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
January 19, 2026
Former Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott, who was fired on Monday after the Bills' Divisional Round loss to the Denver Broncos on Saturday, told his staff after he was let go that he plans to keep coaching, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Not counting the Bills, there are currently six head-coaching jobs available around the league, and McDermott could be a candidate for the Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, or Tennessee Titans. Current betting odds have McDermott as the second-most likely candidate to land the job in Pittsburgh, behind only Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula. In his nine seasons at the helm in Buffalo, McDermott led the Bills to the playoffs eight times, but his inability to get the team to the Super Bowl ultimately cost him his job.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
January 19, 2026
The Las Vegas Raiders have interviewed San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak for their vacant head-coaching position, the team announced. In addition to the Raiders, Kubiak is expected to be interviewed by the Pittsburgh Steelers for their head-coaching job. He was the 49ers' offensive coordinator for the first time in 2025, and he had to navigate through plenty of injuries to key offensive skill players, including quarterback
Brock Purdy. San Fran eventually ranked 10th in total points and seventh in total offensive yards under the direction of Kubiak, the son of former NFL head coach Gary Kubiak. His brother, Klint Kubiak, who is the OC for the Seattle Seahawks, is the more likely of the brothers to land a head-coaching job this cycle.
--Keith HernandezSource: NBC Sports Bay Area - Matt Maiocco
January 19, 2026
The Miami Dolphins announced on Monday that they completed an interview with Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard for their head-coaching job. Sheppard was in his first year as the DC in Detroit in 2025, and the Lions' defense ranked 22nd in points allowed and 18th in total yards allowed. It wasn't a great showing, but injuries decimated the secondary, giving them little chance for consistency on that side of the ball. In addition to Sheppard, the Dolphins had Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham in for an in-person interview on Monday. Green Bay Packers DC Jeff Hafley is considered the front-runner for Miami's head-coaching job because of his familiarity with new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. The Dolphins talking with Sheppard and Graham will satisfy their Rooney Rule requirements, so Sheppard is probably a long shot to get the job.
--Keith HernandezSource: Miami Dolphins
January 19, 2026
The Baltimore Ravens are bringing in Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver on Tuesday for a second head-coaching interview, a source told the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Weaver is a former Baltimore player and assistant coach, and he's been a finalist for multiple head-coaching jobs in recent years. In addition to garnering interest from the Ravens, Weaver is a finalist for the Pittsburgh Steelers' head-coaching vacancy. Whoever Baltimore selects will have massive shoes to fill following John Harbaugh's 19 years with the organization, which included a Super Bowl championship. In 2021, Weaver was the Ravens' defensive-line coach before serving as the assistant head coach and D-line coach under Harbaugh from 2022-23 before going to the Dolphins to become their DC. Weaver's familiarity with Baltimore's organization could give him a leg up.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
January 19, 2026
The Detroit Lions are hiring former Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing as their offensive coordinator on Monday, sources told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. The 38-year-old kept the Cardinals' offense afloat in 2025 despite a rash of injuries, including at quarterback to
Kyler Murray (foot). Petzing will now have a huge opportunity in 2026 to run the talented Lions offense under head coach Dan Campbell. He will take over for Johnny Morton, who lasted just one year as the OC in Detroit. Under Petzing this past season, Arizona was pass-heavy after veteran QB
Jacoby Brissett took over for the injured Murray in Week 6. The Lions offense wasn't terrible in 2025 under Morton, and the change in coordinators shouldn't negatively affect any of the team's skill players' fantasy values heading into 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
January 19, 2026
The Buffalo Bills announced on Monday that they promoted general manager Brandon Beane to president of football operations. It comes on the same day that they also fired head coach Sean McDermott following their Divisional Round loss on Saturday to the Denver Broncos. Beane and McDermott were both hired by the organization in 2017, and the Bills made the playoffs in eight of their nine seasons together. It's been quite a run for Buffalo with quarterback
Josh Allen at the helm, but Beane will now lead the search to try to find a head coach who can lead the Bills back to the Super Bowl, and hopefully to their first-ever championship. The presence of Allen at the most important position in football immediately makes the Bills' vacant head-coaching job one of the most attractive in the NFL this offseason.
--Keith HernandezSource: Buffalo Bills
January 19, 2026
The Kansas City Chiefs are requesting permission to interview Chicago Bears running backs coach Eric Bieniemy for their offensive-coordinator position, a source told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Current OC Matt Nagy's contract is set to expire, and he's seeking head-coaching jobs around the league. The Chiefs' offense still mainly runs through head coach Andy Reid, but they could be reuniting with Bieniemy after a frustrating 2025 campaign that saw KC miss the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Bieniemy last worked for the Chiefs in 2022, but he has a long history with Reid and was part of two of the team's recent Super Bowl runs. In the past three years, he's worked for the Bears, Washington Commanders, and in college at UCLA. With the Chiefs looking to get back on track in 2026, bringing Bieniemy back would make a lot of sense.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
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