NFL Player News

McDuffie was a sixth-round pick of the Packers back in 2021 and has emerged as a key player for the defense over the last two seasons. Since 2023, McDuffie has started in 25 of the 33 regular season games he’s appeared in, racking up 183 tackles, eight TFLs, and one forced fumble. McDuffie has a chance to earn up to $9.5 million over the next two seasons, and could play himself into a larger deal come 2027.

ESPN’s Todd Archer chronicles what has been a weird season of deactivations and inactive list placements for Diggs, who has refused to discuss his mid-season concussion that was caused by an accident other than to say “Accidents happen all the time.” The Cowboys will need to activate Diggs by next Saturday or he’ll be lost for the rest of the season. From the outside, it sure looks like the team is making sure Diggs doesn’t have activate any of his 2026 salary that is guaranteed for injury. And with Dallas’ season all but over, it wouldn’t seem like there’s a reason to put Diggs out there if they’re worried about his 2026 salary.

He’ll miss the remainder of the regular season. Baccellia suffered a scary neck injury and was stretchered off against the Texans in Week 15. The soon-to-be 29-year-old will be an exclusive rights free agent this offseason. He has had nine catches for 53 yards in three seasons on the active roster since coming into the NFL as a UDFA in 2020.

It’s possible Fitzpatrick is able to get back for one of the final two games, but we’d be stunned if he played in Week 16. The veteran safety has enjoyed a bounceback year for the Dolphins with a 81.8 PFF defensive grade — his finest since 2022 — and has one year left on his deal at a $18.8 million cap hit.

Those aren’t words that are typically just said without a quarterback change — most of the quarterback switches we’ve seen this year have been handled a little bit more delicately, with the idea that they’re evaluating a change. This is a head coach outright saying his starting quarterback isn’t playing well enough. Welp! Zach Wilson and Quinn Ewers have batted the No. 2 role back and forth this year, so we can’t even say for sure who would take over. McDaniel said he would elaborate more tomorrow. Superflex managers should consider pre-emptive pickups of Wilson and Ewers.

Nacua continued to say that Mumpfield “has been behind him and watching him and is someone we see as Tae’s apprentice.” While The Athletic’s Nate Atkins wouldn’t come out and directly say it, he did note that Mumpfield is “built most like Adams of the group at 6 feet 1, 185 pounds” and noted Mumpfield was the player that took on the majority of the snaps when Adams left Week 15’s game against the Lions. You probably don’t want to bank the fantasy playoffs on Mumpfield, but those in deeper leagues or playing the Thursday-only DFS contests may be interested in rolling the dice on the rookie seventh-round wideout.

In news that will surprise nobody who is familiar with the Bengals organization, Dehner also writes that there “is zero thought” that GM Duke Tobin’s job is in jeopardy and that “the most likely scenario” is that DC Al Golden gets another year as well while the Bengals retool their defensive personnel. Perhaps you think that firing the main architects after a disappointing year is warranted. The Bengals reject your reality and substitute their own.

Schefter cites the speed with which Mahomes got his torn ACL and LCL repaired — Monday, the day after it happened — as a major reason behind this. He also notes the timeline of nine months would put Mahomes in line to play in Week 2. “You know he’s going to have the absolute finest resources, care, attention, to bring him along,” Schefter continues. “He’s already set in to motion the chain of events that will bring him back sooner.” We wouldn’t be surprised if Mahomes is playing that early — see how quickly Joe Burrow came back this year from his turf toe against the initial diagnosis — but we also wouldn’t be surprised if Mahomes wasn’t quite the same player from the jump, especially as a scrambler, while he re-acclimates to what he can trust with his surgically-repaired knee.

Rams head coach Sean McVay said Havenstein remained unlikely to suit up for Thursday night’s matchup against the Seahawks. He would have a real shot to play in Week 17, however. Havenstein has dealt with ankle issues for much of the season and has been on IR since mid-November. He would be a needed addition to the Rams offensive line for the team’s postseason push.

McVay on Tuesday refused to rule out Adams following his apparently serious hamstring injury in Week 15’s win over the Lions. McVay acknowledged on Sunday night that Adams’ was in doubt for the Thursday night game, however. With almost no shot to suit up against Seattle, fantasy managers should make other plans at wideout for Week 16. The Rams are likely to be more run heavy with Adams sidelined, creating more touch-based upside for both Kyren Williams and Blake Corum.

The Athletic’s Nate Atkins said Higbee is unlikely to be active for Thursday night’s game against the Seahawks, however. Higbee has bee on IR since mid-November following a serious ankle injury against Seattle. His absence has opened up routes and targets for Colby Parkinson, who should be treated as a legit streaming option in Week 16. Parkinson and TE Terrance Ferguson led the Rams in pass routes last week against the Lions in an LA offense that uses two and three tight end sets at the NFL’s highest rate.