January 24, 2026
Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports that free agent coach Mike McDaniel pulled out of his scheduled meeting with the Buffalo Bills. Per Russini, McDaniel remains a candidate in the Las Vegas Raiders' head coaching search. However, if he takes an offensive coordinator job, the expectation remains that it will be with the Los Angeles Chargers. McDaniel, who turns 43 years old in March, spent the last four seasons as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. He led Miami to top-six offenses in total yardage and playoff appearances in each of his first two seasons at the helm, but the team regressed to 26th in offense and a 7-10 record in 2025. If McDaniel eventually lands in Los Angeles, he will have a chance to work with arguably the most talented quarterback of his coaching career in
Justin Herbert.
--Will BradySource: The Athletic - Dianna Russini
January 23, 2026
New England Patriots wide receiver
DeMario Douglas scored in the Divisional Round win over the Houston Texans last weekend, but he had only two catches and 36 yards otherwise. Douglas never had more than four catches in a single game during the regular season, and he hasn't caught more than two passes in a contest since the Dec. 1 win over the New York Giants. The 25-year-old had a total of 31 receptions (46 targets) for 447 yards and three touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. Douglas finished fifth on the team among receivers in last Sunday's win with just 17 snaps on offense. He has played over 34% of the snaps in a game just once, and that was all the way back in Week 1. With Douglas not seeing the field much and quarterback
Drake Maye spreading targets around, it seems unlikely that Douglas will have breakout potential in the AFC Championship against a Denver Broncos team that allowed the fifth-fewest half-PPR points per game to WRs. During the regular season, Douglas averaged just 5.0 half-PPR points per game.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 23, 2026
Seattle Seahawks tight end
AJ Barner put up a donut in the Divisional Round win over the San Francisco 49ers despite the team scoring 41 points. Barner was the TE14 overall in half-PPR points during the regular season, catching 52 of his 68 targets for 519 yards and six touchdowns as Seattle's primary tight end. Seattle didn't really need to throw the ball much last weekend, though, with quarterback
Sam Darnold attempting only 17 passes. The 23-year-old second-year TE will most likely need to get involved on Sunday in the NFC Championship if they are going to keep up with the high-scoring Los Angeles Rams. Barner is poised to bounce back, but he'll also become more volatile with rookie tight end
Elijah Arroyo (knee) returning from Injured Reserve. It's worth noting that Barner looked good in both previous games against the Rams, combining for 14 receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown on a healthy 17 targets.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 23, 2026
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver
Cooper Kupp will have a revenge game in the NFC Championship on Sunday against his former team, the Los Angeles Rams. Kupp is coming off one of his better games of the year in the Divisional Round blowout win over the San Francisco 49ers, catching all five of his targets for 60 yards. The 32-year-old took a clear back seat to star wideout
Jaxon Smith-Njigba in his first year in Seattle, and he wasn't even among the top 50 WRs in half-PPR points per game. Kupp caught 47 of 70 targets during 16 regular-season games for 593 yards and only two touchdowns. He didn't stand out in either of the two previous games against L.A. this year, catching a combined six passes for 62 yards on 11 targets. The Rams have allowed the most half-PPR points per game to WRs in the last five weeks, but Kupp will continue to be a low-upside, touchdown-dependent receiver for fantasy purposes.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 23, 2026
New England Patriots wide receiver
Kayshon Boutte has had two of his better performances of the season in two postseason games this year, combining for seven catches, 141 yards, and a touchdown on nine targets in wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans. Can Boutte keep it going heading into Sunday's AFC Championship tilt in Denver against the Broncos? The 23-year-old former sixth-rounder wasn't even in the top-50 wideouts during the regular season in terms of half-PPR points per game, but he's peaking at the right time. In 14 regular-season games, Boutte had 33 catches for 551 yards and a career-high six touchdowns. It's going to be tough for Boutte to maintain his recent output, considering the Broncos' defense allowed the fifth-fewest half-PPR points per game (21.2) to wideouts, including a league-low six touchdown receptions.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 23, 2026
Despite just one catch for five yards in the Divisional Round victory over the Houston Texans last weekend, New England Patriots tight end
Hunter Henry has the most upside at the position going into the AFC Championship on Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Of the remaining tight ends playing this weekend, Henry was by far the most productive for fantasy managers during the 2025 regular season, catching 60 of his 87 targets for 768 yards and seven touchdowns. Through two postseason games, he has four grabs on seven targets for 69 yards and one touchdown. The 31-year-old veteran is a good bet to bounce back from his stinker last weekend, and he'll be facing off against a Broncos defense that was middle of the pack in terms of half-PPR points allowed per game to tight ends. Henry should be a strong safety blanket for quarterback
Drake Maye in hostile territory.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 23, 2026
New England Patriots wide receiver
Stefon Diggs will be faced with a challenging matchup against the hosting Denver Broncos and star cornerback Patrick Surtain II in the AFC Championship this Sunday. Diggs has had modest production in two playoff games this year, catching six of 11 targets for 56 yards, but he did manage to find the end zone in last weekend's Divisional Round victory over a tough Houston Texans defense. During 17 regular-season games, Diggs ranked 26th among WRs with 102 targets and 29th in half-PPR points per game (9.9). The 32-year-old relied on efficiency (11.9 yards per catch and 68.7% catch rate) over volume in his first year in New England. Diggs scored just four times during the regular season, and he'll be facing a lockdown Denver defense that allowed a season-low four TD catches to receivers in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 23, 2026
Coming off a season-low 19 receiving yards in the Divisional Round victory over the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver
Jaxon Smith-Njigba feels like a lock for big production in Sunday's NFC Championship game against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams. Not only has the Rams' defense allowed the most half-PPR points per game (30.8) to opposing wideouts over the last five weeks, but JSN tormented L.A. in their previous two meetings in 2025. In two contests against the Rams in the regular season, Smith-Njigba caught 17 of his 25 targets for 201 yards and one touchdown. He was second to only
Puka Nacua in overall half-PPR points during 17 regular-season games and led the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards on 119 receptions. In what could very well be another shootout between these two teams in Seattle on Sunday, Smith-Njigba has arguably the most fantasy upside of any WR this weekend.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 23, 2026
New England Patriots quarterback
Drake Maye is on the doorstep of his first Super Bowl appearance in just his second year in the league, but he will need to limit turnovers if he's going to lead his team to a victory on Sunday in the AFC Championship against the Denver Broncos. In his first two playoff games, Maye threw for 447 yards on 56 pass attempts for four touchdowns and two interceptions, but he also fumbled four times (lost two) in the Divisional Round win over the Houston Texans. The 23-year-old put himself in the MVP discussion during the regular season by leading the league in completion percentage (72%), yards per attempt (8.9), and QBR (77.1). Maye also finished as the QB3 in overall fantasy points in his sophomore campaign. He'll have his work cut out for him this Sunday in Denver, though, with the Broncos' defense allowing the seventh-fewest passing yards per game (187.2) and sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing QBs during the regular season.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 23, 2026
So far in two postseason games, New England Patriots running back
Rhamondre Stevenson has been the preferred backfield option over rookie
TreVeyon Henderson. Stevenson has 26 carries for 123 yards rushing while adding seven catches on eight targets for an additional 86 yards in wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans. Meanwhile, Henderson has only 52 scrimmage yards. The 27-year-old Stevenson had 16 carries for 70 yards and added four receptions for 11 yards in the Divisional Round win over Houston. He should continue to be a big part of the game plan in Sunday's AFC Championship tilt against the hosting Denver Broncos. It's a poor matchup on the road against one of the top-ranked defenses in the NFL. The Broncos D allowed the second-fewest rushing yards per game (91.1) during the regular season and the fewest half-PPR points per game allowed to RBs.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 23, 2026
New England Patriots rookie running back
TreVeyon Henderson has not really moved the needle in fantasy football in his first two career playoff games in wins against the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans, carrying the ball 21 times for 52 yards while catching two passes for seven yards. The 23-year-old second-rounder out of Ohio State showed plenty of upside in his first 17 regular-season games, racking up 911 rushing yards and nine rushing TDs on 180 carries, but so far in the postseason, he has taken a back seat to
Rhamondre Stevenson. Henderson's production tends to come in bunches; the last four games that he's scored in were all two-touchdown performances. The odds are against a multi-score outing in Sunday's AFC Championship game against the Denver Broncos, a defense that allowed the second-fewest rushing yards per game (91.1) and the fewest half-PPR points per game (15.7) to opposing RBs during the regular season.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 23, 2026
Seattle Seahawks running back
Kenneth Walker III should be considered one of the top RB options in fantasy football playoff leagues heading into Sunday's NFC Championship game against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams. Walker had season-highs in carries (19), rushing yards (116), and rushing touchdowns (three) in the Divisional Round win over the San Francisco 49ers, and he should see heavy volume again as the unquestioned lead back now that
Zach Charbonnet (knee) is out with a torn ACL. Walker excelled in two regular-season games versus the Rams, too, carrying the ball 27 times for a combined 167 yards (6.19 yards per carry) and two touchdowns while adding six receptions for another 108 yards. L.A.'s defense hasn't been as great late in the year, either, and they've allowed the 11th-most half-PPR points to RBs in the last five weeks.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 23, 2026
The Atlanta Falcons announced on Friday that they completed an interview with Chicago Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham for their general-manager opening. Cunningham is a finalist as Atlanta searches for their next GM. He has been serving in his current role in Chicago since being hired in 2022. Cunningham will surely be a GM in the NFL sooner than later, and it could come this cycle after the Bears advanced to the Divisional Round of the postseason. The Falcons also interviewed San Francisco 49ers director of scouting and football operations
Josh Williams on Friday. Head coach Raheem Morris and former GM Terry Fontenot were fired after an 8-9 2025 season, the team's eighth straight losing season. If Cunningham were to be hired in Atlanta, he'd be working closely with new president of football
Matt Ryan and new head coach Kevin Stefanski.
--Keith HernandezSource: Atlanta Falcons
January 23, 2026
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin interviewed for the Washington Commanders' defensive-coordinator position, sources told Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. Austin has been the Steelers' DC since 2022, and before that, he served in the same role with the Detroit Lions from 2014 to 2017 and with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2018. Pittsburgh's defense was a little shaky under Austin in 2025, but he led the unit to top-10 finishes in points allowed three times and top-15 finishes in yards allowed twice. There's a good chance that Austin won't be back in the Steel City after Mike Tomlin's resignation last week. The Commanders are looking to replace Joe Whitt Jr. Under Whitt in 2025, Washington's D allowed the sixth-most points per game (26.5), the most total yards per game (384), the fifth-most passing yards per game (242.5), and the third-most rushing yards per game (141.8).
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Nicki Jhabvala
January 23, 2026
Denver Broncos wide receiver
Troy Franklin (hamstring) was limited in practice all week and is questionable to play in the AFC Championship game on Sunday against the visiting New England Patriots. Franklin played only 13 snaps on offense in the Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills before suffering a hamstring injury and never returning. The 22-year-old second-year wideout will most likely end up suiting up for the big game this weekend, but we won't know officially until 90 minutes before kickoff. Franklin's role has shrunk near the end of this season, so with rookie
Pat Bryant cleared from a concussion, he'll be a WR to avoid in fantasy playoff leagues while working with backup quarterback
Jarrett Stidham. If Franklin is unable to play,
Courtland Sutton, Bryant, and
Marvin Mims Jr. should operate as the top-three WRs, with
Lil'Jordan Humphrey also pitching in.
--Keith HernandezSource: Denver Broncos
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