Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales announced on Monday that Ejiro Evero will be back next season as the team's defensive coordinator. Even though the Panthers defense struggled mightily at times in 2024 and gave up 38 points to an Atlanta Falcons offense with a rookie QB at the helm in the overtime win in the Week 18 regular-season finale, Evero will be back in 2025. The Panthers defense allowed 534 total points this year, which is a new NFL record for a single season. The Carolina defense also surrendered the most total yards per game (404.5) and the most rushing yards per game (179.8) under Evero. In his first year as the defensive coordinator in 2023, the Panthers' defense ranked fourth overall. He'll be entering the final year of his three-year deal and will need to make glaring improvements if he wants to stick around beyond 2025.

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Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington caught four of five targets for 48 yards in the season-ending 32-20 loss to the New York Jets. The rookie took on a more significant role later in the season with the injury to Jaylen Waddle (knee) and the lack of depth Miami has at the receiver position. In the last four games, Washington saw more targets, receptions, and yards than he had in any stretch this season. Tyreek Hill will surely be parting ways with the organization in the offseason, and he could find himself in a more prominent role when the 2025 season starts. Time will only tell, but the rookie has shown a level of promise that he looks to build off of when the NFL season comes around in September.

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The Chicago Bears have officially requested interviews with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn for their head-coaching job, according to sources. Johnson is the hottest head-coaching candidate this cycle and reportedly will also interview for the New England Patriots' head-coaching job this week with the Lions on a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Although Johnson turned down head-coaching opportunities at this time last year, he's apparently much more receptive to a head-coaching position this year, although he needs to be on the same page with a front office. In addition to Johnson and Glenn of the Lions, the Bears have requested to interview Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver for their head-coaching job. The biggest draw for an incoming head coach in Chicago is working with last year's No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Caleb Williams.

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The Seattle Seahawks fired offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb after just one season with the team on Monday, according to sources. The 48-year-old was in his first season in the NFL in 2024 after having been a long-time college football offensive coordinator, including running the Washington Huskies' offense in 2022 and 2023. Under Grubb this year, the Seahawks offense had trouble clicking consistently despite plenty of weapons on that side of the ball. They finished 14th in total offense, 18th in points scored, and missed the playoffs under first-year head coach Mike Macdonald despite going 10-7. The Seahawks particularly struggled on the ground, finishing 28th in the league with 1,627 rushing yards. About the only good thing that Grubb did in his only year with the Seahawks was aid second-year wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba in his breakout campaign.

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The New Orleans Saints will interview David Shaw for their head-coach position, according to two sources. Shaw is currently a senior personnel executive for the Denver Broncos but previously spent 12 years at Stanford and coached quarterbacks like Andrew Luck and Davis Mills. Shaw also has an extensive background in the NFL and has served as an assistant head coach with the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders. The 52-year-old was Stanford's head coach from 2011-22, going 96-54, including three Pac-12 conference titles. The Saints are looking for a new full-time head coach after firing Dennis Allen in November after the team started the year 2-7. Darren Rizzi stepped in as the interim head coach after Allen was axed and led the team to a 5-12 finish, which was good enough for last place in the NFC South division.

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Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday that wide receiver Zay Flowers (knee) is day-to-day after he injured his knee in the win over the division-rival Cleveland Browns on Saturday in the Week 18 regular-season finale. "It's not a season-ending injury. It will be day-to-day," Harbaugh said. Flowers underwent an MRI exam on Sunday for an injury that was initially deemed a right-knee sprain, which makes him questionable to play in the wild-card round of the playoffs this weekend on Saturday against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers. We'll have a better idea of the 24-year-old's status for this weekend once the team resumes practicing on Tuesday. If Flowers is out, Rashod Bateman would become Baltimore's top wideout, with tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely also seeing more targets. At receiver, Nelson Agholor and Tylan Wallace would also be thrust into bigger roles.

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Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange finished the season on a positive note in a 26-23 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The second-year tight end finished with four catches for 60 yards. After an 11-catch, 73-yard performance against the New York Jets back in Week 15, Strange has struggled to produce. While this Week 18 performance isn't anything special, it is at least a positive way to end the season for the young tight end. Evan Engram went out with an injury for the last few weeks, paving the way for Strange to get looks as a starter. It will be interesting to see what the Jaguars do with the veteran tight end Engram after firing head coach Doug Pederson. It is hard to tell right now, but Strange could be in line for a solid season in a starter role in the 2025 NFL season.

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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) admitted that he's been playing through a small fracture in his back. Pittman first noticed it during a joint practice with the Arizona Cardinals in training camp, and a scan showed the extent of the injury. He decided to play through his back injury and had a follow-up scan in Week 3. The 27-year-old will have another scan on Monday to determine if he'll require offseason surgery. Surprisingly, Pittman only missed one game in 2024, although his back injury certainly played a part in what was a down season for his standards. He finished with 69 receptions on 111 targets for 808 yards -- his lowest total since his rookie season in 2020 -- and only three touchdowns in 16 games. Second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson's own injuries and inaccuracy didn't help Pittman's cause in 2024.

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Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle caught four of nine targets for 44 yards in the 32-20 Week 18 loss to the New York Jets. He also carried the ball once for six yards. It was a disappointing ending to a season where Waddle was at career lows in all major receiving statistics. He failed to reach 1000 yards for the first time as a pro and finished third on the team in receiving yards behind Jonnu Smith. With Tyreek Hill making it abundantly clear that he wants to be traded out of Miami, there's a chance Waddle can return to being the WR1 for the first time since 2021. Tua Tagovailoa missing four games heavily contributed to Waddle's decline, but he looks to head into 2025 fully healthy. He will look to start fresh and return to his old self when the season returns in September.

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Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. struggled to find much space in a 26-23 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts. He finished with 13 carries for 31 yards as well as three catches for 29 yards. The 25-year-old back out of Clemson had the worst season of his young career, struggling to find efficient yardage in a lackluster offense. While it still seems Etienne Jr. is much better in the passing game than backup Tank Bigsby, Bigsby seemed to take over as the lead rusher and goal-line back. Maybe with a healthy offense and improved roster next season, Etienne Jr. can get back on track, but he will likely still have Bigsby nipping at his heels. Expect Etienne Jr. to remain involved, but not as a workhorse back in the 2025 NFL season.

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Jacksonville Jaguars rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. earned double-digit targets and topped the century mark in yards yet again in a 26-23 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Ever since Mac Jones took over at quarterback in Week 13 for the injured Trevor Lawrence, he has made it his mission to find BTJ. That has allowed the rookie first-round receiver out of LSU to thrive. While he didn't find the end zone, he still finished with seven catches for 103 yards, a great stat line for fantasy, especially in PPR. BTJ has already developed into a sure-fire top receiver in the league, and his potential is sky-high for the future, no matter who is throwing him the ball. Expect even more WR1 fantasy performances from BTJ in the 2025 NFL season.

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Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington salvaged his fantasy day with a touchdown in a 26-23 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Washington finished with just two catches for 15 yards and a nine-touchdown. The young receiver has been inconsistent ever since taking over at receiver for the injured Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis. He surpassed 100 yards back in Week 13 against the Houston Texans when Mac Jones first took over at QB. However, since then he has struggled to consistently produce, always outshined by the talented Brian Thomas Jr. Washington does seem like a decent red zone threat at least, scoring each of the last two weeks. Washington could turn into a decent flex option if he becomes a consistent starter in the 2025 NFL season.

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Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones had a solid final game of the season in a 26-23 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts. He put up 20 completions on 32 attempts for 225 yards and a touchdown. He also threw a pick. The backup quarterback took over for the injured Trevor Lawrence back in Week 13 against the Houston Texans and has been up and down ever since. This performance was somewhere in between. He barely surpassed 200 yards in five quarters and turned the ball over yet again, but was able to find Parker Washington for another touchdown and get Brian Thomas Jr. over 100 yards receiving in a near victory. Mac Jones will most likely return to a backup role, whether with the Jaguars or another team, in the 2025 NFL season.

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Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby struggled with efficiency, but did find the end zone in a 26-23 overtime loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Bigsby finished with 14 carries for 39 yards and a one yard touchdown. He also caught a pass for three yards. Bigsby had similar production to what he has had many times this season. In an overall lackluster offense, he struggled for yardage and wasn't involved in the passing game but found the end zone, all while splitting touches with Travis Etienne Jr. The young back had a much improved second season, but still is fighting an uphill battle to become a full-time starter. He's been better than Etienne Jr. this season, but this week and in the past few weeks, has struggled to separate himself. Bigsby will look to seize a more consistent starting role and earn more volume in the 2025 NFL season.

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The Denver Broncos defense/special teams unit was a no-brainer must-start in fantasy lineups in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs with most of KC's key starters rest for the playoffs. The Broncos defense, a top-five defense all year, didn't allow their division rivals to score a single point on the day while combining for five sacks on quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Chris Oladokun to set a new franchise record for most sacks in a single season with 63. They also recovered two fumbles to finish the final week of the regular season as a top-five fantasy defense. Overall, they ranked No. 1 in the league thanks to a league-high 63 sacks, 10 fumble recoveries, 15 interceptions, three defensive scores, two safeties and only 18.3 points allowed per game (third-fewest). They'll have a tough test in the playoffs, though, on the road in Buffalo against the Bills next Sunday.

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The New England Patriots have submitted a request to interview Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson for their vacant head-coach position, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Johnson has long been viewed as a premier coaching candidate given his status as one of the league's top offensive masterminds. In fact, he seemed to be in line for a head coaching job last offseason before withdrawing his name and returning to the Lions for another season. Johnson's excellent work in Detroit has given him plenty of leverage, and he could have his choice of job and salary once again this offseason. As a result, New England won't be the only team attempting to court him. The Chicago Bears have already requested an interview with Johnson, and he'll likely speak to other teams within the next couple of weeks, too. The Patriots' interest isn't a surprise, but he might not be their top target. New England has been heavily linked to Mike Vrabel, who reportedly has a small coaching staff in place and ready to move to Foxborough. This entire interview process is somewhat uncharted territory for the modern-day Patriots, who enjoyed nearly 24 years of stability with Bill Belichick and did not interview any other candidates before hiring Jerod Mayo last offseason. Mayo was fired after his first season at the helm as the Patriots finished with a woeful 4-13 record.

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The Denver Broncos offense was too efficient in their 38-0 blowout win over the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in the Week 18 regular-season finale, which limited kicker Wil Lutz's upside for fantasy managers. With a Chiefs defense resting pretty much all of their top players for the playoffs, they provided little resistance, and the Broncos offense took advantage. The 30-year-old veteran kicker did remain perfect on his kicking opportunities for his seventh straight game, but he made just one field goal and went 5-for-5 on his extra points. Since the Week 10 loss to the Chiefs, Lutz has gone 13-for-13 on his field-goal tries and 27-for-27 on extra points. Lutz has made 91.2% of his field-goal attempts this year and all 46 of his extra points, making him the No. 7 fantasy kicker through 18 weeks. He'll be a bit volatile in Buffalo against the Bills on wild-card weekend, though, depending on the weather.

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Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams saw eight touches in the 38-0 trouncing of the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in the Week 18 regular-season finale with the Chiefs resting most of their starters. Williams had only five carries but went for 28 yards (5.6 yards per carry) and also caught three of his four targets for 50 yards. He had the fewest touches behind Jaleel McLaughlin and rookie Audric Estime, but Williams was the most productive with his touches to help Denver clinch their first postseason berth since 2015. The 24-year-old began the year as the clear backfield leader, but he's now fallen into a timeshare with McLaughlin and Estime and didn't even have a carry in last week's overtime loss to the Bengals. Denver will likely continue to split the workload among the three backs next Sunday in the playoff game against the Buffalo Bills, making Williams hard to trust for fantasy purposes.

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Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson (Achilles) suffered a setback in his recovery from a torn Achilles, which will delay his recovery. It's too early for a timetable, however, according to Browns general manager Andrew Berry.

Fantasy Spin: Watson wasn't a great fantasy option next year before this setback. Stay tuned, but he's unlikely to be more than a two-QB league option.

From TheHuddle

Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin led the team in carries in the 38-0 win over the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in the Week 18 regular-season finale that pushed the Broncos into the postseason, but he didn't stand out at all. McLaughlin had a team-high 16 rushing attempts but only gained 39 yards on the ground (2.4 yards per carry) while catching both of his targets for only nine yards. The 24-year-old's 16 carries were a season-high, but it was disappointing he wasn't able to do more against a Chiefs defense resting most of its key players for the playoffs. Despite the inefficient performance, McLaughlin has been seeing the most touches in Denver's backfield committee in recent weeks, giving him flex value for fantasy playoff leagues as the Broncos head to Buffalo to take on the Bills next Sunday in the wild-card round.

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