Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins is expected to be released before his $10 million roster bonus is due on March 17, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Cousins signed a hefty four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons last offseason, but the move hasn't panned out very well for Atlanta. The veteran quarterback has the Falcons at 7-7 and second place in the NFC East. He has completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns, and a career-high 16 interceptions. Cousins was benched for first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. ahead of Week 16, and with the news that he'll be cut loose next March, it's possible that the veteran signal-caller doesn't register another snap in a Falcons jersey. The 36-year-old's proven track record should help him land a job somewhere else, but he won't get nearly as lucrative of a deal. He likely won't be a shoo-in to start with his next team, either.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins was benched in favor of first-round rookie Michael Penix Jr. this week after throwing nine interceptions in a five-game span in which the team went 1-4. Cousins, 36, is unlikely to be the No. 1 QB in Atlanta again this year, and the chances that the 13-year veteran signal-caller comes back in 2025 as the backup are slim. Cousins has a no-trade clause after signing a four-year, $180 million deal last offseason with around $100 million guaranteed. If the Falcons cut Cousins, they'll get hit with $65 million in dead money. If they designate him a post-June 1 cut, they dead money would spread over the next two seasons -- $40 million in 2025 and $25 million in 2026. A trade could be pulled off if Cousins approves it, and in that scenario, the Falcons would be on the hook for the remaining $37.5 million of remaining proration. Cousins also has a $10 million roster bonus for 2026.

The Atlanta Falcons are benching quarterback Kirk Cousins heading into their Week 16 game against the New York Giants in favor of first-rounder Michael Penix Jr., according to head coach Raheem Morris. Despite signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract in the offseason, the Falcons are turning the page as they try to secure a playoff spot in the final three weeks. In the last five games, the 36-year-old Cousins has really struggled, throwing only one touchdown and nine interceptions. He went 11-for-17 for only 112 yards with a touchdown and interception in Monday's win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Cousins leads the NFL with 16 interceptions and has failed to give the Atlanta offense the boost he was expected to provide. Penix, 24, has lots of upside as the eighth overall pick, but he's raw -- he's played in two games and has gone 3-for-5 for 38 yards. The strong-armed lefty will be a low-end QB2 with upside.

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook rushed 11 times for an even 100 yards and one touchdown in the team's 24-21 victory over the New England Patriots. He scored a second time on one of his three receptions. The 25-year-old totaled 26 yards through the air. Cook scored Buffalo's first touchdown on a 46-yard sprint past defenders in the second quarter. In the third quarter, he found paydirt on a four-yard swing pass from Josh Allen. Cook continues to make the most of his touches and will be in the RB1/2 range when the Bills host the New York Jets in Week 17.

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is a must-start RB1 for this weekend's fantasy football playoffs. The 25-year-old bounced back against Detroit last week (133 yards, two touchdowns) after a disappointing affair two weeks ago in Los Angeles (29 yards). Cook takes his momentum into a home matchup against New England. The Patriots have fielded a below-average rush defense all season. The Bills are favored by 14 points, which could lead to more rushing attempts for Cook and his backfield mates, Ray Davis and Ty Johnson.

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook rushed 14 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns in the team's 48-42 victory over the Detroit Lions. He also added one reception for 28 yards. The Lions have been a stout run defense throughout the season but injuries to their front seven are piling up. Cook's first score came from six yards away in the second quarter. His highlight play was a 41-yard scamper for six early in the third quarter. Buffalo utilized all three of their running backs in the win so it was encouraging for Cook's fantasy managers that he made the most of his touches. He'll be in must-start territory next week against the New England Patriots.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. finally broke out of a five-game slump during a 29-17 defeat to the Dolphins in Miami on Sunday. Samuel Sr. caught seven of a co-team-high nine targets for 96 yards and a touchdown. He added five rushing attempts for 25 yards. Samuel Sr. looked angry and determined with his touches for the first time in weeks, scoring his 16-yard touchdown by running through three defenders. It's probably too little, too late for Samuel Sr.'s fantasy managers who suffered through five consecutive weeks of sub-five-point half-PPR performances, but anyone still rostering Samuel Sr. now has to at least consider him for a start in Week 17 coming off his most productive game of the season. San Francisco gets the offensive powerhouse Detroit Lions in Santa Clara on Monday night, which should force the 49ers into a pass-heavy game script, with a similar amount of carries to Sunday if rookie running back Isaac Guerendo (foot, hamstring) misses another game.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. will bring the least productive five-game stretch of his career into a Week 16 matchup in Miami on Sunday. He is averaging 3.3 half-PPR points over that stretch, including a 3.4-point performance last Thursday at home versus the Los Angeles Rams. Samuel Sr. reached a low point when he dropped an important 3rd-down pass in LA territory to a chorus of boos from the home fans. He'll have better days ahead -- he's certainly a better player than this -- but at this point, Samuel Sr. is untrustable in fantasy. In addition, Miami's tough pass defense has limited fantasy receivers to the second-lowest total in the league. Perhaps Samuel Sr. sees an increase in carries, with the 49ers down to their fifth-, sixth-, and seventh-string running backs due to a deluge of injuries. It might not matter much, though, as he's only averaging 2.7 yards per carry this year with one rushing touchdown, way back in Week 1. He's projected as a WR4 this week, and most Samuel Sr. managers still in the fantasy playoffs probably benched him long ago.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. had his woes continue during a 12-6 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night. The frustrated former Gamecock caught three of seven targets for 16 yards and took two carries for three yards. Not every unfulfilled target was Samuel Sr.'s fault, but one certainly was. With the game tied midway through the third quarter on a 3rd-and-10 just outside the red zone, Samuel Sr. dropped a wide-open pass on a crossing pattern which would have been a certain first down, and perhaps a touchdown. It doesn't get much cringier than that after he complained about his usage on social media early in the week. Samuel Sr. will carry an average of 4.7 half-PPR points over his last five games into a matchup in Week 16 versus one of the toughest defenses against wide receivers in Miami.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard (hamstring) injured his hamstring in the Sunday night game against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 16 and was ruled out. It was a frustrating night for anyone that used Shepard in their starting fantasy lineups in deeper leagues, as he ends up finishing the contest with only one reception on three targets for 20 yards. The 31-year-old veteran pass-catcher injured his hamstring during a run in the third quarter. If he is unable to play in Week 17 versus the division-rival Carolina Panthers in a good matchup, Trey Palmer would most likely serve as Tampa's No. 3 wideout behind Mike Evans and rookie Jalen McMillan. Shepard came into the Week 16 game on Sunday night outside of the top 50 receivers in half-PPR points scored per game this year, so he hasn't been much more than a bye-week streamer, even with Chris Godwin (ankle) out for the season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard (foot) has been cleared ahead of the Week 16 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. Shepard didn't practice on Wednesday and got in two limited sessions after that, but apparently that was enough to clear Shepard for this weekend. The veteran wideout posted a dud last week. Shepard hauled in his lone target for 16 yards in the win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Rookie wideout Jalen McMillan has proven himself to be a viable option over the last two weeks. McMillan is likely going to take away targets from Shepard, which is going to make the veteran wideout a risky play for Week 16. Fantasy managers should be able to find a better option than a wideout who is probably going to be third or fourth in the pecking order.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard (foot) practiced in a limited fashion on Thursday after he was listed as a DNP on Wednesday. Meanwhile, receiver Trey Palmer (illness) sat out of practice on Thursday due to an illness. Shepard didn't practice for the first time last week until Friday but still played in the Week 15 win over the Los Angeles Chargers and caught his only target for 16 yards. The 31-year-old hasn't been as intriguing as a flex play in fantasy with Mike Evans healthy, but Shepard could see more targets come his way this weekend against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night if tight end Cade Otton (knee) is unable to play. Even if Otton is out, Shepard will be an uninspiring WR4/5 in deeper leagues with a lot on the line in Week 16. Shepard has only scored one TD this year, and it came all the way back on Oct. 3. He also hasn't had more than five catches or 63 yards in a game in 2024.

Despite the fact that Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks has scored a touchdown in two of the last three games, he remains a very volatile flex option for fantasy managers in Week 16 heading into a Sunday night showdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Since returning in Week 13 from a knee injury that required surgery, Cooks has seven receptions on 15 targets for 53 yards and two touchdowns. In the four games he played with quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) before his knee injury, Cooks had only nine catches (19 targets) for 91 yards and one touchdown. It's safe to say the 31-year-old veteran is showing serious signs of decline as a deep threat in the NFL, and he's highly dependent on getting into the end zone. The Bucs defense has been a plus matchup for receivers this year, although they've stiffened up in recent weeks. Cooks' limited volume makes him one to avoid.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks was second on the team behind CeeDee Lamb in receiving yards in the 30-14 win over Carolina. Cooks was targeted five times, catching three passes for 34 yards. Cooks is not currently on the fantasy radar despite being second or third in the pecking order most weeks given how concentrated the Dallas offense is on Lamb and running back Rico Dowdle. The veteran should be rostered by Lamb managers as a handcuff over the final weeks of the season, but serves no further use in most formats at this time.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks is not in consideration to slot into starting lineups this week with all weapons looking healthy for the team. CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) and Jake Ferguson are both good to go, making Cooks the third option in a low-ceiling passing attack despite a decent matchup with Carolina's secondary. The veteran is a touchdown-dependent option and he has scored a touchdown in each of the last two games. Given that, he does not have a high ceiling as he has recorded just 19 yards over the last two games.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison brought in 5-of-8 targets for 35 yards and a touchdown in his team's 27-24 win against the Seattle Seahawks. Addison was Minnesota's second-leading wideout on the day, but it didn't amount to much while target-hog teammate Justin Jefferson racked up 144 yards and two touchdowns on his 13 targets (ten receptions). Still, the 22-year-old came through for fantasy managers that stuck with him -- notching his seventh TD in the last eight games. While it wasn't the most productive outing from a yardage standpoint, Addison's owners can take solace in that he was still heavily involved -- commanding at least eight targets for the fifth time since Week 11. The former first-round pick will get a tougher ask in the fantasy championship next weekend against the Green Bay Packers secondary.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison will square off against the Seattle Seahawks in a road matchup this Sunday. The 22-year-old will look to continue a stretch of strong performances against a beatable Seahawks defense. Since Week 11, the second-year wideout is the WR5 in PPR formats -; racking up 30 receptions, 473 yards, and five touchdowns on 44 targets. He's been the clear second option for quarterback Sam Darnold recently and even outperformed superstar teammate Justin Jefferson several times over that frame. Seattle has been stingy in the yardage department, but they're in the league's top half regarding fantasy points allowed per game to wideouts (33.4). Addison ranks as RotoBaller's PPR WR26 ahead of this weekend's slate of action.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison corralled 7-of-9 targets for 63 yards in Monday's 30-12 victory against the Chicago Bears. The 22-year-old continued an excellent stretch of performances in Week 15, racking up his second-highest target and reception total of 2024. Addison has at least seven receptions in three of four contests and at least 61 receiving yards in four of five. After a slow start to the season, he's really come on over the second half and has been a fantastic complimentary option across from WR1 Justin Jefferson in the Vikings offense. He isn't as consistent as Jefferson -- but not many athletes are. The USC product will get a chance to build on his progress in Week 16 against an exploitable Seattle Seahawks defensive unit.

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson (foot) was limited in practice to start the week but participated in full on Saturday. He carries no designation going into the team's game against the Green Bay Packers on Monday. Chris Olave (concussion), Bub Means (ankle), and Alvin Kamara (groin) are out and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (chest/illness) is listed as questionable, leaving the Saints light on offense. This could translate to a bigger day than usual for Johnson. The Packers' defense ranks in the bottom ten in receptions, receiving yards, and fantasy points per game allowed to opposing tight ends. Unfortunately, Johnson's upside is in doubt with rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler filling in for Derek Carr (hand). When Carr missed three weeks earlier this season, Johnson averaged 4.3 targets, three catches, and 38 yards per game with Rattler under center. Johnson projects to be a touchdown-dependent, low-end TE2 for Week 16.

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson (foot) was limited in practice on Friday for the second straight day this week. Johnson was also on the injury report last week with the same injury, but he played through it in the Week 15 loss to the Washington Commanders and caught two of his three targets for only 12 yards while playing 71 percent of the offensive snaps. The Saints offense is incredibly beat up right now and might be without star running back Alvin Kamara (groin) and quarterback Derek Carr (hand) for the final three games of the regular season. In addition, receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (chest, illness) is up in the air, which means the 28-year-old Johnson could be rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler's top target on Monday night versus the Green Bay Packers. Still, Johnson would have little upside as a TE2 in fantasy semifinal matchups in Week 16.

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson was a non-factor for most of the day in Sunday's 20-19 loss to the Commanders. He finished with two catches for 12 yards on three targets. Johnson did not see his first target until the fourth quarter, on a shot over the middle that was well off the mark and nearly picked off. Johnson's receptions came on the Saints' final drive of the game that culminated in a touchdown to fellow tight end Foster Moreau as the game clock expired. Quarterback Spencer Rattler looked to Johnson on the ensuing two-point attempt to give New Orleans the win but sent his pass wide and Johnson had to dive just to get a hand on it. Johnson now has 36 receptions for 375 yards and three touchdowns on 47 targets this season. He will continue to serve as the Saints' primary pass-catching tight end though he should not be expected to return much fantasy value going forward, especially if Derek Carr (concussion, hand) remains sidelined.