Drake Maye Makes Week 17 May Day
The Patriots blasted the Jets 42-10, and it wasn’t even a game. Derek Meyer is flawless. Meyer’s arm was on full display, with 256 points, 12.2 YPA, 5 touchdowns and 1 sack on 19/21. There were only two incompletions in fantasy championship week. He fed his teammates and threw touchdown passes to Stefon Diggs, Lamond Stevenson, Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper and Efton Chism III. The passing game was one point after another from start to finish.
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Stevenson is a monster. He came on as an RB4 with 8/47/1 rushing and 5/55/1 receiving, and he took a huge step forward and cashed in scoring opportunities as TreVeyon Henderson finished with 82 carries on 19 carries. This is the kind of efficiency we’ve seen from him all year, and it’s exactly what you need coming into championship week if you get a chance to start him.
On the other hand, the Jets started Brady Cook and the offense had no progress except for Breece Hall who pushed 1,000 yards in a single day this season (111 yards in a single day). From the opening kickoff, this is New England. Maye was the QB1 on Monday night in Week 17, and he looked like the MVP from start to finish.
Most leagues don’t have next week, but they have next draft. The way he handled, attacked and distributed today, Maye should be in the QB2 or QB3 range in the 2026 fantasy draft. Give the Patriots another offseason to add speed and size to the offense, and he’s the player you build around.
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immediate response: Drake Maye will join the ranks of elite quarterbacks in the 2026 draft.
Josh Allen’s two goal-line hammers turn 12-point deficit into QB4
This doesn’t look like it’s on the ceiling. Buffalo scored a total of 12 points, and for much of the afternoon it felt like another tough game following last week’s loss. But this is Josh Allen. He gave Buffalo’s offense a dream return with two rushing touchdowns and 27 yards rushing, salvaging a day filled with signs of disappointment. He finished 23/35 with 0 TDs, 0 INTs and five sacks in 262 games with the defense squeezing everything. It wasn’t pretty; it was effective, and it made him the QB4 on Monday night.
That’s what Allen experienced during championship week — becoming a short-yardage back and red-zone fixer when throwing routes tightened. Buffalo struggled on third downs and explosive plays were few and far between, but when a breakout was needed, Allen found enough power in the air and finished the game himself.
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There’s a crazy note on this list: Three quarterbacks rank in the top five without a passing touchdown — Jackson Dart, Trevor Lawrence and Allen — which is a reminder of how valuable rushing is at the position.
Overall, nothing changes for next draft season. Allen will be at or near the top of the quarterback board again in 2026, as the weekly floor and multi-TD rushing upside are unmatched.
Immediate response: Josh Allen is who he is, even if he’s not great.
Jamaal Chase and Chase Brown end championship week like champions
Cincinnati won 37-14 and the offense was in rhythm from the start. Joe Burrow was patient, then decisive, getting the job done with ease on Arizona’s exit. Ja’Marr Chase finally broke that loose and did it in money week — 7-for-60, 2 touchdowns — working in the red zone and neutral zone as he earned the win. Chase Brown brought juice from the backfield all afternoon. He completed 101 of 22 field goal attempts, scored two runs, and was 3-of-40 passing as a receiver, providing the Bengals with balance and explosiveness. Tee Higgins doesn’t bury your lineup, but it’s about the Chase duo and Burrow winning handily.
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Going forward, Chase will enter next season as one of the top wide receivers in fantasy football. Burrow is back as the top quarterback because when he’s upright, the action buzzes like this.
What’s interesting is Brown.
For the second year in a row, he ended the season like a problem on defense, and when Samaje Perine was thrown into the mix, it was Brown on the field when Cincinnati needed shutdown. If the Bengals’ offseason shows that he’s the lead back, he’ll be a crafty mid-round pick who could cash in on big money in the 2026 draft.
immediate response: Chase Brown should be a top-10 RB in the 2026 draft.
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Trey McBride sets TE catches record, Michael Wilson makes big play in clutch moments
The game was billed as a shootout and the total score did reach 51 points, but Arizona ultimately lost 37-14. Two people still answer fantasy. Trey McBride shook off his worst game of the season last week, going 10-for-76 with 13 touchdowns in the final seconds and finishing with 119 for the most receptions by an NFL tight end in a season. TE1 enters Monday night with a championship win.
Even with Marvin Harrison Jr. active, Michael Wilson is the primary receiver. Wilson went 5-for-89 with 10 touchdowns, and the numbers could be even greater. Wilson’s emergence was one of Arizona’s best late-season turning points, and it puts real pressure on how the team builds this passing game for the future.
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Going forward, McBride should be the tight end next season. Volume, red zone trust, and win-per-week advantage put him over Brock Bowles for me.
Wilson has emerged as a bona fide fantasy weapon, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes down ahead of Marvin Harrison Jr. in the 2026 draft, leaving the quarterback spot up in the air.
Immediate response: Trey McBride and Michael Wilson delivered for managers in Week 17.
Lots to be excited about in New Orleans; Chris Olave lights up championship week
Chris Olaf acts like a true alpha when it matters most. He went 8/119/1 on 11 targets, had three straight games with a touchdown and 100 yards. He was a consistent performer all season long, then stepped it up a notch in the playoffs, leading the team at full strength throughout December. The Saints defeated the Titans 34-26 as Kellen Moore’s offense continued to power the team’s best player.
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Rookie quarterback Tyler Shaw continues to improve. He sat at QB7 until Monday night, and every time they called his number, Olaf answered.
New Orleans has won five of its last seven games to move to 6-10 and has a chance on the road against Atlanta, where the passing game’s arrow is pointing upward. Shaugh’s development should make us feel better about Olaf’s prospects next year. He’s expected to get a hefty extension, and he’s already one of the best receivers in the league. If this offense continues to develop around him, he will be a top-five fantasy wide receiver in the 2026 draft. In half-PPR, he is now the WR1 in Week 17, which is consistent with the dominance we just saw.
Immediate response: Chris Olave ranks among the top 10 wide receivers in the 2026 draft.
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Derrick Henry’s December arrival is inevitable
Derrick Henry led the way to a fantasy title and led Baltimore to a 41-24 win over Lambeau. The Ravens need every ounce of his strength with Lamar Jackson out and the coaching staff facing criticism after a fourth-quarter freeze last week. The reaction was retro. A career-high 36 rushes, 216 yards and four touchdowns, and 30 long passes.
He was physical at the free throw line and was violent in the second quarter, and you could see Green Bay didn’t want to see those stiff arms in the third quarter. When Baltimore needed to calm down first, Henry not only moved the chains, but also issued a door-to-door call to No. 4, shutting the door.
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This is why a king is a king. Let’s just say it was a down year by his standards, but he was still on pace for over 1,500 passes and 16 touchdowns. The tape said the explosion was there. When the game is in balance, the effect is undeniable. Whatever age discount we get next draft season, I’ll happily take it in 2026. Please give me enough training volume, goal line work and the ability to touch the ball 25+ times when the league is decided in December.
Immediate response: Derrick Henry will be one of the most valuable running backs in the 2026 draft.
Trevor Lawrence didn’t hit QB1 but still buried Indy with 2 rushing touchdowns
I called Trevor Lawrence QB1 this week, and while it didn’t work out, I will play QB5 on Monday night. It was still a championship performance. Jacksonville beat the Colts 23-17, and Lawrence responded with his legs at every critical moment, scoring two consecutive drives. That makes it three straight games with a rushing touchdown, which is exactly the kind of late-season warmup you need heading into the playoffs. Indy came back hard at home, but Lawrence found the answer.
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Travis Etienne Jr. had a great game, scoring 17 points on 76 shots. Parker Washington led the way with 8 for 115 and Jakobi Meyers took six catches. Brenton Strange and Brian Thomas Jr. were also involved, but nothing big happened. Most importantly, Lawrence controlled the flow of the game and shut down in the red zone, which is why he remains a top-five pick this week.
Jacksonville is fully stocked. As Lawrence plays better, everyone rises. There’s not next week, but there is the next draft, and I’m curious to see how a talented player like Travis Hunter will fit into the offense next season if healthy. Add one more dynamic weapon and this passing game becomes terrifying.
Immediate response: Trevor Lawrence proved he belongs in the top quarterback grouping of the 2026 draft.
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Jackson Dart makes championship week focus on wins, not No. 1 pick
This was supposed to be a race to the bottom. The Giants didn’t care. They outshot the Raiders 34-10 behind rookie Jaxson Dart, who picked up the slack in the frontcourt but still bullied the field in the red zone. He started as the QB3 on Monday night, rushing nine times for 48 yards and two touchdowns, running with a good attitude and finishing with contact. Concussion be damned, the kid refused to sit out, and New York followed suit.
Dutt stayed efficient and got his men running. Wan’Dale Robinson turned in 14 targets to 11 on 113 balls and was outstanding all afternoon. Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary handled the grind in the backcourt, and Dart did the rest with timely scrambles and goal-line keeper play. For a game that was billed as draft theater, the rookie turned it into a statement that he was the future.
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Looking ahead to next season, Dart’s rushing attack is a cheat code. He’s been a top-10 quarterback in most weeks he’s started, and if the Giants finalize their coaching staff, he’ll take another leap forward in his second year. His dual threat makes him a starter with high upside every week and a top-five pick in the 2026 draft.
Immediate response: Jaxson Dart looks like a second-year star who could be a top-five prospect in 2026.
Zach Charbonnet backs up Seattle in championship week
If you have Zach Charbonnet in your starting lineup, congratulations — you got what you needed — and more. Charbonnet crushed Carolina with 18 carries, 110 yards and two touchdowns before finishing with two catches for 12 games. Explosive running, short-range strength — all of it. The way this event unfolded, Seattle didn’t need much airborne transmission. Sam Darnold struggled, but it didn’t matter because Charbonnet was the best player on the field. The Seahawks won 27-10 and took control of the game, while Carolina’s offense dropped to 40 net passing yards.
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Bryce Young was unable to get anywhere, leaving Seattle to rely on its ground game. None of the Panthers’ defenders got into a rhythm. Rookie Tetairoa McMillan was also out for this game, playing through an illness. Kenneth Walker III is 15-for-51 and Jaxon Smith-Njigba leads the way in passing as he’s 9-for-72 all season, so you won’t be buried if you start him. Young tight end AJ Barner scored.
But this was a performance from Charbonnet from start to finish, the kind of performance that comes in December and if you have the guts or necessity to start him, you’ll be rewarded in a big way.
Immediate response: If you got to play Zach Charbonnet, congratulations!
