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Dynasty $125 - FFL: Playoff Week 3 | NFL: Week 17

Colts coach Shane Steichen feeling heat after playoff elimination

Sun Dec 29 8:49pm ET
Field Level Media

Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen seemed to sense the question might arise after his club was eliminated from playoff consideration Sunday with a ghastly 45-33 loss to the host New York Giants in East Rutheford, N.J.

The Giants were 2-13 and had lost a franchise-record 10 straight games entering the contest and their season-high point total Sunday more than tripled their season average of 14.3 points per game.

It was the type of bad loss that leads to head coaches being asked about their job security.

"I control what I can control," Steichen said of the employment situation.

The Colts (7-9) were outplayed all contest by the team that entered the day with the worst record in the NFL -- and with their playoff hopes on the line.

Last season, Steichen's first as Indianapolis coach, the Colts also fell short, losing to the Houston Texans in the final week of the season to miss the playoffs.

"It was as disappointing as it gets," Steichen said of the setback against the Giants. "As the leader of a football team, shoot, I always say I've got to be better, we've all got to be better. That's a group effort, everyone's got to chip in and do their part, so stuff like that doesn't happen."

Giants quarterback Drew Lock passed for 309 yards and tied his career high of four touchdowns while also running for a score.

Meanwhile, the Colts also went with a reserve quarterback in veteran Joe Flacco and he turned the ball over three times on two interceptions and a fumble. He also passed for 330 yards.

Flacco started because rookie Anthony Richardson couldn't play due to back and foot injuries.

Indianapolis completes the season next weekend at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"I know it's a tough situation, obviously, when you're out of the playoff hunt, but again, I told (the team) we've got to be professional about it," Steichen said. "That's the biggest thing. We've got to show up and do our job still with one week left."

The Colts last made the playoffs in the 2020 season. Their last playoff win was two seasons earlier.

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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 17

Player Notes
Jayden Daniels Dec 29 11:00pm CT
Jayden Daniels

Washington Commanders center Tyler Biadasz (groin) exited Sunday's Week 17 contest against the Atlanta Falcons and did not return. Washington left the door open for him to re-enter by listing him as questionable, and he did join his teammates on the sideline. However, he stayed off the field while Michael Deiter took over as the Commanders' center. Biadasz's status is worth monitoring given his integral role in snapping the football and protecting Jayden Daniels.

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Darius Slayton Dec 29 11:00pm CT
Darius Slayton

New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton caught one of three targets during Sunday's Week 17 win over the Indianapolis Colts. His lone reception wound up being a 32-yard touchdown, giving him double-digit fantasy points in some PPR leagues. The 27-year-old's fantasy production has been minimal ever since the Giants benched and released Daniel Jones, but he was able to display a spark in the penultimate game of the regular season. Moving forward, most redraft managers can avoid Slayton as he remains New York's No. 3 wide receiver behind Malik Nabers and Wan'Dale Robinson.

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Brian Robinson Jr. Dec 29 11:00pm CT
Brian Robinson Jr.

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. tallied 60 yards on 13 attempts in their victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday evening. Robinson caught both of his targets for nine yards. While Robinson did see most of the rushing attempts he was unable to find the back of the end zone for the third straight contest. Instead, backup running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. was given the red zone work and was able to punch in a score in the fourth quarter. Over his past three contests, Robinson has only eclipsed 60 rushing yards on one occasion and has only tallied more than 100 yards once over his past six contests. With Austin Ekeler (concussion) nearing a return, fantasy managers could expect Robinson to lose some opportunities especially during the playoffs. He should be viewed as a low-end RB2 heading into a Week 18 tilt against the Dallas Cowboys.

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Tre Tucker Dec 29 11:00pm CT
Tre Tucker

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker was targeted eight times during Sunday's Week 17 win over the New Orleans Saints, but he ultimately caught just two passes for 14 yards and a touchdown. He also added a five-yard rush. It was a bizarre day for Tucker as he finished second on the team in targets but fourth in catches and fifth in receiving yards. Simply put, he and Aidan O'Connell weren't quite able to get on the same page very often in New Orleans. However, Tucker did salvage his fantasy showing by finding the end zone, giving him his first touchdown since Week 13 against the Chiefs (and just his third touchdown of the season). Tucker remains the Raiders' No. 2 receiver, but he'll be hard to trust in fantasy football when he takes on the Los Angeles Chargers next week.

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Jalen Coker Dec 29 11:00pm CT
Jalen Coker

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker caught each of his two targets for a total of 35 yards during Sunday's Week 17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The second-year receiver out of Holy Cross has shown numerous flashes this season, but he's struggling to establish himself as a consistent option while competing for targets with Adam Thielen, David Moore, and Xavier Legette. Coker did play 87 percent of offensive snaps, tying his second-highest mark of the season. His 35 receiving yards also ranked second-most on the team behind Thielen, who had 110 yards and two touchdowns. Despite facing some growing pains in a developing Panthers offense, there's reason to believe that Coker could eventually become the team's clear-cut No. 3 receiver. He's an intriguing dynasty target ahead of the upcoming NFL (and fantasy football) offseason. Before then, he'll get one more chance to cement himself in the Panthers' offense when he faces the Atlanta Falcons in Week 18.

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Chris Rodriguez Jr. Dec 29 11:00pm CT
Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. ran for 16 yards and a score on five carries on Sunday evening in their victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Rodriguez also tallied 12 yards on his lone reception. The sophomore running back punched in his score in the fourth quarter on a two-yard carry. While Brian Robinson Jr. saw the vast majority of the attempts, it is promising to see Rodriguez's name called late in the game. In this game, he logged four more attempts than the presumed No.2 option Jeremy McNichols. The Kentucky product has seen a slight uptick in opportunities with Austin Ekeler (concussion) on the injured reserve over the past month. However, with Ekeler nearing a return, fantasy managers should not expect him to have a consistent role in the offense moving forward. For now, he projects to be a desperation flex play in Week 18 against the Dallas Cowboys.

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Jayden Daniels Dec 29 10:50pm CT
Jayden Daniels

Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels went 24-for-36 with 227 passing yards and three scores en route to clinching a playoff spot by defeating the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday evening. Daniels added an impressive 127 yards on the ground on 16 attempts. Daniels found Olamide Zaccheaus in the opening quarter on a seven yard TD pass to open the scoring. In the third quarter, he found his tight end Zach Ertz on a ten yard TD pass. Then in overtime, Daniels found Ertz for the second time this evening to clinch the victory. Daniels has now led the game-winning drives in each of the past two games to lead Washington to their first playoff appearance since 2020. Over his past five games, Daniels has tallied 15 passing scores, two rushing scores and tallied over 300 scrimmage yards in three of them.

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Jalen Nailor Dec 29 10:20pm CT
Jalen Nailor

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor hauled in all five of his targets for 81 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 27-25 win against the Green Bay Packers. The 25-year-old hadn't sniffed this sort of volume since way back in Week 7, but he was effective -- putting together his best outing of the season. The TD was Nailor's sixth, his first since Week 12. More so, the yardage and reception total were both season highs. With the Vikings' ground attack proving ineffective (2.7 YPC), QB Sam Darnold attempted his most passes of the season (43) en route to a career-high in passing (377). While it isn't a prescriptive performance, it's a reminder that the Michigan State product can at least work as, at worst, a tertiary option in this offense. It's possible he'll be involved again next weekend when Minnesota hosts their division-rival Detroit Lions in what presents as an exciting end-of-season tilt.

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T.J. Hockenson Dec 29 10:00pm CT
T.J. Hockenson

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson corralled 5-of-6 targets for 68 yards in his team's 27-25 win against the Green Bay Packers. The Iowa product posted his highest yardage total since Week 12, bringing in five receptions for the second time in three outings. It was modest output for him on a day when quarterback Sam Darnold torched the Packers for a career-high 377 yards. Darnold spread the ball around effectively -- hitting five Minnesota pass-catchers for at least four completions. Hockenson hasn't been the impact player he was in the prior two seasons, but he hasn't been invaluable. As of his return in Week 9, the 27-year-old is the PPR TE9 -- registering four top-ten weekly finishes. He'll line up for a meeting with the Detroit Lions in Week 18 that presents massive playoff implications.

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Jordan Addison Dec 29 9:50pm CT
Jordan Addison

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison corralled 6-of-8 targets for 69 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 27-25 win over their division-rival Green Bay Packers. Addison has come on nicely and been superb over the last two months plus. Since Week 9, he's the PPR WR5 and notched at least eight targets in all but three appearances. The second-year wideout has matured while playing across from teammate Justin Jefferson, evolving the tandem into a formidable WR duo that's given defenses headaches. Addison could have had an even bigger game but let a perfectly thrown ball fall to the turf on what would have been a 39-yard TD. Expect the 22-year-old and the Vikings offense to be out in full force next weekend in a premier meeting with the Detroit Lions.

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Jakobi Meyers Dec 29 9:20pm CT
Jakobi Meyers

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers reeled in five of nine targets for 61 yards and a touchdown in his team's 25-10 win over the New Orleans Saints. The 28-year-old led all Raiders pass-catchers with his target total and was second to tight end Brock Bowers in catches and receiving yardage. It was the fifth time in his last six outings that Meyers registered at least five receptions, and he's been a solid WR2 for the majority of the season. With one game to go, the Georgia native has a shot at his first 1,000-yard season in the pros despite missing two games earlier in the year with an ankle injury. As it stands, he's already set a career-high with 904 yards and needs six receptions to surpass his career mark as well. Las Vegas will line up with the visiting Los Angeles Chargers for their final regular-season meeting of 2024 next weekend.

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Wan'Dale Robinson Dec 29 9:10pm CT
Wan'Dale Robinson

New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson caught five of his six targets for 71 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's Week 17 win over the Indianapolis Colts. He established himself as Drew Lock's second-favorite target once again, finishing only behind Malik Nabers in the major receiving categories. Robinson has been the overall WR37 in fantasy football this season, making him a low-end FLEX option in 12-team leagues. He'll continue to have fantasy appeal as the Giants look to carry their momentum into next week's regular-season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles.

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Tyler Huntley Dec 29 9:00pm CT
Tyler Huntley

The Cleveland Browns defense turned in a solid effort in a 20-3 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 17. The Browns notched four sacks while failing to force any turnovers against a Tyler Huntley-led Dolphins offense on a rainy, windy day in Cleveland. They were led by Myles Garrett, who notched two sacks, giving him his fourth consecutive 14-sack season. The Browns draw a difficult Week 18 matchup against an explosive Baltimore Ravens offense.

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Adam Thielen Dec 29 9:00pm CT
Adam Thielen

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen caught five of his six targets for 110 yards and two touchdowns during Sunday's Week 17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His biggest play of the game was a 40-yard touchdown pass courtesy of gorgeous ball placement from quarterback Bryce Young. Even when the Panthers lose, Thielen seems to stay heavily involved, as evidenced by his stat line from Sunday's divisional battle. The veteran pass-catcher ranks as the overall WR10 in fantasy football since Week 13, putting him ahead of talented receivers like A.J. Brown, Ladd McConkey, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Thielen remains a high-end WR2 option heading into next week's season finale against the Atlanta Falcons.

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Brock Bowers Dec 29 9:00pm CT
Brock Bowers

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers caught all seven of his targets for 77 yards during Sunday's Week 17 win over the New Orleans Saints. Along the way, Bowers set the record for most receiving yards by a rookie tight end in NFL history. Although he did break the record by passing Mike Ditka, who accomplished the feat in just 14 games compared to Bowers' 16, it's still an impressive accomplishment for the first-rounder out of Georgia. He also set the record for most receptions by a rookie in NFL history. The 22-year-old remains the overall TE1 in fantasy football, and he'll be a premier option at the position once more when the Raiders close out their season against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18.

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Rico Dowdle Dec 29 8:50pm CT
Rico Dowdle

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle was one of the lone bright spots in the Week 17 blowout loss against the Philadelphia Eagles. The fifth-year running back carried the ball 23 times for 104 yards while catching his lone target for four yards. Dowdle also lost a fumble, his second lost fumble of the year. The South Carolina product has come along nicely down the stretch for the Cowboys, rushing for over 100 yards in four of his last five outings. He will look to extend that streak in the season's finale against the Washington Commanders next week. The running back has earned himself a solid payday this upcoming offseason after a strong first year as a starter.

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Elijah Moore Dec 29 8:50pm CT
Elijah Moore

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Elijah Moore caught one of his five targets for one yard in a 20-3 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 17. Moore tied for third on the Browns in targets in the low-scoring loss but he only managed one receiving yard as his late-season swoon continued. The veteran receiver has now only caught eight passes for 55 yards over his past four games. He will finish up his 2024 campaign with a matchup against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18.

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Brandin Cooks Dec 29 8:50pm CT
Brandin Cooks

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks led the team in all receiving metrics in the Week 17 blowout loss against Philadelphia. Cooks was targeted eight times, securing four catches for 52 yards. The veteran led the way with CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) on the shelf, and should remain the top receiving option for Dallas heading into Week 18 against Washington.

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Jordan Akins Dec 29 8:50pm CT
Jordan Akins

Cleveland Browns tight end Jordan Akins caught six of his eight targets for 49 yards in a 20-3 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 17. Akins took on a main role in the Cleveland offense with David Njoku (knee) inactive, finishing second on the team in catches, targets, and receiving yards in the loss. The veteran tight end will presumably fill a similar role in the season finale against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18 if Njoku's injury holds him out another week.

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Jalen Tolbert Dec 29 8:50pm CT
Jalen Tolbert

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert scored the team's lone touchdown in Sunday's 41-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Tolbert saw four targets in the contest, catching three balls for 30 yards and the score. He operated as a starter with CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) on the shelf and should start again in Week 18 against the Washington Commanders.

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