Tue Jan 14 8:48am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
Henry comes up big once again
Well, that wasn’t very exciting. Of the six playoff games, there was just one that was a one-score game. The games weren’t too entertaining, seeing many teams dominant throughout the games. There weren’t even that many big-time fantasy performances. We had a few but fantasy scores weren’t off the charts with just two teams topping 30 points. Let’s hope the games are better next week.
Texans 32, Chargers 12
Fantasy Stud: Ladd McConkey. His team lost but McConkey had a monster game. He finished with nine receptions for 197 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets. His receptions, yards and targets were all season highs. McConkey is going to be a top receiver in this offense for years to come. He is just coming into his own.
Fantasy Dud: Justin Herbert. Herbert had a tremendous regular season but his only playoff game was a huge disappointment. He was 14-of-32 for 242 yards and a touchdown with four interceptions. To put that in perspective, Herbert had just three interceptions all regular season. He had more in this one game than in 17 regular season games. Ouch.
Game Notes: Nico Collins had seven receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. He hit the 100-yard mark for the first time since Week 13.
Joe Mion hit the 100-yard mark, rushing 25 times for 106 yards and a touchdown. This was his eighth 100-yard game of the season.
Ravens 28, Steelers 14
Fantasy Stud: Derrick Henry. Henry had a fitting playoff opener, producing huge once again. He ran 26 times for 186 yards and two touchdowns. It was his fourth straight 100-yard rushing performance. He has at least 138-rushing yards four straight. Henry also has touchdowns three straight games, including two straight with multiple scores.
Fantasy Dud: Mark Andrews. Andrews had his streak of six straight games of touchdowns broken. He had a very quiet performance, catching just two passes for 27 yards on three targets. You expected better from Andrews, especially with Zay Flowers out of the lineup this week.
Game Notes: George Pickens had five receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown. It was his first game with more than 80 yards since Week 11.
Isaiah Likely led the team in receiving yards. He had three receptions for 53 yards. It was the first time he topped 50 yards since Week 11, which was against this same Steelers team.
Bills 31, Broncos 7
Fantasy Stud: James Cook. Cook had a season high in rushing yards. He ran 23 times for 120 yards and a touchdown. He scored 18 fantasy points. Cooks has 100-yard games three of five and four of seven games. Cook is having another really strong season as the Bills lead back.
Fantasy Dud: Marvin Mims. Mims had been red hot but cooled off this week, catching just two passes for 12 yards. He also ran two times for one yard. Mims had multiple touchdowns two straight before this one. He scored just 3.3 fantasy points, his lowest total since Week 9. But even with that said, Mims had a strong finish to his season and could be a much bigger offense from day one next year.
Game Notes: Josh Allen had a really good showing, going 20-of-26 for 272 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. He also ran eight times for 46 yards.
Curtis Samuel scored a touchdown for just the second time all season. He had three receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown. He has 10 receptions for 120 yards his last two games.
Eagles 22, Packers 10
Fantasy Stud: Josh Jacobs. Jacobs was nearly the entire offense for the Packers. He ran 18 times for 81 yards and scored the team's only touchdown. He also had three receptions for 40 yards, giving him 121 total yards. Jacobs finishes his season with touchdowns in nine straight games. Needless to say, his move to Green Bay was a good one for his fantasy value.
Fantasy Dud: A.J. Brown. Brown had a bad game despite the win for his team. He caught just a pass for 10 yards. This was a big surprise, considering he is the top receiver for the Eagles and had touchdowns three straight games. He was targeted just three times in the game.
Game Notes: Jordan Love had his struggles, going 20-of-33 for 212 yards without a touchdown and three interceptions. This was his second three-interception game of his season.
Saquon Barkley had another 100-yard rushing game. He ran 25 times for 118 yards, giving him 12 100-yard rushing games.
Commanders 23, Bucs 20
Fantasy Stud: Mike Evans. Evans continued his great late-season play. He had seven receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown. Evans has 89 or more yards three straight and four of five games. Evans continues to play at a very high level and shows few signs of slowing down.
Fantasy Dud: Jalen McMillan. McMillan was a big factor late in the season but held in check in this one. He caught two passes for 41 yards. He had touchdowns six straight games before this showing. McMillan was quiet in the playoffs but still played well enough down the stretch to likely carve out a big role in the offense from the get go next season.
Game Notes: Dyami Brown had five receptions 89 yards and a touchdown. He had a season high in yards, topping 60 yards for the first time all year.
Jayden Daniels played well in his first ever playoff game. He led the team in rushing with 36 yards and threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover.
Rams 27, Vikings 9
Fantasy Stud: Rams defense. The Rams defense really put the clamps on the Vikings offense, completely dominating the line of scrimmage. Minnesota had nine sacks and returned a fumble for a touchdown. Los Angeles also had an interception in the game. It was quite the fantasy performance, scoring 22 fantasy points in most formats.
Fantasy Dud: Cooper Kupp. Kupp continued his trend of doing little, catching just a pass for 29 yards. His production has been awful down the stretch, failing to top 30 yards in a game since Week 14. You just don’t expect that from a player of Kupp’s caliber. He has really fallen down the stretch, making him a big concern for fantasy owners going forward.
Game Notes: Tyler Higbee was the Rams leading receiver, but had to leave the game early because of a chest injury. He had five receptions for 58 yards before getting hurt.
T.J. Hockenson was one of the few bright spots for the Vikings offense. He found the end zone for the first time this season. Hockenson had five receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown.
Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin (ankle) has officially been ruled out for the Week 3 game on Sunday against the New York Jets, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Godwin is not ready to make his 2025 debut after suffering an ugly dislocated ankle in Week 7 of 2024, but he returned to practice for the first time last week and made more progress this week, suggesting that he could return in a Week 4 showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. The 29-year-old will probably have to upgrade to a full practice at some point next week for that to happen, though, and for fantasy purposes, he'll be extremely risky whenever he makes his debut, especially when considering how good rookie first-rounder Emeka Egbuka has been so far. Fantasy managers stashing Godwin are going to need to stay patient, and his overall ceiling and floor figures to be impacted by the presence of Egbuka all year.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said that wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (wrist) had a better week "in terms of the way we were trying to connect" and is excited for Thomas' opportunity against the division-rival Houston Texans on Sunday, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN. Thomas said, "I'm good." There was some question about his Week 3 status when he went from a full practice on Wednesday to limited on Thursday, but apparently, the 22-year-old second-year pass-catcher is ready to rock this weekend against Houston. Thomas has been a disappointment through two games in 2025 after going for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns in his rookie campaign, and the Jags have spread the ball around so far. He does have 19 targets through two weeks, but the efficiency has not been there, with only five grabs for 60 yards. Fantasy managers are hoping this will be the week Thomas breaks out.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins rookie running back Ollie Gordon II's success puts "competitive pressure" on Jaylen Wright, who was active for the first time in 2025 in Thursday night's loss to the Buffalo Bills, according to head coach Mike McDaniel. The head coach said he still believes in Wright and plans on incorporating him in the offense, but with Gordon, "they can punch and hit the opponent." Wright missed the first two weeks of the year with a knee injury, which didn't help his cause. The 22-year-old was active on Thursday night against Buffalo, but he didn't handle any snaps on offense or special teams. Meanwhile, Gordon had nine carries (three fewer than De'Von Achane) for 38 yards and a touchdown. Wright should be more involved now that he's healthy, but Gordon gives Miami a dynamic they haven't had at the position in years, which doesn't bode well for Wright.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette (hamstring) has been labeled as questionable to play in a Week 3 divisional tilt against the visiting Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, according to David Newton of ESPN. Legette came down with some hamstring soreness in Wednesday's practice and was shut down. The 24-year-old was limited on both Wednesday and Thursday. Even if he's cleared to play this weekend, fantasy managers should not be compelled to use him in their starting lineups after catching only four of his 15 targets for eight yards in the first two games of the season. Legette is going to continue to be involved in Carolina's passing attack, but he could quickly become the WR3 in a suspect offense after Hunter Renfrow found the end zone twice in last week's loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Rookie Jimmy Horn Jr. or David Moore will see more snaps as the WR3 on Sunday if Legette is ruled out.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk (hamstring) is "on track to return" in a Week 3 divisional matchup on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. The Texans said earlier this week that they expected both Kirk and Braxton Berrios (hamstring) to play for the first time this season. It's unclear right now if they'll both be removed from the final injury report or if they'll head into Sunday with a questionable designation, but either way, they should be on the field against Jacksonville. Kirk is the one that fantasy managers need to keep an eye on. While he's not start-worthy in his debut with Houston this weekend, he will give their struggling offense a boost and is expected to see most of the snaps out of the slot when he's up to speed. Kirk's impending return is definitely bad news for rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (knee) has officially been ruled out for Week 3 on Sunday against the visiting Las Vegas Raiders, according to The 33rd Team's Ari Meirov. Things were trending this way since earlier in the week when head coach Dan Quinn said that Daniels wouldn't practice until at least Friday. He missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday and wasn't seen on the field on Friday, either, so veteran Marcus Mariota will officially make his first start of the year against his old team. The Commanders are erring on the side of caution with their second-year signal-caller, but Daniels could also be in danger of missing the Week 4 game against the Atlanta Falcons due to a knee sprain that he suffered in the Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Mariota, who will be making his first start since 2022, will be a low-end QB2 option for those desperate in superflex leagues.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that rookie first-round wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (groin, hip) will be questionable for Week 3 against the visiting New York Jets on Sunday, according to Brianna Dix of Buccaneers.com. The good news is that Egbuka returned to practice on Friday after sitting out on Wednesday and Thursday. With Chris Godwin (ankle) officially ruled out again, veteran Sterling Shepard would be worth a look as a flex streamer this weekend as the team's WR2 if Egbuka is inactive. If he's cleared to play on Sunday, Egbuka should remain in all starting fantasy lineups after going for eight catches on 13 targets for 96 yards and three touchdowns in the first two games of his NFL career. Egbuka has been great as the WR2 behind Mike Evans so far, but this could be the last week that he's the clear No. 2 option if Godwin returns in Week 4.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie first-round wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (groin, hip) was back on the practice field on Friday after sitting out on Wednesday and Thursday, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. It's good news for the Bucs, but Egbuka isn't exactly in the clear to play in Week 4 against the New York Jets. There's a good chance the 22-year-old will be listed as questionable on Friday's final injury report. The Bucs play in the early window on Sunday, though, so fantasy managers will know early whether Egbuka will be active against the Jets. The Ohio State product will be a must-start this weekend if he's active, as he's caught eight passes for 96 yards and three touchdowns on 13 targets in his first two NFL games. If Egbuka doesn't get cleared to play this weekend, Sterling Shepard would be the WR2 across from Mike Evans, with Chris Godwin (ankle) not expected back until at least Week 4.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald stated in a recent interview that the plan is for running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet to operate in a true 1A/1B backfield committee. "You need multiple really good backs," said Macdonald. "I feel like in recent history, it's hard for it to be one bell cow all the time... We're fortunate to have the guys we have." It might not be the news fantasy managers were hoping for, but it's the correct move for the team, particularly with two talented options. According to the head coach, the plan is for both backs to have "ample opportunity" each week to impact the game on the ground. Seattle is currently a top ten team in terms of rush percentage, and if that trend is sustained, both backs will have valuable outings. However, they'll also cannibalize each other's fantasy ceilings. Both have solid standalone value at present.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said he doesn't think tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) will practice on Friday, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. The Packers are non-committal on Kraft's status for Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday after he tweaked his knee in practice on Thursday. The good news is that Kraft avoided a long-term injury, and LaFleur doesn't think he'll go on Injured Reserve, which would knock him out for at least four games. If Kraft doesn't practice on Friday, he probably won't be active this Sunday, so fantasy managers need to make backup plans now if he's your only tight end on roster. Backup Luke Musgrave will be on the streaming radar if Kraft doesn't play, especially with receivers Jayden Reed (collarbone, foot) and Christian Watson (knee) out. Check back later to see if Kraft is officially ruled out for Week 3.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (hip) was "super close" to playing in Thursday night's divisional matchup against the Buffalo Bills, according to head coach Mike McDaniel. With that said, McDaniel expects Waller to make his debut with the team in another divisional tilt in Week 4 against the New York Jets on Monday, Sept. 29, according to David Furones of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Waller might have been able to play had the Dolphins faced Buffalo on Sunday this week instead of Thursday. The 33-year-old veteran had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2019 and 2020 before injuries set in. Waller retired after one year with the New York Giants in 2023. He spent all of training camp trying to get his conditioning up to speed before a hip injury caused him to miss the first three games. Expect Miami to ease Waller in if he's active in Week 4. At best, he's a TE2 stash right now in deeper fantasy formats.
From RotoBaller
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that "all signs" point to Washington Commanders veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota getting the start for Week 3's meeting with the visiting Las Vegas Raiders. There was some hope that star QB Jayden Daniels (knee) would be healthy enough to suit up on Sunday, but the Commanders will exhibit a bit of caution with their young signal-caller, and rightfully so. It's been nearly three seasons since the 31-year-old drew a start, and the Commanders' offense takes a step or two back with him at the helm. Las Vegas' defense has been stellar against opposing rushing attacks thus far, yielding the fourth-fewest yards per game on the ground (70.5), so the veteran may be forced to air it out in his return.
From RotoBaller
According to ESPN's Rich Cimini, New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn declined to respond when asked if a player could lose his job while injured, regarding quarterback Justin Fields (concussion). Yikes. The Ohio State alum's performance in Week 2 was nothing short of dreadful -- a surprising outcome after their execution in Week 1. It's unlikely that Fields would outright lose his job, particularly after one down game and an injury that shouldn't keep him out for an extended duration. Still, it's a comment worth noting, and a situation that requires monitoring. Glenn is a hard-nosed coach, but losing faith in his starting quarterback after one week of play doesn't align with his character. We'll know more following this weekend.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets wide receiver Josh Reynolds (hamstring) is officially ruled out for Sunday's road meeting with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to the New York Post's Brian Costello. It's unfortunate news for New York, as the 30-year-old will miss his second consecutive contest after picking up a hamstring injury leading up to Week 2. In that game, fellow wideout Tyler Johnson garnered one more snap (45) than Garrett Wilson, with Arian Smith and Allen Lazard participating on 22 apiece. A similar distribution of playing time is expected for their meeting with Tampa Bay. However, Smith may continue to see an uptick in workload as he better adjusts to the professional level. For now, Wilson is the only asset worth starting from this bunch.
From RotoBaller
The Athletic's Nicki Jhabvala predicts that Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. should get an opportunity to impact the field when his team lines up with the visiting Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Rodriguez Jr. was a healthy scratch for the team's first two contests, but Jhabvala credits that more to game-day roster construction than an indication of talent. While an accurate touch share can't be predicted, the 25-year-old figures to work in tandem with both rookie rusher Jacory Croskey-Merritt and veteran Jeremy McNichols. As of now, Croskey-Merritt should be favored for early-down work, with McNichols handling most of the passing situations and Rodriguez Jr. mixing in for both.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders beat writer Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic predicts a 40-45% chance that Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (knee) suits up for Week 3 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Daniels suffered a knee sprain during the team's Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers. It's worth noting that Jhabvala also writes that he "doesn't have a good sense" of Daniels' status for Week 3. Still, Daniels has not practiced yet this week heading into Friday, and it could make sense for the team to be cautious with their young superstar this early in the season. If Daniels cannot play, veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota would take over under center for Washington. Even if Daniels does suit up, he may not be able to do much damage with his legs, which could limit his effectiveness against Las Vegas. Daniels would remain a must-start fantasy quarterback if he's active, but fantasy managers should be preparing for him to miss Week 3.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft's (knee) status for Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns is "at least somewhat clouded," according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Kraft suffered a knee injury during practice on Thursday. However, Pelissero confirms initial reporting from the team that the knee injury is not expected to result in a long-term absence. Kraft is coming off a breakout Week 2 performance against the Washington Commanders, where he recorded six catches for 124 yards and a touchdown. If he is unable to play in Week 3, Packers tight end Luke Musgrave would be in line for an increase in snaps. The outlook for Packers wide receivers Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, and Matthew Golden could improve as well, as all would likely be in line for an increase in targets.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco called rookie running back Quinshon Judkins "explosive," and Browns coaches are ramping Judkins up to take on a heavier workload, per Scott Petrak of BrownsZone. Judkins made his NFL debut in Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens, recording 10 carries for 61 yards and three catches for 10 yards. The 21-year-old is likely to still split touches with fellow Browns backs Dylan Sampson and Jerome Ford in the short term, but Judkins could take hold of a clear RB1 workload sooner rather than later. Judkins faces a tough matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. He profiles as a low-end RB3/flex option in Week 3, but his season-long upside is significantly higher.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington saw several designed touches on Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills. Washington recorded three catches for 12 yards on five targets as a receiver and added two carries for 20 yards out of the backfield. The second-year wideout has been a consistent piece in Miami's offense through the team's first three games. For the season, he's logged six catches for 34 yards and rushed for 52 yards on six attempts. Washington's gadget role has not yet led to fantasy-relevant production. Still, he could be a name to monitor in deep leagues, particularly if Miami eventually trades away wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins rookie running back Ollie Gordon II recorded nine carries for 38 yards and his first NFL touchdown on Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills. Gordon II had logged just three carries across the team's first two games, so Week 3 represented a significant increase in touches for the rookie. At 225 lbs., Gordon II could carve out a role as the power back in Miami alongside speedy RB1 De'Von Achane. At least in Week 3, it was Gordon II who worked as the team's goal-line back and scored Miami's lone rushing touchdown of the night. The 21-year-old should be rostered as a handcuff to Achane, and Gordon II could even work his way into a fantasy-relevant role sharing touches with Achane if Miami's offense starts to pick up steam as the season progresses.
From RotoBaller