January 7, 2026
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver
Jordan Whittington (knee) missed practice again on Wednesday due to a knee injury, per Adam Grosbard of the Los Angeles Daily News. Whittington was injured in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals and is looking unlikely to be available to play in the Wild-Card playoff matchup on Saturday on the road against the Carolina Panthers. The 25-year-old hasn't been a fantasy asset all year, though, catching only 18 passes for 171 yards and no touchdowns on 25 targets for the Rams. If Whittington is unable to play this weekend in Carolina, it could open up a few more snaps on offense for the likes of receivers
Xavier Smith, Konata Mumpford, and
Tutu Atwell behind top wideouts
Puka Nacua and
Davante Adams (hamstring).
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Daily News - Adam Grosbard
January 7, 2026
Los Angeles Rams rookie tight end
Terrance Ferguson (hamstring) missed a second straight day of practice this week on Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles Daily News' Adam Grosbard. Ferguson injured his hamstring in practice late last week and didn't play in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Arizona Cardinals. The 22-year-old has scored in each of his last two games played with five grabs on eight targets for 87 yards, but he's trending in the wrong direction to suit up on Saturday versus the hosting Carolina Panthers on Wild-Card weekend. Even if Ferguson somehow plays this weekend, he'll be hard to recommend as a TE streamer in playoff formats with
Tyler Higbee (ankle) now back from Injured Reserve. Higbee scored and nearly hit the century mark in his return from IR in the Week 18 season finale.
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Daily News - Adam Grosbard
January 7, 2026
Los Angeles Rams tight end
Tyler Higbee (ankle) was listed as a limited participant again in practice on Wednesday, according to Adam Grosbard of the Los Angeles Daily News. Higbee missed six games while on Injured Reserve with an ankle injury before he was activated and played in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. The 33-year-old veteran played 64% of the offensive snaps and caught five of his six targets for 91 yards and a touchdown. While Higbee saw fewer snaps than fellow TEs
Colby Parkinson and
Davis Allen, it was, all in all, a very successful return. The Rams are likely just managing Higbee's ankle this week, and he should be active on Saturday to face the Carolina Panthers in the Wild-Card round of the playoffs. Higbee could be on the field more this weekend for a high-scoring Rams offense, putting him in play as a low-end TE1 option in fantasy playoff formats.
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Daily News - Adam Grosbard
January 7, 2026
New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore said on Wednesday that tight end Tasom Hill's shoulder injury that he suffered in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Atlanta Falcons was "just an AC" joint sprain, according to Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football. It means that Hill should be fully ready in advance of the 2026 season, whether it be back in New Orleans or somewhere else. The 35-year-old Swiss Army Knife offensive weapon is headed for unrestricted free agency when the calendar flips to March. There's also a chance that Hill decides to hang up his cleats after nine years in the NFL with the Saints. In 13 games played (five starts) in 2025, Hill had 52 rushing attempts for just 114 yards (2.2 yards per carry) and one touchdown on the ground. He added 11 receptions for 91 yards through the air. Hill's fantasy outlook will depend on what team he's playing for if he decides to return for a 10th season, but he'll most likely be off the fantasy radar in 12-team leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: NewOrleans.Football - Mike Triplett
January 7, 2026
Detroit Lions tight end
Sam LaPorta (back) said earlier this week that he's entering the next stage of his rehab from back surgery, and he plans to be fully cleared before the start of training camp at the end of July, according to Richard Silva of The Detroit News. LaPorta played in only nine games in 2025 before suffering a herniated disc in his back against the Washington Commanders on Nov. 9. In addition to his rehab, the 24-year-old will be focused on trying to ink a contract extension with the Lions this offseason. LaPorta burst onto the scene in his rookie year in 2023 with 86 receptions, 889 yards, and 10 touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. He wasn't quite as good in 2024, but he still had a 60-726-7 line in 16 games. Obviously, LaPorta's production suffered in 2025 due to injury, but he'll be a prime bounce-back candidate at the TE position in 2026 for the Lions.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Detroit News - Richard Silva
January 7, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver
Keandre Lambert-Smith (hamstring) did not take part in Wednesday's practice, according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic. Lambert-Smith's status for the Wild-Card playoff tilt on Sunday night against the New England Patriots is in question after the 23-year-old pass-catcher hurt his hamstring in Sunday's 19-3 loss to the Denver Broncos. He never returned to the contest. If Lambert-Smith isn't cleared to play this weekend,
Tre' Harris and
Derius Davis could see more time on the field as WR depth behind
Ladd McConkey,
Keenan Allen, and
Quentin Johnston. Lambert-Smith, a fifth-rounder out of Auburn back in April, saw action in only 10 regular-season games in 2025 and caught just five passes for 51 yards and one touchdown for the Bolts. He'll be off the fantasy radar if he's active for the postseason.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Daniel Popper
January 7, 2026
Green Bay Packers wide receiver
Dontayvion Wicks (concussion) continued to be limited in practice on Wednesday, according to Packers.com. Wicks suffered a concussion in Week 17 against the Baltimore Ravens, didn't practice at all last week, and was inactive for the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Minnesota Vikings. The good news is that the 24-year-old has advanced through the league's concussion protocol, but he still has more boxes to check to be cleared to play on Saturday night against the division-rival Chicago Bears on Wild-Card weekend. How much he's able to do in practice on Thursday could determine Wicks' status for Saturday's playoff game. Wicks has been a boom/bust fantasy wideout all season long, with one really true boom performance in the Thanksgiving Day win over the Lions, when he caught six passes for 94 yards and his only two TDs of the year. If he's active against Chicago, fantasy managers should focus on more reliable options.
--Keith HernandezSource: Packers.com
January 7, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles tight end
Grant Calcaterra (ankle) could be in danger of missing Wild-Card weekend and Sunday's matchup against the San Francisco 49ers after missing Wednesday's practice with an ankle injury. Calcaterra saw the field a bit more in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders on Sunday, with
Dallas Goedert (knee) being rested, and he caught two of his three targets for a season-high 21 yards and his only touchdown of the year. The 27-year-old was injured in the season finale, though, and he'll need to get back on the practice field over the next two days if he wants to be active for the playoff opener as the Eagles look to defend their title. With Goedert most likely returning this weekend, Calcaterra won't be in play as a TE option in fantasy playoff leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Philadelphia Eagles
January 7, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles tight end
Dallas Goedert (knee) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, according to the team. Goedert didn't practice at all last week and was held out of the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders with the Eagles resting most of their starters. The 31-year-old veteran should be able to return for the Wild-Card matchup on Sunday against the visiting San Francisco 49ers, but we'll keep a close eye on his status the rest of the week. It's worth noting that
Grant Calcaterra (aknle) did not practice on Wednesday, so the Eagles could be thin at the position behind Goedert if Calcaterra doesn't play this weekend. As long as Goedert is active to kick off the playoffs, fantasy managers should consider him a top-five TE after he tied with
Trey McBride in touchdowns at the position with 11 in 15 regular-season games.
--Keith HernandezSource: Philadelphia Eagles
January 7, 2026
For the second straight day this week, Chicago Bears wide receiver
DJ Moore (knee) was listed as a limited participant in practice on Wednesday. Moore's fantasy stock is at an all-time low heading into the playoffs and a Wild-Card matchup against the division-rival Green Bay Packers on Saturday night at Soldier Field. Not only could Moore take a questionable tag into the weekend if he doesn't practice in full on Thursday, but he's coming off back-to-back one-catch efforts in the final two games of the regular season with
Rome Odunze (foot) out of action. The 28-year-old has become extremely hard to trust as a WR4/flex in fantasy lineups, and especially so this weekend with Odunze expected to return after missing the last five weeks. Don't expect Moore to show out the way he did the last time he faced Green Bay, when he caught five of seven targets for 97 yards and a touchdown in the overtime win.
--Keith HernandezSource: Bears Communications
January 7, 2026
San Francisco 49ers quarterback
Brock Purdy was shut down in the regular-season finale by the Seattle Seahawks, throwing for a season-low 127 yards with one interception and his only game this season without a touchdown. Purdy suffered a stinger on the final play of the game, but he is not expected to miss any practice time and will be good to go for Sunday's Wild-Card game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The 26-year-old signal-caller had another strong season overall despite playing in only nine games due to an early-season turf-toe injury. He'll be in line for another challenging matchup against a stout Eagles defensive unit that ranks sixth in both dropback-success rate (40.7%) and dropback EPA (-0.109) over the final five weeks of the season.
--Kyle McCarthySource: RotoBaller
January 7, 2026
Los Angeles Rams running back
Blake Corum broke out in his sophomore campaign, taking 145 carries for 746 yards and six touchdowns to go with eight catches (14 targets) for 36 yards while playing all 17 games. Corum was one of the most efficient backs in the league on a per-carry basis, with his 5.14 yards per carry ranking fifth-highest among running backs with at least 100 carries. He remains the No. 2 running back behind
Kyren Williams and has seen more work as a result of the Rams looking to keep Williams fresh for the playoffs. They've formed the most potent running back duo in the league in the Rams' high-powered offense, as Williams ranks first in rushing success rate (62.9%), while Corum ranks second (59.3%), per Fantasy Points Data. Corum should continue to be involved in the Rams' Wild-Card matchup against the Carolina Panthers, who have allowed the 10th-most rushing yards per game (138.3) over the final four weeks of the season. He projects as an RB2/RB3 in fantasy for Saturday's game.
--Kyle McCarthySource: RotoBaller
January 7, 2026
Chicago Bears wide receiver
Rome Odunze (foot) said he plans to play in Saturday's Wild-Card matchup against the division-rival Green Bay Packers, according to Adam Hoge of AllCHGOcom. Odunze has missed the past five games due to a stress fracture in his foot, but he appears set to make his return in the playoffs. The second-year wideout has cooled off considerably since the Bears' Week 5 bye, recording three or fewer catches in six of eight games, with only one touchdown after finding the end zone five times in the first four weeks of the season. It's tough to trust Odunze as anything more than a low-end flex option for fantasy in the playoffs, with Chicago's pair of rookies in
Colston Loveland and
Luther Burden III emerging as go-to targets down the stretch.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Adam Hoge
January 7, 2026
Green Bay Packers running back
Josh Jacobs (knee) said Wednesday that "this is the best I've felt in six weeks," as he's been dealing with a knee injury that he originally suffered in Week 11 versus the New York Giants. Jacobs is off the injury report for the first time since then and should be ready to handle his full workload in Saturday's Wild-Card matchup against the division-rival Chicago Bears after being rested in Week 18. The 27-year-old had another strong season despite the lingering injury, handling 234 carries for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns to go along with 36 catches (44 targets) for 282 yards and another score as a receiver. Jacobs will face a Chicago defense that allowed the sixth-most rushing yards per game (134.5) and the fourth-highest yards per carry (5.0) this season. Jacobs profiles as a rock-solid RB1 for Wild-Card weekend in a favorable matchup and with improved health.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Rom Demovsky
January 7, 2026
Chicago Bears rookie tight end
Colston Loveland put together a fantastic regular season, recording 58 receptions (82 targets) for a team-leading 713 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 16 games. Loveland paced the Bears' passing game in Week 18's loss to the Lions, bringing in 10 of 13 targets for 91 yards and a touchdown. The budding star continued his late-season surge and is trending favorably heading into Chicago's Wild-Card matchup against the division-rival Green Bay Packers. Green Bay has allowed the 13th-most catches per game (5.6) and the sixth-fewest yards per game (44.9) to tight ends this season, with Loveland totaling seven catches for 59 yards and a touchdown in their two regular-season meetings. Receiver
Rome Odunze (foot) is expected to return on Saturday after missing the previous five games, which could take some targets away from Loveland. The 21-year-old Loveland still profiles as one of the best tight end options for fantasy managers in playoff leagues and should be in all lineups.
--Kyle McCarthySource: RotoBaller
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