NFL Player News

Dillon is a ‘tweener at safety with questionable athleticism. His summer will be focused on carving out a role on special teams.

One expects more passing game involvement for such a capable receiving back, but alas, the rookie handled a run-centric role in today’s win. He made an acrobatic grab on his lone reception, though. Marks also made a nice play on a 19-yard run late in the second quarter. The offense was backed up to its own three-yard line, and Marks singlehandedly bailed them out by forcing a missed tackle on a counter run to the left before taking off on the explosive gain. He needed a breather in the fourth quarter after being leveled by Chargers OLB Khalil Mack on a four-yard loss, but he was able to return.

Schultz did not have a good day, although it could have been worse. The Texans’ tight end got flagged for an unnecessary roughness penalty on his team’s fourth drive for shoving Chargers DT Teair Tart to the ground after Tart kneed him in the back and slapped his facemask, out of sight from the referee, at the tail end of a play. Later, on the Texans’ eighth drive, Chargers EDGE Khalil Mack punched the football out of Schultz’s hands at the end of an 11-yard gain via a screen pass. Fortunately, the ball rolled out of bounds just before another Chargers defender fell on it. Schultz is a boom-bust TE1 against the

The Texans’ rookie slot receiver looked good in this one. Noel lined up in the slot on the right side of the field during the Texans’ second drive, shaking his coverage defender as he broke inward on a post route, around the safety, who was focused on Texans No. 1 WR Nico Collins underneath. Texans QB C.J. Stroud stood tall against pressure, hitting Noel in stride for a 43-yard score. The two nearly connected for a 26-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, but Stroud got hit as he was throwing and could not accurately lead Noel, who had just snuck past his coverage defender on a corner route. Noel is on the FLEX radar against the Colts next week,

Higgins was the first player to find the end zone on Saturday. The rookie wide receiver took off on a post route, on 3rd-and-1 during the Texans’ opening drive, dusting Chargers CB Donte Jackson, sans safety help, as he broke inward. The Texans’ offensive line kept QB C.J. Stroud clean, giving Stroud time to plant and throw an accurate pass, hitting Higgins in stride as he pulled away from his coverage defender en route to a 75-yard score. Higgins is a viable FLEX starter in Week 18 against the Colts.

Stroud scored his first touchdown of the day on the Texans’ opening drive, taking advantage of the clean pocket provided to him by his blockers by connecting with rookie WR Jayden Higgins for a 75-yard post-route touchdown. Stroud again took advantage of the Chargers’ preoccupied safeties, this time standing tall in the pocket as two pass rushers hurdled toward him, by connecting with rookie WR Jaylin Noel for a 43-yard post-route touchdown. Stroud nearly connected with Noel for a 26-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, but he was hit by a pass rusher mid-throw, resulting in a badly underthrown pass. The win earns the Texans (11-5) a playoff spot, though the AFC South standings have not yet been finalized, with the Jaguars (11-4) sitting in first. Stroud is a back-end QB1 against the Colts next week.

Credit goes to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler for sharing the good news. While we would prefer Fannin to be 100.0 percent healthy, the 21-year-old tight end remains a locked-in TE1. Over the last three weeks, he has notched finishes as the half-PPR overall TE1 and overall TE2, operating as the Browns’ No. 1 pass catcher.

Huntley is a low-end QB2 with starting QB Lamar Jackson sidelined by a back contusion suffered against the Patriots last week. The Packers field a talented pass defense, albeit with an injury-weakened defensive line. Huntley lacks the upside requisite for starting consideration in single-quarterback re-draft leagues.

Packers starting QB Jordan Love (concussion) was ruled out on Friday, and reports indicated Willis was expected to get the start despite being sick and nursing a throwing-shoulder injury. Willis is indeed the team’s Week 17 starter and can be treated as a QB2 with intriguing rushing upside. Appearing in three games this season, Williams completed 12-of-14 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns while rushing 13 times for 63 yards.

Watson practiced fully on Tuesday and Wednesday before being downgraded with an illness on Friday. Fortunately, the Packers’ No. 1 wide receiver is good to go. Both the Packers (9-5-1) and Bears (11-4) have secured playoff spots, though the exact seeding has not yet been determined. The Packers declared QB Jordan Love, DL Collin Oliver, OL Zach Tom, WR Savion Williams, DL Nazir Stackhouse and DL Barryn Sorrell inactive for Week 17 against the Ravens. Packers S Evan Williams (knee) is active. As expected, QB Malik Willis (shoulder/illness) gets the start.

The back contusion Jackson suffered last week against the Patriots will keep him sidelined in Week 17. The Ravens (7-8) trail the Steelers (9-6) in the AFC North playoff hunt. Jackson’s absence is extremely unfortunate. Backup QB Tyler Huntley is barely on the QB2 radar. He does not need to be started in single-quarterback re-draft leagues.