December 21, 2025
Los Angeles Lakers guard
Luka Doncic (leg) exited early and did not return against the Clippers, finishing with 12 points, five rebounds, two assists, and 20 minutes. The injury places his short-term availability in question and creates immediate fantasy ripple effects.
LeBron James handled the late offense, scoring 36 points in 38 minutes, and remains an elite fantasy option if Doncic misses time.
Marcus Smart and second-year forward
Dalton Knecht stand to absorb extra minutes and secondary creation. Doncic is still a firm hold, but managers should prepare for usage volatility and possible missed games.
--Brian DailisanSource: Mike Trudell
December 21, 2025
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver
Brian Thomas Jr. has been playing at a higher level lately, catching seven passes for 153 yards and a touchdown over his last two games. He also has 284 air yards during that span, which ranks third-best among NFL receivers. This week, he'll face off against a Denver Broncos secondary that presents him with a range of outcomes. On one hand, if Thomas is covered by cornerback Patrick Surtain II, his upside could be limited, and he'd have a lower floor. On the other hand, Surtain could take
Jakobi Meyers, leaving Riley Moss to cover Thomas. Moss has been tough in the red zone this year, but he's given up plenty of yardage, so if he's covering Thomas, the former first-round pick would instantly become a fringe top-18 fantasy receiver. All in all, Denver has surrendered the second-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers in 2025.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
December 21, 2025
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver
Jakobi Meyers has momentum on his side heading into Sunday's Week 16 contest against the Denver Broncos. The 29-year-old has enjoyed quite the resurgence since being dealt from Las Vegas to Jacksonville midseason. In six games since the trade, he ranks as the overall WR12 in half-PPR leagues. He has posted double-digit fantasy points in each of the last five weeks, and he has scored a touchdown in three of his last four games. Meyers remains a strong WR2 option for fantasy football this week, but his range of outcomes is admittedly a little larger given the uncertainty surrounding his matchup. If Meyers faces off against Patrick Surtain II, his upside could be limited, and he'd have a lower floor. On the other hand, Surtain could take
Brian Thomas Jr., leaving Riley Moss to cover Meyers. Moss has been tough in the red zone this year, but he's given up plenty of yardage, so if he's covering Meyers, the NC State product would instantly become a fringe top-12 fantasy receiver.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
December 21, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver
Mike Evans continues to be one of the top scoring threats on his own team. In his return from a six-game absence last week, Evans caught six of his 12 targets for 132 yards despite playing on a modest 55% snap share. He should get on the field even more often in Week 16 against the Carolina Panthers, continuing to raise his ceiling to a very high level. The veteran is averaging five catches, 68 yards, and 13.3 fantasy points per game when healthy this year. This week, he'll face off against a Panthers defense that gave up six catches, 85 yards, and a touchdown to alpha receiver
Chris Olave just last week. Jaycee Horn is a borderline elite cornerback in the Panthers' secondary, but if Olave can overcome the challenging matchup, Evans can, too. The 32-year-old continues to rank as a top-10 fantasy receiver in all leagues ahead of Week 16.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
December 21, 2025
Cleveland Browns tight end
Harold Fannin Jr. is having a terrific rookie season and will look to build on that momentum during Sunday's Week 16 contest against the Buffalo Bills. The 21-year-old is the overall TE8 in full-PPR leagues so far with 66 catches, 667 yards, and four touchdowns. He will remain atop the depth chart for the third week in a row with fellow tight end
David Njoku (knee) sidelined. In his last two games without Njoku, Fannin has exploded for a combined 15 catches, 162 yards, and one touchdown. Last week alone, he led all NFL tight ends in air yards (93), suggesting that his ceiling is incredibly high. He'll aim to tap into that upside on Sunday afternoon, as he continues to rank as a mid-range TE1 in most full-PPR formats. He remains a must-start in leagues despite facing the Bills, who have allowed the fewest fantasy points to tight ends in 2025.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
December 21, 2025
Miami Dolphins tight end
Darren Waller is coming off his best performance of the season during last week's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Waller hauled in seven of his eight targets for 66 yards and two touchdowns on Monday evening. He'll now head into a great matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals defense. This unit has allowed over 22.0 PPR fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends, placing them at the bottom of the sport. However, Waller faces some uncertainty in this contest as rookie QB
Quinn Ewers is set to replace
Tua Tagovailoa under center. The change at quarterback figures to change the game plan, but Waller should still be involved as the No. 2 pass-catching option, opposite of
Jaylen Waddle. The Dolphins might use him as a safety blanket on short routes to avoid having Ewers throw a ton of deep shots. There's enough upside here to keep Waller in the low-end TE1 conversation, given his elite matchup.
--Andy WebbSource: Pro Football Reference
December 21, 2025
Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson scored in his sixth consecutive game on Saturday, helping his team defeat the New York Islanders 3-2 in a shootout. Thompson was responsible for Buffalo's second goal, becoming only the second player in franchise history with multiple six-game goal streaks in a campaign. It has been a mixed season for Thompson, as he leads the Sabres with 18 goals and 31 points in 34 appearances but holds a team-worst minus-12 rating. Buffalo's record for consecutive games with a goal is eight, a mark shared by three players. Thompson can move another step closer to it on Sunday against the New Jersey Devils.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 21, 2025
Miami Dolphins wide receiver
Tyreek Hill might've played this last snap with the organization. The Dolphins need to find ways to save money, and letting go of Hill is one potential path. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, releasing Hill before June 1 would save the Dolphins $23.65 million against their cap space. If the Dolphins were to release him post-June 1 date, they would save $36 million for the 2026 season. Hill is currently recovering from a season-ending knee injury that he suffered in Week 4. Before his injury, Hill averaged a solid 13.6 PPR points over the first three games of the campaign. He found the back of the end zone once and totaled over 100 yards back in Week 2. He enjoyed a dominant stretch with the Dolphins in 2022 and 2023, when he eclipsed 1,700 yards and caught 119 passes in each season. It's unclear how Hill will play following his serious injury, so cutting him might be the best route for this organization.
Jaylen Waddle figures to remain the long-term WR1 in Miami, given that the team extended him to a three-year contract in May 2024.
--Andy WebbSource: Adam Schefter
December 21, 2025
Arizona Cardinals running back
Michael Carter is expected to be the lead back heading into the Week 16 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. The Cardinals' backfield has been strung by the injury bug this season. The latest player to fall was
Bam Knight (knee), who was placed on the injured reserve after exiting last week's game with a knee injury. Now, Carter figures to take over as the lead back for the final few games of the regular season while
Emari Demercado is set to operate as the No. 2 option. Last week, Carter rushed the ball 14 times for 56 yards, while hauling in four receptions for 38 additional yards through the air in the loss to the Houston Texans in relief of Knight. Carter has a decent matchup in Week 16 against an Atlanta Falcons defense that ranks in the middle of the pack in terms of points allowed to RBs. The assumption is that Carter will see a large enough workload to offer RB2 value in all formats for this Week 16 contest.
--Andy WebbSource: Pro Football Reference
December 21, 2025
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler had a memorable outing on Saturday, recording his first career shutout in a 4-0 win over Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 21-year-old stopped 31 shots, becoming the sixth-youngest American netminder to post his first NHL shutout. Fowler made his fourth appearance of the season and improved to 2-1-1. He has recorded a 2.49 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage. With Samuel Montembeault currently in the AHL on a conditioning assignment, Fowler has recently split goaltending duties with Jakub Dobes. The latter is expected to be between the sticks on Sunday for a rematch against Pittsburgh.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 21, 2025
St. Louis Blues right wing Jonatan Berggren tallied three points in Saturday's 6-2 win over the Florida Panthers, scoring a power-play goal and adding two assists. This was Berggren's third appearance for the Blues after he was claimed off waivers last week. Berggren struggled to get playing time in Detroit this season but has been a good fit in St. Louis. He saw first-line usage on Saturday and has scored in back-to-back games, boasting four points (two goals, two assists) through his first three outings with his new team. Overall, Berggren has registered 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 18 appearances this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 21, 2025
Montreal Canadiens center Jake Evans (lower body) won't play on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He suffered a lower-body injury in Saturday's home game against the Penguins and won't travel to Pittsburgh for a rematch. Evans has managed 10 points (five goals, five assists) and 44 hits across 34 games this season. On the negative side, he carries a team-worst minus-13 rating. Newly reacquired Phillip Danault (illness) could be Evans' replacement in the lineup next week. However, he won't be available for Sunday's action, and defenseman Jayden Struble might fill the gap in the lineup.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
December 21, 2025
Indianapolis Colts running back
Ameer Abdullah saw his highest usage of the season during last week's loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Abdullah was basically a non-factor all season until getting nine touches in last week's defeat. Adbullah rushed the ball four times for 15 yards, while hauling in five receptions for 32 additional yards through the air. It appears Abdullah is going to benefit by having
Philip Rivers under center in Indy, as the veteran QB looked his way quite often in the short passing game. Given his success last week, the Colts are likely going to continue using Adbullah in short-yardage situations as a check-down option for Rivers. There could be some flex appeal in deep PPR leagues for Abdullah ahead of this Monday Night matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, given that they allowed
Tony Pollard to total 18.2 PPR points last week.
--Andy WebbSource: Pro Football Reference
December 21, 2025
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (lower body) had another outstanding performance in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks, but he was also injured in the contest. Werenski exited the action in the third period after blocking a shot with his ankle. The star blue-liner notched a goal and a power-play assist against Anaheim, posting his third consecutive multi-point game. He has had at least one point in each of his last five appearances. The recent scoring surge has helped Werenski catch up to Colorado's Cale Makar on the defenseman scoring list. Both players are now tied atop the list with 40 points, with Werenski amassing 14 goals and 26 assists in 35 outings. Unfortunately, it looks like it may take some time before Werenski can add to his tally.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
December 21, 2025
Indianapolis Colts tight end
Tyler Warren has been in a slump over the last few weeks, falling under the 5.0 PPR point mark in each contest. Over the last three games, Warren has finished with 22 yards or fewer in every contest, but did manage to find the back of the end zone in Week 13, which salvaged his fantasy day.
The change to 44-year-old Philip Rivers at quarterback doesn't seem to be doing this passing attack any favors, as he only caught three passes for 19 yards in Sunday's loss to the Seahawks. Warren has seen six targets in two straight games, so the target share remains high, but his production has remained low. He'll head into a plus-matchup against the San Francisco 49ers defense in Week 16, facing a defense that has allowed nine touchdowns to opposing tight ends this season. Warren has enough upside to be plugged in as a low-end TE1 for this Monday Night matchup in 12-team formats.
--Andy WebbSource: Pro Football Reference
December 21, 2025
Chicago Blackhawks center Frank Nazar (face) is expected to miss approximately four weeks after being hurt during Saturday's 6-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators. He took a puck to the face just minutes into the game. Nazar has recently filled top-line center duties due to the absence of Connor Bedard (shoulder). The 21-year-old has managed 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in 33 games during his sophomore campaign. With Bedard and Nazar both out, Ryan Greene may get back into the top six. He led all Blackhawks forwards in ice time on Saturday and collected two assists.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 21, 2025
Houston Texans running back
Woody Marks (ankle) plans to play in Sunday's Week 16 contest against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. The rookie, who had been listed as questionable after upgrading to a limited participant in practice on Friday, will undergo a series of pregame workouts to confirm his availability. Suiting up on Sunday would be an impressive development for Marks, who didn't practice at all on Wednesday or Thursday. If active, though, he'll immediately slot into the RB2 tier for fantasy football. He has 314 rushing yards over his last five healthy games and is facing off against a Vegas defense that has surrendered the eighth-most fantasy points to running backs in 2025.
--Andersen PickardSource: Aaron Wilson
December 21, 2025
Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton (ankle) is trending in the right direction ahead of Sunday Night Football against the New England Patriots in Week 16. According to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, Hamilton "is more likely to play than not." The 24-year-old had been listed as questionable and will work out pregame to gain more clarity on whether he'll be able to suit up. He has been productive in his fourth NFL season, amassing 87 tackles, one sack, and two forced fumbles over the course of 13 games. The Ravens' list of inactive players will be published around 6:50 p.m. EST on Sunday evening.
--Andersen PickardSource: Ian Rapoport
December 21, 2025
New York Jets quarterback
Tyrod Taylor (groin, knee) is expected to be active for Sunday's Week 16 contest against the New Orleans Saints, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. He had been listed as questionable but was trending in the right direction after logging a full practice. With
Justin Fields (knee) not expected to suit up, Taylor will slot into the backup role behind
Brady Cook. By playing Cook over Taylor, the eliminated Jets are exploring their future at quarterback. It's unlikely Cook is the long-term answer, but he could offer depth or perhaps even a bridge to another quarterback in 2026. In the short-term, he ranks as RotoBaller's QB29 for fantasy football in Week 16.
--Andersen PickardSource: Ian Rapoport
December 21, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (lung) has been ruled out for Sunday's Week 16 contest against the Detroit Lions, and he could miss additional time beyond this week, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Watt is headed for his second consecutive absence after a scary situation in which he was hospitalized with a partially collapsed lung. The defensive superstar is prioritizing his health and acknowledges that returning to play is far less important than getting healthy. Watt is due for more medical evaluation next week, and while a Week 17 return remains possible, it's far from certain. Pittsburgh will welcome him back with open arms whenever possible, as he terrorized opposing offenses with 53 tackles, seven sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one interception through 13 games.
--Andersen PickardSource: Adam Schefter
December 21, 2025
Houston Texans wide receiver
Christian Kirk (illness) is expected to play in Sunday's Week 16 contest against the Las Vegas Raiders despite being listed as questionable, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Kirk has appeared in 10 games this season, catching an underwhelming 22 passes for 204 yards and one touchdown. He has just one catch over his last three contests, and he remains buried on the depth chart behind
Nico Collins and
Jayden Higgins. Kirk can be benched or left on waivers in most redraft formats.
--Andersen PickardSource: Adam Schefter
December 21, 2025
Houston Texans running back
Nick Chubb (ribs) is expected to play in Sunday's Week 16 contest against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. He had been listed as questionable but was trending in the right direction after logging back-to-back full practice sessions. The veteran ball-carrier should remain in the backup running back role this week, but he could see a slight increase in snaps if
Woody Marks (ankle, questionable) is less than 100 percent. Of course, the Texans also have solid depth outside of Marks and Chubb.
Dare Ogunbowale is a longtime depth piece who has flashed upside, and second-year back
Jawhar Jordan broke out with 118 scrimmage yards on 17 touches last week. As a result, Chubb ranks outside the top 36 fantasy running backs for Week 16.
--Andersen PickardSource: Adam Schefter
December 21, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver
Tee Higgins (concussion) is "likely to play" in Sunday's Week 16 contest against the Miami Dolphins, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Higgins had been listed as questionable and is working his way back from a one-game absence. The 26-year-old has impressed with 46 catches, 667 yards, and nine touchdowns over his last 12 healthy games. He hauled in six of 11 targets and scored twice while catching passes from
Joe Burrow in their only game together since the quarterback returned from a toe injury. Higgins, who has turned into quite the scoring threat with 19 touchdowns over his last 22 games, ranks as a high-end WR2 this week in Miami.
--Andersen PickardSource: Ian Rapoport
December 21, 2025
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver
Drake London (knee) is expected to play in Sunday's Week 16 contest against the Arizona Cardinals, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. London had been listed as questionable and is working his way back from a four-game absence. He was quite impressive when healthy, catching 60 passes for 810 yards and six touchdowns over the course of nine games. Even though the Falcons are eliminated from playoff contention, London should be an impactful contributor for his team and his fantasy managers over the final few weeks of the regular season. He immediately returns to the WR1 tier in this week's matchup against the Cardinals, who rank near the middle of the league with the 15th-most fantasy points allowed to receivers in 2025.
--Andersen PickardSource: Adam Schefter
December 21, 2025
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver
Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel) is expected to play in Sunday's Week 16 contest against the Atlanta Falcons, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. However, he could be at less than 100% as "the team plans to ease him back in," writes Schefter. Harrison is set to return to action after missing four of the Cardinals' last five games. During that time, teammate
Michael Wilson has emerged as one of the top-scoring receivers in fantasy football. While Wilson's ceiling and floor will come down a little with Harrison back, it's not a stretch to say that Wilson is a more appealing fantasy option than Harrison this week. With that said, the 23-year-old can still be a strong WR3/flex against a Falcons defense allowing the eighth-most fantasy points to wide receivers in 2025.
--Andersen PickardSource: Adam Schefter
December 21, 2025
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver
Alec Pierce was a disappointment for fantasy managers in Week 15's loss to the Seahawks, and he won't be any easier to trust for this Monday's bout with the visiting San Francisco 49ers. Pierce corralled his lone target (16 yards) in last Sunday's loss to Seattle and was the only Colts' pass-catcher to command fewer than four looks. The former Cincinnati Bearcat made his money all season on downfield throws, while also evolving his game in the intermediate area of the field. However, his value will take a considerable hit with quarterback
Philip Rivers manning the offense. At 44 years of age, the veteran's arm strength is limited, and that showed in spades during last week's contest. Considering Pierce's archetype doesn't precisely line up with Rivers' capabilities, he's perhaps the riskiest fantasy play of all Colts' wideouts, ranking as RotoBaller's PPR WR66 for his Monday Night Football matchup.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
December 21, 2025
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver
Josh Downs presents as a low-floor fantasy dart throw for his home outing with the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. Downs hauled in 3-of-5 passes for 13 yards in last weekend's 18-16 loss to the Seahawks, accounting for
Philip Rivers' first touchdown pass since Week 17 of the 2020 season. With Rivers under center, Indy went with a short, quick pass attack to cater to the veteran's current capabilities. While it was effective on the field, an equal administering of pass attempts will hurt all involved on the Indianapolis side of the ball. As it stands, Downs is a downright chore to cover in that area of the field, potentially giving him a leg up on teammates
Michael Pittman Jr. and
Alec Pierce in the Colts' attack. Even if that's the case, though, the third-year pro's standing as the third option regarding snap share at the position significantly limits his ceiling. Downs may still hold some modest value in DFS formats, but is tough to trust as RotoBaller's PPR WR62 for Week 16.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
December 21, 2025
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver
Michael Pittman Jr.'s fantasy value takes a modest slide ahead of his clash with the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. For the most part, the USC product has been a stellar fantasy asset in 2025, working his way to a current WR13 standing in PPR formats. However, Pittman's viability becomes murkier with 44-year-old
Philip Rivers calling signals for the Colts. In Rivers' first action in nearly half a decade in Week 15, Indianapolis fell 18-16 to Seattle. While the QB was efficient, he failed to push the ball downfield and evenly distributed his pass attempts, targeting four pass-catchers at least five times. Unfortunately, a wideout like Pittman, who thrives on volume, may find it challenging to produce at the level that fantasy managers had become accustomed to over the majority of the season. The offense may adapt and evolve as Rivers continues to shake off the rust, but all Colts' skill players take a fantasy hit in the meantime. As for Pittman, he'll rank as RotoBaller's PPR WR37 for Monday's contest.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
December 21, 2025
Indianapolis Colts running back
Jonathan Taylor is a superb fantasy start for his Monday night home matchup with the San Francisco 49ers. Taylor remained the Colts' workhorse in Week 15's loss to the Seahawks, notching his eighth game of the campaign with at least 80 rushing yards, handling his second-highest carry total of the season (25). It's worth noting that veteran backfield mate
Ameer Abdullah has seen an increased snap share across the previous two weeks, though it shouldn't affect Taylor's position as a locked-in RB1, even against a sound 49ers' rush defense. San Fran has been stingy to opposing ground games, yielding the twelfth-fewest rushing yards per contest (106.1). That said, they've allowed RBs to rack up the second-most receptions of any squad (78). Veteran signal-caller
Philip Rivers adds an extra variable to the equation, but that should mean that Indy will continue to rely on the rushing attack as they try to remain in playoff contention. Fantasy managers can fire up the 26-year-old as RotoBaller's PPR RB6 for Week 16's slate of action.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
December 21, 2025
Indianapolis Colts quarterback
Philip Rivers will be a risky fantasy asset when he lines up with the visiting San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football in Week 16. The 44-year-old made an improbable return to the field a week ago, leading the team under center in his first action since the 2020 campaign. Rivers and the Colts ultimately lost 18-16 to the Seahawks, although he actually looked pretty decent considering the long layoff. While the box score may have left owners wanting, and the veteran has lost significant zip on his balls, he was accurate and decisive, operating efficiently in the short and intermediate areas. With all that in mind, Rivers' current play style hinders his fantasy upside, relegating him to a low-end desperation play in superflex and 2QB formats. The 22-year NFL vet comes in as RotoBaller's QB30 for his outing with San Francisco.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
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