5 Big Ws From Week 17

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About Last Night … Did 49ers-Bears Win it For You?

Are you not entertained? If you needed Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, Caleb Williams or Luther Burden III to come through for your team … well, hopefully you’ve got a trophy or some other winnings 💰 as an additional holiday treat. 49ers-Bears looked like a great Week 17 matchup, and boy did it deliver:

• It’s not SNF without a CMC TD. He also finished with 181 scrimmage yards.

• Caleb to Colston Loveland will be on target for years for Da Bears.

• Purdy ran around for 8 seconds before connecting on this TD. Then he was feelin’ it.

• Swift getting in on the action with his second TD and 79 scrimmage yards.

• Did you need this big play to Jauan Jennings for your league title? Purdy finished with 36.92 fantasy points on 303 passing yards and 5 total TDs, including two running scores. Can you say en fuego?

• Nothing like a classic coming down to the last play. Caleb going 330-2 and 5-18-0 is another sign he’s ARRIVED.

The Best and Worst of The 2025 Fantasy Playoffs

"If you ain't first, you're last." If you've seen Talladega Nights, then you know that Ricky Bobby was clearly talking about fantasy football when he trademarked the infamous quote.

At this point, we have one single Monday Night Football game left until the end of the fantasy football season. Outside of a Monday Night Miracle, you probably have a good idea of whether or not you'll end up in first ... or last. And if we've learned anything over these previous three playoff weeks, it's that the players who got you here won't necessarily get you where you want to be. And the players that may have struggled along the way could have found a way to redeem themselves in the fantasy playoffs.

Who were the league winners of 2025, and what players quickly went from fantasy hero to fantasy playoffs zero? Let's recap the best and worst from the 2025 fantasy football playoffs.

Time To Turn Your Attention To Dynasty …

Nothing beats a Week 18 "dynasty league speculation" column. Why? Because we can map out a multiverse of bizarre possibilities—grounded in reality, mind you!—and then just shrug if they don't come true. But I will say this much: these are moves I am making or have made in my own leagues. It's not just fluff, people!

Let's dive in.

1. Malik Willis is no longer cheap — but you should be a buyer anyway

If you think you're in on some secret that Malik Willis is a free agent heading into 2026 ... you aren't. You also aren't the only one who has come to the conclusion that the QB class in the 2026 draft is relatively weak. So Willis will likely sign somewhere and will have a shot at a starting job. If recent history is any indication, a "once-highly-regarded QB who needs a few years of experience before recognizing his true potential" is a thing now. Willis fits that mold—he played for a bunch of bad teams and has come into his own when he's been given the chance to start.

Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, Geno Smith, Daniel Jones ... there's a nice list of recent examples here. And remember, Willis was being mocked in the Top 10 going into 2022's draft (Kiper, Reuter, Trapasso, Mock Draft Database)—so I feel comfortable saying the skill is there. And as good as he may be as an NFL QB, Willis' rushing upside makes him an even more attractive asset. Whoever has him will be asking for a ton in a trade; consider it, as Willis will be 27 next year and has 5-6 good years ahead of him. 

Around the Watercooler

The latest fantasy nuggets, silliness and NFL gossip from our merry band of football nerds.

🍳 Ok, let Cam Ward cook. He flashed enough for some Y2 optimism.

😆 Sorry babe … I was busy yesterday.

🙏 The dynasty community lost a good one. R.I.P. Dynasty Warzone.

📷️ Is that Stefon Diggs? Or Randy Moss?

🤞 Need a big Kyle Pitts game for your title?

👀 Check out the Xfinity Best Projections and our Game Model to see if your Monday night miracle is possible.