I hope you enjoy horror stories because I have a terrifying tale for you. Just sixteen days remain in the 2017 fantasy football season. By January 1st the NFL’s regular season will have concluded, leaving eight months, five days, twenty hours and thirty minutes until 2018’s NFL season kicks off. If the thought of going eight months without fantasy football just made you pee your pants a little, you’re not alone.
As you can imagine, the stashes are pretty limited this late in the season. The majority of fantasy-relevant players are owned at this point, and several who are still available have already graced the Sneaky Saturday Stashes list. But don’t let that deter you. I still managed to round up several players who have an appealing outlook going forward.
Whether your championship hopes are still breathing or you’re just trying to avoid becoming your league’s “Sacko” this year, planning ahead will key you up for success. Don’t gamble next week’s win on the waiver wire. Stash these assets away today.
Availability percentages are based on ESPN.com. This article excludes players who are available in less than 40% of leagues.
Kerwynn Williams – RB – Cardinals
Availability – 79.3% of Leagues
This stash is all about volume and matchup. Williams has been the beneficiary of Adrian Peterson’s neck injury, receiving 36 carries over the past two weeks. That’s tied for the seventh-most rush attempts over that time-frame. With Williams averaging a healthy 4.7 yards per carry since week 13, he should remain Arizona’s workhorse now that Peterson has officially been placed on IR. Next week the 26 year-old faces a Giants defense that has allowed the sixth (standard) and seventh (PPR) most fantasy points to opposing backfields. Williams is an enticing FLEX options for week sixteen with RB2 upside.
Dede Westbrook – WR – Jaguars
Availability – 73.8% of Leagues
A core-muscle injury prevented Westbrook from making his NFL debut until week eleven. From week twelve on the 2016 Heisman Finalist has caught five or more passes in every game. The rookie broke out last week, catching five pass for a career-high 81 yards and a touchdown. Westbrook finishes the last two weeks of his season with trips to San Francisco and Tennessee, whose pass defenses are mediocre at best. The only thing that could potentially derail the 24 year-old’s late-season coming out party is the return of Allen Hurns. The veteran hasn’t played since November 12th but was able to practice on Thursday in a limited basis. It is unclear when Hurns will be cleared to play or if his presence will affect Westbrook’s production.
Chicago Bears – 70.8% of Leagues
I’ll keep this simple. In week sixteen the Chicago Bears play the Cleveland Browns in Chicago. The Bears have given up just 22 points over the past two weeks. The Browns rank last in points scored (15.2 PPG) and have the most turnovers (32) in the league.
Arizona Cardinals – 66% of Leagues
Simplicity is nice, right? This is another solid defense that is facing a lousy offense. Next week the New York Giants will travel to Arizona. The Giants have scored the second-fewest points in the NFL (15.3) and have racked up the fourth-fewest yards (296.2).
