Studs and Duds: Week 16

Mon Dec 22 11:13am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Nacua comes up huge again


Unfortunately, we had another week filled with injuries. It was not fun. Several players went down during their games. And we had a few other big-time players put up terrible fantasy numbers. This likely made for some fantasy teams that had great regular seasons bow out early in their playoffs. Hopefully, that wasn’t the case for your team.

Seahawks 38, Rams 37

Fantasy Stud: Puka Nacua. Nacua had another one of those game-changing fantasy performances. He was unstoppable, catching 12 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns. Nacua had 46.5 fantasy points. It was some type of performance. If you can believe this, Nacua has at least 27 fantasy points three straight games. He is carrying fantasy teams at this point of the season.

Fantasy Dud: Colby Parkinson. There were few down fantasy performances in this one, but Parkinson was one of them. He had been trending up but had just two receptions for 21 yards. He had touchdowns two straight and five of six games before this showing. Parkinson had high hopes for this week, especially with Davante Adams out of the lineup.

Game Notes: Matthew Stafford had a great performance, going 29-of-49 for 457 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover. He has 25-plus fantasy points three straight games.

Kenneth Walker hit the 100-yard mark for the second time this season. He ran 11 times for 100 yards and a touchdown, and caught three passes for 64 yards.

Eagles 29, Commanders 18

Fantasy Stud: Saquon Barkley. Barkley didn’t catch a pass but had a big game on the ground. He ran  21 times for 132 yards and a touchdown. It was just his third 100-yard game of the season. He scored 21.2 fantasy points, his second game this year with 20-plus points. Barkley has found the end zone three straight games.

Fantasy Dud: Deebo Samuel. Samuel had three receptions for 35 yards. He scored just 6.5 fantasy points and is unusable for fantasy teams right now. Samuel has three straight games with fewer than eight fantasy points. He is trending the wrong way at a bad time for all his fantasy owners.

Game Notes: Marcus Mariota was unable to finish the game because of a hand injury. He was 7-of-14 for 95 yards. Josh Johnson played in relief and finished 5-of-9 for 43 yards with an interception.

Chris Rodriguez returned to the lineup and led the team in carries. He ran 15 times for 63 yards and a touchdown. Jacory Croskey-Merritt had eight carries for 25 yards and a score as the No. 2 back for the Commanders.

Bears 22, Packers 16

Fantasy Stud: D.J. Moore. Moore had the game-winning score and caught five passes for 97 yards. Moore had 21.9 fantasy points, his second straight game with 20-plus fantasy points. Moore has 20-plus points three of five games. He has been up and down all season but Moore is showing a little more consistency lately, which is a welcome sight for his fantasy owners.

Fantasy Dud: Josh Jacobs. Jacobs lost a fumble in the first half and didn’t really see the field after that. He had 12 carries for 36 yards and caught two passes for 12 yards. He had a really disappointing fantasy performance, scoring just 5.8 fantasy points. He had double-digit fantasy points three straight games before this showing. You have to wonder if Jacobs was benched for the fumble or if his knee injury caused him to sit out.

Game Notes: Jordan Love was knocked from the game because of a concussion. Malik Willis played well in relief, going 9-of-11 for 121 yards and a touchdown without a turnover. Willis also ran 10 times for 44 yards.

Romeo Doubs was banged up late in the game but led the way at receiver for the Packers before getting hurt. He had five receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown.

Bengals 45, Dolphins 21

Fantasy Stud: Chase Brown. Brown had another one of those game-changing fantasy performances, scoring three touchdowns. He ran 12 times for 66 yards and a touchdown. Brown also had four receptions for 43 yards and two touchdowns. Brown scored 32.9 fantasy points, topping 30 points for the first time this season.

Fantasy Dud: Darren Waller. Waller wasn’t awful but he didn’t do much in a game you thought he might get targeted often. He had three catches for 40 yards. Waller scored just seven fantasy points after having 25.6 his last time out.

Game Notes: Quinn Ewers got his first NFL start and had some struggles. He was 20-of-30 for 260 yards without a touchdown and two interceptions.

Tee Higgins returned from his concussion and had three receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown.

Bills 23, Browns 20

Fantasy Stud: James Cook. Cook had a big game, rising 16 times for 117 yards and two touchdowns. Cook has two straight 100-yard games and hit that mark four of five games. He is having a huge season, topping 1,500-rushing yards for the season. He has 145 total touchdowns.

Fantasy Dud: Josh Allen. His team won but Allen likely lost a lot of games for his fantasy owners. He threw for just 130 yards and ran seven times for 17 yards. He scored a season-low 8.2 fantasy points. It was his first game all season failing to hit double-digit fantasy points. Not good.

Game Notes: Quinshon Judkins broke his leg, ending his season. He ran eight times for 22 yards before getting hurt. He also had five receptions for 29 yards.

Harold Fannin had both a receiving and rushing touchdown. He had four receptions for 34 yards and a touchdown and ran once for a one-yard score.

Chargers 34, Cowboys 17

Fantasy Stud: George Pickens. Pickens got back to his big ways, catching seven passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. He scored 26 fantasy points after having less than nine points two straight games. Pickens has five games this season with 20-plus fantasy points.

Fantasy Dud: Javonte Williams. Williams had a really quiet performance, running nine times for just 34 yards. He also had just two receptions for nine yards. Williams is having a great season but managed a season-low 6.3 fantasy points in this one. It broke a streak of four straight games with 12-plus fantasy points.

Game Notes: Kimani Vidal left the game early because of a neck injury. He had five carries for 11 yards before getting hurt. Omarion Hampton dominated carries after Vidal left and ran 16 times for 85 yards and a touchdown.

Quentin Johnston had his first 100-yard game of the season. He had four receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown.

Vikings 16, Giants 13

Fantasy Stud: Justin Jefferson. Jefferson finally got on track a little in this one. He had six receptions for 85 yards. It was his highest yardage total since Week 5. Jefferson scored 14.5 fantasy points. It still wasn’t a great game but much better than what Jefferson had been doing in recent games.

Fantasy Dud: Jaxson Dart. Dart had a rough showing, getting few chances to throw the ball. He was 7-of-13 for just 33 yards without a touchdown. Dart had a minuscule 1.35 fantasy points. It was a very unexpected showing for Dart, who had topped 20 fantasy points nine games coming into this one. We aren’t sure what happened with the game plan for this one.

Game Notes: J.J. McCarthy was knocked out of the game with a hand injury. He was 9-of-14 for 108 yards with an interception before leaving. Max Brosmer was his replacement, going 7-of-9 for 52 yards.

Jordan Mason is another player that was hurt early, leaving because of a leg injury. He ran just two times for five yards. Aaron Jones had 21 carries for 85 yards and two receptions for eight yards.

Saints 29, Jets 6

Fantasy Stud: Chris Olave. Olave continued his huge season, finishing with 10 receptions for 148 yards and two touchdowns. Olave had a season-best 36.8 fantasy points. He has 20-plus points two straight games and sent over 1,000-receiving yards for the season with his big showing.

Fantasy Dud: Audric Estime. Estime had a rough game in his first start. He ran five times for just 19 yards and caught three passes for 17 yards. Estime showed he is a hard fantasy player to trust - even if he gets an expanded role. Taysom Hill actually led the Saints in carries, rushing 12 times for 42 yards.

Game Notes: Tyler Shough had an impressive game. He was 32-of-49 for 308 yards and a touchdown without a turnover. This was his first 300-yard game as a pro.

Juwan Johnson had eight receptions for 89 yards. His reception total was a season high. He scored 16.9 fantasy points.

Titans 26, Chiefs 9

Fantasy Stud: Tyjae Spears. Spears had a big game, rushing 13 times for 52 yards and a touchdown. He also had five receptions for 53 yards, giving him 105 total yards. Spears scored 21.5 fantasy points. He had not topped double-digit fantasy points in a game since Week 8. It was a bit of an unexpected big performance from Spears.

Fantasy Dud: Travis Kelce. Kelce was an afterthought in the game, catching just a pass for six yards. The entire Chiefs passing game struggled without Patrick Mahomes, which is a big concern for Kelce owners going forward. He had been playing some good football for fantasy teams lately.

Game Notes: Garnder Minshew apparently tore his ACL in the game. Chris Oladokun played much of the game and finished 11-of-16 for 111 yards without a touchdown or a turnover.

Cam Ward played one of his better games as a pro. He was 21-of-28 for 228 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover.

Panthers 23, Bucs 20

Fantasy Stud: Tet McMillan. McMillan had a solid game, catching six passes for 73 yards and a touchdown. McMillan had one of his best fantasy point totals of the season, scoring 19.3 points. It was good to see for his owners after he was held to just 4.5 points his previous game.

Fantasy Dud: Baker Mayfield. Just when you thought you could trust Mayfield again, he has another one of his poor fantasy games. He was 18-of-26 for 145 yards and a touchdown with an interception. He managed just 15.15 fantasy points. He has less than 17 fantasy points four of five games. He isn’t having near the season as last year for his fantasy owners.

Game Notes: The Panthers split much of the work at running back once again. Rico Dowdle ran nine times for 29 yards while Chuba Hubbard had six carries for 27 yards.

Mike Evans had five receptions for just 31 yards but found the end zone. Evans has 14-plus fantasy points two straight games.

Jaguars 34, Broncos 20

Fantasy Stud: Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence showed he has clearly taken a step forward this year, playing a great game on the road against the team most thought was the best in football right now. Lawrence was great, going 23-of-36 for 279 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover. He also ran six times for 20 yards and another touchdown, giving him four total touchdowns. Lawrence scored 33.95 fantasy points. He has multiple touchdowns five straight games. He has more than 21 points all of those games.

Fantasy Dud: Jakobi Meyers. Meyers was held in check for the first time in a few weeks. He had four receptions for 45 yards. Meyers scored just 8.6 fantasy points. He failed to score at least 11 points for the first time since Week 10. It was a disappointing showing but not totally unexpected against a really good Broncos pass defense.

Game Notes: Travis Etienne found the end zone for the third straight game. He had 16 carries for 50 yards. He had four receptions for 16 yards and a touchdown on five targets.

RJ Harvey had a good overall game in a starting role once again. He ran seven times for 50 yards and a touchdown. He also had four receptions for 71 yards, giving him 121 total yards.

Falcons 26, Cardinals 19

Fantasy Stud: Bijan Robinson. Robinson had his usual huge game, finishing with a team high in receiving yards. He ran 16 times for 79 yards and caught seven passes for 92 yards and a touchdown. He had 171 total yards. Robinson scored 29.8 fantasy points, giving him 29-plus points three of four games. He is becoming a league winner late in the season.

Fantasy Dud: Jacoby Brissett. Brissett had his first down game in a long time. He threw for 203 yards and a touchdown with an interception. He had just 13.65 fantasy points. It was his first game all season with fewer than 21 fantasy points. He picked a bad time to finally come back down to earth.

Game Notes: Marvin Harrison returned from his heel injury and had just a catch for 14 yards.

Kyle Pitts scored a touchdown for the second straight game. He had seven receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown on nine targets.

Texans 23, Raiders 21

Fantasy Stud: Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty looked like the superstar back that most hoped for this year in Week 16. He led the Raiders in both rushing and receiving. He ran 24 times for 128 yards and a touchdown. He also had a 60-yard touchdown reception. It was just his second 100-yard rushing game of the season. He had 31.8 fantasy points, which was his second-highest point total.

Fantasy Dud: C.J. Stroud. Stroud played a great game last week but cooled off in what seemed a favorable matchup for him. He was 23-of-35 for just 187 yards and a touchdown. Stroud managed just 13.45 fantasy points. Stroud showed he is a hard fantasy player to trust - even with the Texans playing well. 

Game Notes: Jawhar Jordan got most of the carries at running back for the Texans once again. He ran 15 times for 53 yards while Nick Chubb ran six times for 33 yards.

Brock Bowers scored a touchdown for the third time in four games. He had five receptions for 33 yards and a touchdown on five targets.

Steelers 29, Lions 24

Fantasy Stud: Jaylen Warren. Warren picked a good time to have his best fantasy game of the season, scoring 29.1 fantasy points. He ran 14 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught two passes for eight yards. It was the first time all season he had more than 20 fantasy points in a game.

Fantasy Dud: Adam-Ra St. Brown. St. Brown had four receptions for 54 yards. He scored just 9.4 fantasy points. It was disappointing, especially after his game last week where he scored 41.4 fantasy points. St. Brown came crashing back down to earth.

Game Notes: Jahmyr Gibbs ran seven times for just two yards but was a huge factor in the passing game. He had 10 receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown.

Kenneth Gainwell had another big game, rushing nine times for 50 yards. He also had five receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. He scored 23.8 fantasy points, giving him 16-plus points three straight and five of six games.

Patriots 28, Ravens 24

Fantasy Stud: Derrick Henry. Henry had a big game, rushing 18 times for 128 yards and two touchdowns. He did lose a fumble but had huge numbers despite that, finishing with 23.8 fantasy points. He has two straight 100-yard games and hit that mark six times for the season. He isn’t having near the year as last season but still has pretty good numbers, having more than 1,200-rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. It hasn’t been all bad for Henry by any means.

Fantasy Dud: Isaiah Likely. Likely has done a disappearing act late in the season. He failed to catch a pass in this game and wasn’t even targeted. That makes it two straight games without a reception or target. He had two straight games with 12-plus points before these last two huge duds. His value is tanking.

Game Notes: Lamar Jackson hurt his back and was unable to finish the game. He threw for 101 yards without a score before getting hurt. Tyler Huntley was 9-of-10 for 65 yards without a touchdown in relief.

TreVeyon Henderson suffered a concussion early and was unable to return. He had five carries for just three yards and a catch for nine yards before his injury.

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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Starts, Sits, Sleepers: Week 16

Player Notes
Josh Johnson Dec 22 12:40pm CT
Josh Johnson

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said that quarterback Josh Johnson will get the "lion's share" of the starter's reps at practice this week, according to JP Finley of NBC Sports Washington. Johnson was forced into action on Saturday against the Philadelphia Eagles when fellow quarterback Marcus Mariota (hand) exited early with a hand injury. The 39-year-old went five-for-nine for 43 yards with one interception. Entering the 2025 season, Johnson earned the QB3 job in Washington after outperforming Sam Hartman during the preseason. After an injury-riddled season, Johnson is trending toward being the Commanders' starting quarterback on Christmas Day against the Dallas Cowboys. On a short turnaround, Mariota's availability remains unclear for Week 17, and Jayden Daniels has been ruled out for the remainder of the season. It is worth noting that Washington recently signed quarterback Jeff Driskel off the Cardinals' practice squad to add depth to their quarterback room.

From RotoBaller

DeForest Buckner Dec 22 12:10pm CT
DeForest Buckner

The Indianapolis Colts have activated defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (neck) from Injured Reserve ahead of their Week 16 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. Buckner will play in tonight's game against his former team after missing an extended period of time due to a neck injury. The 31-year-old captain will not only solidify the Colts' defensive front but also provide a much-needed veteran presence in the locker room after the team lost both Daniel Jones and Sauce Gardner in recent weeks. Before exiting Week 9 early, Buckner had tallied 42 tackles and four sacks this season. As a result of Buckner being activated, the Colts have waived quarterback Brett Rypien.

From RotoBaller

Jeff Driskel Dec 22 11:50am CT
Jeff Driskel

The Washington Commanders are signing quarterback Jeff Driskel off the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad, according to Ben Standig of The Athletic. Driskel served as Washington's QB3 last season and knows how to operate in Kliff Kingsbury's offense. This move adds much-needed depth to an injury-plagued quarterback room in Washington. With Marcus Mariota's (hand) availability unclear and Jayden Daniels being sidelined for the rest of the season, Driskel could be forced to slide into the QB2 role. Washington is playing on a short week and will be facing off against division rival Dallas Cowboys on Christmas Day. On a quick turnaround, Washington likely wanted to bring in someone who has been around their offense to back up Josh Johnson.

From RotoBaller

Ja'Tavion Sanders Dec 22 11:40am CT
Ja'Tavion Sanders

Ja'Tavion Sanders had a quiet fantasy day, but was a notable contributor in the Panthers' narrow 23-20 victory over the Buccaneers. The Carolina TE had two receptions for nine yards, but also caught his first touchdown pass since Week 10 of the 2024 season. Sanders played the most snaps of all Panthers TEs (57%) and totaled 8.9 PPR points, his highest fantasy total since Week 2. The Panthers will face the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17. Seattle ranked 18th in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to the TE position in the last four weeks leading up to Week 16. Although Sanders has a decent matchup against Seattle, he does not see enough volume to consider him in Week 17. Weeks 2 and 10 are the only two times this season that Sanders had 5+ targets in a game. Fantasy players should ignore Sanders and the other Carolina TEs for the fantasy football championship in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Nick Chubb Dec 22 11:40am CT
Nick Chubb

Houston Texans running back Nick Chubb (ribs) was back on the field Sunday during Houston's 23-21 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The 29-year-old had six carries for 33 yards and had one catch for nine yards. Despite rookie running back Woody Marks (ankle) being ruled out, Chubb's workload was limited as Jawhar Jordan led the backfield with 15 carries. Chubb has now gone six straight games without seeing double-digit touches and has only been able to find the endzone once during that stretch. It is worth mentioning that Chubb is coming off a rib injury, and the Texans could have been slow to roll him back into the offense. Chubb still profiles as a goal-line back that can still get work in the red zone. With Mark's availability uncertain for Week 17, Chubb is worth targeting off the waiver wire in deep standard leagues.

From RotoBaller

Wil Lutz Dec 22 11:40am CT
Wil Lutz

Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz had a decent day in the 34-20 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Lutz converted two of three field goal attempts, with the longest coming from 54 yards out, and converted both PAT attempts. His eight points on the day could've been 11 had he not hit the right pole of the uprights on his first field goal attempt from 44 yards out in the first quarter. It was a tough break and a slight shift in momentum, as neither team had scored yet in the game, with five minutes and 11 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Still a confident kicker with plenty of reliability, Lutz will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 17, in which he went five for five field goals and converted his lone PAT when he last faced them in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

Jacory Croskey-Merritt Dec 22 11:30am CT
Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt saw a decreased workload in Week 16 with the return of teammate Chris Rodriguez Jr., but was still productive, scoring his second touchdown in as many games. Croskey-Merritt toted the rock just eight times (25 yards) in Washington's 29-18 loss to the Eagles on Saturday -- ten fewer carries than he sported a week ago in Rodriguez's absence. However, he still played clearly ahead of Jeremy McNichols in the rushing attack, despite the latter pacing him in snaps 15-11. The 24-year-old may not garner the same upside he did at the beginning of the campaign, but fantasy managers in a pinch can turn to him for low-end flex production when Washington squares off with the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Rico Dowdle Dec 22 11:30am CT
Rico Dowdle

Rico Dowdle had nine carries for 29 yards in the Panthers' 23-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16. The Carolina RB also added four receptions for 14 receiving yards, totaling 8.3 PPR points. Dowdle has cooled off in the last four starts, averaging 10.5 PPR points per game during that span. For the second consecutive week, Dowdle outperformed Chuba Hubbard, who finished Week 16 with 34 scrimmage yards and 4.4 PPR points. Despite the workload being split between Dowdle and Hubbard, Dowdle logged the most snaps (57%). In Week 17, the Panthers face the Seattle Seahawks. In the last four weeks leading up to Week 16, the Seahawks ranked seventh in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to RBs. Fantasy players who have their championship in Week 17 cab consider reserving Dowdle due to the tough matchup.

From RotoBaller

Courtland Sutton Dec 22 11:30am CT
Courtland Sutton

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton once again showed his dominance in the wide receiver room during the 34-20 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16. Leading the team in all receiving categories, Sutton ended with six catches on 12 targets for 86 yards and one touchdown. Sutton did drop a touchdown in the back of the endzone that could've been critical in the Broncos' chances to keep the win streak alive, but he still had a superb day and passed the eye test. Quarterback Bo Nix was also able to put up a career high in passing yardage with 352 in this game, which bodes well for Sutton's fantasy floor if the passing offense can maintain that production. Sutton will face the Chiefs in Week 17, in which he should be a must-start.

From RotoBaller

Troy Franklin Dec 22 11:30am CT
Troy Franklin

Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin gets a bump in snap share during the 34-20 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16. Ending the day with five targets for four catches and 66 yards with zero touchdowns, the most notable piece is that Franklin found himself on the field for 64% of the Broncos' offensive snaps. After seeing snap percentages of 53%, 26%, and 50% in each of the three games since the Week 12 bye, this is an encouraging sign that he could be more involved for the rest of the season. Rookie wide receiver Pat Bryant suffered a concussion in the final minutes of this game and likely won't be available for the Week 17 Thursday Night Football matchup with the Chiefs, potentially projecting more opportunities for Franklin in that game.

From RotoBaller

RJ Harvey Dec 22 11:30am CT
RJ Harvey

Denver Broncos rookie running back RJ Harvey turned in the most efficient game of his season in the Week 16 34-20 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Harvey had a stellar day with several explosive plays, leading to seven rushes for 50 yards and a touchdown, adding four catches on five targets for 71 receiving yards. Averaging 11 yards per touch is no easy task, but Harvey continues to impress and did this against a defense that was dominant against the run, with the lowest average rushing yards allowed per game coming into Week 16 at just 86.3. On a short week against the defeated Kansas City Chiefs, Harvey should be able to redeem himself from his Week 11 dud when he last faced them.

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Chuba Hubbard Dec 22 11:30am CT
Chuba Hubbard

Chuba Hubbard had another quiet outing in the Carolina Panthers' 23-20 win against the Buccaneers. The Carolina RB had six carries for 27 yards while also adding one reception for seven yards. Hubbard finished the game with 4.4 PPR points, his lowest fantasy total since Week 11. Rico Dowdle also outperformed Hubbard with 43 scrimmage yards and 8.3 PPR points. Even though the workload was split between the two RBs, Hubbard logged fewer snaps (41%). In Week 17, the Carolina Panthers will face the No. 1 seed in the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle ranked seventh in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to the RB position in the last four weeks leading up to Week 16. Due to the rough matchup against Seattle and inconsistent volume, Hubbard is off the fantasy radar for Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Bo Nix Dec 22 11:20am CT
Bo Nix

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix put up a new career high in passing yards with 352 in the 34-20 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16. In a matchup where it was expected that the passing game would be relied upon, Nix did all he could to give the Broncos a prime opportunity to extend their win streak to 12 straight. Nix completed 28 of 47 pass attempts for 352 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and added 11 rushing yards on four carries. Wide receiver Courtland Sutton was the favorite in targets with 12, and did have one critical drop that could've been a second touchdown for Nix. While the fantasy numbers were mediocre for a semifinal matchup, Nix should find himself in a bounce-back spot against the defeated Kansas City Chiefs in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Bryce Young Dec 22 11:20am CT
Bryce Young

Bryce Young completed 21-of-32 attempts for 191 yards and two touchdowns in the Carolina Panthers' 23-20 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Carolina QB also added 20 yards on four carries, totaling 17.6 Fantasy points. It was the fourth time in the last five games that Young registered more than 15 Fantasy points, but he has reached the 20-point mark only three times in 2025. In 14 games played this season, Young has averaged 14.4 Fantasy Points Per Game. In Week 17, the Panthers will face the NFC's top-seeded team, the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle ranked second in Fantasy Points Per Game Allowed to the QB position over the last four weeks leading up to Week 16. If your fantasy football championship is in Week 17, Young should be avoided due to the matchup and his overall inconsistency for the year.

From RotoBaller

Jameson Williams Dec 22 11:10am CT
Jameson Williams

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams recorded five receptions for 70 yards on nine targets in his team's 29-24 Week 16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. While the 24-year-old's production against Pittsburgh is a bit of a let-down relative to his performance in recent weeks, Williams continues to be a featured piece of the Detroit offense. He's earned at least nine targets in four straight games and has recorded at least 70 receiving yards in five out of his last six outings. For the season, Williams has now hauled in 57 receptions for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns on 91 targets across 15 games. With its defense struggling mightily, Detroit figures to continue to find itself in pass-heavy game scripts down the stretch of the season. Williams should continue to have opportunities to put up numbers in his final two matchups of the season against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 17 and the Chicago Bears in Week 18.

From RotoBaller

Tyjae Spears Dec 22 11:10am CT
Tyjae Spears

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears notched his best outing of the 2025 season in Sunday's 26-9 home win against the Kansas City Chiefs, totaling 105 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. Spears' 18 touches in Week 16 are the most he'd handled all campaign, and it marked the fourth time in his last six appearances that he'd commanded at least five targets. Moreover, it was the first time he'd seen double-digit carries. While it's likely the uptick in work came from Tennessee deftly handling a visiting Chiefs squad, there's no denying the Tulane product is a talented athlete. For now, Spears is better suited for deep leagues, but his work in the receiving game keeps him in the range of a low-end flex in PPR formats. At the very least, he boasts high-end handcuff appeal. Tennessee gets an exploitable Saints' defense in Week 17.

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Isaac TeSlaa Dec 22 11:00am CT
Isaac TeSlaa

Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa had the most productive game of his young career in Week 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, recording four catches for 52 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. The 23-year-old has hauled in just 12 receptions on the season, but five of them have gone for touchdowns. Lions quarterback Jared Goff attempted 54 passes against Pittsburgh, which partially explains TeSlaa's spike in production. Still, TeSlaa's usage has been trending upwards in recent weeks. He's played at least 55% of Detroit's offensive snaps in four consecutive games after failing to reach that mark in any of the team's first 11 games of 2025. TeSlaa's relatively limited target and reception volume overall make him tough for fantasy managers to trust, but he's established himself as a contested-catch weapon and has scored a receiving touchdown in three out of the last four weeks.

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Jahmyr Gibbs Dec 22 10:50am CT
Jahmyr Gibbs

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs had a miserable day as a rusher in Week 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, recording just two rushing yards on seven attempts. However, the 23-year-old saved his production with his work out of the backfield as a receiver, hauling in 10 catches for 66 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets. Gibbs has now been held to 43 rushing yards or fewer in three straight games and four out of his last six contests. Still, his involvement in the passing game provides a relatively safe PPR floor. Across six games since Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (back) was placed on Injured Reserve with a back injury, Gibbs has recorded 40 receptions for 333 yards and two touchdowns on 51 targets. He's racked up 1,662 yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns across 15 games this season and remains a must-start fantasy running back heading into his Week 17 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

From RotoBaller

Raheim Sanders Dec 22 10:50am CT
Raheim Sanders

Cleveland Browns running back Raheim Sanders projects to garner a considerable workload over the season's remaining few weeks after teammate Quinshon Judkins (leg, knee) went down with a severe injury in Week 16. Judkins suffered a gruesome lower-leg injury during Sunday's 23-20 loss to the visiting Buffalo Bills. In his stead, Sanders and backfield mate Trayveon Williams split snaps dead evenly (20-20), with the former handily out-touching the latter 11-3 on the ground. However, Williams was the preferred option in the receiving game, boasting four targets (4/38) to Sanders' one. That said, Dylan Sampson (hand) figures to occupy the receiving role once healthy, and it's likely he'd pick up a few more carries than Williams did working in his stead. Sanders may not see as many opportunities on the ground as Judkins has, but he's trending up in a Cleveland offense that's moved the ball much better with rookie QB Shedeur Sanders under center.

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Jared Goff Dec 22 10:40am CT
Jared Goff

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff found his way to a productive stat line in Week 16, completing 34 of 54 pass attempts for 364 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Over his last three games, the 31-year-old has now recorded 1,011 passing yards and seven touchdowns without a turnover. With the Lions' defense and run game both struggling, Goff has turned into one of the league's highest-volume passers in the second half of the season. Across eight games since Detroit's Week 8 bye, Goff is averaging 38 pass attempts per contest. As long as he continues to find himself in pass-heavy game scripts, Goff should be able to provide solid fantasy production without elite efficiency. The Lions will travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings in Week 17.

From RotoBaller