Dynasty Risers & Fallers: Week 17 (2024 Fantasy Football)

Let’s look at the latest dynasty risers and fallers from Week 17.

Dynasty Fantasy Football Risers & Fallers

Dynasty Fantasy Football Risers

Marvin Mims Jr. (WR – DEN)
It feels like somewhat of an oxymoron to feature a player on the risers list with a warning to proceed with caution, so I won’t do that. We’ve seen this from Marvin Mims in the past, though. A few big plays and spiked weeks pop up before returning to irrelevance. This time feels differently for a few reasons, but I’m not expecting Mims to become an every-down player either.

Mims has hit a 47% snap share in each of the last two weeks, his highest mark of the season. It would be ideal to see Mims on the field more frequently and running more routes, but he was targeted eight times on Saturday for a 27% target share. He’s seen at least four targets in each of his last five games and has been above a 10% target share in six of his last seven games. Despite a lower snap count, Mims has a target rate of 27.5%, the 13^th best rate among all wide receivers and he’s making good on those targets. After recording just 69 receiving yards through the first 10 games, Mims has posted 383 receiving yards in his last six games. All four of his touchdowns have also come during that six-game stretch. He stands 12^th in yards per route run at 2.46 and first in target separation at 2.64 and his usage in the running game has escalated with at least one carry in each of the last seven games. Sean Payton is clearly trying to get Mims involved in an offense that has been looking for playmakers to step up. There’s no reason he shouldn’t continue to be featured in the Broncos offense after notching 103 receiving yards and two touchdowns on eight grabs.

Brock Bowers (TE – LV) and Trey McBride (TE – ARI)

I’m grouping Brock Bowers and Trey McBride together as it’s become clear they are the top two dynasty tight ends as we near the end of the season. McBride finally caught a touchdown pass on Saturday, and had he not done so this week or next, he would have shattered the record for most receiving yards in a season without a receiving touchdown. He now sits at 1,081 receiving yards on the season and would comfortably be the TE1 with a few more touchdowns to his name, but he’s second in receptions and receiving yards among all tight ends.

First in both receptions and receiving yards is rookie Brock Bowers, who broke Mike Ditka’s 63-year-old record on Sunday for most receiving yards for a rookie tight end. Rookies are notoriously slow starters at tight end, but Bowers has somehow over delivered the lofty expectations placed upon him in year one. His 1,144 receiving yards are not only first among tight ends, but are second among all rookies, trailing only Brian Thomas.

Chig Okonkwo (TE – TEN)
We’re all familiar with the term post-hype breakout, but what do we call it when we’ve lapped that label two or three times? Whatever you want to call it, that’s where we’re at with Chig Okonkwo after he showed some flashes late in his rookie season. Last year, Okonkwo disappointed, but again showed signs of a breakout late in the season. With some optimism entering year three, Okonkwo has been mostly absent from the Titans box scores but appears to be back in his comfort zone late in the season. Unable to reach double-digit points in each of his first 10 games, Okonkwo has hit that mark in four of his last six games. He topped 40 yards just once through his first 10 games but has done so in four of his last six and has seen target totals of 10, 11, and seven in his last three games. It’s impossible to know if Okonkwo can carry this momentum through the offseason for a change, but Tennessee should get an upgrade at quarterback and improve the offense as a whole.

Rico Dowdle (RB – DAL)
It’s difficult to move Rico Dowdle too far up the rankings knowing that Dallas will add to the running back room this offseason, but Dowdle will be a free agent and has earned himself a pay raise with his success this season. Similar to Tony Pollard before him, you never know how an efficient running back will hold up with increased reps, but Dowdle has responded to the challenge. He posted a modest fantasy score of 9.8 points on Sunday, but he cleared 100 yards rushing for the fourth time in five games. He’s now topped 1,000 yards on the season, an impressive mark after sharing the job early in the season and topping 10 carries in just two of his first six games. He’s the RB16 in total points and RB22 in PPG since he returned from injury in week 9 and has likely earned himself a solid role next season, in Dallas or elsewhere.

Malik Nabers (WR – NYG)
Malik Nabers hadn’t crossed the 100-yard mark in a game since week 4 against Dallas, but on Sunday, we were reminded how special Nabers is when paired with competent quarterback play. Nabers went nuclear, shredding the Colts secondary for 171 yards and two scores on seven grabs, finishing the day with 36.1 fantasy points. He’s now the WR6 on the season but is in the mix for the dynasty WR1 overall. If the Giants are able to hit on a young quarterback, look out.

Joe Burrow (QB – CIN)
It’s a shame that the Bengals started the season so poorly and we may not see Joe Burrow in the playoffs, because he’s having an incredible season. Week 17 resulted in Burrow’s best game of the season from a fantasy standpoint, tallying 36.98 fantasy points on 412 yards passing and three scores, adding in 25 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. It was his fifth game of 300 or more yards passing in his last seven games and he’s tossed at least three touchdowns in each of his last eight games. He’s now the QB3 on the season and leads the league with 42 touchdown passes.

Dynasty Fantasy Football Fallers

CJ Stroud (QB – HOU)
After a rookie year that put CJ Stroud on the fast track to elite quarterback status, year two has been a major letdown. Shockingly, his 6.1 fantasy points on Christmas were not his fewest of the season, which came in week 7 with 5.34 points. It was his fourth game below double digits, and his 10^th time held below 15 points. He’s cleared 20 points in just one game, a mark he hit six times last season. If that doesn’t sound bad enough, he’s the QB27 in PPG, one spot behind Daniel Jones. With 233 rushing yards on the season, Stroud isn’t mobile enough to make up for his struggles through the air with rushing stats.

Javonte Williams (RB – DEN)
This was supposed to be the year in which Javonte Williams got back to 100% after his ACL, PCL, and LCL tears in 2022. Instead, it’s been nothing short of a disaster for Williams, who bottomed out on Saturday with just two points while receiving zero carries. He’s fallen behind both Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime for early down work and is now exclusively a pass-game specialist. He showed some flashes mid-season that had the potential to be a spark for the fourth-year pro, but he could never keep the momentum rolling. After a very promising rookie season, Williams will be far from a priority in free agency this offseason, but perhaps he can find a role somewhere.

Rhamondre Stevenson (RB – NE)
Prior to the Patriots game on Saturday, reports indicated that Rhamondre Stevenson would be benched. Stevenson drew the start but carried the ball just twice while Antonio Gibson toted the rock 12 times. It’s unclear what Stevenson’s role will be moving forward, but the Patriots have gone away from Stevenson off and on throughout the season. It would not be surprising to see the Patriots dip their toes into the free agent pool at running back or bring one in through the draft.

Adonai Mitchell (WR – IND)
Adonai Mitchell generated a good deal of buzz throughout training camp and preseason but has failed to latch on to a significant role in the Colts offense. A breakout from Alec Pierce hasn’t helped, but Mitchell has done himself no favors. He caught two passes for 22 yards on Sunday with Joe Flacco at quarterback and has failed to hit 40 yards in all but one game this season. Mitchell has yet to find the endzone and is a distant fourth receiver for the Colts.

Jonathan Mingo (WR – DAL)
It’s difficult to change offenses mid-season, but Jonathan Mingo trading in his Carolina Silver and Blue for the Dallas Silver and Blue offered an opportunity for Mingo to resurrect his career. Instead, Mingo has caught three passes for 22 yards since joining the Cowboys in week 11. He’s only in his second season, so perhaps he can climb the latter and become a factor for Dallas, but he’s got a long way to go.

Allen Lazard (WR – NYJ)
As goes Aaron Rodgers, so goes Allen Lazard, apparently. It was a strong start to the season for Lazard who caught five touchdowns through his first six games, including games with 114 and 89 yards. Since his five-week absence from a chest injury, Lazard has registered our catches for 47 yards in four games. The Jets are paying the veteran receiver a decent chunk of change but do have an out on his contract, which they may exercise, especially if Rodgers moves on from the big apple.