Seahawks HC Pete Carroll said Tuesday that he expects QB Geno Smith (groin) to have a full week of practice and play vs. the Titans on Sunday. Smith appeared on track to return for Monday night's game vs. the Eagles but suffered a setback during the week. So he's not a lock to be out there this weekend. But we are projecting it to be Smith under center for the Seahawks in Nashville.
Jets QB Aaron Rodgers admitted on the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday that his Achilles still isn't at 100%. He expects to be there in another few weeks. That's not at all a surprise considering he's just a little more than three months removed from the injury. What would be a surprise is if the 5-9 Jets put Rodgers back on the field this season. With QB Zach Wilson in concussion protocol, QB Trevor Siemian is the favorite to start Sunday's game vs. the Commanders.
The Vikings are opening the 21-day practice window for LB Jordan Hicks this week. Hicks missed the past four games after needing surgery to relieve compartment syndrome following a shin injury on Nov. 12. it's not yet clear whether he'll be able to play this Sunday against the Lions, but that's at least a possibility. "Jordan is the heart and soul ... on our defense," HC Kevin O'Connell said Monday, according to the team website. "We've gotta get him some reps this week and see where he's at ... and if we can have him available, I think it'll be a real bonus for us this week." O'Connell also spoke about how good Hicks is at communicating the calls and ensuring everyone on the defense is in the right spot. That would seem to indicate he'll reclaim the green dot from LB Ivan Pace Jr. and take over calling plays in the defensive huddle. But O'Connell also said Pace has "been great" at filling in for Hicks there and talked about them working side by side. We'd bet the veteran Hicks will reclaim the playing-time lead at the position for a team fighting to reach the playoffs -- assuming he's physically ready to do so. We can't know for sure, of course, how Minnesota will sort out LB playing time until the next game that includes both Hicks and Pace -- or at least until coaches indicate the expected hierarchy. Hicks has scored as a top-10 LB in fantasy points per game this season, so he's worth a look if available on your waiver wire this week. Don't quit on Pace just yet, though, if he has been helpful in your format. And the undrafted rookie remains an upside dynasty asset.
The Falcons will bench QB Desmond Ridder for the second time this season, The Athletic reports. Ridder mustered just 152 passing yards with one TD and one INT in the Week 15 loss to the Panthers. He's at 10 TDs vs. 10 INTs for the season and ranks 32nd among 33 qualifying QBs in Pro Football Focus' passing grades. This figures to be the end of Ridder's tenure in Atlanta. We'll see where he lands in 2024, but it's likely to be as a backup. QB Taylor Heinicke will take back over for the Falcons vs. the Colts this weekend. He's made three appearances this season, registering a 55.4% completion rate and 6.7 yards per attempt. Those marks are both worse than Ridder's this season.
Seahawks RB Ken Walker III logged 19 carries for 86 yards and a TD in Week 15’s win vs. the Eagles. The second-year back also added 3 receptions for 26 yards as a receiver in the contest. Since returning in Week 14 after a three-game absence with an oblique injury, Walker III is firmly running ahead of rookie teammate Zach Charbonnet as Seattle’s lead back. In their last two games, he’s out-touched (carries + receptions) Charbonnet 34 to 14 and accounted for an 85.2% snap share of the Seahawks’ early downs in that span. Walker III should again see a hefty amount of work in Week 16 vs. the Titans.
Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba hauled in all 4 of his targets for 48 yards and scored the eventual game-winning TD in Week 15 vs. the Eagles. The rookie has started to heat up over the past three weeks, leading the team in receptions (15) and ranking second in target share (21.8%) and PPR points per game (11.5). Season-long managers should still treat JSN as a deeper league flex option at best, especially as long as QB Geno Smith continues to miss time due to a groin injury. Still, this late-season trend in which he’s pacing teammate Tyler Lockett in usage is an encouraging sign for Smith-Njigba’s dynasty prospects. We'll see if he can maintain this success in a prime Week 16 spot vs. the Titans (fifth-best WR matchup per our adjusted fantasy points allowed).
Eagles RB D’Andre Swift had a nice bounce-back game in Week 15 vs. the Seahawks, finishing with 18 carries for 74 rushing yards with 2 catches for 1 yard as a pass-catcher. The veteran had only handled 18 combined touches in the past two weeks due to negative game scripts against the 49ers and Cowboys. The closer nature of Monday night’s game helped Swift see more involvement and should be encouraging for fantasy managers looking ahead. Week 16’s matchup against a Giants defense that allows the fourth-most rushing yards per game (131.6) this season sets up as a good spot for Swift to build upon this success and be treated as a strong RB2 candidate in lineups.
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts completed 17 of 31 passes for 143 yards with 2 INTs in Week 15 vs. the Seahawks. He’d entered the game listed as ‘Questionable’ due to an illness and certainly struggled as a passer on Monday night. Fortunately, Hurts’ 82 rushing yards and pair of scores as a runner helped to mask those deficiencies and elevate his fantasy performance. Managers should feel comfortable rolling out Hurts again in Week 16 in a soft matchup vs. the Giants (25th in total defense DVOA in 2023).
The Chiefs placed WR Skyy Moore on IR with a knee injury. He'll miss at least the final three games of the regular season and Kansas City's playoff opener. Moore was somehow even worse in 2023 than he was during his 2022 rookie campaign, averaging just 6.4 yards per target and 0.84 yards per route. Those are both bottom-15 marks among 100 WRs with 30+ targets through Week 15. Moore is speeding rapidly toward bust status.
Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase is "likely to miss some time" with his shoulder injury, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. "The expectation is that he is sidelined for this week’s game against the Steelers, and it could extend beyond that, as well," Rapoport adds. Chase is worth keeping stashed on fantasy rosters in case he makes it back for Week 17, but fantasy owners should plan on being without him in Week 16. Chase's absence frees up targets for WRs Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.
NFL Network reports that Seahawks QB Drew Lock is officially starting tonight against the Eagles. That, of course, doesn't exclude an active Geno Smith from entering at some point if Lock falters. But it looks like Lock is the guy if you've been waiting on a Seahawks QB for your fantasy lineup.
Both ESPN's Brady Henderson and Philly Voice's Jimmy Kempski report that Seahawks QB Geno Smith is not on the field for final warmups. Kempski says "full rosters for both teams" are on the field (without Smith). Henderson says only Drew Lock and Sean Mannion are warming up at QB for Seattle. It sounds like Smith won't quite be ready, though that hasn't been made official yet. We'll keep watching for official word.
Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon (hip) and S Jamal Adams (knee) are inactive for tonight's game against the Eagles. That leaves Seattle's secondary without a pair of starters vs. one of the league's best WR duos and TE Dallas Goedert. Unless Philly QB Jalen Hurts is limited by his illness -- or the team goes run-heavy -- it should be a fine-to-good night for the Eagles' passing game.
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts (illness) is active for tonight’s game vs. the Seahawks. He was so sick on Sunday that his status for this one was reportedly in real doubt. It’s possible that the illness is a factor in this one. But if you waited on Hurts, get him in your lineup.
Seahawks QB Geno Smith (groin) is active for tonight’s game vs. the Eagles. It’s a surprise after multiple reports over the last 30 hours had Smith unlikely to play. Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer said yesterday that Smith suffered a setback at some point this week. It’s safe to assume that he’ll be operating at well less than 100% tonight, making him a high-risk fantasy play.
Update: The Seahawks have not yet announced who will start tonight's game. Smith, QB Drew Lock, and QB Sean Mannion are all active tonight. That suggests at least some concern about Smith's ability to make it through the game, assuming he starts. We'll let you know if we hear who's starting before kickoff.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that Titans QB Will Levis suffered a high left ankle sprain in Sunday's loss to the Texans. "Still uncertain whether Tennessee needs to sit him or for how long," Fowler says. We'll watch Levis' status this week, but we'd be leaning away from using him if possible anyway. If Levis can't play, Ryan Tannehill should get the start. That shouldn't be a downgrade for other Titans offensive pieces.
Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell announced Monday that QB Nick Mullens will start Sunday's game against the Lions. That's not a surprise after Mullens threw for 303 yards and 2 TDs in the Week 15 OT loss at Cincinnati. He also tossed 2 INTs but ranked among the top one-third of QBs for the week in expected points added per play. Mullens will carry some upside against a Detroit D that has struggled at times against the pass, but don't expect him to land among our top 12 fantasy QBs for Week 16.
Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell said Monday that RB Ty Chandler "is absolutely a guy that is going to see a featured, featured role in our offense." Chandler gave the Vikings their best rushing performance of the season in Saturday's loss to the Bengals, ripping off 132 yards and a score on 23 carries. We'll see whether RB Alexander Mattison can make it back from his ankle injury for this weekend's game vs. the Lions, but it sounds like we should expect Chandler to lead the backfield regardless. He, of course, will be a much stronger fantasy play if Mattison remains out.
Rams WR Tutu Atwell cleared concussion protocol and will be back for Thursday night's game vs. the Saints, HC Sean McVay said. Atwell split No. 3 WR duties with Demarcus Robinson in his last two healthy games. Neither guy is a Week 16 fantasy option outside of one-game DFS contests.
Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell tore his left ACL in the fourth quarter of Sunday night's win over the Jaguars. It looked like that kind of injury at the time, and HC John Harbaugh said after the game they expected Mitchell to miss the season. Multiple reports say the Ravens are optimistic for a full recovery. The timing, though, could challenge the start to Mitchell's second NFL season -- especially considering the importance of speed and explosiveness to his game. The rookie certainly remains worth stashing on dynasty rosters where possible. Mitchell won't be more than an end-of-draft flier (if that) for early 2024 best ball drafting, though. Gus Edwards and Justice Hill figure to split the backfield the rest of the way, including the playoffs. We'd also bet on Baltimore bringing RB Melvin Gordon back from the practice squad. He logged 13 carries and 3 targets across two games early this season, when the Ravens were dealing with multiple RB injuries (including Mitchell's first IR stint).
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