5 best fantasy football pickups to make for Week 17

Let’s break down the five best fantasy football pickups to make for Week 17.

Week 16 of the NFL season included some surprising performances and notable storylines, which had a profound impact in fantasy football leagues.

Wide receivers Kendrick Bourne, Isaiah Hodgins, and Greg Dortch all topped 20 fantasy points, despite being rostered in less than five percent of ESPN leagues. Tight end Shane Zylstra surprisingly broke out with three receiving touchdowns. Meanwhile, Jared Goff, Gardner Minshew II, Sam Darnold, and Daniel Jones are top-10 fantasy quarterbacks this week, as of Monday morning.

With a plenty of options on the waiver wire, let’s break down the five best fantasy football pickups to make for Week 17. All players listed are widely available in ESPN leagues. This week, four players are available in at least 50 percent of leagues.

5. Best fantasy football pickups for Week 17: QB Gardner Minshew II, Philadelphia Eagles

Rostered: 27.2%

Minshew Mania is back!

On Saturday, Minshew made his first start of the season. He threw for 355 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also rushed for five yards and a touchdown. As of Monday morning, he is the seventh-highest-scoring fantasy quarterback this week.

Historically, Minshew has been a productive fantasy quarterback, when he was on the field. He made eight starts in 2020. Across the first seven weeks of the season, he was 12th among quarterbacks in fantasy points.

Jalen Hurts is dealing with a shoulder injury. His status for Week 17 remains up in the air. If Hurts does not suit up, Minshew is an excellent streaming option.