Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.In an effort to help you find trades that could improve your fantasy team, we present the Trade Value Chart.You can use this chart to compare players and build realistic trade offers. Values are based on 12-team leagues.Follow the links below to see the trade values and rest of season rankings for each position.Trade Values

theScore's NFL monthly awards series continues as we recap the best events and moments from around the league between Weeks 9-13.Player of the monthDak Prescott, QB, CowboysSeveral quarterbacks - including MVP candidates mentioned later - put on a show over the last five weeks, but no one has been as productive as Prescott who's playing essentially mistake-free football. Since Week 9, the Cowboys star has completed 68.9% of his throws to go along with a league-high 16 touchdown passes and a 120.4 rating. He also passed for 1,597 yards - second-most behind C.J. Stroud - and had a league-leading 18 big-time throws, according to PFF. More impressively, Prescott only threw one interception and made two turnover-worthy plays in that span. Dallas' schedule will get harder in the season's final month, but if Prescott manages to keep his momentum, he could become the first Cowboys player to win the MVP since Emmitt Smith in 1993.Team of the monthSan Francisco 49ersThe 49ers don't look anything like the team that lost three straight from Weeks 6-8. Kyle Shanahan's outfit has been on fire since its Week 9 bye, having won four in a row and outscored its opponents 134-49. And it's not like the Niners had an easy schedule - they've beaten the Jaguars, Seahawks, and Eagles. San Francisco's 42-19 blowout over then-one-loss Philadelphia is the best win any club has claimed this year. Maybe Deebo Samuel was right after all; the 49ers would've made the Super Bowl last season if Brock Purdy didn't get injured early in the NFC title game. Purdy has been the sport's most efficient passer, Christian McCaffrey is unstoppable, and the Niners boast a top-five defense. They're now only one game behind Philly for the conference's No. 1 seed. Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images Sport / GettyRookie of the monthC.J. Stroud, QB, TexansWho else?Stroud has been one of the league's best rookies quarterbacks this season and put on a show yet again over the past month. The No. 2 pick has tossed 1,740 yards - most in the NFL - and 11 touchdowns in his last five outings, including a single-game rookie record 470 yards and five TDs in a Week 9 win over the Buccaneers. The Ohio State product currently leads the league with 3,540 yards. It's a matter of when, not if, he will break Andrew Luck's rookie record of 4,374 yards. But Stroud could join the record books one more time along the way, as no rookie QB has ever topped the NFL in passing yards since the merger. He's on pace to finish with 5,015.Coach of the monthShane Steichen, ColtsBack in the offseason, it was hard to imagine the Colts being a playoff team. With first-year coach Steichen and rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis kicked off a rebuild after going 4-12-1 in 2022, and it was pretty clear this was a long-term plan. Then Richardson suffered a season-ending injury in October and the Colts lost three straight games. Season over, right? Well, Steichen didn't get the memo, as he's helped Indy win its last four games to hold the AFC's No. 7 seed with a 7-5 record. He has done a tremendous job at altering his offensive system to fit his players' strengths, putting backup QB Gardner Minshew in a position to make plays. The Colts have also stood out on defense and special teams, most recently blocking a pair of Titans punts in a thrilling Week 13 overtime win.Under-the-radar player of the monthJa'Quan McMillian, CB, BroncosMcMillian may be the best defender you haven't heard much about. The 23-year-old is making plays all over the field while lining up mostly as a slot corner. He barely played in the team's first three games, but Denver needed major changes after a 50-point loss to Miami, and increasing the second-year pro's workload proved to be one of its best decisions. Since allowing 70 points to the Dolphins, the Broncos are giving up 20 points per game, and McMillian has been one of their main contributors. A solid run defender, he put up 14 tackles, two forced fumbles, one sack, and one interception from Weeks 10-13. McMillian is also PFF's 18th-best cornerback on the season. Perry Knotts / Getty Images Sport / GettyWho is McMillian? He joined the Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of East Carolina in 2022 and spent most of that year on the practice squad before making his NFL debut in Week 18. This year, McMillian made Denver's 53-man roster after a fierce position battle at training camp and is now a key playmaker in one of football's hottest secondaries.All-NFL team of the monthFacts you should knowIt keeps getting better. Texans fans should feel better about the Deshaun Watson trade each week. Watson hasn't been great on the Browns - to put it nicely - and will miss the remainder of the season due to injury. Meanwhile, not only has Houston found a stud QB in Stroud, but the team has done a great job at building a supporting cast with the picks it acquired as part of the Watson deal last year. The AFC South club turned those selections into defensive end Will Anderson, stud first-year receiver Tank Dell, starting guard Kenyon Green, and running back Dameon Pierce, among others. Oh, and the Texans still have Cleveland's first- and fourth-round picks in 2024.Finally. It wasn't pretty, but Justin Herbert helped Los Angeles edge the Patriots in Week 13 for the Chargers' first win in New England since 2005. Drew Brees was their QB back then. Philip Rivers - the franchise's all-time passing leader - went 0-5 in road games versus the Patriots in his career. (How are the Chargers only 5-8 in the playoffs since 2002 despite having Brees, Rivers, and Herbert as QB1 in that span?)All he does is win. Following Kansas City's Week 12 result, Andy Reid claimed his 125th victory with the Chiefs to become the winningest head coach in franchise history. Reid is the only NFL coach to be the all-time leader in wins for two franchises (Eagles, 130 wins).Stat of the monthThe Patriots lost all four games they played this past month, making dubious history along the way. New England became the first team since 1938 to lose three consecutive contests despite allowing 10 points or fewer in each. Bill Belichick's outfit gave up 26 points over that span but scored only 13.Best playBetween a Hail Mary pick-6, Bland's record interception return touchdown, and Kansas City lateraling a Tyreek Hill fumble for a wild TD, it was difficult to pick this month's best play. Ultimately, we gave it to Jevon Holland, who had a 99-yard defensive score after intercepting a Jets Hail Mary attempt at the end of the second quarter on Black Friday.

The San Francisco 49ers signed veteran defensive back Logan Ryan, the team announced Tuesday.Ryan has yet to play this season. He spent the 2022 campaign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, racking up 37 tackles, three pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one interception in nine appearances.The 32-year-old adds plenty of experience and versatility to a 49ers secondary that lacks depth at safety. A third-round pick in 2013, Ryan began his NFL journey playing mostly at cornerback but transitioned to safety later in his career.The Rutgers product played his first four pro seasons in New England and helped the Patriots win two Super Bowl titles. Ryan also spent time with the Tennessee Titans (2017-19) and New York Giants (2020-21).The 49ers' safety depth chart also features Tashaun Gipson and third-round rookie Ji'Ayir Brown. San Francisco's defense ranks second in points allowed per game this season.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and finished among the top seven each of his last seven years in the contest. Follow the links below to see his rankings for Week 14.Updated rankings (including Standard and PPR) will be released Thursday, with the final version coming down Sunday morning.Half PPR

Aaron Rodgers came to the defense of Zach Wilson on Tuesday after it was reported the day prior that the young quarterback was hesitant to play again this season despite the New York Jets wanting to turn back to him.The four-time MVP expressed disappointment that someone within the Jets would potentially leak damaging information to the media."I think it's chickenshit at its core, and I think it has no place in a winning organization," Rodgers said on "The Pat McAfee Show."The veteran added that New York needs "to get to the bottom of whatever this is coming from."Rodgers, who has often criticized the NFL media and its practices, said the report could do permanent harm to Wilson's reputation."When you use sources and, whether intentional or unintentional, try to assassinate someone's character like that report does for Zach, I have a real hard time with that," Rodgers said.He added: "You're basically saying that this kid is quitting on the team and doesn't want to play and is giving the middle finger to the organization."Rodgers said Wilson has "gone through a lot of shit" since being drafted No. 2 overall in 2021 and has "every right" to be frustrated with his first three years in the NFL.Jets head coach Robert Saleh denied that Wilson didn't want to play in a press conference Monday while opting against naming a starter for Week 14."If he was reluctant to play, he wouldn't be here," he said.New York reportedly didn't want to play Wilson again this season after benching him ahead of Week 12, but the organization changed its mind after a woeful offensive performance in last Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Falcons.Wilson was playing in place of Rodgers after the star signal-caller tore his Achilles in Week 1. Rodgers has returned to practice but is reportedly unlikely to suit up again this season, with New York all but eliminated from postseason contention.The Jets made a move at quarterback Tuesday, releasing Tim Boyle - who started the last two games - and signing Brett Rypien off the Seattle Seahawks' practice squad, sources told Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin believes offenses are going to great lengths to hold star pass-rusher T.J. Watt and attempt to minimize his impact on games."I think T.J. runs into what all the elite rushers do," Austin said Tuesday, according to ESPN's Brooke Pryor. "These guys are going to hold you until they can't because a lot of times that's the only way they can block."Austin sees Pittsburgh's opponents employing a tactic similar to the one used on NBA Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal. Yet, the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year doesn't get the benefit of heading to the charity stripe in his line of work."It's almost like the 'Hack-a-Shaq,'" Austin said, adding, "People would hack Shaq all the time, and he got fouled so much, and everybody knew it was a foul, but after a while, they didn't call it because he was so doggone good."Watt also expressed frustration following the Steelers' Week 13 loss to the Arizona Cardinals regarding the perceived lack of calls he's receiving from officials."The NFL has something going against me," Watt said Sunday. "So I don't wanna talk any more negatively towards them. I don't know what I did, but I'll leave it at that."Watt missed several snaps during the Week 13 contest after appearing to be held by Cardinals offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. He finished the game with six tackles, one tackle for loss, and 0.5 sacks.Austin doesn't believe complaining will solve the problem and maintains the five-time Pro Bowler will just need to push forward."We're just going to play and fight through it, and T.J. will fight through it, and he'll do it because a good pro and he's a great player," Austin said.Despite offenses going above and beyond to limit Watt's impact, his 14 sacks currently sit second to Khalil Mack's 15 for the league lead. He's also recorded 47 tackles, 13 TFLs, seven passes defended, and three forced fumbles through 12 games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

What does range mean?If you've ever wondered, we saw a perfect example when the 49ers took on the Eagles on Sunday.San Francisco was bet out to -3 in Philadelphia - a point spread that would be asinine if all things were equal. The Eagles' average rating has been in the low 70s, while the 49ers had crept into to the high 70s. If a maximum point spread is -27, and Philly's home-field advantage is two points, those average ratings would create a pick'em game.The reason the range surrounds a team's core average is that sometimes it's predictable for teams to play above or below that level. Appearing in their third big game in 13 days, the Eagles were expected to perform at the lower end of their capabilities. With revenge and 10 days of rest, the 49ers were expected to play at their peak. Both teams fulfilled those expectations.How ratings workEvery week, we'll look at what the betting market thinks of each team based on the closing lines from that week's games. The "rating" column is an educated guess at the oddsmakers' rating to create a point spread, with the specific number being the percentage chance that the team beats an average opponent on a neutral field. Ratings aren't rankings. The closing line is considered a better reflection of a team's value than one game.The range column is my evaluation of what each team is capable of. It's our job as handicappers to determine where, within its range, a team will play based on factors like on-field matchups and roster/injury issues. The earlier it is in the season, the wider the range a team may have.Market ratings and our rangeTEAMRATINGRANGE49ers8160-80Chiefs7560-80Cowboys7460-80Dolphins7155-75Bills7155-75Ravens6755-75Eagles6360-80Lions6350-70Jaguars6145-65Chargers5140-60Rams5035-55Texans5030-50Vikings4835-55Packers4635-55Seahawks4640-60Steelers4640-60Broncos4535-55Colts4435-55Saints4140-60Browns4140-60Bears4130-50Falcons3935-55Raiders3530-50Titans3430-50Buccaneers3430-50Cardinals3320-40Commanders3225-45Bengals2825-65Patriots2825-45Panthers2720-40Jets2420-40Giants2020-40The 49ers continue to burst through the ceiling into the realm of historically great, although their three-game losing streak without Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams threw some people off the scent. Meanwhile, the Eagles will likely move back up depending on where their point spread with the Cowboys closes, but they're at a scheduling disadvantage once again.The Jaguars closed -10 on Monday night against the Bengals, meaning their rating rose to the top of their range and Cincinnati's fell lower. Even before Trevor Lawrence got hurt, it looked like that was a mistake on both ends. Now the Jags' rating will suffer, going from ceiling to floor without their star quarterback.The Steelers won't see the same fluctuation with Kenny Pickett out and Mitch Trubisky in, but maybe they should. It will be hard to decipher against the Patriots, who can't be rated low enough despite another great showing from their defense.The Packers moved up after their upset of the Lions on Thanksgiving, and you'd think they are headed for another boost after knocking off the Chiefs. If that line seemed short to you, you didn't believe in what Jordan Love and Green Bay's offense showed in recent weeks. The Packers' schedule sets them up for a run to the playoffs, where a rubber match in Detroit potentially awaits.At the bottom of the table, the Panthers got a lot healthier on defense in conjunction with a coaching change, while the Buccaneers' defense was missing key pieces. That combination of circumstances brought the spread down from Tampa Bay -5 to almost the field-goal margin of the eventual final score.The Giants look to get Tyrod Taylor back this week, but is there any reason to start him over Tommy DeVito - who won and covered the two games before the bye despite being rated in the basement of the NFL?Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's football editors.This week, we highlight one player for every team who needs to step up in the season's final stretch.1. San Francisco 49ers (9-3) Mitchell Leff / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 5While Chase Young's arrival has helped free up Nick Bosa, the former No. 2 pick needs to ramp up his pass-rushing production if he's to help San Francisco win a Super Bowl and earn himself a big payday in 2024.2. Baltimore Ravens (9-3)Previous rank: 2With Mark Andrews unlikely to play again this year, Isaiah Likely will need to step up at tight end. He posted a combined four catches for 40 yards over the last two games despite playing over 70% of snaps in those contests - and that includes being blanked in Week 11.3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-2)Previous rank: 1The Eagles need high-priced cornerback Darius Slay to step up given the lack of talent surrounding him in the secondary. Philadelphia is paying him to be a top-20 cornerback, and the veteran hasn't played up to those standards.4. Dallas Cowboys (9-3)Previous rank: 3Brandin Cooks has been vital to the Cowboys' offense recently, but the team could use Michael Gallup to help elevate the unit. Gallup has the eighth-highest cap hit on the roster in 2023 but only has 357 yards on 28 catches.5. Kansas City Chiefs (8-4) DeFodi Images / DeFodi Images / GettyPrevious rank: 4Hear us out, Swifties. Travis Kelce has been good this season, but he hasn't played up to his Hall of Fame-level standards. And with the Chiefs' wideout group continuing to underperform, solid-but-not-great just won't cut it from Kelce if a second straight title is to happen.6. Miami Dolphins (9-3)Previous rank: 6De'Von Achane has been electric when healthy, but the 22-year-old has only played in six games this year. If he can stay on the field and produce to his standards, Miami's offense will be tough to stop in the playoffs.7. Detroit Lions (9-3)Previous rank: 8Jack Campbell, the second of Detroit's 2023 first-rounders, hasn't been bad this year, but a bigger impact would help the defense tremendously. The No. 18 pick had his best game in Week 13, racking up nine total tackles (two for loss) while playing at his natural middle linebacker spot.8. Houston Texans (7-5)Previous rank: 9Star rookie Tank Dell is out for the season with a fractured fibula, which is a significant blow to the Texans' offense and playoff chances. Houston will hope John Metchie - who's been a nonfactor this year with only 138 yards - can take the chance to break out.9. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4)Previous rank: 7Assuming Trevor Lawrence will miss some time with a high ankle sprain, the Jaguars will need backup quarterback C.J. Beathard to rise to the occasion if the club is to hold off the Colts and Texans. Both teams sit one game back from Jacksonville in the AFC South.10. Green Bay Packers (6-6) Stacy Revere / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 15Lukas Van Ness, the No. 13 pick in the 2023 draft, hasn't contributed much to this point. He has just two sacks and hasn't played more than 49% of the team's defensive snaps in any contest.11. Denver Broncos (6-6)Previous rank: 10When the Broncos ask too much of Russell Wilson, bad things happen, so running back Javonte Williams - who doesn't have a single rushing touchdown or game over 85 yards this season - needs to carry some of the load.12. Buffalo Bills (6-6)Previous rank: 11Quarterback Josh Allen has accounted for 76% of Buffalo's total yards on offense this season. They could do with running back James Cook stepping up his game on the ground.13. Los Angeles Rams (6-6)Previous rank: 17Cooper Kupp had 266 yards in his first two games after missing the first month with a hamstring but somehow has only 166 yards in the six contests since. A knee injury has hampered him, but the Rams need more from their superstar wideout.14. Cleveland Browns (7-5)Previous rank: 12Elijah Moore hasn't been bad since joining Cleveland in the offseason, but the Ole Miss product has scored just one touchdown, and No. 1 option Amari Cooper could miss games after entering concussion protocol.15. Seattle Seahawks (6-6) Michael Owens / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 14Geno Smith has been a roller-coaster ride this season, making elite-level throws one second before committing back-breaking turnovers the next. While the quarterback's aggressive mindset drives the Seahawks' offense, he has to pick his spots better to get his team back on track.16. Indianapolis Colts (7-5)Previous rank: 18Jonathan Taylor could reportedly miss up to five weeks, so backup Zack Moss - who starred early in the year with Taylor sidelined - could be key to Indianapolis' chances of securing a wild-card spot.17. Minnesota Vikings (6-6)Previous rank: 16Justin Jefferson will need to play at his elite level upon his return from the hamstring injury that's sidelined him since Week 5 to overcome Minnesota's quarterback play and keep its playoff hopes alive.18. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5)Previous rank: 13Kenny Pickett is reportedly expected to miss two-to-four weeks with the ankle injury he sustained in Week 13, leaving Pittsburgh's playoff hopes in the hands of Mitchell Trubisky.19. Atlanta Falcons (6-6)Previous rank: 19Stop us if you've heard this before, but the Falcons need to get Kyle Pitts more involved. The NFC South is there for the taking, and the tight end could be the difference between a playoff berth and sitting at home come January.20. Cincinnati Bengals (6-6) Cooper Neill / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 22Tee Higgins has missed multiple games with injury and produced a career-low 46.9 yards per game. The 24-year-old will need to ball out to keep the Bengals' wild-card hopes alive - and to get paid by someone in free agency this summer.21. Los Angeles Chargers (5-7)Previous rank: 21Quentin Johnston has been among the most disappointing rookies in the NFL, failing to step up for Mike Williams and looking consistently overwhelmed. If the Chargers are to make an unlikely playoff run, the young receiver has to quickly find his feet.22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7)Previous rank: 24Mike Evans has shouldered too much of the Bucs' passing attack, with Chris Godwin seemingly not playing up to his usual standards. His production has been solid - 53 receptions for 606 yards - but not worth his $20-million average salary.23. Las Vegas Raiders (5-7)Previous rank: 23Rookie tight end Michael Mayer has flashed potential, and with the Raiders' playoff hopes almost extinguished, the team's focus now turns to developing its young players. Mayer should see an increased workload down the stretch and could establish himself as one of the offense's building blocks.24. New Orleans Saints (5-7)Previous rank: 20Derek Carr is out once again after suffering his second concussion within the last month, along with multiple other injuries. The Saints might want to consider shutting him down considering the danger of a third concussion, but even if he returns at some point, Jameis Winston will play a major role in how New Orleans' season pans out.25. Arizona Cardinals (3-10) Norm Hall / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 30With receiver Michael Wilson sidelined with a shoulder injury, the Cardinals need more from third-year pro Rondale Moore, who has eight games with two catches or fewer this season.26. Tennessee Titans (4-8)Previous rank: 25The Titans' season is all but over after an overtime loss to the Colts, so the development of Will Levis into the unquestioned starter for 2024 is one of the only things that matter.27. Chicago Bears (4-8)Previous rank: 26Justin Fields could be auditioning for other teams with the No. 1 pick all but locked up for the Bears via the Panthers, but balling out could also convince Chicago's front office to pass on a signal-caller and surround Fields with more talent instead.28. New York Jets (4-8)Previous rank: 27The Jets could do with first-round rookie Will McDonald showing something down the stretch. He only has seven tackles and one forced fumble in 12 games this season.29. New York Giants (4-8)Previous rank: 28Saquon Barkley is scheduled to become a free agent this offseason, and it's uncertain if the Giants will lock him up long term. He's only averaging 4.2 yards per carry this season and hasn't looked like the star rusher we are accustomed to.30. Washington Commanders (4-9) Greg Fiume / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 29Emmanuel Forbes, the Commanders' first-round pick, has disappointed in his rookie campaign. He's allowed 490 yards and three touchdowns on 42 targets this season.31. Carolina Panthers (1-11)Previous rank: 32At this stage of a hugely disappointing rookie season, Bryce Young just needs to start showing an occasional flash of the talent that made him the No. 1 pick, anything to make the Panthers feel hopeful about a turnaround in 2024.32. New England Patriots (2-10)Previous rank: 31The Patriots are in signal-caller hell right now. They have 418 passing yards combined over their last three games, with the team scoring 13 points during that stretch. Would any quarterback please step up?Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence suffered a high ankle sprain late in the fourth quarter of Monday's 34-31 overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, head coach Doug Pederson announced Tuesday, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.Pederson added that the quarterback's ankle is stable and didn't rule out Lawrence playing Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.However, the Jaguars will be without wide receiver Christian Kirk versus the Browns after he suffered a core muscle injury Monday, Pederson added.Lawrence sustained the ailment on a third-and-11 play when his ankle was stepped on with the game tied 28-28. The former No. 1 pick slammed his helmet on the field after he was unable to walk off the field on his own. He was then helped to the locker room and went into Jacksonville's X-ray room.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Stitcher.In this episode, Boone discusses the top players available on the waiver wire.

The Bengals needed a spark to save their season, and quarterback Jake Browning provided it during a near-flawless performance in Cincinnati's dramatic 34-31 overtime win Monday against the Jacksonville Jaguars."He just lit the world on fire," head coach Zac Taylor said. "At halftime, I wasn't sure if we had an incompletion, if the ball had hit the ground yet. I just thought he managed the game beautifully well. He was aggressive with some of his throws and did a great job making plays with his feet."Just really proud of Jake and the job he did," he added. "And the guys rallying around him, making plays for him, protecting him, run game getting going. It all helped Jake. Really proud of the team win, but really proud of Jake in his second career start to come out here on Monday Night Football and do what he did today is pretty cool."Starting for the injured Joe Burrow, Browning emulated Cincinnati's ultra-poised franchise player by completing 32 of 37 passes for 354 yards with a touchdown while adding a rushing score.

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson is expected to miss a "few weeks" after suffering a high ankle sprain, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Stevenson suffered the injury in Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers after appearing to have his ankle rolled up on. X-rays on the ailment came back negative postgame.The injury knocks the 25-year-old out of Thursday night's matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Patriots will then have 10 days before their following game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 15.Stevenson has struggled to match his production from his first two seasons this year. His 4.0 yards per carry would mark a career low. He's totaled 619 yards on the ground and four touchdowns.New England has the AFC's worst record at 2-10. Bill Belichick's team has averaged a league-low 12.3 points per game as the franchise has made several quarterback changes due to poor play.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Orleans Saints will handle any response to Michael Thomas' social media posts internally, according to head coach Dennis Allen."We'll keep that in-house," Allen said, according to Matthew Paras of The Times-Picayune.Allen said he was made aware of Thomas' posts, which appeared to throw shade at quarterback Derek Carr, after Sunday's loss to the Detroit Lions.Thomas - who's on injured reserve - posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, throughout Sunday's game. One post mentioned that wide receiver A.T. Perry was wide-open, while another said, "God is with Jameis" after Winston entered the game following an injury to Carr.Thomas also added that he wasn't throwing shade at Carr but that his "eyes just work."Carr signed a four-year deal in New Orleans this past offseason. He entered the concussion protocol for the second time this year following Sunday's game.The Saints hold a 5-7 record after losing three straight.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone runs down the recommended waiver-wire pickups.Roster percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. Free Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are based on a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 50% of leagues are considered.Bye Weeks

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Stitcher.In this episode, Boone discusses all the important injuries from Week 13.

The New York Jets want to make yet another change at quarterback.New York is leaning toward starting Zach Wilson once again, but the signal-caller is reluctant to step back into the starting lineup, sources told The Athletic's Diana Russini. Wilson's hesitancy stems from a perceived injury risk, per Russini's sources.Despite the reluctance, Wilson would agree to start if the team directly asked him, a source told The Athletic's Jeff Howe.Head coach Robert Saleh downplayed the situation while speaking to reporters Monday. "If he was reluctant to play, he wouldn't be here," the 44-year-old said, according to the New York Post's Brian Costello.Wilson has been the inactive emergency quarterback for two straight games since he was demoted in favor of Tim Boyle. The latter was yanked late in Sunday's 13-8 loss to the Atlanta Falcons for Trevor Siemian.The team originally didn't plan for Wilson to play again this season after he was benched, but the offense's performance against the Falcons changed that, according to Russini and Zack Rosenblatt.The Jets averaged just 3.9 yards per play in the defeat, failed to score a touchdown, and only converted two of 15 third downs.Saleh previously endorsed Wilson but made the switch to Boyle in an effort to rejuvenate an offense that struggled after Aaron Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles in Week 1. The Jets have lost five straight contests and been outscored 47-21 in Boyle's two starts.New York is averaging a paltry 14.3 points per game and 260.1 total yards per contest this season. Those marks rank 30th and 31st, respectively.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles and free-agent linebacker Shaquille Leonard agreed to terms on a one-year deal, the team announced Monday.Leonard, a four-time All-Pro, was picking between the Eagles and Dallas Cowboys after his surprising release from the Indianapolis Colts during his sixth season with the team.Philadelphia and Dallas are set to face off on Sunday night in Week 14.Leonard was among the NFL's best linebackers over his first four years and became known for his penchant for forcing turnovers.But the 28-year-old missed all but three games in 2022 and had multiple back surgeries in the offseason.Leonard played in nine games for the Colts this campaign but was given a reduced role, a decision he publicly criticized multiple times before he was cut. He produced 65 total tackles but no forced fumbles, sacks, or pass breakups.Philadelphia is in desperate need of reinforcements at linebacker, especially after its defense was dominated by the San Francisco 49ers in Sunday night's 42-19 defeat. Nicholas Morrow, in particular, struggled against San Francisco's elite weaponry.

Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said running back Derrick Henry is not in the concussion protocol despite a report indicating he is, according to ESPN's Turron Davenport."We checked on him last night, then checked on him in the morning," Vrabel said Monday afternoon.Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Monday morning that the Titans' star running back is in the protocol and his status for the team's Week 14 Monday night game against the Miami Dolphins is up in the air.Henry left Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth quarter to be evaluated for a head injury and didn't return.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett underwent surgery Monday after suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 13, head coach Mike Tomlin announced, according to ESPN's Brooke Pryor.The signal-caller will miss two-to-four weeks, sources told Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.Tomlin confirmed Pickett will be out for Thursday's game against the New England Patriots. The coach added there's no concern that the injury will end the quarterback's season.Pickett suffered the ailment on a red-zone run in the second quarter of Sunday's 24-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Mitchell Trubisky replaced the 25-year-old, who entered the contest with an ankle ailment but practiced fully all week.Pickett returned to the sideline wearing a walking boot for the start of the second half.

Like every prime-time game featuring a New York team this season, a quarterback injury foiled the NFL's plan.The Jaguars get their chance to shine on Monday Night Football for the first time in 12 years. And they likely aren't feeling sorry for the Bengals, who are still licking their wounds after losing Joe Burrow for the season. What was supposed to be a duel between star AFC quarterbacks is instead a contest that's turned into whether Jacksonville can take care of business as a big favorite.Bengals @ Jaguars (-10, 39.5)How much do you trust the Jaguars to win big against anyone? You should probably pass on the side in this game if your answer is anything other than "wholeheartedly," especially if you already have a vested interest in Jacksonville winning outright. If you follow our betting community, you likely have a 49ers/Jaguars parlay that needs closing - a bet made last week when Jacksonville was -400 (they're now -525). For those looking for a standalone wager, let's focus on the total.Bengals offenseTee Higgins is expected to return, adding another key weapon for Jake Browning. Of course, you're probably scoffing at the signal-caller's name in that sentence. But with another week-plus of practice under his belt, at least Browning's got a fully healthy offense to work with against a Jaguars defense that's 24th in yards per pass attempt (YPA) allowed.Cincinnati scored just ten points against Pittsburgh last week, but Browning's stat line wasn't terrible, recording a 73.1% completion rate and 8.7 YPA. Some of that came from good fortune on deflected passes into Ja'Marr Chase's hands. However, Jacksonville has to respect both sides of the field with Higgins available. Browning has two options to make plays on contested passes.Joe Mixon couldn't help Browning last week, running eight times for 16 yards. Mixon's no stranger to a bad game, and he frequently bounces back to respectability the following week. The Bengals won't have much left to play for if they lose Monday, but they're technically not out of playoff contention yet and should show up for their last prime-time game of the season.Jaguars offenseThis section could just as easily be called "Bengals defense" since that's the big issue regarding Cincinnati's chance to compete in this game.Before the Dolphins ran an informal track meet in Washington on Sunday, the Bengals were dead last in opponents' YPA. And now, arguably their best cornerback, Cam Taylor-Britt, is out. That'll be problematic against Trevor Lawrence and his cadre of weapons.At least the Bengals are good at stopping the run. No, wait, Cincinnati's close to the bottom in that category, too.The Bengals score more than a little, but the Jags score a lot, making a total under 40 points too low.Pick: Over 39.5Calvin Ridley: Over 56.5 receiving yardsAs can happen with the Monday night spotlight, the secret might be out if Calvin Ridley puts on another solid performance. Ridley strung together three straight big games against mediocre opponents after compiling 89 yards and a touchdown in Week 12 versus the Steelers. Still, his yardage total is somehow three yards lower this week against the Bengals' defense.Ja'Marr Chase: Anytime touchdown (+230)We relied last week on Chase's relative awesomeness to surpass a lower yardage total than usual for him. He may do that again, but let's shoot our shot for a touchdown at better than 2-to-1 odds.The low total - which we've already determined has been excessively depressed - has lengthened the odds for all of the Bengals' potential touchdown scorers. Browning built some chemistry with Chase during the preseason when Burrow couldn't practice. Whether it's early or after the game's out of hand - as it was in Baltimore - these two can connect for a touchdown at an unusually sizable payout for one of the best pass-catchers in the game.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Inconsistent NFL officiating was once again a major talking point following the Green Bay Packers' 27-19 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.Two decisions on the final drive for the Chiefs - who were attempting to score a game-tying touchdown with just over a minute remaining - caused particular controversy.First, officials called an unnecessary roughness penalty on Green Bay for a hit on Patrick Mahomes despite the quarterback seemingly being in bounds at the time and establishing himself as a runner."The covering official believed that the defender made late and unnecessary contact on the quarterback," said referee Brad Allen, according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky. "So that was the call for unnecessary roughness."When pressed on the decision, Allen said that "the covering official was certain that the call had been made correctly" after internal discussions.

Eagles center Jason Kelce said he's concerned with Philadelphia's recent play after its 42-19 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday."We're not good enough right now," Kelce said, according to Tim McManus of ESPN. "Obviously disappointed in the way we performed. Didn't get it done today."But we've still got some games left, a lot of football to learn from. I still have the utmost confidence in everybody in this locker room on both sides of the ball. This game doesn't do anything to sway that."The Eagles still hold the league's best record and the top seed in the NFC but have shown flaws lately. They've been outgained by at least 95 yards in each of their last five games, and their offense has failed to eclipse 400 yards in a contest since Week 5.Philadelphia erased second-half deficits in four straight games prior to Sunday's loss. San Francisco scored touchdowns on six consecutive drives before running out the clock on the final one."We didn't coach good enough, didn't play good enough," head coach Nick Sirianni said after the game. "Simple as that. ... We have a lot to clean up."The Eagles will face off against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football in Week 14, a critical contest for the 2023 NFC overall standings.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

No love was lost between the 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles during a fiery NFC title game rematch Sunday, but San Francisco receiver Deebo Samuel says the rivalry isn't personal.Samuel - who called out the Eagles multiple times after their playoff contest in 2022 - starred in the 49ers' 42-19 blowout win, scoring three touchdowns while producing 138 total yards."I ain't gonna lie, I was in that zone all week long for us," Samuel said, according to Alex Simon of SF Gate. "They beat us in the NFC championship, and at the end of the day, like talking trash, it's just part of the game. Hopefully, nobody took it to heart because it's all fun and games."Samuel made headlines by saying the 49ers would've easily beaten the Eagles in the previous postseason if quarterback Brock Purdy had been healthy. He later mocked Philadelphia for its Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.However, the 27-year-old shrugged off the bad blood before Sunday's rematch, saying it was just "another game on the schedule."The race for the NFC's No. 1 seed and lone bye is now wide open thanks to the NFC West club's statement win.The 10-2 Eagles remain in the conference's top spot, but the 49ers, Detroit Lions, and Dallas Cowboys - all sitting at 9-3 - are hot on their heels.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sunday Rundown recaps the most important developments from the day's action and examines their significance moving forward.49ers set the tone Mitchell Leff / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe 8-3 49ers entered Sunday's heavyweight tilt against the 10-1 Eagles as a surprise road favorite. The oddsmakers knew what they were talking about.A highly anticipated matchup that was supposed to provide a Game of the Year candidate was anything but in the end. The 49ers cruised to a 42-19 win, coming away with some much-needed revenge for last year's NFC title game loss.San Francisco has dominated opponents for much of the season, with the only exception being a three-game losing streak in which Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams missed time. As it turns out, injuries were the only thing that derailed this wagon.A full-strength 49ers team has logged blowout wins against the Eagles, Cowboys, Jaguars, and Seahawks. Each of those statement wins demonstrated the difficulty of stopping a team with overwhelming superstar talent and high-level coaching.Samuel benefited from Kyle Shanahan exploiting the second and third levels of the Eagles' defense, with the star playmaker racking up 138 total yards and three touchdowns Sunday. Williams' steady presence up front was a major factor in San Francisco keeping the Philly pass rush in check and totaling 146 rushing yards against the NFL's third-ranked run defense.It seems like the only chance opponents have against a full-strength 49ers team is to beat them in a shootout. But here's the problem: San Francisco's defense is also stacked. Bottling up the run game and keeping Jalen Hurts in the pocket significantly factored into how the 49ers limited a high-powered Eagles offense to its second-lowest point total of the season.While every game is different, and anything can happen in a potential playoff rematch, the message has been sent. The 49ers may well be in a class of their own. Could this finally be their year?Love here to stay Todd Rosenberg / Getty Images Sport / GettyHop back on the bandwagon, folks. It might be real this time.Early season hype for Jordan Love was understandably short-lived. After a hot start, things began trending in the wrong direction with the Packers seemingly headed for the basement. There were legitimate questions about whether Green Bay would draft a quarterback.Then came the turnaround. Love was a completely different player in November, leading the Packers back into the playoff race with wins in three of four games. A near-flawless performance in a Thanksgiving Day win over the Lions figured to serve as the highlight of his growth, but it turns out he was still only getting started.One week later, outplaying Patrick Mahomes on Sunday night already gives him a new signature moment. Love was impressive against Kansas City's fourth-ranked defense, completing 25 of 36 passes for 267 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. He also finished the game with a career-high plus-14.7 dropback EPA, according to Next Gen Stats.Love's arm talent has always impressed, as has the athleticism he demonstrates when extending plays. But the decision-making and general comfort from the pocket are night and day compared to the beginning of the season. Stylistically speaking, it's not difficult to see who he's been learning from for the past three years.Love making one big-time throw after the other has been the key factor in the Packers knocking off Super Bowl contenders in consecutive weeks to get back to .500. This team now controls its destiny, and it's getting increasingly easy to buy in.If the Packers are to play football in January, it only feels right that they do it on the back of some high-level quarterbacking.Tyreek making history Rob Carr / Getty Images Sport / GettyA non-quarterback winning the MVP award seems crazy. In any other year, the idea would get little to no consideration from voters and the public alike. But this isn't your typical football season.At a time when no signal-caller is separating himself from the pack, and each of the game's top passers has struggled at one time or another, the league's most unstoppable playmaker is building the best non-QB case we've seen since Adrian Peterson. How is Tyreek Hill not the league's most valuable player at this point?The superstar receiver was again the best player on the field as the Dolphins steamrolled the Commanders this week, racking up a Randy Moss-like five catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns. It's the sixth time Hill has topped 140 yards this season, and the 10th game he's found the end zone.This latest monster performance puts him up to an unbelievable 1,481 yards through 12 contests. In other words, a player who's averaging 123.4 yards per game needs only 519 yards across his remaining five contests to become the first receiver in NFL history to reach the 2,000-yard mark. It seems inevitable, frankly.Hill's candidacy isn't a matter of individual numbers, either. His rare skill set is the X-factor for one of the league's best offenses and a Dolphins team well on its way to making a deep playoff run. While Tua Tagovailoa is enjoying an especially productive season, everyone knows who the most valuable and irreplaceable player is on that offense.Assuming he maintains his record pace, Dak Prescott leading the Cowboys past the Eagles for the NFC East title should be the only outcome that gets in the way of Hill's chase for MVP.Even then, what do receivers have to do to get some love? If a 2,000-yard season isn't enough, it might be time to reimagine these awards and ditch the "value" criteria that people will only ever ascribe to one position.Texans D doing its part Cooper Neill / Getty Images Sport / GettyC.J. Stroud isn't doing it alone.The rookie phenom deserves all the praise he's received thus far, having effectively wrapped up the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and earning himself some unexpected MVP consideration. But the Texans' emergence as legitimate playoff contenders has been about much more than one player.Slowly but surely, the defense has been coming together, too. At the beginning of the season, this group seemed to improve on account of scheme and mentality alone - the DeMeco Ryans impact. Now, some major investments at premium positions are starting to pay off.Will Anderson and Derek Stingley each had the most productive day of their young careers in a crucial win over the Broncos this week. Anderson, this year's No. 3 pick, was responsible for two of Houston's three sacks on the day. Stingley, selected third overall in 2022, recorded two impressive interceptions to make it three straight games with a pick.As good as Stroud has been, there are bound to be some growing pains - especially after losing top target and fellow rookie standout Tank Dell to a broken fibula. Playing complementary football, and not putting it all on a rookie quarterback, will give the Texans every opportunity to maximize their potential this season.The Houston defense getting to close this one out, with Jimmie Ward intercepting Russell Wilson in the end zone, could prove to be a significant moment to that end.This team is not going to be an easy out in January.Quick slantsFlacco can kinda sling it Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyJoe Flacco saving the Browns' season - who would have thought? A 36-19 loss to the Rams might seem like a blowout in the box score, but that's not quite how it went down. Cleveland's offense was shockingly competent with Flacco taking the reins two weeks after joining the practice squad. The 38-year-old's 254 passing yards was the most by a Browns quarterback since Deshaun Watson in Week 3. Flacco has been decidedly washed for years, but there is something to be said for having a veteran signal-caller who can make some basic throws and keep the offense on schedule. Could his steady presence be all the Browns need to complement their defense?Steelers' setbackThe vibes in Pittsburgh were immaculate coming off last week's win. A long overdue coordinator change had seemingly injected some life into this offense, and it appeared like the Steelers being a playoff team might finally start making sense. That didn't last long. While we can probably cut them a little slack, with the weather contributing to a pair of lengthy delays, the offense took a step in the wrong direction in a home-field loss to the Cardinals. And with Kenny Pickett headed for ankle surgery, it's impossible to know what to expect from this offense down the stretch. Can Mitch Trubisky help Pittsburgh stay alive?Rough one for CarrThe Saints have a problem. We spent some time last week talking about how this team has no way out of its current cap situation, and why that will likely result in a longer commitment to Derek Carr. That reality seemed bad enough then, and it's especially concerning coming off this week's loss to the Lions. Carr seemed to be the target of some Twitter/X shade from Michael Thomas during the game. New Orleans fans also cheered when Taysom Hill entered the game situationally and booed when Carr replaced him. To top it all off, Carr again left the game with multiple ailments after taking a massive hit in the second half. The Saints trying to hire a head coach who can salvage this big-money signing is probably the most likely scenario looking ahead to the offseason. If things continue in this direction, though, perhaps we shouldn't rule out a Brock Osweiler-level effort to get another team to take on his contract.Evans does it againMike Evans is one of the most underappreciated players of his generation. The Buccaneers wideout once again hit the 1,000-yard mark in Sunday's win over the Panthers, making it 10 straight seasons to start his NFL career. That further extends his record streak and puts him just one shy of Jerry Rice's record for total 1,000-yard campaigns. He's going to get a nice payday as a free agent, and it'll likely only be a matter of time before he stands alone in this impressive category. The consistency is remarkable.Chargers extra cooked Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyIt's not often that a win makes you feel even worse than you already do about a bad team. But this is the Chargers we're talking about here - nothing should come as a surprise anymore. A 6-0 victory over the Patriots is as close as it gets to a morale defeat in this league. The defense is usually the issue, which is particularly damning for a defensive-minded coach. But when they finally get a good game out of that unit (or the good fortune of playing the Patriots), the offense disappears. It's always something with this team. This is going to be an important offseason to ensure the Chargers don't continue to waste elite quarterback play.Mack still has itThe Chargers, flawed as they are, did get at least one thing right this offseason. Khalil Mack was seen by many as a potential cap casualty after a relatively underwhelming eight-sack debut season with L.A. in 2022. The Chargers doubled down on their investment, though, and the veteran pass-rusher has rewarded their faith with an incredible year. Another two sacks in Sunday's win over the Patriots give him 15 on the season, tying a career high in only 12 games. Mack is still a force off the edge and could have several more years to add to his 99.5 career sacks. The 2016 Defensive Player of the Year could still have a shot at earning a spot in the Hall of Fame.New coach, same PanthersThe Panthers dumping Frank Reich and several of his key assistants before the end of their first season on the job was a clear effort to salvage what remains of Bryce Young's rookie campaign. We shouldn't get our hopes up for the stretch run, though. Playing through some heavy rain likely didn't help matters, but the Panthers' offense struggled with many of the same issues in Sunday's loss to the Buccaneers. This group lacks the ability to protect the quarterback or create separation at receiver. The scheme and personnel need to be better moving forward.McBride breaking outTrey McBride is the reason the Cardinals were willing to grant Zach Ertz his release. Amid a sophomore breakout, the 2022 second-round pick will take all the reps he can get. McBride recorded eight catches for 89 yards and a touchdown in Arizona's win over Pittsburgh, already putting him over the 600-yard mark for the year. Whether it's with Kyler Murray or another young quarterback selected early in a future draft, the Cardinals will be happy to have McBride as a reliable target over the middle of the field.Stat of the week

NFL Playoff Picture is a weekly look at the teams jockeying to secure their shot to make it to Super Bowl LVIII.AFCSeedTeamDivisionRecord1DolphinsEast9-32RavensNorth9-33JaguarsSouth8-34ChiefsWest8-45SteelersNorth7-56BrownsNorth7-57ColtsSouth7-5The race for the AFC's No. 1 seed is wide-open. With the Kansas City Chiefs' loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens finished Sunday tied with the conference's best record. Miami, which blew out the Washington Commanders in Week 13, has the edge over Baltimore due to its win percentage in conference games. However, the Jacksonville Jaguars, winners of seven of their last eight games, can leapfrog the Dolphins and Ravens in the playoff race if they beat the Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati Bengals on Monday.Coming up in December are huge AFC matchups and a tough stretch for the Ravens, who play the Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers, and Dolphins between Weeks 15-17.The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns kept their playoff spots in the wild-card race despite losing in Week 13. However, injuries at quarterback will be an issue. With Deshaun Watson (shoulder) and Dorian Thompson-Robinson (concussion) unavailable, the Browns started veteran Joe Flacco in Sunday's defeat to the Los Angeles Rams. Meanwhile, the Steelers saw Kenny Pickett go down with an ankle injury that will reportedly sideline him for multiple weeks.Somehow, the Indianapolis Colts are the AFC's No. 7 seed after edging the Tennessee Titans on the road in overtime. First-year head coach Shane Steichen and his staff have done a tremendous job at getting the most out of a team missing some key players. First-round quarterback Anthony Richardson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in October and running back Jonathan Taylor recently hurt his thumb, which will sideline him for at least two weeks.In the huntSeedTeamDivisionRecord8TexansSouth7-59BroncosWest6-610BillsEast6-611BengalsNorth5-612ChargersWest5-713RaidersWest5-7The Houston Texans bounced back from their Week 12 loss with a big win over the Denver Broncos, which keeps DeMeco Ryans' outfit in the hunt as the No. 8 seed. It's been a remarkable year for the Texans, who had won seven combined in 2021 and 2022. C.J. Stroud and Co. will have to continue their impressive campaign without standout rookie receiver Tank Dell, who fractured his fibula, but having the seventh-weakest remaining schedule helps. Indianapolis currently owns the tiebreaker after beating Houston in September, but the two division rivals will meet again in Week 18.Despite not currently being one of the top seven seeds, the Texans have a 78% chance of making the playoffs, according to The New York Times. They are followed by the Colts (67%), Browns (60%), and Steelers (54%) in the wild-card race. Denver's chances dropped to 21% after Week 13.NFCSeedTeamDivisionRecord1EaglesEast10-2249ersWest9-33LionsNorth9-34FalconsSouth6-65CowboysEast9-36VikingsNorth6-67PackersNorth6-6The Philadelphia Eagles are still the NFC's No. 1 team but have no margin for error after losing 42-19 to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Philadelphia will now visit the red-hot Dallas Cowboys who have scored 40-plus points in four of their last six games. The Eagles beat the Cowboys earlier this season.The Detroit Lions held on for a victory over the New Orleans Saints this week. San Francisco has the edge over Detroit in the playoff race due to owning a better record in conference games.The Atlanta Falcons are the only division leaders not above .500 right now. Despite the offensive struggles, Atlanta has won two straight - most recently a 13-8 victory over the New York Jets. The Falcons have three divisional matchups and the easiest strength of schedule left this season, so they should feel good about their chances.Next in the NFC wild-card race are two teams trending in opposite directions. The Minnesota Vikings had a bye in Week 13 but are coming off back-to-back losses. It's unclear if Joshua Dobbs will remain Minnesota's starting quarterback, but at least the team is welcoming back All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson. Finally, the Packers extended their winning streak to three games with Sunday's triumph over the Chiefs. Keep in mind that Green Bay doesn't have any opponent currently with a winning record left on its schedule.In the huntSeedTeamDivisionRecord8RamsWest6-69SeahawksWest6-610SaintsSouth5-711BuccaneersSouth5-7The Packers hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Los Angeles Rams after their meeting earlier this campaign. Los Angeles is trending upward, though, as Sean McVay's outfit has won its last three contests.The Seattle Seahawks lost both matchups with the Rams this season. To make things worse, Seattle, loser of three straight, will face the 49ers and Eagles next.Projected NFL draft orderPickTeam1Bears (via Panthers)2Patriots3Cardinals4Commanders5Bears6Jets7Giants8Titans9Saints10BuccaneersCopyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Green Bay Packers surprised the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night with a 27-19 victory against the reigning Super Bowl champs.The victory, which marks the Packers' third in a row, was built off the arm of Jordan Love's three-touchdown night and a stout defensive showing. Green Bay's defense held Patrick Mahomes to just one touchdown and intercepted him once.Two of Love's three touchdown throws went to Christian Watson, who injured his hamstring late in the fourth quarter.More to come.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Brock Purdy threw for 314 yards and four touchdowns, Deebo Samuel scored three TDs and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was checked for a concussion in the San Francisco 49ers' 42-19 win over Philadelphia on Sunday night.The fiery NFC championship game rematch also featured 49ers' touchdowns on six straight possessions and a pair of ejections that showed this year's title game might not run again through Philly, after all.The 49ers (9-3) left Philly 10 months ago battered in the NFC championship game behind injuries to Purdy and his backup, and they never stood a chance in a 31-7 loss. The 49ers spent an offseason chirping at the Birds - Samuel called one Eagles cornerback trash" - and then entered the Linc as a rare betting favorite against a 10-win team at home.The Eagles (10-2) suffered a scare when Hurts jogged off the field in the fourth and went straight to the locker room. He was cleared to play and returned to action with about 10 minutes left.It was not immediately clear when Hurts was injured.By the time last season's NFL MVP runner-up returned, the Eagles trailed 35-13 and were on their way toward their first home loss of the season. Hurts did hit DeVonta Smith for a 2-yard TD on his return drive. He finished 26-of-45 passing for 298 yards.Purdy put the finishing touches on the win with a 46-yard TD to Samuel.Perhaps all that braggadocio paid off for the 49ers. Hard feelings spilled into the game, highlighted by a scrap in the third quarter that got 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw and the the Eagles' chief security officer tossed.Dom DiSandro, a constant presence on the Eagles' sideline, pulled Greenlaw off Smith after a reception. Greenlaw popped up and reached over two officials to touch DiSandro's face with a closed fist.Greenlaw was ejected. DiSandro, a cult hero in Philly for his ever-present backup when Eagles are out in public, also was told to leave and walked to the locker room to a roaring ovation.The Eagles offered few other reasons cheer.Purdy picked apart a defense that left receivers open for big chunks of the game. Samuel also inflicted his damage in the third quarter on a 12-yard rushing TD and caught a 48-yard TD pass from Purdy that stretched a 14-6 halftime lead to 28-13.The scores were clutch in any game, of course. But they kept an Eagles offense that made a habit of halftime rallies at bay and sucked the atmosphere out of the Linc.The Eagles turned halftime deficits into wins in each of the last four games - including a Super Bowl rematch at Kansas City - and five times overall this season. The Eagles have been outscored 144-156 in the first half this season.One pesky detail among all those comebacks - Philly never trailed against 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan. The 49ers are 33-1 (including playoffs) when leading by eight-plus points at the break under Shanahan.Hurts did his part in the first half to drive the Eagles inside the 20, connecting with A.J. Brown for 38 yards on the opening drive and to Brown for 17 yards on the second drive. The Eagles instead had to settle for Jake Elliott field goals of 26 and 39 yards for the 6-0 lead.The 49ers shook of a first-quarter funk that saw them finish with minus-6 total yards until Purdy got the offense rolling in the second. Much like in the NFC championship game, Purdy was pressured early. But he stayed strong, notably on a scramble where he was popped twice but stayed on his feet and still got a 6-yard gain. He capped that drive with a 2-yard TD pass to Brandon Aiyuk that cut it 7-6.Christian McCaffrey, who finished with 93 yards rushing, added a 2-yard score with 38 seconds left for a 14-6 lead.UP NEXTSan Francisco hosts Seattle on Sunday.The Eagles are off to Dallas for a Sunday night NFC East matchup.___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflCopyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt voiced his frustrations with NFL officials following Sunday's 24-10 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals."The NFL has something going against me, so I don't want to talk any more negatively toward them. I don't know what I did, but I'll leave it at that," Watt said postgame when asked if being held by a Cardinals defender contributed to an ankle injury suffered in the second half.The referees didn't throw a flag on the play.Watt was in visible pain while his right ankle was being looked at on the sideline early in the fourth quarter. The 2021 Defensive Player of the Year limped off the field and spent time in the medical tent but returned to the game.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans extended his NFL record to 10 consecutive seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards to begin a career.The wideout hauled in a pass late in Sunday's fourth quarter of the Bucs' 21-18 win over the Carolina Panthers to reach the milestone.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua exited Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns after injuring his ribs but returned to play in the second half.The wideout suffered the ailment in the second quarter when he made an acrobatic catch near the sideline and landed hard on his side. Training staff attended to Nacua before he left the field.Nacua has been one of the NFL's best rookies this year. The BYU product entered Sunday's game with 73 receptions for 924 yards and three touchdowns.Nacua surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the season when he scored a 70-yard touchdown earlier in Sunday's game. He's the first rookie receiver to reach the milestone in 2023.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Injured New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas wasn't happy with what he saw from quarterback Derek Carr during Sunday's 33-28 loss to the Detroit Lions.Thomas seemingly took multiple shots at Carr during the matchup with New Orleans' offense struggling. The Lions held on for the victory after opening a 21-0 lead in the first quarter at Caesars Superdome. New Orleans' offense gained some momentum later in the contest and tried to mount a comeback but fell short in the fourth quarter. Carr completed 17 of 22 pass attempts for 226 yards and one touchdown against one interception before exiting in the fourth quarter with back and shoulder injuries. The veteran signal-caller also entered the concussion protocol and was replaced by Jameis Winston. Thomas deleted his account on X, formerly known as Twitter, after the game.Fans also voiced their frustration with the Carr-led offense Sunday. New Orleans supporters loudly cheered every time situational quarterback Taysom Hill entered the game in place of Carr, who was then booed upon returning under center for the snap, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.Hill scored a 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Winston went 2-for-5 with 41 yards in his brief appearance.The Saints signed Carr to a four-year contract this past offseason but have averaged only 21.4 points per game and have now dropped to 5-7.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr didn't return to the team's 33-28 loss to the Detroit Lions after sustaining shoulder and back injuries and being placed in concussion protocol.Pass-rusher Bruce Irvin drove his body weight into Carr as the signal-caller released a pass. Carr left for the locker room after taking the hit.Jameis Winston replaced Carr at quarterback, with Taysom Hill taking occasional snaps as normal.Carr completed 17 of 22 pass attempts for 226 yards, one touchdown, and one interception before suffering the injury.The 32-year-old has exited several other contests this season with shoulder ailments and a concussion but hasn't missed a start.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson was ruled out of the team's 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers after sustaining an ankle injury.The tailback ran the ball nine times for 39 yards and caught his lone target for no gain before suffering the ailment.Stevenson appeared to have his ankle rolled up on after a carry early in the game. He received attention from the team's medical staff before exiting.The initial X-rays on Stevenson's ankle were negative, a source told The Athletic's Jeff Howe. It's believed the runner sprained the ankle and he'll undergo an MRI to evaluate the extent of the injury.Ezekiel Elliott is expected to handle the bulk of touches with Stevenson ruled out. Ty Montgomery and JaMycal Hasty are the only other running backs on the active roster, but the latter is inactive for Sunday's game.Stevenson led the team with 147 carries, 580 yards, and four touchdowns entering Sunday.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell suffered a fractured fibula in Sunday's 22-17 victory over the Denver Broncos, a source told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The injury will send Dell to injured reserve, Rapoport adds.Dell saw his leg rolled on after running back Dameon Pierce scored a goal-line touchdown.The 24-year-old rookie has emerged as one of Houston's best pass catchers this season, hauling in 709 yards and seven touchdowns on 47 receptions. He leads the team in touchdowns and ranks second in yardage and catches behind Nico Collins.With Dell out, Nico Collins enjoyed a career day with 191 receiving yards and one touchdown.Receivers Noah Brown, Robert Woods, and John Metchie are in line to see more snaps moving forward.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and finished among the top seven each of his last seven years in the contest. Follow the links below to see his rankings for Week 13.The final rankings will be released Sunday morning.Half PPR

The Dallas Cowboys are expected to negotiate a new contract with quarterback Dak Prescott this offseason, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Prescott has one year remaining on the four-year, $160-million contract he signed in 2021. The contract carries a cap hit of $59.4 million in 2024, per Over The Cap, which includes a no-trade and no-tag clause.The new deal is expected to make him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL and structured to lower his 2024 cap hit, Rapoport adds.Prescott is arguably playing the best football of his career in 2023. He boasts 3,408 yards with 28 touchdowns and only six turnovers through 12 games. He leads the league in QBR (75.5) while ranking second in passer rating (108.3) and completion percentage (70.1).The 30-year-old has elevated his play to new heights since the team's 42-10 loss in Week 5 to the San Francisco 49ers. Prescott has led all quarterbacks in EPA per play since that contest, per Ben Baldwin's database.In the first five games of the season, Prescott averaged 6.6 air yards per attempt, compared to nine air yards per throw over the last seven games. His ability to push the ball down the field has helped Dallas' offense lead the league in points per game.The Cowboys are sitting at 9-3 and will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football in Week 14.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wants the "tush push" permanently banned, a league source told Dianna Russini of The Athletic.The controversial play made famous by the Philadelphia Eagles is reportedly expected to be heavily debated among the league's competition committee.The committee examined the play - also known as the "brotherly shove" thanks to its Philadelphia origins - last offseason but opted against outlawing it. It was never proposed as a playing rule change to the 32 owners, adds Russini.The Eagles aren't represented on the competition committee, while all three of its divisional opponents have members on it.When running the "tush push," Philadelphia has an 86.2% success rate, nine touchdowns (eight from quarterback Jalen Hurts), and a perfect 10-for-10 conversion rate in its own territory, according to the NFL.Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni called for the play to remain legal in late October."People can't do it like we can do it," he said. "Don't ban this play. If everybody could do it, everybody would do it."Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Zach Ertz asked for his release from the Arizona Cardinals to sign with a contender, and it appears he'll get his wish.The Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, and Philadelphia Eagles are interested in the veteran free agent, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.Ertz is free to sign wherever he wishes after clearing waivers.After producing 406 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games last season, Ertz was supplanted by Trey McBride as Arizona's top tight end. Ertz has 27 receptions for 187 yards and a score in seven games in 2023.The 8-3 Chiefs, 9-3 Ravens, and 10-1 Eagles are all but certain to play in the postseason, while the 6-6 Bills are in the hunt for an AFC wild-card spot.The Bills and Ravens require help at tight end due to long-term injuries to Dawson Knox and Mark Andrews, respectively.The Eagles, Ertz's former team, have been without Dallas Goedert due to an arm injury, though he appears close to a return. Meanwhile, the Chiefs need more experienced weapons amid an inconsistent season for their pass-catching group.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers is unlikely to return from his Achilles injury this season, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Unless the 4-7 Jets are fighting for a playoff spot later in the month, Rodgers is expected to sit out the remainder of the 2023 campaign, Rapoport adds.The Jets, who opened Rodgers' 21-day practice window this week, could reportedly activate him to the 53-man roster before Dec. 20 to serve as the emergency quarterback on game day.The 40-year-old's participation in practice is chiefly a continuation of his rehab on the field, allowing Rodgers to throw to wide receivers instead of trainers.His return to practice comes only 77 days after he tore his Achilles in Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills.The four-time MVP has thrown out the idea of returning on Dec. 24 against the Washington Commanders, but the Jets are expected to be out of playoff contention by then."If we are out of it, I would be surprised if they OK'd that to come back," Rodgers told reporters this week.New York has struggled on offense without its prized offseason acquisition. The Jets rank 31st in yards per contest and 30th in points per game this season. They're set to take on the Atlanta Falcons in Week 13.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Parlaying our player props is about as ill-advised as the quarterback scrambling wildly with the ball dangling from his right hand. It's almost definitely going to result in getting benched.Then, one time, the play works out.That's what happened last week: We swept all ten of our plays for +10.5 units if bet individually. If you were lucky enough to parlay them, pocket that money and get back to betting them outcome by outcome.Justin Herbert: Under 248.5 passing yardsIn thinking the Patriots have a chance to upset the Chargers, you have to like either New England's offense or its defense to succeed.Bailey Zappe can keep drives going and not give L.A. short fields, and the Patriots' defense will give Justin Herbert trouble. At best, both Keenan Allen and right tackle Trey Pipkins will be compromised and, if the latter can't go, the Bolts' offensive line gets just as thin as Herbert's list of capable playmakers.Jared Goff: Over 0.5 interceptions (-105)Perhaps surprisingly, the Saints have the second-most interceptions in the NFL this season. Jared Goff has thrown an interception in six of 11 games so far and has been loose with the football lately. He may hear footsteps in the pocket while playing in a hostile environment, causing him to toss an inaccurate pass into the hands of an opportunistic defense.Pat Freiermuth: Over 3.5 receptionsLast week in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh's offense looked its best all season. Under a new play-caller, quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan, the Steelers planned to get Kenny Pickett easy throws to Pat Freiermuth early and often. In the tight end's second game back from a hamstring injury, he hauled in nine catches on 11 targets. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.Jaylen Waddle: Longest reception over 24.5 yardsAfter a relatively slow start to the season - in part due to lingering injuries - Jaylen Waddle caught the ball in each of his eight targets last week. Now the Dolphins visit the Commanders, who give up 7.5 yards per pass attempt (31st in the NFL) and allowed 15 yards per completion last week. Five different Cowboys had receptions of 24 yards or more in that contest and, strangely, CeeDee Lamb wasn't one of them.Tim Boyle: Under 181.5 passing yardsIt took a small miracle - or at least the late disinterest of the Dolphins' defense - for Tim Boyle to creep over his yardage total in his first Jets' start. Going over on Black Friday may have resulted in a higher bar this week, but the market expects a closer game with the Falcons favored by less than a field goal. That means less late-game garbage yardage for Boyle.Zack Moss: Under 78.5 rushing yardsZack Moss had a monster outing in the first matchup between the Colts and Titans, but the latter's excellent run defense will probably have more success this time around. Tennessee doesn't have to game plan for Jonathan Taylor (who made his first appearance of the season in that contest) or the threat of Anthony Richardson taking off and running.Moss is the lone option, so his prescribed yardage total is 11 yards higher than it has been all season. And it comes in a game where the Colts' best method of attack is to focus on throwing against the Titans' suspect secondary.Russell Wilson: Over 228.5 passing yardsRussell Wilson's gone under his passing yardage total in seven of his last eight games - but he faced seven of the top 14 defenses by yards per attempt in those games. On the road against the current leader in passing yards per game, Wilson gets a rare look at a shaky defense. Only the Bengals and Commanders give up more through the air than his opponent, the Texans.Rachaad White: Under 68.5 rushing yardsThe Buccaneers haven't run the ball effectively in two years. Even though Rachaad White got his first career 100-yard game in Indianapolis last week, I don't think they've turned over a new leaf. The Panthers can defend the run, and it's more likely White hit that milestone thanks to an outlier 38-yard carry in the fourth quarter - just the second 30-yarder of his career.Tutu Atwell: Longest reception over 14.5 yardsFear of Cleveland's defense is potentially depressing the Los Angeles' offensive prop totals, but the bet worth looking at is Tutu Atwell to catch a deep pass. Atwell has made a reception of 17 yards or more in eight of Matthew Stafford's ten starts this season, including five straight contests. And the vaunted Browns defense? The unit allows 7.8 yards per pass on the road compared to 3.3 at home. If the campaign ended today, that would be the league's worst overall mark of any single season.Jalen Hurts: Under 43.5 rushing yardsAfter four games of going under this total, Jalen Hurts ran for 65 yards last week against Buffalo. But 27 of them came in overtime. Had Jake Elliott missed his 59-yard field goal, Hurts would be on a five-game under streak with his legs. The Bills also don't have the speedy side-to-side linebackers that can deter Hurts the way the 49ers do in Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Panthers activated cornerback Jaycee Horn, safety Jeremy Chinn, and linebacker Yetur Gross-Matos off injured reserve, the team announced Saturday.Carolina placed Chinn on injured reserve after he suffered a quad injury in Week 6 against the Miami Dolphins, while Gross-Matos has also been out since the Dolphins contest due to a hamstring ailment.Although Horn will be available, it's unclear if he'll suit up in the team's Week 13 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.Horn hasn't played since Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons. He was forced to leave the game with a hamstring injury and didn't return. The South Carolina product was placed on injured reserve the following week.Carolina has the worst record in the league at 1-10, but it's been very stout against the pass, allowing the fourth-lowest yards through the air per game this season.The 24-year-old has battled injuries since he was selected eighth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. He suffered a broken foot in his rookie year that ended his season after just three games. He was also forced to miss four contests last year due to a chest injury.Horn has four interceptions and eight passes defended in 17 career games with the Panthers.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins will return for Monday's matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars after missing three games with hamstring and knee injuries, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.Higgins has missed four total games with injury this season. The Clemson product hauled in 27 passes for 328 yards and two touchdowns in seven games. He's in the final year of his rookie contract after being selected with the No. 33 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.Linebacker Logan Wilson will also be available despite foot and ankle injuries, while cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt will be forced to miss the contest with quad and ankle ailments, per Schefter.Wilson hasn't missed a game this season and leads the team with 89 total tackles. He also has three interceptions, six pass deflections, and a pair of forced fumbles.Taylor-Britt, meanwhile, will miss his second consecutive contest after being sidelined for the 16-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12. The 24-year-old has four interceptions and 10 pass deflections in 10 games this year.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Panthers linebacker Brian Burns praised interim head coach Chris Tabor ahead of Sunday's contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers."His personality has always been fun-loving, lighthearted," Burns said, according to David Newton of ESPN. "He always makes jokes, but you can always tell he's about business."He said there's two ways to have fun: You can have fun kicking somebody's behind or being on the other side of having somebody kick your behind."Tabor will debut as interim head coach in Week 13. He was given the role after owner David Tepper fired Frank Reich just 11 games into his tenure.Former head coach Matt Rhule brought Tabor in last season as special teams coordinator. The 52-year-old held the same role for the Chicago Bears from 2018-21 and for the Cleveland Browns from 2011-17.Tabor will be the Panthers' third interim head coach since 2019, joining Steve Wilks and Perry Fewell. He said he's trying to convey a simple message to his players heading into Sunday's matchup."We're playing a kids' game played by grown men," Tabor said. "So let's have some fun while we're doing it."He added: "Play loose, not reckless. Say, 'Hey, here's my chips. I'm all-in. Let's go.' And I think that can be comforting to players."The Panthers hold an NFL-worst 1-10 record heading into Sunday's game.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Few things are inevitable in the NFL, but watching the Eagles play brings two to mind. When they need to gain a yard, they'll shove quarterback Jalen Hurts beyond the chains. And when a season ends, someone at Hurts' position will be named Most Valuable Player.Hurts is the MVP favorite as Week 13 gets going. The pilot of the tush push has already led Philadelphia to 10 wins. The complication with his candidacy is that Hurts' stats were more impressive last season, when Patrick Mahomes edged him in the voting.No quarterback's 2023 MVP case is bulletproof. Seven of them - Hurts, Mahomes, Dak Prescott, Lamar Jackson, Brock Purdy, Tua Tagovailoa, and C.J. Stroud - headline theScore Bet's oddsboard anyway.Their preeminence is no surprise. QBs have won 15 of the last 16 MVP awards. Voters tend to disregard the other players on the field.In rare instances, they've picked an unusual winner. This might be the right year to deviate from the norm again. For the first time since 2017, no quarterback is on track to average 300 passing yards. No running back - the MVP electorate's second-favorite position - is rushing at a 1,500-yard pace.Unconventional contenders have surged to victory before. Two legendary defenders and a placekicker on a hot streak triumphed in the 1970s and '80s by being uniquely spectacular in their roles. Players currently doing that include Tyreek Hill, the NFL's least guardable wideout, and DaRon Bland, an unparalleled defensive scoring threat. Ron Jenkins / Getty ImagesThey're shining in a drab passing year. No QB has put up massive numbers yet. None has consistently wowed viewers, though several front-runners have offset lackluster spells with awesome stretches.The league's average passer rating (88.7) is at a six-year low, per Pro Football Reference. Fewer QBs are elevating their respective offenses.Two standout running backs - Christian McCaffrey and Raheem Mostert - have scored at will, combining to record 31 touchdowns from scrimmage. But both are gaining fewer yards than 2022 rushing champ Josh Jacobs, whose 1,653-yard season garnered no MVP support.That opens the door for voters to get creative. At least four long-shot candidates deserve consideration, provided they remain dominant in December.Hill is on pace to become the first 2,000-yard receiver. He would break Calvin Johnson's single-year record - 1,964 yards in 2012 - in the process. Hill's 1,324 yards in the turbocharged Dolphins offense are nearly double what sidekick Jaylen Waddle has managed. He's almost seven times as productive as Miami's No. 3 receiver, Braxton Berrios. Rich Storry / Getty ImagesHill's 93.3 PFF player grade is the best at any position. He leads the NFL in yards before the catch (800), yards after the catch (524), receiving touchdowns (10), first downs (62), and receptions for 40-plus yards (seven). He has four 150-yard outings and scored in nine of Miami's 11 games.Any of his touches can devastate a defense. Hill authored one of the season's fastest plays when the Dolphins beat the Giants in October, sprinting 22.01 mph on a slippery 64-yard screen route, as tracked by Next Gen Stats. Later in the game, this ruthless step fake sprung him for a 69-yard score:

It's hard to believe there are only six weeks left in the NFL's regular season. Poor quarterback play continues to make headlines and create low totals for various games. We'll keep targeting game unders with our best bets for Week 13.Cardinals @ Steelers under 41.5This is a surprisingly high total for two of the NFL's worst offenses. Just one of the Steelers' last five games have gone over 41.5. Pittsburgh has the league's fifth-worst scoring offense, while the Cardinals have the eighth-worst.Even with Kyler Murray back under center, Arizona's offense is lackluster and uninspiring. The Steelers also have the NFL's fifth-best scoring defense, so the Cardinals will struggle to move the ball.Arizona has the second-worst scoring defense, but the Steelers' offense is so inept that it won't matter. Expect a low-scoring slugfest in Pittsburgh.Broncos team total: Over 22.5 pointsI hope everyone played their Sean Payton jokes in the first half of the season because he's seemingly turned the Broncos around and has Russell Wilson back to playing solid football. Denver's right in the mix for an AFC wild-card playoff spot.Denver has won five straight and scored at least 23 points in three of its last four games. The Texans are an average defense that allows 21.1 points per game.Both teams are desperate as they make a playoff push in the latter part of the season. This should be a high-scoring affair between two offenses clicking at the right time.Panthers @ Buccaneers under 36.5The Panthers are a complete mess. They likely drafted the wrong quarterback with the first overall pick in April's draft, fired their coach less than a year into his first season, and are currently 1-10.Carolina has the NFL's fourth-worst scoring offense, while the Buccaneers have a bottom-10 scoring offense and are slipping after a surprisingly successful start to the season.This is the second-lowest under of the week, and that's for good reason. This game will likely end with each team in the teens.Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @soshtry for more betting coverage.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New England Patriots will start quarterback Bailey Zappe over Mac Jones for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers, sources told The Athletic's Jeff Howe.New England reportedly will also have a package of plays for quarterback/wide receiver Malik Cunningham.It hasn't been decided who Zappe's immediate backup will be, Howe adds. The Patriots also roster quarterback Will Grier, who's on the practice squad.With Jones under center, the 2-9 Patriots rank 31st in points scored per game. The 2021 first-round pick has been benched four times for Zappe this season, including during last week's 10-7 loss to the New York Giants. Jones threw two first-half interceptions against New York before exiting.Jones made the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2021 but hasn't been able to replicate that success recently. The 25-year-old has completed 64.9% of his passes this year - down from 67.6% in Year 1 - while tossing 10 touchdowns to 12 interceptions.Zappe replaced an injured Jones as a first-year player in 2022. The fourth-round pick had five touchdowns against three picks while helping New England win both games he started last campaign.Zappe went 9-for-14 with only 54 yards and an interception in his appearance against the Giants. He quarterbacked a 10-play drive in the final minutes of the game, but Patriots kicker Chad Ryland missed a 35-yard field goal that would've forced overtime.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco will start Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams, the team said Friday, according to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot.Flacco joined the Browns' practice squad Nov. 20 after Deshaun Watson was ruled out for the remainder of the season. He wasn't elevated for the club's 29-12 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 12.The 38-year-old's last game action came in Week 18 of last season with the New York Jets, where he completed 18 of 33 passes for 149 yards without any touchdowns or interceptions.Flacco will be the fourth quarterback to start a game for the Browns this season. He'll join Watson, rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and P.J. Walker.The Delaware product owns 42,320 career passing yards, 232 touchdown passes, and 147 interceptions in 183 games with the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, and Jets.Thompson-Robinson, who started the club's last two games, was ruled out for the game against the Rams because of a concussion. Cleveland also ruled out cornerback Denzel Ward (shoulder) and wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (concussion).The team did get some good health news Friday as defensive end Myles Garrett was a full participant and doesn't carry an injury designation into Sunday. He didn't participate in the first two practices this week due to rest and a shoulder injury sustained against the Broncos.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan backed running back Christian McCaffrey as this season's NFL MVP."Without a doubt," Shanahan said Friday when asked if McCaffrey has made himself a legitimate candidate this year, according to Grant Cohn of All49ers.The MVP honor has been awarded to quarterbacks in the last 10 seasons. The last non-QB to win the award was former Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson in 2012."I know it goes to quarterbacks the majority of the time, and there are plenty of worthy quarterbacks, but you definitely can't say that Christian is behind anyone," Shanahan added. "He's as valuable in this league as anyone."McCaffrey has put on a show in 2023, rushing for a league-high 939 yards (4.9 per carry) and 11 touchdowns. He's also caught 48 passes for 389 yards and five scores.McCaffrey's 16 scrimmage TDs lead the NFL. The 27-year-old has scored at least one touchdown in all but one game this season, and his four appearances with at least two scores are also tied for the most in the league.Many around the NFL also see the 49ers' Brock Purdy as an MVP candidate. Purdy has been arguably the sport's most efficient quarterback and leads the league in pass completion percentage, passer rating, and EPA/play.The 49ers visit the Jalen Hurts-led Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in a rematch of last season's NFC title game, which could have major implications in the MVP race. Hurts is currently the favorite to win football's most prestigious individual award.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots defensive back Jabrill Peppers regrets criticizing his team in a postgame conversation with New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley.Following a 10-7 loss in Week 12, a mic'd-up Peppers was caught telling Barkley: "You lucky we ass.""I just want to apologize to my teammates and the coaches for even having to answer questions about that," Peppers said Friday, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss. "We've got more important things to worry about than me being caught on a hot mic.He added, "I don't think it was right that they put that out because a lot of things are said on that football field."The Patriots fell short against the Giants after Chad Ryland missed a 35-yard field goal in the final seconds that could have forced overtime. The defeat dropped New England to 2-9 for the first time since 1992."At the end of the day, we're 2-9, we got a top-five pick in the draft that didn't come through a trade," Peppers said. "We all know the standard, we all know what it's supposed to look like, and it's not that right now.""We have good players, great players, in the locker room, but every team has great players. ... And if those great and good players aren't executing, that team isn't a good team," Peppers added. But that doesn't speak to the character of men we've got in this locker room. ... The ball just hasn't been rolling in our favor and that's on no one but us."Peppers is in his second season with the Patriots. The 28-year-old, who played three seasons with the Giants before joining New England, has racked up 62 tackles, six pass breakups, one sack, and one interception through 11 games in 2023.The Patriots rank 31st in points scored and 21st in points allowed.New England would own the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft if the season ended today. The Patriots haven't drafted in the top five since selecting defensive end Willie McGinest fourth overall in 1994.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We've already lamented Jake Elliott's 59-yard field goal upending the round-robin moneyline parlay, but Zay Flowers needs some reprimanding. Given the nature of football, if you can avoid playing one snap and thereby reduce the likelihood of injury to a key player by even 0.1%, you do it. Flowers had 40 yards to slide down and end the Ravens' game with the Chargers, but he was more interested in dancing than saving his defenders some risk.Does that sound like crying over spilt milk since those two plays cost us a perfect Sunday? It sure is! But a 32-19-4 (62.7%) season against the spread doesn't allow for complaining about much.Best bets ATSWe've already discussed the five underdogs with a shot to win outright relative to their price, and as always, they're worth a look against the spread.TEAMSPREADBroncos+3.5Patriots+5Saints+4.5Panthers+5Packers+6However, there are more plays worth making this week.Cardinals @ Steelers (-6, 41.5)This isn't usually a situation where we want to back the Steelers - they're not an underdog, nor is this any rivalry. However, the initial boost the Cardinals received from Kyler Murray's return is waning, with just 319 and 292 total yards against mediocre defenses indoors. Now, Murray and Co. go on the road to take on Pittsburgh's defense - in what's expected to be rainy conditions. The Steelers' defensive metrics are only average, but they can create the turnovers that have plagued Murray's career.At 7-4 and still transitioning offensively away from Matt Canada's play-calling, the Steelers should be focused on improving rather than taking anyone lightly. They get that chance against an Arizona team that has a similarly poor run defense to the Bengals, who Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren took advantage of last week. Back home and with a chance for two wins in five days to all but secure a playoff spot, the Steelers get a rare convincing win against a team nearing checked-out status.Pick: Steelers (-6)Colts @ Titans (+1, 42.5)Spoiler alert for this space next week: We'd like to bet on the Colts in Cincinnati, and we'll be fading the Titans in Miami.Since we're in the business of getting the best number possible, we'll hope the Titans win this week to possibly tweak next week's lines in our favor.The Titans' run defense is so much better than their pass defense, which matches up nicely with Indianapolis, now without Jonathan Taylor and relying on Zack Moss to be effective and Gardner Minshew to be efficient on the road - even though he did little at Carolina and Jacksonville.The Colts won the first meeting by holding Derrick Henry to 43 yards on 12 carries but lost their best run-stuffing defender, Grover Stewart, for six games due to a PED suspension. He's back next week, but in his absence, the Colts have faltered against mid-tier runners like Jerome Ford, Rhamondre Stevenson, and Rachaad White, as well as the inefficient running games of the Saints and Panthers.Pick: Titans (+1)Browns @ Rams (-3.5, 40.5)By the time you read this, we may have confirmation that we get to bet against Joe Flacco (presumably) one last time. It seems like a long shot for Dorian Thompson-Robinson to clear concussion protocol, which means it'll be Flacco and maybe (unfathomably) a better number to bet if Amari Cooper, Myles Garrett, and Denzel Ward can play. How effective will those stars be given they all have upper-body injuries that could lead to premature exits again?The Rams have either won or been competitive against Super Bowl contenders when Kyren Williams has played. The Notre Dame product offers both a weapon on the ground and an outlet for Matthew Stafford.The Browns have won games thanks to an oppressive defense at home, but they're allowing 5.8 yards per play on the road. The Rams' offensive line doesn't get much credit, but it is fifth in the NFL in sack percentage allowed and should be able to handle the banged-up Browns, who tend to give up explosive runs at the best of times.Pick: Rams (-3.5 but wait to see if -3 becomes available)Moneyline upset of the weekPatriots (+200) over ChargersIf you could bet on things like "Brandon Staley gets fired on the plane ride home," I'd be interested. Instead, we'll have to settle for backing the Patriots on the moneyline. New England was getting beat by Mac Jones' sacks and turnovers, but with a week of practice as the starter, Bailey Zappe should keep things simple in running an offense against a defense that emptied the tank against Lamar Jackson last week.Offensively, Keenan Allen may also be out, at which point one wonders what's left for the Chargers. This sets up like L.A.'s road game against the Jets in Week 9. Of course, the Chargers won that contest, but they only recorded 191 total yards of offense. If that's all the Pats have to compete with, they're more than live to replicate their Week 7 upset of Buffalo.Best 6-point teaser / Moneyline parlay49ers ML / Jaguars ML (+105)We missed the 49ers when they opened -1 at Philadelphia, climbing to a field-goal favorite. The Eagles are on their third showdown game in 13 days, with big names on defense peppered throughout the injury report, while healthy San Francisco hasn't played in 10 days. Out of respect for Philadelphia, we'll remove the spread and pair the Niners with the Jaguars on Monday night since Jacksonville should be able to beat Jake Browning and the reeling Bengals.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.