Tag: Fox Sport News

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

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

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2025 season record: 6-11 (o 5.5 wins), fourth in NFC South, missed playoffs, 28th in DVOA

Overview

Framing the 2025 season as a success for the Saints would be a stretch, but there’s a lot more to like than would meet the eye. First-year head coach Kellen Moore laid a solid foundation for his offense, and the Saints’ defense reached the top half of the league in DVOA under coordinator Brandon Staley.

Focus will be on QB Tyler Shough, the second-round draft pick out of Louisville. Shough was old for a rookie at 26 years old and started the season behind Spencer Rattler, but he flashed enough once he got on the field that the Saints shouldn’t have to immediately think about replacing him. That should allow New Orleans to use a decent haul of draft capital to build the rest of their roster and get younger at key spots.

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[Get more Saints news: New Orleans team feed]

Shough was 22nd among quarterbacks in EPA per play but was in the top 10 over the final five weeks of the regular season when the Saints went 4-1. New Orleans might be the team in the division that feels the best about its quarterback going into the offseason.

Cap/cuts outlook

As always, the Saints are over the salary cap with a projected -$13.6 million in effective cap space, 25th in the league the day after the Super Bowl. There is $65.7 million in dead money on the 2026 cap already, led by $36.7 million from Derek Carr, and that’s before the voids for Cam Jordan ($18.8 million), Taysom Hill ($13.7 million) and Demario Davis ($14.3 million) hit the cap if none of those players are re-signed before the new league year starts. Still, it’s a better spot than where the Saints have started most offseasons in the Mickey Loomis era. New Orleans can restructure contracts to open up space, as is the franchise’s M.O., with Chase Young bringing the biggest savings. Extending Chris Olave could also lower the 2026 cap hit from his $15.5 million fifth-year option.

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Key pending free agents

LB Demario Davis
DE Cameron Jordan
TE Taysom Hill
CB Alontae Taylor

Davis, Jordan and Hill have all been staples of this era of the Saints, and letting them leave could be a step in moving into the next era. New Orleans had the fourth-oldest defense by snap-weighted age. Davis played 98% of the defensive snaps and was still a top-20 linebacker in coverage by yards allowed per coverage snap. Jordan had his highest sack total since 2021; he ran hot by converting over 70% of his quarterback hits into sacks. Taylor was one of the most targeted cornerbacks on a per-snap basis and has struggled outside and in the slot, where he played more in 2025.

Positional needs

Cornerback
Wide receiver
Offensive line

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Rookie fourth-round draft pick Quincy Riley had some flashes on the outside, but Alontae Taylor will likely be gone and Kool-Aid McKinstry was in the bottom third of corners, along with Taylor, in adjusted yards allowed per coverage snap on the season.

Olave broke out as an All-Pro-caliber receiver without much else around him. The team sent Rashid Shaheed to Seattle at the trade deadline, indicating an Olave extension would be coming. From the trade deadline on, Olave had the fourth-highest target share in the league while he ranked 12th in yards per route run. Adding another outside receiver would give Shough another reliable option and take defensive attention away from Olave.

New Orleans’ tackles had ups and downs, but the development of Kelvin Banks Jr. and Taliese Fuaga, the Saints’ two most recent first-round draft picks, is promising. Erik McCoy has been one of the league’s most talented centers, but has played seven games in each of the past two seasons. Luke Fortner stepped in to play well at center when McCoy was lost for the season. The Saints were 29th in ESPN’s pass block win rate metric and 22nd in run block win rate.

2026 NFL Draft picks

1st round, pick No. 8
2nd round, pick No. 42
3rd round, pick No. 73
4th round (SEA)
4th round (projected compensatory)
5th round
5th round (SEA)
6th round

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Good draft fit

Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State

Reese is a defensive weapon in the front seven who can impact the game off the ball as a linebacker or on the line of scrimmage as an edge defender. He is scheme-proof because of his excellent combination of athleticism and fiery play. He especially fits Brandon Staley’s scheme, particularly as their long-time stalwarts age out.

What could move the fantasy needle in 2026?

Playmakers for Tyler Shough

Tyler Shough strung together a strong end of the year for his rookie season. From Week 9 on he ranked 14th in EPA per dropback and 11th in adjusted yards per attempt. We’ll see how high the ceiling is on Shough but he absolutely looks like someone who can start in the NFL. Now that the Saints have that answer, it’s time to load up on some playmakers. Chris Olave is coming off a breakthrough season and is capable of being this team’s multi-year WR1 but let’s stock the cupboard around him. This is especially glaring at running back, where the team never found a stride with Alvin Kamara and wasn’t any better without him after his injury. — Matt Harmon

Betting nugget

Despite a 6-11 season and fourth-place finish in the NFC South, the Saints were good to bettors, going 9-8 against the spread this season (including their final six games). — Ben Fawkes

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

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

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2025 season record: 4-13 (u 5.5 wins), fourth NFC East, missed playoffs, 26th in DVOA

Overview

For the third straight season, the Giants are looking at a top-six pick in the draft. While some of the young talent was tantalizing, the Giants didn’t have close to a full competitive roster. After going 2-8 this past season, Brian Daboll was fired as head coach.

Daboll was in charge of overseeing the development of first-round draft pick Jaxson Dart, but relied too much on the rookie’s rushing ability, which sent the quarterback into the medical tent during five games (one of them was in preseason). Dart was an efficient runner, though the idea of avoiding contact needs to be hammered home, and he used his legs to be a top-15 quarterback by EPA per play. However, on plays that resulted in a pass or sack, no scrambles or designed runs, he was just 27th.

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[Get more Giants news: New York team feed]

Despite talent on the defensive line, the Giants didn’t put together anything that resembled a competent defense. Brian Burns was one of the best edge defenders in the league, but rookie Abdul Carter couldn’t convert pressures into sacks on top of multiple disciplinary issues that had him miss parts of games. Meanwhile, only the Bills allowed a higher rate of explosive run plays.

The Giants are now heading in a new direction under John Harbaugh as head coach, and decided general manager Joe Schoen will stick around.

Cap/cuts outlook

The Giants are 20th in effective salary cap space, with roughly $6.9 million in cap space for the 2026 offseason, according to Over The Cap. Restructuring the contracts for DT Dexter Lawrence II, DE Brian Burns and CB Paulson Adebo would open up space. The most likely cap casualty would be OL Jon Runyan Jr., who would save $9.25 million on the cap. Trading DE Kayvon Thibodeaux on his fifth-year option would free up $14.765 million. A Thibodeaux trade could be a likely option given the presence of Brian Burns and Abdul Carter, which would also allow the Giants to recoup some draft capital and add a few more rookie contracts.

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Key pending free agents

CB Cor’Dale Flott
WR Wan’Dale Robinson
OT Jermaine Eluemunor
OG Greg Van Roten
S Dane Belton
TE Daniel Bellinger

Flott, a 2022 third-round pick, had a breakout season in the final year of his rookie deal. He was the most consistent cornerback for the Giants in 2025 and ranked in the top 32 of adjusted yards allowed per coverage snap. Robinson was Brian Daboll’s preferred target on third downs, trailing only Amon-Ra St. Brown in third-down target share. He had his first 1,000-yard season. Eluemunor has been a productive right tackle for his two years with the Giants.

Positional needs

Offensive line
Interior defensive line
Secondary
Wide receiver

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Guard has been a weak spot for the Giants and neither free agency nor the draft has filled it. Runyan was the eighth-worst among left guards by blown block rate, per Sports Info Solutions, while Van Roten was in the bottom third of right guards by that metric. With one guard a pending free agent and the other as a possible cap casualty, the Giants could have both spots open. If Eluemunor leaves in free agency, the Giants could need to fill three spots on the line.

The Giants were 32nd in defensive DVOA against the run, while they ranked 31st in yards before contact and 32nd in yards after contact per opposing running back carry.

Outside of Flott, the Giants failed to figure out the cornerback situation. Deonte Banks never clicked on the outside and free-agent signing Paulson Adebo was in the bottom third of cornerbacks in adjusted yards allowed per coverage snap during his first season as a Giant.

With Malik Nabers out, the Giants relied on Robinson, who had a 29.7% target share that ranked fourth among all receivers. The next-highest Giants receiver had an 11.5% target share. That was Darius Slayton, who was re-signed on a three-year,$36 million contract last offseason.

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2026 NFL Draft picks

1st round, pick No. 5
2nd round, pick No. 37
4th round
5th round
6th round
6th round (MIA)
6th round (DAL)

Good draft fit

Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

The Giants would do well to pair Tyson with Malik Nabers and help Jaxson Dart continue to develop as a dropback passer. Tyson is an explosive, polished receiver who can step in from Day 1 as a reliable target.

What could move the fantasy needle in 2026?

Support for Jaxson Dart

The Giants essentially have the same assignment for supporting Jaxson Dart as outlined above with the Titans and Ward. New York brought in John Harbaugh as head coach and Matt Nagy at offensive coordinator to presumably help develop Dart, who wasn’t viewed as a consensus Round 1 quarterback but showed real-deal flashes this season. From a supporting cast standpoint, the Giants need to add playmakers and more help on the offensive line. The impending return of Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo from injury could be an X-factor, provided they are healthy. — Matt Harmon

Betting nugget

There wasn’t a lot to write home about for the 4-13 Giants, who were favored in only two games this season and went 1-1 against the spread in them. — Ben Fawkes

The 14-3 New England Patriots secured their first AFC East division title since 2019 this year, and quarterback Drake Maye‘s name keeps coming up as one of the top contender’s for this season’s MVP — it’s been a surprising turn for the team who went 4-13 last season. The team will play at home on Sunday night against the 11-6 Los Angeles Chargers for their first playoff game of the post-season, where the odds are ever so slightly in the Pats’ favor.

Kick off for this week’s Sunday Night Football game between the Chargers and Patriots is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock; here’s everything you need to know about this week’s game and the rest of the Wild Card Weekend schedule.

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How to watch the Los Angeles Chargers vs. New England Patriots:

Date: Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026

Time: 8:20 p.m. ET

TV channel: NBC

Streaming: DirecTV, Peacock, YouTube TV, NFL+ and more

Los Angeles Chargers vs. New England Patriots game time:

The Chargers vs. Patriots game kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET/5:20 p.m. PT this Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

Los Angeles Chargers vs. New England Patriots game channel:

The Wild Card Weekend game between the Chargers and the Patriots will air on NBC.

How to watch the Los Angeles Chargers vs. New England Patriots game without cable:

You can stream NBC on platforms like DirecTV and Peacock. (Note that Fubo and NBC are currently in the midst of a contract dispute and NBC channels are not currently available on the platform.) The game will also be streaming on Peacock and on NFL+, though with an NFL+ subscription, you’re limited to watching this week’s game on mobile devices.

Parks and Recreation and The Office, every Bravo show and much more.

For $17 monthly you can upgrade to an ad-free subscription which includes live access to your local NBC affiliate (not just during designated sports and events) and the ability to download select titles to watch offline.

NFL Wild Card Weekend schedule:

All times Eastern.

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Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026

• L.A. Rams vs. Carolina Panthers: 4:30 p.m. (FOX)

• Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears: 8:00 p.m. (Prime Video)

Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026

• Buffalo Bills vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: 1:00 p.m.(CBS)

• San Francisco 49ers vs. Philadelphia Eagles: 4:30 p.m. (FOX)

• Los Angeles Chargers vs. New England Patriots: 8:00 p.m. (NBC)

Monday, Jan. 12, 2026

How to watch NFL games in 2026:

Many NFL games are broadcast on local channels, so if you’re looking to catch an in-market game, it may be as simple as turning on your TV (or setting up a digital TV antenna) or finding a live TV streaming service that carries the correct RSN (Regional Sports Network). If you want to watch out-of-market games, a $7 monthly subscription to NFL+ will let you watch every out-of-market local and primetime game in the season on your phone — but only a select few regular-season games on your TV. You could also spring for the uber-expensive NFL Sunday Ticket package to get every out-of-market Sunday game of the season.

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When it comes to nationally broadcast games, NFL games typically air across ESPN, NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC and NFL Network. Thursday Night Football games stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, select football games will stream exclusively on Peacock, games on CBS will stream live on Paramount+, and Monday Night Football games will air on ESPN or ABC and stream on the newly revamped ESPN+ this season. That’s six channels and four streaming platforms to keep up with this season — and that’s not counting your local RSN’s for in-market games and an NFL+ or NFL Sunday Ticket subscription for out-of-market games. And we can’t forget about Fox One, Fox’s first streaming service, a place where you can also stream games airing on FOX (if you don’t already have access to it).

Confused? You’re not alone. Here’s a breakdown of the platforms we recommend checking out so that come game time, tuning into your favorite team’s games will be as easy as simply turning on the TV.

Pros

• Full package free trial available
• Many local RSNs included
• Free ESPN unlimited
• Unlimited Cloud DVR

Cons

• Cost
• Regional Sports Network fee

Pros

• Offers NFL Sunday Ticket bundle
• Offers almost every channel you need for NFL games

Cons

• High cost
• Locked into YouTube TV Base Plan with the Sunday Ticket bundle
• Known for broadcast delays

Pros

• Free trial available
• Unlimited cloud DVR storage
• Free ESPN unlimited

Cons

• Entirely sports-focused
• No NBC

Pros

• You probably already have access to Prime Video

Cons

• Only Thursday Night Football games

Cons

• Can only watch MOST live games on your phone

Pros

• All ESPN content in one place
• Content from NFL Network and NFL RedZone
• Bundle option with NFL+

Cons

• Only ESPN games available with the base service

How to watch NFL games in-person:

Tickets for the 2025 NFL season are on sale now.

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Find tickets

Every way to watch NFL games this season:

To recap, here are all the ways you can watch NFL games in 2025.

 

February 22, 2026

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

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

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2025 season record: 7-9-1 (u 7.5 wins), second in NFC East, missed playoffs, 22nd in DVOA

Overview

So many things worked out for the Cowboys. Brian Schottenheimer, perhaps the most scrutinized head coaching hire last offseason, was a net positive. Trading for George Pickens was the steal of the offseason and benefited both Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys’ run game improved with the hire of Klayton Adams as offensive coordinator. The Dallas offense led the league in yards per game and was top five in EPA per play. But none of that could overcome Dallas’ biggest move of the offseason: trading away Micah Parsons.

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Without Parsons, the Cowboys missed the impact of a top-tier pass rusher. Despite Jerry Jones’ insistence that Parsons’ freestyling negatively impacted the run defense, the Cowboys were one of the league’s worst defenses the entire season and ultimately fired coordinator Matt Eberflus. Former Eagles assistant Christian Parker was hired to replace Eberflus. Due to the struggles, Dallas traded for Quinnen Williams at the deadline. Williams is a fantastic player and immediately made an impact for the Cowboys, but it cost a 2026 second-round draft pick, leaving Dallas with no Day 2 picks this year, and a 2027 first-round pick.

[Get more Cowboys news: Dallas team feed]

The offense wasn’t enough to make up for the defensive deficiencies and the Cowboys missed the playoffs in a season when playoff spots felt more wide open than ever.

Cap/cuts outlook

Dallas has -$24.6 million in effective salary cap space, according to Over The Cap, the second-least in the league. This is common for Dallas, a team that signs big contracts late with high salaries that can be restructured into signing bonuses to clear cap space in future years. The Cowboys can open up nearly $50 million by restructuring the contracts of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. Moving on from Kenny Clark, a key piece of the Parsons trade, according to Jerry Jones, would open up $21 million in cap space. The Cowboys could also extend Clark and lower that 2026 figure.

Key pending free agents

WR George Pickens
S Donovan Wilson
RB Javonte Williams (re-signed to 3-year deal)
K Brandon Aubrey (RFA)

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Just about everything about the Pickens trade was a success for Dallas, outside of not making the playoffs. Pickens had his best season and will likely be an All-Pro receiver. He led the team in target share and was third among all players in receiving yards. He’s reportedly likely to get the franchise tag, but that could very well lead to a long-term deal anyway. The other big name here is Aubrey, who is a restricted free agent. Does Dallas use a first-round tender on a kicker? Is a second-round tender enough to deter outside offers for one of the best kickers in the league?

Positional needs

Edge
Linebacker
Secondary

Take your pick for the defensive position the Cowboys need to improve. You don’t finish last in defensive DVOA by being loaded. Start at edge, where the loss of Micah Parsons was immediately felt. Dallas was seventh in pressure rate but 10th in blitz rate. Much of the pressure came from the interior with Osa Odighizuwa, Kenny Clark and eventually, Quinnen Williams. Williams had 32 pressures as a Cowboy, which ended up fifth on the team.

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Dallas linebackers struggled throughout the year while the defense played 32% of its snaps in base personnel, the 13th-highest rate in the league. There wasn’t a reliable player in coverage and the run fits were inconsistent. DeMarvion Overshown was rusty in his return from knee injury, but getting him a full offseason to recover should bring back his pre-injury potential. Still, at least one linebacker will be needed to play with him.

Dallas’ secondary was a revolving mess. The team already released Trevon Diggs, who was in and out of the lineup and was one of the worst cornerbacks by adjusted yards allowed per coverage snap while he was on the field. Other bets on injured and inconsistent players did not pay off. DaRon Bland played 72% of the defensive snaps but no other corner played more than 45%. The Cowboys were last in EPA per play against the pass.

2026 NFL Draft picks

1st round, pick No. 12
1st round (GB), pick No. 20
4th round
5th round
5th round (projected compensatory)
5th round (projected compensatory)
7th round (NYG)
7th round (KC)

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Good draft fit

Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

The Cowboys need to revamp their secondary as much as anything, and Terrell is fast, scrappy and can stay in the hip pocket of wideouts despite below-average size.

What could move the fantasy needle in 2026?

Retain George Pickens

Pretty simple: the Cowboys can’t allow George Pickens to hit the open market, and reports are already indicating they intend to franchise tag the receiver. Dallas is currently over the cap by a significant amount, but can create plenty of room via cuts and restructures to star players like Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. I’d be stunned if Pickens plays anywhere else next season, whether they come to an agreement on an extension or he’s retained with the franchise tag. — Matt Harmon

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Betting nugget

It was an up-and-down season for the Cowboys, who finished 7-9-1 straight up but struggled in the role of a favorite, going 2-7 against the spread. Dallas was the NFL’s best team to the over at 12-4-1. — Ben Fawkes

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

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

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Philadelphia Eagles

2025 season record: 11-6 (u 11.5 wins), first in NFC East, lost to 49ers in wild-card round, 13th in DVOA

Overview

This was not the world-beating team so many expected to see after last year’s Super Bowl title. Last season, Philadelphia battled with some inconsistency in the offense but found a groove by the end of the season. The 2025 version never fully got it.

How the Eagles played in games was telling. In 2024, they were 24th in points per drive on their opening possession, but improved to fifth over the rest of the game. The 2025 Eagles were sixth in points per drive on their opening possession, but dropped to 25th on all following drives. The 2024 Eagles figured it out, while the 2025 version couldn’t adapt. Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo was removed from his post after the team’s wild-card playoff loss after he failed to replicate the work Kellen Moore did previously. And the team also replaced legendary offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, who stepped down after 13 years with the team.

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[Get more Eagles news: Philadelphia team feed]

The talent is still overwhelming. That was the case with a defense that was still second in EPA per play while developing multiple All-Pro-caliber players. But, also as the defense proved, this team needs to figure out how to make that talent work together instead of just relying on the talent to carry itself.

Cap/cuts outlook

The Eagles have just over $20 million in effective cap space, per Over The Cap. That ranks in the middle of the pack. They’re fairly locked into this roster. Because of how the Eagles have structured their contracts, there’s not a lot of restructure potential — most contracts are pre-restuctured with small base salaries and option bonuses. If the Eagles re-sign Dallas Goedert early, they could create space by shrinking the $20.5 million figure that would hit the cap when his contract voids on Feb. 16.

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Key pending free agents

TE Dallas Goedert
Edge Jaelan Phillips
LB Nakobe Dean
S Reed Blankenship

Goedert led the team and was ninth in the league with a 27.8% target share in the red zone. His 10 red zone touchdowns were second only to Davante Adams. Jaelan Phillips was a defense-changer after the trade that brought him to Philadelphia. From Weeks 1-9, the Eagles were 14th in pressure rate. After Phillips was acquired, they ranked fifth. Dean has been excellent and was immediately put back into the starting lineup when he returned from injury, but the presence of Jihaad Campbell and the high rate of nickel defense will likely make Dean expendable in free agency.

Positional needs

Cornerback
Tight end
Edge

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Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean are two of the best players at their positions, but the second outside cornerback spot was a hole all season. Adoree’ Jackson was one of the most targeted cornerbacks on a per-snap basis and the Eagles ranked 24th in DVOA against WR2s.

Even if Goedert is re-signed, the Eagles should add a tight end to the mix. Grant Calcaterra was a negative as a blocker and did not make up for it enough as a receiver — though the Eagles were fifth in EPA per play from 12 personnel, which they ran at the 12th-highest rate in the league.

Depth on the edge will need to be addressed. That was the reason for the Phillips trade and bringing Brandon Graham out of retirement. Neither of them is under contract for 2026.

2026 NFL Draft picks

1st round, No. 23
2nd round, No. 54
3rd round, No. 68
3rd round (projected compensatory)
4th round
4th round (projected compensatory)
5th round (ATL)
5th round (projected compensatory)
6th round

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Good draft fit

Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

The Eagles have built their dominance through the trenches, and now they find Lane Johnson’s long-term replacement. Lomu moves well for his size, and has polished technique and can add even more weight and strength. Even with the departure of O-line coach Jeff Stoutland, Lomu can learn under the All-Pros they have along the line before taking over himself.

What could move the fantasy needle in 2026?

Scrap the entire offense

Yes, scrapping the offense began with moving on from Kevin Patullo as the offensive coordinator. It’s been clear all season that the design of this offense wasn’t weaponizing the players and conceptually wasn’t creating any schematic advantages. You’re kidding yourself if you think that’s the cure-all move. Saquon Barkley and A.J. Brown both turn 29 this offseason. Dallas Goedert just turned 31 and will be a free agent this offseason. if you pop open the hood of this car and you suddenly see there are more matters that need your attention beyond a paint job. — Matt Harmon

Betting nugget

The Eagles went 10-7 against the spread in the 2025-26 regular season, but were only 8-7 ATS as a favorite. They were also a surprisingly poor 4-4 ATS at home. — Ben Fawkes

The Carolina Panthers lost starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu during their 34-31 wild-card playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The team now faces the potential playing all of next season without him.

Ekwonu, 25, left Saturday’s game with an injury after the Panthers’ eighth offensive play. He was hurt on a play during which quarterback Bryce Young was sacked. Ekwonu needed help to get off the field and was eventually carted to the locker room. He did not return to the game.

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On Sunday, head coach Dave Canales announced that Ekwonu suffered a torn patellar tendon in his right knee and will require surgery. The projected timeline to recover from such an injury is six to 12 months, which means Ekwonu will certainly miss offseason workouts and minicamps. But he could also miss part — if not all — of the 2026 season.

[Get more Panthers news: Carolina team feed]

Ekwonu, the team’s first-round pick (No. 6 overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft out of NC State, allowed five sacks in 550 pass-block snaps this season, according to Pro Football Focus. Protecting Young’s blind side was a key factor in the quarterback’s emergence this season.

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Young posted career-highs in passing yards (3,011), touchdown passes (23) and completion percentage (63.6%), leading the Panthers to an 8-9 record, NFC South division title and playoff berth. Additionally, running back Rico Dowdle rushed for 1,076 yards.

The Panthers already faced a decision on signing Ekwonu to a contract extension after picking up his fifth-year option for next season. In light of his injury, Carolina will now have to evaluate whether or not to address the offensive line with its first-round selection (No. 19 overall) or free agency plans.

“It certainly is something that we have to consider, just depending on the duration of the injury,” Canales told reporters on Sunday. “Knowing that we’re going to go through a full offseason, and what’s the timeline and how does that affect training camp and roster numbers and all that.”

Canales was on the Seattle Seahawks’ coaching staff when tight end Jimmy Graham suffered a torn patellar tendon. Graham took nine months to return from the injury.

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Re-signing Yosh Nijman, who replaced Ekwonu in Saturday’s game, will be one of the decisions the Panthers must contemplate. Austin Corbett, Cade Mays, Brady Christensen and Jake Curhan are also unrestricted free agents for Carolina.

The wild-card round is nearly over.

Only Monday’s game between the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers is left. The NFC divisional round matchups are set after the San Francisco 49ers upset the Philadelphia Eagles.

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The Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos both had byes in the wild-card round.

Here’s everything you need to know heading into the opening weekend of the playoffs.

NFC playoff field

1. Seattle Seahawks (14-3)
2. Chicago Bears (11-6)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)
4. Carolina Panthers (8-9)
5. Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
6. San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
7. Green Bay Packers (9-7-1)

AFC playoff field

1. Denver Broncos (14-3)
2. New England Patriots (14-3)
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4)
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)
5. Houston Texans (12-5)
6. Buffalo Bills (12-5)
7. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)

NFL wild-card round results

Saturday, Jan. 10

Los Angeles Rams 34, Carolina Panthers 31
Chicago Bears 31, Green Bay Packers 27

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Sunday, Jan. 11

Buffalo Bills 27, Jacksonville Jaguars 24
San Francisco 49ers 23, Philadelphia Eagles 19
New England Patriots 16, Los Angeles Chargers 3

Monday, Jan. 12

5. Houston Texans at 4. Pittsburgh Steelers
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Acrisure Stadium | Pittsburgh
TV: ESPN/ABC
Tickets: Gametime

NFL divisional round matchups

Saturday, Jan. 17

6. Buffalo Bills at No. 1 Denver Broncos
6. San Francisco 49ers at 1. Seattle Seahawks

Sunday, Jan. 18

5. Los Angeles Rams at 2. Chicago Bears
5. Houston Texans/4. Pittsburgh Steelers at 2. New England Patriots

Syracuse Orange fans don’t have to wait until the fall to see incoming freshman wide receiver Calvin Russell III at JMA Wireless Dome.

Syracuse athletics announced that Russell — a five-star recruit — will join the Orange’s basketball team after enrolling this spring. Russell is expected to begin practicing with the team and be available for games this season.

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Playing on the basketball team was one of the factors that drew Russell to Syracuse over his hometown of Miami.

The 6-foot-5, 190-pound freshman averaged 15.2 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists during his final season at Miami Northwestern High School. In the regional quarterfinals of the state playoffs against Somerset Academy, Russell scored 38 points and grabbed 19 rebounds.

His mom, Chanivia Broussard, also played basketball for four years at the University of Miami, where she scored 1,482 points, ranks third on the Hurricanes’ all-time blocks list with 132, and was inducted into the Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.

On the court, Russell will join the Orange’s freshman class, which includes Kiyan Anthony, the son of Carmelo Anthony, and highly touted 2025 recruit Sadiq White. Russell will also join a star-studded list of former Orange two-sport athletes such as Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Floyd Little, John Mackey and Donovan McNabb.

Syracuse Basketball is currently 11-5. On the football field, Russell will join a team that struggled last season, going 3-9 and losing its last eight games.

With their season on the line, the San Francisco 49ers dug deep into their playbook Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The result was a trick-play touchdown and a 23-19 wild-card win to keep their season afloat. The sensational play caught the Eagles off guard as Christian McCaffrey ran wide open into the end zone for a pass from Jauan Jennings.

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The play might have looked familiar to astute 49ers fans. That’s because it was — the 49ers had run it before. It’s just been a while.

The game-changing play

San Francisco’s offense had gone stagnant since a 76-yard opening-drive touchdown. So with the chance to take a lead while facing a 16-10 deficit, Shanahan dialed up the trick play to start the fourth quarter.

[Get more 49ers news: San Francisco team feed]

Brock Purdy took a snap from under center and handed off to Skyy Moore, who started the play in motion. Moore then pitched the ball to Jennings for an end-around, but Jennings wasn’t running the ball. Instead, he set his feet as he approached the right sideline and delivered a bomb to a wide-open McCaffrey near the end zone.

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McCaffrey made a late adjustment and ran under the ball for a 29-yard touchdown and 17-16 lead that shifted the fortunes of the game in favor of the 49ers and sparked their four-point win.

We’ve seen this before

If that looks familiar, there’s a reason.

The 49ers previously ran the play in a regular-season game way back in 2019 against the New Orleans Saints. The players were different. But the head coach — Shanahan — was the same.

In that instance, Jimmy Garoppolo took the snap and handed off to Deebo Samuel, who pitched the ball to Emmanuel Sanders for the end-around. Sanders then found Raheem Mostert streaking down the right sideline for a 35-yard touchdown.

Like in Sunday’s game, that play helped the 49ers rally in a 48-46 win over the Saints.

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Shanahan: ‘Klay suggested it. It was a hell of a suggestion’

Current 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak wasn’t on that 2019 coaching staff. He was a high school coach in Texas. But he was aware of the play. And, per Shanahan, he suggested running it against the Eagles.

“It’s called Skyy bang reverse pass,” Shanahan said in his postgame news conference. “Last time we called it, it was called Deebo bang reverse pass. We ran it in New Orleans when Emmanuel threw to Raheem in kind of the same area of the field.

“We were trying to set it up a little bit. We got a jet sweep to Skyy earlier in the game. It had to be on the right hash for the play because Jauan’s not left-handed. So we were just hoping to get it around there.

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“Klay suggested it. It was a hell of a suggestion.”

About that pass

Calling the play required confidence from Shanahan in Jennings’ ability to make the pass. And there’s a reason why Shanahan trusted Jennings.

Jennings is San Francisco’s No. 1 wide receiver and has played the position since he joined the 49ers as a seventh-round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. But coming out of high school, he was one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country.

In fact, 247 sports ranked Jennings as the No. 5 dual-threat quarterback in his class — ahead of Sam Darnold, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson.

That’s impressive company with three multi-time Pro Bowl quarterbacks. Jennings converted to wide receiver at Tennessee and has played the position ever since. But he’s not letting his arm go completely unused. And his experience at quarterback came in handy Sunday.

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Jennings completed his pass with All-Pro pass defensive tackle Jalen Carter barreling down on him. Carter hit him late and got called for roughing the passer. Jennings didn’t flinch.

“Jauan threw a perfect ball,” Shanahan said. “It made me a little scared. I think he should have just thrown a bad ball and put it on him. I thought it was a hell of a catch by Christian.

“I didn’t see it, but knowing that he got roughed up and stuff, It just shows what a G Jauan is. High school quarterback.”

Jennings to McCaffrey, by the numbers

Coming into Sunday’s game, Jennings was 1 for 1 in his playoff career. His previous pass was on a trick-play screen play to McCaffrey in Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs. Like on Sunday, McCaffrey took it for a touchdown.

And now, Jennings is 2 for 2 in his playoff career as a passer for 64 yards with two touchdowns. And, per NFL Network, he’s now the only player in NFL history to record a perfect 158.3 passer rating multiple times in the playoffs for the same team.

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Fellow Tennessee Volunteer Peyton Manning did it only once as a member of the Indianapolis Colts.

That’s not the only notable number attached to Jennings’ pass to McCaffrey.

Per Next Gen Stats, the touchdown pass was the first of the playoffs to travel more than 20 yards. And it’s the deepest pass play of McCaffrey’s illustrious career as a pass catcher. He’d previously never caught a pass that traveled 26 yards in the air relative to the line of scrimmage.

Not bad for a pass play involving a wide receiver and a running back — especially considering that it advanced the 49ers to a divisional round matchup next week against the NFC West rival Seahawks.

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

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

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Los Angeles Chargers

2025 season record: 11-6 (over 9.5 wins), second in AFC West, lost in AFC wild-card round, 17th in DVOA

Overview

The 2025 Chargers’ season was an objective success. Finishing with 11 wins and second place in their division would have sounded great at the start of the season. But it feels like the Chargers left so much on the table.

Justin Herbert was incredible throughout the season, but couldn’t get the production to match. His finish of 21st in EPA per play doesn’t come close to representing what the Chargers’ quarterback did weekly. The Chargers lost both starting tackles in Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater, while the team had nine offensive line combinations that played at least 50 snaps together. Herbert was the most pressured quarterback in the league. The team is hoping new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel will help with that issue and he replaces Greg Roman.

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This also felt like a missed opportunity for a defense that was seventh in weighted DVOA by the end of the season. Coordinator Jesse Minter left to take the head coaching job with the Ravens, so his successor, Chris O’Leary, will be tasked with keeping the Chargers playing at a high level after two impressive years from that side of the ball.

[Get more Chargers news: L.A. team feed]

But the Chargers could also look completely different next season, with some financial flexibility to build up the roster around a superstar quarterback.

Cap/cuts outlook

At $83.5 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap, the Chargers have the third-most projected space in the NFL. With only 36 players under contract, the team will need to use some of that to fill out the roster, but the Chargers should still have a lot of wiggle room to spend if they want. Another $10 million could be opened up if the team moves on from Mekhi Becton. Becton played 15 games, but had the second-highest blown block rate among right guards. Smaller cuts like Bradley Bozeman and Bud Dupree ($3 million each) are also likely.

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Key pending free agents

Edge Khalil Mack
Edge Odafe Oweh
G Zion Johnson
WR Keenan Allen
DT Teair Tart

Mack was 18th among players with at least 200 pass-rush snaps in pressure rate. He dislocated his elbow in Week 2 and came back even better just five weeks later. Oweh’s acquisition was a win-win trade that sent Alohi Gilman to the Ravens. From his first game with the Chargers through the end of the regular season, he was 17th in pressure rate.

Johnson has an interesting free-agent case. His fifth-year option was declined after three disappointing seasons. His 2025 wasn’t dominant, but it was much improved and he remained the healthiest lineman throughout the season.

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Positional needs

Interior offensive line
Defensive tackle
Edge

Mekhi Becton and Bradley Bozeman are likely gone, which already opens up two spots along the offensive line. Then there’s the Zion Johnson decision. The Chargers have one of the league’s best tackle duos when healthy (when appears to be a big if), but haven’t had the interior to match.

The Chargers could use some bigger bodies along the interior of the defensive line, especially if Teair Tart is not re-signed. This defense was second in run stuff rate on running back carries and was 11th in yards allowed before contract per carry, but the depth that allowed that to happen might need to be replenished.

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Edge is a similar spot with both Khalil Mack and Odafe Oweh set to be free agents. Tuli Tuipulotu broke out, so there is one spot along the edge accounted for. He ranked ninth in pressure rate. However, as a team, the Chargers ranked only 16th in pressure rate for the season.

2026 NFL Draft picks

1st round, No. 22 pick
2nd round, No. 55 pick
3rd round, No. 86 pick
4th round
6th round

Good draft fit

Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State

The Chargers need size on the interior to help against the run, and McDonald can eat double teams and allow his teammates to make plays. That would also force offenses into more third-and-longs, where the Chargers can really get funky.

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What could move the fantasy needle in 2026?

Structural offensive changes

Justin Herbert didn’t have his best day in the 16-3 playoff loss to the Patriots. It’s tough to lose both your starting tackles, however, if you’re one of the elite offensive minds in the NFL, you can at least adjust your approach to work around the loss of Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt. After Greg Roman and this staff showed a complete inability to adjust the unit to address the issues, the team brought in former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel to call plays. Now there’s more reason to believe that this is one of the best bounce-back offensive ecosystems to invest in for fantasy football next season. — Matt Harmon

Betting nugget

A stingy defense and methodical offense led the Chargers to being one of the best under wagers this season, as Chargers games went 10-6-1 to the under in the regular season. — Ben Fawkes