Welcome in Nerds! The Dynasty Nerds have helped you throughout the NFL offseason, preparing for the 2023 fantasy football season. Now that your teams are set, it is time to get to work and win some dynasty championships. Every week, our writers will help you with the tough decisions and give you insight that you can’t get anywhere else. I will share my quarterback start/sits weekly to help you set your starting lineups.
Below is a list of all of our weekly positional articles. Please follow us, tweet us, and DM us. We can’t wait to talk football with all of you Nerds!
- Changing the Call (QB): Mike Hicks
- The Cutback (RB): Jake Oliver
- Slant Pattern (WR): Tristan Cook
- 12 Formation (TE): Steven Pintado
- Flex on ‘Em (FLEX): Evan Brown
- IDP Start/Sit (IDP): Jon Glosser
NOTE: Rankings are based on a 12-team PPR league. So, saying WR2 means top 24, or TE1 means top 12, etc., and are pulled from Fantasy Pros consensus expert rankings.
The semifinal week of the fantasy football playoffs had some interesting performances, including some at the quarterback position. Hopefully, you were able to navigate those events and made it to championship week.
LAST WEEK
My starts of the week went one and one in Week 16. Unfortunately, Baker Mayfield did not live up to his ECR of QB11. However, most of that was due to the score and the game script against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He finished as QB14 with 283 passing yards and two touchdowns. Nick Mullins struggled against the Detroit Lions but still had a top-12 performance. Even though he had four interceptions, Mullins had 411 passing yards and two touchdowns, which gave him 20.5 fantasy points.
Unfortunately, my sits of the week did not go my way at all in Week 16. Both Jordan Love and Russell Wilson ended up being top 10 quarterbacks. Love finished his QB6 with 219 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, and one rushing touchdown. Wilson outperformed his ECR of QB13 and ended up QB7 with 238 passing yards and 2 touchdowns.
WEEK 17 STARTS
Kyler Murray, Cardinals, QB11
Kyler Murray is averaging 18.2 FPPG since his return in Week 9. Murray, so far, has three top 12 weekly performances. In Week 16 against the Chicago Bears, Murray had 230 passing yards into passing touchdowns.
The Philadelphia Eagles have not been hitting on all cylinders lately. The Philadelphia Eagles as a team have not been on all cylinders as of late. Unfortunately, you can say the same thing for their defense. The Eagles overall defense is giving up 24.4 points per game, which is eighth most in the NFL. This correlates to their fantasy performance against a QB position, which is second worst in the NFL. The Eagles are giving up 21.5 FPPG to the QBs this season. With a strong run defense, the pass defense has shown its vulnerability in 2023.
Murray currently has an ECR of QB11 in Week 17. Due to the Eagles being so tough against the run, Murray will need to have a good game in Week 17. This game should be a high-scoring affair, meaning Murray should be a must-start in all fantasy formats.
Bryce Young, Panthers, QB23
Bryce Young has had a rocky start to his NFL career. For the season, he’s only averaging 11.3 FPPG. Young has only had two games as a top-12 quarterback this season. In Week 16 against the Green Bay Packers, Young had 22.2 fantasy points, his best performance of the season. Can Young build off this momentum in Week 17?
Jacksonville Jaguars are currently amidst a four-game losing streak. The Jaguars defense has struggled against quarterbacks all season long. Their defense is third worst, giving up 21.3 FPPG to the QB position. However, in the past five weeks, the Jaguars have been last in the NFL, giving up 24.5 FPPG to quarterbacks. The Jaguars have given up 300-plus passing yards in three of the previous five games.
Young currently has an ECR of QB23. He will look to build upon his QB9 performance in Week 16 when he faces the Jaguars and in Week 17. Young is a must-start in Superflex leagues and could be a top-15 quarterback this week.
WEEK 17 SITS
Jared Goff, Lions, QB12
So far this season, Jared Goff is QB8. Goff has had six top-12 performances in 2023. However, only two of them have been on the road. At home, Goff averages 21.4 FPPG; however, he only averages 14.9 FPPG on the road. Including a 5 touchdown Week 15 performance, Goff has 11 touchdowns in the past five games.
The Dallas Cowboys are in a playoff battle and need this win just as much as the Lions. The Cowboys for the season are 13th in the NFL, giving up 16.8 FPPG to the QB position. Unfortunately, as of late, the Cowboys biggest weakness on defense is against the run. In the last five games, the Cowboys have given up 21.6 FPPG to running backs, the 7th most in the NFL.
Goff currently has an ECR of QB12. As of late, the Cowboys offense has been hot at home, and I don’t expect that to stop. And the Lions will use their running game with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery more than they will use Jared Goff and the passing game. If you have Goff, you will likely need to start him. I would sit him in 1QB leagues and start him in SF leagues if you can.
Jake Browning, Bengals, QB20
Since becoming the Bengals’ starting QB in Week 12, Jake Browning has had three top 10 weeks. Both of his games outside of the top 12 were against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Browning averages 303 yards in his five starts and has seven passing touchdowns.
The Kansas City Chiefs have been reeling lately; however, the defense has been steadfast all season. The Chiefs are fourth in the NFL, giving up 15.3 FPPG to the QB position. They have only given up 2,898 passing yards, which is also fourth in the NFL. Last year, they were 16th in points allowed. This year, they are second in the NFL.
Browning has an ECR of QB20 in Week 17. Can Browning bounce back on the road against the Chiefs, which is stronger this year than they have been in a while? I expect this game to be something other than a high-scoring affair, even though both teams possess the weapons to do so. I recommend sitting Browning in all formats, including Superflex, in week 17.
