January 13, 2026
Houston Texans rookie wide receiver
Jayden Higgins caught three of his four targets for 39 yards in Monday night's Wild-Card win over the hosting Pittsburgh Steelers. Higgins finished second on the team in receiving yards behind
Christian Kirk's 144. It was a bit of a disappointing showing for the 23-year-old rookie after top wideout
Nico Collins suffered a concussion in the second half and never returned. Higgins also broke a streak of two straight games with a touchdown reception. He finished third on the team in receiving during the regular season, with 41 catches for 525 yards, and his six touchdowns were tied with Collins for the most on the team. If Collins cannot clear the league's concussion protocol in time for Sunday's Divisional Round contest at the New England Patriots, Higgins will have much more fantasy upside.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
January 13, 2026
Houston Texans quarterback
C.J. Stroud wasn't at his best on Monday night, but the Texans were still able to pull it out and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers by a score of 30-6 in the Wild-Card playoff matchup. Stroud finished the game 21-for-32 passing for 250 yards with one touchdown and an interception. The 24-year-old signal-caller also lost two fumbles. He was sacked three times for a loss of six yards and ran the ball once for no gain. Stroud fumbled the ball a third time in the second half, but thankfully, he was able to recover it. The Steelers couldn't take advantage of Stroud's miscues, as they only scored three points on his three turnovers. Stroud just didn't look comfortable in the pocket on Monday and missed a couple of easy throws that could have gone for big yardage. He'll need to play much better if Houston is going to go into New England and beat the Patriots on Sunday in the Divisional Round.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
January 13, 2026
Pittsburgh Steelers running back
Kenneth Gainwell had 10 touches for 46 scrimmage yards in Monday night's 30-6 loss in the Wild-Card round to the visiting Houston Texans. He also added 100 yards on four kickoff returns. The 26-year-old carried the ball six times for 20 yards and caught four of his six targets for 26 yards. Gainwell's performance didn't stand out on offense, but it was a career year for him in 2025 in his first season in Pittsburgh, as he finished with a career-high 537 rushing yards and five touchdowns on a career-high 114 carries in 17 regular-season games. He added a career-best 73 receptions on 85 targets for 486 yards and three touchdowns. The Steelers will most likely be interested in re-signing Gainwell, who will be an unrestricted free agent in March. Gainwell's 2026 fantasy value could change drastically if he's not in Pittsburgh.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
January 13, 2026
The Houston Texans were able to run the ball effectively on Monday night against a stout Pittsburgh Steelers run defense in the Wild-Card playoff game, with rookie running back
Woody Marks going for 112 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground on 19 carries. Marks was unable to reel in his only target in the passing game. The 25-year-old left the game briefly to be checked for a concussion in the first half, but he was able to get back on the field to produce the first 100-yard game of his career. Marks spent most of the first half of the 2025 season splitting backfield work with veteran
Nick Chubb, but he took over lead-back duties around the halfway mark and hasn't looked back since. He'll have a tough time producing back-to-back 100-yard performances in the Divisional Round on the road against a New England Patriots team that allowed the fourth-fewest half-PPR fantasy points to RBs during the regular season.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
January 13, 2026
Out of nowhere, Houston Texans wide receiver
Christian Kirk had a breakout game in the 30-6 blowout win over the hosting Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild-Card round on Monday night. Kirk, who disappointed with only 28 catches for 239 yards and one touchdown on 52 targets in 13 games during the regular season in his first year with the team, caught eight of his nine targets for a season-high 144 yards and one touchdown to help send the Texans to the Divisional Round this weekend against the New England Patriots. It helped the 29-year-old's cause when top wideout
Nico Collins left with a concussion in the second half and never returned. Fantasy managers probably shouldn't expect a repeat performance for Kirk against New England, but he'll definitely see more targets this weekend if Collins is unable to clear the league's concussion protocol.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
January 13, 2026
Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio writes that it's hard to imagine Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin not coaching in 2026 after another early playoff exit in Monday night's 30-6 Wild-Card round loss to the Houston Texans. "I'm not even in that mindset as I sit here tonight," Tomlin said. "I'm more in the mindset of what transpired in this stadium, and certainly what we did and didn't do. Not a big-picture mentality as I sit here tonight." If Tomlin were to coach for a different team, it would likely require a trade, unless the Steelers let him walk without compensation in honor of the 19 years he's given to the organization. The question for now is whether Tomlin wants to come back to the Steel City for a 20th year. Tomlin, 53, has been coaching since the mid-90s, and he's won 63% of his games in his tenure with the Steelers.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Talk - Mike Florio
January 13, 2026
Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken will interview in person for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive-coordinator opening on Wednesday in Tampa, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. Monken is a former Buccaneers assistant who worked with quarterback
Baker Mayfield for one year with the Cleveland Browns. Monken will almost certainly leave Baltimore after the Ravens fired long-time head coach John Harbaugh last week. Reports suggested that Monken could follow Harbaugh to his next destination and serve as his OC again, but that remains to be seen. Monken is drawing some consideration for open head-coaching jobs around the league, as he already met with the Cleveland Browns. Tampa fired OC Josh Grizzard and are looking for their fifth OC in the last five years. Hiring Monken to run the offense would be great news for Mayfield.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX Sports - Greg Auman
January 13, 2026
The Tennessee Titans will interview former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll for their open head-coaching job on Friday, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. It's the first known head-coaching interview for Daboll this cycle. Daboll was fired by the Giants in the middle of the 2025 season after going 20-40-1 over three-plus seasons in the Big Apple. In his first year as the head coach, the Giants went 9-7-1, made the playoffs, and even won a postseason game. However, Daboll then posted records of 6-11, 3-14, and 2-8 in the three years that followed. He'll be more of a long shot to get the Titans' head-coaching job, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see Daboll resurface in the NFL in 2026 as an offensive coordinator somewhere.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX Sports - Jordan Schultz
January 12, 2026
Houston Texans wide receiver
Justin Watson has been diagnosed with a concussion and will not return to Monday's playoff contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He initially exited during the third quarter and was initially listed as questionable while being evaluated. However, the team later downgraded him to out. Watson, who returned from injured reserve prior to Week 18, had not been targeted before his departure on Monday night. He primarily operates on special teams and does not have much of a role within the Texans' offense. With that being said, his absence, coupled with the departure of
Nico Collins (concussion), will test Houston's wide receiver depth going forward. Watson faces an uphill battle to clear the NFL's five-stage concussion protocol over the next six days before the Texans' Divisional Round clash with the New England Patriots.
--Andersen PickardSource: Houston Texans
January 12, 2026
Houston Texans wide receiver
Nico Collins has been diagnosed with a concussion and will not return to Monday's playoff contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He exited after hitting his head on the turf on an incomplete pass during the third quarter. Collins was initially listed as questionable while being evaluated, but the team eventually downgraded him to out. He finishes the Wild Card game with seven targets, three catches, and 21 receiving yards. In addition to Collins, fellow wide receiver
Justin Watson (concussion), who primarily plays on special teams, has also been ruled out. The Texans will play the final few minutes with
Jaylin Noel,
Jayden Higgins,
Dalton Schultz, and
Christian Kirk operating as
C.J. Stroud's top targets. Collins is officially in concussion protocol and will have just six days to get healthy before the Texans' Divisional Round game against the Patriots, assuming Houston holds on to defeat Pittsburgh.
--Andersen PickardSource: Houston Texans
January 12, 2026
Houston Texans wide receiver
Justin Watson (head) exited during the third quarter of Monday's playoff contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is being evaluated for a concussion and is officially listed as questionable to return. Watson returned from a calf injury prior to Week 18, but he didn't log a target in the regular season finale. Similarly, he hadn't been targeted before exiting the Wild Card game on Monday night. The 29-year-old is buried on the depth chart at wide receiver, and most of his contributions come on special teams. It's worth noting that Houston suddenly finds itself shorthanded at the position after
Nico Collins (head) was taken to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion, too.
--Andersen PickardSource: Houston Texans
January 12, 2026
Houston Texans wide receiver
Nico Collins (head) exited after hitting his head on the turf on an incomplete pass during the third quarter of Monday's playoff contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was quickly listed as questionable, and medical personnel carted Collins to the locker room for a concussion evaluation. At the time of his departure, the 26-year-old receiver had caught three of seven targets for 21 yards. The Texans are leaving the door open for him to return, but he'll first have to clear the NFL's concussion check. In the meantime,
Jayden Higgins,
Jaylin Noel, and
Christian Kirk should command more targets from
C.J. Stroud. If Collins is diagnosed with a concussion, he'd miss the remainder of today's game and would also be at risk of missing the Divisional Round in New England, should Houston advance.
--Andersen PickardSource: Houston Texans
January 12, 2026
Houston Texans running back
Woody Marks (head) exited during the second quarter of Monday's playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was taken to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion. The Texans briefly listed him as questionable to return, but he checked back into the contest later in the quarter. Ultimately, he missed just one offensive play due to the injury. At the time of his departure (and his return), he had 51 rushing yards on nine carries, equating to an impressive average of 5.7 yards per attempt. The rookie ascended into a large role as a rookie this year, and by the end of the regular season, he was locked in as Houston's primary running back. While
Nick Chubb and
Jawhar Jordan are serviceable fill-ins, the Texans are excited to see Marks return to the contest. He should continue to lead the backfield for the remainder of Monday's contest, barring an injury.
--Andersen PickardSource: Houston Texans
January 12, 2026
The Dallas Cowboys are scheduled to interview former Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon for their open defensive-coordinator position, a source told Joseph Hoyt of The Dallas Morning News. The Cowboys will also interview former Baltimore Ravens DC Zach Orr. Gannon will also interview for the Washington Commanders' DC job on Thursday and the Tennessee Titans' head-coaching job on Sunday. During his time with the Cardinals, Gannon went 15-36, including a disappointing 3-14 in 2025. Arizona started 2-0 in 2025, but they lost 14 of their last 15 games, leading to Gannon's firing. Gannon spent two years as the Philadelphia Eagles' DC before getting the head-coaching job in Arizona. If he gets the job in Dallas, he'll be looking to clean up a defense that allowed a league-high 30.1 points per game and the third-most yards per game (377).
--Keith HernandezSource: The Dallas Morning News - Joseph Hoyt
January 12, 2026
The Atlanta Falcons interviewed former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh for their head-coaching position on Monday, according to Tori McElhaney of AtlantaFalcons.com. The Falcons are looking for both a head coach and a new general manager after firing Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot, respectively, following the 2025 season. Reports suggest that Harbaugh could be down to the Falcons and New York Giants as he searches for a new head-coaching gig. Because Atlanta could let Harbaugh in on the decision to hire a new GM, it could be more attractive than the Giants' job. He was with Baltimore for 18 years from 2008-25 and helped take the Ravens to 12 playoff appearances, including four AFC Championship appearances and a Super Bowl win. The Falcons' quarterback situation is unsettled, but they have nice building blocks on offense in running back
Bijan Robinson, receiver
Drake London, and tight end
Kyle Pitts Sr.--Keith HernandezSource: AtlantaFalcons.com - Tori McElhaney
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