Washington Commanders tight ends John Bates (shoulder) and Ben Sinnott (shoulder) were both listed as limited participants in Thursday's practice after they were both full-go in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. It's possible that both are merely being rested ahead of Sunday's NFC Championship against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles, but there statuses will become more clear on Friday. Meanwhile, fellow TE Zach Ertz (rib, rest) returned to a full practice on Thursday after picking up a DNP on Wednesday. As long as Ertz is healthy and on the field, neither Bates nor Sinnott are worth considering in fantasy playoff leagues. Bates had only eight catches on 13 targets for 84 yards and no touchdowns in 17 regular-season games, while Sinnott had five grabs for 28 yards and one score in 17 games.

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Philadelphia Eagles rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (shoulder) upgraded to a full practice session on Thursday after he was listed as limited on Wednesday. The impressive rookie defensive back injured his shoulder in the Divisional Round win over the Los Angeles Rams and was never able to return, but the fact that he practiced in full on Thursday gives him a pretty good chance to play in the NFC Championship against the division-rival Washington Commanders this Sunday in Philly. The 23-year-old first-rounder has been a big reason why the Eagles defense has been one of the best units in the NFL this year, and his presence on the field this Sunday would be bad news for Commanders receivers Terry McLaurin and Dyami Brown. Mitchell recorded 46 tackles (37 solo) and 12 pass breakups in his first 16 regular-season games.

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Updating a previous report, Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (ankle) was a non-participant in practice on Thursday for the second straight day this week. An earlier report suggested that Goedert would return to practice after missing Wednesday's session, but that turned out to not be the case. It now puts the 30-year-old's status for the NFC Championship this Sunday against the division-rival Washington Commanders up in the air. However, if he's able to get back on the practice field on Friday, it would be a surprise if he's not active as the Eagles look to punch their ticket to the Super Bowl. Goedert had four catches on six targets for 47 yards and a touchdown in the wild-card win over the Green Bay Packers and caught all four of his targets for 56 yards in the Divisional Round win over the Los Angeles Rams. If he's out or limited on Sunday, Grant Calcaterra would become a TE sleeper for DFS lineups.

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Buffalo Bills cornerbacks Christian Benford (concussion) and Taron Johnson (neck, shoulder) were both limited in the team's practice on Thursday. It was the second straight limited practice of the week for Benford, while Johnson was a downgrade after he put in a full practice on Wednesday. Benford is most likely going to need to upgrade to a full practice on Friday to have a shot to clear the league's concussion protocol after suffering a head injury in the Divisional Round win over the Baltimore Ravens. Johnson injured his neck in the wild-card win over the Denver Broncos but was able to suit up in the win over the Ravens, where he apparently picked up a shoulder ailment. The Bills could just be resting him on Thursday ahead of the AFC Championship on Sunday versus the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bills could be strong DFS play against a Chiefs offense that hasn't been as explosive this season.

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One day after reportedly agreeing to a contract extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that would have made him the league's highest-paid offensive coordinator, Liam Coen is meeting with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday about their open head-coach position, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Just several days ago, Coen was considered the favorite to become Jacksonville's next head coach, but then the extension with Tampa was announced. The Jaguars then fired general manager Trent Baalke, and all of a sudden Coen is interest in the job again. It's a fluid situation and nothing is official, but it appears Coen could back out of his extension with Tampa to join Jacksonville now that Baalke is out of the picture. Coen joining the Jags would be good news for quarterback Trevor Lawrence and bad news for Baker Mayfield in Tampa.

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Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (knee, illness, rest) upgraded to a full participant in Thursday's practice session after he was listed as limited on Wednesday. In addition to a knee injury that he's been nursing since late in the regular season, Brown has been a bit under the weather this week, but a return to a full practice on Thursday means he should be just fine to play on Sunday in the NFC Championship game against the division-rival Washington Commanders. The 27-year-old pass-catcher continues to play nearly all of Philly's offensive snaps on game days, but he's caught only three passes for 24 yards in two playoff wins over the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams the last two weeks. Fantasy managers brave enough to take the chance on Brown in DFS lineups this weekend will be leaning on the fact he caught 13 passes (23 targets) for 162 yards and a TD in two games against the Commanders earlier this year.

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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (knee) upgraded to a full practice session on Thursday after he was listed as limited in Wednesday's walkthrough. Hurts injured his left knee on Sunday in the Divisional Round win over the Los Angeles Rams. Although he didn't miss a snap, he appeared to be severely limited in what he could do the rest of the game and looked to be limping around after the game. However, Hurts said he expected to be fine for the NFC Championship this Sunday against the division-rival Washington Commanders, and his ability to practice in full on Thursday backs up that sentiment. As long as he does not have a setback with his knee on Friday, he should be available to play this weekend as the Eagles look to get back to the Super Bowl. Hurts' ability to score goal-line touchdowns on the tush push makes him more attractive for fantasy lineups, but his mobility could be limited against Washington.

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Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano (biceps/hamstring) remained limited during Thursday's practice session. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during Friday's final session, but seeing him remain a limited participant is a positive sign. Last weekend, during their victory over the Baltimore Ravens, the 30-year-old tallied three tackles (one solo). In their wild-card victory over the Denver Broncos, Milano logged five tackles with one sack. Milano missed the first 11 weeks of the season due to a torn biceps he suffered during training camp. However, since he returned, he has operated in his typical starting role in the Buffalo defense. If Milano were to miss Sunday's contest against the Kansas City Chiefs, Dorian Williams should see an increase in playing time.

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According to the team, Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner (ankle) remained sidelined during Thursday's practice. This was his second straight missed practice, and he could be in danger of missing Sunday's NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles if he cannot return to practice on Friday. Wagner sustained this ankle injury during their wild-card victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Wagner did not log a full practice last weekend prior to their game against the Detroit Lions but was still able to suit up. Wagner tallied eight tackles (two solo) with six assists in this contest. If Wagner were to sit out on Sunday, Nick Bellore would see an increase in playing time. The 34-year-old is the leader of the Washington defense, and his absence would be felt as they attempt to pull off an upset in Philadelphia.

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According to the team, Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne (finger/knee) remained sidelined during Thursday's practice. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his status during Friday's final session, as he could be in danger of missing Sunday's NFC title game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Payne sustained this finger injury during their wild-card victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is now dealing with an additional knee injury. If Payne were to be limited or sit out during Sunday's contest, fantasy managers should expect Sheldon Day to receive an uptick in playing time. During the regular season, Payne was a mainstay on the Washington defensive line. Across 17 games, he tallied 42 tackles (22 solo) with four sacks and two deflections.

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According to the team, Washington Commanders wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus (hip) remained a limited participant during Thursday's practice. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his status on Friday. If he is unable to upgrade to full participation, he may carry a questionable tag into Sunday's conference championship. Last weekend, during their upset victory over the Detroit Lions, Zacchaeus could not catch any of his two targets. During the wild-card round, Zaccheaus caught three passes for 19 yards. However, during the final three weeks of the regular season, Zacchaeus was a key part of the Washington air attack, averaging 68.7 yards per game with five receptions per contest and three touchdowns. Dyami Brown has surpassed him as the No.2 option on the depth chart, but Zaccheaus still carries flex value in DFS at a much lower price.

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According to the team, Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz (rib) was upgraded to full participation during Thursday's practice. This is a great sign, as Ertz did not participate during Wednesday's session. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status on Friday in case he faces a setback, but he should be in a position to be a full go for Sunday's conference championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles. In last weekend's victory over the Detroit Lions, Ertz caught all five of his targets for 28 yards and a score. Over his past nine contests, the veteran tight end has found the back of the end zone seven times and seen 5.1 targets per game. During this stretch, the 34-year-old has seen nine targets within the five-yard line and has become Jayden Daniels' go-to option in the red zone. He carries low-end TE1 value in DFS formats this weekend.

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Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Braden Fiske (knee) will undergo a knee procedure this offseason after suffering an injury in the Divisional Round loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The rookie second-round pick out of Florida State was excellent in Year 1 with the Rams, collecting 44 total tackles (20 solo), 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and six run stuffs in 17 games. Fortunately, head coach Sean McVay said the knee procedure will likely not affect his availability for the start of the 2025 campaign.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers inside linebackers coach Larry Foote is expected to interview for the vacant Detroit Lions defensive coordinator role, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. Former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn was hired as the next head coach of the New York Jets, leaving the Lions will a significant role to fill. Foote has coached linebackers since 2015 with the Cardinals and Buccaneers after 13 seasons as a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Lions, and Cardinals. The 44-year-old is a Super Bowl champion as a player and a coach, something Lions head coach Dan Campbell likely covets.

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In a media availability on Thursday, Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said he will call offensive plays for the team in 2025. Cleveland introduced offensive coordinator Tommy Rees on Thursday, but Stefanski will take back the reigns of the offense after relinquishing play-calling duties midway through the 2024 campaign. The 42-year-old was the play-caller for the Minnesota Vikings in 2018 and 2019 before taking over the head coaching job in Cleveland in 2020. The Browns produced respectable offensive numbers early in his tenure with Baker Mayfield under center, but production dipped when the organization signed Deshaun Watson ahead of the 2022 campaign. In 2025, Cleveland could be working with a rookie quarterback like Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders, but signing a veteran bridge quarterback is another option.

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Buffalo Bills safety Taylor Rapp (hip) did not practice on Thursday, marking the second consecutive day he has been out of action due to a hip injury. The 27-year-old was banged up in last week's win over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Divisional Round and is in danger of missing the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Rapp has started 14 games for Buffalo this year, but if he cannot play this week, rookie second-round pick Cole Bishop will likely make the start opposite Damar Hamlin in the backend of the Bills' defense.

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Philadelphia Eagles center Cam Jurgens (back) did not practice on Wednesday due to a back injury, but he is returning to practice on Thursday, according to head coach Nick Sirianni. The 2022 second-round pick out of Nebraska has started all but one game for Philly this season, and his return to practice is a promising sign for his potential availability against the Washington Commanders in Sunday's NFC Championship Game. Given the high usage rate of the "tush push" or "brotherly shove" in Philadelphia, the center spot is a critical position for the Eagles offense.

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Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (ankle) is set to practice on Thursday after missing Wednesday's sessions due to an ankle injury. The 30-year-old's return should signal he's trending toward being available for Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Washington Commanders. Goedert has been a major contributor in the postseason so far, leading all Eagles' pass-catchers in receptions (eight) and receiving yards (103) over the last two games against the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams. Washington presents a neutral matchup for fantasy tight ends, so he should continue to be heavily involved in the Jalen Hurts-led passing attack.

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The Chicago Bears will not retain offensive coordinator/interim head coach Thomas Brown and wide receivers coach Chris Beatty after the team hired Ben Johnson to be their next head coach, a league source told ESPN's Courtney Cronin. Brown interviewed for Chicago's head-coach position and also has interviewed for the Seattle Seahawks' offensive-coordinator vacancy. In addition to Brown and Beatty, offensive-line coach Chris Morgan, quarterbacks coach Kerry Joseph and defensive coordinator Eric Washington will not stay in Chicago under Johnson. Brown started the 2024 season as the Bears' passing-game coordinator but became the interim head coach after both offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and head coach Matt Eberflus were fired. In the last five weeks of the season, the Bears went 1-4 under the 38-year-old Brown.

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NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that the Jacksonville Jaguars are not down to the two candidates who will interview for their head-coaching job for the second time this week in former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. Jacksonville is still expected to conduct in-person interviews for the head-coaching job with Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady and Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. The Bills and Eagles are still in the playoffs, so the Jaguars will have to wait until next week to talk with Brady and Moore. With Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen out of the running for the Jags, Saleh or Brady could be the favorites to take over for Doug Pederson, who was fired after two years at the helm. In addition to the Jaguars, Brady is still a candidate for the head-coach job in New Orleans.

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