Vanek's Views: DraftKings NFL DFS Picks for Week 17 (Christmas Slate)

by Jordan Vanek (vanekjordan) Last Updated 2025-12-24 16:44:41 Premium Content Part of the product NFL DFS

Using his experience as a former scout and staff member at Central Florida under Josh Heupel, Jordan Vanek takes an in-depth look at the upcoming NFL DFS Christmas slate on DraftKings for Week 17. Formerly of The 33rd Team and 4for4 Fantasy Football, Jordan’s deep dive into each game is a must-read before you start building your lineups.

Happy holidays to everyone taking the time to read this piece on one of the messier slates of the entire season. There are a ton of quarterback injuries, offensive line injuries, and overall health concerns that cloud this slate in a major way. The first game’s implied total is the highest by a wide margin, which should give us plenty of late-swap flexibility depending on what hits—or doesn’t—in that matchup.

To see the pOWN% on a lot of the top plays, check out our NFL DFS projections, which are updating constantly to reflect the news. Our team will be updating projections throughout the day and as soon as the inactive reports come out. These updates will help a ton when it comes to late swap opportunities.

Editor’s Note: Looking for more places to play? Check out our Underdog promo code and PrizePicks promo code, two of the best DFS apps available today.

NFL DFS DraftKings Picks: Week 17 Christmas Slate Breakdown

Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders

Cowboys Offense

Two of the worst secondaries in the NFL are facing off in this matchup between the Cowboys and Commanders. The Commanders’ biggest weakness defensively has been the slot, which directly benefits CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson. Both showed up in a big way in their first meeting—Lamb went over 100 yards, while Ferguson caught 2 touchdowns. George Pickens was also productive, finishing with four receptions for 82 yards.

On a 3-game Christmas slate, it wouldn’t surprise me if all 3 pass-catchers found their way into the final optimal lineup. Other pieces worth noting are Ryan Flournoy, KaVontae Turpin, and—somewhat surprisingly—Jonathan Mingo. Mingo saw extended run last weekend with the game out of reach and both Flournoy and Turpin banged up. If either of them is unable to play, Mingo becomes an intriguing option.

The Cowboys will also mix in their backup tight ends, Luke Schoonmaker and Brevyn Spann-Ford. Both hover around a 20% snap share, making them mostly touchdown-or-bust plays, but if either were to score, it wouldn’t be a major shock.

From a coverage standpoint, the Commanders have leaned more heavily into zone coverage and two-high shells. Dak sees plenty of two-high looks, and that should boost Ferguson’s reception upside if that holds in this matchup. Lamb and Pickens can make splash plays against any coverage—it ultimately comes down to Dak giving them the opportunity to do so.

Over the last 2 games, Javonte Williams has not maintained a dominant role. Malik Davis has begun splitting work with him at a level that’s more significant than what we previously saw from Miles Sanders. Davis brings a different element to the offense, and the explosiveness he’s shown helps explain why he’s earning touches.

On the other side, the Commanders have allowed over 5.0 yards per carry in games where they’ve leaned heavily on two-high shells. When a defense tries to compensate for poor pass coverage by keeping an extra safety deep, it naturally weakens the run defense, leading to increased efficiency on the ground.

On a small slate like this, I will love Davis.

Commanders Offense

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