnover chances rise against a limited Chiefs offense.
Also in my lineup: Courtland Sutton ($9,000) remains Denver’s most reliable red zone and chain-moving option. In a slow, controlled game, he absorbs high-leverage spots, offering touchdown equity without requiring a high-volume passing environment.