NFL Player News

Good luck, coach! The best tight end that will hit free agency is probably Tyler Conklin, while the easiest third-down back to forecast into a Darren Sproles role in free agency is likely Kenneth Gainwell. The Broncos probably will have to scour trades and the draft to dig up a player like, as Payton forecasted in his “joker” explanation, Reggie Bush or Jimmy Graham. Payton also said that the Broncos are “stronger [at receiver] than some would think,” explaining that he considered a veteran receiver a “need” rather than a “must-have” for the team.

With the Saints riding the running game and short fields following failed Bucs fourth down attempts, Olave posted his second fewest receiving yards of the season as Tyler Shough attempted only 20 passes in the rain. Olave was the intended target on Shough’s interception, a miscommunication where Olave cut off his route. If Olave’s back injury was an issue, we didn’t notice. Today was disappointing, but the Saints are typically a high-attempts passing attack. He will remain a strong WR2 for Week 15 against the Panthers.

The Chiefs elevated G C. J. Hansen Saturday to help with depth up front, but they could find themselves under constant pressure against the vaunted Houston pass rush now down multiple pieces up front. Expect quarterback Patrick Mahomes to eventually lean into a ball-out-quick mentality, likely to benefit wide receiver Rashee Rice.

Cornerback Kamari Lassiter is active after coming into the weekend listed as questionable, leaving no real surprises for the Texans as they look to continue their torrid second half of the season. Winners of four straight, the Texans could all but end Kansas City’s streak of consecutive postseason appearances with an upset on the road.

Horribly inefficient of late, Egbuka very much remained so in the rain. The lowlight was a dropped 22-yard touchdown with the Bucs trying for a game-tying score late in the fourth quarter. It wasn’t a perfect ball from Baker Mayfield, but one Egbuka absolutely has to catch. Struggling to rediscover his early- to mid-season form, Egbuka now has to contend with the likely Week 15 return of Mike Evans against the Falcons on Thursday. With the Bucs now in hand-to-hand combat for a playoff berth, Evans will undoubtedly be a point of emphasis, especially in the red zone. That makes Egbuka an even more volatile WR2 option than he has already been the past few weeks.

Ali could see a marked uptick in snaps, routes, and touches if Keaton Mitchell misses extended time with the knee injury he sustained in the second half of Sunday’s loss to the Steelers. Ali, who drew praise from head coach John Harbaugh last week, is a decent bench stash headed into the fantasy playoffs in case Derrick Henry gets dinged up in the coming weeks.

Tucker’s one-yard touchdown in the third quarter came after he set the Bucs up at the one-yard with a 13-yard rumble. The Bucs then went hurry up and he punched it in. The score was nice, but Tucker was a distant third in snaps behind Bucky Irving and Rachaad White, and that should remain a theme for the stretch run as the Bucs try to grind out a rock fight NFC South title.

White “added” a two-yard reception. With Baker Mayfield struggling in rainy conditions, the Bucs dialed up 33 running back rushes. White was out-carried just 15-11 by Bucky Irving, but it was Irving who provided the only Bucs RB score, a 24-yarder through the air. White has been spelling Irving plenty since his Week 13 return, but it is predictably failing to produce RB3 returns as Irving gets more overall work and the majority of the high-value touches. Although White has a decent enough touches floor, you will be in trouble if forced to FLEX him during the fantasy playoffs.

Warren’s eight carries led the Pittsburgh backfield, as Kenneth Gainwell had four rushes for 15 yards and a touchdown. Gainwell was second on the team with six targets, but it was Warren who had a 38-yard screen pass touchdown in the second half. Warren remains the nominal lead back for the run-first Steelers, but Gainwell’s route running involvement and his red zone usage puts a damper on Warren’s weekly upside. Warren, averaging 13.8 rushes per game, will be a top-24 running back next week against the Dolphins.

This was, by far, Shaheed’s best game as a member of the Seahawks. He had failed to find any semblance of a role in the offense since being traded to Seattle at the deadline. Shaheed had four catches for 37 yards in four games as a Seahawk leading into today’s miniature breakout. Not only did he exceed those numbers versus Seattle, but he ouncayted the performance with a 100-yard kick return touchdown to open the second half. Shaheed still ran fewer routes than Cooper Kupp, but he is gaining ground at the right time. Shaheed will work his way into the WR5 ranks for Week 15 versus the Colts.