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The Los Angeles Rams had just 21 seconds to work with to pull off an improbable comeback Monday night, or even to kick a field goal and force overtime at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

But after two near deep completions, and a third that probably should have drawn a pass interference penalty, the Atlanta Falcons escaped with a 27-24 win over the Rams on Monday.

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The Falcons, who held a 21-0 lead earlier in the night, took the lead with just 21 seconds left in the game after Zane Gonzales drilled a 51-yard field goal. That gave Matthew Stafford 21 seconds to try and either extend or win the game.

Remarkably, he almost pulled that off three times.

On first down, Stafford missed a completely wide open Xavier Smith. Nobody was around Smith on first down, and he had a clear path to the end zone. At worst, Smith could have ducked out of bounds to set up an easy field goal.

Stafford’s throw on second down was easily the most controversial. He launched one deep for Tutu Atwell up the left side of the field, but the pass was broken up by defensive back Dee Alford.

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A closer look at the play showed that Alford was clearly holding Atwell’s arm as he tried to make the grab. Both ESPN announcer Joe Buck and rules analyst Russell Yurk thought that should have been a pass interference penalty.

Had that been called, the Rams would have gotten the ball inside the Falcons’ 15-yard line.

Then came third down, where Puka Nacua nearly pulled off what easily would have been the catch of the year across the league.

Stafford threw one up to Nacua deep up the right side, but Nacua had to jump and try to haul it in before going out of bounds. Somehow, Nacua appeared to make a one-handed grab and get both of his feet down in time to pull that off. But after a closer look, it was clear Nacua bobbled the ball on his way down to the ground.

By then, the Rams were just about out of time. They failed to find the end zone on fourth down, too, which sealed the Falcons’ three-point win.

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Stafford went 22-of-38 passing for 269 yards with two touchdowns in the loss for the Rams. He threw three interceptions, too, including one that was run back for a touchdown in the second quarter. Kyren Williams had 92 yards on 13 carries, and Smith had 67 yards on four catches.

The Rams have clinched a playoff spot, but are likely looking at the No. 6 seed in the NFC after the loss. They need to defeat the Arizona Cardinals in Week 18 and have the Seattle Seahawks defeat the San Francisco 49ers to get up to the No. 5 seed.

Kirk Cousins went 13-of-20 passing for 126 yards and a touchdown in the win for the Falcons, who have already been eliminated from playoff contention. Bijan Robinson picked up 195 yards and a score on 22 carries. The Falcons have won three straight and have a chance to hand the NFC South title to the Carolina Panthers via a three-way tiebreaker if they can beat the New Orleans Saints next weekend.

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While it’s not fair to blame the loss for the Rams on that final drive — they entered the locker room at halftime down by three touchdowns, after all — being that close to pulling off a win like that doesn’t make it any easier.

Chip Kelly is heading back to the Big Ten.

The former Oregon head coach was named Northwestern’s new offensive coordinator on Tuesday morning. Kelly was Ohio State’s offensive coordinator in 2024 as the Buckeyes won the national championship but left OSU after one season to become the offensive coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders.

“His innovative approach to offense using systems that focus on varying tempo, efficiency and smart decision-making, his track record of developing quarterbacks, and his ability to maximize talent are exactly what our program needs at this moment,” Northwestern coach David Braun said in a statement. “I am extremely grateful for the ongoing partnership of our university, [athletic director] Mark Jackson and passionate supporters to make this addition happen. Make no mistake: this is a program-defining change and is reflective of our long-term commitment to the pursuit of championships.”

Kelly’s second stint in the NFL did not go well. Kelly lasted just 12 games as the Raiders’ play-caller before he was fired. Las Vegas has one of the worst offenses in the league in 2025 — things haven’t gotten much better since Kelly left — and the 2-14 Raiders are in prime position for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after losing to the New York Giants in Week 17.

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In 2024, Ohio State averaged 6.9 yards per play and scored nearly 36 points per game as the Buckeyes ran roughshod through the College Football Playoff. Ohio State scored 34 or more points in three of its four playoff games; its lowest-scoring game of the postseason was a 28-14 win over Texas.

Kelly came to Columbus to call plays for Ryan Day’s team from Los Angeles. After six seasons as UCLA’s head coach, Kelly left to become an assistant coach for the first time since 2008 when he was Oregon’s offensive coordinator. He rose to become Oregon’s head coach in 2009, spending four seasons in that role before becoming the Philadelphia Eagles head coach for three seasons and then the San Francisco 49ers for a season.

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Northwestern’s offense is in need of a boost. The Wildcats finished the season 7-6 with a 34-7 win over Central Michigan in the GameAbove Sports Bowl on Dec. 6. That was just the third time all season the team had scored more than 22 points against an FBS opponent.

The Wildcats finished the season 98th in the country with 23.4 points per game and averaged 5.4 yards per play. QB Preston Stone threw for just 2,400 yards over 13 games and completed 60% of his passes.

Pro Football Hall of Fame voters won’t have it easy this year. The NFL unveiled the 2026 Hall of Fame finalists Tuesday, and some major names are among the 15 players still up for induction.

Those names include first-timers like Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald, and long-time candidates such as Torry Holt and Eli Manning.

Two other first-time candidates, Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten and San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore, also remained on the ballot as it was whittled down from 26 players.

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Others include: Willie Anderson, Jahri Evans, Luke Kuechly, Terrell Suggs, Adam Vinatieri, Reggie Wayne, Kevin Williams, Darren Woodson and Marshal Yanda.

Notably, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers was removed from the list of semifinalists after the 44-year-old came out of retirement to join the Colts in December. Rivers was no longer eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame once he joined the Colts’ active roster. He’ll need to wait five more years before he’s eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame again.

While the 15 players revealed by the league Tuesday are called “finalists,” the list will get pared down even more as the Super Bowl approaches. Next, voters will shorten the list to just 10 players. Eventually, it will drop to seven, and those are the players who could actually make it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026.

Once the final seven players are determined, those players need 80 percent of the vote to get into the Hall of Fame, though there are some weird quirks to the league’s voting rules, per the Hall of Fame’s website.

“Those who receive at least 80% favorable votes will be elected, with a maximum of five and no fewer than three. (Should fewer than three Finalists receive 80% favorable voting, the Finalist(s) closest to that figure would be elected.)”

Given the amount of talent still in consideration, some legendary players are sure to be left waiting at least one more season before they are inducted into the Hall of Fame. There’s a case to be made that all 15 of the finalists should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Whittling down the list to just seven of them will be a difficult task for the voters.

The NFL got a bit lucky in Week 17. There was a scenario in which the league wasn’t going to have enough good matchups in Week 18 to fill the key broadcast slots for the final week. It was possible there was very little intrigue at all with the playoff picture.

Instead, there are three huge divisional games on tap.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Carolina Panthers game isn’t a winner-take-all showdown (the Bucs need a win on Saturday and a Saints victory over the Falcons on Sunday), but the Seahawks-49ers and Ravens-Steelers games will determine the division champs. Not bad.

Here are the top betting storylines going into Week 18 of the NFL season, with all odds from BetMGM:

Bucs favored despite slump

How weird is the NFC South? The Buccaneers have lost seven of eight games and are still favored to beat the team in first place of the division. Tampa Bay is a 2.5-point favorite over the Panthers.

The Panthers come to Tampa Bay on Saturday knowing that if they win, they take the NFC South title. The Buccaneers aren’t as lucky. Due to the Falcons’ upset win over the Rams Monday night as a 7.5-point underdog, the Buccaneers need a win on Saturday against the Panthers and also a Falcons loss to the Saints on Sunday to win the division. The Falcons are an early 3-point favorite in that game.

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Seahawks start as road favorites

The San Francisco 49ers are an offensive juggernaut with a questionable defense. The defense is a reason they’re not favored in a massive NFC West game on Saturday night.

The Seahawks and 49ers meet with the NFC West title and the NFC’s No. 1 seed on the line, and Seattle is favored. The Seahawks are -1.5. It’s a fantastic matchup that will shape the entire playoff picture.

Ravens getting plenty of respect

The Ravens have been mediocre over the season but oddsmakers have still treated Baltimore like one of the NFL’s best teams. Even though the Steelers beat the Ravens in Week 14 and the rematch on Sunday night is in Pittsburgh, the Ravens are favored by more than a field goal. Baltimore is a 3.5-point road favorite over the Steelers with the AFC North title on the line.

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There has been no word if Lamar Jackson will play after missing Week 17 with a back injury, or how healthy he will be. His status could change the line, though it seems from the line like oddsmakers anticipate him playing.

Other lines that matter

There are other games that have some playoff implications in Week 18. Many aren’t that interesting though.

The Jaguars can clinch the AFC South title with a win over the Titans, and they’re 13-point favorites. The Texans have a shot at the AFC South title if the Jaguars lose, or the No. 5 seed (and a matchup against the AFC North champ in wild-card weekend) with a win, and they’re 10.5-point favorites against the Colts.

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The Broncos will be the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a win, and when the Chargers said that Justin Herbert would be resting, the line went from Broncos -7..5 to -12.5. The Patriots have to play to win, with a chance at the No. 1 seed if the Broncos win, and they’re 12-point favorites against the Dolphins.

There is some intrigue left, but not a lot of great matchups in Week 18. At least there are three intriguing games.

Matthew Stafford falls back in MVP race

BetMGM keeps the NFL MVP odds up during games, and they were moving during Monday night’s Rams loss.

Matthew Stafford went from a small favorite to win MVP to start Week 17 to a big underdog by the time the Rams had lost to the Falcons. The line kept moving toward Maye as the Rams fell behind and Stafford threw three interceptions. When the game was done, Maye moved to a -750 favorite to win the award with Stafford at +450. That moved back to Maye at -500 on Tuesday morning, with Stafford coming back to +325. It’s a two-man race according to the odds, as everyone else is 250-to-1 or longer.

For many of us, the fantasy football season ended in Week 17 with being the championship round. But there are small percentage of leagues that trickle into Week 18 despite the potential for players to rest before the NFL playoffs. If you’re among the managers in one of those leagues, you may be in need of some waiver wire advice. Let’s help you sort through the options with some top adds at each position.

As a general reminder, it’s not clear which teams will be resting players or rolling with starters in Week 18 as of this writing. That is the most important factor of the week — be sure to monitor the news and injury reports to see who is active and inactive, adjusting your lineup and waiver strategy accordingly.

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Quarterbacks

Tyler Shough, Saints (21% rostered)

Shough has been one of the better stories of the second half of the season and should give Saints fans and prospective fantasy managers plenty of hope for the future. Over the past four weeks, Shough has been a top-10 QB in fantasy scoring and is coming off 333 passing yards and two TDs (21.92 fantasy points) in Week 17 versus the Titans.

The Saints play the Falcons in Week 18, giving Shough the chance to finish the season on a high note and continue to prove to the franchise he should start at QB in 2026. If you’re in need of a streaming option at QB for whatever reason in Week 18, Shough is likely the best option available.

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Note: As stated, keep in mind teams resting starters. We could see a quality backup in a good offense emerge.

Other Options: Aaron Rodgers, PIT (29%), Shedeur Sanders, CLE (12%)

Running Backs

Malik Davis, Cowboys (2% rostered)

The Cowboys lost starting RB Javonte Williams to a shoulder injury in the second quarter in Week 17 versus the Commanders. His status for the season finale versus the Giants will likely be up in the air. Replacing Williams was Davis, who finished with 103 yards on 20 carries against Washington. If Williams ends up sitting, Davis should get the majority of the touches out of the backfield and would be a decent RB3/flex option. The Giants are one of the best matchups for RBs in fantasy this season.

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Devin Singletary, Giants (24% rostered)

If you want to attack the Giants-Cowboys game from the New York side, you can snag Singletary, who should be available in most shallow leagues. He’s been splitting work with Tyrone Tracy Jr. but has been the goal-line back. Jaxson Dart is a threat to steal TDs but the Giants also want to protect their young QB. Singletary has double-digit touches in back-to-back games and the Cowboys were just gashed for 138 yards and two scores on just 16 carries by the Commanders in Week 17.

Other Options: Blake Corum (47%), Audric Estimé, NO (11%), Dylan Sampson, CLE (29%)

Wide Receivers

Parker Washington, Jaguars (37% rostered)

You may have been worried about adding/playing Washington given how many receivers the Jaguars like to use. But he’s had 10 targets in back-to-back weeks and is the clear No. 2 receiving option behind Jakobi Meyers. Washington finished Week 17 versus the Colts with eight catches for 115 yards. Jacksonville’s passing game can clearly sustain multiple receivers at this point and the Jaguars will be looking to lock up the AFC South division title in Week 18 versus the Titans, which is a fantastic matchup.

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Luther Burden III, Bears (23% rostered)

The Bears and Niners gave us a classic on MNF in Week 17 with a combined 80 points. Burden took advantage of injuries to Rome Odunze and Olamide Zaccheaus by hauling in eight of nine targets for 138 yards and a touchdown. The Bears can no longer get the No. 1 seed in the NFC, so there’s a chance they rest some players in Week 18 against the Lions. But if Burden is active and Odunze and Zaccheaus sit again, he’ll be in another great game environment. Keep an eye on the injury report, specifically Burden, who sustained a quad injury in the loss to San Francisco. He’s expected to be OK though.

Isaac TeSlaa, Lions (6% rostered)

The Lions are eliminated from playoff contention, so there’s no reason to rest starters versus the Bears in Week 18. Detroit still should be somewhat motivated to finish the season strong and maybe knock Chicago down a seed in the playoffs. Anyway, let’s talk about TeSlaa.

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The rookie wideout has scored a touchdown in four of the past five games. He finished with three catches for 49 yards and a score on Christmas Day versus Minnesota. He’s played at least 52% of the snaps in each of the past five games and there’s a chance he gets a longer look in the season finale. The only thing to monitor is the weather in Chicago, but TeSlaa could be a sneaky add, especially if Amon-Ra St. Brown ends up sitting after being attended to by trainers in the final minute of Week 17’s loss.

Other Options: Jalen McMillan, TB (2%)

Tight Ends

Jake Tonges, 49ers (9% rostered)

This pickup is tied to the status of George Kittle, who missed Week 17 due to a mid-to-low ankle sprain. With Kittle sidelined against the Bears, Tonges was heavily involved again, catching seven of nine targets for 60 yards and a score. Tonges has a knack for getting in the end zone with five TDs in limited action this season. The Niners can steal the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a win over Seattle in Week 18, so there’s still plenty to play for. If Kittle sits again, Tonges is a great TE streaming option.

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Chig Okonkwo, Titans (17% rostered)

Okonkwo entered 2025 as a trendy late-round sleeper at tight end after the Titans drafted Cam Ward. That sentiment didn’t end up panning out but Okonkwo has a chance to finish the campaign on a good note. He’s posted back-to-back double-digit fantasy point outings with a 6-44-1 line in Week 16 and a 3-55-1 mark on Sunday versus the Saints. The Titans have a tough draw against a Jaguars team looking to shore up an AFC South division title. But Okonkwo should be a safety valve for Ward and has been getting a lot of looks in the red zone the past few games.

Other Options: AJ Barner, SEA (18%), Michael Mayer, LVR (12%)

Aaron Rodgers has played in 285 NFL games, including playoffs. He might have just one left.

That is yet to be determined, including Rodgers’ decision on whether he’ll play again next season. The immediate issue at hand is that the Pittsburgh Steelers need to win or their season — and perhaps Rodgers’ incredible career — is done.

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The Steelers did this to themselves. All they had to do to clinch the AFC North was beat the Cleveland Browns, who were 3-12 before Sunday. But the Browns got their fourth win as Rodgers didn’t lead a single touchdown drive in a 13-6 loss.

None of the Steelers want their season to end Sunday night after they play the Baltimore Ravens. But most will return next season. Rodgers suggested months ago this will be his last season. He has played well enough that coming back for another season shouldn’t be out of the question. Given how many teams need quarterbacks, he’d likely find a job if he wants one.

[Get more Steelers news: Pittsburgh team feed]

But at age 42, retirement is a constant storyline. All that’s certain is Rodgers’ season ends with a loss in prime time Sunday. His final moments, including walking off the field for perhaps the final time, would overshadow a Ravens win. It would be great theater.

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While Rodgers has plenty of detractors, he’s unquestionably one of the greatest players in NFL history. He has four NFL MVPs, more than everyone except Peyton Manning. He has the highest passer rating in league history at 102.3. He has more than 65,000 yards and 500 touchdowns, a club that has just five members: Rodgers, Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Brett Favre.

Losing two straight win-and-in games is not the way Rodgers wants his career to end. He might have one shot to keep a 21-year career going.

Panic meter: It would be a long offseason for the Steelers with a loss, and perhaps an endless offseason for Rodgers

Here’s the rest of the panic meter for Week 18, and who has the most on the line:

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What happens if the Ravens lose?

The stakes for Ravens-Steelers go far beyond a division title.

The losing team could be in for some major changes. The Steelers have the Aaron Rodgers retirement question, and there will also be more speculation over Mike Tomlin’s future as head coach if the Steelers blow a lead in the AFC North and miss the playoffs.

The Ravens have a complicated situation too. With a reported rift between head coach John Harbaugh and quarterback Lamar Jackson, would the Ravens run it back if they miss the playoffs after being considered a top Super Bowl contender in the preseason? General manager Eric DeCosta would have the most challenging offseason of his career with a loss. Maybe even with a win and a division title. At very least, he would need to find a way to improve the roster to get the Ravens back to a Super Bowl. Or he might be looking at a much bigger change.

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Panic meter: The shape of the Ravens going forward might depend on Sunday night’s result

Bryce Young’s close-up

Saturday will be the biggest game of Young’s pro career. With a win, the Carolina Panthers are in the playoffs as NFC South champs.

A loss might create a different conversation, especially if the Saints win Sunday and the Buccaneers steal the division.

Young has been up and down all season. On Sunday, when a Panthers win could have clinched the NFC South, Young had 54 yards passing. A division title would lead to some good vibes and not an angry David Tepper, the Panthers’ team owner who has been calm this season but has a reputation for being impulsive. A loss might get the Panthers wondering if they have the right quarterback.

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Panic meter: It’s a huge game for Young, in more ways than one

Are the Bucs and Todd Bowles going to blow this?

As the Buccaneers headed into their Week 9 bye, they were 6-2, two games ahead of the Panthers in the NFC South and about to get some key players back from injury. What has happened since the bye is startling.

The Buccaneers have lost seven of eight, despite getting many stars back in the lineup, and need a win over the Panthers on Saturday to stay alive for the NFC South title. A win doesn’t clinch the division title though. If the Falcons beat the Saints on Sunday, the Panthers win the division.

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And if the Buccaneers lose to Carolina — even if they win to finish 8-9 and lose the division to the Panthers because the Falcons win — it seems irresponsible to suggest Bowles wouldn’t be on the hot seat. With a loss he would have a 35-36 record as the Buccaneers’ coach, including playoffs. He would also be responsible for a startling collapse with a mostly healthy team in the second half. That sounds like a coach who is safe?

Panic meter: It really doesn’t seem like Bowles should be considered safe

The Sam Darnold question

Last season, the Vikings had a Week 18 game at the Lions with the division title on the line. Darnold had a rough game, not leading the Vikings to any touchdowns in a loss. A week later, Darnold was bad in a playoff loss to the Rams. Those two losses cost Darnold some money in free agency and created the narrative that he would melt down in big games.

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What if Darnold repeats that same pattern to end this season? Like last season’s Vikings, the Seahawks either get the No. 1 seed with a win in their season finale Saturday night at San Francisco or slide to a wild-card spot with a loss.

Panic meter: If the Seahawks lose this weekend, or in their first playoff game, you know what the talking points will be

It’s the end of the 2025 fantasy football season, so of course we’re already setting our sights to 2026. Yahoo analysts Justin Boone, Matt Harmon, Joel Smyth and Chris Allen got together to go pick-by-pick in the first round of a 2026 fantasy football mock draft. See who they’re targeting at each draft slot for next season below. You can also watch the recap of their segment in the video above.

1. Puka Nacua, WR, Rams (Matt Harmon)

Harmon kept it short and sweet with his No. 1 overall choice for 2026, as Nacua offers so much value in fantasy. The Rams wideout was drafted toward the end of the first/early second round in 2025, and should finish this season as the WR2 overall in scoring. Nacua did miss Week 7 but was able to return, posting double-digit fantasy points in all but one game all season. He offers a very safe floor in Sean McVay’s system as the go-to option for QB Matthew Stafford.

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2. Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Bengals (Chris Allen)

Allen noted this may be a homer pick of sorts as he’s a Bengals fan, but Chase is deserving of a top pick given how he performed with and without Joe Burrow this season. Burrow will only play in eight games this season (assuming he plays in Week 18) and Chase still put up elite numbers, finishing with 117 receptions for 1,316 yards and seven TDs. It didn’t matter who was throwing Chase the ball; he averaged 8.0 targets per game with Jake Browning and 14.4 with Joe Flacco at QB while Burrow was out.

Again, this feels like a pretty safe pick, especially in PPR formats, but don’t be surprised if the majority of managers in leagues lean on one of the top RBs at the top of the first round in 2026.

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3. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Lions (Joel Smyth)

Smyth goes with Gibbs as the first RB off the board, given his stability in the Detroit offense. Smyth points out the QB situation being a bit better for Gibbs versus players like Bijan Robinson and Jonathan Taylor. Despite laying a few eggs in the fantasy playoffs this season, Gibbs has one of the highest ceilings in the game, posting the highest score of any player in 2025 at 49.9 points in Week 12 versus the Giants. He’ll finish the fantasy season with 1,143 rushing yards, 13 rushing TDs, 74 receptions, 583 receiving yards and four receiving TDs.

Gibbs, of course, has the chance to finish as the top fantasy asset overall in 2026. Should he go over Robinson and Christian McCaffrey? Well, that’s another debate entirely.

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4. Bijan Robinson, RB, Falcons (Justin Boone)

Robinson was the consensus RB1 taken in 2025 drafts behind Chase at No. 1 overall. Robinson isn’t going to finish 2025 as the RB1 but is still a top-three back in fantasy. The big issues for Robinson were TD equity and game script. The Falcons offense is going to finish this season in the bottom-third in terms of points per game. Atlanta played from behind a lot and Robinson didn’t find the end zone as frequently as the backs around him. But his role in the passing game helped him maintain elite status; Robinson will finish the fantasy season with 76 catches for 810 yards and four touchdowns.

Robinson at pick No. 4 feels like a steal. The Falcons should be improved to start 2026 and Robinson is entering a contract year.

5. Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers (Harmon)

Harmon, once again, kept it pretty simple with this pick. If CMC is healthy, he’s going to be the top fantasy asset overall in 2026. While 2025 gave McCaffrey great fortune when it comes to health, you just never know, given his history. It’s also unclear if McCaffrey can keep up this type of receiving production. He’ll finish the fantasy season at 96 catches for 890 yards and seven receiving TDs. The last time he had numbers this high was back in 2019 with the Panthers. He’s also on pace for a career high in touches; CMC had 403 that same year with Carolina.

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If health is the only concern here, McCaffrey should be going in at least the top three in drafts for 2026. Just be sure to have an insurance policy at RB, and definitely snag whoever is his backup going into next season.

6. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seahawks (Allen)

JSN is going to finish 2025 as the WR1 overall after posting historic numbers in Seattle. It was a true Year 3 breakout for Smith-Njigba, who benefitted from the Seahawks adding QB Sam Darnold and OC Klint Kubiak before the regular season. JSN finishes the fantasy season as the league leader in receiving yards at 1,709 and is top-five in receptions, targets and receiving touchdowns.

Like Robinson, Smith-Njigba is entering a contract year and should break the bank in terms of salary for a wide receiver. Kubiak may bolt for a head coaching vacancy, but as long as Darnold is peppering him with targets, JSN feels like one of the safest picks in the middle of the first round for 2026.

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7. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Colts (Smyth)

Smyth believes that the 7-slot in the first round is the perfect place to take JT after his bounce-back season in 2025. Taylor spent most of the first half of the season running away as the fantasy MVP. But then he ran out of steam after the Colts’ Week 11 bye, facing a string of tough matchups while Indy lost QB Daniel Jones to a season-ending injury. Had that not happened, Taylor would have had a shot at finishing as the top overall non-QB scorer in fantasy. He had 1,559 rushing yards, 44 receptions, 365 receiving yards and 20 total TDs this fantasy season.

There’s reason to believe the TDs may regress in 2026 but as long as Indianapolis has a healthy QB, JT should be a first-round asset.

8. De’Von Achane, RB, Dolphins (Boone)

Like CMC, Achane’s preseason injury concerns are a big reason he fell down draft boards. But anyone who was smart enough to snag him was rewarded nicely. Achane didn’t have a game below 11.3 fantasy points all fantasy season long. He was the focal point of the Miami offense, even more so after Tyreek Hill went down with a season-ending injury early on. What he lacked in TD equity, Achane made up for with receiving work. Achane enters the season finale with 67 catches for 488 yards. When healthy, Achane is a top-five RB in fantasy; one could argue he’s going too low in this mock.

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9. James Cook, RB, Bills (Harmon)

After finishing as a top-10 flex asset in fantasy in 2024, it was surprising to see Cook fall to the fourth round on average this season. Many were concerned Cook would continue to have TDs vultured by QB Josh Allen. Harmon says, “Who cares?” — Cook is so good, it doesn’t really matter. This season, we saw the role sustained in an elite offense for a second straight year. Cook had four games with at least 100+ rushing yards and two TDs. While his passing-game role leaves a bit to be desired, there’s no question he’s the workhorse in the backfield for Buffalo.

This feels like a good slot for Cook, though he could settle in as an early second-rounder. As long as Allen is the QB, the Bills offense should remain elite, which bodes well for whoever is getting the bulk of the carries (which is Cook).

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10. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Cowboys (Allen)

Allen isn’t concerned about Lamb being on the same field as George Pickens, who had a breakout in his first season in Dallas. Despite missing four games, Lamb still finished the fantasy season with over 1,000 receiving yards. Dak Prescott is good enough and this offense is strong enough to sustain two top WRs, assuming Pickens returns as an upcoming free agent. Had Lamb played the full season, it’s safe to say he’d finish among the top-10 wideouts in fantasy.

11. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Lions (Smyth)

Smyth is rolling with another Lions skill position player in the first round, this time top wideout St. Brown, who has been a top-five player at his position for three straight seasons. Smyth points out that Amon-Ra has a higher red-zone target share than Rams WR Davante Adams at 41%, plus head coach Dan Campbell and QB Jared Goff are still in town. St. Brown missed a game and had a few duds, but finishes the fantasy season with 106 catches for 1,262 yards and 11 TDs, slightly ahead of Pickens for WR3 and behind Nacua and JSN.

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St. Brown is a very safe pick for 2026. He also has the type of ceiling to be the WR1 and a top-five overall asset.

12. Trey McBride, TE, Cardinals (Boone)

Boone wraps up the first round with a (somewhat) surprising pick. He goes with the only tight end in the round in McBride, coming off a historic season at the position. McBride finished ranked 12th among flex options in points, hauling in an NFL TE record 119 catches with 1,174 yards and 11 touchdowns. What’s even more impressive is McBride did this without elite QB play; first it was Kyler Murray and then Jacoby Brissett under center for Arizona the rest of the season.

McBride also outscored the TE2 (Kyle Pitts Sr.) by a very, very wide margin — nearly 100 more fantasy points. If we’re talking Value-Based Drafting or positional scarcity, McBride should be a first-round asset, at the very least going in the early second round in 2026.

It’s always interesting and fun to look at the common-thread players on fantasy’s championship teams. Here are the 10 players most commonly found on title-winning squads in Yahoo Fantasy Public Leagues in 2025 (kickers and defenses were left off this list).

1. Bijan Robinson on 27.35% of championship rosters

Robinson saved his best game of the year for the fantasy finals (37.4 points), and he was the leading scorer among non-quarterbacks in the fantasy playoffs. He’s still a month shy of his 24th birthday; this plane is just taking off.

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2. Christian McCaffrey (25.67%)

He was the RB4 for the fantasy playoffs and the RB1 for the full season, the constant piece in a San Francisco offense that no one can stop right now.

3. Puka Nacua (24.01%)

He dropped down a WR18 finish this past week, on the heels of WR1, WR4 and WR1 charts. Nacua probably drove you into the finals, then hopefully one of your teammates picked up the baton.

4. Harold Fannin Jr. (23.35%)

Despite very little help around him, Fannin was a standout for the Browns all season. He scored touchdowns in four of his final five games and was the TE5 for the fantasy playoffs.

5. Michael Wilson (23.07%)

The Cardinals haven’t been able to fully unlock Marvin Harrison Jr., but Wilson has been a surprise star the past two months. He was fantasy’s WR4 over the past four weeks, averaging 14.5 a catch and scoring five times.

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6. Chase Brown (22.99%)

His season stabilized when Joe Flacco came to town, and then Brown went off during the final Joe Burrow segment of the year. Brown saved the best for last, RB2 and RB3 finishes the last two weeks.

7. Chris Olave (22.73%)

It finally all came together for Olave in his fourth season — good health, decent coaching, quality QB play (eventually) and a delightfully-narrow target tree. Since Tyler Shough took over at quarterback, Olave is fantasy’s WR4.

8. Derrick Henry (22.71%)

He plowed for 100-plus rushing yards in all three playoff matches, offsetting a zero in the passing game. And Henry’s 36-216-4 masterpiece at Green Bay in Week 17 was suitable for framing.

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9. Brock Purdy (20.47%)

The 49ers turned into the Carnival team of 2025, the unstoppable offense that’s also pushed by a leaky defense on the other side. Purdy accounted for 13 touchdowns over the past three weeks, and the Niners punted just twice all December.

10. Trevor Lawrence (20.21%)

A buddy of mine is buying Trevor Lawrence socks because TLaw drove him to a championship. It’s a validated purchase. Lawrence had at least one rushing touchdown in each of the past three weeks, and he’s been fantasy’s QB2 for the past three months. Sock it to ’em, Scrantonicity II.

Bonus: A look at the rest of the top-25!

• 12 Brenton Strange, 20.04%

• 13 Jonathan Taylor, 19.28%

• 14 George Pickens, 19.11%

• 16 Jacoby Brissett, 18.28%

• 17 Matthew Stafford, 18.25%

• 18 Jaxon Smith-Njigba, 18.14%

• 22 Kenneth Gainwell, 16.62%

• 25 Kyle Pitts Sr., 16.52%

Some people get excited for the Oscars or the Grammys or the Golden Globes. But true sports fans know the Fantasy Football awards are really the ones that matter. Let’s hand out some hardware as we examine the fake football season that’s just been completed.

He was a healthy bell cow at a position known for injuries and platoons, the constant piece in a loaded offense. McCaffrey’s rushing efficiency dipped to 3.9 YPC, but 96-890-7 through the air helped pay the bills. He was also 46 touches ahead of the field.

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Runners-Up: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jonathan Taylor, Trey McBride

Williams was ordinary at best for his two final Denver seasons, so expectations were understandably low when he moved to Dallas. But maybe he’s finally removed from major injuries — the burst returned this year, and he was also bankable at the goal line. He finished the year at RB11. Williams wins over Drake Maye because a sleeper hit at RB is more impactful.

Runners-Up: Drake Maye, Trevor Lawrence, Juwan Johnson

I didn’t think it was possible for Jefferson to play 16 games, ostensibly healthy, and manage just 76-947-2, but here we are. J.J. McCarthy’s struggles were too much to overcome, despite the best efforts from offensive guru Kevin O’Connell. Jefferson might be a third-round pick next year.

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Runners-Up: Brian Thomas Jr., Lamar Jackson, Ladd McConkey

Harvey ran pure with touchdowns all year, finding the end zone 12 times despite a modest 177 touches. And he was ready when opportunity spiked down the stretch, charting as the RB8 over the final six weeks.

Runners-Up: Jaxson Dart, Harold Fannin Jr., Ashton Jeanty

Normally when we hit the wire for a receiver pickup, we’re hoping for WR3/4 value at best. Wilson sailed past that baseline, with four top-10 WR games in the past seven weeks. It’s fair to wonder why Wilson clicked in this offense, but Marvin Harrison Jr. has been a two-year disappointment.

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Runners-Up: Alec Pierce, Harold Fannin Jr., Rico Dowdle

Matthew Stafford put together a career year in his age-37 season, and the Rams employed a narrow target tree, to the delight of fantasy managers. Puka Nacua was unstoppable all over the field, Davante Adams is a touchdown-scoring god, and Kyren Willams (with some Blake Corum help) scored consistently all year.

Runner-Up: San Francisco/Kyle Shanahan

Zombie of the Year: Kyle Pitts, Falcons

It was a shame Pitts didn’t have anything left in Week 17, but his late-season rally pushed him up to TE3 by the end of the year. He’s earned himself a major check when free agency comes in March.

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Runners-Up: Javonte Williams, Jacoby Brissett

Where’s the Help Award: Josh Allen, Bills

Allen famously won the 2024 NFL MVP despite Mack Hollins leading his team in touchdown catches (all of five). Allen repeated as the QB1 this year despite a pedestrian room of pass-catchers. James Cook was terrific as a runner, but Buffalo’s roster build has been a failure.

Runners-Up: Tetairoa McMillan, Cam Ward, Ashton Jeanty, De’Von Achane

Heartbreaker of the Year: Tucker Kraft, Packers

He probably would have been the TE2 for the year — there was no stopping Trey McBride — had he stayed healthy. The Packers had legitimate Super Bowl dreams with a healthy Kraft and Micah Parsons; they’re probably toast now.

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Runners-Up: Cam Skattebo, Zay Flowers (tackled at the 5 all year), Rashee Rice

Carnival Team of the Year: San Francisco 49ers

I came really close to giving the Niners the nod as the best fantasy team, but hopefully managers are okay with this consolation prize. San Francisco was especially fun in December, scoring 127 points in three games and punting just twice — while allowing 89 points on the other side. Kyle Shanahan was masterful all year, overcoming cluster injuries in the passing game.

Runners-Up: Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears

On Jan. 1, 1926, the mighty Washington Huskies strode onto the pristine grass at the Rose Bowl certain they would cap off another dominant season with another Rose Bowl victory. Washington was 10-0-1 on the season, winning by scores of 56-0, 59-0, 64-2 and 108-0 (really). Their opponent was some Southern backwater school which only received the prestigious Rose Bowl invitation after four other blue-blood colleges declined.

But then that backwater school, the University of Alabama, went and won that Rose Bowl, setting off shockwaves throughout college football that reverberate louder than ever today.

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On Jan. 1, 2026, that same Alabama, wearing the same crimson and white as their forefathers, will run onto the still-magnificent Pasadena grass to face a school that, until about 15 months, was the definition of a college football doormat. Granted, Indiana isn’t sneaking up on anybody the way that 1926 Alabama team did — a pristine regular-season record and a No. 1 ranking took care of that — but the Hoosiers’ presence in the Granddaddy of Them All heralds a similar seismic shift in college football.

Back in the 1920s, the elite-level college football universe comprised the Pacific Coast, the Upper Midwest and the Northeast. Stanford, Michigan, Penn State and the Ivy League. Everywhere south of Ohio and Pennsylvania — well, they played football, sure, but in the same way that kids on a dirt lot play football, with a whole lot of fighting and not much skill. Or so the prevailing wisdom held in the establishment athletic departments and newspaper columns of the day.

Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Georgia Tech and other schools had quietly built quality football programs of their own in the first quarter of the new century, though they never caught the eye of the sport’s ruling class. No Southern team had received an invitation to the Rose Bowl, then the only bowl game in the country. But when four schools — Dartmouth, Michigan, Colgate and Princeton — all declined, Alabama put on a charm offensive to try to secure a spot in the game.

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The Rose Bowl committee was unimpressed. “I’ve never heard of Alabama as a football team,” one committee member sniffed, “and I can’t take a chance on mixing a lemon with a rose.” But left with no other options, the committee held its nose and invited Alabama to Pasadena.

(An aside: As you can see, the Rose Bowl has always been this way — so convinced of its own importance and so determined to protect its status, standing and sunset that it’s actively stood in the way of college football’s growth. Remember that the Rose Bowl’s intransigence on starting times and matchups was a key roadblock in the development of the College Football Playoff. Some things never change.)

Alabama won that Rose Bowl, thanks to a comeback from a 12-0 halftime deficit and an all-timer of a halftime speech from head coach Wallace Wade. (He looked around the downcast locker room, stared into the faces of his players, and said, simply, “And they told me that boys from the South would fight.” Alabama went on to win 20-19.) The entirety of the South welcomed the Tide as conquering heroes on their train ride back to Tuscaloosa, and Alabama commemorates the Rose Bowl win to this day in its fight song. And nobody sniffed at the South’s ability to play football ever again.

Skip forward a century, and you can hear echoes, view patterns. The Indiana of 2025 isn’t exactly the “lemon” that 1925 Alabama was. The Hoosiers of today personify and embody all the upheavals of the current post-COVID college landscape — NIL, the transfer portal, bloated conferences that render regular seasons incomplete — combined with a monomaniacal coach who has reshaped Indiana’s entire identity in just two years.

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Think about this: Right up until this season, the Hoosiers’ 714 program losses stood as the worst in Division I history. But an undefeated season allows others to catch up (or down) in the loss column, and that’s precisely what has happened; Northwestern now claims the dubious “honor” of the losingest DI program. And Indiana is in the hunt for a national championship. That’s how fast long-running narratives can change.

Alabama’s 1926 Rose Bowl win gave hope to the rest of Southern football in their ongoing battle for legitimacy in the eyes of a disdainful establishment. “Alabama was our representative in fighting for us against the world,” then-Vanderbilt coach Dan McGugin said in 1926. “I fought, bled, died and was resurrected with the Crimson Tide.” (Quotes were so much better then.)

In the same way, Indiana’s ascension — and those of Vanderbilt, Tulane, James Madison and others — has inspired other historically struggling programs. You need truckloads of money to compete, yes, but if you can persuade your billionaire alums to open their wallets, then work the portal properly, and bring in a coach who knows what he’s doing, well … the path to the top isn’t quite as daunting as it once was. Indiana has shown the way.

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Over the last century, and especially the last 60 years, college football has largely run through the South. Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Miami, LSU, Florida State, Tennessee, Clemson and Auburn have all claimed titles and staked out long-term top-10 rankings, and it all began with that 1926 Rose Bowl.

Over the next century, though, the sport could well take a very different path. Michigan, Ohio State, Texas Tech and Oregon all have the financial resources to compete on an annual basis; money and the portal allow other upstarts to elbow their way into the title conversation. It would be a bit of poetic justice if one of those upstarts took out Alabama to symbolize college football’s next era.