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Dynasty $125 - FFL: Playoff Week 2 | NFL: Week 16

NFL roundup: Jalen Hurts injured as Eagles fall to Commanders

Sun Dec 22 10:31pm ET
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Jayden Daniels threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Jamison Crowder with six seconds remaining and the Washington Commanders beat the visiting Philadelphia Eagles 36-33 on Sunday.

Philadelphia's Jake Elliott hit a pair of late field goals to give the Eagles -- who lost quarterback Jalen Hurts to a concussion in the first quarter -- a 33-28 lead with 1:58 remaining. Washington (10-5) then went 57 yards in nine plays and added the two-point conversion, a run by Jeremy McNichols.

Daniels finished 24-of-39 passing for 258 yards, a career-high five touchdowns and two interceptions. He ran nine times for 81 yards. Olamide Zaccheus had five catches for 70 yards and two scores as Washington won despite five turnovers.

Saquon Barkley had 29 carries for 150 yards and two scores for the Eagles (12-3), who had won 10 straight. Kenny Pickett was 14-of-24 for 143 yards, one touchdown and one interception in relief of Hurts, and A.J. Brown caught eight passes for 97 yards and a score.

Vikings 27, Seahawks 24

Sam Darnold threw a 39-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline to Justin Jefferson with 3:51 remaining as Minnesota rallied to defeat host Seattle.

The pass capped a four-play, 70-yard drive that took just 30 seconds after Seattle's Geno Smith threw a 4-yard scoring pass to backup tight end AJ Barner to give the Seahawks their first lead of the afternoon. Darnold completed 22 of 35 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns, two to Jefferson -- who had 10 catches for 144 yards.

The Vikings (13-2) won their eighth game in a row and remained tied with Detroit atop the NFC North. The Seahawks (8-7) lost their second straight and dropped a game behind the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West. Smith completed 31 of 43 passes for 314 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions, with Jaxon Smith-Njibga making eight catches for 95 yards and a TD.

Lions 34, Bears 17

Jared Goff passed for 336 yards and three touchdowns and Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 109 yards and a score to boost visiting Detroit to a victory against skidding Chicago.

Detroit (13-2) stayed atop the NFC standings and established a franchise record for victories while outgaining Chicago 475-382. The Bears (4-11) lost their ninth in a row despite Caleb Williams' 334 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Lions receiver Jameson Williams had five catches for 143 yards and a score while Keenan Allen led Chicago with nine catches for 141 yards and a TD. Detroit scored the first 20 points of the game, including 10 that capitalized off Chicago turnovers.

Colts 38, Titans 30

Jonathan Taylor rushed for 218 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries as Indianapolis kept its slim AFC playoff hopes alive by holding off visiting Tennessee.

Indianapolis (7-8) trails the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos by two games for the final wild-card spots. It would have to win the last two games and hope for both teams to lose the last two games in order to have a chance to earn a playoff spot via tiebreakers.

Taylor's performance helped the Colts rush for a team-record 335 yards. Anthony Richardson only had to throw 11 passes, completing seven for 131 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He added 70 yards and a score on the ground. For Tennessee (3-12), Mason Rudolph completed 23 of 34 passes for 252 yards with two scores and three picks.

Dolphins 29, 49ers 17

Jason Sanders kicked five field goals and De'Von Achane accounted for 190 total yards from scrimmage and the clinching touchdown in Miami's win over visiting San Francisco in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Tua Tagovailoa completed 22 of 34 passes for 215 yards and a score for Miami (7-8). Achane rushed for 120 yards on 17 carries, including a 50-yard touchdown run with 1:36 left, and caught six passes for 70 yards. The Dolphins must win their last two games, hope for two losses from the Los Angeles Chargers and get other help to perhaps earn the final AFC wild-card spot.

Brock Purdy hit on 26 of 40 passes for 313 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for San Francisco (6-9). He found Eric Saubert for a 2-yard score with 12:02 remaining to pull the 49ers within 19-17, but they couldn't get over the hump after being eliminated from the playoff race before the game.

Bills 27, Patriots 24

James Cook finished with 126 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns, and Buffalo Bills escaped with a win over New England in Orchard Park, N.Y.

Josh Allen completed 16 of 29 passes for 154 yards, one touchdown and one interception for Buffalo (12-3). Allen also carried the ball six times for 30 yards as the Bills won for the ninth time in their past 10 games.

Drake Maye completed 22 of 36 passes for 261 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for New England (3-12). Rhamondre Stevenson had 12 carries for 60 yards and a touchdown, and Kayshon Boutte and Hunter Henry each caught a touchdown pass.

Falcons 34, Giants 7

Michael Penix Jr. completed 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards in his first career start, helping Atlanta rout visiting New York.

Penix, who was named starter following Kirk Cousins' benching, also threw an interception. Bijan Robinson ran 22 times for 94 yards and two touchdowns, as the Falcons (8-7) won their second straight following a four-game losing streak. Darnell Mooney had five receptions for 82 yards, while Jessie Bates III and Matthew Judon each returned interceptions for touchdowns.

For New York (2-13), Drew Lock completed 22 of 39 passes for a touchdown and two interceptions, as the Giants dropped their 10th straight game -- setting a franchise record. Malik Nabers hauled in seven passes for 68 yards.

Bengals 24, Browns 6

Joe Burrow tossed three touchdown passes and the defense forced a key early turnover to lead Cincinnati over visiting Cleveland.

Ja'Marr Chase broke his own single-season franchise receiving yards mark and finished the day with six catches for 97 yards and a touchdown. The Bengals (7-8), who forced and recovered a fumble at the goal line on Cleveland's first possession, won their third straight game and stayed in playoff contention.

Cleveland quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, making his fourth career start and first this season, completed just 20 of 34 passes for 157 yards. He was sacked five times and threw two fourth-quarter interceptions. Myles Garrett sacked Burrow in the second quarter, allowing the star pass rusher to reach the 100-sack milestone in just his 115th career game.

Rams 19, Jets 9

Tyler Higbee caught the tiebreaking touchdown catch in his season debut and Kyren Williams rushed for 122 yards and one score as Los Angeles defeated New York in East Rutherford, N.J.

Matthew Stafford was 14-of-19 passing for 110 yards, one touchdown and one interception for the Rams (9-6), who won for the eighth time in their last 10 games and took sole possession of first place in the NFC West.

Aaron Rodgers completed 28 of 42 passes for 256 yards and one touchdown, the 499th of his career, for New York (4-11).

Panthers 36, Cardinals 30 (OT)

Chuba Hubbard ran 21 yards for an overtime touchdown and Bryce Young threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as Carolina ended Arizona's playoff prospects by winning its home finale in Charlotte, N.C.

Hubbard, who had a 28-yard run on the play prior to his winning rush, compiled 152 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries as the Panthers (4-11) halted a four-game losing streak. Young was 17-for-26 for 158 yards in the air and gained 68 yards on five rushing attempts.

Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray was 20-for-32 for 202 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Cardinals (7-8). James Conner gained 117 rushing yards on 15 carries before leaving with a knee injury and Chad Ryland booted three field goals, including a tying 58-yarder on the last play of regulation.

Raiders 19, Jaguars 15

Brock Bowers caught 11 passes for 99 yards and Isaiah Pola-Mao forced two fumbles to lead host Las Vegas to a win over Jacksonville.

The Raiders ended a league-high 10-game losing streak with their first win since beating the Cleveland Browns 20-16 on Sept. 29. Ameer Abdullah ran for 38 yards and a go-ahead touchdown on seven carries as the Raiders ran for 69 yards as a team. Aidan O'Connell finished with 257 yards on 24-of-38 passing.

Brian Thomas Jr. led the Jaguars with 132 yards, including a 62-yard touchdown, on nine receptions, while Parker Washington tallied six receptions for 54 yards. Mac Jones threw for 247 yards and a touchdown on 25-of-39 passing, and Bigsby led Jacksonville with 50 rushing yards and a score on 12 carries.

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Player Notes
Aaron Jones Dec 22 10:00pm CT
Aaron Jones

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones totaled 67 scoreless yards on his 18 carries, adding another 26 through the air on 3-of-5 receiving in Sunday's 27-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks. It was the first time since Week 11 that the former fifth-round pick did not hit pay dirt. Despite the mediocre outing in an exploitable matchup, the 30-year-old provided another double-digit fantasy performance -- his eleventh in 15 tries this season. On the bright side, Jones has seemingly put his fumbling spell behind him after a stretch in which he went three straight games coughing up the rock. He'll get another favorable spot next Sunday in a rematch against the visiting Green Bay Packers. It'll be the veteran's second revenge game against his former squad, and he fared well against them earlier this season -- racking up 139 total yards.

From RotoBaller

Khalil Shakir Dec 22 10:00pm CT
Khalil Shakir

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir caught two passes for 22 yards in the team's 24-21 win over the New England Patriots. Two receptions tied a season-low mark for the slot receiver. Shakir led Buffalo wide receivers with six targets (only trailed tight end Dalton Kincaid's seven) but couldn't do much with the opportunities. Josh Allen typically targets Shakir on the short and intermediate routes. The pair couldn't connect on a couple of deep shots on Sunday. The entire Buffalo passing game was out of sync as Allen totaled 154 passing yards. Shakir and the Bills host the New York Jets next weekend.

From RotoBaller

Amari Cooper Dec 22 10:00pm CT
Amari Cooper

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper caught one pass for 10 yards in the team's 24-21 win over the New England Patriots. The veteran secured his lone reception in the second quarter and was only targeted once more. As has been the case for most of his stint in Buffalo, Cooper was largely uninvolved in the offensive game plan. He has two games with double-digit PPR points in seven tries. Cooper can't be trusted in starting lineups when the Bills host the New York Jets next weekend.

From RotoBaller

Josh Allen Dec 22 9:50pm CT
Josh Allen

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen completed 16 of 29 pass attempts for 154 yards and one touchdown in the team's 24-21 win over the New England Patriots. He also tossed one interception and rushed for 30 yards on six carries. It was an uncharacteristically below-average game for the MVP favorite, who had scored at least 20 fantasy points in nine straight games. The Bills erased a 14-point, first-half deficit with opportunistic defensive plays and an explosive ground game. Fantasy managers who survived a playoff matchup, despite Allen's poor play, can look forward to a rematch with the New York Jets next weekend.

From RotoBaller

Patrick Taylor Dec 22 9:50pm CT
Patrick Taylor

San Francisco 49ers running back Patrick Taylor Jr. had an uneventful first career start during a 29-17 loss to the Dolphins in Miami on Sunday. The former Green Bay Packer took eight carries for 24 yards and caught one of five targets for one-yard receiving. Sometimes in fantasy, it's easy to fall in love with expected volume and opportunity and look past talent. Even though Taylor Jr. entered the game first on the depth chart, he looked the part of the fringe player that he has been throughout his career. Taylor Jr. was outgained on the ground by both wideout Deebo Samuel Sr. and quarterback Brock Purdy. No other tailbacks were involved with the 49ers opting to throw the ball 40 times rather than lean on their stable of replacement-level backs. Next week, the 49ers will host the Detroit Lions with Taylor Jr.'s fantasy viability in Week 17 dependent on the availability of rookie Isaac Guerendo (foot, hamstring).

From RotoBaller

Jalen Tolbert Dec 22 9:50pm CT
Jalen Tolbert

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert (finger) suffered a dislocated left finger in the first half in Sunday night's game against the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is questionable to return in the second half. Tolbert was undergoing X-rays at halftime and was late to come onto the field in the second. The good news for fantasy managers that started him in a flex spot in Week 16 is that he was able to find the end zone before injuring his finger. However, it came on only two catches on three targets for 20 yards. If Tolbert is unable to return on Sunday night or for the Week 17 contest against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles, rookie Ryan Flournoy and KaVontae Turpin would be battling for the No. 3 role in Dallas' offense alongside CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks. Tolbert entered Week 16 outside of the top 50 receivers in average half-PPR points per game in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Sam Darnold Dec 22 9:50pm CT
Sam Darnold

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold completed 22-of-35 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday's 27-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks. He picked up 11 yards on his five carries in the road outing. The 27-year-old was impressive again in Week 16, registering his fifth performance with at least three passing scores. It's been a superb season for Darnold, who has now eclipsed 30 passing TDs for the first time in his seven-year career (32). He's in the top five of the league regarding that stat and will look to continue his success next Sunday in a rematch with the Green Bay Packers. Darnold tossed three scores against the Pack back in Week 4, and Minnesota is still neck and neck with the Detroit Lions in a battle for the NFC North. Continue to fire him up as a QB1.

From RotoBaller

James Cook Dec 22 9:50pm CT
James Cook

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook rushed 11 times for an even 100 yards and one touchdown in the team's 24-21 victory over the New England Patriots. He scored a second time on one of his three receptions. The 25-year-old totaled 26 yards through the air. Cook scored Buffalo's first touchdown on a 46-yard sprint past defenders in the second quarter. In the third quarter, he found paydirt on a four-yard swing pass from Josh Allen. Cook continues to make the most of his touches and will be in the RB1/2 range when the Bills host the New York Jets in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Brian Thomas Jr. Dec 22 9:40pm CT
Brian Thomas Jr.

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was stellar again in Week 16 in a 19-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. The rookie receiver finished with nine catches for 132 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown was for 62 yards late in the third quarter. BTJ has proven to be a top young receiver in the NFL given his elite production with inconsistent quarterback play. With both Trevor Lawrence and Mac Jones under center, he has had big games. Just last week he had 10 catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Despite the cards being stacked against him, the rookie has shone brightly for fantasy managers who kept faith in him in the fantasy playoffs. The rookie stud will look to continue his exceptional play in Week 17 against the Tennessee Titans.

From RotoBaller

Mac Jones Dec 22 9:30pm CT
Mac Jones

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones had a decent outing in a 19-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. The former Patriot finished with 25 completions on 39 attempts for 247 yards and a touchdown. Jones went back to his previous ways of struggling to lead the Jaguars offense to a significant point total, but he at least had a decent enough fantasy outing to fill in as a solid QB2. Jones's favorite target was once again Brian Thomas Jr., who has proven to be one of the best young receivers in the league despite inconsistent quarterback play. Both of their fantasy days were salvaged by a 62-yard touchdown in the third quarter to take a 14-13 lead. Jones will likely continue to rely on Brian Thomas Jr. in Week 17 against the Tennessee Titans.

From RotoBaller

Kirk Cousins Dec 22 9:13pm CT
Kirk Cousins

Dynasty | Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr completed 18-of-27 passes for 202 yards with no touchdowns and an interception in a win against the Giants. Dynasty Analysis: Penix's interception was far from his fault as a red zone pass to Kyle Pitts bounced right off his hands and into the arms of the defense. Penix moved the offense effectively and didn't look rattled at all. While this was the Giants defense that doesn't exactly resemble the '85 Bears, Penix gave the Falcons more than Kirk Cousins has for most of the year. His dynasty value is on the rise.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Bijan Robinson Dec 22 9:13pm CT
Bijan Robinson

Dynasty | Falcons running back Bijan Robinson had 94 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a win over the Giants. Dynasty Analysis: He added two catches for nine yards. It seems Atlanta has finally realized they have a bona fide superstar at the position and Robinson is quickly emerging as a truly elite RB1 in fantasy football. Dynasty managers had to be patient, but it seems his time is finally here. Robinson will likely enter the off-season as the RB1 in dynasty leagues based on his late season surge.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Jonathan Taylor Dec 22 9:13pm CT
Jonathan Taylor

Dynasty | Colts running back Jonathan Taylor had 218 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a win against the Titans. Dynasty Analysis: Taylor has been decent this season, but hadn't posted a rushing touchdown since before Halloween. That all ended today as he had two different touchdown runs of at least 65 yards. It was a huge day for JT, who wasn't even a lineup lock today based on his recent performance. Any dynasty manager who started him in the playoffs will likely forgive him for his mid-season slump. His dynasty value should be stable going into the off-season after this one.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Jalen Hurts Dec 22 9:13pm CT
Jalen Hurts

Dynasty | Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was knocked out of a loss to Washington with a head injury. Dynasty Analysis: This was terrible timing for anyone in a dynasty league who had him as their playoff starter. Hurts ended the day with just 11 passing yards and 41 rushing yards. He'll be in concussion protocol going into next week and while today does nothing to his dynasty value, managers may need to look at different options for next week.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Saquon Barkley Dec 22 9:13pm CT
Saquon Barkley

Dynasty | Eagles running back Saquon Barkley had 150 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a loss against Washington. Dynasty Analysis: The Eagles blew the game, but that's hardly on the shoulders of Barkley, who has been dynamic for much of the season. Barkley is now 162 yards shy of 2,000 on the season and while the all-time record of 2,105 seems out of reach with just two games to play, this has been a historic season for the running back. Few veteran running backs see their dynasty value climb like his during a season, but he looks like the player we all dreamed of years ago now that he's with the Eagles.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Ameer Abdullah Dec 22 9:10pm CT
Ameer Abdullah

Las Vegas Raiders running back Ameer Abdullah rushed seven times for 38 yards and a touchdown in his team's 19-14 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16. He added 47 yards on 5-of-6 receiving. The 31-year-old was again heavily involved in the passing game, racking up his second straight game with at least six targets. Abdullah was the team's second-leading receiver in every statistical category behind sensational rookie tight end Brock Bowers and scored a touchdown for the second straight game. Despite backfield mate Alexander Mattison piling up five more carries, Abdullah out-gained him by 11 and ran for 5.4 yards per carry to 2.3 for the latter. With solid involvement through the air seemingly intact, the tenth-year veteran is an intriguing FLEX option in PPR formats. He'll be as such next Sunday in a road meeting with the New Orleans Saints.

From RotoBaller

Tank Bigsby Dec 22 9:10pm CT
Tank Bigsby

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby had a solid fantasy outing in a 19-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Bigsby finished with 12 carries for 50 yards and a touchdown and one catch for one yard. The young back from Auburn out touched and was more efficient than teammate Travis Etienne Jr. He finished with an average of 4.2 yards per carry compared to Etienne Jr.'s 2.4 yards per carry on nine carries. Bigsby also scored a one-yard touchdown, a good sign for his fantasy prospects going forward. While the Jaguars seem to be using a hot-hand approach, the general pattern this season has been Etienne Jr. is slightly more involved in the passing game while Bigsby is slightly more involved in the running game. Bigsby will look to continue leading the backfield in carries and goal line opportunities in Week 17 against the Tennessee Titans.

From RotoBaller

Brock Bowers Dec 22 9:00pm CT
Brock Bowers

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers hauled in 11 of 13 targets for 99 yards in Sunday's 19-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The rookie was at it again on Sunday, leading his team in targets, receptions, and yards. No other Raiders pass-catcher registered more than five receptions or six targets. It was another standout performance from Bowers, who registered his fourth game of 10 or more catches. The 22-year-old has already smashed Sam LaPorta's year-old reception record of 86 (101) and stands just nine yards shy of tying Mike Ditka's 63-year-old receiving yardage record (1,076). Astounding. He'll have a good shot at exceeding said record in Week 17 when Las Vegas lines up against the New Orleans Saints on the road next Sunday. Bowers is a locked-in TE1.

From RotoBaller

Jayden Daniels Dec 22 8:50pm CT
Jayden Daniels

The Philadelphia Eagles could not hold on late, falling to the Washington Commanders 36-33 in Week 16. The points allowed were a new season high for the unit, the most they've let up since Week 4 in a 33-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Still, they were effective -- turning over the Commanders' offense on five separate occasions (three fumble recoveries). It wasn't enough, though, as a Jayden Daniels touchdown with ten seconds to go in the fourth quarter was enough to seal the deal against an Eagles offense missing quarterback Jalen Hurts (concussion). Philadelphia will line up against the Dallas Cowboys next weekend and is again a candidate for a viable fantasy performance. The unit had a massive outing against the same Dallas squad on the road in Week 10.

From RotoBaller

David Njoku Dec 22 8:40pm CT
David Njoku

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku caught eight of his 10 targets for 66 yards in a 24-6 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16. In Dorian Thompson-Robinson's first start of the season, Njoku emerged as the young signal-caller's favorite target as he led the team in all receiving categories in the loss to Cincy. In even more positive news, Njoku appeared to emerge from the game without any setbacks to the hamstring injury that held him out of a Week 15 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Even though the quarterback switch from Jameis Winston to DTR is a downgrade for Cleveland's passing game, Njoku's production in Week 16 is encouraging for his fantasy outlook heading into a Week 17 home matchup against the Miami Dolphins.

From RotoBaller