NFL Player News

The 70 yards were a new season high for the 2021 sixth-rounder, while the touchdown was his second. Smith has been more involved since the Panthers reinstalled Sam Darnold under center, but not in a way that’s producing WR5 or DFS value. The Saints are on tap for next weekend’s season finale.

Burrow has been a mainstay of the injury report this year but has not been affected by any of his minor issues. He will be out there for a must-win game versus the Steelers on Saturday. Cincinnati needs to win plus get losses from Denver and Miami to make the playoffs. While their odds of those things all happening are low, Burrow’s QB1 odds remain sky-high.

Warren was limited for Pittsburgh’s first practice of the week on Tuesday. A full session before the final report means he will be good to go for Saturday’s game. The Steelers can still win the AFC North with a win and a Baltimore loss, so we will see all of their starters for the regular season finale. Coming off a 16-touch, 115-yard game versus the Chiefs, Warren is finally in the RB2 ranks, just in time to help zero fantasy managers.

Kamara continues to rehab his multi-week groin strain with one week to go in the Saints’ 5-11season. Given interim head coach Darren Rizzi’s motivational approach, it would be unsurprising to see Saints starters play this weekend, if possible. Kamara has a long track record of playing through injuries whenever he can. Stay tuned.

Brooks and Emanuel Wilson have been used interchangeably in the No. 2 RB role for weeks now. With the Packers’ playoff spot safely secured and Josh Jacobs dealing with a wrist issue, Wilson makes for a smart bench stash. Both Brooks and Jacobs could be considered fully healthy by week’s end but as things currently stand, Wilson could have an above-average workload on Sunday.

Richardson has been dealing with back spasms for years. Per the quarterback himself, they rendered him unable to walk or stand at some points last week. While things are obviously not bad this week if he hasn’t been ruled out yet, a DNP on Wednesday speaks for itself. Joe Flacco is on track to start for the Colts’ season finale versus the Jaguars. The soon-to-be 40-year-old will be a volume-based QB2 for a great matchup with a dreadful Jacksonville defense.

The Packers have already clinched a playoff spot though they could still improve their seeding. Jacobs has functioned as the team’s offensive focal point though so fantasy managers should expect the team to prioritize his health for a Super Bowl run unless otherwise stated. Hopefully, he practices in full tomorrow and this is a non-issue.

Johnson was waived by the Ravens a few weeks ago. The Texans were awarded him on waivers with a few other teams putting in claims as well. He will likely get a few reps early in the game with the starters before Houston pulls their first-team offense. They have nothing to play for this week and won’t risk more than a handful of drives as their offense tries to find its footing heading into the playoffs.

The Packers listed Watson as questionable last week despite the lanky wide receiver’s inability to practice at all. He still has a chance to suit up for Week 18 but the Packers have already clinched a playoff spot so giving him Watson another week off could in the cards. His availability on Thursday and Friday should clarify the situation.

Conner entered Week 17 with a knee issue and didn’t make it far before being shut down. He re-aggravated the injury after four carries and did not return. His season comes to a close with 236 carries for 1,094 yards and eight touchdowns. While it was another strong season for the veteran, he went from averaging 80 rushing yards per game in 2023 to 68 this year. On the other hand, Conner more than made up for the slight downturn in rushing production with 47 receptions for 414 yards and a touchdown through the air, dwarfing his 2023 receiving numbers. Late-season injury aside, Conner showed no signs of slowing in his age-29 season and even earned a two-year contract extension mid-season. He could cede more work to Trey Benson next year, but Conner is still firmly in the RB2 mix heading into 2025.