The final week of the NFL preseason has brought starter announcements, more injury updates and a historic decision regarding the Pro Bowl on Wednesday. 

Kansas City confirmed Patrick Mahomes will sit out the Chiefs’ preseason finale, while a starting quarterback decision could be on the way in Atlanta with the competition intensifying. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson discussed how his injuries impacted his rushing production last season.

Meanwhile, New York Giants camp saw a heated practice altercation started by running back Cam Skattebo. In bigger league news, the NFL officially announced it is completely scrapping the Pro Bowl after 75 years.

Here is the latest on Wednesday from around the league.

NFL Eliminates Pro Bowl

The NFL is officially ending the yearly Pro Bowl event, first reported by The Athletic. After decades of format tweaks and noncompetitive play, the NFL is officially ending the Pro Bowl as a standalone event once and for all.

On Wednesday, league executives presented a new vision to team owners that folds the festivities directly into Super Bowl week. Under the new format, 88 players are expected to receive Pro Bowl honors without alternates.

Even with the traditional Pro Bowl game no longer being played during the annual event, players will still receive recognition and honors. This will continue to impact potential contract incentives throughout the offseason.

The NFL’s first All-Star Game was played in Los Angeles in 1939. Decades later, the Pro Bowl made Hawaii its annual home before switching locations on a yearly basis in recent years. 

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will not play in Friday’s preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks, marking the first time in his career he will sit out an entire preseason. 

Mahomes, who is returning from December knee surgery, remains on track to start Week 1 against the Denver Broncos on September 14.

“It’s the amount of time they’ve said from the beginning, that if I did everything the right way, I would be ready to play Week 1,” Mahomes said. “I’m someone, if you put a target in front of me, I want to go out and get it and maximize every single opportunity.”

Mahomes shared more about his process leading up to his return.

“You know, this week we’ve kind of treated it more like a game week, being able to go in that same process — have Wednesday practice and then a Thursday practice, take my notes the same and watch the same film that I’ll usually watch. I think that’s kind of how I prepare,” Mahomes continued.

Chiefs have ‘A LOT OF CONCERNS’ entering Week 1, Will anything stop the Rams this season?

–>

With backup Justin Fields unlikely to play and Chris Oladokun in concussion protocol, rookie seventh-round pick Garrett Nussmeier is expected to handle the bulk of playing time. 

“He’s done a nice job, thrown right in the fire with the first group,” head coach Andy Reid said of Nussmeier. 

A disastrous 2025 season led the Baltimore Ravens to move on from head coach John Harbaugh, sending shockwaves that directly impacted two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson. Beyond missing time, Jackson’s health reshaped how the Ravens offense had to play.

Jackson told reporters Wednesday afternoon that last season’s nagging hamstring injuries limited his rushing ability and he couldn’t play like himself.

“I believe you know … a lot of people know [that] I was hurt last year, so I really could not do anything like I wanted to,” Jackson said. “It really would not [have] put my team in a good position if I was just running hurt…losing yards, things like that [were] happening.”

Jackson played only 13 games last season and put together a solid year, though not quite up to his usual standards. He posted the second-lowest completion percentage of his career, throwing for 2,549 yards, 21 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.

In those 13 games, Jackson averaged just 5.15 rushes per game compared to his career average of 9.31. However, despite those lower rushing numbers, Jackson remained elite as a passer, ranking ninth in the league with a 62.7 QBR.

Under newly hired offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, Jackson is primed to put together a strong bounce-back season. His aggressive, downfield scheme paired with Jackson’s explosive dual-threat ability creates a massive upside for head coach Jesse Minter’s offense.

Falcons QB Competition Intensifies

The Atlanta Falcons quarterback competition has flown under the radar this offseason, but the dynamic is about to shift. With third-year Michael Penix Jr. closing in on a return, Tua Tagoliova takes the snaps for the third preseason game against the Miami Dolphins on Friday night.

Tagoliova has played in both preseason games so far, but needing to play in the third week is rarely a good sign. Penix Jr. won’t play against the Dolphins and said only putting together three practices is just far too soon to put him on the field.

However, Penix Jr. said he’ll be ready to start Week 1 physically and mentally if he is named the starter by head coach Kevin Stefanski. If Penix Jr. wins the starting job, it will be the first time in his career that he’ll start in the season opener.

Penix Jr. appeared in nine games for the Falcons last season before missing time due to injury. During his action on the field, he threw for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns, and just three interceptions while completing 58.1% of his passes.

With Penix Jr. getting closer and closer to a return to the field, all eyes shift toward Stefanski and to make it official on who will start the season opener.

A scuffle broke out at New York Giants practice on Wednesday after running back Cam Skattebo slid near defensive backs during a non-contact drill. Safety Jevon Holland and cornerback Greg Newsome confronted Skattebo after the play, escalating an ongoing issue after Skattebo previously made physical contact with linebacker Zaire Barnes during a non-contact session, according to reporters in attendance. 

Head coach John Harbaugh addressed Skattebo’s physical demeanor and a late 15-yard penalty following practice.

“Did you see that? Yeah, it’s infectious,” Harbaugh said. “It can be infectious the other way, an infectious disease type of thing. We want it to be in a positive way.”

Skattebo is working his way back into the offense after missing the second half of his 2025 rookie season with an ankle injury.

Injury News & Notes

• San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans plans to play Week 1 despite dealing with consistent hamstring injuries in camp, ESPN reported.
• Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst told reporters he would love to reach an extension with Tucker Kraft before Week 1, but knows negotiations could take time and be complicated.
• The NFL and HBO officially announced that Hard Knocks will return in 2027 focusing on the offseason, replacing the recent “in-season” format to focus on an entire four-team division.
• NFL owners voted unanimously on Wednesday to approve the sale of the Seattle Seahawks to the Khosla family.
• Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters that running back Kenneth Walker III has shoe-related ankle swelling but is expected to be fine.
• The Indianapolis Colts announced that wide receiver Josh Downs is dealing with a calf injury. Downs spoke to reporters after practice and said it was “very minor” and more just precautionary.

Source

JACKSONVILLE — Take away the two Super Bowl teams last year, and very few NFL franchises exceeded expectations in 2025 more than the Jacksonville Jaguars did in flipping from 4-13 to 13-4 and winning the AFC South.

Trevor Lawrence finished fifth in MVP voting and fifth in the league in touchdown passes with 29, all with a first-time head coach in Liam Coen. And yet the Jaguars lost a close game in the wild-card round and are now not favored to win their division, chasing the Houston Texans in the oddsmakers’ view.

So, knowing the outside expectations are that the Jaguars can’t even match last year’s success, Lawrence has a new challenge in 2026, trying to sustain success and validate last year’s team breakout, while also trying to keep up with the lofty personal standards for any former No. 1 overall pick making $55 million a year.

How do you set the tone in a new way, to keep the culture of winning on a team that hasn’t gone to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since 1999?

“I think the whole idea of working your tail off out here and earning the right to be successful to win and to make plays, that’s a real thing,” Lawrence said Wednesday after a second joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “You’ve got to feel that as a team. If you don’t feel that, there is some doubt that can creep in. Are we ready? I know we’re not going to be asking ourselves that come Week 1. We’ve put the time in, put the work in, and we’ve got to continue to do that, and we need to get better.”

Trevor Lawrence and Liam Coen are looking to lead the Jaguars to back-to-back AFC South titles in their second year together. (Photo by Logan Bowles/Getty Images)

–>

In the second half of the 2025 regular season, the Jaguars were the best team in the NFL, going 8-0. They had both the most points scored and the fewest points allowed during that stretch as they outscored opponents by 153 points from Week 10 on, a full 51 points better than the next-best team.

Success in 2026 most importantly starts with returning to the playoffs, and then winning once you’re there, but that’s a goal that’s months in the future. The focus for Lawrence is incremental progress, and that’s what his coaches have seen to this point.

“Progress would probably be in there: process, consistency,” offensive coordinator Grant Udinski said when asked to describe Lawrence’s offseason. “I probably have said it a thousand times; you guys are probably sick of hearing it, how we know that progress is not a straight line. But the consistency to show up day after day after day and build on what we had last year, but not take any of those details and fundamentals and foundational steps for granted and continue to work over and over and over again at those things, whether it’s a drop and technique and fundamentals or whether it’s a read or whether it’s just calling a certain play or a certain motion, all of those things are so important. 

“They’re critical for the success of not only the quarterback, but all 11 on the offense. And he’s a guy that has continued to work at all aspects of that, which is once again why he’s such a joy to coach.”

This is an important year for the Jaguars, whose stadium is covered with scaffolding for major renovations that will relocate them to Orlando (and London) for the 2027 season. The offseason transactions were quiet, allowing linebacker Devin Lloyd (Carolina Panthers) and running back Travis Etienne (New Orleans Saints) to leave and trusting in-house options to take over in third-year linebacker Ventrell Miller and second-year running back Bayshul Tuten. Coen was fortunate to keep both Udinski, 30, and defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, 44, after both interviewed for head coaching jobs elsewhere.

Lawrence said his confidence starts at the line of scrimmage on both sides, where both lines return nearly intact from last year and will work to set the tone for more of the same this season.

“Those guys having that edge, and they’ve done a great job of it. We just got to keep working it,” Lawrence said. “I think we found out what we need to get better at also through training camp and some of the details, the attention to detail, whether it’s formations, motions, different checks, just being ready for everything. Our whole operation needs to continue to sharpen and refine and move quicker. … We got better, but that’s just something that I still think we need to work on.”

  Other Observations

1. Tampa Bay will have a considerable impact from their rookies on defense, starting with first-round outside linebacker Rueben Bain Jr., who has been the buzz of training camp. Second-rounder Josiah Trotter, who is the son of Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, should start at inside linebacker, with fourth-round defensive back Keionte Scott potentially starting at nickel. Add in veterans like defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson, edge Al-Quadin Muhammad and linebacker Alex Anzalone, and there’s a different vibe to their defensive front.

“They’re tough,” Pro Bowl left tackle Tristan Wirfs said of the group on Wednesday. “I think they’re going to be a problem this year. It’s nice to see that kind of a–hole mentality … It’s a mean front.”

2. A year ago, the intrigue was the novelty of Travis Hunter’s balance between offense and defense, but as he returns healthy after being limited to seven games as a rookie, he’s focused primarily on defense. Roughly 75% of his reps have come on defense this summer, according to local beat writers carefully charting his participation. Last year, he logged twice as many snaps on offense before his injury. 

“It can be a challenge, but I think [we] just continue to chip away when I can over this next week or two,” Lawrence said of working with Hunter as a receiver. “It’s tough. You don’t get quite as much time, but I feel like when the opportunity comes up, we’re going to have him ready and he’s going to be able to do whatever we need him to do.”

  Players To Watch

The third-round rookie joins a talented receiving corps and brings much-needed size to help offset the loss of Mike Evans to the 49ers. 

“He has some unbelievable potential,” receiver Chris Godwin said Tuesday. “He’s so explosive, especially for that size. He has the ability to jump, make tough catches. He’s doing some really good things.”

An under-the-radar value signing for Jacksonville was keeping Brown for three years, $33 million this offseason. They traded away Tyson Campbell last year and let Greg Newsome walk in free agency, and Brown had a deflected interception off Baker Mayfield during Tuesday’s joint practice.

  Quote Of The Day

“Just the hair on hair,” Jaguars coach Liam Coen said of watching a practice scuffle between Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Bucs linebacker Alex Anzalone.

Jaguars coach Liam Coen quipped about the hair similarity between Alex Anzalone and Trevor Lawrence. (Photos courtesy of Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire and Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

–>

Source

A word of warning before you scroll down: You’re going to disagree with some of the opinions you’re about to read.

I know I’ve never come across an NFL quarterback ranking I’ve agreed with 100%, and the same is almost certainly true for you, whether you lean heavily on analytics, film, or team results. We all have different ideas of what makes one quarterback better than another. How you stack them is determined by what you value most in a quarterback.

I prefer to focus on a quarterback’s skill set and how it helps their team’s offense function. The quarterbacks who can do everything for their team go to the top of the list, and they’re closely followed by those who can still carry an offense despite one or two small weaknesses in their game. 

From there, you have your quarterbacks who can put up big numbers in the right environment and then those who are just trying to hang onto a starting job. And if your team’s quarterback doesn’t fall into one of those four categories, it’s time to start looking for a new one.

For this exercise, I’ve placed all 32 of the league’s starting quarterbacks (plus the eventual loser of the uninspiring battle going on in Atlanta) into one of seven tiers, ranging from “Elite” to “A Backup on Any Other Team.” 

One last thing before we get started: These selections are based on what these quarterbacks have done in the past; they are not a projection of what’s to come in 2026.

Click on a tier below to go directly to it.

Elite | Franchise Carrier | On The Doorstep | Supporting-Cast Dependent | Good Enough To Start | Erratic But Talented Sophomores | Backups On Any Other Team

The best of the very best. These quarterbacks are one-man starter packs for a top-10 offense. They have no limitations on what they can do on the field. They can burn a defense with their arms, legs, or even their minds. No matter what’s going on around them, their teams will be in contention for a title—provided they’re healthy, of course.

We can all agree Josh Allen belongs in this tier after putting up another MVP-caliber season in 2025, but Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson are probably undervalued, with both missing the playoffs and posting pedestrian numbers by their lofty standards.

Patrick Mahomes has been active throughout training camp is trending toward starting Week 1 for the Chiefs. (Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

–>

Let’s start with Mahomes, who’s still the league’s best quarterback, no matter what the league standings or analytical charts from last year say. The Chiefs had no receivers who could separate from man coverage, and Mahomes’ only reliable pass catcher, Travis Kelce, was running like a beer league first baseman. The offensive line was full of holes, the running backs produced just two runs that went for more than 20 yards last season, and Andy Reid’s offense was about four years past its expiration date. 

Still, this was an above-average offense by any objective measure. Kansas City’s season from hell wasn’t proof that Mahomes has lost a step; it proved that a quarterback can only do so much to prop up a poorly built roster.

It’s more difficult to make an argument in favor of Jackson’s 2025 campaign. The two-time MVP did not play well at times and contributed to some of the issues in Baltimore’s passing game by holding onto the ball for far too long and taking avoidable sacks. But I’m willing to give Jackson a one-year pass for two reasons: 

1. He was banged up throughout the season, which explains his reluctance to scramble.
2. That whole two-time MVP thing.

Lamar Jackson will look to bounce back after a disappointing 2025 season. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)

–>

Jackson’s track record of elevating mediocre supporting talent is long enough to warrant inclusion in this tier. If we get a repeat of last year in 2026, we can revisit this discussion.

These quarterbacks are good enough to match the elite guys throw-for-throw, but there’s at least one weakness in their game that keeps them out of the top tier. While it’s not a guarantee that their teams will contend for a title, they will be in the playoff hunt as long as they’re on the field.

There’s only one quarterback in this group without a playoff win in his résumé. That’s Justin Herbert, of course. 

Quarterbacks are ultimately judged by what they do in the postseason, but we’re talking about a sample size of three games here. Herbert has played 98 regular-season games and has been damn good in them. He also checks every box laid out in the description of this tier. Herbert just dragged a below-average receiving corps and a historically inept offensive line to an 11-win season.

Next for Justin Herbert: achieve playoff success. (Luke Hales/Getty Images)

–>

As long as Herbert is out there, the Chargers have a chance to win. It’s only a matter of time before that translates to postseason success.

Dak Prescott is the other postseason faller in the group, but the perception that the Cowboys quarterback is bad in the playoffs largely stems from two bad games against superior 49ers teams. 

Fun fact: Prescott and noted playoff riser Jalen Hurts both average 0.07 expected points added per dropback in the postseason, but Prescott’s success rate is nearly 8 percentage points higher, per Next Gen Stats. He also clears Joe Burrow, another supposed postseason riser, in both stats. If we just focus on Prescott’s game, which is built on a mastery of the Cowboys offense and top-end timing, precision, and pocket presence – you know, all the hallmarks of great quarterbacking – his inclusion in this tier is a no-brainer.

These quarterbacks have a few more kinks they need to work out before they can make the leap into the tier above it. Give them a good support system, though, and they’ll perform like a tier-two quarterback.

As you can probably surmise by now, I don’t put too much stock in small postseason sample sizes. That’s why C.J. Stroud (just barely) makes it into this tier. 

Stroud was downright awful in Houston’s playoff run last season, but that shouldn’t overshadow the good work he did in the regular season, with a receiving corps decimated by injuries, an offensive line short on talent, and a first-year play-caller who enters 2026 on the hot seat. Stroud’s season was also disrupted by a concussion that took him out for a month. 

C.J. Stroud delivered a strong performance in the back half of last season. (Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)

–>

Statistically speaking, Stroud was a top-10 quarterback after his return, and his tape was just as impressive as the numbers imply. He found more consistency with his accuracy, played more decisively, and showed more command of the offense before the snap. Houston’s offensive setup should improve in 2026, which should coincide with a bounce-back season for the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Out of the four passers in this group, Jordan Love is the closest to making the jump into the next tier. Look at his efficiency numbers, and you’d think he already belongs in that group, but I’d like to see Love maintain that efficiency in a pass-first offense. Given the state of the Packers defense heading into the season, he’ll get his chance to do it in 2026.

And then there are the two generational prospects who haven’t quite lived up to the hype. 

Caleb Williams has had his elite moments, but unreliable downfield accuracy and some overly ambitious decision-making are holding him back from the top tiers. The same goes for Lawrence, who fixed some of his accuracy issues last season but is still good for one or two bozo moments per game. Still, when these two are at their best, there are only a handful of quarterbacks who can match them.

This group can produce like top-10 quarterbacks provided the conditions around them are just right. Some in this group require pristine pass protection. Others need an innovative play-caller or a stacked receiving corps. But when those needs aren’t met, they play more like bottom-10 quarterbacks. This is the middle class of NFL passers.

The fanbases for these quarterbacks are all thinking the same thing: Why is my guy lumped in with these scrubs?

I’d guess that Lions fans are most offended, and they could make a decent argument that Jared Goff belongs in a higher tier based on production alone. Even last season, when Detroit missed the playoffs, Goff remained productive without Ben Johnson calling plays. That ignores the fact that Detroit’s offense was mostly powered by Jahmyr Gibbs’ explosive runs and a receiving corps that could turn a short pass into a monster gain. 

Goff’s inability to play under pressure is the main reason he’s stuck in this group. He was, once again, one of the worst quarterbacks in the league when pressured, and his lack of mobility, which won’t miraculously improve now that he’s in his 30s, is the root cause. Put Goff in, say, the Chiefs offense, and he’d crumble. If you need proof, just revisit his first season in Detroit when the Lions were still in rebuilding mode. Or just watch any game where he’s under siege.

Kyler Murray and Jayden Daniels are the two quarterbacks who could make the jump into the next tier this season. Both will have to stay healthy – a tall order given their respective injury histories. 

Murray has higher upside in 2026, mostly because of a better supporting cast. He also has the stronger arm and has shown more as a pocket passer. Daniels has to regain his short-area accuracy to rediscover the form we saw in his rookie season. Given the state of Washington’s offensive line, even that may not be enough for Daniels to bounce back statistically.

This tier also includes three quarterbacks who have played in a Super Bowl, and two of them have won it. Sam Darnold is the defending Super Bowl champ, and he’s coming off a clean postseason run, but he also led the NFL in turnovers last season. Jalen Hurts has led mediocre passing games in three consecutive seasons despite a wealth of surrounding talent. And Brock Purdy has battled injuries and inconsistency since breaking out in 2022 with a superstar supporting cast and Kyle Shanahan calling the plays.

On their best day, these guys can trick their fan bases into thinking they have a franchise quarterback … but a sobering reminder that they don’t is always right around the corner.

I want it on record that I believe Geno Smith and Tyler Shough could force their way into the tier above this one by the end of 2026.

Smith was dealt an impossible hand in Las Vegas last season. His offensive coordinator was calling plays that weren’t in the game plan, the unqualified offensive line coach was way over his head, and wide receiver Tre Tucker led the team in targets. 

Even considering all that, Smith didn’t play well, but there are only a handful of quarterbacks who would have in that environment. I expect the veteran to bounce back behind a solid Jets offensive line and talented skill group.

Geno Smith gets another shot at starting in the NFL this season with the New York Jets. (Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

–>

I was pleasantly surprised by Shough’s rookie season but still have plenty of concerns. Deep accuracy and a concerningly high pressure-to-sack ratio are at the top of that list. The second-year pro has the arm talent and mobility to improve in those areas, but he’s already entering his age-27 season, which gives him less room for improvement compared to the rest of his draft class.

Despite the large gap in age and accolades, Bryce Young and Aaron Rodgers are largely the same players at this point in their respective careers. Neither is comfortable throwing to the middle of the field, which can hamstring their offenses, but both make up for it with impressive touch on vertical, perimeter throws. Both look physically overwhelmed at times. 

Well, this one’s self-explanatory. I’m not ready to give up on either of these guys, but the holes in their games prevent me from fully buying in.

If I had to choose one of these quarterbacks for the upcoming season, Jaxson Dart would be my pick. If I were picking for the next five years, I’d go with Cam Ward.

Thanks to his scrambling and run-game contributions, Dart is the more useful player. But he’s seemingly incapable of playing in structure and consistently misses even the most basic reads. When reviewing the tape of his rookie season, I lost count of the times he’d be staring directly at an open receiver underneath and not throw the football. It was mildly infuriating, but Dart showed an uncanny ability to salvage those missed opportunities with his legs. On the flip side, his refusal to slide led to countless trips to the blue medical tent. He’s more comfortable in there than the pocket, it seems.

Jaxson Dart is entering his first Week 1 as the Giants’ starting quarterback. (Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

–>

Ward’s pocket presence also needs improvement, but he’s shown more as a processor early in his career. The 2025 first-overall pick has no problems reading a defense and making anticipatory throws, but getting the ball to his intended target has been an issue for him. If he doesn’t shore up his accuracy in 2026, the Titans could be back in the quarterback market next offseason.

The teams these quarterbacks play for are already looking forward to their next quarterback. In one case, he’s already on the roster.

Kirk Cousins is the inclusion here that might get some pushback, but just ask Falcons fans how excited they are by the prospect of Michael Penix Jr. starting in Week 1 and then remind yourself that Cousins couldn’t beat him out a year ago. While I’ve always liked Malik Willis’ upside, he doesn’t stand a chance in the Dolphins offense. Jacoby Brissett is a career backup, and the Browns naming Deshaun Watson their QB1 has the sport’s most loyal fanbase ready to revolt.  

Source

The NFL preseason reaches its final weekend with 16 games from Thursday, Aug. 27 through Saturday, Aug. 29. Week 3 is the last live evaluation before roster cuts, giving coaches one more look at position battles and players fighting for jobs.

For every preseason matchup and national TV window, see the complete 2026 NFL preseason schedule.

2026 NFL Preseason Week 3 Schedule

All times are Eastern and subject to change. Games without a national network designation are available on participating teams’ local affiliates.

Thursday, Aug. 27

Friday, Aug. 28

• Washington Commanders at Baltimore Ravens, 6 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
• Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers, 7 p.m. ET (Local TV)
• Atlanta Falcons at Miami Dolphins, 7 p.m. ET (Local TV)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Jacksonville Jaguars, 7:30 p.m. ET (Local TV)
• New York Giants at New York Jets, 7:30 p.m. ET (Local TV)
• New Orleans Saints at Dallas Cowboys, 8 p.m. ET (Local TV)
• Seattle Seahawks at Kansas City Chiefs, 8 p.m. ET (Local TV)
• Cincinnati Bengals at Philadelphia Eagles, 8 p.m. ET (CBS)
• FArizona Cardinals at Green Bay Packers, 8 p.m. ET (Local TV)
• Minnesota Vikings at Denver Broncos, 9 p.m. ET (NFL Network)

Saturday, Aug. 29

NFL Related Stories

How Can I Watch NFL Preseason Week 3?

NFL Network carries seven Week 3 games, Prime Video has Patriots-Browns on Thursday and CBS has Bengals-Eagles on Friday. The remaining matchups will be available through participating teams’ local broadcast affiliates.

NFL Network is included in the ESPN bundle on FOX.com.

How Can I Stream NFL Preseason Week 3?

NFL+ offers live national and out-of-market preseason games, subject to local blackouts and device restrictions. Fans should also check their local team listings before kickoff.

Giants are ‘deep sleepers’, Jalen Hurts struggles, Will J.J. McCarthy leave the Vikings? | FTF

Malik Nabers practiced in full for the 2nd-straught day, and John Harbaugh is bringing the hype to New York. Danny Parkins, Eric Mangini, and Geoff Schwartz ask if it’s time to buy Giants stock, and if Jalen Hurts and the Eagles will struggle this season. Plus, they ask if it’s possible that J.J. McCarthy isn’t on the Vikings by Week 1.

Does NFL Preseason Week 3 Count Toward the Standings?

No. Preseason results do not count toward a team’s regular-season record. Week 3 is the final chance for teams to evaluate rookies, new additions and position battles before setting their initial 53-man rosters.

How Many Preseason Games Does Each NFL Team Play?

Most teams play three preseason games. The Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals each play four in 2026 because they also participated in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 6.

Week 3 closes the preseason. The 2026 regular season begins Sept. 9, when the New England Patriots visit the Seattle Seahawks.

]–>

Source

“New toys!”

The Cincinnati Reds have placed designated hitter/third baseman Eugenio Suárez and center fielder TJ Friedl on outright waivers, The Athletic reported on Thursday morning.

Suárez and Friedl could theoretically remain with the Reds, as another team would have to claim them on waivers, and if either player goes unclaimed after 48 hours, they would stay on Cincinnati’s payroll. In the scenario where a team claims either player on waivers, though, it would absorb their respective contract.

Suárez is in the midst of a one-year, $15 million deal, which includes a $16 million mutual option for 2027, while Friedl is under team control through 2028. Suárez is due roughly $3 million for the rest of the season, while Friedl is due roughly $700,000 and Cincinnati is reportedly “unlikely” to offer him a contract next season.

The 35-year-old Suárez, who played for the Reds from 2015-21, returned to the team last offseason following a 2025 campaign that saw the third baseman tie his career high in home runs (49) and drive in a career-high 118 RBIs in a year split between the Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks.

This year, Suárez, a two-time All-Star, has totaled 19 home runs, 57 RBIs, a 93 OPS+ and -0.4 wins above replacement over 410 plate appearances, while owning a .208/.295/.410 slash line. He has made 62 starts as Cincinnati’s designated hitter and 38 at third base.

The 31-year-old Friedl, who has spent his entire six-year MLB career with the Reds (2021-26), has logged three home runs, 11 RBIs, five stolen bases, a 33 OPS+ and -0.9 wins above replacement over 253 plate appearances this season, while posting a .158/.242/.234 slash line.

Each of the aforementioned categories are a career low over a full season for Friedl, who registered 18 home runs, 66 home runs, 27 stolen bases and a .279/.352/.467 slash line in 2023 and drove in 53 runs in 2025. He has primarily played center field for Cincinnati, boasting five defensive runs saved at the position this season.

The Reds are 63-71, good for last place in the National League Central. That said, Cincinnati pulled off a miraculous comeback on the road against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday afternoon, scoring seven runs in the top of the ninth inning for the largest ninth-inning comeback in franchise history since 1958. Suárez hit a grand slam in that inning.

Source

We can’t predict the future, neither can you, and in a sport like college football, chaos, upsets and endless debates are pretty much the only guarantees. But looking ahead to the 2026 college football season, we had to throw down some predictions. 

From the 12-team College Football Playoff field and the 2026 national champion to coaches’ projections with their new teams and Heisman Trophy finalists, we’re breaking down our bold predictions. Some may come to fruition, and some may not be quite right come January, but this is how we see the season unfolding. 

So as FOX Sports’ college football experts, here are our 12 bold predictions for the 2026 season.

1.

Curt Cignetti and Indiana are looking to repeat as Big Ten champions. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

–>

Perhaps my Bloomington roots are showing, but I’m shocked at how much it feels like the defending national champs aren’t being taken seriously to repeat as Big Ten champions.

Quarterback is a real question, albeit Josh Hoover has all the experience you could want in someone taking over for a Heisman winner. The defense will be as good as any in the country again and if things click under center, I like the Hoosiers to push Ohio State and Oregon for the Big Ten title. 

One other note that hasn’t been discussed enough — Cignetti brings back nine of his 10 on-field assistants from last year’s squad. That’s not nothing. — Ben Portnoy

2.

Tim Polasek led North Dakota State to an FCS National Title in 2024. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

–>

In my Ultimate 138 CFB Rankings, I put North Dakota State just out of my initial top 25, and that piqued the interest of many. It might shock you that I believe the Bison will not only enter FBS and be immediately competitive but the best Group of Six team in the sport.

In the eyes of the committee, that’s what they’ll have to achieve to make the College Football Playoff this season. As the rules state, only the highest-ranked Group of Six program will be rewarded with a spot in the CFP — regardless of whether that team won its conference title.

After announcing their move to FBS earlier this year, I asked Bison coach Tim Polasek a pointed question.

“Do you think your team is capable of competing for the College Football Playoff?” I asked.

“I think I like our team,” Polasek told me. “We’re going to have some learning and growing to do about our opponents, but I really like our process, the year-round work that we do and how we practice. Those things position us to be very competitive in every game. And if you happen to knock them down one at a time, there’s no reason North Dakota State can’t be in the conversation for the College Football Playoff.” — RJ Young

3.

Arch Manning threw for 1,714 yards and 14 touchdowns over the last six games for Texas in 2025. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

–>

After getting off to a rough start in his first year as the Longhorns starting quarterback — who wouldn’t be impacted by all that national hype and expectations? — Arch Manning will look like the five-star talent everyone has been waiting for. He gave us a taste toward the end of last season, especially against Texas A&M and Michigan, but this season he’ll find that next level. 

Texas has one of the more challenging schedules in the country, but Manning’s leadership and growth will have the Longhorns poised for a national championship run. — Laken Litman

4.

Jeremiah Smith could cement himself as college football’s best receiver this year with a huge season. (Photo by William Purnell/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

–>

When discussing his chances of winning the Heisman Trophy during an interview at Big Ten Media Days last month, Smith told reporters the only way for a player at his position to accomplish that feat is if the production mimics that of former Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith, who caught 117 passes for a staggering 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2020. 

There’s an opportunity for Smith to approach that kind of output in a receiving corps lacking proven targets behind him now that Carnell Tate is playing in the NFL. Only one receiver in college football history has eclipsed 2,000 yards in a season: Trevor Insley of Nevada in 1999. It’s time for Smith to push for that milestone. — Michael Cohen

5.

Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss in controversial fashion for another SEC team in LSU at the end of last season. (Photo by Gus Stark/LSU/University Images via Getty Images)

–>

Despite all the hoopla surrounding Lane Kiffin — the latest being LSU recruiting tight end Dae’Quan Wright after he was waived by the Cleveland Browns — the Tigers will make the CFP for the first time since the 2019 season when they won the national championship. And in doing so, Kiffin will remind the college football world just how good of a coach he truly is. — Laken Litman

6.

Ryan Day and Ohio State helped the Big Ten win three straight national championships, along with Michigan and Indiana. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

–>

Realize Miami, Notre Dame, Washington and TCU combine for three more national title game appearances since 2022 than the SEC. Realize the SEC champion hasn’t reached the national title game since 2022. Realize that Mario Cristobal is 5-1 against the SEC at Miami and won his last five in a row against the league where “it just means more.”

Finally, realize the Big Ten has seen a member win the last three national titles and is poised to pull off a feat that only the SEC has in CFP era: feature two members from its own league in the national title game if the rankings hold true. From Ohio State to Oregon to Indiana, there’s every reason to believe the Big Ten can increase its streak to four. But how devastating will it be to fans of the SEC if it goes 0-for-4 in national title game appearances in the same timeframe? I’d like to find out. — RJ Young

7.

Can Lincoln Riley take USC to the next level this season? (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

–>

Lincoln Riley has signaled he believes this might be his best Trojans’ team. A large part of his confidence centers on alignment between himself, athletics director and president at USC. He learned the value of that alignment while at Oklahoma, and has developed it at USC. 

He also returns a starting quarterback, in Jayden Maiava, who can lead USC past good opponents, and a pair of running backs he believes can be as productive as Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine were on his Oklahoma teams. He brought in a College Football Hall of Fame coach as his defensive coordinator in Gary Patterson. All of this has turned me into a believer in the 2026 Trojans. — RJ Young

8.

Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy ran for 1,567 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. (Photo by Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

–>

I picked Miami quarterback Darian Mensah to take home the hardware, but the receiver class could steal the headlines in this year’s Heisman campaign.

Cam Coleman is the type of freak athlete that could find his way into the mix if the Longhorns live up to their billing. Jeremiah Smith is, well, Jeremiah Smith, and I’d be shocked if he doesn’t lead the Buckeyes and the Big Ten in receiving this year. Malachi Toney, too, will likely get some consideration if Miami is as good as advertised.

What about tailbacks Kewan Lacy (Ole Miss) or Jadan Baugh (Florida)? Or, let’s get weird and see Navy quarterback Braxton Woodson in the mix.

Bring it on. — Ben Portnoy

9.

James Franklin enters his first season at Virginia Tech after 12 years at Penn State. (Photo by Ryan Hunt/Getty Images)

–>

The James Franklin era begins at Virginia Tech. The Hokies went 3-9 last year, but Franklin has brought in a strong transfer class, which includes former Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, who earned valuable experience when he replaced an injured Drew Allar last season. The Hokies have road games at Clemson, SMU and Miami and will win at least one of those, while Franklin’s former employer, Penn State, will struggle in its three toughest games against USC, Michigan and Washington. — Laken Litman

10.

Kalen DeBoer has failed to reach the CFP national championship game in two seasons at Alabama. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

–>

DeBoer was arguably the hottest name on the coaching carousel following two incredible seasons at Washington, which ended with a national championship game appearance in 2023. Since then, though, he’s lost four games in each of his first two years at Alabama — a far cry from the impossible standard set by predecessor Nick Saban — including four defeats to unranked opponents. That’s the same number of unranked losses that Saban suffered in 17 years with the Crimson Tide. 

And while DeBoer signed a new seven-year contract in April that will pay him an average of $12.5 million per season, his buyout of $10 million might be worth stomaching for wealthy Alabama fans if things go awry this fall. — Michael Cohen

11.

Mario Cristobal’s Miami team was the CFP runner-up last season after losing to Indiana in the title game. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

–>

This isn’t the hottest take on the planet, but I have a really hard time seeing anyone from the ACC outside of Miami challenging for a College Football Playoff spot.

Rhett Lashlee has done incredible work at SMU in a relatively short time, moving the Mustangs up from the American Conference to the Power Four, but I’m not sold quarterback Kevin Jennings is the guy to get the Ponies back into the CFP mix.

Outside of SMU, who is challenging Miami this year? Louisville? Maybe. Cal? For reasons above, perhaps, but that’s asking a lot. — Ben Portnoy

12.

Josh Hoover becomes the third straight transfer to take over as Indiana’s starting quarterback under Curt Cignetti.  (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images for ONIT)

–>

No Big Ten player will receive more scrutiny than Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover, a TCU transfer tasked with following in the footsteps of Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. But head coach Curt Cignetti and his staff have proven they can identify quarterback talent as well as — or better — than seemingly everyone else, so casting doubts about Hoover seems rather foolish. 

If Hoover can perform anywhere near the level established by Mendoza and predecessor Kurtis Rourke, who also guided Indiana to the College Football Playoff, then this loaded Hoosiers’ roster can extend one of the sport’s best fairytales. — Michael Cohen

WHAT YOU SHOULD READ NEXT

You’re about to watch the most competitive season of college football ever.

‘Fear Arch Manning’ USC a CFP sleeper, can Indiana repeat as National Champions, Notre Dame | FTF

–>

Source

A walk-off in Atlanta. Huge innings and bigger losses. A squirrel. Wednesday’s MLB action provided all that and much more.

Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball:

Braves Walk Off The Dodgers

If the Braves are to have a realistic chance of catching the Dodgers for the second first-round bye in the NL this postseason, then Atlanta needs to beat L.A. So far, so good on that note: the Braves won the first game of the series with a late run, and then walked off the Dodgers in the second.

Once again, it was Tanner Scott on the mound for the Dodgers, and once again, he would take the L. Starting pitcher Roki Sasaki lasted just 3 ⅓ innings while allowing four runs, and Scott was the fifth reliever of the evening: it’s not like manager Dave Roberts was swimming in alternatives by this point in the game, with Sasaki failing to pitch into even the middle of the game. Scott came on in a tie game, and got the first two outs no problem on a combined seven pitches. Then, disaster struck: left fielder Lane Thomas, who had entered earlier as a pinch-hitter, hit a double, then Scott intentionally walked third baseman Austin Riley. Ha-Seong Kim would enter as a pinch-hitter for pitcher Victor Mederos — Atlanta had lost the DH earlier — and would work an eight-pitch at-bat. Scott threw a 97.2 mph four-seamer low in the zone, but Kim got to it, anyway, and hit a 254-foot liner to left, scoring Thomas.

That was the ballgame: the Braves have won three in a row and are now 78-55, just two games behind the Dodgers for that second bye. The head-to-head tiebreaker for that bye is also officially Atlanta’s now, as well: the Braves are 4-1 against the Dodgers this season, so while they still need to actually get into a tie with L.A. for it to matter, all the Dodgers can do is try to play better ball the rest of the way to keep this from coming into play.

Check Out This Double Play, Though

You don’t see that very often.

Yes, Mookie Betts got credit for starting the double play in the official scoring. Hey, he helped, just not conventionally.

That’s 5 In A Row For Peters

We already said yesterday that Tristan Peters has been on one. Guess what? He’s still on one. On Wednesday against the Rangers, the White Sox left fielder went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs each, and a home run in his fifth-straight game.

This two-run shot came in the bottom of the fifth, and put Chicago up 6-2 over Texas. It ended up being the game-winning hit, but it would take a few more innings to know that: the White Sox scored another four runs of insurance, and all the Rangers could muster was another pair.

The W makes the White Sox the first non-AL East team to reach 70 wins this season, which is a very strange sentence to write for multiple reasons. But it’s true! The Rangers failed to keep pace with the Guardians in the AL wild-card race, and are now two back of Cleveland and just half-a-game up on the Orioles.

Orioles Nearly Blow It Until They Don’t

Just half-a-game, because try as Baltimore might it couldn’t completely blow the game against the Cardinals. But trust that the O’s did try. Baltimore went up 7-0 before the second inning ended, with DH Pete Alonso continuing his torrid run with a two-run homer. His OPS fell to .794 on Aug. 8, and he’s now raised it nearly 100 points over his last 16 games by batting .484/.543/.952 with nine of his 32 homers.

Then the Cardinals happened. In the bottom of the fifth, St. Louis singled, walked, walked and singled to make it 7-3, then right fielder Jordan Walker doubled to drive in another. Center fielder Nathan Church would follow with his own two-bagger that drove in two more runs, and a pitching change from Kyle Bradish to Alex Hoppe didn’t stop the bleeding. Second baseman José Fermín grounded out but tied the game for the sixth run of the inning, and then Hoppe finally got the third out.

Remarkably, neither team would score again for the next few innings. But in the top of the ninth, Baltimore’s bats, quiet since Alonso’s dinger, came to life once more. First baseman Samuel Basallo singled and was replaced with pinch-runner Luis Vázquez, who went to second on a wild pitch. Then, infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand hit a liner to center, scoring the runner and giving the game its final score of 8-7.

The Orioles are just 65-68, but also just 2.5 out of the last AL wild-card spot. The Cardinals have made life a lot more difficult this week, as St. Louis now sits six back of the Padres in the NL wild-card race, with the Diamondbacks and Marlins ahead of it as well. The Cards have one more against the O’s to try to avoid a sweep and falling any further.

Schwarber Gets No. 40 And History

The Mariners took the first two games of this series thanks in large part to a flurry of dingers from Cal Raleigh, but this time it was Phillies’ slugger Kyle Schwarber getting the long ball-related headlines. With Philadelphia already up 3-0, Schwarber crushed a nearly 99 mph offering from Bryan Woo and deposited it 425 feet away in right-center.

That was Schwarber’s 40th homer of the season, which marks both the fourth 40-homer campaign of his career as a whole and with the Phillies. And that tied the franchise record, held by 13-year Phillies’ veteran Ryan Howard. Howard had four 40-homer campaigns in a row, bashing 58, 47, 48 and 45 from 2006 through 2009; Schwarber has 46, 47, a just-missed 38, 56 and 40 in his five seasons with the Phillies.

By the way, despite being in just his fifth — and not yet finished — campaign with Philadelphia, Schwarber’s 227 dingers with the Phillies ranks seventh all-time among franchise leaders. Another six, and he’ll tie Chase Utley. Unless he absolutely blows things open in September, he might have to wait until 2027 for Chuck Klein and the top five, though, since he’s at 243.

The Phils would win, 6-0, leaving the Mariners four games back of the last AL wild-card and the Phillies two games up on the Padres for the second NL wild-card.

Luis García Jr. Vs. The Astros

Yankees’ first baseman Luis García Jr. has faced the Astros in five games this season — first with the Nationals, and now with New York. To wit, he’s hit .591/.609/1.091 with 13 hits, eight runs, nine RBIs, two doubles and three homers against Houston. The second of those dingers came on Tuesday, and No. 3 on Wednesday, against reliever Enyel De Los Santos.

Now, the game was already out of hand at this point, but García bashing another long ball against Houston and driving in even more runs is a real salt in the wound situation. Isn’t it bad enough that the Astros have now dropped under .500, to 66-67, where they… are still in first place in the AL West. Well, alright, it’s been that kind of season.

The Yankees, meanwhile, kept pace with the Rays in the AL East, as New York sits 3.5 back and 10 up on the first team out of the wild-card picture. A postseason spot seems assured for the Yankees, but which one is an open question.

Blue Jays Stop Royals Streak Cold

The Kansas City Royals came into Wednesday’s game winners of nine-straight contests, but the Blue Jays put a stop to that. It wasn’t a must-win game for Toronto, but close enough: even with the dub, the Jays are three back in the AL wild-card race and just 65-69. Unlike the loser of the Astros, Rangers and Mariners disaster, Toronto can’t rely on sneaking in via the division — the Blue Jays are 14.5 games behind the AL-leading Rays, with the second- and third-best records in the league ahead of them in the Yankees and Red Sox.

One game at a time, though, and on Wednesday, the game was a W. Right fielder Nathan Lukes had one hit all game, and it was a big one — the only scoring of the night for either team, a three-run jack.

Pretty great for a bullpen game, too, as Toronto got two innings out of Spencer Miles and then used another six arms out of the pen — the third pitcher got the W, three others got a hold and Louis Varland picked up his 30th save of the season, too.

Squirrel!

Squirrels get to watch MLB games for free if they can find somewhere to sit. Most people don’t know that, but you can be sure that squirrels do.

Brewers Are Relentless In W

This one was all Brewers nearly from the jump. Milwaukee scored four runs in the second thanks to six hits in a row, all singles.

That would be more than the Brewers needed to down the Mets, but they scored four more, anyway, with most of it coming on a Brice Turang homer in the fourth. Milwaukee’s second baseman launched this one 408 feet at nearly 105 mph, and plated a pair of runners in addition to himself.

Shout out to Milwaukee’s pitching, too — Dustin May was knocked out of the game after taking a liner off his back in the bottom of the bottom of the first, against the first batter he faced in center fielder A.J. Ewing. While he got the out, he had to exit in favor of Robert Gasser — the lefty wasn’t planning to pitch, but threw 5 ⅓ with just one run allowed, anyway. The actual bullpen took care of business the rest of the way, and Milwaukee would win, 8-1.

Source

Leonard Williams isn’t going anywhere.

The star defensive lineman and three-time Pro Bowler has signed a three-year, $90 million extension with the Seattle Seahawks, NFL Media reported on Thursday morning. Williams’ $30 million average annual value puts him tied with Tampa Bay Buccaneers nose tackle Vita Vea for fifth among interior defensive linemen. He was entering the final season of a three-year, $64.5 million deal.

Last season (2025), Williams totaled seven sacks, 33 solo tackles and 62 combined tackles, while earning second-team All-Pro honors. Williams was fourth among defensive linemen with 58 pressures, 11th with a 75.3 overall grade and 12th with 36 hurries, according to Pro Football Focus.

Williams was an integral part of a Seattle defense that was first in the NFL in opponent points (17.2 per game), third in opponent rushing yards (91.9 per game), sixth in opponent total yards (285.6 per game), tied for seventh in sacks (47.0) and 10th outright in opponent passing yards (193.9 per game). And, of course, the Seahawks went on to win Super Bowl LX.

In 2024, Williams recorded his second career double-digit sack season, racking up 11.0 sacks. Williams has been a Pro Bowler in each of the last two years.

Seahawks Related Stories

Williams is in his third full season and fourth season altogether with the Seahawks, who acquired the now-32-year-old from the New York Giants during the 2023 NFL season. The defensive lineman was selected by the New York Jets with the No. 6 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft out of USC and was traded to the Giants during the 2019 season.

Elsewhere on the contract front, the Seahawks made wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (four-year, $168.6 million deal) and cornerback Devon Witherspoon (four-year, $132 million deal) the highest-paid players at their respective positions in NFL history this offseason. They also re-signed wide receiver/returner Rashid Shaheed (three-year, $51 million deal), linebacker Drake Thomas (two-year, $8 million deal) and cornerback Josh Jobe (three-year, $24 million deal), among other moves.

Source

The Los Angeles Dodgers visit the Atlanta Braves on Thursday, August 27, 2026 at 7:15 p.m. ET from Truist Park, Atlanta, GA.

The Atlanta Braves enter at 78-55 (.586), while the Los Angeles Dodgers sit at 80-53 (.602). Chris Sale (12-9, 2.20 ERA in 135 innings) takes the mound for the Braves, opposed by Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12-7, 2.61 ERA in 151.2 innings).

Below, we’ll give you all the details you need to know about how to watch this game.

How to Watch Dodgers vs. Braves

• When: Thursday, August 27, 2026 at 7:15 p.m. ET
• Where: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
• TV: FS1
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One, FOX Sports

Players To Watch

Sale sets the tone for Atlanta. The Braves have their clearest edge when he owns the mound, and his 2026 line backs it up: 12-9 with a 2.20 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 166 strikeouts in 135 innings and 16 quality starts.

Now comes the real test. The Dodgers rank first in OPS and second in both batting average and slugging percentage. Atlanta pitchers have held opponents to a .232 average, while Sale has been even tougher at .222.

If Sale gets through Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman cleanly and works deep into the game, Atlanta can shrink the night and play to the strength of a staff that ranks fifth in ERA.

One swing could decide this matchup, and no Atlanta hitter is better equipped to deliver it than Olson. He leads the Braves with 37 home runs and 78 RBI, while his .538 slugging percentage anchors a lineup that ranks fifth in slugging and seventh in homers.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been excellent, but Dodgers pitchers have still allowed 150 home runs. That gives Olson a clear opening. Atlanta does not create much pressure with its legs, so the Braves need their middle-order power to produce.

If Olson gets a mistake or forces Los Angeles to work around him, the entire Atlanta lineup becomes more difficult to navigate.

Yamamoto can answer Sale pitch for pitch. The Dodgers right-hander enters at 12-7 with a 2.61 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 145 strikeouts in 151.2 innings and 18 quality starts. Opponents are hitting just .187 against him.

That dominance has helped Los Angeles lead the majors in quality starts while ranking near the top in WHIP and opponent batting average. But Atlanta presents a serious challenge. The Braves lead the NL East, are 44-23 at home and have enough power to punish anything left over the plate.

Yamamoto’s command against Olson, Michael Harris II and Drake Baldwin will shape the night. If he stays ahead and keeps Atlanta out of hitter’s counts, the Dodgers can put this game on their terms.

Ohtani owns the biggest swing in this matchup. He leads Los Angeles with 30 home runs and is tied for the team lead with 80 RBI, along with a .288 average, .388 on-base percentage and .546 slugging percentage.

He has also stayed dangerous lately, going 11-for-41 with a double, two triples, three home runs and four RBI over his past 10 games.

Sale is the toughest assignment on the board, which makes this the matchup to watch. If Ohtani reaches base or drives a mistake, he can crack open a game otherwise built to become a pitching duel.

Dodgers vs. Braves Odds

Learn more about the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves game and check the full MLB schedule on FOX Sports!

Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.

]–>

Source

The former third-round pick won’t make it to Year 4.

The Cleveland Browns are releasing wide receiver Cedric Tillman, ESPN reported on Thursday morning. Cleveland selected Tillman with the No. 74 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Tennessee.

Last season (2025), Tillman totaled 21 receptions for 270 yards (12.9 yards per reception) and two touchdowns over 13 games. Over Tillman’s three years with the Browns, the 6-foot-3 receiver averaged 23.7 receptions for 277.7 yards (11.7 yards per reception) and 1.7 touchdowns per season.

Injuries have held back Tillman, as he missed three games in the 2023 regular season due to a hip injury, the last six games of 2024 due to a concussion — with Tillman also missing the Browns’ 2023 AFC wild-card round bout against the Houston Texans due to a concussion — and four games in 2025 due to a hamstring injury. Moreover, in Tillman’s final season at Tennessee (2022), he missed six games due to a high ankle sprain.

Cleveland’s wide receiver room includes Jerry Jeudy, Isaiah Bond and top-40 draft picks KC Concepcion (pick No. 24 out of Texas A&M) and Denzel Boston (pick No. 39 out of Washington), among others.

Elsewhere concerning the Browns’ offense, head coach Todd Monken recently announced that Deshaun Watson will open the season as the team’s starting quarterback, beating out second-year signal-caller Shedeur Sanders for the job.

Cleveland wraps up its preseason at home against the New England Patriots on Thursday night and opens the 2026 regular season on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 13.

Source