Category: Sport

The NFL offseason has begun, and Yahoo Sports is previewing the coming months for all 32 teams, from free agency through the draft and more.

AFC East: Bills | Dolphins | Patriots | Jets
AFC North: Ravens | Bengals | Browns | Steelers
AFC South: Texans | Colts | Jaguars | Titans
AFC West: Broncos | Chiefs | Raiders | Chargers
NFC East: Cowboys | Giants | Eagles | Commanders
NFC North: Bears | Lions | Packers | Vikings
NFC South: Falcons | Panthers | Saints | Buccaneers
NFC West: Cardinals | Rams | 49ers | Seahawks

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2025 season record: 6-11 (u 11.5 wins), third in AFC West, missed playoffs, 15th in DVOA

Overview

The Chiefs were always expected to push through, turn their season around, and make it to the playoffs … until they didn’t. For much of the 2025 season, Kansas City ran on the complete opposite side of variance as the 2024 team. Those two teams played the same number of games that were decided by seven or fewer points. In 2024, the Chiefs went 10-0. In 2025? A league-worst 1-9.

Some metrics suggested this team was even better than the one last season that made it to the Super Bowl. In games started by Patrick Mahomes this season, the Chiefs averaged more points per drive and scored at a higher rate on drives than they did in 2024. Yet, the offense always felt off, and the weight of putting everything on the quarterback’s shoulders on third downs and in the fourth quarter was too much to repeat. Perhaps bringing back Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator will help.

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[Get more Chiefs news: Kansas City team feed]

In a normal season, this might have been just a small step back for a perennial Super Bowl contender — a chance to regroup and go again. But given Travis Kelce’s age and the late-season ACL tear for Patrick Mahomes, and now grave domestic violence allegations against Rashee Rice, this feels like a bigger moment — the end of an era of this version of the Chiefs. It might not be, but for the first time in the Mahomes era, the Chiefs don’t feel inevitable. This offseason will be the first and an important step in trying to get that feeling back.

Cap/cuts outlook

No team headed into the offseason with less salary cap space than the Chiefs, with -$55 million in effective space, per Over The Cap. Patrick Mahomes had a $78.2 million cap hit that was reportedly restructured to lower the charge to less than $35 million. That move frees up over $40 million in cap space for the Chiefs. A restructuring of Chris Jones’ deal would open another $22 million. While Jawaan Taylor was not nearly the biggest of Kansas City’s problems when he was on the field, it’s hard to imagine the Chiefs holding onto him, given moving on from the veteran would free up $20 million in cap space.

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Key pending free agents

TE Travis Kelce
CB Jaylen Watson
CB Joshua Williams
S Bryan Cook
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
WR Marquise Brown
RB Kareem Hunt

Kelce is a free agent in name only. He either retires or he’s back with the Chiefs for one more year, and he’s already hinted that he plans to return. After a down 2024, Kelce looked better in 2025, improving his yards per route run and yards after the catch from the previous season.

Watson, Williams and Cook are a trio of defensive backs drafted in 2022. Trent McDuffie is a fourth, playing on his fifth-year option. All three have played meaningful roles for the Chiefs and it’s unlikely that all three will be back. Watson was the best of the bunch (16th among corners in adjusted yards allowed per coverage snap), but the Chiefs have not shied away from letting defensive backs leave and getting younger and cheaper at the position — Charvarius Ward and L’Jarius Sneed are recent examples.

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Positional needs

Edge
Wide receiver
Offensive line
Running back

The pass rush just hasn’t been a reliable piece of the Kansas City defense. George Karlaftis and Chris Jones made up for 56.5% of the Chiefs’ pressures during the regular season. Kansas City has toyed around with different players in the edge spot opposite Karlaftis in the past, but the Chiefs should make finding a permanent solution a main priority this offseason.

Adding a real receiver could do wonders for the passing game. Deep threats such as Marquise Brown and Tyquan Thornton can add only so much when there’s not much else to occupy the defense’s attention across the rest of the field. The Chiefs have tried to replace Tyreek Hill’s speed, but have ignored the understanding of the position, he had on top of the unprecedented speed.

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The Chiefs can feel good about Josh Simmons at left tackle and Creed Humphrey at center, but the other three spots on the o-line could use improvement, especially if Jawaan Taylor is released. The Chiefs lacked an explosive run game and that’s where a running back could come in, too. Kansas City ranked 23rd in yards before contact per running back carry, but ranked a respectable 14th in success rate. However, the Chiefs had the least explosive rushing offense with just 6.5% of running back carries that went for 10 or more yards. Bigger holes with a more explosive back could be a game-changing combination.

2026 NFL Draft picks

1st round, pick No. 9
2nd round, pick No. 40
3rd round, pick No. 74
4th round
5th round
5th round (projected compensatory)

Good draft fit

Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

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The Chiefs could in many directions in the back half of the top 10, but why not go full-measure and add the best running back in the draft? Love is a strong runner with good vision who can throttle between speeds and has home-run ability. He’s also good at setting up his blocks and staying balanced. Imagine him playing with Mahomes.

What could move the fantasy needle in 2026?

Look in the mirror

Back in November, I wrote a long piece detailing what’s gone wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs on offense this season and why those structural problems are big. Their season got only worse since that moment and I stand on everything written in that article — no need to regurgitate it. The issue is that there is no quick fix for any of that and Step 1 requires a significant “look in the mirror” moment by the folks who have built what’s been the defining NFL team of the last decade.

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If we’re looking for clues as to whether Andy Reid and Co. have the awareness needed to proceed to the next steps, replacing offensive coordinator Matt Nagy with Eric Bieniemy tells us a lot. By no means do I think Nagy was some kind of boogeyman and his removal will fix everything. Rather, the Chiefs indicated they think some changes in vision were needed (they were), even if it means hiring a familiar face to coordinate the offense. — Matt Harmon

Betting nugget

Not only did the Chiefs fail to make the playoffs for the first time in Patrick Mahomes’ career, but Kansas City finished well under its preseason win total of 11.5. The Chiefs (6-10-1 ATS) also finished with their worst record against the spread since 2012. — Ben Fawkes

It has been rare that the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers have been good at the same time. That’s a reason they’ve met just twice in the playoffs, and once came all the way back in 1941.

Chicago and Green Bay are both good now, and the longtime rivals might remain competitive for a while.

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The NFL putting Packers vs. Bears in a coveted Saturday prime-time slot isn’t just for nostalgia and grainy footage of Vince Lombardi and Dick Butkus. These are two well-matched foes who just happen to have the longest rivalry in the NFL. Amazon Prime Video is expecting a good matchup for its broadcast, and there’s a good chance these two teams deliver a fantastic game for the third time this season.

Previous meetings this season

The Packers and Bears have already had two memorable meetings this season. In Week 14, the Bears had a chance to score a touchdown in the final minute of a game the Packers led 28-21. But on a fourth down Caleb Williams threw to the end zone and it was picked off by Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon with 22 seconds left, and Green Bay held on.

In a Week 16 rematch, the Packers led 16-6 with two minutes left despite Jordan Love leaving the game in the first half with a concussion. But the Bears got a field goal, an onside kick and a touchdown on fourth down to tie it. In overtime the Packers fumbled a fourth-and-1 snap, and then Williams hit DJ Moore for a walk-off 46-yard touchdown.

If the third meeting matches that drama, everyone will be happy.

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Health update

Resting starters was good for a Packers team that has a lot of long-term injuries. They had nobody miss practice Wednesday. Running back Josh Jacobs, who has been dealing with a knee injury, wasn’t on the injury report. The Bears could get receiver Rome Odunze back from a foot injury. He has been limited this week. The team is expecting to get cornerback Kyler Gordon back. He was on injured reserve but returned to practice this week.

The head coaches

Ben Johnson ignited a personal rivalry when he was hired as Bears head coach, saying in his introductory meeting with the media, “I kind of enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year.” That was in reference to Johnson’s time as Detroit Lions offensive coordinator. LaFleur has mostly taken the high road since that comment, but it’s hard to believe he doesn’t want to beat Johnson for a second time in Johnson’s first season as Bears coach.

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Key player for the Packers

Jordan Love hasn’t played since Dec. 20, when he suffered a concussion on a penalized hit by Bears defensive end Austin Booker. Love sat for the rest of that game and Week 17, and was rested in Week 18. Love has had a good, efficient season and will need to be at his best against the Bears. Green Bay has some defensive issues since losing Micah Parsons to a torn ACL and even though the last meeting between the Bears and Packers was low scoring, it seems likely that the Packers will need to score plenty to win. Josh Jacobs is a key component in that too, but Love’s play will determine if the Packers move on.

Key player for the Bears

The Bears took Colston Loveland 10th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, ahead of Tyler Warren, and for much of a season Loveland hadn’t had a major impact. He has come on strong late in the season, with 94 and 91 yards in Chicago’s last two games. The Bears could get Rome Odunze back from a foot injury, Luther Burden III is also playing well late in his rookie season and DJ Moore is the more reliable veteran star among the receivers. But Loveland has carved out a big role late in the season and that should continue into the playoffs.

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Prediction

The Packers are 1-point road favorites, and the small spread is appropriate. This game feels like a toss up. The Packers and Bears split in the regular season but both games could have gone either way. It’s a tough call, but the Packers getting extra rest in Week 18 might matter. They’ll have Jordan Love and a rested Josh Jacobs, which wasn’t the case when the Bears came back to beat the Packers in Week 16. That could make the difference in a close game.

Packers 21, Bears 17

The NFL offseason has begun, and Yahoo Sports is previewing the coming months for all 32 teams, from free agency through the draft and more.

AFC East: Bills | Dolphins | Patriots | Jets
AFC North: Ravens | Bengals | Browns | Steelers
AFC South: Texans | Colts | Jaguars | Titans
AFC West: Broncos | Chiefs | Raiders | Chargers
NFC East: Cowboys | Giants | Eagles | Commanders
NFC North: Bears | Lions | Packers | Vikings
NFC South: Falcons | Panthers | Saints | Buccaneers
NFC West: Cardinals | Rams | 49ers | Seahawks

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2025 season record: 8-9 (u 11.5 wins), second in AFC North, missed playoffs, 14th in DVOA

Overview

Ravens seasons tend to end in devastating fashion. The difference between previous seasons and this one was when it happened. Baltimore had been one of the best teams in the league — the stretch from 2020-2024 was one of the best five-year stretches in DVOA history without winning a Super Bowl — so even the losses came with a general sense that this team would have another shot.

This season felt entirely different. The Ravens struggled from the start. Lamar Jackson battled injuries and illness. The defense never clicked into the same gear that made it one of the league’s best units over the second half of last season. Baltimore limped into an AFC North title game in Week 18 and lost on a last-second missed field goal by rookie Tyler Loop.

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[Get more Ravens news: Baltimore team feed]

Many of the bones that made the Ravens a Super Bowl contender are still in place. But Baltimore now has another offseason of figuring out what went wrong. Only this time, it comes much earlier than anticipated with a few more questions that need to be answered — including, for the first time in 18 years, what comes next at head coach after the Ravens fired John Harbaugh and replaced him with Jesse Minter.

Cap/cuts outlook

Per Over The Cap, the Ravens have just over $13 million in effective salary cap space, the 17th-most in the league. That will increase significantly with a restructure of Lamar Jackson’s contract and his $74.5 million cap hit that’s currently on the books. A restructure of his $51.25 million base salary could open up as much as $38 million in space this season. A new contract is also a possible option.

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Keep an eye on Nnamdi Madubuike’s contract situation. Madubuike missed the season with a severe neck injury that could be career-threatening for the 27-year-old. If Madubuike doesn’t play again, a post-June 1 move would be necessary, but that would be a net zero on the 2026 cap.

Marlon Humphrey was a first-team All-Pro cornerback in 2024, but a bottom-third corner by adjusted yards allowed per coverage snap in 2025. If the Ravens move on from the soon-to-be 30-year-old, it would open a little over $7 million.

Key pending free agents

C Tyler Linderbaum
S Alohi Gilman
TE Isaiah Likely
Edge Kyle Van Noy
IDL Dre’Mont Jones
FB Patrick Ricard
S Ar’Darius Washington

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Linderbaum is here because the Ravens declined his fifth-year option since those figures — and the franchise tag — include all offensive linemen and not just centers. That would make Linderbaum the highest-paid center by a significant margin. But Linderbaum has been one of the league’s best centers and integral to Baltimore’s offensive success.

Likely is a fascinating name to watch here. It appeared the Ravens would transition from Mark Andrews to Likely as the top tight end going into 2026, but Baltimore surprisingly extended the 30-year-old Andrews this past season. Likely had only 37 receptions this season but was third on the team with four receptions of 20 or more yards.

There was a shift in the Baltimore defense once Gilman was acquired via trade. It allowed the Ravens to play how they had hoped if Washington had not injured his Achilles in the offseason.

Positional needs

Edge
Cornerback

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Baltimore had a serious deficiency on the edge during the 2025 season. The Ravens were 28th in pressure rate and 31st in sack rate. Even in years when the team did not have a standout pass rusher, the Ravens manufactured pressure elsewhere. That was not the case this season.

Making matters harder when not creating pressure, Baltimore did not have enough reliable corners. Nate Wiggins is turning into a star on the outside, but was targeted more often than expected for the quality of play he previously had. On the other side, the Ravens rotated several veteran corners to varying degrees of success. Then there was Humphrey, who did not play up to his previous level. If Gilman or Washington leave in free agency, safety would be a need, too.

2026 NFL Draft picks

1st round, pick No. 14
2nd round, pick No. 45
3rd round, pick No. 80
4th round
5th round
5th round (LAC)
5th round (projected compensatory)
5th round (projected compensatory)
7th round (projected compensatory)
7th round (projected compensatory)

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Good draft fit

T.J. Parker, edge, Clemson

What Parker lacks in bend he more than makes up for in explosiveness, power and impact defending both the run and pass. He would be a great way to help the Ravens start retooling their defense.

What could move the fantasy needle in 2026?

Add more around Lamar Jackson

There will be sensationalist headlines about Lamar Jackson in the coming months regarding his future with the team. My guess is that he’ll be back with this team in 2026. With that in mind, I think it’s time for the Ravens to get serious about what they’re putting around him — especially considering where the soon-to-be 29-year-old quarterback might be at this stage of his career. He’s carried a huge burden in the offense as a creator and elevator. Those days might be done, especially coming off several injuries. If I’m Baltimore, I’m going hard this offseason to try and make sure I field an above-average offensive line and pass-catching corps in 2026. I don’t think you can say either of those rooms deserved that designation this past season. — Matt Harmon

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Betting nugget

The Ravens were one of four teams with a preseason win total of 11.5, and not only did Baltimore go under that number but the Ravens also failed to make the playoffs as massive -550 favorites. — Ben Fawkes

Founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, Unrivaled is a 3-on-3 basketball league that features some of the best women’s basketball players in the world. The league’s second season began this week in Miami and will run for two months, culminating in a championship game on Wednesday, March 4. The regular season will also feature a 1-on-1 tournament running from February 11-14.

When the league began last year, it consisted of 6 teams, but in 2026 it has expanded to 8 teams comprised of 54 players. League co-founder Breanna Stewart, Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, Aliyah Boston, Brittney Griner, Sonia Citron, and more will be on the court this season, but unfortunately Collier will miss the entire season due to ankle surgery. The 56-game season will be played almost entirely in Miami at Sephora Arena, but there will be one night of action in Philadelphia. Philly is Unrivaled Presented by Xfinity, on Friday, Jan. 30, will feature a double-header, Breeze vs. Phantom at 7:30 p.m. followed by Rose at Lunar Owls at 8:45 p.m. at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.

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Find out who’s on every team roster, which players you won’t be seeing on the court, and learn how to watch every Unrivaled game this season including the 1-on-1 tournament, the championship final, and more.

How to watch Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 women’s professional basketball league:

Dates: January 5 – March 4, 2026

TV Channel: TNT, truTV

Streaming: HBO Max, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV, and more

Where to watch Unrivaled 3-on-3 women’s basketball on TV:

All Unrivaled 3-on-3 basketball games will be played on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Games scheduled on Fridays and Mondays will air on TNT, truTV and HBO Max, while games scheduled on Saturdays and Sundays will air on truTV and HBO Max.

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Where to watch Unrivaled 3-on-3 women’s basketball games without cable:

The entire season of Unrivaled will stream on HBO Max. You can also tune in to TNT and truTV on platforms including Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV.

Who is competing in the 2026 Unrivaled 3-on-3 league?

The Unrivaled 3-on-3 basketball league will feature 54 players and eight teams: Laces, Hive, Breeze, Lunar Owls, Mist, Phantom, Vinyl and last year’s champions, Rose. While the league features some of the biggest names in the WNBA, there are a few who declined to play this season, including Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, A’ja Wilson, and Sabrino Ionescu. You can see who’s on the team rosters below.

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• Breeze BC: Aari McDonald, Kate Martin, Cameron Brink, Dominique Molonga, Rickea Jackson, Paige Bueckers

• Laces BC: Jackie Young, Alyssa Thomas, Naz Hillmon, Maddy Siegrist, Jordin Canada, Brittney Sykes

• Lunar Owls BC: Napheesa Collier, Aaliyah Edwards, Rebecca Allen, Skylar Diggins, Marina Mabrey, Rachel Banham

• Mist BC: Breanna Stewart, Arike Ogunbowale, Veronica Burton, Alanna Smith, Li Yueru, Allisha Gray

• Phantom BC: Satou Sabally, Natasha Cloud, Dana Evans, Aliyah Boston, Kiki Iriafen, Kelsey Plum, Tiffany Hayes

• Rose BC: Shakira Austin, Lexie Hull, Sug Sutton, Azurá Stevens, Chelsea Gray, Kahleah Copper

• Vinyl BC: Brittney Griner, Rae Burrell, Erica Wheeler, Dearica Hamby, Rhyne Howard, Courtney Williams

• Hive BC: Monique Billings, Saniya Rivers, Natisha Hiedeman, Ezi Magbegor, Sonia Citron, Kelsey Mitchell

2026 Unrivaled Schedule:

All times Eastern

Here’s a rundown of games on the schedule for the 2026 Unrivaled season:

Friday, January 9

Vinyl at Rose, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Breeze at Hive, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Saturday, January 10

Lunar Owls at Phantom, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Laces at Mist, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Sunday, January 11

Rose at Breeze, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Hive at Vinyl, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Monday, January 12

Mist at Phantom, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Laces at Lunar Owls, 8:45 p.m. (TNT and Tru TV)

Friday, January 16

Laces at Phantom, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

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Rose at Hive, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Saturday, January 17

Mist at Lunar Owls, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Breeze at Vinyl, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Sunday, January 18

Rose at Laces, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Hive at Phantom, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Monday, January 19

Breeze at Mist, 8:00 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Vinyl at Lunar Owls, 9:15 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Friday, January 23

Mist at Rose, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Phantom at Vinyl, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Saturday, January 24

Lunar Owls at Breeze, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Hive at Laces, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

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Sunday, January 25

Vinyl at Mist, 1:00 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Phantom at Rose, 2:15 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Monday, January 26

Lunar Owls at Hive, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Laces at Breeze, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Friday, January 30

Breeze at Phantom, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Rose at Luna Owls, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Saturday, January 31

Hive at Mist, 4:30 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Laces at Vinyl, 5:45 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Sunday, February 1

Phantom at Lunar Owls, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Breeze at Rose, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Monday, February 2

Vinyl at Hive, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

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Mist at Laces, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Friday, February 6

Hive at Breeze, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Lunar Owls at Laces, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT Tru TV)

Saturday, February 7

Rose at Vinyl, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Phantom at Mist, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Monday, February 9

Vinyl at Phantom, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Rose at Mist, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Wednesday, February 11

1-on-1 Tournament, 7:00 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Friday, February 13

1-on-1 Tournament, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Saturday, February 14

1-on-1 Tournament, 6:00 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Tuesday, February 17

Laces at Hive, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

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Breeze at Lunar Owls, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Friday, February 20

Phantom at Laces, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Hive at Rose, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Saturday, February 21

Vinyl at Breeze, 8:00 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Lunar Owls at Mist, 9:15 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Sunday, February 22

Phantom at Hive, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Laces at Rosem 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Monday, February 23

Lunar Owls at Vinyl, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Mist at Breeze, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Friday, February 27

Rose at Phantom, 1:00 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Mist at Vinyl, 2:15 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

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Breeze at Laces, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Hive at Lunar Owls, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Saturday, February 28 (First Round Playoffs)

TBD at TBD, 8:30 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

TBD at TBD, 9:45 p.m. (HBO Max, Tru TV)

Monday, March 2 (Semifinals)

TBD at TBD, 7:30 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

TBD at TBD, 8:45 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Wednesday, March 4 (Championship)

TBD at TBD, 9:30 p.m. (HBO Max, TNT and Tru TV)

Every way to watch Unrivaled 3-on-3 games this season:

February 22, 2026

The narrative has already started for Josh Allen and this postseason.

There’s no Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson in the NFL playoffs. Drake Maye is an MVP candidate, but the story forming is that Allen needs to at least take Buffalo to a Super Bowl this season or he has failed, because he is the best player left in the AFC bracket.

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It’s a flawed argument (being made before the playoffs even start) but those seem to be the stakes for Allen and the Bills this month. It ignores that it’s the Jaguars who won their division, not the Bills, and did so with a better record than Buffalo. That’s why Jacksonville hosts this wild-card game.

Previous meeting this season

The two teams did not meet this season, but played in 2024 and it wasn’t pretty for the Jaguars. The Bills beat them 47-10. However, the Jaguars won the two meetings before that, in 2021 and 2023.

Health update

The Jaguars have a fairly clean injury report; there are no key players up in the air for Sunday. The same can’t be said about the Bills. They had six players held out of practice Wednesday and five others were limited. Starting linebackers Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard were among those not practicing Wednesday. A key name to keep an eye on is tight end Dalton Kincaid, who was limited to start the week with a knee injury. Kincaid missed five games this season due to injury.

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The head coaches

The vibes on each coach are different coming into this game. There has been some heat on Sean McDermott after Buffalo didn’t beat New England for the AFC East title. The Bills have yet to reach a Super Bowl with Josh Allen, which causes some consternation among Buffalo fans. On the other side, the Jaguars couldn’t be happier with Liam Coen. Coen’s first season as head coach was a smashing success, with a 13-4 record, AFC South title and Trevor Lawrence playing the best ball of his career over the second half of the season.

Key player for the Bills

The Bills don’t have much juice among their pass catchers. Bills GM Brandon Beane likes to scold everyone when they ask about the state of the team’s receivers, but the truth is Josh Allen does not have a true No. 1 target. He succeeds with what he’s given. That said, tight end Dalton Kincaid is a big factor. Kincaid has been dealing with a knee injury and his status for Sunday is not certain. The Bills need him. He had 571 yards and five touchdowns this season, which isn’t much but he gives Allen a needed option in the passing game. Without Kincaid, a limited pass-catching core becomes even thinner.

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Key player for the Jaguars

The Jaguars had big-name receivers Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter to start the season. After Hunter got hurt and Thomas got off to a slow start, they traded for Jakobi Meyers, who played so well the Jaguars gave him a contract extension. But late in the season it’s Parker Washington who emerged as a big-time playmaker in the Jaguars’ offense. Over Jacksonville’s last six games — all of which were Jaguars wins — Washington had 497 yards and three touchdowns. Over the past three games Washington had 19 catches and averaged 115.7 yards per game.

Prediction

This might be the best matchup of wild-card weekend. It’s not surprising that the Jaguars seem to be the overlooked team in it. The Bills have the recent success and the MVP quarterback. But the Jaguars have played very well in the second half of the season, winning eight in a row. Trevor Lawrence might not be Josh Allen, but he accounted for 38 touchdowns this season (Allen had 39). The Bills can make a Super Bowl, due to Allen being the best player on the AFC side of the bracket. But they have to get through this matchup first, and they drew perhaps the NFL’s hottest team.

Jaguars 28, Bills 24

In the NBA, name recognition remains an active element in how a player is viewed and evaluated, from peers, fans and pundits.

Players with notable draft stock, such as former top selections, or players who used to be All-Stars will enjoy the fruits of that past by being placed — for the most part — ahead of players without those same accolades.

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Jalen Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks remains one of those players who gets overlooked because of peers who have more accolades or had more hype coming into the league. But that could be changing now for the 20th selection of the 2021 NBA Draft out of Duke with the Hawks moving on from Trae Young.

Breaking out and comparing favorably to bigger names

The 6-foot-9 power forward, who appears likely to make his first All-Star team, is about as good as they come, yet he rarely features in the national discourse around the league.

Johnson is averaging 23.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.3 steals, and shooting 52% from the floor while playing quality defense. Yet he is rarely mentioned in the same breath as Orlando’s higher-profile Paolo Banchero, despite the fact that it’s become exceedingly difficult to find a real argument for ranking Banchero above Johnson.

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This isn’t meant as a jab on Banchero, who is a formidable player shooting 45.9% from the floor and 26.5% from 3-point range, but rather to illustrate the level Johnson has reached and why we need to talk about him.

With Young out of action earlier this season, Johnson was thrown into the primary creation role in Atlanta with head coach Quin Snyder showing full buy-in. The Hawks went a respectable 13-9 during that stretch without Young. But when the star guard returned in mid-December, they lost their next five games.

Johnson is converting over 70% of his shots within 5 feet of the basket, and he’s upped his 3-point conversion rate to 35.5% on the season, which used to be his biggest weakness. To some extent, it still is, but he’s at least making progress in that area and is fast approaching a territory where he can be viewed as reliable from that distance.

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Taking the numbers aside for a minute and his visual play speaks volumes. The 24-year-old is far more determined in practically every action, even when he slows the game down for himself.

The ball-handling is more crisp, and his passes come more naturally now. He changes speeds to manipulate the defense far more effectively, and most importantly: He’s recognizing when he can utilize his height and strength more.

Johnson’s more calculated approach to basketball, combined with an organic sense of internal player development, has created one of the league’s best two-way forwards — and flat out one of the top players in the Eastern Conference.

What does the future hold for Johnson in Atlanta?

Can Johnson continue to carry the Hawks in this role as the face of the franchise? That remains to be seen.

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What can be concluded already is that Johnson can step up and fill a fairly large creation gap left by Young. Johnson is the focal point of the offense and has embraced the responsibility of setting up others and getting them shots within the right circumstances.

Given his age, skill set and production, it’s outright odd how the larger discourse isn’t focused on the inevitability of Johnson further improving.

Unlike players within a similar age group — and even those with more recognizable names — Johnson has routinely improved while others have either stagnated or just not matched his rate of development.

Now might be time to realize we’re all looking at a player who could make some real noise in this league, especially if the Hawks can build a sustainable product around him, one that should feature plenty of outside shooting to optimize Johnson’s shot creation.

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The carte blanche approach with Young didn’t field the necessary results in Atlanta, and now the organization has stumbled upon a player who can do many of the same things as Young while offering legit size and being gifted defensively.

It remains odd how Johnson flies this much under the radar. His raw stat line alone should raise eyebrows, but his actual impact and fingerprints on a game should raise a question: How high up in the pool of NBA players should he rank?

Odds are good that most answers will come in way too low.

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Kevin O’Connor and Tom Haberstroh react to the Hawks trading Trae Young to the Wizards. They ask whether Young will fit well in Washington and how the trade will impact Atlanta. Plus, should the Hawks now consider trading for Anthony Davis?

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Then, the duo breaks down why the Pistons are dominating in the East, whether Giannis will remain with the Bucks and how the Nuggets are continuing their dominance despite Nikola Jokic’s absence. Later, KOC answers your burning mailbag questions.

(0:20) Trae Young traded to Wizards

(26:46) Deni Avdija shines for Trail Blazers

(34:48) Giannis won’t ask Bucks for a trade

(43:00) Denver surviving without Jokic

(48:52) Pistons continue to lead East

(54:59) Charlotte Hornets lose to Raptors, but it’s still fun

(1:01:38) Can Celtics contend if Tatum returns?

🖥️ Watch this full episode on the Yahoo Sports NBA YouTube channel

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

Washington Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore was arrested by Lakewood, Ohio, police Wednesday night on charges of carrying concealed weapons and improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, according to WKYC.com.

Police told WKYC that Lattimore was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for having expired license plates and other traffic violations. The NFL veteran was taken into custody because he did not reveal that a gun was inside the vehicle when asked by an officer.

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“We have been made aware of the arrest and are gathering more information. We have informed the NFL League Office and have no further comment at this time,” the Commanders said in a statement.

Lattimore was booked at the Lakewood jail and released pending further investigation. Charges have not been filed.

In 2021, Lattimore was arrested in Cleveland on suspicion of possessing a stolen gun and later charged with receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony. Eight months later, he pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed weapon, a first-degree misdemeanor. He was placed on a year of non-reporting probation, avoiding a 180-day jail sentence.

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The 29-year-old Lattimore joined the Commanders via a 2024 trade after spending parts of his first eight NFL seasons with the New Orleans Saints. The four-time Pro Bowler played only nine games during the 2025 season after suffering a torn ACL in Week 9 against the Seattle Seahawks.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are cleaning house after the team decided to fire offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis, special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey, cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross, and defensive line coach Charlie Strong.

“These decisions are always difficult, but the disappointing end to the season required some changes to our coaching staff in order to ensure we live up to the high standards we have set here,” said head coach Todd Bowles in a statement. “These coaches have all put in tremendous amount of work and effort, but unfortunately, the results were not there this past season. Our goal is to compete for championships every year, and it is my responsibility to make these tough decisions in order to reach those expectations. I want to thank these coaches for all that they have contributed to our success over the years, and I wish them well.”

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Grizzard was Bowles’ fourth OC in four seasons, and with Bowles’ job safe, he’ll search for a fifth.

The Bucs’ offense took a big step back this season, dropping from third in the NFL in total yards in 2024 (399.5 per game) to 21st this past season (320.4 per game). The team had won four straight NFC South division titles and made the playoffs every season since 2020, but has won only one playoff game since Bowles took over as head coach in 2022.

[Get more Buccaneers news: Tampa Bay team feed]

In Bowles’ four seasons in charge, Tampa has a 35-33 record.

Since Bowles joined the franchise in 2019 as defensive coordinator, the Buccaneers have had Byron Leftwich, Dave Canales, Liam Coen, and Grizzard serve as offensive coordinator. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports two names to watch are Rams passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase and Ravens OC Todd Monken.

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Grizzard joined the Bucs in 2024 as passing game coordinator before being promoted to offensive coordinator following Coen’s departure to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Lewis, a former NFL journeyman who played seven games in the league, was hired in 2020 as an intern before moving up to be an offensive assistant. The following season he was promoted to assistant receivers coach before assuming the role of quarterbacks coach in 2023 and working closely with Baker Mayfield in his three seasons in Tampa.

McGaughey was hired in Feb. 2024 after serving in the same role with the New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, and New York Jets since 2014.

The Dallas Cowboys may have missed the 2025 NFL playoffs but they gave fantasy football managers plenty of value this season. From QB Dak Prescott to WR George Pickens and perhaps most notably RB Javonte Williams, Dallas’ roster was full of fantasy goodness, and was only made better by its putrid defense. On the latest episode of the Yahoo Fantasy Forecast, analysts Matt Harmon and Justin Boone go over their top lessons learned from the Cowboys’ backfield this season.

Harmon begins the segment by reminiscing on a ill-advised preseason call for Jaydon Blue as a sleeper pick in drafts, a potential lead option in the backfield for Dallas as a rookie. Blue was mostly forgotten and it was Williams who took on the majority of the work, both on the ground and in the passing game. Harmon points out Williams’ involvement in the pass game was a big reason he finished as a top-12 RB in fantasy in 2025.

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Williams, who entered his first season with the Cowboys not looking the same since a major knee injury in 2022, was overlooked in fantasy drafts because of that. He went on to post career highs across the board on the ground — 1,201 rushing yards on 252 attempts with 11 touchdowns. He also added 35 catches for 137 yards and a pair of scores.

Boone echoes the sentiment that we all got it wrong with Williams before the season. He came out hot out the gate with 64 yards on 17 touches with two touchdowns in Week 1 against the Eagles. Williams would get at least 15 touches in every game through Week 7.

The 25-year-old back had always been a player who split the work in backfields in Denver, says Boone. That led many of us to believe he couldn’t handle a full workload as the lead back in Dallas. Williams proved us all wrong and it tells us that taking a chance on the veteran back late in your draft wasn’t a bad idea after all.

Williams is a free agent and it appears the Cowboys want to bring him back, which would be an ideal situation for the veteran RB to retain fantasy value in an elite offense in 2026.