Lightning's Nikita Kucherov to Miss Regular Season After Surgery on Hip Injury
Dec 23, 2020
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) during the second period of Game 2 of the NHL Eastern Conference finals hockey playoff series against the Washington Capitals Sunday, May 13, 2018, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois confirmed that star winger Nikita Kucherov is expected to miss the 2020-21 regular season after undergoing hip surgery.
#tblightning Julien BriseBois said Nikita Kucherov first reported hip issues in Dec. 3, was dealing with groin injury in playoffs. Tried treatment first with hopes it would work. But said it would be impossible to play through for full season; similar surgery as Point + Gourde
The 27-year-oldis among the NHL's most dangerous offensive players, finishing last season with 33 goals and 52 assists in 58 games. He led the Lightning in points (34) in the playoffs over 25 games as they went on to lift the Stanley Cup.
In 2018-19, Kucherov enjoyed a career year that saw him score 41 goals and dish out 87 assists for a personal-best 128 points. He won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer and was named league MVP by virtue of winning the Hart Memorial Trophy.
The Russian has progressively gotten better since debuting with 18 points in 52 games as a rookie with the Lightning in 2013-14. His point totals climbed to 65, 66 and 85 before finally reaching the 100-point plateau in 2017-18.
The Lightning hadn't even finished celebrating their Stanley Cup triumph before they faced the brutal reality of the NHL's salary cap. The silver lining of Kucherov's surgery is that his absence will provide some financial relief as he goes on long-term injured reserve.
But Kucherov will be sorely missed in the regular season when Tampa Bay starts its title defense on Jan. 13.
Between the reserve/COVID-19 list, injuries and scheduling irregularities, fantasy managers who are advancing to their league's postseason have to navigate extremely choppy waters this week...
NFL Scores Week 13: Top Fantasy Stars, Results and Playoff Picture
Dec 6, 2020
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller, right, runs with the ball during the second half an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
It was a day for road teams as Week 13 of the NFL season concluded on Sunday. In the early block, five road teams won their matchups out of seven games total. We even got an overtime showdown between the Minnesota Vikings (one of the two home teams to win early Sunday) and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The other team that successfully defended its home turf? The Miami Dolphins, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 19-7.
We also saw the first team clinch its playoff berth in Sunday's early games, as the New Orleans Saints defeated the Atlanta Falcons 21-16 to win their ninth in a row, getting a little help from the Chicago Bears' 34-30 loss to the Detroit Lions.
Taysom Hill carried the torch in Drew Brees' absence, responsible for 232 yards of offense, two touchdowns and 23.58 points for fantasy managers. Hopefully, some of those fantasy managers were able to handcuff him with Brees this season.
In the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs clinched playoff spot with a win Sunday night over the Denver Broncos, while the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers can do the same Monday against Washington.
The away team prowess continued in the afternoon, as three of the four away teams playing in that slot came away victorious—with the New England Patriots mercilessly blanking the Arizona Cardinals 45-0 in their house.
Sunday's games brought us an under-the-radar hero among the tight ends, a wide receiver who dominated all fantasy players despite his team suffering a brutal loss and an all-time great quarterback hitting a significant milestone.
We'll be updating the top fantasy players of the day after each block of games, including highlights, point totals and stat lines. All point totals are in points-per-reception (PPR) formats.
Week 13 Results
New Orleans Saints 21, Atlanta Falcons 16 (QB Taysom Hill: 27/37, 232 yds, 2 TD, 23.58 pts)
Detroit Lions 34, Chicago Bears 30 (RB David Montgomery: 17 att, 72 yds, 2 TD, 27.10 pts)
It was a big day for the Green Bay Packers, who moved into second place in the NFC behind the Saints. The headlines will all be about Aaron Rodgers clinching his 400th touchdown (to wideout Davante Adams), but without that, running back Aaron Jones surely would have garnered his fair share of buzz in the national media.
With the Philadelphia Eagles encroaching on the Packers' 23-16 lead and threatening to turn a celebratory night sour in Green Bay, Jones rumbled for a 77-yard touchdown that saw him shift out of the grasp of every defender who tried to touch him.
It put the game more safely out of reach for Green Bay at 30-16, and the Eagles would not score again.
Overall, Jones finished his night with 15 attempts for 130 yards and a touchdown for 23.80 points, the second-best on the day after the Chicago Bears' David Montgomery.
Corey Davis, WR, Titans
The Tennessee Titans may have lost to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, but wideout Corey Davis played his heart out nonetheless.
Davis was the top-performing fantasy wide receiver at the conclusion of the early games Sunday, earning fantasy managers 35.20 points with 11 receptions for 182 yards and a touchdown.
His 17-yard touchdown reception put the Titans on the board in the second quarter when they were down 17-0.
The Titans declined to pick up the fifth-year option for Davis earlier this year, so he will be an unrestricted free agent come 2021. For fantasy managers in dynasty or keeper leagues, that can only mean that if Davis is donning a new jersey next season, he'll only be more successful in an offense with more help around him.
Darren Waller, TE, Raiders
One of the breakout fantasy stars of the year, Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller absolutely carved up the New York Jets defense Sunday, to the tune of 13 receptions for 200 yards and two touchdowns and a whopping 45 fantasy points.
In fact, those 45 points are the fourth-most from a tight end ever.
Darren Waller's 45 PPR points in Week 13 are the 4th most points from a tight end EVER. pic.twitter.com/JzBUYBejTb
Sunday's was a particularly juicy matchup for Waller; the Jets defense had also given 24-plus points to Travis Kelce and Jordan Reed earlier this season. But it's clear that Waller is the real deal.
Waller is now rostered in 100 percent of ESPN leagues and 99 percent of Yahoo leagues, so if you were hoping to bolster your tight end or flex position with him this year, you're out of luck.
But those who had the foresight to pick him up this year just may see him carry their squad through the fantasy playoffs in a couple of weeks.
David Montgomery, RB, Bears
Chicago Bears fans weren't pleased with their team's 34-30 loss to the division-rival Detroit Lions on Sunday, but if they happened to have David Montgomery on their fantasy team, the sting may have been lessened a bit.
Montgomery was the top-performing fantasy running back by the conclusion of the 1 p.m. games, notching 27.10 points with his 17 rushing attempts for 72 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in the first half, supplemented by an additional 39 yards through the air.
It was the second week in a row Montgomery turned heads, demonstrating an explosiveness that was promised when Chicago drafted him in the third round.
He also looked impossible for anyone around him to bring down as he ran roughshod through the Lions defense.
One week after posting a career-high 59-yard rush, Montgomery is coming on at the perfect time for fantasy managers, though it may be too late for the Bears.
Fantasy managers are entering the final week of byes for the 2020 NFL season, with the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers off in Week 13...
For a great many fantasy managers, the playoffs are already here. Yes, Week 13 is still technically the regular season in most leagues, and some folks are either in the tournament no matter what or out of it no matter what...
After Full Gear 2020, the AEW World Championship remains in Jon Moxley's possession. However, as he approaches a full year as champion, the clock is ticking on his title reign...
Nyheim Hines' Updated Colts Fantasy Outlook After Week 10 vs. Titans
Nov 12, 2020
Indianapolis Colts running back Nyheim Hines (21) scores a touchdown ahead of Tennessee Titans inside linebacker Jayon Brown (55) in the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Among a rotating trio of running backs for the Indianapolis Colts, it was Nyheim Hines' night on Thursday in the team's 34-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans.
The Colts entered the season with a viable option in fourth-year star Marlon Mack, who was coming off his first 1,000-yard season, which included eight touchdowns and an average of 77.9 rushing yards per game. When he tore his Achilles after playing 11 snaps in the team's Week 1 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Colts turned largely to rookie Jonathan Taylor.
Taylor, who was drafted in the second round out of Wisconsin this season, showed promise in his first career start when he posted 101 rushing yards and a touchdown on 26 carries in a Week 2 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
But his production dipped in the weeks that followed, and the 21-year-old saw an average of just 11 rushes per game, culminating in six for 27 yards and a touchdown, as well as a pair of targets worth seven yards, in last week's loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
With Taylor elevated to the starting role, Hines was averaging just 4.1 carries and 4.4 targets per game heading into Thursday night's clash with the Colts, in which he provided a jolt to the Indianapolis offense from the start. During the first half, he led the team with 37 yards on six carries and five receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown.
He added another touchdown near the end of the third quarter, giving the Colts a lead they wouldn't relinquish with his two-yard rushing score.
Elsewhere, Taylor added just 12 yards on seven carries in addition to a pair of receptions that resulted in 25 yards, while Jordan Wilkins tallied 28 yards on eight carries and missed his lone target.
Since Hines is a strong receiver, his opportunity may have come as the Colts worked a recovering T.Y. Hilton back into the lineup after he sat out Week 9 with a groin injury. Hilton posted 40 yards on four receptions (five targets), while fellow wideout Zach Pascal posted 33 yards on as many catches. He's a welcome addition to a quiet receiver group.
Against the Green Bay Packers next Sunday, Hines should be given the spotlight again. The Colts will line up against a defense that has allowed a league-most 59.1 receiving yards per game to running backs, per Lineups.com, in addition to 99.5 rushing yards per game to backs, which ranks ninth-most among all NFL teams.
Hines should factor in over Taylor at running back moving forward, and if Indianapolis finds itself thin at wide receiver, his role will be elevated further. He's a solid RB2 start in Week 11.
Richie James, Jerick McKinnon's Updated Fantasy Outlooks After 49ers vs. Packers
Nov 5, 2020
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Richie James (13) against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
With the San Francisco 49ers missing their starters at quarterback, tight end, wide receiver and running back, the NFL world got a close look at the inner workings of the San Francisco depth chart during Thursday's 34-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
With Jimmy Garoppolo sidelined for at least six weeks with an ankle issue, it was going to be a test for quarterback Nick Mullens against the NFC North-leading Packers. But with an injury-plagued 49ers roster, he was forced to dig deep.
Richie James was out in Week 8 with an ankle injury and was questionable to make his fourth appearance of the season Thursday, but the third-year player suited up to produce184 yards and a touchdown while catching nine of 13 targets. The wideouts in front of him—Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and Kendrick Bourne—were moved to the COVID-19 reserve list Wednesday.
Heading into Thursday, James had only seen touches on special teams in 2020 with three kick returns and two punt returns through three appearances, but his stat line makes it seem as though he could be a regular wideout for San Francisco.
That said, his fantasy outlook is entirely dependent on the players in front of him, and that remains a fluid situation.
While Samuel had been battling a hamstring injury even before moving to the COVID-19 list, Aiyuk and Bourne are largely healthy and have been some of the most productive receivers for the team. Since he tested positive, league protocols dictate that Bourne can return to the team 10 days after his positive test, with two negative tests after five days if he is asymptomatic or 10 days after symptoms appeared and 72 hours after they have ended if he is symptomatic.
James is worth a pickup if he is available for a team that has depth, and he has start potential in Week 10 as a low-end WR2 against a New Orleans Saints team that has allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to wide receivers, per Football Reference.
Elsewhere, the 49ers looked to Jerick McKinnon and JaMycal Hasty in the absence of Tevin Coleman at running back, with the pair splitting touches.
Following Coleman's injury in Week 8, McKinnon posted negative yardage and one touchdown on three carries while adding 40 yards on four receptions. Hasty recorded 29 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries.
Against the Packers, McKinnon had his most productive game since Week 4, posting 52 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries and 16 yards on three receptions. Hasty added three yards on four rushing attempts in addition to posting 10 yards on two catches.
Looking ahead, head coach Kyle Shanahan said that Coleman will miss a "little bit of time," while Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. remain on injured reserve.
Against a New Orleans defense that has allowed a seventh-best 548 yards to running backs thus far, either McKinnon or Hasty is a risky start at running back. Managers should look at other matchups in Week 10, though James could factor as a flex option.
The 49ers will face the Saints in New Orleans on Nov. 15.
Leonard Fournette, Ronald Jones' Buccaneers Fantasy Outlook After Win vs. Giants
Nov 2, 2020
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette (28) rushes the ball against Las Vegas Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Jeff Bottari)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers completed a comeback victory against the New York Giants on Monday night in what was an uncharacteristic outing all-around against the 1-7 Giants. The Bucs struggled initially, entering halftime trailing 14-6 before outscoring New York in the final two frames to take the 25-23 win and improve to 6-2.
But there was more to the slow start than what showed on the scoreboard.
Ronald Jones II, who has been the team's leading rusher through the first seven games, some of which came in the absence of Leonard Fournette, had a quieter outing with seven carries for 23 yards and four receptions for 23 yards. But he lost his first fumble of the season, and his drop under pressure from Giants defender Blake Martinez set up the drive for the Giants to score the go-ahead touchdown in the opening quarter.
It was another tough night for Jones, who snapped a streak of three 100-yard games with a weak 34-yard outing last week against the Las Vegas Raiders.
While Monday's game wasn't exactly like anything the Buccaneers have put out so far this season, it wasn't all negative.
Fournette, who didn't touch the ball at all in Week 5, continued to climb out of the hole, building off of his success from Week 7, in which he posted 50 yards on 11 carries and grabbed six of seven targets for a season-high 47 receiving yards.
On Monday, he led the Buccaneers' run game with 52 yards on 15 attempts while adding six targets—tied for third-most on the team. However, he only reeled in three of them for 19 yards.
With their actions against the Giants, the Buccaneers showed they have faith in the 2017 fourth overall pick even if he's been hindered by injuries and overshadowed to this point in the year.
Looking at the trends, both Buccaneers running backs are solid additions to any roster. But if there's one to select over the other, the statistics are starting to trend in a direction that suggests a healthy Fournette will be used slightly more than Jones as the Buccaneers continue through their season under quarterback Tom Brady.
As long as both players are on the ground, they track as RB2s without the possibility for that ceiling to elevate as they continue to split touches.
In Week 9, the Buccaneers will face the New Orleans Saints, whose defense has allowed an average of 78.3 yards per game to running backs this season—eighth-fewest in the league—and is notoriously tough against the rush. For managers who have either player slotted in at running back, it may be worth a look at your bench to reevaluate heading into a nasty matchup.
