It’s the age-old question: what do we do with when there’s nothing left to play for in real life, but everything left to play for in fantasy? Here are some key teams to keep an eye on heading into Week 17:

Green Bay Packers

Smart money says that if you drafted Aaron Rodgers this season, you’re in your league championship game. He was nothing less than stellar, putting up incredible fantasy performances week in and week out as he led the Packers to a near-perfect record and homefield throughout the playoffs. But that’s the problem; what else does have to play for? It’s certain that the Packers will remain in Green Bay throughout the Super Bowl tournament, and their bid at perfection has already ended. For these reasons, it looks as if Rodgers won’t play the whole game if he does start, and might not even see the field Sunday, even though he’s healthy.

What goes for Rodgers goes for the rest of the Packers as well. James Starks has already been ruled out for Week 17 and Ryan Grant will likely play sparingly in preparation for the playoffs, leaving Brandon Saine and John Kuhn as the two most likely candidates to get carries. On the outside, Jordy Nelson and Donald Driver will probably see the field, but not for the entirety of the game, making them risky plays. Randall Cobb has been limited in practice this week, but he and James Jones seem to be the most likely candidates to lead the Packers in targets from backup quarterback Matt Flynn.

Verdict: If you can afford to, avoid the Packers in fantasy this week. They’ve been an incredible source of production this season, bit with the amount of uncertainty surrounding which players will play and how much, the safer play would be to steer clear.

Atlanta Falcons

Another quarterback to watch is Matt Ryan. With the NFC Wild Card seeding not yet fully determined, it’s too early to tell what the Falcons will do with their starters on Sunday. The Lions face the surely reserve-laden Packers early, and the Falcons have Tampa Bay late. If Detroit somehow loses, get your Falcons in your lineup for a dream matchup with the Bucs. But if the Lions win, be cautious with the Falcons. Detroit clinches the fifth seed if they win, so Atlanta won’t have anything to play for, meaning potentially limited playing time for Ryan.

Unlike the Packers, however, the Falcon backups should hold some value. If Detroit wins their game, Michael Turner, Roddy White and Julio Jones will likely see limited snaps, at best. If that is the case and you’re relying on those players, don’t be afraid to keep Jason Snelling and Harry Douglas handy. Both have produced at times this season, and without those pesky starters getting in their way, they could see a production boost on Sunday.

Verdict: Of course, all this becomes moot if Detroit somehow falls to the Packers. If the Falcons still have a chance at the No. 5 Seed, Ryan, Turner, White and Jones will be on the field. But if Detroit wins and you can swing it, have other options ready at 4 p.m. if you’re relying on Atlanta.

Josh’s work can also be found at Razzball. Follow him on Twitter at @JoshVitale.

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So here are some of the top defensive streaming options for Week 17. May you stick to New Year’s resolution though January before you inevitably abandon it in February.

Seattle vs. Arizona

Seattle is not the defensive MVP of the fantasy game this season. But from a value standpoint, they’re not far off. Likely undrafted in most leagues, they’ve averaged 15 points per week and 21 over the past four. That ain’t so bad. And this week they get a John Skelton-led Arizona team that has been anything but threatening on offense this season. The Seahawks posted 16 standard points against the Cardinals earlier this season and could do even more this time around.

Kansas City vs. Denver

There are a number of things that could explain Tim Tebow’s four-interception performance in Buffalo on Christmas Eve. Maybe God was punishing him because he received more than he gave during the holiday season. Maybe he was distracted because he knew he had to help Santa Claus deliver toys later that night. Who knows? But what we do know is that the Broncos’ offense is suddenly turnover-prone, something you can expect the Chiefs to try to exploit as they try to play spoiler on Sunday.

Denver vs. Kansas City

Nobody knows Kyle Orton better than the Denver defense. They stared down the neckbeard every day in practice during the early part of this season, learning its reads, tendencies, growing patterns, shaving preferences and line calls. They’ve likely intercepted it numerous times, and they’ve been waiting for months to finally be able to hit him. Sure, Orton could go off against the team that unceremoniously dumped him for Timmy Ballgame and this matchup could explode in your face. But if it doesn’t, the Denver defense could have a field day in a must-win game.

Jacksonville vs. Indianapolis

Indianapolis vs. Jacksonville

I mean, why not, right? The Jaguars are bad on offense but almost mediocre on defense. The Colts are atrocious on offense and have played slightly less than decent on defense recently. Neither of these teams offers great options, but both offer plays that won’t make you vomit that much on Sunday. If you for some reason never got a hold of a stud defense or can’t get your hands on one of the above options, these two wouldn’t kill you as desperation plays. Maim, yes. But kill? No.

Josh’s work can also be found at Razzball. Follow him on Twitter at @JoshVitale.

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Redskins (+8) at Eagles

The Eagles have played well over their last three games, winning handily against the Dolphins, Jets and Cowboys. Too little, too late. The Redskins’ best weapon, Roy Helu, is banged up and will play at less than 100 percent. It seems the Eagles should win easily, but a perfect capper to their season would be a loss to the Redskins. The Football Gods have one last kick in the groin ready for Philadelphia.

The Pick: Redskins +8, Under 45.5

49ers (-10.5) at Rams

The Rams have had trouble scoring points all season long, and they lost to this same team 26-0 a few weeks back. There’s no reason we won’t see a repeat this week — the 49ers are playing for a coveted No. 2 seed. The Rams will happily drop this game, hope for the No. 1 pick and clean house in the offseason.

The Pick: 49ers -10.5, Under 35.5

Bears (+1.5) at Vikings

The Bears, even with injuries aplenty on offense, still have a stellar defense and an elite special-teams unit. The Vikings don’t have much of anything without Adrian Peterson, and they’re one of the few teams the Bears should have no trouble passing against. The Vikings ended a big losing streak last week, and the Bears get to do the same in Week 17.

The Pick: Bears +1.5, Under 41

Lions (-3) at Packers

How in the world could the Lions be favored in Green Bay against the one-loss Packers? Glad you asked — Green Bay has no reason to risk their starters in this game, so if Aaron Rodgers and the first unit plays at all, it won’t be for long. The Lions are fighting for a trip to the NFC East winner instead of San Francisco or New Orleans, which is kind of a big deal.

The Pick: Lions -3, Over 44

Panthers (+8) at Saints

The Saints are still fighting for the No. 2 seed, but not really — the 49ers should pull off an easy Week 17 win to lock it up. It’s possible New Orleans could move to the second unit in the second half. The Panthers defense isn’t good enough to stop the Saints, but the offense can score with anyone. At the very least, expect a back-door cover in the fourth quarter, but don’t be surprised if Carolina wins this one.

The Pick: Panthers +8, Over 54.5

Titans (-2) at Texans

The Texans are coming off two straight losses despite playing the Panthers and Colts in those games. The Titans have been up and down all year, but they’ll be expected to be at the top of their game as a playoff spot could be on the line. Houston is locked into the three seed, which explains the fact that they’re a home underdog. They know they can beat the Titans, and they’ll get a huge advantage if they get to face them again next week without showing their hand this week.

The Pick: Titans -2, Over 40

Colts (+3.5) at Jaguars

The Colts proved to the league that without Peyton Manning they’re terrible, losing 13 straight to open the season. They then won two straight to put their shot at Andrew Luck in jeopardy. Look at it from Jacksonville’s side — do you want the Colts to have the No. 1 pick and potentially see Andrew Luck twice a year for the next 10 years? I didn’t think so. If the Jaguars lose this game, they win in the long run.

The Pick: Colts +3.5, Under 37.5

Jets (+3) at Dolphins

The Jets won pretty handily in the first meeting of these two teams, and with Reggie Bush out for Miami, I would expect them to have the edge here. You don’t expect Matt Moore and the passing offense to move the ball against Revis Island, do you? Throw in the high stakes for the Jets, and this seems like easy money.

The Pick: Jets +3, Under 41

Bills (+10) at Patriots

I haven’t picked a home team yet, but that’s going to end right here. The Patriots will be going full throttle in an attempt to lock up the top seed in the AFC. They also have unfinished business against the Bills, a team that beat them way back in Week 3. Buffalo scored 40 last week, but don’t be fooled — they had just one offensive TD to their credit in the game.

The Pick: Patriots -10, Over 50

Buccaneers (+11) at Falcons

When the Bucs were dropping games in mid-season against quality teams, it looked like they were being victimized by the schedule. When the losses kept coming against subpar competition, it became clear that this is one of the league’s worst teams. The defense has been non-existent, which doesn’t bode well against Atlanta.

The Pick: Falcons -11, Under 45.5

Ravens (-2) at Bengals

The Ravens could have a first-round bye, or they could be on the road next week. The Bengals are fighting for a playoff spot, so this one means a lot on either side. I like the Bengals in this game, as the Ravens haven’t played that well on the road this season, losing to the Titans, Jaguars, Seahawks and Chargers while going undefeated at home. Anquan Boldin’s absence will help Cincinnati as well.

The Pick: Bengals +2, Over 39

Steelers (-7) at Browns

The Steelers had no problem against the Rams last week even without Ben Roethlisberger, who is expected to play for no more than a half this week. Like the Rams, the Browns are far from an offensive juggernaut, so this game should be handily won by the Pittsburgh defense and rushing attack. The Steelers won 14-3 in this matchup a few weeks back — take the under.

The Pick: Steelers -7, Under 35

Chargers (+3) at Raiders

The Raiders find themselves fighting for the AFC West crown in Week 17, while the Chargers have nothing but pride to play for. Several Chargers are ailing and could play anywhere from the full 60 to not at all. The Raiders wide receivers have gotten healthier, and I think they have the advantage at home. They won in San Diego earlier this season and should complete the sweep.

The Pick: Raiders -3, Under 48.5

Chiefs (+3) at Broncos

This game features Broncos QBs old (Kyle Orton) and new (Tim Tebow), and I hate to break it to you Chiefs fans, but there’s a reason Denver didn’t want Orton. But this game boils down to the simple fact that I can’t pick against Tebow in a high-pressure situation.

The Pick: Broncos -3, Over 37

Seahawks (+3) at Cardinals

Both teams have caught fire in the second half, leaving the winner of this game with a .500 record on the season. Remember, both were 2-6 at the halfway point. Even with a portfolio full of wins, the Cardinals haven’t looked very good — overtime played a big role in their run, so they could easily be 4-11 instead of 7-8. If Arizona does win, it’ll be by a field goal. I’ll take the points.

The Pick: Seahawks +3, Under 41

Cowboys (+3) at Giants

The Cowboys have dropped three of their last four games, including one to these Giants in Dallas. Now they have to head into Giants Stadium with a gimpy Tony Romo and win an outdoors game to reach the playoffs. I don’t see it happening — the Giants have proven they can take this team. Moreover, with Eli Manning playing at a high level and Jason Pierre-Paul looking unstoppable, I wouldn’t want to play this team in January.

The Pick: Giants -3, Over 47

Best Bets

Panthers +8
Colts +3.5
Patriots -10
49ers/Rams Under 35.5
Steelers/Browns Under 35

Upset Special

Panthers (+320) over Saints

Stats

Spreads: 120-101-9
Over/Unders: 121-105-4
Total: 241-206-13
Best Bets: 48-29-3
Upsets: 4-12

R.J. White is the head writer at the Fantasy Baseball Cafe and Fantasy Football Cafe has also written for FanHouse. You can follow R.J. on Twitter here.

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Ryan Fitzpatrick: The last time the Patriots and Bills met Fitzpatrick threw for 369 yards and 2 touchdowns and the Bills won 34-31. Fitzpatrick has not been playing that well of late so there is risk in starting him but the Patriots can turn the sorriest of quarterbacks into fantasy assets.

Josh McCown: The Vikings are worse than the Patriots at defending the pass which is difficult to do. McCown actually looked decent against the Packers last week and with players like Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan possibly sitting you may be scrambling for a QB. He’s more of a QB 2 option but has upside close to QB 1 status.

Kyle Orton: The revenge game is always one worth taking a look at. Orton has still got to be pissed that John Elway made him shave his neck beard and that came straight from the man/horse’s mouth. Orton can have huge games and then pure crappers but Denver does have a weak pass defense besides Champ Bailey and Orton is averaging 299.5 passing yards per game as a Chief.

James Jones: With no Randall Cobb or Greg Jennings and most likely no Jermichael Finley it looks like Jones will get a lot of snaps against a Lions pass defense that is hurting and giving up 261 yards passing in the last 8 games.

Malcom Floyd: Last week Vincent Jackson played but was limited and Malcom Floyd got the bulk of the targets. This week Jackson is hurting again and if he does play could have a similar kind of game. I’d feel much better about starting Floyd. The Raiders are also 29th in fantasy points given up to wide receivers

Stevie Johnson: Stevie faces the poor Patriots pass defense in what should once again be a shoot out. Last time around he had 8 receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown. I don’t see any reason he won’t have a repeat performance.

Roy Williams: I loathe to put him in this column but the matchup is too good and he had 9 targets from McCown in their last game. Williams also managed to catch 6 of those for 81 yards. Don’t put all your championship hopes on him but someone for the Bears is going to end up with a decent game against the poor Vikings.

Brandon Pettigrew: The Packers have given up the most fantasy points and receiving yards to tight ends this season. Add to that the Packers most likely sitting anyone who has the sniffles and he should have some room to roam.

Jared Cook: Cook has the ability of an elite tight end and in the last couple games he’s gotten the targets to do something with. I figure at this point in the season they will continue to give him the ball and see if they can build momentum gong into next season. Houston is a tough team no doubt but they have no reason to play anyone who is hurting.

Brent Celek: The Redskins are ranked 30th in fantasy points given up to tight ends and Celek has been playing well of late. He has 208 yards and 2 touchdowns in his last 2 games. He should be able to put up a respectable game.

Besides Fanduel.com, Chet has written for the N.Y. Times: Fifth Down Blog, Rotoworld and his own site Razzball. He is extremely/obsessively active on Twitter and will answer your questions as best he can if you throw them @ChetRazzball.

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C.J. Spiller: This game really is set up well for Spiller. New England doesn’t stop the run all that well but since they are usually in the lead they aren’t run on as often as most teams. So they are usually getting passed on at will as teams try to come from behind. Spiller is the perfect running back for garbage time receiving yards. He’ll still get his 10-15 carries which he has been doing good things with but will also see 5-10 targets in what should be a shootoutish game.

Kahlil Bell: He’s playing for his future and he’s done a good job of it the last 2 games where has 267 total yards and a touchdown. Minnesota has been tough against the run but lately they’ve been bending and doing a little breaking. Last week against Evan Royster they gave up 132 yards rushing on 19 carries and they also give up 49 receiving yards a game to running backs which ranks 30th in the league and Bell has 14 receptions in the last 3 games.

Maurice Morris: 9 receptions for 81 yards is what Morris did against the Packers starters the last time they met and this time around the starters will be resting much of the game. The main question here is if Kevin Smith will play. The word from beat writers is that they may hold him out to give him rest for the playoffs and if they don’t he’ll see limited work. In PPR Morris should be a good play either way.

Jonathan Stewart: The Saints have given up the most receiving yards to running backs this season and also the most yards per carry. Both DeAngelo Williams and Stewart will be good flex plays but I like Stewart a little more since he is in on passing downs more and there’s a good chance the Panthers will get down in this one.

Jacquizz Rodgers: This is a tough one because if the Lions beat the Packers in the early game then the Falcons won’t have anything to play for and I do believe the Lions will beat a Packers team who will be resting starters. Rodgers and Jason Snelling split time behind Michael Turner but I believe that Rodgers could lead in touches if they rest Turner. And whoever leads in touches against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could score 23 touchdowns. On the season they are giving up 175 rushing and receiving yards a game to running backs. That’s by far the worst in the league.

Stevan Ridley: The Patriots need to win to clinch home field advantage throughout so they will play their startes. But who is the starting running back? Um, good question sir or ma’am. Last week Ridley carried the ball 13 times which beat out Green-Ellis who had 3 and Woodhead who had 4. It’s a gamble to play him but he faces the Bills who are 28th in rushing yards allowed to running backs.

Brandon Saine: He played last week so he must be recovered from his concussion and this week with James Starks out and Ryan Grant most likely rested Saine should see the bulk of the carries. John Kuhn could vulture him at the goal line but Saine has proven he has some ability and with Matt Flynn at the helm there is a good chance they’ll run the ball a little more than usual and if they get behind Saine is a very capable pass catcher out of the backfield.

Besides Fanduel.com, Chet has written for the N.Y. Times: Fifth Down Blog, Rotoworld and his own site Razzball. He is extremely/obsessively active on Twitter and will answer your questions as best he can if you throw them @ChetRazzball.

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