Across a seven-game stretch from Week 5 to Week 12, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Tez Johnson recorded 22 receptions for 274 yards and five touchdowns on 34 targets. However, Tampa Bay has welcomed wide receivers Mike Evans, Chris Godwin Jr., and Jalen McMillan back from injury in recent weeks, burying Johnson on the depth chart. Over his last five games, Johnson has hauled in just four catches for 18 yards. The 23-year-old has also played 16 or fewer offensive snaps in three consecutive outings. Heading into the team's Week 18 matchup against the Carolina Panthers, there is little indication that Johnson is ticketed for a significant role in the Tampa Bay offense. Johnson has shown enough in his rookie season to carry some upside in dynasty formats, but he should likely be off the radar of redraft fantasy managers in Week 18.

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Across 15 games this season, Minnesota Vikings running back Zavier Scott has recorded just 195 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 42 touches. The 26-year-old did not record a single touch in Minnesota's Week 17 win over the Detroit Lions. However, the Vikings are dealing with injuries to both of their top two running backs, Jordan Mason (ankle) and Aaron Jones Sr. (leg). While both Minnesota veterans have a chance to play in the team's Week 18 finale against the Green Bay Packers, the team is out of playoff contention and does not have much reason to push players onto the field. Scott has shown he can produce as a receiving back when given the chance, recording six catches for 43 yards and a touchdown on eight targets with Jones Sr. inactive in Week 4. In deep fantasy leagues, Scott may be worth targeting on the waiver wire heading into Week 18.

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Cleveland Browns rookie tight end Sal Cannella made his NFL debut in last week's upset win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Cannella only played 35% of the offensive snaps and caught two of his four targets for 11 receiving yards. The 29-year-old was pressed into action in Cleveland's offense with David Njoku (knee) missing another game, but it wasn't until rookie Harold Fanning Jr. left with a groin injury that Cannella started becoming involved. Cannella ended up leading all of Cleveland's TEs with four targets, and that could be the case again in the Week 18 regular-season finale this Sunday against the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals if both Njoku and Fannin aren't cleared to play in a meaningless game. Cannella will be a pretty big reach for fantasy managers in the final week of the season, but he's worth a look in TE-premium leagues with both Njoku and Fannin hurt.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III (hamstring) was inactive for the team's Week 17 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. The Steelers were also missing DK Metcalf due to a suspension that will continue into the Week 18 regular-season finale this weekend against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night. Tight end Pat Freirmuth led the Steelers in receiving with three catches for 63 yards against Cleveland. The 26-year-old Austin is trending in the right direction to return to the division-deciding battle against Baltimore this weekend, and with Metcalf out for another game, Austin could be heavily targeted by quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Austin still won't exactly inspire confidence from fantasy managers with something still on the line in Week 18, as he has gone over 50 receiving yards just twice in 13 games, and not since Nov. 2. Austin has only found the end zone twice in 2025, too, with the last one coming back on Sept. 21.

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Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith will be set up as a more attractive TE2 streamer in fantasy football for the final week of the regular season this Sunday night against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens, with Darnell Washington done for the year after breaking his forearm in Sunday's Week 17 loss to the Cleveland Browns. With Washington getting hurt, Smith ended up leading the Steelers with five receptions (five targets), although it amounted to only 18 receiving yards on a day in which Pittsburgh's offense couldn't get into the end zone. After a career year in 2024 with the Miami Dolphins, the 30-year-old Smith has predictably struggled in Arthur Smith's offense, posting a 37-220-2 line in 16 games. Smith's five targets in Week 17 were his most since Week 9, though, and he's now topped 20 scrimmage yards in three straight games. In deeper fantasy leagues, Smith will be slightly more attractive as a TE2 streamer in Week 18 versus the Ravens.

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Miami Dolphins rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers threw his first two touchdown passes in a Week 17 upset win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, going 14-for-22 passing for 172 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions in his second NFL start. The 22-year-old seventh-rounder from Texas added four rushing attempts for five yards. Ewers threw for 260 yards in his first start last week against the Cincinnati Bengals, but he threw no TDs and two picks. He wasn't exceptional on Sunday against Tampa, but he managed to avoid turning the ball over, with his touchdown passes going to receiver Theo Wease and tight end Greg Dulcich. To close out the year, he'll get the division-rival New England Patriots on the road as the Dolphins look to spoil New England's chances of earning the No. 1 seed in the AFC and a first-round bye in the playoffs. Ewers should be considered as nothing more than a low-end QB2 option in his first meeting with the Pats.

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San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle) was a limited participant in Tuesday's practice, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. It's early in the week, but it's a good sign that Kittle is back on the practice field after missing all three practices last week and being ruled out for the Sunday night win over the Chicago Bears. The 32-year-old veteran might need to upgrade to a full practice before Thursday to avoid taking a questionable tag into Saturday night's divisional clash against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 18, though. If Kittle returns for the contest that will decide the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoff picture, he'll be a must-start TE1 in fantasy football lineups. In Kittle's absence in Week 17, Jake Tonges stepped up in a big way, securing seven catches for 60 yards and a touchdown on nine targets as one of quarterback Brock Purdy's favorite weapons.

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle) was listed as a limited participant in Tuesday's practice, according to The Athletic's Matt Barrows. Pearsall aggravated a knee injury dating back to earlier this year and missed the Week 16 contest, but he returned for Sunday night's tilt against the Chicago Bears to play 81% of the offensive snaps. The 25-year-old former first-rounder looked good, too, leading the team in receiving with 85 yards on five catches (eight targets). Injuries have become an issue for Pearsall in just his second year in the NFL, but as long as he doesn't suffer a setback, he should be active in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Saturday evening versus the division-rival Seattle Seahawks in a game that will decide the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Tight end George Kittle's (ankle) potential return this weekend could take valuable targets away from Pearsall.

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San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (back) did not practice on Tuesday due to a back injury, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. McCaffrey dealt with back stiffness earlier this month, too, but he didn't miss any time. The 29-year-old's back injury isn't very serious this time around, either, and it shouldn't keep him from playing a big role in a crucial divisional battle this Saturday night against the Seattle Seahawks that will determine the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoff picture. CMC was unstoppable in Sunday night's win over the Chicago Bears, going for a season-high 140 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 rushing attempts. He also caught four of six targets for 41 yards as a receiver. McCaffrey won't find running room as easily to come by against Seattle, but he should still be considered a high-end RB1 option for fantasy managers still playing for something in Week 18.

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Out of nowhere, Buffalo Bills veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks led the team in receiving yards (101) while catching four of his six targets in the Week 17 loss to the visiting Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. The Bills needed someone to step up in the passing attack with tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee) out due to injury and receiver Keon Coleman being a healthy scratch. The 32-year-old Cooks hooked up with quarterback Josh Allen a few times deep down the field and averaged a healthy 25.3 yards per reception in his fifth game with the team. In the first four games with Buffalo, Cooks had only one catch on five targets for one yard. Although Cooks may be more of a long shot to replicate his production from Week 17 going forward, he might have done enough to secure a bigger role going into the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Jets and into the postseason.

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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins led the team to another upset victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football to close out Week 17 action. Most of the heavy lifting was done by star running back Bijan Robinson, though, who finished just shy of 200 rushing yards with a touchdown on 22 carries. Robinson also caught five passes for 34 yards and a second touchdown. Cousins, meanwhile, continued to play a game-manager role at QB, going 13-for-20 passing for 126 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions. The 37-year-old veteran signal-caller shouldn't attract a ton of fantasy interest as a streamer going into the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival New Orleans Saints. Cousins has gone over 200 passing yards just twice in the last five games. In the first game against the Saints, he threw for 199 yards, two TDs, and a pick on Nov. 23.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling figures to be heavily targeted again in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday night against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens, with DK Metcalf suspended one more game. In Sunday's upset loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 17, Valdes-Scantling drew a season-high nine targets, hauling in three of them for a mediocre 21 receiving yards. The 31-year-old veteran pass-catcher has only five catches on 14 targets for 46 yards and one touchdown in his four games since joining Pittsburgh. MVS hasn't really been on the same page as quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and his target share could be affected if Calvin Austin III (hamstring) returns in a must-win Week 18 contest that will decide the winner of the AFC North. At best, Valdes-Scantling will be a deep-league dart throw as a WR5/flex versus Baltimore this weekend.

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Los Angeles Rams rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson will head into the Week 18 regular-season finale this weekend against the division-rival Arizona Cardinals as a legitimate streaming option at tight end for fantasy football managers. The 22-year-old found the end zone for the second straight contest in the Monday night loss to the Atlanta Falcons, catching two of his four targets for a season-high 54 yards and the trip to paydirt. In last week's loss to the Seattle Seahawks, he had three catches on four targets for 33 yards and his second score of the season. Ferguson's touchdown reception in Week 17 was a 27-yard strike from quarterback Matthew Stafford when he was left all alone in the back of the end zone. Colby Parkinson remains heavily involved -- he outsnapped Ferguson 51 to 32 and caught six passes for 53 yards -- but Ferguson could certainly find the end zone for a third straight week this Sunday against Arizona.

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The Los Angeles Chargers are choosing to rest starting quarterback Justin Herbert for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday in Denver against the division-rival Broncos, which opens the door for backup Trey Lance to make his first start of the season. Head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed on Monday that Lance will start against the Broncos and their strong defense. The 25-year-old former third overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers back in 2021 out of North Dakota State will be making just his sixth start in the NFL. There is an opportunity for Lance, but we won't be expecting much from him in his first start of the year for various reasons. For one, the Chargers' banged-up offensive line is unlikely to be able to protect him consistently against a Broncos D that leads the league in sacks. Additionally, the Bolts could be resting other key offensive skill players besides Herbert. Lance should be considered a desperation low-end QB2 in superflex leagues this weekend.

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ESPN's Josh Weinfuss writes that there's an outside chance that if both head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort are fired, the new regime will decide to run it back with Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (foot). If the Cardinals decide to move on from Murray, who didn't play at all in 2025 after spraining his foot back in Week 5, they will likely bring veteran Jacoby Brissett back on the second year of his two-year deal while drafting a signal-caller. The Cardinals should be able to pick one of three young QBs in next year's draft among Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, Oregon's Dante Moore, or Alabama's Ty Simpson. The Cardinals have taken a liking to the 6-foot-2 Simpson, who is known as a pocket passer. But if Arizona decides to trade down in the first round or wait until the second round to take a QB, they could look at Miami's Carson Beck or LSU's Garrett Nussmeier.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (knee, shoulder) is on the team's Week 18 injury report with multiple injuries and was listed as limited in the first practice of the week on Tuesday, according to Brianna Dix of Buccaneers.com. Mayfield injured his left (non-throwing) shoulder earlier this season, but now he's dealing with an injury to his throwing arm heading into a must-win Week 18 divisional game this Saturday against the Carolina Panthers. The 30-year-old veteran will almost certainly play this weekend, but he certainly hasn't looked 100% in a long while. Mayfield's fortunes haven't turned around recently as the Bucs have gotten healthy on offense, and he's averaging just 222.5 passing yards with six touchdowns and six turnovers in the last four games. At best, Mayfield will be a low-end QB1 option as he plays for the NFC South title this weekend against Carolina.

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Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Cameron Ward, the first overall pick back in April, has completed 59.6% of his passes for 3,117 yards, 15 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in his first year in the NFL. He's added 148 rushing yards and a score while also fumbling a league-high 11 times (losing seven). Ward's 79.8 passer rating ranks 26th out of 27 qualifying QBs. He's been sacked 55 times, tied for the most in the NFL. The 23-year-old came into the NFL with a sharp learning curve after spending most of his college career in an Air Raid system. Ward has made some wow plays with his strong arm, but "there are some around the NFL who are concerned his accuracy will have a ceiling if he doesn't refine his mechanics," according to The Athletic's Jeff Howe. Ward's scrambling ability can help him compensate for some of it, but in the long term, he could be inconsistent if he doesn't clean up his mechanics.

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The Buffalo Bills announced on Tuesday that they re-signed wide receiver/return specialist Mecole Hardman to their practice squad. The Bills will reunite with Hardman after cutting him over the weekend. The 27-year-old has appeared in only two games with Buffalo this year and hasn't caught a pass on just one target. On special teams, he returned a kickoff 61 yards and recorded four yards on two punt returns. There's no guarantee that Hardman will be elevated to the active 53-man roster again for the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival New York Jets or for the postseason. If Hardman does see action for the Bills again, it will most likely only come via a special-teams role.

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Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that running back Rico Dowdle (toe) did not practice on Tuesday due to a sore toe, according to Darin Gantt of Panthers.com. The Panthers are hopeful that he'll be ready for Saturday's big divisional showdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 18 to decide the NFC South. Dowdle is considered day-to-day, and the Panthers wanted to give him a rest day in the first official practice of the week. As long as the 27-year-old can practice on Wednesday or Thursday, he should be fine to play in the regular-season finale. Many teams across the league will be resting players in Week 18, but not the Panthers, as they seek to win the division and secure a playoff spot. Since his last 100-yard game on Nov. 2, Dowdle has gone over 50 rushing yards three times in seven games, although one of those came in last week's loss to Seattle. Dowdle will be on the RB2/3 borderline for fantasy managers this weekend.

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Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hinted on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday that rookie running back Jaydon Blue could get some snaps on Sunday against the division-rival New York Giants in the Week 18 regular-season finale, according to Todd Archer of ESPN. The Cowboys have nothing left to play for but pride, and fellow RBs Javonte Williams (shoulder) and Malik Davis (eye) are banged up, potentially leading to Blue playing for the first time since Week 8. The 21-year-old has only seen action in four games in 2025 in his first year in the NFL, carrying the ball 22 times for 65 yards while adding one catch for a five-yard gain. The Cowboys essentially benched Blue in favor of Davis after the fifth-rounder lost a fumble in the Week 8 loss to the Denver Broncos. Depending on the statuses of Williams and Davis this weekend, though, Blue could be in play as a DFS sleeper against the G-Men.

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