Michael Jordan appears to be headed to court.

An antitrust lawsuit filed by Jordan’s 23XI Racing team against NASCAR, the major sanctioning body for pro stock car racing and owned by the France family, is set to go to trial on Monday, Dec. 1.

There are potentially far-reaching repercussions, too, barring a last-minute settlement before proceedings begin in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.

The presiding judge, Kenneth D. Bell, said in June, ‘I am once again amazed at the effort going on to burn this house down over everyone’s head but I’m a fire marshal and I’ll be here in December if need be.’

And so December has arrived.

What is the NASCAR antitrust lawsuit?

The lawsuit accuses NASCAR of restraining fair competition and violating the Sherman Antitrust Act, preventing teams from competing ‘without accepting the anticompetitive terms’ it dictates. Filed in 2024, the lawsuit also asserts the ‘France family and NASCAR are monopolistic bullies.’

Jordan has not entered this battle alone. Denny Hamlin, a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, and longtime Jordan business adviser Curtis Polk are co-owners of 23XI Racing, which just completed its fifth season on NASCAR’s Cup Series. Front Row Motorsports, another NASCAR team, is a plaintiff.

The case centers on multimillion-dollar charter agreements, which guarantee teams spots in every race of the Cup Series – the major league of NASCAR – and entitles them to a share of NASCAR’s revenue from sponsorship and media deals.

In a text message that surfaced during court proceedings leading to trial, according to a CBS Sports report, Jordan wrote, ‘I look forward to going down firing. If I have to fight this to the end for the betterment of the sport, I will do that.’

A snapshot of NASCAR finances

Sponsorship deals, race prize money and revenue sharing from TV rights generate money for the teams. Discovery during a trial could produce more details about the cash flow in NASCAR, owned by the France family.

But financial information already is circulating.

In 2023, NASCAR president Steve Phelps said most Cup Series teams were not profitable. Court documents released from the antitrust lawsuit show that NASCAR’s net income dipped to about $100 million in 2024, according to a Fox Sports report.

According to the same Fox Sports report, the teams can earn between $7 million to $18 million a season before sponsorship, but race teams report losing $2.2 million a year per car.

The crux of the case is the charter agreements.

In 2024, NASCAR offered teams a seven-year charter agreement that would increase media revenue and also increase the annual cost of charters to $8.5 million from $5 million.

While there were reported rumblings among NASCAR racing teams that had existing charters, only Jordan’s 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports refused to sign the new contracts.

Take it or leave it is how the antitrust lawsuit characterized NASCAR’s deal.

The court ruled 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports could ride without charters this past season. But losing them at trial could force the teams to compete as ‘open teams’ and create greater difficulty in remaining profitable.

If NASCAR loses the case, it’s unclear how severe the damages could be and how it would impact its ability to run the sport.

‘Just getting started’

Jordan, Hamlin and Polk founded 23XI Racing in 2020. The team began racing that next season on the Cup Series with a single car and a single driver, Bubba Wallace.

Five years later, the team has three Cup Series cars and has contended with the most successful teams in NASCAR.

The team’s top drivers, Tyler Reddick and Wallace, have won 10 races for 23XI. Reddick has won seven and made the final four of the 2024 playoffs. Both Reddick and Wallace made the playoffs this season but were eliminated in the round of 12.

‘As far as I’m concerned, we’re just getting started,’ Jordan said in October in a statement to USA TODAY Sports.

But with the case looming, 23XI Racing guaranteed its employees pay through 2026 to assuage any concerns.

‘Three-dimensional chess’

There’s no Michael Jordan of antitrust attorneys working this case, but they’re both All-Stars.

Jordan and Co. are represented by Jeffrey Kessler, who was the lead attorney for Division I football and basketball players in a successful antitrust challenge against the NCAA. A partner at Winston & Strawn, Kessler also played key roles in a pay discrimination claim by the U.S. Women’s National soccer team.

NASCAR is represented by Christopher Yates, who led a team representing the US Soccer Federation in a restraint of trade verdict that saved the group $1 billion in damages, according to Yates’ bio at Latham & Watkins LLP. He’s also representing the UFC in a class-action case brought by fighters.

In multiple cases, the attorneys have represented opposing sides.

‘I know some of the tactics and strategies he likes to employ; I’m sure he knows some of the tactics and strategies I’ve employed,’ Kessler said of Yates in an interview with Bloomberg. ‘It makes it more of a game of three-dimensional chess for both of us.’

The Colorado Avalanche are rolling. Can they set a record?

The Avalanche saw their 10-game winning streak end in a shootout loss to the Minnesota Wild, but their point streak has hit 16 games.

They have only one regulation loss through 25 games. The record for fewest regulation losses is eight by the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens.

The Avalanche lead the league in goals and fewest allowed. Their goal differential is +48. They had 6-0 and 7-2 wins on either side of the Minnesota game. Nathan MacKinnon is the league’s top scorer, Cale Makar is the top-scoring defenseman and Scott Wedgewood is one of the top-performing goalies.

Here are the latest USA TODAY NHL power rankings. Stats are through Nov. 30 and parentheses indicate change from two weeks ago.

NHL power rankings

1. Colorado Avalanche (0)

MacKinnon was the first player this season to reach 20 goals, and captain Gabriel Landeskog is starting to take off with five points in his last three games.

2. Dallas Stars (0)

Captain Jamie Benn has returned from preseason surgery for a collapsed lung and has goals in three of his last four games He has joined the 400-goal club and is up to 402.

3. Tampa Bay Lightning (+15)

The Lightning have won seven in a row despite No. 1 defenseman Victor Hedman missing nine games with an injury. Defenseman Darren Raddysh has 13 points with Hedman out.

4. Minnesota Wild (+17)

The Wild are rotating goaltenders Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt, and getting good performances from both. Gustavsson was in net when the Wild lost in a shootout to end their seven-game winning streak.

5. Carolina Hurricanes (-1)

Goalie Brandon Bussi has made back-to-back starts for the first time this season. He won both, the second in a shutout, and is 7-1 with a 2.11 goals-against average and .907 save percentage. Pyotr Kochetkov is injured again.

6. New Jersey Devils (-2)

Goalie Jake Allen (2.27, .919) has outplayed Jacob Markstrom (3.60, .874), who recently signed a two-year contract extension.

7. Washington Capitals (+20)

Tom Wilson and goalie Logan Thompson are doing what they can to impress Team Canada. Wilson is up to 15 goals and 29 points. Thompson ranks first among Canadian goaltenders in Moneypuck’s goals saved above expected.

8. Philadelphia Flyers (+5)

The Flyers have won five of six to move into a wild-card position.

9. Pittsburgh Penguins (-2)

Sidney Crosby has moved past Dave Andreychuk for 15th place in goals (641) and also has broken Mario Lemieux’s Penguins record for points scored at home (941).

10. Anaheim Ducks (+1)

No. 1 goalie Lukas Dostal is out with an upper-body injury and is expected to miss two to three weeks. Then Petr Mrazek left Sunday’s game with an injury, leaving Ville Husso in net.

11. Los Angeles Kings (-6)

The Kings offense has been quiet recently, and their power play is near the bottom of the league. Defenseman Drew Doughty’s absence has contributed. He’s week to week.

12. Boston Bruins (-6)

Morgan Geekie has joined MacKinnon on the 20-goal list. He scored twice on Nov. 19 in a game in which David Pastrnak didn’t play.

13. Vegas Golden Knights (+4)

Goalie Carter Hart is eligible to be recalled on Dec. 1. He signed with the Golden Knights in October after being acquitted in a sexual assault trial. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports Hart could play on Dec. 2.

14. Ottawa Senators (+2)

The Senators survived the absence of Brady Tkachuk (thumb surgery) and now he’s back. The U.S. Olympian has one assist in three games since returning.

15. New York Islanders (-5)

Forward Kyle Palmieri, the team’s reigning ironman, tore his ACL and will be out six to eight months. He picked up an assist on an Emil Heineman goal while skating to the dressing room after the injury. Palmieri had played 223 consecutive games and was tied for second on the team in scoring.

16. Chicago Blackhawks (-4)

Connor Bedard, the No. 1 pick of 2023, bested No. 2 Leo Carlsson on Nov. 30. He had a four-point game as the Blackhawks rallied from a 3-0 deficit to down the Ducks 5-3. He’s now tied for second in the league in scoring.

17. Seattle Kraken (-2)

The Kraken have been shut out in two of their last three games but remain in playoff position.

18. Montreal Canadiens (-4)

The Canadiens gave defenseman Mike Matheson a five-year, $30 million contract. He has 15 points in 24 games this season.

19. Winnipeg Jets (-11)

The Jets beat the last-place Predators to end a four-game losing streak without Connor Hellebuyck in net. He had knee surgery on Nov. 22 and will be out four to six weeks.

20. Columbus Blue Jackets (+4)

Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner is getting closer to returning. He has missed nine games and practiced on Sunday.

21. Florida Panthers (-1)

22. New York Rangers (-9)

The Rangers continue to struggle at home. They were outshot 35-13 in a 4-1 loss to the Lightning on Nov. 29. Defenseman Adam Fox left the game after a Brandon Hagel check and will be placed on long-term injured reserve, according to multiple reports.

23. Edmonton Oilers (-4)

Just when rumors started swirling about the Oilers looking for goaltending, Stuart Skinner recorded a shutout.

24. Utah Mammoth (-2)

Captain Clayton Keller played two road games after his father died last week. The Stars named him first star of the game and the Blues held a moment of silence before their game.

25. Detroit Red Wings (-16)

John Gibson, acquired in the offseason to shore up the goaltending, has struggled with an .865 save percentage. He has given up five goals in each of his last three games.

26. San Jose Sharks (+1)

Macklin Celebrini became the eighth-youngest player to reach 100 points. He reached the milestone in 96 games.

27. Toronto Maple Leafs (-1)

Oliver Ekman-Larsson has a nine-game point streak, one shy of Tom Kurvers’ team record for a defenseman. But he left the ninth game with an upper-body injury.

28. Buffalo Sabres (-1)

Forward Josh Norris is scheduled to return from an injury soon. He was injured in the opening game on a faceoff and has played only four games since arriving in a trade last season.

29. St. Louis Blues (+1)

The Blues have their first two-game winning streak since early October. Joel Hofer shut out the Mammoth in the second game.

30. Vancouver Canucks (-5)

Trade rumors are surrounding the Canucks, with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting that the team is willing to discuss veteran players.

31. Calgary Flames (+1)

The Flames moved out of last place in the league and gave two-year contract extensions to general manager Craig Conroy and other executives.

32. Nashville Predators (-1)

General manager Barry Trotz gave a vote of confidence to coach Andrew Brunette and said he needed more from the players. The Predators lost the first game afterward 8-3 but have gone 2-1 since.

The 2025 NFL MVP race could see a seismic shift in Week 13, depending on what New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is able to do in his ‘Monday Night Football’ matchup against the New York Giants.

Entering Week 13, Matthew Stafford was the odds-on favorite to take home his first MVP award. The 37-year-old might retain his lead in that category, but a shaky performance in a loss against the Carolina Panthers has at least opened the door for Maye to catch up to him.

Maye has been one of the NFL’s breakout stars in his second season. The 23-year-old has graded as one of the league’s best deep passers and has turned what was an anemic Patriots offense in his first season into an efficient and, at times, unstoppable unit in his second.

Maye’s narrative will only improve if the Patriots can lengthen their nine-game winning streak, which is tied with the Denver Broncos for the NFL’s best, on ‘Monday Night Football’ against the New York Giants. But will it be enough to unseat Stafford amid what has been, to date, the veteran’s best season?

Here’s a closer look at the NFL MVP race as Week 13 winds to a close:

NFL MVP odds: Week 13

All odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

1. QB Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (+105)

Stafford remains the favorite to win the NFL’s MVP award, but his odds have lengthened considerably after a rocky Week 13 showing against the Panthers. The 37-year-old veteran doubled his season-long interception total by tossing two against the Panthers in a 31-28 loss.

Stafford remains the NFL’s leader in passing touchdowns (32) and has completed 66.3% of his passes for 3,073 yards while leading the Rams to one of the NFL’s best record. Still, his bumpy outing against Carolina dropped his MVP odds from -235 – an implied probability of 70.15% to win the award – to open the week, down to a +105 (48.78% implied probability to win) entering Week 13’s ‘Monday Night Football’ matchup between the Giants and Patriots.

2. QB Drake Maye, New England Patriots (+120)

Maye hasn’t yet played in Week 13, but he made up ground in the race thanks to Stafford’s struggles. The second-year quarterback has led a massive turnaround in New England during Mike Vrabel’s first season, as the Patriots entered Week 13 in control of the AFC’s No. 1 seed with a 10-2 record.

Maye has completed a league-best 71% of his passes for 3,130 yards, 21 touchdowns and six interceptions while adding 307 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

3. QB Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (+1100)

Prescott has made a massive leap up the MVP odds leaderboard amid Dallas’ three-game winning streak. The 32-year-old has posted an NFL-best 3,261 passing yards to date with 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions while leading a Cowboys offense that is averaging 29.3 points per game, second-most in the NFL.

4. QB Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (+1500)

Love’s MVP outlook improved significantly after Thanksgiving, as the 27-year-old threw for 234 yards and four touchdowns in a win over the Detroit Lions. Like Stafford, Love’s MVP case is buoyed by a low interception total (3), efficient passing numbers (67% completion rate, 2,794 passing yards, 19 touchdowns) and his team’s strong overall performance (8-3-1).

5. QB Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (+1800)

Could Allen win back-to-back MVP awards? It’s possible, but the 29-year-old quarterback hasn’t been explosive since his six-touchdown game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 11. Allen has totaled just two touchdowns over his past two outings, which has kept him at an arm’s length in the MVP conversation.

Still, Allen has solid stats, completing 69.4% of his passes for 2,832 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while adding 409 yards and 11 scores as a runner. That will earn Allen looks, especially if the 8-4 Bills can close the gap on the Patriots in the AFC East race.

6. QB Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks (+4000)

7. QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (+5000)

8. QB Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears (+6000)

T-9. RB Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts (+7500)

T-9. QB Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (+7500)

The Chicago Bears have moved into the top seed in the NFC playoff picture following a win and a loss by the Los Angeles Rams.
Two division have new teams in first place after Sunday’s action.
Several teams, including the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans, are making late-season pushes for a playoff berth.

Every week for the duration of the 2025 regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the NFL’s ever-evolving playoff picture − typically starting Sunday afternoon and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Monday’s and Thursday’s games or Saturday’s, if applicable. And, when the holidays roll around, we’ll be watching then, too).

What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday, Jan. 4.

Here’s where things stand with Week 13 nearly complete:

NFC playoff picture

1. Chicago Bears (9-3), NFC North leaders: With back-to-back victories over winning adversaries − in conjunction with the Rams’ stunning loss Sunday − the Bears have now rocketed to the top of the conference. Chicago’s 6-2 record in NFC games sends LA (4-3) down a spot. Remaining schedule: at Packers, vs. Browns, vs. Packers, at 49ers, vs. Lions

2. Los Angeles Rams (9-3), NFC West leaders: Carolina snapped their NFC-high six-game winning streak in rainy Charlotte, a loss that dropped LA out of the conference’s top spot. Remaining schedule: at Cardinals, vs. Lions, at Seahawks, at Falcons, vs. Cardinals

3. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4), NFC East leaders: Two losses in a row not only mean a lot more scrutiny but − beware − a team that could fall into the Cowboys’ clutches in the division if it’s not careful. Remaining schedule: at Chargers, vs. Raiders, at Commanders, at Bills, vs. Commanders

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5), NFC South leaders: They narrowly beat Arizona to narrowly maintain their half-game lead over Carolina in the division. Remaining schedule: vs. Saints, vs. Falcons, at Panthers, at Dolphins, vs. Panthers

5. Seattle Seahawks (9-3), wild card No. 1: All three of the ‘Hawks’ losses are against NFC opponents, including two in the division − defeats that won’t serve them well in the tiebreaker department. Seattle’s Week 11 loss to the Rams meant they couldn’t move up Sunday … but they are otherwise tied for first place in the NFC West. Remaining schedule: at Falcons, vs. Colts, vs. Rams, at Panthers, at 49ers

6. Green Bay Packers (8-3-1), wild card No. 2: They merely maintained their standing (for now) with their Thanksgiving win at Detroit, but a loss would have dropped them from the field entirely. A thin margin for the Pack to be sure … yet they remain just a half-game off the NFC North lead, too. Remaining schedule: vs. Bears, at Broncos, at Bears, vs. Ravens, at Vikings

7. San Francisco 49ers (9-4), wild card No. 3: They now have a 1½-game lead on their wild-card pursuers after Sunday’s win, but are only a half-game behind the Rams for the NFC West lead. Remaining schedule: BYE, vs. Titans, at Colts, vs. Bears, vs. Seahawks

8. Detroit Lions (7-5), in the hunt: Getting swept by the Packers further entrenches Detroit, which could have moved into a wild-card slot with a Turkey Day win, on the outside of the field. Huge game this Thursday night with Dallas. Remaining schedule: vs. Cowboys, at Rams, vs. Steelers, at Vikings, at Bears

9. Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1), in the hunt: Three wins in a row further fuels playoff aspirations in Big D. Week 14’s game in Detroit looms as massive − and potentially must-win − for the Cowboys and Lions. Remaining schedule: at Lions, vs. Vikings, vs. Chargers, at Commanders, at Giants

10. Carolina Panthers (7-6), in the hunt: A shocking upset of the Rams on Sunday reaffirms the Panthers as an outfit to be reckoned with, though they didn’t gain any ground in the wild-card or divisional races (on a day when they could have gone into first place had Tampa Bay lost). Remaining schedule: BYE, at Saints, vs. Buccaneers, vs. Seahawks, at Buccaneers

AFC playoff picture

1. Denver Broncos (10-2), AFC West leaders: They reclaim the conference’s top seed thanks to their OT win at Washington. Denver currently holds a one-game advantage in the common-games tiebreaker with New England − the difference being the Patriots’ Week 1 loss to the Raiders. Remaining schedule: at Raiders, vs. Packers, vs. Jaguars, at Chiefs, vs. Chargers

2. New England Patriots (10-2), AFC East leaders: Win Monday night, and they go into their off week with the league’s best record and back in the AFC’s pole position. Remaining schedule: vs. Giants, BYE, vs. Bills, at Ravens, at Jets, vs. Dolphins

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4), AFC South leaders: Their win in Nashville coupled with Indy’s loss moves the Jags into first place by virtue of the common-games played tiebreaker, which they own by a one-win advantage. Slide back later, and victories over the Chiefs and Chargers could serve them well when it’s time to sort out tiebreakers. Remaining schedule: vs. Colts, vs. Jets, at Broncos, vs. Colts, at Titans

4. Baltimore Ravens (6-6), AFC North leaders: A sloppy performance against the Bengals briefly cost them first place in the division and a slot in the projected playoff field − but Pittsburgh’s loss Sunday conferred it back, the Ravens currently with one additional win over the Steelers in the common-games played tiebreaker. Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, at Bengals, vs. Patriots, at Packers, at Steelers

5. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4), wild card No. 1: They looked fairly fresh while taking out the Raiders in their return from the bye. The Bolts’ 7-2 record in AFC games currently renders them the top-seeded wild card. Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, at Chiefs, at Cowboys, vs. Texans, at Broncos

6. Indianapolis Colts (8-4), wild card No. 2: They’ve dropped three of their past four to fall off the conference pace … and have now ceded first place in the AFC South to Jacksonville after Sunday’s loss to Houston. And though they beat the Chargers in Week 7, the three-way tiebreaker (conference record) currently takes precedence, and the Colts are 6-3 in those contest. And the schedule doesn’t let up the rest of the way out. Remaining schedule: at Jaguars, at Seahawks, vs. 49ers, vs. Jaguars, at Texans

7. Buffalo Bills (8-4), wild card No. 3: They got back into the win column at Pittsburgh, thus hanging on to the AFC’s final projected wild-card spot. A 5-3 record in conference games leaves Buffalo behind the Chargers and Colts in the wild-card seeding. Remaining schedule: vs. Bengals, at Patriots, at Browns, vs. Eagles, vs. Jets

8. Houston Texans (7-5), in the hunt: They’ve won five of six, including four in a row. If they want to win the AFC South for a third straight year, the Texans likely need to sweep the Colts − and they took their first step toward that with Sunday’s win at Indy − while continuing their surge. Remaining schedule: at Chiefs, vs. Cardinals, vs. Raiders, at Chargers, vs. Colts

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6), in the hunt: They’re virtually tied with the Ravens … but won’t be after next weekend’s trip to Baltimore. A 5-3 record in AFC games does slot the Steelers ahead of K.C. (3-4) for now. Remaining schedule: at Ravens, vs. Dolphins, at Lions, at Browns, vs. Ravens

10. Kansas City Chiefs (6-6), in the hunt: Not only will they almost certainly not win the AFC West for the first time since 2015, they could well miss the postseason for the first time since 2014 − Andy Reid’s second year in K.C. And don’t forget they’ve lost to the Broncos, Chargers, Bills and Jags, who are all ahead of them. Remaining schedule: vs. Texans, vs. Chargers, at Titans, vs. Broncos, at Raiders

NFL teams eliminated from playoff contention in 2025

Managers in must-win situations should consider trading players with a Week 14 bye, even if it seems like a loss on paper.
Playoff schedules and player injury statuses are critical factors to consider when making last-minute trades.
Players to target for acquisition include RBs Trey Benson, Kyren Williams, Quinshon Judkins and WR Tee Higgins.

For most fantasy football leagues, the playoffs start in Week 15. This means there is one week left to do whatever it takes to get into the postseason. If you’re already in, then you have one week left to make your team stronger.

For the last few weeks, we have been trying to help you do just that with trade targets, buy or sell. Let’s review, shall we?

If you’re a team in a must-win situation, you should consider trading players who have a Week 14 bye for someone active. Yes, that might mean losing the trade on paper. But remember, you can’t win it all if you don’t make the playoffs. Be smart about it, though. The player you get back needs to be significantly better than what’s available on the waiver wire.

If you are already in, then you can look to trade weaker starters and depth pieces in 2-for-1 deals that improve your starting lineup for the playoffs.

Managers in either scenario should also pay close attention to playoff schedules when analyzing trades.

These eight players (with a few combos) are some players that both help you get into the playoffs and help you take home the trophy once you get there.

Fantasy football players to buy in Week 14

RB Trey Benson, Arizona Cardinals

Benson had his 21-day practice window opened last week and logged three practices. He was ultimately held out Sunday against the Buccaneers, but his return is getting close.

The Cardinals need it, too. Emari Demercado, Bam Knight and Michael Carter have filled in admirably, but none have taken command of the backfield.

The price to acquire Benson should still be on the cheaper side since he does not have much of a resume yet and even when given the chance, did not thrive. However, getting a starting running back to have at your disposal is a fantastic asset.

RB Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams

If the Williams manager in your league is at all worried about his ankle injury or the fact that Blake Corum outrushed him Sunday and scored, then jump on that opportunity.

Corum did nothing more than what he has done most of the season, which is handle roughly 30% to 40% of the team’s carries. The oddest part of this week’s game was Kyren not catching any passes, but credit the Panthers defense for making life difficult for the Rams. It is unlikely that any other team the rest of the season will be able to replicate that.

WR Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals

With Joe Burrow back, it would be wise to try to acquire either Ja’Marr Chase or Tee Higgins. Chase will cost significantly more, which is why Higgins is the recommended target.

Joe Flacco was unable to keep Higgins as involved as we are used to seeing. That, combined with the game he missed because of a concussion, which we still are not 100% sure he will return from in Week 14, is why he could be available at a reasonable price.

RB Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns

We recommended Judkins a few weeks ago, but it deserves repeating. A popular opinion is that Judkins is not a strong fantasy option each week because the Browns are often in negative game scripts.

While they might not win any of their remaining games, they are rarely so far behind that they cannot continue running the ball. This keeps Judkins involved and gives him a workhorse-type workload.

The upcoming schedule is very favorable for him as well. The Titans, Bears and Bills all present positive matchups for the run. The Steelers in Week 17 will be tough, but his workload should remain high. The Browns know they cannot win without using Judkins as much as possible.

Fantasy football players to sell for Week 14

RB Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers

There are two reasons to trade Vidal.

The first and most important is the impending return of rookie Omarion Hampton. While there may be a ramp-up period for Hampton, his return will likely mark the end of Vidal’s tenure as the Chargers’ starting running back.

The second reason is the upcoming schedule, which is tough. The remaining four teams the Chargers face in the fantasy season are the Eagles, Chiefs, Cowboys and Texans. All except the Cowboys present negative matchups.

RB D’Andre Swift/Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears

Both of these running backs have been performing well lately and should remain useful assets heading into the fantasy playoffs. However, they are coming off a Black Friday game in which each ran for more than 125 yards.

The Bears have a very tough upcoming schedule. Coupled with the fact that these backs will be splitting the workload, this makes them ideal sell candidates coming off their big games.

RB Rico Dowdle/Chubba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers

Dowdle has built up a lot of good fantasy karma filling in for, and ultimately taking over, the backfield for an injured Hubbard in Week 5. This could make the return you get for him quite strong. But why sell him?

The last two weeks have been rough for Dowdle, and this week he was outplayed by Hubbard. Not only was he outperformed, he also played fewer snaps.

If you are already a playoff team, it may be fine to hold and hope he regains his role. However, if you need a win and were relying on him, the Panthers are one of the teams on bye in Week 14.

A quick note on Hubbard: if you can sell on the heels of his big game to someone who thinks he will reclaim the ;ead role, do it.

RB Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens

Henry is likely to be a disappointment for fantasy managers down the stretch.

The Ravens face three of the league’s best run defenses: the Steelers, Patriots and Packers. Mixed in there is the Bengals, which is a positive matchup, but we just saw them hold Henry to 60 yards and one touchdown on the ground.

Henry is still a great player, so this is not a recommendation based on schedule alone. However, one more major factor comes into play: Lamar Jackson. He still looks injured, and that is preventing this offense, including Henry, from performing at its usual high level.

Week 13 in the NFL saw a significant shake-up to the playoff picture thanks to the Bears’ win and Rams’ loss, among other results.
The Steelers and Colts both fell out of first place in their respective divisions.
The Bears and Packers are on a collision course for one of the best games of the season next week at Lambeau Field.

The 32 things we learned from Week 13 of the 2025 NFL season:

0. Points scored Sunday by the Minnesota Vikings and third-string rookie QB Max Brosmer in a 26-0 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. And to think the Vikes probably could have had Daniel Jones, Kirk Cousins or Seattle’s Sam Darnold as an insurance policy – or primary policy – while trying to bring now-injured J.J. McCarthy along.

1. The number of times the Indianapolis Colts have failed to score 20 points this season – which happened in Sunday’s 20-16 to the Houston Texans and their top-ranked defense.

2. The number of teams that fell out of first place Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Colts both slipping down the AFC food chain – Pittsburgh all the way to ninth place in the conference, though the Steelers can reclaim first place by beating the Baltimore Ravens in Week 14. The Colts had a softer landing as the AFC’s second projected wild card, but they also appear to be in the midst of a free fall.

2a. Also the number of teams surrendering a No. 1 projected playoff seed Sunday, the Los Angeles Rams and idle New England Patriots standing aside for the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos, respectively. However the Pats can take it back by beating the New York Giants on Monday night.

3-0. Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud’s record at Lucas Oil Stadium, the latest one coming Sunday in his first post-concussion action in four weeks.

3.7. Woody Hayes would love the Tennessee Titans’ passing game – 3.7 yards and a cloud of dust. That’s how it went Sunday, when rookie QB Cam Ward needed 38 throws … to gain 141 yards through the air.

4. The number of teams that were officially eliminated from playoff contention Sunday: the Arizona Cardinals, New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders and Titans.

5. Thinking back to the summer, did your bingo card have the Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars tied at 8-4 atop the AFC South and set to play the premier game on the AFC schedule in Week 14? (Though it sure appears Houston, one game back, remains the class of a division that typically can’t generate a scintilla of attention.) This league is wild.

6. The number of teams that are in first place (or have a share of it) yet didn’t win their respective divisions in 2024: Patriots, Colts, Jags, Broncos, Bears and Seattle (which is tied with the Rams atop the NFC West). This league is wild.

7. But the game of Week 14, and maybe the season to date, will occur at Lambeau Field next Sunday afternoon, when the upstart Bears try to withstand the Green Bay Packers in the latest installment of the league’s longest-running rivalry, first place in the NFC North at stake.

8½. Pack DE Micah Parsons’ number of career sacks on Thanksgiving, tied with former Lions DE Ziggy Ansah for the most ever on Turkey Day.

9. Let’s see if rookie Bears coach Ben Johnson will strip at Lambeau if his blossoming team pulls off another stunner.

10. The Rams entered Sunday allowing a league-low 16.3 points per game. The Carolina Panthers hung 31 on them, snapping LA’s six-game winning streak and knocking them out of first place in the NFC, those plucky Bears now with the inside track to home-field advantage and a first-round playoff bye.

11. The number of game-winning drives Carolina QB Bryce Young has in his two-plus NFL seasons. At 24 years, 128 days, he’s the youngest player to ever reach that milestone, such as it is.

12. But a Goat label? C’mon, Panthers social folks …

13. Number of receiving touchdowns, followed by a league-leading 14th, snagged this season by Rams WR Davante Adams. He joins Hall of Famers Jerry Rice, Terrell Owens and Randy Moss as the only NFL players with at least 13 TD grabs in four career seasons.

14. The number of interceptions thrown this season by Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa and the Las Vegas Raiders’ Geno Smith, tied for most in the league.

15. Two catches for 4 yards. Sunday’s showing for All-Pro Vikings WR Justin Jefferson. Loss.

16. One catch for 2 yards and a touchdown. Sunday’s showing for All-Pro Buccaneers LT Tristan Wirfs. Win.

17. Two catches for 23 yards. Sunday’s showing for Seattle WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Win. However it just takes one clunker to put a damper on a potentially historic season. JSN began Sunday on track to be the league’s first 2,000-yard receiver. Now he’s not even on pace for 1,900 yards.

18. Still, not like Seattle needed him Sunday. The Seahawks became the first team in nine years to pitch a shutout that included five takeaways and four sacks.

19. Number of sacks racked up this season by Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett, who collected one more in Sunday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Surprisingly, Garrett has never had a 20-sack campaign. But if he gets one in each of his next five games, he’ll easily surpass the league’s single-season record (22½), shared by T.J. Watt and Hall of Famer Michael Strahan.

20. The Browns may be dead in the water – again – but at least Garrett and rookie QB Shedeur Sanders, who made his first start in Cleveland on Sunday, are giving the locals good reasons to continue showing up at the stadium.

21. With eight receptions in Sunday’s loss to the Bucs, Arizona’s Trey McBride now has 309 in his career – most ever by a tight end in his first four seasons.

22. McBride hasn’t had fewer than give grabs in a game all season.

23. The number of combined penalties in the Jaguars-Titans game. As if this matchup wasn’t already sufficiently unwatchable …

24. But give the Jags credit for finding their way to first place. They’re basically the AFC version of the Bears – running the ball consistently well, generating a bunch of turnovers and getting by despite up-and-down performances from a quarterback, Trevor Lawrence in this case, taken with a No. 1 draft pick.

25. Josh Allen maybe didn’t get a whole lot of opposition in a 26-7 knockout of the Steelers on Sunday, but kudos to him for setting the NFL record for most career rushing TDs (76) by a quarterback. Allen now has six consecutive seasons of generating at least 30 combined passing and rushing touchdowns. Only Hall of Fame semifinalist Drew Brees (nine seasons, 2008-16) has a longer run in league annals.

26. And what a job by Allen and his teammates, who rushed for a combined 249 yards at Pittsburgh despite being without starting Bills OTs Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown.

27. 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey remains on track to be the first player ever with two seasons recording 1,000 rushing and receiving yards. Sunday, he joined Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk as the only players with three seasons of both 800 yards rushing and receiving.

28. Is Miami Dolphins RB De’Von Achane the most underappreciated star in the game? He rushed for 134 yards and a TD in Sunday’s win over the Saints.

29. The Atlanta Falcons’ Bijan Robinson, the only player this season to accrue at least 150 yards from scrimmage in four games, can relate.

30. New York Jets veteran Nick Folk had made all 35 of his kicks (20 FGs, 15 PATs) entering Sunday before missing in Gotham’s less-than-ideal weather conditions. But no matter, his 56-yard FG at the gun lifted the NYJ past the Falcons for their third win of the season.

31. And how about Tyrod Taylor helping to lead the Jets to victory. In the process, he became the sixth quarterback since 2000 to win a game for six different organizations, joining a list that includes Ryan Fitzpatrick (ex-Jet), Matt Cassel, Case Keenum, Josh McCown (ex-Jet) and Joe Flacco (ex-Jet).

32. A thank you to the Washington Commanders, who honored the memory of Sarah Beckstrom at Northwest Stadium on Sunday night. Regardless of your political views, it’s a tragedy when a 20-year-old woman − one who was simply doing her duty and patrolling the streets of Washington, the mission she was given as a West Virginia National Guardsman − is gunned down in the nation’s capital in a terrorist act during Thanksgiving week. Thank you, Sarah. We salute you.

The college football coaching carousel keeps spinning in the SEC with the latest victim being Kentucky coach Mark Stoops.

The school is parting way with Stoops after 13 seasons with the school, according to multiple reports on Sunday, Nov. 30. The move comes one day after the Wildcats finished their season at 5-7 with a 41-0 loss to rival Louisville.

Stoops, the school’s all-time winningest coach with 72 official victories, brought unprecedented success to the Kentucky program with eight consecutive bowl appearances from 2016-23. Ten of his victories in 2021 were vacated due to NCAA rules violations. The Wildcats have gone 9-15 the past two seasons and did not qualify for a bowl game.

According to terms of his contract, Stoops is owed a buyout of just under $34 million.

Stoops started at the bottom at Kentucky, inheriting what was then the SEC’s most woeful program. Then won just two games in 2012 under Joker Phillips. Stoops posted losing records his first three seasons with just 12 total victories before the Wildcats returned to the postseason in 2016 in a 7-6 season that culminated in an appearance in the TaxSlayer Bowl.

During the run of eight bowl games in a row, Stoops had 10-win seasons in 2018 and 2021 to account for two of the four double-digit victory campaigns in school history. An NCAA investigation into impermissible benefits erased one of those seasons.

Troubles at the quarterback position and good defense was the theme for latter seasons of Stoops’ tenure. The Wildcats ranked worse than 100th in scoring offense in three of the last four campaigns but their ability to be stingy on defense allowed them to win seven games in 2022 and 2023 before slumping in 2024 and 2025.

Kentucky showed promise in the second half of this season with freshman quarterback Cutter Boley taking over the starting job. The Wildcats played competitively against Texas and beat Auburn and Florida to move within touching distance of a bowl game. But blowout losses to Vanderbilt and Louisville ended those hopes.

Following the defeat to the Cardinals on Saturday, Nov. 29, Stoops told the media there’s ‘Zero percent chance I walk’ when asked about the possibility of stepping down. He was out of a job one day later, putting Kentucky in position of finding a replacement for the SEC’s longest-tenure coach after a whirlwind of hires in the league at Florida, LSU, Auburn and Arkansas.