'Friends' star Jane Sibbett reveals why she quit Hollywood for new career
'Friends' actress Jane Sibbett, who played Ross' lesbian ex-wife on the sitcom, opened up about her decision to leave Hollywood for a different career in a new interview with People.
Sibbett, 62, told the outlet that she became passionate about energy and spirituality after moving to Hawaii with her then-husband Karl Fink around ten years ago.
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8 Jessica Hecht, David Schwimmer and Jane Sibbett in 'Friends' in 1995.
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8 Jane Sibbett in an Instagram photo from March 2025.
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'My husband and I split [when] we were in Hawaii, and I was on my knees because I was really brokenhearted by everything, and part of that was my stuff that I had to deal with,' Sibbett shared.
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The 'It Takes Two' actress recalled that after the split, energy healer Abdy Electriciteh, with whom she was producing a documentary, asked her to help him produce a live energy healing event.
8 Jane Sibbett attends the 'Wedding Wonderland' premiere in Los Angeles in 2017.
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'It was a perfect synthesis of my belief in the gift of him [and] what he was doing and me coming off of 'Friends,'' she explained, adding, 'I'm really a shy person, and so for me to step up into a crowd and introduce him all day long to all these people and have a different story, each and every time, I started to feel the way that source energy or God energy was moving through me.'
'Then somebody said, 'Hey, you were so good at that. I know somebody else who needs your help,'' Sibbett continued, 'and so I went to one person, and then I did the next person, and I did the next.'
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8 Jane Sibbett as Carol Willick-Bunch, David Schwimmer as Ross Geller in 'Friends.'
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Sibbett noted that she didn't have any formal training in her 'dancing hands' technique that was inspired by Electriciteh.
8 Jane Sibbett at The Hollywood Show in Los Angeles in 2015.
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'I wouldn't call it Reiki,' she told the outlet. '[My hands] just started dancing because I was never trained in Reiki, so I wouldn't even know what that is. I believe in it, I trust it [but] it's just not what I do. This wasn't trained. This just came in fully fleshed, immediately.'
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Despite leaving Hollywood, Sibbett — who is working on a memoir about her career change — believes her acting experience actually helped her become an energy healer.
8 Jane Sibbett in 'Herman's Head' in the 1990s.
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8 Jane Sibbett attends the 1736 Family Crisis Center's 40th Anniversary Gala in Pacific Palisades, Calif. in 2013.
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'I think every actor worth their salt knows that they are embodied by the character. At some point, you give yourself over, [so] I understand why my body is trained to let itself go,' she shared. 'That's part of the actor crisscross there.'
Sibbett appeared in 15 episodes of 'Friends.' Her character Carol was involved in the first lesbian wedding on television.
8 Jessica Hecht as Susan Bunch-Willick, Jane Sibbett as Carol Willick-Bunch in 'Friends.'
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Last year, Sibbett told The Post that she's never watched the beloved sitcom in its entirety.
'I'm that girl who just doesn't watch what she's already done,' she said. 'It's really terrible.'
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The point is, after years of getting lunches, driving all over LA and picking up laundry, I had finally had my first small feeling of accomplishment. The issue? Matthew Perry, aka 'Chandler' on Friends. The TV show 'Friends' had debuted the year before and, for the younger people reading this, you have no concept of how insanely huge a hit it was. Obviously, it's a classic and re-runs of the show remain popular to this day. But in 1995? It was literally the hottest thing in show business. Magazine covers, movie offers, talk shows, and paparazzi – the six cast members of 'Friends' became overnight mega stars, including the breakout male star, Matthew Perry. This will seem weird to the texting and Snapchat generation, but back in 1995, very little of the world was online and almost everything you did was by phone. So, for like two years straight, I had the same conversation. Trying to rent a car, make a plane reservation, get a seat at a restaurant, set a meeting, anything… you name it, I had to make a call. And if I was talking to a stranger, I swear, every call went this way: Person on phone: Okay, can I get a name? Me: Matthew Berry Person: (super excited): Matthew Perry? Oh my God! I'm such a huge fan… Me: (gently, with a small laugh) No, ha, I'm not Matthew Perry from Friends. My name is Matthew Berry. (and I'd emphasize the 'B' in my name) Person: (clearly disappointed): Ah. Okay…. And then, with a lot less enthusiasm than they had before, they'd look up my plane reservation or searched for my dentist appointment or whatever it is I had called about. And I'd be a little bit sad too. Like, I had somehow disappointed them. Like, it was my fault for not being this super famous person they would have been thrilled speaking to for a few moments. I realize that's crazy. I knew it then. I know it now. But, ridiculous or not, I felt it, every single time. 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And I'm glad of that, happy I've done some solid work as an actor, as well as given multiple chances to make fun of my struggles on the world wide web… 'but when I die, as far as my so-called accomplishments go, it would be nice if Friends were listed far behind the things I did to try to help other people. 'I know it won't happen, but it would be nice.' Well. That hit me like a ton of bricks. And let's be honest – I am incredibly blessed for many reasons but perhaps no more so than the fact that while I have my faults and flaws (like, a lot!), I've never had to deal with the demons Matthew Perry did. So, I don't mean to frivolous or disrespectful here by somehow trying to relate Matthew Perry's addiction issues or his untimely passing with me and my dumb fake football. They aren't even in the same universe. But I thought what he wrote was powerful. And combined with my weird loose connection to him, and our similar age, I've thought about that excerpt from his book a lot. Like, A LOT. Many, many times over the last two years. And about what I would write if I was writing that paragraph. About how I'd like to be remembered. Hopefully, it is many, many decades from now, but I know that the first line of my obituary will be fantasy football. And whenever it happens, to the extent anyone talks, writes, or even mentions me on social media, it will be fantasy football, fantasy football, fantasy football. And I'm good with that. I love the game and it's been great to me back. I'm happy and proud that I've played a role in growing and popularizing something that has brought so many people together and brings happiness and distraction to a sometimes-bleak world. NBC and ESPN will obviously be in there, I'm working to make sure Fantasy Life and Guillotine Leagues are big enough by then to get a mention and of course, I'd expect there to be a line about 'Love/Hate,' which I've been writing now for a quarter century. That's the stuff I know people will write / say / post about. But here's what I hope is also in there. I hope they say that when people met me, I would say 'How can I help?' and that I'd mean it. That I gave more than I got. That beyond good analysis, entertaining content and growing the game that I lifted people in the fantasy sports industry up. That I gave many fantasy analysts you read and listen to today their start or a significant boost to their career. That, when any of them have reached out over the years for private advice on anything they needed, I was there for them, no questions asked. I hope they say I was fun to have a drink with, that I eventually got decent at golf and I was always down to do a trash talk video or take a picture with anyone that approached me and asked. I hope they say I was a good person. As a teammate at work, in my neighborhood, in the many circles of my life, and when I've had to be, as a boss. I hope they say I made the world a better place. That I'm thoughtful. That I've tried to elevate people, not bring them down. That, like everyone, I wasn't perfect, but when I made mistakes, I owned them and did my best to make it right. I hope they say I was a kindly soul. That I was loyal, giving and never gave up, no matter how Herculean the task or challenge. I hope they say I was a good son and a good friend. But more than anything, I hope they say I was a good husband and father. Which brings me to the present day. Those are all the things I hope they say. But truth is, I have no idea what they'll say. Or when they'll say it. (Again, I believe it will be a long time from now!). I can't control when they'll say it, but I think I can at least have some input into what they say. That part is in my control. Especially the part about being a good husband and father. I try. I really try. I'm not always convinced I am because my biggest flaw is being a work-a-holic. And I have to start cutting back. Now, let's be clear. This isn't a retirement column by any stretch. I still really enjoy what I do for a living, and I plan to do it for a long time. Just not ALL of it. Starting with this column. This column has been great to me. In a way, everything good that has happened to me is because of this column. This column was my entry into fantasy football, right here on Rotoworld. And then the column and fantasy football brought me to ESPN where I made a career, made lifelong friends, met my wife, had my family, and had more ridiculous adventures and met more amazing people than I ever thought possible. It bought me a house, it brought me back to NBC Sports, it has connected me to you for over a quarter of a century. But 25 years is a long time to do anything, and I'm done. This is it. I will write a '10 lists of 10" next week. And we will do 'Love/Hate' every Thursday on Fantasy Football Happy Hour, but as far as written columns, this is it. This is my final Love/Hate. It takes me all night. Literally ALL NIGHT. 24 hours or more to write it every week. And I've heard the suggestions – make it shorter, don't do a long-winded intro, have Chat GPT write it… all that and many others, all designed to take time and pressure off my workload. But we're talking about legacy, right? How will people remember you? Well, I want people to remember this column as something I poured out my heart and my life into, the good, the bad and the ugly, for a quarter century. Where I shared my opinions, my feelings, my seminal moments, and my most embarrassing losses. That some were better than others, and not every call was right, but over the years the column made you think a little bit. Maybe learn something, break a smile, or have a laugh once in a while or occasionally shed a tear. That after you read it, every week, you knew, 'Now THAT was a Matthew Berry column.' And if I can't continue to do it at this level, at the level I'm proud of, at the level I want, at the level my longtime readers have come to expect, then I don't want to do it. I can't do it. It's not how I'm wired. It's not how I want to be remembered. I need to change my schedule, spend more time with family, spend more time working on the things that I hope they'll say about me, not spend more time on the things that I already know they'll say. And while I am, as my late great Uncle Lester always used to say, still climbing that mountain, I know part of the way I get there is giving this column up. So, I'm doing that and, if I may offer a humble suggestion, maybe you try it as well. As you approach your drafts this year. As you approach your leagues and seasons. Hell, as you approach the first day of the rest of your life… what do you hope they say about YOU? Let's get to it. As always, some housekeeping. A reminder that now and every weekday Jay Croucher, Connor Rogers and myself (with pop-ins from Lawrence Jackson) do Fantasy Football Happy Hour LIVE at Noon ET on YouTube. The show is then available on demand on the NFL on NBC YouTube channel, wherever you get your podcasts and on Peacock, where it airs at 5pm ET but is also available on demand. And starting on the first Sunday morning of the regular season, Fantasy Football Pregame returns with Jay, Lawrence, myself and George Savaricas to get you ready for all the day's action in fantasy football and sports betting, airing from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET LIVE on YouTube and Peacock. And hey, it wouldn't be a 'Love/Hate' without some plugs. If you'd like to get a free newsletter from me and the Fantasy Life staff in your inbox every single morning that's a quick five-minute read about everything you need to know that day in fantasy football, you can sign up here. I also suggest syncing your league, wherever you play, into our Fantasy HQ, a brand new tool that will blow your mind in terms of how it helps manage all your teams, regardless of what platform you play on. If you've never tried Guillotine Leagues, I highly suggest getting a league together with friends or joining a public league. You can have as few or as many as you want (up to 18) in the league. Guillotine™ is a weekly elimination format where, every week, the lowest team in the league get cut. Done. Their season is over. You keep doing this until only one team remains. The other twist is that all the players on the dead team go back in the free agent pool. You have $1,000 FAAB to bid on the stars throughout the year. It's insanely fun. I loved playing it so much I bought the company. Check it out and see what all the hype is about at Finally, the best bargain on the internet is the RotoPass Bundle where you get Fantasy Life Tier 1, six months of Peacock, and four other incredible sites for over 60% less than it would cost to buy them separately. Thanks, as always, to my producer Damian Dabrowski for his help at various points in this column. And thanks to all my editors and researchers over the years that have helped this column be better than it ever had a right to be. And with that… here we go: Quarterbacks I Love in 2025 Justin Fields, New York Jets You may have heard reports this preseason that the New York Jets' offense is not clicking on all cylinders with starting quarterback Justin Fields. I do not care. In fact, the only part of that sentence that even interests me is the last four words of it: 'starting quarterback Justin Fields.' Because Justin Fields is – without question – QB1 with the Jets this season. 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I also really like Maye's upside as a runner. Last season, in the 10 games in which he played at least 75% of the snaps, he averaged 36 rush yards. And that was despite having very few designed runs called for him. … Liam Coen is in Jacksonville to fully unlock Trevor Lawrence. Last season in Coen's offense, Tampa Bay was top three in both passing yards and passing touchdowns. They also finished sixth in QB fantasy points, thanks in no small part to Baker Mayfield posting a career-high 378 rushing yards in his only season with Coen. More than 20% of Lawrence's career fantasy points are from rushing. Add Travis Hunter and a defense that should struggle and Trevor Lawrence is going to be throwing a LOT this year. … Since Kevin O'Connell became head coach in 2022, the Vikings are top eight in the following categories: passing yards, yards per pass attempt, passing touchdowns, passing TD rate, pass attempts, pass rate, QB fantasy points, and best dressed coach at the NFL Honors awards. So if KOC is in on J.J. McCarthy, I'm in on J.J. McCarthy. Or, to put it another way, if he can resurrect Sam Darnold from the dead, imagine what he can do with J.J. ... From Weeks 12-18 last season, Bryce Young was QB8 in PPG (20.7). It was a remarkable career path reversal, going from possible historic draft bust to guy-getting-mentioned-in-the-Others-Receiving-Votes-section of my preseason Love/Hate column. No doubt multiple Hollywood screenwriters are working on the script right now. And I assume that script will include the fact that Young has sneaky rushing ability (he averages 15-plus rushing yards per game for his career) and that the Panthers have added Tetairoa McMillan to the passing attack. Quarterbacks I Hate in 2025 Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers According to Fantasy Life Consensus ADP, Justin Herbert is going as high as QB11 on some sites and on average as QB13. Dude... Herbert finished as a top 12 QB in just eight of his 17 starts last season. His passing yards have also decreased in four straight seasons. In the 12 games last season in which he had fewer than 35 pass attempts, Justin Herbert averaged just 14.7 PPG. Herbert needs volume to produce in fantasy, but there simply isn't a lot of passing volume to be had in the Chargers offense. Last season the Chargers ranked 28th in pass attempts and 23rd in pass rate. And after spending a first-round draft pick on a running back I think we'll see Jim Harbaugh coaching college football again before we see a Jim Harbaugh team going pass-heavy. Herbert simply doesn't provide a lot of fantasy upside and you can get similar production much later in your draft. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins Maybe the quote of the offseason was Mike McDaniel telling assembled Miami reporters that it was a great morning 'because we're another day closer to death.' I can only assume McDaniel was thinking such dark thoughts because he had just looked at these Tua Tagovailoa stats: Last season, Tua had the lowest aDOT (5.7) among qualified QBs and ranked 30th in deep ball rate. Miami had by far the shortest average time to throw last season (2.62 seconds), making it tough to get deep balls out to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. And, going into this season, Miami has the 25th-ranked offensive line according to PFF. Despite leading the NFL in passing yards in 2023, Tua only finished QB17 in PPG. Why? Because he offers nothing in the run game. From 2022-2024, 97% of Tua's fantasy points have come as a passer. Look at it this way: If on draft day you make Tua Tagovailoa your fantasy team's QB1, your fantasy team is another day closer to death. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks I mentioned several quarterbacks in the Love section who are there in part because of the weapons that were added around them. Well, Sam Darnold is the opposite of that. He's leaving behind Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and TJ Hockenson, as well as the QB mastermind that is Kevin O'Connell. But, in fairness, it's not like Darnold is completely alone in Seattle. He has offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, whose offenses have ranked 21st and 18th in his two previous seasons as an NFL OC. Darnold also has one reliable receiver in Jaxon Smith-Njigba. But just one. (Sadly, I can no longer call my little Cooper Kupp reliable, as he has not played more than 12 games in a season since 2021.) Oh, and Darnold has a line that gave up the second-most QB pressures last season. Ooof. As weapons go, going from the Vikings to the Seahawks is like trading a B-2 bomber for one literal bee. Running Backs I Love in 2025 Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders During Chip Kelly's three seasons as head coach in Philadelphia from 2013-15, his backfields ranked fourth in fantasy PPG (27.7). In fact, in 2013, LeSean McCoy led the NFL in carries and rushing yards. Of course, a lot can change in a decade. For example, LeSean McCoy is no longer in the NFL (so you should not draft him in fantasy … hashtag: analysis!). But Ashton Jeanty is in the NFL, and he has Chip Kelly as his offensive coordinator. Kelly's offenses have ranked top seven in rush attempts in three of his four seasons as an NFL head coach. And you can assume the Raiders didn't use the No. 6 overall pick on Jeanty to watch him stand on the sidelines. Since 2012, five of the seven backs drafted inside the top 10 averaged at least 19 touches per game as a rookie. Even better: all five of them finished as top seven RBs in PPG as rookies. So, to recap: LeSean McCoy – not in the NFL, occasionally ruins movies for everyone. Do not draft. Ashton Jeanty – is in the NFL, keeps his mouth shut about movie endings, DO DRAFT. De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins De'Von Achane's calf injury is undoubtedly a bummer. But even if Achane doesn't get a single touch in Week 1 (and I believe that he's fine and plays in Week 1), he still might put up numbers. He's just that efficient. Since entering the NFL in 2023, Achane leads all running backs in fantasy points per touch. Last season he was also tied for the most games by a RB with 18-plus fantasy points (10), and he was No. 1 alone at the position in receptions (78) and receiving yards (592). Having a healthy Tagovailoa only improves Achane's production. In the 11 games Tua started last season, Achane averaged 22.6 PPG – good enough for RB1 over the full season. Even if he misses some time at the start of the season, Achane is still well inside my top 10 running backs for 2025. Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers The future of the Bucs offense has been built around Baker, Bucky and Egbuka. If there's a draft-eligible TE next year named something like Buccaroo McBucsalot, you can be sure the Bucs will take him. But let's talk about the 2026 NFL Draft and Tampa Bay's love of brand-focused alliteration some other time. For now, let's focus on your 2025 fantasy drafts and why you should seriously consider grabbing Bucky Irving. As a rookie in 2024, he was a league-winner down the stretch. From Week 6 on, he had the fifth-most scrimmage yards among all backs (1,221) and, in the nine games in which he saw 15-plus touches, averaged 121 scrimmage yards. Irving is also a rare, clear-cut, three-down RB1. As a rookie in 2024, he had 7.5 yards per target (second-highest among all RBs with 50-plus targets). While the injury to Tristan Wirfs is hashtag not ideal, I'm still high on him as I expect Tampa will use him more in the pass game while Wirfs is out. And if you forgot about his abilities as a pass catcher, Irving provided a reminder this preseason. So, let this serve as my reminder to you that Irving is a top 10 fantasy back in 2025. Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals Chase Brown opened the 2024 season as the RB2 in Cincinnati's offense behind Zack Moss. In Week 9, Brown began getting the bulk of the work. And three weeks ago, the Bengals released Zack Moss outright. Now, I don't want to jump to conclusions over a limited data set, but kinda feeling like Brown has won the RB1 job in Cincinnati? Sure, let's go with it. And he's the RB1 for good reason. After taking over as the starter in Week 9, Brown was RB4 in PPG … behind only Saquon Barkley, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Bijan Robinson. During that stretch, he averaged 23.6 touches and 116 scrimmage yards per game, with a 85% snap rate and 13% target share. That usage is unlikely to drop in 2025. With Moss gone, the depth chart behind Brown consists of just Samaje Perine and sixth-round pick Tahj Brooks. Brown is an explosive back who doesn't come off the field in a high-octane offense that will be in scoring position often. Simply put, he is an RB1 this year. Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers A few weeks ago, before the Hall of Fame game on NBC kicked off, I announced Omarion Hampton as my 2025 'Ride Or Die' pick. You can watch that video for my reasons why. But if you're one of the last remaining humans on earth who prefers reading words yourself over having words said to you on video, I will type my reasons here, as well. Hampton is a complete back. He can run, he can catch passes, and he can handle pass protection. He should get plenty of work in a run-heavy Chargers offense that, even with the Rashawn Slater injury, still has one of the better lines in football. That Chargers offense last season was tied for the sixth-most RB carries inside the 5-yard line. And I'm not too concerned about Najee Harris. Harris is on a one-year deal, remains limited due to his eye injury and … well, he's Najee Harris. We've seen him before. He's solid. But he's not spectacular. His upside is limited. Hampton's is not. There's a reason why Najee Harris is on a one-year deal and the Bolts used their first-round pick on Hampton. So yes, when I announced Hampton, he was being drafted as barely a top 50 overall player. And I have Omarion Hampton, my 2025 'Ride Or Die,' inside my top 30 overall heading into the season. Others receiving votes: Last season, Alvin Kamara averaged 21.1 touches per game (fifth among backs) and was tops at the position in target share (21.4%). Kellen Moore doesn't have a lot to work with, but he does have the pass-catching Kamara. The Saints will have to throw a lot to stay in games this season and whoever their quarterback is will be happy to dump it off to their talented veteran back. By the way, Kamara has now averaged at least 17.8 PPG in seven of his eight NFL seasons, and his 1,493 total yards in 2024 were his most since 2020. He's still got it. … Drafting Alvin Kamara in 2025 at least feels more exciting than taking James Conner. But the fact is that both Kamara and Conner continue to produce. No one will say 'oooh' when you pick Kamara or Conner the way they might when Hampton goes. But all they do is produce. Conner has played four seasons in Arizona now, and he's finished as a top 15 back in PPG in all of them. And, believe it or not, last season Conner set a career high in scrimmage yards with 1,508. ... Patriots fans are freaking out about how good TreVeyon Henderson has looked in the preseason. But I say he's already peaked. I mean, his first NFL touch was a 100-yard kick return for a touchdown. Very unlikely he keeps that up every time he gets his hands on the ball. But yeah, incoming 100-yard-play regression aside, I also love what I've seen of the rookie. I also love Henderson's likely usage in a Josh McDaniels offense that leans on backs in the passing game. … Speaking of running backs that never seem to get any love, how about Tony Pollard? Last season, in games in which he played at least 60% of snaps, Pollard averaged 20.1 touches and had a 12.8% target share. Tyjae Spears is already injured, which means Pollard will open the season as the lead back in what should be an improved offense. … Since Sean Payton became Denver's head coach, the Broncos rank No. 1 in RB target share and receptions. Over the same span, Denver is top 10 in RB fantasy PPG (22.3). R.J. Harvey and J.K. Dobbins both should be fantasy relevant this season in that offense as Payton has a long history of using multiple RBs. … Kevin O'Connell has said he views Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason as a 1A/1B tandem. Considering Jones is now 30 and coming off career highs in touches and carries, don't be surprised if Mason gets heavy work as the season progresses. Last season, 15% of Mason's runs gained 10-plus yards, the second-highest rate among backs with 150 or more carries. I suspect Jones gets more passing work but Mason gets more early work and the goal line stuff. Mason, by the way, is going four to five rounds after Jones on some sites… It's time to talk about the most fun topic of all: insurance. My top insurance back this season is Zach Charbonnet. In Charbonnet's eight career starts, he's averaging 18.5 touches, 95 scrimmage yards and 17.7 PPG. When he gets work, he produces. And with Ken Walker III already banged up and concerns it might be more serious than expected, plus Charb's strong camp, Charbonnet may get that work a lot sooner than later. ... Speaking of positive camp reports, Braelon Allen has been getting a lot of buzz, and we've seen him rotate in with the starters in both preseason games so far. The Jets' new OC is Tanner Engstrand, formerly the passing game coordinator with the Lions, and it looks like Allen will play the David Montgomery role in the Jets offense. Late-round targets: These are fliers I like late in drafts, and I'm starting with Jaydon Blue. He's far and away the most explosive option in the Dallas backfield. He also is the best pass-catching back in what should be a pass-heavy offense. … The star of the Commanders' preseason is Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Or Bill Croskey-Merritt, as he likes to be called. We discussed JCM on Fantasy Football Happy Hour back around the NFL draft, where our own Connor Rogers had him ranked higher as a prospect than RJ Harvey. We've discussed all off-season his talent (here's my tweet from July) which I only bring up because I know everyone in the fantasy football universe is now talking about him. Washington ranked 12th in RB fantasy points last season. It's a great offense for a talented back, and JCM could fit the bill. … From Bill to Will Shipley. He's the clear RB2 behind Saquon Barkley, who is coming off of a 482-touch season and has been injury prone in the past. (Knock on wood.) … From wood to Woody Marks in Houston. Joe Mixon's status is a mystery and Nick Chubb looks more washed than a piece of driftwood. … Along with Jacory Croskey-Merritt, my most drafted late round RB in dynasty this offseason is Chicago's Kyle Monangai. Over 1,200 yards in two straight seasons in the Big Ten, he is a tough physical runner who seems the most likely candidate to be the 'David Montgomery' in the Chicago version of Ben Johnson's offense… And finally, give me some Sean Tucker for sneaky Bucky Irving insurance. The Bucs speak glowingly of Tucker (like, you have no idea how much they love him) and Rachaad White is dealing with a groin injury. Running Backs I Hate in 2025 James Cook, Buffalo Bills Last season, James Cook finished RB11 in PPG and scored 18 total touchdowns. Only Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs had more weeks finishing as a top 12 fantasy back. Pretty good! So what's to hate? Well, a lot actually. Let me put on my bile-colored glasses, take a sip from my chalice of haterade, and lay it all out for you. Mmm … what a delicious batch of haterade. Okay, get this: In 2024, Cook ranked 26th at the position in touches per game (14.9) and 38th in snap rate (48%). He had just three games with more than three targets and played on just 13% of third downs. He also got 40% of his fantasy points last season on touchdowns. FORTY! This from a guy who, you may remember, had just four total rushing touchdowns over his first two NFL seasons. Touchdown regression is sure to get Cook. That, and all of those other peripherals, is why I will not be getting Cook at his current ADP. Cook is not a top 12 fantasy back for me in 2025. Breece Hall, New York Jets There's a consistent drumbeat coming out of Jets camp that the team may be leaning towards a running back by committee approach this season. Granted, that's probably better for the team than last season's drumbeat led by an ayahuasca'd-out Aaron Rodgers. But it's not great for Breece Hall's fantasy prospects. Yes, there's a scenario where Hall is the 'Jahmyr Gibbs' in the version of the Lions offense Aaron Glenn and staff are bringing to the Jets. But there's also the scenario where Hall, who has been injury prone in his career, just doesn't score a ton of fantasy points relative to where he's being drafted (currently RB17, ahead of RBs like Chuba Hubbard, James Conner, and TreVeon Henderson, all of whom I prefer). In seven of his final nine games last season, Hall posted less than 15 fantasy points. He also has yet to have a season with 1,000-plus rush yards or more than five rushing scores. The Jets absolutely want Braelon Allen to touch the ball more this year, especially near the goal line. Speaking of rushing near the goal line … last season in his starts, Justin Fields saw 60% of Pittsburgh's goal-line rushes. So, the argument for Hall is really staying healthy, big plays, and catching a lot of passes. Well, traditionally, Fields just doesn't throw to his backs a ton. The most targets per game a RB has averaged playing with Justin Fields? Najee Harris. Last season. With just 3.1. Too much has to go right for Hall for him to reach the value of where he's being drafted this year. Joe Mixon, Houston Texans Joe Mixon is still not back from a lingering ankle/foot injury, which is the same issue he had last season. There is still no timetable for his return, and considering that he's 29, has a ton of wear on his tires (third-most career carries of any active RB), and averaged just 3.4 YPC from Weeks 10-18 last season, time is definitely not on Mixon's side. And when he does return? He'll do it behind a Houston line that PFF has ranked dead-last in the NFL heading into the season. Mixon is outside my top 30 backs in 2025. Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys Jerry Jones' most peculiar move of the offseason might not even be needlessly creating a feud with his best defensive player. It could instead be when he willingly gave Javonte Williams a contract to play football. There's no other way to put it: Williams was dreadful in 2024. Last season, Williams posted career lows in PPG and touches per game, had the lowest YAC per attempt among RBs with 100-plus rushes, and ranked bottom 10 in avoided tackle rate. Yikes. Yet Williams is being drafted 20 picks ahead of any other Dallas back (per Fantasy Life consensus ADP) despite: a) probably not being good; and b) having no assurances he will have the RB1 job in Dallas. No, thank you. Pass Catchers I Love in 2025 Nico Collins, Houston Texans It's time we admit some things. First of all … those jeans? They DO, in fact, make your butt look big. Your suspicions were correct, and it's time someone is honest with you about it. Your butt looks enormous. I'm just trying to be a good friend here. Second? It's time we admit Nico Collins is a top five fantasy WR. He doesn't get the same love as the other elite guys, but he should. The stats back it up. (Unlike with your jeans, it's not just the eye test.) Over the past two seasons, Collins is fifth in receiving yards per game (85.3), leads all wide receivers in yards per route run (3.0), ranks second in yards per target, and has been third in fantasy points per target. He also has averaged 18.9 PPG during that stretch in games in which he plays at least 60% of snaps. All of those numbers should remain consistent, if not improve, in the 2025 Texans offense. Considering Houston's RB issues and its offensive line, the passing game will lead the way and Collins does not have significant target competition. One of my strong finalists to be 'Ride or Die' this year, I love me some Nico Collins this season. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons Okay, sure, small sample alert and all but COME. ON. In Drake London's three games last season with Michael Penix Jr. at the controls (Weeks 16-18), he put up massive numbers. London averaged 23.1 PPG and 117 receiving yards. His aDOT ballooned to 12.7. And he got a 40% target share, as well as seeing 67% of Atlanta's end zone targets. His Utilization Score last year was a ridiculous 89. (The Utilization Score is a metric my friend Dwain McFarland invented that is a weighted calculation incorporating the most predictive data points to forecast future performance. When evaluating weekly and rolling four-week performances, the Utilization Score has proven to be more stable and predictive than fantasy points per game. It is a stronger metric than industry standards like snaps, attempts, targets, or air yards.). When you see London's Utilization, you can't blame other top NFL receivers if they look at London and get a serious case of Penix envy. But it wasn't even all Penix. For the season, London's 158 targets were third-most in the NFL, and he led all players in percentage of both team end zone and red zone targets. Darnell Mooney is still banged up and Kyle Pitts is still Kyle Pitts. There is a perfect mix of volume and talent here, which makes London a top 10 WR for me. Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers The last eight WRs to be drafted inside the top 10 all saw 100-plus targets. That draft capital, and the fact that McMillan's target competition is 35-year old Adam Thielen and Xavier Legette (17% target share in 2024), means McMillan will get a ton of targets as a rookie (rookie (he's already seen a 50% target share from Bryce Young this preseason) … and he'll do it in an offense that last season ranked top eight in WR target share and WR red zone targets. Oh … yeah … in case you haven't seen any of the videos, McMillan's size and athleticism will make him a very popular red zone target. He can be a top 20 WR right out of the gate. Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans In this same offense last year, in games in which he saw seven or more 'catchable' targets last season, Calvin Ridley averaged 18.3 PPG. (For comparison, last year, Justin Jefferson averaged 18.7 PPG). The Cam Ward era should bring more catchable passes than last year did. And many of those catchable balls will be thrown deep. Ward had the fourth-most completions on passes of 20-plus air yards in college football last season, while Ridley led the NFL in deep targets. Oh, and speaking of targets, it's hard to see many of them going to the rest of the Tennessee WR depth chart, which consists of: 32-year-old Tyler Lockett, Van Jefferson, and two rookies taken in the fourth round. Travis Hunter, Jacksonville Jaguars Liam Coen said earlier this month that he could see Travis Hunter playing 80% of the offensive snaps. Personally, I think Travis Hunter should play 100% of offensive snaps. And also 0% of defensive snaps, because who needs him out there at corner stopping other receivers from getting fantasy points? But fine, Liam, I will accept the 80%. Because that 80% will go a long way in Coen's offense. Last season under Coen, Tampa Bay ranked third in WR fantasy points, while Brian Thomas, Jr. is the only player on the Jacksonville roster to have seen more than 53 targets a season ago. Regardless of stats, New Jags GM James Gladstone and new Head Coach Liam Coen traded a massive amount of assets to move up and draft him. Which means, if nothing else in Jacksonville this year, Travis Hunter NEEDS to work. They will make sure he does, plugging in immediately as the WR2. As a result I actually don't care what the snap percentage is. When Hunter is on offense he's gonna be one of the first two reads. If they also want him on defense then they aren't gonna waste snaps on offense running wind sprints. I also like that Coen runs a lot of screens, which should play well into Hunter's YAC abilities. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers Drafting the right tight end can make or break your fantasy season. So after Brock Bowers and Trey McBride go off the board early, get your mind right by taking a huge sniff of smelling salts, and get you some George Kittle. Last season, Kittle led all players in yards per target (11.8), and he's the only TE to post 1,000-plus receiving yards in each of the past two seasons. Over that same two-year stretch, he has 39 receptions of 20-plus yards. The next closest TE – Travis Kelce – is WAY back in second place, with 22. Kittle also thrives with a healthy Brock Purdy. In 34 games with Purdy as the starter, Kittle has 20 touchdowns and averages 15.0 PPG. And Kittle could be in line for an even bigger season in 2025. The 49ers signed TE Luke Farrell to handle some of the blocking, allowing Kittle to run more routes. Those routes will be high leverage, too, considering Brandon Aiyuk will start the season on PUP and Jauan Jennings' status is up in the air. George Kittle is in for a big season. Okay, you can probably stop huffing the smelling salts now. Others receiving votes: Thank you to the Dallas Cowboys for getting George Pickens away from that Steelers offense. Get this: Since entering the NFL, Pickens ranks second in yards per reception and has the fourth-highest aDOT among qualified WRs. The problem? The Steelers didn't throw it much. Now he joins a Cowboys offense that – over the past two seasons – ranks third in total pass attempts, while Dak Prescott has the second-highest passer rating on deep passes over the same span. … When I was on the field prior to the preseason Hall of Fame game, I spoke to Jared Goff and asked him for a sleeper on his offense. First name he said was Jameson Williams. New Lions offensive coordinator John Morton is letting Williams diversify his route tree, including more downfield routes. That could be huge for a player who was top three in both yards and fantasy points per target last season (minimum 75 targets). … In each of the past three seasons, Jakobi Meyers has finished as a top 30 WR in PPG. He only produced more last season when Davante Adams was dealt. From Weeks 4-18, Meyers was WR20 in PPG and saw a 27.1% target share. … In his five games last season with a target share of at least 15%, Ricky Pearsall averaged 16.3 PPG. With Deebo Samuel gone and Brandon Aiyuk injured, Pearsall should be a big and consistent part of the 49ers offense in 2025. … Keep an eye on Jauan Jennings and his calf injury/holdout heading into your drafts. But if he's a go, go get him in the middle rounds. In the nine games Jennings played over 70% of the snaps last season, he averaged 17.9 PPG. He also had a team-high 27.8% target share from Weeks 10-18. … Tampa Bay ranked top 10 in slot targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns in 2024. Considering Chris Godwin is still slowly working his way back from last year's season-ending ankle injury and Jalen McMillan is going to miss significant time, Emeka Egbuka has a ton of upside. … I love me some Matthew Golden. And it's not just because with Matthew Stafford getting long in the tooth, the NFL was in desperate need of a younger, fantasy-relevant player with the coolest first name of all. Okay, it's partly that. But it's also because Matthew Golden has been lighting up Packers camp, Jayden Reed is banged up, and Jordan Love loves throwing deep. … You know I'm high on Bo Nix, so it stands to reason I like his No. 1 target. He never gets a lot of love but as Nix grew, so did Courtland Sutton. Coinciding with Nix's ascension was Sutton, who, over his final 10 games (Weeks 10-18), Sutton was the 10th best WR in fantasy on a PPG basis. He also had 44% of Denver's air yards last season, the second-highest rate in the league (only Calvin Ridley saw a higher percentage of his team's air yards). ... Speaking of deep threats, Rashid Shaheed leads all players in yards per target (minimum 100 targets) since entering the NFL in 2022. Before he was injured last season, Shaheed was WR29 in PPG and led the Saints in target share at 24%. … I don't understand, from a NFL point of view, why the Colts are starting Daniel Jones. They knew Anthony Richardson was a project when they drafted him and projects need more time and experience to develop. That said, Jones starting is good for the fantasy prospects of Josh Downs and Tyler Warren, who should both eat underneath on short- and medium-yardage routes. Last year, Jones ranked 32nd in deep ball rate. … Joe Flacco still being alive (and starting at quarterback) is great for David Njoku. In the five games Flacco started for Cleveland in 2023, Njoku averaged 18.2 PPG and had a 22.5% target share. I'm also still obsessed with Cedric Tillman. So sue me. … I'm on record as saying Ben Johnson says he sees a lot of similarities between Sam LaPorta and Colston Loveland, who Chicago invested the 10th overall pick on. During Johnson's three-year tenure as Detroit OC, the Lions ranked eighth in TE fantasy points. … Liam Coen's Tampa offense last season saw Cade Otton become TE10 in PPG and earn a 19% target share. That could portend good things for Brenton Strange in Jacksonville. Strange has at least nine fantasy points in seven of his nine career games with a double-digit target share… Some quick super deep league names: After Garrett Wilson, there's not much to like in the Jets passing attack. Enter rookie Mason Taylor. … I know for a fact that across town the Giants really like Theo Johnson and, like the Jets, don't have a strong target earner after their No. 1 guy. Pass Catchers I Hate in 2025 DK Metcalf, Pittsburgh Steelers DK Metcalf is a physically imposing human being. Six-foot-four, 230 pounds. Ripped. He is as big as many tight ends. Unfortunately, he does not play tight end … and Arthur Smith is his offensive coordinator. So he is on the wide receiver Hate list. Get this: Over the last four seasons, when Arthur Smith has been a head coach or offensive coordinator, none of his wide receivers – zero – have finished higher than 31st in total fantasy points OR points per game. Arthur Smith held Drake London to WR44 and WR42 finishes in Atlanta, and last year saw George Pickens to a WR35 finish in PPG. The most targets any WR has ever seen under Arthur Smith? That was London in 2022 … with 117. Why do I bring that up? Well, in the two seasons in which Metcalf has seen fewer than 117 targets, he failed to reach 1,000 receiving yards in both and finished outside the top 30 WRs each time. And, like it or not, Metcalf still has just one season under his belt in which he finished higher than WR22 in PPG. And that was BEFORE landing in an Arthur Smith offense. Sorry, DK. Maybe consider a position change? Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns We all love having Jameis Winston around. He's positive, gives an amazing quote, and can unleash throws few in the NFL can make … or at least throws few others in the NFL would consider making. But probably no one loves having Winston around more than Jerry Jeudy. Last season, in Winston's seven starts, Jeudy averaged 21.1 PPG. In his 10 games without Winston? Just 9.3 PPG. That's going from WR1 production to not playable on a good fantasy team. Jeudy's WR21 finish last season was also entirely based on volume. He led all WRs in snaps and routes run, and was seventh in total targets. He also has just 15 touchdowns on 501 career targets, a paltry 3% touchdown rate. With Winston out of Cleveland, I have to put Jeudy out of my top 40 at the position. Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens At most sportsbooks, the Baltimore Ravens are the odds-on favorites to win the Super Bowl. Why? Because they're loaded. Let's just look at their pass catchers. Rashod Bateman took a step up last year. DeAndre Hopkins has arrived. Mark Andrews is still there. Isaiah Likely will be back soon. Great for the Ravens. But it's hard to see Zay Flowers scoring a ton of touchdowns with all those mouths to feed. Last season, Lamar Jackson threw for a career-high 41 touchdowns … yet Flowers still finished as only the WR32 in PPG. And that's primarily because Flowers saw only seven red zone targets. Through two career seasons, Flowers ranks 62nd among WRs in percentage of team red zone targets (16%) and 73rd in percentage of team end zone targets (18%). Flowers is a really, really good NFL wide receiver and a perfectly safe WR3 for fantasy. But I want upside in the range he's going, and given how many red zone threats Baltimore has, I can't see Flowers getting the volume or touchdowns he needs to truly break out. Given he's going in the same range as other WRs that have much more upside potential (Flowers is WR 25 per Fantasy Life Consensus ADP and being drafted ahead of George Pickens, Jameson Williams, Calvin Ridley, Tetaroia McMillan, and Travis Hunter) I'm just not gonna have many shares of Flowers this year. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles Despite being a 30-year-old veteran of seven NFL seasons, Dallas Goedert has never had a season with a 20% target share. Last season, in the four games Goedert played with both A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith in the lineup, his target share dipped to just 13%. He also only has one season in his career with more than four receiving scores. That was in 2019 when he posted … drumroll please … five. Okay, a drumroll probably wasn't needed for five touchdowns. And now I have to pay this stupid drummer I hired to sit by me all day while I write. Annoying. Also annoying: Goedert has missed 15 games over the past three seasons. So, he's not targeted a lot in the Eagles offense, doesn't score many touchdowns, and is injury prone. What's not to hate? Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons Look, I know I told you to put the smelling salts down a few paragraphs back. But pick them back up and take the biggest sniff you've ever sniffed. Keep going. Keep going. One more big inhale. Okay … is your mind clear now? DO NOT DRAFT KYLE PITTS AGAIN THIS YEAR. Every year we hear pre-season hype that they've found a way to 'unleash him' and he's 'due for a big year.' Yeah, yeah. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me eight billion times, shame on me and Atlanta beat reporters. It's not happening. This year. Or ever. Pitts has not finished higher than TE17 in PPG since his rookie season in 2021. That's so long ago that Gronk was TE3 then. Pitts' yards per route run have decreased in every season of his career. Last year he posted career lows in snap rate (61%), target share (13.7%), receiving yards per game (35.4), and aDOT (8.4). Stop trying to make Kyle Pitts happen. It wasn't Arthur Smith. It wasn't Marcus Mariota or Desmond Ridder or Kirk Cousins. It's Kyle Pitts. Stay away.
CBS News
13 minutes ago
- CBS News
Apple hikes the cost of a monthly Apple TV+ subscription
Apple is raising the price of a subscription to its Apple TV+ streaming service for U.S. customers. The technology giant said Thursday that an Apple TV+ subscription will now cost $12.99 a month, up from $9.99. The annual cost for Apple TV+ will remain $99.99 The new pricing takes effect for new subscribers on Aug. 21, while existing customers will see the change 30 days after their next service renewal date. Apple's original content includes programs like "The Morning Show," and "Severance." The company last hiked Apple TV+ prices in October 2023, when a monthly subscription rose from $6.99 to $9.99 in the U.S. The move comes after both Netflix and NBCUniversal's Peacock streaming service also raised their prices earlier this year. In January, Netflix boosted the cost of a standard plan with ads from $6.99 to $7.99 a month. Peacock in July raised its subscription rates by $3, increasing the cost of a Premium Plus plan to $16.99 per month.
