Tag: Fox Sport News

Sean Payton has to express confidence in Jarrett Stidham.

He has no choice. The AFC championship game will kick off Sunday and Stidham will be the Denver Broncos’ starting quarterback replacing Bo Nix, who broke a bone in his ankle late in Saturday’s win over the Buffalo Bills. No matter how Payton feels about the situation, he has to tell the world and his team that Stidham will play well against the New England Patriots with a berth in Super Bowl LX on the line.

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But maybe Payton isn’t just trying to be a salesman. The past few years he has spoken a few times to the media about Stidham’s knowledge of the scheme and his work ethic. He said after announcing Nix’s injury on Saturday night that he has felt for a while that Stidham could start for a handful of teams. Stidham has started just four NFL games and hasn’t thrown a pass in either of the past two seasons, but that doesn’t mean he’s incapable. It just means he hasn’t played much because Nix was better.

When Payton was asked why he believes in Stidham, he mentioned the reasons he sees behind the scenes.

“It’s our three years here. In our three years, watching him day-in and day-out that you guys don’t have access to,” Payton said. “He will be ready to go and ready for the moment.”

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Stidham will be the least experienced quarterback to ever start a conference championship game. His four starts are one fewer than Jeff Hostetler, who had five career starts (including playoffs) before he started for the 1990 New York Giants in the NFC title game against the San Francisco 49ers, via Greg Auman of Fox Sports.

Here’s the good news: Hostetler helped the Giants win a Super Bowl. Vince Ferragamo, who had six starts before the 1979 NFC championship game for the Rams, helped Los Angeles to win the NFC and the Rams led in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl before the Steelers rallied to win.

[Get more Broncos news: Denver team feed]

Whatever it’s worth, Stidham did play very well this past preseason. He was 30 of 38 for 376 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. It’s not like Broncos fans have much more they’ve seen to get excited about. Stidham did play fairly well in two regular-season starts for the Broncos at the end of the 2023 season (going 40 of 66 overall for 496 yards, two touchdowns and one interception), and the organization told everyone what they thought of him when they signed him to a new two-year, $12 million extension this past offseason. That’s good money for a backup quarterback. Now the Broncos look for their return on that investment.

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“One of Stiddy’s great strengths is his mental aptitude and his progressions in understanding plays,” Payton told the media on Sunday. “There’d be practices where I’m looking at [Broncos defensive coordinator] Vance [Joseph], like getting pissed off because Stiddy’ is making our defense look bad. He’s very accurate. He has a lot to his ball.”

The Broncos understand the challenge facing them. Payton will have them ready. They still have a top-flight defense that has been the foundation of their success all season. They will need Stidham to do his job when called upon. And maybe Payton is right, and his new quarterback will surprise everyone.

Panic meter: Not ideal for the Broncos, but maybe not the end of the road for them either.

Here is the rest of the panic meter, looking at the teams that exited the playoffs in the divisional round:

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Bills make a major change

The Bills certainly sent a message when they fired head coach Sean McDermott but not general manager Brandon Beane. Not only did Beane stay around, he got what looked like a promotion as president of football operations was added to his title. In essence, the Bills said Beane did his job and produced a Super Bowl-level roster, and McDermott was the problem.

Anyone who watched the Bills this season might disagree. The depth at receiver, which Beane did nothing at the trade deadline to fix, was egregious. The defense, particularly against the run, slipped. It’s hard to put all of that on McDermott.

Whatever the case, upgrading the roster around Josh Allen is the priority.. Allen wasn’t at his best against the Broncos, with four costly turnovers, but he’s clearly good enough to take a team to a Super Bowl. He just needs that team to be better. The Bills must believe Beane can pull it off. For Allen’s sake, they better be right.

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Panic meter: It’s OK for the Bills to have urgency, but now everyone remaining is under pressure.

What happens with Christian McCaffrey?

McCaffrey had a great comeback season. He missed almost all of last season due to injuries, then this season he had 2,126 yards from scrimmage. The 49ers, often decimated by injuries, rode him hard. McCaffrey had 450 touches, 413 in the regular season and 37 more in the playoffs. McCaffrey will be 30 years old next season. While it was great to see McCaffrey stay healthy all season, and he has had some high-usage seasons in the past, that workload is a little worrisome.

Saquon Barkley had 482 touches last season, including four playoff games (just two for McCaffrey; he’d have breezed past 482 touches in two more games), and slowed down considerably this season. In recent history, running backs hitting 400 touches in a season have been a great bet to regress the following season. The 49ers did what they had to do this season, loading up McCaffrey like there was no tomorrow. But there is a tomorrow and it’s worth worrying a bit about McCaffrey repeating his fantastic season.

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Panic meter: The history isn’t kind here.

What do the Texans do on offense?

There will be an offseason-long discussion about C.J. Stroud — do they sign him to a long-term contract? simply pick up his fifth-year option? neither? — but it probably doesn’t matter. Stroud isn’t going anywhere, at least not right away. The Houston Texans are stuck seeing it through with him.

The actionable discussion is what the Texans do around him. Stroud didn’t play great this season and really struggled in the playoffs, but Houston didn’t do much to help him last offseason. They didn’t do enough to fix a line that was still well below average this season. Nico Collins is good and a couple of rookies the Texans drafted have promise, but there’s still more work to be done at the skill positions.

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Stroud isn’t going anywhere. The Texans have to figure out a way to support him better. That means there’s a lot of work to be done this offseason.

Panic meter: At least the Texans know what they have to do.

Bears actually feel pretty good

Among the teams that lost in the divisional round, the Bears probably feel the best about what’s to come.

Caleb Williams made strides in Ben Johnson’s first season as his head coach. Chicago looked better than they have in years. We’ve seen many coaches have one big season to start and then fade quickly, but this doesn’t seem like that type of situation. If anything, another step forward from some young offensive players and a good offseason building the defense will make the foundation even stronger after a surprising NFC North championship season.

Panic meter: Shouldn’t be much in Chicago.

As new Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan began a mental scroll of his roster, he began to describe the foundation of his franchise’s future.

Count receiver Jaylen Waddle as an “explosive athlete” with the “ability to create separation at the top of the route” as well as anybody, Sullivan told a team reporter in an interview the Dolphins posted to YouTube on Sunday. Running back De’Von Achane “can strike from anywhere on the field,” Sullivan said. “He’s a home-run guy … a difference maker.”

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The 22-year Green Bay Packers employee touted Dolphins center Aaron Brewer’s ability to play out in space, left tackle Patrick Paul’s length and linebacker Jordyn Brook’s instincts and ability to strike.

As he rattled off his building blocks, Tua Tagovailoa was nowhere to be found.

The closest Sullivan came to acknowledging Tagovailoa in the 15-minute conversation: a conversation about the role of quarterback in roster assembly.

“We will build this team, starts with the quarterback,” Sullivan said, “and then we will build this team from the inside out.”

[Get more Dolphins news: Miami team feed]

The omission of Tagovailoa was not shocking. Former head coach Mike McDaniel benched the 2020 first-round draft pick with three games to play in the season after he’d thrown 15 interceptions and lost four fumbles in 14 games. McDaniel also said in the days between the Dolphins’ finale and his firing that “in 2026, I think there will be competition for our starting quarterback.”

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But when the Dolphins fired McDaniel later that week, creating a further leadership void alongside the midseason firing of general manager Chris Grier, the question resurfaced: Would Tagovailoa get another chance in Miami?

Tagovailoa completed 67.7% of pass attempts for 2,660 yards and 20 touchdowns amid his turnover uptick in 2025. But the interceptions brought down his passer rating to 88.5, 26th-best in the league after three straight seasons in the top-10.

A new regime could have restated its belief in him. Instead, the absence of a Tagovailoa discussion between Sullivan and the Dolphins’ in-house reporter spoke volumes.

Monday, when the Dolphins announced they were hiring Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as head coach, the answer for Tagovailoa’s replacement may have come closer to clarifying.

Multiple league sources told Yahoo Sports they expect the Dolphins to strongly consider Malik Willis for their 2026 starting quarterback position. Miami’s offensive coordinator decision will be a key prerequisite before moving forward with any formal plans. But after Hafley and Sullivan spent two years watching Willis at practice and in meetings, the connection makes sense.

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“I think Malik is on most people’s radar as a starting QB target in free agency, including them,” one NFC talent evaluator told Yahoo Sports.

Executive and coaching sources from other teams agreed, one noting that processing seemed to slow down for the “super talented” Willis in his limited action with the Packers this season while another expected Willis to be the Dolphins’ target “depending on OC.”

Willis was strong in limited action this season despite, as is standard for backup quarterbacks, playing in unideal circumstances and at times without reps during the week.

He completed 85.7% of his 35 pass attempts for 422 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions while also running for 123 yards and two scores though he fumbled twice. The Titans’ 2022 third-round pick (86^th overall), Willis spent two years in Tennessee before moving to Green Bay.

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He engineered a touchdown drive in one series of relief for the Packers against the Giants, and Willis accounted for 348 yards and three touchdowns from scrimmage against the Baltimore Ravens in a late December loss.

The Packers have a long history of developing quarterbacks, including first-rounders in Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love who grew into starting quarterbacks while sitting for multiple seasons.

Sullivan alluded to that history of “30 years of sustained success” in Green Bay during his sit-down.

And while he spoke often about draft-and-develop as his preferred roster-building method to free agency acquisitions, Sullivan’s discussions of evaluating football character and adversity response hinted at the comfort he may find in working with a quarterback who’s not a completely new colleague.

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Willis could sign a deal resembling what Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones have signed in recent years with teams that believed they had upside as a starter. After Jones received $13 million last spring from the Indianapolis Colts, league sources see a reality in which Willis receives $15 million this spring in a multiyear deal with front-loaded guarantees.

If the Dolphins are interested, they’ll know whom to call. Willis’ agent, David Mulugheta, has negotiated the two biggest contracts in Packers history: Love and edge rusher Micah Parsons.

Tagovailoa’s contract won’t make Willis’ cost more palatable: Cutting Tagovailoa this offseason would leave the Dolphins on the hook for $99.2 million in dead cap space, compared to $31.8 million a year later.

But only two years ago, the Denver Broncos took on $85 million in dead cap space to release Russell Wilson and now they’re hosting the AFC championship game. And while finding a quarterback in the draft would be more cost-effective and in many ways more Packers-like, the Dolphins aren’t on the board until spot No. 11.

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A quarterback outside the top 10 in a draft class widely considered weak at quarterback is unlikely to fuel confidence in a player’s readiness for the present and future.

Willis could bridge that gap.

Sullivan could play coy on his interest, the new GM repeating multiple times this week that the Dolphins “don’t want a team full of mercenaries” and “free agency … can be dangerous waters if you don’t handle it the right way.”

But don’t expect the Dolphins to overlook the impending free agency of a quarterback whom Miami decision-makers know intimately. Willis’ services will be in demand. A logical suitor awaits.

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“It’s our job to make sure that through the draft and through the other avenues, we’re making this team as competitive as possible at every position,” Sullivan said, “because competition drives the individual to excellence.”

It seemed like a reasonable enough proposition: Hire a coach with a lengthy, proven track record of winning, give him control of personnel decisions to reshape the team in his preferred image, and sit back and watch the wins roll in. Easy, right?

And then Pete Carroll went 3-14 in his first and only season leading the Las Vegas Raiders. It’s worth remembering, in this era of rapid, quick-trigger coaching turnover, that a massive change in a franchise’s direction doesn’t automatically mean that direction will be positive.

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Nine coaches were relieved of their duties and another resigned during or after the 2025 NFL season, a phenomenally large turnover. When one-third of your league willingly takes on the most fundamental reorganization short of selling the team, something’s in the air. Something that smells a whole lot like impatience.

The success of the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots this season did more than turn the clock back to 1985 and the 2010s, respectively. Their quick turnarounds — a six-win improvement for Chicago, a 10-win improvement for New England — persuaded fans and itchy team owners alike that success for any team is just a head coach away. Throw in the Jacksonville Jaguars — the freaking Jaguars! — going from four wins to 13, and fans and owners have to be thinking that anyone can do this.

Here’s the thing: the fans and club owners might not be wrong. We already knew that the distance between the playoffs and unemployment is one missed field goal, as John Harbaugh and the Week 18 Baltimore Ravens can attest. And the distance between playoff success and an early exit is one miraculous catch, as the Los Angeles Rams have proven two straight weeks. Oh, and the difference between a castoff bust and a playoff-level quarterback is the uniform, as Sam Darnold has demonstrated the past two years.

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The right coach in the right situation can work miracles. Look at how Mike Vrabel and Ben Johnson have transformed the Patriots and Bears into playoff-worthy (and, in New England’s case, potentially Super Bowl-bound) teams in just a single offseason. Look how Liam Coen has at last unlocked Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville. These coaches have reinvigorated their entire organizations, top to bottom, and the results both on and off the field have been obvious. (We could throw in new national champion Indiana here too, from a believe-in-the-impossible standpoint, if not a roster-construction one.)

If you’re the New York Giants or the Atlanta Falcons, mired in years of mediocrity, you look at that kind of makeover and you think, why not us? If you’re the Pittsburgh Steelers or Buffalo Bills or Ravens, stuck in wild-card hell for nearly a decade, you look at the Bears, Jags and Patriots busting through that ceiling in just one year, and you think, we need some of that. If you’re the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns or Arizona Cardinals, tired of being a done-by-Halloween punch line, you look at how the Bears and Patriots have ridden high draft picks to success and you think, wait a minute, we’ve got high draft picks too!  

And that’s how you end up with 10 head coaches updating their LinkedIn pages.

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We know, based on history, that roughly half of the teams in this year’s playoff field won’t be there next season. We can make some guesses as to who might replace them — Harbaugh might give the Giants the boost they need, Kevin Stefanski might get Atlanta to win more of the games it should win — but the only certainty in the playoff field is uncertainty.

It’s worth remembering, then, that as teams surge upward, other teams must give way. And you don’t need to look very far to see how two recent renaissances flamed out in a hurry. Dan Campbell took Detroit from three wins to the No. 1 seed in the NFC in just three years … and missed the playoffs this year. Dan Quinn took over a four-win Washington Commanders team and promptly led them to the NFC championship in 2023 … and then right back down to five wins this year. Kevin O’Connell has posted records of 13, 7, 14 and 9 wins over four seasons in Minnesota, pinballing in and out of the playoffs.

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Every NFL head coach knows this is a cruel and tenuous business, but the trend seems to be only accelerating. The only AP Coach of the Year winners since 2017 still with their team are Sean McVay and O’Connell. Three of the last four -– Vrabel, Brian Daboll and Stefanski twice! — were fired within two years of winning the award, and O’Connell, last year’s winner, might not have much latitude left either.

So, best of luck to the new and soon-to-be-new coaching hires. Your honeymoon will last only until your first loss. As you survey your new hometown … may we suggest renting rather than buying?

As the college football season comes to a close, fantasy football analyst Joel Smyth looks at the top players at each position. Which college stars have the potential to become future fantasy football stars?

Quarterback

Fernando Mendoza, Indiana University

6’5”, 225 lbs

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Heisman, National Champion and future No. 1 overall pick? There have been doubts about whether Fernando Mendoza is worthy of the first overall selection, but for fans who are looking for a proven winner, the Hoosier QB has done only that. After transferring from California, Mendoza entered the season ready to lead his team to new heights.

Many have compared his path to former No. 1 pick Joe Burrow, as well as his play style. The athleticism to escape in the pocket is there to add to his size and downfield accuracy. Like Burrow, the back shoulder fade is a unique specialty that has shone up time and time again in big moments. His ability to make NFL-level throws while moving into a pro-style system is notable. He may not come with the world-beating talent of past first overall picks, but experience and accuracy, along with his leadership ability, make him a worthy selection as a franchise changer.

Las Vegas needs a lot of help, but Mendoza is a good player to build around.

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Running Back

Jeremiyah Love, University of Notre Dame

6’0”, 214 lbs

Jeremiyah Love is the clear No. 1 RB prospect in a draft that is thin at the position. With so many free agent running backs available and several top prospects drafted in 2025, the landing spot for Love will be key (case in point, Ashton Jeanty).

The Notre Dame running back has a shot of being drafted inside the top 12 this April. Since 2015, six of the eight RBs drafted top-12 in the NFL Draft have finished top-12 in fantasy football their rookie seasons, averaging 17.7 PPG. The two that did not live up to expectations immediately were not complete busts, especially in terms of talent. Bijan Robinson and Jeanty both finished as the RB16 after entering rough situations in Year 1.

Love’s numbers were outstanding throughout his three-year career. In the last two years alone, the Heisman candidate ran for nearly 2,500 yards and added 35 touchdowns. His age and workload also stick out. In the world of NIL, fewer and fewer young prospects declare early for the draft, especially those without many touches. We see more examples like rookie RB RJ Harvey, who is 24 years old, and Jeanty, entering with 830 touches. Love will be drafted before his 21st birthday and has less than 500 touches under his belt.

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Wide Receiver

Carnell Tate, Ohio State University

6’3”, 195 lbs

Surprise, Ohio State has another Round 1 WR talent. It should be the school’s fifth straight season with a first-round WR drafted and potentially their fourth taken inside the top 12 over that span. Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Garrett Wilson have all proven they can finish a season as a top-10 fantasy wideout. Tate isn’t as flashy as other top receivers, but he is a consistent player who could equal a safe pick. The tall, outside WR has incredible body control and contested catch ability that make up for his lack of elite speed.

The most comparable recent OSU WR, in my opinion, would be Emeka Egbuka. Tate’s better at the catch point, but they are both smooth and sound route runners who play all-around games. He could go inside the top 10 of April’s draft and will make an immediate impact.

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Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State University

6’2”, 200 lbs

Jordyn Tyson’s remarkable college career has been plagued by injuries, but his talent still makes him a clear Round 1 selection. He tore nearly everything in his knee at Colorado in 2022, ending a notable freshman season before transferring to Arizona State. In his games played over the last two seasons, Tyson has 1,817 yards and 19 TDs, although he only logged 21 games, missing both postseasons due to his injuries.

Tyson is an all-around receiver, whether it’s yards after catch, deep catches or blocking in the run game, after being coached by former Steelers WR Hines Ward. Tyson specifically shined against Texas Tech’s nationally-recognized defense, bringing in 10 receptions for 105 yards and a TD.

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Makai Lemon, University of Southern California

5’11”, 195 lbs

He won’t be most scouts’ No. 1 overall WR, but Makai Lemon’s production, on paper, is hard to beat. The USC WR produced 3.13 yards per route, the highest among Power 4 draft prospects and third in the country behind only Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Texas A&M’s Mario Craver. Lemon is an excellent inside receiver who can be a frequent target versus zone coverage while also bringing the uncommon deep-threat ability out of the slot.

Tight End

Kenyon Sadiq, University of Oregon

6’3”, 245 lbs

Rookie tight ends have made a tremendous impact for three consecutive seasons. Back-to-back overall fantasy TE1s in 2023 (Sam LaPorta) and 2024 (Brock Bowers), followed by Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland living up to the hype in 2025. Otherwise, the tight end position in fantasy has been a disaster outside of the first three players drafted each season.

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Drafting the talented rookie TE has given managers the best shot of real value later on in drafts. The combination of Sadiq’s athleticism and receiving versatility gives the Oregon prospect an undeniable ceiling.

Former New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora revealed this week that he recently was hospitalized for nearly a month and in a coma for five days. The two-time Super Bowl champion did not explain exactly what ailment he was dealing with, only saying he had gone through “some real adversity.”

“I went through some real adversity,” Umenyiora said. “I was in the hospital for almost a month. I was in a coma for five days, had some extensive surgery. I was in a really, really bad place. And I find out right then and there who actually loved me. Because there were some people who showed up every single day. There were some people who came to see me when I was in a coma. There were some people who traveled from all across the world to come see me when I was at my lowest points.”

Umenyiora has been working as an analyst in the United Kingdom for over a decade and currently co-hosts “The Breakdown” with former Giants teammate Jason Bell, who played six seasons in the NFL.

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Bell was singled out by Umenyiora as someone who was there for him during his recent health episode.

“This man right here was by my side,” Umenyiora said of Bell. “I remember when I got up and I saw him for the first time, I just started crying because I could feel the love. So don’t you ever mistake what we got going on up here for something that’s not real because this is real, and I love you, J Bell. I really, really appreciate everything you did. They told me that when I heard your voice, my heart rate started to spike, which was absolutely incredible.”

The 44-year-old Umenyiora, who was born in London, was a second-round pick in 2003 out of Troy. He played 11 NFL seasons with the Giants and Atlanta Falcons and was a two-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro.

The High Score 100 — the top 100 players in Yahoo’s newest fantasy basketball format — is a running reflection of year-to-date performance and trending production. Each weekly update captures who’s actually delivering value and who’s fading.

Here’s a breakdown of the biggest risers and fallers through the 13th week of fantasy basketball — with the complete High Score 100 at the bottom of the article. I’ll be updating my rankings every Tuesday throughout the fantasy basketball season.

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📈 Risers — Players finally hitting their stride

Peyton Watson — FC, Denver Nuggets: 90th overall (⬆️ 25)

Watson’s rise from No. 115 to No. 90 ties directly to a breakout stretch over the past month, where he’s averaged 34+ fantasy points per game and ranks 74th over that span in High Score. He’s benefitted from a slew of injuries, most notably to Nikola Jokić, but it’s going to be hard to put him back in a reserve role when Denver’s back at full strength.

He’s been their secondary scoring option with Jokić out, dropping 22/6/3 with 2 stocks per game. Most recently, Watson has tallied 50+ fantasy point efforts in Weeks 12 and 13. Keep him locked into all lineups across leagues and formats.

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Joel Embiid — FC, Philadelphia 76ers: 39th overall (⬆️ 11)

The former MVP is improving month over month, and he’s already played in more games this year than he did in the entire 2024-25 campaign. I was skeptical, but Embiid has been great, averaging 1.35 fantasy points per minute (FPPM) and posting over 43 fantasy points per game over the past two weeks in High Score. That’s top-30 status.

It’s safe to say he’s knocked off the rust, providing 27/7/4 on 54% shooting from the field in January. As long as his body holds up, he could be a value considering he went in the fifth round of drafts.

[It’s not too late to create or join a High Score league, a new way to play Fantasy Basketball on Yahoo with simple rosters and scoring]

LeBron James — FC, Los Angeles Lakers: 17th overall (⬆️ 8)

Even at 41, James is producing like a borderline top-15 player in High Score. He ranks 19th for the season, averaging 47.7 fantasy points per game. Over the last week, however, James has upped that to 56.9 per game. Remarkably, he can still post these 30-8-10-like stat lines. Since Jan. 6, he’s registered three 63+ fantasy performances.

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The Lakers as a whole are in a weird place. But for ‘Bron, fantasy managers just need to deal with the occasional rest day. He’s been otherwise very reliable since returning in mid-November. This eight-spot leap is warranted, but I’d like to see if it’ll be sustainable once Austin Reaves returns.

📉 Fallers — A gradual fall off

Dillon Brooks — FC, Phoenix Suns: 95th overall (⬇️ 20)

Brooks’ recent slide from No. 75 to No. 95 reflects a dip in fantasy value due to his decline in production. Brooks ranks outside the top-100 (108th overall), averaging 31 fantasy points per game this season. Barring a ridiculous run in Week 14, he’s likely going to exit the top 100 by next week.

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His fantasy production fell to 26.7 per game in the past seven days, with a couple of sub-20 performances. You can’t trust that level of inconsistency at this stage of the season. Plus, Jalen Green is on track to return on Tuesday, taking some usage and shot volume away from Brooks.

Miles Bridges — FC, Charlotte Hornets: 62nd overall (⬇️ 13)

Three of Bridges’ four games in Week 13 went for 13, 17 and 19 fantasy points. Now, he did score 41 in the other, but that’s a wildly unreliable week that fantasy managers can’t count on. Over the past two weeks, he’s given an underwhelming 26.2 FPPG. I didn’t want to dock him too much because the Hornets are coming off a long, five-game road trip.

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Bridges’ numbers are better at home this season, so fantasy managers should see some improvement with two of their three games coming in Charlotte in Week 14.

Ryan Rollins — G, Milwaukee Bucks: 69th overall (⬇️ 9)

January hasn’t been kind to Rollins as he’s seen a decrease in scoring (12.3 PPG) and assists (4.4 APG) with a significant dip in efficiency (39.5 FG%). He put up 60 fantasy points a few weeks ago, but since then, it’s been middling around 28 FPPG. Despite being a top-60 option for much of the year, the recent production has been more akin to a top-120 player.

The decline in efficiency and scoring coincides with Kevin Porter Jr.’s return — which is not ideal. Still, Rollins is starting and providing enough rebounds, assists and stocks to stay rostered in all leagues.

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Complete High Score 100 rankings

The High Score 100 is a running reflection of year-to-date performance and trending production.

Injury notes

🚨 Warriors star Jimmy Butler reportedly tore his ACL during Monday night’s win over the Miami Heat, exiting in the third quarter after an awkward landing and being helped off the court. He’ll miss the rest of the season and fall off this list next week. Meanwhile, Brandin Podziemski is an immediate pickup in shallow leagues. For deeper formats, De’Anthony Melton (10%), Moses Moody (15%), and Quinten Post (3%) are poised for increased opportunity; meanwhile, Jonathan Kuminga’s trade request adds uncertainty to Golden State’s rotation, even if he returns.

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The top player in High Score (and across all formats), Nikola Jokić remains out with a hyperextended knee. He’s resumed on-court workouts and looks to be on track to return in late January. He’s far and away the best fantasy player in High Score. He’s the only player averaging north of 70 fantasy points per game and he should still be the No. 1 overall pick if drafting a team right now.

Stay tuned for the next look at the High Score 100!

The 2025 season just barely ended, but that’s not stopping us from looking eight months ahead.

Here’s our way-too-early top 25 for the 2026 college football season. A lot can and will change in the months before the season begins in late August. But here’s our quick and undoubtedly wrong look at how the field could stack up.

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25. Virginia

How do the Cavaliers follow up the best season in school history? Tony Elliott signed QBs Beau Pribula (Missouri) and Eli Holstein (Pitt) to replace Chandler Morris along with a few key defenders from the transfer portal. Virginia should be near the top of the ACC again.

24. Illinois

QB Luke Altmyer is out of eligibility and Bret Bielema brought in former East Carolina QB Katin Houser to replace him. The addition of FIU WR Alex Perry could be significant too. He had 56 grabs for 840 yards in 2025. This is a team that’s won 19 games over the past two seasons and should again be safely bowl eligible.

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23. Washington

The Huskies dodged a huge loss when Demond Williams Jr. decided he was going to stay for the 2026 season. Williams can enter the season as a sleeper Heisman candidate and is the reason why we have Washington ranked. If he had left, coach Jedd Fisch would have had a huge hole to fill at QB.

22. South Carolina

Is it a make-or-break season for Shane Beamer? Yes, the Gamecocks had a rough schedule in 2025, but the defense took a step back and the offensive line was rough. SC added NC State OL Jacarrius Peak in the transfer portal and QB LaNorris Sellers is back along with edge rusher Dylan Stewart.

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21. Houston

Did Houston have the quietest 10-win season in 2025? QB Conner Weigman is back for a second season after he threw for over 2,700 yards and 25 TDs and the Cougars have added a very solid transfer class. The team’s top two signees are offensive linemen and former Tulane RB Makhi Hughes comes over from Oregon where he hopes to recapture the form he had with the Green Wave.

20. Virginia Tech

We’re already bullish on the quick turnaround James Franklin can engineer in Blacksburg. He’s brought over a host of transfers from Penn State, including QB Ethan Grunkemeyer and TE Luke Reynolds along with CB Jaquez White from Troy and edge rusher Javion Hilson from Missouri.

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19. Louisville

Can Lincoln Kienholz have a breakout season with the Cardinals? After multiple seasons as a backup at Ohio State, Kienholz is now the favorite to start at QB. Coach Jeff Brohm kept RB Isaac Brown from entering the transfer portal and also added Vanderbilt WR Tre Richardson.

18. Penn State

As many former Nittany Lions have gone to Virginia Tech, even more Iowa State players have followed Matt Campbell to State College. That includes QB Rocco Becht, RB Carson Hansen, CB Jeremiah Cooper and a bunch of others. Building a team out of Iowa State players isn’t flashy, but Campbell is the winningest coach in school history for a reason.

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17. SMU

The Mustangs bring back QB Kevin Jennings and added former Cal RB Kendrick Raphael in the transfer portal. He rushed for 943 yards and 13 scores in 2025. The loss of offensive coordinator Casey Woods could hurt — he’s the new head coach at Missouri State — but Rhett Lashlee’s offense should be one of the best in the ACC once again.

16. Michigan

It’s hard to see how Michigan could have done much better than getting Kyle Whittingham after it fired Sherrone Moore. Whittingham brings offensive coordinator Jason Beck with him from Utah and Bryce Underwood could have a breakout season under Beck. DE John Henry Daley and other players have followed Whittingham from Salt Lake City, too.

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15. BYU

The Cougars lost defensive coordinator Jay Hill after Whittingham hired him at Michigan and replaced Hill with longtime assistant Kelly Poppinga. QB Bear Bachmeier should be even better in 2026 and getting leading rusher LJ Martin back for his senior year is a big boost.

14. USC

The Trojans have the top-ranked recruiting class in the country heading into the 2026 season. How many of those players can make an immediate impact? Lincoln Riley’s offense will be very good once again. The onus is on the defense … again. The Trojans haven’t allowed fewer than 5.5 yards per play since it gave up 5.4 yards a play in 2018 under Clay Helton.

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13. Oklahoma

We’re betting on a full offseason of health for John Mateer. He’s back for another run at it with the Sooners and was fantastic before he suffered a broken bone in his throwing hand in Week 4 against Auburn. OU’s defense was good enough to win a national title in 2025, but the offense simply wasn’t in the second half of the season.

12. Alabama

With Ty Simpson off to the NFL, it’s up to Austin Mack or Keelon Russell to start at QB for the Crimson Tide. Mack has more familiarity with Kalen DeBoer and Ryan Grubb’s offensive system. Russell is a former five-star recruit. The Tide also bring in No. 1 running back recruit Ezavier Crowell. Can he make Alabama’s run game work again?

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11. Ole Miss

Let’s be clear: This ranking is betting on Trinidad Chambliss winning his legal fight to get a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA. The Rebels are clear contenders to get back to the College Football Playoff if he’s back in Oxford. If he’s not, there are major questions at quarterback after Austin Simmons transferred to Missouri.

10. Miami

Just like with Ole Miss, we’re doing a bit of quarterback projection here and assuming that Darian Mensah ends up a Hurricane. If he doesn’t, then adjust your expectations accordingly. A young secondary should get even better in 2026 and Malachi Toney will be a sleeper Heisman candidate.

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9. Notre Dame

QB CJ Carr got better as the season went on in 2025 and could be one of the best quarterbacks in college football in 2026. The Irish made some late moves in the transfer portal, have the No. 2 high school recruiting class in the country and, most importantly, coach Marcus Freeman rebuffed NFL interest to stay in South Bend.

8. Texas A&M

The Aggies bring back QB Marcel Reed, RB Le’Veon Moss and WR Mario Craver. They also have On3’s No. 3 transfer portal class as they’ve loaded up on defense. Five of the Aggies’ top six rated transfers are all on that side of the ball, including former Tennessee QB Rickey Gibson and former Northwestern edge rusher Anto Saka.

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7. Texas Tech

Raiding the transfer portal worked really well for Texas Tech ahead of the 2025 season. Why not do it again and add a QB this time? Brendan Sorsby comes over from Cincinnati and Texas Tech is reloading up front again after the success that its defensive line had in 2025.

6. LSU

Lane Kiffin got his quarterback in former Arizona State signal-caller Sam Leavitt. He also added former five-star recruit Husan Longstreet from USC. LSU was one of the biggest underachievers in 2025. This is a roster that can make the College Football Playoff. And, given the way Kiffin left Ole Miss, anything less than making the CFP semifinals can be considered a disappointment.

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5. Georgia

QB Gunner Stockton is set to come back after he finished in the top 10 of the Heisman voting. The Bulldogs need to replace Zachariah Branch and CJ Allen, but this is a team loaded with top-tier recruits. Even though Georgia has lost in the quarterfinals in each of the past two seasons, we’re not betting against Kirby Smart’s team anytime soon.

4. Ohio State

QB Julian Sayin and WR Jeremiah Smith are back as the Buckeyes are now the chasers in the Big Ten once again. Losing Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese and Caleb Downs on defense is significant, but Matt Patricia’s unit was so, so good in 2025 that it’s hard to see them taking a huge step back in 2026.

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3. Indiana

The Hoosiers have become one of the best teams at navigating the transfer portal and they have the top class in the country in 2026 after winning the national championship this season. Former TCU QB Josh Hoover is in line to replace Fernando Mendoza and WR Nick Marsh is a stellar add from Michigan State. Don’t overlook the edge rushing depth that Curt Cignetti signed as well.

2. Texas

Get ready for another offseason of Texas talk. Don’t say you haven’t been warned. The Longhorns have loaded up on offense for what could be QB Arch Manning’s final season. RBs Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers arrived via the transfer portal along with former Auburn WR Cam Coleman. Oh, the defense is coordinated by Will Muschamp again, too. How good can he make that unit?

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1. Oregon

The return of Dante Moore for the 2026 season isn’t the only reason the Ducks are in this spot. Yes, Oregon loses TE Kenyon Sadiq, S Dillon Thieneman and LB Bryce Boettcher, but Matayo Uiagalelei is back along the defensive line along with A’Mauri Washington and Bear Alexander. RB Jordon Davison should be better as a sophomore and Oregon added Minnesota S Koi Perich in the transfer portal too.

The day before Indiana became the third consecutive Big Ten team to win the College Football Playoff, conference commissioners met at a hotel in Miami Beach to discuss the future format of the postseason.

Nothing was finalized at that meeting. Barring a sudden agreement to expand the playoff before Friday’s deadline, the playoff will likely remain at 12 teams for a third season in 2026.

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Expansion is broadly viewed as a good idea among college football’s leadership. Both the SEC and the Big Ten want to enlarge the field. But the two power brokers can’t figure out how the playoff should expand. The SEC wants 16 teams. The Big Ten wants 24 to make the playoff.

Why?

It’s a great question, especially as the conference has followed the SEC’s four-year title streak with championships by Michigan, Ohio State and now Indiana, the greatest story in modern college football history. Why does the Big Ten want to mess with a good thing?

The easiest answer is, of course, money. More CFP games equals more TV money and more Big Ten teams in the playoff equals more TV money for the conference. But no matter the format, a 24-team playoff would provide more opportunities for Big Ten teams to lose before making the title game. The Big Ten’s idea could derail its dominance if it came to fruition.

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In the era of mega-sized conferences and no divisions, it’s undeniable that most title contenders have schedule-based advantages during the regular season. In the 18-team Big Ten, teams play just over half of the conference. Just four games were played among the five Big Ten teams that were in the top 20 as of the Dec. 7 AP poll. And either Michigan or USC were involved in three of those games.

Neither made the playoff, while Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon were all seeded inside the top five and the Ducks joined the Hoosiers in the semifinals.

While more spots in the playoff will undoubtedly create more opportunities for Big Ten teams, the conference doesn’t need to be getting three- and four-loss teams into the playoff to simply fill the field.

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Over the first two years of the 12-team playoff, the Big Ten has secured seven of the 24 available spots and occupied four of the eight spots in the semifinals. And when Michigan won the title in the final four-team playoff two seasons ago, it did so by beating a Washington team that’s now a part of the Big Ten itself.

With the possible exception of Indiana a season ago, each of the Big Ten’s playoff teams have entered the 12-team postseason with a credible national title argument.

In this case, quality is far better than quantity. Given the new college football landscape, Indiana is now positioned at the top with Oregon and Ohio State for the foreseeable future while Penn State, Michigan and USC are hanging around on the playoff periphery. The Big Ten is in an incredibly advantageous spot already. It shouldn’t squander that opportunity just to make the playoff even bigger.

The Indiana Hoosiers completed one of the great underdog runs in college football history on Monday night, beating the Miami Hurricanes 27-21 to win the national championship.

Indiana QB and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza didn’t have his biggest game (186 yards passing, one rushing touchdown) but it was enough to get the Hoosiers over the finish line and complete a perfect 16-0 season.

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Oddsmakers and bettors alike didn’t have high hopes for the Hoosiers before the season.

At BetMGM, Indiana opened with 100-1 odds to win the CFP back in January and still had 100-1 odds before Week Zero in August; there were 22 teams with better odds to win the title, led by the favorite Texas Longhorns at +450. Only 0.8% of the total bets and 0.5% of the total dollars wagered were on the Hoosiers, so they were far from a public team.

Those 100-1 odds are the longest for any national champion since 2001, which is as far back as the Sports Odds History database goes. The previous champion with the longest preseason odds was the 2010 Auburn Tigers at 50-1.

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The Hoosiers weren’t even close to a favorite to win the Big Ten with 35-1 odds, tied for the sixth-best odds to win the conference and well behind favorites Ohio State (+190), Penn State (+240) and Oregon (+350). Indiana defeated Oregon and Penn State en route to a perfect 12-0 regular season before beating Ohio State 13-10 in the Big Ten championship game.

The Hoosiers won and covered their first two CFP games easily before defeating Miami 27-21; the Hurricanes didn’t quite cover the 7.5-point spread though.

We are down to the final four teams still standing in the NFL.

When it comes to betting these games and getting action down early in the week, we will look at how the markets opened and shifted slightly since Sunday night, what the teams’ most up to date injury reports are, and which key numbers in NFL sides and totals the current lines revolve around. All of this in an effort to figure out where these lines are going to move between now and Sunday kickoff and go into the game with bets that have closing line value, and therefore a positive expected value, to indicate a strong market position.

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Here are a couple of early bets I like for the championship games:

Odds courtesy of BetMGM.

The major news coming out of Denver in the wake of the Broncos’ 33-30 overtime win against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills was Broncos quarterback Bo Nix sustaining an ankle fracture that requires surgery. The Broncos will start Jarrett Stidham, a veteran backup who last threw a pass in an NFL game in late 2023 (outside of preseason reps).

To quantify this we will reflect on a preseason rating system from Yahoo’s very own Ben Fawkes, which had Nix rated 3.85 points better than Stidham. The current line at Patriots -5.5 has moved significantly more than that, as the Broncos were priced as home favorites in theoretical look-ahead lines against the Patriots or Texans before the games took place. Not all points are valued equally in the NFL, and while switching favorites is not a huge value shift, moving through the 3 with the Patriots now out to -5.5 is immense.

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At this point to bet the spread for this game, it’s the Broncos now or waiting until a better Patriots number shows back up. I do not think this game will touch Patriots -6, and if it does it will be a momentary flash that will be bet in the other direction.

The total is where I have an actionable angle right now, and that is towards the under at 41.5. This total has been bet up, opening at BetMGM at 40.5 and now sitting at 41.5. Crossing through the 41 is significant, as 41 represents the fourth-most common NFL scoring outcome over the last three seasons. Dating back further only makes the number more important as well.

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While Broncos head coach Sean Payton is widely regarded as an offensive guru, I expect the play calls he has ready for Stidham on Sunday to be safe, prioritizing the run game, quick passes and bootleg type of rollout looks. A lot of designed plays are based on timing. Denver’s offensive success is not likely to be found in generating explosive plays.

On the other end is a defensive-minded coach in Mike Vrabel who is lauded for his specific game plans to attack opposing teams. I expect heavy pressure against Stidham to force him to make a decision and hopefully make some mistakes. One of Nix’s best qualities is his ability to avoid taking sacks, and I am not sure that holds up for Stidham. Pressure will be the best way for the Patriots to put the Broncos in long down-and-distance situations and needing to convert a big play.

The Denver defense is also ranked No. 3 in the league in points allowed at only 18.3 points per game during the regular season. The Broncos defense will know it carries the brunt of the responsibility to keep this game close. Forcing field goals instead of touchdowns against Drake Maye will be vital and should keep this a low-scoring contest.

At current numbers I like the under and in the prop market, would look to Broncos kicker Wil Lutz over 6.5 points scored at any price -140 or better (that is current number at BetMGM). The altitude allows for distance kicks, and Payton is one of the coaches still opting to take the points in some key fourth-down situations.

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Bet: Under 41.5 (-110), Wil Lutz over 6.5 points (-140)

At the end of the NFL regular season, the Rams and Seahawks ranked second and third in the NFL in market-based power ratings — and they were only 0.1 points away from one another.

To use these ratings systems, we match up teams and find the difference, and then factor in the weight of home-field advantage. If home field is worth generally 1.5 points from neutral sites in the NFL, then the Seahawks were a projected 1.4-point favorite heading into the playoffs. The opening line for this game on Sunday night was Seahawks -1.5, so this all lines up.

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The next layer of thinking is what has changed. The Seahawks had a bye week and then absolutely destroyed the San Francisco 49ers, winning 41-6. The Rams have played two road games and have won both, but failed to cover in either one.

The Seahawks took clear action in the betting market prior to the win over the 49ers, while the Panthers and Bears both took sharp “steam” on their spread numbers against the Rams and covered. These factors, the rest, the market moves, the subsequent results would shift the market rating system to have the Seahawks ahead, and thus the line move to -2.5 as the current consensus is spot on.

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I would still bet Seattle -2.5 or on the money line at -155. The money line has slightly more value at the current prices, and any Seattle -160 or better is a bet I am willing to place. The lone injury concern was Sam Darnold dealing with an oblique injury sustained in practice late last week, but he looked fine and now has another week to get even healthier.

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In total, I also like the under in this game. The repeat matchup and fact that this game is the third meeting between these teams this season means increased familiarity with the game plan, scouting report and opposing player tendencies. Repeat matchups are an edge toward defenses and less scoring. I also think there is some asymmetry in the market direction. At the current price of 47.5, I think there is a higher chance this drops than rises. Finally, the current weather report for a Sunday night in Seattle forecasts little chance of rain and low wind impacts. However, that is certainly subject to change.

Any significant change in the forecast would probably make the expected conditions worse, meaning the total here would plummet. Take the under.

Bet: Seahawks money line -155, Under 47.5