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FFL: Offseason | NFL: Week 18

Patriots fire coach Jerod Mayo after one disappointing season

Sun Jan 5 6:33pm ET
Field Level Media

The New England Patriots fired coach Jerod Mayo on Sunday shortly after the team completed a 4-13 season.

Mayo, 38, was in his first season on the job after replacing legendary Bill Belichick after last season.

The move was made after the Patriots defeated the Buffalo Bills 23-16 to halt a six-game losing streak.

"After the game today, I informed Jerod Mayo that he will not be returning as the head coach of the New England Patriots in 2025," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. "For me, personally, this was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made.

"I have known Jerod for 17 years. He earned my respect and admiration as a rookie in 2008 and throughout his career for his play on the field, his leadership in the locker room and the way he conducted himself in our community. When he joined our coaching staff, his leadership was even more evident, as I saw how the players responded to him. ...

"Unfortunately, the trajectory of our team's performances throughout the season did not ascend as I had hoped."

The Patriots defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in Mayo's debut and then dropped their next six games. New England won two of its next three games before the second six-game skid that ended with a 40-7 beatdown by the visiting Los Angeles Chargers.

New England, which won six Super Bowl titles under Belichick, missed the playoffs for the third straight season. The Patriots haven't won a playoff game since winning the Super Bowl following the 2018 season.

"We have tremendous fans who expect and deserve a better product than we have delivered in recent years," Kraft said. "I apologize for that. I have given much thought and consideration as to what actions I can take to expedite our return to championship contention and determined this move was the best option at this time."

Mayo was a linebackers coach with the Patriots from 2019-23 before being promoted to the head coaching gig. He also was a two-time Pro Bowl linebacker for New England and racked up 802 tackles, 11 sacks and three interceptions in 103 regular-season games from 2008-15.

One available coach who should interest the Patriots is Mike Vrabel, who recorded a 54-45 record in six seasons with the Tennessee Titans from 2018-23. He guided the Titans to three playoff appearances, including a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2019 season's AFC title game.

Vrabel, 49, also played for the Patriots from 2001-08 and earned three Super Bowl rings.

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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 18

Player Notes
Wan'Dale Robinson Jan 5 6:30pm CT
Wan'Dale Robinson

New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson caught a game-high 10 passes for 43 yards in Sunday's loss to the Eagles. Although the wideout didn't find the end zone, he still had a quality end to the 2024-25 campaign. He'll finish the season by posting career-highs in receptions (93), yards (699), and touchdowns (three). While Robinson has a way to go before becoming a trustworthy fantasy option, his value could increase heading into next season if the Giants secure a quality quarterback moving ahead.

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Mitchell Trubisky Jan 5 6:30pm CT
Mitchell Trubisky

Buffalo Bills quarterback Mitchell Trubisky completed 15 of 21 pass attempts for 101 yards and a touchdown in the team's 23-16 loss to the New England Patriots. He also rushed four times for 12 yards. The veteran's passing touchdown was a two-yard strike to running back Ray Davis. Starting quarterback Josh Allen played one snap to extend his consecutive starts streak. Then, Trubisky entered the game and played for about three quarters before third-stringer Mike White finished the action. The Bills had clinched the AFC's second seed before the game began and utilized the entire roster to keep their stars healthy.

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D.J. Moore Jan 5 6:30pm CT
D.J. Moore

Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore caught nine passes for 86 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's Week 18 win over the Green Bay Packers. His score came on a big 32-yard pass from quarterback Caleb Williams. The 27-year-old finished his second season in Chicago with 98 catches, 966 yards, and six touchdowns, ranking as a high-end WR2 in fantasy football. Moore was the best wide receiver in the Windy City once again this season, out-producing both Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze. He continues to trend upward, especially if the Bears decide to make improvements to their offensive coaching staff this upcoming offseason. The Maryland product will remain a high-end WR2 heading into 2025 fantasy drafts.

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Ja'Marr Chase Jan 5 6:13pm CT
Ja'Marr Chase

Dynasty | Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had ten catches for 96 yards and a touchdown in the final regular season game. Dynasty Analysis: Just another day at the office for Chase, who ends the season with a whopping 127 catches for 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns. The Bengals won't make the playoffs, so that's going to be it for Chase this year and what a year it was. Cincinnati is going to be forced to make him the league's highest paid wide receiver this off-season and Chase is likely going to enter (and leave) the off-season as the overall top player in all of dynasty leagues.

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Russell Wilson Jan 5 6:13pm CT
Russell Wilson

Dynasty | Russell Wilson completed 17-of-31 passes for 148 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in a loss to the Bengals. Dynasty Analysis: Wilson isn't what he used to be, but it's hard to look at him and say he was anything like he was in Denver (pretty bad) this season, either. He finishes the regular season with 2,482 passing yards, with 16 touchdowns and just five interceptions in 11 games. The Steelers will obviously be evaluating his play in the postseason, but it seems likely Wilson will be back in Pittsburgh next season on a team-friendly deal. Regardless, he's solidified his status as a decent QB2 in dynasty leagues moving forward.

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Derrick Henry Jan 5 6:13pm CT
Derrick Henry

Dynasty | Ravens running back Derrick Henry had 138 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the Ravens season finale. Dynasty Analysis: After a slow start to the season, Henry really cranked things up and finished with a ridiculous 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns, making his first year in Baltimore the second best season of his career. He should enter next season a solid RB1 again in dynasty leagues, though he'll need to finish out the playoffs healthy and not show any signs of his age moving forward.

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Tanner McKee Jan 5 6:10pm CT
Tanner McKee

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee completed 27 of his 41 pass attempts for 269 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions during Sunday's Week 18 win over the New York Giants. He also rushed for one yard. The 24-year-old made his first career start with Jalen Hurts (concussion) inactive and Kenny Pickett (rib) also sidelined Sunday. After throwing for two touchdowns during last week's relief appearance, he came back out and added two more scores during the Eagles' regular-season finale. McKee will likely drop back down to No. 3 on the depth chart during the Wild Card Round, but at the very least, he has shown that he can be a solid fill-in quarterback in the NFL.

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Craig Reynolds Jan 5 6:10pm CT
Craig Reynolds

Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (back) and linebacker Alex Anzalone (forearm) will suit up for Sunday night's pivotal matchup with the Minnesota Vikings. With David Montgomery (knee) sidelined, Reynolds will back up Jahmyr Gibbs in Week 18. However, the 28-year-old has been sparingly involved since Montgomery went down, so he's not expected to provide any fantasy value. As far as Anzalone is concerned, he hasn't played since mid-November. Fortunately, the Lions will get back one of their captains versus a potent Vikings offense.

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Miles Sanders Jan 5 6:00pm CT
Miles Sanders

Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders rushed for 66 yards on 17 carries during Sunday's Week 18 win over the Atlanta Falcons in overtime. He also caught three of his four targets for 50 yards through the air. Additionally, Sanders scored two touchdowns one on the ground and one through the air. The veteran running back delivered a major outing in his first game back from injured reserve, turning in his best fantasy performance (PPR) since Week 14 of the 2022 season. He remains under contract with the Panthers in 2025, making him an appealing fantasy handcuff behind Chuba Hubbard to open next season.

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Tyrone Tracy Jr. Jan 5 5:50pm CT
Tyrone Tracy Jr.

New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. rushed for 59 yards on 14 carries during Sunday's Week 18 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He also caught two passes for an additional seven yards through the air. The rookie out of Purdue was solid in his first pro season, but he did endure a rough stretch with just 3.9 yards per carry over his final five games. All in all, Tracy finished as a mid-range RB3 in fantasy football, amassing 839 rushing yards, 284 receiving yards, and six total touchdowns. The Giants may look to bring in some running back competition this offseason, but Tracy has an early leg up on the starting job for 2025.

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Malik Nabers Jan 5 5:50pm CT
Malik Nabers

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers had five catches for 64 yards in Sunday's loss to the Eagles. He also found the end zone, bringing in a 45-yard toss from Drew Lock in the fourth quarter. The Giants are done until September. However, fantasy managers were likely satisfied with Nabers' overall statistical contributions, with the wideout ending his inaugural year by amassing 109 receptions for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns. Without question, Nabers will see plenty of attention from fantasy managers heading into next season, although his outlook could improve even more if the Giants land a capable signal-caller during the offseason.

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Blake Corum Jan 5 5:50pm CT
Blake Corum

Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum (forearm) is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Seahawks. He wasn't involved much, amassing two carries for 10 yard and adding one grab for 12 yards. With the Rams already locked into a postseason spot, there's a good chance Corum won't be back, even if he's healthy enough to return. If that's the case, Ronnie Rivers and Cody Schrader will remain the go-to options out of the backfield for the rest of Week 18.

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Jayden Daniels Jan 5 5:40pm CT
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According to Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn, quarterback Jayden Daniels (leg) was held out for the remainder of Sunday's narrow win over the Cowboys due to "leg soreness." "It wasn't a plan going in," said Quinn. "But he had some mild soreness in his leg, I just kind of made the decision to honestly say, 'Let's go with Marcus.'" It doesn't appear as if the injury is anything serious, although Daniels' ailment will likely be a topic of conversation throughout the week heading into Wild-Card weekend. If he can't go, which will unlikely be the case, Marcus Mariota, who had a quality showing on Sunday, would likely get the start.

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Baker Mayfield Jan 5 5:40pm CT
Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 21 of 32 passes for 221 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception during Sunday's Week 18 victory over the New Orleans Saints. He also took one sack and rushed nine times for 68 yards on the ground. The Buccaneers fell into an early 13-3 deficit with a playoff spot on the line, but Mayfield led three touchdown drives in the second half to vault Tampa Bay over New Orleans. Along the way, he added 89 yards to Mike Evans' ledger, bringing the veteran receiver over 1,000 yards for the 11th consecutive season. Mayfield was a top-five fantasy quarterback this season, cementing himself as a premier NFL starter despite his 18 turnovers.

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Mike Boone Jan 5 5:20pm CT
Mike Boone

Carolina Panthers running back Mike Boone was a non-factor in Sunday's 44-38 overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 18. Boone rushed for 18 yards on four carries while catching one pass for minus two yards. The Panthers activated Miles Sanders (ankle) off the injured reserve, and Boone took a clear backseat to Sanders in this one. He was out-touched by Sanders 17 to four in the contest. However, Boone did have the same number of rushing attempts as last week's starter, Raheem Blackshear. During the season, Boone had nine carries for 33 yards, which is not a recommended fantasy option for managers in 2025.

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Christian Watson Jan 5 5:20pm CT
Christian Watson

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (knee) exited Sunday's game against the Bears. There is hope he'll be ready for the postseason. However, head coach Matt LaFleur was "unsure" about his status moving ahead. Things don't look good at the moment regarding Watson's availability to begin the playoffs. Of course, there will be updates on his condition moving ahead. But if Watson doesn't suit up, it will likely mean more targets for Dontayvion Wicks and Jayden Reed, with Josh Jacobs getting more work out of the backfield.

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Raheem Blackshear Jan 5 5:10pm CT
Raheem Blackshear

Carolina Panthers running back Raheem Blackshear earned lead running back duties in Week 17 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with Chuba Hubbard (calf, knee) landing on the injured reserve. Blackshear finished with four carries for 47 yards in Sunday's 44-38 overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons. The Panthers activated Miles Sanders (ankle) off the injured reserve ahead of Sunday's game, and Blackshear took a clear backseat to Sanders in this one. In this matchup, he was out-touched by Sanders 17 to four. Although he only had four carries, he turned that into 47 total yards to provide some value for fantasy managers. Blackshear finishes the 2024 season with 15 carries for 80 yards. He will not be a recommended fantasy option for managers in 2025.

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Jauan Jennings Jan 5 4:50pm CT
Jauan Jennings

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings was disqualified from Sunday's meeting with the Arizona Cardinals. The wideout was having a fantastic game, amassing seven grabs (10 targets) for 52 yards before getting thrown out in the second quarter for a physical altercation with Cardinals cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting. With the 49ers ending a disappointing season, Jennings will finish with career-highs in catches (77), targets (113), yards (975), and touchdowns (six). His stock heading into the 2025-26 campaign will already be higher than in previous years. However, if the Niners don't bring back Deebo Samuel Sr., it will increase even more.

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Jonathan Taylor Jan 5 4:50pm CT
Jonathan Taylor

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor ran the ball 34 times for 177 yards and touchdown during their victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Taylor's 34 rushing attempts set a new career-high. Taylor punched in his score on a six-yard run in the second frame. His longest carry of the game went for 17 yards. Taylor has enjoyed a fantastic end to the season. The Wisconsin product has tallied at least 100 rushing yards in each of his past four contests and tallied six total touchdowns over this span. This was a nice improvement as Taylor only eclipsed the century mark four times over his first ten games of the season. The 25-year-old should continued to be viewed as a high-end RB1 heading into the 2025 season as he currently stands alone as the clear No.1 option in the Indianapolis backfield.

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Mike Evans Jan 5 4:40pm CT
Mike Evans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans caught nine of his 14 targets for 89 yards during their victory over the New Orleans Saints. As a result, Evans posted his 11th-straight 1,000 yard season. Evans is the only player in NFL history to tally at least 1,000 yards in his first 10+ seasons. He now only sits three 1,000-yard campaigns behind Jerry Rice for the NFL record. The 31-year-old even missed three games this season due to a hamstring injury but was still able to continue his incredible streak. During Weeks 12 through 17, Evans averaged a strong 96.7 yards per game. Fantasy managers should expect the veteran wideout to remain Baker Mayfield's top target during the playoffs. Evans should be viewed as a high-end WR1 in all playoff competitions and would carry elite upside in DFS if the Buccaneers draw a favorable matchup in the Wild Card round.

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