January 16, 2026
Houston Texans Pro Bowl wide receiver
Nico Collins (concussion) is missing practice for the third straight day this week on Friday and remains in the league's concussion protocol, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. The expectation is that Collins will be officially ruled out for Sunday's Divisional Round game against the New England Patriots. Collins suffered a concussion in the second half of Monday's Wild-Card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and was carted to the locker room. He never returned. Fantasy managers in playoff leagues need to avoid the 26-year-old this weekend. In his absence, the Texans will be looking for receivers
Jayden Higgins,
Christian Kirk (over 100 yards last week), and
Xavier Hutchinson to step up in the passing game. Rookie
Jaylin Noel could see more targets as well.
--Keith HernandezSource: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
January 16, 2026
Former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is expected to have second interviews for multiple head-coaching jobs around the league, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. The two-time Coach of the Year has completed head-coaching interviews with the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, Las Vegas Raiders, and Tennessee Titans. The Giants have chosen John Harbaugh, but the Falcons, Titans, and Ravens could be looking at Stefanski closely in a second interview this week. SNY's Connor Hughes reports that the Falcons are considered the front-runner to land Stefanski as their next head coach. In addition to looking for a new head coach, Atlanta also has an opening at general manager. Quarterback
Michael Penix Jr. (knee) has durability questions, but the Falcons have great young pieces on offense in running back
Bijan Robinson and receiver
Drake London.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
January 16, 2026
Chicago Bears wide receiver
Rome Odunze (foot) is playing through a stress fracture in his foot and said it was "tough" managing the pain in his return in the Wild-Card win over the division-rival Green Bay Packers last Saturday, according to Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times. "There was soreness, but at this part of the season, it's all hands on deck and play through it. I'll ride it 'til the wheels fall off," Odunze said. In his return after resting for the final five regular-season games, the second-year pass-catcher played a season-low 69% of the offensive snaps against Green Bay and caught two of his six targets for 44 yards. The 23-year-old has been limited in two practices this week, but he should be active on Sunday evening against the visiting Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round. At less than 100% while sharing targets with
DJ Moore (knee) and rookie
Luther Burden III, and tight end
Colston Loveland, Odunze has a low ceiling and floor for fantasy managers in a game that could feature inclement weather.
--Keith HernandezSource: Chicago Sun-Times - Jason Lieser
January 15, 2026
Seattle Seahawks rookie tight end
Elijah Arroyo (knee) returned to practice this week, but he will not be activated from Injured Reserve and won't play in the Divisional Round on Saturday night against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers, according to John Boyle of Seahawks.com. The 22-year-old was able to practice in full all week, though, so if Seattle advances past the 49ers and to the NFC Championship next weekend, he should have a good shot to return as TE depth for the Seahawks. Arroyo, a second-rounder out of Miami, was well behind
AJ Barner in the pecking order in Seattle in his first year in the NFL. The young tight end played in 13 games in the regular season and caught just 15 passes for 179 yards and one touchdown. If he comes back in the NFC Championship if the Seahawks advance, he won't be recommended in fantasy playoff lineups.
--Keith HernandezSource: Seahawks.com - John Boyle
January 15, 2026
Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is among the candidates that New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh is targeting for the team's open defensive-coordinator role, a source told Connor Hughes of SNY. The 45-year-old Weaver previously served on the Baltimore Ravens coaching staff under Harbaugh from 2021-23 as defensive-line coach, run-game coordinator, and associate head coach. Weaver was also a defensive end with the Ravens from 2002-05 after he was taken in the second round. He has run the Dolphins' defense the last two years and has already interviewed for the Atlanta Falcons' head-coaching vacancy. Following the firing of head coach Mike McDaniel in Miami, it's been expected that Weaver won't be back with the team next year under a whole new coaching staff. Weaver's familiarity with Harbaugh could make him a leading candidate for the DC job there.
--Keith HernandezSource: SNY - Connor Hughes
January 15, 2026
The Tennessee Titans are scheduled to interview San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh for their head-coaching job this weekend, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The Titans will then begin their second round of head-coach interviews on Monday. In addition to the Titans, Saleh is expected to interview for head-coaching positions with the Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, and Arizona Cardinals. Saleh has previous head-coaching experience with the New York Jets, and he's done an excellent job holding the banged-up Niners defense afloat for most of the 2025 season. The Titans will sit down and meet with Saleh on Sunday, following San Francisco's Divisional Round contest on Saturday night against the Seattle Seahawks. If Saleh were to join the Titans, he'd be searching for an offensive staff that could help young quarterback
Cameron Ward take the next step after struggling in his rookie season.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Dianna Russini
January 15, 2026
Los Angeles Rams passing-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase will do all of his head-coaching interviews on Friday with the Las Vegas Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, and Cleveland Browns, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Scheelhaase, who is only 35 years old, has been a quick riser among the coaching ranks in the NFL as one of head coach Sean McVay's bright assistants. Before coming to the NFL, he coached running backs, receivers, and quarterbacks, in addition to one year as the offensive coordinator, at Iowa State. Scheelhaase also played QB at Illinois. If Scheelhaase does not land a head-coaching job this offseason, he'll be a good bet to be promoted to offensive coordinator with the Rams if current OC Mike LaFleur lands a head-coaching gig. Scheelhaase and LaFleur have orchestrated one of the most lethal offenses in the NFL behind leading MVP candidate and quarterback
Matthew Stafford.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
January 15, 2026
Houston Texans wide receiver
Justin Watson (concussion) missed a second straight day of practice this week on Thursday, according to the team. Watson suffered a concussion in Monday night's Wild-Card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and wasn't able to return. The 29-year-old is in the league's concussion protocol and is trending as unlikely to play this Sunday in the Divisional Round of the playoffs against the New England Patriots. Top wideout
Nico Collins (concussion) is in the same boat as Watson and hasn't practiced this week. It means the Texans' receiving corps will most likely be short-handed this weekend, with rookies
Jayden Higgins and
Jaylin Noel,
Christian Kirk, and
Xavier Hutchinson all seeing bigger roles. Tight end
Dalton Schultz will also have a higher fantasy ceiling with more targets available. Even when fully healthy, Watson is too far down the WR depth chart to matter for fantasy purposes.
--Keith HernandezSource: Houston Texans PR
January 15, 2026
Houston Texans running back
Jawhar Jordan (ankle) was limited in practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday, according to the team. Jordan suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Indianapolis Colts and did not suit up for Monday night's Wild-Card blowout win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although Jordan has returned to practice this week, he's still very much up in the air to play on Sunday against the New England Patriots in an AFC Divisional Round game. Even if Jordan is active, he'll merely be the RB2 behind rookie starter
Woody Marks. With Jordan out on Monday night, veteran
Nick Chubb played 29% of the offensive snaps and carried the ball 10 times for 48 yards. Most of Chubb's work came late in the contest in garbage time. Neither Chubb nor Jordan is recommended fantasy plays behind Marks against New England.
--Keith HernandezSource: Houston Texans PR
January 15, 2026
San Francisco 49ers tight end
George Kittle (Achilles) underwent successful surgery to fix his torn right Achilles tendon on Wednesday, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. Kittle was placed on Injured Reserve on Wednesday and will miss the rest of the playoffs. Because his injury occurred so late in the year, too, the 32-year-old veteran almost certainly won't be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign this fall. In fact, he could end up missing the majority of next regular season after tearing his Achilles in the Wild-Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday. Going into this Saturday's NFC Divisional contest against the Seattle Seahawks,
Jake Tonges will take over as the Niners' top pass-catching tight end. Kittle, a seven-time Pro Bowler, still has high-end TE1 upside when healthy, but durability concerns will drastically affect his 2026 fantasy value.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Vic Tafur
January 15, 2026
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner (ankle) will not be activated from Injured Reserve for Saturday's Divisional Round contest in Seattle against the division-rival Seahawks, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. The extremely banged-up 49ers' defense won't get Warner back, and they'll also be without safety Ji'Ayir Brown (hamstring). Meanwhile, linebackers Luke Gifford (quadriceps) and Dee Winters (ankle) are questionable. San Fran's defense did a very respectable job last weekend, slowing down the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild-Card round, considering how decimated they've been by injuries all year. If they can somehow pull off the upset against Seattle on Saturday night, Warner will be itching to return for the NFC Championship against either the Los Angeles Rams or the Chicago Bears. Warner has been out since dislocating and fracturing his ankle back in Week 6.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
January 15, 2026
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that wide receiver
Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle) will be questionable to play in the Divisional Round of the playoffs on Saturday evening on the road against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Pearsall missed a good chunk of his second NFL season due to a sprained PCL in his right knee, and he's also missed three of the last four games, including last week's Wild-Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles, after aggravating his knee. San Fran could really use the 25-year-old former first-rounder back against Seattle after losing tight end
George Kittle to a torn Achilles tendon last Sunday. Pearsall was limited in practice all week and is optimistic he'll be available on Saturday night. He did go over 100 receiving yards in two of his last three games, but Pearsall has been very hit or miss and injury-prone, making him extremely volatile as a fantasy option in playoff leagues in a bad matchup if he's active.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
January 15, 2026
Seattle Seahawks quarterback
Sam Darnold (oblique) was added to the injury report on Thursday with an oblique injury and is questionable to play in the Divisional Round on Saturday night against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers, according to Curtis Crabtree of FOX 13 Seattle. However, Darnold is fully expected to play through his questionable tag this week. The 28-year-old was listed as limited in Thursday's practice. "I feel good...in routes on air, I just felt a little something in my oblique. I just didn't want to push it. It wasn't the day to push it, so that was it. I came inside, got some rehab, and I feel like I'll be ready to go for Saturday," Darnold said. The former first-rounder should be fine to play against a Niners team that he has yet to throw a touchdown against in two games this year. In the Week 18 win over the 49ers, Darnold threw for 198 yards with no TDs or interceptions.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX 13 Seattle - Curtis Crabtree
January 15, 2026
In his first career playoff appearance, New England Patriots quarterback
Drake Maye led his team to a 16-3 win in the Wild Card round over the Los Angeles Chargers. The 23-year-old completed 17 of 29 pass attempts for 268 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while adding 66 rushing yards on 10 attempts. However, Maye also fumbled twice, one of which was recovered by the Chargers. Maye's production upside remains sky-high, but any potential ball security issues may only be exacerbated in the Divisional Round against the Houston Texans. Houston allowed the seventh-fewest passing yards (3,486) in the regular season while ranking tied for third in interceptions (19). The Texans' defense is also coming off a dominating performance in the Wild Card round against the Pittsburgh Steelers, in which it forced two turnovers, recorded four sacks, and allowed just six points. Maye's rushing ability could carry him to success, but the difficult matchup makes him a low-end quarterback option for fantasy managers in the Divisional Round.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
January 15, 2026
Chicago Bears running back
D'Andre Swift was one of the stars of his team's Wild-Card win over the Green Bay Packers, recording 92 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 15 touches. Swift and Bears rookie back
Kyle Monangai split playing time nearly evenly, with Swift earning 39 snaps and Monangai 36. However, Swift was the more productive player of the two, as Monangai was held to 49 scrimmage yards on nine touches. Chicago is now set to host the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round of the NFC playoffs. The Rams' run defense performed well during the regular season, but allowed three rushing touchdowns to the Carolina Panthers in the Wild Card round. Swift profiles as the priority player in the Bears' backfield for fantasy managers in the Divisional round against Los Angeles.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
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