Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon is inactive for today's game against the Titans. It'll be his second straight game missed for a hip injury. Seattle has listed him as questionable each time despite Witherspoon missing every practice each week. Perhaps that suggests he has a good shot at being ready for Week 17, but we'll have to track the rookie's progress.
Vikings LB Jordan Hicks (shin) is active for today's game against the Lions. Minnesota activated him from IR Saturday, and it appears Hicks is ready to reclaim his role. There's some risk to playing him right away following a four-game absence, but we're willing to take that shot in LB2 range of the Week 16 LB rankings. Rookie LB Ivan Pace Jr. (shoulder) is active as well after turning up questionable with a late-week shoulder injury. He filled in well for Hicks but now carries a playing-time question with Hicks back. Pace sits in LB3 territory of our rankings. DT Harrison Phillips (back) is also active but sits lower in our DL rankings than usual. There is tackle upside against a Detroit offense that likes to run.
Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker (shoulder) is active for today’s game vs. the Titans. He was listed as questionable after only getting in a limited practice on Friday, but we never sensed much concern about his availability for this one. Walker is safe to get into fantasy lineups against a banged-up Tennessee defense.
Texans WR Nico Collins (calf) is active for today’s game vs. the Browns. HC Demeco Ryans told insider Kimberley Martin this morning that Collins will have no limitations in this one. Still, QB C.J. Stroud’s absence and Cleveland’s No. 3 WR defense leaves Collins in WR3 territory in the Week 16 Rankings.
Vikings RB Alexander Mattison (ankle) is active for today’s game vs. the Lions. He only got in a limited practice on Friday and is expected to play well behind RB Ty Chandler today. Mattison isn’t a viable fantasy starter. Chandler remains a solid RB2 in the Week 16 Rankings.
Titans TE Chig Okonkwo is active for today’s game vs. the Seahawks. He missed Friday's practice with an illness, but we’re expecting him to be ready for his usual role today.
Packers WRs Christian Watson (hamstring) and Jayden Reed (toe, chest) are inactive for today’s game vs. the Panthers. WR Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) is active and should be a near every-down player alongside WR Romeo Doubs. See where the Packers WRs land in the Week 16 Rankings.
Packers RB A.J. Dillon (thumb) is active for today’s game vs. the Panthers. He was limited in practice all week with his broken thumb. It’s unclear how big a role Dillon will be able to play in this one. He shouldn’t be in fantasy lineups. Dillon’s return is just a slight ding against RB Aaron Jones, who remains a solid fantasy starter.
Titans QB Will Levis (ankle) is inactive for today’s game vs. the Seahawks. He got back on the practice field on Friday and seemingly has a good chance to return for Week 17. QB Ryan Tannehill starts today for the first time since Week 6.
Bears RB D'Onta Foreman (personal) is not expected to play vs. the Cardinals today, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. No word yet on Foreman's status for Week 17 and beyond. His absence will turn Chicago's backfield from a three-man committee to a two-man committee with Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson. We don't know exactly how work will be divvied between them, but they're both in the RB3 mix now against Arizona's 31st-ranked RB defense.
Bears TE Cole Kmet (quad) is expected to play vs. the Cardinals today, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Kmet was added to the injury report on Thursday and then limited again on Friday, adding some risk to his Week 16 fantasy outlook. Kmet's TD potential is boosted today, though, with Chicago sporting a higher-than-usual 23.75-point implied total.
Jaguars WR Zay Jones (knee, hamstring) is not expected to play vs. the Bucs today, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. We've had Jones projected out all week. His absence leaves Parker Washington and Jamal Agnew as Jacksonville's likely secondary WRs. WR Calvin Ridley and TE Evan Engram should dominate targets today.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport confirms that Titans QB Will Levis (ankle) is not expected to play vs. the Seahawks today. "He pushed to be on the field, practicing on Friday. But couldn't quite get there," Rapoport tweets. It sounds like Levis has a chance to be back for Week 17. QB Ryan Tannehill makes his first start since Week 6 today. He sports a better completion rate than Levis but a slightly lower yards per attempt. We're considering the switch from Levis to Tannehill a wash for Tennessee's offense.
Vikings RB Alexander Mattison (ankle) is expected to play vs. the Lions today, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Mattison got in just a limited practice on Friday and won't be at 100% today, Pelissero confirms. "Expect Minnesota to keep riding Ty Chandler," Pelissero adds. Mattison isn't a viable Week 16 fantasy play. His return puts just a slight dent in Chandler's Week 16 outlook.
ESPN's Adam Schefter hears that there's "optimism" that Texans QB C.J. Stroud (concussion) will be back for Week 17. Stroud remained sidelined in practice all last week but "has begun to make some progress" through the protocol, according to Schefter. We'll track the rookie's status this coming week. QB Case Keenum starts vs. the Browns today.
Bills WR Stefon Diggs managed just 5 catches for 29 yards in Saturday's win over the Chargers. He made some nice contested catches in this one, but the real story is a multi-week downtrend in production. In fact, Diggs hasn’t cracked 90 yards since Week 6. And he’s gone three straight games without a score. Josh Allen fired off only 21 passes, while the Bills ran a subpar 52 plays on the night. Diggs also watched as Gabe Davis (4-130-1) popped off for a couple of explosive plays. Note: Per Pro Football Focus, Diggs played his second-lowest snap share of the season. (His lowest mark came in Week 15.) We’ll see if there’s any news out of Orchard Park on Diggs this coming week. But it’ll be tough to keep him out of lineups for an upcoming matchup with New England.
Bills RB James Cook carried 20 times for 70 yards in Saturday’s win over the Chargers. He didn’t see a target, as Josh Allen attempted only 21 passes. Cook also lost a fumble late in the game, although he wasn’t benched. Leonard Fournette mixed in for 5 carries (0 targets) in his 2023 debut. Fournette – and Latavius Murray – each handled one goal line carry, matching Cook’s total. But it was Allen who popped in a pair of short-range rushing scores. A solid New England run D awaits in Week 17, but Cook will remain a near must-start.
Bengals RB Joe Mixon struggled in Week 16 vs. the Steelers, logging just 41 rushing yards on 11 carries in the contest. Saturday’s outcome marks the second consecutive game in which the veteran has failed to reach 50 rushing yards and spells some concern about his chances at rebounding in the fantasy championship. He’ll be set to square off against a Chiefs defense that ranks as the ninth-toughest RB matchup per our adjusted fantasy points allowed and should be best considered as an RB2 candidate.
Bengals WR Tee Higgins secured 5 of 8 targets for 140 receiving yards, including an 80-yard TD, in Week 16’s loss vs. the Steelers. After a very rocky start to 2023, Higgins has come alive of late, logging three consecutive games with at least 60 receiving yards and a trio of scores over the past two weeks. The veteran’s fantasy value in Week 16 will be somewhat contingent upon whether or not teammate Ja’Marr Chase (shoulder) is able to return to the lineup. Regardless, Higgins will face a stout Chiefs defense (seventh-toughest WR matchup per our adjusted fantasy points allowed) and should be thought of somewhere within the WR2/WR3 range.
Steelers RB Najee Harris tallied 19 carries for 78 rushing yards and a TD in Week 16 vs. the Bengals. His teammate Jaylen Warren also saw a healthy amount of involvement, totaling 8 carries for 24 yards with 5 catches for 30 receiving yards on the contest. He also tied for the team lead in targets (6) on Saturday with WR George Pickens. The Pittsburgh duo will again be worth starting as flex options in Week 16 going up against a fairly neutral Seahawks front (14th-best RB matchup per our adjusted fantasy points allowed).
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