Week 17 DFS carousel - Week 17 can be a tricky week as far as DFS purposes go, as there are so many different scenarios that come into play. There are teams that have nothing to play for, teams fighting for playoff positioning, some win and your in situations, and teams that need to win and have help from others. Give your best advice for playing in Week 17. (Example: Cash vs GPP advice, Bankroll alottment, spend up positions, etc)
Phil Alexander: Besides there being more variables to factor into projections, I don't see Week 17 very differently than any other week. Study your playoff scenarios, know which teams have something to play for, and just as importantly, which teams don't. Above all, stay on top of the news cycle and listen to what coaches are saying about resting starters and/or getting looks at younger players. There's always an edge to be gained in DFS by paying closer attention than your opponents and the effect is amplified in Week 17.
John Mamula: Having more information than your opponents is the key to a successful Week 17. Each roster spot is magnified as you can't afford to target players that will have limited workloads. Week 17 is similar to Preseason NFL DFS as you are playing with significantly less information and have to calculate risk versus reward for multiple scenarios. Thus, cash games are off-limits for me in Week 17. I will play my normal amount of volume but in the form of 100% GPP tournaments. Targeting single entry and three-max is still my preferred method of attack for GPP tournaments.
James Brimacombe: The days of finding an edge in DFS feel like they are along gone, but in Week 17 I feel like there is a unique edge that can be had. So many different situations are in play in Week 17 and my advice would be if you are playing in cash games to make sure to enter them early in the week and plan on adjusting your lineup as you follow the news right up until before kickoff. I also want to limit my player pool to players that will play in meaningful games with playoff hopes on the line. The teams that I want players from are the Falcons, Ravens, Buffalo, Tennessee, Seattle, and the LA Chargers. All those teams will be looking to play Week 17 like a playoff game and the star players from those teams will see a heavy volume of touches and targets.
Chris Feery: I’ll be playing GPP only in Week 17 while sticking to my usual bankroll strategy. On a typical week, I’m entering the largest prize pool tournament on both of the major sites and complementing that with some attractive single entry and low max entry contests. I’m a creature of habit, and there’s no reason for me to deviate in a week that’s more unpredictable than normal. As John mentioned, this week is similar to playing preseason DFS. There’s still some fantasy gold to mine for, but it’ll take a little more digging than normal. For lineup anchoring purposes, I’ll be focussing on the teams with something to play for. The bulk of my lineup will be filled with those players, and I’ll save a spot or two for intriguing contrarian options from teams that are playing out the string.
Justin Howe: I always scale back my cash play on Week 17 – just head-to-heads, if any cash, for me. It’s wilder than the preseason because you’re never entirely sure how each situation will unfold. As a result, your confidence implodes while you piece together a “cash-safe” lineup, and that breeds mental errors and overcompensations and a host of other hassles. You think it’s nerve-wracking to sweat your cash lineup in Week 12? There’s no sweat like the sweat over a week that half the NFL doesn’t care about.
