Author: rb809rb

Honestly, I can see why a quarterback wins the MVP every year. I know, that’s for real football. But on the fantasy football side of the shield, QB might be the only position where you can say the name of your starter, and folks can gauge how well your season went. Tell a friend you drafted Drake Maye and watch them smile, as if they already know you won your league.

[2025 Fantasy Exit Interviews: QB | RB | WR | TE]

And then mention to someone else that you had Patrick Mahomes and expect the opposite reaction.

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2025’s top QB scorers (through 17 weeks)

1. Josh Allen, Bills — 374.5 standard fantasy points

2. Drake Maye, Patriots — 343.5

3. Matthew Stafford, Rams — 331.6

4. Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars — 326.8

5. Dak Prescott, Cowboys — 323.1

6. Caleb Williams, Bears — 305.7

7. Bo Nix, Broncos — 305.3

8. Jalen Hurts, Eagles — 305

9. Justin Herbert, Chargers — 299.8

10. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs — 295.7

11. Jared Goff, Lions — 288.9

12. Baker Mayfield, Bucs — 268.7

It’s not that the other positions don’t matter. Ask anyone with Derrick Henry. But we start more players with those non-QB designations. Meanwhile, as it is for most franchises, our rosters rise and fall with our QBs. So, let’s look at the best (and worst) of the 2025 season with the signal-callers in mind, and what we should be looking for next year.

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OK, So What Happened Again?

It feels like a lifetime ago, but let’s rewind to August. You know, back when we all believed our draft day decisions would eventually lead us to a championship. But, of course, the market still had a say in how we built our squads:

I’ll say this. Hindsight has got to be 20/20 because my foresight is 20/200. Four of the QBs in this list ended the season on IR. Of the remaining eight, four missed significant time. And Baker Mayfield? Well, I’ll get to him in a bit.

However, there is at least one positive takeaway. We weren’t too far off base in categorizing these passers as potential QB1s. Besides, for most of them, their passing wasn’t the only allure. The Konami Code still reigns in 2025, and we saw that come to fruition throughout the first eight weeks of the season.

After 2024, we (and I’m using the royal “we” here) boosted hybrid signal-callers into the QB1 discussion. Two-thirds of the above list had top-12 marks in fantasy points per game as runners the prior year. And the same was true through Week 8.

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Our starters were averaging 21.4 rushing yards per game (or 3.8 FPPG as runners). It’s why we were right to keep guys like Daniel Jones (QB13) and Jaxson Dart (QB14) on our fantasy speed-dials. A dual-threat ability still gives us the best shot at accessing a weekly ceiling at the position. Of the 22 instances where a quarterback scored more than 30 points (i.e., what won you your week), 13 of them featured a performance with at least six of those fantasy points (aka, a touchdown) coming from them running the ball.

However, as the NFL likes to do, chaos changed the landscape of the entire league.

Since the Colts are out of the playoff race, Indianapolis pulling 44-year-old, retired Philip Rivers back into action deserves more discussion. But we can save that for the offseason. However, the Colts’ problems weren’t too different than everyone else’s. Fifty-one different QBs had two or more starts this season. Reminder, there are only 32 teams. And as fantasy managers had to scramble through the minefield that was the waiver wire for viable passers, we had to evaluate not just the player, but their situation, too.

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Some of the mid- and late-season heroes were like solving a problem in reverse. Nobody thought Jacoby Brissett would (or should) average 41.2 attempts per game. But Trey McBride was a consensus TE1, and Michael Wilson, as the lone WR, was whatever we thought Marvin Harrison Jr. would be. The same logic applied to Tyler Shough with Chris Olave and Juwan Johnson. With the production intersection at the QB spot, instead of looking at the production flowing out from under center, the pass-catchers would be the ones doing the heavy lifting.

In any case, let’s dig into a few specific players and see what we can take from this year and apply it to 2026.

The Biggest Surprises and Best Performers

Josh Allen, Bills

I recognize this comes on the heels of Josh Allen overthrowing his receiver for what would’ve been a game-winning two-point conversion. As a unit, the Bills’ WRs have generated the 12th-fewest receiving yards per game and rank 22nd or lower in touchdowns (11 total) and first downs (6.1 per game). Accordingly, Allen ranks just outside of the top 12 in passing yards per game (14th). However, his rushing ability remains unmatched both on the field and in the boxscore. With the leader of Bills Mafia leading all QBs in rushing yards and TDs, Allen will have yet another early-round ADP even if Buffalo waits another year to add to its receiving room.

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Drake Maye, Patriots

Fantasy managers got enough of a glimpse of Drake “Drake Maye” Maye last year to understand his potential in fantasy. After taking over for Jacoby Brissett, the then-rookie averaged 34.1 rushing YPG and two TDs. The only hesitation was whether or not a pass-catching corps headlined by a 31-year-old WR coming off an ACL injury would be enough in Maye’s first full year. But as Maye sits in first among all QBs in EPA per dropback with Stefon Diggs and Hunter Henry, and none of his pass-catchers over 1,000 yards, his case to be the MVP isn’t outlandish.

Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars

A lot’s happened this season, but I remember Trevor Lawrence brushing off HC Liam Coen’s criticism like a son unbothered by their parent. Lawrence, unable to get in sync with either Brian Thomas Jr. or Travis Hunter, was a growing concern. But one Jakobi Meyers trade later, Lawrence is looking like the player we expected coming out of Clemson a half-decade ago, with the 11th-most passing yards per game (234.5). But the surprise part of the “2025 T-Law Experience” has been the rushing component. As we saw with Mayfield under Coen, Lawrence has hit career-high marks in yards (348) and scores (9) as a runner. With Thomas and Hunter (hopefully) contributing more next season, Lawrence should be a staple of the middle rounds in fantasy drafts.

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Matthew Stafford, Rams

I had no idea what an ammortal chamber was until I saw one parked next to the Rams’ practice field in August. But I did understand what a back injury meant for a 37-year-old QB behind an average offensive line. Or at least I thought I did. Matthew Stafford has put together nothing short of an MVP season. He’s top-three in every stat, from passing success rate to yards per game, while setting a new career-high in TDs thrown in a single season. Sure, it benefits having Puka Nacua and Davante Adams (the King of Goal-Line Routes) on the opposite end of your throws. But defenses are still trying to get after Stafford. Teams have blitzed Stafford at the sixth-highest rate, but he’s taken the fewest sacks of any full season he’s played. We can debate if he plays in ’26 later, but this result was hard to foresee, given what we were hearing towards the end of summer.

Let’s Hope Things Get Better Next Year

Baker Mayfield, Bucs

Mayfield carried a QB9 price tag and closed out the fantasy season as the QB15 in PPG. So, I might be stretching the definition of bust, but two top-12 finishes over the last two months feels like a letdown to me. However, the thing I’ll be looking for signs of is a less-aggressive passing scheme.

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Mayfield’s passing aDOT was up to 8.8 air yards through the first three weeks of the season. That was at about the same time when his offensive linemen were dropping like flies. Luckily, he was hitting on his intermediate and deep shots to Mike Evans and Emeka Egbuka, but Mayfield was below Spencer Rattler in passing success rate. Plus, after Evans went down, there was no adjustment.

Egbuka just slid into the “Evans’ role,” forcing the rookie to play as the iso-X receiver on 71.9% of his snaps with a 12.3-yard receiving aDOT. So it’s no surprise that Mayfield’s EPA per pass attempt dropped, and the interceptions and sacks increased. And when both Evans and Chris Godwin Jr. returned, even with a bum (non-throwing) shoulder, there was no shift to make things simpler, bumping the Bucs’ first-round WR into a timeshare with Jalen McMillan.

Mayfield’s best season in Tampa came with him averaging over a yard less on a per-attempt basis (7.0). I’d expect him and the coaching staff to try to get back to more shorter-area concepts with their younger receivers in 2026.

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Jayden Daniels, Commanders

Here’s my foolproof, two-point plan for Jayden Daniels to have a bounce-back season: stay healthy and add a receiver. Sounds simple, right? Well, maybe not the first part. A chest injury limited Daniels throughout some of his rookie campaign, and multiple ailments sidelined him this season. Regardless, even when he was out there, the downfield magic wasn’t on display as often, indicating the Commanders need another boost to their pass-catching corps. But not just any receiver will fit the bill.

Daniels threw to the perimeter on 44.1% of his attempts in 2024. And you can guess who was on the other end of those passes. Terry McLaurin hauled in 43 passes on the boundary for 696 yards and a hilarious 10 TDs. Daniels has still been throwing to that part of the field, but with McLaurin dealing with his own injuries, the Commanders’ entire receiver room hasn’t even totaled McLaurin’s TD mark from last year. The majority of their current group primarily works from the inside. Having a full season of McLaurin should help, but another contested-catch option for Daniels will ensure we get another top-10 campaign out of Washington’s QB1.

Lamar Jackson, Ravens

Go ahead and add Lamar Jackson to the list of players who could benefit from at least the first part of my strategy to fix Jayden Daniels. But the Ravens don’t need another wide receiver. If anything, they should lean into the personnel already on the roster.

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Last season, Jackson was on an MVP trajectory, throwing dots to every eligible pass-catcher with a purple jersey. Accordingly, we saw career-high output from not just Zay Flowers, but the ancillary options like Rashod Bateman and Justice Hill. We even got a return to form for Mark Andrews, as he found the end zone 11 times. But the same formula didn’t work in 2025.

The Ravens ran 11-personnel on 40.2% of their plays (42.9% in ’24). That means, outside of Flowers, at least two of Bateman, Tylan Wallace and DeAndre Hopkins are on the field. And no disrespect to Hopkins, but asking the 33-year-old veteran to play 40.2% of the routes is a choice. And it’s especially confusing when you have not one, not two, but three TEs with a receiving skill set.

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Baltimore already has an identity as a power run team with Jackson and Henry. Embrace it. The team could condense its personnel packages to focus on multiple TE sets, featuring both Andrews and Isaiah Likely (assuming Likely re-signs). Similar to how Seattle has kick-started its passing game, a dose of heavy fronts would entice defenses to respond with fewer defenders in coverage. The result? More open throwing lanes for Jackson.

Way-too-early fantasy QB rankings for 2026

1. Josh Allen, Bills

2. Drake Maye, Patriots

3. Lamar Jackson, Ravens

4. Jalen Hurts, Eagles

5. Jayden Daniels, Commanders

6. Joe Burrow, Bengals

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7. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

8. Brock Purdy, 49ers

9. Dak Prescott, Cowboys

10. Justin Herbert, Chargers

11. Jaxson Dart, Giants

12. Caleb Williams, Bears

The 2025 fantasy football season gave us two paths to succeeding at the tight end position:

1. Draft Trey McBride

2. Punt, play the value game

McBride’s smash year obviously left a mark. His 119 catches (and 161 targets) are both records for the tight end position. His 302.4 points in full-PPR scoring ranks fifth all-time, trailing Rob Gronkowski (2011), Travis Kelce (2020, 2022) and Jimmy Graham (2013). McBride ranked fourth on the Yahoo MVP list, the chart of the players most commonly on the top-500 teams in Yahoo Public Leagues. If you landed on McBride, you picked a winner.

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But you need to power-scroll down that MVP list to find additional tight ends. McBride was on 37.2% of the best teams. After that, among the tight ends, we’re looking at Harold Fannin Jr. (11.8%), Kyle Pitts Sr. (11.4%), Brenton Strange (9.8%) and Darren Waller (9.0%). It can be argued that Strange and Waller are mostly on this list because they reflect how winning managers play, not that they necessarily drove winning managers to success.

Top TE scorers (through 17 weeks)

1. Trey McBride, Cardinals — 242.9 half-ppr points

2. Kyle Pitts Sr., Falcons — 158

3. Dallas Goedert, Eagles — 155.1

4. Travie Kelce, Chiefs — 152.5

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5. Harold Fannin Jr., Browns — 150.4

6. Jake Ferguson, Cowboys — 146.1

7. Tyler Warren, Colts — 145.4

8. Brock Bowers, Raiders — 144.2

9. Hunter Henry, Patriots — 140.7

10. Juwan Johnson, Saints — 135.8

11. George Kittle, 49ers — 127.6

12. Dalton Schultz, Texans — 127.4

If you lump all the tight ends into the wide receiver bucket, McBride comes out as the WR5. He was the right answer here. But it’s tricky to guess where McBride’s story might be headed.

Kyler Murray hasn’t been able to deliver the ball to McBride consistently in the red zone, and although McBride and Jacoby Brissett had a wonderful couple of months this year, that’s not a sustainable business model. The Cardinals are 3-13 and might fire the entire coaching staff. Can they make things work with Murray, who’s at a crossroads at the end of his age-28 season? Brissett is 33, and for all his fun moments this year, Arizona went 1-11 on his watch.

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McBride’s ADP will rise to the first or second round next year, and I don’t think I’ll pay the freight. But even mock draft season is a ways off. This is all a pencil sketch; nothing committed to ink yet.

[2025 Fantasy Exit Interviews: QB | RB | WR | TE]

The only tight ends within hailing distance of McBride this year on a per-game basis were the injured stars: George Kittle, Tucker Kraft and Brock Bowers. They played 10, 8 and 12 games, respectively. Kraft would have been a screaming right answer if he hadn’t suffered a torn ACL in Week 9.

Kittle also could have had a special season if health allowed for it. He’s sitting on 52-599-7 for his 10 games, and teammate Jake Tonges has a 24-293-5 log. It’s cheating to combine their stats because Tonges can also produce while Kittle is playing, but stick with the bit. The two tight ends combine for a lovely 76-892-12 line this year, which gets you to about 200 fantasy points. That would be TE2 on this board, or WR8 if you lump the tight ends with the wideouts.

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Whatever they’re paying Kyle Shanahan, it probably isn’t enough. His passing-game pieces were consistently hurt all year, but he kept finding ways to win.

2025 Booms at Tight End

The Rookies: Fannin was a miracle worker in Cleveland, charting as the TE5 despite spotty quarterback play around him. I don’t know if Kevin Stefanski will survive after the year, but he was creative with Fannin from Day 1, to success. Tyler Warren (TE7) had a fast start and easily returned his ADP, while Colston Loveland (TE14) was more of a second-half star (three smash games after Week 8). Initially, I worried that the Bears took the wrong tight end, but that feels silly now. Oronde Gadsden II (TE17) was part of a crowded tree with the Chargers but had several useful weeks.

The success of this rookie group encourages us to be open-minded with future rookie classes. Kenyon Sadiq of Oregon is considered the No. 1 prospect for 2026.

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The Comeback: Sometimes it’s hard to remember that Pitts is just 25. His season popped late in the year when Drake London and Michael Penix Jr. were both hurt; in one four-game sequence, Pitts rolled up a 31-395-4 line (including a three-touchdown explosion at Tampa Bay). Pitts timed the resurgence well, heading into his free-agent period. From out of nowhere, he finished TE2 this year. He was also second in targets (109), though that was a whopping 52 opportunities below McBride.

Old and Boring — but Useful: Time-honored touchdown deodorant was the story for Dallas Goedert (TE3), Jake Ferguson (TE6) and Hunter Henry (TE9); that trio combined for 25 spikes in all. The six-point plays were essential for Goedert and Henry, because they had just 82 and 80 targets, respectively.

The Sleeper: Juwan Johnson received a juicy extension before the year and if you followed the money, you were rewarded. Johnson pushed off to a strong start and it was a legitimate signal, the start of a useful (if not quite seismic) TE10 season. The Saints are looking up, with Kellen Moore a savvy hire at head coach and QB Tyler Shough an interesting player, no matter that he’s already 26.

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2025 Busts at Tight End

Injuries, still the worst: Bowers didn’t return his second-round ADP because his health wouldn’t allow it, though Geno Smith was also a hindrance. Kittle and Sam LaPorta missed significant time, too.

Sometimes Old is just Old: The Broncos envisioned Evan Engram as the joker in their passing game, but the joke was on them. Engram scored just one touchdown and had 47 catches that no one remembers. T.J. Hockenson (51-438-3) wasn’t helped by a messy Minnesota QB room, but he doesn’t have much explosiveness left. He averaged just 8.6 yards a catch. The Ravens extended Mark Andrews for some reason, not sure why. Isaiah Likely isn’t exactly the same player, but he is five years younger. To be fair to Andrews, his lost season was also tied to Lamar Jackson, who was hurt midseason and ineffective after that.

Farewell to Kelce?

Travis Kelce deserves his own category, finishing up what’s likely his final NFL season. His TE4 finish this year was mostly about playing every game; a 73-839-5 log is solid but below his peak, obviously. He’s a walk-in Hall of Famer, and surely on the Mount Rushmore for all-time tight ends. (How about Rob Gronkowski, Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates and Travis Kelce as the Fab 4? I like the sound of that.)

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If we examine the seasonal scans for Kelce at the bottom of his Football-Reference page, this is what we get: TE8, TE7, TE1, TE2, TE1, TE1, TE1, TE1, TE2, TE1, TE3, TE10, TE4. That’s just absurd. I still think peak Gronkowski was the best tight end in NFL history, but Kelce easily goes down as the best cumulative fantasy tight end in history.

Way Too Early 2026 TE Rankings

1. Trey McBride, Cardinals

2. Brock Bowers, Raiders

3. George Kittle, 49ers

4. *Tucker Kraft, Packers

5. Tyler Warren, Colts

6. Kyle Pitts Sr., Falcons

7. Harold Fannin Jr., Browns

8. Colston Loveland, Bears

9. Jake Ferguson, Cowboys

10. Dallas Goedert, Eagles

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11. Juwan Johnson, Saints

12. Oronde Gadsden II, Chargers

The Dallas Cowboys are walking away from a player who once looked like the future of the franchise. The team reportedly released cornerback Trevon Diggs on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.

The move comes just two years after the team signed Diggs to a five-year, $97 million extension.

The 27-year-old will be subject to waivers before hitting the free-agent market. Due to the nature of Diggs’ contract, a team would have to pay Diggs his $472,000 base salary for Week 18 and $58,823 if he’s active for the game, per ESPN’s Field Yates.

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Since the rest of Diggs’ contract wasn’t guaranteed, the team that claims him wouldn’t be on the hook for the remaining roughly $55 million Diggs would have received over the next three seasons if he remained with the Cowboys.

The possibility of Diggs being cut at age 27 seemed extremely unlikely after his first few seasons in the NFL. After being selected by the Cowboys in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Diggs turned in a modest rookie season.

He burst onto the scene in his second year, however, leading the NFL with 11 interceptions. That performance earned Diggs the first of two straight Pro Bowl nods and made him a first-team All-Pro.

He followed that up with a strong third season, picking off three passes and earning another Pro Bowl appearance.

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Coming off two straight excellent seasons, Diggs was given a five-year, $97 million extension from the Cowboys in July of 2023. That deal proved to be ill-timed. Diggs played in just two games that season, tearing his ACL in practice ahead of Week 3. He was off to a decent start, already registering an interception and three passes defended before going down for the season.

Though he was able to return in 2024 in time to play in Week 1, Diggs didn’t grade out well once back on the field, per PFF. After missing time late in the season with a groin injury, it was announced Diggs would sit out the remainder of the year to have surgery on the same knee in which he tore his ACL in 2023.

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Diggs missed time in the offseason and training camp while recovering from surgery. He was able to return in time to play in Week 1, but once again posted poor metrics before a concussion sidelined him after just six games.

After sitting out eight games, Diggs returned to play in Week 16 despite the Cowboys already being eliminated from the playoffs. He registered six tackles in the contest. Diggs then played again just four days later, when the Cowboys took on the Washington Commanders on Christmas. Diggs played every single defensive snap for the Cowboys during that contest.

Five days later, the Cowboys decided to release the former All-Pro.

If Diggs was upset about the situation, he didn’t show it Wednesday. The cornerback released a statement, thanking the Cowboys’ organization, coaches and fans.

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer also spoke about the decision Wednesday. While he wished Diggs the best, Schottenheimer said the release was a combination of multiple factors, including Diggs’ performance.

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Schottenheimer also said there was an incident last week in which Diggs asked to stay in the Washington, D.C. area after last week’s game. Schottenheimer reportedly said no, but Diggs stayed anyway. Schottenheimer said that was one of many factors that led to Diggs’ release.

Diggs’ release came on the same day his brother, New England Patriots wideout Stefon Diggs, was charged with assault and strangulation stemming from an alleged incident Dec. 2.

Each new sporting year brings with it its own sense of the unknown. After all, what would sports be if we knew the outcome ahead of time?

2026 gives us one of the most packed sports schedules yet. Here are six burning questions tied to some of the biggest events:

Super Bowl LX (Feb. 8)

Question to answer: Will the 60th Super Bowl be a changing of the guard?

For fans of a certain age, Dec. 14, 2025, was a turning point of sorts in NFL history.

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With the elimination of the Kansas City Chiefs from the postseason race, it guaranteed Patrick Mahomes would miss the playoffs, finally halting an iconic string of generational quarterback handoffs. Not since 1998 had an NFL postseason featured a field of teams without at least one of three Mt. Rushmore Super Bowl era quarterbacks.

No Mahomes. No Tom Brady. No Peyton Manning. No clue who this postseason runs through.

It’s a fitting setup for Super Bowl LX in February at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. As 2025 turns into 2026, the 60th rendition of the NFL’s biggest stage is teasing a mysterious matchup silhouette, with two of the AFC’s top seeds — the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos — being stewarded by a combination of second-year quarterbacks in Drake Maye and Bo Nix, and top-rung head coaches in Mike Vrabel and Sean Payton.

The intrigue at the top of the NFC side comes from the experience of two quarterbacks who have already made their mark on the game — the Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford, who won Super Bowl LVI, and the Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, who walked off with the hardware one year ago.

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Even the favorites aren’t the overriding story, with the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars and Patriots all streaking into the playoffs in the first season of their new head coaches, with both the Bears and Patriots pulling off the feat by vaulting from last-to-first in their respective divisions. And the San Francisco 49ers have been one of the stunning storylines of the season, overcoming a massive wave of offseason departures and in-season injuries to recover from 6-11 in 2024 to a playoff bid.

All of those storylines and parity have created a nirvana of sorts for the NFL, which set a record for the most-viewed regular-season game in league history on Thanksgiving, with the Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys obliterating the previous record of 42.1 million in 2022 and resetting the ceiling at a jaw-wagging 57.2 viewers.

The NFL is hoping for more of the same when it comes to this upcoming Super Bowl, which might as well be rebranded the Chaos Bowl given the number of teams that have a legitimate shot at winning it. As it stands, the league’s widening delivery platforms and embrace of gambling on the Super Bowl have resulted in three straight years of record-breaking audiences from 2023 to 2025. The aim is for 2026 to be the four-peat of raising the bar.

With this kind of parity and drama heading into the playoffs it’s doubtful many will be betting against it.
— Charles Robinson

2026 Winter Olympics (Feb. 6-22)

Question to answer in 2026: Are one-city Olympic hosts a thing of the past?

The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics will mark the first Games co-hosted by multiple cities. Why is that important? Well, because it highlights the increasing difficulty of finding locations capable of hosting a winter event of this magnitude. In 2030, the host will be the French Alps, a geographically liberal designation for a Games that will take place from Haute-Savoie in the north all the way down to Nice, some 400 miles south. In 2034, the Winter Games head back to the very reliable Salt Lake City — designated Utah 2034 — with much of its infrastructure still very much in place from when it held the Games in 2002.

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As for these 2026 Games, the biggest story will be the return of Lindsey Vonn, the legendary skier who retired six years ago but is making a comeback on a replaced knee at age 41. Mikaela Shiffrin will join her on the mountain, looking to redeem herself after a disastrous 2022 Games in Beijing where, well … best to not revisit that. NHL players are also back, though not the Russians, who are banned from team competition. And Chloe Kim will look to continue her domination in the women’s snowboard halfpipe with a third straight gold medal.
— Jay Hart

2026 World Baseball Classic (March 5-17)

Question to answer in 2026: Can Team USA get back to global prominence?

Between the Winter Olympics in February and the World Cup over the summer, comes baseball’s most prominent international tournament, the World Baseball Classic. The tournament will feature pool play at four sites around the globe — Tokyo, San Juan, Houston and Miami — before concluding with the semifinals and championship game in Miami in mid-March. The WBC might not harbor as much history as the other iconic global sporting competitions — 2026 will mark just the sixth iteration of the tournament — but it has quickly escalated in popularity and importance among fans and players alike, priming the upcoming edition to be the most talent-rich yet.

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A lot has changed in baseball since 2023’s dramatic finale, which featured Shohei Ohtani striking out Mike Trout to defeat Team USA and clinch the third title for Japan, including starkly different trajectories for those two main characters. Trout’s star power has unfortunately dimmed considerably, while Ohtani’s burns brighter than ever. But with Ohtani expected to headline Samurai Japan’s effort to retain its crown and a new wave of superstars leading Team USA — including Yankees captain Aaron Judge, Mariners standout slugger Cal Raleigh and Pirates ace Paul Skenes — a high-stakes USA vs. Japan rematch remains a tantalizing possibility.

That’s not to say those will be the only two teams making a push for the WBC title: Dominican Republic and Venezuela promise to feature a wealth of All-Star talent on their rosters. Puerto Rico and Mexico consistently perform well in international competition. And as with any tournament of this ilk, underdogs are sure to emerge from the 20-team field and perhaps topple some of the favorites. South Korea, Canada, Colombia and Italy project to have their best teams yet, heightening the likelihood of a thrilling upset at some point along the way.

All of it has the makings of another memorable few weeks of international baseball, a welcome jolt of high-stakes action leading up to MLB’s Opening Day on March 25.
— Jordan Shusterman

2026 WNBA collective bargaining agreement (date TBD)

Question to answer in 2026: How will the WNBA’s next collective bargaining agreement shape the future of women’s sports?

There is one aspect of the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement negotiations that everyone involved has agreed upon from the start. It’s that the “transformational” document could change women’s sports forever. There will be no greater moment in the sport than the day a CBA is passed, and more critically, if it’s done in time for the 2026 season to begin on time. The league and union have already pushed the deadline twice, extending it to Jan. 9.

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Women’s sports leagues and organizations have long followed the WNBA’s footsteps after it became the first to pass a CBA in 1999. They’re now paying close attention while players push for a revenue-sharing structure that would allow their salaries to increase as the business of the WNBA climbs. Yet, for as much attention as the money has garnered, there are down-ballot issues that could play significant roles.

Will the schedule and/or rosters expand? Will practice facility requirements be standardized? Will prioritization go the distance, preventing players from taking part in offseason leagues?

All of this is contingent upon a new deal being put in place. If the sides don’t come to an agreement, the league would not only begin its first work stoppage, but also enter dangerous territory. Alternative leagues like Unrivaled, AU Basketball and Project B could take advantage. And most pro leagues experience dips in fan interest upon returns from missed games, a step back the WNBA and its players won’t want to take after a decade of gains. The moment has never been heavier than it is ahead of the league’s 30th anniversary.
— Cassandra Negley

World Cup (June 11-July 19)

Question to answer in 2026: How will the USMNT fare in the biggest World Cup ever?

The stage is set for a breakthrough moment: a World Cup at home, a team finding its way under a renowned coach, a collection of European-seasoned players at a prime age … it all seems to be falling into place.

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The Americans are keen to reach the quarterfinals after a 24-year wait, which would be not only a quantum leap for the program but a jolt for the sport in this country. With the expanded 48-team tournament in North America for the first time since 1994, the U.S. team will have the public’s attention. Here’s the best chance to advance multiple causes and springboard soccer to new heights.

Mauricio Pochettino, who has coached major European clubs but never a national team, has instilled a strong culture and deployed a tactical approach players have embraced. Growing in confidence, the U.S. team promises to be competitive and hard to beat. But is it good enough to make a deep run and galvanize the country?

Good results in recent friendlies have offered optimism, but friendlies are not feverish World Cup matches, where every mistake is magnified. Led by Christian Pulisic, a veteran core will seek to go one step further than four years ago in Qatar. Finishing first in a manageable group would set a favorable course, but the true test of American resolve would come in do-or-die knockout games.
— Steven Goff

UFC at the White House (tentatively June 14)

Question to answer in 2026: What should we actually expect from the UFC’s White House event?

From the beginning, it had the feel of a plan that had been spoken, suddenly and without much forethought, into immediate existence. A UFC event at the White House. On the White House lawn, in fact, with a hand-picked crowd watching from cageside and a live TV broadcast beamed out to the rest of us plebs. The phrase “bread and circuses” springs to mind.

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But what should we actually expect from the UFC’s White House event? It’s a tricky question, mostly because we’re dealing with two of the all-time great hyperbole merchants in U.S. President Donald Trump and UFC CEO Dana White.

For instance, Trump recently told reporters the event would include “eight or nine championship fights, the biggest fights [the UFC has] ever had.” (There are only 11 divisions with titles that currently exist in the UFC.) He went on to claim that White is “holding back fights right now” in order to make this dream lineup possible. That would probably be unwelcome news to Paramount, the UFC’s new broadcast partner, which is paying roughly $1 billion per year for the broadcast rights and would probably not like to see the first six months of this deal stunted by title fight rationing.

There’s also the question of who will be there. According to White, tickets to this event will not be available to the public. It’s going to be a small and likely carefully curated crowd, likely not packed with genuine fight fans.

So what can we count on from this event? The one guarantee is it’ll be an all-out Trump lovefest. No pro sports organization has embraced this president more eagerly or enthusiastically than the UFC. When Trump attends UFC events, he gets an entrance on par with any UFC champion. One camera stays trained on him throughout the broadcast, ready to cut to shots of him reacting to every fight finish, like he’s Taylor Swift at a Kansas City Chiefs game.

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If that’s what happens when the event takes place at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, just imagine how much the UFC will crank up that energy for an event at the White House that just happens to take place on or near Trump’s 80th birthday. The UFC may be the one bringing the cage and the fighters (and according to White, paying to repair the White House lawn once it’s over), but expect to be reminded many times over the course of the evening that it’s Trump who deserves the glory.
— Ben Fowlkes

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson returned to practice as a full participant Wednesday ahead of Sunday night’s AFC North title game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 8-8 Ravens and 9-7 Steelers will battle for the division crown under the lights of Acrisure Stadium.

Baltimore has confidence in backup Tyler Huntley, who helped the Ravens snap a four-game skid earlier this season and then kept their playoff hopes alive with a 41-24 road win over the Green Bay Packers last week. But they’d like to have their two-time NFL MVP playing with a trip to the playoffs on the line.

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With Jackson’s practice appearance Wednesday, there’s a chance he has a full week of practice for the first time since Week 10. For reference, that was in the lead-up to a 27-19 road win versus the Minnesota Vikings on Nov. 9.

Jackson has since rarely participated in the first practice of the week. In fact, he did so only once from Weeks 11-17, and that was in Week 14 before Baltimore’s first matchup with Pittsburgh this season.

Jackson didn’t practice at all last week. He was sidelined by a back contusion he suffered during the first half of a Week 16 loss to the New England Patriots. Head coach John Harbaugh described the injury as a deep-tissue contusion last week.

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Normally the most potent dual-threat quarterback in the NFL, Jackson’s mobility hasn’t been as lethal of a weapon this season, during which he’s juggled a collection of injuries.

First he missed three games with a hamstring injury. Jackson, whose 2022 and 2021 seasons were cut short by knee and ankle issues, respectively, was one of several Ravens players banged up early in the 2025 campaign, as Baltimore slumped to a 1-5 start.

After he returned in Week 9, he was sidelined and limited in practices with knee, ankle, toe and back injuries. But his absence against the Packers marked his first missed game since Week 8.

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Harbaugh said Monday that Jackson’s status for the regular-season finale was “to be determined,” and he expected to know a lot more Wednesday.

“Our confidence in Tyler is a real big positive, a real plus,” Harbaugh said at the time. “But it doesn’t factor into whether Lamar plays. If Lamar’s ready to go, he’s playing. That’s it. For sure.”

Harbaugh said Wednesday that Jackson “looked good” in his return to practice.

The Ravens winning against the Packers and the Steelers losing against the Cleveland Browns last week set the stage for the Week 18 winner-take-all game in Pittsburgh.

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Baltimore is just 3-5 in Jackson’s eight career starts against the Steelers, although the Ravens beat their arch-rival twice last season, including in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

New England Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs has reportedly been charged with felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery charges as the result of an alleged Dec. 2 incident, according to Boston 25 News.

According to the police report, the alleged victim, who identified herself as Diggs’ personal chef, claimed the incident occurred during a dispute over her pay. The victim alleged Diggs hit her and placed his hands around her neck, causing her to struggle to breathe and to feel lightheaded.

“She said that she is normally paid by wire transfer, and the initial agreement was for weekly pay. She said that since she has been working, she has been getting paid monthly instead,” according to the police report. “As of now, she said that she still believes she is owed a month’s pay.”

“You will be paying me out for the season & the money you said you would give me,” the victim, who told police she had worked for Diggs since July, wrote in a text to the Patriots receiver.

“I don’t gotta do a mf thing…You can get whoever you want,” Diggs responded. “You got my address, tell them come take the money.”

After the alleged assault took place, the victim told police that she received messages from Diggs asking her to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

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Diggs made a remote court appearance Tuesday morning with his attorney attempting to have the police report impounded. Attorney Michael DiStefano argued that the details of the charges should remain sealed. DiStefano also reportedly told the court that Diggs offered a financial settlement to resolve the issue with the alleged victim.

“As we speak, they’re working to come to an agreement on that,” DiStefano said.

“The New England Patriots are aware of the accusations that have been made regarding Stefon Diggs,” read a statement from the team on Tuesday. “Stefon has informed the organization that he categorically denies the allegations. We support Stefon. We will continue to gather information and will cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities and the NFL as necessary. Out of respect for all parties involved, and given that this is an ongoing legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.”

Another attorney for Diggs, David Meier, sent a statement to ESPN that said the allegations were “unsubstantiated.”

” Stefon Diggs categorically denies these allegations,” Meier said. “They are unsubstantiated, uncorroborated, and were never investigated — because they did not occur. The timing and motivation for making the allegations is crystal clear: they are the direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction. Stefon looks forward to establishing the truth in a court of law.”

The NFL also released a statement that read, “We are aware of the matter and have been in contact with the club. We have no further comment at this time.”

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On Wednesday, the NFL said the Diggs incident is under review under the league’s personal conduct policy, but that he was available to play for now.

There is a Jan. 23 scheduled arraignment for Diggs. Should the Patriots advance in the NFL playoffs, the AFC championship game is set for Sunday, Jan. 25.

The judge in the case will reportedly consider a request to extend the arraignment date to March.

The 32-year-old Diggs is in his 11th NFL season and first with the Patriots after signing a three-year, $69 million to join the team in March. Through 16 games this season he has 82 receptions for 970 yards and four touchdowns.

Content warning: This story contains descriptions of alleged domestic assault.

New England Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore is reportedly facing a domestic-assault charge stemming from an incident in August, new court documents revealed Wednesday.

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Barmore, 26, was charged with one count of assault and battery on a family/household member, per WCVB TV in Boston.

The alleged incident reportedly took place Aug. 8. Barmore’s then-girlfriend said the two got into arguments over the temperature of the house and food. As she attempted to leave the house, the woman claimed Barmore took the victim’s phone. The woman then tried to leave the house and scream for help, but alleged she was thrown to the ground by Barmore, who then grabbed the woman’s shirt in the neck area before letting her up.

A criminal complaint was issued against Barmore on Dec. 16. He is set to be arraigned Feb. 3, five days before the Super Bowl. With one week left in the regular season, the Patriots have already secured a spot in the playoffs, and have a shot at earning the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

It marks the second major legal issue the team faced in the past 24 hours. On Tuesday, it was reported that star wideout Stefon Diggs faced charges of assault and strangulation after an alleged Dec. 2 incident.

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Both the Patriots and the NFL acknowledged they were aware of the charges against Diggs and declined further comment.

The team took a similar approach with Barmore on Wednesday, saying it was aware of the situation and was cooperating with the league.

Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel spoke with local media Wednesday, where he addressed both situations. Vrabel stressed that both Diggs and Barmore were dealing with allegations and that those shouldn’t distract them or the team from staying on task in Week 18.

The NFL weighed in on the situation Wednesday, with the league saying Barmore’s incident was under review under the league’s personal-conduct policy. It added that Barmore — and Diggs — are both eligible to continue playing for now.

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After being selected by the Patriots in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Barmore has developed into a mainstay on the defensive line. He started 15 of 16 games this season, picking up 26 tackles and a sack.

In addition to welcoming the new year, Jan. 1 serves as a de facto midpoint of baseball’s offseason. It has been just about two months since the Dodgers hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy as back-to-back champs, and we’re roughly two months away from spring training games commencing in Arizona and Florida.

By some measures, this halfway mark is reflected in the amount of transactional activity that has occurred thus far, as 28 of our Top 50 free agents have signed new deals. But a closer look at our rankings makes it clear that there’s a substantial amount of important business left to be settled: Eight of our top 15 free agents are still unsigned, including three of the top four.

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While it’s hardly uncommon for some top free agents to linger on the market into February, this plethora of unsigned stars — plus a handful of high-profile trade candidates and several contending teams that have yet to make any major moves — sets the stage for January to be an especially compelling month across MLB. There is plenty to be resolved before pitchers and catchers report to camp in mid-February.

Here are the eight biggest questions that will be answered in the coming weeks.

1. Who will sign Kyle Tucker?

After consecutive offseasons with generational talents inking gargantuan, historic contracts in Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto, Tucker entered this winter as a relatively underwhelming Best Free Agent Available, with a fraction of the hype and fanfare often associated with the player carrying that label. But even if Tucker was unlikely to produce a frenzied bidding war like recent premier free agents, it’s interesting that we’ve made it to 2026 with barely any buzz about his potential suitors, outside of a reported visit to the Blue Jays’ spring training facility in Dunedin (conveniently located near Tucker’s hometown, Tampa). This lack of clarity is a stark contrast to Ohtani and Soto, whose deals were signed and sealed by mid-December, and it makes Tucker’s free agency top of mind as we begin the new year.

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While the Jays loom as a logical landing spot for Tucker, that seems to have as much to do with their being one of the few teams willing to dole out the kind of megadeal he’s seeking as it does with their roster being the cleanest fit for his services. Toronto is clearly ready to spend, having made the biggest splash of this offseason so far by signing right-hander Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million deal. It’s unclear if the team’s interest in Tucker supersedes its goal of retaining homegrown star Bo Bichette, another top free agent still unsigned.

Look beyond Toronto, and it’s not clear which other clubs are eager to splurge on Tucker as a franchise anchor. The Cubs don’t seem especially keen on a reunion, even after paying a hefty price to acquire Tucker from Houston a year ago. The Dodgers have room in their outfield but limited appetite to hand out a deal of significant length. The Phillies’ outfield doesn’t project particularly favorably, but they seem content with their addition of Adolis García and are ready to give top prospect Justin Crawford some playing time. The Giants have a clear opening in right field but reportedly aren’t eager to spend at the top of the market.

For as cloudy as the outlook is now, a suitor will eventually emerge. And no matter which team ultimately signs him, Tucker’s deal promises to impact the rest of the market.

2. When will the starting pitching market shake loose?

Besides Toronto moving quickly and aggressively to sign Cease, we’ve yet to see many starting pitchers find homes in new rotations, either in free agency or via trade. The largest non-Cease deals for starters so far have involved pitchers staying put, including Michael King re-signing with San Diego, Brandon Woodruff and Shota Imanaga accepting qualifying offers, and Merrill Kelly returning to Arizona after a cameo with Texas. We’ve also seen some pitchers return from Asian leagues to sign major-league deals, including Cody Ponce (Blue Jays), Anthony Kay (White Sox), Ryan Weiss (Astros) and Foster Griffin (Nationals), plus a few lower-profile arms changing threads in Adrian Houser (Giants), Dustin May (Cardinals) and Tyler Mahle (Giants).

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But several intriguing rotation options remain unsigned, including nine of the 18 starting pitchers on our Top 50. That group is headlined by left-handers Framber Valdez and Ranger Suárez, and it includes accomplished right-handers Zac Gallen and Lucas Giolito, who could certainly strengthen a starting staff. Giolito recently spoke to how quiet the market has been thus far in his experience, but based on the number of notable arms unsigned, it seems he’s not alone. One domino that could help kickstart some movement is Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai, whose deadline to sign with an MLB club was Jan. 2, reportedly agreeing on a deal with the Houston Astros. Imai’s landing spot further clarifies which clubs still need to add starting pitching in the weeks to come.

The trade market for starting pitchers has been a bit more active, with Sonny Gray (Red Sox), Shane Baz (Orioles), Johan Oviedo (Red Sox), Mike Burrows (Astros) and Grayson Rodriguez (Angels) dealt already this winter. That said, there are several more impact arms who could be on the move before Opening Day. Miami’s pair of veteran right-handers, Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera, have been in trade rumors for more than a year. Perhaps the new front office in Washington will deal MacKenzie Gore for a hefty prospect package. Maybe Milwaukee will trade Freddy Peralta with a year left on his contract, as it did with Corbin Burnes. And speaking of expiring contracts, there’s spicy speculation surrounding Tigers superace Tarik Skubal and whether Detroit would have the stomach to trade the best pitcher on the planet before he reaches free agency next winter.

Whether or not we see a seismic swap involving Skubal or some lesser exchanges league-wide, once free-agent starters start to come off the board, don’t be surprised to see a series of trades to address rotations still in need of reinforcements.

3. When will the New York Yankees wake up and do something?

It has been a stunningly quiet offseason in the Bronx, with New York’s lone external addition being Rule 5 pick Cade Winquest from St. Louis. While Winquest’s selection is notable in that New York hadn’t taken a player in the Rule 5 Draft since 2011, that’s not exactly the genre of transaction Yankees fans are used to buzzing about this time of year. Trent Grisham accepting the qualifying offer set an odd tone for the Yankees’ offseason plans, as many expected him to decline the one-year deal in search of a longer pact elsewhere; instead, a sizable salary was committed to Grisham. A trio of unsexy re-signings soon followed, with the returns of utilityman Amed Rosario and pitchers Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn.

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The Yankees’ top offseason priority is yet another in-house name, with free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger reportedly New York’s top target after a fantastic first season in the Bronx. But even if the Yankees re-sign Bellinger and run it back with what was baseball’s most productive outfield in 2025, alongside Grisham and MVP Aaron Judge, is that really all New York is going to do coming off an ALDS exit at the hands of Toronto? And if Bellinger lands elsewhere, how will general manager Brian Cashman pivot in an effort to meaningfully improve the roster?

How the Yankees proceed from here will hinge on team owner Hal Steinbrenner’s willingness to push the payroll to new heights. Any amount of penny-pinching at this point is likely to result in Bellinger departing and/or a roster that looks almost entirely unchanged from 2025. And it’s difficult to imagine that being received particularly well among Yankees fans.

4. Do the Orioles have another big move in them?

While the Yankees have stayed on the hot stove sideline, the rest of the AL East has been plenty active. The Blue Jays have spent more than any other club in free agency ($277 million) and are looking to add more. The Rays have made a couple of major trades to shake up their roster and bolster their farm system. The Red Sox haven’t signed any free agents but have added three big-league pieces via trades for starters Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo and a big bat in Willson Contreras.

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And perhaps no team in baseball has been busier than the Baltimore Orioles, who handed out the largest contract to a free-agent hitter thus far (Pete Alonso, $155M) and parted with the largest prospect package so far in a trade to land Shane Baz from Tampa Bay. Add the acquisition of slugger Taylor Ward to co-star with Alonso in the heart of the order, the signing of closer Ryan Helsley and the return of right-hander Zach Eflin, and it’s clear that Baltimore is focused on retooling the roster to ensure better results after a miserably disappointing 2025.

Yet for all the Orioles have done this offseason, it’s hard not to wonder if there’s more to come before the club opens camp in Sarasota. Adding an impact starting pitcher was a stated priority for president of baseball operations Mike Elias at the outset of the offseason, and while Baz could become that caliber of pitcher with the right tweaks, he doesn’t quite fit the bill of what Baltimore seemed to be searching for. As mentioned above, several starters with gaudier résumés than Baz’s remain available on the free-agent and trade markets, and the O’s remain an ideal landing spot for one of those arms. It has already been an exciting winter in Birdland, but reeling in one more top-tier rotation arm would be the perfect finishing touch for Elias and Co.

5. Will Ketel Marte be traded?

If the D-backs decide to trade Ketel Marte — comfortably the best second baseman in baseball — that would be a humongous transaction that could fundamentally alter his new club’s outlook entering 2026 (not to mention what would be an enormous return for the Snakes). The latest reports out of Arizona suggest that a resolution one way or another is expected soon, with general manager Mike Hazen preferring to move on with the rest of the club’s offseason rather than stay stuck in the haze of uncertainty. That’s an understandable sentiment considering the state of Arizona’s pitching staff: considerably undermanned relative to the team’s stout position-player group and in need of an addition. If upgrades aren’t going to come via a Marte trade, it’s important for the Snakes to add on the mound via other avenues sooner rather than later.

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In the event that Marte stays put, who will be the best hitter traded this offseason? Willson Contreras, Taylor Ward, Brandon Lowe, Jeff McNeil, Brandon Nimmo and Marcus Semien represent the most significant position players dealt so far, but there’s bound to be a few more major bats traded before Opening Day. Beyond Marte, St. Louis’ Brendan Donovan represents an exciting alternative for teams seeking a second baseman and could net a major return.

The Cardinals are also still trying to trade Nolan Arenado, just as they were a year ago. It would make plenty of sense for the Red Sox to trade from their surplus of outfielders, making Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu names to watch. Chicago center fielder Luis Robert Jr. remains an enticing target for his upside, but the White Sox seem to be keeping his price quite high. Of course, the most fun trades are the ones that none of us sees coming, so maybe there will be another high-profile hitter on the move in the coming weeks.

6. How will the Mets fill out their new-look roster?

Having dramatically purged four of the franchise’s most prominent players from the past decade — Pete Alonso, Edwin Díaz, Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil, all through varying means of baseball breakups — the Mets are seemingly in the early stages of reshaping their roster. So far, those players’ exits are carrying notably more weight than the additions the team has made.

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Now, it’s worth noting that the Mets have added four major leaguers projected to play key roles in Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Marcus Semien and Jorge Polanco — very few other teams have added as much to their major-league roster this offseason. But because such a staggering amount of talent has departed from Queens, it feels like the Mets haven’t taken a meaningful step forward yet.

Given how much of a disaster 2025 was, it’s understandable, if even logical, for president of baseball operations David Stearns to want to shake up the roster in a serious way around franchise anchors Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto. But now it’s on Stearns and team owner Steve Cohen to chart an appropriately aggressive path forward to ensure that a club with a payroll in excess of $300 million doesn’t miss the postseason in consecutive years. There’s still impact talent available in free agency and on the trade market for the Mets to improve their squad and reenergize an emotionally spent fan base.

7. Will Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette find new homes?

Beyond Kyle Tucker in the top spot, Bregman and Bichette are the top free-agent hitters who remain unsigned into the new year. But unlike Tucker, who is widely expected to leave the Cubs after his one year on the North Side, these two infielders entered the winter under the assumption that their incumbent clubs would be aggressive in trying to retain them, considering their outsized importance to their respective franchises.

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Bichette has spent nearly a decade in the Blue Jays’ organization and has been vocal about his desire to stay in Toronto and chase a championship with his close friend Vladimir Guerrero Jr., a dream that was nearly realized in 2025 thanks to the co-stars’ epic efforts against the Dodgers in the World Series. Seeing Bichette in a different uniform would be as jarring as any free-agent move this winter (though Pete Alonso rocking an Orioles jersey is the clear leader in that clubhouse for now). With far more teams needing second basemen than shortstops this offseason, Bichette has reportedly expressed a willingness to move to second, where his defense profiles better long-term. If that’s relevant in the event he stays in Toronto or the Jays revert to the alignment that had Bichette at short remains to be seen, but Bichette’s bat matters most, whether atop Toronto’s lineup or strengthening another contender’s offense.

Bregman’s sample of impact in Boston is far shorter than Bichette’s in Toronto, but he was exactly what Boston was looking for both on and off the field after signing as a free agent a year ago and could fill a crucial role in the infield if he remains. Bregman reportedly has several suitors, including the D-backs, Cubs and, intriguingly, the Blue Jays, which means his landing spot could influence Bichette’s and vice versa (especially with Boston reportedly eyeing Bichette as a Bregman backup plan). Also worth considering: Will Bregman be comfortable with his free agency stretching into spring training the way it did last year? Perhaps a speedier decision this time around could jump-start the rest of the market for free-agent hitters.

8. Can any team do enough to dethrone the Dodgers as preseason favorites?

The champs went into the winter with one clear goal — improving their bullpen — and swiftly did so with the signing of star closer Edwin Díaz to a three-year, $69 million deal. While some uncertainty remains at second base and in the outfield, which could open the door for another impact addition, it’s possible that Díaz represents the Dodgers’ biggest move of the offseason, with the team having boldly addressed its most glaring weakness with the best option available. If that’s the case and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and Co. are essentially finished shopping this winter, is there anything another contender can do between now and Opening Day to put themselves on equal footing with L.A. from a pure roster talent standpoint?

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FanGraphs’ Depth Charts currently project the Dodgers’ roster with a roughly 5-WAR cushion over the next three best teams (Yankees, Blue Jays, Braves), with another group of contenders (Mariners, Mets, Phillies, Red Sox) just below them. This is an imperfect measure of roster quality, but it’s a solid approximation of how much talent each club possesses, and it paints an accurate picture of Los Angeles’ superior position relative to the field.

The Blue Jays remain the most alluring candidates to climb into the Dodgers’ tier, having just pushed L.A. to seven games in the World Series and exhibited a willingness to spend boldly this winter, with more additions seemingly on the way. If the Yankees decide to change course and add aggressively, they too could rise closer to what the Dodgers have on paper. Boston and Philadelphia might each be one or two impact additions away from a championship-caliber roster. Maybe the Mets start spending wildly to dig themselves out of the hole they’ve dug and emerge with a World Series-worthy roster and a payroll larger than the Dodgers’.

The point is, there’s plenty of time left this offseason for other contending clubs to upgrade their rosters and become compelling challengers to the defending champs. But the Dodgers have set the bar quite high and might not be finished adding themselves.

After 21 seasons, Aaron Rodgers might suit up for his final NFL game on Sunday … or maybe not. Rodgers, who can lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to the playoffs with a win in Week 18, was noncommittal about his 2026 plans once his 2025 season is over.

The 42-year-old Rodgers, who signed a one-year deal with the Steelers in June, has put up solid numbers this season. Through 15 games, he has 23 touchdowns against seven interceptions. Those numbers represent a decline compared to Rodgers’ peak seasons, but he has played well enough to help his team win games.

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While Rodgers said he expects he’ll draw interest from “one or two” teams in the offseason, he isn’t sure whether he wants to continue his career in 2026.

Notably, Rodgers said “if I decide I still want to play” while answering the question.

That shouldn’t come as a major surprise, as Rodgers has been noncommittal about his NFL future since at least 2023, when he infamously went on a darkness retreat to reflect on his career.

He ultimately decided to keep playing and was traded to the New York Jets, with whom he sustained a torn Achilles just a few snaps into his first start with the team. He returned in 2024 and put up solid numbers, though the Jets went just 5-12. Following the 2024 season, the Jets announced they would part ways with Rodgers.

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After months of rumors — and speculation over whether he still wanted to play — Rodgers signed with the Steelers on a one-year deal. While he has kept the team in playoff consideration throughout the season, Pittsburgh hasn’t shown a ton of improvement on offense with Rodgers at the helm. After ranking 16th in points scored per game last year, the Steelers rank 15th in that category in 2025.

Even so, the Steelers are in a win-and-in situation in Week 18. If Pittsburgh can defeat the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, the Steelers will make the playoffs for the third straight season.

If the Steelers lose, Rodgers will head home and begin contemplating his future. At this point in his career, he has done more than enough to ensure he’ll be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. With little else to prove, Rodgers will return in 2026 only if he still enjoys playing football.

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That’s the same song and dance Rodgers has performed the past couple of offseasons, but considering his age and potential lack of options on the free-agent market, his flirtation with retirement feels a bit more legitimate this time around.

A couple weeks ago I previewed the top NFL prospects on the teams seeded 5-12 for the College Football Playoff. As the playoff reaches the quarterfinal stage and its respective bowl tie-ins, it’s time to preview the prospects for the top four seeds as they now enter the fray, starting with the defending national champion playing in the New Year’s Eve matchup.

Ohio State

Ohio State is loaded with future NFL talent (again). The Buckeyes have the most future NFL prospects in the playoff and in all of college football (again) this season, and will almost certainly have the most players drafted in the first round (again) and in the entire draft (again).

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LB/edge Arvell Reese

Reese was my No. 2 overall player on my most recent big board and has a real chance to be the top player on my board as this draft cycle continues. He’s a weapon in the front seven who has dominant reps as an edge rusher, but also has the intelligence and range to play as an off-ball linebacker. Reese can take over a game, even when he’s not loading up the box score with sacks, and impact the play in a variety of different roles. He’s a needle-mover in every sense who would be fully unlocked in a creative defensive scheme, but he can improve any type of defense by allowing it to always have its best front seven players on the field. He reminds me a lot of Jaylon Smith at Notre Dame before he suffered his major knee injury.

S Caleb Downs

We’re not finished with Ohio State’s defense. Downs is the back seven version of Reese: an impact player who can be moved around like a chess piece and impact the game in a variety of ways. Safeties have a ceiling on how they go in the NFL Draft, but Downs is the type of player who not only makes plays for himself, but boosts the teammates around him because of what he can unlock. Downs can play in coverage on the back end, from the slot or from the box, and is used as a roving “monster back” at times in front of the safeties with the freedom to read and react to the offense. Downs is a top-10 player in this draft class.

LB Sonny Styles

Reese isn’t the only first-round linebacker the Buckeyes have. His teammate Styles is also rangy, long and intelligent, with the strength to take on blockers in the run game. He’s the epitome of a modern-day NFL linebacker with his speed and ability to play in coverage and even with his ability as a blitzer. Styles is likely to crack the first round in a loaded linebacker class. That’s three potential first-rounders along Ohio State’s defensive spine — and we’re not finished

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NT Kayden McDonald

McDonald has really come along this season in the interior of the Buckeyes’ defensive line. He’s just an average pass rusher, but McDonald has great size (6-foot-3, 326 pounds) and can hold the point against double-teams. He’s been a lot of fun to watch and his value as a run defender should give him plenty of looks in the back half of the first round.

Edges Kenyatta Jackson and Caden Curry

Ohio State has several more potential top-100 defenders, too. Jackson and Curry are firm Day 2 prospects. Curry is a productive player who has a knack for being around the ball and stacking positive plays. Jackson is an underclassman, so we’ll have to see if he declares, but his length and twitch are going to have NFL teams drooling. Jackson has real speed and a frame that he can continue to grow into, but already shows off strong hands and the ability to use speed-to-power. His best performances have come at the end of the season against Michigan and Indiana, and I could see him ending up rising even more throughout the playoffs and draft process and ending up as a first-rounder when it’s all said and done. I can’t wait to watch him against Miami’s offensive line.

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[Get more Buckeyes news: Ohio State team feed]

WR Carnell Tate

On offense, Tate has been this year’s first-round wide receiver. Tate, who I ranked 12th overall on my most recent big board, is a long-legged and fluid athlete with hands and a catching range that allows him to play even bigger than his listed 6-2 size. His sideline catches are a true highlight of his game. Tate can eat up ground with his strides and seems to surprise defenders with how quickly he can close space and threaten the opposition vertically, while also having enough fluidity to consistently throttle speeds and get out of his route breaks. I’m a big fan of Tate and his game.

TE Max Klare

Klare is a Day 2 tight end who is battling behind Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq to be the second tight end off the board. He’s a smooth mover who can create a bit with the ball in his hands and reminds me a little bit of the Texans’ Dalton Schultz.

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Other potential top 100 or mid-round selections

CB Davison Igbinosun

CB Jermaine Mathews Jr.

OT Austin Siereveld

OG Tegra Tshabola

Texas Tech

Edge David Bailey

Bailey, who was the 10th overall player on my most recent big board, is pure heat off the edge. He doesn’t have great size (listed 6-3, 250 pounds), but he’s a dynamic pass rushing threat who constantly takes it to offensive tackles throughout the game and forces offenses to account for him every snap. He’s likely never going to be a plus run defender, but he fights and his improvement in that area has really helped his stock, at least in my eyes.

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Edge Romello Height

Height also lacks size (listed 6-3, 235 pounds) but his speed can overwhelm offensive tackles right after the snap. Height has upside as a pass-rushing dynamo that can be part of a rotation and I like him as a Day 2 prospect.

NT Lee Hunter

Hunter has outstanding size (6-4, 330 pounds) and while he can eat double-teams and space in the middle, he’s also an explosive athlete who can push the pocket and even penetrate right after the snap with a quick first step and active hands. Run stuffers with enough pass-rushing juice to stay on the field for all four downs are valuable. I have Hunter as an early Day 2 prospect, but he could rise even further during this process. I’m a big fan of his game.

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LB Jacob Rodriguez

Rodriguez racks up tackles and turnovers like he’s collecting Pokemon cards. He’s a smart and sound player who has a nose for the football (seven forced fumbles and four interceptions this season). His quick diagnosing skills help him constantly be around the ball, especially in the run game and when blowing up screen plays. Rodriguez’s average size (6-1, 235 pounds) might hinder how high he will be ranked on big boards, but he’s a fun player to watch fly around on this talented defense.

Indiana

QB Fernando Mendoza

Mendoza was my QB1 when I did my too-early big board right after the 2025 draft, and a campaign that produced a Heisman Trophy, an undefeated season, and Indiana’s first Big Ten championship since LBJ was in office has done nothing to change that ranking. I previewed Mendoza in an article in May and will have another breakdown in the coming weeks, but the short version of why he’s the favorite to be the first signal-caller (and player) selected in this spring’s draft is because of his accuracy, footwork, polish, and enough arm strength to attack all parts of the field and get the most out out of whatever play is called. Mendoza might not have the superhero ceiling of recent high-end QB prospects, but it’s higher than he gets credit for. He has enough athleticism to create, and his ball placement, timing and ability to consistently diagnose defenses should let him solidify the offense of whatever struggling NFL team selects him. My high-end comparison for Mendoza is Matt Ryan.

WRs Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt

Indiana is well-coached, but it also has way more talent than I think the general fan gives the Hoosiers credit for. Along with Mendoza, Indiana’s offense has two top-100 wide receivers in Cooper and Sarratt. Cooper is a twitchy receiver who does a lot of damage from the slot, but he has good hands and real ball skills to high-point throws and passes away from his body, and he can work from outside as well. Cooper’s build, explosiveness, and ball skills remind me of a Diet Coke version of Deebo Samuel.

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Saratt is a big-body outside receiver who developed instant chemistry with Mendoza. He’s a weapon in the red zone and on back-shoulder throws, and can consistently win when isolated and in contested catch situations.

LT Carter Smith

Smith is a top-50 prospect who could keep rising because of his play and the play of the rest of this year’s offensive tackle class. He’s a plus run blocker who might end up as a guard at the next level, but he’s more than held his own on the outside in pass protection and could get a shot to hang at right tackle in the NFL.

CB D’Angelo Ponds, S Amare Farrell

The Hoosiers have a couple of talented defensive backs who are smart, constantly make plays and seldom get out of position. Ponds (listed 5-9 and 170 pounds) lacks size, but he is extremely competitive and brings the fight to the receivers he’s guarding. He has no qualms taking on offensive linemen on blocks and is a constant pest to WRs and quarterbacks. Ponds’ size will limit how high he can go, but his always-battling, football-first mentality will win some teams over. Just a pure football player.

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Ferrell is versatile and is very smart on the back end of Indiana’s defense. He is a quick diagnoser who constantly puts himself in position to make plays. I like him on Day 2 and think he has all the makings of a starting safety at the next level.

Other Day 3 prospects

RB Roman Hemby

RB Kaelon Black

Georgia

LB CJ Allen

Georgia is Georgia, so of course the Bulldogs have talent, but “only” a few top 100 players here instead of the usual dozen or so that we’ve been accustomed to. Allen was the 25th overall player on my most recent big board and is Georgia’s best player. He is a classic man in the middle of a defense, a smart player with a quick reaction to what the offense is doing and enough speed and range to cover the pass and run from sideline-to-sideline. Allen is also a strong tackler, and his competitiveness is infectious if you’ve ever watched Georgia over the past three seasons. Another talented linebacker in this year’s class.

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CB Daylen Everette, DT Christen Miller

Everette and Miller are other defensive prospects of note for Georgia. Everette has played a lot of football and has been a solid player over that time, while Miller (listed 6-4, 305 pounds) is a strong run defender but with light enough feet to be used as an attacking interior lineman on slants and defensive line games. I like him as a Day 2 prospect.

WR Zachariah Branch

Branch is dynamic with the ball in his hands underneath or on gadget plays and is one of the best returners in the country. Branch isn’t very big (5-10, 180 pounds), but he has the athletic twitch and big-play potential to always be a threat to pop the game open. I have him graded as a Round 3 player.

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LT Monroe Freeling

Freeling is an excellent athlete with length. He is a former basketball player and he looks like it. He’s explosive out of his stance and is a true weapon in space as a puller or on the second level. Freeling’s athleticism and ability to recover with his light feet and balance give him real potential to be a starting left tackle at the next level. His strength has kept improving, which also lets him anchor more consistently and get real movement at the point of attack in the run game. Freeling is an underclassman and might return to school, but in a wide open offensive tackle class he could end up rising into the first round if he declares. The flashes are bright with Freeling and they keep getting more consistent. He’s a very intriguing player.