As the NFL reaches the halfway point of the 2026 regular season with Week 9, teams face critical decisions ahead of the November 10 trade deadline. CBS Sports outlines five storylines that could unfold, ranging from rookie breakouts to potential coaching changes.
Jonah Coleman Could Silence Broncos Trade Talk
Rookie running back Jonah Coleman, returning from an ankle injury, had a breakout game against Kansas City with 11 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown, plus four catches for 63 yards including a 51-yard gain on the go-ahead drive. Facing a Carolina defense allowing 4.8 yards per carry (tied for fourth-highest) and 140.7 rushing yards per game (third-highest), Coleman has a chance to prove Denver does not need to pursue a running back like Jonathan Taylor before the deadline.
Carson Beck May Make NFL Debut for Cardinals
After Arizona traded Jacoby Brissett to Baltimore and named Gardner Minshew the starter against Seattle, rookie quarterback Carson Beck has moved up to primary backup. With Seattle's defense allowing a franchise-record low 250.0 total yards per game and 4.2 yards per play (fourth-fewest in 20 years), a poor Minshew performance could prompt coach Matt LaFleur to turn to Beck, the third-round pick, to evaluate him for the future.
Jayden Daniels Risks First Turnovers Against Rams
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has yet to throw an interception or lose a fumble in five starts, joining only five other players in NFL history with at least 240 total yards per game and zero interceptions through five starts. However, his 17.2% off-target throw rate against Philadelphia was the third-highest of his career. Facing a Rams defense tied for fifth-most interceptions (7) and coming off two picks of Justin Herbert, Daniels could see his pristine record end, especially if Los Angeles builds a lead and forces a pass-heavy script.
Bijan Robinson Poised for Bounce-Back in Madrid
Falcons running back Bijan Robinson leads the NFL with 780 rushing yards but has averaged just 71.5 yards per game and 4.4 yards per carry over the past four weeks, down from 123.5 yards and 5.8 yards per carry in the first four games. In an international game in Madrid against Cincinnati, which allows 122.3 rushing yards per game and 4.8 yards per carry (tied for fourth-highest), Atlanta may lean on a ground-and-pound approach to counter Joe Burrow's hot streak. Robinson could return to early-season form.
Chargers Could Fire Offensive Coordinator Mike McDaniel
Los Angeles ranks last in points per game (14.1) and most total turnovers (17), without a touchdown since the third quarter of Week 5. A home loss to Houston, whose defense has allowed 30-plus points three times this season after once in 2025, would drop the Chargers to 0-8. With a bye before a November 16 Monday night game at Baltimore, head coach Jim Harbaugh may finally move on from McDaniel after sticking with him through the Week 7 bye.
