The 2025 NFL Schedule has now been released, which means we can finally start dialing in our game stacks and mini correlations for the most important week in best ball–Week 17, aka Championship week.

Why Are Week 17 Games Important for Best Ball?

If you are unfamiliar with why we care about stacking up players from the same games in Week 17, I highly recommend checking out some of our previous articles on the subject:

• Why you should be stacking in best ball
• Why we need to optimize for Week 17 in large-field tournaments like Best Ball Mania

In this piece, I wanted to have a little fun and rank every single Week 17 game. The factors that went into my highly scientific model for ranking these games include game location, scoring environment, the ADPs of the players, and most importantly, vibes.

Before we get to the fun, though, I do want to offer a quick disclaimer about how to think about correlation, because there will be a huge temptation to focus exclusively on the top five or so games and ignore the ones that look less appealing.

Predicting which games are going to pop off is ultimately a fool's errand (albeit a fun one). Correlating our teams is an act of humility. We can't predict the future, but we do know that when a given game does shoot out, there will be multiple fantasy winners from the game.

And because of that, we want to correlate indiscriminately across all of the Week 17 matchups.

That said, we do know that games played in domes and warm weather locations historically feature more scoring than outdoor games in cold weather. We also can safely assume that the Josh Allen-led Bills will project for more points than the Mason Rudolph(?)-led Steelers in Week 17. These inputs can help us tilt exposures in more advantageous directions. We just don't want to get too overconfident in that regard.

For each game, I'll also give my favorite correlation angle. You'll notice that these angles skew toward cheaper correlations because I believe correlation is less important in the early rounds and becomes increasingly more important as the draft progresses.

Alright, here is the definitive ranking of all the Week 17 games from worst to best …

Week 17 Games Ranked for Best Ball Championship Weekend

16. STEELERS @ BROWNS: The Turd Bowl

Environment: Outdoors, cold, low total

It's hard to envision a worse game environment than an outdoor divisional matchup in January between two teams that don't have an NFL-caliber quarterback on the roster. 

Still, there are some fun mini-correlations to mix in here and there.

Favorite angle: I'll take stabs on. DK Metcalf and Jerry Jeudy with the idea that they could speed up the game together with big plays. 

15. SAINTS @ TITANS: By Hook Or By Rook

Environment: Outdoors, likely cold, low total

Two rookie QBs with limited weapons playing outdoors doesn't seem like a spot I'm rushing to game stack, but there are enough inexpensive pieces here to dabble.

Favorite angle: I like the idea of leaning into the cheaper (and younger) options for this game with guys like Devin Neal and the Titans' rookie WRs.

14. PATRIOTS @ JETS: Konami Coded

Environment: Outdoors, cold, low total

This game environment doesn't look particularly enticing, but two mobile QBs in Justin Fields and Drake Maye give us a glimmer of upside hope. The Patriots side of this stack is relatively cheap, so it won't be hard to build out some stacks if you land one of Garrett Wilson or Breece Hall early. 

Favorite angle: Braelon Allen/Hunter Henry mini.

13. SEAHAWKS @ PANTHERS: Young & (Darn)old

Environment: Outdoors, likely cold, low total

The Panthers are one of the easiest teams to back-stack in the entire contest. This game will set up well for selecting a premium piece early (Jaxon Smith-Njigba/Kenneth Walker; Tetairoa McMillan/Chuba Hubbard) and then loading up on Panthers late (Bryce Young, Xavier Legette, Adam Thielen, Rico Dowdle, Jalen Coker, and Ja'Tavion Sanders).

Favorite angle: Walker + a backdoor Young stack.

12. RAVENS @ PACKERS: Low Temps, High T

Environment: Outdoors, cold, average total

These teams both feature a ton of explosive players and have plenty of options at varying price points throughout the draft, which will make it tempting to load up. Still, it's hard to love this set-up where two run-focused teams meet in the dead of winter.

Favorite angle: Henry + backdoor Jordan Love stack. 

11. BRONCOS @ CHIEFS: Bo & Arrow

Environment: Outdoors, cold, average total

Like the Ravens and Packers, this matchup sounds sexier than it likely will play out. Two years ago, we all got very excited for a Bengals/Chiefs Week 17 game at Arrowhead, and it ended in a 25-17 game with only 3 TDs and 7 field goals.

I envision Mahomes double stacks with a cheap Broncos bring-back will be fairly popular based on how the ADPs line up.

Favorite angle: Bo Nix stacks with a backup Chiefs RB. 

10. GIANTS @ RAIDERS: Won't Geno Be My Nabers?

Environment: Dome, average total

This is our first game that has true "slop-it-up" appeal. By that, I mean a game that could be a shootout in a surprise (and likely sloppy) fashion. There are so many unknowns, specifically with the QB situation in New York. Malik Nabers with Brock Bowers will be a heavily coveted pairing to pull off in Rounds 1 and Round 2. My guess is the field will gravitate to Geno Smith stacks paired with a Giants RB or late-round WR.

Favorite angle: Bowers + Giants RB mini correlation.

9. JAGS @ COLTS: Jonathan Taylor Thomas

Environment: Dome, average total

This game also has a slop-it-up appeal. Outside of Brian Thomas, Jonathan Taylor, and Travis Hunter, every other piece in this game is relatively cheap. If we knew for sure who would be starting at QB for the Colts, you could make the case for this game to be much higher in the ranks.

Favorite angle: Taylor + Trevor Lawrence double stacks.

8. COWBOYS @ COMMANDERS: Terry Had A Little Lamb

Environment: Outdoors, cold, high total

I wish this game were in Dallas, but this is one of those Divisional games that could really pop off. The Washington pieces are fairly expensive, but you'll have no problem finding cheap Cowboys to tack on in the double-digit rounds. 

Favorite angle: Dak triple stack with one WR + one RB + Jake Ferguson.

7. EAGLES @ BILLS: Super Bowl Preview

Environment: Outdoors, cold, high total

This game has an incredibly wide range of outcomes. It could be one of those "games of the year" or a complete slugfest on the ground with Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts taking matters into their own hands (and feet). These pieces are all very expensive, which is never my preferred way to build out game stacks.

Favorite angle: The tight ends (Dalton Kincaid/Dallas Goedert) and back-up RBs (Ray Davis/Will Shipley) will likely be my preferred way to target this game.

6. CARDINALS @ BENGALS: Chalk Chasing

Environment: Outdoors, likely cold, high total

I have a feeling this one is going to get trendy. You have the perfect ADP storm of Ja'Marr Chase at 1.01, and then four legit options to select at the Round 2/3 turn in Tee Higgins, Trey McBride, Marvin Harrison, and Chase Brown. It'll be very hard to get creative with stacks in this game.

Favorite angle: Trey Benson + Mike Gesicki mini correlation.

5. BUCS @ DOLPHINS: Flo Rida

Environment: Outdoors, warm, high total

This game has some serious potential if the Dolphins can hold up their end of the bargain. This one will be fairly expensive to stack up with six players going in the first six rounds, but there are lots of fun angles to play here. 

Favorite angle: De'Von Achane + Baker Mayfield doubles.

4. TEXANS @ CHARGERS: Twinning

Environment: Dome, average total

This rematch from the playoffs sets up really well for stacking. There are ADP twins up and down the draft board: (Nico Collins and Ladd McConkey early, Omarion Hampton and Joe Mixon in Rounds 4 and 5, the rookie WRs Jayden Higgins and Tre Harris around 100, and the QBs Justin Herbert and C.J. Stroud). 

Favorite angle: Loading up on the aforementioned rookies, as well as Jaylin Noel and Woody Marks.

3. RAMS @ FALCONS: The McVay Tree Bowl

Environment: Dome, high total

This game could get nutty. The premium pieces are expensive, but there are lots of cheap late options that make this the perfect game to target a single piece early and then build out the back stack starting around pick 150 with one of the QBs, the back-up RBs, and tight ends.

Favorite angle: Rams premium piece + cheap Falcons onslaught. 

2. BEARS @ NINERS: 1.01 & Mr. Irrelevant

Environment: Outdoors, warm, high total

This game has the potential to be extremely fun. The new-look Bears should be hitting their stride at this point and the Niners remain an offensive juggernaut who has no problem facilitating shootouts (i.e. 40-34 Week 17 matchup vs. the Lions last year).

These stacks won't be cheap, but there's basically a viable selection in every round from Round 4 to Round 10. 

Favorite angle: Caleb Williams double + 1-2 Niners pieces. 

1. LIONS @ VIKINGS: The Ultimate Dome Boner 

Environment: Dome, high total

Lions. Vikings. Dome. What else needs to be said? These stacks are fairly expensive, but I can't imagine sitting this one out with how many explosive players will be getting opportunities on the fast track.

Favorite angle: One unique angle that I hope opens up via positive training camp buzz is selecting the two rookie WRs in this game who are both currently free (Isaac TeSlaa and Tai Felton).