We aren't sure that C.J. Stroud or Trevor Lawrence are playing this week, but we are optimistically ranking both as if they are for now. We're ranking as a top-10 option for Week 17, and if Lawrence is cleared, I will do the same with him. There's a very good chance if you have them they should be in your starting lineup this week.
Stroud is the easiest to understand. For the season he's QB9, averaging 21.5 FPPG and once he's cleared from the concussion protocol we really shouldn't have any concern about how his injury will affect his play.
Lawrence is more complicated. He has a shoulder injury, he just turned the ball over three times in a very good matchup against Tampa Bay, and he's not even been a top 15 QB per game this season. Still, he was QB3 from Week 11 through Week 15, averaging 25 FPPG despite playing the Ravens and Browns in that stretch. That included a 36-point outburst against the Titans, the team he'll face in Week 17. If Lawrence is active, I'm likely starting him.
The Packers have been lit up by opposing QBs over the past five weeks with Baker Mayfield and Bryce Young being the most recent. Mullens struggled with interceptions last week but still scored 20 Fantasy points for the second-consecutive week. The Vikings have consistently gotten great Fantasy production out of whoever they have put under center. As a unit they're averaging 21 FPPG, which would rank as QB11 on the season. As long as Mullens is the starter, he's in play as a high-end QB2.
Flacco has been the No. 4 QB in Fantasy since he took over as the starter for the Browns, but there are competing narratives at play here. We love the revenge game factor of Flacco taking on his former team, especially since the Browns didn't turn to him when Aaron Rodgers went down. On the flip side, this is a Thursday night game against a Jets defense that has surrendered the second-fewest FPPG to opposing QBs this season. I would back off of Flacco if Amari Cooper is ruled out.
The MVP race is wide open and Hurts has a cake matchup against one of the worst defenses in the NFL. This is an excellent place to make a statement with 400 total yards and/or four touchdowns against the Cardinals. If you want to go contrarian instead, I'm looking at Patrick Mahomes.
