The Chicago Bears will face the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, especially regarding WR Keenan Allen.
Is Keenan Allen Playing in Week 17?
Allen is not listed on the injury report this week. Barring any setbacks, he is expected to play on Thursday.
We’ll continue to monitor the Bears’ injury report. You can also visit and bookmark our NFL Injury Tracker and Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Should You Start or Sit Keenan Allen in Week 17?
Allen has cleared 20 PPR points in four of his last five, and it hasn’t come in an unsustainable way. In fact, you could argue that he has underachieved based on the volume (190.1 expected points over that stretch compared to 173.4).
The exact role he fills week to week can vary (five end zone targets over the past two weeks after earning just one in his previous five games), but with over 100 air yards on his résumé in four of five games — and Chicago routinely playing from behind — there’s a nice built-in floor here that you can bank in as a PPR Flex option.
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Week 17 Fantasy Start-Sit Advice Cheat Sheet for every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Keenan Allen’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 17
As of Thursday, Allen is projected to score 14.4 fantasy points in PPR formats. This includes 5.7 receptions for 62.6 yards and 0.4 touchdowns.
Check out the free PFN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
PFN Insight on the Seahawks' Defense
After three straight weeks of above-average grades, Seattle's defense has regressed in a pair of critical home losses to the Packers and Vikings. Week 16 brought a Defense+ grade of 73.2 (C-), which ranks ninth out of the Seahawks' 15 games played this season.
The Seahawks have boasted an above-average red-zone defense, ranking 13th in TD rate allowed. However, they gave up touchdowns on both of the Vikings’ trips to the red zone on Sunday, contributing to the team’s fifth-worst defensive EPA per dropback average (-0.11) of the season.
This comes a week after the Seahawks averaged their second-worst defensive EPA per dropback and pass success rate of the season in the Packers' loss.
While Mike Macdonald’s bold midseason personnel changes helped this unit make tremendous strides, it appears another offseason of evaluation and turnover is needed for the unit to thrive against the NFC’s best offenses.
For more insight on all other team defenses, head to our PFN Defense+ Metric Analysis.
Keenan Allen’s Fantasy Ranking
Our Weekly Consensus PPR Rankings are below — both positional and overall. They were last updated at 12:45 AM ET on Friday, December 27. If you're in a Superflex league, make sure you check out our Weekly Consensus Superflex Rankings.
Week 17 WR PPR Rankings
1) Ja'Marr Chase | CIN (vs. DEN)
2) Puka Nacua | LAR (vs. ARI)
3) Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET (at SF)
4) Justin Jefferson | MIN (vs. GB)
5) Mike Evans | TB (vs. CAR)
6) Nico Collins | HOU (vs. BAL)
7) A.J. Brown | PHI (vs. DAL)
8) Terry McLaurin | WAS (vs. ATL)
9) Davante Adams | NYJ (at BUF)
10) Tyreek Hill | MIA (at CLE)
11) Tee Higgins | CIN (vs. DEN)
12) Brian Thomas Jr. | JAX (vs. TEN)
13) Courtland Sutton | DEN (at CIN)
14) Ladd McConkey | LAC (at NE)
15) Drake London | ATL (at WAS)
16) Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA (at CHI)
17) Malik Nabers | NYG (vs. IND)
18) Cooper Kupp | LAR (vs. ARI)
19) Garrett Wilson | NYJ (at BUF)
20) Jauan Jennings | SF (vs. DET)
21) Zay Flowers | BAL (at HOU)
22) Keenan Allen | CHI (vs. SEA)
23) DJ Moore | CHI (vs. SEA)
24) Jakobi Meyers | LV (at NO)
25) Jordan Addison | MIN (vs. GB)
26) DK Metcalf | SEA (at CHI)
27) George Pickens | PIT (vs. KC)
28) Calvin Ridley | TEN (at JAX)
29) DeVonta Smith | PHI (vs. DAL)
30) Adam Thielen | CAR (at TB)
31) Khalil Shakir | BUF (vs. NYJ)
32) Jameson Williams | DET (at SF)
33) Deebo Samuel Sr. | SF (vs. DET)
34) Jayden Reed | GB (at MIN)
35) DeAndre Hopkins | KC (at PIT)
36) Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI (at LAR)
37) Xavier Worthy | KC (at PIT)
38) Jaylen Waddle | MIA (at CLE)
39) Darnell Mooney | ATL (at WAS)
40) Jerry Jeudy | CLE (vs. MIA)
41) Josh Downs | IND (at NYG)
42) Jalen McMillan | TB (vs. CAR)
43) Hollywood Brown | KC (at PIT)
44) Rome Odunze | CHI (vs. SEA)
45) Romeo Doubs | GB (at MIN)
46) Michael Pittman Jr. | IND (at NYG)
47) Amari Cooper | BUF (vs. NYJ)
48) Rashod Bateman | BAL (at HOU)
49) Quentin Johnston | LAC (at NE)
50) Jalen Coker | CAR (at TB)
51) DeMario Douglas | NE (vs. LAC)
52) Xavier Legette | CAR (at TB)
53) Wan'Dale Robinson | NYG (vs. IND)
54) Christian Watson | GB (at MIN)
55) Nick Westbrook-Ikhine | TEN (at JAX)
56) Elijah Moore | CLE (vs. MIA)
57) Marquez Valdes-Scantling | BUF (vs. NYJ)
58) Calvin Austin III | PIT (vs. KC)
59) Joshua Palmer | LAC (at NE)
60) Robert Woods | HOU (vs. BAL)
61) Parker Washington | JAX (vs. TEN)
62) Tim Patrick | DET (at SF)
63) Ray-Ray McCloud III | ATL (at WAS)
64) John Metchie III | HOU (vs. BAL)
65) Keon Coleman | BUF (vs. NYJ)
66) David Moore | CAR (at TB)
67) Devaughn Vele | DEN (at CIN)
68) Michael Wilson | ARI (at LAR)
69) Tre Tucker | LV (at NO)
70) Kendrick Bourne | NE (vs. LAC)
71) Mike Williams | PIT (vs. KC)
72) Marvin Mims Jr. | DEN (at CIN)
73) Andrei Iosivas | CIN (vs. DEN)
74) Kayshon Boutte | NE (vs. LAC)
75) Olamide Zaccheaus | WAS (vs. ATL)
76) Malik Washington | MIA (at CLE)
77) Jalen Tolbert | DAL (at PHI)
78) Brandin Cooks | DAL (at PHI)
79) Sterling Shepard | TB (vs. CAR)
80) Tyler Lockett | SEA (at CHI)
81) Demarcus Robinson | LAR (vs. ARI)
82) Adonai Mitchell | IND (at NYG)
83) Dyami Brown | WAS (vs. ATL)
84) Alec Pierce | IND (at NYG)
85) Dontayvion Wicks | GB (at MIN)
86) Allen Lazard | NYJ (at BUF)
87) KaVontae Turpin | DAL (at PHI)
88) Van Jefferson | PIT (vs. KC)
89) Darius Slayton | NYG (vs. IND)
90) Ricky Pearsall | SF (vs. DET)
91) Jamison Crowder | WAS (vs. ATL)
92) Tyler Boyd | TEN (at JAX)
93) Troy Franklin | DEN (at CIN)
94) Kevin Austin Jr. | NO (vs. LV)
95) Mack Hollins | BUF (vs. NYJ)
96) Tutu Atwell | LAR (vs. ARI)
97) Jalen Nailor | MIN (vs. GB)
98) JuJu Smith-Schuster | KC (at PIT)
99) Michael Woods II | CLE (vs. MIA)
100) Justin Watson | KC (at PIT)
Seahawks at Bears Trends and Insight
Seattle Seahawks
Team: The Seahawks are 0-3 against the NFC North this season, allowing 27+ points in each of those losses (8-4 against everyone else with 27+ points allowed just three times).
QB: Geno Smith has been much more aggressive under pressure this season (8.1 aDOT) than last (6.4).
Offense: This Seattle offense was behind the eight-ball most of Week 16. Their average starting field position was their lowest of the year (their own 22.5-yard line).
Defense: The Seahawks allowed the Vikings to average 2.1 points per drive on Sunday, falling to 0-6 this season when they allow at least 1.9 points per drive.
Fantasy: All three of Kenneth Walker III’s career games with at least seven receptions have come this season (Weeks 5, 6, and 16). Fantasy managers can up his pass game projection in a significant way when you pencil in Seattle to lose – they are 1-9 when he sees at least five targets in a game.
Betting: Seattle has covered four straight road games, all coming by more than six points.
Chicago Bears
Team: The Bears have lost nine straight this season with a rookie QB. If they lose their final two games, that will run their total to 11 straight -- only twice in the 2000s has a team had a longer such streak in a single season (2017 Browns and 2001 Panthers)
QB: Caleb Williams has run for at least 27 yards in five of his past six games and has thrown for multiple scores in four of his past five (first 10 games: three multi-pass TD games)
Offense: The Bears averaged 39.4 yards of offense per drive on Sunday against the Lions, their second-highest rate of the season.
Defense: Chicago forced a punt on a season-low 10% of possessions last week against Detroit (three of their four lowest opponent punt rates have come since Week 11).
Fantasy: Williams has three games with 330+ passing yards and multiple passing scores – Andrew Luck is the only QB to have more such games as a rookie (four).
Betting: Overs are 8-4 in Chicago’s past 12 games played as an underdog on short rest