NFL Player News
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Danielle Hunter DE | HOU
Texans' Danielle Hunter: Sack leader in Houston
Hunter recorded 54 tackles, 15.0 sacks, three passes defensed, three forced fumble and one fumble recovery over 17 regular-season games in 2025.
Hunter led the Texans in sacks for a second consecutive season, as the bookend combination of him and Will Anderson (12.0 sacks) once again wreaked havoc on opposing offenses. This was the fourth consecutive season and seventh overall with double-digit sacks for Hunter. The 31-year-old has another year on his current deal and, along with Anderson, will return to scare quarterbacks and offensive linemen in 2026.
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Jeffery Simmons DT | TEN
Titans' Jeffery Simmons: Racks up 11.0 sacks
Simmons recorded 67 tackles (39 solo) with 11.0 sacks and three forced fumbles across 15 games in 2025.
Simmons has been a key member of the Titans' defense since 2020, his second season, and he showed a newfound ability to get after the quarterback in 2025. In addition to his career-high 11.0 sacks, he also set a new best mark of 21 quarterback hits. Simmons remains a steady run defender, and he'll almost certainly be back with the Titans in 2026, as his most recent extension has two years remaining.
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Cedric Gray LB | TEN
Titans' Cedric Gray: Elite production in 2025
Gray recorded 164 tackles (97 solo), including 1.0 sacks, and one recovered fumble across 16 games in 2025.
Entering the season, it was unclear whether Gray or James Williams would start at inside linebacker alongside Cody Barton. Gray ultimately provided an emphatic answer, logging less than an 80 percent snap rate in only one of his 17 games. He ultimately finished fourth in the league with 164 tackles and will almost certainly carry over a significant role into the 2026 season.
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Deommodore Lenoir CB | SF
49ers' Deommodore Lenoir: Logs over 1,000 snaps on defense
Lenoir finished the 2025 regular season with 61 tackles (39 solo) and two interceptions across 17 starts.
Lenoir turned in another strong campaign as a shutdown coverage corner for the 49ers, but his IDP numbers took a slight dip in 2025. The 61 tackles registered as his lowest total in the four full seasons he has been a starter in the pros (averaged 82.7 last three years). The 25-year-old was rewarded with a lucrative five-year contract extension this past offseason, so expect Lenoir to continue operating as San Francisco's CB1 in 2026.
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David Martin-Robinson TE | TEN
Titans' David Martin-Robinson: Contributes on special teams
Martin-Robinson recorded four receptions on six targets for 30 yards and a touchdown across 17 games in 2025.
Martin-Robinson saw a significant increase in his role relative to his rookie year in 2024. He was active for all 17 games and contributed primarily on special teams, with only 133 of his 510 snaps coming on offense. However, Martin-Robinson did manage the first touchdown of his career with a one-yard grab in Week 6.
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Malik Mustapha SAF | SF
49ers' Malik Mustapha: Strong return from surgery in 2025
Mustapha logged 76 combined tackles (44 solo) and defended three passes (including one interception) across 12 regular-season starts in 2025.
Mustapha opened the regular season on the PUP list after undergoing successful surgery on the knee he injured at the tail end of the 2024 campaign. The sophomore safety missed only one game past the minimum four-week requirement and looked as dominant as he did prior to tearing his ACL. Mustapha reclaimed his starting strong safety job in Week 6 and still surpassed last year's tackle total (72) despite appearing in four fewer games. Following the 49ers' playoff run, the 23-year-old will attempt to combine good health with continued strong play while starting alongside Ji'Ayir Brown in 2026.
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Renardo Green CB | SF
49ers' Renardo Green: Questionable with ankle issue
Green (ankle) is listed as questionable for Sunday's wild-card round matchup with the Eagles.
Green was added to Friday's injury report with what was initially rumored to be a foot injury, but the issue is actually with his ankle. The starting cornerback was able to log a limited practice session with the issue, something that bodes well for his chances to play in Sunday's elimination game. If Green is unable to play through injury, Darrell Luter is next in line to start Sunday's game at outside cornerback opposite Deommodore Lenoir.
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Marquez Valdes-Scantling WR | PIT
Steelers' Marquez Valdes-Scantling: Held to 14 catches in 2025
Valdes-Scantling secured 14 of 29 targets for 120 yards and a touchdown over 10 regular-season appearances between the 49ers and Steelers in 2025.
Valdes-Scantling began the 2025 campaign in San Francisco, where he saw limited work despite the team dealing with several absences at wide receiver, as he hauled in just four of eight targets for 40 yards. After being let go by the 49ers, he linked up with the Steelers -- and former teammate Aaron Rodgers -- to close out the year. Valdes-Scantling was slightly more productive in Pittsburgh, but most of his output (eight catches on 16 targets for 55 yards) came in the final two weeks of the regular season when DK Metcalf was suspended. Metcalf is slated to return for the playoffs, so Valdes-Scantling's workload in the postseason will likely be limited. While Valdes-Scantling's role in 2026 will depend on where he ends up, his fantasy upside has been limited over the past few seasons.
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Keion White DE | SF
49ers' Keion White: Questionable for Sunday
White (groin/hamstring) is listed as questionable ahead of Sunday's wild-card matchup with the Eagles, Noah Furtado of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
White was able to upgrade to a limited participant in Friday's practice after missing consecutive sessions due to groin and hamstring issues. If the defensive end is unable to suit up for Sunday's elimination game, Robert Beal will likely see an increase in rotational defensive snaps as well as special-teams snaps.
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Jamal Hill LB | HOU
Texans' Jamal Hill: Full participant Friday
Hill (calf) was a full participant in Friday's practice.
Hill upgraded to a full participant Friday after being limited in Thursday's practice due to a calf injury he likely sustained in a Week 18 practice. The linebacker missed Week 18 due to the issue but seems set to suit up for Monday night's wild-card matchup with the Steelers. The 24-year-old is set to be the primary depth option at outside linebacker behind starters Henry To'oTo'o and E.J. Speed.