January 16, 2026
Los Angeles Clippers forward/center
John Collins (groin) will play on Friday against the Toronto Raptors. The veteran was a late scratch on Wednesday versus the Washington Wizards and was initially considered questionable for Friday's game due to a sore right groin. With
Kawhi Leonard (ankle) out of the lineup, Collins could have a larger offensive role in Friday's game. He has recently had his best stretch of the season, averaging 15.7 points and 6.1 rebounds in January.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 16, 2026
Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady will interview for the Baltimore Ravens' and Atlanta Falcons' head-coaching jobs on Sunday, after the Bills' Divisional Round game against the Denver Broncos on Saturday, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Brady joined the Bills' coaching staff in 2022 as their quarterbacks coach before eventually being promoted to OC after the team fired Ken Dorsey during the 2023 campaign. He also has experience as an OC with the Carolina Panthers. Before that, Brady worked as the passing-game coordinator for LSU when they won the national title in 2019. In addition to the Ravens and Falcons, Brady has drawn interest for the Miami Dolphins' head-coaching job. Former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is rumored to be the favorite to land the head-coaching job in Atlanta, so it could come down to Baltimore or Miami for Brady.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
January 16, 2026
Philadelphia 76ers center
Joel Embiid (knee) will play on Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The team has upgraded his status on the injury report from probable to available. Embiid faced the Cavaliers only a couple of nights ago, posting 20 points, four rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block in 25 minutes. Embiid's workload was limited because the game turned into a blowout. The Sixers will hope to avoid another embarrassing home loss on Friday.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 16, 2026
Toronto Raptors forward/center
Sandro Mamukelashvili (illness) will return from a one-game absence on Friday versus the Los Angeles Clippers. The Georgian big man has been battling an illness this week and didn't play on Wednesday night against the Indiana Pacers. With
Jakob Poeltl (back) out, Mamukelashvili will work in tandem with
Collin Murray-Boyles at the five position. The two face a mediocre matchup on Friday against the Clippers.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 16, 2026
Dallas Mavericks guard/forward
Cooper Flagg (ankle) isn't expected to play on Saturday versus Utah. The rookie sprained his ankle during Wednesday's loss to the Chicago Bulls and didn't suit up for Thursday's meeting with the Jazz.
Brandon Williams entered the starting lineup in that one, finishing with 18 points. Of course, others benefited as well, with
Klay Thompson,
Naji Marshall, and
Jaden Hardy combining for 63 points.
--Dennis ClausenSource: NBA Injury Report
January 16, 2026
Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees is not expected to interview a second time for the Browns' head-coaching position, a source told The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will interview a second time for the job on Monday, and he appears to be a top candidate to replace Kevin Stefanski, who was fired after six seasons at the helm. The 33-year-old Rees is now unlikely to return to Cleveland's coaching staff in 2026, although he could follow Stefanski to wherever he lands. Rees was a first-time offensive coordinator with the Browns in 2025, although Stefanski called the plays for the first half of the season. In the end, the Browns ranked 32nd overall on offense. In Rees' defense, he was running an offense led by rookie quarterbacks
Dillon Gabriel and
Shedeur Sanders for half the year.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot
January 16, 2026
Philadelphia 76ers forward/center
Dominick Barlow (back) has been upgraded to available for Friday's matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The team initially listed Barlow as questionable for the game after he hurt his back in Wednesday's loss to Cleveland. Barlow has been a regular starter for Philadelphia throughout the campaign, averaging 8.3 points and 5.2 rebounds. His numbers have slipped this month, down to 7.1 points and 4.3 rebounds.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 16, 2026
Utah Jazz forward
Lauri Markkanen (illness) won't play on Saturday against the Mavericks. He has missed plenty of time this season. However, his most recent string of collective absences is one of his longest of the campaign.
Isaiah Collier entered the starting lineup when these clubs met on Thursday, finishing with 10 points, 12 assists, and five boards. Fantasy managers may also continue to see expanded production from
Brice Sensabaugh, who had 27 points in that one from off the bench.
--Dennis ClausenSource: NBA Injury Report
January 16, 2026
The New York Mets have claimed shortstop
Tsung-Che Cheng off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays. He was claimed off waivers by the Rays on January 8 from the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Rays designated Cheng for assignment to free up a spot on their 40-man roster following a trade. He'll now head to New York after putting up a lackluster campaign in Triple-A Indianapolis last season. Cheng slashed .207/.305/.267 with one home run, 36 RBI, and 20 steals in 110 games in the minors in 2025. He figures to serve as organizational depth in the minors to begin the season.
--Andy WebbSource: SNY Mets
January 16, 2026
Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will get a second interview for the Browns' head-coaching job on Monday, a league source told Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Meanwhile, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who also interviewed for the job, isn't expected to be asked back. If Schwartz gets hired as Cleveland's next head coach, he could retain Rees as the OC. Schwartz, who has been the team's DC for the last three seasons, has presided over one of the top defenses in the NFL in two of the last three seasons. As the head coach of the Detroit Lions from 2009-13, Schwartz went 29-51 with one playoff appearance. He has also been a DC with the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles. Schwartz is highly respected around the league, and the sense is the Browns don't want to let him leave the building, which makes him a front-runner to take over for Kevin Stefanski.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot
January 16, 2026
Philadelphia 76ers guard/forward
Paul George (knee) will be active on Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He is available to make his third consecutive appearance after the team listed him as probable on the initial injury report. George will meet the Cavaliers for the second time this week. In Wednesday's heavy 133-107 loss in the matchup, George contributed 17 points, four rebounds, four assists, and one steal.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 16, 2026
The Miami Marlins have claimed right-handed pitcher
Osvaldo Bido off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays. Bido was claimed off waivers by the Rays in December from the Atlanta Braves. He was designated for assignment by Tampa Bay after they needed to open a 40-man roster spot following a trade. The Marlins have decided to pick up the 30-year-old, who is looking to bounce back after a rough 2025 campaign. Last season, Bido registered a 5.87 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, and 68/35 K/BB ratio across 26 games (10 starts) with the Athletics. Bido posted strong numbers with the A's during the 2024 season. This is a solid low-risk move for the Marlins to take a chance on Bido, who could be a decent swingman option for them in 2026.
--Andy WebbSource: Daniel Alvarez-Montes
January 16, 2026
Former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is now the favorite to land the Atlanta Falcons' head-coaching job, sources told Connor Hughes of SNY. The news comes with the New York Giants and former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh expected to finalize a deal for him to become the next head coach on Friday. The other two jobs that Stefanski has closely been linked to are with the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans. The two-time Coach of the Year with the Browns could be a perfect fit for an offense that already includes strong skill players in running back
Bijan Robinson, receiver
Drake London, and tight end
Kyle Pitts Sr. Landing Stefanski, one of the brightest offensive minds in the NFL, could also be excellent news for quarterback
Michael Penix Jr. (knee) if he can stay healthy moving forward.
UPDATE: Stefanski will have a second interview for the Falcons' head-coaching job.--Keith HernandezSource: SNY - Connor Hughes
January 16, 2026
Minnesota Wild winger Matt Boldy (undisclosed) was placed on Injured Reserve on Friday. This was unexpected, given that Boldy logged his usual ice time during Thursday's 6-2 defeat against the Winnipeg Jets. Boldy posted an assist on Thursday, boosting his total for the season to 51 points (27 goals, 24 assists) in 48 games. Sadly, he won't get a chance to add to his tally for a bit. Joel Eriksson Ek (lower body), who has missed three games, was also moved to Injured Reserve on Friday. The team added Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Hunter Haight to the roster from the minors. Boldy's departure from the lineup opens a top-six opportunity for Vladimir Tarasenko.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
January 16, 2026
Los Angeles Clippers forward
Kawhi Leonard (ankle) won't play on Friday against Toronto. The sprained ankle has been an issue for over a week, although he's managed to play through it. However, the multi-time All-Star will miss his first contest in nearly two months. The Clippers won't play again until Monday in Washington, so Leonard has more time to rest and recover. In the meantime,
Jordan Miller might have earned the right to enter the starting lineup, with the 25-year-old coming off an 11-point, 10-rebound, five-assist, two-steal performance.
--Dennis ClausenSource: NBA Injury Report
January 16, 2026
The Minnesota Twins have agreed to a deal with free-agent catcher
Victor Caratini on Friday. They've agreed on a two-year, $14 million deal, according to Robert Murray. At first glance, this seems like an odd fit given the Twins already have
Ryan Jeffers. There's still a scenario that the rebuilding Twins trade Jeffers and use Caratini as the starting catcher. The 32-year-old has posted back-to-back strong campaigns with the Houston Astros. Last season, Caratini slashed .259/.324/.404 with 12 home runs and 46 RBI across 114 games. It seems unlikely that Caratini would play over 100 games in Minnesota, assuming Jeffers remains in the picture. His fantasy value will be dependent on his playing time, but Caratini isn't likely to be a strong fantasy option anyway.
--Andy WebbSource: Robert Murray
January 16, 2026
Colorado Avalanche forward Ross Colton (upper body) will suit up on Friday against the Nashville Predators. Initially, he was doubtful for the game after skipping Thursday's practice due to an upper-body injury. Colton has logged 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) across 45 outings in 2025-26. With Gabriel Landeskog (upper body) sidelined, Colton has received an opportunity to feature in the top six. He has responded by recording four assists over the past three games. However, Colton hasn't scored a goal for 22 consecutive appearances.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 16, 2026
Toronto Raptors guard
Immanuel Quickley (back) won't play on Friday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. The back spasms will keep him out for a second-straight contest, meaning his next chance to suit up will be on Sunday versus the Lakers.
Jamal Shead started in his place in Wednesday's 115-101 win over the Indiana Pacers, finishing with seven points, six assists, three boards and one steal in 34 minutes of action.
--Dennis ClausenSource: Blake Murphy
January 16, 2026
San Jose Sharks forward Will Smith (upper body) will return from a 13-game absence on Friday night against the Detroit Red Wings. The talented sophomore has been cleared to return from an upper-body injury. Smith is projected to join Macklin Celebrini and Igor Chernyshov on the first line. He is also expected to fill a spot on the second power-play unit. In 2025-26, Smith has scored nearly a point per game, racking up 12 goals and 17 assists in 33 appearances. Prior to his injury, Smith went back-to-back appearances without recording a point, but he has yet to experience a three-game scoreless streak this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL
January 16, 2026
Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback
Drew Lock is "ready to go" for the Divisional Round game this Saturday night against the San Francisco 49ers if
Sam Darnold (oblique) can't play, according to head coach Mike Macdonald. Darnold popped up on the injury report on Thursday and was limited in practice due to an oblique injury. He is listed as questionable for Saturday's game, but all signs point to Darnold being active this weekend. But for some reason, if Darnold isn't feeling right on Saturday, the Seahawks would roll with Lock and not rookie QB
Jalen Milroe. Lock wouldn't be a recommended QB for fantasy playoff lineups if Darnold is inactive. The 29-year-old signal-caller appeared in five games in 2025, going 2-for-3 passing for 15 yards. The Seahawks would most likely lean more on their ground game with running backs
Kenneth Walker III and
Zach Charbonnet if Lock made the start.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Talk - Mike Florio
January 16, 2026
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (illness) won't be in the lineup on Friday against the Florida Panthers. The 32-year-old is battling an illness, with his absence leaving the Hurricanes without their highest-scoring defenseman. It has been a fantastic year for Gostisbehere, who boasts 32 points (six goals, 26 assists) through 35 appearances. Jaccob Slavin, who was scratched for Tuesday's 3-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues for load management, is expected to play instead of Gostisbehere. Meanwhile, Alexander Nikishin could land on the first power-play unit.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 16, 2026
Carolina Panthers left tackle Ikem Ekwonu (knee) underwent surgery on his right knee this week to fix a ruptured patellar tendon that he suffered in last weekend's Wild-Card loss to the Los Angeles Rams, according to Joseph Person of The Athletic. Orthopedist David Chao predicted that Ekwonu will miss the start of next season and might not be fully recovered until 2027. The Panthers already exercised Ekwonu's fifth-year option, guaranteeing the former sixth overall pick in 2022 $17.6 million for 2026. Contract-extension talks with the organization will now take a back seat to the 25-year-old's recovery. Ekwonu's knee will be immobilized for four to six weeks. There's a possibility that Ekwonu will be ready to play again in October, but he might not be back to his normal self until the start of the 2027 season for the Panthers' offensive line.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Joseph Person
January 16, 2026
Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (undisclosed) will sit out a fourth straight game on Friday versus the Carolina Hurricanes. He exited the lineup last week after being banged up for a while. Considering he isn't ready to play on Friday night, it also appears unlikely that Marchand will feature in Saturday's contest against the Washington Capitals. Eetu Luostarinen, Anton Lundell, and Sam Reinhart will continue as the top trio for Florida, while A.J. Greer maintains a second-line role after scoring twice in Monday's 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 16, 2026
Los Angeles Kings right wing Joel Armia (upper body) will rejoin the action on Friday against the Anaheim Ducks. He has been cleared for the Freeway Face-Off after missing five games due to an upper-body injury. Unfortunately for the Kings, their frontline will remain without Anze Kopitar (upper body), Trevor Moore (upper body), and Corey Perry (personal). As a result, Armia will fill a second-line role and could also get a healthy amount of power-play time. The Finnish veteran has totaled 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) in 41 outings this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 16, 2026
When asked if quarterback
Anthony Richardson Sr. (eye) had a role on the team next season, Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen was non-committal while referring to Richardson's eye injury that caused him to end the year on Injured Reserve, according to The Athletic's James Boyd. General manager Chris Ballard also openly theorized about
Riley Leonard being the backup in 2026 if Richardson "doesn't get to where we think he can be." Boyd assumes that the Colts won't want to pick up Richardson's fifth-year option, since the former fourth overall pick in 2023 has played in just 15 games in his first three years due to various injuries. The 23-year-old is still recovering from an orbital fracture that affected the vision in his right eye. When healthy, A-Rich hasn't sustained a high level of play for the Colts, which is why they brought in
Daniel Jones (Achilles) in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - James Boyd
January 16, 2026
Anaheim Ducks left wing Chris Kreider (illness) missed the morning skate and is considered a game-time decision for Friday's matchup against the Los Angeles Kings. The veteran forward is dealing with an illness and could sit out his fifth game of the season. Kreider has had a tough six-week stretch, finishing 15 of his 20 appearances without a point. He has contributed 15 goals and 10 assists in 42 games during the season. If Kreider isn't ready to play, Anaheim will have to tweak its top line and the second power-play unit.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 16, 2026
Anaheim Ducks wingers Troy Terry (upper body) and Cutter Gauthier (illness) will return to the lineup on Friday against the Los Angeles Kings. Gauthier missed Tuesday's win over the Dallas Stars due to illness, while Terry has been sidelined for three games with an upper-body injury. The two have combined for over 80 points this season, with Gauthier scoring a team-high 20 goals. They will link up with Ryan Poehling on the third line and could be a big threat on Friday night against a depleted Kings squad.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 16, 2026
The Athletic's James Boyd writes that Indianapolis Colts wide receiver
Michael Pittman Jr. sits atop the list of potential big names that the Colts could part with this offseason due to salary considerations, mutual decision, or poor performance. Pittman pretty much admitted after the season finale in Week 18 that he could have played his last game with the team. He has a $29 million salary cap hit in 2026, but the Colts would clear $24 million in cap space with only $5 million in dead money if they release him. Boyd thinks Pittman will either have to restructure his contract with Indy or play elsewhere next season. The sense is that Pittman doesn't want to leave, but
Alec Pierce took over as the Colts' top wideout in 2025, with Pittman catching 80 passes for 784 yards (second-fewest of his career), although he did have a career-high seven touchdowns.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - James Boyd
January 16, 2026
Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (lower body) won't be available for a second consecutive game on Friday night against the Los Angeles Kings. The young Swedish star has landed on the shelf after posting 44 points (18 goals, 26 assists) in as many games. With Carlsson unavailable, Mason McTavish has taken over as the first-line center. Mikael Granlund is also currently working in the top six. On Friday, the Finnish forward could match his season-best point streak by getting on the score sheet for a fourth consecutive game.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 16, 2026
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver
Jordan Whittington (knee) practiced in full all week and has been removed from the final injury report on Friday, per ESPN's Sarah Barshop. Whittington will be active for the NFC Divisional Round on Sunday against the Chicago Bears after missing the Wild-Card win over the Carolina Panthers due to a knee injury he suffered in the Week 18 regular-season finale versus the Arizona Cardinals. The 25-year-old pass-catcher is well off the fantasy radar despite recovering from his knee injury. It's hard to trust any Rams receiver beyond
Puka Nacua and
Davante Adams, and all of L.A.'s wideouts will be more risky this weekend with a blizzard expected in Chicago on Sunday. Whittington only caught 18 of his 25 targets during the regular season for 171 yards, and he wasn't able to find the end zone at all.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Sarah Barshop
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