Christian Watson in Line for a Strong Playoff Opener
Before being rested for the season finale, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson had emerged as the team's most dangerous downfield threat, averaging 65.6 yards and almost a touchdown per game across his last five outings. Against a Chicago defense that has allowed more than five fantasy points above expectation to the position, he is in line for a solid performance in Saturday night's Wild Card matchup. The Bears allowed 300+ passing yards in each of their final two regular-season games, and with quarterback Jordan Love now clear of the league's concussion protocol, Green Bay's offense could find more success than it did in a Week 16 loss to Chicago that saw Malik Willis handling primary duties under center. Watson is RotoBaller's WR12 for the opening round of the playoffs.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Lane Johnson Could Return for Wild Card Weekend
Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson (foot), who has been out since Week 11 with a foot injury, is listed as questionable for Sunday's Wild Card matchup with the 49ers, but there is a growing sense that he could suit up and play this week. Johnson has been a limited practice participant leading up to the game, which is a positive step after several weeks of DNPs. The Eagles' offense has been one of the more frustrating units to watch this season, particularly for fantasy purposes, but Johnson's steadying presence could help to put things back on track for Saquon Barkley and the rest of the defending champions. After an up-and-down season, Barkley is RotoBaller's RB5 for the opening week of fantasy playoff leagues.
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Keon Coleman Expected to Play Against Jaguars
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman, who has been a healthy scratch for several games this season, is expected to play in the team's Wild Card matchup with the Jaguars and could see an expanded role, according to Cameron Wolfe. Joshua Palmer has been downgraded to Out ahead of Sunday's contest, leaving Coleman and Khalil Shakir firmly atop the wide receiver depth chart. With the two of them combining for just over 1,000 yards and four touchdowns on the year, one or both will need to take a monumental leap forward if Buffalo hopes to notch its first road playoff victory since 1992. Josh Allen is 0-4 in road playoff games and will be looking for contributions from his receiver room wherever he can find them.
Source: Cameron Wolfe
Source: Cameron Wolfe
Trent Williams Trending Toward a Playoff Return
San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams (hamstring) was a limited practice participant on Thursday and Friday, but the belief is that he is trending in the right direction and has a chance to suit up for Sunday's Wild Card matchup with the Eagles. The future Hall of Famer has been held out of the last two games after injuring his hamstring in a Week 16 win over the Colts. Even with their best offensive lineman sidelined in Week 17, the 49ers managed to put up 200 yards on the ground in a win over the Bears before coming back down to earth to the tune of 53 rushing yards in a Week 18 loss to the Seahawks. Without question, San Francisco's rushing attack is at its best when both Williams and tight end George Kittle are active, which looks to be the case for Sunday, helping to make Christian McCaffrey RotoBaller's RB1 for the first week of playoff fantasy leagues.
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Joshua Palmer Ruled Out for Sunday
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer (ankle) has been downgraded to out ahead of Sunday's Wild-Card matchup with the Jaguars. Palmer had been unable to practice this week with an ankle injury and will now miss the team's playoff opener. Palmer's 303 receiving yards across 12 regular-season games were good enough for the third-highest total amongst Buffalo wide receivers. In his absence, second-year wideout Keon Coleman will be in line for a larger role following a disappointing sophomore season that saw him benched on multiple occasions. Jacksonville has ranked as a middle-of-the-pack unit in terms of defending the pass, but with no obvious superstars in the Bills' wide receiver room, Josh Allen will again be tasked with putting the offense on his back if Buffalo is to win their first road playoff game since 1992.
Source: Buffalo Bills PR
Source: Buffalo Bills PR
Luther Burden III Remains a High-Upside WR Option This Weekend
Across 15 games in 2025, Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III recorded 47 receptions for 652 yards and two touchdowns on 60 targets. The 22-year-old played his best football of the year down the stretch, recording 21 catches for 324 yards and a touchdown on 26 targets over his final four contests. However, all four of those performances came with fellow Bears wideout Rome Odunze sidelined by a foot injury. Odunze will return for the team's Wild Card Weekend matchup against the Green Bay Packers, which could lead to fewer opportunities for Burden III. The Packers were also one of the NFL's better pass defenses in the regular season, ranking sixth in the league in yards per pass attempt allowed (6.4). However, Burden III's explosive upside is difficult to overlook. Entering the postseason, Burden III profiles as the most attractive wide receiver option on the Bears roster for fantasy managers in playoff leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rome Odunze Tough to Trust in Wild-Card Round After Long Injury Layoff
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze missed the final five games of the regular season due to a stress fracture in his foot. However, the 23-year-old is off the injury report and will play in his team's Wild Card Weekend matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night. Across 12 games before getting injured, Odunze recorded 44 receptions for 661 yards and six touchdowns on 90 targets. He recorded three or fewer catches in four out of his last five games played, although he still averaged 6.8 targets per game during that stretch. It's difficult to project how involved Odunze will be in the Chicago passing game coming off the long layoff, particularly with Bears rookie wideout Luther Burden III emerging during Odunze's absence. The Packers also had one of the NFL's better pass defenses during the regular season, ranking sixth among all units in yards per pass attempt allowed (6.4). Given the injury uncertainty and the matchup, Odunze profiles as a difficult player for fantasy managers to trust in the Wild Card round.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Colston Loveland has High-End Upside in Wild-Card Round
Chicago Bears rookie tight end Colston Loveland finished his first NFL regular season with 58 receptions for 713 yards and six touchdowns on 82 targets across 16 games. The 21-year-old also closed the year on a tear, hauling in 16 catches for 185 yards and two touchdowns on 23 targets across his final two outings. Loveland may see a slightly reduced role in the Bears' first playoff matchup against the Green Bay Packers, as Chicago will get wideout Rome Odunze back from the foot injury that caused him to miss the team's last five regular-season games. Still, Loveland has proven himself to be a consistent feature in the Bears' passing game, with upside. The Packers were a solid pass defense in the regular season, ranking sixth in the NFL in yards per pass attempt allowed (6.4) and tied for 12th in passing touchdowns allowed (24). However, Green Bay struggled a bit down the stretch after losing star edge rusher Micah Parsons (knee) to a season-ending knee injury in Week 15. Loveland profiles as a high-end tight end option in the Wild Card round for fantasy managers in playoff leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Bryce Young May Struggle in First Career Playoff Game
Across 16 games in 2025, Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young completed 63.6% of his pass attempts for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. The 24-year-old proved himself to be an effective game manager, but he struggled to produce consistent fantasy production in Carolina's run-heavy offense. Young topped 200 passing yards in just four games during the regular season. The Panthers' offense will face a tough test in the first round of the NFC playoffs against the Los Angeles Rams. Los Angeles finished the regular season ranked 11th in the NFL in yards per pass attempt allowed (6.8) and tied for seventh in sacks (47). It's worth noting that Young was highly efficient in the Panthers' Week 13 win over the Rams, completing 15 of 20 pass attempts for 206 yards and three touchdowns without committing a turnover. However, Carolina leaned heavily into the run game in that matchup with 40 total rush attempts. That could be the game plan again in the playoffs, which would limit Young's opportunities for production. All in all, Young profiles as a difficult quarterback for fantasy managers in playoff leagues to trust against the Rams.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Packers, Matt LaFleur Will Discuss Extension After the Season
The Green Bay Packers and current head coach Matt LaFleur plan to meet and discuss an extension following the end of the season, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Rapoport reports that there is a "mutual goal of extending (LaFleur's) contract," and that LaFleur is "not coaching for his job" in Saturday night's Wild Card round matchup against the Chicago Bears. LaFleur, who turned 46 in November, has won 65.4% of his regular-season games since taking over as the head coach in Green Bay in 2019. He's led the Packers to playoff appearances in six out of his seven seasons at the helm and reached the NFC championship game twice. If LaFleur were to somehow hit the open market, he'd undoubtedly be an extremely sought-after head coaching candidate. However, it appears as though both LaFleur and the Packers are motivated to make sure he remains in Green Bay long term.
Source: NFL.com - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL.com - Ian Rapoport
Puka Nacua a Must-Start Wide Receiver for Wild-Card Weekend
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua had a dominant 2025 season, recording a league-leading 129 receptions for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns on 166 targets across 16 games played. Nacua earned double-digit targets in five straight games to finish the regular season and recorded six touchdown grabs in that stretch. The Rams will get wide receiver Davante Adams back for their Wild Card Weekend matchup against the Carolina Panthers after Adams missed the final three games of the regular season with a hamstring injury. Nacua's red zone usage may drop off with the return of Adams, who had 14 touchdown catches in the regular season. The Panthers were also a solid pass defense in the regular season, ranking 14th in the NFL in passing yards allowed (3,657) and tied for seventh in passing touchdowns allowed (20). Still, Nacua has proven to be one of the most consistent pass-catchers in football and profiles as a must-start wide receiver for fantasy managers in playoff leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Colby Parkinson Should Stay Involved in Wild-Card Round
Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson scored his seventh and eighth touchdowns of the year in the regular season finale against the Arizona Cardinals, capping a career year for the 27-year-old. Despite the return of top tight end Tyler Higbee, Parkinson matched a season high with seven targets while playing 84% of the snaps. Higbee also had a strong game in his return from Injured Reserve, catching five of six targets for 91 yards and a score. Parkinson figures to stay involved in Saturday's Wild Card game against the Panthers, though the return of Davante Adams (hamstring) could reduce his looks in the red zone. Rookie TE Terrance Ferguson (hamstring) is questionable to play Saturday, which could help Parkinson stay on the field more often. Parkinson was quiet in the Rams' first meeting against the Panthers in Week 13, with four catches for 27 yards. He projects as a touchdown-dependent option for fantasy managers in playoff leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Matthew Stafford Remains Elite Option for Wild-Card Round
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford delivered an MVP-caliber campaign in his age-37 season, completing 65% of his passes for 4,707 yards, 46 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 17 games. Stafford became the eighth QB of all time to throw at least 46 touchdowns in a season and the first since Aaron Rodgers' MVP season in 2020. The veteran signal caller will get one half of his star-studded WR duo back on Saturday's Wild Card game, with Davante Adams (hamstring) set to return after missing the final three games of the regular season. Stafford had one of his worst games of the year in Week 13's loss at Carolina, completing 18 of 28 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns while matching a season high with three turnovers. Stafford still projects as one of the top QB options for Wild Card weekend and the entire playoffs.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Blake Corum Profiles as Decent Option Against Panthers
Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum enjoyed a strong season working in tandem with Kyren Williams. He handled 145 yards for 746 yards and six touchdowns with eight catches (14 targets) for 36 yards as a receiver while suiting up for all 17 games. The second-year back recorded double-digit carries in seven games this season, averaging 65.3 yards per game to go with four touchdowns. With how dynamic Corum has been on his touches, he should continue to split touches with Williams in Saturday's Wild Card game against the Panthers. The Panthers allowed the ninth-highest yards per carry (4.4) this season, and Corum went for 7-81 and a touchdown in the Rams' Week 13 meeting in Carolina. Corum ranks as RotoBaller's RB15 in PPR leagues for Wild Card weekend.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Davante Adams Good to Go for Wild-Card Game
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) was cleared from the injury report and will play in Saturday's Wild Card game against the Carolina Panthers. Adams missed the final three games of the season after sustaining a hamstring injury in Week 15. Despite missing time, the 33-year-old wideout still led the league with 14 receiving touchdowns. Adams and QB Matthew Stafford developed an elite connection in the red zone, and the two should pick up where they left off on Saturday in Carolina. The six-time Pro Bowler caught four of five targets for 58 yards and two scores in Week 13's matchup against the Panthers and projects again as a high-end receiver option for fantasy managers in playoff leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
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