December 24, 2025
Denver Broncos tight end
Evan Engram will face the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas in Week 17. Engram has been an underwhelming start this year in most weeks for fantasy managers, and that shouldn't be much different in Week 17. While Engram might get some more playing time with rookie wide receiver
Pat Bryant out due to a concussion suffered late in the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16, it's unlikely that he will be reliable for production in the fantasy championship games. When Engram faced the Chiefs in Week 11, he turned in four catches for 33 yards and no touchdowns. As the TE26 overall in RotoBaller's rankings for Week 17, managers should look elsewhere for a healthier scoring floor.
--Luke DeMarcusSource: ESPN
December 24, 2025
Denver Broncos wide receiver
Troy Franklin travels to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 17 for a Christmas game matchup. Franklin has been thrown back into a relevant role after trending downward for two straight games following the Week 12 bye, after recording a 64% offensive snap share in Week 16. Rookie wide receiver
Pat Bryant will also be out for Week 17 with a concussion that was suffered in the final minute of the Week 16 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, which relegates the competition for snaps. After putting up 84 yards on four catches in the Week 11 matchup against the Chiefs, RotoBaller has Franklin ranked as the WR33 overall for Week 17.
--Luke DeMarcusSource: ESPN
December 24, 2025
Minnesota Vikings running back
Jordan Mason (ankle) has been ruled out for the Christmas Day game on Thursday versus the division-rival Detroit Lions after missing practice from Monday through Wednesday, per the team. Mason was always viewed as a long shot to play on a short week after injuring his ankle in the Week 16 win over the New York Giants on Sunday. The Vikings have nothing left to play for in 2025, so they were not going to push Mason to play. With the 26-year-old on the sidelines on Thursday,
Aaron Jones Sr. should be in line for more backfield touches against the Lions. However, his fantasy upside will be tempered with inexperienced backup quarterback
Max Brosmer set to start in place of the injured
J.J. McCarthy (hand). Jones should be considered more of a touchdown-dependent, high-end RB3/flex for the matchup against the Lions.
--Keith HernandezSource: Minnesota Vikings
December 24, 2025
Denver Broncos wide receiver
Courtland Sutton has been putting up solid numbers since the Week 12 bye and will look to continue that streak while traveling to face the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 17. Sutton has now posted two consecutive WR1 consensus weeks, combining for 199 receiving yards on 13 catches and two touchdowns in that span. While the Kansas City Chiefs are typically a stingy defense to face, the narrative has shifted for the Chiefs after losing quarterback
Patrick Mahomes to a season-ending ACL tear in Week 15. Coming off another solid performance in Week 16 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sutton should maintain his momentum against the Chiefs as RotoBaller ranks him at WR17 overall for Week 17.
--Luke DeMarcusSource: ESPN
December 24, 2025
Denver Broncos quarterback
Bo Nix travels to face the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas in Week 17. Last time Nix faced the Chiefs in Week 11, he put up 295 passing yards with no touchdowns, no interceptions, and added three carries for eight yards. This time around, Nix will be facing a very different Chiefs team that has been riddled with injuries and is coming off a 26-9 loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 16, in which rookie quarterback
Cam Ward had a season-high pass completion percentage of 75%. Despite facing what is statistically considered a top-five defense in the NFL since the Chiefs are giving up the fourth fewest points per game on average at 19.6, Nix should be able to carry his passing momentum from Week 16 into this matchup. RotoBaller ranks Nix as the QB11 overall for Week 17 matchups.
--Luke DeMarcusSource: ESPN
December 24, 2025
Already not in the best form of his career, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver
Jordan Addison will see another downgrade on Thursday when his team plays host to the Detroit Lions. The third-year receiver hasn't finished among the top 30 PPR receivers since Week 7 and is coming off a week in which he dropped a touchdown. Now, he'll see another change at quarterback with
J.J. McCarthy (hand) ruled out for the game, leaving undrafted rookie
Max Brosmer to start. The Vikings didn't score a point in Brosmer's lone start this season, a four-interception debacle last month at Seattle. The quarterback played well in helping Minnesota earn a victory last week against the Giants, and the passing game will see a plus matchup against a Detroit defense that has allowed the most air yards in the NFL. Addison, however, comes with a lot of risk as a low-end WR4 option, given the less-than-ideal circumstances.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: RotoBaller
December 24, 2025
Due to a litany of injuries around him, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver
Jalen Nailor is a lowly rated option when the Vikings play host to the Detroit Lions on Christmas Day. The Michigan State product has developed a solid chemistry with starter
J.J. McCarthy (hand), but the latter will miss Thursday's game, giving way to undrafted rookie
Max Brosmer. Detroit ranks a bottom-tier 31st against PPR receivers, though the Vikings are beaten up and on a short week. In addition to McCarthy, the Vikings will be without star left tackle Christian Darrisaw (knee), center Ryan Kelly (concussion), tight end
T.J. Hockenson (shoulder), running back
Jordan Mason (ankle), and could be without right tackle Brian O'Neill (heel) as well. Nailor's varied role in the offense is difficult to rely upon anyway, as the receiver has not caught a pass three times in the past five weeks, yet had one game with two touchdowns. Ranked as RotoBaller's No. 86 receiver this week, Nailor is avoidable in all formats.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: RotoBaller
December 24, 2025
Minnesota Vikings tight end
T.J. Hockenson (shoulder) has been ruled out for the Christmas Day game on Thursday against the division-rival Detroit Lions after missing practice all week with a shoulder injury, according to the team. The Vikings' offense will be a shell of itself against Detroit on Thursday, with Hockenson and quarterback
J.J. McCarthy (hand) being ruled out. They will also be without running back
Jordan Mason (ankle). With Hockenson missing this week,
Josh Oliver should operate as the team's top pass-catching tight end. But with
Max Brosmer under center against Detroit, we wouldn't recommend using Oliver as a TE2 streamer in fantasy, even in the deepest of leagues. The 28-year-old has 12 receptions on the season for 123 yards and four touchdowns in his 13 games played as the backup to Hockenson.
--Keith HernandezSource: Minnesota Vikings
December 24, 2025
Minnesota Vikings tight end
Josh Oliver is a lowly rated option who can be safely avoided in the majority of formats when the Vikings play host to the Detroit Lions on Christmas Day. The Vikings will be without starter
T.J. Hockenson (shoulder), though Oliver will be reliant upon a third-string quarterback and a patchwork offensive line to power the passing attack. With backup quarterback
Carson Wentz (shoulder) already out for the year, the injury to
J.J. McCarthy (hand) means that
Max Brosmer will earn another start. That comes with the backdrop of left tackle Christian Darrisaw (knee) and center Ryan Kelly (concussion) missing, and right tackle Brian O'Neill (heel) questionable as well. The Lions rank a favorable 20th against half-PPR tight ends, but Minnesota is so hampered that Oliver, rated RotoBaller's No. 52 tight end this week, can remain on waivers in most leagues.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: RotoBaller
December 24, 2025
Ironically, given the tortured history of the Minnesota Vikings, the most consistent thing about their 2025 season has been kicker
Will Reichard, who can once again be considered a fantasy lineup option for a Christmas Day matchup against Detroit. The Alabama alum is a perfect 18-for-18 on field goals inside 50 yards this year, 28-for-28 on extra points, and 27-for-29 on field goal attempts overall. The Lions rank 27th against fantasy kickers, although Minnesota will be starting
Max Brosmer at quarterback due to an injury to
J.J. McCarthy (hand). Ranked as RotoBaller's No. 11 kicker this week, Reichard comes with the notable risk of an offense led by an undrafted rookie. But he's ultimately up against a bad defense, playing indoors, and in terrific form, giving him lineup potential.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: RotoBaller
December 24, 2025
The Baltimore Sun's Mike Preston writes that "it's clear that head coach John Harbaugh has become tired" of quarterback
Lamar Jackson (back), "even though he builds him up after every game. He has to, or Jackson will go into his own self-exile." Preston suggests that the Ravens should look into trading Jackson as a way to land two or three first-round draft picks for the future. Jackson has had an extremely disappointing 2025 season that has been filled with nagging lower-body injuries. After injuring his back in Sunday night's loss to the New England Patriots, Jackson is now in danger of missing the Week 17 game this Saturday at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers after missing two practices already this week. It's unclear if Baltimore would realistically entertain trading the two-time MVP QB, but it sounds like the coaching staff has at least soured on Jackson after this season.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Baltimore Sun - Mike Preston
December 24, 2025
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver
Ryan Flournoy (knee) is questionable for the team's Week 17 Christmas Day matchup with the Commanders after missing the last two practices of the week. Flournoy was limited with a knee issue to begin the shortened week before logging DNPs on Tuesday and Wednesday. The second-year wideout has seen increased usage over the past few weeks, including a career best nine catches for 115 yards and a touchdown in a Week 14 loss to the Lions. Against a Commanders defense that has struggled to defend the pass all year, Flournoy could have made for a sneaky flex play in Championship weekend, but with a knee issue now threatening his availability, fantasy managers thankfully have plenty of time to pivot away from the potential Thursday start.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Patrik Walker
December 24, 2025
Mike Reiss of ESPN reports that New England Patriots rookie running back
TreVeyon Henderson (concussion) was seen in a helmet and in a non-contact jersey on Wednesday as he headed to practice. Henderson is in the league's concussion protocol after suffering a head injury in the Week 16 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night. He will need to clear the concussion protocol later this week to play in Week 17 against the division-rival New York Jets on Sunday, but it's a good sign that he'll at least be limited in the first official practice of the week. Fantasy managers will want to keep a close eye on Henderson's status later this week. The 23-year-old has the most upside of any RB in the Pats' backfield, but fantasy managers must prepare for the possibility that he won't play this weekend. If Henderson is out against the Jets,
Rhamondre Stevenson would be a must-start, plug-and-play option at RB.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN Boston - Mike Reiss
December 24, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver
Emeka Egbuka caught only one pass in a Week 16 loss to the Panthers, but offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard told the media on Wednesday that he would like to get his rookie wideout more involved, specifically noting the importance of getting him the ball early. After a red-hot start to the season that had him looking like a locked-in Rookie of the Year candidate, Egbuka has failed to top 65 receiving yards in six straight games, and he's caught only one touchdown since Week 5. With the recent returns to health of
Mike Evans and
Jalen McMillan, he has also seen two of his lowest snap shares of the season over the past two weeks. Grizzard's words should offer encouragement to fantasy managers forced into starting Egbuka in their Week 17 title matches, but he's still a perilous play given his recent usage.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Scott Smith
December 24, 2025
Buffalo Bills tight end
Dawson Knox (knee) missed Wednesday's practice as he deals with a knee injury that threatens to hold him out of his first game this season. Knox caught one of his two targets in a Week 16 win over the Browns for only 10 yards, while handling a 68% snap share. Fellow tight end
Dalton Kincaid (knee), who was held without a catch on Sunday, also missed Wednesday's session with a knee injury of his own. The Bills could be seriously shorthanded at the position, heading into a Week 17 matchup with an Eagles team that has shut down tight ends all season long. With fantasy titles on the line, neither Knox nor Kincaid should be viewed as a viable starter.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Buffalo Bills PR
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