Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (quadriceps) finds himself on this week's injury report but he was able to practice in full on Thursday as the team begins preparing to face the Los Angeles Rams on Monday evening in the wild-card round of the playoffs. Darnold appeared to hurt his leg late in the Sunday night loss to the division-rival Detroit Lions in the Week 18 regular-season finale, but he didn't miss any snaps on his way to a poor showing (166 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions). He should be fine to play against the Rams, where he'll have plenty of bounce-back potential despite losing to them back on Oct. 24, when he went 18-for-25 for 240 yards and two touchdowns. Additionally, the Rams defense was a top-10 matchup for opposing QBs all year by allowing 19.6 fantasy points per game to the position. Darnold will be a solid midrange QB1 target in fantasy against LA.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold completed 18-of-41 passes for 166 yards in Sunday night's 31-9 loss to the Detroit Lions. He did not throw a touchdown or interception and added 11 yards on two carries. Week 18 was easily the 27-year-old's worst start of the season, statistically. Darnold's passing output was a season low, and it was the first time since Week 10 that he failed to toss at least one score. Despite being sacked just twice in the meeting, Detroit's front seven was in the signal-caller's face all game, throwing off his timing and forcing him from the pocket. In a game when it mattered most, the Lions' D played incredibly tough -- clinching home-field advantage in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. With the Vikings now occupying the fifth seed in the NFC, they'll square off against the Los Angeles Rams on the road in Wild Card Weekend.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is an excellent play in Sunday night's meeting with their division-rival Detroit Lions. The former first-round pick has been a revelation in 2024, working his way to 4,153 yards and 35 passing scores -; obliterating his previous career bests. Those numbers are good enough for fourth and fifth amongst league leaders, respectively, while his 68.1% completion percentage is a hair better than Lamar Jackson's 67.9. Darnold has undoubtedly played himself into another year of starting and will get a chance to put the cherry on top of his sensational season on Sunday Night Football against a vulnerable Detroit Lions pass defense. The Lions have allowed their opponents the second-most passing yards per game (250.4) and have afforded fantasy QBs 20.1 fantasy points per contest -; the eighth-highest in the league. The 27-year-old comes in at RotoBaller's QB5 ahead of this weekend's slate.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (ribs) returned to the practice field on Friday, according to head coach Andy Reid. It's not an official practice for the Chiefs since they are on bye for the wild-card round of the playoffs this week, but it's a good sign for Pacheco's availability next week for the Divisional Round. Along with most of the Chiefs regulars, the 25-year-old was held out of the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Denver Broncos so that he could rest up for the postseason. The extra rest should help Pacheco get back on the field for the Divisional Round, but we'll have a better idea of his status once the Chiefs resume official practices next week. If he's active next weekend, Pacheco could share more work with backfield mate Kareem Hunt. Pacheco played in a career-low seven games in 2024 due to a broken leg and may not be back to full speed until next season.

According to the team, Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (ribs) has been ruled out for Sunday's contest against the Denver Broncos. Running back Kareem Hunt (coaching) is also listed as doubtful for this weekend. Pacheco has been unable to practice all week with a rib injury he suffered during their Week 17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pacheco missed time earlier this season with a fractured fibula but should be expected to operate as the top running back when healthy. While he was sidelined, Kareem Hunt took over the starting role. With the Chiefs already having sole possession of the top seed in the AFC, they will opt to ensure both of their top running backs are fully healthy for the postseason. As a result, fantasy managers should expect rookie Carson Steele to receive a heavy workload in this game alongside Samaje Perine. Steele should be viewed as a viable RB2 option this weekend and a great value play in DFS.

According to Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (ribs) will not practice on Wednesday. Earlier this week, head coach Andy Reid noted that the running back will be available for the playoffs but will be held out of practice this week. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progress during the week but should not expect him to suit up in Week 18, as the Chiefs are already locked into the No.1 seed in the AFC. This means that Pacheco will have another week off before they return to action in the Divisional Round. Since returning in Week 13 from a fractured fibula that kept him sidelined through most of the season, he averaged just over ten total touches per game, operating as the "1A" in the backfield alongside Kareem Hunt. Given his injury history this season, Hunt will likely continue to limit his overall ceiling.

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson capped off a poor season with a poor showing in Week 18's loss to Washington. The 25-year-old was targeted four times but caught just two passes for 12 yards. He did not score a single touchdown in the 2025 campaign and caught 57 passes for 482 yards on the season while missing some time with a concussion. Ferguson will look to rebound in 2025 with quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) back under center, as he was not on the same page as Cooper Rush or Trey Lance over the back stretch of the season.

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson has had a disappointing season thus far, as he has failed to record a single touchdown. The 25-year-old has caught 57 passes for 482 yards and despite CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) missing last week's game, he was not the top option in the passing game. Given the lack of weapons in Dallas' offense this week Ferguson can be started in Week 18 but again has a low floor, especially given that quarterback Trey Lance is expected to see significant snaps.

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson was targeted five times in Sunday's 41-7 loss against the Philadelphia Eagles. Ferguson caught three balls for just 18 yards despite star receiver CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) missing the contest. The former Wisconsin tight end also lost a fumble in the game. It has been a disappointing season for Ferguson, who has not scored a touchdown in 2024 after leading the tight end position in red zone targets in 2023. His connection with backup quarterback Cooper Rush just has not been the same as his connection with Dak Prescott (hamstring), who has not played since Week 9. He will look to bounce back in the season's finale next week against the Washington Commanders.

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook led the team with 1,009 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns during the regular season. After limited usage in Week 18 due to Buffalo resting their stars, Cook brings fresh legs into the Wild Card matchup against the Denver Broncos. While the Broncos have been stingier against the run than the pass over the last four weeks, the Bills are heavy home favorites (nine points). If the game script follows oddsmakers' predictions, Cook could get more opportunities than usual. He's a safe option for DFS lineups.

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook rushed 10 times for 28 yards and a touchdown in the team's 23-16 loss against the New England Patriots. The yardage was enough to push Cook over the 1,000-yard mark. His one-yard touchdown plunge tied the franchise's single-season record for rushing touchdowns (16) and placed him in a tie atop the NFL with Derrick Henry. Surprisingly, that score came in the third quarter in a game where starters played sparingly. Rookie Ray Davis led the team in carries (15). Cook and the Bills will host the Denver Broncos in the first round of the playoffs.

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook averages a shade over 15 touches per game this season but that number could plummet in Week 18. The Bills have clinched the No. 2 spot in the AFC playoffs. Head coach Sean McDermott said the team plans on using starters and reserves on Sunday against New England. That means more opportunities for backup running backs Ray Davis and Ty Johnson. Cook can't be trusted in any fantasy football or DFS lineups without the proper volume. His day could be finished after a handful of snaps.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens failed to make an impact in the team's final game of the regular season but will need to step up against the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the NFL playoffs. Pickens was injured for Pittsburgh's most recent meeting with Baltimore, but back in Week 11, he earned 12 targets and logged eight receptions for 89 yards against his division rival. The Ravens allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to wideouts this season, so this is certainly a matchup that Pickens can find success in. Unfortunately, quarterback Russell Wilson and the Steelers' offense as a whole have been wildly inconsistent, making it extremely difficult to rely on Pickens' production. That said, he has a high ceiling this weekend and can be considered a low-end WR1 or high-end WR2 in fantasy contests.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens came down with just one of his six targets and finished with zero receiving yards in a Week 18 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. It was a night to forget for both Pickens and his fantasy managers. Pickens recorded his only catch of the contest on Pittsburgh's first possession but was unable to gain any yardage on the play. He then proceeded to drop multiple passes from quarterback Russell Wilson while the Steelers attempted to mount a comeback. Pickens has flashed elite fantasy upside but did not establish himself as a reliable WR1 this season. He'll project as a high-risk, high-reward fantasy option next weekend in playoff leagues and DFS contests.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens caught three of seven targets for 50 yards in the Christmas game 29-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Week 17 was Pickens' first game back from a hamstring injury that kept him sidelined from Weeks 14-16. Pickens and the struggling Steelers offense will look to bounce back with a strong performance in Week 18 as they host the Cincinnati Bengals, who rank middle of the pack against opposing wide receivers. Pickens caught three passes for 74 yards and a touchdown in his previous game against the Bengals in Week 13. The Steelers have already clinched a playoff spot. However, they want to steer the ship in the right direction before the playoffs start, as they are on a three-game losing streak heading into this matchup. Look for Russell Wilson to look Pickens' way often in this one. RotoBallers ranks have him as our WR11 in Week 18.

According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer (foot) has been ruled out for Saturday's playoff game against the Houston Texans. Palmer sat out last weekend with the same injury and will now miss his second-straight game. Palmer could not practice all week, which suggests he may have trouble suiting up next weekend if the Chargers were to defeat the Texans on Saturday afternoon. Over his previous four games, Palmer has seen six targets per game and averaged 42.5 yards per game. Wide receiver Quentin Johnston (thigh/illness) is also listed as questionable, which could leave rookie Ladd McConkey as the lone pass catcher in the wide receiver room available against a struggling Houston secondary that has allowed the 11th-most PPR points to opposing wideouts this season.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer (heel) remained out of the team's practice session on Wednesday. The Chargers kept Palmer out of the Week 18 win over the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders in the season finale, and after two missed practices already this week, it's not looking good for his availability on Saturday in Houston against the Texans for the wild-card playoff round. If the 25-year-old pass-catcher misses a second straight game, look for DJ Chark and Derius Davis to get more snaps on offense behind wideouts Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston. If active against the Texans, Palmer will be a touchdown-dependent, low-upside fantasy flex, at best. In his fourth year in the NFL in 2024, Palmer had only 39 receptions on 65 targets for 584 yards and a career-low one touchdown. Check back for his final injury status on Thursday.

According to Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, wide receiver Joshua Palmer (heel) is not expected to take part in the first practice of the week on Tuesday. Palmer suffered a heel injury in the Week 17 win over the New England Patriots and sat out of the victory of the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders in the Week 18 regular-season finale. If the 25-year-old doesn't return to practice in the next two days, he'll be headed for a second straight absence when the Bolts face the Houston Texans in the wild-card round of the playoffs this Saturday. With the 25-year-old out last weekend, DJ Chark caught his first touchdown pass of the year. Regardless of whether Palmer returns this Saturday, rookie Ladd McConkey should continue to draw most of the aerial targets from quarterback Justin Herbert and will be a popular DFS play this weekend versus Houston on the road.