November 21, 2025
New England wide receiver
Kayshon Boutte (hamstring) has responded well to a week of practice, and he is expected to return to action when the Patriots face the Bengals in Week 12. Boutte missed the last two games after exiting the Patriots' Week 9 win over the Falcons with a hamstring injury. In his absence, veteran receiver
Mack Hollins has stepped in as the team's most prolific deep threat, catching 10 of his 15 targets for 170 yards in wins over the Buccaneers and Jets. With Boutte back in action, the expectation is that Hollins will return to a role closer to the line of scrimmage and Boutte will continue to see work downfield. Boutte's 17.7-yard average depth of target ranks fifth among qualified wide receivers, and he is one of only three receivers with an ADoT above 13 yards and a reception percentage above 70%, illustrating his chemistry with
Drake Maye and value within this offense. Against a subpar Bengals defense, he should be right back in play as a high upside flex play.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Chad Graff
November 21, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters that quarterback
Aaron Rodgers (wrist) is questionable for Sunday's game in Chicago against the Bears in Week 12 after being limited in Friday's practice, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. "We'll see where the weekend leads us," Tomlin said. Rodgers suffered a small fracture in his left (non-throwing) wrist in Sunday's win over the Cincinnati Bengals and is now up in the air to start this weekend. The 41-year-old said it's "a safety thing" rather than a pain-management issue as to whether he actually suits up. The good news for fantasy managers deciding whether to use the future Hall of Famer as a QB2 this weekend is the fact that Pittsburgh and Chicago kick off in the early window on Sunday. If Rodgers is inactive in Chicago,
Mason Rudolph will make his first start in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
November 21, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs running back
Isiah Pacheco (knee) is practicing again on Friday, according to The Kansas City Star's Pete Sweeney. Pacheco, who has missed the team's last two games due to a right-knee injury, was a full practice participant on Wednesday before being downgraded to limited on Thursday. The 26-year-old has been wearing a bulky brace on his knee this week. Pacheco being back at practice on Friday suggests that his downgrade to limited on Thursday was more maintenance-related than an actual setback. KC's backfield will become even messier if Pacheco returns this weekend against the Colts, although veteran
Kareem Hunt will likely maintain his role as the Chiefs' preferred goal-line option. Between sharing touches with Hunt and rookie
Brashard Smith and not seeing goal-line looks, Pacheco has become a low-upside RB3/flex for fantasy managers. He comes into Week 12 with 329 rushing yards and only one touchdown on 79 rushing attempts.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Kansas City Star - Pete Sweeney
November 21, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver
Xavier Worthy (ankle) is on the practice field on Friday, according to Pete Sweeney of The Kansas City Star. Worthy did not practice on Wednesday due to an ankle injury, but he returned to a limited practice on Thursday. The 22-year-old might need a full practice on Friday to avoid a questionable tag going into the weekend, but either way, the second-year speedster appears to be on the right side of questionable to play this Sunday versus the visiting Indianapolis Colts. Worthy has not missed any time this year due to his ankle injury, but he did miss Weeks 2 and 3 due to a dislocated shoulder. He currently has 27 catches for 281 yards and only one touchdown on 45 targets in 2025, and he has become a less reliable fantasy wideout since the return of
Rashee Rice.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Kansas City Star - Pete Sweeney
November 21, 2025
New England Patriots running back
Rhamondre Stevenson (toe) is expected to be cleared to make his return for this Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 12, according to Chad Graff of The Athletic. Despite only being limited in practice this week, Stevenson appears ready to return for the first time since picking up a toe injury in the Week 8 win over the Cleveland Browns. The 27-year-old was operating as the Patriots' RB1 before his injury and had 83 rushing attempts for 279 yards (3.4 yards per carry) and three touchdowns in eight games. Rookie
TreVeyon Henderson saw 47 rushing attempts for 264 yards and four touchdowns in the three games that Stevenson missed, adding 10 catches for 66 yards and another TD. Henderson's breakout likely earned him a larger role when Stevenson returns, so fantasy managers will want to temper expectations if Stevenson is active in Cincy.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chad Graff
November 21, 2025
Cleveland Browns tight end
David Njoku (knee) returned to practice on Friday, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. It's unclear what Njoku's participation level was, but it at least gives him a chance to play in Week 12 against the Las Vegas Raiders after he missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday. The 29-year-old could very well be listed as questionable on the final injury report, though, and his status remains up in the air for the weekend. Njoku has already seen a drop in fantasy value this season with rookie
Harold Fannin Jr. stealing lots of valuable targets from him, so he's even harder to trust going into Sunday's game, given his uncertain status. Through 11 weeks in the 2025 season, Njoku has 30 receptions for 288 yards and three touchdowns on his 45 targets. All of Cleveland's pass-catchers will be a bit more volatile in Week 12 with rookie quarterback
Shedeur Sanders making his first career start.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Daniel Oyefusi
November 21, 2025
The Green Bay Packers opened the 21-day practice window on wide receiver
Jayden Reed (collarbone, foot) on Friday, according to Bill Huber of SI.com. Reed is practicing for the first time since breaking his collarbone in Week 2. The 25-year-old also had surgery to fix a Jones fracture in his foot. He is making progress and nearing a return, but he won't play this Sunday against the division-rival Minnesota Vikings and is unlikely to be back for the Thanksgiving Day game next Thursday against the division-rival Detroit Lions. That means the most realistic date for Reed to return would be on Sunday, Dec. 7, when the team takes on the division-rival Chicago Bears in Week 14. Reed has demonstrated a nose for the end zone early in his career, scoring 18 times in 35 regular-season games, but he'll probably be a volatile commodity in the fantasy playoffs in a crowded WR room in Green Bay when he finally returns.
--Keith HernandezSource: SI.com - Bill Huber
November 21, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that wide receiver
Chris Godwin (leg) is trending toward playing on Sunday night against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 12, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. Godwin has not played since injuring his fibula in Week 5, but he was able to practice in full on Thursday and appears ready to return this weekend. The 29-year-old has only played in two games in 2025 after suffering a serious ankle dislocation in Week 7 of the 2024 season. The Bucs have already said that Godwin will have his snaps limited in his first game back after the long layoff, so we wouldn't recommend starting him in fantasy if he's active on Sunday night in a tough matchup on the road. Still, fantasy managers should have Godwin rostered in most leagues for the stretch run, as he figures to be a key target for quarterback
Baker Mayfield with
Mike Evans (collarbone) likely done for the year.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX Sports - Greg Auman
November 21, 2025
The Cincinnati Bengals have not made a final decision on whether quarterback
Joe Burrow (toe) will play on Sunday against the New England Patriots, according to head coach Zac Taylor. Burrow was limited in practice on Friday and will officially be listed as questionable for Week 12. Both Burrow and
Joe Flacco (shoulder) got reps in practice on Friday. "He's done everything he can," Taylor said about Burrow. The 28-year-old Burrow is still on Injured Reserve, so we should have an answer by Saturday as to whether the Bengals plan to start him this weekend. Flacco continues to deal with an AC joint sprain in his right shoulder, but if Cincy decides to hold Burrow out for another week, Flacco should be available to make one more start this weekend. There's no question that Burrow gives the Bengals offense more upside, but there could be a rust factor since he has not played since Week 2, and Cincy will also be without top wideout Ja'Marr Higgins (suspension) against New England.
--Keith HernandezSource: Mike Petraglia
November 21, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that running back
Bucky Irving (foot, shoulder) has been ruled out for the Week 12 game this Sunday night against the Los Angeles Rams, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com. Fantasy managers will be disappointed that Irving won't be back this weekend after it seemed he had been trending towards returning for the first time since Week 4, but the good news is that the Bucs are targeting a return for Irving in Week 13 against the Arizona Cardinals. A report from Pewter Report suggested that Irving was "reeling a bit" after being injured for the first time in his career and missing football, but he's "feeling better and is on the road to recovery." It's anyone's guess as to how Tampa's backfield will look when Irving finally returns, but for this Sunday against the Rams,
Sean Tucker figures to see more work over
Rachaad White after his three-touchdown performance in last week's loss to the Buffalo Bills.
--Keith HernandezSource: Buccaneers.com - Scott Smith
November 21, 2025
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver
Rashod Bateman (ankle) was absent from practice on Friday for the third time this week, according to ESPN's Jamison Hensley. Bateman suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Week 10 win over the Minnesota Vikings and did not play in last week's win over the Cleveland Browns. Without being able to practice this week, the 25-year-old will most likely be ruled out for a second straight game this weekend. Bateman's absence will once again open up more targets in the passing game against the New York Jets this Sunday for receivers
Zay Flowers,
DeAndre Hopkins, and
Tylan Wallace. Tight ends
Mark Andrews and
Isaiah Likely should also have slightly higher ceilings. Bateman had the best year of his career in 2024 with 756 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, but he's been a disappointment once again for fantasy managers in 2025 with a 16-194-2 line in nine games.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jamison Hensley
November 21, 2025
Baltimore Ravens quarterback
Lamar Jackson (ankle) is practicing for the second straight day on Friday, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. Jackson was held out of practice on Wednesday with an ankle injury, but he was a full participant on Thursday and appears to be just fine for the Week 12 matchup this Sunday against the visiting New York Jets. The 28-year-old two-time MVP missed several games earlier this season due to a hamstring injury, but even before the injury, he wasn't running all that much. Jackson has only scored on the ground once so far in seven games in 2025, and that was back in Week 1. He threw four touchdowns in his return from his hamstring injury against Miami on Oct. 30, but in the last two games, he has one touchdown and two picks. Jackson should still be considered a high-end QB1 option in a prime bounce-back matchup against the Jets.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jamison Hensley
November 21, 2025
Indianapolis Colts quarterback
Daniel Jones (calf) appears to be practicing again on Friday, according to Jake Arthur of Locked On Colts. Jones was added to the Week 12 injury report with a calf injury on Thursday and was listed as a limited participant. Although mid-week additions to the injury report typically are cause for alarm, ESPN's Stephen Holder reports that there isn't much cause for panic surrounding the 28-year-old signal-caller. Jones could end up being questionable on Friday's final injury report, but he at least appears to be on the right side of questionable leading up to Sunday's showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Anthony Richardson Sr. (eye) is still on Injured Reserve, so the Colts would be forced to start rookie
Riley Leonard if Jones were ruled out for Week 12. As of right now, Jones appears to be on track to play in KC on Sunday.
--Keith HernandezSource: Locked On Colts - Jake Arthur
November 21, 2025
According to Detroit Football Network's Justin Rogers, Detroit Lions tight end
Sam LaPorta (back) is likely to miss the remainder of the season after successful surgery on his back. The 24-year-old was amid a rebound campaign, posting a 40/489/3 line before sustaining a back injury in their 44-22 win over the Commanders in Week 10. However, his status quickly deteriorated, and he's now facing a significant recovery. Fellow tight end
Brock Wright (ankle) will operate as Detroit's TE1 in his teammate's stead, with
Ross Dwelley working in behind him. Neither projects to be particularly useful for fantasy.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
November 21, 2025
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said that running back
Josh Jacobs (knee) is "feeling pretty good" and will practice again on Friday in a limited capacity, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. Jacobs suffered a knee contusion in the Week 11 win over the New York Giants on Sunday and did not return because he could not bend his knee. The 27-year-old was listed as day-to-day earlier this week before missing practice on Wednesday. However, two back-to-back limited practices on Thursday and Friday should give him a chance to suit up in Week 12 against the division-rival Minnesota Vikings. Jacobs could end up questionable on the final injury report, but the star RB should at least have a shot to play this weekend. If he doesn't,
Emanuel Wilson would be first in line for lead-back touches, with
Chris Brooks backing him up.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman
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