NFL Player News

The Chiefs designated Brown to return from injured reserve on Friday, opening his 21-day practice window. He was medically cleared to return to practice earlier in the week. Brown suffered an SC joint injury in August that required surgery and has been out ever since. Returning in Week 16 would give him a few weeks to get up to speed before the playoffs. Brown will likely be eased into the lineup, keeping him off the fantasy radar for the final two weeks of most redraft leagues.

Miller came on late in place of Alvin Kamara (groin), and immediately provided a spark to the Saints’ rushing game. On the Saints’ final offensive drive, Miller rushed four times for 28 yards to help move the Saints into Washington’s red zone, and wound up lead the team in total rushing yards. Kamara didn’t return to the game after leading in the fourth quarter. If he’s unable to play in Week 16 against the Packers, Miller would be a fringe top-24 fantasy option, especially in PPR leagues.

With Jalen Coker back from a quad issue this week, Moore’s role took a notable hit. His four targets were good for a 14 percent target share and are a four-week low for the veteran wideout. Xavier Legette left this game with a groin issue, but the absence didn’t result in a windfall of targets for Moore. Even if Legette misses time, Moore will top out at a WR6 ranking for Week 16.

Pollard entered the day dealing with an ankle injury, getting in just a limited practice on Friday. He scored the Titans’ first touchdown of the game, but lost out snaps to Tyjae Spears in a negative game script while also dealing with his ankle issue. Pollard still dominated carries, but fumbled in the third quarter and saw no usage in the receiving game. The Titans offense is reeling from issues at the quarterback position, but Pollard is the clear workhorse when healthy. He is a fantasy RB2 for Week 16 against the Colts.

Coker returned from a quad injury this week and didn’t miss a beat. He finished second on the team in targets and led the Panthers in yards on the back of an 83-yard touchdown just before the end of the first half. Coker got behind the Cowboys’ defense for a long gain and then turned on the jets to finish the play in the end zone. Coker was getting hot before suffering the quad injury and is back on the field making splash plays. With Xavier Legette banged up, Coker could close out the year as Carolina’s No. 2 receiver, giving him WR4/5 upside for Week 16.

Valdes-Scantling didn’t make his first catch until the third quarter when Spencer Rattler ripped a laser over the middle of the field to MVS for a 39-yard gain. He would later haul in a 25-yard reception late in the fourth quarter to help setup a Blake Grupe field goal, but the veteran field-stretcher was largely held in check despite seeing a team-high seven targets in the defeat. Valdes-Scantling won’t have any fantasy upside in Week 16 against the Packers.

In addition to the jaw injury, Davis is being evaluated for a concussion after making a tackle on Buffalo Bills’ runnig back Ray Davis early in the second quarter. The Lions defense has lost a lot of players on the defensive line and in the linebacker corps, so their secondary has had to carry them lately. Losing Davis against the Buffalo offense would be a tough blow.

The Bengals’ tight end situation is a bit of a platoon, but Gesicki is the primary pass-catcher of the group. He saw the first target of the game and showcased his athleticism on a 17-yard reception. Drew Sample, Tanner Hudson, and Charlie Grandy all mixed in, but Gesicki is the receiving option fantasy managers should roster. He is a fantasy TE2 heading into Week 16 against the Browns.

Thielen led the Panthers with a 25 percent target share. He also paced the team in receptions while falling behind Jalen Coker in yards. Bryce Young had no issues feeding him the ball, sometimes to his own detriment. Thielen was the intended target on both of Young’s interceptions. One was a window too tight for a completion while the other was a poorly-thrown deep shot. While that’s disastrous for the Panthers, it’s hard for fantasy managers to complain about Thielen’s target-dominating role. He should rebound as a WR2/3 for his Week 16 matchup with the Cardinals.

Allen injured his back early in the proceedings but “returned” after being announced as questionable. As you can see, “returned” amounted to two total touches. With Breece Hall playing through his own injury issues and fellow rookie Isaiah Davis emerging as a second pace-changer, Allen is looking sans value for the final two weeks of the fantasy playoffs. We also wouldn’t be surprised if he missed some practice time this week.