Week 17 Fantasy Football Updated Wide Receiver Rankings for PPR & Non-PPR Leagues

Welcome to Week 17, championship week, the final matchup of the fantasy football season. We are in win-or-go-home mode and the margin for error has never been thinner. At this point of the season, you are obviously starting the stars who got you here such as Jaxon Smith-Ngigba and George Pickens, but what about the inconsistent guys or the borderline WR3s like Emeka Egbuka, Josh Downs, or Deebo Samuel? And what about early-round selections who have fallen short of expectations like Justin Jefferson?

Wide receivers often are the reason we win or lose a given matchup, particularly in PPR formats. So let’s take a look at how the season has unfolded thus far and break down the best and worst wideouts entering Week 17.

Best Week 16 Wide Receivers

We all know that in fantasy football, volume is king. While quarterbacks and running backs typically handle heavier workloads than any other position, it’s wide receivers who often make the difference with their explosive plays, particularly in PPR formats. Just look at Puka Nacua’s stat line in Week 16. The third-year playmaker put on a masterclass performance in Davante Adams’ absence, posting 12 receptions on 16 targets for a whopping 225 yards and two touchdowns en route to 46.5 fantasy points. Nacua has overtaken JSN as the WR1 heading into the final week of the fantasy season.

81.7% of Yahoo teams that started Puka Nacua this week won their matchup 💪 pic.twitter.com/nYgrK9Uuwf
— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) December 23, 2025

Chris Olave was the only other wide receiver to join Nacua in the 30-point club last week. The Saints go-to weapon hauled in 10 catches for 148 yards and two trips to the end zone. Waiver wire gem Parker Washington, George Pickens, and Alec Pierce rounded out the top five.

Many superstars balled out in the fantasy football semi finals, but we also witnessed some disappearing acts from some of the biggest names like Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR41), Drake London (WR67), and Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR95).

Week 17 Wide Receiver Preview

Injuries always swing the fantasy landscape. Entering Week 17, several key players are highly questionable for the fantasy football championships. Rashee Rice is still in the concussion protocol and even if he’s able to suit up, the quarterback situation in Kansas City makes him an incredibly volatile option. Rome Odunze and Luther Burden were unable to suit up for the Chicago Bears in Week 16, and if they remain sidelined in Week 17, DJ Moore will continue to be an elite option. Davante Adams was sidelined for the Rams’ Week 16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks and even with extra time to recover, Los Angeles may opt for caution with a playoff spot already clinched. Be sure to monitor all of these injuries as we inch closer to the game day.

DK Metcalf managers will need to find another option as a scuffle with a fan during last week’s win over the Detroit Lions has resulted in a two-game suspension.

In PPR formats, dependable chain-movers are fantasy gold, and slot technicians like Nacua, JSN, and St. Brown continue to offer safe floors with immense upside. As we head into a season-defining Week 17 with a championship on the line, every wide receiver decision carries added weight. Lean on these rankings to fine-tune your lineup and give yourself the best shot at winning your league.

The Best Wide Receivers In 2025 Fantasy Football Leagues

Through 16 weeks of NFL action, here are the top 12 wide receivers in PPR formats:

Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
Jaxon Smith-Ngigba, Seattle Seahawks
Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys
Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints
Davante Adams, Los Angeles Rams
Nico Collins, Houston Texans
Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions
Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens

With Week 17 kicking off on Thursday with a three-game slate (Dallas at Washington, Detroit at Minnesota, and Denver at Kansas City), let’s examine some of the most noteworthy wide receivers in our weekly rankings,

Jauan Jennings Enters Top 10

Jennings continued his dominant late-season surge with his seventh touchdown in his last seven games in San Francisco’s Monday Night Football victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Jennings secured five of six targets for 71 yards and a touchdown en route to 18.1 fantasy points. He’s now posted double-digit points in six of his last seven games, and still managed 9.4 points in his lone single-digit outing.

To make matters better, Jennings and the Niners face off with a Chicago Bears secondary that yields the 11th-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. Yes, Chicago held Green Bay’s receivers in check for most of Week 16, but that was after Jordan Love sustained a concussion. Containing Malik Willis doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.

Plus, there is a chance that the Niners are without the services of star tight end George Kittle, who sustained an ankle injury in Week 16. If Kittle is sidelined, you can bet that Brock Purdy is going to pepper Jennings with targets.

Given Purdy’s recent dominance, Kittle’s potential absence, a favorable matchup, and Jennings’ recent reliability, the 49ers top wideout is a must-start in championship week.

Jakobi Meyers Becomes Must-Start in Week 17

Week 17 Fantasy Football Must-Start Wide Receiver: Jakobi Meyers, Jacksonville Jaguars — Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (3) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts during the first half at EverBank Stadium. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Meyers was held in check against the Denver Broncos’ top-tier defense (four catches for 45 yards) as Parker Washington was featured as Trevor Larwence’s go-to guy. It was the first time in five weeks that he failed to tally double-digit points. Since being dealt to the Jags, Meyers has performed admirably well and belongs in starting lineups in Week 17. Since Week 12, the veteran is averaging 4.6 receptions on 7.4 targets for 59.0 yards and 0.6 touchdowns per game, a rock solid 14.1 fantasy points.

In Week 17, Meyers and Jacksonville’s red-hot aerial attack takes on an Indianapolis Colts defense that lost Sauce Gardner to injury and has suddenly become one of the most vulnerable secondaries in the NFL. The Colts are allowing the third-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season. Against the 49ers on Monday Night Football, Indy surrendered 295 passing yards and five touchdowns as Brock Purdy lit them up for 48 points.

The last time these two teams faced off, Meyers hauled in four of his 10 targets for 39 receiving yards and a touchdown. He’s got an excellent shot at clearing 15 fantasy points in Week 17 against a reeling Indianapolis franchise that has lost seven of their last eight games.

Bench Ladd McConkey in the Fantasy Football Finals

Week 17 Fantasy Football Must-Sit Wide Receiver: Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers — Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey (15) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter of the game at SoFi Stadium. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

McConkey walks into Week 17 staring down one of the most unforgiving matchups a wide receiver can draw, and it puts him firmly in risky territory for fantasy managers. The Houston Texans are allowing the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season. Derek Stingley Jr. headlines a deep, physical defensive backfield that also features Kamari Lassiter, Jalen Pitre, Calen Bullock, and Myles Bryant, a group that closes throwing windows in a hurry and forces quarterbacks to look elsewhere.

McConkey may have scored a touchdown in Week 16, but he has failed to eclipse 50 receiving yards since a Week 10 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ atrocious secondary. And even with McConkey’s solid game last week, he was still outshined by fellow wideout Quentin Johnston.

The Texans defense is built to win at every level and Justin Herbert could be running for his life from Danielle Hunter and Will Andreson. For a player like McConkey, whose fantasy value depends on rhythm and opportunity, this is the kind of matchup that can turn a promising week into a frustrating one in a hurry.

Let’s take a look at where the rest of the NFL’s wide receivers stack up in our Week 17 rankings.