

Fri Dec 19 8:03pm ET
Field Level Media
Quarterback Geno Smith will return to the starting lineup for the Las Vegas Raiders after a one-game absence, coach Pete Carroll said Friday.
Smith missed last Sunday's 31-0 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles due to shoulder and back injuries. He returns to face the Houston Texans, who feature the NFL's top defense.
Smith sat out the final quarter of a 24-17 loss to the Denver Broncos on Dec. 7 due to the right shoulder injury and a cut on his throwing hand.
Kenny Pickett replaced Smith in the Denver contest and started against the Eagles. Things didn't go well against Philadelphia as Las Vegas managed just 75 total yards and seven first downs. Pickett was 15-of-25 passing for 64 yards and one interception and he was sacked four times.
Smith has thrown for 2,648 yards, 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also has been sacked 49 times in 13 games.
The Texans feature two of the best pass rushers in the NFL in defensive ends Danielle Hunter (12 sacks) and Will Anderson Jr. (10.5). Houston leads the league in scoring defense (16.3 points per game) and total defense (269.2 yards per game) and also has intercepted 16 passes.
The Raiders (2-12) have lost eight straight games while Houston (9-5) has won six in a row.
Starts, Sits, Sleepers: Week 16
New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson hauled in all four of his targets for 30 yards in Week 15's victory over the Panthers. It marked Johnson's second straight game with exactly four receptions and his fourth consecutive contest without finding the end zone. He ranks second on the team in receptions, targets, and receiving yards behind Chris Olave. With injuries piling up and the Saints set to be without Devaughn Vele (shoulder), Alvin Kamara (knee), and Devin Neal (hamstring), Johnson's already steady role in the passing game could grow. The Jets allow the 13th-fewest PPR points to tight ends, placing Johnson in the TE1/TE2 mix this week.
From RotoBaller
Chuba Hubbard posted underwhelming numbers in Week 15 against the Saints. The Carolina RB had eight carries for 29 yards. He also added nine receiving yards on one reception to total just 4.8 PPR points. Hubbard has registered less than 5.0 PPR points in three of his last five games. The Panthers will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16. Tampa Bay ranks 23rd in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to the RB position this year. Although Hubbard has a good matchup this week, he has not seen enough consistent volume to warrant a roster spot on most fantasy playoff teams. Outside of Week 13, Hubbard has not posted double-digit rushing attempts since Week 8. He should only be rostered as a handcuff to Rico Dowdle.
From RotoBaller
Tetairoa McMillan will play in Week 16 after missing practices earlier in the week due to foot/ankle concerns. Last week against the Saints, McMillan had two receptions for 25 yards and finished with 4.5 PPR points, his lowest total this season. It was the third straight game in which McMillan had fewer than three receptions, and it was also the first time he did not catch a touchdown pass since Week 10. In Week 16, the Panthers will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay ranks 17th in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to the WR position in 2025. McMillan has been Carolina's top overall receiver for the year, averaging 12.9 PPR points per game, but has been unreliable in recent weeks. The Carolina rookie has logged less than 12 PPR points in five of his last six starts, including each of his last three. This is a very crucial game for Carolina in the NFC South race this week, so McMillan should provide double-figure PPR totals, but he is certainly not an upside play.
From RotoBaller
Jalen Coker delivered one of his better fantasy outings in Week 15 against the Saints. The Carolina WR caught four passes for 60 yards and a touchdown. He finished with 14.0 PPR points, marking the third time in the last four weeks that he posted double-digit PPR points. Carolina will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16 in a showdown for the NFC South lead. Tampa Bay ranks 17th in Fantasy Points Per Game to WRs this season. Although Coker has a decent matchup, his overall volume is a concern. Only once has Coker been targeted 5+ times in a game this year, and he averages 3.6 targets per game. Still, fantasy players can consider Coker in Week 16 if they need a flex streamer. He has caught a touchdown pass in each of his last two games, and Bryce Young may have to throw frequently to keep pace with the Tampa Bay offense. Considering the magnitude of this matchup for the Panthers, Coker is more likely to stay involved in the passing game this week. He is not an upside play, but can provide a decent statistical floor again.
From RotoBaller
Bryce Young has not produced ideal fantasy numbers this season, but he has a great matchup in Week 16 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In Week 15 against the Saints, Young completed 15-of-24 attempts for 163 yards and a touchdown. He also had a season-high 49 rushing yards on seven carries, totaling 15.4 fantasy points. The Carolina QB has registered more than 15.0 fantasy points in three of his last four starts. He has averaged 14.2 Fantasy Points Per Game in 13 games played this season. He has a good shot of playing above his usual 14 to 15 point range this week, though. Tampa Bay ranks 30th in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to QBs this season. Last week, Atlanta QB Kirk Cousins finished as the fantasy QB3 overall. He totaled 26.9 fantasy points against the Buccaneers. Week 15 was the fifth straight week where Tampa Bay allowed a top-10 fantasy QB finish. Despite Young's mediocre and inconsistent production this year, the matchup against Tampa Bay makes him a quality QB2 starter for fantasy football playoff teams in superflex formats. The NFC South lead is on the line, and Young may have to throw often to keep pace with Baker Mayfield.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave reeled in six of his nine targets for 85 yards and a touchdown in Week 15's victory over the Panthers. After a slow first half, Olave came to life in the second half, and his touchdown grab came on 3rd-and-6 with 2:29 remaining in the fourth quarter to tie the game. He then added a 15-yard reception on the following drive to help set up the game-winning field goal. With Devaughn Vele (shoulder) on IR, Mason Tipton (illness) questionable, and both Alvin Kamara (knee) and Devin Neal (hamstring) sidelined, Olave is likely to carry a massive workload against the Jets' secondary. A season-high in targets would not be surprising, placing him firmly in the WR1 ranks this week.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Mason Tipton is questionable for Week 16 against the Jets due to an illness. He caught one pass for five yards on two targets in last week's win over the Panthers and now has seven receptions for 47 yards across three games this season. With Devaughn Vele (shoulder) on IR and injuries thinning out the Saints' offense, Tipton has a path to a larger role as the WR2 in an air attack that has averaged over 33 pass attempts per game across its last four contests. If Tipton is unable to play, Kevin Austin and Dante Pettis would be next in line. If he does suit up, Tipton profiles as a WR4/WR5 option.
From RotoBaller
Rico Dowdle had 16 carries for 49 yards and one touchdown in Week 15 against the New Orleans Saints. The Carolina RB added five receiving yards on one reception to total 12.4 PPR points. Since Week 9, Dowdle has averaged 15.4 PPR points and finished with double-digit PPR points in five games. Carolina will face their NFC South rival, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in Week 16. Tampa Bay ranks 23rd in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to RBs this season. They have also surrendered the most receiving yards to RBs in the league this year (783). With solid volume and a decent matchup, Dowdle is worth starting as an RB2 for the fantasy football playoffs, even with his workload being split with Chuba Hubbard. Dowdle has logged 16+ carries in five of his last six starts. He will see important work in the major NFC South showdown against the Buccaneers.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is coming off back-to-back fantasy finishes outside the top 12 at the position, and in Week 16, he faces a Chargers defense that has been the third-toughest matchup for opposing quarterbacks. While the deck may seem stacked against him, Prescott remains a strong play for the fantasy semifinals. Both CeeDee Lamb (illness) and Javonte Williams (neck) were able to log full participation at Friday's practice after beginning the week limited, giving Prescott his full complement of offensive weapons for a game with the second-highest over/under of the week. Notwithstanding his recent mini-slump, in which he's thrown only one touchdown over the past two weeks, Prescott is still averaging 336 passing yards per game across his last four outings, despite facing three of the league's five best passing defenses in that span. He is RotoBaller's QB4 for the week.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants running back Devin Singletary took a backseat to Tyrone Tracy Jr. in Week 15's loss to the Washington Commanders. Singletary recorded only six touches for 14 yards from scrimmage, his fewest touches in a game since Week 8 and his fewest yards since Week 7. The veteran has taken on a larger role in the backfield and has been fantasy viable since Cam Skattebo (ankled) suffered a season-ending injury in Week 8. Since Week 9, the 28-year-old is averaging 10.2 PPR points per game, ranking as the RB30 over that time. Singletary profiles as a low-end flex play for Week 16's matchup against a Minnesota Vikings defense that ranks middle of the pack in PPR points per game allowed to running backs.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins had his best game of the season by far last week in a 29-28 win over the Buccaneers, completing 30 of 44 passes for 373 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. The 37-year-old focused his attention on his top pass catchers, and should get another weapon back in Week 16, with Drake London (knee) expected to suit up on Sunday. The veteran should have a full complement on offense for Sunday's road matchup against the Cardinals, a defense that is middle of the pack in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, but that has yielded 35 points per game over their last three games, which is nearly the worst in the league over that stretch behind only the Cowboys and Jets (35.3). Even so, with a strong run game to lean on in the form of Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, Cousins projects as a low-end QB2 for this week's contest.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints running back Evan Hull handled four carries for 12 yards in Week 15's victory against the Panthers. The 25-year-old saw additional work after Devin Neal exited in the second quarter with an injury. With Alvin Kamara (knee) and Neal (hamstring, IR) ruled out for Week 16, Hull is expected to share the backfield with Audric Estime. Hull's NFL opportunities have been limited, though he averaged 4.1 yards per carry and caught 55 passes at 9.9 yards per reception in his final season at Northwestern in 2022. The Jets present a favorable matchup in Week 16, ranking third in PPR points allowed to running backs and fourth in total rushing yards. Hull's usage should be monitored, and he is ranked RB48 on Rotoballer this week.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. posted his best fantasy performance of the season in Week 15's loss to the Washington Commanders, handling 15 rushes for 70 yards and a touchdown to go with three catches (four targets) for 27 yards and another score as a receiver. The second-year back played his highest snap share (76.1%) of the season, while veteran Devin Singletary played his lowest (23.9%) since Cam Skattebo (ankle) went down for the season in Week 8. Tracy has recorded at least 15 touches in four of the past five games and has delivered solid results for fantasy managers, averaging 15.7 PPR points per game and ranking as the RB12 in that span. He profiles as a solid RB2 again for Week 16's matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, who have allowed the ninth-most rushing yards per game this season.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox caught three of four targets for 37 yards and two touchdowns in the 35-31 victory over the New England Patriots. Despite Dalton Kincaid's return in Week 14, Knox has dominated, totaling 130 yards and two touchdowns over his past two games. Knox played 70% of the snaps in Week 15, while Kincaid played only 34%. With his connection to star quarterback Josh Allen, Knox has starting value in Week 16. He faces a Browns defense that ranks middle-of-the-pack against tight ends this season. The door is open for Knox to have another big outing in Week 16, but he remains a low-end option with Kincaid in the picture.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough completed 24 of 32 passes for 272 yards and one touchdown in the Week 15 victory against the Panthers. He was also a threat on the ground, rushing eight times for 32 yards, though he drew multiple unnecessary roughness penalties, including one with 12 seconds left that helped set up the game-winning field goal. This was Shough's second meeting with Carolina, and he is now 2-0 against the division rival and has now lead the Saints to a two-game win streak. He will look to carry this momentum into Week 16's home matchup against the Jets, who are allowing the third-most points per game and the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Shough ranks as a QB2 this week with intriguing upside for that one.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints running back Audric Estime rushed three times for 11 yards and added 39 yards on three receptions in the Week 15 victory against the Panthers. Devin Neal exited in the second quarter, and with Alvin Kamara also out, Estime split touches with fellow back Evan Hull for the remainder of the game. With both Neal and Kamara out again this week, Estime is expected to take on a larger role and will "probably" draw the start against the Jets, according to Nick Underhill. Even if touches are shared, New York presents a strong matchup, allowing the third-most PPR points to running backs and the fourth-most rushing yards per game. The favorable matchup boosts Estime into FLEX consideration for Week 16.
From RotoBaller
Despite missing practice on Wednesday and Thursday, Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (hamstring) is off the injury report and slated to play against the Cleveland Browns. Despite fighting through hamstring injuries throughout the season, Kincaid has had a breakout year, hauling in 36 of 45 targets for 523 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games. He has averaged 11.8 PPR fantasy points per game, ranking 10th among tight ends this season. He faces the Cleveland Browns in Week 16, who have ranked in the middle of the pack against tight ends this season. Despite his breakout season in Buffalo, Kincaid is a risky TE1 this week against the Browns.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has put together a promising rookie campaign and has become one of the best fantasy options at the position. Dart ranks as the QB2 in fantasy points per game (22.5) since becoming the starter in Week 4, averaging 200.2 passing yards and 44.4 rushing yards per game while throwing 13 touchdowns to four interceptions and adding seven more scores on the ground. His seven rushing touchdowns only trail Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts, two perennial mainstays atop the leaderboard in that category. Dart faces a challenging matchup on Sunday against the blitz-happy Minnesota Vikings, who have allowed just one rushing touchdown to quarterbacks all season and allow the third fewest fantasy points per game. Dart remains a reliable starting QB option and is ranked as RotoBaller's QB12 in Week 16.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir hauled in all five of his targets for 65 yards in the 35-31 win over the division rival New England Patriots. With struggling weapons in the Bills' receiving room, Shakir has retained his WR1 role in the offense, giving him fantasy value moving forward. Shakir has caught 62 passes for 650 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games this season, placing him as WR33. However, production may be hard to come by against this Browns secondary, which has given up the second-fewest receiving yards to wide receivers this season. They've also allowed only 6.4 fantasy points per game to slot receivers this season, which is where Shakir consistently lines up. Despite being the WR1 in this strong Bills offense, Shakir is a fade this week against this strong Browns secondary.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer returned in Week 15, catching just one pass for 16 yards against the New England Patriots. Palmer has been fighting through an ankle sprain that caused him to miss the previous two games. He was limited last week, playing only 33% of snaps, which ranked fifth among Bills receivers, behind Khalil Shakir, Tyrell Shavers, Brandin Cooks, and Keon Coleman. He also faces the strong Cleveland Browns secondary, which has allowed the second-fewest receiving yards to wide receivers this season. It will be intriguing to see whether Palmer's role increases this week, but fantasy managers should pivot in Week 16.
From RotoBaller