If you are still alive in your fantasy playoffs, there has been plenty of news this week that could affect your matchup. Hopefully your team is completely healthy, but if not, there are some last-minute adds that could save you from disaster. The players below are listed roughly in the order I would seek to add them. Each player is listed along with his ownership percentage in Yahoo! leagues.
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Cameron Brate, TE, TB (62%) – With O.J. Howard on IR, Brate is a no-brainer, and he could easily be a better option that whichever tight end got you to the championship game.
Antonio Gates, TE, LAC (19%) – Remember him? I’m not 100 percent sure he has anything left in the tank, but we will find out now that Hunter Henry has been placed on IR. If Brate is owned, Gates is a fine play if you need to replace Henry or if you have been streaming tight ends this season.
Kapri Bibbs, RB, WAS (1%) – I mentioned Bibbs as a poor man’s Chris Thompson on Tuesday, but he has a chance to be much more than that after Samaje Perine was injured in practice Thursday. Denver’s defense hasn’t been elite for some time now, and if Bibbs has the running back job to himself, that is quite intriguing.
Elijhaa Penny, RB, ARI (6%) – Kerwynn Williams has not practiced yet this week, and Penny could get the bulk of the running back touches if Williams is out. The Giants have allowed the 9th most fantasy points to running backs this season, and Penny certainly has the size to be effective near the goal line.
Allen Hurns, WR, JAX (19%) – Hurns has been a limited participant in practice the last two days, and with Marqise Lee ruled out, Hurns has a chance to be the No. 1 receiver for Jacksonville against a 49ers defense that is not scary. That being said, he is far from a sure thing even if he plays, as Keelan Cole, Dede Westbrook and even Jaydon Mickens will be involved as well.
Kenny Golladay, WR, DET (9%) – With T.J. Jones on IR, Golladay could see an increase in snaps and targets against a Cincinnati defense that has not looked good the last few weeks. Golladay is averaging 16.8 yards per reception this season, and even a modest increase in targets could prove to be a big deal.
Geronimo Allison, WR, GB (1%) – Allison had eight targets Sunday compared to just six for Jordy Nelson. If you have to replace Davante Adams and Randall Cobb is unavailable, Allison is worth a shot.
Chris Moore, WR, BAL (0%) – Jeremy Maclin is doubtful, which could open the door for Moore to see more targets in a favorable matchup. You could do worse in a deep league.
Sam Ficken, K, LAR (2%) – If you have been relying on Greg Zuerlein to this point, his best fantasy replacement is likely on his own team. Zuerlein has scored the most fantasy points of any kicker this season, and it hasn’t even been particularly close. Even if Ficken isn’t as accurate, he should get plenty of opportunities.
Player News
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said the team does not “have any feelings on competition” when asked about the quarterback room.
O’Connell was asked about a potential quarterback competition on the Rich Eisen Show Wednesday and was unclear on whether J.J. McCarthy would have to compete to start. He said, “we’ve got an obligation as coaches to put our players in position to attack that competition phase.” O’Connell discussed first putting Brett Rypien and the newly acquired Sam Howell in a position to play before any competition would occur. He continued that McCarthy is “owning it” this offseason and is taking snaps from starting center Ryan Kelly. After missing last season with a torn meniscus, McCarthy has been ramping up workouts in the offseason and is the front-runner to start for the Vikings in 2025. As of now, Howell looks to be reinforcement at the backup spot in case it turns out McCarthy is not ready to start.
Texans re-signed DT Foley Fatukasi.
Fatukasi initially joined the Texans last offseason on a one-year contract. The 30-year-old was a rotational defensive lineman, tallying four tackles for loss and one sack. He returns to Houston for 2025, where he will be a part of a deep Texans front seven.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports Tyreek Hill’s second wrist surgery was part of the original plan and his timeline remains unchanged.
Hill announced the second surgery on social media and Pelissero quickly added some context to the situation. The speedy receiver suffered the wrist injury just before the start of the season and it lingered throughout the year, though he never missed a game because of it. If the second surgery truly is a non-story, an offseason to recover might be what Hill needs to return to form after a down 2024 season. On the other hand, Hill is 31 years old, played his worst football last year, and his offense prioritized targets for Jonnu Smith and De’Von Achane. As it stands, Hill might have the highest risk-reward split in fantasy drafts.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports there are “multiple people in the league who believe the new regime is not so high on Travis Etienne.”
Fowler also noted Tank Bigsby’s fumbling issue but didn’t directly relate that to the feelings of the new brain trust in Jacksonville. The Jags clearly felt they were lacking at running back this offseason and addressed that opening via the draft with Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round and LeQuint Allen in the seventh. The pair of additions complicate an already-messy backfield by committee. Etienne is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is a long-shot to be brought back in 2026. The Jags could opt to move on early by trading him, clearing $6.1 million in cap space in the process. If the team does trade Etienne, Tuten would likely be the team’s top back in the long run, making him a high-upside bet in early fantasy drafts.
Broncos signed third-round pick WR Pat Bryant to a four-year contract.
The deal includes $1.4 million guaranteed and is worth $6.6 million in total. Sean Payton compared aspects of Bryant’s game to those of Michael Thomas in his post-draft press conference and there are at least a few similarities in their profiles. Bryant stands at 6'2/204 and ran a 4.61-second Forty at the combine. Thomas measured in at 6'3/212 and clocked a 4.57-second Forty. Though the two have similar physical characteristics, Thomas was known for his proficiency from the slot while Bryant primarily played on the outside as a field-stretcher at Illinois. Bryant’s transition to slot duties may take some time, but third-round draft capital makes him worth a shot in dynasty leagues.
Colts EDGE Samson Ebukam (Achilles) said he is expected to be cleared for training camp.
Ebukam suffered a torn Achilles in training camp last year and did not play in the 2024 season. He broke out in 2023 with a career-high 9.5 sacks in his first season with the Colts. He now has one year left on his deal and will be looking for a rebound season as he stares down free agency in 2026