Tag: Fox Sport News

Hello Yahoo! I’m Derek Carty of EV Analytics and the creator of THE BLITZ projection system, which if you have Yahoo+, you’ll notice is available this year to help you manage your teams. Here, I’ll be digging into three players projected to play above their usual level, and three players projected to play below their usual level.

Michael Carter, Cardinals

THE BLITZ Week 16 Projection: 12.2 carries, 2.9 receptions, 72 yards, 0.47 TD

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Week 16 vs. YTD: RB23 vs. RB51

With Bam Knight hitting injured reserve, Carter figures to be the lead back for Arizona down the stretch. Head coach Jonathan Gannon basically confirmed this when asked about his comfort level with Carter as the lead, replying, “Very comfortable. I thought Mike played extremely well in Houston.” (h/t Coachspeak Index Discord)

Emari Demercado will eat into that workload a bit, but Carter figures to get plenty of work on the ground and through the air to make him a very valuable late-season addition for anyone in need of RB help.

James Cook III, Bills

THE BLITZ Week 16 Projection: 21.6 carries, 1.9 receptions, 118 yards, 0.76 TD

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Week 16 vs. ROS: 18.78 PPR points vs. 14.8 PPR points per game

Cook has had some of his best games (and best projections) when Buffalo is leading by a lot. Against a weak Cleveland offense, the Bills are 10-point favorites, setting Cook up for a lot of rushing attempts.

They also have the fifth-highest team total on the slate at 26, creating plenty of potential touchdown equity for Cook. Throw in the sub-freezing temperatures and Cleveland’s fast-paced play, and we have quite a few factors pointing in Cook’s direction this week.

Mason Tipton, Saints

THE BLITZ Week 16 Projection: 5.4 targets, 2.9 receptions, 34 yards, 0.24 TD

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Week 16 vs. YTD: 7.96 PPR points vs. 1.26 PPR points per game

Tipton is a player whom head coach Kellen Moore and his coaching staff have been talking up since the preseason. He hasn’t had much of a chance to show what he’s got yet, but with Devaughn Vele out this week, Tipton figures to be the No. 2 or 3 option in this offense. Granted, it’s the Saints, but this is still a player that coaching thinks is talented who should be out there nearly every play with limited target competition, playing at home in the dome. More of a deep-league consideration, but a guy who could have a sneaky-good week.

Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars

THE BLITZ Week 16 Projection: 36.1 attempts, 18.6 completions, 219 yards, 1.57 TD

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Week 16 vs. Last 4 Weeks: QB20 vs. QB1

Lawrence has been on a heater of late, and head coach Liam Coen has talked repeatedly about what a high level he’s playing at and all the things he’s doing well. That said, this week sets up as a potential let-down spot for T-Law as he squares off against the Denver Broncos.

The Broncos have an elite defense that also happens to run man coverage shells at the highest rate in the league. This is notable for Lawrence because he has one of the most pronounced man/zone splits of any quarterback, favoring zone defenses.

Audric Estimé (and Evan Hull), Saints

THE BLITZ Week 16 Projection: 9.3 carries, 1.8 receptions, 53 yards, 0.23 TD

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With Devin Neal officially ruled out for this week, those desperate for running back value may be tempted to dip into the New Orleans backfield, but that seems ill-advised. Estimé is the bigger name and the guy people may gravitate towards, but this looks much more like an ugly split-backfield (for a bad offense, no less) than anything else. After Neal went down with injury last week, Estimé took more of the targets while Hull took more of the carries. I far prefer Michael Carter (or even a guy like Kenneth Gainwell) to either of these guys for anyone in need of a running back this week.

Omarion Hampton, Chargers

THE BLITZ Week 16 Projection: 11.2 carries, 1.7 receptions, 62 yards, 0.59 TD

Week 16 vs. ROS: RB29 vs. RB25

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When J.K. Dobbins went down with injury midway through the season, Hampton was primed to be one of the top fantasy options at running back until he himself succumbed to injury.  He’s finally healthy again, but in his absence, Kimani Vidal established himself as a legitimate backfield option, with head coach Jim Harbaugh on multiple occasions referring to him as a “No. 1” running back in the league.

Offensive coordinator Greg Roman alluded to a “1-2 punch” when Hampton returned, and that’s exactly what we’ve seen. Hampton has taken just 43% and 54% of the carries in the two weeks he’s been back, and his routes have been more than cut in half from where they were earlier in the season. More recently, Roman has said that the team will play the “hot hand” and that both guys are hot right now, making this a very murky situation and Hampton a much less usable asset than many hoped he’d be.

U.S. midfielder Tyler Adams’ knee injury will sideline him for two-to-three months, curtailing his Bournemouth season and jeopardizing his availability for the last international window before the World Cup squad is selected.

Bournemouth coach Andoni Iraola announced Friday that Adams tore an MCL during a challenge in the early moments of the 4-4 draw against Manchester United on Monday. At the time of the injury, the Premier League club suspected an MCL injury but didn’t know the severity.

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“He will definitely be out for some time,” Iraola said. “From our previous experience with MCL injuries, it is normally around two or three months. It’s a big blow because he is an important player for us. Straight away, when you see the mechanism of the injury and the action itself, we felt it could be something serious.”

Beset with injuries the past three years, Adams has rebounded to start 15 of Bournemouth’s 16 league matches this season. His only absence came because of a yellow card suspension this month. He has scored twice and added one assist.

“Tyler is very valuable for us and very unique in what he does,” Iraola said. “We do have options [in defensive midfield], but it’s true that Tyler is difficult to replace.”

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The 2022 U.S. World Cup captain has not played for the national team since the September friendlies against South Korea and Japan. He missed the October window to remain in England with his pregnant wife and withdrew from last month’s window because of a concussion suffered in the last Bournemouth match before he was scheduled to report to U.S. camp.

This knee injury could force Adams to miss the friendlies against Belgium and Portugal in late March in Atlanta — the final camp before Mauricio Pochettino names his World Cup squad in late May.

Such an absence certainly would not disqualify him from the World Cup. Even if he’s out until late March, he would have more than six weeks to reclaim his place in Bournemouth’s lineup. If healthy and in form, he would seem almost certain to be part of Pochettino’s 26-man World Cup roster.

In Adams’ absence this fall, Pochettino’s partnerships in defensive midfield featured Tanner Tessmann, Aidan Morris, Cristian Roldan, James Sands and Sebastian Berhalter.

The San Diego Padres and Sung-mun Song have reportedly agreed on a contract, according to Fansided’s Robert Murray.

Terms of the deal have not been released.

The 29-year-old Korean infielder was posted last month and had until Sunday to sign with an MLB team before having to return to the Kiwoom Heroes of the KBO League.

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Song, primarily a third baseman, has played the past six seasons with Kiwoom and recorded 80 home runs, 454 RBI and a .283 batting average in 2,889 plate appearances. His past two seasons have seen career-high production, with 194 total RBI, 45 home runs and a .328 batting average.

In August, Song signed a six-year contract extension with Kiwoom worth $8.7 million in guaranteed money, the largest multiyear deal given to a non-free-agent position player in the league’s history, according to the Korea Times.

Despite the contract, Kiwoom said they would support Song if he chose to be posted.

“The team has been really supportive,” Song said. “They are aware of my plan [to be posted].”

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Song will be the sixth Kiwoom player to sign with an MLB team, joining Atlanta Braves infielder Ha-Seong Kim, San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee and Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Hyeseong Kim.

As with any signing of a player who has been posted, the posting fee is 20% for the first $25 million, 17.5% for the next $25 million and an additional 15% on every dollar above $50 million.

News of Song’s signing comes a day after the Padres brought back starter Michael King on a three-year, $75 million contract.

A prime-time battle for first place in the NFC North. Followed by another clash between rivals tied atop the NFC South.

Plus a showdown between two red-hot AFC division leaders, and a Sunday Night Football contest in which a .500 AFC North squad is favored over the 11-win leader of the AFC East.

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Needless to say, NFL schedule-makers hit the jackpot in Week 16. Now let’s see if we can help you hit the jackpot by breaking down a slew of current and historical NFL betting trends related to all four of these highly intriguing matchups.

All listed odds are via BetMGM and subject to change.

Green Bay Packers (-1, 46.5) at Chicago Bears

Kickoff: Saturday, 8:20 p.m. ET

Moneyline: Packers -115/Bears +105

• The NFC North’s top two teams hook up for the second time in three weeks, this time in the Windy City.

Back in Week 14, the Packers welcomed Chicago to Lambeau Field and held on 28-21, barely cashing as 6.5-point home favorites.

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From there, Green Bay took its season-best four-game SU and three-game ATS winning streaks to Denver and saw both go up in flames in a 34-26 loss as 1.5-point road chalk.

Conversely, the Bears rebounded from the disappointing defeat in Wisconsin by blasting Cleveland 31-3 in Week 15, easily covering as 7.5-point favorites.

• When it comes to impressive NFL betting trends, it’s difficult to top Green Bay’s utter dominance of the Bears that dates back nearly two decades.

The Packers have won 29 of 35 head-to-head meetings since 2008 (going 26-9 ATS), including 12 of 13 since 2019 (11-2 ATS).

What’s more, Green Bay has made Soldier Field a second home for the past 17 years, going 15-2 SU and 13-4 ATS. That includes an ongoing six-game winning streak in Chicago (5-1 ATS).

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• The Packers are 4-2-1 SU  on the road but just 2-5 ATS.

On the other hand, Chicago is 10-2 since Week 3 (8-3-1 ATS), including an active five-game home winning streak (3-1-1 ATS).

• Green Bay has cleared the closing total in three straight games overall and four of the last five. The over is also 6-0 in the Packers’ last six as a visitor.

The total has alternated in the Bears’ last four contests, with Sunday’s game against the Browns staying low. In fact, the under has hit in four of the last five at Soldier Field.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3, 45.5) at Carolina Panthers

Kickoff: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

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Moneyline: Buccaneers -155/Panthers +130

• In another Week 16 division rivalry matchup involving playoff contenders, the slumping Buccaneers visit Carolina. Although both NFC South squads are just 7-7, they are tied atop the division.

Tampa Bay is mired in a 1-5 SU and 0-6 ATS slump, the latest setback being a 29-28 loss to the Falcons as a 6-point home favorite in the Week 15 Thursday Night Football game.

Three days later, the Panthers dropped a 20-17 decision to the lowly Saints as 2.5-point road chalk. Carolina has now alternated SU and ATS wins and losses in its last eight games.

• Although it endured 0-6-1 ATS slides in 2022, 2017 and 2006, the Buccaneers have never experienced an 0-7 ATS drought in franchise history.

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Also, since starting the season 3-0 SU and ATS on the road, Tampa has dropped three of four as a visitor both on the field and at the betting window.

Then again, Carolina has lost two of three at home both SU and ATS. However, the one victory was a biggie: a 31-28 Week 14 upset of the Rams as a 10-point underdog.

• For the season, the Panthers are 7-5 SU and 8-4 ATS as an underdog, including 4-1 SU and ATS as a home underdog.

Taking this NFL betting trend a step further, the underdog is 9-5 SU and 10-4 ATS in Carolina games in 2025.

• The Bucs swept the season series from the Panthers in 2024, winning 26-23 in overtime at home and 48-14 on the road.

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Tampa Bay has won five in a row in this rivalry. That’s part of an ongoing 11-2 SU run, in which the Bucs have also gone 9-1 as a favorite and 5-1 in Charlotte.

Over this 13-game span, the Bucs are 9-4 ATS overall against the Panthers and 7-3 ATS as a favorite, but just 4-3 ATS in Carolina.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos (-3, 46.5)

Kickoff: Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET

Moneyline: Jaguars +135/Broncos -160

• Jacksonville (-13.5) closed as the biggest favorite in Week 15 and had no trouble covering in a 48-20 wipeout of the Jets.

The Jaguars, who sit alone in the AFC South penthouse, have won and covered five in a row for the first time since Weeks 4-8 of 2023.

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Two NFL betting trends to keep an eye on in this one: Jacksonville hasn’t had a six-game SU winning streak since an 11-game run in 1999 and hasn’t cashed in six straight games since 2010.

• Denver overcame a 23-14 second-half deficit in Week 15 and upset the Packers 34-26 as a 1.5-point home underdog.

The Broncos are riding an NFL-best 11-game winning streak. It’s the longest such run since the 1998 squad started 14-0.

Despite the recent on-field success, Denver is just 6-8 ATS for the season (6-5 ATS during its winning streak).

• Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw a career-high five touchdown passes in last week’s drubbing of the Jets.

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Lawrence now has multiple scoring passes in four straight games for the first time in his career (12 TDs in all). He also hasn’t thrown an interception in three straight contests.

This week, Lawrence faces a Broncos defense that has yielded just 14 passing TDs (tied for third-fewest in the NFL) but corralled only nine interceptions.

Lawrence’s odds to throw two-plus TDs on Sunday: from +118 to +135, depending on the sportsbook. His odds to throw a pick: from -120 to -160.

• Jacksonville has scored at least 25 points in 11 of 14 games, including the last seven in a row. During this seven-game stretch, the Jags are averaging 32.9 points.

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So it’s no surprise that the over is 7-4 in Jacksonville’s last 11 games. Also, five of the team’s six true road contests have hurdled the total.

Meanwhile, eight of the Broncos’ first 11 games fell short of the total, but the over has cashed in their last three.

New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens (-3, 48)

Kickoff: Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET

Moneyline: Patriots +125/Ravens -150

• The Patriots’ 10-game winning streak came to an end in stunning fashion in Week 15, as they blew a 21-0 lead at home to Buffalo and lost 35-31 as 2.5-point underdogs.

The good news for New England heading into this Sunday Night Football contest in Buffalo: It hasn’t lost or failed to cover in consecutive games all season.

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Not only that, but the Patriots possess the NFL’s only unbeaten road record at 6-0. They covered the spread in five of those contests, part of an overall 9-5 ATS mark that’s tied with Jacksonville and San Francisco for third-best in the league.

• Baltimore went to Cincinnati as a 3-point favorite in Week 15 and emerged with a 24-0 win, its first shutout since Week 6 of the 2018 season.

With the blowout victory, the Ravens halted a four-game ATS slide. Still, they bring several negative NFL betting trends into this contest: 5-9 overall, 2-6 at home and 2-4 as a home chalk.

• After throwing for at least 259 yards in six straight games, New England quarterback Drake Maye was held to a season-low 155 yards against the Bills.

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Then again, Buffalo has the No. 2-ranked pass defense in the NFL. Baltimore ranks 26th.

Maye has faced three secondaries positioned right below the Ravens: Pittsburgh (27th), Cincinnati (28th) and Tampa Bay (29th). His respective passing totals in those three contests: 268, 294 and 270.

Maye is projected for 236.5 passing yards Sunday night.

• Since the franchise was founded in 1996, the Ravens are 3-9 SU and 3-8-1 ATS against New England in the regular season.

However, Baltimore has won two of three meetings with quarterback Lamar Jackson leading the offense.

• The over is 6-2 in New England’s last eight contests. Also, all five Patriots-Ravens battles in Baltimore have soared past the closing number, with combined point totals of 84, 51, 61, 48 and 57.

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That being said, only four Patriots’ games this season have cleared 48 total points.

Similarly, Baltimore and its opponents have eclipsed 48 total points just once in the last nine contests — and that was the Ravens’ 27-22 loss to Pittsburgh in Week 14.

Not only did we get one of the best games of the season to start Week 16 but fantasy football managers who were lucky enough to roster one or more of the top players from Rams-Seahawks were rewarded handsomely. Seattle would go on to top L.A. in a wild OT thriller, 38-37.

Let’s recap the action and how it impacted your fantasy playoff matchup.

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Rams star Puka Nacua posted the highest fantasy output by a wide receiver all season, finishing with 12 catches for 225 yards and two TDs (40.5 fantasy points), one of those scores a 41-yard catch-and-run to nearly give the Rams the win in overtime. Over the past three weeks, Nacua has 28 catches for 573 yards and four touchdowns, a one-man wrecking crew that has likely helped you take care of opponents on your way to and through the fantasy playoffs. His best game came with teammate Davante Adams (hamstring) sidelined.

Throwing Nacua the ball must be fun for Matthew Stafford, who was pretty close to putting a stamp on booking his first NFL MVP award (though he still may take it home, even though the Rams lost). Stafford finished the shootout with a season-high 457 passing yards and three touchdowns, good for 30.88 fantasy points in the loss. That was Stafford’s highest output of the season as he continues to lead the NFL in touchdown passes (40) and now passing yards (4,179).

If you had both players in half-PPR, starting your fantasy football semifinal matchup off with 70+ points is a decent way to begin Week 16.

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You know who else may be doing the snoopy dance this morning? Kenneth Walker III managers.

Finally. Walker came through in the biggest spot of the season (hopefully you didn’t decide to bench him on TNF). The Seahawks RB finished Thursday night with 164 yards on 14 touches with a touchdown, good for a season-high 23.9 fantasy points. A lot of his production came on chunk plays of 46 and 55 yards but we had been waiting for those types of explosives all season. If you didn’t completely lose faith and bench Walker, he came through with a Christmas miracle.

What’s great about both the Rams and Seahawks players if you end up advancing to your championship game is we shouldn’t see either team take the foot off the gas. Seattle controls its destiny but needs to win in Week 17 to maintain the No. 1 seed in the NFC. L.A. is still alive for the 1-seed as well if the Seahawks falter. Plus, both teams have plus-matchups next week; Seattle faces Carolina and L.A. gets Atlanta. The good times should keep rolling into X-Mas week.

Let’s hit a few other players real quick …

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-Jaxon Smith-Njigba made due with the OT TD to help the Seahawks come back and win. He finished with a solid 8-96-1 line (19.6 FPTS) that will have him in the top-12 WR conversation for Week 16.

-Colby Parkinson had scored at least 8.4 fantasy points in five of the past six games, finding the end zone six times in that span. He was the third-highest scoring TE on the Rams on Thursday, finishing with two catches for 21 yards, behind both Davis Allen and Terrance Ferguson.

-Kyren Williams outtouched Blake Corum 26-15 but it was Corum who found the end zone again. That gave him five TDs over the past four games, which is frustrating for Williams managers. Though, the Rams’ lead back had 85 total yards and three catches to get to 10 fantasy points. Not a complete bust.

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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[Upgrade to Fantasy Plus and gain your edge in player projections and much more]

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.