2 days agoOakland Raiders wide receiver
Hunter Renfrow has been ruled out for Sunday’s contest versus the Jacksonville Jaguars due to an injury to his ribs. Renfrow will now be out of the mix for a third consecutive week, paving the way for
Tyrell Williams to once again be Oakland’s top wideout, but also clearing the way for
Darren Waller to become quarterback
Derek Carr’s favorite target. Renfrow’s role in the Oakland offense had been growing prior to his injury, but he will need at least another week before he can suit up. His next chance at returning comes next Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers, whom he snagged four receptions for 42 yards against back in Week 10.
--Jesse Borek - RotoBallerSource: Vic Tafur
2 days agoPittsburgh Steelers wide receiver
James Washington will serve as the team's WR1 against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, since
JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee) suffered a setback is officially listed as “out.” The second-year man out of Oklahoma State has proven capable of producing over the last five weeks, catching 20 of 27 targets for 381 yards and three touchdowns. However, the Bills house one of the top passing defenses in the league, which makes Washington a risky WR4 and likely not an option outside of a second flex spot in the fantasy semifinals.
--Steve Janik - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
2 days agoMiami Dolphins wide receiver
Devante Parker was able to log a full practice Friday, moving him closer towards suiting up Sunday versus the New York Giants. Parker will have still have a questionable designation for the game as he looks to be officially cleared from the league’s concussion protocol following his departure last week against the Jets. Should Parker eventually get the thumbs up, he will reclaim his role as the No. 1 offensive weapon for Miami, one who had accrued double-digit targets in four consecutive games before he was knocked out early a week ago. Parker presents a WR2 option in most-sized formats and should definitely be deployed if he is ultimately cleared prior to kickoff.
--Jesse Borek - RotoBallerSource: Adam Beasley
2 days agoPittsburgh Steelers running back
Benny Snell Jr. will likely return to his role of spelling
James Conner (shoulder) does in fact return for Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills. While Conner is listed as questionable, Snell has done well in place of the injured back who missed three games. However, the rookie will likely take a back seat to Conner as the Steelers typically like to stick with one main back. In a fantasy playoff scenario, it's hard to make a case to start Snell unless Conner doesn’t play. If the third-year back does sit out, Snell would need to score a touchdown to be considered an RB3 in most formats.
--Steve Janik - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
2 days agoNew England Patriots wide receivers
Julian Edelman and
Mohamed Sanu have both picked up questionable designations ahead of Sunday’s game versus the Cincinnati Bengals. Edelman does not appear to be in any danger of missing the contest, as he has traditionally been tagged as questionable on numerous occasions throughout the year and managed to play each time. Also limited at practice Friday was Sanu, who is dealing with an ankle injury. Sanu’s production has tapered off over the last three weeks, which makes him a difficult fantasy play, even against a porous Bengals defensive unit that has allowed the second-most yards in the league this season. Barring a downturn in health, quarterback
Tom Brady should have his full allotment of targets at his disposal, but both Edelman and Sanu are worth checking on ahead of kickoff.
--Jesse Borek - RotoBallerSource: Mike Reiss
2 days agoPittsburgh Steelers Quarterback
Devlin Hodges can be safely left on waivers for a Week 15 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The rookie hasn't thrown for over 212 yards once this season and while he's thrown a touchdown in each of his last three games, he hasn't thrown more than one in any game. While
James Conner (shoulder) is expected to return on Sunday, it's unlikely that
JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee) will be back, highly capping the passing game's ceiling against a defense that has allowed just 12 passing touchdowns this season.
--Steve Janik - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
2 days agoOakland Raiders running back
Josh Jacobs has reportedly been progressing during practice as he attempts to make his way back onto the field for Sunday’s game versus the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he has officially been listed as questionable for the contest due to a fractured shoulder. Without him in the mix last week, the duo of
Deandre Washington and
Jalen Richard handled ball-carrying duties, with Washington finding the end zone on the ground and thus presenting the more desirable of the two fantasy commodities. Barring a setback, it appears that Jacobs is in line to man the backfield for Oakland against Jacksonville, although owners will want to check in just to make sure that his status does not take a turn for the worse.
--Jesse Borek - RotoBallerSource: Scott Bair
2 days agoPittsburgh Steelers running back
James Conner was able to practice in full Friday, but has been listed as questionable to suit up for Sunday’s game versus the Buffalo Bills, in what will likely mirror a game-time decision. Conner has been dealing with a AC joint sprain in his shoulder that has cost him each of the Steelers’ past three games, but having taken the practice field in full likely bodes well for his chances of suiting up. His return would eliminate nearly all the fantasy value for
Benny Snell Jr., while also limiting that of
Jaylen Samuels. The Bills boast a solid defensive front that could keep Conner from being a premier RB option during season-long playoff matchups.
--Jesse Borek - RotoBallerSource: Missi Matthews
2 days agoTennessee Titans running back
Derrick Henry has been listed as questionable to suit up for Sunday’s game versus the Houston Texans due to a hamstring injury. Henry missed practice again Friday, putting his status up in the air for a crucial divisional matchup that the Titans will likely need if they hope to claim the AFC South. He has exceeded the 100-yard rushing plateau in each of the last four weeks, having logged rushing touchdowns in his last five outings. Should he ultimately be held out,
Dion Lewis would figure to see an increased workload out of the backfield. Owners will want to keep tabs on Henry’s status ahead of kickoff Sunday.
--Jesse Borek - RotoBallerSource: Turron Davenport
2 days agoNew Orleans Saints quarterback
Drew Brees will get a favorable matchup at home against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15. The
Colts Defense was picked apart by
Jameis Winston for 456 yards and four touchdowns last week plus Brees is coming off a six-touchdown, 349-yard performance against the 49ers' league-best defense. Fantasy owners shouldn't be afraid to start Brees this week with the only downsides being game script and the potential absence of
Jared Cook (concussion). Still, Brees has enough weapons at his disposal to put up good numbers against this beatable secondary.
--Tim Capurso - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
2 days agoMinnesota Vikings running back
Alexander Mattison (ankle) will not be suiting up for Week 15 against the Chargers. He's been unable to practice this week and will miss his first game of the season. Mattison had 14 carries in the team's last game against the Lions while
Dalvin Cook led the way with 18 carries. Cook was already essentially a lock for around 20 touches this week, but Mattison's absence should allow him additional opportunities.
Mike Boone, who had five carries against the Lions in Week 14, should serve as Cook's backup this week, but he's too risky to consider for either season-long leagues or DFS as he has just eight carries on the year.
--Andrew Ericksen - RotoBallerSource: Chad Graff
2 days agoThe Jacksonville Jaguars have ruled out wide receiver
D.J. Chark (ankle) for Sunday's game against the Raiders. Chark has been unable to practice this week and it's no surprise that he won't be taking the field on Sunday. With Chark out,
Dede Westbrook,
Chris Conley and
Keelan Cole all receive boosts in fantasy value. Westbrook is by far the most reliable of the bunch and can be considered a low-end WR2 this week while Conley and Cole are intriguing DFS flyers.
--Andrew Ericksen - RotoBallerSource: Hays Carlyon
2 days agoNew York Giants kicker
Aldrick Rosas is a streaming option in deep leagues in his matchup this week against the Dolphins. Even with
Eli Manning under center, the Giants should be able to move the ball against a
Dolphins Defense that gives up more fantasy points to kickers than any other defense in the NFL. Rosas won't be a trendy option, but he could secure double-digit points if the New York weather cooperates.
--Eric Samulski - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
2 days agoThe New York
Giants Defense looked like a possible streaming option for a second against pass-happy
Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Dolphins. Then they released Janoris Jenkins on Friday after he got into an online spat with a fan. Without their top corner, the Giants passing defense will be extremely inexperienced and could be exposed against a veteran willing to take consistent shots down the field. Yes, they could get a turnover or two, but it might not be enough to outweigh the points allowed without their star veteran.
--Eric Samulski - RotoBallerSource: Jake Ciely
2 days agoNew York Giants wide receiver
Golden Tate is too risky an option for fantasy playoffs this week. The slot receiver came back last week and saw 88% of the team's snaps, which is in line with his usual output. However, in his first game ever with
Eli Manning, he saw only 17% of targets, the same as
Kaden Smith. With
Darius Slayton emerging and
Sterling Shepard seeing more snaps and targets than Tate, it's hard to trust the veteran's output, even in a nice matchup. He's playable as a WR4 in PPR leagues, but it's hard to be confident about putting him out there in much more.
--Eric Samulski - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
2 days agoNew York Giants tight end
Kaden Smith will get another start with both
Evan Engram (foot) and
Rhett Ellison (concussion) out for the third straight week. Smith did little against the Eagles last week; however, he did see 17% of the Giants' targets. This Sunday, in a game in which the Giants figure to be leading, he may not be as necessary an option to move the ball. The Dolphins also rank 16th in PPR points allowed to tight ends, so it's not as strong a matchup and
Eli Manning will have with his receivers, which will likely limit targets. Smith may find his way to three or four catches or maybe will get into the end zone, but he's not going to be a reliable enough option to start in fantasy playoffs. If you want to take a shot in DFS tournament lineups, have some fun.
--Eric Samulski - RotoBallerSource: Jordan Raanan
2 days agoHouston Texans tight end
Darren Fells's fantasy value is tied to his ability to find the end zone. While he's set the Texans team record for touchdowns by a tight end, he's also vanished in too many games for fantasy owners to feel comfortable deploying him in the fantasy playoffs. His best PPR score in a game where he didn't find the end zone is 12.9, but the second-best number was just 4.7, and Fells hasn't caught more than two passes in a game since Week 8. There's reason to play Fells against a defense that's allowed the third-most touchdowns to tight ends, but there's also a ton of risk involved.
--Justin Carter - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
2 days agoNew York Giants wide receiver
Darius Slayton has become a fantasy darling after his explosion against the Eagles on Monday night. He gets another enticing matchup against a porous Dolphins secondary, but he's not as much of a sure thing as many are indicating. With
Golden Tate back, Slayton's snap share drop from 94% to 81%. He did hit on two deep balls from Manning, but one of those was when a defender slipped and the other was a blown coverage. With the Giants favored against the Dolphins, Slayton's lower snap share may limit his upside if the Giants get a lead and rely on
Saquon Barkley. Slayton is still a solid WR3 in season-long leagues, but he comes with enough risk that he's more of a tournament play in DFS than cash game.
--Eric Samulski - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
2 days agoHouston Texans wide receiver
Kenny Stills was expected to play a larger role in Week 14 with
Will Fuller (hamstring) sidelined, but he finished with just two catches for eight yards. Fuller could be back this week, which would render Stills as a low-upside fantasy option who isn't startable in most leagues, but even if Fuller's held out, Week 14 showed us that it's tough to trust Stills even when everything seems to be looking up for him. If Fuller's out, consider Stills a low-floor WR4.
--Justin Carter - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
2 days agoNew York Giants wide receiver
Sterling Shepard is being unfairly overlooked due to
Darius Slayton's big game last weekend. Slayton did hit a few big plays, but Shepard still saw 24% of the Giants' targets (to Slayton's 27%) and played 92% of snaps (to Slayton's 81%). If Shepard is on the field more and seeing a near equal share of targets against a defense that ranks 26th in the NFL in PPR points allowed to wide receivers then he's just as likely to have a big game as Slayton and remains firmly on the WR3 radar. Given his route tree, he's likely more of a cash game option in DFS while Slayton could be use more in tournaments.
--Eric Samulski - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
2 days agoNew York Giants running back
Saquon Barkley is in a prime spot to explode for fantasy owners on Sunday versus the Dolphins. With
Eli Manning under center, Saquon Barkley saw 20 touches on 49 total snaps. The
Eagles Defense kept him in check, but if Barkley is going to see touches on over 40% of his total snaps then he should be in for a big day against a
Dolphins Defense that allows 27 PPR points per game to running backs. Barkley should be a high-end RB1 in season-long leagues and could be a great DFS option since people have begun to doubt his talent over recent weeks.
--Eric Samulski - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
2 days agoWhile he got off to a slower than usual start to the year, Houston Texans wide receiver
DeAndre Hopkins is still in the top-10 in fantasy scoring at his position this season and should be considered a must-start WR1 going into Sunday's meeting with the Tennessee Titans. In 12 career games against Tennessee, Hopkins is averaging 99.5 yards per game, with at least one 100-yard game each season. He's coming off a seven-catch, 120-yard effort against the Broncos and should have a good chance to pull off another strong fantasy performance in Week 15.
--Justin Carter - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
2 days agoBoston Celtics center
Enes Kanter broke out of a slump to score a season-high 20 points in Thursday's 115-109 loss to the 76ers. Kanter added nine rebounds, two steals and two blocks on 10-for-13 shooting from the field — doubling his previous high of five field goals made on the season. The 27-year-old has struggled to find consistent minutes since his return from injury in early November, failing to produce in limited action off the bench. Despite the breakout performance, Kanter should be ignored in standard formats at the moment with uncertainty regarding his playing time.
--Denis Vondrus - RotoBallerSource: NBA.com
2 days agoHouston Texans running back
Duke Johnson wasn't a huge factor in the run game last week, but he could see increased usage in Week 15 against the Tennessee Titans. The Titans allow the sixth-most receiving yards to opposing running backs, so there's a chance that we see him on the field at a rate closer to the 67 percent snap rate he had back in Week 13 against New England. His increased targets over the past two games are a good indicator of how the Texans can use him over the rest of the season, and in PPR leagues, Johnson has appeal as a flex option this week.
--Justin Carter - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
2 days agoHouston Texans running back
Carlos Hyde has had double-digit carries in all but one game this year and is coming off a 73-yard effort against the Broncos, but Sunday's meeting with the Titans could look a little different. The Titans have been among the league's worst teams at preventing receiving yards to opposing backs, a fact that could lead to us seeing Houston rely more on their pass-catching back,
Duke Johnson, than on Hyde. Hyde should be considered a low-end RB3 in this matchup, with some upside due to Houston's insistence on giving him as many carries as they've been giving him.
--Justin Carter - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
2 days agoBoston Celtics guard
Kemba Walker scored 29 points on 8-for-21 shooting from the field and 5-for-13 from beyond the arc in Thursday's 115-109 loss to the 76ers. Walker added eight assists, one assist and one block in 36 minutes of action, following up his season-high 44 point outing in Wednesday's contest against the Pacers. The 29-year-old has been effective in his first season with the Celtics, averaging 23.1 points, 5.3 assists and 4.2 rebounds on 40.7% shooting from three-point range. Walker is posting first-round value in standard 9-cat formats and will look to keep it going in next Wednesday's matchup with
Luka Doncic and the Mavericks.
--Denis Vondrus - RotoBallerSource: NBA.com
2 days agoTampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback
Jameis Winston (thumb) has improved enough that he is throwing a football in practice on Friday. The ball was leaving Winston's hand nicely on short and intermediate throws. Winston fractured his thumb in the Week 14 win over the Colts, but it looks like he's going to give it a go in Week 15 against the Lions in an excellent matchup. While he still has QB1 upside against Detroit's weak secondary, Winston will be more volatile for fantasy owners because of the injury and the fact that
Mike Evans, his top receiver, is out for the rest of the season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jenna Laine
2 days agoHouston Texans quarterback
Deshaun Watson had his first multi-interception game since Week 7 in last week's loss to the Denver Broncos, but he should be positioned to rebound in Week 15 against the Tennessee Titans. The Titans are tied for the 10th-most interceptions in the league, but they're right in the middle of the pack in fantasy points allowed per game to opposing passers. Watson is the fantasy QB2 on the season, so you should feel confident starting him this week, even with the lingering bad memories of that Broncos game dancing around in your head.
--Justin Carter - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
2 days agoThe Philadelphia Phillies officially signed shortstop
Didi Gregorius to a one-year, $14 million deal on Friday. The former Yankees shortstop turns 30 in February and had a down year in 2019 while coming off Tommy John surgery. He hit just .238 with 16 home runs and 61 RBI in 82 games played, but he was one of the Yankees best players in 2018 before undergoing the elbow reconstruction. Gregorius averaged more than 20 home runs per year from 2016 to 2018 and broke the team record for homers by a shortstop with 27 round-trippers in 2018. He'll be reunited with former manager Joe Girardi in Philadelphia. He also provides Gold Globe-caliber defense at the 6 and will move
Jean Segura to either the keystone or the hot corner. Gregorius will be a prime bounce-back candidate in another excellent hitting environment.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Phillies Twitter
2 days agoPhiladelphia 76ers forward
Mike Scott scored 15 points while adding five threes and four rebounds in Thursday's 115-109 victory over the Celtics. Scott filled in as a starter to replace the injured
Al Horford (knee soreness), and did an effective job with a 5-for-7 shooting mark from three-point range, while logging a season-high 28 minutes of action. If Horford is forced to miss Friday's contest against the Pelicans, Scott will be a streaming option in deep leagues for his contribution in the three-pointers category as a member of the starting lineup.
--Denis Vondrus - RotoBallerSource: NBA.com
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