Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (knee) was practicing on Thursday during the portion open to the media. Mayfield was held out of the first practice of the week on Wednesday while tending to a knee issue, but the fact that he's back out there on Thursday means that he should be good to go for Week 16 against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. The 29-year-old is having a second straight strong season in Tampa in 2024 and is on pace for his second straight 4,000-yard season. He has already thrown a career-high 32 touchdown passes after going for four scores against a stout Los Angeles Chargers defense in the Week 15 win. Mayfield will be facing a Cowboys defense that has found their footing a bit of late after being decimated by injuries this year, but they've still allowed the third-most fantasy points to the position in the last five weeks. Mayfield is locked in as a top-10 fantasy QB.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (knee) was seen wearing a knee brace and was not seen working on Thursday at the portion of practice open to the media. Otton is set to open Week 16 preparation with two DNPs, putting him firmly in danger of missing the game this Sunday night versus the Dallas Cowboys. Otton has one more day to get back on the practice field, but at this point, a questionable tag might be the best-case scenario. And if that's the case, he'll be one to avoid in fantasy lineups with the Bucs not playing until Sunday evening. The 25-year-old was quarterback Baker Mayfield's go-to target when receiver Mike Evans missed some time with a hamstring, but since Evans returned, Otton has seen his ceiling and floor drop drastically. He caught two of three targets in last week's win over the Chargers for 24 yards. Payne Durham and Ko Kieft could split TE duties if Otton is out this week.

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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (concussion) was seen doing some agility work off to the side during the team's practice on Thursday. Pierce is in the league's concussion protocol after suffering a head injury in the Week 15 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday and is missing his second straight practice on Thursday. He still has one day left to try and get on the practice field, but as things look right now, Pierce is trending toward being inactive in Week 16 against the division-rival Tennessee Titans on Sunday. If that's the case, rookie Adonai Mitchell would see a bigger role in three-wide sets alongside Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs. However, we still wouldn't consider Mitchell an intriguing flex play in fantasy if Pierce is out while going up against a Titans defense that has allowed the third-fewest half-PPR points per game to opposing receivers in 2024.

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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) is practicing on Thursday after resting his back on Wednesday. Pittman has been managing a back injury of late, but he managed to play 96 percent of the offensive snaps in the Week 15 loss to the Denver Broncos and caught six of his nine targets for 58 yards while losing a crucial fumble in the second half. The 27-year-old has at least five receptions and seven targets in each of the last four games, but he hasn't found the end zone since Oct. 13 and only has one 100-yard game in 2024. Pittman's fantasy stock has taken a hit this year in Indy's low-volume passing attack and with young quarterback Anthony Richardson struggling with accuracy and consistency. The good news is that one of Pittman's two TDs on the year came against the division-rival Titans in their first meeting, although they also allow the third-fewest PPR points to receivers.

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Baltimore Ravens wide receivers Rashod Bateman (foot) and Nelson Agholor (concussion) were both missing from practice on Thursday. Agholor was working on a side field but is unlikely to play on Saturday against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers after not practicing on Tuesday or Wednesday. Bateman, meanwhile, popped up on the Week 16 injury report on Wednesday and was listed as limited. We'll have to wait and see how the Ravens list Bateman on Thursday's final injury report, but a DNP on the final day of practice isn't a good sign for his availability this weekend. If both Bateman and Agholor are ruled out, it will mean more targets for both Zay Flowers and tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, with receivers Tylan Wallace and Devontez Waker seeing bigger roles in the passing game as well. Against a tough defense, quarterback Lamar Jackson's struggles against Pittsburgh could continue.

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When asked if he would like to run it back with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025, quarterback Russell Wilson said, "Hopefully, I love it here. It's cool. Hopefully we're going to win a Super Bowl." Wilson is playing for a league-minimum salary of $1.2 million with the Steelers in 2024 after the Denver Broncos guaranteed him $39 million this year. He'll become a free agent after the 2024 season, though, and has proven this year in Pittsburgh that he still has what it takes to win in the NFL as a starter. The 36-year-old veteran got a late start to the year due to a lingering calf issue, but he replaced Justin Fields when he was fully healthy and hasn't looked back, completing 64.7% of his passes for 1,912 yards, 13 touchdowns and only three interceptions in eight games. The eight-time Pro Bowler ranks as the QB15 in average fantasy points per game. With his top wideout George Pickens (hamstring) potentially missing a third straight game, Wilson is shaping up as a low-end QB2 despite a good matchup versus Baltimore this week.

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Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said that tight end Brenton Strange (shoulder) suffered an AC joint sprain last week in the loss to the New York Jets but that he will be fine to play in Week 16 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Strange was limited in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. With Evan Engram (shoulder) out for the year, Strange is Jacksonville's top pass-catching tight end option for the remainder of the regular season. He stood out right away in the loss to the Jets, catching 11 of his 12 targets from quarterback Mac Jones for 73 yards. Going into the Week 15 game, Strange had just 31 targets all season long. Jones leaned heavily on Strange last week and could continue doing so in the final three games of the year, giving Strange TE1 upside for the remainder of the fantasy playoffs. He'll look to soak up targets yet again this Sunday in an excellent matchup against the two-win Raiders.

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San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Isaac Guerendo (hamstring) is dealing with a hamstring injury and is unlikely to play in Week 16 versus the hosting Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, according to a source. The Niners' backfield has just been decimated by injuries this year, with Christian McCaffrey (knee), Jordan Mason (ankle) and Elijah Mitchell (hamstring) already out for the season. Guerendo handled himself nicely as the starting RB for San Fran the last two games, carrying the ball 31 times for 135 yards (4.35 yards per carry) and two touchdowns while catching all six of his targets for another 68 yards. Fantasy managers won't have him available for semifinal matchups this week, though, with Patrick Taylor Jr. likely sharing rushing attempts with receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. against Miami. Israel Abanikanda will also likely be available as a backup. Taylor will be an RB3/flex, at best, in fantasy.

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The Miami Dolphins have no concerns about quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hip) being limited at practice due to a hip injury on Wednesday as the team prepares to face the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in Week 16. "No concern with us," offensive coordinator Frank Smith said. Tagovailoa appears to be a little beat up coming out of the Week 15 loss to the Houston Texans, which is why he was limited in the first practice of the week, but he's in no danger of sitting out this weekend. As long as Tagovailoa is able to return to a full practice on Thursday or Friday, he should be removed from the final injury report heading into Sunday. The 26-year-old signal-caller broke a streak of three straight games with 300-plus passing yards in last week's loss to Houston in which he threw for under 200 yards and three interceptions. The Niners defense hasn't been kind to opposing QBs this year, making Tua more of a high-end QB2.

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The Kansas City Chiefs plan to activate wide receiver Marquise Brown (shoulder) from Injured Reserve for Saturday's game against the Houston Texans, according to sources, assuming everything continues to trend positive for Brown this week. Brown required surgery for a shoulder injury he suffered in the preseason, which caused him to miss four months. He's been practicing in full this week, though, and is ready to make his debut with the team. Before we knew Brown needed surgery on his shoulder, he was a popular stash candidate in fantasy leagues. He's still rostered in 28% of Yahoo leagues, but even though he's on his way to being active in Week 16, fantasy managers should avoid starting him this weekend in his first game back. The Chiefs have since added DeAndre Hopkins and JuJu Smith-Schuster at wideout, and Brown will likely play a limited number of snaps against the Texans this weekend.

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The Los Angeles Chargers plan to activate tight end Hayden Hurst (hip) from Injured Reserve to play in Thursday's divisional clash against the visiting Denver Broncos, according to a source. Hurst landed on IR in late November with a hip injury, but he has practiced in full since having his 21-day practice window opened this week. It's good timing for the 31-year-old with fellow tight end Will Dissly (shoulder) already ruled out for Week 16. Hurst last played in Week 10, though, so it's fair to expect him to be on a limited snap count in his first game back on a short week. Additionally, Hurst won't be a viable starting option in fantasy in a tough matchup against the stout Broncos defense. Hurst should work alongside Stone Smartt, who will be the better TE2 streaming upside play in DFS and deeper fantasy leagues. Hurst caught only seven passes for 65 yards on 12 targets in seven games before going on IR.

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The New England Patriots signed free-agent WR Alex Erickson (Chargers) to the practice squad on Wednesday, Dec. 18.

From TheHuddle

New York Jets CB Jalen Mills (collarbone) was officially placed on the Reserve/Injured list on Wednesday, Dec. 18.

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New York Jets running backs Braelon Allen (back) and Isaiah Davis (back) were both limited in practice on Wednesday. As the Jets prepare for Week 16, Allen and Davis are two names to monitor. Typically, players who are limited on Wednesday manage to log full sessions by Friday, but that's never a guarantee. Having Allen and Davis available is key for the Jets as they look to take some of the workload off Breece Hall's shoulders. Hall, who missed Week 14 with a knee injury, returned last Sunday but registered just nine carries and two receptions. Assuming Allen and Davis both play this Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, the two rookies would be candidates to earn a handful of touches.

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Washington Commanders kickers Zane Gonzalez (foot, personal) and Greg Joseph (personal) both missed practice on Wednesday. Head coach Dan Quinn noted that, in an unlikely twist, both Gonzalez and Joseph are away from the team as they welcome newborns to their respective families. The former has been sidelined since Week 13 due to a foot injury, and it's too early to tell whether he'll return to action this Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. If Gonzalez is forced to miss a second consecutive game, Washington would promote Joseph from the practice squad to kick in his absence.

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Carolina Panthers wide receiver David Moore (concussion) was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday. Moore presumably suffered the concussion last Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. It's not very common for players to practice just three days after suffering a concussion, but this certainly doesn't mean that Moore is in the clear. The 29-year-old still needs to pass the NFL's five-step concussion protocol before he's cleared to play against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16. If active, he would rank as a modest WR5 option in fantasy leagues with at least a dozen teams.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard (foot) did not practice on Wednesday. As Week 16 prep begins, the Buccaneers are without their No. 3 receiver. Any sort of injury should raise concern for fantasy managers, especially with the fantasy playoffs in full swing. However, it's too early to hit the panic button. Shepard still has two more opportunities to log a limited or full practice when the Buccaneers take the field on Thursday and Friday. If his participation status improves and he manages to play in Week 16 against the Dallas Cowboys, Shepard would rank as a low-end WR4 for fantasy purposes.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Luke McCaffrey (shoulder) was a limited participant during Wednesday's practice. Any sort of appearance on the injury report is less than ideal, but the good news for McCaffrey and the Commanders is that he did participate in a limited capacity. Plus, he still has two more days to upgrade to a full participant before Washington publishes its final injury report. McCaffrey, a rookie out of Rice University, has delivered modest production this season, catching 17 of 21 targets for 155 yards. He's still looking for his first career touchdown, but his chances to find the end zone could improve as he earns more targets in the wake of Noah Brown (kidney) landing on injured reserve.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (knee) did not participate in practice on Wednesday. As preparation for Week 16 begins, Otton was not involved. Although any sort of injury is concerning, especially in the fantasy football playoffs, managers should not panic yet. Otton still has two more days to log a limited or full practice, which would put him in a good position to play on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. If the 25-year-old suits up, he'd rank as a low-end TE1 in most fantasy leagues.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (back, hip) was a limited participant during practice on Wednesday. The rookie has appeared in all 14 games this season but has played more than 55 percent of offensive snaps in just one game. So far, he has 852 rushing yards, 296 receiving yards, and six touchdowns. We previously heard that Irving's back tightened up in Week 14, but he recovered in time for last Sunday's game and it doesn't seem like it will be an issue for Week 16. All signs point to Irving and Rachaad White continuing to split opportunities out of the backfield. Both players are solid RB2 options for fantasy football ahead of Week 16 against the Dallas Cowboys.

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