NFL Player News

With Saquon Barkley on the sideline for a significant portion of the first half, Gainwell found himself in a lead role against one of the premiere defenses in the league. Gainwell turned his first three rush attempts into 16 yards, and reeled in a 16-yard reception in the second quarter on a drive that ended with a DeVonta Smith touchdown. Gainwell averaged an impressive 6.0 yards per touch in the victory, but should remain in his backup role in Week 16 against the Commanders if Barkley — who finished out the game — is healthy.

Barmore opened the year on the NFI list after being treated for blood clots in the offseason. In a statement released by the Patriots, the team said Barmore “experienced some recurring symptoms that required further evaluation,” which led to the decision to return him to the NFI list. Barmore, 25, appeared in four games for the Patriots this season, totaling six tackles and one sack. He signed a four-year, $92 million contract extension in April and will hopefully be back in time for the start of next season.

Beat reporter Nick Underhill reports “Kamara’s injury is more significant than believed,” labeling him “week to week.” News broke earlier this week that Kamara needed to undergo additional testing for his groin injury. It appears as though those tests brought undesirable results. Fantasy managers should rush to add Kendre Miller wherever he is available. He is RB2-viable against the Packers on Monday night.

It’s the least surprising football news we’ll hear all week. Just days after benching Jake Haener for an atrocious half of football, the Saints have decided it would be best to start Rattler in Monday night’s game against the Packers. Rattler had an up-and-down outing in the two quarters he played against the Commanders but nearly mounted a comeback win in the fourth quarter when he threw a touchdown to Foster Moreau as time expired. A failed two-point conversion attempt ultimately sealed the Saints’ fate in the 20-19 defeat, but Rattler was unquestionably the best available quarterback for the Saints last week. Fantasy managers in traditional 1QB leagues can ignore Rattler, but he may have some viability for those in 2QB/Superflex leagues.

Olave was officially limited in Thursday’s practice, per beat reporter Mike Triplett. Fantasy managers should not expect Olave to be rushed into action in time for the Saints’ Week 16 Monday Night Football game but this is certainly worth monitoring. It appears as though Olave has a real chance of playing in Week 17 at least.

Waddle has missed both practices to open the week and is on the wrong side of playing in Week 16 against the 49ers. If Waddle can’t get on the field in a limited capacity on Friday, it would likely mean Tyreek Hill and Malik Washington will slot in as the Dolphins’ top two receivers.

Things were trending in this direction after Watt was seen practicing earlier in the week. The Steelers will have their star pass rusher available to them in Saturday’s AFC North battle against the Ravens despite suffering his ankle injury less than a week ago. Watt has totaled 54 tackles and 11.5 sacks this season and has totaled four sacks in his last three games.

Mahomes practiced in full this week despite suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 15. While he may scramble infrequently, fantasy managers can expect to have their QB1 available. The game plan will surely be built around Mahomes getting the ball out quickly.

Pickens was considered a long shot to practice after being a DNP in Tuesday and Wednesday’s practices. The Steelers’ WR1 will miss his third-straight game with a hamstring he suffered in practice just days before Week 14’s game against the Browns, which has dealt a blow to the Steelers’ passing game. Russell Wilson will have to find a way to make due with Scotty Miller, Van Jefferson, and Calvin Austin as his top receivers against the Ravens in a game that will go a long way in deciding the winner of the AFC North.

Nagy is the Executive Director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl and spent 18 years as an NFL Scout. Nagy has never served in a general manager role but is more than familiar with today’s college game and the incoming talent. Nagy took his current role as the Executive Director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl in 2018, but he feels like a long shot to land the Jets’ general manager role, given his limited experience in NFL front offices. He last served as Seahawks’ southeast area scout (2013-2018).