Irving, Allen among 9 players who can spark fantasy football championship

Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Bucky Irving and Keenan Allen are among nine players I expect to help fantasy football teams win titles in Week 17.

This collection of players includes typical starters, as well as matchup-based options for the final week of many fantasy football leagues. Jayden Daniels, Adam Thielen and Kyren Williams are among the other players who should be in stockholders' starting lineups.

Those who roster Drake London, Jaylen Waddle, Jalen Hurts, Kenneth Walker III, James Conner, Christian Watson, Zay Flowers, Xavier Legette, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Alvin Kamara, Aaron Rodgers and other players dealing with injuries should continue to monitor their status before plugging them into lineups.

My group of potential fantasy football title contributors includes one quarterback, four running backs and four wide receivers.

Quarterback

Jayden Daniels

Washington Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels averaged the fifth-most fantasy points per game among quarterbacks through 16 weeks, but has been at his best as of late. Daniels ranks second in points per game over the last four weeks, when he threw 12 touchdown passes while rushing for another two scores.

He eclipsed 65 rushing yards in three of those starts. He also threw for more than 225 yards three times during that stretch.

He now will lead the Commanders against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night in Landover, Md. Look for the likely Rookie of the Year to continue to awe fans with a pristine primetime performance.

The Falcons allowed the seventh-most fantasy points and tied for surrendering the most passing scores (1.9) per bout to quarterbacks so far this season. They only allowed two passing scores over the last two weeks, but those games were against Drew Lock and Desmond Ridder after Sam Darnold lit them up for 347 yards and five scores in Week 14.

Daniels is an elite play. I expect at least 250 passing yards and three total scores from the young playmaker. Baker Mayfield is among other quarterbacks who should be considered elite options during championship week. Caleb Williams and Bryce Young are among streaming options if you need a spot starter.

Running backs

Jahmyr Gibbs

All of my running back plays would likely stay in your lineup regardless of matchup, but I project high-end RB1 results from Jahmyr Gibbs, Jonathan Taylor, Kyren Williams and Bucky Irving in Week 17.

Gibbs is my favorite running back to start this week. The Detroit Lions' weapon was the third-best running back in fantasy football, in terms of points per game, through the first 16 weeks of the season. He averaged more than 100 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown each game during that span, with 1,596 total yards and 15 scores for the Lions.

Gibbs accounted for at least 100 yards from scrimmage and/or found the end zone in every game this season. He accomplished both feats in six of his 15 appearances and should do so again this week against the San Francisco 49ers, who just allowed 190 yards from scrimmage to De'Von Achane in a Week 16 loss to the Miami Dolphins.

That performance marked the fourth time in five weeks that the 49ers allowed more than 100 yards from scrimmage to a running back. Gibbs is locked in as a game-breaker for your fantasy football finale.

Jonathan Taylor

Taylor should be a Top 5 play in Week 17. The Indianapolis Colts star helped many teams reach the fantasy football championship with his 218-yard, three-score Week 16 showing.

Taylor eclipsed 100 yards from scrimmage in each of his last three games and scored four times during that stretch. He will now face a New York Giants defense that allowed the fourth-most rushing yards to running backs so far this season.

Kyren Williams

Williams is another terrific RB1, thanks to his stellar play and a solid matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. The Los Angeles Rams running back eclipsed 100 yards from scrimmage in each of his last four games. He found the end zone in four of his last five appearances, with five total touchdowns during that span.

He is now set to face a Cardinals defense that just allowed 165 yards from scrimmage and two scores to Chuba Hubbard in Week 16.

Bucky Irving

Irving provided RB2/flex play value for most of this season, but was a borderline RB1 in recent weeks, in terms of fantasy points per game.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie totaled more than 85 yards from scrimmage in five of his last six appearances, including more than 100 in three of those games. This week, Irving and the Buccaneers will battle a Carolina Panthers defense that allowed the most rushing yards (141.1) and fantasy points to running backs through 16 weeks.

That stretch included surrendering more than 120 yards from scrimmage to a running back in each of their last four games.

Irving, who started that trend with 185 yards from scrimmage and a score against the Panthers in Week 13, is set up for another explosion.

Wide receiver

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba is a borderline WR1 this week. The second-year pass catcher ranks 12th in fantasy points per game among wide receivers over the last four weeks.

Smith-Njigba totaled 24 targets over the last two weeks. He totaled at least 69 receiving yards in each of his last eight appearances. He also found the end zone and/or eclipsed 100 yards in five of his last seven appearances.

He now will face a Chicago Bear defense that just allowed 143 yards and a score to Jameson Williams and 70 yards and a score to Amon-Ra St. Brown in Week 16. The Bears also surrendered 73 yards and a score to Justin Jefferson in Week 15 and 90 yards and two scores to Jauan Jennings in Week 14.

Smith-Njigba is a near-lock to find the end zone in this NFC meeting.

Calvin Ridley

Calvin Ridley has been an inconsistent WR3 play for most of this season, but provided WR1-level production several times. Look for the Tennessee Titans pass catcher to do so again this week when he faces one of his former teams, the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Ridley received his second-most targets (12) of the season in his last meeting with the Jaguars, a Week 14 loss. He received at least five looks in each of his last 11 games.

Ridley turned in just one 100-yard performance so far in 2024, but scored four times through 16 weeks. I expect a decent yardage total and another end zone trip here when the veteran faces a Jaguars defense that allowed the third-most receiving yards (174.3) and fifth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers so far this season.

Keenan Allen

Keenan Allen and Adam Thielen are among my other favorite wide receivers to start in Week 17. Allen was the second-best fantasy football wide receiver in Week 16, when he caught nine passes for a season-high 141 yards and a score.

The performance marked the fourth time in five weeks that Allen found the end zone. He also received at least 13 targets in three of his last five games. I expect Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams to continue to target this veteran against the Seahawks, who just allowed 144 yards and two scores to Justin Jefferson and another score to Jordan Addison in Week 16.

Allen can be used as a WR2.

Adam Thielen

Thielen has been a steady WR2 whenever he has been in the Carolina Panthers' lineup in 2024, with a touchdown in three of his last six appearances. He also averaged more than 70 yards per game over his last five starts.

The Panthers will face the Buccaneers this week in an NFC South divisional matchup. The Buccaneers allowed the third-most catches (13.9), seventh-most receiving yards (158.5) and 10th-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers so far this season.

Thielen, who totaled 99 yards and a score on eight catches against the Buccaneers in Week 13, should provide similarly sneaky value this week.