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FFL: Playoff Week 3 | NFL: Week 17

Champions Draft Results

Wed Jul 3 10:36am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Hurts was first quarterback picked


RealTime Fantasy Sports is proud to present you the results of our “Champions Draft." The draft this season once again consists of the top rated fantasy players on our site. We invited players rated near the top of our Top Fantasy Players report. So this is the best of the best on our site.

In this column, we'll give you a round-by-round look at the draft. Each round includes some notes on that round, talking about what just went down. Hopefully, this gives you some insight into the draft and helps prepare you for all your drafts this coming year.

Before we get to that, here is a quick overview of the league format. We used the same rules as we do for the "All-Pro" fantasy leagues on our site. So you can view the entire set of rules on our main page for that game. But here is a brief look. Each team starts a quarterback, two running backs, two receivers, a tight end, a defensive/special teams, a kicker and a flex player (RB, WR or TE). Scoring is pretty standard. Touchdowns are worth six except for passing touchdowns, which are worth four. And it is a points per reception league, giving every player a point per reception. Defenses get points for sacks, interceptions and fumble recoveries. The rules are pretty standard with how many leagues operate these days.

ROUND 1

 1. Ballers - Christian McCaffrey RB, SF

 2. Birds - CeeDee Lamb WR, DAL

 3. CRUNCHY - Bijan Robinson RB, ATL

 4. Super Paurs - Breece Hall RB, NYJ

 5. Wreckingcrew - Tyreek Hill WR, MIA

 6. PaurPlay - Justin Jefferson WR, MIN

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Amon-Ra St. Brown WR, DET

 8. Bubbles Army - Ja'Marr Chase WR, CIN

 9. HORNS - Jahmyr Gibbs RB, DET

 10. Goodfellas - Puka Nacua WR, LAR

 11. Suncoast - A.J. Brown WR, PHI

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Saquon Barkley RB, PHI

NOTES: The first round was pretty chalk, going very similar to the current ADP. These savvy owners didn’t take many chances with the first round. There were five running backs and seven receivers picked in Round 1. It was not a surprise to see no tight ends or quarterbacks picked in the first round. The only mild surprise was seeing Jonathan Taylor failed to get picked this round. He normally goes at the end of the first round, but didn’t in this one.

ROUND 2

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Jonathan Taylor RB, IND

 2. Suncoast - Garrett Wilson WR, NYJ

 3. Goodfellas - Sam LaPorta TE, DET

 4. HORNS - Travis Etienne RB, JAX

 5. Bubbles Army - Davante Adams WR, LV

 6. Crusty GON Pod - Chris Olave WR, NO

 7. PaurPlay - Josh Jacobs RB, GB

 8. Wreckingcrew - Kyren Williams RB, LAR

 9. Super Paurs - Devon Achane RB, MIA

 10. CRUNCHY - Derrick Henry RB, BAL

 11. Birds - Isiah Pacheco RB, KC

 12. Ballers - Marvin Harrison Jr. WR, ARI

NOTES: Sam LaPorta was the first tight end picked, getting taken by Suncoast this round. He went a tad sooner, having an ADP of 24.99 but he wasn’t going to last to Suncoast when he picked again, so he had to pull the trigger now if he wanted him on his roster. . . . This was a running back heavy round, seeing seven go off the board. This is normally a trend in many drafts with a lot of owners going receiver in the first round. . . .Isiah Pacheco might have been the only surprise running back of this round. The Birds selected him with the 11th pick. This wasn’t too far off his ADP, though, normally going pick 26.62. . . . .Marvin Harrison continues to be the first rookie picked on draft day. The Ballers picked him with the last pick, making him the 24th pick overall.

ROUND 3

 1. Ballers - Drake London WR, ATL

 2. Birds - Michael Pittman Jr. WR, IND

 3. CRUNCHY - Nico Collins WR, HOU

 4. Super Paurs - Deebo Samuel WR, SF

 5. Wreckingcrew - James Cook RB, BUF

 6. PaurPlay - Travis Kelce TE, KC

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Rhamondre Stevenson RB, NE

 8. Bubbles Army - Rachaad White RB, TB

 9. HORNS - Stefon Diggs WR, HOU

 10. Goodfellas - Joe Mixon RB, HOU

 11. Suncoast - Mike Evans WR, TB

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Brandon Aiyuk WR, SF

NOTES: This round was a little more receiver heavy once again, having seven go off the board. This seems to be a trend in a lot of drafts, having owners get two receivers and a running back after three rounds. . . . .Travis Kelce is the second tight end picked, which is a little unusual for him, but definitely a trend. Kelce has an ADP of 30.8, going after LaPorta in most drafts. Paur Play is hoping he has at least one more big season in him. . . . .It is always interesting seeing how owners value the two top receivers for the Texans. Nico Collins went before Stefon Diggs in this draft. Collins was picked third this round by CRUNCHY while the HORNS picked Diggs with the ninth pick.

ROUND 4

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Jaylen Waddle WR, MIA

 2. Suncoast - Jalen Hurts QB, PHI

 3. Goodfellas - D.J. Moore WR, CHI

 4. HORNS - DeVonta Smith WR, PHI

 5. Bubbles Army - Josh Allen QB, BUF

 6. Crusty GON Pod - D'Andre Swift RB, CHI

 7. PaurPlay - Patrick Mahomes QB, KC

 8. Wreckingcrew - D.K. Metcalf WR, SEA

 9. Super Paurs - Amari Cooper WR, CLE

 10. CRUNCHY - Kenneth Walker III RB, SEA

 11. Birds - Lamar Jackson QB, BAL

 12. Ballers - Trey McBride TE, ARI

NOTES: This was a quarterback heavy round, seeing four go off the board. Jalen Hurts was the first quarterback selected, getting picked by Suncoast. He went ahead of Josh Allen, who normally is the first quarterback picked in drafts. . . . .Trey McBride was the third tight end picked, going to the Ballers with the last pick in this round. McBride is flying up draft boards this year after this strong finish last season. He has an ADP of 48.2, so this spot for him is not out of the norm. . . .There was just two running backs picked this round after seeing at least four picked each of the first three rounds. D’Andre Swift and Kenneth Walker were the backs picked this round.

ROUND 5

 1. Ballers - Zay Flowers WR, BAL

 2. Birds - Mark Andrews TE, BAL

 3. CRUNCHY - Aaron Jones RB, MIN

 4. Super Paurs - Cooper Kupp WR, LAR

 5. Wreckingcrew - C.J. Stroud QB, HOU

 6. PaurPlay - Alvin Kamara RB, NO

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Kyle Pitts TE, ATL

 8. Bubbles Army - Dalton Kincaid TE, BUF

 9. HORNS - Anthony Richardson QB, IND

 10. Goodfellas - James Conner RB, ARI

 11. Suncoast - David Montgomery RB, DET

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - George Kittle TE, SF

NOTES: David Montgomery was one of the top league winners last year but falls to the fifth round of this draft, going to Suncoast with the 11th pick. Fantasy owners have concerns for a repeat season from Montgomery, having an ADP of 68.9. This could end up being a make or break pick for the defending champ. . . . .Cooper Kupp is another polarizing figure this season. He was a very early pick last year, but goes to the Super Paurs with the fifth pick in Round 5. He has taken quite the fall in drafts, having an ADP of 46.5. . . .There were four tight ends pick this round. Dalton Kincaid is the biggest mover from last year. The Horns picked him with the eighth pick. Kincaid is normally the fifth tight end off the board, so Horns might have gotten a little value with him being the seventh tight end selected with this pick.

ROUND 6

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Malik Nabers WR, NYG

 2. Suncoast - Najee Harris RB, PIT

 3. Goodfellas - Jaylen Warren RB, PIT

 4. HORNS - Zack Moss RB, CIN

 5. Bubbles Army - Christian Kirk WR, JAX

 6. Crusty GON Pod - George Pickens WR, PIT

 7. PaurPlay - Calvin Ridley WR, TEN

 8. Wreckingcrew - Jordan Love QB, GB

 9. Super Paurs - Zamir White RB, LV

 10. CRUNCHY - Tee Higgins WR, CIN

 11. Birds - Jayden Reed WR, GB

 12. Ballers - Tony Pollard RB, TEN

NOTES: The one pick that stands out in this round was the Birds taking Jayden Reed with the 11th pick. He has an ADP of 86.9, so they might have went a little early on Reed. He certainly has potential after scoring eight touchdowns his rookie season, but the Birds might have been able to get him a few rounds later. . . .The quarterback position slowed down a little this round with Jordan Love the only quarterback selected. He goes with the eight pick to Wreckingcrew. Love was fifth overall in fantasy quarterback scoring last year, so getting him after the elite guys are gone could turn out to be good value for Wreckingcrew. . . . .Some running backs that could be splitting work this year flew off the board. Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Zack Moss, Zamir White and Tony Pollard were all picked. They all have some question marks about playing time but if one emerges, they could be great value in Round 6.

ROUND 7

 1. Ballers - Terry McLaurin WR, WAS

 2. Birds - Jonathon Brooks RB, CAR

 3. CRUNCHY - Rashee Rice WR, KC

 4. Super Paurs - Joe Burrow QB, CIN

 5. Wreckingcrew - Evan Engram TE, JAX

 6. PaurPlay - Diontae Johnson WR, CAR

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Keenan Allen WR, CHI

 8. Bubbles Army - Austin Ekeler RB, WAS

 9. HORNS - Chris Godwin WR, TB

 10. Goodfellas - Tank Dell WR, HOU

 11. Suncoast - Javonte Williams RB, DEN

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Raheem Mostert RB, MIA

NOTES: Our first rookie running back was picked this round, seeing the Birds take Jonathan Brooks with the second pick. Brooks could start the year slow, recovering from his knee injury, but could be a huge factor down the stretch for the Birds. Brooks went around 10 spots later than normal, having an ADP of 64.3. . . .Rashee Rice is a player facing a possible multi-game suspension. If not for that, he would be going much higher. Instead, he falls to CRUNCHY with the third pick this round. Rice has an ADP of 81.6, so he goes about where he normally does in drafts. If he can end up avoiding a suspension, this pick will be a huge steal for CRUNCHY. . . .Raheem Mostert is another intriguing player to watch in drafts. He was a league winner for many last year but is not getting drafted like that. AlwaysBetOnBlack gets him with the last pick this round. Mostert has an ADP of 84.8, so most drafters are not betting on a repeat of his huge season.

ROUND 8

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Brian Robinson Jr. RB, WAS

 2. Suncoast - Marquise Brown WR, KC

 3. Goodfellas - Dak Prescott QB, DAL

 4. HORNS - Nick Chubb RB, CLE

 5. Bubbles Army - Devin Singletary RB, NYG

 6. Crusty GON Pod - Tyjae Spears RB, TEN

 7. PaurPlay - J.K. Dobbins RB, LAC

 8. Wreckingcrew - Blake Corum RB, LAR

 9. Super Paurs - David Njoku TE, CLE

 10. CRUNCHY - Jake Ferguson TE, DAL

 11. Birds - Christian Watson WR, GB

 12. Ballers - Trey Benson RB, ARI

NOTES: Nick Chubb is returning from another major injury and lasts until the fourth pick of Round 8. He has big question marks, but the Horns could take a chance on him with three quality backs already on his roster. . . .The Ballers took a chance on rookie Trey Benson in Round 8. After taking Christian McCaffrey with the first pick, the Ballers filled up other positions on his roster before taking chances on running backs later in the draft. . . . .There were seven total running backs picked this round. Many owners are hoping to find that great mid-round value, looking for the Raheem Mostert of this season.

ROUND 9

 1. Ballers - Zach Charbonnet RB, SEA

 2. Birds - Ezekiel Elliott RB, DAL

 3. CRUNCHY - Kyler Murray QB, ARI

 4. Super Paurs - Ty Chandler RB, MIN

 5. Wreckingcrew - DeAndre Hopkins WR, TEN

 6. PaurPlay - Chase Brown RB, CIN

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Caleb Williams QB, CHI

 8. Bubbles Army - Jordan Addison WR, MIN

 9. HORNS - T.J. Hockenson TE, MIN

 10. Goodfellas - Gus Edwards RB, LAC

 11. Suncoast - Courtland Sutton WR, DEN

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Trevor Lawrence QB, JAX

NOTES: Three quarterbacks go this round, giving every team at least one quarterback except one. Ballers is the only team that doesn’t have a quarterbacks after nine rounds. The three quarterbacks picked this round were Kyler Murray, rookie Caleb Williams and Trevor Lawrence. . . .Teams continues to load up on mid-round running backs with five getting of the 12 picks being running backs. None of these backs are sure things but both Ezekiel Elliott and Gus Edwards have some touchdown potential on their teams. . . .DeAndre Hopkins is not getting drafted as he was in the past. He goes with the fifth pick to Wreckingcrew. This spot is even later than normal for Hopkins, who has an ADP of 79.6.

ROUND 10

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Xavier Worthy WR, KC

 2. Suncoast - Dallas Goedert TE, PHI

 3. Goodfellas - Ladd McConkey WR, LAC

 4. HORNS - Keon Coleman WR, BUF

 5. Bubbles Army - Jaxon Smith-Njigba WR, SEA

 6. Crusty GON Pod - Jerome Ford RB, CLE

 7. PaurPlay - Jameson Williams WR, DET

 8. Wreckingcrew - Rico Dowdle RB, DAL

 9. Super Paurs - Mike Williams WR, NYJ

 10. CRUNCHY - Brian Thomas Jr. WR, JAX

 11. Birds - Curtis Samuel WR, BUF

 12. Ballers - Brock Purdy QB, SF

NOTES: Round 10 is the round of the rookie. There were four rookie receivers picked this round, including Xavier Worthy, Ladd McConkey, Keon Coleman and Brian Thomas. These are four receivers that all have the chance to emerge as top playmakers in their respective offenses. . . . .Ballers is the last team to take a quarterback, picking Brock Purdy with the last pick in Round 10. Purdy was seventh overall in fantasy quarterback scoring last year. . . . Suncoast was the last team to select a tight end, taking Dallas Goedert with the second pick. Goedert can be erratic but has a high weekly ceiling in his offense.

ROUND 11

 1. Ballers - Kendre Miller RB, NO

 2. Birds - Josh Downs WR, IND

 3. CRUNCHY - Rome Odunze WR, CHI

 4. Super Paurs - Gabriel Davis WR, JAX

 5. Wreckingcrew - Brandin Cooks WR, DAL

 6. PaurPlay - Jahan Dotson WR, WAS

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Cole Kmet TE, CHI

 8. Bubbles Army - Brock Bowers TE, LV

 9. HORNS - Jerry Jeudy WR, CLE

 10. Goodfellas - Jayden Daniels QB, WAS

 11. Suncoast - Tyler Lockett WR, SEA

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Brandon Aubrey K, DAL

NOTES: We had our first team take a second quarterback. Goodfellas took rookie Jayden Daniels with the 10th pick. They picked Dak Prescott two rounds earlier, giving him what could be a potent one-two punch at quarterback. . . .Our first kicker was picked. Brandon Aubrey was taken with the last pick this round by AlwaysBetOnBlack. It is a tad earlier than normal for our first kicker. Aubrey has an ADP of 133.1. . . .The top tight end in this year’s draft, Brock Bowers, was picked by Bubbles Army with the eighth pick. Bubbles is hoping Bowers is the Sam LaPorta of this year’s rookie class.

ROUND 12

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Dallas Cowboys Def/ST, DAL

 2. Suncoast - Jakobi Meyers WR, LV

 3. Goodfellas - Kimani Vidal RB, LAC

 4. HORNS - Khalil Shakir WR, BUF

 5. Bubbles Army - MarShawn Lloyd RB, GB

 6. Crusty GON Pod - Antonio Gibson RB, NE

 7. PaurPlay - Justin Herbert QB, LAC

 8. Wreckingcrew - Pat Freiermuth TE, PIT

 9. Super Paurs - Jared Goff QB, DET

 10. CRUNCHY - Kirk Cousins QB, ATL

 11. Birds - Tua Tagovailoa QB, MIA

 12. Ballers - Chuba Hubbard RB, CAR

NOTES: AlwaysBetOnBlack took the first kicker and followed that by picking the first defense. The Cowboys defense is the first off the board, giving AlwaysBetOnBlack both the Cowboys kicker and defense. . . . .There were a couple rookie running backs picked this round. Kimani Vidal and MarShawn Lloyd don’t have a clear path to playing time with their respective teams but have some potential if given the opportunities. . . .Four teams took backup quarterbacks this round. It is interesting to see Justin Herbert fall so far, but he has question marks because of a new offense and lack of playmakers in the passing game.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 16

Player Notes
Troy Franklin Dec 24 9:50pm ET
Troy Franklin

Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin (ankle) was able to get through a full practice session on Tuesday. Franklin popped up on the injury report to begin the week, but the fact he was a full participant on Tuesday suggests that he'll be fine for the Week 17 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Franklin hauled in two of his three targets for 25 yards during last week's loss. The rookie wideout hasn't finished with more than two receptions in a single game since Week 7. That being said, Franklin won't be an ideal streaming option for Saturday's game against the Bengals.

From RotoBaller

JaMycal Hasty Dec 24 9:40pm ET
JaMycal Hasty

New England Patriots running back JaMycal Hasty (ankle) was a full participant during Tuesday's practice session. This is good news after Hasty was forced to miss last week's loss to the Buffalo Bills due to an ankle injury. The 28-year-old as mainly been used as the third-down back while also operating as the primary kick returner. His status won't make a difference for fantasy purposes, but having Hasty out there would be a benefit to the Pats special teams unit ahead of Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

From RotoBaller

Noah Fant Dec 24 9:30pm ET
Noah Fant

Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (knee) was a full participant during Tuesday's practice session. That is good news after Fant was limited during Monday's walkthrough. It sounds like Fant should be ready to go for Thursday's game against the Chicago Bears. Fant has been dealing with a lingering knee issue for weeks, but has suited up in each of the last four games. Over that span, Fant has 12 receptions for 109 yards, which means he'll be a low-end TE2 for Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Zach Charbonnet Dec 24 9:20pm ET
Zach Charbonnet

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (elbow) was a full participant during Tuesday's practice session. This is good news after Charbonnet was listed as limited to begin the week. It appears Charbonnet is trending in the right direction ahead of Thursday's game against the Chicago Bears. The 23-year-old has seen more activity lately, but that could be because fellow back Kenneth Walker III (ankle) is still banged up. Walker missed Tuesday's practice after suffering an ankle injury during last week's loss to the Minnesota Vikings. If Walker sits, Charbonnet would be a strong RB2 for Thursday's game.

From RotoBaller

Kenneth Walker III Dec 24 9:20pm ET
Kenneth Walker III

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (ankle) was not able to suit up for Tuesday's practice session. This marks back-to-back missed practice sessions for Walker after he suffered an ankle injury during last week's loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The fact Walker is still missing practice is not a good sign ahead of Thursday's game against the Chicago Bears. If Walker sits, Zach Charbonnet (elbow) would become the lead back and would be a solid RB2 for fantasy purposes. Fantasy managers will have to check back on Wednesday for another update on his status.

From RotoBaller

Aaron Rodgers Dec 24 8:23pm ET
Aaron Rodgers

New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers (knee) is dealing with a 'little' MCL injury but expects to play in Week 17, he told reporters on Tuesday, Dec. 24.

Fantasy Spin: While Rodgers playing is good news for the Jets' offense, he isn't a suggested lineup option in Week 17.

From TheHuddle

Leonard Williams Dec 24 8:23pm ET
Leonard Williams

Seattle Seahawks TE Brady Russell (foot) and RB Kenneth Walker III (ankle) did not take part in practice on Tuesday, Dec. 24. Also, OT Abraham Lucas (knee, rest), LB Ernest Jones (knee, rest) and DE Leonard Williams (foot, rest) were limited and S K'Von Wallace (ankle), TE Noah Fant (knee), RB Zach Charbonnet (elbow), C Olu Oluwatimi (knee), LB Derick Hall (shoulder) and LB Uchenna Nwosu (wrist) practiced in full. The injury report was an estimation, as the Seahawks held a walkthrough.

From TheHuddle

James Conner Dec 24 7:23pm ET
James Conner

Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner (knee) was a limited participant in practice on Tuesday, Dec. 24. The injury report was an estimation, as the Cardinals only held a walkthrough.

Fantasy Spin: Conner exited the Week 16 game early due to a knee injury, but the fact that he was an estimated limited participant is a good sign he has a chance to play. Conner is a borderline RB1 play if he suits up.

From TheHuddle

Anthony Miller Dec 24 7:23pm ET
Anthony Miller

Baltimore Ravens WR Anthony Miller was elevated from the practice squad for Week 17 on Tuesday, Dec. 24.

From TheHuddle

Matt Prater Dec 24 7:13pm ET
Matt Prater

Arizona Cardinals S Joey Blount (ribs), CB Elijah Jones (ankle) and P Michael Palardy (illness) did not take part in practice on Tuesday, Dec. 24. Also, OL Kelvin Beachum (rest), RB Trey Benson (ankle), OL Evan Brown (neck), LB Baron Browning (neck), RB James Conner (knee), PK Matt Prater (knee), DL Darius Robinson (calf) and LB Mack Wilson (concussion) were limited. The injury report was an estimation, as the Cardinals only held a walkthrough.

From TheHuddle

Will Dissly Dec 24 7:10pm ET
Will Dissly

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Will Dissly (shoulder) was limited in practice on Tuesday. Additionally, tight end Hayden Hurst (illness) did not practice on Tuesday. Dissly has missed two straight games with the injury so his return to practice at this point in the week is encouraging. Dissly is not very fantasy-relevant on his own, but he is an important offensive piece for the Chargers, especially quarterback Justin Herbert. Hurst was the No. 1 tight end for the Chargers in Week 16 in Dissly's absence. However, Hurst was returning from a hip injury that had sidelined him since Week 11. As such, he only received one target which resulted in one catch for eight yards. Hurst's absence with an illness is not concerning at this point in the week but it is worth monitoring as the week wears on. Neither player is on the fantasy radar this week, but both are important for the prospects of Herbert's fantasy play. Hopefully, both tight ends will be able to take the field together for the first time since Week 10.

From RotoBaller

J.K. Dobbins Dec 24 7:00pm ET
J.K. Dobbins

Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (knee) was limited in practice on Tuesday. Dobbins' running mate Gus Edwards (ankle) was also limited. Dobbins has been on injured reserve since Week 12 with his injury. He had been putting together a nice bounce back season with 766 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in 11 games. The Chargers need Dobbins for the last bit of their playoff push. Edwards has been the main rusher in Dobbins' absence. He has racked up 365 rushing yards and four touchdowns this season. He is coming off his best game of the season in which he ran for 68 yards and two touchdowns against the Denver Broncos in Week 16. The Chargers will face the New England Patriots in Week 16. The matchup is great for running backs. It seems likely that both players will be active. Given that Dobbins is coming off a long-term injury, it will be difficult to trust either player in fantasy this week. For now, fantasy managers should monitor the situation and see how practice reps evolve over the course of this week.

From RotoBaller

Jaleel McLaughlin Dec 24 6:50pm ET
Jaleel McLaughlin

Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin (quadricep) was limited in practice on Tuesday. McLaughlin missed Denver's Week 16 game against the Los Angeles Chargers with the injury. His return to practice this early in the week suggests that McLaughlin has a good chance of being available when the Broncos travel to Cincinnati this weekend. McLaughlin is part of a robust running back committee that includes Javonte Williams, Audric Estime, and Tyler Badie (back). McLaughlin has had a few solid games this season en route to 388 rushing yards and a touchdown. However, despite a great matchup in Week 17, McLaughlin is not much of a fantasy option. There simply is no way to know which Broncos running back will receive the majority of the workload on a week-to-week basis. Leave McLaughlin on the waiver wire for fantasy championship weekend.

From RotoBaller

Jabrill Peppers Dec 24 6:43pm ET
Jabrill Peppers

New England Patriots C Ben Brown (concussion), S Kyle Dugger, (ankle, quad) and CB Marcus Jones (hip) did not practice Tuesday, Dec. 24. LB Curtis Jacobs (concussion), S Jabrill Peppers (hamstring), OL Cole Strange (knee), LB Jahlani Tavai (groin) and OT Caedan Wallace (ankle) were limited at practice. RB JaMycal Hasty, (ankle) was a full participant.

From TheHuddle

Matt Prater Dec 24 6:40pm ET
Matt Prater

Arizona Cardinals kicker Matt Prater (left knee) was limited in practice on Tuesday. Prater was recently designated to return from injured reserve and has been practicing in his 21-day window for the past week. Prater has not played since Week 4, so it is no surprise that the Cardinals are easing the 40-year-old back into action. Prater is one of the better kickers in NFL history. Before his injury, he had not missed a kick this season. However, if he were to be activated ahead of Week 17 against the Los Angeles Rams, he would be a risky play in fantasy. The Cardinals offense can be inconsistent at times, and Prater may need to shake off some rust. Even so, it is good to see Prater progressing from his injury.

From RotoBaller

Hayden Hurst Dec 24 6:33pm ET
Hayden Hurst

Los Angeles Chargers DL Otito Ogbonnia (pelvis), LB Denzel Perryman (groin), OL Trey Pipkins (hip), TE Hayden Hurst (illness) and P JK Scott (illness) did not practice Tuesday, Dec. 24. CB Cam Hart (concussion), TE Will Dissly (shoulder), S Tony Jefferson (hamstring) and DB Elijah Molden (knee) were limited at practice.

From TheHuddle

Trey Benson Dec 24 6:30pm ET
Trey Benson

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (knee) was limited at practice on Tuesday. Rookie running back Trey Benson (ankle) was also limited. Conner picked up his injury in Week 16 against the Carolina Panthers. There has been much speculation as to whether or not Conner would be able to play in Week 17, especially since the Cardinals have been eliminated from playoff contention. Conner's participation in practice in any capacity on Tuesday is a very encouraging sign for his availability this weekend. Benson missed Week 16 with his ankle injury. His availability on Sunday would be a great sight for depth behind Conner or for Benson's standalone value. Conner has been on fire lately. He has rushed for 90 or more yards and scored a touchdown in three straight games. Fantasy managers have been riding Conner all the way to championship weekend as a result. Conner has rushed for his second 1,000-yard season in 2024. He has also caught 45 passes for 410 yards. If Conner is active this weekend, he should pick up where he left off in Week 16 when the Cardinals face the Los Angeles Rams.

From RotoBaller

Tee Higgins Dec 24 6:20pm ET
Tee Higgins

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (ankle/knee) was limited to kick-off Week 17 preparation. Higgins often receives rest for various ailments throughout the season. However, he has not been listed with an ankle injury recently. That suggests that he picked up the ankle issue on Sunday, but the fact that he practiced in any capacity is encouraging. Higgins has put together a strong stretch of games recently. He has scored in four of his past five games and is receiving solid target volume. Higgins is having a solid season all-around with 727 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 10 games. The seven touchdowns match Higgins' career high. The Bengals will face a tough defense when they host the Denver Broncos in Week 17. However, matchups do not seem to matter with the way quarterback Joe Burrow is currently playing. Additionally, Higgins' ankle injury is worth keeping an eye on as the week progresses, but it is relatively unconcerning for now.

From RotoBaller

Marcedes Lewis Dec 24 6:13pm ET
Marcedes Lewis

Chicago Bears CB Elijah Hicks (ankle, foot), RB Travis Homer (hamstring), OG Teven Jenkins (calf), CB Tarvarius Moore (knee) and TE Marcedes Lewis (rest) did not participate in practice Tuesday, Dec. 24. DT Gervon Dexter (knee), LB Amen Ogbongbemiga (hip) and OG Doug Kramer (shoulder) were limited during practice.

From TheHuddle