Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 277 yards, one touchdown, and one pick off 37-for-46 passing in Saturday's much-needed win over the Steelers. The signal-caller entered Week 18 by tossing at least three touchdowns each of his last eight appearances. While he cooled off on Saturday night, he still did enough to lead the Bengals to another victory while keeping the team's postseason hopes alive. With that in mind, regardless of what happens with Cincinnati concerning the playoffs, Burrow will be a top-five quarterback in all fantasy drafts heading into the 2025-26 campaign.

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins hope to play together for "years to come." Rapoport noted that sources say that the three players have made it "their goal." Burrow has expressed heavy interest in keeping Tee Higgins under team control before he enters free agency this offseason. Chase has one more year left on his rookie contract but attempted to negotiate a long-term contract this past offseason. Discussions were eventually put on hold shortly before Week 1. However, their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday evening could be their last game together if Higgins is unable to agree to a contract to remain in Cincinnati this offseason. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor this situation throughout the offseason as Burrow would see his fantasy ceiling drop if he were to lose one of his star wideouts. Burrow has already set a career-high in touchdown passes and yards this season.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (wrist, knee) was limited during practice on Tuesday and Wednesday. However, he's was a full participant in Friday's session. The Bengals still have a chance to make the playoffs, so it would have taken a lot to keep the signal-caller off the field in Week 18 against the Steelers. While some other things need to happen that are outside of the team's control regarding their postseason chances, Burrow will do all he can to pick up another win. Without question, he's been an MVP-caliber quarterback all year, leading the league in passing yards (4,641). Burrow also ranks first in touchdowns (42), with the former LSU Tiger tossing at least three of them in each of his previous eight games. While there's a chance Chase Brown (ankle) and Tee Higgins (ankle, knee) won't be in uniform on Saturday night, Burrow remains a top fantasy option for the remaining redraft participants as well as DFS managers.

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones rushed 10 times for 45 yards in Sunday night's 31-9 loss to the Detroit Lions, adding 30 yards through the air on five of six receiving. The 30-year-old was effective when he touched the rock but did not receive his typical allotment of snaps in this one. Jones was utilized heavily on the Vikings' first drive but saw just one more touch in the quarter before taking off for a few possessions. He'd again be frequently featured on their last drive of the first half, but he saw only five more touches for the rest of the game. The broadcast noted that the eighth-year pro had been on the sideline for an extended period, though no injury designation had been made. He'd also take a shot later in the game and was slow to get up, so that and his previous quad ailment are possibly the culprits for his diminished snaps. Seeing the veteran limited at practice this week wouldn't be surprising. Jones will get an extra day of rest as his team now prepares for their road tilt with the Los Angeles Rams next Monday night to cap off wild-card weekend. Minnesota's first practice report will be out on Thursday.

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (quad) is without designation for Sunday night's divisional clash with the Detroit Lions. The eighth-year pro picked up a quad injury in last weekend's bout against his former team -; kicking the week off with back-to-back limited sessions. However, on Friday, he was a full participant and enters the road tilt all systems go. Jones is the RB14 on the season -; averaging 14.3 fantasy points per game. Although Detroit's D has been friendly through the air, they've been staunch against opposing rushing attacks. The Lions are letting up just 97 yards per game on the ground (third-fewest) and the fifth-least fantasy points per game to RBs (19.1). Still, in a game with the highest over/under of the week (57) -; there should be plenty of offense to go around. The 30-year-old ranks as RotoBaller's PPR RB13 in Week 18.

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (quadriceps) was listed as limited again in the team's second practice of the week on Thursday. Jones suffered an apparent quadriceps contusion in the second half of their Week 17 win over the division-rival Green Bay Packers and never returned to the contest. However, the 30-year-old veteran's injury isn't considered serious, and he has a shot to play in the Week 18 divisional showdown on Sunday against the Detroit Lions that will decide not only the NFC North champions, but the No. 1 overall seed in the conference for the postseason. Jones could get a questionable tag going into Sunday night's game if he's limited again on Friday, but we're expecting him to suit up and play his usual number of snaps as Minnesota's starter. At worst, Jones will be a low-end RB1 in fantasy. He had 14 carries for 93 yards and a TD in the first meeting against Detroit.

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. earned double-digit targets and topped the century mark in yards yet again in a 26-23 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Ever since Mac Jones took over at quarterback in Week 13 for the injured Trevor Lawrence, he has made it his mission to find BTJ. That has allowed the rookie first-round receiver out of LSU to thrive. While he didn't find the end zone, he still finished with seven catches for 103 yards, a great stat line for fantasy, especially in PPR. BTJ has already developed into a sure-fire top receiver in the league, and his potential is sky-high for the future, no matter who is throwing him the ball. Expect even more WR1 fantasy performances from BTJ in the 2025 NFL season.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. is a must-start once again against the Indianapolis Colts. The rookie receiver has been special of late. He has received double-digit targets in each of the last five games, finishing the season strong and looking like a future bonafide alpha receiver. If not for a bit of a slow start and a better offensive situation around him, BTJ could have more seriously challenged for offensive rookie of the year. Mac Jones will be his quarterback for one final game, which has surprisingly been fruitful for his overall production. After backup Drew Lock and rookie receiver Malik Nabers dominated the Colts in Week 17, backup quarterback Jones and rookie BTJ could easily reach similar heights. Start BTJ with zero hesitation in Week 18.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was stellar once again in a 20-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans. He finished with seven catches for 91 yards and a touchdown. The rookie receiver has been a WR1 fantasy option over the back half of the season despite some more difficult matchups. It is a common trope among rookie receivers that they play better towards the end of the season, but the level BTJ is playing at is incredible for a rookie. He has earned double-digit targets each of the last five weeks and has scored four touchdowns over the last three weeks. In an offense that has been one of the worst in the league, it is amazing BTJ is producing the way he is, and he has gotten better with quarterback Mac Jones relying on him. The Jags finish the season facing the Indianapolis Colts in Week 18.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 21 of 32 passes for 221 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception during Sunday's Week 18 victory over the New Orleans Saints. He also took one sack and rushed nine times for 68 yards on the ground. The Buccaneers fell into an early 13-3 deficit with a playoff spot on the line, but Mayfield led three touchdown drives in the second half to vault Tampa Bay over New Orleans. Along the way, he added 89 yards to Mike Evans' ledger, bringing the veteran receiver over 1,000 yards for the 11th consecutive season. Mayfield was a top-five fantasy quarterback this season, cementing himself as a premier NFL starter despite his 18 turnovers.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is coming off a stellar performance against the Carolina Panthers last week. Mayfield threw for 359 yards with five touchdowns and zero interceptions in the blowout win last weekend. The 29-year-old now looks to end his 2024-2025 regular season on a high note with a plus-matchup against the New Orleans Saints. The last meeting between these teams Mayfield threw for 325 yards with four touchdowns. The Saints are banged up on both sides of the ball and this is a must-win game for the Bucs. Fantasy managers who have championship games this weekend should consider Mayfield a QB1. Otherwise, Mayfield is probably an expensive, but reliable DFS option for this weekend.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield went 27-for-32 with 359 yards and five scores in their blowout victory over the Carolina Panthers. Mayfield connected with his top wideout Mike Evans twice, both times in the red zone. He also found rookie wide receiver, Jalen McMillan for two scores, once from 10 yards out and the other time from 16 yards out. His fifth passing score was caught by tight end Payne Durham. Since Week 14, Mayfield has thrown at least two passing scores in each contest and tallied at least three in three of them. Over this span he has tallied at least 280.0 passing yards in each game. Mayfield will look to cap off the best season of his career with a Week 18 matchup against the New Orleans Saints as the Buccaneers inch towards a playoff berth.

Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates should benefit from the competitive, high-scoring nature of Sunday night's Week 18 contest against the Minnesota Vikings. With the NFC's No. 1 seed on the line, Detroit will stay highly competitive and keep its foot on the gas pedal for all 60 minutes. This bodes well for Bates, who has thrived in high-leverage situations all year long and benefits when the Lions put up a lot of points. In his first NFL season, Bates ranks eighth among all kickers in fantasy points. He has made a whopping 60 of 63 extra points, plus 25 of 28 field goals. He does have two missed field goals and two missed extra points over his last three games, but fantasy managers shouldn't have any concerns about his accuracy given his track record and high fantasy points total this season. Bates should be deployed as a top-five kicking option for the final week of the 2024 regular season.

Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates went 2-for-2 on field goals and 2-for-4 on extra points during Monday's Week 17 win over the San Francisco 49ers. His two field goals came from 42 and 57 yards out. In the shorter kicking game, Bates missed one extra point attempt and had another blocked. The 25-year-old has been terrific in his first NFL season, ranking seventh among kickers in fantasy football. In the primetime victory, he set a Lions single-season franchise record for points scored (135). He'll remain a top fantasy option heading into next week's pivotal matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates is afforded one of the better matchups of Week 17 when he lines up against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. The 25-year-old has been excellent this season -- driving through all but one of his 59 extra-point attempts and knocking in 23-of-26 field goal tries across 15 games. Coincidentally, all three of his missed field goals have come over the last four contests. He gets a 49ers defense this Monday night, which has been tough on opposing offenses but is one of the more favorable ones for fantasy kickers. San Fran is letting up the twelfth-most points per game to opponents in 2024, and Detroit should come out swinging as they're still fighting for first place in the NFC North. Bates ranks as RotoBaller's K2 ahead of this weekend's action.

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (concussion) has been ruled out for the Week 18 matchup against the Houston Texans. Spears will sit out the regular season finale after suffering a concussion during last week's game. Before that, Spears rushed for 95 yards on 20 carries, which was his best running performance of the season. Lead back Tony Pollard (ankle) is considered a game-time decision, so the Titans could be in a bad spot if he's unable to play. Julius Chestnut and Joshua Kelley could end up having bigger roles for Sunday's game. However, neither back is considered a viable streaming option for Week 18.

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (concussion) has yet to practice in Week 18 after missing a second straight day on Thursday. Spears suffered his second concussion of the year in the Week 17 loss to the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars last Sunday and is fully expected to be held out of the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday versus the division-rival Houston Texans. Lead back Tony Pollard (ankle) missed last week's game and could also be held out this weekend despite being limited in practices this week, meaning Julius Chestnut could lead Tennessee's backfield in Week 18. The 23-year-old Spears looks likely to end his sophomore season in the NFL with 84 carries for 312 yards (3.7 yards per tote) while catching 30 of 35 targets for 224 yards and one TD in 12 games. It was a step back from his rookie production as he operated mainly as the change-of-pace option behind Pollard all year.

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (concussion) was estimated as a non-participant in practice on Wednesday. Head coach Brian Callahan previously said that Spears would not play in Week 18, and Wednesday's injury report reflects that sentiment. The 23-year-old has flourished over his last three games, totaling 127 rushing yards, 134 receiving yards, and four touchdowns during that span. If there's anything positive to take away from the Titans' injury report, it's the fact that Tony Pollard (ankle) was able to practice in a limited capacity. There appears to be a strong chance that Pollard plays in Week 18, with Julius Chestnut backing him up.

According to Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, running back Gus Edwards (ankle) is expected to return to practice on Wednesday as the team begins preparing to face the Houston Texans on Saturday in the wild-card playoff round. An ankle injury kept Edwards out for the final two regular-season games, but a return to practice early in the week is a good sign that he'll have a chance to be active this weekend for the start of the postseason. The 29-year-old was a big fantasy disappointment in 2024 in his first year in LA after he scored a career-high 13 rushing touchdowns in Baltimore in 2023. He ran for a career-low 365 yards and four touchdowns on 101 carries in 11 games (six starts). If Edwards is active against the Texans, he'll be a low-volume, touchdown-dependent flex play, at best, while working as the clear backup to J.K. Dobbins in the Chargers' backfield.UPDATE: Edwards was limited in Tuesday's practice.

The Los Angeles Chargers ruled out running back Gus Edwards (ankle) didn't practice at all this week and has been ruled out for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders. Edwards was also inactive for last week's blowout win over the New England Patriots in Week 17, which was also the first game back for J.K. Dobbins off Injured Reserve. The Chargers are already in the playoffs, although they could move up to the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoff picture if the Steelers lose to the Bengals on Saturday and the Chargers beat the Raiders on Sunday. It's unclear if Edwards would have been available this weekend if it were a must-win scenario for LA. Regardless, the Chargers will now have him rest up with hopes that he can return for the wild-card round next weekend as the backup to Dobbins. Rookie Kimani Vidal should be the No. 2 behind Dobbins on Sunday.

Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards (ankle) did not participate with the rest of the team in Wednesday's practice. Edwards didn't play in the Week 17 win over the New England Patriots last Saturday and is firmly in danger of missing a second straight game in the Week 18 regular-season finale this Sunday against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders. Depending on the outcome of the Bengals-Steelers game on Saturday, the Chargers could be locked into the No. 6 seed in the AFC for the playoffs. If the Bolts cannot move up to the No. 5 seed with a win over Vegas, they almost certainly would rest injured players like Edwards. Even if Edwards were to play this weekend, his fantasy value would take a hit now that J.K. Dobbins is back from Injured Reserve. There's a good chance that rookie Kimani Vidal could lead LA's backfield in Week 18.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (knee) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the New Orleans Saints. He had been listed as doubtful despite logging a limited practice on Friday. Otton finishes the 2024 regular season as the overall TE14 in PPR leagues, amassing 59 catches for 600 yards and four touchdowns through 14 games. He was one of the best tight ends in fantasy football when Mike Evans and Chris Godwin (ankle) were both sidelined, but his productivity dwindled as soon as Evans returned to the mix. Payne Durham will step up as the Buccaneers' top tight end in Week 18, ranking as a mid-range TE2 for fantasy purposes. Devin Culp, a rookie tight end out of Washington who saw his first career target last week and ended up catching three passes for 52 yards, should also remain involved.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (knee) is now being considered doubtful to play in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival New Orleans Saints after it was reported earlier on Friday that he would be a game-time decision. Otton has already missed the last two games with a knee injury and is now likely to miss a third straight as the team looks to punch their ticket to the postseason with a win over the Saints. Both Payne Durham (quadriceps) and rookie Devin Culp (ribs) were listed on the Week 18 injury report as well, but both have been cleared to play this weekend after practicing in full on Friday. With Otton unlikely to play, expect both Durham and Culp to share the tight end duties for the Bucs in a must-win game at home. For fantasy purposes, managers should be able to find better TE options.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (knee) will be a game-time decision for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival New Orleans Saints, according to head coach Todd Bowles. Otton has missed the last two games but returned to a limited practice on Thursday for the first time since Dec. 20, giving him a chance to suit up for a must-win game this weekend. Payne Durham (quadriceps) is also iffy for the regular-season finale for the Bucs, so in the event that both Otton and Durham are held out against the Saints, rookie Devin Culp would be in line for an elevated role for the second straight week after catching three of four targets for 52 yards in the Week 17 win over the division-rival Carolina Panthers. Otton went off for several weeks when receiver Mike Evans was injured, but he's since fallen to a touchdown-dependent, low-end TE1 when healthy.