Fri Dec 12 9:51pm ET
Field Level Media
The Las Vegas Raiders made it official Friday, naming backup Kenny Pickett the starting quarterback for their Sunday game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Pickett played for the Super Bowl champion Eagles in 2024, backing up Jalen Hurts and starting one game, a 41-7 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17.
Regular starter Geno Smith has been nursing a right shoulder injury and couldn't practice this week after sustaining the injury in the Raiders' 24-17 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
Pickett, 27, received first-team reps in practice this week after relieving Smith in the Broncos game, going 8 of 11 for 97 yards with a touchdown pass.
The Raiders (2-11) acquired Pickett from the Browns after training camp was completed in August. Cleveland previously acquired Pickett from the Eagles but ran out of room at the position.
Pickett has completed 481 of 769 passes (62.5%) for 4,870 yards, 16 TDs and 14 picks in 33 games (25 starts) for the Pittsburgh Steelers (2022-23), Eagles (2024) and Raiders. He is 15-10 as a starter.
The Steelers selected him 20th overall in the 2022 draft out of the University of Pittsburgh.
The Raiders have lost seven straight heading into Sunday against the Eagles (8-5).
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (hand) enters Week 15 facing a tough Kansas City Chiefs defense while still managing a fracture in his non-throwing hand. Last week's 22-19 overtime win over the Philadelphia Eagles saw Herbert complete just 12 of 26 passes for 139 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, along with losing one of his two fumbles and taking a record seven sacks. His passing volume is considerably limited, forcing him to rely on his legs, where he led the team with 66 rushing yards. The Chiefs are a top-10 defense, tied for third in allowed aDOT and third in passing touchdowns allowed, though they rank 24th in sack percentage. With offensive tackle Trey Pipkins doubtful with an ankle injury, the already-battered offensive line faces a significant challenge. Chiefs Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo should look to exploit the Chargers' weak offensive line, stack the box, and force Herbert to pass under pressure. RotoBaller ranks Herbert as QB22 this week. Given the injury, reduced passing volume, and tough road matchup, fantasy managers should temper expectations and consider Herbert a low-end QB2 for the week.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton returned from IR last week after missing seven games with a fractured ankle. He carried the ball 13 times for 56 yards (4.3 YPC) and scored a receiving touchdown in the team's overtime win against the Philadelphia Eagles. The carries were split almost evenly with Kimani Vidal, and it's uncertain if this division will continue or if the Chargers are still gradually reintegrating Hampton into his starting role. OC Greg Roman recently said he prefers a hot-hand approach, but right now is "seeing two guys with the hot hand," which is "a good problem to have." Hampton faces the Kansas City Chiefs, who are among the top teams in rushing yards allowed. Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo will aim to shut down the run and force the injured Justin Herbert to pass. Considering Herbert's recent limitations and the team's reliance on the ground game, Hampton will be a crucial part of the offense. RotoBaller ranks him as RB27 this week. Hampton is a strong, albeit volume-limited, high-end RB3 with touchdown potential in a run-heavy game plan.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery had one of his better games of the season in Week 14, recording 73 scrimmage yards and a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys. However, Montgomery earned just seven touches, marking the third time in his last four games that he failed to reach the 10-touch mark. With Jahmyr Gibbs dominating the backfield workload in Detroit, Montgomery has become increasingly dependent on touchdowns for fantasy production. He may have a tough time finding the end zone in Week 15 when the Lions travel to Los Angeles to take on the Rams. Through 14 weeks, the Rams have allowed the fewest rushing touchdowns in the NFL (four). At best, Montgomery profiles as a low-end flex option for deeper-league managers in Week 15.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson has been one of the biggest fantasy risers within the last month or so. Over his last five games, he has 17 catches, 155 yards, and four touchdowns, ranking as the overall TE4 in half-PPR leagues during that span. He has filled in quite admirably for Tyler Higbee (ankle), and he should continue to remain heavily involved as a top target for Matthew Stafford in his Week 15 revenge game against the Detroit Lions. At worst, Parkinson will be third in the pecking order this week behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams (hamstring). However, Adams is listed as questionable, so if he doesn't suit up, Parkinson would likely be the No. 2 target in this high-volume passing offense. He currently ranks as the TE19 in this week's RotoBaller fantasy rankings, and he has top-12 upside. Parkinson is a solid fantasy streamer in leagues with at least 12 teams.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal heads into Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs with an almost evenly split backfield, following the recent return of Omarion Hampton (14 carries for Vidal vs. 13 for Hampton). Vidal ran the ball 14 times for 44 yards (3.1 YPC) but made a notable impact with one reception for 60 yards, resulting in a 68.9% snap share. Chargers OC Greg Roman recently said he prefers a hot-hand approach, but right now, he is "seeing two guys with the hot hand," which is "a good problem to have." Although the Chiefs are more vulnerable on the ground than through the air, they still rank in the top seven in rushing yards allowed, making this a tough matchup for both backs. RotoBaller projects Vidal as RB43 this week. Given his involvement in the passing game and the team's ongoing reliance on the run due to Justin Herbert's injury, Vidal is a low-end FLEX option in deeper leagues.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams kicker Harrison Mevis has been a high-volume option ever since joining the team, but the vast majority of his kicks have been extra points rather than field goals. Since extra points account for just one point in most fantasy leagues, managers might expect that Mevis' fantasy output has been relatively low. In reality, though, he has kicked so many extra points and has been accurate enough that he remains firmly on the fantasy radar for Week 15 against the Detroit Lions. In five games with the Rams, he is 23-for-23 on extra points and 3-for-3 on field goals. Just last week alone, he converted seven kicks (six extra points and one field goal). The biggest drawback for Mevis is that the Rams have scored more touchdowns than field goals, and even when they do get a fourth-down situation in field-goal range, they're not afraid to keep the offense on the field. This has kept Mevis' floor low, but at the same time, he arguably has one of the highest ceilings among all fantasy kickers. After all, if the Rams start kicking more field goals, Mevis could jump to the top tier of fantasy kickers. As it stands, he continues to rank quite high. He's the #5 kicker in this week's RotoBaller fantasy football rankings.
From RotoBaller
Across 13 games this season, Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs has recorded 1,536 scrimmage yards and 16 touchdowns on 245 touches. The 23-year-old has logged at least 146 yards from scrimmage in four out of his last five games while also scoring nine touchdowns in that span. A big part of Gibbs' recent surge has been increased involvement in the passing game. Across four games since Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (back) was placed on Injured Reserve with a back injury, Gibbs is averaging 7.8 targets per contest. In Week 15, Gibbs will face a Los Angeles Rams defense that currently ranks eighth in the NFL in yards per carry allowed (3.9) and has allowed the fewest rushing touchdowns in the league (four). Still, the Lions will likely continue to funnel touches to him as both a rusher and a receiver, and Gibbs is always a threat to make a big play. He profiles as a must-start fantasy running back in Week 15.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson had a major bounce back in Week 14, hauling in 11 catches for 142 yards with 2 touchdowns on 16 targets. The 25-year-old has stepped up in the Cardinals' offense over the last half of the season, with Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel) bouncing in and out of the lineup. In the last three games with Harrison out, Wilson has averaged 16.3 targets, 12 catches, 148.3 yards, and tallied 30.8 PPR points per game. Entering Week 15, Wilson is RotoBaller's 12th-ranked wide receiver in PPR leagues despite a difficult matchup against the Houston Texans. The Texans' defense has allowed the fewest receiving touchdowns and the fourth-fewest receptions this season. With Harrison ruled out for a second straight week, Wilson should be viewed as a low-end WR1 in PPR formats that can garner enough targets to be inserted into fantasy lineups.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry has been playing well lately, catching 15 passes for 233 yards and one touchdown over his last three games. However, he'll face a very tough test in Week 15 against the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have allowed the fewest fantasy points to tight ends in 2025, as well as the fewest catches, the fewest receiving touchdowns, and the second-fewest receiving yards. In his last game against the Bills, Henry was held to just two catches for 46 yards. Not only does Henry have an extremely challenging matchup on tap, but he'll also lose key opportunities as New England continues to do a good job spreading the ball around. TreVeyon Henderson, Rhamondre Stevenson, Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, and Kayhson Boutte should all compete for sizable volume in Week 15, making it tougher for Henry to overcome this difficult matchup. He ranks as the overall TE13 in the latest RotoBaller rankings, and he has an even lower floor. He should be benched in fantasy leagues with 12 or fewer teams.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins remains a steady depth contributor ahead of Sunday's Week 15 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Hollins continues to be a dependable target for Drake Maye and has made numerous big plays to move the chains or advance the ball downfield this season. He capitalized on increased opportunities when Kayshon Boutte missed time with a hamstring injury, and he has maintained a pretty consistent role ever since then. The 32-year-old has played at least 75% of the snaps in each of his last four contests, averaging 6.3 targets, 3.8 catches, and 55.8 yards per game during that span. Although he's third on the depth chart behind Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte, Hollins could carve out low-end flex value in fantasy leagues with at least 14 teams this week. He's a fine streamer for managers looking to replace injured receivers in Week 15. As it stands, he ranks as the overall WR72 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett is heading into Week 15 after a full week of assurance and confidence as the Cardinals' starting quarterback for the first time this season. The Cardinals announced last week that Kyler Murray (foot) will not return this season, allowing Brissett to focus on playing football instead of worrying about Murray's return. Brissett enters Week 15 as RotoBaller's 20th-ranked quarterback in a nightmare matchup against the Houston Texans. The Texans' defense has been the toughest defense for quarterbacks to face this season, allowing only 12.2 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, according to FanDuel. The Texans' pass defense has surrendered the fewest passing touchdowns and has forced the second-most interceptions in the league, going into Week 15. Brissett will also be without his top wide receiver, Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel), for a second straight week. In an unfavorable situation, Brissett will be a risky streaming option for fantasy managers heading into the first round of the fantasy football playoffs.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams has struggled to emerge as a consistent fantasy threat in his first NFL campaign. He does have two touchdowns over his last four games, but he also has just three catches during that span and only five catches this entire season. With Kayshon Boutte healthy again, Williams has returned to a depth role. He played just 22% of the offensive snaps in New England's last game and is likely headed for a similar snap share in Week 15 against the Buffalo Bills. Williams is a talented receiver who has shown that he is capable of making big plays, but in order to do so, he'll have to capitalize on limited playing time. The odds of Williams carving out a fantasy-relevant role are slim, so he should remain on waivers in all redraft leagues. He can be stashed on the bench in dynasty formats. As it stands, Williams ranks as the WR91 in RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings for this week.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. had a down year in 2024. However, he's turned it around this season. In 13 appearances, the 28-year-old has 69 catches (94 targets) for 699 yards. While he could have a tough time surpassing his mark from the 2023 campaign (109 receptions), he has already amassed a career-high seven touchdowns. Unfortunately, the Colts have struggled of late, with the team losing their last three contests. To make matters worse, Daniel Jones went down with a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. As a result, Indy will turn to Philip Rivers or Riley Leonard (knee), who no longer carries an injury designation, in Sunday's meeting with the Seahawks. As expected, many feel that neither player will do enough to get Indianapolis back to the top of the AFC South. With that in mind, Pittman's fantasy ceiling might be at its lowest point of the season, especially with a challenging contest on tap. Although he's still a must-start in any setup, considering he's been a top fantasy wideout, managers should expect the worst and hope for the best in Week 15.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte continues to handle a large volume of snaps, but it has resulted in inconsistent production thus far. He has six games with single-digit fantasy points in PPR leagues, and five games with double-digit points. His results have been somewhat unpredictable, but he faces an uphill battle to produce in Week 15 against a solid Buffalo Bills defense. The Bills have allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to perimeter wide receivers in 2025, which limits Boutte's fantasy upside since he has played more than 90% of his snaps out wide. In his last outing against the Bills, he was held to a modest three catches for 43 yards. The 23-year-old is headed for a tough matchup this week and could quite possibly be outperformed by both Stefon Diggs and Hunter Henry in the passing game. As a result, Boutte is the overall WR40 in this week's RotoBaller fantasy rankings, which means that he can be benched in most formats.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn has been locked in all season, making 29 of 32 field goal attempts and 18 extra points. The fact that he has almost twice as many field goals as extra points shows how conservative the Texans typically are on offense, as they lean into the strength of their defense to win most matchups. Fairbairn converted both of his field goals and both of his extra points in last week's win in Kansas City, and he'll have an even better matchup this week against the Cardinals, who have given up the third-most points to kickers this season. Fiarbairn also gets to kick indoors in NRG Stadium, so the weather won't be a factor. In a great environment and a favorable matchup, Fairbairn is ranked as the No. 4 kicker in RotoBaller's Week 15 rankings
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs is gearing up for another potential revenge game against the Buffalo Bills in Week 15. When these two teams last faced each other in Week 5, Diggs exploded for his best game of the season, amassing 12 targets, 10 catches, and 146 receiving yards. The veteran receiver had an impressive stretch of performances near the middle of the season, but he came back down to earth over the last two weeks, totaling just five catches and zero touchdowns during that span while playing fewer than half of the offensive snaps. Despite recently failing to live up to his expectations, Diggs is still a very talented receiver who has repeatedly earned Drake Maye's trust. He has a strong chance to bounce back against his old team in Week 15. As it stands, he ranks as the overall WR21 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson was quiet in his first game back from injury, but in the following game, he returned to the lead-back role and delivered double-digit fantasy points (full-PPR). As long as he continues to handle at least 50% of the offensive snaps, Stevenson figures to remain a solid RB3/flex option for Week 15 against the Buffalo Bills. In his last outing, the 27-year-old played 58% of the snaps with 12 carries, 40 rushing yards, three receptions, and 40 receiving yards. Teammate TreVeyon Henderson played just 49% of the snaps, and while he was far more efficient on the ground, he mustered a lower total of 19 receiving yards. We expect Stevenson to carve out a sizable role in the passing game once again. Not only has he been a very solid pass-catcher this year, but his impressive pass-blocking skills will earn him additional snaps on passing downs. While Henderson has greater yardage and touchdown upside, Stevenson's ability to catch passes makes him a top-36 running back in half-PPR and full-PPR formats.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz has racked up 62 catches this season but only scored one touchdown, making him a deep-league PPR option but not a reliable, regular starter in standard-sized leagues. Schultz had three catches on four targets for 22 yards last week against the Chiefs, and he has at least three catches in all but two of his games this season. His only touchdown came against the Jaguars from Davis Mills, but C.J. Stroud looks his way often on short-yardage targets as well. His consistent volume gives him a high floor, but his ceiling is limited since he hasn't scored as many touchdowns. Schultz is the No. 17 TE this week in RotoBaller's rankings, as he faces the Cardinals, who have allowed six touchdowns and an average of 61 yards per game to tight ends this season. Even with a boost from the matchup, Schultz is better used as a TE2 than a starter in standard-sized leagues this week.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins continues to have a solid rookie season, and he has been able to establish himself as the team's second receiver during their current winning streak. Last week, Higgins had three catches on five targets for 34 yards. He has at least five targets and at least three catches in five straight games and has scored two of his four touchdowns this season during that span. Higgins hasn't posted huge yardage totals, but he's a big target by the goal line and is in a favorable matchup against the Cardinals, who have allowed four wide receiver touchdowns in the last two weeks. Higgins is a touchdown-dependent option this week, but he does bring some upside as the team's second receiver in a game where it should put up plenty of points. Higgins is the No. 46 WR in RotBaller's rankings for Week 15, making him a stretch even as a flex play outside of very deep formats. He is a player on the rise, though, so he definitely is worth monitoring as he finishes out his rookie year.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has had a stellar season. The 26-year-old leads the league in several rushing categories, including yards (1,356) and touchdowns (16). He also ranks second in attempts (247), two behind James Cook III (249). At this point, Taylor appears to be well on his way to having the best season of his career. Unfortunately, the 2020 No. 41 overall pick has cooled since finding the end zone three times versus the Atlanta Falcons in Berlin back in Week 10, scoring only once in his last three appearances. With four regular-season games left on the schedule, Indianapolis is looking for a much-needed win over Seattle on Sunday in hopes of climbing back to the top of the AFC South. However, the Colts have to figure out a way to win without Daniel Jones (Achilles), who will miss the remainder of the 2025 campaign. That means Indy will turn to the recently un-retired Philip Rivers or Riley Leonard (knee) to take over under center in Week 15. All things considered, both quarterbacks could have a tough time getting anything going against a formidable Seahawks defense, meaning Taylor may get his number called even more than usual. Granted, JT might not have the easiest day either, considering Seattle has allowed just four rushing touchdowns this season. Still, despite the challenging matchup on the horizon, Taylor remains a must-start in all season-long fantasy formats. On the other hand, DFS managers should consider alternative options.
From RotoBaller