Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, and Anchor.In this episode, Boone discusses his Week 1 takeaways from every AFC team, recaps the latest injuries, and goes over the top players available on the waiver wire.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones suffered from back spasms during Sunday's 20-7 loss to the Miami Dolphins, reports NFL.com Kevin Patra.There's a chance Jones plays this week against the Pittsburgh Steelers after his X-Rays reportedly came back negative.The 24-year-old's injury isn't considered serious, but the Patriots will monitor how Jones feels this week before Sunday's game, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.The second-year passer hurt his back during New England's 20-7 season-opening loss to the Dolphins. Jones finished the game with 213 yards and one touchdown against one interception while going 21-for-30 passing. He was sacked twice and hit three times against Miami.If Jones can't face Pittsburgh, New England is expected to turn to veteran Brian Hoyer at quarterback. The Patriots also roster rookie Bailey Zappe, whom the team drafted in the fourth round.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Derek Barnett suffered a torn ACL in the team's win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday, head coach Nick Sirianni confirmed Monday."He'll be missed … I hate that for him and I hate that for this team. I can't tell you how (highly) I think of Derek," Sirianni said, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of Sportsradio 94 WIP.Barnett, 26, limped off the field in the third quarter of the Eagles' season opener. He did not record a stat prior to his exit.The Tennessee product has spent his entire career in Philadelphia since the franchise selected him in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.After recording a career-high 6.5 sacks in 2019, Barnett hasn't been able to replicate that production. He tallied 26 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and two sacks last season.The Eagles could look to Tarron Jackson to fill in following Barnett's absence.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is optimistic his team can succeed with Cooper Rush at quarterback over Dak Prescott, who's reportedly expected to miss at least six weeks due to a hand injury."He can play at a level that we can win ballgames," Jones said of Rush, according to Jori Epstein of USA Today. "The main thing about him as (a) backup quarterback is we didn't have to alter the offense to have him. That's a good thing to have continuity. That's the main reason he won the job. Just count on him. He threw a couple (of) good balls out there."Prescott sustained the ailment in the final minutes of Sunday's 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rush took over for Dallas under center late in the game, completing 7 of 13 passes for 64 yards.The 28-year-old Rush entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie in 2017 and made his first career start in Week 8 last season versus the Minnesota Vikings after Prescott suffered a calf injury. Rush passed for 325 yards and two touchdowns against one interception while helping Dallas steal a win on Sunday Night Football in the contest.Jones compared Rush's situation this year to the one Prescott went through during his rookie campaign in 2016 when an injury to then-starter Tony Romo during the preseason gave Prescott a chance to start."Candidly, we have to look at it, and I don't see this in the horizon, but I'm going to use it as an example of how I felt when Tony Romo went down against Seattle," Jones said. "And how I felt two-and-a-half, three months later, when you had to make a decision whether Tony was starting or Dak."Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz also said that Dallas can overcome Prescott's absence."The way I see it, it is just a storm," he said. "You got two choices: You can either run away from the storm or you can run right into it. I know myself included and everybody in this locker room is going to run right into that."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Each Monday we'll finish off the week that was in the NFL with a look at value spots in the remaining game - under one condition: you promise not to chase. Whether Sunday provided a boost to the accounts or left a little to be desired, Monday Night Football provides an opportunity to show responsibility in your betting, as there will always be another wild Sunday to get lost in.The Broncos' visit to the Seahawks features the immediate return of Russell Wilson in front of the 12s. After years of tagging every media interview with "Go Hawks," Wilson is ready to ride with the Broncos in the hyper-competitive AFC West. Does that mean he gets to automatically win this game? He would certainly love to, but there are upward of 50 former teammates who want to stand in his way.Broncos @ Seahawks (+7, 44.5)This line has slowly crept up toward the full seven points, and if you're willing to swallow hard and back Seattle, you can do so at +7 (-120). For the Broncos, you can get -6.5 at -120. It should be no surprise that the total is below league average.When it comes to prime-time games - especially those in front of a crowd like Lumen Field's that can have an effect on opposing offenses - if you're going to back the underdog, you want to do so early and in a short time frame.It's expected to be a lost season in Seattle, but the Seahawks' rabid fanbase is getting this game before a bad record affects enthusiasm. We know Wilson is capable of second-half magic, so we'll hope the loud crowd can disrupt Wilson and his new teammates for a half.If the participants on the field and in the stands bring energy, the Seahawks can hang in by shutting down the Broncos' ground game early. With the line for the game creeping up, the first-half point spread is coming with it, giving us more than a full field goal's worth of leeway.Pick: Seahawks +4 first half (-120 or better)Coutland Sutton over 61.5 receiving yards (-115)We talked about Sutton's potential for a big season as a long shot for most receiving yards in the NFL should the Broncos' offense get looser with Wilson at the helm. If he's anywhere near where he was when he got hurt in Week 1 of 2020, Sutton won't be lined in the low 60s for many more weeks. If the game is close at halftime as we hope, Wilson may be forced to open things up and give Sutton ample opportunity to win down the field and along the sidelines.Jason Myers over 1.5 field goals (+125)Pete Carroll doesn't need to get talked into playing things conservatively, and he'll gladly take the points when he can with what shouldn't be a very explosive offense. The Hawks can game plan some offensive efficiency between the 20-yard lines, but with Geno Smith under center, they will likely stall in the red zone. When they do, Carroll will take the points with Myers, and at plus-money for a pair of field goals, it's worth making a bet that could be cashed early or provide viewing interest right up until this story ends.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will play the remainder of Sunday night's game against the Dallas Cowboys without wide receiver Chris Godwin and left tackle Donovan Smith.Godwin suffered a hamstring injury, while Smith was ruled out with an elbow issue.Godwin was playing in his first game since tearing his ACL and MCL last December.With the wideout sidelined, Breshad Perriman will likely take on an expanded role alongside Mike Evans and Julio Jones.Meanwhile, veteran Josh Wells will replace Smith at left tackle.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen suffered a hamstring injury in Sunday's win against the Las Vegas Raiders.Allen sustained the injury in the first half while making a cut and was unable to return.

The Green Bay Packers' offense flatlined without Davante Adams in Sunday's 23-7 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, but quarterback Aaron Rodgers isn't hitting the panic button regarding his rookie receivers."We gotta have patience with those guys; they're young," Rodgers said, according to CBS Sports' Zach Jacobson. "There's going to be drops. Hate to see it on the first play, but there's going to be drops."Rodgers added that his patience will lessen as the season goes on.Packers wide receiver Christian Watson's NFL career almost got off to a dream start, but the rookie dropped a potential 75-yard touchdown on Green Bay's first offensive play.

The Pittsburgh Steelers believe star pass-rusher T.J. Watt suffered a torn pectoral in Sunday's overtime win over the Cincinnati Bengals, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Watt reportedly will undergo tests on Monday to confirm the diagnosis.The reigning Defensive Player of the Year left in the fourth quarter and appeared to indicate to trainers that he'd suffered a major injury.

San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell didn't finish Sunday's 19-10 loss to the Chicago Bears due to a knee injury.Mitchell tallied 41 yards on six carries before exiting. Jeff Wilson Jr. is next up on the 49ers' depth chart. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel also contributed in the backfield, running in the team's first score of the game.A sixth-round pick in 2021, Mitchell accumulated 963 yards and five rushing touchdowns in his rookie campaign.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and finished among the top seven each of his last seven years in the contest. Follow the links below to see his rankings for Week 1.Half PPR

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is believed to have rejected a contract extension worth about $250 million, ESPN's Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen report.Jackson is set to play out the final season of his rookie contract after the sides were unable to reach an agreement prior to Friday's imposed deadline. The Ravens weren't interested in satisfying the quarterback's demand of a fully guaranteed contract, sources told Schefter. Jackson reportedly wanted something similar to the fully guaranteed $230 million that the Cleveland Browns handed Deshaun Watson.Baltimore's front office offered Jackson a six-year extension that included $133 million fully guaranteed, sources told Mortensen. The offer would have given Jackson the second-most fully guaranteed money among quarterbacks, only trailing Watson, per Over The Cap.The proposed contract included a higher average annual value than Kyler Murray's and Russell Wilson's new extensions. Wilson's AAV comes in at $49 million, while Murray's is $46.1 million.General manager Eric DeCosta said Friday that he greatly appreciates how Jackson represented himself through the process. The 25-year-old was not represented by an agent.Jackson will earn $23 million in 2022 before being slated for free agency. However, the Ravens could franchise tag him for approximately $45 million.A former league MVP, Jackson threw for 16 touchdowns and a career-worst 13 interceptions amid an injury-plagued 2021 campaign. He also had two scores on the ground.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2022 campaign is expected to be the final of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady's career, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Brady briefly retired following last season but returned to the Buccaneers 40 days later. Since rejoining the team, he's remained mum on how long he plans to continue playing. The veteran told reporters in July that he's taking a "year-to-year" approach.The 45-year-old took a brief personal absence from the Bucs this summer before returning at the end of August. Brady spent the majority of his time away in the Bahamas on a vacation he promised his family earlier this year, Rapoport reports.Brady's contract is set to expire after the season. Following the conclusion of his playing career, the signal-caller will join Fox Sports as its lead NFL analyst on a reported historic 10-year, $375-million deal.The legendary passer has tallied a 24-9 record and won one Super Bowl with Tampa Bay. He threw for a league-high 5,316 yards and 43 touchdowns last season.The Bucs begin their campaign with a Sunday Night Football matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Indianapolis Colts and guard Quenton Nelson signed a contract extension Saturday, the team announced.It's a record four-year deal worth $80 million, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The pact, which reportedly includes $60 million guaranteed, makes Nelson the highest-paid guard in NFL history. He tops Brandon Scherff, who inked a three-year, $49.5-million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier this year.Nelson is also the league's fourth-highest-paid offensive lineman in average annual salary. He trails left tackles Trent Williams, David Bakhtiari, and Laremy Tunsil.The 26-year-old Nelson has established himself as arguably football's top guard since entering the NFL as the sixth overall pick in 2018. He's allowed only four sacks over 2,365 pass-blocking snaps across four seasons, according to PFF.The Notre Dame product earned three first-team All-Pro nods in his first three seasons while starting 48 games in that span. He also earned a second-team All-Pro selection last year after missing four games due to injury.Nelson, who was heading into the last year of his rookie contract, was set to make $13.8 million this year.

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle isn't expected to play in Sunday's opener against the Chicago Bears due to a groin injury, a source told Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.Kittle suffered the injury during Monday's practice, with the team calling his status day-to-day.San Francisco didn't want to take any unnecessary risks with Kittle this early in the season, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area.Kittle has only played one full season since entering the NFL in 2017. He missed three games in 2021, finishing with 910 yards and six touchdowns.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

At 104-78-2 in our player props last season, we had our share of "Sunday Fun Days." The record is even more satisfying given what a struggle the opening week was, as we were under .500 that day. It helps us understand we're embarking on a marathon and taking educated guesses regarding player usage can be a fool's errand this early. But we'll take the risk of wearing the dunce cap in the name of excitement for Week 1, using what we've been told to guide the way.Michael Carter over 13.5 receiving yards"Michael Carter is the heartbeat of our offense." - Jets offensive coordinator Mike Lafleur.Ok, I didn't see that one coming, but apparently, the second-year back is highly thought of by the guy calling plays. With the Jets likely to trail in the second half and Joe Flacco dying to throw checkdowns, we'll bet on Carter being on the field and on the other end of those passes.Jacoby Brissett under 205.5 passing yards"It's very easy for me to not be Deshaun." - Jacoby BrissettThis total might seem low, but Brissett has thrown for over 200 yards in fewer than half his career starts, and his 13 completions on 23 attempts in his one preseason look for the Browns isn't awe-inspiring. The Browns' roster is good enough to win this contest with a conservative game plan that they wouldn't use if they had their suspended No. 1 quarterback, just as they did in games started by Nick Mullens and Case Keenum last year.Davis Mills over 220.5 passing yards"I love what he is going to be able to do leading us." - Texans head coach Lovie Smith.Coach Smith and I are on the same page after Mills went 7-2 to the over on his passing yards in the final nine games last season. We were along for the ride, and I'm back in line this year. He'll need to connect early and often to stay with the Colts on Sunday, but after a full offseason of preparation as a QB1 and a rebuilt offensive line, I expect him to take another step forward starting in Week 1.Travis Etienne over 24.5 receiving yards"That catch he made (coming up the sideline), he ran a great route." - Trevor LawrenceThis line might seem high given the above quote was after Etienne's only catch of the preseason, but Lawrence knows what kind of a weapon his fellow Clemson Tigers standout is out of the backfield. It's why Etienne ran routes with the receivers when he was first in camp in 2021. With James Robinson potentially ready for a big workload on the ground, Etienne will be on the field in passing situations.Mac Jones over 31.5 pass attempts"If you think we're gonna run the veer offense, no." - Bill BelichickShockingly, Belichick has been cagey about his offense, but the GOAT's a pretty sharp guy and has likely noticed the need for a pass-first offense in 2022. I don't care who's calling the plays, I'm willing to bet they'll be dialing up throws for Jones, who proved he can handle a more aggressive offense in his rookie season.Marcus Mariota over 24.5 rushing yards"He's got a new look and a new lease on life." - Titans head coach Arthur SmithThis is Mariota's last chance to be a starting quarterback, and it appears he knows that, impressing his former Titans offensive coordinator - who vouched for the signing. As long as Mariota is healthy, he'll be using his legs to help sustain the Falcons' drives.Miles Sanders over 47.5 rushing yards"I attacked rehab and am ready to go." - Miles SandersThe Eagles ran for 236 yards in their destruction of the Lions last year, but Sanders missed that stat-stuffing bonanza. After a hamstring issue limited him in training camp, this line might be depressed for the tailback, who should get the most carries for Philadelphia.Nick Bosa over 0.5 sacks"He knows he's not going to win every rep." - Justin FieldsThe Bears' quarterback is aware he has a rookie left tackle protecting his blindside. That should make for a long day for Braxton Jones given how often Nick Bosa will be attacking him. If Bosa doesn't get a sack, we'll tip our caps to the Bears' makeshift offensive line and Jones in particular.Justin Jefferson over 6.5 receptions "Now I see why Cooper Kupp was open so many times." - JeffersonIt won't be easy against a good Packers secondary, but if Jefferson is going to have a Kupp-like season with Kevin O'Connell moving from Rams offensive coordinator to Vikings head coach, this has to be a buy-low number given the 145 receptions Kupp had last year.JuJu Smith-Schuster anytime touchdown (+110)"I've still got it." - Smith-SchusterPatrick Mahomes has a big-bodied receiver to target in Andy Reid's cutesy goal-line offense. Reid has shown he's not averse to going out of his way to feed a locker room favorite, the new guy, or in this case, maybe a player who's seen as a replacement for a fan favorite.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Las Vegas Raiders are signing tight end Darren Waller to a three-year contract extension worth $51 million in new money, his agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The Raiders and Waller have been discussing a contract extension throughout the offseason, and talks were progressing, ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio reported on Thursday.The new deal locks up the 29-year-old through the 2026 season, making him one of the highest-paid tight ends in the league.

If the New England Patriots' offense struggles this season under first-time offensive play-callers Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, head coach Bill Belichick says his assistants won't deserve the blame."I think they're both good coaches," Belichick recently told the Boston Globe, according to Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith. "Ultimately, it's my responsibility, like it always is. So, if it doesn't go well, blame me."Belichick has been strongly criticized for replacing Josh McDaniels with Patricia and Judge instead of hiring a new offensive coordinator. Patricia previously coached the Detroit Lions after serving as New England's defensive coordinator from 2012-17. Judge was the Patriots' special teams coordinator between 2015 and 2019 before coaching the New York Giants over the past two seasons.New England changed its offensive coaching staff this year after McDaniels left to become the Las Vegas Raiders' head coach. He helped the Pats win six Super Bowl titles while coordinating the offense for 13 seasons across two different stints."I don't see it any differently than it was in the last 22 years," Belichick added. "Look at our other offensive coordinators. We had Charlie (Weis). Then Josh. He'd never called offensive plays. Billy O'Brien (who succeeded McDaniels) never called plays in the NFL. Josh came back."We've changed coaches in every area, multiple times. Defensively, Matt Patricia had never called plays. Then he won a couple of Super Bowls. Brian Flores (who succeeded Patricia) had never called plays. That worked out all right."Belichick added: "We have plenty of coaches that didn't have previous experience, and it's worked out pretty well with most of them, but not all of them."Led by second-year quarterback Mac Jones, New England's offense reportedly struggled during training camp and preseason.The Patriots kick off their 2022 season against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay isn't happy with what he saw from running back Cam Akers during Thursday's 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills.McVay said Friday that Akers, who played only 12 offensive snaps versus Buffalo, needs to "maximize his (opportunities) when he gets them," according to ESPN's Sarah Barshop.Akers finished the night with just three carries for zero yards."No matter who you're talking about, you want to see guys do the little things the right way, compete with and without the ball," McVay added. "There were some instances where there were some positive things and some things that he can do better, but we want to see just an increased level of urgency and accountability snap in and snap out from him."Akers racked up 625 yards (4.3 per carry) and two rushing touchdowns as a rookie after being drafted in the second round in 2020. He then missed all but one game last year due to a torn Achilles. The 23-year-old played in all four playoff games during the Rams' Super Bowl title run, though he was limited to only 172 yards on 67 carries."We've all seen how talented and what a special player this guy's capable of being," McVay said. "And I want to see him reach his highest potential. And that's really all there is to it. It's not about anything other than when he and Darrell (Henderson) are playing at a high level, I feel really good about those two guys at running back for us."Henderson led the team on the ground against the Bills despite racking up only 47 yards on 13 rushing attempts. He also caught five passes for 26 yards.McVay took the blame for Thursday's loss, saying "we weren't ready to go."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Indianapolis Colts star linebacker Shaquille Leonard will miss the team's season-opening game against the Houston Texans on Sunday, the club announced Friday.The three-time All-Pro defender continues to recover from offseason back surgery. Leonard underwent the procedure to address a nerve issue causing him lower-body pain.The 27-year-old appeared to be moving closer to returning after the Colts activated him from the physically unable to perform list last month.Leonard fully participated in Wednesday's non-padded practice and was listed as limited in Thursday's padded practice, according to team reporter JJ Stankevitz."He's far from 100%," said head coach Frank Reich on Wednesday, per ESPN's Stephen Holder. "But he can play at 80%. That's just my number."Despite dealing with his ailment since last season, Leonard tallied 122 tackles, four tackles for loss, and four interceptions in 2021 to earn his third Pro Bowl nod.Indianapolis could turn to E.J. Speed while Leonard's sidelined.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2022 Fantasy Football Draft Kit and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, and Anchor.In this episode, Boone provides his thoughts on the Bills-Rams season opener and then goes over the notable injury updates heading into Week 1.

We've spent the week transitioning from a summer of evaluating the markets of every season-long future, prop, and award under the sun into looking at Week 1 betting strategies for live underdogs, favorites we can trust in survivor contests, and the top teaser legs worth playing. Now, it's time to decide on the best plays worth making on the eve of the weekend.Best ATS favorite betsThe following are my three favorite plays against the spread for contest play.Texans +7We discussed a handful of underdogs worth a spread bet in the round-robin underdog moneyline parlay, but the one that can still be bet at a full seven points (or better) is the Texans. It comes down to Houston's rebuilt offensive line being able to compete with the Colts' front seven. Dameon Pierce provides skill at tailback that will open things up for Davis Mills and his underrated connection with Brandin Cooks. Lovie Smith's a defensive coach, so there should be some improvement on that side of the ball, especially if Derek Stingley proves he is deserving of his draft slot.Vikings +1.5No surprise here, as the Aaron Rodgers "R-E-L-A-X" routine will be on display again this season. It's hard to imagine it will be worse than last year's season opener, but the Packers may struggle to get off the blocks. Za'Darius Smith moving from green to purple might be a bigger swing than just the loss of Davante Adams. Meanwhile, this is Kevin O'Connell and Kirk Cousins' chance to show what the Vikings' weaponry can do with open lines of communication and aggressiveness.Commanders -2.5The Jaguars-Commanders game became a play for me once it crossed over the key number of three. Here we are, backing Carson Wentz and hoping not to regret it for the 18th consecutive time. The Commanders' defensive line - even without Chase Young - can torment Trevor Lawrence, and I'm waiting to see it before I believe what many have been selling about Jacksonville this summer.Moneyline upset of the weekOur defined parameter for this section is underdogs paying at least +150.Patriots +150Here's another line move that created a play. The more than two weeks that have passed since the end of the preseason should mean the most to a team with a quality coaching staff and a young, smart quarterback. I expect Mac Jones and the Patriots' offense to show more than they did in August and cause problems for a Dolphins defense that feasted on poor quarterbacks last season.Best total betChiefs/Cardinals under 54The Chiefs traded for Tyreek Hill as part of their commitment to improving the defense. Kansas City could very well shut down the DeAndre Hopkins-less Cardinals, but this game's total isn't being lined like it. While I think the Chiefs' offense will still be good, it may take longer than one game for it to click to the point where KC's games can hit more than 54 points.Best teaser betIf you're not playing survivor and aren't riding hard for the Ravens to win outright, you can knock their spread down to -1 and pair them with the Cowboys in the Sunday night game. Six points bump the line in Dallas up over eight, which means we're not vulnerable to missed extra points - either via kick or failed two-point conversion. The Cowboys have admitted they're willing to use a two-headed approach in the run game, and while Dak Prescott doesn't have the utensils he had last year in the close battle with the Buccaneers in Week 1, Tom Brady doesn't have his usual protection either and is missing Rob Gronkowski and potentially Chris Godwin.Pick: Ravens -1 / Cowboys +8.5Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Baltimore Ravens didn't agree to a contract extension with Lamar Jackson before the quarterback's Friday's deadline."Despite best efforts on both sides, we were unable to reach a contract extension with Lamar Jackson," Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. "We greatly appreciate how he has handled this process and we are excited about our team with Lamar leading the way. We will continue to work towards a long-term contract after the season, but for now, we are looking forward to a successful 2022 campaign. "The 2019 NFL MVP will play out the final season of his rookie contract for $23 million. Jackson could become a free agent next offseason, but the Ravens could place the franchise tag on him, which would cost close to $45 million and prevent him from becoming a free agent.There's been plenty of speculation regarding Jackson's status with the franchise entering the final year of his contract. The 25-year-old indicated that he wants to remain a member of the Ravens while explaining that he felt worthy of an extension.Jackson recently said he's not concerned about the risks of playing without a new deal in place."It was a pretty big risk last season, the year before," he said Wednesday, according to Noah Trister of the Associated Press. "I wasn't thinking about contract negotiations around that time. This season, it's going to be the same thing."Jackson is seeking to bounce back from a 2021 campaign that prematurely ended due to a bone bruise in his ankle. He still earned his second Pro Bowl nod after throwing for 2,882 yards and adding 767 yards on the ground for 18 total touchdowns.The Ravens take on the New York Jets in their season opener Sunday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

SSSQ is a weekly look at under-the-radar fantasy players to consider starting and potential busts you should leave on your bench. We also identify breakout candidates to stash on your roster and players you can safely cut.For the rest of your lineup decisions, consult our Week 1 rankings. You can also listen to the Week 1 preview episode of theScore Fantasy Football Podcast.StartTrey Lance, 49ersat Bears Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Sport / GettyWe're finally going to see what Trey Lance can do as the 49ers' quarterback after an offseason filled with mixed reports over whether he was ready to take over, as well as a last-minute decision to keep Jimmy Garoppolo as his backup.Despite all the unnecessary turmoil in the media, Lance enters his sophomore campaign as the unquestioned starter in a loaded offense. Even if tight end George Kittle is forced to miss the opener due to the groin injury he suffered Monday, San Francisco still has one of the league's best receiver duos in Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. The Niners also still have a top-tier rushing attack led by Elijah Mitchell.The last time we saw a dual-threat quarterback execute Kyle Shanahan's system, Robert Griffin III earned a top-five fantasy finish in his first season as a starter in Washington.Lance has a similar upside, and he begins his season with an advantageous matchup where the 49ers are 6.5-point favorites against the Bears.Don't hesitate to start Lance as your QB1 this week.Boone's projection: 243 passing yards, 2 passing TDs, 46 rushing yardsOther QBs to start

The Tennessee Titans announced Friday that they agreed to a three-year contract extension with safety Amani Hooker. The deal is worth over $33 million, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.Hooker was drafted in the fourth round in 2019 and has played in 44 games over his three-year tenure with the team.The 24-year-old emerged as a starter last season but only played in 12 games after being placed on injured reserve with a foot injury in Week 1. He was activated before Week 6 and finished the campaign with 62 tackles and one interception.The Titans now have both their starting safeties locked up to long-term contacts, as they signed star safety Kevin Byard to a five-year deal in 2019.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's not quite a "now or never" situation, but Week 1 is a prime opportunity to hit a handful of underdog wins for two reasons.We might think we know a lot about all 32 NFL teams, but we'll look back at the odds for a handful of games in disbelief by the end of the season. This is our chance to be ahead of the market on where a team is headed - either up or down.The other key element is the unfamiliarity of the season's first game. The best players in the league barely played, if at all, in the preseason. A quarter of the league's teams have new coaches, and another quarter has drastically different player personnel. There are a lot of moving pieces.Throw in the fact that we're talking about a sport featuring weird bounces and high-leverage plays that can change a game with limited possessions, and quite literally anything is possible this week. As a result, we'll grab the moneyline with five underdogs who might be more valuable than the market thinks and put them together in a 5x3 round-robin moneyline parlay.How it worksWe parlay five underdogs together in 10 different three-team parlays. Using every combination of a three-team parlay is called a round robin, so we're going to use a total of 1.1 units to make 11 different bets: 10 three-team parlays and one five-team parlay, each for .1 units. You'll likely double your money if three teams pull off the upset. If four teams win, you're connecting on four separate parlays and will be very pleased with the return. If all five teams win, as they did in Week 1 for us in 2021, then we'll be diving into our gold doubloon silo like a young Scrooge McDuck.Who to playPatriots (+150)Ah, sweet, sweet memories of Damien Harris fumbling late to give the Dolphins a Week 1 road victory in New England last year, clinching the five-for-five in our round-robin parlay. The Patriots went on to make the playoffs while the Dolphins revamped their organization, so a first-game result wasn't indicative of the season as a whole.The teams meet in Miami this time, and the underdog is just as live. With the moneyline suggesting a 60-40 game that I think is far closer to a coin flip, we won't buy into the preseason talk about what the Dolphins might be and fade the idea that coaching is an issue in New England.Falcons (+200)The market hates the Falcons, ranking them among the worst in the league. However, most of the roster was around last year, and Atlanta managed seven wins. It might not hit that total this year with Marcus Mariota replacing Matt Ryan, but a mobile quarterback opens up more variable results during high-leverage plays.As much as I like the top-end potential of the Saints over the course of the season, there's a lot of gelling that needs to happen after a mostly useless preseason. What if New Orleans looks like its Week 1 opponent last year - the Packers - and isn't ready for the campaign like it hopes? A division-rival home 'dog paying 2-to-1 is worth inclusion here.Steelers (+225)Another winner from last season's Week 1, the Steelers pieced together a road win against a Super Bowl hopeful despite not doing much on offense. With a solid defense and a far more mobile quarterback, they can do it again. Joe Burrow averaged 191 passing yards per game in three meetings with Pittsburgh, but the Bengals didn't need him to play well in those contests. However, they'll need him to perform this week. And if he struggles, we might get a big 'dog home.Texans (+270)It's indicative of the Texans' chances that this line dropped this week from +8 to +7. There's an expectation of a closer game than the market initially thought, which means a competitive fourth quarter. If that's the case, holding a +270 ticket on the Houston moneyline will be worthwhile. It wouldn't be out of character for Ryan to join Philip Rivers and Carson Wentz as veteran quarterbacks to frustrate Colts fans early.Giants (+210)We'd be a lot more excited about an early chance to fade Ryan Tannehill and the Titans if the Giants had done anything in the preseason to look like they might be respectable this campaign. However, we know not to get too caught up in what happens on the field in August, so we'll press on with the faith that Brian Daboll has more up his sleeve for the Giants' offense. Former Ravens defensive coordinator Wink Martindale has game planned for Tennessee three times in the last three years, so he'll be ready for what his opponent does with Derrick Henry.Here are how the odds look this week:PARLAYODDS (Approx.)NE+ATL+PIT+2400NE+ATL+HOU+2800NE+ATL+NYG+2300NE+PIT+HOU+3100NE+PIT+NYG+2600NE+HOU+NYG+3000ATL+PIT+HOU+3400ATL+PIT+NYG+2900ATL+HOU+NYG+3300PIT+HOU+NYG+3700NE+ATL+PIT+HOU+NYG+30000Who are your five underdogs for a football betting lottery ticket?Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay is taking the blame for his team's 31-10 home loss in the season opener against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday."We weren't ready to go. That's on me. There was a lot of decisions I made that didn't put us in the best position to succeed," McVay said postgame, according to Greg Beacham of The Associated Press.The Rams, who were shut out in the second half versus Buffalo, struggled on both sides of the ball. Los Angeles' running game was limited to only 52 yards (2.9 per carry), while quarterback Matthew Stafford threw three interceptions and was sacked seven times, the most the Rams have allowed in any game under McVay.Though the defending Super Bowl champions forced three turnovers defensively, they allowed 7.1 yards per play and didn't force Buffalo to punt in the contest.McVay wants to use the disappointing outing as motivation to bounce back."Tonight was a humbling night," added McVay, who'd won his previous five season-opening games as Rams head coach, according to USA Today's Tyler Dragon."My favorite part about sports is the opportunity to respond. This is just chapter one of a guaranteed 17 chapters that we have."The Rams will remain in Los Angeles as they host the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and finished among the top seven each of his last seven years in the contest. Follow the links below to see his rankings for Week 1.The final rankings will be released Sunday morning.Half PPR

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson said Thursday he's not concerned about the latest reports regarding his relationship with his former team, the Seattle Seahawks."I don't worry about all that stuff," Wilson said, according to NFL.com's Kevin Patra. "I know how the whole thing went and how it transpired and just the whole situation. But also, at the same, too, I know that every second I've enjoyed in terms of being there and just trying to give it my all every day."He added: "Seattle will always mean the world to me, it'll always forever be home for me, it'll always be a special place in my heart, obviously. ... I'll forever have love in my heart for Seattle."Wilson's comments come after Brady Henderson of ESPN reported that the signal-caller grew frustrated with the Seahawks' run-heavy offensive approach and his lack of say in personnel decisions. Wilson was also apparently "livid" at Seattle head coach Pete Carroll for holding back his MVP bid in 2019.Additionally, Henderson reported that Seattle tried to discuss a Wilson trade with the Cleveland Browns before the 2018 NFL Draft. Wilson confirmed Thursday that the Seahawks tried to trade him in the past."Definitely they tried to, a couple of times, tried to see what was out there," Wilson said, according to ESPN's Jeff Legwold. "It's part of the business, being a professional and everything else."Seattle dealt Wilson to the Broncos in March in exchange for a package of top draft picks, quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant, and defensive lineman Shelby Harris. Seahawks owner Jody Allen previously said Wilson wanted to leave the team.The nine-time Pro Bowler will make his Denver debut in Seattle against the Seahawks on Monday."Hopefully, after 10 years of trying to make a difference there and winning a lot of football games and all of us doing it together, I think that was really special," Wilson added, per Patra.The quarterback won one Super Bowl title while passing for 37,059 yards and 292 touchdowns across 158 starts with Seattle from 2012-2021.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was a limited participant in Thursday's practice because of a new pair of cleats that made his right ankle feel "uncomfortable," according to ESPN's Todd Archer.However, Prescott said he's feeling great ahead of Dallas' opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday."I promise you I'm great," he said. "Just being very, very precautious. Switched shoes today, probably wasn't the best idea. We're good to go. Promise that."Prescott suffered a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle during the 2020 campaign. He fully recovered from the injury and returned last season, starting 16 games for the Cowboys. The 29-year-old missed one contest last year due to a calf strain.The two-time Pro Bowler left Adidas to sign a deal with Jordan Brand in June 2021. He was breaking in a new pair of Jordan 11s on Thursday after wearing Jordan 1s during training camp, Archer notes.Prescott, who wore Jordan 11s for games last year, said he'll wear Jordan 1s this season, per Archer."That's this league, and if you don't report a hangnail, you'll get suspended or they'll get fined, excuse me," Prescott said. "But, no, I feel great. I still feel the best that I've felt in a very, very long time. Not even comparable to where I was last year going into this game. Honestly, just excited and ready for Sunday to get here."Prescott passed for 4,449 yards and a career-high 37 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions last year.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Rams signed head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead to contract extensions through the 2026 season on Thursday.McVay and Snead are coming off their first Super Bowl win. The Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals in February for their second title in franchise history.Los Angeles added Snead in 2012, but the GM didn't earn a winning season until after hiring McVay as the youngest head coach in NFL history in 2017.McVay quickly proved Snead's gamble was smart, producing the Rams' first double-digit winning campaign and NFC West title since 2003 in his rookie season. Los Angeles made the Super Bowl after a 13-3 regular-season finish in 2018 but fell short against the New England Patriots.The Rams missed the playoffs in 2019 but bounced back over the next two years. Quarterback Matthew Stafford's arrival propelled L.A. to a 12-5 record in 2021 and victory in Super Bowl LVI. McVay became the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl at 36 years old.Snead has been lauded for his aggressive approach to roster building, with blockbuster trades for Stafford and cornerback Jalen Ramsey his most prominent moves.The GM has a history of landing stars in the draft despite the Rams not making a first-round selection since 2016. Snead's most notable draft choices include picking three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald and reigning Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's a right way and a wrong way to tease NFL games. Using six-point teasers in the proper situation can be valuable. It's why the industry has seen the price for a two-team/six-point tease go from -110 to -120 over the last decade-plus. Sharp bettors had used the teasers to alter the point spread to gain win probability that outraced the -270 price for shifting the line six points. They managed to do that by moving the point spread across key winning margin numbers like three, six, and seven.Some games don't have a teaser-worthy point spread. For example, the Dolphins are 3.5-point favorites at home to the Patriots. Teasing Miami would see the spread go through zero, which is wasting valuable price points around the improbable chance of a tie. Teasing New England up to +9.5 accomplishes getting the key numbers around a touchdown, but you're already winning on a three-point margin at a -110 price. Getting those numbers over a long sample size isn't worth the price hike.Let's use the opening night matchup between the Bills and 2.5-point underdog Rams as an example of how teasing a game can be valuable.ALT. SPREADODDSRams +3.5-145Rams +4.5-165Rams +5.5-185Rams +6.5-205Rams +7.5-255Rams +8.5-300You can see how the pricing significantly jumps once you move across the key numbers three, seven, and eight. But more importantly, Rams +8.5 is priced at -300, which is obviously a worse price than our teaser leg at -270.To get a good deal on Rams +8.5, we must pair them with something else and win both to cash the ticket. Fortunately, we can choose that other leg from our weekly "teaser basket" using what we know about key numbers.Teaser basketLet's look at the mathematically optimal plays available for Week 1:TEAMSPREADTEASER LEGRams+2.5+8.5Ravens-7-1Bengals-6.5-0.5Browns+2+8Colts-7-149ers-7-1Jaguars+2.5+8.5Vikings+1.5+7.5Cowboys+2.5+8.5Broncos-6.5-0.5In the chart above, you can see there are essentially two types of teaser legs: those that drop a touchdown favorite to where they basically just need to win or those that can provide us with one side getting over a touchdown in a game lined as something of a coin flip.Road favorites can be a dangerous play, and Week 1 provides a handful with the Ravens, Colts, 49ers, and Broncos. Given that each of those teams has an implied win probability of around 75%, it's hard to imagine that all four of those survive. Tread lightly with the concept of a squad that "just needs to win," even with mathematical value on each.I'm starting my week with a Rams +8.5 teaser leg and pairing it with a selection of the teams above. The Browns, Jaguars, Vikings, and Cowboys are all expected to play in highly competitive games, with the first two going up against teams with offenses that likely won't blow anyone out.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There was once a time when live-streaming involved a hike in your local forest, we could still find joy in nature without it landing on the 'gram, and NBC had its "Must See TV" lineup. These days live-streaming describes the NFL's new partnership with Amazon for its Thursday night package, with an exception: NBC retains two highly-valued properties, Week 1 and Thanksgiving night.Last season we rock-and-rolled our way to the Super Bowl with our music-themed Thursday night player props, joyfully celebrating the start of a new NFL week. This year we'll use an episode from "Must See TV" cornerstone "Seinfeld" each week to remind us that betting is supposed to be fun, even during the times when an absurd series of events leads to a losing bet."The Pilot"The debut episode, known at the time as "The Seinfeld Chronicles," had the same outline for what the series eventually became but not the same look, with makeshift sets. The Bills might feel like they were 13 seconds away from a good chance to make the Super Bowl, but they'll settle for a season-opening matchup that doesn't feel like the Big Game despite having the same location and similar excitement. And like Elaine, the Bengals are missing from this episode.With a 52-point betting total, offense should be plentiful. If Josh Allen was doing laundry, Jerry would point at Buffalo's multi-faceted MVP favorite and say, "Look at this guy. He's got detergents, sprays, fabric softeners ... this is not his first load."Before even accounting for designed runs, the pilot of the Bills' offense may also find himself flushed out of the pocket due to pressure from Aaron Donald. If "the washing machine is the nightclub for clothes," the middle of the line is Donald's personal dance floor, forcing Allen to break containment frequently and scoot for extra yardage. As Jerry told George, "you can't over-die, you can't over-dry," but you can "over" Allen's rush yards.Pick: Josh Allen over 35.5 rushing yards (-110)A TD that's definitely going to happenSeinfeld's first episode started the same way the series finished, with a conversation about the placement of the second button on George's shirt. Like most episodes in between, it wasn't the focus of either episode but a call-back for astute fans.Those who've followed the NFL for a while know that Allen Robinson was considered the best receiver who had no help from his quarterbacks in Jacksonville and Chicago. The Rams' Matthew Stafford started last season with touchdowns to Van Jefferson and Robert Woods and kicked off their Super Bowl scoring with a pass to Odell Beckham. None of them are playing on Thursday night. With defensive attention given to Cooper Kupp, Robinson finds the end zone in his Rams' debut.Pick: Allen Robinson anytime touchdown (+150)A TD that probably won't happen ... but maybe it does"It's signals, Jerry! It's signals!" George tells Jerry as they're trying to determine the interest level of the first of many ladies that will pass through their lives throughout the series. Part of finding long-shot value in the prop market is processing how lineup information might influence the usage of other players in a given game. Thursday's signal is Jefferson's absence, which opens up the third wideout spot in the Rams' frequent three-receiver sets. Ben Skowronek was the player Stafford turned to on shot plays down the field at times last season, and his size makes him a compelling target in the red zone.Pick: Ben Skowronek anytime touchdown (+380)How to bet: The first two bets should be single unit wagers - to win a unit on minus prices and more than a unit on a plus-money bet. The last wager should be smaller, trying to win back your standard unit size.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore football editors Jack Browne, Caio Miari, Daniel Valente, and Dan Wilkins make their weekly predictions for every game on the NFL calendar.Season recordsBrowneMiariValenteWilkins0-00-00-00-0Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford underwent a procedure on his right elbow during the offseason to help ease the pain he dealt with last season, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Stafford reportedly is now feeling better compared to this time last year. Rams head coach Sean McVay said Sunday that the quarterback will have "no limitations" for Thursday's season opener against the Buffalo Bills.The signal-caller, who played sparingly in training camp and sat out the preseason, also expressed confidence in his ability to play through the issue."I feel great," Stafford said, according to The Associated Press' Greg Beacham. "Ready to go play. Can always be better. Can always try to feel like I'm 21 again. I'll keep trying. But no, I feel really good. Feel I can make every throw. I don't know what else you need to hear from me."Stafford is reportedly dealing with "bad tendinitis" and required an anti-inflammatory injection in his throwing arm during OTAs.The 34-year-old led Los Angeles to a Super Bowl title in his first season with the team.Stafford threw for 4,886 yards and a career-high-tying 41 touchdowns against 17 interceptions during the regular season before racking up 1,188 yards and nine scores against three picks in the Rams' playoff run.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bobby Wagner took the free-agency recruitment process into his own hands this offseason, reaching out to teams on his own behalf rather than through an agent. This move apparently came as a surprise to some of his potential suitors.In an interview with Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times, Wager explained how he sent text messages to general managers and executives around the NFL following his release from the Seattle Seahawks. He informed them he was representing himself as a free agent and provided his contact information.One of the people he reached out to was Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead, who had his suspicions about the origin of Wagner's text."I think he signed off as Bwagz," Snead said, "and I'm like, 'OK, is this real?'"Snead wasn't the only one who questioned whether the text was authentic."Everybody thought it was a fake," Wagner said.The Rams confirmed the text did indeed come from Wagner and went on to sign the linebacker to a five-year, $50-million deal.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Survivor contests are as popular as ever, often providing the biggest sweat each Sunday at minimal cost. Picking one game outright sounds easy until you're out after a Week 1 upset few saw coming. That's the rub with survivor pools though: It's not just about making it to next week, it's about making it to the end.Circa Sportsbook in Las Vegas has hosted the world's largest survivor contests for two seasons, with thousands of contestants having to pick one team for 18 "weeks" in 2020, and 20 "weeks" last season - with Thanksgiving and Christmas games constituting their own slot. Each year, the grand prize was chopped after the season, indicating the importance of planning. I can promise you that losing in Week 1 is far less painful than losing in December.Every week until we get knocked out, we'll map two paths to make it to the end of the season undefeated. As long as our entries are still standing, we'll use the moneylines for our picks to show the odds of making it the distance traveled along the path. Once we're out, though, we're out.While we could provide a series of theoretical rules to follow - like "never take a road team" - a team's likelihood of winning each game is reflected in its moneyline, which we can easily translate into an implied win probability, listed in descending order in the chart below.Week 1 moneylinesGAMEMONEYLINEIWPColts (@ HOU)-34077.3%Ravens (@ NYJ)-30075%49ers (@ CHI)-30075%Bengals (vs. PIT)-28073.7%Broncos (@ SEA)-27073%Titans (vs. NYG)-25071.4%Saints (@ ATL)-24070.6%Chiefs (@ ARI)-22068.8%Eagles (@ DET)-20066.7%Chargers (vs. LV)-17563.6%Dolphins (vs. NE)-17563.6%Commanders (vs. JAX)-15560.8%Panthers (vs. CLE)-13557.4%Bills (@ LAR)-13557.4%Packers (@ MIN)-12555.6%Buccaneers (@ DAL)-12555.6%Schedule-makers didn't make it easy on survivor players in Week 1, with the three highest win probabilities coming from road teams. Home teams pull off upsets more regularly, but that's already built into the odds, and home-field advantage is less significant than it's ever been.A rule I try to live by is to not pick a favorite if you like the underdog to cover the spread. The Colts might be the biggest favorite on the board, but if I like the Texans to at least keep it close at home, that leaves a small window for the Colts to win by one-to-six points. Meanwhile, if I think the Commanders cover -2.5 at home to the Jaguars, I'd rather take my chances with them given I expect Washington to win by three-plus points.Survivor Path AWeek 1 is too early to map out your entire season-long survivor plan. Too many things change throughout the campaign, and we obviously don't know everything there is to know about these teams yet. What we'll do for the first few weeks - knock on wood - is look at the best options and where we might use them later in the season. We want to look ahead while remaining flexible.The Ravens are the second-most likely team to win this week as touchdown favorites. Depending on how the Browns look with Jacoby Brissett under center, the Ravens might not be touchdown favorites again until Week 16 at home to the Falcons. If we burn the Ravens in Week 1, the Chiefs host the Seahawks, and the Vikings host the Giants on Christmas Eve, leaving us two options should we make it that far.Pick: RavensSurvivor Path BSpeaking of Week 16, the 49ers will host the Commanders and are projected touchdown favorites at home. With the options listed above, we don't need to keep San Francisco available for that week. With a tough schedule overall, the only other time the 49ers are significant favorites is next week when they host the Seahawks. Week 2 has way more options than Week 1 - the Rams hosting the Falcons, the Broncos hosting the Texans, and the Packers set for their annual walkover of the Bears at Lambeau Field.It's not comfortable taking a quarterback as green as Trey Lance is on the road, but the 49ers scored a comeback win in Chicago last season despite being down at halftime. They've had success at Soldier Field but won't take the Bears lightly, knowing a good start to the Lance era is imperative.Pick: 49ersMatt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Rams and right tackle Rob Havenstein agreed to a three-year extension that will keep him under contract through the 2025 season, the team announced Wednesday.The financial terms of the deal weren't released, but the veteran lineman will receive a total of $34.5 million over the three-year pact, including $24.1 million guaranteed, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.New Orleans Saints tackle Ryan Ramczyk currently tops the position with a $19.2-million average annual salary, according to Spotrac.The 30-year-old Havenstein had only one season left on the four-year, $32.5-million contract he signed with the team in 2018.He's been a reliable starter for the Rams since being drafted as a second-round pick in 2015. The Wisconsin product, who was voted a team captain for the first time last week, will start his 100th career game Thursday in the season opener against the Buffalo Bills.Havenstein allowed seven sacks across 15 starts and was the NFL's 14th-best offensive tackle last year, according to PFF.The extension provides some stability to a Rams offensive line that's lost two starters since winning Super Bowl LVI. Left tackle Andrew Whitworth retired in March, while guard Austin Corbett left L.A. in free agency to sign a three-year deal with the Carolina Panthers.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL season kicks off Thursday night in Los Angeles and gets moving in earnest Sunday. Expect these six sets of players - positional counterparts who are linked by team, conference, city, or circumstance - to influence playoff races across the league and decide who reaches Super Bowl LVII.AFC's glut of top quarterbacks Cooper Neill / Getty ImagesCertain single-season statistical milestones reveal excellence in a quarterback: 5,000 yards passing, 1,000 yards rushing, a 70% completion rate on high volume. The greats flirt with these numbers and win major awards while vying for championships.Five AFC gunslingers - Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, and Patrick Mahomes - reached some or most of these milestones at remarkable ages. They enter 2022 as MVP contenders whose styles differ but always electrify. They headline theScore's Justin Boone's QB fantasy rankings. The oldest among them is 26, younger than Aaron Rodgers was when he won his only Super Bowl title.One path to the big game next February runs through this superstar cluster. Disappointment will fuel all five of them. Burrow's Cincinnati Bengals lost Super Bowl LVI after eliminating Mahomes' Kansas City Chiefs, who were fresh off stunning Allen's Buffalo Bills in an instant classic. Division titles are in reach for Jackson and Herbert despite their clubs, the Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers, missing last postseason.Most of the AFC will start a Pro Bowl QB in Week 1. Russell Wilson and Matt Ryan join Derek Carr and Ryan Tannehill as the conference's veteran stalwarts. Mac Jones impressed throughout his rookie year. That's 10 accomplished passers aiming for the same scarce prize.NFC's second-tier QBsWhen Tom Brady rejoined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week, he invoked his age to explain his absence from training camp on personal leave: "I'm 45 years old, man. There's a lot of shit going on."He's 45 but seems ageless under center, having threatened Peyton Manning's single-season passing yards record last year. Brady's peers just voted him the top player in the league - narrowly ahead of Rodgers, the 38-year-old two-time reigning MVP for the Green Bay Packers. Cooper Neill / Getty ImagesCould a challenger eclipse these legends and dethrone Matthew Stafford's Los Angeles Rams? The NFC's next-best QBs have questions to answer to carve out a spot among the elite.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes expects fantasy football managers to have a hard time predicting who the team's No. 1 wide receiver will be following Tyreek Hill's departure."The biggest thing is there's going to be a different player every single game that has the big game," Mahomes said, according to ESPN's Adam Teicher. "It's not going to be just necessarily Tyreek and Travis (Kelce) every single week, where it's like one or the other having a big game or both."He added: "So I'm sorry to all you fantasy football guys. It's going to come from everywhere, so you're going to have to kind of choose the right guy every week."The Chiefs traded Hill, their leading wide receiver over the last six seasons, to the Miami Dolphins this offseason. The six-time Pro Bowler was a highlight machine in Kansas City, racking up 6,630 yards (13.8 per catch) and 56 touchdowns since 2016.The Chiefs, who also roster wideout Mecole Hardman, revamped their receiving corps by signing free agents JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling and drafting Skyy Moore in the second round.Mahomes still expects Kelce to be one of the NFL's most productive tight ends, though."It's going to be hard for teams to game-plan against," he said. "Obviously, Travis is going to probably have a lot of catches. That's just who he is. Other than that, it's going to come from the whole group, and I think the guys have kind of embraced that."The Chiefs' offense ranked in the top 10 for points and yards each year since Mahomes became the starting quarterback in 2018.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Micah Parsons can't wait to face Tom Brady again.Ahead of the Dallas Cowboys' Week 1 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the linebacker said Brady's competitiveness has always inspired him."You just see his competitive nature. He has that fire inside of him. I mean, he looks to kill you," Parsons said Wednesday, according to ESPN's Todd Archer. "He wants to step on your throat like you're a roach. And that's what you look for in competitors. I think that's why, if you're a real competitor, you look up to Tom Brady. You look up to Kobe (Bryant), that Mamba mentality. You look up to Michael Jordan."Parsons added: "We aspire to be that fierce or be that strong. You got to be a real strong-minded person to be who you are. And for Tom to do that in New England and do it with the Bucs, he inspires me, even though I'm on defense."The Cowboys open their 2022 slate at home Sunday. It'll be their second meeting with the Bucs in as many seasons.Tampa Bay edged Dallas 31-29 in 2021. Brady led the game-winning drive that ended with Bucs kicker Ryan Succop hitting the go-ahead field goal with only two seconds left. Brady, who finished second in MVP voting to Aaron Rodgers last season, is 6-0 against the Cowboys in his career."We got to get him out this league. He's been dominating this league too long, and he keeps coming back," Parsons jokingly said about the seven-time Super Bowl champion, who retired in February but returned after 40 days."It's a blessing to still be able to play him."Parsons, a first-round pick last year, made his official NFL debut versus the Buccaneers. He didn't sack Brady, though he finished the night with seven tackles, one quarterback hit, and one pass breakup.The 23-year-old heads into his second pro season with sky-high expectations after earning an All-Pro berth and claiming the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Van Jefferson won't play Thursday against the Buffalo Bills due to a knee injury, the team announced Wednesday.Jefferson hasn't practiced this week. He underwent surgery in August and was expected to miss multiple weeks.The 26-year-old ranked second on the team last year with 802 yards and six touchdowns on 50 receptions. He also caught nine passes for 102 yards during the playoffs while helping the Rams win Super Bowl LVI in February.Second-year pass-catcher Ben Skowronek is expected to slide in as Los Angeles' No. 3 wide receiver versus the Bills. He finished 2021 with only 11 receptions, 133 yards, and no touchdowns after being drafted in the seventh round.All-Pro wideout Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson headline the Rams' wide receiver depth chart. The reigning Super Bowl champions also roster Tutu Atwell and Brandon Powell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2022 Fantasy Football Draft Kit and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, and Anchor.In this episode, Nathan Jahnke of PFF joins Boone to discuss the biggest fantasy questions heading into Week 1.

There's a difference between betting and real life. It's easy to predict a Bills and Buccaneers Super Bowl matchup, but the NFL is far too unpredictable to expect the two conference favorites to exhibit value throughout the season.Also, if you bet on a team to win the Super Bowl in real life, you'll invariably be sitting there wondering what to do with that ticket for two weeks before the big game in Glendale. Should you hedge? For how much? Do you even have an honest opinion about the game that's not influenced by a ticket you've held for some time?Giving back much of the expected value and equity is almost impossible to avoid, so instead of betting into the Super Bowl markets, we'll look at the level below the "Big Game" and focus on teams in each conference that are worth a bet to make Super Bowl LVII. That way, you can already have cashed a ticket, making the halftime show that much more enjoyable.Super Bowl LVII oddsTEAMCONFERENCE ODDSSB LVII ODDSBills+300+550Buccaneers+300+750Chiefs+500+900Packers+450+1000Rams+450+1000Chargers+750+140049ers+750+1400Broncos+900+1600Ravens+1000+2000Bengals+1000+2000Cowboys+900+2000Colts+1200+2000Eagles+1000+2500Browns+1600+3000Vikings+1600+3000Saints+1600+3000Titans+1500+3000Cardinals+1500+4000Raiders+2000+4000Dolphins+2000+4000Patriots+2000+4000Steelers+4000+7500Commanders+3000+7500Panthers+5000+10000Lions+5000+10000Giants+5000+10000Bears+6000+15000Jaguars+6000+15000Jets+7500+15000Seahawks+6000+20000Falcons+10000+25000Texans+10000+30000The AFC West has three top choices in its conference championship market, which tells you that none have value - the other two could topple the three before they even get to the playoffs.As for the NFC, the four choices atop the odds board could end up not even having a home game in the first round of the NFL Playoffs, and since the primary goal for a conference championship bet is to take a shot on a team who could earn a surprise first-round bye, we'll look elsewhere.Best bets to win the AFC ChampionshipRavens (+1000)It won't be easy to get the AFC playoff bye coming out of the AFC North, but even if the Ravens don't get the Wild Card round off, they'll be postseason-ready with a style of play that can work in various conditions on the road as well as home.With almost the entire roster returning from missing significant time - including MVP candidate Lamar Jackson - and an injection of talent from the draft, we can go back to trusting John Harbaugh and his staff to get the most out of the Ravens if they can stay healthy.Colts (+1200)If the Colts can win their division the way they're expected to, it becomes a matter of stacking up wins in a soft AFC South while watching the other three divisions cannibalize themselves. The winner of the North, West, and potentially the AFC East may all end up being better teams than the Colts, but if Indianapolis has the best regular-season record, it won't be that surprising - especially since that scenario happened last year with the Titans.Getting a first-round bye and a home game against the lowest remaining seed from Wild Card Weekend translates on average to a -200 price on the 1-seed hosting the conference title game. Taking a shot at 12-1 for an odds-on division favorite is worth tying up some money for the campaign.Best bets to win the NFC ChampionshipVikings (+1600)From a narrative standpoint, backing a team that hasn't been to the Super Bowl since the age of the "Purple People Eaters" doesn't come off as a sound investment decision, but we would have said the same thing had we listed the Bengals in this article before last season. In sports betting, past performance does not predict future results.Fundamentally, the Vikings need to switch places in the standings with the Packers to grab a first-round bye. How do they accrue five more wins than last year? Turning around numerous catastrophic losses in 2021 would be a start. A Dalvin Cook fumble cost them a win in Cincinnati, they scored seven points at home against the Browns in a one-score loss, they lost at home to a Cooper Rush game-winning drive, and they suffered walk-off losses to the Cardinals, Ravens, and Lions.An offense-first approach, competent in-game coaching, and better luck could have turned an eight-win season into something closer to Green Bay's 13-5 record. If Minnesota can win the NFC North, the team could top the conference as a whole come playoff time.Saints (+1600)Along the same logic, if the Saints can win the NFC South - as they did just two years ago - it means they have a better record than what's expected from the division favorite. Tampa Bay has struggled against New Orleans in four straight meetings. Another Saints sweep, only without the injury issues from the rest of last season, would immediately make them contenders for the NFC's 1-seed.With some mystery remaining around Michael Thomas and Jameis Winston being out-of-sight for so long, we don't really know what the ceiling is for a team with a defense boasting a front and secondary that could be considered strengths. Concern about Dennis Allen's takeover stems from his previous head coaching stints in a far sketchier circumstance. The Saints are going for big things this season, and at 16-1 with everything coming together, they're worth a shot.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle's status for Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears is unclear due to a groin injury, head coach Kyle Shanahan announced Wednesday, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.Kittle suffered the ailment Monday and is considered day-to-day, Shanahan added."Not sure. I was hoping he'd be good today," the coach said when asked about Kittle's status, per ESPN's Field Yates. "He did it a little on Monday and not feeling good today. We'll have to see day-by-day."Kittle missed three games due to injuries last season. The 28-year-old finished the campaign with 910 yards and six touchdowns on 71 catches across 14 games.The three-time Pro Bowler has played only one full season since entering the NFL in 2017. He's missed 13 games over the last three seasons.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson have been discussing a contract extension during the offseason. However, there's "nothing imminent" on that front, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Jackson told reporters Wednesday that he and the team are still discussing a contract extension and that Friday is the deadline to get a deal done. The Ravens open their season Sunday against the New York Jets.Jackson is looking for a fully guaranteed deal or close to it, similar to Deshaun Watson's fully guaranteed $230-million pact, according to Rapoport.Russell Wilson is the latest quarterback to get an extension, signing a five-year year, $245-million contract with $161 million guaranteed. Wilson's deal won't help Jackson in his negotiations, Rapoport adds.Jackson is heading into the final year of his rookie contract. He will make $23 million this season after making only $9.4 million in his first four campaigns combined.The 25-year-old missed the final four games of last season due to an ankle injury. He has fully recovered and will start Week 1 against the Jets.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Seahawks and Russell Wilson publicly painted their breakup as amicable, but the relationship apparently wasn't quite as rosy as they tried to make it seem.Wilson grew frustrated with the Seahawks' run-heavy offensive approach and his lack of say in personnel decisions, ESPN's Brady Henderson detailed Wednesday in an in-depth piece.An apparent key moment came in October 2019 when head coach Pete Carroll reined in Wilson and the passing attack after Seattle took a 24-0 halftime lead against the Atlanta Falcons thanks to the quarterback's two touchdown throws.Wilson was fighting for the lead in the MVP race with Lamar Jackson - who was on a bye that week - heading into the Falcons game. He was "livid" at Carroll for only allowing him to throw five passes in the second half, believing it had cost him a chance to cement as place as the MVP favorite, according to Henderson.Jackson went on to win the 2019 award thanks to a dominant second half of the campaign. Wilson, meanwhile, has never received a single MVP vote during his career.Seahawks general manager John Schneider's willingness to explore drafting a quarterback further hurt Wilson's relationship with the team.Schneider was enamored with Patrick Mahomes ahead of the 2017 draft and would've drafted the former Texas Tech standout had he been available late in the first round, team sources told Henderson.The GM reportedly also attended Josh Allen's Wyoming pro day the following year despite Wilson leading the league in touchdown passes in 2017.Schneider justified scouting quarterbacks by pointing to his time with the Green Bay Packers - who drafted Aaron Rodgers in 2005 following his shocking fall to the end of the first round - but the decision still angered Wilson."They were f---ing pissed," a Seahawks' front-office source said.Seattle traded Wilson to the Denver Broncos, his preferred destination, in March for a package of top draft picks, quarterback Drew Lock, and defensive lineman Shelby Harris.Wilson will open the season against his former team on Monday night.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson will miss at least the first three games of the season, head coach Robert Saleh announced Wednesday."I really don't want to talk about the situation anymore, the earliest he's going to be available is (against the) Pittsburgh (Steelers in Week 4)," said Saleh.Wilson was initially given a two-to-four week timeline after suffering a meniscus tear and bone bruise in the preseason opener and undergoing surgery.He reportedly had a chance to play in Week 1, but Joe Flacco will instead start against the Baltimore Ravens in the opener and until Wilson is ready to return.The sophomore quarterback hasn't suffered a setback and will be able to practice with the team, which is why New York didn't place him on injured reserve, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Wilson will, at minimum, miss a game on the road against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2 and a home matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3.Flacco will get his first start since Week 11 of last season against his former team. The veteran spent 11 seasons in Baltimore, winning a Super Bowl title in 2012.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders announced Wednesday that he's retiring after 12 NFL seasons.

The Comeback Player of the Year (CPOTY) award goes to someone who overcame an absence from the game that might have threatened the peak of their career. Every few years, performance is less relevant - Alex Smith in 2020 and Eric Berry in 2015 returned from health issues that threatened their lives. Just being on the field was a victory for both.More commonly, like last year, the CPOTY is given to a player who missed the previous season with an injury and excelled in their return. Fortunately, no one qualifies for a heroic comeback, so we can narrow the focus to performance and injury-related circumstances as we peruse the odds board.Comeback Player of the Year oddsPLAYERODDSDerrick Henry+400Jameis Winston+550Christian McCaffrey+750Baker Mayfield+1400Michael Thomas+1400Chase Young+1500Marcus Mariota+1600Daniel Jones+2000Mitch Trubisky+2000Allen Robinson+2500JK Dobbins+2500Cam Akers+3000Deshaun Watson+3000JuJu Smith-Schuster+3000Chris Godwin+4000Drew Lock+4000Khalil Mack+4000Travis Etienne+4000Odds available on theScore Bet, players not listed above available at 50-1 or longer.The occasionally ambiguous nature of the Comeback Player of the Year award revolves around what you've come back from and how that's measured. That said, I definitely think the favorite in this market has already come back. And if I believe that, a portion of voters will agree with me and not consider Derrick Henry for the award. As a result, this is the rare instance where I don't even think the favorite can win - forget placing my bet on him. Since the other contenders are either coming back from a standard injury or career struggles, it will come down to who's the most statistically impactful.Christian McCaffrey (+750)Some partaking in fantasy football this season seem to believe McCaffrey is poised for a big campaign, as he's among the most expensive players, and those who are avoiding a huge investment are doing so because of his injury history. Those two elements add up to a pretty strong candidacy for this award if we're right about his statistical output this year, but we have concerns about whether he can "come back" to his previous form. With the opportunities McCaffrey will get, all he may need to do is stay healthy for a full season. That has to have a better than 11.8% (implied win probability of +750) chance of happening, making the Panthers' do-it-all tailback a good bet.JuJu Smith-Schuster (+3000)Despite being five seasons into his career, Smith-Schuster is still only 25 years old, meaning he's young enough to bounce back to full strength from his 2021 shoulder injury as well as get some career comeback credit after less-than-stellar campaigns with the Steelers.Smith-Schuster also has Patrick Mahomes throwing him the football this year, which will be a boon to his production. The last time he had a peak NFL quarterback under center, he had 111 receptions for over 1,426 yards in 2018 - only 10 players have had more in the last four years. Returning to that level with the Chiefs' offense is plausible and would get a lot of attention.Naysayers will point out that, like Henry, Smith-Schuster already came back in the playoffs last season, but a) you probably forgot that happened, and b) betting 30-1 odds that the voters did too - or don't care - is much different than just the 4-1 payout for if Henry has a big campaign.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.