Fantasy Football News
Christian McCaffrey "Definitely Close" To Being Fully Recovered
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (knee) said he's "definitely close" to fully recovered from the knee injury that ended his 2024 season early. McCaffrey told ESPN's Nick Wagoner he would have been able to return had the team made the postseason, but instead, he'll continue to rehab and expects to be ready for organized team activities in the spring. The 28-year-old was specifically dealing with a PCL injury in his right knee that caused him to miss the last five games of the year, but a calf strain and bilateral Achilles tendinitis led to CMC not making his 2024 debut until Week 10. The All-Pro RB was the biggest fantasy bust of the year without question, so his health will be closely watched heading into training camp in the summer. While McCaffrey's lengthy injury history will keep him from being a top pick in the first round in 2025, he's still deserving of first-round consideration.
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Commanders "Not Concerned" With Jayden Daniels' Leg Soreness
Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said, "I'm not concerned" when asked about rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels' leg soreness that led to him being pulled in the second half of the win over the division-rival Dallas Cowboys on Sunday in the Week 18 regular-season finale. The Commanders pulled the impressive 24-year-old at halftime as a precaution since they had already locked up a playoff spot, with backup Marcus Mariota leading the team to a 23-19 victory. Daniels could be limited in practice this week, but all signs point to him being fine for Sunday night's wild-card matchup against the hosting Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their banged-up secondary. Although Daniels threw for under 200 yards and no touchdowns against Tampa in his NFL debut way back in Week 1, he should be considered a top-five fantasy QB play this weekend.
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Bills Hopeful Amari Cooper Will Be Available In Wild-Card Round
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said on Monday that wide receiver Amari Cooper (personal) hasn't rejoined the team after he was excused for the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival New England Patriots due to a personal matter. McDermott is hopeful Cooper will be available for the wild-card playoff game this Sunday against the visiting Denver Broncos, but right now the team is taking the situation a day at a time. The move from Cleveland to Buffalo at the trade deadline was supposed to give Cooper a much higher fantasy ceiling, but instead, consistent targets have been hard to come by in the Bills offense. The 30-year-old has caught just 20 of 34 targets for 297 yards and two TDs in his eight games with Buffalo and will be a low-end WR2, at best, in playoff leagues if he's active on Sunday. If he's not, Khalil Shakir and rookie Keon Coleman will become more interesting in fantasy.
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Jason Sanders Hits Two More Field Goals In Week 18 Loss
Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders made 2-of-2 field attempts and both extra points in the 32-20 loss to the New York Jets in Week 18. His long came from 28 yards out. He will end the season by making his last 27 field goals and finishing the year as the fifth-ranked kicker in fantasy football. Sanders started the year slow and inconsistent, but things turned around as soon as Tua Tagovailoa returned from injury in Week 8. The 29-year-old has proved his worth in the 2024 campaign, hitting several big kicks late in games. He figures to be one of the most sought-after kickers when the 2025 fantasy football season comes around in September.
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Jordan Love's Practice Status To Be Determined
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said he's unsure if quarterbacks Jordan Love (elbow) and Malik Willis (undisclosed) will be limited in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. "We'll find out over the next few days," LaFleur said. Despite not knowing if Love and Willis will practice in full this week, he added that he thinks "they're going to be OK" for the wild-card playoff game this Sunday against the Eagles in Philadelphia. A right-elbow injury in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Chicago Bears caused Love's right throwing hand to go numb, which led to Willis taking over for the rest of the game. While Love's removal was precautionary on Sunday, it's unclear if he'll be 100% this weekend against the Eagles, which will give fantasy managers pause when setting DFS lineups. Check back for Love's practice status on Wednesday.
2 hours ago
Jalen Hurts Still In The Concussion Protocol
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said on Monday that he has no new information on quarterback Jalen Hurts (concussion), who remains in the league's concussion protocol. Hurts suffered a concussion in the Week 16 loss to the division-rival Washington Commanders and missed the final two weeks of the regular season as a result. The 26-year-old is reportedly making progress with his head injury, but his availability for the wild-card playoff game this Sunday against the Green Bay Packers is in question. Hurts is apparently on track to return to practice this week, but we won't know for sure until Wednesday. He's also been dealing with a fractured finger on his left (non-throwing) hand, but that shouldn't keep him from playing in the playoffs. Fantasy managers may be more hesitant to use the overall QB9 in fantasy this year playoff leagues if he returns this Sunday against Green Bay.
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Adam Thielen To Evaluate His Future This Offseason
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen said that he will go through his normal process and evaluate whether he wants to continue his playing career this offseason. Thielen said he's leaning in a certain direction, "but I'm not going to tell you what that is." If the Panthers choose to do so, they can cut the 34-year-old with only a $5 million dead salary cap hit to get out of the final year of his deal. He missed time in 2024 due to a hamstring injury that landed him on Injured Reserve, but Thielen was productive when healthy as quarterback Bryce Young's favorite target, catching 48 passes on 62 targets for 615 yards and five touchdowns in 10 starts. Staying in Carolina is the likely outcome if Thielen chooses to play another season. His chemistry with Young would give him a solid fantasy floor as a flex, depending on what the rest of the WR room looks like in 2025.
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Anthony Richardson Will Be Colts Starter In 2025
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (back) will be the team's starter in 2025, according to team sources. Head coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard will also get at least one more year to improve the team next season, owner Jim Irsay announced on Sunday night. The Colts missed the playoffs in 2024 for the fourth straight season, which is the club's longest playoff drought since a seven-year streak from 1988-94. Going into his third year in the NFL, Richardson's stock is down considerably with more doubt than ever about his ability to be a franchise QB. He missed the Week 18 regular-season finale with a back injury that he said "might be chronic" and has missed 17 games in his first two seasons due to injury. Richardson finished with the league's lowest completion percentage (47.7), and his 61.6 passer rating is the third-worst by a QB with at least 250 pass attempts since 2010.
3 hours ago
Tim Patrick A Non-Factor In Week 18 Win
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tim Patrick snagged both of his targets for 15 yards in his team's 31-9 win over the Minnesota Vikings on SNF. The veteran was again not deployed much as his team cruised to victory -- ranking fifth on the Lions with each of his statistical totals. Patrick was involved in the offense for a stretch, averaging 3.8 receptions and 40.4 yards per game from Weeks 11 to 15. However, he's totaled two catches and 15 yards on three targets in the three games since. The 31-year-old is a solid NFL wideout in his own right but a distant fourth target in the receiving room, and that doesn't account for the presence of pass-catching RB Jahmyr Gibbs. While he may still have his moments playing on an elite offense, the San Diego native is a better receiver on the field than he is for fantasy. Detroit will get a week off in anticipation of their matchup in the divisional round.
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Jalen Nailor Snags Three Balls In Loss To Detroit
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor brought in 3-of-4 targets for 53 yards in Sunday night's 31-9 road loss to the Detroit Lions. Nailor was the team's second-leading receiver in Week 18 -- falling one yard shy of tying Justin Jefferson for the most on the squad. The Lions' defense was disruptive in this one, keeping Sam Darnold off balance and out of rhythm for the majority of the contest. As such, most of the Vikings offense was held to little or no production as Detroit relentlessly broke up passes and held the team to short gains. The 25-year-old will get another exploitable matchup next weekend in the Wild Card round -- squaring off with the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi stadium. However, he'll be little more than a DFS dart throw for the road tilt.
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Rachaad White Sees No Work In Week 18
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White did not receive a touch in Sunday's 27-19 win over the New Orleans Saints. Woof. Despite playing 18 snaps (27%), the Arizona State product was not utilized. It's the second time in his career -- and first since Week 3 of his rookie season -- that he was active and did not get any work. Backfield mate Bucky Irving dominated touches, and even rookie back Sean Tucker garnered two carries over the third-year pro. It's a poor ending to the year for White, who now enters 2025, bolstering little more than handcuff appeal after finishing 2023 as the PPR RB4. He'll get a slightly tougher test in next weekend's Wild Card round against the visiting Washington Commanders. Still, he'll be tough to trust as a DFS option after goose-egging fantasy managers in the season finale.
4 hours ago
Foster Moreau To Have Surgery On His Knee
New Orleans Saints tight end Foster Moreau (knee) underwent further testing on his injured knee and will undergo offseason surgery, according to a source. Before getting hurt in the loss to the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday, Moreau caught all four of his targets for 31 yards and finished his second year in New Orleans with 32 catches on 43 targets for 413 yards and a career-high-tying five touchdowns in 17 starts. Depending on the severity of his knee injury, the 27-year-old could be in danger of missing the start of the 2025 season this fall. Moreau wrapped up his two-year, $12 million deal in 2024 and will be an unrestricted free agent in March. With a knee injury now clouding his future and a new coaching regime coming in, there's a good chance Moreau will have to latch on with another team.
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Geno Smith Expected To Return To Seattle
When asked if he expects quarterback Geno Smith to return as the starting QB in 2025, Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said on Seattle Sports radio, "Got no reason to say no, so I guess yeah." If Smith is still under contract with the team in mid-March, he'll earn an extra $2 million after hitting three escalators in the win over the division-rival Los Angeles Rams in the Week 18 regular-season finale. While battling injury, Smith went 20-for-27 for 223 yards and a career-high four touchdowns on Sunday to close out his fifth year with the team. His 4,320 passing yards in 2024 were among the top five in the league, but the Seahawks offense never really hit its stride this year, and Smith finished as the QB12 in overall fantasy points. Seattle could save over $30 million by cutting him this offseason, so it's not a foregone conclusion that he'll be back in 2025.
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Christian Watson Believed To Have Suffered A Torn ACL
Green Bay Packers standout wide receiver Christian Watson (knee) is believed to have suffered a torn right ACL and additional damage to his knee in the loss to the division-rival Chicago Bears on Sunday in the Week 18 regular-season finale. It will put an end to Watson's season for the playoffs and also put him in jeopardy for the start of the 2025 regular season this fall. The 25-year-old former second-rounder in 2022 out of North Dakota State was held out of the Week 17 loss to the division-rival Minnesota Vikings due to a bruised knee he suffered the week prior, but he returned on Sunday and suffered a non-contact injury in the second quarter before being carted off. The oft-injured pass-catcher has lots of big-play ability but has struggled to stay on the field in his three seasons. Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks and tight end Tucker Kraft should all benefit in the playoffs with Watson sidelined.
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Malik Washington Posts 48 Yards In Week 18
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington caught four of five targets for 48 yards in the season-ending 32-20 loss to the New York Jets. The rookie took on a more significant role later in the season with the injury to Jaylen Waddle (knee) and the lack of depth Miami has at the receiver position. In the last four games, Washington saw more targets, receptions, and yards than he had in any stretch this season. Tyreek Hill will surely be parting ways with the organization in the offseason, and he could find himself in a more prominent role when the 2025 season starts. Time will only tell, but the rookie has shown a level of promise that he looks to build off of when the NFL season comes around in September.
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Zay Flowers Considered Day-To-Day
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday that wide receiver Zay Flowers (knee) is day-to-day after he injured his knee in the win over the division-rival Cleveland Browns on Saturday in the Week 18 regular-season finale. "It's not a season-ending injury. It will be day-to-day," Harbaugh said. Flowers underwent an MRI exam on Sunday for an injury that was initially deemed a right-knee sprain, which makes him questionable to play in the wild-card round of the playoffs this weekend on Saturday against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers. We'll have a better idea of the 24-year-old's status for this weekend once the team resumes practicing on Tuesday. If Flowers is out, Rashod Bateman would become Baltimore's top wideout, with tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely also seeing more targets. At receiver, Nelson Agholor and Tylan Wallace would also be thrust into bigger roles.
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Jaylen Waddle Ends Season With Disappointing Performance In Loss To Jets
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle caught four of nine targets for 44 yards in the 32-20 Week 18 loss to the New York Jets. He also carried the ball once for six yards. It was a disappointing ending to a season where Waddle was at career lows in all major receiving statistics. He failed to reach 1000 yards for the first time as a pro and finished third on the team in receiving yards behind Jonnu Smith. With Tyreek Hill making it abundantly clear that he wants to be traded out of Miami, there's a chance Waddle can return to being the WR1 for the first time since 2021. Tua Tagovailoa missing four games heavily contributed to Waddle's decline, but he looks to head into 2025 fully healthy. He will look to start fresh and return to his old self when the season returns in September.
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Michael Pittman Jr. Dealing With Fracture In His Back
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) admitted that he's been playing through a small fracture in his back. Pittman first noticed it during a joint practice with the Arizona Cardinals in training camp, and a scan showed the extent of the injury. He decided to play through his back injury and had a follow-up scan in Week 3. The 27-year-old will have another scan on Monday to determine if he'll require offseason surgery. Surprisingly, Pittman only missed one game in 2024, although his back injury certainly played a part in what was a down season for his standards. He finished with 69 receptions on 111 targets for 808 yards -- his lowest total since his rookie season in 2020 -- and only three touchdowns in 16 games. Second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson's own injuries and inaccuracy didn't help Pittman's cause in 2024.
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Brenton Strange Solid In Overtime Loss To Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange finished the season on a positive note in a 26-23 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The second-year tight end finished with four catches for 60 yards. After an 11-catch, 73-yard performance against the New York Jets back in Week 15, Strange has struggled to produce. While this Week 18 performance isn't anything special, it is at least a positive way to end the season for the young tight end. Evan Engram went out with an injury for the last few weeks, paving the way for Strange to get looks as a starter. It will be interesting to see what the Jaguars do with the veteran tight end Engram after firing head coach Doug Pederson. It is hard to tell right now, but Strange could be in line for a solid season in a starter role in the 2025 NFL season.
6 hours ago
Travis Etienne Jr. Underwhelming In Overtime Loss
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. struggled to find much space in a 26-23 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts. He finished with 13 carries for 31 yards as well as three catches for 29 yards. The 25-year-old back out of Clemson had the worst season of his young career, struggling to find efficient yardage in a lackluster offense. While it still seems Etienne Jr. is much better in the passing game than backup Tank Bigsby, Bigsby seemed to take over as the lead rusher and goal-line back. Maybe with a healthy offense and improved roster next season, Etienne Jr. can get back on track, but he will likely still have Bigsby nipping at his heels. Expect Etienne Jr. to remain involved, but not as a workhorse back in the 2025 NFL season.
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Christian McCaffrey
• RB
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49ers
