December 19, 2025
Across 14 games this season, Tennessee Titans tight end
Gunnar Helm (toe) has recorded 41 receptions for 347 yards and two touchdowns on 50 targets. Helm is officially listed as questionable to play in his team's Week 16 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs due to a toe injury, but he was able to practice in full on Friday. If Helm is active in Week 16, he could have a chance to continue his late-season surge. Over his past five games. Helm has earned 25 targets, recording at least four receptions in four out of five contests. In his most recent game against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15, he recorded four grabs for 49 receiving yards and a touchdown. The Titans split tight end snaps between Helm and veteran
Chig Okonkwo, which limits the upside for both players. Still, Helm could offer appeal as a streaming tight end option for deep-league fantasy managers down the stretch of the season.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
December 19, 2025
New Orleans Saints tight end
Juwan Johnson has been a steady producer for much of the 2025 season, recording 62 receptions for 644 yards and three touchdowns on 84 targets across 14 games. While he may not have explosive upside, the 29-year-old has recorded at least four catches in seven out of his last eight contests. On Friday, the Saints placed wide receiver
Devaughn Vele (shoulder) on Injured Reserve, ending his season before the team's Week 16 matchup against the New York Jets. With Vele now out of the picture, Johnson could function as the number two option in the New Orleans passing game alongside star wideout
Chris Olave. Johnson has a favorable schedule for the remainder of the fantasy playoffs, as after the Jets in Week 16, he will face the Tennessee Titans in Week 17. Johnson profiles as a borderline fantasy TE1 down the stretch of the season.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
December 19, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver
Rashee Rice (concussion) has been ruled out for his team's Week 16 matchup against the Tennessee Titans due to a concussion. The 25-year-old has functioned as the number one option in the Chiefs' passing game since returning from suspension in Week 7, recording 53 catches for 571 yards and five touchdowns across eight games. Kansas City will also be without wide receiver
Tyquan Thornton (concussion) in Week 16, so wideouts
Xavier Worthy,
Marquise Brown, and
JuJu Smith-Schuster appear likely to see the majority of the snaps on Sunday. Chiefs tight end
Travis Kelce could see an uptick in targets as well. With quarterback
Patrick Mahomes (knee) out for the season and
Gardner Minshew now the starting quarterback in Kansas City, the outlook for all of the team's pass catchers is less favorable. Still, Kelce and Worthy in particular could have a chance to volume their way to production in Week 16 against Tennessee.
--Will BradySource: Kansas City Chiefs
December 19, 2025
In a recent radio appearance, Green Bay Packers beat writer Rob Demovsky of ESPN said Packers running back
Josh Jacobs (knee, ankle) is "more doubtful than probable" to play in the team's Week 16 matchup against the Chicago Bears on Saturday. Jacobs is officially listed as questionable to play after missing practice all week as he battles a lingering knee injury. The 27-year-old has rushed for 890 yards and 13 touchdowns on 218 carries across 13 games this season. If Green Bay does indeed hold Jacobs out,
Emanuel Wilson would likely be in line for a sizable workload increase against Chicago. In Jacobs' lone missed game this season in Week 12 against the Minnesota Vikings, Wilson recorded 125 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on 30 touches. The final word is unlikely to come until gametime on Saturday, so managers will need to monitor Jacobs' injury situation closely.
--Will BradySource: 79th & Halas Podcast
December 19, 2025
New England Patriots running back
Rhamondre Stevenson has seen a notable decline in usage since returning from the toe injury that caused him to miss three games from Weeks 9-11. Prior to the injury, he was averaging 12.8 opportunities per game, while that number has slipped to just 10.7 over the past three weeks. He has taken exactly six handoffs in two of those three games, and the goal line work that was almost exclusively his to begin the year is now being split with explosive rookie
TreVeyon Henderson. Stevenson looked good on his limited opportunities in a Week 15 loss to the Bills, but his touches all but dried up following an undisciplined penalty, leaving Henderson to handle most of the team's second-half work. The Patriots face an undaunting Ravens run defense in Week 16, but Stevenson looks to have fallen behind Henderson in New England's backfield committee, and he is RotoBaller's RB41 for the week.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
December 19, 2025
Baltimore Ravens running back
Justice Hill (neck) has been progressing from the neck injury that landed him on Injured Reserve in late November, and could return as early as Week 17, according to head coach John Harbaugh. Hill sustained the injury during practice and has not played in a game since Week 12, but Harbaugh believes a return for the team's Week 17 matchup with the Packers is a real possibility. Used primarily as the team's passing back, Hill's absence has led to more opportunities for
Keaton Mitchell and second-year back
Rasheen Ali, though neither has seen enough work to enter the fantasy discussion.
Derrick Henry, who somewhat quietly has amassed 1,000 rushing yards and double-digit touchdowns for the seventh time in his last eight seasons, remains an every-week start regardless of who is spelling him.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Baltimore Ravens
December 19, 2025
New Orleans Saints wide receiver
Devaughn Vele (shoulder) has been placed on injured reserve, ending his season before the team's Week 16 matchup with the Jets. Vele suffered the season-ending shoulder injury during the fourth quarter of a Week 15 win over the Panthers and had already been ruled out for Sunday. Vele had established a strong rapport with rookie quarterback
Tyler Shough, regularly seeing target shares in the high-teens to mid-20s, and his absence should see tight end
Juwan Johnson step in as the team's number two pass-catching option behind
Chris Olave. Olave, who has seen double-digit targets only once since Shough took over as starter, but has found the endzone in three of his last five games, could once again see the type of heavy volume that defined his early season and is RotoBaller's WR11 for Week 16.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Nick Underhill
December 19, 2025
New Orleans Saints running back
Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle) was not spotted during the open portion of Friday's practice, signifying a near certainty that he will miss his fourth consecutive game. With rookie
Devin Neal (hamstring) placed on Injured Reserve earlier this week, the Saints' backfield will now be led by second and third-year runners
Audric Estime and
Evan Hull. With Neal prematurely exiting the team's Week 15 win over the Panthers, it was Estime who out-snapped and out-touched Hull. Although Hull's calling card coming out of college was his receiving ability, it was also Estime who saw three targets to Hull's zero. It's always risky relying on in-game adjustments to predict how a backfield will be split with a full week of preparation, but Estime appears to be the New Orleans running back with the most value heading into a favorable Week 16 matchup with the Jets. Still, it should come as no surprise if Hull is worked in more as the team's dedicated passing back.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Katherine Terrell
December 19, 2025
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver
Drake London (knee) is listed as questionable heading into Sunday's matchup with the Cardinals, but head coach Raheem Morris told reporters on Friday that he expects his star receiver to suit up and play. London has missed the last four games with a knee injury, having last appeared in a Week 11 loss to the Panthers. In his absence, tight end
Kyle Pitts Sr. has been the main benefactor, finishing as the TE5, TE6, and TE1 over the past three weeks, with the best game of his career coming in a Week 15 Thursday night victory over the Buccaneers. With London back, Pitts' target share is sure to drop, but he remains in play against a Cardinals defense that has been near the bottom of the league at defending tight ends. London himself can also be trusted against an Arizona defense that just saw
Nico Collins finish as the WR4 in Week 15. London may face a limited snap count in his first game back, but he is still RotoBaller's WR7 for the week.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Tom Pelissero
December 19, 2025
Washington Commanders wide receiver
Treylon Burks hasn't recorded a reception since his spectacular one-handed touchdown catch in Week 13 against the Denver Broncos. His route share dropped from a season high of 67.3% in that game to 25% in Week 14 against the Vikings, with
Noah Brown back in the lineup. Brown suffered another injury to his ribs in last week's game against the Giants and will now miss the remainder of the season, so Burks should see more opportunities moving forward. Washington has trended much more run-heavy with quarterback
Marcus Mariota under center, limiting the fantasy appeal of their pass-catchers. Burks shouldn't be considered for fantasy football lineups in Week 16 against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Pro Football Reference
December 19, 2025
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said that a decision on activating quarterback
Deshaun Watson (Achilles) to the 53-man roster will be made next week, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. The deadline for the Browns to activate Watson from the Physically Unable to Perform list is next Tuesday. Watson has been ruled out for the Week 16 contest against the visiting Buffalo Bills. Even if the 30-year-old is activated from the PUP list before the Week 17 divisional matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, rookie
Shedeur Sanders is expected to remain Cleveland's starter to close out the 2025 season. If the Browns don't activate Watson by next Tuesday, he'll be ineligible for the final two games of the year. The three-time Pro Bowler's NFL future remains incredibly murky, although he's expected to stick around in Cleveland next year and compete for the starting job with Sanders and
Dillon Gabriel.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Daniel Oyefusi
December 19, 2025
Cleveland Browns rookie running back
Dylan Sampson (calf, hand) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the visiting Buffalo Bills in Week 16, according to The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot. Sampson was unable to practice all week and will miss his second straight game due to a pair of injuries. It's unclear if the 21-year-old will be ready to play in Week 17 against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers. With Sampson out again, expect
Trayveon Williams and
Raheim Sanders to battle for backfield scraps behind rookie starter
Quinshon Judkins. Sampson has really only been valuable in fantasy for the Week 1 regular season opener when Judkins was out. In the 17-16 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Sampson had a season-high 12 carries for 29 yards and caught all eight of his targets for 64 yards. Since then, he's had only two games with more than three rushing attempts.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot
December 19, 2025
Washington Commanders tight end
John Bates stepped into a near full-time role last week against the New York Giants with
Zach Ertz (knee) out for the year with a torn ACL. Bates played 42 of 61 snaps (69%) and ran a route on 13 of 26 dropbacks (50%) while recording one catch for 19 yards on one target. The 28-year-old has operated as Washington's top blocking tight end this season, but will take on more responsibility as a receiver with Ertz out of the picture. Bates has never been an impactful pass-catcher at the NFL level, though, with a career high of just four catches in a game, a single-game best of 46 yards, and two total touchdowns in 79 career games. He should continue to see steady playing time in Week 16 with third-string TE
Colson Yankoff (ankle) also out this week, but he could cede more receiving work to second-year tight end
Ben Sinnott down the stretch, given Sinnott's Day 2 draft capital and better athletic profile. Bates shouldn't be considered as a viable fantasy option for Saturday's divisional matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Pro Football Reference
December 19, 2025
Cleveland Browns tight end
David Njoku (knee) has officially been ruled out for the second straight game and will not dress for the Week 16 contest this Sunday against the visiting Buffalo Bills, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Njoku has not practiced the last two weeks after suffering a knee injury on a touchdown grab in Week 14. It's unclear if he'll be able to play in the final two weeks of the 2025 regular season. The 29-year-old has taken a clear back seat to rookie
Harold Fannin Jr. this year, catching just 33 passes on 48 targets for 293 yards and four touchdowns. With Njoku out in last week's blowout loss to the Chicago Bears, Fannin had seven catches on a team-high 14 targets for 48 yards. Fannin will have more TE1 upside for a second straight week this Sunday against Buffalo with Njoku out again.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot
December 19, 2025
Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said on Friday that running back
Michael Carter will get the starting nod in the backfield on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons with
Bam Knight (ankle) done for the year, according to Tyler Drake of Arizona Sports.
Emari Demercado is "expected to be involved as well." Carter should handle most of the early down work for Arizona in the final three games of the season, with Demercado serving as the team's passing-down specialist. The 26-year-old returned from a three-game absence due to an ankle sprain in last week's loss to the Houston Texans. Demercado played just 11% of the snaps and had one carry for one yard and two catches for no gain on three targets. In 10 games in 2025, he's averaged only 3.2 yards per carry for 242 yards, and no touchdowns on 32 carries on the ground, adding 10 catches for 64 yards and a TD. At best, Demercado will be a low-upside RB3/flex option for fantasy managers in deeper leagues this weekend.
--Keith HernandezSource: Arizona Sports - Tyler Drake
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