NFL Player News

This is quickly turning into a fantasy football manager’s worst nightmare. Jefferson has already missed the four games required of a player on injured reserve, and has now missed an additional two since the team opened his 21-day window for return. Speaking Monday, head coach Kevin O’Connell said, “we do have to be smart,” when it comes to getting Jefferson back on the field, hinting at Jefferson missing Week 12 against the Bears. As if that’s not bad enough, the Vikings have a Week 13 bye on tap, which means fantasy managers would have at least two more weeks without Jefferson if he doesn’t suit up this weekend. Jefferson has practiced each of the last two weeks and is by all accounts trending toward a return, but the Vikings have shown little urgency to play him at less than 100 percent.

In addition to saying Thompson-Robinson was still in concussion protocol, Stefanski also said he wasn’t ready to name a starter for Week 14’s contest against the Jaguars. It’s hard to imagine the Browns going back to Thompson-Robinson after Flacco turned in a solid 254-2-1 outing in his first start and had the Browns in position to win for much of Sunday’s contest against the Rams. He’ll almost certainly get the nod if DTR is unable to clear protocol, but if DTR is cleared to play, we could be looking at another start for the rookie.

Pickett was never expected to play on Thursday. The team announced shortly after Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals that he would undergo surgery and likely miss 2-4 weeks. Although, Tomlin declined to give a timeframe for Pickett’s return on Monday. Mitchell Trubisky, who threw for 117 yards and one touchdown on 17 attempts, will get the start for the Steelers against a Patriots defense that is fresh off keeping the Chargers out of the end zone in Week 13. We’ll see if Trubisky can manage better in a prime-time matchup that has the early makings of a snoozer.

This could be nothing, or it could be something. Burks missed three straight games after suffering a concussion in Week 9 against the Steelers and hadn’t played fewer than 51 percent of snaps in any game prior to Week 13. It’s possible the Titans were easing Burks back into the lineup after nearly a month away, but the former first-round pick can’t afford to miss time down the stretch. He’s caught eight passes for 122 yards in six games this season and will likely finish with an underwhelming performance for the second straight season. His snaps will be something to monitor next week when the Titans take on the Dolphins.

If not for a two-point conversion in the third quarter, Thomas’ fantasy points would have tied his reception total. The veteran tight end has been slowed in back-to-back weeks, totaling two receptions for 15 yards on five targets over that span. He and the Commanders now head into their bye week, and will look to bounce back in Week 15 against the Rams.

Swift exited Sunday’s contest with an injury late in the fourth quarter, but Gainwell played ahead of him regardless. Gainwell’s 54 percent snap share marked his most since Week 1, while his 47 yards from scrimmage marked his third-most on the season. A negative game script likely fueled Gainwell’s usage, as he led the Eagles’ backfield with 32 routes run. Swift’s status will be one to watch heading into Week 14 against the Cowboys, but his 11 opportunities on the day were far from what we’ve come to expect from the Eagles’ RB1.

Fluker has been trying to make a comeback for the better part of a year. The veteran offensive lineman showed up to Alabama’s pro day earlier this offseason looking shredded and reportedly turned in an impressive workout. He visited with the Jets back in September but wasn’t able to get a contract offer. If he’s able to catch on with the Panthers, they could provide him with enough opportunities to start and show he’s able to contribute beyond the remainder of this season.

Achane wound up leading the Dolphins’ backfield in snaps, touches, and yards, but as PFF’s Nathan Jahnke points out, Mostert saw only four snaps in the second half. In the first half of Sunday’s win, Raheem Mostert played on 19-of-29 snaps, while Achane played only 12 snaps. It was still enough of a split to satisfy fantasy managers, but it’s worth noting that in a more normal game script, we could be looking at a more balanced split. Achane and Mostert will both have top-24 upside in Week 14 against the Titans, who held Zack Moss to 51 rushing yards 19 carries in Week 13.

The Giants have 21 days to activate Taylor from injured reserve, but his return could come as early as Week 14 against the Packers if the team deems him ready to go. Whether or not he’ll earn the start over Tommy DeVito is to be determined, but Taylor should find his way on the active roster at some point this season. Taylor has started three games for the Giants this season, going 1-2 while throwing for 579 yards and two touchdowns and adding 98 yards on the ground. With the Giants just playing out the season, it’s possible they continue to go with DeVito, who could enter next season as the backup to Daniel Jones.

Henry took a helmet-to-helmet hit from Zaire Franklin in Sunday’s loss to the Colts and didn’t return to the field. The veteran running back finished the day with 21 carries for 102 yards and two touchdowns, but his status for Week 14 is officially in question. Henry and the Titans will face the Dolphins on Monday night, giving him an extra day to clear protocol. If he’s unable to play, rookie Tyjae Spears would be in line for a busy day as Tennessee’s lead back.

The decision to keep Pickett on the active roster likely stems from the Steelers’ current playoff situation. Sitting at 7-5, the Steelers are second in the AFC North and in the thick of the AFC playoff race. Pickett would be required to miss a minimum of four games if placed on injured reserve, but his recovery is expected to take 2-4 weeks. If Pickett feels ready to play in two weeks, the team would likely prefer to have him back under center. Mitch Trubisky will start in Week 14 against the Patriots and should also play in Week 15 against the Colts, but it’s possible Pickett could return for the final three games of the season to push the Steelers into the postseason.