Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (shoulder) returned to a limited practice session on Thursday after he was listed as a non-participant in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. Head coach Pete Carroll said that Walker is in a better spot than he was last week, when he played through his shoulder injury and had 10 carries for 53 yards and a touchdown in the Week 17 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Unless he has a setback on Friday, Walker should be active this Sunday in a must-win game against the Arizona Cardinals. It's a great matchup for Walker as well, and given all the uncertainty around the NFL in Week 18 with teams resting players, the 23-year-old second-year back will be a popular DFS play.

New England Patriots tight ends Pharaoh Brown (ribs) and Hunter Henry (knee) were both listed as limited in the team's first practice of the week on Wednesday. Henry has missed the last two games with a knee injury but appears closer to returning for the Week 18 regular season finale on Sunday against the New York Jets. With Henry out the last two weeks, Mike Gesicki has caught six of eight targets for 50 yards and one touchdown. Henry was on a roll in his last two games before getting hurt, hauling in 10 of his 12 targets for 106 yards and three touchdowns. If he's able to make it back for the final game of the regular season, the 29-year-old could be in play as a touchdown-dependent sleeper option in DFS formats, although the matchup isn't the greatest. In Week 3 against the Jets, Henry caught two passes for 17 yards.

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (shoulder) did not practice with the team on Wednesday. Walker has been playing through a shoulder in recent weeks and was forced from the Week 17 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third quarter, but not before finding the end zone on 10 carries and 53 yards. He also added three receptions for 22 yards. The Seahawks are most likely giving Walker a breather early in the week at practice. The full expectation is that he'll return to practice in the next few days and serve as the team's primary RB in the Week 18 regular season finale in a great matchup against the Arizona Cardinals on the road. As long as Walker is active, he'll be a strong RB1 play in fantasy lineups in a must-win game for the Seahawks.

Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell will make the start in the Week 18 regular season finale against the Dallas Cowboys. Howell was set to get benched in the Week 17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers before backup Jacoby Brissett suffered a hamstring injury and was ruled out. The 23-year-old will now close out the season under center and will be facing a Cowboys defense that won't be resting players as they look to win the NFC East with a win. Howell struggled once again last Sunday in a tough matchup against the 49ers, throwing for 169 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. The second-year QB has been useful as a streamer in fantasy in good matchups this year, but the turnover-prone gunslinger is a risky QB2 option in Week 18 against a strong Dallas pass rush.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was targeted just twice in Sunday's 30-23 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The rookie made one reception in the game for a 12-yard touchdown. Smith-Njigba's other target came on a wonderfully timed gimmick play that fell apart. In motion before the play, quarterback Geno Smith flipped Smith-Njigba the ball almost as soon as he took the snap himself but the receiver muffed the exchange. The play initially looked like a fumble recovered by the Steelers but it was ultimately ruled an incomplete forward pass. Smith-Njigba never had the fabled rookie breakout in 2023 but had several outings where he was a worthwhile flex start lending room for optimism about what 2024 will entail. In Week 18, the Seahawks visit the Arizona Cardinals where Smith-Njigba will again be fighting for attention behind veterans DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.