NFL Nation reporters look ahead to what Sunday has in store for each team.
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills: With LeSean McCoy (knee) declared out for Sunday's game against Dallas, most fantasy questions have centered on how much the Bills will split carries between Karlos Williams and Mike Gillislee. Last week, when McCoy was injured, Gillislee took the lead and was productive but expect Williams, who continues to recover from a shoulder injury, to have his workload increased. Ultimately, how many carries Gillislee and Williams receive will depend on how they perform in the early stages of the game. -- Mike Rodak
Miami Dolphins: For fantasy owners in the playoffs this weekend, beware of Dolphins leading receiver Jarvis Landry. He has played through a knee injury for about a month that isn't getting much better down the stretch. The area where it is hurting him the most is yards after catch. He is struggling to break tackles and averaging just 7.5 yards per reception for the past three games. Landry is still good enough and tough enough to be a factor Sunday against the Colts. But don't expect his usual level of production. -- James Walker
New England Patriots: Wide receiver Danny Amendola, who left last Sunday's win late in the second quarter after re-aggravating his left knee injury, is expected to be managed carefully from a playing-time perspective until the playoffs. Fantasy owners might consider other options at the position based on this dynamic. -- Mike Reiss
New York Jets: Fantasy owners shouldn't be wary of wide receiver Brandon Marshall just because he posted sub-par numbers in the previous meeting against the Patriots. Remember, he should've scored, but he dropped a pass in the end zone. The Jets won't be shy about trying to get the ball to Marshall, who should have more than seven targets (his total from the last Jets-Patriots game). A sleeper is running back Bilal Powell, who has become an important part of the passing game. -- Rich Cimini
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens: This has the potential to be a bounce-back game for rookie running back Buck Allen, who was benched last Sunday after fumbling for the second straight week. Allen is going against a Steelers defense that has allowed running backs to total more than 80 yards in half of its games this season. In Baltimore's previous meeting with Pittsburgh this season, Justin Forsett gained a season-high 150 yards. -- Jamison Hensley
Cincinnati Bengals: Are you a fantasy owner with several Bengals playmakers on your playoff roster? You have my sympathies. The Broncos defense just isn't a good matchup for Bengals offensive players who could help determine your fantasy championship. Although running back Jeremy Hill had two rushing touchdowns last week at San Francisco, he gained only 31 yards, adding to an already challenging year for him. Not only that, Cincinnati's quarterback is a backup who will face the league's No. 1 defense, A.J. Green could have trouble navigating a solid secondary and tight end Tyler Eifert (concussion) might not play. Perhaps defense (either the Bengals' or Broncos') really can win a championship. -- Coley Harvey
Cleveland Browns: The Browns might not be the best fantasy options this week. Against teams with winning records, the offense under Johnny Manziel has scored 10 points against Cincinnati, nine against Pittsburgh and 10 against Seattle. -- Pat McManamon
Pittsburgh Steelers: With as hot as wide receiver Antonio Brown has been, expect the Ravens to at least try some double teams on him. That opens things up for Martavis Bryant, who has had a relatively quiet last two weeks with no receiving touchdowns. The Ravens don't have a corner who can adequately handle Bryant's size-and-speed combination deep downfield. If Baltimore dedicates resources to Brown, Bryant -- who has averaged a touchdown per game for much of his career -- should be able to win one-on-one. -- Jeremy Fowler
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans: It would be understandable to be a little bit cautious with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins given the Texans are expected to field their fourth different starting quarterback of the season. But Hopkins has had success with all of those quarterbacks and especially against Tennessee. In five games against the Titans, Hopkins has four touchdown catches and 579 yards. That's more than he has against any other opponent. -- Tania Ganguli
Indianapolis Colts: Receiver T.Y. Hilton has had success against his hometown team, the Dolphins, in his career. The third-year receiver has 12 receptions for 226 yards and a touchdown in two career meetings against Miami. It'll be up to the Colts offensive line to give quarterback Matt Hasselbeck time to find Hilton down the field. Hilton was critical last week of offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski's play-calling because they've relied more on quick throws than throws down the field because the offensive line has struggled protecting Hasselbeck. -- Mike Wells
Jacksonville Jaguars: It looks as if RB T.J. Yeldon is going to miss his second game because of a sprained MCL, so Denard Robinson will get the start again. He had two fumbles last week so that's an area worth watching. -- Mike DiRocco
Tennessee Titans: When receiver Kendall Wright returned from a three-game layoff from a knee injury on Nov. 29 against Oakland, he didn't provide the spark the Titans were hoping for, with only two catches for 19 yards. On Sunday he's probable to come back from two broken ribs after two games off. I'd rate it risky to expect a great deal, considering he'll be managing pain and hasn't been real sharp when he has played recently. -- Paul Kuharsky
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos: In a season where he has been troubled with dropped passes at times, wide receiver Demaryius Thomas is still only seven receptions away from his second consecutive 100-catch season. The Broncos also need him to play like a marquee player as they try to nail down a playoff spot and they certainly want Thomas dialed in for any postseason run. He'll get plenty of looks Monday night against the Bengals. He has been targeted at least 12 times in three of the last four games. -- Jeff Legwold
Kansas City Chiefs: Chiefs running backs Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware could be looking at big games against the Browns, who are 31st in the NFL in rushing defense and 29th in yards per carry. The Chiefs are expecting Ware back in their lineup after he didn't play on offense a week ago because of injured ribs. -- Adam Teicher
Oakland Raiders: After beating the Chargers in overtime Thursday night, the Raiders visit the Chiefs in Week 17 with a chance to get to 8-8. It would be Oakland's first 8-8 or better season since 2011. -- ESPN.com staff
San Diego Chargers: The Chargers, after suffering an overtime loss Thursday night to the Raiders, travel to Denver next weekend to face the Broncos. At 4-11, San Diego is out of the playoff picture, but it could damage Denver's playoff seeding with a win. -- ESPN.com staff
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys: Quarterback Kellen Moore could have a difficult time putting up numbers in the first start of his career. Dez Bryant is out because of foot and ankle injuries. Cole Beasley is questionable because of a knee injury. The Cowboys will look to rely on Darren McFadden in the running game, since he is 102 yards short of 1,000 for the season, but he could also play a big part in the passing game. -- Todd Archer
New York Giants: After two promising games, and given the state of running back in fantasy football this season, it's easy to see why you might be excited about Giants running back Rashad Jennings this week. But caution is advised. Giants coach Tom Coughlin specifically mentioned the recent improvement of fullback Nikita Whitlock's lead blocking as a key reason for the improvements in the run game the past two weeks, but the Giants put Whitlock on injured reserve Wednesday. They have no fullback on the roster and might need to use one of their tight ends in that role. That could make it tough for Jennings and the run game against a stout Vikings front led by former Giant Linval Joseph. -- Dan Graziano
Philadelphia Eagles: For the second year in a row, the Eagles' regular season will end with a meaningless game against the Giants at the Meadowlands. Last year, with a chance to get to 10 wins, Chip Kelly played to win. This year, with a losing record assured, it will be interesting to see if Kelly takes a look at some of his young backup players. -- Phil Sheridan
Washington Redskins: Tight end Jordan Reed continues to show he was more than worthy of being in the Pro Bowl as one of the games top four tight ends. He's tough to cover and creates opportunities for others, as was evidenced Saturday night. Reed finished with nine catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns. -- John Keim
NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears: Fantasy options have dwindled in Chicago. The Bears' best offensive weapon, Alshon Jeffery, is doubtful for Sunday's game in Tampa because of a tight hamstring. Receiver Eddie Royal, meantime, has been largely ineffective when healthy, and tight end Martellus Bennett is already on injured reserve. With tailbacks Matt Forte and Jeremy Langford essentially splitting touches, Chicago's top fantasy option is probably Zach Miller. The new starting tight end has 11 catches for 142 yards and one touchdown over the last two games. Plus, the Bucs' banged up secondary is suspect. Tampa is 19th vs. the pass, compared to ninth against the run in 2015. Miller should be open. -- Jeff Dickerson
Detroit Lions: While quarterback Matthew Stafford has found on-field and fantasy stability under new offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, wide receiver Calvin Johnson has become a questionable play for fantasy purposes. Two straight one-catch games lead to questions, but he could have a big rebound performance against San Francisco in the home finale. And if you're looking for a running back flier, Joique Bell could be a sneaky play. He has been been better the past couple of weeks and is still getting a bunch of the goal-line work for Detroit. -- Michael Rothstein
Green Bay Packers: With Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu lost to his season-ending knee injury last week, wide receiver Randall Cobb might be a good play this week given his ability to work the middle of the field -- where Mathieu usually patrolled. Since Packers coach Mike McCarthy took back play-calling two games ago, Cobb has been a bigger focal point of the offense both in the slot and out of the backfield. -- Rob Demovsky
Minnesota Vikings: Coach Mike Zimmer said he might rest a few players coming back from injury if the Vikings have clinched a playoff spot before Sunday night's game against the Giants. But Zimmer said the Vikings won't sit players "wholesale," and with Adrian Peterson in pursuit of a third NFL rushing title, he figures to play against the Giants. Peterson said he was confident he'd be ready to go after spraining his ankle last Sunday. He was a full participant in practice Friday and the Vikings listed him as probable for Sunday. -- Ben Goessling
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons: Some folks might be hesitant this week with wide receiver Julio Jones set to go up against cornerback Josh Norman and the Carolina defense. I'm not. The Falcons have nothing to lose, so they should take some chances. Jones said the Falcons are capable of going deep on anyone, so now it's time to show it. Of course, the defensive coverages will dictate exactly how Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan plans to attack, but there should be a steady diet of Jones regardless. Norman doesn't have blazing speed. -- Vaughn McClure
Carolina Panthers: Quarterback Cam Newton is an obvious choice to be inserted into your fantasy lineups. He threw three touchdown passes and had a nearly perfect passer rating when the Panthers beat the Falcons 38-0 two games ago. But don't overlook rookie running back Cameron Artis-Payne. Starter Jonathan Stewart is out for the second straight game because of a sprained foot. Artis-Payne led Carolina backs with 14 carries for 59 yards last week against the Giants. He also had two catches for 34 yards. He could play a bigger role this week now that the coaching staff has more confidence in what he can do. -- David Newton
New Orleans Saints: All signs point to Drew Brees playing Sunday. For one thing, he insisted he's going to play. For another, he was able to practice Friday on a limited basis. But since Brees plays at 4:05 p.m. ET, fantasy owners who have another top-20 QB on the roster might want to go with their backup option to play it safe. If you don't have that luxury, and you want to have the Saints' backup as your failsafe option, unfortunately that also remains unclear. Veteran Matt Flynn is the most likely backup, but there's a remote possibility the Saints could go with rookie Garrett Grayson instead. Even the quarterbacks themselves said they didn't know who it would be after they split practice reps this week. Also, owners with tight end Benjamin Watson and wide receiver Marques Colston should be even more concerned since they didn't practice at all this week. -- Mike Triplett
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Facing the 26th rushing defense in the NFL, it is likely Tampa Bay running back Doug Martin is set to have a big game. Martin hasn't had a 100-yard game since ripping Philadelphia for 235 on Nov. 22, but he hasn't had anything under 81 during that span. Expect a 20-carry day for Martin on Sunday. -- Rick Brown
NFC WEST
Arizona Cardinals: The Packers have allowed nine 100-yard receivers this season, which bodes well for Cardinals wide receiver John Brown's bid for a 1,000-yard season. He needs 67 to reach the mark. -- Josh Weinfuss
St. Louis Rams: Tavon Austin has been a boom-or-bust type of performer for fantasy players this year as his 10 total touchdowns have made him a strong play on occasion but his inconsistent production overall has made it difficult to start him. This week, it's hard to recommend Austin even though he scored two touchdowns in the opener against Seattle. In four games against the Seahawks, Austin has only 11 carries for 34 yards and eight catches for 29 yards. Barring a big play as a punt returner, it could be tough sledding if you're leaning on Austin for production in deeper leagues. -- Nick Wagoner
San Francisco 49ers: Wide receiver Anquan Boldin needs only one reception to become the 13th member of the NFL's 1,000-catch club. And with the way Boldin has become quarterback Blaine Gabbert's most trusted target, that should happen early. Gabbert will continue to go to him against the Lions' No. 12-ranked passing defense. Then there's this: Boldin's first career catch came at Detroit in 2003. Yeah, he'll be motivated. -- Paul Gutierrez
Seattle Seahawks: Look for running backs Christine Michael and Bryce Brown to both get opportunities against the Rams. Pete Carroll says the plan is simple. They'll spread carries around early and lean on whichever back is more productive. If there's not much of a difference, it could be close to a 50/50 split. If the Seahawks get up big (they're 13-point favorites), there should be plenty of carries to go around. -- Sheil Kapadia