December 19, 2025
Philadelphia Eagles running back
Saquon Barkley has now scored touchdowns in consecutive games for the first time since the first two weeks of the season. Barkley's 22 carries were also his most attempts in a game since Week 11. The star RB was able to capitalize on the favorable matchup against the Raiders, and will look to do the same in his upcoming meeting with the Commanders. Washington's defense allows 136.3 rushing yards per game-fifth-most in the league-and has let up 14 rushing touchdowns-good for 12th-most in the NFL. It's also encouraging that Barkley had his most red zone rushing attempts in a game this season last week, getting the ball 10 times inside the 20 against Las Vegas. He's had a general uptick in touches and has returned to his scoring ways, so there's no doubt he's a solid RB1 this week.
--Ricky Maloney - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
December 19, 2025
Atlanta Falcons running back
Bijan Robinson is coming off a productive performance in Week 15's 29-28 win over the Buccaneers, tallying 92 yards and a touchdown on the ground with an additional 82 yards gained through the air. After scoring just two touchdowns via rush through the season's first nine games (and two via pass), the 23-year-old has four rushing scores in the last five games, which is a welcome turn of events after
Tyler Allgeier seemed to be eating into his goal-line opportunities. Allgeier was limited to just two rushes last week, his fewest touches since Week 9. Sunday's road matchup against the Cardinals is a favorable one for the Atlanta backfield, with Arizona yielding the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season, including letting the Texans'
Jawhar Jordan gain 101 yards on the ground in his first career game last week. Robinson projects as one of the top options at running back this week, with the likely return of
Drake London (knee) elevating the offense as a whole.
--Jarod RuppSource: ESPN
December 19, 2025
Memphis Grizzlies point guard
Ja Morant (ankle) won't be available on Saturday against the Washington Wizards. He is nursing a left ankle sprain and will miss a second straight contest.
Vince Williams Jr. (knee) also won't play on Saturday, leaving Memphis without two important backcourt pieces. Luckily for the team,
Cam Spencer (personal) will be available and could produce fireworks against a leaky Wizards defense. In his last outing against the Los Angeles Clippers, Spencer set a new career high with 27 points, sinking seven of 10 attempts from three-point range.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 19, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver
Keenan Allen has failed to make much of an impact in recent weeks. Allen has been held to 40 receiving yards or less in four of his last five games. The veteran wideout has been unable to do much with his opportunities over the last month or two. The 33-year-old only played 42 percent of the offensive snaps during last week's win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chargers were without
Quentin Johnston (groin) last week, and Allen still only finished with five receptions for 36 yards. Allen isn't a focal point of this offense right now. He does have a plus-matchup against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 16. Even with a favorable matchup, Allen isn't anything more than a low-end FLEX option given his struggles.
--Andy WebbSource: Pro Football Reference
December 19, 2025
The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired second baseman
Brandon Lowe, left-hander
Mason Montgomery, and outfielder
Jake Mangum. In return, the Tampa Bay Rays received right-hander Anderson Brito and outfielder
Jacob Melton. The Houston Astros acquired right-hander
Mike Burrows. Lowe will give the Pirates some much-needed pop in their lineup. The 31-year-old hit 31 home runs last year with a .256/.307/.477 slashine, good for a 114 wRC+. Montgomery projects as a serviceable middle reliever with nasty stuff, while Mangum should immediately rank among the Pirates' better defensive outfielders. The Rays add more upper-level prospect depth to their farm system in Brito and Melton. Meanwhile, the Astros acquire an up-and-coming right-hander in Burrows, who has less than a year of service time and still has an option remaining.
--Marty TallmanSource: Chandler Rome and Ken Rosenthal
December 19, 2025
Toronto Raptors guard/forward
RJ Barrett (knee) will be sidelined for a 12th consecutive game on Saturday against the Boston Celtics. Following a long absence due to a right knee sprain, Barrett began ramping up activities this week, but it looks like his return to the lineup won't come during the team's upcoming back-to-back set. Toronto wraps up the week on Sunday against the Brooklyn Nets. Several players have received increased opportunities during Barrett's absence, including
Ochai Agbaji, who has made three consecutive starts. In these games, Agbaji has managed to score only 18 total points and grab 10 rebounds, making him a non-factor in fantasy basketball.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
December 19, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers running back
Kimani Vidal led the backfield, playing 63% of snaps and handling 100% of the two-minute offense last week against the Kansas City Chiefs. While he struggled with efficiency, averaging just 2.8 yards per carry, he remains the team's primary receiving and pass-blocking option. This week, Vidal faces a Dallas Cowboys defense that has allowed 19 rushing touchdowns, tied for second-most in the NFL. Unfortunately, Dallas defensive end Quinnen Williams (concussion) is off the injury report and will look to shut down lanes for the run-heavy Chargers. Rookie
Omarion Hampton's efficiency continues to threaten Vidal's effectiveness on early downs, limiting his upside. Fantasy managers should view Vidal as a low-end RB3 who needs to secure red-zone touches or PPR volume to be a reliable starter. He is a risky FLEX play this week.
--Don FanelliSource: RotoBaller
December 19, 2025
Chicago Bears running back
Kyle Monangai has struggled to produce in back-to-back weeks and has become hard to trust as a starting option. Monangai has totaled 26 attempts for 90 yards and no touchdowns in the last two weeks, while starter D'Andre Swift has succeeded in both games. However, the RB by committee in Chicago has been electric this season. The Bears' rushing attack has been elite, ranking second in the NFL in rushing yardage, trailing only the Buffalo Bills. Swift has played 57% of the snaps, while the rookie has played only 42%. They face the Green Bay Packers in Week 16, who have given up the sixth-fewest fantasy points to running backs this season. If Swift is active in Week 16, Monangai is a low-end RB3 in Week 16.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
December 19, 2025
Toronto Raptors center
Jakob Poeltl (back) is listed as questionable for Saturday's Eastern Conference matchup against the Boston Celtics. Poeltl has been bothered by a lower back problem all season, mostly sitting out games during back-to-back situations. However, even after several rest days, he wasn't in the lineup on Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks. Saturday marks the start of another back-to-back for Toronto, so at least one absence is coming again for Poeltl this weekend.
Sandro Mamukelashvili started at center on Thursday and did well, contributing 18 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and one steal during an 111-105 win.
Collin Murray-Boyles also plays more when Poeltl is absent.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
December 19, 2025
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback
Jalen Hurts threw for three touchdowns in a game for the first time since Week 8 in his most recent outing against the Raiders, and his 39 rushing yards were his most since Week 4. As fantasy playoffs continue, Hurts has another exciting matchup with the Commanders coming up on Saturday. Washington allows the fourth-most passing yards per game this season (246.3) and is tied for the third-most passing touchdowns given up (28). This contest has a very similar feeling to the Raiders game-one that the Eagles should win with ease and could quite possibly put up more than 30 points in. And if this offense moves the ball like they did against Las Vegas, Hurts is in for another big day. He's a high-end QB1 in Week 16.
--Ricky Maloney - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
December 19, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers running back
Omarion Hampton is beginning to assert himself in the backfield, leading the team with 15 carries and 54% of the rushing attempts last week. Even though
Kimani Vidal ran the majority of routes and handled 100% of the two-minute offense, Hampton looked more explosive, averaging 4.1 yards per carry compared to Vidal's 2.8 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Week 16 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys is promising, as Dallas is tied for second in rushing touchdowns allowed. However, star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (concussion) is off the injury report and is expected to play, adding an extra challenge for the backfield. As Hampton moves further away from his IR stint, his role in this run-heavy scheme could grow. RotoBaller projects him as the RB23 this week. He is a high-upside RB2 who could deliver a big performance if he maintains the lead in carries.
--Don FanelliSource: RotoBaller
December 19, 2025
Portland Trail Blazers forward
Jerami Grant (Achilles) could miss his second game of the season on Saturday against the Sacramento Kings, as the team has listed him as questionable on the injury report. The veteran, who has totaled 55 points across the last two games, is dealing with a sore left Achilles tendon. After opening the season as a member of the second unit, Grant has started regularly over the last month. The 31-year-old has notched 21.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists as a starter. If Grant can't play on Saturday, the Trail Blazers will likely bring
Kris Murray or
Sidy Cissoko into the first unit. With that said, fantasy managers shouldn't rush to grab them, as the two haven't been productive enough in previous starts.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
December 19, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs running back
Isiah Pacheco played his highest snap count since returning from injury in Week 15. He led the Chiefs in carries last week but was inefficient, totaling just 21 yards on 11 carries. With quarterback
Patrick Mahomes done for the season with a torn ACL, the Chiefs' offense could struggle, making it even more difficult for Pacheco to be a consistent fantasy starter. The Chiefs rank 15th in scoring offense with the two-time MVP as their quarterback. Now, they switch to
Gardner Minshew, which is a clear downgrade from Mahomes. While an easy matchup against the Tennessee Titans could catapult Pacheco to FLEX territory, he's still tough to trust with
Kareem Hunt in the picture and the Chiefs' offense likely to regress.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
December 19, 2025
Los Angeles Lakers center
Deandre Ayton (elbow) has been ruled out for a second consecutive game, missing Saturday's clash against the Los Angeles Clippers due to a sore left elbow. His absence will allow
Jaxson Hayes to make another start. Filling in for Ayton on Thursday against the Utah Jazz, Hayes posted 16 points in 22 minutes with three rebounds.
Maxi Kleber logged 19 minutes as the backup center, finishing with five points, two rebounds, one assist, and one block. The Lakers' frontcourt could also be without
Rui Hachimura (groin) on Saturday, opening up even more minutes for the rest of the group.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
December 19, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback
Justin Herbert enters Week 16, more than two weeks removed from successful hand surgery, and was a full participant in practice all week. While the Chargers' offense has recently shifted to a low-ADOT, run-heavy approach due to a decimated offensive line that has surrendered 27 sacks in six games, the matchup against the Dallas Cowboys is a significant get-right opportunity. Dallas ranks 30th in EPA/Pass and has allowed the most passing yards and touchdowns in the league this season. With Trey Pipkins (ankle) questionable but potentially returning to stabilize the league's worst PFF-graded unit, Herbert should have more time against a Dallas defense that is just 25th in sack percentage. Despite the team's recent conservative nature, Herbert remains a high-upside play against a defense allowing elite production to opposing signal-callers. He is a low-end QB1 this week.
--Don FanelliSource: RotoBaller
December 19, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs running back
Kareem Hunt had his worst game of the season in Week 15, where he totaled 20 yards on seven attempts against the Los Angeles Chargers. Hunt was on a hot streak before last week, where he had a touchdown in five of his previous six games. The veteran running back played 49% of the snaps in Week 15, while
Isiah Pacheco played 46%, which is his highest mark since injuring his knee in Week 8. While Hunt remains the lead back heading into Week 16, the injury to quarterback
Patrick Mahomes may deteriorate his fantasy value moving forward. With Mahomes out, the Chiefs will likely struggle to move the ball, which will limit Hunt's goal-line attempts that have propelled his fantasy stock this season. Despite the easy matchup against the Tennessee Titans, Hunt is a risky FLEX at best in Week 16.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
December 19, 2025
Utah Jazz forward
Lauri Markkanen (groin) is considered doubtful for Saturday's matchup against the Orlando Magic. The 2023 All-Star is poised to miss a second straight game with a groin problem.
Kyle Filipowski is set to maintain a starting role if Markkanen doesn't play, offering double-double upside for fantasy managers. At the same time,
Keyonte George, who notched 34 points in Thursday's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, will be the main man on the offensive end.
Isaiah Collier and
Ace Bailey also had additional offensive touches on Thursday night.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
December 19, 2025
Dallas Mavericks guard/forward
Klay Thompson (knee) may miss Saturday night's action against the Philadelphia 76ers, as the team has listed him as questionable on the injury report. The veteran sniper could be sidelined for the third time this season due to a sore left knee. Thompson's fantasy stock has plummeted this season, with Dallas mainly using him off the bench. He is averaging 10.8 points in 21.7 minutes, shooting below 40 percent from the field for the first time in his career. Thompson's absence on Saturday would result in additional playing time for
Max Christie,
Naji Marshall, and
D'Angelo Russell.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
December 19, 2025
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver
Alec Pierce caught his only target for 16 yards in the 18-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Last week marked the first game Pierce has played without
Daniel Jones, who tore his Achilles in Week 14. His connection with Jones was exceptional, as Pierce was having the best season of his career before the injury. Now, 44-year-old
Philip Rivers is the starting quarterback for the Colts, and his showing against the Seahawks didn't offer any relief for Pierce and his fantasy outlook. Rivers averaged 4.4 yards per attempt and only had two completions over 10 yards last week. Not ideal for Pierce, who currently leads the NFL in yards per completion this season. The fourth-year receiver is better left on the bench than in starting lineups this week, as he looks to overcome the lack of deep-passing ability that Rivers has.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
December 19, 2025
Across 14 games this season, Detroit Lions quarterback
Jared Goff has completed 69.3% of his passes for 3,672 yards, 29 touchdowns, and five interceptions. The 31-year-old has thrown for at least 255 yards in seven straight games and has topped 300 passing yards in each of his last two contests. With the Lions' defense struggling, Goff has been forced into more pass-heavy game scripts in the second half of the season. After attempting more than 29 passes in just one of Detroit's first seven games, he's thrown fewer than 33 passes in the team's last seven games. Goff and the Lions have a favorable matchup on paper in Week 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Entering Sunday, Pittsburgh ranks 29th in the NFL in passing yards allowed (3,649). The Steelers' pass rush also looks a little less fearsome this week, as star edge rusher T.J. Watt (lung) will miss a second straight game while recovering from surgery to repair a collapsed lung. Given his recent pass volume trends and the opponent, Goff profiles as a low-end fantasy QB1 in Week 16.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
December 19, 2025
Dallas Mavericks forward/center
Anthony Davis (illness) is listed as probable for Saturday's encounter with the Philadelphia 76ers. The star big man has been battling an illness this week. He had 15 points and 14 rebounds while dealing with the issue on Thursday night against the Detroit Pistons. It was a tough matchup for Davis against
Jalen Duren, and things may not be easy for him on Saturday either if
Joel Embiid (illness) suits up. The former MVP has also come down with an illness, sitting out Friday's game against the New York Knicks.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
December 19, 2025
Los Angeles Clippers guard
James Harden (calf) will be available for Saturday's Battle of Los Angeles against the Lakers, Law Murray of The Athletic reports. The veteran superstar sat out Thursday's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder due to a left calf contusion. Harden has been fairly quiet this month and settled for only 13 points and six assists in his last outing against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Bogdan Bogdanovic will likely return to the bench on Saturday night and won't have a significant offensive role.
--Taavi PailkSource: Law Murray
December 19, 2025
Despite a strong showing in Week 15, Washington Commanders rookie running back
Jacory Croskey-Merritt appears to be heading back to his reserve role in Week 16. Chris Rodirguez Jr. was sidelined last week against the New York Giants, and Croskey-Merritt took advantage, totaling 96 yards on 18 carries. Unfortunately for the 2025 seven-round pick, Rodriguez is off the injury report and good to go for Week 16 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Since Week 11, Rodriguez has played 44% of the snaps, while Croskey-Merritt has played 20%. While a strong showing in Week 15 could close the gap between the two, both backs are extremely risky against the Eagles.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
December 19, 2025
Miami Dolphins running back
Jaylen Wright followed up his explosive campaign with a dud in Week 15, totaling only two rushing yards on one carry against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wright totaled 107 yards on 24 carries against the New York Jets in Week 14, but was phased back to his reserve role with De'Von Achane playing through his rib injury. Wright dropped from a 52% snap share to an 8% snap share last week. Wright appears to be the direct handcuff to Achane, and with two weeks left in the fantasy season, it's hard to fathom that Wright will be fantasy relevant for the remainder of the 2025 season. While he faces the worst run defense in the NFL in the Cincinnati Bengals, he doesn't carry enough volume to be worth rostering.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
December 19, 2025
Sacramento Kings forward/center
Domantas Sabonis (knee) will be re-evaluated in 4-5 weeks, James Ham of ESPN reports. The Lithuanian star has already missed five weeks due to a partially torn meniscus in his left knee. Sacramento is currently also without
Drew Eubanks (thumb), which has given a massive boost to
Maxime Raynaud's fantasy value. The French rookie had a career night on Thursday against the Portland Trail Blazers, putting up 29 points and securing his second double-double of the season with 11 rebounds. Raynaud will try to replicate the effort on Saturday night in a rematch against Portland.
--Taavi PailkSource: James Ham
December 19, 2025
Minnesota Timberwolves guard
Anthony Edwards (foot) will be back in the lineup on Friday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, NBA insider Marc Stein reports. Edwards has missed three games while managing a right foot injury. The Timberwolves superstar reportedly won't have a minutes restriction on Friday, so fantasy managers can expect something big from Edwards in a head-to-head clash against reigning MVP
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. In his first meeting with the Thunder this season, Edwards tallied 31 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.
--Taavi PailkSource: Marc Stein
December 19, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end
Cade Otton was inactive last week, but has been a full participant this week in practice and is ready to go in Week 16. Otton has yet to find the endzone this season despite being 14th among tight ends in targets, but now, targets will be hard to come by. For the first time in the 2025 season, both
Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were active, and that makes it nearly impossible for Otton to be a consistent piece moving forward. Evans, Godwin, rookie receiver
Emeka Egbuka, and
Jalen McMillan handled 93% of the passing production in Week 15, and with one of the best receiving rooms in the NFL getting healthier, Otton will be a low-end option moving forward.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
December 19, 2025
Baltimore Ravens tight end
Mark Andrews has regressed heavily in the 2025 season and has completely fallen apart in recent weeks. Since Week 12, Andrews has caught eight of 17 targets for 83 yards and no touchdowns, which ranks 41st among tight ends during that span. Andrews signed a three-year $39.3 million contract extension on December 3rd, but only played 43% of the snaps in Week 15, behind both
Isaiah Likely (54%) and
Charlie Kolar (57%). A limited snap share is not the only reason why the veteran has struggled, but also due to the struggling Ravens' passing attack. The Ravens rank 27th in the NFL in passing this season, a significant drop from their 2024 ranking, where they finished seventh in passing. With his limited snap share and the Ravens' struggles on offense, Andrews is a risky TE2 in Week 16.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
December 19, 2025
Miami Dolphins running back
Jaylen Wright had a monster game against the Jets in Week 14, running for 107 rushing yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. In Week 15, though, he only had one carry for two yards and one reception for nine yards. Wright didn't get more work, even with
Ollie Gordon II (ankle) out of the game, so it's hard to see him getting much work in Week 16 with Gordon healthy. Gordon and Wright will back up
De'Von Achane, and Achane will be in a smash spot against the Bengals as an elite start. Even after his big game, it looks like Wright is back to his part-time backup role, and even in this good matchup against the Bengals, he's only the RB No. 66 in RotoBaller's rankings, making him best left on the waiver wire in all but the deepest leagues
--Zach ThompsonSource: NFL.com
December 19, 2025
Indianapolis Colts tight end
Tyler Warren has struggled mightily in recent weeks and may not be trustworthy moving forward. In the last two weeks, Warren has caught only five passes for 34 yards, and this is likely due to the unfortunate injury to quarterback
Daniel Jones. With Jones in the lineup, Warren averaged 13.1 fantasy points per game, which ranks as the TE4 during that span. While Warren has been a monster at the tight end position this season, fantasy managers need to pivot with fantasy championships on the line. 44-year-old quarterback
Philip Rivers is now the starting quarterback, and running backs were heavily utilized in the passing game, with
Jonathan Taylor and
Ameer Abdullah taking eight of the 18 total completions last week against the Seahawks. With a run-heavy system and a crowded receiving corps in Indianapolis, Warren is a risky TE2 in Week 16 against the San Francisco 49ers.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
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