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Saquon Barkley ninth player with 2,000-yard rushing season

Sun Dec 29 3:51pm ET
Field Level Media

Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season on Sunday.

Barkley entered the game against the visiting Dallas Cowboys needing 162 yards to join the exclusive club.

He reached the milestone with a 23-yard run with about 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and Philadelphia leading 34-7. That gave him 167 for the day on 31 carries and 2,005 for the season.

With one game remaining, Barkley has a chance to break Eric Dickerson's NFL single-season record of 2,105 yards, set during a 16-game season in 1984.

In addition to Dickerson, the others to rush for 2,000 yards are Adrian Peterson, Jamal Lewis, Barry Sanders, Derrick Henry, Terrell Davis, Chris Johnson and O.J. Simpson.

With the Eagles locked into the No. 2 seed in the NFC, it's unclear whether Barkley will play in next weekend's regular-season finale against his former team, the New York Giants.

Barkley also broke LeSean McCoy's 2013 franchise record of 2,146 all-purpose yards.

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Player Notes
Josh Allen Dec 29 5:00pm CT
Josh Allen

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw for 182 yards and two touchdowns while adding 17 rushing yards and another score in the team's 40-14 win over the New York Jets. As has been the case in a handful of Bills games this season, Allen departed early due to Buffalo's comfortable lead. The Bills led by 33 points entering the final frame. Allen found Amari Cooper and Keon Coleman for his passing scores in the third quarter. While the yardage total is low for Allen's standards, three touchdowns were enough to put him over the 20-point threshold. Allen and the Bills clinched the number two seed in the AFC so the team could rest him for the regular season finale in New England.

From RotoBaller

Jerome Ford Dec 29 5:00pm CT
Jerome Ford

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (ankle) has returned to Sunday's Week 17 contest against the Miami Dolphins. He exited in the second quarter and was listed as questionable, but he checked back into the game at the start of the second half. Although Ford's return will take away some touches from D'Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong Jr., we expect all three running backs to remain involved for the rest of Sunday's contest.

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James Cook Dec 29 5:00pm CT
James Cook

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook rushed for 53 yards and scored a touchdown in the team's blowout win over the New York Jets. Buffalo's top running back saw 15 opportunities again, but all came on the ground. He wasn't targeted for the second time this season. Thankfully, a touchdown pushed him up to double-digit PPR points. Cook's one-yard plunge in the third quarter extended Buffalo's lead to 26 points. They led by even more entering the fourth quarter, allowing Cook to take the rest of the game off. The Bills secured the number two seed in the AFC and face the New England Patriots in Week 18.

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Amari Cooper Dec 29 5:00pm CT
Amari Cooper

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper caught three passes for 56 yards and one touchdown in the team's 40-14 win over the New York Jets. The veteran's highlight play was a 30-yard jump-ball touchdown over a New York defender. Despite one of his best games in a Bills uniform, the move to Buffalo hasn't benefited Cooper's fantasy value. His three targets trailed Keon Coleman (seven) and Khalil Shakir (six). The Bills secured the number two seed in the AFC and face the New England Patriots in Week 18.

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Joe Flacco Dec 29 5:00pm CT
Joe Flacco

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Joe Flacco completed 26 of 38 pass attempts for 330 yards and two touchdowns, but was responsible for three turnovers -- two interceptions and a lost fumble. The 39-year-old's 68.4% completion rate breathed some life into what has been an underwhelming passing attack, producing two 100-yard receivers in the same game for the first time all season for the Colts. However, Indy was playing from behind all game and Flacco likely had to throw more than they expected or wanted him to. Nevertheless, with Indianapolis eliminated from playoff contention, the Colts may not want to run Anthony Richardson (back, foot) out there for the final game in Week 18. If Flacco draws another start, it will be in a favorable home matchup versus the 4-12 Jaguars, the same team the veteran put up big numbers against earlier this season.

From RotoBaller

Jerome Ford Dec 29 4:20pm CT
Jerome Ford

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (ankle) exited during the second half of Sunday's Week 17 contest against the Miami Dolphins. He was taken to the locker room for evaluation and is officially questionable to return. At the time of his departure, he had rushed for just 22 yards on six carries. With Nick Chubb (Achilles) done for the year and Ford temporarily sidelined, the Browns will now rely on D'Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong Jr. as their primary running backs.

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DeVonta Smith Dec 29 4:10pm CT
DeVonta Smith

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith caught six of his seven targets for 120 yards and two touchdowns in their decisive victory against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday afternoon. Smith left the game for a brief window with a wrist injury. However, that did not seem to alter his performance as he paced all Philadelphia pass catchers in yards and receptions. He caught his first score of the game from Kenny Pickett on a 22-yard pass. He found the end zone again, this time on a 25-yard strike from Tanner McKee. His longest reception of the afternoon went for 49 yards. Despite catching passes from a multiple backup quarterbacks, Smith showcased his elite upside with his first multi-touchdown performance of the season. Smith will look to stay hot in a divisional tilt in Week 18 against the New York Giants.

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Aaron Rodgers Dec 29 4:10pm CT
Aaron Rodgers

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was replaced by Tyrod Taylor in the fourth quarter of Sunday's Week 17 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Rodgers finished with 112 passing yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also took four sacks, including one for a safety. Interestingly, Taylor played significantly better in his two drives, completing 79 percent of his passes for 83 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Despite Taylor's promising fourth quarter, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich told the media postgame that he expects Rodgers to remain the starter for Week 18 against the Miami Dolphins. Looking beyond next weekend, Rodgers' future with the Jets remains uncertain, and it's possible he will enter 2025 with a new team or even on the retirement list.

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Marquez Valdes-Scantling Dec 29 4:00pm CT
Marquez Valdes-Scantling

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (back) re-aggravated an existing injury during Sunday's Week 17 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, according to interim head coach Darren Rizzi. He was targeted twice but did not catch a pass in the defeat. Valdes-Scantling has been one of the Saints' most productive pass-catchers since the team lost Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee) to injuries. However, after Derek Carr (back) got hurt, Valdes-Scantling's productivity declined. He was targeted seven times in Week 15 when Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler both got reps, but he caught just two passes in that contest. Assuming Carr remains sidelined for Week 18, Valdes-Scantling will stay off the fantasy radar in most leagues.

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Jonathan Taylor Dec 29 4:00pm CT
Jonathan Taylor

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor ran the ball 32 times for 125 yards and two scores in their loss to the New York Giants on Sunday afternoon. He also brought in two of his four targets for 11 yards. Taylor punched in his first score of the game in the second quarter on a three-yard run. Later in the third, Taylor would tally his second touchdown, this time on a 26-yard run. This was also his longest run of the afternoon. Taylor has now posted back-to-back outing where he tallied at least two touchdowns and eclipsed over 100 rushing yards. Since Week 13, Taylor has seen at least 22 rushing attempts per game. The Wisconsin product remains a high-end RB1 heading into his final game of the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars who have allowed the second-most PPR points to opposing RBs.

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Baker Mayfield Dec 29 3:50pm CT
Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield went 27-for-32 with 359 yards and five scores in their blowout victory over the Carolina Panthers. Mayfield connected with his top wideout Mike Evans twice, both times in the red zone. He also found rookie wide receiver, Jalen McMillan for two scores, once from 10 yards out and the other time from 16 yards out. His fifth passing score was caught by tight end Payne Durham. Since Week 14, Mayfield has thrown at least two passing scores in each contest and tallied at least three in three of them. Over this span he has tallied at least 280.0 passing yards in each game. Mayfield will look to cap off the best season of his career with a Week 18 matchup against the New Orleans Saints as the Buccaneers inch towards a playoff berth.

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Mike Evans Dec 29 3:50pm CT
Mike Evans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans caught eight of his nine targets for 97 yards and two scores during their demanding victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon. Evans did most of his damage in the first half by scoring twice. He caught his first score on a two-yard pass in the opening frame and his second score on a one-yard pass in the second quarter. His longest reception of the day went for 34 yards. His receptions, targets, and yardage total paced all Tampa wideouts and only tied for the most receiving scores with rookie Jalen McMillan. Since Week 13, Evans has found the end zone five times in five contests. During this stretch, he has tallied at least 90 yards in three of the five games. He will look to stay hot next weekend against a struggling New Orleans secondary.

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Malik Nabers Dec 29 3:40pm CT
Malik Nabers

New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers caught seven of his eight targets for 171 yards and two scores in their victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Nabers found the back of the end zone in the opening quarter on a 31-yard pass from Drew Lock. Then in the fourth quarter, Nabers tallied his second touchdown, this time on a 51-yard TD reception. Nabers' eight targets and 171 yards paced all New York pass catchers. In addition this set a new career-high in yards in a single game. This was also only the third time this season the LSU product tallied over 100 receiving yards in a single contest. Despite having poor quarterback play, Nabers has enjoyed a fantastic rookie season as he caught at least seven passes in nine of his 14 games with six total touchdowns. Nabers remains an elite play in DFS next weekend despite facing a tough Philadelphia secondary.

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Drew Lock Dec 29 3:30pm CT
Drew Lock

New York Giants quarterback Drew Lock went 17-for-23 with 309 yards and four scores in their victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Lock also added a rushing score. Lock tallied his first score of the afternoon on a 31-yard pass to rookie standout Malik Nabers. In the second, Lock found Darius Slayton on a 32-yard TD strike and later Wan'Dale Robinson on a five-yard TD pass. In the fourth quarter, he found Nabers once again, this time on a 59-yard catch-and-run TD pass and capped off his day with a rushing score at the five-yard line. This was not only Lock's best showing of the season but of his career. Coming into this game, Lock averaged a mere 205.0 passing yards per game with just one passing score over his past three contests. Despite his strong showing, Lock has a tough task ahead of him in Week 18 facing a Philadelphia defense that has allowed the fifth-fewest PPR points to opposing QBs.

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Tyjae Spears Dec 29 3:20pm CT
Tyjae Spears

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (concussion) has already been ruled out ahead of Week 18 against the Houston Texans, head coach Brian Callahan told the media. Spears exited during the second half of Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars and did not return. He finished Week 17 with 98 rushing yards on 21 carries. He also caught three of his four targets for eight yards through the air. Spears had been elevated to the lead-back role with Tony Pollard (ankle, illness) sidelined before he, too, had to leave the contest. Julius Chestnut and Joshua Kelley took over as the Titans' top running backs with Spears sidelined, but Pollard could return to the mix for next week's regular-season finale.

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Jamel Dean Dec 29 2:40pm CT
Jamel Dean

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean (knee) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's Week 17 contest against the Carolina Panthers. He had registered one tackle and one pass defended prior to his departure. It's worth noting that Dean dealt with injuries to both knees during practice this past week, so it's possible that he re-aggravated or worsened an existing ailment. Josh Hayes will earn more defensive snaps for the duration of Dean's absence.

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Tyjae Spears Dec 29 2:30pm CT
Tyjae Spears

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (head) was taken to the locker room and is being evaluated for a potential concussion, according to Jim Wyatt of the team's official website. Spears had been productive prior to his departure, rushing for 98 yards on 21 carries. He also caught three of his four targets for eight yards through the air. The 23-year-old was in the midst of handling an increased workload with Tony Pollard (ankle, illness) inactive. He already suffered one concussion earlier this season and has been wearing a guardian cap as a preventative measure. Until Spears can return to the mix, Julius Chestnut and Joshua Kelley will lead the Titans' backfield.

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Sauce Gardner Dec 29 2:20pm CT
Sauce Gardner

New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (hamstring) exited the game against the Buffalo Bills with a hamstring injury and will not return. The star cornerback left the game in the third quarter and was quickly downgraded from questionable to out. He registered three total tackles, all solo, and one pass defended before leaving. The Jets already have a thin secondary, so they'll have an even tougher time playing spoiler to the Buffalo Bills.

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Christian Watson Dec 29 2:20pm CT
Christian Watson

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (knee) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 17 contest against the Minnesota Vikings. The 25-year-old had been listed as questionable but was not expected to play entering this weekend. Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and Romeo Doubs will step up as the Packers' top wide receiver for the duration of Watson's absence. Reed remains the top fantasy receiver in Green Bay, but all three have FLEX upside given Jordan Love's ability to distribute targets.

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Kendre Miller Dec 29 2:10pm CT
Kendre Miller

New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller (concussion) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders. He finishes the game with three carries for three yards and one catch for 16 yards on one target. The only two running backs on the depth chart for the rest of this game are Jamaal Williams and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Miller's status is up in the air now for their Week 18 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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