NFL Game Previews: Week 17 Matchups

Cleveland at Cincinnati (+2.5), 44.0 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

Neither team really has anything to play for — the Bengals are locked into the top pick in the 2020 draft, while the best the Browns can do is sneak into the bottom of the top 10 if a bunch of teams win this week that shouldn't — which makes it extra tough to determine who's going to use their starters and for how long. Or, in Cleveland's case, what kind of effort those starters will put in for a lame-duck coach. Nick Chubb at least has a rushing title and some individual milestones to compete for (the only other Browns RB to rush for 1,500 yards in a season is Jim Brown, which would be nice company to keep), while Odell Beckham Jr. is in striking distance of 1,000 receiving yards, so that might be motivation enough. It's the same story on the other sideline, as Joe Mixon and Tyler Boyd both sit just shy of 1,000-yard campaigns. Cincy would probably like to go out on a high note for first-year coach Zac Taylor, and Andy Dalton is trying to bolster his resume for free agency, so this could end up as one of the more competitive games of Week 17.

The Skinny

CLE injuries: WR Beckham (questionable, groin), C JC Tretter (questionable, knee), DE Olivier Vernon (questionable, knee), DE Myles Garrett (out, suspension)

CIN injuries: none

CLE DFS chalk: Chubb (CIN 32nd in rushing yards per game allowed, 30th in passing DVOA vs. RB)

CIN DFS chalk: Mixon (CLE 29th in YPC allowed, 30th in rushing yards per game allowed)

CLE DFS tournament plays: Baker Mayfield (CIN 31st in YPA allowed), Kareem Hunt (see Chubb), Browns DST (CIN 32nd in points per game)

CIN DFS tournament plays: none

Key stat: CIN is 25th in third-down offense at 34.1 percent; CLE is t-9th in third-down defense at 35.9 percent 

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 7-4 CIN, average score 25-16 CIN, average margin of victory 18 points. CLE has won three straight meetings by an average score of 29-19.

Weather forecast: overcast, temperature in the low 60s, less than 10 mph wind, 75-80 percent chance of rain

The Scoop 

Chubb rumbles for 120 yards and a score, while Hunt adds 70 combined yards and a receiving TD. Mayfield throws for 240 yards and a second touchdown to Jarvis Landry, becoming the first CLE quarterback to throw for 20-plus TDs in consecutive seasons since Brian Sipe (seriously). Mixon runs for 90 yards and a TD. Dalton throws for 250 yards and touchdowns to Boyd and John Ross. Browns, 29-27
 

Miami (+15.5) at New England, 44.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

The Dolphins' turnaround since their incredibly awful start is remarkable, and the team is 4-4 over its last eight games after squeaking one out in OT last week against the Bengals. That's not going to get Brian Flores any Coach of the Year votes, but it should at least earn him some job security heading into 2020. Ryan Fitzpatrick has a 14:6 TD:INT in those eight games with a 7.1 YPA, and while he's not the long-term answer for the franchise at QB, he's given the offense enough stability to let DeVante Parker flourish and Mike Gesicki enjoy something of a breakout down the stretch. Finishing on the road against a Pats team with something to play for is less than ideal, though, and a win for New England here gives them a 10th consecutive first-round bye. Tom Brady and Sony Michel both showed up in a big way in last week's comeback win over the Bills, and now they get to face a team they plastered 43-0 in Week 2. Fitzpatrick threw two pick-sixes in that game, while Antonio Brown also caught his last TD as a Patriot. Ah, memories.

The Skinny

MIA injuries: RB Myles Gaskin (IR, ankle)

NE injuries: WR Julian Edelman (questionable, knee/shoulder), RT Marcus Cannon (questionable, shoulder), LB Jamie Collins (questionable, shoulder), CB Jason McCourty (questionable, groin)

MIA DFS chalk: none

NE DFS chalk: Edelman (MIA 31st in DVOA vs. WR1), Patriots DST (first in points per game allowed, t-1st in takeaways)

MIA DFS tournament plays: none

NE DFS tournament plays: Brady (MIA 32nd in passing TDs allowed, 32nd in passing DVOA), James White / Rex Burkhead (MIA 32nd in passing DVOA vs. RB)

Key stat: MIA is 27th in third-down offense at 33.8 percent; NE is first in third-down defense at 23.0 percent. Pro-Football-Reference.com has conversion rates going back to 1991 – no team in that time has ever finished a season below 25 percent.

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 7-4 NE, average score 31-18 NE, average margin of victory 19 points. 

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the low 40s, less than 10 mph wind, 0-5 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Patrick Laird leads the MIA backfield with 50 yards. Fitzpatrick throws for 240 yards and TDs to Gesicki and Parker but gets picked off twice. White paces the NE backfield with 80 combined yards and a receiving score, while Michel adds 70 yards and a touchdown. Brady throws for 220 yards and a second score to Mohamed Sanu. Patriots, 27-14
 

Chicago (+1) at Minnesota, 37.0 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

This is one of those "ugh" Week 17 games when it comes to prognosticating. The Bears can get to .500 with a win, but that's about their only motivation as they can't even play spoiler against a Vikings squad that's set as the NFC's No. 6 seed. Matt Nagy has given the usual "we're playing to win" blather and younger players like Mitchell Trubisky and David Montgomery could certainly use the reps, but he also hasn't ruled out resting his starters, so who knows who'll be on the field after halftime — especially with Trubisky operating behind a banged-up offensive line. Minnesota's priority, of course, should be to avoid having key players get hurt, but Mike Zimmer's a stubborn SOB and might want the team to put together a better performance before the postseason than whatever that was Monday night against the Packers. The offense is built around the running game, though, and regardless of how much action the rest of the starters get, Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison seem likely to sit out and heal up — which could make a Mike Boone/Ameer Abdullah-led attack sluggish once again.

The Skinny

CHI injuries: WR Taylor Gabriel (out, concussion), RG Rashaad Coward (doubtful, knee), RT Bobby Massie (doubtful, ankle), DE Akiem Hicks (out, elbow)

MIN injuries: RB Cook (out, shoulder), RB Mattison (questionable, ankle), LB Eric Kendricks (out, quad)

CHI DFS chalk: none

MIN DFS chalk: none

CHI DFS tournament plays: none

MIN DFS tournament plays: Vikings DST (fourth in takeaways)

Key stat: CHI is 22nd in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 56.1 percent (23-for-41) of RZ possessions; MIN is second in red-zone defense at 46.5 percent (20-for-43)

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 6-5 MIN, average score 19-17 MIN, average margin of victory 11 points. CHI has won three straight meetings.

Weather forecast: indoors

The Scoop

Montgomery gains 70 yards. Trubisky throws for 210 yards and TDs to Allen Robinson and Javon Wims. Abdullah leads the MIN backfield with 70 scrimmage yards, while Boone adds 50. Kirk Cousins throws for 260 yards and touchdowns to Stefon Diggs and Irv Smith Jr. Vikings, 22-17
 

L.A. Chargers (+8.5) at Kansas City, 44.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

Fun fact: if the Chargers lose this game by a single point, they'll have the worst record in the modern era for a team with a positive point differential (the 1971 Bengals went 4-10 with a plus-16 differential, but no team that's played 16 games has done worse than 6-10 while still being in the black in scoring). The Bolts have lost five of their last six, with the lone win coming against a Jags team collapsing even worse than them, but only one of those losses was by more than one score. Mike Williams and Austin Ekeler are both close to 1,000 receiving yards, but denying a division rival a shot at a first-round bye is likely to be the biggest motivator for the Chargers. Kansas City would need New England to lose to Miami to move up from the No. 3 seed, though — an unlikely enough outcome that Andy Reid could be scoreboard watching and decide to rest his starters later in the game if the Pats are kicking butt. On the other hand, the Chiefs have won five consecutive and probably want to keep that momentum going, especially given Patrick Mahomes' relatively lackluster numbers during that stretch. Travis Kelce also has a shot at setting a career high in receiving yards with a huge performance.

The Skinny

LAC injuries: LT Russell Okung (out, groin)

KC injuries: LG Andrew Wylie (questionable, ankle)

LAC DFS chalk: none

KC DFS chalk: none

LAC DFS tournament plays: Melvin Gordon / Ekeler (KC 30th in YPC allowed)

KC DFS tournament plays: none

Key stat: KC is fourth in third-down offense at 46.3 percent; LAC are 27th in third-down defense at 43.8 percent

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 10-1 KC, average score 27-17 KC, average margin of victory 11 points.

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the low 40s, 11 mph wind, 0-5 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Gordon leads the LAC backfield with 80 yards and a TD. Philip Rivers throws for 240 yards and a touchdown to Williams but gets picked off twice. Damien Williams gains 90 scrimmage yards and a score. Mahomes throws for 280 yards and two TDs, hitting Kelce and Tyreek Hill. Chiefs, 33-14
 

N.Y. Jets (+1.5) at Buffalo, 36.0 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

The Jets have six wins on the year and five have come in the second half, so it's fun to wonder if this team could have been in the wild-card mix if it had better luck when it comes to the health of key players like Sam Darnold and C.J. Mosley. The Jets did hand the Bengals their only win of the season in Week 13, though, so then again, maybe not. Darnold could get to 3,000 yards and/or 20 TDs in this one, and while the Bills defense would normally be a tough one to do it against, Week 17 is rarely normal. Buffalo's going to be the No. 5 seed no matter what, so while coach Sean McDermott says his starters will play, that doesn't mean they'll finish the game. If Tre'Davious White and company aren't on the field in the second half, the door could be open for Darnold to put up numbers. Again, though, if these guys lost to Cincy, they can lose to Buffalo's backups, and the weather might not do either passing game any favors.

The Skinny

NYJ injuries: WR Robby Anderson (questionable, calf), WR Demaryius Thomas (questionable, hamstring), LT Kelvin Beachum (questionable, back), LG Alex Lewis (out, ankle), RG Tom Compton (out, calf), S Jamal Adams (questionable, ankle)

BUF injuries: none

NYJ DFS chalk: none

BUF DFS chalk: Bills DST (NYJ 30th in sack percentage allowed, BUF second in points per game allowed)

NYJ DFS tournament plays: none

BUF DFS tournament plays: none

Key stat: NYJ are 32nd in third-down offense at 30.3 percent; BUF is t-8th in third-down defense at 35.9 percent

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 7-4 BUF, average score 26-21 BUF, average margin of victory 14 points. The road team has won three straight meetings.

Weather forecast: overcast, temperature in the low 40s, 10-11 mph wind, 35-70 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Le'Veon Bell picks up 60 scrimmage yards and a receiving TD. Darnold throws for less than 200 yards. Devin Singletary scampers for 80 yards. Josh Allen throws one touchdown to John Brown and runs for another before hitting the bench, with Matt Barkley doing little in his place. Bills, 20-13
 

Green Bay at Detroit (+12.5), 43.0 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

There should be no letdown from the Packers. A win gives them a first-round bye, and a shot at the No. 1 seed in the NFC if the Niners falter in Seattle. Coming off a thorough dismantling of the Vikings, they should be geared up for a rematch with a Lions squad that gave them a scare at Lambeau in Week 6. Aaron Rodgers remains strangely quiet in Matt LaFleur's scheme — he's thrown one or zero TDs in six of the last seven games, with only a huge game against the pushover Giants secondary to remind people he's still a two-time MVP. Between the defense and Aaron Jones (who needs three rushing TDs to tie Jim Taylor's club record with 19 in a season), though, Rodgers hasn't needed to carry the team for a change. The Lions offense that nearly upset their NFC North rivals earlier in the year is missing Matthew Stafford, Marvin Jones and T.J. Hockenson, though, and David Blough has been fairly dreadful in his four starts under center. Maybe they can rouse themselves for a chance to play spoiler, but an eight-game losing streak suggests they packed it in on 2019 a long time ago.

The Skinny

GB injuries: RB Jamaal Williams (doubtful, shoulder)

DET injuries: RT Rick Wagner (questionable, knee), K Matt Prater (questionable, illness)

GB DFS chalk: none

DET DFS chalk: none

GB DFS tournament plays: Rodgers (DET 32nd in passing yards per game allowed, t-27th in passing TDs allowed), Jones (DET 28th in passing DVOA vs. RB), Allen Lazard (DET 29th in DVOA vs. WR2)

DET DFS tournament plays: none

Key stat: GB is third in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 66.7 percent (32-for-48) of RZ possessions; DET is 23rd in red-zone defense at 60.0 percent (33-for-55)

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 6-5 DET, average score 25-20 DET, average margin of victory 11 points. DET has won four straight meetings before a 23-22 victory for GB in Week 6.

Weather forecast: dome

The Scoop

Jones erupts for 120 yards and three touchdowns to tie Taylor's record from 1962. Rodgers throws for 250 yards and a score to Davante Adams. Kerryon Johnson runs for 70 yards and a TD. Blough throws for 210 yards and a score to Kenny Golladay but gets picked off twice. Packers, 31-17
 

New Orleans at Carolina (+13), 46.0 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

Despite 12 wins (and counting?), the Saints are stuck with the No. 3 seed in the NFC entering Week 17 and need the Packers to lose at Detroit or the Niners to lose in Seattle to have a shot at gaining a first-round bye. On the other hand, if they stay put in the third spot, they'd get to play host to a rematch of the Minneapolis Miracle game from two years ago and put those ghosts to rest. You know Marcus Williams, if nobody else, is secretly hoping for a chance at redemption. Alvin Kamara found the end zone last week for the first time since Week 3 and topped 100 scrimmage yards for only the third time in the last seven games, a revival that comes just in time to face the worst run defense in the league. Carolina's collapse has been epic — the team's QB issues have drawn the headlines, but the Panthers have given up more than 150 rushing yards in four consecutive games and five times total during their seven-game losing streak, while also producing only two takeaways. Sure, Will Grier looked terrible in his NFL debut, but even Cam Newton would have trouble climbing out of that hole. Grier will at least face a Saints secondary missing three starters, though Marshon Lattimore isn't one. Christian McCaffrey needs 67 receiving yards to join Roger Craig and Marshall Faulk in the exclusive 1,000-1,000 Club, and he also has outside chances at other club and NFL records, but once he gets to four digits as a receiver, interim coach Perry Fewell could shut him down.

The Skinny

NO injuries: S Vonn Bell (out, knee)

CAR injuries: WR D.J. Moore (out, concussion), LB Shaq Thompson (out, shoulder)

NO DFS chalk: Kamara (CAR 32nd in YPC allowed, 31st in rushing yards per game allowed, 32nd in rushing TDs allowed, 32nd in rushing DVOA)

CAR DFS chalk: none

NO DFS tournament plays: Latavius Murray (see Kamara), Saints DST (CAR 31st in giveaways)

CAR DFS tournament plays: Panthers DST (second in sack percentage)

Key stat: CAR is 30th in third-down offense at 31.9 percent; NO is sixth in third-down defense at 35.1 percent

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 7-5 NO including postseason, average score 26-26, average margin of victory 10 points. NO has won five of the last six meetings, including a 34-31 victory in Week 12.

Weather forecast: overcast, temperature in the low 60s, less than 10 mph wind, 20-35 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Kamara piles up 140 combined yards and two TDs, one rushing and one receiving, while Murray also bangs in a rushing score. Drew Brees throws for 260 yards and a second touchdown to Jared Cook. McCaffrey gets to 1,000 receiving yards, finishing the day with 100 scrimmage yards and a TD. Grier throws for under 200 yards and gets picked off twice. Saints, 31-13
 

Atlanta (+1) at Tampa Bay, 47.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EST

This is one of those "nothing at stake but pride" games, but the Falcons come into it on a three-game winning streak and thus get graced with the "they closed the season on a high note to save their coach's job" narrative even if they blow this one. Say what you want about Dan Quinn's tenure in Atlanta, but his teams have never been outright awful, and a win would allow the Falcons to avoid Quinn's first 10-loss campaign despite all the injuries they've had to deal with in 2019. Julio Jones could be the latest casualty if he gets shut down for a nothing contest, though, leaving Matt Ryan without many reliable targets in what on paper is a juicy matchup. Jameis Winston knows the feeling, though Breshad Perriman's emergence has softened the blow of losing Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Winston's playing for a contract, or at least a franchise tag, as well as playing through a hairline fracture in his thumb, but that hasn't stopped him from chucking the ball around willy-nilly just as he's done all year. In nine games since the Bucs' bye, he's topped 300 yards eight times, tossed multiple TDs six times and thrown multiple INTs six times. Calling him volatile is like calling nitroglycerin a bit tricky to handle.

The Skinny

ATL injuries: LG James Carpenter (IR, concussion)

TB injuries: QB Winston (questionable, thumb), WR Godwin (out, hamstring), LT Donovan Smith (questionable, ankle)

ATL DFS chalk: Jones (TB 30th in DVOA against deep throws)

TB DFS chalk: none

ATL DFS tournament plays: Falcons DST (TB 32nd in giveaways)

TB DFS tournament plays: Justin Watson (ATL 30th in DVOA vs. WR2), Cyril Grayson (ATL 29th in DVOA vs. WR3)

Key stat: ATL is 12th in third-down offense at 42.3 percent; TB is third in third-down defense at 34.0 percent

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 7-4 ATL, average score 31-25 ATL, average margin of victory 11 points. ATL had won five straight meetings before a 35-22 TB victory in Week 12.

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the high 70s, 11 mph wind, 0-5 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Devonta Freeman gains 50 yards and a TD. Ryan throws for 340 yards and three touchdowns, hitting Austin Hooper (who tops 100 yards) twice and Russell Gage once. Ronald Jones picks up 80 yards and a score. Winston throws for 310 yards and two TD, finding Perriman and Watson. Buccaneers, 30-28
 

Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants (+4.5), 45.0 o/u – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST

It's win and you're in for the Eagles, though they can also claim the NFC East crown if the Cowboys lose to Washington, and frankly it speaks volumes about the division that neither Philly nor Dallas seems safe against two also-rans who have combined for seven wins on the year. The Eagles have won three straight to put themselves in this position, including last week's ugly slog over the 'Boys, and the first of those victories was an overtime squeaker over the Giants. Carson Wentz seems to lose an important target every game, and last week was no exception as Zach Ertz suffered a rib injury that's going to sideline him for this crucial game. That leaves the QB throwing to Dallas Goedert, Greg Ward and (OK, fine, I'll make the obvious joke, sheesh) I dunno, Vince Papale maybe? As for the Giants, Saquon Barkley has finally been back to his rookie form the last two weeks, while Daniel Jones is coming off the best game of his brief career, even if it was against Washington. He missed the Week 14 meeting between the clubs, so Philly might not know what to expect from the Danny Dimes/Dollars/Dinar/whatever experience, and he'll be able to rub Wentz's nose in the fact that he has a nearly full complement of receivers to target. If you're looking for reasons to think an upset could happen, Cowboys fans, that might be it.

The Skinny

PHI injuries: WR Nelson Agholor (out, knee), TE Ertz (out, ribs), RT Lane Johnson (questionable, ankle)

NYG injuries: RT Mike Remmers (out, concussion), LB Alec Ogletree (questionable, back)

PHI DFS chalk: Ward (NYG 32nd in DVOA vs. WR1)

NYG DFS chalk: none

PHI DFS tournament plays: Wentz (NYG 30th in YPA allowed, 31st in passing DVOA), Robert Davis (NYG 32nd in DVOA vs. WR3), Eagles DST (NYG 30th in giveaways)

NYG DFS tournament plays: none

Key stat: NYG are 18th in third-down offense at 37.8 percent; PHI is fourth in third-down defense at 34.4 percent

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 10-1 PHI, average score 28-20 PHI, average margin of victory 10 points. PHI has won six straight meetings, and seven of the last eight have been decided by six points or less.

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the low 40s, less than 10 mph wind, 0-15 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Miles Sanders dashes for 90 yards and a TD. Wentz throws for 280 yards and touchdowns to Ward and Goedert. Barkley bangs out 110 yards and a score. Jones throws for 230 yards and a TD to Sterling Shepard. Eagles, 24-19
 

Tennessee at Houston (+3.5), 45.0 o/u – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST

The decision to rest Derrick Henry last week seemed like a curious one for the Titans, but it worked out about as well as it could have — getting beat by the Saints didn't hurt them (literally, as a loss to a non-conference opponent had no impact on the important tiebreakers) while the Steelers' loss to the Jets left Tennessee in the driver's seat for the No. 6 seed in the AFC. If the Titans win, or the Steelers and Colts both lose, they're in. The fact that Ryan Tannehill was still able to lead the offense to 28 points against a credible defense without Henry battering linebackers into submission is a testament to how dangerous a wild-card team they would be. In fact, if you were starting a franchise from scratch and got to pick any current RB/WR duo to build your attack around, it's hard to imagine a better — or more physically dominant — choice than Henry and A.J. Brown. The rookie receiver has accounted for 543 scrimmage yards and five TDs over the last five games, including a 49-yard rushing score last week. That physical dominance could come into play here, as the Texans could have very little to play for by the time kickoff rolls around. They enter Sunday with an outside shot at the No. 3 seed, but that door will close if the Chiefs win earlier in the afternoon. Coach Bill O'Brien is saying all the right things about playing his starters, trying to win, yadda yadda yadda, but given how banged up Deshaun Watson's receiving corps is, seeing DeAndre Hopkins (or even Watson himself) on the field for four quarters in a nothing game could be needlessly risky. Then again, O'Brien may just want to try and eliminate the Titans out of spite.

The Skinny

TEN injuries: WR Adam Humphries (out, ankle), CB Adoree' Jackson (out, foot)

HOU injuries: QB Watson (questionable, back), WR Hopkins (questionable, illness), WR Will Fuller V (out, groin), WR Kenny Stills (questionable, knee), LT Laremy Tunsil (questionable, ankle), DE J.J. Watt (IR, pectoral)

TEN DFS chalk: Ryan Tannehill (HOU 30th in passing yards per game allowed, t-27th in passing TDs allowed)

HOU DFS chalk: none

TEN DFS tournament plays: none

HOU DFS tournament plays: Keke Coutee (TEN 31st in DVOA vs. WR3), Texans DST (TEN 32nd in sack percentage allowed)

Key stat: TEN is first in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 73.8 percent (31-for-42) of RZ possessions; HOU is 32nd in red-zone defense at 69.6 percent (32-for-46)

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 8-3 HOU, average score 29-17 HOU, average margin of victory 16 points. The home team had won six straight meetings before a 24-21 HOU road victory in Week 15.

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the mid-60s, 9-13 mph wind, 0-5 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Henry thunders for 130 yards and a TD. Tannehill throws for 280 yards and touchdowns to Brown and Jonnu Smith. Duke Johnson leads the HOU backfield with 70 yards. Watson throws for less than 200 yards while running in a score before calling it a day. AJ McCarron hits Keke Coutee for a TD after taking over. Titans, 26-17
 

Washington (+11) at Dallas, 44.5 o/u – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST

And so, another ugly season draws to a close for Dan Snyder's accursed team. They're currently set to pick second overall in the 2020 draft, they're won double-digit games only once in the last 15 years, and they haven't won a playoff game since 1991. Last year's first-round pick and potential franchise quarterback Dwayne Haskins won't play due to injury; neither will promising back Derrius Guice or impressive rookie receiver Terry McLaurin. In a game that matters between division rivals, you can normally count on the underdog to show up just out of a sense of professional pride and the desire to stick it to a team they loathe, but in this case, who knows? Case Keenum at least will be auditioning for potential new employers, so expect him to do the best he can under the circumstances. Speaking of professional pride, the Cowboys somehow find themselves in the position of needing to win and get help from the Giants to win a division they should have walked away with. They've dropped four of their last five, and Jason Garrett should be a lame-duck coach whether they sneak into the postseason or not. Dak Prescott's shoulder injury also clouds the picture when it comes to winning this one, much less making any noise in the playoffs, but he'll gut it out nonetheless. Expect a heavy dose of Ezekiel Elliott, who racked up 111 rushing yards and a TD when the two squads met in Week 2, instead.

The Skinny

WAS injuries: QB Haskins (out, ankle), WR McLaurin (out, concussion), RT Morgan Moses (questionable, knee), CB Josh Norman (questionable, illness), S Landon Collins (out, shoulder)

DAL injuries: LT Tyron Smith (questionable, back), LB Leighton Vander Esch (IR, neck), CB Byron Jones (questionable, ankle)

WAS DFS chalk: none

DAL DFS chalk: Elliott (WAS 29th in rushing yards per game allowed), Michael Gallup (WAS 32nd in DVOA vs. WR2)

WAS DFS tournament plays: none

DAL DFS tournament plays: Prescott (WAS t-27th in passing TDs allowed), Jason Witten / Blake Jarwin (WAS 31st in DVOA vs. TE), Cowboys DST (WAS 31st in points per game, 31st in sack percentage allowed)

Key stat: WAS is 25th in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 51.4 percent (19-for-37) of RZ possessions; DAL is 10th in red-zone defense at 52.8 percent (28-for-53)

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 8-3 DAL, average score 28-21 DAL, average margin of victory 10 points.

Weather forecast: retractable roof

The Scoop

Adrian Peterson runs for 70 yards. Keenum throws for 210 yards and a TD to Kelvin Harmon. Elliott pops for 90 yards and two scores. Prescott throws for 250 yards. Cowboys, 20-13
 

Pittsburgh at Baltimore (+2), 37.5 o/u – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST

Last week's loss to the Jets leaves the Steelers' season hanging by a thread. If they win this one, they'll still need a lot of other dominoes to fall (Titans and Raiders lose, Colts win) to find themselves as the No. 6 seed. The offense will once again be without James Conner, but it hasn't much mattered who's in the backfield given the awful performances the team's been getting at quarterback. Devlin Hodges isn't the answer, but neither was Mason Rudolph, and Rudolph's now on IR. Folks looking for stirring narratives and storybook endings will be glued to Marshawn Lynch's return to Seattle, but really, how amazing would it be if Paxton Lynch — discarded and derided as a first-round bust, and yet another developmental failure by John Elway in Denver — somehow led Pittsburgh into the playoffs? If he gets on the field it's not completely out of the question, as the Ravens are set as the AFC's top seed and will be resting Lamar Jackson and other key personnel. Robert Griffin is a better backup QB than most though (the Steelers would certainly love to have him), and Baltimore's depth is one of the reasons they've done so well in 2019, particularly on offense and in the secondary.

The Skinny

PIT injuries: RB Conner (out, quad), C Maurkice Pouncey (out, knee)

BAL injuries: QB Jackson (out, rest), RB Mark Ingram (out, calf), WR Marquise Brown (questionable, illness), TE Mark Andrews (questionable, ankle), RG Marshal Yanda (out, rest), CB Marcus Peters (questionable, chest), CB Jimmy Smith (questionable, groin), S Earl Thomas (questionable, knee) 

PIT DFS chalk: none

BAL DFS chalk: none

PIT DFS tournament plays: Steelers DST (t-1st in takeaways, first in sack percentage)

BAL DFS tournament plays: Seth Roberts / Miles Boykin (PIT 30th in DVOA vs. WR3)

Key stat: PIT is 32nd in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 34.2 percent (13-for-38) of RZ possessions; BAL is third in red-zone defense at 47.6 percent (20-for-42)

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 7-5 BAL including postseason, average score 24-23 BAL, average margin of victory nine points. The road team has won three straight meetings.

Weather forecast: overcast, temperature in the mid-40s, less than 10 mph wind, 65-70 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Benny Snell Jr. picks up 60 yards and a score. Hodges throws for less than 200 yards and gets sacked for a safety. Justice Hill leads the BAL backfield with 80 combined yards and a touchdown. Griffin throws for 240 yards and a TD to Roberts. Ravens, 22-13
 

Indianapolis at Jacksonville (+3.5), 43.0 o/u – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST

The Colts can't make the playoffs no matter what they do, but what happens could matter for other team's tiebreaker scenarios (a Colts win helps the Steelers and/or Raiders if the rest of their playoff parlays come in, but a loss is good for the Titans if they lose too and need to rely on tiebreakers), so this could be a popular second screen choice late Sunday afternoon if things fall the right way. There are some personal milestones in sight for Jacoby Brissett, who can get to 3,000 passing yards and 20 TDs, but otherwise there just isn't a lot on the line here for Indy. They're facing a team that's lost six of its last seven, though, so it may not take a lot effort to come out on top. The Jags are banged up, so even players like Gardner Minshew, who should be playing for 2020 jobs, might end up sitting for some or all of Sunday's tilt. Minshew can also get to 3,000 yards and 20 TDs, fairly impressive considering he's only started 11 games, while DJ Chark Jr. is just short of 1,000 receiving yards.

The Skinny

IND injuries: RB Jordan Wilkins (out, knee), LG Quenton Nelson (questionable, concussion)

JAC injuries: QB Minshew (questionable, shoulder), RB Leonard Fournette (questionable, neck), WR Dede Westbrook (questionable, neck)

IND DFS chalk: Marlon Mack (JAC 31st in YPC allowed, 31st in rushing TDs allowed, 31st in rushing DVOA, 27th in passing DVOA vs. RB)

JAC DFS chalk: none

IND DFS tournament plays: Nyheim Hines (see Mack)

JAC DFS tournament plays: none

Key stat: JAC is 28th in third-down offense at 32.5 percent; IND is t-22nd in third-down defense at 41.1 percent

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 6-5 IND, average score 21-20 JAC, average margin of victory 15 points. No rivalry has been more volatile – five of the last 11 meetings have been decided by six points or less, while six have been decided by 20 points or more, including a 33-13 IND victory in Week 11.

Weather forecast: overcast, temperature in the mid-70s, 9-10 mph wind, 5-25 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Mack runs for 70 yards and a TD, while Hines adds 50 combined yards. Brissett throws for 220 yards and a touchdown to Jack Doyle. Ryquell Armstead leads the JAC backfield with 70 yards. Minshew throws for 260 yards and TDs to Chark and Chris Conley. Jaguars, 23-17
 

Oakland (+3.5) at Denver, 41.0 o/u – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST

So here's what needs to happen for Oakland to wind up with the No. 6 seed: the Titans and Steelers need to lose, the Colts need to win, the Raiders, of course, need to beat the Broncos, and even then they'd still need to maintain an edge in the "strength of victory" tiebreaker over Pittsburgh with things like the Pats beating the Dolphins (since Pittsburgh beat Miami but Oakland never played them, so another loss by the Fish weakens the Steelers' case). If it seems needlessly confusing, it is, but that's the way the NFL likes it. The Raiders would be in much better position if they hadn't lost four straight before rebounding against the Bolts last week — c'est la vie, as they say in Paris (the Vegas casino, I mean). Denver's got nothing to play for, but the offense has been looking good under rookie Drew Lock and they aren't likely to reduce his reps, or that of young targets like Courtland Sutton or Noah Fant. Phillip Lindsay is also within striking distance of 1,000 rushing yards.

The Skinny

OAK injuries: RB Josh Jacobs (doubtful, shoulder), LG Richie Incognito (doubtful, ankle)

DEN injuries: RG Ron Leary (out, concussion), RT Ja'Wuan James (out, knee)

OAK DFS chalk: none

DEN DFS chalk: Sutton (OAK 30th in DVOA vs. WR1, 32nd in DVOA against deep throws)

OAK DFS tournament plays: none

DEN DFS tournament plays: Lock (OAK 32nd in YPA allowed, 30th in passing TDs allowed, 30th in passing DVOA), Phillip Lindsay / Royce Freeman (OAK 31st in passing DVOA vs. RB), DaeSean Hamilton (OAK 31st in DVOA vs. WR2)

Key stat: OAK is 21st in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 56.3 percent (27-for-48) of RZ possessions; DEN is first in red-zone defense at 41.5 percent (17-for-41), and the 17 total TDs allowed are second in the league to NE's 12.

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 6-5 DEN, average score 22-18 DEN, average margin of victory 12 points. The home team has won the last seven meetings.

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the low 30s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of snow

The Scoop

DeAndre Washington leads the OAK backfield with 60 yards. Derek Carr throws for 240 yards and TDs to Tyrell Williams and Darren Waller but also tosses a pick-six to Justin Simmons. Lindsay totes up 100 combined yards and a score. Lock throws for 270 yards and two touchdowns to Sutton, who tops 100 yards. Broncos, 28-23
 

Arizona (+7) at L.A. Rams, 49.0 o/u – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST

With nothing on the line in this game for either squad, Kyler Murray's rookie season could be over as the first overall pick in the 2019 draft is nursing a hamstring injury. Brett Hundley isn't much of a backup but he is relatively mobile, so Kliff Kingsbury wouldn't have to tinker with the game plan more than he already does if Murray gets shut down. The focus in recent weeks has been on Kenyan Drake anyway, and the former Dolphin has already won this year's "Where the Heck Was That in the First Half, When My Fantasy Team Needed It?" award, dethroning reigning winner Derrick Henry. Drake had 174 rushing yards and zero TDs in six games for Miami — he nearly matched that yardage total last week alone, and he's found the end zone six times in the last two weeks, including twice in last week's upset of the Seahawks. Not a bad kick to the finish for a guy who'll be a free agent in the offseason. Larry Fitzgerald could also ride off into the sunset after this game, and you have to figure Kingsbury would like to get him one more big moment if he lets word slip in the locker room that he is. The Rams don't have a whole lot to play for other than sending the LA Coliseum out in style, but a win keeps them above .500 for the third straight season, while there are plenty of personal milestones at stake. Jared Goff's looking for 4,500 yards and 20 TDs, Todd Gurley's just short of 1,000 scrimmage yards, and Tyler Higbee could make history with his fifth straight 100-yard game — no tight end has even had more than four. The Cards' sketchy pass defense is also the right one to face if you want to take your frustrations out on someone before turning off the lights on a disappointing campaign.

The Skinny

ARI injuries: QB Murray (questionable, hamstring)

LAR injuries: RB Darrell Henderson (IR, ankle), CB Jalen Ramsey (out, knee)

ARI DFS chalk: none

LAR DFS chalk: Goff (ARI 31st in passing yards per game allowed, 31st in passing TDs allowed), Gurley (ARI 29th in passing DVOA vs. RB), Higbee (ARI 32nd in DVOA vs. TE)

ARI DFS tournament plays: none

LAR DFS tournament plays: Brandin Cooks (ARI 28th in DVOA vs. WR3), Gerald Everett (see Higbee)

Key stat: LAR are 17th in third-down offense at 37.9 percent; ARI is 30th in third-down defense at 45.4 percent

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 7-4 LAR, average score 21-16 LAR, average margin of victory 20 points. LAR have won five straight meetings by an average score of 33-6, including a 34-7 victory in Week 13.

Weather forecast: clear, temperature in the low 60s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop 

Drake dashes for 80 yards and a touchdown. Hundley starts and throws for less than 200 yards, but hits Fitzgerald for one TD and runs in another in garbage time. Gurley piles up 110 combined yards and a score. Goff throws for 320 yards and three TDs, finding Robert Woods, Cooks and Higbee, who makes NFL history by hauling in more than 100 yards once again. Rams, 34-21
 

San Francisco at Seattle (+3), 47.0 o/u – Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EST

OK, here we go. A win for the Niners and they're the No. 1 seed in the conference. A loss, and they tumble all the way to No. 5, though you could argue a road playoff game against the NFC East winner in the next-best thing to a bye. San Francisco's three losses have all been by a single score, but one was an overtime heartbreaker against the Seahawks in Week 10, so they also will be looking to avenge that one. Jimmy Garoppolo has been inconsistent down the stretch — over the last seven games, he's thrown four TDs twice and topped a 70 percent completion rate four times, but thrown multiple picks twice and posted a sub-60 percent completion rate twice — but Raheem Mostert's emergence has kept the running game humming, and Jimmy G has more than enough weapons to rack up points even when he isn't sharp. If there's a concern for the Niners as they steam toward the postseason, it's the defense. Dominant earlier in the year, it's coughed up 31.5 points a game the last four weeks, albeit while facing tough competition (the Ravens, Saints, Falcons and Rams). The unit also hasn't generated multiple turnovers since Week 11. Those issues pale in comparison to Seattle, though. An offense built around its running game suddenly has its top three RBs on IR, which has forced the front office to heave up a nostalgic Hail Mary by signing Marshawn Lynch. He hasn't played since Week 6 last year and has undergone groin surgery since then, so there's absolutely no way to tell if there's any Beast Mode left in those 33-year-old legs until he gets on the field and takes a couple of totes. Russell Wilson, who just became the franchise's all-time leading passer, has faded after a fast start but is still on the cusp of 4,000 passing yards and 30 TDs, and he might need to sling it if Lynch or rookie Travis Homer can't get anything going on the ground. A win gives them the NFC West title, and potentially even a first-round bye if the Packers or Saints falter, while a loss puts them in that consolation prize fifth slot. The crowd in Seattle will be absolutely rabid given what's on the line and with Lynch's return to the site of his greatest triumphs, and that could be the difference.

The Skinny

SF injuries: RG Mike Person (questionable, neck), DE Dee Ford (out, hamstring)

SEA injuries: RB Chris Carson (IR, hip), RB C.J. Prosise (IR, arm), WR Josh Gordon (out, suspension), LT Duane Brown (out, knee)

SF DFS chalk: none

SEA DFS chalk: none

SF DFS tournament plays: none

SEA DFS tournament plays: Seahawks DST (third in takeaways)

Key stat: SEA is ninth in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 62.5 percent (35-for-56) of RZ possessions; SF is 17th in red-zone defense at 58.3 percent (21-for-36)

Head-to-head record, last five-plus years: 10-1 SEA, average score 25-14 SEA, average margin of victory 12 points. The lone SF victory came in Week 15 of last season, a 26-23 home win, and SF hasn't won in Seattle since 2011 – losing eight straight meetings at CenturyLink Field, including a 23-17 SEA victory in the 2013 NFC Championship game.

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the mid-40s, less than 10 mph wind, 0-10 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Mostert runs for 80 yards. Garoppolo throws for 270 yards and touchdowns to George Kittle and Emmanuel Sanders. Lynch gains only 60 yards but does score, while Homer grinds out 50 yards. Wilson plays the hero, throwing for 250 yards and two second-half TDs to Tyler Lockett. Seahawks, 27-23
 

Last week's record: 9-7, 9-6-1 ATS, 10-6 o/u
2019 regular-season record: 147-92-1, 115-118-7 ATS, 121-114-5 o/u
2018 regular-season record: 160-94-2, 112-134-10 ATS, 113-139-4 o/u
Lifetime record: 783-476-5, 585-630-49 ATS, 487-503-18 o/u (o/u not tracked in 2015)