Records are made to be broken, but that doesn’t mean they always are.

Here are the odds for which NFL records will be broken in 2026, at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Aug. 19.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

2026 Record Breaking Odds (Regular Season)

Most Defensive Sacks (23.5)

Yes: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
No: -900 (bet $10 to win $11.11 total)

What to know: Myles Garrett secured this record (23) just last season with the Browns. Remarkable considering he didn’t record a single sack in Week 4, 5, 6 and 17, and only had half a sack in Weeks 3 and 16. That means he had 22 in the 11 other weeks.

Most Passing TDs (56+)

Yes: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
No: -10000 (bet $10 to win $10.10 total)

Most Passing Yards: (5,478+)

Yes: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
No: -3500 (bet $10 to win $10.29 total)

What to know: Back in 2013-14, Peyton Manning tossed 55 scores in his second season with the Broncos. He added five more in three playoff games for a total of 60 if you count the entire year. That same season, he set the record for passing yards in a season (5,477), and added 910 in the postseason.

Most Receiving TDs (24+)

Yes: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
No: -2500 (bet $10 to win $10.40 total)

Most Receiving Yards (1,965+)

Yes: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
No: -2500 (bet $10 to win $10.40 total)

Most Receptions (150+)

Yes: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
No: -10000 (bet $10 to win $10.10 total)

What to know: The single-season receiving TDs record belongs to Randy Moss, who put up 23 in 2007-08, his first with Tom Brady and the Patriots. In the three seasons prior to that, he had a combined 24. Calvin Johnson has the most receiving yards in a season, tallying a ridiculous 1,964 in 16 games in 2012-13. He had 11 games that season with at least 100 yards and two with at least 200. As for most catches, Michael Thomas caught 149 balls in 2019-20. Only three players in history have more than 140 receptions in a season: Thomas, Cooper Kupp (145) and Marvin Harrison (143).

Most Rushing TDs (29+)

Yes: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
No: -20000 (bet $10 to win $10.05 total)

Most Rushing Yards (2,106+)

Yes: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
No: -1400 (bet $10 to win $10.71 total)

Most Rushing and Receiving TDs (32+)

Yes: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
No: -20000 (bet $10 to win $10.05 total)

What to know: LaDainian Tomlinson put up 28 rushing TDs in 16 games in 2006-07, marking his sixth consecutive season of at least 10 rushing scores. He would stretch that streak to nine. Tomlinson also had three receiving TDs that season, moving his total TDs to 31, also a record. The rushing record is one of the most-heralded in NFL history, and it belongs to Eric Dickerson, who ran for 2,105 in 1984-85, just his second season in the league. He had at least 1,800 rushing yards in three of his first four seasons. 

Most Scrimmage Yards (2,510+)

Yes: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
No: -1400 (bet $10 to win $10.71 total)

What to know: In 2009-10, Chris Johnson rushed for 2,006 yards and added 503 receiving yards, landing at 2,509 scrimmage yards. That year, he had a whopping 408 touches from scrimmage. 

Most FGs Made (45+)

Yes: +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)
No: -575 (bet $10 to win $11.74 total)

What to know: Ka’imi Fairbairn tied David Akers for the record just last season (44).

Most Kick and Punt Return TDs (7+)

Yes: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)

What to know: The great Devin Hester had four punt return TDs and two kick return TDs in 2007-08. The odds say his record will remain safe next season.

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Books and bettors are back for Week 2 of the NFL preseason.

Let’s check out the odds for each game at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Aug. 20.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Thursday, Aug. 20

Raiders @ Texans

Spread: Texans -1.5
Moneyline: Texans -115, Raiders -105
O/U: 38.5

49ers @ Chargers

Spread: 49ers -1.5
Moneyline: 49ers -120, Chargers +100
O/U: 38.5

Friday, Aug. 21

Jets @ Steelers

Spread: Jets -1.5
Moneyline: Jets -125, Steelers +105
O/U: 36.5

Panthers @ Jaguars

Spread: Jaguars -1.5
Moneyline: Jaguars -135, Panthers +114
O/U: 37.5

Packers @ Broncos

Spread: Broncos -6
Moneyline: Broncos -245, Packers +200
O/U: 40.5

Saturday, Aug. 22

Commanders @ Lions

Spread: Lions -1.5
Moneyline: Lions -130, Commanders +110
O/U: 36.5

Bills @ Browns

Spread: Browns -3
Moneyline: Browns -155, Bills +130
O/U: 37.5

Ravens @ Vikings

Spread: Vikings -3.5
Moneyline: Vikings -170, Ravens +142
O/U: 37.5

Falcons @ Colts

Spread: Colts -3.5
Moneyline: Colts -170, Falcons +142
O/U: 36.5

Saints @ Rams

Spread: Saints -3
Moneyline: Saints -155, Rams +130
O/U: 37.5

Giants @ Dolphins 

Spread: Giants -3.5
Moneyline: Giants -180, Dolphins +150
O/U: 36.5

Bears @ Bengals

Spread: Bears -1.5
Moneyline: Bears -130, Bengals +110
O/U: 36.5

Eagles @ Patriots 

Spread: Eagles -2.5
Moneyline: Eagles -135, Patriots +114
O/U: 36.5

Chiefs @ Buccaneers 

Spread: Buccaneers -5.5
Moneyline: Buccaneers -230, Chiefs +190
O/U: 37.5

Cowboys @ Cardinals

Spread: Cardinals -1.5
Moneyline: Cardinals -130, Cowboys +110
O/U: 37.5

Sunday, Aug. 23

Seahawks @ Titans

Spread: Titans -4.5
Moneyline: Titans -225, Seahawks +185
O/U: 38.5

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The 12-team College Football Playoff returns for its third season under the expanded format, and the CFP, ESPN and TNT Sports have released the complete schedule of dates, times, TV networks and host sites. Here is everything to know about the road to the 2026-27 national championship.

First Round: Campus Sites

The opening round of the playoff will again be played on the campus of the higher seeded teams.

• Friday, Dec. 18: One game at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN
• Saturday, Dec. 19: Three games at noon, 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. ET

The noon game of the Dec. 19 tripleheader will air on ABC and ESPN. The 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. ET games will air on TNT and truTV and stream on HBO Max.

Big Noon Conversations: QB Roundtable with Robert Griffin III & Brady Quinn

Klatt, RG3 and Quinn share QB stories, debate NIL and transfers, and break down today’s top QBs.

Quarterfinals: Bowl Games

The quarterfinal round moves to four traditional bowl sites. The Fiesta Bowl opens the quarterfinal round Wednesday, Dec. 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential will be assigned to the noon, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET windows on Jan. 1 when the 12-team field is announced on Selection Day, Sunday, Dec. 6.

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• Wednesday, Dec. 30: Vrbo Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, at 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT, truTV)
• Friday, Jan. 1, 2027: Three quarterfinals at noon, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas, the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta and the Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, California

On Jan. 1, the noon quarterfinal will air on TNT and truTV and stream on HBO Max. The 4 p.m. game will air on ABC and ESPN, and the 8 p.m. game will air on ESPN.

 

WHAT YOU SHOULD READ NEXT

Ahead of the 2026 college football season, FOX Sports’ RJ Young ranked every single FBS team — all 138 of ’em.

 

Semifinals: Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl

The two semifinal games return to their rotating bowl sites.

• Thursday, Jan. 14: Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, at 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT, truTV)
• Friday, Jan. 15: Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans at 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC, ESPN)

National Championship

• Monday, Jan. 25, 2027: Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, 7:30 p.m. ET, airing across ESPN networks including ABC

Where to Watch

All games airing on ESPN networks will also be available to stream on the ESPN App. Fans can get ESPN networks and FOX One together with the FOX One and ESPN bundle, bringing the College Football Playoff and FOX college football into one subscription. Games airing on TNT and truTV will also stream on HBO Max.

FOX does not hold broadcast rights to the College Football Playoff, so all games in this bracket will air exclusively on ESPN, ABC, TNT and truTV as listed above. FOX Sports will continue to provide coverage, analysis and reporting on the CFP field and matchups leading into the postseason.

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Alvin Kamara’s 2025 season ended early with a leg injury, and his 2026 will now start late for the same reason. The New Orleans Saints’ running back has reportedly suffered an MCL sprain and will miss at least a month, per ESPN.

While Kamara is no longer the primary back in New Orleans – the Saints signed free agent Travis Etienne Jr. to a four-year deal this offseason, after he rushed for 1,107 yards with 13 combined touchdowns as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ starting running back in 2025 – he was still expected to pick up considerable carries as the second option on the depth chart.

In week 12 last season, Kamara suffered an MCL sprain against the Falcons in a 24-10 loss, and did not return for the rest of the year, ending what had been a disappointing campaign with a career-low 471 yards on 131 attempts, one rushing touchdown and just 3.6 yards per carry. Kamara also had just 186 receiving yards and a career-worst 16.9 yards per game: his previous low was 32.7, and he averaged just under 39 per game the season prior.

That performance is part of what pushed the Saints to bring Etienne into the mix to begin with, and now the 31-year-old Kamara has suffered another MCL sprain. Two other running backs, Devin Neal (hamstring) and Kendre Miller (back), have only just returned to practice from injury themselves.

NFL Related Stories

Kamara’s contract was reworked in the spring, as a reflection of his expected workload in 2026 and for working under the salary cap limitations – as ESPN noted, the Saints had the most expensive running back room in the NFL for 2026 before his deal was scaled down. He could earn up to $2.5 million in possible incentives on top of the $6 million he is set to earn in 2026, which would not match the $11.5 million he was originally set to earn. Now the question is whether he can reach those incentives, however. It was already unclear if he would be able to achieve that goal before the MCL sprain; without a set timeline, those chances are even more opaque.

Neal, 23, made three starts and appeared in 10 games for the Saints as a rookie in 2025. He picked up a pair of rushing touchdowns and averaged 3.6 yards per attempt, while picking up 11 first downs. Miller didn’t make a start in ‘25 but did appear in seven games, where he averaged 4.1 yards per attempt in 47 rushes with a touchdown and nine firsts. With Kamara out with an injury, the pair could be called upon more heavily than expected in Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.

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CHULA VISTA, Calif. — A few weeks before USA Football went off to defend its world championship title in Düsseldorf, Germany, the team’s most recognizable player and top star wasn’t the first one on the field. In fact, on this sunny and crisp morning in Southern California, Darrell “Housh” Doucette was one of the last players to begin warm-ups. 

But Doucette still commanded the attention of his USA Football teammates. Donning tinted visor shades with a navy-blue USA headband pressed over his braided head, Doucette leaned in to share a few words of wisdom with a teammate as they began to stretch.

Doucette worked to get his 37-year-old sinewy frame warmed up for what awaited in a practice led by head coach Jorge Cascudo, aptly nicknamed the Godfather of flag football because of his 20-year involvement in the sport.

“They call me the Godfather, but he’s the face of flag football right now,” Cascudo told me when I asked about Housh. “What makes him special is that he is not only a quarterback; he’s an athlete. He’s a receiver and can also rush — he can do anything. And with his experience, he’s just a winner across the board.

“He’s just good with the ball. And wherever we put him, he’s special. He’s a ‘dawg’. He’s humble, he’s confident and he’s a great team player. And for him, all that matters is winning.” 

Darrell Docuette (No. 7) led USA Football to another world championship this past weekend. (Photo by Pau Barrena/Getty Images)

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Doucette and USA Football were on a heater when I visited their practice in July. Doucette had just led USA Football to a thoroughly dominant title in a four-team tournament filled with current and former NFL players in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic in March, winning all three games against NFL players by a combined score of 106-44. Doucette took home MVP honors, throwing three touchdowns, running for three more and catching five passes. 

That heater nearly came to a halt this past weekend, though. The USA surprisingly lost for the first time in 14 years, falling to American Samoa in pool play, 38-32. 

Luckily for USA Football, it was able to get that bump in the road out of the way early. It ultimately won its sixth world title with a convincing win over Italy in the gold medal game on Sunday, picking up a 46-26 victory. Doucette won MVP of the tournament, scoring four touchdowns in the gold-medal game, and is now 36-1 in his career with USA Football.

Doucette’s path to becoming the best flag football player in the world might not be conventional, though. The New Orleans native is an avid bowler, saying it helps with his mental focus and consistent approach. But Doucette is no slouch as an athlete either. He was a track athlete in high school who ran a personal-best 10.4-second time in the 100.

Doucette told me he picked up flag football during his time at Xavier University in Louisiana, earning the nickname Housh because the ponytail he rocked at that time reminded teammates of former Cincinnati Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

“I’ve met him and he’s a cool guy,” Doucette told me about the original Housh. “It’s not a bad name to follow. He’s cool with it. I’m like, ‘What’s up, Real Housh?’ and he’s like, ‘What’s up, Housh.’”

A Michael Vick fan growing up, Doucette said he wears the No. 7 in his honor. Like Vick, Doucette has always been a speedster on the field, running a 4.3-second, 40-yard time back in his younger years. But he’s made it a point of emphasis to take care of his body, as he will be 39 years old when the Olympics roll around in two years.

Former Cincinnati Bengals WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh is the inspiration behind Darrell Doucette’s nickname. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

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Doucette generated headlines nationally when he said that he was a better quarterback than Patrick Mahomes at flag football. Now, two years removed from those remarks, after the world got an up-close look at Doucette and the rest of USA Football dominating against NFL players, Doucette feels vindicated, but again reiterated he meant no shade to Mahomes. 

“For me, it wasn’t about me or him,” Doucette told me when I asked about the Mahomes comments. “It was about giving my brothers throughout the flag football world an opportunity to compete in the Olympics, because we were already written off. So, it was like, ‘Hey, we’ve been doing this for a long time, and this is a sport that we gave our heart to. And don’t take something from us that we helped to grow.’

“USA Football told us it was going to be an open competition and if those guys come out, we’re going to come out and compete. And I think that’s what Fanatics was all about, to have an opportunity to compete against those guys and show our level of competitiveness against superior talent.” 

Ja’Deion High, a former Texas Tech receiver who played with Mahomes in college, said he understood what Doucette was trying to say — flag football and tackle football are different. But Doucette’s defiant comments are yet another example of the type of energy he gives USA Football on the field.

“He’s just quick and twitchy, man,” High told me. “He’s small and he gets low to the ground. It’s hard to pull his flag. He’s a baller. He wants to come out and compete every day, and he don’t care about no talking. Come out there and show what you’re about.” 

However, NFL players are coming to flag football sooner rather than later. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s presence at the world championships was a sign of that, attending the tournament over the weekend. Goodell has been a major proponent of the NFL growing flag football globally. 

Former NFL player Marcel Reese, senior adviser for football strategy and operations for USA Football, told me that he and USA Football CEO Scott Hallenbeck are in the preliminary stages of putting together a strategy for how to handle NFL players trying out for the USA Football team for the 2028 Summer Olympics. 

Reese told me they have already received over 150 official inquiries from NFL players who want to try out, with several others Reese has talked to in the league who say they are interested.

That jives with players like Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who said during the Fanatics event that he would love the opportunity to compete for his country.

“We will announce that process at the right time,” Reese told me. “There are so many very, very good players – the best football players in the world — who are interested, eager and excited to represent their country. … and we are going to do whatever we can to get them ready for that process.”

Reese went on to say that USA Football is working with Goodell and Troy Vincent, executive director of football operations for the league, along with NFLPA and other stakeholders. 

“It’s going to be a fun process,” Reese told me. “We want to make sure that we are turning over every single rock to make sure we are doing the right things, and that we are operating efficiently and effectively. It’s going to be a very intentional process. And we’re going to put the best team forward to hopefully entertain everyone and dominate in LA28.” 

“I’m really interested when 2028 comes to see which NFL athletes and former NFL athletes are interested in trying out,” Cascudo added in our conversation. “That would be really cool to have the best of the best there, competing with the best flag football athletes that we have to know that we have the best in the U.S. coming for those 10 spots. That’s something we’re looking forward to.” 

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. — No one wants to tell a receiver that he’s running a route where he’s not going to get the ball, where he’s not even a viable option in the play’s design. 

But it happens quite often. One of football’s most popular concepts, “Dagger,” includes a vertical route where a receiver effectively sprints downfield without any hope of a reception. He runs the route because it’ll create space for another pass-catcher to get open. There are a few names for this type of play, including “The Love of the Game Route.”

But Bears receiver Kalif Raymond told me recently that those types of routes don’t exist in Chicago’s offense — not with Caleb Williams throwing the football.

“There’s no such thing,” said Raymond, who joined the Bears in free agency this offseason. “[Williams can use] every blade of grass and even the oxygen particles that are in the air because this dude can jump sideways. I was like, ‘What?’ It’s almost like he feels better when he’s under duress or when he’s doing something crazy. … He can see you from all over the field. He can make that throw from anywhere on the field. It’s really cool to see that’s the capability back there.”

The play is never over.

There’s no receiver out of play when Caleb Williams breaks contain and throws on the run. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

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Now, don’t get me wrong, head coach Ben Johnson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor have worked diligently with Williams on completing more of his passes in structure — taking what the defense gives him. That’s how the team hopes to get their star QB from a 58.1% completion percentage to 70%, which is the goal.

But Williams went No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft in large part because of his arm talent and his creativity. At times in his rookie season, it felt like the Bears’ offense corrupted those strengths — leading to mistakes and missed opportunities. When Johnson arrived in 2025, it seemed he prioritized getting the quarterback back on track, developmentally. They focused on using the offensive system first, then applying creativity only when it was necessary. And there’s no doubt he’s more comfortable in Johnson’s offense in year two.

“It’s a hell of a lot more fun for me than it was last year,” Williams told reporters earlier in camp. “I was saying it to Coach Studes [running backs coach Eric Studesville], ‘Dude, I feel like I was drowning, trying to breathe or stay alive and wait for a boat to come around last year.’ 

“Now this year, it’s being able to start where we finished last year, play calls and words and verbiage and speak the same language. It’s being able to grow more from an earlier stage [and] maybe doing it a little bit earlier in the season. … That’s the advantage.”

And after seeing “Cardiac Caleb” lead the NFL with six fourth-quarter comebacks last season, the Bears are embracing more of what makes him unique — his creativity when plays break down. It’s what Taylor calls “the next step.”

“That’s something we’ve tried to really put a big emphasis on this offseason,” Taylor told me in early August. “After a year with Caleb, watching his escapability and watching his second-play ability, [it’s our job] to make sure that everybody’s on the same page.”

Williams celebrates a game-winning touchdown pass against the Green Bay Packers last December with his “Iceman” pose. (Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)

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How will the Bears do that exactly?

“We coach every time that comes up, whether it’s seven-on-seven or team situations. We’re going to coach in the following meeting,” Taylor said. “What was our reaction? What should we do? What do we expect right here? Let the guys talk a little bit so that we’re all on the same page of understanding. There’s not hard and fast rules, but there’s kind of guidelines. … We can communicate through our body language with the quarterback and where we’re expected to be.”

A lot can go wrong when a quarterback breaks the pocket and steps into a second-chance opportunity. It’s a moment when the signal-caller might force a pass into a tight window for an interception. It’s also a moment when a QB might scramble and get hurt. And it’s also a moment when the quarterback might take a sack — or, even worse, a sack-fumble.

This is where we can see a few more qualities that make Williams special. He doesn’t throw many interceptions, keeping his interception percentage at an absurdly low 1.1% in 2024 and 1.2% in 2025. He also found a way to limit his sacks last season, dropping his sack percentage from 10.8% in 2024 (31st) to 3.8% in 2025 (fourth).

“He knew when he could take chances and not. And certainly when you’re in that, ‘Hey, we’re in fourth downs from here on out’ mode, I think that kind of helps his mentality,” Johnson told me at the NFL owners meetings. “It’s so curious with him: He’s just always been such a great protector of the ball. For a guy that can be a little bit aggressive at times with some of these throws he makes, he rarely puts it in harm’s way. 

“And so I think that’s a little bit unique to him. And so maybe it’s one of those things we just need to encourage him to open it up a little bit more earlier in games, when he might be just a little bit more conservative in some of the decision-making early in games.”

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Nick Wright, Kevin Wildes, and Danny Parkins debate if Caleb Williams can be the best QB from the Class of 2024 over Drake Maye.

The Bears trust Williams to make the right play. And … “We got a great quarterback who can make the play right,” second-year receiver Luther Burden III told me.

The difference is subtle but meaningful. When a play works, Williams needs to execute it. When a play fails, Williams can make up for it.

“You’re just not limited in any way with Caleb,” Bears receivers coach Antwaan Randle El told me. “We know we’re not limited. So the sky — we just keep pushing from that standpoint because our quarterback has a great arm. He can run and he can throw it and he can run with it. We got a lot that we can do with him, so that’s why it’s not coaching our guys differently. It’s just making sure they know what to do. Because if you’re in the right spot, he’ll get the ball to you.”

At practice in early August, Williams didn’t shy away from breaking structure. There was one example when he felt immediate pressure off the blindside, scrambled right and found receiver Rome Odunze, who was working his way toward the sideline. Odunze took off upfield, weaving his way into the end zone for a 50-yard touchdown.

At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, Odunze is an obvious candidate to help Williams generate big plays in any situation. But he might not even be the most obvious candidate. 

If you think about Patrick Mahomes’ creative magic, you also think about tight end Travis Kelce — and the way he finds space when the play breaks down. So it might actually be Bears ascending tight end Colston Loveland who finds a role as the team’s go-to target in these situations.

That’s who I think of first, at least.

“That’s the first I’d like to think of too,” Taylor told me. “I think that’ll start to differentiate itself as they start to read his body language, where he’s going on certain plays, how he’s reacting and how they can fit within the open space in a play.”

It might not need to be one guy. That’s the beauty of this ascending group of young playmakers, with Williams, Odunze, Burden and Loveland having a combined six seasons in the NFL. They’re growing up in an offense where the limit does not exist.

No one wants to tell a pass-catcher that he’s running a route where he’s not going to get the ball. In the Bears’ offense, no one has to.

NFL Related Stories

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Are we in the midst of a running back renaissance? The money would seem to suggest that we are. 

A recent wave of running back extensions set records at the position. Bijan Robinson, Jonathan Taylor and Jahmyr Gibbs each signed contracts worth over $20 million per year earlier in August. Robinson briefly held the record for the highest-paid running back in NFL history before Gibbs surpassed that mark just days later. 

But is that an indication that Gibbs is better than Robinson? We ranked the top 10 running backs in the NFL ahead of the 2026 season, and as you could imagine, Robinson and Gibbs were among those vying for the top spot. 

Here is our full list of the top 10 running backs entering the regular season. 

Kenneth Walker joined the Chiefs in March when he signed the largest contract for a running back in the history of NFL free agency. (Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)

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Eric D. Williams: The Super Bowl MVP for the Seattle Seahawks led the league in rushing during the postseason and had one of his best seasons as a pro last year. Walker led Seattle in rushing in each of his four seasons with the team, rushing for over 1,000 yards as a pro for the second time in his career in 2025. 

However, the Seahawks allowed the Memphis native to walk away in free agency, as Walker signed a three-year, $45 million deal to join the Kansas City Chiefs. The expectation for Walker is that he will serve as the bell-cow back, helping to reignite the running game for Patrick Mahomes as he returns from a season-ending knee injury.

Kyren Williams has been a force of consistecy over the last three years, finishing in the top 10 in rushing yards in each season. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Williams: Williams had another strong season, finishing sixth in the NFL in rushing yards (1,252) and ninth in rushing touchdowns (10). His 44 scrimmage touchdowns are the second-most in the NFL since the start of the 2023 season. Williams has rushed for over 1,000 yards in three of his first four years as a pro, earning Pro Bowl invitations in two of those seasons. 

However, Williams could have his workload cut with the emergence of Michigan product Blake Corum, who came on during the second half of last season and has looked good in training camp.  

De’Von Achane led the league in yards per attempt (5.7) last season. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

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Greg Auman: Can a team that’s constantly trailing have a bellcow running back? Miami has as low an expectation for 2026 as any team, but new coach Jeff Hafley says he could give Achane 40 touches a game or more, which is wild. Achane was one of the best all-around backs in the NFL last year, averaging six yards a touch with 1,838 yards from scrimmage. Only Atlanta Falcons star Bijan Robinson averaged more per touch. 

Can Achane sustain that when there’s even less of a supporting cast in the passing game to draw defensive attention away from him? Mike McDaniel’s creativity is gone, but watch to see how Bobby Slowik can find ways to utilize Achane in the screen/passing game. He’s had 145 receptions in the last two years, five more than Robinson for the most among all NFL running backs.

James Cook led the NFL in rushing last season with 1,621 yards on the ground. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

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Ralph Vacchiano: As the Buffalo Bills’ passing game sagged a bit the last two years, Cook made sure their running game didn’t miss a beat. And he established himself as one of the NFL’s best and most powerful last season with a league-leading 1,621 yards, making him the first Bills player to lead the NFL in rushing since O.J. Simpson nearly 50 years ago. Cook is a bowling ball through the middle of the defense, able to bounce off contact and explode onto the second level, despite being just 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds. 

Cook would probably rank higher on this list if he contributed more in the passing game (33-291-2). But he’s so strong running the ball, it’s hard to be disappointed. He ran for 28 touchdowns over the last two years. He’s the perfect weapon to wear down defenses late in games, and especially when the weather turns in Western New York late in the year. 

Derrick Henry has rushed for at least 1,000 yards in seven of the last eight seasons. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

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Ben Arthur: We’re at the point in Henry’s career where, every year, we’re wondering if this is going to be the year in which he finally slows down. But he’s done such an incredible job taking care of his body that it almost assuredly won’t be 2026. The 32-year-old Henry is coming off his eighth straight double-digit rushing touchdown season. The five-time Pro Bowler has also posted 1,000-plus rushing yards in seven of the last eight years, including the last four.

Henry climbed into 10th on the NFL’s all-time rushing list in 2025, and could jump into the top six with 1,083 rushing yards in the coming season. 

Christian McCaffrey was fourth in the league in scrimmage yards this past season.  (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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Bucky Brooks: The ultimate offensive weapon is nearing the twilight of his career, but few defensive coordinators have cracked the code on how to slow down the three-time All-Pro. CMC has totaled 2,000-plus scrimmage yards three times, while also earning exclusive memberships into the “1,000/1,000” Club (1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards) and “100/1,000” Clubs (100 catches and 1,000 receiving yards). 

With few playmakers displaying RB1 and WR2 skills from the backfield, McCaffrey remains the gold standard as the NFL’s top multi-purpose back.

Last season marked the second time that Jonathan Taylor has rushed for 18 touchdowns in a year. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

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Arthur: Before the Colts’ collapse late last season, Taylor was a front-running MVP candidate. He ended 2025 leading the league in carries (323), rushing touchdowns (18), scrimmage touchdowns (20) and rushing first downs (84) for the second time in his career, earning a two-year, $44 million extension earlier this month. 

Taylor isn’t the receiving threat that the likes of McCaffrey, Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson are, but he is a dependable catcher out of the backfield. He had career highs in receptions (46) and receiving yards (378) last season. Taylor’s 1,963 scrimmage yards in 2025 also ranked third in the NFL. 

Saquon Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards in 2024, winning Offensive Player of the Year. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

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Vacchiano: This is how great the 29-year-old Barkley is: He ran for 1,140 yards and seven touchdowns last season, averaging 4.1 yards per carry, and he caught 37 passes for 273 yards … and his season was considered a profound disappointment. That’s how high he set the bar, especially after he ran for 2,005 yards one year earlier. 

Those days are probably over. The Eagles’ offensive line isn’t what it used to be and that season — in which he totaled 482 touches in the regular season and playoffs — clearly wore Barkley down. He’s still got breakaway speed, though, and moves unlike most backs in the league. He can be a nightmare to drag down in the open field. For all those reasons, most people in the NFL expect a bounce-back season from him, even if he’s very unlikely to ever threaten to break 2,000 rushing yards again.

Jahmyr Gibbs has recorded 38 touchdowns from scrimmage over the last two seasons. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

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McKenna: It’s fun to imagine what will happen in 2026 with Gibbs taking over the backfield as the Lions’ bellcow back. In a timeshare last year, he had 1,223 rushing yards, 616 receiving yards and 18 total touchdowns. That was in a timeshare. What happens when he’s the guy?!

Gibbs has never needed much in the way of touches to make a huge impact on each game. But as the Lions hope to return to the playoffs, it actually probably reassures Detroit fans that Gibbs will be a bigger part of the offense. Because when he gets the ball, magic happens. He’s as explosive in the rushing game as he is in the passing game. There’s no good way to stop him, and when the blocking is good, there really isn’t a way to stop him.

Bijan Robinson led the NFL in yards from scrimmage this past season and has finished top-10 in the stat in each of his first three seasons. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

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Auman: How quietly great was Robinson’s 2025 season? He led the NFL with 2,298 yards from scrimmage, while still giving up some red-zone and late-game carries to Tyler Allgeier. There have been 26 seasons in NFL history with 2,200-plus yards from scrimmage, but only two had fewer touches than Robinson last year — Marshall Faulk in 1999 and O.J. Simpson in 1975. 

Does Robinson take on a larger share with Allgeier gone and unsure play at quarterback? The NFL record for yards from scrimmage is 2,509, which came from Chris Johnson in 2009, and it feels like it’s within reach. 

As a counterpoint, the Falcons just invested $67 million in Robinson through the 2030 season, so they might want to keep an eye on his mileage so he still has something left in a few years. Atlanta would have to win many more games for him to have serious MVP consideration, and they might not be quite there yet.

 

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There are just two races left in the NASCAR season before The Chase begins. And there are only nine spots left for drivers to lock into the postseason.

The penultimate regular-season race is this Sunday, Aug. 23, as the Cup Series goes to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Dollar Tree 301.

Will the favorite Ryan Blaney get win No. 3 or will another driver emerge from the field and take the checkered flag?

Here are the latest odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Aug. 19.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

NASCAR Cup Series Dollar Tree 301 2026

Ryan Blaney: +450 (bet $10 to win $55 total)
Christopher Bell: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
Joey Logano: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Denny Hamlin: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Chase Briscoe: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Kyle Larson: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
William Byron: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
Ty Gibbs: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
Josh Berry: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Tyler Reddick: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
Chase Elliott: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Austin Cindric: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Bubba Wallace: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Ross Chastain: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Chris Buescher: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Brad Keselowski: +6500 (bet $10 to win $660 total)
Shane van Gisbergen: +6500 (bet $10 to win $660 total)

Carson Hocevar: +7500 (bet $10 to win $760 total)
Austin Dillon: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Alex Bowman: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Ryan Preece: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Daniel Suárez: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Connor Zilisch: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Michael McDowell: +13000 (bet $10 to win $1,310 total)
Erik Jones: +13000 (bet $10 to win $1,310 total)
 Riley Herbst: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
AJ Allmendinger: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)
Zane Smith: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)
Todd Gilliland: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)
John Hunter Nemechek: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)
Austin Hill: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)
Noah Gragson: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)
Ty Dillon: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Cole Custer: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Cody Ware: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)

Here’s What To Know About The Oddsboard:

The Favorite

Ryan Blaney started from the pole last week at Richmond, then ended up 13th. But Blaney shouldn’t be too concerned because he’s had a solid 2026. He’s got 16 top-10 finishes, five top fives, four poles and two wins. In fact, he’s locked into The Chase postseason and sits second in the standings behind Denny Hamlin. Last year at New Hampshire, Blaney started second before capturing the checkered flag.

Bell’s Time To Ring?

Will New Hampshire be the day that Christopher’s bell finally rings? And that’s because, despite having seven second-place finishes on the season, he still hasn’t found his way into Victory Lane. Fortunately for Bell, like Blaney, he’s locked into The Chase. He comes into this weekend after placing 7th at Richmond. At this race in 2025, he started 19th but rallied his way up to sixth.

WHAT YOU SHOULD READ NEXT

Joey Logano is climbing up the NASCAR standings and the power rankings. See where he sits before Cup heads to New Hampshire.

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I got news for you, and it ain’t just that USC gotta Boobie Feaster — eatin’. Or that the Big Ten got two turbos at running back (Richard at Indiana; Rogers at Ohio State) and you ain’t even heard the lag hit. Or that UCLA got receiver Major Pride, or that Ampersand U, also known as Texas A&M, got running back Tiger Riden Jr. And the doggone circus ain’t even in town.

Here it is: You’re about to watch the most competitive season of college football ever. It has never been harder to win than it is in 2026.

“I agree with you,” UCLA coach Bob Chesney told me. “I think that probably a lot of it stems from the fact that every year it’s a new team as well, right? There’s a lot of new guys on a lot of teams across the country every single year. Some made their team better. Some didn’t.

“Ultimately, for me, the margins are thin, and that’s what you’re pointing toward. It’s not easy to be in a position where you just walk out and expect to win a football game. Doesn’t really happen anymore in my mind.”

(Photo by David Dennis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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At Big Ten media days last month, I pointedly asked Chesney about how difficult it is to win a college football game as someone who’s coached at almost every level the NCAA offers. From Division III Salve Regina, to Division II Assumption, to FCS Holy Cross, to Group of Six James Madison, to, now, Big Ten UCLA. He’s also won at every one of those levels, and led the Dukes to their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance before USC, Wisconsin or Florida — to name three — could (or ever) do the same.

There’s never been a fiercer fight for players, to win recruiting battles, to raise money to fund a roster and a program capable of winning.

“I think you got to fight and scratch and claw for everything that you got, and you got to bring these kids together as quickly as you possibly can that maybe never played together before, and with coaches that maybe never coached together before,” Chesney told me. “So the continuity we have coming from JMU to here [UCLA], bringing some coaches and players, I think is paying itself forward quite a bit.

“But ultimately, I agree with the sentiment. It is a challenge to end up on the left side of that column.”

(Photo by Paul Bersebach/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images)

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The way I see it, 2019 Oklahoma would’ve never seen a semifinal in this new era of ball. LSU might’ve never had a chance to stomp a mudhole in the Sooners and walk it dry, as it would’ve been the No. 1 seed in a 12-team CFP. 2025 Oklahoma might have beaten that 2019 team by three scores, and it gave up the booty (a synonym for treasure, you cad) at home while up 17-0 to an Alabama team that got RKO’d by Indiana.

That same Indiana program was a dumpster dweller in 2023. Then Curt Cignetti arrived, and a program I ranked 97th in the 2024 Ultimate 134 CFB Ranking ended its season 11-2 with a berth in the CFP.

(Photo by CFP/Getty Images)

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Perhaps a previous Oklahoma team would’ve earned a No. 4 seed based on record. But so did Texas Tech in 2025, and the Ducks showed you what happens when the defense is as supremely over-matched as the Red Raiders were in the face of a better team. And Miami showed what can happen if the right quarterback walks through the door at the right time. Still, neither Mario Cristobal nor Miami has ever won the ACC championship because it’s damn hard to do.

The players are smarter and older, and there’s never been more money and resources behind them. 

Consider that a player can make 60 starts over the course of their career and as many as 80 with the new rules. It’s not hard for a Power Four starting quarterback to clear $30 million over five years. 

I need to catch up people here: This is professional football with a term limit. It will be a theme in my work this year. This is the story of 2026, a sport that is quite literally ungovernable and getting older, more skilled, smarter by the day.

It’s never been harder to move the ball. FBS teams averaged just 383.5 yards per game in 2025. That’s the lowest output for total offense per game across the subdivision since 2010. 

It’s never been harder to score, either. FBS teams averaged just 27.5 points per game last season, and that’s the lowest average points per game across the subdivisions since 2010, too.

Predictably, though, since clock rules changed in 2023, offenses are running fewer plays and seeing fewer possessions. Couple that with the knowledge that defenses are increasingly built not to take the ball away or create negative plays but to prevent offenses from executing explosive plays.

“It’s a hell of a lot harder for an offense to run a 15-play drive for a score than it is for them to hit me over the head for 70 yards on one play,” a Group of Six defensive coordinator told me. “We play sound defense and let the offense do the screwing up.”

If football is a chess game — and I believe it is — the game has turned from one that values fast-forcing moves and aggressive tactics to one that is simply about eliminating blunders, building a formidable defense and waiting for your opponent to blunder. And if you play with too much tempo — don’t castle your king to safety to press your advantage — that can hurt you in the endgame.

This is precisely why Lincoln Riley hired College Football Hall of Fame coach Gary Patterson to coordinate his defense at USC. Riley has famously had a difficult time partnering with a defensive play-caller who can keep up with his explosive offense.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

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When the defense plays as many snaps as it can when Riley’s offense is its partner, that’s more chances to get beat, more chances for mistakes to happen, more chances for the opposing team to find its way back into a game Riley’s teams should be able to put away late in the second half.

This has made the game about psychology as much as physicality and preparedness.

“Quarterbacks and OCs are people, too,” the same defensive coordinator told me. “They want to throw the ball downfield. They don’t like checking down. They don’t like field goals, and they hate punting. Most immature quarterbacks throw into coverage because they’re frustrated. We want to frustrate quarterbacks.”

But quarterbacks are older and have played more football than their predecessors, and that’s only going to become an even more pronounced signifier of just how difficult it is to win in the modern game. Thanks to the NCAA’s new eligibility rule, players have five years to play five years. That means a college football player could make 60 regular season starts and as many as 80 career starts before leaving the sport.

Some of those players return this season. Texas offensive lineman Cole Hutson is taking advantage of the fifth-year rule and could end this season with 60 games played if he plays in all 12 of Texas’ regular season games. 

Colorado coach Deion Sanders lamented the age eligibility rule as it makes it harder for him to field and recruit a team.

“It affects your recruiting,” he said.

Doesn’t everything, Prime?

(Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

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There has never been a more skilled and experienced labor force in college football than there is now, and because these players are experienced, they take on new concepts and complicated systems better. 

Multiple tight ends in a formation on one play. A fullback in formation on another. Four wide receivers in a bunch formation in another.

This is the kind of sequence offenses can use to force defenses to show themselves, their coverages, that might not have been available to most teams because offensive players just didn’t have time to learn as much as they do now. Programs with returning play-callers and head coaches are just reinforcing their systems each year but adding to them to make themselves more difficult to stop.

The inverse is also true. Defenses are more complex, better drilled and prepared for the challenges offenses will present. 

In this way, offenses and defenses are sharpening each other — growing older and more experienced together — and are able to play at a level heretofore unseen in the sport. That means it’s never been harder to win a college football game. That also means it’s never been a better time to be a college football fan.

Big Noon Conversations: QB Roundtable with Robert Griffin III & Brady Quinn

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Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza’s 2025 season could not have been more perfect. 

He led his Hoosiers to an unblemished 16-0 season, captured the national championship in historic fashion and won the 2025 Heisman before being selected first in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Raiders.

Now that the path is clear for someone new to leave NYC in December holding the Heisman, who will it be?

With college football season right around the corner, check out the preseason Heisman odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Aug. 19. 

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

2026 Heisman Trophy Winner Odds

CJ Carr: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Arch Manning: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Dante Moore: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)
Darian Mensah: +1150 (bet $10 to win $125 total)
Julian Sayin: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
Trinidad Chambliss: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)
Josh Hoover: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)
Jeremiah Smith: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Gunner Stockton: +1900 (bet $10 to win $200 total)
Sam Leavitt: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
John Mateer: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Jayden Maiava: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Marcel Reed: +2700 (bet $10 to win $280 total)

Here’s what to know about the 2026 Heisman oddsboard:

The Favorites: Carr is the slight favorite over Manning to win the Heisman Trophy in 2026. As a freshman, Carr completed 66.6% of his passes for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions. And the latter is no stranger to Heisman talk. Manning opened as the favorite for the 2025 Heisman at several books and right before the season kicked off, bettors were hammering Manning’s futures. The excitement over Manning was short-lived once his Longhorns went 3-2 to begin the season behind his struggles. However, the Texas quarterback picked up major momentum at the end of last season and will look to carry that over into 2026. Despite struggling early in the year, Manning was seventh in the country in touchdown passes (12) and 10th in the country in passing yards (1,493) from Week 9 on. He also led the SEC in both categories in that same span while taking down undefeated Texas A&M in Texas’ final regular season game. If he is at least named a finalist, he would follow in the footsteps of his uncles and his grandfather, as both Peyton and Eli Manning, and their dad Archie, were Heisman finalists during their college careers. 

Arch Manning is +750 to win the 2026 Heisman Trophy.

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Ones To Watch: Ohio State teammates Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin are two players to watch for next season’s Heisman — especially because they were both in the conversation to win the award most of 2025. Sayin, in fact, was a Heisman finalist and finished fourth in the race with eight first-place votes. Smith didn’t make the trip to New York but finished sixth in the tally. Sayin threw for 3,610 yards (10th) and 32 touchdowns (4th) with an 88.4 QBR that ranked third in the country last season. Coming off one of the best true freshman seasons by a wide receiver in college football history, Smith caught 87 passes (7th) for 1,243 yards (4th) and 12 TDs (T-6th) in 2025. In two collegiate seasons, he has led his team to a National Championship and won multiple national and Big Ten awards. The one thing missing? A Heisman Trophy. Could he finally capture it in his presumed final college season?

Heisman In Troy?: Could Maiava bring the hardware back to SC from NYC? Based on the early odds, he could have at least a slight chance. If the Trojans’ QB wins the most coveted individual award in college football, he’d be the first USC player since Caleb Williams (2022) to do so. Maiava finished the 2025 season with 3,711 passing yards and 24 touchdowns, as his squad ended the year with a 9-4 record. 

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