If the New York Giants lose to the Detroit Lions this weekend, they will almost certainly be the first team eliminated from playoff contention. With 6 weeks remaining in the season, the Giants would represent the earliest elimination since the 2020 Jets.
Teams like the Titans and Raiders technically remain alive, but they know they're playing for 2026. Such teams will seek to evaluate younger players to determine their offseason needs. Veteran starters on expiring contracts will lose reps to youngsters down the stretch.
These veterans complicate roster management for those fantasy gamers relying on them to date. Gamers must insulate their rosters through depth and handcuffs off the waiver wire or via trade.
Linebacker Tumult
At the linebacker position alone, numerous opening-day starters have had their roles scaled back or lost their jobs altogether, including Cincinnati's Logan Wilson, Kenneth Murray Jr. and Damone Clark of the Cowboys, Seattle's Tyrice Knight, Germaine Pratt and Elandon Roberts of the Raiders, Minnesota's Ivan Pace Jr., Indianapolis' Joe Bachie, New Orleans' Pete Werner, Carolina's Christian Rozeboom, Buffalo's Matt Milano, Philadelphia's Jihaad Campbell, and Baltimore's Trenton Simpson.
Fading teams also have less incentive to return injured players to the field. Mack Wilson Sr. of the Cardinals and Atlanta's Divine Deablo can return from IR, but each would play with a backup quarterback on a team playing out the string.
The Falcons could save $6 million by cutting Deablo next March; however, the defense has been markedly worse since his injury. His spot in the line-up has been a turnstile for underperforming reserves. The team is likely to bring Deablo back to stabilize the defense and determine his worth for 2026.
Mack Wilson Sr. earned the nod as Arizona's middle linebacker, ascending to a full-time role for the first time in his seven-year career. Unlike Deablo, Wilson's play was lackluster, and the Cardinals have a promising rookie behind him. Cody Simon will likely keep Wilson on IR and could push him off the roster in March. The franchise would save $3.7 million by releasing Wilson then.
Cody Simon had some rookie moments in the first half but he found his footing later in the game.
— Theo Mackie (@theo_mackie) November 18, 2025
Really impressive play here to blow up a screen to CMC and prevent a TD. pic.twitter.com/xdSdtDQUSh
Thrown Into the Fire
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