Arizona Cardinals
“Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner suffered a right knee injury on Sunday in the team’s 36-30 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport suggested that in most cases with this injury, Conner would not be able to play the final two games of the season. Head coach Jonathan Gannon did not rule out Conner playing even this weekend on Saturday when the Cardinals face the Los Angeles Rams. “We’ll see how he goes throughout the week,” Gannon told reporters Monday. “I know he wants to play, so we’ll do what’s best for him first and then what’s best for the team.” – Jess Root of Cards Wire
“No, Kyler Murray didn’t put the entire team on his back today to force a win, but it also can not be argued that he had much help from the team around him other than James Conner. That is not an excuse though for a player in his sixth NFL season with a massive contract that comes with high performance expectations. Still, Murray is supposed to be a special player and he did not look special today. There was a flash of the special quarterback in the fourth quarter with a 20-yard rushing touchdown, but it was too little too late. Most concerning, late in the fourth quarter Murray made a boneheaded mistake throwing to a spot of the field without an obvious receiver and the Panthers picked off the floater and held the ball till the very end, effectively ending Arizona’s season. There has not been a game since the bye in which Murray has not made a similarly mind-bogglingly bad play.” – Kyler Burd of SI
Atlanta Falcons
“London was sidelined during the second half due to a hamstring injury. Aside from being listed as questionable, little was initially disclosed about the severity of his injury. As many in the press box speculated, the third-year wide receiver did not return to Sunday’s game. Falcons head coach Raheem Morris provided an update on London’s status in his postgame press conference. Not only is London okay, it seems that holding him out was a precautionary measure more than anything else. “I believe he could have gone back in,” Morris said. “I look forward to him being able to practice next week.” – Crissy Froyd of Falcons Wire
The consensus from Atlanta’s side postgame on Penix: He played well. Rookie quarterbacks can go either way in their debut. Penix was solid, completing 18-of-27 passes for 202 yards, no touchdowns and an interception that bounced out of tight end Kyle Pitts’ hands and into the arms of Giants cornerback Cor’Dale Flott. Consider Sunday a success for Penix, who provided no reason to stop dreaming. – Daniel Flick of SI
“Atlanta’s offense scored two touchdowns in this one, and both were by way of Bijan touchdown runs. That now makes six rushing touchdowns over the past six games, right in time for the playoff push and fantasy post season itself. He’s also now recorded 100 yards from scrimmage in nine of his past 10 games. Robinson has been the definition of consistency in fantasy football and in real life football this season, and he remains the lifeblood of Atlanta’s offense.” – Adnan Ikic of The Falcoholic
Baltimore Ravens
“Flowers caught six of his nine targets for a game-high 103 yards and five first downs. According to PFF, Flowers was targeted on 37.5% of his routes and averaged 4.29 yards per route run. Flowers excelled on downfield targets, catching all four passes thrown 10 or more yards downfield for 91 yards.” – Glenn Erby of Ravens Wire
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is enjoying possibly the best season of his career, and that’s saying quite a lot considering he’s already a two-time MVP.Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers was just a continuation of that incredible season, as he threw three touchdowns to set a franchise record with 37 on the year and help the Ravens earn a 34-17 statement victory. That performance would be impressive against any team, but it being against the Steelers, the opponent that’s given him more trouble than any other over the years, makes it a performance to remember. – Jon Alfano of SI
“As the weather gets colder, and the stakes get bigger, the value of having a player like Derrick Henry becomes bigger and bigger. Henry ran for 162 yards and had seven runs of over 10 yards, finding gaps in the Pittsburgh run defense all game. The Ravens ran more zone read run plays than usual as the duo of Lamar Jackson and Henry kept the Steelers edge defenders guessing, allowing for larger running lanes and more explosive plays. As the season winds down, and the playoffs draw closer, the Ravens should continue to lean on their superstar running back.” – Stephen Bopst of Baltimore Beatdown
Buffalo Bills
“As mentioned above, Cook did everything that was asked of him, especially in a game where star quarterback Josh Allen needed to have his elbow looked at. Cook got it done on the ground and through the air and has now run for at least 100 yards in two consecutive games for the first time this season.” – Sharif Phillips-Keaton of Bills Wire
“A few minutes into the fourth quarter, Bills superstar quarterback Josh Allen injured his right elbow while running the football. The following play, Allen was attended to by team trainers and threw passes on the sideline while his defense took the field. He was cleared to return by medical staff without missing a snap. It was later determined to be a right elbow contusion — in layman’s terms, he hit his funny bone. While his injury shouldn’t be anything that Allen will lose time over, it is still something to monitor during the week ahead of Buffalo’s matchup versus the New York Jets.” – Nico Salimbene of SI
“Not a single Bills’ pass catcher eclipsed 30 receiving yards and even the chemistry with wide receiver Khalil Shakir (75%) seemed a bit off, with him hauling in just 2-of-6 targets for 22 yards. There were two particular uncharacteristic miscues between Allen and Shakir that would have resulted in huge chunk plays. Rookie wideout Keon Coleman (66%) hasn’t been a focal point since returning from injury but he continues to make plays when his name is called. He’s caught just one ball in each of the last two games but they were on key downs or resulted in huge chunk plays.” – Hunter Skoczylas of Buffalo Rumblings
Carolina Panthers
“Hubbard has been named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in this past Sunday’s 36-30 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The fourth-year back rushed for 152 yards, one off of the career-high total he set back in Week 10, and two touchdowns—including the walk-off 21-yard score in overtime.” – Anthony Rizzuti of Panthers Wire
“Head coach Dave Canales revealed that Xavier Legette has a long way to go. He said that the rookie wide receiver is now day-to-day instead of week-to-week, but “significant improvement” is needed before he expects the first-round pick to suit up.Adam Thielen just passed Legette in receiving yards, so the rookie has been a key part of the offense all year long. His absence hurts the depth, which was seen last Sunday when the Panthers had just one drafted WR on the field (David Moore, a former seventh-round pick).” – Zach Roberts of SI
Chicago Bears
“The offense only scored 17 points, which is not enough to win in the NFL on most nights. However, Caleb Williams is taking steps as a quarterback. Williams is having one of the best seasons that a Bears quarterback has ever had, which is remarkable because most people talk down on him. Being a rookie and performing like this on a bad team tells you about his projections as a quarterback in the long term. If the Bears don’t mess up the next coaching hire, they should be able to help Williams become a legit superstar. With guys like Rome Odunze, DJ Moore, and Cole Kmet in the mix, as far as weapons, he should be able to get even more out of himself going forward. A good offensive coach would make a huge difference, as well.” – Vincent Parise of Bears Wire
“When Caleb Williams leads them in rushing with 34 yards it’s been a bad day for the backs. D’Andre Swift was bottled up and then the Bears fell behind and stopped giving it to him. They insisted on using the wide receivers as ball carriers and it resulted in two fumbles, one lost on the exchange between Williams and Rome Odunze. They couldn’t run against a Lions defense without key run stoppers like Alim McNeill, Aidan Hutchinson and Alex Anzalone.” – Gene Chamberlain of SI
“Since Thomas Brown took over play-calling duties for the Bears, Keenan Allen ranks 5th in targets per game (10.0), 8th in XFP/G (17.4), and 12th in FPG (18.6). Although D.J. Moore is only slightly behind him – and still top-15 in each stat – Allen has pulled away in recent weeks, scoring at least 20.0 DK fantasy points in 4 of his last 5 games and drawing exactly 13 targets in back-to-back games. Against the Seahawks, I’ll be viewing him as a mid-range WR2.” – Scott Barrett of Fantasy Points
Cincinnati Bengals
“Chase Brown quietly put up 70-plus yards by the fourth quarter on just 13 carries, once again putting on a huge showing to keep a strong season going.” – Chris Roling of Bengals Wire
“From jump passes to pinpoint parallel balls, Burrow is finding new ways to thread passes during his best NFL season. He’s already blown past his career-high in touchdown passes (35 in 2022) and is on pace to lead the league in that (39 this season) and passing yards (4,229).” – Russ Heltman of SI
Cleveland Browns
“Cleveland’s rushing attack showed some unforeseen light in their latest performance on Sunday. Jerome Ford got the starting nod after Nick Chubb went down with another unforeseen injury, and he took great advantage of the opportunity. He collected an impressive 131 total yards on 16 total touches in this contest. Veteran by D’Onta Foreman also made an appearance while scoring the team’s lone touchdown of the day.” – Owen O’Connor of Browns Wire
“The Cleveland Browns gave quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson a start in Week 16 against the AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals. Unfortunately, that start did not go very well for the young signal caller. When all was said and done, the Browns ended up losing by a final score of 24-6. As for Thompson-Robinson specifically, he completed 20 of his 34 pass attempts for 157 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. He did pick up 49 yards on nine rushing attempts.” – Evan Massey of SI
Dallas Cowboys
“Rico Dowdle came back to down earth in a big way against the Bucs defense. After three straight 100-yard games and back-to-back-to-back career highs versus weak defenses, the new workhorse managed just 23 rushing yards on 13 attempts, averaging a meager 1.8 yards per carry. Tampa Bay’s stingy run-stop unit kept the Cowboys bottled up for 31 total yards on the ground and one touchdown, a one-yard plunge scored by Ezekiel Elliott on his only tote of the contest. The next team on the docket, the Eagles, are statistically about the same this year (if not slightly better) against the run, so the sledding could be tough again in Week 17.” – Todd Brock of Cowboys Wire
“After the Cowboys spent a valuable fourth-round pick on Jonathan Mingo before the trade deadline, he has been atrocious and has rarely seen the field. Mingo has failed to receive a target in the last two games and has so far proven to be a grave mistake by the Cowboys’ front office. In an offseason where the Cowboys desperately need their draft picks, this move definitely stings.” – Koby Skillern of SI
Denver Broncos
“Estime led Denver’s backfield in carries (nine) and rushing yards (48) on Thursday and scored his first NFL touchdown. Broncos coach Sean Payton has hinted that Estime’s workload could increase over the next two weeks.” – Jon Heath of Broncos Wire
“Nix performed efficiently, completing 29-of-40 passes for 263 yards and two touchdowns. His composure in the first half was evident, though a missed deep shot to Marvin Mims Jr. loomed significant later in the game.” – Mike Evans of SI
“Courtland Sutton has flopped in back-to-back games after a 6-game streak with at least 70 receiving yards. Sutton’s target share fell to just 12.5% against the Chargers, his first time under 23.5% since Week 7. I’m inclined to just view this as a one-week outlier, as since Week 8, Sutton still ranks 12th in targets per game (8.9), 8th in XFP/G (17.3), and 11th in FPG (17.9). In what should be a high-scoring affair against the Bengals, I’m viewing Sutton as a low-end WR2.” – Scott Barrett of Fantasy Points
Detroit Lions
“Goff had an outstanding game in the cold Chicago outdoors. He threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns while leading the Lions on six scoring drives in their first seven possessions. At least three of his nine incomplete passes were deliberate misses to avoid a negative play, as well. The cheeky fake fumble/TD throw to Sam LaPorta was expertly executed by Goff, showing his ability to get over on the overzealous Bears defense. No. 16 was in firm control all game long.” – Jeff Risdon of Lions Wire
“Headlining the effort was Jameson Williams, who had five catches for a career-best 143 yards and a touchdown. On Monday, coach Dan Campbell called it the best performance of the Alabama product’s three-year career.”Offensively, our game balls were (Amon-Ra) St. Brown and (Jameson Williams) Jamo, both of those guys had huge games,” Campbell said. “And really it was probably Jamo’s best game that he’s had since he’s been here and I’m talking about from run blocking as well as the pass game which everybody sees, so that was great.” – Christian Booher of SI
“The Lions are a banged-up football team dealing with a lot of injuries, and if the Vikings beat the Packers, Detroit could seize the opportunity to potentially rest some of their players—allowing some to heal and protecting others from injury—against the 49ers. But Campbell refuses to get caught up in playoff scenarios and has a clear message about the Lions’ approach to this game. “I’ll make this easy for everybody that way all the critics can jump out and start attacking, but that way you don’t have to debate them anymore,” Campbell said on Monday. “We’re bringing everything that we have to this game, and we are playing, and I don’t care what it looks like, and where it’s at, or who’s this, who’s that, we’re going out to play and win this game out on the west coast. So, there you go.” – Erik Schlitt of Pride of Detroit
Green Bay Packers
“The Packers produced touchdown drives of 63 yards, 96 yards and 67 yards to open the game. Josh Jacobs was dominant, Jordan Love created explosive plays and the Packers offense consistently converted on third or fourth down and in the red zone. This was the Packers at their very best. For the second straight week, the Packers scored on three or more straight possessions to open a game and opened up a three-score lead.” – Zach Kruse of Packers Wire
“Wearing a Guardian cap for a second consecutive week following a concussion, Romeo Doubs led the way with 46 snaps. Christian Watson was on his way to leading the team for a fifth consecutive week but suffered a knee injury in the second quarter, sat out most of the second half and finished with 30. Dontayvion Wicks played 42, Jayden Reed 40 and Bo Melton 22.” – Bill Huber of SI
“The Packers had three active RBs yesterday, and all three of them scored a rushing touchdown. After it became apparent that the Packers would win the game handily (so like, the middle of the second quarter), Josh Jacobs was phased out of the run game for what looked like precautionary reasons. In his place were Chris Brooks and Emanuel Wilson, who had a combined 449 rushing yards and 1 rushing TD in the 2024 season prior to this game. Last night, these two combined for 75 yards and 2 TDs on 17 carries, including Chris Brooks’ first-ever NFL score. Overall, the RB trio ended the night with 144 yards and 3 TDs on 30 carries (4.8 yd avg). Also, Josh Jacobs ended the night with 1 player stiff-armed to Jesus; not an official stat (yet).” – Acme Packing Co
Houston Texans
“Diontae Johnson might be a member of the Houston Texans, but his impact on Wednesday’s Christmas matchup against his former team could be scarce. One could argue that it’ll be invisible. With the Texans being on a short week and Johnson being claimed off waivers Monday afternoon, it seems unlikely that the former Baltimore Ravens pass-catcher will see action against Lamar Jackson and the AFC North franchise at NRG Stadium.” – Cole Thompson of Texans Wire
“One issue that led to a deficit by halftime despite a 10-7 lead in the first half was a pair of interceptions from Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud. He cleaned things up in the second half, though, despite the loss. He finished with 244 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions while completing 23 of his 39 passes in the loss. Even with the first-half turnovers, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans was proud of Stroud and his ability to rally back in the second half and clean things up.” – Kade Kimble of SI
“There was nothing particularly remarkable or surprising about Joe Mixon’s 8.1 fantasy points in a loss against a Chiefs team that’s allowed by far the fewest schedule-adjusted FPG to opposing RBs. This was the first time all year Mixon didn’t receive a carry inside the 10-yard line in a healthy game. His share of the backfield is still elite — seeing all but one RB touch in Week 16 — but it doesn’t matter if this offense can’t get into scoring position. C.J. Stroud was pressured on over half of his dropbacks in this game despite facing a Chiefs pass rush I’d mentioned had struggled in recent weeks, leading to his second straight game below 5.0 ANY/A. This was also the first time all season Mixon has failed to reach 100 rushing yards in back-to-back games, but unfortunately for him, I wouldn’t be surprised if he posts a third this week as a 4.0-point underdog to a Ravens team that ranks 2nd-toughest against the run and 14th in pressure rate since Week 9 (31.1%). He’s a low-end RB1.” – Scott Barrett of Fantasy Points
Indianapolis Colts
“Without Alec Pierce, as expected, AD Mitchell slid into that X receiver role opposite of Michael Pittman. Perhaps it was because this was Ashton Dulin’s first game back from injury, but Mitchell dominated the playing time between those two, which hasn’t often been the case this season. When Mitchell has been tasked with filling this specific X receiver role, he’s found success in doing so. This includes a six reception 71 yard performance against Buffalo, along with coming down with a 36 yard reception versus Tennessee.” – Paul Bretl of Colts Wire
“Colts’ quarterback Richardson didn’t need to do too much as a passer, throwing only 11 passes and completing seven for 131 passing yards and a big touchdown to Josh Downs. However, Richardson threw another interception, marking his 12th on the season and fifth in the last three games. While the Colts didn’t have to lean on the passing game much and won, Richardson can’t continue throwing the football to defenses.” – Drake Wally of SI
“From Weeks 9 through 15, Jonathan Taylor averaged 3.7 red zone carries per game (tied for 7th-most) but scored zero rushing TDs. The other RBs with as many or more red zone carries averaged 4.6 rushing TDs over this span. Taylor’s -5.5 FPOE in this timeframe was the lowest of any RB in the league. So really, it makes sense that positive TD regression hit all at the same time for Taylor in Week 16, when he racked up the 2nd-most rushing yards of his career (218) and scored three times to lead the position in fantasy points (39.8). We nailed this a few weeks ago as he headed into his bye. Taylor’s workload still isn’t particularly robust — he ran only 8 routes this week and has only 3 targets over his last four games — but that’s unlikely to matter with the Colts 8.0-point favorites in a top-5 matchup against the Giants this week. He’s an easy RB1.” – Scott Barrett of Fantasy Points
Jacksonville Jaguars
“Thomas was nominated for the NFL’s Rookie of the Week honor for his nine-catch, 132-yard, one-touchdown showing in Jacksonville’s 19-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 16. He set another franchise record in the game, establishing himself as the Jaguars’ all-time rookie receptions leader, passing Justin Blackmon’s 2012 tally of 64. Thomas has been nominated for the award in three consecutive weeks, and in total for his performances in Weeks 1, 4, 5, 7, 14 and 15. He has combined to catch 47 passes for 667 yards and seven touchdowns in games he has been placed under consideration for the prize.” – Zach Goodall of Jags Wire
“After taking a big step forward in the previous week, Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones seemingly took two backward on Sunday. He missed an open Brian Thomas Jr. on a potential touchdown early in the game and then attempted a check-down pass on 4th-and-11 on the final offensive play, with Jones’ target being tackled several yards short of the first-down marker.” – John Shipley of SI
Kansas City Chiefs
“It was a gutsy victory led by Mahomes, who dismissed his injury by making plays with his legs and scrambling for 33 yards and a touchdown. He also tossed a touchdown pass with 260 yards total in the air and no turnovers.” – Ed Easton Jr. of Chiefs Wire
“In his regular-season debut, wideout Marquise “Hollywood” Brown certainly made his presence felt on the field. Hauling in five passes, two of them were high-leverage plays in the game. Brown’s combination of athleticism, man-beating chops and natural spacing makes him an intriguing fit with Xavier Worthy and DeAndre Hopkins. The best part for the Chiefs is the veteran receiver left plenty of room for improvement, even in what was a good first impression. Brown and Kansas City certainly made the most of his 20 snaps, setting the scene for a potentially improved offense in the postseason.” – Jordan Foote of SI
“Mahomes ranks 28th this season, however. He is 11-of-44 for 387 yards with four touchdowns and four picks on his deep passes. When he attempts a deep throw, he averages 8.8 yards per attempt. In 2018, he averaged 16.4 yards per attempt on those throws. The only quarterbacks who are averaging fewer yards per attempt when they go deep are Cooper Rush and Deshaun Watson. Mahomes ranks last in completion percentage over expected (CPOE) on those throws. What’s happening?” – Tom Childs of Arrowhead Pride
Las Vegas Raiders
“Starting Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell returned after missing a game with an injury and led an offense that was just good enough to get the job done. O’Connell threw for 257 passing yards and displayed quality mobility all afternoon. He actually led the Raiders in rushing in the first half. But his masterpiece was a scramble and throw to running back Ameer Abdullah on third down after his squad had just fallen behind 14-13.” – Luke Straub of Raiders Wire
“Through the first 15 games of the season, Bowers has proven to be arguably the best tight end in the league, even as a rookie. He has continued to be a bright spot for a Raiders team void of many positives this season. Against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Bowers became only the third tight end in NFL history to register 1,000 yards in their rookie season. He joined Hall of Fame tight end Mike Ditka and Kyle Pitts as the only two tight ends to accomplish that feat in their first season in the league.” – Ezekiel Trezevant of SI
“Alexander Mattison and Ameer Abdullah combined for a 34.2% target share in Week 16. Mattison maintained a clear edge in snap share (56.7%), goal-line attempts (1 to 0), and XFP (20.0 to 13.2), but Abdullah out-scored him as the more efficient pass-catcher and overall player. It’s hard to expect either back to maintain that target volume against an opponent other than the Jaguars (who’ve ranked as a top-3 matchup for opposing RBs through the air all season), but they do face off against a Spencer Rattler-led Saints team in Week 17 that’s allowed the 3rd-most rushing YPG (137.9) and the 2nd-most YPC (4.93). It’s not ideal, but either back could be defensible as a DraftKings punt on a short slate lacking top-tier RB values at just $5,600 and $5,100, respectively.” – Scott Barrett of Fantasy Points
Los Angeles Chargers
“The Chargers’ offense should soon be getting some reinforcement. On Monday, Los Angeles designated running back J.K. Dobbins for return from injured reserve. Dobbins has spent the past four weeks on IR after sustaining a knee injury in Week 12 against the Ravens. Dobbins began practicing with the team on Monday, opening a 21-day window during which he can participate in all team activities without being counted against the 53-man roster.” – Gavino Borquez of Chargers Wire
“Ladd McConkey’s insane rookie season continues, as he put on a show during the Los Angeles Chargers’ comeback win against the Denver Broncos last Thursday. McConkey led the team in receiving, which has been the norm for most of the season. He ended the night with six catches for 87 yards, catching every ball thrown his way. McConkey was good against the Broncos. So good, that he was apparently open on every single target, as Denver’s defensive backs couldn’t keep up with the elusive rookie wideout.” – Andrew Parsaud of SI
“Johnston had the team’s worst receiving grade after logging another concentration drop on the team’s final drive of the game. Luckily, Herbert made up for it by converting on a scramble, but this play could have otherwise been a massive momentum play in favor of the Broncos.” – Michael Peterson of Bolts from the Blue
Los Angeles Rams
“Kyren Williams seems to be getting better as the year goes on, rushing for a season-high 122 yards on 23 carries with one touchdown. He was efficient and ran with impressive power, as he always does, carrying the offense on a day when the passing game was ineffective. Blake Corum played relatively well, too, and he should’ve had another 32 yards if not for a pre-snap penalty on Hunter Long.” – Cameron DaSilva of Rams Wire
“One of Patra’s most significant takeaways from the Rams’ victory over the Jets was the reemergence of tight end Tyler Higbee, who spent this entire season recovering from an ACL injury suffered in the Rams’ playoff loss to the Detroit Lions last season. “In a 9-9 game, Tyler Higbee caught his first pigskin of the season, cut up the field, and dove into the end zone for the go-ahead TD,” Patra said. “Sunday marked Higbee’s first appearance this season after suffering an ACL and MCL injury last postseason. Higbee’s teammates swarmed him after his score, acknowledging his perseverance to get on the field this season.” – Ezekiel Trezevant of SI
Miami Dolphins
“Hill caught a 3-yard touchdown pass and had a 24-yard gain on Sunday, but it should’ve been a much bigger day for the Dolphins receiver. Early in the game, Miami was forced to punt after a third down pass from Tua Tagovailoa bounced off Hill’s hands. Later, Tagovailoa dropped a pass perfectly into the end zone to Hill, but the receiver didn’t make the play. Another pass into the end zone to Hill was tipped away at the last second by Deommodore Lenoir.” – Adam Stites of Dolphins Wire
“With Waddle inactive, rookie sixth-round pick Malik Washington got an increased work load. In fact, he wound up leading the wide receivers with 58 offensive snaps, two more than Tyreek Hill.” – Alain Poupart of SI
Minnesota Vikings
“With his three touchdown passes on the day, Darnold passed the 30-touchdown passes mark for the first time in his career — in fact, he had never before thrown for even 20 touchdowns — and made the Minnesota Vikings the first team in NFL history to have six quarterbacks with at least one season of 30+ touchdowns. With his quarterback rating of 112.3, Darnold also set the mark for most games with a rating over 100 in a quarterback’s first season with a team.” – Chris Spooner of Vikings Wire
“The top five consists of the quarterback who threw three touchdowns, the two receivers who caught them, and — in a rare sight for Vikings fans — the two guards. Darnold’s outstanding season continued with probably his biggest throw of the year, given the situation. And Jefferson, who now has five touchdown receptions over the past three weeks, finally got over the 140-yard mark for the first time all season. It was a masterclass performance from that duo.” – Will Ragatz of SI
“Aaron Jones saw one of his best workloads of the season, receiving 18 of 19 backfield rush attempts (a 95% carry share), an 82.3% snap share (his highest since Week 8), and a 14.3% target share (his highest since Week 4). Cam Akers played on only 6 snaps, his lowest total since he was first integrated into the backfield in Week 9. It makes sense for the Vikings to give Jones — by far their most explosive RB — an 89% backfield XFP share in this stretch run of the season as they compete for the playoff bye. Jones plays in one of only three games above a 43.0-point total on this week’s main slate and averages 19.0 XFP/G (~RB2) in six games the Vikings have chosen to deploy him as a 70%+ snap share bell cow this season. He’s a massive value at his $6,200 DraftKings salary (RB10) on a short slate lacking many strong alternatives.” – Scott Barrett of Fantasy Points
New England Patriots
“The Patriots don’t have many reliable offensive playmakers at receiver, but one player who has stood out this season is Kayshon Boutte. On the road in a tough environment, Drake Maye needed somebody to step up and give the offense a chance to compete. That player was Boutte in a game where he hauled in five receptions for 95 yards and one touchdown.” – Jordy McElroy of Patriots Wire
“After yet another fumble against Buffalo from running back Rhamondre Stevenson, could the team make a change at running back? Mayo already benched Stevenson earlier this season for the same reason. As shared by Dakota Randall, a reporter covering the team, Mayo stated that a running back change is possible. “That’s definitely still a possibility,” Mayo said.” – Evan Massey of SI
New Orleans Saints
“Spencer Rattler was throwing to Kevin Austin, Mason Tipton and Dante Pettis. This doesn’t excuse his poor plays, because they were more on him than his targets. Still, the Saints had no receiver that concerned the defense. Valdes-Scantling is known for his ability to stretch the field, but he also could have been a catch and run threat on short passes. There was no hope to go over the top or march down the field through the air.” – Darrion Gray and Jeremy Trottier of Saints Wire
New York Giants
“New York Giants quarterback Drew Lock underwent an MRI on his shoulder earlier this week after suffering an injury during Sunday’s 34-7 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The results apparently came back negative as Giants head coach Brian Daboll revealed on Tuesday that Lock would start in Week 17 against the Indianapolis Colts. Lock and Tommy DeVito have been alternating starts over the past five weeks since the release of Daniel Jones, who started the first 10 games. The Giants have lost all five games.” – Dan Benton of Giants Wire
“Tyrone Tracy made a great touchdown catch in the back of the end zone in Week 16, showing off his pass-catching ability as a converted former WR. The Giants seem to have finally come around to acknowledging this is a major strength of Tracy’s game, as he’s averaged a 12.2% target share (~RB7) over his last five games. But his workload on the ground has now become inconsistent, with Devin Singletary involved to a different extent each week; Tracy’s carry share has been as high as 89% and as low as 56% over this span, with goal-line carries evenly split between the two backs (3 to 3). I’d ultimately treat Tracy as just a fringe RB2 against the Colts.” – Scott Barrett of Fantasy Points
New York Jets
“While Rodgers did complete 66 percent of his passes, after the first drive of the game, it was a pretty poor day. The Jets QB had 256 yards passing and a touchdown but New York’s offense never really threatened aside from their opening drive.” – Nick Wojton of Jets Wire
“He finished the game with game with a respectable six receptions for 54 yards on seven targets. Only wide receiver Davante Adams, who caught seven passes for 68 yards and a touchdown, and tight end Tyler Conklin, who finished with five receptions and 59 yards, finished with more than Wilson. But, the problem was that the young stud wasn’t targeted much until late in the game. Four of his receptions came on the final two drives of the game, something that he was asked about during his post game interview.” – Kenneth Teape of SI
Philadelphia Eagles
“Experts will say Pickett did enough to win, but those same frustrations that Steelers fans felt were front and center on Sunday. Playing his most extended action since joining the Eagles, Pickett was 14-24 for 143 yards (6.0 avg), one touchdown, and one interception with a 72.0 rating. His penchant for not pushing the football downfield was evident by his six yards per completion.” – Glenn Erby of Eagles Wire
“Another unwanted Christmas gift involving Jalen Hurts turned up under the Eagles’ tree this week. The quarterback is in concussion protocol, Nick Sirianni confirmed on Monday. “When that happens, we just lean on the doctors to let us know on a daily basis of where he is,” said the head coach. The injury happened early in the first quarter when Hurts took off running. Already playing with a broken ringer finger on his left hand, Hurts appeared to have an elbow down, but Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu lowered his head and drove his helmet into the side of Hurts’ helmet, which in turn forced Hurts head into the rock-hard turf at Northwest Stadium.” – Ed Kracz of SI
Pittsburgh Steelers
“Although Patterson caught a touchdown—and Harris seemingly redeemed his costly fumble from Week 15—Warren was far and away the most efficient Steelers running back in the contest. Warren led the Steelers’ RB room in rushing and receiving yards—producing 92 all-purpose yards.” – Andrew Vasquez of Steelers Wire
“Pickens was listed as a non-participant in practice throughout last week, though he still got some drill work in. The 23-year-old missed his third-straight contest as Pittsburgh flubbed an opportunity to clinch the AFC North last Saturday against the Baltimore Ravens. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer previously reported that the team was “optimistic” regarding his chances to suit up versus the Chiefs while head coach Mike Tomlin deemed him questionable, however, and it does appear as though the offense won’t have to operate without its No. 1 receiver for much longer.” – Jack Markowski of SI
San Francisco 49ers
“The injury updates from San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday weren’t all bad. Shanahan in a conference call the day after his team was eliminated from the postseason told reporters rookie running back Isaac Guerendo is trending toward a return in Week 17 after missing Week 16 because of a hamstring injury. That Guerendo was able to avoid a major injury is a good sign for him long-term. It also gives the 49ers’ run game a chance to get going against the Detroit Lions when they visit Levi’s Stadium on Dec. 30 for Monday Night Football.” – Kyle Madson of Niners Wire
“Deebo Samuel was the star of the game for the 49ers. Unfortunately, Samuel’s efforts were wasted as the 49ers loss 29-17 to the Dolphins. Samuel tallied seven catches for 96 yards and one touchdown. He even ran well with the ball rushing for 25 yards on five carries. It was a complete 180-degree flip from his last performance against the Los Angeles Rams. Samuel went from a negatively impactful player to a positive one. He bounced back tremendously in this game and had arguably his best game of the season.” – Jose Luis Sanchez III of SI
Seattle Seahawks
“The Seahawks did not actually host an actual practice, but merely, a walk-through. The injury report shared is an estimation on what it would have looked like had they held a typical practice. Unsurprisingly, running back Kenneth Walker III was listed as a non-participant. Walker underwent imaging on Sunday night after the loss to the Vikings, and according to head coach Mike Macdonald, he is still getting tests done to get a better idea of what the extent of the damage is, per Brady Henderson of ESPN. This year has been a frustrating one for Walker, who has battled injuries all season long.” – Kole Musgrove of Seahawks Wire
“The second-year former Ohio State pass-catcher surpassed 1,000 yards in a season after catching eight passes for 95 yards and a touchdown — now totaling 93 receptions for 1,089 yards and six scores on the campaign. If the season ended today, Smith-Njigba would rank fourth all-time in franchise history for catches in a season and 14th in receiving yards. He still has two games remaining to climb further up the leaderboard.” – Connor Benintendi of SI
“Kenneth Walker was back in his usual role after returning from injury, capturing 87.4% of the backfield’s XFP until he injured his ankle on a goal-line carry in the fourth quarter. Despite being named a captain and a starter, Zach Charbonnet had seen only one touch up to that point. However, we can expect Charbonnet back in an every-down bell cow role, assuming Walker (ankle) can’t go in Week 17; he’s averaged 23.9 FPG (~RB1) on 18.6 XFP/G (~RB2) in four games without Walker this season, clearing a 78% snap share and 60% route participation in all of them. Charbonnet would easily be an RB1 against a Bears defense that’s given up the 4th-most schedule-adjusted rushing FPG to opposing RBs (+1.8). I expect Walker to be a value in drafts next year given his run of bad luck despite the new three-down role he’s showcased.” – Scott Barrett of Fantasy Points
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
“Bucky Irving remains the stalwart figure on the Bucs roster, performing week in and week out. Irving carried the ball 16 times for 68 yards and a touchdown, adding three receptions for 24 yards. The only issue for Irving is that the Bucs may not have used him enough. Tampa Bay’s pass game was more erratic than usual and could have used Irving’s steady production to keep the offense on track.” – Jason Kanno of Bucs Wire
“Shepard had a bad drop on the game’s first drive on a 4th & 3 that would’ve converted for a first down. Shepard had another bad drop on the Bucs’ second drive of the game on 3rd & 4 that would move the chains. He had a big 20-yard grab but injured his hamstring on the play, causing him to miss the rest of the game.” – JC Allen of SI
“Jalen McMillan has cemented himself as the clear No. 2 receiver in this Tampa Bay offense, scoring 21.9 > 18.5 > 16.7 fantasy points over the last three weeks. He’s been overly reliant on touchdowns (4), averaging just 63.7 YPG over this stretch. But that’s also a tremendous improvement – he had a season-high of just 35 receiving yards heading into Week 14 – and his 19.2% target share over this hot streak isn’t far off that of Mike Evans (24.2%)… Evans has been more volatile since returning from injury, scoring 11.8 > 25.8 > 10.9 > 36.9 > 11.9 fantasy points over this span. He needs 182 receiving yards over the next two weeks to tie Jerry Rice’s NFL record 11 straight seasons with 1,000 yards. I’m still betting he’ll get there and would be viewing him as a fringe WR1 this week in a cushy matchup against the Panthers. McMillan, I’ll have ranked as a high-end WR4.” – Scott Barrett of Fantasy Points
Tennessee Titans
“Tyjae Spears was the catalyst for the Titans’ offense. While his numbers may not have been eye-popping, he was the engine that got things going. In all, he ran the ball 10 times for 27 yards and two touchdowns, caught three passes for 39 yards and returned two kicks for 69 yards. He made an impact in multiple facets and again looked dynamic. Too bad head coach Brian Callahan didn’t turn to him earlier in the contest, when he could have made a difference.” – Mark Mihalko of Titans Wire
“After the game, head coach Brian Callahan was asked about the team’s quarterback situation heading into Week 17 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he refused to commit to a starter, saying that the position is “week to week.” – Matthew Schmidt of SI
“Is Mason Rudolph a viable streamer this week against a Jacksonville Jaguars defense that ranks as the single-softest schedule-adjusted matchup for opposing QBs? You’re damn right he is! Over his last three starts, Rudolph has scored 21.5, 18.5, and 17.4 DK fantasy points. Better yet, in Week 15 – a similarly soft matchup against the Bengals – Rudolph played in only one full quarter plus one drive and scored 16.8 DK fantasy points. If Jalen Hurts can’t suit up this week and you’re in need of a QB, I’d view Rudolph as a mid-range QB2.” – Scott Barrett of Fantasy Points
Washington Commanders
“The easiest grade of the week. Jayden Daniels looked like the best player in the NFL on Sunday. He led a shorthanded offense into the end zone five times — all touchdown passes. He led the Commanders with 81 rushing yards. And he did it all against the No. 1 defense in the NFL. It should be easy now if you didn’t believe in Daniels before Sunday. Daniels was throwing accurate darts at every level against the Eagles and is back on track after a rib injury seemingly slowed him down for a few weeks.” – Bryan Manning of Commanders Wire
“McLaurin caught a touchdown pass, with Crowder and Olamide Zaccheaus both cashing in on two scores each. Both Crowder and Zaccheaus have the benefit of having McLaurin on the squad as the star wide receiver commands loads of attention on the field. The star Commanders wide receiver caught a 32-yard touchdown pass in stride to the corner of the end zone. Washington head coach Dan Quinn was complimentary of McLaurin after the game, too. “He’s got a knack on a deep ball of tracking it that not everybody has… he has that going for him but his ability to track the deep ball and the connection already with Jayden has been a big one,” Quinn said.” – Kade Kimble of SI
