MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 22: Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley (5) lines up behind guard Jovaughn Gwyn (54) during the NFL preseason game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Minnesota Vikings on August 22nd, 2026, at U.S. Bank in Minneapolis, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Baltimore Ravens are just one more game away from the 2026 regular season. Jesse Minter has won his first two preseason games as head coach; tonight, he’ll go for three in a row against the visiting Washington Commanders. Most of the 53-man roster is already set, but the Ravens still have to settle on their Week 1 starting center and fill a few key depth spots on both sides of the ball.
The Ravens’ preseason final kicks off at 6 p.m. ET at M&T Bank Stadium. Follow along with all of the action on this page and join the discussion in the comments section!
Ja'Kobi Lane is not on the field with the rest of the Ravens' wide receivers in warmups. Seems like the third-round rookie is getting the starter treatment tonight 👀
Woodland Hills, - June 08:Rams Puka Nacua (12) at Rams practice on Monday, June 8, 2026. (Photo by David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images) g | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
69% of fans are simply not worried about Nacua or Garrett missing any time, so far.
19% of the fans surveyed claimed to be worried about both players, while 12% are split between worrying about Nacua and Garrett respectively. So, if you add up all the worriers, you could make the argument that about 30% of the fan base is concerned about either or both players leading in to September.
If either one of these absences bleed into the regular season, panic may set in among the fan base and the organization, but that hasn’t happened, yet, as most expect the Rams and their stars to be good to go for Week 1.
If Nacua is suspended for Week 1, or misses time due to injury, that should impact all of L.A.’s offense. Whether you think that means Matthew Stafford has a bad day without Nacua, or that Terrance Ferguson goes off in Nacua’s place, you can make those bets and more on FanDuel!
If you can think of it, you can likely bet it. Bet responsibly and have fun with it. You never know, the next big winner could be you!
And keep an eye on who will be suiting up for Week 1, nothing is decided until it’s official, and until an official roster is shown, nothing is decided, but as it stands, Rams fans expect their starters to be good to go in Australia.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 12: Malachi Moreno #24 of the Kentucky Wildcats celebrates after a play during the second half in the second round of the 2026 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament against the Missouri Tigers at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the addition of Missouri transfer forward Mark Mitchell (pending his eligibility case), Kentucky Basketball’s 2026-27 roster is now finalized.
After an offseason filled with roster movement, Mark Pope and his staff have assembled a team that combines proven college production, size, shooting, and versatility.
With the roster set, here is a look at Kentucky’s projected starting five and several key players who could play important roles off the bench.
Kentucky Basketball Projected Starting Five
PG: Zoom Diallo
Diallo enters his third collegiate season after taking a significant step forward at Washington in 2025-26.
He started 29 of 33 games and averaged 15.7 points and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 48.9% from the field. He scored in double figures 23 times and recorded three double-doubles.
Diallo showed he can take over games, including a 26-point performance against USC and a 22-point, 11-assist effort against the Trojans in an overtime victory. He also recorded a career-high 12 assists against Iowa.
After averaging 11.1 points and 2.7 assists as a sophomore, Diallo appears ready to take on an even larger role at Kentucky.
One interesting storyline will be whether Diallo can help Kentucky reverse his college winning fortunes. Despite his individual production, he has yet to play on a winning college team. With this roster around him, that could change in Lexington.
SG: Alex Wilkins
Wilkins comes to Kentucky after an outstanding freshman season at Furman.
The 6-foot-6 guard started all 35 games he played and averaged 17.8 points and 4.7 assists per game. He earned second-team All-Southern Conference honors, NABC All-South Atlantic District First Team recognition and SoCon Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors.
Wilkins averaged 21.7 points per game during the SoCon Tournament, including a career-high 34 points against UNC Greensboro.
He finished the season with 622 points, the most ever by a Furman freshman, while shooting 45.8% from the field, 32.1% from 3 and 83.5% from the free-throw line.
Wilkins also came close to helping Furman pull off a massive NCAA Tournament upset. As a No. 15 seed, Furman led No. 2 seed UConn at one point before eventually falling 82-71. Wilkins scored 21 points and knocked down four 3-pointers.
His combination of size, scoring ability, and playmaking should give Pope another versatile option in the backcourt.
SF: Milan Momcilovic
Momcilovic is arguably one of the most dangerous shooters on Kentucky’s roster.
The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 16.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game at Iowa State, while shooting an incredible 50.6% from the field, 48.7% from 3 and 87.8% from the free-throw line.
He started all 37 games and set an Iowa State single-season record with 136 made 3-pointers.
Momcilovic also showed that he can perform against elite competition. He scored 20 points and knocked down four 3-pointers against Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament.
His ability to stretch the floor from the forward position could be extremely valuable alongside Kentucky’s bigger players.
PF: Mark Mitchell
Mitchell is the newest addition to Kentucky’s roster and arguably the most intriguing.
The 6-foot-9, 230-pound forward was a five-star recruit in the 2022 class and originally chose Duke over Kansas, UCLA, and Missouri.
After two seasons at Duke, Mitchell transferred to Missouri, where his production continued to rise.
As a senior, he averaged 18.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game, while shooting 55% from the field and 38.8% from 3. He led Missouri in scoring, rebounding and assists while earning second-team All-SEC honors.
Kentucky has already seen firsthand what Mitchell can do.
He scored 21 points in Missouri’s 73-68 upset of Kentucky at Rupp Arena during the regular season. Kentucky eventually got revenge in the SEC Tournament with a 78-72 victory, but Mitchell exploded for 32 points and seven rebounds while shooting 13-of-21 from the field and 2-of-2 from 3.
Mitchell brings size, physicality, scoring, passing, and improved shooting to the Kentucky frontcourt. His ability to attack the basket while also spacing the floor makes him a fascinating fit alongside Momcilovic and Moreno.
C: Malachi Moreno
Moreno enters his sophomore season as the anchor of Kentucky’s frontcourt.
The 7-foot, 245-pound Georgetown native appeared in all 36 games as a freshman and started 30. He averaged 7.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.47 blocks per game, while shooting 58.2% from the field.
Moreno recorded three double-doubles and led Kentucky in rebounding 18 times and blocks 17 times.
With another year of experience and an offseason to develop, Moreno could take a significant step forward.
Key Bench Players
Kam Williams
Williams could be one of Kentucky’s most important reserves if he can enter the season fully healthy.
The 6-foot-7 guard averaged 6.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assist in 24 games last season, missing 12 games because of a broken foot.
Before his injury, Williams showed plenty of potential, including a career-high 26 points and eight 3-pointers against Bellarmine.
He also returned in time to contribute during the NCAA Tournament, but now he is coming off another foot surgery; his health will be something to monitor heading into the season.
Justin McBride
McBride arrives at Kentucky after an impressive season at James Madison.
The 6-foot-8, 250-pound forward averaged 15.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game, while shooting 49.4% from the field, 40% from 3 and 78.2% from the free-throw line.
He scored at least 20 points in 10 games and recorded two 30-point performances, including a 33-point outing against Norfolk State.
McBride’s combination of size and shooting ability gives Kentucky another experienced forward who can provide offense off the bench.
Ousmane N’Diaye
Before Kentucky added Mitchell, N’Diaye was viewed by many as a potential starting option.
The 7-foot forward brings international experience after playing in Germany, Spain and Italy. Most recently, he averaged 9.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 0.9 steals for Vanoli Cremona in Italy’s top division.
N’Diaye also recorded four double-doubles and posted a season-high 24 points and 11 rebounds in one game.
His size, experience, and ability to stretch the floor could make him an important piece of Kentucky’s frontcourt rotation, even if he does not ultimately start.
Franck Kepnang
While Malachi Moreno will be getting most of the minutes at the 5 spot, Kepnang will be a quality backup if he can stay healthy. Durability has been an issue throughout his career, but he’ll have more limited minutes in Lexington so long as Moreno is healthy.
You won’t find many backup centers with the talent Kepnang possesses. If he can stay healthy and give Kentucky a good 10-15 minutes per game, that would be a massive boost for a roster that doesn’t really have another true center after Moreno and Kepnang.
Mason Williams
Williams was the first commitment of Kentucky’s 2026 recruiting class under Pope.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound guard averaged 15.1 points, 5.3 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 steals as a high school senior while shooting 60% from the field, 41% from 3 and 89% from the free-throw line.
He also helped Tennessee Collegiate Academy pull off an upset of No. 1-ranked Prolific Prep.
Williams has already drawn attention for his college-ready frame. Now, the next step is translating that physical development into production against Division I competition.
Braydon Hawthorne
Hawthorne redshirted the 2025-26 season, giving him four seasons of eligibility remaining.
The 6-foot-8 forward was a consensus four-star prospect and ranked No. 33 nationally in the final 2025 247Sports rankings.
At Huntington Prep, he averaged 23.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game.
Hawthorne enters the season having had additional time to develop physically and adjust to the college level. His size and skill set could make him an interesting option in Kentucky’s frontcourt rotation.
Plenty of Depth Behind Them
Kentucky’s depth does not stop there, as they have transfer guard Jerone Morton and returning forward Trent Noah, aka Mountain Mamba, which will give Pope additional options as he determines how deep he wants to go into his rotation.
The biggest question may not be whether Kentucky has enough talent, but how Pope distributes the minutes among a roster with so many players capable of contributing.
Now, the focus shifts from building the roster to figuring out how all those pieces fit together and how to advance deep in both the SEC and NCAA Tournaments.
What if there’s no Mark Mitchell?
With Mitchell facing eligibility scrutiny from the SEC and the NCAA, there’s still a chance we won’t see him suit up for the entire 2026-27 season, if at all.
If Mitchell ends up sidelined, here’s what the starting lineup could look like:
BEREA, OHIO - JUNE 10: Michael Burton #34 of the Cleveland Browns catches a pass during the Cleveland Browns Mandatory Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2026 in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Now for the difficult part of being an NFL head coach: cutting players.
Training camp involves 90 players. On August 30, that roster has to be pared down to 53 guys.
It used to be in increments. On the first cut, the roster was down to 75. The cut to 62, and then finally to 53. It made for a lot of drama. But now? That’s a lot of athletes calling their agent to see if some other team put in a waiver claim for them.
Who to release, and who to retain?
There are rumors that the Browns coaching staff wants to keep all four of their quarterbacks. That is highly unusual because only one plays in every game. After the starter, Deshaun Watson, the remainder in the room are all developmental first-and second-year guys. Yikes. No wily, seasoned veteran to lean on, like when Baker Mayfield had Casey Keenum, or when Deshaun Watson was on suspension, the roster had Jacoby Brissett.
By keeping four QBs, this means the roster will release a tight end, a cornerback, or a defensive line player instead. A larger yikes.
Every Browns media outlet will give their list of what the final 53 will look like, as DBN did. Today, we are just going to predict who the final four guys the coaching staff will keep, and the four last bubble guys they bumped off.
Last four in
FB Michael Burton
Burton was used in the preseason more as another tight end/H-back than a traditional fullback, although he did line up occasionally in the backfield. He is strictly a blocker, but was thrown to a few times in the Patriots preseason game. Head coach Todd Monken likes having a fullback. The team was expected to draft one but didn’t, so Burton signed. By keeping him, the tight end room can become three players instead of four.
WR Luke Floriea
This one was tight. Floriea had a great preseason. So did Malachi Corley and Greg Larvadain. Maybe the coaching staff sees Floriea as their very own Wes Welker who will take some slot reps. Hard to tell, but the short white receiver played well when his number was called, and is a good blocker downfield.
S Donovan McMillon
McMillon is a missile on special teams on kickoff and punt coverage teams. And he does get defensive snaps as well. He is a willing tackler. His special teams play was commendable, which is enough to earn a roster spot in that role with potential upside defensively.
CB Michael Coats, Jr.
He was signed with a $100,000 guarantee and showed he can ball out as an undrafted rookie. Runs a 4.41. He has had an ankle injury during the first preseason game, and now a second leg injury has arisen. But he has shown quite a bit in training camp. If he can remain healthy, the coaching staff could believe that Coats can provide good depth plus value on special teams. He may not play right away, but once he heals, he should become an asset.
Last four out
TE Joe Royer
Yeah, the coaching staff had high hopes for Royer. He hasn’t been placed on any list – yet. He could end up on the final roster, and then be added to some sort of list, and then get back one guy they wanted to keep. It has happened before. Nobody but the front office seems to know what personal issues Royer is dealing with.
WR Malachi Corley
Just a numbers game, and Floriea had three to none. That is three touchdown catches to zero for Corley. If he clears waivers, the Browns will get him back to the practice squad and perhaps bring him up as a returner. The coaching staff really likes this guy. Plus, Greg Larvadain has offered more as a returner.
S Daniel Thomas
The question concerning the fourth safety was: is it going to be Chris Edmonds or Donovan McMillon? Edmonds is already gone, and there is no competition for Thomas to beat out McMillon. Too many players in the room, which most likely sends him to the practice squad. If the coaching staff retains five safeties, then Thomas would become that choice.
DE Sam Kamara
The Browns keep going back to Kamara like a security blanket since 2022, in that he can play outside or slide into the middle. He has been on the practice squad six times, released five times, and promoted to the roster on six different stints. This will even out all numbers to six with his release once again.
Who do you think are the last 4 in/out on the Browns initial 53-man roster?
Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza might start his rookie season as a third-stringer.
Coach Klint Kubiak has not said who his starting quarterback is, but it's widely expected to be Kirk Cousins. Kubiak was asked today whether, if Cousins is the starter, Mendoza or Aidan O'Connell will be the backup. And Kubiak said that decision has not yet been made.
"We've got three guys that are ready to play. It's going to be some hard decisions on who's 1, who's 2. That's not a decision we have to make today, but those are discussions that are ongoing," Kubiak said.
It's not often that the first overall pick in the draft starts his career on the third team, but Kubiak seems to be in no rush to get Mendoza on the field. It appears likely that Cousins is going to start the season with Mendoza on the sideline, and Mendoza may not get on the field early in the season even if Cousins goes down.
Gabriel started in this matchup and put up a solid performance. He completed 12 of his 15 passes for 186 yards with three touchdowns. Green took over at quarterback in the second half and completed five passes for 27 yards. Additionally, he had eight rushes for 66 yards. Both quarterbacks impressed in different ways and made an argument for why they deserve a spot on this roster.
Although Gabriel is clearly the more impressive quarterback of the two, it is more likely that the rookie Green will end up getting a roster spot. Gabriel has the higher floor of the two quarterbacks, but Green is younger and possesses the physical tools that could make him an intriguing player for the team to develop. When looking at the third quarterback on the roster, it is better to look at who has higher upside and could develop into something really valuable for the team in the future.
Let me know what you think in the comments – Did Dillon Gabriel or Taylen Green do enough to prove they deserve a roster spot?
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne said discussions between the league and Steve Ballmer’s lawyers have focused more on a potential “failure to supervise” and the Clippers’ introductions of Leonard’s representatives to sponsors than on direct evidence that Ballmer funneled money to his star.
Steve Ballmer, owner of the LA Clippers, pumps up the crowd before the Rain City Showcase in a preseason NBA game between the LA Clippers and the Utah Jazz at Climate Pledge Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, in Seattle, Washington. Getty Images
Shelburne called direct cap circumvention the investigation’s “murder charge”—the most serious allegation and the hardest to prove.
That uncertainty matters. So does the direction of the reported investigation.
If the league concludes that an owner can introduce a player to team business partners, benefit from the resulting arrangement and avoid the harshest accountability unless investigators uncover a direct order or payment, it will create a dangerous blueprint.
Future teams would not need a secret contract. They would only need some distance.
An owner could connect a superstar with a sponsor, allow intermediaries to handle the terms and later claim no knowledge of what occurred. Plausible deniability would become a roster-building strategy.
LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard reacts on the court during the fourth quarter of a game against the New York Knicks on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at Madison Square Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
That would undermine the salary cap’s purpose. Competitive balance becomes impossible if the wealthiest owners can use their commercial networks to arrange outside compensation that smaller-market or less-connected rivals cannot match.
Los Angeles Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard and owner Steve Ballmer attend the LA Clippers’ Media Day at Intuit Dome on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. AP
“If the punishments aren’t steep, everybody should do it,” Green said while discussing the Leonard allegations.
The NBA’s collective bargaining agreement permits fines, lost draft picks, contract voidance and suspensions for proven circumvention. Those deterrents mean little, however, if the evidentiary standard effectively requires a billionaire owner to leave written instructions explaining the scheme.
None of this means the NBA should punish Ballmer without sufficient evidence. It means “failure to supervise” cannot become a convenient safe harbor for owners who benefit from arrangements they claim not to understand.
If the league cannot prove this so-called murder charge, it must still establish clear disclosure rules for sponsor introductions, owner investments and endorsement agreements—and impose meaningful consequences when those safeguards are ignored.
Otherwise, the lesson will not be that cap circumvention is forbidden.
It will be that it is permissible when structured carefully enough.
Jan 17, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Niko Medved reacts during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
The non-conference portion of the Gopher Men’s team is reportedly set. Ryan James of Gopher Gazette was the first to report it and it has now been released. Last season, Minnesota played two teams from power conferences in their non-conference portion of the schedule (Stanford and Missouri) and their non-conference strength of schedule ranked 355th out of 365 teams.
I have some good news and some bad news.
The good news is that the Gophers are playing a much more challenging non-conference schedule.
The bad news is that the Gophers are playing a much more challenging non-conference schedule.
The opinion here is that Nike Medved has intentionally chosen to amp up his non-conference schedule because he believes he has a more talented team that has a chance to make the NCAA Tournament. There are likely five Power Five teams on this schedule and the resume should be strong for the Gophers…if they can win the games.
11/2 – North Dakota KenPom: 279 Record: 18-17
The first official game of the year is hosting the Fighting Hawks out of the Summit. Last season the Hawks finished 3rd in the Summit and were runner-ups to North Dakota State in the conference tournament. I saw UND play when they came to play St. Thomas and had a dramatic win in the final seconds. They were led by Greyson Uelmen and Eli King…both are gone. Uelmen has transferred to Northern Iowa and King has graduated. A couple of promising younger players also hit the portal in Anthony Smith and George Natsvlishvili.
There are three guys who Minnesota should be most concerned with. Zach Kraft, a junior guard who is likely to be their primary scorer. Josh Jones, a 6’9” center/forward. And transfer Tyler Wagner, a sophomore coming from Austin Peay and a former Champlin Park Rebel.
The losses of Uelmen, King and Smith are significant and it doesn’t appear that Paul Sather is bringing in the necessary pieces to make them competitive this year.
Prediction: Gophers start the season 1-0
11/6 – St. Thomas KenPom: 115 Record: 24-10
The only benefit to the Gophers in this matchup is if the Tommies can find their way to 75th in the NET rankings and this becomes a Quad 2 win for Minnesota. The problem is that the Tommies are losing five of their top six leading scorers. Nolan Minessale was one of the top mid-major players in the country last year, averaging 19.8 points per game and he is headed to Marquette. Nick Janowski (16.1 ppg) is transferring to Davidson. Isaiah Johnson-Arigu (10.5) is heading to Northern Iowa. Ben Oosterbaan (7.6) wants to be a Don in San Francisco. And Waseca’s Ryan Dufaul (5.7) no longer has any eligibility.
The top returners will be Carter Bjerke, a 6’9” senior from Wayzata who averaged 9.4 ppg last season. And Austin Herro, brother to Tyler Herro. Herro originally began his career at South Carolina before transferring to the Tommies, where he started 24 games last year as a sophomore.
A couple of transfers are expected to make an impact. Jeremy Lorenz is a forward transferring down from DePaul. And Brogan Madson is a high-scoring guard, transferring up from D2 Sioux Falls. And it is always important to note that Johnny Tauer always has a team that executes and can do more with less.
I have strong opinions on scheduling this game, but too late to change anybody’s mind about this season. The Tommy fans will fill the barn; they’ll be very proud of themselves and Roll Tom back home with a loss.
Prediction: A Gopher win, but it’ll be too close for comfort.
11/9 – Cincinnati KenPom: 43 Record: 18-15
Side Note: Utah State has not had the same coach for more than three seasons since 2015. Craig Smith was there for three years and left for Utah. Ryan Odom was there for two years before leaving for VCU and now Virginia. He was succeeded by Danny Sprinkle for 1 year before he left for Washington. His successor was Jerrod Calhoun for two years and he now leads the Cincinnati Bearcats. Whoever the Utah State coach is…I want him to make my next basketball hire.
This is the first season for Calhoun with Cincy and he has a fully rebuilt roster. Every major contributor from last season is gone. But what makes this team interesting is that Calhoun has four players from Utah State coming with him. Most notably, MJ Collins led the Aggies with 17.5 points per game and will likely be a key player for Calhoun and the Bearcats. And transfer Tylen Riley averaged 15 points for Tulsa last year and he will likely pair with Wake Forest transfer Myles Colvin on the perimeter, and Riley Allenspach is a 6’11” center from George Mason who could pose a problem inside.
It is a roster rebuild, but there are some nice pieces that Calhoun has added, along with four former Aggies to help implement his system and culture.
Prediction: If this were at the Barn, I’d be tempted to take the Gophers. But I think Cincy wins this one at home.
11/12 – Southern KenPom: 277 Record: 17-17
After a decently challenging first three games, Minnesota gives themselves a couple of games to get right. The Jaguars finished 2nd in the SWAC last season, but they are losing several seniors. I would not expect their 2026-27 KenPom rank to be as high 277 this year.
Prediction: A comfortable Gopher win.
11/16 – Western Illinois KenPom: 364 Record: 5-26
This is one of the toughest jobs in D1 basketball and the Leathernecks bottomed out last year as the 2nd worst team in basketball, according to KenPom. They somehow managed to beat North Dakota last season and they earned one conference win. But their three other wins were against a D3 school and two NAIA teams.
Another team that is losing a bevy of seniors, and this team was terrible last year.
Prediction: Don’t play with your food. Put this one away early and
11/20 – Charleston Classic – Dayton/VaTech/Utah/Ok State 11/22 – Charleston Classic – Dayton/VaTech/Utah/Ok State
Three more teams are yet to be added and then there will be two 4-team brackets played over those two days. We don’t really know who we will be playing, but here is a quick blurb about the four potential teams we know.
Dayton – Anthony Grant’s Flyers are looking to replace a couple of scoring guards to pair with their 7’1” big man from France, Amaël L’Etang. Travis Perry is a former Kentucky recruit who is coming to Dayton after a year at Ole Miss. He looks like their potential starting point guard.
Virginia Tech – Weirdly, a team that is returning its top two scorers from last year. Amani Hansberry and Ben Hammond combined for 27.5 ppg last year and will be back for the Hokies. They have added a few younger forwards to the team and this team should be pretty good.
Utah – After four seasons, Craig Smith was let go at Utah and Alex Jensen takes over. With a typical roster makeover, Jensen has added a couple of dangerous transfer guards in Taison Chatman from Ohio State and Jackson Holcombe, a 6’7” wing from Utah Valley.
Oklahoma State – The Cowboys have a monster recruiting class coming in, with four 4-star kids, two of them ranked in the top 35 in the nation. And in the transfer portal, they added a starter from UNC, a seven-footer who started 28 games at Georgetown, a scoring wing from UCF, and a 6’11” kid who started 27 games for Arizona State. This team is going to have some talent.
11/28 – Cal @ Sioux Falls – Sat KenPom: 75 Record: 22-12
Mark Madsen’s Cal Bears are traveling to Sioux Falls to face the Gophers at the Sanford Pentagon. Last season, they finished in the middle of the ACC pack and ended up going 1-1 in the NIT to finish their season. Their top two leading scorers both decided to transfer and their next two leading scorers have no more eligibility.
So they hit the portal, like everybody else. Michael Cooper was Wright State’s leading scorer and he should be a significant contributor. Jordan Ross started 25 games for Georgia last season, he also is a likely starter for Madsen. Maden’s top returner is 6’10”, Lee Dort who I expect to be a handful for the Gophers.
It is easy to overvalue the transfers coming into the Gopher program without knowing much about the Cal incoming transfer or how they will fit. But this game feels fairly winable for Minnesota, especially with three returning starters and adding a transfer like Kyan Evans.
Prediction: Gophers with a win and potentially a Quad 1 win (though more likely a Quad 2).
12/12 – SMU – neutral site in Texas KenPom: 48 Record: 20-14
Moving on to another program where most of the team’s returning starters and leading scorers need to be replaced. Andy Enfield loses his top four returning scorers to graduation and Samet Yigitoglu, who started all 34 games for the Ponies, is transferring to Indiana.
Enfield’s top two returning players, forward Jermaine O’Neil Jr and big man Jaden Toombs, will both be sophomores, and yes, his father was THAT Jermaine O’Neil. And he has a couple of guards who are transferring in, looking for the opportunity to make an impact in the ACC. Guards Rowan Brumbaugh averaged 19.2 ppg for Tulane last year and David Terrel Jr averaged 13.5 for North Texas last year.
Prediction: This is a tough one to predict. SMU was pretty good last year. On paper, the Mustangs lost more than the Gophers did and it will all come down to who incorporates the transfer. But I’ll go with SMU for this one.
12/16 – Texas Southern KenPom: 314 Record: 12-18
Last year’s roster for the Tigers was senior-laden and they leveraged that experience to finish 10-8 in the SWAC. Following the season, their head coach, Johnny Jones, took an assistant coach role at LSU, his alma mater, and Shyrone Chatman took the interim title for this season.
Prediction: This will be a win for the Gophers.
12/20 – Alcorn State KenPom: 346 Record: 9-23
Up next is another SWAC opponent. The Braves finished 7-11 and 11th in the league in coach Jake Morton’s first season. But to be fair, 10 teams finished between 11-7 and 7-11, so it was a highly competitive league.
Unlike Texas Southern, Alcorn could have returned a number of their top players. But they all decided to transfer, so they are also tasked with rebuilding their roster.
Prediction: This will be a win for the Gophers.
12/29 – UT-San Antonio KenPom: 338 Record: 5-25
It was a rough season for the Road Runners last year as they finished 1-17 in the American and just five winsj (one of those being over something called Biblical Studies). And of course, they had six players transfer out and six players transfer in.
I am not expecting a 5-25 team to bounce back and beat a Big Ten team on the road.
The Sens Nation Podcast with Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy
If the Senators go with a defenseman as their next captain, who should it be, Jake Sanderson or Thomas Chabot?
In this episode of Sens Nation, the official Ottawa Senators Podcast of The Hockey News, THN Ottawa Site Editor Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy examine the case for both players, including leadership, loyalty, contracts, stability and safeguarding against another captain eventually wanting out.
They also discuss Connor Hellebuyck’s trade request, whether players should lose some no-trade protection after asking to leave, and how Steve Staios handled Ottawa’s difficult Brady Tkachuk trade.
Plus:
• Could Fabian Zetterlund complete a line with William Eklund and Tim Stützle?
• Is Warren Foegele a dark-horse top-six option?
• The five greatest Ottawa-born and raised players in Senators history
The Atlanta Braves have announced that injured starting pitcher Hurston Waldrep will have to undergo “Tommy John” surgery and fellow starter Spencer Schwellenbach will also have surgery on the same elbow fracture he suffered last year.
Waldrep will likely miss all of 2027. No timetable on Schwellenbach is available.
This is a developing story.
Ahead of today’s press conference with Walt Weiss, the Atlanta Braves broke the news that both Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Schwelenbach were officially ruled out for the rest of the 2026 season. They made sure to mention that Waldrep was having Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow and that Schwellenbach was having surgery to repair the same elbow fracture that has already kept him on the shelf for so long.
While it may not be all that surprising, it’s certainly not shocking considering how things have gone. We never really got any updates about Schwellenbach getting any closer to returning to the mound outside of vague updates about how he was throwing. With September on the horizon, this was as good of a time as any to unfortunately shut the door on any talk about Schwellenbach returning this season. It’s definitely unfortunate that this all stems from a freak accident last season. Now it’s cost him all of 2026 and is likely going to cost him a chunk of the 2027 season as well. It’s a real bummer.
Meanwhile, it sure seems like Waldrep had a serious setback between now and back when he was given the “all clear” to resume throwing. No matter what happened, it’s still a bit of a bummer to see that the setback did occur and that Waldrep can be ruled out for this season. Waldrep only managed to get through 10.2 innings here in 2026 and he gave up 10 runs during that time, so it was clear that something was up during that time. Now Waldrep will be on the shelf for a considerable period of time while getting back into action.
In other injury news, Walt Weiss was asked about the status of Spencer Strider and he didn’t have much to proivde in terms of an update. He didn’t say as to whether or not Spencer Strider has been throwing off of a mound yet, so we’re still very much unclear on a return timetable for Strider any time soon — much less here in the 2026 season. We did get a tiny bit of an update on Robert Suarez, though — Weiss shared that he’s been throwing from 120 feet lately and that whenever that’s starting to happen, you’re really “putting something on it,” as the manager explained when he was discussing Suarez’s status.
So of all four pitchers, the only one who appears to have a remotely positive outlook is Robert Suarez since he’s slowly but surely ramping up. Spencer Strider’s status is unclear and both Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep are done for the season and then some. It’s lame but that’s baseball for you! Hopefully everybody involved can continue to move in the right direction in terms of recovery and that there are no more setbacks in the future.
DENVER, COLORADO - AUGUST 21: Que Robinson #51 of the Denver Broncos tackles Pierre Strong Jr. #22 of the Green Bay Packers during a preseason game at Empower Field At Mile High on August 21, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Tyler Schank/Clarkson Creative/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Strong was traded to the Browns after his first season, and his his workload slightly increased from 10 carries as a rookie to 63. During his Cleveland stint, Strong mostly served as a passing downs specialist while averaging a respectable 4.5 yards per carry and 8 yards per reception, and there’s definitely some big play ability and elite agility in his repertoire. This was on display in last week’s preseason game between the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos; while wearing green and gold, Strong averaged 4.6 yards per carry on eight carries and ripped off a 68-yard kickoff return.
I actually like Strong better than Marshawn Lloyd as both represent the potential “lightning” to Josh Jacobs’ thunder, and while Lloyd is quite a bit larger, Strong is the better athlete, and despite his small size, he’s been more durable.
The Josh Jacobs problem
Matt LaFleur may be a very successful offensive football coach, but I still think he runs the ball too much. I don’t mind running the ball, and in 2024 when Josh Jacobs was ripping off 4.4 yards per carry and scoring 15 touchdowns, it was mostly fine. Unfortunately, since that time the Packers’ offensive line has declined as a run-blocking unit, and it’s possible that seven years of physical punishment has started to wear on Jacobs. And now, with Jacobs charged with assault and a pretty nasty video tape of the incident allegedly out there, there is an opportunity for the team to move on from Jacobs before he falls off a cliff (and also to get an alleged abuser off the team).
Back in 2022 Josh Jacobs led the league in rushing yards with 1653, and was also elite in exceeding his expected rushing total. The NFL’s NextGenStats page has a series of metrics which tracks how many more yards a back gains than expected based on the blocking on the play, the quality of the opponent, and several other factors. (This advanced metric was born out of the NFL’s Big Data Bowl contest in 2020)
Jacobs gained 0.47 yards over expected per attempt that year, which ranked 11th among qualifiers. That may not sound overly impressive, but maintaining that level of production of his robust total of 340 carries is impressive. Of the ten backs that ranked higher, only Cleveland’s Nick Chubb was even in the ballpark with 302 carries.
It’s possible that this is just a matter of health, and that after an offseason of rest and recovery he would be back to his old self again. But, running back is a young man’s game, Jacobs is expensive for a running back, and Jacobs turned 28 in February. He also uses a punishing running style and he has exceeded 200 carries in every season of his career (and 300 twice). He is not a great bet to age gracefully, and weird, bad offseasons don’t help.
Committee Time
While I’m not a huge fan of Marshawn Lloyd, a committee of Strong, Lloyd, and Chris Brooks would probably be fine. Brooks is an outstanding blocking back and a good enough receiver. He’s very useful and he’s capable of rattling off 5 yards a carry against light boxes while keeping your QB upright. I love Chris Brooks as a player, just not at 200 carries.
In the unlikely event the Packers did move on from Jacobs, I could see the case for bringing in another power back, but even if they didn’t, they could probably get by with Lloyd/Strong/Brooks just fine, and with one additional hidden benefit. Matt LaFleur would be somewhat likely to run less without a proven workhorse, and so the number of passes the team throws would likely increase. Given that Jacobs isn’t what he once was anyway, this could actually provide a massive benefit to the team.
Jacobs is one of Matt’s favorite toys, but it’s not working so well anymore. The remaining running backs have enough combined skills to make up for most of what Jacobs does at this point in his career. I don’t think they will move on, but if there really is a video out there, they’re playing with fire for no good reason. Use tonight’s game to check out the backups.
The bad news for Carolina? They got absolutely steamrolled by the Texans in Wednesday’s joint practice, looking like a total trainwreck on both sides of the ball in a performance coach Dave Canales rightfully dubbed “lopsided.”
The glorious news for Panthers bettors? Not a single one of those starters will touch the turf in Friday’s preseason finale.
That massive roster flip is exactly why our best Texans vs. Panthers predictions is backing Carolina to take care of business.
Check out our latest NFL picks for more preseason betting analysis.
Texans vs Panthers prediction
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Who will win Texans vs Panthers: Panthers moneyline
Kalshi probability: 49%
Both coaches plan to rest their starters in the final preseason game, allowing the second- and third-string units to resolve any remaining depth-chart or roster-spot battles. That’s bad news for a Houston Texans team whose starters have won the first quarters of their two preseason games by a combined 20-3 margin. Houston has lost the second halves of its games by a 36-0 margin this preseason and has been outscored 44-3 after the first quarter.
The Carolina Panthers have been just the opposite. The starting unit has managed just one first-quarter touchdown in three games while the starting defense has allowed 13 points. Carolina’s reserves have then scored 74 points after the first quarter ends and 37 in the second halves.
TOP PICK Texans vs Panthers Over/Under pick: Over 36.5
Kalshi probability: 49%
As good as the Panthers’ offense has been after the starters depart, the Carolina defense has made opposing reserves look just as good. The Panthers have given up as many second-half points as they’ve scored — 37 — and have surrendered 63 after the first quarter. The Houston defense is also shaky, blowing a 17-0 lead against Oakland.
While Houston won’t have any starters in the game, there will be plenty of star power catching passes from the backup quarterbacks. The team has added Zay Jones and Sterling Shepard, then traded for Kayshon Boutte. The trio have combined for 22 NFL seasons, 381 games, 823 catches, and 52 touchdowns, and all will be making their preseason debut with Houston.
COVERS INTEL: Brett Rypien—forced into duty after Graham Mertz's season-ending injury—has been an absolute disaster, turning the ball over twice without leading a single scoring drive. Playing for his job as Houston weighs carrying just two QBs, fading Rypien and backing the Panthers is pure cash.
Texans vs Panthers trend to know
The Panthers have gone Over in all three of their preseason games. Combined, the Over is 4-1 in the two teams’ five preseason games.
Temperatures will be in the 80s with a chance of a heavy thunderstorm, which could create wet conditions and potentially impact the passing and kicking games.
How to watch Texans vs Panthers
Location
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Date
Friday, Aug. 28, 2026
Kickoff
7 p.m. ET
TV
KTRK, WSOC
Texans vs Panthers latest injuries
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The Raiders rookie — as he’s done throughout the preseason — thrived against San Francisco, leading the team in rushing with 49 yards on eight carries, and also contributing in the passing game while having two receptions for 18 yards.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Mike Washington Jr. in an NFL preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“Staying where my feet are and taking advantage of the opportunity to be able to go out there and compete against their ones and run with our ones,” Washington told reporters. “It’s a good experience.
“The confidence comes from my faith, Jesus, he’s the center of my everything, so that’s where my confidence comes from. I thank him every day.”
Washington Jr. has rotated between playing on the Raiders’ first string and second string during the preseason, but was the team’s bellcow on Thursday after starting running back Ashton Jeanty suffered a sprained ankle.
One of the most popular topics amongst Sens Nation since the Brady Tkachuk trade has been who will replace him as captain.
Cases have been made for all four of the current alternate captains: Thomas Chabot, Claude Giroux, Jake Sanderson and Tim Stutzle.
With Drake Batherson’s camp in heavy negotiations and the September 15th deadline for an eight-year extension fast approaching, his name has even been thrown in the hat, with the captaincy possibly being part of the offer.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss whether Travis Green is facing extra pressure in the upcoming season, his third year as Sens head coach.
One option that's rarely been talked about is starting the 2026-27 season with no captain.
Let’s discuss.
In order to settle that debate, a few questions need answering.
Does a team need a captain to be a playoff team or win a championship?
Only two teams have won the Stanley Cup with no captain in NHL history, and it was the Boston Bruins in 1970 and again in 1972. They ran a captain by committee, and they also had Johnny Bucyk and Phil Esposito. Both are in the Hall of Fame.
They also had some guy named Bobby Orr.
Several teams in NHL history have made the playoffs with a captain by committee approach, but it is an anomaly.
It would not be the first time the Senators have gone into a season without a captain. After Erik Karlsson departed, the team was without a captain for the 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons before Tkachuk signed his extension and assumed the role.
Of course, the Senators were not the Boston Bruins of ’70 & ’72. The Sens were rebuilding with very low expectations, and their 77-109-23 record during that time supports that.
It is also worth noting that, regardless of how his tenure came to end in Ottawa, Tkachuk was the obvious choice, and no one was shocked when the announcement came.
Going into the season without a captain does not mean doom for the Senators. However, it won’t inspire fan confidence if they have the whole summer to fill that hole and can’t decide from within who should fill it.
Is there an obvious choice to succeed Tkachuk?
The fact that there has been debate all summer and that five names have been bandied about as possible replacements shows there is no clear-cut choice. At least outside the dressing room.
Is there a clear-cut choice inside the dressing room? Right now, Steve Staios and Travis Green have been tight-lipped.
It’s quite possible that they know who the next captain will be. Maybe they're just using the “American Idol Ryan Seacrest dramatic pause” for effect.
Perhaps they know there won’t be one and are using the same tactic.
The soundness of that strategy can be debated. However, let’s hope it’s one of those two options, because if the organization doesn’t know the character of its own people by now, when will they?
Not having a captain was the right choice from 2018-2021. There was one clear choice, but he wasn’t ready yet. From the moment he joined the organization, Tkachuk was the presumptive captain, but by waiting, they spared him years of tough media scrums where the captain has to answer for all the losing.
Teams may have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs and even won the Cup in the past without a captain. However, there is no stat showing how many teams have done the same with the wrong captain.
My guess is that the answer is none.
Having no captain and using a committee approach amongst the alternates may or may not be the right course of action but the wrong course of action is to choose a captain believing you have to.
The only thing worse than choosing the wrong captain is having to either trade him or remove the C while he is still playing for your team.
Being right is absolutely, fundamentally critical.
Being wrong could set the team back immeasurably.
Jason Spezza’s tenure as captain was one season. They missed the playoffs, and he asked to be traded. He was filling huge shoes in the departure of Daniel Alfredsson. Was he the right choice or did he get chosen to avoid having no captain?
Erik Karlsson’s name seemed like the obvious choice to replace him having led the team in scoring. He had a Norris Trophy on his resume, and being Daniel Alfredsson’s protégé didn’t hurt either.
In his four years as captain, he had a heroic role in the 2017 run to the conference final. He was also a central figure in the controversy that ultimately led to former GM Pierre Dorion declaring that the dressing room was “broken”.
Mark Stone was part of the team from 2014 to 2019 and is now the captain of the Vegas Golden Knights and has his name on the Stanley Cup.
Did the team rush Karlsson to ensure there was a captain, or could they have let that situation evolve organically, where Stone might have emerged as the guy?
What are the expectations for the 2026-27 Ottawa Senators?
Since Tkachuk’s trade announcement on Father’s Day, a lot has happened to the Senators' roster. One thing they have not done is replace Tkachuk as a power forward.
Steve Staois insisted at the Season Ticket Holders event earlier this month that the Senators may not have a lot of players who fight, but they are not easy to play against.
Though that may be true, Tkachuk’s absence has left a hole, whether anyone wants to admit it or not. Time will tell if the Senators can forge ahead without that tangible physical element and be successful.
The Senators are not entering the season as Cup contenders. Playoff contenders, maybe. Cup contenders, they are not. Though they are free to prove everyone wrong.
If the Senators were earmarked for greatness this season, it would have behooved them to address the captaincy sooner rather than later, as teams with a murky leadership structure generally don’t win the Cup.
Perhaps this takes the pressure off naming a captain and allows the selection to be identified organically.
Perhaps the right person will emerge during the season. No rules exist preventing teams from naming mid-season captains. Alexander Ovechkin and Eric Staal are just a couple of players who have.
The only thing that is clear about the Senators' captaincy situation is that there is no clear-cut choice. There are many attractive candidates, but no one has taken the reins yet.
The Senators can’t be wrong about who gets the next captaincy.
If they aren’t 100% sure who should get it, then no one should.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - NOVEMBER 4: Running back Isaac Redman #33 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs for a one yard touchdown against the New York Giants in the fourth quarter during an NFL game at MetLife Stadium on November 4, 2012 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Steelers defeated the Giants 24-20. (Photo by Rich Schultz /Getty Images) | Getty Images
The time has finally come for Behind the Steel Curtain’s most prestigious tradition: The Isaac Redman Award.
Now over a decade old (and with its own section on Wikipedia), the award, in the words of former BTSC editor Neal Coolong, is to be given to “the unheralded Steelers player who came from the furthest reaches of obscurity to reach general heightened fame and appeal among Steelers fans.”
As originally stated in that 2014 article, the basic rules are as follows:
Eligibility
Player must not be a draft pick higher than the sixth round
Player can only have participated in two other training camps prior to this one
Player demonstrated frequent references in comments regarding the likelihood of significant playing time in the coming year
Weight of general fan sentiment leans towards the player being a “diamond in the rough”
Player does not have to make the team in the year of his nomination to qualify (this isn’t meant to be included in 53-man roster discussion)
Staff nominations
Ryan Parish: This year, it was between two rookies for me: Gabe Rubio and Robert Spears-Jennings. Both impressed, but I’m going to give the nod to Rubio. In three games, the young nose tackle racked up six solo tackles and assisted on six others. He recorded five “Stops” which are plays PFF chart as tackles that produce a negative outcome for the offense. Rubio even managed two pressures the final preseason game against the Bills. There’s an argument that outside of Germie Bernard, he was the rookie with the most impressive preseason performance, which makes him the clear Redman winner on my ballot.
Mike Nicastro: I’ll go off the grid a bit and give my nomination to Lew Nichols, who is a similar player to Isaac Redman in stature — he even won the award last year.
Nichols just keeps on trucking. He led the team in rushing with 87 yards on 20 attempts – good for a 4.35 average.
He also scored a touchdown and probably should have had another if he kept his balance on a great run in their first contest against the Packers.
He isn’t going to necessarily be the belle of any ball, but he deserves some recognition, and possibly a roster spot, for his consistency and relentless approach.
Jarrett Bailey: I’ll give mine to Robert Spears-Jennings. With the depth at safety (or lack thereof) being a big question, the seventh-round pick had a very strong summer in camp and in preseason play. He should get a spot on the 53-man roster.
Joey Bray: It would be a shame if the Pittsburgh kid Eli Heidenreich didn’t get a nomination for the Redman Award.
Steelers fans rejoiced when the Mt. Lebanon high school alumni was selected 240th overall back in April. Heidenreich’s middle name is versatility, playing wide receiver and running back in college. His awareness and ability in the open field makes him a serious big play threat and giving Mike McCarthy no shortage of ways to use him.
The Steelers primarily used Heidenreich as a running back throughout the summer. After missing a few weeks in camp with a leg injury, his spot on the 53-man roster doesn’t seem to be a lock. Heidenreich played well in the Steelers preseason finale, scoring a touchdown and getting some run as a return man on special teams. “The Swiss Navy Knife” deserves a spot on the 53-man roster, and potentially a Redman Award victory.
Ryland Bickley: While my vote will almost certainly go to one of Rubio or Spears-Jennings (please convince me which one), I’d be remiss if I didn’t get Will Howard onto this ballot as a former sixth-rounder who dominated preseason talking points even when his on-field performance didn’t always live up to the hype.
Sure, Howard didn’t come from the depths of obscurity as a former National Championship-winning Ohio State quarterback, but he’s built up a fanbase worthy of Redman Award consideration, leading to discussion of the Steelers keeping a whopping four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster just to keep Howard from potentially being poached by another team. The point of this award is to recognize August storylines with a bit too much hype, and while Howard still has plenty of time to develop, I’m not sure if another player better encapsulates that sense of preseason overreaction than him.
Other notable eligibles
DB Devan Boykin
DL Kevin Jobity Jr.
TE Lake McRee
WR Max Hurleman
DB Doneiko Slaughter
WR Brandon Smith
OLB Julius Welschof
LB Carson Bruener
Vote!
But enough of what the staff wants to say — this is your decision! Vote below in the poll, and if you want to write in an eligible candidate, recs on a comment stating a player’s candidacy will count as votes.
The ballot will stay open through Saturday, with the winner announced before the cutdown deadline on Sunday.
May the best Isaac Redman Award candidate win, joining a storied fraternity that includes the likes of Mike Hilton, Roosevelt Nix, and Tyler Matakevich. And make sure to fill the comment section with civil discourse election propaganda below.
COVERS INTEL: Brett Rypien—forced into duty after Graham Mertz's season-ending injury—has been an absolute disaster, turning the ball over twice without leading a single scoring drive. Playing for his job as Houston weighs carrying just two QBs, fading Rypien and backing the Panthers is pure cash.
