Category: Sport

Nate Tice & Charles McDonald give their instant reactions and takeaways from Week 15 of NFL action. The duo kick things off with The Late Hit, as they give their thoughts on the Minnesota Vikings’ win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night.

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Next, Nate & Charles bring you through the ups and downs of Week 15 with 3 High, 3 Low. The high side of the Sunday slate included the Denver Broncos taking sole possession of the 1-seed in their win over the Green Bay Packers, the Buffalo Bills staying in the division race in a win over the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars getting statement wins.

The lows of Week 15 included the Kansas City Chiefs officially being eliminated (and losing Patrick Mahomes), the Detroit Lions being unable to hang in there against the Los Angeles Rams and the NFL’s worst offenses looking even worse than normal (talking to you, Cleveland Browns & Las Vegas Raiders). They wrap up with quick thoughts on Philip Rivers’ not-that-bad day against the Seattle Seahawks.

(00:50) – Vikings beat Cowboys

(16:30) – Broncos beat Packers

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(27:10) – Bills beat Patriots

(41:25) – AFC contenders get key wins

(56:05) – Chiefs are officially cooked

(1:06:00) – Lions lose to Rams

(1:13:50) – Browns and Raiders look even worse than normal

(1:22:00 ) – Extra Credit: Philip Rivers’ day against Seattle

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

Another mass shooting, another impassioned plea for gun control from Steve Kerr.

The Golden State Warriors coach spoke for about three minutes unprompted on Sunday night before their 136-131 loss against the Portland Trail Blazers and again called for gun reform in the wake of a mass shooting at Brown University.

“With what happened last night at Brown, it’s just a reminder to me that these shootings continue to happen, and there is something we can do about them. The loss that all of the people involved [Saturday] night, the loss that they’re feeling, it’s exactly the same loss as all the Parkland families, and every other mass shooting.

“Nobody asked me about it today. I didn’t expect anybody to ask me. I doubt we’re gonna do a moment of silence out there because it’s human nature just to not want to deal with this stuff. And it’s human nature just to think, ‘This is so horrible. Let’s not even think about it.’ But we have to think about it.”

A shooting took place at Brown University in Rhode Island on Saturday afternoon that left two people dead and nine others injured, according to The New York Times. An investigation is still ongoing. Authorities released a man who they had detained on Sunday night, and are still searching for the alleged gunman.

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According to the Gun Violence Archive, that was the 389th mass shooting in the United States so far this year. There have been others since.

Gun control is something that Kerr has been a strong advocate of for years. He’s spoken out about plenty of other mass shootings in the United States in the past, hosted a town hall about the issue, drawn support for groups founded by students who survived other mass shootings, and more. Kerr’s father, Malcolm, was shot and killed in Beirut in 1984 when Steve was a student at Arizona.

“The vast majority of gun owners in this country are responsible, law-abiding citizens,” Kerr said. “They have every right to own a gun. But it’s on us to decide if we actually want to take action as a country, as citizens. We know, we know that there are common-sense measures we can take that will save people’s lives. And I just want people out there — it doesn’t matter if you’re Democrat or Republican, or gun owner, non-gun owner — I just want people thinking, ‘What if it were my child? What if it were my brother or sister?’ Would you be willing to stand up to your representatives and say, ‘You know what? Enough. I’m not gonna vote for you unless you are going to stand up for gun violence prevention through common-sense laws that the vast majority of Americans agree on.’

“Or are we just gonna continue to let the gun lobby run us over and not do anything to protect each other, to protect our children, to protect our future. We have to make that decision.”

Kerr wasn’t the only sports figure to condemn the shooting. USC women’s basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb, who played at Brown, spoke out on Saturday night.

This is far from the first time that Kerr has addressed this issue, and mass shootings continue to occur in the United States. Based on recent history, it likely won’t be the last time we hear from Kerr about gun control, either.

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While Kerr knows how easy it would be to just give up and ignore the problem, especially since it seems like nothing is getting better, he ended his plea on Sunday night with a simple solution.

“Don’t just look the other way, even though that’s human nature and I understand it,” Kerr said. “Think about it. Think about, do you want something done? Do you want your child to go to school terrified every day? Or do you want to actually take action?

“Because that’s what a democracy is about. Where we demand that our representatives protect us. And that option is there. So, we can either just do what we’re continuing to do and let these things happen or make some demands. And so, as you’re thinking about this today, think about, what if it were your own family member?”

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — In the below-freezing tunnel of Gillette Stadium, Mike Vrabel held a stat sheet in his left hand and kept his right hand free for greetings.

Vrabel extended a fist bump to some of his players and a reassuring chest pat to others. He was not festive but he also was not forlorn. This was not the head-hanging or tunnel walk of silence in which losing coaches so often engage.

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In fact, when tight end Hunter Henry looked down and shook his head after their encounter, Vrabel seemed intent on reminding the veteran: A 35-31 loss to the reigning league MVP and five-years-running division champions is nothing to be ashamed of.

“You know what I mean? This is the National Football League,” Vrabel shouted as Henry disappeared into the locker room.

Before long, receiver Stefon Diggs rounded out the group of players to trickle off the field and Vrabel, too, disappeared into the locker room to address his squad after their first loss since Sept. 21.

The manner of losing warranted some disappointment, after the Patriots blew a 21-point lead and 17-point halftime lead to the Buffalo Bills and snapped their 10-game winning streak in a stadium where both locker rooms spoke candidly about the seeming inevitability of Josh Allen.

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But there was also reason for the Patriots to appreciate, if not celebrate, the value of their first final-score adversity in months. At 11-3 and atop the AFC East, albeit now just by one game, New England is well on track to host at least one playoff game for the first time since Vrabel’s Titans upset them in a wild-card game six years ago.

[Get more Patriots news: New England team feed]

Triumphing in January if not also February tends to require a degree of callousing. Sunday’s game, in which the Patriots had a host of individual accolades but not the final result they coveted, provided some. No, the division-champion hats and shirts did not leave their boxes Sunday. But the Patriots may have received a more substantive gift.

“It’s good for us,” said Diggs, who’s played in the NFC championship and AFC championship games with the Minnesota Vikings and Bills, respectively. “When you’re playing a team like that, they play from behind. They’re used to playing from behind, fighting back and clawing. … It’s been a while since we lost [and] we probably needed it.

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“It’s like a daily dose of your humble pie.”

Cornerback Carlton Davis, who won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tom Brady, echoed the sentiment.

“We don’t want to go into the playoffs not having been scathed,” Davis told Yahoo Sports. “The Patriots organization hasn’t been in this position in quite a minute. So it’s good to get a little taste of that playoff atmosphere.

“That’s a playoff team. They go to the big dance every year. So yeah, that was a great warmup for us.”

In battle of top-tier quarterbacks, Josh Allen outdueled Drake Maye

Beneath a light but steady dusting of snow, the Patriots warmed up more quickly than the Bills.

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Quarterback Drake Maye’s MVP case was up for trial amid a relatively soft schedule of opponents. He’d already outlasted the Bills in Buffalo and the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay. Could he also finish off the Bills at home?

Finding Kayshon Boutte 30 yards down the right sideline on third-and-7 aroused the home crowd’s first outburst of “M-V-P” chants. An 8-yard touchdown on a designed run around the left end cued up another chorus.

Before the first quarter was over, Maye would also scramble up the middle of the field 7 yards for a second rushing score to double the two rushing touchdowns he’d scored in 13 prior games this season. At that point, an uninformed bystander may have confused which quarterback was the dual-threat, reigning MVP.

“Just seeing the defense and trying to use my legs when I can, trying to add an extra element in the red zone to gain an extra hat,” Maye said. “And from there, try to make a play and try to get in the end zone.”

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Maye’s success required the Bills to respect his legs. That threat aided explosive rookie TreVeyon Henderson in finding creases up the middle to spring a third New England rushing touchdown, Henderson’s second-level dominance carrying him the 52 yards home.

The Patriots, up 21-0 with 5:53 to play in the first half, held a 91.1% chance of winning, per Next Gen Stats win probability data.

But that algorithm didn’t account for Josh Allen being Josh Allen … which translated statistically into rebounding from three straight punts to score five straight touchdowns.

As the third quarter waned and the fourth quarter ratcheted up Buffalo’s intensity, the Bills hit their stride.

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Cornerback Tre’Davious White intercepted Maye with 1:39 to play in the third quarter, thwarting a chance for the Patriots to respond after the Bills had narrowed New England’s lead to three. White’s interception still set the  Bills up with a daunting 91-yard field. But Buffalo didn’t blink.

Allen converted a keeper on third-and-1 and, when he failed to move the chains on a third-and-2 pass, Bills head coach Sean McDermott kept his offense on the field. Facing fourth-and-3 from the 45, again everyone in the stadium was reminded that Allen is inevitable. 

And thus a 37-yard pass from Allen arrived in the arms of receiver Khalil Shakir, even as Shakir needed to stretch his arms around cornerback Marcus Jones in the process.

Four plays later, on third-and-14, Allen fired a laser to tight end Dawson Knox for Knox’s second touchdown of the afternoon — and the Bills’ first lead of the game.

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“I saw Josh rolling out, we work the scramble drill a lot in practice and just threw a frozen rope right in my chest,” Knox said. “I had no choice but to catch that one. Just crazy scramble drill. It was just a five verticals concept. I was supposed to kind of stay on my side of the field.

“Unbelievable throw by Josh Allen, man.”

Another Henderson unleashing in the form of a 65-yard touchdown (and stellar downfield blocking from Maye) wouldn’t be enough to derail the Bills’ momentum. With a 24-7 second-half advantage and heavy pressure on Maye disrupting the Patriots’ passing game, the Bills gave the Patriots a taste of the challenges that await New England in January.

“That was a playoff game,” Davis said. “When you get down to the end of the season and you start talking about seeding, you start talking about division, that’s a playoff game.

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“Maybe we needed this loss to help us correct a couple of things. And so [we know] we’re not invincible, but still a great team.”

As Patriots absorbed ‘kick in butt,’ vision for Maye’s next step clarified

The Patriots want to be clear: Winning was the goal and preference Sunday.

“Of course we’re not happy with that,” Henderson said after a career-high 161 scrimmage yards and two scores. “Of course we wanted to come out with the win.”

But losing a game in which they outgained the Bills 285 yards to 76 in the first half, also putting the Bills in their largest halftime hole (17 points) of the season?

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If that doesn’t teach New England’s locker room the necessity of playing 60 minutes, the Patriots aren’t sure what will. Linebacker Jack Gibbens was not alone in believing that “the sense of urgency to get things fixed after a loss definitely picks up.” The blueprint that the Bills parlayed — pressure Maye into thinking about the pass rush at the expense of downfield routes, wear down a depleted New England defensive cast with extended drives — will come back to haunt the Patriots if they don’t respond accordingly.

Sure, Maye excites the Patriots in the present and the future, his 109.1 passer rating trailing only the Los Angeles’ Rams Matthew Stafford and Detroit Lions’ Jared Goff while his 70.9% completion percentage leads the league.

Maye’s 27 offensive touchdowns are tied for seventh-most in the NFL. His accuracy, play extension and smarts to change plays at the line of scrimmage impress teammates and opponents alike. He has received comparisons to Allen.

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But he’s not there yet. Because there’s a belief that teams develop when a quarterback has already proven they can win and rebound repeatedly in improbable circumstances. The MVPs of recent history have done that. There were days when one just could not explain Allen or Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson or Aaron Rodgers.

Maye, meanwhile, has helped the Patriots start fast and survive attempts to thwart wins. He will continue to build his arsenal of late-game comebacks and fourth-quarter elevations as Allen has in a career that’s already earned him an MVP, albeit not yet the Super Bowl title he eyes.

Vrabel will tell Maye, as he tells all his players, that losses like Sunday’s are part of that climb. They’re part of the pursuit of greatness and they’re part of the maturation process that will sharpen a team when games don’t just resemble playoff environments but also carry the elimination actualities. Next week’s visit to the Baltimore Ravens will present yet another chance.

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That sense of resolve settled over the Patriots as the rawness of their loss softened slightly.

Vrabel’s call to Henry that “this is the National Football League” didn’t compel the tight end to turn back on his dejected entrance into the locker room. But 16 minutes later, as Hunter addressed reporters from his locker, he had absorbed — consciously or subconsciously — the message.

“This definitely can be a kind of kick in the butt,” Henry said. “We’ve had things go our way and everything go our way the last 10 weeks, so this is definitely a reality check.

“That’s a good football team. We went toe to toe with them in every aspect. But we have to give them credit.

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“We’ve got to get a lot better from this — fast.”

As Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones processed Sunday’s 16-13 home loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, a reporter’s question about being eliminated from postseason contention seemed to suddenly register in mid-thought.

“I think the score was 13-13 or 13-10, so still had a fighting chance. Um…”

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Jones paused and looked at reporters.

“Are we out of the playoffs?” he asked. “We are? OK.”

He pursed his lips for a moment and went silent.

Those few seconds felt like reality hitting home for the Chiefs defensive star. A totality on Sunday for Kansas City — from the top of the franchise to the bottom of the fan base — that carried the wallop of a sledgehammer. There would be no astounding turnaround and run to a Super Bowl. Instead, the team’s streak of seven consecutive AFC title game appearances ended, falling one short of the New England Patriots’ record of eight. The Chiefs played an astounding 21 playoff games in that expanse of those seven playoff runs, which began when Patrick Mahomes took over as the starting quarterback in 2018. That’s the equivalent of an entire 17-game NFL season plus a four-game run to a Super Bowl … in nothing but extra time.

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For Kansas City, it was a long, great party. But it ended with the cruelest halt of momentum for the Chiefs — with Mahomes’ left knee folding in a manner that makes you instinctively divert your eyes. Leaving him to be carried into the tunnel, with nothing returning but the news that his left ACL had been torn. Before it happened, many presumed the Chiefs were nearing a crossroads in their dynasty under Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid. After it happened, some will wonder if Sunday might be an end to it.

At this point, it would be a mountain of speculative reach to just suddenly calculate that the Chiefs dynasty is over. As the Patriots showed us in their two decades of being led by Tom Brady, a dynasty can have a long intermission and then pick back up again. After winning three rings in four years, New England went an entire decade without winning a Super Bowl — from 2005 to 2014. And in the middle of that, a 31-year old Brady tore his ACL in the first game of the 2008 season and New England was ultimately edged out of the playoff field in the final week. Brady would come back in 2009 and the Patriots would establish the second half of their 20-year dynasty, winning three more Super Bowls and ultimately appearing in nine from the start of the Brady and Bill Belichick era to the end.

Without going into the full history of how the Patriots did it, here’s a thumbnail: Coaches were swapped out, players came and went, Brady and Belichick got better, scandals rose and fell, and owner Robert Kraft mediated the peace between his quarterback and head coach as long as he possibly could. The point is, looking back, the fabric of the culture endured because the two most important individuals inside it stayed together. And as long as that’s what happens in Kansas City over the next 10 years — with Mahomes and Reid locked at the hip while retooling and reeducating new faces in the organization, Sunday wasn’t the end of anything.

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But there will be work required. A lot.

Start with Mahomes, who suffered his torn ACL late enough into this season that he’ll likely miss the entire offseason program and potentially some of training camp — depending on his rehabilitation plays out and how conservative the franchise wants to be with his ramp-up process. But the retooling won’t just be physical. Mahomes made enough questionable decisions this season to give himself a hard evaluation moving forward. Especially when the running component that was such a big part of his game this season will no longer be a viable asset. The last thing the Chiefs are going to need in 2026 is their most prized player running through defenses on a surgically repaired ACL.

There will be a cost associated with the injury that will challenge both Mahomes and Reid, who will need to contemplate what he wants the offense to look like moving forward. This is how the league works. Every scheme must grow and change, either out necessity or the sheer depreciation and rebuilding of rosters. Some signs point to tight end Travis Kelce retiring when this season ends. That means Mahomes will have lost one of his most trusted players on offense in his first season back from the worst injury of his football career. That’s no small thing.

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Added on top of it is Reid now being tasked to find a dynamic partner to consistently be the backbone of the running game. A young, talented running back who isn’t a comfortable retread or just another good player who can step into a platoon. When Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman wanted to stop Jalen Hurts from getting hammered repeatedly running RPOs, he pounced on Saquon Barkley and paid him at a time running backs weren’t getting paid. And the result was a Super Bowl win that should resonate in the mind of Chiefs fans more than anyone else.

Getting Mahomes more help — through a running game, through a healthier and more consistent offensive line, through a more reliable cast of pass-catchers — is one part of it. Something dynamic has been missing from the offense this season. There is nothing unstoppable, having long left behind the impossible-to-duplicate prime era trifecta of Mahomes, Kelce and Tyreek Hill. Of course, it’s hard to add supremely dynamic pieces when you’re drafting late for seven straight years. But there have been personnel mistakes made, too.

The defense isn’t excluded from retooling, either. The unit has had its moments, but it feels like a Xerox of the sometimes-dominant unit of past years. This unit can’t carry Kansas City through a long spate of sputtering offensive performances. The defensive line and the gold star ability to scheme up pressure when necessary feels distant and fading. When you marry this offense and this defense — both flawed — it becomes harder to clamp down and grit out wins when things are close and every mistake matters. That’s how you lose seven one-score games this season.

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This is what a crossroads in a dynasty feels like. You look left, there’s some problems. You look right, some more problems. The Patriots experienced it during their decade-long Super Bowl drought. And it was brought upon in some of the same ways this Chiefs team came up short. But the key for the Patriots was that in their drought, Brady and Belichick hung in and eventually the right levers were pulled and the correct buttons were reset. They certainly had the titanic-sized egos that could have sunk it all. Go ask the early 1990s Dallas Cowboys about that.

Maybe that’s the first real task in Kansas City. To absorb the (for now) one lost season and turn the microscope within. Some dynasties end in sports. A spare few others just pause. Distinguishing what makes the difference between the two is the next great chapter that Mahomes and Reid have to write together.

The Cincinnati Bengals are going through some things. Days after quarterback Joe Burrow made some worrisome comments about whether he still enjoys playing football, the team was shut out by the division-rival Baltimore Ravens.

Burrow, in particular, did not play well in the loss, putting up his worst statistical game of the season. To make matters even worse, the loss eliminated Burrow and the Bengals from the playoffs, a brutal outcome for a team that came into the year with Super Bowl aspirations.

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The Ravens must have sensed some frustration and disarray from Cincinnati during the contest, because Ravens defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones felt comfortable enough to lob some trash talk at the team following the win.

After the victory, Jones said it was “too cold for” the Bengals, per the Ravens’ official site.

“It was too cold for them,” he said. “We didn’t really discuss the fact they had zero points. I think we just wanted to attack.”

While that might sound harmless to some, it’s quite the insult when talking about a team that plays its games in the Midwest during the winter. The Bengals are plenty familiar with cold weather games late in the season. The team even played in one in Week 14, when Burrow and Josh Allen battled it out in a snowstorm.

Burrow put up strong numbers in that contest, though two late interceptions eventually sunk the Bengals.

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He wasn’t nearly as effective in Week 15. Against the Ravens, Burrow went 25-of-39, with 225 passing yards and two interceptions. His second interception, in particular, was not typical for Burrow, who sped up with a pass rusher in his face to throw an uncharacteristic pass straight to a defender.

After the contest, Burrow took the blame for the loss, saying, “There’s not a team in the NFL that would have won the game today if I was the quarterback.”

The loss dropped Cincinnati to 4-10 on the season. The team currently holds the No. 9 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Ravens, meanwhile, have plenty of reason to celebrate the win. After starting the year 1-5, Baltimore has improved to 7-7 and is back in the hunt for a playoff spot. Given the team’s recent run, the Ravens have plenty of reasons to feel good about their position, especially after shutting out a quarterback who has played extremely well against them in the past.

If football is good, more football is better, right? If NFL Sundays are the finest of Sundays, why not create another one? More football means more revenue for the league and broadcast partners, more opportunity for fantasy and gambling for fans, more of everything that makes football great. Who wouldn’t want the NFL season to add an 18th game?

“I’m not a big fan of it,” one NFL player said back in July when asked about the possibility of the NFL season moving to 18 games. “You’ve seen the amount of injuries that have kind of piled up there at the end of seasons, and you want to have the best players playing in the biggest games.”

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That player was Patrick Mahomes. And, like most of his biggest-game passes, he was right on target.

Mahomes is lost for the season thanks to a Week 15 ACL tear. Also gone for 2025: Green Bay’s Micah Parsons, who tore his ACL in the Packers’ loss to Denver. Plus, the Rams’ Davante Adams went down with a hamstring injury that could keep him out of this week’s key Thursday matchup against Seattle.

Three players who have held the keys to their team’s success this season. Three injuries, all of which forced their normally expressive head coaches into the exact same generic diagnosis:

“It didn’t look good,” Andy Reid said of Mahomes’ injury.

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“It doesn’t look good,” Matt LaFleur said of Parsons.

“It didn’t look good,” Sean McVay said of Adams.

It never looks good when a player hits the turf with a season-ending injury. And yet, that’s exactly what happens each week in the NFL. And as the Mahomes and Parsons injuries demonstrated, injuries strike stars and journeymen with equal severity and finality.

Every week’s NFL injury report runs into the hundreds of names, with teams reporting anywhere from a handful to a couple dozen players, some of whom are simply navigating nagging injuries, others who are out for a full game or more. And then there’s the Injured Reserve list, where Mahomes and Parsons are the latest on a grim tally of players out for anywhere from several weeks to the rest of the year. Heading into Week 15, 320 players — an average of 10 a team — have suffered injuries severe enough to cost them multiple games.

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Injuries are an assumed risk in the NFL, yes. A player who hasn’t spent some time injured is a player who hasn’t spent some time on the field. Injuries are part of the accepted cost of those massive paychecks NFL players receive. The question now is how much more risk, more work players should accept.

The Chiefs were already all but toast this season before Mahomes crumpled to the Arrowhead grass. But Mahomes remains part of the NFL’s promotion machine — a Kansas City Christmas Day game looks a whole lot less appealing now. And the effect of Parsons’ absence on the Packers’ playoff hopes is likely to be substantial and devastating. Football is a team game,  yes, and it’s an accepted battle of attrition. Ultimately, though, don’t we want to see a champion claim the crown by squaring up against the best players on the field, not on IR?

If the NFL goes to an 18-game season in the next few years, that means players will be playing 12.5 percent more games, suffering 12.5 percent more hits, enduring 12.5 percent more punishment than they did as recently as 2020. That’s a pretty substantial increase in workload — the equivalent of an extra hour on an eight-hour workday for the rest of us. And most of us don’t have to deal with the certainty of taking multiple car-crash-level hits at our workplace.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has aired the idea of an 18-game season before, including at this year’s Super Bowl. “If we do, 18 (regular season games) and 2 (preseason games) might be a possibility,” Goodell said earlier this year at his annual conference before the Super Bowl. “We know fans love football and they want more football. But we have to be incredibly sensitive and smart with the balance and how we deal with that.”

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The first problem with simply converting a preseason game into a regular-season one is the fact that most elite-level NFL players now sit out most, if not all, of the preseason. Sitting out a regular-season game doesn’t exactly seem like a viable option. Some players, including Mahomes, have pushed for a second bye week to aid in rest and recovery, but the punishing extra game is still there, regardless of whether players get an extra week off before it.

The league and the NFLPA could begin discussing the possibility of an extra game early next year. The earliest an 18-game season could come to pass would be the 2027 season. There are multiple logistical hurdles, from financial terms to broadcast rights agreements to the calendar itself. (A two-bye, 20-week season would either start in August or push almost into March.) First and foremost, though, the 18-week season would need to address the concerns of those most directly affected by it.

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Every play in the NFL is a roulette-wheel spin that carries with it the possibility of a catastrophic injury. And every extra game means another 40 or 50 spins of that wheel. For Mahomes and Parsons, the wheel came up double-zeroes on Sunday. Asking who’s next — wondering whose season is about to be derailed by injury — is a grim endeavor, but a necessary one if we’re talking about adding yet another game.

The seasons will be longer, but the careers will be shorter. That doesn’t seem quite fair, does it?

Each Monday, fantasy analyst Joel Smyth will go over important stats that you may have overlooked from this week. Week 15 had plenty of notable stats. What keys to fantasy success do you need to know that your leaguemates may have missed?​

16-13

The RB touch split for Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal. Hampton’s 16 touches came on only 23 snaps played, compared to Vidal’s 39 snaps. Neither crossed 10 fantasy points on an offense that’s been on the decline behind an injured offensive line. Since losing Joe Alt and several other linemen, the Chargers’ star-studded offense has dropped to 21st in scoring. Split backfields in struggling offenses aren’t ideal in fantasy.

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The Chargers’ run game was split 50/50 the entire game, with neither RB getting the hot hand. In the passing game, it was still Vidal with the clear edge. Hampton’s seven routes compared to Vidal’s 18 is a big hit to his fantasy value the rest of the playoffs. This is especially key against Dallas. Since the Quinnen Williams trade and the return of key players back from injury, the Cowboys weakness against RBs has primarily been through the air. The matchup makes their Week 16 outlook better than Week 15, but don’t expect Hampton to pull away from Vidal anytime soon.

75%

Of the Giants’ RB touches went to Tyrone Tracy Jr., a clear season high and the second-highest by a New York RB to Cam Skattebo in Week 4. After only having 54% since the Skattebo injury, Tracy separated himself from Devin Singletary when it mattered most. The significance of the one-game adjustment means more to me considering the Week 14 bye and the Giants recent coaching change.

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Tracy turned his 18 touches into 23.2 fantasy points on Sunday. Singletary, sadly, still got the one goal-line attempt, but Tracy controlled the passing game role and red-zone snaps overall. As the starter in 2024, Tracy was a volume fantasy RB2 in a poor situation. If he can get back to his 2024 volume with an improved situation, he can be a difference-maker in the fantasy playoffs. The Vikings will be a tougher opponent in Week 16; however, a better shot of keeping the game close for a 2-12 Giants team is just as important.

9/10

The number of times Trevor Lawrence has finished as a top-15 fantasy QB on the week since Week 5. After being a top-20 QB one time in his first four games to open the season, Lawrence has started to click in the new Jaguars offense. He was the overall QB1 in Week 5, and again this weekend, as he now ranks as the QB3 after the first month of the season. Remember, in a very similar situation last season, Baker Mayfield finished as the QB3 in PPG in Liam Coen’s offense.

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The Jaguars have an offensive line that can protect Lawrence well, weapons all around the field, and an aggressive downfield attack. Lawrence’s 9.3 air yards per attempt is fourth in the NFL, with the fourth-highest rate of throws 15+ yards downfield (the only QB top four in both). It’s not only aggressive but consistent. To add to it, the rushing production, much like the rest of his career, has been incredibly underrated. His 4.6 rushing fantasy PPG this season ranks sixth among QBs as he has now scored six rushing TDs on the year. Only six players have more QB runs this year. It keeps him as a great Superflex option versus the Broncos next week and usable in the fantasy championship against the Colts.

76.2%

Of the Tampa RB carries went to Bucky Irving. A good sign if you survived the floor game in Round 1 of the playoffs. Irving’s day was largely ruined thanks to Sean Tucker being the goal-line back, plunging in an easy one-yard TD run on Thursday. However, Irving once again dominated the touches in the Buccaneers backfield, even with Tucker and Rachaad White available.

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Prior to Week 15, Irving was averaging 17.4 PPR PPG with zero goal-line carries. It’s disappointing that the role he controlled in 2024 doesn’t seem to be reappearing, but the negatives largely end there. His 3.9 targets per game this season rank eighth among RBs and are a part of a strong offense that’s healthier than ever. He’ll have an even better matchup against a struggling Panthers defense in a bounce-back spot next week, as Carolina has ranked 30th in rushing fantasy PPG allowed in the back half of the season. In his rookie year, Irving scored over 25 fantasy PPG versus the Panthers defense.

28

Touches for Jonathan Taylor with Philip Rivers at QB on only 58 plays. In comparison, his season high of 35 touches earlier this season came on 78 plays. It ultimately didn’t result in many fantasy points, but an encouraging sign for the Colts’ focus after the Daniel Jones injury. Indianapolis moved to a near shotgun-only offense with the 44-year-old QB leading the way and 24 of Taylor’s 25 carries came in gun, with only 54% being in shotgun prior. Before Sunday, Taylor’s yards per carry decreased by 23% when in shotgun, ranking 13th among RBs compared to No. 1.

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The scoring opportunities were way down in Game 1 with Rivers, but this can partially be blamed on the Seattle defense. The Seahawks are, in fact, first in defensive success rate on running plays this season, while the Colts next opponent, the 49ers, rank 28th. If Tony Pollard can go for over 100 rushing yards and a score on 14 carries versus San Francisco, then I feel much more confident in Taylor’s potential next week.

15

Red-zone targets in the second half of the year for Colby Parkinson, tied for a team high with Davante Adams. Parkinson has 15 targets outside of the red zone altogether. It’s an obscure difference, but when it comes to fantasy TEs, TD upside is usually all that matters. Once we get outside of the best of the best, we want to search for whatever TE has the highest odds to score. It’s no coincidence that Parkinson has six touchdowns in his last six games, most without Tyler Higbee healthy. Now that Adams is injured as well, Parkinson’s red-zone role can come into focus even more.

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Parkinson had the other three red-zone targets in Week 15 that weren’t to Adams. He was the only other player to run over 50% of the red-zone routes (with 100%). On the No. 2 scoring offense in the NFL, Parkinson’s TD run has a better chance of continuing than most fantasy tight ends. It’s also worth noting that Puka Nacua goes from top five to No. 1 overall, with his targets per route on the season rising when Adams is not on the field to an absurd 44%. He may not be targeted like Adams is in the red zone, but Nacua will at least be on the field more, something that’s held him back from being this year’s fantasy WR1.

86.4%

Of routes run for Rashid Shaheed on Sunday, an increase of 18.6 percentage points compared to his average as a Seahawk. Since the trade, Shaheed has been slow to come on in Seattle’s explosive passing attack. He hasn’t been as useful in fantasy with a 9% target share. We saw a glimpse of Shaheed’s potential in this offense versus Indianapolis as the deep threat led the team with 105 air yards.

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In a short season with (now Seahawks) playcaller Klint Kubiak in 2024, Shaheed ranked first among all NFL WRs in air yard share on his way to being 25th in yards per route with Derek Carr. Seattle will get an in-division matchup versus Los Angeles next week, a pass defense that has been on a downward trend. The Rams allowed eight completions thrown 15+ yards downfield to Jared Goff on Sunday, setting up Shaheed as a home-run flyer for those in need.

18.6

Fantasy points for Justin Jefferson if he didn’t drop his end zone target and the Vikings weren’t called for illegal formation. It’s not only been a bad year for Jefferson but an unlucky one. Jordan Mason “covered up” the TE, something that didn’t affect the play at all, yet still cost Jefferson a TD. Then he had just his fifth drop of the season in the back of the end zone.

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The good news: J.J. McCarthy has looked much better the last two weeks. And if you’re thinking to yourself, “they’ve played horrible defenses,” I have more good news: they get one more in Week 16. The Giants defense ranks 27th in receiving fantasy PPG allowed to WRs this year. The Vikings’ back-to-back games of 31 offensive points should keep some hope alive for the few Jefferson managers that have survived.

The best news to come out of the weekend for Mauricio Pochettino and the U.S. men’s national team was not Ricardo Pepi’s scoring form or Sergiño Dest’s moment of brilliance. (More on that later.) No, Pochettino was undoubtedly most heartened by the sight of Antonee Robinson in Fulham’s uniform for the first time in more than two months and in a Premier League starting lineup for the first time since May.

Returning from a persistent knee issue, the veteran left back overcame a rocky start to help set up a goal as part of a 90-minute effort in the Cottagers’ 3-2 victory at Burnley — their first win at Turf Moor in 74 years.

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“I didn’t have any doubts,” Fulham manager Marco Silva said. “He’s a great athlete. We know what he’s capable of, and he showed that. He’s a very important player for us.”

Robinson had not played since a brief appearance against Aston Villa on Sept. 28. Across all competitions, his previous start came Sept. 23 against fourth-tier Cambridge United in the League Cup, but in terms of the Premier League, his absence from the lineup went back to the May 25 season finale against Manchester City.

Robinson — who hasn’t played for the U.S. team in more than a year — was called into U.S. camp in October but suffered a setback and didn’t play in the two friendlies. Subsequently, he was unavailable for last month’s camp.

Should Robinson remain healthy and gain regular playing time in the coming months, Pochettino seems certain to summon him to the March camp in Atlanta for friendlies against Belgium and Portugal. It’s the last assembly before Pochettino names his World Cup squad in late May — two weeks before the tournament begins.

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In Robinson’s absence, Pochettino has turned to the Columbus Crew’s Max Arfsten, and lesser so, Holstein Kiel’s John Tolkin, on the left side. In his first year on the national team, Arfsten has rewarded Pochettino’s faith with a growing confidence to get forward and contribute to the attack.

Arfsten was second on the U.S. team in matches played this year with 16, one behind Real Salt Lake attacker Diego Luna, and tied for first with New York City FC goalkeeper Matt Freese in starts (13). Robinson’s experience, though, would provide a notable edge to start the World Cup opener against Paraguay — if, of course, he’s healthy.

Elsewhere in Europe …

Netherlands

Pepi, who is vying for one of probably three U.S. striker slots next summer, converted a 20th-minute penalty kick to extend his scoring streak to four matches as first-place PSV Eindhoven defeated Heracles 4-3.

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According to Opta, Pepi is the first Dutch-based U.S. national team player to score in four straight in all competitions since Aron Johannsson for AZ Alkmaar in 2013-14.

A sub most of his injury-pocked season, Pepi has started three consecutive Eredivisie matches, each with a goal. His other score during the streak came as a sub against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League.

Pepi isn’t the only American thriving at PSV. Dest, the starting right back, made a brilliant cutting run in the 81st minute to set up Guus Til’s winning goal as the club improved to 14-1-1 and increased its lead to nine points over Feyenoord.

Italy

Christian Pulisic logged 73 minutes in AC Milan’s 2-2 home draw with Sassuolo, a disappointing result that left it a point behind new frontrunner Inter Milan but, nonetheless, stretched the club’s unbeaten streak in league play to 14.

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Pulisic should have been credited with his eighth Serie A goal in the 57th minute, but his deflection inside the 6-yard box was annulled by a questionable foul on a teammate.

Coming off another Champions League goal, midfielder Weston McKennie played 90 as Juventus overtook Bologna for fifth place with a 1-0 victory.

Midfielder Yunus Musah entered in the 66th minute of Atalanta’s 2-1 victory over Cagliari.

In Serie B, goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann started again as third-place Cesena staged a two-goal comeback and edged Mantova 3-2 to pull within a point of automatic promotion.

England

Center back Chris Richards and fifth-place Crystal Palace couldn’t stop Erling Haaland, the Manchester City giant who scored twice in a 3-0 outcome.

Midfielder Brendan Aaronson entered in the 73rd minute as Leeds United rallied for a 1-1 draw at Brentford. In 17th place, Leeds is three points above the relegation zone.

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Midfielder Tyler Adams returned from a yellow card suspension Monday for Bournemouth’s visit to Manchester United, but limped off the field with an apparent knee injury in the fifth minute after making a routine block on a Matheus Cunha shot. After the match, Bournemouth coach Andoni Iraola said the injury to Adams was “the worst news from the game. I think it’s just the MCL. But we have to check him and see if it’s just a small sprain. It’s bad news for us because Tyler is massive for us.”

In the second-flight Championship, forward Haji Wright played 81 minutes and contributed to the goal as front-running Coventry City maintained its five-point lead over Middlesbrough with a 1-0 victory over Bristol City.

Middlesbrough midfielder Aidan Morris (leg injury) missed his fourth consecutive match. Norwich City forward Josh Sargent (six goals, three assists) was sidelined with a concussion, suffered last week. Forward Patrick Agyemang (five goals, three assists) scored twice in Derby County’s 3-0 rout of last-place Sheffield Wednesday on Monday.

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Germany

After sporting a low profile, midfielder Gio Reyna is getting opportunities with Mönchengladbach. His third consecutive start, though, lasted just 57 minutes in a 3-1 home loss to Wolfsburg. His first-half cross led to his club’s only score — a headed own goal.

Coach Eugen Polaski has been generally pleased with Reyna’s progress, saying Friday, “We wanted to gradually integrate him more and generate more playing time. For that to happen, it was crucial that Gio embraced it the way he did. I have rarely seen a training session from him that I wasn’t satisfied with, and I have recently seen values ​​I hadn’t seen before.”

Joe Scally, Reyna’s club and country teammate, served a yellow-card suspension.

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Midfielder Malik Tillman received high marks for his 86-minute effort in fourth-place Bayer Leverkusen’s 2-0 victory over Köln.

Center back Noahkai Banks played 90 minutes in Augsburg’s 1-0 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt, while midfielder James Sands did the same as third-to-last St. Pauli edged next-to-last Heidenheim 2-1.

In the second division, Tolkin went 90 as Holstein Kiel scored late to draw at Magdeburg 3-3.

France

Olympique Marseille’s Tim Weah and Monaco’s Folarin Balogun went head to head, with both playing 90 minutes. In the 1-0 outcome, Marseille scored the late winner at home about a minute after video replay disallowed Balogun’s apparent goal for being offside. Early in the second half, Balogun was ruled offside on Lamine Camara’s apparent goal.

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Center back Mark McKenzie helped Toulouse post its second consecutive shutout, blanking Paris FC 3-0.

Olympique Lyonnais midfielder-defender Tanner Tessmann remained sidelined with a thigh injury, missing a 1-0 victory over Le Havre.

Others

In the Scottish League Cup final, center back Auston Trusty played 90 minutes in Celtic’s 3-1 loss to lowly St. Mirren — the third consecutive defeat under new coach Wilfried Nancy.

In Spain’s La Liga, Atlético Madrid midfielder Johnny Cardoso was in uniform but didn’t play in a 2-1 victory over Valencia — the third time in four matches he hasn’t gotten off the bench.

With all but one Week 15 game in the books (Monday Night Football), we’ve learned a little bit more than we knew last week. Or, in some cases, thought we knew. Players impressed, players disappointed and there is fantasy football fallout to unpack.

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Once again, I’ve compiled the full weekly fantasy stock report below. These are the most notable risers and fallers coming out of Week 15. Invest accordingly!

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📈 Stock Up at RB

TreVeyon Henderson, Patriots

Perhaps one of the “mascots” of fantasy football fandom this year, TreVeyon Henderson had arguably his best game of the season Sunday, posting 29.1 fantasy points in a game Rhamondre Stevenson was also active. The rookie scored two rushing touchdowns of 50+ yards and ended up with 14 carries for 148 yards in total (10.6 per carry). Stevenson was also efficient (8.3 yards per carry) against a bad run defense, but he saw just six carries on the day. It’s undeniable at this point that Henderson isn’t just the most explosive back in New England, he’s one of the most explosive backs in the league. He’s reached must-start territory for Week 16 against Baltimore and Week 17 against the Jets.

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Tyrone Tracy Jr., Giants

Coming off the Giants’ Week 14 bye, Tyrone Tracy Jr. took complete command of the Giants backfield on Sunday. He touched the ball 18 times for 97 yards and two touchdowns (one on the ground and one in the air), while Devin Singletary had just six touches for 14 yards. Most importantly, Tracy was finally the guy in the red zone. The matchup gets much tougher next week against Minnesota, but Tracy is still a playable RB2/RB3 that week and may elevate even higher in Week 17 against the Raiders.

D’Andre Swift, Bears

D’Andre Swift had been a bit up and down the last couple months, but still produced yardage week-to-week. Then, on Sunday, he scored two touchdowns (his first multi-TD game of the year), and was the second-half, salt-the-game-away option for Chicago, heavily outpacing Kyle Monangai down the stretch. His 22.1 fantasy points were his second-most on the year and likely catapulted several managers into the semifinals. The bad news is that he plays Green Bay on Saturday, a much tougher matchup that will likely lower his ceiling. Still, it’s nice to know he’s the top back in Chicago when healthy.

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📈 Stock Up at WR

Zay Flowers, Ravens

A three-catch day may not sound like reason for a “Stock Up” on Zay Flowers, but he took those three snags for 68 yards and a touchdown and comfortably led the team in targets on a day Lamar Jackson threw just 12 passes. Yes. Twelve. Flowers’ 42% target share applied to a proper passing day for Jackson — i.e. next week against New England — would be a recipe for big fantasy success. Oh and his long overdue touchdown was a good reminder that regression to the mean sometimes works in our favor. Flowers should be a strong WR2 next weekend.

Adonai Mitchell, Jets

Take this “Stock Up” with a grain of salt. A large, New York-style grain of salt. Now led by Brady Cook, the Jets offense is anything but trustworthy. But Mitchell did catch six of nine targets for 58 yards and a touchdown on Sunday, marking his second game over the last three weeks with 14+ fantasy points. You’re not starting him with confidence, but you might still be starting him in a pinch next week against New Orleans. A very tight pinch.

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📈 Stock Up Elsewhere

Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars

Trevor Lawrence had been quietly putting it together the last month or so, especially with Jakobi Meyers added to the offense and Brian Thomas Jr. and Brenton Strange getting healthy. But it culminated in a new high on Sunday, when Lawrence threw for 330 yards and five touchdowns and added 51 yards and a score on the ground. It was a 44.3-point outing that almost certainly launched anyone who streamed him into the semifinals. Even after that performance, I’d hesitate to play him against the Broncos next week — maybe consider snagging an alternate streamer for Week 16 — but he’s going to be a strong QB1 play in Week 17 against the Colts.

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Colby Parkinson, Rams

Don’t look now, but Colby Parkinson has scored six touchdowns over the last six weeks. Specifically on Sunday, with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams both exiting for stretches with injury, Parkinson hauled in five of seven targets for 75 yards and two scores. It was his best game of the season by far, and the crescendo of his rising involvement the last month and a half. Next week, in an excellent matchup with the Seahawks, Parkinson isn’t just a strong streamer, he’s a legitimate top-end TE1. He’s almost certainly available in your league (just 4% rostered) — pick him up and play him unless you’ve got Trey McBride, George Kittle … and honestly the list might end there.

📉 Stock Down at RB

Quinshon Judkins, Browns

While Shedeur Sanders has been fun for the downfield air attack in Cleveland, he has not been great for Quinshon Judkins. The last two weeks, Judkins has managed just 47 rushing yards on 26 carries. And while he saved his Week 14 performance with a 58-yard catch-and-run, there was no such salvation in his 3.2-point outing on Sunday against the Bears. The good news is that he gets Buffalo next Sunday, a defense that has been downright porous against the run. So even with the major dip in recent weeks, Judkins will be playable in Week 16, if a little less exciting than he might have been. Whether he can be trusted in the fantasy championship against Pittsburgh in Week 17 is another story.

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Breece Hall (again), Jets

It’s been a disastrous stretch for Breece Hall and his fantasy managers. He had 14 carries for 43 yards in Week 14 and just 12 for 23 on Sunday. And he hasn’t had the receiving production to cover up the rushing mess these last few weeks. The matchup against New Orleans in Week 16 is a little softer, but it may not be enough to save Hall with this offense playing as poorly as it is. If you don’t have a better option, you can probably slot him into your flex in the semifinals, but he’ll have a low floor … and is basically unstartable in Week 17 against New England.

📉 Stock Down at WR

Justin Jefferson, Vikings

This isn’t Justin Jefferson’s first — or even second — appearance in this column, but we have to revisit just how far he’s fallen. Namely, into must-sit territory. Jefferson has posted fewer than nine fantasy points in six straight games, and has totaled 6.7 points over the last three weeks combined. He brought in just two of eight targets for 22 yards on Sunday night against the Cowboys, the softest matchup for WRs, while both Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor had better games. The lack of chemistry between Jefferson and J.J. McCarthy is baffling, but undeniable. Find another option for Week 16. And file 2025 Jefferson away as one of the biggest busts in fantasy history.

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George Pickens, Cowboys

Unfortunately, George Pickens has finally ended up struggling at the worst time of the year. He had been the most consistent receiver in fantasy for 11 straight weeks … but has now scored fewer than seven points in two straight, with fewer than 40 yards in both. Next week brings another extremely tough matchup with the Chargers, and while Pickens is still playable, he’s not the locked-and-loaded star he was through the end of November.

📉 Stock Down Elsewhere

Joe Burrow, Bengals

It’s tough to know exactly what happened to Joe Burrow and the Bengals on Sunday, but they were shut out by the Ravens at home. Burrow finished with 225 yards, no touchdowns (obviously) and two interceptions. A disastrous 7.5 fantasy points in the fantasy playoffs. This was also a bit of a surprise after two strong outings in Weeks 13 and 14 (including the first game against Baltimore), so it doesn’t mean we’re sitting him without question in Week 16 against Miami. But if you have a strong alternative, it’s definitely a possibility.

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Justin Herbert, Chargers

It was another bad day for Justin Herbert and the Chargers’ offense, with the QB totaling 210 yards, one TD and one INT in a 16-13 win over the Chiefs. That makes five straight games with fewer than 15 fantasy points for Herbert, as well as four straight with an interception. Next week brings the best matchup in the game, with Dallas, so it’s not impossible Herbert puts up one last strong fantasy outing next Sunday. But he’ll be more of a borderline QB1 at best and absolutely cannot be started against the Texans in the fantasy championship.