Guest of the League
Attitude Era
FFL: Playoff Week 2 | NFL: Week 17

Colts QB Anthony Richardson questionable vs. Giants

Fri Dec 27 2:18pm ET
Field Level Media

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is questionable to start Sunday's key game against the New York Giants because of back and foot injuries.

Richardson did not practice this week, but head coach Shane Steichen fell short of declaring his starter out.

"We'll see how next 48 hours go," he told reporters Friday.

If Richardson, 22, is unable to go, veteran Joe Flacco would make his fifth start of the season.

The Colts (7-8) still have a shot at a playoff berth, but they'll need to beat the Giants (2-13) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12) in Week 18 -- and get some help.

Indianapolis remains in the playoff hunt despite an unspectacular season from Richardson, taken by the Colts with the No. 4 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Richardson has completed just 47.7 percent of his pass attempts (126 of 264) for 1,814 yards and has thrown more interceptions (12) than touchdown passes (8). Still, he is 6-5 in 11 starts.

Flacco, who turns 40 next month, was 1-3 in four starts earlier this year amid both injury and ineffectiveness for Richardson. Flacco has completed 66.5 percent of his passes for 1,167 yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions.

Two of the losses were to playoff-bound teams -- the Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills.

Top Headlines
The Paur Report

Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 16

Player Notes
Christian Watson Dec 27 3:30pm ET
Christian Watson

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (knee) was in cleats on Friday but did not go through the stretching period with the rest of the team. ESPN's Rob Demovsky said it looks like Watson is still in the rehab group, insinuating that he'll miss his third practice of the week. If that's the case, Green Bay will likely rule Watson out for Week 17 against the division-rival Minnesota Vikings on Sunday on Friday's final injury report. Watson suffered a knee bruise in the Monday night win over the New Orleans Saints. While the injury isn't considered a long-term one, it's looking like it will keep the injury-prone Watson out of action this weekend in a big divisional clash in Minnesota. If Watson is eventually ruled out or limited on Sunday, Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks will each have a little more upside in a crowded receiver room.

From RotoBaller

Matthew Wright Dec 27 3:20pm ET
Matthew Wright

The Tennessee Titans will add kicker Matthew Wright from their practice squad to their active 53-man roster for Sunday's game against the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 17. Regular placekicker Nick Folk (abdomen) has been ruled out yet again, so the Titans will go with Wright after cutting Brayden Narveson earlier this week. While Wright, 28, will have a good matchup against the terrible Jaguars defense in his debut with the Titans, he still won't be a particularly intriguing streaming option for fantasy managers that are playing for championships this weekend. In three games with the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs in 2024, Wright has missed only one of his 12 field-goal attempts while making all five of his extra-point opportunities. Fantasy managers should be able to start more reliable kicking options in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Malik Nabers Dec 27 3:10pm ET
Malik Nabers

New York Giant rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers (toe) is officially listed as questionable to play in Week 17 on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. Nabers did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday before upgrading to a limited practice on Friday. The 21-year-old first-rounder out of LSU said on Thursday that he expects to be more of a game-time decision on Sunday, but the Giants remain hopeful that he'll be able to suit up for the penultimate game of his first season in the NFL. Fantasy managers still playing for a title in Week 17 will want to check back on Sunday morning to see if Nabers will be able to play. He's been a top-15 wideout in fantasy this year and leads all wideouts in targets, so if he's active, Nabers needs to be in your lineup. If he's ruled out or is limited at all, Wan'Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton would be in line for more targets.

From RotoBaller

Jameis Winston Dec 27 3:10pm ET
Jameis Winston

Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston (shoulder) is listed as questionable to be active for the Week 17 contest this Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. Winston was inactive as the team's emergency third QB for the Week 16 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Dorian Thompson-Robinson got his first start of the season, with Bailey Zappe backing him up. Thompson-Robinson has already been announced as the starter again this weekend, and Zappe could serve as the backup for a second straight week if Winston is ruled out on Sunday. The 30-year-old Winston initially gave Cleveland's offense a spark when Deshaun Watson (Achilles) went down with a season-ending injury, but in the end, his turnover-prone ways led to his benching and the Browns looking towards the future as they evaluate DTR. Barring an injury to Thompson-Robinson, Winston has likely played his last snap with the team.

From RotoBaller

Nick Folk Dec 27 3:00pm ET
Nick Folk

Tennessee Titans kicker Nick Folk (abdomen) has been ruled out for the Week 17 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Folk hasn't been able to practice this week due to an abdominal issue which will force him to miss his second straight game. The expectation is that Matthew Wright will be elevated from the practice squad to kick this weekend. Brayden Narveson kicked last week for Tennessee, but was cut after he missed his lone field goal attempt. Wright has made 11-of-12 field goal attempts and all his extra point attempts in three games between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs. He has been productive when active, so fantasy managers looking for a possible streaming option might want to consider Wright.

From RotoBaller

Greg Zuerlein Dec 27 2:50pm ET
Greg Zuerlein

New York Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein (knee) will be back in action for the Week 17 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Zuerlein hasn't played since being placed on the injured reserve after suffering a knee injury in Week 8. Before that, Zuerlein was struggling as he has only converted 9-of-15 field goal attempts while making all but one extra point attempt. The 37-year-old hopes to get back on track over the final two games of the regular season. Given his struggles this season, fantasy managers should probably look elsewhere for a streaming option in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Davante Adams Dec 27 2:40pm ET
Davante Adams

New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (hip) returned to the practice field on Friday. This is good news for fantasy managers after Adams sat out the first two days of practice. Adams reportedly looked good in practice, according to interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich. The fact he was able to get back on the practice field on Friday gives him a good shot at playing on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. Fantasy managers will have to wait until the official injury report is released later on Friday for a better update on Adams availability. If active, Adams should be plugged in as a WR1 for Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Drake London Dec 27 2:30pm ET
Drake London

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (knee) has been removed from the injury report ahead of the Week 17 matchup against the Washington Commanders. London was limited during the first two practices of the week before getting in a full session on Friday. Now, London has been cleared to play after he suffered a knee injury during last week's game against the New York Giants. He hauled in five of his eight targets for 59 yards last week. The change at quarterback doesn't seem to have hindered London's fantasy value, so fantasy managers can go ahead and plug him in as a WR2.

From RotoBaller

David Njoku Dec 27 2:20pm ET
David Njoku

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.

From RotoBaller

Cedric Tillman Dec 27 2:20pm ET
Cedric Tillman

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.

From RotoBaller

Tony Pollard Dec 27 2:00pm ET
Tony Pollard

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.

From RotoBaller

Anthony Richardson Dec 27 1:40pm ET
Anthony Richardson

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.

From RotoBaller

David Njoku Dec 27 1:40pm ET
David Njoku

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.

From RotoBaller

Malik Nabers Dec 27 1:30pm ET
Malik Nabers

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.

From RotoBaller

Tyrone Tracy Jr. Dec 27 1:30pm ET
Tyrone Tracy Jr.

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.

From RotoBaller

Chuba Hubbard Dec 27 1:20pm ET
Chuba Hubbard

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.

From RotoBaller

J.K. Dobbins Dec 27 1:20pm ET
J.K. Dobbins

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.

From RotoBaller

Xavier Legette Dec 27 1:10pm ET
Xavier Legette

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.

From RotoBaller

Baker Mayfield Dec 27 1:10pm ET
Baker Mayfield

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.

From RotoBaller

Cade Otton Dec 27 1:00pm ET
Cade Otton

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.

From RotoBaller