January 9, 2026
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end
Jonnu Smith (glute) was added to the injury report on Friday and was listed as a limited participant in practice, according to ESPN's Brooke Pryor. It's unclear if Smith injured his glute in practice on Friday, but either way, his status for Monday night's Wild-Card game against the visiting Houston Texans is now up in the air. We should have a better idea of his availability after Pittsburgh's final practice of the week on Saturday. With
Darnell Washington (forearm) out of the picture the rest of the way,
Pat Freiermuth would be the team's clear pass-catching tight end on Monday if Smith is unable to play. In offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's multi-TE system, Smith struggled to produce in 2025 after a career year with the Dolphins in 2024. He had just 38 catches for 222 yards and two touchdowns for the Steelers during the regular season, and Smith should be ignored in fantasy lineups if he's active, especially with receiver
DK Metcalf returning from a two-game suspension.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Brooke Pryor
January 9, 2026
Pittsburgh Steelers running back
Jaylen Warren (illness) returned to a full practice on Friday, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. Warren was under the weather and did not practice on Thursday. Now that he's back, he should be ready to rock by Monday night when the Steelers take on the Houston Texans in a Wild-Card playoff matchup. The 27-year-old back finished as the RB17 in half-PPR scoring during the regular season with 958 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 211 carries. He added 40 receptions on 45 targets for 333 receiving yards and two more TDs. Warren will be splitting the backfield workload with
Kenneth Gainwell, who has become a bigger part of the offense in the second half of the season. Warren should be considered a low-end RB1 during Wild-Card weekend while going up against a Texans defense that allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards to RBs this year.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Brooke Pryor
January 9, 2026
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle) is considered questionable to play on Sunday against the hosting Philadelphia Eagles in a Wild-Card playoff game, according to Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. The questionable tag leaves the door open for Pearsall to play this weekend, but he's definitely on the wrong side of questionable after missing a full week of practice for the second straight week. The 25-year-old aggravated a PCL sprain in his knee that caused him to miss a big chunk of the regular season as well. Fantasy managers definitely shouldn't expect him to be active on Sunday. If Pearsall is officially out for a second straight game,
Jauan Jennings should operate as the team's clear WR1, with both
Demarcus Robinson and
Kendrick Bourne filling bigger roles behind Jennings. Tight end
George Kittle should also be heavily targeted.
--Keith HernandezSource: Bay Area News Group - Cam Inman
January 9, 2026
San Francisco 49ers tight end
George Kittle (ankle) has been cleared from the final injury report and will play on Wild-Card weekend on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, according to Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. Kittle missed Week 17 with a sprained ankle, but he returned to play 95% of the offensive snaps in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Seattle Seahawks last Saturday. The expectation all along was that the 32-year-old veteran Pro Bowler would be good to go for the first round of the playoffs. The matchup isn't great -- the Eagles' defense allowed the second-fewest half-PPR points to opposing TEs this year -- but Kittle should still be considered one of the best options at the position in fantasy playoff formats. Kittle averaged 12.1 half-PPR points per game (third-most at TE) in his 11 regular-season contests.
--Keith HernandezSource: Bay Area News Group - Cam Inman
January 9, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles tight end
Grant Calcaterra (ankle) upgraded to a full practice on Friday and has been removed from the final injury report for Sunday's Wild-Card playoff matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. Fellow TE
Dallas Goedert (knee) has also been cleared after the Eagles rested him in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders. Calcaterra might have been a TE sleeper worth considering for Wild-Card weekend in fantasy football playoff leagues, but only had Goedert missed a second straight game. The 27-year-old will most likely play a limited role on offense for the Eagles against the Niners, so fantasy managers should ignore him everywhere. Calcaterra had only nine catches in 15 regular-season games for 76 yards and one touchdown.
--Keith HernandezSource: Philadelphia Eagles
January 9, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles tight end
Dallas Goedert (knee) upgraded to a full practice on Friday and has been cleared to play in Sunday's Wild-Card game versus the visiting San Francisco 49ers. The Eagles held Goedert out, as they did most of their starters, during the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders. The 31-year-old is ready to play this weekend, though, and he'll be one of the best choices at the TE position for fantasy managers competing in playoff leagues. Goedert tied for the league lead with
Trey McBride for most touchdowns with 11 during the regular season. San Francisco's defense is also extremely banged up and allowed the eighth-most half-PPR points per game in 2025 to opposing tight ends. Goedert finished as the TE3 overall in half-PPR scoring, behind only McBride and
Kyle Pitts Sr.--Keith HernandezSource: Philadelphia Eagles
January 9, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver
Keandre Lambert-Smith (hamstring) did not practice all week and has been ruled out for Sunday night's Wild-Card playoff contest against the hosting New England Patriots. Lambert-Smith got more playing time in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Denver Broncos with the Bolts resting some starters, but he injured his hamstring and won't be available for the start of the postseason. The 23-year-old had a very limited role in his first year in the NFL with the Chargers, catching just five passes on 12 targets for 51 yards and one touchdown in 10 games played. Lambert-Smith's absence against the Pats could lead to some more playing time for
Tre' Harris behind
Ladd McConkey,
Keenan Allen, and
Quentin Johnston.
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Chargers
January 9, 2026
Green Bay Packers wide receiver
Dontayvion Wicks (concussion) has officially been ruled out for Saturday night's NFC Wild-Card matchup against the divisional-rival Chicago Bears, according to the team. Wicks suffered a concussion in the Week 17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and will now miss a second straight game. Other than a six-catch, 94-yard, two-touchdown breakout in the Thanksgiving Day win over the Detroit Lions, the 24-year-old Wicks did very little for fantasy managers in 2025 in his third year in the league. Wicks found the end zone nine times combined his first two years in the league, but he had just two touchdowns this year while catching a career-low 30 passes for 332 yards. It remains to be seen if he'll clear the league's concussion protocol to play in the Divisional Round next week if Green Bay beats the Bears.
--Keith HernandezSource: Green Bay Packers
January 9, 2026
Buffalo Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard (calf) missed practice all week and has been ruled out for the Wild-Card tilt on Sunday against the hosting Jacksonville Jaguars. Bernard was also held out of the team's Week 18 regular-season finale against the New York Jets. It's unclear if the Bills will have the 26-year-old available for the Divisional Round if they beat the Jaguars. During the regular season, Bernard finished with 65 tackles (44 solo), seven tackles for loss, one interception, three pass breakups, and two fumble recoveries in 12 games played after recording back-to-back 100-plus-tackle seasons in 2023 and 2024. Buffalo's defense/special teams unit averaged just 5.2 fantasy points per game during the year, making them a low-upside play this weekend against a Jaguars offense that is peaking going into the playoffs.
--Keith HernandezSource: Buffalo Bills PR
January 9, 2026
Buffalo Bills kicker
Matt Prater (quadriceps) is considered questionable for the Wild-Card playoff game on Sunday versus the hosting Jacksonville Jaguars. Prater aggravated a right-quad injury in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the New York Jets after missing several games due to the injury late in the year. The 41-year-old didn't practice on Wednesday, was a full-go on Thursday, and didn't practice again on Friday. Prater said he felt pretty good about his chances of playing this weekend in Jacksonville, but he's still very much up in the air to play. If the Bills hold Prater out, journeyman kicker
Matthew Wright would do the kicking for the Bills on Sunday. In fantasy football playoff leagues, you're better off ignoring Buffalo's kicking situation this weekend in a bad matchup.
--Keith HernandezSource: Buffalo Bills PR
January 9, 2026
Buffalo Bills running back
Ty Johnson (ankle) returned to a limited practice on Friday but is listed as questionable to play in Sunday's Wild-Card playoff tilt against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Johnson was a DNP on both Wednesday and Thursday. The 28-year-old was considered day-to-day after injuring his ankle in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the New York Jets, a game in which he had a rushing and receiving touchdown. Even if Johnson ends up playing against the Jags, he won't be a realistic starting option in fantasy football playoff formats. Johnson only had 50 rushing attempts during the regular season for 200 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Ray Davis would play a slightly bigger complementary role in Buffalo's backfield this weekend behind starter
James Cook if Johnson is inactive.
--Keith HernandezSource: Buffalo Bills PR
January 9, 2026
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver
Jaxon Smith-Njigba was arguably the best pass-catcher in football in 2025, recording 119 receptions for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns on 163 targets. While Smith-Njigba's overall numbers are dominant, his production dropped off slightly down the stretch of the season. After topping 100 receiving yards in eight out of his first 11 games of the year, he hit the century mark just once over his final six contests. Smith-Njigba was also held out of the end zone in three of his last four games. Still, Smith-Njigba earned at least eight targets and recorded six receptions in five straight outings to close the year, and he logged at least 14.4 PPR fantasy points in all but two regular-season appearances. With the Seahawks earning a bye through the first round of the NFC playoffs, Smith-Njigba's first postseason opponent is not yet known. However, regardless of opponent, Smith-Njigba profiles as a high-end wide receiver option for fantasy managers in playoff leagues.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
January 9, 2026
New England Patriots running back
TreVeyon Henderson (personal) will not carry an injury designation into his team's Wild Card Weekend matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Henderson's status was called into question after he missed practice on Friday for personal reasons, but it appears as though he will be good to go on Sunday. Henderson played a key role in the Patriots' offense during the regular season, recording 1,132 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns on 215 touches. The 23-year-old emerged as the lead back in New England over the second half of the season, recording four multi-touchdown games from Week 10 onwards. Now that he's active, fantasy managers in playoff leagues should view Henderson as a high-upside RB1 option entering the postseason.
--Will BradySource: New England Patriots
January 9, 2026
Buffalo Bills tight end
Dalton Kincaid (knee) is good to go and will not carry an injury designation into his team's Wild Card Weekend matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 26-year-old was limited in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday due to a knee injury, but he was able to return to full participation on Friday. Kincaid battled through multiple different injuries in 2025, recording 39 receptions for 571 yards and five touchdowns on 49 targets. The Bills generally split tight end reps between Kincaid,
Dawson Knox, and
Jackson Hawes. However, Kincaid features most heavily among all Buffalo tight ends in the passing game, and he could be the Bills' highest-upside pass-catcher overall. Fantasy managers in playoff leagues should view Kincaid as a solid tight end option entering the postseason.
--Will BradySource: Buffalo Bills
January 9, 2026
Across 17 games in 2025, Denver Broncos quarterback
Bo Nix completed 63.4% of his pass attempts for 3,931 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. The 25-year-old also provided value with his legs, rushing for 356 yards and five touchdowns on 83 attempts. However, Nix closed the regular season with two of his least impressive passing performances of the year. Across two games against the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers, Nix threw for just 323 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Nix was also not particularly efficient throughout the season, averaging 6.4 yards per pass on an NFL-leading 612 attempts. The Broncos have a bye through the first round of the AFC playoffs, so Nix's first postseason opponent is not yet known. However, his poor close to the regular season and season-long inefficiency as a passer could make him tough for fantasy managers in playoff leagues to trust.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
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