NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 17 – Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

We’ve reached our final NFL DFS article of the season. Thank you everyone for reading throughout the year. We hope we’ve been able to put some extra money into your pockets along the way. Let’s try to go out on a high note with a winning entry in Week 17. Here are some wide receivers and tight ends who could help us achieve that goal. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our NFL Lineup Optimizer to help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

WIDE RECEIVER CASH TARGETS

Michael Thomas, NO at CAR
FanDuel = $9,200
DraftKings = $9,900

Thomas put his name in the record books last week by breaking the NFL mark for most receptions in a single season. He already has a whopping 145 catches with still another game to pad his total. The Saints are playing for playoff seeding, so expect them to deploy their players as normal. With at least 100 receiving yards in eight of his last nine games and five touchdowns across his last six contests, Thomas could actually be worth this hefty price tag.

A.J. Brown, TEN at HOU
FanDuel = $7,200
DraftKings = $7,000

The Saints clearly focused on trying to slow down Brown this week and did a good job, limiting him to one catch on two targets for 34 yards. However, he still salvaged his stat line by taking his lone carry 49 yards for a touchdown. Look for him to bounce back in the passing attack this week against the Texans, who have allowed the third-most passing yards per game. When these two teams met two weeks ago, Brown torched them for 114 yards and a touchdown on eight catches.

WIDE RECEIVER GPP TARGETS

Sterling Shepard, NYG vs. PHI
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $6,200

Shepard had high expectations heading into the season, but concussion problems have limited him to only nine games. He’s taken advantage of a couple of favorable matchups the last two weeks, posting nine catches for 111 yards against the Dolphins in Week 15 and six catches for 76 yards and a touchdown against the Redskins in Week 16. The key is that he has received at least six targets in every game that he has played in. With Evan Engram (foot) on IR and Darius Slayton battling a knee injury, expect Shepard to be heavily involved once again.

Steven Sims Jr., WAS at DAL
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $4,700

The Redskins will shift back to Case Keenum at quarterback after Dwayne Haskins Jr. hurt his ankle against the Giants last week. Sims has become more involved in the offense of late, receiving at least seven targets in three straight games. He put the hurt on a bad Giants’ secondary last week, catching six of 10 targets for 64 yards and two touchdowns. If Terry McLaurin (concussion) is unable to play this week, Sims should be the Redskins’ top pass catching option. Even if McLaurin does play, Sims will likely have a large enough role to be worth considering, especially on DraftKings.

Greg Ward, PHI at NYG
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $4,700

In what was a low-scoring game between the Eagles and Cowboys last week, Ward only saw five passes thrown his way despite the Eagles being down their top wide receivers. He at least made the most of his opportunities, posting four catches for 71 yards. This is a much more favorable matchup against the Giants’ porous secondary, so look for not only the Eagles to have an easier time moving the ball, but also for Ward to put up a productive stat line.

TIGHT END CASH TARGETS

Travis Kelce, KC vs. LAC
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $7,000

There is no safer tight end than Kelce. He’s received at least nine targets in five straight games and has received fewer than eight in a game only two times all season. His five touchdown receptions are disappointing since he had 10 last season, but it’s difficult to complain about a tight end who has 94 catches for 1,205 yards. The last time we saw him take the field against the Chargers, he once again dominated with seven catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.

Tyler Higbee, LAR vs. ARI
FanDuel = $6,900
DraftKings = $5,600

Talk about a hot streak. Higbee is on top of his game right now, posting at least seven catches and 104 receiving yards in each of the last four games. He saw his role within the offense increase when Gerald Everett went down with an injury and he stayed busy despite Everett returning last week. With the Cardinals allowing by far the most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends, expect Higbee to a popular option, especially at his more reasonable price on DraftKings.

TIGHT END GPP TARGETS

Dallas Goedert, PHI at NYG
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $4,900

With the Eagles thin at wide receiver and Zach Ertz (ribs) getting injured last week, Goedert became a crucial part of their offense. He received a season-high 12 targets, turning them into nine catches for 91 yards and a touchdown. If Ertz is unable to play this week, Goedert is likely going to be extremely busy. Even if Ertz is able to take the field, he could be limited. Add in this favorable matchup and Goedert will be difficult to resist, especially at his price on DraftKings.

Austin Hooper, ATL at TB
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $5,800

Oh what a season it could have been for Hooper had he not missed three games due to injury. As it is, he has already set career-highs in receiving yards (742) and touchdowns (six). His 68 catches are also just three away from his previous high mark. The Bucs have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends, so look for Hooper to finish out the season on a high note.

Author Bio:

Mike has been covering fantasy sports since 2007, joining Lineup Lab in 2017. An avid player of both season-long fantasy leagues and DFS, Mike’s work has appeared on numerous sites, including RotoWire, SportsLine and Sports Illustrated. He’s also been featured on DraftKings’ nightly show, The Sweat, and was a finalist for the 2018 FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Follow Mike on Twitter @rotomikebarner.