It's Sunday morning of Super Bowl week in most fantasy leagues. Here are some of the updates that have come in since last night, with prior ones discussed on the site yesterday. Biggest recent development is with the Cleveland Browns.
Baker Mayfield has a choice matchup with the New York Jets, but he won't have Jarvis Landry to throw to. Or Rashard Higgins, or Donovan Peoples-Jones, or KhaDarel Hodge. They're all on the COVID list for being close contacts with linebacker B.J. Goodson, who tested positive for COVID-19.
Mayfield will be throwing to Marvin Hall (former Lion, with Cleveland for three weeks) and a couple of practice squad wide receivers. Undoubtedly Cleveland will use multiple tight ends (3?), and there will be a few more looks for Austin Hooper, David Njoku, Harrison Bryant and Kareem Hunt in the passing game. I would drop Mayfield to about 20th in the rankings, behind Matt Ryan and Jared Goff. I would not consider Hall or the practice squad wideouts. Chubb and Hunt still look fine. Hooper climbs to about 12-13th at tight end.
One report said Keenan Allen isn't expected to play for the Chargers, another that he "has a chance to play." I won't be using Allen. The team's other pass catchers are ranked appropriately in the Thursday update.
Tyreek Hill, Allen Robinson and Antonio Gibson are all expected to play through their injuries. One report on Hill indicated the team would "be smart" with him, whatever that means. They'll take him out if he's limping around? He'll get an early seat if they have a huge lead? Neither of those possibilities is newsworthy. If Kansas City gets a huge lead it might be because Hill caught a 40-yard touchdown at some point. I would start all three of these players unless I have the choice of switching to another star ranked similarly. If you don't want to take the risk of Hill limping off in the first quarter, don't use him; it's your team.
James Robinson has been ruled out for Jacksonville. It will likely be a committee of Devine Ozigbo and Dare Ogunbowale. Ogunbowale is the one who's been playing as the third-down back in recent weeks, but I don't think that's convincing evidence that he'll have a leading role today. This comes from the guy who named Ogunbowale as a sleeper way back in the preseason magazine, when he was the potential 3rd-down back in Tampa Bay. A Robinson-like impact from either backup is really unlikely and not something I'd chance a Week 16 lineup on unless I was desperate. Please refer to the Thursday rankings for where to slot these guys.
Terry McLaurin isn't going to play, which we knew when he was listed as Doubtful. Only occasionally do coaches ignore their own listings of Doubtful to put injured players on the field, Washington won't be one of them. Same game, Alex Smith apparently a game-time decision. Seems just as likely to be Dwayne Haskins. Fantasy leagues aren't deep enough to consider either player.
Although he was benched yesterday so that Ryan Fitzpatrick could lead a ridiculous win, Tua Tagovailoa will be Miami's starting quarterback in Week 17, according to Brian Flores. I'm fairly confident no one needs to be advised not to start Tagovailoa at this point, but fortunately most fantasy leagues are done after tomorrow anyway.
Good luck!
--Andy Richardson