January 23, 2026
The Tennessee Titans have spoken to Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith about their offensive-coordinator vacancy, sources told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Smith was on the Titans' coaching staff from 2011 to 2020 and was a candidate for the head-coaching job before the team hired Robert Saleh. After his long stint with the Titans, Smith departed to take the head-coaching job with the Atlanta Falcons before serving as Pittsburgh's OC the last couple of seasons under Mike Tomlin. Now that Tomlin is out in the Steel City after 19 years, Smith is looking for a new coaching gig. If he were to go back to Tennessee, he'd have a big challenge on his hands with a roster that doesn't have a ton of weapons for young quarterback
Cameron Ward. The tight end situation in Tennessee would be intriguing for Smith, though, with
Gunnar Helm and
Chig Okonkwo.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
January 23, 2026
The Los Angeles Chargers have requested to interview Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr for their vacant defensive-coordinator job, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Orr has been the Ravens' DC for the last two seasons and previously worked alongside former Chargers DC Jesse Minter, who became the new head coach of the Ravens on Thursday. The Ravens defense ranked ninth in points allowed in 2024, but they fell to 18th in that category under Orr in 2025 and also ranked 24th in yards allowed. Meanwhile, the Chargers' defense ranked ninth in points per game (20) and fifth in total yards allowed per game (285.2) under Minter. Orr still has a lot to prove as a defensive coordinator, but if he heads to L.A. to coach under another Harbaugh, he'll have a strong base to work with in what was one of the most underrated defenses in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
January 23, 2026
Former Indianapolis Colts quarterback
Philip Rivers and current St. Michael Catholic High School coach Philip Rivers is interviewing on Friday for the Buffalo Bills' head-coaching job, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. Rivers surprisingly came out of retirement to play for the Colts again in 2025 after
Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending Achilles tear. The 44-year-old eight-time Pro Bowler threw for 544 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions in his three starts, but he was unable to help the Colts get into the playoffs before retiring for the second time. Rivers is now interested in coaching at the NFL level, although he feels like more of a long shot to land the Bills' head-coaching job with zero prior coaching experience in the NFL. However, maybe there's a chance he wins over quarterback
Josh Allen, who is going to have significant say in who the next head coach in Buffalo is.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
January 23, 2026
Buffalo Bills quarterback
Josh Allen will have "significant say" on the next head coach of the team, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The Bills are ensuring that Allen is a significant part of the hiring process, following the firing of Sean McDermott on Monday after nine years at the helm. Buffalo has already met with a few head-coaching candidates, and Allen has been sitting in on everything. The Bills are interviewing a wide range of coaches for the head-coaching vacancy, but reports have suggested that they will probably prefer an offensive-minded individual who can develop strong chemistry with Allen. Despite having one of the weaker receiver rooms in the league in 2025, Allen finished as the QB1 in overall fantasy points, although most of it came because of his rushing prowess. The Bills need to get him more help if they are going to get over the hump in the playoffs.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Dianna Russini
January 23, 2026
Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza officially announced on Friday that he is declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN. Mendoza is in position to be the first player picked, as a large contingent of Las Vegas Raiders front-office members watched him win the National title game over the University of Miami on Monday. The 22-year-old signal-caller is the overwhelming favorite to go first overall to the Raiders in this year's NFL Draft. In his first and only season at Indiana, Mendoza put himself miles ahead of any of the other college QB prospects, completing 72% of his pass attempts for 3,535 yards and 48 total touchdowns (41 passing). He led the nation in yards per attempt (9.3) and touchdown passes. Mendoza is known as a pocket passer, but he can pick up yards with his legs when needed. The Raiders are hoping he can quickly turn their struggling franchise around, but they have plenty of holes elsewhere on the roster, too.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Pete Thamel
January 23, 2026
The Buffalo Bills are interviewing new Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel for their head-coaching job on Friday, a source told Albert Breer of NBC Sports Boston. McDaniel recently agreed to become the new OC for the Chargers after they fired Greg Roman, but he's going to try one more time for another head-coaching gig. He spent the last four years in the AFC as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. If McDaniel doesn't land the job in Buffalo, he will return to his OC duties under Jim Harbaugh in L.A. Although McDaniel's offense petered out last season with the decline of quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa and the injury to receiver
Tyreek Hill (knee), he'd be an intriguing fit with quarterback
Josh Allen, one of the best QBs in the league. After the firing of Sean McDermott on Monday, the job in Buffalo is the most attractive head-coaching opening in the NFL.
--Keith HernandezSource: NBC Sports Boston - Albert Breer
January 23, 2026
Buffalo Bills tight end
Dawson Knox said that TE
Dalton Kincaid (knee) played this season with a torn PCL in his knee, according to Ryan Talbot of Syracuse.com. A source close to Kincaid confirmed what Knox said, saying that Kincaid played the entire 2025 campaign with a torn PCL. The 26-year-old did miss several games late in the season due to knee and hamstring injuries, and he played in a career-low 12 contests in 2025 in his third year in the league, catching a career-low 39 passes on 49 targets for 571 yards and a career-high five touchdowns in the regular season. The fact that he even played as many games as he did on a torn PCL is a minor miracle, and Kincaid had nine catches on 11 targets for 111 yards and two touchdowns in two playoff games. With better health in 2026, Kincaid will be a no-doubt TE1 in fantasy football.
--Keith HernandezSource: Syracuse.com - Ryan Talbot
January 22, 2026
Denver Broncos tight end
Evan Engram was a disappointment during the regular season in his first year with the Broncos, catching 50 of his 76 targets for 461 yards and only one touchdown in 16 games played. That continued in the Divisional Round overtime win over the Buffalo Bills last Saturday, as Engram caught just one of three targets for seven yards. The 31-year-old veteran just did not live up to the expectations that Denver's coaching staff placed on him during training camp. Perhaps Engram will be a favorite target for quarterback
Jarrett Stidham in the AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots in place of the injured
Bo Nix (ankle), but it's probably unlikely. Engram went over 45 receiving yards just once during the regular season, and his lone TD on the year came way back on Oct. 5 in a win over the Eagles. Fantasy managers shouldn't be expecting a sudden breakout for Engram in the AFC Championship.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 22, 2026
New England Patriots wide receiver
DeMario Douglas caught both of his targets for 36 yards and a touchdown in the Divisional Round win versus the Houston Texans last weekend. The touchdown was just Douglas' fourth of the year, and his first since a win over the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 2. Fantasy managers might want to pump the brakes on thinking that the 25-year-old wideout will be able to find paydirt again in the AFC Championship tilt this weekend against the Denver Broncos. Denver's D allowed the fifth-fewest half-PPR points per game to opposing wideouts during the regular season and only six touchdowns, which tied for the fewest in the league. Douglas was fifth on the team last week with only 17 snaps on offense, making it unlikely that he'll have a major impact on Sunday's big game unless he finds the end zone again. He hasn't gone over 40 receiving yards since Nov. 2.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 22, 2026
New England Patriots tight end
Hunter Henry let fantasy managers down in the 28-16 Divisional Round win against the Houston Texans, catching just one of two targets for a five-yard gain. Henry played 72% of the offensive snaps, but it was his worst performance of the season against the top defense in the league. Despite his rough showing last weekend, it shouldn't scare fantasy managers away for the AFC Championship this Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Denver's D was one of the better units in the league during the regular season, but they also allowed the ninth-most receiving yards (1,015) to opposing tight ends. Before Henry's dud against Houston, the 31-year-old veteran had three touchdowns in the previous four games for New England. There aren't a lot of sure things at the position at this stage, with only four teams alive, making Henry the No. 1 TE option in most fantasy leagues this week.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 22, 2026
Los Angeles Rams linebacker Byron Young (knee) missed his second straight day of practice this week on Thursday with a nagging knee issue, but head coach Sean McVay still expects Young to play in Sunday's NFC Championship game against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks. The 27-year-old should be back on the practice field on Friday, but he could still carry a questionable designation into Sunday's contest. The third-year linebacker was a first-time Pro Bowler in his third NFL season over 17 regular-season games, posting career highs in total tackles (82), solo tackles (45), and sacks (12) while adding 12 tackles for loss, a career-high 29 QB hits, and a forced fumble. The Rams' defense should have Young available this weekend, but against a Seahawks offense that scored the third-most points per game (28.4) in 2025, they will have their work cut out for them to advance to the Super Bowl.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Associated Press - Greg Beacham
January 22, 2026
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said that left tackle Charles Cross (foot) "is good," and that the team is "optimistic for the game" on Sunday in the NFC Championship against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams, according to John Boyle of Seahawks.com. The Seahawks' injury report doesn't really reflect Macdonald's statements, though, as the 25-year-old offensive tackle has yet to practice this week. It's a position to watch for Seattle going into the big game this weekend, as backup both backup tackles Josh Jones (knee, ankle) and Amari Kight (knee) have also missed the first two practices of the week. Cross, Jones, and Kight are most likely going to need to practice on Friday to avoid being ruled out for the NFC Championship. Not having Cross, the blind-side protector for quarterback
Sam Darnold (oblique), would be a notable development in the third meeting of the year between Seattle and L.A.
--Keith HernandezSource: Seahawks.com - John Boyle
January 22, 2026
Seattle Seahawks quarterback
Sam Darnold (oblique) was limited in practice again on Thursday, according to Seahawks PR. Darnold suffered an oblique injury in practice a week ago, but he played through the injury in the blowout win over the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round last Saturday night. Head coach Mike Macdonald said earlier this week that Darnold didn't suffer any sort of setback with his oblique last weekend, although he's being considered day-to-day this week. Barring something unforeseen, the 28-year-old signal-caller should be active on Sunday in the NFC Championship against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams, but it doesn't mean he won't carry a questionable tag into that game for the second straight week. There are valid concerns about Darnold going into this weekend, surrounding his health, but also the fact that he threw only two touchdowns and six interceptions against the Rams in two games in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: Seahawks PR
January 22, 2026
New Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said it is a priority for the organization to make sure it has the proper infrastructure in place for whenever they "find our guy" at QB, according to Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. "We need to get the quarterback situation in place, but we're not going to do it in an irresponsible manner where we sacrifice building the infrastructure of this football team," Sullivan said. The new GM complimented quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa, but it seems likely that he'll be released after being benched for rookie
Quinn Ewers for the final three games in 2025. Tagovailoa threw a career-high 15 interceptions and didn't go over 200 passing yards in eight of 14 games played. If Miami released him before June 1, they'd take a $99 million dead-cap hit, while that number drops to $67.4 million if it's done after June 1, with an extra $31.8 million dead-cap hit in 2027. Even if the Dolphins think Ewers could be their starter in 2026, the Dolphins are a good bet to draft a QB this spring.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Marcel Louis-Jacques
January 22, 2026
Houston Texans running back
Nick Chubb, who will be a free agent in March, won't be returning to the team for next season, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle.
Dare Ogunbowale will also be a free agent, but he has a better shot at potentially re-signing for backfield depth. Chubb began the 2025 campaign as Houston's lead RB with
Joe Mixon (foot, ankle) on the Physically Unable to Perform list, but he lost the job to rookie
Woody Marks halfway through the year. The 30-year-old veteran averaged 4.1 yards per carry on 122 rushing attempts for 506 yards and three touchdowns on the ground in 15 regular-season games for the Texans. The four-time Pro Bowler just has not looked like the same player since suffering a gruesome knee injury in 2023 with the Browns, in which he tore multiple ligaments. At best, Chubb will be backfield depth in 2026 if he latches on with another team in free agency.
--Keith HernandezSource: Houston Chronicle - Jonathan M. Alexander
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