Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (knee) missed the Monday Night Football contest against the Atlanta Falcons with a knee injury, but head coach Antonio Pierce said the second-year pro is "trending upward to playing" against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16. The 26-year-old has completed 86 of his 136 passing attempts for 899 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions in six games this season. However, he will draw a juicy matchup against the No. 1 fantasy-friendly defense for QBs if he can suit up on Sunday. That said, with no teams on a bye, fantasy managers can likely find better options in single-QB leagues. He could have a quality spike week for two-QB and Superflex fantasy managers who are depending on him.

From RotoBaller

The Washington Commanders signed tight end Tyree Jackson to the practice squad on Tuesday, according to team reporter John Keim. With Zach Ertz (concussion) in the concussion protocol, the team might need another body at the position ahead of the Week 16 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles. Jackson, who played quarterback in college at Buffalo, last played in 2021. He appeared in nine games for the Philadelphia Eagles and caught three passes for 22 yards and a touchdown. Needless to say, he is not expected to be on the fantasy football radar even if he's elevated to the active roster for Sunday's NFC East showdown. Rookie Ben Sinnott will start at tight end if Ertz cannot play.

From RotoBaller

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (hamstring) is not taking part in Tuesday's practice, but he is on the side field getting a workout in. The rising star has missed each of the last two games with a hamstring injury. Since Russell Wilson took over for Justin Fields in Week 7, Pickens has posted at least 12.9 half-PPR fantasy points in four of six games. The third-year pro out of Georgia will be set up for a big game if he can return in Week 16. The Steelers are set to face a Baltimore Ravens defense that has allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to wideouts. If he cannot play, Calvin Austin III and Mike Williams are the next up on the depth chart, but neither is a safe option in the fantasy football playoffs. Fantasy managers should monitor Pickens' status throughout the rest of the week.

From RotoBaller

There aren't any apparent concerns for Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (thigh), who was seen limping slightly late in the Week 15 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night. Head coach Matt LaFleur said Love took a shot to his thigh but doesn't expect him to be limited in practice preparation for the team's Week 16 contest on Monday night against the New Orleans Saints. The 26-year-old didn't miss a single snap against Seattle and finished 20-for-27 for 229 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in the win. Love is averaging 218 yards per game with seven touchdowns and no interceptions in his last four games and should be considered at least a low-end QB1 for fantasy managers in the semifinals in most leagues in a favorable primetime matchup against New Orleans this week.

From RotoBaller

The Atlanta Falcons didn't need to throw the ball much to defeat the lowly Las Vegas Raiders 15-9 on Monday Night Football to close out Week 15 action. On a night where quarterback Kirk Cousins attempted only 17 passes and threw for 112 yards, wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III caught one of his three targets for a gain of 14 yards. It was a disappointing performance in a great matchup after McCloud set season-highs across the board in catches (eight), targets (11) and receiving yards (98) in the Week 14 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He also had 95 receiving yards the week prior. The 28-year-old is Atlanta's clear No. 3 wideout behind Drake London and Darnell Mooney, but with the way the Falcons' offense has struggled this year, he's not a realistic weekly flex play for fantasy managers. Keep in mind that Cousins has thrown one touchdown in the last five games.

From RotoBaller

After being benched in the Week 15 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday following three interceptions, Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston will lose the starting job to Dorian Thompson-Robinson for the upcoming Week 16 contest against the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Winston gave the Browns offense a notable jolt after Deshaun Watson (Achilles) went down with a season-ending injury in Week 8. The 30-year-old veteran signal-caller threw for 2,038 yards and 12 touchdowns in his seven starts, but he also added 12 picks and two fumbles. Winston will be a free agent after the season, and the Browns understandably prefer to get a look at the younger Thompson-Robinson for the final three games of the year. With a great matchup against Cincy, DTR will be in play as a QB2 for those desperate in superflex leagues this week.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet once again was an afterthought in the team's lackluster offense in the Monday night loss to the division-rival Minnesota Vikings, catching his only target for a pickup of 14 yards. Kmet was on the field plenty -- he played 93 percent of the offensive snaps on the evening -- but rookie quarterback Caleb Williams continued to rely mostly on his three receivers in Keenan Allen, DJ Moore and rookie Rome Odunze. In the last three games, Kmet has just four receptions on four targets (he didn't have a target in Week 14 against the San Francisco 49ers) for 40 yards and no touchdowns. He hasn't scored a touchdown since a two-TD performance in Week 6 and has 16 receptions for 159 yards and no TDs in six games since the team's bye. Fantasy managers still alive in the playoffs should look for a better TE option in Week 16 when Chicago faces the division-rival Detroit Lions.

From RotoBaller

The Cleveland Browns are making a change at quarterback heading into their Week 16 divisional contest against the Cincinnati Bengals and will go with Dorian Thompson-Robinson after benching Jameis Winston in the Week 15 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, according to league source. The Browns benched Winston after more turnover issues, as he tossed three interceptions and was pulled in the fourth quarter. Thompson-Robinson also threw a pick of his own against a tough Chiefs defense and finished 4-for-9 for 18 yards passing late in the game. The Browns will hope DTR can take better care of the football in a plus-plus matchup against a soft Bengals defense this weekend. It will be the 25-year-old's fourth NFL start. While the matchup is a nice one, fantasy managers shouldn't consider Thompson-Robinson as anything more than a low-end QB2 with a bit of upside in superflex leagues in Week 16.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Bears running back Travis Homer had very minimal involvement on offense in the team's 30-12 loss to the division-rival Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football in Week 15. Homer had an increased role again with Roschon Johnson still out with a concussion, but it didn't amount to much in a Bears offense that once again was unable to move the football with much consistency. As the backup to D'Andre Swift, Homer had only three carries and gained seven yards. He was not targeted in the passing game. Homer played 25 percent of the offensive snaps on Monday, compared to a 69 percent snap share for Swift. Even if Johnson remains out for Week 16 versus the division-rival Detroit Lions, fantasy managers shouldn't have Homer anywhere near a starting lineup, let alone even on a roster in the fantasy playoffs. The 26-year-old has six carries for 23 yards in 10 games in 2024.

From RotoBaller

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (concussion, hand) underwent more testing recently and is at least a few weeks away from being able to withstand contact, according to sources. With only three weeks remaining in the regular season (two weeks in most fantasy leagues), it's unlikely that we'll see Carr on the field again for the Saints this year. In addition to a concussion that he sustained in the Week 14 win over the New York Giants, Carr fractured his left (non-throwing) hand in two places. New Orleans is currently 5-9 and is a long shot to make the postseason. Jake Haener got the start in place of Carr in the Week 15 loss to the Washington Commanders and went 4-for-10 for 49 yards and an interception before being benched for rookie Spencer Rattler. The Saints haven't announced a starter for Week 16 against the Packers on Monday night, but it's expected they'll stick with Rattler.

From RotoBaller

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says there is a "possibility" that Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (ankle) is unavailable to play this coming Saturday in Week 16 action against the Houston Texans after suffering what the team is calling a mild high-ankle sprain in the Week 15 win over the Cleveland Browns. Mahomes is being considered week-to-week with an injury that can sideline some players anywhere from four to six weeks. The two-time MVP, though, has a reputation as a very quick healer, so he's not being ruled out for Saturday's game, although on a short week with the Chiefs up two games over the Bills for the top spot in the AFC playoff picture, it won't surprise anyone if Carson Wentz makes the start under center for KC against Houston. And with the Chiefs facing another quick turnaround in Week 17 on Christmas Day next Wednesday, it's possible Mahomes misses two games.

From RotoBaller

New Orleans Saints QB Derek Carr (hand) underwent further examination recently, and he's unlikely to return this season. His left hand is fractured in multiple places, and he's unable to withstand contact.

Fantasy Spin: Spencer Rattler was 10-for-21 for 135 yards, one touchdown and no INTs after he replaced Jake Haener in a putrid performance last year.

From TheHuddle

Las Vegas Raiders running back Sincere McCormick (ankle) carried the rok seven times for eight rushing yards and caught two passes for 17 yards against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 15 before having his leg trapped under a defender's tackle and awkwardly bending enough to cause an injury. He was initially said to be questionable, but was subsequently ruled out. He didn't return to the contest. His status for Week 16 is now up in the air, and fantasy managers will need to stay updated on the situation. It doesn't seem like a good idea to start him against the Jacksonville Jaguars next week, though, as he may deal with the lingering effects of the ailment for some time. In his place, RBs Ameer Abdullah and Alexander Mattison should split most of the backfield work if McCormick can't go. Abdullah seems like the guy to start in fantasy, since he's maintained a solid pass-catching role when he gets significant playing time.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze caught 2-of-7 targets for 39 yards in his team's 30-12 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football. The rookie again saw a decent amount of work but continues to play third fiddle in Chicago's air attack behind veteran wideouts Keenan Allen and DJ Moore. On the bright side, Odunze recorded at least six targets for the seventh time in eight games. However, he's averaging just 3.75 receptions and 47.25 yards in that frame. Better days are ahead for the 22-year-old, and his future appears bright as long as long as quarterback Caleb Williams continues to develop at the pro level. For now, though, he'll be tough to trust as a viable option in Week 16 despite squaring off against a depleted Detroit Lions defense.

From RotoBaller

Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier carried the ball 12 times for 43 yards in Monday's 15-9 win over the Raiders. Bijan Robinson was given 22 carries, so Allgeier was spelling his backfield mate at times throughout the game and helping to kill the clock late when it seemed clear that the Falcons did not want Kirk Cousins throwing the ball if he didn't need to. It was the first time since Week 10 that the 24-year-old earned double-digit carries, but without finding paydirt, it was an unremarkable fantasy performance. Without a consistent workload or goal line role, the former fifth-round draft pick is hard to justify as even a flex option, more so now that we're in the fantasy playoffs. The Falcons get the Giants at home next Sunday and Allgeier will probably again only be used sporadically, especially given how good Robinson has looked this season.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders RB Ameer Abdullah ran seven times for 21 yards in Week 15 against the Atlanta Falcons, but he had seven receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown on seven targets.

Fantasy Spin: Abdullah had 2.7 rushing yards per carry to 3.0 for Alexander Mattison and 1.1 yards per tote for Sincere McCormick. With his good work catching the ball out of the backfield, he is worth a look as a RB3 in PPR fantasy formats, with lesser appeal in standard play. The Raiders host the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16.

From TheHuddle

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney garnered a single target in Monday's 15-9 win over the Raiders, but failed to haul it in, finishing with zero catches on the night. Mooney had been limited in practice by a foot injury earlier in the week but was cleared to play, so the dud seemed to be more a result of Kirk Cousins lobbing up just 17 passes on the night and completing only 11 of them. It is a punch in the gut for managers who were relying on the wideout in the fantasy playoffs after he'd received six targets in 10 of Atlanta's prior 13 games coming into Monday night and caught at least three passes in 11 of 13. For fantasy managers that were able to survive this showing, the fifth-year pro will be hard to trust in next week's home matchup versus the Giants, especially given how poorly Kirk Cousins looked in Week 15 against a softer pass defense.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders running back Alexander Mattison showed the world why he was benched for Sincere McCormick (ankle) by fumbling the ball into the end zone in his team's Week 15 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The opposing defense wasn't able to recover the loose ball, but it still counted for a safety. Mattison ended the night with seven carries for 21 yards (good for three yards per carry) and two catches on four targets for an absolutely whopping, gob-smacking, earth-shattering three yards. He'll have an easier matchup next week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. If McCormick doesn't play, it's still questionable if Mattison have much value, considering the presence of fellow RB Ameer Abdullah, who scored the team's only TD.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders running back Ameer Abdullah got a bigger role due to the injury to RB Sincere McCormick (ankle) in his team's loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 15. He carried the ball three times for just eight yards, but his seven catches on seven targets for 58 yards and a touchdown helped him tally 19.2 PPR fantasy points on the night. Should McCormick miss Week 16, Abdullah has flex appeal if he continues to have such a big receiving role. It's likely that the absence of starting QB Aidan O'Connell (knee) contributed to this, though -- backup signal-caller Desmond Ridder leaned more on dump-off passes than the team's QB1 usually does. This backfield has been an absolute mess this season, and it won't get any easier to evaluate as the team faces the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16. They do have a poor defense, though, so Abdullah has appeal in deeper PPR leagues as a FLEX option if he ends up starting.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore hauled in all eight of his targets for 46 yards in Monday night's 30-12 defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings. He added 24 yards on three carries. The 27-year-old's yardage output was down again after a two-game stretch in which he recorded 203 yards and 15 receptions on 23 targets. However, Moore was still productive, putting together his fifth-straight double-digit fantasy point outing. Quarterback Caleb Williams' pass quality is suspect, but it hasn't stopped the veteran from being effective. While fellow wideouts Rome Odunze and Keenan Allen feature sub-55% catch rates, the seventh-year WR holds a near-68% mark. Moore has a meeting with the Detroit Lions on tap for Week 16 and could be primed for another productive day with their division rivals reeling from injuries.

From RotoBaller