Week 16 NFL Capsules

Fri Dec 19 10:10am ET
Field Level Media

Capsules for NFL Week 16 Sunday games are below.

Buffalo Bills (10-4) at Cleveland Browns (3-11)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Bills -10.5, Total 41.5

Series Rewind: The Browns have the 13-10 edge all-time (counting playoffs), but Buffalo has won three of the past four and five of seven in the series. However, it's been since 2012 that the Bills won in Cleveland, falling short there in 2013 and 2019.

The Bills have at least 10 wins for the seventh straight season, the longest streak in franchise history. Next in their sights is seven straight years with a playoff trip; the Bills need one more win along with a loss by either Houston or Indianapolis in order to punch their ticket. Reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen leads the league's top rushing offense (158.5 yards per game) and third-best scoring offense (29.4 ppg), as he has totaled 37 touchdowns to this point, 25 passing and 12 rushing. Dawson Knox had two touchdown receptions in last week's crucial win over AFC East leader New England, and he could see additional playing time if fellow tight end Dalton Kincaid is hindered by his knee injury. Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders will face a tall task in challenging the Bills, who boast the second-stingiest passing defense (169.5 yards per game) in the NFL. Sanders' fifth career game and fourth start was his worst so far, with 177 yards and three picks in last week's 31-3 loss at Chicago. The Browns are not playoff-bound, but one storyline worth watching is Myles Garrett's shot at breaking the single-season sacks record. He collected 1.5 sacks last week to boost his season total to 21.5, one shy of the record shared by Michael Strahan (in 2001) and T.J. Watt (in 2021).

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7) at Carolina Panthers (7-7)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Buccaneers -3, Total 48.5

Series Rewind: The Buccaneers walloped Carolina 48-14 last December and swept the 2024 season series to run their dominance in the series to nine wins in the past 10 games.

Since the start of the 2021 season, the Buccaneers can claim ownership of the South, holding at least a share of the division lead for 73 of the 87 weeks with four consecutive division titles. Carolina last won the division in 2015 but the Panthers share first place in the NFC South, matching Tampa Bay's current 7-7 record with three weeks -- and two games against the Buccaneers -- left in the regular season. "We're in the same position we've been in the past two or three years," Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said of a tight race. "We have an opportunity. We still have everything right in front of us. ... We're playing meaningful games in December." The Panthers might be early arrivals to the postseason conversation under second-year coach Dave Canales. Wins over NFC contenders -- most recently beating the Los Angeles Rams, 31-28, on Nov. 30 -- has helped shift the narrative. Canales and the Panthers are well aware of the final step necessary to realize a postseason goal: beat the division champs. The Buccaneers have won five consecutive meetings and during their 9-1 string over the past five years, Tampa outscored Carolina by 124 points (287-163). The Buccaneers have won only once since October, so their 1-5 record coming down the stretch has been troublesome. They've lost to NFC South rivals New Orleans and Atlanta in their past two games. Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield, a former Panther, was coached by Canales in Tampa before the Panthers hired him away in 2024. Mayfield should have a nice selection of weapons to work with after last week's return of wide receiver Mike Evans. Coming back from a collarbone injury, Evans hauled in six catches for 132 yards in the Atlanta game and already had the Panthers' full attention.

Los Angeles Chargers (10-4) at Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Cowboys -1.5, Total 49.5

Series Rewind: The Chargers have won their past three road games in the series. Their last road loss against Dallas came in 1990 when the Cowboys played in Irving.

The Cowboys must win their three remaining regular-season games and have the NFC East-leading Philadelphia Eagles lose all three of theirs to avoid missing the playoffs for the second straight season. The outlook isn't looking good after Dallas allowed 78 total points while losing back-to-back games to the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings. Dak Prescott leads the NFL with 3,931 passing yards while closing in on his fourth career 4,000-yard campaign. Tony Romo is the only Cowboys quarterback currently with four such seasons. Prescott ranks third with 26 touchdown passes, and he has been intercepted 10 times. Wideout CeeDee Lamb is 24 yards shy of his fifth straight 1,000-yard season. The Chargers are red-hot with six wins in their past seven games. Los Angeles can clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Cowboys along with some help from either the Las Vegas Raiders (against the Houston Texans) or San Francisco 49ers (vs. the Indianapolis Colts). The Chargers allowed just 239 yards in last week's 16-13 road win over the Kansas City Chiefs. It marked the third straight game and sixth in the past seven that the Chargers gave up 20 or fewer points. Justin Herbert (3,191 yards) will play for the third straight week after undergoing left hand surgery.

Kansas City Chiefs (6-8) at Tennessee Titans (2-12)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Chiefs -3, Total 37.5

Series Rewind: Andy Reid is 3-9 all-time against the Titans. Tennessee interim head coach Mike McCoy is 2-6 all-time against the Chiefs.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid isn't in a tinsel-tossing mood days after losing Patrick Mahomes to a season-ending knee injury last Sunday. While Mahomes gets busy attacking post-surgery rehabilitation with a goal of getting on the field in September, the Titans are eager for any advantage to help further rookie QB Cam Ward's development. Tennessee has been outscored by a league-worst 169 points with 24 fewer touchdowns than its opponents. The Chiefs have a three-game losing streak and lug the emotional letdown of losing Mahomes and what was left of faint playoff hopes last week in a 16-13 heartbreaker to the Chargers. Gardner Minshew takes the reins for the Chiefs with questions around the formation due to injuries at the wide receiver position. He went to TE Travis Kelce consistently in his cameo subbing for Mahomes last week. Kelce is 203 yards shy of 1,000 yards for the season and 13 receptions away from hitting 80 for the 10th year in a row. The Titans have their highest two-game point total of the season -- 55. Kansas City put up 23 total points the past two weeks and was held under 275 total yards by the Chargers and Texans.

Minnesota Vikings (6-8) at New York Giants (2-12)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Vikings -2.5, Total 43.5

Series Rewind: What a difference a year makes. Minnesota opened the 2024 season with a 28-6 win against the Giants at MetLife Stadium when the starting QBs were Sam Darnold (Vikings) and Daniel Jones (New York).

A couple of 22-year-old quarterbacks go head-to-head as Minnesota's J.J. McCarthy makes his ninth NFL start and New York's Jaxson Dart makes his 10th. The Vikings have followed up a four-game losing streak with two straight wins against the NFC East, with McCarthy throwing five touchdowns and just one interception in victories against the Commanders and Cowboys. The Giants have lost eight in a row and are 0-2 against the NFC North with losses to the Bears and Packers. Dart leads all rookie QBs in TD passes (13) and ranks second in passing yards (1,802). Vikings star Justin Jefferson hasn't caught a touchdown pass since Week 9 and hasn't topped 100 yards since Week 5. New York first-round pick LB Abdul Carter is coming off a monster game vs. Washington and is looking for his third straight game with a sack. Giants LB Brian Burns is second in the NFL with 13 sacks. McCarthy has been sacked 24 times in eight games.

Cincinnati Bengals (4-10) at Miami Dolphins (6-8)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Bengals -4.5, Total 47.5

Series Rewind: The Dolphins lead the all-time series 18-8, but the Bengals won the most recent game in the series (27-15 in 2022) and have won three of the past five over Miami.

While Cincinnati and Miami were both eliminated from playoff contention with their losses last week, they're approaching that news in vastly different ways. The Dolphins are benching starting QB Tua Tagavailoa, who has a league-leading 15 interceptions and had just 65 passing yards through three quarters of Monday's 28-15 loss at Pittsburgh. Quinn Ewers, a seventh-round pick in April's draft, will make his first career start against the Bengals. He came off the bench to complete 5 of 8 passes for 53 yards in his first career appearance Oct. 19 at Cleveland. He'll likely be helped by breakout running back De'Von Achane, who has 105-plus scrimmage yards in six straight games and a touchdown in 10 of his last 11 home games. The Bengals, on the other hand, are sticking with quarterback Joe Burrow despite not having any remaining postseason stakes. Cincinnati was shut out for the first time in a Burrow start last week, falling 24-0 at home to the Ravens. In his first three starts back from a toe injury that sidelined him for nine games, Burrow has 770 passing yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions. With 132 yards last week, receiver Ja'Marr Chase became just the second player in NFL history (along with Randy Moss) to amass 6,500 receiving yards and 50 touchdown catches in his first five seasons.

New York Jets (3-11) at New Orleans Saints (4-10)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Saints -5.5, Total 40.5

Series Rewind: These teams have faced off just five times in the past 20 years. New Orleans has won four of those games, including the past two, to claim an 8-6 lead in the all-time series.

While both New York and New Orleans are nearing the end of underwhelming seasons, they probably feel a bit differently about the rookie quarterbacks they'll start in this week's matchup. Saints second-round pick Tyler Shough enters coming off back-to-back wins over division opponents, the team's first multiple-game winning streak of the season. After rushing for 55 yards and two scores Dec. 7 vs. Tampa Bay, Shough completed a career-high 75% of his passes for 272 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 20-17 win over Carolina. New Orleans is 3-4 when Shough starts after it was 1-6 with Spencer Rattler at the helm. With 52 more receiving yards, Saints running back Alvin Kamara would become the fifth player in NFL history with 5,000 rushing and receiving yards in his career. Jets rookie QB Brady Cook has been forced into action due to injuries to Tyrod Taylor and Justin Fields. He had a touchdown and three interceptions in his first career start last week vs. Jacksonville and has thrown 339 yards and five interceptions in his first two games. Jets coach Aaron Glenn fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks this week after the defense allowed 48 points in the loss to the Jaguars. New York is 30th in scoring defense (28.4 points per game) and last in takeaways (three), with no interceptions this season.

Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4) at Denver Broncos (12-2)

Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Broncos -3.5, Total 46.5

Series Rewind: The Broncos have won four of the past five games to take an 8-6 lead in the series. The road team has won the past four times Denver and Jacksonville faced off.

The Broncos became the first AFC team to punch their playoff ticket with last week's 34-26 win over Green Bay, their 11th straight to tie the franchise record. Things don't get easier from here with a Jacksonville team that has won five straight games coming to town this week. Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw a career-high five touchdowns and ran for a sixth in last week's 48-20 beatdown of the Jets. After he had 11 interceptions in the first 11 games of the season, Lawrence has nine TDs and no picks in the past three games. Jacksonville has scored 35-plus points in three of its last five games. While the Jaguars have a one-game cushion in the AFC South, Denver has a one-game cushion in the race for the AFC No. 1 seed with its win last week paired with New England's loss to Buffalo. Broncos QB Bo Nix tied his career high with four touchdowns last week, as Denver outscored the Packers 20-3 over the final 25 minutes of the game. The Broncos' defense leads the league with 58 sacks, 10 more than any other team and just off the pace of breaking the Bears' NFL record of 72 sacks in 1984. Jacksonville's defense had three interceptions last week to bring its season tally to 18, second in the league.

Atlanta Falcons (5-9) at Arizona Cardinals (3-11)

Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Falcons -2.5, Total 47.5

Series Rewind: The Falcons are 1-9 in the desert, including a wild-card playoff loss in the 2008 season. Since the Cardinals left St. Louis in 1988, Atlanta's lone win at Arizona was a 34-14 victory on Sept. 30, 2001.

Arizona is on a six-game losing streak and hasn't won a home game since Week 2 against the Panthers. Atlanta has won two of its last three road games, including a 29-28 win at Tampa Bay in Week 15. Both teams are playing out the string with backup quarterbacks, with 37-year-old Kirk Cousins leading the Falcons against journeyman Jacoby Brissett and the Cardinals. Cousins turned back the clock with a season-high 373 yards and three TDs against the Bucs, while Brissett leads the NFL with 2,708 passing yards since replacing Kyler Murray in Week 6. Bijan Robinson has been a bright spot for Atlanta, leading the NFL with 1,858 yards from scrimmage, and TE Kyle Pitts is coming off an epic 11-catch, 166-yard, three-touchdown game at Tampa. Cardinals counterpart Trey McBride just became the first tight end in NFL history with back-to-back 100-catch seasons. Falcons edge James Pearce has recorded a sack in six straight games, two shy of the NFL rookie record (Jevon Kearse, 1999).

Las Vegas Raiders (2-12) at Houston Texans (9-5)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Texans -14.5, Total 37.5

Series Rewind: The Raiders routed Houston 38-20 in 2022 when they had Derek Carr (241 passing yards, one TD), Josh Jacobs (143 rushing yards, three TDs) and Davante Adams (eight catches, 95 yards) on the roster.

The Texans are currently in possession of the final AFC wild-card spot but have their eyes on overtaking the Jacksonville Jaguars and winning the AFC South. Houston has rattled off six straight wins and registered a season high for points last week with a 40-20 rout of the Arizona Cardinals. C.J. Stroud passed for 260 yards and three touchdowns with Nico Collins collecting two of the scoring receptions. The Texans also have allowed 20 or fewer points in five straight games behind the best all-around defense in the NFL. Defensive ends Danielle Hunter (12 sacks) and Will Anderson Jr. (10.5) are each enjoying big campaigns. The Raiders have been big disappointments in Pete Carroll's first season as coach and are tied with the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants for the league's worst record. Las Vegas has dropped eight consecutive games, twice losing 31-0, first to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7 and to the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday. Kenny Pickett passed for just 64 yards and the Raiders had just 75 total yards and seven first downs. Rookie Ashton Jeanty has rushing outputs of 31, 30 and 35 yards over the past three games. Linebacker Devin White (149 tackles) and defensive end Maxx Crosby (10 sacks) have been shining standouts during the dismal campaign.

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6) at Detroit Lions (8-6)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Lions -6.5, Total 51.5

Series Rewind: The Steelers have won five of the past six meetings, but the most recent game in 2021 went to overtime and ended in a 16-16 tie.

The rapid release of Rams veteran QB Matthew Stafford stunted the Lions' pass rush last week, prompting similar concerns for head coach Dan Campbell as the Lions hit Week 16 knowing there's only one possible way into the postseason: win three consecutive games and hope for chaos to strike the seven teams ahead of them in the NFC playoff picture. Both coaches referenced expectations for a physical game won in the trenches this week. The Lions put up 34 points in a loss to the Rams last week and there's as much power as there is pomp in the Detroit scheme. Pittsburgh gears up for Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who has 1,100 rushing yards, 494 receiving yards and 16 total touchdowns in 2025. The Lions average 131.1 yards per game on the ground and the Steelers are giving up 120.9 rushing yards per game as part of the league's 28th-ranked defense in total yards allowed (383.3 per game). Aaron Rodgers and his snappy delivery make pressuring the pocket a long day's work but Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson leads the NFL in pressures. He's getting help from a group he dubbed "castoffs," which includes the team's leader in catches, No. 2 running back Kenneth Gainwell. The Steelers are likely to emphasize Jaylen Warren and Gainwell due to the balance they can bring an inconsistent offense. Gainwell had 126 yards from scrimmage Monday in the Steelers' win over the Miami Dolphins on Monday.

New England Patriots (11-3) at Baltimore Ravens (7-7)

Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Ravens -3, Total 48.5

Series Rewind: The teams have split the past eight meetings after the Patriots won seven of the first eight (including playoffs).

The Patriots are 6-0 on the road this season and stand one game behind the Denver Broncos in the battle for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. New England will know when it takes the field Sunday night whether it can clinch a playoff spot with a win. Results involving the Indianapolis Colts (vs. San Francisco 49ers) and Houston Texans (vs. Las Vegas Raiders) are in play. Drake Maye passed for a season-low 155 yards in last week's 35-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The setback ended a 10-game winning streak. Rookie TreVeyon Henderson rushed for 148 yards -- one more than his previous high -- and two touchdowns. Baltimore is two games behind the Texans in the wild-card chase so its best bet to reach the playoffs is overtaking the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North. Baltimore is one game behind but will play at Pittsburgh in the final week of the season. The Ravens halted a two-game losing streak with a strong 24-0 win over the Cincinnati Bengals last week. The Bengals had clobbered Baltimore 17 days earlier. Derrick Henry rushed for 100 yards on just 11 carries and ranks fifth in the NFL with 1,125 yards. Linebacker Roquan Smith racked up 14 tackles and leads the squad with 114.

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The Paur Report

Starts, Sits, Sleepers: Week 16

Player Notes
Brady Cook Dec 22 10:10am CT
Brady Cook

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said that Brady Cook will remain the team's starting quarterback, per Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. Cook has started each of New York's last two games after taking over for veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor in the middle of the Jets' Week 14 loss to the Miami Dolphins. An undrafted rookie out of the University of Missouri, Cook has struggled in his first taste of NFL action. Across three games (two starts), he's completed 59.2% of his pass attempts for 527 yards, one touchdown, and six interceptions. However, there's little incentive at this point in the season for the 3-12 Jets to do anything but attempt to improve their 2026 draft pick, which may be the reason why Glenn is sticking with Cook under center. Heading into a difficult Week 17 matchup against the New England Patriots, fantasy managers should avoid Cook and may want to move away from Jets running back Breece Hall as well.

From RotoBaller

Jawhar Jordan Dec 22 9:50am CT
Jawhar Jordan

Despite spending most of the season off his team's active roster, Houston Texans running back Jawhar Jordan has emerged as a major contributor over the last two weeks. With Texans RB1 Woody Marks (ankle) battling an ankle injury, Jordan has recorded 188 scrimmage yards on 37 touches over his past two games. Despite veteran back Nick Chubb making his return in Week 16 from a rib injury that sidelined him in Week 15, Jordan worked as Houston's lead back. In Week 16, Jordan out-snapped Chubb 30 to 21 and out-touched him 17 to seven. If Marks remains sidelined for the team's Week 17 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, Jordan could see another game with a heavy workload. Jordan is worth targeting on the waiver wire heading into Week 17, just in case Marks is unable to make his return.

From RotoBaller

Kyle Monangai Dec 22 9:40am CT
Kyle Monangai

Dating back to Week 10, Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai has recorded double-digit touches in six straight games. While the 23-year-old remains stuck in a backfield time share with veteran running back D'Andre Swift, the Bears have shown a willingness to force-feed the ball to both players every week. Monangai has rewarded his team with efficient rushing as well. Across 15 games this season, he's logged 731 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 155 carries, averaging 4.7 yards per rush attempt. Swift remains the lead back in Chicago, but just barely. Monangai has played at least 41% of his team's offensive snaps in five straight games. In that five-game stretch, Swift has recorded 70 carries while Monangai has logged 68. As long as the split between the two backs remains close to even, the Bears' rushing offense is powerful enough to support production from two players. In fantasy leagues where he remains available, Monangai is a priority waiver wire target heading into his Week 17 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.

From RotoBaller

Rhamondre Stevenson Dec 22 9:40am CT
Rhamondre Stevenson

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson has seen his workload fall off in recent weeks, as he's recorded double-digit carries in just one game since Week 8. However, Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson (head) was forced to leave New England's Week 15 win over the Baltimore Ravens early after suffering a head injury, which may open an opportunity for Stevenson. The 27-year-old had a solid game against Baltimore in Henderson's absence, recording 71 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 10 touches. While he's struggled to be efficient as a rusher this season (3.7 yards per carry), Stevenson's numbers look better when his work as a receiver is factored in. He's racked up 693 yards from scrimmage on 140 touches, good for an average of five yards per touch. If Henderson is unable to play in Week 17 against the New York Jets, Stevenson could dominate backfield touches in a favorable matchup. In fantasy leagues where he is available, Stevenson is worth targeting on the waiver wire while Henderson's availability is in question.

From RotoBaller

Blake Corum Dec 22 9:20am CT
Blake Corum

Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum began the 2025 season as his team's clear RB2 behind established back Kyren Williams. However, as the year has progressed, Corum and Williams have moved closer to a true timeshare in the backfield. Over his last four games, Corum has recorded 328 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 44 carries. While Williams remains the team's leading rusher and snap-earner, Corum has played at least 22 offensive snaps in three straight weeks. Given the overall prowess of the Rams' offense, Corum has a chance to provide fantasy-relevant production every week, as long as he continues to earn double-digit touches. In any fantasy league where he remains available, Corum is a must-add player on the waiver wire heading into his Week 17 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.

From RotoBaller

Kenneth Gainwell Dec 22 9:20am CT
Kenneth Gainwell

As the 2025 season has progressed, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell has emerged as one of his team's most reliable all-purpose weapons. Over his last six games, the 26-year-old has recorded 568 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns on 84 touches. Gainwell has earned 38 targets in that six-game stretch and has now hauled in at least five receptions in five out of his last six outings. The Steelers continue to deploy a near 50/50 split in the backfield between Gainwell and Jaylen Warren, which limits the upside for both players to some degree. However, as long as Gainwell continues to function as a featured piece in the Pittsburgh passing game, he should provide a safe production floor in PPR fantasy leagues. In any league where he remains available, Gainwell is a must-add player off the waiver wire heading into his Week 17 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.

From RotoBaller

Emanuel Wilson Dec 22 8:40am CT
Emanuel Wilson

Green Bay Packers running back Emanuel Wilson could be a top waiver wire priority this week, as the Packers get ready to host the Ravens on Saturday. The team could be without Jordan Love (concussion) and Josh Jacobs (knee) for that matchup, and Wilson has proven he can be a fantasy factor if he takes over for Jacobs as the primary option. Last week, Wilson ran for 82 yards on 14 carries against the Bears, while Jacobs had just 36 yards on 12 carries. Wilson also starred in Green Bay's win over the Packers when Jacobs was injured, racking up 107 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries in that week. The Ravens have been a great matchup for running backs this season, and if Wilson gets the start, he could be a true difference-maker in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Michael Carter Dec 22 8:30am CT
Michael Carter

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter filled in as the starter in Week 16 for the team's banged-up backfield, and he had a solid game against the Falcons. He took 11 carries for 65 yards but failed to catch either of his two targets or get into the end zone. Carter played well ahead of Emari Demercado and Corey Kiner and will likely lead the backfield committee again in Week 17 with James Conner, Trey Benson, and Bam Knight all on the shelf for the rest of the season. Carter and the Cards get a favorable matchup in Week 17 against the Bengals, so if you need some emergency help in the backfield, he's a solid streaming option with touchdown-dependent upside in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Chris Rodriguez Jr. Dec 22 8:20am CT
Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. seems to have secured the top spot in the backfield coming down the stretch, and he should be fantasy relevant in the closing weeks of the season. He makes a solid waiver wire add if you need a running back after picking up 63 rushing yards and a touchdown on 15 carries on Saturday against the Eagles, and adding a six-yard catch as well. He played 28 snaps (52%) this week, compared to just 15 snaps (28%) for Jeremy McNichols and 11 snaps for Jacory Croskey-Merritt (20%). Rodriguez and the Commanders face the Cowboys on Christmas Day after a short week, and he'll have touchdown-dependent flex upside in a favorable matchup against Dallas this coming week.

From RotoBaller

TreVeyon Henderson Dec 22 8:20am CT
TreVeyon Henderson

New England Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson (head) suffered a head injury during their victory over the Ravens on Sunday night. Henderson suffered the injury in the second quarter. Before exiting, the second-round pick took just five carries for a mere three yards and brought in his lone target for nine yards. In relief, veteran Rhamondre Stevenson led the way, totaling 51 yards and a score on eight attempts and bringing in two of his three targets for another 27 yards. Managers should pay close attention to Henderson's status ahead of their Week 17 contest against the Jets next Sunday. During the second half of the campaign, Henderson has enjoyed a massive breakout, averaging a stellar 22.6 PPR points per game over the last five games, entering Sunday night. If Henderson sits out in Week 17, Stevenson would carry high-end RB2 upside facing a Jets defense that is allowing the third-most PPR points to opposing RBs.

From RotoBaller

John FitzPatrick Dec 22 8:10am CT
John FitzPatrick

Green Bay Packers tight end John FitzPatrick (Achilles) was helping to fill in for the injured Tucker Kraft, but he suffered his own season-ending injury during Saturday's 22-16 overtime loss to the Chicago Bears. Tests confirmed that FitzPatrick suffered a torn Achilles, which will end his season after 12 catches for 72 yards and a touchdown. Without FitzPatrick, Luke Musgrave will continue to be the team's top tight end with Josh Whyle as his primary backup.

From RotoBaller

Lamar Jackson Dec 22 8:00am CT
Lamar Jackson

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (back) is considered day-to-day after sustaining a back bruise in the second quarter of Sunday night's loss to the Patriots. He took a knee to the back from Craig Woodson on a run in the second quarter and was unable to return. He said he hopes to play on Saturday against the Packers, but his status is very uncertain after battling multiple injuries this season. Jackson and the Ravens are still chasing the Steelers for the top spot in the AFC North, but it isn't clear if they'll have Jackson or Tyler Huntley under center when they take on the Packers on a short week.

From RotoBaller

Pat Bryant Dec 22 7:50am CT
Pat Bryant

Denver Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant was released from the hospital after suffering a scary injury when he took a massive hit over the middle in the final minute of Sunday's loss to the Jaguars. He had to be stretchered off the field and taken to a hospital for further evaluation. Although he was diagnosed with a concussion, he cleared the rest of the tests and seems to have avoided any more serious injury. Since the Broncos play the Chiefs on Christmas this Thursday, it seems unlikely that he'll be able to clear the protocol in time to play in that game. Without Bryant, more work would likely go to Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims Jr. behind Courtland Sutton. Stay tuned for further updates this week, but it's great news that Bryant did not have any further injuries.

From RotoBaller

Jawhar Jordan Dec 22 6:10am CT
Jawhar Jordan

Houston Texans running back Jawhar Jordan broke through with a huge NFL debut last week, and he built on that performance in Week 16 against the Raiders. Jordan was the primary back for Houston with Woody Marks (ankle) out, getting 20 touches compared to just seven for veteran Nick Chubb. Jordan racked up 53 rushing yards on 15 carries and 17 receiving yards by turning all five of his targets into receptions. After two solid performances, Jordan could remain involved in the backfield again next week as the Texans take on the Chargers, but his role will depend on Marks' recovery. If Marks does return, Jordan could still get work, but his role would likely be dramatically reduced. He's worth watching, though, since he has been more effective than Chubb and could remain the team's secondary running back after a pair of promising performances.

From RotoBaller

Nico Collins Dec 22 6:00am CT
Nico Collins

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins only had four catches for 59 yards on Sunday against the Raiders, but his team did just enough to still pull out a 23-21 win to extend their winning streak to seven games. Collins was targeted a team-high nine times by C.J. Stroud and drew two key pass interference calls late while also catching a 24-yard pass at the two-minute warning that iced the game. He remains the Texans' go-to option and should be poised to bounce back with better totals next week when Houston's offense will have to be more aggressive against the Chargers.

From RotoBaller

Jaylen Wright Dec 22 5:50am CT
Jaylen Wright

Miami Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright scored his second touchdown of the season in the last five minutes of the team's 42-21 loss to the Bengals. After breaking out with a monster game in Week 14 against the Jets, he only had one carry and one target last week against the Steelers, but he was more involved on Sunday against Cincy. He finished with nine carries for 35 yards and one catch for 18 yards to go with his touchdown, while fellow backup Ollie Gordon II only had one carry for -1 yards. Wright seems to be the better option behind De'Von Achane at this point, but Achane will likely handle most of the work next week against the Bucs, with Wright mixing in a few times as a change-of-pace option.

From RotoBaller

Dalton Schultz Dec 22 5:50am CT
Dalton Schultz

Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz caught all five of his targets on Sunday against the Raiders, racking up 35 yards and a touchdown in his team's narrow, 23-21 victory. Schultz's touchdown came on a one-yard pass from C.J. Stroud midway through the fourth quarter and was the only offensive score of the day from the Texans, who struggled to get much going on offense, settling for three long Ka'imi Fairbairn kicks and a defensive score before Schultz got to paydirt. Schultz continues to be a PPR producer as one of the top targets in the Texans' passing game. He doesn't typically get a ton of yards, but his catches and targets are consistent enough to give him a high floor and decent ceiling.

From RotoBaller

Nick Chubb Dec 22 5:50am CT
Nick Chubb

Houston Texans running back Nick Chubb (ribs) was able to play through his questionable tag on Sunday, but his fellow running back Woody Marks (ankle) was ruled out. Even without Marks, though, Chubb's workload was limited as Jawhar Jordan led the way with 15 carries for 53 yards, while Chubb had six carries for 33 yards and one catch for nine more yards. He remains involved as an early-down option and could get work around the goal line, but he doesn't seem likely to be the featured running back at this point in his career. If Marks is ready to return next week against the Chargers, Chubb could get even less work with Jordan and Marks each looking more effective and explosive than the veteran.

From RotoBaller

Malik Washington Dec 22 5:40am CT
Malik Washington

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington was only targeted once in the Dolphins' loss to the Bengals on Sunday, but he had a decent fantasy day since he caught that target for 23 yards and added a nine-yard touchdown play in the first half. The second-year receiver out of Virginia has only had a single target in back-to-back weeks and doesn't seem to have an especially strong connection with new starter Quinn Ewers. He has play-making upside when he gets involved, as he showed with his touchdown run, but his involvement has been very limited, leaving him as a risky fantasy option the rest of the season.

From RotoBaller

Darren Waller Dec 22 5:40am CT
Darren Waller

Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller didn't find the end zone in Week 16 against the Bengals, but he did still haul in three catches for 40 yards and rank second on the team in targets with five passes thrown his way. Rookie QB Quinn Ewers started and threw for 260 yards and no touchdowns in the team's loss, but he likely showed enough potential to earn another start next week against Tampa Bay. Waller will likely remain the second option in the passing game behind Jaylen Waddle, and he has shown enough upside this season to be a fringe starting option in standard leagues.

From RotoBaller