In the months leading to the World Cup, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino wants to see his players starting regularly for their clubs. He wants them to find their best form and avoid injuries that could threaten their national team status.
Furthermore, from his corps of strikers, he wants to see goals.
Those who were on the field couldn’t find the net. But in the English Championship, one rung below the Premier League, the scoring touch resurfaced as winning goals in the waning moments of two tight matches this weekend.
Patrick Agyemang ended a four-game drought by scoring Derby City’s winner in the 82nd minute of a 1-0 surprise at Preston North End, while Haji Wright snapped out of a 14-game funk over three months with an 85th-minute goal to lift first-place Coventry City to a 2-1 win over Leicester City.
Of course, there is no official U.S. striker depth chart, but it’s fair to say Monaco’s Folarin Balogun sits atop the list, followed by Pepi, Wright, Agyemang and a few long shot candidates.
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Balogun, Wright and Agyemang entered the weekend famished for a goal. While Balogun failed to score for a fourth straight match, the other two broke out of their ruts.
“We’re all human,” said Agyemang, the Connecticut native who missed an excellent opportunity earlier in Saturday’s match. “No one is going to score every chance — that’s natural. … I’ve been working on this mental battle in terms of being a striker and those opportunities. Things won’t go well all the time, but it’s all about the next one.”
The next one came on a 7-yard downward header that skipped into the far corner for his seventh league goal. A full-time starter since October, Agyemang is second on the team in goals and tied for first in production (10 combined goals and assists).
Wright had not scored since a two-goal performance for the U.S. against Australia in the October international window. Coming off the bench for the second straight game, he ended the skid with a simple touch on the edge of the goal line for his ninth league goal.
Over the months, Coventry City coach Frank Lampard had tried keeping Wright’s spirits up.
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“When things aren’t dropping for you … my only belief is you work and you work and you work and you stay positive, even when that’s not easy, and things will happen for you,” said Lampard, the former English midfield star. “And the thing that happened for Haji is a tap-in. I am not belittling it because that’s the way it goes. From there now, it’s up to him.”
Agyemang and Wright will seek to maintain their scoring form right up to the March international window, when the U.S. will face global powers Belgium and Portugal in Pochettino’s final camp before he selects his 26-man World Cup squad in late May.
England
With U.S. top assistant Jesús Pérez in attendance, midfielder BrendenAaronson (89 minutes) and Leeds bested left back Antonee Robinson (90) and visiting Fulham 1-0 to improve to 4-1-5 over 10 matches and move eight points clear of the relegation zone.
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Aaronson, who has been in top form for weeks, wasted a clear scoring opportunity in the first half. Robinson has started seven consecutive league matches.
Midfielder Aidan Morris logged 90 minutes in Middlesbrough’s 3-2 victory at West Brom, keeping the club six points behind Coventry City in the Championship race.
Sargent was absent from Norwich City’s squad for the second straight match as he reportedly seeks a move to Toronto FC. The Canaries responded by assigning him to workouts with their under-21 squad.
AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic hasn’t found his finishing touch since Dec. 28, 2025.
(STEFANO RELLANDINI via Getty Images)
Italy
Christian Pulisic’s scoring drought hit four matches after a 72-minute performance in AC Milan’s 1-0 victory over Lecce. After missing a one-on-one opportunity, Pulisic yielded to Niclas Füllkrug, who needed just four minutes to score the winner. Pulisic remains second in Serie A in scoring with eight goals.
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Interest in Weston McKennie around Europe has reportedly heated up as the American midfielder nears the end of his Juventus contract this summer. Words of caution: Such chatter has ebbed and flowed for years, yet he has remained in northwest Italy.
Meantime, McKennie played 80 minutes in a 1-0 loss at Cagliari, Juventus’ first loss in seven Serie A matches. Next is a Champions League clash with Benfica on Wednesday.
Midfielder Yunus Musah, seeking to revive his World Cup roster outlook, made his first start in five matches for Atalanta, playing 56 minutes in a 1-1 draw at Pisa. His club will host Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday in the Champions League.
Goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann, who is making a case for a World Cup roster berth, made his usual start for second-tier Cesena, which ended a three-game winless streak by winning at Reggiana, 2-1. The fifth-place Seahorses are on pace to play in the promotion playoffs.
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France
Balogun didn’t score but was involved in Monaco’s goal during a 3-1 loss to Lorient, its fourth straight. He set up Ansu Fati, who was foiled on his initial effort but converted the rebound. Monaco will visit Real Madrid on Tuesday in the Champions League.
Winger Tim Weah did score – a 40th-minute header from six yards during Olympique Marseille’s 5-2 romp at Angers. It was his second Ligue 1 goal and third in all competitions. Next: Liverpool on Wednesday in the Champions League.
Midfielder Tanner Tessmann made his 13th league start as Olympique Lyonnais defeated 10-man Brest 2-1 for its sixth consecutive victory in all competitions to move into fourth place — just three points behind Marseille for Ligue 1’s third Champions League berth.
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Center back Mark McKenzie skipped Toulouse’s 5-1 win over Nice with a foot injury.
Germany
Defensive midfielder James Sands (90 minutes) scored his first goal since joining St. Pauli a year ago, a 62nd-minute header during a 3-2 loss at Borussia Dortmund. His club is last in the Bundesliga with a 3-11-3 mark.
Malik Tillman (90 minutes) remains a starting fixture in Bayer Leverkusen’s midfield, but a 1-0 loss at Hoffenheim was the club’s second straight setback heading into Tuesday’s Champions League visit to Olympiacos.
Midfielder Gio Reyna remains stuck on the Mönchengladbach bench, entering in the 69th minute of a 0-0 draw at Hamburg. In the previous two Bundesliga matches, he had played a total of five minutes. Teammate Joe Scally played all 90 minutes.
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In his second start since joining Hamburg on loan from Southampton, forward Damion Downs came off in the 80th.
Defender Noahkai Banks, 19, made his 13th consecutive Bundesliga start as Augsburg drew with Freiburg, 2-2.
In the second division, left wing back John Tolkin went the distance as Holstein Kiel defeated Paderborn, 2-0, extending its unbeaten run to four games.
Others
PSV Eindhoven (17-1-1) continued steaming toward a third consecutive Dutch Eredivisie title, but neither American was involved in the 2-1 victory at Fortuna Sittard.
Pepi (11 goals, three assists in 21 matches overall) is out until March, while right back Sergiño Dest was held out with what was believed to be a minor injury – his first absence since Oct. 1. PSV will visit Newcastle on Wednesday in the Champions League.
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Midfielder Johnny Cardoso received his first La Liga start since Aug. 30, playing 78 minutes in Atletico Madrid’s 1-0 win over Alaves. It came five days after a Copa del Rey starting assignment. Atletico will resume Champions League play Wednesday at Galatasaray.
In the Scottish Cup, center back Auston Trusty was given the day off by Celtic ahead of its 2-0 fourth-round victory over sixth-tier Auchinleck Talbot.
On the second weekend of Liga MX’s Clausura season, Club America winger Alex Zendejas remained sidelined with an injury.
We’re in a bit of a scoring drought in the NBA and fantasy basketball at the moment. It’s now been three straight weeks without a player eclipsing 80 fantasy points in a single game in High Score formats. Odd that this correlates with the injury to Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokić. Yes, very interesting indeed.
We’ve got a bit of a throwback list in Week 13 with three aging stars making the cut. The one constant right now has been Lakers’ Luka Dončić, who posted a High Score of 77 points for the second consecutive week.
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Let’s dive into the perfect lineup from Yahoo High Score fantasy basketball in Week 13.
Week 13 High Score Perfect Lineup
(Photo by Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports)
More on the top performers
Luka Dončić, guard: Again, Dončić is our one constant after hitting the 77-point mark again. Last week it was a bit more impressive doing it against the Spurs as opposed to the Kings this week. Luka filled it up in the loss to the Kings with 42 points on 16-25 shooting from the floor, plus 8 assists, 7 rebounds and 4 steals.
The Lakers’ leading scorer is dealing with a groin injury that could hold him back a bit this week. L.A. plays three road games this week with a few tough-ish matchups versus the Nuggets and Clippers.
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Jamal Murray, guard: Murray has been finding his way onto this list more often with his running mate Joker sidelined. Murray is doing a lot of heavy lifting on offense, scoring over a third of Denver’s points in a 121-115 win over the Wizards on Saturday. Murray has also been battling through injuries of late but has also been one of the top High Score assets with his mix of volume scoring and high assist totals.
Scottie Barnes, frontcourt: We hadn’t seen Barnes on here since the end of December, when he had a career-high 25 rebounds and 80 fantasy points in a wild win over the Dubs. In a great matchup with the struggling Pacers, Barnes posted a 26-7-13 line with three stocks in 38 minutes. Immanuel Quickley sat in that game, which allowed Barnes to operate with the ball in his hands more often.
LeBron James, frontcourt: LeBron joins us for a second straight week after scoring 64 fantasy points to make it on last week. The Lake Show ran up the score in a matchup versus Atlanta early last week, scoring 141 points. Both James and Dončić had double-doubles with 10 and 12 assists, respectively. LeBron has been more aggressive on offense and is starting to look 100% healthy for the first time all season.
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Kevin Durant, frontcourt: The Rockets have been struggling lately but had a good week with three wins in four games. In one such win over the Timberwolves, KD dropped a season-high 39 points on just 11-of-18 shooting from the floor, hitting 6 3-pointers with 7 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 stocks.
James Harden, utility: Harden rounds out the trio of the old guard who came through in Week 13. The Beard has been great for fantasy managers this season and is on pace for his best scoring figures since leaving Houston back in 2020. The Clips are also on a tear since late-December, winners of 12 of their past 14 games. Over this stretch, Harden is posting big figures while shooting below 40% from the floor and under 30% from distance. Despite poor shooting numbers, Harden is getting enough volume for him to sustain these fantasy performances.
When Josh Allen is your quarterback, simply making the playoffs every season isn’t going to cut it. Sean McDermott found that out the hard way Monday, as he was fired by the Buffalo Bills despite a 98-50 record with the team.
Despite that excellent regular-season record, McDermott’s Bills faltered in the playoffs. The team went just 8-8 under McDermott in the postseason, and while he managed to lead the team to multiple AFC championship games, that wasn’t good enough for Bills ownership.
There are still plenty of interesting candidates the Bills could hire this offseason. Here’s a look at some of the most intriguing options the team could consider.
Joe Brady
Most recent role: Bills offensive coordinator (three straight top-6 finishes in points per game) Why it’s an intriguing hire for Buffalo: Brady already has familiarity with the team and quarterback Josh Allen. Under Brady, the Bills have ranked sixth, second and fourth in points per game over the past three seasons. Firing McDermott at this point in the offseason — when other teams already have a massive head start with interviews and some of the top candidates are already off the market — likely wouldn’t happen unless the team felt comfortable it could find an adequate replacement. Maybe it’s the guy the Bills already know? Why it doesn’t make sense: The next Bills head coach will be expected to win the Super Bowl immediately. Does the team really want to put that expectation on a coordinator who has never been a head coach before? Brady has been successful in his role, but he has Allen as his quarterback. How much of the team’s offensive success was Brady’s play-calling and schemes and how much was just Allen being one of the best players in the NFL? Given that Brady played a role in the team’s early playoff exits the past few seasons, would hiring him really change anything?
Most recent role: Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator (team ranked No. 3 in points scored in 2025) Why it’s an intriguing hire for Buffalo: Kubiak is a young offensive coordinator with upside, and could bring a new perspective to the Bills. After two middling stops early in his career, Kubiak really hit his stride in 2025, getting another strong year out of Sam Darnold and helping the Seahawks clinch the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC. He’s been an in-demand coordinator this offseason, already interviewing with at least four teams for their head-coaching positions. He also has a strong pedigree within the game, as his father coached the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos, and his brother currently serves as the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive coordinator. Why it doesn’t make sense: The Bills already have a young, promising offensive coordinator on staff in Joe Brady. When weighing Brady vs. Kubiak, wouldn’t the team want to go with the guy who has proven he can work well with Allen? For as much success as Kubiak experienced with the Seahawks, his previous stops in Minnesota and New Orleans weren’t as fruitful, so he has only one strong season on his résumé. The Vikings ranked 14th in offensive scoring in 2021 and the Saints ranked 24th in offensive scoring in 2024 under Kubiak. Similar to Brady, Kubiak lacks head-coaching experience and the Bills might not be in a place where they can afford to take that risk over a more proven candidate. Kubiak’s team is still active, so the Bills can’t speak with him until after the Seahawks are eliminated from the playoffs.
Brian Flores
Most recent role: Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator (led team to two top-10 defensive finishes) Why it’s an intriguing hire for Buffalo: With Harbaugh and Stefanski off the market, there’s an argument to be made Flores is the best candidate available. He posted a 24-25 record in three seasons with the Miami Dolphins and nearly took the team to the playoffs in 2021 despite a 1-7 start. Since being fired, Flores spent a year under Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh before joining the Minnesota Vikings, where he’s continued to receive high marks for his exotic blitzes and ability to confuse quarterbacks. Unlike some of the other options the team could consider, Flores actually has head-coaching experience and has led a team to two winning seasons. He might be better equipped to handle the lofty expectations in Buffalo compared to other candidates who have never been an NFL head coach before. Why it doesn’t make sense: Flores deserves credit for leading the Dolphins to two winning seasons, but he never made the playoffs in Miami. So, while he’s more experienced than other candidates, he’s unproven in the postseason. Additionally, Flores received criticism from Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa once the coach was fired. Tagovailoa called Flores a “terrible person” who was extremely critical. Flores, to his credit, said he would learn and grow as a coach following Tagovailoa’s statement. Flores still has a pending racial-discrimination lawsuit against the NFL, so the Bills would need to be prepared to handle questions about that if the team hires Flores.
Would the Bills bring back Brian Daboll? (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
(Timothy T Ludwig via Getty Images)
Brian Daboll
Most recent role: New York Giants head coach (20-40-1 in four seasons) Why it’s an intriguing hire for Buffalo: Want a former NFL head coach with strong ties to the Bills and a proven ability to work well with Allen? Daboll is your man. Prior to joining the Giants, Daboll emerged as a viable head-coaching candidate thanks to his work as the Bills’ offensive coordinator. He spent four seasons in that role, leading the team from the 30th-ranked offense in his first year to the third-ranked offense in his final season. He also oversaw Allen’s development from extremely raw, mistake prone player to one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Unlike Flores, Daboll has postseason experience, winning one game in the playoffs in his first season with the Giants. Why it doesn’t make sense: After a promising start, the Daboll era didn’t end well in New York. Daniel Jones looked viable in his first season under Daboll before regressing. After ranking 15th in offense in Daboll’s first season as head coach, the team fell to 30th and 31st in points for over the next two years. Jones left the Giants ahead of the 2025 NFL season and immediately looked like a much-improved player after leaving Daboll behind, which isn’t a great endorsement of the coach’s ability. The Bills didn’t miss a beat when Daboll left initially, so how much of an impact did he really make on the team’s offense?
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Bill Belichick
Most recent role: North Carolina Tar Heels head coach (4-8 record in 2025) Why it’s an intriguing hire for Buffalo: The last time Belichick was paired with a generational NFL quarterback, things went pretty well. Of all the possible candidates on the head-coaching market, Belichick has the most experience and success in the NFL, and that’s just what the Bills need after repeated playoff failures. Why take a shot on a first-time head coach or another franchise’s washout when you can hire a future Hall of Fame coach and pair him with a future Hall of Fame quarterback? Why it doesn’t make sense: Belichick is 73 years old and just went 4-8 with North Carolina. There’s no denying what Belichick accomplished with the Patriots, but his time as a legendary head coach might be over now. After Tom Brady left, Belichick’s Patriots didn’t exactly rise to the occasion. His first year with the Tar Heels didn’t end well and invited plenty of off-field weirdness thanks to Belichick’s relationship with Jordon Hudson. Are the Bills a team that can afford to deal with that level of drama right now?
Chris Shula
Most recent role: Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator (team ranked 10th in points allowed in 2025) Why it’s an intriguing hire for Buffalo: Hiring from the Sean McVay coaching tree is always en vogue. Shula is the latest young upstart coordinator who has worked under McVay who is getting head-coaching buzz. After a modest first season as a coordinator, Shula showed improvement in Year 2, when the Rams ranked 10th in points allowed on the season. He has a strong pedigree in the NFL, as his grandfather is legendary Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula. Why it doesn’t make sense: Hiring from Sean McVay’s coaching tree doesn’t guarantee success. Matt LaFleur and Liam Coen have performed well, but Brandon Staley and Raheem Morris didn’t work out. While Shula’s Rams were solid in 2025, he doesn’t have a truly elite season on his résumé as a coordinator. Other defensive coaches the Bills could consider have been more successful in that regard. Shula also lacks head-coach experience, and the Bills would be taking a big risk in hoping he would not only be able to make that adjustment, but also deal with the immediate pressure of winning a Super Bowl in Year 1. With the Rams’ win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Shula can’t interview with the Bills until the Rams are eliminated from the playoffs, meaning Buffalo would have to wait potentially multiple weeks before speaking with him.
The Chicago Bears were one of the biggest surprise stories of the 2025-26 NFL season, cruising over their preseason win total of 8.5 and earning the NFC North division title and No. 2 seed in the NFC with an 11-6 record.
Earlier in the season, after an impressive 24-15 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Black Friday in late November, one bettor placed a large wager on Chicago to win its first Super Bowl since the 1985 season.
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After that win, a bettor at BetMGM in Illinois wagered $50,000 on the Bears at 66-1 odds to win Super Bowl LX. The bet would’ve won $3.3 million, and was the largest reported Super Bowl futures bet by total liability at any legal sportsbook in the United States. BetMGM moved Chicago’s Super Bowl odds as a result of the wager.
The bet already had survived the Bears trailing 21-3 at halftime in the wild-card round against the Packers — after Green Bay scored a touchdown on each of its first three possessions — before coming all the way back for a wild 31-27 victory.
Williams was leading Chicago downfield before throwing an untimely interception. Matthew Stafford calmly led the Rams down the field and kicker Harrison Mevis nailed a 42-yard game-winning field goal to give Los Angeles a 20-17 win.
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The Rams moved on to the NFC championship game in Seattle, while the Bears will have a long offseason to think about what could’ve been.
Hopefully, the bettor was able to hedge to monetize an impressive futures wager.
We’re suddenly down to just three perfect teams left in the country, one of which is firmly holding down the No. 1 ranking.
Here’s everything you missed in the 11th week of the regular season and the latest Associated Press poll.
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Arizona holds as undefeated teams drop to 3
Last week it was Michigan that fell off. This time, it was Iowa State.
The Cyclones, who climbed up to a program-record No. 2 in the country after a 16-0 start, fell twice last week — first in a 21-point blowout at Kansas and then in a nine-point loss at Cincinnati. The latter marked the Bearcats’ first ever win over a top-two team at home since 1967. The hot start for the Cyclones simply came crashing down, hard.
As a result, that dropped Iowa State seven spots to No. 9 in this week’s poll. Arizona held strong at No. 1 and actually received all 61 votes to retain the spot unanimously. The Wildcats have now held the spot for six straight weeks. This, though, was their closest week in a while. They pulled away from Arizona State late on Wednesday, thanks to 24 points and 10 rebounds from Koa Peat, and then they did the same on the road at UCF on Saturday night to get to 18-0.
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UConn replaced Iowa State at No. 2, while Michigan, Purdue and Duke rounded out the top five.
There are now only two other undefeated teams left in the country. Nebraska is still perfect, and came in at No. 7 in the national polls this week. That’s now the highest ranking in school history, which is remarkable for a program that has still never even won an NCAA tournament game.
Miami (Ohio) is the other, but the RedHawks just barely made it past Buffalo on Saturday night. They needed a buzzer-beater in regulation to even force the extra period and then a huge 3-pointer from Peter Suder to win the game in the final seconds of overtime.
The RedHawks finally entered the poll at No. 25 for the first time this week.
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Things will get tough for Nebraska in the near future. After Washington and Minnesota this week, the Cornhuskers will travel to No. 3 Michigan and then host No. 11 Illinois next week. They’ve played just two ranked opponents up until this point, winning by a combined five points.
As for Arizona, the Big 12 truly seems like theirs to lose, especially now that the Cyclones have fallen back.
The top-seeded Indiana Hoosiers take on the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff national championship game tonight. If your NFL team is looking to address the trenches high in this spring’s NFL Draft (or if your team is simply the Las Vegas Raiders), there are several names to watch.
In this mock draft, which was originally published Jan. 6, Charles McDonald makes the odd-numbered picks, and Nate Tice makes the even. Draft order via Tankathon.
The Raiders need a quarterback. Mendoza is the best one in the draft. Easy. He fits the profile of a top-10 pick with his ability to run the offense at a high level, strong arm talent and enough mobility to keep plays alive under duress. No one is confusing him for a Drake Maye- or Josh Allen-level athlete, but he’s not the stiff many have made him out to be. This is a fine and logical pick for the Raiders.
*Since this mock was first published, Moore announced that he’s returning to Oregon and not declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft. Yahoo Sports’ mock draft 5.0 will publish on Tuesday, Feb. 10 after the Super Bowl. In the meantime, Arvell Reese would be a great pick for the Jets in this spot, because while they’ll likely be disappointed to not have a shot at Fernando Mendoza, Reese is the kind of explosive, versatile talent that can accelerate their rebuild on defense.
Depending on what the Jets (and Dante Moore) do, this could be a quarterback pick, but if not, the Cardinals should run to turn this card in and take the best defensive player in the draft in Reese. He is an explosive, violent defender with tremendous upside as a long-term front seven player for the Cardinals. He won’t alleviate every problem this team has, but it’s a great start.
The Titans could stand to move back in this draft to accumulate as many selections as possible to build out their roster around Cam Ward and Jeffery Simmons. Here they select Tate, a player who can be a safety net and big play-option for Ward. Tate has length and excellent hand-eye coordination which gives him a large catching radius, especially near the sideline and in the red zone. His strides eat up ground and his route-running has added real polish this season, opening up his ability to attack at all three levels. There are a lot of flavors of wide receivers this year at the top of the draft (Denzel Boston, Jordyn Tyson, Makai Lemon) and beyond. Tate’s all-around game and QB-friendliness seems like a natural pairing with the dynamic Ward.
The Giants have fallen out the range to consider a quarterback, which it was reported they might do. They still need several upgrades on offense. With Malik Nabers coming back from injury in the fall, offensive tackle makes a ton of sense here.
There is a dearth of quarterback options in this year’s draft class, so the Browns’ attention turns to another dire position of need: offensive line. Mauigoa might have been the most consistent offensive lineman of this year’s class, at least among players who entered the season highly regarded. While Mauigoa would be best at guard at the next level, he’s more than earned the right to start out at tackle. The Browns are about to need both, so perfect.
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Washington desperately needs to get younger and more explosive in the front seven, and gets a gift with Bain falling to the seventh pick. There have been concerns about Bain’s arm length and how that will affect him in the NFL, but he’s got the build and athleticism to bully offensive tackles off the edge. He’d be a perfect fit in Dan Quinn’s front that will ask him to play with aggression.
McCoy didn’t play a snap this year while he recovered from a knee injury at the end of the 2024 season, but he still has a chance of being the first cornerback taken in this year’s class. The Saints could look at a few positions, and an edge like David Bailey or Keldric Faulk is tempting, but outside cornerback stood out as a position that needs to be addressed this offseason. There are a few options in discussion here, but McCoy brings true No. 1 upside because of his size and twitchiness (at least pre-injury) and would represent the potential to add a needle-moving type player in the defensive back room.
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The Chiefs can go a lot of ways with this pick, but here they take the best player in the draft in Downs, who plays a position of need anyways. Downs’ versatility and nose for the ball would be a perfect fit in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense and he could be the instant impact defender Kansas City needs to shore up another run for the playoffs when Patrick Mahomes gets healthy.
Trey Hendrickson is a free agent and has seemed perennially unhappy in Cincinnati amid constant disputes over his contract. Regardless, the Bengals need to add firepower to their front seven. Linebacker could be looked at here, but the Bengals decide to go with a Hendrickson replacement in Bailey, a flamethrower off the edge who is constantly attacking and moving toward the quarterback. Pressures and sacks are why Bailey was brought to Lubbock and why NFL teams will be interested in him, and while defending the run isn’t his calling card, he has improved in that area, too.
Texas Tech’s David Bailey could start a defensive revamp the Bengals desperately need. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
Miami’s defense had its moments this season, but the Dolphins don’t have the personnel to get over the hump yet and play good defense for an extended stretch. The Dolphins’ cornerback room still needs multiple upgrades and they can get a good one here with Delane. He is a transfer from Virginia Tech who hit the ground running for LSU with a size-and-speed combination NFL teams will covet in man coverage prospects.
While the thought of passing on a talented running back like Jeremiyah Love might be too much for Jerry Jones to handle, the Cowboys’ defense must add more talent this offseason. They currently don’t have a defensive coordinator, but Faulk’s versatility and strength against the run make him a fit regardless. Faulk is long, can hold up against the run, align at multiple spots, is young, and has developed more as a pass rusher this season, even if his box score numbers weren’t overwhelming. He can be more of a DeMarcus Lawrence replacement than Micah Parsons.
The Rams use their first of two first-round picks on Styles to solidify their linebacker room. Styles has an element of speed and range to his game that the Rams could really use, and he would give them a much sturdier front seven than the boom-or-bust one they have.
ANOTHER first-round wide receiver for the Ravens, but this one is different, I swear! Rather than another undersized speedy route runner like Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, or Hollywood Brown, Boston is an outside ball-winner who will instantly be a top red-zone option for Lamar Jackson to work with. I’m higher on Boston than most. He has No. 1 receiver potential with juice to stretch the field (he was used as a punt returner at Washington at 6-foot-4) and the body control and route running to align anywhere. I can already picture Boston being Jackson’s best friend on extended plays.
Every position group on Tampa Bay’s defense could use an upgrade, but the Bucs get a strong cornerback prospect here in Terrell, younger brother of Falcons star cornerback A.J. Avieon can come in and make Tampa’s blitz-happy defense a little more sound by giving the Bucs sticky coverage on the back end they’ve been missing.
Woods had an underwhelming final season at Clemson but it’s hard to not get excited about the flashes he has displayed throughout his career, this season included. Woods is strong enough to eat double-teams but also disruptive enough to get into the opponent’s backfield and create defensive explosives. That lets him stay on the field for all three downs and get wielded however the play-caller wants. Woods could still end up as one of the best defenders in this draft, a building block the Jets desperately need.
The Lions aren’t far from getting back to being NFC contenders, but they’ll need to get a bit more talented on their offensive line to have a more consistent offense to close out seasons and games. Ioane has the size and athleticism that head coach Dan Campbell has grown to covet in his offensive linemen and fits Detroit’s bruising style of play.
The Vikings could add to any part of their defense and I would understand. After signing veterans Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen to add some juice to their defensive line for 2025 (both are under contract for 2026, but also now north of 30 years old), the Vikings add a player in Washington who can be a literal and figurative building block for them. Washington has emerged as another defensive tackle in this class who can hold the point of attack in the run game and bring some dynamic ability to get into the opponent’s backfield. Pairing him with Jalen Redmond could create a fun interior duo that can be the tip of the spear for the Vikings’ defense for years to come.
The Panthers still need a ton of playmakers on both sides of the ball, but getting after the passer has been a huge problem for them, and it was again for much of Saturday’s wild-card loss to the Rams. They start to attempt to alleviate that with the selection of Parker here.
Jerry Jones can breathe easy because Love is still there for Dallas’ second selection, which is as high as can be reasonably expected thanks to the Packers’ early playoff loss to the Bears. The Cowboys have a young and talented offensive line with quality coaching under Klayton Adams, who turned the run game into a weapon in 2025. Love is a true first-round quality running back who can take any play to the house as a runner and receiver. Putting him behind the Cowboys’ line with a dangerous passing attack could make things go supernova on offense in Big D.
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DK Metcalf’s recent suspension has shown the Steelers’ wide receiver room is way too thin. Getting another player who can get open on their own would go a long way for whoever is playing quarterback for this team next season. Lemon would be an ideal secondary receiver across from Metcalf, giving the Steelers a strong wide receiver room for the first time in years.
Another quality defensive tackle in this year’s class, and it’s exactly what the Chargers need (besides health). Even if defensive coordinator Jesse Minter leaves, it’s a good bet the Chargers won’t verge too far from his scheme, and they’ve lacked the beef on the inside to hold up against the better run teams in the NFL. McDonald would do just that: eat double-teams for his faster teammates to make plays and create more third-and-longs to help put the screws on passing games.
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The Eagles can return to Super Bowl contention by building back up through the trenches, and they need to make another high-end investment at offensive tackle, even if it won’t pay off immediately. Lane Johnson isn’t going to play forever and flexibility at such an important position is how the Eagles built this juggernaut over the past handful of seasons. Lomu is one of the top players in the draft with serious long-term upside as a tackle, and now the Eagles can stash him for a year or two.
You think we’re done with the Browns’ offensive line? It’s slim pickings at quarterback. Wide receiver could be looked at here, but why not take an offensive line unit that had the potential to be nuclearly bad in 2026 and inject some optimism going forward? Especially with Quinshon Judkins carrying the football behind it. Pregnon is an explosive blocker with light feet that could help shore up the interior of the pocket for whoever is playing quarterback for the Browns in the future.
Tyson could have a chance to be the No. 1 wide receiver taken (he’s fighting for that spot on my big board), but his injury history in college will give NFL teams concern about his long-term health at the next level. When on the field, Tyson is explosive with excellent body control to contort for throws away from him. He also can turn underneath throws into big plays. Tyson would give Josh Allen and the Bills’ offense a different flavor of playmaker in their pass-catching group of zone beaters.
The Bears’ defense has been effective, but inconsistent. Miller had an up-and-down season for Georgia, but closed out strong and looks like a viable starter as an interior defender in the NFL.
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Freeling hasn’t officially declared, but I am keen on seeing his decision. In an offensive tackle class that has talent evaluations all over the place, Freeling’s excellent tools and growth this season has made him start to stand out more as Georgia’s campaign went along. He is an explosive athlete with length that looks to have added strength to his game, especially with his ability to anchor. He’s added real polish to his game, he’s cleaned up mistakes and his hand usage and pop on contact is way more consistent. Freeling could be a big riser throughout the process, and his overall athleticism would make him a perfect understudy for Trent Williams.
This is a home run swing. Proctor has had a high-profile career going back to being a five-star recruit coming out of high school, but there are concerns about how he’ll handle NFL speed considering his playing weight is pushing 370. If he can figure out how to improve that part of his game, he has the athleticism to instantly become one of the most promising tackle prospects in the league.
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29. Los Angeles Rams — Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
A shiny toy for Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay to close out their second first-round pick. The Rams already have a couple talented tight ends in Colby Parkinson and Terrance Ferguson, but Sadiq can be the true gamebreaking receiving threat that opens up another door for what’s already an elite offense.
Hunter is another transfer who has made an impact since he arrived in Lubbock. He is massive but still has the light feet to beat offensive linemen at the snap of the ball and stay on the field on pass rushing downs. The Patriots’ run defense fell off as the season went along, especially when Milton Williams (who has been worth every penny for New England) was sidelined with an injury. Hunter would help that out immediately with enough pass-rushing juice to impact the game on every down.
The Broncos could use a draft pick investment at middle linebacker for the long term. They can get the perfect fit for the personnel they already have in Allen. He has been a starter since his freshman season with a ton of experience in Kirby Smart’s defense. He might not be the fastest guy out there, but he’s tough, tackles well and keeps things in order.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been a revelation this season as the focal point of the Seahawks’ passing attack, and has a real chance to win Offensive Player of the Year. But Seattle could still stand to add more juice to the wide receiver room for the future. Tory Horton has moments as a rookie, but he also battled injuries (a reason for his fall in the draft) and ended up on injured reserve. The Seahawks traded for Rashid Shaheed, who is explosive and has improved as a route runner, but he still fits more as an auxiliary option in a passing attack (and will be a free agent after this season). Concepcion adds a big-play element and more “real” wide receiving ability than you would think given his middling size. He plays big, is dynamic with the ball in his hands, and can also be used as a returner. The Seahawks have been explosive this season through the air. Concepcion turns the dial up even further.
The Seattle Seahawks dismantled the rival San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round of the playoffs Saturday, but it came at a cost. Running back Zach Charbonnet sustained a “significant knee injury” and will miss the rest of the playoffs, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed Monday.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter later reported that the injury was a torn ACL.
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Charbonnet, 25, led the team with 12 rushing touchdowns during the regular season.
While Macdonald didn’t reveal the exact nature of the injury, he said Charbonnet would face “a long road back,” potentially hinting at the running back missing time next season.
Throughout the regular season, Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker combined to give the Seahawks a fearsome rushing attack. The team ranked 10th in the NFL with 2,096 rushing yards in 2025. Walker led the way with 1,027 yards, but Charbonnet was the hammer, scoring 12 of the team’s 19 rushing scores.
Since being selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Charbonnet has emerged as a strong power option and the perfect complement to the shifty Walker. After a quiet rookie season, Charbonnet showed promise in his second year, rushing for 569 yards and scoring eight touchdowns while filling in for an injured Walker.
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Both players stayed healthy in 2025, but that didn’t stop Charbonnet from putting up the best season of his career. The third-year pro rushed for a career-high 730 yards and scored 12 touchdowns.
With the Seahawks securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC, Charbonnet was able to rest during the wild-card games. He returned to action against the 49ers, but carried the ball just five times for 20 yards in the contest. He left the game late in the first half, after taking a big hit. Macdonald said he was optimistic about Charbonnet’s injury after the contest, but that the running back would undergo further evaluation.
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That evaluation apparently revealed a much more worrisome injury, ending Charbonnet’s season.
Matt Harmon and Scott Pianowski recap a wild Divisional Round weekend in the NFL and provide their biggest fantasy takeaways and implications for each game. The two break down each of the four games and look ahead to the teams that face questions in the offseason and the four teams that are headed to championship Sunday.
(2:00) Bills fire Sean McDermott
(11:30) Broncos 33, Bills 30
(22:50) Seahawks 41, 49ers 6
(31:15) Patriots 28, Texans 16
(46:05) Rams 20, Bears 17
Matt Harmon and Scott Pianowski recap a wild Divisional Round weekend in the NFL and provide their biggest fantasy takeaways and implications for each game. The two break down each of the four games and look ahead to the teams that face questions in the offseason and the four teams that are headed to championship Sunday.
Stroud had one of the worst performances by a QB in NFL playoff history against New England on the road. While it was in pretty bad weather conditions, Stroud was unable to get it done in a huge spot and has regressed in every season since he won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors back in 2023.
Harmon starts the segment by pointing out that Stroud’s performance against the Patriots ranked 418th among 429 QB performances in the playoffs since 2007 in EPA per dropback. Stroud finished the game with just 212 yards on 20/47 completed passes with one touchdown and four interceptions while taking three sacks. That was good for a passer rating of 28.0.
The regression is real and Harmon believes the Texans need to search for answers as to why Stroud hasn’t improved since his first year in the league. Pianowski points to the absence of top WR Nico Collins, who was out with a concussion, being a big factor as he struggled to stay healthy all season.
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Houston needs to figure out the offense or else it may end up missing the playoffs next season, which wouldn’t bode well for the fantasy prospects of Stroud, Collins and others surrounding them.
Stroud, 24, is still young but his career trajectory has been odd. In 2023 as a rookie, Stroud threw for over 4,000 yards with 23 TDs to just five INTs, In 2024, Stroud took a step back while the defense stepped up. He threw for under 4,000 yards while his INT total went up to 12 (his TDs down to 20). Stroud missed three games this season but had a passer rating below his mark from Year 1.
After nine seasons in Buffalo, one of the longest head coaching tenures in the league ended when the Bills announced the firing of Sean McDermott. The Bills had a total meltdown in terms of ball security against Denver and McDermott was the first piece of the failure to hit the chopping block. With general manager Brandon Beane, somehow, being promoted to president of football operations, the Bills will enter a new, pressure-cooked era where the new head coach will be expected to win immediately as Beane gets to select his own head coach with his newly wielded power.
McDermott’s firing was the 10th head coach change this cycle and now with eight slots open it’s fair to wonder: How difficult is it going to be to improve upon McDermott?
The opportunity to coach Josh Allen will thrust the Bills up the board in terms of desirable landing spots for head coaching talent, but even with Allen under center, it will be difficult to replicate McDermott’s six straight seasons of making it to the divisional round and a 98-50 overall regular-season record, including only one losing season dating back to his second season in Buffalo, 2018, when Allen was a rookie. Even with a franchise quarterback, it’s hard to be a team that wins and is a threat to contend every year. Being unable to break through to the Super Bowl ultimately did McDermott in, but it is interesting to think about where this team would be if the Bills didn’t have a multitude of turnovers that were the direct fault of chaotic and sloppy play by Allen and the Bills’ players.
Firing McDermott after that particular performance was odd, but it illustrates how palpable the tension in Buffalo is right now. In a year when Patrick Mahomes, their postseason boogeyman, wasn’t able to suit up for the playoffs, not even making it to the AFC championship is a tough pill to swallow. Especially considering the Bills absolutely could have won that game if it wasn’t for their five total turnovers. The expectation here is to be in Super Bowl contention every single year — an expectation that McDermott had a large role in crafting.
The Bills would have to make a catastrophically unqualified hire to bottom out, especially considering the state of the Dolphins and Jets in the basement of the AFC East, but assuming they’ll plop back into being a perennial divisional round team that’s come a drive or two away from the Super Bowl multiple times is easier said than done.
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Having Allen on the roster is a huge boost to their chances, but the AFC is loaded right now with quarterback talent and Drake Maye has emerged as a superstar talent in Buffalo’s division. Doing a halfway shakeup by firing McDermott and keeping Beane is a risk, but perhaps Beane’s recent promotion will assuage concerns candidates have about this being a situation where they’ll be insta-fired if Year 1 doesn’t go as planned.
Beane ending up being rewarded for how this season ended while McDermott was fired is confusing to parse, but it follows the trend of other teams this offseason. Of the nine teams that fired their head coach, only two of them (Miami and Atlanta) also fired their general managers. Perhaps Beane’s upgraded job situation will allow the Bills to get over the hump, but he has as much blame as anyone to hold for the Bills’ underwhelming talent acquisition over the past few years.
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Like with John Harbaugh in Baltimore and Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh, next season will be a fun case study to try and acquiesce just how much influence McDermott had over the Bills’ success over the last eight years and how much of it was a result of having an elite quarterback during a down time in the AFC East. Regardless, one thing is 100% true about this opening: you better win.
