January 15, 2026
Houston Texans wide receiver
Nico Collins (concussion) is not at the portion of practice open to the media on Thursday as he remains in the league's concussion protocol, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. Collins is a "long shot" to play on Sunday against the New England Patriots in the Divisional Round, considering the steps he must still clear to be allowed to play this weekend. The 26-year-old suffered a concussion on Monday night in the Wild-Card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and never returned. He was seen being carted off the field with a towel over his head. He has one more day to return to practice, but this late in the week, Collins' chances aren't great. It's looking like the Texans will ask rookie receivers
Jayden Higgins and
Jaylin Noel,
Christian Kirk, and
Xavier Hutchinson to step up on Sunday, with Collins likely unavailable.
--Keith HernandezSource: Houston Chronicle - Jonathan M. Alexander
January 15, 2026
Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver (biceps, knee) was limited in practice all week and will be listed as questionable for Saturday's Divisional Round game versus the hosting Denver Broncos, according to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network. The Bills will be without two starters on defense in cornerback Maxwell Hairston (ankle) and safety Jordan Poyer (hamstring), so the Bills would certainly welcome Oliver back if he is ready. The 28-year-old interior defensive lineman has been on Injured Reserve for most of the year due to biceps and knee injuries. In just three games before being shut down, Oliver was very effective, recording 12 total tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble for the Bills. If the Bills officially activate Oliver off IR on Friday, he'll almost certainly be active on Saturday.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Cameron Wolfe
January 15, 2026
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that running back
Ty Johnson (ankle) will be limited in practice on Thursday and will be listed as questionable on the final injury report for the Divisional Round on Saturday in Denver against the Broncos, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. Johnson injured his ankle in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the New York Jets and was inactive last Sunday for the Wild-Card victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 28-year-old could be a game-time decision in Denver on Saturday, but even if he suits up, he won't be recommended for fantasy playoff lineups against a stout Broncos defense. Johnson has mostly operated as the RB3 this year behind starter
James Cook and
Ray Davis, carrying the ball 50 times for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Johnson added two receiving TDs in 17 regular-season games.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Joe Buscaglia
January 15, 2026
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that wide receiver
Curtis Samuel (elbow) will practice in full again on Thursday and will be listed as questionable for the Divisional Round of the playoffs on Saturday against the Denver Broncos, according to Katherine Fitzgerald of The Buffalo News. Samuel is still on Injured Reserve and missed the last eight games with an elbow injury, but he's been practicing in full this week and looks ready to return. Although the 29-year-old probably won't have a big role on offense if he's active in Denver, the Bills will welcome Samuel's return after losing both
Gabe Davis (knee) and
Tyrell Shavers (knee) to torn ACLs in the Wild-Card win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Samuel has appeared in only six games for the Bills this year, catching seven of his nine targets for 81 yards and a touchdown.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Buffalo News - Katherine Fitzgerald
January 15, 2026
Seattle Seahawks running back
Zach Charbonnet enters the playoffs as one of the hottest RBs in the league, having scored four rushing touchdowns in his last three games combined. In the Week 18 regular-season finale against the San Francisco 49ers, who the Seahawks will play for a third time this Saturday night, Charbonnet had 17 carries for 74 yards and a touchdown. He added three catches for 23 yards. The 25-year-old's touchdown was a 27-yard scamper, which ended up being the only TD of the game on either side. The previous week, he saw a season-high 18 rushing attempts for a season-high 110 yards and two rushing scores in a win over the Carolina Panthers. In Week 1 against San Fran, Charb had 12 carries for 47 yards and a TD. He will continue to split touches with
Kenneth Walker III, but Charbonnet isn't a bad RB option in fantasy leagues this week against a banged-up 49ers defense that has allowed the sixth-most half-PPR points per game to RBs in the last five weeks.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 15, 2026
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has been requested by the Detroit Lions to interview for their offensive-coordinator position, a source told the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Smith is also still in the mix for multiple head-coaching jobs and has significant interest around the league as an OC. Even though the Lions offense was still pretty formidable in 2025, the team chose to part ways with OC Johnny Morton after just one year. Head coach Dan Campbell took over play-calling duties late in the year, but it wasn't enough to help the Lions get back to the playoffs. Depending on who the team hires as the next OC, Campbell is expected to give up play-calling duties. Smith has developed a reputation as an OC who prefers to run the ball and who uses a lot of two-tight-end sets. It would be a stark change for the Lions' offense.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
January 15, 2026
Former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who was the OC for Baltimore the last three years under former head coach John Harbaugh, is among the leading candidates to follow Harbaugh to New York to become the Giants' OC, sources told Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. The Giants will still go through a formal search, but Monken is the early leader. Harbaugh is expected to officially become New York's new head coach on Thursday after meeting with the team on Wednesday. If Monken follows Harbaugh to the Big Apple, he'll be tasked with helping first-round quarterback
Jaxson Dart develop as he heads into his sophomore season. Dart showed impressive dual-threat abilities in his first year in the NFL, but durability will continue to be an issue if he doesn't get better at protecting himself as a runner. In addition to Dart, the Giants have strong building blocks around him on offense in wide receiver
Malik Nabers (knee) and running back
Cam Skattebo.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
January 15, 2026
The Pittsburgh Steelers have requested to interview Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero for their open head coaching job, a source told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. The Steelers are beginning to create a list of head-coaching candidates after long-time head coach Mike Tomlin announced his resignation on Tuesday. Evero has been running the Panthers' defense for the last three seasons. Before that, he was the DC for the Denver Broncos in 2022. In addition to the Steelers, Evero is in the running for the head-coaching jobs this cycle for the Atlanta Falcons and Las Vegas Raiders. Steelers owner Art Rooney II said the organization isn't putting a timeframe on when it expects to have a new head coach, and he shot down suggestions that the Steelers would be in a "rebuild" phase after the departure of Tomlin, who has been with the team for 19 years.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
January 15, 2026
Denver Broncos running back
R.J. Harvey finished his rookie season with 896 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns, helping the Broncos win their first division title since 2015. Harvey began the season as a backup to starter
J.K. Dobbins, but after Dobbins went down with a foot injury in Week 10, Harvey took over. Since the injury, Harvey has ranked as the RB13, averaging 15.2 PPR points per game. He faces a Buffalo Bills run defense that has allowed the eighth-most fantasy points this season. The Jaguars were productive on the ground against the Bills in the Wild Card Round, with
Travis Etienne and
Bhayshul Tuten totaling 118 rushing yards on just 14 carries. With the Bills boasting one of the NFL's strongest pass defenses, the Broncos will need to rely on Harvey and the run game to advance to the AFC Championship.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
January 15, 2026
Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver
Luther Burden III hauled in three of seven targets for 42 yards in the 31-27 win over the Green Bay Packers. Despite the wild victory over the division-rival Packers, Burden struggled, posting his worst statistical game since Week 13 and stopping on a route that led to an interception. The second-round pick has become a key part of the Bears' passing game, and he has an opportunity to explode in the Divisional Round. He faces a Los Angeles Rams defense that has allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season and has struggled as of late, allowing big games to
Amon-Ra St. Brown,
Michael Wilson, and
Jalen Coker in the last six weeks. Burden is a high-ceiling option at the wide receiver position who could be a game-changer in what should be a high-scoring affair.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
January 15, 2026
Seattle Seahawks running back
Kenneth Walker III finished his fourth NFL season with 221 carries for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns, adding 31 receptions for 282 yards as a pass-catcher. Walker posted a career-high in scrimmage yards (1309) but scored only five touchdowns, while backup
Zach Charbonnet scored 12 rushing touchdowns this season. Since Week 4, Walker has scored two touchdowns, which ranks 48th in the NFL during that span. He faces a San Francisco 49ers defense that has given up the tenth-most fantasy points to running backs and the second-most receptions to the position this season. While Walker was productive in the Week 18 contest against the 49ers, totaling 133 scrimmage yards on 20 touches, if he can't find the end zone, his ceiling will be limited.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
January 15, 2026
Los Angeles Rams running back
Kyren Williams carried the ball 13 times for 57 yards and added 18 receiving yards and a touchdown on two receptions in the 34-31 win over the Carolina Panthers. Williams saw a decreased workload this season as second-year back
Blake Corum emerged, but he has been a factor in the receiving game more than in the past. The fourth-year back recorded his most receiving yards and receptions of his career, and that receiving production helped the Rams take down the Panthers in the Wild Card Round. He faces a Chicago Bears defense that has ranked middle-of-the-pack against running backs this season, despite allowing the fourth-most total yards of offense. In what should be a high-scoring game, Williams profiles as a top-three option at the running back position and could be a huge factor in the receiving game once again.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
January 15, 2026
Chicago Bears tight end
Colston Loveland went nuclear in the Wild Card Round, hauling in eight of 15 targets for 137 yards in the 31-27 win over the Green Bay Packers. Loveland was disappointing early in the season, ranking as the TE50 through the first eight weeks. The 10th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft has ranked as the TE2 since Week 9, trailing only
Trey McBride, and has fully cemented himself as a top option at the position in the divisional round. He faces a Los Angeles Rams defense that has ranked in the middle of the pack against tight ends this season. The Bears have a crowded receiver room, including
Rome Odunze,
D.J. Moore, and
Luther Burden III, but Loveland's connection with quarterback
Caleb Williams stands out, and the rookie tight end is a strong option against the Rams.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
January 15, 2026
Los Angeles Rams tight end
Colby Parkinson hauled in two of three targets for 34 yards and a touchdown in the 34-31 win over the Carolina Panthers. Parkinson was quiet for most of the game, but he reeled in the game-winning 19-yard touchdown pass from quarterback
Matthew Stafford, sending the Rams to the divisional round. Despite joining a mess of a tight end room this offseason, the former Seahawk has stepped up in a major way this season, scoring nine touchdowns in 16 games. He faces a Chicago Bears defense that has ranked middle-of-the-pack against tight ends this season, despite being close to the bottom in total yards allowed. With only eight teams left and star tight ends injured among those teams, Parkinson ranks as one of the top options at the position this week.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
January 15, 2026
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the New York Giants are finalizing a deal with former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh to make him the franchise's next head coach. Schefter noted that while the deal is not finalized, barring a setback, Harbaugh is expected to take over coaching duties in New York. Harbaugh interviewed with the Giants on Wednesday and was expected to visit other teams, but appears to have already found his next job. Harbaugh had a disappointing 2025 season with the Ravens as they missed the postseason and finished with just eight wins, his lowest total since the 2016 season, which ultimately led to his firing. With the Ravens, Harbaugh won Super Bowl XLVII and led them to 11-double-digit-win seasons, including a 14-win campaign back in 2019. Harbaugh was also named AP Coach of the Year in that season. Harbaugh will now look to develop a young Giants team centered on QB
Jaxson Dart, whom the Giants drafted with the 25th overall pick in last year's NFL Draft. Given his success with
Lamar Jackson, dynasty managers should feel confident rostering Dart for the long term, as he will have a head coach with nearly two decades of success leading the way.
--Andy SmithSource: Adam Schefter
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