Fantasy Football Week 17 Start 'Em Sit 'Em: Kareem Hunt vs. Chris Rodriguez Jr.
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Christmas Day features a three-game slate with plenty of action for fantasy football playoffs. Kareem Hunt and the Kansas City Chiefs host the Denver Broncos, while Chris Rodriguez Jr. and the Washington Commanders host the Dallas Cowboys. Both running backs are playing for teams that have been eliminated from playoff contention, so they come with some risk in Week 17. Which player is the better start for the fantasy football playoffs? Let’s break down the matchups and see which back has the edge.
The Case for Kareem Hunt
Kareem Hunt has held a consistent role out of the Chiefs’ backfield this season. Through 15 games, the veteran running back has received 151 carries for 559 yards and eight touchdowns. Hunt has also added 15 receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown through the air. However, his workload has slowly decreased over the last few weeks, as he has totaled just nine carries for 14 yards and hasn’t found the end zone. The appeal for Hunt is that Patrick Mahomes and Rashee Rice are not playing, so Kansas City may have to rely more on the ground game. The risk is what kind of workload he will actually receive.
The Case for Chris Rodriguez Jr.
The story for Chris Rodriguez Jr. has been the opposite this season. The young running back opened the year without a major role in Washington’s offense, but he’s earned more touches as the season has gone on. Over his last four games, Rodriguez Jr. has pretty much cemented himself as the Commanders’ RB1, taking 51 carries for 235 yards and two touchdowns. That said, there’s still competition in the backfield with Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols, and all three backs will likely be featured in different ways. Rodriguez Jr. also draws a favorable matchup on Thursday against a Dallas defense that has allowed the 26th-most fantasy points to running backs this season.
Start 'Em Sit 'Em: Kareem Hunt vs. Chris Rodriguez Jr.
Hunt and Rodriguez Jr. have similar projections in Week 17, but they’re trending in opposite directions in fantasy football. Hunt is seeing a reduced role on a Chiefs team that was recently eliminated from playoff contention. On the other hand, Rodriguez Jr. continues to take on a bigger workload for an eliminated Commanders squad that wants to see what it has in its young players. Based on these recent trends, the opposing defenses, and expected usage, Chris Rodriguez Jr. carries less risk and has the edge over Kareem Hunt in Week 17.
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Duke Deming is a sports writer with extensive experience in fantasy sports and DFS contests. He covers the MLB, NFL, and NBA for On SI, bringing sharp analysis and a data-driven approach to inform and engage readers.