Even though there are just two weeks left in the regular season, the NFL still has plenty of drama to play out over the next few weeks. At this point in the season, every year some great value plays emerge as teams shuffle opportunities around due to injuries and trying to plan for the future. Typically some great fantasy football sleepers emerge in the last few weeks of the season and can help you find your way to victory in Week 17, whether you’re looking for a late addition for your season-long team or a cheap DFS play.
On the final Sunday of 2024, there are eight games on the main DFS fantasy slate, and the biggest DFS tournament is the NFL $2.25M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st]. For this post, I’ll keep my fantasy football sleepers to that 16-team player pool and include players’ salaries in that contest.
Earlier this week, I listed my top-25 starters at wide receiver, and the options highlighted here don’t quite crack that list. However, I love the upside they bring at their DFS salary, and they also make sense as a last-minute grab-and-play option off the waiver wire.
Here are my top five sleepers at WR for Week 17:
Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys ($4,100)
The Cowboys opted to shut down CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) for the season in the middle of this last week, which creates huge opportunities for the rest of the Cowboys’ WRs to step up against the Eagles. Cooper Rush ($5,400) has led the Cowboys to wins in four of their last five games, but he has relied heavily on Lamb, who averaged 9.2 targets over those five contests.
While Brandin Cooks ($4,600) will be the new No. 1 option, Tolbert is expected to start on the other side if he’s able to play through a finger injury that has him questionable. Assuming he plays, Tolbert has good upside after finding the end zone in each of the last two weeks.
Cooper Rush throws an absolute DIME to Jalen Tolbert, who gets the feet in for the TD!
📺: #TBvsDAL on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/lTmy2wlkUR— NFL (@NFL) December 23, 2024
Tolbert has scored six touchdowns on the season, including three from Rush. He has racked up 12 catches for 129 yards on 26 targets over the last seven games with Rush under center.
If Tolbert gets more work, he has a good ceiling. He showed his upside when he got 10 targets back in Week 5 against the Steelers, totaling 21.7 fantasy points on seven catches for 87 yards and a touchdown.
If Tolbert is out, KaVontae Turpin ($3,400) would be a very intriguing option since he has so much big-play potential. He has been very limited in targets the last few weeks, but there’s no question about his ability to break big plays. If you’re spending under $4,000, Turpin is a “boom-or-bust” option to consider even if Tolbert is available.
Tre Tucker, Las Vegas Raiders ($3,800)
Tucker is another big-play specialist under $4,000 who could get enough work to pay off with a big game. He has been able to get more consistent targets than Turpin lately and is in a slightly better matchup, which is why I slightly prefer Tucker, assuming Tolbert is active.
Tucker has exactly two catches in each of the last three weeks and had 41 yards last week in the Raiders’ win against the Jaguars.
Tre Tucker has developed as a route runner this year. Great release, uses his eyes to set up routes. A lot more nuance to his game.
The last clip didn’t count because of a hold but him selling the post on the blaze out then using a swim to back outside shows his growth. pic.twitter.com/wO7dfZ9z7c
— Marcus Johnson (@TheMarcJohnNFL) December 24, 2024
Tucker has two seven-catch games this season, dropping 22.6 fantasy points against the Panthers in Week 3 and 15.1 fantasy points against the Broncos in Week 13.
He has 12 targets over the last three weeks and remains a big-play threat in the Raiders’ attack in a favorable matchup against the Saints.
Like most options under $4,000, Tucker has a low floor, but his matchup against the Saints’ struggling secondary and his potential to take any touch to the house makes him a good play under $4,000 this week.
Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay Packers ($3,900)
Another interesting option under $4,000 is Wicks, especially if Christian Watson ($4,900; knee, questionable) is out. Wicks was a hot name on the waiver wire earlier this season when injuries wiped out the receiver room for the Packers, but targets were hard to come by once everyone was healthy.
Lately, though, Wicks has been working his way back to relevance. He has multiple catches in four straight games and caught three of his seven targets last week for 13 yards and his fifth touchdown of the season.
Dontayvion Wicks separation ability truly is elitepic.twitter.com/J07K0voKE3
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) December 24, 2024
The Packers will need all their offensive tricks in their marquee matchup with the Vikings. Minnesota has allowed the most fantasy points per game to opposing receivers, though, so it’s a matchup in which he could excel if given the chance.
Despite his drop rate, Wicks still offers upside, and he will have a high ceiling if he is the Packers’ third receiver in Minnesota.
Kevin Austin Jr., New Orleans Saints ($3,100)
Austin is a longshot sleeper who could end up in a great spot depending on the news we should get pregame. Both Marquez Valdes-Scantling ($4,200, chest) and Chris Olave ($5,200; concussion) are questionable but if both are ruled out, Austin could legitimately be the team’s top wide receiver.
While Mason Tipton ($3,700) and Cedrick Wilson Jr. ($3,200) have slightly higher salaries than the mid-season signing, Austin is the only one of the three with multiple targets over the last five games. Veteran addition Dante Pettis ($3,000) is actually most likely to operate across from Austin, leaving Tipton and Wilson still down the list in terms of targets.
Austin has at least three targets in each of his last four games, although he has only managed one catch in each of the last three games. He had 17 yards in Week 16 against the Packers.
Before joining the Saints, Austin starred in the UFL, and he could end up being a great value if he’s a top target for Spencer Rattler ($5,300) against the Raiders.
Kevin Austin Jr. outran everyone except the drone cam 🔥⚡️
Peep how he looks right at the camera at the end 👀 pic.twitter.com/6k2q44FABz
— United Football League (@TheUFL) May 11, 2024
Ryan Miller, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($3,000)
From the minimum salary, Miller is worth a look since he has a chance to be more involved for the Bucs with Sterling Shepard (hamstring/foot) and Cade Otton (knee) out.
Miller played 46% of the team’s snaps last week and hauled in both of his targets for 17 yards and a touchdown against the Cowboys.
Baker to Ryan Miller! And the Bucs are still alive.
📺: #TBvsDAL on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/CXjImAkMJL— NFL (@NFL) December 23, 2024
That score was his second touchdown of the season, and he has 10 catches on 16 targets for 102 yards. He played a large role in Week 8 as well when injuries limited the options for Baker Mayfield ($6,900). In that game, Miller caught 3-of-5 targets for 19 yards.
Miller is a deep-league flier, but he could get enough opportunities to pay in this favorable matchup. Both Austin and Miller are dart-throw plays without much of a floor, but their potential opportunities give them upside in Week 17.
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is z.thompson) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
