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Steelers' T.J. Watt has surgery for collapsed lung

Fri Dec 12 2:57pm ET
Field Level Media

Pittsburgh Steelers pass rusher T.J. Watt is recovering from surgery to repair a partially collapsed lung, his brother J.J. Watt posted Friday on social media.

According to J.J. Watt, the Steelers' star linebacker sustained the injury during a dry needling session Wednesday at the team's practice facility.

"Recovery timeline is still TBD, but all went well and he is being released from the hospital today," J.J. Watt wrote on X. "He and his family are very appreciative of everyone's kind words and well wishes."

The team confirmed that the three-time NFL sacks leader had to be hospitalized on Wednesday. He underwent the surgical procedure on Thursday.

Dry needling is a procedure used to increase blood flow and raise oxygen levels in overused and sore muscles.

Head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters on Thursday that Watt's availability for Monday night's game between the AFC North-leading Steelers (7-6) and visiting Miami Dolphins (6-7) will be determined later.

Signed to a three-year, $123 million contract with $108 million guaranteed in July, Watt has recorded seven sacks and 53 tackles in 13 games (all starts) this season. The seven-time Pro Bowl selection has not missed a game since the 2022 season.

Watt, 31, has 115 career sacks in 134 games (all starts) since being selected by Pittsburgh with the 30th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 when he had a career-high 22.5 sacks to match the official league record (since 1982) held by Michael Strahan.

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Player Notes
T.J. Watt Dec 12 3:30pm ET
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said All-Pro pass-rusher T.J. Watt (lung) has officially been ruled out for the Monday night game in Week 15 against the visiting Miami Dolphins, according to Teresa Varley of the team's official website. Watt had surgery on Thursday to fix a partially collapsed lung and is at home resting comfortably. The 31-year-old outside linebacker will be missing his first game of the year, and it's unclear if he can make it back to face the Detroit Lions in Week 16. The Steelers' defense won't have its leader on the field this Monday, but they'll still be in play for fantasy managers as a streaming unit against the Dolphins in primetime. Nick Herbig will need to pick up the slack as a starter for Pittsburgh's defense with Watt sidelined. Watt has had a down year in 2025 with only seven sacks in 13 starts.

From RotoBaller

Quentin Johnston Dec 12 3:20pm ET
Quentin Johnston

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston (groin) was a late addition to the Week 15 injury report on Friday due to a groin injury and is considered questionable to play on Sunday when the Bolts take on the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. Late-week additions to the injury usually are never a good sign, so fantasy managers are going to want to monitor the 24-year-old former first-rounder's status closely going into Sunday. The good news is that the Chargers play in the early window in KC. If Johnston is forced to sit out, it would mean more targets for receivers Ladd McConkey, Keenan Allen, and Tre' Harris, as well as rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden. Johnston was already teetering on the WR4/5 borderline in fantasy football. He does have seven touchdowns in 12 games, but only two of those have come since the start of November, and he's cleared 50 receiving yards in a game just once since Sept. 28.

From RotoBaller

Davante Adams Dec 12 3:10pm ET
Davante Adams

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) will carry a questionable designation into Sunday's Week 15 matchup with the Lions, according to head coach Sean McVay. However, McVay added that he would be very surprised if his All-Pro wideout is unable to play. In his first season in Los Angeles, Adams has paired with third-year receiver Puka Nacua to form one of the most feared tandems in the league, helping to propel Matthew Stafford into the MVP conversation. Adams has proven particularly dangerous near the goal line, where his 11 receiving touchdowns from inside the 10-yard line match the next two players (Amon-Ra St. Brown and Christian McCaffrey) combined. While he was unable to find the endzone in a Week 14 win over the Cardinals, Adams has still recorded 11 touchdowns across his last seven games and is RotoBaller's WR5 heading into Sunday.

From RotoBaller

Olamide Zaccheaus Dec 12 3:10pm ET
Olamide Zaccheaus

Chicago Bears wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus (hamstring) upgraded to a full practice on Friday and has been removed from the Week 15 injury report. Zaccheaus will be active on Sunday when the Bears host the Cleveland Browns. The 28-year-old played 79% of the offensive snaps -- his second-highest total of the year -- in last week's loss to the Green Bay Packers and also caught his second touchdown of the season with Rome Odunze (foot) out. However, Zaccheaus only caught two of his three targets for seven yards. There's a chance that Odunze misses another game this weekend (he's questionable) due to a stress fracture in his foot, but Zaccheaus would still be nothing more than a WR5/flex option for fantasy managers in deeper leagues against a decent Browns defense. Zaccheaus hasn't caught more than two passes in a game since Nov. 2. Even without Odunze, Chicago's offense has plenty of weapons for quarterback Caleb Williams.

From RotoBaller

Rome Odunze Dec 12 3:00pm ET
Rome Odunze

Chicago Bears second-year wide receiver Rome Odunze (foot) is officially questionable for Sunday's matchup with the Browns after logging a week of limited practices. Odunze missed the team's Week 14 loss to the Packers with a foot injury that initially had him labeled as week-to-week. He was unable to practice in any fashion leading up to that contest, so the upgrade to limited participation is at least a step in the right direction. Odunze started his sophomore campaign with a bang, scoring five touchdowns in his first four games, but he has found the endzone only once more since then. The Bears' passing offense as a whole has been inconsistent for most of the year, and with a fantasy playoff schedule that includes the Browns and Packers, relying on an obviously banged-up Odunze may be too tall a task for most fantasy managers, even if he is able to suit up this week.

From RotoBaller

Alvin Kamara Dec 12 2:50pm ET
Alvin Kamara

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle) has been ruled out for the third straight week with injuries to his knee and ankle. Sixth-round rookie Devin Neal (abdomen), who is coming off an RB12 finish in a Week 14 win over the Buccaneers, has been limited at practice with an abdomen issue of his own, but he's been cleared to play. Carolina's defense has been a plus matchup for opposing running backs, so Neal should be viewed as a safe floor RB2/flex play as he gets another start in New Orleans' backfield. Audric Estime and Evan Hull will be backing him up, with tight end Taysom Hill getting the occasional carry as well.

From RotoBaller

Marquise Brown Dec 12 2:30pm ET
Marquise Brown

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown (personal) will not play in Sunday's divisional matchup with the Chargers. Brown did not participate in Wednesday's practice, logged a limited participation on Thursday, and was not spotted during Friday's media access portion. He has now been ruled out for non-injury personal reasons. Since a Week 1 surprise outing that saw him targeted 14 times with Rashee Rice suspended and Xavier Worthy injured early, Brown has been largely irrelevant in most fantasy formats. Since Rice's return from suspension in Week 7, Brown has topped 40 receiving yards only once, while averaging 1.7 receptions per game. An unrestricted free agent after this season, he still holds some dynasty value, but he no longer needs to be rostered for redraft playoffs.

From RotoBaller

T.J. Watt Dec 12 2:20pm ET
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro edge rusher T.J. Watt (lung) underwent successful surgery to stabilize and repair his partially collapsed lung. The injury occurred during a dry needling session at the team facility on Wednesday, and while the surgery went well, the timeline for his recovery and return to play is still TBD. Watt's seven sacks and 43 total pressures through 13 games had him on the lowest pace since his 2022 injury-shortened season, and the lowest of any full season since his rookie year. Down year or not, any missed time could have a meaningful impact on an AFC North race that is still very much up in the air.

From RotoBaller

Jayden Daniels Dec 12 2:20pm ET
Jayden Daniels

Correcting a previous report, Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said on Friday that quarterback Jayden Daniels (elbow) has not been cleared for contact yet, per The Athletic's Nicki Jhabvala. Daniels suffered a dislocated left (non-throwing) elbow in Week 9 and didn't return until last week's blowout loss to the Minnesota Vikings, when Daniels aggravated his elbow injury. The Commanders already ruled Daniels out for the Week 15 game this Sunday against the division-rival New York Giants, but they are saying that the door is still open for him to play in the final three weeks of the season if he gains clearance from doctors. In what has been an injury-plagued season for the 24-year-old QB -- the former second overall pick has played in only seven games due to elbow, hamstring, and knee injuries -- it makes sense for the Commanders to just shut him down. For at least another week, veteran Marcus Mariota will make the start under center for the team.

From RotoBaller

Cedric Tillman Dec 12 1:50pm ET
Cedric Tillman

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman (concussion, ribs) is officially listed as questionable for his team's Week 15 matchup against the Chicago Bears. Tillman missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday of this week. The 25-year-old has battled through an injury-filled 2025 season to this point, recording 18 receptions for 197 yards and two touchdowns on 35 targets across nine games played. If Tillman is unable to play in Week 15, Browns wideouts Jerry Jeudy, Isaiah Bond, and Gage Larvadain could all be in line for an uptick in targets and playing time. Cleveland has definitively ruled out tight end David Njoku (knee) and top pass-catching running back Dylan Sampson (calf, hand), so the team's target distribution against Chicago could be quite condensed.

From RotoBaller

David Njoku Dec 12 1:40pm ET
David Njoku

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (knee) has officially been ruled out for his team's Week 15 matchup against the Chicago Bears due to a knee injury. The 29-year-old aggravated an existing knee injury during Cleveland's Week 14 loss to the Tennessee Titans, and he will now be sidelined for at least one game as a result. Without Njoku, Browns rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. profiles as a must-start fantasy tight end. With Njoku banged up in Week 14, Fannin Jr. hauled in eight receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets. In Njoku's lone missed game this season, Week 7 against the Miami Dolphins, Fannin Jr. earned a 27.8% target share. Depending on how long Njoku is sidelined by his current injury, Fannin Jr. could have league-winning upside.

From RotoBaller

Dylan Sampson Dec 12 1:40pm ET
Dylan Sampson

Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson (calf, hand) has been ruled out for his team's Week 15 matchup against the Chicago Bears due to calf and hand injuries. The 21-year-old has done most of his work this season in a passing-downs role alongside fellow Browns rookie back Quinshon Judkins. In Cleveland's Week 14 loss to the Tennessee Titans, Sampson hauled in five catches for 64 yards on six targets. With Sampson sidelined in Week 15 and veteran back Jerome Ford (shoulder) on Injured Reserve, the Browns will likely turn to Raheim Sanders and Trayveon Williams to fill the team's RB2 role. Judkins has seen more work as a receiver in recent weeks and could step into more of a true three-down role in Week 15 against Chicago.

From RotoBaller

Chuba Hubbard Dec 12 1:30pm ET
Chuba Hubbard

After starting the season as his team's RB1, Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard lost his job in the middle of the 2025 season to the emergent Rico Dowdle. Across a four-game stretch from Week 9 through Week 12, Hubbard failed to earn more than seven touches in any game. However, in Carolina's final game before its Week 14 bye, Hubbard went off for 124 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 19 touches against the Los Angeles Rams. While Dowdle still earned more touches against Los Angeles (20), Hubbard out-gained him by nearly 50 yards. Coming out of its bye, Carolina may continue to lessen the workload discrepancy between its two main backs. Even in a reduced role, Hubbard has still been productive this season, recording 627 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns across 11 games. Hubbard has flex appeal in Week 15 against the New Orleans Saints and could continue trending upwards over the final stretch of the season.

From RotoBaller

Jake Ferguson Dec 12 1:20pm ET
Jake Ferguson

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said that tight end Jake Ferguson (calf) will be able to play in Week 15 against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night, per ESPN's Todd Archer. Ferguson was held out of Cowboys practice on Thursday due to a calf issue. Across 13 games this season, the 26-year-old has hauled in 75 receptions for 554 yards and seven touchdowns on 90 targets. While he's not the most explosive player, Ferguson has earned at least six targets and recorded at least five catches in four out of his last five games played. He profiles as a low-end starter at the tight end position for fantasy managers in Week 15.

From RotoBaller

Jayden Daniels Dec 12 1:00pm ET
Jayden Daniels

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said on Friday that quarterback Jayden Daniels (elbow) has been cleared for contact and "his health will be the driving factor" in determining his status for the final three games of the season, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. Daniels returned to action for the first time since dislocating his left (non-throwing) elbow in Week 9 in last Sunday's blowout loss to the Minnesota Vikings and aggravated his elbow. The 24-year-old second-year signal-caller will not play this Sunday against the division-rival New York Giants, but Washington isn't ruling him out for the final three weeks. After a phenomenal rookie campaign in which he led the Commanders to the NFC Championship, Daniels has been bitten by the injury bug in 2025, playing in only seven games due to elbow, hamstring, and knee ailments. If Daniels does return in the final three weeks, he'll be on the QB1/2 borderline in fantasy football.

From RotoBaller

Tee Higgins Dec 12 12:50pm ET
Tee Higgins

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said that wide receiver Tee Higgins (concussion) will not play on Sunday in a big divisional matchup versus the Baltimore Ravens in Week 15, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Higgins was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday before sitting out on Friday. He was unable to clear the league's concussion protocol after suffering his second concussion in the last several weeks in Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills. The 26-year-old will try to make progress and get cleared for a Week 16 contest on the road against the Miami Dolphins. Ja'Marr Chase will continue to be quarterback Joe Burrow's favorite target this week in the rematch against Baltimore, and Andrei Iosivas will now be in play as a touchdown-dependent WR4/flex in deeper fantasy leagues. Iosivas caught a touchdown in the last meeting against Baltimore with Higgins sidelined, but it was his only reception of the game.

From RotoBaller

Josh Palmer Dec 12 12:50pm ET
Josh Palmer

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer (ankle) was limited in practice all week and is considered questionable to play in Week 15 versus the division-rival New England Patriots on Sunday, according to Maddy Glab of BuffaloBills.com. Palmer last played for the Bills in Week 12. Even if the 26-year-old is cleared to play this weekend, fantasy managers in deeper leagues should keep him on their benches. Palmer just has not been involved enough in Buffalo's offense in his first year with the team, catching 18 passes for 272 yards and no touchdowns on 29 targets over eight games played. He has yet to find the end zone and has gone over 50 receiving yards in a game in 2025 only twice. If Palmer misses another game, Gabe Davis and Brandin Cooks have a better chance of contributing behind Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman.

From RotoBaller

Justin Fields Dec 12 12:40pm ET
Justin Fields

New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields (knee) has been ruled out for the second straight week when the team travels to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars this Sunday, according to the New York Post's Brian Costello. Veteran QB Tyrod Taylor (groin) will also sit out, leaving rookie Brady Cook to make his first career start in Week 15. Cook will have one fewer weapon to work with on offense, with the Jets also ruling out rookie tight end Mason Taylor (neck). The 26-year-old Fields' disappointing first season in the Big Apple continues. Fields took care of the football, but he didn't do much else in nine starts for Gang Green this year before being benched for Taylor. In his nine games, Fields completed only 62.7% of his 204 pass attempts for 1,259 yards, seven touchdowns, and one interception. He added 383 rushing yards and four scores on 71 carries. It's unclear if he'll have a chance to start any of the final three games of the season.

From RotoBaller

Marvin Harrison Jr. Dec 12 12:30pm ET
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon has ruled out wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel) for the Week 15 game on Sunday versus the hosting Houston Texans, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. Harrison will now miss his fourth game in the last five weeks. He also missed Weeks 11 and 12 following an appendectomy. Gannon expects Harrison to return this year, though. "He's doing a lot better," the head coach said. With three games remaining after this week, the 23-year-old former first-rounder could return, so fantasy managers still alive in the playoffs need to hang on. With Harrison out again this weekend, Michael Wilson should be peppered with targets yet again and should be considered a must-start in all fantasy formats, even against the top defense in the NFL. Through 27 NFL games, Harrison has not lived up to his draft stock of fourth overall. He has a 40-594-4 line in 2025 in 10 games played.

From RotoBaller

Tyrod Taylor Dec 12 12:30pm ET
Tyrod Taylor

New York Jets quarterback Tyrod Taylor (groin) has officially been ruled out for Sunday's contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. Taylor injured his groin early in last week's loss to the Miami Dolphins and was unable to practice this week. Justin Fields (knee) has also been ruled out for a second straight week, leaving rookie Brady Cook to make his first NFL start this weekend in Jacksonville. The Jets will also be without rookie tight end Mason Taylor (neck), leaving Cook with limited options against the first-place Jags. Taylor, who had taken over for Fields as the starter under center, will try to make his way back for a Week 16 date with the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Dec. 21. Avoiding all of the Jets' offensive skill players this weekend is probably a good strategy in fantasy in Week 15.

From RotoBaller