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
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More notes for Week 13

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.

What else are you hearing this week?

Graziano's notes:

• The Steelers feel better about Aaron Rodgers' chances of playing this Sunday against the Bills than they did at this time last week about his chances of playing in Chicago. Talking to people with the Steelers on Saturday and Sunday, I was told the decision about Rodgers playing against the Bears would come down to his own comfort level and whether he felt he could function on the field with that fracture in his left wrist.

Ultimately, the team and player made the decision together Sunday morning that they'd be better off with a fully healthy Mason Rudolph than an injured Rodgers. They played the first-place Bears within three points with Rudolph and felt their offense had a good day overall -- specifically, 186 rushing yards. And they believe Rudolph can operate their offense if Rodgers needs another week to heal. But my expectation is that he does more in practice this week and that the decision doesn't come down to game day like it did in Week 12.

• Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has been on the injury report the past three weeks with knee, ankle and toe injuries -- all of this after missing three games in October with a hamstring injury. Scouts who've watched Jackson say he looks like he's playing through discomfort -- reluctant to run in key spots and out of rhythm with his throws.

The Ravens have won five games in a row after a 1-5 start to surge into first place in the AFC North and can pretty much finish off the Bengals on Thursday night. Then they get 10 days off ahead of their first of two critical late-season matchups against the Steelers. The Ravens' hope is that the mini-bye coming up will be a good chance for Jackson to get a little bit healthier for the stretch run, but it's likely the team will be managing him through practice weeks with additional rest for the remainder of the season.

• Max Brosmer, the undrafted rookie quarterback who'll likely start for the Vikings on Sunday in Seattle if struggling starter J.J. McCarthy can't clear concussion protocol in time, is an intriguing player for Minnesota. He spent the bulk of his college career at New Hampshire before finishing with one year at the University of Minnesota, whose offense I'm told features some of the concepts the Vikings' offense uses. The expectation from those I've talked to about Brosmer is that he'll be prepared and efficient and able to operate Kevin O'Connell's offense on time. He's not as athletically talented as McCarthy (hence, being undrafted), but the Vikings love his football IQ and ability to process. The hope is that he can bring some stability and consistency to the offense that hasn't been there amid McCarthy's struggles.

It's going to be a tough test against Mike Macdonald's defense, but quite frankly, McCarthy's performance hasn't set the bar very high. The Vikings still insist they believe in McCarthy and plan for him to be the franchise QB moving forward. But if Brosmer shows some level of ability to get the ball into the hands of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison consistently, it's going to be very interesting to see what Minnesota does once McCarthy is cleared to play again.

• There's going to be head coach hot seat talk in a lot of places over this final month. People are watching places like Cincinnati, Las Vegas and Atlanta for potential changes once the season is over if things don't start to look better. People are also watching Miami, where the Dolphins started 1-6 and have already fired GM Chris Grier. But the Dolphins are 3-1 since that 1-6 start, and the players there clearly haven't given up on Mike McDaniel. With winnable games against the Saints, Jets, Steelers and Bengals over the next four weeks (before a tough-looking Bucs/Patriots finish), the Dolphins could potentially salvage something of this season and potentially save McDaniel's job.

There's a strong sense from people I've talked to that team owner Stephen Ross likes and believes in McDaniel and would like to see him succeed. It could come down to the way the Dolphins finish the season and the decision about who the next GM is in Miami. But it is not out of the question that McDaniel continues to coach the Dolphins in 2026.

• The Bears are 8-3 and in first place in the NFC North despite having allowed more points than they've scored this season. They've won two games by one point, one game by two points, one by three points, one by four points and one by five points. It feels like the kind of thing that's going to catch up with them -- all of these close games and wild finishes -- and maybe it will. They have the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles this week on Friday and still have two games against the Packers and one more against the Lions. But no matter how this season finishes for Chicago, it has obviously shown significant progress in the first year under coach Ben Johnson and offers plenty of reason to believe it is headed in the right direction.

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I asked Bears tight end Cole Kmet what specific improvements he has seen in quarterback Caleb Williams in his second season and he told me, "His command of the huddle, just the way he's commanding it and getting the playcall out, has been night and day from last year. That doesn't sound like a big deal, but when you think about what these guys are asked to do in college, where they're looking over at the sideline and SpongeBob or whoever is on the posterboard, versus now when Ben Johnson is giving you two, three complicated playcalls at a time and you've got to spit all of that out to us with confidence in the huddle, it's just all a lot smoother and more confident from him this year."

The Bears acquired two guards and a center in free agency and have built their offense around a physical run game, particularly with seventh-round rookie running back Kyle Monangai having come on to claim a significant role in the backfield alongside veteran D'Andre Swift. Kmet said they believe the explosive elements of their offense and Williams' fourth-quarter heroics are all an outgrowth of that physical identity, and that it can be foundational moving forward. No one in Chicago is counting this as a rebuild year, and they fully believe they can win the division or at least make the playoffs. But even if they fall short, there's going to be a lot of reason for hope for the Bears' future after what they've already shown this season.

Fowler's notes:

• The Vikings' quarterback plight will inevitably affect their 2026 plans. Save an unexpected star turn from Brosmer this weekend, the Vikings might have no choice but to stick with McCarthy through the rest of the season. Alternatives are scarce with Carson Wentz out for the year. A few people inside the league I've spoken to wonder whether Minnesota can follow the Colts' blueprint from this past offseason, bringing in a veteran/reclamation project to compete with McCarthy and potentially start -- similar to Daniel Jones vs. Anthony Richardson Sr. in Indy.

The funny thing about that scenario is Jones would be an ideal fit in Minnesota, where he backed up Sam Darnold last season. But as the top free agent quarterback, he will score a sizable deal in Indianapolis or elsewhere. Still, the Vikings really liked Jones, and their situation this offseason will be far different than the one from a year ago. Making a play for Jones would give him multiple options to consider.

Rodgers wanted to be a Viking last year and will also be a free agent, and the Vikings kept tabs on Joe Flacco's free agency last spring, and he has been effective for multiple teams in recent years. He could be a sensible fallback plan. Arizona's Kyler Murray could become available should the Cardinals decide to start fresh at the position, too. His chances to play again this season are seemingly becoming slimmer by the week.

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Two interesting names from the high-end QB2 realm are San Francisco's Mac Jones and Houston's Davis Mills. Both are under contract in 2026 at reasonable salaries. Jones has played his way into real trade value for San Francisco, which might be able to parlay a Day 2 pick for him. Houston believes Mills is a top-32 quarterback in the league who could start somewhere. Perhaps GM Nick Caserio gets trade interest on him from Minnesota or elsewhere. O'Connell's track record with veterans is proven, so it feels like that's a viable option for next year, and there's a way to do it without ostracizing McCarthy, via competition. And O'Connell also has respect for Richardson, who could be the next reclamation QB to thrive elsewhere. Richardson has interest in playing for a coach from the Sean McVay tree, either the man himself or a disciple like O'Connell.

• Jayden Daniels' status is week-to-week, and while he's likely out for the Denver game Monday night, Week 14 is a realistic possibility. Daniels wants to play again this season. If he's medically cleared next week, starting vs. the Vikings on Dec. 7 is at least on the table. Shutting Daniels down has been a talking point the past few weeks, but that doesn't seem to be the team's plan at this point. Daniels is a young player who could use reps, and the injury was to his non-throwing elbow, so it shouldn't affect his long-term outlook, assuming he gets the green light.

The Commanders are also getting Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown back soon (both will practice this week). So while this is not Washington's year from a contention standpoint, the Commanders have a chance to gain momentum late and into the offseason. Perhaps a loss to Denver, pushing Washington to a woeful 3-9, would change that plan. After all, Daniels' injury outlook has been a moving target for a few weeks. I do believe, based on what I've been told, that the team and player had big-picture conversations about the pros and cons of Daniels playing at all the rest of the season -- or at the very least, a three-week injury turning into a five- or six-week injury out of extreme caution for the player. But as ESPN analyst Herm Edwards put it well recently, players play. That seems to be the case here.

• The Brandon Aiyuk saga feels far from over since The Athletic's report that San Francisco voided his 2026 guarantees -- specifically, a $24.9 million option bonus, clearing the way for San Francisco to part ways with the receiver. A few people I've checked with believe an issue was Aiyuk's failure to show up for rehab appointments during the offseason. Either he didn't trust the trainers or didn't want to show up. Either way, an unwillingness to properly rehab a significant knee injury as the team sees fit is typically easy grounds for a guarantee void. Las Vegas' Christian Wilkins was another example of that a few months back.

A few teams I spoke to believe Aiyuk is slightly more tradeable with the voided guarantees, though with the option money still technically on the books, reworking his deal altogether would be the preferred method. And Aiyuk might not want that. Getting released and hitting free agency in March would be the cleanest path for him -- and he would have suitors. He's only 27 and had 1,342 yards in 2023.

• For all of the discourse about the Eagles' offensive issues, one stat truly encapsulates the difference from this season to last -- one that affects everything else. Saquon Barkley has two rushes of more than 20 yards and one of more than 40, compared to 17 and seven, respectively, last season. When speaking with both people inside the league and those with knowledge of the Eagles' process, it's really that simple. Those explosive runs a year ago opened up timely plays in the passing game. This year, they aren't there. That's a major issue.

The offensive line attrition can't be understated. Tyler Steen, while nimble in pass protection, isn't considered the run-game mauler that Mekhi Becton was for them. Cam Jurgens and Landon Dickerson have been beat up all season. And Lane Johnson is out for the foreseeable future with a foot injury. There are no easy solutions at the moment, which magnifies a passing game that always had limitations, only it doesn't have the big Barkley gains to offset it now.

• Could Pete Carroll be a one-and-done coach in Las Vegas? That's at least a question some around the league are asking more this week after Carroll fired two coordinators in three weeks. Even if justified, making two aggressive moves this early in his tenure -- moving on from offensive playcaller Chip Kelly and special teams coordinator Tom McMahon -- reeks of desperation. The Raiders are hoping to show progress over the next six weeks, but whether they can do so is questionable. They must decide whether Carroll, who has a three-year deal with a fourth-year option, can steer Year 2 of that job. Either way, the rest of the coaching staff can't feel great about where things are right now.