Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin (quadriceps) practiced in full on Wednesday and Thursday and has been cleared to play in Week 17 for the big game on Saturday against the Cincinnati Bengals. McLaughlin was inactive for the Week 16 loss to the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers last Thursday. He was Denver's leading rusher the previous two weeks, but even though he's back in a good matchup against Cincy's porous defense this weekend, fantasy managers in championship matchups shouldn't feel comfortable relying on McLaughlin as a low-upside flex play. Denver's offense has improved since the start of the season under rookie QB Bo Nix, but their ground game here merely been mediocre all year. Not to mention, McLaughlin looked like the RB3 some four weeks ago in the Broncos' backfield. There's no guarantee he'll see more than a handful of touches in his return on Saturday.

From RotoBaller

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix is in the QB1 picture for a Week 17 showdown on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday. After a slow start to his rookie season, Nix has come on strong in the second half and is currently the QB11 in overall fantasy points thanks to 3,235 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while also rushing for 352 yards and four additional touchdowns. Nix has been the QB14 in the last five weeks in terms of fantasy points per game (21.4). The 24-year-old is in a situation this weekend to put up strong numbers once again in a big contest with playoff implications for both Denver and Cincy. The matchup is an excellent one for Nix also, as the Bengals defense has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to QBs this year and the seventh-most passing yards per game (231.6). Nix should be considered a top-10 fantasy QB.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Brooks (knee) was upgraded to a limited participant during Thursday's practice session. Brooks sat out of practice to begin the week after missing last week's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Normally, the status of Brooks isn't too important, but he could be in line for a larger workload with fellow wideout CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) done for the season. The 24-year-old hasn't done much this season with 11 receptions for 165 yards and a touchdown in 12 games. He's too risky of a streaming choice to trust in important fantasy championship games this weekend.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert (finger) was a limited participant in practice for the second straight day on Thursday. It appears Tolbert is still dealing with the finger injury that forced him to exit early during last week's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tolbert is likely to see an increased role going forward with fellow wideout CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) done for the season. The 25-year-old has been quiet lately with two receptions or less in each of his last six games. There's some flex appeal here if Tolbert is able to suit up for this weekend's matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.

From RotoBaller

The Los Angeles Rams defense/special teams unit will look to continue its recent improvement this week as the team welcomes the division-rival Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night. Last week, they held the Jets to just nine points in the cold of New York with one sack and two fumble recoveries. The previous week, they held the 49ers to just six points in another low-scoring road game. While they have held opponents to a total of 29 points in their last three road games, they allowed 42 and 37 points in their two most recent home games. They also gave up 41 points to the Cardinals when they met in Week 2. While Kyler Murray's Cards have turned the ball over six times in the last four weeks, they have only allowed six sacks. This could be a tougher matchup than many think, leaving the Rams ranked as the DEF17 this week, right in the middle of the pack. There are worse options to start this week, but there are also plenty of better ones to consider.

From RotoBaller

Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (foot) has been designated to return from the injured reserve on Thursday. Raymond has been out of action since suffering a foot injury in late-November. He returned to practice as a full participant on Thursday. It appears the 30-year-old is trending in the right direction ahead of Monday's game against the San Francisco 49ers. He'll likely need to get through a few more practice sessions before the Lions decide to clear him for game action. If active, Raymond won't be a recommended streaming option as he has basically been depth throughout the season. He doesn't offer enough upside to start in any formats in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (foot) was a full participant during Thursday's practice session. This is good news after Smith sat out of practice to open the week, but a full session puts him in the right direction ahead of Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers. The veteran safety sat out of last week's game due to a foot issue, but could return this weekend. His return to the field would be a huge lift to this secondary. Smith has 79 tackles, nine passes defended, and two interceptions in 14 games this season. If he sits, Jay Ward would likely be asked to start at strong safety.

From RotoBaller

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas is having the best season of his young career. In 15 games, the 25-year-old has 31 catches for 408 yards. He also has six touchdowns, with one occurring in the Week 16 victory over the Cleveland Browns. However, Iosivas has been far from consistent, so he hasn't seen much attention from fantasy managers throughout most of the 2024-25 campaign. With that in mind, Tee Higgins (ankle, knee) may not play in Saturday's game against the Broncos. If that's the case, Iosivas could find himself in the flex conversation, although his presence in fantasy lineups wouldn't be without risk.

From RotoBaller

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase is the best wideout in the National Football League, catching 108 passes for 1,510 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. With the Bengals hoping to secure a spot in the postseason, Cincinnati needs a victory over Denver on Saturday. Without question, the Broncos defense could be a challenge for Chase and the rest of the offense. However, he should remain the preferred target for Joe Burrow (knee, wrist) in the pivotal matchup. Chase could be even more involved if Tee Higgins (ankle, knee) doesn't play.

From RotoBaller

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki had only two catches for 14 yards in the Week 16 win over the Browns. That type of production has been the norm for the 29-year-old for most of the 2024-25 campaign. However, Tee Higgins (ankle, knee) is questionable for Saturday's game against the Broncos, meaning Gesicki and others may need to step up. Considering Gesicki has 26 catches for 312 yards and two touchdowns in five games without Higgins this season, he's worth considering in deeper fantasy setups in Week 17. But Higgins will need to be ruled out first.

From RotoBaller

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown didn't score in the Week 16 win over the Cleveland Browns. However, he's still had a quality year, amassing 923 yards off 209 carries and catching 50 passes for 336 yards. The 24-year-old has also found the end zone 11 times. With the Bengals still looking for a postseason spot, the team needs a win over the Broncos in Week 17. The Denver defense is one of the best units in the National Football League. But Brown should continue to get plenty of work as a runner and receiver, even more so if Tee Higgins (ankle, knee) isn't on the field. Fantasy managers must keep Brown starting in all formats.

From RotoBaller

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (wrist, knee) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice. However, he doesn't carry an injury designation heading into the Saturday's showdown with Denver. With the Bengals still barely alive for a postseason spot, it would take a lot to keep Burrow off the field for the pivotal game against the Broncos. The signal-caller is coming off another quality outing, throwing for 252 yards off 76.7% passing against the Browns. He also tossed three touchdowns for the fifth time in as many weeks. While the Denver defense possesses more of a challenge to Burrow, he's one of the best quarterbacks in the National Football League, keeping him a starting fantasy option for Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker will look for another strong game in a Week 17 matchup against the New England Patriots. Dicker has been a top-five fantasy kicker this season and there's no reason to think he won't end up with a top-10 finish in this game. With the Chargers favored over the Patriots, Dicker should see several chances to put up points, although he's not likely to get another chance at Week 16's exciting fair catch free kick.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Rams kicker Joshua Karty went 2-for-2 on field-goal attempts last week and 1-for-2 on extra-point attempts, but this week, he'll be in much more favorable conditions at home and kicking against the Cardinals, who have been a top-10 matchup for kickers this season. On the year, the rookie from Stanford is 23-for-28 on field-goal attempts and 30-for-34 on extra-point attempts. Despite playing indoors, he has been more productive on the road, partly because he has gotten more road opportunities since the Rams' offense is more effective at SoFi Stadium. Karty is ranked as RotoBaller's No. 16 kicker this week, so in most formats, you can probably find a better option. However, since he ranks in the middle of the pack, he isn't an awful play, either.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer is too risky to trust in a critical Week 17 fantasy week. The Chargers will take on the New England Patriots on Saturday, and while that's a good matchup for Palmer, he's been playing in much more of a support role in the Bolts passing game than anything close to a featured one. He's had one week with double-digit fantasy points in the past seven games, and while he's developed a floor of around three or four fantasy points, that's not something you want to rely on in most league's fantasy championship week. Palmer is best left on the bench or the waiver wire in most formats.

From RotoBaller

The Tennessee Titans signed free-agent kicker Matthew Wright to their practice squad on Thursday. Nick Folk (abdomen) has not practiced this week and is danger of missing another game in Week 17 when the team takes on the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars. Brayden Narveson filled in at kicker in the Week 16 loss to the Indianapolis Colts and missed his only field-goal attempt, which prompted the team to waive him this week. So if Folk is ruled out on Friday, the 28-year-old Wright will be added to the 53-man roster by Saturday to serve as the kicker on Sunday. Wright has appeared in three games in 2024 with the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs and has gone 11-for-12 on field goals and 5-for-5 on extra points. He's been solid in a small sample size but should be ignored in fantasy lineups in Week 17 if Folk is ruled out for Tennessee.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Stone Smartt could remain as the starter in Week 17 against the New England Patriots, but that remains to be seen. Fellow tight ends Will Dissly (shoulder) and Hayden Hurst (illness) are both listed as questionable. Dissly missed the past two games but practiced in full on Thursday after logging two limited practices earlier in the week. Hurst practiced in a limited fashion on Wednesday but was listed as DNP on both Tuesday and Thursday. Dissly would be the bigger threat to Smartt's fantasy value. If Dissly is able to play, Smartt is best left on most fantasy benches, but he could have some lower-end TE1 value if he's the only active tight end on the LA offense.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston will have another good matchup where he can try to find some consistency in Week 17 against the New England Patriots. Johnston has had a boom-or-bust season without too many huge booms. In the past four games, he has either finished as a top-25 fantasy receiver or outside of the top-80. The Patriots defense hasn't done much to slow down opposing wide receivers, so Johnston could find himself in more of a WR2 boom week. His floor is always close to zero, but he should be able to put some points up this week.

From RotoBaller

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tyler Boyd (foot) missed a second straight practice this week on Thursday. Boyd suffered a foot injury in last week's loss to the Indianapolis Colts and is now in danger of having to sit out this Sunday's divisional contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 30-year-old veteran will need to return to practice on Friday to avoid being ruled out entirely. In Tennessee's lackluster offense and low-volume passing attack in 2024, Boyd hasn't really been on the fantasy map while working behind WR1 Calvin Ridley. In 15 games in his first year with the Titans, Boyd has a mere 37 receptions on 53 targets for 376 yards and no touchdowns. He has not had more than six receptions or 55 yards receiving in a single game in 2024. In the last four games, he has just eight catches for 103 yards. Avoid Boyd in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard (foot, hamstring) was listed as a non-participant in practice for the second straight day on Thursday. Shepard is now in danger of sitting out the Week 17 contest against the division-rival Carolina Panthers this Sunday. He will likely need to return to the practice field on Friday to avoid being ruled out entirely. Tight end Cade Otton (knee) also hasn't practiced this week and is on track to miss a second straight game. Shepard injured his hamstring in the Week 16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The 31-year-old missing this weekend's game would mean that Ryan Miller and Trey Palmer would compete for WR3 duties behind Mike Evans and rookie Jalen McMillan. When healthy, Shepard has been a hard sell as a WR4/5, even in deep fantasy leagues. He's scored just once on the year and has two catches for 36 yards in the last two games.

From RotoBaller