Las Vegas Raiders running back Ameer Abdullah (foot) was listed as a non-participant to kick off this week of practice. The 31-year-old produced the best rushing total of his career in Sunday's 25-10 win against the New Orleans Saints. Unfortunately, Abdullah sustained a foot injury early in the fourth quarter, or he'd have had an even bigger day. While he was initially deemed questionable to return to the contest, he did not. The Nebraska product has been one of the more pleasant surprises late in the season, but he could be in danger of missing Sunday's meeting with the visiting Los Angeles Chargers. If Abdullah can't play, backfield mate Alexander Mattison projects to lead the Raiders' rushing attack with Chris Collier and/or Dylan Laube working in behind him. Abdullah's practice participation over the next two days should give us a better idea of his status for Sunday's bout.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (ankle, knee) was listed as a limited participant for the second straight day ahead of his team's road meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Clemson product has been dealing with knee and ankle injuries for a few weeks now, though it hasn't stopped him from being effective on the field. Since picking up the first of his injuries in Week 15 (knee), Higgins has gone for 277 yards and five touchdowns across 24 receptions. He's the PPR WR2 over that stretch, averaging a robust 26.6 fantasy points per game. Fantasy managers should continue to keep an eye on him just in case, but it seems unlikely he'll miss the Bengals' divisional clash this Saturday. With Cincinnati still battling for a chance at post-season play, he and the rest of their squad should be all systems go against the Steelers.

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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (wrist, knee) was listed as a limited participant for Wednesday's team practice. This has been the veteran's routine for a few weeks now -- logging a limited session or two since picking up a knee injury in Cincinnati's win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 14. Fortunately, it hasn't forced him to miss any time. There hasn't been another quarterback as hot as Burrow, who has tossed three or more passing scores in every outing since Week 9. The 28-year-old leads all passers in yards and touchdowns and trails only the Ravens' Lamar Jackson in QBR. With the Bengals still fighting for the final playoff spot in the AFC, expect the veteran to be out there this Saturday when his team lines up against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a road tilt. Cincinnati currently holds a 5% chance to snag a spot in the tournament.

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The Detroit Lions released defensive back Jamal Adams from their practice squad on Wednesday. Adams is now on the free-agent market after joining the Lions late this year. He began the 2024 season with the Tennessee Titans but played in only three games before being cut. The 29-year-old three-time Pro Bowler had only four tackles (two solo) with the Titans and tallied three tackles (two solo) in his two games played for the Lions. Adams was a backup option for Brian Branch at safety during his time with Detroit. The former sixth overall pick by the Seattle Seahawks in 2017 out of LSU was one of the better IDP safeties during his prime because of his tackling abilities, but injuries derailed his career, and he's played in only 15 games since the start of the 2022 season.

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Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (quadriceps) was listed as a limited practice participant in the team's first practice of the week on Wednesday. Jones suffered a quadriceps contusion late in the Week 17 win over the division-rival Green Bay Packers on Sunday and didn't return to the game. However, the 30-year-old's injury isn't considered serious, giving him a good chance to be ready to go for a huge Week 18 contest against the division-rival Detroit Lions that will decide the winner of the NFC North and the top seed in the NFC postseason. Jones has been the RB15 in half-PPR scoring in his first year in Minnesota with 245 carries for 1,093 rushing yards and five touchdowns while adding 46 receptions for 378 yards and two more TDs in 16 games. If Jones is active, he'll be a top-10 fantasy RB with many teams resting their starters in the Week 18 regular-season finale.

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Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott went unclaimed on waivers on Wednesday and is now a free agent. The Cowboys waived Elliott on Tuesday, and he's now free to sign with any team on the open market. The 29-year-old reportedly asked for his release and could be looking to sign with a playoff team to provide them with depth at the position in January. After spending the 2023 season with the New England Patriots, Zeke returned to Dallas this year for what was a disappointing campaign. The former first-rounder averaged a career-worst 3.1 yards per carry and had only 226 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 74 carries in 15 games as the clear backup to Rico Dowdle. If Elliott does latch on with a team headed for the playoffs, it would be unlikely that he'd suddenly have a big role with everything on the line.

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Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards (ankle) did not participate with the rest of the team in Wednesday's practice. Edwards didn't play in the Week 17 win over the New England Patriots last Saturday and is firmly in danger of missing a second straight game in the Week 18 regular-season finale this Sunday against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders. Depending on the outcome of the Bengals-Steelers game on Saturday, the Chargers could be locked into the No. 6 seed in the AFC for the playoffs. If the Bolts cannot move up to the No. 5 seed with a win over Vegas, they almost certainly would rest injured players like Edwards. Even if Edwards were to play this weekend, his fantasy value would take a hit now that J.K. Dobbins is back from Injured Reserve. There's a good chance that rookie Kimani Vidal could lead LA's backfield in Week 18.

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New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers acknowledged that the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Miami Dolphins -- his 241st career start -- could be his last. The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer said he'll decide before free agency in March whether to play another year in 2025. Rodgers is open to returning to the Jets next year if the new regime will have him, but that's unlikely to happen. He missed all of 2023 due to a torn Achilles and ranks 25th out of 33 qualified QBs in total QBR this year with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while leading the Jets to a 4-12 record. Rodgers needs one TD to become the fifth player in NFL history with 500 TD passes, and he needs only 115 passing yards to pass Matt Ryan for seventh on the career list. The four-time MVP will be going for those milestones this Sunday and will be in play as a midrange QB2 in fantasy.

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Philadelphia Eagles wide receivers A.J. Brown (knee) and DeVonta Smith (wrist) were both held out of practice on Wednesday. Both Brown and Smith played in the Week 17 blowout win over the division-rival Dallas Cowboys, and they combined for three touchdowns. Brown and Smith are both likely fine from a health perspective heading into the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival New York Giants. However, with the Eagles having already locked up the No. 2 seed in the NFC for the postseason, they are planning to rest key starters this weekend. If Brown and Smith are even active against New York, there's a good chance they won't see the field much, if at all. Fantasy managers would be wise to avoid Philly's offense altogether, but Jahan Dotson and rookies Johnny Wilson and Ainias Smith should see much larger roles.

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Los Angeles Chargers wide receivers Ladd McConkey (toe) and Joshua Palmer (foot) were both listed as non-participants in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. McConkey is dealing with a new injury, but he seemed fine in the Week 17 beatdown of the New England Patriots, when he had eight catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns. The 23-year-old second-rounder has been a must-start in fantasy all year in his first season in the NFL as quarterback Justin Herbert's favorite target. However, the Chargers could rest him and other key starters on offense in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday versus the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders. If the Steelers beat the Bengals on Saturday, the Bolts would be locked into the No. 6 seed in the AFC for the playoffs and wouldn't have much incentive to play their starters.

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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kenny Pickett (ribs) did not practice in the team's first session of the week on Wednesday. Pickett is dealing with broken ribs and was forced from the Week 17 blowout win over the division-rival Dallas Cowboys in favor of third-stringer Tanner McKee. The Eagles are already locked into the No. 2 seed in the NFC for the postseason, and head coach Nick Sirianni has confirmed that he plans to rest starts in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival New York Giants, including running back Saquon Barkley and quarterback Jalen Hurts (concussion), who was inactive last week. The 26-year-old Pickett's availability is in question, but if we had to guess right now, we'd be surprised if Pickett plays. McKee did throw two touchdowns in mop-up duty last week, but fantasy managers should be looking to avoid Philly's offense in Week 18.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie tight end Devin Culp (ribs) is on the team's Week 18 injury report and was listed as a limited participant in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. Culp has only appeared in four games his rookie season, but his status is more important heading into the regular-season finale on Sunday versus the division-rival New Orleans Saints with both Cade Otton (knee) and Payne Durham (quadriceps) missing practice. The Bucs must win on Sunday to secure a playoff berth and the NFC South championship, so they won't be resting any players this weekend. Culp is probably only worth fantasy consideration as a DFS sleeper if both Otton and Durham are ruled out. The 24-year-old contributed for the first time all year in the Week 17 win over the division-rival Carolina Panthers, catching three of his four targets for 52 yards.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight ends Cade Otton (knee) and Payne Durham (quadriceps) both missed practice on Wednesday. Otton has missed the last two games due to a left-knee injury and is fully in danger of missing a third straight game in the Week 18 regular-season contest versus the division-rival New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Now that Durham is also on the injury report, the Bucs' TE room could be down to Devin Culp (ribs) this weekend. In a game that the Bucs need to win in order to clinch the NFC South and a playoff berth, their TE situation is worth monitoring for fantasy purposes. The 25-year-old Otton is the team's unquestioned top TE when he's healthy, but Culp could be an attractive low-cost DFS option if both Otton and Durham are ruled out. In the Week 17 win over the division-rival Carolina Panthers, Culp contributed for the first time all year, catching three of four targets for 52 yards.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard (hamstring) was listed as limited in the team's first practice of the week on Wednesday. Shepard did not play in the Week 17 win over the division-rival Carolina Panthers due to foot and hamstring injuries, but a limited session on Wednesday means he could be on track to return in Week 18 in a must-win game against the division-rival New Orleans Saints this Sunday. The 31-year-old could be removed from the final injury report entirely by Friday if he's able to upgrade to a full practice. If Shepard returns to face the Saints, he'll be a touchdown-dependent WR4/5, at best, for fantasy managers. Due to the recent resurgence of rookie wideout Jalen McMillan, Shepard is Tampa's clear WR3 behind McMillan and veteran Mike Evans when he's healthy. Shepard has been outside the top-50 receivers in half-PPR points per game in 2024.

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In the team's first practice of Week 18 preparation, Miami Dolphins wide receivers Tyreek Hill (wrist) and Jaylen Waddle (knee) were both listed as limited participants. Hill has been on the injury report for most of the year while managing a wrist injury, but it hasn't caused him to miss any games and he should be ready to go for a must-win Week 18 game on Sunday against the division-rival New York Jets in the regular-season finale. Waddle, meanwhile, has missed the last two games with a knee injury and is much more up in the air. Of the two, Hill is the much better fantasy option with WR1 upside in Week 18. With quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hip) sitting out the Week 17 win over the Cleveland Browns, Tyler Huntley and Hill connected nine times on nine targets for 105 yards. If Waddle is able to return this weekend, he should be considered a risky, low-floor WR4/flex in fantasy lineups.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie running back Bucky Irving (shin, shoulder) was listed as limited in the team's first practice of the week on Wednesday. Although Irving is dealing with two injuries leading up to the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival New Orleans Saints, he should be fine to play this weekend. The 22-year-old has been playing through injuries all year and has been the team's most productive back, posting 1,033 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 188 carries while also adding 45 receptions and 397 yards through the air in his first 16 NFL games. The Buccaneers need to win to secure the NFC South title and a playoff berth, so none of their starters will be rested. Irving continues to split backfield touches with Rachaad White and Sean Tucker, but he will be a high-end RB1 for fantasy managers in Week 18.

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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (knee) was listed as a non-participant in Wednesday's practice session. Watson suffered a bruised left knee in the Week 16 win over the New Orleans Saints and didn't practice or play in last week's loss to the division-rival Minnesota Vikings. The fact that the 25-year-old still isn't practicing isn't a good sign for his availability in the Week 18 regular-season finale this Sunday against the division-rival Chicago Bears, but Watson does still have two more days to return to the field. Watson's injury isn't considered very serious, but given his injury history, the Packers are more likely to err on the side of caution again this week to make sure he's ready to go for the playoffs. If Watson returns to practice in the next two days and plays, he'll be a shaky WR4/flex in fantasy lineups. Watson has averaged only 5.9 half-PPR points this year and has only scored twice.

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Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said the team doesn't plan on playing backup quarterback Sam Howell in their Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams. The Seahawks were eliminated from postseason contention in Week 17, but it sounds as though they plan to play all of their starters this weekend to close out the season. Howell has played only 25 offensive snaps in his first year in Seattle and didn't look particularly confident in the rare instances he got into a game this year. Despite dealing with a nagging knee injury of late, the 34-year-old Geno Smith should start and play all of the Week 18 game, lining him up as a QB1 option this week with so many starters across the league being rested in the season finale. Smith enters Week 18 as the QB13 in overall fantasy points with 4,097 passing yards, 17 TDs and 15 interceptions in 16 games.

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Green Bay Packers running backs Josh Jacobs (wrist) and Chris Brooks (ankle) were both listed as limited in the team's first practice of the week on Wednesday. Jacobs is dealing with what appears to be a minor wrist injury heading into the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday versus the division-rival Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. The Packers have a shot to move up to the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoff picture with a win this weekend and a Washington Commanders loss to the Dallas Cowboys, and from all indications, the Packers don't have any plans to rest starters, including Jacobs. Keep an eye on the 26-year-old's practice status the rest of the week, but barring a setback, Jacobs should play on Sunday and should be treated as a strong RB1 option in fantasy when considering that many other starting RBs will be rested this weekend.

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According to the team, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (concussion) logged a full practice on Wednesday. Olave was a full participant in practice last week but was unable to pass concussion protocol in time to suit up in Week 17. The wideout has been sidelined since suffering his second concussion of the season during Week 9 against the Carolina Panthers. Even though Olave has been limited by injuries all season, he has continued to showcase his high upside when on the field. During four of the six full games he played in, Olave tallied at least 80 yards in each contest. If Olave can return for the final game of the season, he should be viewed as a solid WR2 in all formats despite the poor QB play New Orleans has had with Derek Carr (hand) sidelined.

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