January 19, 2026
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver
Puka Nacua had some clutch catches to move the chains in Sunday's snowy Divisional Round win over the Chicago Bears, but he didn't exactly go off for fantasy managers in playoff leagues. Nacua caught five of his 10 targets for 56 yards while rushing the ball twice for six yards in the overtime victory. It was the 24-year-old's third-lowest yardage total of the year, and he failed to find the end zone for the first time since Dec. 14 against the Detroit Lions. Nacua had 10 receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown in last week's Wild-Card win over the Carolina Panthers. He's one of the best all-around players in the NFL and will take on the division-rival Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship this Sunday. The last time he faced Seattle in Week 16, Nacua went off for 12 catches, a season-high 225 yards, and two touchdowns. Nacua will most likely bounce back against Seattle.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 19, 2026
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero thinks there are three teams to watch as potential landing spots for former Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott as he seeks his next head-coaching opportunity. McDermott is 51 years old, so Pelissero reasons that the veteran coach won't be looking for a rebuild, but rather a situation where he will have the chance to contend immediately. Pelissero mentions the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, and Tennessee Titans as the three teams to watch for McDermott. Although the Titans are in more of a rebuild, they have a young quarterback and a new stadium, and they've been aggressively pursuing some big names for the job. Pelissero thinks it would be more of a long shot to see McDermott go somewhere like Las Vegas or Arizona. In McDermott's nine years in Buffalo, he led the team to the playoffs eight times, but he was never able to get all the way to the Super Bowl.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
January 19, 2026
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero mentions Denver Broncos quarterbacks coach
Davis Webb as a potential head-coaching candidate for the Buffalo Bills to replace Sean McDermott, who was fired on Monday. Webb was a backup QB for several seasons in Buffalo and has a really close relationship with current QB
Josh Allen. Pelissero mentioned that league sources are getting the sense that Buffalo will hire an offensive-minded head coach. Current head coach Joe Brady will be a candidate to be promoted, but Pelissero is unsure if he is "the" candidate for the job. It wouldn't be a surprise if former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel's name comes up as the Bills search for McDermott's replacement this offseason. Even though Baltimore's and Pittsburgh's head-coaching jobs have yet to be filled, the Bills' opening is now at the top of the list for most attractive head-coaching jobs in the NFL, primarily because of Allen.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
January 19, 2026
The Pittsburgh Steelers are scheduled to meet on Tuesday with Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores about their head-coaching job, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. In the three years that Flores has been the DC for the Vikings, he has elevated the unit to a top-10 defense. Flores spent the 2022 season as an assistant coach under head coach Mike Tomlin, and he's always been considered a potential replacement for the future Hall of Fame coach. Flores also had a short stint as the head coach for the Miami Dolphins, so he does have previous head-coaching experience, even though it was brief. The respected defensive mind is also a head-coaching candidate for the Baltimore Ravens, while the Washington Commanders interviewed him for their DC job. If Flores doesn't get a head-coaching job this cycle, he'll likely return to Minnesota.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
January 19, 2026
San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is scheduled for an in-person second interview on Tuesday for the Arizona Cardinals' head-coaching job, sources told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Saleh interviewed for the Tennessee Titans' head-coaching job on Monday. If he doesn't come out of Tennessee with a contract, he'll get on a plane and head to Arizona. In total, Saleh has met with four different teams for their head-coaching jobs after leading a 49ers defense in 2025 that ranked 13th in points allowed, which is amazing considering how many injuries they had to key players. In his short run as the head coach of the New York Jets, Saleh went just 20-36, but he's still a very respected coach around the league and has a good shot to land another head-coaching gig this cycle.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
January 19, 2026
Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com writes that "it sure feels like" former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is the "front-runner" for the head-coaching job with the Tennessee Titans. Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley was a finalist for the Titans' job, but he was just hired to be the next head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Tennessee was also interviewing San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh for the job on Monday. Nagy worked for the Chiefs from 2013-17 before leaving to become the head coach of the Chicago Bears. He returned to KC in 2022 to serve as the offensive coordinator. One of the big reasons why Nagy is the top head-coaching candidate for the Titans is his relationship with general manager Mike Borgonzi, who previously worked in the Chiefs' front office.
--Keith HernandezSource: TitanInsider.com - Terry McCormick
January 19, 2026
When asked about the status of offensive coordinator Nick Caley, Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said on Monday that he'll use the week to evaluate the coaching staff, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 Sports. Caley, who replaced Bobby Slowik in the role, was in his first year on the job in Houston. The Texans' offense started sluggish but picked things up in the second half of the season as they went on a long winning streak to close out the year. The Texans ranked 13th in points per game (23.8), 18th in total yards per game (327), 14th in passing yards per game (218.1), and 22nd in rushing yards per game (108.9). It was by no means an excellent offensive showing, but the Texans held their own, especially without having running back
Joe Mixon (foot, ankle) all year. Quarterback
C.J. Stroud's collapse in the postseason was alarming, though.
--Keith HernandezSource: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
January 19, 2026
Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said on Monday that he's "excited" to see wide receiver
Tank Dell (knee) back on the field for the 2026 season, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 Sports. Dell missed the entire 2025 season after tearing his ACL, MCL, and LCL in Week 16 of 2024. The 26-year-old spent all of 2025 rehabbing after having multiple surgeries to fix his knee. Dell's timeline to return to football activities is unknown, so we don't know exactly yet whether he'll be ready for training camp in the summer, preseason, or the start of the 2026 campaign in the fall. The former third-round pick is fortunate to even have the chance to play football again after his devastating knee injury, so expecting him to become fantasy relevant in his final year under contract might be a stretch, especially after the Texans added wideouts
Jayden Higgins and
Jaylin Noel in the 2025 NFL Draft.
--Keith HernandezSource: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
January 19, 2026
When asked whether he expects a future with running back
Joe Mixon (foot, ankle) on Monday, Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said, "As of right now, I don't know that," according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. Mixon didn't play at all during the 2025 season, yet the Texans managed to make the playoffs for the third straight year without him. The 29-year-old's future in Houston depends entirely on the health of his foot/ankle going into next season. From a contractual perspective, Mixon is with the team through the 2026 season. Veteran
Nick Chubb opened the year as Houston's primary running back before rookie
Woody Marks took over in the second half. Even if Mixon recovers this offseason and is ready to go for the season opener this fall, he won't be guaranteed to get the RB1 job back with Marks around.
--Keith HernandezSource: Houston Chronicle - Jonathan M. Alexander
January 19, 2026
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said that running back
George Holani (hamstring) could come off Injured Reserve to join the team this week as they prepare to face the division-rival Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship game on Sunday, according to The Athletic's Michael-Shawn Dugar. "George is an option, yeah. We'll see how it goes this week," Macdonald said. The Seahawks could use Holani the rest of the playoffs after it was announced on Monday that
Zach Charbonnet (knee) tore his ACL in Saturday's Divisional Round win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Velus Jones Jr. saw six carries for 10 yards after Charbonnet was injured, but he was sent back to the practice squad on Monday. If Holani isn't available to play this weekend, the Seahawks will have the option of elevating either Jones or
Cam Akers to serve as
Kenneth Walker III's backup against the Rams.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Michael-Shawn Dugar
January 19, 2026
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said the plan with quarterback
Sam Darnold (oblique) this week will be day-to-day to see how he's doing, according to Curtis Crabtree of FOX 13 Seattle. "Balancing making sure we get enough reps at the proper tempo, with the proper looks, you know, and getting Sam the reps that he needs," Macdonald said. Darnold played through a questionable tag in the Divisional Round win over the San Francisco 49ers after injuring his left oblique in practice on Thursday. The 28-year-old wasn't needed all that much in the 41-6 blowout win, and he finished 12-for-17 passing for 124 yards and a touchdown. He will most likely be on the practice report this week and may not be full go, but it would be a surprise if he's not ready to play this Sunday in the NFC Championship versus the division-rival Rams. Darnold will most likely have to throw the ball much more in that one to keep up with L.A.'s potent offense.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX 13 Seattle - Curtis Crabtree
January 19, 2026
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that the Kansas City Chiefs plan to bring back Chicago Bears running backs coach Eric Bieniemy as their offensive coordinator, according to sources. The Chiefs are looking to replace Matt Nagy, who is no longer under contract and is in the head-coaching mix around the league. Bieniemy was a valued member of head coach Andy Reid's staff from 2013-22 and helped the Chiefs win two Super Bowl championships. Bieniemy was KC's offensive coordinator from 2018 until leaving to join the Washington Commanders' staff in 2023. The Chiefs never finished worse than sixth in scoring during Bieniemy's time as the Chiefs' OC. Under Nagy in 2025, the Chiefs had their worst offensive showing since the arrival of quarterback
Patrick Mahomes. How well they bounce back in 2026 will depend a lot on the health of Mahomes.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
January 19, 2026
The Miami Dolphins are expected to hire Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as their next head coach, Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported. Hafley was a front-runner for the job after the Dolphins hired former Packers vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan as their new general manager. The 46-year-old was the defensive coordinator for the Packers for the last two seasons. In his first year with Green Bay, the Packers' defense finished sixth in points allowed and fifth in yards allowed. The unit dropped to 11th in points allowed and 12th in yards allowed, respectively, in 2025. Before joining the Packers, Hafley coached defensive backs with Tampa, Cleveland, and San Francisco from 2012-18, and he was a head coach for Boston College from 2020-23. Hafley will be tasked with trying to change the culture in Miami after two straight losing seasons.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
January 19, 2026
When asked about quarterback
C.J. Stroud and a potential long-term contract extension, Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said, "I'm not getting into that right now." Stroud will most likely have his fifth-year option picked up by Houston, but all bets are off as far as long-term extension talks go after a rough two-game performance in the playoffs this year. The 24-year-old former second overall pick in 2023 out of Ohio State threw an interception and fumbled five times (two lost) in the Wild-Card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers before going 20-for-47 for 212 yards, one touchdown, and a season-high four interceptions in the loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday in the Divisional Round. Stroud burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2023, but since then, he's had two disappointing campaigns that raise questions in Houston about whether he's actually the long-term answer under center.
--Keith HernandezSource: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
January 19, 2026
The Denver Broncos are opening the 21-day practice window for running back
J.K. Dobbins (foot), who suffered what was thought to be a season-ending Lisfranc foot injury in Week 10 against the Las Vegas Raiders, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Depending on how he looks and feels in practice this week, Dobbins has a chance to play in Sunday's AFC Championship game against the visiting New England Patriots. It would be great news for a Broncos team that received the devastating news shortly after Saturday's Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills that star quarterback
Bo Nix is out for the rest of the playoffs with a broken ankle. Still, Dobbins might have a better chance to return if the Broncos pull off the upset over the Pats to reach the Super Bowl. If he does return this weekend, we'd expect a limited role for Dobbins alongside rookie
RJ Harvey and
Jaleel McLaughlin.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
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