NFL Picks: Week 17

If I was allowed a tagline for Week 17 it would be “comedy of errors.” The last week of the regular season feels like a preseason dress rehearsal, as many teams are electing to get a closer look at their backup quarterbacks. Others, like the Steelers, are being coy about their plans. Add it all up, and navigating the Week 17 waters is an exercise in information overload. The more you know about playing time this week, the better off you will be. In theory.

Major shouts are in order for Paddi Cooper, who leads our pack in winning percentage by a large margin. Also, shouts to the three of us who crested the 60% threshold after last week’s dominance, putting a whopping six of us over that mark for the season (joining Paddi, Ghoji, and Pete).

Here are the updated standings:

That is one fantastic percentage by Paddi. May we all emulate his awesomeness in the future.

Unanimous picks for this week: WAS, NE, SEA, NO, BAL, LAC

Ledge picks for this week: CHI (Pete)

I suppose it is difficult to pick against teams who have playoff hopes on the line when you know their opponent is only playing for pride. That is where our unanimous picks come from, with the obvious exception of Washington. The Redskins play the injury-ravaged Giants who have a lot of motivation to lose. It helps Washington’s cause that the Giants are missing key pieces like Sterling Shepard, Evan Engram, Landon Collins, Janoris Jenkins, etc. I would love Kirk Cousins in DFS this week if I felt he needed to play full throttle all game.

Pete is the only ledge pick of the week, which is the first time I can remember that happening all season. I guess that means Week 17 is pretty cut-and-dry, huh? Yeah, you can bet your sweet backside that something crazy is going to happen—we just don’t know what it is yet.

I thought Cleveland would be my ledge play of the week, but Pete and Matias have joined me on my perch. The Steelers are playing coy about who will start at quarterback this week, but practice signs point towards Landry Jones getting the nod. He will be playing without the services of Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell, at least (with probably more inactives to come). It would be just like the Browns to avoid the embarrassment of 0-16 and have their one win mean zilch because it came against a Steelers team that rested its key offensive players.

One reason I like Cleveland this week is the Shazier-less Steelers have been getting gashed on the ground. Pair Isaiah Crowell with that $3,000 Browns defense on FanDuel and you should be slightly contrarian, since a lot of chatter has revolved around Duke Johnson this week. And you have the formula for a Browns victory. Pound the rock, man.

That’s it for me, but feel free to chime in with your wacky picks in the form below.