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Eric MoodyESPN
Read ESPN’s fantasy football Daily Notes every weekday to stay caught up on the news you need to know and get a head start on the fantasy football content coming today and tomorrow to ESPN.com and the ESPN Fantasy App.
The news: Steelers RB Najee Harris was ruled out of Monday night’s game with an abdominal injury.
What it means in fantasy: Harris walked off the field and talked with medical personnel during the second quarter. He returned to the field after several plays but left again after a hard hit. He sat out a couple of plays before finishing the drive with a six-yard touchdown run. Soon after leaving the field on the Steelers’ next drive, Harris went to the locker room and was ruled out. He finished with 10.6 fantasy points. With Jaylen Warren out due to a hamstring injury, the Steelers turned to Anthony McFarland and Benny Snell to fill the void. Snell finished the game with 12 rushing attempts for 62 yards and a touchdown. McFarland had six rushing attempts for 30 yards. Harris’ practice status will be important to monitor before the Steelers’ game against a Falcons team that allows the ninth most fantasy points per game to running backs. Monitor Warren’s status as well.
The news: Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that Patriots RB Damien Harris is not expected to play Thursday night against the Bills.
What it means in fantasy: A thigh injury forced Harris to leave last Thursday’s game against the Vikings after only 11 snaps. He finished with 16 rushing yards on five attempts. There is a possibility Harris could miss more time since he is considered week-to-week. Rhamondre Stevenson will remain the Patriots’ lead running back while Harris is sidelined. He’s scored 10 or more fantasy points in nine consecutive games, including five with 20 or more.
The news: Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase is expected to return on Sunday against the Chiefs.
What it means in fantasy: Chase has been out since a 33-fantasy points performance against the Falcons in Week 7. Fantasy managers were excited about the possibility of Chase returning in Week 12 against the Titans following quarterback Joe Burrow‘s comments at last Wednesday’s press conference. Even though Chase was ultimately ruled out, it appears that he will be able to return this week. In his second season, Chase has averaged 9.2 targets and 20.2 fantasy points per game. His practice status will be important to monitor as it will indicate whether he can expect to play a full role against the Chiefs, where Bengals will need to keep up with Kansas City’s high-octane offense.
The news: Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is better on Monday than he was on Sunday.
What it means in fantasy: After Sunday night’s loss to the Eagles, Rodgers said he would attempt to play against the Bears in Week 13 if scans of the injury show no serious damage. The full evaluation of Rodgers’ tests is not yet complete, but he will start against Chicago if cleared by the medical staff according to head coach Matt LaFleur. The Packers have a 4-8 record, and fantasy managers should monitor Rodgers’ situation throughout the week to see if Jordan Love starts against the Bears in Week 13. It is worth noting that the Packers have a Week 14 bye. Rodgers had two consecutive games with 19 fantasy points before he was forced to exit against the Eagles. Fantasy managers who are relying on Rodgers should consider adding Jordan Love after he put together two solid drives against the Eagles in relief of Rodgers.
The news: 49ers RB Elijah Mitchell is expected to miss six to eight weeks with a sprained MCL.
What it means in fantasy: Further testing revealed on Mitchell’s knee revealed a sprained MCL that was eerily similar to the one he sustained in his right knee in Week 1 against the Bears. Jordan Mason took over as the backup and split snaps with Christian McCaffrey. Head coach Kyle Shanahan expressed confidence in Mason and rookie Tyrion Davis-Price, a pregame inactive, to fill the void left by Mitchell. Davis-Price and Mason will act as change-of-pace backs while McCaffrey leads in touches. Monitor McCaffrey’s practice status since he is suffering from what Shanahan calls “irritation” in his left knee.
The news: ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that RB Melvin Gordon III was signed to the Chiefs practice squad.
What it means in fantasy: Gordon’s fumbling woes resulted in his release from a dismal Broncos offense that ranks 21st in total yards and 32nd in points per game. Now he joins a Chiefs offense that ranks first in total yards and points scored per game. Fantasy managers who buy into revenge narratives should note that the Chiefs and Broncos still play twice this season, in Denver in Week 14 and Kansas City in Week 17. Rookie Isiah Pacheco leads the Chiefs with 455 rushing yards and should continue to dominate the early downs for Kansas City with Jerick McKinnon handling the passing downs. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is currently on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain, but was already losing snaps before the injury. Gordon will be difficult to trust for fantasy even if he makes the active roster.
The news: Ravens RB J.K. Dobbins is set to return to practice this week.
What it means in fantasy: Dobbins will return to practice after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery to remove scar tissue related to his previous knee procedure. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh noted that Dobbins would practice “to some degree,” but I’d be surprised if he plays in Week 13 against the Broncos. It would be wise for the Ravens not to rush him back since they have Gus Edwards and Kenyan Drake on the roster. The Ravens rank sixth with 30.8 rushing attempts per game. In four games, Dobbins had only one game with 10 or more fantasy points and rushing attempts. Getting exposure to the Ravens backfield is easy with Edwards, who is available in almost 60% of ESPN leagues.
The news: Jets RB Michael Carter is considered day-to-day with a low ankle sprain.
What it means in fantasy: Head coach Robert Saleh said Carter could play against the Vikings on Sunday. A low ankle sprain is better than a high ankle sprain. Carter would likely have been out for at least a month if the latter were the case. Since Zonovan Knight and Ty Johnson combined for 131 rushing yards on 19 attempts against the Bears on Sunday, the Jets should not rush him back. Fantasy managers will know more about Carter’s status on Wednesday with practice reports.
The news: Bears WR Darnell Mooney is out for the season with torn ligaments in his left ankle.
What it means in fantasy: The injury occurred in the second half of Sunday’s game against the Jets. Athletic trainers helped Mooney off the field after he was unable to bear weight on his ankle. He was the Bears’ leading receiver with 493 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Chase Claypool could see more usage in Mooney’s absence — he led all Bears’ wide receivers on Sunday with five targets — but he did leave the game as well with an apparent leg injury. The Bears’ head coach Matt Eberflus has said that Claypool is “day to day,” but has not revealed what the injury is. Claypool is rostered in 58.7% of ESPN leagues and is expected to operate as the Bears’ No. 1 receiver moving forward. If you need a wide receiver, pick him up.
Today on ESPN.com/Fantasy and in the ESPN Fantasy App
• Week 13 fantasy football rankings at every position (PPR and NPPR)
Matt Bowen’s streaming pickups: deeper picks for deeper leagues and emergency need
Eric Karabell’s Flex and Superflex rankings for Week 13
• NFL Nation’s Fantasy Fallout: beat reporters on Zay Jones, Mike Evans and others
• Eric Karabell’s trade index and rest-of-season rankings for Week 13 and beyond
• “Fantasy Focus” podcast (10 a.m. ET)
Wednesday:
Mike Clay’s Shadow Report: wide receiver vs defensive back matchups analysis
Seth Walder’s Next Gen Stats Advantage: Mismatches to exploit
DFS Cheat sheets for DraftKings and FanDuel
• Rankings for Individual Defensive Player leagues
• “Fantasy Focus” podcast (10 a.m. ET)
In Case You Missed It:
• Eric Moody’s waiver wire pickups identify the top players to claim for your team
• Fantasy Focus podcast: Field Yates, Daniel Dopp and Liz Loza recap everything you need to know from Week 12 of the NFL season including the significance of a massive performance. Plus, Liz and Daniel give an audio exclusive reaction to SNF including a wild finish with some players to watch out for. Listen | Watch