NFL Week 16 scores, news, live updates: Quinn Ewers makes first career start in place of benched Tua Tagovailoa; Buccaneers, Panthers continue fight for NFC South
- - NFL Week 16 scores, news, live updates: Quinn Ewers makes first career start in place of benched Tua Tagovailoa; Buccaneers, Panthers continue fight for NFC South
Yahoo Sports Staff December 22, 2025 at 1:25 AM
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Week 16 in the NFL features a loaded afternoon slate with 11 games. Featured in the early window, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers fight it out over first place in the NFC South.
Tampa Bay (7-7) and Carolina (7-7) come into this Week 16 clash tied atop the NFC South at 7-7. These rivals will play twice within the final three weeks of the season, closing out the 2025 regular season with a Week 18 showdown in Tampa. Since the NFC South will likely get just one team in the postseason, a win this week will give one of these teams the upper hand and control of their own destiny heading into the final two games of the season.
Also notable in the early window is the NFL debut of rookie Quinn Ewers, starting in place of Tua Tagovailoa, who was benched after a dreadful Week 15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in primetime. Ewers, a seventh-round pick out of Texas, threw for 9,128 yards, 68 touchdowns and 24 interceptions over 36 games with the Longhorns.
Week 16 schedule, how to watch
All times listed are ET*
Buccaneers vs. Panthers, 1 p.m. on FoxBills vs. Browns, 1 p.m. on CBSChargers vs. Cowboys, 1 p.m. on FoxJets vs. Saints, 1 p.m. on CBSVikings vs. Giants, 1 p.m. on FoxChiefs vs. Titans, 1 p.m. on CBSBengals vs. Dolphins, 1 p.m. on CBS
Falcons vs. Cardinals, 4:05 p.m. on FoxJaguars vs. Broncos, 4:05 p.m. on FoxSteelers vs. Lions, 4:25 p.m. on CBSRaiders vs. Texans, 4:25 p.m. on CBS
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights and more from Week 16's early and afternoon Sunday game slates:
Live9 updates -
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Sun, December 21, 2025 at 10:08 PM GMT+5:30Kate MagdziukFull list of Week 16 inactives for the afternoon games
With less than 90 minutes remaining until the first games in the afternoon slate kick off, inactives are starting to roll in.
Here’s a full look at the Week 166 inactives for the afternoon games, to be as teams around the league make their announcements:
Buccaneers vs. Panthers
Buccaneers inactives: QB Connor Bazelak, TE Devin Culp, LB Anthony Walker, DL Elijah Simmons, OG Elijah Klein, S Rashad Wisdom, WR Sterling ShepardPanthers inactives: WR Hunter Renfrow, LB Trevin Wallace, S Demani Richardson, DT Jared Harrison-Hunte, LT Ikem Ekwonu, TE James Mitchell, DT Tershawn Wharton
Bills vs. Browns
Bills inactives: WR Keon Coleman, WR Gabe Davis, K Matt Prater, S Darnell Savage, DT Jordan Phillips, OT Tylan Grable, DT Larry OgunjobiBrowns inactives: CB Denzel Ward, RB Dylan Sampson, DT Mike Hall Jr., OG Wyatt Teller, WR Jamari Thrash, TE David Njoku, DT Sam Kamara
Chargers vs. Cowboys
Chargers inactives: WR Derius Davis, S RJ Mickens, CB Nikko Reed, OLB Bud Dupree, G Branson Taylor, G/T Trey Pipkins III, TE Tyler ConklinCowboys inactives: DT Quinnen Williams, WR Jalen Tolbert, CB Caelen Carson, RB Jaydon Blue, DT Jay Toia, OT Tyler Guyton
Jets vs. Saints
Jets inactives: QB Justin Fields (Emergency 3rd QB), LB Kiko Mauigoa, DL Mazi Smith, DL Payton Page, TE Mason Taylor, DL Eric WattsSaints inactives: S Ugo Amadi, CB Rejzohn Wright, RB Alvin Kamara, RG Cesar Ruiz, T Asim Richards, TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, DT Khristian Boyd
Vikings vs. Giants
Vikings inactives: QB John Wolford, LB Austin Keys, OT Walter Rouse, DL Javon HargraveGiants inactives: OLB Caleb Murphy, WR Ryan Miller, WR Jalin Hyatt, ILB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, OG Jon Runyan, DL Rakeem Nuñez-Roches Sr., QB Russell Wilson (Emergency 3rd QB)
Chiefs vs. Titans
Chiefs inactives: TBATitans inactives: OL Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, OL Garrett Dellinger, OL Drew Moss, DL Cam Horsley, LB Cedric Gray, S Erick Hallett
Bengals vs. Dolphins
Bengals inactives: QB Jake Browning (Emergency 3rd QB), WR Charlie Jones, CB Bralyn Lux, S PJ Jules, DE Joseph Ossai, TE Noah Fant, DT Jordan JeffersonDolphins inactives: QB Tua Tagovailoa (Emergency 3rd QB), WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, S Minkah Fitzpatrick, CB Isaiah Johnson, OT Kendall Lamm, WR Tahj Washington, DT Matthew Butler
Sun, December 21, 2025 at 10:55 PM GMT+5:30Jason OwensCowboys' All-Pro CB Trevon Diggs to return from 8-game absence to face Chargers
The Dallas Cowboys are eliminated from the postseason race, but they don't intend to roll over against a Los Angeles Chargers team in the thick of the AFC playoff picture. The Cowboys activated All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs on Saturday from a concussion and knee injury that have sidelined him since Week 7.
Diggs has missed the past eight games as the Cowboys fell to 6-7-1. The rival Eagles officially eliminated them from the playoff hunt after Saturday's victory against the Washington Commanders that clinched Philadelphia the NFC East title for the second straight season.
Read more on Diggs’ return to action in Week 16.
- Sun, December 21, 2025 at 10:45 PM GMT+5:30Jason OwensFormer All-Pro Jason Pierre-Paul to make return for Bucs in critical game vs. Panthers
A familiar face will line up for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Sunday's critical NFC South tilt against the Carolina Panthers.
The Bucs elevated Jason Pierre-Paul from their practice squad on Saturday, and he's slated to make his 2025 debut in Sunday's game. The former All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl pass rusher hasn't played in an NFL game since the 2023 season.
Pierre-Paul, 36, came out of retirement to join Tampa Bay's practice squad in early December. Now he'll look to boost the Bucs' pass rush in one of the biggest games of their season.
The Bucs and Panthers enter Sunday's game tied atop the NFC South at 7-7. The winner will have the inside track to the NFC South title and what projects as the division's only playoff berth. They'll face off again in Week 18.
Read more on his return to the NFL.
Sun, December 21, 2025 at 10:40 PM GMT+5:30Tarohn FinleyGardner Minshew to start for chiefs, first game without Patrick Mahomes
Kansas City quarterback Gardner Minshew II will make his first start for the Chiefs in the team’s first game without Patrick Mahomes.
Mahomes went down in last Week’s 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers with a season-ending torn ACL.
Minshew threw for 22 yards and an interception against the Chargers. The loss eliminated the Chiefs from playoff contention for the first time since 2014.
Minshew played for the Las Vegas Raiders in the previous season. He threw for 2,013 yards, 9 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 10 games.
- Sun, December 21, 2025 at 10:35 PM GMT+5:30Yahoo Sports Fantasy Staff Set those fantasy football lineups!
For lots of fantasy football managers, Week 16 is a big one, deciding which two teams will make it to the championship game in Week 17.
Here’s a look at the consensus rankings of our Yahoo Fantasy experts to help set those lineups for full-PPR scoring formats:
Consensus PPR Rankings
Quarterback rankings
RB rankings
WR rankings
TE rankings
FLEX rankings
- Sun, December 21, 2025 at 10:30 PM GMT+5:30Tarohn FinleyQuinn Ewers to make first career start after Tua Tagovailoa's benching
Rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers will make his first career start after the Miami Dolphins benched Tua Tagovailoa.
Ewers, 22, has thrown for 53 yards in a game against the Cleveland Browns. Ewers was drafted in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Tagovailoa has thrown for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions this season. His 15 interceptions are the most he’s thrown in his career.
The Dolphins are 6-8 and eliminated from the playoffs.
- Sun, December 21, 2025 at 10:25 PM GMT+5:30Yahoo Sports Fantasy Staff Boldest fantasy predictions for Week 16
The Yahoo Fantasy Football crew revealed their boldest takes for Week 16; here’s one of our spiciest from analyst Matt Harmon:
DK Metcalf finishes as a top-10 WR
Somewhat predictably, Metcalf has been a volatile fantasy producer this season, playing on a funky passing offense where the nominal second running back leads the team in receptions. The odd blend of names involved in the 2025 Steelers offense on the field and captained by Arthur Smith has been …exactly what you’d expect. You need to try and guess the right Metcalf weeks, and this certainly looks like one of them on the road against the Lions.
No matter who is banged up for this team, Detroit plays as much man and single-high coverage as any NFL defense. Those looks funnel targets to the X-receiver and Metcalf is the only credible threat from that spot in the Steelers' now veteran-heavy receiver room. Expect an old-school passer like Rodgers to hit Metcalf on several isolated routes in single-high coverage this week on the way to at least 70 yards and a score.
Read the rest of this week’s bold fantasy predictions from Scott Pianowski, Matt Harmon, Ray Garvin, Chris Allen, Justin Boone and Joel Smyth
- Sun, December 21, 2025 at 10:20 PM GMT+5:30Tarohn FinleyDrake London expects to play Sunday, will be his first game back since Week 11
Atlanta Falcons receiver Drake London is expected to play on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
That was the expectation for head coach Raheem Morris after London practiced during the week.
London, 24, has missed the last four weeks after suffering a sprained PCL and leaving the game early in Week 11’s 30-27 loss to the Carolina Panthers.
In London’s last game, he had seven catches for 119 yards. London also last played when Michael Penix Jr. was still starting at QB.
London’s return will be an additional weapon for Kirk Cousins, alongside running back Bijan Robinson and tight end Kyle Pitts, who is coming off a career game.
- Sun, December 21, 2025 at 10:15 PM GMT+5:30Kate MagdziukTee Higgins clears concussion protocol, will play in Week 16
The Bengals will get back one of their star wide receivers Sunday, as Tee Higgins makes his return from his second diagnosed concussion this season.
Higgins missed Week 13 with a concussion and cleared protocol to play in Week 14. In Week 14, Higgins took several big hits and woke up the following day reporting concussion symptoms and was placed back in the league’s concussion protocol. He cleared protocol ahead of Sunday’s game after
Higgins was limited in Wednesday and Thursday’s practice and was upgraded to a full participant on Friday. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that after clearing concussion protocol, Higgins was seen by concussion expert Dr. Micky Collins in Pittsburgh for “additional reassurance that Higgins was cleared to play.”
He’s coming off one of his best performances of the seasons, reeling in six catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 14.
Source: “AOL Sports”
