December 15, 2025
Jacksonville Jaguars rookie running back
Bhayshul Tuten (finger) will have surgery to fix a finger injury that he suffered in Sunday's blowout win over the New York Jets, sources told Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Tuten will miss a few weeks but should be back for the playoffs. There are only three games remaining in the regular season, so the Jags might shut Tuten down until the start of the postseason. The 22-year-old fourth-round selection has been a nice, explosive complement in Jacksonville's backfield this season next to starter
Travis Etienne Jr., carrying the ball 78 times for 284 yards (3.6 yards per tote) and four rushing touchdowns, adding 10 catches for 79 yards and two more scores in 14 games. Tuten touched the ball only twice on Sunday, but one of those touches resulted in a one-yard TD reception. Fellow rookie
LeQuint Allen Jr. will serve in the RB2 role for the Jags behind Etienne for however long Tuten is sidelined.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
December 15, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor confirmed on Monday that quarterback
Joe Burrow will start the rest of the season despite the team being officially eliminated from the playoffs, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. When asked why Burrow will continue to play, Taylor said, "Because we want to win." Burrow suffered a turf-toe injury in Week 2 that required surgery, and the 29-year-old didn't make his return until Week 13. The former first overall pick threw for 545 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions on 49-for-82 passing in his first two games back before going 25-for-39 for 225 yards, no touchdowns, and two picks in Sunday's 24-0 shutout loss to the division-rival Baltimore Ravens. Burrow has thrown costly pick-sixes in each of the last two weeks and seemed to question his long-term future in Cincy last week. For fantasy football purposes, Burrow will be a strong QB1 option in Week 16 versus the Miami Dolphins.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Paul Dehner Jr.
December 15, 2025
The Washington Commanders have decided to shut down quarterback
Jayden Daniels (elbow) for the final three games of the 2025 season, sources tell Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Daniels was re-evaluated on Monday and was not cleared, so the Commanders have decided to sit the second-year signal-caller for the rest of the year since they are eliminated from postseason contention. Veteran
Marcus Mariota will close out the year running Washington's offense. The 24-year-old missed his seventh game of the year in Sunday's win over the New York Giants. Daniels suffered a gruesome dislocation of his left elbow in Week 9 and didn't return until Week 14, when he aggravated the injury. The former second overall pick had an amazing rookie campaign, but he'll end 2025 with only 1,262 passing yards, eight TDs, and three interceptions in seven games. Daniels could easily bounce back in 2026, but there are some serious concerns about his durability now after he missed time with elbow, hamstring, and knee injuries this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
December 15, 2025
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh confirmed on Monday that rookie linebacker Teddye Buchanan (knee) has a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the season, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Harbaugh is hoping that Buchanan will be back for training camp next summer. The 23-year-old linebacker suffered the serious injury in Sunday's 24-0 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. It's a notable loss for Baltimore's defense, as Buchanan was the team's second-leading tackler this year. Buchanan will finish his first year in the NFL with 93 tackles (49 solo), half a sack, five tackles for loss, and a forced fumble in 14 games played (13 starts). With Buchanan done for the year, expect Trenton Simpson to take over for the Ravens as their starting inside linebacker, beginning with a Sunday night battle against the Patriots in Week 16.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Jeff Zrebiec
December 15, 2025
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback
Geno Smith (shoulder, back) has a chance to return to practice this week and play in the team's Week 16 game against the Texans, according to head coach Pete Carroll. Smith was unable to practice in any capacity leading up to the Raiders' Week 15 contest with the Eagles and was officially ruled out on Saturday, leaving
Kenny Pickett to make his first start for Las Vegas. Pickett was unable to throw for even 65 yards in the shutout loss to the Eagles, rendering all Raiders players unusable for fantasy. Carroll noted that the team will know more about Smith's status on Wednesday. Whether or not he's able to suit up carries major fantasy implications for managers who were able to slip into the semifinals with
Brock Bowers or
Ashton Jeanty and are now wondering if they'll need to make the difficult decision to leave them on the bench.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Ryan McFadden
December 15, 2025
Forty-four-year-old quarterback
Philip Rivers will once again draw the start for the Indianapolis Colts when they face the 49ers in a Week 16 Monday night contest, according to head coach Shane Steichen. Rivers' Week 15 start against the Seahawks was his first since 2020, and despite throwing for only 120 yards, the Colts were a last-minute field goal away from gutting out the win. The Colts won the coin toss on Sunday and elected to start on offense, making their game plan clear from the jump: run the ball, run the clock, and limit Seattle's offensive opportunities. Rivers ultimately attempted 27 passes, with his 5.2-yard ADoT ranking 28th out of 30 starting quarterbacks through Sunday and his 4.4 yards per attempt below everyone but
Kenny Pickett for the week. With Indianapolis still mathematically alive for an AFC playoff spot, it seems unlikely they will deviate from that plan on Monday night, severely hurting the upside of all Colts pass catchers while leaving
Jonathan Taylor in line for another huge-volume, likely low-efficiency outing.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Kevin Bowen
December 15, 2025
Denver Broncos starting safety Brandon Jones (chest) is believed to have suffered a pectoral injury in the team's Week 15 win over the Packers, and he will undergo an MRI, according to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport. Jones' 78 tackles through 14 games rank 3rd on one of the most dominant defenses in the league. His fluid usage alongside Talanoa Hufanga has seen him line up frequently in the box, making him both a strong weekly IDP play and an important piece in what has been one of the highest-scoring DST units in fantasy. Jones left the game on Sunday and was unable to return, being replaced on the back end by veteran safety P.J. Locke. Losing Jones would be a serious blow to the Broncos' defense, though they will remain a must-start fantasy DST with their NFL-leading 58 sacks through Week 15.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Ian Rapoport
December 15, 2025
New Orleans running back
Evan Hull was a trending name heading into the Saints' Week 15 matchup with the Panthers, and with
Devin Neal (hamstring) exiting the team's upset win with a hamstring issue, his name will likely pop up again this week.
Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle) was ruled out before Sunday's divisional matchup, while Neal began the week limited by an abdomen issue, leaving Hull and second-year back
Audric Estime as the presumptive next in line should Neal miss time. Ultimately, Neal played, and even though he left the game in the first half, Hull saw only a 32% snap share and finished with four total opportunities for 12 yards, leaving him behind Estime in the pecking order. Neal's status will need to be monitored throughout the week, but even if he's forced to miss what would be a favorable Week 16 matchup against the Jets, Hull's infrequent usage to this point makes him very difficult to trust heading into the fantasy semifinals.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
December 15, 2025
Houston Texans defensive tackle Mario Edwards (pectoral) will miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn pectoral muscle in the Week 15 win over the visiting Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. The 31-year-old Edwards wasn't on the fantasy football map in IDP leagues, and he'll finish the 2025 season with 13 tackles (six solo), 1.5 sacks, and four QB hits in 14 games (zero starts). The Texans and their No. 1 defense will lean more on Sheldon Rankins and Tommy Togiai on the interior of their defensive line the rest of the way, with Edwards done for the year.
--Keith HernandezSource: Houston Chronicle - Jonathan M. Alexander
December 15, 2025
Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris is "very hopeful" that wide receiver
Drake London (knee) can return to face the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16, according to Josh Kendall of The Athletic. "Obviously got to get to the practice week. I'm very hopeful he can go out there and play for us," Morris said. London has missed the last four games after spraining the PCL in his left knee back in Week 11, but if he can return to practice this week, the 24-year-old could return on Sunday to face the Cardinals. Fantasy managers still alive in the playoffs will need to keep a close eye on his status this week. In London's absence,
Kyle Pitts Sr. has finally broken out, going nuclear for 11 catches, 166 yards, and three touchdowns in last Thursday night's win over the Buccaneers. Pitts will lose valuable targets whenever London returns, possibly this weekend. It's unclear if London would face a snap count if he returns in Week 16.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Josh Kendall
December 15, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said on Monday that quarterback
Patrick Mahomes (knee) is heading to Dallas for a second opinion on the surgery that is required to fix the torn ACL in his left knee that he suffered in Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, according to Nate Taylor of ESPN. It was a dark day in KC on Sunday, as not only did they lose Mahomes for the rest of the season, but they were also eliminated from the postseason for the first time in a decade. Regardless of when Mahomes has surgery on his knee, he'll likely be fighting an uphill battle to be ready for the start of the 2026 season. For the final three games of the year,
Gardner Minshew will run the Chiefs' offense, which means all of the team's offensive skill players should be downgraded in fantasy football. Mahomes finishes his ninth year in the NFL with 3,587 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 14 games.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Nate Taylor
December 15, 2025
Chicago Bears rookie first-round tight end
Colston Loveland had another solid showing for his fantasy managers in the team's 31-3 blowout win over the visiting Cleveland Browns on Sunday, catching four of his five targets for 63 yards. Most of Loveland's damage in this game came on receptions of 24 and 19 yards, and he wasn't really involved late with the game already in hand. The 21-year-old 10th overall pick out of Michigan got off to a slow start in his first year in the NFL, but he's been more involved in the second half of the season and is worth rostering in most fantasy leagues. It started with a six-catch, 118-yard, two-touchdown breakout in Week 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Since then, Loveland has had at least 40 receiving yards in five of seven games, including all four of his touchdowns in 2025. He has had at least five targets in four straight games. More work could be coming for Loveland in Week 16 against the Packers, especially if receiver
Rome Odunze (foot) misses a third straight game.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 15, 2025
Carolina Panthers wide receiver
Xavier Legette was once again not very busy in the Panthers' Week 15 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. The Carolina WR caught two of his three targets for 39 yards and finished with 5.9 PPR points. Although this is the most PPR points Legette registered since Week 11, he has been mostly irrelevant in fantasy football through the season. In 14 games played, Legette has only two double-digit PPR finishes. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are facing the Carolina Panthers in Week 16. Tampa Bay ranked 18th in fantasy points per game allowed to the WR position in the last four weeks leading up to Week 15. Even with a middling matchup, Legette's volume has been too inconsistent to warrant a roster spot during the fantasy playoffs.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
December 15, 2025
Carolina Panthers rookie first-round wide receiver
Tetairoa McMillan logged his worst performance of the year in the Panthers' loss to the Saints in Week 15. The first-round rookie caught two passes for 25 yards, totaling 4.5 PPR points in the first round of the fantasy playoffs in most leagues. This was the first time this year that McMillan posted less than 5.0 PPR points, and it was also the first time he had not scored a touchdown since Week 10. The Carolina Panthers take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16. In the last four weeks leading up to Week 15, Tampa Bay ranked 18th in fantasy points per game allowed to WRs. McMillan has been targeted less than five times in each of his last two games, but he has a decent matchup for Week 16. He has averaged 7.2 targets per game this season. McMillan's possible volume still makes him startable as a WR3 or flex option for Week 16. He could see more targets in the major NFC South showdown against the Buccaneers.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
December 15, 2025
Carolina Panthers running back
Rico Dowdle rushed for 49 yards on 16 carries with one touchdown in Carolina's Week 15 loss to New Orleans on Sunday. He added five receiving yards on one reception and totaled 12.4 PPR points. Dowdle outperformed
Chuba Hubbard, who registered 38 scrimmage yards and 4.8 PPR points. Despite the workload being mostly split between the two RBs, Dowdle logged the most snaps (60%). In Week 16, the Panthers will face their NFC South rival, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay ranked 16th in fantasy points per game allowed to the RB position in the last four weeks leading up to Week 15. Even though Dowdle has a middling matchup this week, he is still worth starting as an RB2 or flex option based on his volume. In his last five games, he has fewer than 16 carries once, and he averaged 15.4 carries per game.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
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