January 21, 2026
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that tight end
Jake Tonges (foot) suffered a plantar-fascia injury in the Divisional Round loss to the Seattle Seahawks last week and will need three weeks to recover, according to Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. Before his injury on Saturday, Tonges caught five of his six targets for 59 yards, with
George Kittle suffering a season-ending torn Achilles the week prior in the Wild-Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles. The 26-year-old saw an expanded role during the regular season, too, with Kittle missing time with injuries, and he finished with career highs across the board in catches (34), targets (46), receiving yards (293), and touchdowns (five) in 17 regular-season contests. Tonges should be fully healthy for next season, and he should be back in the Bay Area as a restricted free agent.
--Keith HernandezSource: Bay Area News Group - Cam Inman
January 21, 2026
League sources emphasized on Monday that Houston Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley is expected to return for a second season, according to KPRC2 Sports' Aaron Wilson. If the Texans had chosen to move on from Caley, it would have meant three offensive coordinators heading into head coach DeMeco Ryans' fourth year. "I would anticipate Nick being here next year," general manager Nick Caserio said. "All of us are just trying to improve and do what we can to make the team and the organization better. I think Nick has grown a lot." Although the Texans' offense got off to a rough start and looked bad in two playoff games, progress was made in 2025 as Caley gained a comfort level and built rapport with players. Houston had a 10-game winning streak and finished 13th in scoring offense, 18th in total offense, 14th in passing offense, and 22nd in rushing offense. The move to retain Caley should be good news for quarterback
C.J. Stroud, who has regressed in two years since his marvelous rookie campaign.
--Keith HernandezSource: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
January 21, 2026
Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio said on Wednesday that tight end
Dalton Schultz (calf) is "going to be OK" after getting hurt in the Divisional Round loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday, according to Sam Warren of the Houston Chronicle. Caserio also added that tight end
Cade Stover (knee) "avoided serious injury" and should be ready for the offseason program. Before getting hurt on Sunday, Schultz caught both of his targets for 47 yards and was on his way to a big game. Unfortunately, the 29-year-old never returned. He wrapped up his third season in Houston and eighth NFL season overall with a career-high 82 receptions on 106 targets for 777 yards and three touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. Schultz was the TE11 in half-PPR scoring, but for him to become a legitimate TE1 in fantasy, quarterback
C.J. Stroud must improve as a passer.
--Keith HernandezSource: Houston Chronicle - Sam Warren
January 21, 2026
Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon was the full-time starter in South Bend for the first season of his career in 2025, and he tallied solid numbers on limited volume in 12 games. Overall, the 21-year-old secured 32 receptions for 482 yards, good for 15.1 yards per reception. For much of his career, he was stuck behind NFL tight ends
Mitchell Evans and
Michael Mayer, but he made the most of his one season to showcase his abilities to NFL teams. Raridon has real speed at the position, making him a vertical threat at the NFL level. He's also a willing and capable blocker, but he'll need more work in that area to become a consistent contributor in the early stages of his pro career. He projects as a fourth-round pick early in the process, but the athletic testing has caused tight ends to shoot up or down draft boards for many years.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Sports Reference CFB
January 21, 2026
NC State tight end Justin Joly has been one of the most productive players at the position over the last three college football seasons. The 21-year-old New York native began his career at UConn before spending his junior and senior seasons with the Wolfpack, hauling in 92 receptions for 1,150 yards and 11 touchdowns. He enjoyed great success at NC State, but his breakout campaign came as a sophomore with the Huskies in 2023, when he tallied 56 catches for 578 yards and two scores. The 2025 first-team All-ACC selection is viewed as one of the top five tight ends in the 2026 NFL Draft class, and he's currently projected to be a third-round selection in April. Joly thrives running intermediate and deep routes, making him a strong TE2 and second tight end in 12-personnel at the next level. His landing spot will determine his upside and placement in dynasty rookie drafts as part of a shallow incoming rookie tight end class.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Sports Reference CFB
January 21, 2026
Seattle Seahawks running back
George Holani (hamstring), who was activated from Injured Reserve on Wednesday, is in "great shape" and could play in Sunday's NFC Championship game against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams, according to head coach Mike Macdonald. It's excellent timing for the Seahawks, who lost
Zach Charbonnet (knee) to a torn ACL in the Divisional Round win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Kenneth Walker III should see an elevated backfield role this weekend, regardless of whether Holani returns to the fold after landing on IR back in late November. If the 26-year-old isn't ready to return for the NFC Championship, the Seahawks will choose between
Velus Jones Jr. or
Cam Akers as the RB2 behind Walker. Before his injury, Holani had 22 carries for 73 yards and one touchdown in 11 games, adding two catches for 15 yards.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Michael-Shawn Dugar
January 21, 2026
Ohio State tight end Max Klare has officially declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, and many view him as the second-best tight end in the class, behind Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq. The 22-year-old joined the Buckeyes after three seasons with Purdue, and although he didn't have a monster season, he did enough to keep him in the running for TE2 status in the shallow upcoming tight end class. After a 685-yard season at Purdue in 2024, he tallied 43 receptions for 448 yards and two touchdowns in his lone season in Columbus. His counting stats were not notable, but he shared a field with Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate while catching passes from first-year starter Julian Sayin, which is important context. Klare is an explosive athlete with great blocking skills, and the NFL's shift toward more two-and-three tight end sets will give him the ability to be a valuable asset at the next level. He's likely to be a Round 2 or 3 pick in April's draft.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Sports Reference CFB
January 21, 2026
Seattle Seahawks quarterback
Sam Darnold (oblique) "continues to get better" but will be limited in practice this week as he deals with a left-oblique injury that he suffered in practice last Thursday, according to head coach Mike Macdonald. Darnold won't throw every pass in practice, but the plan is still for him to start on Sunday in the NFC Championship against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams. The 28-year-old went 12-for-17 passing for 124 yards and a touchdown in the 40-6 blowout win over the Niners. Darnold could draw another questionable tag going into the weekend, but all signs point to him suiting up as he attempts to lead the Seahawks to the Super Bowl. We expect Darnold to have to throw the ball much more against the Rams, which will give him a higher fantasy ceiling. In two games against L.A. this year, Darnold went 51-for-78 for 549 yards, two touchdowns, and six picks.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Michael-Shawn Dugar
January 21, 2026
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch had nothing but good things to say about wide receiver
Jauan Jennings, and the team is interested in re-signing him after he becomes an unrestricted free agent in March. "Always plays with passion we can count on. We can move him around the way he blocks. He plays the right way. It frustrated other people. We'd love to have him back. We'll work to get that accomplished," Lynch said. Jennings caught just two passes for 23 yards in the Divisional Round loss to the Seattle Seahawks and didn't score in any of his final three games, but he was a big contributor in the regular season, especially when tight end
George Kittle and receiver
Ricky Pearsall missed time with injuries. The 28-year-old caught 55 of 90 targets for 643 yards and a career-high nine TDs in 15 regular-season games. If Jennings returns in 2026, he'll be a trusted target for quarterback
Brock Purdy.
--Keith HernandezSource: Bay Area News Group - Cam Inman
January 21, 2026
Both San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch seem intent on keeping quarterback
Mac Jones around going into next season as the backup for
Brock Purdy, according to Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. "We're not into getting rid of good players. I'd be surprised if he's not here next year," Shanahan said. "Mac made this place better and picked us up in a huge way ... Can't say enough about his play but also his leadership," Lynch said. The 27-year-old kept the 49ers afloat in 2025 with Purdy missing a chunk of time due to a turf-toe injury. He was in the first year of a two-year, $8.4 million contract, and all signs point to Jones returning in 2026 as one of the better backup QBs in the league. As a starter for the Niners this year, Jones went 5-3 while completing 69.6% of his passes for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
--Keith HernandezSource: Bay Area News Group - Cam Inman
January 21, 2026
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said on Wednesday that "it's safe to say" that wide receiver
Brandon Aiyuk (knee), who missed the entire 2025 season, has "played his last snap as a Niner," according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. The 27-year-old has been trying to get the 49ers to release him for a while, and it was essentially a done deal when the team voided guarantees in his contract. An official transaction releasing Aiyuk will probably come in the weeks following the Super Bowl. The former 25th overall pick in 2020 out of Arizona State had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023 before signing an extension with the team before the 2024 campaign. Aiyuk wasn't living up to expectations that year before tearing his ACL and MCL in Week 7. In addition to concerns about whether he can return to his pre-injury form, Aiyuk's fantasy value going forward will depend largely on where he ends up.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
January 21, 2026
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver
Jordan Whittington was the wideout most frequently on the field with
Puka Nacua and
Davante Adams in three-receiver sets in Sunday's Divisional Round win over the Bears. However, his two targets in the overtime win were only the seventh most on his own team, and he was largely a non-factor after missing the Divisional Round with a knee injury. With the Rams frequently favoring two or three tight end alignments, Whittington is not a player that needs to be rostered in fantasy playoff leagues. With four teams left in action, he is RotoBaller's WR14 for the Conference Championship Round.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
January 21, 2026
Denver Broncos wide receiver
Marvin Mims Jr. saw season highs in offensive snaps, targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns in the team's Divisional Round win over the Bills. Denver seemed to come out of the gates with a clear gameplan, feeding rookie
Pat Bryant (concussion) on the first three passing plays of the game. However, when Bryant was knocked from the game with an early concussion, it was Mims who became the focal point of the team's passing attack, finishing the game with a team-leading 93 yards on his eight receptions. Managers participating in playoff fantasy leagues will need to monitor Bryant's status as he works through the league's concussion protocol. If he is unable to suit up against the Patriots in Sunday's AFC Championship matchup, Mims could become a necessary outlet for quarterback
Jarrett Stidham, who prepares to make his first start in over two years.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
January 21, 2026
Los Angeles Rams tight end
Tyler Higbee was on the field for 39 offensive snaps in the team's Wild Card win over the Panthers, catching two of his three targets for 45 yards. However, with rookie
Terrance Ferguson (hamstring) back from a two-week absence, Higbee took only eight snaps in Sunday's Divisional Round win over the Bears. Behind Ferguson,
Colby Parkinson, and
Davis Allen in terms of snap share, Higbee saw only one target in the overtime win, which he caught for 27 yards. With the Rams' tight end room back at full health, Higbee becomes an unreliable play in the Conference Championship round of fantasy playoff leagues.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
January 21, 2026
Los Angeles running back
Blake Corum, who had carved out a healthy role in the Rams' backfield in the second half of the season, saw only six total opportunities to
Kyren Williams' 26 in the team's Divisional Round win over the Bears. The narrative heading into the playoffs had been that Los Angeles was saving Williams for the games that mattered most, but a Wild Card win over the Panthers, which saw him out-touch Corum by a much thinner 15 to 13 margin, added uncertainty to how the backfield would be split moving forward. In an overtime win on Sunday that rarely saw Williams come off the field, the Rams may have provided some clarity. Corum is RotoBaller's RB6 for Championship Weekend, while Williams is RB2 for fantasy playoff leagues.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
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