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| Sunday, December 24, 2023 |
| You don't need a long intro here, we all know why you opened this email: To set your lineup for Sunday's games. We've got my updated rankings and the latest injury news to help you out there, but I do have a bit of programming to note: We won't have a newsletter tomorrow morning like we usually do. We'll be back Tuesday with Week 17 rankings and waiver-wire targets, but with the Christmas holiday, we're taking a day off before getting back to it. |
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The injury news at QB is a bit of a mixed bag. C.J. Stroud (concussion) wasn't able to get cleared and will miss his second game in a row, though there is some hope he'll be able to return next week. Case Keenum will start for the Texans again, and it's a downgrade for the offense, but not a bottoming-out. The situation is similar in Tennessee, where Will Levis (ankle) is out, but will be replaced by the capable Ryan Tannehill -- who might not even be a downgrade for the offense at this point. Zach Wilson (concussion) is also out for Sunday, with Trevor Siemian replacing him. I wouldn't be shocked if Siemian was at least decent this week against a Commanders defense that seems to leave a guy wide open 30 yards down the field at least once every week. |
The good news at QB comes in Seattle and Jacksonville, where Geno Smith (groin) and Trevor Lawrence (concussion/ankle) have both been cleared. Smith has a solid matchup against the Titans and should be an upgrade on Drew Lock, while Lawrence received clearance Saturday and traveled with the team. Barring an unexpected setback, he should be in there against a very good matchup with the Buccaneers -- both Smith and Lawrence are on the cusp of QB1 status, and their presence is good news for their entire offenses. |
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We'll start out with who isn't expected to play this week: Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle), Brian Robinson (hamstring), Zack Moss (forearm), Jerick McKinnon (groin), and D'Onta Foreman (personal) are all not expected to play at this point. Ezekiel Elliott is in the RB2 conversation with Stevenson out, as is Isiah Pacheco (shoulder) in his expected return from a two-game absence. Jonathan Taylor (thumb) is also back from his three-game absence and is in the RB1 range with Moss out. I'd prefer to avoid Washington's backfield, with both Antonio Gibson and Chris Rodriguez in the RB3/4 range of the rankings. |
The toughest spot to figure out there is Chicago. We've seen little consistency in how they've used their backs recently, but with Foreman expected to be out, we'll see a consolidated backfield split, at least. I'd expect rookie Roschon Johnson to be the lead back for the Bears , but I think it's fair to keep expectations in check; he played 74% of the snaps in Week 12 and turned that into 10 carries, five targets, and 12.5 PPR points. He should have a similar role this week, and it is a good matchup, but I can't rank him much higher than the RB3 range given how little we've seen from him. Khalil Herbert is more of a "pray-for-a-touchdown" play. |
We've still got some questions about whether Josh Jacobs (quad), Kenneth Walker (shoulder), Alexander Mattison (ankle), and A.J. Dillon (thumb) are going to play, but those aren't complicated situations at this point. If Walker and Jacobs play, you start them; if they don't Zamir White and Zach Charbonnet belong in the RB2/3 range. Mattison and Dillon seem likely to be the smaller part of a platoon in their backfields if they play, behind Ty Chandler and Aaron Jones, respectively, and I wouldn't view either as much more than a desperation RB3. |
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Two of the biggest names on the injury report for Week 16 at WR, Tyreek Hill (ankle), Nico Collins (calf), are in line to return from their injuries Sunday. Hill is right back in the top five of the position in what we're hoping will be a shootout against the Cowboys, while Collins is in the WR2 range while playing with a backup QB. There's some risk here, but Collins' upside makes it worth chasing, in my eyes. |
A lot of the other injuries for Week 16 at WR are probably guys I'd steer clear of otherwise. Zay Flowers (foot) is a decent WR3 in PPR if he plays, but with that game kicking off Monday night, it might be tough to risk it. Similarly, I'm probably trying to avoid Jayden Reed (toe) and Zay Jones (hamstring), both of whom are questionable, but aren't enough of a sure thing that I want to take the right. There's upside with both if they're active, but right now, we just don't know. |
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We've got a couple of tight ends ruled out for Week 16, but you shouldn't be relying on Hunter Henry (knee) and Michael Mayer (toe) at this point anyway. Cole Kmet (quad) is expected to play, and he's in the low-end TE1 range of the rankings if he does. |
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| Flex top 100 rankings |
- Christian McCaffrey vs. BAL
- CeeDee Lamb @MIA
- Tyreek Hill vs. DAL
- Amon-Ra St. Brown @MIN
- AJ Brown vs. NYG
- Bijan Robinson vs. IND
- Travis Kelce vs. LV
- Justin Jefferson vs. DET
- Rachaad White vs. JAX
- Jahmyr Gibbs @MIN
- Raheem Mostert vs. DAL
- Jaylen Waddle vs. DAL
- Jonathan Taylor @ATL
- DJ Moore vs. ARI
- Travis Etienne @TB
- Deebo Samuel vs. BAL
- Tony Pollard @MIA
- Davante Adams @KC
- Mike Evans vs. JAX
- Isiah Pacheco vs. LV
- Saquon Barkley @PHI
- Trey McBride @CHI
- Garrett Wilson vs. WAS
- Rashee Rice vs. LV
- Derrick Henry vs. SEA
- Amari Cooper @HOU
- Breece Hall vs. WAS
- De'Von Achane vs. DAL
- D'Andre Swift vs. NYG
- Sam LaPorta @MIN
- TJ Hockenson vs. DET
- Ty Chandler vs. DET
- David Njoku @HOU
- Ezekiel Elliott @DEN
- Devonta Smith vs. NYG
- Evan Engram @TB
- Josh Jacobs @KC
- Brandon Aiyuk vs. BAL
- Chuba Hubbard vs. GB
- Aaron Jones @CAR
- Nico Collins vs. CLE
- Terry McLaurin @NYJ
- Javonte Williams vs. NE
- James Conner @CHI
- DK Metcalf @TEN
- DeAndre Hopkins vs. SEA
- Courtland Sutton vs. NE
- David Montgomery @MIN
- George Kittle vs. BAL
- Chris Godwin vs. JAX
- Drake London vs. IND
- Calvin Ridley @TB
- Kenneth Walker @TEN
- Jordan Addison vs. DET
- Devin Singletary vs. CLE
- Jerome Ford @HOU
- Isaiah Likely @SF
- Tyler Lockett @TEN
- Jakobi Meyers @KC
- Dontayvion Wicks @CAR
- Gus Edwards @SF
- Curtis Samuel @NYJ
- Zay Flowers @SF
- Elijah Moore @HOU
- Jake Ferguson @MIA
- Adam Thielen vs. GB
- Wan'Dale Robinson @PHI
- Brandin Cooks @MIA
- Romeo Doubs @CAR
- Roschon Johnson vs. ARI
- Cole Kmet vs. ARI
- Demario Douglas @DEN
- Darren Waller @PHI
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba @TEN
- Antonio Gibson @NYJ
- Michael Wilson @CHI
- Tyjae Spears vs. SEA
- Dallas Goedert vs. NYG
- Odell Beckham @SF
- Dalton Schultz vs. CLE
- Jerry Jeudy vs. NE
- Tyler Allgeier vs. IND
- Zach Charbonnet @TEN
- Kyle Pitts vs. IND
- Josh Downs @ATL
- Logan Thomas @NYJ
- Jahan Dotson @NYJ
- Jonnu Smith vs. IND
- D'Ernest Johnson @TB
- Cade Otton vs. JAX
- Jonathan Mingo vs. GB
- Alexander Mattison vs. DET
- DeVante Parker @DEN
- Alec Pierce @ATL
- Noah Brown vs. CLE
- Chris Rodriguez Jr. @NYJ
- Tucker Kraft @CAR
- Khalil Herbert vs. ARI
- Kenneth Gainwell vs. NYG
- Miles Sanders vs. GB
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