January 23, 2026
Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza officially announced on Friday that he is declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN. Mendoza is in position to be the first player picked, as a large contingent of Las Vegas Raiders front-office members watched him win the National title game over the University of Miami on Monday. The 22-year-old signal-caller is the overwhelming favorite to go first overall to the Raiders in this year's NFL Draft. In his first and only season at Indiana, Mendoza put himself miles ahead of any of the other college QB prospects, completing 72% of his pass attempts for 3,535 yards and 48 total touchdowns (41 passing). He led the nation in yards per attempt (9.3) and touchdown passes. Mendoza is known as a pocket passer, but he can pick up yards with his legs when needed. The Raiders are hoping he can quickly turn their struggling franchise around, but they have plenty of holes elsewhere on the roster, too.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Pete Thamel
January 23, 2026
The Buffalo Bills are interviewing new Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel for their head-coaching job on Friday, a source told Albert Breer of NBC Sports Boston. McDaniel recently agreed to become the new OC for the Chargers after they fired Greg Roman, but he's going to try one more time for another head-coaching gig. He spent the last four years in the AFC as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. If McDaniel doesn't land the job in Buffalo, he will return to his OC duties under Jim Harbaugh in L.A. Although McDaniel's offense petered out last season with the decline of quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa and the injury to receiver
Tyreek Hill (knee), he'd be an intriguing fit with quarterback
Josh Allen, one of the best QBs in the league. After the firing of Sean McDermott on Monday, the job in Buffalo is the most attractive head-coaching opening in the NFL.
--Keith HernandezSource: NBC Sports Boston - Albert Breer
January 23, 2026
Buffalo Bills tight end
Dawson Knox said that TE
Dalton Kincaid (knee) played this season with a torn PCL in his knee, according to Ryan Talbot of Syracuse.com. A source close to Kincaid confirmed what Knox said, saying that Kincaid played the entire 2025 campaign with a torn PCL. The 26-year-old did miss several games late in the season due to knee and hamstring injuries, and he played in a career-low 12 contests in 2025 in his third year in the league, catching a career-low 39 passes on 49 targets for 571 yards and a career-high five touchdowns in the regular season. The fact that he even played as many games as he did on a torn PCL is a minor miracle, and Kincaid had nine catches on 11 targets for 111 yards and two touchdowns in two playoff games. With better health in 2026, Kincaid will be a no-doubt TE1 in fantasy football.
--Keith HernandezSource: Syracuse.com - Ryan Talbot
January 22, 2026
Denver Broncos tight end
Evan Engram was a disappointment during the regular season in his first year with the Broncos, catching 50 of his 76 targets for 461 yards and only one touchdown in 16 games played. That continued in the Divisional Round overtime win over the Buffalo Bills last Saturday, as Engram caught just one of three targets for seven yards. The 31-year-old veteran just did not live up to the expectations that Denver's coaching staff placed on him during training camp. Perhaps Engram will be a favorite target for quarterback
Jarrett Stidham in the AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots in place of the injured
Bo Nix (ankle), but it's probably unlikely. Engram went over 45 receiving yards just once during the regular season, and his lone TD on the year came way back on Oct. 5 in a win over the Eagles. Fantasy managers shouldn't be expecting a sudden breakout for Engram in the AFC Championship.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 22, 2026
New England Patriots wide receiver
DeMario Douglas caught both of his targets for 36 yards and a touchdown in the Divisional Round win versus the Houston Texans last weekend. The touchdown was just Douglas' fourth of the year, and his first since a win over the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 2. Fantasy managers might want to pump the brakes on thinking that the 25-year-old wideout will be able to find paydirt again in the AFC Championship tilt this weekend against the Denver Broncos. Denver's D allowed the fifth-fewest half-PPR points per game to opposing wideouts during the regular season and only six touchdowns, which tied for the fewest in the league. Douglas was fifth on the team last week with only 17 snaps on offense, making it unlikely that he'll have a major impact on Sunday's big game unless he finds the end zone again. He hasn't gone over 40 receiving yards since Nov. 2.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 22, 2026
New England Patriots tight end
Hunter Henry let fantasy managers down in the 28-16 Divisional Round win against the Houston Texans, catching just one of two targets for a five-yard gain. Henry played 72% of the offensive snaps, but it was his worst performance of the season against the top defense in the league. Despite his rough showing last weekend, it shouldn't scare fantasy managers away for the AFC Championship this Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Denver's D was one of the better units in the league during the regular season, but they also allowed the ninth-most receiving yards (1,015) to opposing tight ends. Before Henry's dud against Houston, the 31-year-old veteran had three touchdowns in the previous four games for New England. There aren't a lot of sure things at the position at this stage, with only four teams alive, making Henry the No. 1 TE option in most fantasy leagues this week.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 22, 2026
Los Angeles Rams linebacker Byron Young (knee) missed his second straight day of practice this week on Thursday with a nagging knee issue, but head coach Sean McVay still expects Young to play in Sunday's NFC Championship game against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks. The 27-year-old should be back on the practice field on Friday, but he could still carry a questionable designation into Sunday's contest. The third-year linebacker was a first-time Pro Bowler in his third NFL season over 17 regular-season games, posting career highs in total tackles (82), solo tackles (45), and sacks (12) while adding 12 tackles for loss, a career-high 29 QB hits, and a forced fumble. The Rams' defense should have Young available this weekend, but against a Seahawks offense that scored the third-most points per game (28.4) in 2025, they will have their work cut out for them to advance to the Super Bowl.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Associated Press - Greg Beacham
January 22, 2026
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said that left tackle Charles Cross (foot) "is good," and that the team is "optimistic for the game" on Sunday in the NFC Championship against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams, according to John Boyle of Seahawks.com. The Seahawks' injury report doesn't really reflect Macdonald's statements, though, as the 25-year-old offensive tackle has yet to practice this week. It's a position to watch for Seattle going into the big game this weekend, as backup both backup tackles Josh Jones (knee, ankle) and Amari Kight (knee) have also missed the first two practices of the week. Cross, Jones, and Kight are most likely going to need to practice on Friday to avoid being ruled out for the NFC Championship. Not having Cross, the blind-side protector for quarterback
Sam Darnold (oblique), would be a notable development in the third meeting of the year between Seattle and L.A.
--Keith HernandezSource: Seahawks.com - John Boyle
January 22, 2026
Seattle Seahawks quarterback
Sam Darnold (oblique) was limited in practice again on Thursday, according to Seahawks PR. Darnold suffered an oblique injury in practice a week ago, but he played through the injury in the blowout win over the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round last Saturday night. Head coach Mike Macdonald said earlier this week that Darnold didn't suffer any sort of setback with his oblique last weekend, although he's being considered day-to-day this week. Barring something unforeseen, the 28-year-old signal-caller should be active on Sunday in the NFC Championship against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams, but it doesn't mean he won't carry a questionable tag into that game for the second straight week. There are valid concerns about Darnold going into this weekend, surrounding his health, but also the fact that he threw only two touchdowns and six interceptions against the Rams in two games in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: Seahawks PR
January 22, 2026
New Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said it is a priority for the organization to make sure it has the proper infrastructure in place for whenever they "find our guy" at QB, according to Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. "We need to get the quarterback situation in place, but we're not going to do it in an irresponsible manner where we sacrifice building the infrastructure of this football team," Sullivan said. The new GM complimented quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa, but it seems likely that he'll be released after being benched for rookie
Quinn Ewers for the final three games in 2025. Tagovailoa threw a career-high 15 interceptions and didn't go over 200 passing yards in eight of 14 games played. If Miami released him before June 1, they'd take a $99 million dead-cap hit, while that number drops to $67.4 million if it's done after June 1, with an extra $31.8 million dead-cap hit in 2027. Even if the Dolphins think Ewers could be their starter in 2026, the Dolphins are a good bet to draft a QB this spring.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Marcel Louis-Jacques
January 22, 2026
Houston Texans running back
Nick Chubb, who will be a free agent in March, won't be returning to the team for next season, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle.
Dare Ogunbowale will also be a free agent, but he has a better shot at potentially re-signing for backfield depth. Chubb began the 2025 campaign as Houston's lead RB with
Joe Mixon (foot, ankle) on the Physically Unable to Perform list, but he lost the job to rookie
Woody Marks halfway through the year. The 30-year-old veteran averaged 4.1 yards per carry on 122 rushing attempts for 506 yards and three touchdowns on the ground in 15 regular-season games for the Texans. The four-time Pro Bowler just has not looked like the same player since suffering a gruesome knee injury in 2023 with the Browns, in which he tore multiple ligaments. At best, Chubb will be backfield depth in 2026 if he latches on with another team in free agency.
--Keith HernandezSource: Houston Chronicle - Jonathan M. Alexander
January 22, 2026
Denver Broncos wide receiver
Troy Franklin (hamstring) put in another limited practice on Thursday, according to Aric DiLalla of DenverBroncos.com. Franklin suffered a hamstring injury in last weekend's victory over the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round of the playoffs and is now questionable to play against the New England Patriots in Sunday's AFC Championship tilt. If the 22-year-old doesn't upgrade to a full practice on Friday, he could carry a questionable tag into the weekend. Meanwhile, rookie wideout
Pat Bryant upgraded to full practice on Thursday after being limited on Wednesday. Franklin's fantasy stock has been on the decline since late in the 2025 regular season, and that has continued into postseason play. It looks like Bryant has a good chance of playing this weekend, which will limit Franklin's fantasy upside if he's active, especially with backup quarterback
Jarrett Stidham making the start.
--Keith HernandezSource: DenverBroncos.com - Aric DiLalla
January 22, 2026
Denver Broncos running back
J.K. Dobbins (foot) was limited in practice again on Thursday for the second straight day this week, according to DenverBroncos.com's Aric DiLalla. Dobbins' 21-day practice window was opened on Wednesday, but he would need to be activated to the 53-man roster to play in the AFC Championship game on Sunday against the New England Patriots. The Broncos are holding out hope that Dobbins can return this weekend for the first time since suffering a Lisfranc foot injury back in Week 10 against the Las Vegas Raiders. However, it may not be realistic to expect Dobbins to play against the Patriots unless he upgrades to a full practice on Friday. And even if Dobbins does return against the Pats, Denver may not feel comfortable using him as the lead back right away over rookie
RJ Harvey. Before his injury, Dobbins was on pace for a career year, rushing for 772 yards and four touchdowns on 153 carries in 10 games.
--Keith HernandezSource: DenverBroncos.com - Aric DiLalla
January 22, 2026
Denver Broncos rookie
Pat Bryant (concussion) improved to a full participant in practice on Thursday ahead of Sunday's AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots, according to Aric DiLalla of DenverBroncos.com. Bryant had three catches for 32 yards in the Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills despite only playing three snaps on offense before suffering a concussion. The rookie out of Illinois was limited in practice on Wednesday, so an upgrade to full on Thursday suggests he's on the right path to clear the NFL's concussion protocol in time for Sunday's big game. Bryant, who became a bigger part of Denver's passing attack late in the season, could be in line for a bigger role if he's active and
Troy Franklin (hamstring) is not. However, with backup quarterback
Jarrett Stidham starting this weekend, Bryant will be even more volatile in fantasy lineups if he's active.
--Keith HernandezSource: DenverBroncos.com - Aric DiLalla
January 22, 2026
The Baltimore Ravens are hiring Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter as their head coach on Thursday, signing him to an undisclosed five-year contract, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. Minter visited with the Ravens on Wednesday and will now reunite with the team he coached for from 2017 to 2020. The 42-year-old was the defensive coordinator for Jim Harbaugh in L.A. for the last two seasons, and he also coached the offense for Michigan under Harbaugh from 2022 to 2023. Minter will have giant shoes to fill following the departure of long-time head coach John Harbaugh after 18 seasons in Baltimore. With Minter now the lead man in Baltimore, the team's hiring of an offense coordinator will be important as the franchise looks to get quarterback
Lamar Jackson going after a disappointing 2025 campaign.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
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