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USATSI

I would just like to take a moment during this festive period to celebrate the utter brilliance of A.J. Brown and Deebo Samuel last night. Hopefully, you got Brown in your lineup because he just took over last night's game in the third quarter the way very few players are capable of doing, finishing with 11 catches for 145 yards and a touchdown. 

Of course, Samuel is one of those players, and he had arguably his finest game of the season – 191 total yards and nine catches, and he came oh-so-close to breaking open the game on the 49ers desperation final play. Those were two of the best players in the NFL doing everything they could to help you win your Fantasy championship. We've been complaining so much about so many things lately, so I just have to say this: You love to see it. Truly.

And now … back to the complaining!

I'm sorry! But George Kittle flopped, and he's the only player in last night's game I actually started in any of five leagues I have left. But you don't care about my leagues, you care about yours. That's what we're all here for, after all. 

So in today's newsletter, I'm going to catch you up on the latest news from around the league heading into Friday's pivotal injury reports, plus I took a bunch of your questions from my email and answered those, so you'll find that at the bottom of the newsletter, too. And please, keep sending in your emails to Chris.Towers@ViacomCBS.com – I'll respond to as many as I can by Sunday morning and will include some key ones in my Sunday newsletter, too. 

But first, here's all of the content from the FFT team you need to set your lineups:

Week 16 Injury Report

First of all … COVID updates

Dalvin Cook was added to the COVID list Thursday, which means he's out for Week 16, and possibly Week 17 – he's unvaccinated, so he will have to test out after a 10-day quarantine period that ends next Saturday. Alexander Mattison is my No. 2 RB, so to answer any questions, I'm playing him over anyone not named "Jonathan Taylor." 

The Saints' top two quarterbacks were also placed on the COVID list, leaving rookie Ian Book as the likely starter for the Saints. He's not totally without intrigue, given his 4.70 40-yard dash and 485 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground as a senior at Notre Dame in 2020. However, you'd have to be pretty desperate to use him even in a two-QB league. 

We did get some good news Thursday, as Tyler Lockett was activated from the COVID list and should be good to go for Sunday's game. He's a top 15 WR if he plays. 

Here's every relevant Fantasy player currently on the COVID list as of Thursday night. Many of these players may be able to be activated in time for their games, but you shouldn't assume it. If you are planning on using any of them, make sure you have a backup plan ready to go: 

And now, here are the injuries we're keeping track of heading into the official injury reports Friday: 

QB injuries

  • Lamar Jackson (ankle) – Early in the week, all we heard was how Jackson was expected to play this week, but he's been held out of practice both days. He could still play against the Bengals even if he doesn't practice, but at this point I'm expecting Tyler Huntley to start – and he's a top-12 QB for me! – until told otherwise. 
  • Justin Fields (ankle) – Fields was held out of Thursday's practice, so this is officially something to be concerned about. Andy Dalton was activated from the COVID list the same day, so the Bears will at least have him available if Fields can't go, but Fields is worth watching Friday, because he's a viable QB2 if healthy against the Seahawks. 
  • Teddy Bridgewater (concussion) – Bridgewater is out for Week 16 as a result of his injury. He'll return as the starter whenever he's healthy, but Drew Lock will start this week against the Raiders. He's just a low-end QB2. 

RB injuries

  • Josh Jacobs (illness) – Jacobs was upgraded to a full practice after sitting out Wednesday's session, so he should be good to go against the Broncos. He's a top-10 RB for me thanks to his increased passing game role of late. 
  • D'Andre Swift (shoulder) – Swift has been limited both Wednesday and Thursday, so at this point it seems like he might have a coin flip's chance of playing. Hopefully we'll get some clarity Friday, however he probably wouldn't be expected to resume his usual role in his first game back, so he'd still be more like a fringe No. 1 RB in PPR formats if he plays. If he doesn't, Craig Reynolds is an RB3 against the Falcons. 
  • James Conner (heel) – Conner is officially questionable for Saturday's game against the Colts, though he told reporters Thursday he's "confident" he'll play. Maybe so, but it may not be up to him. If Conner plays, both he and Chase Edmonds are RB3 or Flex plays. If Conner is out, I'm viewing Edmonds as a top-12 RB even against a tough matchup. The role should be too valuable.
  • Joe Mixon (ankle) – He's fine. Mixon has been a full participant in practice both days, so he's going to be ready to roll against the Ravens. It's a tough matchup, though Baltimore is missing a bunch of defensive players and might not be as difficult as they seem. Mixon is an RB1. 
  • Antonio Gibson (toe) – Gibson has been held out of practice both days this week, and Ron Rivera said earlier in the week that this injury is similar to the one Gibson had last season. You know, the one that cost him two games and was an issue for him until deep in the offseason? Yeah, there's real risk Gibson won't play Sunday against the Cowboys, so if you don't have a backup, make sure Jaret Patterson isn't available in your leagues. He'd probably be in the low-end RB2 range if Gibson is out.
  • Miles Sanders (quad) – Sanders has missed both days of practice, putting him at real risk of missing Sunday's game against the Giants. That's a bummer, because he could be in line for a huge game, but at this point you have to make sure you have a replacement for him at the very least. Jordan Howard would be an RB2 candidate if Sanders is out. 
  • Melvin Gordon (thumb/hip) – Gordon was upgraded to a limited participant in practice Thursday after sitting out Wednesday's session. Considering he was able to play through these issues last week, I'm expecting him to play his usual role in a great matchup against the Raiders Sunday. He's an RB2 for me in all formats, with Javonte Williams ranked a little higher on account of his passing game role. 
  • Rhamondre Stevenson (illness) – Hasn't practiced yet this week. Damien Harris (hamstring) has been limited both days, but that was also true last week, so I think it's fair to say we have no idea what either player's chance of being active is. At this point, I would plan on avoiding both against a tough Bills matchup, with neither being more than a low-end RB2 or RB3 if the other one is inactive. 
  • David Johnson (quad) – Johnson has missed both days of practice this week, so I'm guessing we won't see him against the Chargers. Rex Burkhead and Royce Freeman are desperation plays against the Chargers. 

WR injuries

  • Mike Evans (hamstring) – Evans was unable to practice Wednesday and Thursday and seems likely to be out for Sunday's game against the Panthers. Antonio Brown (ankle) has been limited but is expected to play and is a top-10 WR with the Buccaneers injury issues. 
  • D.J. Moore (hamstring) – Moore played through this injury last week, but he was also limited in practice through the week, so the circumstances here are certainly different. If Moore plays, he's a top-20 WR against the Buccaneers, but that is far from guaranteed at this point. 
  • Adam Thielen (ankle) – Thielen was a game-time decision for last week's game and has been limited in each day of practice this week, so it seems like he's got a pretty good chance of playing Sunday against the Rams. He'll be a risky WR2/3 for that one. 
  • Emmanuel Sanders (knee) – Sanders was upgraded to a full participant in practice Thursday, so it looks like he'll be back against the Patriots after missing last week's game. I've got Gabriel Davis as a WR2, but he's a little riskier with Sanders back, even if Cole Beasley is out. 
  • Jamison Crowder (calf) – Crowder has some low-end WR3 appeal in PPR leagues against the Jaguars if he's able to play, but he's missed practice both days so far. 
  • Rondale Moore (ankle) – Moore was unable to practice all week, and is officially questionable for Saturday's game. I'd guess he's more like doubtful, but you wouldn't want to use him in most leagues anyway. 

TE injuries

  • Darren Waller (knee/back) – It's not clear at this point which injury is the bigger concern, but it's also not clear that actually matters. The point is, he's not practicing, and until he does, he's out of the picture. He almost certainly won't play Sunday against the Broncos. 
  • Pat Freiermuth (concussion) – Freiermuth hasn't practiced yet this week, so expect him to be inactive against the Chiefs this week. It's his second concussion of the season. 

#AskFFT Mailbag

Send your questions to Chris.Towers@ViacomCBS.com and I'll get to as many as I can this weekend, and I'll include some in Sunday's newsletter too!

Stephanie: Pick two: Mattison, Ronald Jones, Cordarrelle Patterson, or Amon-Ra St.Brown.

So, just to get this one out there: If Mattison is part of your decision-making process, you're starting him. He's my No. 2 RB for the week with Cook out, and his track record whenever Cook is out sort of speaks for itself, as I wrote in my updated RB rankings Thursday: "Mattison has] played five career games with Cook inactive, per the RotoViz Game Splits App, and he's averaged 87.2 rushing yards on 21.6 attempts per game while adding 37.4 receiving yards on four catches per game; he's averaging 21.26 PPR points per game in those five games with four touchdowns, a relatively low number given his usage!"

So, you're picking one, really, and it's a really tough decision. Patterson has an excellent matchup against the Lions, while St. Brown has an equally great matchup on the opposite side of that game. However, Patterson's Fantasy value has taken a hit as the Falcons have used him more as a traditional running back of late, while St. Brown may be catching passes from either Tim Boyle or David Blough with Jared Goff on the COVID list. I like both, but I'll go with Jones for the other pick here. He was tremendous in the four games Leonard Fournette missed last season, averaging 18.95 PPR points per game, and while I don't think you can expect that kind of production as a floor, it's well within his range of outcomes. 

Jeff: Who to start: Tom Brady or Matt Stafford? I know, it's a first-world problem to have both of them on my roster in my 12-team league.

This question reminds me of one of my favorite little moments from one of my favorite TV shows, 30 Rock: 

Dot Com: "I wanted for nothing as a child, but that brings its own challenges."
Tracy Jordan: "Shut up, Dot Com."

But in all seriousness, as much as people struggling just to piece together a lineup may hate to hear it, your predicament is just as excruciating, if not just a tad bit more. This is part of why we always say to try to consolidate your depth in the playoffs – though, now that I think about it, that probably wouldn't have been the best idea in this particular postseason. Man, playing this season out has been tricky, huh?

Either way, you've got two good options here, but I've got Brady ranked higher than Stafford here. Mostly, it's because the Buccaneers just throw the ball so much more than the Rams do – Brady is on pace for the most pass attempts ever, but even in a 16-game season, his current pace would be the third-most ever. Now, it's fair to wonder if Brady will throw as much with Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, and Leonard Fournette out, but this is still an offense built around Brady's ability to move the ball down the field, and I don't think that's going to change all that much. I understand being worried about Brady a little bit, but I'm just going to keep rolling with him – after all, he still averaged 279.5 passing yards and 2.25 touchdowns in four games without Godwin or Antonio Brown last season – so a similar circumstance. 

Teto: Joe Burrow or Tyler Huntley if Lamar Jackson is out.

The "If Lamar Jackson is out" part is key, but luckily, the Ravens and Browns are playing each other, so you'll know if Jackson is playing or not at least 85 minutes before you have to make the decision. But I'm going with the Ravens quarterbacks either way. Burrow had a tremendous game the last time these two teams faced off, but there was quite a bit of Ja'Marr Chase wizardry involved there, and while Chase's big-play ability makes that a possible outcome every time out, that hasn't been as reliable of late.

But it's more about how much I really like Huntley right now. Yes, that's influenced by his 39.9-point performance last week, but it's also because he's just looked like a really natural fit in this offense – in the three games where he has played at least 86% of the snaps, Huntley is averaging 235 passing yards and 53 rushing yards, with five touchdowns total. The Ravens have basically just used him like they use Jackson, and while he isn't as good as Jackson, that role is still hugely valuable. 

Mike: Sony Michel, Chase Edmonds (if Conner is out), or Amari Cooper?  Half PPR.

I think Cooper is the easy sit. Dak Prescott just hasn't been great lately and Cooper hasn't really had a good game since Week 8. Now, I don't mean to suggest that they can't turn it around because this Washington defense has struggled mightily against the pass for long stretches this season and the Cowboys certainly have the track record to fall back on – but at this point, I feel more comfortable with Michel and especially Edmonds. 

Assuming Conner is out, obviously, though it seems like he will be after missing practice all week with that heel injury. Edmonds has only had a few opportunities to be a true lead back, but the Cardinals showed a willingness to ride him in Week 9 of last season in particular, when he had 25 carries and three targets. I'm not expecting all that, but if Conner is out, he has a chance for 15-plus carries and presumably a very healthy passing game role. 

You could say the same about Michel, but I do wonder if they'll integrate Darrell Henderson more this week – he was nearly neck and neck with Michel in carries in the first half before the Rams turned it over to Michel last week. Maybe he gets a bigger role this week. but I feel more confident in Edmonds' role.

Alessi: 0.5PPR: Need two FLEX - Gabriel Davis, Justin Jackson, Van Jefferson, Tony Pollard, Myles Gaskin, Jordan Howard & Darnell Mooney. 

So, here are the guys I would rule out immediately – Jefferson (big-play potential, but don't trust the role), Pollard (same), Myles Gaskin (don't trust the role or the skill set after Duke Johnson's big breakout in Week 15), and Darnell Mooney (he just hasn't been very good with Justin Fields). 

So, that leaves me with Davis, Jackson and Howard. If Austin Ekeler is out, Jackson is the play. If Ekeler plays, I would pivot to Davis unless Miles Sanders is out. If that happens, it's a really tough decision, because both should have a pretty good chance for a touchdown, so I'll split the difference – Davis in PPR and half, Howard in non-PPR. 

Andy: What three WRs would you play: Jamar Chase, Amon-Ra St Brown, Van Jefferson, Gabriel Davis?

Chase is the no-brainer, despite his inconsistent play of late. There's just way too much potential on a weekly basis for me to sit Chase unless I have overwhelmingly obvious options, and you don't. I've already answered the Davis vs. Jefferson part of this question in the previous question, but does Jefferson's upside outweigh St. Brown's volume if Jared Goff is out? Not in my eyes. St. Brown is risky with the Lions likely to rely on a backup quarterback and with D'Andre Swift potentially returning, however, with T.J. Hockenson out for the season, I think St. Brown is going to remain one of the go-to options in the short passing game, and that should still be there for them even with backup quarterbacks. It's less obvious than it would have been if Goff were healthy and Swift were ruled out, but I would still stick with St. Brown over Jefferson, especially in PPR. 

Saul: Should I even keep Derrick Henry on my roster? I just won my first playoff game, but should I have some hope he may return in a couple weeks?

You can always have hope – that's what The Last Jedi taught me, and that is my third-favorite Star Wars movie, after all. And, if you have the IR spot to spare or you don't need the roster spot, then hope costs you nothing. But I'm not optimistic about Henry's chances of returning in the regular season at this point. Pretty much all of the reports we've gotten since his injury suggest that the NFL playoffs are the likeliest return date. The most recent report we've gotten suggests that Week 18 is a possibility if the Titans are in a must-win situation, however seeing as a Colts loss against the Cardinals this weekend would lock up the AFC South, that doesn't seem too likely. And Week 17 seems all but out of the question. I can't see into the future, so I can't affirmatively tell you to drop Henry, but the risk seems minimal at this point. 

Nick: Is it worth considering dropping Jerry Jeudy at this point, or can he be a playoff hero?

So, here's the situation we're facing: Drew Lock is starting for the Broncos in Week 16, and Jeudy was more productive last season with Lock in at QB than he has been with Teddy Bridgewater this season. And Lock is, by all accounts, a pretty bad quarterback – despite how mediocre Bridgewater has been, Vic Fangio has remained firm in his commitment to him being the starter when healthy, something he affirmed this week. So, I don't see how you could possibly trust Jeudy this week.

But let's say he does have a good game in Week 16. He's certainly more than talented enough for it, of course. Then you've either got to bet on Lock remaining consistent enough to keep Jeudy viable if he remains the starter or you've got a return to the status quo that has made Jeudy so mediocre this season.

Which is all to say: Feel free to drop him.