Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (knee) is practicing on Wednesday leading up to the Week 16 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. This marks the first time he has practiced since he suffered a knee injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14. Head coach Antonio Pierce said O'Connell is trending toward being available for Sunday, so for now, he can be assumed as "probable" for Week 16. The 26-year-old has thrown for 899 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions in six games this year. Although he's heading into a matchup with the most fantasy-friendly defense for quarterbacks, he's not a recommended starting option in single-QB formats. If he can't play, Desmond Ridder is in line for another start.

From RotoBaller

Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (ankle) is not practicing on Wednesday ahead of the Week 16 matchups with the Indianapolis Colts. The veteran did not practice at all last week due to an ankle injury and still played against the Cincinnati Bengals, so fantasy managers will likely have to wait until Sunday to truly know if he's at risk of missing the AFC South matchup. However, Tennessee might opt to get Tyjae Spears more touches after he scored two touchdowns and posted 92 total yards last weekend. The Colts have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to running backs, so this is a backfield worth monitoring for the rest of the week.

From RotoBaller

Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan confirmed Mason Rudolph will start at quarterback against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 16, but he is not naming him the starter for the rest of the season and will take it week by week. The veteran and former Pittsburgh Steelers backup is set to take over for Will Levis after another turnover-heavy game from the 2023 second-round pick out of Kentucky. Although the Colts have allowed the 12th-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, Rudolph is not worth rolling the dice on in the fantasy football playoffs. However, he has a small shot at upside for those counting on him in two-QB and Superflex leagues. If he posts a disastrous performance in Week 16, the Titans could go back to Levis in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

The Arizona Cardinals signed veteran free-agent running back Tony Jones to the practice squad on Wednesday, according to NFL.com. The 27-year-old was on the team's preseason roster but was released just ahead of the regular season. With Emari Demercado (back) on Injured Reserve and Trey Benson (ankle) dealing with an ankle injury, the Cardinals running back rook behind James Conner is beginning to get thin. DeeJay Dallas would likely operate as the RB2 behind Conner against the Carolina Panthers this weekend if Benson can't play, but Jones could be elevated to the active roster and back him up. Jones has rushed 93 times for 274 yards and two touchdowns in 25 career games with the Saints, Seahawks, and Cardinals.

From RotoBaller

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange (shoulder) is a limited participant in Wednesday's practice due to an AC joint sprain, according to head coach Doug Pederson. While the injury is not ideal, it's a good sign that he was not held out of practice to begin the week. The second-year tight end out of Penn State enjoyed the most productive game of his career last week against the New York Jets, catching 11 of his 12 targets for 73 yards. With Evan Engram (shoulder) out for the season, Strange will operate as the lead tight end in Jacksonville for the rest of the year. The 23-year-old has streamer appeal against the Las Vegas Raiders, who have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Grant DuBose (head) is expected to return to Miami on Wednesday after suffering a scary hit to the head in last week's loss to the Houston Texans. The 23-year-old has been hospitalized in Houston since Sunday, so this is great news. That said, the 2023 seventh-round pick has already been placed on Injured Reserve and will not play again this season. DuBose caught two passes for 11 yards in three games for Miami this year.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson (concussion) was listed as a full participant for the team's walkthrough practice on Wednesday. Despite the estimated practice participation, it appears that Johnson has made notable progress through the league's concussion protocol and will have a chance to play in Week 16 against the division-rival Detroit Lions on Sunday after missing each of the last two games due to a concussion that he suffered in the Week 13 loss to the Lions. If the 23-year-old clears the concussion protocol later this week and is active this weekend, he won't be a realistic starting option in fantasy football as the clear backup behind D'Andre Swift in Chicago's lackluster offense. In his second NFL season in 2024, Johnson has seen just 48 rushing attempts for 139 yards (2.9 yards per carry) and has added 11 receptions for 88 yards in 11 games.

From RotoBaller

The Las Vegas Raiders announced on Wednesday that they placed running back Sincere McCormick (ankle) on season-ending Injured Reserve. In a corresponding move, the team also signed running back Chris Collier to the 53-man active roster. The 24-year-old said himself on Tuesday in an Instagram post that he wasn't expecting to return in 2024, and now it's official. He was injured in Monday night's loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The former undrafted free agent go some run in recent weeks in Vegas' backfield with both Alexander Mattison and Zamir White injured and had 27 carries for 142 yards (5.26 yards per tote) while adding four catches for 12 yards in Weeks 13 and 14. McCormick averaged 4.7 yards per carry on 39 rushing attempts this year, but he'll be a free agent next spring and the Raiders could move on without him this offseason.

From RotoBaller

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (knee) will not practice on Wednesday, but head coach Mike McDaniel is calling him day-to-day. Waddle injured his knee early in the Week 15 loss to the Houston Texans and never returned, leaving his fantasy managers with a donut in the first round of the fantasy playoffs. McDaniel is hopeful that Waddle will get back on the field this week, but his status for Week 16 against the San Francisco 49ers is in question. If Waddle cannot go, it will mean more targets for receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Jonnu Smith, while wideout Malik Washington would essentially serve in the WR2 role for Miami. The good news for the Dolphins is that Waddle's injury isn't considered long-term, so even if he sits out of Week 16, he should play again before the end of the 2024 regular season. Check back later this week for an updated view of his Week 16 availability.

From RotoBaller

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (knee) is seeking a third opinion on his injured knee, which is why the Lions have yet to place him on Injured Reserve, according to head coach Dan Campbell. It was reported earlier this week that Montgomery will have season-ending surgery to fix an MCL sprain in his right knee that he suffered in the Week 15 loss to the Buffalo Bills, but the Lions are doing their due diligence on Monty's injury. More likely than not, fantasy managers will be without the 27-year-old for the last two weeks of the season. Montgomery's injury sets up Jahmyr Gibbs to eat for fantasy managers when it matters most, with Craig Reynolds and rookie Sione Vaki providing depth as backups the rest of the way. Montgomery will finish his 2024 season with 185 carries for 775 yards (4.2 yards per carry) and 12 touchdowns while adding 36 catches for 341 yards through the air.

From RotoBaller

The expectation is that Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (ankle) is going to try and give it a go in Week 16 against the Houston Texans on Saturday despite suffering a mild high-ankle sprain in the Week 15 win over the Cleveland Browns on Saturday. Mahomes obviously won't be 100 percent if he plays this weekend, but the belief right now is that he will play against Houston. The two-time MVP looked to be in quite a bit of pain in the fourth quarter on Sunday as he hobbled off the field, but head coach Andy Reid said he could have gone back into the game if needed. The Chiefs still have not locked up the top seed for home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs, so they still have something to play for in Week 16. Mahomes practiced in full on Tuesday and is on track to play, although his mobility will certainly be limited if he's active, making him hard to get behind as a QB1 in fantasy.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman (concussion) remains in the league's concussion protocol, head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Wednesday. Tillman suffered his concussion in the Week 12 win over the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers and hasn't practiced or played since. The 24-year-old will likely miss the first practice of the week on Wednesday as the team prepares to face the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16. Tillman still has a few more days to make progress, but as of right now, the second-year pass-catcher appears to be on his way to missing yet another game. The Browns were also without tight end David Njoku (hamstring) in the Week 15 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Receiver Jerry Jeudy has gone off in recent weeks and is the only trustworthy fantasy wideout in Cleveland at the time, although that could change this week with Dorian Thompson-Robinson taking over at QB.

From RotoBaller

The Atlanta Falcons are placing kicker Younghoe Koo (undisclosed) on Injured Reserve on Wednesday, according to a source. In a corresponding move, the Falcons have signed kicker Riley Patterson off the Cleveland Browns practice squad and onto their 53-man active roster. Koo is now out for the rest of the season and would be unavailable to kick in the wild-card round of the playoffs if the Falcons get into the postseason. The 30-year-old suffered an undisclosed injury in the Monday night win over the Las Vegas Raiders and will now go on the shelf. Normally a very reliable kicker, Koo struggled with accuracy in 2024, making 25 of his 34 field-goal attempts, although he made all 26 of his extra points. Patterson will now fill in heading into a Week 16 contest against the New York Giants. With rookie QB Michael Penix Jr. making his first career start, fantasy managers will want to steer clear of Patterson.

From RotoBaller

The Arizona Cardinals are opening kicker Matt Prater's (knee) 21-day practice window to return from Injured Reserve on Wednesday, according to head coach Jonathan Gannon. Prater had surgery in October to fix the meniscus in his left knee and will be back on the practice field for the first time since Week 6. Given the 40-year-old veteran's long absence, there's no guarantee that he will return to game action this Sunday in Carolina versus the Panthers. If the Cardinals like what they see from Prater in practice this week, though, they'll have to activate him from IR by Saturday if they want him as their placekicker this weekend. Chad Ryland has filled in for Prater the last 10 games and has made 22 of his 26 field-goal attempts and all 18 of his extra-point tries. Prater will be a risky fantasy play if he returns, while Ryland should be considered a streaming option in deeper leagues if Prater is held out.

From RotoBaller

New York Giants quarterback Drew Lock (elbow, heel) is expected to practice on Wednesday and will make the start in Week 16 against the Atlanta Falcons, according to head coach Brian Daboll. Lock injured his left elbow and heel in the Week 14 loss to the New Orleans Saints and was inactive for the Week 15 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The 28-year-old was in a walking boot last week but appears to have made enough progress to return to the starting role this weekend. In his two starts in Weeks 13 and 14, Lock was underwhelming, going 42-for-81 for 405 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions and a lost fumble, but he did add 116 rushing yards and a touchdown on nine carries. While Lock probably gives the Giants offense a little more upside than Tommy DeVito, he's nothing more than a desperation QB2 play for fantasy managers in superflex leagues without any other options.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston will serve as the backup to Dorian Thompson-Robinson for the Week 16 game against the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, according to head coach Kevin Stefanski. This was expected to be the case when the Browns named Thompson-Robinson as the starter early this week. The Browns benched Winston after he threw three interceptions in the Week 15 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. In seven starts this year after replacing Deshaun Watson (Achilles), Winston threw for 2,038 yards and 12 touchdowns, adding 12 interceptions and also losing two fumbles. Thompson-Robinson didn't look all that much better in relief last weekend, but the Browns will change it up for at least this week. The matchup is a nice one for DTR in just his fourth career NFL start, but at best, he'll be a desperation QB2 in superflex leagues in the playoffs.

From RotoBaller

The Cleveland Browns announced on Wednesday that they have officially placed running back Nick Chubb (foot) on season-ending Injured Reserve. Tight end Brenden Bates was signed to the active 53-man roster in a corresponding move. Chubb suffered a broken left foot in the Week 15 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and will close out his season for the second straight year on IR due to injury. The good news is the 28-year-old will not require surgery, but it's the second straight offseason he will be rehabbing an injury after tearing multiple ligaments in his knee during a gruesome injury early in 2023. The four-time Pro Bowler will be an unrestricted free agent next March, so he could have already played his last down in Cleveland. Coming off his major knee surgery, Chubb looked sluggish this year, averaging a career-low 3.3 yards per carry in eight games. It's fair to wonder how much he has left after these injuries.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Browns running back David Njoku (hamstring) is not expected to take part in the team's first practice of the week on Wednesday. Njoku injured his hamstring in the Week 14 loss to the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers and did not play in last Sunday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Browns are hopeful that the 28-year-old tight end can return to play this Sunday against the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals, but a DNP to open the week isn't a great sign. However, Njoku still has two more days to return to practice, which would give him a chance to play this weekend. After slow going early in the year with quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) leading the offense, Njoku's fantasy stock was boosted when Jameis Winston took over. However, Winston was benched in Week 15, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson will start in Week 16. If Njoku returns this weekend, he may not have as much chemistry with DTR.

From RotoBaller

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (shoulder) underwent surgery on Tuesday to fix his left AC joint sprain and is expected to return for spring workouts, according to head coach Doug Pederson. The Jaguars had to wait for Lawrence to clear the league's concussion protocol before he was cleared to go under the knife for his shoulder injury. The 25-year-old former first overall pick was placed on Injured Reserve on Dec. 4 and will obviously miss the rest of what was an extremely disappointing season in his fourth year in the league. In single-QB leagues next fall, fantasy managers will be avoiding Lawrence everywhere after he completed only 60.6 percent of his 284 pass attempts for a career-low 2,045 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 10 starts. He finished as the QB7 in 2022 and as the QB12 a year ago before bottoming out in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram (shoulder) underwent surgery on Monday to fix a torn labrum in his left shoulder. It was already announced that Engram would miss the rest of the 2024 season with his injury, but head coach Doug Pederson said he is expected to be back for spring workouts. The 30-year-old was placed on Injured Reserve last weekend, officially ending his season. After a career year in 2023 with the Jags in which he caught 114 passes for 963 yards and four touchdowns, Engram finishes 2024 with 47 catches, 365 receiving yards and only one touchdown in nine starts. It just wasn't meant to be for Jacksonville this year, and it didn't help Engram's cause that quarterback Trevor Lawrence couldn't stay healthy. Engram will be heading into the final year of his three-year, $41.25 million extension in 2025.

From RotoBaller