2025 in Music: A Year in Review

It's a weird time for music, especially in the mainstream sphere. Labels are afraid to really push their artists and their current marketing strategies seem to be nothing more than just crossing their fingers that something will go on viral on TikTok, which means we're down to about 5-10 new hit songs each year (take a look at the 2025 Billboard year-end charts if you don't believe me). Streaming services and their dogshit royalty pay largely decimating the practice of people buying albums either physically or digitally has caused more artists to struggle than ever before. Several genres-particularly hip hop and pop-are in a sterility crisis as uniformity is being prioritized over uniqueness. 

Despite the bleakness and strangeness of this moment, there's still some great stuff out there. The weirdos, punks and visionaries that exist largely on the periphery of the mainstream have not let this shitty moment distract them from their art and in several cases, they managed to put out some of the best work of their careers. It's a needed reminder that true artistry will always find a way into the world, no matter how dire things are. Below, you'll find a list of every LP and EP I heard in 2025 ranked from worst to best along with some superlatives and my picks for the top 50 songs of the year. Please enjoy and let's hope that 2026 will continue to deliver some quality music in the face of all the hurdles that are making doing so harder by the day. 

EP's:

4.The Crimson Armada-Ceremony

3.Many Eyes-Combust (B)

2.Car Bomb-Tiles Whisper Dreams (B)

1.Soulkeeper-Join Us in Creating Excellence (B+)

LP's:

79.Sleep Token-Even in Arcadia (C-)

78.Machine Head-Unatoned (C)

77.Playboi Carti-Music (C)

76.Olivia Dean-The Art of Loving (C)

75.The Mars Volta-Lucro sucio; los ojos del vacio (C)

74.The Halo Effect-March of the Unheard (C+)

73.Architects-The Sky, the Earth & All Between (C+)

72.Sleep Theory-Afterglow (C+)

71.Rivers of Nihil-Rivers of Nihil (C+)

70.Snooze-I KNOW HOW YOU WILL DIE (C+)

69.Haim-I Quit (C+)

68.Kaonashi-I Want to Go Home (C+)

67.A Day to Remember-Big Ole Album Vol.1 (B-)

66.Bodybox-3 (B-)

65.Sabrina Carpenter-Man's Best Friend (B-)

64.Rico Nasty-Lethal (B-)

63.Born of Osiris-Through Shadows (B-)

62.Thornhill-Bodies (B-)

61.Boltcutter-Still Broke (B-)

60.Arm's Length-There's a Whole World Out There (B-)

59.Geese-Getting Killed (B-)

58.Fleshwater-2000: In Search of the Endless Sky (B-)

57.Tame Impala-Deadbeat (B-)

56.Florence+the Machine-Everybody Scream (B-)

55.Viagra Boys-vigar aboys (B-)

54.Banks-Off with Her Head (B-)

53.Bad Bunny-Debi tirar mas fotos (B-)

52.Behemoth-The Shit Ov God (B-)

51.Tate McRae-So Close to What (B-)

50.King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard-Phantom Island (B-)

49.Rosalia-Lux (B-)

48.Clipse-Let God Sort Em Out (B-)

47.Paleface Swiss-Cursed (B)

46.Obscura-A Sonication (B)

45.Cabal-Everything Rots (B)

44.Killswitch Engage-This Consequence (B)

43.Tyler, the Creator-Don't Tap the Glass (B)

42.PeelingFlesh-PF Radio 2 (B)

41.Stray from the Path-Clockworked (B)

40.Volbeat-God of Angels Trust (B)

39.PSYCHO-FRAME-Salvation Laughs in the Face of a Grieving Mother (B)

38.Mac Miller-Ballonerism (B)

37.Kali Uchis-Sincerely, (B)

36.Addison Rae-Addison (B)

35.Sudan Archives-The BPM (B)

34.Danny Brown-Stardust (B)

33.FKA twigs-EUSEXUA Afterglow (B)

32.Sanguisugabogg-Hideous Aftermath (B)

31.Lorde-Virgin (B)

30.Testament-Para bellum (B)

29.Greyhaven-Keep It Quiet (B)

28.Drain-Is Your Friend... (B)

27.Coheed and Cambria-Vaxis: Act III: The Father of Make Believe (B)

26.Miley Cyrus-Something Beautiful (B)

25.Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist-Alfredo 2 (B)

24.Doja Cat-Vie (B)

23.Lady Gaga-Mayhem (B)

22.Despised Icon-Shadow Work (B+)

21.Your Spirit Dies-My Gnawing Pains Will Never Rest (B+)

20.Pinkpantherss-Fancy That (B+)

19.Allegaeon-The Ossuary Lens (B+)

18.Revocation-New Gods, New Masters (B+)

17.Lorna Shore-I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me (B+)

16.Dying Wish-Flesh Stays Together (B+)

15.Deftones-Private Music (B+)

14.The Acacia Strain-You Are Safe from God Here (B+)

13.FKA twigs-EUSEXUA (B+)

12.Shadow of Intent-Imperium Delirium (B+)

11.Fallujah-Xenotaph (B+)

10.Spite-New World Killer (B+)

9.Turnstile-NEVER ENOUGH (B+)

8.Whitechapel-Hymns in Dissonance (B+)

7.Between the Buried and Me-The Blue Nowhere (B+)

6.Orthodox-A Door Left Open (B+)

5.Tallah-Primeval: Obsession/Detachment (A-)

4.The Weeknd-Hurry Up Tomorrow (A-)

3.Jane Remover-Revengeseekerz (A-)

2.Spiritbox-Tsunami Sea (A-)

1.The Callous Daoboys-I Don't Want to See You in Heaven (A)

Superlatives:

Biggest Surprises:

1.Lady Gaga-Mayhem

2.The Acacia Strain-You Are Safe from God Here

3.Despised Icon-Shadow Work

4.Sanguisugabogg-Hideous Aftermath

5.Addison Rae-Addison

Biggest Letdowns:

1.Playboi Carti-Music

2.King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard-Phantom Island

3.Rivers of Nihil-Rivers of Nihil

4.Born of Osiris-Through Shadows

5.Behemoth-The Shit Ov God

Most Underrated:

1.Orthodox-A Door Left Open

2.Spite-New World Killer

3.Allegaeon-The Ossuary Lens

4.Your Sprit Dies-My Gnawing Pain Will Never Rest

5.Drain-Is Your Friend...

Most Overrated:

1.Geese-Getting Killed

2.Olivia Dean-The Art of Loving

3.Snooze-I KNOW HOW YOU WILL DIE

4.Arm's Length-There's a Whole World Out There

5.Thornhill-Bodies

Top Discoveries:

1.Jane Remover

2.Orthodox

3.Your Spirit Dies

4.PSYCHO-FRAME

Top Artists I Hope Drop an Album in 2026: (Excluding Those with Already Confirmed Release Dates):

1.Loathe

2.Better Lovers

3.Danny Brown and JPEGMAFIA

4.Yves Tumor

5.Year of the Knife

Top 50 Songs (in alphabetical order by artist name):

The Acacia Strain-A Call Beyond

Addison Rae-Fame is a Gun

Bad Bunny-NUEVAYol

Bad Omens-Specter

Between the Buried and Me-Absent Thereafter

Between the Buried and Me-Psychomanteum

The Callous Daoboys-Idiot Temptation Force

The Callous Daoboys-Schizophrenia Legacy

The Callous Daoboys-Tears on Lambo Leather (feat. Adam Easterling)

The Callous Daoboys-The Demon of Unreality Limping Like a Dog

Coheed and Cambria-Play the Poet

Danny Brown-Stardust

Deftones-cut hands

Doja Cat-Jealous Type

Drain-Living in a Memory

Dying Wish-I Brought You My Soul (Your World Brought Me Despair)

Fallujah-Step Through the Portal and Breathe

FKA twigs-Girl Feels Good

FKA twigs-Hard

Jane Remover-Dreamflasher

Jane Remover-Experimental Skin

Jane Remover-Professional Vengeance

Jane Remover-Star People

Lady Gaga-Garden of Eden

Lady Gaga-Shadow of a Man

Loathe-Gifted Every Strength

Lorna Shore-Prison of Flesh

Miley Cyrus-Something Beautiful

Orthodox-Searching for a Pulse

Orthodox-Step Inside

Paleface Swiss-Youth Decay

Pinkpantherss-Stateside

PinkPantherss-Tonight

Revocation-Sacrophagi of the Soul

Shadow of Intent-Infinity of Chaos

Spiritbox-Fata Morgana

Spiritbox-No Loss, No Love

Spiritbox-Ride the Wave

Spite-Gavel

Spite-Hand of the Reaper

Tallah-A Primeval Detachment

Tallah-as fate undoes

Thundercat-Children of the Baked Potato (feat. Remi Wolf)

Turnstile-DREAMING

Turnstile-SOLE

The Weeknd-Cry for Me

The Weeknd-Nigara Falls

The Weeknd-Open Hearts

The Weeknd-Wake Me Up (feat. Justice)

Top 10 Albums of 2025

Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order by artist name):

The Acacia Strain-You Are Safe from God Here

Deftones-Private Music

Fallujah-Xenotaph

FKA twigs-EUSEXUA 

Shadow of Intent-Imperium Delirium 

10.Spite-New World Killer:

2025 ended up being quite the smorgasbord for deathcore fans with seemingly everybody from the genre's pioneers to the upstarts dropping great records. Of the logjam full of established heavy hitters that were competing for the final spot in my top 10 (Shadow of Intent, The Acacia Strain, Lorna Shore, Despised Icon), it was the (comparative) whippersnappers in Spite that emerged victorious. New World Killer is a testament to the Southern California outfit's greatest strength: their unwavering energy. They sound like they're shot out of a cannon on every single track and in a genre that's not exactly a stranger to succumbing to monotony, having an act that has an unrelenting pep in their vicious step is truly refreshing and allows all of the staples (breakdowns, blast beats, a wide array of screams, gurgles and screeches) that make deathcore so satisfying to hit like an 18-wheeler carrying a full load of bricks. 

Top Tracks: 1.Hand of the Reaper 2.Gavel 3.Shedding Skin

9.Turnstile-NEVER ENOUGH:

Following up a widely celebrated release like Glow On was a tough task that was inevitably going to cause some backlash and disappointment from Turnstile's fanbase. While I don't think it's quite on the level of their 2021 masterpiece, NEVER ENOUGH is a hell of a follow-up that they should be very proud of. This record is a logical progression from Glow On as it expands upon the dream pop/new wave/alt-rock elements from that record without sacrificing any of the infectious hooks and punchy riffs that were at the heart of that record. It also doesn't hurt that all of these songs sound absolutely immense live. 

Top Tracks: 1.SOLE 2.DREAMING 3.LIGHT DESIGN

8.Whitechapel-Hymns in Dissonance:

Whitechapel's fascinating musical journey brought them back to their deathcore roots on their nine LP Hymns in Dissonance. Thankfully, this return to the genre that made them one of the biggest extreme metal acts of the last 20 years is a case of an artist applying the knowledge and skills they've picked up as industry veterans to the style of music that put them on the map instead of being merely a pandering nostalgia play (they have too much money in the bank to recreate The Somatic Defilement's eerie lo-fi sound anyways!). This is a weird thing to say about a record that is driven by rage, brutality and sadness, but it's awesome that they created a record full of straight deathcore rippers full of the emotional depth and rich songwriting that made their recent forays into more melodic territory so rewarding to listen to.

Top Tracks: 1.Mammoth God 2.Diabolic Slumber 3.Hate Cult Ritual

7.Between the Buried and Me-The Blue Nowhere:

After hearing the surprisingly sunny lead single "Things We Tell Ourselves in the Dark"-which I've since come around on, I was on high alert that The Blue Nowhere was going to be Coma Ecliptic 2.0. Fortunately, that didn't prove to be the case. In fact, I'd say this this is the ideally calibrated marriage of quirky straight prog and their signature prog metalcore sound that they were aiming for but couldn't quite make work on Coma Ecliptic. While there's a bit too much filler here to put it on the level of BTBAM's best stuff (the title track in particular is a complete snoozer), the highlights ("Absent Thereafter, "Psychomanteum", "Door #3", "Slow Paranoia") are staggering and arguably the best stuff they've made since The Parallax II: Future Sequence. 

Top Tracks: 1.Absent Thereafter 2.Psychomanteum 3.Door #3

6.Orthodox-A Door Left Open:

A Door Left Open is that special breed of metal record that grabs you by the throat from the jump and doesn't let go for even half of a second until it concludes. The amount of technical craftsmanship and feral anger that are oozing out of every note on this thing is unreal and it's easy to understand why this has served as a breakout record for this Nashville-based metalcore outfit that has been quietly grinding away on the national circuit for over a decade.   

Top Tracks: 1.Searching for a Pulse 2.Step Inside 3.Dread Weight

5.Tallah-Primeval: Obsession/Detachment:

Only a band of adventurous freaks like Tallah would somehow find a way to simultaneously make the most off-the-wall experimental and accessible release of their career thus far with Primeval: Obsession/Detachment. There's still plenty of their signature chaos and crushing breakdowns present on their third LP, they've just been weaved into a much bigger tapestry where they're existing alongside a bunch of different things including funky basslines, acoustic guitars and electro-industrial programming. Whether this more avant-garde, less generally heavy sound is a filtration or an evolution is anyone's guess at this point, but Primeval will remain a deeply exciting release regardless.

Top Tracks: 1.as fate undoes 2.a primeval detachment 3.my primeval obsession 

4.The Weeknd-Hurry Up Tomorrow:

Abel Tesfaye had himself quite the year of extreme highs and lows has he delivered his planned farewell to The Weeknd moniker with an album/movie suite entitled Hurry Up Tomorrow. Where the latter confirmed that the gross ineptitude of The Idol wasn't a fluke, the former is a towering epic that bids a triumphant farewell to the persona that made him an international superstar. After being subjected to so many needlessly long, contrived double albums in recent years, it felt like a minor miracle to sit through a 22-track/85-minute record that maintained its momentum throughout-especially since it's easily the most somber, downtempo effort he's put out since Echoes of Silence. It continues to be a pleasure to witness one of the biggest pop artists in the world maintain such an uncompromising level of bold artistry at a time where the genre seems hellbent on becoming less adventurous by the day. Whatever the future holds for Abel, hopefully his music will remain consistently exciting and ambitious. 

Top Tracks: 1.Wake Me Up (feat. Justice) 2.Cry for Me 3.Niagra Falls

3.Jane Remover-Revengeseekerz:

Revengeseekerz is just alien shit. It exists somewhere between the worlds of pop, industrial hip hop and electronic dance music without firmly planting a flag in any of those genre's territories, which puts into a special category of catchy, jaw-dropping maximalist musical creations that deliver a unique adrenaline rush alongside the likes of The Money Store and Die Lit. Jane Remover appears to be the future of music for all of the sickos out there that like their music catchy, abrasive and deeply polarizing, which means they're already well on their way to becoming a legend in my eyes. 

Top Tracks: 1.Dreamflasher 2.Professional Vengeance 3.Experimental Skin

2.Spiritbox-Tsunami Sea:

As strong as Spiritbox's initial wave of offerings are, Tsunami Sea marks a clear new peak for them. Their mix of metalcore, alternative metal and drum and bass has never sounded more confidently or coherently assembled, Courtney LaPlante's pristine clean/harsh vocal gymnastics are on full display and the production from guitarist Mike Stringer and veteran producer Dan Braunstein does a terrific job of heightening whatever vibe each song is going for (ex: the glitchy wooziness of "Black Rainbow" playing up the off-kilter heaviness, "Perfect Soul" deploying a clean, bouncy sound that's ideal for its rock-radio ready hooks/riffs). May the beautiful duality of their sound that alternates between heavy and heavily commercial remain intact forever. 

Top Tracks: 1.Fata Morgana 2.No Loss, No Love 3.Ride the Wave 

1.The Callous Daoboys-I Don't Want to See You in Heaven:

This record floored me upon first listen back in May and nothing else that came out during this year could quite match the euphoric state this record left me in. I Don't Want to See You in Heaven ends up being the ultimate playground for mathcore maestros The Callous Daoboys to just go fucking nuts on. The poppy hooks are huge. The tempo swings from manic to mellow to just flat-out strange and back again are even bigger. There's never any indication of what could be coming next or how long an idea will be explored as glorious, exhilarating chaos constantly reigns down on whatever poor soul happened to press play on their record. It's just a fun, wild and surprisingly emotional record that I'll never be less than thrilled to revisit. 

Top Tracks: 1.Schizophrenia Legacy 2.The Demon of Unreality Limping Like a Dog 3.Idiot Temptation Force 

10 Most Anticipated Albums of Winter/Spring 2026

10.Megadeth-Megadeth (Release Date: January 23)

9.Rob Zombie-The Great Satan (Release Date: February 27)

8.Bad Omens-TBD (Release Date: TBD)

7.Lamb of God-TBD (Release Date: TBD)

6.Lana Del Rey-Stove (Release Date: TBD)

5.Charli XCX-Wuthering Heights (Release Date: February 13) 

4.Poppy-Empty Hands (Release Date: January 23)

3.A$AP Rocky-Don't Be Dumb (Release Date: January 16)

2.Archspire-Too Fast to Die (Release Date: April 10)

1.Converge-Love is Not Enough (Release Date: February 13)

Also Plan on Listening To:

Paleface Swiss-The Wilted (Release Date: January 2)

Madison Beer-Locket (Release Date: January 16)

Ov Sulfur-Endless (Release Date: January 16)

Textures-Genotype (Release Date: January 23)

Joji-Piss in the Wind (Release Date: February 6)

Sylosis-The New Flesh (Release Date: February 20)

2025 NFL Power Rankings: Week 18

()=Previous Ranking

1.(1) Seattle Seahawks (13-3) Week 18 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

2.(3) New England Patriots (13-3) Week 18 opponent: Miami Dolphins

3.(5) San Francisco 49ers (12-4) Week 18 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

4.(4) Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4) Week 18 opponent: Tennessee Titans 

5.(6) Denver Broncos (13-3) Week 18 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

6.(2) Los Angeles Rams (11-5) Week 18 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

7.(7) Chicago Bears (11-5) Week 18 opponent: Detroit Lions

8.(9) Houston Texans (11-5) Week 18 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

9.(11) Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) Week 18 opponent: Washington Commanders

10.(8) Buffalo Bills (11-5) Week 18 opponent: New York Jets

11.(10) Los Angeles Chargers (11-5) Week 18 opponent: Denver Broncos

12.(16) Baltimore Ravens (8-8) Week 18 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

13.(13) Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7) Week 18 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

14.(12) Green Bay Packers (9-6-1) Week 18 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

15.(17) Minnesota Vikings (8-8) Week 18 opponent: Green Bay Packers

16.(15) Carolina Panthers (8-8) Week 18 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

17.(14) Detroit Lions (8-8) Week 18 opponent: Chicago Bears

18.(19) Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1) Week 18 opponent: New York Giants

19.(21) Atlanta Falcons (7-9) Week 18 opponent: New Orleans Saints

20.(20) New Orleans Saints (6-10) Week 18 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

21.(18) Indianapolis Colts (8-8) Week 18 opponent: Houston Texans

22.(23) Cincinnati Bengals (6-10 Week 18 opponent: Cleveland Browns

23.(24) Miami Dolphins (7-9) Week 18 opponent: New England Patriots

24.(22) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9) Week 18 opponent: Carolina Panthers

25.(25) Kansas City Chiefs (6-10) Week 18 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

26.(27) Cleveland Browns (4-12) Week 18 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

27.(26) Washington Commanders (4-12) Week 18 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

28.(28) Tennessee Titans (3-13) Week 18 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

29.(32) New York Giants (3-13) Week 18 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

30.(29) Arizona Cardinals (3-13) Week 18 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

31.(30) New York Jets (3-13) Week 18 opponent: Buffalo Bills

32.(31) Las Vegas Raiders (2-14) Week 18 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

Week 17 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2025 Edition

Quarterback

Biggest Winner: Brock Purdy (49ers)

In the wackiest season in recent NFL history, it's only fitting that the hero of the fantasy playoffs ended up being Purdy. After throwing a pick 6 on the first play from scrimmage, Purdy didn't make another mistake of consequence for the rest of the game as he shredded the Bears for 303 YDS and 3 TD's through the air and 28 YDS and 2 TD's on the ground in an exhilarating shootout win for the 49ers that gives them a chance to clinch the top seed in the NFC with a win over the Seahawks at home on Saturday night. Assuming he can remain healthy for the rest of this season, Purdy will be a low-end QB1 option for 2026. 

Honorable Mentions: Drake Maye (Patriots), Jaxson Dart (Giants), Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars)

Biggest Loser: Jalen Hurts (Eagles)

Hurts was in full-blown game manager mode in an unexpected defensive struggle with the Bills, throwing for 110 YDS and a TD and rushing only 3 times for 5 YDS as the Eagles stole a road win after the Bills ballsy attempt to win the game in regulation with a 2 PT-CNV following a Josh Allen rushing TD backfired. This was a mixed bag of a season for Hurts as he set a new career-high in passing TD's (25) but posted the lowest rushing totals (454 YDS, 8 TD's) of his 5 seasons as the Eagles full-time starter. Despite his decreased fantasy usefulness in 2025, his elite dual-threat ability should keep him in the top 5-8 overall QB range heading into next year's drafts. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Jared Goff (Lions), Matthew Stafford (Rams), Jacoby Brissett (Cardinals)

Running Back

Biggest Winner: Derrick Henry (Ravens)

John Harbaugh and Todd Monken got killed all week long for not giving Henry a single touch after scoring a TD that gave the Ravens a 24-13 lead with 12:50 left in the 4th quarter in an embarrassing home loss to the Patriots. With their playoff lives on the line against the Packers last Saturday, they atoned for their sins in a big way by riding Henry to a huge win. The future Hall of Famer was in vintage unstoppable workhorse mode- turning 36 carries into a whopping 216 YDS and 4 TD's. Who knows what kind of player he'll be next season at 32, but given the way he's playing right now, I'm not comfortable betting against Henry's ability to remain one of the most dominant backs in the league until there's overwhelming evidence that he's indeed a mortal man.

Honorable Mentions: Bijan Robinson (Falcons), Chase Brown (Bengals), Christian McCaffery (49ers)

Biggest Loser: Josh Jacobs (Packers)

Thought Week 16 was the bottoming out point for Jacobs? Think again! The very clearly hobbled back only logged 5 touches (4 carries, 1 receptions) for 4 YDS as the Packers got smacked by the Ravens and are now officially locked into the #7 seed in the NFC Playoff Bracket. Jacobs didn't even come close to recapturing the magic of his 2024 campaign during his sophomore season with the Packers and will likely drop down to the 4th/5rh round range in 2026 as a result of his largely underwhelming play.

Dishonorable Mentions: Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions), Bucky Irving (Buccaneers), Jaylen Warren (Steelers)

Wide Receiver

Biggest Winner: Chris Olave (Saints)

Olave wrapped up his resurgent 2025 fantasy campaign with another excellent performance, reeling in 8 catches for 119 YDS and a TD in an impressive comeback road win over the Titans. His budding chemistry with Tyler Shough, ability to suit up every week after missing 9 games in 2024 and career-high production (100/1,163/9) makes Olave a strong WR2 candidate heading into next year. 

Honorable Mentions: Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals), Stefon Diggs (Patriots), Christian Watson (Packers)

Biggest Loser: Jaylen Waddle (Dolphins)

A week after he was Quinn Ewers' favorite target in the rookie's first career start, Waddle was basically invisible against the Bucs. The star wideout failed to catch his lone target and only action of the day came on a carry that he turned into a 7-YD gain. Even with Tyreek Hill being sidelined for the bulk of the season, Waddle was volatile as hell this season and only rarely looked like the star he was from 2021-2023. Depending on who is playing QB for the Dolphins next year, Waddle will be on the WR2/3 borderline. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Tetairoa McMillan (Panthers), D.J. Moore (Bears), Drake London (Falcons)

Tight End

Biggest Winner: Trey McBride (Cardinals)

McBride was rewarded for being a ray of sunshine during the dark days of 2025 for the 3-13 Cardinals by setting a new single-season reception record (117 was the record-breaker, he currently sits at 119) for tight ends after nabbing 10 receptions for 76 YDS and a TD in a blowout loss to the Bengals. McBride's newfound affinity for getting into the endzone (11 TD's in 2025 after scoring just 6 times from 2022-24) has eliminated the one weakness in his game and it would be a shock if he wasn't a top 15-20 pick in fantasy next season.

Honorable Mentions: Colston Loveland (Bears), Hunter Henry (Patriots), Juwan Johnson (Saints)

Biggest Loser: Kyle Pitts (Falcons)

The heater Pitts has been on for the past month died a painful death last night as he mustered just 2 receptions for 16 YDS on a night where Bijan Robinson powered the Falcons to a stunning upset victory over the Rams. Pitts is set to hit free agency this offseason, and it'll be fascinating to see what his market looks like after putting together his best season (82/875/5) since his 1,000-YD+ rookie campaign in 2021.

Dishonorable Mentions: Darren Waller (Dolphins), Mark Andrews (Ravens), Evan Engram (Broncos)

Defense/Special Teams

Biggest Winner: Vikings

Anybody who was smart/brave enough to fire up the Vikings against the Lions on Christmas were rewarded big time. Brian Flores' group absolutely destroyed Jared Goff and co. and were the primary reason the Max Brosmer-led Vikings were able to pull off the upset as they got 5 sacks, 2 INT's and 4 fumble recoveries in the 23-10 victory. If Flores doesn't leave for a head coaching gig in the offseason, this group should remain one of the better D/ST options in fantasy next season. 

Honorable Mentions: Eagles, Saints, Seahawks

Biggest Loser: Packers

Derrick Henry's evisceration of the Packers led to a big fat lump of coal appearing in the stockings of the people that continued to ride a group that had been one of the best in the league for most of the season. The Pack only ended up with only 1 sack and 0 takeaways in this demoralizing 41-24 loss at Lambeau. While they have talent elsewhere (Xavier McKinney, Edgerrin Cooper, Evan Williams, Rashan Gary), Micah Parsons was the driving force behind their success this season and his return to action can't come soon enough. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Buccaneers, Chiefs, Broncos

10 Most Anticipated Movies of Winter/Spring 2026

As we look out on the horizon and see 2026 imminently closing in, there's a lot of uneasy questions about the future of the movie industry that have yet to be answered. Who will end up taking control of Warner Brothers and what ramifications will that have on the theatrical industry (assuming that whatever deal WB ends up accepting gets regulatory approval from multiple governments of course)? Can Amazon fulfill its aspirations to become a major player in the theatrical space after merely dipping their toes into the exhibition space since they officially took over MGM in 2022? Will Avengers: Doomsday bring anything to the table besides fan service galore as the panic-stricken Marvel desperately tries to preserve their standing at the top of the blockbuster food chain? Answers will come in time, but for now, all we have is the movies themselves and 2026 has plenty of those to offer. 

There's an argument to be made that this is the first "normal" winter/spring slate of this decade after COVID and the strikes wreaked havoc on this part of calendar in particular over the previous 5 years. Sitting among 2026's pretty healthy January-April slate is a wide array of films that has something that will appeal to most film lovers out there. 

There are comebacks of sorts for some accomplished veteran directors (Sam Raimi, Gore Verbinski, Phil Lord and Chris Miller). Some budding indie filmmakers (John Patton Ford, Kristofer Borgli, Matt Johnson) will look to prove the acclaimed films they made earlier this decade weren't flukes. Emerald Fennell has returned to terrorize the terminally online and this time she's not only ruining the lives of Film Twitter but also English Lit majors by putting her own spin on Wuthering Heights. Both of the current kings of January movies (Gerard Butler, Jason Statham) have movies (Greenland 2: Migration, Shelter) coming out during their favorite month of the year to put out new projects and ironically, they are both directed by Ric Roman Waugh! The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will earn 60 zillion dollars in its first 20 days of release and prove once again that nothing is more profitable for studios than putting a piece of premiere IP in theaters. Fun should be had and given how gloomy everything in the industry could get in short order if the WB situation plays out in a certain way, that's something that'll be worth celebrating should it materialize.

Here are the 10 movies that I'm looking forward to seeing most during the inaugural stretch of 2026. 

10.Primate (January 9):

You'd be hard-pressed to find many people who view the work of Johannes Roberts (The Strangers: Prey at Night, both 47 Meters Down movies) in a favorable light. Roberts' shaky track record aside, his latest offering Primate look like a lot of fun, and its heavy use of practical creature effects/gore earned it a lot of fans during its run on the genre festival circuit this past fall. 

9.Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die (February 13):

Speaking of movies that played well on the genre festival circuit over the past few months, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die debuted to widespread raves following its premiere screenings at Fantastic Fest and Beyond Fest in September. While I've never been the biggest fan of Gore Verbinski and the concept of a group of misfits trying to take out a rogue AI before it destroys the world isn't exactly unique, the cast is loaded with actors that I love watching (Sam Rockwell, Zazie Beetz, Michael Pena, Haley Lu Richardson, Juno Temple) and I'm always up for giving an off-kilter action comedy a whirl. 

8.Crime 101 (February 13):

A throwback to the flashy, ensemble-driven crime thrillers of the 90's is inherently appealing to me, particularly when the cast is made up of such a magnetic group of familiar faces (Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Halle Berry, Barry Keoghan, Nick Nolte, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tate Donovan). Whether or not documentarian-turned-narrative filmmaker Bart Layton (American Animals) will be able to handle a movie of this scale is another question entirely, but I look forward to finding out if he's up to the challenge in February. 

7.How to Make a Killing (February 20):

Emily the Criminal is one of the most assured, impressive directorial debuts of the 2020's so far and I'm eager to see what John Patton Ford has cooked up for his sophomore feature. The darkly comedic thriller tone of the trailer would mark a pretty drastic yet compelling pivot from the unrelentingly intensity of Emily the Criminal and Glen Powell taking on the part of a charming, conniving scumbag presents him with another great opportunity to expand his range. 

6.Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (March 27):

Ready or Not becoming a sleeper hit during the final weeks of the 2019 summer movie season turned Radio Silence into in-demand horror directors overnight, so it's only fitting that the duo has returned to make a sequel to the movie that radically changed the trajectory of their career 7 years ago. Showing that there are more elite families tied to the same ritual that the le Domas family were a part of is a great hook for a sequel and casting veteran horror comedy scene-stealer Kathryn Newton as Samara Weaving's younger sister is a masterstroke that should pay dividends. 

5.The Drama (April 3):

Zendaya teaming up with notorious sickos Robert Pattinson and Kristofer Borgli on a "romantic" dramedy is the latest sign that she's a performer that's never going to stop challenging herself. I've been lucky enough to not have the twist-which leaked on Reddit months ago-the teaser alludes to spoiled for me yet and I'll be crossing my fingers that A24 continues to dance around it in their future marketing efforts. 

4.Project Hail Mary (March 20):

There's been speculation coming out of Hollywood insider circles that there's a film slated for release in the first stretch of the calendar that has a real chance to contend for Best Picture. By process of elimination, Project Hail Mary seems to be the anonymous film at the center of this wave of buzz. This wouldn't be an overly shocking development as the book it's based on is widely acclaimed and Lord and Miller are a visionary directing duo who've authored multiple beloved movies over the past 15 years. The only thing preventing me from putting this higher on this list are the trailers-which haven't really grabbed me all that much. 

3.Wuthering Heights (February 13):

Hot take: I'm firmly in the camp of letting Emerald Fennell cook. Her take on the classic British romance tale has produced a pair of excellent trailers that are full of stunning visuals/production design and appear to be teasing some explosive chemistry between Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. 

2.Send Help (January 30):

Sam Raimi coming home to the horror genre after nearly 16 years away is cause for celebration. Enlisting the powerhouse duo of Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien for a warped survival thriller about the power dynamic shift that occurs between a timid woman and her asshole boss after they become trapped on a deserted island following a plane crash that claimed the lives of everyone else onboard further amplifies the feeling of jubilation behind this exciting occasion. 

1.28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (January 16):

The final moments of 28 Years Later did an unbelievable job of setting the stage for The Bone Temple by introducing another form of human evil into a world that has brought out both the best and worst in the people that have survived in the face of the zombie uprising for nearly 3 decades. Early critical reactions have indicated that The Bone Temple delivers on its tantalizing set-up and paves the way for one hell of a finale to the trilogy-which Sony recently officially greenlit.

Also Interested In:

We Bury the Dead (January 2)

Greenland 2: Migration (January 9)

The Rip (January 16)

Mercy (January 23)

The Wrecking Crew (January 28)

Shelter (January 30)

The Moment (January 30)

Whistle (February 6)

The Strangers-Chapter 3 (February 6)

Goat (February 13)

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (February 13)

Psycho Killer (February 20)

Dreams (February 27)

Scream 7 (February 27)

The Bride! (March 6)

Hoppers (March 6)

The Undertone (March 13)

They Will Kill You (March 27)

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (April 3)

The Mummy (April 17)

Normal (April 17)

Apex (April 24)

Several 2025 Titles That Have Yet to Open in My Area including Dead Man's Wire, Sirat and The Voice of Hind Rajab  

2025 NFL Power Rankings: Week 17

 ()=Previous Ranking

1.(2) Seattle Seahawks (12-3) Week 17 opponent: Carolina Panthers

2.(1) Los Angeles Rams (11-4) Week 17 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

3.(4) New England Patriots (12-3) Week 17 opponent: New York Jets

4.(10) Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4) Week 17 opponent: Indianapolis Colts9

5.(6) San Francisco 49ers (11-4) Week 17 opponent: Chicago Bears

6.(3) Denver Broncos (12-3) Week 17 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

7.(7) Chicago Bears (11-4) Week 17 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

8.(5) Buffalo Bills (11-4) Week 17 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

9.(9) Houston Texans (10-5) Week 17 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

10.(11) Los Angeles Chargers (11-4) Week 17 opponent: Houston Texans

11.(12) Philadelphia Eagles (10-5) Week 17 opponent: Buffalo Bills

12.(8) Green Bay Packers (9-5-1) Week 17 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

13.(14) Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6) Week 17 opponent: Cleveland Browns

14.(13) Detroit Lions (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

15.(16) Carolina Panthers (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

16.(15) Baltimore Ravens (7-8) Week 17 opponent: Green Bay Packers

17.(19) Minnesota Vikings (7-8) Week 17 opponent: Detroit Lions

18.(17) Indianapolis Colts (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

19.(18) Dallas Cowboys (6-8-1) Week 17 opponent: Washington Commanders

20.(23) New Orleans Saints (5-10) Week 17 opponent: Tennessee Titans

21.(24) Atlanta Falcons (6-9) Week 17 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

22.(20) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8) Week 17 opponent: Miami Dolphins

23.(26) Cincinnati Bengals (5-10) Week 17 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

24.(21) Miami Dolphins (6-9) Week 17 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

25.(22) Kansas City Chiefs (6-9) Week 17 opponent: Denver Broncos

26.(25) Washington Commanders (4-11) Week 17 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

27.(27) Cleveland Browns (3-12) Week 17 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

28.(31) Tennessee Titans (3-12) Week 17 opponent: New Orleans Saints

29.(28) Arizona Cardinals (3-12) Week 17 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

30.(29) New York Jets (3-12) Week 17 opponent: New England Patriots

31.(32) Las Vegas Raiders (2-13) Week 17 opponent: New York Giants

32.(31) New York Giants (2-13) Week 17 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders