January 11, 2026
Across 11 games played during the 2025 regular season, San Francisco 49ers tight end
George Kittle recorded 57 receptions for 628 yards and seven touchdowns on 69 targets. After an injury-marred start to the year, Kittle closed the season strong. Across seven games from Week 10 onwards, Kittle recorded at least 13.8 PPR fantasy points five times. In the Wild Card round, Kittle and the 49ers will face a tough test against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles' defense finished the regular season ranked fifth in yards per pass attempt allowed (6.4) and allowed the fewest passing touchdowns (14) of any team in the NFL. However, Kittle has proven throughout his nine-year NFL career that he's capable of producing against any opponent. He profiles as the number one tight end option for fantasy managers in playoff leagues in the Wild Card round.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
January 11, 2026
San Francisco 49ers quarterback
Brock Purdy had a performance to forget in his team's regular-season finale, throwing for 127 yards and an interception in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks. However, the 26-year-old was playing excellent football before running into Seattle, throwing for 893 yards and 11 touchdowns across a three-game stretch between Week 15 and Week 17. In the Wild Card Round, San Francisco will take on a tough matchup in the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles' defense finished the regular season ranked fifth in yards per pass attempt allowed (6.4) and allowed the fewest passing touchdowns (14) of any team in the NFL. On the plus side for Purdy, 49ers superstar left tackle Trent Williams (hamstring) is expected to play against the Eagles after missing Week 18 with a hamstring injury. All in all, RotoBaller ranks Purdy as the QB7 for fantasy managers in playoff leagues heading into Wild Card Weekend.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
January 11, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers running back
Omarion Hampton (ankle) is officially questionable for his team's Wild Card round matchup against the New England Patriots on Sunday night due to an ankle injury. However, the rookie back has said he expects to play. Hampton missed a significant chunk of the regular season with a fractured ankle, so he's been battling ankle ailments since early October. When on the field, the 22-year-old has been productive. Across nine games played in the regular season, Hampton racked up 545 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 124 carries. However, he faces a tough matchup against New England. The Patriots finished the regular season ranked sixth in the NFL in rushing yards allowed (1,729) and tied for fourth in rushing touchdowns allowed (11). Between the injury question marks and the tough matchup, Hampton profiles as a tough running back to trust for fantasy managers in playoff leagues.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
January 11, 2026
New England Patriots running back
Rhamondre Stevenson ended the regular season with a bang, recording 153 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns on nine touches in Week 18. Although Patriots rookie running back
TreVeyon Henderson surpassed Stevenson as the lead back in New England over the course of the season, Stevenson proved he could still be productive in a secondary role. Over his final five games of 2025, the 27-year-old racked up 490 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns on 56 touches. Stevenson may have trouble being quite as efficient in New England's Wild Card round matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. In the regular season, Los Angeles ranked eighth in the NFL in total rushing yards allowed (1,791) and tied for 16th in rushing touchdowns allowed (16). Stevenson profiles as a touchdown-dependent RB2 option for fantasy managers against the Chargers.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
January 11, 2026
Across 17 games as a rookie, New England Patriots running back
TreVeyon Henderson recorded 1,132 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns on 215 touches. The 23-year-old recorded four games with multiple touchdowns from Week 10 onwards, establishing himself as the highest-upside back in the New England backfield. The Patriots are now set to host the Los Angeles Chargers in the first round of the AFC on Sunday night. Los Angeles fielded a solid run defense in the regular season, ranking eighth in the NFL in total rushing yards allowed (1,791) and tied for 16th in rushing touchdowns allowed (16). The Chargers also allowed just seven rushes of 20-plus yards, which was tied for the sixth-fewest among all NFL defenses. Still, Henderson has proven the ability to be efficient throughout the year, averaging 5.1 yards per attempt. RotoBaller ranks Henderson as the RB9 in full PPR fantasy leagues for his Wild Card round matchup against Los Angeles.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
January 11, 2026
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver and kick returner
Parker Washington (head) was cleared to return after being evaluated for a concussion during Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills. The third-year receiver took a hit on a play in the first half and was walked back to the Jacksonville locker room, but passed the evaluation and earned the all-clear to return to action. Washington had a breakout finish to the regular season in which he averaged more than 100 yards and finished as a top-10 PPR receiver in each of the final three weeks. He should continue to be a pass-catching option while working alongside
Jakobi Meyers and
Brian Thomas Jr.--Nick PiotrowiczSource: Jacksonville Jaguars
January 11, 2026
The Jacksonville Jaguars said wide receiver
Parker Washington (head) is being evaluated for a possible concussion during Sunday's AFC Wild Card game against the Buffalo Bills. The 23-year-old did not catch either of his two targets and carried the ball once for a loss of three in the opening quarter, but headed back to the locker room after a collision. Washington had a superb finish to the regular season with 19 catches for 347 yards and a pair of touchdowns during the final three weeks, during which the Jags secured the AFC South and a home playoff game. If Washington is unable to return,
Tim Patrick and
Tim Jones likely will get chances as Jacksonville's third receiver behind
Brian Thomas Jr. and
Jakobi Meyers.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: Cameron Wolfe
January 11, 2026
If the Green Bay Packers decide to go in a different direction without head coach Matt LaFleur after losing the Wild-Card game on Saturday night against the division-rival Chicago Bears, many people around the league are wondering if they will vault to the top of former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh's list of openings this offseason, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Reports suggested on Saturday that the Packers are expected to discuss a contract extension with LaFleur, who is under contract through the 2026 season, this offseason. He has gone 79-46-1 in his seven seasons at the helm in Green Bay, but the Packers' brass could be rethinking things after a tough loss in Chicago on Saturday. Harbaugh is from the Midwest, and his agent, Bryan Harlan, is the son of a former Packers president. The Giants and Dolphins are considered the top potential landing spots for Harbaugh right now, but that could change if LaFleur is fired.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
January 11, 2026
The Cleveland Browns have requested to interview Los Angeles Rams passing-game specialist Nate Scheelhaase for their head-coaching job, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Scheelhaase is an up-and-coming name in the coaching ranks as one of head coach Sean McVay's assistants. Before being promoted to passing-game coordinator in 2025, he was a passing-game specialist and offensive assistant in L.A. Scheelhaase played quarterback for Illinois from 2009-13 before coaching football for the last decade. The Browns have already interviewed offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, Bengals OC Dan Pitcher, OC Todd Monken, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, and Seahawks DC Aden Durde for the head-coaching job. Chargers DC Jesse Minter is another candidate that Cleveland is looking at to replace Kevin Stefanski, who was the Browns' head coach for the last six years before being fired this week.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
January 11, 2026
Carolina Panthers running back
Rico Dowdle, who will be a free agent in March, said his decreased number of carries at the end of the season will impact his thinking in free agency, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. Dowdle said he wants to go somewhere "where he can get the bulk of the carries." The 27-year-old was an unquestioned RB1 during the 2025 season when
Chuba Hubbard missed time with an injury. However, Dowdle was involved in more of a timeshare late in the year following Hubbard's return, and he watched Hubbard score twice in the Wild-Card loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday. He had only five rushing attempts for nine yards while adding one catch on two targets for six yards. In the final four regular-season games, Dowdle averaged only 3.3 yards per carry as his role shrank. It sounds as though Dowdle doesn't plan on signing in Carolina, but it remains to be seen if he'll be able to land a lead-back role elsewhere in free agency.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Joe Person
January 11, 2026
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end
Jonnu Smith (glute) was a full participant in practice on Saturday and was cleared from the final injury report, according to Adam Caplan of Sirius XM NFL Radio. Smith will be active for the Wild-Card matchup against the visiting Houston Texans on Monday night. Even though
Darnell Washington (forearm) is done for the year due to injury, Smith is a hard sell for starting fantasy football lineups in playoff formats, especially with receiver
DK Metcalf returning from a two-game suspension. The 30-year-old Smith had only one catch on two targets for two yards in the team's Week 18 regular-season finale against the Baltimore Ravens, and he caught only 38 passes during the regular season for 222 yards and two touchdowns. If you are going to use a TE from Pittsburgh this weekend, it should be
Pat Freiermuth.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sirius XM NFL Radio - Adam Caplan
January 11, 2026
Houston Texans running back
Jawhar Jordan (ankle) has been ruled out for Monday night's Wild-Card contest against the hosting Pittsburgh Steelers, according to Adam Caplan of Sirius XM NFL Radio. Jordan suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday and was unable to practice all week. If the Texans advance past the Steelers and to the Divisional Round next weekend, the 26-year-old Jordan still might not be ready to go. With Jordan sidelined against the Steelers, veteran
Nick Chubb should be active to help give the Texans some backfield depth behind rookie
Woody Marks. Before Jordan's injury in the season finale, he had taken over RB2 duties from Chubb, with Chubb being a healthy scratch last Sunday. Chubb shouldn't be in any starting fantasy lineups on Wild-Card weekend.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sirius XM NFL Radio - Adam Caplan
January 11, 2026
The Buffalo Bills announced on Saturday that they placed wide receiver
Joshua Palmer (ankle) on Injured Reserve. Palmer will not play in Sunday's Wild-Card playoff tilt against the Jacksonville Jaguars and will not be available for the rest of the postseason if the Bills advance. The 26-year-old did not practice at all this week and will end what has been a disappointing first season in Buffalo in 2025. In 12 games, Palmer caught only 22 of 37 targets for 303 yards and no touchdowns. His absence on Sunday might mean more involvement from the likes of
Brandin Cooks,
Gabe Davis, and
Tyrell Shavers, although all three of the receivers should still be considered deep sleepers in fantasy football playoff formats.
--Keith HernandezSource: Buffalo Bills PR
January 11, 2026
As expected, Buffalo Bills kicker
Matt Prater (quadriceps) is officially active on Sunday to take on the hosting Jacksonville Jaguars on Wild-Card weekend, according to The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia. Prater aggravated a right-quad injury last weekend that had sidelined him for a few games late in the season, but he will give it a go in the first round of the playoffs. The 41-year-old veteran won't be a great kicking option in fantasy playoff formats while likely operating at less than 100 percent. During 15 games in the regular season for the Bills while filling in for the injured
Tyler Bass (hip, groin), Prater made 18 of his 20 field-goal attempts and 46 of his 49 extra-point opportunities. The Jaguars' defense allowed the third-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing kickers during the 2025 regular season.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Joe Buscaglia
January 11, 2026
Buffalo Bills running back
Ty Johnson (ankle) is officially inactive for Sunday's Wild-Card matchup against the hosting Jacksonville Jaguars, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. Johnson injured his ankle in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the New York Jets last Sunday and will not be available for the first round of the postseason. The 28-year-old wouldn't have been on the fantasy football radar as the RB3 if he was active, but his absence means that
Ray Davis should see a bigger complementary role behind starter
James Cook in a tough matchup against the Jaguars, a team that allowed the fewest rushing yards per game in 2025. The 28-year-old Johnson had 50 carries for 200 yards and three touchdowns while adding 24 catches for 263 yards and two more scores as a pass-catcher in 17 regular-season games for the Bills.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Joe Buscaglia
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