Chris Rodriguez Jr. Still In Lead Role For Commanders
Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. has maintained a role within his team's backfield that makes him a rosterable fantasy player as Washington prepares to take on a shaky New York Giants defense in Week 15. Though the season is all but finished for Washington, Rodriguez has drawn double-digit carries four times in the past five weeks, which includes three rushing touchdowns and a pair of top-30 finishes among PPR running backs despite his lack of involvement in the passing game. With quarterback Jayden Daniels (elbow) out again, the Commanders could look toward the backfield against a Giants defense that ranks 31st against fantasy running backs. The third-year back has been touchdown-dependent, but he's getting enough action to consider him in favorable matchups, particularly in leagues with more than one flex spot.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Devin Neal's Stock Rising As Fantasy Playoffs Approach
New Orleans Saints running back Devin Neal (abdomen) is warding off an injury but has nonetheless seen his fantasy stock rise, making him a possible priority free agent for managers looking to make a playoff run. The rookie from Kansas is coming off the best day of his NFL career last week at Tampa, during which he rushed 19 times for 70 yards and a touchdown, and also caught his only target for 14 yards. The increase in work arrived because longtime starter Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle) has been sidelined, which included missing Wednesday's practice. For his part, Neal practiced in a limited capacity on Wednesday ahead of a Week 15 game against Carolina. Though he's not out of the woods yet, Neal and the Saints have a terrific set of matchups with the Panthers, Jets, and Titans on deck in the next three weeks, which could give Neal steady value if Kamara remains out.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Christian Watson Ascending as a Must-Start Player?
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson has been outstanding since making his season debut in Week 7 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Watson leads the team in receiving since returning, collecting 25 receptions for 452 yards and five touchdowns on 38 targets. Those numbers would put him on a 17-game pace of 60 catches for nearly 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns. The 26-year-old wideout has two multi-touchdown games in the past four weeks and has cleared 80 receiving yards in three of his seven games played, which is already the most of any Green Bay pass-catcher this season. Watson remains one of the most explosive downfield threats in the league, a perfect fit for quarterback Jordan Love's playing style and willingness to push the ball down the field. However, Watson has a challenging Week 15 matchup coming up against the vaunted Denver Broncos defense and could be shadowed by cornerback Patrick Surtain, last year's Defensive Player of the Year.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Kyle Monangai Emerging as Weekly Fantasy Option?
Chicago Bears rookie running back Kyle Monangai has earned a sizable role in the team's backfield alongside D'Andre Swift. Monangai and Swift both have exactly 60 carries each over the past four games, with Monangai totaling 258 yards and three touchdowns and Swift having 293 yards and one touchdown. The duo's skill sets complement each other well in a Chicago running game that has proven to be one of the best in the league. The rookie seventh-rounder ranks as the RB20 during that four-game span, averaging 12.3 PPR points per game. Monangai should continue to receive a healthy workload and touchdown opportunities in a strong Bears offense with head coach Ben Johnson pulling the strings. He profiles as a viable flex option in Week 15 against the Cleveland Browns.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Bam Knight Locked into Lead Role for Rest of the Season?
Arizona Cardinals running back Bam Knight has operated as the team's primary running back this season after injuries to James Conner (foot) and Trey Benson (knee). Benson's season has come to an end after not being activated off Injured Reserve within his 21-day activation window. Knight has taken advantage of his opportunities in Benson's absence, sharing backfield duties with Michael Carter and Emari Demercado (ankle). He's handled 81 carries for 271 yards and four touchdowns while adding 22 receptions for 160 yards and one touchdown on 31 targets. It has been underwhelming production for fantasy managers, as he ranks as the RB43 with 8.5 PPR points per game, but he's scored at least 13.2 PPR points in three of the last four games. The 24-year-old has been one of the least efficient runners in the league this season. However, he has been active as a receiver and has a firm hold on goal-line duties in what's been a surprisingly fantasy-friendly Arizona offense with quarterback Jacoby Brissett at the helm. Knight will continue to rank in low-end RB3 territory for the Week 15 game against a tough Houston Texans defense this Sunday.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Devin Neal Listed as Limited in Wednesday's Practice
New Orleans Saints rookie running back Devin Neal (abdomen) was listed as a limited participant at Wednesday's practice session, according to Ross Jackson of LouisianaSports.net. Neal appears to have exited New Orleans' win over the Bucs on Sunday with an abdominal injury. His injury will be something for fantasy managers to monitor in practice this week, but he should still be on track to play in Week 15 against the division-rival Carolina Panthers. The rookie sixth-rounder recorded a career-high 20 touches for 84 yards and a touchdown last week, and he has been a quality fantasy option with Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle) sidelined. Kamara missed practice again on Wednesday and is trending towards missing his third straight game, which would line Neal up for another week as a plug-and-play starter. If Neal were to trend in the wrong direction in the next two days, Evan Hull and Audric Estime would be names to watch in the Saints' backfield.
Source: Ross Jackson
Source: Ross Jackson
Keaton Mitchell Limited in Practice on Wednesday
Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell (knee) was listed as a limited participant at Wednesday's practice. Mitchell left early during Baltimore's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14 due to a knee injury, but the injury is considered minor, and he isn't expected to miss any time. The 23-year-old running back had his best performance of the season last week with six rushes for 76 yards before tweaking his knee. He still hasn't seen a major uptick in snaps after Justice Hill (neck) was placed on Injured Reserve, however. Mitchell has played just 20 total snaps in the last two games, but he has been one of the most dynamic players in the league with the ball in his hands. He will remain just a handcuff behind Derrick Henry heading into the Week 15 divisional game against the Cincinnati Bengals while fighting for touches alongside Rasheen Ali.
Source: Baltimore Ravens
Source: Baltimore Ravens
Tyler Shough Has Entered Weekly Streaming Conversation
New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough has finished as a QB1 in three of his last four starts, peaking at QB6 in a Week 14 upset of the Buccaneers. While he threw for only 144 yards with zero touchdowns and an interception, his day was buoyed by 55 yards on the ground and two rushing touchdowns. He has now registered at least six carries in three straight games, topping 20 yards on the ground in two of three and showcasing a skillset that wasn't a huge part of his profile coming out of Louisville. Since taking over as the Saints starter in Week 9, he has demonstrated plus athleticism and a command of the offense, entering the conversation as a viable streamer. Unfortunately, his first two fantasy playoff matchups are against the Panthers and Jets, both of whom have been challenging for fantasy quarterbacks. He does draw a favorable matchup against the Titans in Week 17, but most managers who reach the fantasy championship will have likely done so without needing to stream the position.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Theo Johnson Limited Due to Toe Injury
New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson (toe) was a limited participant for the team's first practice following a Week 14 bye. Last seen in a primetime Monday night loss to the Patriots, Johnson struggled with a costly drop while bringing in only three of his eight targets for 29 yards. His status is worth monitoring through the week, as he has built a strong connection with rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, and his favorable Week 15 matchup against the Commanders has him firmly in the streaming conversation to begin the fantasy playoffs. Prior to the Week 13 loss to New England, Johnson had finished as a top-12 tight end in six of his last nine outings, and the explosive athlete is currently RotoBaller's TE15 for Week 15.
Source: Matt Citak
Source: Matt Citak
David Sills V a Deep-League Dice Roll on Thursday Night
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver David Sills V was targeted four times in Week 14's 37-9 loss to the Seahawks, however, he failed to haul in any of those passes. It was a disappointing performance after two straight weeks catching touchdown passes from Kirk Cousins. Despite the goose egg, two of the 29-year-old's targets came in the red zone, and he was on the field for 94 percent of the team's offensive plays, which was well ahead of wide receivers Darnell Mooney (77 percent) and Dylan Drummond (61 percent). With Drake London (knee) ruled out once again, Sills will have another opportunity to produce on Thursday night against a Tampa Bay defense that has yielded the sixth-most passing yards per game this season (237.8). The 6-foot-3 wideout has a floor of zero, but has the potential for another touchdown catch as well, making him a very risky WR option in only the deepest of formats.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jake Ferguson Limited on Wednesday
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (calf) was limited during Wednesday's practice with a calf issue. Ferguson had a clean bill of health heading into Week 14's Thursday night matchup with the Lions, and he was heavily involved throughout the game, finishing with five catches on seven targets for 58 yards. Ferguson has been the TE3 in Half-PPR formats and is RotoBaller's TE8 heading into a Week 15 Sunday night matchup with the Vikings, so his status certainly bears monitoring. Third-year tight end Luke Schoonmaker makes for an interesting pivot should Ferguson's availability remain cloudy until game time, but with all teams now past the bye, fantasy managers should be able to find higher upside streaming options in what would be a worst-case scenario.
Source: Jon Machota
Source: Jon Machota
Jalen McMillan Should be Avoided if he's Active on Thursday
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (neck) is currently questionable to make his season debut versus the Atlanta Falcons in Week 15 on Thursday night. McMillan has been sidelined all season due to a neck injury he suffered in mid-August in the preseason. Both McMillan and Mike Evans (collarbone) were activated from Injured Reserve on Wednesday. It seems that both wideouts are trending in the right direction ahead of Thursday's matchup with Atlanta. There might be too many mouths to feed for McMillan to be a viable fantasy contributor, though. Rookie Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr., and Evans will all likely be ahead of McMillan in the pecking order. There's some stash value here in deeper formats, but McMillan won't be a recommended starting option in 12-team leagues in Week 15 if he makes his 2025 debut on TNF.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Chris Godwin Jr. Should Offer WR3 Upside
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. has been a decent contributor on offense over the last two games as he puts a fractured fibula in the rearview mirror. Godwin had a season-high five receptions for 55 yards during last week's loss to the New Orleans Saints. The 29-year-old has been seeing more involvement lately, but that could change, beginning on Thursday night versus the division-rival Atlanta Falcons. Both Mike Evans (collarbone) and Jalen McMillan (neck) have been activated from Injured Reserve and could suit up against the Falcons. If that happens, Godwin could quickly see a reduced role in this offense. The good news is that Godwin is the best slot receiver on this roster and should remain a key part of the passing attack. He should still see enough work to muster up WR3/flex value this week.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Ladd McConkey Limited with Foot Injury
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey (foot) was a limited participant at Wednesday's practice. This is a new injury for McConkey, so it bears monitoring, but it should be noted that he led all Chargers non-quarterback skill players with 64 offensive snaps in a Week 14 overtime win over the Eagles. The Chargers travel to Kansas City in Week 15, and with a banged-up offense coming off one of their sloppier performances of the season, it's reasonable to distrust most of Los Angeles' passing game against a Chiefs defense that has been stout across the board for most of the year. McConkey is currently RotoBaller's WR22, though that ranking could drop based on his practice availability.
Source: Los Angeles Chargers
Source: Los Angeles Chargers
Emeka Egbuka Offers Shaky WR3 Value in Week 15
Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie first-round wide receiver Emeka Egbuka has struggled to produce any consistent numbers over the last month of the season. Egbuka has finished with 42 receiving yards or fewer in four straight games. His target share has been there, with eight targets or more in seven consecutive contests. Unfortunately, Egbuka and quarterback Baker Mayfield aren't on the same page right now. Egbuka's fantasy value could drop even more going forward with veteran Mike Evans (collarbone) trending in the right direction to return in Week 15. Egbuka figures to lose targets to Evans and Chris Godwin Jr. to close out what has been a strong first NFL season. The rookie wideout has enough big-play potential to warrant a look for the Thursday night matchup versus the Atlanta Falcons, but fantasy managers might want to temper their expectations for him as a WR3/flex.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
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