Fantasy News

Kerryon Johnson suffered a knee sprain, according to multiple reports.

Johnson is considered week-to-week, which is a lot better than it could have been for the star rookie running back. Johnson is highly-unlikely to play on Thanksgiving against the Bears, but a return for Week 13 or the start of the fantasy playoffs (for most people) in Week 14 sounds like a possibility. While Johnson is out, LeGarrette Blount and Theo Riddick will handle most of the backfield work for the Lions, but they’re both just FLEX options. Johnson might be a smart trade-deadline target as a potential difference-maker when he returns from the injury.

11/19/18 - 12:59 PM ET

Stefon Diggs gets going late, but Vikings fall to the Bears, 25-20.

Diggs caught 13-of-18 targets for 126 yards and a score, which came from five yards away in the fourth quarter. Chicago basically shutdown the entire Minnesota offense for the better part of the game, but the Vikings were able to at least make it interesting with a couple touchdown drives before an unsuccessful onside kick ended their comeback attempt. Diggs has now gone for lines of 10/119/1 and 13/126/1 over his past two outings, but he might see a lot of Jaire Alexander next Sunday night against the Packers, which likely keeps him on the WR2 side of the WR1/WR2 borderline.

11/19/18 - 12:58 PM ET

Jordan Howard gets 19 touches against the Vikings.

Howard carried 18 times for 63 yards and added one reception for two yards in the Bears’ Sunday night victory. There wasn’t a ton of running room for Howard throughout the game, but he pushed forward for positive yardage and received more work than Tarik Cohen (ten touches). Next up, Howard plays on Thanksgiving against a Lions team that limited him to 21 rushing yards on 11 attempts last week.

11/19/18 - 12:57 PM ET

Mitchell Trubisky throws one touchdown in Bears’ win.

Trubisky was 20/31 for 165 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions along with ten carries for 43 yards and a two-point conversion pass against the Vikings. Early in the game, Trubisky used his athleticism to make a ton of plays, and he arguably played better than the numbers indicate. The score came in the second quarter on an on-the-run throw to Anthony Miller for 18 yards. The first interception was a bad decision into triple coverage against a Tampa 2 zone coverage, but the second might have just been a miscommunication with Allen Robinson. Trubisky has been up and down, but remember he doesn’t have much experience dating back to college. He offers a lot of upside on Thanksgiving against a Lions team he just lit up for four total touchdowns in Week 10.

11/19/18 - 12:55 PM ET

Latavius Murray handles four carries in Week 11 loss.

Murray rushed four times for just five yards, as he and Dalvin Cook (nine carries for 12 yards and a lost fumble) were both held in check by Chicago’s stout front. Minnesota will hopefully get back to running the ball more with a heavy dose of Latavius mixing in, but he isn’t a highly recommended FLEX option for Week 12 against the Packers.

11/19/18 - 12:54 PM ET

Dalvin Cook has forgettable night in 25-20 loss to Chicago.

Cook rushed nine times for 12 yards, also catching three passes for negative-two yards and losing a fumble. The Vikings simply couldn’t get going offensively until the passing game opened up in the fourth quarter, so hopefully the disastrous performance didn’t cost too many fantasy owners relying on Cook. The 2017 second-round pick should bounce back next week against the attackable Green Bay run defense, but he remains more of an RB2 than RB1.

11/19/18 - 12:51 PM ET

Kirk Cousins, Vikings fall to 5-4-1 with 25-20 loss in Chicago.

Cousins was 30/46 for 262 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, also adding a five-yard rush. Minnesota came alive in the fourth quarter, but the damage was too little, too late after Cousins connected with Aldrick Robinson and Stefon Diggs for scores. Overall, it was a dominant defensive performance by the Bears, and the Vikings will now host the Packers in a NFC North battle on Sunday night as both teams look to keep pace with Chicago, who has a chance to be 8-3 with a game against the Lions on Thanksgiving. Cousins needs to play better, but he probably remains a low-end QB1 for Week 12. 

11/19/18 - 12:48 PM ET