December 23, 2025
San Francisco 49ers running back
Christian McCaffrey had another explosive performance in Week 16. McCaffrey ran for 117 yards on 21 carries and caught six of his eight targets for 29 yards and two touchdowns in the 49ers' 48-27 win over the Colts on Monday night. It was one of McCaffrey's better running performances of the season, having averaged 3.6 yards per carry coming into the game. McCaffrey's recent downward trend in receiving yards continued, though he was back to being one of the team's leaders in targets, due in part to
Ricky Pearsall's (knee, ankle) absence. McCaffrey is now 151 yards away from achieving 1,000 yards in the rushing and receiving categories for the second time in his career. His next opportunity to add to his total will be against the Bears, who have allowed their opponents 348.1 offensive yards per game.
--Dan StephensSource: NFL.com
December 23, 2025
Atlanta Falcons tight end
Kyle Pitts Sr. continued his recent stretch of success in Sunday's 26-19 win over the Cardinals, hauling in seven of nine targets for 57 yards and a touchdown. It was the fourth straight game with at least eight targets and at least six catches, and the 25-year-old has quickly vaulted himself into the position of second-ranked tight end for fantasy this year after recording four touchdowns in the last two weeks alone (five on the season). The 6-foot-6 pass catcher was able to perform in Week 16 despite the return of
Drake London (knee), who played just 69 percent of the team's offensive snaps. Pitts draws a home matchup against the Rams in what is most likely the championship round of the fantasy playoffs for most managers, a defense that is middle of the pack in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, although the Seahawks'
AJ Barner just registered a 4-49-1 line in Week 16 against Los Angeles. With a solid role in the Atlanta offense, Pitts will surely be a TE1 in Week 17.
--Jarod RuppSource: ESPN
December 23, 2025
San Francisco 49ers quarterback
Brock Purdy came through in a big way for those relying on him for a Monday night miracle to advance to the fantasy football championship round. Purdy went 25-for-34 for 295 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception in the 49ers' 48-27 win over the Colts. Two of his touchdown throws went to running back
Christian McCaffrey, with tight end
George Kittle and wide receivers
Jauan Jennings and
Demarcus Robinson each getting one. Once again, Purdy concentrated the majority of his attempts on McCaffrey, Kittle, and Jennings, though
Kendrick Bourne worked in for five targets with
Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle) out. Purdy and the 49ers host the Chicago Bears in Week 17. It will be a welcome matchup for Purdy, as the Bears have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks this season.
--Dan StephensSource: NFL.com
December 23, 2025
According to head coach Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back
Rachaad White could be given a larger role during their contest against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon. When asked about White's usage during their loss to the Panthers in Week 16, Bowles noted that he "completely agrees" that White should have been given more rushing attempts, given the success he enjoyed in his limited opportunities. In this contest, White took five carries for 45 yards and two receptions of 15 yards. Over the previous two games, White showed similar upside, tallying 73 yards on 12 rushing attempts. White's eight rushing attempts on Sunday placed him second on the depth chart, above
Sean Tucker's four carries and behind
Bucky Irving's 19 carries. Given that White seems poised for a larger role in Week 17, managers in deeper 12-team formats could consider him as a viable FLEX play facing a Miami defense that is allowing the eighth-most PPR points to opposing RBs.
--Andy SmithSource: Pewter Report
December 23, 2025
Tennessee Titans running back
Tony Pollard could be trending towards a timeshare during their week 17 contest against the Saints. According to OC Nick Holtz, the split workload between
Tyjae Spears and Pollard was "how he envisioned" their usage given their respective skill sets. In their victory over the Chiefs, Pollard took the bulk of the carries on the ground, logging 21 compared to Spears' 13. However, in the passing game, Spears took the load as he was targeted five times and brought in all five for 53 yards, while Pollard was not targeted once. While Pollard's upside as a pass catcher may continue to be limited, he is finding his footing on the ground, averaging a strong 122.3 rushing yards per game over his last three contests. During these three games, Pollard has only drawn two total targets in the receiving game. Pollard should still be viewed as a high-floor RB2 in all formats heading into a Week 17 tilt against the Saints. Spears has entered FLEX territory for those in deeper PPR formats.
--Andy SmithSource: Jim Wyatt
December 23, 2025
Tennessee Titans tight end
Chig Okonkwo had one of his better games of the 2025 season in Week 16 against the Kansas City Chiefs, recording six catches for 44 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. Across 15 games this season, the 26-year-old has hauled in 51 receptions for 503 yards and a score on 67 targets. Okonkwo is averaging exactly five targets per game over his last five contests and has scored at least seven PPR fantasy points in four out of his last six games. However, his ceiling is limited by the presence of Titans tight end
Gunnar Helm, as Tennessee has split playing time between its two tight ends throughout the second half of the season. Still, Okonkwo has proven that he can provide a relatively stable production floor. In fantasy leagues with 14 or more teams, he could be a viable streaming option in his Week 17 matchup against the New Orleans Saints for managers in need of help at the tight end position.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
December 23, 2025
Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury told Commanders beat writer Ben Standig, "We'll see how that plays out," when asked by Standig about his possible head-coaching opportunities. Kingsbury has been the play-caller in Washington for each of the last two seasons after previously serving as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals from 2019 through 2022. Kingsbury went 28-37-1 at the helm in Arizona, leading the Cardinals to one playoff birth. He led Washington to the number five scoring offense and number seven offense in total yardage in 2024 while working with then-rookie quarterback
Jayden Daniels (elbow). With Daniels injured for much of 2025, the Commanders have regressed to 24th in scoring offense and 20th in yardage heading into Week 17. Kingsbury also has extensive experience in the college ranks, serving as head coach at Texas Tech for six seasons from 2013 through 2018. While nothing is guaranteed, it appears he could be looking to move on from Washington at the end of the 2025 season.
--Will BradySource: Ben Standig
December 23, 2025
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said on Tuesday that wide receiver
Kayshon Boutte (concussion) is in the NFL's concussion protocol, per ESPN's Mike Reiss. Boutte will need to clear the league's testing to be available for New England's Week 17 matchup against the New York Jets. Across 13 games this season, the 23-year-old has hauled in 31 receptions for 527 yards and six touchdowns on 42 targets. Boutte's production has tailed off a bit of late, as he has not recorded more than 35 receiving yards in a game since Week 8. If he's unable to play in Week 17, Patriots wide receivers
Mack Hollins and
Stefon Diggs would likely both see a slight increase in target share. Additionally, rookie wideout
Kyle Williams could step into Boutte's role as the team's top deep-ball threat.
--Will BradySource: ESPN - Mike Reiss
December 23, 2025
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said on Tuesday that rookie running back
TreVeyon Henderson (concussion) is in the NFL's concussion protocol, per ESPN's Mike Reiss. Henderson was forced to exit early from New England's Week 16 win over the Baltimore Ravens after suffering a head injury. He will now need to clear the league's testing to be available for the Patriots' Week 17 matchup against the New York Jets. Across 15 games this season, the 23-year-old has racked up 997 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns on 183 touches. Coming into Week 16, Henderson had recorded at least 75 scrimmage yards in seven straight games, scoring seven touchdowns in that stretch. If he's unavailable in Week 17,
Rhamondre Stevenson would likely be in line to dominate New England's backfield snaps against the Jets.
--Will BradySource: ESPN - Mike Reiss
December 23, 2025
Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that San Francisco 49ers tight end
George Kittle (ankle) "felt confident he didn't suffer a dreaded high-ankle sprain" during the team's Week 16 win, but "didn't sound as certain" about his availability for the team's Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears. Across 10 games this season, Kittle has recorded 52 catches for 599 yards and seven touchdowns on 62 targets. The 32-year-old has been particularly effective in recent weeks, hauling in 15 receptions for 203 yards and two scores on 17 targets over his last two games. If Kittle is unable to play,
Luke Farrell and
Jake Tonges would likely split tight end snaps for San Francisco against Chicago. Across the five games Kittle missed earlier this season with a hamstring injury, Tonges recorded 22 catches for 209 yards and two touchdowns on 31 targets.
--Will BradySource: San Francisco Chronicle - Eric Branch
December 23, 2025
After recording more than seven touches in just one game before Week 16, New Orleans Saints tight end
Taysom Hill saw a significant workload increase in his team's Week 16 win over the New York Jets. Hill recorded 12 carries for 48 yards and four receptions for 36 yards on six targets. The Saints will be without running backs
Kendre Miller (knee) and
Devin Neal (hamstring) for the remainder of the 2025 season, and veteran back
Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle) has missed four straight games. If Kamara remains sidelined for the Saints' Week 17 matchup against the Tennessee Titans, Hill could see another week with a sizable role in the offense. Hill has proven to be a red zone threat throughout the course of his career, as he's scored 34 rushing touchdowns on 486 career carries. In fantasy leagues with 12 or more teams, Hill is a player to target on the waiver wire heading into Week 17.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
December 23, 2025
Seattle Seahawks quarterback
Sam Darnold led his team to a big win last Thursday against the Rams, throwing for 270 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He's had a few down games lately, but has also thrown for at least 249 yards in three straight games. When the touchdowns are there, he's typically a solid, QB2 or low-end option in single-QB deep leagues. Darnold and the Seahawks have a tough matchup on the road against the Panthers in Week 17, in a battle of teams pushing towards the playoffs. He's not in an elite spot, but he still brings enough upside to be a decent pickup if you need help at the position in two-QB formats or deep leagues.
--Zach ThompsonSource: ESPN
December 23, 2025
Minnesota Vikings QB
J.J. McCarthy (hand) missed practice on Monday after having to leave last week's game at halftime with a hand injury. The Vikings have a favorable matchup this week and a chance to play spoiler against the Lions, but McCarthy will need to overcome his injury to be a viable option. He was excellent in his last two full games before the injury, producing three total touchdowns in wins over the Commanders and the Cowboys. McCarthy has the potential to be a streamer in two-QB or deep leagues if healthy, so keep a close eye on his practice participation if you're in the market for some help. If he's out,
Max Brosmer would likely start, but he has not yet proven he can be a fantasy option.
--Zach ThompsonSource: RotoBaller
December 23, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback
Gardner Minshew (knee) got good news from an MRI on his injured knee, as his ACL was not torn as initially feared. He's still out for the rest of the season on IR, but his recovery will be quicker since it's a "non-displaced tibial plateau fracture," which is basically a severe bone bruise but does not require surgery. The seventh-year QB was on a one-year deal with the Chiefs, but only played two games this season. He'll be a free agent this offseason, and the fact that he won't have to recover from a torn ACL will make him one of the better backup options on the market. He could return to Kansas City or land with a new team, but wherever he ends up, the fact that he doesn't have a torn ACL should improve his chances of being ready for offseason activities and the start of next season.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Ian Rapoport
December 23, 2025
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback
Trevor Lawrence is on a heater as the Jaguars push to the playoffs, and he makes a good start in almost all formats this week. He's still available in about one-third of leagues despite his recent success, and he has a favorable matchup in Week 17 against the Colts, who were just carved up by
Brock Purdy on Monday Night Football. Lawrence led the Jags to a huge win in Denver by throwing for 279 passing yards, three touchdowns, and running for a fourth score. Lawrence has thrown multiple touchdowns in five straight weeks and added a rushing score in each of the last two weeks as well. He finishes the season with division matchups against the Colts and Titans, and will be an elite play as long as he isn't rested before the playoffs.
--Zach ThompsonSource: ESPN
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