New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins (abdomen) returned to practice on Thursday, according to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. Head coach Mike Vrabel said the team wouldn't open Hollins' 21-day practice window on Wednesday, but they did so a day later. It's good news for the veteran 32-year-old pass catcher, who has been on Injured Reserve since Dec. 27, but it doesn't mean he'll officially be activated and play in the NFC Championship game this Sunday versus the hosting Denver Broncos. In his first year with the Patriots in 2025, Hollins served as a deep threat for young quarterback Drake Maye, hauling in 46 of his 65 targets for 550 yards and only two touchdowns in 15 regular-season games. If Hollins returns this weekend, his snap count could be limited, making him hard to trust for fantasy purposes against a strong Denver defense.

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Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said that quarterback Jarrett Stidham's football IQ and his composure/calmness are "elite," according to Zac Stevens of DNVR Sports. Payton continues to build up Stidham's confidence as the 29-year-old backup prepares for his first NFL start since 2023 in the AFC Championship this Sunday against the New England Patriots. Stidham will be the No. 4 fantasy QB going into this weekend's action after starter Bo Nix suffered a broken ankle in the Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills. Stidham has a strong arm, is accurate, and knows Payton's system well, so he might not be much of a downgrade over Nix if he performs up to his capabilities against New England. It won't be easy, though, against a Patriots defense that has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points per game to QBs over the last five weeks.

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Seattle Seahawks rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo (knee), who remains on Injured Reserve, was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, according to John Boyle of Seahawks.com. Arroyo landed on IR after injuring his knee in Week 14 against the Atlanta Falcons, and he's missed each of the last five games. Now that he's practicing in full, though, he could be activated off IR and play in the NFC Championship tilt this Sunday against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams. The 22-year-old second-rounder out of Miami wasn't a major factor during the regular season, so fantasy managers probably should avoid using him in playoff lineups if he returns this weekend. In 13 regular-season games, Arroyo had 15 receptions on 26 targets for 179 yards and only one touchdown. AJ Barner is still the TE to use in fantasy despite his donut in the Divisional Round win over the 49ers.

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Houston Texans tight end Cade Stover's (knee) MRI exam showed no damage to his ACL, a league source told Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 Sports. Stover was unable to make much happen after fellow tight end Dalton Schultz (calf) left the Divisional Round loss to the New England Patriots before getting hurt himself in the fourth quarter. The 25-year-old caught one of his three targets for only two yards. The good news is that Stover should be a full-go for training camp in the summer and for Week 1 of the regular season in the fall. In his second year in the league, the former fourth-rounder caught just 12 passes for 76 yards and no touchdowns on 16 targets in nine regular-season games. As long as Schultz is healthy going into the start of the season, Stover won't be fantasy relevant. He had a 15-133-1 line in 15 games in 2024 in his rookie campaign.

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Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said that surgery "went well" for quarterback Bo Nix (ankle), according to Nick Kosmider of The Athletic. Nix had surgery for a broken bone in his right ankle that he suffered at the tail end of Saturday's overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round. The 25-year-old had one of his best games of the season, too, going 26-for-46 for 279 passing yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. The Broncos haven't given a timetable for Nix's recovery, but we'd be surprised if he wasn't ready to go for the start of the 2026 campaign, where he'll easily be a top-12 fantasy QB. With Nix out for the AFC Championship this weekend against the visiting New England Patriots, the Broncos will go with backup Jarrett Stidham, who hasn't started a game in the NFL since 2023.

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New England Patriots TE Hunter Henry faces the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, and the Broncos have allowed 59.7receiving yards per game to tight ends this season.

Fantasy Spin: Buffalo's Dalton Kincaid finished with six catches for 83 yards and a touchdown against Denver last weekend, and Henry could have a similar impact. Henry had seven touchdown receptions in the regular season and already has one score during the playoffs. He could end up being the top tight end in fantasy playoff contests this weekend.

From TheHuddle

Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin (hamstring) was listed as a limited participant in practice on Wednesday due to a hamstring injury, according to Aric DiLalla of DenverBroncos.com. Franklin played only 13 offensive snaps in last weekend's win over the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round of the playoffs and wasn't targeted at all before suffering a hamstring injury. Fellow wideout Pat Bryant (concussion) also departed early, and both receivers are now questionable to play in the AFC Championship on Sunday against the New England Patriots. Even if Franklin plays this weekend and Bryant is held out, Franklin's fantasy stock is down heading into championship weekend now that backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham is taking over for the injured Bo Nix (ankle). Franklin averaged only 8.3 half-PPR points per game in the regular season and is shaping up as an extremely risky fantasy option this week.

From RotoBaller

Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins (foot) was listed as a limited participant in his return to practice on Wednesday, according to Aric DiLalla of DenverBroncos.com. Dobbins' 21-day practice window has been opened, but he remains on Injured Reserve. The 27-year-old has not played since Week 10 due to a Lisfranc foot injury that required surgery. He has a chance to be active this Sunday for the AFC Championship against the New England Patriots, but Dobbins is probably more doubtful than probable for this weekend, at least until he upgrades to a full practice. At the time of his injury, the Broncos weren't expecting Dobbins to contribute again this season. Dobbins was on pace for a career season with 772 rushing yards and four touchdowns before his injury. If he returned on Sunday, it would probably be in a limited role alongside rookie RJ Harvey and Jaleel McLaughlin.

From RotoBaller

Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Pat Bryant (concussion) is in the league's concussion protocol after suffering a head injury in the Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday, but he was able to practice in a limited capacity on Wednesday, according to DenverBroncos.com's Aric DiLalla. Before leaving against Buffalo, the 23-year-old third-rounder out of Illinois caught all three of his targets for 32 yards. It's good to see Bryant practicing, but it's worth noting that Bryant also suffered a concussion in Week 16 against the Jacksonville Jaguars and missed the following week. He still needs to be cleared by an independent neurologist and is up in the air to be available for the AFC Championship versus the New England Patriots. Troy Franklin (hamstring) was also injured last weekend, so Marvin Mims Jr. may serve as Denver's WR2 again as the Broncos look to get back to the Super Bowl.

From RotoBaller

Seattle Seahawks OT Charles Cross (foot), OT Joshua Jones (ankle, knee) and OT Amari Kight (knee) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Jan. 21. OG Bryce Cabeldue (knee), QB Sam Darnold (oblique), LB DeMarcus Lawrence (non-injury), LB Uchenna Nwosu (hamstring), FB Robbie Ouzts (neck), WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (non-injury) and DE Leonard Williams (non-injury) were limited during practice. TE Elijah Arroyo (knee), RB George Holani (hamstring), LB Tyrice Knight (shoulder) and LB Chazz Surratt (ankle) fully participated in practice.

From TheHuddle

Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold (oblique) was limited during practice Wednesday, Jan. 21.

Fantasy Spin: Darnold will miss some practice time this week but should be fine for the NFC Championship game after playing last week despite the injury. He should be a starting option in all fantasy leagues this week.

From TheHuddle

New England Patriots LB Harold Landry (knee) and LB Marte Mapu (hip) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Jan. 21. CB Carlton Davis (concussion), LB Christian Elliss (hip), TE Hunter Henry (non-injury), OT Morgan Moses (non-injury) and OT Thayer Munford (knee) were limited during practice. DT Joshua Farmer (hamstring), RB TreVeyon Henderson (shoulder), RB Terrell Jennings (head) and LB Robert Spillane (hand) fully participated in practice.

From TheHuddle

New England Patriots TE Hunter Henry (non-injury) was limited during practice Wednesday, Jan. 21.

Fantasy Spin: Henry seems to be receiving some rest leading up to the AFC Championship game, but he should not have any limitations during the game. He will likely see a handful of targets during the game and can be a No. 1 tight end in fantasy leagues.

From TheHuddle

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said on Wednesday that defensive end Nick Bosa (knee) is expected to return from his ACL injury around the start of training camp, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Bosa tore the ACL in his right knee back on Sept. 21 (Week 3), so he should have a chance to be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season this fall, depending on how he does in his recovery. First-round defensive lineman Mykel Williams (knee) is also expected to be ready to return around training camp. It would be great news for the 49ers' defense if both Bosa and Williams are ready for Week 1, considering how banged up the team's defense was in 2025. Bosa was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, when he had a league-high 18.5 sacks, but durability issues make him a risk/reward pass-rusher in IDP fantasy formats.

From RotoBaller

Houston Texans TE Dalton Schultz's (calf) calf injury is not expected to be a long-term issue, according to general manager Nick Caserio.

Fantasy Spin: It seems like Schultz should be able to participate in most of the offseason workouts despite the injury. He will likely be a solid part of the Texans passing game next season and can be a low-end No. 1 tight end in deeper leagues.

From TheHuddle

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that tight end Jake Tonges (foot) suffered a plantar-fascia injury in the Divisional Round loss to the Seattle Seahawks last week and will need three weeks to recover, according to Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. Before his injury on Saturday, Tonges caught five of his six targets for 59 yards, with George Kittle suffering a season-ending torn Achilles the week prior in the Wild-Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles. The 26-year-old saw an expanded role during the regular season, too, with Kittle missing time with injuries, and he finished with career highs across the board in catches (34), targets (46), receiving yards (293), and touchdowns (five) in 17 regular-season contests. Tonges should be fully healthy for next season, and he should be back in the Bay Area as a restricted free agent.

From RotoBaller

Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio said on Wednesday that tight end Dalton Schultz (calf) is "going to be OK" after getting hurt in the Divisional Round loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday, according to Sam Warren of the Houston Chronicle. Caserio also added that tight end Cade Stover (knee) "avoided serious injury" and should be ready for the offseason program. Before getting hurt on Sunday, Schultz caught both of his targets for 47 yards and was on his way to a big game. Unfortunately, the 29-year-old never returned. He wrapped up his third season in Houston and eighth NFL season overall with a career-high 82 receptions on 106 targets for 777 yards and three touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. Schultz was the TE11 in half-PPR scoring, but for him to become a legitimate TE1 in fantasy, quarterback C.J. Stroud must improve as a passer.

From RotoBaller

NC State tight end Justin Joly has been one of the most productive players at the position over the last three college football seasons. The 21-year-old New York native began his career at UConn before spending his junior and senior seasons with the Wolfpack, hauling in 92 receptions for 1,150 yards and 11 touchdowns. He enjoyed great success at NC State, but his breakout campaign came as a sophomore with the Huskies in 2023, when he tallied 56 catches for 578 yards and two scores. The 2025 first-team All-ACC selection is viewed as one of the top five tight ends in the 2026 NFL Draft class, and he's currently projected to be a third-round selection in April. Joly thrives running intermediate and deep routes, making him a strong TE2 and second tight end in 12-personnel at the next level. His landing spot will determine his upside and placement in dynasty rookie drafts as part of a shallow incoming rookie tight end class.

From RotoBaller

Seattle Seahawks running back George Holani (hamstring), who was activated from Injured Reserve on Wednesday, is in "great shape" and could play in Sunday's NFC Championship game against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams, according to head coach Mike Macdonald. It's excellent timing for the Seahawks, who lost Zach Charbonnet (knee) to a torn ACL in the Divisional Round win over the San Francisco 49ers. Kenneth Walker III should see an elevated backfield role this weekend, regardless of whether Holani returns to the fold after landing on IR back in late November. If the 26-year-old isn't ready to return for the NFC Championship, the Seahawks will choose between Velus Jones Jr. or Cam Akers as the RB2 behind Walker. Before his injury, Holani had 22 carries for 73 yards and one touchdown in 11 games, adding two catches for 15 yards.

From RotoBaller

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch had nothing but good things to say about wide receiver Jauan Jennings, and the team is interested in re-signing him after he becomes an unrestricted free agent in March. "Always plays with passion we can count on. We can move him around the way he blocks. He plays the right way. It frustrated other people. We'd love to have him back. We'll work to get that accomplished," Lynch said. Jennings caught just two passes for 23 yards in the Divisional Round loss to the Seattle Seahawks and didn't score in any of his final three games, but he was a big contributor in the regular season, especially when tight end George Kittle and receiver Ricky Pearsall missed time with injuries. The 28-year-old caught 55 of 90 targets for 643 yards and a career-high nine TDs in 15 regular-season games. If Jennings returns in 2026, he'll be a trusted target for quarterback Brock Purdy.

From RotoBaller