Fantasy Football News | Page 11

The 49ers were down to one healthy running back on their active roster, so they added another one off the waiver wire on Tuesday.

The NFL’s daily transaction report shows that they have claimed Israel Abanikanda off of waivers from the Jets. Abanikanda was let go on Monday when the Jets signed running back/kick returner Kene Nwangwu to the 53-man roster.

Christian McCaffrey was officially moved to injured reserve in a corresponding move.

Related players: Isaac Guerendo, Patrick Taylor, Ke'Shawn Vaughn

Guerendo is expected to take over the team's RB1 role with Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason both heading to IR. Abanikanda should be a familiar name to those in dynasty circles. He was a 2023 fifth-round pick but at the time was buried on the depth chart with the Jets, and he never earned much of a role on offense and didn’t play in the regular season this year, the story said. He appeared in six games as a rookie and ran 22 times for 70 yards while catching seven passes for 43 yards, the story added. The team also signed Vaughn to their practice squad.

The Vikings have started the clock on getting a couple of special teamers back in the lineup.

The team announced on Tuesday that kicker Will Reichard and long snapper Andrew DePaola have been designated for return from injured reserve.

Related players: Parker Romo

Romo has gone 11-of-12 on field goals and 7-of-8 on extra points with Reichard out of the lineup. It's not yet clear which kicker will be in action this week. The Vikings are in the early Sunday window at home against the Falcons.

Bucky Irving ran 25 times for 152 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 33 yards to continue a strong stretch.

The 25 carries were the most for a Bucs back this season and it’s a sign of changing balance with Rachaad White, who also had a 38-yard run to set up the game-winning field goal in overtime. Head coach Todd Bowles said Irving’s increased comfort level in the offense is the reason for the shift.

Related players: Sean Tucker

“He’s getting more comfortable with the offense,"Bowles said, via the team’s website. “The more comfortable he gets, the more you can give him, the more he can do. Both are running well — we’re happy with both of them. Bucky has a skill you can’t teach — he can make people miss in the hole. He’s tough on the inside. Rachaad had a big run at the end of the game, as well. Using them both together seems to be working out for us.”

The story pointed out Irving’s rate of missed tackles ranks first in the league, so that skill Bowles identified is one that the rookie is putting to good use. The story also pointed out Irving has now scored in three straight games while rushing for 313 yards and catching 12 passes for 111 yards in those contests. White is still a factor, but Irving looks like he's taken over as the top back. Tucker, meanwhile, has had five touches since Week 10, a span of three games, and they all came in Week 12. Tucker had zero touches in Week 10 and Week 13.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford came out of Sunday’s victory over the Saints with an injury.

Coach Sean McVay said, via Jourdan Rodrigue of TheAthletic.com, that Stafford has a lateral ankle sprain, but the injury should not affect Stafford’s practice time or game status, the story said. The Rams play the Bills on Sunday and the Rams are in the thick of the NFC West Division race. The story added Stafford has taken 11 sacks and 25 hits the past four games and has been sacked 28 times this season.

Jim Harbaugh said that Ladd McConkey (knee) is “working through a couple things.”

Harbaugh added and that the team will evaluate where he’s at as the week progresses. The post went on to say, when asked about the possibility of McConkey practicing this week, Harbaugh said, “We’ll see.” This certainly has a different tone it seems. Hopefully we get a clearer picture of McConkey's status for Week 14. The Chargers travel to KC for a Sunday night game, so owners are going to need some kind of backup plan if McConkey comes down to a game-time call and ends up not playing.

Per Kyle Shanahan, 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey us going back on IR with his PCL injury.

Related players: Isaac Guerendo, Deebo Samuel, Jordan Mason

It’s a 6 week recovery time for CMC, the post went on to say. It's possible he could return if the Niners make a long playoff run, but for this fantasy season, McCaffrey is done. Sandler, in a separate post, mentioned that Mason will also go on IR with a high ankle sprain, leaving Guerendo as the assumed RB1. The Niners will have to make a move to bring in more running backs, but the team did trade up in the fourth round to pick Guerendo, so it's possible they give him a legit chance the rest of the season. He should be a popular pickup off the wire this week.

Giants placed DT Dexter Lawrence and TE Theo Johnson on season-ending injured reserve.

Related players: Daniel Bellinger, Chris Manhertz, Greg Dulcich

Since Week 9, a span of four games, Johnson averaged nearly six targets a game and in Week 13 he tied a season high of five catches with a season high of 54 yards against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Johnson will likely see a new coaching staff in 2025, but also a new QB and hopefully an improved offense overall.

Harbaugh said that Rashod Bateman has a sore knee and he's getting treatment.
"It's not a long-term thing."

Related players: Diontae Johnson, Nelson Agholor, Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, Justice Hill

There was no other timetable, according to the post. It's possible Bateman is good to go in Week 15, after the bye this week. If Bateman misses time, it's not likely another WR steps up as a fantasy factor at this point, especially with Andrews, Likely and Hill combining for 21 targets against the Eagles this past week.

The Commanders elevated kicker Zane Gonzalez from the practice squad for the third time this season on Sunday, which left them with the choice of signing Gonzalez to the active roster or finding someone else to do the kicking this week.

They opted for door No. 1. The team announced that they signed Gonzalez to their 53-man roster on Monday.

Related players: Austin Seibert

Gonzalez filled in for Seibert in two November Games and then returned for the win over the Titans after Seibert went on injured reserve last week, the story said.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur said while Romeo Doubs is still in the concussion protocol, he has progressed to the point where he could possibly play.

The Packers are hoping to get Doubs back for Thursday Night Football in what is a huge game against the Lions. Hopefully Doubs continues to progress and we'll continue to monitor his practice status as the week goes on.