January 13, 2026
The Washington Commanders are hoping to interview Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores for their vacant defensive-coordinator job, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Flores' contract is up in Minnesota, allowing him to look at similar jobs around the league. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell is confident that Flores will return to his DC job in Minnesota, unless he lands a head-coaching gig somewhere. Washington is looking to replace both their offensive and defensive coordinators this offseason after moving on from Kliff Kingsbury and Joe Whitt Jr., respectively, after the 2025 season. Flores is expected to interview for the Baltimore Ravens' head-coaching job this week. In his three years as head coach of the Dolphins, Flores went 24-25 before being fired after the 2021 season.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
January 13, 2026
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said that he's confident that the team will get defensive coordinator Brian Flores to return in 2026, unless he gets a head-coaching job, according to Kevin Seifert of ESPN. O'Connell said Minnesota has been "aggressive" in trying to retain Flores and doesn't have a reaction to the fact that they haven't reached a deal yet. Meanwhile, the Washington Commanders are hoping to interview Flores for their vacant defensive-coordinator position. Flores has previous head-coaching experience with the Miami Dolphins and is considered one of the most respected defensive minds in the league. In 2025, the Vikings defense allowed only 19.6 points per game (seventh-fewest) and 282.6 total yards per game, which was the third-fewest in the NFL.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Kevin Seifert
January 13, 2026
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver
Jordan Addison, who has a history of legal troubles since he entered the NFL, was arrested and booked into a Florida jail on Monday for probable-cause trespassing in an occupied structure, according to Joe Nelson of Sports Illustrated. Addison was released on Monday after posting a $500 cash bond. The 23-year-old pass-catcher was suspended for three games in 2025 for his 2024 DUI arrest in Los Angeles. In his third year in the NFL with the Vikings, Addison had his worst showing, catching 42 of 79 targets for a career-low 610 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 14 games played. Obviously, Addison's three-game suspension didn't help, but he was also more inconsistent every week with second-year quarterback
J.J. McCarthy struggling with efficiency, turnovers, and injuries. It remains to be seen if he'll be facing another suspension to begin the 2026 season.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sports Illustrated - Joe Nelson
January 13, 2026
Miami quarterback
Carson Beck was once viewed as a future top signal-caller prospect for the NFL Draft, but his final season at Georgia put a damper on his outlook. After throwing for 3,941 yards, 24 touchdowns, and just six interceptions in 2023, Beck threw double the interceptions in 2024, and his Bulldogs career ended after suffering an elbow injury in the SEC Championship Game. Now, in Miami, the sixth-year senior has the Canes in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game behind 3,581 passing yards, 31 total touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. The 23-year-old has prototypical NFL size at 6'4", 225 pounds, and we've seen the stock of quarterbacks rise dramatically in the past following great postseason runs. Although he's highly unlikely to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, he may be playing himself into the third round after coming into the season as a Day 3 prospect. He's an interesting dynasty quarterback stash option in Superflex leagues.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Sports Reference CFB
January 13, 2026
Former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is interviewing in person for the Miami Dolphins' head-coaching job on Tuesday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Stefanski, who is a two-time NFL Coach of the Year, has already interviewed for head-coaching jobs with the Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, and Baltimore Ravens. He's one of the hottest head-coaching candidates this cycle after the Browns fired him after six seasons in Cleveland. From 2020-25, Stefanski went 45-46 with the Browns. He's known as one of the brightest offensive minds in the game, but he'd have a lot of work to do if he's hired in Miami. Not only has their offense cratered the last two seasons, but they could be moving on from former first-round quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa this offseason.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
January 13, 2026
Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan was non-committal on Tuesday when asked if the team is considering a contract extension for quarterback
Bryce Young, according to David Newton of ESPN. "We're still talking through the roster. It's up in the air, and we're still working through it," Morgan said. Young had the best season of his young career in 2025, setting career highs in completion percentage (63.6%), passing yards (3,011), and touchdown passes (23) while throwing 11 interceptions in 16 regular-season starts. The 24-year-old former first overall pick in 2023 led the Panthers to their first postseason appearance since 2018. The Panthers are expected to pick up Young's fifth-year option, but it wouldn't be a surprise if they hold off on a long-term extension until after the 2026 season.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - David Newton
January 13, 2026
Houston Texans rookie wide receiver
Jayden Higgins caught three of his four targets for 39 yards in Monday night's Wild-Card win over the hosting Pittsburgh Steelers. Higgins finished second on the team in receiving yards behind
Christian Kirk's 144. It was a bit of a disappointing showing for the 23-year-old rookie after top wideout
Nico Collins suffered a concussion in the second half and never returned. Higgins also broke a streak of two straight games with a touchdown reception. He finished third on the team in receiving during the regular season, with 41 catches for 525 yards, and his six touchdowns were tied with Collins for the most on the team. If Collins cannot clear the league's concussion protocol in time for Sunday's Divisional Round contest at the New England Patriots, Higgins will have much more fantasy upside.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
January 13, 2026
Houston Texans quarterback
C.J. Stroud wasn't at his best on Monday night, but the Texans were still able to pull it out and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers by a score of 30-6 in the Wild-Card playoff matchup. Stroud finished the game 21-for-32 passing for 250 yards with one touchdown and an interception. The 24-year-old signal-caller also lost two fumbles. He was sacked three times for a loss of six yards and ran the ball once for no gain. Stroud fumbled the ball a third time in the second half, but thankfully, he was able to recover it. The Steelers couldn't take advantage of Stroud's miscues, as they only scored three points on his three turnovers. Stroud just didn't look comfortable in the pocket on Monday and missed a couple of easy throws that could have gone for big yardage. He'll need to play much better if Houston is going to go into New England and beat the Patriots on Sunday in the Divisional Round.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
January 13, 2026
Pittsburgh Steelers running back
Kenneth Gainwell had 10 touches for 46 scrimmage yards in Monday night's 30-6 loss in the Wild-Card round to the visiting Houston Texans. He also added 100 yards on four kickoff returns. The 26-year-old carried the ball six times for 20 yards and caught four of his six targets for 26 yards. Gainwell's performance didn't stand out on offense, but it was a career year for him in 2025 in his first season in Pittsburgh, as he finished with a career-high 537 rushing yards and five touchdowns on a career-high 114 carries in 17 regular-season games. He added a career-best 73 receptions on 85 targets for 486 yards and three touchdowns. The Steelers will most likely be interested in re-signing Gainwell, who will be an unrestricted free agent in March. Gainwell's 2026 fantasy value could change drastically if he's not in Pittsburgh.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
January 13, 2026
The Houston Texans were able to run the ball effectively on Monday night against a stout Pittsburgh Steelers run defense in the Wild-Card playoff game, with rookie running back
Woody Marks going for 112 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground on 19 carries. Marks was unable to reel in his only target in the passing game. The 25-year-old left the game briefly to be checked for a concussion in the first half, but he was able to get back on the field to produce the first 100-yard game of his career. Marks spent most of the first half of the 2025 season splitting backfield work with veteran
Nick Chubb, but he took over lead-back duties around the halfway mark and hasn't looked back since. He'll have a tough time producing back-to-back 100-yard performances in the Divisional Round on the road against a New England Patriots team that allowed the fourth-fewest half-PPR fantasy points to RBs during the regular season.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
January 13, 2026
Out of nowhere, Houston Texans wide receiver
Christian Kirk had a breakout game in the 30-6 blowout win over the hosting Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild-Card round on Monday night. Kirk, who disappointed with only 28 catches for 239 yards and one touchdown on 52 targets in 13 games during the regular season in his first year with the team, caught eight of his nine targets for a season-high 144 yards and one touchdown to help send the Texans to the Divisional Round this weekend against the New England Patriots. It helped the 29-year-old's cause when top wideout
Nico Collins left with a concussion in the second half and never returned. Fantasy managers probably shouldn't expect a repeat performance for Kirk against New England, but he'll definitely see more targets this weekend if Collins is unable to clear the league's concussion protocol.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
January 13, 2026
Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio writes that it's hard to imagine Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin not coaching in 2026 after another early playoff exit in Monday night's 30-6 Wild-Card round loss to the Houston Texans. "I'm not even in that mindset as I sit here tonight," Tomlin said. "I'm more in the mindset of what transpired in this stadium, and certainly what we did and didn't do. Not a big-picture mentality as I sit here tonight." If Tomlin were to coach for a different team, it would likely require a trade, unless the Steelers let him walk without compensation in honor of the 19 years he's given to the organization. The question for now is whether Tomlin wants to come back to the Steel City for a 20th year. Tomlin, 53, has been coaching since the mid-90s, and he's won 63% of his games in his tenure with the Steelers.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Talk - Mike Florio
January 13, 2026
Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken will interview in person for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive-coordinator opening on Wednesday in Tampa, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. Monken is a former Buccaneers assistant who worked with quarterback
Baker Mayfield for one year with the Cleveland Browns. Monken will almost certainly leave Baltimore after the Ravens fired long-time head coach John Harbaugh last week. Reports suggested that Monken could follow Harbaugh to his next destination and serve as his OC again, but that remains to be seen. Monken is drawing some consideration for open head-coaching jobs around the league, as he already met with the Cleveland Browns. Tampa fired OC Josh Grizzard and are looking for their fifth OC in the last five years. Hiring Monken to run the offense would be great news for Mayfield.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX Sports - Greg Auman
January 13, 2026
The Tennessee Titans will interview former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll for their open head-coaching job on Friday, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. It's the first known head-coaching interview for Daboll this cycle. Daboll was fired by the Giants in the middle of the 2025 season after going 20-40-1 over three-plus seasons in the Big Apple. In his first year as the head coach, the Giants went 9-7-1, made the playoffs, and even won a postseason game. However, Daboll then posted records of 6-11, 3-14, and 2-8 in the three years that followed. He'll be more of a long shot to get the Titans' head-coaching job, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see Daboll resurface in the NFL in 2026 as an offensive coordinator somewhere.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX Sports - Jordan Schultz
January 12, 2026
Houston Texans wide receiver
Justin Watson has been diagnosed with a concussion and will not return to Monday's playoff contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He initially exited during the third quarter and was initially listed as questionable while being evaluated. However, the team later downgraded him to out. Watson, who returned from injured reserve prior to Week 18, had not been targeted before his departure on Monday night. He primarily operates on special teams and does not have much of a role within the Texans' offense. With that being said, his absence, coupled with the departure of
Nico Collins (concussion), will test Houston's wide receiver depth going forward. Watson faces an uphill battle to clear the NFL's five-stage concussion protocol over the next six days before the Texans' Divisional Round clash with the New England Patriots.
--Andersen PickardSource: Houston Texans
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