NFL Saturday Games: NFL DFS Cheat Sheet for PrizePicks
We get three NFL Saturday games in Week 17, with all three games involving teams still needing wins to secure their Playoff spots. It starts with the Chargers vs. Patriots at 1 p.m. ET, then Broncos vs. Bengals at 4:30 p.m. ET, and Cardinals vs. Rams at 8 p.m. ET, with all games on NFL Network.
Below, we’ve got the top NFL DFS picks for the three NFL Saturday games for PrizePicks, including the best matchups to target in these games.
Check the PrizePicks NFL board now, lock in your picks, and get in on all of the Week 17 Saturday NFL action. It’s the easiest way to cash in on your NFL knowledge, all the way through the Super Bowl 2025.
NFL Saturday Games: NFL DFS Cheat Sheet & Picks
Find the top picks, matchups to target, and TD scorer predictions for the Week 17 Saturday NFL Games below in the PrizePicks Cheat Sheet.
- Chargers QB Justin Herbert 230.5 Pass Yards — More
- Patriots QB Drake Maye 217.5 Pass Yards — Less
- Broncos QB Bo Nix 20.5 Rush Yards — More
- Cardinals RB James Conner 57.5 Rush Yards — More
- Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. 49.5 Receiving Yards — More
- Chargers WR Quentin Johnston 39.5 Receiving Yards — More
- Bengals TE Mike Gesicki 25.5 Receiving Yards — More
Chargers QB Justin Herbert 230.5 Pass Yards — More
Chargers QB Justin Herbert is enjoying one of his best seasons under new head coach John Harbaugh. Facing a New England Patriots defense that has been abysmal at best, Herbert should have little trouble eclipsing his 232.5-yard passing projection.
Patriots safety Kyle Dugger ranks 93rd out of 96 safeties in coverage, via PFF, while the Patriots will also start seventh-round pick Alex Austin and third-round pick Marte Mapu in the secondary. Compounding their woes, New England lacks impactful pass rushers, giving opposing quarterbacks ample time to attack through the air.
Although the Patriots rank 14th in passing yards allowed, they sit outside the top 10 in both passing touchdowns and completions allowed — meaning Herbert has a prime opportunity to continue his strong play. The Patriots defense ranks 31st in dropback expected points added (.174) since Week 11.
It doesn’t hurt that Herbert is another week removed from nicking up his ankle against the Bucs, where he struggled to pass in the second half, and off nine days of rest.
Patriots QB Drake Maye 217.5 Pass Yards — Less
Patriots QB Drake Maye faces a daunting challenge against a formidable Chargers secondary. Chargers safety Derwin James ranks 13th out of 96 safeties in coverage, cornerback Elijah Molden sits at eighth among that same group, and their standout corner Tarheeb Still slots in at 11th among 116 cornerbacks, via PFF.
As a unit, the Chargers surrender just 220 passing yards per game (top 10 in the NFL), only 21 completions per contest (top 15), and have the sixth-best dropback EPA defense. The Chargers are missing CBs Asante Samuel Jr. and Eli Apple, but Maye will still need to be at his best to navigate this lockdown pass defense.
Broncos QB Bo Nix 20.5 Rush Yards — More
Broncos rookie QB Bo Nix has emerged as a top contender for Offensive Rookie Player of the Year, and this week he gets a highly favorable matchup in the afternoon Saturday NFL game. The Bengals struggle mightily against mobile quarterbacks, allowing on average 34 rushing yards and about seven rushing attempts per game by QBs — ranking 31st and 32nd in those categories, respectively.
Their linebacking corps is a key culprit: Germaine Pratt ranks 59th out of 85 linebackers overall, and Akeem Davis-Gaither ranks 68th, making for one of the league’s weaker units. Expect Nix to capitalize both through the air and on the ground.
Nix’s rushing projection on PrizePicks is 20.5 rush yards. Nix has rushed for 25 and 23 yards in each of his last two games. At 233.5 pass yards, you can go that way as well — Nix has gone more than that number in four of his last five games. With Burrow on the other side, we could see this game go pass-forward, with both sides airing it out.
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Cardinals RB James Conner 57.5 Rush Yards — More
Cardinals RB James Conner faces a Rams defense that ranks 28th in rushing yards allowed to running backs and 30th in rush attempts allowed (nearly 25 per game). Since Week 12, the Rams rank 27th in rush defense EPA (.003).
Conner has topped this rushing number in each of his last four outings, and put up a 122-yard performance the last time he played the Rams. Much of this is due to the Rams’ struggling linebacking corps. Christian Rozeboom ranks 69th out of 87 LBs against the run and 39th out of 85 overall, per PFF, underscoring a prime opportunity for Conner to continue his hot streak.
Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. 49.5 Receiving Yards — More
Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. has a standout matchup in this game. He averages nearly 15 yards per target and sits in the top 15 for receiving touchdowns and top 25 for targets. Slated to face him is Rams CB Darious Williams, who ranks 62nd out of 116 cornerbacks in coverage, per PFF.
At just 5-foot-9, Williams faces a notable height disadvantage against the tall Harrison Jr. Additionally, Williams allows a near-100 passer rating and over 14 yards per target, suggesting Harrison Jr. could be poised for a big day.
In his last matchup with the Rams in Week 2, Harrison went for 130 yards and two touchdowns on eight targets. While Harrison has gone less than this receiving yards number in four of his last five games, he’s still a huge part of the offense, averaging over 8 targets per game over the last five.
Chargers WR Quentin Johnston 39.5 Receiving Yards — More
2023 first-round pick WR Quentin Johnston gets one of his easiest matchups of the season against the Patriots. Although he’s been middle-of-the-pack statistically, Johnston is performing better than last year and produces a 112 passer rating when targeted with over 12 yards per reception. He also ranks inside the top 10 in receiving touchdowns.
The Patriots have struggled against the pass since Week 12, ranking 28th in dropback EPA over that span. This is largely due to a banged up secondary, which has forced inexperienced corners into action like CB Alex Austin — who is giving up a passer rating over 100 when targeted. Johnston should see Austin for a large part of this game.
While Johnston has had his ups and downs, he has gone over this number in two of his last three games, and is averaging almost eight targets per game over those three.
Bengals TE Mike Gesicki 25.5 Receiving Yards — More
Bengals TE Mike Gesicki is enjoying a stellar season after his move from Miami. He currently ranks among the top 20 tight ends in targets, receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and yards per reception.
Gesicki also draws a favorable matchup against a Broncos linebacking corps that struggles in coverage — Cody Barton is 55th among 79 linebackers, and Justin Strnad is 58th of 79, per PFF. While the Broncos generally excel on defense, they remain vulnerable against the pass, giving Gesicki a strong opportunity to shine.
This game leans toward the pass in general, with both teams preferring to throw, which could give Gesicki more opportunities to catch passes.
Lock in for Week 17 NFL DFS on PrizePicks
Week 17 brings us a three-game slate of NFL Saturday games, with exciting matchups and division titles on the line. Use the PrizePicks NFL Cheat Sheet to sharpen your takes and build out your winning Lineups for the Saturday NFL games.
PrizePicks is the simplest way to play NFL daily fantasy sports all season, even through the NFL Playoffs and the 2025 Super Bowl. Visit the PrizePicks NFL board, pick at least two player projections — like yards or touchdowns — and lock in your Lineup.
Keep it dialed in on the Playbook for more PrizePicks picks and predictions for NFL DFS and fantasy football all season long.
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