Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders (ankle) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice, according to team reporter Mike Kaye. The 27-year-old was recently designated to return from the Injured Reserve list, where he has been since the Week 11 bye. With Chuba Hubbard (knee) and Jonathon Brooks (knee) on Injured Reserve, Sanders could make a fantasy and DFS impact if he returns for the season finale against the Atlanta Falcons. However, he could ultimately share the backfield with Raheem Blackshear and Mike Boone. Either way, none of the Panthers' backs have a ton of upside against a Falcons defense that has allowed the 10th-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson (hamstring) returned to practice this week after being designated to return from Injured Reserve, but he has been ruled out of the Week 18 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The rookie third-round pick out of Michigan will go without a catch in his debut season, which isn't a great sign for his future outlook. However, the Steelers are one of the few organizations to take it slow with first-year players, and his injury misfortunate has also held him back. He can continue to be stashed in deep dynasty leagues, and it will be interesting to see if he can return and make an impact in the NFL postseason.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (ankle/knee) is officially listed as questionable to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero. Higgins turned in limited practices all week due to ankle and knee injuries. However, the former second-round pick was listed as questionable last week and delivered a three-touchdown performance. If the 25-year-old is active on Saturday, he's a clear top-10 wide receiver option for fantasy football and DFS purposes. If he cannot go, No. 3 wide receiver Andrei Iosivas could be a strong value pick in DFS contests.

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Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy declined to name a starting quarterback for the Week 18 game against the Washington Commanders. The team has rolled with Cooper Rush since Dak Prescott (hamstring) was placed on Injured Reserve after the Week 9 game against the Atlanta Falcons. Rush has delivered mixed performances and has completed 60.7% of his passes for 1,844 yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions. The veteran could earn a $250,000 bonus if he plays 55% of the team's snaps this season, and the game on Sunday could put him over that mark. That said, the team might opt to use Week 18 as an evaluation game for backup quarterback Trey Lance, the former No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

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Dynasty | Vikings running back Aaron Jones wants to stay in Minnesota beyond this season. Dynasty Analysis: Jones was signed to a one-year $7 million "prove it" contract and, well, proved it with over 1,000 rushing yards, 46 catches, nearly 400 receiving yards and seven touchdowns with a game to play. The Vikings have some serious decisions to make in regards to their offense as both Jones and Sam Darnold proved to be amazing veteran additions. At this point, it would be surprising to see Minnesota just let him leave in free agency unless he was somehow offered a high-money multi-year deal somewhere else, which seems unlikely given his age. Jones is a solid veteran in dynasty leagues and should retain his value regardless of what happens here moving forward.

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Cleveland Browns running backs Jerome Ford (ankle) and Pierre Strong Jr. (concussion) have both been ruled out for the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens on Saturday. Ford sprained his ankle in the Week 17 loss to the Miami Dolphins and will be unavailable to play in the final game of the season. With Nick Chubb (foot) getting a late start in 2024 while recovering from a gruesome knee injury he suffered in 2023, Ford opened 2024 as Cleveland's RB1 and will finish the year as their leading rusher with 104 rushing attempts for 565 yards (5.4 yards per carry) and a team-high-tying three rushing touchdowns. With both Ford and Strong out this weekend, D'Onta Foreman will be in play as a low-upside RB3/flex for fantasy managers as the team's lead back. John Kelly should serve as his backup.

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Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (knee) did not play last week against the Kansas City Chiefs after suffering a knee injury in the Week 16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. However, the second-year defensive back said he is ready to play against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18. Porter is Pittsburgh's top cover corner, and although the team has already qualified for the playoffs, there's a small chance the Steelers can clinch the AFC North on Saturday. Needless to say, getting him back for a pivotal season finale and postseason push is great news for Mike Tomlin.

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Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (knee) missed practice all week and has officially been ruled out for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Saturday against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens. Njoku will end up missing three of the final four games of the 2024 season and finish with 64 receptions for 505 yards and five touchdowns in 11 starts after making his first Pro Bowl in 2023. While Njoku's numbers were a disappointment after what he did last year, his numbers were still good enough to make him a weekly TE1 in fantasy despite Cleveland's ongoing struggles at the quarterback position. The 28-year-old should remain in the TE1 picture in fantasy heading into next year despite questions about whether Deshaun Watson (Achilles) will even be the starter under center. Jordan Akins will have a bigger role yet again in Week 18 and will be a TE2 sleeper in DFS lineups.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (illness) returned to practice on Thursday, but rookie wideout Ja'Lynn Polk (shoulder) is still not on the practice field as the team continues preparing to face the division-rival Buffalo Bills in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday. None of New England's receivers have been reliable fantasy contributors in one of the league's lowest-scoring offenses in 2024. The Patriots can secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft if they lose on Sunday, so they probably won't rush any injured skill players onto the field this weekend. In his second year in the NFL, Boutte has improved with a 36-472-2 line on 61 targets over 14 games (12 starts). Polk, meanwhile, has been much less involved as a rookie, catching 12 of 33 targets for only 87 yards and two TDs in 15 games (seven starts).

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Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (ankle) is trending toward missing the Week 18 regular-season finale on Saturday against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens after missing a third straight practice on Thursday. Pierre Strong Jr. (concussion) has also missed practice all week for the Browns, so it will likely be D'Onta Foreman serving as Cleveland's leading ball-carrier this weekend, with John Kelly in line to serve as his primary backup. The Browns will release their final Week 18 injury report later on Thursday, with both Ford and Strong likely being ruled out for a meaningless game for the Browns. In a game that the Browns will most likely have negative game script, Foreman shouldn't be viewed as anything more than a low-upside RB3/flex for fantasy lineups. The 28-year-old saw 13 carries for 49 yards (3.8 yards per tote) last week when Ford injured his ankle.

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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (knee) warmed up inside with the team for the first time on Thursday since injuring his knee in the Week 16 win over the New Orleans Saints, but he didn't come outside with the rest of the team to practice. It appears that Watson is making some progress with his bruised left knee, but it may not be enough for the Packers to feel comfortable throwing him out there in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Chicago Bears. The 25-year-old does have one more day of practice on Friday, though. Given Watson's lengthy injury history, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Green Bay rest him for a second straight game so that he can be closer to full strength for the start of the playoffs next week. If Watson is ruled out on Friday, it will mean more targets for receivers Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks and tight end Tucker Kraft.

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New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (hamstring) and defensive lineman Quinnen Williams (hamstring) were both missing from practice on Thursday for the second straight day this week. Gardner was injured in the Week 16 loss to the Los Angeles Rams and didn't play in last Sunday's blowout loss to the division-rival Buffalo Bills. Meanwhile, Williams sat out in Week 16 but returned to action against Buffalo. With the Jets playing out the string in a disappointing season, both Gardner and Williams could be held out this weekend if they aren't 100 percent. It would be more bad news for a Jets defense that has really underwhelmed in 2024. New York will be facing a Miami Dolphins team in Week 18 that is still trying to keep their playoff hopes alive, so fantasy managers should be looking to avoid the Jets' defense/special teams unit.

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Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (knee) is missing his third straight practice of the week on Thursday, which suggests he'll be ruled out again for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Saturday against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens. If Njoku is officially ruled out on Thursday, he will have missed three of the final four games of the season due to injury. The 28-year-old has been a top-10 fantasy TE this year in terms of average half-PPR points per game (7.3) thanks to 64 catches on 97 targets for 505 yards and five touchdowns in his 11 games played. In what is expected to be a blowout loss to the Ravens, backup tight end Jordan Akins could rack up some notable garbage production this weekend if Njoku is inactive. In the Week 17 loss to the Miami Dolphins, Akins had season-highs in catches (six), targets (eight) and receiving yards (49).

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New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin (calf) is missing a second straight practice this week on Thursday. Conklin picked up a calf injury in the Week 17 blowout loss to the division-rival Buffalo Bills and is now trending toward missing the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Miami Dolphins unless he can return to practice on Friday. The 29-year-old is coming off a season-high eight-catch performance last Sunday in which he also recorded 57 receiving yards and his third touchdown of the year. The Jets have nothing to play for this weekend, so it's unlikely they'll try to force Conklin out onto the field if he's not 100 percent. If he is not active for what could be quarterback Aaron Rodgers' final game in the NFL, Jeremy Ruckert and Kenny Yeboah would battle for TE1 duties in New York.

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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (back) didn't have his helmet on and wasn't seen stretching with the other QBs on Thursday, so it's looking like he's in line to miss a second straight practice as the team prepares for the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars. Richardson missed the Week 17 loss to the New York Giants, which eliminated the Colts from the postseason, due to pretty serious back spasms. He has been feeling much better this week, though, and the Colts are hopeful he can play in the final game of the year. However, with two DNPs to open the week, Richardson is far from a lock to be available on Sunday for fantasy managers in an excellent matchup. With many starting QBs resting this weekend, Richardson would have QB1 upside if he's active, but he'd also be a big risk due to a back injury that he's had issues with since high school.

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Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill (concussion, illness) missed the team's final practice of the week on Thursday, meaning it's likely he'll be inactive for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Saturday against the division-rival Cleveland Browns, which would lead to a bigger role for Keaton Mitchell. Hill did not suit up for the Week 17 blowout win over the Houston Texans on Christmas Day last Wednesday. Head coach John Harbaugh said earlier this week that the team was expecting the 27-year-old pass-catching RB to return to action for the final regular season game, but after three missed practices, Baltimore will most likely list Hill as out on the final injury report on Thursday. Mitchell would see change-of-pace work behind starter Derrick Henry if Hill is out again on Saturday but would be a stretch as a starting lineup option in fantasy.

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Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said that he would like another shot at a head-coaching gig "at some point" when asked about it during a press conference. The Commanders' season isn't over heading into the Week 18 regular-season finale this Sunday against the division-rival Dallas Cowboys after they clinched a playoff berth with a victory in overtime over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 17. However, with several head-coaching positions expected to become available on Black Monday, Kingsbury's name is already floating around as a candidate after the impressive work he's done with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels in 2024. The Chicago Bears make the most sense because of the fact that Kingsbury worked with quarterback Caleb Williams in 2023 at USC. The Bears will surely be looking for an offensive mind who can get Williams right, but it's unclear if Kingsbury will be their guy.

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ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Daniel Oyefusi write that the Cleveland Browns are expected to look at "any veteran quarterback with starter's talent" this offseason, including Falcons QB Kirk Cousins, according to a team source. Cutting Deshaun Watson (Achilles) now would cost the team $92 million in cash and $119 million in dead salary cap money if he was designated as a post-June 1 release. A recent restructure of his contract allows the Browns to push Watson's dead cap figure into 2030 and signals he'll likely be on the roster next year. With Watson having been available in just 19 regular-season games since 2021, it's clear Cleveland's goal will be to strengthen their QB room this offseason. The working leaguewide theory is that the Browns will keep Watson for one more year and have him battle it out for the starting job with a veteran and/or draft pick.

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Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown (ankle) will be a game-time decision for Saturday's Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Head coach Zac Taylor said, "We'll see," when asked about Brown's status this weekend. Brown will almost certainly be listed as questionable on Thursday's final injury report after he did not practice all week following a mild high-ankle sprain in the Week 17 victory over the Denver Broncos last Saturday. The 24-year-old has been a top-12 fantasy RB this year, but anyone still playing for something in redraft leagues might have to look elsewhere at the position this week. If active, Brown could cede more work to backup Khalil Herbert and could be less productive in a tough matchup on the road against one of the better defenses in the NFL. Herbert will have RB2 upside on volume alone if Brown is ruled out.

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Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett could be playing in his final game with Seattle in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams, but he plans to continue his career in 2025. The 32-year-old former third-round pick in 2015 out of Kansas State has seen his role shrink to WR3 for the Seahawks in 2024 due to the emergence of second-year wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba. After reaching the 1,000-yard milestone four straight years from 2019-2022, Lockett had 894 receiving yards last year and currently is sitting on 572 yards and only two touchdowns on 47 receptions in 16 games this year. Lockett is the franchise's second-leading receiver in catches, yards and touchdowns, but he has accepted his role as more of a facilitator for both JSN and DK Metcalf. With a salary cap hit of $30.8 million in 2025, it's unlikely Lockett will stick around in Seattle.

From RotoBaller