NFL Player News

Wilson (6'5/224) made 24 starts for the Bulldogs before turning pro, parlaying 133 career catches into 1,949 yards (14.7 YPR) and 22 TDs. He earned second-team All-SEC as a 2015 junior. Despite doubling as a basketball player at Mississippi State, Wilson proceeded to flunk the Combine, running 4.85 with a 28-inch vertical. Wilson also made poor use of his size in college, underwhelming in contested-catch situations. Optimists have compared Wilson to Plaxico Burress, but his skill set is more along the lines of Ramses Barden. He’s a long shot.

There wasn’t really much Goff did wrong in this one — he only took one sack and managed two red zone strikes to Amon-Ra St. Brown. The Lions converted their two fourth-down gos. The running game was bad and put Goff in big spots that he usually delivered on, and the game turned when Detroit fell apart in the third quarter, as between the sack and a couple rough plays they punted three straight times. Goff corrected course, but couldn’t keep pace with the Rams, who averaged 7.5 yards per play to Detroit’s 6.4. A Week 16 date with the Steelers should keep Goff on the QB1 line.

Jefferson was second on the Titans in receiving yards and did it all on one catch. He was also second on the team with five targets and would have had a 40-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter if Cam Ward, who was pressured on the play, hadn’t sailed the pass over his head. The Titans have talked about getting Jefferson more involved, and he’s the clear depth threat in this offense, so perhaps he will luck into some garbage time production over the final weeks. However, he did leave the game in the fourth quarter with a lower back injury after making an impressive leaping catch and landing directly on his back. Keep an eye on his practice reports.

Ayomanor had only one target on the day, but he hauled it in, so that’s something. The Titans don’t seem to want Cam Ward to throw the ball downfield much, which means it’s really hard for anybody to roster Ayomanor in re-draft leagues for the remainder of this season. However, Ayomanor and Ward also had a miscommunication on a fourth-quarter pass that almost led to an interception, so maybe that hesitancy makes some sense.

Dike had the most targets of any Titans wide receiver, but that’s not much to write home about. The Titans love to run screen passes, and Dike is really shifty after the catch, so you figure he’d be a good option on those plays, but they don’t seem to agree. However, the rookie also had a brutal drop in the fourth quarter on a play where Cam Ward evaded three rushers and escaped to the sideline before throwing a dart that hit Dike in the chest. He needs to make those catches, and the drop is a good example of why he’s hard to trust in fantasy leagues right now.

Okonkwo led the team in targets, but that’s mainly because the Titans seem to only want to run screen passes, which leads to plenty of targets for their tight ends and running backs. Okonkwo did have a nice 17-yard catch and run in the first half, where he broke a few tackles, but this is not a role that provides much consistent fantasy value.

Helm ran a nice route in the first half and was left wide open for an easy, walk-in 34-yard touchdown catch. He is an athletic tight end and possesses a little bit of fantasy upside if this Titans offense could get anything going. However, that is more of a question for next season, and Helm is also stuck in a bit of a committee with Chig Okonkwo, so it’s hard to rely on him outside of deeper two-tight-end leagues. He’s an intriguing stash in dynasty leagues though. There is something here.

As usual, Kittle was a key to the 49ers’ offense. He led the team in targets and catches while finishing second in receiving yards on the day. He didn’t need to do much in the second half with the 49ers up multiple touchdowns for much of the game, but he looks every bit the elite tight end he always has. Next week’s game against the Colts will likely be a bit closer, which would mean a potential top-five tight end outing from Kittle.

Jennings didn’t catch many passes today, but he sure made them count when he did. The wide receiver was third on the team in targets, but wasn’t able to haul in much of anything outside of the red zone. He does have six touchdowns in his last six games, so it’s clear that he has the trust of Brock Purdy when they get close to the red zone. That alone makes him a potential flex option for the remainder of the fantasy football playoffs.

Vele was diving all over the place against the Panthers, catching 5-of-6 targets for 69 yards before exiting. The big-bodied wide receiver picked up multiple first downs and played a key role on the Saints’ 17-play third drive. He first found a soft spot in the Panthers’ zone coverage, gaining 10 yards on a curl route by picking up a few yards after the catch. He later went sky-high on a dagger route and high-pointed the ball before being met in the air by CB Mike Jackson, who tackled him for a 17-yard gain. He could be a boom-bust FLEX against the Jets next week, if active. He did not return.