December 15, 2025
Carolina Panthers wide receiver
Xavier Legette was once again not very busy in the Panthers' Week 15 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. The Carolina WR caught two of his three targets for 39 yards and finished with 5.9 PPR points. Although this is the most PPR points Legette registered since Week 11, he has been mostly irrelevant in fantasy football through the season. In 14 games played, Legette has only two double-digit PPR finishes. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are facing the Carolina Panthers in Week 16. Tampa Bay ranked 18th in fantasy points per game allowed to the WR position in the last four weeks leading up to Week 15. Even with a middling matchup, Legette's volume has been too inconsistent to warrant a roster spot during the fantasy playoffs.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
December 15, 2025
Carolina Panthers rookie first-round wide receiver
Tetairoa McMillan logged his worst performance of the year in the Panthers' loss to the Saints in Week 15. The first-round rookie caught two passes for 25 yards, totaling 4.5 PPR points in the first round of the fantasy playoffs in most leagues. This was the first time this year that McMillan posted less than 5.0 PPR points, and it was also the first time he had not scored a touchdown since Week 10. The Carolina Panthers take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16. In the last four weeks leading up to Week 15, Tampa Bay ranked 18th in fantasy points per game allowed to WRs. McMillan has been targeted less than five times in each of his last two games, but he has a decent matchup for Week 16. He has averaged 7.2 targets per game this season. McMillan's possible volume still makes him startable as a WR3 or flex option for Week 16. He could see more targets in the major NFC South showdown against the Buccaneers.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
December 15, 2025
Carolina Panthers running back
Rico Dowdle rushed for 49 yards on 16 carries with one touchdown in Carolina's Week 15 loss to New Orleans on Sunday. He added five receiving yards on one reception and totaled 12.4 PPR points. Dowdle outperformed
Chuba Hubbard, who registered 38 scrimmage yards and 4.8 PPR points. Despite the workload being mostly split between the two RBs, Dowdle logged the most snaps (60%). In Week 16, the Panthers will face their NFC South rival, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay ranked 16th in fantasy points per game allowed to the RB position in the last four weeks leading up to Week 15. Even though Dowdle has a middling matchup this week, he is still worth starting as an RB2 or flex option based on his volume. In his last five games, he has fewer than 16 carries once, and he averaged 15.4 carries per game.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
December 15, 2025
Carolina Panthers quarterback
Bryce Young completed 15 of 24 pass attempts for 163 yards and a touchdown in the team's 20-17 loss to the Saints in Week 15 on Sunday. The Carolina QB also added a season-high 49 rushing yards on seven carries, totaling 15.4 Fantasy points. In 13 games played this season, Young has averaged 14.2 fantasy points per game. He has also registered more than 15 fantasy points in three of his last four starts. In Week 16, the Panthers will go up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the four weeks leading up to Week 15, the Buccaneers ranked last in the league in fantasy points per game allowed to QBs. Tampa Bay's pass defense also surrendered the second-most passing touchdowns against opposing QBs during that span (eight). Although his fantasy totals for the year have been mediocre, this matchup makes Young a more favorable starter in superflex leagues for Week 16. Those who are desperate in one-QB leagues can also consider streaming Young.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
December 15, 2025
An MRI exam on Monday confirmed that Green Bay Packers star pass-rusher Micah Parsons (knee) suffered a season-ending torn left ACL in Sunday's loss to the Denver Broncos, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. It's a devastating injury for Parsons and the Packers as they battle to make the postseason in the final three weeks of the 2025 regular season. The 26-year-old was having another All-Pro campaign in his first year with the Packers, recording 41 tackles (19 solo), 12.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 26 QB hits, and two forced fumbles in 14 games. Parsons suffered the non-contact injury in the second half of Sunday's game in Denver while rushing quarterback
Bo Nix. Even if Parsons recovers ahead of pace following knee surgery, he will most likely not be ready for the start of next season. Green Bay's defense won't be nearly as formidable down the stretch without its best pass-rusher.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX Sports - Jordan Schultz
December 15, 2025
Fantasy managers should no longer be ignoring Los Angeles Rams tight end
Colby Parkinson. The 26-year-old has been a bigger part of L.A.'s high-scoring offense ever since
Tyler Higbee (ankle) landed on Injured Reserve, and he's not slowing down. In the team's 41-34 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Parkinson played a season-high 86% of the offensive snaps and set season-highs in catches (five), targets (seven), and receiving yards (75) while finding the end zone twice. The former fourth-rounder now has a whopping six touchdown receptions in the last six games for the Rams, and yet somehow, he's only rostered in 4% of Yahoo leagues. Higbee's return isn't imminent, so Parkinson could be the team's top pass-catching TE the rest of 2025. The Rams' Week 16 matchup against the division-rival Seahawks on Thursday night isn't ideal, but with receiver
Davante Adams (hamstring) potentially out, Parkinson could have an even bigger role in the passing attack. Parkinson should be a priority waiver-wire addition at the TE position this week.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 15, 2025
Most fantasy managers were probably avoiding all of the New York Jets' offensive skill players with rookie quarterback
Brady Cook making his first career start in Week 15 against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Wide receiver
Adonai Mitchell still managed to produce for fantasy managers who were brave enough to start him, as he finished with six catches on nine targets for a team-high 58 yards and a touchdown in the 48-20 loss. His six receptions tied for the team high, while his nine targets and 58 receiving yards led the team. The 23-year-old also carried the football one time for a loss of four yards. It's not always going to be pretty the rest of the way for Mitchell with New York's less-than-ideal QB situation, but he proved on Sunday that he's a weekly flex consideration. In his five games with the Jets, he's been targeted 40 times and has 18 catches for 236 yards and two touchdowns.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 15, 2025
Much like last year, Carolina Panthers wide receiver
Jalen Coker is starting to make some noise late in the season. The 24-year-old former undrafted free agent scored for the second straight game in Sunday's 20-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints, catching all four of his targets for 60 yards to lead the Panthers in receiving. Before the Week 14 bye, Coker caught four of a season-high six targets for a season-high 74 yards and his first touchdown of the year. It wasn't all great on Sunday against New Orleans, though, as he also lost a fumble. Overall, though, it was a positive day for Coker, who had two catches of 20-plus yards for the first time this year. The Holy Cross alum could take over WR2 duties from
Xavier Legette for the final three weeks of the season. He has gone over 50 receiving yards in three of the last four games. Coker is rostered in only 5% of Yahoo leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 15, 2025
Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver
Luther Burden III (ankle) injured his ankle in Sunday's Week 15 win over the visiting Cleveland Browns, but he still managed to lead the team in catches (six), targets (seven), and receiving yards (84). Burden saw an elevated role in Chicago's offense for the second straight week, with fellow wideout
Rome Odunze (foot) being scratched just before kickoff. In two games with Odunze sidelined, the 22-year-old second-rounder has 10 receptions on 13 targets for 151 yards for the Bears. Odunze is dealing with a stress fracture in his foot and could miss more time, which makes Burden a priority waiver-wire addition this week, despite his ankle injury. Burden has 36 catches on the year for 479 yards and one touchdown on 47 targets. If Odunze misses more time and Burden's injury isn't serious, he would be firmly in play as a WR4/flex with upside this weekend in a rematch against the division-rival Packers.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 15, 2025
Houston Texans rookie running back
Woody Marks (ankle) aggravated an ankle injury in Sunday's win over the visiting Arizona Cardinals and didn't finish the game, but head coach DeMeco Ryans later said that Marks could have continued playing, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Practice-squad RB
Jawhar Jordan rushed for 101 yards on 15 carries in Week 15 in his NFL debut after Marks left in the 40-20 win.
Dare Ogunbowale and Jordan combined for 143 rushing yards on 33 carries --
Nick Chubb (ribs) was inactive. Marks finished with 30 yards on seven carries, but he salvaged his day for fantasy managers with a goal-line touchdown before aggravating his ankle injury. The 24-year-old will almost certainly be on the Week 16 injury report, but it sounds like he will have a chance to play and serve as the team's lead back in a great matchup next Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders.
--Keith HernandezSource: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
December 15, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers running back
Kenneth Gainwell could be slated for a considerable boost in workload for his Monday night home matchup with the Miami Dolphins in Week 15. Pittsburgh's backfield has been a pleasantly surprising source of fantasy output in 2025, with both Gainwell and teammate
Jaylen Warren (illness) ranking as low-end PPR RB2s on the campaign as a whole. However, the former appears poised for a significant touch share when his team hosts the Dolphins on MNF, given Warren was downgraded to questionable after coming down with an illness early Monday. If the latter fails to suit up, Gainwell's upside would be massive, presuming that he assumes a workhorse role as he did the last time Warren sat out in Week 4. In that outing, the former Philadelphia Eagle popped off for 134 yards and two scores on 77% of the team's snaps.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
December 15, 2025
The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing veteran wide receiver
Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the active roster ahead of their matchup on Monday Night Football with the visiting Miami Dolphins. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported the news. Pittsburgh intended to elevate the 31-year-old from its practice squad for their meeting with Miami, but will instead choose to make him a fixture on their roster for the remainder of the season. Valdes-Scantling made his first appearance with the team in Week 14, playing 31% of snaps and failing to bring in his lone target. He doesn't figure to be involved enough to matter for fantasy, and can likely be avoided in all formats.
--Alex CiullaSource: Gerry Dulac
December 15, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers running back
Jaylen Warren (illness) has been downgraded to questionable for his team's Monday night home game with the Miami Dolphins due to an illness, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. It's ill-timed for the 27-year-old, who has an excellent matchup slated for Week 15 in a sieve-like Dolphins' rush defense. If Warren is eventually unable to suit up due to his illness, teammate
Kenneth Gainwell projects to handle a majority of the backfield work in his place, considering the two had split snaps fairly evenly over the previous three contests. Gainwell would immediately slot in as a strong RB2 play in Warren's absence, with rookie rusher
Kaleb Johnson likely to spell him on occasion as a chance-of-pace option.
--Alex CiullaSource: Adam Schefter
December 15, 2025
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Arizona Cardinals running back
Bam Knight (ankle) is trending toward being inactive for Week 16's home game in Week 16 against the Atlanta Falcons. Knight was out there for just one snap in the team's 40-20 loss to the Houston Texans, handling one carry for negative two yards before injuring his ankle and being carted off the field. Schefter notes that Knight will undergo an MRI on Monday to assess the severity, although it's being described as a "bad sprain." It's good news that initial testing revealed no breaks. Either way, it seems that his chances of suiting up against the visiting Falcons are slim at best. Teammate
Michael Carter stepped up in Week 15 (14/56), with the 24-year-old unable to continue, though it's possible he splits more work with
Emari Demercado as the latter regains health from an ankle injury of his own.
--Alex CiullaSource: Adam Schefter
December 15, 2025
Detroit Lions wide receiver
Isaac TeSlaa entered Week 15 on a two-game touchdown-scoring streak, but he was targeted just once and failed to record a catch in his team's Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. TeSlaa saw a slight reduction in playing time thanks to the return of veteran wideout
Kalif Raymond, who had missed Detroit's two previous games due to an ankle injury. Across 14 games this season, TeSlaa has now hauled in eight receptions for 120 yards and four touchdowns on 15 targets. While he's flashed high-end contested catch ability, the 23-year-old has simply been unable to carve out a consistent role as a target-earner when the Lions' wide receiver corps is healthy. The lack of reliability makes TeSlaa very difficult for fantasy managers to trust heading into his Week 16 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
--Will BradySource: ESPN.com
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