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NFL Week 9 brings a loaded Sunday slate with plenty of exciting matchups, including the Houston Texans taking on the Los Angeles Chargers and the Las Vegas Raiders visiting the San Francisco 49ers. New Betr users can claim $200 in bonuses and four Sweat-Free Picks when they sign up using promo code FOXSPORTS.

The Chargers are still looking for their first win as they face the Texans today in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, the 49ers return home to face a Raiders team looking to pull off a road upset. Sunday’s schedule also features several other intriguing matchups, giving NFL fans plenty of opportunities to get in on the action.

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How to Watch Raiders vs. 49ers

• When: Sunday, November 8, 2026 at 4:25 p.m. ET
• Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One

When: Sunday, November 8, 2026 at 4:05 p.m. ET

Where: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA

TV: CBS

Stream: Paramount+

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Homestead-Miami Speedway (Homestead, Fla.) — Kyle Larson, considered one of the most talented race-car drivers in the world, has entered a club that now has 11 members.

Larson clinched his third Cup title Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he eliminated the last two Chase drivers (Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin) after already eliminating 13 others in the first nine races by earning enough points so that they couldn’t catch him at the season finale.

Larson won titles in 2021 and 2025 and now joins the three-time champion club as its 11th member. 

He is also the first back-to-back champion since Jimmie Johnson won five consecutive titles from 2006-2010. 

At age 34, he is the third-youngest driver to win three titles behind former Hendrick drivers Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. 

All three titles have come since Larson joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2021 and with Cliff Daniels as his crew chief.

Kyle Larson’s third title puts him in elite company among NASCAR drivers. (Getty Images)

“When you look at a lot of different championship organizations and teams throughout many different sports, I think that’s a common theme that you see. It’s led by Cliff and his leadership,” Larson said during a news conference last month.

“I think we’re just really good at refocusing on what’s ahead and not getting too far ahead or behind of what we need to accomplish.”

They have now accomplished the goal that was all but certain Sunday, compared to last year, when a late two-tire pit call earned him the title when it appeared Hamlin would win it.

“They all are equally memorable in different ways,” Larson said at a news conference Friday anticipating the third title. “2021 was just a dominating season and back in the Cup Series, which made that one memorable, first championship, memorable.

“The second one, just being in the fashion that it was … we still struggled at Phoenix, but just the surprise of that championship and the elation at the end of that is definitely a reason. Main reason why I’ll remember that one forever. This one I’ll remember forever because of just the season that it was and the struggle that it was and then just building as a team to be ready for The Chase, and then to go execute like we have. 

“I think that’s what I will remember this one for.”

Crew chief Cliff Daniels has been a huge part of Kyle Larson’s success in Cup. (Getty Images)

The championship came, thanks to a late surge in the season, as Larson entered The Chase as the seventh seed following a winless regular season. 

He snapped a 51-race winless streak in the second-race (St. Louis) of the 10-race Chase. He also won Chase races at Kansas and Talladega, with his only bad race in The Chase coming at Phoenix, where he earned just three points as he struggled throughout the race before crashing out.

He followed that Phoenix race with the wild victory two weeks ago at Talladega. A ninth-place finish a week ago at Martinsville set up a relatively easy path at Homestead; Larson needed only to earn eight stage points (out of a possible 20) or finish 28th or better without stage points. 

Hamlin and Bell faced must-win situations with significant stage-point totals, while also needing a Larson collapse.

Larson’s incredible Chase didn’t surprise many as one of the sport’s greatest talents combined with one of the best organizations to rise to the occasion.

“I’ve said all along, even during the winless drought that we were on. Our team is there,” Larson said during a news conference at Martinsville. “Our team is really, really good, and when things come together, we’re going to be ready, and I think we’ve proven that.

Larson credits his team’s resilience in his latest title run. (Getty Images)

“We didn’t know exactly when that time was going to be, but we were going to be ready whenever it came. Thankfully, it came when The Chase started.”

The Chase system in 2027 was almost a reboot of the original NASCAR postseason format starting in 2004 with a reset of points prior to the final 10 races and then a 10-race mini-season Chase to crown a champion. 

NASCAR went back to a slightly altered version of that format after disposing the format from 2014-2025 that featured elimination rounds and a one-race, “winner” take all championship format.

It was that format where Larson won last year, not leading a lap in the season finale but using a late two-tire stop to finish ahead of all three championship contenders, including Hamlin, who had dominated that race.

Larson is now the 11th driver to win at least three titles, joining seven-time champions Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty and Johnson; four-time champion Gordon and three-time champions Tony Stewart, Joey Logano, Darrell Waltrip, Lee Petty, Cale Yarborough and David Pearson.

“With repeat champions, it was obviously really tough with the previous format, so I think you’ll see more of it now as we get back to The Chase,” Larson said a week ago Martinsville. “It’s just easier to put together 10 good races than one.

“But I think if we happen to go back-to-back with it being two different formats, I think that also just shows the resilience of this team.”

WHAT YOU SHOULD READ NEXT

In an exclusive interview, Kyle Larson shares how training for his very first marathon has paid dividends on the track.

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NFL Sunday is here, and Week 9 brings a full slate of exciting matchups, including divisional showdowns and potential playoff previews. New Kalshi users can get a $55 bonus by signing up with promo code FOXSPORTS55 and trading on Patriots vs. Packers, 49ers vs. Raiders or any other NFL game.

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How to Watch Packers vs. Patriots

• When: Sunday, November 8, 2026 at 4:25 p.m. ET
• Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One

When: Sunday, November 8, 2026 at 4:25 p.m. ET

Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA

TV: FOX

Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One

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NOTRE DAME STADIUM (South Bend, Ind.) — The bar is set high for real history at Notre Dame, but when the final play ended and the Fighting Irish knew they had a 31-24 upset of then-No. 1 Miami, quarterback CJ Carr couldn’t savor the moment enough.

“I was trying to enjoy it some more,” Carr said after throwing three touchdowns in a win important enough that fans stormed the field Saturday night. “They kept trying to offer me over to talk to people. I’m like ‘Dude, let me go celebrate this sucker.’ We earned this thing. Let’s go. Let’s go hang with the crowd and our teammates.”

There was so much to celebrate. A year ago, in his first start, Carr had seen Notre Dame take a loss at Miami in the season opener — a loss that ultimately kept the Fighting Irish out of the College Football Playoff. So Saturday night was a chance for Carr to show how far he had come, how much he had grown since the last time he faced the Hurricanes.

Notre Dame fans storm the field following the upset win over then-No. 1 Miami in college football’s Week 10 on Saturday. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

“A huge difference,” Carr said. “My dad called me before this game, said he’d watched that game, and his words were like there was a boy playing, you know, at Miami for my first start. So it was cool to see this team be able to come out with a win today. It means so much to every person in that locker room individually and then as a collective as well.”

As big as the win was for Notre Dame, it was also huge for Carr, who out-dueled Miami’s Darian Mensah in a showdown of two of this year’s top Heisman Trophy candidates. Both are likely behind Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith, but in the biggest head-to-head battle of the regular season, Carr avoided mistakes — Mensah threw just his second interception of the season — and most importantly led his team to victory.

Miami — which played without star receiver Malachi Toney due to an ankle injury — mounted a comeback in the second half. But Notre Dame built a 24-3 lead, and much of that separation came at the end of the first half. 

Only up 10-3, facing a third down at his own 25, Carr spun out of a potential sack, reversed back 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage, then found running back Aneyas Williams to move the chains. He completed three straight passes for 10, 18 and 19 yards, and after one miss, he threw an 18-yard touchdown to receiver Micah Gilbert for a 17-3 halftime lead.

“Every game it just gets better, through the constant work in practice, through all the reps we put in together,” Gilbert said of his rapport with Carr, good for nine catches for 98 yards and two scores. “[Saturday] was just another example of us putting the work in and coming out and being able to showcase it.”

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman talked to his players about the rivalry with Miami, about the famed 1988 “Catholics vs. Convicts” game, which also had the Hurricanes unbeaten and No. 1 and the Fighting Irish ranked fourth by the Associated Press. 

The late Lou Holtz was honored by Notre Dame on Saturday, and the game carried the weight of past meetings and then some.

“What a night! What a moment for this program, for this university, for so many people that love this place,” Freeman said postgame, as fans could still be heard cheering outside. “A special moment, and it’s hard to describe. We’re grateful for the people that helped this team get to that point and find a way to get that victory. I’m so proud of those guys and the way they battle.”

Miami quarterback Darian Mensah looks to pass against Notre Dame in the second half of the Hurricanes’ first loss of the season. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Mensah rallied the Hurricanes with two touchdowns in a span of three minutes, so it was just a 24-17 lead early in the fourth quarter. Notre Dame faced a fourth-and-2 at the Miami 43 and took a risk by going for it. Carr found running back Nolan James wide open down the left sideline for a 36-yard gain to the seven-yard line, and Carr’s keeper on third-and-goal drew a facemask penalty that set up James’ one-yard touchdown for what would ultimately end up as the margin of victory.

“I feel like we made a big statement,” said Carr, who finished 29 of 40 for 319 yards and three touchdowns, the third-highest yardage total of his college career. “I feel like we’re a great team. I feel like everybody knows we’re a great team, but tonight kind of showed what we’re capable of doing.”

Notre Dame likely will face, at most, one more ranked opponent, SMU, before the College Football Playoff begins, closing out the regular season with Boston College (4-5), the Mustangs (7-2) and Syracuse (4-5). 

Wide receiver Micah Gilbert goes in for the touchdown late in the first half against Miami in Notre Dame’s revenge win vs. the Hurricanes in Week 10.  (Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

So if the Fighting Irish take care of those three, they’re in good shape to be a top-4 team when the playoff field is announced. Had they lost to Miami, they might have found themselves on the bubble to make the playoff, something they wanted to avoid after missing the cut a year ago.

This season had a deep and talented quarterback class, competing not only for the Heisman but for positioning at the top of the 2027 NFL Draft. 

You’ve already seen top prospects like Oregon’s Dante Moore and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin lost to long-term injuries, and Texas’ Arch Manning led the team to back-to-back losses to unranked teams. That set up Saturday as the two best quarterbacks left standing, and gave Carr a huge platform to prove himself against the No. 1 team in the nation.

“I think myself, and the offense as a whole, has continued to just elevate as the year has gone on,” he said. “It’s been an exciting experience to be in a locker room with those guys in there and such amazing people and players, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

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Tom Brady’s return to Foxborough on FOX’s Green Bay Packers-New England Patriots broadcast came with a pack-ripping surprise. During the second quarter, Brady signed an exclusive 1-of-1 Topps trading card live in the booth.

In honor of Brady’s return to Foxborough, a photo of him in the broadcast booth was printed live so he could sign it on air. Seated alongside broadcast partner Kevin Burkhardt, Brady signed the photo live to showcase its authenticity.

“Oh, I love that,” Brady said on air when he was presented with the card. “Tom Brady back in Foxborough. LFG. Let me hold that up for you guys. I’m glad there’s no statistics on the back [of the card] for how many times I’ve cursed on air this year. I love it.”

Burkhardt explained that the card was printed in the booth and then given to Brady to sign. The card is part of the Topps NOW cards that include other star athletes like LeBron James and Lionel Messi. LeBron’s was signed celebrating the announcement that he would be signing with the Philadelphia 76ers, while Messi’s surrounded his farewell to the Argentina national team. The latter generated a record 664,325 purchases.

The printed card went on sale shortly after Brady signed it on air. And one fan will have the chance to pull the 1-of-1 card. Brady is a noted card collector, having bought a 1-of-1 Fernando Mendoza rookie card earlier in the year. He’s also a primary investor in CardVault. 

This weekend was the first time that Brady has called a game at Gillette Stadium, where he played all but one of his seasons with the Patriots. He was also part of the Patriots Hall of Fame celebrations on Saturday, which saw former teammate and fellow FOX analyst Rob Gronkowski inducted.

Former Patriots teammates Rob Gronkowski (left) and Tom Brady (right) talk during Rob Gronkowski’s Patriots Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday. (Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Get more from the National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

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Everyone loves a fantasy draft, especially when it involves some of the players who made the 2026 World Cup the most entertaining edition of the tournament ever. 

With the return of international soccer this week, we decided to conduct a fantasy draft focused around the final group-stage games of the UEFA Nations League. We’ll be seeing eight of Europe’s top teams advance to the two-legged quarterfinals in March with the semifinals and final held in June 2027.

The rules of this draft were simple:

• Keep it to players on UEFA teams (we’ll look at doing a worldwide fantasy draft down the road)
• Must be on the team’s November roster (which is why an injured player like Portugal’s Nuno Mendes wasn’t included)
• Has to create a realistic starting XI, regardless of formation

Let the selection begin, or skip ahead to see how these two super-squads would fit on the pitch.

No. 1 Pick: Lamine Yamal | Forward | Spain

Lamine Yamal

Forward|Spain

Click or tap for more details▼

37Appearances

11Goals

12Assists

Current club: Barcelona

Won the 2026 World Cup and 2024 Euro with Spain

Won the 2024-25 domestic treble (La Liga, Copa del Rey, Supercopa de España) with Barcelona

Finished third in 2026 Ballon d’Or voting

Doug McIntyre: With the first pick, I obviously have to pick the 19-year-old World Cup winner, who a couple of weeks ago I called the world’s best player right now. The youngster is playing like the greats who previously wore the No. 10 jersey at Barcelona, with 10 goals in 11 La Liga games so far this season. 

Yamal also scored four times in four matches for Spain during the September/October window, including in a 3-2 Nations League group-stage win over England at Wembley.

No. 2 Pick: Harry Kane | Forward | England

Harry Kane

Forward|England

Click or tap for more details▼

125Appearances

91Goals

19Assists

Current club: Bayern Munich

England’s all-time leading goalscorer and joint record holder for appearances (with Peter Shilton)

Two-time Bundesliga champion with Bayern Munich (2024-25, 2025-26)

Won the 2026 Ballon d’Or

Luis Miguel Echegaray: Well, Doug stole Lamine, so I had to match that aggression and there was no way in the world I was drafting my starting XI without the Ballon d’Or winner. Kane has six goals in four Nations League matches for the Three Lions and in this final window, fresh from signing a new contract with Bayern Munich, he’ll be roaring for more against Croatia and Spain. 

Kane is a double threat because his ability to drop deep allows him to be a creator as well as a finisher. And you can’t beat that kind of dual excellence.

No. 3 Pick: Kylian Mbappé | Forward | France

Kylian Mbappé

Forward|France

Click or tap for more details▼

107Appearances

67Goals

38Assists

Current club: Real Madrid

France’s all-time leading goalscorer

Won the 2018 World Cup with France and scored a hat-trick in the 2022 final

All-time leading goalscorer in men’s World Cup history (22 goals)

McIntyre: With all due respect to Kane and Erling Haaland, Mbappé is currently the most lethal finisher on Planet Fútbol. In July, he became the first player to score double-digit goals at a World Cup in more than half a century. The French superstar has also outscored both at club level this season, with 16 strikes in La Liga and the Champions League for Real Madrid.

No. 4 Pick: Erling Haaland | Forward | Norway

Erling Haaland

Forward|Norway

Click or tap for more details▼

59Appearances

65Goals

7Assists

Current club: Manchester City

Norway’s all-time leading goalscorer

Won the 2022-23 treble (Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League) and the 2023-24 Premier League with Manchester City

Three-time Premier League Golden Boot winner, including a single-season record 36 goals in 2022-23

Echegaray: I felt starting strong upfront was important and with Mbappé gone, I decided to create a two-headed monster and pair Kane with Haaland, who comes in with three goals so far in Nations League competition. Norway had a rough start to the tournament in the previous window, but with two doable matches (Wales and Denmark), it’s a great chance for the Manchester City man to keep scoring. 

It’s become second nature for the 6-foot-4 striker, who has 13 goals for Man City in all competitions this season. The fact that he’s Norway’s all-time scorer already? With 65 goals in 59 international matches? That’s insanity. No, it’s Erling Haaland.

No. 5 Pick: Michael Olise | Forward | France

Michael Olise

Forward|France

Click or tap for more details▼

29Appearances

11Goals

11Assists

Current club: Bayern Munich

Two-time Bundesliga champion with Bayern Munich (2024-25, 2025-26)

Set the record for assists at a single World Cup (7 in 2026), passing Pelé’s 6 from 1970

Won a silver medal with France at the 2024 Paris Olympics

McIntyre: On a French squad featuring Mbappé and former Ballon d’Or winner in Ousmane Dembélé, Olise has been the straw that stirs Les Bleus’ drink. The Bayern Munich man was his country’s best player at the World Cup. He’s been even better since under new France manager Zinedine Zidane, with four goals in four matches so far. 

No. 6 Pick: Jude Bellingham | Midfielder | England

Jude Bellingham

Midfielder|England

Click or tap for more details▼

60Appearances

14Goals

12Assists

Current club: Real Madrid

Won La Liga and the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2023-24

Set England’s record for goals at a single World Cup (7 in 2026)

Voted England men’s player of the year in 2026

Echegaray: His brother Jobe Bellingham has joined him in the England squad and, for the first time since 2007, there will be siblings on the men’s national team. But let’s not get it twisted. Jude Bellingham, alongside Kane, is the driving force behind Thomas Tuchel’s side, as his five goal contributions in four matches have shown. 

At the World Cup, he earned seven goals and one assist in 617 minutes of action. This meant he became the first Englishman to score seven goals at a single World Cup. This season? He also has seven goal contributions for Real Madrid, showing that under José Mourinho, he continues to be a potent force.

No. 7 Pick: Pau Cubarsí | Defender | Spain

Pau Cubarsí

Defender|Spain

Click or tap for more details▼

23Appearances

0Goals

3Assists

Current club: Barcelona

Won the 2026 World Cup with Spain and the tournament’s FIFA Young Player Award

Won a gold medal with Spain at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Two-time La Liga champion with Barcelona (2024-25, 2025-26)

McIntyre: The most talented center back in the game earned that distinction over the summer, when the 19-year-old anchored a Spanish defense that conceded just one goal in eight outings en route to its World Cup win. Now Cubarsí, a 2024 Olympic gold medalist and two-time La Liga champion with Barça, is gunning for his first Nations League title. 

No. 8 Pick: Riccardo Calafiori | Defender | Italy

Riccardo Calafiori

Defender|Italy

Click or tap for more details▼

17Appearances

1Goals

1Assists

Current club: Arsenal

Won the 2025-26 Premier League with Arsenal

Reached the 2025-26 Champions League final with Arsenal

Echegaray: Portugal’s Nuno Mendes was my original choice here, but with the PSG left-back opting out due to injury, I have to include Riccardo Calafiori, who has been magnificent this season for Arsenal. So much so that Roberto Mancini’s set-up for Italy has called for Calafiori to start over Federico Dimarco, the Inter man who won player of the season last year. 

Calafiori has a goal and two assists in the Premier League and in the last window, he scored his first international goal for the Azzurri, a towering header against Türkiye. After missing three straight World Cup finals in disappointing fashion, Italy is improving and – Calafiori is a major reason why.

No. 9 Pick: Vitinha | Midfielder | Portugal

Vitinha

Midfielder|Portugal

Click or tap for more details▼

47Appearances

1Goals

4Assists

Current club: Paris Saint-Germain

Won back-to-back Champions League titles with PSG (2024-25, 2025-26)

Won the 2024-25 Nations League with Portugal

Finished third in 2025 Ballon d’Or voting

McIntyre: For all of its attacking flair, there’s no way PSG wins back-to-back Champions League titles without the Portuguese midfielder holding things down in the center of the park. He’s every bit as important for Portugal, too; after helping his country win the UEFA Nations League over Spain last year, Vitinha finished third in the 2025 Ballon d’Or voting. 

No. 10 Pick: Pedri | Midfielder | Spain

Pedri

Midfielder|Spain

Click or tap for more details▼

53Appearances

6Goals

5Assists

Current club: Barcelona

Won the 2026 World Cup and Euro 2024 with Spain

Three-time La Liga champion with Barcelona (2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26)

Won the 2021 Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy award

Echegaray: For me, there is no better creative midfielder, no better architect in the game than Pedri. His ability to distribute and conduct Spain’s tempo is like watching Picasso paint. He only has one assist so far in the tournament, but I think this will increase in this window. This might not be a high-stats pick in the draft, but I just couldn’t see a side without Pedri, who also has two assists and one goal in La Liga for the Catalan side.

No. 11 Pick: David Raya | Goalkeeper | Spain

David Raya

Goalkeeper|Spain

Click or tap for more details▼

14Appearances

6Clean Sheets

7Total Goals Conceded

Current club: Arsenal

Won the 2026 World Cup and Euro 2024 with Spain

Won the 2025-26 Premier League with Arsenal

Three-time Premier League Golden Glove winner (2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26)

McIntyre: So what if Raya watched from the bench as Spain won the World Cup with longtime No. 1 Unai Simón between the sticks? By posting 28 clean sheets in 51 appearances as Arsenal won the Premier League and lost the Champions League final on penalties, many still consider the Gunners keeper soccer’s current top backstop – including me. 

No. 12 Pick: Declan Rice | Midfielder | England

Declan Rice

Midfielder|England

Click or tap for more details▼

80Appearances

8Goals

8Assists

Current club: Arsenal

Won the 2025-26 Premier League with Arsenal

Captained West Ham to the 2022-23 Conference League title

Helped England finish third at the 2026 World Cup

Echegaray: The Arsenal midfielder and Premier League champion is the best player in his position in this tournament right now, notably after Rodri’s absence. He has five assists in the league so far and scored a great goal against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Rice needed a rest in the previous window so he wasn’t selected, but the thinking now is that he is raring to go, and I have a feeling he’ll make a big statement in these next two matches. 

Yes, I realize Rice is my third Arsenal selection. Trust me, I don’t like it any more than you do. But as we all know: Ball don’t lie.

No. 13 Pick: Joško Gvardiol | Defender | Croatia

Joško Gvardiol

Defender|Croatia

Click or tap for more details▼

56Appearances

4Goals

1Assists

Current club: Manchester City

Won the 2023-24 Premier League with Manchester City

Won the 2025-26 FA Cup and EFL Cup with Manchester City

Helped Croatia finish third at the 2022 World Cup

McIntyre: Though last season was a down year for the Manchester City centerback after being named the Premier League titan’s top player in 2024-25, the Croatian – who is still only 24 – remains one of the best at his position in the global game. Hopefully an injury in Manchester City’s loss on Nov. 7 to Nottingham Forest won’t preclude him. 

No. 14 Pick: Virgil van Dijk | Defender | Netherlands

Virgil van Dijk

Defender|Netherlands

Click or tap for more details▼

100Appearances

14Goals

1Assists

Current club: Liverpool

Two-time Premier League champion (2019-20, 2024-25) and 2018-19 Champions League winner with Liverpool

Captains both Liverpool and the Netherlands

Finished second in 2019 Ballon d’Or voting

Echegaray: There’s no doubt that Liverpool is going through a learning period under Andoni Iraola. But for the Netherlands, who are now led by Xavi? Van Dijk is playing his usual, consistent self as the team is tied with Greece for the lead in its Nations League group with eight points from the first four matches. Van Dijk even scored against Greece, who the Dutch face again in this window. There’s also a big upcoming clash against Germany and his former Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp. So I think we might see another consistent performance from arguably one of the greatest defenders of his generation.   

No. 15 Pick: Marc Cucurella | Defender | Spain

Marc Cucurella

Defender|Spain

Click or tap for more details▼

35Appearances

1Goals

4Assists

Current club: Real Madrid

Won the 2026 World Cup and Euro 2024 with Spain

Won the 2024-25 Conference League and 2025 Club World Cup with Chelsea

Joined Real Madrid from Chelsea in July 2026

McIntyre: Opponents and fans alike love to hate the Spaniard’s flowing locks. But it’s hard to argue that Cucurella isn’t the second-best left-back (behind the injured Nuno Mendes) after his star turn for La Roja at the World Cup, or his play for Real Madrid since then. 

No. 16 Pick: Bruno Fernandes | Midfielder | Portugal

Bruno Fernandes

Midfielder|Portugal

Click or tap for more details▼

97Appearances

29Goals

27Assists

Current club: Manchester United

Two-time Nations League winner with Portugal (2019, 2025)

Set the Premier League single-season assists record in 2025-26

Captained Manchester United to the 2023-24 FA Cup

Echegaray: As I mentioned earlier, I think we are going to see a different Portugal without Cristiano Ronaldo and one of the biggest beneficiaries from his international retirement will be Bruno Fernandes. Sure, things are messy on the west side of Manchester but for his national team, when things are clicking, he is a major driving force. 

He has two assists in the Nations League so far and now that he will fully take on set-piece responsibilities, I see Bruno taking a further step under Portugal manager Jorge Jesus.   

No. 17 Pick: Dominik Szoboszlai | Midfielder | Hungary

Dominik Szoboszlai

Midfielder|Hungary

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69Appearances

18Goals

11Assists

Current club: Liverpool

Captains Hungary

Won the 2024-25 Premier League with Liverpool

Won three Austrian Bundesliga titles with Salzburg and two DFB-Pokals with RB Leipzig

McIntyre: While the Liverpool playmaker doesn’t get much international love playing for Hungary, few players mean more to their country’s chances. Szoboszlai has a chance to vault his team up the Nations League group stage standings this month, with a six-pointer against first-place Northern Ireland looming on Nov. 17.

No. 18 Pick: Bart Verbruggen | Goalkeeper | Netherlands

Bart Verbruggen

Goalkeeper|Netherlands

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37Appearances

11Clean Sheets

37Total Goals Conceded

Current club: Brighton & Hove Albion

Started every match as the Netherlands reached the Euro 2024 semifinals

Joined Brighton from Anderlecht in 2023

Echegaray: I can’t say enough good words about Bart Verbruggen, who is having a tremendous season with Brighton & Hove Albion right now. The Dutch stopper is joint-leader in the Premier League’s Golden Glove race alongside David Raya with six clean sheets in nine matches. And in all competitions? Ten. 

I probably should have gone with Unai Simón in the draft, but I didn’t want to bore you all with two Spanish stoppers. Verbruggen is the real deal and reportedly, the successor to Thibaut Courtois at Real Madrid. For now? The 24-year-old earns my pick in between the sticks.

No. 19 Pick: João Neves | Midfielder | Portugal

João Neves

Midfielder|Portugal

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30Appearances

4Goals

0Assists

Current club: Paris Saint-Germain

Won back-to-back Champions League titles with PSG (2024-25, 2025-26)

Won the 2024-25 Nations League with Portugal

Won the 2022-23 Liga Portugal with Benfica

McIntyre: All this 22-year-old does is win, whether at club level (he helped Benfica claim a Portuguese title before his haul of trophies with PSG) or with his country, for which he was part of the triumphant Nations League squad in 2025. 

No. 20 Pick: Ezri Konsa | Defender | England

Ezri Konsa

Defender|England

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30Appearances

2Goals

1Assists

Current club: Arsenal

Won the 2025-26 Europa League with Aston Villa

Scored in England’s 6-4 win over France in the 2026 World Cup third-place match

Joined Arsenal from Aston Villa in August 2026

Echegaray: I went with my former Villan here as Konsa has been excellent for Mikel Arteta’s side since joining from Aston Villa. It is not an exaggeration to suggest that he is currently the best English defender in the Premier League, helping Arsenal maintain four clean sheets when he has featured. 

For England, he is a leader and versatile defender, where he also scored a goal in that thrilling third-place match at the World Cup against France. His presence on the national team in the Nations League has been impacted by injury, but now that he’s fully back in this lineup? I see him as a key factor for Tuchel. He most likely won’t play right back for England, but I still had to have him in my lineup. 

No. 21 Pick: Arda Güler | Midfielder | Türkiye

Arda Güler

Midfielder|Türkiye

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36Appearances

7Goals

8Assists

Current club: Real Madrid

Won La Liga and the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2023-24

Became the youngest player to score on his Euro debut, vs. Georgia at Euro 2024

Helped Türkiye reach its first World Cup since 2002

McIntyre: The Turkish Delight isn’t as well known as some others on this list, but that will change quickly if his early-season form continues for Real Madrid, for which he has three goals and five assists across 13 La Liga and Champions League games. 

He occupies an even bigger role for Türkiye, which is looking to rebound against France and Belgium this month after getting outscored 11-2 in four Nations League losses earlier this fall. 

No. 22 Pick: Dávid Hancko | Defender | Slovakia

Dávid Hancko

Defender|Slovakia

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63Appearances

9Goals

11Assists

Current club: Atlético Madrid

Won the 2022-23 Eredivisie and 2023-24 KNVB Cup with Feyenoord

Joined Atlético Madrid from Feyenoord in 2025

Helped Slovakia reach the Euro 2024 round of 16

Echegaray: I want you all to know this. Dávid Hancko is one of the best defenders in the game right now. Full stop. For Diego Simeone’s Atlético de Madrid, he is a pivotal reason why the side has started so well this season as his duel-winning, physical and relentless coverage of the pitch turns him into a force of nature. 

For Slovakia, he has led this team to only conceding two goals against Faroe Islands and Kazakhstan, he should once again play a key role in this window.

Starting XI Formations

And with the conclusion of the draft, here’s how the formations could pan out. Would we get a golazo-fest or could each team’s respective backlines and keepers be able to withstand all that attacking power up front? 

Going with a diamond-shaped midfield on Team McIntyre with Arda Güler at the tip creates a lethal attack, but puts pressure on that three-man backline. And for Team Echegaray, you gotta love the two-striker setup that you don’t see often. 

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The Los Angeles Rams’ win over the Washington Commanders may have come at a cost.

All-Pro wide receiver Puka Nacua suffered a knee injury on the Rams’ final offensive snap of Sunday’s 20-13 win over the Commanders and will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of the injury, according to NFL Network. 

The team reportedly does not believe Nacua suffered a torn ACL, but the imaging should provide more clarity.

Puka Nacua powered the Rams offense against the Commanders to the tune of 14 receptions for 150 yards and a touchdown. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

The injury happened on a third-and-11 with less than two minutes remaining. 

Nacua went in motion and took a jet sweep before he was tackled by Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves. He got up and stayed on the field as the Rams’ offense stayed out for a potential fourth-down attempt, which was wiped out by a delay-of-game penalty before Los Angeles punted. 

Nacua was later seen being looked at by the training staff on the sideline.

Before the injury, Nacua was the centerpiece of the Rams’ offense. He finished with 14 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown, including a leaping 7-yard score in the corner of the end zone early in the fourth quarter that broke a 13-13 tie and proved to be the game-winner.

Los Angeles was already thin at receiver, with Davante Adams on IR, making any extended absence a significant blow.

The win was the Rams’ third straight and improved them to 5-4.

Nacua, a two-time Pro Bowler, has been one of the league’s most productive receivers since the Rams selected him in the fifth round of the 2023 draft out of BYU.

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What are the odds that Tom Brady’s return to Foxborough also connected him back to his childhood?

When calling the Green Bay Packers-New England Patriots game at Gillette Stadium, Brady shared a wholesome story about Packers safety Evan Williams and his family. When Brady was growing up in San Mateo, California, his childhood babysitter turned out to be Dani Williams, the mother of the Packers’ safety.

And when Williams intercepted Drake Maye in the first half of Sunday’s game, it allowed Brady to share the full-circle moment on air.

“You want to hear a story which we learned? She babysat you when you were five years old!” Kevin Burkhardt shared during the call of Sunday’s game. 

“I don’t get shocked very often, but I was shocked,” Brady told Burkhardt in the booth. “Evan Williams grew up in the Bay Area, and his mom babysat me when I was five. I told her, ‘I hope I was good.’”

Brady was born and raised in Northern California and attended Junípero Serra High School, where he initially got his football start. Williams attended Serra’s rival high school, St. Francis. Before high school, Dani Williams babysat Brady when he was just five years old.

Evan Williams has been a key part of the Packers’ defense this season. He’s recorded 71 total tackles, two interceptions, and one sack entering Sunday’s game. And he also sits second in the NFL in solo tackles with 44.

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What was supposed to be a seamless transition under Kyle Whittingham has instead turned into a nightmare nine-game slide for the Michigan Wolverines.

After repeated quarterback changes and a struggling offense, Michigan has finally pulled the plug on offensive coordinator Jason Beck. Whittingham fired Beck on Sunday afternoon, following the program’s 15-6 loss to Michigan State, the school announced Sunday. 

“The results have not matched our desired outcome, and I felt that a change in leadership was required for our offense,” Whittingham said in a statement. “We need to put our offensive players and the entire team in the best possible position to be successful.”

As one of the highest-paid assistants in the nation, Beck is owed $10.1 million. Firing him mid-season isn’t just a sudden schematic shift for the Wolverines, but it results in what is believed to be the largest buyout for an assistant coach in college football history.

Whittingham will begin a national search for the program’s next offensive coordinator for next season, but Jim Harding will serve as interim for the remainder of the year. Harding, the Wolverines’ offensive line coach, followed Whittingham to Ann Arbor after spending 12 years with the Utes.

Michigan’s offensive struggles eventually forced a change at quarterback, benching former five-star and 2025 No. 1 overall recruit Bryce Underwood for backup Tommy Carr. But as the struggles continue, it appears the issue goes far deeper than who is taking the snaps.

Following the Wolverines’ loss to the Spartans, Whittingham wouldn’t comment on whether Beck would be fired. However, just 24 hours later, he made the decision to move on from him.

Through nine games, the offense has been held below 20 points six times and an inability to push the ball downfield with Underwood or Carr has been impossible to overlook. The Wolverines’ average of 19.6 points per game ranks 17th in the Big Ten and 126th nationally.

After replacing former head coach Sheronne Moore, Whittingham stepped into a difficult situation, though few expected it to unravel quite this dramatically. 

It remains unclear whether his job is in immediate jeopardy, but the Wolverines have their final three games to turn things around. The path forward is daunting as they are set to face three top-25 programs: No. 23 Oregon, No. 8 UCLA and No. 12 Ohio State.

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What was supposed to be a seamless transition under Kyle Whittingham has instead turned into a nightmare nine-game slide for the Michigan Wolverines.

After repeated quarterback changes and a struggling offense, Michigan has finally pulled the plug on offensive coordinator Jason Beck. Whittingham fired Beck on Sunday afternoon, following the program’s 15-6 loss to Michigan State, the school announced Sunday. 

“The results have not matched our desired outcome, and I felt that a change in leadership was required for our offense,” Whittingham said in a statement. “We need to put our offensive players and the entire team in the best possible position to be successful.”

As one of the highest-paid assistants in the nation, Beck is owed $10.1 million. Firing him mid-season isn’t just a sudden schematic shift for the Wolverines, but it results in what is believed to be the largest buyout for an assistant coach in college football history.

Whittingham will begin a national search for the program’s next offensive coordinator for next season, but Jim Harding will serve as interim for the remainder of the year. Harding, the Wolverines’ offensive line coach, followed Whittingham to Ann Arbor after spending 12 years with the Utes.

Michigan’s offensive struggles eventually forced a change at quarterback, benching former five-star and 2025 No. 1 overall recruit Bryce Underwood for backup Tommy Carr. But as the struggles continue, it appears the issue goes far deeper than who is taking the snaps.

Following the Wolverines’ loss to the Spartans, Whittingham wouldn’t comment on whether Beck would be fired. However, just 24 hours later, he made the decision to move on from him.

Through nine games, the offense has been held below 20 points six times and an inability to push the ball downfield with Underwood or Carr has been impossible to overlook. The Wolverines’ average of 19.6 points per game ranks 17th in the Big Ten and 126th nationally.

After replacing former head coach Sheronne Moore, Whittingham stepped into a difficult situation, though few expected it to unravel quite this dramatically. 

It remains unclear whether his job is in immediate jeopardy, but the Wolverines have their final three games to turn things around. The path forward is daunting as they are set to face three top-25 programs: No. 23 Oregon, No. 8 UCLA and No. 12 Ohio State.

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