Week 17 injury update, starting/sitting advice, predictions and more

The Denver Broncos face the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17. Here you’ll find the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineup this week and going forward, especially regarding RB Javonte Williams.

Will Javonte Williams play in Week 17?

Williams is not listed on the injury report this week, so barring any setbacks, he is on track to play on Thursday.

We will continue to monitor the Broncos’ injury report. You can also visit and bookmark our NFL Injury Tracker and Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.

Should you start or sit Javonte Williams in Week 17?

If you want to play against Denver RB in 2024 with any level of confidence, I think I have a pretty good idea of ​​how your season went. Thank you for sticking with us as you head into what will almost certainly be a meaningless week for your team.

Week 16 Bronco RB production

• Javonte Williams: 50.8% snaps, 12.3 fantasy points, 22 routes run
• Audric Estimate: 20.6% snaps, 10.8 fantasy points, 4 routes run
• Michael Burton: 15.9% snaps, 10.9 fantasy points, 6 routes run
• Jaleel McLaughlin: DNP (Quad)

Yes, based on expectations, any of those point totals would have worked, but come on, you’re better than that. You’ve been rocking PFN all season, so you’re a smart manager who values ​​stability over individual results, predictability over production, and rolls over randomness appreciates.

This crowded backcourt put up 37.3 PPR points against the Chargers in Week 16, and that allowed everyone to produce while McLaughlin was sidelined. This too is a story of the past, not the future.

This season, 35+ running back points are scored in less than 12% of team games, making last week’s results an outlier. Additionally, this offense has no predetermined hierarchy and there is simply no way to get into that backfield this week. I don’t care how much you want to face this Bengals defense.

Looking for starting/sitting tips for other players in your lineup? Read our cheat sheet of Week 17 fantasy starting sit advice for every fantasy-relevant player in every game.

Javonte Williams’ Week 17 Fantasy Points Prediction

As of Saturday, Williams is projected to score 11.3 fantasy points in PPR formats. This includes 14.3 rushing attempts for 58.7 yards and 0.2 touchdowns. It also includes 1.3 receptions for 19.7 yards and 0.1 touchdowns.

Check out the free PFN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer this week for the latest predictions and advice for your lineups.

PFN insight into the Bengals defense

Where does that come from? The Bengals entered Week 16 as the third-worst defense of the season, but posted the highest grade of any unit at 86.2. It’s easily Cincinnati’s best grade of the season and the first time the Bengals have posted the best grade in a single week since Defense+ began in 2019.

Unfortunately, Defense+ is not enemy adjusted, so this deserves a small asterisk.

The Browns started Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who was one of the worst NFL quarterbacks in recent memory in a small sample. Thompson-Robinson played two qualifying games all season and recorded the second-worst and 24th-worst games of any quarterback in 2024.

The Bengals committed three more turnovers, which was the unit’s only strength all season. Cincinnati ranks eighth in takeaway percentage (13.6%), the only category that falls into the “Defense+” category and in which the Bengals perform above average.

Cincinnati’s defense still needs to be rebuilt before the offseason. But for at least one week, this seemed like a unit deserving of a playoff spot — which is still mathematically possible.

For more insight into all other team defenses, check out our PFN Defense+ Metric Analysis.

Javonte Williams’ fantasy rankings

Below are our weekly consensus PPR rankings – both position-wise and overall. They were last updated on Saturday, December 28th at 3:45 p.m. ET. If you play in a Superflex league, be sure to check out our weekly consensus Superflex rankings.

Week 17 RB PPR rankings

1) Saquon Barkley | PHI (vs. DAL)
2) Jahmyr Gibbs | DET (at SF)
3) Derrick Henry | BAL (at HOU)
4) Bijan Robinson | ATL (at WAS)
5) Josh Jacobs | GB (at MIN)
6) Jonathan Taylor | IND (at NYG)
7) Chase Brown | CIN (vs. DEN)
8) Kyren Williams | LAR (vs. ARI)
9) De’Von Achane | MIA (at CLE)
10) Bucky Irving | TB (compared to CAR)
11) James Conner | ARI (at LAR)
12) James Cook | BUF (vs NYJ)
13) Tyjae Spears | TEN (at JAX)
14) Breece Hall | NYJ (at BUF)
15) Joe Mixon | HOU (vs. BAL)
16) Zach Charbonnet | SEA (at CHI)
17) Aaron Jones | MIN (compared to GB)
18) Jerome Ford | CLE (vs MIA)
19) Brian Robinson Jr. | WHAT (vs. ATL)
20) D’Andre Swift | CHI (vs. SEA)
21) Rico Dowdle | DAL (at PHI)
22) Tyrone Tracy Jr. | NYG (vs IND)
23) Isaac Guerendo | SF (vs. DET)
24) Rhamondre Stevenson | NE (vs LAC)
25) Rachaad White | TB (compared to CAR)
26) JK Dobbins | LAC (at NE)
27) Alexander Mattison | LV (at NE)
28) Jaylen Warren | PIT (against KC)
29) Isiah Pacheco | KC (at PIT)
30) Kimani Vidal | LAC (at NE)
31) Tank Bigsby | JAX (vs. TEN)
32) Javonte Williams | DEN (at CIN)
33) Kendre Miller | NO (compared to LV)
34) Najee Harris | PIT (against KC)
35) Travis Etienne Jr. | JAX (vs. TEN)
36) Ameer Abdullah | LV (at NE)
37) Kareem Hunt | KC (at PIT)
38) Devin Singletary | NYG (vs IND)
39) Tyler Allgeier | ATL (at WAS)
40) Audric Estimé | DEN (at CIN)
41) Ray Davis | BUF (vs NYJ)
42) Raheem Mostert | MIA (at CLE)
43) Antonio Gibson | NE (vs LAC)
44) Kenneth Gainwell | PHI (vs. DAL)
45) Craig Reynolds | DET (at SF)
46) Cam Akers | MIN (compared to GB)
47) Ty Johnson | BUF (vs NYJ)
48) Blake Corum | LAR (vs. ARI)
49) Roshon Johnson | CHI (vs. SEA)
50) Braelon Allen | NYJ (at BUF)
51) Patrick Taylor Jr. | SF (vs. DET)
52) Jeremy McNichols | WHAT (vs. ATL)
53) Isaiah Davis | NYJ (at BUF)
54) Jaleel McLaughlin | DEN (at CIN)
55) D’Onta Foreman | CLE (vs MIA)
56) Jamaal Williams | NO (compared to LV)
57) Cordarrelle Patterson | PIT (against KC)
58) Emanuel Wilson | GB (at MIN)
59) DeeJay Dallas | ARI (at LAR)
60) Chris Brooks | GB (at MIN)
61) Pierre Strong Jr. | CLE (vs MIA)
62) Ke’Shawn Vaughn | SF (vs. DET)
63) Keaton Mitchell | BAL (at HOU)
64) Trey Benson | ARI (at LAR)
65) Raheem Blackshear | CAR (at TB)
66) Sean Tucker | TB (compared to CAR)
67) Israel Abanikanda | SF (vs. DET)
68) Michael Carter | ARI (at LAR)
69) Samaje Perine | KC (at PIT)
70) Ezekiel Elliott | DAL (at PHI)
71) Mike Boone | CAR (at TB)
72) Khalil Herbert | CIN (vs. DEN)
73) Dare Ogunbowale | HOU (vs. BAL)
74) Jaylen Wright | MIA (at CLE)
75) Kyle Juszczyk | SF (vs. DET)
76) Trey Sermon | IND (at NYG)
77) Chris Rodriguez Jr. | WHAT (vs. ATL)
78) Sione Vaki | DET (at SF)
79) Hunter Lüpke | DAL (at PHI)
80) Dameon Pierce | HOU (vs. BAL)
81) Alec Ingold | MIA (at CLE)
82) Tyler Goodson | IND (at NYG)
83) Hassan Haskins | LAC (at NE)
84) Kenny McIntosh | SEA (at CHI)
85) Jordan Mims | NO (compared to LV)
86) Rasheen Ali | BAL (at HOU)
87) Ty Chandler | MIN (compared to GB)
88) CJ Ham | MIN (compared to GB)
89) Michael Burton | DEN (at CIN)
90) Julius Kastanie | TEN (at JAX)
91) Eric Gray | NYG (vs IND)
92) Dylan Laube | LV (at NE)
93) Adam Prentice | NO (compared to LV)
94) Patrick Ricard | BAL (at HOU)
95) Carson Steele | KC (at PIT)
96) Keilan Robinson | JAX (vs. TEN)
97) Darrynton Evans | BUF (vs NYJ)
98) Blake Watson | DEN (at CIN)
99) Clyde Edwards-Helaire | KC (at PIT)

Broncos at Bengals trends and insights

Denver Broncos

Team: On Christmas Eve it will be 100 days since a QB not named Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson or Justin Herbert defeated the Broncos.

Attack: In Weeks 8-13, Denver recorded 50.6% of its third downs, a rate that has dropped to 36.7% (11 of 30) over the past two weeks.

Defense: The Broncos have posted a blitz rate below 28% six times this season, including five of their last six games.

Fantasy: Marvin Mims has had a catch of more than 35 yards in four of his last five games – swinging for the fences is a matchup with a defense that is leading in completions and touchdown rate on balls that go more than 10 yards Tossed below, the worst 10 is a decent place to look.

Betting: The Broncos have played five of six games on an extended break since the start of last season. The only one of those games that took place on the road was at Buffalo in Week 10 last season, a 24-22 aggregate win as a seven-point underdog.

Cincinnati Bengals

Team: The Bengals have had a winning streak of more than 3 games in December (or later) in four consecutive seasons.

QB: They know that Joe Burrow is the first ever to rush for 250 yards and three touchdowns in seven consecutive games. Expand his numbers from those games by a full season, and he recorded a 5,430-yard, 58-touchdown season (for reference, Tom Brady’s 2007 season). 17-game pace: 5,106 yards and 53 TDs.

Attack: Cincinnati scored points on “only” 36.4% of its drives over the weekend, its lowest rate since Week 8.

Defense: Cincinnati has allowed fewer than 1.5 points per possession three times this season – two of them against the Browns.

Fantasy: Ja’Marr Chase is aiming for a seventh straight game with 18+ PPR points. Since 2013, only twice (Cooper Kupp in 2021 and Davante Adams in 2020) has a receiver had a longer such streak in a single season.

Betting: The Bengals are one of two teams (Patriots) that play a short-rest home game against a team over a longer week. The ATS results for teams at such venues are fairly flat, but Overs have cashed in seven of the last ten.