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Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone out there in FA Nation!
While the majority of the DFS community focuses on NBA DFS today, we still have a two-game slate to play around with here on Monday. The Steelers head to Houston in an attempt to lock down a first-round playoff bye and some home field advantage while the Eagles host the Raiders in their quest to earn the No. 1 seed, a first-round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Both favorites have something to play for while their opposition plays for pride and a chance to be the Christmas Grinch for the playoff hopefuls and their fans.
As always, these lineups are for examples only and probably best for just GPP play as cash games on a two-game slate are always a little rough due to the immense player overlap. These picks may be a little chalky with the heavy Steeler load, so if you wanna throw some money into a double up or two, why the heck not? Hopefully you've done a little Christmas morning research and you're all set and ready to go! Best of luck to you all.
| Fanduel Example GPP | Draft Kings Example GPP | |||||||||
| Pos | Player | Team | Opp | Salary | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | Salary | |
| QB | Ben Roethlisberger | PIT | HOU | $9,000 | QB | Ben Roethlisberger | PIT | HOU | $6,700 | |
| RB | Le'Veon Bell | PIT | HOU | $9,500 | RB | Le'Veon Bell | PIT | HOU | $9,900 | |
| RB | Corey Clement | PHI | OAK | $4,800 | RB | Corey Clement | PHI | OAK | $3,600 | |
| WR | DeAndre Hopkins | HOU | PIT | $8,200 | WR | DeAndre Hopkins | HOU | PIT | $8,400 | |
| WR | Martavis Bryant | PIT | HOU | $7,500 | WR | Martavis Bryant | PIT | HOU | $5,600 | |
| WR | Nelson Agholor | PHI | OAK | $6,500 | WR | Braxton Miller | HOU | PIT | $3,000 | |
| TE | Vance McDonald | PIT | HOU | $4,500 | TE | Zach Ertz | PHI | OAK | $6,000 | |
| K | Ka'imi Fairbairn | HOU | PIT | $4,500 | Flex | Vance McDonald | PIT | HOU | $2,700 | |
| DEF | Philadephia Eagles | PHI | OAK | $5,200 | DEF | Philadelphia Eagles | PHI | OAK | $3,000 | |
| Remaining: | $300 | Remaining: | $1,100 |
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