December 18, 2025
Washington Commanders rookie running back
Jacory Croskey-Merritt delivered his best game in more than two months in the Week 15 win over the New York Giants, handling a season-high 18 carries for 96 yards and a touchdown. Croskey-Merrit took advantage of his opportunities with
Chris Rodriguez Jr. (groin) out of the lineup, but Rodriguez will be back for Saturday's divisional matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. It's to be determined if the rookie seventh-rounder earned a larger role with his strong performance, but he looked dynamic and reminded fantasy managers why he generated buzz earlier in the season. Croskey-Merritt struggled mightily after his breakout game in Week 5, ranking 38th out of 38 running backs with at least 40 carries with a 3.0 yards-per-carry average in Weeks 6-11. However, over the past three games, he's turned things around, averaging 5.1 yards per tote and ranking ninth among backs with at least 25 carries. It's another good matchup for Washington running backs in Week 16, as the Eagles have allowed the seventh-most yards per carry (4.5) this season, but with the uncertainty around Croskey-Merritt's role, he profiles only as a deep-league flex option.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Pro Football Reference
December 18, 2025
Washington Commanders running back
Chris Rodriguez Jr. (groin) was a full participant in practice this week and doesn't have an injury designation heading into Saturday's divisional matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Rodriguez missed last week against the Giants' 31st-ranked run defense and saw rookie
Jacory Croskey-Merritt record his best day on the ground since his breakout performance in Week 5. The third-year back still has a favorable matchup in Week 16 against an Eagles defense that has allowed 4.5 yards per carry and the 11th-most PPR points to running backs. The Kentucky product had recorded double-digit carries in each of the past five games, with him leaving early due to injury in Week 10 being the only exception, but it remains to be seen if Croskey-Merritt worked his way back into a more prominent role after his performance last week. Rodriguez is a consistent threat to find the end zone, but he doesn't have the highest ceiling in a split backfield and is a non-factor in the passing game. He's tough to trust as anything more than a low-end RB3/flex option for the second round of the fantasy playoffs.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Pro Football Reference
December 18, 2025
Updating a previous report, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver
Tee Higgins (concussion) was listed as a limited participant in practice again on Thursday, according to Ben Baby of ESPN. Higgins has not been a full participant at practice since reporting concussion-like symptoms following the team's Dec. 7 loss in Week 14 to the Buffalo Bills. The 26-year-old suffered his first concussion of the year in Week 12 and did not play in the Thanksgiving night win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13. Higgins was held out of last week's shutout loss to the Ravens and remains in the league's concussion protocol. He will need clearance from an independent neurologist to play this Sunday in a meaningless game against the Miami Dolphins, with both teams eliminated from the postseason. Higgins' availability is up in the air, but he'd be a must-start in fantasy football if he's active in a great matchup.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Ben Baby
December 18, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver
Mike Evans (collarbone) was given the day off on Thursday after he put in a limited practice on Wednesday, according to the team's official website. Evans returned last week for the first time since breaking his collarbone in Week 7. He played only 55% of the offensive snaps, but when he was on the field, quarterback
Baker Mayfield was looking his way often. The 32-year-old veteran pass-catcher was targeted a season-high 12 times, catching six passes for 132 yards in the loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. The Bucs will most likely be resting the veteran during the week from here on out, but he should be ready to roll for a huge divisional game on Sunday on the road in Carolina against the Panthers. After Evans' big performance in Week 15, fantasy managers should have him slotted back into all starting lineups in Week 16.
--Keith HernandezSource: Buccaneers.com
December 18, 2025
Washington Commanders quarterback
Marcus Mariota has a tough matchup in Week 16 against his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles. Mariota will remain Washington's starter for the remainder of the regular season after the team shut down
Jayden Daniels (elbow) after aggravating his elbow injury in Week 14. The 32-year-old signal-caller has been solid all season while filling in for Daniels, completing 62% of his passes for 1,600 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions while adding 49 carries for 298 yards and a touchdown as a runner in 10 games (seven starts). Mariota is averaging 18.4 fantasy points per game in his seven starts, which would be tied for QB11 on the season among quarterbacks with at least six games. Mariota profiles as a QB2 on Saturday against an Eagles defense that has allowed the 10th-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Pro Football Reference
December 18, 2025
Washington Commanders running back
Chris Rodriguez Jr. (groin) was able to practice in full all week and has been cleared to play in the Week 16 divisional game this Saturday versus the Philadelphia Eagles, according to the team. Rodriguez was a surprise inactive for last week's win over the New York Giants due to a groin injury. With the 25-year-old out last Sunday, rookie
Jacory Croskey-Merritt saw a season-high 18 rushing attempts for 96 yards and a touchdown. Before C-Rod's injury, he had taken over lead-back duties in Washington and had double-digit carries in four of the last five games. However, after JCR's impressive performance in Week 15, it's possible the two could split backfield touches more evenly in a tough matchup against the Eagles' defense. With a potential timeshare in Week 16, Rodriguez loses a lot of fantasy value and will be more of a touchdown-dependent RB3/flex for fantasy managers in deeper leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Washington Commanders
December 18, 2025
The Green Bay Packers' defense and special teams unit faltered against the Denver Broncos, but they will look to pick up the pieces following Micah Parsons' season-ending knee injury in Week 16 against the Chicago Bears. The Packers' D/ST was already an underachieving unit for fantasy purposes, with just three top-12 finishes in 14 games this season. However, the season-ending injury to Parsons (knee) puts a huge damper on the Packers' D/ST in the final three games of the season. The Packers have just one total sack and two takeaways in the last two games, which makes their D/ST even more untrustworthy. With the Packers heading to Soldier Field to play the Chicago Bears, the Packers are a tough D/ST to trust in Week 16.
--Kevin TompkinsSource: RotoBaller
December 18, 2025
Green Bay Packers kicker
Brandon McManus has been perfect over his last four weeks since returning to the Packers' lineup, and looks to keep that hot stretch going when the Packers head to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears. McManus hasn't missed a kick in the last four weeks, culminating in last week's effort against the Denver Broncos, where he booted home all four of his field goal attempts plus both of his extra point attempts. The Packers have been getting into the opponent's side of the field with regularity, but the fact that they can't turn some of those possessions into touchdowns leads to quite a few attempts for McManus, who has averaged two field goals and three extra points in these last four games. Against Chicago, the weather calls for wind gusts up to 20 miles per hour, so McManus is a low-end starting option for fantasy in Week 16.
--Kevin TompkinsSource: RotoBaller
December 18, 2025
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that New Orleans Saints rookie running back
Devin Neal (hamstring) has been placed on Injured Reserve, ending his 2025 season. Neal suffered a hamstring injury during New Orleans' Week 15 win over the Carolina Panthers. With Saints backs
Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle) and
Kendre Miller (knee) sidelined, Neal has served as his team's RB1 since Week 13. The 22-year-old played well across his two fully healthy starts, recording 153 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 37 touches. With Kamara's return timeline uncertain and Neal and Miller both done for the season, the Saints appear likely to turn to the combination of
Audric Estime and
Evan Hull for backfield snaps down the stretch of the season. Estime was the more productive of the two backs in Week 15, recording 50 scrimmage yards on six touches. New Orleans will host the New York Jets in Week 16 before traveling to Tennessee to take on the Titans in Week 17.
--Will BradySource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
December 18, 2025
Green Bay Packers tight end
Luke Musgrave is coming off the best game of his 2025 season in Week 15 and will look to keep that momentum going when the Packers travel to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears. After
Tucker Kraft's season-ending injury, Musgrave ran a season-high 81% of routes and 76% of snaps for the Packers in Week 10, but has been in a rotation with fellow tight ends
John FitzPatrick and
Josh Whyle for the next four weeks. Last week, Musgrave had his second-highest routes (52%) and snap share (52%) of the season as the tight end rotation condensed down to Musgrave and FitzPatrick. Musgrave put up a season-high six targets and four receptions for 52 yards in that game. Still, a rotation of any kind does little in the way of upside for Musgrave for fantasy purposes. Against Chicago in Week 16, Musgrave is a low-end fantasy tight end option, where you're hoping he gets into the end zone.
--Kevin TompkinsSource: RotoBaller
December 18, 2025
Green Bay Packers wide receiver
Matthew Golden was pressed into more duty following the injury to
Christian Watson (chest) in Week 15, and looks to carve out a meaningful role when the Packers head to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears. Golden tied
Jayden Reed for the most receiving yards on the Packers in Week 15 against Denver, with 55. He also caught all three of his targets in the loss, but Golden was much more involved against the Broncos than in Week 14 against the Bears. This time around, against the Bears in Week 16, there is much more uncertainty with a couple of Packers donning a questionable tag, including Watson and
Dontayvion Wicks (ankle). For fantasy, there's too big a hill to climb for Golden to get the requisite workload that turns into fantasy value, so he's a recommended sit when the Packers face the Bears on Saturday in Week 16.
--Kevin TompkinsSource: RotoBaller
December 18, 2025
New Orleans Saints running back
Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle) was among the players ESPN's Katherine Terrell listed as absent from the team's practice on Thursday. The 30-year-old has not practiced or played since suffering a sprained MCL in Week 12, and he could be headed for his fourth straight missed game in Week 16 against the New York Jets. Saints rookie back
Devin Neal (hamstring) has been serving as the team's lead back in Kamara's absence, but Neal suffered a hamstring injury in Week 15 and has already been ruled out for Sunday against New York. If Kamara remains sidelined, it appears New Orleans will turn to the combination of
Audric Estime and
Evan Hull for backfield snaps in Week 16. Estime recorded 50 scrimmage yards on six touches in Week 15 and could be the best option from the Saints for fantasy managers to pick up on the waiver wire.
--Will BradySource: ESPN - Katherine Terrell
December 18, 2025
Green Bay Packers wide receiver
Jayden Reed (personal) put in a full practice on Thursday and is good to go for the Packers' Week 16 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Reed has seen his production climb over the last two weeks he's been active, and in Week 15 against the Denver Broncos, Reed led the team in targets (six), with five receptions for 55 yards. With
Christian Watson (chest) questionable after two limited practice sessions, both Reed and
Romeo Doubs could slide up in the pecking order for quarterback
Jordan Love. Reed has been targeted once on every five routes (21% targets per route run) in Weeks 14 and 15, and should see quite a bit of attention from Love in a game the Packers sorely need. Slot in Reed as a high-end flex for fantasy purposes in Week 16 against the Bears.
--Kevin TompkinsSource: RotoBaller
December 18, 2025
Green Bay Packers wide receiver
Romeo Doubs has hit a snag with his fantasy production in recent weeks, but looks to turn a corner with the Packers set to square off against division rival Chicago in Week 16. Doubs was left off the stat sheet in the last meeting with the Bears in Week 14, earning two catchless targets. Last week, he got back on the board against Denver with two receptions for 36 yards. That said, it's tough to trust Doubs, even with some of the injury-related issues for the Packers at the wide receiver position.
Christian Watson (chest) and
Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) are both questionable, so if Watson is out, that could provide Doubs an opportunity to get back into fantasy relevance. For Week 16 against Chicago, Doubs is a desperation flex option with a very low fantasy points floor.
--Kevin TompkinsSource: RotoBaller
December 18, 2025
Green Bay Packers running back
Emanuel Wilson could have a significant impact in Week 16 when the Packers travel to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears. Starting running back
Josh Jacobs (knee/ankle) is listed as questionable on the team's final injury report heading into Saturday's divisional showdown. If Jacobs is out or limited, Wilson would likely have a massive role in line for Week 16. The last time Wilson saw a full rushing workload was just a few weeks ago in Week 12, where Wilson had 28 carries for 107 yards and two rushing touchdowns against the Minnesota Vikings. Chicago allows the 13th-fewest fantasy points to the running back position, but Jacobs had 86 yards and a touchdown against the Bears in their last meeting. If Jacobs misses this game, Wilson is a locked-in RB2 against the Bears. If Jacobs is active, Wilson is more of a low-end RB3 fantasy option.
--Kevin TompkinsSource: RotoBaller
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