December 30, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver
Calvin Austin III (hamstring) was inactive for the team's Week 17 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. The Steelers were also missing
DK Metcalf due to a suspension that will continue into the Week 18 regular-season finale this weekend against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night. Tight end Pat Freirmuth led the Steelers in receiving with three catches for 63 yards against Cleveland. The 26-year-old Austin is trending in the right direction to return to the division-deciding battle against Baltimore this weekend, and with Metcalf out for another game, Austin could be heavily targeted by quarterback
Aaron Rodgers. Austin still won't exactly inspire confidence from fantasy managers with something still on the line in Week 18, as he has gone over 50 receiving yards just twice in 13 games, and not since Nov. 2. Austin has only found the end zone twice in 2025, too, with the last one coming back on Sept. 21.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Brooke Pryor
December 30, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end
Jonnu Smith will be set up as a more attractive TE2 streamer in fantasy football for the final week of the regular season this Sunday night against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens, with
Darnell Washington done for the year after breaking his forearm in Sunday's Week 17 loss to the Cleveland Browns. With Washington getting hurt, Smith ended up leading the Steelers with five receptions (five targets), although it amounted to only 18 receiving yards on a day in which Pittsburgh's offense couldn't get into the end zone. After a career year in 2024 with the Miami Dolphins, the 30-year-old Smith has predictably struggled in Arthur Smith's offense, posting a 37-220-2 line in 16 games. Smith's five targets in Week 17 were his most since Week 9, though, and he's now topped 20 scrimmage yards in three straight games. In deeper fantasy leagues, Smith will be slightly more attractive as a TE2 streamer in Week 18 versus the Ravens.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 30, 2025
Miami Dolphins rookie quarterback
Quinn Ewers threw his first two touchdown passes in a Week 17 upset win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, going 14-for-22 passing for 172 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions in his second NFL start. The 22-year-old seventh-rounder from Texas added four rushing attempts for five yards. Ewers threw for 260 yards in his first start last week against the Cincinnati Bengals, but he threw no TDs and two picks. He wasn't exceptional on Sunday against Tampa, but he managed to avoid turning the ball over, with his touchdown passes going to receiver Theo Wease and tight end
Greg Dulcich. To close out the year, he'll get the division-rival New England Patriots on the road as the Dolphins look to spoil New England's chances of earning the No. 1 seed in the AFC and a first-round bye in the playoffs. Ewers should be considered as nothing more than a low-end QB2 option in his first meeting with the Pats.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 30, 2025
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle) was listed as a limited participant in Tuesday's practice, according to The Athletic's Matt Barrows. Pearsall aggravated a knee injury dating back to earlier this year and missed the Week 16 contest, but he returned for Sunday night's tilt against the Chicago Bears to play 81% of the offensive snaps. The 25-year-old former first-rounder looked good, too, leading the team in receiving with 85 yards on five catches (eight targets). Injuries have become an issue for Pearsall in just his second year in the NFL, but as long as he doesn't suffer a setback, he should be active in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Saturday evening versus the division-rival Seattle Seahawks in a game that will decide the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Tight end
George Kittle's (ankle) potential return this weekend could take valuable targets away from Pearsall.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
December 30, 2025
San Francisco 49ers tight end
George Kittle (ankle) was a limited participant in Tuesday's practice, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. It's early in the week, but it's a good sign that Kittle is back on the practice field after missing all three practices last week and being ruled out for the Sunday night win over the Chicago Bears. The 32-year-old veteran might need to upgrade to a full practice before Thursday to avoid taking a questionable tag into Saturday night's divisional clash against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 18, though. If Kittle returns for the contest that will decide the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoff picture, he'll be a must-start TE1 in fantasy football lineups. In Kittle's absence in Week 17,
Jake Tonges stepped up in a big way, securing seven catches for 60 yards and a touchdown on nine targets as one of quarterback
Brock Purdy's favorite weapons.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
December 30, 2025
San Francisco 49ers running back
Christian McCaffrey (back) did not practice on Tuesday due to a back injury, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. McCaffrey dealt with back stiffness earlier this month, too, but he didn't miss any time. The 29-year-old's back injury isn't very serious this time around, either, and it shouldn't keep him from playing a big role in a crucial divisional battle this Saturday night against the Seattle Seahawks that will determine the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoff picture. CMC was unstoppable in Sunday night's win over the Chicago Bears, going for a season-high 140 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 rushing attempts. He also caught four of six targets for 41 yards as a receiver. McCaffrey won't find running room as easily to come by against Seattle, but he should still be considered a high-end RB1 option for fantasy managers still playing for something in Week 18.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
December 30, 2025
Atlanta Falcons quarterback
Kirk Cousins led the team to another upset victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football to close out Week 17 action. Most of the heavy lifting was done by star running back
Bijan Robinson, though, who finished just shy of 200 rushing yards with a touchdown on 22 carries. Robinson also caught five passes for 34 yards and a second touchdown. Cousins, meanwhile, continued to play a game-manager role at QB, going 13-for-20 passing for 126 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions. The 37-year-old veteran signal-caller shouldn't attract a ton of fantasy interest as a streamer going into the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival New Orleans Saints. Cousins has gone over 200 passing yards just twice in the last five games. In the first game against the Saints, he threw for 199 yards, two TDs, and a pick on Nov. 23.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 30, 2025
Out of nowhere, Buffalo Bills veteran wide receiver
Brandin Cooks led the team in receiving yards (101) while catching four of his six targets in the Week 17 loss to the visiting Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. The Bills needed someone to step up in the passing attack with tight end
Dalton Kincaid (knee) out due to injury and receiver
Keon Coleman being a healthy scratch. The 32-year-old Cooks hooked up with quarterback
Josh Allen a few times deep down the field and averaged a healthy 25.3 yards per reception in his fifth game with the team. In the first four games with Buffalo, Cooks had only one catch on five targets for one yard. Although Cooks may be more of a long shot to replicate his production from Week 17 going forward, he might have done enough to secure a bigger role going into the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Jets and into the postseason.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 30, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver
Marquez Valdes-Scantling figures to be heavily targeted again in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday night against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens, with
DK Metcalf suspended one more game. In Sunday's upset loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 17, Valdes-Scantling drew a season-high nine targets, hauling in three of them for a mediocre 21 receiving yards. The 31-year-old veteran pass-catcher has only five catches on 14 targets for 46 yards and one touchdown in his four games since joining Pittsburgh. MVS hasn't really been on the same page as quarterback
Aaron Rodgers, and his target share could be affected if
Calvin Austin III (hamstring) returns in a must-win Week 18 contest that will decide the winner of the AFC North. At best, Valdes-Scantling will be a deep-league dart throw as a WR5/flex versus Baltimore this weekend.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 30, 2025
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that the Cleveland Browns have done some "preliminary research" for a potential coaching change following the 2025 season, although that doesn't mean they are locked into firing head coach Kevin Stefanski on Black Monday. Fowler also mentions the Las Vegas Raiders as another team that could be looking to move on from head coach Pete Carroll after just one season. Heading into a Week 18 regular-season finale this weekend against the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals, the Browns are in last place in the AFC North with a 4-12 record. It comes a year after a 3-14 finish. Even after signing a contract extension with the Browns 19 months ago and just upsetting the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers, the organization could choose to go in another direction after Stefanski's six tumultuous seasons in Cleveland.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
December 30, 2025
Los Angeles Rams rookie tight end
Terrance Ferguson will head into the Week 18 regular-season finale this weekend against the division-rival Arizona Cardinals as a legitimate streaming option at tight end for fantasy football managers. The 22-year-old found the end zone for the second straight contest in the Monday night loss to the Atlanta Falcons, catching two of his four targets for a season-high 54 yards and the trip to paydirt. In last week's loss to the Seattle Seahawks, he had three catches on four targets for 33 yards and his second score of the season. Ferguson's touchdown reception in Week 17 was a 27-yard strike from quarterback
Matthew Stafford when he was left all alone in the back of the end zone.
Colby Parkinson remains heavily involved -- he outsnapped Ferguson 51 to 32 and caught six passes for 53 yards -- but Ferguson could certainly find the end zone for a third straight week this Sunday against Arizona.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 30, 2025
The Los Angeles Chargers are choosing to rest starting quarterback
Justin Herbert for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday in Denver against the division-rival Broncos, which opens the door for backup
Trey Lance to make his first start of the season. Head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed on Monday that Lance will start against the Broncos and their strong defense. The 25-year-old former third overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers back in 2021 out of North Dakota State will be making just his sixth start in the NFL. There is an opportunity for Lance, but we won't be expecting much from him in his first start of the year for various reasons. For one, the Chargers' banged-up offensive line is unlikely to be able to protect him consistently against a Broncos D that leads the league in sacks. Additionally, the Bolts could be resting other key offensive skill players besides Herbert. Lance should be considered a desperation low-end QB2 in superflex leagues this weekend.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim
December 30, 2025
ESPN's Josh Weinfuss writes that there's an outside chance that if both head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort are fired, the new regime will decide to run it back with Arizona Cardinals quarterback
Kyler Murray (foot). If the Cardinals decide to move on from Murray, who didn't play at all in 2025 after spraining his foot back in Week 5, they will likely bring veteran
Jacoby Brissett back on the second year of his two-year deal while drafting a signal-caller. The Cardinals should be able to pick one of three young QBs in next year's draft among Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, Oregon's Dante Moore, or Alabama's Ty Simpson. The Cardinals have taken a liking to the 6-foot-2 Simpson, who is known as a pocket passer. But if Arizona decides to trade down in the first round or wait until the second round to take a QB, they could look at Miami's
Carson Beck or LSU's Garrett Nussmeier.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Josh Weinfuss
December 30, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback
Baker Mayfield (knee, shoulder) is on the team's Week 18 injury report with multiple injuries and was listed as limited in the first practice of the week on Tuesday, according to Brianna Dix of Buccaneers.com. Mayfield injured his left (non-throwing) shoulder earlier this season, but now he's dealing with an injury to his throwing arm heading into a must-win Week 18 divisional game this Saturday against the Carolina Panthers. The 30-year-old veteran will almost certainly play this weekend, but he certainly hasn't looked 100% in a long while. Mayfield's fortunes haven't turned around recently as the Bucs have gotten healthy on offense, and he's averaging just 222.5 passing yards with six touchdowns and six turnovers in the last four games. At best, Mayfield will be a low-end QB1 option as he plays for the NFC South title this weekend against Carolina.
--Keith HernandezSource: Buccaneers.com - Brianna Dix
December 30, 2025
Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback
Cameron Ward, the first overall pick back in April, has completed 59.6% of his passes for 3,117 yards, 15 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in his first year in the NFL. He's added 148 rushing yards and a score while also fumbling a league-high 11 times (losing seven). Ward's 79.8 passer rating ranks 26th out of 27 qualifying QBs. He's been sacked 55 times, tied for the most in the NFL. The 23-year-old came into the NFL with a sharp learning curve after spending most of his college career in an Air Raid system. Ward has made some wow plays with his strong arm, but "there are some around the NFL who are concerned his accuracy will have a ceiling if he doesn't refine his mechanics," according to The Athletic's Jeff Howe. Ward's scrambling ability can help him compensate for some of it, but in the long term, he could be inconsistent if he doesn't clean up his mechanics.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Jeff Howe
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