December 16, 2025
San Francisco 49ers running back
Christian McCaffrey (back) popped up on Saturday's injury report with a back issue, but he looked healthy handling 22 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's win over the Titans. McCaffrey also caught his lone target of the day for 14 receiving yards. The reduction in pass volume was stark compared to the 8.2 targets he averaged before the 49ers' Week 14 bye, but it may have been a small act towards preserving the playmaker's health. McCaffrey will get an extra day of rest going into Week 16, as the 49ers will square off against the Colts on Monday night. Concern over McCaffrey's back makes
Brian Robinson Jr. a must-stash as he would likely step into a bellcow role if CMC sits. Assuming McCaffrey is healthy, he will once again be a must-start in the semi-final round of the fantasy football playoffs.
--Dan StephensSource: NFL.com
December 16, 2025
Chicago Bears tight end
Cole Kmet (ankle, knee) was listed as a limited participant on Tuesday's estimated injury report, according to the team. Kmet's status for Week 16 against the division-rival Green Bay Packers on Saturday is now worth monitoring now that he's dealing with multiple injuries. The 26-year-old caught two of his four targets for 28 yards in Sunday's blowout win over the Cleveland Browns and doesn't have as much fantasy upside as rookie first-rounder
Colston Loveland in Chicago. However, if Kmet can play this weekend, he could see more targets if both receivers
Luther Burden III (ankle) and
Rome Odunze (foot) are unavailable. Kmet has been overshadowed by Loveland in 2025, as he's caught 24 of 39 targets for 301 yards and two touchdowns compared to Loveland's 39-498-4 line in 13 games.
--Keith HernandezSource: Bears Communications
December 16, 2025
The Chicago Bears listed wide receiver
Rome Odunze (foot) as a non-participant on Tuesday's estimated injury report, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Rookie
Luther Burden III (ankle) was also a DNP. Odunze has missed the last two games due to a stress reaction in his foot, and head coach Ben Johnson said all options are on the table regarding Odunze going forward. It sounds as though he'll miss a third straight game this Saturday night against the division-rival Green Bay Packers, and he could be shut down for the final three weeks so he's ready to go for the postseason. Fantasy managers should be preparing as if the 23-year-old won't be active in Week 16. Burden will be an intriguing upside flex play against Green Bay if he's active and Odunze misses another game. Odunze had a promising start to Year 2, scoring five times in the first four weeks, but he's scored just once since then and is now battling injury.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
December 16, 2025
The Chicago Bears listed rookie wide receiver
Luther Burden III (ankle) as a non-participant on Tuesday's estimated injury report, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Rome Odunze (foot) was also listed as a DNP. The Bears have one less day to prepare to face the division-rival Green Bay Packers in Week 16, with the game coming on Saturday evening. Chicago's offense would lose a lot of firepower if they are without both Burden and Odunze. The 22-year-old Burden is considered day-to-day, while Odunze is more week-to-week with a stress fracture in his foot that has already kept him out of the last two games. Burden has 10 catches on 13 targets for 151 yards in the last two games with Odunze out, and he'll be firmly in play as a WR4/flex with upside if he plays and Odunze is out this weekend. If both wideouts are sidelined, Chicago would be down to
DJ Moore,
Olamide Zaccheaus, and
Devin Duvernay in three-wide sets.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
December 16, 2025
Minnesota Wild defenseman Zach Bogosian (lower body) won't be in the lineup on Tuesday against the Washington Capitals. He is dealing with a lower-body injury, with the team considering Bogosian day-to-day. Jonas Brodin (upper body) will miss a third straight game, and Jacob Middleton (upper body) won't be available for a fifth consecutive contest. The injury situation is bad on the Wild's blue line. However, there has been some good news as well, with David Jiricek (upper body) ready to play despite his early exit from Sunday's win against the Boston Bruins. Recently acquired Quinn Hughes will anchor the defense in a tough matchup against Alex Ovechkin's crew, which is averaging 3.31 goals per game in 2025-26.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 16, 2025
The Buffalo Bills announced on Tuesday that they have signed free-agent kicker
Michael Badgley to their practice squad.
Tyler Bass (hip) will miss the entire 2025 season, and the Bills already ruled out replacement
Matt Prater (quadriceps) for their Week 16 game this Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. Badgley beat out
Matthew Wright during a tryout on Tuesday and is expected to eventually be promoted to the active 53-man roster to kick this weekend in Cleveland. The 30-year-old resurfaced in the NFL this year after not kicking at all in 2024. In seven games with the Indianapolis Colts, Badgley made 10 of his 11 field-goal attempts and 18 of his 21 extra-point opportunities. In likely frigid temperatures in Cleveland this weekend, Badgley will be a deep-league streaming option at the position, at best, in Week 16.
--Keith HernandezSource: Buffalo Bills PR
December 16, 2025
Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Johansson (lower body) will miss Tuesday's game against his former team, the Washington Capitals. He is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury after being hurt during Sunday's win over the Boston Bruins. Marcus Foligno (lower body) is ready to make his first appearance of the month and will take Johansson's spot in the lineup. Meanwhile, Yakov Trenin is expected to move to the second line. Minnesota's offense has a challenging matchup on Tuesday, as Washington is among the NHL's best defensive teams, allowing 2.47 goals per game.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 16, 2025
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Artyom Levshunov will be scratched for Tuesday's contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs after he was late for Monday's practice. His absence will leave a big hole on Chicago's blue line, as Levshunov's role within the team has grown throughout the season. He has become the Blackhawks' highest scoring defenseman with 14 points (one goal, 13 assists) in 31 games and has averaged nearly 20 minutes of ice time this month. Levshunov ranks in the top five on the team for both blocks (32) and hits (30). Ethan Del Mastro, who was recalled from the AHL, will replace Levshunov in the lineup, while Wyatt Kaiser will join the second power-play unit.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 16, 2025
The San Francisco Giants announced on Tuesday that they agreed to terms with free-agent right-handed reliever
Jason Foley (shoulder) on an undisclosed one-year major-league deal. Foley had arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder and didn't appear at all in the big leagues in 2025 as a result. The 30-year-old veteran comes to San Francisco with a career 3.16 ERA (3.22 FIP), 1.24 WHIP, 35 saves, 150 strikeouts, and 51 walks in 199 2/3 innings over 210 appearances out of the bullpen for the Detroit Tigers in four seasons. Foley won't be on the fantasy radar at all next year, especially since he's not expected to be ready to pitch for the Giants until around the All-Star break in mid-July. He'll be under team control through the 2028 season, though. In his last season in Detroit in 2024, Foley had a 3.15 ERA and 1.18 WHIP with a career-high 28 saves in 69 outings.
--Keith HernandezSource: San Francisco Giants
December 16, 2025
New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal (undisclosed) is a game-time decision on Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings. The Islanders may be without their top two centermen for the contest, as Bo Horvat (lower body) will remain out for a second straight game. Barzal has entered the new week of action with a four-game point streak. He leads the Islanders with 16 assists, adding nine goals in 32 appearances. Due to the team's injury situation, Jonathan Drouin may slot in at center on Tuesday night, while Calum Ritchie and Jean-Gabriel Pageau are likely to see increased usage.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 16, 2025
Free-agent left-handed reliever
Caleb Ferguson agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal with the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, pending a physical, a source told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Ferguson brings much more real-life value to Cincinnati's bullpen for the 2026 season than he carries fantasy appeal. The 29-year-old southpaw appeared in a career-high 70 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Seattle Mariners last season over 65 1/3 innings pitched. He had a combined 3.58 ERA (3.26 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with 51 strikeouts and 22 walks. Ferguson's strikeout rate dropped to a career-low 18.9% in 2025, but he held left-handed hitters to a weak .184/.261/.204 slash line on the year. He'll continue to be a lefty specialist in 2026 for the Reds and won't carry any real fantasy appeal.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
December 16, 2025
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (lower body) will return from a four-game absence on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Woll has battled health issues all season, making only eight starts. He has done well when in the lineup, posting a 4-3-1 record with a 2.44 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage. On Tuesday, Woll will attempt to record his fourth three-game winning streak of the calendar year. It's a good matchup for him, as the Blackhawks are without Connor Bedard (upper body) and average only 2.84 goals per game.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 16, 2025
Free-agent right-hander
Adrian Houser and the San Francisco Giants agreed on a two-year, $22 million deal on Tuesday that includes a club option for a third season, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. In addition to Houser, the Gigantes also added right-handed reliever
Jason Foley on Tuesday to help shore up their pitching staff. Houser, 32, looked much better this past season, going 8-5 with a 3.31 ERA (3.81 FIP) and 1.28 WHIP with 92 strikeouts and 38 walks in 125 innings over 21 starts with the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays. He was much better in Chicago, posting a nice 2.10 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 47:22 K:BB ratio in his 11 starts. Houser showed better velocity than he did in a rough 2024 season with the New York Mets, in which he had a career-worst 5.84 ERA, but he still had a weak 17.8% strikeout rate. The landing spot in SF is nice, but Houser brings limited fantasy upside with his 18.4% career K rate.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
December 16, 2025
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson (upper body) won't play in Tuesday's contest against the Philadelphia Flyers and is considered day-to-day. Matheson will miss his first game of the season. He has been a two-way force for the Canadiens, posting 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 32 appearances and blocking 69 shots from the opposition. Arber Xhekaj will replace Matheson in the lineup, while the entire blue line can expect to see a larger workload, as Matheson leads Montreal's skaters in ice time with 24:54 per game. Matheson's first chance to return will be on Thursday against the Chicago Blackhawks.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 16, 2025
The Arizona Cardinals announced on Tuesday that they placed wide receiver
Andre Baccellia (neck) on Injured Reserve, ending his season, according to Zach Gershman of AZCardinals.com. Baccellia was carted off the field and sent to a local hospital after a scary collision on a kickoff return in Sunday's loss to the Houston Texans. The 28-year-old was released from the hospital and flew back with the team, but he won't play in the final three weeks of the season. The depth of Arizona's receiving corps has been tested with injuries to Baccellia,
Zay Jones,
Simi Fehoko,
Marvin Harrison Jr.,
Greg Dortch, and
Xavier Weaver, leaving
Michael Wilson as the only healthy wideout on the 53-man roster. If Harrison misses another game with a heel injury in Week 16 against the Falcons,
Jalen Brooks could be Arizona's WR2 behind Wilson.
--Keith HernandezSource: AZCardinals.com - Zach Gershman
December 16, 2025
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (triceps) will be in the lineup for the first time this season on Tuesday night against the Montreal Canadiens. He underwent surgery to repair a ruptured right triceps tendon in March. Ristolainen is projected to skate with Nick Seeler on the third defensive pairing. While Ristolainen was a 40-point scorer with the Buffalo Sabres early in his career, fantasy managers have received modest value from him during his time in Philadelphia. Last season, he registered 19 points (four goals, 15 assists), 100 shots, 94 blocks, and 97 hits in 63 outings while averaging 20:31 of ice time. Given his lengthy injury absence, Ristolainen's workload may be limited on Tuesday night.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 16, 2025
The Houston Texans signed second-year running back
Jawhar Jordan from their practice squad to the active 53-man roster on Tuesday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Jordan, a sixth-round selection in 2024 out of Louisville, made his NFL debut in Sunday's blowout win over the Arizona Cardinals after rookie
Woody Marks left with an ankle injury. Veteran
Nick Chubb (ribs) was inactive, so the Texans were down to Jordan and
Dare Ogunbowale. Jordan ended up leading Houston with 15 carries for 101 yards (6.7 yards per tote) while catching both of his targets for 17 yards. He played seven more snaps than Ogunbowale and will likely operate as the Texans' lead back for a plus matchup in Week 16 against the Las Vegas Raiders if neither Marks nor Chubb is cleared to play. The 26-year-old deserves serious waiver-wire consideration this week.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
December 16, 2025
New England Patriots wide receiver
DeMario Douglas continued to disappoint coming out of the team's Week 14 bye, playing only 19% of the offensive snaps while not being targeted at all in the passing game for the second time this year in the 35-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The only action that Douglas saw on offense was one rushing attempt that went for five yards. The 25-year-old pass-catcher's 10 snaps were his second-fewest on the season. Douglas continues to take a back seat in the WR room to
Stefon Diggs,
Mack Hollins, and
Kayshon Boutte, making him very hard to trust for fantasy football purposes, especially in the fantasy playoffs. The former sixth-rounder in 2023 out of Liberty hasn't topped three catches or 37 receiving yards since his only 100-yard performance of the year on Nov. 2 against the Falcons.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 16, 2025
The Arizona Cardinals announced on Tuesday that they placed running back
Bam Knight (ankle) on Injured Reserve, which will end his season. Knight was carted off the field in Sunday's loss to the Houston Texans and is nursing a "bad sprain." The 24-year-old took over lead-back duties after both
James Conner (foot) and
Trey Benson (knee) suffered injuries earlier this season. He hasn't been very efficient (3.3 yards per carry) on a team-high 82 rushing attempts this year, but he currently leads the Cardinals with 269 rushing yards while also scoring four touchdowns on the ground. In the final three weeks of the season, fantasy managers should expect
Michael Carter to take over on early downs for the Cardinals, with
Emari Demercado serving in the pass-catching role in a pass-happy offense. Knight can safely be dropped in redraft leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Arizona Cardinals
December 16, 2025
Kansas State wide receiver Jayce Brown is expected to enter the transfer portal, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel. Brown caught 41 passes for 712 yards (team-high) and five touchdowns in 2025, adding seven carries for 116 yards and one score. The Florida native earned third-team All-Big 12 honors in his junior season. In 33 career games with K-State, Brown tallied 115 receptions for 1,972 yards and 14 touchdowns. It appears he will not stick around under new head coach Collin Klein, who was previously the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M. This leaves Kansas State with big shoes to fill in its wide receiver room, while Brown should be an attractive target to several programs in need of proven pass-catching talent.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Pete Thamel - ESPN
December 16, 2025
Buffalo Bills running back
Ray Davis wasn't involved much on offense in the team's come-from-behind victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday, but he still made his presence felt on special teams, returning four kickoffs for a total of 164 yards. The 26-year-old former fourth-round selection caught his lone target in the passing game for a gain of 13 yards. He did not have a rushing attempt. Davis took over the team's primary kick-return duties in Week 9, and since then, he hasn't had much of a role on offense behind Cook and
Ty Johnson. Still, he's worth stashing for insurance at the RB position in deeper leagues, as he'd likely be sharing backfield touches with Johnson if anything were to happen to Cook in the final three weeks of 2025. Davis leads the NFL with 32.4 yards per kick return. On offense, he hasn't had a carry since seeing a season-high nine rushing attempts in Week 13 versus the Steelers.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 16, 2025
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver
Jordan Whittington (back) could be worth a look on the waiver wire this week in deeper fantasy football formats, with
Davante Adams (hamstring) up in the air to play on a short week this Thursday night against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks. Whittington also found himself on the Week 16 injury report, though, and was listed as limited during the team's walkthrough practice on Monday. The 25-year-old played a season-low four offensive snaps in Sunday's win over the Detroit Lions, but that could have been due to his back injury. Whittington was targeted only once and failed to haul it in. He is probably a long shot for production this week against a tough Seattle defense, even if Adams is inactive, but he should be in on starting three-wide sets if he's on the field. Hurting Whittington's chances to make an impact is the fact that
Tutu Atwell returned from IR last week.
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Daily News - Adam Grosbard
December 16, 2025
North Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker is expected to enter the transfer portal, according to On3Sports. The Texas native broke out in 2025 as a redshirt freshman, completing over 70% of his passes for 4,129 yards, 31 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also rushed for five more scores. The 19-year-old led the FBS in passing yards, and North Texas led the country in both total offense (504.3) and scoring offense (40.8). Former Mean Green head coach Eric Morris left for Oklahoma State, so the Cowboys could be his top suitor as he enters the open market. Mestemaker joins a crowded group of talented QBs in this year's transfer portal, but he's the most productive player to announce his intention to transfer thus far.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: On3 on X
December 16, 2025
Buffalo Bills tight end
Dawson Knox has come alive the last two weeks, catching nine of his 11 targets for 130 yards and two touchdowns in two high-scoring, come-from-behind wins over the Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots. Perhaps even more surprising has been the fact that Knox has put up those numbers with
Dalton Kincaid also on the field. Knox didn't exactly take advantage of a window where Kincaid missed some time due to a hamstring injury, but he's come alive the last two weeks and now has at least three catches in four straight games. The big question is, will the 29-year-old be able to stay on this path through the rest of the 2025 season? Knox has stepped up with receiver
Keon Coleman continuing to disappoint, but as long as Kincaid stays healthy, he will likely continue to be a low-end, touchdown-dependent TE2 for fantasy managers heading into a Week 16 contest against the Browns.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 16, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie wide receiver
Tez Johnson was forced into meaningful snaps in his first year in the NFL this year due to injuries to
Mike Evans,
Chris Godwin Jr., and
Jalen McMillan. In a five-game stretch from Oct. 5 to Nov. 9, Johnson was on the fantasy football map with 18 receptions on 27 targets for 247 yards and four touchdown catches. In five games since then, though, as the Buccaneers' receiving corps has inched closer to full health, Johnson has caught just five of 10 targets for 32 yards and one touchdown. Evans, Godwin, and McMillan have all returned from their injuries, leaving the seventh-rounder out of Oregon near the bottom of the WR depth chart to close out the season. Johnson has not caught a pass in the last two games on just one target, and he has just one catch for five yards in the last three games. The 23-year-old played 15 snaps in last Thursday's loss to Atlanta, his lowest snap count since his Week 1 debut.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 16, 2025
After having another injury setback recently with his hamstring, Green Bay Packers running back
MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring, calf) is unlikely to come off Injured Reserve and play this year, according to Ryan Wood of USA Today Sports. "I'm not going to say no, but I think you can use deductive reasoning on that one," head coach Matt LaFleur said when asked if Lloyd can return this year. "It's very, very, very unfortunate, because this guy has worked his ass off." The 24-year-old second-year RB suffered a hamstring injury in the preseason and then injured his calf while rehabbing, forcing him to IR before the start of the 2025 campaign. The Packers opened Lloyd's 21-day practice window at the beginning of December, but a recent setback with his balky hamstring has put an end to hopes that he'd be an asset for the Packers late in the year. He has played in just one career game for the Packers in two seasons, and his future in the league is in doubt going into Year 3.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA Today Sports - Ryan Wood
December 16, 2025
Green Bay Packers running back
Josh Jacobs (knee) took another big hit in Sunday's loss to the Denver Broncos, and if the team were practicing on Tuesday, he would not be on the field, according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky. Jacobs went into Sunday's game in Denver with a questionable tag, but he ended up suiting up while scoring two touchdowns, including just the second receiving score of his career. The 27-year-old had 12 carries for 73 yards and a TD on the ground, adding two receptions on three targets for 19 yards and a second score. Jacobs only played 55% of the offensive snaps, but he was still effective, busting a 40-yard touchdown run while also catching a 14-yard pass for an impressive TD in the back of the end zone. Fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if he misses more practice time this week, but he should be active for another big divisional contest against the Bears this Sunday, where he'll be a must-start fantasy RB. Jacobs had 20 carries for 86 yards and a TD in the win over Chicago two weeks ago.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Rob Demovsky
December 16, 2025
Despite being eliminated from the playoffs for a third straight season in Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the Cincinnati Bengals are unlikely to fire head coach Zac Taylor right now, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. Dehner also doesn't expect the Bengals to cut ties with director of player personnel Duke Tobin, who is viewed as family in the organization. "There is zero thought that his job is in jeopardy." Taylor signed a five-year extension with Cincy following the Super Bowl season and then signed another five-year extension after reaching the AFC Championship Game in 2022, so he has two years remaining on his deal. Additionally, quarterback
Joe Burrow continues to speak openly in support of the coaching staff. They've had a top-10 offense over the last four seasons under the offensive-minded Taylor.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Paul Dehner Jr.
December 16, 2025
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel labeled safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (calf) as "week-to-week" after he was injured in Monday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to Travis Wingfield of MiamiDolphins.com. The Dolphins were eliminated from playoff contention with their loss in Week 15, but Fitzpatrick could be back in the final three weeks. The 29-year-old star safety probably won't play in Week 16 against the Cincinnati Bengals, but he could be back for Week 17 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or in the Week 18 regular-season finale versus the division-rival New England Patriots. Fitzpatrick continues to be an asset for fantasy managers in IDP leagues, as he ranks as the No. 12 defensive back in 2025 with 59 total tackles, one sack, six pass breakups, an interception, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries in 14 games played.
--Keith HernandezSource: MiamiDolphins.com - Travis Wingfield
December 16, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver
Sterling Shepard was active for the team's Week 15 Thursday night loss to the Falcons, but he did not log a single snap. With
Mike Evans and
Jalen McMillan both available, Shepard failed to get off the sidelines for the first time this season. Already finding himself pushed down the depth chart in recent weeks, Shepard had topped 25 receiving yards only once in his last seven games before Thursday night's blanking, while being held to single digits in three of those contests. The return to health of Evans and McMillan has now made him a non-factor for fantasy purposes, and the 32-year-old can be comfortably dropped in all league formats.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
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