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The following is an excerpt from the latest edition of Yahoo’s fantasy football newsletter, Get to the Points! If you like what you see, you can subscribe for free here.

If you need help setting your fantasy football lineups for Week 16, Scott Pianowski offers some assistance.

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Start-sit decisions can be vexing for even the best of fantasy managers. Here’s our Week 16 traffic report to help you set those lineups.

Green Light ✅

RB Tony Pollard vs. Chiefs: Sometimes you have to focus on what’s working in the moment, and that’s been Pollard. He racked up 161 yards and two scores in a difficult Cleveland matchup, and game flow didn’t stop him at San Francisco (14-104-1). The Chiefs aren’t the daunting matchup as usual, battling injuries and now eliminated from the playoffs. Pollard belongs on the RB2/3 seam.

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TE Harold Fannin Jr. vs. Bills: The Browns did little right in a blowout loss at Chicago, but Fannin somehow collected 14 targets and seven receptions. He’s earned every-week status in a snappy rookie season, the first read in the Cleveland passing game.

WR Chris Olave vs. Jets: He’s come through in two of his last three starts (WR19, WR10), helped by an emerging Tyler Shough. The Saints play at a fast pace and now face a Jets secondary that allows 8.4 YPA and a 104.9 quarterback rating.

WR Jauan Jennings at Colts: He’s quietly been the WR13 over the last six weeks, and the Indianapolis secondary is missing key personnel. It’s also possible Ricky Pearsall will be limited or even unavailable Monday, leading to more Jennings opportunity.

TE Dallas Goedert at Commanders: He’s up to a career-best nine touchdowns and the Washington seam coverage, when adjusted for opponent strength, might be the worst in the league.

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Yellow Light 😕

RB Michael Carter vs. Falcons: He’s an ordinary talent and perhaps the fourth- or fifth-best back on the Arizona roster. But cluster injuries have forced Carter into a starting role, and 12-15 touches are likely in his back pocket before this game even begins. Atlanta isn’t a daunting matchup.

TE Darren Waller vs. Bengals: It stings me to keep him out of the green section, but new starter Quinn Ewers is an unknown. Still, we’ve watched tight ends produce all season against the Bengals, and Waller has been a red-zone ace in his action this year (26 targets, six touchdowns).

RB Audric Estimé vs. Jets: Understand there’s no floor here — Estimé has just nine touches on the year (all this month) and the Saints could always dance with Evan Hull or even Taysom Hill. But Estimé was impactful at the end of the comeback against Carolina, and the Jets defense is a delightful matchup.

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QB Justin Herbert at Cowboys: I understand you see the Dallas defense and want to attack, but Herbert has thrown just 75 passes the last three weeks. The Chargers are having trouble protecting Herbert and they recognize their path to winning most weeks is to lean into defense and the running game.

RB Rico Dowdle vs. Buccaneers: He was looking like a league-winner in the middle of the year, but Dowdle has started to slump (3.1 YPC the last two weeks) and Chuba Hubbard is finally healthy. Tampa Bay is weaker against the pass anyway, so the Panthers might throw more than usual in this spot.

Red Light 🚨

RB Quinshon Judkins vs. Bills: The Buffalo front seven has been gashed by the run all year, but Judkins is hard to trust right now. The Browns have multiple injuries on the offensive line, and Judkins has slumped to a paltry 3.1 YPC over his last nine games.

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WR Justin Jefferson at Giants: His targets returned last week and J.J. McCarthy has started to play better. The matchup is divine, too. But at some point a bad start has to go down as a bad season, and Jefferson is sitting on a meager 19-183-0 line for his past six games. You can’t wait forever.

QB Jaxson Dart vs. Vikings: DC Brian Flores has the Minnesota defense firing right now — five straight Circle of Trust quarterbacks have finished well under their projection against the Vikings. Dart belongs outside the QB1 cutline for Week 16.

RB Breece Hall at Saints: He’s been held to 14 touches the last two weeks, in part due to physical attrition and in part due to the offense failing to move the ball. Hall’s touchdown equity is also sagging (one spike in five weeks). He’s gone from proactive play to emergency play as we enter Week 16.

John Means announced on Instagram that he tore his Achilles on the same day he was set to sign a contract for the 2026 MLB season.

“I was finally enjoying my first healthy offseason in four years and felt better than ever,” Means wrote on Thursday. “I don’t know why this happened or how this chapter will ultimately be used, but I know it’s now part of my story and God has a plan.”

The 32-year-old Means, a 2019 All-Star, did not pitch in the 2025 season. He has appeared in only 10 MLB games since 2022 due to numerous injuries, including a pair of Tommy John surgeries.

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Means signed a one-year deal with the Cleveland Guardians in February and made seven appearances between High-A and Triple-A. Last month, the Guardians declined their club option, making the left-hander a free agent.

Means was an 11th-round draft pick by the Baltimore Orioles in 2014. He made his MLB debut in 2018 and then became a regular in the team’s rotation in 2019. He started 27 games that season, posting a 12-11 record with a 1.14 WHIP and 121 strikeouts in 155 innings. He was named an All-Star and finished second in voting for AL Rookie of the Year.

In 2021, Means was named the Orioles’ Opening Day starter. A month later, he no-hit the Seattle Mariners with 12 strikeouts and zero walks. He allowed only a single baserunner via a wild pitch.

There will be NFL football on Christmas Day for the sixth straight season and the late-afternoon game this year will see rap legend Snoop Dogg perform during halftime, Netflix announced on Tuesday.

“Snoop’s Holiday Halftime Party” will take place on Dec. 25 following the second quarter of the Detroit Lions-Minnesota Vikings game at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota.

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On Friday, Netflix revealed that halftime will also feature appearances by the singing voices of HUNTR/X from “KPop Demon Hunters” (EJAE, AUDREY NUNA and REI AMI), and a performance from country singer Lainey Wilson.

The game will be the second of a Netflix doubleheader, which will begin at 1 p.m. ET when the Washington Commanders host the Dallas Cowboys. The third game of the day — Denver at Kansas City — will stream on Amazon Prime.

This is the second straight year that Netflix will broadcast an NFL doubleheader on Christmas that features a halftime show during one of the games. Last season, the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans met with Beyoncé handling halftime show duties at NRG Stadium.

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“American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson will open the NFL on Christmas Day with a performance of her holiday song “Underneath the Tree.”

Using matchup data, I’ve got 13 sleepers that could help propel your fantasy football teams into the fantasy finals. Good luck and let’s go….

Quarterbacks

J.J. McCarthy vs. NYG

• The Giants have given up the second-most fantasy points to the quarterback position, with eight of the last nine tossing at least two touchdowns.

• McCarthy, after looking like a worse version of Zach Wilson, has since stabilized over his last two games, accounting for three touchdowns in back-to-back games.

Aaron Rodgers vs. DET

• Safety Kerby Joseph has been out for Detroit since Week 7 and CB Terrion Arnold, who struggled through injuries since Week 6, played Week 9 before leaving mid-game Week 10. He came back briefly in Week 13 but was recently placed on IR with a shoulder injury.

• As a result, the Lions’ pass defense has gotten progressively worse. Since that Arnold injury in Week 10, the Lions have allowed the most pass yards, are tied for the third-most passing touchdowns allowed and overall have allowed the second-highest EPA per dropback, per Next Gen Stats.

• Considering the Steelers’ pass defense is also one of the 10 worst in the NFL, it should come as no surprise this game has the highest projected point total of the entire week at 52.

• Rodgers himself is coming off back-to-back two-touchdown games and is playing well.

Tyler Shough vs. NYJ

• The Jets have the third-fewest sacks and, incredibly, have ZERO interceptions through 15 games. This bodes well for the rookie QB, who has been playing well.

• Over his last five games, while throwing to Chris Olave and a bunch of rand-o’s, Shough has completed an impressive 70% of his passes, averaging 236 yards per game with a 93.7 rating.

• Shough has scored at least two touchdowns in two of his last three games and what’s really intriguing is that he’s been running the rock A LOT, averaging seven rush attempts per game in this three-game stretch.

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Bryce Young vs. TB

• A “break in case of emergency” play, Young has about as wide a range of outcomes as it comes. That being said, the ceiling is pretty good against a Bucs defense that has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to QBs.

• Six consecutive quarterbacks have scored 2+ touchdowns against Tampa Bay.

Running Backs

Audric Estimé vs. NYJ

• With Devin Neal placed on IR and Alvin Kamara with DNP’s Wednesday/Thursday, expect a 50-50 backfield split between Estimé and Evan Hull.

• This is what I wrote about this backfield in my most recent snap share report: “Once Devin Neal went down with a hamstring injury, Estimé and Evan Hull split the backfield carries but notably, Estimé ran more routes (14 to 8) and had a solid receiving line (3/3/39). Hull didn’t record a target. Hull is the more interesting athlete with 4.47 speed as opposed to Estimé’s 4.58 pro day time (he ran a horrific 4.71 at the combine).”

Kimani Vidal vs. DAL

• If you just saw the box score, you would’ve thought Omarion Hampton played the majority of the snaps but in reality, Vidal took home nearly 65% of them. I expect Hampton to see another slight uptick in playtime this week but even in a 50-50 split, Vidal can be productive against Dallas.

• The Cowboys allow the seventh-most fantasy points, the third-highest explosive run rate and are eighth-worst in yards per carry allowed to opposing backs (4.56).

Jawhar Jordan vs. LV

• Woody Marks (ankle) was a DNP on both Wednesday and Thursday. While Nick Chubb (ribs) returned to practice, he hasn’t necessarily inspired much confidence when he’s been out there this season. Meanwhile, Jordan is coming off a terrific game, rushing for 101 yards — the Texans’ first 100-yard rusher OF THE SEASON.

• The Raiders have given up at least 16.5 PPR points to running backs in five of the last six games they’ve played.

Emanuel Wilson vs. CHI

• Watch the practice reports but Josh Jacobs missed practice all week; his availability is looking very shaky for the Saturday tilt against the Bears.

• If Jacobs is out, Wilson is in a good spot against a Chicago defense that allows 4.79 YPC to opposing backs, the sixth-worst mark in the NFL. They’re also bottom-10 in both explosive run rate and run stuff rate.

Wide Receivers

Jayden Reed vs. CHI

• Christian Watson sounds like he’ll be playing, as does Dontayvion Wicks, which dampens Reed’s ceiling, but no question both Watson and Wicks are toughing it out through their respective injuries. Watson, remember, had to get checked out at a local hospital last week after suffering a chest injury and it’s a semi-short week as the game’s being played Saturday.

• The matchup is solid as the Bears allow the third-most fantasy points to receivers who line up inside. Last week, this defense gave up a big play to Browns slot WR Isaiah Bond, who finished with 10.9 PPR points. Reed just a couple weeks ago put up a decent 9.3 PPR points with a 4/4/31 line, adding in 22 rushing yards.

Quentin Johnston vs. DAL

• QJ missed last week with a groin injury but it sounds like he’s close to returning. He put in two limited practices to start the week.

• If he’s a go, he’s in a pristine spot against a Cowboys defense that simply cannot stop outside receivers, ranking dead last in fantasy points allowed to the outside.

• And adding on to the misery, top corner DaRon Bland is likely going to need a second foot surgery.

• They’ve allowed the second-most yards to the outside, while the 16 touchdowns allowed to outside receivers ranks dead last.

• Primary outside receivers have scored double-digit PPR points against this unit in six of their last seven matchups with only the J.J. McCarthy-led Vikings failing to do so last week.

Adonai Mitchell vs. NO

• This seems like a weekly occurrence, putting AD on this list, but he again has an enticing matchup against the Saints, who have allowed the fourth-most touchdowns to the outside. The 63% completion rate allowed to the outside is a bottom-eight figure.

• Mitchell is coming off a strong game, posting a 9/6/58/TD slash line. It was his second time in three games where he’s scored at least 17 PPR points.

• The volume cannot be ignored as he’s averaging 8.0 targets per game over his last five contests.

Jauan Jennings vs. IND

• Both 49ers WR Ricky Pearsall and Colts CB Sauce Gardner missed practice Thursday to open up the week. We obviously still have a ways to go, as this is a Monday night matchup, but if Pearsall misses, and it sounds really iffy for him, this opens up a huge target share for Jennings. We’ll see on Sauce but he hasn’t played since playing two snaps in Week 13.

• With Gardner missing, the Colts have allowed FIVE different outside receivers to record double-digit PPR points in just three games.

Tight Ends

Darren Waller vs. CIN

• Waller is coming off a two-touchdown performance and you already know the story with Cincy; it’s by far the worst defense against tight ends this year.

• The Bengals are dead last in yards, receptions and touchdowns allowed to this position group.

• The only reason Waller isn’t an absolute smash start is that the Dolphins are rolling out rookie signal-caller Quinn Ewers, whose arm strength might be worse than Tua Tagovailoa’s. Buckle up.

Miami Hurricanes sophomore forward Marcus Allen will miss the remainder of the season after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, according to the school’s athletic department.

Allen’s family released the following statement:

“Marcus has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and began chemotherapy this week. We want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers during an extremely difficult time for our family. We thank God for His continued grace, mercy, and favor. We wait in anticipation for a miracle healing to take place. We are standing on faith.”

Allen averaged 5.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 18.9 minutes per game this season. He appeared in eight games, last playing against Georgetown on Nov. 28, and has missed the last four contests.

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This is Allen’s first season with Miami. Last year, the Miami native played at the University of Missouri, where he averaged 2.6 points and 2 rebounds in 26 games while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range.

Before beginning his college career, Allen starred at Miami Norland High School. He led the Vikings to a state championship in 2024 and averaged 22.7 points and 13.2 rebounds as a senior. Allen also earned All-State honors, was named 5A Player of the Year and received the Joe DiMaggio South Florida High School Player of the Year award.

Allen was named to the 2024 Allen Iverson Classic All-American Game and was ranked as the nation’s No. 74 recruit in Rivals’ Top 100. He also helped AZ Compass Prep reach the GEICO National Championship Game during the 2022–23 season.

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“Marcus is an incredible person and teammate, and we will do everything we can to support him and his amazing family during this difficult time,” head coach Jai Lucas said. “Marcus brings toughness and selflessness to our locker room every day, and those same qualities will help him defeat this disease. Our entire program will continue to support Marcus in any way we can as he focuses on his health.”

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With roughly three months until the start of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Team USA’s pitching rotation just got a huge bump as they go for their second championship in the tournament. Tarik Skubal was announced as the latest starting pitcher added to the roster, and adding the reigning AL Cy Young might be the biggest addition they’ve had yet.

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On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss the impressive rotation that has been assembled behind Skubal, which includes NL reigning Cy Young award winner Paul Skenes, Joe Ryan and Logan Webb. The biggest question now is how Team USA manager Mark DeRosa will use some of the game’s biggest arms in order to try to shut down any competition that comes their way.

Later, Jake and Jordan talk about some more free-agent signings that have gone down, including the San Diego Padres bringing back Michael King on a three-year deal, the New York Mets adding another former reliever from the New York Yankees and the possibility of Alex Bregman joining the Arizona Diamondbacks. The guys then make their picks for this week’s edition of The Good, The Bad and The Uggla.

1:01 – The Opener: Tarik Skubal joins Team USA

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27:12 – Scott Boras Scoreboard update

32:16 – Around the League: Murakami, Bregman updates

41:50 – Reliever market news

53:08 – Padres re-sign Michael King

1:02:38 – The Good, The Bad & The Uggla

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv

The Yahoo Fantasy Football crew reveals their boldest takes for Week 16. Check out what Scott Pianowski, Matt Harmon, Ray Garvin, Chris Allen, Justin Boone and Joel Smyth have to say.

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Justin Jefferson Griddy’s his way into the top 24

Understandably, Jefferson is a name most fantasy managers want to forget. His best result in the last two months has been 16.7 PPR points (WR18). He’s probably the reason many are sitting in their consolation brackets now. But the Vikings still seem to throw the ball his way a lot. Despite posting his third straight game under five points, Jefferson was back above 30% of J.J. McCarthy’s targets (almost half of which were end-zone looks), and he led the team in air yards.

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Sure, the two were still out of sync, but at least McCarthy was calm, cool and collected in the pocket against Dallas (second game over 50% passing success rate). And against the Giants, there’s even less concern. From Terry McLaurin last week to Kayshon Boutte, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Christian Watson and Rome Odunze throughout the season, WR1s have dominated New York’s secondary. And with the opportunity shifting back toward Jefferson, a WR2 finish for No. 18 shouldn’t be out of the question. — Chris Allen

Colston Loveland finishes as a top-5 fantasy TE

The main concern for Loveland’s fantasy stock this August was the competition around him. With so many mouths to feed, how would a rookie TE, although talented, break through? That becomes much less of a concern in Week 16 as Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III will both be out on Saturday night versus the Packers. Loveland has already posted double-digit fantasy points in back-to-back games without Odunze, one versus the Packers defense. In the limited snaps with both Odunze and Burden on the sideline this season, Loveland has a team-high 31% target share. With no Devonte Wyatt and Micah Parsons to slow down the Bears’ run game, look for Loveland to capitalize on play-action passes and the Bears’ high rate of two TE sets. — Joel Smyth

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Jauan Jennings finishes as a WR1 for the second straight week

Jennings has been excelling in the second half of the season with six touchdowns over his last six outings. He’s also coming off one of his best performances of the year, scoring twice en route to a WR11 result. Next up is a Colts defense that’s allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to receivers, including a top-12 weekly finisher at the position in four of their last five games. And if you’re wondering, the fifth outing occurred last week when Jaxon Smith-Njigba just missed the mark as the WR14. With Ricky Pearsall dealing with injuries again, there’s nothing stopping Jennings from helping you advance through the fantasy semifinals. — Justin Boone

DK Metcalf finishes as a top-10 WR

Somewhat predictably, Metcalf has been a volatile fantasy producer this season, playing on a funky passing offense where the nominal second running back leads the team in receptions. The odd blend of names involved in the 2025 Steelers offense on the field and captained by Arthur Smith has been …exactly what you’d expect. You need to try and guess the right Metcalf weeks, and this certainly looks like one of them on the road against the Lions.

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No matter who is banged up for this team, Detroit plays as much man and single-high coverage as any NFL defense. Those looks funnel targets to the X-receiver and Metcalf is the only credible threat from that spot in the Steelers’ now veteran-heavy receiver room. Expect an old-school passer like Rodgers to hit Metcalf on several isolated routes in single-high coverage this week on the way to at least 70 yards and a score. — Matt Harmon

Justin Herbert finishes as a top-10 QB on the week

Last week, J.J. McCarthy was my bold call and while QB7 isn’t quite QB5, the important takeaway was the read versus the Dallas defense. Since Week 12, Dallas has allowed 267 passing yards per game, fourth-most in the NFL, 359 total yards, ninth-most and the second-worst sack rate 3.5%. DaRon Bland has a foot injury that may require surgery, Trevon Diggs has been out the majority of the season and the linebacker group is still struggling even after the trade for Logan Wilson.

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L.A.’s offense hasn’t been good for a month, yet this matchup is prime for eruption. Dallas is fifth-best versus the run in that span, which just points to Justin Herbert pass attempts as the script. Omarion Hampton returned from injury and the flow of the backfield hasn’t produced the results we’ve wanted and, again, this is a tough matchup for the backs. I’m not bold enough to tell you which receiver smashes, but Herbert delivers. He has enough weapons. Plant it: top-10 week and his best fantasy finish in over a month. — Ray Garvin

Dallas Goedert finds pay dirt twice vs. Washington

We’ve been taking advantage of Cincinnati’s poor seam coverage all year and it’s been glorious. But it’s possible Washington’s tight-end marking is even worse, but it’s slightly mitigated by quality of opponent. Consider some of the recent results — the Giants racked up 6-107-0 against Washington last week through two tight ends, and the Vikings had three tight-end spikes the previous week (two for Josh Oliver, one for T.J. Hockenson). DVOA’s defensive metrics (which factor opponent strength) say the Commanders are the weakest team when it comes to stopping the tight end.

So Dallas Goedert, come on down. He’s been the TE11 and TE4 the last two weeks, and he’s already caught a career-best nine touchdowns. I see no reason why he can’t spike twice on Saturday in this prime spot. — Scott Pianowski

Each week during the 2025-26 NBA season, we will take a deeper dive into some of the league’s biggest storylines in an attempt to determine whether trends are based more in fact or fiction moving forward.

Last week: The Knicks need Giannis Antetokounmpo if their goal is to win a title

Fact or Fiction: The Golden State Warriors are cooked

Through developments both fortunate and unfortunate, as Kevin Durant left one version of the dynasty, the Golden State Warriors landed three lottery picks in successive drafts during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that trio of prospects was supposed to spin a championship core forward to a new era.

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They took James Wiseman with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody with the Nos. 7 and 14 picks the next June. Sure, Tyrese Haliburton, Franz Wagner and Alperen Şengün were still on the board, respectively, but the Warriors made their picks, sticking to them.

From the outside looking in, they had a choice. They could have packaged those picks, with salaries, to continue building around Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, maximizing what was left around the future Hall of Famers who won titles together in 2015, 2017 and 2018. They did not do that.

Then, a funny thing happened: Curry, Green and Thompson rediscovered their magic, as Andrew Wiggins played out of his mind, and the Warriors won the 2022 title — with Wiseman, Kuminga and Moody in tow.

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So, Warriors owner Joe Lacob touted their “two-timeline” plan to ride out the Curry-Green-Thompson triumvirate, all while developing their replacements, Wiseman, Kuminga and Moody, behind them.

[Get more Warriors news: Golden State team feed]

“I know some people thought we could’ve done more, got another star,” Lacob told The Athletic after the 2022 title victory. “But who were we going to get? Who was available that would make a difference? We didn’t think there was, and we really wanted these young guys to be developed and learn from these guys. They have learned. We are going to be even better as a result of that in the years going forward.”

Fast forward, and the Warriors are not even better. They are hovering around .500 (13-14) in the Western Conference, clinging to another play-in tournament berth — four games from a guaranteed playoff spot.

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Here’s the thing: Curry is still exceptional, averaging damn near 30 points per game on 50/40/90 shooting splits, and Green is still the anchor of a top-five defense. Thompson is gone, and they flipped Wiggins for Jimmy Butler — the star who became available — and the core of a contender remains.

But they are old, at least in the NBA sense. Stephen Curry will turn 38 in March, when Green will be 36. Butler is 36. The addition of Al Horford, who turns 40 in June, did not help the Warriors get any younger.

They need reinforcements that are not coming. Wiseman was a bust. Kuminga might as well be, since the Warriors rarely play him. And Golden State is getting as much from undrafted Pat Spencer as it is Moody.

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They need another star, and now they no longer have the assets to get him. The Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes are too rich for their blood. Lauri Markkanen may be, too. Anthony Davis is an injury risk. Nobody else available can vault Golden State into a stratosphere along with the Oklahoma City Thunder, let alone with the Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets or even the Los Angeles Lakers.

So, what do they do? They are two or three tiers below the title favorites, and they do not have the trade pieces to close the gap. They can accept their fate or rage against the dying of the light, offering anything not tied down — everyone but Curry and Green, really — to maximize whatever greatness is left in them.

Take Michael Porter Jr. from the Brooklyn Nets, for example. He seems gettable. He provides Thompson-level shooting, plus some creation, even more rebounding and championship-level defensive experience. He is the type of player who could help the Warriors win a playoff series and put a scare into a legit contender.

And isn’t that what we want from a fading champion anyhow? To make their successors earn it. And they did last season, beating the upstart second-seeded Rockets and playing the hungry Minnesota Timberwolves to a standstill, at least until Curry suffered a series-ending injury in the conference semis.

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They are not doing that this season. They are bottom-10 on offense (112.8 points per 100 possessions), despite having Stephen Freaking Curry — still clinging to his prime — for 19 of their 28 games. They are 4-5 without him and 9-9 with him. Neither good nor terrible. Just average. And that is not good enough.

Lacob knows it, allegedly telling a fan in an email, “You can’t be as frustrated as me.” And longtime Warriors head coach Steve Kerr knows it, telling reporters recently, “I’m not doing my job well this year.”

Curry deserves more, even if it will not deliver a championship. There was always only one timeline — Curry’s prime. It is reaching its end, and the Warriors are transitioning into their fading champion era, when the title window has been closed, but pride is on the line, and even that is flickering on its last gasp.

Determination: Fact. The Golden State Warriors are cooked. They can reheat the dynasty, making things a bit spicy, so long as Curry continues to play at an All-NBA level, but the championship window is closed.

What a way to kick off the fantasy football semifinals. The Seahawks and Rams gave us arguably the best Thursday Night Football game of the season. And, invariably, some of you may be scrambling or rejoicing about your matchup based on the result. If you find yourself in the former category, I’ve got notes on a couple of players from each game over the weekend and Monday that we should all be on the lookout for during Week 16.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Commanders

If you had told me Jalen Hurts had completed 75% of his passes, didn’t cause any turnovers and scored three times, my next question would’ve been about his receivers. Because surely, for Hurts to have such a positive performance, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith would benefit from it. But when your QB averages just 6.9 air yards per target on 15 attempts, production may be hard to come by. But let’s assume a clean game gave Hurts the confidence he needs to throw more downfield this week, as the Commanders’ defense has been a boon for opposing pass-catchers over the last month.

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Jacory Croskey-Merritt did all he could to remind OC Kliff Kingsbury why he was a larger part of the rotation earlier in the season. With Chris Rodriguez Jr. inactive, the seventh-round rookie handled 62% of the rushing attempts against the Giants. And he put on a show with those carries. His 33.3% forced missed tackle rate was the highest single-game mark of any Commanders’ RB this year. It was the fourth time he averaged more than four adjusted yards after contact per attempt. The Eagles will likely be without one of their best run defenders, opening things up for a strong Washington rushing attack. And if Kingsbury is as sharp as we think he is, we should be in store for another healthy dose of Croskey-Merritt on Saturday.

Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears

I’m sure Packers’ fans breathed a sigh of relief after reports indicated Christian Watson avoided major injury. But given the on-field reaction, let’s assume Watson is out or limited. His absence forces Jordan Love and the passing game to find a new identity, which could be through attacking the short and intermediate parts of the field with Jayden Reed. The Packers’ slot receiver has been at a 65% and 67% route rate since his return, with targets and rushing attempts already back in his workload. Chicago’s secondary has limited deep shots as of late, which may make Reed the key to success for Love in Week 16.

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I’m still starting Kyle Monangai wherever I have him against the Packers. Yes, D’Andre Swift scored twice, but the Bears’ rookie RB handled all of the goal-line carries and took 100% of the short-yardage snaps. His only problem was that the Browns knew what was coming when they saw No. 25 on the field. Monangai faced eight or more defenders in the box on 72.7% of his attempts. And he still nearly matched Swift in rushing success rate (45.5% to 55.6%). Green Bay just let RJ Harvey drop 65 yards and a score on it. Monangai can plow through its Micah Parsons-less line for a few more on a shorter week.

Buffalo Bills @ Cleveland Browns

The Bills should’ve landed on their identity as a two-TE team a while ago. Admittedly, this is an outsider’s opinion. But the draft capital spent on Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid (albeit years apart) should’ve been drivers to build around those two. Last week, they accounted for over 30% of Josh Allen’s targets and over a third of his first downs through the air. Meanwhile, Keon Coleman’s best contribution was drawing a DPI, and they’ve got Brandin Cooks taking meaningful snaps. Without a true WR1 to draw coverage (or legitimate targets), Knox and Kincaid should be the focus of Buffalo’s passing game.

I still can’t get over Harold Fannin Jr. earning 14 targets last week. Honestly, it should be a bigger deal, but it’s the Browns. There’s always some other story with them. Let me put it this way. There have been 432 instances of a TE earning at least one target in a game this year. Just 24 of those have featured a game with 10 or more pass attempts thrown their way. The number of 14-target contests? Just two. And coincidentally, they both came against the Bears. But with the level of volume and trust from his rookie QB, Fannin should be on every starting roster, even against a tough Bills defense.

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Cincinnati Bengals @ Miami Dolphins

All eyes will be on Joe Burrow and his expressions and mannerisms throughout the game. Not when he’s on the field, but on the sidelines. How he’s feeling about football and life in general has been the topic gaining national media attention for the last two weeks. I got an idea to make him smile: light up the field with his best friend. Ja’Marr Chase’s 10-catch, 132-yard outing against the Ravens doesn’t tell the full story. The two were off on multiple plays, one of which could’ve kept the Bengals from being shut out. So, if there’s anything that’ll get Burrow back into having fun with the game, it’ll be getting into a rhythm with Chase.

I want to see how the offense operates with Quinn Ewers. Tua Tagovailoa’s calling card was pre-snap reads with a blazing time to throw. Cincinnati doesn’t have much of a pass rush. HC Mike McDaniel could let Ewers do some limit testing. Tagovailoa’s concussion history, rightfully, confined him to the pocket. But now, boot-action concepts and even some rushing could be on the play-calling menu. And the offensive shift wouldn’t be to keep the Bengals guessing, but more to see what things could be like in 2026 for the Dolphins offense.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers

As I was watching the Buccaneers implode in primetime, something caught my eye. It wasn’t Mike Evans looking like he turned back the clock. It was the backfield. Bucky Irving still led the way with a 76% share of the carries. However, I kept seeing Sean Tucker on the field when Tampa got into the red zone. I thought I was seeing things. But the Bucs’ RB3 has taken 100% of the goal-line carries over the past two weeks. If Tucker has that role and Rachaad White is siphoning away targets, Irving’s status as a top-12 option may be in jeopardy.

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Jalen Coker can’t keep doing this, right? He’s found the end zone twice and scored double-digit PPR points on either side of the Panthers’ bye. However, despite Coker generating at least one explosive play per week, his utility to the offense should put him in line for another viable outing. Out of his eight catches since Week 13, seven of them have gone for either a first down or a score. And Young continues to look for his slot man in either obvious passing situations or when he’s under duress. With the Bucs’ pass rush continuing to be a menace to enemy QBs, Coker is a potential FLEX for Week 16.

New York Jets @ New Orleans Saints

First, we categorized Adonai Mitchell as “a flash in the pan” after his trade to the Jets. He was averaging 17.8 and 26.4 air yards per target, respectively, and coming down with a few. Then, Mitchell was the Jets’ WR1 after finishing as the WR5 with Tyrod Taylor under center. Now, this will be his third game with Brady Cook. He’s had no less than six targets in each of those games. And if Mitchell can do well against the Saints’ secondary, we’ll have a new descriptor for the young WR: QB-proof.

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The Saints have found their QB (for now). Over his last four games, Tyler Shough sits at a 69.9% completion rate, getting his primary pass-catchers involved on a weekly basis. Plus, the dude can boogie in the open field! He’s averaged seven touches per game for 31.7 yards on the ground. With the Jets still opting to use man coverage, Shough’s mobility will keep the Saints offense on the move in Week 16.

Minnesota Vikings @ New York Giants

All right. I’m back in on J.J. McCarthy. Well, more like I have hope HC Kevin O’Connell can put together a development plan for his young QB. McCarthy has two straight weeks with his passing success rate over 50%. He’s mostly stayed in the short and intermediate part of the field (6.7 and 10.4 air yards per attempt), lowering his volatility on a down-to-down basis. Now, with the Giants’ secondary on deck, McCarthy should be able to stack another win for the Vikings.

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I have a feeling that Jaxson Dart’s play style and long-term health are going to be topics of conversation during this game. Designed runs were back for Dart against the Commanders. And, naturally, the mobility exposed him to more hits (7). But let’s assume the Giants’ interim coaches take those away. And they beg him not to scramble. DC Brian Flores will still try to get Dart on the ground. Flores’ defense blitzed the last seven QBs on 50.2% of their dropbacks and racked up 16 sacks. Without a concerted shift to the offense, we’ll be having the same discussions by the end of Week 16.

Los Angeles Chargers @ Dallas Cowboys

I know the MVP award is more about sustained success. But we need a short-term accolade to recognize players like Justin Herbert, who force their teams to win by sheer force of will. Herbert, with one and a half hands, has 11 carries and 11 sacks over the last two weeks. It hasn’t mattered that the Chargers are playing musical linemen, and Herbert has seen double-digit pressures in both games. Lack of help from his receivers? No problem. Herbert has channeled his inner John Wick and gotten the job done himself. But against the Cowboys’ secondary, we should see the downfield passing game start to click again.

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On the bright side, there weren’t any questions about George Pickens’ effort after Week 15. I didn’t see any reports of Dak Prescott getting after his WR2. Essentially, the drama from the week prior is over. But the questions about his involvement remain. Pickens’ opportunity share has been on a multi-week slide from a 33% target rate in Week 13 to 13% last Sunday. Plus, as the Chargers haven’t given up a receiving TD to WRs since Week 11, he’ll have his work cut out for him.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Tennessee Titans

No Patrick Mahomes. No playoff hopes. The Chiefs likely have their eyes on 2026 and beyond. But Travis Kelce still has some motivation to close the year out strong. The future Hall of Famer needs just 52 receiving yards to reach 13,000 career yards and 99 to get to second all-time at the position, passing Jason Witten. Rashee Rice’s concussion may keep the receiver off the field, and the Titans have been a pass-funnel defense over their last six games. Assuming Minshew Mania keeps the Chiefs offense afloat, Kelce should be the beneficiary.

So, Tony Pollard just decided he could run through defenses almost four months into the season, eh? I don’t think we’ve talked about it enough. Pollard has put up 265 rushing yards over the last two weeks. That number on its own is why he’s been in the top 12 in back-to-back games. But his track record makes the total all the harder to square. You’d need to add up his yardage totals from the eight games prior to match what he did in Weeks 14 and 15. And with the Chiefs’ defense also on the mend, Pollard could do it again to help his fantasy managers in the consolation bracket.

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Atlanta Falcons @ Arizona Cardinals

I get that his best performance came against the Bucs, but salute to Kirk Cousins. Defenses have pressed him on over a third of his dropbacks since Michael Penix Jr.’s season-ending injury. And, yes, he faceplanted against the Seahawks. But he’s thrown for at least one passing score in the three other games with enough volume to keep fantasy managers of either Bijan Robinson or Kyle Pitts Sr. happy. It’d be great to see Drake London back out on the field, but Cousins has nonetheless shown he can elevate his teammates to fantasy-viable results.

My shoulder hurts just looking at Jacoby Brissett’s passing marks. Since taking over for Kyler Murray in Week 6, Brissett has averaged 42.8 attempts per game. Without question, that’s first amongst all starters. In fact, the gap between how often Brissett throws the ball and the next starter (Bo Nix – 36.4) is the same delta between the second-place QB and the 16th. He has just two games with fewer than 40 attempts. Of course, Michael Wilson and Trey McBride continue to shine if they’re the focal points of the passing game. But as often as their signal-caller throws the ball, volume should never be a problem.

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Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos

I wasn’t surprised to see Jakobi Meyers earn an in-season extension with the Jaguars. He’s brought the best out of Trevor Lawrence. Since the Week 10 trade from the Raiders, Lawrence has hit positive marks in EPA per dropback and multi-touchdown results in four of six games. Last Sunday, he reset his career-highs in efficiency as a passer. And having a WR who can work inside and out and across the middle of the field gets him to that point. And against Denver, known for its ability to shut down perimeter receivers, Meyers’ presence puts Lawrence in a position to keep control of the AFC South.

Bo Nix played out of his mind against the Packers. He hit season-highs in EPA per dropback while still showing off his mobility. Nearly a third of his rushing attempts resulted in a first down. But the biggest improvement was his ability to connect with his receivers against zone defensive concepts. Prior to Week 15, his efficiency plummeted when more than five defenders dropped into coverage. It wasn’t the case last Sunday as he dropped four TDs on the Packers. And as the Jaguars play a similar style of defense, Nix has a chance to repeat the performance on Sunday.

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Las Vegas Raiders @ Houston Texans

So, here’s a two-leg parlay for you: you have at least one player from the Raiders on your roster, you’re still in the playoffs. In reality, Brock Bowers is the only guy anyone would consider starting. And I’d understand the logic. He’s earned +30% of the looks in four games this season, one of which was last week. However, you couldn’t plan for a worse defense for him to face. The Texans’ defensive front has harassed every opposing QB, and their secondary has kept (almost) every TE in check. Just four have scored more than 10 PPR points. You likely don’t have any better options than Bowers, but his outlook might warrant a look.

Nico Collins continues to dominate the Texans’ passing game. He scored 27.0 PPR points last week. Collins had four targets. His ability to win primarily as a perimeter receiver is what makes him stand out from his peers. And with C.J. Stroud back under center, the willingness to throw downfield is back in the Texans’ passing game. The Raiders defense can be as susceptible to the run as they are to the pass, but if Stroud lets the ball go, it’ll be in Collins’ direction.

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Pittsburgh Steelers @ Detroit Lions

At the start of the season, Jaylen Warren had a fringe-RB1 workload. However, Kenneth Gainwell has turned things in his favor over the last month. He’s only been at a 32% rushing share since Week 12. But Gainwell has mixed in on short-yardage and goal-line attempts. More importantly, he’s turned into Aaron Rodgers’ safety valve in the passing game. His 20% target rate makes him a high-end RB3 in PPR leagues.

Not that they play the same position, but Sam LaPorta’s absence has given Jameson Williams space to ascend into the top-12 ranks. Since Week 11, Williams has just one finish as a WR2 or worse. The mix between vertical routes and crossing patterns for long gains has kick-started what most hoped would be a season-long occurrence. But we’ll take a run of 20.4 PPR PPG during the playoffs.

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New England Patriots @ Baltimore Ravens

TreVeyon Henderson will be an interesting offseason case study. On the one hand, folks could look at his usage over the course of his rookie season and HC Mike Vrabel’s continual reliance on Rhamondre Stevenson as a detriment. But you could also say that Henderson’s ability to maintain the majority of carries over the last few weeks (57% rushing share), along with a role in the passing game, is the right development path. Plus, as he’s a constant threat for an explosive play, everyone should be watching out for Henderson.

I could look at Zay Flowers’ opportunity profile and see a top-24 receiver in how often Lamar Jackson looks his way. Coupled with his healthy 33% air yard share, the Ravens’ WR1 should be your WR2 most weeks. But it’s the red-zone attempts, or lack thereof, that drag down his ceiling. However, that shifted last week with Flowers taking all of Jackson’s end-zone targets. If the trend continues in a must-win matchup, Flowers has a strong case to remain in our starting lineups for Week 17.

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San Francisco 49ers @ Indianapolis Colts

Brock Purdy looked like he was over the toe injury that had him sidelined for most of the season. From a jump touchdown to multiple scrambles, the 49ers’ QB1 was looking like his old self against the Titans. And it was a timeline performance given Christian McCaffrey’s last-minute back injury. So now, with the Colts scrambling in a different sense to salvage their season, Purdy, operating at full capacity with a shot at the division title, should be locked into starting rosters.

You’d have to think that the Colts’ game plan will revolve around Jonathan Taylor. Yes, he had 25 carries against the Seahawks. And he was mildly effective on early downs (41.7% rushing success rate). The main problem was the lack of explosives. His longest carry was 11 yards. San Francisco plays a similar style in coverage, relying on zone concepts to keep receivers in front of them. Accordingly, it reduces the number of defenders at or close to the line of scrimmage. With a few more carries this week, Taylor can be the one to set the tone of the game with some chunk gains.