🔥Tuesday Morning Fantasy Football Recap

Normally, we have to wait until Week 18 to get names like Gardner Minshew, Malik Willis, Tyler Huntley, Josh Johnson, Brady Cook, Max Brosmer, Quinn Ewers, and Chris Oladokun playing meaningful snaps. But Week 17 was not normal; our championship hopes hung on the performances of these barely-qualified NFL quarterbacks.

Did you manage to survive anyway? Congratulations, you are in the finals, and it’s time to hold nothing back. This is the week to push all the chips in and go for the title.

The Deep Dive Fantasy Newsletter will hit your inbox every Tuesday morning this season, and I will bring you the highlights, waiver wire thoughts, streaming options, and injury reports, all right here in one place.

Waiver Wire Additions for Week 17

Tyler Shough has had multiple top 15 quarterback finishes over the last six weeks and gets the Tennessee Titans in Week 17, who are a bottom 10 team against opposing quarterbacks in 2025. Shough also has rushing upside, including multiple games this season with a rushing touchdown or more than 30 yards gained with his legs.

Dylan Sampson is the next man up after Quinshon Judkins suffered multiple leg injuries in Week 16 (more on that below). He should receive the vast majority of the running back touches against Pittsburgh in Week 17. That’s not the easiest matchup in the world, but they just allowed Jahmyr Gibbs to catch 10 passes for 66 yards and a touchdown, and that might be how the Browns attack this game on Sunday.

Blake Corum has found the end zone five times over the last four games and has not had fewer than 61 rushing yards in any of those contests. The Los Angeles Rams’ offense has condensed to a point where you know the ball is going to Puka Nacua, Davante Adams (when healthy), Kyren Williams, or Blake Corum. He is a clear RB2 or Flex candidate this week.

Parker Washington had several down weeks but bounced back in a big way with 145 yards and a touchdown against the Broncos on Sunday. His 10 targets were his second-most of the season, and the yards were a season-high. The Jaguars’ passing attack is tough to predict with so many weapons, but Trevor Lawrence is elevating many receivers right now, and Washington is at the top of the list.

Troy Franklin could be in line for big work again after Pat Bryant left Week 16’s game with a scary concussion off a vicious hit at the end of the game. Before Denver’s bye week, Franklin had a stretch of five consecutive games with at least eight targets and scored four touchdowns in that span. He should be in line for more than 80% of snaps again and could see his target numbers rise as a result.

Taysom Hill was the answer to the question “Who will replace Alvin Kamara and Devin Neal when they are both out?” Hill rushed 12 times for 42 yards and caught four passes for another 36 yards. He also was able to throw a touchdown to Chris Olave. We know Hill has all of those tools in his bag and could be a high-upside tight end against the Tennessee Titans in championship week.

Who to Stream in Week 17

Cam Ward now has three games in a row with multiple touchdowns, when he had zero such games in Weeks 1-13. Those games have come against Cleveland, San Francisco, and Kansas City, so it’s not like he has had the easiest schedule during that time, either. Now he gets the New Orleans Saints at home, who have been a mediocre defense against quarterbacks.

I’m not saying anyone should prioritize playing Geno Smith this week, but if you’re in a 2QB or Superflex league, there is a chance of a good game here. In Smith’s last four games, he has played four top ten defenses against quarterbacks, and has scored double-digit points in all of them. He just put up 200 yards and two touchdowns on the ferocious Houston defense in Week 16. Now he gets the New York Giants, who have the third-worst defense against quarterbacks this season.

AJ Barner caught four of six targets for 49 yards and a touchdown in the Seahawks' 38-37 overtime win over the Rams on Thursday night. He has been involved with at least four targets in each of his last seven games, and the game he had on Thursday was his best since Week 5.

Mike Gesicki has at least four targets in four of his last five games and has caught two touchdowns in that span, including a score and 35 yards in Week 16. The Bengals now get the Arizona Cardinals, who have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to tight ends this season.

Fantasy Football Injuries to Monitor

Lamar Jackson injured his back during the second quarter of the Sunday Night Football game against New England and did not return for the second half, giving way to Tyler Huntley to finish the contest. With the loss suffered by the Ravens, they must win out for a chance at the playoffs, and Jackson has stated he wants to play on Saturday. An MRI on Monday should give us a better sense of the severity.

JJ McCarthy suffered a hand injury in the first half against the New York Giants and was relieved by Max Brosmer the rest of the way. It appears McCarthy avoided any broken bones but will undergo further testing this week.

Gardner Minshew left the game against the Tennessee Titans with a knee injury, and the team is already stating it might be a torn ACL. This comes a week after losing Patrick Mahomes to the same injury, so it might be up to Chris Oladukon to finish out the Chiefs’ lost season.

Quinshon Judkins suffered a fractured fibula and a dislocated ankle in Week 16’s loss to the Bills, but it doesn’t appear he is dealing with any significant ligament damage. The report coming out of Cleveland has stated it might be a four- or five-month absence for Judkins, and now Dylan Sampson and Jerome Ford will take over the running back duties.

Kimani Vidal had been losing touches to Omarion Hampton the last two weeks, and now comes the news that he has a neck injury that is labeling him as day to day and could keep him out of Week 17. Vidal was down on the ground for a while and did not return after trainers were able to get him safely back to the sideline.

Jordan Mason hurt his ankle right after Aaron Jones hurt his ankle in the same game. But Mason was unable to return to the matchup against the Giants and is now in danger of missing the game against Detroit this coming weekend. Zavier Scott would be the Vikings' running back to use if both Jones and Mason can’t play.

TreVeyon Henderson was forced out of the Sunday night game against Baltimore with a head injury in the first half and was ruled out during halftime. He was unable to come back into the game, which allowed Rhamondre Stevenson to take over all the running back touches. Henderson now has a hard road ahead to play against the New York Jets in Week 17.

Pat Bryant was taken to the hospital after a scary hit after a reception in the Broncos game against Jacksonville on Sunday afternoon. He was immediately placed in concussion protocol, but there was fear for a period of time that Bryant did not have movement in his arms and legs. He regained that movement, but it’s hard to see him coming back for the Broncos’ next game on Christmas night.

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There are also more articles on 4for4.com discussing all things Week 16 in the NFL. Check back throughout the week for much more.

Fantasy Football Week 16 Recap

Week 16 Injury Report

Week 17 Waiver Wire Watch