Team news: Kansas City Chiefs | Page 5

The Chiefs are signing backup QB Carson Wentz, most recently of the Rams.

Related Players: Ian Book

This is just about the best landing spot you could have asked for. Wentz should be scooped off of waiver wires in deep, Superflex Dynasty leagues if he's out there.

Cardinals WR Hollywood Brown is signing with the Chiefs, another high-octane target for Patrick Mahomes. One of the most talented WRs available, Brown lands in a perfect spot on a 1-year deal worth up to $11M with a chance to cash in next year.

Related Players: Rashee Rice, Skyy Moore, Justin Watson, Justyn Ross

The first addition for the Chiefs WR room has finally come, in the form of Brown. This is unlikely to be the last piece they add, but the immediate impact is bad news for Skyy Moore and Justin Watson, who technically hold the outside roles as it stands prior to the signing.
Hollywood set a new career high by lining up out wide on 79.8% of his snaps last season, and should offer big-play potential in fantasy. His exact value is going to depend on who else the team targets over the next two months.

The Titans are signing Jaguars star WR Calvin Ridley, completing their FA with a splash. The 29-year-old Ridley gets a 4-year, $92M deal with $50M fully guaranteed.

Related Players: DeAndre Hopkins, Treylon Burks

Calvin Ridley finished the 2023 season WR24 after being drafted WR14, so his first (and only) year with the Jaguars was a bit of a disappointment. Now he joins the Titans to play alongside DeAndre Hopkins with Will Levis at quarterback. The Titans have traditionally been pretty run-heavy, but new head coach Brian Callahan served as the offensive coordinator for the Bengals for the last five seasons. He didn't call the plays, but the Bengals were pretty pass-heavy in that span. (Cincinnati was second in pass rate over expectation in each of the last two seasons.) If Callahan brings those pass-heavy tendencies to the Titans, and Levis is up to the task, then Ridley and Hopkins could have productive fantasy seasons.

Bengals free-agent tight end Irv Smith Jr. reached agreement a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Related Players: Travis Kelce

Cincinnati seemed like a positive landing spot for Smith last season but fantasy goodness did not come to fruition. This impacts Noah Gray dynasty shares more than it does Travis Kelce's immediate outlook.

Patriots informed WR DeVante Parker that they are releasing him Wednesday and he now has been given permission to talk to other teams.

Related Players: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kendrick Bourne, Pop Douglas, Tyquan Thornton

New England has a lot of work to do to make this WR room approachable from a fantasy standpoint, and this will go a little bit of the way to clearing room for new pieces. Expect the Patriots to target at least one pass-catcher in the NFL Draft.

Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco cleared concussion protocol and is expected to play Sunday against the Bengals.

Pacheco suffered the injury during the second half Monday against the Raiders but will end up not missing any games as a result. The Chiefs will have their leading rusher available in Week 17 as they look to clinch their 8th straight AFC West title Sunday. Pacheco moves right back into being a top-12 running back option this week against a Bengals team that has sorely missed defensive tackle D.J. Reader.

The Chiefs activated WR Mecole Hardman from injured reserve.

Hardman had his questionable designation removed and is expected to play Sunday against the Bengals. This will be his first game action since late November. Hardman will step in with Kadarius Toney out this week. Chances are Hardman won’t make enough of an impact to be fantasy relevant, given his lengthy absence and where we are in the fantasy season.

WR Hollywood Brown will go on IR with heel injury. Ends Brown’s season.

QB Kyler Murray will be back at practice today and should be fine to play Sunday.

Related Players: Michael Wilson, Rondale Moore, Greg Dortch, Trey McBride

With Brown out here in Week 17, the best way to use the Cardinals receiving group is to just stick with Trey McBride and ignore the rest.

Speaking to the media following the conclusion of the game Monday afternoon, Reid confirmed what was feared regarding running back Isiah Pacheco. The second-year man has a concussion that forced him out of action.

Related players: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Jerick McKinnon, La'Mical Perine

Monday marked Pacheco's first game since Week 13, as the former seventh-round pick missed two consecutive games with a shoulder issue, the story said. Late in the third quarter, Pacheco hauled in a short pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes on a second-and-14 play. After turning upfield, Pacheco's helmet came off and he was hit in the head by the right knee of center Creed Humphrey. Pacheco's status for Week 17 is now certainly in doubt, especially considering it's a short week.

The three players the Patriots are listing as out for Sunday night’s game in Denver:

🏈RB Rhamondre Stevenson, Ankle
🏈WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, Ankle
🏈S Jabrill Peppers, Hamstring

Related Players: Ezekiel Elliott, Kevin Harris

Elliott should once again handle the majority of the workload, though it's on a floundering offense. Consider him an RB2 against the Broncos defense.