The Worksheet, a fantasy football overview by Rich Hribar, breaking down everything you need to know for the Week 17 Washington Football Team at Philadelphia Eagles Sunday Night Football game.
| Washington | Rank | @ | Philadelphia | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -1.5 | Spread | 1.5 | ||
| 22 | Implied Total | 20.5 | ||
| 21 | 26 | Points/Gm | 21.3 | 25 |
| 21 | 5 | Points All./Gm | 26.5 | 22 |
| 65.9 | 9 | Plays/Gm | 66.7 | 7 |
| 62.6 | 8 | Opp. Plays/Gm | 66.5 | 27 |
| 37.7% | 25 | Rush% | 37.4% | 26 |
| 62.3% | 8 | Pass% | 62.6% | 7 |
| 42.5% | 21 | Opp. Rush % | 45.5% | 27 |
| 57.5% | 12 | Opp. Pass % | 54.5% | 6 |
Motivation or Rest Alert
Washington currently leads the NFC East. If they win on Sunday Night Football, then they are the No. 4 seed in the NFC while the winner of Cowboys and Giants will win the division if they lose.
The Eagles have been eliminated from the postseason.
Quarterback
Jalen Hurts: Since taking over as the starter, Hurts has been the QB10 (19.3 points), QB1 (37.8), and the QB16 (18.6). Last week started out hot, but then fizzled out for Hurts as he had three turnovers. But passing for 342 yards paired with 69 more rushing yards, Hurts was still able to turn in a productive fantasy line, showcasing his floor ability. Washington is going to be a tough spot to rely on his passing upside as they are allowing 12.6 passing points per game (third).
Washington has allowed production to mobile passers, though, allowing Kyler Murray (67 yards and two touchdowns), Lamar Jackson (53 yards and a score), Daniel Jones (74 yards), and Russell Wilson (52 yards) to all have strong rushing output.
Washington QB: Ron Rivera has said that the team is hopeful that Alex Smith will return to start Week 17, but if not, Taylor Heinicke will draw the most important start of the season after the team released Dwayne Haskins.
No Washington QB has turned in a QB1 scoring week this season with Smith registering the only game this season in which a Washington passer was in the top half of weekly scoring. Losing multiple starters to close the season, the Eagles have been shredded through the air for 406 and 377 yards by Kyler Murray and Andy Dalton the past two games while allowing 11.3 and 12.6 yards per attempt. Washington’s anemic passing offense will put that to the test.
Running Back
Washington RBs: Antonio Gibson returned to the field last week after missing essentially the three previous games due to turf toe. He played 21 snaps (30%), turning 13 touches into 69 yards. Not only limited due to the injury, Gibson was also hurt by game script as Washington as in pass mode throughout the entire second half.
With that, J.D. McKissic continued his solid season, catching 8-of-10 targets for 77 yards and a touchdown. McKissic has now seen 10 targets in three of the past four games.
The Eagles are sound against the run, allowing 3.8 YPC to backfields (fourth), but are 19th in rushing points allowed per game (13.9) to backs because they have allowed 13 rushing scores. As long as Washington keeps it close, this will be a compartmentalized backfield on early and passing downs with both backs upside going in which direction the game script goes.
Boston Scott: Miles Sanders is not expected to play on Sunday, leaving Scott and Jordan Howard as the backs carrying the load for the Eagles. In three games without Sanders active, Scott has tallied 11, 17, and 17 touches for 54, 93, and 79 yards. This game is a large mismatch in favor of the Washington defensive front. Washington is allowing 3.9 YPC to backs (ninth) and 11.6 rushing points per game to backfields (eighth).
Wide Receiver
Terry McLaurin: McLaurin missed Week 16 with a high-ankle sprain, which has his status up in the air for Week 17. Even if he plays, that injury is sketchy enough to not fully trust a ceiling expectation. McLaurin has a 21.1% target share from Smith, with weeks as the WR19, WR33, WR23, WR88, and WR83. McLaurin caught 5-of-7 targets for 61 yards in Week 1 against the Eagles.
Eagles WRs: Philadelphia played six wideouts last week tangible snaps, with Greg Ward (44 routes), Jalen Reagor (23), Travis Fulgham (20), Alshon Jeffery (19), DeSean Jackson (16), and Quez Watkins (10) all logging time on passing downs.
Reagor led the group with seven targets (3-30-0) with no other wideout seeing more than three targets come in his direction. Washington has been stingy to opposing wide receivers, allowing 1.61 points per target (third) and a 3.3% touchdown rate (third) to the position.
Tight End
Logan Thomas: Thomas continued to see heavy volume, getting 12 more targets (7-63-0) last week. Thomas has now seen 43 targets over the past four games after getting 44 targets over his previous nine games. Philadelphia is 27th in points allowed per target (2.0) to tight ends.
Zach Ertz: Dallas Goedert picked up a calf injury last week and is not expected to play in the final game of the seasons. Ertz ran 38 routes (3-33-0) last week with Goedert sidelined for most of the game.. In Hurts’s three starts Ertz has reeled in 7-of-17 for 110 yards, but Hurts has targeted tight ends 34% of the time when passing. Washington is seventh in yards allowed per target to opposing tight ends (6.8), but both Eagles tight ends scored against them all the way back in Week 1 when the season started.
More Week 17 Fantasy breakdowns from The Worksheet:
PIT at CLE| MIA at BUF | ATL at TB | MIN at DET | BAL at CIN | DAL at NYG | NYJ at NE | LVR at DEN | ARI at LAR | NO at CAR | LAC at KC | GB at CHI | SEA at SF | TEN at HOU | JAX at IND | WFT at PHI
