December 18, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver
Rashee Rice (concussion) won't practice again on Thursday as he remains in the league's concussion protocol, according to Chiefs senior reporter Matt McCullen. Rice is trending towards missing his first game since returning from suspension in Week 7. The 25-year-old's rest-of-the-season outlook is already hurt with quarterback
Patrick Mahomes (knee) out for the year after suffering a torn ACL in last week's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chiefs could be thin at wide receiver for Sunday's matchup against the Tennessee Titans, with
Tyquan Thornton (concussion) also in concussion protocol and missing two practices this week. If Rice and Thornton are ruled out, quarterback
Gardner Minshew will rely on a receiver trio of
Xavier Worthy,
Marquise Brown, and
JuJu Smith-Schuster, along with a heavy dose of tight end
Travis Kelce in the passing game.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Matt McMullen
December 18, 2025
Houston Texans running back
Nick Chubb (rib) is practicing for the second straight day on Thursday, Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle reports. The 29-year-old returned to practice in a limited capacity on Wednesday and is trending towards returning on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders after missing last week's win over the Cardinals. With rookie
Woody Marks (ankle) not at practice for the second consecutive day after getting banged up in Week 15, Chubb could be in line to handle the bulk of the touches in Week 16. The veteran hasn't recorded double-digit touches in a game since Week 9, so his workload could be limited in his return from injury. The emergence of
Jawhar Jordan is also a factor, as he was a popular waiver pickup this week after posting the first 100-yard rushing performance of the season for the Texans last week against Arizona. Houston's backfield is still murky at the moment, and fantasy managers should continue to monitor the Texans' injury report on Friday.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Jonathan M. Alexander
December 18, 2025
Baltimore Ravens quarterback
Lamar Jackson (illness) returned to practice on Thursday after missing Wednesday's session with an illness, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. Jackson continued an ongoing trend of missing Wednesday practices, but this time it was due to an illness and not a nagging ankle injury. He should be ready to go for Sunday Night Football against the New England Patriots, and there is hope for his fantasy managers that he can be more productive as he puts his nagging lower-body injuries in the rearview mirror. Jackson has not looked like a two-time MVP in 2025, throwing for 2,210 yards, 18 touchdowns, and six interceptions in 11 games played while adding only two rushing touchdowns. The 28-year-old has multiple touchdown passes just once in the last six games, although the good news is that the one instance came last week. Treat Jackson as a low-end QB1 in Week 16.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jamison Hensley
December 18, 2025
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver
Michael Wilson was still leading off individual drills in Thursday's practice despite the return of
Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel), according to Arizona Sports' Tyler Drake. All four of Wilson's games this year with double-digit targets have come with Harrison sitting out due to injuries in the last five weeks. The one game sandwiched in between on Nov. 30 saw Wilson catch just three of seven targets for 36 yards. It's reasonable for fantasy managers to wonder if Wilson will be a dud in Week 16 against the Atlanta Falcons if Harrison makes his return to the lineup. The 25-year-old Wilson will definitely lose out on some targets if Harrison is active this Sunday after returning to practice this week, but he should still be at least a WR2 for fantasy managers in the Cardinals' pass-heavy attack. In the last two weeks, Wilson has caught 16 passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns on 27 targets.
--Keith HernandezSource: Arizona Sports - Tyler Drake
December 18, 2025
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver
Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel) was seen practicing for the second straight day on Thursday, according to Tyler Drake of Arizona Sports. Harrison was listed as limited in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. The 23-year-old missed Weeks 11 and 12 following an appendectomy, and when he returned in Week 13, he suffered a heel injury that forced him to sit out Weeks 14 and 15. All signs are pointing to Harrison returning this weekend against the Atlanta Falcons, though.
Michael Wilson has gone bonkers for fantasy managers with Harrison sidelined for four of the last five games, and Harrison could take a back seat to him upon his return. Still, Harrison has plenty of upside in Arizona's pass-happy offense if he makes it back against Atlanta after catching six of seven targets for 69 yards in his last game on Nov. 30.
--Keith HernandezSource: Arizona Sports - Tyler Drake
December 18, 2025
Carolina Panthers rookie first-round wide receiver
Tetairoa McMillan (ankle, foot) is back at practice on Thursday, according to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. A pair of injuries kept McMillan out of the first practice of the week on Wednesday, but a return on Thursday puts him on track to be available for a Week 16 clash with the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 22-year-old may have been injured in Sunday's upset loss to the New Orleans Saints, as he had the worst game of his young NFL career with only two catches for 25 yards on four targets. Fantasy managers will be hoping for a bounce-back performance this weekend against Tampa if he's active. Before McMillan's Week 15 dud, he had scored four touchdowns in the previous three games. If active this weekend, McMillan profiles as a high-end WR2 for fantasy managers.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Charlotte Observer - Mike Kaye
December 18, 2025
Buffalo Bills tight end
Dalton Kincaid (knee) was not seen on the practice field in the portion open to the media on Thursday, according to Sal Capaccio of WGR 550. Two straight days of missed practice are a bad omen for Kincaid's chances of playing this Sunday in Cleveland against the Browns, although he still has one more day to return to practice. The 26-year-old missed Weeks 11-13 with a hamstring injury as well. In two games since his return, Kincaid has seven receptions on nine targets for 75 yards and a touchdown. If Kincaid returns to practice on Friday and plays on Sunday, he'll be a low-end TE1 for fantasy managers still playing for a trophy this year. If Kincaid isn't cleared to play,
Dawson Knox would bump up to a low-end TE1 option after scoring two touchdowns in last week's comeback victory over the Patriots.
--Keith HernandezSource: WGR 550 - Sal Capaccio
December 18, 2025
Houston Texans rookie running back
Woody Marks (ankle) was not seen at the media accessible portion of practice on Thursday, according to Shaun Bijani of Sports Radio 610. Marks aggravated a pre-existing ankle injury in the first half of Sunday's win over the Arizona Cardinals and did not return in the second half. Head coach DeMeco Ryans said on Monday that the 24-year-old could have re-entered the game if it had been closer. That suggests that Marks' injury isn't very serious, but back-to-back DNPs this week put his availability for Week 16 against the visiting Las Vegas Raiders in peril.
Nick Chubb (ribs) has returned to practice after being inactive last Sunday. With both Chubb and Marks banged up, second-year back
Jawhar Jordan is worth a look on the waiver wire after he had 15 carries for 101 yards in his NFL debut against Arizona.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sports Radio 610 - Shaun Bijani
December 18, 2025
Green Bay Packers wide receiver
Jayden Reed (personal) rejoined the team for practice on Thursday after missing Wednesday's session due to a personal matter, according to Weston Hodkiewicz of Packers.com. Reed will be available to play on Saturday night versus the division-rival Chicago Bears, and he could have a bigger role in the offense if fellow wideout
Christian Watson (chest) is limited or out after he was injured in Sunday's loss to the Denver Broncos. The 25-year-old had five grabs on six targets for a season-high 55 yards in Week 15 in his second game back from a broken foot and broken collarbone. Reed tied for the team lead in targets against Denver, and he should see his role grow down the stretch. He'll be on the WR2/3 borderline for fantasy managers in a crucial game this weekend in the Windy City.
--Keith HernandezSource: Packers.com - Weston Hodkiewicz
December 18, 2025
Cleveland Browns rookie running back
Dylan Sampson (calf, hand) is missing from the practice field again on Thursday, per Browns Zone's Scott Petrak. Unless Sampson can get back on the practice field in some capacity on Friday, he appears headed toward a second straight absence this Sunday versus the Buffalo Bills.
Jerome Ford (shoulder) is on Injured Reserve and out for the rest of the season, so if Sampson sits again in Week 16,
Trayveon Williams would once again serve as Cleveland's RB2 behind rookie
Quinshon Judkins. Williams played 33% of the offensive snaps in last week's blowout loss to the Chicago Bears in his first game with the Browns this year and had only one rushing attempt for three yards while catching both of his targets for four yards. If Sampson can't play against Buffalo, his next chance to take the field will come in Week 17 against the division-rival Steelers.
--Keith HernandezSource: Browns Zone - Scott Petrak
December 18, 2025
Cleveland Browns tight end
David Njoku (knee) is missing another day of practice due to his knee injury on Thursday, according to Scott Petrak of Browns Zone. Njoku didn't practice at all last week, either, and sat out of the loss to the Chicago Bears. The 29-year-old is trending toward missing another game in Week 16 against the Buffalo Bills unless he can return to practice on Friday. As of right now, fantasy managers shouldn't plan on rolling with him as a TE2 streamer this weekend, especially since rookie
Harold Fannin Jr. has been the better option in fantasy in 2025 as Cleveland's leading pass-catching tight end. Njoku enters Week 16 play with 33 receptions on 48 targets for 293 yards and four touchdowns, while Fannin has produced 66 catches for 667 yards and four scores on his 99 targets.
--Keith HernandezSource: Browns Zone - Scott Petrak
December 18, 2025
Denver Broncos wide receiver
Courtland Sutton heads into Week 16 action as the WR11 in half-PPR scoring with 63 catches on 100 targets for 886 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games. He has scored two of his six TDs in the last three weeks, and he's also had back-to-back 10-target games. In Sunday's 34-26 win over the Green Bay Packers, the 30-year-old had seven receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown. It was only the second time in 2025 that Sutton went over 100 yards receiving, and it happened to come with rookie wideout
Pat Bryant (hamstring) inactive. Quarterback
Bo Nix has spread the ball around pretty evenly this year, but he could start latching onto Sutton more down the stretch. Sutton could lose targets if Bryant makes his return this Sunday versus the visiting Jaguars, but fantasy managers should still consider Sutton a WR2 as Denver's best receiving option.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
December 18, 2025
Carolina Panthers running back
Rico Dowdle hasn't been as reliable for fantasy managers since
Chuba Hubbard returned from his injury, but that doesn't mean he cannot still be productive for those in the fantasy playoffs. The 27-year-old reclaimed lead-back duties from Hubbard in Sunday's loss to the New Orleans Saints, out-touching him 17 to nine. Dowdle had only 49 rushing yards on 16 carries (3.1 yards per tote), but he managed to find the end zone for the first time since Week 10. He continues to see plenty of volume -- Dowdle has had at least 17 touches in four of the last five games -- but he has been under 4.0 yards per carry in four of the last five contests as well. With Hubbard being more involved next to Dowdle in Carolina's backfield now that he's fully healthy, Dowdle must be more efficient with his touches to pay off for fantasy managers as an RB2. The good news is that Dowdle has plenty of upside in Week 16 against a Bucs defense that has been vulnerable to RBs this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
December 18, 2025
Arizona Cardinals running back
Emari Demercado missed three games with an ankle sprain but returned in the Week 15 loss to the Houston Texans to handle one carry for one yard while hauling in two of his three targets for no gain. The 26-year-old third-year back has only 32 carries on the year for 242 yards and no touchdowns, adding 10 receptions on 15 targets for 64 yards and one score in 10 games played. He hasn't really been worthy of rostering in 12-team fantasy football leagues. However, with
Bam Knight (ankle) now done for the final three games of the season with a bad ankle sprain, Demercado should at least become interesting in deep PPR leagues as Arizona's primary third-down option the rest of the way.
Michael Carter is expected to take over on early downs, but Demercado shouldn't be completely ignored in a pass-happy Cardinals offense that has been thinned out by injuries to the receiving corps. Demercado is rostered in only 10% of Yahoo leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
December 18, 2025
Green Bay Packers running back
Josh Jacobs (knee) will not practice on Thursday, according to head coach Matt LaFleur. The Athletic's Matt Schneidman guesses that Jacobs will be listed as questionable on the final Week 16 injury report, but he will play on Saturday night against the division-rival Chicago Bears. Jacobs was also questionable with his nagging knee injury last week, but he managed to suit up in the Week 15 loss to the Denver Broncos, where he handled 12 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown and added two receptions for 19 yards and another score as a receiver. Jacobs has not practiced all week, and it's clear that his knee is bothering him, but he plans to tough it out and play in a big divisional game this weekend in Chicago. Expecting 20-plus carries from Jacobs probably isn't wise, but as long as he's active, fantasy managers shouldn't be benching a RB who has 14 total touchdowns in 13 games in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman
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