Rams WR Puka Nacua (hip) is expected to play vs. the Giants today, ESPN's Adam Schefter confirms. Nacua is listed as questionable after missing Friday's practice with what HC Sean McVay labeled hip "tightness." But McVay also said that he fully expected Nacua to play. We're not projecting the hip to be a factor today.
Cowboys RB Tony Pollard posted another disappointing game in Week 17 vs. the Lions, accumulating 49 rushing yards on 16 carries. This performance ends his fantasy season on a skid of three consecutive games with fewer than 10 PPR points and is pretty emblematic of the year he had in a broad sense. In his first season as Dallas’ unencumbered lead back, Pollard accumulated an average of 76.9 scrimmage yards per game and 4.27 yards per opportunity, both down from his averages of 86.1 scrimmage yards and 5.94 yards per opportunity in 2022. It’s pretty difficult to argue that he holds RB1 value in dynasty formats at this point. Between his downturn in production and the fact that he’ll enter the free agent market at 27 years old, his future prospects will hinge on where he lands in 2024 and what type of role he’s able to secure, whether it be back with the Cowboys or elsewhere.
Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb became the fifth WR this season to record at least 200 receiving yards in a game in Week 17 vs. the Lions. The talented wideout ended Saturday’s contest with 13 catches, 227 yards, and a TD that amounted to 40.2 PPR points. Lamb trails only Tyreek Hill with four games of 30+ PPR points in 2023, second among WRs. This achievement just goes to highlight just how utterly dominant he’s been this year. Entering his age-25 season in 2024, Lamb is showing no signs of slowing down and should be thought of as one of the elite dynasty WRs.
Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown tallied 6 catches for 90 receiving yards and a TD in Week 17 vs. the Cowboys. Saturday’s contest marks the tenth game this season in which the third-year wideout cleared at least 90 yards in a game. For context, St. Brown had only recorded four such games in each of his prior two seasons (eight in total). He ends the 2023 fantasy season with a career-high average of 20.2 PPR points per game and has given managers no reason to question his standing as a top-tier dynasty asset entering the new year. See where he lands among fellow wideouts in our current dynasty rankings.
Lions TE Sam LaPorta hauled in 7 of 12 targets for 84 receiving yards in Week 17’s loss vs. the Cowboys. Though the primetime contest didn’t end in Detriot’s favor, the rookie’s pass-catching efforts made history. LaPorta tied the rookie TE reception record of 81 set by Eagles TE Keith Jackson in 1988 on Saturday and has a good chance to stand alone with just one more catch in Week 18 vs. the Vikings. It’s also worth noting that his average of 14.1 PPR points per game this season ranks first among rookie TEs over the past ten seasons. If you have any doubts about LaPorta entering the 2024 season, don’t. He is firmly entrenched as our dynasty TE2 and should be considered as an early-round pick in season-long formats next year.
Ravens WR Zay Flowers (calf) is expected to play vs. the Dolphins on Sunday, according to insider Jordan Schultz. Flowers only got in a limited practice on Friday this week, so he'll carry a bit more risk than usual in Week 17 fantasy lineups.
Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco (concussion, shoulder) is expected to play vs. the Bengals on Sunday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. It's surprising that Pacheco was able to get cleared after sustaining a concussion on Monday. But if he's active tomorrow, he should be ready for his usual role against a bad Cincinnati run defense. Pacheco is a RB1 for Week 17, while RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire would now be a desperation fantasy play.
The Chiefs activated WR Mecole Hardman (thumb) from IR, setting him up to play vs. the Bengals on Sunday. Hardman will add some depth to Kansas City's WR corps but isn't a realistic fantasy play. He averaged 2.5 targets, 2.0 catches, and 10 receiving yards across four games with the Chiefs earlier this season.
Packers LB De'Vondre Campbell (neck) is doubtful for Sunday night's game against the Vikings. He hasn't practiced at all the past two weeks and posted on social media last week that he wouldn't play hurt anymore. We'll see if he can get over the hurt by Week 18. Isaiah McDuffie gets another start in Campbell's place this week.
Chiefs CB L'Jarius Sneed (calf) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Bengals. He missed the entire practice week, though, and looks risky as an IDP play even if active. We already knocked him way down our Week 17 DB rankings ahead of Friday's practice and would try not to use him if possible.
Chargers LB Kenneth Murray is expected to miss Sunday's game against the Broncos with a shoulder injury. He's officially doubtful after following a limited Wednesday workout with two missed practices. This would be Murray's first missed game of the season, which makes it tough to know exactly what the fill-in plan looks like. We wouldn't play a Chargers LB beyond Eric Kendricks if you can help it.
Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick will miss a second straight game with his knee injury. He has yet to practice since sustaining the injury. This will be the sixth missed game among the past nine for Fitzpatrick, leaving a severely depleted safety corps to face the Seahawks. Eric Rowe started in Fitzpatrick's place last week, collecting 7 tackles (3 solo) and an INT against the Bengals. He's still tough to use in Week 18 IDP lineups after just one start.
The Buccaneers have ruled Edge Shaq Barrett (groin) and CB Carlton Davis (concussion) out for Sunday's game against the Saints. That hurts an already vulnerable pass defense. It's a nice fantasy spot for New Orleans QB Derek Carr and WR Chris Olave.
Rams LB Ernest Jones missed Friday's practice with an illness and is questionable for Sunday's game against the Giants. HC Sean McVay said he expects Jones to play, though, according to multiple reports. We'll watch for confirmation, but expect to have Jones available for your IDP lineups.
Texans LB Blake Cashman (hamstring) finished the week with a full Friday practice and carries no injury designation into Sunday's game against the Titans. That says Cashman's ready to return to the lineup. LB Denzel Perryman (ankle) similarly returned to full practice Friday and doesn't appear on the final injury report. Perryman hasn't missed any time with his injury, though. Cashman missed the past two games. The last time Cashman, Perryman, and Christian Harris played a full game together, Cashman played every snap, Perryman played 65%, and Harris played 60%. It was Harris edging Perryman in playing time each of the past three weeks, though, starting with the game Cashman left early. We haven't seen word from Houston coaches about the LB plan for this week, so we can only assume Cashman will reclaim the corps lead and Harris will follow. The uncertainty plus a Titans offense that has supplied the fifth-fewest fantasy points to LBs, though, has us wary of putting any Texans LB too high in the Week 17 rankings.
The Texans have ruled out Edge Jonathan Greenard (ankle) for Sunday's game against the Titans -- and they might miss as many as three other D-line starters. Edge Will Anderson Jr. (ankle), DT Maliek Collins (hip), and DT Sheldon Rankins (ankle) are questionable. Anderson missed the past two games with the injury and managed just a limited Friday practice this week. He doesn't look like a good bet for IDP lineups even if active. Rankins also put in just a single limited workout, while Collins missed the whole week. At the least, this D-line will be well below full strength. That can only help the matchup for Titans RB Derrick Henry. He posted a terrible 10 total yards on 20 touches in the teams' Week 15 meeting, but Anderson was the only of those four D-linemen injured for that contest. Henry looks like an RB2 with upside across formats this week.
Patriots TE Hunter Henry (knee) was limited in practice all week and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game vs. the Bills. We’re projecting Henry to play, but the knee issue adds risk to his fantasy profile.
Broncos WR Courtland Sutton (concussion) is out for Sunday's game vs. the Chargers. WRs Jerry Jeudy (illness) and Marvin Mims (hamstring) are listed as questionable. Jeudy didn't practice on Friday but should be fine by Sunday. Mims' availability looks much shakier after being added to the injury report on Thursday and then missing practice on Friday. We'll look for updates on those guys on Sunday morning.
Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker (shoulder) only got in a limited practice on Friday this week and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game vs. the Steelers. He was in the same boat last week, but HC Pete Carroll said then that Walker would play vs. Tennessee. This Friday, he labeled Walker a game-time decision. We'll hopefully get an update on his status on Sunday morning. Seattle's inactives won't come out until a little after 2:30 pm ET. Walker's absence would turn RB Zach Charbonnet into a solid fantasy starter.
Seahawks WR D.K. Metcalf (back) is questionable for this weekend’s game vs. the Steelers. He wasn’t on the injury report on Wednesday but then missed the final two practices of the week. HC Pete Carroll said Friday that he expects Metcalf to play, but we’ll look for further updates on his status. We won’t get Seattle’s inactives until a little after 2:30 pm ET on Sunday.
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