NFL & NBA Hub 2026: Scores, Fantasy Rankings, Salaries & Draft

Welcome to the DeepestFeelings NFL & NBA Hub for 2026 — a single, regularly updated home for everything happening across America's two biggest leagues. As the 2026 NBA Playoffs head into the second round and the dust settles on the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, we're tracking it all: live scores, MVP race standings, fantasy football and basketball rankings, the highest-paid players in both leagues, salary cap explainers, and rookie-friendly guides for fans new to either sport. Whether you're here to draft your fantasy team, follow your franchise, or just understand how the league works, every section below is built to answer one question quickly and clearly.

💰 Player Salaries & Money

Updated for the 2025–26 season · Source: Spotrac, OverTheCap & Basketball Reference

The Big Numbers: NFL & NBA Player Pay in 2026

NFL and NBA stars are among the highest-paid athletes on the planet. Here's a deep dive into who earns what, how the salary caps work in each league, and what these contract structures mean for every team's roster decisions heading into the 2026–27 seasons. All figures below reflect current 2025–26 base salaries (NBA) and Average Annual Value (NFL).

$59.6M

Top NBA salary 2025–26 (Curry)

$60M

Top NFL AAV (Prescott)

$165M

NBA salary cap 2026–27

NBA Highest Paid Players 2025–26 Full list →

#	Player	Pos	2025–26 Salary
1	Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors	PG	$59.6M
2	Joel Embiid Philadelphia 76ers	C	$55.2M
3	Nikola Jokić Denver Nuggets	C	$55.2M
4	Jayson Tatum Boston Celtics	SF	$54.1M
5	Giannis Antetokounmpo Milwaukee Bucks	SF	$54.1M

NFL Highest Paid Players 2025–26 (AAV) Full list →

#	Player	Pos	Annual Value
1	Dak Prescott Dallas Cowboys	QB	$60.0M
2	Joe Burrow Cincinnati Bengals	QB	$55.0M
3	Trevor Lawrence Jacksonville Jaguars	QB	$55.0M
4	Jared Goff Detroit Lions	QB	$53.0M
5	Justin Herbert Los Angeles Chargers	QB	$52.5M

AAV = Average Annual Value. Cap hits differ year to year due to bonus proration. Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, and Jalen Hurts also exceed $50M AAV.

$165M

Projected NBA Salary Cap 2026–27

$154.6M

2025–26 Cap

$201M

Luxury Tax Line

$222M

2nd Apron

The NBA uses a soft salary cap — teams can exceed it using exceptions like Bird Rights to re-sign their own players. Teams that go over the luxury tax threshold pay a dollar-for-dollar penalty, and teams above the "second apron" face serious restrictions on trades, free agency, and even future draft picks. The 2026–27 cap was projected slightly lower than expected due to a dip in local media revenue.

$279.2M

NFL Salary Cap 2025 (per team)

$255.4M

2024 Cap

$113B

11-yr Media Deal

48.8%

Players' Share

The NFL uses a hard salary cap — every team must stay under it, no exceptions. The cap jumped from $255.4M in 2024 to $279.2M in 2025, driven largely by the league's $113 billion media rights deal with Amazon, ESPN, Fox, CBS and NBC. With 53-man rosters, NFL teams must spread the cap much thinner than NBA teams. Dead cap (money still owed to released players) is one of the most important roster-management tools in the sport.

NFL Money

NFL Rookie Salary Guide: What 2026 Draft Picks Earn

From #1 overall to 7th round — exactly how much the 2026 draft class will make on their rookie contracts.

→ NBA Money

NBA Contract Structures: Max, Supermax, Mid-Level Explained

What's a max contract? How does the supermax work? Plain-English breakdown of every NBA deal type.

→ Net Worth

LeBron, Curry, Mahomes: Net Worth vs. Salary

Why the richest players earn far more outside their contracts — business ventures, endorsements, and equity stakes.

→

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers for fans & first-timers

What does this NFL & NBA 2026 hub include?

This hub covers NFL and NBA 2026 including live scores, fantasy rankings, draft analysis, top player salaries, trades, and playoff updates — all in one place, updated daily.

Where can I check 2026 NFL Draft updates?

Full 2026 NFL Draft coverage — including the first round breakdown, every pick, team grades, and post-draft analysis from Pittsburgh — is available in the NFL Draft section of this page.

Are the fantasy rankings updated regularly?

Yes. NFL and NBA fantasy rankings are updated weekly during the season and daily during the NBA playoffs, factoring in trades, injuries, depth chart changes, and recent performance.

Who are the highest-paid NFL and NBA players in 2026?

Stephen Curry leads the NBA with a $59.6M salary for 2025–26. In the NFL, Dak Prescott tops the list at roughly $60M average annual value, becoming the first NFL player to break the $60M AAV barrier, followed by Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence at around $55M AAV.

Where can beginners learn how the NFL and NBA work?

Beginner guides explaining the rules, season formats, playoff structures, draft systems, and key positions are available in the "New to NFL or NBA?" Learn section of this page.

What is the NBA salary cap for the 2026–27 season?

The projected NBA salary cap for 2026–27 is $165 million, with the luxury tax line at $201 million, the first apron at $209 million, and the second apron at $222 million. The figure was adjusted slightly downward from earlier projections due to a reduction in local media revenue.

How does the NFL salary cap differ from the NBA's?

The NFL uses a hard salary cap that no team can exceed under any circumstance. The NBA uses a soft cap with exceptions like Bird Rights, plus luxury tax penalties and apron restrictions for high-spending teams. The 2025 NFL cap is $279.2 million per team, while the 2025–26 NBA cap is $154.6 million.

NFL
&
NBA
Hub 2026

💰 Player Salaries & Money

The Big Numbers: NFL & NBA Player Pay in 2026

🎯 Fantasy Sports Hub

📖 New to NFL or NBA? Start Here

❓ Frequently Asked Questions