49ers wide receiver Mike Evans has officially been ruled out of Monday night’s game against the Washington Commanders with an Achilies injury.

Evans headed to the locker room in the second quarter after making a catch on second and 15 before walking gingerly off the field. Broadcast cameras caught Evans grabbing his left Achilles in the tunnel. He did not return to start the second half.

Evans finished with three receptions for 94 yards in the first half.

It’s the latest setback in an injury-plagued first season in the Bay Area for the 33-year-old. 

Evans dealt with a hip injury in Week 2, then suffered a rib strain against Arizona in Week 3 that knocked him out after halftime. He battled through the rib issue to play the following weeks, catching seven passes for 113 yards and a touchdown in last week’s win over Seattle, but Achilles soreness kept him out of practice entirely this week, and he entered Monday night questionable.

Evans has managed to play in every game for San Francisco so far despite the laundry list of injuries. It is a continuation of the injury concerns that disrupted his final seasons in Tampa Bay, where a hamstring strain and a broken collarbone limited him to eight games in 2025 and snapped his streak of 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons.

The severity of Evans’ injury was not immediately known.

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World Series history will be made when the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays go head-to-head in the Fall Classic on FOX.

For the first time since the Texas Rangers in 2023, a team that has never won the World Series before will go home with the Commissioner’s Trophy — will it be the relentless Brewers or the expectation-defying Rays?

Here’s how to watch the 2026 World Series on FOX:

2026 World Series — FOX, FOX One, FOX Deportes

Game 1: Friday, Oct. 23

• Rays at Brewers (8 p.m. ET)

Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 24

• Rays at Brewers (8 p.m. ET)

Game 3: Monday, Oct. 26

• Brewers at Rays (8 p.m. ET)

Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 27

• Brewers at Rays (8 p.m. ET)

Game 5*: Wednesday, Oct. 28

• Brewers at Rays (8 p.m. ET)

Game 6*: Friday, Oct. 30

• Rays at Brewers (8 p.m. ET)

Game 7*: Saturday, Oct. 31

• Rays at Brewers (8 p.m. ET)

How To Watch The World Series

Every World Series game will air on FOX. Fans can stream FOX and FS1 World Series coverage with FOX One. FOX coverage is also available on FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App with an eligible TV provider login.

Stream every game on FOX One:

• Watch Rays vs Brewers Game 1, Friday, Oct. 23, 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX
• Watch Rays vs Brewers Game 2, Saturday, Oct. 24, 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX
• Watch Brewers vs Rays Game 3, Monday, Oct. 26, 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX
• Watch Brewers vs Rays Game 4, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX
• Watch Brewers vs Rays Game 5*, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX
• Watch Rays vs Brewers Game 6*, Friday, Oct. 30, 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX
• Watch Rays vs Brewers Game 7*, Saturday, Oct. 31, 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX

Brewers Road To The World Series

As the team with the best regular season record in 2026, the Brewers are looking for their first World Series title in franchise history. The team has only reached the World Series once before, having lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982.  In the 2026 playoffs, the Brewers defeated the San Diego Padres in the NL Division Series before ousting the two-time defending World Series champions Los Angeles Dodgers in a four-game sweep in the NL Championship Series.

Hard-throwing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski anchors a stellar starting rotation for the NL Central champions. “The Miz” is likely looking at an NL Cy Young award thanks to his 16-5 record, 1.80 ERA and 250 strikeouts. Their lineup has been one of the toughest to face thanks to outfielder Jackson Chourio (.291/.351/.487 in the regular season) and catcher William Contreras (.367 postseason batting average).

Rays Road To The World Series

In a down season for the American League, the Rays were one of the few squads to consistently show they would be a threat in the postseason. Tampa Bay finished with the AL’s best record, winning the AL East and then taking out the New Yankees in the AL Division Series. After dispatching the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Championship Series, the Rays are looking to finally with the whole thing after previous World Series appearances in 2008 and 2020. 

(Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

The Rays will rely on their big bats of third baseman Junior Caminero (T-2nd with 37 homers and third with 101 RBI this season), first baseman Jonathan Aranda and designated hitter Yandy Díaz (third in a .293 batting average). Drew Rasmussen has been the Rays’ ace with a 16-5 record and 2.67 ERA and .199 opponents batting average — all among the top five in the league. 

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Yandy Diaz said it would all end on Monday: The Rays would defeat the Guardians in Game 6 and advance to the World Series.

He was right.

Diaz made sure of that with the biggest swing of his life. Diaz, the franchise leader in postseason games played, launched a two-run home run off Hunter Gaddis in the eighth inning of the Rays’ 7-3 win over the Guardians, the final blow that sent Tampa Bay to the World Series.

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Josh Allen did what?! The Bears are back?! And have the Rams and Chargers finally hit rock bottom?!

As I do every Monday night, I’m here to break down the best and worst from the week’s NFL action. Coming out of Week 6, let’s focus on plays, team developments and offenses: 

Best Play Of The Week: Josh Allen’s Flick-Pass TD

Josh Allen gives us constant reminders that he’s equal parts Superman and magician. 

Late in the third quarter of the Bills’ victory over the Raiders, Buffalo faced a third-and-long in the red zone. Allen dropped back, stepped up in the pocket, rolled to his left, juked a defender who tried to sack him from behind and, with four Raiders closing in on him, flipped (!) a 12-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Keon Coleman. Just an unbelievable play. 

The touchdown pass was the 258th of Allen’s career, tying him with Hall of Famer Jim Kelly for the franchise record. And there are many more to come for the 30-year-old Allen. 

There’s nothing I can say about him that hasn’t already been said. On the shortlist of best quarterbacks on earth, Allen has shown time and time again that he can put the Bills on his shoulders. The former league MVP can kill a defense through the air or on the ground. He can overwhelm you with his rare strength and power as a quarterback or with the kind of creativity we saw Sunday against the Raiders. 

But this question persists: Does Allen finally have enough help around him to reach a Super Bowl? As the 5-1 Bills enter their bye week, they face concerns about their defense and receiver production. Buffalo ranks second-worst in total defense and 28th in points allowed, while none of its pass-catchers are averaging more than tight end Dalton Kincaid’s 52.5 receiving yards per game. Wideout DJ Moore, who’s missed two games due to injury, hasn’t been the WR1 that the Bills had hoped for when they gave up a second-round pick for him in March.  

The Bills are in great shape as the AFC’s No. 2 seed, but I’m not buying that they’re any more equipped to get over the Super Bowl hump. 

Worst Play Of The Week: Rams’ Fourth-and-8 Screen Call In Fourth Quarter

On a fourth-and-8 in plus territory trailing 15-9 to the Cardinals late in the fourth quarter, Rams coach Sean McVay called a screen pass for running back Kyren Williams. It didn’t work. Matthew Stafford’s pass was a bit behind Williams, who wouldn’t have had room to do much of anything even if he caught the pass because it was poorly blocked. 

But it was a baffling play call in the first place. In a got-to-have-it, fourth-and-long situation, why was the best choice to throw to a running back sitting behind the line of scrimmage? Yes, it was tough sledding in the pass game for the Rams, who had just one reception longer than 16 yards. But it seemed like a no-brainer scenario to trust your MVP quarterback to find something downfield. 

In many ways, McVay’s play call there has been a microcosm of the Rams’ disappointing 2-4 season. Despite having all the coaching and personnel talent in the world, they’ve regressed just enough in multiple areas. 

McVay hasn’t been as sharp as usual. Stafford hasn’t been as sharp. The run game hasn’t been as sharp. Wide receiver Davante Adams will be out six-to-10 weeks with a hamstring injury. Special teams issues have lingered from last season. Star edge rusher Myles Garrett’s absence has hurt, but the defense’s lack of finish in the pass rush has been alarming as well. The Rams rank sixth in pressure rate, but tied for 27th in sacks. 

Their season isn’t over. But no team has a higher sense of urgency right now relative to preseason expectations. 

Best Development This Week: The Bears Are Back

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who missed the past three weeks with a hamstring injury, didn’t miss a beat in his return for Week 6. He completed 83.3% of his passes for 305 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions in Sunday’s win over the Falcons. 

After winning back-to-back games in the immediate aftermath of Williams’ injury, Chicago clearly started to miss him in a 31-7 whooping by the Packers in Week 5, a game in which backup quarterbacks Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum combined for four turnovers. So Williams’ return was a welcome sight for the Bears. 

Don’t sleep on Kyler Gordon being back in the lineup as well. The standout nickel corner began the year on the physically unable to perform list, and there were questions about his future with the team. But he made his season debut Sunday and had one of the best pass-rushing performances by a defensive back of all time: three sacks, three tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.

The talk entering the season with the Bears was that they had a juggernaut offense. Truth is, they’re much more than that. Their defense relative to the rest of the league has actually been better than their offense (Chicago ranks sixth in points allowed, 12th in scoring). Of course, that’s been impacted by Williams’ absence. But if Gordon can stay healthy — he’s missed 19 games dating to the start of last season — he’s a force multiplier for an already solid defense. 

So Chicago has one of the NFL’s best overall teams. 

Worst Development This Week: Jalen Hurts’ Serious Health Situation

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who was placed on injured reserve last week due to a blood clot in his leg, has now been ruled out for the rest of the 2026 season after the discovery of multiple blood clots in his lungs. 

A joint statement between the Eagles and Hurts’ agent, Nicole Lynn, said the quarterback has deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli. He is said to be clinically stable and has no significant functional limitations but won’t be able to participate in any contact activities while on blood thinners for the foreseeable future. 

“Jalen’s prognosis is very good, and we expect a full recovery,” the statement read, in part. “In the meantime, he will remain active around the team and continue to condition. More importantly, we anticipate that he will have no long-term effects.”

Getting spiked in the calf in Week 5 has led to traveling blood clots for Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, whose 2026 season has been cut short. (Photo by Vince Mignott/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)

There are plenty of unanswered questions regarding the handling of Hurts’ condition, including the process that led to him playing and traveling for Week 5 in London, where he was initially diagnosed with superficial vein thrombosis in his left calf. But for the time being, Hurts’ health is the No. 1 priority. Football takes a back seat.  

Best Offense This Week: Houston Texans

The Texans aren’t getting the nod here just because they scored 34 points. It’s because they scored 34 points on the Jaguars’ defense, one of the very best in the league. 

Quarterback C.J. Stroud completed 70.6% of his passes for 312 yards and three touchdowns against one interception vs. Jacksonville. Six different Houston receivers had receptions of at least 10 yards, including two who had catches over 40 yards (Nico Collins, Jaylin Noel). 

Even the Texans’ inconsistent run game found success. Houston went over 100 rushing yards for just the second time this season — and did so against the Jaguars’ No. 1-rated run defense. The Texans had season-highs in points (34) and total yards (426) against the Jags, averaging 7.2 yards per play. 

If the Texans were better than 2-4, Stroud would probably be in the MVP conversation. Not leading it — Allen and Brock Purdy are a step above everyone else right now — but definitely a dark-horse candidate. He’s been that good.

C.J. Stroud and the Texans have come back to life, providing hope that Houston could become just the second team in NFL history to start 0-4 and still make the playoffs. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

If Stroud can keep it up and Houston’s defense gets back to the level it played at last season, when it ranked first in yards allowed and second in opponent scoring, the Texans will have one of the scariest teams in the NFL. 

Even where things stand right now, with Houston riding a two-game winning streak after an 0-4 start, the Texans are a team to watch later this season. 

Worst Offense This Week: Los Angeles Chargers

If you thought it couldn’t get any worse for the Chargers, they scored a season-low six points in Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs. They only had 259 net yards of offense, their second-worst mark this season, and quarterback Justin Herbert’s nightmare season continued. He threw his league-high eighth interception, having thrown at least one pick in each of the Chargers’ six games this season. 

We already knew L.A.’s offense was broken under new OC Mike McDaniel. What we’re learning is that it may not be repairable. 

Herbert is a shell of himself, operating an offense that doesn’t fit him while having to play Superman with the team’s injury concerns on the offensive line and at wide receiver. Six games is a large enough sample size in the NFL for patience to wear out. The Chargers can’t come out of their bye week without having made a significant change on offense.

Mike McDaniel’s offense isn’t working for QB Justin Herbert, and it’s putting the jobs of the OC and head coach Jim Harbaugh on the line. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Both McDaniel’s and Jim Harbaugh’s job security should be in question. The Chargers are just the second team in NFL history to start 0-6 after winning 11 or more games in the previous season, according to NFL on FOX Research. Just one other NFL team is winless, the 0-5 Dolphins, who entered the season with nowhere near the expectations that the Chargers did.

L.A. could be barreling toward a fire sale ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline and a rebuild this offseason. 

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For most of the offseason and summer and heading into Week 1, the Los Angeles Rams were the top team in these rankings, and it was hard to envision a time when they’d fall out of the top 10.

It turns out that time is now. And now it’s hard to figure out how they can claw their way back in.

That’s been the wildest change here, other than the Cleveland Browns, who were ranked 31st after their Week 1 loss, and now are 4-2 and tied atop the AFC North. It’s just another sign that the NFL is wild and the swings can be even wilder.

If you don’t believe me, just check out how my NFL Power Rankings shook out heading into Week 7.

*Super Bowl odds courtesy of DraftKings

Record: 0-5

Previous ranking: 31 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +100000 (tied for 31st-best)

Hopefully the Dolphins enjoyed their bye week, because they return to action as the worst team in football (once again) and one of just two winless teams. Now the big question on their season becomes: Where can they get their first (and possibly only) win? Four games stand out as possibilities, including two against the Jets, one of which comes this Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Dolphins aren’t better than the Jets, but when has that really mattered? Also, they are running the ball well, averaging 126.6 rushing yards for the season. The Jets, meanwhile, are giving up 123 rushing yards per game. So maybe, just maybe, it’s the Dolphins’ time!

Next game: @ Jets (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Dolphins are one of two winless teams remaining in the NFL after Week 6. 

Record: 1-5

Previous ranking: 32 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +100000 (tied for 31st-best)

The Titans is so bad that they played one good half of football on Sunday and it prompted the Colts to fire GM Chris Ballard. And honestly, it wasn’t even that good of a half by the Titans. They gained 158 yards on five possessions, scoring one touchdown and settling for four field goals. Two of those field goals came on drives they started inside the Colts’ 33. Tennessee did force two third-quarter turnovers and returned a blocked punt for a TD, so give the club credit where it’s due. But the Titans had 186 total yards of offense and QB Cam Ward had yet another stinker (11 for 22, 102 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT). 

Next game: vs. Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: Sunday’s win against the Colts was the Titans first win since Week 16 of last season, snapping a seven-game losing streak. 

Record: 0-6

Previous ranking: 29 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +50000 (tied for 29th-best)

It feels like the firing squad is lining up for offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel as the Chargers head into their bye week at 0-6, after another bad performance by QB Justin Herbert and after they failed to gain 350 yards for a sixth straight game. It’s just bad. It’s all bad. It’s so bad that it feels like if Jim Harbaugh does fire McDaniel, it’ll be a last-ditch effort to save his own job. And it’s so bad that it’s fair to wonder if the Chargers want to move on from Herbert — assuming he doesn’t try to move on from them first.

Next game: BYE

Stat To Know: The Chargers now have 14 giveaways this season, which is the most in the NFL. Justin Herbert is now the only QB since 2020 with an interception in each of the first six games of a season. Herbert leads the NFL with eight INTs this season.

Record: 1-5

Previous ranking: 28 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +12500 (tied for 22nd-best)

In three games without Baker Mayfield, the Buccaneers lost by a field goal to the Packers, beat the Cowboys in Dallas, and pushed the Steelers into overtime. That’s not nothing, but it’s not much in a season that is all but over at 1-5. Todd Bowles’ defense keeps them competitive — he’s always been a heck of a defensive coordinator — but his offense is crying out for a new direction. Bowles is no longer the odds-on favorite to be the first head coach fired. The Commanders’ Dan Quinn has taken over that spot. But the Week 10 bye sure looms large for Bowles. He may need to find a way to beat either the Panthers, the Falcons or the Bears before then to survive.

Next game: @ Panthers (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Bucs’ last 12 games have all been decided by eight points or fewer, the longest such streak in franchise history.

Record: 2-4

Previous ranking: 26 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +50000 (tied for 29th-best)

Another week where the Jets play competitive football. Another week where they lose to a better team. Another week where Aaron Glenn has a head-scratching moment. This time it was his confusion in a halftime interview when he said his team was getting the ball to start the second half, but they actually weren’t. That’s not really a big deal in and of itself, but all this stuff keeps piling up in what looks like yet another lost season. The good news is it hasn’t turned ugly yet. You want to see ugly? Watch what happens Sunday if the Miami Dolphins show up at MetLife Stadium and beat the Jets.

Next game: vs. Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: Through Week 6, the Jets rank fifth in the NFL in yards allowed per play (4.80) and are tied for fifth in turnover margin (+4), with eight takeaways and four giveaways.

Record: 1-4-1

Previous ranking: 25 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +12500 (tied for 22nd-best)

Jayden Daniels looks closer to his old, magical self, but it all came too late to pull off the upset in San Francisco Monday night, and it might be too late to save the season in Washington. It might be too late for Dan Quinn too, since, for the second week in a row, his game management skills were exposed as … well, something. This time he was caught on camera seemingly surprised that the Commanders’ last play was a fourth-down play, as he tried to send the field goal unit on. Add that to last week’s clock disaster and Washington’s 1-4-1 record, and Quinn might not still be the Commanders coach anymore when they return from their bye.

Next game: BYE

Stat To Know: The Commanders have a 30.9% offensive success rate on third down, the second-lowest mark in the NFL ahead of only the Browns

Record: 2-4

Previous ranking: 30 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +40000 (28th-best)

I don’t care how much the Rams are struggling right now. This young, flawed Cardinals team going into Los Angeles and beating a much more talented team, and having to come from behind for a last-second field goal to do it, is seriously impressive. It doesn’t necessarily change my overall opinion of the Cards, nor does it alter their brutal schedule over the next seven weeks. But it’s a nice cornerstone win for new coach Mike LaFleur. That memory can keep him warm in late winter when he’s busy trying to figure out which quarterback he wants in the 2027 draft.

Next game: vs. Broncos (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Cardinals won outright as 12.5-point underdogs, marking the largest upset by point spread this season and tying for the third-largest since 2023. 

Record: 2-4

Previous ranking: 21 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +3500 (16th-best)

Well, at least the Cowboys’ defense finally looked good on Sunday night against the Packers. They even stopped the Green Bay rushing attack. But that’s two weeks in a row now that Dallas’ offense looked out of sync and failed to even hit 17 points. Dak Prescott is throwing for a lot of yards, but they’re mostly empty. And the Cowboys have run for a total of 98 yards over the past two games. They knew they had to fix their defensive problems. If they have to fix their offense, too, then they can forget this season. The Eagles, Cardinals and Colts are up next, so there’s an opportunity here. But honestly, does anyone have faith in the Cowboys anymore to actually get this right?

Dak Prescott and the Cowboys’ offense have slowed down over the last two weeks. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Next game: @ Eagles (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: Dak Prescott is now 1-6-1 against the Packers, including 0-2 in the playoffs, tied for the most losses Prescott has suffered against any single opponent in his career.

Record: 2-4

Previous ranking: 27 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +15000 (25th-best)

Kellen Moore held off what might have been his own Waterloo when his Saints held on by their fingernails to beat the Giants on Sunday. Before that, they had lost three straight, and that seemed to have Saints owner Gayle Benson fuming. Now they’ll all head to Paris for a game against the Steelers, feeling at least a little better about things. A win there would give them a nice boost heading into their bye week. But the way their defense nearly threw away the game against the Giants, I wouldn’t count on that.

Next game: vs. Steelers (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET)

Stat To Know: With the win vs. the Giants, this is the first time the Saints have defeated the same non-division opponent in four straight seasons since 1990-93 (Cardinals). 

Record: 2-4

Previous ranking: 20 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +12000 (tied for 20th-best)

Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon officially waved the white flag on the Colts’ season on Monday when she fired GM Chris Ballard. That’s a pretty clear signal that they’re heading for a rebuild and a new vision next season, which means coach Shane Steichen is probably next to go, and QB Daniel Jones shouldn’t get too comfortable either. Indy’s embarrassing loss to the Titans at home on Sunday said everything about where this team is headed. The Titans — yes, the previously winless Titans — scored on all five of their second-half possessions and added a touchdown on a blocked punt. 

Next game: @ Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Colts loss snapped their six-game winning streak against the Titans, which was previously their longest active streak against any opponent. 

Record: 2-4

Previous ranking: 15 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +20000 (tied for 26th-best)

The Eagles’ season took a dark and scary turn on Monday morning when it was revealed that QB Jalen Hurts had multiple blood clots in his lungs, ending his 2026 season. And though I’ve been saying it for weeks, that has to be the signal that this is now a rebuilding team. Anything that’s not tied down to a long and expensive contract must go as the Eagles restock for a run in 2027. Don’t worry about the bad division or their soft schedule or all the injured players who might soon get healthy. They’ve lost four straight and things aren’t going to turn around under backup QB Tanner McKee. GM Howie Roseman needs to keep his eyes on the prize, which is now the 2027 NFL Draft.

Next game: vs. Cowboys (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: This is the first time in franchise history that the Eagles have started 2-0 and then lost their next four games. 

Record: 3-2-1

Previous ranking: 18 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +12500 (tied for 22nd-best)

The Giants are not a good team and they showed it for 48 minutes on Sunday, falling into a 34-10 hole at home against the Saints. Then QB J.J. McCarthy took over for Jameis Winston and nearly pulled off another Miracle at the Meadowlands. He didn’t, but he was impressive, throwing for 243 yards and a touchdown in his short time, and coming within inches of making the comeback complete. The Giants are in first place and might have a clear path to the NFC East title. But they’re still not good. And the injuries are piling up. Maybe they’ll get some more McCarthy Magic over the next few weeks. But honestly, the best thing that can be said about them is that the rest of the division is trash. 

Next game: @ Texans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Giants got 50 rushing yards from their quarterbacks and wide receivers, but only got 34 rushing yards from their running backs in the loss to the Saints. 

Record: 2-4

Previous ranking: 19 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +7000 (18th-best)

In fairness to the Falcons, they ran into a buzzsaw against the Bears on Sunday with Caleb Williams back. And they did kind of crawl back into the game at the end. I know they’ve lost two straight games now, both at home, but it was against two really good teams (the Ravens were the other). The Falcons’ hopes will probably get dashed next Sunday at home against the 49ers, but there’s no doubt that Kevin Stefanski has this team playing a heck of a lot better over the past month. He also looks like he found a franchise QB in Michael Penix Jr. So let that be a small consolation when Sunday comes and they fall to 2-5.

Next game: vs. 49ers (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Falcons are 0-3 at home this season compared to 2-1 on the road. It’s their worst home start since 2020.

Record: 2-4

Previous ranking: 23 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +3000 (tied for 14th-best)

They’re baaaaaack! Everyone thought the Texans were dead at 0-4. … OK, I thought they were dead, but I wasn’t the only one. But they got right two weeks ago against the awful Titans and stayed right with a terrific 34-31 win in London against the Jaguars. C.J. Stroud finally looks like the franchise QB he was supposed to be. He has plenty of weapons, with the addition of WR Marvin Harrison Jr. But what happened to DeMeco Ryans’ defense? It’s not nearly as dominant as it once was. If the Texans can fix it, they’re a good bet to become the second-ever team to start 0-4 and make the playoffs.

C.J. Stroud lifted the Texans over the Jaguars in London as Houston’s once-dominant defense has started to slump. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

Next game: vs. Giants (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: Following today’s win over the Jaguars, the Texans are now 7-1 in their last eight divisional games.

Record: 3-3

Previous ranking: 16 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +9000 (19th-best)

The Raiders are just way better than I thought they were. They had to drop in the rankings this week because they’ve lost three straight, including a humbling blowout in New England. But I haven’t lost sight of the fact that the Raiders’ other two were three-point losses were to the Chiefs and Bills. QB Kirk Cousins is playing great. HC Klint Kubiak has done a masterful job as head coach. If the Raiders could only get more out of RB Ashton Jeanty, they might have something really good there. 

Next game: vs. Rams (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Raiders have lost each of their last three games after starting the season 3-0, allowing over 30 points in all three losses.  

Record: 4-2

Previous ranking: 24 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +20000 (tied for 26th-best)

Following a 13-10 win over the Lamar Jackson-less Ravens on Sunday, HC Todd Monken described his Browns like this: “Our guys are a scrappy group and they play their rear ends off for 60 minutes. And that will always give you a chance to win.” The Browns don’t do a lot of things well, especially offensively. But they have a disruptive defense (19 sacks, second in the NFL) that keeps them hanging around. Then they have a knack for finding ways to win close games (all four of their wins were by four points or less). It’s been an amazing run, except for last week’s inexcusable loss to the Jets. That might be all that’s holding them back from being a top-10 team.

Next game: @ Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Browns are in first place in their division in Week 6 or later for the first time since Week 10 of the 2014 season. 

Record: 2-4

Previous ranking: 9 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +1200 (tied for fifth-best)

I have now officially lost all faith in the Dream Team. I was willing to write their early struggles off to jet lag and a mostly brutal stretch of opponents in the first five weeks. But their hideous 18-16 loss to the Cardinals this past Sunday broke me. It might have broken the Rams, too. It definitely broke WR Davante Adams, who is now out 6-10 weeks with a ruptured hamstring. Sean McVay looks as lost and frustrated as I’ve ever seen him. And I don’t blame him. The Rams are ranked third in total offense and total defense, but they don’t seem to make big plays on either side of the ball. They look old or tired or maybe both. Mostly, they look very overrated.

Next game: @ Raiders (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Rams are the fifth outright preseason Super Bowl favorite with a losing record through six games in the past 50 seasons. 

Record: 4-2

Previous ranking: 17 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +12000 (tied for 20th-best)

I feel like I say this every week, but this is the most confusing team in the league for me. The Steelers look great, then they look terrible, and sometimes — like in their 26-19 overtime in Tampa on Sunday against the Baker Mayfield-less Bucs — they alternate between great and terrible within the same game. They were terrible for three quarters and trailed 16-3. But their defense kept them in it. Then Aaron Rodgers woke up a little. Then he went off in overtime (6 for 7, 51 yards and a TD). I don’t know. They’re 4-2, but the roller coaster is making me a little nauseous.

Next game: vs. Saints (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Steelers have started 4-2 in four consecutive seasons.

Record: 4-2

Previous ranking: 22 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +3000 (tied for 14th-best)

OK, Mike LaFleur just did a nice job pulling himself out of the theoretical hot seat and putting the Packers back into the fire of the NFC North. The Packers are 4-2 and have won three straight games. Jordan Love and the offense has clicked in that span, and the defense has been excellent, too. So why are they ranked this low? Because they barely beat the Bucs, they beat the Bears without Caleb Williams and then beat the reeling Cowboys. They can’t do anything about the schedule, but let’s see how it goes at Detroit, vs. Carolina, at New England and vs. Minnesota in the month leading into their bye week before I put my cheesehead on.

Jordan Love has suddenly emerged as one of the league’s top passers this season after a cold start to the season. (Photo by Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Next game: @ Lions (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: With their win over the Cowboys, the Packers improved to 21-4 (.840) all-time in Sunday night home games, the best winning percentage in NFL history.

Record: 3-2

Previous ranking: 14 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +2500 (13th-best)

Dan Campbell did not fire defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard during the bye week, which is interesting considering how bad Sheppard’s defense has been. The Lions are giving up an astonishing 404.4 yards per game, including three games (out of five) where the opponents topped 440 yards and 30 points. It’s a shame, really, because the Lions offense can run up the score on any team in the league, but the defense is going to kill them. Teams rarely last in the NFL when their only hope is to win 41-38 while praying they get the ball last.

Next game: vs. Packers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Lions rank second in the NFL behind only the Bills in both scoring drive percentage (53.8%) and points per drive (3.15), excluding kneel-downs.

Record: 3-2

Previous ranking: 12

Super Bowl odds: +2100 (12th-best)

Hopefully the Bengals spent their bye week fixing the recent issues with a run defense that gave up 466 yards on the ground over their last three games (including 217 to the Dolphins … yikes!). Because they’ll need that with games in Baltimore and Atlanta over the next three weeks, especially if Lamar Jackson is back for the Ravens. Other than those two games, though, their schedule really offers clear sailing until December. That gives QB Joe Burrow and WR Ja’Marr Chase a chance to get on the kind of roll we haven’t really seen from them yet.

Next game: @ Ravens (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Bengals have converted 50% of their third-down attempts, ranking second in the NFL through six weeks. 

Record: 4-2

Previous ranking: 13 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +1800 (tied for ninth-best)

Yawn! The Patriots beat the Jets. What else is new? But that’s three straight wins now for a team that was on the brink of disaster after Week 3. And more importantly, it was a third straight good game from QB Drake Maye. The turnaround is stunning. He averaged 195 passing yards and had one touchdown pass and six interceptions over the first three games. He’s since averaged 292.7 yards while tossing 10 touchdowns with just one interception. Maye may not get there because that terrible start could be an anchor, but he’s playing like an MVP contender again.

Next game: @ Bears (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Patriots have won their first three home games in a season for the first time since 2019.

Record: 3-2

Previous ranking: 11 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +4000 (17th-best)

The Panthers have earned their spot in the top 10, even though their record is only 3-2. And it really has little to do with their narrow win over the Jalen Hurts-less Eagles on Sunday. They are just a really complete team. QB Bryce Young has been phenomenal, leading the NFL with 309.8 passing yards per game while throwing 11 touchdowns and just two interceptions. The Panthers’ defense has also looked a lot better after a disastrous showing in Week 1 versus the Bears. For those wondering, there’s still plenty of room on the bandwagon. 

Next game: vs. Buccaneers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Panthers have scored 25-plus points in four of their five games this season, including over 30 three times. 

Record: 4-2

Previous ranking: 6 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +1000 (tied for fourth-best)

The Ravens should have run away from the Browns this past Sunday, only to lose 13-10 on a last-second field goal. Baltimore obviously isn’t the same team when Lamar Jackson is on the sideline. Backup QB Ty Huntley led an excellent, game-opening touchdown drive, but basically did nothing the rest of the game after that. It feels like Jackson is close to a return, and boy do they need him, because the Bengals, Bills and Jaguars are up next. Without their leader, the Ravens won’t survive that.

Next game: vs. Bengals (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: Since 2025, the Ravens are 3-4 in divisional games after their loss to the Browns on Sunday.

Record: 4-2

Previous ranking: 5 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +1300 (seventh-best)

The Jaguars’ offense is finally starting to click, but their 34-31 loss to the Texans in London should be a wake-up call that their defense isn’t everything they thought it was. Maybe they were just tired from a long couple of weeks in London, or maybe the Texans are just starting to roll. But even Houston’s disastrous running game managed to put up 114 yards on the Jags. The good news for them, though, is they have a really soft schedule coming out of the bye week, including games against the Colts and the Giants and two meetings with the Titans. So the Jags have a good chance to get back on their roll.

Next game: BYE

Stat To Know: The Jaguars have gone 23 straight games without allowing a 75-plus-yard rusher, tied for the third-longest streak since 1966. Only the 49ers have had longer streaks: 27 games from 2021-23 and 26 games from 1989-91. 

Record: 3-3

Previous ranking: 4 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +1200 (tied for fifth-best)

Mike Macdonald seemed pretty ticked about his team’s performance last Thursday in Denver, but the Broncos tend to have that effect on opponents. Still, it was the Seahawks’ second straight loss and the defending champs are only 3-3, so maybe they don’t belong this high anymore? That record doesn’t do them justice, though. Their back-to-back losses were to the 49ers and the Broncos, and that’s a tough stretch for anybody. The real problem for Seattle is what’s next: home games against the Chiefs and the Bears. The Seahawks are heading for a tumble into a deep, dark hole if they can’t reassert themselves as championship material.

Next game: vs. Chiefs (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Seahawks’ defense leads the NFL in yards allowed per play (3.96) and ranks third in opponent third-down conversion rate (28%). 

Record: 4-2

Previous ranking: 10 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +1500 (eighth-best)

It’s a big jump for a narrow win over the Atlanta Falcons, but this is all really about the return of Caleb Williams, who was phenomenal on Sunday, looked healthy, and led Chicago to a 31-7 lead before the defense almost threw it away. The Bears’ defense could be an issue, but for now they can celebrate in Chicago because a healthy Williams puts the dynamic Ben Johnson offense right back on track. It’s going to be a lot of fun in two weeks to see what the Bears can do in Seattle against one of the best defenses in the league.

Next game: vs. Patriots (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: This is the first time the Bears have started 4-2 or better in three straight seasons since an eight-year streak from 1984-91. 

Record: 5-0

Previous ranking: 8 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +1800 (tied for ninth-best)

I don’t know if their entry in the top five will finally make Vikings fans happy — or if anything I do actually can. Probably not, since they were off in Week 6 and only moved up because so many top-10 teams lost. Still, the Vikings are 5-0 and everyone in Minnesota thinks they belong at No. 1. But sorry, not with their pop-gun offense. Not yet. Maybe soon, if QB Kyler Murray continues what he started in Week 5 and generates more points on offense. If not, life for Minnesota will just be too hard the rest of the season, especially with six of its next seven opponents among the top half of the league in scoring.

Next game: vs. Colts (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Vikings are undefeated (3-0) in one-score games so far this season.

Record: 4-2

Previous ranking: 7 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +2000 (11th-best)

Every week I watch the Broncos and feel like I can’t justify having them this high in the rankings. The playcalling has been an obvious issue. Bo Nix looks like a mess at times. They can’t run the ball. The defense can’t stop the run. And yet … they win. And they have quality wins. Three of their four wins are against the Seahawks, the Jaguars and the Rams. And their losses are to the Chiefs and the 49ers, who might be the two best teams in football. Denver has run an impossible gauntlet to start the season and somehow survived. It honestly feels like it did last season when the Broncos never seemed like a powerhouse team, never looked particularly impressive, yet somehow ended up in the AFC Championship game. Maybe Sean Payton is just a wizard.

Next game: @ Cardinals (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: Thursday night was the Broncos’ first win with under 175 yards since 1983 at the Steelers, which was also John Elway’s first start. 

Record: 5-1

Previous ranking: 3

Super Bowl odds: +750 (tied for second-best)

It feels like every Bills game is exactly the same. Josh Allen is great. The running game, with Allen and RB James Cook, is great. Their defense is … not great. Their wins all feel like shootouts where they have to hang on, like they did against the Raiders in Week 6. They don’t get a lot of pressure (11 sacks on the season). They don’t create a lot of turnovers (6). They give up 386.8 yards and 28.5 points per game. It all feels unsustainable. And if they didn’t have Allen, it would be. They should think about that over their bye week. If they ever figure out their defensive problems, the Bills could be unstoppable.

Next game: BYE

Stat To Know: Joe Brady’s 5-1 start is the best record through six games by any head coach in Buffalo Bills franchise history.

Record: 5-0

Previous ranking: 2

Super Bowl odds: +750 (tied for second-best)

Is it possible that the Chiefs are actually under the radar for most of the NFL? Or maybe we just all take their greatness for granted? But there sure isn’t a lot of chatter or hype about what might be the best team in the league. And Patrick Mahomes, just 10 months removed from tearing his ACL, is quietly on pace for his best season since 2022 — when he won league MVP and the Chiefs won the Super Bowl. Maybe Mahomes belongs in the early MVP conversation, too? The Chiefs play at Seattle and at Denver these next two weeks, so the noise about K.C. is about to get a lot louder.

Kenneth Walker is the league leader in rushing despite the fact that the Chiefs have already had their bye week. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Next game: @ Seahawks (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid joined Bill Belichick/Tom Brady, Tony Dungy/Peyton Manning and Bud Grant/Fran Tarkenton as the only head coach-quarterback duos in NFL history with at least three 5-0 starts. 

Record: 6-0

Previous ranking: 1

Super Bowl odds: +540 (best)

The 49ers are held together at times by Band-Aids and gauze tape, but there’s no question they’re the best team in football a third of the way through the season. They need a rest, especially after WR Mike Evans reinjured his Achilles on Monday night, joining WR Deebo Samuel, WR Christian Kirk, edge rusher Nick Bosa and more on the sideline. But they’re so deep and so good, they can sleepwalk through wins — like they seemed to do at times in the second half Monday night when they nearly blew their game against the Commanders. Now they just have to get through Atlanta to hit their bye week undefeated and see if they can get some of their walking wounded back after that.

Next game: @ Falcons (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The 49ers are 6-0 for the second time under Kyle Shanahan. They last started 6-0 in 2019, when they reached the Super Bowl. 

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The 49ers made it harder than it had to be, but a clutch defensive stand thwarted a fourth-quarter rally by the Commanders and San Francisco escaped with its sixth win of the season.

San Francisco dominated both sides of the ball through the first three quarters. Washington’s defense had no answer for Brock Purdy, who picked apart the Commanders’ secondary as if he was in 7-on-7 drills. The Commanders offense didn’t fare any better. They had no running game, and Jayden Daniels struggled to move the chains on third down.

Washington’s offense eventually found its footing, and an injury to Mike Evans, who was having another big game, seemed to knock the 49ers offense off rhythm. It was too little, too late for the Commanders, who are reeling after a 1-4-1 start.

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Our Week 6 All-Stars might be the most random list of players we’ll have in our weekly All-Star series this season. 

Three pass-catchers made our All-Star team this week despite losing efforts. The AFC South, widely viewed as one of the NFL’s worst divisions, has plenty of representation on this week’s All-Star team as well, with three Tennessee Titans players making the cut following their first win of the season. The battle for the spot at quarterback was also between a pair of AFC South rivals.

However, we have one player who has remained a mainstay on this list: Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III. For the fourth time this season, Walker has been named one of our weekly All-Stars as he continues to dominate in his first year in Kansas City. Can he make it onto the roster again when he faces his former team next week?

We won’t know that answer until next Tuesday. So, let’s take a deeper dive into our Week 6 All-Stars. 

The top two choices were both in London, and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence had four touchdown passes to C.J. Stroud’s three.  But the Houston Texans flew home with the win, so he gets the nod. Stroud threw for 312 yards, including 34 on three passes to newly acquired Marvin Harrison. 

New England Patriots star Drake Maye threw for three touchdowns, but he earned this spot two weeks in a row, and he was against the New York Jets. Houston, meanwhile, has won two straight after an 0-4 start, so the head-to-head tiebreaker is huge as it tries to catch up to Jacksonville.

Kenneth Walker is a regular on here, and he was an easy call, rushing for 128 yards and two scores in the Kansas City Chiefs’ win over the Los Angeles Chargers. He already had his bye week and still leads the NFL in rushing. He’s now on pace for 2,261 yards, putting him on track to set the NFL’s single-season record. 

We could have gone with Buffalo Bills star James Cook for the second spot, but Chuba Hubbard stepped up for the Carolina Panthers, rushing for 120 yards and a touchdown in their win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Hubbard went all of last year without a 100-yard game, but now has gotten 120-plus in two straight weeks.

It was a rough week for wide receivers, with many of the best performances coming in losses and barely any with more than one touchdown. Malik Nabers got most of his yards in that bonkers fourth quarter when J.J. McCarthy threw for 243 yards, but he finished with 12 receptions for 165 yards in a monster game as the New York Giants nearly pulled off a wild comeback against the New Orleans Saints. 

Seattle Seahawks star Jaxon Smith-Njigba is on here all the time, so 134 yards and zero touchdowns won’t make the cut this week. Instead, we’ll give another losing-effort nod to Tre Tucker, who had 97 yards and two touchdowns as the Las Vegas Raiders tried to rally against Buffalo.

I shamelessly crowdsourced this, posting a poll on X with four compelling candidates, and Isaiah Likely’s 99 yards and a touchdown in a loss won handily. This continues to be the Year of the Tight End, so you have two-touchdown days by Carolina’s Tommy Tremble, Atlanta Falcons standout Kyle Pitts and Houston Texans veteran Foster Moreau. We also strongly considered Colston Loveland going for 65 and a score in the Chicago Bears’ win. 

This is another week where we could do our version of 12 personnel and recognize two tight ends at the expense of a second receiver.

OL: New Orleans Saints

A bit of a surprise here, but New Orleans gave up zero sacks and only two tackles for loss in 68 snaps against a vaunted Giants defensive front. The Saints also paved the way for 175 rushing yards on 38 carries, so props to the starting five (l-r) of Asim Richards, David Edwards, Erik McCoy, Cesar Ruiz and Taliese Fuaga. They actually played eight OLs, with rookie Jeremiah Wright playing more snaps than Ruiz (knee injury) and two other backups getting in late. 

Seven teams gave up no sacks, so tough competition this week.

Light week for the defensive front, and really, how often do we get to put the Titans on here? Jeffery Simmons had two sacks, a forced fumble and recovery and six total tackles in the Titans’ win over the Colts. Nick Herbig got his first two sacks of 2026, part of a five-sack day for the Pittsburgh Steelers in their comeback win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Had the Bucs won, we could have gone with defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson, who has two picks this year after totaling one in his NFL career before this season.

The Cleveland Browns are validating themselves with every win, and a division victory over the Baltimore Ravens was very defense-driven. Carson Schwesinger had 13 tackles and a forced fumble, and that forced fumble came off a Derrick Henry carry in the fourth quarter. That set up the tying touchdown. 

Schwesinger’s top five in the league in tackles in his second season and already a core leader on a Browns’ defense that’s ninth in points allowed. We could have also gone with Denver’s Alex Singleton, at the heart of the Broncos’ big win against the Seahawks.

If I were really a company man, I’d have pulled off a rare double with the Bears’ Kyler Gordon and the Steelers’ Jalen Ramsey, then had the graphic show FOX mainstay Gordon Ramsay. I think the different spelling scared me off, though. But Gordon had three sacks and two forced fumbles in 17 snaps, while Ramsey had two sacks, including one on the final play in overtime.

However, we’ll give this spot this week to Travis Hunter, who did something that hasn’t been done in a game since 2002. Hunter had an interception and a touchdown catch in the fourth quarter in the Jaguars’ London loss to the Texans, becoming the first player to do that in a game since Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins. 

Wait, more Titans? I can’t stop watching the blocked punt that keyed the Titans’ first victory of 2026. Chestnut pushed Indianapolis Colts safety Jonathan Owens (that’s Simone Biles’ husband) backwards so completely that Owens blocked the punt by Rigoberto Sanchez, and Oladejo picked up the loose ball and returned it for a touchdown and their first lead in the fourth quarter. 

Tennessee was down 13-0 at one point and won despite just 186 yards of total offense, the second-fewest in 92 wins across the NFL this season.

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This wasn’t the World Series you were expecting six months ago?

The 2026 World Series, which begins on Friday night and can be exclusively viewed on FOX, will feature the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers, who were each the top seed in their respective leagues.

With that, here are 26 numbers to know for the 2026 World Series, which is made up of a combination of the two teams’ 2026 success and the historical context of them each reaching the World Series:

0: Neither franchise has won the World Series.

1/3: Despite having balanced lineups, the Rays and Brewers each finished in the bottom third of MLB in home runs; Tampa Bay was 22nd with 169 home runs, with Milwaukee tied for 28th with 154 long balls.

1A: Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski led MLB starting pitchers with a 1.80 ERA, an 0.80 WHIP, 252 strikeouts, a .157 opponent batting average and a 232 ERA+.

1B: In the regular season, the Brewers’ offense led the sport with 1,422 hits and a .341 on-base percentage.

1C: The Rays and Brewers were tied for first in MLB with a .258 batting average.

1D: Through Milwaukee’s eight playoff contests to date, it’s first among the 12 teams that made the playoffs with a .250 batting average, a .343 on-base percentage and a .396 slugging percentage.

2: Tampa Bay winning the AL pennant came after it missed the playoffs in each of the previous two seasons.

3A: Prior to this season, the Brewers and Rays combined for just three World Series appearances; Milwaukee won the National League pennant in 1982, with Tampa Bay winning the American League pennant in 2008 and 2020.

3B: Tampa Bay’s pitching staff has surrendered no more than three runs in eight of its nine games this postseason.

3C: Brewers second baseman and 2024 Gold Glover Brice Turang was third in MLB with 7.3 wins above replacement.

4: The number of outs Rays ace and two-time All-Star Drew Rasmussen was from throwing the fourth no-hitter in MLB postseason history in the team’s Game 1 AL Division Series matchup against the New York Yankees on Oct. 3.

5A: Both teams’ starting rotations finished in the top five in MLB in ERA, WHIP and opponent batting average.

5B: Milwaukee’s bullpen was top five in MLB in ERA (3.40, third), opponent batting average (.223, third) and WHIP (1.23, tied for fifth).

5.7: The Rays’ offense was last in MLB with a 5.7% barrel percentage, per Statcast. Moreover, they were 29th with a 34.6% hard-hit percentage and 27th with an 88.0 mph average exit velocity.

8: Milwaukee has made the playoffs in eight of the last nine seasons.

28: The Rays, who won an AL-best 98 games in the regular season, are 28th in MLB with a $95.6 million payroll, per Spotrac.

41: Tampa Bay reliever Bryan Baker was tied with Cleveland Guardians right-hander Cade Smith for first in MLB with 41 saves.

46A: This is the first time that both franchises competing in the World Series have never previously won the Fall Classic since the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals in the 1980 World Series (46 years ago).

46B: Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson led the AL with 46 stolen bases.

91: Rasmussen led AL starting pitchers with an 0.91 WHIP.

100: Misiorowski set an MLB record with 66 pitches thrown at or faster than 100 mph in a July 26 start against the Colorado Rockies.

103: The Brewers won an MLB and team-high 103 games, marking the first 100-win season in franchise history. Last season (2025), they won 97 games, which now ranks second in team history.

164: Tampa Bay led the AL with 164 stolen bases; Milwaukee was fifth in MLB with 162 stolen bases.

180: Rays designated hitter and two-time All-Star Yandy Díaz led the AL with 180 hits.

241.8: The Brewers are 19th in MLB with a $146.2 million payroll. If one were to combine Milwaukee ($146.2 million) and Tampa Bay’s ($95.6 million) respective payrolls, their collective $241.8 million payroll would still be lower than the payrolls of seven teams: New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs.

832: The Brewers were second with 832 runs scored in the regular season.

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The New York Giants are releasing running back Najee Harris, according to a person with knowledge of the decision.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the move, which was first reported by NFL Network, had not been announced.

Harris had just two carries for 4 yards in a 34-27 loss to New Orleans that dropped the Giants to 3-2-1. Coming off a torn left Achilles tendon and after signing late in training camp, Harris rushed for 99 yards in five games this season, an average of 3.2 yards an attempt.

The 28-year-old started against the Saints on Sunday when coach John Harbaugh and his staff reduced Cam Skattebo’s role after he fumbled in overtime at Washington the previous week. It is unclear how the Giants plan to split the responsibilities this weekend at Houston among Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary.

Following the game, Harris expressed his frustration with the offense’s approach to their running back usage.

Before the injury last year, when he was with the Los Angeles Chargers, Harris had four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with Pittsburgh.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Dawn Staley has South Carolina in a familiar place, sitting at No. 1 in The Associated Press preseason Top 25 women’s basketball poll.

The Gamecocks received 23 first-place votes from a 31-member national media panel Tuesday. UConn, USC, Duke and Michigan round out the top five.

It is the fifth time in the past seven years that Staley’s team has been ranked No. 1 in the preseason.

“It’s a gift and curse,” Staley said. “I tend to not look at the number, but our players do. They look at it and feel like there’s a sense of respect to being No. 1. They also know that it’s pressure packed with the type of non-conference schedule we have, we’re going to be challenged. If we stand there at No. 1 at the end of our non-conference season that’s something to be truly to be proud of.”

South Carolina will face five ranked teams in the first month of the season, including UConn, USC and Duke.

“It’s a doozy of a schedule. something we have to do for us to actually keep having the roster we have,” Staley said. “Some of them are NIL games. some of them are games we just got to play because they are super competitive and we want to test ourselves.”

Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks fell to the UCLA Bruins in last season’s national championship game, but 2026-2027 is a new year.  (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

UConn, which lost to South Carolina in the Final Four last season, garnered six first-place votes and has been ranked in the top 10 of every preseason poll since 1994.

This is the third consecutive year that South Carolina and UConn have been 1-2 in the preseason poll, though the Huskies were on top a year ago. The two play each other on Nov. 24 in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Southern California picked up the other two first-place ballots. Expectations are high for the Trojans, who have a healthy JuJu Watkins back after she missed last season while recovering from a torn ACL suffered in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The No. 3 ranking matches the one they had two years ago.

Duke has its highest ranking in the preseason poll since 2013 when the Blue Devils were second. Michigan has its best ranking ever in the preseason Top 25. The Wolverines were ranked in the top 10 for the final 18 weeks of the poll last season.

“They came to Michigan to do things that have never been done before,” Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico said of her stellar junior class led by Olivia Olson and Syla Swords. “We’re in the position we’re in because they came here and made a difference.”

The first regular season poll will be released Nov. 9.

The Rest Of The Rankings

Texas, Louisville, Vanderbilt, LSU and Iowa round out the top 10. Defending national champion UCLA is next with North Carolina, Notre Dame, Kentucky and TCU following the Bruins.

Washington, Minnesota, Ohio State, Ole Miss and Maryland are 16-20 while the final five in the Top 25 were Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Illinois, West Virginia and N.C. State.

It is the first preseason ranking for No. 17 Minnesota since 2019. Coach Dawn Plitzuweit’s team is coming off its first NCAA tourney berth since 2018 and first Sweet 16 appearance since 2005, but lost leading scorer Tori McKinney for the season with a knee injury suffered last week in practice.

Here are the full rankings:

Record: 21-11 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 28-7 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 22-12 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 24-10 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 26-8 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 24-9 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 24-12 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 27-8 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 24-9 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 22-11 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 32-6 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 25-11 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 25-11 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 28-8 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 37-1 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 27-7 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 2 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 29-5 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 29-8 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 35-4 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 28-7 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 27-9 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 18-14 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 38-1 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 36-4 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Also receiving votes in the preseason poll: Nebraska received the most among unranked teams with 47, four votes behind No. 25 NC State. Arizona State received 36, Baylor 31 and Virginia 30. Another Big Ten squad, Michigan State, was next up with 16 votes. Kansas (12), Tennessee (9), Alabama (7), Syracuse (5) and Villanova (5) all received at least five, while Oregon, Rice, Georgia and Colorado had two each, and Virginia Tech and Clemson a single vote.

Conference Supremacy

The Big Ten has nine teams in the Top 25, the most ever for one conference in the preseason poll. The Southeastern Conference has seven, including four in the top 10. The ACC has five and the Big 12 three. The Big East has one.

“When I left the Big East we had eight or nine teams in the Top 25 as well and it was the best league in the country. I couldn’t imagine I’d go to a place that would be even greater,” said Barnes Arico, who is in her 15th year at Michigan. “With expansion this conference got better and better. The knock has been that the Big Ten hasn’t won a championship, but UCLA did that last year and now we have some of the best players in the country returning this year.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Florida starts the men’s college basketball season ranked No. 1 in the preseason AP Top 25

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