Every week for the duration of the 2025 NFL regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the league’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 11 of the 2025 season nearly complete:

NFC playoff picture

1. Philadelphia Eagles (8-2), NFC East leaders: Something catastrophic (not uncommon in Philly) would have to occur for the defending champs not to be the first back-to-back winners of this division since they last did it … 21 years ago. After Sunday night’s win over Detroit, a Week 3 escape from the Rams currently confers the No. 1 seed to Philly. Remaining schedule: at Cowboys, vs. Bears, at Chargers, vs. Raiders, at Commanders, at Bills, vs. Commanders

2. Los Angeles Rams (8-2), NFC West leaders: They beat Seattle to notch their fifth straight win while taking over first place in the division. But the Rams effectively remain a game back of Philly in the conference standings. Remaining schedule: vs. Buccaneers, at Panthers, at Cardinals, vs. Lions, at Seahawks, at Falcons, vs. Cardinals

3. Chicago Bears (7-3), NFC North leaders: They’ve won seven of eight since an 0-2 start to stunningly take over first place in the division. And now it appears they’ll draw a weakened Pittsburgh team in Week 12. Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, at Eagles, at Packers, vs. Browns, vs. Packers, at 49ers, vs. Lions

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-4), NFC South leaders: Their divisional lead is down to a half game over Carolina, but the Bucs’ schedule will soon get quite manageable. Remaining schedule: at Rams, vs. Cardinals, vs. Saints, vs. Falcons, at Panthers, at Dolphins, vs. Panthers

5. Seattle Seahawks (7-3), wild card No. 1: Tough loss to the Rams drops them out of first place in the NFC West. All three of the ‘Hawks’ losses are against NFC opponents. Remaining schedule: at Titans, vs. Vikings, at Falcons, vs. Colts, vs. Rams, at Panthers, at 49ers

6. Green Bay Packers (6-3-1), wild card No. 2: They got awfully banged up in Sunday’s victory over the Giants yet eventually advanced one rung in the NFC seedings. Remaining schedule: vs. Vikings, at Lions, vs. Bears, at Broncos, at Bears, vs. Ravens, at Vikings

7. San Francisco 49ers (7-4), wild card No. 3: Detroit’s latest setback moves a third NFC West team into the projected seven-team NFC playoff field. And maybe the Niners can start building some momentum with QB1 Brock Purdy back in the lineup. Remaining schedule: vs. Panthers, at Browns, BYE, vs. Titans, at Colts, vs. Bears, vs. Seahawks

8. Detroit Lions (6-4), in the hunt: The offense crashed back to earth Sunday night in Philly as Detroit crashed out of the playoff picture … for now. Had they won in Philly, the Lions would have been the No. 2 seed − illustrative of how tightly packed the conference currently is. Remaining schedule: vs. Giants, vs. Packers, vs. Cowboys, at Rams, vs. Steelers, at Vikings, at Bears

9. Carolina Panthers (6-5), in the hunt: In addition to closing in on the Bucs, they’re only a game back of the Niners (whom they play next) for the final wild-card spot in the NFC. Remaining schedule: at 49ers, vs. Rams, BYE, at Saints, vs. Buccaneers, vs. Seahawks, at Buccaneers

10. Dallas Cowboys (4-5-1), in the hunt: Monday’s mauling of the Raiders gave this team a needed lift, both emotionally and in the standings − Dallas moving back into the playoff periphery. Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, vs. Chiefs, at Lions, vs. Vikings, vs. Chargers, at Commanders, at Giants

AFC playoff picture

1. Denver Broncos (9-2), AFC West leaders: Sunday’s win over Kansas City gave them a chokehold on the AFC West throne the Chiefs have sat upon since 2016. It also moved the Broncos past the Patriots for the conference’s top spot − Denver’s record in AFC games (6-2) currently a half-game better than New England’s. Remaining schedule: BYE, at Commanders, at Raiders, vs. Packers, vs. Jaguars, at Chiefs, vs. Chargers

2. New England Patriots (9-2), AFC East leaders: The first team in the league to reach nine wins Thursday night, they’re in prime position to win the division for the first time since Tom Brady led them to first place in 2019 and maybe their first No. 1 playoff seed since 2017. Remaining schedule: at Bengals, vs. Giants, BYE, vs. Bills, at Ravens, at Jets, vs. Dolphins

3. Indianapolis Colts (8-2), AFC South leaders: The schedule was Charmin soft before their bye, but you can’t control whom you play. But the second-half lineup seems much less forgiving. Remaining schedule: at Chiefs, vs. Texans, at Jaguars, at Seahawks, vs. 49ers, vs. Jaguars, at Texans

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4), AFC North leaders: Only one game up on Baltimore for the division lead and now possibly facing life without QB Aaron Rodgers in the short term. Remaining schedule: at Bears, vs. Bills, at Ravens, vs. Dolphins, at Lions, at Browns, vs. Ravens

5. Buffalo Bills (7-3), wild card No. 1: QB Josh Allen’s big game Sunday moved Buffalo up one spot in the seeding but got the Bills no closer to the AFC East lead. Tough game in Houston looms Thursday night. Remaining schedule: at Texans, at Steelers, vs. Bengals, at Patriots, at Browns, vs. Eagles, vs. Jets

6. Los Angeles Chargers (7-4), wild card No. 2: The week off arrives right on time for a battered team that was bludgeoned in Duval County on Sunday. Remaining schedule: BYE, vs. Raiders, vs. Eagles, at Chiefs, at Cowboys, vs. Texans, at Broncos

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-4), wild card No. 3: They continue to collect potentially critical head-to-head tiebreakers, Sunday’s defeat of the Bolts added to the Jags’ wins over the Chiefs. Remaining schedule: at Cardinals, at Titans, vs. Colts, vs. Jets, at Broncos, vs. Colts, at Titans

8. Houston Texans (5-5), in the hunt: They’ve won three of four, including two in a row without injured QB C.J. Stroud. If they want to win the AFC South for a third straight year, the Texans probably need to sweep Colts while continuing their surge. Remaining schedule: vs. Bills, at Colts, at Chiefs, vs. Cardinals, vs. Raiders, at Chargers, vs. Colts

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

10. Baltimore Ravens (5-5), in the hunt: They’ve won four in a row in their return to relevance. But their best hope to reach postseason is to win a third consecutive AFC North crown given they’ve already lost to K.C. and Houston. Their upcoming three-game homestand seems … sweepable? Remaining schedule: vs. Jets, vs. Bengals, vs. Steelers, at Bengals, vs. Patriots, at Packers, at Steelers

NFL teams eliminated from playoff contention in 2025

None

The College Football Playoff picture remains fluid with two weeks left before conference championships.
The SEC is projected to secure four spots in the playoff, in addition to its conference champion.
Notre Dame is in a strong position for a playoff berth if it wins its remaining games.

Trying to predict how the College Football Playoff field will look on Dec. 7 feels a bit like Bill Murray waking up every morning to Sonny and Cher in ‘Groundhog Day.’

Each week of games seems to change the picture. And yet it also seems the same. Teams that move into the field quickly move out. Others seemingly locked into place get close calls. It’s just the way this thing goes. And there’s still two more weeks before conference championship games.

The one constant that appears in place is the makeup of the field. There will be five conference champions with the American joining the Power Four (sorry, James Madison). That American rep now looks to be Tulane after last week’s loss by South Florida.

It doesn’t appear that the ACC or Big 12 are going to get an at-large team. Brigham Young and Miami might have a chance, but a lot will go right for both teams. Notre Dame looks to be in good shape with two more wins. That leaves six other spots to split between the Big Ten and SEC.

Ohio State or Indiana will take one. Minus a win by Southern California at Oregon or Michigan at Ohio State, it’s hard to see more than the Ducks joining them.

Which brings us to the SEC. The league should hoover up the other four available spots. The champion and three of those positions should come from Texas A&M, Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama. Oklahoma is wins against Missouri and LSU away from joining that group. The Sooners bumped out Texas this week. The preseason No. 1 now with three losses needs a lot of help to make the field.

Seems simple. But it never seems to work that way. Come back next week where we all will wake up and go through the whole process again.

College football bowl projections after Week 12

Notes: Legacy Pac-12 schools in other conferences will fulfill existing Pac-12 bowl agreements through the 2025 season. Not all conferences will fulfill their bowl allotment. An asterisk represents a replacement pick.

Murder charges have been filed against 27-year-old Cedric Irving Jr., a former high school football player in Oakland, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office announced on Monday Nov. 17.

If convicted, Irving could serve 50 years to life in state prison, according to the District Attorney’s office.

CNN reported Irving being held without bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday.

Irving was arrested at a commuter rail station just after 3 a.m. Friday while carrying the firearm used to shoot Beam and admitted to the shooting, CNN reported, citing the probable cause document.

The District Attorney’s office said Irving has no criminal record, according to multiple published reports.

Beam, who was the current athletic director at Laney College, died early Nov. 14, a day after being shot at the campus field house. Beam, who was 66, also had coached football at Laney.

Beam and the team he coached at Laney College were featured in the fifth season of the Netflix ‘Last Chance U’ documentary series, which was released in 2020. The show chronicled Laney’s 2019 season after it won the 2018 junior college championship.

“On behalf of the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, and my personal family, I wish to express our deepest condolences to Coach John Beam’s family,’’ District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson. “Coach Beam represents the best of Oakland.  Just as Coach Beam’s love for community has been felt for decades, so will his loss.”

Beam retired as Laney’s head coach in 2024 to focus on his role as athletic director. He had coached in Oakland for more than 40 years.

The District Attorney also announced mandatory minimums for illegal possession of a firearm.

“There must be more accountability,’’ Jones Dickson said. “We will be instituting mandatory minimum sentences for individuals who illegally possess guns.  Our schools, students, and teachers need to thrive in a safe gun-free environment.  I believe that this will be an important step in that direction to make Oakland and Alameda County safer.”

New York Giants fans aren’t going to see CamSkattebo on the field again this season, but he did put his competitive spirit on display at WWE Raw at Madison Square Garden.

Skattebo was sitting ringside with several of his teammates and comedian Andrew Schulz when the wrestling trio known as ‘Judgment Day’ – which consists of Finn Balor, JD McDonagh and Dominik Mysterio – got into an argument with the group.

It started when Mysterio taunted Schulz about New York’s lack of recent championship success. He asked how many years it had been since a New York team took home a title, before turning to Skattebo and saying, ‘Can you count, Cam? How many years? He don’t know. He can’t count.’

Mysterio then shoved Schulz into his chair, which prompted Skattebo to stand and get in his face. From there, McDonagh began jawing with Skattebo, and the powerful running back threw him to the ground, sparking a larger brawl between the two parties.

Below is a look at the footage of the dispute, as provided by WWE.

Giants fans will certainly like seeing Skattebo show off his acting chops, even if he took a little more contact than most would like to see. And perhaps the rookie running back will have a future in wrestling once his NFL career comes to an end.

But after watching Skattebo rack up 617 yards and seven touchdowns on 125 touches before a significant ankle injury ended his rookie season, Giants fans will undoubtedly be looking forward more to seeing the Arizona State product return to the field in 2026.

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey got an early hook from Sunday’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals for his role in a scrap with wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. On Monday, it was Ramsey’s counterpart who was punished.

The NFL has suspended Chase for one game after it determined he spit toward Ramsey, igniting the fourth-quarter scuffle.

Chase plans to appeal the ruling, a person with knowledge of the receiver’s plans told the Cincinnati Enquirer and the USA TODAY Network. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about Chase’s next steps.

If his appeal is unsuccessful, Chase will miss the Bengals’ Week 12 contest against the New England Patriots. He will also lose his weekly paycheck of $448,333 and a $58,823 bonus for being active.

Chase denied Ramsey’s claim that the receiver had spit when the two met face-to-face, but video footage appeared to contradict the Bengals standout’s assertion.

‘I ain’t ever opened my mouth to that guy,’ Chase told reporters. ‘I didn’t spit on nobody.’

Ramsey was ejected after taking a swing at Chase’s helmet, earning him his second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the two were flagged following the previous third-down play for offsetting infractions.

‘I don’t give a (expletive) about football after that, respectfully,’ Ramsey said of his allegation against Chase.

Referee Bill Vinovich said in a pool report after the game that officials did not observe Chase spitting toward Ramsey.

Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward delivered a pointed rebuke of Chase after the game.

“Two competitors, but one guy took it too far,’ Heyward told reporters. ‘Our guy got penalized, but if you’re going to spit on a guy, you don’t belong in the game. Hopefully the NFL handles it.”

Chase’s suspension comes as the NFL continues to emphasize sportsmanship in the 2025 season.

In September, Jalen Carter was ejected from the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys after spitting toward quarterback Dak Prescott before the first play from scrimmage. Carter was docked one full game check, but the league considered his absence from the entire contest a fulfillment of a one-game suspension that didn’t necessitate an additional ban.

Chase, however, was not removed from Sunday’s matchup.

Prior to the announcement of the punishment on Monday, Bengals coach Zac Taylor stood by Chase while acknowledging he believed that the receiver had erred.

‘Obviously what happened is crossing the line. He’ll own up to that,’ Taylor said. ‘Ja’Marr is one of my favorite players. I love how this guy handles everything that he’s been a part of. So making one mistake doesn’t disregard everything this guy’s done that’s been positive for us.’

Both teams participated in tributes, including wearing special T-shirts, helmet decals, and observing a moment of silence.
The Cowboys played an inspired game, defeating the Raiders 33-16 in their first contest since Kneeland’s passing.
Quarterback Dak Prescott, whose brother also died by suicide, emphasized the importance of supporting one another and remembering that life is bigger than football.

This article discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

LAS VEGAS – Monday night was bigger than football. It was apparent by the atmosphere before kickoff.

The Dallas Cowboys wore custom Marshawn Kneeland T-shirts during pregame warmups. Members of the Las Vegas Raiders had on suicide prevention shirts with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The Cowboys had decals on their helmets to honor Kneeland, and members of the team’s staff wore pins with his No. 94. Allegiant Stadium conducted a moment of silence for Kneeland just prior to kickoff.

It would’ve been understandable if the emotional toll from Kneeland’s death by apparent suicide on Nov. 6 was too much to bear for the Cowboys as they took the field for the first time since his passing. But the Cowboys played inspired in a convincing 33-16 victory in what might’ve been their most complete performance of the season.

“So proud of these guys. I mean, the way that they grieved, cried (and) laughed. But they wanted to honor (Kneeland), and we’re not done honoring him. He’s a part of our family forever,” Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said postgame. “But it’s been tough, man. I mean, these past 11 days been really tough. I’m proud of those guys, because just the way they played (Monday). They played with Marshawn’s to play style.”

Schottenheimer delivered a postgame message to the team about how proud Kneeland would’ve been of the team’s performance. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott threw four touchdown passes. The much-maligned Cowboys defense sacked Raiders quarterback Geno Smith four times, intercepted him once and recorded a safety in the fourth quarter.

“Because of the type of person, teammate and friend he was and is, he definitely will be proud. We were running to the ball. We were playing hard, we were celebrating together as a defensive line,” said Cowboys defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku, who preferred to speak of Kneeland in present tense. “He’s with us. He’s in our team meetings, he’s in our defensive line meetings. He’s practicing there with us, and he’s not going to be forgotten.”

Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa carried Kneeland’s 94 jersey to the visitors’ locker room after the win.

“It means the world to me to be able to honor him and honor his memory,” Odighizuwa said. “Being able to carry his jersey and carry his light and take it with us moving forward. He’s with us every step of the way.”

Kneeland’s jersey hung at a locker besides Cowboys players as they celebrated the win.  

Prescott had “one love” – a phrase Kneeland liked to say – written on his wrist tape during the game. The Cowboys quarterback appropriately sported a hat that read “Love your people” after the game. Prescott’s brother, Jace, died by suicide in 2020.

The Cowboys quarterback delivered a message for the masses at his postgame press conference. He reminded everyone able to listen that everything that transpired in front of a prime-time national audience was bigger than just a game.

‘It’s one of these moments you realize this is just a game, and life is what’s important, and our connections, our relationships. You know, what we say to each other, how we can lift each other up, how we can be a helping hand, how we can be a true neighbor, a true brother, a true sister, and love one another. One love, like Marshawn lived by,” Prescott explained. “Hopefully we’d all continue to look at our neighbors, look at ourselves and ask, how can we be better? How can we help better them? And just a moment like I said, to understand that it’s much bigger than this game, and it’s about life.”

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

Fantasy football managers are set to navigate one of their most difficult weeks of the season so far. Not only are there four teams on bye – the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders – but a plethora of prominent fantasy players are dealing with injuries that could knock them out of action.

Notably, running backs Josh Jacobs and Jaylen Warren suffered injuries in Week 11 and didn’t return to action. The same was true of Drake London, who is expected to miss Week 12 at the very least, while quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Michael Penix Jr. may both be sidelined by injuries.

That will leave fantasy managers scouring the waiver wire for potential streamers and fill-ins to help their lineups remain competitive. There are a handful of pickups who can immediately be plugged into lineups, while the recent returns of some other fantasy assets could create some difficult start ’em, sit ’em decisions.

Who can you start and sit in fantasy football for Week 12 of the NFL season? USA TODAY Sports outlines eight players to start and eight to sit.

Fantasy football players to start in Week 12

Quarterbacks

Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)

Brissett has been the epitome of consistency for fantasy managers since taking over for Kyler Murray in Week 6. He has thrown two touchdowns in all five of his starts and is averaging 314 passing yards per game, never throwing for less than 258 across his outings. The Jaguars are coming off an elite-level performance against Justin Herbert and the Chargers, but Jacksonville has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game (FPPG) to quarterbacks this season.

Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers (vs. Carolina Panthers)

Purdy finally returned to action against the Cardinals and looked healthy, throwing for 200 yards and three touchdowns in a blowout win over Arizona. Like Brissett, Purdy is hyper-consistent, as he is averaging 262 yards and has multiple touchdowns in each of his three starts this season. Carolina’s defense has been solid of late against quarterbacks – the unit has allowed just three passing touchdowns over its last five weeks – but Purdy still figures to be a strong start on ‘Monday Night Football.’

Running backs

Woody Marks, Houston Texans (vs. Buffalo Bills)

Marks didn’t quite live up to expectations against the Titans, totaling just 51 yards and failing to score. However, he out-touched Nick Chubb 19-3, signaling he has taken over in full as the lead back in Houston. The Texans have a favorable matchup against a Bills team that has allowed a league-high 14 rushing touchdowns to running backs and was just gashed by Sean Tucker. That should make Marks a rock-solid RB2 for Week 12.

Emanuel Wilson, Green Bay Packers (vs. Minnesota Vikings)

Josh Jacobs avoided a serious knee injury against the Giants, but he is still expected to be week-to-week because of it. Wilson seems likely to be a workhorse if Jacobs doesn’t play, as third-string running back Chris Brooks has logged just three carries this season. The Vikings rank middle-of-the-pack against running backs, so Wilson figures to be a low-end RB2 based on volume alone.

Wide receivers

A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles (at Dallas Cowboys)

Brown saw a season-high 11 targets in Week 11 after airing his grievances about the Eagles’ lack of consistent offensive success. If he continues to see that type of volume, Brown should have a chance for a big game against a Cowboys team that has allowed a league-high 16 receiving touchdowns to wideouts this season.

Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons (at New Orleans Saints)

Mooney has just 16 catches this season, but he’s a nice sleeper option with Kirk Cousins taking over for the injured Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback. Mooney averaged 4.1 catches for 62.4 yards in 14 games with Cousins last season and figures to see a high volume of targets with Drake London expected to miss Week 12 with a knee injury.

Tight end

Hunter Henry, New England Patriots (at Cincinnati Bengals)

The Bengals did not allow a touchdown to the Steelers’ tight end room in Week 11, but they did let Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth combine for 86 yards on five catches. Cincinnati still leads the league in touchdowns surrendered to the position (12) so Henry should be in line for a big game.

Defense/special teams

Cleveland Browns (at Las Vegas Raiders)

The Browns have generated 14 takeaways during the 2025 NFL season, tied for the seventh-most league-wide, and are averaging 3.2 sacks per game thanks to another standout season from Myles Garrett. Geno Smith has been one of the NFL’s most turnover-prone quarterbacks this season, so Cleveland could have a huge outing in this matchup.

Fantasy football players to sit in Week 12

Quarterbacks

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (vs. Philadelphia Eagles)

The Eagles haven’t allowed an opposing quarterback to log multiple passing touchdowns against them since Week 4. Prescott was unable to score while throwing for just 188 yards in his team’s Week 1 game against Philadelphia – a game where the Eagles did not have top defensive tackle Jalen Carter at their disposal after he spit at Prescott. As such, it’s hard to recommend trusting Prescott in this matchup.

Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts (at Kansas City Chiefs)

Jones has been a viable fantasy starter at times this season, but he faces a tough Week 12 matchup with the Chiefs. Kansas City has allowed just nine passing touchdowns to quarterbacks this season, tied for the fewest in the league. Jones has thrown for two touchdowns compared to four interceptions in his last two starts, so he has a low floor playing against what should be a desperate Chiefs team.

Running backs

Sean Tucker, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at Los Angeles Rams)

Tucker just starred during a 140-yard, three-touchdown performance against the Bills. He now gets a much tougher matchup in Week 12 against a Rams defense that has allowed just three total touchdowns to running backs this season. Add in the pending return of Bucky Irving and Tucker may not have the volume needed to be anything more than a touchdown-dependent flex play in a tough matchup.

Devin Singletary, New York Giants (at Detroit Lions)

Singletary is averaging just 57 scrimmage yards per game since Cam Skattebo’s injury, so his fantasy value figures to hinge significantly on his ability to score. He did so twice against the Packers, but he may find trouble repeating that feat against a Lions team that has allowed the second-fewest FPPG to running backs this season.

Wide receivers

Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills (at Houston Texans)

The Texans are one of just three teams to allow fewer than 100 receptions to wide receivers through Week 11. Shakir has often been a safety valve for Josh Allen, but it’s worth wondering whether the two will be able to connect on offense against a Houston defense that leads the NFL in EPA, per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.

Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers (vs. Carolina Panthers)

The good news: Pearsall made his return to action against the Cardinals in Week 11. The bad news: he had just one catch for zero yards. Pearsall may need time to work back into game shape, so feel free to keep him on the bench one more week against a Panthers defense that is weaker against RBs and TEs but has allowed the fifth-fewest FPPG to wide receivers.

Tight end

Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans (vs. Buffalo Bills)

The Bills have allowed the fewest receptions (25) and receiving yards (270) to tight ends this season, while also allowing just one touchdown. Schultz has averaged 5.8 catches and 60.5 receiving yards per game since Week 5, but he has a much lower ceiling than usual in this matchup.

Defense/special teams

Los Angeles Rams (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

The Rams are legitimate Super Bowl contenders, but they have surprisingly generated just one sack over their last three games. Continued struggles to generate pressure will lower their fantasy floor, as will a matchup against a Buccaneers team that is averaging 25.2 points per game, tied for 10th-best in the NFL.

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The U.S. men’s national soccer team will play its final friendly of 2025 as it continues to build toward what it hopes will be a successful 2026 World Cup.

The team’s performance of late has been encouraging.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s squad has gone unbeaten in four consecutive friendly matches against World Cup-bound teams, including a feisty 2-1 win over Paraguay on Nov. 15. The most promising aspect of the win was the play of Gio Reyna, who made his first USMNT start in 16 months. Reyna scored a goal and assisted on another in the victory.

The USMNT’s next opponent will be the biggest test yet among the team’s recent opponents. Uruguay is a World Cup regular; it has qualified for five of the last six World Cups and is ranked No. 15 in the latest FIFA rankings. The USMNT is rated one spot below Uruguay. It was Uruguay that prevented the U.S. from advancing beyond the group stage at the 2024 Copa America, a disappointment that resulted in the firing of then-coach Gregg Berhalter.

Here’s everything you need to know for the USMNT’s friendly soccer match against Uruguay on Tuesday, Nov. 18:

How to watch USMNT vs. Uruguay: Time, TV, streaming

Date: Tuesday, Nov. 18
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
TV channel: TNT (English); Telemundo, Universo (Spanish)
Streaming: Max, Sling TV (English); Peacock (Spanish)

Stream USMNT vs. Uruguay on Sling TV

USMNT roster for November friendlies

Goalkeepers (4): Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Jonathan Klinsmann (Cesena/Italy), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew)

Defenders (9): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven/Netherlands), Alex Freeman (Orlando City), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse FC/France), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/Germany), John Tolkin (Holstein Kiel/Germany), Auston Trusty (Celtic/Scotland)

Midfielders (6): Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps/Canada), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough/England), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach/Germany), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon/France), Timmy Tillman (LAFC)

Forwards (5): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/England), Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco/France), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/Netherlands), Haji Wright (Coventry City/Englan

USMNT 2025 schedule and results

Jan. 20 (friendly) — United States 3, Venezuela 1
Jan. 22 (friendly) — United States 3, Costa Rica 0
March 20 (Concacaf Nations League) — Panama 1, United States 0
March 23 (Concacaf Nations League third-place match) — Canada 2, United States 1
June 7 (friendly) — Türkiye 2, United States 1
June 10 (friendly) — Switzerland 4, United States 0
June 15 (Concacaf Gold Cup) — United States 5, Trinidad and Tobago 0
June 19 (Concacaf Gold Cup) — United States 1, Saudi Arabia 0
June 22 (Concacaf Gold Cup) — United States 2, Haiti 1
June 29 (Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinal) — United States 2, Costa Rica 2 (U.S. won penalty shootout, 4-3)
July 2 (Concacaf Gold Cup semifinal) — United States 2, Guatemala 1
July 6 (Concacaf Gold Cup final) — Mexico 2, United States 1
Sept. 6 (friendly) — South Korea 2, United States 0
Sept. 9 (friendly) — United States 2, Japan 0
Oct. 10 (friendly) — United States 1, Ecuador 1
Oct. 14 (friendly) — United States 2, Australia 1
Nov. 15 (friendly) — United States 2, Paraguay 1
Nov. 18 (friendly) — United States vs. Uruguay, 7 p.m. ET (Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida)

The NBA season is fully in swing. With some teams already having played 15 games, we’re starting to determine exactly who could compete for a title this season.

The early-season surprises are mostly behind us at this point, but that doesn’t mean teams like the Chicago Bulls, losers of five in a row heading into the week, can’t bounce back and remind us why the entire league feared them for the first two weeks.

Meanwhile, other squads are starting to find their groove. After starting the year just 6-6, the Golden State Warriors have won three straight, including two wins over the talented San Antonio Spurs.

Here are the top-five games to watch for the upcoming week of NBA:

Best NBA games to watch Nov. 18-23

1) Detroit Pistons at Atlanta Hawks

Date: Tuesday, Nov. 18
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
How to Watch: NBA League Pass, FanDuel Sports Network, Bally Sports Southeast

The Detroit Pistons were expected to be good this year, but very few people expected them to be at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. They’ve posted some impressive wins thus far, but have yet to face a serious Eastern Conference contender like the Atlanta Hawks could be, and to make matters even more difficult, the Pistons will be playing this game as the second of a back-to-back.

2) Houston Rockets at Cleveland Cavaliers

Date: Wednesday, Nov. 19
Time: 7 p.m. ET
How to Watch: ESPN, Fubo, NBA League Pass, FanDuel Sports Network

The Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers both appear to be in that second-tier of team in their respective conferences. Neither can seem to take over first-place in the East or West, but they are both teams that are feared by every competitor they face. Now, they square off against one another on an ESPN clash.

Watch Cavaliers vs. Rockets on Fubo

3) Chicago Bulls at Portland Trail Blazers

Date: Wednesday, Nov. 19
Time: 10 p.m. ET
How to Watch: NBA League Pass, CHSN, BlazerVision

The Chicago Bulls have lost five straight heading into the week and now face a Portland Trail Blazers team that has beaten some of the best teams in the league. The Blazers have also lost to the Los Angeles Clippers and barely squeaked by against the New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz. In other words, Portland seems to play up to the level of their competition, and the Bulls might be able to take advantage.

4) Philadelphia 76ers at Milwaukee Bucks

Date: Thursday, Nov. 20
Time: 8 p.m. ET
How to Watch: NBA League Pass, FanDuel Sports Network, NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Milwaukee Bucks are perennial contenders in the Eastern Conference, and they were expected to take a big leap forward this year with the addition of Myles Turner. However, through 14 games, they sit right next to the Philadelphia 76ers in the standings, who just got Paul George back from injury. A blowout loss to Philadelphia could be indicative that Milwaukee’s window has come and gone.

5) Portland Trail Blazers at Oklahoma City Thunder

Date: Sunday, Nov. 23
Time: 7 p.m. ET
How to Watch: NBA League Pass, FanDuel Sports Network, BlazerVision

The Oklahoma City Thunder have just one loss on their resume thus far. It came to the Portland Trail Blazers back on Nov. 5. This is an opportunity for revenge for the Thunder, or worse, a reminder that the reigning NBA champions, while obviously the favorites, are still capable of losing. The result of this game could be a beacon of hope to the rest of the league or a reminder that you might get in a solid punch against this Thunder squad, but you won’t win the fight.