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NFL roundup: Commanders head to playoffs for first time since 2020

Mon Dec 30 1:41am ET
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Jayden Daniels hit Zach Ertz for a 2-yard touchdown with 2:42 left in overtime as the Washington Commanders beat the Atlanta Falcons 30-24 on Sunday night in Landover, Md., to secure their first playoff berth since the 2020 season.

The Commanders (11-5) clinched a wild-card berth with their fourth straight win and could finish as high as the sixth seed in the NFC. In the NFC South, Atlanta (8-8) sits behind the first-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who can clinch the division by defeating the New Orleans Saints in Week 18.

Washington took the opening kickoff of the extra session, and Daniels later ran for 16 yards on third-and-2 at midfield, then passed to Chris Rodriguez Jr. two plays later for a 12-yard gain and another first down. Daniels eventually added a pair of 6-yard runs that got him in position to find Ertz for the game-winning points.

Daniels completed 24 of 36 passes for 227 yards, three touchdowns and one interception and ran for 127 yards on 16 attempts. Ertz caught two touchdown passes, and Olamide Zaccheaus had eight catches for 85 yards and a score.

Bijan Robinson ran for two touchdowns and finished with 90 yards on the ground for Atlanta. Michael Penix Jr. was 19-of-35 passing for 223 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and Drake London had seven catches for 106 yards. Riley Patterson came up short on a 56-yard field-goal attempt as time expired in regulation.

Eagles 41, Cowboys 7

Saquon Barkley rushed for 167 yards to join the 2,000-yard club and Philadelphia clinched the NFC East title with a lopsided victory against visiting Dallas.

The Eagles (13-3) swept the season series with the rival Cowboys (7-9) for the first time since 2011 and locked up at least the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. With his 11th 100-yard game of the campaign, Barkley became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. Starting under center for Philadelphia with Jalen Hurts in the concussion protocol, Kenny Pickett tallied a touchdown pass and a touchdown run before exiting early in the third quarter with a rib injury.

The Cowboys turned the ball over four times. Cooper Rush threw two interceptions and one touchdown pass and Rico Dowdle rushed for 104 yards to record his first 1,000-yard season (1,007).

Bills 40, Jets 14

Josh Allen passed for two touchdowns and rushed for one more as Buffalo clinched the No. 2 seed in the AFC by clobbering New York in Orchard Park, N.Y.

Allen was showered with "M-V-P" chants after putting the game away with a pair of third-quarter touchdown passes -- a 30-yard connection with Amari Cooper and a 14-yard strike to a leaping Keon Coleman with 12 seconds left in the frame. Those scores sandwiched a 1-yard touchdown run by James Cook for Buffalo (13-3).

The Bills' defense forced three turnovers and racked up four sacks. Aaron Rodgers struggled under center for New York (4-12), completing 12 of 18 passes for 112 yards. He was picked off twice. Second-string signal-caller Tyrod Taylor broke the shutout with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson with 6:59 left in the game.

Jaguars 20, Titans 13

Mac Jones threw two touchdown passes and Jacksonville earned a season-series sweep of visiting Tennessee.

Jones connected on 15 of 22 passes for 174 yards, finding Parker Washington and rookie Brian Thomas Jr. for scores, as Jacksonville (4-12) left Tennessee (3-13) behind in the AFC South cellar. Cam Little booted field goals of 48 and 44 yards.

Mason Rudolph hit on 19 of 31 pass attempts for 193 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Titans, who dropped their fifth consecutive game. Tyjae Spears rushed for 95 yards on 20 carries, taking on lead running back duties in place of Tony Pollard (flu/ankle).

Raiders 25, Saints 10

Brock Bowers set a pair of rookie receiving records and Ameer Abdullah notched the first 100-yard rushing game of his 10-year career in Las Vegas' win over host New Orleans.

Bowers caught seven passes for 77 yards, giving him 1,144 yards on the season to surpass Mike Ditka's 63-year-old rookie tight end record. He also eclipsed the rookie reception record with his 106th catch, besting Puka Nacua's mark from last season. Abdullah finished with 115 yards on 20 carries as the Raiders (4-12) won their second straight game.

Aidan O'Connell threw two touchdown passes for Las Vegas, while Spencer Rattler passed for 218 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions and fell to 0-5 as the starter for the Saints (5-11).

Giants 45, Colts 33

Drew Lock matched his career high of four touchdown passes and also rushed for a score and New York snapped its franchise-record 10-game losing streak by outlasting Indianapolis in East Rutherford, N.J.

Malik Nabers had seven receptions for a career-best 171 yards and two touchdowns to exceed 100 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards during his strong rookie campaign. Lock completed 17 of 23 passes for 309 yards, and Ihmir Smith-Marsette returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown for the Giants (3-13).

The Colts (7-9) were eliminated from the AFC playoff race. Joe Flacco started at quarterback with Anthony Richardson (back/foot) sidelined and completed 26 of 38 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns. But he was also intercepted twice and lost a fumble. Jonathan Taylor rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries.

Buccaneers 48, Panthers 14

Baker Mayfield threw for five touchdowns and Tampa Bay stayed atop the NFC South title race by pounding visiting Carolina.

Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan each caught two TD passes and Bucky Irving rushed for 113 yards as Tampa Bay's second victory of the month against Carolina came much easier than the road version in overtime. Mayfield completed 27 of 32 passes for 359 yards. The Buccaneers (9-7) collected 551 yards of total offense.

The Panthers (4-12) have lost five of their past six games despite Bryce Young throwing two touchdown passes to Adam Thielen (five catches, 110 receiving yards). Young finished 15-for-28 passing for 203 yards, but Carolina managed only 39 rushing yards as it played without injured running back Chuba Hubbard.

Dolphins 20, Browns 3

Tyler Huntley completed 22 of 26 passes for 225 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions and ran for another score to lead Miami past host Cleveland.

The Dolphins (8-8) kept their playoff hopes alive and must beat the Jets next week and hope the Denver Broncos lose to the Kansas City Chiefs to secure the AFC's final wild-card playoff berth. Huntley started in place of injured starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hip).

Dorian Thompson-Robinson started at quarterback for the Browns (3-13) but completed only 24 of 47 passes for 170 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. Jerry Jeudy made a career-high 12 catches for 94 yards. Cleveland lost its fifth game in a row.

Vikings 27, Packers 25

Sam Darnold completed 33 of 43 passes for a career-best 377 yards to go with three touchdowns and one interception and Minnesota escaped with a win over Green Bay in Minneapolis.

Justin Jefferson had eight catches for 92 yards for Minnesota (14-2), which won its ninth game in a row. Jalen Nailor, Jordan Addison and Cam Akers had one touchdown reception apiece for the Vikings.

Jordan Love completed 19 of 30 passes for 185 yards and one touchdown for Green Bay (11-5). Josh Jacobs and Emanuel Wilson each rushed for a touchdown and Malik Heath had a touchdown catch for the Packers, who lost to the Vikings for the second time this season.

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Player Notes
Ray-Ray McCloud Dec 30 12:30am CT
Ray-Ray McCloud

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III caught his lone target for 13 yards and gained 14 additional yards on a rushing attempt in Sunday's 30-24 loss to the Commanders. It was an underwhelming performance from the 28-year-old, although his 14-yard run kept alive the game-tying fourth-quarter touchdown drive and got the Falcons down to the Washington five-yard line. But the offense doesn't typically support both he and Kyle Pitts, and Sunday was Pitts' night as he caught four passes including one for a touchdown. After catching no less than two passes in every game through Week 14, McCloud now has two one-catch games in the last three weeks. The Clemson product and the entire Falcons offense have a chance to end the regular season on a high note in Week 18, as they draw the Panthers at home in a game they need to win in order to have a shot at the playoffs.

From RotoBaller

Darnell Mooney Dec 30 12:20am CT
Darnell Mooney

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney could snag just two of his five targets in Sunday's 30-24 overtime loss to the Commanders, totaling 37 yards on his receptions. A week after leading the Falcons in receiving yards, the 27-year-old faded from the offense, but such is the case with a rookie quarterback. There will be ups and downs, but Mooney's down was an untimely one, letting many fantasy managers who put their faith in him down at the most crucial time of the fantasy season. Still, it has been a banner year for the fifth-year pro, who is just eight yards away from logging his second 1000-yard season, the last coming back in 2021 for the Bears. He has a good chance to hit that milestone in Week 18 against the Panthers, although he posted just a 3-38-0 line against them earlier this season.

From RotoBaller

Kyle Pitts Dec 30 12:10am CT
Kyle Pitts

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts caught his first touchdown pass since Week 8 in Sunday night's 30-24 overtime loss to the Commanders, hauling in four of five targets for 44 yards and the score. It has been yet another disappointing season for the former first-round draft pick, but perhaps this can be the beginning of some rapport with his rookie quarterback that, if he can muster another decent outing next week, could build some momentum heading into next season. It's probably a long shot, though, but the 24-year-old does draw a favorable matchup next week against the Panthers in a must-win game for the Falcons. Carolina is one of the worst teams in allowing production to tight ends, although they allow production to all positions, so the Falcons should have multiple paths to victory.

From RotoBaller

Michael Penix Jr. Dec 29 11:50pm CT
Michael Penix Jr.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. nearly led his team to a win on Sunday Night Football, getting the team into position for a potential game-winning field goal, but the kick fell short and the Falcons ultimately lost 30-24 to the Commanders in overtime. The former first-round draft pick completed 19-of-35 passes for 223 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Some passes were clearly off-target, but others displayed the 24-year-old's talent level, including the game-tying touchdown pass to Kyle Pitts late in the fourth quarter. The rookie will get a chance to end the season on a high note and send the Falcons -- with some help from the Saints -- to the playoffs with a win against the Panthers in Week 18.

From RotoBaller

Drake London Dec 29 11:30pm CT
Drake London

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London led the Falcons in receiving in Sunday's 30-24 overtime loss to the Commanders, hauling in seven of 13 targets for 106 yards, although he was unable to find the end zone. Michael Penix Jr. frequently looked London's way, with no other receiver getting more than five targets, but the lefty QB missed London streaking across the end zone late in the game with an off-target throw. Still, it was a strong showing from the former first-round draft pick, with the yardage total putting him over 1,000 yards receiving on the season, the first 1,000-yard season of his three-year career. The 6-foot-4 wideout gets a favorable home matchup against the Panthers in Week 18, a defense he put a 6-74-1 line on earlier this season.

From RotoBaller

Robert Spillane Dec 29 11:20pm CT
Robert Spillane

The Las Vegas Raiders defense/special teams allowed 10 points, forced two turnovers, and registered four sacks during Sunday's Week 17 win over the New Orleans Saints. Vegas' two turnovers were both interceptions, with one apiece from Jack Jones and Thomas Harper. Elsewhere on the stat sheet, six different players recorded at least half a sack. Robert Spillane was the Raiders' defensive leader once again with his eight tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss, and two passes defended. This Vegas unit had a productive outing against a poor Saints offense, but they'll get a tougher test in Week 18 when they face the Los Angeles Chargers. Fantasy managers in leagues with 14 or fewer teams can leave the Raiders on waivers as the season wraps up.

From RotoBaller

Terry McLaurin Dec 29 11:20pm CT
Terry McLaurin

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin hauled in just one of his seven targets during their victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday evening. His lone catch went for just five yards. McLaurin had a tough time getting open facing standout Atlanta defensive back A.J. Terrell who shadowed him all evening. Instead, No.2 wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus and tight end Zach Ertz did most of the damage through the air while Jayden Daniels added over 100 yards on the ground. This was only the fourth-time this season McLaurin tallied less than double-digit PPR points in a single game. Coming into this contest, the Ohio State product averaged 22.9 PPR points per game over his past four contests and found the end zone an impressive six times over this stretch. Despite the poor showing, McLaurin remains a must-start WR1 heading into a Week 18 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.

From RotoBaller

Bijan Robinson Dec 29 11:20pm CT
Bijan Robinson

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson handled 17 carries for 90 yards and scored two touchdowns in Sunday night's 30-24 overtime loss to the Commanders, adding three catches for eight yards as well. Robinson had 13 carries by halftime, but with Washington running two seven-minute-plus drives in the second half, the Falcons did not get a chance to run many plays and when they did, they were passing as they tried to play catch-up in the fourth quarter. It could have been an even more lucrative night as Atlanta ran Robinson out of the wildcat, but when they did so on 1st-and-goal from the five-yard line in the fourth quarter, the snap went over Robinson's head for a huge loss, with the drive ending in a 13-yard TD pass to Kyle Pitts instead. Nevertheless, the second-year pro surely helped fantasy managers to some championships on Sunday, and with one game left to go in the regular season, the former first-round draft pick will face the Panthers at home next week, a team he scored two TDs against earlier this season.

From RotoBaller

Xavier Legette Dec 29 11:10pm CT
Xavier Legette

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette caught five of his nine targets for just 28 yards during Sunday's Week 17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The rookie receiver returned from a one-week absence to lead the Panthers in targets and receptions, but his yardage output was relatively disappointing. Legette also played just 68.1 percent of the offensive snaps, which is lower than usual but could just be a reflection of the Panthers being cautious in his first game back from injury. Moving forward, Legette should be able to establish himself as Carolina's No. 2 receiver behind Adam Thielen, but that doesn't mean he won't occasionally be out-played by the likes of Jalen Coker and David Moore. Heading into Week 18 against the Atlanta Falcons, Legette ranks as a WR4.

From RotoBaller

Olamide Zaccheaus Dec 29 11:10pm CT
Olamide Zaccheaus

Washington Commanders wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus caught eight of his nine targets for 85 yards and a score during their victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday evening. Zaccheaus got on the scoresheet early catching the first score of the game on a seven-yard strike from Jayden Daniels. Zaccheaus' targets, receptions, and yards paced all other Washington pass catchers in this contest and was Daniels' go-to option all evening. His longest reception went for 16 yards. With Noah Brown (kidney) and Dyami Brown (hamstring) both sidelined, Zaccheaus has made the most of his opportunities. Over the past two games he has scored three touchdowns and tallied at least 70 yards in each game. He should be viewed as a solid flex option in Week 18 facing the Dallas Cowboys.

From RotoBaller

Daniel Carlson Dec 29 11:10pm CT
Daniel Carlson

Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson went 4-for-4 on field goals and also converted his lone extra-point attempt during Sunday's Week 17 win over the New Orleans Saints. His field goals came from 25, 31, 39, and 54 yards out. Carlson has now made four-plus field goals in 25 percent of his games this season, pushing him just inside the top 12 kickers (based on fantasy points) so far. Although his fantasy production has been relatively inconsistent due to the Raiders' developing offense, Carlson remains an intriguing weekly streamer with very high upside. He should continue to be viewed as a fringe top-12 kicking option in fantasy football ahead of Week 18 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

From RotoBaller

Zach Ertz Dec 29 11:10pm CT
Zach Ertz

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz caught six of his seven targets for 72 yards and two touchdowns in their victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night. Ertz had caught just three passes in total over his past two games but was able to snap this cold streak in a big way. The veteran tight end played a crucial role especially in the second half of this contest. Ertz found the end zone for the first time in the third quarter on a ten yard pass from Jayden Daniels. Then, the 34-year-old would play the hero as he hauled in the playoff-clinching score in overtime from two yards out. Despite his recent struggles, Ertz should continued to be viewed as a low-end TE1 playing on a high-octane Washington offense. He remains a solid play in all formats next weekend with Noah Brown (kidney) on the injured reserve as he should continue to see a reliable target share.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller