December 24, 2025
Washington Commanders running back
Chris Rodriguez Jr. has been productive since taking on a bigger workload in Week 9. The third-year back has totalled 69 carries for 316 yards and four touchdowns while adding two catches (three targets) for 12 yards as a receiver. Rodriguez has been the head of a three-man committee in Washington's backfield, playing 43.1% of the snaps, with rookie
Jacory Croskey-Merritt (31.7%) staying involved on early downs and
Jeremy McNichols (33.3%) handling passing-down duties. Rodriguez and Croskey-Merritt both found the end zone last week against the Eagles, but the Commanders' offense could be starting
Josh Johnson at QB on Thursday against the Cowboys, with
Marcus Mariota (hand, quadriceps) injured and uncertain to play. That downgrades the status of all Washington players in fantasy. Facing a Dallas defense that is allowing the sixth-fewest rushing yards per game since acquiring Quinnen Williams, Rodriguez profiles as a low-upside flex option in Week 17.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Pro Football Reference
December 24, 2025
Green Bay Packers quarterback
Malik Willis (shoulder) was listed as a limited participant on Tuesday's estimated injury report. Head coach Matt LaFleur said that Willis was "pretty sore" after injuring his shoulder while filling in for an injured
Jordan Love (concussion) during Saturday night's loss to the Chicago Bears. The 2022 third-rounder finished the game, but there's a possibility that Willis won't be able to play in the Week 17 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday. Willis was excellent in relief of Love, completing nine of 11 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown while adding 10 carries for 44 yards as a runner. If Willis and Love can't go, the Packers would be forced to elevate
Clayton Tune from the practice squad to start against the Ravens.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Tom Pelissero
December 24, 2025
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback
Trevor Lawrence has completed 60.8% of his passes for 1,082 yards and 12 touchdown passes while adding 112 yards and a couple of scores on the ground in the hottest four-game stretch of his career. Lawrence also hasn't turned the ball over in a career-best four straight games, which have all been wins. "He's able to just go out and play freely," head coach Liam Coen said, "now that he's more comfortable with the operation." The former first overall pick threw three touchdowns and ran one in during the impressive 34-20 victory in Denver against the Broncos on Sunday. The Jags have averaged 33 points per game since Week 9, second-most in the league during that span. "We haven't changed a single thing from the moment we started coaching him," Coen said. "Sometimes, it just takes time to click." Now that he's clicking in Coen's offense, Lawrence will look to keep his hot streak going in Week 17 against the division-rival Indianapolis Colts, where he'll be a midrange QB1 in fantasy football.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Jeff Howe
December 24, 2025
Green Bay Packers quarterback
Jordan Love (shoulder, concussion) was listed as a limited participant on Tuesday's estimated injury report ahead of Saturday's game against the Baltimore Ravens. Love exited early during Green Bay's loss to the Bears last Saturday after suffering a concussion and is still in the league's concussion protocol. The star quarterback's status for the Week 17 game remains uncertain until he clears protocol. The 27-year-old has put together the best season of his career so far through 15 games, completing 66.3% of his passes for 3,381 yards, 23 touchdowns, and six interceptions while posting a career high 72.9 QBR. With backup QB
Malik Willis (shoulder) also getting injured in the game against the Bears, the Packers could have to resort to promoting
Clayton Tune from their practice squad to the active roster to start Saturday's game against the Ravens. More will be known about Love's and Willis' statuses in the next few days of practice.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Tom Pelissero
December 24, 2025
Green Bay Packers running back
Josh Jacobs (knee, ankle) was listed as limited on Tuesday's estimated injury report ahead of Saturday's matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports. Jacobs suited up for last Saturday's matchup against the Chicago Bears but had his playing time managed, splitting touches and snaps with
Emanuel Wilson. Wilson outsnapped Jacobs 33 to 28 and outgained him 82 to 48 on the same number of carries (14). It's a positive that the 27-year-old workhorse came out of the game without a setback, and he should be expected to handle a bigger workload on Saturday versus the Ravens if everything goes well in practice this week. Jacobs could carry a questionable tag for the third straight week going into Saturday's contest, but he should be able to play through it, barring a setback with his knee in practice on Wednesday.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Tom Pelissero
December 24, 2025
Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver
Pat Bryant (concussion) was a non-participant in practice on Tuesday. For the second straight day, Bryant was absent from practice and is trending in the wrong direction to play on Christmas night on Thursday against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. The rookie third-rounder was released from the hospital on Monday after suffering a scary injury during Denver's loss to the Jaguars in Week 16 on Sunday. It seems unlikely that he'll be able to clear the league's concussion protocol in time to play on Christmas Day. Without Bryant, the Broncos will lean more on receivers
Troy Franklin,
Marvin Mims Jr., and
Lil'Jordan Humphrey behind
Courtland Sutton for Thursday's game against the Chiefs.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Matt McMullen
December 23, 2025
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said on Tuesday that wide receiver
Amon-Ra St. Brown (knee) still has "a little irritation" in his knee, but the news was positive on his injury as it relates to him playing on Christmas Day against the division-rival Minnesota Vikings, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. St. Brown was listed as a non-participant on Monday's injury report, but he was upgraded to limited for Tuesday's walkthrough, a positive sign that he's trending in the right direction to be active in Week 17. The 26-year-old disappointed in the Week 16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers when considering he had a season-high 164 receiving yards the week prior in the loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He caught four of nine targets for 54 yards on Sunday. If St. Brown is active for Thursday, he'll be a must-start for all fantasy managers.
--Keith HernandezSource: Detroit Free Press - Dave Birkett
December 23, 2025
Baltimore Ravens quarterback
Lamar Jackson (back) was listed as a non-participant in Tuesday's walkthrough practice, according to Josh Tolentino of The Baltimore Sun. Jackson bruised his back in Sunday night's loss to the New England Patriots in the second quarter and never returned. As of right now, the two-time MVP is being considered day-to-day heading into a Week 17 matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday. If the 28-year-old signal-caller doesn't improve enough to get the green light to play this weekend,
Tyler Huntley would make the start at Lambeau Field. It's been an injury-plagued 2025 campaign for Jackson, which has made him less explosive as a dual threat for fantasy managers. You'll need a backup plan in Week 17 at QB. If Huntley makes the start, he'll merely be a low-end QB2 option in superflex formats in a tough matchup on the road.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Baltimore Sun - Josh Tolentino
December 23, 2025
New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn announced on Tuesday that quarterback
Justin Fields (knee) will be placed on Injured Reserve, ending his 2025 season. Fields will be shut down for the final two games of the season after already missing each of the last three contests due to a knee injury. Before the 26-year-old injured his knee, he had been benched in favor of veteran
Tyrod Taylor. It was an extremely disappointing 2025 campaign for Fields, who was brought in as a free agent last offseason to be the Jets' starter this year. Fields ended up making only nine starts, completing 62.7% of his 204 pass attempts for 1,259 yards, seven touchdowns, and one interception. He ran for 383 yards and four touchdowns on 71 attempts while also losing three fumbles. If he remains with the Jets in 2026, Fields will have to show lots of improvement to be in contention to win the starting gig back.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Jets
December 23, 2025
Washington Commanders quarterback
Josh Johnson could be in line to make his first start since Week 16 of the 2021 season if
Marcus Mariota (hand, quadriceps) can't play on Thursday against the division-rival Dallas Cowboys. Johnson filled in for Mariota after exiting last week's game against the Eagles, completing five of nine passes for 43 yards and a horrible interception. The 39-year-old journeyman will draw the best matchup he could ask for in Week 17 against the Cowboys and their 32nd-ranked pass defense coming to town on Christmas Day. Even with the favorable matchup, it's tough to trust Johnson as anything more than a desperation QB2 play in superflex and two-QB leagues if he starts.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Pro Football Reference
December 23, 2025
The New England Patriots signed veteran free-agent running back
Elijah Mitchell to their practice squad on Tuesday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Mitchell quickly latches on with another team after the Kansas City Chiefs waived him last weekend. Patriots rookie RB
TreVeyon Henderson suffered a concussion in Sunday night's win over the Baltimore Ravens and is in danger of missing the Week 17 game against the New York Jets, so the Pats will bring in Mitchell to give the team more RB depth at the end of the regular season. If Henderson doesn't clear the league's concussion protocol by this Sunday, Mitchell could be elevated to the active 53-man roster to serve as the RB3 behind
Rhamondre Stevenson and
D'Ernest Johnson. Unless Stevenson also misses time with an injury, Mitchell is unlikely to become a major contributor in New England's offense. He was active for just one game with KC this year and didn't have a single rushing attempt.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
December 23, 2025
Washington Commanders quarterback
Marcus Mariota (hand, quadriceps) was absent from Tuesday's practice and is trending in the wrong direction to play on Christmas Day against the Dallas Cowboys. He's now missed two straight practices after being forced to exit early during Washington's Week 16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. If he's able to play, the 32-year-old profiles as a quality streaming option against Dallas' 32nd-ranked pass defense, though there is real uncertainty that he plays. Dallas' defense continues to struggle against the pass and just allowed Chargers quarterback
Justin Herbert to have his best fantasy performance of the season. If Mariota can't go, Washington is likely to turn to journeyman
Josh Johnson to make his first start since 2021.
--Kyle McCarthySource: RotoBaller
December 23, 2025
Washington Commanders quarterback
Marcus Mariota (hand, quadriceps) was a non-participant during Tuesday's practice. Mariota has missed two straight practices after he was forced to exit early during Saturday's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles due to injury. Mariota is trending in the wrong direction ahead of Thursday's Christmas matchup versus the division-rival Dallas Cowboys. If he sits out,
Josh Johnson figures to make his first start of the season. The Commanders have also signed
Jeff Driskel off the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad to add depth at the position. The fantasy value of the Commanders' pass-catchers would be downgraded if Johnson is forced to start in Week 17. As of right now, fantasy managers shouldn't be planning on having Mariota available on a short turnaround in Week 17.
--Andy WebbSource: Jeremy Fowler
December 23, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver
DK Metcalf will miss the remainder of the regular season after the league upheld his two-game suspension. Metcalf was suspended after a confrontation with a fan during Sunday's win against the Detroit Lions. The 28-year-old appealed his suspension but was unsuccessful as the league upheld the decision on Tuesday. The Steelers will now be without their top wideout for the final two games of the regular season.
Adam Thielen and
Calvin Austin III (hamstring) should see larger roles in the receiving game. Also, running back
Kenneth Gainwell could take on an even larger role as he has tallied five or more receptions over each of his last three games. If Austin can move past his hamstring injury, he could hold WR3 upside in deeper leagues in a tilt against the Browns, as he should take on the WR1 role in the offense.
--Andy WebbSource: Ian Rapoport
December 23, 2025
Indianapolis Colts quarterback
Philip Rivers will remain the starting quarterback for the Week 17 matchup against the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars. Head coach Shane Steichen confirmed on Tuesday that Rivers would make his third straight start this weekend. The 44-year-old has earned himself another start after a promising outing during Monday's blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Rivers has performed fairly well against two tough teams and will get at least one more start with the Colts technically still in playoff contention. The veteran signal-caller will be on the lower end of the streaming radar for this Sunday's game against the streaking Jags. In Monday night's loss to San Fran, Rivers went 23-for-35 passing for 277 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
--Andy WebbSource: Jeremy Fowler
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