Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (knee) and left tackle Tristan Wirfs (foot, knee) were both spotted practicing on Friday, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Mayfield missed practice on Wednesday, but he returned on Thursday. It appears that he'll be good to go for Week 16 against the Dallas Cowboys, barring a setback. The talented signal-caller ranks as the overall QB5 in fantasy football this season, and he's in the midst of a hot stretch that includes seven passing touchdowns over his last two games. He'll rank as a top-10 fantasy option this week against Dallas. Meanwhile, Wirfs is on the practice field for the first time this week after missing the last two days' sessions. It's too early to know his status for Week 16, but Wirfs has previously shown that he can play in a Sunday game after logging just one practice on Friday. Having him active would be key for the Buccaneers as they look to protect Mayfield's blindside.

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The Denver Broncos defense/special came up empty in Week 16 in a Thursday night loss on the road to the Los Angeles Chargers. Denver's D entered this contest as one of the very best defenses in all of football while leading the NFL in sacks and defensive touchdowns scored. However, they did not live up to their billing on a short week, allowing 34 points to the Chargers while recording just two sacks against quarterback Justin Herbert. They held LA's offense to 13 points in the first half before falling apart in the second half. They did pick off Herbert one time in the contest, but all in all, they allowed 380 yards of total offense to their division rivals, who were missing starting running back J.K. Dobbins (knee). It was an uncharacteristic performance from what has been a top-five fantasy defense in 2024, and fantasy managers might want to expect more of the same in a bad matchup in Week 17 against the Bengals.

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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel (rib) is officially questionable to play against the New England Patriots in Week 16. He had been limited in practice. The 28-year-old has offered a solid veteran presence in his depth role, but not enough to justify rostering him in fantasy football. After all, he continues to operate behind Khalil Shakir, Amari Cooper, Keon Coleman, and Mack Hollins. Even if he's active this Sunday, Samuel, who has just 201 yards and one touchdown through 13 games, can be left on fantasy waivers.

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Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers, according to ESPN's Josh Weinfuss. Benson, a rookie, has consistently operated as the Cardinals' No. 2 running back behind James Conner, totaling 291 rushing yards, 59 receiving yards, and one touchdown this year. With Benson sidelined and Emari Demercado (back) on injured reserve, the Cardinals will call upon DeeJay Dallas to back up Conner in Week 16. For fantasy purposes, Conner, who was the overall RB1 last week, is the only Arizona running back worth rostering and starting on Sunday.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (rest) and tight end Cade Otton (knee) were seen practicing on Friday, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Evans had been absent on Wednesday, but he returned to practice on Thursday and should be all set to play in Week 16 against the Dallas Cowboys. The 31-year-old caught nine passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns last week, and he needs 251 yards over his next three games to achieve his 11th consecutive 1,000-yard season. Otton, meanwhile, had not practiced yet this week, so the fact that he was able to get on the field in some capacity Friday is a good sign. Fantasy managers will still want to check the Buccaneers' final injury report for confirmation on his status, but his presence Friday is a step in the right direction. Otton would rank as a fringe top-12 fantasy tight end if active against Dallas.

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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Tylan Wallace is not a playable option despite a decent opportunity and matchup in Week 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens could be looking for additional pass-catching options with Rashod Bateman (foot) and Nelson Agholor (concussion) both questionable against a Steelers pass defense that ranks in the middle of the pack against fantasy receivers. But at this stage, Wallace's 115-yard performance in Week 10 is the aberration, not the norm. Outside of that week, he has seven total catches for 76 yards. Managers shouldn't risk playing Wallace in the fantasy playoffs, even in the deepest of leagues.

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Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz had a serviceable day for fantasy managers in the Week 16 loss to the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football and also kept his made-kick streak alive. Since having the potential game-winning field goal against the Kansas City Chiefs blocked in Week 10, Lutz has gone 11-for-11 on field goals and 19-for-19 on extra points in a span of five games. He made both of his field-goal attempts (long of 55 yards) and all three of his extra-point opportunities in the 34-27 loss to the Bolts on Thursday night to give his fantasy managers a solid 11 points in most scoring formats. The 30-year-old veteran has been one of the most accurate kickers in the league (90.6%) and is getting plenty of opportunities in what has become a capable offense under rookie QB Bo Nix. Lutz will be a must-start in a good matchup in Week 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

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Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely should be considered a very high-risk bet in the fantasy playoffs with the Ravens playing host to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16. The third-year tight end's ups and downs have been wild this season, ranging from a TE1 showing in Week 1 to a zero-target performance despite playing more than half of Baltimore's offensive snaps in Week 12. With receivers Rashod Bateman (foot) and Nelson Agholor (concussion) questionable and Pittsburgh ranking a middling 17th against tight ends, Likely certainly could find himself drawing more targets. But betting on which weeks Likely will pop is like a scratch-off lottery ticket. Tread carefully.

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Denver Broncos fullback Michael Burton got into the action in the 34-27 loss to the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night at SoFi Stadium on a short touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Bo Nix in the second quarter. Burton is not a big part of Denver's offense, but he caught one of Nix's two touchdown passes on the evening for his second touchdown in the last three games. He also fell into the end zone on a goal-line carry in the Week 13 win over the Cleveland Browns. The 32-year-old veteran has mostly served a blocking role for Denver's struggling ground game this year, but he'll occasionally get a touch or two. On the year as a whole through 15 games, Burton has only six rushing attempts for five yards and a touchdown while adding 10 catches on 10 targets for 65 yards and another score. He should continue to be ignored for fantasy purposes.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Williams has both opportunity and a great matchup in Week 16 against the Baltimore Ravens, but starting him at this stage of the fantasy playoffs is not advised. Pittsburgh will again be without top receiver George Pickens (hamstring) and Baltimore has been unusually poor against the pass, ranking 31st against fantasy receivers. However, it's awfully difficult to start a receiver that played only 29% and 35% of the team's snaps without Pickens the past two weeks. Williams may see a slight uptick in production against Baltimore, but he's just not getting enough run in the Steelers' offense to gamble on this week.

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Now that Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill (personal) is slated to play in Week 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he can be considered a fringe flex option for managers in PPR formats. The veteran back hasn't done much as a change-of-pace rusher behind starter Derrick Henry, but has been an effective receiver by drawing 50 targets and turning them into 42 catches and three touchdowns. The Steelers rank ninth against fantasy running backs, though Hill logged a top-30 finish among running backs in the first meeting. He's a low-ceiling option, but his receiving floor makes him playable, especially in formats with more than one flex spot.

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Despite what could be additional opportunity, managers should steer clear of Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Van Jefferson in a Week 16 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Top Pittsburgh receiver George Pickens (hamstring) missed the previous two contests and is out again against Baltimore, but that hasn't really led to much for Jefferson, who had two catches for 10 yards and a touchdown in those two games despite playing the majority of snaps. The Ravens rank 31st against fantasy wide receivers, but it's tough to trust the journeyman to be the benefactor. Managers holding Pickens should look elsewhere for a backup plan.

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Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons is heading into the fifth-year option of his rookie contract in 2025 but is hoping to get a long-term deal done before free agency opens in March. That fifth-year option is worth $21.4 million, but Parsons doesn't seem to be worried about securing the largest contract in the league. He said "It would be nice to be surrounded by good players," and went on to say that making more money to have a harder time winning doesn't sound fun. The Cowboys have yet to be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, so Parsons could have a chance to build his contract case even further after registering 8.5 sacks, 32 total tackles (21 solo), eight tackles for loss, and 19 QB hits through 10 games.

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Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) was back at practice on Thursday and considered a full participant during a snowy session. The two-time pro bowler hasn't played since Week 11 and has only logged a total of 10 snaps after Week 8. Getting one of their top defensive backs would do wonders for the Packers defense, especially against a New Orleans Saints team that's hurting and may need to go to their rookie quarterback. This season, Alexander has registered two interceptions (one pick-six), seven passes defended, and 16 total tackles (15 solo).

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New England Patriots defensive lineman Christian Barmore (illness) has been placed on the non-football illness list after a statement from the team was released on Thursday. The Patriots stated that Barmore "experienced some recurring symptoms that required further evaluation." Barmore will have to sit out for the rest of the season so that he can hopefully return next year symptom-free. He finishes with 1.0 sacks, six total tackles, one tackle for loss, and one QB hit across four appearances.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy will face the Houston Texans on Saturday in Week 16. Worthy is coming off arguably the best game of his young career, catching six passes for 46 yards and converting rush attempts into 30 yards and a touchdown. The rookie receiver led the Chiefs pass catchers last week, so it will be interesting to see if that trend continues this week against Houston. The Texans rank 24th in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers this season, making them one of the more advantageous matchups. Worthy will also have to compete with Marquise Brown, who is returning from an injury, for pass-catching opportunities moving forward. Worthy is ranked WR45 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings, making him a flex option for Week 16. Fantasy managers may be better off looking in another direction for the fantasy playoffs.

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Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker will face the Houston Texans on Saturday in Week 16. Butker returned from injured reserve in Week 15 against the Cleveland Browns and showed some signs of rust. The Chiefs kicker knocked through all three extra-point attempts but missed his only field goal attempt from 29 yards away. Butker will look to improve this week, another week removed from the injury. The 29-year-old is ranked as the ninth-best kicker in our RotoBaller rankings, making him a start-worthy asset this week. Fantasy managers should be able to trust Butker in the fantasy playoffs.

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce will take on the Houston Texans on Saturday in Week 16. Kelce is coming off a down game against the Cleveland Browns in Week 15. The 35-year-old had four catches for 27 yards in the contest. Kelce will try to top those numbers this week against the Texans, who rank fourth in fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends this season. Despite having an injury scare in last week's game, Patrick Mahomes practiced fully all week and is good to go for Saturday. Mahomes' health significantly impacts Kelce's fantasy production, so it's a good sign that he's off the injury report. Kelce is ranked TE7 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings this week, making him a solid TE1. Fantasy managers will hope for a vintage Kelce performance in the fantasy playoffs this week.

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Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco will face the Houston Texans on Saturday in Week 16. Pacheco appeared to emerge as the lead back in Week 14, earning 16 touches compared to six for Kareem Hunt, but that changed in Week 15. The two running backs each handled 13 carries last week against the Cleveland Browns, and Hunt outproduced Pacheco. It will be interesting to see how the backfield split shakes out this week against the Houston Texans, who rank fourth in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs this year. The 25-year-old is ranked RB25 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings, making him a low-end RB2/Flex option this week. Fantasy managers will have a tough time trusting Pacheco in the fantasy playoffs, especially with Hunt stealing touches.

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Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt will take on the Houston Texans in Week 16. Hunt was nearly phased out of the Chiefs backfield with Isiah Pacheco returning from injury, but his usage ramped back up in Week 15. The 29-year-old handled 13 carries last week against the Cleveland Browns, earning the same number of touches as Pacheco. It will be interesting to see how many opportunities Hunt receives this week against the Texans, who rank fourth in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs this season. Hunt is ranked RB46 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings, making him a desperation flex option this week. With the two Chiefs running backs splitting touches in a poor matchup, it will be difficult for fantasy managers to trust either of them in the fantasy playoffs.

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