Baker Mayfield or Matthew Stafford: Who should I start in Week 17 Fantasy Football?

The championship round of the 2023 fantasy football playoffs is taking place in Week 17 for most leagues. This means managers must have their quarterback position solidified to maximize their lineup scores. Matthew Stafford and Baker Mayfield represent two legitimate options for the position his week, as both have been among the hottest quarterbacks in the NFL in recent weeks.

Determining which quarterback makes for a better Week 17 lineup option is based on many factors, including recent performances and direct weekly matchups. The following breakdown takes all of them into consideration to assist managers who have been debating between Mayfield and Stafford for lineups this week.

Is Baker Mayfield a good fantasy pick in Week 17?

Baker Mayfield is having the best fantasy football season of his entire career in his first year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His strong play also has the Buccaneers in a position to potentially win the NFC South division this year. He has also been a borderline QB1 on many fantasy rosters this season and his performances have been elevated in recent weeks.

Mayfield has finished among the top 12 weekly quarterbacks in seven of his 15 games this year, with five of them coming in the second half of the season. He has been particularly impressive during his past three games, totaling nine touchdowns and zero interceptions as part of an active four-game winning streak for the Buccaneers.

Up next for the veteran quarterback is a Week 17 divisional rivalry matchup against the New Orleans Saints. While Mayfield will have the advantage of playing the game on his home field, he will have to do so against a challenging defense. The Saints are allowing the eighth-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, though he finished as the overall QB7 in their previous matchup.

Is Matthew Stafford a good fantasy pick in Week 17?

Matthew Stafford's fantasy football value has been skyrocketing in recent weeks after a relatively slow start to the 2023 NFL season with the Los Angeles Rams. He has finished among the top 12 quarterbacks in each of his past five games after failing to do so in any of his first ten games this year. He ranks the overall QB4 in fantasy football during his current hot streak that started in Week 12.

A case can be made that Stafford has been the most productive fantasy football passer over the past month. He has recorded 14 touchdowns and just one interception across his past five contests while leading the Rams to victory in five of their past six games since their bye week. After averaging less than a touchdown per game in his first ten games, he has been averaging nearly three per game across the past five weeks.

Up next for Stafford is an enticing matchup against the New York Giants and their inconsistent defense. While he will need to go on the road for this game at an earlier start time, which can sometimes be challenging for west-coast teams, his current hot streak and favorable matchup still make him a desirable target. The Giants' passing defense currently ranks in the bottom half of the NFL.

Matthew Stafford vs. Baker Mayfield: Who should I start in Week 17 fantasy football?

According to the Start/Sit Optimizer, Matthew Stafford makes for a better quarterback option than Baker Mayfield in Week 17 fantasy football lineups. This valuable tool weighs every possible variable for any player in a given week to generate fantasy projections and lineup suggestions. In this particular scenario, it favors Stafford for a higher output.

Their direct weekly matchups have a major impact on their current projections, as Mayfield has a more difficult passing defense to overcome this week. Recent trends also play a huge role, as Stafford has been the hottest quarterback recently, though both have been excellent over the past month.

The Optimizer believes Stafford will have more yards this week with a higher touchdown projection, but he may be more likely to throw interceptions than Mayfield. This isn't enough to sway the direction of the lineup suggestion, as Stafford is one of the best quarterback options to consider in Week 17 fantasy football lineups.