Welcome back to The Playlist, your weekly guide to the best waiver adds across 9-cat and standard points leagues. And, as always, many of the Week 13 High Score recommendations (Cam Spencer, Jake LaRavia, Egor Demïn, Ayo Dosunmu and Aaron Nesmith) also hold real value here.
Double-check your wire before digging deeper — several of those guys shouldn’t be sitting in competitive leagues. Also, a handful of teams are playing only two games in Week 13 — the Magic, Pistons, Grizzlies, and Bucks.
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Alright, back to business. Here are the 50%-and-under plays that can help you win Week 12.
Fantasy basketball pickups and advice.
🎧 Who’s in My Rotation: Shallow Leagues
Collin Murray‑Boyles – PF/C, Toronto Raptors (15% rostered)
Murray‑Boyles had a breakout performance on Sunday, notching 17 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 stocks in what was easily his best game as a rookie. The only category missing was a 3, but his all‑around activity profile — particularly on the boards and in defensive stats — is great for fantasy.
With Jakob Poeltl without a clear timetable to return and Toronto also missing Brandon Ingram and RJ Barrett, Murray‑Boyles’ versatility fills the frontcourt gap and gives fantasy managers a legit multi‑category contributor. He’s a must‑add across formats.
Anthony Davis (hand) will be out for a while and P.J. Washington (ankle) is doubtful for Monday, leaving Marshall to play a meaningful role for Dallas. He’s a strong source of rebounds, assists, stocks and 3s relative to his position. The Mavs play four games this week, so with his ability to chip in across multiple categories, I’d make the move to add him. He has staying power beyond Week 13.
Tre Jones – PG/SG, Chicago Bulls (23% rostered)
In a Bulls backcourt still thin without Josh Giddey, Jones is carving out mid‑20 to 30 minutes per night, and with that comes scoring and steals with plenty of assists. Jones is also an underrated rebounder.
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He’s an efficient guard who can fill a stat sheet without hurting you in turnovers, and in a four‑game week for Chicago, he becomes a player worth grabbing for both points and 9‑cat leagues.
🎧 Who’s in My Rotation: Deeper leagues
Zeke Nnaji – PF/C, Denver Nuggets (6% rostered)
The Nuggets frontcourt is a mess due to injuries and Nnaji is filling the void well with Peyton Watson. Nnaji is a player to add in 9-cat leagues, where he finished 51st in per-game value in Week 12 and 88th in Week 11.
He’s been both efficient and productive with his newfound minutes, touching just about every category except assists. He’s under-rostered; I’d add him now.
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Jamal Shead – PG, Toronto Raptors (6% rostered)
Injuries have opened minutes in Toronto, and Shead took full advantage on Sunday, playing 37 minutes and delivering 22 points, 6 assists, 2 3s and just one turnover. That’s the sort of efficient, usage‑driven line that fantasy managers love — especially when he’s got four games on the Week 13 schedule.
Now, the uptick was undoubtedly because three of Toronto’s five starters were out of the lineup. However, it’s next man up, and Shead finished inside the top 120 in Week 12. He’ll be a cheap source of scoring and assists, and that usage spike makes him worth a deeper look in both 9‑cat and points formats.
Marcus Smart – PG/SG, Los Angeles Lakers (6% rostered)
Smart is purely a volume play this week. The Lakers playing five games is a big advantage for those in leagues without a game cap. Smart’s efficiency leaves something to be desired, but for 3s, assists and steals — especially in a five‑game week — Smart is a playable option in points leagues and can contribute in peripherals for 9‑cat. He’s not a great add, but the schedule gives him value.
Day’Ron Sharpe – C, Brooklyn Nets (10% rostered)
Sharpe has been on the cusp of top‑100 value over the past couple of weeks, stepping in when Nic Claxton is out and still getting steady run when Claxton returns. He’s productive even in 20 minutes, and he’s averaging enough minutes and touches to make his four‑game week count. For the season, Sharpe is averaging 1.21 FPPM, a strong signal that when he’s on the floor, he does good things for fantasy.
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De’Anthony Melton – PG/SG, Golden State Warriors (7% rostered)
Melton is one of the deeper targets that’s trending. Rumblings suggest he’s in line for more run (he’s already closing games) and could eventually see up to 30 minutes a night once he’s cleared. Known for his versatility and two-way production, now is a good time to swoop in on Melton if you have space. I like him for points leagues and, depending on your roster build, he fits a punt FG% strategy well. He’s a shade outside the top 100 in 9-cat over the past two weeks.
The Green Bay Packers won’t hold the team’s poor finish against Matt LaFleur. Following the Packers’ collapse against the Chicago Bears in the wild-card round of the playoffs, the Packers are reportedly working to keep LaFleur around on a new contract, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
After Saturday’s loss, LaFleur has completed seven seasons in Green Bay, where he’s led the team to a 76-40-1 record.
The Packers got out to a strong start in 2025, going 9-3-1 to open the year. But the team’s Week 15 loss to the Denver Broncos proved to be the turning point for the Packers. In addition to losing that game, the team also lost star pass rusher Micah Parsons to a torn ACL.
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They didn’t win another game the rest of the way. That loss was the first of five straight for the Packers. During that stretch, the team’s typically strong defense allowed its opposition to put up at least 30 points three times.
To make matters even worse, two of those losses came against the division-rival Bears, who overcame massive deficits in both contests to stun the Packers late. During the team’s Week 16 meeting, the Bears trailed 16-6 with just 2:09 left to play. After a field goal cut the team’s deficit to just seven points, the team recovered an onside kick and then scored an improbable touchdown on a fourth-and-4 play to tie things up. After an overtime fumble by the Packers, Caleb Williams hit D.J. Moore with a deep touchdown pass to win the contest.
The second loss to the Bears came in the wild-card round. Despite leading 21-6 heading into the final quarter, the Packers gave up 25 points to the Bears in the fourth, leading to yet another improbable loss. Green Bay led 21-9 with roughly 13 minutes to play before allowing the Bears to score touchdowns on three straight drives — including Williams once again hitting Moore for the eventual game winner.
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During the Packers’ losing streak, questions emerged over whether LaFleur would keep his job. Despite all the success the Packers have experienced under LaFleur, the team hasn’t won more than one playoff game in a single season and has a 3-6 postseason record.
The Packers didn’t necessarily have to commit to LaFleur right now. The 46-year-old is under contract through the 2026 NFL season. The Packers could have allowed LaFleur to coach the final year of his contract before deciding to extend him.
But doing that comes with some drawbacks. If LaFleur was allowed to coach without a future contract, it could lead to questions every single week about his status. It could also lead to a situation where he loses authority in the locker room, as players could easily ignore a coach who isn’t tied to the franchise the following year.
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The Packers will reportedly get ahead of those issues by working through a new deal with LaFleur now. It’s tough to argue with that decision considering the team’s excellent regular-season record under the coach.
But even with a contract extension, LaFleur’s job security could still face heightened levels of concern if the team continues to fall short in the playoffs.
The patch, which will appear on the upper right of James’ chest, features a silhouette of James doing his pre-game chalk toss. Behind that, there are three colored stripes, each of which represent one of the three teams James has played for during his career. The number 23, to represent how many years James has played in the NBA, is also front and center on the patch.
James, 41, is expected to wear the patch for the rest of the regular season, per ESPN.
Following each game, the patch will be removed so it can be packaged in select Topps trading cards. Each patch will be dated and authenticated before being placed in those cards.
In November, James set the record for most seasons played in the NBA. James — who missed the first 14 games of the season due to sciatica — surpassed NBA Hall of Famer Vince Carter, who played in 22 seasons over his NBA career.
Despite his age and longevity, James continues to put up excellent numbers. In his 23rd season, James is averaging 21.9 points, 6.9 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game. Through 36 games, the Lakers are 23-13 on the season and sit in fifth place in the Western Conference.
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James had not commented on whether his 23rd NBA season will be his last. While his career is close to ending, the superstar could opt to play another season depending on how this year goes. James has shown he still has plenty of ability left, so his decision to keep playing will depend on how much he wants to put his body on the line for another year.
Before the postseason started, a neat little stat circulated on social media: the 2025 season playoffs would be the first without Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady or Peyton Manning since 1998. It was a sign of a (perhaps brief) changing of the guard, but more to the point, those legends’ absence signaled an end, however brief, to the dynasties that have dominated the NFL for most of the 21st century.
The result: the most wide-open playoffs in recent memory. After years (decades?) of slotting in the Patriots, and later the Chiefs, all the way to the conference title game and figuring everything else out from there, we now have a postseason where you could make a convincing argument that virtually every team could go on a run and win the whole damn thing.
(While we’re at it, how about a round of applause for the NFL Playoff Committee? You know there was a lot of pressure on them to put in an underachieving blue blood like Dallas over a team from a lower-tier division, but the Panthers acquitted themselves just fine.)
Caleb Williams celebrates after the Bears scored 25 fourth-quarter points to beat the Green Bay Packers in their wild-card game. (Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
(Todd Rosenberg via Getty Images)
The 2025 season playoffs represent the absolute triumph of the NFL’s ultimate goal: parity across the board. The NFL positions itself so that no one player, no single team, is bigger than The Shield itself. (Dallas, the one team that could arguably be considered its own independent brand, has done the NFL a favor by flopping short of the conference championships for three straight decades now.)
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From a purely statistical perspective, this is already the greatest playoff round ever. The first four games had a total of 12 lead changes in the fourth quarter; according to NFL research, there had previously never been a single round in NFL history with more than five fourth-quarter lead changes.
Plus, the first four games of this year’s playoffs were decided by a total of 14 points. Per OptaStats, that’s the first time in NFL history there were four games decided by four points or fewer in a single round. The Chargers kind of spit the bit there at the end of the nightcap, but we still have one more game Monday night.
Who’s going to win the Super Bowl now? I don’t have any idea, and neither do you, and that’s the whole point. The NFL is a glorious mess of uncertainty now. The Los Angeles Rams, whom many have picked to win it all, came just one single miracle catch from losing to the sub-.500 Panthers for the second time this season. The Patriots took until the fourth quarter to fully extricate themselves from a team that had no functional offensive line.
The Bears might run the table, or they might flop hard enough in the first three quarters that they end up in a hole even they can’t climb out of. Buffalo could finally end their Super Bowl curse, or Josh Allen could be pounded into jelly next weekend. Seattle and Denver haven’t even stepped into this Octagon, for which they have to be both thankful and extremely nervous.
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As always, the NFL’s best advertisement for itself is the game itself. Off-field concerns tend to fade into vapor for most fans when you’ve got a team driving for the lead with under four minutes left in the fourth. The joy that Bears fans feel after a generational victory, the hope that Patriots fans have at seeing a potential new dynasty getting to its feet, the prayers that Bills fans are offering up that maybe this is the year … yeah, that’s the good stuff. That’s why we watch.
So there’s your bar, Pittsburgh and Houston. No pressure. Just deliver excellence.
The AFC North champion Pittsburgh Steelers will host the Houston Texans on Monday night, in what could end up being Aaron Rodgers’ final NFL game. The Steelers clinched the AFC North in the final game of the regular season, beating the Baltimore Ravens 26-24 after Baltimore kicker Tyler Loop missed a potential game-winning 44-yard field goal as time expired.
Ben Fawkes gathers quotes from oddsmakers for all the games and our team of NFL handicappers provides their favorite wagers on the game.
“This game has bounced back between 3 and 3.5. At 3.5, we’ve seen Steelers money and more Texans money at 3. As long as game doesn’t land on 3, everyone should be fine. Currently, a small decision to the under. I don’t think this game touches 40 on the total.” — Thomas Gable, sportsbook director at The Borgata
“We usually see Steelers action come in on game day, but leading up to it I don’t think anyone is exited to bet on them. Texans defense has been lights out, and that’s driving the action here, coupled with money on the under. Lowest total on the board. Aaron Rodgers’ last hurrah will probably drive some action. We’re still at 39.5 on the total.” — Joey Feazel, head of NFL trading at Caesars Sportsbook
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Best bets
Matt Jacob: Here’s something that might surprise you: The Texans have more playoff victories in the last two years (two) than the Steelers have in the last nine years (zero).
Yep, since losing the AFC championship game to New England following the 2016 campaign, the Steelers have dropped five consecutive postseason contests.
Another perspective: The two wild-card victories that Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud recorded in the 2023 and 2024 match the number of playoff wins that Aaron Rodgers has posted since 2017.
This, of course, is not the main reason why Stroud and the Texans are solidly favored to defeat Rodgers and the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Monday night. No, the main reason is because Houston is a legit Super Bowl contender (15-1 odds) and Pittsburgh (50-1) is not.
The Texans enter the playoffs on a nine-game winning streak, which is part of the team’s 12-2 run since opening the season 0-3. Conversely, the Steelers needed to win four of their final five games — the last one on a missed field goal as time expired — just to sneak into the tournament.
Back to Rodgers: The 41-year-old will be facing the NFL’s No. 1 total defense, No. 2 scoring defense and No. 6 pass defense. Number of times in 17 games that Houston’s stop unit allowed more than three touchdowns: three.
During the regular season, Rodgers and the Steelers faced six of the top 12 scoring defenses. They averaged 17.3 points and went 2-4 SU and ATS.
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Not only that, but Pittsburgh faced just five playoff teams in 2025.
The results:
31-17 home loss to Seattle
21-14 win at New England (the Patriots committed five turnovers)
35-25 home loss to Green Bay
25-10 loss at the Chargers
26-7 home loss to Buffalo
By comparison, the Texans won their final three games against playoff teams, toppling the Jaguars (36-29), Bills (23-19) and Chargers (20-16).
Bet: Texans -3.5 (-102)
Michael Fiddle: After a two-game suspension, DK Metcalf returns to the Steelers — a piece the team so desperately needs.
During Metcalf’s absence, the Steelers were reliant on Adam Thielen, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kenneth Gainwell and Pat Freiermuth to be the team’s top target options. There were moments where the veteran wide receivers were literally explaining to their teammates what to do after a play call; a rare sight for a Week 18 game.
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While Rodgers was able to get the passing game going against the Baltimore Ravens, most notably after Kyle Hamilton left with an injury, the Texans defense is a different beast. One of the best and most physical cornerbacks in the NFL (Derek Stingley Jr.) is coming to Pittsburgh. Having Metcalf instead of the less physical options previously mentioned is essential to winning this matchup. Rodgers will need to lean on Metcalf in both short and long routes. I also expect a few deep shots to be taken down field to Metcalf, as he can create separation and finish plays.
The market has already bet the receiving yards up for Metcalf from the low 50’s to the middle to high 50’s, while BetMGM still hangs a beatable number. Bet on Metcalf to have a revenge performance when the Steelers need him most.
Bet: DK Metcalf over 50.5 receiving yards (-115)
Matt Russell: Of the many things I don’t trust within either offense, Woody Marks being used as some sort of bell-cow running back might be atop the list.
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At 3.6 yards per carry and just two rushing touchdowns this season, it’s not like the Texans are relying on his efficiency. Plus, the rookie may have hit something of a wall physically, missing much of Week 15 and all of Week 16. At least, for Marks’ contribution sake, the Steelers are vulnerable to large chunks of yardage on the ground. Between that, the possibility that the Texans move the ball through the air with ease and the snail-like pace the Steelers play at when they have the ball (which limits possessions for the opposition), there might not be enough running plays for Marks to accrue 15-plus carries.
Throw in the possibility that Texans have been saving Nick Chubb for some crucial postseason carries, and we’ll take the under here at even-money.
Nebraska transfer quarterback Dylan Raiola committed to Oregon on Monday, according to ON3’s Pete Nakos. Raiola spent his first two seasons at Nebraska, where he went 13-8 as a starter.
Last season, Raiola threw for 2,000 yards, 18 touchdowns and six interceptions in nine starts before a broken fibula ended his year. As a true freshman, Raiola set the Nebraska freshman passing record with 2,819 yards and had 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The 20-year-old quarterback saw his completion percentage jump from 67.1% as a freshman to 72.4% in his second year.
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Rumors about Raiola’s transferring from Nebraska emerged after his brother, Dayton, de-committed from the school in November. Dylan Raiola announced his decision to transfer in December.
Before joining Nebraska, Raiola was one of the most highly touted quarterback recruits coming out of Buford High School in Georgia. Raiola flipped his commitment from the University of Georgia to play at Nebraska under head coach Matt Rhule.
Raiola leaves a place where he had family ties. His father, Dominic, played at Nebraska before his 14-year NFL career. His uncle, Donovan Raiola, was also the offensive line coach at Nebraska before being let go in December.
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This season, the Ducks advanced to the semifinals of the College Football playoffs before Friday’s 56-22 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers. Sophomore quarterback Dante Moore led Oregon this past season, throwing for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Despite having a breakout season, Moore struggled against the Hoosiers. Moore went 24 of 39 for 285 yards, 2 touchdowns and had three turnovers. The Indiana game and Moore not turning 21 until May opened the door for him to return for his redshirt junior year. Moore has yet to announce whether he will return to the Ducks or declare for the 2026 NFL draft.
Raiola’s commitment to Oregon does not necessarily mean Moore will declare for the draft. Oregon signed Moore and Dillon Gabriel in 2023, with Moore redshirting behind Gabriel before starting this season.
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If Moore decides to forego the NFL draft, there is a possibility that Raiola can sit and develop for a year, a rarity in college football today.
Coming off their second consecutive 7-6 season, UNLV transfer Anthony Colandrea and freshman quarterback TJ Lateef are expected to compete to replace Raiola at Nebraska.
Leavitt is a huge get for new LSU coach Lane Kiffin, who hadn’t added a marquee quarterback but was reportedly in the running for several top transfers at the position.
The former Arizona State quarterback entered the transfer portal after a 2025 season that was derailed by an ankle injury. He appeared in just seven games and was 145-of-239 passing for 1,628 yards and 10 TDs with three interceptions.
Leavitt led Arizona State to the Big 12 title and a spot in the College Football Playoff in 2024. He was 216-of-350 passing for 2,885 yards and 24 TDs to just six interceptions while also rushing for 443 yards and five touchdowns. The Sun Devils beat Iowa State in the Big 12 title game before losing to Texas in the College Football Playoff.
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Leavitt transferred from Michigan State to Arizona State after the 2023 season. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
He’ll now join an LSU team that is looking for a fresh start under Kiffin after going 34-14 in three-and-a-half seasons with Brian Kelly as head coach.
Kiffin leaving Ole Miss for LSU just before the Rebels made the College Football Playoff was one of the biggest stories of the season as coaches bounced back and forth from the schools during an Ole Miss run to the semifinal. The Rebels’ loss to Miami in the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday brought some finality to the saga.
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Now, Kiffin and his LSU coaching staff can move forward — with a new quarterback in Leavitt.
Kiffin and the Tigers had actually also added Elon transfer QB Landen Clark on Monday morning shortly before Leavitt’s commitment. Additionally, LSU has reportedly added nine wide receivers from the portal as the Tigers retool the offense for Kiffin’s system.
🏈 NFL All-Pros: Rams QB Matthew Stafford, picked over Patriots QB Drake Maye, headlined the NFL’s All-Pro first team, which included three unanimous selections in Browns DE Myles Garrett, Rams WR Puka Nacua and Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
⛳️ Koepka seeks return: Three weeks after stepping away from LIV Golf, five-time major winner Brooks Koepka has applied for reinstatement to the PGA Tour. The question now is whether there will be any punishment for such players wishing to return.
🏈 Texas lands top transfer: Former Auburn WR Cam Coleman has committed to Texas, giving the Longhorns the top-ranked player in the transfer portal, per On3. Follow our transfer portal tracker until the window closes on Jan. 16.
🏒 Youth brawl under investigation: A viral brawl that broke out between two “mites” teams (ages 8 and under) during the intermission of an AHL game on Saturday is under investigation by the Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association, which is calling the incident “staged.”
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🏈 A Wild Card Weekend to remember
Josh Allen showing love to Bills Mafia. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Was that the most exciting weekend of playoff football… ever? The first five games of the Wild Card Round delivered four game-winning touchdowns scored in the final three minutes and four games decided by fewer than five points, the most ever in a single round. There were also a whopping 12 fourth-quarter lead changes, which is not only the most in a single round but the most ever in a single postseason (!!!).
Jacksonville — The Bills went into Duuuval and came away with their first road playoff win since 1992 courtesy of Josh Allen’s game-winning TD with just over a minute left. Final score: Bills 27, Jaguars 24.
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Elite company: Buffalo is just the fourth team ever to win a playoff game in six consecutive seasons, joining the Cowboys (1991-96), Patriots (2011-18) and Chiefs (2018-24).
Caleb Williams and the Bears are moving on. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
Chicago — The Bears’ magical season continued on Saturday with an incredible comeback win over the Packers. They scored 25 points in the fourth quarter for a 31-27 victory that marked their first over Green Bay in the playoffs since 1941, one week after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
The comeback kings: Before Chicago’s victory, NFL teams were 3-158 all-time in the postseason when trailing by 15+ points entering the fourth quarter. Just another day in the life of Da Bears, who’ve won an NFL-record seven games this season in which they trailed with two minutes left.
Colby Parkinson celebrates after his spectacular game-winning grab. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Back and forth: This was one of two games this weekend (along with Bills-Jags) to feature four lead changes in the fourth-quarter, tied for the most in a playoff game in NFL history.
The Niners stopped the Eagles’ repeat bid in its tracks. (Matt Rourke/AP Photo)
Philadelphia — The 49ers have been winning all season despite a never-ending stream of injuries to star players. Sunday was no different as they beat the defending champion Eagles, 23-19, after George Kittle tore his Achilles in the first half.
Play of the game: The Niners scored in the fourth quarter on a trick play TD thrown by WR Jauan Jennings, whose talent as a passer should come as no surprise. He was once a four-star dual-threat QB recruit ranked ahead of Sam Darnold, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson.
Stefon Diggs runs off the field celebrating the victory. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Foxborough, Massachusetts — Well, they can’t all be thrillers, right? The Patriots capped off the weekend with a workmanlike 16-3 win over the Chargers, who managed just 207 total yards against New England’s smothering defense.
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Herbert falters again: Maybe it’s a shaky offensive line or myriad other factors, but Justin Herbert is now 0-3 in his postseason career with just two TDs against five turnovers as he yet again failed to play anywhere near the level he performed during the regular season.
🏈 Can Miami stop this Indiana freight train?
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti hoists the trophy after winning the Peach Bowl. (Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
After their 56-22 semifinal beatdown of Oregon, the Indiana Hoosiers — yes, the Indiana Hoosiers — are one victory away from completing an undefeated championship season.
From Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wolken:
The air horn at Mercedes-Benz Stadium blasted for the first time Friday night after just 11 seconds. It’s a distinct, piercing sound with a unique local story, ringing through the sky here after every touchdown.
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This city began to sprout up from the ground nearly two centuries ago because it is where the Western & Atlantic railroad made its last stop. With a stake hammered into the ground, they originally called it Terminus — the end of the line.
Since erecting this modern football palace nine years ago and adding the train horn to commemorate how it all began, nearly every great college football team has come through Atlanta on its way to a national title.
But none have embodied that sound quite like Indiana. Sleek and efficient, powerful and unrelenting, the Hoosiers are barreling down the tracks like a locomotive running late for a date with destiny, blowing that horn as a warning to any creature in its path.
Hey, after 139 years of mostly bad Indiana football, what’s another 10 days to become the most mesmerizing national champion we’ve ever seen?
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Perhaps the Jan. 19 national championship game against Miami will become something other than a Hoosier coronation. But after Indiana’s tour de force through the College Football Playoff, rarely have we encountered a college football team that looks and feels more inevitable than this one.
Macclesfield players celebrate with supporters after the victory. (Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)
The magic of the FA Cup was on full display on Saturday when Macclesfield FC, a semi-pro side in the sixth tier of English soccer, pulled off the biggest upset in the tournament’s 154-year history.
Giant killers: Macclesfield beat Crystal Palace, 2-1, in the third round of the FA Cup, becoming the first non-league club to knock out the defending champions since 1909.
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Palace, currently 13th place in the Premier League, are 117 spots ahead of the Silkmen, who sit in 14th place in the sixth-tier National League North.
What they’re saying: “It still doesn’t feel real,” said first-year manager John Rooney, who played for the Silkmen last season before retiring and whose older brother is, yes, English legend Wayne Rooney. “I spoke before the game about having a bit of hope in the FA Cup, but did I really believe it? Probably not. It’s mad to say but I thought we were deserved winners on the day. I thought we were incredible.”
Isaac Buckley-Ricketts (L) and Paul Dawson scored Macclesfield’s two goals. (Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Upward trajectory: The Silkmen — named for the town’s reputation as the center of Europe’s silk industry in the 18th and 19th centuries — were formed just over five years ago as the successor to Macclesfield Town, a 150-year-old club that was liquidated amid mounting debts in 2020.
They started in the ninth tier but have earned promotion three times in their first four seasons to reach the sixth tier. For reference, that’s one level below where Wrexham FC sat when Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney swooped in and bought the club five years ago.
And they are still very much at the level where their captain, Paul Dawson, who scored their first goal, could be found pulling pints behind the club bar after the game. Non-league football at its finest.
An emotional victory: The stunning result was dedicated to Ethan McLeod, Macclesfield’s forward who tragically died in a car crash last month. “I was thinking about it when the final whistle went, Ethan was here,” Isaac Buckley-Ricketts, who scored the second goal, said after the game.
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💯 Big numbers
Vanderbilt sophomore Mikayla Blakes (R) ranks second in the nation in scoring at 24.9 points per game. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
🏀 33-0
Vanderbilt is the nation’s only school with both basketball teams still undefeated, and the 11th-ranked men (16-0) and seventh-ranked women (17-0) have both matched the best starts in program history.
Plus: Add in the football team’s historic season, and the Commodores’ top three programs are a combined 42-3 this academic year.
🏈 $5,589
Ticket prices for the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in Miami are through the roof. As of Saturday morning, the cheapest ticket on GameTime was over $3,500 (including fees) and the average ticket price was $5,589 — more than double the average price of last year’s title game.
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What might the crowd look like? The game is at Hard Rock Stadium where Miami plays its home games, so expect to see lots of Canes fans. But don’t sleep on Hoosier Nation! Indiana has the largest living alumni base of any school in the country, and their fans took over Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for Friday’s Peach Bowl.
(Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
🎾 22 titles, 22 cities
With his victory in Brisbane to open the 2026 season, Daniil Medvedev has now won 22 ATP titles… in 22 different cities. He’s never won the same tournament twice, and he’s running out of events to win.
The full list: Sydney, Winston-Salem, Tokyo, Sofia, Cincinnati, St. Petersburg, Shanghai, Paris, London, Marseille, Mallorca, Toronto, New York, Los Cabos, Vienna, Rotterdam, Doha, Dubai, Miami, Rome, Almaty, Brisbane.
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🎿 84th victory
Two weeks after officially qualifying for the Olympics, 41-year-old Lindsey Vonn notched her second World Cup downhill victory of the season, and 84th of her career. That puts her two shy of matching Ingemar Stenmark for the second-most ever behind Mikaela Shiffrin (106).
What she’s saying: “Whatever I want to do, I can do it. And that’s an amazing feeling because my body hasn’t always been responding that way to me in the past,” said Vonn after Saturday’s win in Austria. “So now it’s a whole other ball game … and I try to enjoy every single second I’m out here because it’s just so fun to go fast.”
📺 Watchlist: Monday, Jan. 12
The Terrible Towels will be out in full force tonight. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
🏈 Texans at Steelers
Wild Card Weekend concludes tonight in Pittsburgh (8:15pm ET, ESPN/ABC), where the AFC North champions host the red-hot Texans, who won nine straight games to close out the regular season.
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Speaking of streaks: The Steelers have won 23 consecutive Monday night home games (!!!), which is hard to believe but we promise it’s true. The last time they lost on Monday night at home? Oct. 14, 1991.
More to watch:
🏀 NBA: Celtics at Pacers (7:30pm, Peacock) … The last-place Pacers (8-31) are on pace for the worst season in franchise history.
🏒 NHL: Hurricanes at Red Wings (7pm, ESPN+) … The top two teams in the East face off in Detroit.
🏀 Unrivaled: Mist vs. Phantom (7:30pm, TNT); Laces vs. Lunar Owls (8:45pm, TNT)
Pats fans have tasted plenty of postseason success. But one fan base has enjoyed even more. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
The Patriots notched their 38th playoff win on Sunday night, breaking a tie with the Packers for the second-most of any franchise.
Question: Which team ranks first with 40 playoff wins?
Answer at the bottom.
🍿 Top plays: Weekend edition
(Minnesota Women’s Hockey)
🏒 Assist of the year: Minnesota Gophers superstar Abbey Murphy broke the internet with a mind-bending assist, flipping the puck into the air, batting it through a defender’s legs, then dishing it to her teammate for the goal.
🎾 Stan the Man: Stan Wawrinka hit an absolutely gorgeous backhand down the line at the United Cup. 40 years old, still got it! Tennis is going to miss this man when he retires at the end of the year.
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Things always slow down post-New Year’s. Even in fantasy basketball, apparently. Not that we didn’t have an exciting week in the NBA, but we didn’t have much fireworks when it came to high scores in, well, High Score. We did get a few superstars returning to fantasy glory by making it into the perfect lineup for Week 12. Let’s take a look at the top-six scorers from last week and how they got it done.
Here are the top performances overall by position from Week 12. (Taylor Wilhelm)
(Taylor Wilhelm)
More on the top performers
Luka Dončić, guard: Dončić was the top scorer in what would be considered a down week for high scores. We normally see plenty of 70s and a few scores even higher each week. That wasn’t the case; perhaps teams are cracking down on defense or it was a random off week. We are also without Nikola Jokić, who remains sidelined.
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Nonetheless, in a losing effort at the Spurs, Dončić was really the only Laker to show up (LeBron James didn’t play), which led to a 38-10-10 triple-double and the top score of the week.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, guard: After looking like a juggernaut early in the season, the Thunder have come back down to earth lately. Thankfully, the Jazz love ceding high scores to opponents this season. So last Wednesday, we saw SGA go off for 46 points in 42 minutes in an OT win over Utah. The free-throw merchant got to the line 19 times and drained 17 from the charity stripe for his highest point total since the second game of the season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, frontcourt: The Greek Freak returned from a lengthy absence at the end of 2025 and has been putting up consistent numbers since. But we haven’t really seen an elite ceiling from Giannis. Even after this 70-point fantasy performance on Sunday versus the Nuggets, the Bucks lost despite Denver missing both Jokić and Jamal Murray. Antetokounmpo was two boards shy of a triple-double with 31 points and 11 assists, plus three stocks. You’ve got to think Milwaukee, fighting to get into playoff position, will need to ramp up the minutes for Giannis. It feels like we’re close to seeing one of those gaudy 40-20 type of games from him. With only two tough games this week (vs. MIN, at SAS), however, we may need to wait another week to see that ceiling.
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LeBron James, frontcourt: Welcome back, LeBron! Well, not back back. He’s been playing since missing all of October and parts of November. But this was easily his best week of the fantasy basketball season. LeBron posted 63 fantasy points and then 64 points on efficient scoring and peripheral stat production. It looked a lot like early-Lakers LeBron out there. James is resting here and there; he sat on the second of L.A.’s back-to-back last week. But with the Lakers missing key players to injury still, LeBron will be tasked with more scoring alongside Dončić.
Cooper Flagg, frontcourt: Flagg has been flashing his ceiling more lately with the Mavericks dealing with injuries left and right. Big man Anthony Davis sustained ligament damage in his left hand and is expected to miss multiple months. Dallas could throw in the towel on the season soon, which would only allow for Flagg to get more usage and minutes. In a losing effort to Utah (of course), Flagg came two assists shy of a triple-double with 26-10-8, plus four stocks. His motor is always going to elevate his floor, averaging over 2.0 stocks per game this season.
Jamal Murray, utility: The Nuggets really can’t shake the injury bug, eh? Murray has tried to keep Denver afloat while three-time MVP Jokić is sidelined but the sharpshooter is also dealing with multiple injuries himself. That held Murray out for three of four games last week. Luckily for High Score fantasy managers, Murray was still able to post 22 points, eight rebounds and a career-high 17 assists in a win over the Celtics on Wednesday. He was ruled out on Sunday due to an illness and ankle injury. We’ll see if Murray can get on the court with the Nuggets playing four games this week: a Tuesday-Wednesday back-to-back, and a Saturday-Sunday B2B.
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Cade Cunningham, utility: Cade started off the week great with his 67 points in a win over the Knicks last Monday. Unfortunately, he didn’t play again the rest of the week, being held out due to a wrist injury. The Pistons continue to lead the Eastern Conference and have good depth to withstand these minor injuries. The problem is that it makes it easy to rest stars like Cunningham. This could be another tough week for Cade managers as Detroit has just two games.
Ohio State wideout Quincy Porter and Alabama defensive end Keon Keeley both reportedly committed to Notre Dame on Monday. Porter and Keeley were both five-star prospects coming out of high school.
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Keeley confirmed his decision to On3.com. Porter’s commitment was reported by On3.com.
Porter comes to Notre Dame after seeing limited snaps as a freshman. He played in just five games with Ohio State this season, hauling in four catches for 59 yards. Keeley has more experience. After being limited to just six games as a freshman. Keeley played in 13 games with Alabama this season. He notched 16 combined tackles, including three sacks, as a sophomore.
The Irish have been relatively quiet in the transfer portal to this point, only securing commitments from DBs Jayden Sanders (Michigan) and D.J. McKinney before the additions of Porter and Keeley.
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Despite going 10-2 this season, Notre Dame was left out of the CFP. It was a last-minute decision by the committee, as Notre Dame was ranked higher than Miami all season before the bracket was released. Notre Dame wasn’t happy about that decision, with athletic director Pete Bevacqua threatening the ACC over its willingness to push Miami into the CFP.
