Early Week 17 Fantasy WR Rankings PPR: Start-sit wide receivers, best sleepers, top streamers for first fantasy playoffs week

See how The Sporting News lines up its Week 17 fantasy football WR rankings, including the best players to start and sit candidates in PPR leagues for the first week of the playoffs.

Early Week 17 Fantasy WR Rankings PPR: Start-sit wide receivers, best sleepers, top streamers for first fantasy playoffs week originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

We've now reached the championship round of many fantasy football playoffs. The wide receiver picture is an important piece to monitor ahead of this weekend's games, which start with a Christmas triple-header.

The top of the positional rankings have plenty of familiar faces, even those coming off Week 16 duds. Trust your stars -- but maybe not in every case.

Set your lineups with these Week 17 WR rankings to position yourself in the best way possible for a trophy win. 

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Week 17 WR Fantasy Football Rankings: Start 'em, sit 'em lineup tips for wide receivers

These rankings for Week 17 fantasy wide receivers count players in point-per-reception (PPR) leagues, along with 0.1 points for every receiving or rushing yard.

↕️ Fantasy Rankings for Week 17:

RkTrWide ReceiverTMOPPWeek 17 Value
11Jaxon Smith-NjigbaSEA@CARElite WR1
21Puka NacuaLAR@ATLElite WR1
32George PickensDAL@WASElite WR1
42Chris OlaveNO@TENElite WR1
52Ja'Marr ChaseCINARIElite WR1
62A.J. BrownPHI@BUFElite WR1
73Zay FlowersBAL@GBWR1
83Courtland SuttonDEN@KCWR1
93Amon-Ra St. BrownDET@MINWR1
103DJ MooreCHI@SFWR1
114Christian WatsonGBBALWR1/WR2
124Mike EvansTB@MIAWR1/WR2
134CeeDee LambDAL@WASWR1/WR2
144Nico CollinsHOU@LACWR1/WR2
154Tee HigginsCINARIWR1/WR2
164Jameson WilliamsDET@MINWR1/WR2
175Justin JeffersonMINDETStrong WR2
185Terry McLaurinWASDALStrong WR2
195Drake LondonATLLARStrong WR2
206Jakobi MeyersJAX@INDWR2
216Jauan JenningsSFCHIWR2
226Stefon DiggsNE@NYJWR2
236Wan'Dale RobinsonNYG@LVWR2
246DeVonta SmithPHI@BUFWR2
256Michael WilsonARI@CINWR2
267Troy FranklinDEN@KCWR2/WR3
277Jordan AddisonMINDETWR2/WR3
287Deebo SamuelWASDALWR2/WR3
297Parker WashingtonJAX@INDWR2/WR3
308Michael PittmanINDJAXStrong WR3
318Emeka EgbukaTB@MIAStrong WR3
328Tetairoa McMillanCARSEAStrong WR3
338Adonai MitchellNYJNEStrong WR3
348Jaylen WaddleMIATBStrong WR3
358Marvin HarrisonARI@CINStrong WR3
369Jayden ReedGBBALWR3
379Josh DownsINDJAXWR3
389Chris GodwinTB@MIAWR3
399Ladd McConkeyLACHOUWR3
409Chimere DikeTENNOWR3
4110Brian ThomasJAX@INDWR3/Flex
4210Alec PierceINDJAXWR3/Flex
4310Mack HollinsNE@NYJWR3/Flex
4410Jalen CokerCARSEAWR3/Flex
4510John MetchieNYJNEWR3/Flex
4611Darius SlaytonNYG@LVFlex
4711Keenan AllenLACHOUFlex
4811Quentin JohnstonLACHOUFlex
4911David SillsATLLARFlex
5011Khalil ShakirBUFPHIFlex
5111Adam ThielenPIT@CLEFlex
5211Marquez Valdes-ScantlingPIT@CLEFlex
5312Romeo DoubsGBBALFlex/Bench
5412Cooper KuppSEA@CARFlex/Bench
5512Ryan FlournoyDAL@WASWR3/Flex
5612Xavier WorthyKCDENFlex/Bench
5712Jerry JeudyCLEPITFlex/Bench
5813Jalen NailorMINDETFlex/Bench
5913Darnell MooneyATLLARFlex/Bench
6013Rashid ShaheedSEA@CARFlex/Bench
6113Hollywood BrownKCDENFlex/Bench
6213Kyle WilliamsNE@NYJFlex/Bench
6313Calvin AustinPIT@CLEFlex/Bench
6414Kendrick BourneSFCHIBench
6514JuJu Smith-SchusterKCDENBench
6614Dontayvion WicksGBBALBench
6714Tre TuckerLVNYGBench
6814Christian KirkHOU@LACBench
6914Jayden HigginsHOU@LACBench
7014Kevin AustinNO@TENBench
7114Isaiah WilliamsNYJNEBench
7214Tre' HarrisLACHOUBench
7314Tom KennedyDET@MINBench
7414Olamide ZaccheausCHI@SFBench
7515DeAndre HopkinsBAL@GBBench
7615Tim PatrickJAX@INDBench
7715Marvin MimsDEN@KCBench
7815Jalen McMillanTB@MIABench
7915Isaac TeSlaaDET@MINBench
8015Elic AyomanorTENNOBench
8115Kalif RaymondDET@MINBench
8215Jahdae WalkerCHI@SFBench
8316Matthew GoldenGBBALBench
8416Xavier SmithLAR@ATLBench
8516Bo MeltonGBBALBench
8616Lil'Jordan HumphreyDEN@KCBench
8716Michael BandyDEN@KCBench
8816KaVontae TurpinDAL@WASBench
8916Jack BechLVNYGBench
9016Shedrick JacksonLVNYGBench
9116Mason TiptonNO@TENBench
9217Andrei IosivasCINARIBench
9317Isaiah BondCLEPITBench
9417Scotty MillerPIT@CLEBench
9517KeAndre Lambert-SmithLACHOUBench
9617Theo WeaseMIATBBench
9717Malik WashingtonMIATBBench
9817Van JeffersonTENNOBench
9917Keon ColemanBUFPHIBench
10018Dylan DrummondATLLARBench
10118Austin TrammellJAX@INDBench
10218Mitchell TinsleyCINARIBench
10318Konata MumpfieldLAR@ATLBench
10418Treylon BurksWASDALBench
10518Jahan DotsonPHI@BUFBench
10618Jalen BrooksARI@CINBench
10718Andre BaccelliaARI@CINBench
10819Rashod BatemanBAL@GBBench
10919Devontez WalkerBAL@GBBench
11019DeMario DouglasNE@NYJBench
11119Tyler LockettLVNYGBench
11219Dont'e ThorntonLVNYGBench
11319Xavier HutchinsonHOU@LACBench
11419Xavier LegetteCARSEABench
11520Gage LarvadainCLEPITBench
11620Malachi CorleyCLEPITBench
11720Cedric TillmanCLEPITBench
11820Greg DortchARI@CINBench
11920Gabe DavisBUFPHIBench
12020Brandin CooksBUFPHIBench
12121Deven ThompkinsATLLARBench
12221Cody WhiteSEA@CARBench
12321Demarcus RobinsonSFCHIBench
12421Savion WilliamsGBBALBench
12521Elijah MooreDEN@KCBench
12621Cedrick WilsonMIATBBench
12721Darius CooperPHI@BUFBench
12821Xavier RestrepoTENNOBench
12921Xavier WeaverARI@CINBench
13021Tyrell ShaversBUFPHIBench
13121Devin DuvernayCHI@SFBench
13222Tai FeltonMINDETBench
13322Sterling ShepardTB@MIABench
13422Jalen TolbertDAL@WASBench
13522Alex BachmanLVNYGBench
13622Jaylin NoelHOU@LACBench
13722Isaiah HodginsNYG@LVBench
13822Jimmy HornCARSEABench
13922Tyler JohnsonNYJNEBench
14022Joshua PalmerBUFPHIBench
14123Jonathan MingoDAL@WASBench
14223Ben SkowronekPIT@CLEBench
14323Jordan WhittingtonLAR@ATLBench
14423Tez JohnsonTB@MIABench
14523James ProcheTENNOBench
14623Arian SmithNYJNEBench
14723Jaylin LaneWASDALBench
14823Malik HeathGBBALBench
14923Kameron JohnsonTB@MIABench
15023Jalin HyattNYG@LVBench
15123Dante PettisNO@TENBench
15223Roman WilsonPIT@CLEBench
15323Nick Westbrook-IkhineMIATBBench
15423Steven SimsARI@CINBench
15523Trent SherfieldARI@CINBench
15623Allen LazardFA#N/ABench
15723Tylan WallaceBAL@GBBench
15823Chris MooreWASDALBench
15923Dyami BrownJAX@INDBench
SUSP--DK MetcalfPIT@CLE
INJ--Rashee RiceKCDEN
INJ--Devaughn VeleNO@TEN
INJ--Davante AdamsLAR@ATL
INJ--Luther BurdenCHI@SF
INJ--Ricky PearsallSFCHI
INJ--Pat BryantDEN@KC
INJ--Kayshon BoutteNE@NYJ
INJ--Tyquan ThorntonKCDEN
INJ--Rome OdunzeCHI@SF
INJ--Anthony GouldINDJAX
IR--Noah BrownWASDAL
IR-R--Tutu AtwellLAR@ATL
IR-R--Ashton DulinINDJAX
IR-R--Josh ReynoldsNYJNE
IR-R--Tory HortonSEA@CAR
IR--Garrett WilsonNYJNE
IR--Calvin RidleyTENNO
RES--Brandon AiyukSFCHI

➕ BEST WR PICKUPS: Week 17 waiver wire

What fantasy WR injury news should I know for Week 17?

  • DK Metcalf is suspended for two games and looks set to miss this week, barring an appeal.
  • Rashee Rice (TNF), Davante Adams, Devaughn Vele, Luther Burden, Rome Odunze, and Ricky Pearsall will be monitored heading into the weekend's action.

Who are the top fantasy wide receivers for Week 17?

Familiar faces like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Puka Nacua, George Pickens, Chris Olave, Ja'Marr Chase, and A.J. Brown make up the top six in these initial WR fantasy rankings.

Arguably the biggest riser into the "lock 'em in" territory is Zay Flowers. The Ravens' matchup with the Packers' sieves for cornerbacks locks him into top-10 territory; Green Bay has allowed 45.5 PPR points per game to the position in the past month, ranking as the second-best doormat for the position.

Who are the top Week 17 fantasy sleepers at wide receiver?

While sleepers, in the traditional, "from out of nowhere" sense, may not be plentiful with byes over, boost these names:

  • Jaguars receivers Jakobi Meyers and Brian Thomas Jr. should be in lineups against a Colts secondary that's quickly become one of the friendliest fantasy matchups for this position.
  • Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and even Jalen Nailor might have quarterback issues with Max Brosmer likely to fill in for J.J. McCarthy (hand), but the Lions' secondary remains friendly to the position.
  • A much sturdier backup QB picture should prompt you to play Packers receivers against the Ravens' own weak defensive backfield; Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Romeo Doubs all have justfiable cases to start.
  • The Rams' defensive backfield also ranks among the most welcoming for fantasy points to wideouts, meaning the Falcons' Darnell Mooney and David Sills V belong in flex conversations for deeper leagues.

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Which fantasy WRs are on Week 17 bye?

NFL bye weeks are complete for the 2025-2026 season. All active, healthy wide receivers are at the disposal of fantasy players.

Category: General Sports