New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills
The Bills won, but Josh Allen fell crushingly back to earth during the fantasy semifinals coming off a historical two-week stretch. Allen managed just 5.3 YPA while failing to score a rushing TD for the first time in six games. He picked a bad time to have one of his worst fantasy performances of the season, but a Buffalo defensive touchdown hurt Allen’s volume in the fourth quarter. It was also revealed before the game that Allen has been playing through a fractured left hand since Week 1 (and he briefly lost feeling in his right hand Sunday), so managers should give him a pass after recording 93.2 fantasy points over the previous two games.
James Cook ran in a 46-yard touchdown and added a TD catch, scoring two more times on just 14 touches. Cook is up to 14 rushing scores (16 total TDs) over 14 games after totaling four over the first 33 games of his career. Cook may be technically due for touchdown regression, but he’s in the right offense to keep avoiding it.
Drake Maye tossed a dime to Kayshon Boutte, who led New England in catches (five), receiving yards (95) and TDs (one) while also drawing a DPI in the end zone late in the fourth quarter. Maye continued to impress, making plays with his legs and finishing with a +7.7% CPOE. Rhamondre Stevenson had a nice TD run, but he also committed his NFL-high seventh fumble and could’ve been credited for his eighth (it went to Maye instead).
The Bills pulled out the win despite recording just 11 yards in the first quarter, but Buffalo failed to become the first team in NFL history to score 30+ points in nine straight games.
• Amari Cooper has totaled two targets for one catch and 10 yards over two games since recording the most air yards in a game all season.
Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Commanders
• Jayden Daniels became just the third player in NFL history to record five TDs and 75 rushing yards in a game. He overcame three lost fumbles by his teammates (two by Brian Robinson Jr.) and a bad interception in the fourth quarter (Washington’s fifth turnover!) to finish as easily fantasy’s QB1 this week. Daniels had a big 30-yard run on fourth-and-11 late in the third quarter, and his game-winning TD toss came with just six seconds left. It ended Philadelphia’s 10-game win streak and came against an elite Eagles’ defense that entered allowing the lowest EPA/pass since Week 9. Rookie of the Year shouldn’t be up for debate (Sean Payton deserves a ton of credit for Bo Nix’s impressive season), as Daniels has led Washington to its best start since 1991.
• Olamide Zaccheaus’ second TD catch went for 49 yards and came with 12 men on defense, while Terry McLaurin’s TD grab came on a Daniels dime.
• Jalen Hurts left after suffering a concussion in the first quarter (and after leading the Eagles to their first opening-drive touchdown of the season). Kenny Pickett threw a touchdown and an interception during his first two drives after replacing Hurts, and he later suffered a rib injury that required an MRI after the game. Pickett claimed he’ll be good to go, but more tests will be done Monday. The Eagles suddenly have questions at QB if Hurts’ concussion lingers.
• Saquon Barkley eclipsed 100 rushing yards with two TD runs in the first quarter alone. He’s tied for the most 60+ yard TD runs (four) in NFL history this season. Sunday also marked Barkley’s eighth untouched 10+ yard TD run this year — no other player has more than two! Barkley is just 268 yards away from breaking Eric Dickerson’s rushing record.
• DeVonta Smith committed a brutal drop while open with 2:02 left. It would’ve effectively ended the game, but Philadelphia settled for a field goal instead.
• Jake Elliott made his first field goal from 50 yards out with 3:48 left, as he had been 0-for-5.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Dallas Cowboys
• CeeDee Lamb missed snaps after landing hard on his injured right shoulder after a long catch late in the first half. Lamb returned to nearly score (he was down at the one-yard line) during his 100th catch of the season at the end of the first half, with Ezekiel Elliott punching in a goal-line TD the next play.
• The Buccaneers entered allowing the fewest schedule-adjusted fantasy points to running backs over the last five weeks, so Rico Dowdle’s quiet night wasn’t totally out of nowhere. Dowdle saw 13-of-14 RB rush attempts, but the lone one he didn’t was an Elliott goal-line touchdown run. The bad news gets worse, as Dowdle gets another tough matchup in Philadelphia next week.
• Cooper Rush had a terrific matchup on paper against a blitz-heavy Tampa Bay defense, and he delivered 212 passing yards at halftime (his career-high in a first half). Rush played well (and benefitted from a late dropped interception) and finished getting 8.3 YPA, but just one touchdown hurt his fantasy day.
• Brandon Aubrey went 3-for-3 on 50+ yard field goal attempts, giving him an NFL-high 14 on the season.
• Baker Mayfield benefitted from a late no-huddle drive that resulted in 75 passing yards and a score, and he’s now finished as a top-10 QB in four of the past five weeks. He was set to have yet another two-minute drive, but Rachaad White lost a fumble during a crazy play that effectively ended Sunday night’s game.
• Jalen McMillan nearly had his second TD catch of the night, but Jourdan Lewis pulled it away for an incredible interception in the end zone instead.
• Bucky Irving saw 19-of-30 RB opportunities, including a goal-line score. Game script hurt Irving on Sunday night, but it’s encouraging to see him get 84.2% of the RB rush share.
Arizona Cardinals @ Carolina Panthers
• Bryce Young ran for a career-high 68 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown. Young added two TD tosses, finished with a +5.6% CPOE and as fantasy’s QB2 through Sunday’s afternoon games. The Panthers scored a touchdown during their first three drives for the first time in 98 games. Young threw a dime during his touchdown to David Moore, and he made multiple big plays in the win. Young missed a throw late in the fourth quarter that could’ve ended the game in regulation, but he put up 37 points against a defense that entered allowing just 17.9 ppg since Week 7.
• Chuba Hubbard ran for 152 yards and two touchdowns, including a walk-off TD run in overtime. Hubbard continued to put up big fantasy games during wins, finishing as the RB2 this week.
• Jalen Coker had a sick one-handed catch just outside the end zone on the opening drive but finished with a near goose egg.
• James Conner had 16 touches, 158 yards from scrimmage and one TD at halftime (when the Panthers had totaled 154 yards). Conner was primed to be one of this week’s biggest fantasy performers before leaving with a knee injury with five minutes remaining in the third quarter. Michael Carter acted as Conner’s backup with Trey Benson inactive.
• Marvin Harrison Jr. once again struggled at the catch point Sunday like he has all season. MHJ will no doubt get better, and there’s stuff to like on his tape, but that’s a troubling combination to go with a lack of explosiveness. Is Ladd McConkey going to be drafted higher than Harrison Jr. next year?
• A fourth-quarter touchdown run saved Kyler Murray’s fantasy day, but he struggled passing in the cold weather as feared. Murray was missing both of his tackles at one point Sunday, but he had a favorable matchup and threw an awful pick late in the fourth quarter, as Arizona was eliminated from playoff contention with the loss.
• Trey McBride not only didn’t score yet again, but he matched his season low with only four targets. McBride was as frustrated as his fantasy managers after the game.
• Chad Ryland nailed a 58-yard field goal as time expired, and the Cardinals successfully went for it on fourth down at their own 18-yard line in overtime.
Minnesota Vikings @ Seattle Seahawks
• Sam Darnold tossed three more scores, giving him a 15:1 TD:INT ratio over his last six games. Darnold finished as a top-10 QB this week despite the Vikings possessing the ball fewer than 10 minutes in the first half.
• Justin Jefferson had a season-high 144 receiving yards and two touchdown catches. He received a taunting penalty for celebrating after his first score, and his second one came late in the fourth quarter and won the game. Jefferson has five touchdowns over the last three weeks after going six games without one.
• Geno Smith threw multiple TDs (three) for the first time in six games, and he attempted his most throws (43) since Week 6 thanks to the pass-funnel matchup. Smith deserves credit for playing through a knee injury that hobbled him at times Sunday, but he tossed an awful pick on first down to end the game (although to be fair it might have been DK Metcalf’s fault).
• Metcalf scored for the first time since Week 7, but Jaxon Smith-Njigba once again led Seattle in targets (12), catches (eight) and receiving yards (95) while also pulling down a TD.
• Zach Charbonnet was named captain before the game, but he saw zero touches in the first half and finished with negative rushing yards.
• Kenneth Walker III returned to a workhorse role, although a stout Minnesota run defense stuffed him on the ground. Walker secured all eight targets (matching a season-high), but he limped off the field with five minutes left after getting stopped on a goal-line run (twisting his ankle). Walker is set to get imaging done, so there’s a good chance Charbonnet is back starting in Week 17. He’d be a top-15 RB if so.
• Riq Woolen was benched for the opening drive (a touchdown pass to Jordan Addison) but returned afterward.
Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals
• Joe Burrow threw three TD passes for his seventh straight game, totalling a whopping 24 over that span. His 30 attempts were his fewest in more than two months, but he finished with a CPOE (+18.1%) in the 97th percentile. Burrow now has a 26:0 TD:INT ratio in the red zone this year. What a season.
• Chase Brown saw all 21 RB opportunities but failed to score in a favorable matchup. Brown was tackled inside the three-yard line twice in the fourth quarter, only to watch Burrow lose a fumble during the next play from the one.
• Ja’Marr Chase’s touchdown catch came late in the fourth quarter and on a free play, as he continues his quest toward winning the triple crown this season.
• Dorian Thompson-Robinson had zero net passing yards at halftime and finished with two picks and five sacks, predictably destroying Jerry Jeudy’s fantasy value.
• Jerome Ford had a 66-yard run during the first play from scrimmage, although he was replaced at the goal line in favor of D’Onta Foreman, who promptly lost a fumble. Ford would score later, but more touches (8.4 YPC) would’ve been nice.
Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears
• Jahmyr Gibbs had 20 touches, 139 YFS and a touchdown at halftime. He was tackled at the one-yard line three separate times during the same drive, but Gibbs scored during his fourth try. Gibbs had a quiet second half, but he’s locked in as a top-three RB with David Montgomery out.
• Jared Goff threw three touchdowns during just his second game outdoors this season. He had 254 passing yards (12.1 YPA) with two TD passes (zero turnovers and zero sacks) at halftime, and Goff now has 11 TD passes over the last three games.
• Sam LaPorta’s TD catch involved trickery featuring two fake stumbles and might’ve been the play of the year.
• Jameson Williams’ 82-yard TD catch put Detroit up 20-0 early in the second quarter, helping Detroit record 13 wins for the first time in franchise history.
• The Lions are trying to become the first team since the 2020 Chiefs to go undefeated on the road.
• Caleb Williams was credited with a lost fumble for the third straight game (although it could’ve been ruled Rome Odunze’s second of the game), but he owns the longest active streak and set the NFL rookie record for consecutive passes without an interception. Williams unquestionably benefitted from game script and an injury-ravaged Detroit defense, but he turned in a top-10 QB week nevertheless.
• The Lions had been defending the slot well lately, but Keenan Allen finished as fantasy’s WR2 while securing the second-longest TD catch of his career. Allen has 26 targets, 15 catches, 223 yards and two TDs over the last two games.
• D’Andre Swift was stuffed on the ground and tackled at the one-yard line, only to watch Cole Kmet catch a TD the next play (marking Chicago’s first points scored in the first half since Week 12).
Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts
• Jonathan Taylor secured the ball all the way into the tunnel after his 65-yard TD run, and he went untouched during his 70-yarder to the house. Taylor had 203 rushing yards and three TDs with seven minutes left in the third quarter, but game script (the score was 38-7) led to him not seeing any touches for nearly a full quarter (Taylor reentered with 8:13 left in the fourth quarter after Tennessee went on a run). That said, Taylor also benefitted from a shaky overturned Anthony Richardson TD run that became Taylor’s third score instead, so fantasy managers shouldn’t complain. Taylor was easily this week’s top fantasy back, as he redeemed himself after last week’s gaffe before the end zone.
• Richardson threw a bad interception in the first quarter, but he had 52 rushing yards and a TD run with 11 minutes remaining in the second quarter. AR finished with a career-high 70 rushing yards, and he was robbed of a second (powerful) TD run by a highly questionable replay review that didn’t reveal indisputable evidence (the latest in a season filled with what-ifs and almosts for AR). Richardson reached the fastest speed (21.29 mph) by a quarterback since 2016 during Taylor’s 70-yard TD run, as the Colts led 38-7 at one point with Richardson completing just six passes (he finished 7-of-11).
• Sloppy tackling helped Josh Downs score a touchdown.
• Tyjae Spears had two TD runs, as he’s the preferred option at the goal line while Tony Pollard plays through an ankle injury.
• Calvin Ridley pulled down a 38-yard touchdown, and he also had a 36-yard catch negated by penalty in the second quarter.
• Chig Okonkwo is starting to emerge, and his fantasy value increases when Mason Rudolph starts. He set career-highs in targets (11), catches (nine) and receiving yards (81) while also recording a catch for a 2-point conversion.
New York Giants @ Atlanta Falcons
• Bijan Robinson had two short TD runs and figures to continue to be Atlanta’s offensive centerpiece with Michael Penix Jr. starting. Robinson overtaking Tyler Allgeier at the goal line has been massive to his fantasy value.
• Drake London suffered a drop on the opening drive and a hamstring injury in the second half. The injury is reportedly not serious, and the game was lopsided when he exited early in the fourth quarter.
• Penix was an improvement over Kirk Cousins, and like in college, he avoided sacks during his NFL debut. The rookie’s lone turnover was an interception courtesy of Kyle Pitts and wasn’t Penix’s fault.
• Jessie Bates’ pick-six also made him the only player in the league with four forced fumbles and four interceptions this season. The Falcons’ defense added another pick-six later.
• Tyrone Tracy Jr. had been struggling badly with drops, but he recorded a nice TD catch. However, Tracy finished with just seven carries, and he had a TD run with two minutes left negated by penalty.
• Malik Nabers saw 14 targets, but Drew Lock brought down New York’s entire offense. Nabers had a long catch in the fourth quarter nullified by penalty, as Lock fell to 1-10 over his last 11 starts.
• With the Raiders’ win, the Giants would currently have the No. 1 overall pick.
San Francisco 49ers @ Miami Dolphins
• De’Von Achane totaled 190 yards from scrimmage, including a late 50-yard touchdown in which he appeared to consider going down to end the game (but thankfully didn’t). The 49ers had defended receiving backs well, but Achane led Miami in targets (seven), catches (six) and receiving yards (70) while finishing as fantasy’s RB3 this week.
• Tyreek Hill committed a drop on the opening drive as he continues to battle his wrist injury. Hill scored, but his last catch for more than 30 yards came in Week 1.
• Jonnu Smith has already set franchise records for catches and receiving yards by a Dolphins tight end this season.
• Brock Purdy threw for 313 yards and led San Francisco in rushing (26 yards), but his lone interception came on first down with 1:55 left in a one-score game. Purdy was blown up on the play, and he put up numbers despite missing Trent Williams (and Brandon Aiyuk) and the 49ers down to their No. 5 running back.
• Deebo Samuel Sr. bounced back after committing an ugly drop in primetime last week with his best fantasy performance of the season, including his best play of the year. Samuel also had the team’s second-most rushing yards (25) on five attempts, and he had another nice play in the second half wiped out by penalty. Samuel should continue to see more carries with San Francisco depleted at RB.
• George Kittle surpassed Rob Gronkowski for the second-most receiving yards by a tight end in his first eight seasons in NFL history.
• Patrick Taylor Jr. got the opportunity to act as the 49ers’ lead back, and he failed spectacularly. Run blocking contributed to his 3.0 YPC, but Taylor Jr. nearly turned his first two targets into interceptions. PTJ dropped another pass late in the game, as he somehow turned five targets into one yard during a forgettable first career start.
• I’m beginning to think the 49ers’ season isn’t going to go as planned.
Los Angeles Rams @ New York Jets
• Kyren Williams dominated L.A.’s backfield (although Blake Corum had a long run nullified by penalty during his designated weekly drive), and he’s now tied for the most rushing touchdowns in the league.
• The Rams moved into first place with the win, but Matthew Stafford has just 270 passing yards and one TD over the last two games combined. Los Angeles’ passing attack was a bust Sunday against a reeling Jets’ defense, and game script was also a problem (Stafford attempted a season-low 19 passes). Rams games have totaled just 46 combined points over the last two weeks.
• New York’s 99-yard opening drive ended with a Davante Adams TD, but the Jets managed just three points the rest of the game. New York scored nine points Sunday and somehow didn’t have a punt (there were just two in this game that totaled 28 points).
• The Jets missed an extra point and a field goal and then muffed a punt late in the fourth quarter to effectively end the game. New York has also committed the most drops in the league, and the Jets suffered their NFL-high sixth loss when leading in the fourth quarter this season. New York has lost double-digit games in eight of the past nine seasons.
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Las Vegas Raiders
• Brock Bowers had a couple of drops, but he once again led Las Vegas in targets (13), catches (11) and receiving yards (99) while looking unstoppable at times. Bowers is up to 101 catches this season, and the rookie record is 105. Bowers looks like a top-20 pick in PPR drafts next year; just imagine if he gets a quarterback.
• The Raiders had recovered only one fumble all season before recovering two in the first half.
• Brian Thomas Jr.’s path to stardom continued Sunday, when he finished with a career-high 132 receiving yards and as fantasy’s WR3 this week. BTJ has averaged a whopping 12.3 targets, 99.8 receiving yards and one touchdown over the last four games. Thomas Jr. nearly had an 80-yard TD in the third quarter (he couldn’t secure the pass while open, and there was a holding penalty on the play as well), which has become a theme for the rookie. Still, Thomas Jr. would grab a wide-open 62-yard touchdown during Jacksonville’s next drive, and the catch also put BTJ over 1,000 receiving yards on the season.
• Tank Bigsby had a TD run and lost a fumble in the first half, as he split work equally with Travis Etienne Jr.
