Under the Rader Fantasy Football Championship Week MVP Candidates: Bryce Young, Rashee Rice, Deebo Samuel and Austin Ekeler

Week 17: Fantasy football championship week for a majority of leagues. We expect guys like Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen to perform to standard, but sometimes it's the edges of the roster that make the difference. Think about Amari Cooper (265 receiving yards and two touchdowns) and Breece Hall (191 total yards and two touchdowns) winning semifinal matchups for owners last week.

I have identified four players you may be considering benching this week who could make the difference and win you that coveted championship. Each of these guys has a great matchup and a situation in which he is motivated to excel.

Make every decision in the context of your roster: Don't bench Hurts for Bryce Young or Justin Jefferson for Rashee Rice. These are guys that should win the tiebreakers, though, and be in your lineup if there is any question.

 

Bryce Young, QB Carolina Panthers @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Young is the streaming option of the week among players likely to be available as free agents. That's the reason he is here, as a fill-in if you lost Justin Herbert or something similar.

It has been a rough year for Young after being selected first in the 2023 Draft: Not only has he struggled in his first year in the NFL, but second overall pick C.J. Stroud has been a star for Houston.

Young had his best game of the season last week, throwing for 312 yards and two touchdowns. It was his most yards and highest yards per attempt in any game this season. It was only the second game this season in which Young threw multiple touchdowns (he has thrown zero touchdowns six times, including five of the last seven games).

Jacksonville cures all quarterbacks’ woes, though: They have allowed the fourth-most passing yards per game and ninth-most passing yards per attempt this season. The Jags have given up the third-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks and are one of six teams to allow 25 passing touchdowns.

This is a risky play given Young’s struggles and the lack of talent on the Panthers, but owners without a truly solid QB should consider Young against their options.

 

Austin Ekeler, RB Los Angeles Chargers @ Denver Broncos

Ekeler was one of the top two running backs selected in most fantasy leagues; with that status, he might be the most disappointing fantasy player of 2023. He had 164 total yards and a touchdown in Week 1 but suffered a high ankle sprain and missed the next three games through LA’s Week 5 bye.

Upon his return, Ekeler has been a shell of his usual self. In 11 games since the bye, Ekeler was a top-10 back just four times and had single digit standard points seven times.

In most circumstances, an aging running back struggling with injury on a team out of the playoff race would sit out the last two games. Ekeler is a free agent after the season, though, and the Chargers showed little interest in giving him a long-term contract. Ekeler is likely to be motivated to get on the field and show he can still play after a trying season.

The Broncos have given up the second-most rushing yards per game and the most rush yards per attempt this season. They are a team to feast on, especially for a player in Ekeler’s position.

Ekeler is renowned for his pass catching ability, and that is likely to shine in this game. Denver has allowed the fourth-most receptions, eighth-most receiving yards, and tied for second-most receiving touchdowns to running backs. This game is set up well for the veteran back to excel.

 

Deebo Samuel, WR San Francisco 49ers @ Washington Commanders

Washington has one of the worst pass defenses in the league. San Francisco just got beat up by the Ravens, and they may want to flex some muscle here and put up points while working toward the top seed in the NFC.

Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey all have the potential to be the top player of the week at their respective position, and Samuel can sometimes be the lost man in this offense. Samuel was a top-10 fantasy receiver every week from Weeks 12-15 but outside the top 30 in Weeks 11 and 16. That encapsulates his season well.

Deebo is an explosive player who the team looks to get involved, evidenced by his averaging more than two rush attempts per game (33 in 14 games). Against Washington, there is a decent chance he can break one of these plays for a long gain and/or touchdown.

Samuel has had stretches where he was a non-starter in fantasy, but he is back to something closer to his “old” self from last season. Samuel is a must-start player in Week 17 and could be the fantasy MVP.

 

Rashee Rice, WR Kansas City Chiefs vs Cincinnati Bengals

Rice has become by far the most consistent wide receiver in Kansas City and a solid WR3 in fantasy. KC’s chances of making a deep run might depend on Rice becoming a guy Patrick Mahomes can rely on when teams double Travis Kelce (who has taken a step back from his dominant ways of the past half-decade).

Over the last five weeks, Rice has had at least nine targets in every game and hit double digits three times. Over his first 11 games, Rice averaged 4.6 targets per game; he has seen double the volume over the past month-plus.

Cincinnati has allowed the fifth-most passing yards per game and the most yards per attempt. This defense, which lost several impact veterans in the offseason, has been fighting with Washington and a few others for the title of worst pass defense in the league.

The Chiefs are very likely to make the playoffs, but they have underwhelmed and probably won’t be averse to lighting up the scoreboard heading into the postseason. This could be a performance that makes every analyst spend next week talking about the Chiefs being back in the Super Bowl conversation.

I like Rice to lead the team in receptions and/or receiving yards and maybe get into the end zone. He’s a guy to get in your lineup this week unless you have a great set of receivers.