Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17. Hopkins put forth a lackluster performance last week, catching four passes for 37 yards against the Texans. The 32-year-old looked like a solid fantasy asset after his acquisition at the trade deadline, but his production has since fallen off. With the Kansas City offense running through rookie Xavier Worthy, Hopkins has seen his target volume and production dip the last two weeks. Hopkins will hope to find the endzone against the Steelers, who rank ninth in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers this season. Hopkins is ranked WR42 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings, making him a flex option this week. Fantasy managers will have a difficult time starting Hopkins in the fantasy playoffs as he no longer seems like a focal point of the offense.

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According to Ari Meirov of the 33rd Team, the Tennessee Titans are expected to give Mason Rudolph his second-straight start on Sunday afternoon against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Rudolph replaced Will Levis during their Week 15 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals and got the starting nod last weekend against the Indianapolis Colts. Despite losing this past weekend, Rudolph was able to lead the Titans to 30 offensive points, for the first time this season. In this game, Rudolph threw for 252 yards and two scores with three interceptions. He should be in a good position to have another solid scoring output this weekend as the Jacksonville Jaguars have allowed the second-most PPR points to opposing QBs this season. Fantasy managers in deeper Superflex formats should view him as a QB2 with upside.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy will face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17. Worthy has been acting as the Chiefs WR1 the last two weeks, and fantasy production has followed. The rookie caught seven passes for 65 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets in Week 16 against the Texans. Worthy has received 11 targets and found the endzone in back-to-back games. The Chiefs have decided to lean on Worthy as their leading pass catcher despite the presence of DeAndre Hopkins, Travis Kelce, and Marquise Brown. The 21-year-old will look to continue his production against the Steelers, who rank ninth in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers this season. Worthy is ranked WR40 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings this week despite his recent production. Worthy should offer fantasy managers a solid floor despite the difficult matchup.

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Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos should not be viewed as a viable streaming option on Thursday evening when the Bears host the Seattle Seahawks. Last weekend, Santos went 1-for-1 on attempts and 2-for-2 on extra points during their loss to the Detroit Lions. Over the past four weeks, Santos has only attempted two or more field goals in a single game on one occasion. During this span he attempted zero field goals in two of the games. Even though he holds a strong 84.6 FG% since Week 9, Santos has not been given enough volume to provide a solid fantasy output. During the fantasy playoffs, it is critical to target kickers on high-scoring offensive units and the Chicago Bears do not fit that criteria. Facing a Seattle Seahawks defense that has allowed the tenth-fewest fantasy points to opposing kickers, fantasy managers should look elsewhere for a streaming option.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (hamstring) is off the injury report and good-to-go for Wednesday's matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. The top wideout in the Steel City has been sidelined for the past three games with a hamstring injury. While he was sidelined, Calvin Austin III and Van Jefferson saw an uptick in opportunities. Before the injury, Pickens was enjoying a nice string of performances with Russell Wilson under center. Since Wilson took the starting job in Week 7, Pickens had averaged a strong 16.0 PPR points per game with 81.2 yards per game. This was a nice improvement over the 10.2 PPR points he averaged during the first six games of the campaign. He should be locked into all lineups as a WR2 on Wednesday facing the Chiefs who have allowed the 15th-most PPR points to opposing wideouts this season.

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Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco will face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day in Week 17. Pacheco was expected to be the team's starting running back upon returning from the injured reserve, but that has not been the case over the last few games. The 25-year-old took a backseat to Kareem Hunt in Week 16 against the Texans. Hunt handled more carries and catches while finding the endzone in last week's contest. Pacheco will have to hope the split leans more in his direction this week against the Steelers, who rank 11th in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs this season. Pacheco is ranked RB35 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings, making him a flex option this week. It will be difficult for fantasy managers to trust either running back in the Chiefs backfield if they continue to split opportunities.

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Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt will face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17. Hunt has been splitting opportunities with Isiah Pacheco since his return from the injured reserve, but the split has favored Hunt. The veteran running back handled 11 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown in Week 16 against the Texans. Hunt also caught two passes for 24 yards in last week's contest. Despite being the older back, the Chiefs have decided to lean on Hunt instead of Pacheco. Hunt will hope this usage against the Steelers, who rank 11th in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs this season. Hunt is ranked RB33 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings, placing him outside the RB2 range this week. Fantasy managers will have a tough time trusting Hunt in the fantasy playoffs.

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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is off the injury report and ready to face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day in Week 17. Mahomes was listed on the injury report with an ankle injury but practiced fully all week and has been removed ahead of the matchup. The 29-year-old had a good game against the Houston Texans on Sunday, passing for 260 yards with one touchdown through the air and one on the ground. Despite entering last week's contest with an alleged high-ankle sprain, Mahomes had his third-highest rushing total of the season. The Chiefs quarterback will look to continue his production this week against the Steelers, who rank fourth in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks this season. Mahomes is ranked QB18 in our RotoBaller rankings, putting him outside of QB1 range in a difficult matchup. Fantasy managers may need to consider other options at the quarterback position.

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Philadelphia Eagles backup quarterback Kenny Pickett (ribs) underwent X-rays on his ribs after the Week 16 loss to the division-rival Washington Commanders. Pickett was forced into action on Sunday when starter Jalen Hurts suffered a concussion and didn't return to the game. The 26-year-old former Steeler went 14-for-24 for 143 yards with a touchdown and interception in the loss. With both Hurts and Pickett now up in the air to play in Week 17 against the division-rival Dallas Cowboys, it's possible the Eagles will have to rely on third-stringer Tanner McKee as the starter this weekend under center. That would obviously be a very bad situation for fantasy managers counting on running back Saquon Barkley or receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. We'll be keeping a close eye on Philly's QB situation leading up to Sunday's contest.

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New York Jets rookie left tackle Olu Fashanu (foot) is heading to Injured Reserve and will have season-ending foot surgery after getting hurt in the Week 16 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. More specifically, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said Fashanu is dealing with a plantar-fascia injury. The 22-year-old first-rounder out of Penn State ends what had been a strong rookie season early after he settled in as the team's starting left tackle in place of Tyron Smith after he injured his neck in November. With Fashanu now done for the final two games of the regular season, expect Max Mitchell to take over on the left side of the offensive line as the blind-side protector for quarterback Aaron Rodgers (knee). Fashanu is expected to make a full recovery and should be ready to go for the team's workouts next spring.

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce will face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day in Week 17. Kelce had another disappointing performance last week, catching five passes for 30 yards on seven targets. The 35-year-old finished third on the team in targets but was fifth in receiving yards. Kelce will look to be more efficient against the Steelers, who rank 22nd in fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends this season. Kelce is ranked TE8 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings, making him a mid-tier TE1 option this week. Fantasy managers who made it this far in the fantasy playoffs have done so despite Kelce, but hopefully, he can score for the first time since Week 10.

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Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur delivered some good news on wide receiver Christian Watson (knee) on Tuesday after he injured his knee in Monday's blowout victory over the New Orleans Saints. "We got good news on him. It's more just a bruise. It's when the guy fell on him on the sideline. Still gotta be able to function. We'll see how he practices this week & see where we're at," LaFleur said. Watson's status for the Week 17 divisional game against the Minnesota Vikings will be determined by his practice participation this week. The 25-year-old avoided a serious injury, though, which is a sigh of relief for the Packers for a player that has dealt with his fair share of injuries early in his career. In a crowded relief corps in Green Bay, Watson hasn't been a top-50 fantasy wideout with 29 receptions, 620 yards and only two touchdowns in 2024. If he plays on Sunday, he'll be a shaky WR4/flex in fantasy.

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New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers (undisclosed) will not take part in the team's practice on Tuesday. The Giants are practicing on Tuesday this week and will be taking Wednesday off for Christmas. It's early in the week, so the Giants are likely just giving their star wideout some extra rest heading into a Week 17 tilt on Sunday versus the visiting Indianapolis Colts. The 21-year-old first-rounder has battled several lower-body injuries in recent weeks but hasn't missed any time, so we'd expect him to be good to play this weekend as the unquestioned top wideout for the G-Men. Despite the awful mess at quarterback for the Giants with Drew Lock still the starter, Nabers has seen 28 targets over the last two weeks and has caught 17 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown. For fantasy managers battling for a trophy this week, Nabers is a must-start in lineups.

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New York Giants rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (ankle) will not participate in Tuesday's practice. The Giants are holding a practice on Tuesday and taking Wednesday off for Christmas this week. It's early in the week, but Tracy's status is worth watching closely heading into a Week 17 matchup on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts after he aggravated his ankle injury in the Week 16 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. If the 25-year-old isn't able to play this Sunday, Devin Singletary would be in line for lead-back duties, giving him RB3/flex appeal against a Colts defense that has been gashed on the ground all year. Tracy had only 26 rushing yards on seven carries against Atlanta but salvaged his fantasy day with four catches for 43 yards and a touchdown through the air. He's shaping up as a risky RB3/flex in fantasy this week due to his injury and New York's lousy offense under quarterback Drew Lock.

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New York Giants quarterback Drew Lock (shoulder) will start again in Week 17 against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, according to head coach Brian Daboll. Lock made the start in the blowout loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16, but his availability was in question for this week after he underwent an MRI exam on his right shoulder on Monday. Apparently everything checked out fine with Lock's throwing shoulder, so he'll make his fourth start of the year this weekend. The 28-year-old has not looked good at all in his three starts for the G-Men, completing 53.33% of his 120 pass attempts for 615 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions while also losing two fumbles. He has run for 117 yards and a touchdown on the ground, but nobody that advanced to a fantasy championship should be using Lock as a QB2 in superflex leagues.

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Arizona Cardinals left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. (knee) and right tackle Jonah Williams (knee) have both already been ruled out for Saturday's Week 17 divisional clash against the Los Angeles Rams. Johnson will miss his second straight game, while Williams will sit out on Saturday night after injuring his knee in the overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 16. With the Cardinals being eliminated from playoff contention with their loss on Sunday, they don't have any incentive to put any injured players out on the field for the final two weeks of the regular season. Arizona missing both their left and right tackles against the Rams this weekend is bad news for their offense, and they could also be without lead running back James Conner (knee) as well. It should at least give fantasy managers pause when deciding to start quarterback Kyler Murray.

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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (concussion) is still in the league's concussion protocol but is advancing well. Pierce suffered a concussion in the Week 15 loss to the Denver Broncos and was unable to play in the Week 16 win over the Tennessee Titans this past Sunday. The 24-year-old is recovering, but he'll need to gain clearance from an independent neurologist later this week to have a shot at returning to action for the Week 17 game this Sunday at the New York Giants. The matchup against the two-win Giants is a great one for the Colts offense this weekend, but Pierce would be a pretty shaky WR4/5 for fantasy managers in a low-volume passing attack if he's cleared to play. Quarterback Anthony Richardson only attempted 11 passes in the win over the Titans. When active, Pierce is Indy's WR3 behind Josh Downs and Michael Pittman Jr.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers designated safety Jordan Whitehead (pectoral) to return from Injured Reserve on Tuesday by opening his 21-day practice window. Whitehead is now eligible to return to practice with the team this week, but it doesn't guarantee that he'll come off IR to play in Week 17 on Sunday against the division-rival Carolina Panthers. The 27-year-old was put on IR in late November due to a ruptured pectoral muscle, but he's nearing a return and would give the Bucs secondary a needed boost as they try to win the NFC South division in the final two weeks of the regular season. Whitehead started the team's first 11 games before getting injured, recording 76 tackles (47 solo) and three pass breakups in his return to Tampa in 2024. The Bucs defense is ranked as a top-10 defensive unit for their matchup against Carolina in Week 17.

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NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (knee) is in wait-and-see mode for the team's upcoming Week 17 game against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams on Saturday night. Conner injured his knee in the overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 16, but not before putting up strong numbers with 19 touches for 166 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. The Cardinals were eliminated from postseason contention with their loss on Sunday, which means the Cardinals aren't going to rush the 29-year-old back this weekend if he's not ready. Conner's status will likely depend on how much he can do in practice this week. Trey Benson (ankle) missed the Week 16 game and Emari Demercado (back) is on Injured Reserve, so if Conner is ruled out, the Cardinals could be down to DeeJay Dallas and Michael Carter in their backfield against LA on Saturday.

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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (knee) said he's "hoping for the best" regarding the knee injury he suffered in the Monday night blowout win over the New Orleans Saints. Watson was injured early in the first half when a defender fell on him at the end of a run. He returned to the game in the first half but eventually was seen being looked at by the medical staff on the sideline and didn't return to action in the second half. Watson is getting his knee examined on Tuesday, putting his status up in the air for Sunday's Week 17 contest against the division-rival Minnesota Vikings. The 25-year-old didn't catch his only target and rushed two times for 23 yards in Monday's game. Already a shaky touchdown-dependent WR4/flex in a crowded wideout room in Green Bay, fantasy managers in championship matchups shouldn't be planning on using a banged-up Watson this week.

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