“If I knew that information I would’ve made a different decision. If they told me, ‘Ah, you can tear your Achilles, I probably wouldn’t have went out there.”
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The 2019 NBA Finals turned out to be the end of Durant’s run with the Golden State Warriors that produced back-to-back championships and three consecutive Finals appearances. Durant had suffered a calf strain earlier during the 2019 postseason run, which caused him to miss the entire Western Conference Finals, in which Golden State swept the Portland Trail Blazers. He’d also missed the first four games of the NBA Finals and made his return in Game 5.
Durant was done after Game 5, and the Warriors would fall to the Toronto Raptors in six games, failing in their attempt at a three-peat. In Durant’s interview on teammate Fred VanVleet’s podcast, “Unguarded,” Durant said he never really thought the Achilles injury was a possibility. He mentioned the late Kobe Bryant’s Achilles tear, which happened in 2013.
At the time, there weren’t as many high-profile players such as Durant or Bryant suffering Achilles injuries in the same way we’ve seen in recent years. Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard, and Jayson Tatum all ruptured their Achilles tendons last season. Former Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson suffered his Achilles tear after Durant in late 2020 while recovering from an ACL tear.
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While it could’ve been a sign of the time, it is strange that Durant wasn’t given a heads-up that his calf strain could lead to further injury, especially when a torn Achilles is part of that possibility.
Despite playing in on only eight games this season, Rashee Rice leads all Kansas City Chiefs wide receivers with 53 receptions and 571 receiving yards. Plus, his five touchdown grabs are tied for the team high.
But he might not be available this week against the Tennessee Titans. Rice reported concussion symptoms Monday and is in the NFL’s concussion protocol, according to Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who also said the third-year receiver won’t practice Wednesday.
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“Those things happen, and we’ll just see where it ends up going,” Reid said.
The longtime Chiefs coach noted that receiver Tyquan Thornton is in the concussion protocol as well and wouldn’t be practicing Wednesday either.
So in addition to being down a three-time Super Bowl champion quarterback in Patrick Mahomes — who has started his recovery from an ACL tear — Kansas City has important injury questions at the receiver position.
With their 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers this past Sunday, the 6-8 Chiefs were eliminated from playoff contention. That ended their remarkable run of 10 straight postseason appearances, including seven consecutive trips to the AFC championship game and three Super Bowl appearances in a row.
During that fateful defeat to the division rival Chargers, Mahomes tore the ACL in his left knee. That injury occurred late in the fourth quarter. In the third quarter, though, Rice suffered a brutal blow from Chargers safety Tony Jefferson, the latest in a series of hard hits the standout wideout has sustained in recent weeks.
Although Rice went back in the game and finished with seven receptions for 51 yards in the three-point defeat, the symptoms he reported Monday landed him in the concussion protocol.
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Rice, who flirted with a 1,000-yard season as a rookie in 2023, was a go-to target for Mahomes after returning to action following a six-game suspension that he served because of his role in a multi-car Dallas crash that injured multiple people last year.
Due to the suspension as well as a knee injury that cost him most of the 2024 season, Rice went more than 12 months without playing in a game.
Still, he’s been effective since taking the field again. Backup quarterback Gardner Minshew will need all the help he can get to put a struggling Chiefs team back on track.
A speedy recovery from Rice, and Thornton, would be a big lift.
Los Angeles Rams wideout Puka Nacua might head into the team’s Week 16 game against the Seattle Seahawks with a lighter wallet than normal. Nacua could face a fine from the NFL following disparaging comments he made about league officials during a livestream appearance Tuesday.
During the livestream, Nacua ripped the refs and accused them of calling penalties to ensure they would appear on the broadcast, per ESPN.
“The refs are the worst,” Nacua said. “… Some of the rules aren’t … These guys want to be … these guys are lawyers. They want to be on TV too. You don’t think he’s texting his friends in the group chat like, ‘Yo, you guys just saw me on “Sunday Night Football.” That wasn’t P.I., but I called it.’”
Those accusations are almost certain to get Nacua fined. The NFL doesn’t look kindly on players or coaches who are critical of officials, and usually levy hefty fines for those types of comments. The league doesn’t play favorites with those fines, either, as both Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid were hit for a combined $150,000 after criticizing the refs following a 2023 playoff game. Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon was also given a $25,000 fine in January after the team’s playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
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While the league will almost certainly follow suit with Nacua, it’s unclear when that fine will come down. With the Rams playing Thursday night, Nacua might receive his notice from the league after the Rams play their Week 16 game.
The NFL does not normally suspend players or coaches for making critical comments about officials, so Nacua status for Thursday’s game shouldn’t be in question.
The Rams will need Nacua even more than usual in the contest, as Davante Adams is battling a hamstring injury. Adams’ status for Thursday’s game remains up in the air, meaning Nacua could see more work as Matthew Stafford looks to lead the Rams to victory over the division-rival Seahawks.
Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka lost a game Monday, and it’s going to cost him a fair amount of money.
Udoka was fined $25,000 by the NBA after he went off on the officials following an overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets, calling the contest the “most poorly officiated game I’ve seen in a long time.”
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The league announced Udoka’s fine Wednesday.
That wasn’t all Udoka had to say after the game. While he didn’t name the members of the officiating crew, he took aim at each person on the team, adding, “Two have no business being out there and the crew chief was acting star struck.”
“We were seeing all kinds of inconsistent calls, and I’m sure we should have got a few more techs,” Udoka said.
And then on Tuesday, the NBA actually backed Udoka up. The league said that there were three incorrect calls in the last two minutes of overtime, all that favored the Nuggets. Fouls on Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson shouldn’t have been called, the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report said, and a foul against Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. should have been called.
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That, however, didn’t stop the fine from coming his way.
It was a chippy game, as officials issued a number of technical fouls during the 128-125 Rockets loss. Udoka was the recipient of one of those techs after arguing for a foul call in the second quarter.
Udoka also took issue with a tripping call that allowed Denver to tie the game up with just seconds to go in the fourth quarter. Udoka challenged the call, which was upheld. The play allowed Jamal Murray to hit a game-tying free throw, sending the contest into overtime.
While foul distribution was even between both teams — with the Nuggets actually having more fouls called against them — Udoka was not happy with the way officials treated Nikola Jokić and Murray, both of whom turned in big performances against the Rockets. Jokić led the Nuggets with 39 points. Murray wasn’t far behind, adding 35.
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A big chunk of Murray’s points came via free throws. Murray hit on 14-of-15 attempts, which Udoka called out after the contest. The Nuggets had 33 total free-throw attempts in the close win. Houston had 26 free throws. While that’s not a huge disparity, the figure stands out more in a tight game that went to overtime.
The loss drops the Rockets to 16-7 on the season. After a breakout season last year, Houston is out to another strong start. The team’s decision to trade for superstar Kevin Durant has paid off, as he leads the team with 24.8 points per game.
The Rockets will be fine following the loss, though Udoka’s wallet will be lighter. The NBA typically takes action when coaches criticize officials, and Udoka took his comments further than most. Because of that, it’s no surprise the league acted quickly, issuing a fine before the Rockets’ next game.
The Miami Dolphins are benching quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed on Wednesday.
Seventh-round rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers will start in his place against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
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“I think Quinn gives this team the best chance to win,” McDaniel said.
Zach Wilson will be Ewers’ backup and Tagovailoa will be relegated to No. 3 on the depth chart.
“It wasn’t an easy thing for him to hear. It was a tough conversation,” McDaniel said of Tagovailoa’s reaction. “But he exhibited why he’s a captain. He is going to help Quinn prepare for his first start.
“Disappointed,” Tagovailoa told reporters on Wednesday about his reaction. “I’m not happy about it, but it’s something out of my control.”
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel hinted at a possible Tagovailoa benching Tuesday, when he called out the team’s poor quarterback play during its Monday night loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. While Tagovailoa’s numbers weren’t awful, he put the team in a hole early by throwing his league-leading 15th interception.
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Tagovailoa finished the contest 22-of-28 passing for 253 yards and two touchdowns. He threw one interception and was sacked four times in the 28-15 loss to the Steelers.
When asked why he thinks the change is being made now, Tagovailoa said, “I would say the biggest thing, and being honest with myself as well, has been my performance. I haven’t been performing up to the level and the capabilities that I have in the past.”
When asked about the quarterback position Tuesday, McDaniel said “everything was on the table.” It wasn’t the first time the coach made that exact comment this season. He also refused to commit to Tagovailoa following the team’s Week 7 loss to the Cleveland Browns. McDaniel quickly changed his mind after looking at the Week 7 tape. But with Tagovailoa continuing to turn the ball over, McDaniel decided it was finally time for a change.
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With Tagovailoa presumably done for the rest of the season, he’ll finish the year with a 67.7 completion percentage, 2,660 passing yards and 20 touchdowns.
When McDaniel discussed the possibility of benching Tagovailoa on Tuesday, it was unclear which quarterback would replace the former Alabama star. The Dolphins have shifted their quarterback depth chart throughout the regular season, with Wilson and Ewers each seeing time in the No. 2 spot behind Tagovailoa.
Ewers was selected with the 231st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Despite his low draft status, Ewers has seen some playing time this season. He appeared during that Week 7 game against the Browns, completing 5 of 8 passes for 53 yards. While Wilson was initially brought in to serve as Tagovailoa’s backup, Ewers showed enough promise during camp and in the preseason to earn the start in Week 16.
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The Dolphins were eliminated from playoff contention Monday night, but could still impact the race with games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New England Patriots upcoming.
Though the playoffs are no longer a consideration, the team’s final three games could mean quite a bit to McDaniel. The 42-year-old head coach has been rumored to be on the hot seat all season and is likely coaching for his job down the stretch, though it might be too late for that now.
No matter how Ewers plays, McDaniel’s fate might already be sealed. But with nothing left to lose, McDaniel is going to make a last-ditch effort to salvage what’s left of a disastrous season and potentially save his job.
This time around, Burrow raised eyebrows after admitting he’s envisioned scenarios where he’s no longer playing for the Bengals anymore.
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Burrow expects to remain with the team next season, so Bengals fans don’t have to worry just yet.
But Burrow’s comments prior to Week 15’s loss have led to questions over whether he’s fed up with the franchise. Burrow has experienced a number of injuries over his career, and the Bengals did little to add to the offensive line coming into the 2025 NFL season. Despite entering the season as a Super Bowl contender, the team’s hopes were dashed when Burrow went down with a foot injury in Week 2, something fans worried could happen again after the team’s underwhelming offseason.
Burrow returned in Week 13, but it may have already been too late. The Bengals essentially needed to win out to have a shot at the postseason and, even then, the team likely would have needed help to secure a spot in the playoffs.
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That didn’t happen. After beating the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13, the Bengals lost a tough one to the Buffalo Bills in Week 14 due to two late Burrow interceptions. Following the game, Burrow expressed that he’s got to find a way to make football fun again.
Any scenario in which Burrow is playing for another team next season would likely only come about if Burrow demanded a trade. The 29-year-old signed a five-year, $275 million extension in 2023 that will keep him with the team through the 2029 NFL season. While Burrow seemed to indicate that won’t happen, there is precedent for a Bengals quarterback to force a trade after signing an extension. That’s exactly what led to Carson Palmer’s exit from the franchise in 2011.
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Palmer demanded a trade and — after the team did not grant it — retired instead of playing another game with the Bengals. He was eventually traded to the Raiders during the 2011 season.
It doesn’t sound like that’s on tap for Burrow and the Bengals … for now, at least.
While Burrow’s comments about thinking about other scenarios will draw attention, it’s important to note that could mean a lot of different things. Even if Burrow has thought about playing for another team in the future, it doesn’t mean he’s frustrated right now. It just means that he’s considered many different possibilities for the way his career will go.
Still, it’s not exactly encouraging for Bengals fans to hear their franchise quarterback waver when asked about his long-term outlook with the team, especially after last week’s comments.
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Though the Bengals are out of the playoffs, Burrow intends to keep playing down the stretch. With little else left to play for, here’s hoping Burrow finds some joy during the final three weeks of the regular season. The NFL is far more entertaining when he’s slinging touchdowns in meaningful games.
We are less than a week away from the deadline for free-agent Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami to agree to an MLB contract, with his 45-day posting window closing at 5 p.m. ET Monday. Murakami ranks sixth on our Top 50 free-agents list on the basis of his rare youth for a free agent (he turns 26 in February) and his spectacular track record of slugging in NPB.
But doubts about his ability to make enough contact to succeed against MLB pitching and concerns about his defensive fit — Murakami has mostly played third base but is projected by most talent evaluators as a first baseman or DH — have made him a particularly polarizing member of this year’s free-agent class. There’s a range of opinions on whether Murakami’s tantalizing power potential is a worthy gamble considering the pitfalls in his profile, especially if a significant financial outlay is required to sign him.
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As the debate regarding Murakami’s outlook in the majors has persisted among outside observers and industry insiders, his Dec. 22 deadline has approached with minimal buzz regarding which teams are likely to sign him. In fact, MLB Trade Rumors — the gold standard of up-to-the-minute hot stove news and notes — has published exactly one Murakami post since he was posted on Nov. 7, and that was a fan poll three days later asking where he’ll sign. This lack of reported interest isn’t entirely uncommon among top free agents at this stage of the offseason calendar, but Murakami’s deadline adds urgency to his free agency. Unlike Framber Valdez or Bo Bichette or Kyle Tucker, who can linger on the open market for months, Murakami cannot play the waiting game — decision time is coming soon.
Yet without much in the form of reported connections between Murakami and any teams — and without a sense of what Murakami is prioritizing as he prepares to make the jump to MLB — we’re left to speculate on where he could land based on two primary factors: His positional fit on the roster and teams’ likelihood/willingness to spend what it will take to sign him. The latter element is more difficult to ascertain, considering the range of what a potential Murakami contract could look like. Because of his youth, it’s possible Murakami and his representatives are interested in a shorter-term deal that enables him to reenter free agency after proving himself in MLB. That might be an alluring option if there’s a dearth of teams offering a long-term deal worth nine figures, the kind much of the industry projected for Murakami at the outset of the offseason. Then again, it’s possible Murakami’s market is more robust than we realize, and an enormous contract commensurate with some of the other elite free agents is imminent.
All we know is that we don’t know a whole lot. So with that air of mystery in mind, let’s embrace the uncertainty and canvass the entire major-league landscape in search of a landing spot for Murakami. Here’s a snapshot look at why he might or might not make sense for all 30 MLB clubs, organized by division and 2025 finish.
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Jump to a team by clicking on the links below:
Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto chased Shohei Ohtani and Roki Sasaki in free agency, only to watch both sign with the Dodgers; does Murakami represent a more realistic opportunity for Toronto to land a Japanese star? We know the Blue Jays are willing to spend, considering the contracts they’ve already doled out this winter (Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, Tyler Rogers) and their reported interest in retaining Bo Bichette and pursuing Kyle Tucker. But with a seemingly rejuvenated George Springer under contract for another year and having just signed Anthony Santander last winter, the Jays adding another high-dollar DH-type feels unlikely right now, and we know first base is spoken for.
New York Yankees
This would send a jolt through the Bronx amid an otherwise uneventful offseason, but it’s tough to see the fit on the roster at this juncture. Giancarlo Stanton remains entrenched at DH, and New York appears intent on Ben Rice getting every-day at-bats, with first base the most logical spot for that. While Murakami fits the style of slugger the Yankees have historically coveted, it’s hard to envision him emerging as a logical target for New York.
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Boston Red Sox
President of baseball operations Craig Breslow has been active on the trade market this winter but has yet to sign a major-league free agent, making the Red Sox one of just two teams that has yet to do so. That said, it’s clear Boston has a lot of irons in the fire, whether that’s a reunion with Alex Bregman, a major trade from its outfield surplus or dealing from its pitching depth to land a big bat such as Ketel Marte.
Any interest in Murakami would be impacted by not only Bregman’s staying or going but also how confident the front office is in first baseman Triston Casas in his return from injury and another lefty Japanese hitter in Masataka Yoshida, whose presence on the roster is something of a quandary but who remains the projected DH. The Red Sox are a team that, afforded more time to consider Murakami and reconfigure their roster accordingly, could make sense as a landing spot. But the ticking clock makes it tricky.
Tampa Bay Rays
Never say never, of course, but the Rays emerging as the highest bidders in this process would be an especially flabbergasting outcome.
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Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore pursued Kyle Schwarber before successfully landing Pete Alonso, and that’s after trading for Taylor Ward. That should conclude the Orioles’ search for offense this winter; they need arms, badly. Murakami ain’t it.
Cleveland Guardians
We can firmly put Cleveland with Tampa Bay and a few other frugal franchises in the “I’ll Believe It When I See It” category for a major free agent. Not happening.
Detroit Tigers
Beyond a failed pursuit of Alex Bregman last winter, we’ve yet to see this Tigers front office exhibit a willingness to spend big in free agency, instead preferring to hand out short-term contracts and lean on the internal improvements of homegrown players to advance the franchise. You can squint and see a roster fit for Murakami here if Kerry Carpenter moves to the outfield full-time, but Detroit hasn’t signed a player from NPB since pitcher Masao Kida in 1999, so the Tigers would need to overcome a lack of history in this market to land a Japanese player of this stature.
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Kansas City Royals
DH is a modest need for the Royals right now, even with Salvador Perez expected to spend less time catching moving forward. But Kansas City is another club with almost zero track record of signing players from NPB, and first base is a no-go with Vinnie Pasquantino locked in. Pass.
Minnesota Twins
The Twins just signed Josh Bell to play first base, and amid some restructuring at the ownership level, a major investment such as this wouldn’t seem to be in the cards right now.
Chicago White Sox
Adding Murakami would be a fun way to inject some much-needed excitement on the South Side and would offer Murakami a lower-stakes setting to adjust to major-league pitching, but it would also be a sizable risk that this front office (and ownership group) is probably uninterested in taking at this stage of its rebuild.
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Seattle Mariners
The Mariners moved quickly to retain Josh Naylor as the franchise’s first baseman early in the offseason, but two other key members of Seattle’s run to the ALCS are not coming back, with Jorge Polanco finding a new home with the Mets and Eugenio Suárez expected to land elsewhere in free agency.
That leaves some uncertainty at both third base and DH, which could be addressed in part by a pursuit of Murakami. But the Mariners have prioritized cutting down on swing-and-miss in their offense recently, and spending big on a whiff-prone slugger such as Murakami would be an enormous departure from that organizational shift in philosophy. If the price is right and some of the other candidates to upgrade the lineup come off the board in the next couple of days, perhaps Murakami emerges as an alluring alternative for Seattle. But as a top-tier target for this front office, I’m not sold Murakami fits the bill.
Houston Astros
Houston is already juggling a roster crunch at Murakami’s potential positions with Isaac Paredes, Christian Walker and Yordan Alvarez, so adding another bat-first player is illogical.
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Texas Rangers
Texas’ money maneuvering via nontenders and its trade of Marcus Semien for Brandon Nimmo do not hint that the Rangers are eager to make a sizable free-agent investment right now. And with Joc Pederson under contract for another season and Jake Burger projected at first base, Texas is reportedly more focused on other needs at the moment.
Athletics
If the A’s have a glowing perception of Murakami as a defender and a sudden urge to spend big, there’s room at third base for what would be a stunning addition. But Nick Kurtz and Brent Rooker have first base and DH fully covered in West Sacramento, so don’t count on this surprise.
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Los Angeles Angels
Despite the lack of team success during his time there, Anaheim turned out to be the perfect place for Shohei Ohtani to transition to MLB and prove to everyone that his rare talents could flourish at the highest level. If Murakami wants a similarly comfortable environment in which he can navigate the expected developmental hurdles without the intense scrutiny of playing for a contending team in a major market, the Angels could be a sensible landing spot — if team owner Arte Moreno is willing to offer the requisite contract.
That said, finances aside, the positional fit isn’t that clean. Third base is fairly unsettled as the Angels put the disastrous Anthony Rendon era behind them, so this could be one of the few places where Murakami could begin his career at the hot corner instead of moving across the diamond immediately. But first base is occupied by one of their core young hitters, Nolan Schanuel, and DH duties are expected to increasingly be handled by Mike Trout as his days in the outfield dwindle.
Where will Munetaka Murakami and his prodigious power be playing next year?
(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)
Philadelphia Phillies
Murakami could’ve been an intriguing backup plan had Kyle Schwarber departed in free agency, but Philadelphia is surely happy to have the known quantity back in the fold atop the lineup, with Bryce Harper still anchored at first base. Trade rumors continue to swirl around Alec Bohm, but even if the Phillies move on from Bohm, that would surely be for a far more proven third baseman than Murakami.
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New York Mets
Murakami might not fit the archetype of a player president of baseball operations David Stearns would pursue as he looks to reshape the roster, and the addition of Jorge Polanco narrows the path for another first base or DH-type to be added to an already crowded position-player group. But if there is any team that can literally afford to swing big on a boom-or-bust free agent such as Murakami, it’s the team with the wealthiest owner in the sport and a roster already in the middle of a full-blown makeover.
Steve Cohen flexing his financial advantage to massively outbid the field for Murakami might seem reckless if it’s the Mets’ biggest move this offseason, but if it’s an aggressive swing for superstar upside that complements a series of other floor-raising additions (such as Polanco) and proven commodities, that’s exactly the kind of flashy transaction that could reenergize this fan base for the next era of baseball in Queens.
Miami Marlins
The Marlins are one of three teams, along with Houston and Colorado, that have never signed a Japanese player directly from NPB. This would be a hell of a time to make history in that regard, but based on their thrifty signing of Christopher Morel to reportedly handle first base, I’m not holding my breath.
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Atlanta Braves
The Braves have been plenty active in free agency thus far, but Matt Olson and Austin Riley render the corner infield unavailable for additions, and with two catchers in need of playing time in Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy, the DH spot isn’t especially welcoming, either.
Washington Nationals
With a new front office, Washington appears far more focused on overhauling its infrastructure and coaching staff than making dramatic additions to its major-league roster. While the Nationals could use upgrades at third base, first base and DH, the timing doesn’t feel right for an investment of this ilk.
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Milwaukee Brewers
Adding a free agent of this magnitude would be highly uncharacteristic of how Milwaukee operates, but the Brewers can at least point to an example of a successful NPB-to-MLB transition occurring on their roster in Nori Aoki — and not that many teams can say that!
Chicago Cubs
If Seiya Suzuki spends more time in the outfield in the wake of Kyle Tucker’s expected departure, DH would appear to be a need for the Cubs. But like a lot of other cautious clubs nowadays, it seems Chicago would prefer to leave room for an uptick in regular at-bats for its own young players — in this case, Moises Ballesteros and Owen Caissie — rather than spending big on an external addition who could block their development. Plus, the Cubs haven’t exactly been throwing money around in free agency recently.
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St. Louis Cardinals
With Sonny Gray the first out the door and several other veterans expected to follow in trades for prospects, St. Louis is focused on subtracting major-league pieces with an eye toward the future, rather than adding aggressively in free agency.
Cincinnati Reds
The Reds reportedly made a real run at local product Kyle Schwarber before he chose to stay in Philadelphia, but everything coming out of Cincinnati since then suggests that was a rare exception to the team’s unusual business practices. Don’t expect the Reds to suddenly be handing out nine-figure contract offers to free agents with aplomb.
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Pittsburgh Pirates
Like Cincinnati, Pittsburgh had interest in Kyle Schwarber, reportedly offering a four-year, $125 million deal that would have shattere the franchise’s record for a free-agent contract. If the Pirates are willing to stretch the budget for the first time in a long time and are chasing offensive upside to complement a legitimately good pitching staff headlined by Paul Skenes, why not consider Murakami? Considering the complete lack of firepower in the current lineup — including glaring holes at DH and third — the Pirates might have good reason to pursue Murakami as aggressively as they did Schwarber, especially with his age better aligning with their up-and-coming roster.
That said, teams with smaller payrolls face elevated risks when swinging big in free agency. Whereas the Mets and Dodgers can more easily shrug off bad contracts and spend around them, for a team such as the Pirates, the wrong player accounting for a huge portion of the payroll could have far more dire consequences. All that said, Pittsburgh is an intriguing sleeper here, if not for Murakami then perhaps for another one of the big free-agent bats still available.
Los Angeles Dodgers
It’s understandable that the earliest reports of Murakami’s intentions to come stateside were met with bemoaning from 29 other fan bases that he would surely join his fellow Japanese superstars on the Dodgers, but that makes little sense considering what L.A. has locked in at DH (Shohei Ohtani), first base (Freddie Freeman) and third base (Max Muncy). If Murakami reenters free agency in a few years after proving himself in MLB, and Freeman and Muncy have moved on? Sure, he could definitely be a Dodger. But not right now.
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San Diego Padres
Reports indicate that the Padres likely need to shed payroll before making any significant financial investments this offseason. But if San Diego is able to unload some salary in a trade or two — and if it can conjure up a creative contract offer that limits the upfront financial burden for the club — Murakami’s fit on this roster is as clean as any across the league, given the Padres’ glaring holes at DH and first base crying out for an influx of upside (with all due respect to Gavin Sheets’ modest late-career breakout).
The Padres have a particular need for over-the-fence power, having ranked 28th in home runs in 2025, and general manager A.J. Preller has been chasing star power his entire career. Even factoring in the risks, Murakami could represent a unique opportunity to extend this team’s contention window with another impact talent potentially entering his prime and flip the narrative that this winter is all about downsizing for San Diego.
Arizona Diamondbacks
While Arizona has made some surprising free-agent splashes and there is arguably room to upgrade at DH, 1B and 3B — the D-backs’ reported interest in Alex Bregman confirms as much — a match with Murakami doesn’t quite line up right now.
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San Francisco Giants
The Giants have already invested a boatload of money in their infield, with huge financial commitments made to Matt Chapman, Willy Adames and Rafael Devers, who is expected to play first base. Would San Francisco invest heavily in Murakami if it already has an heir apparent at DH in top prospect Bryce Eldridge, who is five years younger with similar power and swing-and-miss concerns? Probably not. But if Eldridge is traded, this could be an intriguing fit.
Colorado Rockies
Murakami launching balls at altitude would be a treat to watch, and there’s plenty of room on this barren depth chart for an impact bat. But coming off a 119-loss season and amid a complete overhaul of the front office, pursuing a signing such as this wouldn’t seem to be a priority for Colorado right now.
Snap share stock report time! This is where I examine snap share data from every single team and highlight some players that may have seen a notable spike or dip in playing time and/or usage.
Emeka Egbuka, Bucs – STOCK UP
Ebuka played just 64% of the offensive snaps, a season low excluding his Week 6 game where he hurt his hamstring mid-game.
Generally, when a player plays significantly less like we saw from Egbuka this past week, I’ll mark him down as a “stock down” guy, but in this case with the return of Mike Evans, Egbuka was able to move around the formation more, playing more out of the slot and off the line. This helped create better matchups for the rookie and as a result, his efficiency skyrocketed.
His 9.1 yards/target was his highest since his Week 5 apex, a game where he went ham sandwich (7/7/163/TD). Egbuka’s 57.1% catch rate was also his highest since that aforementioned Week 5 game.
It’s the rare instance where I’ll gladly trade snap share for increased efficiency and touchdown exposure as the offense looked like it was back on track.
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Omarion Hampton, Chargers – STOCK DOWN
If you look at just the box score, you see that Hampton outpaced Kimani Vidal in carries (15 to 12) but what stuck out to me was the fact that Hampton only played 37% of the snaps with Vidal taking home 63%.
Hampton did ramp up his workload ever so slightly, going from 31% to 37% this week but the heavy Vidal usage is a clear indicator that the team won’t just cast Vidal to the side. I’m expecting at best a 50-50 split for Hampton over the next couple weeks.
Tyrone Tracy Jr., Giants – STOCK UP
This was a massive coming out party for Tracy who the last time we saw him was being carted off the field in Week 13! His hip injury was obviously minor and the bye week did him extremely well as he came roaring back with 107 scrimmage yards and two total touchdowns.
The fact that he did this while taking home a massive, season-high 76% of the offensive snaps should get you fired up. It’s a tough matchup this week against Minnesota but with that level of work, you can’t sit him.
LeQuint Allen Jr., Jaguars – STOCK UP
Bhayshul Tuten just had surgery to repair a broken finger and is expected to miss multiple weeks. Allen was already splitting time with Tuten but now could be looking at the B-side of a 60-40 split with Travis Etienne Sr. Not bad for a running back attached to an offense that is reaching new heights with Jakobi Meyers and Brian Thomas Jr. making plays.
Kyren Williams, Rams – STOCK DOWN
Blake Corum continues to eat into Williams’ workload. After enjoying a 77% snap share over his first six games, he’s averaged just 60% over his last six and has been below 55% in two straight games. Corum meanwhile played a season high 46% of the snaps this past week.
The Rams take on a Seattle team this week that has allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points to running backs this year.
Michael Carter, Cardinals – STOCK UP
With Bam Knight hurt in Week 15 (ankle) and done for the season, Carter played a season high 79% of the offensive snaps. I would expect Emari Demercado gets worked in more (11% snaps) but at the very worst Carter should play at least 50% of the snaps next week.
Arizona takes on the Falcons next, a team that has generally struggled against the run this year, landing Carter firmly in the sleeper mix for semi-final matchups. Then the generous Bengals D comes calling in Week 17.
Jawhar Jordan, Texans – STOCK UP
With Woody Marks (ankle) getting banged up and with the Texans leading the Cardinals 30-7 deep into the third quarter, the team leaned on a practice squad call up in Jordan. His 44.4% snap share led the HOU backfield.
A second-year player out of Louisville, this is what I wrote about Jordan last year: “He’s 5-foot-10, 193 pounds and ran a 4.56 forty. Collegiate highlights here. Plays a lot bigger than his 193 frame. Plays faster than his 4.56 forty. Decisive runner. Solid vision. Can run between the tackles but looks much more comfortable hitting outside run lanes and is a natural pass catcher …” He showed A LOT of these traits on his big 50-yard run.
Shockingly, Jordan’s 101 rushing yards gave Houston its FIRST 100-yard rusher of the season. That being said, despite the performance, Jordan was sent back to the practice squad Monday before being elevated to the active roster on Tuesday. Head coach Demeco Ryans was noncommittal about his role moving forward.
Breece Hall, Jets – STOCK DOWN
Hall missed practice on Wednesday last week, but was ultimately without an injury designation come Sunday. That being said, he was obviously trying to play through a knee injury, so no huge surprise to see Isaiah Davis play 38% of the snaps this past week, his highest percentage since Week 8.
With the Jets playing for absolutely nothing and with Hall entering a contract year, it’s fair to wonder how much we’ll see him for the rest of the year. Maybe he’s determined to hit the 1K mark as he’s exactly 100 rush yards away but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him shut it down either.
The insurance back to the insurance back would be Khalil Herbert.
Rashid Shaheed, Seahawks – STOCK UP
His 68% snap share was his highest since joining the team and was the first time he’s cracked 57% as a Seahawk.
In Week 13 he posted a solid 5/4/67 slash line and then followed it up with an even more impressive 7/5/74 line this past week.
He enters sleeper territory this week as the Rams, while a good defense overall, have given up big-time production to outside wide receivers. And because of the trade, this is actually Shaheed’s third time facing the Rams. Let’s see if that familiarity helps him a bit.
Isaiah Williams, Jets – STOCK UP
Here is Williams’ snap share from the past four weeks: 27%, 39%, 57%, 60%. Not only has his snap share gone up , he set career highs in targets, receptions and yards last week (7/6/53).
Whatever I just said about Hall above, apply to Garrett Wilson. I wouldn’t be shocked in the slightest if he sits out the rest of the year. For you deep-league managers out there, this could open up serious opportunity for Williams to close out the fantasy playoffs.
OTHER SNAP SHARE NOTES
Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots – TreVeyon Henderson got all the headlines, and rightfully so, but very quietly Stevenson played 67% of the snaps against Henderson’s 49%. This is a backfield that reminds me of Detroit from a couple years back where there is very clearly a more explosive runner but the bigger, steadier RB still gets plenty of work. I think both guys are playable against Baltimore in Week 16.
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Jayden Reed, Packers – his season-high 65% snap share was obviously a result of the Christian Watson injury but it’s notable in that it doesn’t appear Matthew Golden is ready for a full-time role and Dontayvion Wicks isn’t a clear upgrade in the run-blocking department. Despite going to a Denver-area hospital for examination, Watson reportedly avoided a major injury and he could still suit up for Saturday’s tilt against the Bears. But if he misses time, Reed will be one of my favorite sleeper plays.
Olamide Zaccheaus, Bears – Rome Odunze aggravated his foot injury and Luther Burden III hurt his ankle and is considered day-to-day. As a result, OZ played 82% of the snaps, his most since Week 6. But while he’ll see increased targets, the matchup is pretty brutal against Green Bay in Week 16. The Packers have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points per game to receivers in the slot.
Tre’ Harris, Chargers – Quentin Johnston was a surprise scratch on Sunday after picking up a late-week groin injury. As a result, the rookie played a season-high 85% of the snaps. If Johnston misses time again, Harris is an interesting deep sleeper against the Cowboys’ lowly secondary this week.
Rico Dowdle, Panthers – The team told you it was going with a hot-hand approach and they meant it. Dowdle led the backfield in snap share in Week 12, Chuba led in Week 13 but it was again Rico leading the way in Week 15. Good luck trying to figure this one out.
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Audric Estimé, Saints – Once Devin Neal went down with a hamstring injury, Estimé and Evan Hull split the backfield carries but notably, Estimé ran more routes (14 to 8) and had a solid receiving line (3/3/39). Hull didn’t record a target. Hull is the more interesting athlete with 4.47 speed as opposed to Estimé’s 4.58 pro day time (he ran a horrific 4.71 at the combine). Both should get work now that Neal has been ruled out of Week 16.
Kendrick Bourne, 49ers – If Ricky Pearsall ends up missing time after aggravating his knee injury (from yet another uncalled clear and obvious hip-drop tackle), look for Bourne to potentially find his identity against a soft Colts secondary. Bourne logged the third-highest snap share among SF wideouts at 44% this past week.
The Arizona Cardinals have lost 11 of their past 12 games, including six straight. They’ve gone from consistently suffering last-second heartbreak to digging themselves into multiscore holes and allowing 40-plus points in four games during their current skid.
Just as Arizona‘s season has unraveled, so has its defense. The Cardinals have the worst Pro Football Focus tackling grade in the NFL at the moment, as the third year of the Jonathan Gannon rebuild nears its end.
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Gannon isn’t quick to expound on many topics in his news conferences, but he had plenty to say about the league’s rules regarding tackling in practice when asked about them Wednesday.
“How the rules are set up, it’s hard to get better as a tackler being in the NFL,” Gannon said.
Teams are allowed just 14 padded practices, according to the NFL’s 2020 collective bargaining agreement, but 11 of them have to occur during the first 11 weeks of the season, as reported by ESPN.
During the offseason, contact is prohibited. That includes OTAs and minicamp.
“That’s one of the top skills of any defensive player,” Gannon said of tackling. “There’s no drill you can do that can mimic a game. There’s not. It’s too chaotic of an environment to drill it.
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“So a lot of ways that you can try to do it, but you just got to keep harping on the fundamentals, the details of it. We try to obviously have language that we use that keeps it simple in their head, but I always think you got to tackle better. But it’s hard.”
A reporter chimed in, asking if Gannon would like to see the rules changed.
“The rules are the rules,” he said.
The reporter followed up, suggesting that Gannon could lobby for them to be changed.
“Yeah, I’m not going to lobby for anything. I just play by the rules,” he said.
But before another question could be asked, Gannon sprinkled in some more of his thoughts.
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“It’d be like, ‘Hey, Scottie Scheffler, it’s your offseason, don’t hit a wedge,’” Gannon said.
“You know what I mean? But like I said, it’s set up how it’s set up, that’s fine. But to get better at a skill, you have to practice the skill. You practice the skill. … You can scale the tempo, you can scale how you do it, but to practice a skill, you need to practice the skill. And so it’s a conundrum I think all defensive guys face, and there’s risk-reward to trying to practice it with however you set things up. But you definitely have to be a good tackling defense to play good defense.”
No NFL player has forced more missed tackles on the ground this season than Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson. He’s made defenders miss 70 times in 14 games, according to PFF.
Robinson should be licking his chops because he’s about to face the Cardinals’ reeling and injury-riddled defense that was just gashed by the Houston Texans.
“Yeah, he’s special,” Gannon said of Robinson on Wednesday.
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“You’re watching games, and it seems like it’s a highlight reel. … He’s one of the best ones out there. I don’t compare players, but this would be one of the better ones we face in the run and pass game.”
Arizona committed to beefing up its run defense this past offseason. The Cardinals drafted defensive tackle Walter Nolen III with the No. 16 overall pick. They signed veterans Dalvin Tomlinson and Calais Campbell to bolster the interior, and they brought aboard standout edge Josh Sweat, who was coming off a head-turning Super Bowl performance with the Philadelphia Eagles.
They also drafted defensive end Jordan Burch in the third round and had defensive tackle Darius Robinson, whom they picked No. 27 overall in 2024, ready to go for a healthier Year 2.
But the injury bug came back around for some of those players as well as for others on a defense that’s fallen far short of expectations in a competitive NFC West that features three conference contenders. Constant turnover across the unit and disconnected play have partly led to Arizona actually ranking slightly worse against the run this season (21st with 124.5 rushing yards allowed per game) than it did last season (20th with 126.4 rushing yards allowed per game).
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Then there are the tackling issues that have affected the Cardinals, both in their defense of the ground and the air.
They’ve been more noticeable when Arizona has been trying to limit opposing run games. After all, the Cardinals are giving up the fifth-most yards after contact per rushing attempt (3.31) in the NFL this season, per Next Gen Stats.
Gannon said the league’s tackling rules come up every year among head coaches and defensive coaches.
“A lot of people think you can’t practice it, [and that] you better just acquire people that can tackle because you ain’t going to help ’em at all,” Gannon said. “That’s a thought process, too.
Tom Haberstroh and Dan Devine break down the New York Knicks’ first NBA Cup championship run. Following the departure of Tom Thibodeau, has the Knickerbockers’ offensive scheme unlocked a new level? With the defense maintaining its integrity as the offense continues to explode, are the Knicks now a real championship threat? Then, the pair discusses and shares their thoughts on the Knicks’ decision not to celebrate their NBA Cup championship with a banner.
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Later, they respond to commissioner Adam Silver’s comments regarding the NBA injury crisis and propose solutions to end the prolonged absence of star power for the league.
(1:14) The Big Number: $530,933 – Knicks player earnings from NBA Cup
(11:20) Knicks refuse to hang NBA Cup Banner
(19:32) The Little Number: +21.5 – Knicks net rating with Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart on the floor
(22:36) The Little Number: 7.9 minutes per game – time Jalen Brunson has possession of the ball this season
(26:40) The Little Number: 11th – Knicks defensive efficiency ranking
(32:07) Injury crisis update
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson holds the MVP trophy after winning the Emirates NBA Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images