DFS Alerts
Joe Mixon (ankle) active Sunday
Mixon is active and will suit up, as expected, for today’s game against the Baltimore Ravens after previously being listed as questionable on the Cincinnati Bengals’ injury report with an ankle injury that forced him to exit Week 16’s contest early in the first quarter. Giovani Bernard has worked as the Bengals feature back in his absence and he has averaged nearly 20 touches per game over the last four weeks. Given the likelihood of a timeshare of some kind, Mixon and Bernard are fringe options, at best, in a matchup with a Ravens defense that ranks ninth in rush DVOA and first in overall DVOA on the season.
As reported by: Jeff Zrebiec via Twitter
Travis Kelce (rest) and several Chiefs defensive starters inactive Sunday; Akeem Hunt (shoulder) active
Kelce will be inactive and won’t suit up for today’s game against the Denver Broncos due to rest purposes, and he’ll join Tyreek Hill, Alex Smith, and several key defensive starters on the bench for the Chiefs’ meaningless Week 17 matchup. This means that Demetrius Harris will take over as the primary pass-catching tight end and is an interesting tournament target for stone minimum across the industry if under the belief that rookie signal caller Patrick Mahomes will have some success in his first career start.
As reported by: BJ Kissel via Twitter Other tagged players: Akeem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs Rod Smith (back, illness) and Cole Beasley (illness) inactive Sunday
Smith is inactive and won’t suit up for today’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles after previously being listed as questionable on the Dallas Cowboys’ injury report with a back injury and illness, while Cole Beasley is officially inactive, as expected, due to illness. Despite nothing to theoretically play for, the Cowboys are expected to play their other regular starters this afternoon, including Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, making them extremely interesting tournament targets with the Eagles resting six starters on defense and likely to pull others after a few series. Normally, this would be a tough matchup against the Eagles second-ranked defense in overall DVOA but the matchup becomes much easier than the on-paper stats suggest for this Cowboys offense and Elliott, who could be in-line for more passing-down work with Smith sidelined.
As reported by: Brandon George via Twitter Other tagged players: Cole Beasley Austin Seferian-Jenkins (ribs, foot) inactive Sunday
Seferian-Jenkins is inactive and won’t suit up for today’s game against the New York Jets after previously being listed as doubtful on the New York Jets’ injury report with separate ribs and foot injuries.The Jets are massive 16.5-point road underdogs and possess just a 13.5 implied team point total with Bryce Petty and possibly Christian Hackenberg under center, making Robby Anderson and the remaining Jets offensive weapons fringe tournament options, at best.
As reported by: Brian Costello via Twitter Jay Ajayi (rest) and several Eagles defensive starters inactive Sunday
Ajayi is inactive and won’t suit up for today’s game against the Dallas Cowboys due to rest purposes. The Philadelphia Eagles already have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs locked up, so Ajayi and six defensive starters are among the maximum of seven inactive players that is allocated for each team per NFL regulations. While the remaining offensive starters like Nick Foles and Alshon Jeffery are active, they should not be expected to play a full complement of snaps, and head coach Doug Pederson has already stated that he plans to play Foles for 3-4 offensive series and will just rely upon “feel” for when he pulls remaining key players on both sides of the ball.
As reported by: Reuben Frank via Twitter Other tagged players: Philadelphia Eagles James White (ankle) and Chris Hogan (shoulder) officially inactive Sunday
White is inactive and won’t suit up for today’s game against the New York Jets, as expected, after previously being listed as questionable on the New England Patriots’ injury report with an ankle injury that has now forced him to miss two consecutive games. Meanwhile, Chris Hogan will be rested due to a nagging shoulder injury that has ailed him for most of the season and is also officially inactive. The Patriots are now more shorthanded in the backfield than last week, as Dion Lewis and Brandon Bolden will be the only running backs on the active roster. Considering Bolden had been used solely as a special teamer prior to Week 16, Lewis should be locked into the workhorse role that allocated him 24 carries and five targets in last week’s win even with Mike Gillisee active.
As reported by: Mike Reiss via Twitter Other tagged players: Chris Hogan Ben Roethlisberger (rest) and Le'Veon Bell (rest) officially inactive Sunday
Roethlisberger and Bell will both be inactive and won’t suit up for today’s game against the Cleveland Browns due to rest purposes, as expected. The Steelers essentially have nothing to play for, as they have already secured the two seed and a first-round bye, and could only clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win and if the New England Patriots somehow lost to the New York Jets at home. Landry Jones and Stevan Ridley will start under center and in the backfield, respectively, but they both are fringe tournament options with all of the value available on Sunday’s slate. Martavis Bryant and Juju Smith-Schuster will start at wide receiver positions but take a hit in projected value with Jones delivering them the ball and given the possibility they could have their snaps limited.
As reported by: Gerry Dulac via Twitter Other tagged players: Le'Veon Bell Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliot, and Cowboys starters not expected to rest Sunday
The Dallas Cowboys are without regular starters like left tackle Tyron Smith and Cole Beasley due to their respective injuries, but they are expected to play their other regular starters for today’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, including Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, making them extremely interesting tournament targets with the Eagles likely to pull their defensive starters after a few series. Normally, this would be a tough matchup against the Eagles second-ranked defense in overall DVOA but with the starters expected to only play a portion of the game, the matchup becomes much easier than on-paper stats suggest for this Cowboys offense.
As reported by: Jon Machota via Twitter Other tagged players: Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys James White (ankle) not expected to play Sunday
White is not expected to play, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, in today’s game against the New York Jets after previously being listed as questionable on the New England Patriots’ injury report with an ankle injury that has now forced him to miss two consecutive games. Meanwhile, Chris Hogan is expected to be rested due to a nagging shoulder injury that has ailed him for most of the season. The Patriots are now more shorthanded in the backfield than last week, as Dion Lewis and Brandon Bolden will be the only running backs on the active roster. Considering Bolden had been used solely as a special teamer prior to Week 16, Lewis should be locked into the workhorse role that allocated him 24 carries and five targets in last week’s win even with Mike Gillisee active.
As reported by: Adam Schefter via Twitter Melvin Gordon (questionable, ankle) expected to play Sunday
Schefter’s late-night hammer comes a bit earlier than usual and he may not be done yet. The Chargers have a lot on the line and will want to push Gordon as much as they can, but he is dealing with a high ankle sprain so it’s not hard to imagine Branden Oliver playing a slightly larger role than he typically does.
As reported by: Adam Schefter
Don't Overlook This TE In Week 17
One of the only reliable receiving options on a run-first offense, veteran Delanie Walker can can pay enormous dividends with proper game flow on his side. This is exactly the situation Walker should find himself in this week against the Jaguars in a game the Titans should be forced to throw more than they intend to. Further increasing Walker’s outlook for week 17 is a matchup against a Jacksonville defense that ranks 19th in pass defense DVOA against opposing TEs this season and will likely be resting a number of starters on defense with their playoff position secure. This bodes well for Walker, who shouldn’t draw much double coverage during this game with Jacksonville likely selling out to stop the run, making him a solid option that might go overlooked due to a perceived difficult matchup.
This Star WR Has Plenty To Play For This Week
Fresh off a 6-100 performance against Baltimore last week, T.Y. Hilton and the Colts return home to close out the season against a depleted Houston defense that ranks 24th in pass defense DVOA. Hilton owns some of the most drastic indoor/outdoor splits among starting receivers; averaging 26 more receiving yards per game on indoor turf where nearly 75% of his career touchdowns have been scored. In a prime bounceback spot for Indianapolis, Hilton should have no problems paying off his manageable price tag as his team’s only reliable wide receiver.
Chiefs RB Charcandrick West (illness) ruled out for Sunday
West has been ruled out and won’t play in tomorrow’s game against the Denver Broncos after previously being listed as questionable on the Kansas City Chiefs’ injury report with an illness. West was originally tentatively expected to suit up, according to head coach Andy Reid, but now that he’ll be inactive, Akeem Hunt figures to receive a majority of the work out of the backfield with Kareem Hunt likely to see limited snaps. That said, the entire running back corps has a difficult matchup against a Broncos defense that ranks second in rush DVOA on the season. Reid hasn’t yet disclosed how he’ll manage the running back situation but Akeem Hunt, Kareem Hunt, and fullback Anthony Sherman are the only ball-carriers currently on the active roster.
As reported by: BJ Kissel via Twitter Matt Forte (knee) placed on IR, ruled out for Sunday
Forte has officially been placed on injured reserve and will not play in tomorrow’s game against the Ne England Patriots after previously being listed as questionable on the New York Jets’ injury report with a nagging knee injury that has troubled him all season long. To fill Forte’s spot on the active roster, the Jets promoted Jahad Thomas from the practice squad, and he’ll be active to serve as the third-string running back behind Bilal Powell and Elijah McGuire on Sunday afternoon. Theoretically, this is a great matchup for Powell and McGuire against the Patriots and their 32nd-ranked rush defense DVOA, but the Jets are still massive road underdogs, a game environment that historically doesn’t bode well for running backs, especially ones that are in a full-blown timeshare for snaps and touches out of the backfield.
As reported by: Rich Cimini via Twitter Secure Workload, Reasonable Price
If you’re looking to take advantage of price at running back this week, consider taking Dion Lewis, who has taken over as the lead back for the Patriots. One of the most elusive running backs in the NFL, Lewis draws a sneaky good matchup against a Jets defense that has struggled away from home this season; entering week 17 averaging 124 rushing yards per game on the road. Targeting New England running backs can often become a fool’s errand most weeks, but with Burkhead and Gillislee inactive, Lewis should have no problems paying off his very attractive price in a game New England needs to win to secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs.