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Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.

Sunday, January 4

Josiah Deguara Catches 7-Yard TD from Brissett, Puts Cardinals Ahead

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Arizona Cardinals TE Josiah Deguara caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Jacoby Brissett. This score gave the Cardinals the lead over the Los Angeles Rams during their Week 18 contest.

Clayton Tune Starts, Throws for 34 Yards in Packers' 16-3 Loss

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Green Bay Packers QB Clayton Tune made his second career NFL start in Week 18 against the Vikings, completing six of 11 passes for 34 yards without a touchdown or interception in the 16-3 loss. He also added 23 rushing yards on four carries. Tune's role was limited as the Packers, locked into the No. 7 seed, rested 16 key contributors and focused on their ground game. The game featured minus-7 total passing yards for the team. He is expected to return to the No. 3 depth chart spot for the wild-card round.

Tee Higgins Scores 11th TD of Season, Sets New Career High

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Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins caught six of nine targets for 67 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 20-18 loss to the Browns. He set a new career high with his 11th touchdown reception of the season on a 13-yard connection with Joe Burrow in the second quarter. Despite missing time due to injuries in 2025, Higgins finished with 59 catches, 846 yards, and 11 touchdowns on 98 targets over 15 games, solidifying his role as one of the league's most productive No. 2 receivers.

Ja'Marr Chase Caps Season with Eighth TD, Finishes with 1,412 Yards

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Cincinnati Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase caught eight of 10 targets for 96 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 20-18 loss to the Browns, scoring on a four-yard pass from Joe Burrow. He finished the 2025 season with 125 catches, 1,412 yards, and eight touchdowns on a career-high 185 targets over 16 games. Chase's ability to post elite numbers even with Burrow missing half the year positions him as a locked-in first-round selection in 2026 fantasy drafts.

Chase Brown Scores TD, Achieves 1,000 Rushing Yards, 1,456 Scrimmage Yards

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Cincinnati Bengals RB Chase Brown carried the ball 13 times for 72 yards and caught four passes for 18 yards and a touchdown in the 20-18 loss to the Browns. His rushing performance secured his first 1,000-yard campaign, and his first-quarter touchdown brought his season total to 11 (six rushing, five receiving), tying a career high. Brown also set a new personal best with 1,456 scrimmage yards and is locked into the top spot in the Bengals' backfield for 2026.

Parker Washington Paces Jaguars with 87 Yards, TD, Ready for Playoffs

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Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Parker Washington recorded five receptions on nine targets for 87 yards and a 23-yard touchdown from Trevor Lawrence in the 41-7 win over the Titans. Washington remained Lawrence's top target for the third consecutive game, showcasing rapport on deep balls with three catches of at least 20 yards. Despite a brief sideline exit, he missed only two plays and appears ready to be a significant part of the Jaguars' playoff run.

Burrow Throws 3 TDs in Loss, Sacked as Garrett Breaks Sack Record

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Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow completed 29 of 39 passes for 236 yards and three touchdowns with one interception in the 20-18 loss to the Browns. He added 17 rushing yards. Burrow connected with Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown for scores. He was notably sacked by Myles Garrett, which allowed Garrett to break the NFL single-season sack record. Burrow finishes a tough 2025 season with 17 touchdowns and 5 interceptions in only eight games, having missed significant time due to injuries for the second time in three years.

Juwan Johnson Leads Saints in Receiving Yards, Caps Career-Best Season

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New Orleans Saints TE Juwan Johnson secured three of five targets for a team-high 61 yards, including a 28-yard grab, in the 19-17 loss to the Falcons. With Chris Olave and Mason Tipton out, Johnson had an opportunity for increased targets. He finished the 2025 season with career-best totals of 77 receptions and 889 receiving yards, along with three touchdowns for the second consecutive season. His rapport with Tyler Shough suggests an encouraging fantasy outlook for 2026.

Jerry Jeudy's Crucial Catch Secures Win, Caps Career-Worst Season

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Cleveland Browns WR Jerry Jeudy caught two of six targets for 17 yards and added five rushing yards in the 20-18 win over the Bengals. His final catch, an 11-yard grab from Shedeur Sanders on third down, was crucial in setting up the game-winning field goal. Jeudy concluded arguably the worst season of his NFL career in 2025, recording a 50-602-2 line on 106 targets amidst the Browns cycling through three starting quarterbacks. His 2026 rebound prospects hinge on the team's quarterback situation.

Cousins Overcomes Illness, Throws TD, Hints at Future After 10:5 TD:INT Season

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Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins, battling illness, completed 18 of 32 passes for 180 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in the 19-17 win over the Saints. He connected with Drake London for a 15-yard score, showcasing chemistry with London and Kyle Pitts. Cousins averaged 5.6 yards per attempt and took four sacks. He started the final seven games (eight overall), finishing the season with 1,721 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions across 10 appearances. Post-game, Cousins hinted at his NFL future. He remains under contract through 2027.

Myles Garrett Shatters NFL Single-Season Sack Record with 23 Takedowns

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Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett made NFL history in Week 18, recording his 23rd sack against Joe Burrow to break Michael Strahan's single-season record. This historic achievement solidified Garrett's place among pass-rushing legends and capped a remarkable season, contributing to the Browns' 20-18 win over the Bengals. Bengals coach Zac Taylor expressed frustration, stating he wasn't informed the game would be paused to acknowledge Garrett's record-breaking moment.

Dylan Sampson Held in Check, Finishes Rookie Season with 446 Scrimmage Yards

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Cleveland Browns RB Dylan Sampson carried the ball 10 times for 32 yards and caught two of three targets for 12 yards in the 20-18 win over the Bengals. Making his second consecutive start with Quinshon Judkins sidelined, Sampson's longest gain was 11 yards. He concludes his rookie NFL campaign with 446 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns (both receiving) on 98 touches across 15 games, and is expected to primarily serve as a passing-down back behind Judkins in 2026.

Shedeur Sanders Quiet in Win, Finishes Rookie Season with 7:10 TD:INT

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Cleveland Browns QB Shedeur Sanders completed 11 of 22 passes for 111 yards without a touchdown or interception, and lost a fumble, in the 20-18 win over the Bengals. The Browns' two touchdowns came from defensive scores, not Sanders' offense. The fifth-round rookie finishes his first NFL season having completed 56.6% of his passes for 7 touchdowns and 10 interceptions across eight games, suggesting the Browns may seek a quarterback upgrade this offseason.

Jaydon Blue Scores First NFL TD, Leads Cowboys Backfield in Season Finale

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Dallas Cowboys RB Jaydon Blue, active for Week 18, rushed 16 times for 64 yards and scored his first NFL touchdown on a 14-yard run in the 34-17 loss to the Giants. Taking on the lead back role with Javonte Williams and Malik Davis sidelined, Blue capitalized on the opportunity. Despite spending most of his rookie season as a healthy inactive, he finished with 38 carries for 129 yards and one touchdown, plus one catch for five yards, across five appearances.

CeeDee Lamb Finishes Season with Career-Low 3 TDs, Fewest Yards Since 2020

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Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb caught his only target for four yards in the 34-17 loss to the Giants. He finishes the 2025 season with 75 catches for 1,077 yards and three touchdowns on 117 targets, marking his lowest touchdown total and fewest receiving yards since his 2020 rookie season. Lamb, who played a career-low 14 games, was overshadowed by George Pickens' performance. Despite his four-year, $136 million extension, the Cowboys missed the playoffs.

Jordan Mason Leads Vikings Backfield with 94 Rushing Yards in Week 18

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Minnesota Vikings RB Jordan Mason carried the ball 14 times for 94 yards in the 16-3 win over the Packers. With Aaron Jones (hip) sidelined, Mason led the backfield with his best yardage total since Week 3. He finishes his first season in Minnesota with 758 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 159 carries. Mason and Jones are expected to remain in a timeshare for the 2026 season due to their affordable contracts.

Shough Caps Strong Rookie Season with 2 TDs, Solidifying 2026 Starting Role

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New Orleans Saints QB Tyler Shough completed 23 of 35 passes for 259 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, while rushing for 34 yards and another score in the 19-17 loss to the Falcons. Shough scrambled for a touchdown and later threw a 16-yard scoring pass to Ronnie Bell. He finishes his rookie season having completed 67.6% of his passes for 2,384 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions, along with 186 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns across 11 games, cementing his role as the Saints' starter for 2026.

George Pickens Caps Career-Best Season with 1,423 Yards, 9 TDs

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Dallas Cowboys WR George Pickens caught one of three targets for nine yards in the 34-17 loss to the Giants. He finishes the 2025 season with career-high totals of 93 receptions, 1,423 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns on 137 targets. Pickens, who posted his best season after being acquired from the Steelers, is set to become an unrestricted free agent, but the Cowboys are expected to retain him via an extension or franchise tag despite missing the playoffs.

Dak Prescott Finishes 2025 Season with 4,552 Yards, 30 TDs Before Halftime Exit

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Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott completed seven of 11 passes for 70 yards, rushed twice for minus-1 yard, and lost a fumble in the 34-17 loss to the Giants. He was replaced by Joe Milton at halftime as the Cowboys were eliminated from playoff contention. Prescott finishes the 2025 season with 4,552 passing yards and a 30:10 touchdown-to-interception ratio, having led the NFL in passing yards, completions, and attempts entering the finale. He is expected to remain the Cowboys' quarterback despite a large 2026 cap hit.

Malik Washington Scores TD, Sees Expanded Role in Dolphins' Week 18 Finale

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Miami Dolphins WR Malik Washington scored a two-yard touchdown from Quinn Ewers in the Week 18 finale against the Patriots. With key offensive playmakers Jaylen Waddle (ribs) and De'Von Achane (shoulder) sidelined, Washington was anticipated to see an expanded role and increased targets. He was part of the Dolphins' active receiver corps and capitalized on the opportunity with a scoring play.