Buffalo Bills @ Los Angeles Rams
Josh Allen scored the most fantasy points by a quarterback ever during the highest-scoring NFL game this season.
He recorded a career-high six touchdowns while becoming the first player in NFL history with three passing and three rushing TDs in the same game. Allen helped Buffalo nearly overcome a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit but ultimately lost during the historical performance. The QB ran for a season-high 82 yards while the rest of the Bills totaled just 21 rushing yards, as Allen was asked to do everything in the epic losing effort.
Allen delivered big time for those needing a crucial win to reach the fantasy playoffs.
Matthew Stafford got 10.7 YPA, while neither quarterback took a sack Sunday. Kyren Williams scored two touchdowns and remains Los Angeles’ workhorse, while Puka Nacua fought through an injury to finish as this week’s WR1. Nacua pulled down a ridiculous catch in the second quarter, and he finished the drive with a touchdown run. Nacua added another sick catch in the third quarter before scoring on a screen late in the game. Amari Cooper also pulled down an incredible catch in a game featuring so many highlight-worthy plays that it cost Tom Brady his voice.
• This thriller marked just the second game in NFL history with five passing TDs, five rushing TDs and zero turnovers — and the first since the 1960s.
• The Rams blocked a punt that was returned for a score, but Ty Johnson immediately countered by taking a screen to the house.
Chicago Bears @ San Francisco 49ers
• Isaac Guerendo paid off in a big way as this week’s top waiver wire pickup, finishing as fantasy’s RB2 despite leaving early. Guerendo looked good while getting 5.2 YPC, and he likely would’ve scored his third touchdown of the game if not for leaving with a possible foot sprain. Patrick Taylor Jr. took over and scored instead, and Guerendo has a short turnaround with the 49ers playing Thursday night. Taylor Jr. isn’t as explosive and may split more work, but he’s a must-add in all fantasy leagues and available in 97% of them on Yahoo. That said, Guerendo himself stated he’s not worried about the injury.
• Brock Purdy bounced back from a rough game in the snow last week, leading the league with 13.0 YPA and finishing with a completion percentage over expectation (+16.9%) in the 97th percentile. He was facing a Bears defense that entered allowing the second-fewest fantasy points to QBs while missing Brandon Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams. Purdy had four passes for 20+ yards in the first quarter alone, and he had a touchdown run called back by penalty in the second. Purdy exited in the fourth quarter after taking a big hit on a personal foul, but he missed just one play.
• George Kittle had five catches for 138 yards with four minutes remaining in the second quarter. He’d see just one more target the rest of the game (securing all six), but Kittle still easily finished as this week’s TE1 despite not scoring a touchdown (or seeing much action after halftime).
• Jauan Jennings recorded two TD catches before halftime, as he remains San Francisco’s clear WR1. Jennings’ last two weeks were misleading, as one game came with Brandon Allen and the other came during a snowstorm that saw very little passing. Jennings is a top-15 WR down the stretch.
• Deebo Samuel Sr. has been one of this season’s biggest busts and can’t be trusted in lineups during the fantasy playoffs.
• Rome Odunze caught two second-half touchdowns (finally paying off all those air yards) during an otherwise quiet Chicago offensive performance.
• The Bears had more punts (five) than total yards (four) at halftime, when Caleb Williams had negative-three net passing yards. Chicago averaged just 0.2 yards per play over the first two quarters, when the 49ers allowed the fewest yards in a first half since at least 1991.
• The Bears have lost seven straight games after starting 4-2.
Atlanta Falcons @ Minnesota Vikings
• Sam Darnold threw a career-high five touchdowns, finishing behind only Josh Allen among QB fantasy scorers this week. Darnold got 12.4 YPA and recorded a CPOE (+13.2%) in the 92nd percentile.
• Jordan Addison pulled down three touchdowns, with one requiring an adjustment deep downfield. Addison and teammate Justin Jefferson both finished as top three fantasy wideouts this week.
• Jefferson didn’t see his second target until 2:01 was left in the first half, but it went for his first touchdown since October 20. Jefferson would add a second score later, this one coming in comical fashion from 52 yards out:
• Kirk Cousins threw his 14th and 15th interceptions (the most in the league) during his revenge game, and he now has a 0:8 TD:INT ratio over his last four contests. It’s looking increasingly likely that Michael Penix Jr. is starting for Atlanta in 2025.
• Darnell Mooney had 101 yards before halftime and finished with a season-high 142.
• The Falcons are 4-1 inside their division but just 2-6 outside it.
• Byron Murphy Jr. pulled down a nice one-handed interception.
New York Jets @ Miami Dolphins
• Tyreek Hill set season highs in targets (14) and catches (10) while recording the most receiving yards (115) since Week 1. He also scored his fourth TD over the last five games, so Hill is finishing on a strong note.
• Jaylen Waddle fell just one yard shy of 100, and he was tackled at the one-yard line in the fourth quarter. Miami’s receivers benefitted from Sauce Gardner being inactive Sunday.
• Jonnu Smith entered leading the Dolphins in target share (21.5%), first-read share (26.3%) and designed targets since Miami’s Week 6 bye. But he didn’t see his first target until 50 seconds were left in the third quarter and finished regulation without a catch. However, Smith recorded three receptions during overtime’s first (and only) drive, including the game-winning touchdown. Smith finishes with a goose egg if Jason Sanders doesn’t nail a 52-yard field goal outdoors at the end of regulation, but he was fantasy’s TE5 this week thanks to the one drive in OT that included winning a literal coin toss.
What a game we play.
• De’Von Achane was tackled inside the five-yard line four separate times during the opening drive before finally punching in a goal-line score. He was also stopped at the goal line before Tyreek Hill caught his touchdown in the fourth quarter.
• Aaron Rodgers had failed to throw for 190 yards in any of his past three contests, but he reached 300 passing yards Sunday for the first time in 35 games. His 8.7 YPA was also a season-high, but it wasn’t enough, as the Jets have the longest playoff drought in professional sports.
• Braelon Allen split work evenly with Isaiah Davis, who scored New York’s lone rushing score Sunday. It’s crazy Allen was stealing meaningful touches from Breece Hall earlier this season (although it’s possible Hall has been dealing with his injury longer than disclosed).
Carolina Panthers @ Philadelphia Eagles
• Jalen Hurts didn’t eclipse 100 passing yards until late in the game, finishing with a season-low 108. Nevertheless, two TD passes and yet another tush push touchdown led to a QB3 fantasy performance this week. Hurts has averaged just 113.0 passing yards while getting 5.7 YPA over the last two games, but his rushing gives him such a high floor to go along with his ceiling.
• Saquon Barkley didn’t erupt as hoped in a highly favorable matchup and with Philadelphia huge favorites. But he recorded his ninth 100-yard rushing game of the season while setting the franchise record for single-season rushing yards. Barkley was tackled at the one-yard line yet again, was stuffed during a subsequent goal-line carry and then watched Hurts punch in another tush push TD. Barkley was also removed from the two-minute offense at the end of the first half, and it’s wild to think how huge his season would be if not for losing his 10th one-yard score to his quarterback Sunday.
• The Eagles have scored an NFL-low 17 points in the first quarter this season.
• Jake Elliott went 7-of-8 on 50+ yard field-goal attempts last season, but he dropped to 0-of-5 this year after another miss Sunday. Elliott also had a missed extra point that was luckily nullified by penalty.
• Chuba Hubbard racked up 25 touches through three quarters and finished with 30 thanks to both Jonathon Brooks and Raheem Blackshear leaving with first quarter injuries. Hubbard scored and put up a top-10 RB week against the league’s best defense. Hubbard can play, and he’ll remain a big part of Carolina’s offense next season as well.
• Brooks was helped off the field after suffering a non-contact injury to the same knee he had surgery on 13 months ago. Ugh.
• Xavier Legette committed two clear drops, including one during the final drive. And that’s not including a later play that the rookie couldn’t secure that should’ve gone for a 32-yard, possibly game-winning touchdown. Bryce Young, who had an aDOT (11.1 yards) in the 88th percentile, deserved far better Sunday. He effectively led a game-winning fourth-quarter TD drive against the NFL’s best defense as 13-point underdogs on the road. The Panthers would be foolish to move on from Young.
New Orleans Saints @ New York Giants
• Alvin Kamara saw a healthy 22 opportunities with Taysom Hill out, but he managed just 2.6 YPC and lost a TD run and 10 carries to Kendre Miller. Kamara is the only player in the league to lead his team in rushing and receiving yards.
• Miller had an impressive run in the first quarter, and then an even more impressive one that went for a touchdown to cap off a 98-yard drive. The Giants are poor at tackling, but Miller revealed himself as someone to remember in 2025 fantasy drafts.
• Derek Carr left late in the fourth quarter after fracturing his non-throwing hand while going airborne at the end of a scramble. Injuries have ruined New Orleans’ offense this season.
• The Giants had zero passing yards in the first quarter, and Drew Lock finished getting just 4.6 YPA. He finished with a CPOE (-17.9%) in the fourth percentile during a ghastly performance that was frankly hard to watch at times.
• Malik Nabers was tackled at the one-yard line after a 22-yard catch late in the game (Tyrone Tracy Jr. would punch in the score), although the rookie WR did record a 2-point conversion shortly thereafter. Nabers can be a top-five fantasy WR in 2025, but that would require getting him a quarterback.
• The Giants recorded their first interception since Week 1, ending the longest streak (11 games) without a pick in NFL history.
• Graham Gano had a 35-yard field goal blocked that would’ve sent the game into overtime.
Las Vegas Raiders @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Baker Mayfield threw TD passes during Tampa Bay’s first two possessions but then committed three turnovers all before halftime. He’d finish as a top 10 QB this week, with three TD strikes and a season-high 10.2 YPA.
• Bucky Irving exited early in the second quarter with what was likely the same back injury he suffered while curiously returning a meaningless kickoff at the end of the first half last week. Rachaad White benefitted, as he saw his most touches (19) since Week 1. White scored twice and was a top-five back this week.
• Jalen McMillan put the game away with his second touchdown catch late in the fourth quarter.
• Sincere McCormick deserves an opportunity to take over Las Vegas’ backfield down the stretch, regardless of Alexander Mattison’s or Zamir White’s health.
• Aidan O’Connell was knocked out of the game in the third quarter thanks to a late shove on the sidelines. The Raiders’ passing attack was a major disappointment in this favorable matchup.
• Las Vegas entered last in the league in fumbles recovered (zero) and fumbles lost (12). The Raiders were the first team in NFL history without a fumble recovery through 12 games before finally securing one Sunday.
Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals
• Zach Charbonnet erupted for 193 yards from scrimmage and scored two touchdowns, finishing as fantasy’s RB1 by a wide margin with Kenneth Walker III out this week. Arizona’s defense entered playing well while not allowing a touchdown in their last three home games, so Charbonnet was highly impressive. He’s a must-start as long as Walker is sidelined.
• DK Metcalf has now averaged just 2.7 catches and 31.3 receiving yards with one touchdown over nine career games against the Cardinals. Meanwhile, Jaxon Smith-Njigba is quietly the WR5 overall in fantasy scoring this season.
• Michael Wilson caught a touchdown during the Cardinals’ opening drive, but Kyler Murray was picked off during Arizona’s next two drives. Murray had a touchdown and two interceptions over his first six pass attempts.
• Trey McBride saw another 14 targets without recording a touchdown catch. He’s now up to 106 targets on the season, with the NFL record for most without a TD being 147.
• Arizona has lost seven straight home games in December.
• The Seahawks and Cardinals combined for more points in Sunday’s first quarter (24) than the teams combined to score (22) during their matchup two weeks ago.
Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers
• In just the third matchup in NFL history with both quarterbacks coming off 400-yard passing performances, Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston combined for only 137 pass yards at halftime. Wilson didn’t target anyone more than five times with George Pickens out.
• Jerry Jeudy came back to earth against a much tougher opponent, but he got loose for a 35-yard score.
• Kadarius Toney made the most out of his two snaps, committing a taunting penalty and muffing a punt for a lost fumble.
• The Browns have now lost 21 straight regular season games in Pittsburgh.
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans
• Brian Thomas Jr. had zero catches at halftime after being the unluckiest player in the league last week. But he finished with season highs in targets (12) and catches (eight) while accounting for 39% of Mac Jones’ passing yards (86). BTJ is going to be a special player, and Jacksonville’s current QB situation will continue to help keep his 2025 ADP lower.
• Tank Bigsby surprisingly acted as the Jaguars’ lead back, seeing 20-of-28 RB opportunities. He wasn’t efficient (3.1 YPC), but Bigsby scored and completely flipped last week’s usage.
• The Jaguars snapped the longest road losing streak in the league, winning for the first time away from home in more than a year.
• Tony Pollard had a TD run in the second quarter nullified by a flag, (Tennessee has been the most penalized team in the league this year) and he was also stopped at the goal line later that same drive. He ran well and was a workhorse with 21 carries, but fantasy managers needed the score.
• Nick Westbrook-Ikhine saw just two targets (compared to 12 for Calvin Ridley), but he nearly scored again anyway, as he had a pass go off his hands in the end zone in the fourth quarter.