Fantasy Football News

According to Sarah Barshop of ESPN, Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee (chest) is off the injury report and good to go for Sunday's playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Higbee exited Monday's wild-card game against the Minnesota Vikings early. Before exiting, Higbee caught all five of his targets for 58 yards. He opened the week as a limited participant and was able to upgrade to a full participant during Friday's session. The 32-year-old made his season debut during Week 16 due to a torn ACL and MCL. Over his first four games, Higbee has scored twice and averaged 31 yards per game. He should be viewed as a low-end option in DFS formats this weekend, as the Eagles have allowed the second-fewest PPR points to opposing tight ends this season.

According to the team, Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (illness) is good to go for Sunday's playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams. Goedert popped up on the injury report on Thursday as a non-participant. He was able to log a limited session on Friday but does not carry an injury designation on the final report. The veteran tight end returned from a knee injury during Week 18 and brought in four of his six targets for 55 yards. Last weekend, during their victory over the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round, Goedert caught four passes for 47 yards and a score. Even though he has missed time throughout the season when on the field, the 30-year-old has tallied a solid 10.4 PPR points per game. Facing the Rams, who have allowed the third-most PPR points per game to opposing tight ends, makes Goedert a viable TE1 in DFS competitions.

According to the team, Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (knee) is off the injury report prior to their playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams. Brown saw out during the initial session on Wednesday and upgraded to limited participation on Thursday. The top wideout was able to log a full session on Friday and does not carry a designation into the weekend. The 27-year-old has had his practice sessions monitored over the past month due to a lingering knee injury. Last weekend, during their wild-card victory over the Packers, Brown caught just one of his three targets for ten yards. However, Brown scored three touchdowns during Weeks 15 through 17 while averaging 81 yards per game. Fantasy managers should view him as a WR1 in all DFS competitions this weekend despite facing a Los Angeles defense that has allowed the 14th-fewest PPR points to opposing wide receivers.

According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (knee) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's playoff game against the Buffalo Bills. Flowers has been sidelined since suffering this knee injury during their Week 18 victory over the Cleveland Browns. During the week, Flowers could not return to practice, which is not a positive sign for his status. However, head coach John Harbaugh noted earlier on Friday that his top wideout will "have a chance" to suit up. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status leading up to Sunday's kickoff. Flowers posted his first 1,000-yard campaign and found the back of the end zone four times this season. If Flowers were to remain sidelined, fantasy managers should expect Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews to operate as the top pass-catchers.

Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (knee) is currently listed as questionable ahead of Saturday's Divisional Round matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite that, Al-Shaair is expected to suit up for this weekend. Al-Shaair was able to get through limited practice sessions this week after picking up a knee injury during last week's win over the Los Angeles Chargers. The 27-year-old has missed a handful of games this season, but is an impactful player when healthy. He recorded 70 tackles, two sacks, and four passes defended in 11 games in the regular season. If Al-Shaair sits, Devin White would likely see an increased role this weekend.

Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (ankle) is reportedly expected to play during Saturday's Divisional Round against the Kansas City Chiefs. The star back suffered an ankle injury and was unable to practice on Thursday. As a result, Mixon is tagged as questionable for this weekend, but it's hard to imagine him sitting out this important contest. The Texans are likely being cautious with Mixon, which is why he missed Thursday's practice. If he sits, Dameon Pierce and Dare Ogunbowale would be the primary options in the backfield. Pierce is the better fantasy option between the two backs, but if Mixon plays then neither back would be worth a look. If healthy, Mixon would be one of the best backs for DFS contests for this weekend.

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (illness) is back on the practice field on Friday. That is good news after Goedert was unable to practice on Thursday due to an illness. Luckily, it sounds like a minor issue that shouldn't impact his status for Divisional Round matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Goedert hauled in four of his seven targets for 47 yards and a touchdown during last week's win over the Green Bay Packers. If healthy, Goedert is a fairly reasonable option for DFS contests for this weekend.

Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis (concussion) is currently listed as questionable ahead of Sunday's playoff matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Davis still remains in concussion protocol on Friday, which doesn't bode well for his chances of playing this weekend. The absence of Davis would likely mean an increased role for Ty Johnson in the backfield. Last week, Johnson rushed nine times for 44 yards while hauling in two receptions for 26 yards and a touchdown through the air. James Cook figures to see a majority of the carries after getting 23 touches last weekend. It's hard to imagine Johnson or Davis being reliable DFS options.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (knee) has been unable to practice this week, but that doesn't mean he won't suit up this weekend. Head coach John Harbaugh said Flowers has a chance at suiting up for Sunday's divisional round matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Flowers hasn't played since the regular season finale, but the Ravens were able to get the job done last week without him. Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews figure to be the focal point on offense if Flowers is unable to go. There's a chance that Flowers could be limited, assuming he's active for this weekend. The uncertainty around his status makes Flowers a risky DFS option.

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that rookie running back Ray Davis (concussion) remains in the league's concussion protocol on Friday. Davis suffered a scary concussion in the wild-card win over the Denver Broncos last Sunday and never returned to the game. While he remains in the concussion protocol, he's put in two limited practices this week. However, the 25-year-old backup will need to upgrade to a full practice on Friday and be cleared by an independent neurologist in order to get the green light to play this Sunday in the Divisional Round of the postseason versus the visiting Baltimore Ravens. The fact that he's still in the protocol on Friday means there's a good chance he'll be ruled out before Sunday's game. James Cook remains Buffalo's lead back, but a Davis absence would open up a much bigger workload for Ty Johnson against the Ravens.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport is saying that Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (ankle), who is questionable to play in the Divisional Round playoff game on Saturday against the Kansas City Chiefs, has a real shot to play despite missing the final practice of the week on Thursday. Mixon popped up on the injury report on Wednesday and was limited and then was downgraded to a DNP on Thursday, putting his status for this weekend's game up in the air. Rapoport says that Mixon's injury is a minor one, so it sounds like he should be active and play through it on Saturday. The Texans need Mixon if they are to have any chance to pull off the upset of KC, as he rushed for over 1,000 yards with 12 total TDs during the regular season. Fantasy managers should leave him in their lineups, but there is now more risk involved going up against a Chiefs defense that has been stingy to RBs this season.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that it looks like Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (knee) is headed toward missing a second straight game in the playoffs in the Divisional Round on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. Flowers suffered a knee sprain in the Week 18 win over the division-rival Cleveland Browns and has not practiced since. Flowers had an outside chance of playing earlier this week, but two straight DNPs on Wednesday and Thursday have made it less likely that we'll see him in Buffalo. That could change if Flowers is able to return to practice on Friday, but it's looking unlikely to happen. If the Ravens beat the Bills this weekend, Flowers' status for the AFC Championship would be up in the air. Obviously, fantasy managers should avoid him this weekend. Rashod Bateman, who scored in the wild-card win over the Steelers, will be in line to serve as the WR1 for the second straight game. UPDATE: Flowers was not seen at Friday's practice.

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker will face the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round of the playoffs this Saturday. Butker missed his lone field goal attempt in the Week 18 shutout loss to the Denver Broncos. The veteran kicker will look to turn things around now that the playoffs have started. Since returning from knee surgery in Week 15, Butker has nailed three of his five field goal attempts and eight of nine extra-point attempts. The 29-year-old could be heavily involved if the Texans get rolling offensively, which is possible given they scored 32 points in their Wild Card matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Given how the Chiefs perform in the playoffs, Butker should be good for at least two field goals and extra-point attempts. Butker should be considered a viable plug-in kicker in DFS and playoff leagues this week.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will face the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round of the playoffs this week. Hopkins rested in Week 18 with the rest of the starters, making it nearly three weeks since he last suited up. Hopkins played a consistent role in the offense following his acquisition at the trade deadline, but his involvement tapered off as the season went on. The emergence of rookie Xavier Worthy and the steady presence of Travis Kelce pushed Hopkins down in the pecking order. That said, Mahomes has still demonstrated trust in the sure-handed veteran receiver at key moments. Hopkins will also have to contend with a tough Texans defense that held the Los Angeles Chargers to 12 points and picked off Justin Herbert four times. The 32-year-old is a risky play in both DFS and playoff leagues, given his low floor, but there's still a chance he finds the endzone.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy will take on the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round this weekend. The 21-year-old came on strong in the season's final weeks, collecting 21 catches for 190 yards and two touchdowns from Weeks 15 through 17. Worthy stepped into the WR1 role and displayed why he was a first-round pick in 2024. With nearly three full weeks off to rest and prepare, the rookie will look to continue his dominant stretch against the Texans defense. Houston recorded four interceptions last week against the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card round. The Chiefs were often scheming the young receiver open, and he capitalized on those opportunities. If Worthy is utilized like he was down the stretch, he should be a strong play in both DFS and playoff leagues this week.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce will face the Houston Texans on Saturday in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. The 35-year-old finished the season as the team's leading receiver yet again, but his performances this season were far from what we've come to expect from the eventual Hall-of-Famer. Kelce appeared to regress as an offensive weapon, causing the team to shift toward feeding Xavier Worthy. The rookie receiver became the focal point of the Chiefs passing attack in the home stretch of the regular season, but Kelce has the edge with playoff experience. Patrick Mahomes still trusts Kelce's ability to make big plays for the team and will likely be heavily targeted against the Texans. The Houston defense put on a clinic against the Los Angeles Chargers in last week's Wild Card matchup, collecting four sacks, four interceptions, and a touchdown while only allowing 12 points. The Texans struggled to defend in the red zone this season, where Mahomes will be looking for Kelce. Kelce should be considered a safe play in DFS and playoff leagues since he is one of the most prolific playoff performers in NFL history.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt has been the team's leader out of the backfield despite the return of Isiah Pacheco. The veteran running back has earned more opportunities in the last three games he played alongside Pacheco. Hunt was not listed on the injury report this week, while Pacheco appeared to be nursing a rib injury. The 29-year-old running back may be the healthier of the duo, which could impact the way the backfield is split against the Houston Texans. The Texans defense held the Los Angeles Chargers to 12 points in last week's Wild Card matchup. Much of Hunt's value this season has come from finding the endzone, and those opportunities should be available to him in this contest. Hunt should be viewed as the Chiefs lead running back until the team shows otherwise, which makes him a valuable asset in DFS and playoff leagues this week.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco was listed on the injury report with a rib injury but practiced fully all week and does not have an injury designation for this game. The second-year back has had nearly three weeks to recover since the last time he suited up, so he should be back to full strength come Saturday. Pacheco has been competing with Kareem Hunt for touches out of the backfield, and Hunt appeared to be winning that battle when the duo last played in Week 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pacheco handled six carries for 18 yards compared to nine carries for 20 yards and a touchdown for Hunt. It is possible that the Chiefs were limiting his touches after his return from injury, so it will be interesting to see how the split shakes out in the team's return to play against the Houston Texans. The Texans held the Los Angeles Chargers to 12 points while also collecting four sacks, four interceptions, and a touchdown. Given the uncertainty around his workload, the 25-year-old is risky to play in playoff leagues. Pacheco is a much better DFS play in case the team decides to lean on him in the run game. The Chiefs are touchdown home favorites, so whichever running back leads the backfield should have some value.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was listed on the injury report with an ankle injury but practiced fully all week and has no injury designation heading into this week's contest. Mahomes will benefit from two extra weeks off between games since the Chiefs clinched the top seed in the AFC. The additional rest and preparation should come in handy against the Houston Texans defense that racked up four sacks, four interceptions, and a touchdown in their Wild Card matchup. The 32-year-old should also benefit from a healthy receiving core outside of Mecole Hardman, who is listed as doubtful for this week. For those playing DFS or in playoff leagues, few quarterbacks can compete with Mahomes' career playoff stats. The Chiefs quarterback is among the surest bets to show up when the lights are the brightest. Start Mahomes with confidence anywhere you can.

Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates has never appeared in an NFL playoff game before, but he already ranks as the No. 1 overall kicker in RotoBaller's Divisional Round fantasy rankings. His highly anticipated performance against the Washington Commanders on Saturday is the result of an impressive regular season in which he scored the seventh-most fantasy points among kickers. He missed just three field-goal attempts, and the Lions' incredibly potent offense put him in position to make a whopping 64 extra points. Also working in his favor is a somewhat favorable matchup against the Commanders, who surrendered two field goals to Chase McLaughlin last week, including one from 50 yards out. All in all, Bates is this week's top fantasy kicker thanks to his accuracy, power, and role on a dominant Lions team.