Guest of the League
Best Ball Beat Bender 91
FFL: Offseason | NFL: Divisional
  • Beat Bender
    Style:Best Ball, Draft Only
    Rosters:20 players
    Lineup:8 players
    Waivers:None
    Scoring:PPR - w/TE 1.5 PPR
    Rules:Skills
  • Player Notes
    Josh Allen Jan 14 3:10pm ET
    Josh Allen

    Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen finished Sunday's Wild-Card win over the Jaguars with 273 passing yards, 33 rushing yards, and three total touchdowns despite playing with a banged-up and underwhelming receiving corps. The Bills placed Joshua Palmer (ankle) on Injured Reserve one day before the game and lost Gabe Davis (knee) to a torn ACL early on Sunday. With a receiving depth chart topped by Khalil Shakir and a 32-year-old Brandin Cooks, Allen was able to will the team to victory, and he remains a must-start in fantasy playoff leagues, even as the difficulty of opponents ratchets up. Denver was a top-10 regular-season defense against opposing fantasy quarterbacks, but Allen remains RotoBaller's QB1 heading into the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

    From RotoBaller

    Courtland Sutton Jan 14 3:00pm ET
    Courtland Sutton

    Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton saw double-digit targets in four straight games before a Week 18 win over the Chargers that saw many of the team's starters pulled early. Coming off an extended rest, Sutton hopes to pick things up where he left off, after finishing with at least 62 receiving yards in four of five games from Weeks 13 to 17, and scoring three times in that span. Sutton finished the year with his second consecutive 1,000-yard season, and some of his biggest games came against teams that were part of this year's playoff field. The Broncos open their playoff slate against a Bills team that saw Parker Washington get loose for over 100 yards and a score in a Wild Card matchup that came down to the final drive. While Buffalo's defense has been more susceptible on the ground than through the air this season, Sutton is RotoBaller's WR4 for the week and a solid play in fantasy playoff leagues.

    From RotoBaller

    Nico Collins Jan 14 2:50pm ET
    Nico Collins

    Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (concussion) was not seen during the open portion of Wednesday's practice after leaving Monday night's Wild-Card win over the Steelers with a concussion. The Texans face the Patriots on Sunday, and if he hopes to suit up, Collins will need to clear the league's concussion protocol, which becomes complicated by his prior history of concussions. Collins suffered a concussion earlier this season and was forced to miss time in October. Despite exiting Monday's game early, Collins finished second on the team with seven targets, but was able to gather in only three catches for 21 yards on a night in which quarterback C.J. Stroud was not at his best. If Collins is unable to play on Sunday, Christian Kirk, who led the team with eight catches for 144 yards and a touchdown, will again be tasked with leading an otherwise young and inexperienced receiver room.

    From RotoBaller

    Matthew Stafford Jan 14 2:30pm ET
    Matthew Stafford

    Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (finger) was able to shake off a relatively sluggish start and a minor finger sprain in Saturday's Wild Card win over the Panthers, finishing the day with 304 passing yards and three touchdowns to his one interception. Given that he was inches away from being credited with a fourth passing touchdown, he remains as viable an option in playoff fantasy leagues as he did throughout a brilliant regular season. In the Divisional Round, Stafford and the Rams face a Chicago defense fresh off an exhilarating shootout that saw them allow 323 passing yards and four touchdowns to Jordan Love. Despite the sprained finger, Stafford is RotoBaller's QB2 for the weekend.

    From RotoBaller

    Demarcus Robinson Jan 14 2:20pm ET
    Demarcus Robinson

    San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Demarcus Robinson caught six passes for a team-high 111 receiving yards and a touchdown in Sunday's Wild Card win over the Eagles. With the injury-stricken status of the 49ers' pass-catching depth chart, he could be tasked with handling a similarly heavy workload in a Divisional Round clash with the Seahawks on Saturday. Tight end George Kittle (Achilles) saw his season come to an end when he ruptured his Achilles tendon on Sunday, and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee) began the week as a limited practice participant after missing the playoff opener with knee and ankle injuries. Christian McCaffrey is likely to remain the primary option in San Francisco's passing game, as he has all season, but if Pearsall is unable to suit up on Saturday, the 31-year-old Robinson could be in line for another productive outing.

    From RotoBaller

    Christian Gonzalez Jan 14 1:40pm ET
    Christian Gonzalez

    New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said that cornerback Christian Gonzalez (concussion) will be on the practice field on Wednesday, according to Andrew Callahan of The Boston Globe. "I do anticipate him being out there," Vrabel said. Gonzalez is in the league's concussion protocol after suffering a head injury in the Wild-Card win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night. The 23-year-old still needs to be cleared later this week, but he's on the right track to being able to play this Sunday in the Divisional Round against the Houston Texans. There's a good chance that Gonzalez will be limited in Wednesday's practice. Having Gonzalez active for this weekend's game would be a big boost for New England's defense and bad news for Houston's top receiver, Nico Collins. If Gonzalez cannot play, Charles Woods would likely start in his place.

    From RotoBaller

    Brian Thomas Jr. Jan 14 1:30pm ET
    Brian Thomas Jr.

    Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was a big disappointment to his fantasy managers in his second season in the NFL after he came out guns blazing in his rookie campaign with 87 catches for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns on 133 targets in 17 games. This year, Thomas took a step back with 48 catches on 91 targets for 707 yards and two touchdowns in 14 regular-season games. "When you are part of a team that wins, the wealth will be shared. It will never truly be about one player. I will continue to pour into these guys... BT will 100% be a part of that," head coach Liam Coen said when asked about Thomas' future. The 23-year-old is going to remain involved in the Jags' passing attack, but the addition of Jakobi Meyers in 2025 really hurt his upside. Although Travis Hunter could play more defense in 2026, his presence will also be an obstacle to Thomas trying to rediscover his rookie form.

    From RotoBaller

    Adam Thielen Jan 14 1:30pm ET
    Adam Thielen

    Wide receiver Adam Thielen announced his retirement from professional football on social media on Wednesday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Thielen played 13 years in the NFL and was a two-time Pro Bowler with the Minnesota Vikings. The 35-year-old originally went undrafted before latching on with the Vikings in 2014. He played 10 years in Minnesota before two years with the Carolina Panthers in 2023 and 2024. Thielen began the 2025 campaign with the Vikings before latching on with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had 19 receptions for 186 yards and no touchdowns during the regular season in 16 games with Minnesota and Pittsburgh. Thielen will wrap up his NFL career with 704 catches for 8,497 yards and 64 touchdowns in 178 regular-season games played. His two Pro Bowl seasons came in back-to-back years with the Vikings in 2017 and 2018.

    From RotoBaller

    Aaron Rodgers Jan 14 12:50pm ET
    Aaron Rodgers

    Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said that he enjoyed his experience with the Steelers in 2025, but owner Art Rooney hinted that he's unlikely to re-sign with the team this offseason if he decides to continue his playing career, according to Amanda Godsey of the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat. Rooney said that Rodgers "came here to play for Mike." Long-time Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin announced his resignation on Tuesday, and he's not expected to coach anywhere in 2026. The 42-year-old future Hall of Fame QB could be leaning towards retirement despite finishing this year with a rough performance in the Wild-Card loss to the Houston Texans on Monday, when he went 17-for-33 passing for 146 yards, no touchdowns, one interception, and a lost fumble. If this is it for Rodgers, the four-time MVP and Super Bowl champion will finish with 66,274 passing yards and 527 touchdown passes in the regular season in 21 NFL seasons.

    From RotoBaller

    DaRon Bland Jan 14 12:30pm ET
    DaRon Bland

    Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (foot) had surgery on his left foot on Tuesday, according to Todd Archer of ESPN. It's the second surgery on Bland's foot in as many years, but the expectation is that he will be ready for the team's offseason program in the spring. The main focus is on having the 26-year-old defensive back be a full-go for training camp in the summer. The Cowboys held Bland out of the final three games of the 2025 season with his foot injury, and they're hoping the injury can be put behind him going into the 2026 campaign. Bland recorded a career-high 73 tackles (45 solo), an interception returned for a touchdown, and six pass breakups in 12 starts this year. He picked off 14 passes (five returned for touchdowns) in his first two years in the NFL, but he has just one interception in the last two years and has had trouble staying on the field.

    From RotoBaller

    Bo Melton Jan 14 12:20pm ET
    Bo Melton

    Green Bay Packers wide receiver/cornerback Bo Melton (ankle) said that he expects to need just one month to recover from the ankle injury that he suffered in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Minnesota Vikings, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Barring a setback, Melton should be good to take part in the team's offseason workouts in the spring. The 26-year-old is unsure if he'll work more as a receiver or defensive back going into the 2026 season. Melton was mostly a backup wideout for the Packers this year, catching only four passes for 107 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, transitioning more to a defensive role. He'll be a restricted free agent this offseason, which means he'll most likely return to Green Bay. We aren't expecting Melton to have any real fantasy football value in the fall.

    From RotoBaller

    Brandon Jones Jan 14 12:20pm ET
    Brandon Jones

    Denver Broncos safety Brandon Jones (pectoral) has a chance to return if the Broncos advance to this year's Super Bowl, a source told Mike Klis of 9 News. The starting safety had surgery to fix a torn pectoral muscle that he suffered near the end of the first half against the Green Bay Packers in Week 15. With the 27-year-old sidelined, P.J. Locke has filled in admirably as the team's starting free safety. In his second season with the Broncos before his injury, Jones had 78 tackles (43 solo), half a sack, one interception, seven pass breakups, and a fumble recovery in 14 games played. Denver would love to get Jones back if they made it deep in the postseason, but there's no guarantee that Jones will be ready to contribute if they do get back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2016.

    From RotoBaller

    Travis Hunter Jan 14 12:10pm ET
    Travis Hunter

    Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said that wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter's (knee) rehab from a torn LCL is going "as expected," and he will play on both offense and defense next season, according to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network. Hunter played 67% of the offensive snaps and 36% of the defensive snaps in his first seven NFL games in 2025 before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Wolfe says to expect Hunter to play much more on the defensive side in 2026, which will be a bigger need for the Jaguars. Hunter, the No. 2 overall pick in last April's draft, had surgery on his knee on Nov. 11. The 22-year-old caught 28 of his 45 targets for 298 yards and a touchdown before his injury, but he was starting to see a bigger role right before he got hurt. Hunter should be fully ready for the start of next season, but coming off injury and expected to see less time on offense means that his price tag on draft day will most certainly drop considerably from what it was going into his rookie season.

    From RotoBaller

    Ricky Pearsall Jan 13 7:20pm ET
    Ricky Pearsall

    San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle) will be listed as a limited participant on the team's estimated injury report on Tuesday, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. Pearsall is back at practice for the first time since Dec. 31 after aggravating a PCL sprain in his right knee. The 25-year-old has a shot to return for the Divisional Round of the playoffs against the Seattle Seahawks, but Pearsall should still be considered very questionable for the weekend. The Niners really could use the former first-rounder back after they lost tight end George Kittle to a torn Achilles tendon last weekend. If Pearsall is limited or misses yet another game due to knee and ankle injuries, Demarcus Robinson could be in line for heavy targets for the second straight week. Robinson broke out for six catches, 111 yards, and a touchdown on a season-high seven targets in the Wild-Card win over the Eagles with Pearsall out.

    From RotoBaller

    Dalton Kincaid Jan 13 7:20pm ET
    Dalton Kincaid

    Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee, calf) was listed as a limited participant in the team's walkthrough practice on Tuesday. Kincaid has been battling a knee injury since Week 16, but he suffered a calf injury in Sunday's Wild-Card win over the Jacksonville Jaguars that had him in a walking boot after the game as a precaution. The 26-year-old should be ready to play this weekend in the Divisional Round on Saturday against the Denver Broncos, but we'll keep a close eye on his practice status the rest of the week. If active, Kincaid should be one of the top aerial targets for quarterback Josh Allen, especially with both receivers Gabe Davis (knee) and Tyrell Shavers (knee) done for the year with torn ACLs. In fantasy football playoff leagues, Kincaid should be considered a top-three TE this week. In the win over the Jags, he had three grabs for 28 yards and his sixth touchdown of the year.

    From RotoBaller

    Josh Allen Jan 13 7:10pm ET
    Josh Allen

    Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (foot, knee, finger) is dealing with three injuries and was limited in Tuesday's walkthrough practice. Allen has played through a nagging foot injury since Week 17, but the injuries to his knee and finger are new. None of the injuries are expected to keep him from playing in Saturday's Divisional Round contest against the hosting Denver Broncos. Even though the Broncos allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to opposing QBs during the regular season, Allen should be considered one of the two best fantasy football options at the position this week. The 29-year-old finished the regular season as the top QB in overall fantasy points with 39 total touchdowns (a league-high 14 rushing) in 17 contests. Allen threw for 273 yards and scored three times (two rushing) in the Wild-Card win over the Jaguars.

    From RotoBaller

    James Cook Jan 13 7:10pm ET
    James Cook

    After finishing the regular season with an NFL-best 1,621 rushing yards, Buffalo Bills running back James Cook had an underwhelming outing in his first game of the postseason. The 26-year-old was held to just 46 rushing yards on 15 carries and five receiving yards on two catches by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Cook's regular-season track record should afford him the benefit of the doubt from fantasy managers. However, he will face another very difficult run defense in the Divisional round when Buffalo travels to Denver to take on the Broncos. The Broncos defense finished the regular season ranked third in the NFL in yards per carry allowed (3.9) and tied for fourth in rushing touchdowns allowed (11). Additionally, Buffalo's already depleted pass-catching corps lost another two wide receivers in Gabe Davis (knee) and Tyrell Shavers (knee), who both suffered season-ending knee injuries in the Wild Card round. As a result, Denver could be even more geared up to stop Cook and take away the run. Cook remains a high-end running back option, but fantasy managers may want to downgrade expectations heading into the Divisional round.

    From RotoBaller

    George Kittle Jan 13 7:10pm ET
    George Kittle

    San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan announced on Tuesday that star tight end George Kittle (Achilles) will have surgery to fix his torn Achilles tendon on Wednesday. Kittle tore his right Achilles tendon in Sunday's win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild-Card round, so the team will be without him for the rest of the postseason and most likely the start of next season. He also missed time with injuries in 2025, but when healthy, he was a top-five fantasy TE in terms of half-PPR points per game (12.1) with 57 catches on 69 targets for 628 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 regular-season contests. The rest of the way, Jake Tonges will step in as San Fran's top pass-catching TE. In the win over the Chicago Bears on Dec. 28 without Kittle available, Tonges had seven catches for 60 yards and his fifth touchdown of the year.

    From RotoBaller

    Khalil Shakir Jan 13 6:50pm ET
    Khalil Shakir

    Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir was one of the stars of his team's Wild Card Weekend win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, recording 12 receptions for 82 yards on 12 targets. On a day when no other Buffalo pass-catcher earned more than five targets, Shakir proved he has earned the trust of Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Heading into the team's Divisional round matchup against the Denver Broncos, Allen may be forced to lean on Shakir even more heavily. Buffalo wide receivers Gabe Davis (knee) and Tyrell Shavers (knee) both suffered season-ending knee injuries during the game against Jacksonville, further depleting an already undermanned Bills' wide receiver corps. Outside of Shakir, Buffalo will likely be relying on wideouts Keon Coleman and Brandin Cooks, both of whom recorded fewer than 40 receptions during the regular season. Even in a tough matchup against Denver, Shakir profiles as a high-floor wide receiver option for fantasy managers given his high likelihood for significant target volume.

    From RotoBaller

    Woody Marks Jan 13 6:40pm ET
    Woody Marks

    Houston Texans running back Woody Marks posted a huge performance in his first career playoff game, recording 112 rushing yards and a touchdown on 19 carries against the Pittsburgh Steelers. With Texans running back Jawhar Jordan (ankle) sidelined by an ankle injury, Marks played 71% of Houston's offensive snaps and earned 19 out of the team's 29 carries by running backs. Jordan may be able to return for the Texans' Divisional round matchup against the New England Patriots, but he was unable to practice leading into the Wild Card round after suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 18. Even if Jordan is active, Marks figures to remain in a prominent role in the Houston backfield. Dating back to Week 11, the 25-year-old has earned at least 17 touches in six out of his last eight games played. Even in a difficult matchup against New England, Marks profiles as a viable running back option for fantasy managers heading into the Divisional round.

    From RotoBaller

  • NFL Divisional
    Bills46u
    Broncos-1
    Sat 4:30pm ET
    49ers45u
    Seahawks-7
    Sat 8:00pm ET
    Texans41u
    Patriots-3
    Sun 3:00pm ET
    Rams48.5u
    Bears+3.5
    Sun 6:30pm ET
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