Author: rb809rb

Aaron Rodgers has played in 285 NFL games, including playoffs. He might have just one left.

That is yet to be determined, including Rodgers’ decision on whether he’ll play again next season. The immediate issue at hand is that the Pittsburgh Steelers need to win or their season — and perhaps Rodgers’ incredible career — is done.

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The Steelers did this to themselves. All they had to do to clinch the AFC North was beat the Cleveland Browns, who were 3-12 before Sunday. But the Browns got their fourth win as Rodgers didn’t lead a single touchdown drive in a 13-6 loss.

None of the Steelers want their season to end Sunday night after they play the Baltimore Ravens. But most will return next season. Rodgers suggested months ago this will be his last season. He has played well enough that coming back for another season shouldn’t be out of the question. Given how many teams need quarterbacks, he’d likely find a job if he wants one.

[Get more Steelers news: Pittsburgh team feed]

But at age 42, retirement is a constant storyline. All that’s certain is Rodgers’ season ends with a loss in prime time Sunday. His final moments, including walking off the field for perhaps the final time, would overshadow a Ravens win. It would be great theater.

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While Rodgers has plenty of detractors, he’s unquestionably one of the greatest players in NFL history. He has four NFL MVPs, more than everyone except Peyton Manning. He has the highest passer rating in league history at 102.3. He has more than 65,000 yards and 500 touchdowns, a club that has just five members: Rodgers, Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Brett Favre.

Losing two straight win-and-in games is not the way Rodgers wants his career to end. He might have one shot to keep a 21-year career going.

Panic meter: It would be a long offseason for the Steelers with a loss, and perhaps an endless offseason for Rodgers

Here’s the rest of the panic meter for Week 18, and who has the most on the line:

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What happens if the Ravens lose?

The stakes for Ravens-Steelers go far beyond a division title.

The losing team could be in for some major changes. The Steelers have the Aaron Rodgers retirement question, and there will also be more speculation over Mike Tomlin’s future as head coach if the Steelers blow a lead in the AFC North and miss the playoffs.

The Ravens have a complicated situation too. With a reported rift between head coach John Harbaugh and quarterback Lamar Jackson, would the Ravens run it back if they miss the playoffs after being considered a top Super Bowl contender in the preseason? General manager Eric DeCosta would have the most challenging offseason of his career with a loss. Maybe even with a win and a division title. At very least, he would need to find a way to improve the roster to get the Ravens back to a Super Bowl. Or he might be looking at a much bigger change.

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Panic meter: The shape of the Ravens going forward might depend on Sunday night’s result

Bryce Young’s close-up

Saturday will be the biggest game of Young’s pro career. With a win, the Carolina Panthers are in the playoffs as NFC South champs.

A loss might create a different conversation, especially if the Saints win Sunday and the Buccaneers steal the division.

Young has been up and down all season. On Sunday, when a Panthers win could have clinched the NFC South, Young had 54 yards passing. A division title would lead to some good vibes and not an angry David Tepper, the Panthers’ team owner who has been calm this season but has a reputation for being impulsive. A loss might get the Panthers wondering if they have the right quarterback.

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Panic meter: It’s a huge game for Young, in more ways than one

Are the Bucs and Todd Bowles going to blow this?

As the Buccaneers headed into their Week 9 bye, they were 6-2, two games ahead of the Panthers in the NFC South and about to get some key players back from injury. What has happened since the bye is startling.

The Buccaneers have lost seven of eight, despite getting many stars back in the lineup, and need a win over the Panthers on Saturday to stay alive for the NFC South title. A win doesn’t clinch the division title though. If the Falcons beat the Saints on Sunday, the Panthers win the division.

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And if the Buccaneers lose to Carolina — even if they win to finish 8-9 and lose the division to the Panthers because the Falcons win — it seems irresponsible to suggest Bowles wouldn’t be on the hot seat. With a loss he would have a 35-36 record as the Buccaneers’ coach, including playoffs. He would also be responsible for a startling collapse with a mostly healthy team in the second half. That sounds like a coach who is safe?

Panic meter: It really doesn’t seem like Bowles should be considered safe

The Sam Darnold question

Last season, the Vikings had a Week 18 game at the Lions with the division title on the line. Darnold had a rough game, not leading the Vikings to any touchdowns in a loss. A week later, Darnold was bad in a playoff loss to the Rams. Those two losses cost Darnold some money in free agency and created the narrative that he would melt down in big games.

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What if Darnold repeats that same pattern to end this season? Like last season’s Vikings, the Seahawks either get the No. 1 seed with a win in their season finale Saturday night at San Francisco or slide to a wild-card spot with a loss.

Panic meter: If the Seahawks lose this weekend, or in their first playoff game, you know what the talking points will be

It’s the end of the 2025 fantasy football season, so of course we’re already setting our sights to 2026. Yahoo analysts Justin Boone, Matt Harmon, Joel Smyth and Chris Allen got together to go pick-by-pick in the first round of a 2026 fantasy football mock draft. See who they’re targeting at each draft slot for next season below. You can also watch the recap of their segment in the video above.

1. Puka Nacua, WR, Rams (Matt Harmon)

Harmon kept it short and sweet with his No. 1 overall choice for 2026, as Nacua offers so much value in fantasy. The Rams wideout was drafted toward the end of the first/early second round in 2025, and should finish this season as the WR2 overall in scoring. Nacua did miss Week 7 but was able to return, posting double-digit fantasy points in all but one game all season. He offers a very safe floor in Sean McVay’s system as the go-to option for QB Matthew Stafford.

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2. Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Bengals (Chris Allen)

Allen noted this may be a homer pick of sorts as he’s a Bengals fan, but Chase is deserving of a top pick given how he performed with and without Joe Burrow this season. Burrow will only play in eight games this season (assuming he plays in Week 18) and Chase still put up elite numbers, finishing with 117 receptions for 1,316 yards and seven TDs. It didn’t matter who was throwing Chase the ball; he averaged 8.0 targets per game with Jake Browning and 14.4 with Joe Flacco at QB while Burrow was out.

Again, this feels like a pretty safe pick, especially in PPR formats, but don’t be surprised if the majority of managers in leagues lean on one of the top RBs at the top of the first round in 2026.

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3. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Lions (Joel Smyth)

Smyth goes with Gibbs as the first RB off the board, given his stability in the Detroit offense. Smyth points out the QB situation being a bit better for Gibbs versus players like Bijan Robinson and Jonathan Taylor. Despite laying a few eggs in the fantasy playoffs this season, Gibbs has one of the highest ceilings in the game, posting the highest score of any player in 2025 at 49.9 points in Week 12 versus the Giants. He’ll finish the fantasy season with 1,143 rushing yards, 13 rushing TDs, 74 receptions, 583 receiving yards and four receiving TDs.

Gibbs, of course, has the chance to finish as the top fantasy asset overall in 2026. Should he go over Robinson and Christian McCaffrey? Well, that’s another debate entirely.

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4. Bijan Robinson, RB, Falcons (Justin Boone)

Robinson was the consensus RB1 taken in 2025 drafts behind Chase at No. 1 overall. Robinson isn’t going to finish 2025 as the RB1 but is still a top-three back in fantasy. The big issues for Robinson were TD equity and game script. The Falcons offense is going to finish this season in the bottom-third in terms of points per game. Atlanta played from behind a lot and Robinson didn’t find the end zone as frequently as the backs around him. But his role in the passing game helped him maintain elite status; Robinson will finish the fantasy season with 76 catches for 810 yards and four touchdowns.

Robinson at pick No. 4 feels like a steal. The Falcons should be improved to start 2026 and Robinson is entering a contract year.

5. Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers (Harmon)

Harmon, once again, kept it pretty simple with this pick. If CMC is healthy, he’s going to be the top fantasy asset overall in 2026. While 2025 gave McCaffrey great fortune when it comes to health, you just never know, given his history. It’s also unclear if McCaffrey can keep up this type of receiving production. He’ll finish the fantasy season at 96 catches for 890 yards and seven receiving TDs. The last time he had numbers this high was back in 2019 with the Panthers. He’s also on pace for a career high in touches; CMC had 403 that same year with Carolina.

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If health is the only concern here, McCaffrey should be going in at least the top three in drafts for 2026. Just be sure to have an insurance policy at RB, and definitely snag whoever is his backup going into next season.

6. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seahawks (Allen)

JSN is going to finish 2025 as the WR1 overall after posting historic numbers in Seattle. It was a true Year 3 breakout for Smith-Njigba, who benefitted from the Seahawks adding QB Sam Darnold and OC Klint Kubiak before the regular season. JSN finishes the fantasy season as the league leader in receiving yards at 1,709 and is top-five in receptions, targets and receiving touchdowns.

Like Robinson, Smith-Njigba is entering a contract year and should break the bank in terms of salary for a wide receiver. Kubiak may bolt for a head coaching vacancy, but as long as Darnold is peppering him with targets, JSN feels like one of the safest picks in the middle of the first round for 2026.

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7. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Colts (Smyth)

Smyth believes that the 7-slot in the first round is the perfect place to take JT after his bounce-back season in 2025. Taylor spent most of the first half of the season running away as the fantasy MVP. But then he ran out of steam after the Colts’ Week 11 bye, facing a string of tough matchups while Indy lost QB Daniel Jones to a season-ending injury. Had that not happened, Taylor would have had a shot at finishing as the top overall non-QB scorer in fantasy. He had 1,559 rushing yards, 44 receptions, 365 receiving yards and 20 total TDs this fantasy season.

There’s reason to believe the TDs may regress in 2026 but as long as Indianapolis has a healthy QB, JT should be a first-round asset.

8. De’Von Achane, RB, Dolphins (Boone)

Like CMC, Achane’s preseason injury concerns are a big reason he fell down draft boards. But anyone who was smart enough to snag him was rewarded nicely. Achane didn’t have a game below 11.3 fantasy points all fantasy season long. He was the focal point of the Miami offense, even more so after Tyreek Hill went down with a season-ending injury early on. What he lacked in TD equity, Achane made up for with receiving work. Achane enters the season finale with 67 catches for 488 yards. When healthy, Achane is a top-five RB in fantasy; one could argue he’s going too low in this mock.

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9. James Cook, RB, Bills (Harmon)

After finishing as a top-10 flex asset in fantasy in 2024, it was surprising to see Cook fall to the fourth round on average this season. Many were concerned Cook would continue to have TDs vultured by QB Josh Allen. Harmon says, “Who cares?” — Cook is so good, it doesn’t really matter. This season, we saw the role sustained in an elite offense for a second straight year. Cook had four games with at least 100+ rushing yards and two TDs. While his passing-game role leaves a bit to be desired, there’s no question he’s the workhorse in the backfield for Buffalo.

This feels like a good slot for Cook, though he could settle in as an early second-rounder. As long as Allen is the QB, the Bills offense should remain elite, which bodes well for whoever is getting the bulk of the carries (which is Cook).

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10. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Cowboys (Allen)

Allen isn’t concerned about Lamb being on the same field as George Pickens, who had a breakout in his first season in Dallas. Despite missing four games, Lamb still finished the fantasy season with over 1,000 receiving yards. Dak Prescott is good enough and this offense is strong enough to sustain two top WRs, assuming Pickens returns as an upcoming free agent. Had Lamb played the full season, it’s safe to say he’d finish among the top-10 wideouts in fantasy.

11. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Lions (Smyth)

Smyth is rolling with another Lions skill position player in the first round, this time top wideout St. Brown, who has been a top-five player at his position for three straight seasons. Smyth points out that Amon-Ra has a higher red-zone target share than Rams WR Davante Adams at 41%, plus head coach Dan Campbell and QB Jared Goff are still in town. St. Brown missed a game and had a few duds, but finishes the fantasy season with 106 catches for 1,262 yards and 11 TDs, slightly ahead of Pickens for WR3 and behind Nacua and JSN.

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St. Brown is a very safe pick for 2026. He also has the type of ceiling to be the WR1 and a top-five overall asset.

12. Trey McBride, TE, Cardinals (Boone)

Boone wraps up the first round with a (somewhat) surprising pick. He goes with the only tight end in the round in McBride, coming off a historic season at the position. McBride finished ranked 12th among flex options in points, hauling in an NFL TE record 119 catches with 1,174 yards and 11 touchdowns. What’s even more impressive is McBride did this without elite QB play; first it was Kyler Murray and then Jacoby Brissett under center for Arizona the rest of the season.

McBride also outscored the TE2 (Kyle Pitts Sr.) by a very, very wide margin — nearly 100 more fantasy points. If we’re talking Value-Based Drafting or positional scarcity, McBride should be a first-round asset, at the very least going in the early second round in 2026.

It’s always interesting and fun to look at the common-thread players on fantasy’s championship teams. Here are the 10 players most commonly found on title-winning squads in Yahoo Fantasy Public Leagues in 2025 (kickers and defenses were left off this list).

1. Bijan Robinson on 27.35% of championship rosters

Robinson saved his best game of the year for the fantasy finals (37.4 points), and he was the leading scorer among non-quarterbacks in the fantasy playoffs. He’s still a month shy of his 24th birthday; this plane is just taking off.

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2. Christian McCaffrey (25.67%)

He was the RB4 for the fantasy playoffs and the RB1 for the full season, the constant piece in a San Francisco offense that no one can stop right now.

3. Puka Nacua (24.01%)

He dropped down a WR18 finish this past week, on the heels of WR1, WR4 and WR1 charts. Nacua probably drove you into the finals, then hopefully one of your teammates picked up the baton.

4. Harold Fannin Jr. (23.35%)

Despite very little help around him, Fannin was a standout for the Browns all season. He scored touchdowns in four of his final five games and was the TE5 for the fantasy playoffs.

5. Michael Wilson (23.07%)

The Cardinals haven’t been able to fully unlock Marvin Harrison Jr., but Wilson has been a surprise star the past two months. He was fantasy’s WR4 over the past four weeks, averaging 14.5 a catch and scoring five times.

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6. Chase Brown (22.99%)

His season stabilized when Joe Flacco came to town, and then Brown went off during the final Joe Burrow segment of the year. Brown saved the best for last, RB2 and RB3 finishes the last two weeks.

7. Chris Olave (22.73%)

It finally all came together for Olave in his fourth season — good health, decent coaching, quality QB play (eventually) and a delightfully-narrow target tree. Since Tyler Shough took over at quarterback, Olave is fantasy’s WR4.

8. Derrick Henry (22.71%)

He plowed for 100-plus rushing yards in all three playoff matches, offsetting a zero in the passing game. And Henry’s 36-216-4 masterpiece at Green Bay in Week 17 was suitable for framing.

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9. Brock Purdy (20.47%)

The 49ers turned into the Carnival team of 2025, the unstoppable offense that’s also pushed by a leaky defense on the other side. Purdy accounted for 13 touchdowns over the past three weeks, and the Niners punted just twice all December.

10. Trevor Lawrence (20.21%)

A buddy of mine is buying Trevor Lawrence socks because TLaw drove him to a championship. It’s a validated purchase. Lawrence had at least one rushing touchdown in each of the past three weeks, and he’s been fantasy’s QB2 for the past three months. Sock it to ’em, Scrantonicity II.

Bonus: A look at the rest of the top-25!

• 12 Brenton Strange, 20.04%

• 13 Jonathan Taylor, 19.28%

• 14 George Pickens, 19.11%

• 16 Jacoby Brissett, 18.28%

• 17 Matthew Stafford, 18.25%

• 18 Jaxon Smith-Njigba, 18.14%

• 22 Kenneth Gainwell, 16.62%

• 25 Kyle Pitts Sr., 16.52%

Some people get excited for the Oscars or the Grammys or the Golden Globes. But true sports fans know the Fantasy Football awards are really the ones that matter. Let’s hand out some hardware as we examine the fake football season that’s just been completed.

He was a healthy bell cow at a position known for injuries and platoons, the constant piece in a loaded offense. McCaffrey’s rushing efficiency dipped to 3.9 YPC, but 96-890-7 through the air helped pay the bills. He was also 46 touches ahead of the field.

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Runners-Up: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jonathan Taylor, Trey McBride

Williams was ordinary at best for his two final Denver seasons, so expectations were understandably low when he moved to Dallas. But maybe he’s finally removed from major injuries — the burst returned this year, and he was also bankable at the goal line. He finished the year at RB11. Williams wins over Drake Maye because a sleeper hit at RB is more impactful.

Runners-Up: Drake Maye, Trevor Lawrence, Juwan Johnson

I didn’t think it was possible for Jefferson to play 16 games, ostensibly healthy, and manage just 76-947-2, but here we are. J.J. McCarthy’s struggles were too much to overcome, despite the best efforts from offensive guru Kevin O’Connell. Jefferson might be a third-round pick next year.

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Runners-Up: Brian Thomas Jr., Lamar Jackson, Ladd McConkey

Harvey ran pure with touchdowns all year, finding the end zone 12 times despite a modest 177 touches. And he was ready when opportunity spiked down the stretch, charting as the RB8 over the final six weeks.

Runners-Up: Jaxson Dart, Harold Fannin Jr., Ashton Jeanty

Normally when we hit the wire for a receiver pickup, we’re hoping for WR3/4 value at best. Wilson sailed past that baseline, with four top-10 WR games in the past seven weeks. It’s fair to wonder why Wilson clicked in this offense, but Marvin Harrison Jr. has been a two-year disappointment.

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Runners-Up: Alec Pierce, Harold Fannin Jr., Rico Dowdle

Matthew Stafford put together a career year in his age-37 season, and the Rams employed a narrow target tree, to the delight of fantasy managers. Puka Nacua was unstoppable all over the field, Davante Adams is a touchdown-scoring god, and Kyren Willams (with some Blake Corum help) scored consistently all year.

Runner-Up: San Francisco/Kyle Shanahan

Zombie of the Year: Kyle Pitts, Falcons

It was a shame Pitts didn’t have anything left in Week 17, but his late-season rally pushed him up to TE3 by the end of the year. He’s earned himself a major check when free agency comes in March.

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Runners-Up: Javonte Williams, Jacoby Brissett

Where’s the Help Award: Josh Allen, Bills

Allen famously won the 2024 NFL MVP despite Mack Hollins leading his team in touchdown catches (all of five). Allen repeated as the QB1 this year despite a pedestrian room of pass-catchers. James Cook was terrific as a runner, but Buffalo’s roster build has been a failure.

Runners-Up: Tetairoa McMillan, Cam Ward, Ashton Jeanty, De’Von Achane

Heartbreaker of the Year: Tucker Kraft, Packers

He probably would have been the TE2 for the year — there was no stopping Trey McBride — had he stayed healthy. The Packers had legitimate Super Bowl dreams with a healthy Kraft and Micah Parsons; they’re probably toast now.

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Runners-Up: Cam Skattebo, Zay Flowers (tackled at the 5 all year), Rashee Rice

Carnival Team of the Year: San Francisco 49ers

I came really close to giving the Niners the nod as the best fantasy team, but hopefully managers are okay with this consolation prize. San Francisco was especially fun in December, scoring 127 points in three games and punting just twice — while allowing 89 points on the other side. Kyle Shanahan was masterful all year, overcoming cluster injuries in the passing game.

Runners-Up: Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears

On Jan. 1, 1926, the mighty Washington Huskies strode onto the pristine grass at the Rose Bowl certain they would cap off another dominant season with another Rose Bowl victory. Washington was 10-0-1 on the season, winning by scores of 56-0, 59-0, 64-2 and 108-0 (really). Their opponent was some Southern backwater school which only received the prestigious Rose Bowl invitation after four other blue-blood colleges declined.

But then that backwater school, the University of Alabama, went and won that Rose Bowl, setting off shockwaves throughout college football that reverberate louder than ever today.

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On Jan. 1, 2026, that same Alabama, wearing the same crimson and white as their forefathers, will run onto the still-magnificent Pasadena grass to face a school that, until about 15 months, was the definition of a college football doormat. Granted, Indiana isn’t sneaking up on anybody the way that 1926 Alabama team did — a pristine regular-season record and a No. 1 ranking took care of that — but the Hoosiers’ presence in the Granddaddy of Them All heralds a similar seismic shift in college football.

Back in the 1920s, the elite-level college football universe comprised the Pacific Coast, the Upper Midwest and the Northeast. Stanford, Michigan, Penn State and the Ivy League. Everywhere south of Ohio and Pennsylvania — well, they played football, sure, but in the same way that kids on a dirt lot play football, with a whole lot of fighting and not much skill. Or so the prevailing wisdom held in the establishment athletic departments and newspaper columns of the day.

Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Georgia Tech and other schools had quietly built quality football programs of their own in the first quarter of the new century, though they never caught the eye of the sport’s ruling class. No Southern team had received an invitation to the Rose Bowl, then the only bowl game in the country. But when four schools — Dartmouth, Michigan, Colgate and Princeton — all declined, Alabama put on a charm offensive to try to secure a spot in the game.

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The Rose Bowl committee was unimpressed. “I’ve never heard of Alabama as a football team,” one committee member sniffed, “and I can’t take a chance on mixing a lemon with a rose.” But left with no other options, the committee held its nose and invited Alabama to Pasadena.

(An aside: As you can see, the Rose Bowl has always been this way — so convinced of its own importance and so determined to protect its status, standing and sunset that it’s actively stood in the way of college football’s growth. Remember that the Rose Bowl’s intransigence on starting times and matchups was a key roadblock in the development of the College Football Playoff. Some things never change.)

Alabama won that Rose Bowl, thanks to a comeback from a 12-0 halftime deficit and an all-timer of a halftime speech from head coach Wallace Wade. (He looked around the downcast locker room, stared into the faces of his players, and said, simply, “And they told me that boys from the South would fight.” Alabama went on to win 20-19.) The entirety of the South welcomed the Tide as conquering heroes on their train ride back to Tuscaloosa, and Alabama commemorates the Rose Bowl win to this day in its fight song. And nobody sniffed at the South’s ability to play football ever again.

Skip forward a century, and you can hear echoes, view patterns. The Indiana of 2025 isn’t exactly the “lemon” that 1925 Alabama was. The Hoosiers of today personify and embody all the upheavals of the current post-COVID college landscape — NIL, the transfer portal, bloated conferences that render regular seasons incomplete — combined with a monomaniacal coach who has reshaped Indiana’s entire identity in just two years.

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Think about this: Right up until this season, the Hoosiers’ 714 program losses stood as the worst in Division I history. But an undefeated season allows others to catch up (or down) in the loss column, and that’s precisely what has happened; Northwestern now claims the dubious “honor” of the losingest DI program. And Indiana is in the hunt for a national championship. That’s how fast long-running narratives can change.

Alabama’s 1926 Rose Bowl win gave hope to the rest of Southern football in their ongoing battle for legitimacy in the eyes of a disdainful establishment. “Alabama was our representative in fighting for us against the world,” then-Vanderbilt coach Dan McGugin said in 1926. “I fought, bled, died and was resurrected with the Crimson Tide.” (Quotes were so much better then.)

In the same way, Indiana’s ascension — and those of Vanderbilt, Tulane, James Madison and others — has inspired other historically struggling programs. You need truckloads of money to compete, yes, but if you can persuade your billionaire alums to open their wallets, then work the portal properly, and bring in a coach who knows what he’s doing, well … the path to the top isn’t quite as daunting as it once was. Indiana has shown the way.

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Over the last century, and especially the last 60 years, college football has largely run through the South. Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Miami, LSU, Florida State, Tennessee, Clemson and Auburn have all claimed titles and staked out long-term top-10 rankings, and it all began with that 1926 Rose Bowl.

Over the next century, though, the sport could well take a very different path. Michigan, Ohio State, Texas Tech and Oregon all have the financial resources to compete on an annual basis; money and the portal allow other upstarts to elbow their way into the title conversation. It would be a bit of poetic justice if one of those upstarts took out Alabama to symbolize college football’s next era.

Justin Boone won the FantasyPros Most Accurate Expert Award in 2019 and has eight top-10 finishes in the competition. He now brings his rankings acumen to the Yahoo Fantasy audience after joining the team as an analyst.

Below you can see a very early look at his Top 50 fantasy rankings for the 2026 season. More expanded rankings, including in-depth looks at each position, PPR scoring and rookies will be available in future updates.

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5 Takeaways from the early 2026 rankings

There will be no consensus 1.01

Unlike previous years, you can make a strong case for several players to be the first overall pick in 2026 fantasy drafts. Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs are the only two backs to finish as top-four fantasy RBs each of the past two seasons. Puka Nacua averaged the most fantasy points among WRs. Ja’Marr Chase continued to be a high-end producer despite losing Joe Burrow to injury for some games. Christian McCaffrey was the top-scoring fantasy RB. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had a breakout year that put him in the conversation with the elite players at his position.

You could even make an argument for guys like De’Von Achane and Jonathan Taylor, depending on what their teams do at quarterback.

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Trey McBride deserves consideration in Round 1

McBride is the first tight end to average over 15 fantasy points per game in half PPR (18 fppg in PPR) since Travis Kelce accomplished the feat in 2022. Much like Kelce that year, McBride had a sizable advantage over the other players at his position, averaging 2.4 more fantasy points per game than the next closest tight end in half-PPR and 3.5 more in PPR formats.

To give some context, that would have made him the WR7 behind only Nacua, JSN, Rashee Rice, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Ja’Marr Chase and George Pickens.

The Cardinals have decisions to make with their coaching staff and quarterback, but Jacoby Brissett unlocked a version of McBride that makes him a borderline first-round pick in fantasy.

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Sophomores will turn into stars

We spent all summer discussing the strength of the 2025 rookie class, and though it took a while for some of them to hit their stride, there are a lot of fantasy difference-makers among that group. Ashton Jeanty got the bell-cow usage we were looking for and should have a better supporting cast in 2026. Omarion Hampton is the RB16 in fppg, despite dealing with injuries to himself and his offensive line. TreVeyon Henderson and RJ Harvey flashed massive ceilings in the second half of the season. Quinshon Judkins looks the part of a star back and hopefully, the Browns can improve their offense around him.

Meanwhile, Tetairoa McMillan is firmly established as the Panthers No. 1 target moving forward and Luther Burden III gave us a glimpse of his future as the top receiver in Chicago’s passing attack. All those players made it into my top 50 below, and you could realistically see their situations getting even better during their sophomore campaigns in 2026.

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Injury recoveries will be key

There’s a trio of players who will be high-end fantasy assets at their positions — and possibly even rise in the table below — if they can return at 100% for Week 1.

Malik Nabers suffered a torn ACL in late September, which should give him enough time to get back to full strength for the start of next season. With Jaxson Dart at the helm, Nabers could join the elite fantasy WRs if all goes well in 2026. His teammate Cam Skattebo is facing a four-to-six-month rehab for a dislocated ankle in October. Prior to the injury, the bruising runner was the RB6 in fppg over his last six appearances and averaged 22 touches per game over his final four starts.

We’ll also be watching for news on Tucker Kraft, who tore his ACL in early November. Kraft was in the midst of a breakout season and was the highest-scoring fantasy TE through the first eight weeks before getting hurt.

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Free agency looms for several talents

George Pickens, Breece Hall, Travis Etienne Jr. and Kenneth Walker III all cracked my top 50, but we don’t know for sure where they’ll be playing next season.

It would be surprising to see Pickens (WR6 in fppg) not return to the Cowboys, even if it’s on the franchise tag. However, Hall, Etienne and Walker could be wearing new jerseys in 2026. Hall seems ready for a fresh start on a new club after yet another disappointing campaign from the Jets. Consider me among the fantasy managers ready to draft Hall if he lands in a more competent offense.

Etienne (RB10 in fppg) is having an outstanding year under Liam Coen and might have done enough to earn himself a new contract in Jacksonville.

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That brings us to Walker, who was one of the most frustrating fantasy options this season, but has the talent to excel if he ever gets a backfield to himself.

Consider their rankings below as placeholders, which could rise or fall significantly depending on how things play out in free agency.

Very early Top 50 fantasy rankings for 2026

Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokić is set to miss at least the next four weeks and will likely be ineligible for MVP consideration after suffering a hyperextended left knee during Monday night’s loss to the Miami Heat, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Jokić exited the game late in the first half after injuring his left knee and did not return. He stepped awkwardly and his left knee buckled while standing in the paint in the final seconds. Teammate Spencer Jones stepped back on Jokić’s foot as he was trying to guard Jaime Jaquez Jr., and that’s when Jokić’s knee buckled.

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He instantly fell to the ground after the bad step and started rolling around in pain while grabbing his left knee as Kel’el Ware made an easy layup, which tied the game at the break. Jokić eventually stood up and walked to the locker room on his own, but he was limping significantly and barely put any weight on his left leg as he did so.

Jokić did not start the second half, and he was listed as questionable to return before being ruled out. He finished with 21 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds

“This is part of the NBA. Anyone who gets hurt, it’s gut-wrenching,” said Nuggets head coach David Adelman afterward. “Especially somebody as special as he is. We’ll find out more tomorrow, and move on as a team. I’m more concerned about him as a person and the disappointment of going through something like that. It’s unfortunate, and we’re hoping for the best.”

Jokić has managed to stay relatively healthy throughout his 11-season NBA career, having played at least 69 games in every season since breaking into the league in 2015-16.

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A four-week absence could see Jokić miss around 16-18 games and return in late January. He’s played in all 32 games for the Nuggets this season, but missing 18 games would put the three-time MVP below the 65-game threshold for league awards and would make him ineligible for MVP consideration this season.

The Nuggets are 22-10 and sit in third place in the Western Conference. They begin life without the game’s best player on Wednesday against the Toronto Raptors.

Fantasy basketball impact

Before we get into it, the fantasy community is breathing a sigh of relief. The injury comes on the heels of Jokić posting the most prolific fantasy performance of the season, dropping 108 High Score points after demolishing Minnesota on Christmas Day. Because the injury occurred after Week 10 rankings locked, Jokić holds steady in this week’s update. But for managers scrambling to fill that void, Jonas Valančiūnas is the clear next-man-up add. He’ll absorb a steady diet of frontcourt minutes and touches while Jokić is sidelined. — Dan Titus

We’re back hoops fans with another Yahoo Fantasy x Arena Club drop for Week 11. Yahoo Fantasy Basketball Slab Packs are a brand-new weekly drop featuring real, graded trading cards of the hottest fantasy performers in the NBA.

If you’re new to Arena Club, here’s the lowdown. Arena Club is the premier online marketplace for sports cards, giving collectors a way to rip packs virtually, buy and sell graded cards and track their entire collection — all in one place. Whether you’re in it for the hobby, the thrill or the chase, Arena Club brings the excitement directly to your screen.

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[Rip your exclusive Yahoo Fantasy + Arena Club slab pack here]

Each week, Arena Club curates real, graded NBA cards and builds two types of Yahoo Fantasy Slab Packs:

Every pack contains a graded card of an active NBA player — but the real treasure is the weekly Chase Cards, featuring some of the top fantasy basketball performers from the past week. These limited-edition hits can reach values up to 20x the cost of the pack.

Weekly NBA Slab Packs go live every Tuesday at 1 p.m. ET and remain available through Saturday (or until they’re gone). It’s the ultimate mid-week boost for fantasy hoopers and collectors alike.

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To top it off, use promo code YAHOO at checkout for 20% off your first slab pack or card purchase on ArenaClub.com or the Arena Club app.

This Week’s Featured Players

Rip a slab pack today for a chance to pull one of the week’s biggest fantasy basketball stars:

Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers

Spida is among the top-10 scorers in the NBA, averaging 29.5 points per game. He showed out in a loss to the Knicks on Christmas Day last week, scoring 34 points and 65 fantasy points.

Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves

Ant Man put on an offensive exhibition on Christmas Day in the OT thriller vs. the Nuggets, scoring 44 points in 42 minutes.

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Kawhi Leonard, Clippers (Silver only)

Kawhi finally appears healthy and he’s looking like his old self. Last week, he averaged 71 fantasy points per game in High Score, topping out at 94 on Sunday with a 55-point effort in a win over Detroit.

Nikola Jokić, Nuggets

The three-time NBA MVP has been a cheat code and a half all season. Last week, he posted the highest fantasy point total of the season with 108 on X-Mas vs. the T-Wolves, scoring 56 points with 16 rebounds and 15 assists. Legendary stuff.

Luka Dončić, Lakers

The L.A. superstar was able to save his fantasy week with 65 points against the Kings on Sunday. He scored 34 points with five rebounds, seven assists and four stocks.

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Cade Cunningham, Pistons (Silver only)

Cunningham was distributing like a mad man last week, racking up 49 dimes over a four-game span.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder

SGA had a pretty quiet week for him in terms of fantasy output. That still included a high score of 72 fantasy points in a win over the Grizzlies.

Weekly Drops. Real Cards. Real Value. Real Thrill.

With new cards releasing every week based on real fantasy performance, the Yahoo Fantasy x Arena Club partnership delivers a constantly refreshing lineup of NBA stars — and the chase cards you’ll be talking about all season.

Don’t miss this week’s release.

Rip your slab pack, hit a chase card, and upgrade your collection today!

[Get your Yahoo Fantasy Basketball Slab Pack now]

Now that the fantasy season has come and gone, fantasy football analyst Joel Smyth goes through seven storylines that defined the 2025 season. What can fantasy managers learn for next August?

New Playcallers Controlled the Booms & Busts

An absolutely crucial part of the fantasy offseason that is often overlooked is who the playcallers of NFL teams are, specifically the new ones. The risk of a new offensive playcaller led to an array of early-round busts and late-round gems once again in 2025. The key positive examples from this season include Ben Johnson igniting the Bears offense, Kellen Moore unlocking fantasy WR1 Chris Olave, Liam Coen turning Trevor Lawrence into a top-three fantasy QB and reviving Travis Etienne Jr. and Klint Kubiak making Jaxon Smith-Njigba a 2026 first-round pick.

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However, as often as changes are positive, those changes are a risk for a reason. Moore to the Saints meant Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts were left behind in a stagnant Eagles offense. Although Coen sparked the Jaguars in Jacksonville, he left Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and company to fall off dramatically. It can even be position-dependent, as 2024 RB1 Kenneth Walker III lost significant volume with Kubiak coming in as the new playcaller.

Ultimately, the coaching changes lead me to the general understanding of the following: a clear potential upgrade at playcaller (Jacksonville, Chicago, New Orleans, etc.) are goldmines for late-round steals in comparison to other late-drafted players. The opposite is true as well. Oftentimes, the early-round players can become this year’s busts with an offensive overhaul, changing their once ideal situation to, at least, something new.

If the new changes don’t fit in just as nicely, even stars like Barkley can fall.

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Rookie RBs Useless Early, Great Late

2025 was, overall, not the year to draft a rookie RB. This season was a perfect example of the risk of the unknown while also showing glimpses of why we seem to take that risk every August. It’s worked plenty of times before; Barkley, Ezekiel Elliott, Jahmyr Gibbs, Bucky Irving, etc. — all league-winning running backs from Year 1. After Ashton Jeanty was a 2025 Round 1 bust and no other rookie back shone until late in the season, most managers struggled to make the playoffs going down the rookie path this year. However, those who survived were rewarded for their patience. Rookies need time, and when it works, it usually works extremely well.

In the second half of the season, all four of the top rookie RBs ranked inside the top-15 in fantasy. RJ Harvey was the RB10 as a starter, TreVeyon Henderson the RB6 when starting, (taking out his concussion game) Omarion Hampton RB8 in PPG after Week 2 and Ashton Jeanty had an up-and-down RB16 season with a star performance in Round 2 of the playoffs.

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The lessons from this are the same as they’ve always been. One: rookie RBs are drafted for the end of the season, not month No. 1; plan accordingly. Two: situation is just as important as talent. Three: it’s usually unwise to draft players close to their projected ceiling, especially ones we haven’t seen before (Jeanty).

Bust Recovery Therapy

I treat fantasy football like a strategy game. At the end of the day, don’t play with emotions, play with your brain. Yet, far too often, fantasy players’ grudges of the past play the biggest role in their future decisions. I’ve already seen people saying they will never draft the RB4, Jahmyr Gibbs, because of his performance in the fantasy championship.

In 2025, however, the exact opposite strategy paid off immensely. A number of the best values in the draft came from 2024 busts who had fallen way too far down draft boards. Just to name a few: ADP RB30, Travis Etienne Jr.; ADP RB36, Javonte Williams; ADP WR35, Chris Olave; and seventh overall pick, Christian McCaffrey.

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The key to choosing the right ones often comes after asking one simple question: have things changed? If players’ situations don’t change for the better, such as Garrett Wilson or Marvin Harrison Jr, then it’s easier to pass if their ADP isn’t dropping very low. The opposite would be someone like Travis Etienne Jr., who finished as the RB3 in 2023. One bad season in 2024 and he dropped to ADP RB30, despite having a completely revamped offensive line and Coen, a playcaller who produced multiple top-24 fantasy RBs the year prior. In general, if a player has played amazingly up until the year before, like ADP WR47 Michael Pittman Jr. being top-20 in three straight seasons, they are an ideal process flyer.

So, in 2026, I am ready to get hurt again.

Mid-Season Buys on Talent

It seemed riiiiiiiight as fantasy managers gave up hope, their top draft pick went on a run … most likely for another team. Lesson: if you have the affordability to be patient, buying high-end talent for dirt-cheap can pay off long-term. After starting the season as the RB34, Chase Brown was the RB6 the rest of the season after the Bengals traded for QB Joe Flacco. With A.J. Brown struggling through a new offensive system, the star WR averaged 9.7 PPG through six weeks. The rest of the season? Eighteen points flat. Tee Higgins, TreVeyon Henderson, Chris Olave and more — same story. If things begin to click, it pays off in a substantial way.

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Late-Season Busts Off-Target Throw Percentage

Two of the biggest surprises of the season came in the second half: the fall off of Emeka Egbuka and Rome Odunze. Through five weeks, the young WRs were the WR3 (Egbuka) and WR4 (Odunze), poised to be the steals of fantasy drafts.

They ended WR28 and WR26.

The main reason is simple in theory: catch rate. The volume was there; they just weren’t catching the ball. Drops, yes, but more importantly, off-target throws. They are to blame as well, but a large part was an inconsistent Caleb Williams and injured Mayfield placing them at the bottom of all NFL wideouts in catchable target rate.

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After Week 5, only 60% of Odunze’s targets were deemed catchable, the third-worst in the NFL. In last was Egbuka, at 53%. The connection and accuracy combined for rates that made it impossible to produce. Drops have surprisingly been positively correlated in fantasy football in the past, as getting volume outweighs the plays being failed to be made (for example, believe it or not, Malik Nabers led the NFL in drops last season).

Once again, though, QB play is the main factor driving fantasy WR success, and these two WRs saw their luck flip.

Rushing QB Value Hits Again

My first plan of attack every August: find the rushing QB who is being drafted late. Rushing upside is king in fantasy football, and every year, one or more players being drafted in the later rounds pay off in a big way for fantasy managers. Football fans in general need to see it before they believe it, and that’s what needs to be taken advantage of when it comes to fantasy football. Lamar Jackson in 2019, Josh Allen in 2020, Jalen Hurts in 2021, Justin Fields in 2022, Jayden Daniels in 2024 and many more. Like clockwork.

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Last season, Drake Maye flashed late in the season and finished as the QB13 in PPG in his 12 starts. The offensive line was added to, skill players joined, new coaching entered and the sophomore QB taken third overall in the 2024 NFL Draft showed why he was chosen so early. Seventeen weeks later, and Maye was the QB steal of the draft and the overall fantasy QB2.

He wasn’t the only one, either. Jaxson Dart joined mid-way through the season as the rookie out of Ole Miss brought his red-zone rushing advantage to the table. Who’s next in 2026?

Projecting RB Volume Ranks

RB volume is the most important factor in fantasy football, but predicting it in August isn’t always so simple. Some of the best RB values were talented players who saw an increase in volume compared to last season. Jahmyr Gibbs avoided the fate David Montgomery saw without Ben Johnson this season, not purely because of his skill set, but because the offseason rumors of his potential volume came true. Gibbs’ RB14 volume rank in 2024 improved to RB4, helping him keep the same PPG despite the losses in the offseason.

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Other examples included James Cook III, Travis Etienne Jr. and Javonte Williams. Etienne and Williams’ chance of bellcow volume alone, in hindsight, should have been enough to raise their ADP. Cook’s contract was not just a commitment financially. His volume rank improved from RB27 in 2024 to RB8 in 2025, more than enough to counterbalance some overproduction in 2024.

As always, the same can be said in reverse. If you were able to project the lack of volume for Kenneth Walker III, TreVeyon Henderson and Chuba Hubbard, it would’ve saved you some headaches, as talent was not the primary issue.

The fantasy football waiver wire is where seasons can be won and lost. And it doesn’t matter if it’s Week 1 or Week 12, grabbing a player off the wire can change the entire complexion and performance of your roster. As we look back on the 2025 fantasy season, there were plenty of notable waiver wire adds who helped managers to a championship.

Below, we’re going to go over the best pickups of the season in our All-Waiver Wire team.

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Quarterbacks

Matthew Stafford, Rams (12% drafted)

Stafford may have lost out on his chance to win an actual MVP award but he was arguably the most valuable QB in fantasy relative to expectations. Stafford went nearly undrafted in the preseason as concerns over his back injury scared off managers. He shook off those concerns to finish as the QB5 in fantasy points per game (20.7) while placing second in the NFL in passing yards (4,448) and first in TD passes (42). Stafford proved that pure pocket passers can still thrive in fantasy in a QB landscape riddled with signal callers who offer rushing upside.

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Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars (41% drafted)

If you were in a deeper format, chances are Lawrence would have been drafted. But he was widely available on waiver wires in many leagues and finished the fantasy season as the QB6 in points per game at 20.4, just behind Stafford. Lawrence was particularly great toward the end of the season and into the fantasy playoffs, averaging 33.2 points from Weeks 15-17.

It took a bit, but Lawrence got comfortable in Liam Coen’s offense while also developing chemistry with WR Jakobi Meyers after a mid-season trade. Lawrence just cracked the top 10 in terms of players who helped managers win a championship in 2025.

Honorable Mention: Jaxson Dart, Giants

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Running Backs

Rico Dowdle, Panthers (5% drafted)

Carolina starting RB Chuba Hubbard went down after Week 4 and Dowdle wasted no time making his presence felt in the fantasy community. He was thrust into the lead back role, a job he was no stranger to from his days in Dallas. Dowdle exploded for 234 total yards on 26 touches with a touchdown for 30.9 fantasy points in Week 5 versus the Dolphins. He’d post a second game of over 30 fantasy points, and score double-digit points in six of seven games from Weeks 5-11 before fizzling out.

While managers likely weren’t happy with how Dowdle finished the season, overall, he registered as the RB20 in fantasy points per game.

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Kenneth Gainwell, Steelers (2% drafted)

Managers likely only drafted Gainwell as an insurance policy if they had Jaylen Warren. Well, it turned out that Gainwell had standalone value no one saw coming. He was among the best receiving backs in the NFL, finishing the fantasy season with 65 receptions for 422 yards and three receiving scores. Gainwell nearly clocked in as a top-25 RB in fantasy overall (RB26). He also performed well down the stretch in the fantasy playoffs, scoring 52.6 total points over Weeks 14-16.

Honorable Mentions: Blake Corum, Rams; Kareem Hunt, Chiefs; Woody Marks, Texans

Wide Receivers

Michael Wilson, Cardinals (0% drafted)

The fantasy dictionary likely has a picture of Wilson under the term “league-winner” after his performance late in 2025. A non-factor in pretty much every game leading up to Arizona’s Week 8 bye, Wilson took off from there, thanks largely due to injuries to Marvin Harrison Jr. (appendectomy/heel). After posting modest numbers in Weeks 9 and 10, Wilson exploded for a 15-185-0 line in Week 11 versus the Niners.

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He would post WR2, WR10, WR50, WR2, WR19, WR22 and WR7 finishes from Weeks 11-17. Wilson built up plenty of chemistry with backup QB Jacoby Brissett, finding the end zone five times over the last four games of the fantasy season. He ranked fifth on the list of players to show up on title teams on Yahoo. All of that production in the second half helped Wilson finish as the WR16 overall in fantasy.

Wan’Dale Robinson, Giants (4% drafted)

Robinson may have just posted the quietest back-to-back seasons of 90+ catches in fantasy football history. And while he wasn’t able to justify much draft stock going into 2025, he’s proved himself a worthy pick going into 2026. Despite a shaky offense and instability at QB, Robinson was able to turn in a WR21 finish in fantasy this season, thanks to 92 catches on 140 targets for 1,014 yards and four TDs. He had a strong finish in Week 17 in PPR formats, with 11 catches for 113 yards against the Raiders. Robinson should be a trendy sleeper pick for 2026.

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Honorable Mentions: Quentin Johnston, Chargers; Troy Franklin, Broncos; Alec Pierce, Colts

Tight Ends

Harold Fannin Jr., Browns (4% drafted)

There was a bit of pre-draft hype surrounding the rookie out of Bowling Green despite being behind David Njoku on the tight end depth chart in Cleveland. Njoku was mired by injuries most of the 2025 campaign but even when he was healthy, Fannin was still the preferred option at TE for the Browns. He finished the fantasy season as the TE5 in total points at his position and TE9 in fantasy points per game (9.4).

He garnered early appeal off the waiver wire after scoring 10.1 fantasy points in the opener and was a consistent option all season at a position where consistency lacked. Fannin also came through in the fantasy playoffs with his best two performances coming in Week 14 (21.4 points) and Week 16 (17.5).

Honorable Mentions: Juwan Johnson, Saints; AJ Barner, Seahawks; Dalton Schultz, Texans