I was about to go to bed last night when I heard a commotion downstairs, so I went down to check it out.
Imagine my surprise when I encountered Santa Claus, who was dutifully placing presents beneath our Christmas tree. He must have known we’d be out of town for Christmas and decided to pay us an early visit.
“Hey, man,” I said quietly, not wanting to startle him. “If I’d known you were coming, I would have put out milk and cookies.”
Santa turned to face me and smiled a wry smile.
“A cookie might have been nice,” he said, “but I’m done with milk. Lactose intolerance.”
Santa returned to his work but made small talk while he unloaded his sack.
“Is there anything you were hoping to get for Christmas?” he asked.
“Well, I’ve got a couple of championship games coming up this weekend. Anything you can do to heal up George Kittle‘s ankle?”
“I’m not a witch,” the old man said with a scowl. “I’m Santa Claus. But yes, I have Kittle, too, and I don’t want to have to start Mark Andrews against Billy the Elf this week.”
Turns out Santa is an avid fantasy gamer. He bets player props, too. Who knew?
One thing Santa is not happy about is the three-game NFL slate on Christmas Day. Santa says it’s fine to have Christmas football every few years when Christmas Day falls on a Sunday. But otherwise, he’d prefer that people pay full attention to family and friends on Christmas rather than football. Santa says the league is being too greedy, and that it’s a karmic comeuppance to have this year’s Christmas Day slate turn out to be such a dud.
Santa and I talked football for a few more minutes while he finished his work, and then he turned to go.
“If you don’t mind, I’m going to use the front door,” he said. “Your chimney could use a cleaning.”
Santa walked outside, shimmied up the side of the house, then climbed into his sleigh. A few commands to his reindeer team, and he was on his way.
But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight,
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all Rachaad White!”
Now, let’s get to the 10 most intriguing players of Week 17.
The 10 Most Intriguing Fantasy Football Players of Week 17
1. Ashton Jeanty (RB – LV)
Ashton Jeanty stakeholders have faced some agonizing start/sit decisions with the highly touted rookie this season.
Jeanty had a breakout game against the Bears in Week 14, with 138 rushing yards, 17 receiving yards, and three touchdowns. However, Raiders left tackle Kolton Miller sustained a high-ankle sprain and a hairline fracture in that game, and the Raiders placed him on injured reserve.
With Miller out and center Jackson Powers-Johnson also missing time, Jeanty struggled to find operating space. Over a 10-game stretch from Week 5 to Week 15, Jeanty averaged 3.2 yards per carry and ran for 50 or fewer yards in seven of those games, with a high-water mark of 75 rushing yards. He was RB28 in half-point PPR fantasy points per game over that span despite averaging a robust 17.4 touches a game.
Last week, in a seemingly nasty matchup against the vaunted Houston defense, Jeanty carried 24 times for 128 yards and a touchdown, adding a 60-yard touchdown catch to finish RB1 for the week.
In Week 17, Jeanty has a dream matchup against the Giants, who are giving up 121.9 rushing yards per game and 5.7 yards per carry to running backs. Additionally, it’s possible the Raiders get Miller back this week. He’s returned to practice and could be activated in time for Sunday’s game.
Jeanty’s rookie season has been a bumpy ride, but the finish could be magical.
2. Puka Nacua (WR – LAR)
What can Puka Nacua possibly do for an encore after his epic performance against the Seahawks in Week 16?
His stakeholders can’t wait to find out.
Nacua went on a rampage in Seattle, catching 12 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns on 16 targets. Matthew Stafford relied on Nacua heavily with veteran Davante Adams sidelined by a hamstring injury.
Adams is unlikely to be back this week, so Nacua should be in line for another big target share this week against the Falcons.
After the big game against the Seahawks, Nacua has a league-high 114 catches for 1,592 yards and eight touchdowns. He leads all receivers in fantasy points per game regardless of scoring format.
Nacua carried a lot of fantasy managers to victory in Week 16. Now, let’s see if he can carry his investors to championships.
3. RJ Harvey (RB – DEN)
Better late than never, huh?
There was a lot of summer enthusiasm for RJ Harvey when the Broncos selected him in the second round of this year’s NFL Draft. Denver had a screaming need at running back, and Broncos head coach Sean Payton had a history of generating significant fantasy value with his RBs.
Over his first 12 games, Harvey averaged 6.2 carries and 23.3 rushing yards. He was offering some pass-catching value, with 31 receptions for 222 yards, and he scored five touchdowns over a three-game span from Week 7 to Week 9. Unfortunately, not many fantasy managers were starting Harvey in those games because his rushing production had been so sparse.
However, with J.K. Dobbins out for the season, Harvey has assumed a much more substantial role in the Denver offense, and he’s been thriving. Harvey has five TD runs over his last four games. He’s averaging 14 carries, 56.3 rushing yards, and 30.8 receiving yards a game over that stretch.
The Broncos are still fighting for the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, and they have a Christmas Night matchup against the Chiefs, who have been eliminated from playoff contention and will be starting a third-string quarterback this week after losing Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew to injuries. The once-vaunted Chiefs run defense let Titans RBs Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears combine for 154 rushing yards last week.
After the slow start, Harvey could end up cashing winner’s checks for a lot of fantasy gamers.
4. Jahmyr Gibbs (RB – DET)
In last year’s fantasy playoffs, Jahmyr Gibbs went bonkers. Over a three-game stretch from Week 15 to Week 17, Gibbs had 257 rushing yards, 174 receiving yards and four touchdowns, helping deliver championships to many fantasy managers.
Gibbs’ fantasy playoff run hasn’t been quite as fruitful in 2025, but there’s still one more chance for him to deliver.
In Week 15, Gibbs had 38 rushing yards, 23 receiving yards, and no touchdowns against the Rams. In Week 16, he had seven carries for only two yards against the Steelers but salvaged his fantasy numbers with 10 catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.
This week, Gibbs faces a Vikings defense that hasn’t given up a single touchdown pass in its last six games but has been the biggest run funnel in the league. Opponent are running against the Vikings on a league-high 51% of their offensive plays. The Vikings have faced a league-high 399 rushing attempts from opposing running backs and have allowed the sixth-most rushing yards.
Gibbs figures to get an ample dose of carries in Minnesota this Sunday. Let’s see how many fantasy teams he can carry across the finish line this year.
5. Chris Olave (WR – NO)
Chris Olave is making quite a run in the fantasy playoffs.
The Saints’ undisputed alpha receiver, Olave had six catches for 85 yards and a touchdown against the Panthers in Week 15, then had 10 catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns against the Jets last week on a season-high 16 targets.
Rookie QB Tyler Shough has been dealing for the Saints. He’s completing 66.7% of his passes and averaging a respectable 6.9 yards per pass attempt. Shough has completed at least 65% of his throws in five consecutive starts.
Perhaps there’s some benefit to being a 26-year-old rookie. Shough hasn’t looked overmatched at all, but when Shough is around the other Saints’ rookies, he might feel slightly out of place.
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Olave has an attractive Week 17 matchup against a Titans secondary that has been decimated by injuries. The receiver’s late-season feast could continue.
6. George Pickens (WR – DAL)
The Autumn of George appeared to be over when George Pickens turned in lackluster performances in Weeks 14 and 15, rekindling old questions about Pickens’ effort.
Last Sunday, on the first day of winter, Pickens recaptured the fine form he’s displayed for most of 2025, catching seven passes for 130 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers.
Pickens is enjoying a career year, establishing new single-season highs in every statistical category. He has 88 catches for 1,342 yards and nine touchdowns, making him the WR4 in half-point PPR scoring.
The matchup with the Chargers was theoretically a tough one, with the Lightning Bolts having allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers. This week, Pickens gets a finger-lickin’ good matchup against the Commanders, who have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to receivers.
Pickens had decent but unspectacular numbers against the Commanders in Week 7, with four catches for 82 yards and no touchdowns. He’s capable of much more in a terrific matchup.
7. Joe Burrow (QB – CIN)
A week ago, some Joe Burrow investors were fretting about the quarterback’s frame of mind after he played poorly in a Week 15 shutout loss to the Ravens and made some cryptic comments about his future with the Bengals.
Anyone who was nervous enough to bench Burrow in Week 16 regretted it. Joe Cool lit up the Dolphins like Clark Griswold’s house in “Christmas Vacation,” throwing for 209 yards and four touchdowns.
Now, Burrow gets a tasty matchup against a Cardinals defense that has given up 40 or more points to four of its last seven opponents. Arizona just put two of its best defenders, CB Garrett Williams and rookie DL Walter Nolen, on injured reserve.
Fear not about Burrow’s mental state. If you’re starting him in your championship game, you’re feeling pretty good about it.
8. Kenneth Walker III (RB – SEA)
Dare we welcome Kenneth Walker back into the circle of trust?
Walker was electric in the Seahawks’ wild 38-37 overtime win over the Rams last Thursday night. He had 11 carries for 100 yards, including a 55-yard touchdowns run. Walker also had three receptions for 64 yards, including a 46-yarder. That performance was good for 23.9 half-point PPR points.
In the 10 games before the outburst against the Rams, Walker had averaged 7.9 half-point PPR points and had hit double-digit points in only two of those games. He typically gets pulled in goal-line situations in favor of Zach Charbonnet, and Walker’s usage in the passing game can be sporadic.
Walker is a big play waiting to happen, but sometimes it’s like waiting for Godot.
The Seahawks visit the Panthers on Sunday. Carolina’s run defense ranks 25th in DVOA and has yielded an average of 137.3 rushing yards over its last four games.
Walker gave us a glimpse of his ceiling in Week 16. Can he squeeze out one more big game, or will the people starting him be cursing under their breath as Charbonnet cuts into Walker’s workload and poaches a touchdown or two?
9. Jaylen Warren (RB – PIT)
With D.K. Metcalf suspended for the rest of the regular season after trying to adjust a Lions fan’s wig, and with Calvin Austin dealing with a hamstring injury, the Steelers are down to the felt at wide receiver.
Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith leans heavily on his running backs and tight ends anyway, and it’s a good bet that Pittsburgh’s running backs will shoulder a heavy load this week against the Browns.
Warren had 143 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the Steelers’ big road win over the Lions last week. It was the first time since Week 7 that Warren had produced 100 or more yards from scrimmage.
Warren’s backfield mate, Kenneth Gainwell, has gone over 100 scrimmage yards in four of his last six games and has five or more receptions in five of his last six contests.
It’s possible that both of the Steelers’ running backs could go off against the Browns this Sunday in Cleveland.
Ever since Cleveland lost run-stuffing DT Maliek Collins to a quad injury, they’ve been defenseless against the run. In the Browns’ first game without Collins, Tony Pollard gashed them for 161 rushing yards and two touchdowns. D’Andre Swift had 98 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Cleveland in Week 15, and James Cook rocked the Browns for 117 rushing yards and two touchdowns last week.
Warren and Gainwell have to be licking their chops.
10. Tony Pollard (RB – TEN)
In a speech to his team the night before Super Bowl XXXI, Green Bay Packers head coach Mike Holmgren gathered his players around a table covered by a sheet. Holmgren pulled off the sheet to reveal an enormous pile of money.
Packers kick returner Desmond Howard, who had a critical kickoff return for a touchdown in that game, recalled what Holmgren told the team:
“Gentleman, this is what we’re playing for. A ring and for this. Not collectively. Individually. That’s what you get. That cash right there.”
Money is obviously a huge motivator for professional athletes, and it can sometimes affect performance. The Packers won that Super Bowl, beating the Patriots 35-21.
(Hat tip to Will Brinson of CBS for recounting that story here.)
Tony Pollard has a financial incentive these days. If Pollard runs for 1,100 yards this season, he’ll earn a $250,000 contract incentive.
That number seemed out of reach just a few weeks ago. Pollard had 582 rushing yards through Week 13. He was averaging 48.5 rushing yards per game and 3.9 yards per carry.
Since then, Pollard has caught fire. He’s rattled off three consecutive 100-yard rushing games, averaging 6.1 yards per carry over that span. He’s also scored three touchdowns in his last three games.
Pollard needs 151 more rushing yards to get his bonus and has two games to do it. This Sunday he’ll face the Saints, who have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to RBs.
Show him the money!
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