January 21, 2026
Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane said that quarterback
Josh Allen (foot) might need surgery on his right foot, but if he does, he should be ready for organized team activities in the spring, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Allen initially injured his foot in Week 16, but he played through soreness the rest of the year before being eliminated by the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. The 29-year-old former MVP also battled a left-knee injury and a right-finger injury in the postseason. Either way, Allen should be completely fine for the start of training camp this summer and the start of the 2026 regular season in the fall. He once again led all QBs in fantasy points during the regular season in 2025 with 3,668 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in 17 games, adding 579 rushing yards and a league-high 14 TDs. Even with head coach Sean McDermott gone, Allen should be the first QB off the board in fantasy football drafts this fall.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
January 21, 2026
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson said that he had a "really good" exit interview with wide receiver
DJ Moore and called him a key guy who helped the team get as far as they did this season, according to Jasson Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times. Johnson called Moore a "huge contributor." Moore certainly finished on a high note, scoring in both of the team's playoff games and finding the end zone five times in the final six contests. However, the 28-year-old finished the 2025 campaign with career lows in receptions (50) and receiving yards (682) while finding the end zone six times in 17 games played. He definitely stepped up when
Rome Odunze missed the final five regular-season games with a stress fracture in his foot, but for most of the year, he was hit or miss and extremely inconsistent for fantasy managers. Going into 2026, it could be more of the same for Moore, especially if Odunze gets over his foot ailment.
--Keith HernandezSource: Chicago Sun-Times - Jason Lieser
January 21, 2026
Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio said on Wednesday that running back
Joe Mixon (foot, ankle) had a medical condition that never improved, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. "He didn't jump off a building. He wasn't doing anything irresponsible. It was a freak thing," Caserio said. The Texans were extremely vague with Mixon's injury all year, and he never ended up playing in 2025. Head coach DeMeco Ryans said on Monday that Mixon's status for the 2026 season is also uncertain due to his injury. Unexpectedly, the Texans struggled for consistent production out of their backfield with a mix of veteran
Nick Chubb and
Woody Marks. Marks took over halfway through the year and should be heavily involved again next season, even if Mixon returns. Needless to say, a lot of fantasy managers won't want anything to do with Mixon in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: Houston Chronicle - Jonathan M. Alexander
January 21, 2026
Houston Texans wide receiver
Tank Dell (knee) is on schedule to participate in offseason workouts, according to general manager Nick Caserio. "Tank is doing awesome. We would anticipate him being ready for the start of the offseason program," Caserio said. Head coach DeMeco Ryans also said earlier this week that he was excited to see Dell return next season. Dell was on the Physically Unable to Perform list for the entire 2025 season after he tore his ACL, MCL, and LCL in Week 16 of the 2024 season. The 26-year-old needed multiple surgeries to fix his knee, although he appears to be making notable progress and could be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season this fall, depending on how he progresses during the offseason. The Texans are optimistic that Dell will be able to contribute next year, but in what could be a crowded WR room in Houston, fantasy managers should pump the brakes on Dell returning to fantasy relevance immediately.
--Keith HernandezSource: Chancellor Johnson
January 21, 2026
Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula pinned the selection of wide receiver
Keon Coleman in the 2024 draft on the coaching staff and said that general manager Brandon Beane was "being a team player," and that Coleman wasn't at the top of Beane's list at the time, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. Buffalo fired head coach Sean McDermott on Monday and promoted Beane to president of football operations. The Bills drafted Coleman in the second round in 2024 out of Florida State, and he's been a bust in his two seasons with the team, catching 67 of 116 targets for 970 yards and eight touchdowns in 26 games. Not only has his production been a disappointment, but he has also dealt with maturity issues and has been suspended by the team for his actions off the field, which include arriving late to a team meeting. With McDermott now gone, that doesn't bode well for Coleman being able to turn things around in Year 3.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Joe Buscaglia
January 21, 2026
If former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll doesn't land the Buffalo Bills' head-coaching job, he is expected to wind up as the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans under new head coach Robert Saleh, sources told Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The Philadelphia Eagles are conducting their offensive-coordinator search with the understanding that Daboll wants the Bills' head-coach job. Daboll has history with the Bills, as he was their OC from 2018 to 2021. If he doesn't go back to Buffalo, Daboll will head to Tennessee, where he'd work with former the former No. 1 overall pick in quarterback
Cameron Ward. The Miami product has the physical skills to succeed in the NFL, but he needs to improve his accuracy after throwing 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his first 17 NFL games in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Dianna Russini
January 20, 2026
Former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is expected to become the Los Angeles Chargers' offensive coordinator, barring a change of heart, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. McDaniel has informed other teams that he's out of the running, and he's scheduled to have dinner with the Chargers on Tuesday night. In L.A., McDaniel will be replacing Greg Roman. It will be quite the scheme change for the Bolts, going from a run-first offensive mind in Roman to McDaniel, who runs a version of Kyle Shanahan's offense in San Francisco. McDaniel went 35-33 with two playoff appearances in his four seasons in Miami, and he'll now join a Chargers team that has two 11-win seasons under head coach Jim Harbaugh. The addition of McDaniel in L.A. should be good news for both quarterback
Justin Herbert and young running back
Omarion Hampton heading into next season.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
January 20, 2026
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver
Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Seahawks will face a familiar foe in the NFC Championship game this weekend in the division-rival Los Angeles Rams. Smith-Njigba led the NFL with 1,793 yards and scored the third-most touchdowns (10) among wideouts on 119 receptions. He's proven in his second year in the league that he's one of the best receivers in the NFL, and he'll have a chance to go off for the third straight time this year against a Rams defense that has surrendered the most half-PPR fantasy points to the position in the last five weeks. In the first meeting against L.A. in a Week 11 loss, JSN had a season-high nine catches for 105 yards on 12 targets. In the rematch in the overtime win in Week 16, Smith-Njigba caught eight of 13 targets for 96 yards and a touchdown. In what could be a shootout, Smith-Njigba is one of the highest-upside receivers in fantasy this week.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 20, 2026
Los Angeles Rams rookie tight end
Terrance Ferguson scored his second and third touchdowns in back-to-back weeks at the end of the regular season before
Tyler Higbee returned from Injured Reserve. Then Ferguson injured his hamstring, which caused him to miss the Week 18 regular-season finale and the Wild-Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles. In the 22-year-old's return in the Divisional Round win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Ferguson caught just one of a season-high five targets for 19 yards. There's plenty to like about Ferguson's long-term outlook, but right now, he's just too hard to trust when he's fighting for targets alongside
Colby Parkinson and Higbee. During the regular season, Ferguson had a total of just 11 receptions for 231 yards and three touchdowns on 25 targets. The matchup against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship game this weekend is a decent one, but Ferguson is unlikely to return value unless he scores.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 20, 2026
Los Angeles Rams tight end
Colby Parkinson is emerging as the team's best TE option in fantasy football playoff leagues despite fellow TEs
Tyler Higbee and rookie
Terrance Ferguson being involved. In the Divisional Round victory over the Chicago Bears, Parkinson caught three of his seven targets for 56 yards. The 27-year-old tied Pro Bowl receiver
Puka Nacua for the team lead in receiving yards in snowy conditions. The fact that the Rams are involving three pass-catching tight ends makes Parkinson a bit more volatile in fantasy, but it should be comforting to know that he has had exactly seven targets in four of the last six games. He also scored a combined three touchdowns in the two games before this past Sunday's overtime win over the Bears. Parkinson has notable upside going into the NFC Championship matchup against a Seahawks defense that allowed the 11th-most half-PPR fantasy points to the position in 17 regular-season games.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 20, 2026
New England Patriots running back
Rhamondre Stevenson hasn't scored a touchdown in two playoff games this year, but he has recorded 209 scrimmage yards on 33 touches. Stevenson had 16 rushing attempts for 70 yards and also caught all four of his targets for 11 yards in the Divisional Round win over the Houston Texans. The 27-year-old's 16 carries were the second-most he's had all year, with rookie
TreVeyon Henderson carrying the ball 12 times for only 25 yards. Fantasy managers should expect Stevenson to have another big role in the AFC Championship clash this Sunday against the Denver Broncos. His role makes him a top-three fantasy RB in playoff leagues, but the sledding could be tough on the road against a Broncos defense that allowed the fewest half-PPR points per game during the regular season.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 20, 2026
Denver Broncos rookie running back
RJ Harvey had a disappointing showing on the ground in the Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills, carrying the ball six times for only 20 yards. Harvey helped his fantasy managers in PPR leagues by catching five of a season-high six targets for 46 yards through the air, though. Against a weaker Buffalo run defense, it was a disappointing performance for Harvey, who saw his lowest carry total since Week 10. Things won't get any easier for the second-rounder going into a tough AFC Championship matchup against the visiting New England Patriots. Although Denver may put more of an emphasis on trying to get their ground game going now that starting quarterback
Bo Nix (ankle) is out the rest of the way, it doesn't mean that Harvey will have success against a Patriots defense that allowed the fourth-fewest half-PPR points per game to RBs this year, including only eight rushing TDs.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 20, 2026
Los Angeles Rams running back
Kyren Williams did most of the heavy lifting in the team's thrilling overtime victory over the Chicago Bears in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, carrying the ball 21 times for 87 yards and two touchdowns while adding four catches for 30 yards on five targets. Meanwhile, backfield mate
Blake Corum had only six carries for 19 yards. Williams isn't heading into the most ideal matchup in the NFC Championship game on Sunday against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks, but he'll still be a top-three fantasy RB on volume alone in a high-flying offense. Williams could be a letdown against a Seahawks defense that allowed the second-fewest half-PPR points per game to the RB position during the regular season, including a league-low five rushing TDs. And if Corum gets more involved like he was at the end of the regular season, it would lower Williams' floor more.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 20, 2026
The Green Bay Packers are scheduled to interview former Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon for their defensive-coordinator job this week, sources told Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. The Dallas Cowboys interviewed Gannon for the same position on Tuesday, and he has interest in other DC jobs around the league after being fired by the Cardinals at the end of the 2025 season. Before joining Arizona, Gannon was the DC with the Philadelphia Eagles for two years under head coach Nick Sirianni. The Packers are looking to replace Jeff Hafley, who left to become the head coach for the Miami Dolphins. Hafley leaves Green Bay's defense in a good position, and All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons (knee) will provide a huge boost whenever he's ready to return from a torn ACL. In his three seasons as the Cardinals' head coach, Gannon went 15-36, including 3-14 in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
January 20, 2026
Houston Texans cornerback Jaylin Smith (knee) had season-ending knee surgery, but he has made steady progress in his recovery and is on track to play next season, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 Sports. Smith, who was a third-round pick by Houston last April, was placed on Injured Reserve in early November. The 22-year-old defensive back also missed four games in his first NFL season with a hamstring injury, so he finished with only six tackles (three solo) and a fumble recovery in his four games played. When he was on the field, though, Smith played well as the team's third cornerback behind Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter. It's unclear yet if Smith will be ready for the Week 1 season opener, but he should be available at some point in 2026. The Texans will be hoping he'll be on the field more as he looks to develop in Year 2.
--Keith HernandezSource: KPRC2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
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