December 23, 2025
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver
Drake London (knee) was targeted eight times in Sunday's 26-19 win over the Cardinals, but was only able to convert three of them into receptions for 27 scoreless yards. It was the 24-year-old's first game back from injury after missing four straight contests, and despite the high target volume, he was only on the field for 69 percent of the team's offensive snaps after averaging 92 percent prior to the injury. For those managers who were able to advance despite the poor performance, the 6-foot-4 wideout draws a favorable home matchup in Week 17 against a Rams defense that is much more generous against the pass than it is against the run. Managers should monitor the practice reports throughout the week, but assuming he's got his legs under him now, London figures to be on the field for more snaps on Monday Night Football and should once again be a WR1.
--Jarod RuppSource: ESPN
December 23, 2025
San Francisco 49ers tight end
George Kittle (ankle) led the team in receptions and receiving yards and tied for the team lead in targets in Monday's 48-27 win over the Colts. Kittle recorded seven catches for 115 yards and a touchdown on eight targets, setting a new season high in receiving yards and making his second trip to the end zone in as many weeks. Unfortunately, Kittle suffered an ankle injury during the game that forced an early exit in the third quarter. By Kittle's own reckoning in post-game comments, he avoided a high-ankle sprain, but his status for Week 17 is unknown at this point. If Kittle is unable to go against the Bears,
Jake Tonges and
Luke Farrell would split the load at tight end. When Kittle was on injured reserve earlier this season, Tonges posted a 22-209-2 line during Kittle's five-game stint on injured reserve.
--Dan StephensSource: KNBR
December 23, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver
Rashee Rice (concussion) was not seen at Tuesday's practice as he continues to work through the league's concussion protocol. Rice missed the team's Week 16 loss to the Titans after suffering a violent hit from the Chargers' Tony Jefferson in Week 15. With the Chiefs slated to face the Broncos on Christmas night, Rice's absence during the shortened week of preparation does not bode well for his availability come Thursday. Already down two quarterbacks, with
Chris Oladokun set to make his first career start, Rice would likely be best kept on the bench even if healthy. Facing an implied point total of just 11.5 points, no Kansas City starters project to factor into many fantasy championships this season.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Pete Sweeney
December 23, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers running back
Jaylen Warren (undisclosed) suffered an unspecified injury in the team's Week 16 win over the Lions, and head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters on Tuesday that he will be limited to begin the week in practice. Tomlin did note that he is optimistic about Warren's availability for Pittsburgh's Week 17 matchup with the Browns. Warren is coming off a career-high 143 rushing yards and an RB4 finish in Half-PPR formats, but fantasy managers will need to monitor the team's Wednesday injury report for additional information. Assuming a return to health, Warren should be viewed as a high-upside RB2/flex against a Cleveland defense that he collected 63 total yards against in a Week 6 victory.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Nick Farabaugh
December 23, 2025
Minnesota Vikings quarterback
J.J. McCarthy (hand) has been ruled out for the team's Week 17 Christmas Day matchup with the Lions. McCarthy underwent an MRI after being knocked out of the team's Week 16 win over the Giants, revealing a hairline fracture in his throwing hand. Undrafted rookie
Max Brosmer, who came on in relief on Sunday, is expected to make his second career start on Thursday. His previous start came in a disastrous Week 13 loss to the Seahawks, in which he threw four interceptions and zero touchdowns. Fantasy managers who have survived a rough season from All-Pro wide receiver
Justin Jefferson and managed to reach their fantasy championship face another tough decision, with Jefferson best left on the bench despite coming off his first top-24 finish at the position since Week 11.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Ian Rapoport
December 23, 2025
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
Jauan Jennings took yet another trip to the end zone in Week 16, extending his streak to a fourth game. He has at least one touchdown in six out of the 49ers' last seven games. In Monday night's 48-27 win over the Colts, Jennings caught five of his six targets for 71 yards and a touchdown. The yardage was the most Jennings turned in since the 71-yard game he recorded in Week 10. Jennings' fantasy value has been largely touchdown-dependent, as he has averaged just 3.8 receptions and 43.5 receiving yards per game in 2025. Jennings has been one of
Brock Purdy's preferred targets, though, and the receiver has a promising matchup in Week 17. In the fantasy football championship round, San Francisco will host the Chicago Bears, who have allowed the second-most touchdowns to opposing wide receivers in 2025.
--Dan StephensSource: NFL.com
December 23, 2025
Chicago Bears wide receiver
Rome Odunze (foot) has now missed three consecutive games with a foot injury, but head coach Ben Johnson told reporters on Tuesday that his second-year wideout is right on track in his injury recovery and is expected to help the team again this season. The Bears face the 49ers in a Week 17 Sunday night tilt that could reshuffle the NFC playoff picture, so fantasy managers will need to monitor Odunze's status throughout the week and have a pivot ready in the event he becomes a game-time decision. The game features one of the highest projected point totals of the week, and with Bears quarterback
Caleb Williams having thrown multiple touchdown passes in three straight games, Odunze is very much in play for fantasy championship weekend if he is able to suit up.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Josh Alper
December 23, 2025
San Francisco 49ers running back
Christian McCaffrey had another explosive performance in Week 16. McCaffrey ran for 117 yards on 21 carries and caught six of his eight targets for 29 yards and two touchdowns in the 49ers' 48-27 win over the Colts on Monday night. It was one of McCaffrey's better running performances of the season, having averaged 3.6 yards per carry coming into the game. McCaffrey's recent downward trend in receiving yards continued, though he was back to being one of the team's leaders in targets, due in part to
Ricky Pearsall's (knee, ankle) absence. McCaffrey is now 151 yards away from achieving 1,000 yards in the rushing and receiving categories for the second time in his career. His next opportunity to add to his total will be against the Bears, who have allowed their opponents 348.1 offensive yards per game.
--Dan StephensSource: NFL.com
December 23, 2025
Atlanta Falcons tight end
Kyle Pitts Sr. continued his recent stretch of success in Sunday's 26-19 win over the Cardinals, hauling in seven of nine targets for 57 yards and a touchdown. It was the fourth straight game with at least eight targets and at least six catches, and the 25-year-old has quickly vaulted himself into the position of second-ranked tight end for fantasy this year after recording four touchdowns in the last two weeks alone (five on the season). The 6-foot-6 pass catcher was able to perform in Week 16 despite the return of
Drake London (knee), who played just 69 percent of the team's offensive snaps. Pitts draws a home matchup against the Rams in what is most likely the championship round of the fantasy playoffs for most managers, a defense that is middle of the pack in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, although the Seahawks'
AJ Barner just registered a 4-49-1 line in Week 16 against Los Angeles. With a solid role in the Atlanta offense, Pitts will surely be a TE1 in Week 17.
--Jarod RuppSource: ESPN
December 23, 2025
San Francisco 49ers quarterback
Brock Purdy came through in a big way for those relying on him for a Monday night miracle to advance to the fantasy football championship round. Purdy went 25-for-34 for 295 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception in the 49ers' 48-27 win over the Colts. Two of his touchdown throws went to running back
Christian McCaffrey, with tight end
George Kittle and wide receivers
Jauan Jennings and
Demarcus Robinson each getting one. Once again, Purdy concentrated the majority of his attempts on McCaffrey, Kittle, and Jennings, though
Kendrick Bourne worked in for five targets with
Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle) out. Purdy and the 49ers host the Chicago Bears in Week 17. It will be a welcome matchup for Purdy, as the Bears have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks this season.
--Dan StephensSource: NFL.com
December 23, 2025
According to head coach Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back
Rachaad White could be given a larger role during their contest against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon. When asked about White's usage during their loss to the Panthers in Week 16, Bowles noted that he "completely agrees" that White should have been given more rushing attempts, given the success he enjoyed in his limited opportunities. In this contest, White took five carries for 45 yards and two receptions of 15 yards. Over the previous two games, White showed similar upside, tallying 73 yards on 12 rushing attempts. White's eight rushing attempts on Sunday placed him second on the depth chart, above
Sean Tucker's four carries and behind
Bucky Irving's 19 carries. Given that White seems poised for a larger role in Week 17, managers in deeper 12-team formats could consider him as a viable FLEX play facing a Miami defense that is allowing the eighth-most PPR points to opposing RBs.
--Andy SmithSource: Pewter Report
December 23, 2025
Tennessee Titans running back
Tony Pollard could be trending towards a timeshare during their week 17 contest against the Saints. According to OC Nick Holtz, the split workload between
Tyjae Spears and Pollard was "how he envisioned" their usage given their respective skill sets. In their victory over the Chiefs, Pollard took the bulk of the carries on the ground, logging 21 compared to Spears' 13. However, in the passing game, Spears took the load as he was targeted five times and brought in all five for 53 yards, while Pollard was not targeted once. While Pollard's upside as a pass catcher may continue to be limited, he is finding his footing on the ground, averaging a strong 122.3 rushing yards per game over his last three contests. During these three games, Pollard has only drawn two total targets in the receiving game. Pollard should still be viewed as a high-floor RB2 in all formats heading into a Week 17 tilt against the Saints. Spears has entered FLEX territory for those in deeper PPR formats.
--Andy SmithSource: Jim Wyatt
December 23, 2025
Tennessee Titans tight end
Chig Okonkwo had one of his better games of the 2025 season in Week 16 against the Kansas City Chiefs, recording six catches for 44 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. Across 15 games this season, the 26-year-old has hauled in 51 receptions for 503 yards and a score on 67 targets. Okonkwo is averaging exactly five targets per game over his last five contests and has scored at least seven PPR fantasy points in four out of his last six games. However, his ceiling is limited by the presence of Titans tight end
Gunnar Helm, as Tennessee has split playing time between its two tight ends throughout the second half of the season. Still, Okonkwo has proven that he can provide a relatively stable production floor. In fantasy leagues with 14 or more teams, he could be a viable streaming option in his Week 17 matchup against the New Orleans Saints for managers in need of help at the tight end position.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
December 23, 2025
Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury told Commanders beat writer Ben Standig, "We'll see how that plays out," when asked by Standig about his possible head-coaching opportunities. Kingsbury has been the play-caller in Washington for each of the last two seasons after previously serving as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals from 2019 through 2022. Kingsbury went 28-37-1 at the helm in Arizona, leading the Cardinals to one playoff birth. He led Washington to the number five scoring offense and number seven offense in total yardage in 2024 while working with then-rookie quarterback
Jayden Daniels (elbow). With Daniels injured for much of 2025, the Commanders have regressed to 24th in scoring offense and 20th in yardage heading into Week 17. Kingsbury also has extensive experience in the college ranks, serving as head coach at Texas Tech for six seasons from 2013 through 2018. While nothing is guaranteed, it appears he could be looking to move on from Washington at the end of the 2025 season.
--Will BradySource: Ben Standig
December 23, 2025
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said on Tuesday that wide receiver
Kayshon Boutte (concussion) is in the NFL's concussion protocol, per ESPN's Mike Reiss. Boutte will need to clear the league's testing to be available for New England's Week 17 matchup against the New York Jets. Across 13 games this season, the 23-year-old has hauled in 31 receptions for 527 yards and six touchdowns on 42 targets. Boutte's production has tailed off a bit of late, as he has not recorded more than 35 receiving yards in a game since Week 8. If he's unable to play in Week 17, Patriots wide receivers
Mack Hollins and
Stefon Diggs would likely both see a slight increase in target share. Additionally, rookie wideout
Kyle Williams could step into Boutte's role as the team's top deep-ball threat.
--Will BradySource: ESPN - Mike Reiss
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