You made it. If you're reading these Week 17 WR/CB matchups, there's a high likelihood that you're fighting for ultimate fantasy football glory this week ... or for the third-place title, or to avoid the toilet bowl title. Whatever your situation may be, you want to win. And one way to zero in on winning is by identifying the best and worst WR-CB matchups for the week. It's the micro-edges that make a difference, and I'm here to break them down.

WR Matchups To Target In Week 17

Chris Olave at the Titans

Honestly, what a season it’s been for Chris Olave, but the last month emphasizes how well he’s fit into HC Kellen Moore’s offense.

The former Buckeye has run a career-high 42.0% of his routes from the slot, and the ’25 version of the Saints’ passing game is using his skills as a route runner. Olave has already secured 56 targets across the middle of the field, which clears his previous season-high of 53. And while some of it came with Spencer Rattler, the emergence of Tyler Shough has put more attention on New Orleans and its WR1 despite the down year.

• Target Rate: 29.7% (w/ Rattler), 27.6% (w/ Shough)
• Receiving Yards per Game: 62.9, 77.3
• Yards per Route Run: 1.64, 2.17

Olave has the talent, but we also need the situation for a receiver to succeed. And there’s not a much better game environment than facing the Titans (unless you’re the injury-riddled Chiefs). Outside of last week, Tennessee has allowed at least one WR to reach 15 or more PPR points in a single game and seven TDs to the position since their bye. Assuming Olave continues to headline the Saints’ aerial attack in Week 17, he should be a top-12 option at the position.

DJ Moore at the 49ers

So, let me give my stance on DJ Moore.

Yes, he should absolutely be in your starting lineup for Week 17. The man just caught a game-winning TD last Saturday night. Despite all of the discussion earlier in the season about Moore getting phased out of the offense, it’s clear Caleb Williams trusts Moore on at least the downfield attempts. However, Moore’s situation is a bit different than Olave’s.

Because, remember, the Saints lost two pass-catchers (Devaughn Vele and Devin Neal), and that prompted them to turn Olave into their own version of Ja’Marr Chase. That wasn’t the case with Moore. Rome Odunze and Luther Burden were inactive, and Moore had a one-target lead on Olamide Zaccheaus through regulation. However, against the 49ers, his potential lack of volume shouldn’t be much of an issue.

• Week 16: Josh Downs, 9-65-0
• Week 12: Tetairoa McMillan, 7-35-1
• Week 11: Michael Wilson, 18-185-0

I’m not focusing on the results (although Moore replicating Wilson’s stat line would be great). How each WR won should be what we try to isolate. And Moore has the skill sets displayed by all three receivers in his toolbag.

Downs and Philip Rivers continued to hook up on timing routes to the outside. McMillan shook loose for a long score on a deep post route. And the Cardinals kept moving the chains on hitches and comeback routes. Each Moore has displayed throughout the season, and Williams has shown the willingness to hit Moore on those concepts. The only concern is passing volume as the Bears’ rushing attack is their primary means of moving the ball, but the QB-WR efficiency should keep Moore in the WR2 discussion for Week 17.

Sneaky WR Matchups To Target In Week 17

Wan’Dale Robinson at the Raiders

OK, I’ll start with the positives for Wan’Dale Robinson.

Robinson has maintained his WR1 role with Jaxson Dart back under center. He’s secured over 30% of the targets in two of Dart’s three games. Robinson also still commands the slot role, with 52.1% of his routes coming from the inside. His pre-snap alignment lends itself to his 71% catchable target rate. To go with the opportunity, the fourth-year receiver’s environment is also fantasy-friendly. The Raiders are ninth in PPR PPG allowed to WRs. Four different WRs have had double-digit results against them over their last month of action. My only concern is the Giants’ offense as a whole.

• Pass Attempts per Game: 29.1 (Weeks 4-10), 24.3 (since Week 13)
• Plays per Game: 64.4, 56.0

New York has been slowing down to close out the season. Against the Vikings, Dart had just 13 pass attempts, and the team ran a total of 48 plays. There were just five attempts by the half, with one completion. The hope is that this was game-plan specific, as DC Brian Flores had Dart’s pressure and blitz rates over 40%. If so, there should be enough volume for Robinson to be a viable WR2 in PPR leagues for Week 17. 

Stefon Diggs at the Jets

To be clear, this is a Mack Hollins’ recommendation in disguise. 

Yes, Stefon Diggs had one of his better games of the season (second-best PPR point total). But it’s been maddening trying to figure out when he’ll go from an ancillary player to full-time status in the offense. Even in the Bills’ rematch last week, a game the Patriots ultimately lost, Diggs’ route rate was still under 60%. Sunday night was the veteran WR’s first time above 70% of Drake Maye’s dropbacks since mid-November. Meanwhile, Mack Hollins has been on the field and earning looks on both sides of the bye.

Honestly, the real impetus for the Hollins love is because Kayshon Boutte had to enter the concussion protocol after he sustained a hit to the head late in the fourth quarter. If he has to sit (which, given the team’s playoff aspirations, I’d understand giving him a week off), the downfield role should condense around Hollins.

Even against the Ravens, while Diggs led the pass-catchers in targets, Hollins sat atop the air yards leaderboard. The Jets have allowed the fourth-highest explosive play rate to WRs over their last six games, while allowing 235.5 passing YPG to their opponents (seventh-most). The environment should make Diggs the safe play, but Hollins a mid-range WR3 for Week 17.

WR Matchup to Avoid in Week 17

Quentin Johnston vs the Texans

Note: As always, “avoid” doesn’t mean “sit.” It implies that the matchups or trends around a player’s usage indicate we should lower our expectations regarding their projected output.

My recommendation to work around Quentin Johnston is more of a “let’s see how the Chargers’ offense performs” take. Of course, Justin Herbert can continue to play like an MVP candidate, create explosives with a busted (non-throwing) hand, and drag the Chargers to the playoffs. He just did it last week. But here’s the difference between the defense LA just faced and the one on tap for Saturday.

• Pressure Rate (last six games): 38.4% (DAL), 40.6% (HOU)
• Sack Rate: 4.5%, 9.8%
• Passing Yards per Game Allowed: 262.8, 183.7

Again, this isn’t to say Herbert continues to stay in Super Saiyan mode. And with the way the Texans have played on defense the last couple of weeks, he might not have to be. The Raiders and Cardinals, with similar offensive line woes, have put the Texans on their heels over the last couple of weeks. Regardless, the environment adds more volatility to a play like Johnston, making him a FLEX play at best for the finals.

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