December 15, 2025
Denver Broncos starting safety Brandon Jones (chest) is believed to have suffered a pectoral injury in the team's Week 15 win over the Packers, and he will undergo an MRI, according to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport. Jones' 78 tackles through 14 games rank 3rd on one of the most dominant defenses in the league. His fluid usage alongside Talanoa Hufanga has seen him line up frequently in the box, making him both a strong weekly IDP play and an important piece in what has been one of the highest-scoring DST units in fantasy. Jones left the game on Sunday and was unable to return, being replaced on the back end by veteran safety P.J. Locke. Losing Jones would be a serious blow to the Broncos' defense, though they will remain a must-start fantasy DST with their NFL-leading 58 sacks through Week 15.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Ian Rapoport
December 15, 2025
New Orleans running back
Evan Hull was a trending name heading into the Saints' Week 15 matchup with the Panthers, and with
Devin Neal (hamstring) exiting the team's upset win with a hamstring issue, his name will likely pop up again this week.
Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle) was ruled out before Sunday's divisional matchup, while Neal began the week limited by an abdomen issue, leaving Hull and second-year back
Audric Estime as the presumptive next in line should Neal miss time. Ultimately, Neal played, and even though he left the game in the first half, Hull saw only a 32% snap share and finished with four total opportunities for 12 yards, leaving him behind Estime in the pecking order. Neal's status will need to be monitored throughout the week, but even if he's forced to miss what would be a favorable Week 16 matchup against the Jets, Hull's infrequent usage to this point makes him very difficult to trust heading into the fantasy semifinals.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
December 15, 2025
Houston Texans defensive tackle Mario Edwards (pectoral) will miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn pectoral muscle in the Week 15 win over the visiting Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. The 31-year-old Edwards wasn't on the fantasy football map in IDP leagues, and he'll finish the 2025 season with 13 tackles (six solo), 1.5 sacks, and four QB hits in 14 games (zero starts). The Texans and their No. 1 defense will lean more on Sheldon Rankins and Tommy Togiai on the interior of their defensive line the rest of the way, with Edwards done for the year.
--Keith HernandezSource: Houston Chronicle - Jonathan M. Alexander
December 15, 2025
Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris is "very hopeful" that wide receiver
Drake London (knee) can return to face the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16, according to Josh Kendall of The Athletic. "Obviously got to get to the practice week. I'm very hopeful he can go out there and play for us," Morris said. London has missed the last four games after spraining the PCL in his left knee back in Week 11, but if he can return to practice this week, the 24-year-old could return on Sunday to face the Cardinals. Fantasy managers still alive in the playoffs will need to keep a close eye on his status this week. In London's absence,
Kyle Pitts Sr. has finally broken out, going nuclear for 11 catches, 166 yards, and three touchdowns in last Thursday night's win over the Buccaneers. Pitts will lose valuable targets whenever London returns, possibly this weekend. It's unclear if London would face a snap count if he returns in Week 16.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Josh Kendall
December 15, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said on Monday that quarterback
Patrick Mahomes (knee) is heading to Dallas for a second opinion on the surgery that is required to fix the torn ACL in his left knee that he suffered in Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, according to Nate Taylor of ESPN. It was a dark day in KC on Sunday, as not only did they lose Mahomes for the rest of the season, but they were also eliminated from the postseason for the first time in a decade. Regardless of when Mahomes has surgery on his knee, he'll likely be fighting an uphill battle to be ready for the start of the 2026 season. For the final three games of the year,
Gardner Minshew will run the Chiefs' offense, which means all of the team's offensive skill players should be downgraded in fantasy football. Mahomes finishes his ninth year in the NFL with 3,587 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 14 games.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Nate Taylor
December 15, 2025
Chicago Bears rookie first-round tight end
Colston Loveland had another solid showing for his fantasy managers in the team's 31-3 blowout win over the visiting Cleveland Browns on Sunday, catching four of his five targets for 63 yards. Most of Loveland's damage in this game came on receptions of 24 and 19 yards, and he wasn't really involved late with the game already in hand. The 21-year-old 10th overall pick out of Michigan got off to a slow start in his first year in the NFL, but he's been more involved in the second half of the season and is worth rostering in most fantasy leagues. It started with a six-catch, 118-yard, two-touchdown breakout in Week 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Since then, Loveland has had at least 40 receiving yards in five of seven games, including all four of his touchdowns in 2025. He has had at least five targets in four straight games. More work could be coming for Loveland in Week 16 against the Packers, especially if receiver
Rome Odunze (foot) misses a third straight game.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 15, 2025
Carolina Panthers wide receiver
Xavier Legette was once again not very busy in the Panthers' Week 15 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. The Carolina WR caught two of his three targets for 39 yards and finished with 5.9 PPR points. Although this is the most PPR points Legette registered since Week 11, he has been mostly irrelevant in fantasy football through the season. In 14 games played, Legette has only two double-digit PPR finishes. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are facing the Carolina Panthers in Week 16. Tampa Bay ranked 18th in fantasy points per game allowed to the WR position in the last four weeks leading up to Week 15. Even with a middling matchup, Legette's volume has been too inconsistent to warrant a roster spot during the fantasy playoffs.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
December 15, 2025
Carolina Panthers rookie first-round wide receiver
Tetairoa McMillan logged his worst performance of the year in the Panthers' loss to the Saints in Week 15. The first-round rookie caught two passes for 25 yards, totaling 4.5 PPR points in the first round of the fantasy playoffs in most leagues. This was the first time this year that McMillan posted less than 5.0 PPR points, and it was also the first time he had not scored a touchdown since Week 10. The Carolina Panthers take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16. In the last four weeks leading up to Week 15, Tampa Bay ranked 18th in fantasy points per game allowed to WRs. McMillan has been targeted less than five times in each of his last two games, but he has a decent matchup for Week 16. He has averaged 7.2 targets per game this season. McMillan's possible volume still makes him startable as a WR3 or flex option for Week 16. He could see more targets in the major NFC South showdown against the Buccaneers.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
December 15, 2025
Carolina Panthers running back
Rico Dowdle rushed for 49 yards on 16 carries with one touchdown in Carolina's Week 15 loss to New Orleans on Sunday. He added five receiving yards on one reception and totaled 12.4 PPR points. Dowdle outperformed
Chuba Hubbard, who registered 38 scrimmage yards and 4.8 PPR points. Despite the workload being mostly split between the two RBs, Dowdle logged the most snaps (60%). In Week 16, the Panthers will face their NFC South rival, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay ranked 16th in fantasy points per game allowed to the RB position in the last four weeks leading up to Week 15. Even though Dowdle has a middling matchup this week, he is still worth starting as an RB2 or flex option based on his volume. In his last five games, he has fewer than 16 carries once, and he averaged 15.4 carries per game.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
December 15, 2025
Carolina Panthers quarterback
Bryce Young completed 15 of 24 pass attempts for 163 yards and a touchdown in the team's 20-17 loss to the Saints in Week 15 on Sunday. The Carolina QB also added a season-high 49 rushing yards on seven carries, totaling 15.4 Fantasy points. In 13 games played this season, Young has averaged 14.2 fantasy points per game. He has also registered more than 15 fantasy points in three of his last four starts. In Week 16, the Panthers will go up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the four weeks leading up to Week 15, the Buccaneers ranked last in the league in fantasy points per game allowed to QBs. Tampa Bay's pass defense also surrendered the second-most passing touchdowns against opposing QBs during that span (eight). Although his fantasy totals for the year have been mediocre, this matchup makes Young a more favorable starter in superflex leagues for Week 16. Those who are desperate in one-QB leagues can also consider streaming Young.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
December 15, 2025
An MRI exam on Monday confirmed that Green Bay Packers star pass-rusher Micah Parsons (knee) suffered a season-ending torn left ACL in Sunday's loss to the Denver Broncos, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. It's a devastating injury for Parsons and the Packers as they battle to make the postseason in the final three weeks of the 2025 regular season. The 26-year-old was having another All-Pro campaign in his first year with the Packers, recording 41 tackles (19 solo), 12.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 26 QB hits, and two forced fumbles in 14 games. Parsons suffered the non-contact injury in the second half of Sunday's game in Denver while rushing quarterback
Bo Nix. Even if Parsons recovers ahead of pace following knee surgery, he will most likely not be ready for the start of next season. Green Bay's defense won't be nearly as formidable down the stretch without its best pass-rusher.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX Sports - Jordan Schultz
December 15, 2025
Fantasy managers should no longer be ignoring Los Angeles Rams tight end
Colby Parkinson. The 26-year-old has been a bigger part of L.A.'s high-scoring offense ever since
Tyler Higbee (ankle) landed on Injured Reserve, and he's not slowing down. In the team's 41-34 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Parkinson played a season-high 86% of the offensive snaps and set season-highs in catches (five), targets (seven), and receiving yards (75) while finding the end zone twice. The former fourth-rounder now has a whopping six touchdown receptions in the last six games for the Rams, and yet somehow, he's only rostered in 4% of Yahoo leagues. Higbee's return isn't imminent, so Parkinson could be the team's top pass-catching TE the rest of 2025. The Rams' Week 16 matchup against the division-rival Seahawks on Thursday night isn't ideal, but with receiver
Davante Adams (hamstring) potentially out, Parkinson could have an even bigger role in the passing attack. Parkinson should be a priority waiver-wire addition at the TE position this week.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 15, 2025
Most fantasy managers were probably avoiding all of the New York Jets' offensive skill players with rookie quarterback
Brady Cook making his first career start in Week 15 against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Wide receiver
Adonai Mitchell still managed to produce for fantasy managers who were brave enough to start him, as he finished with six catches on nine targets for a team-high 58 yards and a touchdown in the 48-20 loss. His six receptions tied for the team high, while his nine targets and 58 receiving yards led the team. The 23-year-old also carried the football one time for a loss of four yards. It's not always going to be pretty the rest of the way for Mitchell with New York's less-than-ideal QB situation, but he proved on Sunday that he's a weekly flex consideration. In his five games with the Jets, he's been targeted 40 times and has 18 catches for 236 yards and two touchdowns.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 15, 2025
Much like last year, Carolina Panthers wide receiver
Jalen Coker is starting to make some noise late in the season. The 24-year-old former undrafted free agent scored for the second straight game in Sunday's 20-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints, catching all four of his targets for 60 yards to lead the Panthers in receiving. Before the Week 14 bye, Coker caught four of a season-high six targets for a season-high 74 yards and his first touchdown of the year. It wasn't all great on Sunday against New Orleans, though, as he also lost a fumble. Overall, though, it was a positive day for Coker, who had two catches of 20-plus yards for the first time this year. The Holy Cross alum could take over WR2 duties from
Xavier Legette for the final three weeks of the season. He has gone over 50 receiving yards in three of the last four games. Coker is rostered in only 5% of Yahoo leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
December 15, 2025
Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver
Luther Burden III (ankle) injured his ankle in Sunday's Week 15 win over the visiting Cleveland Browns, but he still managed to lead the team in catches (six), targets (seven), and receiving yards (84). Burden saw an elevated role in Chicago's offense for the second straight week, with fellow wideout
Rome Odunze (foot) being scratched just before kickoff. In two games with Odunze sidelined, the 22-year-old second-rounder has 10 receptions on 13 targets for 151 yards for the Bears. Odunze is dealing with a stress fracture in his foot and could miss more time, which makes Burden a priority waiver-wire addition this week, despite his ankle injury. Burden has 36 catches on the year for 479 yards and one touchdown on 47 targets. If Odunze misses more time and Burden's injury isn't serious, he would be firmly in play as a WR4/flex with upside this weekend in a rematch against the division-rival Packers.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
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