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Indiana receiver Charlie Becker started last season by fighting three more experienced NFL prospects for playing time. He finished it as one of the most essential cogs in the Hoosiers’ improbable 2025 national championship run.

Now he’s back to do even more in his first full season as a starter.

The 6-foot-4, 208-pound Nashville native has emerged quickly as the new leader in Indiana’s receivers room by becoming the model of efficiency for a coach and program where that is regarded as the highest honor.

“There’s a lot of work that we put into it,” Becker said after Saturday’s 55-0 victory. “There’s a lot more left out there we can improve upon. In my route running, I think I can improve on all that to get more receptions, get open, be a better receiver for (quarterback) Josh (Hoover).”

Hoover already seems to have a great connection with Beck after just two games together. And Beck has certainly delivered on his promise.

Despite making early exits in two routs, Beck leads the team in receptions (seven) and yards (145) while being tied for the most touchdown catches (five) in the Football Bowl Subdivision. He’ll be back on the field Saturday when the Hoosiers host Western Kentucky (0-2).

Improving on last week’s performance won’t be easy for No. 4 Indiana (2-0).

— The Hoosiers scored TDs on seven of their first eight possessions, averaging 1.0 points per minute in a game the two coaches agreed to trim by five minutes after the third quarter.

— They pitched their first shoutout of the season, preventing Howard (1-2) from crossing midfield until it recovered a muffed punt with two minutes left in the third quarter.

— Four of Hoover’s six completions went for touchdowns and backup quarterback Grant Wilson’s only two completions also went for TDs.

— Running backs Lee Beebe Jr. and Turbo Richard both produced their first 100-yard games of the season, needing just 16 and 11 carries to hit that mark. Richard has three TDs this season.

Yet even in the midst of such an incredibly proficient all-around performance, albeit against a Football Championship Subdivision foe, Becker’s remarkable stat line — three catches, 81 yards, three TDs — elicited rare praise from Becker’s harshest critic, two-time Associated Press Coach of the Year Curt Cignetti.

“Hardest worker on the team, prepares as well as anybody, nobody prepares more,” he said. “Goes hard every play, goes hard in practice. He’s a really good special teams guy, too. It’s really important to him and he does everything he can to be the most explosive player. We’ve had quarterbacks here throw more touchdown passes than incompletions in games the last two years, right? He’s got almost as many touchdown catches as receptions.”

But it’s not numbers that fuel Becker. It’s the desire to be the best.

Becker’s big body allows him to shield defenders, giving him a better chance to win contested balls. His strong hands have helped him haul in 41 passes for 824 yards and nine scores in 18 games — without a drop.

Not enough?

Becker made the 51-yard catch that set up Indiana’s only TD against Ohio State in the 2025 Big Ten championship game and the 33-yard catch on third down to seal the win. Against Miami in January’s national championship game, he added two crucial 19-yard catches — one set up a fourth-quarter field goal, the other was a fourth-down conversion preceding Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza’s final TD run against Miami.

Soon Becker could find himself back in the same stomping grounds as Omar Cooper Jr., Elijah Sarratt and E.J. Williams Jr., who were all in NFL training camps this summer.

Many draft analysts project Becker to be a first-round pick — if he joins a class that could feature two Heisman hopefuls at receiver Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State and Malachi Toney of Miami.

Nobody is putting Becker in their company just yet. But Mendoza wasn’t the Heisman front-runner at this point last year, and if Becker continues operating this efficiently, the once little-known receiver could soon join a conversation Becker isn’t paying attention to either.

“My blocking isn’t great, and I think that’s an area where we can all improve because a great O-line leads to first downs and great wide receiver blocking leads to touchdowns,” said Becker, who is 11 TD catches away from the late James Hardy’s single-season school record.

“I think being able to get out on the field, it definitely helps boost your confidence and going against great teams like last year like Ohio State, Miami, all the teams in the playoffs, going against great corners like that it really helped boost my confidence.”

Reporting by the Associated Press.

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Kalshi has you covered for any and every sporting event this weekend and new users can get a $25 bonus when you use promo code FOXSPORTS and trade $25.

The action starts in the NFL, where Thursday Night Football brings a major matchup to Buffalo. Josh Allen and the Bills welcome the Detroit Lions to their new stadium. Jahmyr Gibbs and Jared Goff look to spoil the home opener for Bills Mafia.

Now over to college football with two massive showdowns. Lane Kiffin returns to Oxford for the first time as the opposing head coach. Kiffin leads No. 7 LSU against his former program, including Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy. How will Kiffin handle his return to Oxford with a top-10 matchup on the line? 

Meanwhile, UFC 331 is nearly here, with Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja set for a flyweight championship rematch Saturday in Los Angeles. Van puts his 125-pound title on the line against Pantoja, while Arman Tsarukyan meets surging Mauricio Ruffy in a high-stakes five-round co-main event.

From the TNF showdown to a top-10 college football clash and a Octagon battle in Los Angeles, there are plenty of major events to follow this weekend. 

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Sports Markets on Kalshi

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TNF: Detroit Lions @ Buffalo Bills

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
BUF Bills	68%	68¢	33¢
DET Lions	32%	32¢	69¢

Week 3 CFB: No. 7 LSU @ No. 8 Ole Miss

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
Ole Miss Rebels	42%	42¢	59¢
LSU Tigers	58%	59¢	42¢

Week 3 CFB: No. 22 Houston @ No. 13 Texas Tech

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
HOU Cougars	27%	27¢	74¢
T. TECH Red Raiders	73%	74¢	27¢

UFC 331: Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
Joshua Van	56%	57¢	44¢
Alexandre Pantoja	44%	44¢	57¢

More markets available on Kalshi.

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I played offensive line for eight seasons in the NFL, and before that I spent my Saturdays in Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, blocking for guys who ended up on lists like this one. So when I watch college football now, I watch for the stuff that signaled to me in the huddle whether a guy was for real.

I’m picking the 10 players who impressed me most during the previous weekend. Not just the gaudiest stat lines, but the performances that hold up when you turn the tape on. Some weeks, that’ll be a quarterback carving up a defense. Other weeks, it’ll be a lineman you’ve never heard of who didn’t lose a rep all afternoon. I have a soft spot for those guys. 

Week 1 gave us plenty. Let’s get into it.

In Missouri’s 38-21 win over Kansas, Simmons completed 19-of-29 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Tigers to a huge road win over their rival. Each mark was the second-highest of his career. It was also his first career start with at least 20 pass attempts and no interceptions.

Underwood still isn’t a complete passer, but as an athlete, he’s hard to beat at this position. He carried the ball 18 times for nearly 100 yards and had a back-breaking touchdown run to help Michigan upset Oklahoma. 

Mestemaker had a Power Four coming out party against Oregon this past weekend. His 317 yards and two touchdowns helped propel his Cowboys squad in their upset over the Ducks. Mestemaker made high-level NFL throws with pressure in his face all game and then finished his excellent performance with an incredible touchdown run, where he was flipped and hit hard as he tumbled into the end zone for a score.

Jackson had two monster plays for the Ducks defense. He showed off his 4.3 speed to catch Mestemaker on a 75-yard run. His ability to knock him out of bounds saved four points for the Ducks as the Cowboys couldn’t finish with a touchdown. Jackson later went nearly 100 yards for an interception return after catching a tipped pass. 

The freshman receiver had an amazing performance against Texas Tech on Saturday in the Beavers near upset of the Red Raiders. He finished with eight catches for 240 yards and two touchdowns with a long of 75 yards. He’s got nearly 400 yards in two games this season. Keep an eye on this budding star in Corvallis.

Taylor is quickly becoming a household name after the first two weeks of the season. After 354 yards in the opener, he started his first road game at Minnesota. He completed 16-of-22 passes for 227 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 86 rushing yards. His highlight video from Saturday shows Taylor throwing fastballs all over the field. He’s been extremely impressive so far.

The Oregon transfer has started fast this season for the Bears. In the Bears win over Syracuse, he had five tackles, three pass breakups and three interceptions, including a pick-six and the game-clinching play. He’s been all over the field for the Bears and appears to be a slam dunk addition for Tosh Lupoi.

Johnson is a beast for the Gophers and a fun watch each week. PFF graded him as the best offensive lineman in the game on Saturday, and it shows on the film. He’s an effortless mover who’s able to latch onto defenders and take them for a ride. 

THICC-SIX alert! 

In Idaho State’s 59-17 thrashing over San Diego, the 6-foot-1, 319-pound defensive tackle caught a tipped pass and took it back 28 yards for the score. You know I love my big-man scores!

It was a nightmare Saturday night for the Buckeyes, who suffered the largest blown lead by an AP No. 1 team ever and the biggest by Ohio State since at least 2003. But Smith still delivered another massive performance, finishing with eight catches for 164 yards and a touchdown. He now has five career games with at least 150 receiving yards, the most in the FBS since 2024. His 30 receiving touchdowns over that span are also seven more than any other player, with Elijah Sarratt ranking second with 23.

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Todd Boehly and fellow co-owner Mark Walter have sold their stakes in Chelsea, the English Premier League club said on Wednesday.

“Chelsea Football Club today announced affiliates of Clearlake Capital Group will acquire the ownership interest of Todd Boehly,” it said in a statement.

“As part of the transition, Clearlake will also acquire Mark Walter’s ownership interest and therefore acquire full control of the club.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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It’s another packed week of sports, starting with Thursday Night Football in Buffalo. Polymarket is giving new users another reason to follow the biggest events with promo code FOX to unlock a $50 bonus.

The Buffalo Bills are debuting their new stadium against the Detroit Lions. Josh Allen leads Buffalo into the spotlight at home, while Jahmyr Gibbs and the Lions look to spoil the celebration in one of the most anticipated games in Week 2. 

College football also delivers a top-10 showdown as No. 7 LSU travels to No. 8 Ole Miss, with Lane Kiffin returning to Oxford to face his former program. How will Kiffin handle his former superstars Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy?

UFC 331 adds another major event to the weekend as Joshua Van defends his flyweight championship against Alexandre Pantoja in a rematch at the UFC’s return to Los Angeles. 

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Sports Markets on Polymarket

*Probabilities are subject to change* 

TNF: Detroit Lions @ Buffalo Bills

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
BUF Bills	68%	68¢	33¢
DET Lions	32%	32¢	69¢

Week 3 CFB: No. 7 LSU @ No. 8 Ole Miss

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
Ole Miss Rebels	41%	41¢	60¢
LSU Tigers	60%	60¢	41¢

Week 3 CFB: No. 22 Houston @ No. 13 Texas Tech

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
HOU Cougars	26%	27¢	74¢
T. TECH Red Raiders	74%	74¢	27¢

UFC 331: Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
Joshua Van	57%	57¢	44¢
Alexandre Pantoja	44%	44¢	57¢

More markets available on Polymarket.

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In the NFL, the public betting masses love nothing more than scoring. And they got plenty of it in Week 1.

Fifteen teams scored 27 or more points, led by the Bears, who hung a 59-burger on the Panthers. 

That’s playing a big role in the mindset for NFL Week 2 odds.

“That’s the public’s focus — who is going to be able to score with ease,” Caesars Sports head of football trading Joey Feazel said. “So they’ll be eyeing this Thursday night Lions-Bills game, and Vikings-Bears and Saints-Ravens.”

Oddsmakers and sharp bettors serve up their midweek insights, as we dive into NFL Week 2 betting nuggets.

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.

Backing Buffalo

The Bills were also among the big Week 1 scorers, going on the road and outlasting the Texans 36-31. Ditto for the Lions, who blew a 21-0 lead at home, while barely outlasting the Saints 31-30 in overtime.

Buffalo went to 1-0 straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) by covering as a 1.5-point favorite. Detroit is 1-0 SU/0-1 ATS, failing to cover as a 7-point favorite.

Caesars Sports opened the Bills -3 (-114) in NFL Week 2 odds, quickly went to -3.5 and on Wednesday evening was up to -4.5 (-115). Based on both teams’ offensive outputs, the total is on the rise, too, from 53.5 to 54.5.

“What we’re seeing is one-way action toward that Over and the Bills, as well,” Feazel said. “There are a couple reasons for that. First, it’s the home opener of a new stadium for the Bills.

“But on top of that, the Bills just went up against one of the NFL’s top defenses and really had no problem with it. That really adds to what the public is coming in on.”

Feazel expects no slowdown heading toward Thursday’s 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff.

“They’re on the Bills, and that will continue to be the narrative,” he said.

NFL Rocks on FOX — Part 1

America’s Game of the Week again includes the Commanders (0-1 SU/1-0 ATS), who last week gave the Eagles a scare before falling 24-22 in Philly. This week, Washington meets another NFC East rival on the road, traveling to Dallas for a 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday kick.

The Cowboys (0-1 SU and ATS) were less impressive in Week 1, losing to the Giants 28-20 as 3-point road favorites Sunday night.

The Cowboys faltered last week at the Giants, but that’s not stopping bettors (Getty Images).

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Last Sunday, before the Cowboys-Giants tilt, Caesars opened Commanders-Cowboys at Dallas -4.5. After the Cowboys’ lackluster Week 1 showing, that number dropped to Dallas -3.5. But by midweek, Dak Prescott & Co. are back at -4.5.

“That performance vs. the Giants is not stopping bettors here. They’re still betting the Cowboys in this spot,” Feazel said. “I think we’re gonna continue to see steady action on the Cowboys.”

NFL Sharp Side

Professional bettor Randy McKay was on the right side in Week 1, taking the 49ers +4 vs. the Rams. San Francisco ended up rolling to the upset, 27-7.

In Week 2 NFL odds, McKay is on Broncos -2.5 vs. Jaguars.

“Denver will bounce back at home after a stinker on Monday Night Football,” McKay said, alluding to the Broncos’ 31-10 road loss to the Chiefs. “I’m expecting Mile High magic. Early in the season, teams traveling to Denver usually gas out in the second half.”

Burrowing In

With Joe Burrow healthy, the Bengals (1-0 SU and ATS) were another high-flying team in Week 1, beating the Bucs 33-27 as 3.5-point home favorites.

As noted above, the Texans (0-1 SU and ATS) also put up points in Week 1. But Houston’s defense couldn’t contain Allen, and early bettors this week think Burrow will be a tough chore, as well.

Caesars opened at Texans -2.5 (-114) and visited -3 (-105) early in the week. On Wednesday evening, Houston was at -2.5 (-118), for Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET start.

“We’ve seen mostly Bengals action. That’s not really a surprise, because there was a lot of Bengals love coming into the season,” Feazel said. “I’d expect that to continue — mostly Bengals money and then closer to kickoff, more Over money.”

The total is actually down 1.5 points, from 47.5 to 46. But the public will certainly load up on the Over by game day, per usual.

NFL Rocks on FOX — Part 2

At 1 p.m. ET Sunday on FOX, the aforementioned Bears (1-0 SU and ATS) host the Vikings (0-1 SU and ATS).

During training camp, Chicago coach Ben Johnson put this on everyone’s bulletin board:

“I want to have the highest-scoring offense ever, which happens to be the 2013 Denver Broncos. I know how many points per game they scored (37.9), and I want to surpass them. I want shutouts. I want blowouts.”

The latter was certainly accomplished in Week 1, when the Bears were 3-point road favorites and pounded the Panthers 59-37.

Head Coach Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears wants to break offensive records in 2026 (Getty Images).

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In NFL Week 2 odds, the Bears are 4.5-point home favorites vs. the Vikings. Minnesota blew a 22-10 third-quarter lead vs. Green Bay last week, losing 39-22. And Vikes QB Kyler Murray is in concussion protocol, so it could be Carson Wentz on Sunday.

Midweek at DraftKings Sports, Chicago is a 4.5-point favorite, actually down notably from a -6.5 opener. But early action is solidly on the Bears, and even more so on the Over.

Chicago is taking 60% of early spread bets/76% of early spread money. The total surged from 46.5 to 49.5 by early Monday, then backed up to 47.5 by Wednesday. But the Over is attracting 84% of bets/74% of money as of Wednesday evening.

Not Sold Yet

Normally, when it comes to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, the public betting masses need very little convincing. But a blowout Week 1 win isn’t yet enough to win over the public, which still remembers Kansas City’s 6-11 SU/4-13 ATS debacle last season.

Mahomes & Co. — and by Co., that’s mainly running back Kenneth Walker III — routed the Broncos 31-10 on Monday night. In turn, Caesars opened Kansas City -6.5 (-117) vs. the Colts (0-1 SU and ATS) in an 8:20 p.m. ET Sunday clash.

But the line hasn’t budged at all.

“It doesn’t look like the win over the Broncos is carrying over,” Feazel said. “There really isn’t a belief in this Chiefs team just yet. Right now, we’re seeing balanced two-way action at 6.5.”

Big Blue Believers

The Giants (1-0 SU and ATS) were 3-point home underdogs to the Cowboys in Week 1. But New York never trailed and in fact dominated much of the game in a 28-20 victory.

On the flip side, the Rams (0-1 SU and ATS) got thumped 27-7 as 3.5-point favorites vs. the 49ers in far-flung Melbourne, Australia. Plus, Myles Garrett (knee) is out at least the next four weeks.

A week ago, on the look-ahead lines in NFL Week 2 odds, Caesars had Giants-Rams at L.A. -9.5. The line reopened Sunday afternoon at Rams -7.5, and after the G-Men’s strong showing, the number dipped to Rams -7.

Are Jaxson Dart and the Giants now a serious threat? (Getty Images)

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“We saw a different Jaxson Dart out there, and coach John Harbaugh making a clear difference. The public noticed that,” Feazel said. “The Rams were not what we expected. They were flat on both sides of the ball.

“So far, it’s been all Giants money, and I think that will continue. What I expect we’ll need by game time is that Super Bowl middle: Rams to win by 1-7.”

Giants-Rams kicks off at 8:15 p.m. ET on Monday.

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There’s no better time to overreact than after Week 1 of the NFL season. 

Week 1 brought plenty of surprises around the league, giving us plenty of material to judge and make grand statements. Are the Los Angeles Rams not as good as we thought? Will the New England Patriots take a step back? 

We asked people around the league which overreactions they think are a figment, and which ones are legitimate. There was an overwhelming consensus that one overreaction is just that, while another might have some truth behind it. 

Here’s what we learned from our conversations around the league. 

  One L.A. Story Should Get Better, But Other Could Get Worse

Ralph Vacchiano: It’s hard to find two bigger flops in Week 1 than the teams that share a stadium in Los Angeles. Both embarrassingly lost their openers.

One will probably be fine. The other … maybe not so much.

“I won’t overreact to the Rams at all,” one NFL scout told me. “They’re still loaded, so I can chalk that up to the weird circumstances of a game in Australia. But the Chargers … that’s a team that looks like it has problems.”

“I really thought [Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel] would be the guy who would finally turn Justin Herbert into the star we all think he could be,” another scout told me. “But maybe we’re just wrong about Herbert. Or about McDaniel. But they were a no-show on offense against what I don’t think is a very good Cardinals team.”

Justin Herbert and the Chargers gained just 268 yards of offense in the first game of Mike McDaniel’s (right) tenure as offensive coordinator. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

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The Chargers, considered by some to be a playoff contender, gained just 268 yards and turned the ball over twice in their 26-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in L.A. That included just 81 rushing yards, and Herbert was 17 of 27 for 209 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

“How many years are we going to look at Herbert and yell about his potential, only to watch him be average or worse?” the first scout told me. “Maybe this is just who he is. And maybe this is who the Chargers are, too.”

As for the Rams, they were equally bad offensively in a 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Australia, gaining just 290 yards. And now they’ll be without Myles Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, for a month, too.

“The Rams will be fine,” the second scout told me. “Honestly, I’d feel bad for the Giants (the Rams’ next opponent). They’re going to be angry. Sean McVay is going to be determined to get this fix fast. That combination could be deadly.”

No Excuses, But The Rams Had Plenty Of Excuses

Vacchiano: The 49ers may have made a statement with their convincing Week 1 win, but it apparently wasn’t much of a statement about the team they beat. In fact, it was hard to find anyone around the NFL who was worried about the Rams after they lost to San Francisco 27-7 in Melbourne, Australia last Wednesday night.

“Not at all,” one NFL executive told me. “I didn’t necessarily believe in all that ‘Dream Team’ stuff, but they were one of the NFL’s best teams last season and they’re even better now. One game in Week 1 doesn’t change that.

“You’ll see. That’ll look like an anomaly in a few weeks. They’ll be fine.”

Matthew Stafford threw for fewer than 200 yards in the Rams’ loss to the 49ers. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

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“I don’t know what the right answer is on the travel, but arriving on a 15-hour flight the day before the game clearly was a mistake. They played like they were jet-lagged,” an NFC assistant coach told me. “It’s not an excuse that they’ll use, but it might be a real one. That had to be a hard game to prepare for, so I wouldn’t read anything into it.”

The Rams still have last year’s MVP in quarterback Matthew Stafford and weapons like receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. They still have a defense that’ll soon be anchored by the unretired Aaron Donald, and in a few weeks, Myles Garrett will be back too.

That’s why an NFL scout told me via text: “Ignore the opener. They’re still loaded. Chalk it up to [playing in] Australia. Besides, we all know strange things always happen in Week 1.”

More Evaluators Expect A Rams Bounce-Back

Eric D. Williams: It’s only one game.

That was the sentiment from league sources I spoke with about the Los Angeles Rams. The heavy favorite to win the Super Bowl at the start of the year, Sean McVay’s Rams stubbed their toe with a poor performance in Australia, a painful 27-7 setback to the team’s NFC West rivals, the San Francisco 49ers.

Despite the poor performance in Australia, league sources I spoke to expect the Rams to rebound with extra time to prepare for Week 2 home contest on Monday Night Football against the New York Giants.

“Yessir,” a league exec responded when I asked if the Rams would perform better in Week 2.

“They underestimated the impact of travelling so far,” another league source told me. “Bad game. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. There’s a lot of football left for them to sort things out.”

The Rams take on an upstart Giants team in Week 2, but evaluators believe Los Angeles should be able to win that game. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

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Added another NFL talent evaluator: “Week 1 is a liar. Last year’s Super Bowl teams both lost at home in Week 1. The Patriots lost to the Raiders.”

The NFL talent evaluator went on to say Week 1 is the hardest to prepare for because there’s no film of your upcoming opponent to break down and evaluate in preparation for the game.

“As a quarterback, I really felt uncomfortable in Week 1 games because you really have no idea how to study the opponent,” the talent evaluator told me. “Everything is probably a Trojan horse. Teams show their hands of who they really want to be schematically after the first regular season game.

Speaking of quarterbacks, another longtime NFL scout I spoke with pointed to better play needed from reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford.

“Travel and neither side of the ball played to expectations,” the scout told me. “And the QB was just a guy.”

 

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Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season is in the books, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Especially if you’re a fan of good offense.

Each week, I dive into the All-22 coaches’ film before offering five insights to watch. Don’t be surprised if the points are here to stay. 

1.

That’s the million-dollar question floating around league circles this week with the Vikings set to take on the league’s most explosive offense Sunday in Chicago. Ultra-aggressive defensive coordinator Brian Flores has befuddled quarterbacks throughout the league with his complex six-man pressure schemes and hot coverage concepts. He has also featured various zones with exotic alignments to test the patience and discipline of QBs distracted by the constant harassment from Minnesota’s chaotic pressure paths. 

Interestingly, Bears coach Ben Johnson holds a 5-1 record over Flores in their head-to-head matchups as playcallers. Johnson will challenge the Vikings with a multiple offense featuring bunch formations, pre-snap shifts and misdirection to slow down an aggressive defense that wants to attack on every down. He will also utilize the running game to control the tempo and force Minnesota to play on Chicago’s terms. With a pair of explosive runners (D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai) in the backfield with big-play potential, the Vikings can’t completely focus on QB Caleb Williams and the passing game or else run the risk of seeing the Bears run for 200-plus yards on an assortment of inside and perimeter runs that attack the weakness of the defensive scheme. 

Flores will welcome the challenge as an astute chess master and use static zones that let his defenders play fast as “see ball, get ball” defenders who will pursue the ball at a breakneck pace. The veteran defensive assistant will put the game on Williams’ shoulders to play efficiently without a critical mistake. Despite his success as an improvisational playmaker with a big-play mentality, Williams does force throws into coverage under duress. 

Moreover, he loses his discipline against soft coverage when he is forced to settle for checkdown after checkdown when he wants to push the ball down the field. In a marquee game that is destined to be decided in the final five minutes, Johnson versus Flores will come down to the tricks and treats that neither playcaller pulled out of his bag in Week 1. 

And based on their head-to-head track record, I give Johnson the upper hand in Sunday’s showdown.

2.

It did not take long for the Ravens’ new offensive coordinator to figure out how to unlock the explosive potential of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. The two-time MVP and two-time NFL rushing champ looked like an unstoppable force torching an overmatched Indianapolis Colts’ defense in Week 1. 

Jackson threw for 324 yards and a touchdown, while running for 40 yards and another score as part of the Ravens’ 500-plus-yard effort in a 41-23 road win. Henry added 144 yards and three scores while pummeling the Colts on downhill runs that tested the defense’s toughness, physicality and discipline. With Zay Flowers totaling 150 receiving yards in two quarters of work, the Ravens’ offense has the football world buzzing about its potential under first-time playcaller Declan Doyle. 

Studying the All-22 game tape, there is so much to love about Doyle’s approach, with an electric quarterback and running back taking turns punishing the Colts’ defense. Jackson, in particular, was on fire from the pocket, completing 17 of 25 passes with a 12.96 yards-per-attempt average. The three-time All-Pro settled in quickly, directing an exotic offense that blended traditional drop-back passes, bootlegs and option routes, along with the read-pass options (RPOs) that have made him the league’s most dangerous playmaker for almost a decade.  

Henry benefited from Doyle’s creative scheming on the ground, with various motions from the tight end/H-back creating creases at the point of attack. The deceptive use of the tight end/H-back as a lead blocker on the move will keep defensive coordinators up at night, trying to solve for the extra hat in the running game. Considering Henry still flashes the strength and power to run through defenders in tight quarters, the Ravens’ diverse running game will be a problem for defensive coordinators going forward. Next in their path is the Saints, who allowed the Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs (156 yards) to run wild in Week 1. 

3.

After watching a banged-up 49ers defense attack clubs with a straightforward approach under Robert Saleh last year, 2026 opponents should prepare to face a more dynamic defensive scheme with Raheem Morris now in charge. It’s apparent after just one game that the former head coach has enhanced the Niners’ vaunted scheme by adding more pre-snap disguise, five-man fronts and simulated pressures to the playbook. He has also simplified the 49ers’ coverage structure to let the defensive backs play faster in the back end. 

Such changes were evident against the Rams, as the 49ers suffocated one of the league’s best offenses for four quarters. From stuffing the run with five-man structures that knocked the Rams’ blockers off their path to creative pre-snap movement and shifts that morphed five-man fronts into four-down structures, with defensive linemen dropping into coverage, the chaos at the line of scrimmage forced Matthew Stafford and Co. to pause. 

The Niners linebackers and defensive backs benefited from a streamlined approach that prioritized simplicity over complexity. Although the 49ers have utilized more pre-snap disguise to play games with Stafford, it has been by buzzing into a coverage that is easy to understand and execute. With the 49ers emphasizing speed and relying on instincts as a “see ball, get ball” defense, the Rams struggled to handle the speed and physicality of a defense built to hunt from every angle. 

Looking at the stat sheet, the tweaks worked out well, with Stafford held to fewer than 200 pass yards and Puka Nacua and Davante Adams combining for eight catches and 100 receiving yards. The Rams had just one play go for more than 16 yards all day. Moreover, San Francisco produced a pair of takeaways and a pivotal goal-line stand that flipped the game in its favor. 

With Fred Warner and crew embracing these changes with enthusiasm, the NFC should worry about a new and improved defense possibly sparking a title run in the Bay Area. 

4.

The NFL is a copycat league, with coaches often stealing concepts from other coaches when they think it will help their teams win. While some of the thievery involves new, innovative concepts swiped from the league’s creative wizards, veteran coach Andy Reid has a knack for taking and implementing plays from old-school playbooks to help the Chiefs put points on the board. 

Against the Denver Broncos this past Monday night, the three-time Super Bowl winner was up to his old tricks again, using a play popularized by Glen “Pop” Warner in the early 1900s to get Kenneth Walker III a walk-in touchdown in the fourth quarter. 

Aligning in an unbalanced Single Wing formation with Walker at wingback on the left, the Chiefs perfectly executed a counter-shovel pass, with Mahomes sprinting left before underhand tossing the ball to his star RB headed back to the right behind a convoy of blockers. The overload alignment and misdirection caught the Broncos’ defense by surprise, as Walker scooted through a crease into the end zone. 

The bold throwback play in a marquee game set social media on fire, with historians and old-school football fans immediately recognizing it. The fanfare also prompted me to dig deeper and discover that the Single Wing has been part of the Chiefs’ short-yardage package for years. Back in 2023, Rashee Rice scored against the New England Patriots on the exact same play, with Jerick McKinnon flipping the touchdown to the wingback Rice on an inside reverse/counter. 

Digging deeper, I discovered the Chiefs broke out a toy from an old Notre Dame box in Super Bowl LIV against the 49ers to nearly score a touchdown with Damien Williams. Aligned in a full-house backfield, the Chiefs shifted to an unbalanced Single Wing formation to the right. The deceptive pre-snap shift diverted the defense’s attention from Williams, who fielded the direct snap and plunged between the tackles on a fullback dive from the overload formation. Although the Chiefs did not score on the play, the creative use of a throwback-era play is another example of Reid’s willingness to steal from the throwback era to put points on the board. 

With Single Wing enthusiasts anxiously awaiting Reid’s latest spin on the legendary formation, the Chiefs’ short-yardage/goal line package has suddenly become must-see television. 

5.

The NFL operates in cycles, with teams reverting to old-school tactics every few seasons. This year, we are seeing a return to old-school football, with teams embracing more under-center work and heavy personnel groupings to jumpstart their offenses. 

Part of the rationale is to set up the quarterback for success by using the running game and play-action to slow down aggressive fronts attacking gaps with various pressures, stunts and games. Additionally, the return to under center work is part of a bigger plan to force opponents out of the two-high shells defensive coordinators are featuring, limiting explosive plays from quarterbacks trying to connect with speedy receivers on vertical routes. 

As teams park their safeties in the stadium parking lot with split-field structures and more defensive backs in exotic sub-packages, offensive coordinators are countering the soft coverage with a run-based game plan out of tight end-heavy formations. Last season, the Rams terrorized opponents out of “13” personnel because three tight ends on the field created a physical advantage. Two or three tight ends aligned together create extra running gaps and expose smallish sub-package defenders who get overwhelmed as run-gap defenders. 

With offensive playcallers mixing in traditional drop-back or play-action passes from under center on five- and seven-step drops, the second-level defenders are easily lured to the line of scrimmage, leaving voids at intermediate range for digs and crossers on play-action concepts. Given the “chunk” plays derived from run-action plays, it’s no surprise more teams are looking to juice up their offenses with old-school formations and run-pass concepts. 

The numbers show the league-wide percentage of under-center plays from Week 1 (23.3%), suggesting teams will be more committed to a throwback approach than last season (17.6% for all of 2025). Given the offensive fireworks from season openers across the league — the 791 points scored tied the all-time record for Week 1 — we should expect more teams to use various under-center concepts to get their offenses going. As running backs find more traction plunging between the tackles on downhill concepts (there were six 100-yard rushers in Week 1), the threat of the run and the successful execution of those concepts will make the game easier for quarterbacks and playcallers this season. 

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Trevor Lawrence used a sizzling second half to insert himself into the MVP conversation in 2025, emerging as a finalist for the first time in his NFL career last season. 

Well, Lawrence kept the high-level play going at the start of this season, completing 18 of 23 passes for 245 yards, with four touchdowns and no interceptions for a league-leading 150.6 passer rating in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 34-10 rout of the Cleveland Browns.

Lawrence was sacked just once, completing passes to nine different pass catchers. He was particularly effective pushing the ball down the field. Lawrence completed 10 of 11 passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns on passes of 10-plus air yards against Cleveland, per Next Gen Stats.

Lawrence’s three touchdowns of at least 10 air yards were the most in a game during his NFL career. Week 2 should provide a tougher test for Lawrence. He and the Jaguars travel to Denver to face one of the best defenses in the Broncos in Week 2. However, Lawrence and the Jaguars carved up the Broncos last season, getting a 34-20 easy win. 

Trevor Lawrence had the best passer rating in the league in Week 1. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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This is just a continuation of a hot stretch for Jacksonville’s quarterback and his team. Lawrence has led the Jaguars to victories in nine of their last 10 games. Over that span, Lawrence has completed 63.6% of his passes for 2,461 yards, with 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions for a 109.0 passer rating. Lawrence’s efficient play is validation for head coach and offensive playcaller Liam Coen that the Clemson product has the talent and consistency to lead the overlooked Jaguars on a deep playoff run.’

The oddsmakers are starting to believe as well, as Lawrence is tied with Brock Purdy with the fifth-best odds for the award at 14-to-1. Josh Allen is tops on the board. Let’s take a closer look at my picks for the top three of all the major awards heading into Week 2.

Offensive Player Of The Year

The skinny: Kenneth Walker III certainly has an argument for being on this list, but I went with the reigning Offensive Player of the Year in JSN at No. 3 because of what he did in the second half with Sam Darnold out to help lead Seattle to victory. 

The 32-year-old Henry might have had the most impressive performance, with three touchdown runs as the Ravens looked dangerous on offense again. Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing is apparently ready to feed Gibbs, who carried it a career-high 29 times in the win over the New Orleans Saints. 

Defensive Player Of The Year

The skinny: Hutchinson is tied for the league lead in sacks (2) and quarterback pressures (10) after Week 1. Watt also had two sacks and completed one of the biggest defensive plays last week, intercepting Atlanta Falcons quarterback Cooper Rush on a screen pass and picking himself up to rumble 35 yards for a score. 

Los Angeles safety Quentin Lake finished with an interception and a league-leading three pass breakups in a loss for the Rams. 

Coach Of The Year

The skinny: Johnson means what he says about breaking the NFL scoring record, as Chicago tallied a league-high 59 points in its Week 1 win over the Carolina Panthers. And in New York, it only took a week for Harbaugh to change the identity of the Giants, as they earned a grind-it-out win over the visiting Dallas Cowboys. 

Everyone thought the Cardinals were playing for 2027 draft status and Arch Manning, but no one told LaFleur, who looks like he’ll have Arizona ready to fight each week. 

Offensive Rookie Of The Year

The skinny: Price vs. Love should be an interesting battle to watch this year. In Week 1, Price was the starter for the Seahawks, posting 52 rushing yards on 10 rushes. I was surprised the Seahawks didn’t give Price the ball more, as he averaged 5.2 yards per carry. Love served as the backup to Tyler Allgeier, finishing with 50 scrimmage yards on 13 touches, including a 5-yard run for a score. The two Notre Dame products will face off when Seattle travels to Arizona for Week 2. 

Williams had a nice debut for the Commanders, totaling four catches for 64 yards and a touchdown. 

Defensive Rookie Of The Year

The skinny: A second-round selection by the Titans, Hill leads the league in tackles after Week 1 with 16. Downs showed versatility and playmaking ability in his first career start, finishing with a sack, a forced fumble and seven combined tackles. 

But Trotter showed off the most playmaking ability. The son of former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, the younger Trotter became the first player in NFL history to record both a sack and an interception returned for a touchdown in his first career game. He finished with 10 combined tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss and an interception returned for a 38-yard score. 

MVP

The skinny: Lawrence’s impressive play to start the year at least makes things interesting, as it’s not just a two-man race between Jackson and Allen.

Speaking of Jackson, he looked just fine taking snaps under center in new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle’s offense. Jackson finished 6 of 8 for 114 yards and a 116.7 passer rating from under center, per Next Gen Stats. 

Allen averaged 12.6 air yards per attempt in a Week 1 win over Houston, the most for him in a game since Week 18 of the 2022 season. Patrick Mahomes looked healthy in Kansas City’s runaway win over Denver, which is bad news for the rest of the league. 

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Tom Brady’s power rankings are back for a third season, and before he reveals his first top-10 of the new season, there are a few rules the GOAT has. 

One, in order to make this week’s top 10, you’ve had to have won in Week 1. Two, the power rankings are all about what you’ve done lately, not what you can be. And three, if you have any complaints, direct them to the new FOX Sports digital show “Gronk & Jules.”

So, now that’s out of the way, let’s dive into Brady’s first top 10 of the 2026 NFL season. 

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Brady’s thoughts: They had a great win against a very good Bucs team. I thought that Bucs team was going to go into Cincy and upset some people. Sorry to Ja’Marr Chase and all those fantasy owners. Trust me, you’ve got nothing to worry about.

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Brady’s thoughts: If you turned this one off early, you’re probably wondering why the Lions aren’t higher. But you really don’t want to see how this one went down. 

I think it’s very brave of these teams to go for 2 [to win the game like the Saints did]. It’s basically a 45/50% chance of making it. That’s what the stats say. Sometimes, I think you should make the other team beat you. But when you’re the road team against a good team, sometimes I don’t mind going for broke.

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Brady’s thoughts: How about the Jags? At No. 8, they ran it up against Cleveland. That’s what a lot of people forgot about Jacksonville last season. They won 13 games last year. Keep an eye out for this team. Liam Coen, really impressed, man. Keep it up.

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Brady’s thoughts: Kenneth Walker, he’s your [Super Bowl LX] MVP and the Chiefs are sitting at No. 7. Patrick Mahomes, are you kidding me? He might be able to contribute something to this offense as well. He wasn’t avoiding any contact [on Monday night]; I’m sure of that.

I think, in a lot of ways, he’s back to [being] Patrick Mahomes. What do I mean by that? His leadership, discipline, tenacity — all of those things were on display. He’s going to pick up some steam. He’s missed some football, missed a lot of the offseason. But never sleep on No. 15 for the Chiefs.

Why are we counting them out? Never count them out.

I always felt like when you’ve got a great coach and you’ve got a great QB, and that organization has championship standards … watch out, man.

Tom Brady is bullish on the Kenneth Walker-Patrick Mahomes pairing. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)

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Brady’s thoughts: KB and I, we were on the call in Philly, and the Eagles are knocking on the door of the top five. They knocked a little rust off, but they took care of business, starting 1-0 in the division.

They know how to start fast. I like this team. They’re always going to play great defense. Once they figure out how to run the ball a little bit better, and they’ve still got Saquon [Barkley] back there and Tank Bigsby — they’re making those explosive plays. That’s the formula that set them up a few years ago, too.

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Brady’s thoughts: In our top five, you can shuffle a lot of teams here, but remember, when in doubt, my rankings are always the correct ones. 

The Bills are starting at five. That was a huge win in Houston. Houston had one of the best defenses in the league last year, and there’s going to be arguments to put Buffalo at the top of the list. But they were a dropped pick away from being off the [list] entirely. We know Josh [Allen], we know James Cook — they’re going to move the ball all year long. But those Bills fans are waiting for January at this point. Who can blame them?

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Brady’s thoughts: Another team with a new head coach, Jesse Minter. Lamar [Jackson] dominated in Indy. They brought in Minter for this defense, but I’ll be watching [offensive coordinator] Declan Doyle and what he does with the weapons on this offense. It looked pretty good the other night.

They’ll need the depth chart to step up at receiver for a few weeks. But Baltimore fans, guess what? You should be excited.

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Brady’s thoughts: We now have the definitive guide on how to travel to Australia now, right? I think people talked more about that than the game this past week. Hats off to the Niners and Kyle Shanahan for tuning out a lot of the B.S., a lot of the noise and doing what they do: dominate a great Rams team Down Under. 

Brock [Purdy], quick word of advice: Keep throwing it to Mike Evans. He’s really good at catching the football, especially when you get close to the end zone.

Mike Evans logged a touchdown grab in his 49ers debut. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

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Brady’s thoughts: The Caleb Williams MVP watch is under way. They put 59 on Carolina in Week 1. Ben Johnson wants the highest-scoring offense ever. But how about a little defense from this team when they get back to Chicago? Or, you know what, screw it — keep scoring 59 points. I’m an offensive guy, either way works.

They make it look easy — 300 yards rushing, Caleb does his thing and when guys aren’t open, he scrambles. When they get that offense rolling, it’s hard to stop. I saw it a lot last year. I know we’re going to see it a lot this year.

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Brady’s thoughts: I don’t care, to be the champ, you’ve gotta beat the champ. When you win the Super Bowl and the Super Bowl rematch in the first game back, I don’t care who is playing QB, you’ve got to get the top spot. The defense, they haven’t skipped a beat. And I’ve got another secret QB hack for Drew Lock: As long as Sam [Darnold’s] out, throw it anywhere on JSN’s (Jaxon Smith-Njigba) side of the field; he’s going to come down with it.

Tom Brady’s Week 1 NFL Power Rankings

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