Fantasy Football News

Justin Watson • WR • Texans

Justin Watson Still Not Practicing

Houston Texans wide receiver Justin Watson (concussion) missed a second straight day of practice this week on Thursday, according to the team. Watson suffered a concussion in Monday night's Wild-Card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and wasn't able to return. The 29-year-old is in the league's concussion protocol and is trending as unlikely to play this Sunday in the Divisional Round of the playoffs against the New England Patriots. Top wideout Nico Collins (concussion) is in the same boat as Watson and hasn't practiced this week. It means the Texans' receiving corps will most likely be short-handed this weekend, with rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, Christian Kirk, and Xavier Hutchinson all seeing bigger roles. Tight end Dalton Schultz will also have a higher fantasy ceiling with more targets available. Even when fully healthy, Watson is too far down the WR depth chart to matter for fantasy purposes.

3 hours ago

Jawhar Jordan • RB • Texans

Jawhar Jordan Limited Again on Thursday

Houston Texans running back Jawhar Jordan (ankle) was limited in practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday, according to the team. Jordan suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Indianapolis Colts and did not suit up for Monday night's Wild-Card blowout win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although Jordan has returned to practice this week, he's still very much up in the air to play on Sunday against the New England Patriots in an AFC Divisional Round game. Even if Jordan is active, he'll merely be the RB2 behind rookie starter Woody Marks. With Jordan out on Monday night, veteran Nick Chubb played 29% of the offensive snaps and carried the ball 10 times for 48 yards. Most of Chubb's work came late in the contest in garbage time. Neither Chubb nor Jordan is recommended fantasy plays behind Marks against New England.

3 hours ago

George Kittle • TE • 49ers

George Kittle has Successful Achilles Surgery

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) underwent successful surgery to fix his torn right Achilles tendon on Wednesday, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. Kittle was placed on Injured Reserve on Wednesday and will miss the rest of the playoffs. Because his injury occurred so late in the year, too, the 32-year-old veteran almost certainly won't be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign this fall. In fact, he could end up missing the majority of next regular season after tearing his Achilles in the Wild-Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday. Going into this Saturday's NFC Divisional contest against the Seattle Seahawks, Jake Tonges will take over as the Niners' top pass-catching tight end. Kittle, a seven-time Pro Bowler, still has high-end TE1 upside when healthy, but durability concerns will drastically affect his 2026 fantasy value.

3 hours ago

Fred Warner • LB • 49ers

Fred Warner Won't Come Off Injured Reserve This Week

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner (ankle) will not be activated from Injured Reserve for Saturday's Divisional Round contest in Seattle against the division-rival Seahawks, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. The extremely banged-up 49ers' defense won't get Warner back, and they'll also be without safety Ji'Ayir Brown (hamstring). Meanwhile, linebackers Luke Gifford (quadriceps) and Dee Winters (ankle) are questionable. San Fran's defense did a very respectable job last weekend, slowing down the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild-Card round, considering how decimated they've been by injuries all year. If they can somehow pull off the upset against Seattle on Saturday night, Warner will be itching to return for the NFC Championship against either the Los Angeles Rams or the Chicago Bears. Warner has been out since dislocating and fracturing his ankle back in Week 6.

3 hours ago

Ricky Pearsall • WR • 49ers

Ricky Pearsall Questionable to Play on Saturday Night

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle) will be questionable to play in the Divisional Round of the playoffs on Saturday evening on the road against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Pearsall missed a good chunk of his second NFL season due to a sprained PCL in his right knee, and he's also missed three of the last four games, including last week's Wild-Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles, after aggravating his knee. San Fran could really use the 25-year-old former first-rounder back against Seattle after losing tight end George Kittle to a torn Achilles tendon last Sunday. Pearsall was limited in practice all week and is optimistic he'll be available on Saturday night. He did go over 100 receiving yards in two of his last three games, but Pearsall has been very hit or miss and injury-prone, making him extremely volatile as a fantasy option in playoff leagues in a bad matchup if he's active.

3 hours ago

Sam Darnold • QB • Seahawks

Sam Darnold Questionable With Oblique Injury, Expected to Play

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (oblique) was added to the injury report on Thursday with an oblique injury and is questionable to play in the Divisional Round on Saturday night against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers, according to Curtis Crabtree of FOX 13 Seattle. However, Darnold is fully expected to play through his questionable tag this week. The 28-year-old was listed as limited in Thursday's practice. "I feel good...in routes on air, I just felt a little something in my oblique. I just didn't want to push it. It wasn't the day to push it, so that was it. I came inside, got some rehab, and I feel like I'll be ready to go for Saturday," Darnold said. The former first-rounder should be fine to play against a Niners team that he has yet to throw a touchdown against in two games this year. In the Week 18 win over the 49ers, Darnold threw for 198 yards with no TDs or interceptions.

3 hours ago

Drake Maye • QB • Patriots

Drake Maye's Ball-Security Issues Could Continue in Divisional Round

In his first career playoff appearance, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye led his team to a 16-3 win in the Wild Card round over the Los Angeles Chargers. The 23-year-old completed 17 of 29 pass attempts for 268 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while adding 66 rushing yards on 10 attempts. However, Maye also fumbled twice, one of which was recovered by the Chargers. Maye's production upside remains sky-high, but any potential ball security issues may only be exacerbated in the Divisional Round against the Houston Texans. Houston allowed the seventh-fewest passing yards (3,486) in the regular season while ranking tied for third in interceptions (19). The Texans' defense is also coming off a dominating performance in the Wild Card round against the Pittsburgh Steelers, in which it forced two turnovers, recorded four sacks, and allowed just six points. Maye's rushing ability could carry him to success, but the difficult matchup makes him a low-end quarterback option for fantasy managers in the Divisional Round.

5 hours ago

D'Andre Swift • RB • Bears

D'Andre Swift Trending Upwards Heading into the Divisional Round

Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift was one of the stars of his team's Wild-Card win over the Green Bay Packers, recording 92 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 15 touches. Swift and Bears rookie back Kyle Monangai split playing time nearly evenly, with Swift earning 39 snaps and Monangai 36. However, Swift was the more productive player of the two, as Monangai was held to 49 scrimmage yards on nine touches. Chicago is now set to host the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round of the NFC playoffs. The Rams' run defense performed well during the regular season, but allowed three rushing touchdowns to the Carolina Panthers in the Wild Card round. Swift profiles as the priority player in the Bears' backfield for fantasy managers in the Divisional round against Los Angeles.

5 hours ago

Hunter Henry • TE • Patriots

Hunter Henry Practices in Full on Thursday

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (knee) returned to full practice participation on Thursday after being listed as limited on Wednesday due to a knee injury. Barring a setback, it appears as though Henry is on track to play in New England's Divisional Round matchup against the Houston Texans. The 31-year-old was one of the stars of his team's Wild Card Weekend win over the Los Angeles Chargers, hauling in three catches for 64 yards and a touchdown on five targets. Dating back to the regular season, Henry has now recorded a touchdown grab in three out of his last four outings. Houston profiles as a difficult matchup, as it has allowed the seventh-fewest receiving yards to tight ends in the NFL so far this season. Still, Henry's touchdown upside makes him a solid tight end option for fantasy managers in the Divisional Round.

5 hours ago

DJ Moore • WR • Bears

DJ Moore Limited in Practice on Thursday with Knee Issue

Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore (knee) was a limited practice participant on Thursday as he battles a lingering knee issue, per Michal Dwojak of Bears Insider. Moore was also listed on Chicago's injury report in the lead-up to the team's Wild Card Weekend matchup against the Green Bay Packers. However, he was active for the game and recorded six receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. Barring a setback, it seems likely that Moore will be able to play in the Divisional round against the Los Angeles Rams. The 28-year-old had a rough close to the regular season, recording just two receptions for 18 yards on seven targets over his final two outings. Still, he led all Chicago wide receivers in snap share in his bounce-back performance against the Packers. Moore profiles as a low-end wide receiver option for fantasy managers in the Divisional round.

5 hours ago

Rome Odunze • WR • Bears

Rome Odunze Limited in Practice on Thursday

Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (foot) was a limited practice participant on Thursday, per Michal Dwojak of Bears Insider. Odunze missed the final five games of the regular season due to a stress fracture in his foot and is apparently still managing the injury. However, the 23-year-old was able to return to the field in Chicago's Wild Card Weekend win over the Green Bay Packers, recording two catches for 44 yards on six targets. Barring a major setback, it seems likely that Odunze will play through the injury once again in the Divisional round against the Los Angeles Rams. Still, Odunze was limited to just 69% of the Bears' offensive snaps against the Packers and could be facing a reduced workload for the remainder of Chicago's playoff run. Given his injury concerns and the recent emergence of Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III and tight end Colston Loveland, Odunze will be tough for fantasy managers to trust against the Rams.

6 hours ago

Patrick Mahomes • QB • Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes Says Rehab Going "Great," Goal is 2026 Week 1 Return

Omar Ruiz of NFL Network reports that Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (knee) says his rehab from ACL and LCL tears in his knee is "going great." According to Ruiz, Mahomes stated that his goal is to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 season, which doctors have said is possible, but there is still a long way to go. Mahomes underwent surgery in mid-December, so a Week 1 return would require less than nine months of recovery time. Across 14 games before getting injured, the 30-year-old completed 62.7% of his pass attempts for 3,587 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Mahomes also rushed for 422 yards and five scores, making 2025 the most productive rushing season of his career. His recovery progress will be one of the key storylines for fantasy managers to track throughout the offseason.

6 hours ago

Matt Prater • K • Bills

Matt Prater Will Kick in Divisional Round in Denver

Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater (quadriceps, calf) has been cleared to kick in the Divisional Round this Saturday against his former team, the Denver Broncos. Prater was held out of Tuesday's practice, was a full-go on Wednesday, and was limited on Thursday. The 41-year-old veteran aggravated a quad injury in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the New York Jets, but he was active last weekend and handled field goals and extra points in the Wild-Card win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Prater made both of his field goals (one from 50-plus yards) and all three of his extra points against the Jags. He'll have the thin air in Denver to his advantage on Saturday, but at less than 100% in a tough matchup, Prater is on the lower end of kicking options this weekend. The Broncos allowed the third-fewest fantasy points per game to placekickers in 2025.

6 hours ago

Dalton Kincaid • TE • Bills

Dalton Kincaid Will Play on Saturday

Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee, calf) was limited in practice all week with knee and calf injuries, but he was cleared from the final injury report on Thursday and will be active on Saturday against the hosting Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round. Kincaid might not be 100% healthy this weekend, but he'll be available and should be one of quarterback Josh Allen's top targets, especially with receivers Gabe Davis (knee) and Tyrell Shavers (knee) out. The Broncos' defense was pretty stingy all year against opposing offenses, but they were around the middle of the pack in terms of half-PPR points allowed per game to the TE position. Given the lack of aerial weapons for Allen, he'll be forced to use both Kincaid and TE Dawson Knox. Kincaid is coming off a touchdown in the Wild-Card win over the Jaguars and should be considered a top-three TE in fantasy lineups this weekend.

6 hours ago

Josh Allen • QB • Bills

Josh Allen Good to Go for Divisional Round

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (foot, knee, finger) was listed with foot, knee, and finger injuries this week, but he practiced in full on Wednesday and Thursday and has been cleared to play in the Divisional Round of the playoffs this Saturday against the Denver Broncos. Allen is heading into a less-than-ideal matchup on the road with two of his receivers (Gabe Davis and Tyrell Shavers) out for the rest of the year with torn ACLs. However, he should still be considered one of the top-two QB plays in fantasy football playoff leagues because of his dual-threat abilities. Denver's strong defense allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to QBs during the regular season, but Allen is a different breed. He was the top fantasy QB in 2025 and led the NFL with 14 rushing touchdowns -- the next closest was Trevor Lawrence with nine.

6 hours ago

Christian Gonzalez • CB • Patriots

Christian Gonzalez Sheds Non-Contact Jersey

New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (concussion) shed his non-contact jersey in practice on Thursday, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN. It suggests that Gonzalez is trending in the right direction to clear the league's concussion protocol to play on Sunday in the Divisional Round versus the visiting Houston Texans. Gonzalez could be a full participant in practice after being limited on Wednesday, but even if he is, he'd still need clearance from an independent neurologist to play on Sunday. The 23-year-old former first-rounder is one of the top cornerbacks in the league, so not having him this weekend would be a big blow to the Patriots' defense. The good news for New England is that it's looking like Houston will be without top receiver Nico Collins (concussion). If Gonzalez plays, he could be locked up against rookie wideout Jayden Higgins for most of the day. UPDATE: Gonzalez practiced in full on Thursday.

7 hours ago

Nico Collins • WR • Texans

Nico Collins a "Long Shot" to Play in Divisional Round

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (concussion) is not at the portion of practice open to the media on Thursday as he remains in the league's concussion protocol, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. Collins is a "long shot" to play on Sunday against the New England Patriots in the Divisional Round, considering the steps he must still clear to be allowed to play this weekend. The 26-year-old suffered a concussion on Monday night in the Wild-Card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and never returned. He was seen being carted off the field with a towel over his head. He has one more day to return to practice, but this late in the week, Collins' chances aren't great. It's looking like the Texans will ask rookie receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, Christian Kirk, and Xavier Hutchinson to step up on Sunday, with Collins likely unavailable.

9 hours ago

Ed Oliver • DT • Bills

Ed Oliver Considered Questionable to Return This Weekend

Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver (biceps, knee) was limited in practice all week and will be listed as questionable for Saturday's Divisional Round game versus the hosting Denver Broncos, according to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network. The Bills will be without two starters on defense in cornerback Maxwell Hairston (ankle) and safety Jordan Poyer (hamstring), so the Bills would certainly welcome Oliver back if he is ready. The 28-year-old interior defensive lineman has been on Injured Reserve for most of the year due to biceps and knee injuries. In just three games before being shut down, Oliver was very effective, recording 12 total tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble for the Bills. If the Bills officially activate Oliver off IR on Friday, he'll almost certainly be active on Saturday.

9 hours ago

Ty Johnson • RB • Bills

Ty Johnson to be Questionable Against Denver

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that running back Ty Johnson (ankle) will be limited in practice on Thursday and will be listed as questionable on the final injury report for the Divisional Round on Saturday in Denver against the Broncos, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. Johnson injured his ankle in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the New York Jets and was inactive last Sunday for the Wild-Card victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 28-year-old could be a game-time decision in Denver on Saturday, but even if he suits up, he won't be recommended for fantasy playoff lineups against a stout Broncos defense. Johnson has mostly operated as the RB3 this year behind starter James Cook and Ray Davis, carrying the ball 50 times for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Johnson added two receiving TDs in 17 regular-season games.

9 hours ago

Curtis Samuel • WR • Bills

Curtis Samuel Questionable for Divisional Round

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that wide receiver Curtis Samuel (elbow) will practice in full again on Thursday and will be listed as questionable for the Divisional Round of the playoffs on Saturday against the Denver Broncos, according to Katherine Fitzgerald of The Buffalo News. Samuel is still on Injured Reserve and missed the last eight games with an elbow injury, but he's been practicing in full this week and looks ready to return. Although the 29-year-old probably won't have a big role on offense if he's active in Denver, the Bills will welcome Samuel's return after losing both Gabe Davis (knee) and Tyrell Shavers (knee) to torn ACLs in the Wild-Card win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Samuel has appeared in only six games for the Bills this year, catching seven of his nine targets for 81 yards and a touchdown.

9 hours ago

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