The Giants have activated QB Tyrod Taylor (ribs) from IR. That should return him to the backup role behind Tommy DeVito. Don't be surprised if Taylor's return makes HC Brian Daboll less patient with QB mistakes, but this isn't a situation affecting too many fantasy lineups regardless of who's behind center.
The Packers have elevated RB Kenyan Drake from the practice squad for tonight's game against the Giants. He joins AJ Dillon and Patrick Taylor on the roster for a game RB Aaron Jones is expected to miss. We're not expecting a lot of work for Drake in a backfield that has leaned heavily on Dillon when Jones is out.
The Commanders are placing LB Jamin Davis on IR because of a shoulder injury that will require surgery. Davis still has one year left on his rookie contract, and Washington will have to decide this spring on his fifth-year option for 2025. Davis seems like a weak bet for that option, but we'd also bet that decision will come after the team hires a new coach (and maybe GM). Davis has disappointed vs. his first-round draft status but has at least seen his playing time increase in his third season. He's an unspectacular dynasty asset. David Mayo should operate as the No. 2 LB alongside Cody Barton the rest of this season.
Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell labeled WR Justin Jefferson "day-to-day" with his chest injury and said Jefferson has a "good chance" to play vs. the Bengals on Saturday, per ESPN's Kevin Seifert. We'll track Jefferson's status throughout the week, but he can be penciled into Week 15 fantasy lineups for now. O'Connell did not announce a starting QB on Monday, but we're projecting Nick Mullens to get the nod.
Steelers QB Kenny Pickett (ankle) is out for Saturday's game vs. the Colts, HC Mike Tomlin said Monday. The fact that Pickett has been ruled out this early in the week means he's nowhere close to returning. QB Mitchell Trubisky gets another start this weekend after a miserable showing vs. the Patriots this past Thursday.
Cardinals WR Marquise Brown "feels a lot better" coming off the bye week, HC Jonathan Gannon said Monday. Brown battled a heel issue the past two games, making it through just 36 snaps (53%) last time out. It sounds like he'll be ready for this weekend's game vs. the 49ers, but Brown can't be considered more than a WR3 in that matchup. He gets easier draws vs. the Bears and Eagles in Weeks 16 and 17.
ESPN's Adam Schefter confirms that Chargers QB Justin Herbert (finger) is not expected to play vs. the Raiders on Thursday night. Herbert is consulting with Dr. Steven Shin to determine exactly how long he'll be sidelined with his fractured right index finger, Schefter adds. We should get a timeline for Herbert's return within the next 24 hours. QB Easton Stick will start on Thursday night -- and likely beyond.
Rams WR Tutu Atwell is in the concussion protocol, according to The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue. We'll track Atwell's progress through the protocol this week, but he's unlikely to be cleared in time for Sunday's game vs. the Commanders. That'd leave Demarcus Robinson as Los Angeles' No. 3 WR -- and a potential deep-league flier against Washington's 31st-ranked WR defense.
Packers RB Aaron Jones (knee) is not expected to play vs. the Giants tonight, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Jones got in three limited practices this week, but the Packers are notoriously cautious bringing players back from injuries. We're tentatively expecting Jones to return for Week 15 but will track his status this week. His absence tonight leaves A.J. Dillon as Green Bay's lead back again. Dillon has handled 32 of 47 Packers carries (68%) over the past two weeks with Jones out. He's lost passing-down snaps to RB Patrick Taylor, but that's less of a concern tonight with the Packers six-point favorites.
Chargers RB Austin Ekeler rebounded in Week 14 with 100 total yards, 5 catches, and 1 TD. Ekeler’s 3-yard score marked his first end zone trip since Week 10. He lost carries to Isaiah Spiller (6) and Josh Kelley (3), but as expected, the veteran remained heavily involved in the passing game (33 routes). Per PFF, Ekeler also handled all 18 fourth-quarter snaps while the Chargers played from behind. So he's certainly trending in the right direction following the positive showing (and plus matchup). The Raiders turn up a favorable opponent for Week 15, but note that Ekeler will likely play without Justin Herbert.
The Seahawks were forced to start QB Drew Lock against the 49ers in Week 14. That didn’t bother WR Tyler Lockett, though, as led the team with 6 catches and 89 yards. He caught all of his targets. That efficiency was key, as Lock tossed only 31 passes, while the Seahawks fired off just 55 plays. We’ll see if Geno Smith (groin) can suit up next week vs. the Eagles. But there's no denying Lockett's favorable upcoming schedule, which includes the Eagles and the Titans. He looks like a WR3 down the stretch.
Eagles RB D’Andre Swift was stymied by the Cowboys’ run defense in Week 14, ending the contest with just 39 yards on 11 carries. He was also blanked in the receiving department, getting 0 targets for the first time this season. Swift’s 3.9 PPR points on Sunday mark his lowest output since Week 1 and his third consecutive game under double digits. As frustrating as he’s been, there’s good news: The Eagles’ remaining schedule ranks third-easiest for RBs per our adjusted fantasy points allowed and features two matchups against defenses (Giants, Cardinals) who rank within the top five of rushing yards per game allowed in 2023. Don’t give up on Swift just yet.
Cowboys RB Tony Pollard put forth another strong fantasy effort in Week 14 vs. the Eagles, totaling 16 carries for 58 rushing yards and a season-high 7 catches for 37 yards. Sunday night marked the fourth consecutive game in which he has posted at least 16 PPR points in a game. Week 15 presents an upside spot against the Bills (11th-best RB matchup per our adjusted fantasy points allowed).
Chiefs rookie WR Rashee Rice ran a route on a season-high 82.2% of QB Patrick Mahomes' dropbacks in Sunday's loss to the Bills. He trailed only TE Travis Kelce in routes, running 9 more than anyone else on the team, according to Pro Football Focus. That helped Rice match Kelce for a team-high 10 targets and lead the Chiefs in receptions (7). Rice looks like a weekly WR3 with WR2 upside in fantasy football lineups the rest of the way.
Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire played 2 more snaps than RB Jerick McKinnon Sunday against the Bills, with Isiah Pacheco out. The gap might have been larger if CEH hadn't needed to leave during the second half to replace his ripped pants. As it was, Edwards-Helaire carried 11 times to McKinnon's 4 and edged McKinnon 4-3 in targets (though McKinnon won 3-2 in receptions). McKinnon also scored the only RB TD for the game, on a 7-yard run in the second quarter. We'll see about Pacheco's chances to return from the shoulder injury in Week 15. If he can't, CEH and McKinnon still look like fairly equal fantasy entities.
Bills TE Dawson Knox returned Sunday after missing the previous five games following wrist surgery. His return didn't hurt TE Dalton Kincaid's playing time, though. Kincaid still ran a route on 87.8% of Josh Allen's dropbacks. His 8 targets ranked second on the team, and his 5 receptions tied for the Buffalo lead. Kincaid managed just 21 yards (4.2 per reception), but short targets have been a staple all season. We'll take that issue if it comes with strong reception volume. Sunday marked the seventh straight game of 5+ receptions for Kincaid.
Bills WR Stefon Diggs dragged down your fantasy lineup if you played him in Week 14. He managed just 4 receptions for 24 yards in the loss to the Chiefs. But his 11 targets led the team and accounted for 26.2% of Buffalo's total pass attempts for the game. The No. 6 PPR receiver for the season has just three bad fantasy outings all season, but all have come within the past four games. This marked the first time he fell short of 13.6 PPR points on double-digit targets, though. And Diggs dealt with basically shadow coverage from Chiefs lead CB L'Jarius Sneed. He gets a challenging matchup with Dallas in Week 15, but then a positive spot against the Chargers and a fairly neutral matchup with the Patriots in Week 17.
Jets RB Breece Hall delivered a top-5 fantasy score in Sunday's win over the Texans, thanks almost exclusively to his biggest receiving production of the year. Hall tallied 8 receptions for 86 yards and a TD on 9 targets. That tied his season high for targets and set new top marks in catches and yards. The 86 yards were 10 more than Hall's previous high this season and 32 more than his next-best outing. He has now seen 8+ targets in three straight games, though Sunday marked just the second time he has garnered more than five looks in a game QB Zach Wilson played the whole way. Hall remains a weak bet for rushing production. He gained 40 yards on 10 carries against Houston, his fifth straight contest with 40 yards or less and ninth game this year with less than 50. But the receiving should make Hall a starter for most PPR lineups going forward.
Jaguars RB Travis Etienne totaled 14 carries for 35 yards and a TD in Week 14 vs. the Browns, adding 4 catches for 37 yards. If you've rostered Etienne all season, you've undoubtedly noticed the dropoff in touch volume over the past several weeks. After averaging 23.3 opportunities per game through Week 8, Etienne has dropped to 17.8 since Jacksonville’s bye in Week 9. A Week 12 rib injury might have factored in the past two games. His 78% snap share against Cleveland, though, marked the RB's most playing time since Week 8. Backup D'Ernest Johnson also saw a slight dip in his playing time: from 40% and 36% the previous two games to 26%. That fell in line with his two games immediately following the bye. Etienne gets tough matchups the next two games, against the Ravens and Bucs, that figure to limit his upside. But touch volume should be in his favor. A nice spot against Carolina awaits in Week 17.
The TD train kept on rolling for Jaguars TE Evan Engram in Week 14 vs. the Browns. The veteran concluded Sunday’s action with 11 receptions on 12 targets for 95 yards and 2 TDs, all team highs. This contest also marks his first stretch of back-to-back TD games since Week 13-14 in 2022. Engram now leads the Jags in targets, receptions, and receiving yards over the past three weeks and should be firmly entrenched in fantasy lineups from here on out. The difficult nature of his remaining matchups (second-toughest TE schedule per our adjusted fantasy points allowed) should be offset by the high concentration of work Engram has seen lately.
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