“I try to take it one day at a time, but I would assume that I’m going to be ready,” Willis said Tuesday. Willis sustained a shoulder injury late in the Packers’ Week 16 loss to the Bears. He was estimated to have a limited practice on Tuesday and would seem likely to suit up against Baltimore on Thursday. Jordan Love was also listed as a limited practice participant on Tuesday with a shoulder injury and a concussion he suffered in Week 16. If Love is sidelined, Willis becomes an interesting superflex play thanks to his rushing upside.

Metcalf was suspended by the NFL for the final two games of the regular season after an altercation with a fan in the Steelers’ Week 16 win over the Lions. He appealed the ruling, having previously reported the fan to Seahawks team security prior to his trade to the Steelers. An appeals officer jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA upheld Metcalf’s suspension and he will now miss Weeks 17 and 18 against the Browns and Ravens. It is costly in two ways for Metcalf; he will lose $555K in salary and has $45 million guaranteed voided, while the Steelers will not have him for a stretch run in which a win clinches the AFC North for them. Roman Wilson is in line for increased opportunities with Metcalf out, though we do not recommend him for fantasy lineups in the fantasy championship.

Though he did not practice at all last week, Jacobs played through his knee injury in Week 16. He was inefficient and sidelined late with the injury still clearly hampering him. It is an encouraging sign that Jacobs is listed as limited Tuesday, though the practice report should be taken with a grain of salt as the Packers held a walkthrough and an ankle injury was added to his designation. Jacobs plays through injury as much as possible, so the limited designation indicates he is planning to play again in Week 17 against the Ravens.

The Ravens held a walkthrough on Tuesday, so the injury report is just an estimate. However, Jackson being listed as the only non-participant does not bode well for his status in Week 17. Head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday that Jackson is day-to-day with a back contusion that forced him out of Sunday’s game against the Patriots; fantasy managers should stay tuned for the practice reports later in the week to see if he can get a practice in. It is a shorter week than usual for the Ravens as they play on Saturday against the Packers. For now, Jackson is on the wrong side of questionable and Tyler Huntley may be starting in Week 17 for Baltimore.

Allen would later tell reporters that he’s planning on playing Sunday. McDermott said that “nothing has changed” from yesterday and that Allen is expected to be available on Sunday. It’s an earlier-than-normal walkthrough practice from Buffalo as they try to give their players some semblance of a Christmas break, so we’re inclined to believe McDermott here.

It’s good news for both of them, as Love appears to be going through the concussion protocol just fine and with a chance to play in Week 17. If he doesn’t, Willis will get a chance to start. If neither of them are available, we’ll watch Clayton Tune do his thing against the Ravens.

St. Brown would go on to post a limited session on Tuesday following his Monday DNP, but otherwise it all sounds like good news for St. Brown and fantasy managers who will want him available for Week 17’s game against the Vikings. St. Brown would be an easy WR1 as long as he makes it to the active line, but there is probably a non-zero chance that he gets extra rest in this one, especially if the Lions are able to put Max Brosmer to bed early.

No surprise on a short week. McCarthy apparently has a chance to play in Week 18 based on Ian Rapoport’s reporting, but we can’t exactly circle that for a fact just yet. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said McCarthy will not need surgery for the “very small” fracture, perhaps the smallest we’ve ever heard of. It’s been an injury-plagued, disastrous year for the 2024 tenth overall pick. The Vikings almost have to bring in real competition for him in 2026 based on what we’ve seen so far. Max Brosmer should be in line for a Week 17 start and can be started in superflex leagues by sadomasochistic managers.

It’s not a great sign for Rice’s Christmas Day availability against the Broncos. Rice was sidelined last week against the Titans with the head injury, and the Chiefs have little reason to rush him back into game action with their season lost. Xavier Worthy will continue operating as the Chiefs’ de facto WR1 while Rice is out, though Worthy remains a deep league-online option for Week 17 against Denver.

It’s a strange thing to say about a wideout who has been a healthy scratch for three straight weeks as veteran journeyman Adam Thielen plays ahead of him. Tomlin said if Metcalf’s two-game suspension is upheld this week, Wilson — who has 166 yards and two touchdowns this season — will have a chance “to show his professionalism and his readiness and how he’s been sharpening his sword for battle.” Calvin Austin III and Thielen could also see an increase in routes and targets if Metcalf if out in Week 17 against the Browns. The Steelers are likely to revert to a run-heavy offense without their top receiver.