Ravens S Kyle Hamilton (knee) and CB Brandon Stephens (ankle) went inactive for Sunday's win over the Dolphins. CB Marlon Humphrey left the game with a calf injury. Baltimore clinched the AFC's top playoff seed anyway. Given that, it's hard to imagine the Ravens playing any of those defenders for the Week 18 matchup with Pittsburgh. We'll see whether the team reveals any specific plans for who else will play no or limited snaps. Geno Stone and Marcus Williams played full time at safety vs. Miami. Stone figures to play in Week 18. (He's the third safety.) Williams, however, could be another candidate to sit. He has dealt with multiple injuries throughout the season. Ronald Darby (100%) and Rock Ya-Sin (81%) led CBs in playing time vs. the Dolphins.
Packers LB Isaiah McDuffie left Sunday night's win over the Vikings with a concussion. He was filling in for LB De'Vondre Campbell (neck), so we'll see about the status of both players for a Week 18 matchup with the Bears. Green Bay holds the No. 7 position in NFC playoff seeding right now but could still be passed with a loss to Chicago.
Neither 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey nor HC Kyle Shanahan sounded concerned about the calf injury that knocked McCaffrey from Sunday's win over the Commanders. “I’m not sure what happened,” McCaffrey said. “It was pretty minor. I was having a hard time pushing off. And just for precautionary reasons, it’d be better to just rest it." Shanahan said, "We think he’ll be all right. He was moving around all right on the sideline. We’re hoping it’s not too bad, but we’ll know more tomorrow.” McCaffrey won't play in Sunday's meaningless regular-season finale and will then get a first-round playoff bye. It sounds like he'll be ready when the 49ers return for the Divisional Round. We'll keep you updated on McCaffrey's status.
Steelers RB Najee Harris eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the first time in 2023 on Sunday vs. the Seahawks. He accumulated 122 rushing yards with 2 TDs on 27 carries. With one more regular-season game remaining, Harris is set to put forth his third-consecutive season of at least 1,000 rushing yards and 7 rushing TDs. But he has also continued to see a dropoff in fantasy output (10.4 PPR points per game in 2023 vs. 13.1 in 2022, 17.7 in 2021), which directly correlates to a decrease in his role. Teammate Jaylen Warren has turned the Steelers’ backfield into a near-50/50 split, and Harris went from an average of 5.5 targets per game as a rookie to just 2.1 this season. He’ll enter his age-26 season in 2024, the final year of his rookie contract. We'll find out this spring whether Pittsburgh will exercise Harris' fifth-year option. We'd bet against the team guaranteeing $8.5 million in 2025 salary to do so ($10 million if Harris makes the Pro Bowl this year). For 2024, expect a continued timeshare and RB3-level status in dynasty formats.
Steelers WR George Pickens paid off again, hauling in 7 catches on 9 targets for 131 receiving yards and a TD in Week 17 vs. the Seahawks. The second-year wideout’s efforts mark the fifth time this season that he’s surpassed the 100-yard mark and the fourth instance in which Pickens totaled 20+ PPR points per game. His big-play upside has been clear. But the QB play has been poor, and Pickens has struggled to find regularly strong target shares. A QB change could boost Pickens' dynasty value. For now, it’s appropriate to treat him as a low-end WR3.
Saints RB Alvin Kamara struggled against the Buccaneers on Sunday, ending Week 17 with 49 scrimmage yards on 12 touches. He may not have delivered for many managers’ title games, but Kamara remained a workhorse. He averaged 19.6 touches per game through 13 contests after returning from a three-game suspension to open the year and posted his second-highest PPR points per game (17.9) since 2019. There is, however, a snag in projecting his future outlook for dynasty purposes. The Saints are projected to enter 2024 at $89 million over the salary cap. No single move will dig them out of that, but getting rid of Kamara (post-June 1 designation) could save them approximately $5 million. They already have third-round rookie Kendre Miller lined up as a long-term replacement, too. It’ll be vital to pay close attention to New Orleans’ moves throughout the course of the offseason. Value Kamara as an aging RB2 for now. Getting dumped by the Saints, however, would muddy his outlook.
Buccaneers RB Rachaad White went quiet in Week 17 vs. the Saints. The second-year back ended Sunday with 42 rushing yards on 11 carries with 4 receptions for 24 yards. Despite the disappointing finish, White has enjoyed a breakout season. Through Week 17, he sits fifth among RBs in total PPR points and ninth in points per game. White has already nearly doubled his carries (253) and rushing yards (915) vs. last year, while averagingof 3.8 receptions per game. This usage is encouraging as we look ahead to his age-25 season. Treat White as a borderline RB1 in dynasty formats.
Eagles RB D’Andre Swift put forth respectable production in Week 17 vs. the Cardinals, ending the game with 13 carries for 61 yards. Even with one more regular season game, he’s already set career highs in carries (229) and scrimmage yards (1,263). However, Swift is also pacing for a career-low 52 targets. He’s set to hit the free agent market in 2024 at 25 years old. Staying with the Eagles’ high-powered offense would likely be good for his rushing volume but would also likely limit his target outlook. Beware of valuing Swift too highly in dynasty at the moment, and don't be afraid to consider "sell" opportunities.
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts completed 18 of 23 passes for 167 yards and 3 TDs with 1 INT in Week 17 vs. the Cardinals. He added 25 yards on 8 carries. Hurts has posted multiple TDs in 15 of 16 games this season. His rushing yards per game have dipped from 37.6 to 50.6, but Hurts has also already increased his rushing TDs for the third straight year. Ignore any fears of the NFL outlawing Philly's "Tush Push," and continue valuing Hurts as a top-shelf dynasty QB. If you don't have Hurts on your roster already and the league does outlaw some aspect of the "Tush Push," consider making an offer for the Eagles QB. His rushing upside isn't going anywhere.
Cardinals QB Kyler Murray completed 25 of 31 passes for 232 yards with 3 TDs and 1 INT in Week 17 vs. the Eagles. He added 24 yards on 5 carries. Murray ranks 12th in fantasy points per game among QBs through Week 17, a solid-to-strong level for a mobile QB coming off an ACL tear. His connection with TE Trey McBride proved stellar and presents a solid building block for the Cardinals moving into 2024. HC Jonathan Gannon has since said Murray will "no doubt" remain Arizona's starter. With $53.1 million in projected cap space and three of the top-35 picks in the NFL Draft (as of now), the Cardinals could rebuild the offense quickly around their QB.
Giants RB Saquon Barkley struggled in Week 17, posting 58 scrimmage yards on 15 touches against the Rams. This performance is emblematic of the rough go the veteran had in 2023. Barkley missed four games due to an ankle injury and was only able to be healthy to play in three games with QB Daniel Jones (torn ACL in Week 9). Still, he averaged 88.1 scrimmage yards per game this season, a slight downtick from 103.1 in 2022. Barkley also totaled an average of 20.6 touches per game across 13 contests and showed his ability to maintain a sizeable workload. He’ll enter 2024 as a 27-year-old free agent and likely be able to hold low-end RB1/high-end RB2 dynasty value for the next couple of seasons.
Rams WR Puka Nacua secured 5 of 8 targets for a team-leading 118 receiving yards in Week 17 vs. the Giants. The rookie is beginning to close in on making his 2023 campaign historic in nature. Nacua is just 28 yards shy of breaking the rookie receiving yards record (1,473) set by Oilers WR Bill Groman in 1960 and only 3 catches away from Jaylen Waddle’s rookie receptions record (104) from 2021. He’s got a strong shot at hurdling these marks in Week 18 vs. the 49ers and is in a tremendous position moving forward. Despite the uncertain long-term future of QB Matthew Stafford (who will be 36 in 2024), Nacua established himself as a dominant force and currently ranks seventh among WRs with 17.8 PPR points per game. You’re walking into next season feeling pretty good about your dynasty team if you roster Nacua.
Congratulations if you started Rams RB Kyren Williams in your fantasy championship. The second-year back exploded in Week 17 vs. the Giants, tallying 101 scrimmage yards with 3 rushing TDs on 22 touches. Those who remained patient with Williams in dynasty or picked him up off the waiver wire in season-long leagues were handed a player who ranked second among RBs in PPR points per game (21.2) with a massive average of 23 touches per game in 2023. It’s fair to proclaim him as a true “league winner” this season despite missing four games due to a high ankle sprain. He’ll assuredly be treated as a bonafide RB1 in 2024, regardless of format.
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce was held to 3 catches for 16 yards against the Bengals on Sunday. Kelce was unable to get open in what should have been a smash match-up, drawing only 4 targets. Kelce still finishes the fantasy season (for most leagues) tied for the position lead in PPR points per game. But that comes with his lowest scoring average since 2016. Kelce's 14.7 points per contest fall nearly 4.0 short of last year's average. It's no surprise for the 34-year-old to be trending downward at this point. It's fair to wonder, however, how much the season-opening knee injury and then a Week 5 ankle sprain limited him. Kelce probably shouldn't be drafted so far ahead of the rest of the position in 2024, but it's tough to knock him too far when a disappointing year still has him tied for the scoring lead. We'll be very curious to see where he goes in early best-ball drafts. Kelce's likely to be a tough sell in dynasty leagues this offseason.
Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco ran 18 times for 130 yards and added 7 catches for 35 yards and a TD. When healthy, Pacheco has been the focal point of the Chiefs offense. His speed and receiving ability was on display against Cincinnati. Pacheco led the team in targets and receptions and caught Patrick Mahomes' only scoring toss of the game. Pacheco has likely secured the starting job for at least 2024 and remains under contract through 2025. That said, Pacheco might have to share more work in 2024 than he has with Jerick McKinnon and Clyde Edwards-Helaire this season. There's potential for Pacheco to be overrated in early best-ball drafting. We'll have our initial 2024 rankings out before the end of the playoffs to help you position him appropriately.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes completed 21 of 29 passes for 245 yards and a TD in Sunday's win over the Bengals. It wasn't a bad outing -- though he did lose a fumble -- though he finished just 24th among fantasy QBs by ESPN scoring. That knocks him down to QB12 in fantasy points per game for the year. The Chiefs almost have to improve their pass-catching corps for 2024. We'll see exactly how they go about doing so. If Mahomes' early best-ball draft position sits anywhere near his 2023 finish, then he'll be a value. We'd bet he'll still go inside the top 5 at the position, though. At that level, it's probably worth going light on Mahomes in early drafts. We certainly don't have any long-term concern for his fantasy value.
Bills WR Stefon Diggs remained a non-factor in Sunday’s close win over New England. Diggs managed only 26 yards, meaning he’s now been held under 50 in four straight. Note: Josh Allen really struggled through the air with only 169 yards on 15-of-30 passing. After the game, HC Sean McDermott was asked if Diggs’ dip in production was concerning. “It is. I mean, he’s our No. 1 receiver,” McDermott said. “Whether teams are trying to take him away or they’re getting the ball spread around and things we can do better offensively. I know this, anytime a quarterback is going through his progression, that’s the right way to go through it, right? And the ball finds the open player, so he’s going to be fine.” OK. Diggs will close out the regular season at Miami, but the real question is where to slot him in 2024 rankings following a second-half slump. We’ll have 2024 redraft rankings/projections available before the Super Bowl.
Bears WR D.J. Moore posted 9 receptions on 13 targets for 159 yards and a score in Week 17 against the Falcons. The veteran wideout ended Sunday with his fifth game this season with 100+ receiving yards, an achievement that marks a career-best for Moore. He’s also on track to post a personal high in PPR points per game (17.3 through Week 17) and already surpassed bests in yardage (1,300) and TDs (8). The addition of Moore proved to be a boon for Chicago’s offense and QB Justin Fields, though the latter’s future still hangs in the balance. Regardless of whether Fields returns as the Bears’ starter, Moore should be considered as a high-end WR2 in dynasty formats. It would be nice if Fields came back, however. It would save Moore from having to play with his 10th different starting QB since entering the league in 2018.
Bears QB Justin Fields completed 20 of 38 passes for 268 yards and a TD in Sunday’s win vs. the Falcons. He also ran for a score and tallied 45 rushing yards on 11 carries in the contest. Though he missed 4 games due to a thumb injury, Fields ranks second among QBs in rushing yards (630) through Week 17 and helped fantasy managers with seven top-12 weekly finishes in four-point per passing TD scoring in that span. It’s evident that he can be a difference-making player, but the largest question looming over him this offseason is still whether or not he’ll be the Bears’ QB in next season. Chicago holds the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and could opt to either part ways with Fields or continue to build the offense around him. It’s reasonable to view him as a low-end QB1/high-end QB2 in dynasty at this stage, though we’ll be anxiously awaiting clarity surrounding his future. Where he suits up next year will have a sizable influence on how he’s viewed moving forward.
Falcons WR Drake London had a difficult go in Week 17, catching just 4 of 10 targets for 56 receiving yards vs. the Bears. The second-year wideout ends the fantasy season, having posted six top-30 weekly finishes in PPR scoring, two of which were top-5 performances. London didn’t have a terrible season by any means, but he only saw a bump in PPR points per game from 10.5 in 2022 to 11.1 this year. The bulk of his troubles come from inconsistent volume (6.7 targets per game) and the poor QB play from Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke. Still, he’ll be entering his age-23 season in 2024 and did manage to put up consecutive seasons of 800+ receiving yards. London has a chance to see Atlanta make a QB upgrade in the offseason. Such a move would help his case of potentially elevating his value above being a low-end WR2 in dynasty formats, but we’ll have to remain in ‘wait-and-see’ mode on that front.
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