Ha-Seong Kim and the Atlanta Braves each got what they wanted: Kim received an extra $4 million after turning down his 2026 player option, and the Braves get Kim back to play shortstop.

Kim and the Braves agreed to a one-year, $20 million contract Dec. 16, reuniting after Kim played well enough in a one-month audition in Atlanta that he felt confident enough to opt out of a $16 million guarantee.

The Braves clearly wanted to retain him, even if they got just a 24-game glance at Kim in September, a period in which he hit five home runs and offered the promise of production at shortstop that’s been missing since Dansby Swanson signed with the Chicago Cubs after the 2022 season.

Kim, 30, was a versatile and valuable infielder for the Padres, notching a career high in home runs (17), WAR (5.3) and on-base percentage (.351) in 2023. But a shoulder injury dampened his outlook for free agency a year ago and the Tampa Bay Rays signed him to a one-year deal with a player option.

But Kim managed to play in just 24 games for the Rays and after they placed him on waivers — wary of being on the hook for the $16 million 2026 option — the Braves pounced.

His reacquisition continues a busy winter for the Braves, who signed All-Star reliever Robert Suarez and re-upped closer Raisel Iglesias, and added outfielder Mike Yastrzemski to a two-year, $23 million deal.

The San Antonio Spurs shocked the basketball world on Dec. 13, taking down the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Cup semifinals. Now, they are just one win away from earning the NBA Cup title and earning an additional $530,933 each.

Of course, that’s easier said than done, and their opponent in the championship game, the New York Knicks, are no push-over. The Spurs know they can’t take it easy against the Knicks; they’ll have to pull out all the stops once again in order to emerge victorious. But could that actually mean keeping their best player out of the starting lineup?

Spurs center Victor Wembanyama played limited minutes during the semifinal victory over the Thunder. Now, head coach Mitch Johnson has expressed that the team is considering employing a similar strategy in the NBA Cup final.

‘It’ll be something that Victor and I will continue to talk through,’ Johnson said Monday, Dec. 15, according to ESPN. ‘It’s hard. He wants to play. He wants to start. He wants to finish. … We still have to think about what’s best for the team, unfortunately. That decision can’t be made in a vacuum, even though it’s a very impactful and influential decision.’

How did Wembanyama do in the semifinal game?

Wembanyama returned from a 12-game absence on Saturday to participate in the semifinal against Oklahoma City. Wembanyama came off the bench for the first time in his career. Still, the third-year pro played 21 minutes and racked up 15 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter. The rest of the Spurs compiled just 18 points combined in the fourth.

‘I trust in Mitch 100 percent. They had the perfect plan,’ Spurs guard Devin Vassell told ESPN. ‘I know they talked about it over and over, and we executed it. As soon as Vic came in, he had the impact that we needed.’

Despite the success, the Spurs might limit Wembanyama again, promoting his long-term health above winning the NBA Cup.

‘It’s going to be a mix of different opinions,’ Wembanyama said Monday, according to ESPN. ‘But I’m ready. Even I will have my own opinion [about what to do]. It will also be based on my thoughts and the thoughts of the staff. But basically, we’re going to discuss it.’

Will Wembanyama be limited to 21 minutes again?

Head coach Mitch Johnson says that the team cannot afford to be ‘uninentional’ with Wembanyama’s minutes right now. Having learned from Wembanyama’s past injury struggles, the team has already worked on finding a path for Wemby to play as many minutes as possible with as little stress on his body as possible as well.

Although Johnson never offered a plan for Wemby Monday, it stands to reason that his minutes will be dictated by the flow of the game. On Saturday, Wembanyama did not check-in until the start of the second quarter. He only played seven minutes in the first half, before tallying nearly 13.5 minutes in the second half. The Spurs were trailing by 11 before Wembanyama came in and were still trailing at the start of the third quarter. Should the Spurs struggle to keep pace with New York, it’s likely that Wembanyama’s minutes could increase as the game wears on.

Wembanyama’s on/off court splits

Wembanyama’s presence can be felt on the floor. This year, when Wembanyama is on the court, opponents are averaging 105.4 points per 100 possessions, compared to 120.6 when Wembanyama is on the bench.

The Spurs have managed a stellar 9-3 record without Wembanyama this year, but it’s obvious that the team would rather have the DPOY frontrunner manning the glass tomorrow.

Michigan football interim coach Biff Poggi said it’s been a ‘complicated’ past few days for staff members and players since the firing and arrest of ex-Wolverines coach Sherrone Moore during an availability on Monday, Dec. 15 ahead of the Citrus Bowl.

Poggi’s remarks were his first public comments since he was elevated to interim head coach on Wednesday, Dec. 10 by Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel after Moore was fired — with cause — by the university after it found ‘credible evidence’ through an investigation that Moore had been ‘engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.’

‘Unique and complicated,’ Poggi said at an availability on Dec. 15 in Orlando, Florida. ‘Multiple levels of complexity that our young people are dealing with, our university is dealing with, our athletic director, Warde Manuel, is dealing with and our team, our coaches and our kids.’

Poggi even went as far as saying there’s nothing in a playbook to prepare a team for what Michigan has experienced the past handful of days.

‘I don’t know that you can prepare for something like this,’ Poggi said. ‘It’s been complicated.’

Moore was detained and booked on Dec. 10 by police after the Pittsfield Township Police Department responded to an incident at 4:10 p.m. ET on Dec. 10 ‘for the purposes of investigating an alleged assault.’ It was learned during Moore’s arraignment on Friday, Dec. 12 that the incident occurred at the home of the Michigan staff member he had an ‘intimate relationship’ with.

He was officially charged on Dec. 12 with home invasion, stalking, and breaking and entering. As noted by USA TODAY, the home invasion is a felony count charge, while the charges of stalking and breaking and entering are both misdemeanors.

He was released from the Washtenaw County Jail in Michigan shortly after his arraignment after posting his $25,000 bond.

‘It has been a tumultuous time,’ Poggi said. ‘A lot of … first disbelief, then anger, then really, what we’re in right now is the kids, quite frankly, feel very betrayed, and we’re trying to work through that.’

Michigan is set for a 3:30 p.m. ET, Dec. 31 kickoff against Texas in the Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.

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How did an undefeated Nebraska volleyball team lose to Texas A&M? What’s next for the nation’s most popular team? Those are the questions Huskers head coach Dani Busboom Kelly must answer heading into the 2025 offseason.

‘I think we maxed out,’ Busboom Kelly said after Nebraska’s stunning loss to the Aggies. ‘That’s always the goal … As a coach, I don’t feel upset. I know we didn’t make the Final Four. We’re not winning a national championship, but we maxed out today.

‘And when we can walk away from the last game of the season and feel like we gave it our all, and look back and have no regrets, that’s what I’m really proud of and hope that these players don’t have any regrets either.’

Nebraska, which hadn’t been down two sets since late August, fought as hard as it could. The Huskers survived being pushed to 10 set points and three Aggies match points during fourth set of the match, with help from Harper Murray (career high 25 kills on .255 hitting, three aces, nine digs) and Rebekah Allick (15 kills on .480 hitting, four blocks).

It wasn’t enough as Busboom Kelly’s team ran out of steam when it mattered most. Making matters worse, setter Bergen Reilly wasn’t 100% playing with an illness, backup setter Campbell Flynn broke a finger just days before and was out for the season, and opposite hitter Allie Sczech hurt herself in warmups and was out for the match.Afterwards, Allick, a senior, was so overcome with emotion she could barely speak through her tears. That’s when Murray stepped.

‘[Rebekah Allick] has put her heart and soul into the program. You can tell by her face how much she cares,’ Murray said, fighting back tears herself. ‘I don’t even care if we win or we lose because what I tried to tell [her] in the locker room is she’s going to take away the memories and the relationships that we made. Winning and losing ― yeah, it’s a part of volleyball and it sucks, but ― she put her heart and soul into this program for four years, and she’s leaving behind a great legacy.’

Eventually, Allick did speak, sharing a message for the players that will return. She revealed that she wanted them to ‘lead by example’ and referenced a relationship with former Huskers libero and 2024 AVCA National Player of the Year finalist Lexi Rodriguez. According to Allick, Rodriguez may not have always had the answers but she was intentional with how she showed up for her teammates, down a ‘random’ handhold or hug.

‘Never feel like you have to bear it all,’ Allick said. ‘It’s not all on you. Just go do your thing. You don’t [have to] make it a big show. Just go be yourself.’

Nebraska has four seniors, including Allick, who will be moving on from the program. Allick has a student-athlete partnership with League One Volleyball (LOVB), so she could sign a deal to play with LOVB. Outside hitter Taylor Landfair and Sczech are headed to Major League Volleyball. Landfair was drafted with the 28th overall pick in the 2025 MLV Draft by the Indy Ignite, and Sczech, drafted a pick laters, is staying in Nebraska to join the Omaha Supernovas. Nebraska middle blocker and libero Maisie Boesiger has not revealed if she will keep playing.

Assuming the team keeps its core next season, it will return four seniors, one junior, one redshirt sophomore and seven true sophomores. Nebraska will have six players from its starting lineup back, leaving the Huskers with more than enough pieces to make another run toward a sixth program title. What’s more, Nebraska volleyball will be boosted by the roaring sounds of 10,000 fans next season. The university announced plans earlier this month to expand John Cook Arena by 2,000 seats.

‘We played our hearts out and had a lot of things against us this week,’ Busboom Kelly said, ‘and we still were that close.’

Close enough to have another championship in its sights for 2026.

Mike White, who had stints as the head coach of Cal, Illinois and the Oakland Raiders, died at the age of 89 on Sunday, Dec. 14 in Newport Beach, California.

News of his death was announced on Monday, Dec. 15 by the Cal athletic department.

Born in Berkeley, California, White was a star end and halfback for the Golden Bears in the 1950s.

Appropriately, he began his coaching career at Cal, and after a successful detour at rival Stanford, returned to become his alma mater’s head coach in 1972.

His Golden Bears managed a first-place tie in the Pac-8 in 1975 after going 8-3. Cal again went 8-3 in 1977, and White finished his time there with a 35-30-1 record.

A two-year run as an assistant coach with the San Francisco 49ers led White back to another top college job, this time at Illinois from 1980-87. His tenure — in which he went 47-41-3 — peaked with a 10-2 Big-Ten championship and Rose Bowl season in 1983.

White eventually served as an offensive assistant with the Los Angeles Raiders under Art Shell for five seasons before taking the head coaching reins in 1995, coinciding with the team’s return to Oakland. That tenure lasted two seasons and resulted in a 15-17 record.

‘The Raiders family is saddened by the passing of Mike White, former head coach of the Silver and Black and a long-time NFL and college coach and mentor,’ a statement from the Las Vegas Raiders read. ‘The prayers of the entire Raider Nation are with Mike’s family at this time.’

White’s coaching career ended in 1999 when he won a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams as an offensive assistant.

In later years, he served as a founding board member of the Lott IMPACT Trophy, awarded to college football’s top defender and named for former defensive back Ronnie Lott.

‘The Lott IMPACT Trophy is saddened to learn of the passing of Mike White, an integral board member, who served as he coached, with fervor, determination and joy,’ the organization stated. ‘We extend our condolences to his wife Marilyn and children Chris, Matt, and Carrie.’

The 2025 NCAA women’s volleyball tournament is down to the Final Four — so is the 2025 AVCA Player of the Year Award shortlist.

The list of 14 semifinalists for the 2025 AVCA Player of the Year Award was narrowed to four finalists on Monday. Three of the four finalists are preparing to compete in the NCAA tournament semifinals on Thursday, which features No. 1 Pittsburgh facing off against No. 3 Texas A&M and No. 1 Kentucky going head-to-head with No. 3 Wisconsin.

Reigning 2024 Player of the Year Olivia Babcock is among the finalists. She’s looking to become the fifth player to win the award in back-to-back seasons and first to do so since Stanford’s Kathryn Plummer in 2017-2018.

The player of the year award will be announced on Friday, Dec. 19 at the AVCA Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, ahead of the national championship game on Sunday, Dec. 21 (ABC).

Here’s a look at the finalists:

NCAA VOLLEYBALL: Final Four set as Texas A&M and Wisconsin advance

2025 AVCA Player of the Year finalists

Olivia Babcock, Pitt, Jr.: The 6-foot-4 right side hitter already won 2025 ACC player of the year for the second straight season. Is a second consecutive AVCA Player of the Year award next? Babcock set career highs in kills per set (5.11) and digs per set (2.11) this season and a program record with 45 kills vs. North Carolina on Nov. 2.

Mimi Colyer, Wisconsin, Sr.: The 6-3 outside hitter 20 or more kills in nine matches this season, including 23 kills vs. No. 1 Texas in the Elite Eight and 27 kills vs. No. 2 Stanford in the Round of 16. She averages 5.39 kills per set and 5.97 points per set. Two Wisconsin players — Dana Rettke (2021) and Sarah Franklin (2023) — have previously won the award.

Eva Hudson, Kentucky, Sr.: The 6-1 outside hitter was named the SEC Player of the Year after hitting .317 with 4.54 kills per set and 504 total kills on the year. She leads Kentucky’s offense, which is hitting .295 this year.

Bergen Reilly, Nebraska, Jr.: The 6-1 junior setter was named Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Setter of the Year after averaging 10.47 assists and 2.70 digs per set. She totaled 73 kills, 67 blocks and 19 aces this season.

Former ACVA Players of the Year

• 1985: Kim Oden, Stanford
• 1986: Mariliisa Salmi, Brigham Young
• 1987: Tonya Sanders-Williams, Hawaii
• 1988: Tara Cross, Long Beach State
• 1989: Tara Cross, Long Beach State; Tonya Sanders-Williams, Hawaii
• 1990: Bev Oden; Stanford
• 1991: Antoinette White; Long Beach State
• 1992: Natalie Williams, UCLA
• 1993: Danielle Scott; Long Beach State
• 1994: Laura Davis, Ohio State
• 1995: Cary Wendell, Stanford; Allison Weston, Nebraska
• 1996: Angelica Ljungqvist, Hawaii
• 1997: Misty May, Long Beach State
• 1998: Misty May, Long Beach State
• 1999: Lauren Cacciamani, Penn State; Kerri Walsh, Stanford
• 2000: Greichaly Cepero, Nebraska
• 2001: Logan Tom, Stanford
• 2002: Logan Tom, Stanford
• 2003: Kim Willoughby, Hawaii
• 2004: Stacey Gordon, Ohio State; Ogonna Nnamani, Stanford
• 2005: Christina Houghtelling, Nebraska
• 2006: Sarah Pavan, Nebraska
• 2007: Foluke Akinradewo, Stanford
• 2008: Nicole Fawcett, Penn State
• 2009: Megan Hodge, Penn State
• 2010: Carli Lloyd, Cal
• 2011: Alex Jupiter, Southern California
• 2012: Alaina Bergsma, Oregon
• 2013: Krista Vansant, Washington
• 2014: Micha Hancock, Penn State
• 2015: Samantha Bricio, Southern California
• 2016: Sarah Wilhite, Minnesota
• 2017: Kathryn Plummer, Stanford
• 2018: Kathryn Plummer, Stanford
• 2019: Yossiana Pressley, Baylor
• 2021 (spring): Madison Lilley, Kentucky
• 2021 (fall): Dana Rettke, Wisconsin
• 2022: Logan Eggleston, Texas
• 2023: Sarah Franklin, Wisconsin
• 2024: Olivia Babcock, Pitt

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• The University of Michigan hired Jenner & Block, a Chicago-based law firm, to investigate its athletic department after football coach Sherrone Moore’s firing
• The firm’s initial investigation into Sherrone Moore and his relationship with a female staff member turned up nothing.
• Jenner & Block also investigated a former Michigan president in 2022 over similar allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate

Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore’s firing and subsequent arrest stemming from his relationship with a team employee is just the latest in a cascade of scandals to embroil the Michigan athletic department in the past several years.

The football program was punished for a sign-stealing scandal and recruiting violations, the men’s hockey coach was found to have created a toxic environment, a football co-offensive coordinator was fired and federally indicted for stealing intimate photos of female athletes, and the men’s basketball coach faced a Title IX complaint and was investigated for an altercation with a staff member.

And that’s just the past three years.

To examine why this keeps happening, Michigan has hired Chicago-based law firm Jenner & Block, which opened the initial inquiry into Moore this fall, to investigate the entire athletic department.  

If the name of the firm sounds familiar, it might be because of its previous ties to the university.

Jenner & Block also helped to investigate former Michigan president Mark Schlissel, who was fired in early 2022 after he was found to have violated university Policy No. 201.97 by having an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate — the same policy Moore is accused of violating.

Moore was fired on Dec. 10 after his ex-girlfriend, an employee of the football team, came forward to the university with proof of their yearslong relationship. Moore then broke into the employee’s house and threatened to kill himself, according to the police report. He was arrested and charged with felony home invasion, misdemeanor stalking and misdemeanor breaking and entering.

Jenner & Block’s initial probe into Moore turned up nothing after both Moore and the staffer denied their relationship, raising questions about how effective the firm will be at getting to the root of the athletic department’s cultural issues.

The investigation could have implications for Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, who has been in charge since 2016 and so far kept his job through the fallout from Moore’s firing.

How much will the investigation cost Michigan?

Jenner & Block’s services aren’t cheap. In the firm’s Dec. 2021 letter of engagement to U-M from the Schlissel case, attorney Anne Cortina Perry listed her hourly rate as $1,250 in 2022 — not including out-of-pocket expenses, internal charges and costs for outside consultants. Cortina Perry noted the university would be granted a 15% discount on hour-based fees for paying its monthly bills within 30 days.

The letter said Jenner & Block’s investigatory fees “are not in any way contingent upon its successful completion or outcome.”

The investigation revealed dozens of emails Schlissel had sent from his university account to a female employee with whom he was in a relationship. Michigan ultimately agreed to a settlement with Schlissel that paid the ousted president about $925,000 in deferred pay and benefits.

The specific cost of Jenner & Block’s independent investigation into Schlissel was not disclosed; however, considering the expanded scope of the current investigation and the likelihood fees are higher now than three years ago, Michigan could end up paying the firm hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions.

Michigan regent calls for transparency

Jordan Acker, a member of Michigan’s Board of Regents since 2019, called for transparency in Jenner & Block’s ongoing investigation in a Dec. 13 social media post.

“My expectations are clear: the findings of that investigation must be made public,” Acker wrote in part. “Transparency is essential to restoring trust and meeting the expectations of the people of this state, our students, our faculty, our alumni, and everyone who believes in the values this university is supposed to represent. Anything less would fall short of who we claim to be.”

The university did not immediately respond to an email from USA TODAY on Dec. 15 asking whether results of the investigation would be made public, but there is some precedent for at least partial transparency.

When announcing Schlissel’s firing in January of 2022, Michigan’s board posted his termination letter on its website along with 118 emails uncovered during the investigation. The full report from Jenner & Block was not released publicly.

Jenner & Block background

Beyond its experience with Michigan, Jenner & Block has a history of high-profile investigations and lawsuits.  

The firm often represents private and public universities in internal investigations, Congressional inquiries, NCAA enforcement defense and Title IX and sexual misconduct litigation. Jenner & Block represented Northwestern in a wrongful termination lawsuit filed against the school by former football coach Pat Fitzgerald, which ended in a settlement reached this August.

Jenner & Block has a Culture Risk and Sensitive Investigations Group that works with clients in education and other industries. According to the firm’s website, the group, “specializes in conducting nuanced investigations and reviews that uncover what is actually happening within an organization, including whether that on-the-ground experience is inconsistent with the direction from company leadership.”

In March, the Trump administration targeted Jenner & Block with an executive order that attempted to block the firm from doing business with the government because the firm formerly employed a prosecutor who investigated the president’s 2016 campaign. A federal judge ruled the order unconstitutional.

Lawyers from Jenner & Block are also representing Harvard in legal fights against the Trump administration over foreign student enrollment.

If you’re reading this, congratulations on advancing to the second round of the 2025 fantasy football playoffs.

At quarterback, Trevor Lawrence posted a new career-high in fantasy points, besting his previous record by 11 points. J.J. McCarthy continued to smack the piñata that is the Cowboys defense, posting a career-best fantasy outing. Jacoby Brissett became the first passer to reach 20 fantasy points against the Texans. And Philip Rivers became just the second grandfather since Brett Favre to play in the NFL.

It wasn’t just quarterbacks that had all the fun. Texans running back Jawhar Jordan made his NFL debut and dropped 12.8 half-PPR points after Woody Marks left with an injury for (roughly) the 23rd time this season. Lions wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown tied his career high with 34.9 half-PPR points. And at tight end, Kyle Pitts’ 40.1 points were nearly double his previous career best, and Trey McBride dominated the league’s best defense to the tune of a career-high 31.4 half-PPR points.

Here’s a look at Week 16 fantasy football rankings. Toggle between standard, half PPR (point per reception) and full PPR to see where players rank in your league’s format. Scroll to the bottom to view the complete rankings.

Our team at USA TODAY Sports has you covered with plenty of content to help with your Week 14 waiver wire and roster decisions. Looking for up-to-date player news? We’ve got it. Don’t forget to check out the rest of our content:

Waiver wire: Eight players to add in Week 16 

Please note: These rankings will change significantly as the week goes on. Check back on Sunday morning for final updates.

(The risers and sleepers sections will focus on players available in at least 60% of Yahoo leagues. All snap and target data from PFF.)

Week 16 fantasy football quarterback rankings: Risers and sleepers

• Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy (35%) – McCarthy has now started eight games, and he’s totaled at least 16.7 fantasy points in five of them. The 22-year-old has racked up 20.4 and 24.5 fantasy points in his last two contests, respectively, and he gets another mouthwatering matchup in Week 16. The Vikings will be taking on the Giants, who have ceded more than 18 fantasy points to the position in seven of their last nine. New York has allowed every passer they’ve faced to exceed 13 points.
• Saints QB Tyler Shough (9%) – Shough has quietly topped 18 fantasy points in four of his last five games, and now he faced a Jets defense that was just eaten alive by Trevor Lawrence. Since Week 5, the Jets have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.
• Panthers QB Bryce Young (18%) – Young has surpassed 15 fantasy points in three of his last four contests, including performances of 31.8 against the Falcons and 22.5 versus the Rams. The 24-year-old will be in a prime spot this week against a Bucs defense that’s given up the most fantasy points to opposing signal-callers since their Week 10 bye.
• Other QB streaming options – Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers (27%), Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa (18%)

Week 16 fantasy football running back rankings: Risers and sleepers

• Rams RB Blake Corum (40%) – Corum’s excellent play has resulted in him getting a larger part of the pie in the Los Angeles backfield. In Week 15, Corum saw a 46% snap share and 37% route share, finishing just six snaps and two routes behind Kyren Williams. The result was 71 yards and a touchdown against a Lions team that came in allowing the fewest fantasy points to the position. Corum has now shouldered at least 11 touches in five of his last eight games and is an intriguing streaming option against Seattle.
• Cardinals RB Michael Carter (5%) – Bam Knight left Arizona’s Week 15 contest with an injury after just his first carry, which led to Carter dominating the backfield for the remainder of the game. The 26-year-old had an 82% snap share, 72% route share, and he led the team with 18 touches. Carter could very well be the lead back against a Falcons defense that’s allowing the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs since Week 7.
• Saints RB Audric Estime (0%) – Rookie Devin Neal left Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury and didn’t return, which resulted in Estime and Evan Hull splitting the backfield touches. Estime was far more effective, turning his six touches into 50 yards. Hull, meanwhile, has just 37 yards on 11 touches in 2025. Estime was also the team’s primary passing-down back. The 22-year-old is in line to be a solid streamer against a Jets front that’s allowing the second-most fantasy points to runners this season.
• Other RB streaming options – Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell (3%), Texans RB Jawhar Jordan (1% – only if Woody Marks is out), Cowboys RB Malik Davis (1% – only if Javonte Williams is out)

Week 16 fantasy football wide receiver rankings: Risers and sleepers

• Jets WR Adonai Mitchell (16%) – Mitchell has emerged as New York’s clear-cut WR1. In Week 15, the 23-year-old led the team in snaps, routes, targets, receptions, and receiving yards. Mitchell has now recorded 20.2 and 14.4 half-PPR points in two of his last three games, and he’ll look to post another solid fantasy line against a Saints team that has surrendered 14+ fantasy points to 11 different receivers this season.
• Panthers WR Jalen Coker (5%) – Coker has now led the Panthers in receiving in three of his last four games after racking up 60 yards and a tuddy against the Saints on Sunday. He’ll be in a great position to remain hot against a Bucs secondary that’s allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to receivers since Week 5.
• Packers WR Matthew Golden (32%) – After Christian Watson went down with a chest injury against the Broncos, it was Golden and Jayden Reed who were Jordan Love’s favorite targets. The rookie garnered four targets and also drew a PI on another deep shot. He would be a top-40 play against a Bears team that’s allowing the third-most fantasy points to receivers.
• Other WR streaming options – Bears WR Luther Burden III (17% – if healthy), Chargers WR Tre’ Harris (2%), Patriots WR Mack Hollins (3%), Vikings WR Jalen Nailor (2%), Buccaneers WR Jalen McMillan (3%)

Week 16 fantasy football tight end rankings: Risers and sleepers

• Dolphins TE Darren Waller (36%) – Despite Baltimore’s tight ends dropping a dud in Week 15, the Bengals are still allowing 6.3 more half-PPR points to the position than the next closest team. Next up is Waller and the Dolphins. The veteran recorded 16.2 and 16.3 points in his first two games this season and will be in the TE1 conversation for this smash spot.
• Rams TE Colby Parkinson (4%) – Since Week 10, Parkinson’s 15 red zone targets are four more than the next closest player at the position. The 26-year-old has hit paydirt in five of his last six games, including twice on Sunday. He’s on the streaming radar against a Seahawks defense that’s surrendered the sixth-most points to the tight end position in 2025.
• Other TE streaming options – Bears TE Colston Loveland (40%), Bengals TE Mike Gesicki (5%), Titans TE Gunnar Helm (0%)

Week 16 fantasy football rankings: PPR, half-PPR and standard