Arizona Cardinals
“McBride had another big game, catching nine passes for 87 yards, passing 900 receiving yards on the season and breaking his own single-season franchise record for receptions by a tight end. With his nine catches, he now had 89 on the season, breaking the record of 81 he had last season. However, he still has not had a touchdown reception, and he set the NFL record for most reception in a season without a touchdown, breaking Diontae Johnson’s 86 catches without one in 2022.” – Jess Root of Cardinals Wire
“110 rushing yards (6.9 YPC… nice) with a couple of rushing touchdowns is great. Conner tagged on five catches for 28 yards for good measure in one of his finer performances of the season. His efforts were perhaps the biggest reason the Cards pulled off the must-win. Conner is less than 30 yards away from his second career 1,000-yard rushing season to go along with eight touchdowns and hopefully more on the way. He’s been the most consistent Cardinal this year when it comes to yards and putting points up on the board and the playoffs would be long gone without him.” – Richie Bradshaw of SI
Atlanta Falcons
“Cousins entered the game under intense pressure and delivered in the first quarter. He hit his first five passes and found a wide-open Drake London to end his four-game streak without a touchdown. Later in the game, some of the cracks started to show. Cousins threw another interception over the middle and missed a few times with his ball placement. He could have sealed the win with a third-down pass to Ray-Ray McCloud but was off target. The Falcons will probably stick with Cousins but it wasn’t an overly encouraging performance on Monday night. The veteran QB completed 11 of 17 pass attempts for 112 yards, one touchdown and one interception.” – Matt Urben of Falcons Wire
“The Atlanta Falcons’ starting quarterback position is currently undefined entering Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.Falcons head coach Raheem Morris was asked during his Zoom press conference Monday about whether Kirk Cousins will remain his starter, and Morris declined to answer amid external calls for rookie Michael Penix Jr., the team’s first-round draft pick. Following the Falcons’ 15-9 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, their plane landed at 5:45 a.m. — 11-and-a-half hours before Morris spoke with reporters. As such, Atlanta still has more evaluations to do.” – Daniel Flick of SI
Baltimore Ravens
“The Ravens suspended Diontae Johnson and likely want to release the disgruntled wide receiver. Still, with matchups against the Steelers, Texans, and Browns remaining, Baltimore’s front office and Johnson have agreed for the wide receiver to stay away from the team this week. Johnson didn’t play a down in the Ravens’ 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and was suspended after refusing to enter the contest with Rashod Bateman injured.” – Glenn Erby of Ravens Wire
“After dealing with injuries and personal matters over his first three seasons, Bateman has remained on the field throughout this entire season, and he’s showing just what he can do with the right opportunity. He’s already set single-season career-highs in receiving yards and touchdowns, and he’s still improving as the season goes on. In Sunday’s win over the New York Giants, the former Minnesota star caught three passes for a team-high 80 yards and hauled in two of Lamar Jackson’s five passing touchdowns. The first from 49 yards out came when Jackson scrambled and found a wide-open Bateman, while the second came on a 20-yard dot in the corner of the end zone.” – Jon Alfano of SI
“Derrick Henry had been raking in Baltimore wins until Week 15, in which he saw just 14 carries and no targets in a game the Ravens controlled throughout, against an opponent missing their top two defensive linemen. That begs the question of whether the Ravens are being cautious with their bruising back to end the season after feeding him 267 touches through the first 14 games, particularly considering the Ravens should know their playoff fate following their Week 16 game against the Steelers (they can still win the division but the Steelers hold the tie-breaker over the Ravens on conference win percentage, meaning the Ravens are effectively two games back). That opens the door to the potential for Henry to see his workload capped to end the season.” – Mark Garcia of Fantasy Points
Buffalo Bills
“After a lackluster performance last week against the Rams, James Cook bounced back in a big way as he gashed the Lions for 105 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. While Detroit doesn’t exactly have the most imposing defense, they had been pretty good against the run so seeing Cook run all over them the way that he did was impressive for him and for Buffalo’s offensive line as well.” – Sharif Phillips-Keaton of Bills Wire
“Per the Buffalo Bills’ PR department, after accounting for 362 passing yards, 68 rushing yards, and four total touchdowns, Josh Allen is the first player in NFL history to record multiple passing touchdowns, multiple rushing touchdowns, 350+ passing yards and 60+ rushing yards in a single game. He is also the first with at least two touchdown passes and two rushing touchdowns in consecutive games. The Buffalo Bills have produced now eight straight games with at least 30 points, and it wouldn’t have been anywhere possible without the otherworldly play from the Bills’ field general.” – Nico Salimbene of SI
“Although Allen threw for 362 yards, the wide receivers were rather quiet. Amari Cooper (46%) didn’t receive a single target all game and Curtis Samuel (27%) caught one reception for one yard and still remains grossly underutilized in Joe Brady’s offensive scheme. Rookie Keon Coleman (63%) logged 44 snaps and was on the receiving end of a 64-yard sideline magic bomb from Allen, but ultimately saw just two targets all game. But, wide receiver Khalil Shakir (59%) along with tight ends Dalton Kincaid (49%) and Dawson Knox (73%) made up for it with multiple impact plays. Kincaid logged 34 snaps in his first game back from a knee injury and saw seven targets while Knox logged 51 snaps and hauled in two receptions for 42 yards — one of which was a beautiful one-handed grab.” – Hunter Skoczylas of Buffalo Rumblings
“In a game where Josh Allen attempted 34 passes, Amari Cooper was a ghost for Buffalo. He ran just 15 routes and wasn’t targeted vs. Detroit. Khalil Shakir remains Allen’s top target. Now that Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid are back on the field, Cooper was involved on just 41% of the pass plays. He’s droppable.” – Graham Barfield of Fantasy Points
Carolina Panthers
“Wide receiver Xavier Legette exited yesterday’s 30-14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys due to a groin injury. Head coach Dave Canales was asked about the rookie’s status on Monday afternoon. “He’s week-to-week right now,” Canales replied. “I think that we’re still doing all the workup on that for him right now. We’ll give you a better picture of that in the next couple of days. But right now, we see him as week-to-week, and I’d love for him to have the chance to finish strong with us.” Canales also stated that Legette is likely out for the Week 16 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.” – Anthony Rizzuti of Panthers Wire
“The undrafted free agent rookie wide receiver is the best thing Dave Canales has going on his moribund unit. Carolina had built up over a months worth of good vibes with a pair of wins and a trio of plucky performances against playoff contenders before tossing it all in the Bank of America Stadium trash chute during today’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The lone bright spot in the loss was the encouraging play of Jalen Coker in his return from injury. Coker, an FCS superstar turned NFL starter in less than a calendar year, took the top off of Dallas’ defense with an 83-yard touchdown near the end of the first half. His final line of four catches for 110 yards and said touchdown etched his name into Carolina’s rookie record book.” – Matt Alquiza of SI
“Sure, Hubbard’s box score left a lot to be desired in fantasy circles in Week 15, but the man was on the field for a ridiculous 95% snap rate and saw all but two running back opportunities for the Panthers following the season-ending ACL tear from rookie Jonathon Brooks. That volume level is difficult to find in the current state of the league and should provide further opportunities for RB1 production, starting with a matchup against the Cardinals in Week 16.” – Mark Garcia of Fantasy Points
Chicago Bears
“Things got bad in the second half on a long third down when Williams scrambled to buy time before eventually launching a ball into the end zone. The ball fell incomplete, though any play would have been negated due to a holding penalty. Still, Williams took a massive hit and lay on the ground for a few seconds before exiting for the bench. That’s where he had a memorable moment on the bench that visualized what playing for the Chicago Bears feels like. The cameras caught Williams beside himself, writhing on the bench in a mix of exhaustion and frustration. The rookie quarterback has been through the ringer this season, getting sacked a league-high 56 times and dealing with multiple coaching changes. The moment seemed to be the culmination of a draining season that was caught on national television.” – Brendan Sugrue of Bears Wire
“Give Swift credit for maintaining interest in the second half by running really hard even as the score on the Minnesota side kept increasing. Swift’s 79 yards rushing were his most since Nov. 3. The 113 yards rushing were 24 more than the Vikings usually give up on the ground. No one with the Bears should be celebrating this, though, after the two failed fourth-down rushing attempts in the first half and the goal-line incident with their center-turned-fullback again.” – Gene Chamberlain of SI
Cincinnati Bengals
“Worst possible four minutes to open the game. Joe Burrow threw an ugly interception under pressure, then the defense got steamrolled for an easy touchdown. Burrow made up for it with some pocket magic before throwing a strike to even things up. Impressive, considering the Bengals were down to their third-string left tackle. Not long after, though, a sack fumble. It felt inevitable the injured line would let up enough pressure to produce turnovers — they just needed to hope multiple wouldn’t happen in the first half.” – Chris Roling of Bengals Wire
“Brown finished with 97 rushing yards and one touchdown on Sunday. He also had three receptions for 16 yards and another score. He’s playing at an elite level and deserves plenty of praise for bringing stability to the Bengals’ backfield and giving them another reliable weapon on offense.” – James Rapien of Bengals Wire
“Higgins always seems to play well when he returns to his home state of Tennessee, and the same was true today. Late in the 2nd quarter, Higgins leaped into the air to haul in a 38-yard touchdown pass, showcasing exactly what he brings to this Bengals offense. Higgins finished with five receptions for 88 yards and the touchdown.” – Drew Garrison of Cincy Jungle
Cleveland Browns
“Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb suffered a broken foot during the Week 15 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. The unfortunate injury occurred during the third quarter when Chubb was involved in a read-option play. The fan-favorite running back returned to the field this year after suffering a devastating knee injury in Week 2 of the 2023 season against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He returned to action in October of this season, beginning the laborious process of restoring his elite status. Unfortunately, it looks like this season will instead go down as one to forget for Chubb. He currently has 291 rushing yards for three touchdowns, averaging 3.1 yards per carry.” – Owen O’Connor of Browns Wire
“Jerry Jeudy’s brilliance continued in Week 15. He was essentially the entire Browns offense through most of the first half. Every time Jameis Winston needed to make a play, he’d find Juedy, including on a couple longer third downs on the second possession of the game. Through the first quarter he had 46 yards, by halftime that had ballooned to 51. When the game went final he had his third 100-yard game of the season, all of them have come in the last five games. He continues to be the safety net for Winston and put up wide receiver one numbers and as Cleveland gets ready for an offseason filled with questions, they may at least have one thing answered.” – Spencer German of SI
Dallas Cowboys
“Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle continued his hot streak against the Panthers, rushing 25 times for 149 yards, both season highs. A week after averaging a staggering 7.3 yards per carry, the lead back turned in another strong day, gashing Carolina for six yards a touch. That marks three straight games in which the RB has run for over 100 yards and the first time for Dallas since Ezekiel Elliott did so in weeks six through eight back in the 2019 season. In fact, Elliott accomplished the feat three times in his career, doing it once in 2017, 2018, and 2019.” – Angel Torres of Cowboys Wire
“Lamb was a hit as a rookie with 935 yards and five touchdowns on 74 receptions. Since then, his numbers have only increased and he’s now recorded 1,000 yards four years in a row. He put his name in the franchise record books this weekend when he became the first player in team history to accomplish that feat four times during their first five seasons in the league. He might not be done there either. With just 22 more receptions, Lamb will surpass Michael Thomas for the most receptions in the first five seasons of their career. Thomas stands atop the list with 510 while Lamb enters Week 16 with 489.” – Randy Gurzi of SI
Denver Broncos
“Before exiting the game with a quad injury, Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin rushed seven times for 21 yards. Javonte Williams was even worse, rushing six times for 15 yards. Denver quarterback Bo Nix ended up leading the team with 23 rushing yards despite losing two yards on kneel-downs to secure the win. The Broncos have to get more from their backfield down the stretch.” – Jon Heath of Broncos Wire
“Over recent weeks, explosive wideout Marvin Mims Jr. has been increasingly incorporated into the offensive game plan of head coach Sean Payton. However, on Sunday, the jump-start Mims provided on a very timely 60-yard punt return made a huge difference in the dynamic of the game. By providing a major flip in terms of field position, Mims set the table for Bo Nix to get his feet back beneath him when he cashed in on a short touchdown pass to tight end Nate Adkins. Once the Broncos were plugged back into the main power supply by their Pro Bowl returner, they lit up like a Christmas tree, and it was all she wrote for the Colts.” – Keith Cummings of SI
Detroit Lions
“As expected on a day when Jared Goff lit up the scoreboard, Amon-Ra St. Brown was the primary beneficiary. Targeted 18 times, St. Brown hauled in 14 catches for 193 yards and a touchdown, further cementing his status as one of the league’s elite receivers. The Goff-St. Brown connection was on full display, with the duo linking up for several clutch plays, including a crucial fourth-down conversion that kept the Lions in the game. St. Brown’s focus and determination shone brightest on a tipped pass he turned into a 66-yard touchdown—his second-longest career score. While he did have a costly fumble and missed a few opportunities to convert targets into catches, his overall performance was nothing short of exceptional. St. Brown once again proved why he’s a cornerstone of this high-powered Lions offense.” – Zack Moran of Lions Wire
“In addition to earlier news about significant injuries to Alim McNeill and Carlton Davis, running back David Montgomery will be sidelined indefinitely with an MCL injury. The veteran left the team’s 48-42 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the first half, but returned for a spurt in the third quarter. The injury could potentially keep him out for the remainder of the season, including the playoffs, and he is reportedly undergoing more tests to figure out how severe the injury is. He finished Sunday’s game with five carries for four yards, along with four receptions for 31 yards.” – Christian Booher of SI
“After shredding the Bills for 494 yards and 5 TDs, Goff is the QB2 on the week in scoring (41.3 FP). That’s just two-tenths of an FP behind Josh Allen’s 41.3 FP performance. Buffalo just sat back in two-high coverage 61% of the time, and Goff crushed them. Unfortunately for the Lions, they just lost team leader and TD machine David Montgomery (knee) for the season. Fortunately for Goff and fantasy football, the Lions are more likely to lean on their passing game to close out the season. Not only is Montgomery’s loss a big part of their run game, but their defense has now suffered multiple catastrophic injuries after losing more starters in DL Alim McNeill and CB Carlton Davis. It just means that the Lions are more likely to play in higher-scoring games in Week 16-17 on the road in Chicago and San Francisco. This will be just the second and third time that Goff has played outdoors all year, with his only other game being in the rain in Green Bay.” – Graham Barfield of Fantasy Points
Green Bay Packers
“The last time Jacobs was in Seattle, he rushed for 229 yards and totaled 303 yards from scrimmage as a member of the Las Vegas Raiders. No one expected Jacobs to top that legendary performance from the 2022 season, but he did pitch in 132 yards from scrimmage and extended his touchdown streak to five games. Things slowed down for Green Bay’s running back in the second half as the Seahawks did a nice job of bottling him up. Jacobs also fumbled for the first time since Week 2 after a nice punch out by linebacker Ernest Jones IV. Despite the turnover, Jacobs was again one of the top reasons the Packers were so successful on offense.” – Brandon Carwile of Packers Wire
“The Packers focused on their Big Four, with Bo Melton playing two snaps and Malik Heath inactive. Christian Watson led the way with 50 snaps. By playing-time percentage, his three biggest games came the past three weeks with 94.4 percent vs. Miami, 92.0 percent vs. Detroit and 86.2 percent vs. Seattle. He has led the receiver group in snaps each of the last four games.” – Bill Huber of SI
“Jordan Love started last night’s game 17/18 (94% completion), and Toyotathon keeps on rolling. He looked calm, composed, and completely in control while under center, and made some beautiful throws to his receivers. The second Romeo Doubs touchdown was truly thrown only where he could get it, and that’s not by some stroke of luck. He’s getting better. Jordan Love and Christian Watson are starting to click, and that should scare opposing defenses. A deep ball to Christian Watson in the postseason is on my 2025 wishlist, and I need it bad.” – Acme Packing Co.
Houston Texans
“The Texans made a surprising alteration to their offensive line configuration with the announcement that right tackle Tytus Howard would slide to left guard and second-round rookie Blake Fisher would start in his place at right tackle. The new-look grouping had a shaky first outing, allowing four sacks for a loss of 27 yards. The results were even worse on the ground as running back Joe Mixon averaged 1.9 yards per carry, finishing with 23 yards on 12 attempts.” – Logan Farlow of Texans Wire
“Mixon is trending in the wrong direction, with 23 or fewer rushing yards and 10.6 or fewer FP in two of his last three games. He mustered just 12/23 rushing in a victory over the Dolphins, salvaging some production with 5/33 receiving on 6 targets. He’s averaged fewer than 2.0 YPC in three of his last five contests, but he’s posted 5.8+ FP in five straight games to make up for his recent dip in rushing production. He’ll need to stay involved as a receiver in the final two games of the fantasy playoffs with a gauntlet of RB matchups against the Chiefs and Ravens.” – Tom Brolley of Fantasy Points
Indianapolis Colts
“When meeting with the local media on Monday, Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen announced that wide receiver Alec Pierce is in concussion protocol. The injury occurred in the final minute of the second quarter when Anthony Richardson targeted Pierce in the left corner of the end zone and in going up for the ball, he came down hard on his right side/back. Pierce walked off under his own power and headed to the locker room and was ruled out by the team a short while later. As of now, Pierce’s availability for the Colts’ Week 16 game against Tennessee will be up in the air. He will have to clear protocol before being eligible to play.” – Paul Bretl of Colts Wire
“Areas of the Colts’ offensive line fell apart against Denver’s relentless defensive trenches, but quarterback Richardson looked awful at Mile High. The second-year field general finished 17/38 for 172 passing yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also tossed in a rushing touchdown on seven carries and 46 rushing yards (6.6 average). Richardson has had great moments in 2024 but against crappy teams like the New England Patriots and New York Jets but is overwhelmingly human against the stiffer, playoff-level competition. We’ll see if anything changes with a trio of games remaining in Richardson’s sophomore NFL campaign.” – Drake Wally of SI
Jacksonville Jaguars
“Brian Thomas Jr. set new all-time rookie receiving yard and touchdown records for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first quarter against the New York Jets on Sunday. Thomas surpassed Justin Blackmon’s 2012 record of 865 yards on a four-yard reception on the game’s first drive. He ended the series with a three-yard touchdown catch to take sole possession of Jacksonville’s rookie receiving touchdown record, after tying the six Allen Hurns produced in 2014 against the Houston Texans in Week 13. Thomas had 869 yards and seven touchdowns on the season, with more than three games left, and four catches for 18 yards and the score against the Jets at press time.” – Zach Goodall of Jags Wire
“Mac Jones has certainly rebounded from his first two starts with the Jaguars. Jones had some legitimately good moments during Sunday’s game, showing off good field vision, accuracy and the ability to extend plays despite not being an elite athlete. Jones showed more in this game than he had in any of his previous starts, which is a positive sign in his development. The issue for the Jaguars is that Jones is also one of the biggest reasons the Jaguars lost. He took a seven-yard loss on a sack in the red-zone and threw two inexcusable interceptions, extending his streak of starts with at least one interception. He is improving, but the turnovers are becoming a troubling tend.” – John Shipley of SI
Kansas City Chiefs
“Stock Up: Xavier Worthy – The rookie wide receiver utilized his speed and skills for big plays in the game. He handled a Patrick Mahomes ruled lateral for a touchdown, finishing the day with six catches for 46 yards, three rushes for 30 yards, and the touchdown.” – Ed Easton Jr. of Chiefs Wire
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes exited in the fourth quarter due to an ankle injury and did not return, though both Mahomes and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid indicated that Mahomes could have attempted to finish the game if the win wasn’t already largely secured at the time of his injury. The Chiefs received good news from negative X-rays after the game, confirming that nothing was broken in Mahomes’s ankle. Following the game, Mahomes acknowledged that it’s typically “the day after that we get a good sense” of the severity of an injury. On Monday, Ian Rapoport reported the details of Mahomes’s injury, setting a timeline for the quarterback’s return. – Joshua Brisco of SI
“Once again, this Chiefs backfield was split in Week 15. Pacheco didn’t get a bump in his role, whatsoever. Kareem Hunt and Pacheco each played on 37% of the snaps vs. Cleveland, and each RB got 13 handoffs. Hunt was slightly more effective (45 yards) than Pacheco (32 yards). This has turned into a nightmare for fantasy football. The Chiefs play the Texans on Saturday, and they’re installed as +2.5 underdogs, with Carson Wentz likely under center. Patrick Mahomes (ankle) is questionable to play.” – Graham Barfield of Fantasy Points
Las Vegas Raiders
“Just when Raiders fans were getting excited to see what kind of hidden gem they might have in RB Sincere McCormick, the former undrafted back went down with an injury. There had yet to be any official word from the Raiders as of Tuesday morning, but McCormick took to instagram to speak on it himself. And it doesn’t sound very positive in terms of him returning this season.” – Levi Damien of Raiders Wire
“Bowers is chasing down one of the NFL’s oldest records held by former Chicago Bears tight end Mike Ditka. In 1961, in his rookie season as a tight end, Ditka had 1,076 receiving yards. That is the most receiving yards by a rookie tight end in NFL history. Bowers has 968 yards with three games to go this season. Bowers has already broken the receptions record for a rookie tight end. Just last season Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta had set the new record. Bowers in 14 games has had 90 receptions.” – Michael Canelo of SI
Los Angeles Chargers
“Los Angeles ran the ball only 11 times on Sunday, generating only 2.9 yards per carry and 32 total yards between the efforts of Gus Edwards and Kimani Vidal. Tampa Bay entered the week as a strong run defense, but the Chargers’ continued refusal to even try to establish the game on the ground continues to be a puzzling element of the Greg Roman experience. It’s obvious the Chargers miss JK Dobbins and LA only ran 45 total plays, but failing to generate a run of more than 8 yards while Tampa Bay ran for 223 yards on 5.7 yards a carry, including a 54 yard scamper by Bucky Irving, has to sting. The Buccaneers had three rushers – Irving, Rachaad White, and quarterback Baker Mayfield – with more yards than Edwards, who led the Chargers with 23 yards.” – Alex Katson of Chargers Wire
“After missing last week, McConkey came out swinging on the first drive, catching three passes for 23 yards and one touchdown. He’d end the day with five catches for 58 yards, but still a solid game for the Chargers’ stellar rookie wideout.” – Andrew Parsaud of SI
Los Angeles Rams
“The use of the screen pass has been a point of emphasis in Sean McVay’s offense since the return of Puka Nacua. In fact, one could say the screen jumpstarted the Rams’ season when Sean McVay used it to expose Minnesota’s defense in Week 8. Since the 30-20 victory over the Vikings, the Rams have won five of their last seven games and are have a great shot to win the NFC West. Nacua is such a dangerous weapon with the ball in his hands due to his shifty feet and desire to initiate contact. The use of the screen allows offensive linemen to explode out of their stance as if the Rams are running the ball but instead of blocking big defensive linemen, they can bypass them, hunting for linebackers and defensive backs in the secondary.” – Brock Vierra of Rams Wire
“Atwell is in his third season with the Rams, and on the 2024-25 campaign, Atwell is in prime position to add to his career high in several categories. Playing in 14 games this season, Atwell has been a reliable piece to this team’s offense, whether Nacua and Kupp were healthy or not. Atwell has set new highs in receiving yards, totaling 513 on the season, and average yards per reception with 14.3. His reception total on the season is on the lower end, with 36 completions in 52 targets, but he has made sure the receptions he does complete count, given his average yardage. Atwell, now 25 years old, could be working himself into a prime position for the Rams and their future if he continues to increase his stats each season he plays. In his first season, Atwell played in 13 games and recorded 298 yards. In his second season, playing in 16 games, he recorded 483 yards in 39 receptions.” – Dominic Minchella of SI
Miami Dolphins
“There wasn’t much to like from the Dolphins offense in Houston, but Washington continues to show positive signs of development. The sixth-round rookie’s 52 receiving yards were the most for any player on either team and he managed to take one of his two punt returns back 16 yards. While an injury for Jaylen Waddle made life difficult for Miami, Washington continues to show why he was taking snaps from the recently released Odell Beckham Jr.” – Adam Stites of Dolphins Wire
“Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa can slice and dice defenses with the best of them when the Dolphins are facing a mediocre, particularly early in the season, but it’s not quite that simple later on. His performance at Houston was among the worst of his career, matched maybe only by what happened in the game at Tennessee late in the 2021 season. But the weather conditions (cold and rainy) were not ideal that day at Nashville and the supporting cast on offense wasn’t particularly impressive.” – Alain Poupart of SI
“Waddle finally picked up some momentum after a miserable start to the season with 60.6 FP in Weeks 12-14. Unfortunately, he picked up a knee injury in the second quarter of Miami’s loss to the Texans, which elevated rookie Malik Washington into a bigger role after the team released Odell Beckham before Week 15. Washington paced the Dolphins with 52 receiving yards on 5 receptions and 6 targets (15%) for 10.2 FP. While the injury is not serious, it’s possible that we won’t see Waddle again this season with the Dolphins’ playoff chances quickly evaporating. Washington isn’t the easiest player to trust in the fantasy playoffs (SF, @Cle), but he could see some volume if Waddle is unable to play again.” – Tom Brolley of Fantasy Points
Minnesota Vikings
“The Vikings’ running game has been hit-or-miss all season — for the past couple of seasons, really — but it was an integral part of the Vikings’ win on Monday night against the Chicago Bears. At the forefront of that was running back Aaron Jones. Jones’ numbers may not be the most impressive stat line we’ve seen this season (18 carries for 86 yards and a touchdown), but Jones set the tone early and often for the Vikings offense.” – Chris Spooner of Vikings Wire
“Look at those tight ends leading the way! The Vikings’ might have the best TE room in the NFL. Hockenson caught five passes for 52 yards, and as is often the case, three of those went for conversions on third down. Oliver and Mundt were big-time as run-blockers, helping pave the way for Jones’ impressive night (106 yards and a TD on 20 touches). And Jefferson did his thing, like always, with a 7-73-1 outing that could’ve been even bigger if not for a rare drop of a potential 30-yard touchdown in the second quarter.” – Will Ragatz of SI
“The offensive line struggled mightily is pass protection last night. Brian O’Neil was in and out with a knee injury. Risner was OK in pass pro and everyone else was bad. 16 pressures given up by the OL. Darnold handled it well. He didn’t turn the ball over and he kept the offense in positive scenarios. The one interception was on a 4th down. It’s not an interception where he made a bad decision or throw. He just had no where to go and wisely threw it towards a receiver rather than out of bounds. The 231 yards and 1 TD/1 INT isn’t going to impress anyone, but it doesn’t reflect his effort. A dropped TD from Jefferson and so much pressure in his face are what led to that. Sam did his job to lead the team to an easy victory. He could’ve easily tried to force things and ended up with multiple turnovers (see Caleb Williams holding on to the ball).” – Craig Williams of Daily Norseman
New England Patriots
“The Patriots will look back on this game and wish they utilized the run game more. They were too quick to get away from it early in the game. Rhamondre Stevenson averaged 5.3 yards per carry, and he was only given 13 carries in the game. The Patriots also got Antonio Gibson going more in the passing attack. They need to do more of that considering he’s the best third-down option they have at the position.” – Jordy McElroy of Patriots Wire
“Speaking of Maye, he ended up completing 19 of his 23 pass attempts for 202 yards, a touchdown, and an interception against Arizona. He also picked up 14 yards and a touchdown on the ground. At the very least, Patriots fans come go to be knowing that they have their quarterback of the future. Not having that concern hanging over the franchise is a breath of fresh air. Now, the front office just needs to build a better team around their franchise quarterback.” – Evan Massey of SI
New Orleans Saints
“No one would have batted an eye if the New Orleans Saints had lost to the Washington Commanders by a large margin, and they were on the way to that outcome in the first half. It was only a 14 point deficit, but the Saints’ offensive struggles made a comeback feel unrealistic. Everything changed when Darren Rizzi made the switch from Jake Haener to Spencer Rattler. Rattler led the Saints to four consecutive scoring drives and nearly to an improbable comeback victory. He looked more confident in this game than he did the first time we saw him. Haener versus Rattler has been an ongoing debate this year, and Rattler seemed to have the edge earlier in the season.” – Darrion Gray of Saints Wire
“The Saints have been riddled with injuries, so what’s one more on their plate? Alvin Kamara left Sunday’s game early due to injury and did not return. It was later labeled as a groin injury, and we’ll have to see whether or not it’s serious or not. Interim head coach Darren Rizzi said that Kamara is dealing with a ‘groin adductor’ situation after initial imaging. He said that Kamara first felt something on his touchdown catch. Rizzi declined to get into whether or not it’s minor or bigger. More testing is expected for the Saints running back.” – John Hendrix of SI
New York Giants
“Rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers is hurting. He’s dealing with several injuries and got cleated by his own teammate on Sunday, but stayed in the game and gave it his all. His effort has come under question in recent weeks but he answered the bell on Sunday with 10 receptions on 14 targets for 82 yards and his first touchdown since Week 3. He made several impressive catches that displayed great field awareness and body control, and was routinely open even when the ball didn’t go his way.” – Dan Benton of Giants Wire
“Want more? The running game mustered only 55 yards on 20 carries (2.8 yards per carry) with one touchdown (by Devin Singletary). There were two dropped passes (Wan’Dale Robinson and Tyrone Tracy, Jr now has six drops on the season). Yes, the offense is now missing two starting offensive linemen (Jon Runyan, Jr. and Andrew Thomas). Still, save for tight end Theo Johnson, almost everyone is on the field except for a play-making quarterback, the position continues to be the team’s Achilles’ heel.” – Patricia Traina of SI
New York Jets
“Adams had his first massive game since being traded to New York down in Jacksonville. Adams surpassed the 100-touchdown plateau for his career with his first of two scores. In addition, most of his production came in the critical, late stages of the contest and he still managed to put up nine catches and 198 yards.” – Nick Wojton of Jets Wire
“Sunday’s win over Jacksonville may have been the best evidence yet that Rogers is telling the truth. Not only did he have one of his more impressive passing games of the season, his legs worked too. The 41-year-old quarterback got out of the pocket a few times and put together some vintage Rodgers scrambles, to the point where he actually ended up as the Jets’ leading rusher with 45 yards. He also threw for 289 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions, even though he only went 16-of-30. Per ESPN, he became the first player in Jets history with three touchdowns, no interceptions and 45 yards rushing in the same game.” – Matthew Postins of SI
“Somewhat surprisingly, Hall was able to play through a knee injury on Sunday. It’s the same leg that he suffered the ACL tear in 2022. Hall was not close to full-go vs. Jacksonville. He needed the Jets layup, go-ahead TD at the end of the game to salvage an ugly day (11 touches, 51 scrimmage yards, TD). The Jets went with a split backfield as rookie Isaiah Davis (39% of snaps) mixed in fairly heavily. Braelon Allen (19% of snaps) only got two carries. Hall was only healthy enough to play on 50% of the snaps. He’s a back end FLEX option to close out the fantasy season vs. Rams and Bills in Weeks 16-17.” – Graham Barfield of Fantasy Points
Philadelphia Eagles
“The NFL’s leading rusher, Barkey’s chase of Eric Dickerson’s NFL season rushing record, took an intense hit when he ran for just 65 yards on 19 carries. Barkley, who still leads the NFL with 1,688 yards, took a low hit from Pittsburgh’s Minkah Fitzpatrick and missed most of the second quarter. Kenneth Gainwell got a season-high 31 snaps. With Saquon Barkley dealing with an injury, Gainwell had moments to shine. The former Memphis running back rushed for 20 yards and had three catches for 40 yards (13.3 avg).” – Glenn Erby of Eagles Wire
“After a week of internal strife over the passing game the Eagles quelled concerns early and often. Jalen Hurts was extremely sharp, completing his first eight passes and finishing 25 of 32 for 290 yards with touchdowns to A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. The idea that Philadelphia couldn’t pass the football with the talent assembled had been troubling to the point Brown tried to put a spotlight on the issue. Whether that worked or it was just a natural sea change can be debated but the Eagles got their mojo back in the passing game. Brown finished with nine receptions on 11 targets for 110 yards and Smith had 11 catches on 12 opportunities for 109 yards.” – John McMullen of SI
“Oh, that’s right … DeVonta’s pretty good, too. Smitty was targeted 12 times for 11 catches, 109 yards, and one touchdown of his own. 11 receptions is a new career-high for Smith; he previously had 10 against the Arizona Cardinals in 2022. 109 receiving yards is a season-high for Smith, surpassing the 87 he had in Week 9. 109 is also the ninth-most he’s ever had in one game (including playoffs). Throw the ball to A.J. and DeVonta and good things happen!” – Brandon Lee Gowton of Bleeding Green Nation
Pittsburgh Steelers
“Harris’ fumble on Sunday was absolutely brutal. And the run game overall got stonewalled by one of the best defenses in the league. But the notion that Sunday’s performance somehow negates what Harris has done all year is wild.” – Curt Popejoy of Steelers Wire
“Head coach Mike Tomlin did not provide any direct updates on the nature of Pickens’ injury during his press conference on Monday, though he did not rule out the 23-year-old star and stated that his level of participation throughout the week would dictate whether or not he’ll suit up in Baltimore. The Steelers’ passing offense has faltered over their past two contests, first tallying 158 yards against the Cleveland Browns in Week 14 before putting up 128 versus the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15. Getting Pickens back in the near future could help the group evade those struggles in the future as the playoffs draw closer.” – Jack Markowski of SI
San Francisco 49ers
“2024 hasn’t been the best year of 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy’s career. His regression has aligned with some injuries to the team’s cache of offensive weapons, leading to questions about Purdy’s viability as a franchise signal caller outside of a perfectly crafted ecosystem. Those external questions don’t linger insider the organization according to the Athletic’s Dianna Russini. She reported the team still believes Purdy is their franchise QB.” – Kyle Madson of Niners Wire
“Deebo Samuel went to social media to complain about his lack of involvement in the offense. He got his wish granted against the Rams and it immediately became clear why he has been underutilized. Samuel stinks. He provides nothing positive to the 49ers’ offense. He’s been a negatively impactful player. It’s impossible to cite anything in his game that the 49ers benefit from. The amazing player that he was in 2021 and even last year looks long gone. He appears slow, limited, and distraught. Samuel must never touch the ball again. Then again, the 49ers are essentially out of the playoffs, so losing out is best for them, and involving Samuel will help that.” – Jose Luis Sanchez III of SI
“Guerendo’s availability for Week 15 was up in the air until gameday because of a mild foot sprain. He took on a full-time role, finishing with 16/57 rushing and 4/18 receiving for 11.5 FP in San Francisco’s 6-point effort. He conceded just 3 snaps to Patrick Taylor while handling 41 snaps (76%) in wet conditions. He’s locked into a bell-cow role the rest of the way (@Mia, Det) after handling 15+ carries and 2+ receptions for 75+ scrimmage yards in his first two starts. He should be viewed as a high-end RB2 with upside if San Francisco can kick its offense into gear in the final weeks.” – Tom Brolley of Fantasy Points
Seattle Seahawks
“Howell was dreadful against the Packers. The Seahawks backup completed 5-of-14 passes for 24 yards, was sacked four times, and threw an ugly interception. To the fans who wished to see Howell in action, they got more than what they bargained for. Of course, the natural thought immediately after the game was regarding Geno Smith’s health. On Monday, head coach Mike Macdonald explained he got a text message from his quarterback, and Smith was feeling “optimistic” he could play in Week 16 vs the Vikings.” – Kole Musgrove of Seahawks Wire
“After rushing for over 170 yards in Arizona last week, even against a top-10 Packers run defense, it seemed like a strong probability the Seahawks were going to try to continue leaning more on Zach Charbonnet and an offensive line that had showed marked improvement in recent weeks. But in part due to game flow falling behind by 14 early, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb seemed hell bent on spreading Green Bay out with three and four-wide shotgun sets, calling pass plays on 15 of 22 first half snaps on offense. As expected, the lack of balance allowed the visitors to be able to tee off on Smith, sacking him twice on third down to end drives.” – Corbin K. Smith of SI
“Jaxon Smith-Njigba: The only standout performer on offense with his 10 catches for 83 yards, giving him a Seahawks franchise record for consecutive games with 70+ receiving yards. He’s on his way to setting a new single-season receptions record in Seahawks history with just 16 more catches.” – Mookie Alexander of Field Gulls
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
“After battling injuries all season, Evans had his best game of the season in Los Angeles, catching nine passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns. The Chargers had no answer for the future Hall-of-Famer, who made his scoring plays look pretty effortless. Mike Evans may be closer to the end of his career than the beginning, but he remains one of the NFL’s best wide receivers. He is now on a very realistic track to a record-setting 11th-straight 1000-yard season.” – Jason Kanno of Bucs Wire
“McMillan had two big plays on the Bucs’ opening drive. On the drive’s second play, he came up with a 19-yard catch to move the chains before hauling in a 26-yard touchdown to put the first point of the day on the board and give the Buccaneers an early lead. On the Bucs’ second drive, McMillan came down with a huge 21-yard catch to move the chains on 3rd & 12. McMillan cooled off in the second half and had a tough unsportsmanlike conduct penalty knocking the Bucs out of a fourth and go-for-it situation, but his impact was felt all game.” – JC Allen of SI
Tennessee Titans
“There’s not much good to say about Will Levis today. He was benched in the third quarter after he threw his third interception of the game. In total, he went 8-for-12 for 89 yards, zero touchdowns, three interceptions, and he took a sack. He certainly didn’t look like the Will Levis we’ve seen the last several weeks.” – Serena Burks of Titans Wire
“However, in the midst of Tennessee’s rough defeat, the team did get a rather interesting breakout performance from someone who had previously been a very disappointing player in 2024: running back Tyjae Spears. Spears didn’t run the ball well in Week 15. Yes, he scored a touchdown, but he carried the ball four times for just five yards. So, the better part of Spears’ performance certainly didn’t come on the ground. Oddly enough, it came through the air, where the second-year halfback logged six catches for 87 yards and a score. It was, quite easily, Spears’ best receiving outing of the year. His best showing previously came back in Week 3, when he snared four balls for 54 yards in a loss to the Green Bay Packers.” – Matthew Schmidt of SI
Washington Commanders
“Chris Rodriguez Jr. hasn’t played much this year because the Commanders have had Brian Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler, and Jeremy McNichols in front of him. However, when he does play, he delivers. Remember the Week 9 win over the Giants? Robinson didn’t have his best game on Sunday, which wasn’t all his fault. If Washington was set on running the ball late, why not turn to Rodriguez? Rodriguez doesn’t dance when he gets the ball. He has excellent vision, runs low and is a decisive runner. Those are reasons why he doesn’t often lose yardage. Sure, he may not be a game-breaker, but he always falls forward. When you’re trying to ice a game, he’s a good guy to have in the backfield. It doesn’t hurt to try something — or someone — different.” – Bryan Manning of Commanders Wire
“The Commanders were led by quarterback Jayden Daniels, who completed 26 of 31 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin caught both of his team’s touchdowns as the Commanders pulled out their ninth win of the season. The victory gets the Commanders one step closer to the playoffs and clinches the first winning season for the franchise since 2015.” – Jeremy Brener of SI
“Even with the drop that would have went for an easy touchdown, I am still giving Terry stud status for the game. That contested catch he had in the endzone was a thing of beauty, and he did lead all receivers with seven catches for 73 yards and two scores.” – Mark Tyler of Hogs Haven
