December 30, 2025
Los Angeles Rams rookie tight end
Terrance Ferguson will head into the Week 18 regular-season finale this weekend against the division-rival Arizona Cardinals as a legitimate streaming option at tight end for fantasy football managers. The 22-year-old found the end zone for the second straight contest in the Monday night loss to the Atlanta Falcons, catching two of his four targets for a season-high 54 yards and the trip to paydirt. In last week's loss to the Seattle Seahawks, he had three catches on four targets for 33 yards and his second score of the season. Ferguson's touchdown reception in Week 17 was a 27-yard strike from quarterback
Matthew Stafford when he was left all alone in the back of the end zone.
Colby Parkinson remains heavily involved -- he outsnapped Ferguson 51 to 32 and caught six passes for 53 yards -- but Ferguson could certainly find the end zone for a third straight week this Sunday against Arizona.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 30, 2025
The Los Angeles Chargers are choosing to rest starting quarterback
Justin Herbert for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday in Denver against the division-rival Broncos, which opens the door for backup
Trey Lance to make his first start of the season. Head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed on Monday that Lance will start against the Broncos and their strong defense. The 25-year-old former third overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers back in 2021 out of North Dakota State will be making just his sixth start in the NFL. There is an opportunity for Lance, but we won't be expecting much from him in his first start of the year for various reasons. For one, the Chargers' banged-up offensive line is unlikely to be able to protect him consistently against a Broncos D that leads the league in sacks. Additionally, the Bolts could be resting other key offensive skill players besides Herbert. Lance should be considered a desperation low-end QB2 in superflex leagues this weekend.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim
December 30, 2025
ESPN's Josh Weinfuss writes that there's an outside chance that if both head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort are fired, the new regime will decide to run it back with Arizona Cardinals quarterback
Kyler Murray (foot). If the Cardinals decide to move on from Murray, who didn't play at all in 2025 after spraining his foot back in Week 5, they will likely bring veteran
Jacoby Brissett back on the second year of his two-year deal while drafting a signal-caller. The Cardinals should be able to pick one of three young QBs in next year's draft among Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, Oregon's Dante Moore, or Alabama's Ty Simpson. The Cardinals have taken a liking to the 6-foot-2 Simpson, who is known as a pocket passer. But if Arizona decides to trade down in the first round or wait until the second round to take a QB, they could look at Miami's
Carson Beck or LSU's Garrett Nussmeier.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Josh Weinfuss
December 30, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback
Baker Mayfield (knee, shoulder) is on the team's Week 18 injury report with multiple injuries and was listed as limited in the first practice of the week on Tuesday, according to Brianna Dix of Buccaneers.com. Mayfield injured his left (non-throwing) shoulder earlier this season, but now he's dealing with an injury to his throwing arm heading into a must-win Week 18 divisional game this Saturday against the Carolina Panthers. The 30-year-old veteran will almost certainly play this weekend, but he certainly hasn't looked 100% in a long while. Mayfield's fortunes haven't turned around recently as the Bucs have gotten healthy on offense, and he's averaging just 222.5 passing yards with six touchdowns and six turnovers in the last four games. At best, Mayfield will be a low-end QB1 option as he plays for the NFC South title this weekend against Carolina.
--Keith HernandezSource: Buccaneers.com - Brianna Dix
December 30, 2025
Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback
Cameron Ward, the first overall pick back in April, has completed 59.6% of his passes for 3,117 yards, 15 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in his first year in the NFL. He's added 148 rushing yards and a score while also fumbling a league-high 11 times (losing seven). Ward's 79.8 passer rating ranks 26th out of 27 qualifying QBs. He's been sacked 55 times, tied for the most in the NFL. The 23-year-old came into the NFL with a sharp learning curve after spending most of his college career in an Air Raid system. Ward has made some wow plays with his strong arm, but "there are some around the NFL who are concerned his accuracy will have a ceiling if he doesn't refine his mechanics," according to The Athletic's Jeff Howe. Ward's scrambling ability can help him compensate for some of it, but in the long term, he could be inconsistent if he doesn't clean up his mechanics.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Jeff Howe
December 30, 2025
The Buffalo Bills announced on Tuesday that they re-signed wide receiver/return specialist
Mecole Hardman to their practice squad. The Bills will reunite with Hardman after cutting him over the weekend. The 27-year-old has appeared in only two games with Buffalo this year and hasn't caught a pass on just one target. On special teams, he returned a kickoff 61 yards and recorded four yards on two punt returns. There's no guarantee that Hardman will be elevated to the active 53-man roster again for the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival New York Jets or for the postseason. If Hardman does see action for the Bills again, it will most likely only come via a special-teams role.
--Keith HernandezSource: Buffalo Bills PR
December 30, 2025
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hinted on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday that rookie running back
Jaydon Blue could get some snaps on Sunday against the division-rival New York Giants in the Week 18 regular-season finale, according to Todd Archer of ESPN. The Cowboys have nothing left to play for but pride, and fellow RBs
Javonte Williams (shoulder) and
Malik Davis (eye) are banged up, potentially leading to Blue playing for the first time since Week 8. The 21-year-old has only seen action in four games in 2025 in his first year in the NFL, carrying the ball 22 times for 65 yards while adding one catch for a five-yard gain. The Cowboys essentially benched Blue in favor of Davis after the fifth-rounder lost a fumble in the Week 8 loss to the Denver Broncos. Depending on the statuses of Williams and Davis this weekend, though, Blue could be in play as a DFS sleeper against the G-Men.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN Dallas - Todd Archer
December 30, 2025
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that running back
Rico Dowdle (toe) did not practice on Tuesday due to a sore toe, according to Darin Gantt of Panthers.com. The Panthers are hopeful that he'll be ready for Saturday's big divisional showdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 18 to decide the NFC South. Dowdle is considered day-to-day, and the Panthers wanted to give him a rest day in the first official practice of the week. As long as the 27-year-old can practice on Wednesday or Thursday, he should be fine to play in the regular-season finale. Many teams across the league will be resting players in Week 18, but not the Panthers, as they seek to win the division and secure a playoff spot. Since his last 100-yard game on Nov. 2, Dowdle has gone over 50 rushing yards three times in seven games, although one of those came in last week's loss to Seattle. Dowdle will be on the RB2/3 borderline for fantasy managers this weekend.
--Keith HernandezSource: Panthers.com - Darin Gantt
December 30, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals tight end
Mike Gesicki has seen his snap share drop steadily over the past three games. Now, with nothing but divisional pride on the line in a Week 18 matchup with the Browns, there is no guarantee of playing time for the 30-year-old veteran in the first year of the three-year deal he signed this offseason. For fantasy managers still playing into Week 18, there are more alluring names to be found on the waiver wire, with a pleasant number of NFL teams still playing for something in the final week of the regular season. Gesicki did finish as the TE2 as recently as Week 14, so he does represent a ceiling uncommon to the waiver wire, but with an unclear picture of how the Bengals are approaching the end of the season, he is best viewed as a desperation-only play in deeper leagues.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
December 30, 2025
Tennessee Titans tight end
Chig Okonkwo has finished as a top-five fantasy tight end in back-to-back weeks, helping to secure titles for the few brave managers who dared to stray from the consensus start/sit path. Okonkwo played a similar championship-winning role last season, gathering 22 receptions for 182 yards from Weeks 15-17. For fantasy managers still playing in Week 18, he becomes an interesting name on this week's waiver wire as the Titans prepare to face a Jaguars defense that has been a bottom-10 unit at defending the position. An important thing to note is that in Week 18 of 2024, Okonkwo saw only a 5% snap share. However, with an interim head coach and an unlikely shot at the number one overall pick, there is a greater expectation that Tennessee will play its starters on Sunday.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
December 30, 2025
Philadelphia running back
Tank Bigsby is rostered in fewer than 20% of redraft leagues, but depending on how the Eagles approach the final week of the regular season, he could be a league winner for fantasy managers with a Week 18 title game. Philadelphia is locked into either the number two or number three seed in the NFC playoffs, and it remains unclear how much matchup manipulation they intend to take into Sunday. If the Eagles opt to rest their starters against a Commanders defense that has been the fourth most favorable matchup for fantasy running backs, Bigsby could be in line for a huge week. In a Week 8 win over the Giants, in which
Saquon Barkley saw his lowest snap count of the year, Bigsby ran for a season-high 104 yards and finished as the RB20 on the week. If Barkley is rested for the final game of the year, Bigsby has RB1 potential and should be a waiver wire priority in any league that has yet to be settled.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
December 30, 2025
Cleveland Browns undrafted rookie running back
Raheim Sanders was a popular waiver wire add in Week 17, with
Quinshon Judkins (leg, ankle) lost for the year and
Dylan Sampson's status uncertain heading into a divisional matchup with the Steelers. Sampson was eventually cleared to play despite his hand injury, and neither rookie was able to do much in a 13-6 win. Approaching a Week 18 matchup with the Bengals with no playoff implications, we've reached the point in the year where many teams opt to see what they've got in some of their unproven rookies. Unfortunately, Sampson also fits into this category, so another frustrating split is entirely possible. However, if either back is given the majority of the work, Cincinnati has been the most generous defense to opposing running backs all season long, providing an opportunity for one final RB1 performance.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
December 30, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals running back
Samaje Perine has finished as a low-end RB2 in each of the past two weeks without cracking a 40% snap share. If the Bengals opt to rest or limit their starters, including the surging
Chase Brown, Perine could be in line for a solid workload in a Week 18 matchup against the Browns with nothing but divisional pride on the line. Even if Perine maintains only his usual change of pace and mop-up duties, he has enough of a floor to keep him in consideration for a flex role against a Cleveland defense that just allowed 131 yards on the ground to a Steelers offense with no threat of a passing attack. Readily available on most waiver wires, Perine should be a top priority in any league with a Week 18 title game.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
December 30, 2025
The Philadelphia Eagles have a chance to move up to the No. 2 seed for the NFC playoff picture, but NFL Network's Mike Garafolo believes that the Eagles will rest some starters in the Week 18 regular-season finale this Sunday against the division-rival Washington Commanders. Head coach Nick Sirianni said on Monday that the team has not decided what they will do this weekend. If Philly does decide to rest some starters to keep them fresh for the postseason, fantasy managers could be without the likes of quarterback
Jalen Hurts, running back
Saquon Barkley, and wide receivers
A.J. Brown and
DeVonta Smith. If Hurts sits this weekend,
Tanner McKee would get the starting nod under center for the Eagles. Running back
Tank Bigsby could be a popular DFS play in Week 18 if Barkley is rested against the Commanders.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
December 30, 2025
The Dallas Cowboys released cornerback Trevon Diggs on Tuesday, according to Todd Archer of ESPN. Diggs will go through the league's waiver process, and if he's unclaimed, he'll become a free agent. The 27-year-old defensive back missed more time due to injury this year -- he missed eight games due to a knee injury -- and the Cowboys had seen enough. The former second-round pick in 2020 out of Alabama had a league-high 11 interceptions for Dallas in 2021 in his second year in the league, but Diggs has had six interceptions since and has struggled to stay healthy. In his eight games played in 2025, he had 25 tackles (18 solo), one tackle for loss, and no interceptions. Diggs has $8.5 million remaining on his salary and also has the potential to make $34 million in 2027 and 2028, so he's highly unlikely to be claimed by another team off waivers.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN Dallas - Todd Archer
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