Thu Nov 27 8:50am ET
Field Level Media
Hold the coronation of the Indianapolis Colts. The two-time defending AFC South champions might have something to say in the matter.
Houston hits Indiana's capital city with a three-game winning streak and a healthy quarterback, momentum the Texans plot to put to good use in closing the gap in the division. The Colts (8-3) are back in their comfort zone in Indianapolis on Sunday with two losses -- at Pittsburgh and at Kansas City -- that dented their lofty conference standing following a 7-1 start.
The Texans (6-5) have taken three consecutive meetings from the Colts by a combined nine points. Houston began the season 0-3, but has its season back on track thanks to a toothy defense.
Now C.J. Stroud will join the party. The star quarterback and his teammate, nickelback Jalen Pitre, cleared concussion protocol on Friday and are set to play in this pivotal game.
Stroud was a full participant in Wednesday's practice. Barring a setback before Sunday, he'll be on the field for a fifth time opposite Indianapolis. Stroud is 3-1 in four games against the Colts.
"Picking up where we left off," Texans wide receiver Nico Collins said Wednesday after Stroud returned to the lead of the QB rotation at practice. "Going out there and being himself. He looked good out there. Excited to get back."
With Stroud out, the Texans took down Buffalo (23-19), Tennessee (16-13) and Jacksonville (36-29) the past three weeks with backup Davis Mills at quarterback. Even with the November to remember in progress for Houston, the Jaguars (7-4) separate the Colts and Texans in the South standings. Indianapolis, which last won the division in 2014 behind third-year quarterback Andrew Luck, is in Jacksonville next week.
The Sunday game will be the first of two meetings between the Texans and Colts, who also square off in the regular-season finale Jan. 4 in Houston.
The Texans lead the NFL in total defense (264.3 yards per game) and rank second in scoring defense (16.5 points per game). But Buffalo averaged 4.9 yards per carry and rushed for 143 yards last week, when Bills quarterback Josh Allen completed 70.5% of his passes but was sacked eight times.
Ryans said the Bills went away from the script most teams follow to block the Texans' attacking front seven with a seven-man blocking scheme -- incorporating multiple tight ends or a fullback -- and rolled the dice with one-on-one matchups across the field.
This is the first look for Ryans and the Texans at the Daniel Jones-led Indianapolis offense, one with a functional run-pass option foundation designed to isolate second-level defenders and freeze linemen committed to contain. The former Giants first-round pick supplanted the purported QB of the future -- Anthony Richardson, drafted two picks after Stroud in 2023 -- and has accounted for 22 of the Colts' 40 touchdowns this season. He also has 10 turnovers in 11 games.
Even at home, it's a high-stakes, high-pressure environment for Jones against the Houston edge rushing duo of defensive ends Danielle Hunter (11 sacks) and Will Anderson Jr. (10.5), the player drafted between Stroud and Richardson. Hunter and Anderson are the first pair of teammates with 10-plus sacks in the first 11 games of a season since 2019.
Jones (fibula) was limited Wednesday and practiced fully Thursday and Friday. NFL Network reported that Jones has a broken fibula, but head coach Shane Steichen said he's "good to go." He'll need protection from his offensive line.
"We have a lot of confidence and trust in our guys up front, our tackles," Jones said. "Regardless of who you've got, you try to chip them, you try to help when you can. It's my job to get the ball out on time."
None of the Texans are asking for an introduction to MVP candidate Jonathan Taylor, Jones' partner in the Colts' backfield. He leads the NFL with 17 touchdowns (15 rushing scores) and has produced big numbers in eight career matchups with Houston: 1,067 total yards (133.4 per game) and 10 TDs (nine rushing). He registered the NFL's fastest speed on a scoring play this season -- touching 22.38 mph on a 43-yard reception in Week 2 -- per Next Gen Stats.
"They have smart players. But they have athletic players," Taylor said. "If we let that front run wild, it's going to be a long Sunday."
Taylor is running for history on Sunday.
With two TDs he can become the fifth running back in NFL history to reach 75 touchdowns from scrimmage -- non-passing TDs -- in fewer than 80 games. The others to accomplish the feat: Jim Brown and LaDainian Tomlinson (both 72 games), Emmitt Smith (77) and Todd Gurley (78).
The Texans ruled out linebacker Jamal Hill and cornerback Ajani Carter, both with hamstring injuries. The Colts had just one player ruled out, linebacker Jaylon Charles (ankle).
Colts cornerback Charvarius Ward, who just returned last week after missing five games while in concussion protocol, reappeared on Friday's injury report (groin) as a limited participant.
Value Picks: Week 13
Indianapolis Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner (calf) was forced to exit early from his team's Week 13 loss to the Houston Texans after suffering a calf strain. Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reports that Gardner's injury has "been described as a mild calf strain" and that it will "likely sideline him for a couple of weeks." Gardner's injury initially looked as though it could be potentially season-ending, so the diagnosis is a positive one overall. Still, Indianapolis has lost three out of its last four games and may now be without its star cornerback for crucial games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Seattle Seahawks over the next two weeks. Entering Week 13, Pro Football Focus had graded Gardner as the 12th-best corner in the NFL out of 108 qualified players at the position for his work this season. If all goes according to plan, it appears Gardner may be on track to return in Week 16 against the San Francisco 49ers.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride continued his run of dominant play in Week 13 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, recording eight catches for 82 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. The 26-year-old has now hauled in 88 receptions for 879 yards and eight touchdowns on 118 targets across 12 games played this season. McBride's numbers have been particularly eye-popping since quarterback Jacoby Brissett took over for the injured Kyler Murray (foot) in Arizona. Across Brissett's seven starts, McBride is averaging 8.4 receptions and 86.3 receiving yards on 10.9 targets per game. He's also scored seven touchdowns in that span. As long as McBride remains healthy, he profiles as the number one tight end in fantasy football. Arizona will host the Los Angeles Rams in Week 14.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins bounced back from his quiet game in Week 12 with a monster showing in his team's Week 13 win over the Indianapolis Colts. The 26-year-old hauled in five catches for 98 yards on 10 targets and also recorded a seven-yard rushing touchdown. Collins has now hauled in 57 catches for 795 yards and four touchdowns on 95 targets across 11 games this season. Dating back to Week 7, Collins has earned double-digit targets in five out of his last six games played. He clearly has the full trust of Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, who returned in Week 13 after missing two games with a concussion. Houston has also played much better football overall in the second half of the season, as they have now won four consecutive games. Collins profiles as a must-start fantasy wide receiver heading into a critical Week 14 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Devaughn Vele had a breakout game in his team's Week 13 loss to the Miami Dolphins, recording eight catches for 93 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. Vele was acquired by New Orleans from the Denver Broncos before the start of the 2025 season. He spent most of the early portion of the year buried on the team's depth chart, recording just five targets over his first six games. However, New Orleans traded away wideout Rashid Shaheed at the trade deadline and released veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks in late November. In recent weeks, Vele appears to be ascending into his team's WR2 role alongside Chris Olave. He's now recorded 23 targets over his last five games, including consecutive weeks with at least seven targets. Given his emergent role in New Orleans, Vele could be worth a look on the waiver wire in deeper fantasy leagues heading into a Week 14 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers was one of the lone bright spots from his team's 31-14 Week 13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, hauling in four catches for 63 yards and two touchdowns on four targets. The 22-year-old has now recorded 49 receptions for 573 yards and five scores on 68 targets across nine games this season. In the team's first game with Greg Olson calling plays instead of Chip Kelly, Raiders quarterback Geno Smith attempted just 23 passes, his fewest in a game since Week 7. The diminished pass volume is a big reason why Bowers saw just four targets, which is his second-fewest in any game this season. However, Las Vegas ran for just 31 yards against Los Angeles, so they may be forced to turn to the air more frequently in the coming weeks. As long as Bowers stays healthy, he profiles as a must-start tight end heading into his Week 14 matchup against the Denver Broncos.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (hand) could be in jeopardy of missing some time after suffering an injury on Sunday. According to Adam Schefter, Herbert suffered a fractured left hand during the Week 13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The team is uncertain if Herbert is going to miss any action right now. The 27-year-old is set to undergo surgery on Monday, so the team will give a better timetable throughout the week. Herbert completed 15-of-20 passing attempts for 151 yards with two touchdowns and one interception during Sunday's win. However, this could be the last time fantasy managers get to use Herbert with the playoffs looming. At the moment, Trey Lance is the backup, so he figures to start if Herbert sits out during the Week 14 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Fantasy managers will need to check back throughout the week for more updates on his status.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal bounced back in a big way during Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders. In Week 11, Vidal posted a season-low 13 yards in the loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 24-year-old came ready to play out of the bye week this weekend. His biggest play of the game came in the third quarter when he rushed 59 yards for a score to give his team the lead. Vidal ended this game with a season-high 126 rushing yards on 25 attempts with one touchdown in the win. It remains to be seen how the workload is going to be split up once Omarion Hampton (ankle) returns to the mix. Fantasy managers will need to check back throughout the week to see how that situation shakes out ahead of Week 14.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane came ready to play during Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. He started off the game with a 29-yard touchdown run on the opening drive. Achane continued to run over the Saints defense all game long. He finished the game with 134 rushing yards on 22 attempts with one touchdown in the win. He failed to haul in a reception for the first time this season, but that didn't seem to impact his fantasy value. Achane has rushed for over 100 yards in each of his last three games. He'll look to keep that streak alive against the New York Jets in Week 14.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison ended Sunday's shutout loss at Seattle with five catches for 36 yards on a team-best 10 targets. At the end of the day, it was yet another horrific showing from the Minnesota offense, which started undrafted rookie Max Brosmer at quarterback. The rookie threw four interceptions, including one for a touchdown, as the Vikings were shut out for the first time since 2007. Addison, for his part, had multiple drops but cobbled together a few late catches from a day in which the Vikings gained only 162 yards. Addison may see another quarterback change next week if J.J. McCarthy (concussion) can return, though managers can't be faulted for not trusting the Vikings' offense ahead of a Week 14 game against Washington.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson led the team in receiving by catching all six targets for 59 yards in a 26-0 loss Sunday in Seattle. The veteran tight end was one of the very few bright spots for Minnesota, which turned over the ball five times and gained 162 total yards with undrafted rookie Max Brosmer starting at quarterback. Minnesota has now lost four straight games during which it has scored only 42 total points. The Vikings could see another change at quarterback if starter J.J. McCarthy (concussion) is deemed fit to play, but it's becoming increasingly difficult to trust anything about this offense ahead of a Week 14 game against Washington.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders rookie wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. (concussion) has been ruled out for the rest of Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Thornton was forced to make an exit in the fourth quarter due to a head injury. The Raiders have ruled out Thornton for the rest of the game due to a possible concussion. Before exiting, Thornton hauled in one of his two targets for 11 yards. His absence should mean more snaps for Jack Bech and Alex Bachman down the final stretch of this game.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer had a forgettable first NFL start, throwing four interceptions in a disastrous 26-0 loss at Seattle. The undrafted rookie on the road against one of the NFL's top defenses went as expected, as Brosmer finished 19-for-30 passing for 126 yards and threw an awful pick-six in the first half that gave Seattle a double-digit lead it held for the rest of the day. From a fantasy perspective, playing Brosmer was a huge risk that came up totally empty. Star receiver Justin Jefferson finished with two catches and four yards receiving, while the offense gained only 162 total yards. Whether Brosmer plays again will be determined by starter J.J. McCarthy (concussion), who would need to clear protocol to return for a Week 14 game against Washington.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard hasn't given fantasy managers much value outside of the first few weeks of the season. That changed this weekend as Hubbard posted a strong performance against the Los Angeles Rams. Hubbard took a screen pass for a 35-yard touchdown in the first quarter. The 26-year-old continued having success throughout the game as tied his season-high with 17 rushing attempts. Hubbard rushed for a season-high 83 yards on those 17 attempts, while hauling in two receptions for 41 yards and one score in the win. This was a nice performance from Hubbard, but he continues to split up the backfield duties with Rico Dowdle who saw 18 carries on Sunday. We'll see where Hubbard is placed on the depth chart after the team comes out of their bye week in Week 15.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett posted another strong performance during Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brissett continues to look impressive under center with his third straight game with over 300 passing yards. The 32-year-old completed 29-of-40 passing attempts for 301 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the loss. Brissett had a chance to take his team down the field for a game-tying score, but was unable to succeed. It seems highly unlikely that Kyler Murray (foot) is going to be back next week. Given his success, Brissett should be under center once again versus the Los Angeles Rams next weekend.
From RotoBaller
Playing alongside an undrafted rookie at quarterback, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson caught just two of six targets for four yards in a 26-0 loss on Sunday at Seattle. Jefferson had negative receiving yardage until late in the fourth quarter as Minnesota looked woeful yet again, this time behind first-time starting quarterback Max Brosmer. The rookie tossed four interceptions, including one for a touchdown, as Minnesota gained only 162 total yards on the day. The Vikings have scored just 42 total points the past four weeks, making the prospect of starting any player on this offense -- even one as good as Jefferson -- a tough sell at the moment. Minnesota will return home to play Washington in Week 14.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams somehow was able to almost match his epic two-touchdown performance from last week. The 32-year-old continued his dominance by hauling in a four-yard touchdown in the first quarter. It didn't take him long as he scored his second touchdown of the game with a seven-yard score in the second quarter. This is now back-to-back two-touchdown games for Adams, who leads the league with 14 touchdowns this season. He finished this game with four receptions for 58 yards and two scores in the loss to the Carolina Panthers. Adams will look to extend his six-game touchdown streak against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. (shoulder) is currently listed as questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks. Jones landed awkwardly on his shoulder during a three-yard catch in the third quarter. This is not good news, considering Jones was on the injury report with a shoulder issue. Given the box score, Jones is unlikely to return with this game being a blowout. Jordan Mason would see increased chances if Jones is unable to play. If he doesn't return, Jones will finish with six rushing attempts for three yards, while hauling in four passes for 22 additional yards through the air.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets quarterback Tyrod Taylor made his second straight start versus the Atlanta Falcons in Week 13. Taylor was held in check during the first half with less than 40 passing yards at half. The 36-year-old was able to turn it around in the second half, which included a 52-yard touchdown to Adonai Mitchell. Taylor led his team down the field and scored a game-tying touchdown with under a minute remaining. After that, Taylor was able to get the Jets offense in position for a field goal to win the game. He completed 19-of-33 passing attempts for 172 yards with one touchdown. Taylor also rushed the ball eight times for 44 yards and an additional touchdown on the ground. Given his success, Taylor figures to remain the starter for next week's matchup against the Miami Dolphins.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Jakobi Meyers continued his recent success with another solid performance during Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans. It was unclear if Meyers' role in the offense could be reduced with Brian Thomas Jr. back in the mix this weekend. Clearly not, Meyers hauled in all six of his targets for 90 yards and scored a touchdown in the win. Over the last three games, Meyers has finished with 50 receiving yards or more and scored two touchdowns. He'll remain fantasy relevant for next week's matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence did a much better job of securing the football during Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans. Last week, Lawrence threw three interceptions in what ended up being a win over the Arizona Cardinals. Lawrence avoided the same mistakes this weekend as he completed 16-of-27 passing attempts for 229 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions in the win. This marked the first time since Week 7 that Lawrence has gotten through a game without an interception. He has five touchdowns over his last two games and will look to keep the good times rolling in a tough divisional matchup against the Indianapolis Colts next week.
From RotoBaller