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The Boston Red Sox have reportedly landed Willson Contreras

The Red Sox made a move to acquire Contreras in a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. In exchange, right-hander Hunter Dobbins is headed to the Cardinals along with minor-league pitchers Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita. The Red Sox will also receive $8 million from the Cardinals to cover part of Contreras’ remaining salary.

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Dobbins, whom the Red Sox selected in the 2021 MLB Draft, made his debut this past spring. He went 4-1 in 11 starts on the mound and carried a 4.13 ERA. The former Texas Tech standout missed the second half of the season due to a torn ACL but is expected to be ready by Opening Day.

Contreras spent the past three years with the Cardinals, and he transitioned to first base in 2025 after spending the first stretch of his career largely at catcher. The three-time All-Star held a .257 batting average with 80 RBI and a team-high 20 home runs last season, his 10th in the league.

Contreras has two years left on the five-year, $87.5 million deal he signed ahead of the 2023 campaign, and he’s owed $18 million next season. He holds a club option for the 2028 season with a $5 million buyout.

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[Get more Red Sox news: Boston team feed]

His deal included a full no-trade clause, and Contreras initially seemed committed to the Cardinals’ rebuild after the team went 78-84 last season and missed the playoffs for a third straight year. But now, Contreras will join a Red Sox team fresh off its first playoff appearance since 2021. Boston went 89-73 last season and lost in the wild-card round to the New York Yankees.

The Contreras trade is the second between the Red Sox and Cardinals this offseason, following a deal that sent pitcher Sonny Gray to Boston. Gray also waived a no-trade clause to join the Red Sox.

Josh Allen is probably the best offensive player in football. He might be the best player in the NFL, period. Obviously, he’s the reigning MVP, and he has an outside shot to win it again for 2025. The Buffalo Bills ride or die with this Hall of Fame-tracking player.

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But in Week 16, the semifinals of the fantasy playoffs, Allen was just another guy struggling to put up points.

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Buffalo will take the ugly 23-20 win at Cleveland, that’s for sure. No givebacks, no apologies. But Allen was a complementary piece for this one, throwing for just 130 yards and failing to account for a touchdown. He scored fewer than seven points in Yahoo standard leagues, his worst fantasy score (not counting cameo games) since 2018, his rookie year.

The poor performance had a lot of root causes. Allen obviously isn’t playing with special receiving talent — there’s no one to drag him to passing glory, no one taking the top off the defense. Dawson Knox dropped a catchable pass in the end zone. Khalil Shakir was the best of the wideouts and had just 34 yards on five targets. Keon Coleman wasn’t even active, a lost sophomore season.

Allen’s most talented offensive teammate is James Cook, and he and Allen generally can’t score at the same time. Cook rushed 16 times for 117 yards and two scores, including a 44-yard jaunt. When Cook gets rolling, it’s often at the expense of Allen’s fantasy score. Cook has a modest 32 catches for the year; that’s not Buffalo’s primary pitch.

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Allen also had a foot injury in the first half, necessitating X-rays. He was cleared to return to the game, but the Bills managed just 62 yards in the second half. This was one of those games where you huff and puff to the finish line, do just enough to win and exhale. Not everything is a Picasso — sometimes you need to draw something on the Etch-A-Sketch.

Most leads are going to stand up against the Cleveland offense, which doesn’t offer much pushback these days. Rookie back Quinshon Judkins had been in a two-month funk (coinciding with Cleveland’s cluster injuries on the offensive line), and he broke his fibula in the middle of Sunday’s game. Judkins struggled to 22 yards on eight carries, checked by a Buffalo rushing defense that’s been exposed by most other opponents. At least Judkins tacked on 5-29-0 receiving before his unfortunate injury.

Harold Fannin Jr. is the undeniable offensive star for the Browns, and he turned five touches into a pair of touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving). Imagine what he could do with a bona fide quarterback. Alas, Shedeur Sanders (two picks, 64.9 rating, 5.4 YPA) did not resemble a credible starter on Sunday.

Maybe Allen and friends will find themselves in a shootout next week against the Eagles. Then again, the Eagles don’t have much to play for, so that could also complicate the assignment.

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The Trevor Lawrence breakout continues

While Allen has been a star for a long time, this Trevor Lawrence stardom stuff is fairly new. Expectations were reopened during the summer, with Liam Coen taking over the offense and exciting WR Brian Thomas Jr. entering his second year. But Lawrence was fairly erratic for most of the first two months, leaving some to close his file for good.

Fast forward to December, where Lawrence has become one of the breakout stars of the league. He had a six-touchdown explosion last week against the Jets — en route to the rare 40-plus-point game — and he backed that up nicely with a signature game against the vaunted Broncos on Sunday. Lawrence produced four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) and chased up to 31.16 points by the end of the day.

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Going off against a defense like Denver is a validating performance. The Jaguars seem to have the pieces in place for Lawrence to succeed — Thomas is healthy again, Brenton Strange has come back and produced, Jakobi Meyers was a smart acquisition, Travis Etienne Jr. has surprised the world. And when Lawrence doesn’t have something downfield, he’s proven to be a resourceful scrambler.

Lawrence has now beaten his projection in 10 of 11 games. The points should keep flowing next week at Indianapolis, and the Jaguars will be a difficult out in the NFL playoffs.

Other Week 16 Booms

I didn’t expect the Chargers to be an aerial circle at Dallas, and that fit the script — Justin Herbert attempted just 29 passes. But that was enough to rack up 300 passing yards and two touchdowns, and he also scrambled for 42 more yards and a third score. The Cowboys’ pass rush has been invisible for weeks — they had zero sacks for the second straight game. Omarion Hampton (16-85-1) took control of the LAC backfield, while Kimani Vidal was rarely used (5-11-0) after exiting due to a neck injury.

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Dak Prescott was good, not great, on the other side (244 passing yards, two scores). George Pickens came back to the living after a few off weeks (7-130-1). CeeDee Lamb was less involved (6-51-0), as it’s hard to have both receivers come in at the same time. Dallas gets a favorable Washington draw next week.

The Saints backfield didn’t have an actionable right answer this week, as Taysom Hill had one of his unpredictable hybrid games (16 touches, plus a touchdown pass). But Tyler Shough was solid for another week, and the ball went where fantasy managers wanted: Chris Olave had a 10-148-2 explosion (Hill threw one of the TDs) and Juwan Johnson was useful with his 8-89-0 log. The Saints’ passing game is credible in front of Tennessee next week.

Tony Pollard (21-102-0) was effective for the third straight week, though he had to share more than usual with Tyjae Spears (18 touches, 105 yards, one touchdown). Cam Ward posted a solid 8.4 YPA and didn’t have many negative plays (no turnovers, just two sacks). Rookie WR Chimere Dike (3-40-1) will be a fun sleeper pick next year.

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It’s hard to trust the Pittsburgh passing game, given modest volume — Aaron Rodgers can throw for more than 200 yards but he never passes 300. The passing game seems to use 27 tight ends, too. But two Pittsburgh running backs came in at Detroit — Jaylen Warren (14-143-2) had two long touchdown runs and Kenneth Gainwell shone in the passing game, en route to 128 total yards, five catches and a score. The Browns defense has started to lose steam, which puts Warren and Gainwell in play for Week 16.

Comeback mode was good to Jared Goff (364 passing yards, three touchdowns) and Jahmyr Gibbs (10-66-1 receiving, nothing as a runner). But David Montgomery was scripted off the field (four touches) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (4-54-0) and Jameson Williams (5-70-0) underperformed, given they didn’t score a touchdown. The Detroit carnival is still alive with the Lions clinging to playoff hopes, even though it’s extremely unlikely they make it. Expect points to flow at Minnesota next week, while fully respecting the challenging Brian Flores defensive scheme.

If you saw Ashton Jeanty’s career game coming against the ballyhooed Houston defense, you’re a legend. Please share the winning lottery numbers. Jeanty finally got untracked on the ground (24-128-1), including a 51-yard scoring rush. And while the Raiders largely ignored him as a pass-catcher (that’s been Jeanty’s salvation of late), he added a 60-yard touchdown catch. The Raiders couldn’t finish off Houston, but at least they looked like a competitive outfit. Jeanty gets the green light next week against the Giants.

Other Week 16 Busts

After nine glorious weeks of garbage time, the Arizona offense finally crapped out. Jacoby Brissett struggled against an ordinary Falcons defense (203 passing yards, one touchdown, one pick, 6.5 YPA), and most of the key Cardinals did not produce as expected. Brissett tried to get Trey McBride going, but it didn’t work (4-27-0, eight targets). Only three passes were aimed at the enigmatic Marvin Harrison Jr., just one was complete (1-14-0). Michael Wilson had a 32-yard touchdown and a 20-yard catch but that was it, on three paltry targets. Michael Carter cobbled together 65 yards on 11 carries — not a brick but not much help, either.

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If you played Brissett or McBride or even Wilson, I get it. They’ve been so reliable. When something happens for two months in a row, you start to trust it. Sometimes you do the right thing and it just doesn’t work out. The other team gets paid, too.

The less we say about the Kansas City offense, the better. Obviously, Patrick Mahomes and Rashee Rice were not available, and Gardner Minshew was injured in the loss at Tennessee. The Chiefs managed just nine first downs and 133 total yards against one of the worst teams in football. There are no right answers here.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant was hospitalized after a hit in Sunday’s 34-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars left him immobilized on a stretcher.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton told reporters after the game that Bryant exhibited motion in his hands and legs. 9 News in Denver reported that Bryant was hospitalized for concussion-like symptoms, not neurological symptoms. Further details of Bryant’s condition weren’t clear in the immediate aftermath of the game.

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Bo Nix: ‘I feel responsible for it’

Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, meanwhile, lamented his pass that preceded the hit that left Bryant injured.

“You never want to see somebody in that situation,” Nix said at the postgame podium. “I feel responsible because I threw it. You can say it’s part of the game, but you just never want to see it. And we pray that he’s OK.”

[Get more Broncos news: Denver team feed]

Pass, hit took place after game’s outcome was settled

The injury took place in the final minute of the game with the outcome already settled. With 39 seconds remaining and the Broncos trailing by two touchdowns deep in their own territory, Nix scrambled and threw a downfield pass over the middle to Bryant.

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Bryant got his hands on the ball, but Jaguars safety Montaric Brown was lurking behind him. As Bryant attempted to catch the ball, Brown delivered a violent but clean hit to Bryant’s shoulder.

Officials initially threw penalty flags but picked them up. Brown made clean contact with Bryant’s torso and shoulder and did not hit him in the head or neck area.

Bryant remained down on the field after the hit for several minutes while receiving attention from medical trainers. Nix was visibly upset.

Jaguars players on the field took a knee, and Broncos players surrounded their teammate as he was immobilized on a stretcher and eventually placed on a cart.

When play resumed, the Broncos ran one more offensive play and let the play clock expire from there.

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Bryant, 23, is a rookie who joined the Broncos as a third-round selection in April’s NFL Draft. He’s carved out a role in Denver’s offense as the Broncos have taken control of the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

In 13 games prior to Sunday’s, Bryant logged 22 catches for 305 yards and a touchdown. He tallied five catches for 42 yards against the Jaguars.

Despite the loss, the Broncos maintain control of the path to the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a 12-3 record. It was unclear after the game when or if Bryant would be able to return to the playing field this season.

Some NFL fans love a magnificent fingertip-catch, toe-tap touchdown. Some live for an earthshaking, runaway-freight-train power run. And still others thrive on the crucial, bone-rattling defensive stop, robbing the offense of its momentum and its soul.

Me? I love ref conferences. Can’t get enough of ‘em! And man, am I getting all I can stand this season!

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Week 16 brought us the usual round of Is that a catch? and Is that pass interference? that we now accept, every week of the season. But two calls in particular — calls that will have a significant impact on playoff positioning for teams up and down the standings — are going to linger long after this week is over.

First, way back on Thursday night, Seattle scored the strangest two-point conversion in NFL history. Sam Darnold’s pass-that-was-a-lateral rebounded off a helmet and a few sets of hands before settling to wait for Zach Charbonnet to pick it up and notch the most casual points ever scored:

Sunday’s afternoon slate ended with a truly bizarre and heavily ref-influenced final sequence in Pittsburgh’s desperation hang-on against Detroit. The Lions and Steelers were engaged in what amounted to a three-way battle with the referees, with both teams catching yellow flags that seesawed the game back and forth in a nausea-inducing whiplash.

The Lions took over with 2:05 remaining in the game, and over the course of the next 125 seconds, officials called five different penalties, plus an official review of a catch. Detroit actually scored would-be game-winning touchdowns two different times, and both were nullified by offensive pass interference penalties. Here’s one:

Here’s the other, which ended the game:

That was the penalty that required a full officials’ conclave, plus a parsing of the rule book so thorough it required furious Detroit fans to accept the fact that, yes, you just saw another touchdown scored, but no, it didn’t really happen. Sorry. Get home safe, folks.

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There’s always a point in any ref discussion — and, yes, there are so many this year — when the crowd loses its patience. You can feel it even more than you can hear it, a deep, rumbling boooooo that echoes around the stadium as the officials huddle together like they’re plotting a bank heist. I’m not an NFL official, and presumably neither are you, but I think we can all agree on this: The league has to do all it can to avoid getting to that point.

It’s pretty simple: When you need multiple sentences to explain the penalty, either the rulebook or its interpretation is the problem.

The NFL and officials are in a tough spot here. The objective, obviously, is to be as fair to each team and its fans, rendering a sound judgment with as much information available, as possible. The problem is that technology has advanced to the point that we can tell if a ball wobbles a tenth of an inch for a tenth of a second. Slow down the film enough, and everything short of a kneeldown is a debatable play.

But analysis takes time, and nobody wants their precious time at the stadium taken up by watching a homeowners’ association meeting on the field. The endless conferences, discussions and Calls To New York don’t just kill the momentum of the game, they kill its spirit, too. How many times have you seen your team pull off a massive play — a thrilling catch, a breakaway run, a key sack — and then held your breath, waiting for that inevitable flash of yellow across the score bug signaling a flag on the play?

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Maybe the observational technology is too good. Maybe the officials are just (understandably) overwhelmed by navigating the intricacies of the rulebook in high-stress moments. Maybe the rules are too delicate and precious, and we need a swing back in the no-blood, no-foul direction. Maybe too many people are getting involved in the regulatory process. Maybe it’s a combination of all of these.

Definitely, though, something’s got to change. Because the NFL can’t let its momentum keep getting halted by storms of yellow flags.

New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson was ruled out of Sunday’s 28-24 comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens early with a head injury.

Henderson left the field at M&T Bank Stadium in the first half after sustaining the injury. The Patriots ruled him out at halftime with the game tied at 10-10. The severity of Henderson’s injury wasn’t initially clear, nor was a timeline for his return beyond Sunday night’s game.

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Henderson appeared to sustain the injury when the back of his head hit the turf at the end of a run.

The injury is a blow to the Patriots as they compete for the No. 1 seed in the AFC and to Henderson amid a breakout rookie campaign. A second-round pick in April’s NFL Draft, Henderson has emerged as New England’s clear No. 1 running back ahead of the fumble-prone and less productive Rhamondre Stevenson.

Henderson entered Sunday averaging 5.4 yards per carry for 773 yards and seven touchdowns in 14 games. He added 34 catches for 212 yards and 1 more touchdown.

He tallied 148 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries against the Bills last week, four weeks after breaking out with 147 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries against the Buccaneers. He’s been one of the league’s most productive backs during the stretch run of the regular season.

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Stevenson, meanwhile, entered Sunday with 374 yards and 3 touchdowns on 3.5 yards per carry in 11 games. He also has three lost fumbles this season. He’ll resume his role as New England’s lead back as long as Henderson is sidelined.

But despite losing Henderson, and falling into an 11-point hole in the fourth quarter, Drake Maye and the Patriots rallied to grab the four-point win in Baltimore on Sunday night. That pushed them to 12-3 on the season and officially clinched a playoff spot. They are now tied with the Denver Broncos for the best record in the AFC.

While it may be more difficult to do without Henderson, if he’s ruled out for any substantial amount of time, the Patriots are still absolutely in the running for the top seed in the AFC.

The Denver Broncos rolled into Week 16 against the Jacksonville Jaguars riding an 11-game win streak with visions of clinching the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs.

The Jaguars had other ideas. Sparked by another big game from quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the Jaguars steamrolled the Broncos’ vaunted defense in Denver to secure a 34-20 win.

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With the win, the Jaguars improve to 11-4 while turning the race for the No. 1 seed in the AFC into a multi-team contest. The Broncos drop to 12-3, even with the Patriots, while the 11-4 Chargers and 11-4 Bills all remain in the race for the first-round bye in the AFC playoff bracket. The 10-5 Houston Texans also have an outside shot at climbing to the No. 1 seed.

Another big game from Trevor Lawrence

Lawrence led the way while completing 23 of 36 passes for for 279 yards with 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. He added 20 yards and a fourth touchdown on the ground.

This performance followed a week after Lawrence led a 48-20 romp over the Jets with 330 passing yards, 5 touchdowns and no turnovers. But that was against the Jets.

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Sunday was against a Super Bowl-contending Broncos team with one of the best defenses in football. And if you weren’t counting the Jaguars among Super Bowl contenders before, it’s time to reconsider that stance.

Jaguars break tight game open after halftime

The early portion of Sunday’s contest was a back-and-forth affair that saw the Broncos tie the game at 17-17 early in the third quarter. But the tenor of the game took a dramatic shift on Jacksonville’s first possession of the second half.

Sparked by a pair of big penalties, the Jaguars drove 75 yards for a touchdown. A roughing the passer penalty for bodyweight on a hit of Lawrence on first down moved the Jaguars across midfield and riled up the raucous Denver crowd.

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Then, in the red zone on second down, the Broncos got flagged for pass interference in the end zone when Jahdae Barron grabbed Parker Washington’s arm while the ball was in the air. This brought the home crowd into a frenzy.

Lawrence responded by running untouched into the end zone for a 24-17 Jaguars lead.

Turnovers doom Denver’s comeback effort

The Broncos had multiple chances to answer, but there was no Bo Nix magic in the second half this time.

Denver punted after four plays on its ensuing possession. Following another Jaguars touchdown for a 31-17 lead, a botched handoff from Nix to Jaleel McLaughlin resulted in Denver’s first turnover of the game. The Jaguars converted that fumble into a field goal for a 34-17 lead.

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Then with 8:08 remaining, Nix forced a sideline pass to Pat Bryant in tight coverage. Jarrian Jones was there for the interception to all but ice the Jacksonville win.

For the day, Nix completed 28 of 47 passes for 352 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. He was credited with a lost fumble on the botched handoff in the third quarter. And the Jaguars finished the game with a 2-0 advantage in takeaways. Those turnovers ultimately tanked any hope of a Broncos comeback.

Broncos still control No. 1 seed

Even with the loss, the Broncos maintain control of that No. 1 seed. They hold the tiebreaker over the Patriots, who beat the Ravens on Sunday night to match them at 12-3.

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But with two weeks remaining in the season, the race for that No. 1 seed is anything but settled. And the Chargers could still win the AFC West. The Broncos and Chargers will face off in Week 18, when the division title could be at stake.

Week 16 brought chaos. Some fantasy football stars delivered when it mattered, while some we trusted flat-out busted. Here are my Week 16 instant reactions — let’s get into it.

A Drake dethrones the King on SNF

Baltimore opened on fire. First drive, Derrick Henry ripped a 21-yard touchdown and it felt like the offense had a clear edge because New England’s run defense hasn’t been great of late. On the Patriots’ first series, the Ravens picked off a pass near the end zone as New England was threatening, and momentum felt like it was building.

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Then came the turn.

Baltimore started deep, moved the ball with chunk gains and Henry put it on the ground. Fumbling has been a problem all season for Henry. New England answered right away. Drake Maye marched them and hit Hunter Henry for six, and from there, the game evened out.

Another big swing in the game was health. Rookie TreVeyon Henderson was concussed early and never got going (5 carries for 3 yards with a 9-yard catch). Rhamondre Stevenson filled in and looked good when called on, then slammed the door late in the game with a 21-yard touchdown run. The rest was Maye playing like an MVP when it mattered. He stacked 380 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 pick, moved in the pocket when protection broke down, and kept the sticks moving. Stefon Diggs finally decided to show up with 9 for 138, Mack Hollins had the quietest 7 for 69, and Kyle Williams popped a 37-yard dime-and-catch. This is what New England does — multiple players can beat you any week. This is how Maye plays, and while it wasn’t spotless, he goes into Monday night as the QB6 on the week. He’s big time and his team trusts him to make these plays.

The Lamar Jackson injury before halftime changed everything. He scrambled on first down, got a knee to the back, didn’t return and the offense lost its mojo. Tyler Huntley steadied a few series, but this should have turned into a Henry avalanche. Instead, Baltimore went long stretches in the fourth with Keaton Mitchell handling series, which made little sense with the way Henry was punishing tacklers. It was clear the Patriots wanted no part in tackling Henry. But the Ravens coaching staff did New England a solid, leaving him on the bench. Even so, the King delivered a great line: 18 carries, 128 yards, 2 touchdowns at 7.1 a pop. Anyone who watched the game knows this could have been much bigger for Henry.

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Zay Flowers looked electric from start to finish. He ripped a nasty 18-yard touchdown run and added 7 grabs for 84 yards, yet once Lamar exited, they went spans without getting him the ball. That can’t happen if Baltimore wants this season to keep breathing. The loss dents the playoff push. The Ravens need to win out and get help, which raises the stakes on how they deploy Henry if Lamar isn’t ready next week.

Instant reaction: December Derrick Henry has to be the plan if Jackson misses time. The king needs to dust off his crown.

Trevor Lawrence: Fixed and on fire
Trevor Lawrence did it again. He goes into Monday night as the QB1 for Week 16 with 31.16 fantasy points, one-upping Matthew Stafford’s Thursday Night Football heater from earlier in the week. Since Week 10, Lawrence is THE QB1 in fantasy scoring.

First-year head coach Liam Coen fixed him. Early in the year, things looked rocky with clear frustration and communication issues, then the switch flipped — and it’s stayed on. Jacksonville is 11-4 after a handily executed upset in Denver, sitting in position to clinch the AFC South and still chase the AFC’s top seed.

This was Lawrence’s game from the jump. He threw three touchdowns for 279 yards, added a rushing score and never blinked in a building where the Broncos were undefeated. We said it on the Week 16 Data Dump — if you’re going to beat Denver, do it through the air. The Jags couldn’t run it much at all, finishing with 81 rushing yards and just 50 from Travis Etienne Jr., so Lawrence took the keys and drove.

He elevated everyone. Parker Washington turned six catches into 145 yards and a touchdown and sits as the WR3 in half-PPR heading into Monday night. That’s emblematic of what Lawrence has been on this heater — a multiplier for his playmakers, a closer in the red area and a problem on the ground when pockets crack. Over the six-game win streak, he’s got 15 touchdowns, three interceptions and two rushing touchdowns. Over his last five, he’s posted three games with 3-plus passing touchdowns, the other two with two passing scores. That’s a star playing star ball when it matters most for a team very much in the Super Bowl hunt under Coen.

Instant reaction: Rank Trevor Lawrence as the QB1 for your Week 17 championship lineups.

Justin Herbert smash spot delivered
If you were tapped into the Yahoo pieces all week, this felt inevitable. We called a top-10 finish and Herbert cleared it with room to spare, sitting as the QB3 heading into the island games.

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The setup was a layup. Dallas has been bleeding points and this was the sixth time it’s coughed up 34+ this season. That’s not random variance, that’s a defense you target with confidence when your quarterback is a difference maker. You don’t get cute in spots like this; you press start and live with it.

Herbert rewarded the conviction. He went 23-of-29 for 300 yards with 10.3 yards per completion, his best mark of the season. First 300-yard day since Week 3. He wasn’t sacked for the first time all year and he added a rushing touchdown to cap it. This wasn’t hero ball either; it was command. He got Ladd McConkey involved, Quentin Johnston ripped explosives and Omarion Hampton kept them on schedule on the ground. When the ball is out on time and the pocket is clean, Herbert dices you up like this.

The best part is that the process matched the result. The last month had been rough for fantasy, which spooked some managers, but context matters. Dallas has been a get-right opponent for real offenses all season. Elite talent plus a defense that can’t cover or tackle equals ceiling outcomes. If you faded Herbert because of recent game logs, that’s on you. If you followed the plan, you banked points and moved on.

Instant reaction: Herbert validated the call in a dream spot against a defense leaking points — never overthink an elite quarterback in an elite matchup.

Joe Burrow silenced the noise
This was the response you wanted from a franchise quarterback and it came right when Cincinnati needed it. After a week of questions about his mental state and the Bengals’ direction, Burrow walked into Miami and put a stamp on the day. He goes into Sunday night as the QB4 on the week and it felt like he re-centered the whole operation. The team hasn’t been good this season (Burrow hasn’t shied away from saying that) but this was the kind of tone-setter that reminds everyone what the ceiling looks like when No. 9 is right.

The numbers tell the story. Burrow completed 78% of his throws, going 25-of-32 for 309 yards and four touchdowns with zero turnovers. That comes after back-to-back games with two interceptions against Baltimore and Buffalo, plus the ball-security issues that followed. Not today. Burrow played fast, stayed on schedule and never gave Miami a puncher’s chance. Even with a couple sacks, the ball came out with conviction and accuracy to every level.

Everybody ate. Chase Brown found the paint three times, Tee Higgins snagged a score and Mike Gesicki got in as well, while Ja’Marr Chase vacuumed up volume with nine receptions for 109 yards. If you started your Bengals, you got paid, which is exactly what you wanted to see as we close the season. Momentum matters for confidence even if it doesn’t technically carry over week-to-week, and this was the kind of get-right spot that travels. Arizona and Cleveland are up next and the way Burrow ran this show, he should keep the fantasy floor sturdy with a path to more spikes.

Instant reaction: Burrow shut everyone up with a clean, ruthless four-score masterpiece to remind everyone he’s still that dude. 

George Pickens’ volume roars back
It had been quiet for George Pickens the last couple weeks — back-to-back 30-yard statlines, three straight without a touchdown — and then he walked into Sunday and shook the room. On a day that didn’t look like it would favor Dallas with how well the Chargers defense has played, Pickens gave you exactly what you drafted him for. He led the Cowboys with nine targets, led them with seven receptions, piled up 130 yards and finally broke the drought with a score. The highlight was a pure nine route dropped right in the bucket from Dak Prescott, the kind of connection that reminds you why we don’t fade high-volume alphas tied to high-end quarterbacks.

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Pickens was involved from the jump. If the game hadn’t gotten away from Dallas late, the box score might be even more impressive because the usage was there and the intent was obvious. Pickens has been one of the league leaders in volume all season and this was a course correction after a brief lull, not some random spike from a bit player.

Sidebar for the real ones tracking season marks: CeeDee Lamb cleared 1,000 yards on the year, his fifth straight 1,000-yard season and finished second on the team in receiving on Sunday. That matters because defenses can’t cheat one way when both guys are humming, which feeds cleaner looks for Pickens on the perimeter.

Dallas is out of the playoff hunt but the way Pickens played here reads like a guy auditioning for a bag and making his case, one contested ball at a time.

Instant reaction: Pickens snapped the slump with a nine-target, 130-yard heater and reminded everyone he’s the Dallas passing game’s tone-setter.

Chris Olave erupts
The Saints have quietly stacked three straight and Chris Olave just put the league on notice. Tyler Shough has been impressive inside this month-long stretch and he delivered his first 300-yard passing game of the season Sunday — 308 with zero interceptions. When we zoom out over his last six games, he has five outings of 200-plus passing yards with four passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. That stability matters because it gives Olave the consistent platform he’d been missing early in the year.

And Olave did the rest. He goes into Monday night as the WR2 in half-PPR, only behind Puka Nacua, after detonating for 16 targets, 10 receptions, 148 yards and two touchdowns. Olave’s target share continues to hold strong and he’s leveraging those looks into real-field tilt. You can feel the trust — early first reads, money downs, then the shot plays when corners get lazy. This was his highest yardage output of the season, only his second 100-yard game and his first multi-touchdown performance. Right on time for fantasy managers who needed a hammer.

I love the intent from New Orleans. While plenty of teams are easing off, the Saints are playing to win and building momentum with their core. Two road tests remain and nothing about the approach suggests they’ll throttle down. Shough’s confidence is growing, the ball is finding Olave where it hurts defenses and the whole operation looks tighter each week.

Instant reaction: Keep your Saints very much on the radar come Week 17 — they’re playing to win.

Justin Jefferson can still produce
This wasn’t the nuclear Jefferson game we’ve come to expect, but it was the sign of life you wanted to see. Minnesota managed just 126 passing yards between two quarterbacks after J.J. McCarthy exited and Max Brosmer took over, yet Jefferson still owned the day with six receptions for 85 yards. That’s 85 of the team’s 126 through the air in a slog, his best receiving output in nine games. He hadn’t cleared 79 yards since Oct. 19 against Philadelphia, so for everyone who benched him out of frustration, this was the reminder that elite talent can still elevate a broken box score.

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He didn’t score and he goes into Monday night as the WR16 in half-PPR, but the usage and intent were encouraging. Even with the offense sputtering, Jefferson kept winning leverage downs, kept demanding targets, kept stacking chain-movers. Last week teased what could’ve been with a couple of near-miss touchdowns. Sunday delivered the stabilization you needed heading into the stretch, especially with defenses sitting on the run and daring Minnesota to beat single coverage outside.

Now it’s a short week, a Christmas Day home game and a Lions defense that just got lit up by Pittsburgh. Quarterback clarity matters, no question. If McCarthy can go, the rhythm and timing are better. If it’s Brosmer again, Jefferson still projects as the first, second and third read when Minnesota needs answers. The floor rises when a player can vacuum up this kind of share in a game where nothing else works.

Instant reaction: Jefferson’s 6-for-85 while the team threw for 126 says he’s back on the Week 17 radar versus a beatable Lions secondary.

Tony Pollard drops three straight 100s
This wasn’t some shocker. Kansas City’s season is cooked. Patrick Mahomes is out for the year with a torn ACL, Rashee Rice missed this game with a concussion and the Chiefs lost backup Gardner Minshew to a possible ACL tear in this game as well. Coming into this matchup, the Chiefs were still somehow favored, but this wasn’t a tough task for Tennessee. The Titans leaned on Tony Pollard and he handled business with his third straight 100-yard game on the ground. He logged 21 carries for 102 yards as Tennessee keeps evaluating the roster and building confidence for rookie quarterback Cam Ward.

Week 17 brings New Orleans, a head-to-head of Cam Ward versus Tyler Shough with both teams trying to stack positives for young quarterbacks. Pollard’s steady work has been the stabilizer for this offense, and the volume, plus game plan, keeps the floor sturdy with room for more if Tennessee controls the script.

Instant reaction: Pollard’s third straight 100-yard day makes him a must-start in Week 17.

Bryce Young gets the job done
Carolina beat Tampa Bay at home and jumped to the top of the NFC South because Bryce Young played clean football when the run game had nothing. He tossed two touchdowns and kept the operation steady while rookie wideout Tetairoa “T-Mac” McMillan delivered six catches on 10 targets, 73 yards and a score. That makes a touchdown in four of his last five. The Panthers couldn’t lean on Rico Dowdle or Chuba Hubbard, so it came down to which quarterback would make plays, and which would blink.

It wasn’t Bryce. He avoided the back-breaking mistakes and outplayed Baker Mayfield. The late interception from Baker sealed it and let Carolina finish the job without a chaotic finish. Young is still hard to trust week-to-week, but the connection with McMillan and the opportunity he keeps giving the rookie are real. Bryce will continue to go back to T-Mac, and that role is what we chase.

Instant reaction: McMillan’s usage and scoring roll make him a probable must-play next week versus Seattle. Keep him in lineups.

Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts Sr. continue to score
Atlanta went on the road and handled Arizona, 26-19, with its two stars doing the heavy lifting. Kirk Cousins threw two touchdowns, but Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts Sr. carried the headline. Bijan logged 16 carries for 76 rushing yards, then led the team in receiving with seven catches for 92 yards and a touchdown. Pitts kept the heater alive with seven receptions for 57 yards and another score. What makes it more encouraging is that it happened with Drake London on the field. London clearly wasn’t 100% off the PCL issue, finishing with three catches for 27 yards on eight targets, yet the offense still found explosives through Robinson and Pitts.

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The Rams come to Atlanta in Week 17 and their defense has sprung leaks. They’ve allowed 31 to the Panthers, 34 to the Lions and 38 to the Seahawks across the last four games. Over the last month, they’re giving up about 114 rushing yards per game and nearly 257 through the air — roughly 371 total per game, sixth worst in the league over that span. That is not the way you want the defense playing when you’re facing playmakers who can flip a drive with one touch. Atlanta doesn’t need a track meet to keep Robinson and Pitts in plus situations. It just needs to keep feeding its best players and let matchups do the rest.

Cousins has given this passing game real stability. The ball is out on time and the targets are concentrated where they should be. Depending on your injuries and matchups, Cousins may firmly be on the top-10 radar next week as a streaming option.

Instant reaction: Bijan and Pitts stay locked in lineups, and Cousins is on the top-10 stream radar against a Rams defense trending the wrong way.

Nate Tice & Charles McDonald give their instant reactions and takeaways from Week 16 of NFL action. First, the duo give their takeaways from the New England Patriots’ win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night, including whether it’s time to shut down Lamar Jackson.

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Next, the two hosts dive into their 3 Highs, 3 Lows from the Week 16 Sunday slate. Nate & Charles start by highlighting the Jacksonville Jaguars knocking off the 1-seed Denver Broncos, the Chicago Bears getting their revenge over the Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Chargers offense looking dangerous against the Dallas Cowboys heading into the playoffs.

The lows of Week 16 include the Detroit Lions being unable to save their season against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers continuing their freefall in a loss to the Carolina Panthers (sparking questions about whether Baker Mayfield is really the future) and the Minnesota Vikings-New York Giants slop fest featuring some rough young QB play. Nate & Charles wrap things up with some thoughts on the post-Tua Tagovailoa Miami Dolphins and the other rookie starters struggling today.

(00:50) – Patriots beat Ravens

(18:40) – Jaguars beat Broncos

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(32:30) – Bears beat Packers

(44:10) – Chargers beat Cowboys

(49:20) – Lions lose to Steelers

(1:00:40) – Buccaneers lose to Panthers

(1:10:40) – Vikings-Giants slop fest

(1:23:35) – Extra Credit: post-Tua Dolphins thoughts & other rookie starters

🖥️ 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

Subscribe to Yahoo Fantasy Forecast

Matt Harmon and Chris Allen provide instant fantasy analysis to all the action from Week 16 in the NFL. The two place games in three fantasy buckets: Games we care about the most, games we sort of care about and games that could have been an email.

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(1:00) – SNF solo recap: Patriots 28, Ravens 24

(20:00) – Boom and Bust players of Week 16: Chris Olave and Josh Allen

(29:00) – Games we care about the most: TB@CAR, GB@CHI, JAX@DEN, PIT@DET

(1:03:40) – Games we sort of care about: LAC@DAL, CIN@MIA, BUF@CLE, LV@HOU, ATL@AZ

(1:30:30) – Games that could have been an email

🖥️ 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

Flanked by Cam Heyward on his left and Aaron Rodgers on his right, Mike Tomlin walked off the field.

A 29-24 win over the Detroit Lions meant Tomlin had once again secured a .500 or better season in the NFL, his perfect track record officially extended to all 19 seasons of his tenure as Pittsburgh Steelers head coach.

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So Tomlin was perhaps more ebullient than usual, and the quarterback Tomlin recruited for Year 19 was, too.

The division was not yet clinched, even if Pittsburgh controls its path to the AFC North title. But the standard that Tomlin has long upheld had yet again risen above its floor. Playoffs included, Sunday was Tomlin’s 200th career win as an NFL head coach.

So as Tomlin pointed to Rodgers and Heyward, affectionately calling them “monster,” Rodgers levied the praise right back at his coach.

“Two hundred f***ing wins in the NFL right here,” Rodgers celebrated to the cameras.

Tomlin pounded his chest as he trumpeted the value of “fight.”

Tomlin’s teams have long fought to win in the NFL through a mix of the culture he’s established, the talent he’s hand-picked and the schematic excellence he’s overseen.

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It’s a combination that yet again positions the Steelers to make the playoffs in what could be Rodgers’ last career year. And it’s a combination that spells an interesting recipe for what would be his 12th career playoff berth as a starter and first in three years.

In two of Rodgers’ last three playoff berths, his franchise role was paramount. The then-late 30s quarterback won his third and fourth MVP honors in those seasons. He led the league in touchdown and interception percentages both campaigns, Rodgers’ 2020 year also featuring league-bests in his 70.7% completion rating and 48 touchdowns (to five interceptions).

As the coach with whom he won a Super Bowl, Mike McCarthy, often said: It took 70+ guys each season to achieve the team’s success.

But Rodgers was routinely the most valuable player on his Green Bay Packers playoff teams just as four times he was the most valuable player across the league.

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Walking off with the Heyward and Tomlin on Sunday evening, the picture looked different.

[Get more Steelers news: Pittsburgh team feed]

It was Heyward, not Rodgers, who recorded five quarterback pressures, four tackles, a tackle for loss and a sack on a day when the Steelers’ defense did enough to hold off a usually explosive Lions attack.

It was Tomlin, not Rodgers, who had recruited and strategized the collection of winning playmakers — including the running back tandem that gashed the Lions’ defense for a season-worst 230 rushing yards.

The organizational infrastructure that long predates Rodgers’ June arrival has provided him an experience vastly different from his two years with the New York Jets and dissimilar also from his 18 with the Packers.

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Because while the Steelers want and will take all they can get out of the 42-year-old Rodgers’ final career days, MVP-caliber play is not the backbone of their success.

And if their two-game lead on the Ravens turns into an AFC North title, Rodgers’ MVP caliber will not be the Steelers’ only recipe for advancing in the playoffs.

“Game’s got to look a certain way this time of year, and it certainly did,” Tomlin said. “We were able to run the ball and stop the run, and we kind of rode that wave in terms of controlling the game. Certainly, you got to give Detroit a lot of credit. Man, they stormed and fought. We knew they would.

“We knew what type of game we were coming into.”

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And the Steelers knew that Rodgers was not their only option.

Steelers outrushed Lions by more than 200 yards to control game

To tie the game at halftime, yes, Rodgers threw the deep ball.

But even he didn’t think running back Kenneth Gainwell had caught the 34-air-yard heave that would land well inside of the right sideline path Gainwell was riding. The ball appeared to hit the ground as Gainwell fought through his defender to grab it. Gainwell figured he’d at least reach in hopes of drawing a flag. Instead, despite already hitting the ground and lying on his side, Gainwell managed to nab the ball just before it hit its seeming ground destination.

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Untouched, he got up and ran the 11 remaining yards to the end zone.

“An unbelievable catch by Kenny,” Rodgers said. “If it’s just [pass interference], it’s three points. But to catch it, somehow get his hand under the ball, get up and score was incredible.

“He’s so damn smart. I mean, I was just telling him I wish I played with him for 10 years just because the kind of player that he is.”

And Gainwell wasn’t the only Steelers running back to uncork.

Three quarters into the game, Pittsburgh had tracked a solid if not spectacular 63 yards rushing. That was before Jaylen Warren reminded a depleted Lions defense how short-handed it actually was.

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Warren veered left as he fielded a toss from Rodgers with 12:32 to play in the fourth quarter, zigzagging back right upfield as he hit well-blocked lanes en route to a 45-yard touchdown.

“I saw him running clean and I did absolutely nothing,” Rodgers said. “Now, I may have made the right check. But it was — anybody could have done that. It was like me on the sneaks: I don’t do a whole lot, as long as I don’t mess it up.”

With 6:50 to play and the Lions trailing by just five, Warren yet again set his eyes on home.

This time, he took a handoff around the left end before shaking defenders. Again, he covered 45 yards. Again, he scored.

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The Steelers’ explosive fourth quarter cushioned their ability to outgain the Lions, 481 yards to 361, and edge Detroit on third and fourth downs by 55.6% to 41.6%.

But it was Pittsburgh’s line of scrimmage control that spelled the starkest difference: The Steelers rushed for a season-best 230 yards while holding Detroit to its season-worst 15.

Controlling the clock followed. Winning still necessitated Lions’ self-destruction via penalty, including a pair of offensive pass interference flags that overturned touchdowns on the game’s final drive.

When a lengthy conference among officials settled on the call that offensive pass interference wiped out the final play before it became a touchdown and the expired clock ended the game, Lions fans turned from cheering to groaning.

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Rodgers’ response?

“Hate to see it,” he quipped, before walking off the podium with a sly smile.

Can imperfect Steelers team help Rodgers to one last taste of playoff magic?

Completing 65.9% (27 of 41) of his passes for 266 yards and one touchdown, Rodgers’ raw numbers and his game management were solid for a quarterback of any age, and certainly at 42.

Rodgers didn’t flinch as his top receiver, DK Metcalf, drew more attention for an altercation with a fan off the field than he did through four catches and 42 yards on nine targets. (The NFL will review the altercation for potential discipline, after the officials did not see the interaction or throw a flag and thus no consequences were levied in-game.) Rodgers didn’t make mistakes and kept drives alive particularly in the second half, when Pittsburgh did not have any three-and-outs.

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But the Steelers didn’t win primarily because Rodgers channeled the theatrics he once did to play Superman. And as their December wins come against teams not currently on track to make the playoffs, it’s worth asking how heavily the Steelers’ playoff hopes hinge on Rodgers’ greatness.

With a two-game division lead and a shifting cast of playmakers, can the Steelers win with a baseline of Rodgers’ play below what his teams once needed?

“It’s been playoff-type football for us the last three weeks,” Rodgers said of wins over the Ravens, Miami Dolphins and Lions. “We had to win to shut down a team that had won four in a row and was hot [in Baltimore], and we had to win against a team with a lot of pride that has played in an NFC championship game in the last couple years [in Detroit].

“So it says a lot about the guys we got. Says a lot about the leadership, the organization and the players.”

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It says a lot about Tomlin.

The Steelers escaped the potent Lions offense without key pressure-creators in All-Pro edge rusher T.J. Watt (lung) or linebacker Nick Herbig (hamstring). They hit explosive runs behind their fourth-string left tackle, and they won as Rodgers connected with veterans like Adam Thielen, who joined the Steelers less than three weeks ago but already synced with Rodgers to the tune of four catches for 49 yards on four targets.

Tomlin and Co. know their areas for growth were easy to spot, including the defense’s fourth-quarter struggles and their star receiver’s apparent emotional control or lack thereof.

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Rodgers’ decisions still often trend toward screen passes that require significant yards after the catch for his skill players to move the chains, and the group started slowly in a game it needed.

But the Steelers won. And with the Ravens’ Sunday night loss, exacerbated by a back injury that sidelined Lamar Jackson the entire second half, Pittsburgh looks increasingly headed toward the No. 4 seed for what could be one last postseason adventure for Rodgers.

Tomlin will lead that charge, in hopes that the Steelers can return to not only hitting their above-.500 floor but also earning their first playoff win in nine years. Rodgers will believe in the coach who has collected a full “200 f***ing wins” in the NFL, as his quarterback broadcast.

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Don’t expect either of them to celebrate too much yet.

“Win or lose, you got to keep pushing and we will,” Tomlin said. “We’re coming in tomorrow to watch the tape. We ain’t got time for victory Mondays.

“That’s what I told the team.”

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story speculated from a less discernible clip that Rodgers said of Tomlin that “he f***ing wins” in the NFL. Later footage showed Rodgers said “200 f***ing wins.” The story was updated for clarity.