Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (knee) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 17 matchup against the Miami Dolphins. This doesn't come as a shock given the fact Njoku has been unable to practice all week. He tweaked his knee last week and appears to still be dealing with the issue. The Browns aren't in the playoff hunt anyway, so they don't have much of an incentive to get Njoku out there. Jordan Akins figures to serve as the primary tight end with Njoku sidelined. Akins has finished with one reception or less in three of his last four games. He's not a recommended streaming option for important fantasy playoff games this weekend.

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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman (concussion) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 17 matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Tillman was able to get through some limited practice sessions this week, but it wasn't enough to clear him for this weekend. Now, Tillman will miss his fifth game in a row due to a concussion. The absence of Tillman should mean that Michael Woods II should start alongside Elijah Moore and Jerry Jeudy. Woods was held without a catch last week and he hasn't done much with his other starts. Fantasy managers can look elsewhere for help ahead of this Week 17 contest.

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Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (ankle) was not seen at the portion of Friday's practice that was open to the media. Unless Pollard returned to the practice field after the media left, he will have missed practice all week, putting his availability firmly in doubt for Sunday's divisional matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Fantasy managers will want to check back for the 27-year-old status on the final injury report for Week 17 on Friday, but there's a possibility that he'll be ruled out entirely. If that happens, Tyjae Spears will operate as Tennessee's lead back and will have clear RB2 upside in a plus-plus matchup against the Jags' terrible defense. Pollard played in last week's loss to the Colts despite not practice all week, but he played just 39% of the snaps. He'll be a shaky RB3/flex for fantasy managers if he plays this weekend. Spears has four touchdowns in the last two games.

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Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen said that quarterback Anthony Richardson (back, foot) is questionable to play on Sunday in Week 17 against the hosting New York Giants. "We'll see how the next 48 hours go," Steichen said. It's notable that Richardson did not practice at all this week. Apparently he won't need to practice in order to play on Sunday, but it's not a great sign for fantasy managers that were hoping to use the second-year signal-caller in an excellent matchup against the two-win Giants. The 22-year-old has an unstable floor because of his inaccuracies as a passer, but his rushing ability gives him QB1 upside this weekend in the matchup against the Giants if he's active. A-Rich's back is more problematic than his foot, for what it's worth. If he's ruled out, veteran Joe Flacco would step in again and would be an option as a low-end QB2 in superflex fantasy formats.

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Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (knee) is missing his third practice of the week on Friday. The Browns haven't released their final injury report for Week 17, but it's not looking good for Njoku's chances of playing on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. The 28-year-old missed the Week 15 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs due to a hamstring injury but returned in last week's loss to the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals and caught eight of his 10 targets for 66 yards from quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson in his first start of the year. If active, Njoku will be on the TE1 radar for fantasy managers, but as of right now, it's not looking good for his availability. If Njoku is ruled out, Jordan Akins would once again have an expanded role on offense, but he'd be one to avoid as a streamer with fantasy championships on the line. Akins had three catches for 30 yards against KC when Njoku was sidelined.

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New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers (toe) will practice on Friday, according to head coach Brian Daboll. The Giants are "hopeful" that Nabers will play in Week 17 on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. Nabers did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday and said that he expects to be more of a game-time decision this weekend. The fact that the first-round pass-catcher is practicing on Friday is good news, but fantasy managers are probably going to have to check back on Sunday morning to make sure he's good to go. If active, the 21-year-old Nabers should be locked into all starting fantasy lineups with everything on the line in Week 17 despite the fact that struggling quarterback Drew Lock is set for another start. Nabers is currently the WR13 in half-PPR scoring and leads the NFL with 154 targets in his 13 games played.

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New York Giants rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (ankle) will return to practice on Friday, according to head coach Brian Daboll. The Giants are "hopeful" that Tracy will be able to play on Sunday against the visiting Indianapolis Colts in Week 17. Tracy was unable to practice on Wednesday or Thursday after aggravating his ankle injury in the Week 16 blowout loss to the Atlanta Falcons. However, now that Tracy has returned to practice, he'll at least have a shot at playing this weekend. Fantasy managers will want to check back later on Friday, where Tracy will likely be listed as questionable. The 25-year-old has taken over lead-back duties from Devin Singletary for most of the year, but he's become a touchdown-dependent RB3/flex in fantasy with inefficient quarterback Drew Lock running the Giants' offense. If Tracy is ruled out, Singletary would be boosted to RB3/flex territory in Week 17.

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Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (knee) is questionable for Sunday's game versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hubbard has managed limited practices on Thursday and Friday, which is an encouraging sign of his availability for Week 17. Hubbard has had a stellar 2024 campaign, ranking as the RB11 on the season. He has 1,195 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Combined with 171 yards and one touchdown through the air. Fantasy managers can confidently start Hubbard this week, as the Buccaneers defense is nothing to write home about. In addition to the matchup, Hubbard has earned a 77.3% snap share on the season and is earning most of the opportunities out of the backfield of late. Hubbard is a borderline RB1 and comes in as RotoBaller's RB12 in the latest rankings for fantasy championship week.

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Although Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards (ankle) has been ruled out for Saturday's Week 17 game on the road against the New England Patriots, the Chargers are optimistic that running back J.K. Dobbins (knee) will return despite being listed as questionable on Thursday's final injury report. Dobbins has missed each of the last four games while on Injured Reserve, but he has looked good the last couple weeks and appears to be on track to return this weekend. However, given the 26-year-old's four-week layoff, don't be surprised if the Bolts ease him back against New England, even though Edwards is out. The Chargers also have rookie Kimani Vidal and Hassan Haskins they can lean on in their backfield. Dobbins has been the Chargers' clear lead back when healthy in 2024, but he'll be more of a shaky RB3/flex in fantasy lineups if he's activated and returns to action on Saturday.

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Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver Xavier Legette (hip, wrist) is listed as questionable to play in Sunday's Week 17 contest against the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Legette was a full practice participant on Wednesday but was downgraded to limited on Thursday and was limited again on Friday. The first-round selection was unable to play in last week's overtime upset win over the Arizona Cardinals and is in danger of missing his second straight game. If Legette is out again, it will open up more snaps once again for David Moore and rookie Jalen Coker behind top wideout Adam Thielen. If Legette is active, he'll be a deep-league WR4/flex, at best, in his return in an inconsistent Panthers offense. Legette hasn't found the end zone since Week 9 and has only cleared 60 receiving yards once in 14 games in his first year in the NFL. It will be hard to trust him in fantasy championship matchups if he's active.

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Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn (hip) is considered doubtful to play in Week 17 on Sunday versus the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers after not practicing all week. Additionally, the Panthers will be without cornerback Chau Smith-Wade (chest, illness) and linebacker Josey Jewell (concussion, quadriceps). Outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (elbow, knee), defensive end A'Shawn Robinson (knee, illness) and linebackers D.J. Wonnum (knee, shoulder) and Cam Gill (illness) are questionable. Horn played every snap of the Week 16 overtime win over the Arizona Cardinals but now is unlikely to suit up this weekend, which will make Carolina's secondary more vulnerable against gunslinging quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers. The Panthers defense/special teams unit should be avoided in fantasy.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers. Otton will miss his second game in a row due to a left knee injury he suffered in Week 15. In his absence, the Buccaneers will call on Payne Durham to step up in Week 17. In Week 16, during Otton's absence, Durham had five catches for 29 yards and played 93% of the snaps. The Buccaneers need to win to keep their playoff hopes alive, so look for Baker Mayfield to lean on his wide receivers Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan in the passing game. The Buccaneers are 8.5-point favorites at home versus the Panthers, and game flow may play in favor of running backs Bucky Irving and Rachaad White. Durham ranks as TE34 in the latest RotoBaller tight end rankings for Week 17.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard (foot, hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers. Shepard exited last week's contest due to a hamstring injury. In addition, he has been dealing with a lingering foot issue. The Buccaneers need to win to keep their playoff hopes alive, so look for Baker Mayfield to lean on his wide receivers Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan, Ryan Miller, and Trey Palmer in the passing game. McMillan should be the biggest beneficiary of Shepard missing the game. The Buccaneers are 8.5-point favorites at home versus the Carolina Panthers, and game flow may play in favor of running backs Bucky Irving and Rachaad White.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (ankle, knee) is questionable for Saturday's game against the Denver Broncos. His limited participation in practice the last few days is an encouraging sign that he is trending toward playing. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, there's "optimism" he can play on Saturday. Although Higgins has had an up-and-down campaign in 2024, he has been a consistent and reliable wide receiver for fantasy managers and quarterback Joe Burrow lately. Higgins has scored 15 plus fantasy points in four of his last five games. RotoBaller ranks him WR10 in Week 17. The Bengals host the Broncos, who have been solid against the pass. However, this Bengals offense has been firing on all cylinders of late, and it would be difficult not to start Higgins with the upside this offense has. Keep a close eye on the weather, as the Ohio forecast may call for wind and rain on Saturday. Fantasy managers should continue to roll with Higgins for the fantasy championship week if active.

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Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (knee) is dealing with a knee injury he suffered in Week 16 and is officially listed as questionable for Saturday night's game against the Los Angeles Rams. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, he is "trending in the right direction" to suit up on Saturday. Although it is great news he is trending in the right direction to play, fantasy managers might want to limit their expectations as the Cardinals were knocked out of the playoffs with their loss last week, as the knee injury he is dealing with could limit Conner's effectiveness and volume. Regardless, Conner has treated fantasy managers excellently this year. Producing as the RB10 with 1,090 rushing yards and nine total touchdowns on the season. This week, Conner can be started as an RB2 with upside if he's active.

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Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown hauled in six passes for 70 receiving yards and a touchdown in a Week 16 victory at the Chicago Bears. Not much was asked of the Lions' offense in the fourth quarter, as they had a two-score lead for most of the second half. Throughout the season, St. Brown has been Jared Goff's go-to target, averaging a 25.4% target share, 75 receiving yards per game, and having 11 touchdowns. This week, the Lions travel to San Francisco to take on the 49ers in a rematch of last year's NFC title game. Look for St. Brown to have a big game, as the Lions are four-point favorites on the road and want to keep pushing for that No. 1 spot in the NFC. Fantasy Managers can start St. Brown with confidence in Week 17. RotoBaller ranks him as our WR3 for the week.

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Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel indicated that wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (knee) will be questionable for Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns. On the bright side, Waddle logged a limited practice on Thursday, an encouraging sign for his chances to suit up on Sunday. The Dolphins travel to Ohio to take on the Browns (3-12) and try to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. The Dolphins are notorious for underperforming in cold weather, making Waddle challenging to trust in Week 17. Waddle comes with risk for fantasy championship week and is a borderline WR3/FLEX option if active against the Browns. Malik Washington would see an uptick in targets and be on the FLEX radar in deep leagues if Waddle can't suit up against Cleveland.

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Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs has had a fantastic season in 2024 and will look to keep things rolling against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17. He ranks as the overall RB3 for the year, and that's also come with splitting most of his touches with David Montgomery (knee), who recently got injured and is done for at least the regular season. Last week without Montgomery, Gibbs received 23 carries, rushed for 109 yards, and added four catches for 45 receiving yards and scored a touchdown. Gibbs is a must-start in all fantasy formats versus San Francisco in Week 17. He is one of the most electric players in the NFL, and he plays on one of the best offenses in the league. Fantasy managers can start him with confidence as RotoBaller's No.1 overall ranked player in Week 17.

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Buffalo Bills Wide receiver Curtis Samuel (rib) was inactive last week against the New England Patriots. Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott said he has not ruled any players out for this Sunday's contest against the New York Jets. The Kansas City Chiefs locked up the No. 1 seed in the AFC with their win on Wednesday, so the Bills might play cautiously with their injured players over the next few weeks. Samuel has been disappointing on the season, catching just 24 passes for 201 yards and one touchdown. Fantasy managers should look elsewhere at the wide receiver position for production in Week 17.

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Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff has put together a fine season in 2024. Throwing for 4,095 yards, 33 passing touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. This week, the Lions travel to take on the San Francisco 49ers in a rematch of the NFC championship game from last year's playoffs. Certainly, Goff and the Lions will want some revenge as the 49ers went on to play in the Super Bowl. On the season, the 49ers' defense ranks in the top five in points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. However, Goff has found a way to be effective as a passer, utilizing all of his weapons, like Jameson Williams, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Sam LaPorta. The Lions are four-point favorites, and considering the game should be close, game flow should not be a concern for this Lions offense. Fantasy managers can start Goff with confidence in Week 17, and he comes in as RotoBaller's ninth-ranked quarterback for fantasy championship week.

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