NFL Player News
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Travis Etienne RB | JAC
Jaguars' Travis Etienne: Held to 37 yards
Etienne rushed the ball nine times for 22 yards in Sunday's 19-14 loss to the Raiders. He added two receptions on three targets for 15 yards.
Etienne saw his role diminish with the Jaguars in a tightly contested matchup. He ended up with two fewer touches than Tank Bigsby, though his inefficiency on the ground was the driving factor in his poor stat line. Etienne is likely to be stuck in a similar role in Week 17 with the Jaguars taking on the Titans in what projects to be a close but low-scoring game.
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Jake Bates K | DET
Lions' Jake Bates: Makes two FGAs in Week 16
Bates went 2-for-3 on field-goal tries while making all four of his PATs in Sunday's 34-17 win over the Bears.
Bates made a 30-yard field goal on Detroit's first possession of the day before adding a 34-yarder in the final seconds of the first quarter. The kicker was later tasked with attempting a 65-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, which he left several yards short. Albeit a rather challenging attempt, the miss marked his third in the last four games, going 7-for-10 on field goals over those contests. On the year, Bates is now 23-for-26 on field-goal attempts while making 58 of 59 PATs over 15 games.
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Tank Bigsby RB | JAC
Jaguars' Tank Bigsby: Splits backfield evenly
Bigsby rushed the ball 12 times for 50 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 19-14 loss to the Raiders. He added one reception on on one target for one yard.
The Jaguars were in a tightly contested battle with the Raiders throughout the day, allowing them to stick with the ground game a bit more than is typically the case. That benefitted Bigsby, who ended the contest with two more touches than Etienne. He also had a fairly efficient showing that was highlighted by a long gain of 10 yards and a one-yard touchdown plunge late in the first quarter. A Week 17 matchup against the Titans should also be close, so Bigsby could see be in line for decent volume once again.
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Craig Reynolds RB | DET
Lions' Craig Reynolds: Limited opportunities in Week 16
Reynolds rushed the ball four times for 18 yards and caught his only target for five yards in Sunday's 34-17 win over the Bears.
Reynolds was expected to take a step up and operate as Detroit's No. 2 running back behind Jahmyr Gibbs in Week 16, but it didn't lead to a heavy workload. Over 15 games in 2024, Reynolds has now turned 16 carries into 69 yards, while the reception Sunday was his first of the year. He'll look to be more involved in the Lions' next contest against the 49ers on Monday Night Football on Dec. 30.
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Malik Washington WR | MIA
Dolphins' Malik Washington: Finishes with 28 yards Sunday
Washington brought in three of four targets for 28 yards in Sunday's 29-17 win over the 49ers.
Washington was expected to take on an expanded role sans starter Jaylen Waddle (knee). Unfortunately for speculative fantasy managers, the wideout finished with less yards and receptions than he did filling in for Waddle in the second half of last week's loss to the Texans. Waddle's status for Week 17 is still up in the air, but Washington would still boast the potential for those in deeper formats should the star wideout miss next Sunday's tilt against the Browns.
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Khalil Shakir WR | BUF
Bills' Khalil Shakir: Quiet against New England
Shakir recorded two receptions on six targets for 22 yards in Sunday's 24-21 win over the Patriots.
Shakir finished second on the team with six targets, though the Bills' passing game was slowed due to an uncharacteristically slugging showing from Josh Allen. That left Shakir with an inefficient stat line, with his longest catch of the day going for just 12 yards. Despite earning consistent volume, he has now been held under 40 receiving yards in three of his last four games.
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Rachaad White RB | TB
Buccaneers' Rachaad White: Gets three carries, seven catches
White rushed three times for 10 yards and caught seven of eight targets for 51 yards in Sunday's 26-24 loss to the Cowboys. He also lost a fumble.
White played second fiddle to Bucky Irving, who turned 19 touches into 92 total yards and a touchdown. The third-year pro posted his lowest rushing yardage total of the season but finished with his third-highest receiving yardage total of the campaign. White was held without a touchdown for only the second time in his last nine games, and his fumble at the end of a six-yard catch with 1:40 remaining secured the loss for Tampa Bay. He'll try to get back on track as a rusher in Week 17 against the generous Panthers run defense.
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Jalen McMillan WR | TB
Buccaneers' Jalen McMillan: Extends TD streak to three games
McMillan caught five of seven targets for 57 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 26-24 loss to the Cowboys.
McMillan scored an 11-yard touchdown in the final minute of the first half. That score extended his touchdown streak to three games, during which McMillan has produced 191 yards and four touchdowns. The rookie made a bid at what would have been a long touchdown catch in the fourth quarter, but cornerback Jourdan Lewis wrestled the ball away as they were going to the ground for an interception. McMillan has stepped up as the top alternative to Mike Evans in Tampa Bay's receiving corps ahead of a Week 17 home game against the Panthers.
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Mike Evans WR | TB
Buccaneers' Mike Evans: Five catches in loss
Evans caught five of eight targets for 69 yards in Sunday's 26-24 loss to the Cowboys.
Evans led the team in receiving yards despite catching only one pass in the second half. The star wide receiver has produced at least 68 receiving yards in five consecutive games since missing three due to a hamstring injury. He needs 182 receiving yards over Tampa Bay's last two games, starting with Week 17 against the Panthers, to reach 1,000 receiving yards for the 11th time in as many NFL regular seasons.
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Bucky Irving RB | TB
Buccaneers' Bucky Irving: Leads backfield in defeat
Irving rushed 16 times for 68 yards and a touchdown while catching all three of his targets for 24 yards in Sunday's 26-24 loss to the Cowboys.
Irving got the Buccaneers on the board with a two-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. He had a substantial edge in usage and production over Rachaad White, who had just 10 touches for 61 yards and lost a fumble. While both running backs usually play prominent roles, Irving has emerged as the superior all-around backfield option for the Buccaneers. The standout rookie has 1,240 scrimmage yards and seven rushing touchdowns heading into a Week 17 home game against the Panthers.