December 12, 2025
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Rickard Rakell (hand) was activated from Injured Reserve on Friday and will return to the lineup for Saturday's tilt against the San Jose Sharks. Due to a broken hand, Rakell was forced to sit out 20 games. He will likely go straight back into the top six and the first power-play unit. Before he was injured, Rakell was enjoying a productive start to the season. He had an early-season five-game point streak and notched three goals and five assists in nine outings. From a fantasy standpoint, Saturday's matchup is favorable for Rakell and the rest of Pittsburgh's offense, as the Sharks allow 31.3 shots and 3.25 goals per game.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 12, 2025
Chicago Bulls guard
Coby White (calf) is available for Friday's meeting with the Hornets. He missed the start of the 2025 campaign and has sat out sporadically since returning for the loss to the Utah Jazz on November 16. However, the extra time off due to the NBA Cup allowed White to get some much-needed rest. Despite the injury, he has averaged a career-high 22.1 points this season, adding 5.4 assists. Fantasy managers could see more production from the 25-year-old versus one of the worst defensive clubs in the National Basketball Association.
--Dennis ClausenSource: K.C. Johnson
December 12, 2025
Dallas Cowboys tight end
Jake Ferguson (calf) returned to a limited practice on Friday and is considered questionable for the Sunday night game against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 15, according to Adam Caplan of Sirius XM NFL Radio. Ferguson was limited in Wednesday's practice before being downgraded to a DNP on Thursday, raising concerns about his status for this weekend. Executive vice president Stephen Jones said on Friday that the Cowboys fully expect the 26-year-old tight end to be available on Sunday night, so fantasy managers should leave him in their starting lineups. Dallas is expected to have receiver
CeeDee Lamb (concussion) available in Week 15 as well. Ferguson has been a must-start fantasy TE in 2025, with 75 catches on 90 targets for 554 yards and seven touchdowns in his 13 games played.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sirius XM NFL - Adam Caplan
December 12, 2025
New York Islanders center Bo Horvat (lower body) will miss his first game of the season on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Islanders' leading scorer suffered a lower-body injury in Thursday's win over the Anaheim Ducks and is considered day-to-day. Mathew Barzal will take over top-line center duties against Tampa Bay, while Jean-Gabriel Pageau will center the second line after spending some time on the right wing. Jonathan Drouin (back) is expected to return from a five-game absence on Saturday and will fill the gap on the top line.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 12, 2025
Washington Wizards guard
Tre Johnson (hip) will return to the court for Friday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Johnson has been cleared to play after missing seven games due to a left hip flexor strain. Head coach Brian Keefe stated that Johnson won't have a full workload during his first game back. He didn't say how much Johnson would play, but his fantasy value will be hindered without a full workload. This season, Johnson is averaging 11.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists across 24.1 minutes in 15 games. The first-round pick won't be a recommended streaming option for Friday's big slate. Johnson could be worth a look as a streaming option once he's back to full speed.
--Andy WebbSource: Chase Hughes
December 12, 2025
Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (undisclosed) won't play on Saturday afternoon against the New York Islanders but could return to action on Monday versus the Florida Panthers. He will miss a sixth consecutive game on Saturday due to an undisclosed injury. However, Vasilevskiy practiced on Friday and should be back between the sticks soon for Tampa. The Russian netminder owns an 11-6-2 record for the season and has registered a 2.31 goals-against average, along with a .917 save percentage and one shutout. Jonas Johansson has done a decent job as Vasilevskiy's replacement and will search for a third consecutive victory in Saturday's matchup.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 12, 2025
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback
Geno Smith (shoulder, back) was unable to practice all week and has officially been ruled out for the Week 15 contest this Sunday in Philadelphia against the Eagles, according to the team's website.
Kenny Pickett will draw his first start with the Raiders against his old team in potentially snowy conditions, making him a desperation QB2 option for fantasy managers in superflex leagues. Smith injured his right throwing shoulder in last week's loss to the Denver Broncos, although it's not considered a serious injury, and he could make it back next week against the Houston Texans. However, if Pickett plays well this weekend, the Raiders could bench the struggling Smith for the final three games of the year. The 35-year-old Smith hasn't had much help from his offensive line, but he's been one of the worst starting QBs in the NFL this year, completing 67% of his passes for 2,648 yards, 16 touchdowns, and a league-high 14 interceptions while taking a league-high 49 sacks.
--Keith HernandezSource: Raiders.com
December 12, 2025
The Green Bay Packers' defense and special teams unit have their work cut out for them in Week 15 as the Packers travel to Denver to take on the Broncos. Over the past two weeks, the Packers have averaged two sacks per game against the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears. They'll face the Broncos in Week 15, and Denver has the eighth-fewest giveaways in the league, while the Packers have the fourth-fewest takeaways through 13 games. The Packers have been one of the most underwhelming fantasy defenses because they rely so much on their pass rush, with 33 sacks, the 11th-highest total in the league. Green Bay is a middling D/ST this week for fantasy purposes.
--Kevin TompkinsSource: RotoBaller
December 12, 2025
Green Bay Packers kicker
Brandon McManus hasn't missed a kick in three weeks, but hasn't been too fantasy relevant in recent weeks. He'll look to turn it around in Denver against the Broncos in Week 15. In the last three weeks, McManus has averaged 8.0 fantasy points per game and has made all four field goals and each of his 10 point-after attempts. That said, the Packers have been excellent in the last couple of weeks in converting their drives into touchdowns, so McManus has been kicking many more extra points (eight) than field goals (one) in their last two contests against the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears. In Week 15, McManus heads to Denver, where he spent the majority of his NFL career. For the Packers' game against the Broncos, McManus is a low-end fantasy kicker for that matchup.
--Kevin TompkinsSource: RotoBaller
December 12, 2025
Green Bay Packers wide receiver
Matthew Golden (wrist) put in a full practice on Friday after two limited sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, and Golden will be good to go when the Packers head to Denver to face the Broncos. Returning to game action in Week 14, Golden earned just a single target from quarterback
Jordan Love on four pass routes. Head coach Matt LaFleur stated Golden would be limited to "pass situations only" when talking about Golden's role in Week 14, so clearly, that limited his fantasy points potential. With all of the pass-catching options for the Packers healthier heading into Week 15, Golden may have trouble getting on the field with players like
Christian Watson,
Jayden Reed,
Romeo Doubs, and others ahead of him. Golden is a very risky bet for fantasy success in Week 15 against a stout Denver defense.
--Kevin TompkinsSource: RotoBaller
December 12, 2025
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman is scheduled to undergo elbow surgery on Monday and will be out until February. Hedman has already missed significant time this season and will be sidelined once again after aggravating a previous injury. He made just three appearances after a 12-game spell out. Hedman is expected to be fully ready for the Olympics tournament, which begins on Feb. 11. Declan Carlile took Hedman's spot in the lineup Thursday against the New Jersey Devils and could now have a regular role for several weeks. Meanwhile, Darren Raddysh's fantasy prospects continue to grow. He has become Tampa's top defenseman, eating up huge minutes and posting multiple points in back-to-back games.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 12, 2025
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback
Kenny Pickett will make the start on Sunday against his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, head coach Pete Carroll announced on Friday.
Geno Smith (shoulder, back) injured his right throwing shoulder in last week's loss to the Denver Broncos and has not practiced all week. This will be Pickett's first start for the Raiders since they acquired him from the Cleveland Browns earlier this season. In relief of Smith last Sunday, Pickett went 8-for-11 passing for 97 yards and a touchdown against Denver. Pickett played in five regular-season games (one start) and two playoff games as part of the Eagles' Super Bowl run last year. The Raiders think Smith has a good chance to return in Week 16 against the Texans, but if Pickett plays well this weekend, the team might stick with him. In a bad matchup on the road in potentially snowy weather, Pickett shouldn't be considered as anything more than a low-end, low-upside QB2 streamer in superflex leagues this weekend.
--Keith HernandezSource: Raiders.com - Levi Edwards
December 12, 2025
Green Bay Packers wide receiver
Christian Watson has been the most productive pass-catcher for the Packers in the past few weeks, and he looks to carry over that momentum when the Packers head to Denver to face the Broncos in Week 15. Watson followed up a 4-80-1 effort against the Detroit Lions in Week 13 with a 4-89 and two scores last week in the Packers' pivotal division showdown with the Chicago Bears. Watson runs into a stiff test in Week 15, as he'll likely draw the shadow coverage of Patrick Surtain II, one of the best cornerbacks in football and the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Despite that, Watson is on a heater right now for fantasy, and if anybody can break a long reception for a score, it's Watson. Surtain's presence should temper fantasy managers' expectations for Watson this week. That said, Watson is a volatile WR3 fantasy option against the Broncos.
--Kevin TompkinsSource: RotoBaller
December 12, 2025
Green Bay Packers wide receiver
Romeo Doubs has seen a recent backslide in production, but he looks to get going again as the Packers travel to Denver to take on the Broncos in Week 15. Doubs' recent downturn coincides with
Christian Watson's ascension to Green Bay's top target in the offense. While Doubs continues to run routes at a fairly solid clip, with over 72% routes per dropback in the last four games, he has just 10 receptions and 101 yards in his last four games combined. In Week 14 against the Bears, Doubs turned in his worst full-game outing of the season, with just two targets and zero receptions. Doubs had some trust from fantasy managers in the middle of the season when tight end
Tucker Kraft went down with his season-ending injury, but since Watson's return, Doubs has been largely irrelevant for fantasy football. In a tough Week 15 matchup in Denver against the Broncos, consider Doubs a desperation flex play at best for fantasy.
--Kevin TompkinsSource: RotoBaller
December 12, 2025
Green Bay Packers quarterback
Jordan Love has been QB11 or better in three of his last four games, but draws a tough assignment as the Packers head to Denver to take on the Broncos. Love has back-to-back 20+ fantasy point outings against the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears, with three or more touchdowns in both games. Making that three straight games, with a road game in Denver, will be a tall order. The Broncos allow the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks and the ninth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers as well, making it a tough matchup across the board for the Packers' pass-catchers and Love. For fantasy purposes, Love is a low-end streaming quarterback in single quarterback leagues, but a mid-range QB2 in two-quarterback formats.
--Kevin TompkinsSource: RotoBaller
December 12, 2025
Charlotte Hornets center
Moussa Diabate (knee) has been upgraded to available for Friday's game against the Chicago Bulls. He was previously listed as questionable, but is now set to return after a one-game absence. Diabate figures to return to his role as the primary backup center to
Ryan Kalkbrenner. This season, Diabate is averaging 8.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists across 22.4 minutes per game. His overall ceiling is limited with Kalkbrenner being the starting big man. He offers low-end streaming appeal ahead of Friday's contest.
--Andy WebbSource: Charlotte Hornets PR
December 12, 2025
Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann (lower body) will be out of commission for three weeks. He suffered a lower-body injury in Wednesday's win over the Los Angeles Kings and will start his spell on the sidelines on Friday night against the Utah Mammoth. McCann only recently returned from a lower-body injury, which kept him out for 17 games. He has posted eight points (five goals, three assists) in 11 appearances this season. Ryan Winterton is projected to replace McCann in the top six on Friday. Winterton has not made a fantasy impact, going 11 outings without scoring any points. Overall, he has totaled four points (two goals, two assists) in 28 appearances this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
December 12, 2025
Philadelphia 76ers guard
Tyrese Maxey (illness) won't play on Friday against Indiana. The 25-year-old is in the MVP conversation this season. Unfortunately, he'll miss his first game of the 2025 campaign on Friday due to an illness. His next chance to suit up will be on Sunday in Atlanta. In the meantime,
Jared McCain or
Quentin Grimes could find themselves in the starting lineup, although both players should see considerably more minutes as well as an increase in scoring opportunities regardless of their roles.
--Dennis ClausenSource: Keith Pompey
December 12, 2025
Green Bay Packers running back
Josh Jacobs (knee) is officially questionable to play against the Denver Broncos on Sunday in Week 15. Jacobs suffered a knee injury in Week 11 against the New York Giants and was held out in Week 12 as a precaution. The 27-year-old only missed one game, though, and handled his normal workhorse role the last two weeks, with 37 rushing attempts for 169 yards and one touchdown on the ground. Jacobs' knee stiffened up on him on Sunday against the Chicago Bears, though, prompting him to undergo an MRI exam. Tests have thankfully turned up negative for any structural damage, but his status for Week 15 is in question. It creates a difficult decision for fantasy managers this weekend, especially since the Packers and Broncos square off in the late window on Sunday. Jacobs has been a must-start RB1 in fantasy in 2025 with 12 touchdowns in 12 games, but he could be at less than full strength against a Broncos defense that allows the second-fewest rushing yards per game (89).
Emanuel Wilson is worth a speculative waiver-wire pickup in case Jacobs is ruled out entirely on Sunday.
--Keith HernandezSource: Green Bay Packers
December 12, 2025
San Anthonio Spurs center
Victor Wembanyama (calf) is expected to play in Saturday's NBA Cup meeting with the Thunder after missing the last 12 games due to a calf strain. The 2023 No. 1 overall pick was performing at an MVP-caliber level before going on the shelf, averaging 26.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists (all career-highs), 3.6 blocks, and 1.1 steals. Wemby will presumably see fewer than the 34.7 minutes he's averaged during the 2025 campaign, although that shouldn't stop fantasy managers from plugging him back into their starting lineups. On the other hand, DFS participants should proceed with caution, considering his hefty rostering cost as well as a tough matchup on the horizon against arguably the best defensive team in the National Basketball Association.
Luke Kornet, who has been starting in place of Wembanyama, will almost certainly head back to the bench, eliminating nearly all of his fantasy value.
--Dennis ClausenSource: Shams Charania
December 12, 2025
The Kansas City Chiefs defense has not been an exciting unit to roster this season, and the past five games are evidence of that. Since Week 9, Kansas City has given up at least 20 points in every game and has only one takeaway in that span. The Chiefs' defense will now have to face a divisional opponent in a must-win game to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Chiefs will take on the Los Angeles Chargers, who rank 11th in total yards per game this season. The Kansas City defensive unit is ranked 16th in our RotoBaller rankings, making them a low-end option to consider this week. This Chiefs defense has been tough to trust this season, and fantasy managers may want to try looking elsewhere for upside.
--Joshua CostelloSource: ESPN.com
December 12, 2025
Goaltender Stuart Skinner was traded by the Edmonton Oilers on Friday, along with defenseman Brett Kulak and a 2029 second-round pick, to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Samuel Poulin. Skinner has had a couple of very inconsistent campaigns in the Oilers crease, and the team finally decided to move on from him. This season, Skinner has posted a decent goals-against average of 2.83 with an 11-8-4 record, but his save percentage stands at a disappointing .891. In Pittsburgh, Skinner will compete for playing time with Arturs Silovs and Sergei Murashov.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 12, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs kicker
Harrison Butker missed one of his two field goal attempts in last week's loss to the Houston Texans. His miss in Week 14 was his fourth missed field goal of the season and ruined his field goal streak that dated back to September 28 against the Baltimore Ravens. Butker was not a top-12 kicker over the course of the fantasy season, and he's not ranked as one this week against the Los Angeles Chargers. In a divisional matchup that is not predicted to be a high-scoring affair, Butker is ranked K18 in our RotoBaller rankings this week. Week 15 is the first week of the fantasy playoffs for most leagues, and Butker may not be the kicker to lean on if you're looking for upside this week.
--Joshua CostelloSource: ESPN.com
December 12, 2025
The Edmonton Oilers acquired goaltender Tristan Jarry in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday. In the deal, Edmonton parted ways with goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round draft pick. Along with Jarry, the Penguins also received forward Sam Poulin. Jarry, who had spent his entire NHL career with the Penguins, is signed through the 2027-28 season with a $5.375 million cap hit. After a couple of tough campaigns, the 30-year-old netminder is enjoying a bounce-back year in 2025-26. Jarry has a 9-3-1 record through 13 starts, allowing 2.66 goals with a .909 save percentage and one shutout. Edmonton desperately needed an upgrade between the sticks, as only two teams in the league have posted a lower save percentage this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
December 12, 2025
Minnesota Timberwolves guard
Anthony Edwards (foot) won't play on Friday versus Golden State. The 2020 No. 1 overall pick had 40 points in Monday's loss to the Phoenix Suns. He'll now miss his fifth game of the 2025 campaign, which is almost the number of contests he was sidelined in the previous two seasons combined. With
Mike Conley (Achilles) also ruled out,
Donte DiVincenzo,
Julius Randle, and
Jaden McDaniels are nearly locks to surpass their usual fantasy expectations. The same can be said for
Naz Reid.
Bones Hyland, finishing with 14 points against Phoenix, can be utilized for streaming purposes while gaining attention as a high-upside value option for DFS participants, especially if he enters the starting lineup. Edwards next opportunity to get back on the floor will be on Sunday versus the Sacramento Kings.
--Dennis ClausenSource: NBA Injury Report
December 12, 2025
Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver
Pat Bryant (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers, according to Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette. Head coach Sean Payton said that Bryant could play with the hamstring injury if it were a playoff game, but the team will hold him out for this game after he missed practice all week. It's unfortunate timing for the rookie third-rounder after taking over as Denver's WR2 ahead of
Troy Franklin opposite
Courtland Sutton in recent weeks. Bryant has totaled 12 receptions for 156 yards on 17 targets in the past three games. His absence will open up more opportunities for Franklin,
Marvin Mims Jr., and
Lil'Jordan Humphrey on Sunday. Franklin is back on the fantasy radar as a potential flex play with Bryant out, but he is tough to trust in lineups in a tough Week 15 matchup against the Packers.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Chris Tomasson
December 12, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs tight end
Travis Kelce was essentially eliminated from last week's contest against the Houston Texans. Kelce was held to one catch for eight yards in the 10-20 loss to Houston. The veteran tight end was a non-factor, finishing sixth on the team in receiving yardage. Week 14 was the first time this season that Kelce finished without multiple catches, so it can only go up from here, but he does face a difficult matchup in Week 15. Kelce will take on the Los Angeles Chargers, who have allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points to opposing tight ends this season. The Chiefs need to win the rest of their games this season if they have any chance of making the playoffs, and Kelce should be heavily involved in making that happen. Kelce is ranked TE7 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings, making him a mid-range TE1 with another difficult matchup this week.
--Joshua CostelloSource: ESPN.com
December 12, 2025
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver
Rashid Shaheed finally broke out as a member of the Seahawks in Week 14 against the Atlanta Falcons. Although his production was buoyed by a punt return for a touchdown, he could carry his six-target momentum into Week 15 against the Indianapolis Colts. Shaheed is still hovering around 50% of the offensive snaps, but Seattle seemed to make a point of getting him more involved down the field in Week 14. Shaheed is a talented outside receiver. If he can receive more opportunities down the field rather than as a gadget player, he could be great for this team. The Colts are No. 27 against opposing wide receivers in fantasy. They have simply had issues containing wide receivers despite their addition of cornerback Sauce Gardner (calf) at the trade deadline. Gardner is also out for this game If Seattle can continue to feed Shaheed, he could become a fantasy revelation over the final few weeks of the fantasy football playoffs. Keep an eye on Shaheed's production this week and consider throwing him on the back of your bench if you have the space.
--Quincy Milton III - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
December 12, 2025
Seattle Seahawks quarterback
Sam Darnold is a potential streaming option in Week 15 against the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts have been middle-of-the-road against opposing quarterbacks in fantasy this season. Additionally, when Darnold is firing on all cylinders, he is virtually matchup-proof. Darnold should have no issues finding his top wide receivers in this game. If he keeps the turnovers down, Darnold has a great chance to hover around 250 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns. Darnold had faltered over the last handful of weeks before getting back on track in the second half of Week 14 against the Falcons. Perhaps he can carry that momentum into this week. Darnold is not a must-start by any means, but if you have a tough quarterback situation, you could do a lot worse than Darnold in Week 1 of the fantasy playoffs.
--Quincy Milton III - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
December 12, 2025
Seattle Seahawks running back
Zach Charbonnet will be a touchdown-dependent flex in Week 15. At this point in the season, we know what the deal is with Charbonnet. If he scores a touchdown, then you are generally happy. The trick is to figure out when he is most likely to score. The Colts have a solid defense, but it is nothing that the Seahawks' offense cannot handle. With that in mind, Seattle should find itself in scoring position throughout the game. Charbonnet is a good bet to receive a carry or two inside the five-yard line, and he has been relatively effective at converting those types of carries into touchdowns in 2025. If he does not score a touchdown, do not expect Charbonnet to do much in fantasy. Charbonnet does not receive enough volume, nor is he efficient enough, to score many fantasy points as a runner. Additionally, Charbonnet is virtually a non-factor as a receiver, with several games this season featuring zero catches. Charbonnet can be flexed this week, but he will remain extremely touchdown-dependent.
--Quincy Milton III - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
RADIO
