Thu Nov 27 11:06am ET
Field Level Media
Two teams coming out of their bye week in opposite directions meet in prime time on Sunday when the Denver Broncos visit the Washington Commanders in Landover, Md.
Denver (9-2) has won eight straight and holds the second seed in the AFC behind the New England Patriots (10-2) and ahead of the Indianapolis Colts (8-3).
The Broncos play the Commanders and Raiders before finishing with a difficult four-game stretch that includes the Packers, Jaguars, Chiefs and Chargers.
Wide receiver Troy Franklin said Denver is taking a week-by-week approach.
"If you get too far ahead of yourself, things can possibly fall apart," Franklin said. "So, you've just got to be where your feet are and everything else will just take care of itself."
Washington (3-8) has dropped six straight games, including a 16-13 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins before its bye.
For Denver, coming off a 22-19 win against Kansas City, coach Sean Payton would like to see improvement in two areas.
"The penalties stand out if you said, 'What's the low-hanging fruit that you have to clean up to improve your chances of getting the best possible seed?'" Payton said. "Then, secondly, is harping on the plus-minus turnover (margin), giveaway-takeaway. We (were plus-one) last week, and that meant a lot."
Denver has committed a league-high 93 penalties for 883 yards, and is minus-3 in turnover ratio, with only nine takeaways.
Offensively the teams are not far apart statistically. The Broncos are 14th in the league on offense, averaging 335.3 yards per game, and the Commanders are ranked 17th with 330.2 yards.
The disparity is greater on defense. Denver boasts the third-toughest defense to gain yards and score against, allowing 274.4 yards and 17.5 points per game. Washington is allowing 387.0 yards (31st) and 26.9 points (28th).
"I liked the intensity that I saw, especially down in some of the red zone stuff," coach Dan Quinn said of the defense against Miami. "I liked the communication to limit the explosive plays. That's a few of the things I want to see. And heading into this game that's going to be an important piece for us, to make sure ... right spot, right location, really nailing your job not most of the time, every time."
Kicker Jake Moody, signed off the Bears' practice squad, will make his Commanders debut. Washington released Matt Gay after he missed two field goals (51 and 56 yards) against Miami. He had made only 4 of 9 kicks from 50-plus yards.
Washington may soon get some injured players back. Jayden Daniels (elbow) returned to practice Wednesday, although fellow quarterback Marcus Mariota will make his sixth start on Sunday.
Commanders safety Will Harris (ankle) could return for the first time since he was injured in Week 3. Wide receiver Noah Brown (groin/knee) is out, but Terry McLaurin (quad) will be in action for only the second time in nine games.
Washington ruled out defensive end Drake Jackson (knee).
For the Broncos, inside linebacker Alex Singleton (illness) and cornerback Pat Surtain (pec) are expected to be back in action. Singleton missed one game after undergoing successful testicular cancer surgery, and Surtain missed three games.
Denver will be without tight end Nate Adkins (knee), while linebacker Jonah Elliss (hamstring) was listed as questionable.
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.
From RotoBaller
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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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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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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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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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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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy went 16-for-29 for 168 yards and one touchdown in the team's 26-8 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 13. Purdy's production reached season lows in completions, completion rate, and passing yards, but it was enough to finish as a top-12 quarterback in fantasy. Despite Purdy's mediocre stat line, it was an improvement over his performance against the Panthers, when he threw three interceptions and completed just one pass of 10 air yards or more. Against Cleveland, Purdy managed to complete six of his 11 such pass attempts, including a 30-yard bomb to George Kittle that set up a chip-shot field goal for Matt Gay at the end of the first half. San Francisco is on bye in Week 14, but it has favorable matchups in the fantasy football playoffs with meetings against the Titans in Week 15 and the Bears in Week 17.
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San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said he is "not sure" but "hopeful" when asked if it's realistic to expect wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) to take the field in 2025, per David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. Aiyuk tore multiple ligaments in his knee in Week 7 of the 2024 season and has yet to play in a game since. Aiyuk was one of the most efficient wide receivers in the NFL in the last full season he played back in 2023, recording 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns on 105 targets. However, it appears as though he may not be healthy until 2026. Aiyuk also may be locked into a contract stand-off with the team, as the 49ers reportedly voided guarantees in his current contract. Between the injury and the contractual issues, fantasy managers should likely proceed as though Aiyuk will not play a fantasy-relevant role in 2025.
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Across 12 games this season, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has completed 67.2% of his pass attempts for 2,280 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. While the 27-year-old's numbers do not jump off the page, Miami has played its best football in recent weeks, winning three straight games and four out of its last five heading into Week 14. Tagovailoa should have an opportunity to post solid numbers in a favorable matchup in Week 14 against the New York Jets. In his first matchup against New York back in Week 4, Tagovailoa threw for 177 yards and two touchdowns. His lack of rushing ability limits his fantasy upside. However, in deeper fantasy leagues or two-quarterback formats, Tagovailoa could be a solid streaming option off the waiver wire in Week 14.
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Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has had an up-and-down fantasy season so far through 12 games, but he has played decently in recent weeks. Since Week 9, Lawrence has completed 61.6% of his passes for 1,016 yards, seven touchdowns, and six interceptions while adding 27 carries for 122 yards and three touchdowns as a runner. The 26-year-old is averaging 18.6 fantasy points per game during that time, ranking as the QB10. He's adding more value as a runner this season, and his five rushing scores have already matched a career high. Lawrence is still frustrating at times and is one of the more turnover-prone quarterbacks in the league, but he's been a useful player in fantasy for roughly a month now. He's in play as a potential streamer in Week 14 against an Indianapolis Colts defense that will be without top cornerback Sauce Gardner (calf).
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New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte scored his team-leading sixth touchdown of the season in Monday night's win over the New York Giants. Boutte has been an impactful player for New England in his third season, leading the league with 12.7 yards per target. When healthy, the 23-year-old has operated as one of the Patriots' starting wide receivers, leading their wide receiver group in route share (67.3%). Boutte isn't a major target-earner, but he's been an explosive playmaker for breakout quarterback Drake Maye. Boutte and the Patriots head into their Week 14 bye on a high note and will prepare for a big divisional matchup against the Buffalo Bills in Week 15. Boutte is a low-floor, high-ceiling player who could be worth adding off the waiver wire this week to have as a flex option for the rest of the season.
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Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud returned to the field in Week 13 after missing three games with a concussion and completed 22 of 35 pass attempts for 276 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception against the Indianapolis Colts. Across nine games this season, Stroud has completed 66.1% of his pass attempts for 1,978 yards, 11 touchdowns, and six interceptions. However, the Texans have turned to a much more pass-heavy approach in recent weeks. Over his last three full games, Stroud is averaging 41 pass attempts per contest. The high-volume approach gives Stroud an opportunity for fantasy production every week, even if Houston's offense struggles to be efficient. In deeper fantasy leagues, Stroud could be a solid streaming option at the quarterback position heading into a Week 14 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett has delivered multiple standout fantasy performances since becoming the team's starter in Week 6 while filling in for an injured Kyler Murray (foot). Brissett is averaging 312.6 passing yards on 43 attempts per game with 14 total touchdowns and four interceptions during that time. His 43 passes per game would be the highest in the league if he qualified. The high passing volume has made the 32-year-old signal-caller a strong streaming option, as he's cleared 300 yards passing in three straight games. Brissett draws a tougher matchup in Week 14, however, against a Los Angeles Rams defense that has allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks.
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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs has struggled lately, recording just five catches for 57 yards on 13 targets over the past three games. The 24-year-old hasn't been a major factor in the Colts' passing attack, taking a back seat to the team's other primary weapons. Downs mostly operates out of the slot, limiting him to three-wide receiver sets. The former 2022 third-round pick is still a useful player in deeper PPR leagues, but it's tough to trust him in 12-team leagues. He's totaled 40 receptions (59 targets) for 370 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games this season, averaging 8.5 PPR points. Downs at least has a more favorable Week 14 matchup against the Jaguars after facing the elite Texans defense last week.
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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) has yet to be physically cleared to return from a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus suffered in Week 7 last season, and it remains to be seen if he will. The 49ers reportedly voided guarantees in Aiyuk's four-year contract extension, which could lead to Aiyuk not suiting up for the 49ers this season. The Washington Commanders are one team to watch for if Aiyuk becomes available, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. The 27-year-old Aiyuk is close with Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, his former teammate at Arizona State. In addition, general manager Adam Peters was on staff when the 49ers drafted and extended Aiyuk, so he has a good understanding of Aiyuk as a player and person. Aiyuk, when healthy, is still an excellent player. He recorded 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns on 105 targets in his last full season in 2023. Aiyuk would draw interest from multiple teams if he reaches free agency, and Washington is expected to be one of the top suitors.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker only had three catches for 20 yards in Week 13 against the Chargers, but he still served as the team's No. 1 wide receiver, playing 96% of snaps. No other receiver played more than 56% of snaps, and Tucker's three targets were behind only RB Ashton Jeanty's and TE Brock Bowers' target totals. Tucker had been even busier in the previous two weeks, drawing 18 targets in those two games from Geno Smith. He has multiple catches in each of his 12 games this season, totaling 44 catches for 550 yards and five touchdowns. The third-year receiver should stay very involved as the Raiders' top wide receiver moving forward, but he has tough matchups in Week 14 against the Broncos and Week 16 against the Texans. He does have potential upside, but will remain unreliable since the Raiders' offense has been scuffling so badly in recent weeks.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Chimere Dike has shown lots of big-play potential this season on both special teams and as a receiver. The fourth-round pick has a pair of punt return touchdowns and a pair of receiving scores this season and has hauled in 12 of his 17 targets for a total of 361 yards. With Calvin Ridley (fibula) done for the season, Dike and fellow rookie Elic Ayomanor should continue to get plenty of opportunities to work with Cam Ward. Dike has at least three targets in eight straight games and has been involved as a rusher. His big-play potential makes him a high-risk option in a flex spot, but he does bring upside if you're searching for receiver depth on the waiver wire. In Week 14, he faces the Browns before a more favorable matchup against the 49ers in Week 15.
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Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa caught both of his two targets for 35 yards and one touchdown in the Lions' Thanksgiving Day loss to the Packers. The third-round rookie could be lined up for even more work in the next few weeks since both Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle) and Kalif Raymond (ankle) are battling injuries, which could move him up to second on the depth chart behind only Jameson Williams. With tight end Sam LaPorta (back) already out as well, the Lions will need pass-catchers to step up in Week 14's Thursday Night Football matchup with the Cowboys, who have been a great matchup for receivers this season. Even though he only has six catches for 100 yards this season, TeSlaa has three touchdowns, and in an expanded role, he's a high-risk option that you can plug straight into a flex spot as a strong streaming option in Week 14 if Raymond and St. Brown are sidelined.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas has gotten extra playing time the last two weeks with Ja'Marr Chase (suspension) and Tee Higgins (concussion) missing time. Iosivas had four catches for 61 yards against the Patriots without Chase, but he only managed one catch for 29 yards against the Ravens. He still had a solid fantasy day, though, since his 29-yard catch went for a touchdown. With Higgins still in the concussion protocol as the week of preparation begins for the Bengals' trip to Buffalo, Iosivas could be in an expanded role again this week. If Higgins is out again, Iosivas will be a high-risk flex play with good upside since he should be set for more targets once again as Joe Burrow settles in and the Bengals try to make a late playoff push. Until Higgins is cleared, Iosivas still has solid fantasy value and potential.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants running back Devin Singletary had 12 carries for 68 yards and a touchdown against the Patriots on Monday Night Football and added three catches for 34 more yards. He played 28 snaps (51%) compared to 27 for Tyrone Tracy Jr. (49%), who took some big hits and was ultimately carted to the locker room. Tracy has been banged up, and the Giants will likely be careful with him going forward, leaving more work potentially for Singletary. The Giants are on a bye in Week 14, but they have favorable matchups against the Commanders and Raiders in two of their next three contests. After getting double-digit carries in three straight games and scoring three touchdowns in that span, Singletary is definitely a low-end flex option in those favorable matchups following the bye.
From RotoBaller