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FFL: Playoff Week 2 | NFL: Week 16

NFL Playoff Picture: NFC nearly set, Jaguars join race for No. 1 in AFC

Mon Dec 22 12:05pm ET
Field Level Media

With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the NFC playoff field is nearly set. Drama has intensified in the AFC, where the Jacksonville Jaguars are in the race for the No. 1 seed and first-round bye after an attention-grabbing win at Denver on Sunday.

Week 16 wraps Monday night at Indianapolis, where the Colts' desperation is palpable and the 49ers have all the motivation they need to bump their record to 11-4. That dangling carrot is the NFC's top seed, which is attainable for San Francisco with the Chicago Bears (11-4) and Seattle Seahawks (12-3) left to play in the final two weeks.

The Seahawks, Bears, Eagles, Rams and 49ers all have tickets to the NFC postseason party but the pecking order can stack multiple ways depending on outcomes over the next two weeks. Undecided are the NFC South entry -- Tampa Bay dropped a stride behind the Panthers with a 23-20 loss at Carolina on Sunday -- and the final wild-card spot.

The wild-card spot is still Green Bay's to lose. But it's complicated for the Packers, who have two hurting quarterbacks and a game with the Baltimore Ravens (7-8) to prepare for this week.

The Panthers (8-7) and Bucs (7-8) are set for one of the few possible win-and-in scenarios in Week 18. It will be a de facto division title game at Tampa unless the Dolphins trip up Baker Mayfield and the Bucs this week. Tampa is trending in the wrong direction with a 1-6 record since a Week 9 bye.

Here is the full playoff picture by conference as it stands Monday before the 49ers and Colts face off on "Monday Night Football."

--AFC Playoff Picture

1. Denver Broncos (12-3)

Status: Clinched playoff spot; First place, AFC West

Up Next: at Kansas City Chiefs (Thursday, Dec. 25); vs. Los Angeles Chargers (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: The Chargers won the first matchup, 23-20, in Week 3. Should Denver lose and finish with the same record as the Chargers, the Broncos could go from the No. 1 seed in the AFC to traveling to the No. 4 seed -- currently the Pittsburgh Steelers -- in the wild-card playoffs.

2. New England Patriots (12-3)

Status: Clinched playoff spot; First place, AFC East

Up Next: at New York Jets (Dec. 28); vs. Miami Dolphins (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: Finishing with two more wins and a 14-3 record would not assure the Patriots the No. 1 seed, but it would guarantee they can fall no lower than No. 2 in the conference.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4)

Status: First place, AFC South

Up Next: at Indianapolis Colts (Dec. 28); vs. Tennessee Titans (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: The Houston Texans, who split two games with Jacksonville, can still win the AFC South.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6)

Status: First place, AFC North

Up Next: at Cleveland Browns (Dec. 28); vs. Baltimore Ravens (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: A statement win at Detroit gives the Steelers a chance to clinch the division at Cleveland on Sunday, but hold the noisemakers and confetti. Pittsburgh lost at Cleveland last season (24-19), in 2023 (13-10) and 2022 (29-17), last beating the Browns on the road on Halloween 2021.

5. Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)

Status: Second place, AFC West

Up Next: vs. Houston Texans (Saturday, Dec. 27); at Denver Broncos (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: With seven wins in the past eight games, the Chargers are not yet assured a playoff spot but could still land any of the AFC's seven seed positions.

6. Buffalo Bills (11-4)

Status: Second place, AFC East

Up Next: vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Dec. 28); vs. New York Jets (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: The Bills are 28-4 at home over the past four seasons.

7. Houston Texans (10-5)

Status: Second place, AFC South

Up Next: at Los Angeles Chargers (Saturday, Dec. 27); vs. Indianapolis Colts (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: The Texans are 13-4 in AFC South games since the start of the 2023 season and have won four consecutive games against the Colts.

--AFC, next in line

8. Indianapolis Colts (8-6): Hope leaves the building if the Colts lose to the 49ers on Monday night.

9. Baltimore Ravens (7-8): Unable to catch Houston, the Ravens are rooting against the Steelers at Cleveland. A Pittsburgh win eliminates Baltimore from the postseason.

--NFC Playoff Picture

1. Seattle Seahawks (12-3)

Status: Clinched playoff spot; First place, AFC West

Up Next: at Carolina Panthers (Dec. 28); at San Francisco 49ers (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: Alarmed by finishing the season with consecutive road games? Seattle is 13-2 in away games since 2024.

2. Chicago Bears (11-4)

Status: Clinched playoff spot; First place, NFC North

Up Next: at San Francisco 49ers (Dec. 28); vs. Detroit Lions (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: The Bears are 9-1 outside the NFC North and 2-3 in division games this season.

3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-5)

Status: Clinched NFC East, playoff spot

Up Next: at Buffalo Bills (Dec. 28); vs. Washington Commanders (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: Philadelphia can move up to No. 2 if the Seahawks and Bears lose their final two games.

4. Carolina Panthers (8-7)

Status: First place, NFC South

Up Next: vs. Seattle Seahawks (Dec. 28); at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: The Panthers and Rams are both 6-4 against conference opponents, tied for the worst among the NFC's current playoff seeds.

5. Los Angeles Rams (11-4)

Status: Clinched playoff spot; Second place, NFC West

Up Next: at Atlanta Falcons (Monday, Dec. 29); vs. Arizona Cardinals (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: The Rams play the primetime Week 17 finale on Monday night and are 0-2 in non-Sunday games this season.

6. San Francisco 49ers (10-4)

Status: Clinched playoff spot; Third place, NFC West

Up Next: Monday at Indianapolis Colts; vs. Chicago Bears (Sunday, Dec. 28); vs. Seattle Seahawks (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: Ready for primetime? We're about to find out. The 49ers play Monday night, face the Bears on "Sunday Night Football" and could be flexed into a third spotlight game -- to be determined -- to close the season against Seattle.

7. Green Bay Packers (9-5-1)

Status: Second place, NFC North

Up Next: vs. Baltimore Ravens (Saturday, Dec. 27); vs. Minnesota Vikings (Jan. 4)

Noteworthy: If Minnesota beats Detroit on Christmas Day, the Packers clinch a wild-card spot. They can still get in the postseason field without winning either of their final two games.

--NFC, next in line

8. Detroit Lions (8-7): All of a sudden closer to fourth place in the NFC North than the playoffs after their loss to the Steelers.

9. Minnesota Vikings (7-8): Beating the Lions and Packers to end the season is not likely to be enough to push the Vikings into the playoffs.

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8): No margin for error as the Bucs pull for a Panthers loss, then host Carolina in the Week 18 finale.

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The Paur Report

Starts, Sits, Sleepers: Week 16

Player Notes
DeForest Buckner Dec 22 12:10pm CT
DeForest Buckner

The Indianapolis Colts have activated defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (neck) from Injured Reserve ahead of their Week 16 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. Buckner will play in tonight's game against his former team after missing an extended period of time due to a neck injury. The 31-year-old captain will not only solidify the Colts' defensive front but also provide a much-needed veteran presence in the locker room after the team lost both Daniel Jones and Sauce Gardner in recent weeks. Before exiting Week 9 early, Buckner had tallied 42 tackles and four sacks this season. As a result of Buckner being activated, the Colts have waived quarterback Brett Rypien.

From RotoBaller

Jeff Driskel Dec 22 11:50am CT
Jeff Driskel

The Washington Commanders are signing quarterback Jeff Driskel off the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad, according to Ben Standig of The Athletic. Driskel served as Washington's QB3 last season and knows how to operate in Kliff Kingsbury's offense. This move adds much-needed depth to an injury-plagued quarterback room in Washington. With Marcus Mariota's (hand) availability unclear and Jayden Daniels being sidelined for the rest of the season, Driskel could be forced to slide into the QB2 role. Washington is playing on a short week and will be facing off against division rival Dallas Cowboys on Christmas Day. On a quick turnaround, Washington likely wanted to bring in someone who has been around their offense to back up Josh Johnson.

From RotoBaller

Ja'Tavion Sanders Dec 22 11:40am CT
Ja'Tavion Sanders

Ja'Tavion Sanders had a quiet fantasy day, but was a notable contributor in the Panthers' narrow 23-20 victory over the Buccaneers. The Carolina TE had two receptions for nine yards, but also caught his first touchdown pass since Week 10 of the 2024 season. Sanders played the most snaps of all Panthers TEs (57%) and totaled 8.9 PPR points, his highest fantasy total since Week 2. The Panthers will face the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17. Seattle ranked 18th in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to the TE position in the last four weeks leading up to Week 16. Although Sanders has a decent matchup against Seattle, he does not see enough volume to consider him in Week 17. Weeks 2 and 10 are the only two times this season that Sanders had 5+ targets in a game. Fantasy players should ignore Sanders and the other Carolina TEs for the fantasy football championship in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Nick Chubb Dec 22 11:40am CT
Nick Chubb

Houston Texans running back Nick Chubb (ribs) was back on the field Sunday during Houston's 23-21 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The 29-year-old had six carries for 33 yards and had one catch for nine yards. Despite rookie running back Woody Marks (ankle) being ruled out, Chubb's workload was limited as Jawhar Jordan led the backfield with 15 carries. Chubb has now gone six straight games without seeing double-digit touches and has only been able to find the endzone once during that stretch. It is worth mentioning that Chubb is coming off a rib injury, and the Texans could have been slow to roll him back into the offense. Chubb still profiles as a goal-line back that can still get work in the red zone. With Mark's availability uncertain for Week 17, Chubb is worth targeting off the waiver wire in deep standard leagues.

From RotoBaller

Wil Lutz Dec 22 11:40am CT
Wil Lutz

Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz had a decent day in the 34-20 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Lutz converted two of three field goal attempts, with the longest coming from 54 yards out, and converted both PAT attempts. His eight points on the day could've been 11 had he not hit the right pole of the uprights on his first field goal attempt from 44 yards out in the first quarter. It was a tough break and a slight shift in momentum, as neither team had scored yet in the game, with five minutes and 11 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Still a confident kicker with plenty of reliability, Lutz will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 17, in which he went five for five field goals and converted his lone PAT when he last faced them in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

Jacory Croskey-Merritt Dec 22 11:30am CT
Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt saw a decreased workload in Week 16 with the return of teammate Chris Rodriguez Jr., but was still productive, scoring his second touchdown in as many games. Croskey-Merritt toted the rock just eight times (25 yards) in Washington's 29-18 loss to the Eagles on Saturday -- ten fewer carries than he sported a week ago in Rodriguez's absence. However, he still played clearly ahead of Jeremy McNichols in the rushing attack, despite the latter pacing him in snaps 15-11. The 24-year-old may not garner the same upside he did at the beginning of the campaign, but fantasy managers in a pinch can turn to him for low-end flex production when Washington squares off with the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Rico Dowdle Dec 22 11:30am CT
Rico Dowdle

Rico Dowdle had nine carries for 29 yards in the Panthers' 23-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16. The Carolina RB also added four receptions for 14 receiving yards, totaling 8.3 PPR points. Dowdle has cooled off in the last four starts, averaging 10.5 PPR points per game during that span. For the second consecutive week, Dowdle outperformed Chuba Hubbard, who finished Week 16 with 34 scrimmage yards and 4.4 PPR points. Despite the workload being split between Dowdle and Hubbard, Dowdle logged the most snaps (57%). In Week 17, the Panthers face the Seattle Seahawks. In the last four weeks leading up to Week 16, the Seahawks ranked seventh in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to RBs. Fantasy players who have their championship in Week 17 cab consider reserving Dowdle due to the tough matchup.

From RotoBaller

Courtland Sutton Dec 22 11:30am CT
Courtland Sutton

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton once again showed his dominance in the wide receiver room during the 34-20 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16. Leading the team in all receiving categories, Sutton ended with six catches on 12 targets for 86 yards and one touchdown. Sutton did drop a touchdown in the back of the endzone that could've been critical in the Broncos' chances to keep the win streak alive, but he still had a superb day and passed the eye test. Quarterback Bo Nix was also able to put up a career high in passing yardage with 352 in this game, which bodes well for Sutton's fantasy floor if the passing offense can maintain that production. Sutton will face the Chiefs in Week 17, in which he should be a must-start.

From RotoBaller

Troy Franklin Dec 22 11:30am CT
Troy Franklin

Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin gets a bump in snap share during the 34-20 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16. Ending the day with five targets for four catches and 66 yards with zero touchdowns, the most notable piece is that Franklin found himself on the field for 64% of the Broncos' offensive snaps. After seeing snap percentages of 53%, 26%, and 50% in each of the three games since the Week 12 bye, this is an encouraging sign that he could be more involved for the rest of the season. Rookie wide receiver Pat Bryant suffered a concussion in the final minutes of this game and likely won't be available for the Week 17 Thursday Night Football matchup with the Chiefs, potentially projecting more opportunities for Franklin in that game.

From RotoBaller

RJ Harvey Dec 22 11:30am CT
RJ Harvey

Denver Broncos rookie running back RJ Harvey turned in the most efficient game of his season in the Week 16 34-20 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Harvey had a stellar day with several explosive plays, leading to seven rushes for 50 yards and a touchdown, adding four catches on five targets for 71 receiving yards. Averaging 11 yards per touch is no easy task, but Harvey continues to impress and did this against a defense that was dominant against the run, with the lowest average rushing yards allowed per game coming into Week 16 at just 86.3. On a short week against the defeated Kansas City Chiefs, Harvey should be able to redeem himself from his Week 11 dud when he last faced them.

From RotoBaller

Chuba Hubbard Dec 22 11:30am CT
Chuba Hubbard

Chuba Hubbard had another quiet outing in the Carolina Panthers' 23-20 win against the Buccaneers. The Carolina RB had six carries for 27 yards while also adding one reception for seven yards. Hubbard finished the game with 4.4 PPR points, his lowest fantasy total since Week 11. Rico Dowdle also outperformed Hubbard with 43 scrimmage yards and 8.3 PPR points. Even though the workload was split between the two RBs, Hubbard logged fewer snaps (41%). In Week 17, the Carolina Panthers will face the No. 1 seed in the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle ranked seventh in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to the RB position in the last four weeks leading up to Week 16. Due to the rough matchup against Seattle and inconsistent volume, Hubbard is off the fantasy radar for Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Bo Nix Dec 22 11:20am CT
Bo Nix

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix put up a new career high in passing yards with 352 in the 34-20 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16. In a matchup where it was expected that the passing game would be relied upon, Nix did all he could to give the Broncos a prime opportunity to extend their win streak to 12 straight. Nix completed 28 of 47 pass attempts for 352 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and added 11 rushing yards on four carries. Wide receiver Courtland Sutton was the favorite in targets with 12, and did have one critical drop that could've been a second touchdown for Nix. While the fantasy numbers were mediocre for a semifinal matchup, Nix should find himself in a bounce-back spot against the defeated Kansas City Chiefs in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Bryce Young Dec 22 11:20am CT
Bryce Young

Bryce Young completed 21-of-32 attempts for 191 yards and two touchdowns in the Carolina Panthers' 23-20 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Carolina QB also added 20 yards on four carries, totaling 17.6 Fantasy points. It was the fourth time in the last five games that Young registered more than 15 Fantasy points, but he has reached the 20-point mark only three times in 2025. In 14 games played this season, Young has averaged 14.4 Fantasy Points Per Game. In Week 17, the Panthers will face the NFC's top-seeded team, the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle ranked second in Fantasy Points Per Game Allowed to the QB position over the last four weeks leading up to Week 16. If your fantasy football championship is in Week 17, Young should be avoided due to the matchup and his overall inconsistency for the year.

From RotoBaller

Jameson Williams Dec 22 11:10am CT
Jameson Williams

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams recorded five receptions for 70 yards on nine targets in his team's 29-24 Week 16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. While the 24-year-old's production against Pittsburgh is a bit of a let-down relative to his performance in recent weeks, Williams continues to be a featured piece of the Detroit offense. He's earned at least nine targets in four straight games and has recorded at least 70 receiving yards in five out of his last six outings. For the season, Williams has now hauled in 57 receptions for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns on 91 targets across 15 games. With its defense struggling mightily, Detroit figures to continue to find itself in pass-heavy game scripts down the stretch of the season. Williams should continue to have opportunities to put up numbers in his final two matchups of the season against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 17 and the Chicago Bears in Week 18.

From RotoBaller

Tyjae Spears Dec 22 11:10am CT
Tyjae Spears

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears notched his best outing of the 2025 season in Sunday's 26-9 home win against the Kansas City Chiefs, totaling 105 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. Spears' 18 touches in Week 16 are the most he'd handled all campaign, and it marked the fourth time in his last six appearances that he'd commanded at least five targets. Moreover, it was the first time he'd seen double-digit carries. While it's likely the uptick in work came from Tennessee deftly handling a visiting Chiefs squad, there's no denying the Tulane product is a talented athlete. For now, Spears is better suited for deep leagues, but his work in the receiving game keeps him in the range of a low-end flex in PPR formats. At the very least, he boasts high-end handcuff appeal. Tennessee gets an exploitable Saints' defense in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Isaac TeSlaa Dec 22 11:00am CT
Isaac TeSlaa

Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa had the most productive game of his young career in Week 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, recording four catches for 52 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. The 23-year-old has hauled in just 12 receptions on the season, but five of them have gone for touchdowns. Lions quarterback Jared Goff attempted 54 passes against Pittsburgh, which partially explains TeSlaa's spike in production. Still, TeSlaa's usage has been trending upwards in recent weeks. He's played at least 55% of Detroit's offensive snaps in four consecutive games after failing to reach that mark in any of the team's first 11 games of 2025. TeSlaa's relatively limited target and reception volume overall make him tough for fantasy managers to trust, but he's established himself as a contested-catch weapon and has scored a receiving touchdown in three out of the last four weeks.

From RotoBaller

Jahmyr Gibbs Dec 22 10:50am CT
Jahmyr Gibbs

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs had a miserable day as a rusher in Week 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, recording just two rushing yards on seven attempts. However, the 23-year-old saved his production with his work out of the backfield as a receiver, hauling in 10 catches for 66 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets. Gibbs has now been held to 43 rushing yards or fewer in three straight games and four out of his last six contests. Still, his involvement in the passing game provides a relatively safe PPR floor. Across six games since Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (back) was placed on Injured Reserve with a back injury, Gibbs has recorded 40 receptions for 333 yards and two touchdowns on 51 targets. He's racked up 1,662 yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns across 15 games this season and remains a must-start fantasy running back heading into his Week 17 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

From RotoBaller

Raheim Sanders Dec 22 10:50am CT
Raheim Sanders

Cleveland Browns running back Raheim Sanders projects to garner a considerable workload over the season's remaining few weeks after teammate Quinshon Judkins (leg, knee) went down with a severe injury in Week 16. Judkins suffered a gruesome lower-leg injury during Sunday's 23-20 loss to the visiting Buffalo Bills. In his stead, Sanders and backfield mate Trayveon Williams split snaps dead evenly (20-20), with the former handily out-touching the latter 11-3 on the ground. However, Williams was the preferred option in the receiving game, boasting four targets (4/38) to Sanders' one. That said, Dylan Sampson (hand) figures to occupy the receiving role once healthy, and it's likely he'd pick up a few more carries than Williams did working in his stead. Sanders may not see as many opportunities on the ground as Judkins has, but he's trending up in a Cleveland offense that's moved the ball much better with rookie QB Shedeur Sanders under center.

From RotoBaller

Jared Goff Dec 22 10:40am CT
Jared Goff

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff found his way to a productive stat line in Week 16, completing 34 of 54 pass attempts for 364 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Over his last three games, the 31-year-old has now recorded 1,011 passing yards and seven touchdowns without a turnover. With the Lions' defense and run game both struggling, Goff has turned into one of the league's highest-volume passers in the second half of the season. Across eight games since Detroit's Week 8 bye, Goff is averaging 38 pass attempts per contest. As long as he continues to find himself in pass-heavy game scripts, Goff should be able to provide solid fantasy production without elite efficiency. The Lions will travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Samaje Perine Dec 22 10:30am CT
Samaje Perine

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine remains an appealing deep league option despite playing second fiddle to lead rusher Chase Brown in the team's ground attack. Perine posted another solid outing in Cincinnati's 45-21 thrashing of the Miami Dolphins, racking up 25 rushing yards and a touchdown on seven carries, and another 16 more on 2-of-3 receiving. It was the veteran's second rushing score of the campaign, as he continues to enjoy an elevated workload in the back half of the season. In four games since returning from an ankle injury, Perine has hovered around 40% of the Bengals' snaps, while averaging 12 opportunities per appearance. Even with Brown boasting a majority of the backfield touches, fantasy managers can turn to the 30-year-old as a sound flex asset, or in a pinch in shallower formats. They'll get a porous Cardinals' rush defense in Week 17.

From RotoBaller