Revenge was a primary reason behind Za'Darius Smith's decision to sign a three-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings this offseason.The 29-year-old pass-rusher, who the Green Bay Packers released in March, told Go Long's Tyler Dunne that he joined the Vikings so he could face his former team multiple times each season."I played one year of high school football," Smith said. "For me to be where I'm at today, that's how you know I love the game. I put my all into it. That's why I felt the way I did with Green Bay - I gave that shit my all. I put my blood, sweat... I put my back on the f---ing line. I put everything. And that Year 3, I was treated bad. That's why I'm here now. So, I can play them twice a year."Smith spent three seasons in Green Bay, but a back injury sidelined him for most of the 2021 campaign. He totaled 26 sacks, five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and 108 tackles in 33 regular-season games with the Packers.The Vikings open the 2022 season at home against the Packers and will face Green Bay again in Week 17.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL is set to return with Thursday's season opener between the reigning champion Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills, and theScore's football staff is kicking things off with playoff, Super Bowl, and awards predictions for this season.AFCEASTWESTNORTHSOUTHWCWCWCBrowneBUFKCBALINDLACCINDENChippinBUFLACBALINDDENLVMIADeegBUFKCBALINDLACCINLVFarisBUFLACCININDKCDENBALMiariBUFKCBALINDLACDENCINValenteBUFKCBALJAXLACLVMIAWashingtonBUFLACCININDKCBALMIAWilkinsBUFLACBALINDKCCINLVWoodsBUFKCCININDLACBALLVThe Buffalo Bills are the only team unanimously predicted to win their division. The Bills clearly boast the best quarterback and roster in the AFC East, and their main competitors, the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots, both have significant question marks. The Indianapolis Colts came closest to the Bills, receiving all but one vote, which went not to the reigning AFC South champion Tennessee Titans but the Jacksonville Jaguars. In fact, we're predicting major regression from the Titans. No one believes they'll even earn a wild-card berth after snagging the AFC's top seed last season.In our eyes, the AFC West is a two-team race between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers, despite major offseason moves by the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders. Everyone expects the Chargers will finally make the playoffs one way or another, while one voter tabs the Chiefs to miss the postseason for the first time since 2014. Eight of our nine voters see three AFC West clubs playing in January, with the Raiders edging the Broncos in wild-card votes (five to four).We expect the Baltimore Ravens to re-establish themselves as the main power in the AFC North in 2022, with the Cincinnati Bengals their nearest competition coming off their Super Bowl defeat. While the Bengals should be AFC contenders for the foreseeable future thanks to the duo of Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase, teams that lose the Super Bowl often struggle the following year. Our entire panel has Baltimore either winning the division or earning a wild-card spot, while Cincinnati is on the outside looking in for two voters.NFCEASTWESTNORTHSOUTHWCWCWCBrowneDALLARGBTBSFPHIMINChippinPHISFMINTBNOLARGBDeegPHISFMINTBLARDALGBFarisPHILARGBTBSFMINARIMiariPHISFGBTBNODALLARValentePHIARIGBNODALLARTBWashingtonPHISFGBTBDALLARNOWilkinsPHISFGBTBLARDALNOWoodsPHISFGBTBLARMINNOFew teams made as many eye-catching moves this offseason as the Philadelphia Eagles, and we're buying the hype. The Eagles are predicted to win the division by eight voters and to earn a wild-card spot by our ninth panelist, who went with the Dallas Cowboys for the NFC East crown. It's not all bad news for Jerry Jones and Co., with five voters predicting a wild-card spot.In the NFC North and NFC South, most see the Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers retaining their respective crowns. But with Davante Adams gone, the Packers could be vulnerable for the first time in years. Two of our voters believe the Minnesota Vikings will push Aaron Rodgers into a wild-card matchup. While only one voter picked the Sean Payton-less New Orleans Saints to win the division, a narrow majority is convinced they'll book a playoff spot.Although the NFC West is widely perceived as the most competitive division in the NFL, our votes weren't as evenly split as you might expect. Despite the switch from Jimmy Garoppolo to the unproven Trey Lance, six voters see the San Francisco 49ers taking their second division title under Kyle Shanahan. The Los Angeles Rams continued to go all-in after their Super Bowl win, signing the likes of Allen Robinson and Bobby Wagner. Everybody predicts a playoff appearance for L.A., but the reigning champions only received one more division-winning vote than the Arizona Cardinals, who had an offseason full of drama and distraction.Team drafting No. 1 overallPREDICTIONBrowneCommandersChippinFalconsDeegFalconsFarisBearsMiariFalconsValenteSeahawksWashingtonTexansWilkinsBearsWoodsSeahawksThis season's race to the bottom should be more exciting than last year's considering how much better the 2023 quarterback class - headlined by C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young - is projected to be compared to the 2022 group. With Matt Ryan gone and Calvin Ridley suspended for the season, it's no surprise to see the Atlanta Falcons get the most votes. The Seattle Seahawks have never won fewer than seven games under Pete Carroll, but two of our voters foresee a brutal first season without Russell Wilson.AFC Championship GamePREDICTIONBrowneKC vs. LACChippinBUF vs. LACDeegBUF vs. KCFarisBUF vs. LACMiariBUF vs. KCValenteBUF vs. LACWashingtonLAC vs. BUFWilkinsLAC vs. BUFWoodsKC vs. BUFThe depth and potential parity of the AFC is one of the biggest storylines entering the year, but you wouldn't know it from our predictions. Only three teams - the Chiefs, Bills, and Chargers - are apparently in the running to represent the conference in Super Bowl LVII. Buffalo appears in eight of our nine predicted matchups, and despite failing to make the playoffs in the last two years, the Chargers made six. While some consider the Chiefs to be in a transition year, just under half of our panel put Andy Reid's squad in its fifth straight AFC title game.NFC Championship GamePREDICTIONBrowneLAR vs. SFChippinTB vs. PHIDeegPHI vs. TBFarisLAR vs. TBMiariTB vs. PHIValenteGB vs. NOWashingtonTB vs. LARWilkinsGB vs. TBWoodsPHI vs. GBOur NFC predictions are more varied than in the AFC, with matchups involving six different teams. Unsurprisingly, the majority of our panel is betting on Tom Brady playing in his 11th Super Bowl. Father Time seems to have no effect on the star quarterback, and the Bucs still boast one of the NFL's premier rosters. The Eagles are the second-most popular pick, appearing in four matchups, with the Rams and Packers close behind with three apiece. Although most predicted San Francisco will win its division, the 49ers didn't inspire much faith in a deep playoff run, with just one title-game appearance.Super Bowl LVIIPREDICTIONBrowneKC def. SFChippinBUF def. PHIDeegKC def. TBFarisBUF def. LARMiariBUF def. TBValenteBUF def. NOWashingtonTB def. LACWilkinsLAC def. GBWoodsKC def. PHIThis is apparently the season of the AFC, with eight winners for the conference in nine predicted matchups. All four voters who put the Bills into the title game, leading all teams, have them winning their first Super Bowl in franchise history, finally erasing the pain of the four straight losses in the early 1990s. Three voters see Patrick Mahomes earning his second ring, while the Chargers and Bucs were picked once each. The lack of a clear top team apparently hurt the NFC in our predictions, with six different clubs representing the conference in Arizona.1st head coach firedPREDICTIONBrowneMatt RhuleChippinKevin StefanskiDeegMatt RhuleFarisMike McCarthyMiariRobert SalehValenteMatt RhuleWashingtonMatt RhuleWilkinsMatt RhuleWoodsRon RiveraRhule might as well start packing his bags, according to our panel. The Carolina Panthers head coach received five out of nine votes and was the only person to receive multiple votes. Rhule is entering a make-or-break year after two disappointing seasons in charge of Carolina and is banking on a Baker Mayfield revival to save him. He'll likely need to lead his club to playoff contention late in the season to have any shot of making it to Year 4.Best and worst free-agent signingsBESTWORSTBrowneAllen RobinsonTyrann MathieuChippinHaason ReddickZay JonesDeegVon MillerRandy GregoryFarisJ.C. JacksonRandy GregoryMiariVon MillerRandy GregoryValenteAllen RobinsonJustin ReidWashingtonAllen RobinsonSammy WatkinsWilkinsJuJu Smith-SchusterBobby WagnerWoodsJuJu Smith-SchusterRandy GregoryOur panel believes the Broncos will quickly regret stealing Gregory from the Cowboys. The pass-rusher has been a solid player since entering the NFL in 2015, but the question marks are glaring. Gregory has never played a full season, mostly because of suspensions for violations of the league's substance abuse policy totaling 54 games, and he's never exceeded six sacks in a year. While he seems to have overcome his off-field problems, another violation would come with another significant punishment.Receivers dominate our best free-agent signing predictions: Robinson leads the way with three votes and Smith-Schuster is right behind with two. Both are leaping into ideal situations after years in inconsistent passing games. Robinson will get tons of easy looks as defenses focus on taking away Cooper Kupp, while Smith-Schuster finally has a quarterback capable of throwing downfield.Coach of the YearPREDICTIONBrowneFrank ReichChippinNick SirianniDeegNick SirianniFarisKevin O'ConnellMiariSean McDermottValenteNick SirianniWashingtonBrandon StaleyWilkinsDennis AllenWoodsDoug PedersonThe Eagles continue to be one of the darlings of our panel. Sirianni receives three votes after leading Philadelphia to a surprising 9-8 finish in 2022. No other head coach earned more than one vote, but coaches taking over new teams - Pederson, Allen, and O'Connell - got a lot of love, which makes sense based on this award's history. A coach whose team is viewed as a Super Bowl hopeful entering the year usually needs a hugely dominant season to wrestle this award away from someone whose squad far exceeds expectations.Rookies of the YearOFFENSIVEDEFENSIVEBrowneSkyy MooreGeorge KarlaftisChippinChris OlaveDrake JacksonDeegGeorge PickensJordan DavisFarisDameon PierceAidan HutchinsonMiariChris OlaveAidan HutchinsonValenteKenny PickettAidan HutchinsonWashingtonBreece HallAhmad GardnerWilkinsDameon PierceDrake JacksonWoodsGeorge PickensGeorge KarlaftisHutchinson lost out on being the No. 1 overall pick to Travon Walker, but the Detroit Lions pass-rusher is our favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Walker, who's viewed as more of a project than Hutchinson, didn't get any votes from our panel. After impressive play in camp and the preseason, Karlaftis and Jackson (two votes each) are perceived as the biggest threats to Hutchinson.For the offensive award, skill position players dominated our predictions with no rookie quarterback set to start the season. Pickett received one vote after a strong preseason, but he needs Mitchell Trubisky to struggle early in order for him to get enough playing time to challenge for the award. Receivers Olave and Pickens and running back Pierce are joint favorites. While all three will be key players for their teams right away, Pickens generated the most hype this preseason.Players of the YearOFFENSIVEDEFENSIVECOMEBACKBrowneJustin JeffersonNick BosaMichael ThomasChippinDeebo SamuelDerwin JamesMichael ThomasDeegJustin JeffersonFred WarnerDerrick HenryFarisJonathan TaylorAaron DonaldChristian McCaffreyMiariDeebo SamuelMicah ParsonsJameis WinstonValenteDavante AdamsNick BosaJameis WinstonWashingtonDalvin CookNick BosaMichael ThomasWilkinsJustin HerbertDerwin JamesChristian McCaffreyWoodsJustin JeffersonMicah ParsonsJuJu Smith-SchusterAfter setting the record for the most receiving yards in a player's first two seasons in the NFL, Jefferson is primed to take the mantle of the league's best receiver. The Vikings star received the most votes with three, pipping Samuel, who's coming off a breakout campaign. No one sees Kupp, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, repeating his historic 2021 campaign.Bosa bounced back from a lost 2020 season in style, racking up 15.5 sacks. Now another year removed from his ACL injury, the 49ers defensive end earned the most votes for Defensive Player of the Year with three. Surprisingly, it's not Donald (one vote) or reigning defensive king T.J. Watt (no votes) close behind Bosa, but sophomore stud Parsons and James. Voter fatigue often plays a part in these awards, and Parsons is the shiny new toy after a stunning rookie year. While only three safeties have won this award since 2000, the Chargers standout's versatility should allow him to put up an eye-catching stat line.MVPPREDICTIONBrownePatrick MahomesChippinJosh AllenDeegPatrick MahomesFarisJosh AllenMiariPatrick MahomesValenteJustin HerbertWashingtonPatrick MahomesWilkinsLamar JacksonWoodsJalen HurtsAs always, quarterbacks lock out the MVP conversation. Mahomes gets the most love, earning four votes, which is something of a surprise considering the loss of Tyreek Hill and a relative down year in 2021. But overcoming Hill's exit and adapting to a new offense could give Mahomes a compelling new narrative.Only Mahomes and Josh Allen received more than one vote. The all-time playoff shootout between the Chiefs and Bills presumably looms large in the minds of our panel, and it's hard to blame them. Mahomes and Allen ascended to another level during that game, and the Bills signal-caller didn't put a foot wrong all postseason.Notably, reigning back-to-back MVP Rodgers and Brady - who was a close second to Rodgers last season - didn't get any votes. Rodgers faces an uphill battle to earn a third straight award after Adams' departure, so his omission is understandable. However, Brady led the NFL in passing touchdowns and yards in 2021, and his supporting cast is just as strong this year.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's football editors.1. Buffalo Bills Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPreseason rank: 1All eyes are on the Bills entering the 2022 season. With Josh Allen commanding a high-powered offense and Von Miller now set to cause havoc on the defensive side of the ball, Buffalo is the team to beat this year.2. Los Angeles ChargersPreseason rank: 4There's just so much to be excited about with the Chargers this season. The offense should be one of the league's best, with MVP candidate Justin Herbert leading the way, and significant improvements to the defense should provide the perfect complement on the other side. This is a legit Super Bowl contender.3. Kansas City ChiefsPreseason rank: 3Much of the football world seems to expect the Chiefs to take a step back after trading away Tyreek Hill this offseason; we don't. The offense will be different with a new-look receiver group, but there's no reason it can't be every bit as effective, and don't sleep on the young talent added on defense.4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Preseason rank: 6Tom Brady returns for his 23rd season, and this could be the best team he has played on to date. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Julio Jones, and Russell Gage form one of the best pass-catching units in the league. Meanwhile, Akiem Hicks and Vita Vea are one mean duo on the interior of the defensive line.5. Los Angeles Rams Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPreseason rank: 2A top-heavy roster keeps the Rams out of the first few spots on our rankings, but that didn't present many issues en route to a Super Bowl title last year. If Matthew Stafford's training camp elbow issues are truly nothing to worry about, L.A. should be every bit as good this season.6. Green Bay PackersPreseason rank: 7Questions remain regarding an unproven wide receiving corps entering the season. Reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers' resolve will be tested, especially with left tackle David Bakhtiari's availability uncertain to begin a new campaign.7. Baltimore RavensPreseason rank: 8The Ravens are putting an injury-plagued 2021 campaign in the rearview as they turn their attention toward 2022. Lamar Jackson and Co. appear likely to compete for the AFC North title after some narrow losses last season.8. Philadelphia EaglesPreseason rank: 12General manager Howie Roseman has to be commended for a terrific job over the offseason. By bringing in the likes of A.J. Brown and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Philadelphia has its sights on the NFC East crown and maybe more.9. Cincinnati BengalsPreseason rank: 5The reigning AFC champions look like viable contenders after losing Super Bowl LVI. Joe Burrow is back under center after missing the entire preseason following appendix surgery. An improved offensive line should help the Bengals' offense continue its upward elevation.10. Denver Broncos Dustin Bradford / Getty Images Sport / GettyPreseason rank: 9We've all said for years that the Broncos are a quarterback away from being a Super Bowl contender. Now, we put that theory to the test. Russell Wilson certainly gives Denver the potential to rejoin the NFL's elite.11. Las Vegas RaidersPreseason rank: 10All four AFC West teams checking in among our top 11 tells you everything you need to know about that division. The Raiders have their work cut out for them, but they made a number of aggressive moves to give themselves a chance in that race.12. San Francisco 49ersPreseason rank: 17It's all about Trey Lance this season in San Francisco. The 49ers have the weapons to support him and the defense to keep opponents off the scoreboard. If the 2021 No. 3 overall pick can perform as expected, there's no reason this team can't contend in the wide-open NFC.13. Indianapolis ColtsPreseason rank: 13Frank Reich will work with his fifth different starting quarterback since taking the head coaching job in 2018. Matt Ryan will look to rejuvenate his career in Indy and will have last year's leading rusher to assist him. Jonathan Taylor took the league by storm last season and will run behind a solid offensive line again.14. Dallas CowboysPreseason rank: 11The Cowboys need to dig deep as they limp into the 2022 season. Left tackle Tyron Smith is expected to be out until December, while wideout James Washington is sidelined, and Michael Gallup's status for the season opener is also uncertain.15. Minnesota Vikings Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPreseason rank: 18The Vikings appear to be all-in on being a true contender in Kevin O'Connell's coaching debut. A healthy Dalvin Cook to go along with the dynamism of Justin Jefferson could have Minnesota climbing the rankings in short order.16. New Orleans SaintsPreseason rank: 20Jameis Winston is back after tearing his ACL midway through last season and will have some new weapons to work with. Michael Thomas, Chris Olave, and Jarvis Landry round out the best group of playmakers the Saints have had in years. All eyes will be on new head coach Dennis Allen as he looks to continue the success Sean Payton established in New Orleans.17. Miami DolphinsPreseason rank: 16For the first time in a long time, there's a real buzz about the Dolphins. With a new head coach and superstar Tyreek Hill in the fold, there's a high level of confidence that Tua Tagovailoa can be the franchise passer that Miami envisioned.18. Tennessee TitansPreseason rank: 14The loss of Harold Landry is a serious blow to Tennessee's defense. The Titans are counting on second-year pass-rusher Rashad Weaver to fill Landry's shoes. Derrick Henry is back healthy and should continue to see a heavy workload. With Malik Willis waiting in the wings, this could be Ryan Tannehill's last year in Tennessee.19. Arizona CardinalsPreseason rank: 19The Cardinals are one of the biggest mysteries in the league this year. It's possible they're more like the team that dominated the first few months of last season before falling off a cliff down the stretch, but it's tough to count on that with the roster still having some glaring weaknesses on paper.20. Cleveland Browns Diamond Images / Diamond Images / GettyPreseason rank: 15Deshaun Watson and the NFL agreed on an 11-game suspension that'll keep the signal-caller off the field for most of the regular season. There will be pressure on Kevin Stefanski to keep Cleveland in striking position for a playoff push. Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward lead a headlining defense for a club with postseason ambitions.21. Pittsburgh SteelersPreseason rank: 22Head coach Mike Tomlin continues to be tight-lipped regarding whether Mitchell Trubisky or Kenny Pickett will be named the starting quarterback. Both passers have shined in the preseason but can either provide enough consistency following Ben Roethlisberger's retirement?22. New England PatriotsPreseason rank: 21Mac Jones should take another step in his second year, but questions persist about those tasked with aiding his development. Matt Patricia and Joe Judge - two veteran coaches with little experience on offense - will have big shoes to fill replacing Josh McDaniels.23. Carolina PanthersPreseason rank: 23Baker Mayfield takes over as the Panthers' starting quarterback, their third different Week 1 starter in as many seasons. Christian McCaffrey is set to return healthy and will look to get back to his 2019 form.24. Washington CommandersPreseason rank: 25It's Year 3 for Ron Rivera, and Washington still hasn't won more than seven games in a season under his direction. Whether he breaks through may come down to if his staff can domesticate new quarterback Carson Wentz's often erratic play.25. Detroit Lions Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport / GettyPreseason rank: 26The stars of the latest season of "Hard Knocks" are set to prove that Dan Campbell's vision for the franchise isn't just talk. The Lions' youth movement will either raise or sink the team's rebuild this season. All eyes will be on hometown hero Aidan Hutchinson, who the club expects to become a franchise pillar sooner than later.26. New York JetsPreseason rank: 24The Jets were temporarily grounded when second-year passer Zach Wilson went down with a knee injury in the preseason. It'll be up to Joe Flacco to avoid a turbulent start if New York wants to make some noise once Wilson returns.27. Jacksonville JaguarsPreseason rank: 27Doug Pederson takes over as head coach and will try to get the Trevor Lawrence era back on track. The Jaguars spent a ton of money in free agency to give Lawrence some weapons, adding Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, and Evan Engram. First overall pick Travon Walker will help a pass rush that finished 26th in sacks last season.28. New York GiantsPreseason rank: 28The Giants have invested a lot of capital in their offense over the years but haven't seen much return. Brian Daboll will need to translate his great work in Buffalo to get the most out of Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, Kadarius Toney, and Co.29. Seattle SeahawksPreseason rank: 29It's weird to see the Seahawks this low on the list, but that's just the reality they face after trading away their franchise quarterback. The goal for this season should be to develop some of the intriguing young talent now on the roster. Wins could be difficult to come by.30. Atlanta Falcons Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPreseason rank: 30Marcus Mariota will get the start in Week 1 and will have some exciting playmakers to throw to in Kyle Pitts and Drake London. Besides that, the Falcons' roster lacks proven talent. The offensive line allowed a sack or pressure on 28% of snaps in 2021, and Atlanta didn't make any changes to that unit for this season.31. Chicago BearsPreseason rank: 31The Bears managed to convince Roquan Smith to end his holdout and return for a final year. It's rare positive news for a franchise that plans to ask a lot of second-year passer Justin Fields. It seems like rookie head coach Matt Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles are in for a bumpy ride.32. Houston TexansPreseason rank: 32The Texans are in rebuild mode, with their sights set on competing in 2023. They now have the draft capital from the Watson trade to start building a competitive roster. This year is about finding out if quarterback Davis Mills can be the leader of the franchise.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.In an effort to help you find trades that could improve your fantasy team, we present the Trade Value Chart.You can use this chart to compare players and build realistic trade offers. Values are based on 12-team leagues.Follow the links below to see the trade values and rest of season rankings for each position.Trade Values

Los Angeles Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson isn't expected to play Week 1 against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to NFL Network's Taylor Bisciotti.Jackson underwent ankle surgery on Aug. 23 to fix a discomfort issue. Initial reports indicated that Jackson would miss two-to-four weeks, which put him in line to potentially play Week 1. The Chargers didn't place Jackson on injured reserve to start the season.The 26-year-old cornerback signed a five-year, $82.5-million contract with L.A. this offseason and is set to be the Chargers' top cornerback.Jackson earned his first Pro Bowl nod last season after having a career year with the New England Patriots. He spent his first four NFL seasons with the Patriots, starting all 17 games last season.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton agreed to drop his salary from $2.54 million to the league minimum of $965,000, ending speculation about his immediate future with the team, according to Tom Rock of Newsday.Slayton, who was rumored to be a trade or release candidate ahead of the season, can reportedly earn back part of his salary through incentives. He's still scheduled to hit free agency after the 2022 campaign, added Rock.The Giants excused the wideout from Tuesday's practice, fueling speculation that his exit from New York was imminent.Slayton produced back-to-back 700-yard campaigns in his first two NFL seasons after the Giants selected him in the fifth round. But he struggled last year, finishing with only 26 catches for 339 yards and two touchdowns.The 25-year-old fell further down the depth chart this offseason with second-round receiver Wan'Dale Robinson's arrival. Sophomore Kadarius Toney and veterans Kenny Golladay and Sterling Shepard are also in line to play ahead of Slayton.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett believes former teammate Russell Wilson deserves a warm reception when the Denver Broncos visit Lumen Field on Monday Night Football."I think that Seattle should cheer him on for everything that he's done," Lockett said, according to ESPN's Brady Henderson.He added, "I have no idea (how fans will react). … But I know that when I see him, I'll go give him a hug, talk to him ... wish him good luck - not only in this game but for the rest of this season and for the rest of his career."Lockett cited Wilson's impact on the community as a key reason he should be applauded in his return to the Pacific Northwest. Wilson and his wife, Ciara, established a charter school in Seattle and donated meals to assist with COVID-19 relief in 2020.The Seahawks parted ways with Wilson after 10 seasons in a blockbuster trade in March. He led Seattle to a Super Bowl XLVIII title and earned nine Pro Bowl nods during his tenure. He also owns most of the Seahawks' passing records, including career yards (37,059) and touchdowns (292), and has a 104-53-1 record as a starter.Wilson's relationship with the franchise appeared to deteriorate in early 2021 after the signal-caller listed four trade destinations for which he'd waive his no-trade clause. However, the two sides put their differences aside for the 2021 season and appeared to have mended the relationship prior to the trade."At the end of the day, you've got to be able to separate the man from the player, and you've got to understand that everybody's trying to do what's best for them," Lockett said. "And all you can do is hope that they win and cheer for them to win."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.Updated rankings (including Standard and PPR) will be released Thursday, with the final version coming down Sunday morning.Half PPR

The Pittsburgh Steelers will start Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, head coach Mike Tomlin announced Tuesday.Meanwhile, the team listed rookie Kenny Pickett as the No. 2 quarterback over Mason Rudolph in an updated depth chart."We're really comfortable with what Mitch has shown us," said Tomlin, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Trubisky's place as starter appeared secure after his teammates named him one of the Steelers' five co-captains and he was placed atop the depth chart Monday.The 2017 No. 2 overall pick is looking to rejuvenate his career after failing to establish himself as the Chicago Bears' franchise quarterback. Trubisky signed with the Steelers as a free agent this offseason after spending a year as Josh Allen's backup with the Buffalo Bills.Tomlin allowed Trubisky, Pickett, and Rudolph to compete during the offseason and training camp. While the rookie did enough to supplant Rudolph as the primary backup, Trubisky was the clear favorite for the No. 1 role during the preseason."I'm really pleased with the growth and development of Kenny. That's why he's listed as QB2," said Tomlin.Trubisky threw for 10,609 yards and 64 touchdowns against 39 interceptions during four seasons in Chicago (50 starts and nine further appearances). He also rushed for 1,081 yards and nine scores.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Derek Carr wanted nothing more than to reunite with former college teammate Davante Adams, and he apparently wasn't worried about coming on too strong in his attempts to recruit the receiver to the Las Vegas Raiders.Carr told ESPN's Tim Keown that he called Adams right after the Raiders lost in the wild-card round in January."Oh, man," Carr said, "I was egregious."The quarterback said he told the then-Green Bay Packers star, "Hey, whenever you're ready, I'm ready. Let's figure this thing out."After the Packers followed the Raiders out of the postseason in the divisional round with an upset loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Carr resumed his recruitment of Adams."I'm not going to lie," Carr said. "I texted him the next day. I couldn't help myself.The NFL has no rules prohibiting player-to-player recruitment.Carr continued to pursue his fellow Fresno State alum over golf and during offseason throwing sessions. And his persistence worked, with the Raiders acquiring Adams for a first- and a second-round pick from the Packers in March.The star pass-catcher signed a five-year, $141.25-million contract with Las Vegas that briefly topped the receiver market. Tyreek Hill, who switched teams in one of the other blockbuster trades of the offseason, quickly eclipsed Adams after his move to the Miami Dolphins.Carr also committed his future to the Raiders in April, inking a three-year extension worth $121.5 million.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's officially Week 1 of the NFL season, and we've covered a lot of ground on the various futures markets for the coming year. We pointed out a handful of win totals to bet on, even though that market was picked over during the summer. The same can be said for the divisional championship markets (find the NFC here). With just four teams to choose from, we'll add a column to the oddsboard - including the implied win probability (IWP) that the odds suggest.Using the context of the market's expectation for each team after months of available betting at relatively high limits, let's break down how each division's odds were worked into place, and whether we want to pass on them or make a play.AFC WestTEAMODDS IWPChiefs+14041.7%Chargers+24029.4%Broncos+26027.8%Raiders+70012.5%The Chiefs are the rightful favorites in the AFC West, as the public concern about the loss of Tyreek Hill may have minimal legitimacy. But with so many dangerous teams in the division capable of winning it, the implied probability is probably fair. Meanwhile, a betting strategy of taking the Chargers' high-end results starts with this relatively juicy price for them to take the AFC West.While the Broncos might have a tighter, more consistent window for their results this season, I make the Chargers slightly better than 33% to win the division with a higher ceiling, thanks to the attention they've put toward improving the defense.Pick: Chargers (+240)AFC SouthTEAMODDSIWPColts-12555.6%Titans+18035.7%Jaguars+60014.3%Texans+25003.8%In the lead-up to the season, it's been hard to find anyone who likes the Titans, and there seems to be a groundswell of belief in the Jaguars. There's enough of a possibility to me that Mike Vrabel's group pulls off better-than-expected results, as they have historically, to at least justify their odds. I expect it's more of the same for the Jaguars, but if those who think the turnaround starts now for Doug Pederson are right, then the Colts are vulnerable at the top. However, since their floor is still pretty high, I much prefer a bet on Indianapolis to make the playoffs at a slightly higher price than to make a play on anyone to win the division title just yet, in case things play out more like last year.Pick: PassAFC NorthTEAMODDS IWPRavens+14041.7%Bengals+17037%Browns+37521.1%Steelers+90010%The Browns, Bengals, and Ravens were each lined with an implied win probability of around 33% back before it became clear that Deshaun Watson would be suspended. There was ample time to grab the Ravens at +200, as the team that represented a buy-low opportunity after a season full of misfortune. Sure enough, they've gobbled up some of the Browns' IWP lost since Watson's suspension was announced, and the value is gone. We already have a bet on the Bengals to make the playoffs and would need more than 9-1 to back the Steelers.Pick: PassAFC EastTEAMODDS IWPBills-23069.7%Dolphins+50016.7%Patriots+50016.7%Jets+28003.4%We discussed in their team preview that there's reason to believe the Bills might be overvalued this season. That can happen when the market thinks as highly of Buffalo as it does here, slowly increasing the amount needed to bet on the Bills in order to win back one unit. We can recall Week 16 of last season when the Patriots hosted Buffalo in a game that essentially decided the AFC East. The division was far more up in the air than the market is giving it credit for here.Discounting the Jets, we'll look at the two options at +500, and with the Dolphins getting credit for a big splash, the respect in the marketplace for Miami is largely theoretical. Admittedly, backing the Patriots comes with the expectation that Bill Belichick will get more out of his team than meets the eye - a hypothetical itself - but at 5-1 odds, it's worth relying on that organization's track record.Pick: Patriots (+500)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.

It's officially Week 1 of the NFL season, and we've covered a lot of ground on the various futures markets for the coming year. We pointed out a handful of win totals to bet on, even though that market was picked over during the summer. The same can be said for the divisional championship markets (find the AFC here). With just four teams to choose from, we'll add a column to the oddsboard - including the implied win probability (IWP) that the odds suggest.Using the context of the market's expectation for each team after months of available betting at relatively high limits, let's break down how each division's odds were worked into place, and whether we want to pass on them or make a play.NFC WestTEAMODDS IWPRams+12544.%49ers+16038.5%Cardinals+37521.1%Seahawks+20004.8%Much has been made of Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury's good early-season record versus how his teams finish the year, but that can be misleading. At Texas Tech, he could pump up his record with a soft non-conference slate before deflating in the Big 12. In Arizona, Kyler Murray is vulnerable to punishment from NFL defenses, and this season, he won't have DeAndre Hopkins to help him bank early wins.That leaves two teams with a legitimate chance to take the division. I have both the Rams and 49ers at closer to 50-50. Since San Francisco provides better odds, with an implied win probability percentage further away from 50%, the Niners are worth a wager at anything better than +150.Pick: 49ers (+160)NFC SouthTEAMODDSIWPBuccaneers-23069.7%Saints+30025%Panthers+80011.1%Falcons+18005.3%Even though I'm looking to fade the Buccanneers, I can't decide which other team I'd want to bet on based on their price. If there's a market for Tampa Bay to not win the division, the "No" would likely be priced around +170. The Bucs' alternative win total of under 10.5 is available at +150, and that's the much safer route; they could win 10 games and still take the NFC South if none of the Saints, Panthers, or Falcons surprise.At one point, the Falcons were 25-1 to win the division, so someone thought that far-fetched idea was priced too long. We already have a stake in the Panthers surprising via a bet in the Coach of the Year market.The Saints won the division two seasons ago with a less talented roster than this one and Drew Brees exhibiting very little arm strength. Now they've got Jameis Winston under center and a defense-oriented new head coach in Dennis Allen. I'll need to see a game or two to make sure Winston and Michael Thomas are healthy before buying stock in New Orleans, so we'll pass for now.Pick: PassNFC NorthTEAMODDSIWPPackers-16562.3%Vikings+22530.8%Lions+90010%Bears+14006.7%"Motor City Dan" Campbell has many bettors ready to run through a wall for the Lions after his star turn on "Hard Knocks." However, the interest in a big turnaround season in Detroit is already reflected in its 9-1 odds, which should probably be something like 15-1. So which team did the Lions take 3-4% of the division's IWP from?The hand-wringing about the Packers' offense after Davante Adams' departure is probably excessive, but the potentially revitalized Vikings are just too interesting to pass up. Although Aaron Rodgers might find himself with less weight on his shoulders thanks to a strong running game and good defense, the NFL remains an offense-first league. Usually, that means regular-season success for the Packers, but their games could be tighter this season, and the odds don't reflect that. We have to back Minnesota at this long of a price.Pick: Vikings (+225)NFC EastTEAMODDSIWPCowboys+14041.7%Eagles+15040%Commanders+50016.7%Giants+70012.5%The last calendar year has taken the Cowboys from close to a coin flip to nearly a co-favorite. Should we play back on that move and back Dallas?I'll pass, since I think the longer odds are warranted. The Commanders and Giants haven't done much to generate interest, so Philadelphia took the implied win probability from Dallas. While the Eagles' loaded roster has their bettors excited, Jalen Hurts needs to show me he can be trusted. The same goes for Carson Wentz and Daniel Jones, and their supporting casts aren't nearly as exciting.Pick: PassMatt 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.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone runs down the recommended waiver wire pickups.Roster percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. Free Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are based on a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 50% of leagues are considered.Quarterbacks Sean Gardner / Getty Images Sport / GettyJameis Winston, SaintsNext UpRosteredFABat ATL46%$1We highlighted Winston as a sleeper this offseason after he performed well as the Saints' starter in a 2021 campaign that ended early due to an ACL tear.Now he returns to an offense with a revamped receiving corps that features veterans Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry, as well as first-round rookie Chris Olave. With Alvin Kamara avoiding a suspension for now, New Orleans has an abundance of playmakers in the passing game.Winston will put them to work against a Falcons defense that ranked 29th in Football Outsiders' pass defense DVOA last season.It makes him an intriguing option this week and someone with the potential to surprise in fantasy this year.Streaming options: Matt Ryan at HOU (45% rostered), Ryan Tannehill vs. NYG (20% rostered), Carson Wentz vs. JAX (13% rostered), Jared Goff vs. PHI (23% rostered), Baker Mayfield vs. CLE (18% rostered)Risky streaming options: Mac Jones at MIA (35% rostered), Daniel Jones at TEN (27% rostered), Davis Mills vs. IND (6% rostered), Mitch Trubisky at CIN (5% rostered), Marcus Mariota vs. NO (9% rostered), Joe Flacco vs. BAL (1% rostered), Jacoby Brissett at CAR (3% rostered), Geno Smith vs. DEN (9% rostered)Long-term stashes: Zach Wilson vs. BAL (7% rostered), Kenny Pickett at CIN (7% rostered)Running backs Scott Taetsch / Getty Images Sport / GettyMike Davis/Kenyan Drake, RavensNext UpRosteredFABat NYJ29%/11%$1/$1As we wait for an update on J.K. Dobbins' availability, it seems there's a good chance he'll be held out or extremely limited in Week 1 against the Jets.While we don't know for certain how the Ravens would deploy their backs in Dobbins' absence, we're projecting Davis to see the most touches this week since he's been with the team for several months.Drake, whom Baltimore signed around cut-down day, is more likely to serve as a complementary back in the opener. But he might have more long-term fantasy value than Davis if he performs well in that role.With Gus Edwards out indefinitely, Drake could be Dobbins' running mate once the latter is healthy.Whether you're considering Davis or Drake, it's important to remember veteran Devonta Freeman averaged double-digit fantasy points in half-PPR formats from Week 6 onward last year - in large part thanks to the dominance of Baltimore's rushing attack. And though the Jets have made some upgrades, they still allowed the most fantasy per game to running backs (25.7) in the league last season.Hopefully, you drafted well enough to avoid this situation. But if you're looking for short-term solutions at running back, Davis and Drake are worth consideration.J.D. McKissic, CommandersNext UpRosteredFABvs. JAX32%$1Before rookie Brian Robinson was sidelined, we weren't recommending McKissic for fantasy this season.Carson Wentz doesn't have a great history throwing to his running backs, and the backfield was projecting to be a three-back committee featuring Robinson, McKissic, and Antonio Gibson.Since then, Washington's coaching staff has soured on Gibson due to his fumbling issues, and Robinson went on the reserve/non-football injury list - meaning he'll be out for at least the first four weeks.That leaves Gibson and McKissic to handle the bulk of the Commanders' backfield snaps, with Jonathan Williams possibly working in on some short-yardage and goal-line situations.Knowing Ron Rivera and co. were already losing faith in Gibson, expect McKissic to remain heavily involved. The overqualified pass-catching specialist could be a solid flex option until Robinson returns.Kenneth Gainwell and Raheem Mostert are close to or above the 50% rostered mark but should be rostered in most leagues.High-upside backups like Khalil Herbert (41% rostered), Rachaad White (35% rostered), and Isiah Pacheco (31% rostered) should be rostered in most leagues.Risky flex options: Mark Ingram at ATL (25% rostered), Boston Scott at DET (6% rostered), Rex Burkhead vs. IND (5% rostered), Jamaal Williams vs. PHI (48% rostered), Eno Benjamin vs. KC (7% rostered)Dart-throw flex options: Ameer Abdullah at LAC (7% rostered), Damien Williams vs. NO (1% rostered), Jerick McKinnon at ARI (5% rostered), Travis Homer vs. DEN (1% rostered)Other backups to roster: Tyler Allgeier vs. NO (29% rostered), Dontrell Hilliard vs. NYG (7% rostered), Samaje Perine vs. PIT (7% rostered), Jeff Wilson at CHI (8% rostered), Tyrion Davis-Price at CHI (4% rostered), Zack Moss at LAR (3% rostered), Jaylen Warren at CIN (2% rostered)Injury stashes: Brian Robinson vs. JAX (43% rostered), Gus Edwards at NYJ (15% rostered)Deep stashes: Kyren Williams vs. BUF (1% rostered), Jonathan Williams vs. JAX (0% rostered), DeeJay Dallas vs. DEN (0% rostered), Trey Sermon at DET (3% rostered), Snoop Conner at WAS (0% rostered)Wide receivers Jason Hanna / Getty Images Sport / GettyJahan Dotson, CommandersNext UpRosteredFABvs. JAX21%$4How is Dotson only rostered in 21% of fantasy leagues?He enters his rookie season as the Commanders' No. 2 wideout with first-round draft capital and plenty of buzz from OTAs, training camp, and the preseason. Multiple beat writers have also noted his connection with his new quarterback Wentz.There aren't many late-round fantasy receivers with the potential to break out on their own merit, but Dotson could be an impact player right away.You'll regret it if you let him sit on your waiver wire through Week 1.Romeo Doubs, PackersNext UpRosteredFABat MIN32%$4At this point, Doubs has received enough praise throughout training camp and the preseason that it's surprising to see him only drafted in a third of leagues.Even if the Packers spread the ball around more in the post-Davante Adams era - as head coach Matt LaFleur has suggested will be the case - there's still an opportunity for the rookie to carve out a prominent role.The fourth-rounder has displayed big-play ability and a nose for the end zone every time he's taken the field for Green Bay.With Allen Lazard's status suddenly in doubt due to undisclosed reasons and second-rounder Christian Watson working his way back from injury, Doubs might earn a sizeable target share in Week 1 against the Vikings; if Lazard is out, Doubs' main competition will be past-their-prime veterans Sammy Watkins and Randall Cobb.Consider it a gift if Doubs is still available on your waiver wire.Wan'Dale Robinson, GiantsNext UpRosteredFABat TEN10%$3The Giants' receiver room is completely up in the air.Kadarius Toney is struggling to stay healthy and on the field, Kenny Golladay is turning to dust in front of our eyes, and Sterling Shepard is working his way back from an Achilles tear.It opens the door for Robinson, the second-round rookie, to take on a potentially massive workload in Year 1. In fact, it's not out of the question that the 21-year-old - who was handpicked by New York's new regime - leads the team in targets this season.Robinson was one of the stars of the Giants' offseason program and has yards-after-catch ability that could make life easier for the oft-inconsistent Daniel Jones. In addition to being the starting slot receiver, Robinson could also occasionally serve as a weapon out of the backfield.Either way, he needs to be rostered until we learn the size of his role in an offense that desperately needs him to step up.Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Isaiah Mckenzie, Treylon Burks, and DeVante Parker are close to or above the 50% rostered mark but should be rostered in most leagues.Risky flex options: Garrett Wilson vs. BAL (27% rostered), D.J. Chark vs. PHI (32% rostered), K.J. Osborn vs. GB (11% rostered), Jarvis Landry at ATL (39% rostered), Jakobi Meyers at MIA (40% rostered), Robbie Anderson vs. CLE (11% rostered), Nico Collins vs. IND (31% rostered), Parris Campbell at HOU (5% rostered), Jalen Tolbert vs. TB (22% rostered), Marvin Jones at WAS (8% rostered)Risky flex options (if healthy): Rondale Moore vs. KC (30% rostered)Dart-throw flex options: Zay Jones at WAS (16% rostered), Josh Palmer vs. LV (21% rostered), Alec Pierce at HOU (8% rostered), Skyy Moore at ARI (40% rostered), Curtis Samuel vs. JAX (3% rostered), Mecole Hardman at ARI (30% rostered), Nelson Agholor at MIA (1% rostered), Nick Westbrook-Ikhine vs. NYG (1% rostered), Sammy Watkins at MIN (22% rostered), A.J. Green vs. KC (7% rostered), Noah Brown vs. TB (0% rostered)Other receivers to roster: Christian Watson at MIN (11% rostered), Randall Cobb at MIN (4% rostered), Byron Pringle vs. SF (1% rostered), Devin Duvernay at NYJ (13% rostered), Olamide Zaccheaus vs. NO (0% rostered), Kyle Philips vs. NYG (1% rostered)Injury stashes: Michael Gallup vs. TB (36% rostered), Jameson Williams vs. PHI (21% rostered), Odell Beckham Jr. vs. BUF (12% rostered), Tyquan Thornton at MIA (1% rostered), Sterling Shepard at TEN (1% rostered)Tight ends Mitchell Leff / Getty Images Sport / GettyTyler Conklin, JetsNext UpRosteredFABvs. BAL2%$1If you've been following our offseason content, you should be familiar with Conklin, whom we identified as a deep sleeper before training camp.Since then, it's been one glowing report after another. Head coach Robert Saleh has said Conklin's been "awesome" and "fantastic," while beat writers like The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt have noted that the tight end has become a favorite target of both Zach Wilson and Joe Flacco.Despite the target competition on the Jets' offense, it wouldn't be shocking to see Conklin break out. When Irv Smith Jr. was sidelined last year with the Vikings, Conklin stepped in and posted the 10th-most receptions (61) and 13th-most yards (593) among all tight ends.While you likely don't need an alternative starter at tight end immediately after your draft, Conklin is someone to keep in mind as an early-season pickup or bye-week replacement.Austin Hooper is close to or above the 50% rostered mark but should be rostered in most leagues.Risky streamer options: Gerald Everett vs. LV (23% rostered), Noah Fant vs. DEN (21% rostered), Evan Engram at WAS (25% rostered)Dart-throw streamer options: Hayden Hurst vs. PIT (10% rostered), Cameron Brate at DAL (9% rostered), Brevin Jordan vs. IND (3% rostered), Mo Alie-Cox at HOU (9% rostered), Jonnu Smith at MIA (1% rostered), Isaiah Likely at NYJ (9% rostered)Injury stashes: Robert Tonyan at MIN (24% rostered), Logan Thomas vs. JAX (9% rostered)DefensesWeek 1 streamersTeamNext UpRosteredTitansvs. NYG38%Bengalsvs. PIT38%Eaglesat DET39%Chiefsat ARI43%Dolphinsvs. NE19%Panthersvs. CLE3%Favorable upcoming schedules: Browns DEF (20% rostered), Steelers DEF (30% rostered), Panthers DEF (3% rostered)Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. 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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is locked into his preparations for the 2022 campaign and isn't worrying about ongoing contract negotiations."Lamar has said he's focused on the season, he's under contract, and he's going to have the best season he can have," said head coach John Harbaugh, according to ESPN's Jamison Hensley."He's hopeful to get a new contract and we're hopeful to get him a new contract."The 2019 MVP said last month that he wanted clarity regarding his contract status by Week 1.Jackson does not have an agent so is representing himself during contract talks. The 25-year-old is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie deal, which will pay him $23.016 million.The Ravens could opt to place the franchise tag on the two-time Pro Bowler to prevent him from becoming a free agent.Jackson missed the club's voluntary workouts in the spring for the first time in his career, which led to speculation regarding his status with the franchise. However, Jackson reported on time for training camp and has not missed a practice since.Harbaugh isn't sure where discussions between Jackson and the club stand. "I don't have any updates," he said. "My interactions with Lamar have been all football. He's been focused and locked in on that, 100%, from a football standpoint."The ever-changing landscape of quarterback contracts has made the negotiating process difficult. The Cleveland Browns signed Deshaun Watson to a fully guaranteed $230-million deal that Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti noted as a complicating factor for future discussions with signal-callers.Kyler Murray and Russell Wilson also signed new deals that exceed $165 million guaranteed.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 takes an early look at intriguing players available on the waiver wire heading into Week 1.

Ben Roethlisberger believes the Pittsburgh Steelers should start the season with veteran Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback over rookie Kenny Pickett."I think Mitchell Trubisky is the starter. He should start," Big Ben said in the first episode of "Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger." "He's a veteran, he's been around for a while. He gives you, in my opinion, the best chance to win right now. But I think Kenny has done a great job."You watch (Pickett), from what I've seen in the preseason, you wouldn't be like, 'Oh, man, he's a rookie, he's got some learning curves.' He's going to because when the regular season picks up, it gets faster, but I think he's done a great job. ... I would say this about almost all rookie quarterbacks, it benefits you to sit behind a veteran for a little bit of time."The Steelers have yet to announce a starter to replace Roethlisberger who retired in January after 18 seasons in Pittsburgh. The team signed Trubisky in free agency and drafted Pickett in the first round this year, adding to a quarterback depth chart that also includes Mason Rudolph.Roethlisberger thinks Trubisky will be a good mentor to Pickett."Mitch is a great leader, a great football player, he's a great athlete, he's a good quarterback," he said. "He's the guy, they brought him in here for a reason, and I think he's going to mentor Kenny."The Steelers legend continued: "People are so excited for Kenny, which they should be. I mean, he's a Pitt kid. ... I just hope the fans don't, like, the first time that Mitch doesn't play well, they don't start booing or yank him or do something like that because, listen, it's going to happen."Pittsburgh kicks off its 2022 season on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 11.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said Sunday that quarterback Matthew Stafford will have "no limitations" for Thursday's season opener against the Buffalo Bills, according to team reporter Stu Jackson."He'll be ready to go," McVay said.The 36-year-old coach added he'll have "no hesitation" asking Stafford to throw 50-plus times versus Buffalo.Stafford didn't throw at OTAs after receiving an anti-inflammatory injection in his right elbow earlier in the offseason. Reports later noted that "bad tendinitis" also limited his throwing during training camp.But the 34-year-old passer said he's fully healthy again."I feel good. Ready to go, no hesitations. ... I feel like I can make every throw," he said Sunday, per NFL Network's Kayla Burton.Stafford completed 67.2% of his passes for 4,886 yards and 41 touchdowns against 17 interceptions across 17 regular-season appearances in his first year with the Rams in 2021. He averaged 35 pass attempts per game, including the playoffs.The one-time Pro Bowler helped the Rams win the Super Bowl after joining in a trade from the Detroit Lions.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Super Bowl LVI halftime show was among the big winners at this year's Creative Arts Emmys.The performance, which featured Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, and Mary J. Blige, took home the Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special on Saturday. It marks the first time the Super Bowl halftime show has won an Emmy in this category, according to Deadline's Lynette Rice."It's amazing. This is the first time this show has ever won this award, and it's so incredible to be a part of this moment," executive producer Jesse Collins said while accepting the honor. "It took an incredible team to pull this together, and I thank you all."The Super Bowl LVI halftime show was also awarded Emmys for Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special and Outstanding Music Direction.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Let's get an important caveat out of the way: These numbers have been picked over for longer and more aggressively than any other season-long NFL betting market. Sharp bettors, and those that consider themselves such, will tell you that because of the liquidity here, there's no longer value to any bet.While that may be true, in the context of competition for the best prices and closing-line value, it's still worth looking at what teams might exceed, or fall short of, their preseason expectations.NFL win-total oddsTEAMTOTALOVER/UNDERCardinals8.5-115/-115Falcons4.5-120/-110Ravens10.5-105/-125Bills11.5-140/+110Panthers6.5+100/-130Bears6.5+140/-180Bengals9.5-135/+105Browns8-120/-110Cowboys10-120/-110Broncos10-105/-125Lions6.5-130/+100Packers11-125/-105Texans4.5-115/-115Colts10-105/-125Jaguars6.5-110/-120Chiefs10.5-135/+105Raiders8.5-125/-105Chargers10-150/+120Rams10.5-110/-120Dolphins8.5-150/+120Vikings9-130/+100Patriots8.5-125/-105Saints8.5-115/-115Giants7-125/-105Jets6+110/-140Eagles9.5-140/+110Steelers7.5-105/-12549ers9.5-150/+120Seahawks5.5-150/+120Buccaneers11.5+120/-150Titans9+100/-130Commanders8-105/-125The parity that the NFL hopes for is evident from the top teams needing just 12 wins to go over their total, while the worst teams are still expected to win four-to-five games.Best betsBills under 11.5 wins (+110)If you want to get nuts fading the Bills, I like the alternative total of under 10.5 (+200). Buffalo could be awesome this year, but if last year's soft schedule actually created misleading metrics, then the Bills could have some issues against a much better slate of opposing offenses. A 10-7 record could keep the Bills in the playoff picture but would cash a 2-1 ticket on the alternative under.Bengals over 9.5 wins (-135)Although many want to treat the Bengals' breakout season last year as a fluke, Cincinnati went out of its way to fix its main issues this offseason, particularly the offensive line. We've got a ticket on Joe Burrow to lead the league in passing yards, and there's enough room between a 10-win season and what it might take to win the AFC North that I'd rather back the Bengals here than in the divisional markets.Cowboys under 10 wins (-110)Several things spell trouble on both sides of the ball for the Cowboys, including defensive turnover regression that'll directly impact their overall scoring, an expected drop in offensive efficiency without Amari Cooper, departed interior linemen, and left tackle Tyron Smith's injury. They're also spending too much money on their starting running back and not enough intellectual effort on their coaching hires. The other three teams in the NFC East have varying degrees of hope, which should amount to fewer wins for Dallas before even looking outside the division.Texans over 4.5 wins (-115)It's taken me two months to come to terms with it, but I like the Texans this year. I believe offensive line play is the key to success in pro football, and Houston's rebuilt unit will run-block for Dameon Pierce and pass-protect for Davis Mills. Maybe the defense isn't ready for a leap, but I'm here for a five-win season with even more point-spread covers as an underdog in a losing cause.Vikings over 9 wins (-130)Include me in the long line of bettors who have talked themselves into the Kevin O'Connell era. Kirk Cousins and the offense won't need their usual list of excuses, and the defense will improve. A Week 1 win over the Packers will go a long way to settle this bet on our side.Saints over 8.5 wins (-115)New Orleans trading C.J. Gardner-Johnson aligns with our assertion that the Saints are sneaky deep on defense. I may be the last man on Earth who believes in Jameis Winston, but all I'm asking for is a 9-8 season from a veteran team that could be good on both sides of the ball.Seahawks under 5.5 wins (+130)A plus-money price to fade Pete Carroll and the slow dissolution of the Seahawks? Sure!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 Tennessee Titans placed Harold Landry on injured reserve after the pass-rusher suffered a knee injury in Wednesday's practice, the team announced Friday.The knee injury is reportedly a torn ACL, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Landry is coming off his first Pro Bowl season after he recorded a career-high 12 sacks in 2021. The Titans rewarded the linebacker with a five-year, $87.5-million contract this offseason.Drafted in the second round in 2018, Landry had been an ironman over his first four seasons. The Boston College product has played in 64 of 65 games for the Titans since entering the league.Landry became a full-time starter in 2019, registering nine sacks over 16 appearances. He's tallied 31 sacks and 41 tackles for a loss over his career.Tennessee's depth options behind Landry include Ola Adeniyi and 2021 fourth-round pick Rashad Weaver. Roaming on the other side will be veteran Bud Dupree, who generated three sacks over 11 games last season.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We haven't looked at the best bets to win the NFL MVP since we wondered if there was any value on the oddsboard back on Feb. 16. It turns out, we picked out a trio of quarterbacks whose odds have tightened over the course of the offseason.In futures betting, that's one of the main goals - buy something now before the price becomes less attractive later on. With Justin Herbert, Russell Wilson, and Lamar Jackson already in pocket at better prices than below, is there anyone else who could see their number shorten in short order?MVP oddsPLAYER ODDSJosh Allen+650Justin Herbert+900Patrick Mahomes+900Aaron Rodgers+1000Tom Brady+1200Joe Burrow+1400Russell Wilson+1500Lamar Jackson+1600Matthew Stafford+1600Dak Prescott+2000Derek Carr+3000Jalen Hurts+3000Kyler Murray+3000Trey Lance+3000Jonathan Taylor+4000Kirk Cousins+4000Matt Ryan+5000Odds available on theScore Bet, players not listed above available at 60-1 or longerWith our post-Super Bowl MVP picks taking up more of the implied win probability in the market, several top options have seen their odds lengthen, including the favorite - Josh Allen. This is important because there's rarely a surprise MVP. Jackson's and Mahomes' first seasons as a starter were something of an exception, while Matt Ryan's 2016 is the biggest recent shocker as he was longer than 100-1 before the campaign.A quarterback has won nine straight NFL MVP awards and 13 of the last 14. Adrian Peterson's exceptional 2012 season on a mediocre team notwithstanding, we can't back a non-quarterback in this market, especially after seeing how far Cooper Kupp was from winning the award despite a near-historic campaign as a receiver. We also can't bet on a player from a team that's just OK.That said, the offseason betting love for Jalen Hurts and Trey Lance is a bridge too far, particularly at their current prices. With the amount of time the betting community spends staring at the oddsboard without actual games being played, boredom can set in and a desire to make a splash can take over. Lance and Hurts would need to replicate Jackson's 2019 season, but neither is good enough to do it.Best betPatrick Mahomes (+900)The bar for Mahomes to jump in order to get MVP consideration got really high for a while there, didn't it?Mahomes had almost 5,000 yards and nearly 40 touchdowns in each of the last two seasons on a team that won its division and hosted the AFC Championship Game in both campaigns. He had two total votes for MVP.Does this mean the voters hate Mahomes? Of course not. It just means that a quarterback or two had moderately better seasons, and Mahomes' 2018 campaign of 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns became his expectation.There's a perception that Mahomes' chances of having a big season have been hurt by Tyreek Hill's move to the Dolphins. While this may be true, Mahomes' campaign will seem much more impressive if his production is even slightly better than his average.Meanwhile, Kansas City's odds to win the AFC West are the longest they've been since Mahomes took over. Therefore, if the team does win it, the "usual" Chiefs season will also be perceived differently.Mahomes has a season-long passing yards total of 4,650.5, and a passing touchdown total of over 34.5. He'll need to blow by both totals, particularly the latter. But if he does, he'll do it by throwing to Travis Kelce and an unspectacular wide receiving corps of JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Mecole Hardman, as well as a pair of rookies.Lastly, the Chiefs' schedule isn't easy to start the season with matchups against at least six teams with legitimate playoff hopes, but a winning record in those games will see Mahomes' odds shorten. At that point, you'll wish you had a +900 ticket to go along with our earlier trio.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.

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, Deepak Chona of Sports Med Analytics joins Boone to discuss the latest injury updates heading into the regular season.

The Denver Broncos and Russell Wilson have agreed to a five-year extension that'll keep him under contract through the 2028 season, the team announced Thursday.The five-year pact is worth $245 million and includes $165 million guaranteed, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.With an average annual value of $49 million, Wilson now only trails Aaron Rodgers for the league's highest-paid quarterback, according to Field Yates of ESPN.Denver acquired the nine-time Pro Bowler this offseason from the Seattle Seahawks. Those two teams will square off in the season-opening Monday Night Football game Sept. 12.In July, Wilson said he hoped to be Denver's quarterback "for a long, long time." Broncos general manager George Paton previously said extending Wilson was a "top priority."Wilson has only missed three career games, although those came last year after he suffered a finger injury in Week 5.However, the 11-year pro finished last season strong, throwing for 655 yards and nine touchdowns in his final three contests.Wilson is currently 16th on the all-time quarterback wins list. He trails Terry Bradshaw by three victories and is 13 behind Joe Montana and Eli Manning.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jimmy Garoppolo's shocking return to the San Francisco 49ers this season means Trey Lance will have one of the NFL's most reliable backup quarterbacks behind him as he kicks off his first season as the Niners' starter.Lance is excited to have Garoppolo back, though."He's been a big brother to me since my first day in the league (and) since I got drafted," Lance said Thursday, according to Tracy Sandler of Fangirl Sports Network. "I know he's got my back. I got his back. And I'm excited to go through this year with him."He added: "(Garoppolo is) gonna add a lot to our QB room, and that's the goal for us, to have the best QB room in the league, and we're pretty damn close if we're not there. I'm super excited just to have him in the room. I got to watch him do it last year, got to learn a ton from him, and I'm going to continue to learn as much as I can from him."The 49ers named Lance their starter in the offseason and were expected to part ways with Garoppolo, who posted a 31-14 regular-season record with the team over the last five years. However, Garoppolo's shoulder surgery delayed a potential trade and helped the veteran stay with the 49ers on a restructured one-year contract.Garoppolo, who also guided San Francisco to at least the NFC title game in two of the last three seasons, said he's fine with being the No. 2 guy moving forward."If that's gonna take a blow to your ego, you gotta check your ego a little bit. You gotta know who you are in this league," Garoppolo said Thursday, according to 95.7 The Game."I know a lot of stuff gets made in the media and shit like that. But (Lance and I) have a good relationship," Garoppolo said. "Everyone can say what they want, everything, but we went through it last year."Lance, the third overall pick in the 2021 draft, started only two games as a rookie in place of an injured Garoppolo. He completed 59.62% of his passes for 441 yards and two touchdowns against two interceptions in those contests.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles claimed former San Francisco 49ers running back Trey Sermon off waivers Thursday, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Sermon was released by the 49ers on Wednesday after just one season.The Eagles and 49ers discussed a trade for the running back last week prior to his release, Schefter adds.Sermon appeared in nine games as a rookie and started two of them. The 23-year-old rushed for 167 yards, with 89 yards coming in a Week 4 start against the Seattle Seahawks. His role decreased down the stretch as Elijah Mitchell and Jeff Wilson took more prominent roles.The Eagles backfield was without Miles Sanders for most of training camp due to a hamstring injury. Sanders returned to practice Thursday.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.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.In an effort to help you find trades that could improve your fantasy team, we present the Dynasty Trade Value Chart.You can use this chart to compare players and build realistic trade offers. Values are based on 12-team PPR leagues.Follow the links below to see the trade values for each position.Dynasty Rankings & Trade Values

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel was full of praise for Tua Tagovailoa after the quarterback was named one of the team's captains for the first time in his career.The Dolphins allowed their players to vote on their team captains using a point system, with Tagovailoa being the "resounding highest point winner," according to McDaniel."It speaks volumes to where he is with the team and their belief in him," McDaniel said Thursday to reporters, including NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe.The 24-year-old is entering a pivotal third year with the Dolphins. A top-five pick in 2020, Tagovailoa's play has been shaky since entering the league. He threw 16 touchdowns to 10 interceptions in 2021 but averaged only 6.8 yards per attempt.Tagovailoa has earned praise this offseason from his teammates, most notably new wide receiver Tyreek Hill. The former Kansas City Chiefs star previously said the quarterback "has one of the prettiest balls I've ever caught."Miami's six other captains are Hill, Terron Armstead, Xavien Howard, Jevon Holland, Elandon Roberts, and Christian Wilkins.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jonathan Taylor's 1811-yard season last year was impressive in its volume and a perfect example of how the rushing title betting market can work. Taylor combined 332 carries with an outstanding average of 5.5 yards per carry. Five running backs had between 240 and 307 carries, but none averaged better than 4.7 yards per touch, so the Colts' workhorse literally ran away with the rushing title. Taylor's mix of opportunity and per-play success, along with his age, make him the favorite to win it again this season.Odds to lead NFL in rushing yardsPLAYERODDSJonathan Taylor+450Derrick Henry+600Dalvin Cook+1000Nick Chubb+1000Najee Harris+1200Joe Mixon+1600Christian McCaffrey+2000Damien Harris+2000Javonte Williams+2000Antonio Gibson+3000Austin Ekeler+3000Cam Akers+3000Elijah Mitchell+3000Ezekiel Elliott+3000J.K. Dobbins+3000Rashaad Penny+3000Odds available on theScore Bet, players not listed above available at 40-1 or longerTo find value away from Taylor, who won't be leaned on in the same way he was last year due to the Colts' upgrade at quarterback, we'll look for players who are poised to get an increase in volume since opportunity is easier to create than quality of rush.Best betsDerrick Henry (+600)It helped backers of Taylor (+1000 before last season) that the favorite missed more than half of the 2021 season. The Titans' massive weapon was coming off the third-best yards-per-carry season this century and was averaging the 19th-most yards per game before he got hurt last year. The injury was understandable given the volume of carries Henry had in becoming the first tailback to win back-to-back rushing titles since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006-07.Henry returned rusty in the playoffs, but he should be set for this season. Even if Malik Willis replaces Ryan Tannehill at some point, it might actually help Henry, given Willis' threat as a runner. Henry averaged just 4.3 yards per carry last season, but he was over five yards per rush in the previous two seasons.Elijah Mitchell (+3000)After years of confusion in the 49ers' backfield, Mitchell appears to be getting his chance as the primary ball carrier in a potentially explosive run-first offense. Whether you rely on the eye test from watching the 49ers' complex scheme, or you dig into all the metrics that love Mitchell, you know he combines the speed (39 runs at 15-plus mph) and the elusiveness (4.1 yards per carry after contact) to gain more yards than he's supposed to on a given snap.Mitchell had 207 carries over 11 games last season, so a 300-carry full season isn't out of the question. If he can approach that, Mitchell can crack 1500 yards and be in play for a rushing title at a number that has been good enough to win in three of the last six seasons.Miles Sanders (+5000)If half the equation is per-carry success, Sanders has progressively averaged 4.6, 5.3, and 5.5 yards over his three seasons. The other half of the formula is the issue, but the Eagles' backfield is less crowded than in years past, so Sanders could receive more touches. The Penn State star had the second-most yards per carry before contact last season in the Eagles' top-ranked run scheme. He'll need more yards after contact to go with the opportunity, but he's one of the most explosive running backs in the NFL.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.

Since the days of Jerry Rice, just three receivers have surpassed the legendary wideout's single-season yards-per-game average from his epic 1995 campaign: Josh Gordon, Calvin Johnson, and Julio Jones. Cooper Kupp's 114.5 yards per contest almost made him the fourth, though his 1,947 total receiving yards cleared the next most prolific pass-catcher by 331.Yet Kupp wasn't a popular pick to lead the league in receiving yards last season. He entered the campaign with 66-1 odds due to his stature and the fact that he'd never previously topped 72 yards per game. So, as we look at the oddsboard, there are two questions to ask:

The Washington Commanders placed running back Brian Robinson Jr. on the non-football injury list on Thursday.Robinson, 23, was shot twice as the victim of an attempted robbery or carjacking last Sunday. He'll miss the first four weeks of the regular season and is eligible to return in Week 5.The rookie tailback returned to the team facility earlier this week on crutches.Robinson was expected to be featured in the Commanders' halfback rotation alongside Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic."He is tremendously blessed and fortunate to be where he is," general manager Martin Mayhew said Wednesday, per Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press."Initially, when you hear something like that, you worry about the guy living, and then you worry about his health long term, and then you worry about his ability to play football. And so for him to come through that situation the way that he did is a tremendous blessing."The Alabama product was selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Robinson rushed for 1,343 yards and 14 touchdowns in his final collegiate season.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Disgruntled New York Jets wide receiver Denzel Mims again voiced his frustration with the team Wednesday, saying he deserves a significantly bigger role this season."I feel like I already pretty much (proved it), from OTAs until now. They're pretty set on who they want," said Mims, who requested a trade last week, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini.He added: "I feel like (the coaches) have made their mind up, honestly. But I feel like I can change their mind on that. I feel like I've been doing that. Their minds are pretty made up, though."Multiple teams called the Jets about trading for Mims, including the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, and Carolina Panthers, reports SNY's Connor Hughes.New York reportedly wanted at least a fourth-round pick in exchange for the wideout, who the Jets drafted in the second round in 2020.Mims said he'll likely be a healthy scratch in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens, per Cimini."Of course, I'm going to be frustrated that I'm not playing with the starters, but I've got to continue to work," he added.Mims, 24, caught only eight passes for 133 yards in 11 appearances last season. The Baylor product has racked up just 31 receptions for 490 yards with no touchdowns since entering the NFL.Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, and first-round rookie Garrett Wilson headline New York's wide receiver depth chart. The Jets also roster wideouts Braxton Berrios and Jeff Smith after finalizing their 53-man roster Tuesday.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, Matthew Freedman of FantasyPros joins Boone to discuss the latest news and the players whose stock has risen or fallen most during the preseason.

There are few surprises in the passing yardage market, as it's largely understood who can throw roughly 5,000 yards in a season. Traditionally, we try to pinpoint a quarterback who isn't expected to have comfortable fourth quarters frequently and is ideally on the upward trajectory for his career - like Deshaun Watson in 2020. But then Tom Brady led the league in passing yardage last year. Was that an outlier? Oddsmakers seem unsure.Odds to lead NFL in passing yardsPLAYER ODDSJustin Herbert+650Tom Brady+750Patrick Mahomes+900Matthew Stafford+1000Derek Carr+1200Joe Burrow+1200Josh Allen+1200Dak Prescott+1400Aaron Rodgers+1600Kirk Cousins+1800Russell Wilson+2000Matt Ryan+2500Deshaun Watson+3000Jameis Winston+3000Kyler Murray+3000Mac Jones+3000Trevor Lawrence+3000Tua Tagovailoa+3000Odds available on theScore Bet, players not listed above available at 40-1 or longerJustin Herbert, last year's runner-up, edges Brady as the favorite. The thinking is the Chargers will need offensive urgency for a full 60 minutes in most games, and the progression of Herbert's career arc will bump him over 300 yards per contest. That all makes sense, but too much can go wrong to bet at +650. Instead, we'll take a shot with a trio of quarterbacks who fit logically as candidates for a career year.Best betsJoe Burrow (+1200)The first pick in the same draft as Herbert, Burrow was right behind Los Angeles' quarterback in passing yards per game in 2021. However, Burrow didn't participate in a 17th contest last season, with the Bengals surprisingly wrapping up the AFC North. His electric season came off the heels of reconstructive knee surgery, and the Bengals still employed a sketchy offensive line in his sophomore campaign. Ja'Marr Chase was also in his rookie season.Burrow should be even better this year, considering he'll have an offseason unburdened by rehab, a rebuilt line, and numerous receivers to target. Cincinnati will be challenged to win the division but is capable of competing for the AFC's top seed.Derek Carr (+1200)Carr made the leap last year, going from around 4,000-yard seasons to recording 4,804 yards in 2021. And that was before the Raiders acquired Davante Adams and hired Josh McDaniels as head coach to give the offense some stability. Getting that help while sitting with the longest odds for the division is a perfect recipe for Carr's volume. The prospect of having Darren Waller for more than the 11 games he played last year will help too.Carr's cracked 30 touchdowns just once in a campaign, but he's now got the best goal-line receiver in the NFL - one who helped Rodgers to a league-leading 48 TDs in 2020 - and the guy who called the plays over more than a few big Brady touchdown seasons. At +1800, there's some value that the Raiders scrap much of their run game in goal-to-go situations, and Carr obliterates his career-high 32 passing touchdowns.Jameis Winston (+3000)We've mentioned that Brady cashed tickets in this market last year, and Watson did so the season before. But who led the league in passing yardage in 2019?Yep, Jameis Winston.Winston had 5,109 yards in his last full (16-game) campaign. That may have more to do with being in a Bruce Arians offense that Brady took advantage of last year, but at least we know Winston has it in him. That's more than we can say for those around him on the oddsboard.He sat behind Drew Brees in 2020 and was starting to find some form in New Orleans before getting hurt last year. If he has access to targets like Michael Thomas, Chris Olave, and Jarvis Landry, along with the easy yardage that throws to Alvin Kamara can create, maybe Winston is the long shot who can lead the NFL in passing yards.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 San Francisco 49ers are waiving running back Trey Sermon, the team announced Wednesday.San Francisco is creating a roster spot for former Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Blake Hance, who was claimed on waivers Wednesday.The 49ers selected Sermon in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He didn't earn much playing time in a Niners tailback group that featured Elijah Mitchell and Jeff Wilson.Sermon appeared in nine games and started two of them. He recorded 41 carries for 167 yards to go along with one touchdown in his rookie campaign. He also added three receptions for 26 yards.The 49ers could add Sermon to their practice roster if he clears waivers.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Veteran offensive tackle Jason Peters is scheduled to visit with the Dallas Cowboys, sources told ESPN's Todd Archer.The Cowboys have been looking for a new starting left tackle since losing Tyron Smith to a knee injury. Smith is reportedly expected to be out until at least December after sustaining an avulsion fracture in his knee at practice last week.Peters, 40, started 15 games with the Chicago Bears last season, allowing 28 pressures in 517 pass-block snaps played, according to PFF.The six-time All-Pro played on the Philadelphia Eagles from 2009-20. Peters made 148 starts in Philly and earned a Pro Bowl berth in each of his first seven seasons with the team. He was also part of the Eagles' Super Bowl run in 2017, though he appeared in only seven games that year due to a torn ACL.Peters spent his first five seasons in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills after going undrafted in 2004.If the Cowboys don't sign Peters, first-round rookie Tyler Smith is expected to start the season at left tackle. He had snaps at guard during preseason and played at the position for Tulsa.Dallas' depth chart also features second-year lineman Josh Ball and fifth-round rookie Matt Waletzko.The Cowboys open their season at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 11.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles are trading wide receiver Jalen Reagor to the Minnesota Vikings, the Vikings announced Wednesday.Minnesota will acquire the third-year wideout in exchange for a 2023 seventh-round pick and a conditional 2024 selection; the conditional pick could be a fourth- or fifth-rounder depending on statistical achievements.Reagor, 23, has struggled to find a role in the Eagles' offense since they selected him 21st overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.The TCU product recorded 31 receptions for 396 yards and one touchdown during his rookie campaign. He followed that with 33 receptions for 299 yards and two scores last season.Reagor found himself buried behind A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Zach Pascal, and Quez Watkins on Philadelphia's receiver depth chart.Reagor will become teammates with two-time Pro Bowler Justin Jefferson two years after being drafted one spot ahead of him. Reagor, who could provide value in the return game, joins a Vikings receiving group that also features Adam Thielen and K.J. Osborn.Minnesota waived Ihmir Smith-Marsette after adding Reagor.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Chargers are signing veteran running back Sony Michel, the team announced Wednesday.Michel, who reportedly visited the Chargers on Wednesday, lands in Los Angeles after a short stay with the Miami Dolphins. Miami signed the former first-round running back in May but cut him earlier this week.The 27-year-old made seven starts for the Los Angeles Rams last season and rushed for 845 yards on 208 carries. He spent the first three years of his career with the New England Patriots where he tallied two seasons with 900-plus yards on the ground.Michel will slot in a Chargers running back group that's fronted by Austin Ekeler. Los Angeles also used a fourth-round pick on rookie rusher Isaiah Spiller, who was nursing an ankle injury before returning to practice Tuesday. Third-year pro Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree III round out the team's backfield.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Bears claimed former Las Vegas Raiders offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood off waivers, according to ESPN's Field Yates.The Raiders parted ways with Leatherwood on Tuesday after reportedly failing to find a trade partner. The 17th overall pick in the 2021 draft failed to impress as a rookie guard and struggled massively at right tackle - his natural position - during the 2022 preseason.Chicago will take on the remaining three years and fully guaranteed $5.9 million of Leatherwood's contract, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The Bears also gain the right to the lineman's fifth-year option.Riley Reiff is tabbed as Chicago's starting right tackle while Teven Jenkins appears to be penciled in as the starting right guard. Jenkins was the subject of trade rumors earlier this offseason.The Bears' offensive line allowed 58 sacks last season, with Justin Fields on the receiving end of 36 of them.In addition to Leatherwood, the Bears also claimed defensive tackle Armon Watts, defensive back Josh Blackwell, defensive end Kingsley Jonathan, linebacker Sterling Weatherford, and tight end Trevon Wesco off waivers. Chicago's six claims were the most of any team, per Yates.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.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 2022 rankings.Half PPR

Former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden publicly addressed the controversy that cost him his job last October for the first time Tuesday."I'm ashamed about what has come about in these emails, and I'll make no excuses for it," Gruden said, according to ESPN's Paul Gutierrez. "It's shameful. But I am a good person. I believe that. I go to church. I've been married for 31 years. I've got three great boys. I still love football. I've made some mistakes, but I don't think anybody in here hasn't. And I just ask for forgiveness, and hopefully, I get another shot."Gruden resigned as coach of the Raiders on Oct. 11 after the NFL found emails he sent containing racist, homophobic, and misogynistic language. He sent the emails while working for ESPN as a football analyst from 2009-17. The league discovered the messages during its investigation into the Washington Commanders' workplace culture.The 59-year-old has since sued the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell for allegedly leaking his emails with the intention to destroy his career."I get choked up, you know, because there's a lot of misunderstanding out there right now - what you read, what you hear, what you watch on TV," said Gruden."Hell, I worked at ESPN for nine years. I worked hard at that job. I don't even want to watch the channel anymore because I don't believe everything is true. And I know a lot of it is just trying to get people to watch. But I think we've got to get back to reality."Gruden posted a 60-57 record across two stints with the Raiders (1998 to 2001, 2018-21). His second stint was on a reported 10-year, $100-million contract. He also coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2002-08, helping them win Super Bowl XXXVII.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins released wide receiver Preston Williams on Tuesday.Williams has been on the trade block for the last few weeks, but the Dolphins were unable to find a destination for the fourth-year wideout, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Williams will now go through the waiver process.Miami's receiving corps has shifted multiple times over the last two seasons. The Dolphins drafted Jaylen Waddle sixth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft and traded for star wide receiver Tyreek Hill this offseason.The team signed Williams as an undrafted free agent in May 2019, and he had 428 receiving yards in his rookie season before tearing his ACL in November. Williams only has 359 receiving yards over the last two campaigns combined.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Las Vegas Raiders waived 2021 first-round offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood on Tuesday.The Raiders tried to trade Leatherwood, who was a surprising selection at No. 17 overall, around the entire league but received no offers, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Las Vegas will take dead-money hits of $7.86 million in 2022 and $3.91 million in 2023 by releasing Leatherwood post-June 1, according to Spotrac.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Opportunity is everything in fantasy football. If a player can't get on the field, they won't have a chance to produce on your roster.The following depth charts are designed to give fantasy owners insight into the players who are projected for starting roles, as well as the backups who are next in line in case of injury or ineffectiveness.These depth charts reflect a combination of current rosters and projected fantasy value.Fantasy Depth Charts

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was as surprised as anyone by quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's return to the team this year but believes the move is good for both sides."To me, it seems like everyone was just waiting for us to cut him so they could see how much they could get him for," Shanahan said, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "But once the last Saturday preseason game happened and no one got injured, then Jimmy thought this was his best situation that he liked. And that's why we were so pumped, because it's obviously a better situation for the Niners."The coach said keeping Garoppolo was a "no-brainer" if the quarterback was willing to stay in a backup role to Trey Lance and reduce his salary-cap number."We just didn't think the chances of that were gonna happen," Shanahan said. "And it ended up being that way. And so, when it was all said and done, even though it was pretty shocking to us, we thought it was a win-win for both sides."The 49ers have turned to Lance under center and tried to part ways with Garoppolo in the offseason. The veteran signal-caller was expected to be traded earlier in the year, but shoulder surgery left him in limbo amid several blockbuster moves involving other starting quarterbacks across the league.Garoppolo, whose previous contract would've been a $26.95-million hit against the 49ers' 2022 salary cap, agreed Monday to return to San Francisco on a one-year deal reportedly worth $6.5 million in base salary. The contract includes no-trade and no-tag clauses and contains performance incentives that could lift his salary to nearly $16 million."The first week of training camp, (I told) Jimmy like, 'Hey, if you don't like any of these opportunities … we would love to have you here as a backup in that deal. I want you to know that we feel that way, but I also think there's no way you're not gonna get something as this goes throughout training camp,'" Shanahan said.Garoppolo owns a 31-14 regular-season record since joining the 49ers in 2017. San Francisco drafted Lance third overall in 2021.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Bills will be without their top cornerback to start the 2022 season.The Bills announced Tuesday that they placed Tre'Davious White on the physically unable to perform list, which means he'll miss at least the first four games of the campaign.White, who suffered a torn ACL last November, will be eligible to return in Week 5 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.The 27-year-old amassed 41 tackles, six pass breakups, and one interception through 11 appearances in 2021 while allowing a 60.8 passer rating when targeted.White earned Pro Bowl berths in 2019 and 2020. The LSU product was also a first-team All-Pro in 2019 after leading the NFL with six interceptions that year.With White sidelined, first-round rookie Kaiir Elam, Taron Johnson, and Dane Jackson headline the Bills' cornerback depth chart.Buffalo kicks off the 2022 regular season on the road against the reigning Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 8.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Las Vegas Raiders are trading cornerback Trayvon Mullen to the Arizona Cardinals, his agent Kevin Conner told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The Cardinals are sending a 2023 conditional seventh-round pick back to the Raiders that could become a sixth-round selection if Mullen is active for 10 games, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reports.The AFC West club took Mullen in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He started 10 games and appeared in all 16 in his rookie year. The six-foot-two, 200-pound defensive back recorded 64 tackles, 14 passes defended, and two interceptions while starting all 16 contests in 2020.Multiple injuries limited Mullens to just five games last campaign, causing him to miss portions of offseason activities as well as training camp.The Clemson product is entering the final year of his rookie contract and could become a free agent after the season.Arizona bolsters a secondary that currently features Antonio Hamilton, Marco Wilson, and Byron Murphy.Meanwhile, the Raiders have been active in shuffling their roster ahead of Tuesday's roster deadline, placing 2021 first-round pick Alex Leatherwood on waivers.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Orleans Saints have traded defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Eagles announced Tuesday.New Orleans will receive the Eagles' 2023 fifth-round pick and the lower of Philadelphia's two 2024 sixth-rounders in exchange for Gardner-Johnson and a 2025 seventh-round selection.The Saints opted to move Gardner-Johnson after extension talks broke down, sources told Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The 24-year-old is entering a contract season."I want to say: That was not an easy decision ... We wouldn't have done that if we didn't feel extremely confident in the group we that we have," Saints head coach Dennis Allen said.Gardner-Johnson is expected to be a full-time safety with the Eagles after New Orleans used him in a versatile role.Selected by the Saints in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Gardner-Johnson spent the first three seasons of his career with New Orleans. He started 31 games (with 12 further appearances), producing 161 total tackles, three interceptions, and 28 pass defenses.The Eagles made room for Gardner-Johnson in their secondary by releasing Anthony Harris, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Harris, 30, started 14 games last year in his lone season with the NFC East club.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Last year's NFL Coach of the Year situation was an outlier. As strange as it sounds, Mike Vrabel needed an injury to his most important player to win the award. Derrick Henry missed much of the season, but the Titans kept winning, and Vrabel got the credit not just for keeping things from falling apart, but for leading Tennessee to the top seed in the AFC.While that circumstance was impossible to predict before the season, it does illuminate the core question for handicapping this market: Who gets the credit for a surprisingly good campaign?The Titans' 12-win season in 2021 would have been surprising even with a healthy Henry, but at least it would have been easier to explain. The Coach of the Year award often goes to the head coach whose team surpasses its win total by a significant margin without one player serving as the obvious root of that success.Coach of the Year oddsCOACH ODDSBrandon Staley+1200Brian Daboll+1400Dan Campbell+1500Kevin O'Connell+1500Kyle Shanahan+1500Nathaniel Hackett+1500Doug Pederson+1600Frank Reich+1600Josh McDaniels+1800Mike McDaniel+1800Nick Sirianni+1800John Harbaugh+2000Kevin Stefanski+2000Mike Vrabel+2000Sean McVay+2000Andy Reid+2500Bill Belichick+2500Dennis Allen+2500Matt Lafleur+2500Sean McDermott+2500Kliff Kingsbury+3000Mike Tomlin+3000Robert Saleh+3000Ron Rivera+3000Todd Bowles+3000Zac Taylor+3000Matt Eberflus+4000Mike McCarthy+4000Arthur Smith+5000Lovie Smith+5000Matt Rhule+5000Pete Carroll+5000While I'm a proponent of Staley's - or any coach who makes in-game decisions based on things other than gut feelings or existing precedent - it's probably a year too late for his candidacy. With the Chargers facing high expectations for the season and Justin Herbert poised to take much of the credit for any success, Staley shouldn't be favored here.Of course, to bet on a coach in this market, one has to believe in that coach's team. Brian Daboll would get all the credit for a high-end Giants season, which is why he's the second choice here. But I don't have enough faith in New York to play him at relatively short odds, especially when there are more tantalizing options.Best betsKevin O'Connell (+1500)Most alert NFL viewers would assign a significant amount of blame to Mike Zimmer for the Minnesota Vikings' lack of recent success. So if the team replaces him and then has a big season, significantly surpassing its win total of nine with minimal personnel changes elsewhere, shouldn't the replacement get the credit?Kevin O'Connell is near the top of the board because the answer to that question is, "Yeah, probably." Unlike the Giants or other teams with coaches in O'Connell's odds echelon, I believe in the Vikings this season. O'Connell will go down swinging with Kirk Cousins running a forward-thinking offense alongside a defense that should be much improved, making this market one of the best ways to play Minnesota success.Bill Belichick (+2500)Maybe you've heard of him. Always a threat for this award, the head coaching GOAT has positioned himself particularly well heading into this season, publicly taking responsibility for a potentially revamped offensive scheme away from Matt Patricia and Joe Judge. There's been something of a defensive talent exodus from New England, complicating Belichick's quest to do what he always does: make the Patriots far more competitive than they're expected to be.Mike Tomlin (+3000)Everyone loves Mike Tomlin, so why wouldn't voters? Ben Roethlisberger's exit means the credit for any Steelers success will go straight to the head coach. As far as believing in Pittsburgh - especially with either Mitch Trubisky or rookie Kenny Pickett under center - that's where the long odds come in. But it's easier to trust Tomlin to make something out of nothing than it is most other coaches.Matt Rhule (+5000)We can't ignore a coach at the bottom of the oddsboard who has a legitimate chance at winning. The Panthers were our choice as the long shot to make the playoffs this season, but we'd understand if you eschewed that bet for taking a shot on Rhule instead. The only issue: A playoff berth for Carolina would likely require a high-credit, Offensive Player of the Year-caliber season from Christian McCaffrey and a Comeback Player of the Year-caliber season from Baker Mayfield. A potential nine-win team can only garner so many awards, but at 50-1, this one isn't out of the question.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 Pittsburgh Steelers have no intention of trading away quarterback Mason Rudolph despite receiving recent trade interest from multiple teams, a source told The Athletic's Mark Kaboly.Ahead of Tuesday's deadline for teams to finalize their 53-man rosters, Pittsburgh would only consider trading the 27-year-old if it received a very strong offer.Rudolph seems to be behind both Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett in the battle to replace Ben Roethlisberger as the team's starting signal-caller.Both Trubisky and Pickett impressed over three preseason contests.Rudolph is set to enter his fifth season in Pittsburgh. He racked up a 5-4-1 record in 10 career starts. The Oklahoma State product played extensively during the 2019 season, starting eight contests and passing for 1,765 yards and 13 touchdowns.The 2018 third-round pick is set to earn $3 million in base salary and can become a free agent at the end of the 2022 season.Head coach Mike Tomlin hasn't named a starter ahead of the Steelers' season opener."We'll go through our normal procedure this time of year, and we'll disclose it to you at our leisure," he said following the team's final preseason game Sunday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jacksonville Jaguars traded wide receiver Laviska Shenault to the Carolina Panthers on Monday.The Jaguars will receive a 2023 seventh-round draft pick and a 2024 sixth-round selection, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.Shenault, 23, spent his first two seasons with Jacksonville after being selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. The Colorado product recorded 121 receptions and back-to-back 600-yard campaigns.The Panthers have been active in their search to add depth to their receiving corps. Carolina was reportedly in contact with the New York Jets about Denzel Mims' availability following his trade request.The team instead opted to acquire Shenault to bolster a Panthers wideout group that features DJ Moore, Robbie Anderson, and Rashard Higgins.Carolina also traded offensive lineman Dennis Daley and its 2024 seventh-round pick to the Tennessee Titans for a 2024 fifth-round selection.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.