NFL Player News

Graziano adds that “the team also believes rookie Kaleb Johnson will contribute before season’s end,” but for now, it is a two-man show. Perhaps the biggest news here is that Graziano still lists Warren ahead of Gainwell after Gainwell totaled 134 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns with Warren sidelined last week. Warren’s knee “just didn’t feel quite right in pregame warmups.” He gets a Week 5 bye to get right before the Steelers take on the Browns in Week 6.

He’ll miss the remainder of the regular season, though he could come back for the playoffs if the Buccaneers are able to hold off the Panthers for the NFC South crown. Bredeson had a 77.0 PFF pass block grade in 622 snaps for Tampa Bay this year while dealing with a few different injuries. He’s under contract through 2027.

Unprecedented amounts of desperation are being shown here as the Colts try to keep their playoff hopes alive. It’s almost impossible to know how well Rivers will play as he’s been retired since the end of the 2020 season, but it’s hard to believe the Colts signed him without a promise that he’d be active at the very least, if not playing against the Seahawks in Week 15. We’d offer a conservative “he’s probably a QB3 in superflex leagues” take if he starts, but Rivers didn’t exactly have sterling athleticism at the end of his career either and it’s possible he could wind up a usable QB2.

Washington left Week 14’s win over the Ravens with a head injury and did not return. If he’s unable to clear the protocol before the Steelers’ Week 15 Monday night game against Miami, Pat Freiermuth would likely operate as the team’s primary pass-catching tight end. Freiermuth could be a nice deep league streaming option while Jonnu Smith — who has five receptions over his past five games — should remain on waiver wires.

Metcalf stayed overnight in the hospital with some kind of stomach issue following the Steelers’ Week 14 victory over the Ravens, a game that saw Metcalf post season-high numbers, including 148 yards thanks to aggressive downfield throwing from Aaron Rodgers. Tomlin hinted that Metcalf could miss some practice time this week while recovering from his stomach issue. “I don’t think it’s going to jeopardize his availability at all,” Tomlin said when asked about Metcalf’s Week 15 status. Fantasy managers should monitor Metcalf’s late-week practice status.

Johnson left Week 14’s loss to the Rams with an MCL injury and would seem likely to miss Arizona’s Week 15 game against the Cardinals. Losing Johnson ahead of a matchup with the ferocious Texans pass rush is bad news for Jacoby Brissett and the entire Cardinals offense. Brissett remains a solid streaming option based on pass volume alone.

An MRI on Mitchell’s knee came back clean, per Fowler, following the Ravens’ Week 14 loss to the Steelers. Mitchell left the game in the second half with the knee issue after rushing for 76 yards on six carries, including an explosive 55-yard run. If Mitchell can practice in a limited capacity this week, he could suit up in Week 15 against the Bengals. Rasheen Ali would be the clear RB2 for Baltimore if Mitchell is sidelined.

Gadsden’s four targets actually ranked second on the team behind the five of Ladd McConkey, highlighting the defensive deadlock the Chargers found themselves in against the defending Super Bowl Champions. It has now been more than a month since Gadsden has caught more than three balls, although his emergence in the offense gives offensive coordinator Greg Roman yet another chess piece to attack opposing defenses. Gadsden could be busier in Week 15 when the Chargers take on the Chiefs on the road.

Johnston saw his fair share of lockdown coverage from Quinyon Mitchell in this one, although his three targets were largely a product of only 26 Justin Herbert pass attempts on a night the Los Angeles defense stepped up with five takeaways. Johnston remains a touchdown-dependent fantasy asset in a now-crowded receiving corps due to the emergence of tight end Oronde Gadsden, with the ever-present potential to see his volume curbed due to the strength of their defense and absence of the team’s starting tackles.

McConkey led the team with five targets on a night Justin Herbert attempted only 26 passes, although that hardly helps fantasy managers that were counting on him in the final week before fantasy playoffs. The Chargers managed only 275 yards of total offense, squeaking by with an overtime victory thanks to five Cameron Dicker field goals and five takeaways. McConkey should be busier against the desperate Chiefs in Week 15.

Sadly enough for fantasy managers counting on any Chargers pass-catchers, Harris’ 18 yards ranked third on the team behind Kimani Vidal and Keenan Allen. Quarterback Justin Herbert attempted only 26 passes in the defensive battle, leaving little room for lofty fantasy scores to emerge. Harris continues to see spotty volume as the fifth option through the air, best left on fantasy benches ahead of a difficult matchup with the Chiefs in Week 15.