December 28, 2025
Miami Dolphins linebacker Tyrel Dodson (chest) is officially active on Sunday as the team gets set to take on the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 17. Dodson was unable to practice on Wednesday, but he was limited on Thursday and returned to a full practice on Friday, clearing him to play this weekend. Fantasy managers in IDP formats will want to keep the 27-year-old in their starting lineups as the Dolphins look to play spoiler and knock the Bucs from playoff contention. Dodson has been a top-10 fantasy linebacker this year, accumulating a career-high 116 tackles (68 solo), a career-high four sacks, nine tackles for loss, six QB hits, an interception, three pass breakups, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in 14 starts for Miami. Fantasy managers should stay away from the Dolphins' defensive unit in Week 17.
--Keith HernandezSource: Miami Dolphins
December 28, 2025
Indianapolis Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner (calf) is officially active for Sunday's contest against the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 17. Although the Colts have officially been eliminated from the playoffs, Gardner will make his return to the field on Sunday after missing the last three games due to a calf injury. It's a notable boost for the Colts' defense as they go up against quarterback
Trevor Lawrence, who has been on a tear in his last four games (12 touchdowns, no interceptions). There's a good chance that Gardner will follow receiver
Jakobi Meyers around, which could open up more pass-catching opportunities for
Brian Thomas Jr. and
Parker Washington, who had a career day last Sunday in the win over the Denver Broncos. Gardner's return this weekend won't suddenly make the Colts' defense/special teams unit worth starting in fantasy football lineups.
--Keith HernandezSource: Indianapolis Colts
December 28, 2025
Indianapolis Colts running back
Tyler Goodson (ankle) will not play in Week 17 against the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars due to an ankle injury. Goodson won't play on Sunday despite returning to a full practice on Friday. The Colts have officially been eliminated from postseason contention, and therefore won't rush the 25-year-old back onto the field. With Goodson inactive against the Jags, the Colts will roll with rookie
DJ Giddens and
Ameer Abdullah as RB depth behind starter
Jonathan Taylor. Goodson, in his third year in the NFL in 2025, has only eight rushing attempts in 10 games for 21 yards on the ground for Indy. He's added two receptions on three targets for another eight yards as a pass-catcher. Goodson can continue to be ignored in all fantasy football formats for the final two weeks of the regular season.
--Keith HernandezSource: Indianapolis Colts
December 28, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals tight end
Noah Fant (ankle) is officially active on Sunday to face the visiting Arizona Cardinals in Week 17. Fant will return to action this weekend in a meaningless game after missing last week's blowout win over the Miami Dolphins due to an ankle injury. Even in a plus matchup against the Cardinals, fantasy managers should have much better TE2 streaming options to choose from in Week 17, even in deeper leagues. The 28-year-old Fant just won't have enough opportunities while continuing to work behind
Mike Gesicki at the position in Cincy. Fant has a total of 33 catches for 283 yards and three touchdowns on 39 targets in 13 games (six starts) in his first year with the Bengals. He hasn't had more than one catch in a game since Nov. 16, and he has not gone over 44 receiving yards in a single contest in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: Cincinnati Bengals
December 28, 2025
New England Patriots wide receiver
DeMario Douglas (hamstring), who was listed as questionable for Week 17, is officially active on Sunday as the team takes on the division-rival New York Jets. Douglas has been hard to trust for fantasy managers in 2025 in his third year in the NFL, as he's caught 28 passes on 41 targets for only 408 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games played. However, he should be set up for a much bigger role this weekend with
Kayshon Boutte (concussion) out and
Mack Hollins (abdomen) on Injured Reserve.
Stefon Diggs and
Kyle Williams figure to be New England's top two wideouts on Sunday in a plus matchup, but don't sleep on Douglas as the starting slot receiver in deeper fantasy football formats as a sneaky flex play. The 25-year-old pass-catcher has an opportunity to go over 50 receiving yards for only the third time this season.
--Keith HernandezSource: New England Patriots
December 28, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver
Sterling Shepard (coach's decision) is a healthy scratch for Sunday's Week 17 contest against the Miami Dolphins. Shepard has now been inactive for back-to-back weeks and is the odd man out in a receiver room that also features
Mike Evans,
Chris Godwin Jr.,
Emeka Egbuka,
Jalen McMillan,
Tez Johnson, and
Kameron Johnson. Even if one of those receivers were to suffer an injury, Shepard would still be too far down the pecking order to make a fantasy impact next week. He can be dropped in all fantasy leagues.
--Andersen PickardSource: Rick Stroud
December 28, 2025
Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback
Dillon Gabriel (shoulder) injured his left shoulder at some point during the week and has been ruled out for the Week 17 divisional clash against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. With Gabriel inactive,
Bailey Zappe has been elevated to the 53-man active roster from the practice squad and will serve as rookie
Shedeur Sanders' backup this weekend. The 25-year-old Gabriel ended up making six starts for Cleveland in his first year in the NFL in 2025, but he was largely mediocre while failing to push the ball downfield. Gabriel's reign as the team's starting QB ended in Week 11 when he suffered a concussion, opening the door for Sanders to take over. In his six starts, the Oregon product completed 58.9% of his passes for 918 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions while adding 86 rushing yards. Gabriel is expected to compete for the starting gig next year with Sanders and
Deshaun Watson (Achilles).
--Keith HernandezSource: Cleveland Browns
December 28, 2025
Cleveland Browns rookie running back
Dylan Sampson (hand) is officially active for Cleveland on Sunday as they take on the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17. Sampson missed two practices this week due to his hand injury, but he was able to return on Friday and is now ready to take over as the team's top RB with fellow rookie
Quinshon Judkins (leg) done for the season after suffering a gruesome injury in last week's loss to the Buffalo Bills. Behind the 21-year-old will be
Trayveon Williams and
Raheim Sanders vying for touches in the Browns' backfield. Sampson hasn't been very efficient as a runner in his first NFL season, as he's averaging only 2.6 yards per carry on 44 rushing attempts in his 13 games played. He's been more prolific as a pass-catcher, taking 28 catches for 259 yards and two touchdowns. But for the added volume alone this Sunday, he has upside as an RB3/flex in fantasy in deeper leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Cleveland Browns
December 28, 2025
New Orleans Saints wide receiver
Mason Tipton (groin) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 17 contest against the Tennessee Titans. He had been listed as questionable after practicing in a limited capacity. Tipton is sidelined just one week after posting season-highs in targets (five), catches (four), and yards (29). His absence creates more inconsistency throughout the depth chart behind
Chris Olave. With
Rashid Shaheed traded away,
Brandin Cooks released,
Devaughn Vele (shoulder) on injured reserve, and Tipton inactive, look for Kevin Austin to step up as the Saints' No. 2 receiver. Olave and
Juwan Johnson are the only New Orleans pass-catchers who should be started with full confidence.
--Andersen PickardSource: New Orleans Saints
December 28, 2025
Cleveland Browns rookie tight end
Harold Fannin Jr. (groin), who was considered questionable to play on Sunday against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers, is officially active in Week 17. The 21-year-old didn't have any setbacks with his groin injury in his return to practice on Friday and is ready to go as the Browns try to play spoiler against Pittsburgh in the second-to-last game of the 2025 season. Fellow TE
David Njoku (knee) is missing yet another game for Cleveland, too, so Fannin should once again be one of rookie quarterback
Shedeur Sanders' top targets in the passing game. Fantasy managers might be a little more hesitant to consider Fannin a TE1 due to his injury, but he's expected to be full-go on Sunday in terms of his snap count. In half-PPR scoring this year, Fannin checks in as the TE6 with 70 catches on 105 targets for 701 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games. Start him in Week 17.
--Keith HernandezSource: Cleveland Browns
December 28, 2025
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver
Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel) is officially active for Sunday's Week 17 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals. He had been listed as questionable after practicing in a limited capacity. The Cardinals are expected to manage his snap count for a second consecutive week, which is bad news for fantasy football. The 23-year-old played 51% of the snaps in his return to action last week, which resulted in just three targets, one catch, and 14 receiving yards. A similar snap share could lead to similar production this week. As a result, Harrison is nothing more than a WR3/flex in deep leagues.
Michael Wilson and
Trey McBride are the Arizona pass-catchers to start in fantasy football for Week 17.
--Andersen PickardSource: Ian Rapoport
December 28, 2025
New Orleans Saints wide receiver
Chris Olave (back) is officially active for Sunday's Week 17 contest against the Tennessee Titans. He had been listed as questionable after being downgraded to a limited participant in practice on Friday. In the end, though, the talented wide receiver will suit up for this weekend's contest between two eliminated teams. Olave is coming off one of the best games of his young career, catching 10 passes for 148 yards and a pair of touchdowns last Sunday against the New York Jets. He is the overall WR6 in PPR leagues this season and should remain a strong fantasy option against the Titans, who have surrendered the eighth-most receiving yards and seventh-most fantasy points to wide receivers in 2025. He ranks as a mid-range WR1 once again.
--Andersen PickardSource: Tina Howell
December 28, 2025
New Orleans Saints kicker
Charlie Smyth (illness) is active for Sunday's Week 17 contest against the Tennessee Titans. He had been listed as questionable but evidently recovered enough from an illness that forced him to practice in a limited capacity on Friday. The 24-year-old recently inked a three-year extension with the Saints and led all kickers in fantasy scoring last Sunday with five field goals on six attempts. Now that he's healthy, he is a strong top-10 kicking option for Week 17 fantasy football.
--Andersen PickardSource: Tina Howell
December 28, 2025
Carolina Panthers wide receiver
Tetairoa McMillan (illness) is officially active for Sunday's Week 17 contest against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17. He did not carry an injury designation into this weekend, but the Panthers added him to the injury report on Sunday morning and listed him as questionable. Now that he's active, McMillan can be locked into lineups as a strong WR2 option. The rookie has played in every game so far this season, catching 65 passes for 924 yards and seven touchdowns. He scored a touchdown last Sunday and ranks as the overall WR14 in PPR leagues this year.
--Andersen PickardSource: Adam Schefter
December 28, 2025
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was non-committal when asked about the quarterback situation for Week 18 against the Minnesota Vikings. Given that Green Bay has already secured the No. 7 seed in the playoffs, the team is expected to rest several key players to avoid the risk of injury. However, the Packers have also lost three consecutive games and would like to get back into the win column.
Jordan Love (concussion, shoulder), who remains in concussion protocol, could be healthy in time to face the Vikings. Other options include
Malik Willis, who left Saturday's loss to the Ravens with a shoulder injury but could have returned, and
Clayton Tune, who completed one of his four pass attempts with an interception in Week 17. Managers who roster Love, Willis, or any Green Bay wide receiver should stay tuned for quarterback updates throughout the week leading up to Packers-Vikings.
--Andersen PickardSource: Rob Demovsky
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