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| Friday, December 29, 2023 |
| After watching Joe Flacco put together yet another tremendous performance Thursday against the Jets, I had three questions immediately spring to mind: |
*Extremely Robin Williams in Jumanji voice* WHAT YEAR IS IT?!Why couldn't the Jets get anything like this from Joe Flacco last season?
Why couldn't the Browns get anything like this from Deshaun Watson this season? |
| I suspect the answer to all three, or at least the final two, is something along the lines of "¯\_(ツ)_/¯." Sometimes, guys just play over their heads for a game, a month, a whole season, and there isn't really any good explanation for it? But that's an awfully unsatisfying answer after Flacco had 309 yards and three touchdowns against a very good Jets defense Thursday without Amari Cooper. |
| I do think there's something to be said for the Jets inability to put together anything like a productive NFL offense over the past two seasons, and it's a reason to be skeptical that a 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers , coming off a rupture Achilles and a full missed season, is going to magically fix everything in 2024. There are fundamental issues with this offense, especially with their inability to protect the quarterback despite investing plenty into the offensive line, and their total lack of anything threatening on offense beyond the individual brilliance of Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson , and I don't think we've seen much of anything from this coaching staff to expect they can elevate the offense if Rodgers isn't playing at an MVP level next season. |
| As for Watson, I do think Flacco's performance is a pretty tough look for him, especially. Watson was once one of the most productive quarterbacks in the NFL, but it's going to be three full seasons since we've seen anything like that from him by the time next season starts. He was, perhaps, slightly better this season than last, but still averaged just 6.5 yards per attempt and completed just 61.4% of his passes, significantly worse than what Flacco strolled off the streets and provided the Browns offense. It's hard to have any kind of confidence in him heading into 2024. |
| We're looking ahead to 2024, because, well, that's the end of the Fantasy season for those two teams. And that's what you can expect from this newsletter next week, as we'll be counting down the top-12 players at each position for 2024 next week. But first, we've got one more week to win. Today's newsletter has all of the injury updates you need from around the NFL, and we'll be back Sunday morning with updated rankings and injury news to make sure you've got the best lineup possible. |
| Week 17 Position Previews: QB | RB | WR | TEDave Richard's Lineup Decisions Jamey, Dave, Heath's Rankings My Week 16 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TECheat Sheets: PPR | Non-PPR |
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| Week 17 injury updates |
| After a few weird weeks with multiple Saturday and Monday games, the schedule settles down. In fact, this might be the Fantasy-friendliest schedule we've had all season, with just one Saturday game and no Monday games to worry about. One way or another, your championship will be decided this weekend. |
| Saturday game injuries |
| One other thing that makes this week Fantasy friendly: No significant injuries in the Saturday game. Rico Dowdle (ankle) is the only name Fantasy players need to know on the injury report for either the Lions or Cowboys, and he's a reserve, so it doesn't really matter. He's been ruled out, so we could see more of Deuce Vaughn this week. But the likelier outcome is Tony Pollard carries a bigger load in a very advantageous matchup. It's been a tough season, but Pollard might just help you win a championship if you got there. |
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| Other Week 17 injury updates |
| Quarterbacks |
| Trevor Lawrence (shoulder): Did not practice. The Jaguars have refused to rule Lawrence out, and they're sure to give him every opportunity possible to play this week. But at this point, it seems like it might just be too much to overcome. C.J. Beathard will start for the Jaguars if Lawrence can't, and it's a downgrade for the entire offense. |
| C.J. Stroud (concussion): Full practice. Stroud cleared the concussion protocol Thursday, and while a setback isn't unheard of, it's not likely. Stroud is back in the top-12 range at QB after missing a couple of games. |
| Kyler Murray (illness): DNP. Generally speaking, we don't tend to worry about illnesses in the middle of the week, but when a player misses two days in a row, we take notice. Hopefully Murray will be fine by Sunday, but make sure you've got an alternative ready to go just in case. |
| Will Levis (ankle): Full practice. After getting full practices in Wednesday and Thursday, Levis looks like he's going to make his return from a one-game absence. I think it's probably a lateral move after Ryan Tannehill started last week. |
| Running backs |
| Isiah Pacheco (concussion/shoulder): Did not practice. Clyde Edwards-Helaire (illness): Did not practice. Edwards-Helaire's absence is hopefully mostly a non-issue, but we'll have to keep an eye on it, given that the stakes here are pretty high – he's a top-24 RB for more rankers with Pacheco looking unlikely, even if he's a pretty mediocre talent in what is now a pretty mediocre offense. If he can't play, La'Mical Perine becomes an absolute desperation RB3. |
| Raheem Mostert (knee/ankle): Did not practice. De'Von Achane (toe): Limited practice. Mostert rarely gets a full practice in anyway, and multiple Dolphins coaches have expressed optimism about his chances, so I'm assuming he'll play. If not, Achane becomes a top-15 RB, and Jeff Wilson moves into the RB3 discussion even against a very tough Ravens defense. |
| Josh Jacobs (quad): Did not practice. This is another one where we've gotten some optimism about his chances, but we also got optimism last week before Jacobs ultimately sat out. I'm expecting Zamir White to start for the Raiders this week against the Colts, and he's an RB2. |
| Ezekiel Elliott (illness): Did not practice. Hopefully this is another one we don't really have to worry about, but we'll note it here and hope Elliott is active come Sunday, because his role in the passing game (21 catches in three games with Rhamondre Stevenson inactive) makes him an absolute must-start option right now. If he doesn't play, Kevin Harris and Jamycal Hasty become desperation RB4s in a very bad offense. |
| Kenneth Walker (shoulder/illness): Did not practice. Given that Walker played through the shoulder issue last week, I'm assuming his absences so far this week are related to the illness, though he often takes days off practice even when he plays. Which is to say, I'm not too concerned about Walker's chances of playing, though obviously I'd like to see some improvement in practice Friday to have faith in him. |
| Chuba Hubbard (hamstring): Limited practice. Hubbard has been limited both days in practice this week, which seems to suggest this isn't a significant concern. But you should still keep an eye on his status in Friday's practice, because we really haven't gotten many details here. If Hubbard plays, he's an RB2 given the volume he's received lately (at least 20 carries in three of his past four games). |
| Najee Harris (knee): Limited practice. As expected, Harris was upgraded after missing practice Wednesday, so he should be good to go. He's in that RB2/3 range of the rankings against the Seahawks. |
| Brian Robinson (hamstring): Limited practice. With Chris Rodriguez (ankle) placed on IR, the Commanders have Antonio Gibson and Derrick Gore available if Robinson can't play. He's been limited both days of practice this week, so he has a chance, and he'd be in the RB3 range if he can go; if not, Gibson is in the same range in a terrible matchup against the 49ers. |
| Zack Moss (forearm): Limited practice. It looks like Moss has a chance to return after missing last week's game, and he should have a role if he's good to go, seeing as Jonathan Taylor had just one target and played 59% of the snaps last week. Moss should have enough of a role in both facets of the game to be an RB3 against the Raiders. |
| Wide receivers |
| Ja'Marr Chase (shoulder): Limited practice. Chase returned to practice Thursday, and he spoke (a lot!) with reporters after practice, a promising sign for his chances of playing. The Chiefs might be without corner L'Jarius Sneed, which should make Chase's life easier if he plays. With Jake Browning at QB, Chase is averaging 12.0 PPR points per game, and he's more like a WR2 these days, especially with the injury. But I'd have a hard time sitting him if he's active. |
| Tyreek Hill (ankle): Limited practice. Jaylen Waddle (ankle): Did not practice. It sounds like Hill is going to play and Waddle isn't, which isn't much of a surprise. Given the tough matchup, I'm not sure I'd be willing to trust anyone but Hill in this passing game – maybe Durham Smythe enters the desperation streaming conversation after the Dolphins used him as a quick safety valve against the Cowboys last week. |
| Michael Pittman (concussion/shoulder): Full practice. Pittman looks like he's on his way to returning to the field after last week's false start. He still has to avoid another setback with the concussion protocol, but I'm expecting him to start and ranking him as a top-12 WR. |
| Keenan Allen (heel): Did not practice. Joshua Palmer (concussion): Did not practice. It looks like the Chargers are going to be extremely short-handed this week against the Broncos , and while there's an opportunity for Quentin Johnston to close out the season strong, he simply hasn't done enough this season to be worth trusting. |
| Nico Collins (calf): Limited practice. Collins played just 47% of the snaps in Week 16, including 45% of the passing snaps, which is definitely a red flag as he plays through this recurring calf injury. However, with C.J. Stroud back and Collins a week further removed from the injury, I have to assume he'll have a bigger role this week. He's a high-risk, high-reward WR2 assuming he plays. |
| DK Metcalf (back): Did not practice. Metcalf was added to the injury report with a DNP Thursday, which is obviously scary. Metcalf routinely missed practice only to play without incident, so hopefully that's what we're looking at here. Hopefully we get good news from Friday's practice session. |
| Chris Olave (ankle): Limited practice. Olave played through the injury last week and put up nine catches for 123 yards, and now he's got a matchup against a Buccaneers defense allowing the fourth-most Fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season. He's a must-start WR. |
| Jordan Addison (ankle): Limited practice. Addison got back to practice Thursday after sitting out Wednesday's session, a good sign for his chances of playing this week. Addison is a risky play in the best of circumstances, but with rookie Jaren Hall starting for the Vikings, it's especially hard to trust him. I'm ranking him in the low-end WR3 range if he plays. |
| Zay Flowers (calf): Did not practice. This is a new injury for Flowers, who played through a foot injury last week. And it looks like it's serious, because he hasn't practiced this week yet. Flowers has 25 targets over the past three games, with two games of at least eight catches in that span, so he'll be hard to get away from if he plays. But at this point, I'm not planning on having him available. |
| Marquise Brown (heel): Did not practice. It looks like the injury Brown tried to play through for much of the season is going to cost him a second game in a row, as he has yet to practice this week. Even if Brown does play, you can't trust him. |
| Jayden Reed (toe/chest): Limited practice. Christian Watson (hamstring)/Dontayvion Wicks (chest/ankle): Did not practice. It looks like Reed has a real chance to return this week, and he'll be returning to an offense that looks like it's going to really need to lean on him. I'm not sure Reed is best suited as a true No. 1 WR at this point in his career, but the Packers have found ways to get production from him in multiple facets of the game, and if he plays, he's worth using as a WR3. |
| Zay Jones (knee/hamstring): Limited practice. It looks like Jones has a chance to come back this week, but with Beathard likely to start for Lawrence, I'm not sure you can trust him as anything more than a desperation WR3/4. |
| Courtland Sutton (concussion): Did not practice. Sutton looks unlikely to be cleared in time for Sunday, but there's still time, so don't write him off entirely. He's just a fringe WR2/3 with Jarrett Stidham at QB if he does play, while Jerry Jeudy becomes a slightly more attractive WR3 if Sutton is out. Marvin Mims (hamstring) popped up on the injury report Thursday with a limited session, so the Broncos could be even more short-handed than expected. |
| Tight end |
| Cole Kmet (knee): Did not practice. It looks like there's a real risk of Kmet missing this week's game, and that's a blow for Fantasy players, who have gotten at least 11 PPR points from him four weeks in a row. Hopefully Kmet will be able to get back to practice Friday, but at this point, you have to approach him as if he won't be able to go. |
| Darren Waller (knee): Full practice. Go see if Waller is available in your league if you have Kmet. He hasn't produced much since his return, but he has more non-touchdown upside than any other tight end available in more than a handful of leagues, and I'm ranking him as a top-12 option. |
| Hunter Henry (knee): Limited practice. Henry has been limited each of the past two days, a sign he has a chance to return after missing last week's game. He has three touchdowns in the past two games, and Mike Gesicki also scored in his absence last week, so he's probably one of the better "touchdown-or-bust" options at the position at this point. |
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| | | | | College Basketball on CBS | | NFL on CBS | Saturday, it's a fantastic college hoops doubleheader tipping off at 2:00 PM ET with a top 25 matchup between #22 Creighton and #10 Marquette followed by UCLA taking on Oregon. Keep the Holiday season going with college basketball on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.
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| | Sunday, it's an NFL on CBS New Year's Eve doubleheader featuring two matchups that will shape the playoff race beginning with the Dolphins taking on the Ravens. Later, the Bengals try to keep their postseason hopes alive as they face the Chiefs. Get set for kickoff beginning at 12:00 PM ET with the NFL Today. Watch on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.
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