Immediate fantasy football takeaways from Sunday’s games

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PFF’s fantasy football recap focuses on player usage and stats, breaking down all the vital information you need to achieve fantasy success in 2025.

Washington Commanders @ Miami Dolphins

Chris Rodriguez Jr. makes second-straight start: Rodriguez was the Commanders’ primary running back for the first two drives, totaling eight carries before any other Commanders running back ran the ball.

The Commanders started the season with Austin Ekeler as their starting running back, using him for two drives before turning primarily to Jacory Croskey-Merritt. After Ekeler’s season-ending injury, Rodriguez took over as the starter for two weeks. Croskey-Merritt played well enough over the first four weeks to earn the starting job in Week 5, leading to a 14-carry, 111-yard and two-touchdown game. However, he was held to 3.6 yards per carry or fewer in each of the last five games.

This led the team to turn back to Rodriguez for the first two drives last week. Rather than Croskey-Merritt taking over for the rest of the game as he did in the first four weeks of the season, the two running backs split snaps for the second and third quarters. Rodriguez suffered a shoulder injury, causing him to miss the rest of the game. Luckily, Rodriguez was a full participant in practice this week.

Rodriguez started the first two drives, which took most of the first half. Croskey-Merritt didn’t play his first snap until there were less than six minutes in the half. The Commanders also turned to Rodriguez to begin the second half. The Commanders did a good job of avoiding long third downs, so receiving back Jeremy McNichols didn’t play as much as usual. This left Rodriguez with season-highs in playing time and touches.

Rodriguez should be a top priority off the waiver wire in any league where he is available. The Commanders have their bye week next week, but Rodriguez has an excellent schedule during the fantasy playoffs. Washington faces its three division rivals. The New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys both rank among the top three teams at allowing fantasy points to running backs, while the Eagles have also been a favorable matchup for running backs. Croskey-Merritt should no longer be in fantasy starting lineups, but he is one of the top handcuffs for the rest of the season due to the Commanders’ late-season schedule.

Commanders continue to adjust to wide receiver injuries: The Commanders have used 11 different wide receivers over the first 11 weeks of the season.

The Commanders have seven wide receivers who have played at least 50 snaps over the first 10 weeks, and they didn’t have four of them for this game. Noah Brown and Luke McCaffrey are on injured reserve, while Terry McLaurin (quadricep) and Treylon Burks (finger) were ruled out early in the week. This left the team with Deebo Samuel, Chris Moore and Jaylin Lane as its top three receivers to start this game. Robbie Chosen and Jacoby Jones were both signed to the 53-man roster off the practice squad. Chosen had been a practice squad elevation in Weeks 7 and 10, while Jones made his NFL debut in this game.

Moore continued to be the Commanders’ primary X receiver, as he’s been in every game that McLaurin has been out, while Samuel continued to play a mix of Z and in the slot. Samuel had a strong start to the season, a quiet middle part of the season, but put together his best game in weeks. This included scoring the game’s first touchdown. 

Lane started the game rotating with Chosen, who played 14 plays in the first half, while Lane played 10. Both wide receivers ran seven routes on 20 pass plays. Ideally, Lane would play more due to the injuries at wide receiver. Lane suffered a hip injury, which cost him the second half of the game. Lane has been the team’s primary punt returner. His injury left Mike Sainristil as the Commanders’ punt returner, and his muff contributed to the Dolphins’ comeback. The injury left Jones rotating with Chosen for the third spot, rather than Chosen seeing an increase in snaps.

The Commanders have their bye week next week, followed by matchups against the Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings, so you won’t want any Commanders wide receiver in your fantasy starting lineup for the next few weeks. This will hopefully give at least some of the Commanders’ wide receivers a chance to get healthy and potentially return in Week 13. The Commanders have a top-five schedule for wide receivers during the fantasy playoffs, so it makes sense to hold onto McLaurin and Samuel because they could have big games in December.

Dolphins adjust their wide receiver depth chart: Cedrick Wilson Jr. appears to have surpassed Nick Westbrook-Ikhine on the depth chart.

Miami started the season with Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Malik Washington as its top three wide receivers. When Hill suffered his season-ending injury, Westbrook-Ikhine stepped up as the Dolphins’ second wide receiver in terms of playing time. Miami hasn’t wanted its 5-foot-8, 195-pound receiver to play a high snap rate in one- or two-receiver sets. This has led Washington to play 93% of the snaps in three-receiver sets and 23% in two-receiver sets this season, and those rates were similar in this game.

Westbrook-Ikhine has put up minimal production in Miami, finishing with no games above 25 receiving yards and no touchdowns despite scoring nine times with the Tennessee Titans last season. Wilson was with the Dolphins in 2022 and 2023 but played for the New Orleans Saints in 2024. He began the season on the Saints‘ practice squad. The Dolphins added Wilson after Hill landed on injured reserve. Wilson caught two passes for nine yards over the last three weeks, but Miami has opted to use Wilson more than Westbrook-Ikhine.

The Dolphins have also notably started to use more single-receiver sets in recent weeks. Guard Daniel Brunskill has been used as a sixth offensive lineman for double-digit plays each of the past four weeks. Fullback Alec Ingold continues to play a high percentage of the snaps, and Miami uses more formations with both of its running backs on the field than most teams. This all contributes to no wide receivers stepping up in Miami outside of Waddle. Miami will likely prioritize finding another wide receiver to join Waddle and Washington this offseason.

Miscellaneous notes

• Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels didn’t practice all week and has missed back-to-back games due to a left elbow injury.
• The Commanders activated running back Chase Edmonds from the practice squad for this game on Saturday. He served as the team’s primary kick returner, rather than disrupting the running back rotation.
• Commanders’ tight end Ben Sinnott couldn’t play due to an ankle injury. He showed up on the injury report on Thursday and couldn’t practice on Friday. This left Colson Yankoff active as the third tight end. This also left Zach Ertz and John Bates with more playing time than usual.
• De’Von Achane suffered a back injury with less than two minutes left. He was able to return to the game, which is a good sign for his long-term health. It will be worth checking the Week 13 injury report to see if the back injury is still impacting him before his next game.
• Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to an ankle injury.
• Wide receiver Dee Eskridge was limited in practice all week and missed his second straight game due to a shoulder injury. He was ruled questionable on Friday but didn’t play. Rookie Tahj Washington was Miami’s fifth wide receiver for this game.
• Miami tight end Julian Hill was back in the lineup after missing his third straight game due to an ankle injury. He was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday and practiced in full on Friday. He has been the Dolphins’ primary blocking tight end all season, including this game.

Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons

Monitor Drake London’s health: The Falcons’ top receiver suffered a knee injury late in the game and was ruled out.

Atlanta has found some consistency in their wide receiver rotation recently. London and Darnell Mooney have been their top receivers, while David Sills V joined them in three-receiver sets. Mooney suffered a rib injury late in the first half, but he was able to quickly return to the game. London was having a strong game before his injury, totaling seven receptions for 119 yards.

London was unable to play during Atlanta’s four plays of overtime, in which KhaDarel Hodge took over in his role. Hodge has been London’s primary backup in recent weeks when London has missed time. The fact that London was ruled out and head coach Raheem Morris didn’t have an update after the game isn’t the best sign. If London misses time, Hodge would be the Falcons’ wide receiver to pick up off the waiver wire. Also, we would see more of an emphasis on the running backs, Mooney and tight end Kyle Pitts.

Monitor Xavier Legette’s health: Legette suffered a hip injury, which left him out during overtime.

Legette had one of the best games of his career with four receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown. This was particularly notable, as Tetairoa McMillan also had the best game of his career with eight receptions for 130 yards and two touchdowns. They have been the Panthers’ top two wide receivers in two-receiver sets, while Jalen Coker has joined them in three-receiver sets.

Legette was injured on a play where he was not the target at 7:05 left in the fourth quarter. He was able to return for two plays a few minutes later, but left the game again and didn’t return. In that time, Brycen Tremayne took over as the Panthers’ Z receiver. The Panthers mostly stuck with 11 personnel to close out the game, but on two snaps of 12 personnel, Coker took over. This suggests that if Legette misses time, Coker would play in both two- and three-receiver sets.

Legette has two excellent games this season, mixed with seven games with 31 receiving yards or less. He is a fine speculative add off the waiver wire if he is healthy, but you probably don’t want him in fantasy starting lineups. Coker would be a fine option if Legette misses time, largely based on his play from last season. Coker also had his best game of the season with four receptions for 52 yards.

Miscellaneous notes

• Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. suffered a knee injury late in the third quarter and didn’t return. Kirk Cousins took over at quarterback and would be the Falcons’ quarterback going forward if Penix misses time.
• The Falcons used more two-back sets and fewer two-tight-end sets the last two weeks. This week was similar to earlier games this season, as Charlie Woerner played over 50% of the offensive snaps, while Bijan Robinson played less than 90%.
• Falcons wide receivers Drake London (illness and back) and Jamal Agnew (foot) didn’t practice on Wednesday and were limited on Thursday and Friday. Both were originally ruled questionable but were able to play.
• Atlanta tight end Feleipe Franks was limited in practice on Thursday and Friday due to a foot injury. He was similarly questionable but active.
• Panthers quarterback Bryce Young was dealing with an ankle injury for most of the game, but he did not miss an offensive snap.
• The Panthers waived third quarterback Mike White on Monday and re-signed him to the practice squad on Tuesday.
• Running back Rico Dowdle didn’t practice on Wednesday, was limited on Thursday and upgraded to full on Friday. He was dealing with a quadricep injury. Despite this, Dowdle’s playing time went up slightly, while Chuba Hubbard’s went down. Hubbard only played 18.2% of the offensive snaps, and most notably, only 2.2% in normal early-down situations.
• Panthers backup wide receiver Brycen Tremayne returned after missing last week due to a hip injury. He was able to practice in full all week.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Buffalo Bills

The Bills make multiple changes at wide receiver: The Bills had eight wide receivers available on the 53-man roster heading into the game.

In recent weeks, Keon Coleman has been the X receiver, while Khalil Shakir has been the slot in three-receiver sets. Tyrell Shavers, Curtis Samuel and Elijah Moore have rotated as the Z receiver, as well as rotating with Coleman at times. Joshua Palmer was the clear Z receiver early in the season, consistently playing at least two-thirds of the snaps in 11 personnel during the first three weeks, but he rotated more in Weeks 4-6, and he missed three straight games due to knee and ankle injuries.

Palmer was a full participant in practice this week, leading him to be active, and Moore was a healthy scratch. Coleman was also a healthy inactive after missing a team meeting. This led the Bills to activate Gabe Davis off the practice squad. The Bills also signed wide receiver Mecole Hardman to the practice squad on Tuesday and then to the 53-man roster on Saturday. They released their cornerback and returner Brandon Codrington, so Hardman was added primarily to be a returner.

Shakir remained the third receiver in three-receiver sets, while Shavers, Palmer, Samuel and Davis were constantly rotated. This left all five wide receivers playing between 40-55% of the Bills’ offensive snaps. Davis was typically their X receiver when he was on the field, while Palmer also stepped into the X role. Palmer had experience at all three positions during his time with the Los Angeles Chargers. This left Shavers and Samuel as the primary Z receivers. Shavers was the most productive receiver of the day with four receptions for 90 yards and a one touchdown, potentially earning him more playing time going forward.

The Bills will likely make Coleman active next week while leaving Davis on the practice squad. However, Coleman might not play as much going forward, particularly with Shavers playing well and Palmer capable of playing the X role. Shavers is a fine wide receiver to pick up off the waiver wire, particularly with fewer teams on bye weeks going forward. It makes sense to pick up players with more upside, like Shavers.

Sean Tucker posts over 100 rushing yards and three total touchdowns: Tucker was the Buccaneers’ primary running back in normal early down situations.

Halfback Bucky Irving was ruled out due to shoulder and foot injuries, his sixth straight absence. He was able to return to practice this week on a limited basis, which is a good sign that he will return in the near future. During the first few weeks of his absence, Rachaad White was playing the clear majority of the offensive snaps, while Tucker was his backup. In recent weeks, the two backs’ playing time was much closer. The two have been near-identical in terms of carries, while White remained the passing-down back and a bigger threat as a receiver.

This week, White remained the clear passing-down back, but Tucker had the hot hand in the run game, leading Tampa Bay to use him more often in the run game. He ended the day with 19 carries for 106 yards and two rushing touchdowns in addition to two receptions for 34 yards and a receiving touchdown. Their playing time split was reminiscent of the middle of last season, as Tucker was in Irving’s role during the middle of his breakout.

The Buccaneers have a rough matchup against the Los Angeles Rams next week, and Irving could be back in the Buccaneers’ starting lineup by Week 13. Tucker is a fine waiver-wire target because there is a chance Irving doesn’t return as quickly as some fantasy managers would like, or he reaggravates his injury. The Buccaneers have a top-five schedule for running backs during the fantasy playoffs, so there is a small chance Tucker could be a league winner.

Miscellaneous notes

• Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to ankle and rib injuries, but he practiced in full on Friday.
• Bills wide receiver and returner Mecole Hardman suffered a calf injury and didn’t return.
• Buffalo tight end Dalton Kincaid was ruled out for a second straight game due to a hamstring injury. He didn’t practice all week. The Bills activated tight end Keleki Latu from the practice squad for this game on Saturday, giving them a third tight end. Last week, only two tight ends were active.
• Dawson Knox remained the primary tight end with Kincaid out, while Jackson Hawes continued to play significant snaps.
• Buccaneers backup running back Josh Williams was suspended for six games for the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. He had been their third running back while Irving was out. The Buccaneers signed running back Owen Wright off their own practice squad on Friday to take Williams’ roster spot.
• Tampa Bay’s wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. hasn’t played since Week 5 due to a fibula injury. Like Irving, Godwin also returned to practice on a limited basis this week, which is a good sign that he could return soon.

Los Angeles Chargers @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Monitor Bhayshul Tuten’s health: The rookie running back was off to the best game of his career before suffering an ankle injury.

Jacksonville has spent the season with Travis Etienne Jr. as its primary running back, Tuten as the backup, and LeQuint Allen playing on third downs. Etienne had played 72.4% of the offensive snaps on first or second downs, outside of two-minute drills, over the first 10 weeks, compared to Tuten’s 26.4%. 

This week, Etienne and Tuten were much closer through the first three quarters, as Etienne played 55.8% compared to Tuten’s 41.9%. Tuten had the hot hand, running 15 times for 74 yards and a touchdown. Etienne was having an OK game, totaling 19 carries for 73 yards and two touchdowns. Tuten suffered an ankle injury at the start of the fourth quarter and didn’t return. He was ruled questionable and never technically ruled out. The Jaguars were up by multiple touchdowns, so it’s possible Tuten was able to return, but it wasn’t worth the risk.

Assuming Tuten is able to get healthy by next week, we will likely see Tuten play more going forward, but Tuten would probably need at least two or three more games like this before overtaking Etienne as the primary running back. Etienne had been the clear better runner over the first 10 weeks of the season. This could give Tuten some standalone value in deep leagues. Tuten could be a fine speculative add in 10- or 12-team leagues. Still, it’s worth noting the Jaguars finish the fantasy season against the Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets and Denver Broncos again. Even if Tuten sees an increased role, the Jaguars might not be running much in three of those four games.

Jakobi Meyers earns an increased role in his second game with Jacksonville: The former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver played the second-most offensive snaps for the Jaguars.

The Jaguars traded for Meyers at the trade deadline to help fill the void for Travis Hunter, who will not return this season. Brian Thomas Jr. missed his second straight game due to an ankle injury after being limited in practice all week. Last week, Meyers only played in three-receiver sets, while Parker Washington and Tim Patrick were the top two receivers.

This week, Washington remained the top wide receiver in terms of playing time. He accomplished this despite not practicing on Wednesday due to a hamstring injury and being limited on Thursday and Friday. He was the only wide receiver to play over 50% of the offensive snaps in two-receiver sets. Meyers was second in snaps. He played notably more snaps in three-receiver sets, playing just as much as Washington. He also played 36.4% of the snaps in two-receiver sets. Patrick remained third on the depth chart. Dyami Brown seems to have fallen down the depth chart. He was dealing with an injury but wasn’t on the injury report this week. He was still below Patrick.

Meyers should be able to retain most of this playing time once Thomas is back, as he will mostly take playing time from Patrick and Austin Trammell. Meyers led the Jaguars in receiving, finishing with five receptions for 64 yards. He should be considered the Jaguars’ top option until Thomas returns. Washington can likely be dropped in 10-team leagues, although he will likely continue to play significant snaps.

Monitor Kimani Vidal’s health: Vidal limped off the field in the second quarter and played a limited role over the rest of the game.

Vidal has been the Chargers’ primary running back since Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris both landed on injured reserve. Los Angeles has tried out several backups behind Vidal, including Hassan Haskins, Nyheim Hines and Jaret Patterson. This week, the Chargers activated running backs Amar Johnson and Trayveon Williams from the practice squad for this game on Saturday. Neither had played an offensive snap for Los Angeles prior to this game.

Vidal played 13 of the first 14 snaps before his initial injury, while Williams took the other snap. This caused Vidal to miss every snap on the fourth drive, while Williams took six snaps and Johnson played two. Vidal returned for an eight-play drive to end the first half. Vidal only played in four snaps in the second half. It’s unclear how much of that was health-related compared to the game script. Williams was the primary running back for the half, as Johnson only played two snaps in the half.

Luckily, the Chargers have their bye week next week. There is at least a chance Hampton is back after the bye, and if not, ideally, Vidal will be ready to play again. If neither is back, then it appears Williams would be the player to add off the waiver wire.

Miscellaneous notes

• Both teams took out their starters for the last drive of the game. This most notably impacted Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey, Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. and all three of the Jaguars’ top wide receivers’ playing time.
• Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange returned to practice from injured reserve on Wednesday. He was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, and didn’t practice on Friday. He remained on injured reserve for this week, but this was a good sign that Strange could return soon.
• Jacksonville tight end Hunter Long has missed back-to-back games due to hip and knee injuries. He didn’t practice on Wednesday but was limited on Thursday and Friday. The Jaguars continued to use a two-man rotation at tight end. Morris played a little more often in passing situations.
• Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert left 
• Fullback Scott Matlock was questionable for this game due to a chest injury, despite practicing in full all week. He was able to play.
• Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey (ankle) and Quentin Johnston (shin) were limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, but both practiced in full on Friday and were able to play.
• Los Angeles wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith was a healthy scratch. He has only been active for one game in the last five weeks.
• Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden played a career-high 87.5% of the Chargers’ offensive snaps.

Chicago Bears @ Minnesota Vikings

Luther Burden III wins the slot job: Burden played in three-receiver sets ahead of Olamide Zaccheaus for the first time this season.

Chicago has spent most of the season with D.J. Moore as their X receiver, Rome Odunze as their Z, and Zaccheaus as the slot in three-receiver sets. Zaccheaus had played 82.3% of the snaps in three-receiver sets before this game. Burden was playing roughly a quarter of the offensive snaps each week, playing in four-receiver sets, as a primary receiver in one-receiver sets and the backup to everyone in both two- and three-receiver sets. Burden had been the Bears’ most effective receiver on a per-play basis, totaling 2.74 yards per route run. Odunze has been the only other wide receiver above 1.5.

Burden had extended playing time last week as Moore was dealing with an injury. Burden caught three passes for 51 yards in that game. It was his third game of the season with at least 50 receiving yards, despite that being his first game above 20 offensive snaps. Moore has also had three games with more than 50 yards, while Zaccheaus has only had one.

This week, Burden was the third receiver on the depth chart, playing 100% of the snaps in three-receiver sets. He also received some snaps in single-, two- and four-receiver sets as usual. Chicago played a season-high 38 snaps in two-receiver sets and a season-low 21 plays in three-receiver sets this week. We can expect that to go back to normal going forward, which would mean even more playing time for Burden going forward.

Burden caught three passes for 27 yards. He should be a top priority off the waiver wire due to his strong play mixed with his increase in snaps. Even Odunze has been inconsistent, finishing with less than 45 yards in four of his last six games, so Burden may become the Bears’ top wide receiver over the last third of the season.

Jordan Mason shines in a limited role: The gap between Aaron Jones and Mason has widened, but Mason gained 45 yards and a touchdown on his six carries.

Mason was the Vikings’ starting running back for the first half of the season while Aaron Jones dealt with injury. Jones has been back during the last four games, and Mason played under 20 offensive snaps in three of those four games. He fell to a season-low nine snaps this week, while Jones played 100% of the snaps on late downs and in two-minute drills. Jones also played 75% of the normal early-down snaps, compared to Mason’s 25%, which was also a season-low.

Jones fully dominated snaps in the first half, similar to last week, while Mason mixed in a little more often in the second half. While Mason had the better rate stats in this game, the two have been split over the last four weeks. Jones has a higher yards per carry, first down rate and rate of gaining five or more yards, while Mason has the better yards after contact per attempt, avoided tackle rate, touchdown rate and rate of gaining at least 10 yards. The Vikings, under Kevin O’Connell, have been known for changing the running back rotation from one week to the next, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the Vikings’ rotation changes again next week.

Miscellaneous notes

• Bears starters D’Andre Swift (hip), Rome Odunze (ankle) and D.J. Moore (shoulder) continue to show up on the injury report and miss time in practice early in the week. Like in recent weeks, they were all able to practice in full by the end of the week and play on game day. 
• Bears wide receiver Jahdae Walker missed back-to-back games due to a concussion. He didn’t practice on Wednesday and Thursday but was able to practice on a limited basis on Friday.
• Chicago tight end Stephen Carlson was active after being a healthy scratch last week.
• Minnesota quarterback J.J. McCarthy (right hand) and running back Aaron Jones Sr. (shoulder and toe) were limited in practice to start the week but practiced in full by Friday.
• Vikings’ running back Corey Kiner was active as the third running back after being a healthy inactive this week.
• Minnesota tight end Josh Oliver was back in the lineup after missing back-to-back games due to a foot injury. He played 100% of the snaps in two-tight-end sets, while taking some early down single-tight-end snaps as well. Ben Sims had been active last week, but he was inactive for this game with Oliver back.

Green Bay Packers @ New York Giants

Monitor Josh Jacobs’ health: Jacobs went to the medical tent in the first quarter, then he left again in the second quarter and didn’t return.

Jacobs has been the Packers’ lead running back this season. Early in the year, he was playing at least 65% of the offensive snaps each week. From Weeks 7-9, that dropped to 53-59% as he played through a calf injury. He appeared to be fully recovered last week, bouncing back to 73.5%. He also wasn’t on the injury report the last two weeks.

Chris Brooks started the season as the Packers’ primary backup, playing 22 snaps over the first two weeks compared to Emanuel Wilson‘s seven. Wilson took the lead in Week 3 and hasn’t looked back, playing 28.7% of the offensive snaps from Weeks 3-10, compared to Brooks’ 9.7%. Wilson played 70.9% in this game, compared to Brooks’ 9.1%. This led Wilson to run 11 times for 40 yards and a touchdown while catching a nine-yard pass.

If Jacobs’ injury is serious, Wilson would be a top waiver-wire add, and someone to spend the rest of your FAB on if Jacobs’ injury is season-ending. While there have been other recent significant injuries at running back, this is a rare case where it’s on a good offense that runs the ball a lot, and would have one clear every-down running back. The Packers have an alright schedule for running backs, but they play the Baltimore Ravens during the fantasy championship round. Baltimore has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to running backs this season.

The Packers get a little healthier at wide receiver: Matthew Golden was back in the lineup after missing last week due to a shoulder injury.

The Packers have been missing at least Jayden Reed and one of their other wide receivers over the past month. First, it was Christian Watson out, then Dontayvion Wicks missed time, and most recently, Golden. Romeo Doubs (chest), Watson (knee and hamstring), Wicks (calf), Golden (shoulder) and Savion Williams (foot) all showed up on the injury report but were active. Reed is the only Packers receiver still missing, as he’s on injured reserve. Malik Heath didn’t travel with the team and was inactive. He potentially would have been inactive given the health of the other receivers, but there could also be a disciplinary reason for Heath not traveling with the team.

Watson and Doubs remained the top two receivers for the team, both playing over 70% of the offensive snaps in both two- and three-receiver snaps. Doubs left the game briefly due to injury but was able to return. Wicks remained the primary slot receiver in three-receiver sets, playing over 80% of the snaps in three-receiver sets. Golden was the primary backup to everyone in three-receiver sets and to Watson in two-receiver sets, while Wicks was Doubs’ backup in two-receiver sets. It’s possible Golden was fourth on the depth chart because he was the least healthy, but it’s also possible he is simply fourth on the depth chart at this point. 

It’s fine to hold onto Golden because he’s a first-round rookie, but there doesn’t seem to be a clear path for Golden to have fantasy value this season. Watson caught four passes for 46 yards and two touchdowns this week and should be one of the top waiver-wire options. He not only had a good game, but the fact that he isn’t losing playing time to Wicks or Golden is a promising sign for his production going forward. We still need to see the wide receiver rotation once Reed is back, but he will likely cut into Wicks’ playing time most of all.

Luke Musgrave gets benched: John FitzPatrick became the Packers’ primary tight end by the end of the game.

Tucker Kraft started the season as the Packers’ clear lead tight end before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 9. Musgrave took over as the primary tight end last week, playing 76.5% of the offensive snaps. However, FitzPatrick rotated in for a few snaps in all situations. Former Tennessee Titans tight end Josh Whyle started the season on the Packers’ practice squad and became the Packers’ third tight end. He played significantly in two-tight-end sets last week.

The Packers switched to even more of a rotation in the first half. Musgrave was on the field more often in passing situations, but FitzPatrick played more total snaps. Whyle also played more snaps in this week’s first half than all of last week. Musgrave caught one pass early in the first half but fumbled the target out of bounds. 

Musgrave only played three snaps in the second half, while FitzPatrick played 18 of a possible 22 snaps, and Whyle played 13 of 22. There is a chance Musgrave suffered an undisclosed injury, and there is also a chance Musgrave’s playing time bounces back next week. However, he can still likely be dropped in most formats. FitzPatrick caught his only target for five yards and has only 43 yards in three NFL seasons. He can be avoided in most 10- or 12-team leagues, but in deep leagues where all 32 starting tight ends are on fantasy rosters, FitzPatrick would be worth considering.

New York keeps making changes at wide receiver: The Giants turned to a familiar face at wide receiver in their starting lineup.

The Giants started the season with Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton as their outside receivers, while Wan’Dale Robinson was in the slot, similar to last season. When Nabers suffered his season-ending injury, Lil’Jordan Humphrey came off the practice squad to overtake Jalin Hyatt and Gunner Olszewski to be a starting receiver. More recently, the team turned to former Falcons receiver Ray-Ray McCloud while leaving Humphrey on the practice squad. Humphrey signed with the Denver Broncos and is no longer an option. On Thursday, the team signed Isaiah Hodgins off the Steelers‘ practice squad. Hodgins spent 2022-2024 with the team, including 14 starts and 56 receptions. He ironically started his career with the Buffalo Bills and had Brian Daboll as his offensive coordinator. It wasn’t until Daboll was fired that New York brought Hodgins back.

Slayton was ruled out this week due to a hamstring injury. The Giants activated Dalen Cambre off the practice squad rather than McCloud, despite McCloud playing significant snaps the last two weeks and Cambre not having any NFL regular-season experience.

Robinson, Hodgins and Hyatt were the only Giants receivers to play an offensive snap this week. Robinson played 100% of the snaps in one-, two- and three-receiver sets, only leaving the field for two heavy goal-line packages. Hodgins played 19 of the 25 snaps in two-receiver sets, while Hyatt played six. Hodgins led the team in receiving production with five receptions for 57 yards despite Robinson leading the team in targets. Hodgins is the favorite to be the Giants’ third receiver going forward once Slayton is healthy. Once Slayton is back, the Giants’ top four wide receivers will be identical to their 2023 team. Hodgins should be left on the waiver wire except for deep leagues.

Miscellaneous notes

• Packers quarterback Jordan Love missed seven offensive snaps late in the first quarter due to a left shoulder injury. He was able to return and finish the game.
• Green Bay kicker Brandon McManus couldn’t play due to a right quadricep injury. Lucas Havrisik played for McManus earlier in the season and had remained on the 53-man roster. He was the Packers’ kicker for this game.
• Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart was ruled out Friday due to a concussion. He didn’t practice all week. Jameis Winston was not only active for the first time this season, but he started for New York instead of Russell Wilson.
• While Tyrone Tracy Jr. remains the lead running back, Devin Singletary has taken all 18 snaps in either short-yardage or goal-line situations over the last two weeks. This led Singletary to score two touchdowns this week.
• New York tight end Daniel Bellinger was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to a groin injury. He was able to practice in full on Friday.
• The Giants placed kicker Graham Gano on injured reserve on Wednesday. They signed Younghoe Koo off their own practice squad on Saturday to likely be the replacement over the rest of the season, as long as he is kicking well.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Monitor Jaylen Warren’s health: Warren suffered an ankle injury in the third quarter and wasn’t able to finish the game.

Warren has spent the season as the Steelers’ primary running back. Early in the season, Warren and Kenneth Gainwell were used interchangeably. Recently, the Steelers have used Warren on a higher percentage of early downs and Gainwell on a higher percentage of late downs. Last week, Warren played 72.4% of the snaps in normal early downs and 0% on third downs.

This week, Warren played 13 of the 19 snaps in the first half on first and second downs, outside of the two-minute drill. However, Gainwell played four of five on third downs, and the Steelers had 12 plays in two-minute drills, in which Gainwell played 11. This meant Gainwell played more offensive snaps in the first half, but that had much more to do with the game script than the running backs. Warren averaged 6.2 yards per carry on the day.

Warren only played three snaps in the second half. This left Gainwell and rookie Kaleb Johnson splitting early-down work, while Gainwell playing 11 snaps to Johnson’s eight. However, the team was much more willing to run the ball with Johnson on the field. Gainwell remained the third-down back in the second half. 

If Warren’s injury is serious, Gainwell would have significant fantasy value over the next month. The Steelers’ next four matchups are against the Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins, which are all strong matchups for running backs. Kaleb Johnson would also likely have value depending on the game scripts. However, all four games are ones where the Steelers will either be close or falling behind, which are all scripts where Gainwell will be on the field a lot. Johnson should still be picked up in deeper leagues as a high-upside potential option, assuming Warren’s injury is serious.

The Steelers have a new WR2: Roman Wilson has surpassed Calvin Austin III as the Steelers’ second wide receiver.

Austin had been the Steelers’ second wide receiver option behind D.K. Metcalf, when healthy, over the first 10 weeks. He played 93% of the snaps in three-receiver sets and 80.2% in two-receiver sets. Austin hasn’t been very productive after a big first week with four receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown. He was held under 35 receiving yards in five of his last six games.

In contrast, Wilson’s role had been rising. He played in at least 70% of the snaps in three-receiver sets each of the last three weeks. The former third-round pick caught touchdowns in two of the last three games, finishing with at least 35 receiving yards in two of the three. This week, Wilson played 53% of the snaps in two-receiver sets, compared to Austin’s 20%. Both played in three-receiver sets, but Wilson played 100% of those snaps for the first time, while Austin played 76.5%, rotating a little with Ben Skowronek. Wilson only caught one pass for 17 yards, while Austin caught his only target for five yards.

This means Austin can be dropped in any redraft league where he is rostered. Wilson joins the high-upside young receivers who are worth considering during the final stretch of the season. The Steelers have a mix of very favorable and very unfavorable matchups for their wide receivers, so there is a chance Wilson could have two or three big games over the rest of the year.

Bengals adjust without Samaje Perine: The Bengals’ receiving back didn’t practice all week due to an ankle injury and was ruled out on Friday.

The Bengals have spent all season with Chase Brown as their early-down back and Perine as their third-down and two-minute drill back. Perine was starting to play a little more on early downs in Weeks 7 and 8 before suffering his injury in Week 9. The Bengals had their bye week last week, but that wasn’t enough time for Perine to recover. He is currently considered week-to-week.

Tahj Brooks has been the Bengals’ third running back, but he has only played on offense when Perine has been injured. The Bengals activated running back Kendall Milton from the practice squad for this game on Saturday to be their third running back.

Brown dominated snaps for Cincinnati at an 81.8% snap rate. Brown has played over 90% of the offensive snaps last week, as well as during his peak last season, but this was still more snaps than Brown plays when Perine is healthy. Brown’s snap rate was 62% over the first four weeks. Brooks was the primary backup, but Milton also played a few snaps. Both of them primarily played in early-down situations.

Brown will remain a must-start option as long as Perine is out. This game also further confirms that Perine is the handcuff in Cincinnati when healthy, and he would likely have a large role if he returns and Brown suffers an injury.

Miscellaneous notes

• Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow returned to practice from injured reserve on Monday. He was limited all week due to the toe injury. He is unlikely to play next week and is aiming to return in Week 13.
• Cincinnati quarterback Joe Flacco didn’t practice for most of the week due to a right shoulder injury, but he wasn’t given a game status and started for Cincinnati.
• Aaron Rodgers suffered a left wrist injury and was unable to play in the second half. Mason Rudolph took over for the rest of the game and would be the Steelers’ quarterback if Rodgers misses time.
• The Steelers activated quarterback Will Howard from injured reserve on Wednesday, but he was inactive this week.
• The Steelers waived running back Trey Sermon on Wednesday and re-signed him to the practice squad on Friday.
• Steelers’ wide receiver Scotty Miller returned after missing three straight games due to a finger injury. He was a full participant in practice all week. However, he only played two offensive snaps.
• Steelers sixth-string wide receiver and special teamer Ke’Shawn Williams suffered an injury on an early special teams play and was ruled out at the end of the first quarter.
• Tight end Darnell Washington caught four passes for a career-high 67 yards. He played 90% of the 11-personnel snaps on early downs, 85.7% on third downs but only 36% in two-tight-end sets. Washington similarly played significantly more snaps in 11 personnel in Week 4, but then his playing time dropped back down the following week, particularly on third downs. Washington can be a waiver-wire target in deep leagues, but it would probably be good to wait another week before putting him in fantasy starting lineups to see if this role continues.

Houston Texans @ Tennessee Titans

Calvin Ridley temporarily returns to the Titans: Ridley missed three straight games due to a hamstring injury, but he suffered a season-ending fibula injury on his first play.

Ridley had been the Titans’ top wide receiver when healthy. In his absence, Elic Ayomanor and Van Jefferson have been the two primary receivers on the outside, while Chimere Dike has played in the slot. All three have played significant snaps in two-receiver sets, while the Titans changed which two receivers were the primary receivers from one week to the next.

Ridley started the game in a snap out of 11 personnel, while Ayomanor was the other outside receiver and Dike in the slot. After the injury, Tennessee was back to using Ayomanor, Jefferson and Dike in three-receiver sets. Jefferson and Ayomanor were the two receivers in 12 personnel, while both played four of five snaps over the first three drives. This was notable after Dike had that role each of the last two weeks.

Dike suffered a concussion on the Titans’ third drive, and he was unable to return. Mason Kinsey became the Titans’ slot receiver over the rest of the game. Ayomanor also briefly exited the game due to injury, but he was able to finish the game. The Titans turned to more 12-personnel sets while Ayomanor was out, as the Titans didn’t have any other wide receivers healthy on the roster.

Jefferson was the Titans’ best wide receiver this week with three receptions for 22 yards and a touchdown. The Titans play the Seattle Seahawks next week, so it’s best to leave all of the Titans’ wide receivers on the bench. Two of their following three matchups are favorable, and ideally, Dike will be healthy by then. Dike has been the Titans’ highest graded receiver and leads the wide receiver room in receptions and receiving yards since Week 5. If you need to pick up any wide receiver from the Titans, it should be Dike despite his concussion.

Jayden Higgins’ playing time remains on the rise: Higgins played over 50% of the offensive snaps in 11 personnel for the first time in a game where Nico Collins was healthy.

The Texans have generally used Nico Collins in both two- and three-receiver sets, while Higgins joined Collins in two-receiver sets, and Xavier Hutchinson and joined as a slot receiver in three-receiver sets. Higgins was playing between 19-38% of the 11-personnel snaps over the first month of the season. That rate increased between Weeks 5-8 because Collins missed some time due to injury.

Higgins was back down to 40.4% of the 11-personnel snaps in Week 9. Last week, Houston shifted to using rookies more often, including Woody Marks becoming the lead running back, and Jaylin Noel splitting snaps with Christian Kirk in the slot. Higgins played 46.6% of the snaps in 11 personnel last week, which was previously his most in a game where Collins was healthy. He also played a season-high 94.1% of the snaps in two-receiver sets.

This week, he dropped back down to 83.3% of the snaps in two-receiver sets, which is right around his season average. However, in three-receiver sets, he played 52.9%, cutting into the playing time of both Collins and Hutchinson. Higgins was the second-most productive Texans wide receiver in this game, finishing with four receptions for a career-high 55 yards.

It is still too early to put Higgins in fantasy starting lineups, but there is still a chance Higgins plays notably more snaps in 11 personnel, making him a potential fantasy starter.

Miscellaneous notes

• Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has missed back-to-back games due to a concussion. Houston plays again on Thursday Night Football, so there is a chance Stroud misses another game.
• Woody Marks remained the Texans’ lead running back for a second straight week, running 18 times for 44 yards. His playing time wasn’t as dominant as last week but playing 65% of the offensive snaps is still a respectable mark for a starting running back.
• Halfback Dameon Pierce didn’t dress (coach’s decision) after appearing last week.
• Houston fullback Jakob Johnson was activated off injured reserve on Saturday. He was dealing with a hamstring injury. He was able to practice in full all week.
• Last week, slot receiver Jaylin Noel played nearly as many offensive snaps as Christian Kirk. This week, Kirk played two offensive snaps for every one by Noel, who ended up with twice as many receiving yards as Kirk despite the playing time difference.
• Wide receiver Braxton Berrios was inactive this week. He showed up on the injury report due to a quadricep injury, but he was a full participant in practice all week. He is the sixth wide receiver on the depth chart, so it’s possible he would have been inactive even if he were healthy.
• Houston tight end Dalton Schultz didn’t practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to a shoulder injury, but he was able to practice in full on Friday.
• The Texans placed tight end Harrison Bryant on injured reserve on Saturday due to a neck injury. He had spent most of the season as the Texans’ second option at tight end.
• Tight end Cade Stover was activated off injured reserve on Saturday after returning to practice on a limited basis on Wednesday. He played 57.1% of the Texans’ offensive snaps in Week 1 but hadn’t played since then. He took a few snaps from Schultz on early downs, which is the same role Bryant had before his injury.
• Texans’ kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn didn’t practice all week due to a right quadricep injury. He was ruled out on Friday.
• The split in snaps between Titans running backs Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears was very similar to past weeks, as Pollard played 65% of the offensive snaps on early downs, while Spears took nearly all of the third-down and two-minute drill snaps, leading Spears to play more offensive snaps. This led to Spears having more fantasy value, which has become typical.
• Titans running back Kalel Mullings returned to practice from injured reserve on Monday. He was limited in practice all week, but he wasn’t activated to the 53-man roster.
• The Titans placed wide receiver Bryce Oliver on injured reserve on Saturday. He had missed the last seven games due to a knee injury.
• Tennessee’s tight end Chig Okonkwo was limited all week due to a foot injury, but he was able to play.
• The Titans used more two-tight-end sets than usual this week due to their injuries at wide receiver, allowing Gunnar Helm to play over 60% of the offensive snaps for the second time in his career. He was third in the team in receiving with four receptions for 29 yards.

San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals

Monitor Emari Demercado’s health: The Cardinals’ receiving back suffered an ankle injury early in the second quarter and didn’t return.

Bam Knight and Demercado have been the Cardinals’ top two running backs in recent weeks. Demercado ran 18 times for 143 yards over the last two weeks, leading Arizona to use him more in the run game early. Demercado ran five times on the first four drives compared to Knight’s four runs. The two were even in terms of offensive snaps before Demercado’s injury. 

After Demercado’s injury, Michael Carter was much more involved in the offense. Knight was limited in practice all week due to an ankle injury and was questionable, but he was active. The injury also likely contributed to Carter’s playing time. The Cardinals were also down by multiple scores throughout the second half, leading Arizona to focus on its receiving back. Knight ended the day with five carries for 24 yards and a touchdown, while Carter had five receptions for 22 yards.

Fantasy managers and Cardinals fans are awaiting Trey Benson‘s return, as he has been on injured reserve. He last played in Week 4, and the expected return was initially four to six weeks, so we have reached the end of that prediction. If Benson isn’t back, we should expect Knight to remain the primary early-down back, while either Demercado or Carter is the receiving back.

Arizona digs down the wide receiver depth chart: The Cardinals didn’t have three of their top five wide receivers for this game.

The Cardinals placed wide receivers Zay Jones and Simi Fehoko on injured reserve on Wednesday. Jones has typically been their third wide receiver, while Fehoko’s 37 offensive snaps on the season were fifth-most for Cardinals wide receivers. While those injuries will hurt the Cardinals in the long run, they were more significantly impacted this week because top wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. was out after undergoing appendicitis surgery.

On the bright side, Xavier Weaver returned after missing last week due to an ankle injury. They also signed Andre Baccellia off their practice squad on Wednesday after placing the two receivers on injured reserve.

Wilson was the Cardinals’ top receiver, finishing with 15 receptions for 185 yards. He played the X-receiver role, which is typically where Harrison plays. Weaver moved up to second on the depth chart with Harrison out but only caught two passes for 15 yards. Once Harrison is back, we can expect Weaver to fall to fourth. Greg Dortch became the Cardinals’ slot receiver in three-receiver sets. He caught six passes for 66 yards and a touchdown. We can expect his playing time to continue going forward, but it’s unlikely the Cardinals will keep having as much passing production.

The Cardinals have a rough schedule during the fantasy playoffs, but they face the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Rams again over the next three weeks. It could be worth picking up Wilson, especially if Harrison misses more time.

The 49ers continue shifting to a two-back committee: Brian Robinson Jr.’s playing time has been increasing while Christian McCaffrey’s has been declining.

McCaffrey has been excellent for fantasy managers this season thanks to his receiving production. His 69 receptions over the first 10 weeks were the second-most for all players regardless of position, as De’Von Achane’s 49 were the second-most among running backs. However, McCaffrey had been disappointing as a runner. He averaged 3.5 yards per carry on the season, and he accumulated worse than 3.2 yards per carry in seven of 10 games. This has led to more carries for Robinson and fewer for McCaffrey over the last month.

That trend continued this week, as McCaffrey played only 70.9% of the offensive snaps. Part of that was due to garbage time, but 77.1% before garbage time was still notably less than his season average. McCaffrey ran 13 times in this game, compared to Robinson’s eight. However, McCaffrey had his best game as a runner this week, finishing with 13 carries for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Robinson only gained 24 yards on his eight carries. McCaffrey also caught five passes for 40 yards and a receiving touchdown.

The 49ers limiting McCaffrey’s playing time may have helped his efficiency, and the 49ers continue to play Robinson more than earlier in the season. It’s also possible the 49ers will go back to McCaffrey playing over 85% of the offensive snaps, like early in the season, now that he is playing better as a runner. Regardless, McCaffrey will remain a must-start option.

Ricky Pearsall returns for the 49ers: The former first-round pick had missed five straight games due to a knee injury.

He was limited on Wednesday and Thursday, upgraded to full on Friday and wasn’t given a game status. He was the 49ers’ clear top wide receiver over the first five weeks, playing 81.7% of the 49ers’ offensive snaps during that time. He was second on the team in receptions and receiving yards at that point, only trailing Christian McCaffrey. In recent weeks, Jauan Jennings and Kendrick Bourne have been the 49ers’ top wide receivers, while Demarcus Robinson joined them in three-receiver sets. Last week, Skyy Moore notably started cutting into Bourne’s playing time.

Pearsall was immediately back to being a top-two receiver, playing 92.3% of the snaps in three-receiver sets and 70.7% in two-receiver sets. However, he wasn’t as involved in the passing game, catching one pass for no gain. Jennings remained the other primary receiver, leading the 49ers’ wide receivers in receiving production with four receptions for 54 yards. Robinson remained the third receiver in three-receiver sets and was Jennings’ backup. This meant Bourne fell to fourth on the depth chart. He was Pearsall’s backup in both two- and three-receiver sets. Bourne can be dropped in any league where he is still rostered.

After Pearsall wasn’t involved in the passing game this week, it might be best to leave him on the bench in fantasy leagues until he sees a higher target share. However, Pearsall should remain on fantasy rosters, given the 49ers’ great schedule during the fantasy playoffs.

Miscellaneous notes

• Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett set an NFL record with 47 completions on 57 attempts. We should not expect the Cardinals to be this pass-heavy going forward.
• The Cardinals activated tight end Pharaoh Brown from the practice squad for this game on Saturday.
• San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy was back in the lineup after missing his fifth straight game due to a toe injury. He was able to practice in full on Thursday and Friday.
• The 49ers waived quarterback Adrian Martinez on Saturday with Purdy back. He will presumably sign with the 49ers’ practice squad on Monday.
• 49ers’ rookie wide receiver Jordan Watkins was a healthy scratch with Pearsall back in the lineup. He had played 17 total offensive snaps, all in the previous three weeks.

Seattle Seahawks @ Los Angeles Rams

The Rams abandon their running back rotation: Kyren Williams and Blake Corum have rotated by drive for the last two games.

Williams has been the clear starter in recent years, but Corum was playing too well in his limited time to keep him off the field. Corum was playing two or three drives per game. Williams had been the more consistent runner, including a higher rate of gaining at least five yards on runs, but Corum was the more explosive player. Corum gained at least 10 yards on 17.9% of his runs compared to Williams’ 9.6%. Similarly, Corum gained at least 15 yards on 6% of his runs, compared to Williams’ 2.1%.

This left the two running backs in a simple rotation by drive over the last two weeks, as Williams took the first drive, Corum took the second, and so on. Williams was still the better fantasy option because the Rams were willing to have Williams end the first half as well as start the second half. The Rams followed a similar rotation in the first half, as Williams took the first and third drives, while Corum took the second and fourth. The Rams had 17 plays for 133 yards on Williams’ two drives and seven plays for four yards on Corum’s two drives. That includes Williams simply playing better, as he totaled six carries for 77 yards in the first half, while Corum had five carries for nine yards.

The Rams continued their rotation by drive to start the second half, but then Williams played four of the last five drives of the game. The Rams similarly tried a rotation by drive earlier in the season, but then Williams outplayed Corum, so Williams went back to playing a clear majority of the snaps. It will be interesting to see how the Rams rotate their running backs next week. Williams has been a fantasy starter despite the rotation, so he can safely remain in fantasy starting lineups. Corum remains an interesting waiver-wire target, but his value could quickly disappear.

Monitor Xavier Smith’s health: Smith was evaluated for a concussion in the first quarter and didn’t return.

The Rams had recently settled into Davante Adams, Puka Nacua and Jordan Whittington as their top three receivers, while Konata Mumpfield played in most 13 personnel plays, and Smith was a top backup. Tutu Atwell was a bigger part of the rotation, but he is on injured reserve. Last week, Whittington was on the injury report due to a back injury. While he played, Smith was the third receiver in three-receiver sets. 

This week, Whittington wasn’t on the injury report to start the week. He showed up on the injury report on Thursday due to a back injury but was a full participant both Thursday and Friday, and wasn’t given a game status. Despite this, Smith and Whittington rotated in three-receiver sets. Smith played more in pass situations, while Whittington played more in run situations. Smith suffered a concussion early in the game, leading Whittington to take over as the third receiver for the rest of the game.

The Rams also made a change in single-receiver sets, as Adams played 68.4% of those snaps. He had taken only 21.4% of those snaps over the first 10 weeks. This left both Mumpfield and Nacua playing a little less than usual. Adams caught only one pass for a one-yard touchdown. Nacua was the only Rams player with more than 25 receiving yards.

Monitor Tyler Higbee’s health: The Rams’ top receiving tight end suffered an ankle injury and didn’t return.

The Rams have spent the last four weeks using a four-man rotation at tight end, and all four players have played between 37-55% of the offensive snaps. Higbee has played nearly half of the snaps in all personnel groupings. Colby Parkinson has rotated with Higbee in 11 personnel on early downs, while Terrance Ferguson has rotated with him in 11 personnel on third downs and in 13 personnel. Davis Allen and Parkinson have consistently played in 13 personnel, while Allen and Ferguson have been the tight ends in 12 personnel.

That kind of rotation continued over the first three quarters prior to Higbee’s injury. After the injury, the players who were rotating with Higbee simply took over those jobs. Parkinson played more snaps on early downs, while Ferguson played more on third downs and 13 personnel. Even if Higbee misses time, this will be a three-man rotation, and it will be best to avoid for fantasy purposes.

The Seahawks adjust with multiple wide receiver injuries: Seattle hasn’t had most of its primary backup wide receivers in recent weeks.

Tory Horton has been the Seahawks’ third wide receiver when healthy, but he has missed back-to-back games due to groin and shin injuries. He was limited in practice on Wednesday but wasn’t able to practice on Thursday or Friday. Typical fourth receiver Jake Bobo was inactive due to a calf injury, his third straight absence. He was a full participant in practice all week, which could suggest he will be a healthy inactive going forward. Dareke Young also recently landed on injured reserve. They are three of the six Seahawks wide receivers who have played at least 25 snaps this season.

Luckily, Cooper Kupp was a full participant all week after dealing with hamstring and wrist injuries and wasn’t given a game status. He missed the game two weeks ago and was able to play last week but on a limited basis. Jay Glazer reported before the game that he would be a “full go” this week. This was Rashid Shaheed’s second game with the team, and his first one with a whole week of practice.

This week, the Seahawks’ wide receiver rotation looked normal, but Shaheed taking Horton’s spot as the third receiver. Kupp and Smith-Njigba both played over 97% of the snaps in 11 personnel and at least 70% in 12 personnel. Shaheed played over three-quarters of the 11 personnel snaps and 30% in 12 personnel. Smith-Njigba posted another 100-yard game, but Kupp and Shaheed didn’t have much fantasy production. This meant Shaheed played more than last week, but it will be difficult to trust him in this role. Once Horton is back, he will either have a minimal role or he will cut into Shaheed or Kupp’s playing time. At this point, it seems like Horton won’t have much of a role, despite scoring two touchdowns in his last game.

Miscellaneous notes

• Los Angeles’ wide receiver Davante Adams didn’t practice on Wednesday and was limited in practice on Thursday and Friday due to an oblique injury. He was initially ruled questionable, but was able to play.
• The Rams activated kicker Harrison Mevis from the practice squad for this game on Saturday and played him instead of Joshua Karty for a second straight game.
• Seahawks tight end AJ Barner had the best game of his career with 10 receptions for 70 yards. He is an intriguing fantasy option due to his talent, his big game potential as a receiver, his rushing with the tush push and being an end-zone threat, but he’s yet to do all of that together in the same game or with enough consistency to trust him in fantasy starting lineups.

Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns

Ravens adjust without Justice Hill: Baltimore’s receiving back was inactive this week due to a toe injury.

Baltimore has spent the last two seasons with Derrick Henry as its early down back and Hill as its receiving back. Hill had last missed time late last season, which left Henry playing more than usual, and Keaton Mitchell also took on an expanded role. This week, Mitchell was also not 100%, as he was limited in practice on Wednesday due to an ankle injury. Rasheen Ali was a healthy inactive for the first time last week, but he was back to being active this week.

Ali was the running back taking over Hill’s spot, playing 75% of the third-down snaps and 100% of the two-minute drill snaps. Mitchell also played more than usual, but that was at Henry’s expense, rather than due to the Hill injury. Henry only played 60% of the early-down snaps, which was notably lower than his 71.8% season average prior to this game. Mitchell ran a season-high six times for 31 yards while catching two passes for 23 yards. Henry was also very effective in the run game with 18 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown, but a lot of that came from a 59-yard carry.

Henry remains a must-start fantasy option, but there is a chance he and Mitchell could be near even in carries if there is a game where the Ravens are dominating and pull their starters early.

Baltimore was also without Rashod Bateman: Bateman couldn’t practice all week due to an ankle injury and was ruled out on Friday.

Baltimore has spent the last several weeks with Zay Flowers and Bateman as its top two wide receivers, while DeAndre Hopkins joined them for three-receiver sets. Tylan Wallace has been the Ravens’ fourth receiver, mostly playing in single-receiver sets. LaJohntay Wester has been the fifth receiver and special teams player. Former fourth-round pick Devontez Walker showed some sparks in the first few weeks, but Hopkins was playing too well to keep him off the field in three-receiver sets, so Walker had been a healthy inactive for the last four games. With Bateman out this week, Walker was active.

Hopkins played significantly more snaps, playing 64.7% of the snaps in two-receiver sets. Wallace had rotated with Hopkins in three-receiver sets early in the season and played nearly every snap in three-receiver sets this week. Walker was the primary player rotating with Hopkins.

None of this led to any receiving production. Hopkins caught one pass for 11 yards, while the Ravens’ top six receivers were Flowers, their top two tight ends, and their three running backs. All of these wide receivers should be left on the waiver wire, outside of Flowers.

Jamari Thrash was a healthy inactive for Cleveland: Thrash started the season as the Browns’ top slot receiver.

Cleveland started the year with Jerry Jeudy as their X receiver, Cedric Tillman at Z and Thrash in the slot. Undrafted rookie Isaiah Bond started to emerge as a threat to Thrash’s playing time, but an injury to Tillman allowed both Bond and Thrash to continue playing significant snaps. Tillman returned to the lineup for the first time last week, but Bond was inactive due to a foot injury. In that game, Thrash was rotating with Malachi Corley.

Bond was limited in practice to start the week but able to practice in full on Friday. Cleveland also signed Kaden Davis off its own practice squad on Wednesday. The combination of healthy wide receivers left Thrash inactive for the first time this season.

This left Cleveland with Jeudy and Tillman as the main receivers, like usual, while Bond rotated with Corley as the third receiver in three-receiver sets. Tillman led the team in receiving with three receptions for 52 yards. He is worth considering off the waiver wire. The Browns have the best schedule for wide receivers over the last six weeks of the fantasy season. Each of their next four opponents ranks in the top 12 in allowing fantasy points to wide receivers. In the fantasy championship round, he faces the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have allowed the most fantasy points to wide receivers.

Miscellaneous notes

• Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson (knee) and tight end Isaiah Likely (hip) were limited in practice to start the week but could practice in full by the end of the week and weren’t given game day statuses.
• Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion, leading Shedeur Sanders to take over at quarterback for the rest of the game.
• Rookie running back Dylan Sampson played over 50% of the third-down snaps for the first time last week, but Jerome Ford was back to being the third-down back this week.
• Browns’ tight end Harold Fannin Jr. was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday and upgraded to full on Friday. He was dealing with a hamstring injury. Cleveland still opted to make Brenden Bates active after he was a healthy inactive last week.
• David Njoku played 77.8% of the third-down snaps out of 11 personnel, the most for him in a game since Week 2.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos

The Broncos adjust without J.K. Dobbins: The Broncos’ starting running back needs surgery on his left foot and will miss the rest of the season.

Denver had spent the entire season with Dobbins as its lead running back, second-round rookie R.J. Harvey as the backup and Tyler Badie as the third-down back. Jaleel McLaughlin had been a significant part of the Broncos’ offense in 2023 and 2024, finishing with 906 rushing yards over the two seasons, but he has spent nearly all of the season as a healthy inactive. With Dobbins out, McLaughlin was active, and he will likely be active over the rest of the season.

Harvey dominated early-down snaps, but this didn’t lead to a great stat line. He ran 11 times for 30 yards and caught three passes for 20 yards. McLaughlin only played eight snaps, but he received the ball on seven of them. He ran six times for 19 yards and a touchdown and caught a pass for a five-yard loss. While McLaughlin scored the touchdown, Harvey played two of the three goal-line snaps. Badie played notably fewer snaps, as the team turned to fullback Adam Prentice for most third downs. It’s unclear if this was part of this specific game plan or a long-term change.

The snap count distribution suggests that Harvey should be the clear top back going forward. The Broncos have their bye week next week and then matchups against the Washington Commanders and Las Vegas Raiders, where they should be able to run a lot. However, in the fantasy playoffs, they face the Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Chiefs again, which is one of the most difficult three-game stretches for fantasy running backs.

The Broncos make changes at wide receiver: Denver brought back Lil’Jordan Humphrey, who was one of their primary wide receivers last season.

Humphrey served as an early down wide receiver for Denver in 2024. He joined after working with Sean Payton with the New Orleans Saints. Denver moved on from Humphrey in favor of free agent addition Trent Sherfield Sr., who had the early-down role at the start of the season. He was playing at least 20 offensive snaps each week over the first month of the season, but his playing time started to decline in Week 1. He played fewer than 15 snaps in each of the last five games. Humphrey was on the Giants’ practice squad and started multiple games, but Denver was able to add him to the active roster while releasing Sherfield on Saturday.

On top of that, Marvin Mims Jr. returned after missing the last two games due to a concussion. He was a full participant in practice all week. This allowed the Broncos to waive Michael Bandy on Tuesday. He re-signed to the practice squad on Thursday.

Humphrey picked up where Sherfield left off, rather than where he left off last season, playing only nine offensive snaps. The four other receivers’ playing time was relatively normal. Mims played slightly more. Franklin led the team in receiving with four receptions for 84 yards, while Bryant had a career day with five receptions for 82 yards. If anything, we could see the gap between Franklin and Bryant to Mims increase even further going forward.

Kareem Hunt dominates snaps for the Chiefs’ backfield: Isiah Pacheco missed his second-straight game due to a knee injury.

Pacheco wasn’t able to return to practice this week, leaving the team with Hunt and seventh-round rookie Brashard Smith for a second-straight week. The Chiefs elevated Clyde Edwards-Helaire from the practice squad in Week 9 to be the third back. This week, they made Elijah Mitchell active for the first time this season.

Last week, Hunt played 78.3% of the offensive snaps compared to Smith’s 20%. Hunt ran the ball 11 times for 49 yards, while Smith ran three times for seven yards. This week, the splits were even more extreme, as Hunt went up to 80% while Smith went down to 17.1%. Mitchell also played 10% of the offensive snaps. Hunt was the only Chiefs running back to have a carry, finishing with 13 carries for 59 yards and a touchdown. Smith caught two passes for eight yards.

Smith can be dropped in any redraft league where he is still rostered. Even if Pacheco continues to miss time and Hunt suffers an injury, it wouldn’t be surprising if Mitchell or Edwards-Helaire ends up leading the team in carries, or the Chiefs use a three-man rotation. Hunt remains a viable fantasy option for as long as Pacheco is out.

Miscellaneous notes

• Denver tight end Nate Adkins was again inactive due to a knee injury, leading the Broncos to activate Marcedes Lewis from the practice squad for a third straight game. The Broncos are trusting Lewis more in 12 personnel than in the last two weeks, leaving Evan Engram with only 25 offensive snaps, tied for a season-low.
• Chiefs’ wide receiver Xavier Worthy showed up on the injury report on Thursday due to an ankle injury, but he was able to practice in full on Friday. He’s been held under 55 receiving yards in six straight games, including 25 yards in this game, despite being a clear top-two receiver in terms of playing time.
• Chiefs’ wide receiver Jalen Royals didn’t dress (coach’s decision), his third straight absence.

Detroit Lions @ Philadelphia Eagles

The Lions adjust without Sam LaPorta: The Lions’ star tight end landed on injured reserve on Saturday with a back injury.

LaPorta had been Detroit’s clear lead tight end this season, playing 90.4% of the offensive snaps over the first 10 weeks. Brock Wright has served as the No. 2 tight end, playing 100% of the two-tight-end sets and often taking snaps in 11 personnel whenever LaPorta needed a break. Ross Dwelley has functioned as the third tight end, averaging five snaps per game, mostly in three-tight-end sets.

This set up Wright to handle the lead role, but he didn’t practice on Wednesday and was limited on Thursday and Friday with an ankle injury. He entered the week as questionable but was ultimately active. Wright was the clear top tight end, playing all of Detroit’s single and two-tight-end snaps. The Lions used more two-running-back looks than usual and mixed in a few snaps with an extra offensive lineman and no tight end. Dwelley played only in the rare instances Detroit used two tight ends.

Wright saw plenty of targets but finished with just two catches for 8 yards. LaPorta’s absence mostly funneled Detroit’s offense toward its running backs and top two wide receivers. Wright is only worth considering off the waiver wire in deeper leagues with 14 or more fantasy managers.

Saquon Barkley sees a decrease in third-down usage: Barkley has played 50% of snaps or less in three straight games.

Barkley has been the Eagles’ clear lead back all season, with A.J. Dillon, Will Shipley and Tank Bigsby rotating behind him. Shipley suffered an early Week 1 injury and missed several games before being eased back into action, but he has recently emerged as Philadelphia’s primary third-down back. He played 44.4% of the third-down snaps in Week 8, 50% in Week 10 and 50% again in this game.

Barkley was an excellent receiving back as a rookie, but his pass-game involvement has dipped over the last five seasons. He averaged a career-low 17.4 receiving yards per game last year, and while that didn’t hurt his fantasy production thanks to a 2,000-yard rushing season, his reduced efficiency as a runner this year — down 2.0 yards per carry from 2024 — has made the lack of receiving volume more impactful.

Barkley handled 26 carries this week but gained only 83 yards and caught one pass for 7 yards. Fortunately for fantasy managers, this was likely the toughest matchup he will face the rest of the season. Detroit has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to running backs. The Eagles face Dallas next — a defense allowing the second-most, followed by five matchups that range from average to favorable.

Barkley is unlikely to return top-three fantasy value at this point, but he should perform better down the stretch even with his reduced snap share.

Miscellaneous notes

• Philadelphia halfback A.J. Dillon was a healthy inactive, his second straight absence.
• Jahmyr Gibbs set a career high with 107 receiving yards, surpassing his previous mark of 83 from last season.
• Lions running back Jacob Saylors returned after missing Week 10 with a back injury. He was limited in practice all week. Detroit running back Sione Vaki didn’t practice on Wednesday but was limited on Thursday and Friday with an ankle injury. He was questionable for Week 11 but ultimately played.
• Saylors and Vaki, being healthy and active, left Craig Reynolds as a healthy scratch. He played in most of the Lions’ games this season.
• Detroit’s wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa was questionable with an oblique injury that popped up on Saturday, but he played. The Lions activated Tom Kennedy and Jackson Meeks from the practice squad, partially in preparation for TeSlaa missing the game. Since TeSlaa was active, Kennedy was inactive.

Table Notes

• Snaps include plays called back due to penalties, including offensive holding or defensive pass interference. The other three stats have these plays removed.
• Targets may differ from official NFL sources. The most likely discrepancy would be from a clear thrown-away pass, where the NFL may give the target to the nearest receiver, while this data will not.
• Carries are only on designed plays. Quarterback scrambles won’t count for the total number of carries in the game.