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Pierce was shot out of a cannon, connecting with veteran quarterback Philip Rivers on two first half touchdowns as the two teams traded blows early. He added his longest reception of the evening in the second half on a 33-yard grab as the team fought to keep their season alive, only to fall short while being eliminated from postseason contention. Pierce might have a very different fantasy outlook for the final two weeks of the regular season if the team turns back to rookie Riley Leonard under center.

Rivers and the Colts traded blows with the 49ers throughout the first half, with the aging veteran connecting with Alec Pierce for two scores before the break. The Colts would struggle to keep the momentum rolling into the second half while managing just 10 points after the break, but many will likely be left with the memory of the surgical precision the 44-year-old showed to open the game rather than the couple of under-thrown balls late. The Colts were eliminated from the postseason with the loss, potentially signaling a change back to rookie Riley Leonard under center for the team’s final two games of the regular season. Either way, Rivers’ return to the league after five years will go down as one of the crazier storylines of the 2025 season and should only pad his chances of heading to the Hall of Fame.

McCaffrey was once again the primary cog of the offense, this time dismantling a top five run defense in the Colts - albeit one dealing with numerous injuries. He hit the century mark on the ground for only the third time this season while adding two receiving touchdowns to his ledger, the second of which was a gift from the fantasy Gods after backup tight end Jake Tonges appeared to get both feet down in the end zone for what would ahve been his fifth score of the season, only for the refs to miss it on the field and for head coach Kyle Shanahan to run a play instead of throwing the challenge flag. McCaffrey and the 49ers can earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC with wins against the Bears and Seahawks the next two weeks.

The 49ers leaned on running back Christian McCaffrey heavily throughout but the touchdown variance swung hard in Purdy’s favor, tossing two scores to McCaffrey, one to George Kittle, one to Demarcus Robinson, and capping it off with one to Jauan Jennings. Purdy’s only blemish went down as a tipped ball interception in the fourth quarter but the defense would add a pick-six on the following possession for the team’s highest scoring output of the season as they keep their eyes fixed on the No. 1 seed. They’ll need to beat the Bears and Seahawks in the final two weeks to secure the only bye out of the NFC, which begins on a short week when they host Chicago in Week 17.

Kittle tweaked his ankle near the end of the third quarter and was almost immediately labeled questionable to return. He erupted for 115 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions in under three quarters prior to departing. Look for Jauan Jennings to step up for the remainder of the game if Kittle can’t return with Ricky Pearsall also out.

With Jordan Mason (ankle) listed as a DNP to start the week, the Vikings will hope Jones can get on the field for Week 17 against the Lions. Jones rushed 21 times for 85 scoreless yards in Week 16’s win over the Giants, and added another two catches for eight yards. Jones would profile as a fringe RB2/RB3 if he can go this week.

Mason was carted to the locker room in the Vikings’ Week 16 win over the Giants. A DNP to open the week isn’t a good sign for his Week 17 availability, and his absence would lead to a larger role for Aaron Jones (ankle) if he can suit up. This is only an estimated practice report, we’ll see if Mason’s status changes on Tuesday when the Vikings take the field for the first time on a short week.

We are still waiting for an official word on McCarthy’s injury after it was reported earlier that he would undergo an MRI. Monday’s DNP isn’t a good sign for his Week 17 availability against the Lions, but there’s still time for things to change. If he’s unable to go, Max Brosmer would be in line to make his second career start. Brosmer threw four interceptions in his first start and would not be on the fantasy radar in any format if he gets the nod.

Metcalf will have a chance to appeal the league’s decision and plans to do so, but if the two-game suspension is upheld, the Steelers’ WR1 will miss Week 17 against the Browns and Week 18 against the Ravens. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero notes that Metcalf reported the same fan to security last season after an interaction with the fan while he was with the Seahawks, but things escalated this time, as Metcalf could be seen pulling the fan’s shirt and later swiping at him before walking away. The Steelers currently sit at 9-6 on the season and are in first place in the AFC North. They can secure their spot in the playoffs with a win on Sunday.

Williams played through the same neck injury in Week 16 and did not suffer any reported setbacks after the game. The decision to list him as limited is likely more due to load management at this point in the season. Unless the team reports differently, we would expect Williams to be good to go for Week 17’s game against the Commanders. He will be on the RB2 radar if active.