Everything that happens in the NFL has additional context when viewed from a fantasy football perspective. From position battles to injuries and so much more, the news cycle will constantly affect player values in fantasy football.
Our Fantasy Football Buzz file, with contributions from our ESPN fantasy writers and our NFL Nation reporters, aims to provide fantasy managers with the intel they need as news breaks around the league.
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Lamar Jackson doubtful, Josh Jacobs and Jordan Love questionable
By Stephania Bell
Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens (back), Doubtful: Jackson’s latest ailment, a back contusion, is a deep bruise to the back that is lingering longer than he and the Ravens anticipated. He took a knee to the back in Week 16 and was forced out of the game in the second quarter, and has not practiced since. Coach John Harbaugh said Jackson is “fighting like crazy” to get back; it appears his injury will not allow it to be this week.
Although the back ailment is new as of last week, Jackson has been at less than full health more weeks than not this season. Originally missing three games (plus a bye week) because of a hamstring strain from Week 5 to Week 8, he not only appeared on the injury report in multiple subsequent weeks because of a lower extremity ailment, he also didn’t run the ball as much as expected, suggesting he was still working through post-acute effects of the hamstring.
In three of his first four games after returning from the hamstring strain, Jackson failed to top 14 yards rushing. In Week 14, he ran for a touchdown for the first time since the season opener and even then, he appeared to do so reluctantly. Still, Jackson is a gamer and even at less than full health, he strove to be on the field weekly. But there are some things even willpower cannot overcome, and back pain and its associated limitations are among them. Expect Tyler Huntley to make his third start of the season for the Ravens on Saturday when they face the Green Bay Packers.
Josh Jacobs, RB, Green Bay Packers (knee, ankle), Questionable: Jacobs has been battling a knee issue for several weeks, and he has been very open about how it limits him and the factors that determine if he will play each week. The primary issue has been persistent swelling in his knee, which, when significant, limits his range of motion and functionality. It has never been a pain tolerance issue; Jacobs has played through painful injuries. But swelling in the knee joint inhibits the function of the muscles around the knee, namely the quadriceps and hamstrings, controlling acceleration, deceleration, power and dynamic mobility. And, just when it seems the knee calms down enough during the week to allow him to take the field, it is aggravated by direct contact that sets him back.
Speaking to reporters this week, Jacobs said some days he feels good and other days he doesn’t. He described this as a “weird” situation because, despite having dealt with other injuries in the past, this one has been “lingering” longer as he has not come out of games “clean,” but keeps taking hits to the knee. He said once or twice a game, he seems to get hit in the same spot and even while trying to protect it with padding, “football is still football.”
He also referenced dealing “with other things,” presumably including the ankle issue that is also part of his injury designation.
Last week, Jacobs was on crutches early in the week and did not practice at all. He was listed as questionable, played, and was limited to 28 snaps on offense. This week, he practiced daily on a limited basis and has no injury designation. Despite being more involved in practice and being removed from the injury report before the Packers’ Saturday game against the Baltimore Ravens, it’s clear Jacobs is not fully healthy and remains at risk for another in-game setback. It’s worth noting that the Detroit Lions’ loss Thursday helped the Packers secure a playoff spot. Clearly, Jacobs’ value is critical for the Packers and their postseason aspirations, so limiting his exposure in Week 17 would make sense.
Given his game status with no injury designation, the expectation is that Jacobs will play, but will Emanuel Wilson’s workload also increase? It certainly seems plausible, even if Jacobs doesn’t suffer a setback. There is also a high likelihood that the determination of workload evolves as the game does, based on how Jacobs and his knee (and ankle) respond and how the game unfolds.
Jordan Love, QB, Packers (concussion), Questionable and Malik Willis, QB, Packers (right shoulder, illness) Questionable: Love left last Saturday’s game halfway through the second quarter because of a head injury after helmet-to-helmet contact and did not return. Officially diagnosed with a concussion, he entered the concussion return to play protocol and made rapid progress through the week. Love was a limited participant at Tuesday’s walkthrough and was added to the report because of his left shoulder. He remained a limited participant through Wednesday and Thursday practices. Multiple reports suggest he has looked good during practice, but his involvement in football activity is not clear.
There is a multistep return to play concussion protocol that includes resumption of light cardiovascular activity, return to football activity and clearance for contact. For a player to be eligible to return to competition, he must be cleared by the team physician and cleared by an independent neurological consultant (INC). The INC is not employed by the team and makes his or her recommendation as to whether a player is eligible to return to play. Clearance typically happens by the evening before the game, although it can happen the day of the game in some cases.
If Love does not return, the expectation would be that Malik Willis would start. But Willis also has health concerns, having suffered a mild right shoulder injury (presumably from landing hard on the shoulder in Week 16) that had him listed as limited in Tuesday’s practice and an illness that held him out of practice Wednesday. Willis returned to a limited session Thursday, and he too is listed as questionable. Willis had told reporters Tuesday that his throwing shoulder was feeling better, and he expected to be ready to go if Love couldn’t play. That was the day before he had an illness added to his practice status. This is a Saturday night game (8 p.m. ET) so a final announcement as to who will start as the Packers signal-caller might not come until late Saturday.
Addendum: Love has been ruled out for Saturday’s game as he did not clear all the required stages of the concussion protocol, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. Willis is expected to start in his place.
Purdy, McCaffrey and Kittle deliver big ‘Monday Night Football’ performances
By Eric Moody
Those looking for a Monday night miracle from the San Francisco 49ers’ leading fantasy stars most likely got what they were looking for to finish Week 16. Brock Purdy threw a career-high five touchdown passes as the San Francisco 49ers cruised past the Indianapolis Colts, 48-27, extending their winning streak to five games. San Francisco racked up 440 yards, didn’t punt for a second straight week and saw Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle combine for three touchdowns. The 49ers’ offense looks fully locked in heading into the playoffs.
There were also several fantasy-relevant developments from this game that managers should factor into their lineup decisions going into championship week.
Purdy leaned heavily on his running backs and tight ends against the Colts on Monday. He finished with a season-high 30.9 fantasy points, with 14 of his 25 completions and three of his five touchdowns going to those groups. Purdy has scored at least 26 fantasy points in consecutive games and next faces a Bears defense that has given up the ninth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season.
Kittle exited late in the third quarter with an ankle injury and didn’t return. After missing time earlier in the season, he’s been dominant down the stretch, playing nearly every snap and delivering elite fantasy production. Kittle finished with seven catches, a season-high 115 yards and a touchdown. His status is critical to monitor heading into Week 17. If he were to miss time, Jake Tonges would be the primary beneficiary. For additional tight end options, check out Eric Karabell’s waiver wire column.
Jauan Jennings and McCaffrey ran the most routes for the 49ers, and it wasn’t a coincidence that the duo combined for 50.7 fantasy points. McCaffrey is an obvious lineup lock, but managers shouldn’t overlook Jennings, who was started in just 40.7% of ESPN leagues. He’s seen at least five targets and scored at least 18 fantasy points in consecutive games. Jennings belongs in Week 17 lineups, and his role could expand even further if Kittle is ruled out.
The Colts leaned heavily on 11 personnel (one RB, one TE, three WRs) while playing from behind, boosting Josh Downs’ involvement and resulting in his best yardage game of the season (five catches, 65 yards). Alec Pierce was the bigger fantasy story, catching all four targets for 86 yards and two touchdowns, including two first-half scores from Philip Rivers. He played a similar number of snaps and ran a similar number of routes as Michael Pittman Jr. Pierce led the Colts in receiving yards, has cleared 75 yards in five of his past seven games, and sits 129 yards shy of his first 1,000-yard season heading into Week 17.
In Case You Missed It: Week 16 winners and losers: Chase Brown, Trevor Lawrence lead the way as Josh Allen, Josh Jacobs fizzle
Week 16 notebook: Who got the ball this weekend?
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What kind of fantasy ranking does Chris Olave have for Week 17?
Eric Moody breaks down Chris Olave’s fantasy performance vs. the Jets.
By Eric Moody
There’s more to box scores than yards and touchdowns. Participation trends let you know who is on the field and what opportunity may come, because you can’t score if you’re on the sideline.
Running backs
Kimani Vidal exited early in the fourth quarter with a neck injury against the Cowboys and didn’t return, as the Chargers were already shifting more work to Omarion Hampton. Hampton had more snaps and touches than Vidal before the injury and finished with 17 touches and 16.5 fantasy points. He’s a strong start in Week 17 against a Texans defense that just gave up 31.8 fantasy points to Ashton Jeanty, with even more upside if Vidal misses time.
Saquon Barkley led the Eagles backfield in snaps, routes, touches (21) and fantasy points (21.2) against the Commanders. It was just his third game this season with at least 100 rushing yards, and his recent production has come primarily on the ground, with only two receptions over his past four games. Barkley remains firmly on the RB1 radar in Week 17 against a Bills defensive front that has allowed the third-most rushing yards per game this season.
TreVeyon Henderson left in the second quarter with a head injury and didn’t return, forcing Rhamondre Stevenson into an every-down role. Before the injury, New England had settled into a split backfield, with Henderson handling more early-down work. Stevenson played all remaining snaps but saw limited usage as the Patriots fell behind, finishing with 10 touches and 17.8 fantasy points, his third straight game with double-digit production. New England faces the Jets in Week 17, who have allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to running backs, which positions Stevenson as a league winner if Henderson is ruled out.
Travis Etienne Jr. saw an expanded role with Bhayshul Tuten inactive due to a finger injury, finishing with 20 touches and 16.6 fantasy points. That production is notable given how difficult the Broncos’ defense has been on opposing running backs. The Jaguars’ Week 17 matchup against the Colts is more favorable, and if Tuten misses another game, Etienne could be positioned for one of his best performances of the season behind an offensive line that ranks seventh in run block win rate.
The Steelers appear to be embracing a true committee approach between Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. Warren finished with 16 touches and 29.1 fantasy points, while Gainwell logged 14 touches and 23.8 fantasy points. Both backs played a similar number of snaps, though Gainwell ran more routes. Both remain fantasy relevant, but the committee introduces a volatility managers must account for in Week 17 against the Browns.
The snap distribution between Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard against the Buccaneers mirrored Week 16. Dowdle handled early-down work, finishing with 13 touches and 8.3 fantasy points, while Hubbard played most third downs and totaled seven touches for 4.4 fantasy points. Carolina now faces Seattle in Week 17.
The Commanders’ backfield remains a running-back-by-committee, with Chris Rodriguez Jr., Jacory Croskey-Merritt, and Jeremy McNichols all playing snaps and seeing touches. However, Rodriguez has emerged as the most consistent option despite missing Week 15 with a groin injury. He has logged at least 10 touches in four consecutive games and finished with a season-high 13.9 fantasy points against the Eagles on Saturday. Rodriguez now faces a Cowboys defense that has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to running backs.
RJ Harvey flashed explosiveness on limited opportunities, totaling 121 yards and a touchdown on just 11 touches. Game script pushed Denver pass-heavy, leading to a season-high 71 receiving yards. Jaleel McLaughlin mixed in as head coach Sean Payton promised, slightly cutting into Harvey’s workload, but Harvey still handled most two-minute drill snaps for the first time this season. He remains on the RB2 radar against a Chiefs defense that just surrendered 31.7 fantasy points to Tyjae Spears and Tony Pollard, especially running behind a Broncos offensive line that ranks fifth in run block win rate.
Breece Hall didn’t play his usual number of snaps against the Saints due to negative game flow, but he still finished with 18 touches while his backup, Isaiah Davis, shockingly led the Jets in receiving yards. The touches have been there for Hall, but the fantasy production hasn’t followed in a lackluster Jets offense.
Michael Carter led the Cardinals backfield with 11 rushing attempts, with Emari Demercado handling most passing-down work and Corey Kiner mixing in as the primary backup. The trio averaged 5.7 yards per carry, but none found the end zone or caught a pass. Carter remains on the flex radar for managers in deeper formats against a Bengals defense that’s allowed the most fantasy points per game to running backs.
Receivers and tight ends
The Bears were without top wide receivers Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III against the Packers, forcing major adjustments to the passing game. DJ Moore and Olamide Zaccheaus played nearly every down, while rookie Jahdae Walker saw increased snaps and scored a late touchdown. The Bears leaned heavily into 12 personnel, boosting Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland‘s usage. Fantasy production was uneven, though Moore salvaged his day with a game-winning overtime score and finished with 21.9 fantasy points. The Bears draw a favorable matchup against the 49ers next week, though fantasy relevance hinges on which players are healthy. Tee Higgins returned in a limited role against the Dolphins, logging his lowest snap rate in a game over the past two seasons after missing time with a concussion. He was active but limited in practice and ceded additional snaps to Andrei Iosivas early before exiting alongside other starters in the fourth quarter. Higgins still finished with three targets and 14.3 fantasy points thanks to a touchdown. If he avoids the injury report this week, he remains a safe start. Chris Godwin Jr. no longer had a near every-down role with Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan back, as Tampa Bay rotated heavily at wide receiver. While the top four receivers played similar snap shares, Godwin (6) and Evans (9) led the way in targets against the Panthers. The Week 17 matchup against Miami is tricky, as the Dolphins have allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers. Emeka Egbuka is especially volatile due to his limited route participation. Justin Jefferson caught six of eight targets for 85 yards in Sunday’s win over the Giants, doing most of his damage before J.J. McCarthy exited with a hand injury. His 14.5 fantasy points were his most in a game since Week 9 against the Lions. Jefferson accounted for over half of Minnesota’s second-half passing production, but his fantasy floor remains volatile with uncertainty at quarterback heading into Thursday against the Lions. The Bills’ pass-catching rotation remains unsettled. With Keon Coleman and Gabe Davis inactive, Joshua Palmer stepped in as the primary X receiver, though production was minimal. Tight end Dalton Kincaid didn’t practice Wednesday or Thursday with a knee injury, played under 40% of snaps for a third straight game, and finished with one target and zero fantasy points. Khalil Shakir led the group with five targets and 34 receiving yards. The Giants prioritized the running game against the Vikings, finishing with 30 rushing attempts compared to just 13 pass attempts. Wan’Dale Robinson saw six targets and finished with 5.2 fantasy points but should be better positioned for success in Week 17 against a Raiders defense that has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers. The Chiefs played without Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton, leaning more heavily on JuJu Smith-Schuster, Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown while increasing its use of 12 personnel (one RB, two TEs, two WRs). Tight end Noah Gray saw his highest snap rate since Week 11. Rookie wideouts remained barely involved. If Rice, who is currently in the concussion protocol, returns in Week 17, he’s still only a borderline fantasy option with the Chiefs now without Gardner Minshew in a tough matchup against the Broncos. Marvin Harrison Jr. returned from injury but was eased back in, playing just over half of the Cardinals’ offensive snaps. Michael Wilson remained an every-down player, though he played fewer snaps as the “X” receiver with Harrison active. Wilson finished with three targets and 13.2 fantasy points thanks to a 52-yard touchdown, but his fantasy reliability may dip as Harrison reclaims a larger role. Stefon Diggs had his best fantasy outing since his Week 5 performance against the Bills, finishing with 10 targets and 22.8 fantasy points. His 138 receiving yards were more than he totaled in his previous three games combined. Diggs led the Patriots in routes run and, as has been the case in recent weeks, was rarely on the field in 12 personnel, though he rotated out less frequently in 11 personnel. Diggs now faces a Jets defense in Week 17 that has allowed the sixth-most receiving yards per game over the past three weeks. The Seattle Seahawks erased a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit and stunned the Los Angeles Rams, 38-37 in overtime, winning on the NFL’s first-ever successful two-point conversion in OT to take control of the NFC West. Sam Darnold delivered late, while Puka Nacua was the leading man for Los Angeles with 12 catches, 225 yards, and two touchdowns, and Matthew Stafford threw for 457 yards in a losing effort. The win clinched a playoff spot for Seattle and put the Seahawks in position for the NFC’s top seed. While Nacua remains a lineup lock, there were still a few positive takeaways fantasy managers can use to help inform their decisions going forward. Stafford delivered his best fantasy performance of the season, scoring 30.8 fantasy points on the road against a Seahawks defense that has been stingy against quarterbacks all season. His passing yards were the fifth most in a single game in Rams franchise history and the most since Jared Goff’s 517-yard outing in Week 4 of 2019. That explosion was fueled by Nacua, who thrived with Davante Adams inactive, finishing with season highs of 16 targets and 46.5 fantasy points. It marked Nacua’s third straight game with at least 27 fantasy points, a league-swinging performance from a player rostered on 41.9% of finalists in ESPN standard leagues. Stafford now sits firmly on the QB1 radar against the Falcons in Week 17. Colby Parkinson was expected to see a larger role with Adams sidelined, but that didn’t materialize. He was quieter than anticipated, finishing with two catches for 21 yards on four targets, though the Rams’ target distribution was notable. With Adams inactive, Los Angeles continued to lean heavily into 13 personnel. Terrance Ferguson finished with 33 receiving yards and a touchdown, while Davis Allen added 34 receiving yards, highlighting how Adams’ absence spread opportunity across the tight end group rather than funneling it to Parkinson. If Adams misses more time, Parkinson’s weekly floor may fluctuate, but the tight ends should remain involved. The Rams returned to their recent backfield pattern, with Kyren Williams handling the majority of snaps and key drives while Blake Corum rotated in on longer series despite seeing an elevated snap rate last week. Williams finished with 26 touches and 11.5 fantasy points, while Corum logged 15 touches and 13.1 fantasy points thanks to a rushing touchdown. Williams remains a midrange RB2 against the Falcons in Week 17, running behind a Rams offensive line that ranks third in run block win rate, while Corum is on the flex radar in deeper leagues. Kenneth Walker III was the more effective back for the Seahawks, rushing 11 times for 100 yards and a touchdown while adding three catches for 64 yards. He set up Seattle’s first score with a 46-yard screen and later broke a 55-yard rushing touchdown, finishing with two more carries than Zach Charbonnet. Charbonnet logged nine carries for 32 yards and a touchdown to go along with four catches, benefiting from a score from inside the 5 and a fluky two-point conversion. Walker is a volatile RB2 in Week 17 against the Panthers, while Charbonnet remains a touchdown-dependent flex option in deeper leagues.
Stafford puts up 30 fantasy points in loss to Seattle