December 31, 2025
Carolina Panthers running back
Rico Dowdle (toe) is back at practice on Wednesday after missing Tuesday's session with a toe injury, per Joseph Person of The Athletic. Carolina plays the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday in a game that will determine the NFC South champion and the number four seed in the NFC playoffs. Across 16 games this season, Dowdle has recorded 1,343 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns on 266 touches. However, his production has tailed off a bit in recent weeks, as he's failed to record more than 59 rushing yards in a game since Week 9. If Dowdle is sidelined or limited against Tampa Bay, Panthers back
Chuba Hubbard would be in line for a significant increase in role. Assuming Dowdle is active, he profiles as a high-end flex option for fantasy managers in Week 18.
--Will BradySource: The Athletic - Joseph Person
December 31, 2025
Cleveland Browns tight end
David Njoku (knee, personal) is not expected to practice on Wednesday, per ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi. Njoku has not played since suffering a knee injury in Week 14, and he appears to be at risk of missing his fourth straight game in Week 18 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Across 12 games in 2025, the 29-year-old has hauled in 33 catches for 293 yards and four touchdowns on 48 targets. Browns tight end
Harold Fannin Jr. (groin) is also expected to miss practice on Wednesday, so the team could be without its top two tight ends in Week 18. If both Njoku and Fannin Jr. are inactive, the Browns will likely split tight end snaps against Cincinnati between
Blake Whiteheart,
Brenden Bates, and
Sal Cannella. Canella earned four targets in Cleveland's Week 17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, while Whiteheart and Bates were each targeted once.
--Will BradySource: ESPN - Daniel Oyefusi
December 31, 2025
Cleveland Browns tight end
Harold Fannin Jr. (groin) is not expected to practice on Wednesday, per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. Fannin Jr. was forced to exit early from Cleveland's Week 17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers after re-aggravating an existing groin injury. The 21-year-old rookie has recorded 72 catches for 731 yards and six touchdowns on 107 targets across 16 games this season. He's displayed growing chemistry with Browns quarterback
Shedeur Sanders, recording four touchdown catches across six games since Sanders took over as Cleveland's starter in Week 12. Fellow Browns tight end
David Njoku (knee) has not played since Week 14 due to a knee injury and will also miss the team's practice on Wednesday, so Cleveland could be shorthanded at the position in Week 18 against the Cincinnati Bengals. If both Fannin Jr. and Njoku are unable to go, the Browns will likely split tight end reps between
Blake Whiteheart,
Brenden Bates, and
Sal Cannella in Week 18.
--Will BradySource: ESPN - Daniel Oyefusi
December 31, 2025
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson said the team is "hopeful" that wide receiver
Luther Burden III (quad) will be able to play in Week 18 against the Detroit Lions, per Harrison Graham of Chat Sports. Burden III suffered a quad injury on the final play of Chicago's Week 17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, but it appears he has avoided a long-term absence. Chicago has already locked up the NFC North crown, but it can assure itself of the number two seed in the NFC playoffs with a win over Detroit. Burden III has emerged as a late-season breakout player, recording 18 catches for 289 yards and a touchdown on 22 targets over his last three games played. Chicago may remain without wideout
Rome Odunze (foot) in Week 18, which would keep Burden III in the team's WR2 role alongside veteran wide receiver
DJ Moore. If active, Burden III profiles as a borderline fantasy WR1 against Detroit in Week 18.
--Will BradySource: Chat Sports - Harrison Graham
December 31, 2025
In his media availability on Wednesday morning, New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said that running back
Isaiah Davis (concussion) will not practice on Wednesday. Davis exited early from New York's Week 17 loss to the New England Patriots after suffering a concussion. He will need to clear the NFL's concussion protocol to have a chance to play in Week 18 against the Buffalo Bills. Davis has spent most of the season as the Jets' RB2 behind
Breece Hall (knee), recording 422 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 64 touches across 16 games. Hall is also missing practice on Wednesday due to a knee injury, so New York could be without its top two running backs against Buffalo. If both Hall and Davis are sidelined,
Kene Nwangwu and
Khalil Herbert would likely see the majority of the backfield reps for the Jets in Week 18.
--Will BradySource: New York Jets
December 31, 2025
New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said that running back
Breece Hall (knee) will miss Wednesday's practice due to a knee injury. Hall suffered the injury late in New York's Week 17 loss to the New England Patriots, although he told reporters after the game he did not think it was a serious ailment. Still, Hall's status for the team's Week 18 matchup against the Buffalo Bills appears to be in question. The 24-year-old has recorded 1,415 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns on 279 touches across 16 games this season. Jets RB2
Isaiah Davis (concussion) is in the NFL's concussion protocol and is also missing practice on Wednesday, so New York may be very thin at running back in Week 18. If both Hall and Davis are sidelined, veteran backs
Kene Nwangwu and
Khalil Herbert would likely see the majority of the team's backfield reps against Buffalo.
--Will BradySource: New York Jets
December 31, 2025
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said that quarterback
Jordan Love (concussion) remains in concussion protocol but will practice on Wednesday. Love suffered a concussion during Green Bay's Week 16 loss to the Chicago Bears, which held him out of the team's Week 17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Love's status for Week 18 against the Minnesota Vikings remains unclear, as he'll have to clear the league's concussion protocol to have a chance to be active. The Packers are locked into the number seven seed in the NFC playoffs regardless of their result in Week 18, so there's not a ton of incentive for the team to push Love unless he is 100%. If Love remains sidelined,
Malik Willis (shoulder) could make his second straight start against Minnesota. However, Willis is battling a nagging shoulder injury. If neither Love nor Willis is available, quarterback
Clayton Tune could be elevated from Green Bay's practice squad to make the start against the Vikings.
--Will BradySource: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman
December 31, 2025
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said on KNBR Radio on Wednesday that star running back
Christian McCaffrey (back) is "trending to play" on Saturday night for the divisional clash against the Seattle Seahawks in the Week 18 regular-season finale, according to Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. Tight end
George Kittle (ankle) is expected to be available, too, after missing the Week 17 win over the Chicago Bears. Back stiffness kept McCaffrey from practicing on Tuesday, but he's expected to return Wednesday or Thursday and play this weekend in a massive game that will decide the No. 1 seed in the NFC going into the playoffs next week. CMC had a season-high 140 rushing yards and a touchdown on Sunday night against Chicago, and despite a tough matchup against Seattle, he's a no-doubt, must-start in all fantasy lineups. McCaffrey has 20-plus touches in five straight games.
--Keith HernandezSource: Bay Area News Group - Cam Inman
December 31, 2025
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel would be a candidate for the Cleveland Browns head-coaching job if both teams make a change following the 2025 season. McDaniel would be returning to Cleveland after previously working for the Browns as a wide receivers coach. The Browns are having internal discussions about current head coach Kevin Stefanski's future. If Stefanski is let go by Cleveland, he could be the leading candidate to become the next head coach for the New York Giants. After a 1-6 start in Miami this year, the Dolphins have won six of their last nine games to go 7-9 heading into the Week 18 regular-season finale against the New England Patriots. In his four seasons with the Dolphins, McDaniel has gone 35-34, including 0-2 in the playoffs. The Browns have always admired McDaniel for his offensive mind and innovative play-calling.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
December 31, 2025
Veteran free-agent quarterback
Desmond Ridder is being signed to the Green Bay Packers practice squad on Wednesday, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Jordan Love (concussion) and
Malik Willis (shoulder) are both dealing with injuries, and the Packers are locked into the No. 7 seed going into the playoffs, so Ridder could be elevated for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Minnesota Vikings. Ridder, the former third-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 2022 out of Cincinnati, has bounced around the league the last couple of years. The 26-year-old has not appeared in an NFL game since 2024 with the Las Vegas Raiders. Ridder was with the Bengals during the summer and also spent two separate stints with the Vikings. If Ridder is elevated to the active roster this weekend, he'll likely serve in a backup role behind
Clayton Tune if both Love and Willis are inactive.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
December 31, 2025
Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen said on Wednesday that the team will not activate quarterback
Anthony Richardson Sr. (eye) from Injured Reserve for the final week of the regular season, according to Jake Arthur of Sports Illustrated. Richardson is still dealing with vision limitations and will not play in the Week 18 regular-season finale this weekend against the division-rival Houston Texans. With the Colts officially eliminated from the playoffs, they will sit veteran
Philip Rivers in favor of rookie
Riley Leonard to close things out with an eye toward the future. A-Rich suffered a fractured orbital bone on Oct. 12 in a freak pre-game incident. The 23-year-old former first-rounder had returned to practice in recent weeks, but he didn't make enough progress to be a realistic starting option for Indy. Richardson appeared in just two games in 2025, and his future with the Colts is very much up in the air.
--Keith HernandezSource: SI.com - Jake Arthur
December 31, 2025
Buffalo Bills quarterback
Josh Allen (foot) will not take part in the team's walkthrough practice on Wednesday, according to head coach Sean McDermott. When asked who will play in Sunday's Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival New York Jets, McDermott said, "We want to win the game. It will go from there." While Allen's foot injury isn't believed to be serious enough to keep him from playing this weekend, it wouldn't be a big surprise if Buffalo held him out so that he can rest up for the start of the playoffs next week. If the Bills ultimately decide to rest Allen this weekend,
Mitchell Trubisky would make his first start of the season against the Jets. Buffalo is currently in the No. 7 and final spot in the AFC playoff picture, but with a win on Sunday and some help, they could move all the way up to the No. 5 seed.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Buffalo News - Katherine Fitzgerald
December 31, 2025
The Philadelphia Eagles are expected to rest quarterback
Jalen Hurts and most of their starters in Sunday's Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Washington Commanders, sources told Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The Eagles can move up from the No. 3 seed to the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoff picture with a win over Washington, coupled with a Chicago Bears loss to the Detroit Lions, but the Eagles are prioritizing rest for their starters as they head into the postseason. With Hurts set to be rested this weekend,
Tanner McKee will get the start under center for the Eagles against the Commanders. Fantasy managers will also need to stay away from running back
Saquon Barkley, wide receivers
A.J. Brown and
DeVonta Smith, and tight end
Dallas Goedert. Hurts didn't run as much in 2025, but he still goes into Week 18 action as the QB6 in overall fantasy points.
--Keith HernandezSource: Philadelphia Inquirer - Jeff McLane
December 31, 2025
San Francisco 49ers tight end
George Kittle (ankle) remains on an excellent track to play on Saturday against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks in the Week 18 regular-season finale, according to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. General manager John Lynch said on KNBR Radio on Wednesday that he'd be "very surprised" if Kittle didn't play in a game that will decide the No. 1 seed going into the NFC postseason. The 32-year-old veteran didn't practice at all last week and was ruled out for the Sunday night win over the Chicago Bears. He returned to a limited practice on Tuesday, though, and should play this weekend, barring a setback over the next two days. It's great news for a Niners offense that looked unstoppable in Week 17 on its way to putting up 40-plus points against Chicago. Despite a tough matchup, Kittle will be a must-start TE1 in fantasy if he's active in Week 18.
--Keith HernandezSource: The San Francisco Standard - David Lombardi
December 31, 2025
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver
Marvin Harrison Jr. (foot) has been ruled out for the Week 18 regular-season finale this Sunday against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams, according to head coach Jonathan Gannon. Harrison suffered a new foot injury in the Week 17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals and failed to catch his only target before leaving. It's a fitting way for the 23-year-old's disappointing second season in the NFL to end in 2025. Through his first two seasons in the league, Harrison has not lived up to his lofty billing as the fourth overall pick out of Ohio State. In 12 games this season, he caught 41 of his 73 targets for 608 yards and four touchdowns after posting a 62-885-8 line in 17 games in his rookie campaign. Harrison's long-term outlook is cloudy, too, with the Cardinals potentially moving on from quarterback
Kyler Murray this offseason. With Harrison missing another game this weekend,
Michael Wilson and tight end
Trey McBride should continue to be target hogs in Arizona's offense.
--Keith HernandezSource: Arizona Sports - Tyler Drake
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