Studs and Duds: Week 12

Mon Nov 28 8:42am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Jacobs tops 300 total yards


This week saw the return of all NFL teams playing once again. This was good news for fantasy owners, having a full compliment of players to choose from for their lineups. And the scoring was back this week compared to the previous. Sure, there were a few duds, but we also had a few really big performances. There was even a player that had more than 300 total yards. Here is to hoping your team had some of those big performances on your roster and you came out victorious in Week 12. 

Bills 28, Lions 25

Fantasy Stud: Josh Allen. Allen had another one of his huge games, scoring three touchdowns. He led the Bills in passing and rushing. He was 24-of-42 for 253 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. He also ran 10 times for 78 yards and another score. Allen topped 30 fantasy points in the game, the first time he has reached that mark since Week 6. It was good to se him get back to his huge ways despite dealing with an elbow injury. 

Fantasy Dud: Gabe Davis. Davis was not much of a factor in this one, catching four passes for 38 yards. He was actually third on receiving yards for the Bills. Davis had double-digit fantasy points two straight games before this one. He has been a little up and down throughout the season, so this showing wasn’t out of the ordinary. You just expected a better showing in a very favorable matchup. 

Game Notes: Isaiah McKenzie had his best game of the season. He caught six passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. He had a season-high 10 targets. 

Jamaal Williams found the end zone once again, scoring his 13th touchdown of the season. He ran 18 times for 66 yards and a score. 

Cowboys 28, Giants 20

Fantasy Stud: Ezekiel Elliott. Elliott didn’t lead the Cowboys in rush attempts but led them in rush yards. He had 16 carries for 92 yards and a touchdown. He also had a catch for three yards. Elliott has at least 15 fantasy points four straight games. He might not be the same fantasy player as past year, but is still very productive for his fantasy owners. He gets his weekly points. 

Fantasy Dud: Tony Pollard. Pollard had his first down showing in a few weeks. He was’t terrible but not a help to fantasy owners. He had 18 carries for 60 yards and caught just two passes for a yard. It broke a streak of 100-plus total yards four straight games. He had at least 21 fantasy points three straight. Pollard still got a ton of touches, which is encouraging for Pollard owners. He had 20 touches in the game. 

Game Notes: CeeDee Lamb hit the 100-yard mark for the second time in three games. He had six receptions for 106 yards on 11 targets. He has double-digit targets two of three games.

Saquon Barkley had a nice rebound game for his fantasy owners, scoring 15.2 fantasy points. He ran 11 times for 39 yards and a touchdown. He also had four catches for 13 yards. 

Vikings 33, Patriots 26

Fantasy Stud: Justin Jefferson. Jefferson rebounded very well from one of his worst games of the season, producing huge once again. He had nine receptions for 139 yards and a touchdown. He scored 29.5 fantasy points, giving him 25-plus points three of four games. Jefferson is just 11 games into his season, but his numbers are better than a full season for a lot of players. He is already over 80 catches and 1,200 yards. Jefferson is going to finish with monster numbers by season’s end. 

Fantasy Dud: Dalvin Cook. There was a ton of offense in this game, but Cook was one of the few that didn’t get involved in the fun. He got the work but didn’t produce. He rushed 22 times for just 42 yards and had four catches for 14 yards. Cook failed to hit double-digit fantasy points for the second straight game. He had a streak of seven straight games with double-digit fantasy points before these last two. 

Game Notes: Mac Jones had a great game in defeat. He was 28-of-39 for 382 yard and two touchdowns without a turnover. It was his second 300-yard game of the season. 

Adam Thielen had a season-high nine receptions. He also scored his third touchdown of the season. He finished with nine receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown. 

Commanders 19, Falcons 13

Fantasy Stud: Brian Robinson. Robinson had a great showing in this one, hitting the 100-yard rushing mark for the first time all season. He had 18 carries for 105 yards and caught two passes for 20 yards and a touchdown. So he finished with 125 total yards and a score. It was the first time all season Robinson topped 20 fantasy points in a game. 

Fantasy Dud: Drake London. Some thought London might get a little more play this week with Kyle Pitts out for the season. Well, that didn’t happen for London, who had just two catches for 29 yards. London has been a huge bus since Wee 3, having fewer than double-digit fantasy points eight of his last nine games. He is not usable for fantasy teams right now. 

Game Notes: Both Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson had the exact same amount of carries. Allgeier ran 11 times for 54 yards while Patterson had 11 carries for 52 yards. 

Olamide Zaccheaus led the way at receiver for the Falcons. He had five receptions for 91 yards. This was his highest yardage total of the season and just the third time he had more than 50 yards. 

Jets 31, Bears 10

Fantasy Stud: Mike White. White had a huge game in his first start this season. He was 22-of-28 for 315 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover. It was quite the performance from White, who is going to keep starting going forward for the Jets. He might be worth a look for fantasy teams in an offense with some decent weapons. 

Fantasy Dud: Michael Carter. Carter left the game early with an ankle injury but was not much of a factor when on the field. His injury just added insult to injury. He had six carries for just 21 yards and caught two passes for 15 yards. This was a positive matchup for Carter, but he was unable to take advantage. 

Game Notes: Darnell Mooney left the game early with an ankle injury and was unable to return. He did not catch a pass before leaving. 

Trevor Siemian got the start for the Bears but almost didn’t after hurting his oblique in pregame. He was able to start, though, and was 14-of-25 for 179 yard and a touchdown with an interception.

Bengals 20, Titans 16

Fantasy Stud: Tee Higgins. Higgins continues to play at an elite level for his fantasy owners. He had seven receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown. Higgins has two straight games with 23-plus fantasy points and has hit the 100-yard mark each of those games. He is a must start for fantasy owners, failing to hit double-digit fantasy points just once all year. 

Fantasy Dud: Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill had played at a high level since returning from injury, but wasn’t a help to fantasy teams this week. He didn’t play bad but was held out of the end zone, being little help to fantasy owners. He was 22-of-34 for 291 yards without a score or an interception. Tannehill scored just 15.5 fantasy points after having back-to-back games with 20-plus fantasy points. 

Game Notes: Derrick Henry was held in check on the ground but made plays in the passion game, helping his fantasy numbers. He ran 17 times for just 38 yards, but had three catches for 79 yards and a touchdown. He had 117 total yards and a score. 

Samaje Perine played well in a starting role for the Bengals. He ran 17 times for 58 yards and a touchdown. He also had four catches for 35 yards, giving him 93 total yards. 

Dolphins 30, Texans 15

Fantasy Stud: Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa could have been a lot better if not for sitting out much of the second half with the Dolphins up big. He still played well when on the field, going 22-of-36 for 299 yards and a touchdown without a turnover. Tagovailoa now has 19 touchdowns to just three interceptions this season. 

Fantasy Dud: Dameon Pierce. Pierce continued his late-season swoon. He had another poor game, rushing five times for just eight yards. And he didn’t do much better though the air, having three catches for eight yards. He is a really hard player for fantasy teams to trust right now, having fear than five fantasy points each of his last two games. 

Game Notes: Jeff Wilson found the end ozone for the third straight game. He had 13 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown. He also had a catch for 13 yards. 

Kyle Allen had mixed reviews in his first start for the Texans this year. He was 26-of-39 for 215 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions. He should get another start but will need to play better if he hopes to keep starting. 

Panthers 23, Broncos 10

Fantasy Stud: D.J. Moore. Moore finally got it going a little, hitting the 100-yard mark for the second time this season. He had four receptions fro 103 yards and a touchdown. Maybe the return of Sam Darnold at quarterback will be a positive for Moore going forward. He has been really inconsistent this year.  

Fantasy Dud: Greg Dulcich. Dulcich had a really quiet game, catching just two passes for 11 yards. The rookie has plenty of promise and played well this year, but could be up and down in a passing game that is struggling. 

Game Notes: Latavius Murray had a strong game, rushing 13 times for 92 yards. He also had a catch for six yards. Murray has a pretty firm grip on the starter’s job right now in Denver. 

Sam Darnold led his team to a win and played pretty well, so he should get another start next week for the Panthers. He was 11-of-19 for 164 yards and a touchdown. 

Browns 23, Bucs 17

Fantasy Stud: Chris Godwin. Godwin seems over his torn ACL from last year and his playing his best football right now. He had 12 receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown. Godwin has 19-plus fantasy points each of his last two games. He has been targets double-digit times five of six games. He is peaking at the right time for fantasy owners. 

Fantasy Dud: Mike Evans. Evans did not get much work in this one with Godwin dominating the targets. Evans had just two catches for 31 yards. Evans has been a little quieter of late, having fewer than double-digit fantasy points two of three games.

Game Notes: Nick Chubb hit the 100-yard mark for the sixth time this season. He had 26 carries for 116 yards and a touchdown. He topped 20 fantasy points for the fifth time. 

Amari Cooper is trending up, catching seven passes for 94 yards. He has 15 catches his last two games. He also has 100-yard game two of four. 

Jaguars 28, Ravens 27

Fantasy Stud: Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence had maybe his best game as a pro, leading his team to a comeback victory. He was 29-of-37 for 321 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover. He scored a season high 29.2 fantasy points. Lawrence has three straight games topping 20 fantasy points. He seems to be gaining confidence every week and is playing the best football of his career right now. 

Fantasy Dud: Mark Andrews. There were a lot of fantasy points in this game, but Mark Andrews wasn’t much of a factor, which was surprising. He even dropped a possible touchdown reception that he normally makes all day. Andrew has been pretty mediocre of late, having fewer than 13 fantasy points four straight games. 

Game Notes: Travis Etienne suffered a foot injury early in the game and was unable to return. This is a huge injury to watch going forward. He has been huge this year. 

Zay Jones was the top target for the Jaguars. He had a monster game, finishing with 11 receptions for 145 yards. This was his second game with double-digit receptions. 

Chargers 25, Cardinals 24

Fantasy Stud: Justin Herbert. Herbert had another big game, finishing 35-of-47 for 274 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover. He also converted a two-point try to win the game. Herbert finished with 31.5 fantasy points. He has 23-plus points two of three and three of five games. He is another player heating at the right time for fantasy owners. 

Fantasy Dud: Trey McBride. McBride was one of the few fantasy disappointments in this one. He caught just a pass for a yard. He might be the best fantasy tight end on the Cardinals roster right now, but that doesn’t mean he belongs in fantasy lineups. McBride is yet to top six fantasy points in any game this year.  

Game Notes: Marquise Brown returned this week and got plenty of work, catching six passes for 46 yards. He should continue to get more and more work going forward as he gets back up to speed. 

Kyler Murray looked just fine in his first game back from a hamstring injury. He was 18-of-29 for 191 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. He also ran seven times for 56 yards. 

Chiefs 26, Rams 10

Fantasy Stud: Travis Kelce. There were not a lot of big fantasy performances in this one. Kelce was one of the good ones, though. He had four receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown. Kelce topped 15 fantasy points for the ninth straight game. He has fewer than 15 fantasy points just once all year. He just keeps posting big numbers on a weekly basis for fantasy owners. 

Fantasy Dud: JuJu Smith-Schuster. Smith-Schuster returned from his concussion and played, but wasn’t a huge factor. He had three receptions for 38 yards. Smith-Schuster had been red hot before suffering his concussion in Week 10. Hopefully, he can get back to his big ways sooner than later. 

Game Notes: Bryce Perkins started for the Rams but had his issues, which was expected in his first NFL start. He was 13-of-23 for 100 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions. His biggest contribution was on the ground, running nine times for 44 yards. 

Cam Akers and Kyren Williams pretty much split the work at running back for the Rams. Akers ran eight times for 37 yards while Williams rushed 11 times for 35 yards. Williams was a bigger factor in the passing game, catching three passes for 25 yards. 

49ers 13, Saints 0

Fantasy Stud: Jauan Jennings. Jennings was a big surprise, scoring the 49ers only touchdown. His reception total was a season high and this was his first score of the season. He had six catches for 49 yards and a score on seven targets. He will be a tough fantasy player to trust on a weekly basis, but showed he does have the potential for the big game at times. 

Fantasy Dud: Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey had a rare down showing for his standards. He got the touches but did little with them. He ran 11 times for 32 yards and had four receptions for 17 yards. McCaffrey failed to hit double-digit fantasy points for just the second time all season. The good news is he still had 15 touches in the game, so it wasn’t for a lack of work.

Game Notes: Brandon Aiyuk had five receptions for 65 yards on eight targets. He has at least five receptions five of six games. He has been rock solid as the No. 1 target in the 49ers passing game. 

Andy Dalton seems to be holding onto the starter’s job by a thread right now. He failed to lead the offense to a score in this game, going 18-of-29 for 204 yards. 

Raiders 40, Seahawks 34

Fantasy Stud: Josh Jacobs. Jacobs carried fantasy teams to victory with his monster performance in Week 12. Jacobs ran 33 times for 229 yards and two touchdowns, including an 86-yard run in overtime to win the game. And Jacobs added six catches for 74 yards, giving him 303 total yards of offense. Jacobs scored 48.3 fantasy points. He has two straight 100-yard rushing games and five on the season. He is already over 1,000-rushing yards after just 11 games. 

Fantasy Dud: Noah Fant. There were big fantasy games all over in this one, so not much bad to report for fantasy teams. Fant might have been one of the few disappointments, finishing with three catches for 34 yards. He failed to hit double-digit fantasy points for the second straight week. He has failed to build off his 96-yard performance in Week 9, making him a very hard player for fantasy teams to play. 

Game Notes: Derek Carr has four straight games with 20-plus fantasy points. He was 25-of-36 for 295 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions. 

DK Metcalf had double-digit receptions for the first time this season. He had 11 catches for 90 yards on 15 targets. He has at least 13 fantasy points four straight games. 

Eagles 40, Packers 33

Fantasy Stud: Miles Sanders. Sanders had his best game of the season. He had a huge game on the ground, rushing 21 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns. He also had three catches for 17 yards. Sanders scored 31 fantasy points, which was a season high. It was the second time he topped 20 fantasy points in a game. Sanders has been a little up and down this year but having his best season to date as a pro. He already has 900-rushing yards and eight touchdowns. 

Fantasy Dud: Allen Lazard. Lazard had just two catches for 24 yards on three targets. It was a really down game for a player that thad double-digit targets two of his previous three games. Lazard has been pretty consistent all season, so this one was an outlier as much as anything. Don’t get too down on him, but the emergence of Christian Watson does damper his upside a little. 

Game Notes: Aaron Rodgers was unable to finish the game because of a rib injury. He wasn’t very good before leaving, going 11-of-16 for 140 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. Jordan Love was impressive in relief, finishing 6-of-9 for 113 yards and a touchdown. 

Christian Watson continued his emergence. He topped 20 fantasy points for the third straight game. Watson had four receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown on six targets. 

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

Top Headlines
The Paur Report

First TFC Review

Player Notes
Jacob Phillips Apr 22 11:10pm CT
Jacob Phillips

The Houston Texans signed former Cleveland Browns free-agent linebacker Jacob Phillips (pectoral) to an undisclosed one-year deal on Monday, according to a source. Phillips was drafted in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft out of LSU and was with the Browns for his first four NFL seasons. However, the 25-year-old spent all of last year on Injured Reserve due to a torn pectoral muscle. It was the second straight year that he ended the season on Injured Reserve due to a pectoral injury, and Phillips has a total of 88 tackles (57 solo), three sacks, five tackles for loss and five passes defended in his three years played in the league in 20 games (eight starts). Now that Phillips appears to be past his latest pectoral injury, he'll be fighting for a roster spot out of training camp in Houston this summer.

From RotoBaller

DeAndre Hopkins Apr 22 11:00pm CT
DeAndre Hopkins

There remains no timetable for the return of Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Cole Holcomb (knee) after he was injured in Week 9 when chasing down Tennessee Titans receiver DeAndre Hopkins when teammate Keanu Neal collided with him. "I can tell you Cole [Holcomb's] working extremely hard to get back," general manager Omar Khan said.. "I don't really have much to add on the timeline. We've discussed this, it was a major injury but he is working hard and I'm optimistic about all the effort he's going to put into getting back on the field." The 27-year-old required season-ending surgery, and many thought it might put an end to his career. However, the former fifth-round pick of the Washington Commanders in 2019 out of North Carolina is working his way back and is hoping to play in 2024 after recording 442 tackles (270 solo) and 4.5 sacks in his first five NFL seasons over 58 games (56 starts).

From RotoBaller

Zach Wilson Apr 22 5:13pm CT
Zach Wilson

Dynasty | Quarterback Zach Wilson has been traded to Denver along with a seventh round pick in exchange for a sixth round pick. Dynasty Analysis: The Jets and Broncos will reportedly split the $5.5 million Wilson is due this season. The former #2 overall pick is acquired for what amounts to a 53 spot draft slot-swap in the final rounds of this year's draft. It's a precipitous fall for a player who was once thought of as the savior of the franchise in New York. Denver is an interesting landing spot on paper and reports indicate they've been trying to get Wilson for weeks. The Broncos sit at #12 overall in the draft and that likely won't be high enough for Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels or even JJ McCarthy. If they stand pat and can't secure a quarterback, the room will include Wilson, Ben DiNucci and Jarrett Stidham. Could they really go into a season like this? At this point, Wilson has a little life in his dynasty value but that's subject to change later this week.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Matt Ryan Apr 22 5:13pm CT
Matt Ryan

Dynasty | Former Falcons and Colts quarterback Matt Ryan is retiring from the NFL. Dynasty Analysis: Ryan spent 14 of his 15 seasons with the Falcons and was extremely effective in his time there, both in reality and fantasy. Ryan had ten straight years with at least 4,000 passing yards and could be penciled in for between 25 and 35 touchdown passes every season. A likely future Hall of Famer, Ryan ended his season with a forgettable year in Indianapolis but will be remembered as being a solid and consistent QB1 for more than a decade. He can be safely dropped from dynasty rosters if he somehow wasn't already.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Ladd McConkey Apr 22 4:00pm CT
Ladd McConkey

University of Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey has seemingly been rising up draft boards since his impressive showing at the 2024 NFL Combine, and he is now favored to be a first-round pick, according to DraftKings Sportsbook's odds. DraftKings gives the 22-year-old -105 odds to be one of the first 32 players off the board. In three seasons with the Bulldogs, the speedster collected 119 receptions for 1,687 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed 13 times for 216 yards and four scores. He also averaged 13.3 yards per punt return on 21 attempts. He's a dynamic and versatile weapon with real route-running juice, so WR-needy teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, and Buffalo Bills could be interested in pushing the draft button on him late in the first round on Thursday.

From RotoBaller

Brandon Aiyuk Apr 22 3:40pm CT
Brandon Aiyuk

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has not formally requested a trade from the organization, but he is still in the thick of trade rumors this offseason. When asked whether or not the team has received calls regarding a trade for Aiyuk, General Manager John Lynch said "Sure. We receive calls for a lot of players." That's a vague answer and does not give fantasy managers clarity on the situation, but it's worth noting teams have reached out. Aiyuk posted a career-high 1,342 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last season despite ranking 28th in total targets (125). With Brock Purdy, Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Nick Bosa, and Fred Warner either on or set to receive expensive contracts, it will be a tough road to locking up Aiyuk to a long-term deal. If the team does decide to trade him, a first-round pick should be coming in return. Although Lynch has stated they would like to keep the 26-year-old, it wouldn't be shocking if he's dealt on draft night.

From RotoBaller

Mitchell Wilcox Apr 22 3:40pm CT
Mitchell Wilcox

The New England Patriots signed free-agent tight end Mitchell Wilcox on Monday, the team announced on X. Originally undrafted out of the 2020 class, Wilcox has spent the last four years with the Cincinnati Bengals. In 48 career games, the South Florida product has hauled in 29 of his 35 targets for 211 yards and one touchdown. The Patriots re-signed Hunter Henry to a three-year, $27 million deal this offseason, so the TE1 role is occupied in Foxborough. Wilcox could have the chance to compete with Austin Hooper for the TE2 job, but Hooper is likely the favorite to back up Henry. That said, Wilcox can be ignored in fantasy football.

From RotoBaller

Dak Prescott Apr 22 3:20pm CT
Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is entering the final year of his deal in 2024, and he and the organization have not begun contract negotiations. The former fourth-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft threw for a career-high 36 touchdowns in 2023, but Dallas suffered another disappointing playoff defeat in the NFC Divisional Round. On his contract situation, Prescott said "I'm not trying to be the highest paid necessarily. We'll wait until the negotiations begin and obviously want to put this team in the best situation." If the 30-year-old is willing to take a home team discount, it could help his chances of reaching a new deal. Star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and edge rusher Micah Parson will be up for new deals soon, meaning the Cowboys have a lot to figure out over the next few offseasons.

From RotoBaller

Zach Wilson Apr 22 1:50pm CT
Zach Wilson

The Denver Broncos are acquiring former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson from the New York Jets on Monday, according to sources. The Broncos are expected to send a 2024 sixth-round pick to the Jets for Wilson and a 2024 seventh-round selection, with the teams dividing his guaranteed camp roster bonus. The Broncos released Russell Wilson this offseason and were heading into this week's NFL draft with Jarrett Stidham as their starter under center in 2024. Wilson now has a much better shot at playing time with a change of scenery in 2024 after being benched in his final season with the Jets, but it doesn't necessarily mean he'll beat out Stidham in training camp. The move to acquire Wilson also won't preclude the Broncos from selecting a QB in this year's draft, possibly as early as the first round.

From RotoBaller

Matt Ryan Apr 22 1:40pm CT
Matt Ryan

Quarterback Matt Ryan officially announced his retirement from professional football on Monday as a member of the Atlanta Falcons, the team that drafted him third overall in 2008 out of Boston College. Ryan spent 14 of his 15 NFL seasons in Atlanta, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2008 and an MVP award in 2016. In his lone trip to the Super Bowl in the same season he won his MVP award, the Falcons blew a 28-3 lead at halftime to lose to the New England Patriots. He made just 12 starts for the Indianapolis Colts in 2022 and threw for 3,057 yards, 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The 38-year-old four-time Pro Bowler ends his career as Atlanta's all-time leader in passing yards (59,735) and passing touchdowns (367). Ryan ranks seventh all-time in passing yards (62,792) and ninth in TD passes (381) as a future Hall of Famer.

From RotoBaller

Mac Jones Apr 22 1:30pm CT
Mac Jones

The New England Patriots are listening and taking calls from teams looking to move up to the No. 3 overall pick in the first round of Thursday's NFL draft. General manager Eliot Wolf is running point on the team's draft, but sources are saying president Jonathan Kraft is heavily involved in the decision-making process. Most people think the Patriots will ultimately stay at No. 3 and take a quarterback of the future after moving on from Mac Jones this offseason. Teams like the Minnesota Vikings, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants and Denver Broncos would be the most likely to trade up to No. 3 to take a QB. If the Patriots stay put and select third overall, whatever rookie signal-caller they take would be competing with veteran Jacoby Brissett for the starting gig under center this fall.

From RotoBaller

Sam Hubbard Apr 22 1:30pm CT
Sam Hubbard

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard (ankle) was held out of two games in 2023 due to a right-ankle injury that required significant offseason surgery. Hubbard said that he had a complete deltoid reconstruction in his ankle and tight-rope procedure to fix his ankle. He said his ankle bothered him as early as training camp, and it became more severe later in the year. Through the first nine weeks of 2023, Hubbard ranked 28th in the NFL in pass-rush win rate as an edge rusher. But when he returned to the field in Week 12 until the end of the season, he ranked 49th out of 54 players in that category. The good news is that the 28-year-old says he'll be ready for training camp this summer. However, it's fair to wonder about how effective he'll be rushing the passer in 2024 after coming off a pretty significant surgery.

From RotoBaller

Levi Wallace Apr 22 1:30pm CT
Levi Wallace

Free-agent cornerback Levi Wallace signed an undisclosed deal with the Denver Broncos on Monday, according to a source. Wallace had six interceptions and 24 passes defended over the last two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He'll give the Broncos some added secondary depth this week just ahead of the start of this year's NFL draft on Thursday evening. The 28-year-old entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Alabama in 2018 with the Buffalo Bills, and he spent the first four seasons of his career in Buffalo before playing for the Steelers the last two years. In his six seasons combined, Wallace has 305 tackles (236 solo), seven tackles for loss, 12 interceptions, 54 passes defended and one fumble recovery in 83 games (70 starts).

From RotoBaller

Rashee Rice Apr 22 1:20pm CT
Rashee Rice

ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is expected to be disciplined by the NFL, resulting in at least a multi-game suspension. Rice is currently facing eight charges after he and another driver of a speeding car allegedly caused a crash involving a half-dozen vehicles in Dallas last month. He turned himself into police last week before being released on bond. The looming suspension for Rice could push the Chiefs, who own the No. 32 pick in this week's NFL draft, to keep a close eye on receivers in the draft. KC would have been expected to look for receiver help even before Rice's off-field troubles. They had the most drops in the league (38) in 2023. Rice was quarterback Patrick Mahomes' favorite target outside of tight end Travis Kelce last year, but his fantasy stock is going to take a hit going into 2024 with a suspension looming.

From RotoBaller

Darren Waller Apr 22 7:33am CT
Darren Waller

Dynasty | Giants tight end Darren Waller is still mulling retirement. Dynasty Analysis: Waller has dealt with a lot of injuries over his career and it seems as if he's really considering calling it quits. The Giants are reportedly giving him a lot of time to consider his options and not forcing a decision, though it's quite certain they'd like to know prior to next week's NFL Draft as his loss could actually make Brock Bowers a consideration with their pick in the top ten. Regardless, it looks like Waller is certainly towards the end of his career and dynasty managers need to start making plans to be without him in the near future, possibly as soon as this year.

Michael Pratt Apr 21 10:10pm CT
Michael Pratt

ESPN New York's Rich Cimini writes that it sounds as if New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas is serious about adding a quarterback on Day 3 of this year's NFL draft, saying he'd love to create "a quarterback factory" like the Green Bay Packers did in the 1990s. The dream is to find a late-round gem, and the Jets hold the final pick in the draft (No. 257 overall). The Jets hosted Tulane's Michael Pratt, Florida State's Jordan Travis and Samford's Michael Hiers, with each QB being a potential Day 3 pick. Kentucky's Devin Leary and Tennessee's Joe Milton III could also be candidates. Douglas hasn't had much luck in his career drafting quarterbacks, either, so it's surely something he'd like to change.

From RotoBaller

Brock Bowers Apr 21 10:00pm CT
Brock Bowers

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers is the odds-on favorite to be taken by the New York Jets with the 10th overall pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night, according to ESPN draft experts. If that happens, it would be the first time in 16 seasons that quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been gifted a first-round pick at receiver or tight end. General manager Joe Douglas referred to Bowers as a "Swiss Army knife." The Jets are also interested in offensive tackles -- Notre Dame's Joe Alt, Oregon State's Taliese Fuaga and Washington's Troy Fautanu are thought to be their top preferences -- but they could take a receiver in the unlikely event one of the top three falls to 10th overall. If the Jets do take Bowers, he could have immediate fantasy value in his rookie year as long as Rodgers stays healthy.

From RotoBaller

Drake Maye Apr 21 9:50pm CT
Drake Maye

ESPN New York's Jordan Ranaan says there's little doubt the New York Giants want to add a quarterback in the upcoming NFL draft. The Giants have had almost all of the top QBs in this year's class in for visits and either had private workouts or the team's most important decision-makers attended their pro days. Multiple general managers think QBs will be taken with each of the top four picks. The Giants have the No. 6 pick. It would be costly for the G-Men to jump into the top five, especially since the thought in league circles is that the Vikings are eyeing a trade up. There is a strong belief by some in the league that North Carolina QB Drake Maye is the Giants' guy. The physical talent is there with Maye, but he's also going to be more of a project than the other top QB options in this year's draft. Sitting a year behind Daniel Jones would be ideal.

From RotoBaller

Mitchell Wilcox Apr 21 9:40pm CT
Mitchell Wilcox

The New England Patriots quietly brought in free-agent tight ends Brycen Hopkins, Sean McKeon and Mitchell Wilcox in for workouts late last week, which could reflect on their desire to add another layer to the tight end depth chart of Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper and La'Michael Pettway. Hopkins has only 13 receptions on 19 targets for 196 yards and no touchdowns in his four NFL seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. McKeon ended the 2023 season on Injured Reserve due to an ankle injury and has only six catches on 11 targets for 38 yards and one touchdown in his four NFL seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. Wilcox has 29 catches on 35 targets for 211 yards and one touchdowns in his three years with the Cincinnati Bengals.

From RotoBaller

Ricky Pearsall Apr 21 9:30pm CT
Ricky Pearsall

New England Patriots director of scouting Eliot Wolf said he doesn't think the team currently has a wide receiver that "can beat the backside coverage every single time." The Patriots are most likely to draft their quarterback of the future with the No. 3 overall pick, but they could pair him with a receiver with their next pick at No. 34 overall. ESPN's Field Yates believes South Carolina's Xavier Legette, Florida State's Keon Coleman or Florida's Ricky Pearsall could all be good fits. Legette caught 71 passes for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns last year and "has some of the best run-after-catch skills in the class," according to Yates. Coleman's size (6-foot-3, 213 pounds) makes him a top red-zone performer. Pearsall caught 65 passes for 965 yards and four touchdowns in 2023.

From RotoBaller