Commanders HC Ron Rivera announced rookie QB Sam Howell as the Week 18 starter vs. Dallas. It’ll be the 5th-round pick’s first career start. Howell's a poor bet to perform as a useful QB2, but take note that he posted 828 rushing yards -- 69 per game -- in his final season at UNC.
Bears QB Justin Fields will miss Week 18 with a hip injury. Per HC Matt Eberflus, an MRI showed a hip strain for the young QB. In his place, Chicago will roll out Nathan Peterman. The 28-year-old owns a career completion rate of 52.5% on 141 attempts. The Vikings defense figures to be a chalky option in DFS formats.
The Cowboys waived WR James Washington. A broken right foot suffered on August 1 kept Washington out until Week 14. He ended up going catchless on 15 offensive snaps over the last 4 games, quickly getting passed on the depth chart by WR T.Y. Hilton. Dallas will head into the playoff with CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, Noah Brown and Hilton as its top 4 WRs.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport confirms that Dolphins QB Teddy Bridgewater dislocated his right pinkie in last week's loss to the Patriots. The finger is not broken, though, and "whether he can play this week will come down to swelling and if he can grip the ball well enough to throw," Rapoport adds. We'll keep an eye on Bridgewater's progress over the next few days, leading up to Sunday's must-win game vs. the Jets. If Bridgewater can't go, QB Skylar Thompson will get the start. Miami signed QB Mike Glennon to the practice squad on Wednesday.
Chargers HC Brandon Staley plans to play starters in Sunday's game vs. the Broncos. A win would lock up the AFC's #5 seed for the Chargers, meaning a Round 1 game vs. the Jaguars or Titans. A loss would open the door for the Ravens to take the #5 seed with a win over the Bengals. That'd push the Chargers down to #6 and mean a Round 1 game vs. Cincinnati. “Our approach is definitely going to get shot to win this ballgame and play as well as we can play heading into the playoffs,” Staley said. “I think that there’s certainly an advantage to be in the No. 5-seed, from where I stand, so we’re going to try and get there.” Staley did add that he'd consider sitting banged-up players. But, as of now, we're projecting full playing time for QB Justin Herbert, RB Austin Ekeler and WRs Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.
Bucs HC Todd Bowles plans to play his starters, including QB Tom Brady, in Sunday's regular-season finale vs. the Falcons, despite the Bucs being locked into the NFC's #4 seed. "We can get better at a lot of things, so right now, we plan on playing [Brady]," Bowles said Monday. "We'll see how the week goes going forward, but we can get better at a lot of things that we need to work on, and we don't need our foot off the gas." Bowles added that he'll consider pulling starters in the 2nd half. We'd be surprised if Brady played more than a half and don't expect RB Leonard Fournette or WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to play the entire game, either.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that the Commanders are expected to start QB Taylor Heinicke against Dallas in the season finale. But he adds that rookie QB Sam Howell "is also slated to play." Take this news as an admission from HC Ron Rivera that he was wrong to start Carson Wentz in the Week 17 loss to Cleveland. With Washington now eliminated from playoff contention, though, it would seem to make more sense to just play the rookie the whole way. The reported plan, of course, makes both QBs unusable in fantasy football lineups. And the whole situation adds risk to Washington pass-catchers. We're not changing our outlook for RB Brian Robinson Jr., though. Check out the adjusted Week 18 fantasy football rankings.
Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell said Monday that he won't sit his starters in Sunday's regular-season finale vs. the Bears -- although he added that he could make "more subtle" adjustments to playing time. The Vikings can't get the NFC's #1 seed but are still alive for the #2 seed with a win plus a loss by the 49ers. Minnesota kicks off at 1 pm ET, while 49ers-Cardinals doesn't start until 4:25 pm ET, so there won't be any scoreboard watching going on. It's possible that the Vikings pull guys like QB Kirk Cousins, RB Dalvin Cook, WR Justin Jefferson and TE T.J. Hockenson if they build a big lead, but we're currently projecting full playing time for all of them.
Titans RB Derrick Henry (hip) was a full participant in Tuesday's practice. It's confirmation that he'll be ready for roll for Saturday's must-win game vs. the Jaguars.
Raiders QB Jarrett Stidham (right elbow) was limited in Tuesday's practice. That throwing arm must be a little sore after chucking 34 passes in last week's overtime loss to the 49ers. Stidham should be under center for Saturday's finale vs. the Chiefs, but we'll keep an eye on him over the next few days.
Raiders RB Josh Jacobs (hip, oblique) was limited in Tuesday's practice. The hip and oblique are new issues for Jacobs, who briefly left last week's loss to the 49ers. But the fact that he was out there at all on Tuesday puts him on track to play in Saturday's finale vs. the Chiefs.
Chiefs WR Skyy Moore (hand) did not practice on Tuesday. We don't have any details on his injury, but the rookie is seemingly in danger of missing Saturday's regular-season finale vs. the Raiders. Moore's absence could mean more snaps for WR Kadarius Toney.
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence (toe) did not practice on Tuesday. He, of course, has been playing through this injury since Week 13 and will be out there for Saturday's game vs. the Titans for the AFC South title.
The NFL announced Tuesday that it won't resume the Bills-Bengals game -- halted by S Damar Hamlin's collapse -- this week. The league added that it will keep the Week 18 schedule intact and that no decision has yet been made on how to treat Monday night's game going forward. That means fantasy football leagues and contest providers will either have to wait for further word on the resumption of that contest or figure out alternate solutions. We'll certainly be watching for updates on that front -- as well as, of course, any updates on Hamlin's condition.
Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel conceded Monday that QB Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) is not in the team's Week 18 plans. QB Teddy Bridgewater dislocated his right pinkie in the loss to the Patriots, which seemingly makes QB Skylar Thompson the favorite to start Sunday's must-win game vs. the Jets.
Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury said Monday that X-rays on RB James Conner's shin came back clean and that the injury is "nothing major." It sounds like Conner has a shot to play in this weekend's finale vs. the 49ers -- although it's certainly possible that he's held out of a game that means nothing to Arizona. Conner's absence would leave the Cardinals' backfield to Corey Clement and Keaontay Ingram.
Cowboys RB Tony Pollard (thigh) is expected back at practice on Wednesday, HC Mike McCarthy said. That should put Pollard on track to return for this weekend's regular-season finale vs. the Commanders. Dallas is still alive for the NFC East title, needing a win and an Eagles loss to the Giants.
Cowboys WR T.Y. Hilton went from 1 catch on 12 snaps in his team debut in Week 16 to 4 catches on 22 snaps this past week. “I could see him getting even more this week," HC Mike McCarthy said Monday. "It’s a steady incline." Hilton was still 4th among Dallas WRs in route rate (33%) last week, but it's possible that he passes up Noah Brown for the #3 role by playoff time. Something to keep in mind for your playoff fantasy drafts.
Broncos RB Marlon Mack will miss Sunday's finale vs. the Chargers with the hamstring injury he suffered in Week 17, according to insider Mike Klis. That'll leave Denver's backfield to Latavius Murray and Chase Edmonds. Murray tallied 12 carries and 6 targets to Edmonds' 7 carries and 3 targets in last week's loss to the Chiefs.
49ers HC Kyle Shanahan said Monday that RB Christian McCaffrey is "day to day" with an ankle sprain suffered in the win over the Raiders. The ankle didn't seem to be much of an issue in that one, with McCaffrey going for 193 total yards and a score. We'll keep an eye on him this week, but he should be fine for Sunday's regular-season finale vs. the Cardinals. San Francisco is still alive for the NFC's #1 seed, needing a win plus an Eagles loss to the Giants.
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