December 9, 2025
Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback
Riley Leonard (knee) has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 PCL sprain, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Leonard was forced into action in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars after Colts QB1
Daniel Jones (Achilles) suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon. Leonard completed 18 of 29 pass attempts for 145 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception against Jacksonville. With Leonard's status in doubt, Jones sidelined, and quarterback Anthony Richardson (eye) on Injured Reserve, the Colts are bringing 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers in for a workout on Tuesday. Journeyman signal-caller
Brett Rypien would be the only competition for Rivers if the Colts bring him out of retirement and Leonard is not healthy enough to play. While Leonard would likely be the team's preferred option, this knee injury may force Indianapolis to resort to desperate measures.
--Will BradySource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
December 9, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals running back
Samaje Perine has had a meaningful role in the offense over the past two weeks, playing 38.5% of the snaps while handling 20 carries for 70 yards with three receptions (three targets) for 20 yards. However, he's been firmly behind starter
Chase Brown, who has played 62.9% of the snaps with 27 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown while adding 10 catches for 47 yards and another touchdown on 11 targets. Perine is a trusted veteran in pass protection and has familiarity with the Bengals offense, so he should maintain a healthy role behind Brown. His usage would tick up if Brown were to miss time, but his current value is just limited to deeper formats as a handcuff.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Pro Football Reference
December 9, 2025
Across 13 games this season, San Francisco 49ers running back
Brian Robinson Jr. has recorded 72 carries for 328 yards and two touchdowns. While Robinson Jr. has been efficient with his touches, the 26-year-old has not recorded more than nine carries or 53 rushing yards in any game. As long as star 49ers running back
Christian McCaffrey remains healthy, Robinson Jr. will stay in a supporting role. However, if McCaffrey were to suffer an injury, Robinson Jr. would immediately vault into being a must-start fantasy running back. As the fantasy season winds to a close, Robinson Jr.'s lack of standalone value is less important. In all leagues with 12 or more teams, Robinson Jr. should be a waiver wire target heading into his Week 15 matchup against the Tennessee Titans.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
December 9, 2025
Baltimore Ravens running back
Keaton Mitchell (knee) left Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a knee injury, but his MRI results came back clean, and his knee injury is considered minor, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports. It's positive news for the speedy running back, and it seems he will avoid missing any time. Mitchell was in the midst of his best game of the season before leaving on Sunday, posting six carries for 76 yards, including a 55-yard rush. With
Justice Hill (neck) on Injured Reserve, the 23-year-old has seen his opportunities increase behind
Derrick Henry, though
Rasheen Ali continues to be used on passing downs as well. Mitchell remains one of the higher upside handcuff options in fantasy football and should be stashed on benches just in case.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Jeremy Fowler
December 9, 2025
Washington Commanders quarterback
Marcus Mariota has started six games in place of
Jayden Daniels this season and has mostly played very well. Mariota entered Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings after Daniels aggravated his previously dislocated left elbow after an interception in the third quarter. The veteran also couldn't get anything going for Washington's offense, as he threw an interception on his second pass of the game and later lost a fumble on a rushing attempt. There are plenty of questions around Daniels' availability for Week 15's divisional matchup against the New York Giants. Head coach Dan Quinn said on Monday that Daniels is "sore," but there aren't any long-term concerns, and his status will be monitored throughout the week. For what it's worth, Daniels was listed on the schedule for his weekly media availability on Wednesday, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. Mariota would immediately re-enter the conversation as a high-end QB2 in fantasy football if Daniels is ultimately unable to go this weekend.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Pro Football Reference
December 9, 2025
Carolina Panthers quarterback
Bryce Young had his most efficient game of the season before the bye against the Los Angeles Rams. He completed 15 of 20 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns while adding five carries for 23 yards as a runner in the upset win. Young will be looking to put together a consistent stretch of quality games, something he has struggled with this season and throughout his career. Notably, in the week after his career-high 448 passing yards in Week 11 against the Atlanta Falcons, he followed it up with two interceptions and only 169 passing yards against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. The 2023 No. 1 overall pick still sits as a low-end QB2 most weeks, and he has a tough matchup in Week 15 against a New Orleans Saints defense that hasn't allowed a 200-yard passer in four straight games.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Pro Football Reference
December 9, 2025
New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback
Tyler Shough rushed for two touchdowns in Sunday's 24-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and completed 13 of 20 passes for 144 yards with an interception while adding seven carries for 55 yards. It wasn't Shough's best day as a passer, but he made some big-time plays with his legs, including a 34-yard score in the third quarter, before adding a 13-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter to give the Saints the lead for good. The rookie second-rounder has shown real flashes in his five starts and firmly belongs in the QB2 discussion moving forward for fantasy football. In Week 15, the 26-year-old faces a Carolina Panthers team that he already beat back in Week 10, when he completed 19 of 27 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns. It may not be as easy the second time he faces them, but Shough is worth adding and starting in superflex formats.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Pro Football Reference
December 9, 2025
Minnesota Vikings quarterback
J.J. McCarthy led his team to a 31-0 rout of the Commanders in Week 14 in a triumphant return from injury. He threw for 163 yards and three touchdowns in the win while adding 19 rushing yards on six carries as well. McCarthy completed 16 of his 23 pass attempts in one of his best performances of the season. This week, he'll be in a tougher matchup on the road against the Cowboys, but even though Dallas's defense has shown potential, they're still giving up a lot of points. The Vikings have a favorable few weeks ahead, so McCarthy can be an interesting play if you need a second QB for the rest of the season. His rushing potential and good pass-catching weapons give him good upside, even though he has struggled to reach his high ceiling throughout his first year as the team's starter.
--Zach ThompsonSource: ESPN
December 9, 2025
New England Patriots running back
Rhamondre Stevenson missed three weeks with a toe injury, allowing rookie
TreVeyon Henderson to go off and become a fantasy star. Stevenson played two games before the team's bye week, though, and he still clearly has a significant role in the offense. In Week 13 against the Giants, he outsnapped Henderson 38-to-32, and he took 12 carries for 40 yards, while adding 40 more yards on three catches. Stevenson still seems to be the preferred short-yardage option, and he also showed he can be involved as a receiver. He'll be in about an even timeshare with Henderson coming back from the bye week in a solid matchup against the Bills. Both backs remain touchdown-dependent, but they have enough upside to be worth owning in all formats, since the Patriots have a fairly favorable schedule the rest of the season. While he doesn't have the home-run potential of Henderson, Stevenson is a nice waiver wire option if someone bailed on him too early in your league.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
December 9, 2025
New York Giants tight end
Theo Johnson will return from his team's bye week and look to continue his solid season, working as one of the top targets for
Jaxson Dart. Johnson has at least three catches in seven straight games and has totaled 42 catches for 456 yards and five touchdowns in his 13 games this season. He matched his season high with eight targets against the Patriots in his most recent game before the bye week, and he has established a solid rapport with Dart, which makes him one of the best widely available tight end plays in most leagues. Johnson hasn't hit 100 yards in any game yet, but he has posted at least 75 yards in two of his last four games, showing he has a good ceiling to go with his solid PPR floor. The Giants have a favorable schedule the rest of the season, starting this week with a home game against the struggling Commanders.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
December 9, 2025
Cleveland Browns wide receiver
Jerry Jeudy has proven he can have massive games in the past, and the first-round pick had one of his best games of the season in Week 14 against the Titans. He only had three catches but racked up 76 yards and a long touchdown from
Shedeur Sanders, who looked like a solid QB for the rest of the year. Sanders throws the deep ball well, and if he connects more often with Jeudy, the receiver could be a nice add for the fantasy football playoffs. Jeudy has shown a very high ceiling, and he may now have a QB who can connect with him to make big plays. His season-long numbers are still not very impressive, but he and Sanders are trending up coming into their matchup this week with the Bears, who have allowed the third-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season.
--Zach ThompsonSource: ESPN
December 9, 2025
Chicago Bears running back
Kyle Monangai is getting enough work to be a solid pickup from the waiver wire if you need running back help this week. Against the Packers in Week 14, Monangai played 29 snaps (41%) and finished with a team-high 14 carries for 57 yards while adding one catch for no yards as well. He didn't find the end zone this week, snapping a four-game scoring streak. He has gotten double-digit carries in four straight games and is splitting work just about evenly with starting running back
D'Andre Swift. Monangai and the Bears face a tough Browns defense this week, but
Tony Pollard just had a huge game against them last week, so there's still enough upside in playing Monangai that he should be owned in almost all formats as one of the top second running backs in the league.
--Zach ThompsonSource: ESPN
December 9, 2025
Free agent quarterback Philip Rivers visited the Colts on Monday night and "threw the ball well," according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Rivers turned 44 on Monday as well, and he hasn't played in the NFL since 2020, when he started 16 games for the Colts. On Sunday, the Colts lost
Daniel Jones (Achilles) for the season, and his backup
Riley Leonard (knee) is considered week-to-week after his knee injury, but coach Shane Steichen said "the hope" is that he'll still be able to play this week. If not, the injuries would leave
Brett Rypien as the only healthy QB on the team's roster. Rivers is being considered as a practice squad option at this point, but if Leonard is out, he could be the team's backup this week in Seattle. His comeback story would be a wild one if he returns from retirement, but he isn't much of a realistic fantasy option, despite the drama and potentially fascinating narrative.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Jeremy Fowler
December 9, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback
Justin Herbert battled through a broken left hand during Monday night's 22-19 overtime win over the Philadelphia Eagles. He completed 12 of 26 passes for 139 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and a lost fumble while adding 10 carries for a team-leading 66 yards on the ground. The star quarterback was under siege all night, finishing with a 68.3% pressure rate and a career-high seven sacks. It was the sixth-highest pressure rate in a game over the last 10 seasons, per Next Gen Stats. Herbert scrambled more than usual with the constant pressure and recorded his most rushing yards in a game this season. However, he struggled as a passer, and this game was just the third of his career with a completion percentage of 50% or below. Herbert will take some time this week to rest his hand and gear up for another tough matchup in a divisional clash with the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 15.
--Kyle McCarthySource: ESPN.com
December 9, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers running back
Kimani Vidal recorded 14 carries for 44 yards while adding one catch for a team-leading 60 receiving yards on three targets in Monday's overtime win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Vidal still narrowly led the Chargers in carries over rookie
Omarion Hampton, who handled 13 carries for 56 yards in his first game since Week 5. On the Chargers' first third down of the game, Vidal slipped out of the backfield for a checkdown from quarterback
Justin Herbert and burst down the sideline for a 60-yard gain. It marked the longest play of the second-year back's career, and he continues to make the most of his opportunities. Since Vidal took over in Week 6 after Hampton's injury, he's totaled 131 carries for 569 yards and three touchdowns with 13 receptions (19 targets) for 102 yards and another score as a receiver, ranking as the RB13 in total PPR points in that time. The 24-year-old running back's role will decrease with Hampton back, but he should continue to stay involved as an important piece of the Chargers' offense.
--Kyle McCarthySource: ESPN.com
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