Squirrel Patrol’s Week 17 NFL DFS Picks & Cheat Sheet (DraftKings & FanDuel)

Short on time, setting your DFS lineups? These quick positional rankings cover the top skill players on both FanDuel and DraftKings for the week. I’ll publish the first look each Friday morning, then update by Sunday morning to reflect injury news from Friday practices and Saturday travel reports. Think of these rankings as a snapshot of how I see the slate shaping up, along with the players I expect to have exposure to in my own lineups.

FanDuel DFS Positional Picks

Quarterbacks

1. Joe Burrow – The Bengals have the highest implied point total on the slate (30.5) and are favored by 7.5 in the game with the highest total of the week (53.5). Burrow is coming off a 309-passing yard, 4-touchdown performance against Miami last week.
2. Trevor Lawrence – Lawrence and the Jags are favored by 5.5 points playing indoors against the Colts in the game with the second-highest total of the week (48.5). Indy has allowed the second-most passing yards per game this season.
3. Jacoby Brissett – Brissett is coming off his first down game as a starter, but is still averaging 291.1 passing yards and 1.9 passing touchdowns across his ten starts. Arizona is playing in the game with the highest total of the week against a Bengals defense that has allowed the most points per game in the NFL.
4. Drake Maye – Maye and the Patriots have the second-highest implied point total on the slate (28.0), favored by 13.5 points over the Jets.
5. Josh Allen – Allen will likely see low ownership as the most expensive QB on the slate,e facing a good Philadelphia defense, but he has three games this season with 37+ FanDuel points and can put any slate out of reach with multiple rushing touchdowns.

Running Backs

1. Ashton Jeanty – Jeanty is coming off a monster game with 188 total yards and two touchdowns against Houston last week, and now faces a Giants rush defense allowing the most yards per carry in the NFL.
2. Travis Etienne – Etienne scored again last week to give him six touchdowns over his past three games. The Jags have the third-highest implied point total on the slate (27.0) facing the Colts.
3. TreVeyon Henderson (or Rhamondre Stevenson) – Henderson is listed as Questionable but was able to practice on Friday. Either Patriots running back is in a good position with New England, 13.5-point favorites against a Jets defense allowing the third-most points per game this season.
4. Tyrone Tracy – Tracy has put up 70+ rushing yards in each of the past two games, and the Giants are favored by 1.5 points against a Raiders defense that has allowed the third-most rushing touchdowns this season.
5. Chase Brown – The Bengals have the highest implied point total on the slate, and Brown is coming off a three-touchdown, 109-yard game last week against Miami.
6. Michael Carter – Carter has now put up 55+ rushing yards with double-digit carries each of the past two weeks, and is a cheaper way to get a piece of the high-total ARI/CIN game.
7. De'Von Achane – Achane ranks third in the league in rushing yards and has added 64 receptions this season as well, the fourth-most among RBs.
8. Jonathan Taylor – Taylor leads the league with 17 rushing touchdowns and ranks second in rushing yards, and is playing at home in the game with the second-highest total of the slate.

Wide Receivers

1. Ja'Marr Chase – Chase has 19 receptions for 241 yards in his past two games, and is in an excellent spot against a Cardinals’ pass defense that allows the fourth-most points per game in the NFL.
2. Jakobi Meyers – Meyers has seen 6+ targets in each of his past six games with the Jaguars, averaging 59.8 receiving yards with three touchdowns in that stretch. The Jags are playing indoors against the Colts in the game with the second-highest total of the slate.
3. Wan'Dale Robinson – Robinson continues to be underpriced at $6,100 on FanDuel, and the Giants are favored by 1.5-points indoors against the Raiders.
4. Stefon Diggs – The Patriots will be without both Kayshon Boutte and Mack Hollins against the Jets, and are favored by 13.5 points with the second-highest implied team total on the slate.
5. Michael Pittman – Philip Rivers has looked better than expected, with 277 passing yards last week against San Francisco. The Colts are playing at home against a pass-funnel Jacksonville defense, and Pittman leads Indy in receptions and receiving touchdowns.
6. Jaxon Smith-Njigba – Smith-Njigba could see lower ownership due to the popularity of Ja’Marr Chase in his price range, but the Seattle star leads the league in receiving yards and ranks fifth in receptions.
7. Tre Tucker – Brock Bowers is now on IR for the Raiders, which should open up more targets for Tre Tucker at a discount price tag.
8. Kyle Williams – The injuries to Boutte and Hollins should provide an opportunity for Williams at a bargain price. Williams is a third-round rookie who scored a touchdown last week.

Tight Ends

1. Trey McBride – McBride is in a prime spot playing against a Bengals defense that has allowed the most points per game in the NFL and has been carved up by tight ends all season.
2. Michael Mayer – Brock Bowers landing on IR opens up a starting spot for Michael Mayer at a near-minimum price tag.
3. Taysom Hill – Hill saw 12 carries and caught four passes last week, and could continue to see more action with the Saints down their top three running backs.

DraftKings DFS Positional Picks

Quarterbacks

1. Joe Burrow – The Bengals have the highest implied point total on the slate (30.5) and are favored by 7.5 in the game with the highest total of the week (53.5). Burrow is coming off a 309-passing yard, 4-touchdown performance against Miami last week.
2. Trevor Lawrence – Lawrence and the Jags are favored by 5.5 points playing indoors against the Colts in the game with the second-highest total of the week (48.5). Indy has allowed the second-most passing yards per game this season.
3. Jacoby Brissett – Brissett is coming off his first down game as a starter, but is still averaging 291.1 passing yards and 1.9 passing touchdowns across his ten starts. Arizona is playing in the game with the highest total of the week against a Bengals defense that has allowed the most points per game in the NFL.
4. Drake Maye – Maye and the Patriots have the second-highest implied point total on the slate (28.0), favored by 13.5 points over the Jets.
5. Baker Mayfield – Mayfield and the Bucs are favored by 5.5 points against a Miami pass defense that just allowed four passing touchdowns last week to the Bengals.

Running Backs

1. Ashton Jeanty – Jeanty is coming off a monster game with 188 total yards and two touchdowns against Houston last week, and now faces a Giants rush defense allowing the most yards per carry in the NFL.
2. Travis Etienne – Etienne scored again last week to give him six touchdowns over his past three games. The Jags have the third-highest implied point total on the slate (27.0) facing the Colts.
3. TreVeyon Henderson (or Rhamondre Stevenson) – Henderson is listed as Questionable but was able to practice on Friday. Either Patriots running back is in a good position with New England, 13.5-point favorites against a Jets defense allowing the third-most points per game this season.
4. Tyrone Tracy – Tracy has put up 70+ rushing yards in each of the past two games, and the Giants are favored by 1.5 points against a Raiders defense that has allowed the third-most rushing touchdowns this season.
5. Jonathan Taylor – Taylor leads the league with 17 rushing touchdowns and ranks second in rushing yards, and is playing at home in the game with the second-highest total of the slate. Taylor is discounted on DraftKings as just the third-most expensive RB, compared to FanDuel, where he is the most expensive RB.
6. Chase Brown – The Bengals have the highest implied point total on the slate, and Brown is coming off a three-touchdown, 109-yard game last week against Miami.
7. Michael Carter – Carter has now put up 55+ rushing yards with double-digit carries each of the past two weeks, and is a cheaper way to get a piece of the high-total ARI/CIN game.
8. De'Von Achane – Achane ranks third in the league in rushing yards and has added 64 receptions this season as well, the fourth-most among RBs.

Wide Receivers

1. Ja'Marr Chase – Chase has 19 receptions for 241 yards in his past two games, and is in an excellent spot against a Cardinals’ pass defense that allows the fourth-most points per game in the NFL.
2. Jakobi Meyers – Meyers has seen 6+ targets in each of his past six games with the Jaguars, averaging 59.8 receiving yards with three touchdowns in that stretch. The Jags are playingindoorss against the Colts in the game with the second-highest total of the slate.
3. Jaxon Smith-Njigba – Smith-Njigba could see lower ownership due to the popularity of Ja’Marr Chase in his price range, but the Seattle star leads the league in receiving yards and ranks fifth in receptions.
4. Tre Tucker – Brock Bowers is now on IR for the Raiders, which should open up more targets for Tre Tucker at a discount price tag.
5. Michael Pittman – Philip Rivers has looked better than expected, with 277 passing yards last week against San Francisco. The Colts are playing at home against a pass-funnel Jacksonville defense, and Pittman leads Indy in receptions and receiving touchdowns.
6. Stefon Diggs – The Patriots will be without both Kayshon Boutte and Mack Hollins against the Jets, and are favored by 13.5 points with the second-highest implied team total on the slate.
7. Kyle Williams – The injuries to Boutte and Hollins should provide an opportunity for Williams at a bargain price. Williams is a third-round rookie who scored a touchdown last week.
8. Tee Higgins – Higgins carries a better relative price on DraftKings, is in the highest-total game of the week, and provides direct leverage off the popular Ja’Marr Chase.

Tight Ends

1. Trey McBride – McBride is in a prime spot playing against a Bengals defense that has allowed the most points per game in the NFL and has been carved up by tight ends all season.
2. Michael Mayer – Brock Bowers landing on IR opens up a starting spot for Michael Mayer at a near-minimum price tag.
3. Taysom Hill – Hill saw 12 carries and caught four passes last week, and could continue to see more action with the Saints down their top three running backs.