NFL

Mixon left Week 15’s game briefly after a hip-drop tackle, but returned without missing more than a few snaps. He didn’t have his normal burst, but finished out the game. Volume alone will put Mixon near the RB1 line in a Week 16 start against the Chiefs — the Texans suddenly find themselves as slight favorites with Patrick Mahomes’ status in jeopardy.

Tillman has missed three games in concussion protocol, but finally made it back to the practice field towards the end of last week. If Tillman does play he’ll cut into Jerry Jeudy’s target share. It is possible that if the Browns bench Jameis Winston, no Cleveland receiver beyond Jerry Jeudy is actually worth starting. If healthy, Tillman would be a tough start if Dorian Thompson-Robinson gets the call.

Njoku did not practice all of last week with the hamstring ailment, so we’re probably going to need to at least see a limited session before we get excited about the odds of him coming back. The Browns morphed into a Jerry Jeudy-only offense with Njoku out on Sunday, with only Elijah Moore also garnering more than four targets.

The week-to-week designation undoubtedly puts Mahomes’ Week 16 availability into question, and perhaps his availability for the remainder of the regular season. with the AFC West already secured, the Chiefs could opt to sit Mahomes for the remainder of the regular season and all his ankle to get fully healed — or close to it — in time for the playoffs. If he doesn’t play in Week 16, the Chiefs would be forced to turn to Carson Wentz, who joined them on a one-year deal this offseason. Wentz saw his first action in Week 15’s win over the Browns, throwing for 20 yards on two pass attempts while also rushing three times for zero yards. He would have some mid to low-end QB2 appeal in 2QB/Superflex leagues but should be avoided in standard 1QB leagues.

Levis was benched in Week 15’s loss to the Bengals after committing four turnovers. The second-year quarterback is already looking at a job as a career backup less than two years after the Titans made him the No. 33 overall pick, but whether or not he gets another start this season currently hangs in the balance. Mason Rudolph isn’t the Titans’ quarterback of the future, but he may prove to be the better option for a team hoping to close out the year on a high note. Rudolph threw for 209-2-1 in relief of Levis in yesterday’s loss and will in all likelihood draw the start for Week 16 once the coaches are through with their “evaluations.”

Nothing has changed since Sunday, when Stefanski said after the game that he was unwilling to name a starter for next week’s game against the Bengals. Stefanski knows what he has in both Jameis Winston and Dorian Thompson-Robinson. With Winston, the Browns have a chance to be an explosive offense that’s just as capable of a 30-point outburst as it is a three-turnover day and no points — as we saw last week. With DTR, the offense’s ceiling is much more capped while the floor remains just as low. Fantasy managers who have something to play for in Week 16 will be pulling for Winston to get the nod, as a move to DTR would be an immediate downgrade for all Browns pass-catchers.

Tomlin said after Week 15’s loss to the Eagles that the team believed Watt suffered a low-ankle sprain. The hope is that the sprain is so low that Watt will be able to suit up for a pivotal AFC North clash with the Ravens on Saturday in a game that would decide the division if the Steelers were to walk away victorious. This will be an injury worth monitoring all week.

Ridder was named as the Week 15 starter by Antonio Pierce last week, but that was before we knew Aidan O’Connell (knee) would try to play through the injury he suffered in Week 14. According to Schefter, O’Connell, who is questionable, will try to test things out in pregame warmups, but Ridder “is expected to start for now.” Assuming he gets the nod, Ridder will have a chance to face off against his former team who selected him No. 74 overall just three years ago. We’ve seen enough of Ridder to know he shouldn’t be viewed as anything more than a low-end QB2 in fantasy leagues and should be kept off the radar altogether outside of 2QB/Superflex leagues.

According to Schefter, Montgomery is undergoing additional tests on his knee and getting a second opinion, while adding that the veteran running back “could be lost for the season.” He also added that there are some in the Lions’ organization who believe Monty will be out for the season. It’s a brutal blow to the Lions, and Montgomery’s fantasy managers, as Monty has played a key role in the team’s offensive success both on the ground and through the air. Serving as the “Knuckles” to Jahmyr Gibbs’ “Sonic,” Montgomery has rushed 185 times for 775 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns this season. His 12 rushing touchdowns are tied for second-most amongst all running backs, while his 1,116 yards from scrimmage ranks 18th amongst all backs. Montgomery’s absence should set up Gibbs for high-volume weeks in the fantasy playoffs, while backup Craig Reynolds could also see an increase in playing time. Reynolds’ unpredictable workload will keep him off the fantasy radar in Week 16, although he does make for an interesting stash in deeper leagues for those still in the hunt for a championship.

In one game, the Lions lost three defensive players for the season, as cornerback Carlton Davis (jaw) and defensive lineman Alim McNeill (knee) are also done for the year. Dorsey suffered a nasty-looking injury when he collided with a teammate and had to be carted off the field after being placed in an air cast. Dorsey contributed primarily on special teams for the Lions this season and has played on less than 100 defensive snaps.