Team news | Page 26

Jaguars placed WR Christian Kirk on the injured reserve list due to his core injury. He’s out a minimum of four weeks.

Related Players: Calvin Ridley, Zay Jones, Evan Engram, Parker Washington

Every piece of the receiving corp seemed to get an increase in usage after Kirk sadly went down after only one route (a catch for 26 yards) on Monday Night Football. Ridley continued to be mostly ineffectual with his usage, while tight end Evan Engram and rookie Parker Washington made the most of their opportunities.
Depending on QB Trevor Lawrence's availability in the upcoming weeks, the tertiary pieces of this offense could continue to shine.

Lamar Jackson (illness) is back at practice today.

Related Players: Tyler Huntley

With a full practice today, and the absence just being due to illness, we shouldn't expect any limitations for Jackson in Week 14.

Packers WR Christian Watson said he does not believe this hamstring injury is as severe as the one that kept him out of the first 3 games of the season. But he doesn’t know if playing Monday night against the Giants is doable.

Related Players: Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks

Watson has been a huge beneficiary of Jordan Love's recent resurgence, catching four touchdowns in the game's last three games. If he were to miss Week 14, the 3-WR set would operate as listed above, with both Doubs and Reed being very strong FLEX options.

Breece Hall and John Franklin-Myers, both with ankle injuries, are not practicing. They’re in the rehab area. This could be a Dalvin Cook week.

Related Players: Dalvin Cook, Israel Abanikanda

Cook already had an extended workload last week and came away with his biggest output of the year -35 yards rushing- to go along with 11 yards receiving. Cook has obviously lost a step from his glory days, but would be a low-end RB2 if Hall misses this upcoming game.

Steelers RB Najee Harris (knee) is expected to play tonight vs. the Patriots,

Related Players: Jaylen Warren

Despite not practicing this week, Harris is expected to suit up, barring a setback. If he's active, he will continue to split the workload with back-mate Jaylen Warren, who may have the larger upside. Both should be considered RB3s ahead of a tough matchup.

Isiah Pacheco will again miss practice today with shoulder injury. Cook, Tranquill, Donovan Smith also not working today

Related Players: Jerick McKinnon, Clyde Edwards-Helaire

Pacheco missing what is, on-paper, a great high-scoring affair would be very upsetting for fantasy managers. If he were to miss, Edwards-Helaire would get a huge boost from fantasy irrelevancy to FLEX option. Jerick McKinnon, if healthy, would be in the same boat, as a great pass-catching option, particularly in PPR leagues.

Coach Brandon Staley, who has previously been firm that Austin Ekeler is the Chargers' top running back despite their rushing struggles, hinted that changes could be coming to the Los Angeles backfield.

"Competition for carries is going to be something that you can see happening," Staley said Wednesday. "We're going to keep exploring, making adjustments, so that we can find that rhythm that I've been talking about. That's certainly one way to do it."

Related Players: Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller

Ekeler has been very inefficient since returning from injury, never topping 70 yards on the ground in the last eight games, and routinely finishing with less than 3.5 yards per carry. The Chargers still have an outside shot at a playoff berth, so a change makes sense.

Ekeler should still be started in fantasy leagues, but a lighter workload should push him out of high-end RB1 considerations.

For the first time since his hamstring injury, Vikings star WR Justin Jefferson was a full participant today at practice. He'll play on Sunday.

Related Players: Jordan Addison, K.J. Osborn

Addison will fall back into FLEX considerations with Jefferson back, but could still produce, depending on how often the Vikings ask Joshua Dobbs to sling it around. Jefferson has to be back in WR1 conversations as one of the best route runners in the NFL.

Eagles’ RB D’Andre Swift was not listed on today’s injury report, and TE Dallas Goedert was a full participant at today’s practice.

Related Players: Kenneth Gainwell, Boston Scott, Jack Stoll, Albert Okwuegbunam

Swift coming off the injury report so early in the week should point towards his typical role within the explosive offense.

Goedert looks to see in-game action for the first time since Week 9, and it comes against a huge divisional game against the Dallas Cowboys. His target share will always be somewhat capped with DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown on the field, but he has notched two huge games for a struggling fantasy position: 8-117-1 in Week 5 and 5-77-1 in Week 7.

Steelers RB Najee Harris (knee) didn't practice for a second consecutive day and is officially listed as questionable for Thursday night vs. the Patriots, who ruled out RB Rhamondre Stevenson.

Related Players: Jaylen Warren, Godwin Igwebuike, Anthony McFarland

Jaylen Warren would be in for a full bellcow workload if Harris were to miss, though the Patriots' run defense has been stout, even with teams sticking to the ground against them. New England ranks third in rushing yards allowed and first in yards per carry (3.2). Regardless, Warren should maintain plenty of passing work to make him a solid RB2 without Najee Harris.