Jets WR Garrett Wilson to miss final three games

Fri Dec 19 2:03pm ET
Field Level Media

New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson is out for the final three games of the regular season and will not return from injured reserve.

"We felt like it was best for him and the team," head coach Aaron Glenn said on Friday.

Wilson was placed on IR on Nov. 13 after re-injuring his right knee. He previously missed two games in the 2025 regular season with the same injury.

The 25-year-old Wilson, the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2022, was leading the Jets in targets (59), receptions (36), receiving yards (395) and touchdown catches (four) when he first hit injured reserve after starting seven games in 2025. Before the injury, Wilson had played in all 57 games since being drafted 10th overall in 2022.

New York hasn't figured out the quarterback position, and Jets QB1 Justin Fields was far more inconsistent after Wilson was hurt. Tyrod Taylor became the starter after Fields was benched. Taylor was injured against the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 7, and the Jets turned the keys of the offense over to undrafted rookie Brady Cook.

He has been sacked nine times and throw one touchdown pass with five interceptions, compiling a passer rating of 44.3. Cook entered off the bench in the loss to the Dolphins and made his first career start against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week.

When a post-mortem on the team's offensive struggles is conducted, the loss of initial starting wide receivers Wilson and Josh Reynolds (placed on IR with a hip injury) is a consideration.

Combined, the Jets' trio of QBs have 14 TD passes. There are 23 NFL quarterbacks, including former Jets Joe Flacco and Geno Smith, who have at least 15 TD passes this season.

Two receivers acquired via trades, John Metchie III and Adonai Mitchell -- added at the trade deadline from the Colts in the Sauce Gardner deal -- are helping keep the offense afloat. Metchie and Mitchell both have two TD catches since joining the Jets in November.

The Jets earlier this week released Allen Lazard, who had been a healthy scratch and caught 10 passes this season before being let go.

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The Paur Report

Starts, Sits, Sleepers: Week 16

Player Notes
Josh Jacobs Dec 20 5:40pm CT
Josh Jacobs

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (knee) is officially active ahead of Saturday's Week 16 matchup versus the Chicago Bears. Jacobs appeared to be trending in the wrong direction after not practicing all week. He was on crutches on Monday, but the knee issue won't keep him from playing in this critical divisional matchup. Jacobs will suit up, so fantasy managers can go ahead and get him active in their lineups. There is no word on any limitations, but it wouldn't be shocking if the Packers were somewhat cautious with Jacobs. Nonetheless, fantasy managers can plug in Jacobs as an RB1 for Saturday's game against Chicago.

From RotoBaller

Ricky Pearsall Dec 20 5:30pm CT
Ricky Pearsall

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle) has been ruled out for the Week 16 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Pearsall was unable to practice all week due to knee and ankle injuries he suffered during last week's win over the Tennessee Titans. He'll miss at least one game, but will hopefully return for the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears. The absence of Pearsall should mean larger roles for Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne, and Demarcus Robinson. Out of the three, Jennings is the only consistent fantasy option heading into the Monday Night matchup versus the Colts.

From RotoBaller

Jaylin Lane Dec 20 4:40pm CT
Jaylin Lane

Washington Commanders wide receiver Jaylin Lane (ankle) exited during the first quarter of Saturday's Week 16 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles. The rookie is officially listed as questionable to return. He suffered the injury while returning a punt prior to the start of Washington's second offensive drive. Lane had not registered an offensive statistic at the time of his departure. In his absence, Treylon Burks and Chris Moore could earn more snaps behind starting wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel Sr.

From RotoBaller

Nakobe Dean Dec 20 4:40pm CT
Nakobe Dean

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean (hamstring) exited during the first quarter of Saturday's Week 16 contest. He is officially listed as questionable to return. Dean suffered the injury while tackling Treylon Burks on a completion over the middle. The 25-year-old had four sacks over his previous six games, so Philadelphia will hope he's able to return sooner rather than later. In the meantime, first-round rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell will enter the game in Dean's absence.

From RotoBaller

Christian Watson Dec 20 4:00pm CT
Christian Watson

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (chest, shoulder) should be able to go for Saturday night's divisional matchup against the Chicago Bears, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Watson missed Tuesday's practice but practiced in a limited capacity on Thursday and Friday this week. The 26-year-old wideout was sent to the hospital after suffering injuries to his chest and shoulder during last week's loss to the Denver Broncos, but said that he was "feeling pretty good" this week and will suit up for a big matchup on Saturday night. Watson has been the Packers' most explosive pass catcher since returning in Week 8 and offers WR2 upside in a favorable matchup against the Bears.

From RotoBaller

David Moore Dec 20 4:00pm CT
David Moore

The Carolina Panthers won't activate wide receiver David Moore (elbow) from Injured Reserve this week, according to Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer. Moore landed on IR after suffering an elbow injury during Carolina's 42-13 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 4. The 30-year-old wideout has just one catch for five yards in his four games played this season. The veteran will hope to return to action for Week 17's matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.

From RotoBaller

Chigoziem Okonkwo Dec 20 3:40pm CT
Chigoziem Okonkwo

Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo isn't a realistic fantasy option for Week 16's matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Okonkwo has yet to find the end zone in 14 games this season and hasn't exceeded four catches in a game. The 26-year-old tight end is second on the team in receiving yards over the past four games, but that's more of a reflection of how poor the Titans' offense is. Okonkwo has a tough matchup on deck in Week 16 against a Kansas City Chiefs defense that has allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to tight ends. He's fallen outside the top 32 tight ends in RotoBaller's Week 16 rankings.

From RotoBaller

Ricky Pearsall Dec 20 3:40pm CT
Ricky Pearsall

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle) missed practice for the third straight day on Saturday and is considered unlikely to play Monday night against the Indianapolis Colts, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports. Pearsall aggravated his PCL injury during last week's win over the Tennessee Titans and is set to miss more time. The second-year wideout still produced a strong receiving line despite picking up the injury, catching six of seven targets for 96 yards. Jauan Jennings should be in line to see an uptick in opportunities behind Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle in San Francisco's pass game on Monday night, with Kendrick Bourne also in line to fill in for extra reps.

From RotoBaller

Mecole Hardman Dec 20 3:40pm CT
Mecole Hardman

The Buffalo Bills have elevated kicker Michael Badgley from the practice squad to the active roster and activated wide receiver Mecole Hardman (calf) from Injured Reserve. Badgley will be filling in for an injured Matt Prater (quadriceps), who could be looking at a multi-game absence. The 30-year-old Badgley was signed to the Bills' practice squad after beginning the season with the Indianapolis Colts, where he made 10 of his 11 field goal attempts and 18 of his 21 extra points in seven games. Hardman, on the other hand, landed on IR after injuring his calf in his first game with the Bills in Week 11's win over the Buccaneers. The 27-year-old wideout is unlikely to be a significant factor in the Bills' offense, but should play a role on special teams in Week 16's game versus the Cleveland Browns.

From RotoBaller

Marvin Harrison Jr. Dec 20 3:40pm CT
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel) will benefit from his team's high-volume passing attack if he's healthy enough to play in Sunday's Week 16 contest against the Atlanta Falcons. Harrison has missed four of the last five games due to various injuries, but he's making good progress ahead of Sunday's battle of eliminated NFC teams. The former first-round pick was limited in practice this week and told reporters that he's healthy enough to play. Assuming he's confirmed as active for Week 16, Harrison should operate as a high-volume WR2. The Cardinals' passing attack has been impressive ever since Jacoby Brissett took over for Kyler Murray (foot). Brissett is averaging 43 pass attempts and 301 passing yards per game as a starter, and he has been a top-12 fantasy quarterback in each of his nine starts. Arizona's high passing volume has allowed Brissett to support fantasy-relevant performances from Harrison, Michael Wilson, and Trey McBride. Therefore, Arizona's game plan and Week 16 game script against the Falcons bodes well for Harrison to deliver a solid fantasy performance. The Falcons have allowed the fourth-most touchdowns and seventh-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers in 2025. Harrison ranks as the overall WR36 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for Week 16, but he could climb into the top 24 once he's officially confirmed as active on Sunday.

From RotoBaller

Gunnar Helm Dec 20 3:30pm CT
Gunnar Helm

Tennessee Titans rookie tight end Gunnar Helm (toe) is expected to play on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Helm was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday before being upgraded to full on Friday. The rookie fourth-rounder has emerged as one of the few bright spots on the Titans' offense in recent weeks. He caught all four of his targets for 49 yards and his second touchdown of the season in last week's loss to the 49ers. The Texas product leads the team with 131 receiving yards over the past four games, ranking as the TE15 in that span. Helm's stock is trending up, and he projects as an upside TE2 option even in a tougher matchup on Sunday against a Kansas City Chiefs defense that has given up the fifth fewest fantasy points per game to tight ends.

From RotoBaller

Emari Demercado Dec 20 3:30pm CT
Emari Demercado

Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado is expected to handle an increased workload against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16, but his fantasy outlook remains murky. He is on track to operate as the backup to Michael Carter this week after Zonovan Knight (ankle) was placed on injured reserve. While Demercado was viewed as Arizona's passing-down specialist at points earlier this season, it's unclear whether that remains his role given how well Carter has performed in the passing game lately. Carter has 19 catches over his last five games, whereas Demercado has just 10 catches through parts of 10 games this year. Rather than being a true passing-down specialist, it seems more likely that the 26-year-old will fall into a change-of-pace role, allowing the Cardinals to manage Carter's workload and keep him fresh. Demercado has shown impressive burst in the past, and his 8.3 yards per carry over the last two seasons indicates that he's capable of breaking off big plays. His fantasy value in Week 16 likely hinges on whether he's able to break off any big runs or catches against the Falcons. In other words, he'll need high efficiency to overcome a backup's workload. He currently ranks as the RB51 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for Week 16.

From RotoBaller

Elic Ayomanor Dec 20 3:20pm CT
Elic Ayomanor

Tennessee Titans rookie wide receiver Elic Ayomanor hasn't been a trustworthy fantasy option despite playing a full-time role since the start of the season. Ayomanor has caught just one ball in each of the past three games after recording multiple receptions in his first 10 games. His two lowest target totals of the season have also come in the past two games. The rookie fourth-rounder has scored double-digit PPR points twice in 13 games, coming back in Weeks 2 and 3. Ayomanor is tough to trust beyond a deep league FLEX option for Week 16's matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.

From RotoBaller

Michael Wilson Dec 20 3:20pm CT
Michael Wilson

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson should remain a strong fantasy option against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16 despite the potential return of Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel). Harrison, listed as questionable, is working his way back from missing four games in the last five weeks. Wilson has been at his best when Harrison is inactive. During those four games, he averaged a whopping 15.0 targets, 10.3 catches, 124.8 yards, and 0.8 touchdowns. Harrison's potential return would certainly lower his ceiling and floor, but he can still be a viable fantasy starter, especially with Jacoby Brissett throwing the ball at least 40 times every game. Wilson has low-end WR1 upside if Harrison sits out, and he'd be a low-end WR2 or high-end WR3 with Harrison playing. Even if Harrison suits up, we wouldn't be surprised to see Wilson lead the Cardinals' wide receiver room in snaps, targets, catches, and yards, given how well he has played lately. He ranks as the overall WR15 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for Week 16.

From RotoBaller

Trey McBride Dec 20 3:10pm CT
Trey McBride

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride remains a top fantasy option despite a difficult matchup against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16. On paper, it may appear that the odds are stacked against McBride. Not only is he facing a Falcons defense that has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to tight ends in 2025, but he could also face additional competition if Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel, questionable) returns from his two-game absence. However, McBride has consistently established himself as matchup-proof this year, so he should feast despite facing Atlanta. Furthermore, he could still lead the team in targets and catches, even if Harrison does return to the mix. In total this year, the 26-year-old has 105 catches, 1,071 yards, and a career-high 10 touchdowns. He is on track to finish this year as the overall TE1 in PPR leagues after finishing 2024 as the TE2. McBride has especially benefited from the presence of quarterback Jacoby Brissett. In full-PPR leagues, he averaged 12.5 fantasy points per game with Kyler Murray (foot) as the starter, and a whopping 23.3 fantasy points per game with Brissett as the starter. We should expect more otherworldly, video-game numbers from McBride this week. He's the undisputed TE1 in this week's fantasy rankings and should be a must-start as the fantasy playoffs continue.

From RotoBaller

Tyjae Spears Dec 20 2:50pm CT
Tyjae Spears

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears recorded just five touches for 36 yards in last week's loss to the San Francisco 49ers. It was the third year back's fewest touches in a game since Week 5, his first game of the season after opening the year on Injured Reserve with an ankle injury. Spears' role in the Titans' offense hasn't expanded with Tony Pollard locking down the lead back duties and delivering his two best performances of the season in the last two weeks. The 24-year-old has just one game this season with double-digit PPR points, coming back in Week 8. Spears will remain a low-upside FLEX option in a tough Week 16 matchup versus the Kansas City Chiefs, who have allowed the fourth fewest PPR points per game to running backs.

From RotoBaller

Chimere Dike Dec 20 2:50pm CT
Chimere Dike

Tennessee Titans rookie wide receiver Chimere Dike has held down a full-time role in the offense, but hasn't emerged as a reliable option for fantasy football. Dike leads the Titans with 24 targets in the past four games, but has generated just 93 yards. The rookie fourth-rounder delivered his two best fantasy performances in Weeks 7 and 8, scoring 16.9 and 16.4 PPR points. However, he has underwhelmed in six games since, averaging just 6.6 points per game. The Florida product still profiles as the most reliable receiver in the Titans' offense, but he is tough to trust for fantasy purposes for a tough matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. He profiles as a deep league FLEX option at best in Week 16.

From RotoBaller

Michael Carter Dec 20 2:40pm CT
Michael Carter

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter should lead the backfield against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16, reinforcing his fantasy value as a low-end RB2 or high-end RB3 in fantasy football. Carter will handle a larger workload this week after Zonovan Knight (ankle) was placed on injured reserve. After Knight exited last weekend, Carter played a season-high 80% snap share with 14 carries, 56 rushing yards, four catches, and 38 receiving yards. The 26-year-old is likely headed for similar volume this Sunday, but we also wouldn't be surprised if Emari Demercado eats into his workload slightly. Nevertheless, Carter should remain the clear No. 1 back heading into a favorable matchup against the Falcons, who have allowed the 13th-most rushing yards and 14th-most fantasy points to opposing running backs in 2025. A spread of ATL -3.0 also indicates that this should be a competitive game, which is another reason why we expect Carter to see a healthy dose of carries and targets. He ranks as the overall RB25 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for Week 16.

From RotoBaller

Jacoby Brissett Dec 20 2:30pm CT
Jacoby Brissett

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett has filled in admirably for Kyler Murray (foot), and he remains a strong fantasy option ahead of Sunday's Week 16 contest against the Atlanta Falcons. The veteran quarterback wasn't expected to have any fantasy relevance coming into this season, and even when he took over as the Cardinals' starter, expectations were quite low. However, he has been a pleasant surprise for fantasy managers, ranking as a top-12 quarterback in all nine of his starts this year. Since replacing Murray in Week 6, he is the overall QB3 in fantasy scoring, trailing only Josh Allen and Trevor Lawrence. He already has talented receiving threats available in Trey McBride and Michael Wilson, and he could get additional reinforcements with Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel) listed as questionable. Harrison is working his way back after missing four of the last five Cardinals games. Having all three of his top targets available would give Murray an extra boost against the Falcons, who rank near the middle of the league with the 16th-most fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks in 2025. Just last week, Atlanta's defense surrendered 277 passing yards and two touchdowns to Baker Mayfield. As it stands, Brissett is the overall QB7 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for Week 16.

From RotoBaller

Zane Gonzalez Dec 20 2:10pm CT
Zane Gonzalez

Atlanta Falcons kicker Zane Gonzalez has been solid as the team's third placekicker this year, going 11-for-13 in the six games he's played, with both misses coming from more than 50 yards out. He's also 11-for-11 on extra point attempts. The 30-year-old is on the streaming radar for Week 16's road matchup against the Cardinals, as Arizona has given up 35 points per contest over the last three weeks, which is second-worst in the NFL over that stretch, and Atlanta owns an implied total of 25 for this contest, so there is scoring expected in this one. Gonzalez won't have to deal with any elements playing indoors in Arizona either, so it sets him up as a potential top 12 kicking option for Week 16.

From RotoBaller