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

In a crucial matchup in the battle for the NFC West, the Los Angeles Rams may be without one of their top receivers.

NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported on Dec. 15 that 12-year veteran wide receiver Davante Adams is considered ‘week-to-week’ with a hamstring injury. Rapoport wrote Adams is ‘almost certainly’ going to miss the Rams’ Week 16 ‘Thursday Night Football’ game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Los Angeles clinched a playoff berth with its Week 15 win over the Detroit Lions on Dec. 14, but the Rams lost Adams to a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter.

Here’s the latest Adams injury update ahead of Week 16:

When will Davante Adams return?

Adams is expected to miss the Rams’ Week 16 meeting with the Seahawks on ‘Thursday Night Football.’

Rapoport of NFL Media reported on Dec. 15 – one day after Adams suffered a hamstring injury – that the veteran wide receiver was considered ‘week-to-week’ with the injury. Because the Rams have a short week, Adams is expected to miss at least one game with the ailment.

Los Angeles will likely re-evaluate Adams during its ‘mini bye’ following ‘Thursday Night Football’ to determine his status for the final two weeks of the season. The Rams have already clinched a playoff spot and will be able to use their postseason outlook (i.e., whether they’ve secured the top seed in the NFC and a first-round bye) to decide if Adams’ return can wait until the playoffs.

What happened to Davante Adams?

Adams re-aggravated an existing hamstring injury in the fourth quarter of the Rams’ Week 15 win over the Lions.

Early in the fourth quarter, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw a deep ball Adams’ way on a third-and-3 play. As he tracked the ball downfield, the veteran wideout appeared to pull up short with a lower-body malady. He fell to the ground during the play and remained down until Los Angeles’ training staff arrived to help Adams walk off the field.

Rapoport reported on Dec. 15 that the ailment that knocked Adams out of the game was not a new injury but instead an aggravation of a pre-existing issue.

Davante Adams stats

Through 15 weeks, Adams is the NFL’s leader in receiving touchdowns despite ranking outside the top 30 in receptions. He is also second on his own team in targets, receptions and receiving yards behind Puka Nacua.

Here’s how his stats look in 14 games played:

Targets: 114
Receptions: 60
Receiving yards: 789
Yards/reception: 13.1
Touchdowns: 14

Adams’ 14 touchdowns so far match his 2022 output with the Las Vegas Raiders, which led the league that year. It’s four scores short of his career high of 18 touchdowns, which he set with the Green Bay Packers in 2020 – a year in which he also led the league in the statistic.

Rams WR depth chart

Puka Nacua
Davante Adams (questionable – hamstring)
Konata Mumpfield
Tutu Atwell
Jordan Whittington
Xavier Smith

Outside of Nacua – who is second in the NFL in receptions (102) and receiving yards (1,367) – and Adams, the Rams’ wide receivers corps is lacking other standouts. Atwell and Mumpfield each have one touchdown apiece but no receiver outside of Nacua and Adams has more than 25 targets.

Most of Los Angeles’ passing offense has gone through its top two receivers, plus running back Kyren Williams and tight ends Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee and Davis Allen.

As the Washington Commanders play out the final three games of a lost 2025 season, quarterback Jayden Daniels will be watching from the sideline.

According to reports from ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the Commanders have decided to shut down Daniels for the remainder of the regular season. His second year in the pros is over after 15 weeks and seven starts. Washington’s backup quarterback, Marcus Mariota, will start the rest of the way.

Daniels, 24, battled injuries throughout his second season after managing to stay healthy for all 17 starts as a rookie. In Week 2, he sprained his left knee and missed two games. In Week 7, he injured his hamstring and missed Week 8. Daniels returned in Week 9’s ‘Sunday Night Football’ meeting with the Seattle Seahawks and suffered a dislocated left elbow in the final moments of the Commanders’ loss. He missed the rest of November – three more games.

The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year returned for Week 14’s game against the Minnesota Vikings before re-injuring his elbow and departing early. Daniels missed Week 15’s win over the New York Giants.

Rapoport wrote on social media that Daniels was not cleared for the Commanders’ Week 16 game. With Washington also set to play the Cowboys on Christmas in a short week, the team instead decided to shut down its quarterback for the season with nothing left to play for.

Jayden Daniels injury update

Daniels will miss the rest of the 2025 season as the Commanders prioritize his health over extra reps for a 4-10 squad.

Both ESPN and NFL Media reported Washington’s decision to shut down Daniels for the rest of the year. The second-year quarterback is still recovering from the dislocated elbow injury he sustained in Week 9, then re-aggravated in Week 14.

Rapoport, of NFL Media, wrote on social media that the Commanders had been unable to clear Daniels for contact after a re-evaluation on Dec. 15. With Washington uncertain of Daniels’ Week 16 status – ahead of what would be a short week thanks to the Commanders’ Christmas Day game – the team decided to bench him for the rest of the year.

Daniels finishes the 2025 season having started in seven games across 15 weeks. He missed two games with a knee sprain, one game with a hamstring injury and four total games with his dislocated elbow.

This season was the first in which the LSU product had missed significant time since his college days. Daniels only missed two games in his collegiate career in stints at Arizona State and LSU – once as a true freshman in 2019 and once sitting out LSU’s ReliaQuest Bowl appearance in 2024 to prepare for the NFL draft.

Jayden Daniels stats

Daniels finishes his 2025 season with a 2-5 record in seven starts, a significant step back from his 12-5 rookie season.

Here’s how Daniels’ numbers looked in an injury-marred second year:

Completion rate: 114-of-188 (60.6%)
Passing yards: 1,262
Passing touchdowns: 8
Interceptions: 3
Passer rating: 88.1
Rushing stats: 58 attempts for 278 yards (4.8 yards per attempt) and two touchdowns

Who is the Commanders’ backup quarterback?

Marcus Mariota is Washington’s backup quarterback. The 2025 season is his second serving as the Commanders’ second-string signal-caller.

Mariota has appeared in 10 games for Washington this year, starting in seven of them. The Commanders have gone 2-5 in games Mariota has started, with their two wins coming in Week 3 and Week 15.

Between his on-field production, famous last name and noticeable, occasionally contrived similarities to Patrick Mahomes, there are few college football quarterbacks who have attracted quite as much attention over the past two years as Dylan Raiola.

Now, the talented quarterback is in search of a new home.

Raiola intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal after spending the past two seasons at Nebraska, with Raiola confirming the news on Monday, Dec. 15 in a social media post.

‘God’s Story,’ he wrote in a caption on an Instagram story.

Raiola threw for 2,000 yards, 18 touchdowns and six interceptions during the 2025 season as a sophomore for the Cornhuskers before suffering a season-ending injury, a broken fibula in a Nov. 1 loss to USC. Over his two seasons at Nebraska, he passed for 4,819 yards, 31 touchdowns and 17 interceptions while completing 69.1% of his throws.

Raiola, the son of former NFL offensive lineman Dominic Raiola, was a highly touted recruit coming out of Buford High School in Georgia. He was the No. 21 overall player and the No. 3 quarterback in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the 2024 recruiting class.

He had previously committed to Georgia before decommitting seven months later and signing with Nebraska in Dec. 2023, giving Huskers coach Matt Rhule one of his biggest early recruiting wins. Raiola’s father was a consensus All-American at Nebraska in 2000 and his uncle, Donovan, had been the Huskers’ offensive line coach before being fired on Dec. 6. Nebraska allowed 30 sacks this season, tying it for 107th among 136 FBS teams.

After playing nine games as a sophomore in 2025, Raiola will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Raiola has gained national notoriety over the course of his college career for his unavoidable comparison to Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs’ three-time Super Bowl champion quarterback. Raiola wears the same jersey number as Mahomes (No. 15), has a similar haircut, wears a headband during games and has even been shown employing the same pregame routine as Mahomes. The two have struck up a friendship of sorts, which Raiola likening it to the bond between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.

There is no change at the top in the USA TODAY Sports men’s college basketball coaches poll this week, but the margin for the No. 1 team is much closer.

Michigan is still first, receiving 16 of 31 No.-1 votes while keeping its record clean for another week. But No. 2 Arizona has closed within four poll points of the Wolverines with 14 first-place votes after the Wildcats blew away Alabama to rack up yet another ranked win on the road over the weekend. Duke holds at No. 3 overall, claiming the remaining first-place nod, and Iowa State and Connecticut continue to round out the top five.

TOP 25: Complete USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball poll

In fact, the first 11 positions in the poll are the same. Purdue, Gonzaga, Houston, Michigan State and Brigham Young comprise the lower half of the top 10, with Louisville retaining the 11th spot.

Vanderbilt climbs two spots to No. 12 as Alabama slides four places to 16th. Nebraska makes the week’s biggest jump, a gain of seven positions to No. 15 after the unbeaten Cornhuskers defeated Illinois on the road.

No new teams enter the Top 25, as Iowa hangs on to the final spot after a loss to Iowa State.