Week 13 of the 2025 NFL season starts a little early, with three games on Thanksgiving and another one on Friday. Insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano have been making calls to sources around the league for the latest news and buzz on key situations -- including some nuggets that might matter for fantasy football.

This week, they have the newest intel on the slumping Buccaneers. Tampa Bay has lost three straight games, and quarterback Baker Mayfield is dealing with a shoulder injury. Is the concern level growing? We also have the latest on Cowboys receiver George Pickens, who is having a huge season. Could he get a big payday in free agency? Will Dallas keep him in the offseason ... and would the Cowboys extend him or franchise tag him?

Additionally, we picked out the most important players in the NFL for the stretch run and poked around on fantasy football-related buzz for the final weeks of the season. It's all here, as our national reporters answer big questions and empty their notebooks heading into Week 13.

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Bucs concern | Pickens' market
Key players | Fantasy intel

What's the latest out of Tampa Bay? Are the Bucs worried about their slide?

Graziano: I think an injury absence for Baker Mayfield would be a significant problem. It has been a miserable season in terms of health for the Bucs, who haven't had their entire offensive line or wide receiver group at all and have been without starting running back Bucky Irving longer than expected. They're still in first place in a division that doesn't have a particularly strong challenger, and the schedule eases up a bit in December.

But if Mayfield sits out because of that left shoulder injury (we don't know for sure if he will), that's going to make it tough to win games in the short term. The Bucs expect Irving and receivers Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan to return at some point, which would help, but Mayfield makes that offense go. His late-game toughness has been a big part of why they're 6-5 despite the injuries.

Fowler: Despite losing three straight games, the Bucs are in an all-too-familiar position -- poised to make a December playoff push against a weaker schedule. The Bucs have been one of the league's most depleted teams, and their losing streak came against teams with a combined 25-8 record. There's no shame in losing to the Patriots, Bills and Rams. What's truly concerning is their lack of pass rush.

Tampa is not generating enough edge pressure, and though defensive tackle Vita Vea faces frequent double-teams, the defense doesn't have a healthy complement to take advantage. Defensive tackle Calijah Kancey was probably the team's best pass rusher entering 2025, but he has been out for most of the season. Despite all of that, I'm still bullish on the Buccaneers. They have a top-10 roster when healthy, and they're getting closer to that every week. And Todd Bowles' late-season track record is strong as the Bucs have finished the past two seasons with 5-1 and 6-1 records, respectively.

Graziano: I spent time with the Bucs in training camp this summer and one thing stood out to me: They know they can win the division after having done it four seasons in a row. But they believed they had the type of roster to do even more than that. They want to make a Super Bowl run and entered this season with their eyes on the No. 1 seed. That feels out of reach at this point, but they could be a very dangerous team in January if they can hold off Carolina for the NFC South crown.

Fowler: The Bucs don't have a team with a winning record remaining on the schedule, whereas the closest NFC South contender, the 6-6 Panthers, must play the Rams (9-2) and Seahawks (8-3), as well as the Bucs twice. So, unless Tampa falls apart in December, it would lock into the No. 4 seed. If the season ended today, that fourth seed would play Seattle, a team nobody wants to face. But it also could be the NFC North runner-up (Chicago, Green Bay or Detroit). Tampa can beat those teams if things fall right -- the Bucs already defeated the Seahawks on the road in Week 5.

Will the Cowboys extend George Pickens, and how much could he make on his next deal -- with them or elsewhere?

Fowler: The Cowboys have a genuine interest in extending Pickens, and Pickens is very happy in Dallas, where he has caught 67 passes for 1,054 yards and 8 touchdowns in 11 games. But there have been no formal discussions about a long-term deal yet (it's early). Dallas is not afraid of the franchise tag number -- which should fall somewhere around $28 million in 2026 -- but hasn't determined whether to use it or not (again, it's early). The lack of fear about that number illustrates how strong the interest in Pickens should be in the offseason.

Yes, some teams could try to tax Pickens for the maturity concerns that have followed him since he entered the league in 2022. But his talent is so undeniable that it might not matter. My sense is Pickens will be looking for a massive payday. Recent high-end free agency deals for top receivers such as Calvin Ridley and Chris Godwin Jr. came in at around $23 million per year, which Pickens should easily exceed barring a surprise.

Graziano: I agree with your point that it's too early to be talking about this, because the Cowboys were always going to get through this season, then assess whether signing Pickens long term would make sense. There is no reason for them to do anything now, and maybe more importantly, there's no reason for Pickens to either. He came from Pittsburgh with more than his share of warning labels, but he has been a steady performer for Dallas, and the Cowboys haven't had to deal with some of the attention lapses and other issues that made his time with the Steelers a little unsteady at times.

The Cowboys believed Pickens would be on his best behavior catching passes from Dak Prescott, by far the best QB he has had in the NFL, and playing in a contract year. But with CeeDee Lamb signed to one of the league's richest WR deals, I don't think it's as simple as the Cowboys handing Pickens a long-term deal commensurate with his 2025 performance. I think the franchise tag makes a ton of sense in this case. The question, of course, is how Pickens would react to that.

Fowler: A tag would be fascinating, because while some players embrace it, my sense is Pickens' camp would strongly prefer a long-term contract. But it would give Dallas the flexibility to negotiate with Pickens through the offseason or potentially execute a sign-and-trade. The Cowboys dangled using the tag on defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa before reaching a deal with him before free agency. Though Pickens' agent, David Mulugheta, represents Micah Parsons, the team doesn't expect any lingering effects from the Parsons negotiations and the subsequent trade to the Packers. Both sides have seemingly moved on.

Graziano: I don't think the Parsons situation will have any effect on Pickens negotiations. But the Cowboys always cite long-term salary cap concerns when confronted with another big-money negotiation. With Lamb, Prescott, Odighizuwa and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams all signed for big numbers, I'm sure you're going to hear that stuff from Jerry Jones again. I believe Dallas would do a long-term deal with Pickens if he would do it for a team-favorable number -- if he wanted to be the DeVonta Smith to Lamb's A.J. Brown, for example. But to your point, Jeremy, I imagine Pickens has his sights set higher. The way he has played, he ought to.

Who is the league's most important player the next six weeks?

Graziano: I'll say Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Philadelphia's offense is a mess right now, having the highest percentage of three-and-out drives in the NFL. The Eagles aren't getting the explosive Saquon Barkley plays in the run game the way they did last season, and they haven't shown an eagerness to lean on the passing game. Some reports are bubbling up about discontent in the locker room and concerns about whether Hurts' limitations have something to do with the team's seeming unwillingness to change or evolve the offense.

There's always noise around the Eagles, but right now there are legitimate questions about whether this season is going to be a repeat of 2023, when they started 10-1 and fell off down the stretch, or whether there's still a chance for a repeat of last season's Super Bowl run. Hurts has the ability and experience he needs to quell these concerns with a big December.

Fowler: This is crucial stretch for Hurts, no doubt. I'll go with Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. The two-time MVP has a lot to overcome in December and January, having played through knee, ankle, hamstring and toe issues this season. He insists injuries are not affecting his play, but some around the league wonder whether he can really cut it loose in the running game because of the ailments. Baltimore ranks 21st in total offense, a shocking drop of 20 spots from last season despite playing with much of the same personnel.

Additionally, the Ravens struggled mightily on defense before recent improvements, and the offensive line hasn't matched last season's intensity. And yet, the Ravens have survived this to win five games in a row and sit at 6-5, tied for first in the AFC North. Jackson is still in position to dictate terms in the AFC. He has a better supporting cast than some of his quarterback counterparts, and while Jackson's teams haven't made deep playoff runs when favored, maybe the adversity helps spur a backdoor run through the postseason.

Graziano: Sticking with the star QB theme, what about Patrick Mahomes? This Chiefs team doesn't seem to be any worse than last season's was, yet the Chiefs' record is much worse because they're 1-5 in one-score games this year (with the one win coming Sunday) after winning all of them last season. Mahomes hasn't been consistently accurate, and he hasn't really delivered those magical, clutch moments that have always elevated Kansas City in the past. Obviously, he still has the ability to do that. If Mahomes helps the Chiefs regain their edge in the one-score games, they're still a team to fear in the postseason, even if their nine-year AFC West title streak comes to an end.

Fowler: Other quarterbacks have been pushing Mahomes for the top spot for a few years now. But Mahomes still has the fear factor. Opposing coaches absolutely hate to face him. And he seems to be rallying at the right time.

Other candidates to consider:

• Broncos QB Bo Nix: Denver is built to win now but needs consistency from its second-year QB. His performance against Kansas City in Week 11 suggests he's ready to deliver.

• Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett: He's only 4.5 sacks shy of the modern single-season sack record (22.5), keeping an underwhelming Browns season entertaining.

• Colts QB Daniel Jones: He has resurrected his career. Now, can he sustain it?

• Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba: He's pacing for the NFL's first 2,000-yard season, but this isn't empty-calorie production -- Seattle is for real.

What is one thing you're hearing that could help fantasy managers win their leagues?

Fowler: The leader of the Chiefs' backfield could prove a viable RB2/Flex option, depending how Kansas City plays the rotation Thursday. The Chiefs' willingness to run the ball 41 times in Sunday's win over the Colts shows adaptability. Kareem Hunt got 30 of those touches for 104 yards and a touchdown, but Isiah Pacheco is targeting a return to the lineup on Thanksgiving, giving him 10 days rest on the back end for his knee injury.

Though it's hard to envision him duplicating Hunt's Week 12 output this week, two things help Pacheco's cause: He thrives off volume, and he was the nitrous oxide for the Chiefs' offense during their Super Bowl run two years ago, with a playoff rushing line of 81-313-3 over four games. He's in a contract year, so the motivation is there. If Pacheco is past the injury bug, an uptick in workload and production isn't out of the question based on fresh legs and the Chiefs' obvious need for a stable rushing attack.

Graziano: I know how this sounds after he posted another bagel this past week, but Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams is a guy to get if you need a Hail Mary to reach the playoffs or a high-upside play to deliver once you get there. The Lions want him to be involved, and their matchups the rest of the way should offer them a chance to do that. They don't play another outdoor game until Week 18, which is after most fantasy seasons end. Williams comes with downside risk, obviously, but you're not playing for second or third place, right? The upside is massive, and he's a player Detroit counts on when things are going well. And things should go well the rest of the way.

Fowler: It's also worth hopping on the Chimere Dike train. Sure, Tennessee's offense isn't consistent for any pass catcher, but the Titans are high on Dike's star potential. He is a Pro Bowl contender as a returner, having returned two punts for touchdowns. And he's maximizing his offensive opportunities. Since Week 7, Dike has had three games with at least four targets. In those games, he has produced 16 catches for 207 yards and two touchdowns. Dike is among several Titans rookies who provide a glimmer of hope in a trying season.

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Graziano: I like buying low on Titans options, especially after rookie quarterback Cam Ward looked solid Sunday against a tough Seattle defense. He's not a bad streaming QB option this week either, though you might not need one with no teams on bye. My final tip, though, is geared around one of my most dearly held fantasy football beliefs: always use the tight end who's playing the Bengals.

The Ravens play the Bengals twice the next three weeks. Cincinnati has given up 13 touchdowns to tight ends this season in 11 games. No other team has given up more than seven. Get Mark Andrews, and if you can't get him, get Isaiah Likely, who's getting healthier and probably will play a larger role the rest of the way than he has so far this season.