January 30, 2026
The Athletic reports that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein connected New York Giants chairman and co-owner Steve Tisch with multiple women, according to newly released emails. Tisch received scouting reports on women from Epstein, and the two men discussed whether women were "pro or civilian" or a "working girl." The 76-year-old Tisch assumed his role with the Giants in 2005 after his father purchased 50% of the team back in 1991. Epstein died by suicide in August of 2019 in his jail cell while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. Tisch offered Epstein two tickets to his suite for a Giants game in September 2013 and also invited him to other games. Epstein invited Tisch to visit him on his private island in the Caribbean, but it's unclear if Tisch ever went. It's obviously a bad look for the organization, although it's unclear how the Giants and the NFL will handle it. Stay tuned.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Carson Kessler, Nathan Fenno, and Katie Strong
January 30, 2026
Boston Celtics center
Neemias Queta (illness) will return from a one-game absence on Friday against the Sacramento Kings. The Portuguese big man couldn't play on Wednesday against Atlanta due to illness.
Amari Williams and
Luka Garza shared the center minutes in Queta's absence. With Williams back in the G League, Queta looks set to resume his regular duties as Boston's starting center. The 26-year-old has averaged 10.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 24.9 minutes this season. Queta has a good opportunity to shine on Friday, as Sacramento won't have
Domantas Sabonis (knee) in the lineup. Additionally, the Kings give up the second-most fantasy points to centers.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 30, 2026
New York Knicks guard
Miles McBride (ankle) will be absent for a second consecutive game on Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers, Steve Popper of Newsday reports. This was expected after McBride was downgraded to doubtful on the injury report earlier in the day. McBride's absence will secure expanded roles for
Landry Shamet and
Tyler Kolek, but neither player has provided consistent fantasy value. Still, Kolek impressed with his playmaking on Wednesday against Toronto, delivering 10 assists.
--Taavi PailkSource: Steve Popper
January 30, 2026
New York Knicks guard/forward
Josh Hart (ankle) will play against his former team, the Portland Trail Blazers, on Friday night, Steve Popper of Newsday reports. He was initially uncertain for the contest due to ankle soreness, but the team has officially listed him as available. Hart's offensive production tends to be inconsistent, but he's done a solid job overall for the Knicks. Across eight January appearances, Hart has averaged 11.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.0 steals. Among these games is an 18-point outing against Portland that occurred three weeks ago.
--Taavi PailkSource: Steve Popper
January 30, 2026
Former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is expected to be in the mix for the New York Giants' offensive-coordinator job, especially after he was "on the fringe of their head-coaching search," according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN. Raanan lists Jim Bob Cooter, Josh McCown,
Davis Webb, Charlie Weis Jr., Greg Roman, Jake Peetz, Justin Outten, Lunda Wells, Matt Nagy, and Alex Tanney as other candidates to work under head coach John Harbaugh. Kinsbury is most likely one of the favorites for the job in New York, as he's considered one of the brightest offensive minds in the league and also has previous head-coaching experience from his time with the Arizona Cardinals. Quarterback
Jaxson Dart, running back
Cam Skattebo, and receiver
Malik Nabers would become even more interesting in fantasy if Kingsbury is working with them.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN New York - Jordan Raanan
January 30, 2026
Washington Wizards guard/forward
Tre Johnson (ankle) won't play on Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers. He sprained his left ankle during Thursday's win over Milwaukee and will sit out at least one game due to the injury. On Thursday,
Bub Carrington started the second half in Johnson's absence and figures to have a larger role again in Friday's game.
Malaki Branham could also be more involved in the rotation, especially with
Khris Middleton (knee) also absent against the Lakers.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 30, 2026
ESPN's Adam Schefter said on Friday on The Pat McAfee Show that Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak "is getting the Raiders or the Cardinals" head-coaching job. "He's definitely getting one of those jobs." Kubiak has established himself as one of the best offensive coordinators and play-callers in the last few seasons. He led a scrappy New Orleans Saints team in 2024 and has helped quarterback
Sam Darnold lead the Seahawks to the Super Bowl in his first year with the team in 2025. The son of former head coach Gary Kubiak, Klint is considered the front-runner for the head-coaching gig with the Raiders, but if he for some reason doesn't get hired there, it sounds like the Cardinals will bring him on board. Both organizations are a mess, but the Raiders have the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft and are expected to take Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza. Under Kubiak this year, Seattle's offense ranked fourth in yards per play and second in yards per pass play.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
January 30, 2026
Washington Wizards forward
Khris Middleton (knee) won't play against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Washington will be in action for a second consecutive night, and it's not surprising that Middleton will be held out of Friday's contest due to his right knee injury. With Middleton out,
Will Riley could see an expanded role against the Lakers, though the 19-year-old hasn't been a very productive player during his rookie campaign.
Justin Champagnie and
Bub Carrington may get a chance to step up offensively without Middleton.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 30, 2026
The Kansas City Chiefs are expected to have a new starting running back for the 2026 season, according to Nate Taylor of ESPN. The Chiefs had one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL last year with RBs Isaiah Pacheco and
Kareem Hunt. Pacheco didn't have a single rush of 20-plus yards, while Hunt had only one. Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who is returning to the franchise, will be tasked with improving the rushing attack in KC, although head coach Andy Reid will remain the offensive play-caller. Both Pacheco and Hunt will be free agents in March, leaving
Brashard Smith as the only RB on the roster under contract. It means that the Chiefs' backfield could look drastically different in 2026, and they will most likely be in play for one of the top free-agent RBs. Hunt led the Chiefs in rushing in 2025 with only 611 yards on 163 carries (3.7 yards per tote), while Pacheco had only 462 yards on 118 carries (3.9 YPC).
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Nate Taylor
January 30, 2026
Los Angeles Lakers guard
Austin Reaves (calf) won't play in Friday's game against the Washington Wizards, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reports. Reaves is nearing his return and had a questionable tag on the initial injury report, but he isn't quite ready to play yet. His next chance for a comeback will be on Sunday against the New York Knicks. Reaves' absence from the backcourt allows
Marcus Smart and
Gabe Vincent to play larger roles. While Smart had a disappointing two-point outing on Wednesday against Cleveland, he has played well in January. He's in a great bounce-back spot on Friday against the Wizards, who allow 122.3 points per game.
--Taavi PailkSource: Dave McMenamin
January 30, 2026
The Tennessee Titans are hoping that new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll will help young quarterback
Cam Ward, who struggled in his first year in the NFL after the Titans took him first overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. During Daboll's time in New England under Bill Belichick, he learned the Erhardt-Perkins system, which employs a concept-based passing scheme and runs to set up the pass. ESPN's Turron Davenport points out that Daboll has also used play-action, with vertical passing concepts, which match Ward's skill set. Ward had plenty of success using run-pass-option plays in college, and the Giants used RPOs at a 12.6% rate last year under Daboll, the fourth-highest rate in the league. The 23-year-old plans to clean up his mechanics after throwing for 3,169 yards, 15 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in his first 17 games. Ward must fix his accuracy issues to take the next step, but he should be in good hands with Daboll.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Turron Davenport
January 30, 2026
Los Angeles Lakers point guard
Luka Doncic (ankle) will be available on Friday against the Washington Wizards, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reports. The NBA's leading scorer tweaked his left ankle in Wednesday's loss to Cleveland and was listed as questionable on the initial injury report. Doncic has notched 33.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game during his first full season in L.A. He could cook up something very special against the league's second-worst defense on Friday.
--Taavi PailkSource: Dave McMenamin
January 30, 2026
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that wide receiver
Jalen Coker will enter the offseason as the team's No. 2 wideout behind 2025 first-rounder
Tetairoa McMillan, according to David Newton of ESPN. Newton also writes that the Panthers' top offseason priority is locking Coker down long term. He's an exclusive-rights free agent, so the team could tender him an offer for the league minimum to ensure that he's around in 2026 at a low cost. The 24-year-old came on strong late in 2025 and had nine catches for 134 yards and one touchdown in the Wild-Card loss to the Los Angeles Rams. If the Panthers truly believe in Coker, they could look to lock him up long-term at a reasonable price. Injuries have limited Coker to 22 regular-season games in his first two years in the NFL, but when on the field, he's been productive, catching 65 passes for 872 yards and five touchdowns on 89 targets. If he can finally stay healthy in Year 3, Coker has true breakout potential.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - David Newton
January 30, 2026
Utah Jazz center
Jusuf Nurkic (illness) won't play on Friday against the Brooklyn Nets. The Bosnian big man has been battling an illness all week and missed the first leg of a back-to-back on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Kevin Love (illness) moved into the starting unit on Tuesday night, but he also isn't feeling well and will sit out Friday's game. As a result, the Jazz are set to lean heavily on
Kyle Filipowski in the frontcourt, while
Taylor Hendricks could rejoin the rotation.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 30, 2026
ESPN's David Newton writes that unless Carolina Panthers running back
Rico Dowdle wants to "return at a bargain price," he "appears headed to this third team in three seasons." General manager Dan Morgan said he had a good meeting with Dowdle after the season, but Dowdle was unhappy with the way the year ended -- he had seven carries for 10 yards in the Week 18 regular-season finale and only five carries for nine yards in the Wild-Card loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The 27-year-old has produced back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and was Carolina's leading rusher (1,076 yards), but he'd likely be in a committee backfield again with
Chuba Hubbard if he were to re-sign. Hubbard is locked in through the 2028 campaign on a four-year, $33.2 million deal he signed in 2024. "I just want to be a guy who can go out there and just get the bulk [of the carries]," Dowdle said.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - David Newton
January 30, 2026
Brooklyn Nets forward
Michael Porter Jr. (personal) won't take the court on Friday against the Utah Jazz. Porter Jr. had a monster game on Thursday against Denver, scoring 38 points in 37 minutes in a matchup with his former team, but he will sit out Friday's action for personal reasons. Brooklyn will have
Egor Demin (foot) and
Cam Thomas (hamstring) back in the lineup against Utah, and they will take over some of Porter Jr.'s offensive touches. Meanwhile,
Danny Wolf could again hover around 30 minutes.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 30, 2026
The Green Bay Packers announced on Friday that they signed general manager Brian Gutekunst and executive vice president/director of football operations Russ Ball to multi-year contract extensions, according to Bobby Kownack of NFL.com. The announcement comes around two weeks after it was reported that the Packers reached a multi-year extension with head coach Matt LaFleur. Gutekunst has been with the organization since starting as a scout in 1999, before rising to the title of GM in 2018. Ball has worked in the team's front office since 2008 and earned his current title in 2018. LaFleur, Gutekunst, and Ball have led the Packers to six playoff appearances, twice reaching the NFC Championship game. However, Green Bay has gone 3-6 overall in the playoffs in that span. The Packers should be in playoff contention again in 2026, but they won't have a first-round pick in this year's NFL Draft.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL.com - Bobby Kownack
January 30, 2026
Sacramento Kings guard
Malik Monk (ankle) is set to end a two-game absence on Friday against the Boston Celtics after the team removed him from the injury report. Monk injured his right ankle last week. Recently, Monk has had a larger role with the Kings, averaging 18.6 points and 3.2 assists in 27.1 minutes across his last five appearances. With
Russell Westbrook (foot) out on Friday, the opportunity is there for Monk to make a significant impact.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 30, 2026
Veteran right-handed reliever
David Robertson announced his retirement from professional baseball on Friday, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. The 40-year-old veteran signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in the second half of last season and posted a 4.08 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, two saves, 22 strikeouts, and eight walks in just 17 2/3 innings pitched in the regular season. Robertson was originally drafted by the New York Yankees in 2006 out of Alabama in the 17th round. After 17 seasons in the big leagues, Robertson will walk away with a career 2.93 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 179 saves, and a 31.9% strikeout rate in 894 1/3 regular-season innings. His lone All-Star season came back in 2011 with the Yankees, when he had a sharp 1.08 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, one save, and a 100:35 K:BB in 66 2/3 frames. Robertson won a World Series ring in 2009 with the Yankees.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA Today - Bob Nightengale
January 30, 2026
Sacramento Kings point guard
Russell Westbrook (foot) will sit out a second consecutive game on Friday versus the Boston Celtics. Westbrook hurt his right foot earlier this week and has landed on the shelf for the first time this season.
Dennis Schroder took over starting point-guard duties on Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers, scoring a season-high 27 points. He could be even more involved in the offense against Boston, with
Domantas Sabonis (knee) joining Westbrook on the sidelines. An uptick in usage is also expected for
DeMar DeRozan and
Zach LaVine.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 30, 2026
The Baltimore Ravens are hiring Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle to be their offensive coordinator, a source told Dianna Russini of The Athletic on Friday. Doyle will call plays for the Ravens offense in 2026 under new head coach Jesse Minter. Doyle was also a candidate to run the Philadelphia Eagles' offense, but he withdrew his name from that search. Before moving to Chicago, Doyle worked on Sean Payton's staff with the Denver Broncos. Doyle is an up-and-coming young offensive mind in the NFL, but this will be his first time calling plays. Minter is a defensive-minded coach, so Doyle will have a pretty big job in trying to turn two-time MVP quarterback
Lamar Jackson around after a disappointing 2025 campaign. It's a pretty big risk for Baltimore. Doyle became the league's youngest offensive coordinator at 28 when he joined the Bears in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Dianna Russini
January 30, 2026
Sacramento Kings forward/center
Domantas Sabonis (knee) will sit out the second leg of a back-to-back on Friday against the Boston Celtics. He is managing a left knee injury, and the team doesn't want to overwork Sabonis, who logged 28 minutes in Thursday's loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Maxime Raynaud is likely to replace Sabonis in the first unit on Friday, while
Dylan Cardwell could also have a larger role. That said, the two rookies likely won't have it easy against a team that gives up the fifth-fewest fantasy points to centers.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 30, 2026
Phoenix Suns guard
Jalen Green (hamstring) is not listed on the injury report for Friday's contest against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He's on track to rejoin the lineup after sitting out three games. Due to a hamstring injury, Green has appeared in only four games this season, so the team will likely keep him on a light workload on Friday night. This means there will still be plenty of minutes available for the likes of
Collin Gillespie,
Grayson Allen, and
Jordan Goodwin. At the same time, the trio will continue to benefit from
Devin Booker's (ankle) absence.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 30, 2026
Boston Celtics guard/forward
Jaylen Brown (hamstring, knee) won't suit up for Friday's clash against the Sacramento Kings. The team has listed him as out after initially giving Brown a doubtful tag on the injury report. When Brown was absent for one game earlier this month,
Baylor Scheierman took over his starting role.
Hugo Gonzalez and
Jordan Walsh are also options to start. Meanwhile,
Derrick White,
Payton Pritchard, and
Sam Hauser are expected to shoulder a greater offensive load.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 30, 2026
Los Angeles Clippers forward
Kawhi Leonard (knee) will play in Friday's matchup against the Denver Nuggets. As he works through a knee contusion, the team initially listed Leonard as questionable for the matchup. Leonard has been limited to 26.3 minutes per game over the last three contests, but has still produced plenty of fantasy value. While shooting 50.0 percent from the field, Leonard has averaged 24.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 30, 2026
Denver Nuggets forward/center
Aaron Gordon (hamstring) will be re-evaluated in 4-6 weeks, the team announced. Gordon recently reinjured his right hamstring and will miss a third consecutive game on Friday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. Luckily for Denver,
Nikola Jokic (knee) is set to return against the Clippers, giving the frontcourt a massive boost.
Cameron Johnson (knee) could also be back in the mix soon. In the meantime, Payton Watson,
Bruce Brown, and
Tim Hardaway Jr. will get plenty of burn in the rotation.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
January 30, 2026
Denver Nuggets center
Nikola Jokic (knee) plans to return to action on Friday against the Los Angeles Clippers, ESPN's Shams Charania reports. The team has officially listed Jokic as questionable on the injury report. This is a surprising development, as Charania reported on Tuesday that Jokic would be re-evaluated in about a week. His early return on Friday means Jokic will still be in contention for the MVP award at the end of the season. Jokic has been out since Dec. 29 with a bone bruise in his left knee. Given his lengthy absence, Jokic will likely have a limited workload on Friday. As a result,
Jonas Valanciunas (calf), who is considered probable, could still see significant minutes, even if he comes off the bench.
--Taavi PailkSource: Shams Charania
January 30, 2026
The Washington Nationals have claimed relief pitcher
George Soriano off waivers from the Atlanta Braves. Soriano was designated for assignment earlier this week after they added
Jose Suarez to their roster. Soriano is looking to bounce back in 2026 after a disastrous season with the Miami Marlins in 2025. The 26-year-old finished with an 8.35 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, and a 36/19 K/BB ratio in 24 appearances. Somehow, Soriano almost allowed more earned runs (34) than he struck out batters (36). The Nationals are hopeful that Soriano can return to form and pitch as he did during his rookie season in 2023. He's expected to compete for a middle relief role during Spring Training.
--Andy WebbSource: Washington Nationals
January 30, 2026
The Chicago White Sox have signed relief pitcher
Lucas Sims to a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training. Sims is looking to bounce back after posting ugly numbers with the Washington Nationals last season. He allowed 19 earned runs with 14 walks across 18 appearances with the Nats in 2025. The 31-year-old hasn't been successful since leaving the Cincinnati Reds mid-way through the 2024 season. In seven years with the Reds, Sims registered a 3.94 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, with nearly 300 strikeouts in over 200 appearances. It's a low-risk move for the White Sox, who could get a decent middle reliever if Sims bounces back.
--Andy WebbSource: James Fegan
January 30, 2026
New York Giants running back
Cam Skattebo (ankle) burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2025, recording 617 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns on 125 touches across eight games played. However, the 23-year-old had his first NFL campaign cut short in Week 8 when he suffered a dislocated right ankle that required season-ending surgery. While Skattebo will be coming off a significant injury, Giants general manager Joe Schoen recently said that the team expects him back for organized team activities in the spring. That bodes well for Skattebo's 2026 outlook, as he should have a full training camp to re-integrate himself into New York's offense. Before getting injured, Skattebo had surpassed fellow Giants back
Tyrone Tracy Jr. on the team's depth chart. While New York will have an entirely new coaching staff in 2026, Skattebo feels like a safe bet to re-assume a lead rushing role, particularly around the goal line. As long as he progresses as expected in his rehab, Skattebo's fantasy stock in both redraft and dynasty formats should be trending upwards after his encouraging rookie year.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
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