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    Zach Charbonnet Fantasy Hub: Week 17 Injury Update, Start/Sit Advice, Projections, and More

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    Here's the latest Zach Charbonnet fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups, including injury status, start-sit advice, trade insight, and more.

    The Seattle Seahawks will face the Chicago Bears 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 RB Zach Charbonnet.

    Check out the FREE Start/Sit Optimizer from Pro Football Network to ensure you are making the right decisions for your fantasy lineup every week!
    Check out the FREE Start/Sit Optimizer from Pro Football Network to ensure you are making the right decisions for your fantasy lineup every week!

    Is Zach Charbonnet Playing in Week 17?

    Week 17 Status: PLAYING

    Evidently, Charbonnet’s oblique injury was a bit more significant than we realized. That explains his strange usage, plus Kenny McIntosh entering the game before him.

    This latest update from Mike Macdonald is a positive development. Charbonnet did appear on Monday’s practice report as limited, but he was listed as dealing with an elbow injury. The oblique wasn’t even noted, which implies it is no longer an issue. An elbow injury for a running back is far less concerning. He practiced in full on Tuesday and Wednesday.

    With Walker out, it sounds like it will be business as usual for Charbonnet as the lead back.

    We’ll continue to monitor the Seahawks’ 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 Zach Charbonnet in Week 17?

    Easy come, easy go. With Kenneth Walker III back in the mix, Charbonnet was an afterthought in Sunday’s loss to the Vikings, and that’s being awfully kind.

    There were 105 players active for that game, and all of them had more rushing yards (-1) than Seattle’s RB2, who turned 34 carries into 216 yards and four scores over the three weeks prior.

    Walker is again battling an ankle injury and has been ruled out for Thursday’s game. Walker’s checkered health history (multiple missed games in all three of his NFL seasons) is exactly why Charbonnet is always going to be a sought-after commodity in the late rounds.

    Yet, there are no signs of the Seahawks wanting to make this a committee.

    One starting running back for Seattle will be active in fantasy leagues this week — it’s that easy. If Walker were playing, Charbonnet wouldn’t deserve a sniff. But since he’s not, you’re likely plugging Charbonnet into your lineups.

    I enter this week with Charbonnet ranked as the top running back in this game.

    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.

    Zach Charbonnet’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 17

    As of Thursday, Charbonnet is projected to score 14.5 fantasy points in PPR formats. This includes 16.2 rushing attempts for 69.7 yards and 0.3 touchdowns. It also includes 1.7 receptions for 33.7 yards and 0.1 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 Bears' Defense

    Most defense-first teams need at least some level of support from the offense before the attrition of a long season wears them down. Unfortunately, it appears that's happening to the Bears' defense, which is steadily slipping towards league average after a strong start.

    In Week 16 vs. the Lions, the Bears posted their second-worst Defense+ grade (66.0) of the year. Their only worse grade was two weeks ago in San Francisco (63.6), which continues a concerning trend.

    Each of Chicago's six worst grades has come in the last six weeks. Over the first nine games, the Bears never finished outside the top 15 in a given week, nor did they post anything lower than a "C" grade.

    But since Week 11, Chicago has finished outside the top 15 all but once, with their best grade being a C. In that span, the Bears rank last in defensive success rate (52.3%).

    With the offense literally providing zero support and the playoffs no longer a consideration, it's no surprise to see that a talented defense has unfortunately reached its breaking point.

    For more insight on all other team defenses, head to our PFN Defense+ Metric Analysis

    Zach Charbonnet’s Fantasy Ranking

    Our Weekly Consensus PPR Rankings are below — both positional and overall. They were last updated at 3:45 AM ET on Wednesday, December 25. If you're in a Superflex league, make sure you check out our Weekly Consensus Superflex Rankings.

    Week 17 RB PPR Rankings

    1) Saquon Barkley | PHI (vs. DAL)
    2) Jahmyr Gibbs | DET (at SF)
    3) Derrick Henry | BAL (at HOU)
    4) Bijan Robinson | ATL (at WAS)
    5) Josh Jacobs | GB (at MIN)
    6) De'Von Achane | MIA (at CLE)
    7) Jonathan Taylor | IND (at NYG)
    8) Chase Brown | CIN (vs. DEN)
    9) Kyren Williams | LAR (vs. ARI)
    10) James Conner | ARI (at LAR)
    11) Bucky Irving | TB (vs. CAR)
    12) Chuba Hubbard | CAR (at TB)
    13) James Cook | BUF (vs. NYJ)
    14) Breece Hall | NYJ (at BUF)
    15) Joe Mixon | HOU (vs. BAL)
    16) Aaron Jones | MIN (vs. GB)
    17) Jerome Ford | CLE (vs. MIA)
    18) Tony Pollard | TEN (at JAX)
    19) Brian Robinson Jr. | WAS (vs. ATL)
    20) D'Andre Swift | CHI (vs. SEA)
    21) Rico Dowdle | DAL (at PHI)
    22) Isaac Guerendo | SF (vs. DET)
    23) Rhamondre Stevenson | NE (vs. LAC)
    24) Rachaad White | TB (vs. CAR)
    25) Tyrone Tracy Jr. | NYG (vs. IND)
    26) Zach Charbonnet | SEA (at CHI)
    27) Alexander Mattison | LV (at NO)
    28) Isiah Pacheco | KC (at PIT)
    29) Tyjae Spears | TEN (at JAX)
    30) Kendre Miller | NO (vs. LV)
    31) Travis Etienne Jr. | JAX (vs. TEN)
    32) Jaylen Warren | PIT (vs. KC)
    33) Javonte Williams | DEN (at CIN)
    34) Justice Hill | BAL (at HOU)
    35) Najee Harris | PIT (vs. KC)
    36) Gus Edwards | LAC (at NE)
    37) Tank Bigsby | JAX (vs. TEN)
    38) Ameer Abdullah | LV (at NO)
    39) Kareem Hunt | KC (at PIT)
    40) Devin Singletary | NYG (vs. IND)
    41) Tyler Allgeier | ATL (at WAS)
    42) Kimani Vidal | LAC (at NE)
    43) Audric Estimé | DEN (at CIN)
    44) Raheem Mostert | MIA (at CLE)
    45) Ray Davis | BUF (vs. NYJ)
    46) Antonio Gibson | NE (vs. LAC)
    47) Kenneth Gainwell | PHI (vs. DAL)
    48) Craig Reynolds | DET (at SF)
    49) Cam Akers | MIN (vs. GB)
    50) Ty Johnson | BUF (vs. NYJ)
    51) Blake Corum | LAR (vs. ARI)
    52) Patrick Taylor Jr. | SF (vs. DET)
    53) Roschon Johnson | CHI (vs. SEA)
    54) Braelon Allen | NYJ (at BUF)
    55) Jeremy McNichols | WAS (vs. ATL)
    56) Jaleel McLaughlin | DEN (at CIN)
    57) Isaiah Davis | NYJ (at BUF)
    58) D'Onta Foreman | CLE (vs. MIA)
    59) Cordarrelle Patterson | PIT (vs. KC)
    60) Jamaal Williams | NO (vs. LV)
    61) Emanuel Wilson | GB (at MIN)
    62) DeeJay Dallas | ARI (at LAR)
    63) Keaton Mitchell | BAL (at HOU)
    64) Chris Brooks | GB (at MIN)
    65) Pierre Strong Jr. | CLE (vs. MIA)
    66) Ke'Shawn Vaughn | SF (vs. DET)
    67) Trey Benson | ARI (at LAR)
    68) Kenneth Walker III | SEA (at CHI)
    69) Michael Carter | ARI (at LAR)
    70) Sean Tucker | TB (vs. CAR)
    71) Samaje Perine | KC (at PIT)
    72) Israel Abanikanda | SF (vs. DET)
    73) Ezekiel Elliott | DAL (at PHI)
    74) Khalil Herbert | CIN (vs. DEN)
    75) Dare Ogunbowale | HOU (vs. BAL)
    76) Jaylen Wright | MIA (at CLE)
    77) Kyle Juszczyk | SF (vs. DET)
    78) Trey Sermon | IND (at NYG)
    79) Mike Boone | CAR (at TB)
    80) Chris Rodriguez Jr. | WAS (vs. ATL)
    81) Dameon Pierce | HOU (vs. BAL)
    82) Sione Vaki | DET (at SF)
    83) Hunter Luepke | DAL (at PHI)
    84) Alec Ingold | MIA (at CLE)
    85) Tyler Goodson | IND (at NYG)

    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

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