The Kansas City Chiefs plan to activate wide receiver Marquise Brown (shoulder) from Injured Reserve for Saturday's game against the Houston Texans, according to sources, assuming everything continues to trend positive for Brown this week. Brown required surgery for a shoulder injury he suffered in the preseason, which caused him to miss four months. He's been practicing in full this week, though, and is ready to make his debut with the team. Before we knew Brown needed surgery on his shoulder, he was a popular stash candidate in fantasy leagues. He's still rostered in 28% of Yahoo leagues, but even though he's on his way to being active in Week 16, fantasy managers should avoid starting him this weekend in his first game back. The Chiefs have since added DeAndre Hopkins and JuJu Smith-Schuster at wideout, and Brown will likely play a limited number of snaps against the Texans this weekend.

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The Los Angeles Chargers plan to activate tight end Hayden Hurst (hip) from Injured Reserve to play in Thursday's divisional clash against the visiting Denver Broncos, according to a source. Hurst landed on IR in late November with a hip injury, but he has practiced in full since having his 21-day practice window opened this week. It's good timing for the 31-year-old with fellow tight end Will Dissly (shoulder) already ruled out for Week 16. Hurst last played in Week 10, though, so it's fair to expect him to be on a limited snap count in his first game back on a short week. Additionally, Hurst won't be a viable starting option in fantasy in a tough matchup against the stout Broncos defense. Hurst should work alongside Stone Smartt, who will be the better TE2 streaming upside play in DFS and deeper fantasy leagues. Hurst caught only seven passes for 65 yards on 12 targets in seven games before going on IR.

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The New England Patriots signed free-agent WR Alex Erickson (Chargers) to the practice squad on Wednesday, Dec. 18.

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New York Jets CB Jalen Mills (collarbone) was officially placed on the Reserve/Injured list on Wednesday, Dec. 18.

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New York Jets running backs Braelon Allen (back) and Isaiah Davis (back) were both limited in practice on Wednesday. As the Jets prepare for Week 16, Allen and Davis are two names to monitor. Typically, players who are limited on Wednesday manage to log full sessions by Friday, but that's never a guarantee. Having Allen and Davis available is key for the Jets as they look to take some of the workload off Breece Hall's shoulders. Hall, who missed Week 14 with a knee injury, returned last Sunday but registered just nine carries and two receptions. Assuming Allen and Davis both play this Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, the two rookies would be candidates to earn a handful of touches.

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Washington Commanders kickers Zane Gonzalez (foot, personal) and Greg Joseph (personal) both missed practice on Wednesday. Head coach Dan Quinn noted that, in an unlikely twist, both Gonzalez and Joseph are away from the team as they welcome newborns to their respective families. The former has been sidelined since Week 13 due to a foot injury, and it's too early to tell whether he'll return to action this Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. If Gonzalez is forced to miss a second consecutive game, Washington would promote Joseph from the practice squad to kick in his absence.

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Carolina Panthers wide receiver David Moore (concussion) was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday. Moore presumably suffered the concussion last Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. It's not very common for players to practice just three days after suffering a concussion, but this certainly doesn't mean that Moore is in the clear. The 29-year-old still needs to pass the NFL's five-step concussion protocol before he's cleared to play against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16. If active, he would rank as a modest WR5 option in fantasy leagues with at least a dozen teams.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard (foot) did not practice on Wednesday. As Week 16 prep begins, the Buccaneers are without their No. 3 receiver. Any sort of injury should raise concern for fantasy managers, especially with the fantasy playoffs in full swing. However, it's too early to hit the panic button. Shepard still has two more opportunities to log a limited or full practice when the Buccaneers take the field on Thursday and Friday. If his participation status improves and he manages to play in Week 16 against the Dallas Cowboys, Shepard would rank as a low-end WR4 for fantasy purposes.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Luke McCaffrey (shoulder) was a limited participant during Wednesday's practice. Any sort of appearance on the injury report is less than ideal, but the good news for McCaffrey and the Commanders is that he did participate in a limited capacity. Plus, he still has two more days to upgrade to a full participant before Washington publishes its final injury report. McCaffrey, a rookie out of Rice University, has delivered modest production this season, catching 17 of 21 targets for 155 yards. He's still looking for his first career touchdown, but his chances to find the end zone could improve as he earns more targets in the wake of Noah Brown (kidney) landing on injured reserve.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (knee) did not participate in practice on Wednesday. As preparation for Week 16 begins, Otton was not involved. Although any sort of injury is concerning, especially in the fantasy football playoffs, managers should not panic yet. Otton still has two more days to log a limited or full practice, which would put him in a good position to play on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. If the 25-year-old suits up, he'd rank as a low-end TE1 in most fantasy leagues.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (back, hip) was a limited participant during practice on Wednesday. The rookie has appeared in all 14 games this season but has played more than 55 percent of offensive snaps in just one game. So far, he has 852 rushing yards, 296 receiving yards, and six touchdowns. We previously heard that Irving's back tightened up in Week 14, but he recovered in time for last Sunday's game and it doesn't seem like it will be an issue for Week 16. All signs point to Irving and Rachaad White continuing to split opportunities out of the backfield. Both players are solid RB2 options for fantasy football ahead of Week 16 against the Dallas Cowboys.

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Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (knee) was limited during practice on Wednesday. The 27-year-old missed three games earlier this season, but other than that, he's been mostly healthy. Any sort of appearance on the injury report is concerning, but the good news for Fant is that he did manage to practice in some capacity. We'd be much more concerned if Fant had not practiced at all. Wednesday's limited practice suggests that he'll be able to play in Week 16, barring some sort of setback. He ranks as a low-end fantasy TE2 ahead of next week's clash with the Minnesota Vikings.

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Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (knee) practiced in full on Wednesday. The veteran signal-caller was able to begin Week 16 prep without any limitations, and all signs point to him playing on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. The 34-year-old has been underwhelming in five games since the Seahawks' bye week, averaging just 21.2 completions, 212.6 passing yards, 0.6 touchdowns, and 0.6 interceptions during that span. Smith continues to rank as a mid-range QB2 option in most fantasy leagues.

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Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (calf) did not participate in practice on Wednesday. The 24-year-old has already missed two games in a row, and it now looks like there's a real chance he could miss a third. Losing Walker to an injury hurts by itself, but the Seahawks' backfield could get even more complicated if they are also without Zach Charbonnet (oblique), who didn't practice Wednesday. If Walker sits out Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings, Charbonnet will remain the starter and a high-end fantasy RB2. However, if both Walker and Charbonnet end up sidelined, then Kenny McIntosh would be in line for a drastically expanded role out of the backfield. Fantasy managers should stay tuned for additional injury updates on Thursday.

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Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (shoulder) did not participate in practice on Wednesday. While any sort of injury is concerning, especially with the fantasy playoffs in full swing, it should be noted that Wednesday absences are sometimes precautionary. The Seahawks could be giving Metcalf a little extra time to recover from last Sunday's contest before getting him prepped for Week 16 against the Minnesota Vikings. If he upgrades to a limited or full participant on Thursday, he has a good chance to play against Minnesota this weekend. In such a scenario, he'd rank as a mid-to-high WR3/FLEX in fantasy football.

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Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz has been money for fantasy managers in 2024, but he'll have a little less upside in a Week 16 divisional matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night. In the Week 6 loss to the Bolts, Lutz made his only field-goal attempt and just one extra point. Lutz will have less upside this week because the Chargers defense is tied for first with Denver for fewest points allowed per game (17.6), meaning points could be hard to come by on the road on a short week late in the season. However, the Chargers have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing kickers in the last five weeks. Despite the less-than-ideal matchup, the 30-year-old has a high enough floor to put him in the top-10 at his position. Lutz has made 90% of his 30 field-goal attempts this year and is a perfect 9-for-9 on FGs and 16-for-16 on extra points in the last four games.

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Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. shouldn't be in starting fantasy lineups when the Broncos take on the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers in Week 16 on Thursday Night Football. Mims caught three passes for a season-high 105 yards in the Week 13 win over the Cleveland Browns thanks to a 93-yard touchdown reception. He followed that up by catching all four of his targets but for just 20 yards in last week's win over the Indianapolis Colts. The 22-year-old second-year wideout has big-play potential anytime he touches the football, but Denver has mostly been utilizing him on shorter pass plays, limiting his fantasy upside. Outside of his 100-yard game recently, Mims doesn't have more than four receptions or 49 yards in any of his 14 games in 2024. In the Week 6 loss to the Chargers, he didn't catch any of his three targets. Mims has no business being started by fantasy managers in the semifinals in most leagues.

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Pittsburgh Steelers LB T.J. Watt leads the NFL with 18 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles, and he ranks second with 27 quarterback hits and third with 11.5 sacks.

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Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Devaughn Vele was starting to slowly become Denver's No. 2 wideout behind Courtland Sutton with 14 receptions on 18 targets for 185 yards and a touchdown in Weeks 10-12, but in two games since then, he's completely disappeared. In wins over the Browns and Colts in Weeks 13 and 15, Vele has disappeared, catching one of five targets for 16 yards. The seventh-round pass-catcher has a bright future if he remains paired with quarterback Bo Nix for years to come in Denver, but the last two games were a reminder that it's hard to trust anyone not named Sutton in this offense. In Week 16 against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night, Vele won't come recommended as a flex play for fantasy managers in the playoffs. Vele had four catches on six targets for 78 yards against the Bolts in the Week 6 loss. That might be his ceiling on Thursday evening.

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Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (wrist, rest) was officially a non-participant in his team's first practice of Week 16. It's been the veteran's routine for some time now -- kicking off Miami's week of practice listed as either a limited participant or DNP each week since Week 11. Fellow wideouts Jaylen Waddle (knee) and Dee Eskridge (knee) were also tagged with DNPs, though their status for Sunday's meeting with the visiting San Francisco 49ers is far less certain. Fantasy managers should not be concerned about Hill's status for now. The 30-year-old could be in store for all the work he could handle in Week 16 if his teammates cannot play. Currently, the only other active Miami wide receivers without a designation are Malik Washington and River Cracraft.

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