December 17, 2025
Miami Dolphins tight end
Darren Waller (rest, knee) was limited on Wednesday after taking a scary-looking hit to the knee during Monday night's loss to the Steelers. Waller has played in each of the last three games since missing five weeks with a pectoral injury, and began each of those weeks with a limited/rest practice. The additional designation of the knee injury is new for Week 16 and will need to be monitored, though he seemed to finish the game without limitation, catching two late touchdown passes. Waller will be one of the most difficult start/sit decisions for fantasy semifinals. The Dolphins face a historically bad Bengals defense, but the Wednesday news that quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa will be benched in favor of 7th-round rookie
Quinn Ewers casts a considerable shadow over Miami's offensive outlook. Waller is RotoBaller's TE8 for Week 16, but the new injury designation may be the deciding factor for many fantasy managers to pivot to another streamer.
--Patrick McGrathSource: David Furones
December 17, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver
Mike Evans (collarbone) was limited on Wednesday after returning from a six-game absence to play and dominate in the team's Week 15 loss to the Falcons. After missing nearly two months with a broken collarbone, Evans caught six of 10 targets on Thursday night for 132 yards. While he played only 38 of 69 total offensive snaps, his 28 routes run were second-most on the team behind Chris Godwin, while his 4.71 yards per route run trailed only
Puka Nacua and
Luther Burden III across the league. At 32 years old, with a serious list of injuries sustained this season alone, the limited practice to begin the week is not unexpected, but fantasy managers will still need to monitor his status before a pivotal Week 16 matchup with the Panthers.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Brianna Dix
December 17, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver
Quentin Johnston (groin) was limited on Wednesday by the same groin injury that held him out of Week 15's win over the Chiefs. Johnston was a late addition to last week's injury report, logging a limited practice on Friday before missing his second game of the season. After a red-hot start to the year, Johnston has struggled with consistency, making him one of the more difficult start/sit decisions for most of the fantasy season. If he is able to ramp up his practice participation, he remains in play as a desperation start for the fantasy semifinals, as the Chargers face a Cowboys defense that ranks dead last in points surrendered above expectation to the wide receiver position.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Los Angeles Chargers
December 17, 2025
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver
Davante Adams (hamstring) did not practice all week and has been listed as doubtful to play on Thursday night against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks in Week 16, according to John Boyle of Seahawks.com. Adams aggravated a hamstring issue he's been battling for weeks now in Sunday's win over the Detroit Lions, and on a short week, he's unlikely to be able to go. The 32-year-old veteran wideout is a big loss for a high-scoring Rams offense and for fantasy managers, as he currently leads the league with 14 touchdown receptions in 14 games played. It will be Adams' first missed game of 2025, with his next chance to return coming in Week 17 against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football on Dec. 29. With Adams likely out on Thursday,
Tutu Atwell,
Jordan Whittington, and
Konata Mumpfield will look to soak up targets behind top wideout
Puka Nacua against a tough Seahawks defense.
--Keith HernandezSource: Seahawks.com - John Boyle
December 17, 2025
Dallas Cowboys running back
Javonte Williams (neck) was listed as a limited participant due to a neck injury on Wednesday, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Williams suffered a neck/shoulder injury in the Sunday night loss to the Minnesota Vikings shortly after a touchdown plunge on the team's first drive of the game in the first quarter. The 25-year-old sat out the rest of the first half, but he eventually returned in the second half and finished with 15 carries for 91 yards and the one touchdown while playing only 28% of the snaps. Williams should be able to play this weekend against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers, but fantasy managers will want to continue monitoring his status leading up to Sunday's game. If Williams is limited at all or out,
Malik Davis, who had 10 touches for 37 yards and a touchdown in Week 15, would become Dallas' lead back.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Jon Machota
December 17, 2025
Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver
Pat Bryant (hamstring) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice, according to Zac Stevens of DNVR Sports. A hamstring issue kept Bryant from playing in the Week 15 win over the Green Bay Packers. Head coach Sean Payton said the 23-year-old could have played if it were a playoff game. Now that Bryant is back to practicing in full, he should be active this Sunday versus the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars, barring a setback in the next two days. Bryant's impending return is bad news for second-year wideout
Troy Franklin, who caught all six of his targets for 85 yards and a touchdown against Green Bay. Before his hamstring injury, Bryant was seeing more involvement in Denver's passing attack, catching 12 of 17 targets for 156 yards in Weeks 11, 13, and 14. If he's back this weekend, Bryant profiles as a WR4/flex option in deeper fantasy formats. He has just one trip to the end zone in his first 13 NFL contests.
--Keith HernandezSource: DNVR Sports - Zac Stevens
December 17, 2025
Green Bay Packers wide receiver
Jayden Reed (personal) was not present at the team's practice on Wednesday due to a personal matter, according to the team's official website. Reed should be back at practice on Thursday and play on Saturday against the division-rival Chicago Bears in Week 16. The 25-year-old has played in just four games in 2025 due to a fractured foot and broken collarbone. Since returning in Week 14, Reed has nine catches on 10 targets for 86 yards while also having two rushing attempts for 22 yards. Quarterback
Jordan Love continues to spread the ball around to Green Bay's many receiving options, but Reed will remain an integral part of the offense in the final three weeks of the season. It looks like fellow wideout
Christian Watson (chest) will play on Saturday, but Reed will still have high-end WR3/flex value for fantasy managers against the Bears.
--Keith HernandezSource: Packers.com
December 17, 2025
New Orleans Saints running back
Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle) was listed as a non-participant in the first practice of the week on Wednesday, according to the team's official website. Kamara still has not practiced since spraining his MCL in Week 12. Additionally, rookie
Devin Neal injured his hamstring in the Week 15 win over the Carolina Panthers and has already been ruled out for Sunday's game against the visiting New York Jets. It means that if Kamara doesn't make rapid progress over the next two days,
Audric Estime and
Evan Hull figure to split backfield duties for the Saints in Week 16. The fact that the Saints ruled Neal out so early in the week could be a sign that Kamara is nearing a return, but he will need to return to practice in the next few days. Estime handled 36% of the snaps to Hull's 32% last week and had three carries for 11 yards and three catches for 39 yards. Estime is the better waiver-wire pickup with Neal injured, but at best, he'll profile as a low-upside RB3/flex in fantasy this weekend if Kamara misses another game.
--Keith HernandezSource: NewOrleansSaints.com
December 17, 2025
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said that quarterback
Lamar Jackson (illness) was kept at home on Wednesday due to flu-like symptoms, according to Cordell Woodland of 105.7 The Fan. Jackson has been a regular DNP in Wednesday practices this year, but mainly due to nagging lower-body injuries. This week, he's under the weather. The 28-year-old two-time MVP has been held out of practice early in the week in recent weeks with an ankle injury, but he said last week that he has been improving. He should be ready to go by Sunday night for a showdown against the New England Patriots, where he'll be more of a low-end QB1 in fantasy football. Jackson looked a little more like himself in last week's shutout win over the Bengals, but he completed only eight passes and ran the ball twice. He hasn't thrown for over 300 yards at all in 2025 and has had more than one touchdown pass just once in his last six contests. On top of that, Jackson only has two rushing touchdowns this season.
--Keith HernandezSource: 105.7 The Fan - Cordell Woodland
December 17, 2025
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver
CeeDee Lamb (illness) was under the weather on Wednesday and did not practice, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of All City Dallas. Lamb isn't feeling well to begin the practice week, but he should be just fine for Sunday's Week 16 game against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers, where he'll remain a must-start fantasy football receiver. The 26-year-old four-time Pro Bowler hasn't been quite as good as teammate
George Pickens in 2025, but he's been a top-10 fantasy wideout in terms of half-PPR points per game (14.7). In his 10 games played, Lamb has 63 receptions on 99 targets for 976 yards and three touchdowns. He's had over 100 receiving yards in each of the last three games and should reach the 1,000-yard mark for the fifth straight season.
--Keith HernandezSource: All City DLLS - Clarence Hill Jr.
December 17, 2025
Buffalo Bills tight end
Dalton Kincaid (knee) was listed as a non-participant in Wednesday's practice session, according to the team. Kincaid played in each of the past two games after dealing with knee and hamstring injuries in prior weeks, but he will begin this week with a DNP. The Bills could be managing his workload during the practice week to ensure he is ready to go on gameday. Fantasy managers will want to monitor his status in practice on Thursday and Friday in case he suffered a setback that would cause him to miss some time. Injuries seem to be a lingering issue for the 26-year-old tight end, as he played only 36% of the snaps in the Week 15 win against the New England Patriots, catching three of four targets for 34 yards. If Kincaid is unable to play on Sunday versus the Cleveland Browns,
Dawson Knox would be in line for an expanded receiving role and could continue his recent stretch of production.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Buffalo Bills PR
December 17, 2025
Denver Broncos rookie running back
R.J. Harvey (ribs) is participating in practice on Wednesday, according to Romi Bean of CBS Colorado. Harvey picked up a rib injury late in Denver's Week 15 win over the Green Bay Packers, but he seems to have avoided a major injury that would cost him any time. Head coach Sean Payton wasn't concerned with the injury, saying that "he's doing good" and should be good to go for Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Payton noted to himself after the Packers game to get
Jaleel McLaughlin more touches to manage Harvey's workload, but it's promising news that the rookie won't miss any time. He's been one of the best running backs in fantasy football since taking over lead duties with
J.K. Dobbins (foot) out for the year, ranking as the RB6 in PPR points per game over the past four games. Harvey will project favorably again in Week 16 versus the Jaguars.
UPDATE: Harvey was a full participant in Wednesday's practice.--Kyle McCarthySource: Romi Bean
December 17, 2025
The Dallas Cowboys announced on Wednesday that they have opened the 21-day practice window for rookie running back
Phil Mafah (shoulder). Mafah has missed his entire first season in the NFL so far due to a shoulder injury that landed him on Injured Reserve in August. The 23-year-old will return to practice this week, though, and he could be in play to join the Cowboys offense in the final three weeks of the season. The Clemson product would provide insurance in Dallas' backfield, but he probably wouldn't be anything more than the RB3 behind
Javonte Williams and
Malik Davis if he plays to close out the 2025 campaign. The Cowboys must officially activate Mafah from IR if they want him active this Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. Mafah had 1,115 rushing yards, 103 receiving yards, and eight total touchdowns in his final year in college in 2024.
--Keith HernandezSource: Dallas Cowboys Public Relations
December 17, 2025
New Orleans Saints wide receiver
Devaughn Vele (shoulder) has officially been ruled out for Sunday's game against the New York Jets, Sara Palczewski of Louisiana First News reports. Vele has been considered week-to-week after suffering a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter of last week's win over the Carolina Panthers. He caught five of six targets for 69 yards up until that point. The 28-year-old reportedly avoided a major injury, but he could still end up missing the rest of the regular season with only three games remaining. Vele had been establishing a solid connection with rookie quarterback
Tyler Shough, recording 16 catches for 202 yards and a touchdown over the past three games. His absence will lead to more opportunities for top wideout
Chris Olave, in addition to
Kevin Austin Jr. and
Mason Tipton against the Jets in Week 16.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Sara Palczewski
December 17, 2025
New Orleans Saints rookie running back
Devin Neal (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the New York Jets, according to Sara Palczewski of Louisiana First News. Neal left early during the Week 15 win over the Carolina Panthers due to a hamstring injury, and he'll be forced to miss at least one game. The rookie sixth-rounder had started three straight games for the Saints in place of an injured
Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle) and totaled 32 yards and a touchdown on eight touches before exiting. With Kamara still not practicing on Wednesday, the Saints will rely on the duo of
Audric Estime and
Evan Hull to lead the backfield. Estime would be the preferred option in fantasy football, having totalled three carries for 11 yards and three catches (three targets) for 39 yards in Neal's absence last week, compared to Hull's four carries for 12 yards. Keep in mind, though, that rookie quarterback
Tyler Shough could continue to take away valuable rushing attempts in this Saints offense.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Sara Palczewski
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