January 17, 2026
San Francisco 49ers running back
Christian McCaffrey (shoulder) exited with a stinger during the third quarter of Saturday's Divisional Round contest against the Seattle Seahawks. He was briefly listed as questionable to return, but he checked back into the game midway through the third quarter. The superstar running back took multiple hits throughout the first 30-plus minutes of game action, and he was seeing testing his injury on the sideline. At the time of his initial departure, McCaffrey had totaled nine carries, 29 rushing yards, five catches, and 39 receiving yards. Bad injury news has plagued the 49ers left and right. In addition to various defensive injuries throughout the regular season, San Francisco lost
George Kittle (Achilles) last week, and
Jake Tonges (foot) is currently listed as questionable to return against Seattle. For the time being, McCaffrey will try to play through his injury with the 49ers' season on the line. However, we wouldn't be surprised to see No. 2 running back
Brian Robinson Jr. earn more snaps while McCaffrey manages his injury.
--Andersen PickardSource: Lindsey Thiry
January 17, 2026
San Francisco 49ers tight end
Jake Tonges (foot) exited during the third quarter of Saturday's Divisional Round contest against the Seattle Seahawks. He is officially listed as questionable to return. Tonges suffered the injury following an incomplete pass, and he was seen trying to test his foot on the sideline. At the time of his departure, he had caught five of six targets for 59 yards. The 26-year-old earned the start at tight end after
George Kittle (Achilles) was ruled out for the remainder of the playoffs. Throughout the seven games that Kittle has missed between the regular season and playoffs, Tonges has amassed 34 catches, 328 yards, and three touchdowns. It goes without saying that losing both Kittle and Tonges is terrible news for the Niners, who are trying to come back from a three-possession deficit in Seattle.
Luke Farrell should take over as San Francisco's primary tight end for the time being.
--Andersen PickardSource: Lindsay Thiry
January 17, 2026
Denver Broncos quarterback
Jarrett Stidham is expected to start next Sunday's AFC Championship game, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. He takes over for
Bo Nix (ankle), who is done for the playoffs after suffering a broken bone on the second-to-final play of Saturday's Divisional Round victory. Stidham hasn't attempted a regular-season pass since 2023, but now, he'll lead the Broncos as they attempt to punch their ticket to the Super Bowl. Denver's odds to win the Super Bowl have plummeted to +950 since head coach Sean Payton announced Nix was done for the playoffs. Stidham is a clear downgrade at quarterback, but the Broncos wouldn't have kept him around for three seasons if they didn't think he was a serviceable backup. He'll now be tasked with taking on either the Texans or Patriots on national television. The Texans have one of the league's best defenses, while the Patriots are the current favorite to win the AFC title. If there's any good news here, it's that Denver is the AFC's No. 1 seed and therefore will have home-field advantage next weekend.
--Andersen PickardSource: Tom Pelissero
January 17, 2026
Seattle Seahawks running back
Zach Charbonnet (knee) exited during the second quarter of Saturday's Divisional Round contest against the San Francisco 49ers. He is officially listed as questionable to return. Charbonnet suffered the injury while being tackled by Dee Winters and Eric Kendricks. At the time of his departure, he had five carries for 20 rushing yards. The Seahawks backfield's one-two punch of
Kenneth Walker III and Charbonnet is not only quite talented, but it also means that they should continue to run the ball effectively for the duration of Charbonnet's absence. Rather than turning to a depth running back with limited experience, Seattle will now just feed Walker with more opportunities. Walker had eight carries, two receptions, and a touchdown in the first half.
--Andersen PickardSource: Seattle Seahawks PR
January 17, 2026
The Atlanta Falcons are hiring Kevin Stefanski as their new head coach, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Stefanski reportedly flew to Atlanta for his second interview on Saturday, and the team signed him to a contract before he could leave the city. The 43-year-old was recently fired by the Cleveland Browns after six years as their head coach. His tenure in Cleveland produced mixed results. The Browns had two 11-win seasons under his leadership and made the playoffs twice. Stefanski also won Coach of the Year on two different occasions. However, he went just 1-2 in the playoffs and finished with a 45-56 regular-season record. The Browns won only eight games during his final two seasons. Stefanski's hiring represents a fresh start for both himself and the Falcons. Atlanta went 8-9 in each of Raheem Morris' two seasons at the helm, failing to make the playoffs on either occasion. Stefanski, who is a bright offensive mind, will look to help Atlanta emerge as the top team in a wide-open NFC South. The offense has plenty of upside, especially if quarterback
Michael Penix Jr. (knee) is able to return in time for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season.
--Andersen PickardSource: Adam Schefter
January 17, 2026
Denver Broncos quarterback
Bo Nix (ankle) suffered a broken bone in his ankle during Saturday's Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills, according to head coach Sean Payton. Nix has been ruled out for the remainder of the playoffs. This is shocking news out of Denver, as Nix's injury wasn't immediately evident during the Broncos' overtime win. Payton said that the second-year quarterback suffered the injury on the second-to-last play of the game, finishing the contest with a 56.5% completion rate, 279 passing yards, 29 rushing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. This is a crushing loss for the Broncos, who can credit Nix as one of the main reasons why they finished with the best record in the AFC and advanced to the conference title game. His absence will force the Broncos to start
Jarrett Stidham next Sunday against either the Patriots or Texans. Stidham's last NFL pass attempt came in 2023, when he threw for 272 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a loss to the Raiders. The short-term implications of Nix's broken bone are massive. From a long-term perspective, though, he should make a full recovery in time for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season.
--Andersen PickardSource: Nick Kosmider
January 17, 2026
Buffalo Bills Ed Oliver (knee) is questionable to return in Saturday's AFC Divisional Round game against the Denver Broncos. Oliver was activated from the Injured Reserve ahead of Saturday's game after being out since Week 8 with a torn bicep. The 28-year-old did not record a stat before exiting Saturday's game with a knee injury. The Bills' run defense takes a little bit of a hit with Oliver sidelined as they try hold a one-point lead against Denver in the fourth quarter.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Buffalo Bills
January 17, 2026
The Green Bay Packers have signed head coach Matt LaFleur to a multi-year contract extension, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. There had been plenty of speculation about LaFleur's future after Green Bay lost in the Wild Card Round, but this new contract ensures that he'll remain with the Packers for several years to come. Green Bay has been one of the better regular-season teams under LaFleur's leadership, making the playoffs in six of seven seasons during that span. He has at least eight wins every year, and he owns a career 76-40-1 record. However, the playoffs have been a different story. Green Bay hasn't made a Super Bowl in the LaFleur era, and they haven't played in an NFC Championship since 2020. He is 3-6 in the playoffs. Nevertheless, Green Bay has to be encouraged by the trajectory of its organization, even in a crowded NFC North. The Packers have found their franchise quarterback in
Jordan Love, and the defense is trending up after adding Micah Parsons. This LaFleur-led squad should be a playoff contender again in 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: Tom Pelissero
January 17, 2026
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
Ricky Pearsall (knee) is officially active for Saturday's Divisional Round contest against the Seattle Seahawks. He had been listed as questionable after practicing in a limited capacity. Pearsall returns to action following a two-game absence. Injuries bothered him throughout most of the regular season, limiting him to just 36 catches, 528 yards, and zero touchdowns through nine games. His return comes at a perfect time for the Niners, who were in need of pass-catching reinforcements after losing
George Kittle (Achilles) for the rest of the playoffs. Pearsall will step up as the No. 2 receiver alongside
Jauan Jennings against Seattle. The last time he faced the Seahawks, back in Week 1, Pearsall caught four passes for 108 yards.
--Andersen PickardSource: San Francisco 49ers
January 17, 2026
Seattle Seahawks quarterback
Sam Darnold (oblique) is officially active for Saturday's NFC Divisional Round game versus the San Francisco 49ers. The 28-year-old injured his oblique during Thursday's practice and hasn't thrown since then. According to Brady Henderson of ESPN, Darnold did not come out for early warmups with the rest of the team. It's also worth noting that Darnold hasn't been seen on the field with about an hour left until kickoff. Darnold has struggled in both games against the 49ers this season, throwing for 348 yards while rushing for 25 yards on eight attempts with no touchdowns and interceptions in both games. With the oblique injury and lack of production versus San Francisco earlier in the year, Darnold is a risky start in playoff leagues and is mainly a GPP play in DFS.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Brady Henderson of ESPN
January 17, 2026
Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver
Pat Bryant (concussion) won't return in Saturday's AFC Divisional Round game against the Buffalo Bills after being diagnosed with a concussion. Bryant took a hit during the team's opening drive and was quickly diagnosed with a concussion by the team's medical staff. The 23-year-old finishes Saturday's playoff game with three catches for 32 yards before exiting.
Troy Franklin,
Marvin Mims Jr., and Lil' Jordan Humphrey should see an uptick in targets with Bryant sidelined. The Broncos' rookie wideout will likely enter the league's concussion protocol and will have to clear it next week in order to have a chance to suit up for the AFC Championship game if Denver advances.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network
January 17, 2026
Buffalo quarterback
Josh Allen (foot) is battling three separate ailments, and he will not be at 100% when the Bills take on the Denver Broncos to open the Divisional Round on Saturday. Still, he is not expected to have any limitations, according to NFL reporter Cameron Wolfe. Allen visited the blue medical tent multiple times during the team's Wild Card win over the Jaguars, but he did not miss a snap. With the Bills' offense dealing with numerous injuries and Buffalo forced to take an unfamiliar path through the playoffs with their second straight road game, Allen, who is RotoBaller's QB1 in fantasy playoff leagues, will once again be asked to put the team on his shoulders on Saturday.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Cameron Wolfe
January 17, 2026
John Harbaugh and the New York Giants have officially finalized a five-year deal to make him the team's newest head coach and the first domino to fall in this year's coaching cycle. Harbaugh had been fired from the same position with the Baltimore Ravens after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2021, and he now takes over a Giants roster that many believe has the most pieces already in place to make a quick turnaround among all the teams in search of a new head coach. First-year quarterback
Jaxson Dart went 4-8 in a rookie season defined as much by his flashy playmaking abilities as his risk-taking playstyle and the associated injuries, while 2024 Pro Bowl wide receiver
Malik Nabers (knee) is expected to return at some point in 2026 following a devastating knee injury.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Ian Rapoport
January 17, 2026
Denver Broncos wide receiver
Courtland Sutton, making his 2026 playoff debut on Saturday, will face a Bills defensive unit missing three of their starters, including Jordan Poyer and Maxwell Hairston in the secondary. A similarly banged-up Buffalo defense saw Jacksonville wide receiver
Parker Washington put up 107 yards and a touchdown in a back-and-forth Wild Card matchup, and Sutton could be in line for a strong showing of his own. Sutton led his team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns, with four of his seven scores coming against teams in the 2026 playoff field. He is RotoBaller's WR4 for the week, but his ceiling is as high as nearly any receiver in the Divisional Round.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
January 17, 2026
Denver Broncos rookie running back
RJ Harvey makes his playoff debut on Saturday against a Bills defense that ranked 26th in the NFL against fantasy running backs in the regular season. Down the stretch, in particular, Buffalo's defense was viewed as a run funnel, with teams finding more success on the ground than through the air, and in last week's Wild Card win over the Jaguars, Buffalo allowed 154 yards on only 23 carries. Since taking over for
J.K. Dobbins (foot) as Denver's RB1 following a Week 10 foot injury, Harvey has scored six touchdowns in his last seven games, and he is RotoBaller's RB4 for the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
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