The new look Phoenix Mercury have a new logo to match. 

The Mercury unveiled a new set of logos on Monday that not only pay homage to its rich history and traditions, but sets the stage for its future ahead of team’s 30th anniversary next season. The rebrand ‘is not a wholesale reinvention, but an evolution,’ Mercury president Vince Kozar told USA TODAY Sports on Friday.

The Mercury has undergone a lot of change in the past years. Phoenix came under new ownership in 2023 when Mat Ishbia purchased the Mercury, along with the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. The franchise’s cornerstone of Diana Taurasi (retirement) and Brittney Griner (trade) departed in 2025 and the new Big 3 of Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally led the Mercury back to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2021.

Although Kozar said the Mercury’s rebrand has been in the process for the past two years, the timing of the new logo’s arrival couldn’t be more perfect. It marks the start of an official new era of Mercury basketball.

‘I think all of those things right there are sort of seminal moments of a new era,’ said Kozar, who has seen the different iterations of the three-time champion Mercury first hand after starting as a intern in 2004. ‘All of those things combined made it feel like the right time to sort of pivot this into the future.’

Phoenix’s new primary logo features the iconic Mercury ‘M’ positioned at a 19.97 degree angle, a nod to the Mercury’s inaugural 1997 season as one of the original eight franchises in the WNBA.

‘We take a ton of pride in being one of the original franchises, not only because we were a team that helped found this league, but it takes a lot to get to season 30,’ Kozar said. ‘To be in the same city with the same name in the same arena for 30 years, that’s not something that any other WNBA team can claim. It was important to us to honor being one of the original eight. It was important to us to honor 1997, and it was important to us to keep the ‘M,’ but modernize it in a way that feels like the next 30 years, not the last 30 years.’

The purple crescent echoes the ‘shadowed side of planet Mercury’ and the pointed edge of the ‘M’ is a nod to the original geometric rings and serves as an arrow pointing to the franchise’s future. The future appears to be the Big 3 of Thomas, Copper and Satou, who are all set to become free agents this offseason. Signing the trio will be a priority for the Mercury after the ‘on-court success those three found together,’ but Kozar said he ultimately leaves those difficult decisions to the Mercury’s general manager Nick U’Ren.

‘Our fans had only two returning players on their favorite team this year. And by the end of the year, I saw people wearing (Thomas) jerseys, our top sellers. I saw people wearing unicorn headbands for Satou. I saw the ‘Kahleah Freaking Copper’ t-shirts all over the arena. Our fans have really fallen in love with the team,’ Kozar said. ‘So I’m just really excited for the team that they’ve built and the players who were coming back to hopefully make another run to the Final.’

The Mercury’s rebrand keeps its devoted fanbase, known as the X-Factor, at its core. Phoenix upgraded the ‘Merc’ nickname dubbed by the fans into the team’s first-ever secondary logo. The Mercury also revamped its Phoenix alternate logo to feature a highlighted ‘X’ to celebrate the X-factor, ‘which doesn’t exist with any other team in any other sport,’ Kozar said.

‘That’s their affectionate nickname for our team. And that was never previously a mark within our identity, and we added that specifically for (the fans),’ Kozar explained. ‘There’s a ton of pride there because it represents the fan base that has been here from day one. It represents fans and owners who got us through candidly, some really lean times, both on the basketball court and on the business side.’

Merc Merch Swap

In celebration of the team’s new era, the Mercury are holding a Merc Merch Swap at the Team Shop at Mortgage Matchup Arena that allows fans to exchange one piece of apparel for new Mercury merchandise through Dec. 5. Fans can exchange any Mercury or WNBA gear, in addition to merch from any WNBA team, and will also receive a 20% off coupon for future use. (All exchanged gear will be donated to the Goodwill.)

Diehard fans also have an opportunity to imprint their allegiance forever. Phoenix is teaming up with Lady Luck Tattoo to offer complimentary logo tattoos to the first 100 fans. Fans can sign up at phxmerc.com/freetattoo.

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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 after Sunday afternoon’s late games 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 12 nearly complete:

AFC playoff picture

1. New England Patriots (10-2), AFC East leaders: Sunday’s narrow defeat of the Bengals gave the Pats the league’s best record, moving them past Denver and into the conference’s top spot. Good chance they hold onto it when they hit their off week. Remaining schedule: vs. Giants, BYE, vs. Bills, at Ravens, at Jets, vs. Dolphins

2. Denver Broncos (9-2), AFC West leaders: Being idle Sunday cost them first place in the conference, but you can bet the break was welcome − especially for a team that will need to be close to fully charged for a brutal four-game stretch at the end of its regular season. Remaining schedule: at Commanders, at Raiders, vs. Packers, vs. Jaguars, at Chiefs, vs. Chargers

3. Indianapolis Colts (8-3), AFC South leaders: They’ve dropped two of three to fall off the conference pace … and are now only one game ahead of Jacksonville and two better than Houston in the division. The next two weeks could be crucial. Remaining schedule: vs. Texans, at Jaguars, at Seahawks, vs. 49ers, vs. Jaguars, at Texans

4. Baltimore Ravens (6-5), AFC North leaders: They sleepwalked past the Jets on Sunday … but past Pittsburgh and into first place by virtue of a better record in divisional games − and the Ravens will play in three more over the next three weeks. Remaining schedule: vs. Bengals, vs. Steelers, at Bengals, vs. Patriots, at Packers, at Steelers

5. Los Angeles Chargers (7-4), wild card No. 1: They needed the week off … and Buffalo’s loss allowed the battered Bolts to gain ground. Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders, vs. Eagles, at Chiefs, at Cowboys, vs. Texans, at Broncos

6. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-4), wild card No. 2: Wins over the Chiefs and Chargers could serve them well when it’s time to sort out tiebreakers. Winning at Arizona? Not so much. But despite beating the Bolts, the Jags check in behind them because LA’s 6-2 record in AFC games gives it precedence in the current three-way wild-card tiebreaker. Remaining schedule: at Titans, vs. Colts, vs. Jets, at Broncos, vs. Colts, at Titans

7. Buffalo Bills (7-4), wild card No. 3: QB Josh Allen took a beating − as did the Bills’ hopes of catching the Patriots in the AFC East race. Now 4-3 in conference games, Buffalo fell behind the Chargers and Jags in the wild-card seeding, too. Remaining schedule: at Steelers, vs. Bengals, at Patriots, at Browns, vs. Eagles, vs. Jets

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5), in the hunt: Sunday’s loss at Chicago dropped them from first place in the AFC North all the way out of the field. Remaining schedule: vs. Bills, at Ravens, vs. Dolphins, at Lions, at Browns, vs. Ravens

9. Houston Texans (6-5), in the hunt: They’ve won four of five, including three in a row without injured QB C.J. Stroud. If they want to win the AFC South for a third straight year, the Texans likely need to sweep the Colts while continuing their surge … but the pieces are falling into place for a late charge to the top. Remaining schedule: at Colts, at Chiefs, vs. Cardinals, vs. Raiders, at Chargers, vs. Colts

10. Kansas City Chiefs (6-5), in the hunt: Their nine-year run atop the AFC West appears practically over. Still plenty of time to recover otherwise − and maybe that began Sunday vs. Indy − for a team that’s never missed the AFC championship game since Patrick Mahomes became the QB1 in 2018. Remaining schedule: at Cowboys, vs. Texans, vs. Chargers, at Titans, vs. Broncos, at Raiders

NFC playoff picture

1. Los Angeles Rams (9-2), NFC West leaders: While Philly owns the head-to-head tiebreaker, it doesn’t matter now that the Rams have the better record in the aftermath of the Eagles’ demise Sunday. Still, LA has scant breathing room between itself and the Seahawks plus 49ers in the division. Remaining schedule: at Panthers, at Cardinals, vs. Lions, at Seahawks, at Falcons, vs. Cardinals

2. Philadelphia Eagles (8-3), NFC East leaders: Sunday’s collapse likely won’t cost them the division. But it did drop them behind the Rams and served as another worrisome potential harbinger for the defending champs. Remaining schedule: vs. Bears, at Chargers, vs. Raiders, at Commanders, at Bills, vs. Commanders

3. Chicago Bears (8-3), NFC North leaders: They’ve won eight of nine since an 0-2 start to stunningly take over first place in the division. An inferior record (5-2) in NFC games keeps Chicago behind the Eagles. Remaining schedule: at Eagles, at Packers, vs. Browns, vs. Packers, at 49ers, vs. Lions

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5), NFC South leaders: Their divisional lead over Carolina is gone, but the Bucs’ 2-1 record in NFC South games is a half-game better than the Panthers’. Remaining schedule: vs. Cardinals, vs. Saints, vs. Falcons, at Panthers, at Dolphins, vs. Panthers

5. Seattle Seahawks (8-3), 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. Remaining schedule: vs. Vikings, at Falcons, vs. Colts, vs. Rams, at Panthers, at 49ers

6. Green Bay Packers (7-3-1), wild card No. 2: Sunday’s win over Minnesota was their most convincing in weeks. But there’s little time to celebrate with a Thanksgiving date at Detroit next. Remaining schedule: at Lions, vs. Bears, at Broncos, at Bears, vs. Ravens, at Vikings

7. San Francisco 49ers (7-4), wild card No. 3: Maybe the Niners can start building some momentum with QB1 Brock Purdy back in the lineup. Monday night’s game against Carolina comes with high stakes. Remaining schedule: vs. Panthers, at Browns, BYE, vs. Titans, at Colts, vs. Bears, vs. Seahawks

8. Detroit Lions (7-4), in the hunt: They’re even with the Niners record-wise, though an inferior record in NFC games (4-3) keeps them on the outside for now. Remaining schedule: vs. Packers, vs. Cowboys, at Rams, vs. Steelers, at Vikings, at Bears

9. Carolina Panthers (6-5), in the hunt: In addition to breathing down the backs of the Bucs, they’re only a game back of the Niners for the final NFC wild-card spot. Winners of six of nine, the Panthers only have one win against a team (Green Bay) currently above .500. Get another Monday night in Silicon Valley, and they’ll move atop the NFC South. Remaining schedule: at 49ers, vs. Rams, BYE, at Saints, vs. Buccaneers, vs. Seahawks, at Buccaneers

10. Dallas Cowboys (5-5-1), in the hunt: Two wins in a row continues to fuel hope in Big D. Remaining schedule: vs. Chiefs, at Lions, vs. Vikings, vs. Chargers, at Commanders, at Giants

NFL teams eliminated from playoff contention in 2025

What a scrapbook memory for Shedeur Sanders. Coach Prime came to witness his son’s first NFL start. A suspect Raiders defense played along. Myles Garrett was there on his side. And how.

Lights. Camera. Action.

When it was over, after the NFL’s highest-profiled rookie – fifth-round draft status or not – came out as a winner with the Cleveland Browns he flashed his million-watt smile and essentially said he told you so.

“Hopefully, we cleared a little stuff up,” Sanders said after the 24-10 victory in Las Vegas on Sunday. “But we have a long way to go, a long way to grow. I know it’s only one way. And the only way is up.”

That bit of instant self-analysis was appropriate enough, given the saga. Sanders, the projected first-round pick who plummeted to the fifth round, finally got a chance to crack the lineup, given the concussion that sidelined fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel. And for a quarterback who finally got some quality practice reps with the starters, due to the looming assignment, he made a pretty good statement about his potential.

The numbers don’t leap off your fantasy scoresheet. Sanders barely completed half his passes (11 of 20, for 209 yards, with a TD, an INT and an 87.3 efficiency rating). The Browns tallied just 11 first downs under his command, which is what happens when you’re 3-for-12 on third downs. And while his first NFL touchdown throw went for 66 yards, rookie running back Dylan Sampson did the heavy lifting, weaving and darting his way to paydirt after taking a swing pass in the flat.

Yet Sanders was ready for his big moment nonetheless, and he’ll step right up as the buzz will surely intensify over the decision facing Browns coach Kevin Stefanski about which rookie quarterback starts when both are healthy.

After preseason ‘competition,’ Shedeur Sanders finally gets his chance at QB1

Sanders, the 42nd quarterback to start for the Browns since the franchise rebooted in 1999, became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win in his debut start since Eric Zeier in 1995. And he produced the two longest plays of the season for the Browns (3-8).

He didn’t get a real crack when the competition was supposedly open during the summer. Perhaps he will get a shot now, considering the production he displayed with a week of dedicated preparation and the jolt of energy he brings as part of his package.

Not only did Sanders not wet his pants inside the giant Roomba-looking venue near The Strip, (ala Allegiant Stadium) he demonstrated what could make him special – as it did when he played for his father, Deion Sanders, at Colorado – as a playmaker. On a third-and-eight late in the first quarter, Sanders rolled away from a free blitzer coming up the middle and connected with Isaiah Bond on a 52-yard dime that set up the Quinshon Judkins 2-yard TD run that, with the conversion, made it 14-0.

As Stefanski put it, “I think you saw a lot of what Shedeur does well on the field today, to make that play off-schedule when we were outmanned in protection, to get the ball down the field.”

Myles Garrett’s brilliance finally rewarded in Browns win

It helped immensely that Sanders had the backing of one of the NFL’s best defenses, led by the incomparable Garrett, who again showed why there’s no debate that he’s hurtling toward another NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.

Poor Geno Smith.

The Browns sacked Smith 10 times and Garrett collected three of the sacks to go with his two forced fumbles, six quarterback hits and four tackles for loss. Garrett broke his own single-season franchise record for sacks, leaving with 18, which leaves him five sacks shy of the all-time NFL record – with six games to play.

Still, the “best supporting” role for Sanders was significant enough. Think about the quarterback-needy teams that passed on Sanders, including the Raiders, who drafted running back Ashton Jeanty with the sixth pick overall. Las Vegas drafted wide receiver Jack Bech in the second round (58th overall), cornerback Darrien Porter (68th) early in the third round, plus four other prospects before Sanders was picked 144th overall.

Interestingly, former Raiders coach Antonio Pierce told CBS that had he still been in his previous position that he would have ensured that the team drafted Sanders – and he insisted that Raiders owner Mark Davis agreed with that position. Pierce, though, was replaced by Pete Carroll, aligned with new GM John Spytek, while Tom Brady consults.

Maybe Sanders just delivered some payback to the Raiders to start his revenge tour.

“I was a fifth-round pick,” he said. “I got skipped by everybody. At least five times.”

Hey, the revenge tour could take years.

To his credit, Sanders didn’t play into that theme on Sunday.

“It just comes with the game,” he said. “It is what it is. But I’m just thankful for where I am now. Everybody has their differences, but I still got an opportunity to play … The money’s different, but thankfully, I have a good family.”

From distraction to proud papa. Deion Sanders cheers on son’s first win

Ah, the family. The video clip of Deion greeting Shedeur in the tunnel before the game went viral. In the days leading up to Sunday, Coach Prime didn’t commit to making the trip from Colorado – where his Buffaloes fell to 3-8 with a home loss against Arizona State on Saturday night – but obviously was compelled to capture the moment.

After all, Shedeur made it back to Boulder during the Browns’ bye week. And it’s not every day that one of his sons makes his first NFL start.

No, Deion was anything but a distraction. During the game, the TV cameras caught him in a suite looking like any other proud father cheering on his son’s biggest plays.

Still, the father-son connection, as beneficial as it is on many levels, was one of the residuals from the draft plummet for Shedeur as some decision-makers expressed uneasiness with the dynamic.

Time will tell whether that was a huge mistake in judgment by some NFL teams. To this point, though, it was part of the equation that resulted in Sanders falling way deeper in the draft than many in the NFL universe imagined and winding up as the “second” rookie quarterback on his team, buried deeper on the depth chart than he’s ever been.

“That’s how life is,” Sanders said. “Everybody’s not in the best situation, but it’s no excuse. You’ve got to go out and perform. It’s no choice. Nobody cares if this was one week of prep. Who cares?

“So, a lot of people want to see me fail. It ain’t going to happen.”

Haters or not, it merely must be proven over and over again.

Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on  X: @JarrettBell

The New York Giants have fired defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, according to Art Stapleton of NorthJersey.com, part of the USA TODAY Network.

The news comes one day after New York blew another double-digit lead in a Week 12 loss to the Detroit Lions on the road. Outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen has been tabbed as the Giants’ interim defensive coordinator, Stapleton has reported.

Leading 27-17 with 11 minutes to play on Sunday, Nov. 23, the Giants let their lead slip by giving up a 49-yard rushing touchdown to Jahmyr Gibbs, then a game-tying, 59-yard field goal with 30 seconds left.

Bowen’s defense has been maligned this season for its inability to maintain leads down the stretch. Through 12 weeks, New York has won just two of the seven games in which the team has taken a double-digit lead.

Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka told reporters after the team’s Week 11 loss to the Green Bay Packers that he did not foresee making any changes to the coaching staff.

‘We’re going to evaluate all the players. We’re going to evaluate all the coaches, the calls, be hypercritical of that, and then find out those areas where we can be better and knock those things out,’ he said.

Another blown lead late in Week 12 was the straw that broke the camel’s back for Bowen’s time in New York.

The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, while Dak Prescott became the franchise’s all-time passing leader.
Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders won his first NFL start, ending a long-running team streak.
The New England Patriots took over first place in the AFC with a league-best 10-2 record.
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is on pace to break the NFL’s single-season sack record.

The 32 things we learned from Week 12 of the 2025 NFL season:

1. The number of teams officially eliminated from playoff contention − the New York Giants the first to clinch that ignominious honor this season.

2. It was the earliest the Giants had been ousted from even the most remote relevance since the 1976 season.

3. The number of losses suffered by the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles, who surrendered a 21-0 lead Sunday in a 24-21 come-from-ahead loss to the hated Dallas Cowboys.

4. Two straight wins, both coming in the aftermath of DE Marshawn Kneeland’s untimely death, has Dallas back at .500, if still in 10th place overall in the NFC. Yet the team, flag waving and all, seems to be deriving fuel from its fallen teammate.

5. And as much (deserved) flak as Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has taken for the Micah Parsons trade, give him credit for the acquisition of WR George Pickens, who leads the team with 67 catches for 1,054 yards and eight TDs, including another score in Sunday’s win.

6. However Pickens is going to create a Bengals-caliber dilemma in the offseason given he’s scheduled to hit free agency and the team has already committed a ton of money to QB Dak Prescott and WR CeeDee Lamb.

7. Did we bury the lead … Cowboy? Prescott passed for 354 yards and two TDs on Sunday (he ran for another score) and became Dallas’ all-time passing leader with 34,378 career yards after overtaking Tony Romo.

8. The number of receptions Sunday, a season high, for Eagles WR A.J. Brown, who finished with 110 yards and the game’s first touchdown. Good thing they made such a concerted effort to get him involved.

9. Elsewhere, Philly RB Saquon Barkley rushed for a season-low 22 yards. He’s on pace to rush 1,057 yards, nearly half his 2024 output of 2,005.

10. The number of times the Cleveland Browns sacked Las Vegas Raiders QB Geno Smith on Sunday. More on this later.

11. With Sunday’s win at Cincinnati, the New England Patriots moved their record to a league-best 10-2, which also allowed them to assume first place in the AFC over the idle Denver Broncos.

12. And while the Seattle Seahawks have been showered with deserved praise as fierce road warriors, the Pats’ 6-0 record away from home is the league’s best.

13. The number of sacks Browns DE Myles Garrett has … in the past four games. More on this later.

14. New England’s win came at the expense of the snakebit Cincinnati Bengals, who fell to 3-8 with QB Joe Burrow still not quite ready to return from his Week 2 turf toe injury. With Ja’Marr Chase suspended and fellow WR Tee Higgins felled by a concussion, credit to the Stripes for nearly salvaging a win before succumbing 26-20.

15. The jersey number of Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, who led the defending AFC champs out of an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to overcome the Indianapolis Colts 23-20 in overtime and possibly salvaging K.C.’s season.

16. The Colts, meanwhile, have lost two of three and are slowly falling into the clutches of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans in the AFC South. Indy’s top-ranked offense matched its season-low with 20 points and went three-and-out on all four of its drives after the third quarter.

17. Dating to 1995, before the previous iteration of the franchise relocated to Baltimore and became the Ravens, the number of consecutive quarterbacks who had lost their first NFL start with the Browns − a streak rookie Shedeur Sanders ended Sunday.

18. The number of sacks Garrett has … this season, most in the league. More on this later.

19. Cleveland’s three touchdowns came courtesy of Sanders and two fellow rooks. He threw a 66-yard TD to RB Dylan Sampson, who did most of the work on Sanders’ first professional scoring strike. RB Quinshon Judkins ran for the Browns’ two other TDs in their 24-10 triumph.

20. The Detroit Lions rode Jahmyr Gibbs hard in order to avoid their first losing streak since 2022. The third-year back rushed for career-best 219 yards (and had a career-high 264 yards from scrimmage) and scored three times − including a 69-yard run in overtime − as Detroit staved off the Giants 34-27.

21. The Lions will be back on the field Thursday, Thanksgiving afternoon, against the Green Bay Packers in the second portion of their season-long three-game homestand. Detroit, which currently still sits outside the NFC playoff field despite a 7-4 record, needs to string some wins together.     

22½. The league’s single-season sack record, which is shared by Hall of Famer Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt.

23. Packers RB Josh Jacobs hopes to suit up on Turkey Day to face the Packers, but a knee injury sidelined him Sunday.

24. Not to worry, Pack RB2 Emanuel Wilson rushed 28 times for 107 yards – topping any of Jacobs’ single-game highs in 2025 – while scoring twice as Green Bay dispatched the listing Minnesota Vikings 23-6.

25. The second half summed up the Vikes’ day – and maybe season: 4 total yards and three turnovers.

26. Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba needed all of 11 games to rack up a league-leading 1,313 receiving yards – already a single-season record for Seattle.

27. The Seahawks D also dropped Tennessee Titans rookie QB Cam Ward four more times. The No. 1 overall pick has now been sacked 45 times this season, most in the league.

Almost 28. The number of sacks Garrett is on pace to collect over 17 games, his current pace currently at 27.8 to be completely precise.

29. Congrats to Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry, who moved from 15th to 12th place on the league’s all-time rushing list Sunday, when he ran for 64 yards and two scores in a win over the New York Jets. Now at 12,294 career rushing yards, Henry needs 19 more to displace legendary Jim Brown for the 11th spot all time.

30. Of more importance, the Ravens dislodged the Aaron Rodgers-less Pittsburgh Steelers for first place in the AFC North by winning their fifth game in a row. The teams will meet for the first time this season in Week 14.

31. Three games have already gone into overtime in Week 12. Overall this season, there have been 47 games decided by a game-winning score in the final two minutes or OT, the most through Week 12 in league annals.

32. Week 12 is also cool because it provides NFL players an early opportunity to give thanks, shine a spotlight or otherwise with the league’s My Cause, My Cleats campaign. Take a look below.

The Big Ten is set to have three teams in the playoff field, with Michigan having one last chance to upset Ohio State.
The SEC faces a potential four-way tie, which could lead to a complex tiebreaker formula to decide its championship game participants.
Miami is considered the ACC’s best team but is unlikely to make the conference title game, relying on an at-large playoff bid.

Most of the hay is in the proverbial barn with just one week remaining in regular season as teams fight to make the College Football Playoff. That being the case, we’ve seen dominant narratives associated with each conference take hold during the course of the campaign.

One league is too deep, one is too top heavy, and everyone else is struggling to find a seat at the table. We’ll use this week’s missive from Overreaction HQ to address these issues in turn.

Do the narratives have merit? Are they overly simplistic or overly complicated? As always, the answer is probably something along the lines of ‘Yes, and no.”

The Big Ten’s depth problem

No matter what happens in the closing weekend, the Big Ten is going to have three teams in the playoff field. They were undoubtedly hoping for more at league headquarters, but candidates to be the fourth representative have fallen by the wayside on a weekly basis. The latest was Southern California, which earlier missed an opportunity to pick up a high-end victory at Notre Dame and likewise came up short at Oregon.

There is one last opportunity for a fourth B1G member to crash the party. On one hand, it’s a long shot, but on the other it’s a team with recent history on its side against its most loathed rival. We refer, of course, to Michigan, which will try one more time to upset the applecart by taking down Ohio State.

Strictly speaking the Buckeyes don’t need to win it. They recovered from losing to the Wolverines last year and wound up hoisting the championship trophy in the end. Realistically, however, the team, its coach and its fans will want to remove this final missing piece from their list of accomplishments once and for all.

The SEC’s tiebreaker problem

Among the many complications brought on by conference expansion in the power leagues is the often absurd number of tiebreaker scenarios that emerge when determining the championship game participants. Compared to some other leagues the SEC’s situation is fairly straightforward, but a four-way tie at the top is a possibility should Texas hand Texas A&M its first loss next week. With just two head-to-head results among the foursome, an esoteric formula weighing opponents conference win percentage will determine which teams will head to Atlanta to play in a game that, truth be told, they’d probably be better off skipping.

This was entirely predictable, of course. When a 16-team league has only eight conference games scheduled, there isn’t going to be enough overlap to produce any meaningfully understandable ways to break ties. Adding a ninth league game will help, but the real culprit in all this was the decision to abandon conference divisions. Obviously the SEC was not alone in that, but there should still be a less messy method of determining a champion.

The ACC’s Miami problem

While the ACC champ will be in the playoff, it’s quite possible its best team won’t be. If we’re being honest, Miami is the one member of the conference with a realistic chance to actually win a playoff game, but the Hurricanes are in all likelihood relegated to the at-large pool since their path to the conference title game hinges on several unlikely Week 14 outcomes, starting with losses by Virginia and SMU.

To be clear, the ‘Canes have no one to blame but themselves for being in this predicament. Their two losses had more mistakes than a first-grade piano recital. Now they need to take care of Pittsburgh on the road and hope that result along with their Week 1 win against Notre Dame are enough to impress the committee.

The Big 12’s respect problem

In the end, there might still be room for both Texas Tech and Brigham Young in the field. But whichever of them loses their expected upcoming rematch in the Big 12 title game will find itself in a crowded at-large pool that, based upon what the committee has given us thus far, is going to be quite SEC heavy. Big 12 squads have produced several out-of-conference wins against other power leagues, but most of them have been at the expense of the ACC.

First things first, of course – the Red Raiders and Cougars need to do their part next week by handling West Virginia and Central Florida, respectively. They’ll probably need a few other favorable results as well, then they must stage a good contest and hope that is enough.

The Group of Five flag-bearer problem

The so-called G5 had a clear front-runner a year ago at this time, when Boise State sent a Heisman finalist to New York City and was deemed worthy of a first-round bye. No such standard bearer has emerged from the non-power leagues this year. Tulane posted a couple Power Four wins but was completely overwhelmed by Ole Miss and routed at Texas-San Antonio. South Florida can claim an SEC win at the expense of Florida, but the Bulls didn’t fare nearly as well against Miami. North Texas has just a single loss but was trounced in that one by said Bulls and is untested against the power leagues.

What about James Madison, you say? The Dukes’ loss to Louisville hasn’t aged well given the Cardinals’ recent swoon, and the Sun Belt as a whole hasn’t been as strong as in some recent years. It will therefore likely be the American champ getting the fifth automatic berth, but whichever team that is figures to be a major underdog.

Hope there’s room on the plate for men’s college basketball this Thanksgiving, as there’s a full serving of games taking place over the holiday week.

Multi-team events (MTE) bring teams across the country to give them a simulation what happens of March Madness by playing games in consecutive days against quality teams. It’s a great opportunity to gain precious Quad 1 and 2 wins that will come in handy on Selection Sunday.

Some tournaments have already begun and wrapped up, but Thanksgiving week is where the most notable ones are served up, like a loaded field in Las Vegas and a classic from the island of Maui. In total, 13 teams in the USA TODAY Sports coaches poll will be in action at MTEs, and there are other that could be ranked after strong showings.

Here is a rundown of the major tournaments to keep watch:

Player’s Era Festival

When: Nov. 24-27
Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena and Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas.
Teams: No. 2 Houston, No. 6 Michigan, No. 11 Alabama, No. 12 Gonzaga, No. 14 Iowa State, No. 16 St. John’s, No. 17 Tennessee, No. 23 Kansas, Auburn, Baylor, Creighton, Maryland, Notre Dame, Oregon, Rutgers, San Diego State, Syracuse, UNLV
Bracket/schedule: Here
Why it’s important: It doesn’t get much better than this event. Eighteen teams play in a loaded tournament that feature several national championship contenders. Last season’s runner-up Houston headlines the field with Alabama, Gonzaga, Iowa State and St. John’s all having a chance to prove they’re among the Final Four contenders. Creighton, Baylor and Oregon also have opportunities to make their mark. It will two days of basketball from morning to late night, with quality contests in Alabama vs. Gonzaga and St. John’s vs. Iowa State. After the two days, the championship round is determined by record, followed by point differential − points scored and points allowed. More than likely, every team will play a ranked opponent.

Maui Invitational

When: Nov. 24-26
Where: Lahaina Civic Center, Lahaina, Hawaii.
Teams: Arizona State, Boise State, Chaminade, North Carolina State, Seton Hall, Texas, Southern California, Washington State
Bracket/schedule: Here
Why it’s important: One of the most well-known tournament in the sport, the Maui Invitational has lost some luster in 2025 with fewer high-caliber teams. Still, this is a bracket to watch as most of the field are trying to prove they are NCAA Tournament-worthy. The main teams to watch include North Carolina State and Texas, both of which have first-year coaches expected to bring success back to their respective programs. There’s also a strong USC team trying to take the next step under Eric Musselman.

Acrisure Series

When: Nov. 25-28
Where: Acrisure Arena, Palm Desert, Calif.
Teams: Grand Canyon, Iowa, Mississippi and Utah are among 20 teams.
Bracket/schedule: Here
Why it’s important: A plethora of games will take place in the desert of California for the Acrisure Series, but the one bracket to watch includes this crop of teams. It starts with new look Iowa under Ben McCollum, who has brought some key players from Drake already making an impact. The Hawkeyes will open against Mississippi, which hopes to stay as player in the SEC. Meanwhile, Utah and Grand Canyon have a shot at picking up two major wins.

Battle 4 Atlantis

When: Nov. 26-28
Where: Imperial Arena, Paradise Island, Bahamas.
Teams: Colorado State, Saint Mary’s, South Florida, Vanderbilt, Virginia Commonwealth, Virginia Tech, Wichita State and Western Kentucky
Bracket/schedule: Here
Why it’s important: The Bahamas will be the place to watch for mid-major fans with several participating in the Battle 4 Atlantis. Vanderbilt is one of the two power conference teams and will be the favorite, but it won’t be a cakewalk. Saint Mary’s looks like it will be headed to another tournament, and it will start play against Wichita State. Colorado State lost plenty from last season’s squad but will get a chance to stay in the upper part of the Mountain West, starting against Virginia Tech.

ESPN Events Invitational (Magic Bracket)

When: Nov. 24-28
Where: State Farm Field House, Kissimmee, Fla.
Teams: No. 10 Brigham Young, Dayton, Georgetown and Miami among 16 teams.
Bracket/schedule: Here
Why it’s important: BYU will be a team to watch all season, and the Cougars will head to Florida as heavy favorites in the Magic Bracket of this multiple tournament event. AJ Dybantsa and company will start against Miami with new coach Jai Lucas. On the other side are potential dark horse teams not to sleep on; Georgetown has looked impressive early with wins over Maryland and Clemson, while Dayton just beat Marquette on the road.

Rady Children’s Invitational

When: Nov. 27-28
Where: Jenny Craig Pavilion, San Diego.
Teams: No. 9 Florida, No. 21 Wisconsin, Providence, TCU
Bracket/schedule: Here
Why it’s important: Defending champion Florida makes a rare trip out West for another test for the Gators against Power conference teams. They will get an enigma in TCU, which has looked in some games and flat in others. In the other matchup, Big Ten hopeful Wisconsin is coming off a tough loss to BYU and will face Providence. It is expect the Gators and the Badgers will meet in the championship round as any other result for the two would be disastrous.

Fort Myers Tip-Off

When: Nov. 24-27
Where: Suncoast Credit Union Arena, Fort Myers, Fla.
Teams: No. 18 Michigan State, No. 19 North Carolina, East Carolina and St. Bonaventure among eight teams.
Bracket/schedule:Here
Why it’s important: The first day in the Beach Division of the Fort Myers Tip-Off won’t be as intriguing with Michigan State taking on East Carolina and North Carolina facing St. Bonaventure. But it’s Thanksgiving day when it’ll be a game to watch. The Tar Heels and Spartans will meet in a battle of powerhouses that have looked exceptional so far. North Carolina has a dominant win over Kentucky and Michigan State shot the lights out against those Wildcats in the Champions Classic. A great opportunity for one to post a huge resume win.

As we head into Thanksgiving week, many of you will be very busy. Family, friends, travel and shopping will be at the forefront of most people’s minds, which means fantasy football often gets pushed to the back burner.

However, this is still a crucial stretch for your team. With just a couple weeks before the fantasy playoffs, this is one of the final chances you have to make meaningful improvements to your roster.

There are reasons to trade, whether you still have work to do to make the playoffs or are already in. You may need a short-term boost to get there, or you can take a more long-term approach if your spot is secure.

These eight players are not necessarily one-size-fits-all buy or sell options. Instead, they fit best for teams in the scenarios outlined above.

Fantasy football players to buy in Week 13

RB Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers

If you are locked into the playoffs, acquiring Jacobs could be a league-winning move. He was reportedly close to playing this week but ultimately could not get on the field.

There is still a chance he is not active for Week 13, especially with it being a short week as the Packers play the Lions on Thanksgiving Day.

If you have both the record and the depth to handle a week without Jacobs, then this is absolutely a move worth making.

RB Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Another running back dealing with an injury. Reports say Irving is expected to return in Week 13, but it feels like we’ve been hearing that for weeks, so it’s hard to know for sure.

It might be tough to pry him away from the manager who has stashed him this long, but if you can, do it. Because of the risk that he doesn’t return in Week 13, and the risk of reinjury, you should already have a strong roster that can absorb the loss if things don’t go as expected.

If you can handle the risk, the payoff is obvious. Irving is one of the best fantasy running backs when healthy. If you need the reminder, over the first four weeks he averaged 18 PPR points per game, good for eighth-best at the position.

TE Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts

Warren’s star has dimmed a bit since his blazing start to the season. After scoring in three straight games from Weeks 5–7, he has now gone four straight without finding the end zone.

The volume is still elite for a tight end, and that is exactly what you want on your roster heading into the playoffs.

Week 13 might be tough with a matchup against the Texans’ elite defense. However, much like the two running backs on this list, if your team can absorb the difficult week, the rest of the schedule sets up nicely for Warren to finish the season strong.

QB Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Burrow nearly returned in Week 12, so the expectation is he will play on Thanksgiving night against the Ravens.

The right scenario needs to be in place for this trade to be possible. The manager who has Burrow must also have another strong quarterback, likely someone in the top six or seven. If they do, try to acquire Burrow for your playoff run. If they are unwilling to move him and you need a quarterback upgrade, shift your focus to their other option instead.

Fantasy football players to sell in Week 13

WR Drake London, Atlanta Falcons

London is a player you should be looking to move, no matter your playoff scenario.

He is dealing with an injury. While there is some optimism he could return in Week 13, other reports suggest the knee may be a longer-term issue.

Even if he does return, Kirk Cousins will be his quarterback. His splits with Cousins vs. Michael Penix Jr. are not favorable. London scores on average of 4.6 fewer PPR points per game with Cousins compared to Penix.

This is not a “sell at all costs” situation, but if you are offered a solid player in return, that should be an easy decision to make.

TE Hunter Henry, New England Patriots

There is one last week when teams will be on bye in the NFL: Week 14, the final week of the regular season in most fantasy football leagues. One of the teams on bye is the Patriots.

If you need wins, moving players who cannot help you achieve that can sometimes be necessary. It might feel like you are “losing” the trade, but if it helps you reach the playoffs, then it is worth it. And you never know what could happen once you get there.

Henry is coming off one of his best games of the season, catching seven passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. This only helps your cause to sell him.

WR DJ Moore, Chicago Bears

Moore has been mostly underwhelming this year, but he scored twice in Week 12. That looks impressive, but a concern is he was not on the field as much as usual. Most managers will not realize this.

The other concern for Moore, and for any Bears offensive player, is their upcoming schedule. They face the Eagles, Packers (twice), Browns and 49ers. Only the Niners in Week 17 present a favorable matchup.

A selling point for Moore is that Rome Odunze has underperformed lately compared to his early-season successs. This should result in Moore seeing more consistent targets, much like Sunday, which contributed to his two scores.

WR Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

At this point, it is time to sell all Vikings players if anyone will take them. Even the great Justin Jefferson.

Outside of Week 13 against the Seahawks, the schedule was supposed to favor the Vikings’ skill players. At this point, it doesn’t matter, and there is one clear reason: QB J.J. McCarthy.

McCarthy looks, for lack of a better word, terrible, and it seems to get worse with each game. This week, he couldn’t top 100 passing yards and has now thrown seven interceptions over the last four games. That’s Justin Fields–level bad.

Trading a player of Jefferson’s caliber is tough to stomach, but how many weeks in a row have you endured disappointing results? Make him someone else’s problem. His name alone should fetch a solid return.

Just like that, 12 weeks have come and gone in the 2025 fantasy football season.

It means that postseason action is just around the corner and, for many teams, the end of the season is near. Whether that is a welcome sight or not depends mostly on your spot in the standings, but one thing is for certain – this has been one wild year.

Stars that have produced for years have been seemingly zapped of their powers. Others that were never thought of as stars are now suddenly shining bright.

Making the right decisions every week feels like playing the lottery and even that might have better odds. On the bright side, we have 12 weeks of data to digest and the cuts become a little easier when there is more on the line.

In other words, it all comes down to trust.

Here are the players you can bid farewell to as we head into the final weeks of the fantasy regular season.

Waiver wire players to drop: Week 13

Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots

Stevenson returned to the lineup, which felt like it could’ve been problematic for TreVeyon Henderson. In fact, it was quite the opposite as the rookie finished with 18 carries to Stevenson’s six. Making matters worse for the veteran, he only added one catch on two targets in the passing game.

This is clearly Henderson’s backfield now, which has been a long time coming. Stevenson is nothing more than a handcuff at this stage of the season. If you need the roster spot, the veteran back can be dropped since he is no longer someone to plug into fantasy lineups.

Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints

Continuing to keep Kamara on your roster or, even worse, in your lineup, is paying today’s price for yesterday’s production. It’s nothing against the Saints’ running back, but his name far exceeds the value from a fantasy standpoint in 2025. New Orleans is going nowhere quickly and a changing of the guard is already underway.

Kamara departed Week 12 with a knee injury after being banged up with an ankle issue heading into the contest. At this stage, it makes sense for New Orleans to start evaluating talent further down the depth chart before heading into the offseason. Kamara doesn’t fit the timeline and he is far from a trusted player in fantasy.

Jerry Jeudy, WR, Cleveland Browns

Another week, another suggestion to drop Jeudy. All you need to know about this receiver is that he went for a stroll in Vegas on Nov. 23, seemingly forgetting that he was carrying a valuable football in the process. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long for a Raiders’ defender to knock the ball loose and recover the fumble.

It’s already hard enough for receivers to find fantasy relevance in a run-first offense like Cleveland’s. Couple that with the fact that he has just one touchdown and it might as well be impossible. Do yourself a favor and move on.

Romeo Doubs, WR, Green Bay Packers

You can’t miss Doubs on game days. The guardian cap sticks out like a sore thumb, but it isn’t enough to get the receiver any extra production in the passing game. Since his three-touchdown game against the Cowboys on Sept. 28, the receiver hasn’t found the end zone.

For a Green Bay offense that likes to spread the wealth, it’s hard to be fantasy relevant without those scores. It’s a reality that has only gotten worse since Christian Watson’s return. Doubs has been targeted seven more times than Watson in the five games since the receiver’s return, but is trending in the wrong direction. Watson has seen two more targets over the last three games, continuing an upward trajectory. It’s hard to trust any receiver for the Packers. It’s even harder to trust one that is seeing less work than they used to.

Rashid Shaheed, WR, Seattle Seahawks

It wasn’t difficult to get excited about the Shaheed addition for the Seahawks. He stretches the field, while also making for a solid complimentary piece to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The issue, however, is adapting to a new team at this point in the season.

Shaheed has been quiet since debuting for Seattle, collecting just three catches on eight targets for 30 yards in three games. He has added four carries for 27 rushing yards, but it’s not nearly enough to warrant a spot in your lineup. Consider those three games an audition for the fantasy playoffs. Shaheed didn’t pass that test and there’s no way you can trust him to find his footing when the playoffs come around.

T.J. Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings

We don’t envy anyone looking for a tight end in fantasy this season, but Hockenson isn’t the answer. The Minnesota Vikings aren’t the answer to anything in 2025, unless the question relates to the most disappointing team in the league.