Somehow, despite being loaded with talent, the Atlanta Falcons offense continues to underwhelm lately, and the Las Vegas Raiders defense/special teams benefitted from that by scoring nine fantasy points on Monday. They sacked quarterback Kirk Cousins three times, intercepted him once, and allowed just 13 points and 261 total yards of offense in a loss. The Falcons haven't been very good on offense against teams other than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season, so it came as no surprise that LV was able to stop them, for the most part. Still, it's tough to trust the No. 32 ranked defense on Sleeper at any point. They shouldn't be started in any leagues, but it's cool to see them doing something at least. They'll face the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16, and even though JAX is starting QB Mac Jones, it doesn't move the needle here.

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Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen caught six of 13 targets for 81 yards and a touchdown in his team's 30-12 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The veteran was Chicago's lone bright spot on Monday night and has been superb over his last few outings. After a horrendous start to the year, Allen has had four TDs in his previous four outings, and at least 73 yards, and eight targets in three of them. Since Week 9, the 32-year-old has racked up 65 targets to fellow wideout DJ Moore's 61. However, the latter has out-caught him 43-36. With quarterback Caleb Williams chucking it all over the yard on nearly 60% of Chicago's plays (59.03), there will surely be plenty of opportunities to go around. Still, they're not of the highest quality. Allen and the Bears will square off against the Detroit Lions in the fantasy semi-finals next Sunday.

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Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker caught two of his three targets for 18 yards and didn't record a rush in his team's loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 15. He's becoming an afterthought in this offense, though the offense was mostly an afterthought anyway overall. Without QB Aidan O'Connell (knee) leading the offense, things were mostly ugly in the passing attack, and the Raiders didn't get a lot going on the ground either. It wasn't until the team was down by two scores late in the fourth quarter that they got into a rhythm, but it was too late, and Tucker wasn't much of a part of it. Though he gets an easy matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16, he's still not worth starting moving forward. Tight end Brock Bowers and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers should continue to dominate the receiving work for the team.

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Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts recorded his first multi-catch performance since Week 10 on Monday night, catching all four of his targets for a modest 28 yards in the 15-9 win over the Raiders. On a night when Kirk Cousins completed just 11 passes, Pitts' four targets and four catches were both a team-high. It was good to see the 24-year-old involved again, although the Raiders had been poor against TEs this year and Cousins wasn't looking downfield much in this one so it's not all that surprising to see him resurface. Between Pitts disappearing from the passing attack most weeks and Cousins looking dysfunctional at quarterback over the last several games, fantasy managers vying for playoff championships will want to look elsewhere next Sunday. The Falcons take on the Giants who have allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to TEs on the season, and the former first-round pick figures to be a low-end TE2 in that matchup.

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Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers simply wasn't thrown the ball enough by quarterback Desmond Ridder in the team's 15-9 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night. Though Meyers ended up with nine targets, Ridder took too long to start getting the ball into one of his best playmaker's hands. Meyers is a fantastic receiver in fantasy football and a good playmaker on the field, but he'll need his QB1 back in Week 16 to realize his potential. It's not that he wasn't getting open, but there's only so much you can do on your own. Luckily, Aidan O'Connell (knee) could have a shot to return in Week 16, and the team will face the awful Jacksonville Jaguars pass defense, so Meyers could have a big day coming up soon.

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Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson carried the offensive load in Monday's 15-9 win over the Raiders, racking up 125 yards on 22 rush attempts and he caught one pass for 10 yards. The 22-year-old's rushing total was more than Kirk Cousins' passing yards total of 112 yards. Unfortunately, the second-year back wasn't afforded the opportunity to punch one in for a score as the Falcons never really got down close to the end zone in this one. It was the fourth time in the last five games that the former first-round draft pick recorded 20 carries or more, however, he's seen less work in the passing attack the last two weeks, catching just three passes during that time after logging at least three receptions in nine straight games before that. Regardless, Robinson will once again be a high-end RB1 in next Sunday's home matchup against the Giants who are bottom-third in terms of fantasy points allowed to running backs.

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Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson nailed a 52-yard field goal with 11:44 left in the second quarter in his team's loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 15. He didn't get another chance to kick until an extra point attempt late in the fourth quarter, but that try was blocked. That's not 100% his fault, and neither is the fact that he still barely gets chances to attempt kicks and extra points. He's still not a great option in fantasy football because the offense he's a part of simply does not get into scoring range often. Opportunity is king for kickers in fantasy football, and there just isn't enough of it. If you're on Sleeper you might be reading this, so here's a tip: the Raiders will face the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16, who have an awful defense, so in very deep leagues, Carlson might actually be a solid start! That's right, you finally read some good news about the Raiders kicker this season. What a miracle.

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Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers was targeted just six times and caught three passes for 35 yards. Quarterback Desmond Ridder, who was starting in place of the injured Aidan O'Connell (knee), simply did not look the rookie sensation's way many times. Ridder has struggled throughout his career, and one way he could have had a better game is if he had thrown it to his TE more. Bowers is still elite, and fantasy managers will look for AOC to return to action in Week 16. He shouldn't be benched for any reason, but obviously, his ceiling is much lower without his starting quarterback. The Raiders will face the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have the second-worst overall pass defense in the last 25 years (seriously), so the freshman TE should bounce back next week.

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Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Desmond Ridder attempted 39 passes and completed 23 throws for 208 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Unsurprisingly, he didn't throw his first TD pass until the game was nearly out of reach -- it happened with under three minutes left in the fourth quarter. He attempted to lead a futile comeback, but it was too little, too late. His second interception was on a Hail Mary attempt that failed, but he was mostly ineffective against one of the league's worst pass defenses. He'll likely not start next week anyway. Starting QB Aidan O'Connell (knee) is expected to make his return in Week 16, and Ridder will be sent back to the bench.

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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London caught all three of his targets for 53 yards and a touchdown in Monday's 15-9 win over the Raiders. It was London's first touchdown reception since Week 9, now with seven TDs on the season. While that was a positive, fantasy managers with playoff matchups on the line were surely hoping for much higher totals after averaging over 11 targets per game in the four previous contests. With quarterback Kirk Cousins struggling for five weeks running now, Atlanta's receivers will be risky fantasy plays in the remaining weeks. The Falcons take on the Giants in a home game next Sunday, and the 6-foot-4 wideout figures to be more of a high-end WR2 again rather than the WR1 he was in the first half of the season.

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Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift amassed 79 yards on 19 carries in his team's 30-12 loss against the Minnesota Vikings. He added ten more through the air on his lone target. Swift bounced back in this one after a poor string of games on the ground, during which he averaged 35.7 yards per game and 2.82 YPC. Still, it wasn't enough to get him to double-digit fantasy points -- a feat he's failed to accomplish since Week 11. In his and his team's defense, they've been through quite the gauntlet of defenses over the last four weeks (MIN [twice], DET, SF). However, there is no denying that the Bears' offense lacks execution. The 25-year-old will get a rematch with Chicago's division-rival Detroit Lions in Week 16 and could be a candidate for a decent outing with the Lions' mounting injuries on the defensive side of the ball.

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Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams completed 18-of-31 passes for 191 yards and one touchdown in Monday night's 30-12 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He added three yards on four carries and coughed up a fumble. The rookie QB looked like he was turning a corner for a few weeks but had another tough go against a stout Vikings defense. He failed to reach 200 passing yards for the second straight contest and couldn't get anything going in Week 15 despite a strong outing (340/2) in his last meeting with Minnesota. On the bright side, Williams has not tossed an interception since returning from the team's bye in Week 7 and recorded at least one touchdown for the fourth-straight game. The 23-year-old will get a Detroit Lions defense in Week 16 that is severely depleted due to injury, making it less scary of a test than it might have been earlier in the season. Additionally, he had one of his better performances against them back in Week 13.

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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins threw his first touchdown pass since Week 9 in Monday's 15-9 win over the Raiders, however, the team leaned heavily on the run game in this one, tallying 168 rush yards between Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. Cousins completed only 11 passes but was asked to throw the ball just 17 times in the contest, racking up a paltry 112 yards passing. The 36-year-old threw the touchdown pass late in the first quarter, but also tossed an interception and looked out of sorts outside of the lone TD, which seemingly exacerbated the need to lean on the run and was the reason for so few pass attempts. Despite the win, it was not an encouraging performance if you're a Falcons fan hoping for a playoff run. The veteran will take on the Giants in Atlanta next Sunday, but for fantasy, hopefully managers have other options available at this point with fantasy championships on the line.

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The New York Jets interviewed former Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff on Monday, according to a source. The Jets have already begun to look at candidate to replace former GM Joe Douglas at the end of the 2024 season. Dimitroff was the GM in Atlanta for 12 years and saw the team post a 113-95 record in his time at the helm. The team reached the playoffs six times, including when they went all the way to the Super Bowl before famously blowing a 28-3 lead to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in 2016. He has not been in the NFL since being fired by the Falcons in 2020, instead serving as president of football operations for SumerSports, a data-driven platform created to help front-office personnel in decision-making. Dimitroff has almost 30 years of NFL experience and could decide to return to the NFL next year.

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Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson brought in 5-of-7 targets for 52 yards in Monday night's home victory over the Chicago Bears. The 27-year-old couldn't recapture the magic he produced in the two teams' first meeting, but he still put together a fine fantasy performance. While it isn't anything to write home about, he was the third-leading receiver in all statistical categories. Hockenson alternated excellent and subpar performances for a few weeks but has fallen somewhere in the middle over the last two. Between him and wideouts Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, quarterback Sam Darnold is flush with weaponry. However, he has not supported a massive fantasy outing for all three and may never do so, with Minnesota garnering a pass percentage in the league's bottom half. Hockenson will line up against a beatable Seattle Seahawks secondary in Week 16.

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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison corralled 7-of-9 targets for 63 yards in Monday's 30-12 victory against the Chicago Bears. The 22-year-old continued an excellent stretch of performances in Week 15, racking up his second-highest target and reception total of 2024. Addison has at least seven receptions in three of four contests and at least 61 receiving yards in four of five. After a slow start to the season, he's really come on over the second half and has been a fantastic complimentary option across from WR1 Justin Jefferson in the Vikings offense. He isn't as consistent as Jefferson -- but not many athletes are. The USC product will get a chance to build on his progress in Week 16 against an exploitable Seattle Seahawks defensive unit.

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New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft reportedly told associates last week that head coach Jerod Mayo will be back for another season in 2025 despite how poorly his first year as head coach in the NFL has gone this year. Mayo hasn't been given much help with one of the worst rosters in the league, but The Athletic's Chad Graff writes that it doesn't seem like Mayo is doing much to elevate the group. The Patriots appear to have hit on cornerback Christian Gonzalez and quarterback Drake Maye, but they seemingly have gotten worse at almost every other position on the roster. Going into the offseason in three weeks, expect the Patriots to take a cold, hard look at adding as much as they can in free agency to try and upgrade the offensive skill positions around Maye, primarily at receiver.

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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is optimistic on pass-rusher T.J. Watt's (ankle) availability for their Week 16 game this Saturday against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens. Tomlin said Watt is walking around comfortably and that the "door is ajar" for him to play. Pittsburgh believes that the ankle sprain that the 30-year-old suffered late in the Week 15 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles is a minor one that might not even force him to miss any time. If that's true, it would be big for the Steelers, as Watt is one of the best all-around defensive players in the NFL. However, the Steelers also probably won't take any chances with Watt potentially making his injury worse if he plays through it and he's not completely ready. It all means that fantasy managers in IDP leagues should be prepared for a scenario in which they won't have Watt this weekend on a short week for Pittsburgh.

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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson reeled in seven of 13 targets for 73 yards and a touchdown in his team's 30-12 win over the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football. The last time these two met, Chicago held the superstar wideout to 27 yards and two receptions on five targets. However, Jefferson got one over on the Bears in this one, scoring his third TD in the last two games. Jefferson was involved early, catching his touchdown -- a seven-yarder -- on the Vikings' second drive of the game. The LSU product has seven receptions in three straight outings and continues to torment defenses as one of the most dominant pass-catchers in football. He'll get a date with the Seattle Seahawks in the fantasy semi-finals next weekend and is a locked-in elite WR1.

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Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said on 105.3 The Fan on Monday that cornerback Trevon Diggs (knee) will have surgery to fix an issue in his articular cartilage, and his recovery could take up to eight months. The expectation is that Diggs won't be ready for the start of training camp, but there's a chance he could be ready for the start of the regular season. Diggs' injury is related to fluid in his knee and subsequent cartilage problems. The 26-year-old defensive back made back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2021 and 2022 and was an All-Pro in 2021, but he's had back-to-back injury-plagued years now and has played in a combined 13 games in that span. In 11 starts in 2024, he had 42 tackles (35 solo), two interceptions and 11 pass breakups. Diggs had a league-high 11 picks in 2021 but has six in three years since.

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