Author: Eternity Lab

The San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints are helping each other to fix some depth issues ahead of the final week of the preseason. 

San Francisco is sending running back Zamir White to New Orleans for linebacker Deion Jones, ESPN reported Sunday. 

For the Saints, the trade came a few days after running back Alvin Kamara suffered an MCL sprain that will reportedly sideline him for a month. Their running back depth was further hampered by Devin Neal’s departure from Saturday’s preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams. 

So, with the injuries, White now goes from competing to be the 49ers’ primary backup running back behind Christian McCaffrey to potentially being Travis Etienne’s backup with the Saints to start the season. 

White signed with San Francisco earlier in the offseason after a four-year tenure with the Las Vegas Raiders. He’s rushed for 736 yards on 3.7 yards per carry and two touchdowns in 45 career games. 

Jones, meanwhile, joins a 49ers linebacker room that has plenty of talent at the top, but not as much depth. San Francisco has Fred Warner back after he suffered a gruesome ankle injury that ended his 2025 season prematurely. It also brought back Dre Greenlaw in free agency. However, the rest of its linebacker room is relatively inexperienced. 

The trade also reunites Jones with a coach he’s familiar with: Raheem Morris. Morris, who is now the 49ers’ defensive coordinator, coached Jones when they were together with the Falcons from 2016-20. 

Jones, 31, recorded 29 total tackles with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season. He had at least 100 tackles in five of his first six seasons in the league. 

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The Las Vegas Raiders were dealt a major scare during practice on Sunday. Luckily for them, though, it appears that’s all it was.

Running back Ashton Jeanty is believed to have an ankle sprain after departing practice early on Sunday, ESPN reported. It’s reportedly unclear how long he’ll be out for, but the injury isn’t expected to keep Jeanty sidelined for long. 

Jeanty’s departure from practice led to a lot of concern out of Raiders camp. He suffered the apparent injury after diving for a catch and colliding with cornerback Darien Porter. After he was down on the ground for a moment, Jeanty needed to be helped off the field and couldn’t put any weight on his right leg. The team also took a knee in prayer. 

The Raiders didn’t offer an immediate statement on Jeanty’s injury status. 

First-year head coach Klint Kubiak is expected to make Jeanty the centerpiece of the offense this season alongside tight end Brock Bowers. They also added depth by drafting Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. in the fourth round to add more versatility.

Jeanty and Washington Jr. were expected to form a potential 1-2 punch for the offense, although Jeanty likely would’ve received the majority of the touches out of the backfield. Kubiak previously deployed one of the league’s top running back duos with the Seattle Seahawks last season that featured Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet.

Jeanty struggled for good portions of his rookie season after the Raiders took him with the sixth overall pick. He rushed for 975 yards and only five touchdowns while averaging just 3.7 yards per carry, which ranked 45th in the league.

The Raiders’ Week 1 matchup against the Miami Dolphins is three weeks from Sunday. 

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We’re finally entering the last week of the preseason, which means the regular season is right around the corner.

Sunday only brought us one preseason matchup, with the Tennessee Titans taking down the Seattle Seahawks. But there was also a bit of good and bad injury news on Sunday. The San Francisco 49ers got a couple of key stars back, while the Las Vegas Raiders might be without one of their promising young players to open the year. 

But the biggest news of the weekend might have come on Saturday, when Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson called out the team’s fans after getting booed for his outing against the Buffalo Bills. 

As you begin your week, here are some of the things you need to know about what happened around the NFL this weekend. 

Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty left Sunday’s practice with an ankle injury after colliding with cornerback Darien Porter while diving for a catch. However, the injury might not be as serious as initially expected. Jeanty is believed to have a high ankle sprain, according to ESPN.

Jeanty remained on the ground before being helped off the field without placing weight on his right leg.

Head coach Klint Kubiak planned to feature Jeanty as a focal point of the offense alongside tight end Brock Bowers. If Jeanty is forced to miss time, fourth-round rookie Mike Washington Jr. is listed second on the depth chart and would take over primary backfield duties. 

Jeanty recorded 975 rushing yards and five touchdowns in his 2025 rookie season. The Raiders open their regular season at home against the Miami Dolphins.

The San Francisco 49ers activated tight end George Kittle from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list on Sunday. Kittle took individual reps in full pads for his first practice session since suffering a torn right Achilles in January.

Running back Christian McCaffrey also returned to practice after sitting out sessions since August 10 due to tightness, participating in individual drills and team period work. Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak spoke about the impact of having both players back on the field.

“It definitely just gives us energy,” Kubiak said. “It just changes things. You have two Hall of Fame-caliber players out there who are back out there and getting their work in, and they practice at a high standard, and they lift everybody up. It’s good to see them back out there.”

Kittle expressed hope regarding his potential availability for the regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Rams while acknowledging the full length of the schedule.

“I want to play in every football game that I possibly can play in but I’m also aware it’s an 18-week season,” Kittle said. “If you miss Week 1 and you’re playing Week 2, hey, it is what it is. I’m just going to keep that as my goal and then we’ll adjust from there if we need to.”

McCaffrey addressed his recent practice absence, explaining that the time off was part of a planned workload management strategy leading up to September.

“Obviously when you don’t practice, the way the media works now it’s a firestorm,” McCaffrey said. “But this was kind of part of the plan from the jump was to ramp up pretty big, get nine, 10 practices in, kind of come back down and then ramp back up so we’re fresh for the duration. Our staff’s done a great job of coming up with specific plans. And again, I feel great. I feel fresh, and it’s good to be back out there.”

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson addressed fan reaction after receiving boos during Saturday’s 31-7 preseason loss to Buffalo. Watson completed 5 of 12 passes for 36 yards and an interception in his first home action since his 2024 Achilles injury. Watson called the crowd reaction personal. 

“I think the whole world knows it has nothing to do about the performance,” Watson said. “It’s a little bit more personal than that.” 

Watson recalled the crowd’s reaction when he suffered his Achilles injury in 2024 when evaluating his relationship with local fans.

“Last time I played on this field, I tore my Achilles. And that same fanbase, they cheered when I got hurt,” Watson said. “So what does that have to do with anything about performance? When a person gets hurt, especially for your own city, and they cheer?”

Our Greg Auman argues Cleveland should cut Watson, citing his bellow .500 winning percentage as the Browns starter, performance struggles, and fractured relationship with the fanbase, despite significant salary cap penalties. 

Asked if he held any regrets regarding his time with Cleveland, Watson doubled down.

“I don’t regret anything in my life,” Watson said.

Addressing the crowd atmosphere for the upcoming schedule, Watson noted that “maybe it’s 17 away games” in terms of environment. 

Auman wrote that Cleveland should move on and cut Watson despite the financial impact, which includes $127 million in dead money against the salary cap over two seasons. 

Head coach Todd Monken told reporters he hopes to name a starting quarterback Monday, potentially bringing an end to competition between Watson and second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders ahead of Week 1.

Cam Ward put up a respectable stat line for the Titans in their victory over the Seahawks on Sunday night, even if he only led Tennessee to three points. He completed 8 of 12 passes for 69 yards over three drives, setting his team up for a 55-yard field over his outing. 

But the Seahawks’ offensive backups had a pretty strong night. Backup quarterback Drew Lock completed 12 of 14 passes for 102 yards, including a 36-yard touchdown to tight end Elijah Arroyo, as he got the start on Sunday. Running back Jacardia Wright added a 69-yard rushing touchdown, helping Seattle take an early 16-3 lead. 

Seahawks rookie safety Bud Clark left Saturday’s preseason game against the Tennessee Titans in the first quarter after suffering a lower leg injury on the Titans’ opening offensive series. Clark was carted off the field with what appeared to be an air cast applied to his leg following the play.

The second-round rookie was expected to provide depth in Seattle’s secondary during his rookie season. Head coach Mike Macdonald previously told reporters about Clark’s development and workload during training camp.

“Bud’s one of those rookies that we’re asking a lot of him right now, and I’m impressed with how he’s handling it,” Macdonald said. “It’s not perfect, but how he goes about his business is what we’re looking for.”

With Clark facing a potentially extended absence, Seattle will look to backup safeties AJ Finley and D’Anthony Bell to step into increased depth roles.

On offense, rookie first-round running back Jadarian Price has positioned himself as the clear primary back following Kenneth Walker’s free-agent departure and Zach Charbonnet’s ongoing recovery from a torn ACL suffered late last season.

Seattle has decided to sit Price for the remaining preseason games to protect his health.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Joe Milton made a strong push for the backup job behind Dak Prescott during Saturday’s preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals. Milton started the contest, completing 9 of 13 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown before giving way to Sam Howell.

“I was able to go out there and showcase what I got, what we’ve been working hard towards this whole camp, so it was great,” Milton said.

Milton, who joined Dallas in 2025, stated he feels a “major difference” in his comfort level with the offense compared to a year ago as he finds himself in a competition with Sam Howell for the Cowboys backup position.

“That’s out of my control,” Milton said about the final decision. “The only thing I’m able to do is go out there and call the play, and just make sure the offense is moving. Whatever they decide, they decide.”

The Cowboys will evaluate both quarterbacks through the remainder of training camp before determining their Week 1 depth chart.

Injury News & Notes

• The Los Angeles Chargers reportedly placed starting center Tyler Biadasz on season-ending injured reserve Sunday after he suffered a left knee and ACL injury during joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers. Second-round rookie Jake Slaughter is expected to take over starting duties.
• Cleveland Browns defensive end Alex Wright was reportedly placed on season-ending injured reserve Sunday after rupturing his Achilles in practice against the Buffalo Bills. According to ESPN, Cleveland signed veteran pass rusher Derek Barnett to a one-year deal to help bolster their edge depth.

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Nothing is more important in the NFL than the quarterback. But even the best quarterbacks need the right help.

That’s why the best and smartest teams in the NFL understand that they have to surround their quarterbacks with as many quality skill players as they can — reliable receivers who can turn any throw into a big gain, big tight ends who can make the tough catches in traffic, and explosive running backs who can keep the ball moving on the ground.

So, which NFL teams have the best skill players this season? We ranked all 32 groups across the league.

De’Von Achane is one of the best, fastest and most dangerous running backs in the NFL. Dolphins fans might want to stop reading right there, though, because even though new coach Jeff Hafley refuses to admit this team is rebuilding, one look at the skill position group (or lack thereof) shows the truth. After trading away Jaylen Waddle, their best receiver might be … Tutu Atwell? Jalen Tolbert? Take your pick between those two. Malik Washington could be a good third receiver, but might be forced into a larger role. 

Miami did draft two receivers in the third round — Chris Bell and Caleb Douglas — so maybe they can do something. TE Greg Dulcich produced a 26-335-1 stat line over 10 games last season, so maybe he can give the Dolphins average production. But if they want to win any games this season, they better put the ball in Achane’s hands … a lot.

It’s easy to see why the Raiders don’t want to throw rookie QB Fernando Mendoza in right away, because they haven’t exactly surrounded him with a stellar cast. TE Brock Bowers is really good, assuming he’s over the knee issues that cost him five games last season. But other than that? RB Ashton Jeanty has loads of potential, but he was also a pretty huge disappointment as a rookie and now might be dealing with an ankle injury to begin the season. 

If the Raiders choose to give rookie QB Fernando Mendoza more time to develop, their lackluster group of skill players could be a big reason why. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

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And the receiving corps is a huge problem. Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor and Jack Bech are the top three options, but they’d all be No. 3 receivers with almost any other team. Right now, Bowers is the centerpiece — and really the only piece — of whatever new coach Klint Kubiak is trying to do there.

For a growing team that’s a few years away from contending, they’re in a good spot. They have loaded up on young, talented and promising skill players. They got a small look at a better future last season with the emergence of RB Quinshon Judkins and TE Harold Fannin. And they have since added first-round WR KC Concepcion and second-round WR Denzel Boston. 

Add in enigmatic veteran wideout Jerry Jeudy and there’s a lot of talent — albeit mostly raw — for whomever is behind center. But the Browns’ plan is really more about the future because all of these players — except for Jeudy — are short on production but long on potential. That’s better for winning games down the line than right now.

Nico Collins is a No. 1 receiver. But beyond that, the Texans are short on promise. They used Day 2 picks on Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel in 2025, with the former being their initial hope to take a big leap this season, but he’s now out for the year with a torn ACL. That leaves Noel, who needs to somehow become a viable No. 2, since there’s no way to know if WR Tank Dell has anything to offer after missing all of last season with a devastating knee injury. 

The Texans do have a good, solid tight end in Dalton Schultz. And the trade for running back David Montgomery gives them a potentially decent backfield between him and Woody Marks. But it still looks like an offense that will lean heavily on Collins, which means it’s a team that will have to be led by its defense again. 

Carolina struck gold with Tetairoa McMillan, the Offensive Rookie of the Year. Beyond him, there is at least some hope for more. WR Xavier Legette was disappointing as a rookie, but he was their 2024 first-round pick. And WR Jalen Coker had a late-season surge last year.  But the Panthers are lacking at tight end, and while they do have the underrated Chuba Hubbard at running back, they lost their leading rusher (Rico Dowdle) in free agency. Maybe Jonathan Brooks, their 2024 second-round pick, will finally emerge. Beyond T-Mac, this is a skill group that has a ton of growing to do.

If Garrett Wilson were almost anywhere else, he’d probably be considered one of the 10 best wide receivers in the league. And running back Breece Hall is a good player who can be one of the most explosive backs in the league when he gets in the open field. If this list graded only the top two skill players, the Jets would be much higher. But even the Jets have no idea what else they have. 

They have big hopes for two first-round picks — WR Omar Cooper and TE Kenyon Sadiq — to add some juice to their offense. They also have what Wilson called a “ticking time bomb” in WR Adonai Mitchell, a former second-round pick with the Colts whom the Jets acquired in a trade last year. But right now, all the excitement is about hopes and potential only. And the Jets have a long history of that not amounting to much.

26. Washington Commanders

Their skill group looked barren until early August when they signed 32-year-old WR Stefon Diggs. He may not be what he once was, but he was still a pretty good No. 1 receiver for the Patriots last season. And the Commanders sure could use that kind of help, because the only other dangerous weapon they have is the underrated Terry McLaurin, who is coming off an injury-filled season and is about to turn 31. 

Josh Allen & Bills have ‘the right mentality’ for this season, Will Diggs help the Commanders? | FTF

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Beyond him, there is only speculation. WRs Luke McCaffrey and Treylon Burks have been huge disappointments. The Commanders think they found a gem in TE Chig Okonkowo, but he has big shoes to fill left by Zach Ertz. Washington liked Jacory Croskey-Merritt, but he’s a part-time back who’ll be splitting carries with newcomer Rachaad White, another part-time back. And good luck identifying the No. 3 WR on this team. The Commanders desperately need Diggs and McLaurin to defy Father Time.

QB Cam Ward had nothing to work with as a rookie, and the Titans did a good job of trying to fix that in the offseason. Their big move was drafting WR Carnell Tate, who could be the next in a long line of Ohio State wideouts to star in the NFL. They also added WR Wan’Dale Robinson, a 5-8 dynamo coming off his best season (and a weapon that new OC Brian Daboll knows how to use). If veteran WR Calvin Ridley is healthy, Ward won’t have any excuses. They also have a solid, if unspectacular, RB duo in Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears. This crew isn’t enough to win games for the Titans, but it should keep the chains moving.

This is a group that underachieved last season behind a crumbling offensive line that has the potential for a huge turnaround under new OC Mike McDaniel. It will be led by WR Ladd McConkey, who finished strong after a slow start last year, and RB Omarion Hampton, if he can shake off an injury-filled rookie season. Leading wideout Keenan Allen is gone, though, which means McDaniel needs to finally be the one to get more out of 2023 first-round receiver Quentin Johnston. There are other intriguing pieces, such as TE Oronde Gadsden and second-year WR Tre Harris. But McDaniel will have to get the top pieces going in the right direction first.

If the Giants are sure that both WR Malik Nabers and RB Cam Skattebo will be ready for the start of the season, this group could be ranked higher. But Nabers is still in the process of returning from a torn ACL and Skattebo is dealing with an ankle injury, so while the early reports are encouraging, the longer-term prospects are at least a little murky. 

Giants QB Jaxson Dart might have a bit more to work with in his second season. (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Nabers is the real key because he’s far and away the Giants’ most dangerous weapon. They’ll piece together the rest of the receiving corps with Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney, Calvin Austin and rookie Malachi Fields, and maybe what’s left of Odell Beckham Jr. New York is also hoping for a leap from TE Isaiah Likely, a John Harbaugh transport from Baltimore who often thrived in limited action behind Mark Andrews.

Liam Coen is so good at running an offense that it’s almost a given that the Jaguars will be more than the sum of their parts. Still, those parts have some work to do. WR Brian Thomas had a terrible season to follow up on his stellar rookie campaign. WR Parker Washington was good in his place, but miscast as a No. 1. Jacksonville did get strong production from WR Jakobi Meyers after a midseason trade, but it remains to be seen if he can sustain that. 

The real question, though, is at RB where the Jags let Travis Etienne walk after an 1,100-yard season. Coen has a lot of faith in Bhayshul Tuten and newcomer Chris Rodriguez, who has a history with Coen from their time together at the University of Kentucky. Coen thinks he has the pieces for an offensive juggernaut. But that might depend on how well Thomas rebounds.

James Cook is a phenomenal RB and one of the best ground weapons in football. So that’s great. But nothing else about Josh Allen’s weapons comes close to matching that level. As always, his WR group is lacking. The Bills brought in DJ Moore, who is 29 and in decline. Beyond him, their best hope is Khalil Shakir, who is a decent No. 2 receiver. 

Buffalo does have a nice TE duo in Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox, who combined for decent numbers last season (75-988-9). But it remains one of the NFL’s great mysteries why the club has ignored saddling its MVP-caliber QB with a better No. 1 receiver since trading Stefon Diggs after the 2023 season. Without that elite go-to guy, this team’s firepower is all about Allen and Cook. Maybe that’s enough. But the Bills sure could have made their lives easier.

WR Emeka Egbuka looked to be a lock for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award before a late-season fade cost him the vote. It didn’t help that injuries to most of the rest of the offense put too much of a burden on his young shoulders. The Bucs have high hopes that he’ll be back on track quickly this season, though it’s a little concerning that he already has a toe injury and coach Todd Bowles’ has cast doubt on his availability for Week 1. Egbuka’s health is obviously important, but he also could use a healthier group around him. 

The Bucs have a good group of skill players with WRs Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan, and RB Bucky Irving could again be a good lead back (with new addition Kenneth Gainwell as his handcuff). But none of them were healthy last season. They all still have to prove that they’re fully back.

The outlook for the Saints looked a lot rosier before the news that rookie Jordyn Tyson, who some scouts thought was the most explosive WR in the NFL draft, could be out until October with a hamstring injury — something he frequently dealt with in college, too. That’s a significant blow to a young, improving team that coach Kellen Moore is building around young QB Tyler Shough. 

The second-year starter does still have a true No. 1 WR in Chris Olave. He also already has a vastly underrated tight end in Juwan Johnson. And newly signed RB Travis Etienne, who ran for 1,000 yards in three of his first four NFL seasons, gives the Saints a reason to move on from aging and injured Alvin Kamara. It’s still a promising group, but it sure would look better with Tyson. Without him, New Orleans will be hoping Devaughn Vele, a fourth receiver at best, can step into a much bigger role.

The trade for WR Jaylen Waddle provided a huge boost to a really good team that was remarkably lacking in reliable weapons. With Waddle and Courtland Sutton, the Broncos have the potential for a really good top two at the WR position, and Tony Franklin could be one of the best third receivers in the league. The problem is things thin out after that. J.K. Dobbins is a good RB when healthy, but he’s never healthy. RB R.J. Harvey scored 12 touchdowns but averaged just 3.7 yards per carry as he struggled in situations as a lead back. 

Better season: Patriots or Eagles? Bo Nix wants Broncos to be BEST offense in NFL | FTF

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Denver got nothing out of the TE position, where Evan Engram is in an obvious decline. If the RBs stay healthy and improve, the Broncos will have more than enough weapons for a Super Bowl run. But that might be a big “if.”

Their big hope for a dangerous skill group is that Rashee Rice stays out of trouble and stays healthy, in which case he could become an elite WR. Xavier Worthy has the speed to be dangerous, too, though he’s been underwhelming as a pro. Last year, in fact, TE Travis Kelce was still Kansas City’s most dangerous weapon, despite being 36 and in obvious decline. He’s still useful, but a far cry from what he once was. The big boost for the Chiefs, though, should come on the ground after signing Kenneth Walker III in free agency, giving Andy Reid the kind of workhorse back that his aging core probably needs.

Since QB Lamar Jackson doesn’t count as a skill player, this is really a two-man group. And it’s led by 32-year-old Derrick Henry, who remains one of the toughest, best and most durable RBs in the league. Eventually, he’ll start to decline, but that hasn’t happened yet. The Ravens also have a dangerous No. 1 WR in Zay Flowers. But beyond that? Not much. 

TE Mark Andrews is getting old and coming off his worst season. He also lost his sidekick in Isaiah Likely, who departed for the Giants. And former first-round pick Rashod Bateman is a study in unrealized potential. Baltimore has waited five years for him to develop into more than a decent third receiver being forced to play the No. 2 spot.

They have surrounded 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers with some intriguing pieces for his theoretical NFL swan song. DK Metcalf hasn’t played like an elite receiver in recent years, but he’s still dangerous and capable of big plays. Adding Michael Pittman and drafting Germie Bernard in the second round gives the Steelers depth they didn’t have last year. And they have decent TEs in Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington, whom they should find a way to use more. 

Their most interesting new piece, though, is RB Rico Dowdle, a Mike McCarthy favorite from his days in Dallas. Pittsburgh didn’t have much of a running game last year, but there’s potential with a Dowdle-Jaylen Warren tandem.

There were times last season when the Seahawks offense was a two-man show, with WR Jaxson Smith-Njigba and RB Kenneth Walker III. JSN is still there, and he’s good enough on his own. But Walker left and backup Zach Charbonnet is recovering from a torn ACL. That could put a lot of pressure on first-round pick Jadarian Price, who was a backup himself at Notre Dame. Settle’s other WRs are the aging, declining Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed, who is better as a kick returner. And A.J. Barner is a very low-impact TE. That likely means that JSN is often going to be a one-man show for the defending champs, especially early in the season.

Justin Jefferson is coming off his worst season as a pro, and he still put up pretty good numbers despite some terrible QB play. That shows you he remains in the running as the best WR in the league once the Vikings’ QB situation gets sorted out. And he’s flanked by Jordan Addison and newcomer Jauan Jennings, which means double-teaming JJ isn’t necessarily an easy choice. 

New Vikings QB Kyler Murray could be guiding one of the best offenses in football if he returns to form himself. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

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TE T.J. Hockenson hasn’t been the same since his 2023 knee injury, but better QB play could also help him return to form. The real issue with this team is RB, though. Aaron Jones is 31 and injury prone and Jordan Mason is one-dimensional. Together, they form little more than one average back.

There is potential for greatness in this group, but that’s always the case and it’s often unrealized. No doubt, Josh Jacobs is one of the toughest backs in the league, when healthy. Tucker Kraft was one of the NFL’s best tight ends before tearing his ACL last season. The Packers also have a potential No. 1 WR in Christian Watson, when he’s healthy, and former first-round pick Matthew Golden. And Jayden Reed could be a strong No. 2 or 3 if he’s over his foot injury. All of them have injury concerns, not to mention unfulfilled potential. So the ranking is probably lower than they’d like, but the ceiling is definitely high.

This group of skill players is top-heavy, but it’s a pretty impressive top. It’s hard to find a better RB than Jonathan Taylor. TE Tyler Warren was one of the NFL’s best rookies last year. And WR Alec Pierce is one of the most dangerous deep threats in the league. The problem is he’s Indy’s No. 1 receiver now, and it’s unclear if he can carry that load. He’s got a strong No. 2 in Josh Downs, but the Colts don’t go deeper than that. They were better before they traded away WR Michael Pittman. Still, the trio of Taylor, Warren and Pierce is a pretty good place to start.

If the Cards can ever find a quarterback, their path to respectability might be pretty short, because that QB will be surrounded by an array of talented weapons. WR Marvin Harrison may be an underachiever so far, but he’s only 23 and was the No. 4 overall pick just two years ago. Michael Wilson has put up good numbers for a No. 1 WR while waiting for Harrison to develop. And Trey McBride is the best and most productive receiving TE in the league. Now Arizona boasts a RB room with a potential star in rookie Jeremiyah Love, former starter James Conner and solid backup Tyler Allgeier. That’s a lot, if only the quarterback position wasn’t such a black hole.

It feels like this was years in the making, but the Falcons finally saw their Big 3 come together last season. Bijan Robinson continued to show he’s the best RB in football. WR Drake London was on his way to a second straight elite season before missing four games with a knee injury. And Kyle Pitts, in his fifth season, finally had his breakout year at TE. The Falocons are pretty thin beyond those three, though. Their next two WRs are Olamide Zaccheaus and Jahan Dotson and Brian Robinson is the backup running back. That leading trio is so strong, though, that it can carry Atlanta a long way in the NFL’s weakest division.

There are age and injury issues, to be sure, but let’s start with this: The 49ers will line up three skill position players headed toward the Hall of Fame: RB Christian McCaffrey, TE George Kittle and WR Mike Evans. And that’s before you get to another trio of wideout additions: second-round pick De’Zhaun Stribling, free-agent signee Christian Kirk and the returning Deebo Samuel. 

Geoff Schwartz Says It’s Time to SELL Stock in the 49ers

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On talent alone, the Niners deserve a higher spot in these rankings. But the age and injury concerns are real. Evans is already nursing a quad injury, Kirk is already nursing a calf injury, and WR Ricky Pearsall, a former first-round pick who missed half of last season with a knee injury, is already lost for this season. The depth is there, but only if they can keep it.

Not many teams can trade away a No. 1 receiver (A.J. Brown) and still have one on the roster (DeVonta Smith), but that’s exactly why the Eagles felt comfortable making that trade. They also added Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown this offseason and drafted Makai Lemon in the first round to make sure the position was still a strength. Of course, they’ve got lots of strength beyond that. 

Saquon Barkley is coming off a down year, but he remains one of the NFL’s best and most elusive running backs. And when Dallas Goedert is healthy, he’s a dangerous and reliable tight end that gives Jalen Hurts one of the best underneath options in the league. This group was better and deeper with Brown, to be sure. But it’s still fantastic without him.

It takes a little speculation to rank the Bears this high. But with coach Ben Johnson directing things, every player here has a chance to be explosive. The way Luther Burden III played down the stretch last year, the Bears may have two No. 1s with him and Rome Odunze. 

Colston Loveland was one of the NFL’s most dangerous tight ends from November on. And the power duo at running back of D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai gave Chicago one of the NFL’s best rushing attacks last season. Those are five near-elite weapons — or players st least capable of playing at an elite level. That’s more than enough to give defensive coordinators nightmares all season long.

Let’s face it: If the Patriots had this group of skill position players last season, they might be the reigning Super Bowl champs right now. But they saw what was missing around their near-MVP QB, so they went out and added an elite No. 1 receiver in A.J. Brown and a pretty good No. 2 in Romeo Doubs. They already had an outstanding running back duo in TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson, and a reliable tight end in Hunter Henry. 

The Pats even have good No. 3 receivers (Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte) who should be productive in a reduced role this year. QB Drake Maye couldn’t ask for much more as he chases the MVP award and Super Bowl championship that he narrowly missed last year.

Their 1-2-3 can match up with anyone in the NFL. Ja’Marr Chase is the NFL’s most talented receiver. And, with QB Joe Burrow healthy, Tee Higgins is going to put up No. 1 receiver numbers, too. Chase Brown has also proven to be one of the best all-purpose backs in the league over the past two seasons. That’s a Big 3 that few teams can match. It’s after that where things drop off a bit. The Bengals are OK with Andrei Iosivas as their third receiver, but tight end is a wasteland (Drew Sample, Mike Gesicki). Chase, Higgins and Brown are so good, though, that it may not really matter what other weapons the Bengals have.

Dallas had one of the best offenses in the NFL last season, and it went way beyond QB Dak Prescott. He’s got two of the best, most explosive receivers in the NFL (CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens) — maybe the best duo outside of Cincinnati and the L.A. Rams. He also has an impressive array of No. 3 receivers that have been pretty productive, led by Ryan Flournoy and Kavontae Turpin. And while TE Jake Ferguson isn’t explosive, he’s proven to be remarkably reliable. 

The Cowboys seemed destined to boast a great offense again. But will they be a good team? (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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Javonte Williams even finally gave the Cowboys the running game they’ve needed the past few years, proving he can handle an increased workload. So all the pieces are in place. There are no excuses for this team to not be an offensive juggernaut again.

Amon-Ra St. Brown might be the most unheralded elite receiver in the league. Few can match his numbers the past four years. And Jameson Williams (17.2 yards per catch) is one of the best deep threats in the league. The Lions also long had the best 1-2 RB punch, and there shouldn’t be much of a drop-off now as Isiah Pacheco replaces David Montgomery as Jahmyr Gibbs’ sidekick. 

Detroit could easily be No. 1 on this list if TE Sam LaPorta bounces back with a healthy season and if third receiver Isaac TeSlaa builds off his strong finish to last year. Those are two “ifs” worth watching this summer. But even if everything doesn’t work out perfectly, this offense should still be explosive.

Puka Nacua has been as productive as any receiver in football the past three years, when he’s been healthy. And while Davante Adams is 33 and not what he used to be, he’s still dangerous and became a touchdown machine down the stretch last season. The Rams are also backed by the 1-2 punch of Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, which last season accounted for almost 2,000 rushing yards and 19 total touchdowns. Things thin out a little behind them, especially at receiver. 

But L.A. is deceptively good at tight end, where the trio of Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee and Davis Allen combined for 92-897-14 last season — elite numbers for that spot. If 38-year-old QB Matthew Stafford is healthy, he has everything he needs for one last Super Bowl run.

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Every injury at this time of year carries extra weight, especially for the playoff contenders trying to get their rosters right for the stretch run. 

So when Dodgers All-Star outfielder Andy Pages fractures his hand on a pitch, Yankees starters Max Fried and Ryan Weathers both go down to injury, Padres starter Casey Mize leaves his start early with an ankle sprain and Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte deals with … well, whatever it is that he’s dealing with, it’s worth paying extra attention. 

In this week’s rankings, we spotlight the latest injury updates for every team. 

The absences of All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman (left shoulder strain) and third baseman Kyle Karros (concussion symptoms) have taken some life out of the lineup. 

A back end of the bullpen featuring Samy Natera Jr. and Ben Joyce was starting to intrigue until Natera, who has 42 strikeouts in 27 innings this year, went to the IL with back spasms. Now the offense has taken a hit, too, with left fielder Wade Meckler (concussion) and first baseman Nolan Schanuel (intercostal strain) out.  

Losing Matt Chapman and Casey Schmitt for the year and trading away Luis Arraez and Heliot Ramos has taken a lot of the production out of the order. It will be interesting to see if Marcelo Mayer, the 23-year-old infielder acquired from Boston at the deadline, can put things together with a change of scenery, but he has to play for the Giants due to a right foot bone bruise.

Marcelo Mayer, who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, was traded from Boston to the Giants at the deadline, but he has been sidelined with a foot injury. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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It’s hard to expect much here with Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, Shea Langeliers, Brent Rookier and Tyler Soderstrom all injured (among many others). 

Maikel Garcia returned after missing nearly two months with a hand injury, recorded hits in each of his first four games back, then promptly went back on the IL with a hamstring strain. It’s just not going to be the follow-up campaign many were hoping to see from the 2025 All-Star and World Baseball Classic MVP. The Royals are playing much better, though, and a healthy Vinnie Pasquantino is making a difference. 

Vinnie Pasquantino has been on a tear since returning from the IL in mid-August. (Photo by Reed Hoffmann/Getty Images)

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Losing Hunter Greene for the rest of this year (and next) is a brutal blow both for the Reds and for Greene, who had his second Tommy John surgery. 

Remember when the Nationals were two games over .500 on July 28? Well, they’re 6-18 since then. That’s what happens when the lineup is missing All-Star outfielder James Wood — and now All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams. 

The Mets are still missing a ton of pieces, but don’t tell them that. They’ve been playing much better baseball lately despite being without Juan Soto (calf strain), Devin Williams (shoulder strain) and Mark Vientos (fractured hand). Jorge Polanco’s injury-riddled disaster of a first year in Queens is also officially over after season-ending ankle surgery. 

If you’re wondering how this year in Seattle is going, Brendan Donovan was just scratched from a game after getting hit in the head by a pitch in the batting cage, and the Mariners have lost Bryce Miller’s past two starts by scores of 22-0 and 19-2. 

In Bryce Miller’s past two starts, the Mariners have lost by a cumulative score of 41-2. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

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Whatever hope the Tigers have of sneaking into the playoffs after selling at the deadline, it’s getting slimmer by the day. They’ve lost eight of their past nine games, and it doesn’t help that the offense is without Riley Greene (hamstring strain) and Kerry Carpenter (plantar fasciitis), 

Byron Buxton is back, but he hasn’t looked like himself since returning from his hip issue. It’s hard to envision the Twins contending for a final playoff spot if they don’t get All-Star right-hander Joe Ryan back soon from a glute strain.

Shortstop Oneil Cruz’s return is a welcomed sight, but the Pirates’ offense still looks rather lifeless. Losing Ryan O’Hearn to injury last month really hurt. They haven’t had a winning month since May, and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change in August after getting swept at Dodger Stadium over the weekend. Maybe rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin’s expected return from a finger injury in July can provide a late-season spark. 

The Pirates need Oneil Cruz, who missed two months with broken bones in his left hand, to lift the offense. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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Slugger Samuel Basallo is back for an Orioles lineup that could use the extra thump. It will be interesting to see what Felix Bautista, who began a rehab assignment, can provide for the bullpen down the stretch as he works his way back from shoulder surgery. 

The Astros did nothing to address their rotation at the deadline, a decision they might already regret. Their starters rank 28th in ERA since the start of July, and Houston got outscored 23-7 by the Angels last week before dropping a series to the A’s. 

That kind of week should probably be automatic grounds for removal from a division race, but this is the AL West we’re talking about. One team will win it despite its best efforts. Keep an eye on starter Mike Burrows, who has looked better on his rehab assignment. 

(See above.) The Rangers have been basically a .500 team all year … which might be enough to win the division. We’ll see what deadline addition Logan O’Hoppe can provide after his call-up, but the offense could really use the return of third baseman Josh Jung, who’s still out after straining his calf a month ago. 

Infielders Andres Gimenez and Josh Smith are both dealing with hamstring issues. More importantly, though, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has returned from his concussion. Can he find his power stroke in time to save the Blue Jays’ season? 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hasn’t hit a regular-season home run at home since Aug. 17, 2025. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

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Losing both Hunter Dobbins and Andre Pallante to arm injuries will be tough for the rotation to withstand. Meanwhile, shortstop Masyn Winn (sore thumb) didn’t start any games this weekend as the Cardinals were swept by the Phillies.  

The Guardians did what they had to do last week against the Giants and Rockies, and it might be a sign of things to come with a cakewalk of a schedule to end the year. It helps that the roster is relatively healthy, and most of the injured guys (Rhys Hoskins, Slade Cecconi, Shawn Armstrong) should be back at some point down the stretch. 

The Marlins have compiled the lowest rotation ERA in the National League this month despite being without All-Star Max Meyer (neck strain). It’s still unclear when he might return, but they should be getting outfielder Kyle Stowers (hamstring strain) and reliever Anthony Bender (shin stress reaction) back soon. 

We still have more questions than answers after Ketel Marte no-showed for a game Monday, was placed on the restricted list, then was shifted to the injured list with knee inflammation. The situation took its latest bizarre turn Friday when Marte was spotted at a casino during Arizona’s game. Not great while your team is fighting for a playoff spot. 

Meanwhile, Michael Soroka is back on the IL as the D-backs await the potential returns of injured pitchers Corbin Burnes, Ryne Nelson and Zac Gallen in some capacity before season’s end. 

Ketel Marte is on the injured list with knee inflammation, but his bizarre situation with the D-backs has yet to be sorted out. (Photo by Alyssa McDaniel/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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Chicago’s starters have the worst ERA of any rotation in the American League this month. The White Sox really need Davis Martin to find his early season form when he returns from a blister issue. He was 9-4 with a 3.41 ERA in 18 first-half starts and is 0-2 with an 8.03 ERA in six starts since the break.

Meanwhile, Kyle Teel is getting close to a rehab appearance, which should be helpful for a Sox team that has gotten little production from their catchers all year. 

The offense is about to get some reinforcements. All eyes are on Roman Anthony as he gets closer to his return, which could happen as soon as this week. Infielders Trevor Story and Isiah Kiner-Falefa are also closing in on a return. 

The Phillies are the hottest team in baseball, riding a nine-game winning streak. The offense is finding its groove — as are depth starters Aaron Nola and Andrew Painter — which made this weekend a bit concerning when Luis Arraez and Derek Hill both departed Saturday’s game early. Then Bryson Stott did the same on Sunday after fouling a ball off his foot. X-rays were negative on Stott, and Arraez felt good enough to replace him in the game. 

Max Fried is back on the injured list with a recurrence of his elbow bone bruise, Ryan Weathers is now sidelined with a forearm strain, and Giancarlo Stanton is in danger of missing the rest of the season. On the bright side, Cody Bellinger is back, and Aaron Judge is at least swinging a bat again. The Yankees need all the offense they can get right now, but the pitching is still performing despite the absences. 

Deadline addition Casey Mize left his latest start with an ankle sprain. It might seem like the Padres’ rotation is in a tough place until Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove can return, but the starters in place have done their part to keep the vibes strong and the arrow pointing up in San Diego. 

Reynaldo Lopez has started a rehab assignment as he works his way back from knee inflammation, but it remains to be seen when, if or in what role Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow surgery), Spencer Strider (elbow inflammation) and Hurston Waldrep (arm discomfort) will be able to contribute this year. The depth pieces in the rotation have picked up the slack in the meantime, but the offense has gone cold. 

If all goes well, injured pitchers Ben Brown, Justin Steele, Edward Cabrera, Hoby Milner and Shelby Miller could all be back helping the staff sometime before season’s end. Meanwhile, utility man Matt Shaw is on a rehab assignment, an important development considering shortstop Dansby Swanson is sidelined with an oblique injury. 

Matt Shaw, who has been out since late June with a left hand and wrist sprain, could help the Cubs down the stretch because he plays multiple positions. (Photo by Kylie Bridenhagen/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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The Orioles seem to have the Rays’ number, taking series against them both on the road and at home over the past couple of weeks. Griffin Jax (elbow discomfort) and Cole Sulser (back spasms) are both on rehab assignments, so pitching reinforcements should be due back soon in Tampa Bay. 

The Dodgers have started to right the ship after a couple of lackluster months, and now their rotation is getting close to full strength with Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani set to return to the mound as soon as this coming week. The outfield, meanwhile, took a big hit with Andy Pages’ hand injury, but catcher Will Smith could be back to assist the lineup by the first week of September. 

The impending return of right fielder Sal Frelick should provide an extra jolt of energy, but the health of star second baseman Brice Turang is something to watch as he manages his knee pain the rest of the way. He hasn’t hit a home run this month, and the Brewers are going to need him as a presence in the lineup. 

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The Tampa Bay Rays visit the Detroit Tigers on Monday, August 24, 2026 at 6:40 p.m. ET from Comerica Park, Detroit, MI.

The Detroit Tigers enter at 61-69 (.469), while the Tampa Bay Rays sit at 77-53 (.592). Framber Valdez (8-8, 4.35 ERA in 138.2 innings) takes the mound for the Tigers, opposed by Drew Rasmussen (13-5, 3.01 ERA in 134.1 innings).

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

How to Watch Rays vs. Tigers

• When: Monday, August 24, 2026 at 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where: Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
• TV: FS1
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One, FOX Sports

Players to Watch

Drew Rasmussen

Pitcher · Tampa Bay Rays

Rasmussen is the tone-setter in this matchup. Detroit has been scuffling, and the projected Tampa Bay starter brings one of the steadiest profiles on either side: 13-5 with a 3.02 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP, 138 strikeouts in 134.1 innings and 13 quality starts.

Detroit has dropped eight of its last 10, but the Tigers still carry a .732 OPS against right-handed pitching, 10th in MLB. If Rasmussen keeps traffic off the bases early, Tampa Bay can settle into the formula behind its 1.16 team WHIP and 51 saves.

Junior Caminero

Third Baseman · Tampa Bay Rays

Caminero is Tampa Bay’s biggest one-swing threat. He leads the Rays with 35 home runs and 83 RBIs while batting .276 with a .532 slugging percentage, giving an American League-leading batting-average lineup its most dangerous power bat.

Detroit’s pitching staff does not give much away. The Tigers own a 3.618 team ERA, a 1.217 WHIP and allow 1.049 home runs per nine innings. That makes Caminero even more important for a Tampa Bay club with 135 home runs. If he gets a pitch to drive, the Rays can change the game in a hurry.

Framber Valdez

Pitcher · Detroit Tigers

This game runs through Valdez’s left arm. The projected Detroit starter enters 8-8 with a 4.35 ERA, a 1.40 WHIP, 111 strikeouts in 138.2 innings and 12 quality starts.

Tampa Bay has been one of baseball’s better offenses overall, but the Rays have been less dangerous against left-handed pitching. Their .685 OPS and .372 slugging percentage against lefties both rank seventh lowest in MLB. If Valdez keeps the ball on the ground and limits free passes, Detroit can turn this into the lower-scoring game its pitching staff is built to win.

Kevin McGonigle

Third Baseman · Detroit Tigers

McGonigle gives Detroit a spark at the plate and on the bases. He went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, a home run and three RBIs Sunday against Kansas City. For the season, he is batting .283 with a .385 on-base percentage, 14 home runs, 56 RBIs and 12 stolen bases.

The matchup with Rasmussen is a real test, but McGonigle has the approach to make it work. Detroit owns a .732 OPS against right-handed pitching, 10th in MLB. If McGonigle gets on base and forces Tampa Bay to work from the stretch, he can help the Tigers create the traffic they need against one of the league’s steadiest starters.

Rays vs. Tigers Odds

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Starting No. 1 doesn’t mean you’ll always finish in the same spot. 

While Ohio State enters the year as the top-ranked squad in the country, it is the second-ranked Oregon Ducks that have the shortest odds to be No. 1 come College Football Playoff time. 

What does it all mean?

Let’s look at the odds (at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Aug. 24) and what to know.

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CFP No. 1 Seed Odds

Oregon: +425 (bet $10 to win $52.50 total)
Ohio State: +475 (bet $10 to win $57.50 total)
Georgia: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
Notre Dame: +680 (bet $10 to win $78 total)
Texas: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Indiana: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Texas Tech: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Miami: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Alabama: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
LSU: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)

Here’s what to know about this oddsboard: 

The Favorites: Since the inception of the College Football Playoff 12 years ago, the Ducks have made the field three times. They were the No. 1 seed once in those three years, back in 2014-15 — the first year of the 12-team Playoff. Oregon was the national title runner-up that first year, lost in the quarterfinals in 2024-25, and lost in the semifinals last season. Fun fact: Every CFP defeat for the Ducks has come against the eventual national champion. It was Ohio State two seasons ago, Indiana last season, and as mentioned, the Ducks lost to OSU in the title game back in 2014-15.

What Does No. 1 Mean?: How has the 1-seed fared in the CFP over the years? The top-seeded team has won five of the 12 Playoffs, including last year’s winner Indiana. However, those five titles only came in the last seven years. The No. 1 seed did not win the CFP for the first five years, until Joe Burrow’s LSU Tigers broke the streak in 2019-20.

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The Phillies make an improbable comeback. An exceptionally rare stolen base. Nando’s power is back back. The Red Sox have been MLB’s best. Sunday’s MLB action provided all that and much more.

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

Phillies Sweep With 6-Run 9th

The Phillies had won eight games in a row, and had already won the series against the Cardinals. If Philadelphia lost 4-0 on Sunday in the concluding game, then hey, that was still one hell of a stretch, can’t win ‘em all.

But what if you could win ‘em all? What if the Cardinals brought in closer Riley O’Brien to pitch the ninth, and he just didn’t have it? This very specific hypothetical didn’t even seem like the case at first on Sunday, as O’Brien gave up a leadoff double to DH Bryce Harper but then retired the next two batters, leaving the Phillies with a seemingly harmless runner in scoring position and just one remaining out.

A funny thing happened then, though. Not funny for the Cardinals, though. Catcher JT Realmuto singled and advanced to second on defensive indifference. Center fielder Justin Crawford walked, and suddenly the tying run was at the plate. Third baseman Edmundo Sosa hit a bases-clearing double to cut the lead to one, and then right fielder Bryan De La Cruz tied it up with a single to left in the next at-bat.

Now it was a brand new ballgame, and O’Brien was still on the mound. And he still didn’t have it, just in time to face leadoff hitter Kyle Schwarber. The Phillies’ first baseman saw six pitches, and with the count 2-2, took a 98 mph sinker left up in the zone and deposited it 459 feet away from the plate to center.

Ballgame, Phillies. From down 4-0 and making excuses for a defeat to a titanic walk-off blast — Schwarber’s MLB-leading 39th dinger of the year — and an extension of the winning streak to nine games. It was a terrible end for the Cardinals, as St. Louis fell to 5.5 games back of the last wild-card spot in the NL: the Padres hold that spot right now, and San Diego swept its opposition this weekend, too, making like more difficult for the Diamondbacks, Marlins and especially the Cardinals.

The Phillies, though, are still two games up on the Padres for that second spot, and just two behind the Cubs for the top NL wild-card. Philadelphia has more wins (73) than all but two AL clubs, despite its wild-card placement. The NL postseason is going to rip.

Salvador Perez Stole A Base!

Salvador Perez wasn’t known for his speed even before he played over 1,400 games as a catcher across 15 years in the major leagues. Before Sunday, the longtime Royals’ slugger had six career steals despite getting on base over 2,200 times since 2011. Against the Tigers, Perez made it seven career steals.

That was Perez’s first theft since 2021: he has never stolen more than one base in a season, so this might be the last one he hits in his career given that frequency. Since you’re wondering, Perez has only been caught stealing once in eight tries.

This was just the embarrassing icing on the proverbial cake for the Tigers: Detroit entered this three-game series against Kansas City having lost two games in a row, and exited it losers of five straight. The Tigers are 3.5 out of a wild-card spot in the AL, looking up at eight other teams. The Royals have somehow inexplicably rattled off eight wins in a row and are now just four games behind the Tigers in the wild-card race and AL Central, while leaving the Athletics and Angels to fight over which is the worst team in the junior circuit. 

Cubs Avenge Walk-Off Ls And Then Some

The Cubs were walked off by the Mariners on Saturday, a day after losing in the 10th inning to Seattle. Not a great weekend for Chicago when you consider all that, but the Cubs got their many frustrations out on Sunday against this same Seattle team. The Cubs would limit the Mariners to just two runs in the series finale, while scoring… more than that. A lot more.

DH Michael Conforto hit a solo homer in the third to cut the Mariners’ lead in half, and then left fielder Ian Happ blasted his 22nd homer of the year, a grand slam, to put Chicago up 5-2.

That would end up being enough for the win, but there was a lot of ballgame left for Seattle. Third baseman Alex Bregman would drive in another on a ground out in the fifth, then center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong would pick up his first RBI of the day on a single in the sixth. Catcher Carson Kelly singled in the eighth run in the eighth, then PCA went yard for his 33rd homer of the season — at nearly 111 mph off the bat — to make it a 10-2 ballgame.

The runs did not stop there. Happ walked with the bases loaded in the same inning to make it 11-2. Gabriel Arias came on as a pinch-hitter and made it 12-2 with a single. The next batter was second baseman Pedro Ramírez, and he hit the Cubs’ second grand slam of the day to bring the score to 16-2.

Chicago would score another three runs before this one ended, but things got much more embarrassing than that. In the bottom of the ninth, rather than use a reliever, the Cubs let Carson Kelly switch from catching to pitching in a game Chicago was winning. To make matters worse, Kelly retired three of the four batters he faced — the Mariners couldn’t even snap the streak of 19 unanswered runs with a position player on the mound.

Somehow, the Mariners are still just three games back of a wild-card spot, despite a weekend in which they lost a game 22-0 and another 19-2. Seattle went 3-3 against the Brewers and Cubs — a great result in a vacuum — but were outscored by 38 runs in those six games.

White Sox Win Series With 2nd Walk-Off W

The White Sox took on the Mets this weekend, and bookended the series in walk-off fashion. On Friday, Chicago won with a walk-off homer when catcher Jake Rogers hit his fourth shot of the year to give it a 6-4 victory, and on Sunday, the White Sox turned to Tristan Peters to do the same. In a 1-1 game, tied thanks to the Mets scoring in the top of the ninth, the left fielder came to the plate and launched his ninth homer of the year 406 feet to center off closer Kodai Senga.

Peters was using his Players’ Weekend banana bat for this dinger, too, as better captured by this side view of the walk-off blast.

The White Sox are 3.5 up on the Guardians in the AL Central, despite Cleveland winning four in a row. Avoiding a sweep via walk offs, plural, played a significant role in that status.

Red Sox Are MLB’s Best Since The Break

The Red Sox are 25-11 since the All-Star break, which is the best record in MLB in that stretch. Boston improved its second-half record over the weekend while hosting the Giants at Fenway, where San Francisco ended up swept.

The Sox were actually down 3-0 in the second, but the Giants wouldn’t score again until the seventh, when San Francisco pushed one more run across. In between, Boston plated five. Second baseman Nick Sogard got the Sox on the board in the bottom of the second with his second dinger of the year, then center fielder Ceddanne Rafael added an RBI single in the third. A double by catcher Connor Wong tied the game in the fourth, then pinch-hitter Mickey Gaspard doubled to give the Sox a lead they would not relinquish.

What ended up being the game-winning hit came a batter later, when Rafaela singled in Gasper to make it 5-3.

Starting pitcher Jake Bennett went seven innings allowing three earned runs and another unearned, with six strikeouts against a walk, and the bullpen took care of things the rest of the way by allowing just one baserunner. The Red Sox, who were 14 games under .500 on June 24, are 71-59, +6.5 in the wild-card standings and at +99 are a single run behind the Yankees for the best run differential in the American League.

Braves Avoid Sweep In Little League Classic

The Brewers took the first two games of the weekend against the Braves, in a battle of two of the NL’s division leaders, but Atlanta managed to avoid being swept on Sunday, during the Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Right fielder Ronald Acuña showed off his arm on Friday, and on Sunday got in a sliding catch.

Center fielder Michael Harris II drove in the eventual winning run on a fielding error by Brewers’ first baseman Andrew Vaughn in the sixth to make it a 3-1 game, and Atlanta’s pen held Milwaukee to just one more run over its four innings of work in relief of starter Tyler Mahle, who looked great for five frames, but just five of them.

The Brewers threatened in the ninth, but Raisel Iglesias induced a game-ending double play to close it out, and the Braves picked up a very necessary W. After all, the Phillies are now just three games back in the NL East, after once being 10.5 behind. There is still a lot of season left to make up that small of a gap and all.

Tatis Jr.’s Power Is Back Back Back

It took until May 30 for Fernando Tatis Jr. to hit his first home run of the season. It would be another couple of weeks before he hit his second. His fourth and fifth came on the same day, however, on June 30, and since then he’s looked a whole lot more like the Fernando Tatis Jr. he was supposed to. After belting another two long balls on Sunday, he’s batting .304/.389/.609 with 14 homers in his last 47 games and 211 plate appearances.

Those two home runs on Sunday helped the Padres sweep the Twins, who had been surging in the AL wild-card picture until running into San Diego. The Padres’ right fielder broke the scoreless tie in the third with his 16th homer of the season, a 396 footer to left…

…and then added a second in the eighth, at nearly 108 mph off the bat, to make it 8-1 Padres. In between Tatis also had an RBI single as part of a 4-for-5 day.

While the Twins have been knocked out of wild-card standing and are two back, as well as five behind in the AL Central, San Diego finds itself two up on the Diamondbacks and still three ahead of the Marlins, despite Miami’s own sweep of the Nationals over the weekend. 

Dodgers Sink Pirates

No one in the NL suffered more from the Padres’ sweep than the Pirates, however, as Pittsburgh took on the Dodgers and were also swept. The Bucs were already 5.5 behind in the NL wild-card race, which was maybe more than was comfortable to sit with given how many other teams are involved, and good ones, too. Now the Pirates are 8.5 back thanks to Los Angeles delivering three-straight defeats.

The Dodgers added a run here and there on a double play, two singles and a ground out to go up 4-0, and the Pirates never responded. Pittsburgh flailed helplessly at Blake Snell for six innings, picking up two hits and three walks against six strikeouts without pushing a run across, and then managed to log just one baserunner against the Dodgers’ bullpen over three innings — a ninth-inning walk by Alex Vesia.

The three-game sweep has the Dodgers still within striking distance for the top record in the NL, but all Los Angeles truly needs is to be second in order to secure a bye of the Wild Card Series. Through Sunday, the Dodgers are four games up on the Braves for that spot.

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General manager Dana Brown and the Houston Astros have mutually agreed to part ways, the team announced Monday, when it was tied for first place in the AL West.

Brown’s contract was set to expire at the end of the season. The move comes after the Astros went 3-6 on a homestand that ended Sunday to fall into a tie with the Texas Rangers for the AL West lead.

And yet, the timing is questionable, given that the Astros remain in first place in the American League West, albeit as a sub-.500 team. At 65-66, however, Houston is still well ahead of where it was earlier in the season, when injuries ravaged the lineup and led the Astros to sit a season-low 11 games under .500 on May 20. Houston has gone 45-35 since, and finds itself in a tie with the Texas Rangers for the AL West lead as well as with the 65-66 Cleveland Guardians, which possess the third of three AL wild-card spots.

For Brown, though, this at least gives him a head start on finding a new role elsewhere in baseball, if the expectation was that he was going to be a free agent at season’s end, anyway. Similarly, Houston can begin to consider next steps for the now-vacant GM role.

Offseason acquisition Tatsuya Imai has not been the rotation stalwart that Jim Crane and Dana Brown hoped he would be, but far more has gone wrong for Houston in 2026 than just one player. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images)

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Senior adviser Jeff Bagwell and assistant general managers Charles Cook, Gavin Dickey and Connor Huff will take over Brown’s responsibilities while team owner Jim Crane will oversee baseball operations during the transition.

Brown had been the team’s general manager since January 2023.

“Over the past four seasons, Dana has helped our organization win two division titles and has led our baseball front office through key scouting, draft and development efforts,” Crane said in a statement. “On behalf of the Astros, I want to thank him for his commitment, energy, and contributions to our organization. We wish he and his family the best.”

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Brown came to Houston after four seasons as vice president of scouting for the Atlanta Braves to replace James Click, who was not given a new contract and left the Astros just days after they won the 2022 World Series.

“I want to thank Jim Crane for the opportunity to serve in my first role as an MLB General Manager,” Brown said. “The Astros organization and the fans have welcomed me and my family, and I am grateful to have called Houston home for the past four seasons. I wish the organization well and I look forward to the future as I continue my 36-plus years in professional baseball.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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Ryan Blaney won for the third time of the year, as he paced the field for 115 of the final 164 laps at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

It was his second win in five races, and it has Blaney feeling good. The NASCAR Chase starts in just two weeks. Only the regular-season finale Saturday at Daytona remains before NASCAR cements its 16-driver field.

Thirteen of those drivers are set after New Hampshire, and maybe none were happier than Blaney. He also won at New Hampshire in 2025 but this time, he had to come back from a bad pit stop in the final stage. 

“It is cool to win here two in a row,” Blaney said in his television interview after the race.

Here are my takeaways:

1. Denny Hamlin Wins Regular Season title

Denny Hamlin is locked into The Chase and is Cup’s regular-season title winner.

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Denny Hamlin clinched the regular-season title with a seventh-place finish. That means he’ll have a 25-point lead on the second seed and at least a 50-point lead on the majority of the 16-driver Chase field.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has 64 Cup wins but no Cup title.

“I feel good about where our team is right now. Everyone is kind of clicking well and we don’t have a whole lot of weaknesses,” Hamlin said, according to a Toyota news release. “We’re just not as strong as the Penske cars on these types of race tracks.”

2. Chase Field Taking Shape

Ryan Preece said that he’ll go into Daytona “swinging.”

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Only seven drivers had clinched spots in the Chase prior to New Hampshire, but six drivers clinched a spot Sunday.

Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Chris Buescher, Carson Hocevar, William Byron and Daniel Suárez don’t have to sweat it at Daytona next weekend.

Bubba Wallace has a 75-point cushion on first-driver-out Ryan Preece and needs just two points at Daytona to clinch. Austin Cindric is up by 44 points and Shane van Gisbergen is last on the good side of the bubble at 31 points ahead of Preece.

Preece and Brad Keselowski are the only drivers who have a shot of breaking into the top-16 at Daytona. Keselowski (minus-66) would have to win the race and get help to do it. 

“I’m on offense,” Preece said, according to a Ford news release. “I’m not playing defense, so we’ll go into Daytona swinging and we’ll keep digging.”

3. Blaney Wins Amid Penske Surge

Ryan Blaney said that everyone on Team Penske has been dedicated to getting better.

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Blaney’s victory continues Team Penske’s surge, as it has won four of the last six Cup races.

Penske drivers won just once in the first 19 events. But both Blaney and Logano have two wins in the last six weeks.

“Everybody in our race shop is really dedicated to getting better if we need to get better [in] places,” Blaney said in his post-race news conference.

“We’re really executing at the places where we’ve been really good in the past. Props to them. They’ve been fantastic on figuring out where we need to go.”

4. Wallace, Berry Eyeing First Win

Bubba Wallace hasn’t gotten into Victory Lane in 2026 but is in good position to make The Chase.

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Bubba Wallace (second) and Josh Berry (third) both had solid days but could have really used a victory.

Wallace still seeks his first win of the year but virtually locked himself into The Chase. Berry led 73 laps and showed that he can produce results as part of the Penske improved performance. Berry, who drives for Penske affiliate Wood Brothers Racing and is 29th in the standings, already knows he is out of a ride at the end of the year.

“I’m not doing anything different,” Berry said, according to a Ford news release. “Maybe I was a little rougher today than normal. I don’t necessarily like racing like that, but these guys know what I’m up against right now. I think most of them have a lot of respect for me, so I think they understand.”

4 ½. What’s Next: Daytona

Daytona won’t just be the site of the regular-season finale; it will also be the first for a new aerodynamic package with a reduced spoiler and reduced horsepower in hopes of allowing drivers to be less reliant on others to make a move.

Whether that encourages more racing and less fuel-mileage strategy remains to be seen. But how it performs will be pivotal in whether NASCAR attempts to make more changes prior to the 2027 Daytona 500.

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