Wed Dec 17 1:39pm ET
Field Level Media
Suspended in disbelief, Travis Kelce said he expected Patrick Mahomes to shake off his injury and rally the Kansas City Chiefs to a win last Sunday.
But as reality began to sink in and Mahomes limped to the locker room, the bigger picture is potentially even more devastating to the longtime teammates.
"And on a freakish play to see 15 go down like that, man, it f------, it was almost like it wasn't real," Kelce said on the "New Heights" podcast released Wednesday.
"And s--- just sucks, man. He's a warrior, man. I'm telling you. This guy's played through everything, battled through everything, has been crowned champion because he's battled through everything, and he's gonna battle through this. It's the only way this guy is wired, man. He's a fearless, fearless warrior when it comes to this football thing, and he's gonna make sure that he comes back stronger than ever."
Whether Kelce, 36, returns to the Chiefs next season unlikely is to be officially determined until the offseason, he said. But retirement squarely was in the picture as an option weighed the past two offseasons, albeit briefly.
Should Kelce step away, Sunday's loss to the Chargers and the image of Mahomes limping away from the Arrowhead Stadium playing field is blazed into the minds of the tight end and Chiefs fans.
Kansas City (6-8) might be without Mahomes to start next season either way. Typical recovery from reconstructive lateral collateral and anterior cruciate ligament surgery is 10-12 months.
"Obviously, we lost our quarterback, man. Patty Mahomes, our guy, our brother, our fearless leader, our face of the franchise, and, to an ACL," Kelce said on the podcast. "It's never easy seeing your guys go down. We had a bunch of guys get hurt this past game, and we fought, man. We fought."
The Chiefs went for a Super Bowl three-peat last February, but the questions at that time of the year in 2026 will all be pointed to which pieces are still around for the future.
Kelce's place in team and NFL history is secured. He broke Priest Holmes' all-time franchise touchdown record in November and Mahomes-to-Kelce already is the record-holder for postseason touchdowns by a quarterback and receiver. He's currently fifth all-time in the NFL for touchdowns by a tight end with 85, four behind Jimmy Graham (89) for fourth place.
Kelce was targeted consistently by Gardner Minshew II when he entered for the fallen Mahomes last week. He totaled seven receptions for 70 yards.
With three games remaining, Kelce has 798 receiving yards, and would clear 1,000 for the eighth time in his career by averaging 67.3 yards the next three weeks.
Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Pat Bryant (hamstring) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice, according to Zac Stevens of DNVR Sports. A hamstring issue kept Bryant from playing in the Week 15 win over the Green Bay Packers. Head coach Sean Payton said the 23-year-old could have played if it were a playoff game. Now that Bryant is back to practicing in full, he should be active this Sunday versus the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars, barring a setback in the next two days. Bryant's impending return is bad news for second-year wideout Troy Franklin, who caught all six of his targets for 85 yards and a touchdown against Green Bay. Before his hamstring injury, Bryant was seeing more involvement in Denver's passing attack, catching 12 of 17 targets for 156 yards in Weeks 11, 13, and 14. If he's back this weekend, Bryant profiles as a WR4/flex option in deeper fantasy formats. He has just one trip to the end zone in his first 13 NFL contests.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (personal) was not present at the team's practice on Wednesday due to a personal matter, according to the team's official website. Reed should be back at practice on Thursday and play on Saturday against the division-rival Chicago Bears in Week 16. The 25-year-old has played in just four games in 2025 due to a fractured foot and broken collarbone. Since returning in Week 14, Reed has nine catches on 10 targets for 86 yards while also having two rushing attempts for 22 yards. Quarterback Jordan Love continues to spread the ball around to Green Bay's many receiving options, but Reed will remain an integral part of the offense in the final three weeks of the season. It looks like fellow wideout Christian Watson (chest) will play on Saturday, but Reed will still have high-end WR3/flex value for fantasy managers against the Bears.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle) was listed as a non-participant in the first practice of the week on Wednesday, according to the team's official website. Kamara still has not practiced since spraining his MCL in Week 12. Additionally, rookie Devin Neal injured his hamstring in the Week 15 win over the Carolina Panthers and has already been ruled out for Sunday's game against the visiting New York Jets. It means that if Kamara doesn't make rapid progress over the next two days, Audric Estime and Evan Hull figure to split backfield duties for the Saints in Week 16. The fact that the Saints ruled Neal out so early in the week could be a sign that Kamara is nearing a return, but he will need to return to practice in the next few days. Estime handled 36% of the snaps to Hull's 32% last week and had three carries for 11 yards and three catches for 39 yards. Estime is the better waiver-wire pickup with Neal injured, but at best, he'll profile as a low-upside RB3/flex in fantasy this weekend if Kamara misses another game.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said that quarterback Lamar Jackson (illness) was kept at home on Wednesday due to flu-like symptoms, according to Cordell Woodland of 105.7 The Fan. Jackson has been a regular DNP in Wednesday practices this year, but mainly due to nagging lower-body injuries. This week, he's under the weather. The 28-year-old two-time MVP has been held out of practice early in the week in recent weeks with an ankle injury, but he said last week that he has been improving. He should be ready to go by Sunday night for a showdown against the New England Patriots, where he'll be more of a low-end QB1 in fantasy football. Jackson looked a little more like himself in last week's shutout win over the Bengals, but he completed only eight passes and ran the ball twice. He hasn't thrown for over 300 yards at all in 2025 and has had more than one touchdown pass just once in his last six contests. On top of that, Jackson only has two rushing touchdowns this season.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee) was listed as a non-participant in Wednesday's practice session, according to the team. Kincaid played in each of the past two games after dealing with knee and hamstring injuries in prior weeks, but he will begin this week with a DNP. The Bills could be managing his workload during the practice week to ensure he is ready to go on gameday. Fantasy managers will want to monitor his status in practice on Thursday and Friday in case he suffered a setback that would cause him to miss some time. Injuries seem to be a lingering issue for the 26-year-old tight end, as he played only 36% of the snaps in the Week 15 win against the New England Patriots, catching three of four targets for 34 yards. If Kincaid is unable to play on Sunday versus the Cleveland Browns, Dawson Knox would be in line for an expanded receiving role and could continue his recent stretch of production.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (illness) was under the weather on Wednesday and did not practice, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of All City Dallas. Lamb isn't feeling well to begin the practice week, but he should be just fine for Sunday's Week 16 game against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers, where he'll remain a must-start fantasy football receiver. The 26-year-old four-time Pro Bowler hasn't been quite as good as teammate George Pickens in 2025, but he's been a top-10 fantasy wideout in terms of half-PPR points per game (14.7). In his 10 games played, Lamb has 63 receptions on 99 targets for 976 yards and three touchdowns. He's had over 100 receiving yards in each of the last three games and should reach the 1,000-yard mark for the fifth straight season.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos rookie running back R.J. Harvey (ribs) is participating in practice on Wednesday, according to Romi Bean of CBS Colorado. Harvey picked up a rib injury late in Denver's Week 15 win over the Green Bay Packers, but he seems to have avoided a major injury that would cost him any time. Head coach Sean Payton wasn't concerned with the injury, saying that "he's doing good" and should be good to go for Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Payton noted to himself after the Packers game to get Jaleel McLaughlin more touches to manage Harvey's workload, but it's promising news that the rookie won't miss any time. He's been one of the best running backs in fantasy football since taking over lead duties with J.K. Dobbins (foot) out for the year, ranking as the RB6 in PPR points per game over the past four games. Harvey will project favorably again in Week 16 versus the Jaguars.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints rookie running back Devin Neal (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the New York Jets, according to Sara Palczewski of Louisiana First News. Neal left early during the Week 15 win over the Carolina Panthers due to a hamstring injury, and he'll be forced to miss at least one game. The rookie sixth-rounder had started three straight games for the Saints in place of an injured Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle) and totaled 32 yards and a touchdown on eight touches before exiting. With Kamara still not practicing on Wednesday, the Saints will rely on the duo of Audric Estime and Evan Hull to lead the backfield. Estime would be the preferred option in fantasy football, having totalled three carries for 11 yards and three catches (three targets) for 39 yards in Neal's absence last week, compared to Hull's four carries for 12 yards. Keep in mind, though, that rookie quarterback Tyler Shough could continue to take away valuable rushing attempts in this Saints offense.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Devaughn Vele (shoulder) has officially been ruled out for Sunday's game against the New York Jets, Sara Palczewski of Louisiana First News reports. Vele has been considered week-to-week after suffering a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter of last week's win over the Carolina Panthers. He caught five of six targets for 69 yards up until that point. The 28-year-old reportedly avoided a major injury, but he could still end up missing the rest of the regular season with only three games remaining. Vele had been establishing a solid connection with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough, recording 16 catches for 202 yards and a touchdown over the past three games. His absence will lead to more opportunities for top wideout Chris Olave, in addition to Kevin Austin Jr. and Mason Tipton against the Jets in Week 16.
From RotoBaller
The Dallas Cowboys announced on Wednesday that they have opened the 21-day practice window for rookie running back Phil Mafah (shoulder). Mafah has missed his entire first season in the NFL so far due to a shoulder injury that landed him on Injured Reserve in August. The 23-year-old will return to practice this week, though, and he could be in play to join the Cowboys offense in the final three weeks of the season. The Clemson product would provide insurance in Dallas' backfield, but he probably wouldn't be anything more than the RB3 behind Javonte Williams and Malik Davis if he plays to close out the 2025 campaign. The Cowboys must officially activate Mafah from IR if they want him active this Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. Mafah had 1,115 rushing yards, 103 receiving yards, and eight total touchdowns in his final year in college in 2024.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said that he plans to play quarterback Dak Prescott when asked if he would want to see backup quarterback Joe Milton III play if the Cowboys are eliminated from playoff contention. "I want to win, so the plan would be to play Dak," Schottenheimer said. It's not a surprising development to hear that Prescott will remain the starter for the final three games of the regular season, even with Dallas' playoff odds at less than 1%. The 32-year-old has put together one of the best seasons of his career, completing 68.4% of his passes for a league-leading 3,931 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while adding 45 carries for 140 yards and two more scores on the ground. He remains a top-five QB option in fantasy for the Week 16 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (chest, shoulder), who returned to a limited practice on Wednesday, said he should be able to play in Week 16 on Saturday night in the divisional rematch against the hosting Chicago Bears, per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. "It's feeling pretty good for everything considered, so I think it'll be alright for the game. We're at the point in the season where you gotta fight through some stuff, so should be good," Watson said. The 26-year-old landed hard on a play in the second half in Sunday's loss to the Denver Broncos and was sent to the hospital after the game as a precaution. Doctors ruled out a major injury, thankfully, and now it looks like Watson will have a good chance to play this weekend after returning to practice on Wednesday. He has been quarterback Jordan Love's go-to receiver in the eight games he's played in 2025, and he had 89 receiving yards and two TDs two weeks ago against Chicago. If Watson is active, he should be considered a WR2 in fantasy.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said on Sirius XM NFL Radio on Wednesday that there's "a good chance" that quarterback Geno Smith (shoulder, back) returns to start this Sunday against the Houston Texans in Week 16, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Smith suffered a right-shoulder injury in the Week 14 loss to the Denver Broncos and did not play in Sunday's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Backup Kenny Pickett couldn't lead the Raiders to any points, and thus the 35-year-old Smith will get his starting gig back this weekend in an extremely difficult matchup on the road against the Texans, who have the best defense in the NFL. It's good news for the Raiders' offensive skill players, but for fantasy football, Smith will be a low-end QB2, at best, in superflex leagues in Week 16 if he returns. Smith has led one of the worst offenses in the league in 2025 in his first year in Vegas, throwing for 2,648 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions in his 13 starts.UPDATE: Smith returned to Wednesday's practice.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets rookie tight end Mason Taylor (neck) has been ruled out for a second straight game for Week 16 action against the hosting New Orleans Saints, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. Taylor suffered a neck injury in the Week 14 loss to the Miami Dolphins, when he had five catches for 51 yards. The 21-year-old's next chance to play will come in a Week 17 divisional contest against the visiting New England Patriots. Jeremy Ruckert, who just signed a two-year, $10 million extension with the Jets on Wednesday, will make a second straight start for Gang Green as their top pass-catching TE against the Saints in the Big Easy. Ruckert caught both his targets for 13 yards in last week's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Fantasy managers should be able to find much better streaming options at the position. Taylor has averaged 5.0 half-PPR fantasy points per game in 13 contests in 2025, making him the TE35.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (stinger) is back at practice on Wednesday after he was listed as a non-participant due to a stinger on Tuesday, according to Cayden Steele of NJ Advance Media. Barkley suffered a stinger in Sunday's blowout win over the Las Vegas Raiders, but his return to practice on Wednesday bodes well for his chances of playing on Saturday versus the division-rival Washington Commanders. Although the 28-year-old wasn't quite as good as he was in the Monday night overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 14, he scored a rushing touchdown for the second straight week and had 20-plus carries for the fifth time in 2025. Barkley has had 20-plus rushing attempts in four of six games since the team's bye, as the Eagles make a point to involve last year's leading rusher more to spark their struggling offense. As long as Barkley is active in Week 16, which he should be, he will be a must-start in all fantasy football lineups against a poor Washington defense.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift (groin) was listed as a limited participant in the team's practice on Wednesday due to a groin injury, per Scott Bair of Marquee Sports Network. Swift wasn't listed on the first injury report of the week on Tuesday, so it's possible he tweaked his groin in Wednesday's practice. It's also possible that the Bears are just giving the 26-year-old lead back a little extra rest late in the season on a short week (Chicago faces the division-rival Green Bay Packers on Saturday night). We'll keep a close eye on Swift's status going into the weekend, but as of right now, fantasy managers shouldn't have too much concern that he'll be inactive in Week 16. If Swift's injury is serious enough to sideline him this weekend, though, rookie Kyle Monangai would be a must-start, plug-and-play RB in fantasy football in what is the semifinals in most leagues. Despite Monangai stealing more work in the second half, Swift remains the Bears' RB1. He has 935 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 191 carries this year, adding 254 receiving yards and another score.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (foot) missed another practice on Wednesday, according to Scott Bair of the Marquee Sports Network. Odunze also missed Tuesday's session and looks to be on track to miss a third straight game due to a stress fracture in his foot. Head coach Ben Johnson hinted earlier this week that the 23-year-old second-year pass-catcher could be shut down in the final three weeks of the regular season so that the team can have him closer to full strength for the playoffs. After a strong start to the season, Odunze has been a disappointment to fantasy managers in the second half, and he's likely to be ruled out for Saturday's divisional tilt against the Green Bay Packers unless he returns to practice on Thursday. Rookie Luther Burden III (ankle) has yet to practice this week, either, so Olamide Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay, in addition to rookie tight end Colston Loveland, could be in for bigger roles this weekend behind DJ Moore if both Odunze and Burden cannot play.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III (ankle) is missing a second straight day of practice this week on Wednesday due to an ankle injury, according to Marquee Sports Network's Scott Bair. The Bears could be short-handed on offense at the receiver position on Saturday night against the division-rival Green Bay Packers, as Rome Odunze (foot) has yet to practice this week after missing the last two games with a stress fracture in his foot. In the last two contests with Odunze on the sideline, the 22-year-old Burden has capitalized for his fantasy managers with 10 catches for 151 yards on 13 targets. However, unless he practices on Thursday, Burden could miss this weekend's game in the Windy City. If both Burden and Odunze are inactive, DJ Moore, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Devin Duvernay would operate in three-receiver sets. Rookie tight end Colston Loveland would be on the TE1 map with more targets coming his way as well.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears WR Luther Burden III (ankle), WR Rome Odunze (foot), and LB Amen Ogbongbemiga (hamstring) did not practice on Wednesday, Dec. 17. LB Tremaine Edmunds (groin), TE Cole Kmet (ankle, knee), and RB D'Andre Swift (groin) were limited in practice on Wednesday. QB Tyson Bagent (illness), DL Andrew Billings (illness), and RB Travis Homer (ankle) practiced in full on Wednesday.
From TheHuddle
Las Vegas Raiders QB Geno Smith (hand) could start Week 16, according to head coach Pete Carroll
Fantasy Spin: Smith has missed some time with a hand injury, and the Raiders' offense has come to a standstill as a result. His return is more good news for Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty than it is for him. He can be avoided in fantasy lineups if he plays.
From TheHuddle