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Joe Burrow turned 29 years old Wednesday.

He’s authored arguably the greatest season in college football history, complete with a Heisman Trophy and an LSU national championship; become the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft; led the Cincinnati Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance; and made two Pro Bowls while winning a pair of NFL Comeback Player of the Year awards along the way.

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He’s also torn his ACL and MCL, costing him the tail end of his rookie season; suffered another season-ending injury in 2023 when he tore a ligament in the wrist of his throwing hand; sustained a turf toe injury this year that required surgery and a two-plus-month recovery; and has been sacked at least 40 times in each of the three seasons he’s played 16 or more games.

“I think I’ve been through more than most,” a reflective Burrow told reporters on his birthday. “And it’s certainly not easy on the brain or the body, so just trying to have fun doing it again.”

The word “fun” was also used by Burrow three days earlier, when he was asked for his outlook on the rest of the season in the wake of a disappointing 39-34 loss to the Bills that dropped Cincinnati to 4-9 on the year.

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“Just go out and play well,” said Burrow, who threw four touchdowns in Buffalo’s snowy Highmark Stadium but also two interceptions that helped the Bills erase a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit. “Go out and have fun, play football — that’s what I love to do, so that’s what I’m going to keep doing, and I’m going to keep doing it at a high level.”

[More Bengals news: Cincinnati team feed]

He talked about embracing the opportunity to put on a show for everyone watching down the stretch. Burrow was asked Wednesday to expound on why that’s important to him.

“Number one, I work hard for it,” he said. “Number two, this is, at the end of the day, the entertainment industry. I want to go out and play well, and if you’re playing well and scoring points and winning games, then it’s usually fun to watch.”

Just because he wants to have fun and perform, though, doesn’t mean he still doesn’t yearn to win. He made that clear.

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“No, it certainly doesn’t change my desire to win,” Burrow said. “If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it. I’ve been through a lot, and if it’s not fun, then what am I doing it for?

“So that’s the mindset I’m trying to bring to the table.”

On a day when Burrow admitted “there’s just a lot of things going on right now,” he had some fun in the final minutes of his news conference.

He explained that his offensive line gifted him a Pokémon box. He discussed his favorite characters from the iconic franchise, and he burst into laughter when he was asked for his thoughts on “market manipulation” in the Pokémon trading card realm.

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Burrow will try to channel that joy the rest of this season, which he spent most of willing his way back to the field in hopes of a return to the playoffs.

Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen didn’t make it to the end of their NBA Cup quarterfinals match with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night.

Allen was ejected after he shoved Thunder star Chet Holmgren while attempting to get around a screen in the third quarter of their blowout 138-89 loss to Oklahoma City at the Paycom Center. Allen extended hard with both arms and sent Holmgren flying to the ground, which sparked a bit of an altercation on the floor.

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Allen walked away as players from both teams swarmed each other briefly. Eventually, they were all separated by officials and assistants without much issue.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s reaction behind the play, which the Amazon Prime Video cameras provided in slow motion, may be the best part.

Allen was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul for his actions, and was immediately ejected. He finished the night with 10 points and four assists while shooting 3 of 9 from the field. Allen, who grew a reputation for tripping after several incidents in college at Duke, has been relatively quiet on that front after multiple similar hard fouls and a suspension early in his NBA career. The 30-year-old, now in his third season with the Suns, is averaging a career-high 16.9 points and 3.9 assists per game this year.

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While it’s not an excuse, it’s easy to see why Allen may have been frustrated before he was thrown out. The Thunder were up by more than 30 points and appeared well on their way to yet another blowout win — which secured them a spot in the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas later this week. They took a 26-point lead into the locker room at halftime, and then pushed that to 38 points by the end of the third quarter.

The Thunder eventually rolled to the 49-point win, which was their largest of the season. They’ve now had five 30-point wins so far this season, just three away from matching their total from last season.

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Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 16 points, and was the only other Phoenix starter to hit double figures. Devin Booker was ruled out ahead of time due to a groin injury. The Suns now sit at 14-11.

Gilgeous-Alexander had 28 points and eight assists to lead the Thunder. Holmgren finished with 24 points and eight rebounds. They shot 59% from the field as a group and 22 for 40 from behind the arc.

The Thunder have now won 16 straight games and have won 24 of their first 25 games of the season. Though it’s still early, the Thunder are on pace to break the NBA’s single-season wins record. They advanced to take on either the Los Angeles Lakers or San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas.

Michigan made a late entry into the never-ending 2025 college football coaching carousel on Wednesday when it fired coach Sherrone Moore for cause.

The school said that Moore had been involved in an inappropriate relationship with a staffer. Hours after Michigan announced Moore’s firing, reports emerged that he had been detained by police in a nearby municipality and could potentially face charges regarding a Wednesday evening incident.

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With Biff Poggi installed as the team’s interim coach for the Citrus Bowl against Texas, the Wolverines are now searching for a coach. Here are five coaches who would make sense for Michigan.

Jedd Fisch, Washington

Fisch now has two seasons of experience as a head coach in the Big Ten after Washington’s move into the conference. He was an assistant for two seasons at Michigan in 2015 and 2016 while he worked as the team’s passing game coordinator before heading to UCLA as the offensive coordinator and then the Bruins’ interim coach at the end of the season.

Fisch wouldn’t be the splashiest hire, but he has extensive NFL experience and worked as the New England Patriots QB coach during the 2020 season before taking the head coaching job at Arizona.

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The Wildcats went 1-11 in Fisch’s first season after taking over for Kevin Sumlin, but Arizona improved to 5-7 in 2022 and then went 10-3 in 2023 before he replaced Kalen DeBoer in Seattle. The Huskies are 14-11 in his two seasons in charge and were 8-4 in 2025.

Manny Diaz, Duke

Could Michigan be a second chance for Diaz at a traditional power? The former Miami coach is fresh off a conference championship as his Blue Devils went 6-2 in the league before beating Virginia on Saturday night in the ACC title game.

Duke is 17-9 in Diaz’s two seasons in Durham. In three seasons at Miami, the Hurricanes were 21-15. The best season of his tenure came in 2020, when Miami went 8-3.

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After his departure from Miami — who hired Mario Cristobal to replace him — Diaz was the defensive coordinator for Penn State for two seasons. That’s his only coaching experience in the Big Ten, but the Nittany Lions were 21-5 in his two years in State College. In 2023, Penn State ranked third in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 13.5 points per game and 4.2 yards per play.

Kalen DeBoer, Alabama

Yes, Alabama is still in the College Football Playoff. But it wasn’t hard to envision DeBoer at Michigan after the 2023 season if the Wolverines had looked for an outside hire instead of promoting Moore following Jim Harbaugh’s departure to the NFL.

Instead, DeBoer became the coach at Alabama and the Crimson Tide have now lost three games in back-to-back seasons. The standard Nick Saban set in Tuscaloosa was impossible to match. But you have to go back to the first two seasons of the Mike Shula era to find the last time that Alabama lost at least three games in consecutive seasons.

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If — and it’s a big if — DeBoer wanted to leave Tuscaloosa on his own accord following a potential loss to Oklahoma on Dec. 19, this could be as good an opportunity as he’ll ever get. And it would restart one of the wildest coaching cycles we’ve ever seen with an opening at Alabama set to ripple across the sport.

Jay Harbaugh, Seattle Seahawks

What if Michigan wanted to hire a Harbaugh who wasn’t penalized by the NCAA? Jay is currently the special teams coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks under former Michigan assistant Mike Macdonald. Before joining Seattle after the 2024 season, Harbaugh worked at Michigan since his dad was hired in 2015 and coached the team’s tight ends, running backs, special teams and safeties throughout his time with the school.

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Harbaugh would be very, very familiar with the way things work at Michigan. But there’s a very good case to be made for the Wolverines to cut ties completely from the Jim Harbaugh era.

Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Chargers

If Michigan doesn’t want to completely distance itself from the Harbaugh era and Minter would be intrigued by a return to college football, the school could do far worse than the defensive coordinator from that 2023 national title team. Minter followed Jim Harbaugh to the Chargers and is in charge of a defense that’s allowing fewer than 21 points per game and has intercepted opposing QBs 15 times while allowing just 12 touchdown passes.

Yes, Minter was given a show-cause penalty as part of the NCAA’s penalties for recruiting violations that occurred during his time in Ann Arbor. However, his one-year show-cause penalty expires before 2025 concludes. Michigan could avoid NCAA red tape if it waited a bit to hire Minter, who would potentially want to finish out the Chargers’ season anyway.

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Week 15 is upon us and it’s time for another edition of ‘The Fantasy Film Room’ with Matt Harmon and Nate Tice. The dynamic duo identify guys having good season on bad teams you need in the fantasy playoffs. The two also preview a divisional TNF matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Joel Smyth then joins the show to share his 5 players that you need to keep an eye on in fantasy this weekend.

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(1:00) – Diamonds in the Rough Offenses Pt. 1: Browns, Saints, Giants

(39:00) – Diamonds in the Rough Offenses Pt. 2: Commanders, Bengals, Dolphins

(1:01:15) – TNF Preview: Falcons @ Buccaneers

(1:13:20) – Buzz is Building with Joel Smyth

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

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

The final trips to Las Vegas were booked in the 2025 NBA Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday.

The Orlando Magic and New York Knicks clinched their spots in the semifinals on Tuesday, leaving two left for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs to fight it out on the second day of action.

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Let’s just say the first game went the Thunder’s way. And the second, even though there was a wild throwback moment from LeBron James, was a fairly easy one for the Spurs. Now, the two teams will meet in the West semifinals.

Reaching Vegas already means a significant raise for some players. Each full-time player on a semifinal roster earns a $106,187 paycheck, which escalates with each subsequent round of the NBA Cup. The championship-winning players will earn $530,933, a nice payday for anyone playing on or near the league minimum $1.366 million salary.

Spurs overcome LeBron James poster

Even without Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs rolled to an easy win Wednesday night.

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The Spurs picked up a 132-119 victory over the Lakers in Southern California to wrap up the quarterfinal round. They led nearly the entire way, and held on late to secure their fourth win in a five-game span.

Though the Spurs built up an 18-point lead in the second quarter — thanks to a big 19-6 run to end the first period and then a defensive stretch in which they forced the Lakers to shoot just 4-of-15 to open the second period — the Lakers rallied and cut that deficit to 12 points at halftime. Their entire run, though it could have been better, was completely overshadowed by a vintage showing from LeBron James.

In the final minute of the second quarter, the soon-to-be 41-year-old drove to the rim and threw down a wild one-handed dunk over Luke Kornet.

James’ reaction to the dunk may have been the best part. Before sprinting down and getting a block at the other end, James erupted in Kornet’s face.

But that was about it. The Spurs then opened the second half on a 15-5 tear to take a 22-point lead, and the rest was history. They held on in the fourth quarter late and survived one last Lakers push to pick up the 13-point win.

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Luka Dončić led the Lakers with 35 points and eight assists. James finished with 19 points, 15 rebounds and 8 assists, and Marcus Smart dropped 26 points off the bench.

Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 30 points and 10 rebounds, and hit a clutch step-back 3-pointer in the final two minutes to seal the win. De’Aaron Fox finished with 20 points, and Keldon Johnson added 17 points.

Though beating the Thunder will be no easy task — they proved that again earlier Wednesday — the Spurs also picked up a dominant win. If Wembanyama is back, the Thunder’s run may be (at last momentarily) at risk of disruption.

Thunder show no mercy to short-handed Suns

The Oklahoma City Thunder were 23-1. The Phoenix Suns were missing Devin Booker. What did you expect?

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OKC took its first lead 53 seconds into the game and its first double-digit lead four minutes into the game. Less than a minute into the second quarter, it led by 20. Less than a minute into the third quarter, it led by 30. Less than a minute into the fourth quarter, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was taking his usual blowout rest.

And then the Thunder bench started working Phoenix over.

The lone drama after the first quarter was Grayson Allen getting ejected for going old-school Grayson Allen on Chet Holmgren. Beyond that, it was a barbaric show of force at the Paycom Center, with the NBA’s current all-time leader in scoring margin posting the largest margin of victory of any NBA game this season.

The record is now 24-1, with 16 straight wins. They are the second team in NBA history to begin a season 24-1 or better, joining the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors.

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Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 28 points on 11-of-15 shooting plus 8 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals. Chet Holmgren also had 28 points on 13 shots, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 assists.

It’s hard to imagine Booker’s presence swinging the result, not when the Thunder were executing at as high a level as we’ve seen all season. The Suns star was ruled out with a groin strain ahead of the game. He hasn’t played since the Suns’ win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 1 and has now missed three games.

The 7-6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered a frustrating loss during Week 14, defeated 24-20 by the last-place team in their division, the New Orleans Saints. And Bucs quarterback Bayer Mayfield made it clear that he plans to channel that frustration into their next game, stating “We should take [our frustration] out on Thursday night,” when the team faces another divisional rival, the Atlanta Falcons. The two NFC South teams will meet for a Thursday Night Football matchup that will be critical for the Bucs who are hanging on to their top-seed by a razor-thin margin, with the Carolina Panthers hot on their tail and the Falcons trailing in third with a 4-9 record.

The Falcons vs. Buccaneers game will stream live nationally on Amazon Prime Video tonight at 8:15 p.m. ET. Keep reading to find out what you need to know about Thursday’s game, and the rest of the Week 15 schedule.

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How to watch the Atlanta Falcons vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers game:

Date: Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025

Coverage start time: 7 p.m. ET

Kickoff time: 8:15 p.m. ET/5:15 p.m. PT

Game: Atlanta Falcons vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Location: Raymond James Stadium

Streaming: Prime Video

Atlanta Falcons vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers game channel:

The Falcons play the Buccaneers tonight, Dec. 11, for the next Thursday Night Football game of the season, streaming on Amazon’s Prime Video.

The New England Patriots are tied for the best record in the NFL. And yet, they’re not even favored at home this week.

An oddsmaker’s power ranking doesn’t always match public perception or a team’s record. The Buffalo Bills are very unlikely to win the AFC East but they are still the favorites to win the AFC. The Bills have the shortest odds to win the conference at +375. That belief in the Bills is reflected in this week’s point spread.

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The Bills, who lost to the Patriots at home in Week 5 and are two games behind New England in the standings, are 1-point favorites at BetMGM vs. the Patriots on Sunday. That’s an interesting line.

The Patriots have been slighted a bit for playing the easiest schedule in the NFL so far this season, but winning 10 games in a row is difficult no matter the opposition. And the Patriots do have good road wins at Buffalo and at Tampa Bay. The Bills have Josh Allen, but they haven’t been great. They have bad blowout losses to the Falcons and Dolphins. Last week they were in danger of losing to the Bengals at home until Christian Benford had a magical pick-6 and turned the game around. You can pick holes in New England’s season if you wish, but the same can be done to the Bills. On top of it all, the Patriots are well rested coming off their bye week.

Maybe Josh Allen plays the superhero role and keeps the Bills’ chances at an AFC East title alive (the Patriots clinch the division title with a win Sunday), but we’ll give some respect to the Patriots and make them the pick at +1. It seems like getting proper respect won’t be easy for this Pats team.

Here are the rest of the picks for Week 15 in the NFL, with odds from BetMGM:

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Buccaneers (-4.5) over Falcons

It’s hard to back either team. The Bucs are coming off a miserable loss to the Saints, and their offense is in a slump. More specifically, Baker Mayfield is in a slump. His rating the last four games is 65.2. On the other side, the Falcons have lost seven of eight, and the last two games were a loss to the lowly Jets and a 28-point defeat to the Seahawks. But, we have to pick one of them.

Bengals (+2.5) over Ravens

The Bengals beat the Ravens 32-14 on Thanksgiving in Baltimore. Not much has changed since. The Ravens are showing, week after week, they’re not very good. So why are they favored here? Theoretically the Ravens could suddenly emerge as the stellar team everyone thought they would be this season, but we’ve been waiting for that for months and it hasn’t happened.

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Giants (-2.5) over Commanders

It seemed last week like the Commanders had one good performance left in them this season, and it came two weeks ago in a crushing overtime loss to the Broncos. Last week’s effort against the Vikings was startlingly bad. They might already have their luggage packed for the trip to Cancun. The Giants aren’t great either, but they are rested after a bye.

Browns (+7.5) over Bears

There will be a few instances this week of teams in look-ahead spots. It’s not all that common in the NFL, but how will the Bears get up to face the Browns when they know the Packers are coming to town six days later? The Browns have a good defense and until the past couple weeks, the theme of the Bears season was having a bunch of close wins, mostly over bad teams.

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Chargers (+4.5) over Chiefs

The only reason to believe in the Chiefs laying this many points is the argument they are in must-win mode. But they’ve been in must-win mode for weeks. It hasn’t mattered. The Chiefs aren’t as bad as their 6-7 record (they’re No. 6 in DVOA, haters), but this line seems a point or two too high. Would it be that surprising to see the Chargers win straight up?

Eagles (-11) over Raiders

The Eagles look broken and the Raiders are the NFL’s worst team. What fun. Geno Smith is unlikely to start this week for the Raiders, which actually might not be a bad thing. Still, I can’t take the Raiders. If there was ever a get-right spot for the Eagles, this is it. If they struggle here, they’re really in trouble.

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Jaguars (-12.5) over Jets

Brady Cook might get the start for the Jets because Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor are hurt. Cook is an undrafted rookie who threw for 11 touchdowns in 12 games last season at Missouri. He’d be operating in an offense that hasn’t been good no matter who is playing at quarterback. Anything seems possible in this weird NFL season, but this is a bad spot for the Jets.

Cardinals (+9.5) over Texans

The problem with taking the Cardinals is it’s hard to figure out how they score on the NFL’s best defense. But it’s not like the Texans offense is a scoring bonanza either. Last week we took the Cardinals, based on the fact that a large number of their losses have been close. It didn’t work out last week. Let’s try again.

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Broncos (+2.5) over Packers

The Broncos certainly aren’t without flaws, but a 2.5-point home underdog? That’s surprising. Both 11-2 teams are underdogs at home this week, which says a lot about the wide-open nature of the NFL this season. Another factor in backing Denver: The Packers play at Chicago in Week 16 for what practically amounts to the NFC North title game. It shouldn’t surprise anyone if they have an eye on that game.

Lions (+5.5) over Rams

This one is an even more extreme look-ahead spot. The Rams play at Seattle four days after this game in a meeting that could determine the NFC West and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Rams are a veteran team with a great coach, but how could they not be thinking a little bit about that game? Also, the Lions have extra rest after playing on Thursday night, which is usually an edge. Even if the Rams play well, the Lions have a good enough offense to always be in play for a backdoor cover. Be careful if you’re taking the Rams here.

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Panthers (-2.5) over Saints

The Panthers have had a really weird season, with multiple quality wins and some miserable losses. One of those losses came to the Saints, and it wasn’t all that close with New Orleans thoroughly outplaying Carolina in a 17-7 game. How could we know which Panthers team will show up? We’ll hope for the one that is fighting for a division title late in the season.

Titans (+12.5) over 49ers

The Titans have actually covered the spread in four of their last five games. It’s not a good team but one that is still playing hard. The 49ers should blast the Titans. But that’s not how the NFL typically works.

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Colts (+13.5) over Seahawks

The Colts have eight wins, and it wasn’t just because of Daniel Jones. They have been a pretty good team this season, despite a recent slide. Yes, it’s scary to depend on 44-year-old Philip Rivers or whoever plays quarterback against one of the NFL’s best defenses. It could get ugly. But as is said often in this space, double-digit underdogs usually look hopeless, and then they somehow cover.

Cowboys (-6) over Vikings

This game is proof that it would take a court order for the networks to flex a Cowboys game out of prime time. It’s time to test whether Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is turning a corner. He looked good last week, but that came against a really bad Commanders defense. If he can go on the road and have another positive outing against a Cowboys defense that has been better since the Quinnen Williams trade, maybe the narrative surrounding him will start to change. But let’s see it happen first.

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Steelers (-3.5) over Dolphins

This is a strangely interesting game. The Dolphins started 1-6 but have rallied and aren’t dead in the playoff race at 6-7. The Steelers can have some awful games, but they lead the AFC North at 7-6. It’s a test for that Dolphins hot streak, considering they’ve been mostly beating bad teams and doing it with Tua Tagovailoa producing very little.

Last week: 6-8

Season to date: 106-98-6

Jared Goff’s 2021 trade from the Los Angeles Rams to the Detroit Lions came as a shock. Los Angeles wasn’t far removed from a Super Bowl appearance, and Goff had flourished under Sean McVay after a rocky rookie season.

Despite that, McVay wanted more at the position and boldly decided to swap Goff for Matthew Stafford. The move didn’t just surprise football fans and analysts, it also shocked Goff, who said he was blindsided by the deal at the time.

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Goff will square off against his former team and coach in Week 15, as the Lions travel to Los Angeles to play the Rams. But if you think Goff is still harboring any ill will toward the Rams over that trade, that’s not the case.

Goff downplayed the contest Wednesday, saying the trade was “a long time ago” and that he’s spent an equal amount of time in Detroit now. When asked whether he would feel “an emotional charge” from playing his former team, Goff said, “No, not so much anymore.”

The Lions quarterback noted he’s played his former team a few times since leaving Los Angeles. The two teams have met twice in the regular season and once in the playoffs. Goff is 1-1 vs. the Rams in the regular season. He did manage to beat the team in the playoffs in 2024.

As Goff was being asked another question about playing against the Rams, he quipped, “We’re still talking about this? All right, go ahead.”

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The Goff-Stafford trade was a win-win for both teams. In his first year with the Rams, Stafford led the team to a Super Bowl win. He’s proven to be a great fit for McVay’s offense and is still putting up tremendous numbers in 2025, earning MVP consideration.

Goff has taken a step forward with the Lions and is a big reason why the team has been a powerhouse in the NFC over the past few years. While Detroit hasn’t won the Super Bowl with Goff, the team has put up some eye-popping offensive numbers with him under center.

Goff may not feel any extra motivation against the Rams on Sunday, but there is a lot at stake for Detroit. At 8-5, the team finds itself just outside of the playoff picture. The Lions are still very much in the hunt to punch a ticket to the playoffs, and beating the current top seed in the NFC would go a long way toward Detroit securing its third straight postseason appearance under Goff.

Each week, fantasy football analyst Joel Smyth goes through eight storylines that will define the week. After 14 weeks, how will the trends of fantasy football define Round 1 of the fantasy playoffs?​

[Upgrade to Fantasy Plus and gain your edge in player projections and much more]

Tua in the cold

In Weeks 16 and 17, Tua Tagovailoa will be back home in sunny Miami, comfortable and happy. However, in Week 15, he will be anything but warm. As of Thursday, Pittsburgh is projected to be under 20 degrees on Monday Night Football as the team hosts the Hawaiian QB. This would be the coldest game of Tagovailoa’s career. In games under 50 degrees, Tagovailoa has scored 10 or fewer fantasy points in five of his nine games, only winning two of them.

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The more important factor is how it affects Jaylen Waddle. Pittsburgh has ranked 26th versus WRs, yet as of late, the defense has been better than average. In the nine games below 50 degrees, Tagovailoa has only 11 passing touchdowns, so it comes as a shock that Waddle has performed well in fantasy. In four of his six games he’s been active for in those conditions, Waddle had 18+ PPR points, largely thanks to breaking off some of his notorious big plays. Although the Steelers have struggled against the pass this season, they surprisingly rank No. 1 in the league in explosive passes allowed. It puts Miami’s star WR in an intriguing spot with a low floor, but keeping his ceiling potential. Since Tyreek Hill’s injury, Waddle has usually been good for 18+ points or under 10, not often in between.

Lamar Jackson ready to rebound from dud vs. Bengals

On paper, the Bengals are the best matchup for opposing QBs. Lamar Jackson scored 7.5 fantasy points against them in Week 13. It was a nightmare performance to continue a three-game skid of under 10 fantasy points for the 2024 overall QB1. We finally saw a bounce back versus the Steelers last week with over 20 points, but can Jackson be trusted in Round 1 of the fantasy playoffs?

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First, 7.5 is somewhat of a lie. In a multiverse world, Isaiah Likely doesn’t fumble at the one-inch yard line, Zay Flowers doesn’t get called for a phantom offensive pass interference and Jackson’s day looks much better. Those two plays would’ve given Jackson 13 more fantasy points to cross 20 on the day. Sometimes luck isn’t on your side. Usually, the luck is on the side of whoever plays the Bengals defense. Cincinnati ranks last in passing fantasy PPG allowed when removing the Ravens game in Week 13. Even after his poor performance, Jackson averages 23.7 PPG versus Cincinnati in his career. With the Bengals defense specifically struggling against tight ends, the strength of the Ravens’ passing offense, I’d be surprised if we saw a repeat performance in a must-win game for Baltimore.

Backup QBs going up against top defenses

The best D/STs to play in fantasy football are often not the most talented, but the ones playing the least talent at the quarterback position. Thankfully for us, there’s plenty to choose from in Week 15. A few with both: Seattle (No. 1 in PPG) versus the Colts third- or fourth-string QB, Houston (No. 2 in PPG) versus an adequate Jacoby Brissett and my top waiver target, the Jaguars defense, against the Jets offense at home.

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It doesn’t hurt to have Mother Nature on your side, either. Chicago will host Shedeur Sanders in potentially negative temperatures, the Steelers host Miami, Philadelphia will be home versus the Raiders and likely facing Kenny Pickett, and finally, Kansas City facing off against the Chargers’ struggling offensive line. The final group will be the defenses that may not be the most elite of the elites, but face off against favorable quarterbacks. Mostly available on waivers, Dallas vs. J.J. McCarthy, Tampa Bay versus Kirk Cousins on Thursday night and the 49ers versus rookie Cam Ward. Happy streaming!​

The return of Philip Rivers

My friend sent the news in the group chat. My first thought was not “Wow, a 44-year old Philip Rivers is returning,” it was “My friend got duped by a fake Twitter account.” I still can’t believe it’s real, but a grandfather could be playing on Sunday versus the Seahawks defense. The good news is the Colts offense is incredible outside of the QB position. Third-string rookie Riley Leonard was still able to lead the Colts to four red-zone drives after the Daniel Jones injury last week. My hope would be Leonard leading the way this weekend, but if not, how does it affect Jonathan Taylor?

Seattle’s defense is averaging an incredible 8.7 rushing fantasy PPG allowed to RBs this season. And 75% of Taylor’s points have come on the ground this season as the star RB has gone as high as the offense will take him (which has worked well so far). As nearly two-touchdown road underdogs, the Colts are projected to score just above 14 points. The ceiling will always be high for Taylor, but the floor is scary low for a usual top-three RB.

The Goff-Stafford revenge game

The Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff trade: a rare win-win. They will face off once again on Sunday in what could be a fantasy gold mine. The projected total for the QB revenge game sits at a staggering 55.5. Stafford seems the easy start of the two. The current fantasy QB5 faces a Lions defense that is decimated by injuries and have seen the biggest drop off in production in the second half of the year. In passing fantasy PPG allowed, they ranked 27th before losing key players such as safety Brian Branch. Jared Goff’s matchup isn’t as bad as most expect. The Rams’ passing defense in the second half has also dipped, down to 17th in fantasy points allowed.

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There are two key benefits that both will have. First, playing indoors. While the temperatures in Chicago are below zero degrees, the two pocket-passers will be playing (halfway) indoors in Los Angeles. A huge benefit this time of year. The second is, funny enough, each other. With elite offenses, sometimes the QBs are too dominant for their own good. In plenty of games, the Lions and Rams go up big and get away from the pass. With both having top-level offenses, we could see great passing volume throughout the game for the QBs. Goff is a great superflex quarterback and deserves consideration in joining Stafford as a start in 1QB leagues.

Backfield committee for Chargers?

When Omarion Hampton was on the field last week, he wasn’t out there for no reason. The rookie only played 22 snaps in his return, but he was given a healthy 15 touches, something only 21 other RBs can say, including Kimani Vidal. Both RBs panned out in a way on Monday Night Football vs. the Eagles due to their receiving, the issue is, that receiving volume hasn’t been there. Since Week 6, the Chargers rank 31st in RB target share, a trend all too similar to Harbaugh offenses.

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The Chargers backs may need that receiving to perform to standard against Kansas City. Usually, being road underdogs with a split backfield is not an ideal combo. If the receiving doesn’t get a bump, it’s much harder to rely on low rushing volume behind this offensive line. Hampton is a very talented player, but so are plenty of other backs in poor situations. I would expect a pure 50/50 split for now, greatly hurting Hampton’s floor. Kansas City ranks third in rushing fantasy PPG to RB adjusted to the schedule, making it difficult to trust in the Los Angeles RBs as more than a flex prayer. ​

Devin Neal can be trusted to deliver

Devin Neal has slowly become a viable fantasy option over the last two weeks. Last season, several backup running backs came to the rescue in the fantasy playoffs, such as Tyjae Spears and Ameer Abdullah. Neal at least has the volume to be the next. The Saints rookie is top-10 in percent of team carries and has run the most routes among RBs as a starter. If he gets his third straight game of 17+ touches, he’ll have an opportunity to put up great numbers versus Carolina.

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The Panthers have fallen off a cliff as a run defense in the second half of the season. Since Week 8, only the Jets and Giants have allowed more rushing fantasy PPG to opposing offenses. When facing off in Week 10, the Saints gave Alvin Kamara 25 touches versus Carolina, gaining 115 yards, the second-highest of his 2025 season. Neal is my current RB22 and worthy of a FLEX spot for most.

Wan’Dale Robinson in prime matchup

Wan’Dale Robinson is one of the bigger fantasy surprises of the season, sitting as the WR19 in PPG in PPR leagues. Only six players have more targets this season, as Robinson has five consecutive games with 8+ targets. The volume has been great, but the matchup can’t be better. Washington, in the second half of the year, with its top two corners out for the season, has ranked 32nd in EPA per dropback. The only thing stopping opposing fantasy players is the Commanders being blown out. Thankfully, the Giants defense isn’t much better. New York is only a 2.5-point favorite at home, hopefully keeping the game close for Robinson to take full advantage of his stellar matchup.

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As the Commanders move their secondary around, Noah Igbinoghene will make just his second start of the season as the primary slot corner. Washington has been increasing their zone defense to the second-highest rate this month, setting up Robinson, who is ninth in targets per route versus zone coverage, as a consistent short-area target for Jaxson Dart. With the Giants running their QB less, Robinson can be a high-volume WR to help move the chains, as well as fantasy teams to the second round.

Welcome to Week 15 of the fantasy football fades and busts of the week! I am your host, Matt Okada, and will be bringing you half a dozen players to avoid each and every week, through the three most critical weeks of the year — the fantasy playoffs! Still looking for the perfect six-for-six … let’s get it.

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As a note, just because a player earns a “fade” or “bust” designation doesn’t automatically mean they should be benched — it depends on the rest of your roster or the options on your waiver wire. But you can expect them to fall short of expectations (when I get them right).

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Happy Holidays and, without further ado, here is my list for Week 15 of the 2025 season.

Jordan Love, QB, Packers

The good matchup-bad matchup splits for Jordan Love have been incredibly stark this year and make him an absolute must-sit in Week 15 against the Broncos. In five games against defenses ranked outside the top eight in fantasy points allowed to QBs — Cleveland, Arizona, Carolina, Philadelphia and Minnesota — Love has averaged 10.08 points per game, with a high of 13.36 and single digits in the two most recent. Somehow, he’s thrown just two touchdown passes across those five games. Now, he heads into Denver to take on Pat Surtain II and Co. Anything over 15 fantasy points would be a miracle, and while the holiday season is here, I’d rather not rely on miracles — or Toyotathon hype — in the fantasy playoffs. Love is well outside QB1 range this Sunday … and he might even be outside QB2 range.

What to do ❓ Do not start Love. Anywhere. You can legitimately stream guys like Bryce Young, Tyler Shough and Shedeur Sanders over him.

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Tony Pollard, RB, Titans

I had Tony Pollard in the Stock Up section of my weekly fantasy stock report here at Yahoo, simply because we could not ignore his performance against the Browns on Sunday. But I’m not ready to trust him just yet either. Prior to that game, Pollard had scored single-digit fantasy points in seven straight games and 10 of 12 games on the year. He also broke off two touchdown runs of 30+ yards … something he’d also done twice over his prior 56 games. His 25 carries on Sunday were an unusual product of Tennessee’s competitiveness against Cleveland — a far less likely prospect against the 49ers this week. If Pollard pulls off another positive performance this week, I’ll consider buying in for the rest of the playoffs … but he’ll ride the bench until then.

What to do ❓ If you’re forced to tail Pollard’s Week 14 due to a lack of depth, he could still be a low-end RB3 with viable flex value. But hopefully, you have other options in the fantasy quarterfinals. I’d rather start either Bears back (D’Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai), either Panthers back (Rico Dowdle, Chuba Hubbard), Chris Rodriguez Jr. or even Blake Corum.

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Omarion Hampton, RB, Chargers

If you’ve been waiting most of the year to get Omarion Hampton back and into your fantasy lineups, this is going to be a discouraging blurb. But I’m worried about trusting the rookie in his second week off IR in a split backfield on a struggling offense against the Chiefs defense. The only backs to tag Kansas City for 13+ fantasy points the last 10 weeks have been James Cook, Javonte Williams and Woody Marks in high-volume, bell-cow type performances. Meanwhile, Hampton played just 31% of the snaps on Monday night (to 69% for Kimani Vidal) and saw just 13 carries … while Vidal handled 14 and Justin Herbert racked up 10 carries of his own. The split should shift towards Hampton as he gets healthier, but it may not happen quick enough to trust him against this defensive front in a game with a low implied total for Los Angeles.

What to do ❓ Hampton isn’t quite as bench-worthy as Pollard and might even crack the bottom end of RB2 territory for some rosters. But if you can wait another week and start someone like Marks, Jaylen Warren or Rico Dowdle instead, go for it.

Ladd McConkey, WR, Chargers

Remember all that stuff I wrote above about Hampton? Yeah, pretty much ditto that for Ladd McConkey. Unfortunately, with Herbert banged up and the offensive line in shambles, the Chargers’ air assault has been stagnant for about a month. The last three games, McConkey has totaled eight catches for 64 yards on 15 targets. And while McConkey was great against the Steelers back in Week 10 — and scored a fortunate touchdown against the Raiders to save an otherwise abysmal Week 13 — both those teams are extremely soft against wideouts. The Chiefs are not. Heading into a tough environment against a tough opponent amid a tough stretch for this offense — and limited by a foot issue in practice to boot — McConkey is nowhere near the “must-start” he was in the middle of the season, and might even fall closer to “must-sit” territory this week.

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What to do ❓ McConkey is a borderline WR2 at best, but probably belongs closer to low-end WR3 range against Kansas City. He had a good game against the Chiefs in Week 1, but that was a completely different offensive unit. He has a terrifyingly low floor and a middling ceiling this Sunday.

Jayden Reed, WR, Packers

The hype around Jayden Reed and his return in Green Bay is getting a little out of control. In his first game back, he saw just four targets (and two carries) and totaled 53 scrimmage yards, while running 17 routes. This offense has produced one game all year in which multiple wide receivers hit double-digit fantasy points — in Week 13, prior to Reed’s return. They’re too diversified to trust, especially for anyone not named Christian Watson, and that includes all the “good matchups” in which Love has been solid (see above). Sunday’s matchup against Denver lowers the ceiling for the entire passing game, which means it’s dangerously low for a guy fresh off injured reserve, who’s just as likely to see one target as he is to see 10. If we’re fortunate, we might be able to start Reed in Week 16 and/or 17 following increased involvement this Sunday … but I’m holding out until then.

What to do ❓ Find another “sleeper” to play in Week 15, and stash Reed away on your bench for the semifinals or the championship. I’d even prefer to go with guys like Jordan Addison, Jerry Jeudy or Kayshon Boutte this weekend.

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Colston Loveland, TE, Bears

Since his breakout game against the Bengals, Colston Loveland has been largely lackluster and almost entirely touchdown-dependent for fantasy purposes. He has not had more than four catches or 55 yards in any week this season outside Week 9, and has instead settled into around 3-4 catches for 30-40 yards on a game-by-game basis. Theoretically, that means you’re getting either five fantasy points or 11 fantasy points, depending entirely on whether he finds the end zone. Cleveland has allowed just five TDs to TEs on the year, and this game features one of the lowest totals of the week (39.5). All but a few fantasy tight ends are at least somewhat TD-dependent, but there are other streaming options with higher floors than Loveland … you’d be better off going with one of those guys in the fantasy quarters.

What to do ❓ Loveland is a borderline starter in larger leagues, so if you’re in the unlucky state of scrounging for waiver-wire options, he can probably be played in your playoff lineup. But if you can pivot to either Ravens tight end (against Cincy) or a higher-floor option like Juwan Johnson, consider making that move instead.