Cleveland Browns running back Pierre Strong Jr. (concussion) missed a second straight day of practice this week on Wednesday. Strong suffered a concussion in the Week 17 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday and is now in the league's concussion protocol. With two straight DNPs this week and a meaningless Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens on a short week on Saturday, it's looking unlikely that the 26-year-old will suit up for the last game of the season. In addition to Strong, Jerome Ford (ankle) has yet to practice this week and could also be out this weekend. If both Ford and Strong are unavailable for the Browns, D'Onta Foreman would most likely see the lion's share of work in the backfield in a bad Browns offense, with John Kelly in line for backup duties for Cleveland.

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For the second straight day this week, Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown (ankle) was not seen at practice on Wednesday. Brown also missed the team's walkthrough session on Tuesday, although his DNP on Wednesday is more important. The 24-year-old reportedly suffered a mild high-ankle sprain late in the overtime win over the Denver Broncos on Saturday in Week 17. The Bengals are hoping that he will be available for a must-win divisional clash in Week 18 against the Pittsburgh Steelers this Saturday, Brown's availability is very much up in the air after two DNPs so far this week. He's probably going to need to practice on Thursday to avoid being ruled out entirely. Brown has been a do-it-all workhorse in Cincy's high-octane offense in 2024 and has been a must-start in fantasy lineups. However, backup Khalil Herbert could be forced into starting duties against the Steelers on Saturday.

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Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Carson Steele has been told that he'll see extra work in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Denver Broncos. The specifics of Steele's role are unclear, but it's likely that the Chiefs will be resting Isiah Pacheco (ribs) with the team having nothing to play for with the No. 1 seed already locked up in the AFC for the postseason. Kareem Hunt could be active this weekend, but he might not see the field much before being pulled. So if fantasy managers playing DFS contests want any exposure to KC's backfield with backup quarterback Carson Wentz leading the offense, they'll want to look to the 22-year-old Steele as their man. Still, Steele will have limited upside against a top-five defense on the road in Denver. Steele has averaged a dismal 3.3 yards per carry on his 48 rushing attempts and hasn't found the end zone in 16 games in 2024.

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Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will make the start in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks, according to head coach Sean McVay. McVay acknowledged earlier this week that he would most likely rest his starts in the regular-season finale despite the fact that the Rams could fall from the No. 3 seed to the No. 4 seed in the NFC playoff picture if they lose to Seattle on Sunday and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the New Orleans Saints. In addition to quarterback Matthew Stafford sitting this weekend, the Rams will also likely rest other key offensive starters such as running back Kyren Williams and receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. Garoppolo has started 63 games in his NFL career, but the 33-year-old hasn't started at all in 2024 and will most likely be working with mostly backups, making him an unappealing QB2 for fantasy purposes.

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Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan said if running back Tony Pollard (ankle, illness) cannot play in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Houston Texans, the team will likely go with a committee backfield of Julius Chestnut, Joshua Kelley and Jabari Small, who would be called up from the practice squad to the active 53-man roster for the final game of the year. Tyjae Spears suffered a concussion in last week's loss to the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars and will almost certainly be ruled out by Friday. The 27-year-old Pollard remains up in the air to play this weekend, but with the Titans having nothing left to play for but pride, it's unlikely he'll have much of a role if he is active. Chestnut would probably be the best sleeper DFS dart throw in Week 18 if Pollard is declared out on Sunday.

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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.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

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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