2025 NFL Power Rankings: Week 17

 ()=Previous Ranking

1.(2) Seattle Seahawks (12-3) Week 17 opponent: Carolina Panthers

2.(1) Los Angeles Rams (11-4) Week 17 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

3.(4) New England Patriots (12-3) Week 17 opponent: New York Jets

4.(10) Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4) Week 17 opponent: Indianapolis Colts9

5.(6) San Francisco 49ers (11-4) Week 17 opponent: Chicago Bears

6.(3) Denver Broncos (12-3) Week 17 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

7.(7) Chicago Bears (11-4) Week 17 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

8.(5) Buffalo Bills (11-4) Week 17 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

9.(9) Houston Texans (10-5) Week 17 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

10.(11) Los Angeles Chargers (11-4) Week 17 opponent: Houston Texans

11.(12) Philadelphia Eagles (10-5) Week 17 opponent: Buffalo Bills

12.(8) Green Bay Packers (9-5-1) Week 17 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

13.(14) Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6) Week 17 opponent: Cleveland Browns

14.(13) Detroit Lions (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

15.(16) Carolina Panthers (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

16.(15) Baltimore Ravens (7-8) Week 17 opponent: Green Bay Packers

17.(19) Minnesota Vikings (7-8) Week 17 opponent: Detroit Lions

18.(17) Indianapolis Colts (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

19.(18) Dallas Cowboys (6-8-1) Week 17 opponent: Washington Commanders

20.(23) New Orleans Saints (5-10) Week 17 opponent: Tennessee Titans

21.(24) Atlanta Falcons (6-9) Week 17 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

22.(20) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8) Week 17 opponent: Miami Dolphins

23.(26) Cincinnati Bengals (5-10) Week 17 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

24.(21) Miami Dolphins (6-9) Week 17 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

25.(22) Kansas City Chiefs (6-9) Week 17 opponent: Denver Broncos

26.(25) Washington Commanders (4-11) Week 17 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

27.(27) Cleveland Browns (3-12) Week 17 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

28.(31) Tennessee Titans (3-12) Week 17 opponent: New Orleans Saints

29.(28) Arizona Cardinals (3-12) Week 17 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

30.(29) New York Jets (3-12) Week 17 opponent: New England Patriots

31.(32) Las Vegas Raiders (2-13) Week 17 opponent: New York Giants

32.(31) New York Giants (2-13) Week 17 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

Week 16 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2025 Edition

Quarterback

Biggest Winner: Brock Purdy (49ers)

Purdy provided an early Christmas gift to his fantasy owners by absolutely erupting against the Colts last night, throwing for 295 YDS and 5 TD's while adding another 11 YDS on the ground-which wiped away the damage from the pick he threw late in the 4th quarter when the game was already in hand. This was easily the best game Purdy has played during his tough, injury-shortened 2025 campaign and a reminder of just how good he can be when he's firing on all cylinders. His fantasy finale comes in a huge matchup against the Bears on Sunday night. 

Honorable Mentions: Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars), Justin Herbert (Chargers), Matthew Stafford (Rams)

Biggest Loser: Josh Allen (Bills)

On the other end of the spectrum, there were a lot of Josh Allen owners hanging their heads in shame on Sunday afternoon as the Bills star QB played the role of game manager (130 passing YDS, 17 Rushing YDS, 0 TD's or turnovers) in an ugly win over the Browns. At the bare minimum, Allen won't be playing it safe in Week 17 as the Bills take on the Eagles in a game that they need to win to order to keep their hopes of winning the AFC East alive. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Jaxson Dart (Giants), Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers), Jacoby Brissett (Cardinals)

Running Back

Biggest Winner: Ashton Jeanty (Raiders)

In one of the more shocking developments of this wacky 2025 NFL season, Jeanty had just the second dominant showing of his rookie season against the best defense in the league. The Raiders offense leaned heavily on Jeanty in what turned out to be a rock fight against the Texans and he delivered, turning his 24 carries into 128 YDS and a TD and taking his lone reception to the house on an incredible splash play (60 YDS!) that gave the Raiders their only lead of this surprisingly close game in the 3rd quarter. While this type of performance didn't mean much for the majority of the people that drafted Jeanty and won't change his fate of being one of the most disappointing high draft picks of 2025, it's encouraging to see him deliver with his back against the wall against a top-tier opponent that's still playing for something. Jeanty will look to close out his underwhelming rookie campaign on a high note against a Giants defense that has been waving the white flag for over a month now.  

Honorable Mentions: Chase Brown (Bengals), Jaylen Warren (Steelers), Christian McCaffery (49ers)

Biggest Loser: Josh Jacobs (Packers)

Things couldn't have gone much worse for the people who were brave enough to start Jacobs in Week 16. Not only did Jacobs split time with Emmanuel Wilson due to the knee/ankle injuries he's currently nursing that made him a game-time decision for Saturday's night contest with the Bears, but he also lost a fumble in the redzone in the 3rd quarter that helped open the door for the Bears to pull off their miraculous comeback win. That fumble also got him glued to the bench for the remainder of the game, which left him with a statline of 48 scrimmage YDS and a lost fumble on 14 touches (12 carries, 2 receptions). If Jacobs is healthy enough to go in Week 17, he'll have a solid chance to return to fantasy glory in a plus matchup against the Ravens. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Javonte Williams (Cowboys), David Montgomery (Lions), Breece Hall (Jets)

Wide Receiver

Biggest Winner: Puka Nacua (Rams)

There was a lot of concern from the civilian population that Nacua's uh, eventful week away from the field would hurt him on it. That didn't prove to be the case in the slightest as Nacua came up huge in an instant classic NFC West shootout with the Seahawks, racking up a ridiculous 225 YDS and 2 TD's on 12 receptions. Davante Adams is expected to remain out with the hamstring injury he re-aggravated against the Lions in Week 15, so another monster outing for Nacua could be in the cards as they take on the pass defense-challenged Falcons on MNF.  

Honorable Mentions: Chris Olave (Saints), George Pickens (Cowboys), D.J. Moore (Bears)

Biggest Loser: Marvin Harrison Jr. (Cardinals)

MHJ's return to the lineup was a huge letdown as the embattled second year pro caught just 1 pass for 14 YDS against the Falcons. Despite having another great matchup against the Bengals horrendous secondary, Harrison Jr. will remain a risky WR3 play in Week 17. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Wan'Dale Robinson (Giants), Christian Watson (Packers), Jordan Addison (Vikings)

Tight End

Biggest Winner: George Kittle (49ers)

The top beneficiary of Purdy's big night in Indy was Kittle, who reeled in 7 catches for 115 YDS and a TD. Unfortunately, Kittle exited the game with an ankle injury in the third quarter-putting his status for Week 17 in serious doubt.

Honorable Mentions: Harold Fannin Jr. (Browns), Kyle Pitts (Falcons), Hunter Henry (Patriots)

Biggest Loser: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

The tragic final chapter of Kelce's nightmarish 2025 campaign reached a new low in Week 16 when Gardner Minshew exited with a knee injury early in the 2nd quarter and third stringer/career practice squad player Chris Oladokun was forced into the action against the Titans. The results were as painful as you'd expect as Oladokun barely threw the ball (11/16 for 111 YDS, 0 TD's or INT's, 4 sacks taken) and Kelce ended up catching just 1 pass for 6 YDS as the Chiefs got run over by Cam Ward and co at Arrowhead. Don't bother starting Kelce for their Week 17 game against a Broncos team that will be eager to beat up on the undermanned Chiefs following a shocking blowout loss at home to the Jaguars this past Sunday. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Jake Ferguson (Cowboys), Trey McBride (Cardinals), Tyler Warren (Colts)

Defense/Special Teams

Biggest Winner: Saints

We love to see a late season streaming D/ST success story, don't we folks? The Saints quietly decent defense (14th in scoring, 5th against the pass, 4th on 3rd down, 11th in the redzone) teed off against the Brady Cook-led Jets, logging 8 sacks, an INT and a fumble recovery in a 29-6 victory in their home finale. They'll be a viable starting option again this week when they take on the Titans.

Honorable Mentions: Texans, Vikings, Bills

Biggest Loser: Seahawks

While the Seahawks had a tough job in trying to contain the Rams high-flying offense, they were ranked #2 in the league in scoring defense heading into Week 16 and should've done better than allowing 37 points and mustering 0 sacks or takeaways in their remarkable comeback OT victory. They should send a thank you to Rasheed Shaheed for returning a punt for a TD in the 4th quarter because without that, they would've logged negative points this week. It would be a shock if they didn't fare much better this week against the Panthers generally poor offense. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Chiefs, Packers, Broncos

Paul Rudd Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Paul Rudd-whose latest project "Anaconda" releases in theaters on Wednesday. 

Paul Rudd's Filmography Ranked:

34.Year One (D)

33.Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (D+)

32.Monsters vs. Aliens (C-)

31.Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (C)

30.They Came Together (C)

29.Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie (C+) 

28.Night at the Museum (B-)

27.Ghostbusters: Afterlife (B-)

26.Wanderlust (B-)

25.Death of a Unicorn (B-)

24.Our Idiot Brother (B-)

23.Reno 911!: Miami (B)

22.Ant-Man and the Wasp (B)

21.Dinner for Schmucks (B)

20.This is 40 (B)

19.Ant-Man (B)

18.Captain America: Civil War (B)

17.The Fundamentals of Caring (B)

16.Role Models (B)

15.Clueless (B)

14.Sausage Party (B+)

13.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (B+)

12.Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (B+)

11.The Perks of Being a Wallflower (B+)

10.Forgetting Sarah Marshall (B+)

9.I Love You, Man (B+)

8.Avengers: Endgame (A-)

7.Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (A-)

6.Knocked Up (A)

5.Wet Hot American Summer (A)

4.This is the End (A)

3.Friendship (A)

2.The 40-Year-Old Virgin (A+)

1.Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (A+)

Top Dog: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

It's been almost 21-and-a-half years since Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy was released in theaters and there's still very little in the world of entertainment that has ever made me laugh as hard. Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Rudd, Steve Carrell, David Koecher and Fred Willard are all on fire here as they glide through this stupid, absurdist world with almost superhuman ease and palpable glee. The day that this shit stops being laugh-out-loud funny is a day that I don't want to experience. 

Bottom Feeder: Year One (2009)

Harold Ramis was a man who wore a lot of hats over the course of his career in film, but aside from being a Ghostbuster, directing is what he's recognized most for. It's not difficult to deduce why this is the case as his directorial filmography features several beloved comedy gems including Groundhog Day, National Lampoon's Vacation and Caddyshack. Unfortunately, the last film Ramis directed before his passing in 2014 served as an unfortunate sour closing note to his impressive career. Year One is one of those comedies where the jokes are lobbed up with regularity and land with a thud 95+% of the time. Despite its disheartening failure, the idea of a comedy spoofing the Book of Genesis has potential and perhaps some brave, talented soul in the future will be able to crack it.

Most Underrated: Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013)

Another opportunity to defend Anchorman?!? Merry Christmas to me!!! In all seriousness, I've never understood the hate towards this movie. While it's not on the level of the original (nor was it ever going to be), it's still full of incredible bits (this one is my favorite) and the cast does a terrific job of returning to the manic absurdist rhythm that made the original so special. 

Most Overrated: Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

Speaking of Ramis, the morally dubious VFX recreation of him actually didn't factor into why I selected Afterlife. My issues with this movie can largely be chalked up to not being all that moved by the parade of fan service Jason Reitman trots out during this movie and the charming performances from McKenna Grace, Carrie Coon and Rudd are really the only reason I was able to have any sort of fun watching this. Reitman's efforts worked like a charm though as Afterlife was a hit that Ghostbusters went feral over and that's precisely why he's making movies and I'm criticizing his work on a blog right now. At least it delivers a coherent plot and doesn't feel overstuffed with characters, which is more than can be said for its sequel Frozen Empire.

Movie Review: Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025)

The legacy of slasher cult classic Silent Night, Deadly Night can be boiled down to a couple of things: 1. The 1984 original got pulled from theaters shortly after its was released after widespread backlash surrounding its protagonist Billy Chapman going around killing people while dressed as Santa. 2.This mesmerizing clip from the 1987 sequel that racked up millions of views during the early days of YouTube 19 years ago. As unimpressive as that resume sounds for a slasher movie that was released during the same window of time as A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th, Silent Night, Deadly Night spawned a 5-film franchise that ran through 1991 as well as a 2012 remake from low budget action/horror titan Steven C. Miller entitled Silent Night. Now, a second remake of the 1984 original from writer/director Mike P. Nelson (Wrong Turn remake, The Domestics) has arrived on the scene with the very inventive title of Silent Night, Deadly Night.

Nelson's take on the film takes the general premise of Billy Chapman killing people in a Santa suit (Halloween Ends star Rohan Campbell steps into the axe-wielding Saint Nick role this time around) and gives it a pretty drastic, freaky remix. What exactly do I mean by that? Well, I'm not going to spoil all of the specifics here (it's easy enough to find that information elsewhere if you want to find out), Chapman is portrayed as an antihero with a strict moral compass that dictates who he kills around the holidays and there are both supernatural and romantic elements present in the story. These changes are absolutely going to lose some people for a host of reasons, and I'd love to hear some reactions from people who weren't aware of the crazier elements of the plot going in. 

After a bit of a clunky start where Chapman's tragic backstory of witnessing his parents get murdered on Christmas Eve as a child is explored, I was able to get onboard with Nelson's vision. As deeply silly as the vast majority of Silent Night, Deadly Night is, there's a lot of ingenuity on display that gives it a unique personality, and the blending of its sweet and nasty elements is pretty smooth, particularly during the final act where Campbell and co-lead Ruby Modine really get to explore the emotional complexity of their characters. Nelson's ability to deliver a collection of memorable kills (budgetary constraints could be to blame for that as there's an emphasis on showing off the practical gore effects over constructing elaborate slasher sequences) isn't on par with his narrative ambition or ability to build suspense in other key moments, but putting less thought into how the people on the receiving end of Billy's axe go out in favor of being the rare remake in this classic horror subgenre that's willing to experiment with its source material is a totally fine trade-off. Time will tell whether or not this Silent Night, Deadly Night is able to become a mainstay in the Christmas horror movie rotation, but I'm confident that there will be some sickos out there that will fall madly in love with Nelson's wacky, sadistic and surprisingly warm movie.              

Grade: B-

Laura Dern Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Laura Dern-whose latest project "Is This Thing On?" releases in select theaters today and expands wide on January 9th. 

Laura Dern's Filmography Ranked:

21.Little Fockers (C)

20.When the Game Stands Tall (C)

19.The Master (C)

18.Smooth Talk (C)

17.JT Leroy (C)

16.Wild (C)

15.Wilson (C+)

14.Everything Must Go (B-)

13.The Founder (B-)

12.Jurassic Park III (B-)

11.Star Wars: The Last Jedi (B-)

10.Jurassic World Dominion (B)

9.The Fault in Our Stars (B)

8.99 Homes (B)

7.Jay Kelly (B)

6.Blue Velvet (B)

5.Little Women (B)

4.Caught Stealing (B+)

3.Cold Pursuit (B+)

2.Marriage Story (A)

1.Jurassic Park (A)

Top Dog: Jurassic Park (1993)

The teaser trailer for Steven Spielberg's latest blockbuster Disclosure Day dropped earlier this week and given that it marks a return to his sci-fi wheelhouse for the first time since 2018's Ready Player One, many people are very excited about it. While I'm not in that camp myself, the magic that Spielberg has conjured up in this space (no pun intended) is powerful enough to inspire hope that he'll be able to do it again. When it comes to the many big, wonderous spectacles that Spielberg has authored over the course of his lengthy career, Jurassic Park has been my favorite for a long time and will likely always remain that way. The way that he portrays the majesty and horror of modern-day humans interacting with dinosaurs is just so special and the inability to recapture that feeling in any of the subsequent films is a big reason why the quality of the sequels is so far below the original.  

Bottom Feeder: Little Fockers (2010)

The fact that another Meet the Parents movie is set to release next year doesn't really excite me given that Little Fockers proved that the franchise's cringe comedy routine had grown stale after three installments. There's only so much mileage you can get out of the premise of Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) navigating his prickly relationship with his intense, untrusting ex-CIA father-in-law Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro)  and unlike the solid sequel Meet the Fockers which mixed up the character dynamics with the introduction of Greg's hippie parents (Dustin Hoffman, Barbara Streisand), Little Fockers brings nothing new to the table outside of Jessica Alba as a horny pharmaceutical rep that repeatedly tries to seduce Greg-which is a recurring bit that doesn't start off particularly funny and grows more obnoxious with each run-through.  

Most Underrated: Cold Pursuit (2019)

I've yet to see In Order of Disappearance, so I can't compare the Norwegian original to the American remake. What I will say is that Cold Pursuit rules on its own. Hans Petter Moland-who also directed In Order of Disappearance-does a great job of turning a classic action revenge setup (an ordinary man goes to war with a drug cartel after they kill his son) on its head by taking it down a path that favors tongue-in-cheek dark comedy over massive shootouts. The hit rate on the gags is very high, and Liam Neeson is having a blast doing a more comedic riff on the type of stoic everyman action heroes he's been playing with regularity since Taken became a sensation. 

Most Overrated: The Master (2012)

Paul Thomas Anderson is somebody whose films have never really meshed with me. Unlike movies like Boogie Nights and There Will Be Blood-which I haven't seen since my prefrontal cortex fully developed, I saw The Master for the first time back in March, so I can't chalk up my coldness towards it to being impatient or not understanding the content of the film. Despite reliably solid work from Joaquin Phoenix, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams, there just simply isn't anything all that interesting going on in the whole cult leader/vulnerable person who falls under their spell dynamic the film is centered around.

2025 NFL Power Rankings: Week 16

 =Previous Ranking

1.(3) Los Angeles Rams (11-3) Week 16 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

2.(1) Seattle Seahawks (11-3) Week 16 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

3.(5) Denver Broncos (12-2) Week 16 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

4.(2) New England Patriots (11-3) Week 16 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

5.(6) Buffalo Bills (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Cleveland Browns

6.(7) San Francisco 49ers (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

7.(8) Chicago Bears (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Green Bay Packers

8.(4) Green Bay Packers (9-4-1) Week 16 opponent: Chicago Bears

9.(10) Houston Texans (9-5) Week 16 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

10.(11) Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Denver Broncos

11.(12) Los Angeles Chargers (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

12.(13) Philadelphia Eagles (9-5) Week 16 opponent: Washington Commanders

13.(9) Detroit Lions (8-6) Week 16 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

14.(17) Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6) Week 16 opponent: Detroit Lions

15.(21) Baltimore Ravens (7-7) Week 16 opponent: New England Patriots

16.(15) Carolina Panthers (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

17.(14) Indianapolis Colts (8-6) Week 16 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

18.(16) Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1) Week 16 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

19.(22) Minnesota Vikings (6-8) Week 16 opponent: New York Giants

20.(18) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Carolina Panthers 

21.(19) Miami Dolphins (6-8) Week 16 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

22.(20) Kansas City Chiefs (6-8) Week 16 opponent: Tennessee Titans

23.(24) New Orleans Saints (4-10) Week 16 opponent: New York Jets

24.(25) Atlanta Falcons (5-9) Week 16 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

25.(28) Washington Commanders (4-10) Week 16 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

26.(23) Cincinnati Bengals (4-10) Week 16 opponent: Miami Dolphins

27.(26) Cleveland Browns (3-11) Week 16 opponent: Buffalo Bills

28.(27) Arizona Cardinals (3-11) Week 16 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

29.(29) New York Jets (3-11) Week 16 opponent: New Orleans Saints

30.(30) New York Giants (2-12) Week 16 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

31.(31) Tennessee Titans (2-12) Week 16 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

32.(32) Las Vegas Raiders (2-12) Week 16 opponent: Houston Texans

Week 15 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2025 Edition

Quarterback

Biggest Winner: Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars)

If you happened to be one of the lucky few that streamed Trevor Lawrence in your first-round playoff matchup, congrats on your victory. Lawrence-who has famously frustrated fantasy owners for the majority of his career with his largely middling numbers-had his best game as a pro against the checked out, injury-depleted Jets-throwing for a ridiculous 330 YDS and 5 TD's and adding another 51 YDS and a TD on the ground (on only 5 carries no less!!!). An encore seems highly unlikely as he's set to take on the Broncos vaunted defense in Week 16.   

Honorable Mentions: Bo Nix (Broncos), Brock Purdy (49ers), Jared Goff (Lions)

Biggest Loser: Joe Burrow (Bengals)

Unfortunately for Burrow owners, his 4th quarter struggles in Buffalo carried over to this contest with the Ravens. Burrow throw for 225 TD's, 0 TD's and 2 INT's as the tiny glimmer of hope the Bengals could rally to win the AFC North crown officially died with this ugly shoutout loss to a team they had dominated in their building just 2 weeks prior. Given his recent play, the high probability that Tee Higgins will remain in concussion protocol and real chance this team is going to start sleepwalking now that they have nothing to play for, Burrow will be tough to trust as a QB1 play for this week's road contest with the Dolphins.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Justin Herbert (Chargers), Lamar Jackson (Ravens)

Running Back

Biggest Winner: James Cook (Bills)

Cook played a huge role in the Bills wild comeback win over the Patriots on Sunday afternoon, rushing for 107 YDS and 2 TD's on 22 carries and catching 2 passes for 4 YDS and a TD. This consistent RB1 option will have another chance to feast in Week 16 against a Browns defense that is currently banged up and solidifying their vacation plans for mid-January. 

Honorable Mentions: Bijan Robinson (Falcons), Travis Etienne Jr. (Jaguars), TreVeyon Henderson (Patriots)

Biggest Loser: Quinshon Judkins (Browns)

You wouldn't know that the Bears currently have a bottom 10 rushing defense by watching what Quinshon Judkins did against them on Sunday. The rookie back was completely bottled up by the Bears front, gaining just 21 YDS on 12 carries. Remarkably, he managed to fare even worse as a pass-catcher (-4 YDS on 3 receptions) as the Browns got throttled in the cold at Soldier Field. Judkins has only averaged more than 3.5 YDS per carry in one game since Week 6, making him hard to start with confidence even in a soft matchup like the one he has this week against the Bills abysmal rush D.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Kenneth Walker III (Seahawks), Breece Hall (Jets), Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions)

Wide Receiver 

Biggest Winner: Amon-Ra St. Brown (Lions)

The Rams sold out to stop Jahmyr Gibbs, and it worked as they came out on the right side of one of the most thrilling shoutouts in recent NFL history. Dedicating those resources to slowing down Gibbs meant the other Lions weapons were going to be in a prime position to make plays and unsurprisingly, St. Brown ended up being the top contributor. The star wideout absolutely cooked every overmatched Rams CB that was tasked with facing him in single coverage as he amassed a staggering 164 YDS and 2 TD's on 13 receptions. St. Brown could be in line for another huge day against a Steelers secondary that has had its share of struggles with slowing down elite WR's this season.   

Honorable Mentions: Puka Nacua (Rams), Jameson Williams (Lions), Nico Collins (Texans)

Biggest Loser: Justin Jefferson (Vikings)

Good news: Jefferson had his best game in 3 weeks against the Cowboys porous secondary. Bad news: He still only reeled in 2 receptions for 22 YDS despite being targeted 8 times. J.J. McCarthy throwing for a career-high 250 YDS in this game makes Jefferson's dismal line even tougher to swallow. Jefferson's next chance to break this sustained slump will come on Sunday afternoon against a putrid Giants team that is playing out the string under interim HC Mike Kafka. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Jaylen Waddle (Dolphins), Ladd McConkey (Chargers), Tetairoa McMillan (Panthers)

Tight End

Biggest Winner: Kyle Pitts (Falcons)

Coming into last Thursday night's game versus Buccaneers, Pitts had set new season-highs in receiving YDS in 2 straight games. Not only did he extend that streak to 3 by hanging a career-high 11 receptions and 166 YDS on the Bucs, he also ended a lengthy TD drought (Week 4 against the Commanders) by finding the endzone 3 times in this absurd comeback win that could end up breaking a fragile Bucs team that has been playing like shit for the past 2 months for good. While Pitts probably won't top his career-best showing, the odds of him remaining hot against the lowly Cardinals in Week 16 are pretty good.     

Honorable Mentions: Trey McBride (Cardinals), Dallas Goedert (Eagles), George Kittle (49ers)

Biggest Loser: Tyler Warren (Colts)

Warren's athletic chops paired with the Seahawks struggles with covering TE's made him the ideal candidate to be the primary target for Phillip Rivers on Sunday. That didn't materialize as Rivers mostly looked elsewhere when he let one of his wounded duck checkdown loose, which left Warren with a measly 3/19 statline in a game that the Colts came dangerously close to winning against all odds. Perhaps Warren will be more involved in the offense in this week's similarly difficult matchup with the 49ers.    

Dishonorable Mentions: Jake Ferguson (Cowboys), Mark Andrews (Ravens), Hunter Henry (Patriots)

Defense/Special Teams

Biggest Winner: Ravens

What an incredible bounceback game from the Ravens D/ST. Zach Orr's group had the Bengals offense in a vice grip for 60 minutes, logging 3 sacks and 2 INT's including a pick 6 from Alohi Gilman in a 24-0 victory. They'll face the Patriots at home in Week 16. 

Honorable Mentions: Bears, Eagles, Jaguars

Biggest Loser: 49ers

Bookending this week's piece with the two extremes of streaming plays is quite the coincidence! The 49ers defense got fuck all cooking against the Titans horrid offense, logging 0 sacks or takeaways against Cam Ward and co. in a 37-24 victory. Robert Saleh's group will be searching for better results when they inevitably end up as streaming fodder once again in Week 16 when they square off with the Phillip Rivers-led Colts in Indy.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Patriots, Rams, Lions