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Raiders showing up late to New Orleans due to delayed flight

Sun Dec 29 2:31am ET
Field Level Media

The Las Vegas Raiders had a flight delayed for several hours on Saturday, forcing them to head to New Orleans late for their meeting with the Saints on Sunday.

Las Vegas was hoping to fly out in the morning, but a mechanical issue on its plane prevented it from doing so. Instead, the Raiders had to wait for a second plane, which didn't get out of town until about 10 p.m. ET.

Kickoff for Las Vegas' matchup with New Orleans is at 1 p.m. ET.

Because of the delay, the Raiders had to hold team meetings at their facility instead of the team's hotel.

Las Vegas is 3-12 this season and has already been eliminated from playoff contention.

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The Paur Report

Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 17

Player Notes
Luke McCaffrey Dec 29 10:30am ET
Luke McCaffrey

Washington Commanders wide receiver Luke McCaffrey is expected to see an expanded role for the Week 17 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. Fellow wideout Dyami Brown (hamstring) has been ruled out for this game, which should push McCaffrey into a bigger role. McCaffrey hasn't done much on the field this season with two receptions or less in every game since Week 5. He figures to be the third passing option behind Terry McLaurin and Olamide Zaccheaus. That being said, McCaffrey could see a few more passes come his way, but he'll remain a shaky fantasy option for Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Ricky Pearsall Dec 29 10:20am ET
Ricky Pearsall

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall hasn't made much of an impact on offense during the second half of the season. Last week, Pearsall hauled in all four of his targets for 37 yards in the loss to the Miami Dolphins. The rookie wideout has been held to 37 receiving yards or less in every game since Week 10. The good news is that Pearsall has seen four targets in each of his last two games. Sadly, Pearsall hasn't been able to do much with his catches. He'll be a risky flex choice for the Week 17 matchup against the Detroit Lions.

From RotoBaller

Davante Adams Dec 29 10:13am ET
Davante Adams

New York Jets WR Davante Adams (hip) appears likely to play in Week 17's game versus the Buffalo Bills, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said that Adams looked good in practice during the week.

Fantasy Spin: Adams had been listed as questionable on the injury report after logging just one limited practice session during the week Friday, Dec. 27, although interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said that he looked good. If he is active for the game, he should be a starting option in all fantasy leagues.

From TheHuddle

Joshua Karty Dec 29 10:00am ET
Joshua Karty

Los Angeles Rams kicker Joshua Karty was perfect on his kicks during Saturday's game against the Arizona Cardinals. Karty made two field goals, including one from 53 yards while connecting on his lone extra point attempt in the win over the Cardinals. The rookie kicker has been shaky at times with five missed field goals and four missed extra point attempts this season. Despite that, the Rams continue to ride with Karty and are hopeful he can be their kicker of the future. This offense moves the ball enough to give Karty plenty of work on a weekly basis.

From RotoBaller

Jameis Winston Dec 29 9:53am ET
Jameis Winston

Cleveland Browns QB Jameis Winston (shoulder) is expected to serve as the emergency third quarterback for Week 17's game versus the Miami Dolphins, according to a source.

Fantasy Spin: Winston had been listed as questionable on the injury report after being a limited practice participant throughout the week. Dorian Thompson-Robinson will serve as the Browns' starting quarterback but can be avoided in all fantasy formats.

From TheHuddle

Wil Lutz Dec 29 9:50am ET
Wil Lutz

Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz has been on a hot streak over the last few weeks. On Saturday, Lutz knocked down all three of his extra point attempts and his lone field goal in the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Lutz has now made all of his kicks over the last six games, which is an impressive streak for the 30-year-old. He'll look to keep it going in a must-win game for Denver against the Kansas City Chiefs next week. Lutz has been one of the better kickers this season and is worth starting in most fantasy formats for the final game of the regular season.

From RotoBaller

Devaughn Vele Dec 29 9:40am ET
Devaughn Vele

Denver Broncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele has failed to make much of an impact over the last few weeks. On Saturday, Vele hauled in both his targets for 27 yards in the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Vele has now been held to two or less receptions and 27 receiving yards or fewer in each of his last four games. The rookie wideout is falling back on the depth chart, but is worth holding in dynasty leagues due to his long term potential.

From RotoBaller

Tyreek Hill Dec 29 9:33am ET
Tyreek Hill

Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill (wrist, ankle) is expected to play in Week 17's game versus the Cleveland Browns, according to multiple sources.

Fantasy Spin: Hill had been listed as questionable on the injury report after logging three consecutive limited practice sessions during the week. Assuming that Hill is active and QB Tua Tagovailoa is under center, he can be viewed as a WR2 option for fantasy lineups this afternoon. If Tagovailoa does not play, Hill should be considered a shaky flex option.

From TheHuddle

Javonte Williams Dec 29 9:30am ET
Javonte Williams

Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams didn't see much action during Saturday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Williams failed to see a carry in the backfield with Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime getting the touches. The only thing Williams did on offense was catch two passes for zero yards, so a dud from the 24-year-old. Williams hasn't been much of a fantasy asset this season and is unlikely to bring much to the table in this three-back committee.

From RotoBaller

Cade York Dec 29 9:20am ET
Cade York

Cincinnati Bengals kicker Cade York has been a bit shaky during his brief time with the team. On Saturday, York looked solid until he missed a 33-yard field goal that would've won the Bengals the game in overtime. Luckily for him, the Bengals forced the Denver Broncos to punt again and Cincinnati ended up winning the contest. York has now missed at least one kick in each of his last three games. The 23-year-old does have potential, but he'll likely be seeking a new home soon with Evan McPherson (groin) possibly returning in Week 18.

From RotoBaller

Audric Estime Dec 29 9:20am ET
Audric Estime

Denver Broncos running back Audric Estime was unable to find much success on the ground during Saturday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The rookie back rushed nine times for 24 yards while hauling in his lone target for 13 yards in the loss. This is now back-to-back games that Estime has seen nine touches in the backfield. However, Estime remains in a committee with Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin. That being said, Estime isn't going to offer much fantasy value right now, but is worth holding in most dynasty leagues.

From RotoBaller

Chad Ryland Dec 29 9:00am ET
Chad Ryland

Arizona Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland converted his lone field goal attempt but missed an extra point during Saturday's Week 17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The second-year kicker wasn't able to build on last week's dominant showing against the Carolina Panthers. Ryland's missed kick brought him to 21-for-22 on extra points and 26-for-30 on field goals in 2024. He'll look to bounce back as a decent streamer next week, assuming Matt Prater (knee) doesn't return from injured reserve for the Cardinals' season finale.

From RotoBaller

Greg Dortch Dec 29 8:50am ET
Greg Dortch

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Greg Dortch caught all three of his targets for 18 yards during Saturday's Week 17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The 26-year-old continued to see limited offensive participation, playing just 32 percent of snaps, which ranked fourth among all Cardinals wide receivers. He had modest volume through the air and hasn't scored double-digit fantasy points since Week 1. As he continues to operate behind three other impact receivers, Dortch remains off the fantasy radar in most leagues.

From RotoBaller

Kyzir White Dec 29 8:50am ET
Kyzir White

The Arizona Cardinals D/ST allowed 13 points and failed to register a turnover or sack during Saturday's Week 17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The Cardinals entered Saturday's contest ranking near the middle of the league in terms of fantasy points, but they weren't able to build much confidence against the Rams. In the box score, Budda Baker stood out with two passes defended and one quarterback hit. Meanwhile, Kyzir White led the team with eight tackles, including one for loss. The Cardinals have now strung together two shaky, turnover-less showings over the last two weeks against the Panthers and Rams. They should be avoided in all fantasy leagues ahead of Week 18 versus the San Francisco 49ers.

From RotoBaller

Michael Wilson Dec 29 8:40am ET
Michael Wilson

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson caught four of his six targets for 22 yards during Saturday's Week 17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Interestingly, Wilson led all Cardinals wide receivers in snaps, seeing the field for 69 offensive plays (87.3 percent). This was his highest snap share since Week 6. Although we can't guarantee Wilson will maintain this same level of offensive participation going forward, it was intriguing to see him command six targets, albeit with just 5.5 yards per reception. He continues to have low-end FLEX appeal in deeper PPR leagues, but we need him to produce more consistently before putting full trust in him as a steady fantasy option.

From RotoBaller

Sam Darnold Dec 29 8:30am ET
Sam Darnold

The Minnesota Vikings want to bring back quarterback Sam Darnold for the 2025 season, and they also hope to extend head coach Kevin O'Connell, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Even with first-round pick J.J. McCarthy (right knee) working to get healthy and make his NFL debut, the Vikings aren't necessarily satisfied with moving on from Darnold. The 27-year-old has enjoyed a career rejuvenation in Minnesota, completing 310 passes for 3,776 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions while leading the Vikings to a 13-2 record. Having two starting-caliber quarterbacks on the roster can be both difficult and expensive, but a tandem of Darnold and McCarthy could work given that the latter is still rehabbing his injury, developing as a player, and remains on his rookie deal. On the coaching side, extending O'Connell feels like a no-brainer. The Coach of the Year candidate leads a Vikings squad that is lethal on both sides of the football and has a very solid personnel core, both in terms of players and coaches.

From RotoBaller

Christian Watson Dec 29 8:20am ET
Christian Watson

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (knee) is unlikely to play on Sunday in the showdown against Minnesota, according to a report from NFL Network. The receiver's third year has been a major letdown from a fantasy perspective, and the injury certainly isn't helping. Watson has just 29 catches on 52 targets in 14 games this season, posting a similar stat line to last season in which he played only nine games. Without him this week, receivers Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, and Dontayvion Wicks figure to lead the Packers' receiver room against the Vikings.

From RotoBaller

Garrett Wilson Dec 29 8:10am ET
Garrett Wilson

According to a report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, a key part of the New York Jets' offseason will involve determining whether star wide receiver Garrett Wilson will be part of the team's future. The 2022 first-round pick has not connected with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, with Rapoport reporting the two had a "blowup" at training camp and have not been on the same page since. Teams inquired about Wilson at the trade deadline, when New York opted to acquire wide receiver Davante Adams instead. With Wilson eligible for a contract extension after this season, New York has some thinking to do about which members of this lost season ought to be back next year.

From RotoBaller

Tyler Higbee Dec 29 7:50am ET
Tyler Higbee

Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee had two catches for nine yards in the Rams' win on Saturday night against the Cardinals. While his overall stat line wasn't impressive, he continues to step into a bigger role in the offense after missing the first 15 weeks of the season with a knee injury suffered last year in the playoffs. The veteran out of Western Kentucky played 30% of the team's snaps and tied for second on the team in targets with three and was the only player besides Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams with multiple catches. He was also the only one of the Rams' tight ends to have a catch. Despite the offense's struggles, the Rams eked out the win and could clinch a playoff spot on Sunday depending on other teams' results. Higbee will continue to ramp up to full speed for the Rams, who close out the regular season next week at home against the Seahawks.

From RotoBaller

Jameis Winston Dec 29 7:50am ET
Jameis Winston

Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston (shoulder) is expected to be listed among the team's inactives on Sunday but serve as the emergency quarterback, according to Ian Rapoport. Dorian Thompson-Robinson will start the game at quarterback for Cleveland, while Bailey Zappe will serve as the backup. Winston will suit up for the game, but won't count against the team's 53-man roster. For fantasy purposes, the Browns' quarterback changes represent a clear downgrade for receivers Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore in the matchup against the Miami Dolphins.

From RotoBaller