December 29, 2025
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that a nine-month recovery is expected for Green Bay Packers star pass-rusher Micah Parsons (knee) after he underwent ACL surgery on his injured left knee on Monday. Parsons suffered the season-ending injury in the Week 15 loss to the Denver Broncos when he came down awkwardly on his left knee while rushing the passer. The 26-year-old is expected to miss the beginning of the 2026 season, but all in all, it's good news that Parsons suffered a clean tear of his ACL and that no other ligaments were affected. Parsons will cost a little less in IDP fantasy football formats next year because of his injury, but he'll still be worth rostering as an elite defender. The five-time Pro Bowler was on his way to a new career-high in sacks before his injury, finishing with 12.5 sacks and 41 total tackles in 14 games in his first year in Green Bay. Parsons has at least 12 sacks in all five of his NFL campaigns.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
December 29, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro linebacker T.J. Watt (lung) is considered "up in the air" for the Week 18 regular-season finale this Sunday night against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Watt missed a third straight game in Sunday's loss to the Cleveland Browns after having surgery to fix a partially collapsed lung in early December. Reports have varied as far as his potential availability for this Sunday's game, in which the winner wins the AFC North division, and the loser goes home. Head coach Mike Tomlin has said that Watt won't return to game action until he can practice in full for an entire week, so the 31-year-old's practice status will be closely monitored this week. If Watt is active Sunday night versus Baltimore, he surely won't be at 100% and will most likely be on a pitch count.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
December 29, 2025
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said on Monday that it "seems like it's going well with
Rashid Shaheed" after he suffered a concussion in Sunday's win over the Carolina Panthers, but the team won't know if he'll make it through the league's concussion protocol until later in the week, according to Curtis Crabtree of FOX 13 Seattle. It will all depend on the 27-year-old's ability to practice this week, but with the Week 18 divisional clash against the San Francisco 49ers coming this Saturday, we don't like Shaheed's chances of suiting up. Shaheed has been more of an asset on special teams for Seattle since they acquired him at the trade deadline from the New Orleans Saints. He has caught 14 of his 25 targets for 186 yards and no touchdowns in his eight games with the Seahawks.
Cooper Kupp and tight end
AJ Barner will have bigger roles on offense behind
Jaxon Smith-Njigba if Shaheed can't get cleared for Week 18.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX 13 Seattle - Curtis Crabtree
December 29, 2025
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver
Davante Adams (hamstring), who came into Monday night listed as doubtful, is officially inactive versus the hosting Atlanta Falcons in Week 17. It will be the second straight game that Adams will miss due to a lingering left-hamstring injury. The 33-year-old veteran is expected to be held out in the Week 18 regular-season finale this Sunday against the division-rival Arizona Cardinals as well. In last Thursday night's crazy overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks,
Xavier Smith and
Konata Mumpfield stepped up in Adams' absence behind star receiver
Puka Nacua to combine for five catches and 97 receiving yards. In addition to Smith and Mumpfield, tight ends
Davis Allen,
Terrance Ferguson, and
Colby Parkinson should remain more involved in the passing attack. Adams is fully expected to be ready to return for the wild-card round of the postseason.
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Rams
December 29, 2025
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver
Drake London (knee) is officially active for Monday Night Football against the visiting Los Angeles Rams. As expected, London will be active to close out Week 17 action after returning to the field for last week's win over the Arizona Cardinals. The 24-year-old wideout missed Weeks 12-15 with a sprained PCL in his left knee and played 69% of the offensive snaps in Week 16, catching three of his eight targets for only 27 yards. Fantasy managers will be hoping that London sees the field more on Monday against the Rams, although he wasn't able to practice in full at all last week from Thursday through Saturday. London checks in as the WR7 this year in terms of half-PPR fantasy points per game (15.1). His presence on the field for the second straight week will make life more difficult for tight end
Kyle Pitts Sr., who went off for 11 catches, 166 yards, and three TDs in Week 15.
--Keith HernandezSource: Atlanta Falcons
December 29, 2025
The Carolina Panthers' offense was virtually non-existent in Sunday's 27-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, with quarterback
Bryce Young throwing for only 54 yards on the day. Wide receiver
Jalen Coker caught both of his targets for only 16 yards, but that was good enough to lead the team. The dud performance broke a string of six straight games in which Coker had at least three receptions. In Weeks 13, 15, and 16, the 24-year-old pass-catcher had a combined 11 receptions on 15 targets for 181 yards and two touchdown grabs as he appeared to be trending towards becoming the No. 2 WR behind rookie first-rounder
Tetairoa McMillan. The entire Carolina offense should bounce back this weekend in the Week 18 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with the NFC South title and a trip to the postseason on the line. Don't count out Coker being a serviceable WR4/flex option in deeper fantasy football leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 29, 2025
Tennessee Titans quarterback
Cameron Ward has shown flashes of why he was the No. 1 overall pick back in April, but mostly, it's been a struggle for the 23-year-old and the Titans' offense in 2025. However, in the Week 17 loss to the New Orleans Saints, Ward had one of his best all-around showings of the year, going 21-for-40 for 251 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions against a decent Saints defense. He added two carries for 10 yards on the ground. Ward fumbled twice, losing one of them. Don't look now, but Ward has now thrown two touchdown passes in four straight games with only one interception. It could signal that he's taking the next step as an NFL passer as he heads into a difficult Week 18 matchup against the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars, who are looking to lock up the AFC South title. In the first meeting with the Jags on Nov. 30, Ward threw for 141 yards with no touchdowns or picks.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 29, 2025
New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback
Tyler Shough continues to get better with more playing time. For the second straight week, the 26-year-old threw for over 300 yards in the Week 17 win over the Tennessee Titans. Shough went 22-for-27 passing on Sunday for a season-high 333 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions in the 34-26 win. He added six rushing yards on four attempts. The second-rounder out of Louisville has latched on to star receiver
Chris Olave, but beyond him, he doesn't have a lot of experienced options, which makes his rise in the second half of the 2025 season that much more impressive. In 10 games (eight starts), Shough has completed 67.8% of his pass attempts for 2,125 yards, nine TDs, and five interceptions, adding 152 rushing yards and two more touchdowns. In the season finale this weekend against Atlanta, Shough will be a popular streaming option in fantasy as he looks to close out his rookie campaign on a high note.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 29, 2025
Arizona Cardinals running back
Emari Demercado hasn't really been a realistic starting option for fantasy managers this year, even in a banged-up Cardinals backfield. Through 12 games in 2025, Demercado has 42 rushing attempts for 283 yards (6.7 yards per tote) while adding 12 catches for 73 yards and one touchdown on 19 targets. The 26-year-old played only seven snaps in Week 15 in his return from injury against the Houston Texans, but he's been more involved the last two weeks, carrying the ball five times apiece the last two games. Demercado outsnapped lead back
Michael Carter in Sunday's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals and finished with five carries for 11 yards while catching two of his three targets for nine yards. It wasn't much to look at, but with fewer options available to fantasy managers in Week 18, Demercado could be a sneaky deep-league PPR flex play as a pass-catcher in a matchup against the Rams that should feature plenty of positive game script for the Cardinals to use Demercado as a receiver.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 29, 2025
Although Arizona Cardinals running back
Michael Carter doesn't have a high fantasy ceiling, he's still the team's lead back for the final week of the regular season for a divisional matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. In the Week 17 loss on the road to the Cincinnati Bengals, Carter was held in check, picking up only 29 yards on the ground on seven rushing attempts. The 26-year-old added two receptions on four targets for 14 yards. He was outsnapped by backfield mate
Emari Demercado, but Carter had two more touches. It was a disappointing performance for Carter in a plus matchup against a bad Bengals defense, but with the Cardinals falling behind by multiple scores early, they weren't really able to keep using Carter as a runner. On the bright side, Carter has 208 rushing yards and 4.6 yards per carry in the last six games, and he's had double-digit carries in two of the last three games. He'll be in play as an RB3/flex in deeper fantasy leagues this weekend against L.A.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 29, 2025
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says he doubts that Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll will be back with the team in 2026. If the Raiders come away with another loss to the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs in the Week 18 regular-season finale this Sunday, they will have the No. 1 overall pick for the 2026 NFL Draft. As things currently look, the Raiders would be expected to draft Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick next year after the failed
Geno Smith experiment in 2025. The Raiders are desperately searching for some glimmer of hope for the future, and securing the No. 1 overall pick would be a big step in the right direction. However, the front office will need to surround a new franchise QB with the right coaching staff as well. Carroll, at 74 years old, wouldn't exactly be a great fit for a rookie signal-caller.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
December 29, 2025
Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said on Monday that wide receiver
Marvin Harrison Jr. (foot) suffered a new foot injury in Sunday's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Harrison missed Weeks 14 and 15 due to a heel injury that was on the opposite foot of the one he injured in Week 17. Gannon said that Harrison will play in the Week 18 regular-season finale this Sunday against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams "if he is healthy enough to play." Given all of the 23-year-old's injuries this year and the fact that the Cardinals have nothing to play for, fantasy managers still playing for a championship this week shouldn't be holding their breath for Harrison. Even if Harrison ends up suiting up, he probably won't be on the field all that much as the No. 3 target behind
Michael Wilson and star tight end
Trey McBride.
--Keith HernandezSource: AZCardinals.com - Darren Urban
December 29, 2025
The Houston Texans announced on Monday that they activated wide receiver
Justin Watson (calf) from Injured Reserve. Watson will be eligible to play in the team's Week 18 regular-season finale this Sunday against the division-rival Indianapolis Colts, but it's unclear if he'll actually be active. The Texans activating the 29-year-old this week ensures that they'll have him available for their playoff run as additional receiving depth behind
Nico Collins, rookies
Jayden Higgins and
Jaylin Noel, and slot man
Christian Kirk. Watson had played in only two games with Houston before landing on IR, catching three of his four targets for 30 yards. The eight-year vet probably isn't going to be a huge part of the Texans' offense the rest of the way, barring an injury to a receiver ahead of him on the depth chart.
--Keith HernandezSource: Houston Texans
December 29, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said on Monday that quarterback
Trey Lance will make the start on Sunday in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Denver Broncos, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. The Chargers will rest
Justin Herbert, and he won't dress for the game in Denver. Lance will make his first start of the year and only the sixth start of his NFL career.
DJ Uiagalelei will be elevated from the practice squad to the active 53-man roster to back Lance up. The 25-year-old former first-round pick has completed seven of his 13 pass attempts in three games played for the Bolts in 2025 for 90 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. With other starters on offense possibly being rested while facing one of the best defenses in the league (the Broncos will be playing for a first-round bye), Lance will not be set up for success in Week 18.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim
December 29, 2025
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said on Monday that quarterback
Josh Allen (foot) is dealing with "some soreness" in his right foot, much like he was last week, but he might be slightly better this week, according to Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN. The Bills will see how Allen looks over the course of the week, but as of right now, fantasy managers should expect him to be available to play in a juicy Week 18 matchup against the division-rival New York Jets. The 29-year-old underwent precautionary X-rays after Sunday's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, and they came back negative. Despite not being 100% on Sunday, the former MVP did run the ball seven times for 27 yards and two touchdowns in the one-point loss to Philly. Allen went 23-for-35 passing for 262 yards without a TD or interception as a passer. Depending on how Allen progresses this week, it's still possible that Buffalo decides to shut him down for the regular-season finale.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Alaina Getzenberg
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