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USFFL Est. 2015
FFL: Offseason | NFL: Week 18

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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Player Notes
Doug Pederson Jan 5 12:30pm ET
Doug Pederson

FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz reports that there is a league-wide understanding that a complete overhaul, including parting ways with general manager Trent Baalke, is necessary for the Jacksonville Jaguars to attract top coaching candidates, according to sources. There was a belief a few weeks ago that the Jaguars might retain Baalke, but apparently the organization's decision-makers decided this week that a full overhaul is in the best interest of the team moving forward. The expectation is that both Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson will get the axe on Black Monday. Jacksonville has plenty of young pieces in place on both sides of the ball to attract coaching candidates. Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will be at the top of the list for head-coach candidates around the league, but it's unclear if the Jags can pry him away from Detroit or the Chicago Bears.

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Drake Maye Jan 5 12:20pm ET
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As expected, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (hand) is officially active and will start on Sunday against the division-rival Buffalo Bills in the Week 18 regular-season opener. Maye has been dealing with a right-hand injury, and although he was questionable to play, there was never much doubt that he'd be active to close out his rookie season. It's been an up and down first year in the NFL for Maye, as he enters Week 18 action with a 66.8 completion percentage, 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 12 games (11 starts). The North Carolina product has shown flashes of upside, though, and given the lack of talent around him, it's hard to be too critical of the rookie in his first year. Despite some starters resting around the league, Maye will merely be a QB2 with upside in Week 18 against a Bills defense that will be pulling starters early.

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Kyle Dugger Jan 5 12:20pm ET
Kyle Dugger

New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger (ankle, quadriceps) is officially active for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Buffalo Bills. However, the team already ruled out cornerback Christian Gonzalez (concussion) after he suffered a concussion in last week's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Dugger has battled multiple lower-body injuries throughout the year but has mostly played through his ailments. Although the Patriots defense probably has more upside this weekend than they have all year with key starters on the Bills offense to play very little on Sunday, fantasy managers should continue to avoid their defense/special teams unit. In his fifth season with New England, Dugger enters the regular-season finale with 79 tackles (53 solo), one sack, eight tackles for loss, four pass breakups and a forced fumble in 12 starts.

From RotoBaller

Daniel Jones Jan 5 12:20pm ET
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New York Giants owner John Mara continues to evaluate head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen separately, according to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. As of Sunday in Week 18, Mara remains undecided on the futures of Daboll and Schoen with the organization. Schultz notes that "exploratory calls and feelers about potential scenarios if one were retained and the other let go have happened in recent days." Daboll has gone just 18-31-1 through three seasons with the Giants. He led them to a winning season and playoff berth in his first season at the helm, but he owns a miserable .273 winning percentage since then. Schoen has been with the Giants for three years, as well. He has some impressive moves on his resume, including this year's selection of Malik Nabers and the reinforcement of New York's offensive line, but has also received much-deserved criticism for the Daniel Jones extension and Saquon Barkley departure, among other moves. With many coaching staff shakeups expected across the NFL over the next few days, time is running out for Mara to make key personnel decisions. We would expect more clarity on the futures of Daboll and Schoen by Monday afternoon.

From RotoBaller

Sterling Shepard Jan 5 12:13pm ET
Sterling Shepard

Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Sterling Shepard (hamstring) is officially active for the Week 18 game.

Fantasy Spin: Shepard had a decent role in the passing game a few weeks ago but has been targeted only four times over the last two games. He probably will see a few targets this week, but fantasy players should have better options available and can avoid Shepard.

From TheHuddle

Curtis Samuel Jan 5 12:10pm ET
Curtis Samuel

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Christian Watson Jan 5 12:10pm ET
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Romeo Doubs Jan 5 12:10pm ET
Romeo Doubs

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs (illness) is inactive for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Chicago Bears. He had been listed as questionable after his late addition to the injury report on Saturday. The 24-year-old finishes the regular season as the overall WR52 in PPR leagues, catching 46 passes for 601 yards and four touchdowns over the course of 16 games. He has been one of several impactful pass-catchers in the Packers' offense, commanding targets amidst a committee of low-end fantasy receivers. His absence in Week 18 leaves Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, and Dontayvion Wicks as the Packers' top healthy wide receivers.

From RotoBaller

Hunter Henry Jan 5 12:10pm ET
Hunter Henry

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (foot) has been ruled out for the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Henry was limited in practice all week but will end his 2024 season a week early. With the 30-year-old officially out against a Bills defense that will be taking it easy with the No. 2 seed already locked up for the playoffs, Austin Hooper could be a sneaky DFS play this weekend with a starting workload on tap. Henry will be back with New England next year after wrapping up his fourth season with the Pats. The former second-rounder by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2016 out of Arkansas finishes with a career-high 674 receiving yards on a career-high 66 receptions (97 targets), although he only found the end zone two times in 16 games, limiting his value as a low-end TE1 option on a weekly basis in fantasy.

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Travis Homer Jan 5 12:10pm ET
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Chicago Bears running back Travis Homer (hamstring) and left guard Teven Jenkins (calf) are inactive for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Green Bay Packers. Both players had been listed as questionable. Homer has operated as the Bears' No. 3 running back for most of this season, amassing just nine touches for 34 yards through 10 games. He was far more involved on special teams than on offense in 2024, leaving most of the backfield work to D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson. Meanwhile, Jenkins is headed for his third absence of the year, including his second in a row. He'll be replaced by Jake Curhan at left guard for Sunday's season finale.

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Xavier Legette Jan 5 12:10pm ET
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Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette (hip, wrist) is officially active for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Atlanta Falcons. The rookie had been listed as questionable after finishing last week with back-to-back limited practices. Legette has appeared in 15 contests this season, catching 46 passes for 467 yards and four touchdowns. He typically operates as the No. 2 receiver behind Adam Thielen, and last week, he led the team with nine targets. He should remain heavily involved on Sunday afternoon, but the Panthers' subpar offensive production leaves the rookie pass-catcher as a low-end WR3/FLEX option, at best.

From RotoBaller

Hunter Henry Jan 5 12:03pm ET
Hunter Henry

New England Patriots TE Hunter Henry (foot) has been declared inactive for the Week 18 game.

Fantasy Spin: Austin Hooper should see a handful of targets with Henry unavailable but probably can be avoided in most fantasy leagues.

From TheHuddle

Alvin Kamara Jan 5 12:00pm ET
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New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (groin) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This news does not come as much of a surprise given that Kamara had been listed as doubtful and did not practice this past week. The 29-year-old finishes the 2024 season with 950 rushing yards, 543 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns through 14 games. He was well on his way to his first-ever 1,000-yard rushing season before suffering a season-ending groin injury in Week 15. He'll come up 50 yards shy of that mark but still finishes 2024 as the overall RB8 in PPR leagues. With Kendre Miller (concussion) also sidelined, the Saints will rely on a combination of Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Jamaal Williams, and Jordan Mims out of the backfield in Week 18.

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Austin Ekeler Jan 5 12:00pm ET
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Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler (concussion) is officially active for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Dallas Cowboys. He had been listed as questionable but was widely expected to play after the Commanders activated him from injured reserve on Saturday. The 29-year-old spent the minimum of four games on injured reserve after suffering a scary head injury on special teams. He returns to his role as the No. 2 running back in Washington behind Brian Robinson Jr., but he'll still be able to carve out a significant workload. Through 11 games when healthy, Ekeler tallied 355 rushing yards, 346 receiving yards, and four touchdowns. Notably, he has scored a receiving touchdown in every season except 2024, so he'll have one last chance to extend that streak on Sunday. Ekeler will rank as a mid-range RB3 thanks to his pass-catching upside and Robinson's recent struggles.

From RotoBaller

Cade Otton Jan 5 12:00pm ET
Cade Otton

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (knee) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the New Orleans Saints. He had been listed as doubtful despite logging a limited practice on Friday. Otton finishes the 2024 regular season as the overall TE14 in PPR leagues, amassing 59 catches for 600 yards and four touchdowns through 14 games. He was one of the best tight ends in fantasy football when Mike Evans and Chris Godwin (ankle) were both sidelined, but his productivity dwindled as soon as Evans returned to the mix. Payne Durham will step up as the Buccaneers' top tight end in Week 18, ranking as a mid-range TE2 for fantasy purposes. Devin Culp, a rookie tight end out of Washington who saw his first career target last week and ended up catching three passes for 52 yards, should also remain involved.

From RotoBaller

Chigoziem Okonkwo Jan 5 12:00pm ET
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Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo (abdomen) is officially active for the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Houston Texans on Sunday. Okonkwo popped up on this week's injury report after putting in a limited practice on Thursday before sitting out on Friday. The 25-year-old will end up giving it a go in the team's final game of the season. He's been on a decent run of production of late with 22 catches on 28 targets for 182 yards and no touchdowns in the last three games, although that also coincided with Mason Rudolph taking over under center for the Titans. Tennessee is going back to quarterback Will Levis (at least to start) in Week 18, which should give fantasy managers some pause when considering Okonkwo as a TE streamer. He has 52 total catches on the year for 479 yards and only two touchdowns in 16 games.

From RotoBaller

Sterling Shepard Jan 5 12:00pm ET
Sterling Shepard

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard (hamstring) is officially active for Sunday's Week 18 game against the New Orleans Saints. He had been listed as questionable. The veteran receiver has been productive through 13 games in a depth role this season, catching 31 passes for 323 yards and one touchdown. He has served as a reliable target for Baker Mayfield, especially after Chris Godwin (ankle) suffered a season-ending injury. With that said, Shepard is off the fantasy radar as long as he remains behind Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan on the depth chart.

From RotoBaller

Juwan Johnson Jan 5 12:00pm ET
Juwan Johnson

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson (knee) is officially active for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He had been listed as questionable after logging three consecutive limited practices. Johnson has operated alongside Foster Moreau all season long, catching a career-high 44 passes for 468 yards and three touchdowns through 16 games. He ranks as the overall TE22 in PPR leagues this season, making him a mid-to-low TE2 option for the final week of the 2024 regular season.

From RotoBaller

K.J. Osborn Jan 5 12:00pm ET
K.J. Osborn

Washington Commanders wide receiver K.J. Osborn (illness) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Dallas Cowboys. Osborn had been listed as questionable with an illness, but it's also possible that his absence is non-injury-related and merely a coach's decision, as has been the case most weeks since Washington claimed him off waivers from New England. Terry McLaurin remains the Commanders' primary receiver with Olamide Zacchaeus thriving in a complementary role. Dyami Brown, Luke McCaffrey, and Jamison Crowder are depth pass-catching options for Sunday's regular-season finale.

From RotoBaller

Alvin Kamara Jan 5 11:53am ET
Alvin Kamara

New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara (groin) is not active for Week 18's game versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Fantasy Spin: Kamara had been listed as doubtful on the injury report after missing all three of the Saints' practice sessions during the week. RBs Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jamaal Williams are expected to split the carries in the New Orleans backfield this afternoon and both players can be viewed as flex options in deeper fantasy leagues.

From TheHuddle