Miami Dolphins D/ST a Borderline Starting Option on Monday Night Football
The Miami Dolphins D/ST has been instrumental in helping the team to pick up four straight wins, allowing 17 points or fewer in each of those four victories and racking up 14 sacks and 10 takeaways in those four victories. The Dolphins shut down the Jets in New York for their latest win, but they'll face a much tougher opponent this week as they travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers, who have been one of the 10 toughest matchups for DST this season. The Steelers have four turnovers in their last four games and have only allowed four sacks in that span. Last week, they didn't give up a single sack or turnover to the Ravens, so the Dolphins' defense will need to really take it to the next level to post a big number on Monday Night Football. In RotoBaller's rankings, the Dolphins DST is ranked No. 14 for this week, making them a starting option if you're desperate in standard-sized formats, but not a top 10 option that should be started in most leagues.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Brandon Aiyuk Placed on Reserve/Left Squad List, Out for Season
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) was placed on the reserve/left squad list on Saturday. This move will make Aiyuk ineligible to return and will end his season. Aiyuk has been out all season while recovering from ACL and MCL tears in his right knee, which he suffered during the 2024 season. All signs are pointing to the two sides splitting apart this offseason. The 27-year-old should draw interest on the free agent market, but he's likely taken his last snap in San Francisco. Aiyuk is worth stashing in dynasty formats, but it's unclear how this knee injury is going to impact his performance on the field in the future. He can safely be dropped in all redraft formats with his 2025 season being officially over.
Source: Matt Maiocco
Source: Matt Maiocco
Darren Waller a Deep League Flier Against the Steelers
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller flashed enough upside in the early part of the season to get some attention, but he hasn't been as involved since returning from IR in Week 13. He and the Dolphins are taking on the Steelers on Monday Night Football, and he can be a deep-league flier if you're desperate at the position. Waller played only 47% and 37% of snaps in his two games since returning and has only had three catches on six targets for 60 yards in the two games combined. He and Tua Tagovailoa showed a decent connection early in the season, especially near the end zone, as Waller scored four touchdowns in his first three games. Since then, though, he hasn't gotten back into the end zone, and his reduced role makes him very hard to trust as a starter in standard-sized leagues. He's ranked as the No. 22 TE in RotoBaller's rankings for this week, even though he's in a positive matchup aginst the Steelers, who have been generous to tight ends. While he does have touchdown-dependent upside, there are better options likely available in most leagues this week.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Malik Washington Only a Long-Shot Flex Play on Monday Against Pittsburgh
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington has flashed some play-making ability and upside this season, but he is not getting enough downfield chances to be a strong fantasy play this week against the Steelers. The Dolphins are relying on their run game, led by De'Von Achane, and their defense to win them games lately, leaving Washington without much production. He does have multiple catches in every game this season and 10 catches on 12 targets over the last three contests, but he is averaging only eight yards per catch and hasn't reached 50 yards in any game he has played this season. He has two touchdowns this season, but unless the Dolphins open the offense or Washington gets into the end zone, he'll have a hard time putting up enough fantasy points to be a good flex play in Week 15 against Pittsburgh, even though the Steelers have been a good matchup for receivers. Washington is RotoBaller's No. 62 WR in Week 15, so he's safely left on the bench or waiver wire in most formats this week.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Christian McCaffrey Expected to Play in Week 15
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (back) popped up on the injury report on Saturday due to a back issue. According to Adam Schefter, McCaffrey is expected to suit up for the Week 15 matchup against the Tennessee Titans. This issue doesn't appear to be severe enough to keep McCaffrey on the sideline. If he suffers a setback, Brian Robinson Jr. and Isaac Guerendo would likely split up a majority of the snaps in the backfield. Fantasy managers should expect McCaffrey out there on Sunday, but there probably won't be official word until closer to kickoff. The 49ers don't play until 4:25 pm ET, so his official announcement might not be made until sometime in the afternoon.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Jaylen Waddle Is a High-End WR2 Against the Steelers
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle will try to help the Dolphins secure their fifth straight win this Monday when they visit the Steelers. While the Dolphins have had a very low-volume passing attack in recent weeks, Waddle has remained a solid starting option in most formats because he is clearly the top option in the offense. Waddle has at least three catches and at least six targets in six straight games with three touchdowns and an average of 67.8 yards per game during that span. He had five catches for 50 yards and a touchdown last week against the Jets, and he will be in a solid matchup against the Steelers, who rank in the top 10 in fantasy points allowed to receivers this season. The Steelers have allowed 12 receiver touchdowns in 13 games, so Waddle has good potential for another productive week if he continues to get so many targets. In RotoBaller's Week 15 rankings, Waddle is the No. 11 WR, making him a low-end WR1 or a high-end WR2 in standard-sized leagues. He should be started in almost all formats since his production has been so reliably consistent.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Colson Yankoff Could See More Opportunities in Week 15
Washington Commanders tight end Colson Yankoff should slide up to No. 3 on the TE depth chart with Zach Ertz (knee) suffering a torn ACL last week against the Minnesota Vikings. Yankoff has played predominantly as a special-teamer in his two seasons in the league, and he's posted an 11.7% snap share on offense this season. The 25-year-old has earned a target in each of the past three games, recording two receptions for 18 yards. Yankoff and fellow second-year tight end Ben Sinnott profile better than John Bates to step into Ertz's role as the primary receiving tight end, but it remains to be seen who will see the most opportunities on Sunday against the division-rival New York Giants. The former undrafted free agent has some intriguing athletic traits as a former highly-touted, dual-threat quarterback in high school, and he could be a name to monitor as a potential player to fill Ertz's void in Washington's passing game the rest of the season.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Ben Sinnott Should See More Opportunities in Week 15
Washington Commanders tight end Ben Sinnott is expected to see an uptick in snaps after Zach Ertz (knee) tore his ACL in last week's blowout loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The 2024 second-round pick hasn't seen many opportunities as a receiver since being drafted, with Ertz locking down that role and not missing any games. But the door has opened for Sinnott to earn more opportunities and potentially establish himself as Washington's tight end of the future. The Kansas State product has caught all nine of his career targets for 69 yards and two touchdowns in 29 games. It will be interesting to see if Sinnott sees the bulk of the snaps as the receiving tight end, or if Washington opts to split the reps between Sinnott, John Bates, and Colson Yankoff. For the season, Sinnott ranks firmly behind Bates as the TE3 in snaps and routes, with a 27.6% snap share and a 10.9% route share. Bates is used primarily as a blocker, and with Sinott being a high second-round pick last year, it seems like a great opportunity for the Commanders to see what they have in the athletic tight end. It remains to be seen what Sinnott's role will look like on Sunday against the division-rival New York Giants. Sinnott is a solid speculative addition off the waiver wire in deeper fantasy leagues, but he profiles as a desperation TE streamer in Week 15.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Ollie Gordon II Could Find Work Hard to Come by in Week 15
Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II got into the end zone for his third touchdown of the season last week against the Jets, but this week, the Dolphins' backfield will be crowded, which could leave the rookie without much work. De'Von Achane (ribs) is expected to play despite an injury to his ribs suffered last week, and Jaylen Wright stepped in and went off in his place against New York. Gordon did have five carries for 17 yards with his touchdown, but only played 16 snaps, compared to Wright's 34. The two will share backup duties behind Achane, who has been sensational while carrying the load in Miami's backfield. Even while sharing backup duties with Wright, Gordon will have some touchdown-dependent upside, but his workload is too uncertain to make him a reliable play in Week 15 against the Steelers, leaving him as the RB59 in RotoBaller's rankings, well off the starting radar in all but the deepest of leagues.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
John Bates in Line for More Snaps in Week 15
Washington Commanders tight end John Bates has served as the team's No. 2 option behind Zach Ertz this season, primarily as a blocker. With Ertz now out for the season with a torn ACL, Bates could be in line to take on more responsibility as a receiver. However, Washington could look to keep Bates in his normal role as one of the league's best blocking tight ends, a strength that earned him a three-year, $21 million contract extension this offseason. The Commanders could rely more on 2024 second-round pick Ben Sinnott as a receiver, who has the athletic traits and yards-after-the-catch ability to step into Ertz's role as the primary receiving option at tight end. The 28-year-old Bates has played more snaps and run more routes than Sinnott and fourth-string tight end Colson Yankoff, but he's not considered a legitimate receiving threat. He's collected eight catches for 71 yards on 12 targets in 11 games this season. With Washington's tight end situation murky in the wake of Ertz's injury, Bates shouldn't be considered as a fantasy option in Week 15 against the New York Giants.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Jaylen Wright's Week 15 Fantasy Value Hinges on Teammate's Health
Miami Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright has been buried on the Dolphins' depth chart this season, and it looks like he'll return to a minimal role after making the most of his chance last week and posting a breakout game. Wright and the Dolphins face the Steelers on Monday, but De'Von Achane (ribs) is on track to return, relegating Wright back to a reduced role. While filling in against the Jets in Week 14, Wright ripped off 107 rushing yards with a touchdown on 24 carries. He only had 18 carries before that game in the whole season, though, so if Achane returns, Wright's role will be too limited for him to be a strong fantasy play. In RotoBaller's Week 15 rankings, Wright is the No. 51 RB, so he can be left on the bench or the waiver wire in almost all formats, despite reminding everyone of his potential ceiling if he gets playing time.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
De'Von Achane a Must-Start if he's Active on Monday
Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (ribs) has been one of the best fantasy football running backs of the season, and the Dolphins and his fantasy managers can breathe a sigh of relief since it looks like he'll be available in the Week 15 Monday Night Football matchup with the Steelers. Coach Mike McDaniel said Achane is expected to play after the star back was forced to leave last week's win over the Jets. Before leaving, Achane had seven carries for 92 yards and a touchdown while adding a 13-yard reception as well. McDaniel said that Achane could have returned if needed, so it makes sense that he won't miss any further time. Even though he's in a tough matchup against the Steelers, Achane is a must-start, top-tier running back in Week 15. He already has 1,126 rushing yards and 383 receiving yards in his 13 games this year, along with a total of 11 touchdowns. He's the No. 4 RB in RotoBaller's Week 15 rankings, and he should be started in all formats since he is trending in the right direction for Monday.
Source: Marcel Louis-Jacques
Source: Marcel Louis-Jacques
Tua Tagovailoa Is Not a Strong Start on Monday Night Football
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been marginally better lately, avoiding costly turnovers and letting his running back and defense carry his team to four straight wins. His numbers have been not impressive even during his team's winning streak. He has attempted under 25 passes in every one of those games with 15 or fewer completions and under 175 passing yards in each game. He only has three passing touchdowns in those four wins as well with only one total touchdown in his last three games. He may have to do more this week against Pittsburgh, but he'll likely continue to rely on short "dink and dunk" passing, which limits his potential. He's the No. 27 QB in RotoBaller's rankings this week, meaning he is not a strong starting option in almost any format.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Ty Chandler Won't Be Activated Off Injured Reserve This Week
Minnesota Vikings running back Ty Chandler (knee) won't come off Injured Reserve this week and has been ruled out for Sunday night's game against the Dallas Cowboys. Chandler hasn't played since injuring his knee back in Week 1's win over the Chicago Bears. The 27-year-old had his practice window opened ahead of Week 13 against the Seattle Seahawks, but the team has still determined that he is not ready to return for game action. Chandler was a full participant in practice this week, so it seems he is getting close. He will need to be activated by next week, or he will revert to Injured Reserve and miss the remainder of the season. If he can return, Chandler will contribute primarily on special teams while serving as the RB3 behind Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason.
Source: Minnesota Vikings
Source: Minnesota Vikings
Seahawks Agree to One-Year Extension With Eric Saubert
The Seattle Seahawks and tight end Eric Saubert have agreed to a one-year contract extension, per NFL Insider Jordan Schultz. Saubert was designated to return from Injured Reserve this week after missing six games due to a calf injury. The 31-year-old tight end signed with the Seahawks during the offseason and is most known for his ability to do the dirty work as a blocker and as a contributor on special teams. He has just one catch for 12 yards while playing 34.1% of the offensive snaps this season in seven games, and is now under contract with Seattle through the end of the 2026 season.
Source: Jordan Schultz
Source: Jordan Schultz
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