Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (concussion) remains in the league's concussion protocol and is not expected to play on Sunday against the division-rival New York Giants in the Week 18 regular-season opener. Hurts suffered a concussion early in the Week 16 loss to the division-rival Washington Commanders and was inactive in the blowout win over the division-rival Dallas Cowboys in Week 17. The Eagles are locked into the No. 2 seed in the NFC for the postseason, so they have nothing to gain by rushing Hurts back this weekend. In addition to Hurts, head coach Nick Sirianni said on Wednesday that the team plans to "rest some guys" on Sunday, including the NFL's rushing leader in running back Saquon Barkley. Kenny Pickett (ribs) is not certain to play through his broken ribs on Sunday, either, so third-stringer Tanner McKee could make his first career start against the G-Men.

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In addition to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes being rested in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday versus the division-rival Denver Broncos, ESPN's Adam Schefter suggests that tight end Travis Kelce, running back Isiah Pacheco (ribs), defensive tackle Chris Jones, defensive end George Karlaftis and defensive back Trent McDuffie could all sit out. The Chiefs have already secured the top seed in the AFC and a first-round bye in the playoffs, so they will rest some key players on both sides of the ball. Carson Wentz will make his first start of the season under center for KC in a game that the Broncos must win to land the seventh and final playoff spot in the AFC. If the 35-year-old Kelce does start, he probably won't stick around long before being pulled, so fantasy managers playing DFS in Week 18 should look to avoid him.

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According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joshua Dobbs will get the starting nod against the Arizona Cardinals this weekend. Dobbs came in for relief late in Monday's game when Brock Purdy (elbow) sustained an injury. The team is opting to lean on the side of caution with Purdy and will let their backup QB start under center in their final game. On his lone drive on Monday night, Dobbs tallied a seven-yard rushing score with 35 passing yards. When Purdy missed time earlier this season, Brandon Allen got the start, but now the coaching staff will turn to Dobbs. Dobbs is worth a look as QB2 in all formats, as he does carry some rushing upside in this matchup despite facing a tougher Arizona defense that has allowed the seventh-fewest PPR points to opposing QBs.

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According to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, Green Bay Packers defensive back Jaire Alexander (knee) will undergo knee surgery and will not return for the remainder of the 2024 season. Alexander has been sidelined since Week 12 due to a PCL injury. Across seven games this season, Alexander has tallied 16 total tackles (15 solo) with seven pass deflections and two interceptions. While he has been out, Carrington Valentine has seen an increase in snaps. Over his previous seven contests, he has logged at least 30 defensive snaps in each of them and tallied 22 total tackles with two interceptions over this span. He should continue to operate as a starter in the Green Bay secondary throughout the playoffs.

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According to Jamison Hensley of ESPN, Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill (concussion/illness) is not practicing on Wednesday. Hill was also listed as a non-participant during Tuesday's estimated report and is in danger of missing Saturday's game. Hill also sat out last weekend and may miss his second-straight contest if he is unable to practice in some capacity on Thursday. Throughout the season, Hill has been deployed as the No.2 running back in the Baltimore offense and as the change-of-pace option behind Derrick Henry. Hill has seen at least three targets in seven games this season and tallied at least 30 receiving yards in each of these games. If Hill cannot return on Saturday, Keaton Mitchell will move up to the No.2 spot.

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According to David Newton of ESPN, Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver Xavier Legette (hip/wrist) was a full participant during Wednesday's initial practice session. Legette sat out during Week 16 and was listed as questionable for Week 17 but was able to suit up. In this game, the rookie wideout brought in five of his nine targets for 28 yards. During Weeks 1 through 15, Legette saw an average of 5.0 targets per game while tallying 31.4 yards per game. However, during Weeks 4 through 10, Legette found the end zone four times. Fantasy managers should monitor his status during the week in case he faces a setback. However, he should be slated to operate as the No.2 wideout in their final game against the Atlanta Falcons.

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According to Chris Emma of 670 The Score, Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze (illness) is not practicing on Wednesday. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status throughout the week as he has two more opportunities to return to the field before the final injury report. The rookie wideout has flashed high upside at times but struggled to see consistent targets in the struggling Chicago offense. He has tallied at least 40 yards in eight games and seen at least seven targets in six games. However, he has also tallied less than 30 yards in five games. Odunze remains a risky flex option in all formats heading into a Week 18 tilt against the Green Bay Packers.

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According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hip) is opening the week as a limited participant. Rapoport also noted that the team is currently approaching their Week 18 matchup against the New York Jets if Tyler Huntley was the starter quarterback. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Tagovailoa's status throughout the week. Since averaging a stellar 27.5 PPR points per game during Weeks 11 through 14, Tagovailoa has taken a step back in his two previous starts, averaging a mere 14.7 PPR points per game. If Tagovailoa were to turn to the corner in time to play on Sunday, he would be viewed as a risky QB1 facing a tougher New York Jets secondary.

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Dynasty | The Eagles are resting Saquon Barkley in their final regular season game. Dynasty Analysis: It's the smart move for a team that has their playoff seed wrapped up and has Super Bowl aspirations. Still, it would have been fun to see if Barkley could have posted the final 101 yards to break the long-held record of 2,105 rushing yards by Eric Dickerson. Barkley's season ends with 2,005 rushing yards and a whole lot of happy dynasty managers. His status as a top-10 player won't change over the off-season.

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According to Alain Poupart of Sports Illustrated, the Miami Dolphins are approaching Week 18 with Tyler Huntley as the starting quarterback. Tua Tagovailoa (hip) did not suit up last weekend and is opening this week as a limited participant. In their victory over the Browns last Sunday, "Snoop" Huntley went 22-for-26 with 225 yards and a score. He added 52 yards and a score on the ground on seven rushing attempts. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Tagovailoa's status throughout the week. If Huntley were to be given another start, he should be viewed as a risky QB2 facing a New York Jets defense that has allowed the tenth-fewest PPR points to opposing QBs this season.

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According to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (thigh) remained sidelined during Wednesday's practice. Garrett was also listed as a non-participant during Tuesday's estimated session. Fantasy managers should closely monitor his status on Thursday's injury report, as he may be in danger of missing Saturday's divisional tilt against the Baltimore Ravens. Garrett has yet to miss a game this season. Across 16 contests, the former No.1 overall selection has tallied 45 total tackles (38 solo) with 14 sacks, one pass deflection, and three forced fumbles. If Garrett were to miss Saturday's game, James Houston and Cameron Thomas should see an uptick in playing time.

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According to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (knee) will not practice again on Wednesday. Njoku was also listed as a non-participant during Tuesday's estimated report. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his status during Thursday's practice as he could be in danger of sitting on Saturday. Over his past five contests, Njoku has averaged a strong 15.4 PPR points per game. During this stretch, he has tallied 50.0 yards per game while seeing 10.8 targets per game. If Njoku were to miss his second-straight contest, Jordan Akins would get the starting nod once again. Akins would be viewed as a desperation TE2 and a high-risk play in DFS, as he has only seen more than four targets in one game this season.

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According to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (ankle) will not practice again on Wednesday. Ford will now miss his second-straight practice and could be in danger of missing Saturday's contest against the Baltimore Ravens. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to his status during Thursday's session. Ford left last weekend's game early due to an ankle injury. Over his past three contests, Ford has tallied 198 total rushing yards while posting a strong 8.3 YPC. No.2 running back Pierre Strong (concussion) will also not practice on Wednesday. This could leave D'Onta Foreman and John Kelly as the lone running backs during their final game of the season. Foreman would be a viable low-end RB2 if given the start.

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According to Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star, the Kansas City Chiefs are opening wide receiver Mecole Hardman's (knee) practice window on Wednesday. Hardman was placed on the injured reserve during the first week of December with a knee injury but will have a good opportunity to return in the postseason. Before the injury, Hardman caught just 12 of his 14 targets for 90 yards and no scores. He added 62 rushing yards and a touchdown on five rushing attempts. When Hardman does return, fantasy managers should expect him to operate as a depth option in the passing attack. However, with Marquise Brown back in action, Hardman will only see occasional snaps and should not be targeted in any playoff competitions.

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According to Nate Taylor of The Athletic, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Carson Wentz will start under center in Week 18 against the Denver Broncos. With the Chiefs clinching the No.1 seed in the AFC, they will opt to rest Patrick Mahomes in their final game of the regular season. The 32-year-old has logged just eight offensive snaps all season and has gone 2-for-2 with 20 yards. Last season, the former No.2 overall selection went 17-for-24 with 163 yards, two scores, and an interception in his lone game for the Los Angeles Rams. The Chiefs may opt to rest other key starters, including Travis Kelce, Xavier Worthy, and DeAndre Hopkins, which could significantly limit his ceiling on Sunday afternoon. He should be viewed as a risky QB2 play in all formats.

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According to Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (ribs) will not practice on Wednesday. Earlier this week, head coach Andy Reid noted that the running back will be available for the playoffs but will be held out of practice this week. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progress during the week but should not expect him to suit up in Week 18, as the Chiefs are already locked into the No.1 seed in the AFC. This means that Pacheco will have another week off before they return to action in the Divisional Round. Since returning in Week 13 from a fractured fibula that kept him sidelined through most of the season, he averaged just over ten total touches per game, operating as the "1A" in the backfield alongside Kareem Hunt. Given his injury history this season, Hunt will likely continue to limit his overall ceiling.

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According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Philadelphia Eagles are planning on resting key starters, including running back Saquon Barkley, during their Week 18 tilt against the New York Giants. Barkley will finish just 100 yards away from Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record. Starting quarterback Jalen Hurts (concussion) is still in the league's protocol and would have faced an uphill battle to suit up anyway. In addition, top wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith will likely also sit out in this contest. This would pave the way for either Kenny Pickett (ribs) or Tanner McKee to get the start under center, with Kenneth Gainwell and Will Shipley sharing the backfield. Jahan Dotson, Johnny Wilson, and Ainias Smith will likely be top pass catchers. Fantasy managers should consider targeting Gainwell on the waiver wire as he would likely get the start at running back and would be a viable RB2 in all formats.

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The Philadelphia Eagles announced on Wednesday that they have opened the 21-day practice window for tight end Dallas Goedert (knee) to return from Injured Reserve. Goedert can now return to practice with the team and has a shot to be officially activated from IR in order to play in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival New York Giants. The 29-year-old isn't guaranteed to be activated by Saturday, though, and if he is activated, there's a good chance he'll see limited snaps in what would be his first game since Dec. 1. In nine games before injuring his knee, Goedert had a 38-441-2 line as a low-end TE1 option for fantasy managers in an offense with many mouths to feed. His backup, Grant Calcaterra, has been a touchdown-dependent TE2 in Goedert's absence, catching only five of six targets for 72 yards and one touchdown in four games.

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The Washington Commanders announced on Wednesday that they have opened the 21-day practice window for running back Austin Ekeler (concussion) to return from Injured Reserve. It means that Ekeler can resume practicing with the team on Wednesday and will be eligible to come off IR and play in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Dallas Cowboys. If the 29-year-old pass-catching back is going to play this weekend, he'll need to come off IR by Saturday. It's good news for Washington's backfield, which has seen Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. get more run alongside starter Brian Robinson Jr. since Ekeler landed on IR on Nov. 30. Ekeler had been a solid RB3/flex option in PPR leagues when healthy, but he'll be a much more shaky fantasy play in Week 18 if he returns due to a potential limited workload if the team eases him back in.

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Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen said on Wednesday that he's hopeful that quarterback Anthony Richardson (back) will get back from his back spasms in order to play in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars. However, the Colts will see how the second-year signal-caller progresses in practice this week. The Colts are only holding a light walkthrough practice on Wednesday, so the real test will come for Richardson on Thursday. The 22-year-old was held out of the Week 17 loss to the New York Giants due to pretty serious back spasms, but apparently he's feeling better this week and has a shot to play in a meaningless game. If Richardson is active this weekend, he'll have clear QB1 upside in fantasy against Jacksonville's bad defense, but he'll also be at risk of re-injury with his back.

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