January 5, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor will retain his job heading into the 2026 season, per Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. The 42-year-old just completed his seventh season as the Bengals' head coach, leading Cincinnati to a disappointing 6-11 finish. Taylor has had some notable highs during his time in Cincinnati, including leading the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance in 2021 and an AFC Championship game in 2022. However, the Bengals have now missed the playoffs in three consecutive seasons, and Taylor holds an overall record of 52-63-1 as the head man in Cincinnati. In fairness to Taylor, he's coached a significant portion of two out of the last three years without superstar quarterback
Joe Burrow, who has dealt with myriad injuries. It appears Taylor will get another chance to make a playoff push with Burrow in 2026, although he will surely be under significant pressure as soon as the season begins.
--Will BradySource: Pro Football Talk - Josh Alper
January 5, 2026
The Tennessee Titans have requested to interview current Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy as they begin the search for their next head coach, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Nagy has won two Super Bowls in his most recent stint in Kansas City, one as the quarterbacks coach in 2022 and another as the offensive coordinator in 2023. The 47-year-old also has prior head coaching experience, serving as the lead man for the Chicago Bears for four seasons from 2018 through 2021. Nagy went 34-31 in his time as the Bears' head coach, leading Chicago to two playoff berths. He would be tasked with aiding the development of Titans quarterback
Cameron Ward (shoulder) if he gets the lead job in Tennessee. Notably, Nagy struggled to develop quarterback
Mitchell Trubisky during his time in Chicago, who was a former top draft pick in a similar situation to the one Ward finds himself in currently.
--Will BradySource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
January 5, 2026
Veteran quarterback
Russell Wilson said there is "no situation where he can't see himself playing football next year," per Connor Hughes of SNY. Wilson, who will turn 38 in November, is entering free agency after playing the 2025 season on a one-year contract with the New York Giants. He opened the season as the starter in New York but was benched for rookie quarterback
Jaxson Dart after three weeks of action. Across six games (three starts) overall in 2025, Wilson completed 58.0% of his pass attempts for 831 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. By the end of the year, Wilson was behind both Dart and
Jameis Winston on the Giants' quarterback depth chart. Wilson may have a market as a veteran stopgap quarterback or a high-end backup, but it's difficult to envision him carrying fantasy value heading into 2026.
--Will BradySource: SNY - Connor Hughes
January 5, 2026
Jacksonville Jaguars receiver
Parker Washington continues to dazzle of late, hauling in five of his nine targets in Week 18 for 87 yards and a touchdown. That now makes it three consecutive weeks that Washington has led the Jaguars in targets, and the second time he has scored in the past three weeks. Over the past three weeks, he has seen 29 targets, caught 19 of them, and has racked up 347 receiving yards. With quarterback
Trevor Lawrence playing some of the best football of his career, Washington has stood out in a crowded, expansive receiver room that includes
Jakobi Meyers,
Brian Thomas Jr., and tight end
Brenton Strange. The Jaguars just capped off a 2025 regular season, finishing 13-4 and winning the AFC South. Washington finished the regular season with 58 receptions, 847 yards, and five touchdowns, with a lot of his production coming in the past few weeks and when Thomas Jr. missed time earlier in the season.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: ESPN
January 5, 2026
Dallas Cowboys rookie running back
Jaydon Blue was a non-factor for the Cowboys during the 2026 season. Still, with them missing the playoffs and having nothing to play for in Week 17, they decided to rest a handful of starters, such as running back
Javonte Williams, which allowed Blue to get the start. He made the most out of it, rushing 16 times for 64 yards (4.0 YPC) and scoring his first career touchdown. He out-touched rookie
Phil Mafah 16 to five in this contest. Blue was not involved at all in the passing game and finished his rookie campaign with 38 rush attempts for 129 yards (3.39 YPC) and one touchdown. Cowboys lead running back, Williams, was on a one-year deal, meaning his return to the team will certainly impact Blue's 2026 outlook. The former fifth-round pick in 2025, Blue, remains a dynasty stash at best.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: ESPN
January 5, 2026
Mike Garafolo from NFL Network spoke on Good Morning Football on Monday morning and reported that the New York Giants are likely to show interest in former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. Adam Schefter reported Monday morning that the Browns decided to fire Stefanski after six seasons and a 45-56 (.440) record. With Stefanski's offensive-minded background and rookie quarterback
Jaxson Dart, the pair appear to be a good fit on paper. The Giants are desperate for a good season, as they have not had a double-digit-win regular season since 2016, when they won 11 games. The Giants' head coaching job has to look appealing, with a top 5 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Dart, wide receiver
Malik Nabers (knee), and running back
Cam Skattebo (ankle) all showing promise as young talents in this league.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: Mike Garafolo
January 5, 2026
Mike Chappell, a long-time sports journalist who covers the Indianapolis Colts, reported that head coach Shane Steichen said there is a "mutual desire" for
Daniel Jones (Achilles) to return to Indianapolis as the starting quarterback for the Colts once healthy. Jones had himself a phenomenal 2025 season before injuring his Achilles in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He led the Colts to an 8-2 record before the team lost its last seven games, finishing the season with an 8-9 record. The Colts brought Jones in over the off-season on a one-year, $14M contract, and with him expected to be an unrestricted free agent in the off-season, there appears to be interest in having him return to quarterback the Colts in 2026. Latest reports suggest Jones will be ready for training camp in 2026. The 28-year-old threw for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, while rushing for 164 yards on 45 rushing attempts and five scores over 13 games in 2025.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: Mike Chappell
January 5, 2026
Adam Schefter reported Monday morning that the Cleveland Browns have fired Kevin Stefanski, and he is now out as the Browns' head coach. After moving on from Cleveland, Stefanski is now expected to be one of the top candidates in this head coach hiring cycle in 2026. Stefanski had spent the majority of his coaching career in Minnesota with the Vikings, working his way up from an assistant to an offensive coordinator before landing the head coaching job with the Browns in 2020. Stefanski spent the last six seasons with the Browns and led them to a 45-56 (.440) record. Although the record isn't fantastic, he led them to two playoff appearances, earned two Coach of the Year awards (2020, 2023), and recorded two 11-win seasons, which, over the past 25 years, has not been done much in Cleveland. Stefanski should be sought out by multiple teams seeking a head coach, as he has a strong offensive mind and a track record of producing solid offenses.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: Adam Schefter
January 5, 2026
Los Angeles Rams tight end
Tyler Higbee (ankle) returned after missing six straight games due to an ankle injury and delivered his best game of the season in Week 18's win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Higbee caught five of his six targets for a team-leading 91 yards and a touchdown. The 33-year-old's previous highest yardage total was 40 yards back in Week 6, and it marked his most yards in a game since his nine-catch, 94-yard, two-touchdown performance back in Week 16 of the 2022 season. It was great to see Higbee back and healthy, and he looks like the top tight end option for the Rams moving into the playoffs, although
Colby Parkinson had a great game as well with two touchdowns.
--Kyle McCarthySource: ESPN.com
January 5, 2026
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback
Aaron Rodgers completed 31 of 47 passes for a season-high 294 yards and a touchdown to go along with one carry for 20 yards in Week 18's division-clinching win over the Baltimore Ravens. Rodgers and the Steelers scored all three of their touchdowns in the second half, including the future Hall of Famer finding receiver
Calvin Austin III for a 26-yard touchdown to take the lead with 55 seconds left in the game. With his top receiver
D.K. Metcalf (suspension) out again, Rodgers relied heavily on underneath targets to running back
Kenneth Gainwell, connecting with him a season-high eight times. In addition, a season-high 218 of Rodgers' 294 passing yards came after the catch, per Next Gen Stats. The 42-year-old signal-caller made big plays when the Steelers needed them and posted his best QBR (65.8) since Week 7 in Cincinnati. The Steelers will now host the Houston Texans next Monday night in the Wild-Card round of the playoffs.
--Kyle McCarthySource: ESPN.com
January 5, 2026
Buffalo Bills running back
Ty Johnson recorded his first two touchdowns of his career in Week 18's 35-8 win over the New York Jets, handling 13 carries for 36 yards while adding two catches (two targets) for 20 yards as a receiver. Both of Johnson's touchdowns came from six yards out, with the first one coming on the ground to cap a 13-play, 84-yard drive, and the second coming on a receiving touchdown that marked the Bills' final score of the regular season in the fourth quarter. Johnson played behind
Ray Davis, who handled 21 carries for 151 yards, but he earned the high-value touches in the offense with
James Cook resting after the first drive. The 28-year-old became the 21st player this season to post at least 200 rushing yards and 250 receiving yards with five total touchdowns, and he is the only one to do so while playing fewer than 40% of the offensive snaps for the season.
--Kyle McCarthySource: ESPN.com
January 5, 2026
Baltimore Ravens quarterback
Lamar Jackson completed 11 of 18 passes for 238 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception, along with four carries for nine yards in a 26-24 Week 18 loss in a win-or-go-home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jackson returned for the season finale after missing last week's game due to a back injury and delivered his most efficient performance of the season by yards per attempt (13.2) on only 18 throws, but he fell short of winning a third straight AFC North title. The star quarterback has battled through a long list of injuries throughout the entire season and hasn't experienced the same highs as his excellent 2024 campaign. The 28-year-old signal-caller threw three touchdowns for the first time since returning from his early-season hamstring injury in Week 9 against the Dolphins, and the second time he's done so in 10 career games against the Steelers. Jackson will have some time to recover from his injuries in the offseason, and he could return to elite QB1 status with better health in 2026.
--Kyle McCarthySource: ESPN.com
January 5, 2026
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver
Zay Flowers delivered one of his best performances of the season in Week 18's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, catching four of six targets for 134 yards and two touchdowns. His touchdowns both came on similar coverage busts by the Pittsburgh secondary, going for 50 and 64 yards. Quarterback
Lamar Jackson only attempted 18 passes in the game, but he targeted Flowers on a third of them. It marked the 25-year-old wideout's highest yardage total in a game since Week 1 against the Bills and the third two-touchdown game of his career. It was also Flowers' first touchdown of at least 30 yards since Week 9 of last season. Flowers closed the 2025 season with career highs in targets (118), receptions (86), and receiving yards (1,207), while matching his previous career best with five touchdowns.
--Kyle McCarthySource: ESPN.com
January 4, 2026
Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl safety Kyle Hamilton (concussion) has been ruled out for the rest of the Sunday night game against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers due to a concussion, according to the team. Hamilton collided with fellow defensive back Alohi Gilman on a play in the third quarter and was carted to the locker room. Gilman was cleared to return to the field, but Hamilton won't be back for the remainder of the game, a big blow to Baltimore's defense as they trail by three points in the second half. If the Ravens come back to win this game, it's unclear if Hamilton will be ready to play next Monday night in the wild-card round of the playoffs against the Houston Texans. With Hamilton out the rest of the night, Ar'Darius Washington, Malaki Starks, and Keondre Jackson could all see more time on the field against Pittsburgh.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baltimore Ravens
January 4, 2026
Baltimore Ravens defensive backs Kyle Hamilton (head) and Alohi Gilman (head) are both being evaluated for concussions on Sunday Night Football against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers after they collided on a play in the third quarter. Gilman was quickly cleared and allowed to go back into the game, but Hamilton was seen being carted to the locker room with his head down. Before getting injured, the 24-year-old three-time Pro Bowler recorded nine tackles (six solo) and a pass breakup. Hamilton appeared to take the brunt of the collision with Gilman, and it looks like he might be doubtful to return in a game that will decide the NFC North. Losing Hamilton for the rest of this game and potentially going into the playoffs would be a big blow to Baltimore's defense.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baltimore Ravens
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