Cleveland Browns running backs Jerome Ford (ankle) and Pierre Strong Jr. (concussion) have both been ruled out for the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens on Saturday. Ford sprained his ankle in the Week 17 loss to the Miami Dolphins and will be unavailable to play in the final game of the season. With Nick Chubb (foot) getting a late start in 2024 while recovering from a gruesome knee injury he suffered in 2023, Ford opened 2024 as Cleveland's RB1 and will finish the year as their leading rusher with 104 rushing attempts for 565 yards (5.4 yards per carry) and a team-high-tying three rushing touchdowns. With both Ford and Strong out this weekend, D'Onta Foreman will be in play as a low-upside RB3/flex for fantasy managers as the team's lead back. John Kelly should serve as his backup.

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (ankle) is trending toward missing the Week 18 regular-season finale on Saturday against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens after missing a third straight practice on Thursday. Pierre Strong Jr. (concussion) has also missed practice all week for the Browns, so it will likely be D'Onta Foreman serving as Cleveland's leading ball-carrier this weekend, with John Kelly in line to serve as his primary backup. The Browns will release their final Week 18 injury report later on Thursday, with both Ford and Strong likely being ruled out for a meaningless game for the Browns. In a game that the Browns will most likely have negative game script, Foreman shouldn't be viewed as anything more than a low-upside RB3/flex for fantasy lineups. The 28-year-old saw 13 carries for 49 yards (3.8 yards per tote) last week when Ford injured his ankle.

According to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (ankle) will not practice again on Wednesday. Ford will now miss his second-straight practice and could be in danger of missing Saturday's contest against the Baltimore Ravens. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to his status during Thursday's session. Ford left last weekend's game early due to an ankle injury. Over his past three contests, Ford has tallied 198 total rushing yards while posting a strong 8.3 YPC. No.2 running back Pierre Strong (concussion) will also not practice on Wednesday. This could leave D'Onta Foreman and John Kelly as the lone running backs during their final game of the season. Foreman would be a viable low-end RB2 if given the start.

Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet hasn't been a reliable fantasy option throughout the 2024-25 campaign. He finished last year by catching a career-high 73 passes for 719 yards while amassing six touchdowns. Unfortunately, the 25-year-old has struggled this season, totaling 45 grabs for 471 yards and four touchdowns. To be fair, the Bears offense hasn't been the best. However, Kmet can't be trusted in Week 18 versus the Packers, so fantasy managers can keep him out of the lineup. The same can be said for those considering his services for DFS contests.

Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet was a statistical no-show in Thursday's 6-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The fifth-year Bear saw zero passes go his way from quarterback Caleb Williams, marking his third game this season without a single target. Overall, the 25-year-old has caught 45 passes for 471 yards and four touchdowns over 16 games this season. Kmet's game disappointed fantasy managers who looked his direction this week, and he will likely continue to be minimally involved within the offense in Week 18's season finale against the Green Bay Packers.

Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet has failed to prove himself as a dependable option within the team's offense. As a result, he ranks outside the top 18 tight ends and should be benched in most fantasy leagues ahead of Week 17 against the Seattle Seahawks. Although Kmet did catch a touchdown last week, he has just three receptions for 23 yards over his last three games. The 25-year-old ranks 14th among fantasy tight ends in 2024, but most of his production has come from outlier games. Through 15 contests, he has posted double-digit fantasy points (PPR) just thrice. Fantasy managers can justify benching or even dropping the 25-year-old as fantasy championships arrive and Kmet remains a non-factor.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed has been on a steep backslide in the second half but looks to right the ship against the Chicago Bears in Week 18. Over the last seven games, Reed has been a top-30 fantasy wide receiver just once. In Week 17 against the Minnesota Vikings, Reed caught 1-of-4 targets for seven yards in a disappointing performance. The Packers' passing game has taken a backseat to the run game since Green Bay's Week 10 bye week. With a strong running game featuring a flourishing Josh Jacobs, quarterback Jordan Love hasn't needed to pass as much as when they do, targets are usually spread out amongst multiple weapons. For Week 18, Reed is more of a risky low-end flex for fantasy knowing how low the floor is with the Packers' wide receivers.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed continued his steep backslide in consistency and production as the Packers fell to the Minnesota Vikings 27-25. Reed had been a bit disappointing of late with his fantasy production with a combined eight catches for 110 yards in his last three weeks combined, but he caught his only target for six yards in Green Bay's loss. With Christian Watson (knee) inactive for Week 17's game, the hope was that targets would condense to multiple weapons in the Packers' offense. However, it was Romeo Doubs, not Reed, who was the primary recipient of those looks from quarterback Jordan Love as Doubs led the Packers in targets. Consider Reed a low-end flex option when the Packers host the Chicago Bears in their Week 18 regular season finale.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed could be in line for some more volume than he's received in recent weeks with the Packers heading to U.S. Bank Stadium to take on the Minnesota Vikings. Reed has been an up-and-down fantasy option over the second half of this season with just three games of five or more targets in his last nine games. In Week 17, Reed could see more volume with Christian Watson (knee) questionable for the game. If Watson were to miss Week 17, that would condense the receiving options for Jordan Love and bumps up players like Reed with less players to contend with for targets. The Vikings have given up the most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers, so the upside for Reed in Week 17 is immense, but passing volume could hold the Packers back as they've been a run-oriented offense this season. Still, consider Reed a flex play with upside against Minnesota.

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle will look to top off his surprising breakout season in Week 18 against the Washington Commanders with a splash. The 26-year-old has rushed for over 100 yards in four of his last five games and now faces a solid matchup against Washington's 20th-ranked run defense. He will look to solidify his finish as an RB2 on the season. Dowdle is in RB1 territory heading into the season's finale and should be started in any leagues that run into Week 18.

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle was one of the lone bright spots in the Week 17 blowout loss against the Philadelphia Eagles. The fifth-year running back carried the ball 23 times for 104 yards while catching his lone target for four yards. Dowdle also lost a fumble, his second lost fumble of the year. The South Carolina product has come along nicely down the stretch for the Cowboys, rushing for over 100 yards in four of his last five outings. He will look to extend that streak in the season's finale against the Washington Commanders next week. The running back has earned himself a solid payday this upcoming offseason after a strong first year as a starter.

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle rushed for just 23 yards last week after a three-week stretch of 100+ yards on the ground. The 26-year-old out of South Carolina has generally performed better when facing easier matchups, and this week's matchup against Philadelphia's top-ranked defense against running backs is far from easy. Dowdle will see heavy volume per usual as the workhorse in Dallas' offense, but his production may not be as strong as it has in recent weeks due to the tough matchup. He is a low-end RB2 solely based on projected volume.

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. should be viewed as a mid-level RB2 facing the Dallas Cowboys. The Alabama product has found himself in a bit of a slump as of late. Over his past three contests, he has averaged just 8.9 PPR points per game and has not found the back of the end zone once over this stretch. In addition, he has averaged just 49.7 rushing yards per game. Before this stretch, Robinson tallied eight touchdowns over his first ten games of the season and ran for 64.0 yards per game. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to Austin Ekeler's (concussion) status before kickoff, as he could be nearing a return. If Ekeler suits up, Robinson may even see less work than he has, making him a low-end RB2. However, if the Commanders opt to rest Ekeler a week before the playoffs, then Robinson maintains his mid-level RB2 range against a Dallas defense, allowing the ninth-most PPR points to opposing RBs.

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. tallied 60 yards on 13 attempts in their victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday evening. Robinson caught both of his targets for nine yards. While Robinson did see most of the rushing attempts he was unable to find the back of the end zone for the third straight contest. Instead, backup running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. was given the red zone work and was able to punch in a score in the fourth quarter. Over his past three contests, Robinson has only eclipsed 60 rushing yards on one occasion and has only tallied more than 100 yards once over his past six contests. With Austin Ekeler (concussion) nearing a return, fantasy managers could expect Robinson to lose some opportunities especially during the playoffs. He should be viewed as a low-end RB2 heading into a Week 18 tilt against the Dallas Cowboys.

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. is looking to bounce back when he faces the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night after a disappointing Week 16 output. Last weekend against Philadelphia, Robinson ran for just 24 yards on 10 attempts and lost two fumbles. Even though the Commanders were trailing for most of the contest, Robinson was not involved much at all. However, he should be in a good position to rebound in Week 17. With Austin Ekeler (concussion) on Injured Reserve for at least one more game, Robinson should be deployed as a three-down back. During Weeks 11 through 15 (four games), Robinson found the end zone twice and averaged 74.0 total yards per game. He should be started in all formats as a solid RB2 against the Falcons, who have allowed the 11th-fewest PPR points to opposing RBs this season.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. set season-highs in receptions and targets last week with Joe Flacco back at the helm, catching nine of 10 passes for 109 yards and a score. With a week full of practice, the 27-year-old should not be limited in any way again this week, taking on a Jaguars defense that ranks eighth-worst in allowing production to wide receivers. Jacksonville has been even worse against the run, so the Colts may be more inclined to ride Jonathan Taylor's hot hand, although, with both teams out of playoff contention, we could see a few more backups get some playing time in this one. Additionally, with an expected total on the low side (43.5), the teams probably won't combine for 71 points as they did when they played each other earlier this season. In that contest, the former second-round draft pick had five catches for 37 yards and a TD. As it stands, view Pittman Jr. as a WR3 with some upside if the game remains competitive throughout.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. set season highs in targets and receptions in Sunday's 45-33 loss to the Giants, hauling in nine of 10 targets for 109 yards and a score. With the Colts playing from behind all day, it was the intermediate-to-long-range pass catchers who benefitted from the unexpected game script as Indy tried to play catch-up. It was the fifth time in the last six games that the 27-year-old recorded at least seven targets and five receptions, but only the second time he's gone over 100 yards receiving all season, the other instance coming back in Week 4. With as poorly as this passing attack has looked, there are surely managers who saw this production on their bench, but for those who had the foresight to play the former second-round draft pick, he surely helped teams to fantasy championships. For anyone still playing next week or thinking about DFS options, the Colts get a favorable home matchup against the Jaguars, but monitor to see who is under center for the Colts as Joe Flacco will make the receivers better plays than if it is Anthony Richardson (back, foot).

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is coming off of a quiet showing in Week 16, catching just two of three targets for 19 yards, however, outside of teammate Josh Downs, all Colts pass catchers suffered in last week's matchup as Anthony Richardson completed just seven passes on the day with Jonathan Taylor doing all of the heavy lifting for the offense. Prior to that game, Pittman Jr. had no less than seven targets or five receptions in four consecutive contests heading into Week 16. This Sunday, the Colts are eight-point favorites against the Giants who have been tough against wide receivers, allowing the fourth-fewest fantasy points to WRs on the season, but have been bottom third in the league in yielding production to RBs, so look for the offense to run through Taylor again. There is also uncertainty as to who will be under center for the Colts as Anthony Richardson (back, foot) missed practice all week, so it could be veteran Joe Flacco in his stead. With Flacco at QB earlier this season, the numbers indicate Downs was the 39-year-old's preferred target. As such, regardless of who is throwing the ball, Pittman Jr. projects as a risky Flex play this week with fantasy championships on the line.

Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said on Wednesday that wide receiver Diontae Johnson will make his team debut in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Tennessee Titans on Sunday. "He's picking it up pretty fast. We'll try to put him in situations to utilize his strengths," Ryans said. After a disastrous short tenure with the Baltimore Ravens in which he caught one of his five targets for six yards in four games and was also suspended for conduct detrimental to the team after being frustrated with his lack of a role, Johnson will attempt to carve out a role in Houston alongside Nico Collins with both Tank Dell (knee) and Stefon Diggs (knee) out for the year. The 28-year-old caught 30 passes for 357 yards and three TDs in seven games with the Panthers before being traded to Baltimore. He'll be a true wild card during the postseason, and it remains to be seen how much he'll be involved this Sunday in a meaningless game.

New Houston Texans wide receiver Diontae Johnson practiced with the team for the first time on Monday since being claimed off waivers last week from the Baltimore Ravens. Johnson was acquired by the Ravens from the Carolina Panthers at the trade deadline, but things didn't exactly work out in Baltimore. Johnson was unhappy with his role -- he caught just one of five targets for six yards in four games played -- and was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team right before the Ravens cut him. He's happy to turn the page and join a Texans team that was looking for depth after a devastating knee injury to receiver Tank Dell. Johnson has 31 catches for 363 yards and three touchdowns in 2024 with the Panthers and Ravens. His time in Houston to close out the year will be an audition of sorts, but his path to fantasy relevance in playoff leagues will be an uphill battle.

The Houston Texans claimed wide receiver Diontae Johnson off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens on Monday, according to sources. The move comes after the news that Texans wideout Tank Dell (knee) will miss the rest of the season after tearing his ACL and dislocating his knee in Saturday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Johnson, whose short tenure with Baltimore didn't go well at all, will now face his former team this Wednesday on Christmas Day with the Texans. While Johnson is an intriguing weapon being added to Houston's offense with both Dell and Stefon Diggs (knee) out for the year, it would be foolish to expect the 28-year-old pass-catcher to be able to come in immediately and make a fantasy-relevant impact on a short week with his new team. However, Johnson could be a nice DFS play in postseason contests if he gets up to speed quickly and sees a big enough role.

Indianapolis Colts placekicker Matt Gay will be a fringe top option in Week 18 when his team hosts the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars. The sixth-year pro has been excellent in his second season with the Colts -- hammering home all 31 extra-point attempts and missing just five field goals. It starkly contrasts his 2023 season when he missed eight of them and an additional extra point. Jacksonville has been one of the more favorable matchups for kickers this season -- letting up 8.6 fantasy points per game to the position. Quarterback Joe Flacco will again play in an injured Anthony Richardson's (back) stead, and he moved the ball well last week in their 45-33 loss to the Giants. Gay should again be productive and comes in at RotoBaller's K12 in this week's ranks.

Indianapolis Colts kicker Matt Gay (neck) is officially active for the Week 16 divisional contest on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. Gay missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to his neck injury but returned to a full practice session on Friday and will serve as the starting placekicker this weekend. At best, Gay is a deep-league streaming option in the fantasy playoffs for a Colts offense that has struggled to move the ball consistently all year behind second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson. The 30-year-old veteran booter has been solid for the Colts this season, though, making 24 of his 27 field-goal attempts and all 23 of his extra-point opportunities. While Gay has been solid from an efficiency standpoint, his lack of volume on field-goal tries makes him more of a low-upside fantasy kicking option.