Rookie QB Max Brosmer to start as Vikings visit Sam Darnold, Seahawks

Thu Nov 27 9:52am ET
Field Level Media

The Seattle Seahawks will be facing what amounts to a rookie quarterback when they play host to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Minnesota is all too familiar with the quarterback at the controls of the Seahawks' offense.

J.J. McCarthy, a first-round pick in 2024 who missed all of last season after surgery for a torn meniscus on his knee and several weeks earlier in this campaign with a high ankle sprain, was placed in the concussion protocol following last Sunday's 23-6 loss at Green Bay.

With veteran backup Carson Wentz on injured reserve after shoulder surgery, that means the Vikings (4-7) might have to start undrafted rookie Max Brosmer.

McCarthy was cleared to take part in individual drills in midweek practices but not work out with the full team, Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said.

"As far as a zero hour, I don't necessarily know if we're looking at it like that," O'Connell said. "But you do want to take into account what has (McCarthy's) preparation been like, what has the practice week been like with what he's able to do, while also knowing that ultimately this is not a hand or an ankle or anything like that. We're talking about his head."

Brosmer has attempted eight NFL passes since completing his collegiate career at Minnesota after being a graduate transfer from New Hampshire of the Football Championship Subdivision.

"We have nothing but confidence in him and what he can do as a player," Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson said, "and it'll be a good opportunity for all of us."

Brosmer might be playing behind a rag-tag offensive line. The Vikings had their full complement of starters for the first time all season at Green Bay before left tackle Christian Darrisaw (foot) and left guard Donovan Jackson (ankle) left with injuries. Darrisaw is listed as questionable on Friday's injury report, while Jackson has been ruled out.

The Seahawks (8-3) are coming off a 30-24 victory at Tennessee in which they built a 20-point lead in the third quarter and coasted from there.

Sam Darnold, who signed with the Seahawks in the offseason after resurrecting his career in Minnesota last year, completed 16 of 26 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns.

Both TDs went to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had eight catches for a season-high 167 yards.

Smith-Njibga leads the NFL in receiving yards with 1,313 and already has eclipsed the franchise record. With six games remaining, he could become the NFL's first 2,000-yard receiver.

"It means a lot," Smith-Njigba said of the team record. "This is a great organization, and great receivers have come through here. Honestly, I look at it as a team award, because, without Sam (Darnold), without the protection, without (fellow wideouts) Sheed (Rashid Shaheed) and Coop (Cooper Kupp), this doesn't happen."

Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV, who missed last week's game with a knee injury, was a full participant in practice this week, while running back George Holani (hamstring), linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (ankle) and safety Ty Okada (oblique) sat out. Holani has been ruled out, Okada questionable, while Jones and Nwosu have no injury designations on the final report.

With Jones, the Seahawks' defensive play-caller, sidelined, Patrick O'Connell was promoted from the practice squad and made a career-high nine tackles with a sack.

"Whoever it is, whatever number it is, whatever guy it is, when they are being called on and it's their time to go, they've been ready," Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas said. "So, credit to the guys that we have and the leadership really to get everybody ready to go for their moment."

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The Paur Report

Five Fantasy Takeaways: Week 13

Player Notes
Gunnar Helm Dec 2 2:10pm CT
Gunnar Helm

Tennessee Titans rookie tight end Gunnar Helm led the team in targets for a second straight game in Sunday's loss to the Jaguars. While his six catches on seven targets totaled only 23 yards, he has recently become a primary option in a Titans' passing game with no clear Alpha. His 12 receptions over the past two weeks trail only Trey McBride at the tight end position and are second only to Ashton Jeanty amongst all rookies. With favorable matchups in two out of three fantasy playoff games, Helm is a readily available waiver option that can be used as part of a streaming committee down the stretch, particularly in full-PPR leagues.

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Greg Dortch Dec 2 2:00pm CT
Greg Dortch

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Greg Dortch returned to Earth on Sunday after back-to-back games in which he caught at least six passes for over 50 yards and a score. Not coincidentally, these games coincided with the two-game absence of Marvin Harrison Jr. following the second-year wideout's emergency appendectomy. With Harrison back in the lineup for a Week 13 loss to the Buccaneers, Dortch caught only two passes for 14 yards. However, Harrison finished the game with a heel injury that now threatens to sideline him yet again. Fantasy managers need to monitor Arizona's injury report heading into their Week 14 matchup with the Rams, but should Harrison miss any time, Dortch enters back into the flex conversation, while Michael Wilson slots back in as the WR1 in a fantasy-friendly Cardinals offense.

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Dawson Knox Dec 2 1:50pm CT
Dawson Knox

Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox was on the field for 53 offensive snaps in Sunday's win over the Steelers, a team-high amongst all non-QB skill position players. His four targets also tied for the team lead on a day in which Josh Allen attempted only 23 total passes. Unfortunately, Knox finished the day with only three catches for 28 yards. He has not scored a touchdown since Week 6, and despite playing the past three games with a combination of a benched Keon Coleman and an injured Dalton Kincaid, he has averaged 2.3 receptions for 22.7 yards. With Kincaid able to return to practice on a limited basis last week, there is an expectation that he could be back for the Bills' Week 14 matchup with the Bengals, officially closing the window on any streaming consideration for Knox.

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Samaje Perine Dec 2 1:40pm CT
Samaje Perine

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine returned to action on Thanksgiving after missing two games with an ankle injury, and he was given his largest workload of the season, carrying the ball 14 times and earning an additional two targets. While he ended the day with only 54 total yards and a fumble, his role in a rare positive game script against the Ravens was notable. With Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Burrow back under center and looking like himself following a nine-game absence, the salting away of late leads could become more commonplace for Cincinnati. While Perine's standalone value is likely not enough to warrant flex consideration, he is a trusted veteran who can handle a heavy workload and would become a must-start should Chase Brown miss any time down the stretch.

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Dontayvion Wicks Dec 2 1:40pm CT
Dontayvion Wicks

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks is fresh off a Thanksgiving game in Week 13, where he was the WR3 for fantasy. Wicks put up his best game of the season, notching 94 yards on six receptions while bringing in two touchdowns in their win over the Lions. The Packers' pass-catching carousel seems to turn and turn, featuring different wide receivers heading up their production throughout the season. While Wicks has been on the field much more in recent weeks, a logjam is coming soon. Jayden Reed is poised to return to the Packers' lineup soon, as is Matthew Golden. Christian Watson has been excellent over the past several weeks, and Romeo Doubs remains a constant as well. Unfortunately, Wicks' Week 13 performance is likely the exception rather than the rule. Those in deep fantasy leagues may find Wicks useful as a flex option in the Packers' Week 14 game against Chicago, but typical 12-team formats may have more consistent fantasy options than Wicks this week.

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Romeo Doubs Dec 2 1:40pm CT
Romeo Doubs

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs had an excellent stretch of fantasy viability from Week 4 to Week 9, with three games among the top-25 wide receivers. From Week 10 to now, Doubs has disappointed fantasy managers with lackluster production. He's averaged just 6.8 fantasy points per game in the four-game stretch starting in Week 10, and is averaging three receptions and 25 yards per game. Doubs has taken a backseat to not just the running game, but also Christian Watson, who has exceeded Doubs' production in recent weeks. With the impending return of Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden into the Packers' wide receiver rotation, Doubs' production could be a bit more sporadic. Against the Chicago Bears in Week 14, Doubs is still a low-end flex option, but one that's much harder to trust than in the middle of the season.

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Omarion Hampton Dec 2 1:30pm CT
Omarion Hampton

Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) is likely to return in Week 14 against the Philadelphia Eagles, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. Hampton is expected to return to action on Monday night after missing the last seven games with a fracture in his ankle. The rookie first-rounder was listed as a limited participant every day in practice last week before ultimately being ruled out against the Las Vegas Raiders. The rookie could be eased back into action after missing a significant amount of time. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman indicated that Hampton and second-year back Kimani Vidal could operate in a timeshare upon his return, which creates some uncertainty for his fantasy value in what will be a tough first matchup back against the Eagles. Hampton should still operate as the lead back, but it may not be in the workhorse role right away like we saw before his injury.

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Tyrone Tracy Jr. Dec 2 1:20pm CT
Tyrone Tracy Jr.

New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (hip) was carted off the field during the fourth quarter of Monday's blowout loss to the Patriots, but on Tuesday, the second-year back told reporters it was merely a hip contusion/stinger and that he is fine. Despite missing two games earlier this season with a shoulder injury, Tracy leads a banged-up Giants offense in rush attempts and yards, and had been enjoying his most productive three-game stretch of the season heading into Monday night. The Giants now face a Week 14 bye, so fantasy managers will need to wait an additional week for any official injury reports, but if healthy for Week 15, Tracy remains a low-ceiling flex candidate for the fantasy playoffs.

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Treylon Burks Dec 2 1:10pm CT
Treylon Burks

Washington Commanders wide receiver Treylon Burks returned in Week 13 against the Denver Broncos and delivered one of the highlight catches of the season. Burks hauled in a twisting, one-handed catch for a five-yard touchdown with the same hand that he had surgery on just two weeks ago, which forced him to miss Week 11 against the Miami Dolphins. It ended up being the 25-year-old's only reception of the night on four targets, but it was a memorable one. Burks played a season-high 65.6% of the snaps against Denver and has made an impact in the three games he's played for the Commanders, recording five catches for 77 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. The former first-round pick in 2022 should continue to see his opportunities increase as he settles into the offense, but with top wideout Terry McLaurin back from injury, Burks still has more to prove before being considered as a legitimate fantasy football option.

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Brock Wright Dec 2 12:50pm CT
Brock Wright

Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright (neck) was a non-participant during Tuesday's practice session, according to Ben Raven of MLive.com. Wright remains out of practice for the second straight day and looks unlikely to suit up on Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys. The 27-year-old is reportedly dealing with a trachea injury and could potentially be sidelined for the remainder of the season. Wright was the next man up for the Lions at tight end with Sam LaPorta (back) on Injured Reserve. Ross Dwelley is expected to be the team's top tight end moving forward after playing 75% of the snaps on Thanksgiving Day against the Green Bay Packers, with Anthony Firkser likely to mix in as well. Fantasy managers are better off steering clear of Detroit when looking for a tight end option this week.

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Jameson Williams Dec 2 12:40pm CT
Jameson Williams

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell spoke highly of wide receiver Jameson Williams on Tuesday, praising his continued growth in the offense. "He's really growing. He just continues to grow and get better," said Campbell. Williams is ready to take on a larger role in the Lions' offense as the team deals with multiple injuries to their skill players, with Amon-Ra St. Brown (knee) and Kalif Raymond (calf) both expected to miss time with injuries, and tight end Sam LaPorta (back) on Injured Reserve. The 24-year-old took advantage of St. Brown leaving early against the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving Day last Thursday, recording seven receptions for 144 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. Williams should be expected to lead the Lions in targets again on Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys if St. Brown is ultimately ruled out.

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Kalif Raymond Dec 2 12:30pm CT
Kalif Raymond

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that wide receiver Kalif Raymond (calf) is not expected to play on Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys, according to Ben Raven of MLive.com. Raymond suffered an ankle injury during the Lions' Week 12 overtime win over the New York Giants and didn't suit up against the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving Day last Thursday. The 31-year-old wideout was a non-participant in Monday's practice session, and he's expected to miss his second consecutive game. Detroit is dealing with multiple injuries to its skill position group, with Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle) also expected to miss time and tight end Sam LaPorta (back) on Injured Reserve. Rookie receiver Isaac TeSlaa should have more opportunities on Thursday night with Raymond and St. Brown sidelined, and he's made plays this season with three touchdowns on six receptions.

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Jaleel McLaughlin Dec 2 12:00pm CT
Jaleel McLaughlin

For the second straight game in Sunday night's overtime win over the Washington Commanders, Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin served as the team's No. 2 RB with J.K. Dobbins (foot) out for the year. McLaughlin played only 19% of the offensive snaps and had seven total touches for the second straight game. His six rushing attempts (24 yards) were second on the team behind rookie RJ Harvey's 13 carries (35 yards). Harvey wasn't efficient (2.7 yards per tote), but he found the end zone twice. Although McLaughlin's snap count was his highest of the year, he was outsnapped by Harvey, Tyler Badie, and Adam Prentice. Before Denver's Week 12 bye, McLaughlin had six carries for 19 yards and his first touchdown of the year in the Week 11 win over the Chiefs. The 25-year-old's limited usage is likely to continue going into a Week 14 divisional clash with the Raiders, making him only a deep-league stash for RB depth. McLaughlin is currently rostered in only 2% of Yahoo leagues.

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Amon-Ra St. Brown Dec 2 12:00pm CT
Amon-Ra St. Brown

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle) is doing better, but he doesn't expect him to practice on Tuesday. "I know this, if he can play, he'll play," Campbell said. St. Brown was unable to practice on Monday and is trending toward being unavailable this Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys after he suffered a low-ankle sprain in the Thanksgiving Day loss to the Green Bay Packers last Thursday. The 26-year-old is going to need to return to practice on Wednesday to have a shot to play in Week 14, but as of right now, fantasy managers shouldn't be expecting him to play. Jameson Williams went off with a huge game last week against the Packers after St. Brown was injured early in the second half, and rookie Isaac TeSlaa also saw a season-high in usage while finding the end zone.

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Quentin Lake Dec 2 11:50am CT
Quentin Lake

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said on Monday that he doesn't know if it's "realistic" for safety Quentin Lake (elbow) to be back before the playoffs, according to Cameron DaSilva of Rams Wire. Lake was placed on Injured Reserve after suffering an elbow injury in the Week 11 win over the Seattle Seahawks. The 26-year-old needed surgery on his elbow. It's a big blow for the Rams' secondary, as Lake was a captain who played every snap and could line up anywhere on the field. Lake's injury means that the Rams will be forced to use Cobie Durant in the slot more, with Josh Wallace seeing more snaps in a rotational role. Lake's absence was certainly felt in the Week 13 loss to the Carolina Panthers, as they rushed for 164 yards on 40 carries. The Rams' defense/special teams will have a great chance to rebound this weekend, though, against the division-rival Arizona Cardinals.

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Malik Davis Dec 2 11:40am CT
Malik Davis

Dallas Cowboys running back Malik Davis is a player on the rise as the backup RB in Dallas. The 27-year-old has taken on a bigger role behind Javonte Williams in recent weeks, with rookie fifth-rounder Jaydon Blue being a healthy scratch for the last four games. Davis has had at least three carries for the Cowboys in the last three games, and he ran for a season-high 47 yards and his first touchdown of 2025 in the Thanksgiving Day win over the Kansas City Chiefs last Thursday. Williams is still the team's unquestioned workhorse back, though, which means Davis is going to continue to see scraps out of the backfield as the team heads into a Week 14 tilt on Thursday night against the Detroit Lions. Davis is not rostered in any Yahoo leagues at the moment, but fantasy managers who have Williams might want to consider handcuffing him to Davis to close out the year.

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AJ Barner Dec 2 11:30am CT
AJ Barner

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner led the team in receiving in their 26-0 shutout victory over the visiting Minnesota Vikings in Week 13. However, on a day in which Seattle's offense took the air out of the ball, Barner only had 35 receiving yards on four receptions (five targets). The 23-year-old has been the team's top pass-catching tight end in his second year in the NFL, hauling in 37 of his 46 targets for 359 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games. Barner had his best performance of 2025 several weeks ago in the loss to the Los Angeles Rams, setting season highs in catches (10), targets (11), and receiving yards (70). In the two games since, he has six catches on nine targets for 53 yards. Barner will be in the TE2 streaming conversation for the rest of the year, but he hasn't scored since Week 5 and will get a Falcons defense in Week 14 that is allowing the second-fewest half-PPR points per game to tight ends.

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Isaiah Likely Dec 2 11:10am CT
Isaiah Likely

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely posted his most productive performance of the season in Week 13, recording five catches for 95 yards on six targets against the Cincinnati Bengals. However, the 25-year-old was also responsible for one of the turning points in the game when he coughed up a fumble as he was crossing the goal line, turning a touchdown into a touchback. Still, Likely's increased involvement is a positive sign for fantasy managers. Although he's failed to find the end zone so far this season, Likely recorded six touchdowns on 58 targets across 16 games in 2024 and has shown stretches of red zone chemistry with Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson throughout his career. The presence of tight ends Mark Andrews and Charlie Kolar in Baltimore limits Likely's upside, as he's played fewer than 60% of the team's offensive snaps in six straight games heading into his Week 14 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, in deep fantasy leagues, Likely may be worth stashing off the waiver wire in case an injury to Andrews opens up a significant playing time opportunity in Baltimore.

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Elijah Moore Dec 2 10:50am CT
Elijah Moore

The Denver Broncos are signing veteran wide receiver Elijah Moore to their practice squad, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Moore was released by the Buffalo Bills in late November. Across nine games with Buffalo this season, the 25-year-old recorded nine catches for 112 yards on 17 targets. Moore posted consecutive 100-plus target seasons in 2023 and 2024 with the Cleveland Browns, but he was never able to gain much traction with the Bills. He'll now get his next opportunity with the Broncos, but Denver's crowded wide receiver room may make it difficult for Moore to make an impact. Broncos wideouts Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant, and Marvin Mims Jr. all played at least 33% of the team's offensive snaps in the team's Week 13 win over the Washington Commanders. Unless there's an injury in Denver, Moore should likely remain off the radar of fantasy managers.

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Blake Grupe Dec 2 10:40am CT
Blake Grupe

The Indianapolis Colts are hosting kicker workouts on Tuesday, and former New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe is one of the players invited, according to Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. The Colts lost kicker Spencer Shrader (knee) to a season-ending knee injury in Week 3 and have been relying on replacement kicker Michael Badgley ever since. While Badgley has made 10 of his 11 field goal attempts with Indianapolis, it appears the team may be looking to go in a different direction. Grupe was released by the New Orleans Saints in late November. He struggled in 11 games for New Orleans this season, converting on just 18 of 26 field goal attempts. However, Grupe has made 15 field goals from 50-plus yards across 45 career NFL games, while Badgley has made just seven across 71 career games. Badgley's lack of deep range may be why the Colts are looking to make a switch.

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