NFL Week 15 Recap: Immediate fantasy football takeaways from Sunday’s games

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Cleveland Browns @ Chicago Bears

The Browns adjust without their backup running backs:Jerome Ford was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, while Dylan Sampson was inactive due to calf and hand injuries, which led him to miss all of practice this week.

Cleveland has used Quinshon Judkins as its early down back, Sampson as his backup and Ford as the third-down back this season. Judkins has played 60% of the early-down snaps this season, and no game was above 65%. He’s played 73% of the short-yardage and 67% of goal-line snaps, and only 7% of the third downs and 11% of the snaps in two-minute drills. With Ford and Sampson out, their fourth-string running back, Raheim Sanders, who has usually been inactive, was active. Cleveland also signed Trayveon Williams from the Los Angeles Chargers‘ practice squad on Wednesday.

Judkins played notably more snaps on early downs, taking nearly all of the snaps. While Sanders has been with the team while Williams just joined, Williams was the other running back to play on offense in this game. He has a history as a receiving back, most notably with the Cincinnati Bengals, and he took most of the snaps on third downs and in the two-minute drill. Williams also, surprisingly, took all of the short-yardage and goal-line snaps.

The Browns fell behind by two scores in the first quarter and were behind for the rest of the game. Judkins ran the ball 12 times, but it only resulted in 21 yards. The offensive line was a known problem heading into the season, and injuries to the line haven’t helped the issue. The Browns face the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers over the next two weeks. It will be difficult to trust Judkins in either matchup, given his performance in this game. His fantasy value in 2026 will largely depend on what the Browns can add to their offense in the offseason.

Isaiah Bond makes two big catches for the Browns: Bond led Cleveland in receiving, thanks to one reception for 47 yards and another for 42.

It seemed like Cleveland would be down multiple wide receivers this week, as both Cedric Tillman and Malachi Corley were in the concussion protocol to start the week. Tillman didn’t practice at all, and Corley was limited all week. Both were deemed questionable but were ultimately active. The Browns were confident enough in their wide receivers that they waived Jamari Thrash on Saturday. He started the season as Cleveland’s primary slot receiver but had been inactive the last four weeks, as Bond and Corley took over the slot role.

While Tillman and Corley were active, neither played as much as usual. Tillman only played six snaps, while Corley played 14, primarily in 12 personnel. Jerry Jeudy was the X receiver, as usual, but Bond played more than usual in the slot, while Gage Larvadain stepped up as the Z receiver. 

The Browns have a favorable matchup in Week 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, so it’s possible someone like Bond could be fantasy-relevant for that game. However, it will be good to see his playing time next week once Tillman and Corley can practice fully for a whole week. This game was a good sign of Bond’s chances to become a part of the Browns' wide receiver rotation next season.

Rome Odunze was active, but doesn’t play for Chicago: The Bears' top outside wide receiver missed last week due to a foot injury and aggravated the injury during warmups

Chicago has spent this season with Odunze and D.J. Moore as their starters. Olamide Zaccheaus started the year as their slot receiver in 11 personnel, but second-round rookie Luther Burden III has largely taken over that role in recent weeks. Last week, with Odunze out, Zacceaus primarily took over in terms of playing time, as Burden also played more snaps. Burden led the team in receiving yards. Burden has been the Bears' top receiver in terms of receiving production over the second half of the season. Backup wide receiver Jahdae Walker was active last week with Odunze out, but he was back to being inactive this week with Odunze active.

However, Odunze aggravated the foot during pregame warmups, leading to an announcement five minutes before kickoff that he wouldn’t play. This made for the most stressful five minutes of the fantasy season for anyone who had Odunze in their lineup and needed to get him out, or potentially anyone with Burden who now wanted to start him.

Chicago followed a similar wide receiver rotation as last week to begin the game, as Moore was the top wide receiver, Zaccheaus took the next-most snaps, partially for his run blocking, and Burden was consistently on the field in 11 personnel. The two continued to significantly rotate who was in the slot compared to who was out wide.

Burden suffered an ankle injury early in the third quarter. He was ruled questionable, but ultimately didn’t return. He was off to an excellent start before his injury, catching six passes for 84 yards. After the injury, Zaccheaus was more consistently on the field, while Devin Duvernay played in 11 personnel.

If Burden’s injury isn’t serious, then he is a top-priority addition at wide receiver, regardless of Odunze's health. If Burden misses time, it’s fine to consider Zaccheaus in deeper leagues, but he will not have the same impact as Burden.

Miscellaneous notes

• The Bears made a change at backup quarterback for the first time this season, making Case Keenum active and Tyson Bagent inactive.
• The number of snaps and touches between D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai were very similar to the last five weeks, but the timing of those snaps was different. Swift played 72.7% of the early-down snaps, which was his most in a game since Week 1, but Monangai took all eight snaps during the two-minute drill, four of the five snaps in goal-line and short-yardage situations, and the majority of the third-down snaps for the first time this season.
• Chicago halfback Travis Homer didn't practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to an ankle injury, and was limited on Friday. He was ruled out for this game. The Bears elevated running back Brittain Brown from the practice squad to take his place.
• Chicago wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus was limited on Wednesday and Thursday due to a hamstring injury.
• Bears quarterback Caleb Williams appeared to be injured right before the half but was able to return to start the third quarter. Similarly, tight end Cole Kmet had a brief exit due to injury but was able to complete the game.
• Browns' quarterback Deshaun Watson was limited in practice all week due to an Achilles injury but remained on injured reserve.
• Cleveland tight end David Njoku didn't practice all week due to a knee injury. He was ruled out on Friday.
• Harold Fannin Jr. played a career-high 98.2% of the Browns' offensive snaps and received a career-high 13 targets. He caught seven of those targets for 48 yards. Even if Njoku can return in the next week or two, Fannin should still be trusted in fantasy starting lineups.
• Cleveland tight end Brenden Bates was back in the lineup after missing back-to-back games due to an ankle injury. He was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday.

Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals

Keaton Mitchell becomes more involved: Mitchell ran eight times for 66 yards, as much of his production came before garbage time.

The Ravens started the year with Derrick Henry as their early-down back and Justice Hill as their receiving back, similar to last season. Hill is currently on injured reserve, and Rasheen Ali has taken over as the receiving back. Ali scored the Ravens' first touchdown of the game on a 30-yard reception.

Henry hasn’t been as effective as usual this season, while Mitchell has been very effective in his limited opportunities. Mitchell has averaged 7.6 yards per carry on the season, picking up a first down on 30.8% of his carries. Henry is averaging 4.8 yards per carry, in part thanks to his success in this game, but has only gained a first down or touchdown on 23.6% of his carries.

Henry had 10 offensive snaps in the first half compared to Mitchell's six, and the split in carries was six to four. This is much closer than it was even last week. While Baltimore won this game 24-3, the game was tied for the first 25 minutes, and Baltimore was up by a touchdown for the rest of the time it had the ball in the first half. This means the Ravens are much closer to a three-man committee than at any time since adding Henry. Baltimore typically had a three-man committee before Henry joined the team.

Henry and Mitchell played five snaps in the third quarter. Henry ran on all five of his snaps, while the Ravens threw on three of Mitchell’s plays. The Ravens only had five plays in the fourth quarter, and Mitchell was on the field for all five.

The Ravens have one of the worst schedules for running backs over the last two weeks of the fantasy season, facing division leaders New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers, who have both been top-10 at preventing fantasy points to running backs. The matchups were going to make it harder than usual to trust Henry, but this split could also make it difficult.

Miscellaneous notes

• Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell was limited in practice on Wednesday due to a knee injury.
• Baltimore wide receiver Rashod Bateman couldn't play due to an ankle injury. He showed up on the injury report on Thursday as limited and couldn’t practice on Friday.
• Baltimore wide receiver Devontez Walker was back in the lineup after missing last week due to a groin injury. He was Bateman’s primary replacement throughout the game, rather than DeAndre Hopkins, who has graded exceptionally well this season, but this is the second straight week he has only played 50% of the 11-personnel snaps.
• Ravens tight end Mark Andrews was limited in practice on Thursday due to a glute injury. The Bengals have been an elite matchup for fantasy tight ends this season, but Andrews only had two receptions for 18 yards, while Isaiah Likely was held without a target.
• Samaje Perine missed some time late in the game due to an injury but was able to return. This allowed Chase Brown to play more than usual on third downs.
• Cincinnati wide receiver Tee Higgins was ruled out due to a concussion. He was limited on Wednesday and Thursday and downgraded to not practicing on Friday and was ruled out. Similar to other recent games, when a top Bengals wide receiver was out, Andrei Iosivas became the second wide receiver, while Mitchell Tinsley moved to third on the depth chart. The two combined for one reception for 16 yards.
• Backup wide receiver and returner Charlie Jones suffered a right ankle injury and was ruled out shortly after halftime.
• The Bengals waived wide receiver Jermaine Burton on Monday. He had been inactive for every game this season and was suspended from the team last week.
• Cincinnati tight end Cam Grandy was active this week after his sixth straight healthy scratch, giving the Bengals five active tight ends.

Arizona Cardinals @ Houston Texans

Monitor Bam Knight’s health: Arizona’s lead running back suffered an ankle injury early in the game and didn’t return.

James Conner started the season as Arizona’s lead running back but suffered a season-ending injury after Week 3. Trey Benson suffered an injury shortly thereafter. He had his practice window open to return over three weeks ago but was not activated in time, ending his season. Knight has been the Cardinals' primary early-down back, Emari Demercado the primary passing-down back when healthy, and Michael Carter the backup to both for most of the season.

Demercado’s role expanded in Week 9, as Arizona was struggling on early downs, and Demercado was playing well in the run game. He ran 18 times for 143 yards over Weeks 9 and 10. However, Demercao’s momentum stopped in Week 11 due to an ankle injury, causing him to miss Weeks 12-14. Demercado was a limited participant in practice this week, but was active.

Knight suffered an ankle injury on the very first offensive play for Arizona. While Demercado was back, the Cardinals only trusted him in a limited role. This meant Carter was the every-down back throughout the rest of the game. Demercado mixed in, at times, for third-down snaps.

Carter should be a top waiver-wire target at running back, unless there is word that Knight is just fine. We can expect Demercado to play a higher percentage of the late-down snaps and potentially some early-down snaps, but Carter will likely be the player leading Arizona in carries going forward. Arizona’s next two games are against the Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals, two teams that are also eliminated from the playoffs. Arizona should be able to stick with the run game longer than most of its games this season, likely allowing Carter to reach double-digit touches in both matchups.

Monitor Andre Baccellia’s health: The Cardinals' wide receiver was taken off on a stretcher due to a neck injury on a late first-half kickoff.

The Cardinals have dealt with several injuries to their wide receiver room this season. Zay Jones, Greg Dortch and Simi Fehoko are on injured reserve. Arizona didn’t have Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel) or Xavier Weaver (hamstring) for a second straight week. This left Michael Wilson Jr. as one of the starters, and Baccellia was the second, despite starting the season seventh on the depth chart. Arizona elevated Jalen Brooks and Trent Sherfield Sr. from the practice squad, similar to last week. Brooks has been with the team longer, and he was their third wide receiver to begin the game.

After Baccellia’s injury, Brooks took over as the second wide receiver, while Sherfield took over in 11 personnel. While the Cardinals were down multiple scores, they began using 12 personnel more frequently, despite the game script.

All of the injuries meant Arizona focused its targets even more than usual on its top two players. Tight end Trey McBride caught 12 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns, while Wilson caught five of his targets for 54 yards and a touchdown. Arizona has a much better matchup for its wide receivers next week against the Atlanta Falcons, so it’s possible Wilson will reach double-digit receptions in that game if the Cardinals' other wide receivers remain out.

Monitor Woody Marks’ health: Marks' last offensive plays came early in the second quarter due to an ankle injury.

Marks was slated for what could have been the best game of his career. His backup, Nick Chubb, couldn't play due to a rib injury. He didn't practice on Wednesday and Thursday. He was limited on Friday and was initially ruled questionable, but he was ultimately inactive. Marks played in all but one snap after Chubb’s injury last week. The matchup against Arizona also seemed to be favorable.

Marks didn’t practice on Wednesday and was limited on Thursday with a knee injury, so he wasn’t 100% heading into the week. He left for the blue medical tent early in the first quarter but was able to return a few minutes later. He played for the rest of the first quarter and the start of the second but ultimately didn’t return after that point. The Texans were up by multiple scores at this point, and Houston said Marks could have returned if it needed him. He finished the day with seven carries for 30 yards and an eight-yard reception. Luckily, he scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery to help the fantasy managers who started him.

The Texans elevated running back Jawhar Jordan from the practice squad to take Chubb’s place, and he became the primary early-down back for the rest of the game, while Dare Ogunbowale was the receiving back. Jordan had 15 carries for 101 yards. Jordan should be left on fantasy waiver wires because Marks should be able to play next week. There is also a chance Chubb could be back next week. The Texans have a very favorable matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, which is important for anyone who is willing to start Marks despite his several injuries this season.

Miscellaneous notes

• Cardinals tight end Elijah Higgins didn't practice on Friday with an illness and was questionable, but played.
• The Texans waived fullback Jakob Johnson on Monday and signed him to the practice squad on Wednesday.
• Wide receiver Justin Watson returned to practice from injured reserve on Wednesday. He was limited on Wednesday with his calf injury, was able to practice in full on Thursday and Friday, but was ultimately active.
• Texans tight end Harrison Bryant returned to practice from injured reserve on Wednesday. He was similarly limited in practice on Wednesday with his neck and shoulder injuries, but the Texans activated him from injured reserve on Saturday.
• Houston had a big lead for most of the game, which significantly impacted the playing time of their wide receivers and tight ends. Jayden Higgins and Cade Stover play much more frequently in 12 personnel than 11 personnel. Houston used more 12 personnel thanks to their lead, leading both players to play more than usual. Wide receivers Xavier Hutchinson, Christian Kirk and Jaylin Noel all play more often in 11 personnel than 12, so all of them played less than usual.

New York Jets @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Monitor Bhayshul Tuten’s health: The Jaguars' rookie running back suffered a finger injury and didn’t return.

Jacksonville has used Travis Etienne Jr. as its early-down back, Tuten as his backup, and LeQuint Allen Jr. as its receiving back throughout the season. All three have been able to play in every game this season. Tuten fumbled twice last week, leading to him barely playing on offense in that game. All was forgiven this week, as Tuten played 11 of a possible 39 snaps in the first half. His snap rate was a little higher than usual, likely because the Jaguars were running so many plays.

Tuten returned the first kickoff of the third quarter for Jacksonville. It’s unclear when his finger injury occurred, but he was ruled questionable at the start of the fourth quarter and out in the middle of the quarter. This left Jacksonville with a two-man rotation in the second half. Allen played more than usual because of the blowout.

If Tuten misses time, we can expect Etienne to play more going forward, including a few more touches per game. The Jaguars have two rough matchups against the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts, so a few more touches would certainly help Etienne’s fantasy value in those games.

The Jaguars welcome back Parker Washington: The Jacksonville wide receiver missed last week due to a hip injury. He was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday.

Washington has been a top-three wide receiver, when healthy, most of this season. Most recently, he and Jakobi Meyers were the primary wide receivers, while Brian Thomas Jr. joined them in three-receiver sets. Last week, Thomas was back to being an every-down receiver, while Tim Patrick moved from the backup X spot to Washington’s spot as a Z and slot receiver. Patrick had his best game in several years with five receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown.

This week, Meyers and Thomas remained the top two receivers, while Washington joined them for most three-receiver sets. Patrick’s playing time was similar to Washington's, but a lot of that was due to garbage time. Washington played 20 of 39 snaps in the first half, and Jacksonville passed on 90% of those plays. Patrick only played 14 of 39, and he ran a route on nine of them. It’s unclear how much of that split was due to Patrick’s big game compared to Washington’s health.

It will be difficult to trust Washington for fantasy purposes over the next two weeks, while Meyers and Thomas both played well.

Miscellaneous notes

• Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was limited in practice on Wednesday due to an ankle injury.
• Backup tight end Quintin Morris was limited on Wednesday and Thursday due to an ankle injury and wasn't given a game status.
• Jacksonville made a change with their other backup tight end spot, making Hunter Long inactive and Johnny Mundt active, unlike last week.
• Brady Cook was the Jets' starting quarterback despite an ankle injury, as Justin Fields (knee) and Tyrod Taylor (groin) were both inactive after not practicing all week.
• The Jets added quarterback Adrian Martinez to the practice squad on Wednesday and elevated him on Saturday to be the backup quarterback.
• Jets running back Breece Hall didn't practice on Wednesday and was limited in practice on Thursday due to a knee injury. His playing time was normal in the first half, but with the game out of reach in the second half, Isaiah Davis was more involved than Hall.
• New York continued with its wide receiver rotation of recent weeks. Adonai Mitchell was the X receiver, John Metchie III was the Z, and Isaiah Williams was in the slot. Allen Lazard and Arian Smith were the backups.
• Jets wide receiver Tyler Johnson was a healthy inactive, his second straight absence.
• New York tight end Mason Taylor was ruled out due to a neck injury. He didn't practice all week. He was ruled out on Friday. Jelani Woods was active to take Taylor’s spot on the roster.
• Jets tight end Stone Smartt didn't practice on Wednesday and was limited in practice on Thursday due to a concussion, but he was able to play.
• Jeremy Ruckert was the primary replacement for Taylor, but the tight ends rotated more than usual, particularly on third downs. Ruckert was the only one with a target, catching two passes for 13 yards.

Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs

Isiah Pacheco regains the early-down role: Pacheco played over 50% of the early-down snaps for the first time since his injury in Week 8.

Pacheco started the year as Kansas City’s clear early-down back, playing 66.8% of the snaps over the first eight weeks. Kareem Hunt was the backup, the receiving back and the goal-line back. Pacheco missed weeks 9-12 due to injury, and when he returned, his role was limited. He played 36.6% of the early-down snaps in Week 13 and 37.8% in Week 14.

This week, Pacheco was back to his usual role, playing 68.8% of the early-down snaps. Hunt remained the backup, passing-down back and short-yardage back. He ran 11 times for 21 yards, while Hunt ran six times for 12 yards.

The Chiefs face the Tennessee Titans next week, which is a favorable matchup. They might also rely more on their running backs with the injury to Patrick Mahomes. It may be hard to trust Pacheco, given his quality of play this season, but he will be a borderline fantasy starter. This is also worth noting for anyone who planned on starting Hunt this week. He is still the player most likely to score touchdowns, but he probably won’t see as much volume going forward compared to what he’s received in the last month.

Kansas City adjusts without Hollywood Brown: The Chiefs’ third wide receiver was inactive due to a personal matter.

Brown has been third on Kansas City’s depth chart since Rashee Rice’s suspension ended in Week 7. Brown has played 38.3% of the offensive snaps, including 53.8% in 11 personnel, while JuJu Smith-Schuster has been the primary backup in 12 personnel as well as a frequent contributor in 11 personnel. Tyquan Thornton has also played 24.1% of the offensive snaps. Kansas City had each of its top five wide receivers from Weeks 7-14. Fourth-round rookie Jalen Royals had been a healthy inactive throughout most of that stretch, but he was active for this game with Brown out.

With Brown out, the Chiefs primarily turned to Thornton, as both have been deep threats. Worthy missed some time in the second quarter while getting checked out for a concussion, leading Smith-Schuster to play more. Rice also left the game briefly. Thornton suffered a helmet-to-helmet hit in the fourth quarter, resulting in the defender getting ejected. Thornton didn’t return to the game after that point, which left Smith-Schuster with more playing time.

Rice and tight end Travis Kelce have been the only reliable Chiefs receivers this season. Even if Brown and/or Thornton remain out, it would be difficult to trust Smith-Schuster for fantasy purposes, as his target rate would remain low.

Kimani Vidal leads in snaps, while Omarion Hampton leads in touches: Hampton ran 15 times for 61 yards in his second game back from injury.

Hampton was the Chargers' primary back for the first five weeks, but he missed Weeks 6-13 due to injury. In that time, Vidal played admirably, leading the two to split snaps in Week 14. It was close to a 50-50 split in the first half, but as the game progressed, the team turned more toward Vidal. The team was clear that it would use both running backs and stick with the hot hand.

Los Angeles was consistent with the snap distribution between the two running backs throughout the game, as Vidal took roughly two snaps for Hampton's one. Hampton tended to receive the football on two-thirds of his snaps, while Vidal only touched the football on roughly one-third of his. The two were nearly identical in production, outside of Hampton breaking a 26-yard run.

We should expect both running backs to continue in this kind of rotation going forward. Hampton may start to play more, but as his snaps increase, his touches per snap will decrease.

The Chargers adjust without Quentin Johnston: Los Angeles’ starting X receiver was inactive due to a groin injury.

Los Angeles has spent the season with Johnston as its X receiver, Ladd McConkey playing Z in 12 personnel and the slot in 11 and Keenan Allen as the Z in 11. Tre Harris has played in single-receiver sets and has been the primary backup to everyone. Johnston's being inactive allowed fifth-round rookie KeAndre Lambert-Smith to be active. He was active for five of the first six weeks of the season but had only played in one game since then and only earned one catch on the season before this week.

Los Angeles primarily turned to Harris as Johnston’s replacement, playing 92.9% of the snaps in two-receiver sets and 81.1% in three-receiver sets. Lambert-Smith was the top backup for the game, taking snaps from Harris and Allen in 11 personnel and Harris and McConkey in 12 and 21. Harris had his best day as a receiver, catching three passes for 49 yards. Lambert-Smith was only targeted once, but he made the most of his target, a 16-yard reception.

Harris should be considered off the waiver wire, just in case Johnston misses another game. The Chargers face the Dallas Cowboys next week, and Dallas has allowed the most fantasy points to wide receivers.

Oronde Gadsden had his best game in a month despite a reduced role: The rookie tight end led the Chargers in receiving production, with four receptions for 61 yards.

The Chargers used a consistent tight end rotation in October and November. Gadsden has been the receiving tight end, Tucker Fisk has been the blocker, and Tyler Conklin has been the backup while playing in 13 personnel. Will Dissly spent most of that time as a healthy inactive. Gadsden played 73.5% of the Chargers' offensive snaps from Weeks 6-13.

Gadsden was among the best fantasy tight ends in October, but he was held to seven receptions for 88 yards over his previous four games combined. Fisk landed on injured reserve, while Dissly was active and took Fisk’s spot as the early-down tight end. Gadsden played slightly fewer snaps last week.

This week, Gadsden’s decline in snaps was more noticeable. Los Angeles had 14 plays on third downs, and the two split snaps at seven each. This happened despite Dissly being limited in practice on Wednesday due to a shoulder injury. Gadsden was able to overcome this with his receiving production, but this is a situation worth monitoring over the next two weeks.

The Chargers have two rough matchups against the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans, giving Gadsden a bottom-10 schedule at the position. It will be risky putting him in fantasy starting lineups, despite his play this week.

Miscellaneous notes

• Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a knee injury in the closing seconds of the game. The injury appeared to be very serious at first glance, which could cost Mahomes the rest of this season and potentially the start of next year.
• Chiefs' returner and wide receiver Nikko Remigio returned after missing last week due to a concussion and a shoulder injury. He was able to practice in full all week.
• Kansas City tight end Jared Wiley was a healthy scratch after playing in their last game.
• Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was limited in practice all week due to a left hand injury.
• The Chargers waived running back Jaret Patterson on Tuesday, and he was signed to the practice squad on Wednesday.
• Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey was limited in practice all week due to a foot injury.
• Los Angeles wide receiver Derius Davis didn't practice all week due to an ankle injury. He was ruled out on Friday.
• The Chargers elevated wide receiver Dalevon Campbell from the practice squad for this game on Saturday but made him a healthy inactive for a second straight week. It’s unclear why they are using their practice squad elevations on him but make him inactive.
• Los Angeles tight end Tyler Conklin returned after a healthy scratch last week. Los Angeles went with Dissly last week to be the replacement for Tucker Fisk, who landed on injured reserve. While he was active, he didn’t play on offense.

Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots

The Patriots running back rotation settles:TreVeyon Henderson ran 14 times for 148 yards and two touchdowns, and he has an exciting end-of-season schedule.

Henderson started the season in a three-man rotation with Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson. When Gibson suffered the injury, Henderson received a reduced role, playing less than 30% of the offensive snaps from Weeks 6-8. Stevenson suffered an injury, allowing Henderson to be the lead back, and he impressed in that role. Henderson initially kept the starting job when Stevenson returned, but then Stevenson was more involved in Week 13.

The Patriots had their Week 14 bye week, and they used a similar running back rotation this week as before the bye. Henderson was the primary running back in normal early-down situations, while Stevenson was the primary passing-down and short-yardage back. Henderson was the one scoring touchdowns, but they came on a 52-yard run and a 65-yard run. 

New England faces the Baltimore Ravens and the New York Jets over the next two weeks. Baltimore’s run defense has been improving, but the Jets' run defense has been one of the best matchups for running backs this season. It’s possible that both Henderson and Stevenson could have fantasy value in the fantasy championship weekend.

Joshua Palmer returns to the Bills: The former Los Angeles Chargers receiver returned after missing the last two games due to knee and ankle injuries. He was limited in practice all week and was initially ruled questionable.

Palmer started the season as the Bills' clear Z receiver, playing over 70% of the snaps in 11 personnel during the first two weeks. Since then, he’s been part of a rotation whenever he’s been healthy. He missed Weeks 8-10 and similarly missed Weeks 13-14. He played exactly 50% of the offensive snaps in both Week 11 and 12.

This week, Palmer was further down the rotation, specifically in 12 personnel. Buffalo generally had Keon Coleman and Brandin Cooks rotate as the X receiver, while Palmer and Shavers rotated at Z. Gabe Davis was the odd man out this week and was a healthy inactive. Typically, Khalil Shakir doesn’t play much in 12 personnel, but he took 42.9% of those snaps this week, leading to fewer snaps to go around for Shavers and Palmer. Palmer only played two of a possible 21 snaps in that personnel grouping. 

The change for Shakir was good news for his fantasy value, leading to five receptions for 65 yards. It’s been impossible to trust any other Bills receiver this season, given the constant rotation. Palmer caught a pass for 16 yards, which was the second-most receiving yards by a Bills receiver this season. Expect the Bills to continue tinkering with their wide receiver room this offseason.

Miscellaneous notes

• The Patriots placed third-string running back Terrell Jennings on injured reserve on Saturday due to a concussion. New England signed running back D'Ernest Johnson off its own practice squad on Saturday to be the new third running back.
• New England had limited Stefon Diggs snaps in the last three games. He’s played less than 80% of the snaps in 11 personnel in all three after playing at least 80% in each game from Weeks 4-11. Similarly, he’s played less than 30% of the 12-personnel snaps in each of the last three games after averaging 43.5% of the 12-personnel snaps from Weeks 4-11.
• Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism III was a healthy inactive after suiting up last week.
• Bills wide receiver Brandin Cooks was able to finish the game, but he was spotted in the X-ray room after the game. If he misses time, we can expect Gabe Davis to be active going forward.
• Dawson Knox’s playing time these last two weeks has been very similar to most of the season, but he caught six passes for 93 yards last week and three passes for 37 yards and two touchdowns this week. The Bills have the second-worst schedule for tight ends over the next two weeks, which makes it difficult to trust them or Dalton Kincaid.

Washington Commanders @ New York Giants

Commanders adjust without Chris Rodriguez Jr.: The Commanders' starting running back was inactive due to a groin injury.

Washington has spent the past month with Rodriguez as its starter, Jacory Croskey-Merritt as the backup and Jeremy McNichols as the receiving back. Rodriguez didn’t practice on Wednesday and was limited on Thursday and Friday. Washington signed veteran Chase Edmonds off its practice squad on Wednesday. This was likely for special teams purposes but may have been due to Rodriguez's injury as well.

Jeremy McNichols started the game at running back, playing every snap on the first drive. Washington has rarely used Croskey-Merritt on the first or second drive of games and has usually gotten him more involved as the games have progressed. Croskey-Merritt got involved on the second drive and was the primary early-down back for the rest of the game. McNichols remained the third-down back and primary backup.

Croskey-Merritt was the much better runner, gaining 96 yards on 18 carries and scoring a touchdown. McNichols was held to six yards on nine carries. The Commanders have matchups against the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys over the next two weeks. They have both allowed an above-average amount to fantasy running backs this season, but a lot of the Commanders backs’ value depends on the game script. If Washington can keep the score close, the lead running back will have a big game. If not, McNichols will play a lot but not enough touches to trust him in fantasy.

Rodriguez and Croskey-Merritt are both worth considering off the waiver wire, given their potential in those matchups. Rodriguez should remain the lead back if he is healthy, but Croskey-Merritt will see the bulk of the carries if Rodriguez continues to miss time.

Monitor Noah Brown’s health: Brown suffered a back injury in the first quarter and didn’t return.

Brown began the season as the Commanders’ third wide receiver but suffered a groin injury in Week 2, causing him to miss most of the season. Brown returned last week and not only played 96.3% of the 11-personnel snaps but nearly half of the 12-personnel snaps, giving him just as much playing time as Terry McLaurin and more snaps than Deebo Samuel.

Brown didn’t practice on Friday due to groin and knee injuries, but he was active for this game and continued in the same role as last week. He played nine of the 10 snaps on the first drive and suffered his injury at the start of the second drive. This led Terry McLaurin, Treylon Burks and Jaylin Lane to all play more snaps than last week. McLaurin also recently returned from injury, so it’s possible his increase in snaps was by design and not related to the Brown injury.

Lane played over 60% of the snaps in 11 personnel, while Burks played 60% in 12 personnel. While they both played more snaps, both were held without a reception. McLaurin led the team with three receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown, while Samuel was second with three receptions for 43 yards.

The Commanders adjust without Zach Ertz: Washington’s veteran tight end tore his ACL last week, ending his season.

Ertz has been the Commanders’ primary tight end this season, but he rotated out frequently in both 12 personnel and 11 personnel on early downs. John Bates was the primary backup in 11 personnel on both early downs and third downs, as well as the other tight end in 12-personnel sets. Ben Sinnott also played significant snaps, often joining Bates in 12 personnel. Colson Yankoff has been the fourth tight end, primarily playing in 13 personnel. Washington didn’t need to add another tight end with Ertz’s injury because they already had three other players.

Bates led the tight end room in snaps, playing over 50% on early downs and third downs, as well as playing all of the 12-personnel and 13-personnel snaps. Sinnott joined Bates in 12 personnel and took 40% of the snaps in 11 personnel on early downs. Yankoff was the primary backup in 11 personnel on third downs and joined the two for 13 personnel. However, Yankoff suffered an ankle injury. He was initially ruled questionable but didn’t play at all in the second half. 

Sinnott caught a 36-yard pass on his only target, while Bates caught a 19-yard pass on his. It will be hard to trust either tight end, given this split. Bates is likely to run more routes, but Sinnott has more receiving potential. It’s possible Washington continued to use this two-man rotation next season, which will make it difficult to trust either next season.

Tyrone Tracy Jr. leads the Giants running backs: Tracy ran 15 times for 70 yards and a touchdown.

Tracy has led a two-man rotation for New York since Cam Skattebo suffered a season-ending injury. Tracy played 58.6% of the offensive snaps from Weeks 8-13, while Devin Singletary played the rest. Tracy played roughly 60% of the snaps on both early and third downs. He consistently played during two-minute drills, while Singletary has consistently been the short-yardage and goal-line back.

This week, Tracy remained the two-minute drill back, and Singletary remained the goal-line back. However, Tracy played a season-high 80.5% of the early-down snaps and 75% of the third-down snaps, which was his third-best rate of the season. Tracy scored a 12-yard touchdown run and caught an 18-yard touchdown pass. Tracy also handled 75% of the running back carries.

This will make Tracy easier to trust going forward and harder to trust Singletary, who remains the running back most likely to score for New York, but the gap in touches makes Tracy the better back to consider for New York going forward.

Miscellaneous notes

• New York wide receiver and returner Gunner Olszewski didn't practice on Wednesday and was limited on Thursday due to a concussion. He was able to practice in full on Friday but was ultimately inactive.
• New York wide receiver Jalin Hyatt was active this week after being a healthy inactive last week to help take his place. New York also signed wide receiver Dalen Cambre off its own practice squad on Saturday.
• Giants wide receiver Beaux Collins returned to practice from injured reserve on Wednesday. He was a full participant in practice on Wednesday but limited on Thursday and downgraded to “did not practice” on Friday due to a concussion and a neck injury. He remained on injured reserve.
• The Giants claimed Ryan Miller off waivers from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday because the Buccaneers were at full strength at wide receiver. He was unsurprisingly inactive with so little time with the team.
• New York tight end Theo Johnson was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to a toe injury.
• Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels was limited in practice all week due to a left elbow injury. He was ruled out on Friday. This left Marcus Mariota as the starter, while Josh Johnson was active as the backup.
• Washington wide receiver Deebo Samuel didn't practice on Friday due to an illness and was questionable, but he played.
• The Commanders waived wide receiver Chris Moore on Monday and signed him to the practice squad on Tuesday.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Philadelphia Eagles

Jack Bech remains a starter for Las Vegas: Bech remained the Raiders' X receiver despite Dont’e Thornton Jr.‘s return.

Las Vegas has used Tre Tucker as its Z receiver all season, while Jakobi Meyers, followed by Tyler Lockett, played in the slot, and one of their rookies aligned at X. They started the season with Thornton, while Bech took over for a few weeks, followed by Thornton re-gaining the job. Thornton had 45 receiving yards in Week 1 but has been held under 30 yards in every game since then. Bech was also held under 30 yards throughout the first three months of the season.

Thornton was inactive last week due to a concussion, allowing Bech to take over as the lead X receiver. He caught six passes for 50 yards in that game, which was the best game for the Raiders in that position all season. Thornton was limited in practice on Wednesday but was able to practice in full on Thursday and Friday. While Thornton was active this week, Bech remained the clear starter.

The Raiders also had backup tight end Michael Mayer back in the lineup after missing back-to-back games due to an ankle injury. He was limited in practice on Wednesday. Las Vegas had primarily focused on 12 personnel when Mayer was last healthy, but the team stuck with 11 personnel nearly the entire game. It’s unclear if Mayer was still limited or if the team fell behind too much, leading them to focus on 11 personnel. Bech played in five of the seven snaps in two-receiver sets, while taking all but five of the 11-personnel snaps.

Bech was the team’s best wide receiver in this game, catching two passes for 17 yards. The Raiders had 64 total passing yards. It’s unlikely a Raiders wide receiver will be reliable in fantasy leagues again this season, but it’s becoming more likely that Bech will be a starter for Las Vegas next season, ideally in a better offense.

Miscellaneous notes

• Las Vegas quarterback Geno Smith was ruled out Friday due to right shoulder and back injuries. He didn't practice all week. This left Kenny Pickett as the starter, while Aidan O’Connell was active for the first time this season as the backup.
• Raiders' running back Raheem Mostert was added to the injury report on Thursday due to a knee injury and was limited in practice on Friday, but he was active.
• Raiders' wide receiver Alex Bachman was ruled out Friday due to a thumb injury, his second straight absence. He was limited in practice all week. The Raiders elevated wide receiver Shedrick Jackson from the practice squad for this game on Saturday to take Bachman’s place.
• Las Vegas third-string tight end Ian Thomas couldn't play due to a calf injury. He didn't practice on Wednesday and was upgraded to full by Friday but was still inactive.
• Philadelphia used backups for the final 17-play drive, which took up most of the fourth quarter. The Eagles used Tanner McKee at quarterback, Tank Bigsby at running back, Jahan Dotson and Darius Cooper at wide receiver, and Grant Calcaterra and Kylen Granson at tight end for nearly all of this drive.
• The Eagles ran 13 plays with one or fewer wide receivers on the field over the first seven drives before the backups took over. DeVonta Smith was not on the field for any of these plays, resulting in Smith’s playing time taking a bigger hit than the other Philadelphia starters.
• The Eagles waived wide receiver Xavier Gipson on Tuesday.

Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos

Monitor R.J. Harvey’s health: The Broncos’ rookie running back suffered a rib injury late in the game.

Harvey has been the Broncos’ lead running back since J.K. Dobbins landed on injured reserve, while Jaleel McLaughlin has been the backup, and Tyler Badie has been the third-down back. Harvey has played 71.7% of the early-down snaps since Week 11, and he has played over 80% of the snaps in short-yardage situations and 100% of the goal-line snaps in three consecutive games. His playing time in this game was very similar to the other games of the past month.

Harvey’s last offensive play was at 6:31 in the fourth quarter on a three-yard run. Denver had two more plays on that drive, a four-and-out and two kneel-downs to close out the game. McLaughlin took over as the early down back during that time.

If the Havey injury ends up being serious, then McLaughlin would be the Broncos’ top running back. Both Sincere McCormick and Deuce Vaughn are on the practice squad, and either one could be called up to be the backup. McLaughlin should be a top waiver priority for anyone in a rough spot at running back, but it’s worth noting the Broncos face the Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs over the next two weeks. Both rank in the top six at preventing fantasy points to running backs this season.

Broncos adjust without Pat Bryant: Denver’s rookie wide receiver was inactive due to a hamstring injury. He didn’t practice all week.

Denver’s top four wide receivers this season have been Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr. and Bryant. The rookie started the season as a distant backup, playing only four snaps in Week 1, but his role has increased throughout the season. He played 25-34% of the offensive snaps from Weeks 2-4, 49-59% from Weeks 5-11, and 70% in Week 13 after the bye. His recent uptick in snaps led to a dramatic decrease in snaps over the last two weeks. In Week 14, Denver also got Lil’Jordan Humphrey involved in single-receiver sets. The Broncos elevated wide receiver Michael Bandy from the practice squad for this game on Saturday because of Bryant's absence this week.

While Bundy was active, the Broncos largely consolidated their five-man wide receiver rotation to two. Humphrey played 67.6% of the offensive snaps, largely taking Bryant’s place. This included 90.7% of the snaps in 11 personnel. He caught three passes for 42 yards and a touchdown. Franklin remained in more of a rotational role, playing 41.7% of the snaps in two-receiver sets and 67.4% in three. Mims remained fourth on the depth chart, rotating with Franklin in 11 personnel.

While Franklin had a big game this week, it will be difficult to trust him going forward. He was only on the field for 62.2% of the Broncos’ passing plays, making this his third consecutive game under 70%. While he has big-game potential, he could easily disappear in a game where Denver has an early lead, similar to most teams ’ slot receivers.

Monitor Christian Watson’s health: Watson suffered a chest injury early in the third quarter and didn’t return.

The Packers started this game the healthiest they’ve been at wide receiver this season. Jayden Reed (shoulder), Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) and Matthew Golden (wrist) were limited on Wednesday and Thursday and practiced in full on Friday. This meant all five of the Packers’ top wide receivers played and were able to practice in full at least one day, which hadn’t been the case all year.

Green Bay continued to use Romeo Doubs and Watson as their primary receivers, while Jayden Reed joined them in 11 personnel. Doubs and Watson both played over 80% of the offensive snaps last week, but both were under 75% in the first half of this game. Both Wicks and Golden were healthier than last week and rotated in more.

Once Watson left the game, a Wicks and Golden rotation replaced him. Doubs’ playing time exceeded 80% in the second half. The injury did not impact Reed’s playing time, but in the past, his production was better anytime Watson has missed time. Both wide receivers are deep threats, and this could lead Reed to be more involved in deeper passes. He led the team in receiving with five receptions for 55 yards.

Reed becomes a top waiver-wire target in any league where he is available. The Packers face the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens over the next two weeks, and both are favorable matchups for wide receivers. Both Wicks and Golden are at least worth considering in deeper leagues, assuming Watson’s injury is serious enough for him to miss the next two games.

Miscellaneous notes

• The Broncos elevated quarterback Sam Ehlinger from the practice squad for this game on Saturday, but they made him inactive.
• Denver tight end Nate Adkins was active this week after missing five straight games due to a knee injury. He was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday.
• The Broncos waived tight end Marcedes Lewis on Thursday due to Adkins' return and signed him to the practice squad on Saturday.
• Evan Engram played a season low of 19 offensive snaps. He caught one pass for 12 yards.
• Packers running back Josh Jacobs didn't practice on Wednesday and Thursday but was limited in practice on Friday due to a knee injury and was questionable, but he was active.
• Green Bay running back Emanuel Wilson was a late addition to the injury report due to an illness. He was questionable, but was well enough to play.
• The Packers elevated running back Pierre Strong Jr. from the practice squad for this game on Saturday because two running backs were questionable, but since they were both able to play, Strong was inactive.
• Green Bay's running back MarShawn Lloyd had his practice window opened a week ago due to a calf injury. He was limited on Wednesday and Thursday, but he was downgraded to not practicing on Friday due to a hamstring, which added to his list of injuries. The new injury could lead to Lloyd not being activated this season if he continues to miss practice next week.
• Packers wide receiver Savion Williams was limited all week due to a foot injury. He was ruled questionable on Friday but didn't play.
• Green Bay tight end Josh Whyle left the game due to a concussion and didn’t return. The Packers had been using a three-man rotation, and this left them with a two-man rotation. John FitzPatrick led the tight end room in snaps on both early and late downs, but Luke Musgrave caught four passes for 52 yards. This remains a tight end room to avoid, despite Musgrave putting up 9.2 PPR points, given his playing time.

Detroit Lions @ Los Angeles Rams

Blake Corum inches closer to a 50-50 split: Corum played 46% of the Rams’ offensive snaps, which was the most for him in a game in his NFL career.

Corum has spent the last two seasons as Kyren Williams‘ backup. Last season, Corum would usually take one or two drives from Williams to give him a break. Los Angeles continued that this season, but that one or two drives turned into three or four early in the season. Corum has played very well at times this season, which has led Los Angeles to embrace a rotation by drive. In recent weeks, Los Angeles was fine giving Williams the final drive of the first half and first drive of the second half or straying from the rotation late in games to switch in Williams.

This week, the backfield was closer to a 50-50 split. The Rams had 11 drives, as Williams took the last drive, which is the main reason this wasn’t a perfect 50-50 split. Williams took the odd-numbered drives and Corum the even. If the drive was lasting too long, Los Angeles had no problem rotating to the other running back in the middle of a drive.

Monitor Davante Adams’ health: Adams aggravated his hamstring injury early in the fourth quarter and didn’t return.

Adams also didn't practice on Wednesday and Thursday and was limited in practice on Friday due to a hamstring injury. He was initially ruled questionable, but he played. The Rams also had reinforcements at wide receiver this week with Tutu Atwell returning from injured reserve. He had been a full participant in practice for the last three weeks, but Los Angeles had been happy with its wide receiver room and didn’t have a need to activate him until the last minute.

Adams was playing his usual role over the first three quarters, joining Puka Nacua in both two- and three-receiver sets. Konata Mumpfield surprisingly joined them in three-receiver sets. Mumpfield has played significantly since Week 7, when the Rams started embracing 13 personnel, but most of his snaps came from that personnel grouping. This was the first week he played over 40% of the 11-personnel snaps; and he played two-thirds of them. This meant there was little room for Atwell, Jordan Whittington and Xavier Smith on offense. While Mumpfield played more in 11 personnel, he played less than usual in 13 personnel, allowing Nacus and Adams to play more in that personnel grouping.

Adams left the game early in the fourth quarter and didn’t return. The Rams used 13 personnel for every offensive snap after the injury, making it unclear how the Rams intend to replace Adams going forward. It could mean even more 13 personnel. Any combination of Atwell, Whittington and Smith could replace Adams in 11 personnel, while any of them, as well as Mumpfield, could replace him in 12.

Colby Parkinson has the best game of his career: The Rams tight end caught five passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns. 

Parkinson was a free agent addition for the Rams in 2024, knowing that Tyler Higbee was going to miss most of the season. He began the season as the starter but became a rotational player by the end of the season. Los Angeles started this season with a three-man, and sometimes four, rotation at tight end, making it a situation to avoid in fantasy.

In Week 7, the Rams started making 13 personnel a major part of the offense. The combination of the increase in 13 personnel and Higbee landing on injured reserve led to significantly more playing time for Parkinson, Davis Allen and Terrance Ferguson. The Rams' 13-personnel usage has become more extreme over the last two weeks. They used it on 42 plays, which was the most by any team in a game in PFF’s 20 years of NFL data. This week, they used it 46 times, which is the new high.

Parkinson played all 46 of the 13 personnel snaps, all eight in 12 personnel and eight of the 10 in 11 personnel on early downs. The only time he was off the field was when the Rams used 11 personnel on third downs, which belonged to Ferguson. Parkinson was slowly but surely becoming a more intriguing fantasy option, scoring four touchdowns in the last five weeks. However, he has been held to four receptions or fewer and less than 50 receiving yards in every game this season.

This week, he was second on the team in receiving production behind Puka Nacua. Adams’ injury should lead the team to continue using 13 personnel at a historic rate and continue allowing Parkinson to be a top red-zone target for Los Angeles. The Rams play the Seattle Seahawks next week, and they’ve allowed the second-most fantasy points to tight ends this season. Parkinson should not only be a top target off the waiver wire this week, but he can potentially be inserted straight into fantasy starting lineups.

Jahmyr Gibbs reached a season-high in snaps: Gibbs played over 80% of the offensive snaps, and David Montgomery played under 20% for the first time this season.

Gibbs played 55% of the Lions’ offensive snaps last season. That included five games where he played 46% or fewer. He rarely exceeded 60%, outside of games where Montgomery was injured. The Lions made a slight change over the first 10 weeks, qw Gibbs played 60.3% on average, ranging from 51.6%-69.1%. While Montgomery is a good running back, Gibbs has been the more explosive player, leading Gibbs to be more involved. 

The Lions made a clear change starting in Week 11, leading Gibbs to be more involved. He’s averaged 71.5% of the offensive snaps from Weeks 11-14, as his snap rate consistently finished in the 69.4%-73.9% range. Gibbs was the top fantasy running back over that four-game stretch, averaging 6.3 yards per carry and scoring six touchdowns, leading to 30.9 PPR points per game.

The Lions pushed everything even further in Gibbs’ favor this week, playing 81.2% of the offensive snaps. This was only the second time he’s played over 80%. The other game is coming in the middle of 2023, when Montgomery was out due to injury. Gibbs didn’t have a great game, but he was going up against a top-five defense in preventing fantasy points to running backs. Montgomery scored a one-yard touchdown this week, but he’s only taken half of the goal-line snaps over the last five weeks.

Gibbs should have more success over the next two weeks against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings, although neither is a great matchup. It’s possible Montgomery’s time as a fantasy starter has come to an end, at least as long as he remains with the Lions, as it is very difficult to start a back only playing 30% or less of the offensive snaps.

Miscellaneous notes

• Detroit third-string running back Sione Vaki was limited all week due to a thumb injury and was questionable but played.
• Detroit wide receiver Kalif Raymond was back in the lineup after missing back-to-back games due to an ankle injury. He was limited in practice all week and was ruled questionable, but he was active. The Lions stuck with Isaac TeSlaa as the third wide receiver for this game, occasionally rotating Raymond in. It wouldn’t be surprising if Raymond is back to being the third wide receiver once he’s closer to 100% health.
• Detroit rookie wide receiver Dominic Lovett had been active with Raymond out, but he was back to being inactive this week.
• The Lions made Anthony Firkser their primary tight end over Ross Dwelley and Hayden Rucci last week because Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright were on injured reserve. Dwelley was waived on Tuesday, and Rucci was waived on Wednesday.
• To take their places, Shane Zylstra was activated off injured reserve from his knee injury, while Giovanni Ricci was a practice squad elevation. Zylstra was the lead tight end, playing 100% of the snaps in two-tight-end sets and over 70% on third downs. Firkser was the primary backup in 11 personnel, while Ricci often joined Zylstra for 12 personnel. All three were held without a target.

Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints

Coming soon!

Indianapolis Colts @ Seattle Seahawks

Rashid Shaheed shines in an increased role: Shaheed caught five passes for 74 yards while playing more frequently in 12 personnel.

Shaheed was traded to the Seattle Seahawks between Weeks 9 and 10. His role was limited in his first game with the team, but it stabilized from Weeks 11-14. He played 84.3% of the 11-personnel snaps but only 20% of the 12- and 21-personnel snaps, while Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp were the primary wide receivers in that grouping.

Shaheed had his best game with the Seahawks last week with four receptions for 67 yards. Kupp only had three games with four or more receptions and two with more than 67 yards on the year. This led Seattle to make a change in 12 personnel, so Kupp only played 44.4% of the snaps, while Shaheed played 38.9%. Shaheed took advantage of the role with five receptions for 74 yards. Kupp also had a fine day with five receptions for 46 yards.

These changes put Shaheed back in consideration for flex spots in fantasy leagues, particularly on Thursday Night Football in a big game against the Los Angeles Rams. This also makes it harder to trust Kupp, making it easier for fantasy managers to drop him.

Miscellaneous notes

• The Colts placed quarterback Daniel Jones on injured reserve on Tuesday.
• Philip Rivers came out of retirement after last playing in 2020. He initially signed to the practice squad on Wednesday, but he was signed to the 53-man roster on Saturday as their starter.
• Indianapolis quarterback Riley Leonard was a full participant all week after a knee injury. He played for the Colts last week after Daniel Jones was injured but fell behind Rivers on the depth chart.
• The Colts signed quarterback Brett Rypien off their own practice squad on Wednesday, but there was uncertainty around whether Rivers would be able to play. However, he was a healthy inactive as the emergency third quarterback.
• Running back Ameer Abdullah played a season-high 23.3% of the offensive snaps before garbage time. This was a combination of the Colts rotating Jonathan Taylor out more frequently after his 28 touches and also an increase in two-back sets.
• Alec Pierce unsurprisingly had his worst game of the season with one reception for 16 yards on his only target. The change to Rivers at quarterback will likely remove his fantasy value over the rest of the season.
• Colts wide receiver Anthony Gould was ruled out Friday due to a foot injury. He didn't practice all week.
• The Colts elevated wide receiver Coleman Owen from the practice squad for this game on Saturday to take Gould’s place.
• The Colts signed kicker Blake Grupe off their own practice squad on Wednesday.
• The game script led Zach Charbonnet to play more than in other recent games, while Kenneth Walker III played less. Walker only gained 17 yards on nine carries, which also could have contributed to Charbonnet playing more.
• The Seahawks waived running back Cam Akers on Thursday and signed him back to the practice squad on Saturday.
• Seattle elevated running back Velus Jones Jr. from the practice squad for this game on Saturday to be its third running back.
• Seattle fullback Robbie Ouzts was a healthy scratch after playing in their last game. This left Brady Russell as their only fullback.
• The Seahawks placed tight end Elijah Arroyo on injured reserve due to a knee injury on Saturday, ending his regular season.
• Seahawks tight end Eric Saubert returned to practice from injured reserve on Wednesday. He was limited all week due to a calf injury, but he was still activated off injured reserve on Saturday to be their primary backup tight end.
• The swap from Arroyo to Saubert led to a slight increase in playing time for AJ Barner. He played 83.3% of the offensive snaps, while his average this season has been 77.7%. However, Barner only caught three passes for 27 yards.

Tennessee Titans @ San Francisco 49ers

Coming soon!

Minnesota Vikings @ Dallas Cowboys

Coming soon!

Table notes

• Snaps include plays called back due to penalties, including offensive holding or defensive pass interference. The other three stats have these plays removed.
• Targets may differ from official NFL sources. The most likely discrepancy would be from a clear thrown-away pass, where the NFL may give the target to the nearest receiver, while this data will not.
• Carries are only on designed plays. Quarterback scrambles won’t count for the total number of carries in the game.