Take this key end-of-first-half sequence between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals on Sunday as a perfect example.
After Arizona drove down to the red zone, Kyler Murray launched a perfect dime to his tight end, Trey McBride, who made an acrobatic catch for what appeared to be a touchdown. But this is the NFL, which insists that a catch’s “full process” be completed every time no matter what — a.k.a. the “Calvin Johnson Rule.” Upon further review, McBride’s almost-perfect catch was taken off the board as a result.
He wasted no time redeeming himself against a stout Pittsburgh defensive stand on the very next play:
CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore thought Cardinals TE Trey McBride had a touchdown vs the Steelers, on what was initially ruled a touchdown.
But after review, it was ruled incomplete.
McBride then scored a touchdown that actually counted on the next play. 🏈🦓👮♂️📺🎙️ pic.twitter.com/ll5AOe1hLl
Trey McBride, Kyler Murray, Matt Prater and others can reach impressive achievements, records or milestones against the Steelers.
The Arizona Cardinals seek their first road win of the season in Week 13, taking on the 7-4 Pittsburgh Steelers. While the team accomplishment matters most, some Cardinals players have some milestones and achievements in reach this week.
Despite being questionable for the game, Marquise Brown, Trey McBride, Kevin Strong and Jalen Thompson were all active to play in Week 13.
The Arizona Cardinals entred the weekend with a fairly long list of players listed as questionable for their Week 13 road game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Perhaps the two most important ones, receiver Marquise Brown and tight end Trey McBride, the team’s top two pass catchers in terms of yards and catches, will play.
This was previously reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. They were not included on the Cardinals’ inactive list, released 90 minutes before kickoff.
Who was activated?
Arizona Cardinals Week 13 inactive list
WR Zach Pascal
WR Michael Wilson
CB Starling Thomas
CB Antonio Hamilton
OL Dennis Daley
TE Blake Whiteheart
Pascal did not make the trip with the team as he was present for the birth of his first child. Wilson, Thomas and Hamilton were ruled out with injuries.
Wilson has missed three of the last four games with a shoulder injury. Hamilton missed for the second straight week and Thomas missed after getting hurt in last week’s loss to the Rams.
Daley and Whiteheart were healthy scratches. It would appear that Carter O’Donnell will start again at left guard, although he split time last week with Trystan Colon.
With Pascal and Wilson out, expect the Cardinals’ top three wideouts to be Brown, Rondale Moore and Greg Dortch.
Receiver Dan Chisema, signed to the roster from the practice squad on Saturday, could see a few snaps but has played almost exclusively on special teams in his 27 career games played.
With Hamilton and Thomas out, rookies Garrett Wilson and Kei’Trel Clark will start at cornerback with either Marco Wilson getting back into the rotation or Divaad Wilson, elevated from the practice squad for the second straight week, getting snaps for the second straight week.
Defensive lineman Kevin Strong, questionable with a knee injury on the final injury report, returns to the lineup after missing last week’s game.
Safety Jalen Thompson, also questionable for the game because of a rib injury, will suit up and start.
The Cardinals’ top two pass catchers will be in the lineup on Sunday against the Steelers.
The Arizona Cardinals have a few key players listed as questionable to play in Week 13 as they prepare to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday on the road.
Receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and tight end Trey McBride, both questionable to play, are expected to do so, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Cardinals’ WR Marquise Brown, listed as questionable for Sunday due to a heel injury, is expected to play vs. the Steelers, per source.
Brown did not practice all week. McBride was limited on Thursday and Friday and signed like someone expecting to play.
With Michael Wilson already ruled out with a shoulder injury, having both Brown and McBride in the lineup will be important.
McBride has 48 receptions this season for 521 yards and a touchdown. Brown has 51 catches for 574 yards and four scores. They are the Cardinals’ top two pass catchers in receptions and receiving yards.
The Cardinals and Steelers kick off Sunday from Acrisure Stadium at 11 a.m. Arizona time. The game will air on CBS.
Trey McBride and Jalen Thompson both were limited in practice on Thursday after sitting out on Wednesday.
The Arizona Cardinals had a couple of improvements on their second injury report of Week 13 as they prepare to face the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road.
Two players were upgraded after sitting out on Wednesday, while another player was added after missing practice on Thursday.
The details to the Cardinals’ injury report from Thursday are below.
Thanksgiving is a great time of the year, an occasion that hopefully most of you could reconnect with people from your past and mix them with others from your present. Hopefully, it offered a chance to ponder and discuss commonalities and not differences. And regardless, it is a day to give thanks and appreciate what I hope are the positives in your life.
In that vein, and with fantasy roster improvement in mind, here are the players that, through Week 11, have produced more than one “big game.” It’s not hard to create an average starting lineup, but you need those players to twist the fantasy point spigot open and offer difference-making to your weekly score. As usual, these lists contain a few surprises and just as notable, some exclusions of players that should have been there. Performance scoring with reception points and showing players with more than one instance.
1.) Quarterbacks – Here are the quarterbacks that have turned in 30 points or more in a game. As they typically score more than any other position, these can make a difference for your team.
Quarterbacks
30 Pts
Dak Prescott
3
Jalen Hurts
3
Josh Allen
3
Lamar Jackson
3
Justin Fields
2
Justin Herbert
2
Kirk Cousins
2
Tua Tagovailoa
2
First off, where is Patrick Mahomes? What a telling absence. Jalen Hurts, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are no surprises, but Dak Prescott does exceptionally well when he faces a weak defense. Tua Tagovailoa has two, but that reflects that he really only does well in relation to the one receiver as we will see later. These were the game performances that likely won your week.
2.) Running Backs – The position has been devalued in recent years, so getting one of the high-scoring backs is still a major advantage.
Running Backs
25 Pts
Christian McCaffrey
3
Jahmyr Gibbs
3
Raheem Mostert
3
Alvin Kamara
2
Austin Ekeler
2
Brian Robinson Jr.
2
De’Von Achane
2
Kyren Williams
2
Saquon Barkley
2
As many points as David Montgomery produces, he wasn’t on this list and yet Jahmyr Gibbs was with three. That bodes very well for his future whenever he takes an even more prominent role. Raheem Mostert continues to defy all we thought for the first years of his career. Brian Robinson is a sign that the new offense under OC Eric Bieniemy is better than you think and headed in a positive direction.
3.) Wide Receivers – There are more of these on the field at one time than the other positions considered, and if you can own two or more of them, they can help sustain high weekly points from the position.
Wide Receivers
25 Pts
Tyreek Hill
7
CeeDee Lamb
4
Keenan Allen
4
A.J. Brown
3
Adam Thielen
3
Ja’Marr Chase
3
Justin Jefferson
3
Stefon Diggs
3
Tank Dell
3
Amon-Ra St. Brown
2
Brandon Aiyuk
2
DJ Moore
2
Mike Evans
2
Nico Collins
2
Puka Nacua
2
Well hello, Tyreek Hill. The most notable surprises are Adam Thielen, Tank Dell, and Puka Nacua. Where is Cooper Kupp? Davante Adams? Garrett Wilson? Want a sign that the Texans are on the right track? Both Tank Dell and Nico Collins are here as the only two from the same team. What are the Texans going to be like next year?
4.) Tight Ends – They score less than the other positions, and even less this year, so any difference-making tight ends are an advantage.
Tight Ends
20 Pts
George Kittle
4
T.J. Hockenson
3
Travis Kelce
3
Cole Kmet
2
Mark Andrews
2
Trey McBride
2
George Kittle is still a little inconsistent, but no arguing what he’s done when he has a big game. The notables here are Cole Kmet and Trey McBride. Kmet had double touchdowns with both Justin Fields and Tyson Bagent and yet several outright dud games. For any Arizona tight end to be on this list flies in the face of every Cardinal offense for a few decades. And he is only a second-year player.
5.) WR A.T. Perry (NO) – In the wake of Michael Thomas’ latest trip to IR, the Saints brought back Keith Kirkwood and Marques Callaway and the Saints prefer veteran receivers. Callaway was the replacement for Thomas in 2021 and had a career year with 46 catches for 698 yards and six touchdowns – his only notable season. But the Saints want to give the 6-4 sixth-round rookie Perry a shot as the replacement. He already had his first action last week with two catches for 38 yards and a touchdown at the Vikings. Thomas leaves behind 7 or 8 targets weekly. The Saints host the Lions this week and no other teams with a winning record are on their remaining schedule.
6.) QB Kenny Pickett (PIT) – Despite the winning record, the Steelers offense is abysmal and they rank No. 32 in fantasy points from their quarterbacks. They just fired OC Matt Canada and will rely on QB coach Mike Sullivan and RB coach Eddie Faulkner for the rest of the season. Many teams get a positive bounce from such a move and there is talent on the roster with George Pickens, Diontae Johnson, and Pat Freiermuth. The Steelers face the Bengals and Cardinals next, which should indicate if there are any changes that benefit the rest of the season.
About Thanksgiving…
Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
Green Bay 29, Detroit 22
Hope you didn’t get to the game late. The Packers pulled away 23-6 at halftime looking exactly like we expected from the Lions. They missed Aaron Jones and Luke Musgrave landed on IR. But Jordan Love passed for 268 yards and three touchdowns with no turnovers. Christian Watson (5-94, TD), Jayden Reed (4-34, TD) and even Tucker Kraft (2-15, TD) took care of the scoring. AJ Dillon wasn’t much as the starting running back when he gained 43 yards on 14 rushes but he added three catches for 38 yards. The Green Bay offense threw well and made no mistakes. They rise to 5-6 and and host the Chiefs for another challenging matchup.
The Lions lost their seventh-straight Thanksgiving game, even though they were favored by seven points. Jared Goff threw for 332 yards and two touchdowns but lost three fumbles. Amon-Ra St. Brown (9-95) and Kalif Raymond (5-90) were the top receivers and Jameson Williams (2-51) caught a 38-yard pass. Sam LaPorta (5-47, TD) caught the only first-half score and the Lions should have been in this one more but gave up a touchdown on one of Goff’s fumbles. David Montgomery (15-71, TD) and Jahmyr Gibbs (11-54) ran effectively, and Gibbs added four receptions for 19 yards. This was a tough loss since it drops the 8-3 Lions behind in the race for the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and even could give the Vikings an opening to challenge them. The Lions head to New Orleans for Week 13.
Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Washington 10, Dallas 45
This was the expected outcome when the Cowboys face the worst defense in the NFL. Sam Howell threw for 300 yards, but no scores and one interception. Curtis Samuel (9-100), Jahan Dotson (5-52), and Terry McLaurin (4-50) were the only receivers with more than 30 yards, Brian Robinson was limited to 53 yards on 15 carries while Antonio Gibson turned in 37 total yards. Both scores from the Commanders happened in the second quarter when they drew as close as 14-10 but they never reappeared after halftime. They drop to 4-8 and will make the Dolphins very happy next week.
Dak Prescott threw for 331 yards and four touchdowns, though the top receivers Brandin Cooks (4-72, TD) and CeeDee Lamb (4-53, TD) didn’t manage monster games. All the rest of the receivers were held to fewer than 36 yards. The run game was better than usual, though Tony Pollard (13-79, TD) only rushed 13 times in a game that the Cowboys always led. Rico Dowdle (3-11) caught a 15-yard touchdown but totaled just four touches. The lack of a rushing effort is perplexing for this supposedly conservative offense. The Cowboys rise to 8-3 and host the Seahawks this week.
Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
San Francisco 31, Seattle 13
Yet another big win, only in this case the Seahawks were 6-3 just a week ago and yet had no answer for the 49ers defense. Geno Smith was held to 180 passing yards and an interception. Jaxon Njigba-Smith (2-41), DK Metcalf (3-32), and Tyler Lockett (3-20) all saw limited effectiveness and yet nearly all the targets. With Kenneth Walker out, Zach Charbonnet had the start and only gained 47 yards on 14 rushes with four catches for 11 yards. The Seahawks were entirely outclassed and outplayed. They never even scored on offense, their lone touchdown coming off a Brock Purdy pass that was deflected into a defenders hands for a 12-yards interception return. The Seahawks drop to 6-5 and head to Dallas.
The 49ers were in control for the entire game and never trailed. Brock Purdy passe for 209 yards and a 28-yard score to Brandon Aiyuk (2-50) in the fourth quarter. Christian McCaffrey was the star of the game with 114 yards on 19 carries and five receptions for 25 yards with two rushing touchdowns. Deebo Samuel ran for a two-yard touchdown and led the wideouts with seven catches for 79 yards, George Kittle was only used to catch three passes for 19 yards. These teams meet again in two weeks, The 8-3 49ers have righted themselves from that three-game losing streak and take complete control of the NFC West over the No. 2 6-5 Seahawks. The 49ers spend next week in Philadelphia before returning home to host these Seahawks again.
Vikings running back Ty Chandler headlines this week’s list of fantasy football waiver wire targets.
Following the Denver Broncos’ game against the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football in Week 10, fantasy football managers will begin putting in waiver wire claims for Week 11.
So, who are the best waiver wire targets this week? Our list includes options at running back, wide receiver, tight end, quarterback and kicker. The list is highlighted by a pair of young RBs who might be on the verge of getting larger workloads.
In Baltimore, Gus Edwards continues to lead the Ravens’ backfield (he had 11 carries on Sunday), but rookie Keaton Mitchell won’t go away. Mitchell only got three carries in Week 10, but he turned them into 34 yards and a touchdown. He also caught one pass for 32 yards.
In Minnesota, Ty Chandler might be on the verge of taking over the Vikings’ backfield. Chandler (15 carries) was more involved than Alexander Mattison (eight carries), and the second-year RB also scored a touchdown.
Chandler and Mitchell are the top priorities on the waiver wire this week.
Each player’s rostered percentage in ESPN fantasy football leagues is listed in parentheses. Ready? Let’s get to the full list!
Here are the top targets on the waiver wire in Week 11.
With just a few more weeks until the fantasy football playoffs are here, the waiver wire has a number of intriguing targets for managers to consider entering Week 11.
The slate of Week 10 games will come to a conclusion Monday night when the Buffalo Bills host the Denver Broncos.
We’ll be taking a look at the top available players rostered in Yahoo leagues, using the 75% rostered mark as the threshold. If you have any questions about prioritizing a certain player over another, don’t be afraid to hit me up on X, formerly Twitter, (@KevinHickey11). Your questions and comments are always welcome!
We also will be taking a look at some deeper players to stash and the top streaming options for the upcoming week.
Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated.
Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.
Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.
SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks
Pass-Rush
TD
Dak Prescott
404-17
5
Justin Herbert
323-15
4
Sam Howell
312-17
3
Joshua Dobbs
268-44
2
Geno Smith
369-8
2
Running Backs
Yards
TD
Brian Robinson
8-38
6-119
1
Jahmyr Gibbs
14-77
3-35
2
Devin Singletary
30-150
1-11
1
Austin Ekeler
19-67
4-48
1
Christian McCaffrey
16-95
6-47
0
Wide Receivers
Yards
TD
Keenan Allen
11-175
2
CeeDee Lamb
11-151
1-14
2
Brandin Cooks
9-173
1
Amon-Ra St. Brown
8-156
1
Mike Evans
6-143
1
Tight Ends
Yards
TD
T.J. Hockenson
11-134
1
Trey McBride
8-131
0
George Kittle
3-116
1
Jake Ferguson
4-26
1
Dalton Schultz
4-71
0
Placekickers
XP
FG
Jason Meyers
2
5
Dustin Hopkins
1
4
Matt Prater
1
4
Riley Patterson
5
2
Chris Boswell
2
3
Defense
Sack – TO
TD
49ers
5-4
0
Colts
5-2
0
Ravens
4-2
1
Buccaneers
4-1
0
Browns
3-2
1
Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts
QB Derek Carr – Shoulder / Head
QB Taylor Heinicke – Hamstring
QB Baker Mayfield – Thumb
QB Deshaun Watson – Ankle
TE Gerald Everett – Back
RB Alexander Mattison – Concussion
WR Michael Thomas – Knee
WR Jamal Agnew – Shoulder
Chasing Ambulances
QB Derek Carr – Injured his shoulder and potentially was concussed. Jameis Winston came in and threw two second-half touchdowns and two interceptions. The Saints are on their bye in Week 11, so Carr has two weeks to heal up.
QB Taylor Heinicke – Hurt his hamstring and did not return to the game. Desmond Ridder replaced him in time to ensure the eventual loss to the Cardinals. Like Derek Carr, the Falcons have their bye this week and Heinicke will have two weeks to heal. But HC Arthur Smith also has two weeks to decide what he wants to do.
QB Baker Mayfield – Hit his hand on the facemask of a defender and injured his thumb in the middle of the fourth quarter. He still finished the game and later said it was okay. The Buccaneers play in San Francisco this week, so he’ll need to be healthy to keep the Bucs in that matchup.
QB Deshaun Watson – Injured his ankle in the second quarter during a rough tackle (one of many), but still played the balance of the game. It became notable when he left the locker room with a walking boot but said that he’d be fine. It is something to track this week and the Browns face a critical matchup when they host the Steelers.
RB Alexander Mattison – The Vikings starting running back left in the third quarter of the win over the Saints with a concussion. Ty Chandler replaced him and rushed for 45 yards on 15 carries with one touchdown. Mattison will enter the protocol this week and his availability to play in Denver on Sunday depends on how he progresses.
WR Michael Thomas – Left the loss to the Vikings early in the first quarter after taking a hard hit and hurting his knee. He was officially ruled out in the second half. He already had a legal situation with an arrest last week. The Saints enter their bye, so he has time to heal up and deal with any repercussions from his arrest.
Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables
RB Ty Chandler (MIN) – The Vikings already lost Cam Akers, and then Alexander Mattison suffered a concussion in the win over the Saints. Ty Chandler ran for 45 yards and a score but never had a target. The Vikings play in Denver this week and will go against one of the worst defenses versus running backs. He’s a need pick for the Mattison owner but a luxury for any other fantasy team unless Mattison misses games.
QB Bailey Zappe (NE) – Bill Belichick benched Mac Jones in the loss to the Colts, and Zappe only completed 3-of-7 for 25 yards during the matchup in Germany. But the Pats slipped to 2-8 and the time to get desperate has already passed. The Patriots, shockingly, are reaching the point where changes need to be made, if only to look like they haven’t given up. That could involve Zappe or any of the Pats’ other players. This is all new territory for the Patriots and a situation that Belichick hasn’t dealt with in decades.
QB Joshua Dobbs (MIN) – Playing in his first start with the Vikings, the ex-Cardinal threw for 268 yards and a touchdown, plus rushed for 44 yards on eight runs. He’s slipped in quickly and already engineered a win. Dobbs not only has his next opponents of the Broncos, Bears, and Raiders, he may be getting Justin Jefferson on the field this weekend.
RB Devin Singletary (HOU) – Dameon Pierce was inactive this week so the Texans had to rely on Singletary. The ex-Bill responded well to his first start in Houston when he ran for 150 yards on 30 carries and caught an 11-yard pass. Pierce is out with an ankle injury and never practiced last week. The Texans’ next three opponents are all at home – Cardinals, Jaguars, and Broncos. The Jags are above-average against running backs but the Cardinals and Broncos are two of the worst.
RB Rico Dowdle (DAL) – The Cowboys dominated the Giants on Sunday, but Tony Pollard only gained 55 yards on 14 rushes (3.7 YPC). The Cowboys stuck with Pollard in the first quarter when they reached the Giants’ goal line but turned the ball over on downs, unable to score. Dowdle was given 12 rushes and gained 79 yards (6.6 YPC) and punched in a one-yard score in the fourth quarter. Dowdle saw more use in this blowout, but he had been limited to just five carries in all previous games. This week, the Cowboys play in Carolina against the No. 30 defense versus running backs. Pollard was unsuccessful at home against the No. 26 defense, so maybe Dowdle is slowly buying more playing time.
WR Noah Brown (HOU) – He replaced the injured Nico Collins in Week 9 and gained a career-best 153 yards and a score on six catches in the Texans win over the Panthers. With Collins out again, Brown turned in seven receptions for 172 yards. The ex-Cowboys is buying himself more playing time. Nico Collins missed the last two practices last week with a calf injury. He’ll start against the Cardinals this week if Collins remains out.
WR Brandin Cooks (DAL) – Entering into Week 10, Cooks had not gained more than 49 yards in any game for the Cowboys but had scored in Weeks 6 and 8. Facing the Giants, Cooks abused them for 173 yards and a touchdown on nine catches. His three scores over the last four games are more impressive than the high-yardage blip from last Sunday.
QB Kyler Murray (ARZ) – The Cardinals quarterback debuted against the Falcons on Sunday. While he only threw for 249 yards and an interception, he scored on his six runs for 33 yards and led six drives that ended in scores, including the drive in the final 2:33 in the game when he brought the Cards down to the ATL 16-yard line where they kicked the walk-off winning field goal.
TE Trey McBride (ARZ) – Expectations for the second-year tight end were higher this year and he already had a 95-yard performance in Week 8. His first game with Kyler Murray this season resulted in a career-best 131 yards on eight receptions in the win over the Falcons. They play in Houston this week against the No. 31 defense against tight ends.
Huddle player of the week
Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Dak Prescott – After starting the year with marginal passing stats, Prescott perked up against the Rams and Eagles. He just upped those games with 404 yards and four passing scores versus the visiting Giants and even ran in a touchdown. The Cowboys had the game already well in hand before the second quarter but continued the bombing while scoring the entire game through the final two minutes. Fantasy football loves a big score and the NFL’s absence of a mercy rule.
Salute!
Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry
