

Fri Dec 12 9:51pm ET
Field Level Media
The Las Vegas Raiders made it official Friday, naming backup Kenny Pickett the starting quarterback for their Sunday game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Pickett played for the Super Bowl champion Eagles in 2024, backing up Jalen Hurts and starting one game, a 41-7 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17.
Regular starter Geno Smith has been nursing a right shoulder injury and couldn't practice this week after sustaining the injury in the Raiders' 24-17 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
Pickett, 27, received first-team reps in practice this week after relieving Smith in the Broncos game, going 8 of 11 for 97 yards with a touchdown pass.
The Raiders (2-11) acquired Pickett from the Browns after training camp was completed in August. Cleveland previously acquired Pickett from the Eagles but ran out of room at the position.
Pickett has completed 481 of 769 passes (62.5%) for 4,870 yards, 16 TDs and 14 picks in 33 games (25 starts) for the Pittsburgh Steelers (2022-23), Eagles (2024) and Raiders. He is 15-10 as a starter.
The Steelers selected him 20th overall in the 2022 draft out of the University of Pittsburgh.
The Raiders have lost seven straight heading into Sunday against the Eagles (8-5).
Starts, Sits, Sleepers: Week 15
Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop bounced back in Week 14 with another placement in K1 territory as he finished up as the K7 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He made two 36-yarders and a 28-yarder while making one of his two extra point attempts. Since the Ravens' offense put up an abysmal performance against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thanksgiving, Loop's first outing against them was a disappointment. Lamar Jackson and company should be able to get back on track this time around, which lends to Loop being projected as the K10 in Week 15.
From RotoBaller
In Week 13, Rico Dowdle totaled 58 rushing yards on 18 carries and 21 receiving yards on two receptions against the Rams. Dowdle finished the game with 9.9 PPR points, which was his lowest since being named the starting RB for Carolina in Week 9. Chuba Hubbard also outperformed Dowdle in that game, registering 20.4 PPR points on 124 scrimmage yards and a receiving touchdown. Hubbard also took the most snaps (59%) between the RBs. Head coach Dave Canales confirmed that Dowdle would be the featured back on early downs and at the goal line. This week, the Panthers face the New Orleans Saints for the second time this season. Against the RB position, the Saints rank 18th in Fantasy Points Per Game Allowed. In Week 10 against the Saints, Dowdle had 53 rushing yards on 18 carries with one touchdown. With a continued shared workload, he is likely to remain an RB2 starter with a decent statistical fantasy floor. Over the last four weeks before the bye, Dowdle averaged 12.9 PPR points per game.
From RotoBaller
After earning at least five targets across three straight games from Week 11 through Week 13, Tennessee Titans tight end Gunnar Helm hauled in just one catch for eight yards on two targets in Week 14 against the Cleveland Browns. Across 13 games overall this season, the 23-year-old rookie has recorded 37 catches for 298 yards and a touchdown on 46 targets. On the bright side, Helm played a season-high 67% of Tennessee's offensive snaps against Cleveland. However, the Titans continue to split tight end snaps between Helm and veteran Chig Okonkwo, limiting the ceiling for both players. In Week 15, the Titans will take on a San Francisco 49ers defense that ranks as a mid-pack unit against the pass. Still, Helm is difficult for fantasy managers to trust and should likely be avoided as a starter in Week 15.
From RotoBaller
Chuba Hubbard delivered his best performance of the season in Week 13 against the Rams before going on bye. In that game, Hubbard totaled 83 rushing yards on 17 carries and 41 receiving yards on two receptions. The Carolina RB finished the game with 20.4 PPR points, marking the first time this year he registered over 20 PPR points. Hubbard and Rico Dowdle nearly split the workload in this game, with Hubbard seeing more of the snaps (59%) for the first time since Dowdle was named the starting RB in Week 9. Head coach Dave Canales confirmed that Hubbard would be the preferred back for third-down situations. Carolina faces the New Orleans Saints in Week 15. New Orleans ranks 18th in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to RBs this season. In Week 10 against New Orleans, Hubbard finished with only 14 rushing yards on three carries and posted 2.5 PPR points. With a decent matchup and increased volume, Hubbard has fantasy appeal as a flex option in deeper leagues.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf had an excellent showing in Week 14, hauling in seven of 12 targets for a season-high 148 yards in a win over the Baltimore Ravens. He was listed on the injury report earlier this week and spent a night in the hospital for stomach pain, but appears to be a full-go for Monday Night Football against the Miami Dolphins. Though Miami's defense is surging, it has still allowed three different wideouts to finish as top-24 fantasy options over its past four games. The weather in Pittsburgh will be worth monitoring, as cold temperatures and strong winds could limit Metcalf's opportunities downfield. Still, the 28-year-old should remain a focal point of the Steelers' offense and profiles as a low-end WR2 for fantasy managers in Week 15.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans rookie wide receiver Elic Ayomanor has recorded only one reception in each of the past two games, but scored his first touchdown since Week 3 last week against the Cleveland Browns. The rookie fourth-rounder has maintained a near every-down role since the start of the season, playing 81.5% of the snaps in 12 games. Ayomanor has earned at least five targets in all but two games played this season, but it hasn't translated into much fantasy production in a poor Titans offense, averaging just 6.9 PPR points per game. The rookie wideout profiles as a deep league flex option in a favorable Week 15 matchup against a San Francisco 49ers defense that has allowed the eighth most passing yards per game this season.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is coming off of his lowest snap share of the season in Week 14 and his third time producing a goose egg. Head coach John Harbaugh talked about getting Hopkins more involved, which is like listening to a broken record at this point. Rashod Bateman (ankle) is currently listed as questionable, so Hopkins does have a chance to move up in the depth chart. While the Cincinnati Bengals' defense has been the butt of a lot of jokes, they've only allowed 15.13 fantasy points per game to opposing receivers over the last four weeks. That combined with being fourth or fifth in the target pecking order make Hopkins hard to trust. Especially with a WR83 projection in RotoBaller's rankings this week.
From RotoBaller
Bryce Young led the Panthers to a shocking 31-28 upset win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13 before the bye. In that game, Young logged 22.5 fantasy points with three passing touchdowns. He also completed 15-of-20 attempts for 206 passing yards. Young is one of the more inconsistent QBs in the league this season. Through his last three games, he registered over 20 fantasy points twice. In his previous five starts, he finished with less than 11 fantasy points three times. Carolina will face the New Orleans Saints for the second time this year in Week 15. New Orleans ranks 11th in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to QBs this season. In Week 10 against the Saints, Young finished with 124 passing yards and 2.6 fantasy points, his lowest total in a single game this season. Due to his inconsistency throughout the year and his performance vs. the Saints in the last matchup, Young cannot be trusted to help teams in the opening round of the fantasy football playoffs.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren has found the end zone in three consecutive contests and will look to keep the streak alive in a Week 15 clash with the Miami Dolphins. Although the Dolphins' run defense was porous early in the season, it has turned things around as of late, holding opposing backs to just 3.8 yards per carry and the fewest fantasy points per game since Week 10. Furthermore, Miami hasn't given up a rushing or receiving touchdown to a running back since Week 8. Warren, while splitting touches with Kenneth Gainwell, is still Pittsburgh's primary ballcarrier and has seen an uptick in targets over the past two weeks. Cold temperatures and potential wind in Pittsburgh on Monday night could also influence the game script in his favor. He remains locked in as a fantasy RB2 despite the tough matchup.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell briefly popped up on the injury report after registering a limited practice on Wednesday due to knee issues. Since then, he's been a full participant and was cleared from the injury report. Despite seeing 15% or less of the snap share in the last two weeks, Mitchell has finished as a high-end RB3 in half-PPR leagues. The last time against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13, Mitchell found the end zone with two carries for 19 yards and two receptions for 12 yards. While he could have a similar game against the 32nd ranked defense against opposing backfields, he's a very risky flex play. He's currently projected as the RB55 in RotoBaller's rankings.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was having a fantastic showing in the Week 14 meeting with the Bills. Unfortunately, his solid day ended abruptly after he threw interceptions on back-to-back drives late in the fourth quarter, allowing Buffalo to erase a deficit and pick up the victory. Still, Burrow's day wasn't a complete flop, much to the delight of fantasy managers, with the signal-caller throwing for 284 yards, four touchdowns, and two picks while completing 25 of his 36 attempts. The 2020 No. 1 overall selection was in the news during the week after he appeared frustrated and displeased while speaking to the media, leaving more questions than answers not only about his future in Cincinnati, but as a quarterback in the National Football League in general. For now, the Bengals will look to keep their extremely low postseason hopes alive in Week 15 versus the Ravens. These clubs just met in Week 13, with Burrow ending the contest by passing for 261 yards and two touchdowns. He won't have Tee Higgins (concussion) once again. However, Burrow did just fine without him the last time around, keeping him a starting option in all fantasy formats against an inconsistent Ravens defense.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans rookie wide receiver Chimere Dike scored his third receiving touchdown of the season in last week's win over the Cleveland Browns. Dike has played a near full-time role in the Titans' offense since Week 8, totaling 21 receptions for 188 yards and two touchdowns on 33 targets over that stretch. The rookie fourth-rounder's two best performances of the season came in back-to-back games in Weeks 7 and 8, catching four passes on four targets for 70 yards against the Patriots before following it up with seven receptions on eight targets for 93 yards against the Colts. Dike hasn't surpassed 50 yards in the five games since. He profiles as a deep league flex option in Week 15 against a San Francisco 49ers defense that ranks 21st in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers.
From RotoBaller
The Indianapolis Colts will start quarterback Philip Rivers on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. After coming out of retirement and signing with the Colts on Tuesday and getting a whole week of practice in, the 44-year-old signal-caller is set to play in his first game since the 2020 season. Rookie quarterback Riley Leonard (knee) practiced in full every day this week and looks like he'll back up Rivers this week, assuming he is active. The unfortunate season-ending injury to Daniel Jones (Achilles) and the fluky injury to Anthony Richardson (eye) in pre-game warmups earlier in the season have led the Colts to rely on the eight-time Pro Bowler Rivers as the starting quarterback. Rivers profiles as a desperation QB2 option in superflex leagues in a tough Week 15 matchup on the road in Seattle.
From RotoBaller
Barring a setback, Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (ribs) is expected to play Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Offensive coordinator Frank Smith said Friday that he expects the superstar running back to be ready for Monday night after picking up a rib injury in last week's win over the New York Jets. The team limited his reps in practice, but he shouldn't have any limitations in Week 15. The 24-year-old running back has been on a tear lately, recording 72 carries for 520 rushing yards and four touchdowns while adding 12 receptions for 109 yards on 13 targets over the last four games. Achane remains an elite fantasy option for Week 15's matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is coming off his highest passing yardage total of the season in Week 14 and will take on the Miami Dolphins at home on Monday Night Football. Miami enters on a hot streak, having won four straight games while limiting opposing quarterbacks to the 10th-fewest fantasy points per contest over that span. That said, the Dolphins' run defense has been even more formidable than their pass defense. With Pittsburgh struggling to establish the ground game lately, the Steelers could be forced to lean more heavily on Rodgers' arm. Still, while this matchup is expected to be competitive, it is not projected to be particularly high-scoring, which caps the 41-year-old's fantasy upside. Fantasy managers should avoid relying on Rodgers as anything more than a low-end QB2 in superflex formats in Week 15.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely has seen an increased amount of work over the last two weeks. He finished as the TE9 in each of the last two weeks in half-PPR formats, and saw six targets in both games while catching nine of the possible 12. The last time he took on the Cincinnati Bengals' defense in Week 13, Likely finished with five catches for 95 yards and a fumble. The Bengals are far and away the weakest defense against opposing tight ends (ranked 32nd on the season and last four weeks), so Likely and Mark Andrews should both see plenty of opportunities. The biggest issue is the game script and if the Ravens' coaching staff actually wants to commit to the run, roll with Andrews more often, or keep finding Likely. With that being said, Likely projects as the TE12 on RotoBaller's rankings this week.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers finally returned to WR1 territory last week for the first time since his Week 1 outburst against the Buffalo Bills. Even though he finally broke the streak of non-WR1 finishes, he still hasn't found the end zone since the first game of the season. The encouraging part is that he received 11 targets against the Pittsburgh Steelers and hauled in eight of those for 124 yards. Their Week 15 opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals, have been a bit more stingy to opposing receivers in fantasy this year. The Bengals rank as the toughest defense against the position over the last four weeks, giving up an average of 15.13 fantasy points per game. The last time Flowers faced the Bengals in Week 13, he finished as the WR106. He projects as a low-end WR2 in this matchup, but it probably doesn't feel great for fantasy managers that need him.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore was unable to capitalize on his expanded opportunities in Week 14, totaling -4 yards on one reception against the Green Bay Packers. Despite Rome Odunze (foot) being out, Moore struggled and left fantasy managers as frustrated as they've been all season. The run-heavy approach the Bears have been using has been a factor, but his connection with Caleb Williams is simply not there. He faces the Cleveland Browns in Week 15, who have allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers this season. Even if Odunze is out for Week 15, Moore is hard to trust as a starting option from a fantasy perspective.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III led the Bears in receiving in Week 14, hauling in four of six targets for 67 yards in the 28-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers. With second-year receiver Rome Odunze (foot) inactive for last week's divisional showdown, Burden stepped up as a lead receiver ahead of veteran D.J. Moore. The rookie receiver played 71% of the snaps, trailing both Moore and Olamide Zaccheaus, who was trending down before last week. However, if Odunze misses Week 15, Burden could be a starting option in fantasy leagues. He faces a Browns secondary that will be without top cornerback Denzel Ward, who's out with a calf injury. Burden's value depends on whether or not Odunze will play in Week 15, as the rookie could go from a low-end WR3 to a bench option depending on his availability.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears rookie tight end Colston Loveland was able to find the endzone in Week 14, hauling in four of five targets for 29 yards and the score In Week 14. With wide receiver Rome Odunze (foot) out for last week's game, Loveland and other receivers saw a bigger workload in the 28-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Despite his high draft capital and stellar showing so far, the Bears continue to limit his role. Veteran Cole Kmet played 75% of the snaps last week, while the rookie played 59% of the snaps. He faces a Cleveland Browns defense that has been average against tight ends this season, but with a limited snap count and lack of passing volume from the Bears offense, Loveland is better left on the bench in Week 15.
From RotoBaller