November 18, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said "we'll see" when asked about rookie quarterback
Will Howard receiving first-team reps during the week, with
Aaron Rodgers (wrist) likely sidelined for their Week 12 matchup against the Chicago Bears. Rodgers has not yet been ruled out for Sunday's game, but he won't practice on Wednesday, and Friday will be the key day for his gameday status.
Mason Rudolph is expected to start if Rodgers can't go, but his absence may open up an opportunity for Howard to work with the starting offense during practice. The rookie sixth-rounder out of Ohio State was activated from injured reserve last week after suffering a hand injury before the start of the season. Howard produced big-time numbers in his final collegiate season with the Buckeyes, throwing for 4,010 yards with 35 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 16 games and leading them to a national championship. If Rudolph struggles, we could see Howard make his NFL debut in Week 12.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Brooke Pryor
November 18, 2025
Atlanta Falcons tight end
Kyle Pitts Sr. logged his second straight two-catch performance in Week 11's 30-27 overtime loss to the Panthers after catching at least three passes in each of his first eight games of the season. It would seem his involvement is trending downward, however, wide receiver
Drake London (knee) will likely miss Week 12, which could be a boon to his target potential. When London missed Week 8 with an injury, Pitts garnered a team-high nine targets, converting all of them into receptions, albeit for just 59 yards. The other good news is that
Kirk Cousins was under center for that contest, and Cousins will again be the starter for the Week 12 road matchup against the Saints. Expectations should be tempered, though, as Pitts recorded one catch or fewer in five contests with Cousins at the helm last year. There is a wide range of outcomes for the 6-foot-6 tight end in this week's game, but he will still likely be a low-end TE1 on Sunday.
--Jarod RuppSource: ESPN
November 18, 2025
Chicago Bears rookie tight end
Colston Loveland has seen his role in the offense increase lately, playing at least 60% of the snaps in all but one game since their Week 5 bye. Loveland had his breakout game in Week 9 against the Bengals, catching six of seven targets for 118 yards and two touchdowns. The production has been more modest in the past two weeks, with seven catches for 95 yards on eight targets, but he posted a 75.3% snap share in Week 11 against the Vikings, his highest in a game this season with
Cole Kmet active. That number was still a tick behind Kmet for the week, with him playing 78.1% of the snaps, so he isn't overtaking Kmet necessarily, but Chicago used more two-tight-end sets to get them both on the field. The 10th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft has looked dynamic with his opportunities this season and should continue to see more reps, but it is still a crowded offense that will run the ball a lot. Loveland is a great player to roster because of his talent and increased role, but is still tough to trust in lineups for now.
--Kyle McCarthySource: RotoBaller
November 18, 2025
Denver Broncos wide receiver
Troy Franklin has separated himself as the top target earner for the team in recent weeks. Franklin led the Broncos, tied for the team lead in targets, in their 22-19 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11 and led them with 84 receiving yards. The second-year wideout caught multiple long balls for 30+ yard gains, including a 32-yard catch on Denver's final drive to set up the game-winning field goal. Franklin has 34 targets over the last four weeks, tied for fourth most in the league and 12 more than teammate
Courtland Sutton in that span. Franklin has established himself as a legitimate fantasy option and should continue to be productive in Week 13 against the Washington Commanders after their Week 12 bye.
--Kyle McCarthySource: RotoBaller
November 18, 2025
Tennessee Titans rookie wide receiver
Elic Ayomanor has had a decent rookie season through 10 games, and with
Calvin Ridley (leg) suffering a season-ending injury in Week 11 against the Texans, he could be in line for more opportunities. Fellow rookie wideout
Chimere Dike also suffered a concussion in the game, leaving Ayomanor and veteran
Van Jefferson as the two top wide receivers for Tennessee. Ayomanor has earned a consistent number of targets in every game this season, but the inconsistencies of fellow rookie
Cameron Ward, along with his own poor play, have resulted in underwhelming production. The touchdown upside is not high for any player in this offense at the moment, but the rookie fourth-rounder has a good chance to lead the Titans in targets in Week 12 against the Seahawks. Ayomanor is worth adding off the waiver wire if available, but would be a risky play against a stout Seattle defense.
--Kyle McCarthySource: RotoBaller
November 18, 2025
Houston Texans quarterback
C.J. Stroud (concussion) will miss Thursday night's matchup against the Buffalo Bills, but is expected to return in Week 13 against the Indianapolis Colts, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Stroud won't be able to suit up with a short week of preparation, but the extra time off will ensure that the 24-year-old will be cleared and ready to roll for a big divisional matchup against the Colts in Week 13. Backup
Davis Mills will make his third straight start, and he's been solid in Stroud's absence, completing 60% of his passes for 726 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Mills is only worth starter consideration in superflex leagues for Week 12.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Adam Schefter
November 18, 2025
Buffalo Bills wide receiver
Khalil Shakir was not on the field on Tuesday for the portion of practice open to the media due to personal reasons, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. Shakir was also listed as a non-participant on Monday's estimated report due to a personal reason. The team's WR1 isn't dealing with an injury, but his situation bears watching going into Thursday's tilt against the Houston Texans. The 25-year-old was listed with ankle and rib injuries last week but ended up suiting up for Sunday's victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, he caught just one of three targets for minus-three yards in a 44-32 win. It was the worst game of Shakir's career, which was especially concerning due to the fact that quarterback
Josh Allen and the Bills' offense moved the ball at will against Tampa. It doesn't make Shakir an enticing fantasy play this week against the top defense in the NFL.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Joe Buscaglia
November 18, 2025
The Athletic's Matt Schneidman reports that Green Bay Packers wide receiver
Jayden Reed (foot, shoulder) could return to practice on Wednesday after a two and a half month absence. "I sure as heck hope so," head coach Matt LaFleur said on Monday when asked if the team would open anyone's 21-day practice window this week. The Packers will have a better idea about Reed's availability over the next two days. The 25-year-old wideout has been on IR since breaking his collarbone in Week 2, and he's also recovering from surgery on his foot for a Jones fracture. Reed is expected to play again this year, but it's uncertain when that will happen. Even if he returns to practice this week, it won't guarantee his return for a Week 12 divisional matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. Reed is rostered in only 35% of Yahoo leagues right now, and he should have a key role in the Packers' offense when he comes back.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman
November 18, 2025
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said that the team has to make a decision soon on whether to activate quarterback
Aidan O'Connell (wrist) to the active 53-man roster or place him on season-ending Injured Reserve, according to Ryan McFadden of ESPN. Carroll also said that O'Connell has been getting reps against the first-team defense in practice to "bring him along as fast as they can." The 27-year-old was a full participant in practice all of last week, but he wasn't activated for the team's Monday night loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Kenny Pickett has been serving as
Geno Smith's backup with O'Connell on IR. Interestingly, O'Connell has been repping against the first-team defense, but Caroll hasn't given any indications that the team is close to making a change at QB from Smith despite another ugly loss on Monday night.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Ryan McFadden
November 18, 2025
Seattle Seahawks running back
Kenneth Walker III could be in line to see more work out of the backfield moving forward after he eclipsed 100 scrimmage yards in the Week 11 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, according to Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune. Head coach Mike Macdonald said that Walker is "showing that he's earning more opportunities to get the ball." "I think you really felt Ken (Sunday)," Macdonald said. "And just, even in the pass game, too, on check-downs, finding him late in the play. Just shows you that he's such an explosive player with the ball in his hands." The 25-year-old has played 22 more offensive snaps than
Zach Charbonnet in the last three weeks and has just been more efficient with the ball in his hands in 2025 than his backfield mate. Charbonnet is going to remain involved, but Macdonald's words could mean that Walker will start seeing a bigger piece of the pie, starting in a great Week 12 matchup against the Tennessee Titans.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Tacoma News Tribune - Gregg Bell
November 18, 2025
In a blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football to close out Week 11 action to drop them to 2-8 on the season, the Las Vegas Raiders abandoned their running game. Rookie first-round running back
Ashton Jeanty had just six carries for seven yards and had just two rushing attempts in the first half. The Raiders had a designed pass on 84% of its plays, the team's highest rate in a game since 2012. Head coach Pete Carroll admitted that he heavily influenced the offensive game plan. "I don't really care about pleasing people with our run/pass mix. I'm trying to move the football," Carroll said. "I wanted to get the ball to
Brock Bowers a bunch and see what he could do. I'm responsible for that." The expectation was that the Raiders would rely heavily on Jeanty after he was taken sixth overall in the draft, but he currently ranks 16th among RBs with 149 rushing attempts. Vegas' poor offensive line play and the fact that they continue to fall behind by multiple scores doesn't bode well for Jeanty's workload on the ground increasing anytime soon.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Ryan McFadden
November 18, 2025
Carolina Panthers wide receiver
Xavier Legette (hip) told reporters on Tuesday that he plans to play on Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 12 despite injuring his hip late in the Week 11 overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. The 24-year-old pass-catcher had one of his best performances of the season against Atlanta before his injury, securing four catches on eight targets for 83 yards and a touchdown in what was a career day for quarterback
Bryce Young. Legette will probably be limited in practice on Thursday, but it sounds like he shouldn't be in danger of sitting out for Monday's primetime game. The former first-rounder now has a 24-264-3 line on 46 targets through nine games in his sophomore season. He has been operating as the WR2 behind rookie first-rounder
Tetairoa McMillan and has been an inconsistent WR4/flex for fantasy managers.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Joe Person
November 18, 2025
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end
Brenton Strange (hip) had his 21-day practice window opened last week, but after a week of limited practice participation, he was not made active for the team's Week 11 win over the Chargers. The Jaguars' Wednesday injury report might give an indication of which way he is trending, but for fantasy managers streaming the position, Strange is a smart pickup with a favorable schedule down the stretch. Four of the Jaguars' next six games come against teams that have been advantageous matchups for tight ends, including playoff matchups against the Jets and Colts. Strange has been sidelined since exiting the team's Week 5 loss to the Chiefs, and the Jaguars' offense looks considerably different since Strange last played, with a season-ending injury to
Travis Hunter, the acquisition of
Jakobi Meyers, and an ankle injury that has held
Brian Thomas Jr. out of the last two games. However, in each of his previous two full games, Strange was targeted seven times for six receptions, and he could become an important part of an adapting Jacksonville passing attack.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
November 18, 2025
Houston Texans quarterback
C.J. Stroud (concussion) will miss his third straight game when the Texans face the Bills on Thursday night. Stroud was expected back at practice on Tuesday, so he might have been able to return to action if the team had been playing on Sunday. However, on a short week of preparation, the team will once again turn to
Davis Mills. Mills has thrown for 283 yards per game in his two starts, while adding three touchdowns to one interception, and
Nico Collins has enjoyed arguably the best stretch of his season with Mills under center. In what projects to be a game that could see Houston playing from behind, Collins remains a must-start, and Davis Mills at least deserves consideration in superflex leagues.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Aaron Wilson
November 18, 2025
Cleveland Browns wide receiver
Cedric Tillman led the team with 52 receiving yards in a Week 11 loss to the Ravens and now prepares to face a Raiders defense that has struggled to defend the pass all year. In his second game back after missing four games with a hamstring injury, he showed glimpses of the play strength that showed up in his sophomore season, before suffering a season-ending concussion. Unfortunately for Tillman and the rest of the Cleveland pass catchers, the Browns quarterback situation is currently one of the least desirable in the league. With
Dillon Gabriel still in concussion protocol,
Shedeur Sanders will likely get the first start of his career in Week 12. And while this week will mark the first time that Sanders gets any reps practicing with the team's starters, what he put on film on Sunday while filling in for the injured Gabriel should not inspire confidence for fantasy managers. Even facing a generous Las Vegas defense, it would be difficult to trust Tillman this week. However, he remains an interesting stash, if only to see what sort of chemistry he's able to develop with whoever remains Cleveland's starter down the stretch.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
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