by Justin Boone on (#61MMT)
Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, and Anchor.In this episode, Boone goes over the latest news and the biggest training camp storylines to monitor.
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Updated | 2024-11-24 10:46 |
by Caio Miari on (#61MCQ)
The San Francisco 49ers have officially given quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo permission to seek a trade, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Garoppolo has been a subject of trade speculation since the offseason began, but a shoulder surgery left the signal-caller in limbo. He was expected to be involved in the flurry of quarterback movement in March, but 49ers general manager John Lynch said his injury caused interested teams to look elsewhere. Despite stalled trade talks, Lynch said he doesn't plan to cut Garoppolo.The 30-year-old has been cleared to start practicing as the 49ers prepare for the start of training camp next week, Schefter adds.San Francisco was widely expected to part ways with Garoppolo and turn to second-year passer Trey Lance under center. Lance joined the team last year as the third overall pick in the draft but logged only two starts as a rookie.Garoppolo has one year left on his current contract, which would be a $26.95-million hit against the 2022 salary cap. The 49ers would gain $25.55 million in cap space by trading or releasing Garopplo while taking on $1.4 million in dead money.The 2014 second-round pick posted a 9-6 record as a starter in 2021 while tossing 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He also helped San Francisco reach the NFC title game for the second time in three campaigns, but he finished the playoffs with only two touchdowns to three interceptions.Garoppolo, who owns a 31-14 regular-season record with the 49ers, has missed 25 games due to injury since 2018.Reports have recently linked Garoppolo to the Seattle Seahawks, who've apparently had internal discussions about acquiring the veteran quarterback. The Cleveland Browns aren't expected to pursue Garoppolo despite Deshaun Watson awaiting a ruling from the NFL on a potential suspension, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Justin Boone on (#61MA3)
Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore staff took part in a 12-team, 12-round mock fantasy draft to offer some insight on what to watch for in each round.This is a PPR (point per reception) scoring league with the following roster spots: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, FLEX, BN, BN, BN, BN. We omitted defenders and kickers, as they're normally selected in the final two rounds.Draft participants: Dustin Saracini, Caitlyn Holroyd, Caio Miari, Dane Belbeck, Justin Boone, Gordon Brunt, Sean O'Leary, Brandon Wile, Navin Vaswani, Ian Dalley, Alex Chippin, Dan Wilkins.Round 1PickPlayerTeam1Christian McCaffrey (RB1)Saracini2Jonathan Taylor (RB2)Holroyd3Cooper Kupp (WR1)Miari4Austin Ekeler (RB3)Belbeck5Justin Jefferson (WR2)Boone6Dalvin Cook (RB4)Brunt7Ja'Marr Chase (WR3)O'Leary8Derrick Henry (RB5)Wile9D'Andre Swift (RB6)Vaswani10Najee Harris (RB7)Dalley11Aaron Jones (RB8)Chippin12Stefon Diggs (WR4)WilkinsRound 1: This first round looks a little more accurate in terms of player order than our 10-team mock did a week ago. The only real debate will be near the end of the round, when managers need to decide between second-tier running backs or receivers. Diggs is a solid choice in the late first and someone who's being a little undervalued after his numbers dipped in 2021. It's pretty impressive when a "down year" still consists of 103 receptions, 1,225 yards, and 10 touchdowns. Though he finished as the WR10 in fantasy points per game, he's just one year removed from being the WR3 overall and is a safe pick in one of the league's best passing attacks.My pick: With the top three running backs and the No. 1 wideout off the board, we'll gladly take Jefferson. The Vikings star has accumulated the most receiving yards of any player in their first two NFL campaigns and is a good bet to set career highs under new head coach Kevin O'Connell - who plans to bring a more pass-heavy approach to Minnesota this year.Round 2PickPlayerTeam13Davante Adams (WR5)Wilkins14Nick Chubb (RB9)Chippin15Travis Kelce (TE1)Dalley16CeeDee Lamb (WR6)Vaswani17Joe Mixon (RB10)Wile18Saquon Barkley (RB11)O'Leary19Mike Evans (WR7)Brunt20Deebo Samuel (WR8)Boone21Mark Andrews (TE2)Belbeck22Tyreek Hill (WR9)Miari23Leonard Fournette (RB12)Holroyd24A.J. Brown (WR10)SaraciniRound 2: No major shocks in the second round. This is a little earlier than Chubb would normally go in most PPR drafts, especially when you consider the uncertainty around Deshaun Watson's potential suspension. The main issue is Chubb's limited role in the passing game. He's been held to 20 or fewer receptions in three of his four seasons and likely won't see an uptick in targets while Kareem Hunt remains on the roster.My pick: It's been rare for me to start WR-WR in drafts this year. Normally, there's a running back or elite tight end that piques my interest, but I chose to chase the upside of Samuel this time around. The man who averaged the third most fantasy points among receivers last season is expected to sign a new deal to stay in San Francisco where he'll continue to be a focal point of Kyle Shanahan's offense. If you're worried about the possibility of him being used less as a runner, don't be. Even if you remove all of Deebo's rushing stats (365 yards, eight TDs), he would still have finished as the WR12 in fantasy points per game.Round 3PickPlayerTeam25Alvin Kamara (RB13)Saracini26Keenan Allen (WR11)Holroyd27Travis Etienne (RB14)Miari28Tee Higgins (WR12)Belbeck29James Conner (RB15)Boone30DJ Moore (WR13)Brunt31Mike Williams (WR14)O'Leary32Michael Pittman (WR15)Wile33Josh Allen (QB1)Vaswani34Javonte Williams (RB16)Dalley35Terry McLaurin (WR16)Chippin36Ezekiel Elliott (RB17)WilkinsRound 3: Very balanced builds across the board through three rounds, with the lone exception being Team Dalley who hasn't dipped into the receiver pool yet.One of the most intriguing picks so far is Kamara, whose status is up in the air due to off-field issues. However, there's no guarantee he gets suspended in 2022 and if he avoids a ban or if it's only a couple games, his average draft position will jump back up to the Round 1-2 turn. It's a risky play, but the payoff could be huge.My pick: After passing on RBs in the first two frames, it was time to find my RB1 in Round 3. Conner, who's on my list of players who will lead you to a fantasy title this season, was impossible to pass up here. The Cardinals' unquestioned starter was a top-12 fantasy back in points per game through 14 weeks last year and was a top-two back during the short stretch when Chase Edmonds was sidelined. Yes, there's a troubling injury history associated with him, but when he's on the field he'll be a fantasy week winner.Round 4PickPlayerTeam37Breece Hall (RB18)Wilkins38Kyle Pitts (TE3)Chippin39Diontae Johnson (WR17)Dalley40David Montgomery (RB19)Vaswani41Courtland Sutton (WR18)Wile42Cam Akers (RB20)O'Leary43Jaylen Waddle (WR19)Brunt44D.K. Metcalf (WR20)Boone45Brandin Cooks (WR21)Belbeck46Jerry Jeudy (WR22)Miari47Darren Waller (TE4)Holroyd48Allen Robinson (WR23)SaraciniRound 4: This is where the drop-off in the number of safer picks tends to begin. At this point, you can start to factor upside into your decision-making even more. In this round, that should make you lean toward players like Hall, Pitts, and Sutton - who could vastly outproduce their draft slots. Hall and Pitts are younger players with superstar profiles, while Sutton is on the verge of a massive increase in production thanks to the arrival of Russell Wilson.My pick: There weren't many players available worth targeting at this price tag, so we settled on a ceiling play in Metcalf. He's the last receiver on the board with a realistic shot to put up WR1 stats if his quarterback situation turns out to be better than anticipated. Perhaps the Seahawks end up getting Jimmy Garoppolo once he's healthy or maybe someone emerges from the Drew Lock-Geno Smith competition who can keep Metcalf on track. Remember, Metcalf continued to produce when Smith was under center for a few games last season. As the 20th receiver selected in this draft, he's well worth investing in as my third wideout.Round 5PickPlayerTeam49George Kittle (TE5)Saracini50Marquise Brown (WR24)Holroyd51J.K. Dobbins (RB21)Miari52Gabriel Davis (WR25)Belbeck53Elijah Mitchell (RB22)Boone54Patrick Mahomes (QB2)Brunt55Darnell Mooney (WR26)O'Leary56JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR27)Wile57Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR28)Vaswani58Rashod Bateman (WR29)Dalley59DeVonta Smith (WR30)Chippin60Chris Godwin (WR31)WilkinsRound 5: If you're in the market for a young receiver with serious fantasy potential, this is the round for you. Brown, Davis, Mooney, Smith-Schuster, St. Brown, Bateman, and Smith are all 25 or under and have paths to WR2 fantasy production in 2022. It's a smart way to spend your pick in this range of the draft.My pick: Mitchell may not be an ideal PPR target, but he's a strong RB2 as the lead back in what should be a dangerous 49ers offense. As a rookie, he poured in 1,100 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns in just 11 regular-season appearances. That was good for the 20th-most fantasy points per game at running back and we're getting him at RB22 in this draft. The 24-year-old also seemed to earn more trust in the passing game as the season went along, averaging three catches per contest from Week 9 through the end of the postseason. As long as he stays healthy, he'll remain atop the depth chart and get more than enough volume to deliver for fantasy.Round 6PickPlayerTeam61Josh Jacobs (RB23)Wilkins62Michael Thomas (WR32)Chippin63Amari Cooper (WR33)Dalley64Adam Thielen (WR34)Vaswani65Elijah Moore (WR35)Wile66Justin Herbert (QB3)O'Leary67Antonio Gibson (RB24)Brunt68DeAndre Hopkins (WR36)Boone69Lamar Jackson (QB4)Belbeck70Hunter Renfrow (WR37)Miari71AJ Dillon (RB25)Holroyd72Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB26)SaraciniRound 6: After six rounds, Team Belbeck is the only roster without a second running back. Instead, they've elected to spend up at QB and TE, pairing teammates Jackson and Andrews. With Ekeler holding down the RB1 slot and a trio of underappreciated receivers, there's more firepower here than meets the eye. It'll be interesting to see how this team fills out the rest of their roster over the next few rounds.My pick: Fantasy managers will have an interesting choice to make when it comes to Godwin, who went in the fifth round, or Hopkins, who we chose here at 6.05. While Hopkins is guaranteed to miss six games due to a suspension, Godwin's timeline is unknown. There have been reports he might be ready in the opening month, but a more realistic timeline should get him back on the field in October. When both players are active they'll be top-20 options, but your decision on drafting them will come down to whether you want to burn a roster spot for the first four-six weeks. Depending on your build, it should be a worthwhile risk to take.Round 7PickPlayerTeam73Russell Wilson (QB5)Saracini74Brandon Aiyuk (WR38)Holroyd75Tony Pollard (RB27)Miari76Miles Sanders (RB28)Belbeck77Kyler Murray (QB6)Boone78Dalton Schultz (TE6)Brunt79Drake London (WR39)O'Leary80Jalen Hurts (QB7)Wile81Allen Lazard (WR40)Vaswani82Christian Kirk (WR41)Dalley83Dak Prescott (QB8)Chippin84Tom Brady (QB9)WilkinsRound 7: While we can get on board with taking a QB in this range, we're much more comfortable with the likes of Murray, Hurts, and Wilson - who have a legitimate chance to compete for a top-three fantasy finish this year. Meanwhile, Prescott and Brady seem like reaches in this round. Both players have lost quality starters on their offense this offseason (Cowboys-Cooper/Bucs-Rob Gronkowski) and will be without one of their top receivers to start the year due to injury (Cowboys-Michael Gallup/Bucs-Godwin).My pick: After grabbing Conner as our RB1 and Hopkins as our WR4, we scoop up their QB. The former first overall pick has been among the top fantasy producers at his position when healthy, but he tends to get banged up as the season goes along and his stats suffer. We're hoping this is the year Murray can avoid injury and maintain his performance into the fantasy playoffs when he'll have a full complement of weapons, including this year's offseason addition Marquise Brown.Round 8PickPlayerTeam85T.J. Hockenson (TE7)Wilkins86Chase Claypool (WR42)Chippin87Russell Gage (WR43)Dalley88Dallas Goedert (TE8)Vaswani89Damien Harris (RB29)Wile90Treylon Burks (WR44)O'Leary91Tyler Lockett (WR45)Brunt92Kareem Hunt (RB30)Boone93Robert Woods (WR46)Belbeck94Trey Lance (QB10)Miari95Kadarius Toney (WR47)Holroyd96Mecole Hardman (WR48)SaraciniRound 8: Remember when Team Dalley was the only roster without a receiver in the first three rounds? Well, they've followed that up by taking five straight wideouts, including Johnson, Bateman, Cooper, Kirk, and Gage. Regardless of what you think about some of the names listed there, it's a very savvy approach and should allow Team Dalley to field at least three quality receiver options each week.My pick: Hunt is an overqualified backup running back and the kind of player who makes for a nice RB3 on your fantasy roster. If needed, he can provide flex value most weeks. But there's also multiple ways he could find himself in a starting role this season - with an injury to Chubb or by being traded/released. When thrust into lead back volume, Hunt is a threat to be a top-15 fantasy back any given week.Round 9PickPlayerTeam97Cordarrelle Patterson (RB31)Saracini98Joe Burrow (QB11)Holroyd99Dawson Knox (TE9)Miari100Chase Edmonds (RB32)Belbeck101Kenneth Walker (RB33)Boone102Devin Singletary (RB34)Brunt103Rashaad Penny (RB35)O'Leary104Zach Ertz (TE10)Wile105Melvin Gordon (RB36)Vaswani106James Cook (RB37)Dalley107Rhamondre Stevenson (RB38)Chippin108Marquez Valdes-Scantling (WR49)WilkinsRound 9: This is the area of the draft where you should start pivoting away from receivers (with a few exceptions) and start focusing on making sure you have a starter at quarterback and tight end, while also loading up on depth at running back. That's exactly what occurred here with eight of the 10 picks being ball carriers. It's rare to say this, but every running back taken in this round was a great pick at this value.My pick: Though we were hoping to see Edmonds fall to us, we'll gladly select the 41st overall pick in this year's NFL draft Walker. With an impressive prospect profile combined with second-round draft capital supporting him, it's only a matter of time before Walker moves into the lead back role in Seattle. His main competition is Rashaad Penny, a player who was injured for most of his four-year career before he put together a month of big-time production at the end of last season. Walker is far from a sure thing himself, but we don't need him to be in the ninth round.Round 10PickPlayerTeam109Dameon Pierce (RB39)Wilkins110Tyler Boyd (WR50)Chippin111Alexander Mattison (RB40)Dalley112Ronald Jones (RB41)Vaswani113Nyheim Hines (RB42)Wile114Chris Olave (WR51)O'Leary115Skyy Moore (WR52)Brunt116Darrell Henderson (RB43)Boone117Garrett Wilson (WR53)Belbeck118Joshua Palmer (WR54)Miari119Kenny Golladay (WR55)Holroyd120Jarvis Landry (WR56)SaraciniRound 10: As much as we may be enticed by some of the veteran receivers in this round like Boyd, Golladay, and Landry, if you're going to take shots on late-round wideouts, you might want to steer toward the untapped potential of the rookie class. Wilson, Olave, and Moore could all take on sizeable roles in their new offenses and each has the skills to be a fantasy starter if the target share is there for them. Don't fear the unknown in this scenario, embrace it.My pick: We continue to add to our running back stable with one of my favorite backup runners. Henderson showed he was up to the task of being a temporary starter last season when he stepped in for Akers and posted the 12th-most fantasy points per game among RBs over the first eight weeks before injuries derailed his campaign. With Sony Michel gone, Henderson would be the unchallenged lead option if Akers struggles or gets hurt again.Round 11PickPlayerTeam121Robby Anderson (WR57)Saracini122Tim Patrick (WR58)Holroyd123K.J. Osborn (WR59)Miari124Sony Michel (RB44)Belbeck125Cole Kmet (TE11)Boone126Rachaad White (RB45)Brunt127Pat Freiermuth (TE12)O'Leary128Isaiah Spiller (RB46)Wile129Michael Carter (RB47)Vaswani130Aaron Rodgers (QB12)Dalley131Mark Ingram (RB48)Chippin132Christian Watson (WR60)WilkinsRound 11: We'll give Team Dalley another pat on the back for getting nice value on his quarterback in the 11th round. There's a reason why we singled out the Prescott and Brady picks as bad value in Round 7 and that's because you know there will be starting-caliber QBs available later. In this instance, it was Rodgers who won't have his former stud receiver Adams this season. However, a quick look at Rodgers' splits with and without Adams shows that his numbers don't differ as much as you'd think. Even if they do, Team Dalley is strong enough that he can simply stream QBs throughout the year.My pick: Up to this point, we hadn't chosen a tight end yet. That changed when we landed Kmet - my top breakout tight end for 2022. His 60-catch, 612-yard stat line from last season might have flown under your radar since he failed to find the end zone. But he should have plenty of chances to score this season as the Bears' de facto No. 2 receiver behind top wideout Mooney.Round 12PickPlayerTeam133Rondale Moore (WR61)Wilkins134Michael Gallup (WR62)Chippin135Kenneth Gainwell (RB49)Dalley136Khalil Herbert (RB50)Vaswani137Jahan Dotson (WR63)Wile138James Robinson (RB51)O'Leary139Jalen Tolbert (WR64)Brunt140Tyrion Davis-Price (RB52)Boone141D'Onta Foreman (RB53)Belbeck142Jamaal Williams (RB54)Miari143Marlon Mack (RB55)Holroyd144Raheem Mostert (RB56)SaraciniRound 12: Team Vaswani did a very nice job completing their running back depth chart in the final rounds. After getting Swift and Montgomery early, they avoided the position in the middle rounds before swinging back around to it late with Gordon, Jones, Carter, and Herbert. All four runners are the immediate backups in their offense and have the talent to produce RB2 fantasy stats if/when an injury strikes their backfield.My pick: While the latest reports suggest veteran Jeff Wilson is entering training camp as the front-runner to be Mitchell's backup in San Francisco, we expect the rookie Davis-Price to win that job sooner rather than later. With the rest of our roster set, it's an easy choice to secure some insurance in case Mitchell hits the trainer's table this season.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Caio Miari on (#61M74)
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr doesn't think his team is getting enough respect ahead of the 2022 season."It's going to be fun," Carr recently said, according to The Athletic's Vic Tafur. "No one thinks anything of us, and I think that's what makes it fun is you always have to put the ball down and play the football games."The AFC West became the NFL's most anticipated division due to a series of blockbuster moves. Among several transactions throughout the offseason, the Denver Broncos landed quarterback Russell Wilson in a trade from the Seattle Seahawks, the Los Angeles Chargers bolstered their defense with pass-rusher Khalil Mack and cornerback J.C. Jackson, and Las Vegas acquired All-Pro receiver Davante Adams and edge rusher Chandler Jones.The Broncos, Chargers, and Raiders upgraded their rosters as they try to dethrone the Kansas City Chiefs, who've won the AFC West in each of the last six seasons. Kansas City also made additions in free agency, though the team lost two cornerstones in wide receiver Tyreek Hill and safety Tyrann Mathieu."You get frustrated when you see other people's names on things and this and that," Carr said. "And you're like, 'We're here, too. We feel like we got better, too.' I thought we made the playoffs. … It doesn't guarantee anything this year, but it does guarantee that we have some good guys.He added: "We've got a chip on our shoulder like always. And as Raiders, I think that's how we should have it. And we're excited to compete against the best. ... It's going to be fun playing against these teams, against some of the best quarterbacks in the game. And that's what you look forward to. That's what you want to sign up for."The Raiders finished second in the AFC West last year with a 10-7 record and made the playoffs before losing to the Cincinnati Bengals in the wild card.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Caitlyn Holroyd on (#61M75)
The NFL's first-ever regular-season game in Germany is a hot ticket.The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take on the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 13 at Munich's Allianz Arena, which has a capacity of around 75,000. Tickets to the game went on sale Tuesday, and fans wasted no time trying to snag a seat."We are overwhelmed by the demand for tickets for our first-ever regular-season game in Germany," an NFL spokesperson said, according to ESPN. "More than 770,000 fans accessing our ticket shop at the same time is proof of the excitement we see in the market."Tom Brady and the Bucs facing the Seahawks in November will be the biggest sporting event in Germany in 2022. Our fans can't wait for the NFL to finally touch down in Germany."The huge demand has caused ticket prices to skyrocket on the resale market. Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith reported that as of Tuesday morning, the cheapest available ticket on StubHub was listed for $585 and the most expensive was going for $33,760.The NFL has four other international games scheduled for the 2022 season, including three in London, England, and one in Mexico City.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Matt Russell on (#61KZS)
The sample size isn't definitive, but with a very specific classification of data, Aaron Rodgers has 24 touchdowns and just three interceptions in 11 carefully selected games. Those parameters are contests Rodgers played without Davante Adams since the wide receiver joined the team in 2014, and the signal-caller owns a 10-1 record in those matchups.The sample size spanning Rodgers' entire career suggests he might be pretty good at football. But with the big news of the offseason centering around his return and Adams' departure, it's worth quelling the concerns for the Green Bay Packers' offense with any stats we have. Are the betting markets showing any worries about the Pack's attack, though?2022 Season oddsMarket Odds (O/U)Win total11.0 (-110/-110)Division-190Conference+450Super Bowl+1000Green Bay is tied for the third choice in the Super Bowl markets, one of four teams to be the odds-on favorite for their division. The Packers' median win total of 11 is higher than every team except for the Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Schedule outlookWeekOpponentLookahead line1@MIN-22CHI-9.53@TB+3.54NE-55NYG-76NYJ-9.57@WSH-3.58@BUF+49@DET-610DAL-411TEN-4.512@PHIPK13@CHI-415LARPK16@MIA-117MIN-5.518DET-8By the time home games in Week 2 and Week 6 come around, Green Bay is likely to be double-digit home favorites over the Chicago Bears and New York Jets. The Packers project to be underdogs just twice - in road contests at Tampa Bay and Buffalo. A late Week 14 bye isn't ideal, but it sets the team up to be rested for a visit from the defending Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams.SWOT AnalysisStrengthsAs long as Rodgers keeps showing up to work, the offense has to be considered a strength. He lost both tackles for much of last season, and it didn't appear to matter.Arguably the most impressive win last campaign came in Arizona against the Cardinals when Green Bay had three starting receivers out. Rodgers won the game despite Juwan Winfree's four catches for 30 yards leading the position group. The Packers' plan to replace Adams includes Sammy Watkins and second-round pick Christian Watson. Both should benefit by being Rodgers' teammate rather than the other way around.WeaknessesWhen you win 13 games and get the top seed in the NFC, there isn't going to be much in the way of weaknesses. The defense placed top five in opponents' yards per pass attempt, so, on the surface, that should be a strength, too. However, much of Green Bay's success defensively has been undermined on the occasions it met teams that can dominate the line of scrimmage via the run game. The club's 4.6 yards per carry allowed leaves them in a tie for 26th in the NFL with teams like the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans.This issue meant that the San Francisco 49ers managed to run the ball just well enough in the divisional round to linger despite only 131 yards passing. That's when the one fatal flaw of the 2021 Packers reared its ugly head - the special teams. The unit has ranked last or second last in four of the previous six years, according to Pro Football Focus, and gave up the season-changing play on a blocked punt returned for a touchdown. Former interim Las Vegas Raiders head coach Rich Bisaccia will coordinate Green Bay's special teams this campaign.OpportunitiesThe Minnesota Vikings have been one of those clubs that can move the ball on the ground and create advantages for their quarterback against the Packers. Sure enough, Green Bay heads to Minnesota in Week 1. Win or lose there, anything under 10 points might be worth laying in Week 2 against Rodgers' proprietary territory, Chicago. Later in the season, backing Rodgers as an underdog - while rare - is always a good idea.ThreatsWhat if the sample size sans-Adams is too small, leaving 17 games for Rodgers to deal with a group slightly better than the one he had in Arizona last year, resulting in a production dip? Three straight 13-win seasons is impressive, but the Packers need almost all of that to cash over tickets. The 2018 campaign that got Mike McCarthy fired saw Rodgers throw for 4,442 yards, 25 touchdowns, and just two interceptions. It's possible that Green Bay struggles even if Rodgers has a good season.How to bet the PackersI don't want to fade Rodgers and the Packers, but I don't want to back them at these prices either. With a healthy star quarterback, Green Bay wins around 11 games a lot of the time. Then there's the issue of playoff performance, which hasn't been good enough to trust with any futures tickets.Rodgers' (+1000) chances of another MVP are good, and the bar actually gets lowered for him without Adams since a usual Rodgers-type season would be even more impressive. That lowered bar is seen in his season-long statistical props. His passing yards total is 4,050.5, but I'd bet the under 31.5 touchdown passes if I'm going to fade Rodgers in any way.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.
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by Daniel Valente on (#61K9G)
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is expected to be fully cleared from offseason shoulder surgery around mid-August, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.Garoppolo, who has been throwing for several weeks, is targeting the ability to make several consecutive deep throws in order to simulate game and practice experience, Rapoport adds.Don Yee, Garoppolo's agent, said last week that the quarterback was "progressing well" and "on schedule."The 30-year-old signal-caller was expected to be traded in the early portion of the offseason, but shoulder surgery halted any potential deals. Despite the slow-moving market, general manager John Lynch previously said the club had no plans to release Garoppolo.The Seattle Seahawks recently emerged as a potential suitor for Garoppolo. Seattle reportedly has had internal discussions about trading with its division rival for the quarterback.San Francisco would stand to gain $25.55 million in cap space by trading Garoppolo while taking on $1.4 million in dead money in 2022. Garoppolo tossed 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season as the 49ers made it to the NFC Championship Game.Trey Lance is expected to take over the 49ers' starting quarterback job this season. The 2021 third overall pick made two starts last season, throwing for five touchdowns and two interceptions.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Daniel Valente on (#61K85)
Sean Payton can picture himself back on the sideline as an NFL head coach, but imagining where that might take place is a lot harder."Ultimately, do I think I'll get back in? Sure," Payton told Jarrett Bell of USA Today. "There's no way to predict who that club might be. Usually, there are about six openings every year. If there's a right fit somewhere, that ultimately will depend on several factors."Payton shockingly stepped down as head coach of the New Orleans Saints this offseason, though he never ruled out returning to the NFL in the future."I still have a vision for doing things in football, and I'll be honest with you, that might be coaching again at some point," he said in January. "I don't think it's this year - I think maybe in the future, but that's not where my heart is right now."The 58-year-old compiled a 152-89 record over 15 seasons as Saints head coach. He also delivered the franchise its lone championship with a victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV.Since then, Payton has been linked with the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys. However, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones previously said any rumored interest in Payton was being pulled "out of the air."Any team wanting to sway Payton would likely have to work out a trade with the Saints, who own his rights until 2024.Payton will spend the 2022 season with Fox Sports as a studio analyst.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Justin Boone on (#61JZW)
Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.No fantasy manager should rigidly classify any player as a "must-have," but it's wise to enter your draft with a shortlist of names you hope to add.While getting them all is probably impossible, you'll greatly increase your odds of achieving fantasy glory this season if you build your draft around selecting at least a few of the seven players on this list.More in this series
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by Matt Russell on (#61JHW)
Not even the most ardent Minnesota Vikings supporter - including Lizzo herself - could make a case to keep Mike Zimmer after the 2021 season. The club's four losses by less than a field goal or in overtime don't even include a home loss against Cooper Rush. Even the close wins were moral losses - pulling out games against the Lions and Panthers and merely outlasting the COVID-19-ravaged Bears in prime time.Kevin O'Connell takes the headset as arguably the most surprising hire of the offseason, but the Rams' offensive coordinator of the past two seasons is, at least, an outside-the-box thinker. Given recent assertions that Zimmer didn't vibe with Kirk Cousins, the fact that O'Connell and the Vikings quarterback crossed paths in Washington leaves reason to be hopeful despite little other information about the new head coach. Are the betting markets as optimistic?2022 season oddsMarket Odds (O/U)Win total9.0 (-115/-105)Division+265Conference+2000Super Bowl+4500These numbers are proof that an organization can replace a head coach, and it's not considered a radical reconstruction of a team or its chances for success. These odds are largely the same as they were going into last season, as the Vikings lag behind the Packers in market perception in the NFC North.Schedule outlookWeekOpponentLookahead line1GB+22@PHI+2.53DET-6.54@NO-15CHI-66@MIA+38ARZ-19@WSHPK10@BUF+7.511DALPK12NE-1.513NYJ-4.514@DET-215INDPK16NYG-517@GB+5.518@CHI-1.5The Vikings as short home underdogs in Week 1 is interesting, given how competitive they've been in recent matchups with the Packers. Did Zimmer have a game plan that fit well, or will Dalvin Cook have continued success setting everything up for Cousins?SWOT analysisStrengthsThe offensive triumvirate of Adam Thielen, Justin Jefferson, and Dalvin Cook are potentially a top-five trio in the league, but the Vikings' offense can only succeed if Cousins can get the ball into the right hands. Brian O'Neill and Christian Darrisaw are strong tackles, but the interior of the Vikings' line can result in deer-in-headlights plays that have plagued Cousins when he sees pressure up the middle.WeaknessesZimmer's calling card was defense, but that unit ranked 26th in opponent yards per play, and its inability to get stops late in games was as much of a problem as any internal issues between the former coach and Cousins.The Vikings hired veteran defensive coordinator Ed Donatell to improve the unit and provide experience within the coaching staff. But is there enough talent for him to work with? Za'Darius Smith comes over from Green Bay and will be paired for bookend pressure with Danielle Hunter, who played in just seven games last season but still managed six sacks. Having both of those edge rushers causing havoc will make a big difference, regardless of what schemes Donatell has up his sleeve.OpportunitiesIt won't take long to tell if the offensive continuity stemming from on-field personnel can bridge whatever adjustments O'Connell implements. The Vikings as home 'dogs against the Packers is a spot I have circled, so I could make the case that Green Bay's offense has the bigger early-season hurdle to overcome.ThreatsAdmittedly, we probably should have seen the players' complacency coming given how long Zimmer had been the boss. Now, Cousins gets a fresh start with someone not much older than he is and a coordinator that might be the next relevant offensive mind. But what if O'Connell's just another coach? What if Cousins, after 10 seasons in the league, can't elevate his game any further?How to bet the VikingsWhile the +265 odds for the division title are enticing, you can get a head start by betting the Vikings in Week 1. A win there gives you an immediate payout rather than waiting for the season to play out and potentially witnessing the devastating defeats Minnesota tends to suffer when least expected. If the Vikings do find what they're looking for and become the class of the NFC North, they become contenders in a diluted conference. You'll be hard-pressed to find a team with as much potential at 20-1 or longer to make the Super Bowl.Cousins (+5000) won't be winning MVP, none of the big names have anything to come back from, and expectations are high enough that only an absurdly good season might get O'Connell (+2000) some consideration for Coach of the Year.It's Jefferson who gets my attention here. At +800, he's the favorite for most receiving yards, the fifth choice for most receiving touchdowns (+900), and 20-1 to win Offensive Player of the Year - all of which are conceivable.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.
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by Matt Russell on (#61HS3)
When you get to Week 13 without a win, and you're the Detroit Lions, you might assume the worst. But the Lions finished the 2021 season with three wins in their last six games, and a second look at their campaign is seen in a different tint.Detroit lost on late field goals to the Baltimore Ravens, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears in the first 11 weeks, but those are considered moral victories in coach Dan Campbell's debut season. That's not to mention the Lions' tie on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers. So, a 3-13-1 campaign means what exactly when it comes to the betting markets' expectations for Detroit's 2022 season?2022 Season oddsMarket Odds (O/U)Win total6.5 (-115/-105)Division+1000Conference+6000Super Bowl+15000A win total of 6.5 isn't exactly getting carried away with optimism for the Lions. Still, it's a step in the right direction in that their odds in the major futures markets aren't the longest in their division - a rarity for Detroit.Schedule outlookWeekOpponentLookahead line1PHI+42WSH+1.53@MIN+6.54SEA-15@NE+6.57@DAL+78MIA+39GB+610@CHI+1.511@NYG+1.512BUF+813JAX-214MIN+215@NYJ+2.516@CAR+417CHI-1.518@GB+8The lack of large point spreads might be even more telling that the Lions are expected to be more competitive. Part of that is the soft schedule that a team gets for finishing last in the NFC North. Part of that also comes from road games against the Bears, New York Giants, New York Jets, and Carolina Panthers - clubs that don't warrant that kind of point spread weight.SWOT AnalysisStrengthsIt's not often a quarterback who has been to a Super Bowl could be considered a placeholder, but Jared Goff is likely that. The Lions are doing the right thing by building from the lines and out. Despite not having the depth or skill position talent in 2021, Detroit competed in the trenches.Frank Ragnow played just four games last season, but the 2020 All-Pro center is back to coordinate a line with Taylor Decker - who appeared in only nine contests the previous campaign - and 2021 first-rounder Penei Sewell at the tackle positions. The line also has a pair of quality guards. A healthy season from this unit will make life easier on Goff, even if he's just waiting to be replaced by a future first-rounder on a rookie deal.Adding Jameson Williams and DJ Chark to the emergent Amon-Ra St. Brown and T.J. Hockenson makes the skill positions dangerous, especially since three different running backs had success behind the Lions' not-fully-formed line last season.WeaknessesOnce Detroit finally invests in its quarterback of the future, it can allocate that money saved into filling the holes in the defense. The Lions already started that process by having Aidan Hutchinson fall into their laps in April's draft.Given that Detroit finished dead last in opponent yards per pass attempt, a better pass rush would be a good start for 2022. However, outside of hoping for Jeff Okudah to take a big leap at corner, Hutchinson looks more like the first step in a defensive rebuild versus anything resembling a final missing piece from a talent standpoint.OpportunitiesThe Lions will score more than the 19 points per game they averaged last season. But I can't guarantee they won't continue to give up the 27.5 points per contest they allowed. As a result, overs may be the play in Detroit's games, especially since the assumption will be that Goff is a liability.ThreatsThe Lions' offensive line managed through two significant injuries last season, but hopefully it doesn't come to that in 2022. If it does, any hopes for Williams and Chark to make a major impact will dwindle significantly. Goff will be left with panic throws underneath to Hockenson and D'Andre Swift - defensible weapons when there's little threat of a deep attack, especially if the opponent is scoring at will.How to bet the LionsGoff surpassed the passing yards total of 3,850.5 in each of the previous three seasons before getting to Detroit. He could probably miss a contest or two and still hit that mark given the game state the Lions may find themselves in during the fourth quarter.Hutchinson (+550) is the favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year, but that's a market that often sees someone from down the board win the award. The Offensive Rookie of the Year market has Williams lower on the board at 16-1 due to concerns about his knee injury late last season and Campbell saying he doesn't expect the 21-year-old to be ready for training camp. Williams is just as likely to win OROY as any of the receivers listed above him if he's good to go for Week 1.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.
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by Jack Browne on (#61HMH)
Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins is confident he'll be ready for the start of the regular season after tearing his ACL last August.Dobbins pushed back on a report Monday from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, who said the running back isn't expected to play in Week 1 and possibly several more games.
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by Matt Russell on (#61HFJ)
The way the Chicago Bears utilized possible future franchise quarterback Justin Fields last season might have been the final straw in Matt Nagy's tenure. The Bears managed six wins from three different quarterbacks with Fields in and out of the lineup, and now they've started the rebuild, hiring general manager Ryan Poles and new head coach Matt Eberflus.The new regime in the front office and on the sidelines is important - Chicago could lose almost every game this season, and it likely won't cost the primary decision-makers their jobs. That wasn't the case when the team drafted Fields in the 2021 Draft, so given the new circumstances, the major betting markets raise some interesting questions.2022 Season oddsMarket Odds (O/U)Win total6.5 (+110/-130)Division+1400Conference+6500Super Bowl+15000When it comes to futures odds to win any sort of banner title, it doesn't really matter whether the Bears are 65-1 or a billion-to-one to reach the Super Bowl. They're not getting there. However, in the either/or market of season win totals, a median projection of 6.5 - even juiced to the under - seems optimistic.Schedule outlookWeekOpponentLookahead line1SF+6.52@GB+9.53HOU-34@NYG+2.55@MIN+66WSH+1.57@NE+68@DAL+79MIA+310DET-1.511@ATLPK12@NYJ+2.513GB+415PHI+316BUF+717@DET+1.518MIN+1.5How does Chicago find seven wins this campaign? Based solely on the lookahead lines currently available for betting, the club would need to win its three games as short favorites or pick'em and then four of its six games as short underdogs. That's theoretically doable - until you evaluate the teams similar to the Bears.The Giants, Dolphins, Jets, and Lions (twice) are all expected to improve, while the Vikings and Falcons are going through the same sort of institutional changes and have a more proven quarterback/roster.SWOT AnalysisStrengthsDefensively, the Bears were at least somewhat average last season, ranking in the middle of the pack in yards per play against and yards per pass attempt against. That was with Akiem Hicks and Khalil Mack in and out of the lineup, but now the former is in Tampa Bay, and the latter is in Los Angeles. What's left is Robert Quinn - coming off his best year since 2013 - and budding star Roquan Smith.WeaknessesFields got jerked around in a season where the primary goal should have been to provide him the most stability. He played in 12 games - starting 10 of them - and threw 10 interceptions, lost five fumbles, and was sacked an alarming 36 times.Does a new regime mean Fields will flourish? Unfortunately, that seems unlikely. Braxton Jones, a fifth-round pick out of Southern Utah, is slotted into the starting left tackle spot, replacing Jason Peters - the one bright spot on the offensive line - who remains unsigned at 39 years old. The second-best performer on the line was James Daniels, but the Steelers noticed that, and now he's in Pittsburgh.OpportunitiesThe betting market possibly doesn't realize how bad this team might be this season - intentionally or otherwise. With veterans like Jimmy Graham, Allen Robinson, Peters, Mack, and Hicks moving out, among others, the rebuild is on. However, the Bears start as underdogs in large-spread games against the 49ers, and Packers, so the word will get out quickly before we can fade them when they play a team currently rated in the same tier.ThreatsIf the lean is to fade this team, the threat to that idea is better-than-expected play from a defensive line that's gone from strong to weak and an offensive line that's gotten even thinner after a bad campaign. It seems improbable that Fields finds the time for - and chemistry with - a feeble wide receiving corps.How to bet the BearsEberflus should have the patience to stick with Fields all season, regardless of wins and losses. That could result in high volume statistical output, but given what's around him, that might be a bad thing. From a betting standpoint, Fields (+1000) is one of the favorites for most interceptions thrown. The Bears are also +600 for fewest points scored, an accomplishment potentially helped by playing four of their final five games at home in Chicago's early winter.Under 6.5 wins is a bet that will look good after two games and likely throughout the season. At worst, it could come down to the Bears' games with Detroit and Minnesota to close the season - two teams that should outmatch Chicago.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.
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by Caitlyn Holroyd on (#61FX0)
The Pittsburgh Steelers unveiled a new name for their stadium earlier this week, and some fans aren't happy about it.Following the Steelers' announcement Monday that Heinz Field will become Acrisure Stadium, a fan launched a petition on Change.org calling for the new name to be removed.Daniel Sass, the fan who started the petition, believes "anything" would be better than Acrisure Stadium."Heinz Field is the only sponsored stadium that the team has ever played in. Previously playing at Three Rivers Stadium, Pitt Stadium, and before that, Forbes Field," the petition reads."But now the Heinz Field sponsorship is no more. (Its) new name was just announced, and it is HORRIBLE!!!! ... An out-of-state sponsor comes in and inflicts this name change on us that isn't even easy to pronounce."Acrisure Stadium is named after a Michigan-based insurance brokerage firm that secured naming rights to the venue for the next 15 years.As of Saturday, Sass's petition has over 4,900 signatures.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Daniel Valente on (#61FAQ)
Veteran defensive back Jason McCourty called it a career after 13 NFL seasons, he announced Friday on Instagram.The 34-year-old began his career with the Tennessee Titans as a sixth-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played eight seasons in Tennessee before enjoying stints with the Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, and Miami Dolphins.McCourty retires with one Super Bowl ring, which came as a member of the Patriots' 2018 championship team. He spent three years in New England's secondary (2018-2020) alongside his twin brother Devin.
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by Matt Russell on (#61FCB)
After winning the overtime coin toss in the AFC Championship Game, the assumption was the Chiefs would march their way down the field like they did the week before. But the Bengals had other ideas, and just like that, another season ended in disappointment for a team priced quite short for both the AFC and a Super Bowl championship.Kansas City arguably made the biggest surprise of the offseason by trading Tyreek Hill, one of the league's rarest skill sets. Had the Chiefs held on to the elusive receiver, we'd feel like we'd know what to expect for them in 2022. But while the move was financially prudent for Kansas City in the long term, it also provides an element of uncertainty in a suddenly loaded AFC West.2022 Season oddsMarket Odds (O/U)Win total10.5 (-115/-105)Division+175Conference+600Super Bowl+1000Despite the first real sign of salary cap-caused upheaval in the Patrick Mahomes era, the market is still committed to the incumbent favorite in the AFC West. K.C. is also the second choice behind the Bills for a trip to the Super Bowl. Does the buzz around the other teams in their division artificially lengthen the odds on the powerhouse Chiefs? Or is the fact that they're not the odds-on favorite in the AFC West for the first time in a few years a sign that they're vulnerable?Schedule outlookWeekOpponentLookahead line1@ARZ-32LAC-33@IND-2.54@TB+2.55LV-66BUF+1.57@SF-19TEN-610JAX-1011@LAC+1.512LAR-2.513@CINPK14@DENPK15@HOU-1016SEA-10.517DEN-4.518@LV-2The Chargers and Colts are the only two non-playoff teams on the Chiefs' schedule for the first half of the season. Survivor contest players will be patiently waiting to use Kansas City in Week 10 - if they get that far.SWOT AnalysisStrengthsBeyond saving money, the idea around the trade of Tyreek Hill was to make the Chiefs more versatile. Opposing defenses are less likely to know where Mahomes' passes are going with JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Skyy Moore taking Hill's place. Of course, the highest percentage of those throws will go to Travis Kelce. The offense that led the league with 6.1 yards per play last year might look different, but it'll still be good behind an offensive line that was successfully rebuilt prior to last season.WeaknessesThe Chiefs' defense gave up 5.8 yards per play to opponents last season. It was as if Kansas City played the Packers every week.A pair of rookies - George Karlaftis and Trent McDuffie - are the most notable additions to a defense that had to sacrifice Tyrann Mathieu as a salary cap casualty. Chris Jones is the difference-maker up front, but that just makes the Chiefs that much more vulnerable in the handful of games he misses each season.OpportunitiesIf Kansas City's offense is going to play with more structure this season, does that take away Mahomes' best attribute - his improvisational skills? In a less explosive offense, are there ways to fade the Chiefs' offense and live to tell about it?ThreatsMahomes earned his massive contract, but we're starting to see where that money is coming from within the roster. With those sacrifices, along with the ongoing arms race in the AFC West, the division is as competitive as ever.The market got so high on Kansas City that the Chiefs went on a 4-16 stretch against the spread in the 365 days from Nov. 8, 2020, to Nov. 7, 2021, despite winning 14 of those 20 games. From a betting standpoint, the market's overreaction is the biggest threat to K.C. backers on a week-to-week basis.How to bet the ChiefsWith the diversity in the wide receiving corps and Hill in Miami, could Kelce (+1400) lead the league in catches?Mahomes' passing yards total is 4,650.5, lower than the 4,839 yards he threw for last season. However, the under is the bet here based on what it'll take to assimilate his new targets and the increase in underneath throws to Kelce.The main markets aren't playable at current odds, but simply treading water for the first half of the schedule while getting the new pieces up to speed would be a win for the Chiefs. If the defense shows improvement during that tough stretch, there will be a midseason buy point on Kansas City's futures at better prices.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.
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by Caio Miari on (#61FAR)
Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates has no intention of reporting to training camp or playing the 2022 season under the franchise tag, CBS Sports' Josina Anderson reports.The Bengals placed the tag on Bates in March, and the two sides had until 4 p.m. ET Friday to reach a long-term extension. The 25-year-old has yet to sign his franchise tender.Bates, who's started 63 games over the last four seasons, would earn $12.91 million for playing under the tag in 2022. The Bengals last offered him a five-year contract that would've guaranteed him only $4 million more than the franchise tag's value, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Cincy drafted Bates in the second round in 2018, and he quickly became a cornerstone of the team's defense. The Wake Forest product, who earned a second-team All-Pro berth in 2020, racked up 88 tackles, four pass breakups, and one interception in 2021.The Bengals selected safety Daxton Hill in the first round of the 2022 draft as an eventual replacement for Bates.Four franchise-tagged players were unable to reach long-term deals this year. The other three are Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Orlando Brown, Dallas Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz, and Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki.Schultz and Gesicki have already signed the franchise tender and will play in 2022 under the tag. Brown, who has yet to sign the tender, hasn't made a decision about his status for training camp yet, a source told CBS Sports' Josina Anderson.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Caio Miari on (#61F01)
The Kansas City Chiefs and left tackle Orlando Brown were unable to agree to a long-term contract extension before Friday's 4 p.m. ET tag deadline, his agent, Michael Portner, told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.Kansas City offered Brown the position's highest signing bonus and average annual salary on a six-year deal, but Portner didn't think there was enough security."We got really close," Portner said. "We enjoyed dealing with the Chiefs and we understand their position as well. I'm not gonna let these athletes sign a flashy contract without the substance or security there."Kansas City's offer included $91 million over the first five years - which would rank only eighth in average salary among offensive tackles - and more than $40 million on the last year of the contract, a source told NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.It's unclear how much Brown would've earned in guaranteed money, but the Chiefs were willing to fully guarantee his salary through next season, according to Garafolo.Brown, who started 16 games for Kansas City last year, hasn't signed his franchise tender yet, which means the team can't fine him if he doesn't report for training camp. The three-time Pro Bowler would earn $16.7 million under the tag in 2022.The Chiefs acquired Brown and two picks from the Baltimore Ravens in April 2021 in exchange for four draft selections, including a first-rounder.San Francisco 49ers tackle Trent Williams became the position's highest-paid player after inking a six-year, $138-million extension in March 2021. His deal includes $55.1 million guaranteed.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Matt Russell on (#61EWV)
Imagine you get your dream job, one of 32 such positions on the planet. You have to take over an organization whose components - both good and bad - are largely static due to commitments, contractual obligations, and availability of resources, so you have to make decisions based on what you've got to work with. That's what the Chargers tasked Brandon Staley with going into his first year as head coach.Los Angeles missed the playoffs largely because of a handful of high-leverage plays where Staley played the odds, repeatedly pushing his chips into the middle of the table only to frequently see the dice land the last way he'd hoped.What does the market think of Staley's analytics-based hyper-aggressive approach following a robust offseason that addressed the inherited issues?2022 Season oddsMarket Odds (O/U)Win total10.0 (-135/+115)Division+220Conference+750Super Bowl+1400Despite more continuity at key organizational positions, L.A.'s win total is the same as the new-look Broncos, with the team's pricing just a shade shorter than its division rival's across the main markets.Schedule outlookWeekOpponentLookahead line1LV-3.52@KC+33JAX-104@HOU-85@CLEN/A6DEN-37SEA-8.59@ATL-6.510@SFPK11KC-1.512@ARZ-1.513@LVPK14MIA-5.515TEN-516@IND-117LAR-1.518@DENPKThe Chargers' schedule is not messing around right away, as they take on the Raiders and Chiefs within five days. After a Week 8 bye, they should be decent-sized favorites in four of their final 10 games, with the other six matchups being coin flips.SWOT AnalysisStrengthsYou already know about Justin Herbert and the throws he's capable of making. The Chargers' quarterback has yet to hit his ceiling, passing touchdowns to a dozen different players in his two campaigns without much of a traditional running game to lean on. The offensive line revamp that began before last season with the drafting of already-outstanding Rashawn Slater continued in April with Zion Johnson's addition at guard.Staley knew the Chargers' fatal flaw - their defense. He knew voluntarily punting the ball back to the opponent would likely end badly. So he leaned on Herbert and went for it on fourth down when most wouldn't - particularly those with an old-school mindset. Cue this offseason's changes.Utilizing the large piece of the salary cap pie that would normally go to a top-tier quarterback, the Chargers used the money they've saved from having Herbert still on his rookie deal to go shopping. Khalil Mack, J.C. Jackson, Bryce Callahan, and Sebastian Joseph-Day join Joey Bosa, Derwin James, and other highly-drafted youngsters in the hopes that a defense this stacked can't fail.WeaknessesIf a traditional running game is still critical to success, then the Chargers need to improve. If they call so many runs that it's critical, that'll be a weakness. However, Staley knows that calling runs merely establishes on-field physicality over efficiency.Maybe a bolstered defense doesn't pan out. Mack, on his third team - a usual red flag in the NFL - might not be able to play a 17+ game season, at which point, Staley's game of analytical roulette will leave L.A. vulnerable to short-term variance. Going for it on 4th down and not succeeding is easier to swallow when the defense can bow up to get the ball back.OpportunitiesWe know what to expect of the other highly-rated teams, but in just the third year of Herbert, the second year of Staley, and the tangible roster adjustments, there's a greater chance that this team surprises and reaches rare heights. For example, a 13-4 season is in play, clearing their prescribed win total by three (or more).ThreatsHigh expectations with little in the way of proven previous success is often a bad recipe for bettors. While we try not to believe in mystique or curses, the Chargers franchise has long been a candidate for Murphy's Law - anything that can go wrong will go wrong.From a micro standpoint, the Chargers' defense appeared to hinge on James' availability against quality offenses. The 2021 season may have ended differently had the team closed out an overtime loss to Kansas City. That game fell apart at halftime when James exited with an injury, leaving Travis Kelce to have his way in the L.A. secondary.How to bet the ChargersIt's an unusual combination, but Staley's hot-button decision-making last season - along with the high expectations going into this year - means it will be very hard for him to win Coach of the Year. Herbert, listed at +1000 for MVP, will get the most credit for a big Chargers season, but those odds are short since he's also favored to lead the league in passing yards.Mike Williams (+2500) is an interesting option to lead the NFL in receiving touchdowns. Herbert's big target had nine touchdowns last year despite catching just seven red zone targets.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.
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by Caio Miari on (#61EWW)
Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson believes Las Vegas Raiders pass-catcher Davante Adams is the best wide receiver in the NFL, but thinks it's just a matter of time until he earns that title."I'll say after this year I'll be the best receiver in the NFL," Jefferson recently told Complex's Kameron Hay. "I definitely have to give it to Davante Adams as of now, him being so crazy and dynamic on the field. His route running is crazy, so I definitely have to give it to him right now, but I'm pretty sure after this year, it's going to be me."Jefferson's taken the NFL by storm since the Vikings drafted him 22nd overall in 2020. The LSU product's 3,016 receiving yards lead the league in that span and is also a record by a player in their first two pro seasons.Meanwhile, Adams tops the NFL in receptions and touchdown catches over the last two seasons. Here's how their numbers stack up since 2020:PlayerTargetsCatchesRec. YdsTDsAdams318238292729Jefferson292196301617"I think I have to do it three years in a row for everybody to believe so," added Jefferson, who caught 108 passes for 1,616 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2021 en route to earning his second Pro Bowl berth."Some people don't think that after two years you deserve to be at the top of the league. And then me, I feel like I'm going to surpass 1600 yards too. So I think that I'll become the best receiver after this year."Adams has earned first-team All-Pro berths in each of the last two seasons while playing with reigning back-to-back NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers on the Green Bay Packers. The Raiders acquired Adams as part of a blockbuster trade in March.ESPN's Jeremy Fowler recently published wide receiver rankings made by executives, coaches, and players ahead of the 2022 season. Adams topped the list, while Jefferson ranked fourth behind Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams and Ja'Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Justin Boone on (#61ENX)
Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore staff took part in a 10-team, 12-round mock draft to offer some insight on what to watch for in each round.This is a half PPR scoring league with the following roster spots: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, FLEX, BN, BN, BN, BN. We omitted defenders and kickers, as they're normally selected in the final two rounds.Draft participants: Justin Boone, Navin Vaswani, Caitlyn Holroyd, Ian Dalley, Dustin Saracini, Taylor Rohaly, Daniel Valente, Caio Miari, David P. Woods, Alex Chippin.Round 1PickPlayerTeam1Christian McCaffrey (RB1)Boone2Jonathan Taylor (RB2)Vaswani3Cooper Kupp (WR1)Holroyd4Derrick Henry (RB3)Dalley5Najee Harris (RB4)Saracini6Ja'Marr Chase (WR2)Rohaly7Justin Jefferson (WR3)Valente8Stefon Diggs (WR4)Miari9Austin Ekeler (RB5)Woods10Nick Chubb (RB6)ChippinRound 1: While the players selected in the first round are fairly chalky, there were a few running backs who went a little earlier than you'd normally see in PPR drafts. Henry and Chubb are two of the best ball carriers the NFL has to offer, but they don't provide the target volume to warrant going fourth and 10th overall, respectively, in this format.My pick: Baker Mayfield's arrival in Carolina was enough for me to move McCaffrey back into the No. 1 spot in my rankings. Don't overemphasize his recent injury history. Instead, focus on the 30-point-per-week ceiling he reached in 2019 and 2020, which no other player comes close to averaging.Round 2PickPlayerTeam11Aaron Jones (RB7)Chippin12Dalvin Cook (RB8)Woods13Joe Mixon (RB9)Miari14Davante Adams (WR5)Valente15Josh Allen (QB1)Rohaly16Travis Kelce (TE1)Saracini17D'Andre Swift (RB10)Dalley18Leonard Fournette (RB11)Holroyd19CeeDee Lamb (WR6)Vaswani20Mike Evans (WR7)BooneRound 2: Allen is by far the top fantasy quarterback heading into the 2022 season, but reaching for him in the second round is a risky move by Team Rohaly. That's especially true in a 10-team, single-QB league in which there are more than enough quality starters to go around. The earliest you should consider Allen is in the third round.My pick: The uncertainty surrounding Chris Godwin's recovery timeline, combined with Rob Gronkowski's retirement, pushes Evans into the second round. Though some reports suggest the Bucs are hopeful Godwin could be ready for Week 1, there's no reason for a team with Super Bowl aspirations to rush him back. We're unlikely to see Godwin until October at the earliest, so expect a hot start from Evans. At that point, we can decide whether we want to sell high or ride him for the rest of the year.Round 3PickPlayerTeam21Mark Andrews (TE2)Boone22Saquon Barkley (RB12)Vaswani23Javonte Williams (RB13)Holroyd24Tyreek Hill (WR8)Dalley25James Conner (RB14)Saracini26Alvin Kamara (RB15)Rohaly27Deebo Samuel (WR9)Valente28Tee Higgins (WR10)Miari29A.J. Brown (WR11)Woods30Keenan Allen (WR12)ChippinRound 3: Team Valente is heading down a zero-RB path after choosing a trio of star wideouts in Jefferson, Adams, and Samuel. All three finished among the top five fantasy receivers in 2021 and will have an excellent chance to land in the top 10 again this year.My pick: Spending up on an elite tight end gives your lineup a significant advantage. With Kelce off the board in the previous round, we'll gladly take Andrews, who was the top scoring player at his position last season, averaging 17.7 fantasy points per game. That was 1.3 points more than Kelce each week and 3.4 points more than the third-place finisher Gronk.Round 4PickPlayerTeam31Terry McLaurin (WR13)Chippin32Michael Pittman (WR14)Woods33Travis Etienne (RB16)Miari34Kyle Pitts (TE3)Valente35Ezekiel Elliott (RB17)Rohaly36Cam Akers (RB18)Saracini37Mike Williams (WR15)Dalley38DJ Moore (WR16)Holroyd39Diontae Johnson (WR17)Vaswani40Courtland Sutton (WR18)BooneRound 4: There isn't much out of the ordinary in the fourth round. Team Saracini is waiting on receivers and has an interesting three-RB, one-TE build going, while Team Valente continued its zero-RB plan by adding Pitts - a tight end with the potential to join the elite ranks this season. We'll monitor how these work out since they're much different than the other more balanced approaches in this draft.My pick: At the end of the round, we went with Sutton - the wideout who's reportedly Russell Wilson's favorite pass-catcher so far in Denver. With Evans and Sutton as our main receivers, we should have an opportunity to pair one of them with their real-life QB a little later in the draft. Wilson and Tom Brady have top-five upside and come at more palatable costs than some of the younger stars at the position.Round 5PickPlayerTeam41Breece Hall (RB19)Boone42Jaylen Waddle (WR19)Vaswani43George Kittle (TE4)Holroyd44Darren Waller (TE5)Dalley45Jerry Jeudy (WR20)Saracini46Gabriel Davis (WR21)Rohaly47Lamar Jackson (QB2)Valente48David Montgomery (RB20)Miari49Marquise Brown (WR22)Woods50JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR23)ChippinRound 5: The surprise around selecting a quarterback in the second round becomes even more evident when you realize the next passer is only coming off the board now. Though we're a couple seasons removed from Jackson's record-setting MVP campaign in 2019, he's a good-value pick in the middle rounds since his fantasy upside rivals any quarterback in the league. Though Team Valente will have a lot of work to do filling out its running back depth chart, it's loaded at WR, TE, and QB.My pick: Rookie running backs can be a dangerous bet if you overpay, but waiting until the fifth round to grab Hall minimizes my risk. The Jets were middle of the pack in Football Outsiders' run DVOA last season and should benefit from the infusion of talent at almost level of their offense. Hall comes with the draft capital and prospect profile to be an immediate difference-maker in fantasy.Round 6PickPlayerTeam51Kyler Murray (QB3)Chippin52Rashod Bateman (WR24)Woods53Allen Robinson (WR25)Miari54J.K. Dobbins (RB21)Valente55Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR26)Rohaly56DK Metcalf (WR27)Saracini57Darnell Mooney (WR28)Dalley58Brandin Cooks (WR29)Holroyd59Patrick Mahomes (QB4)Vaswani60Adam Thielen (WR30)BooneRound 6: Receivers dominate the sixth round, with a mixture of underrated veterans (Robinson, Cooks, Thielen), young breakout stars (Bateman, St. Brown, Mooney), and a potential top-10 wideout whose value is being suppressed by a bad QB situation (Metcalf). All seven receivers taken here are good values in this range.My pick: As much as we want to write off Thielen, he continues to produce for fantasy managers. Prior to getting hurt in Week 13, the 31-year-old was averaging the ninth most fantasy points (17.4) among receivers through 11 games last season, including 10 touchdowns during that span. The Vikings' new coaching staff is expected to bring in a more pass-friendly attack, which should help Thielen maintain his value for at least one more season.Round 7PickPlayerTeam61Chris Godwin (WR31)Boone62Amari Cooper (WR32)Vaswani63Justin Herbert (QB5)Holroyd64Elijah Mitchell (RB22)Dalley65Michael Thomas (WR33)Saracini66Tony Pollard (RB23)Rohaly67Josh Jacobs (RB24)Valente68Dalton Schultz (TE6)Miari69DeVonta Smith (WR34)Woods70Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB25)ChippinRound 7: After avoiding running backs in the early going, Team Valente has put its faith in Dobbins and Jacobs the last two rounds. That's a gamble when you factor in the fact Dobbins is returning from a torn ACL that's kept him sidelined all offseason and could threaten his Week 1 availability. Jacobs doesn't come with any guarantees, either, after the Raiders declined his fifth-year option and drafted two backs in April. Hopefully, Team Valente can fill its bench with some lottery-ticket RBs.My pick: The seventh round was my toughest choice in the draft due to the drop-off in safe options. Herbert was a possibility, but this is still earlier than we would normally invest in a quarterback. That led me to shift to a more long-term view and take Godwin. Even if the Bucs WR is sidelined until October, we have enough depth in Evans, Sutton, and Thielen to keep us afloat. If the rest of our roster holds up, Godwin will be a major boost in the second half of the season. Without the injury, he'd likely have been a second- or third-round pick in this draft.Round 8PickPlayerTeam71Chase Claypool (WR35)Chippin72Jalen Hurts (QB6)Woods73Hunter Renfrow (WR36)Miari74Drake London (WR37)Valente75AJ Dillon (RB26)Rohaly76Antonio Gibson (RB27)Saracini77Miles Sanders (RB28)Dalley78Elijah Moore (WR38)Holroyd79DeAndre Hopkins (WR39)Vaswani80Chase Edmonds (RB29)BooneRound 8: Team Woods secured two outstanding backs at the beginning of the draft, then filled out its roster with five straight receivers - led by Brown. Now, Brown is paired with one of my favorite quarterback targets this season in Hurts, who has all the firepower he needs to improve on his QB6 fantasy finish in 2021.My pick: Edmonds is the front-runner to have the most touches in the Dolphins' backfield after they signed him to a two-year, $12.6-million contract - compared to the smaller one-year deals given to Raheem Mostert and Sony Michel. The team brought in head coach Mike McDaniel from the 49ers and made an effort to upgrade its offensive line - moves that should both have a massive impact on the rushing attack. If you're looking for this year's mid-round running back steal, Edmonds should be near the top of your list.Round 9PickPlayerTeam81Brandon Aiyuk (WR40)Boone82T.J. Hockenson (TE7)Vaswani83Damien Harris (RB30)Holroyd84Christian Kirk (WR41)Dalley85Joe Burrow (QB7)Saracini86Cordarrelle Patterson (RB31)Rohaly87Marquez Valdes-Scantling (WR42)Valente88Kenneth Walker (RB32)Miari89Rhamondre Stevenson (RB33)Woods90Robert Woods (WR43)ChippinRound 9: Seeing someone like Patterson available this deep in the draft still seems odd. Not many running backs break out after the age of 30, making C-Patt a unique case. The Falcons relied on him heavily before he broke down late in the year, and they'll likely have to do so again after barely addressing the position in the offseason. Patterson averaged the 16th most fantasy points (14.7) among running backs in PPR last year yet was the 31st back off the board in this draft. It's a great value for Team Rohaly, which could be without its top RB early in the season if Kamara gets suspended.My pick: Aiyuk is an overqualified No. 2 receiver on a San Francisco offense that's about to reach new heights when Trey Lance takes over under center. As a rookie in 2020, Aiyuk was the WR14 in fantasy points per game (16.4) from Week 3 on. He opened his sophomore season in Kyle Shanahan's doghouse but got back on track and was the WR22 per game (13.4) over his final 10 appearances. He'll be in the mix as a fringe WR2 once again - he just isn't being valued that way at the moment.Round 10PickPlayerTeam91Kareem Hunt (RB34)Chippin92Kadarius Toney (WR44)Woods93Trey Lance (QB8)Miari94Treylon Burks (WR45)Valente95Jakobi Meyers (WR46)Rohaly96Mecole Hardman (WR47)Saracini97Devin Singletary (RB35)Dalley98Allen Lazard (WR48)Holroyd99Rashaad Penny (RB36)Vaswani100Tyler Lockett (WR49)BooneRound 10: As we preach every year, the later rounds should be dedicated to pure upside as you attempt to unearth the next fantasy diamond. Hunt, Toney, Lance, Burks, and Lazard all fit that description here.My pick: Just like his teammate Metcalf, Lockett's fantasy stock has fallen with managers bracing for a Drew Loc-Geno Smith QB competition. However, at this phase of the draft, you should be willing to roll the dice on a player who's averaged 1,063 yards and nine touchdowns per season the last four years. There's also a chance Jimmy Garoppolo lands in Seattle, which would launch Lockett back up fantasy draft boards.Round 11PickPlayerTeam101Russell Wilson (QB9)Boone102Melvin Gordon (RB37)Vaswani103James Cook (RB38)Holroyd104Russell Gage (WR50)Dalley105DeVante Parker (WR51)Saracini106Dawson Knox (TE8)Rohaly107Garrett Wilson (WR52)Valente108Skyy Moore (WR53)Miari109Dallas Goedert (TE9)Woods110Zach Ertz (TE10)ChippinRound 11: Team Woods completed its Eagles stack by taking Goedert this round, reuniting him with teammates Brown and Hurts. We don't know if Hurts' arm will be able to support multiple fantasy pass-catchers over a full season, but it's worth finding out at this price. Philadelphia could emerge as one of the more potent offenses in the league this season, and if that happens, Team Woods will be a real threat.My pick: We were able to wait at quarterback and take the value that came to us. Wilson finished as a top-12 fantasy QB (points per game) in eight of his 10 seasons with Seattle, falling just short in 2021 (QB13) and 2016 (QB16). Now he joins a Denver offense that's bursting at the seams with talent. If you aren't confident enough to determine which players might benefit the most from his arrival, you can play it safe and cover your bases by drafting Wilson.Round 12PickPlayerTeam111Mark Ingram (RB39)Chippin112Ronald Jones (RB40)Woods113Alexander Mattison (RB41)Miari114James Robinson (RB42)Valente115Rachaad White (RB43)Rohaly116Aaron Rodgers (QB10)Saracini117Tom Brady (QB11)Dalley118Chris Olave (WR54)Holroyd119Dameon Pierce (RB44)Vaswani120Darrell Henderson (RB45)BooneRound 12: Remember when we were expecting Team Valente to load up running backs in the second half of the draft? It waited until the 12th round to take its third back, leaving it with a trio of Dobbins, Jacobs, and Robinson. On top of the concerns we expressed about the first two, he now has to worry about Robinson's return from a torn Achilles - an injury that tends to limit ball carriers for a couple years before they regain their form. Team Valente will need to be aggressive on the waiver wire when replacement-caliber running back options pop up.My pick: Speaking of players making their way back from a torn Achilles, the fact Akers was able to return for the playoffs last season was impressive. Unfortunately, he didn't look like the same player and might not be back to form this season either. That makes Henderson an important target in case he has to handle some of the workload or step in if Akers is forced to miss time.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by C Jackson Cowart on (#61E7W)
On Wednesday, we broke down the Offensive Player of the Year market. This time, we're running through the best bets on the defensive side of the ball, a market in which pass-rushers have been king for the last decade.T.J. Watt, last year's winner, became the ninth lineman or edge rusher in the past 11 seasons to be named Defensive Player of the Year thanks to his record-setting 22.5 sacks in just 15 games for the Steelers. Despite his historic season, he's tied with Aaron Donald for the second-shortest odds (+700) behind fellow star pass-rusher Myles Garrett (+650) heading into 2022.Here are the odds to win this year's award at Barstool Sportsbook (100-1 or shorter), along with three of our favorite value bets ahead of training camp:PLAYERODDSMyles Garrett+650Aaron Donald+700T.J. Watt+700Micah Parsons+900Nick Bosa+1200Joey Bosa+2000Khalil Mack+2500Chase Young+2500Maxx Crosby+3300Danielle Hunter+3500Bradley Chubb+3500Derwin James+4000Von Miller+4000Rashan Gary+5000Darius Leonard+5000Jalen Ramsey+5000Chandler Jones+6000Jaire Alexander+6600Shaquil Barrett+6600Brian Burns+6600Trevon Diggs+6600Trey Hendrickson+6600Matthew Judon+6600Robert Quinn+6600Roquan Smith+6600Fred Warner+6600Devin White+6600Randy Gregory+6600Bobby Wagner+6600Xavien Howard+8000Chris Jones+8000Za'Darius Smith+8000Jamal Adams+10000Jonathan Allen+10000Budda Baker+10000Jessie Bates+10000DeForest Buckner+10000Kevin Byard+10000Marcus Davenport+10000Tremaine Edmunds+10000Minkah Fitzpatrick+10000Marlon Humphrey+10000J.C. Jackson+10000Cameron Jordan+10000Harold Landry+10000Demarcus Lawrence+10000Jeffery Simmons+10000Darius Slay+10000Patrick Surtain II+10000Vita Vea+10000J.J. Watt+10000Tre'Davious White+10000Micah Parsons, LB, Cowboys (+900)Parsons burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2021, starting 16 games for the Cowboys' elite defense and recording 13 sacks and 20 tackles for loss from the linebacker position. He was the runaway winner of Defensive Rookie of the Year and even made a late push for DPOY.Given how prolific Parsons was in his first NFL season, it feels a little silly to price last year's runner-up as the fourth-shortest option ahead of what should be a significant offseason. The linebacker recorded 10.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss in the final 10 games alone, which follows the trajectory you'd expect from a 23-year-old rising star.Parsons will be asked to do it all for the Cowboys again this year, so I expect his gaudy sack totals to persist into his sophomore campaign. If he can add a few takeaways to his resume - he finished with zero interceptions or fumble recoveries in 2021 - he'll be in the mix to win it this time around.Maxx Crosby, DE, Raiders (+3300)For an honor that rewards elite pass-rushers, Crosby is lurking as a dangerous long shot after a statistically dominant 2021 campaign.Sure, the Raiders edge rusher finished with just eight sacks a year ago, but he led the NFL in hurries (77) and QB hits (20) and finished second in total pressures (108) - tallying one fewer than three-time DPOY winner Donald (109). He also had the highest pass rush win rate (26.8%) among all pass-rushers with at least 100 attempts, which should translate to more sacks over time.It's not as though the fourth-year lineman can't finish the job - he recorded at least seven sacks in each of the last three years - so if those hurries translate into takedowns, he's in prime position to explode onto the scene in 2022.Jaire Alexander, CB, Packers (+6600)Yes, DPOY is traditionally a pass-rusher's award, even with cornerback Stephon Gilmore winning it in 2019. But this is a criminally long price for Alexander, the highest-paid defender in football and arguably the best defensive back in the entire league.He missed 13 games last campaign but owned the highest wins above replacement (0.88) of any defender the season prior, earning All-Pro honors after another phenomenal year for the Packers. Alexander graded out as the best cornerback in football in 2020 and recorded at least 11 pass breakups in each of his three full seasons before last year's 4-game stint.The former first-round pick ended his 2021 campaign with a crucial missed tackle in the postseason, which he already said will fuel him entering the first year of his new deal. I'm betting on Alexander to produce his best season yet as a pro, which could make him a dark horse for DPOY at a juicy price.C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by C Jackson Cowart on (#61CQS)
The NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award used to be just another trophy to add to the MVP's mantle, but that hasn't been the case in recent years. Four of the last five MVP winners weren't named OPOY, an award that tends to recognize spectacular (and often historic) statistical accomplishments for skill position stars.Last year's winner, Cooper Kupp, captured the fourth receiving triple crown in NFL history with 145 catches for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns - coming just shy of single-season records in the first two stats. He's the co-favorite to win it in the 2022 season, alongside last year's runner-up, Jonathan Taylor. Will it take another historic season to claim this year's award?Here are the odds to win the 2022 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award at Barstool Sportsbook (100-1 or shorter), along with three of our favorite value plays ahead of training camps:PLAYERODDSCooper Kupp+800Jonathan Taylor+800Derrick Henry+900Davante Adams+1400Deebo Samuel+1400Josh Allen+2000Nick Chubb+2000Christian McCaffrey+2000Dalvin Cook+2200Lamar Jackson+2200Patrick Mahomes+2200Justin Herbert+2500Justin Jefferson+2500Joe Burrow+2800Aaron Rodgers+2800Ja'Marr Chase+3000Kyler Murray+3000Aaron Jones+3300Travis Kelce+3300Deshaun Watson+3300Derek Carr+4000Jalen Hurts+4000Trey Lance+4000Dak Prescott+4000Matthew Stafford+4000Russell Wilson+4000Stefon Diggs+4500George Kittle+4500Tyreek Hill+5000CeeDee Lamb+5000Austin Ekeler+6000Alvin Kamara+6000D'Andre Swift+6000Tua Tagovailoa+6000Jaylen Waddle+6000Javonte Williams+6000Cam Akers+6600Keenan Allen+6600Ezekiel Elliott+6600Antonio Gibson+6600DeAndre Hopkins+6600Mac Jones+6600Elijah Mitchell+6600Joe Mixon+6600Hunter Renfrow+6600Allen Robinson+6600Michael Thomas+6600Mark Andrews+7500Saquon Barkley+7500Najee Harris+7500Amon-Ra St. Brown+7500A.J. Brown+8000James Conner+8000J.K. Dobbins+8000Justin Fields+8000Michael Pittman+8000Matt Ryan+8000Jameis Winston+8000Marquise Brown+10000Amari Cooper+10000Kirk Cousins+10000Mike Evans+10000Leonard Fournette+10000Damien Harris+10000Tee Higgins+10000Josh Jacobs+10000Diontae Johnson+10000Daniel Jones+10000Allen Lazard+10000Terry McLaurin+10000DK Metcalf+10000Cordarrelle Patterson+10000Kyle Pitts+10000Miles Sanders+10000Darren Waller+10000Mike Williams+10000Derrick Henry, RB, Titans (+900)You can make the case that Henry would've won this award last year if not for the foot injury in Week 8 that sidelined him for the second half of the season. The Titans' star rusher was on pace for 1,991 yards and 21 touchdowns - both of which would've easily topped the league.Henry led the league in both categories in 2019 and 2020, winning OPOY in the latter. Tennessee will once again rely on him to be the central figure of its offense, especially after it traded away star wideout A.J. Brown in April.Health will always be a concern for someone coming off a serious injury, but if Henry were fully healthy, he'd likely be the favorite. Buy the dip on the most surefire bet to produce a monstrous stat line by season's end.Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens (+2200)During Jackson's 2019 MVP season, Michael Thomas seized OPOY behind a record-setting 149 receptions. But what if no one makes history this year?That would open the door for the Ravens quarterback, who we highlighted on Tuesday as one of the hottest names in the MVP market. Jackson missed five games last year but set a career high in passing yards per game (240.2), and he's just three years removed from torching opposing defenses with a combined 4,333 yards and 43 touchdowns en route to only the second unanimous MVP award in NFL history.Jackson's dual-threat contributions make him a particularly compelling candidate for this award, especially if he can close in on the all-time rushing record for a QB - which he set in 2019 (1,206). If you like his MVP chances, as we do, it's worth sprinkling a few bucks in this market, as well.Tyreek Hill, WR, Dolphins (+5000)So let me get this straight: 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel is dealing at 14-1 odds to win this award, but Hill - whose new coach, Mike McDaniel, helped turn Samuel into a star in San Francisco - is a 50-1 long shot?There's no doubt Samuel's natural talent aided his ascent to stardom, but McDaniel was the one who unlocked his versatility and turned him from an effective but unremarkable wideout into a dual-threat star. Now he'll have the fastest receiver in NFL history at his disposal - one who already has four 1,000-yard seasons under his belt and was scarcely used as a rusher out of the backfield in Kansas City.There are still doubts about whether quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's arm strength is sufficient to feed Hill downfield, but the Dolphins speedster is just as lethal in the open field as he is on a go-route, and his resume as a receiver alone deserves more respect than this. With players of Hill's ilk dealing at much shorter odds, there's no excuse to be hanging a 50-1 price on the three-time All-Pro receiver.C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Daniel Valente on (#61E5E)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Minnesota Vikings are among multiple teams interested in free-agent tight end Kyle Rudolph, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports.Rudolph spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Vikings before signing a two-year deal with the New York Giants in free agency last offseason. However, he was released this March after recording 257 receiving yards and one touchdown.The 32-year-old caught 453 passes for 4,488 yards and 48 touchdowns during his stay in Minnesota. Rudolph would likely slot behind former teammate Irv Smith on the tight-end depth chart if he rejoins the Vikings.Meanwhile, the Buccaneers are in need of help at tight end following the retirement of Rob Gronkowski. Cameron Brate is currently penciled in for the starting job.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Caio Miari on (#61DZA)
Dallas Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz and Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki are not expected to reach agreements on long-term contract extensions before Friday's 4 p.m. ET deadline, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Schultz and Gesicki will earn $10.93 million each in 2022 if they play under the tag, according to Over The Cap.The Cowboys haven't spoken to Schultz in weeks about a new deal, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News reports.A fourth-round pick in 2018 out of Stanford, Schultz posted career highs with 78 catches for 808 yards and eight touchdowns across 17 games in 2021. The 26-year-old is one of the main offensive weapons for the Cowboys, who have depth issues at the tight end position.Gesicki, 26, also set career highs with 73 receptions and 780 yards last season to go along with two touchdown catches.Schultz, Gesicki, and David Njoku of the Cleveland Browns were the three tight ends who received the franchise tag in March. Njoku recently inked a four-year deal that will pay him $56.75 million.Two other franchise-tagged players who haven't signed long-term pacts are Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Orlando Brown and Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Matt Russell on (#61DX4)
In our betting-centric refresher on Las Vegas, we discussed a pair of big adds to the organization. But with all due respect to Josh McDaniels and Davante Adams, they aren't the most critical new duo in the AFC West. The Broncos also have a new head coach in Nathaniel Hackett - like Adams, hired away from Green Bay, and a new quarterback in Russell Wilson. Like the Peyton Manning signing years earlier, Denver has made a franchise-changing move, and it's significantly changed the team's standing in the market.2022 Season oddsMarket Odds (O/U)Win total10 (-120/+100)Division+260Conference+850Super Bowl+1600Ahead of the 2021 season, oddsmakers set the Broncos' win total at 7.5 after they acquired Teddy Bridgewater as their starting quarterback. A year later, with Wilson on board and little else changed, the club's median win expectation is up 2.5 games. The market is fully aware of the upgrade under center.Schedule outlookWeekOpponentLookahead line1@SEA-4.52HOU-10.53SF-2.54@LVPK5IND-36@LAC+37NYJ-7.58@JAX-6.510@TENPK11LV-312@CAR-2.513@BAL+1.514KCPK15ARI-416@LAR+3.517@KC+4.518LACPKSurvivor contest players will likely put their faith in the new-look Broncos in Week 2, as they get the Texans out of their depth at Mile High heights for Wilson's home debut.SWOT AnalysisStrengthsIf Russell Wilson is your quarterback, the offense should probably be a strength. He walks into a locker room with a mostly high-drafted wide receiver group in Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, and KJ Hamler built long before they knew who would eventually be throwing to them.Before landing Wilson, the narrative around Denver's quest for a top-level quarterback always sounded like it would be a favor to its world-class defense. The trouble with that theory is that the Broncos had Von Miller at the center of opponent offense corruption, but no one put up more sacks last year than Shelby Harris - and he departed for the Seahawks.WeaknessesThere's still too much talent on the back end of the Broncos' defense for it to be a weakness, with Patrick Surtain and Justin Simmons leading the way at corner and safety, respectively. Bradley Chubb missed 10 games due to ankle surgery and didn't have a sack in the seven games he did play in. After a 12-sack rookie season across from Miller in 2018, the question around Chubb is whether he can stay healthy and reliable for 17 games, turning the defense into something more than a hypothetical.If Wilson was tired of running for his life in Seattle, it's concerning that he's now behind a line that returns four of five starters who gave up 28 sacks last season - 27th-best in the league.OpportunitiesFor what felt like five seconds this spring, you could've had Wilson at 25-1 for MVP. But that price is long gone as he sits around 14-1, and along with it went the best prices on the Broncos in the other main markets.ThreatsContinuity is the untold difference-maker in the NFL. Winning in a league that's as competitive as ever depends on small things that give a team an edge, including not having to spend time on the basics. With a new quarterback - even one of the best - and a new offense-first head coach, it will take time to organize that side of the ball with a suspect line and young receivers. Wilson doesn't have the same escapability that he once had, either.How to bet the BroncosThere likely won't be any candidates gunning for statistical league-leader or winning any awards other than Wilson, and the value is gone on an MVP bet - just as it is for any team accomplishment. Wilson will get credit for an expectation-surpassing season, so Hackett isn't a good bet for Coach of the Year. Chubb is 30-1 for Defensive Player of the Year, but a longer shot in that market is more interesting. Simmons (80-1) had five interceptions last campaign - tied for most by a safety - and 12 passes defended - one off the lead by a safety. Plus, he threw in a sack and half for good measure. If the Broncos' defense is really good, he may emerge as the face of that unit.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.
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by Caio Miari on (#61DT1)
Tom Brady is officially ruling out any possibility of playing until age 50."I've realized I don't have five years left," the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, who turns 45 in August, recently told Ramin Setoodeh of Variety.Many around the NFL have speculated whether Brady could play until 50. The seven-time Super Bowl champion said in April he probably would be able to but acknowledged it'd be unlikely.After announcing his retirement earlier this year, the legendary passer changed course and returned to the Buccaneers only 40 days later. Now he plans to evaluate his future following each season."I would say it's year-to-year," he said. "Could this be my last year? Absolutely. Could I change my mind? Absolutely."Brady added: "I want to do it my way. I want to give it everything I got and see where I'm at. My body feels really good. I've had a lot of traumatic injuries over the years, but if things go really smoothly and we win, that'd be great."The five-time Super Bowl MVP has already agreed to join FOX Sports as an NFL analyst once his playing career ends."Initially, I told them I didn't want to do it," Brady said of his future broadcaster role. "There was a lot of different emotions. I couldn't make the decision from the place where I needed to be. For the first time, I was a free agent in life. It's different than being a free agent in football when one of 31 teams can come after you."Brady added that ESPN also tried to hire him "at different times.""There were a lot of different opportunities I was approached with," he said.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Matt Russell on (#61DHB)
The Raiders weren't supposed to hit the over on their 2021 win total let alone cash any "make the playoffs" tickets. This was especially true after their head coach was ousted midway through the season, among other off-field issues for a talent-deficient roster. Somehow, they gave the Bengals everything they could handle in a wild-card game and covered the 6-point spread.This offseason, the Raiders hired Josh McDaniels away from the Patriots and signed Davante Adams away from the Packers - two significant adds for a team that just tasted postseason football. How has the market reacted to this cultural shift in Las Vegas?2022 season oddsMarket Odds (O/U)Win total8.5 (-120/+100)Division+650Conference+2000Super Bowl+4000Everything you need to know about the competitiveness of the AFC West lies in the fact that the Raiders' win total is 8.5 - juiced to the over - and they're still the fourth choice to win the division at +650.Schedule outlookWeekOpponentLookahead line1@LAC+3.52ARZ-2.53@TEN+14DENPK5@KC+67HOU+88@NOPK9@JAX-310IND-211@DEN+312@SEA-213LACPK14@LAR+415NE-316@PIT-1.517SF-1.518KC+2Tightly lined games are found throughout the Raiders' schedule. Given their 8-9 win total, it isn't all that surprising. It just goes to show how, with a couple of bounces here and there, a mediocre team can end up 12-5 or 5-12.SWOT analysisStrengthsDerek Carr's stock rose last year, as he carried the Raiders to the playoffs. Now he's got one of his best friends on the team who is coincidentally one of the game's great wide receivers. The connection with Carr's college teammate, Adams, is expected to be great. Considering Carr was already locked in with Hunter Renfrow and tight end Darren Waller, there's reason to believe this offense could be the best Carr has ever operated.The defense was surprisingly good in 2021, finishing in the top 10 in opponent yards per pass attempt. The defensive line swaps out team sack leader Yannick Ngakoue for Chandler Jones. It will be up to the former Cardinals defensive end to replace that production, which is no guarantee given almost half of Jones' 10.5 sacks came in Week 1 last season.WeaknessesThe most impressive aspect of Carr's 2021 season was that he performed behind one of the league's worst offensive lines. Kolton Miller had an excellent 84.2 overall grade, but no one else was better than 64.2, according to Pro Football Focus. Alex Leatherwood is currently on the depth chart at right tackle, which is terrifying given he posted a PFF pass-blocking grade of 29.OpportunitiesIn theory, hiring Josh McDaniels is done with an eye on improving an offense and guiding a young quarterback's development. That's not really what the Raiders need, as the veteran Carr already knows what calls he likes and has shown an ability to take advantage of overaggressive, blitz-heavy defenses.Much has been made of Belichick's assistants who've moved to other teams with expectations of giving that new squad a strategic or game-management edge, only to see them flop - including McDaniels in his first head coaching stint with the Broncos.It's also assumed Adams will be a boost to the Raiders' offense. Maybe that will be the case, but that sentiment is already built into the various Raiders odds in team markets. Since no one is saying the McDaniels-Carr-Adams triumvirate isn't going to work, it's hard to imagine they're being undervalued, even at tantalizing prices.ThreatsIf Carr and the Raiders' offense are merely as good as they were in 2021, will that be enough to make up for a defense that is returning just four total interceptions from last year's roster? No one on Las Vegas had more than a single interception, and Jones' dwindling sack total through the final 16 games is a concern.How to bet the RaidersThe three other teams in the division don't have many holes, so even a 2-4 record in the AFC West would be impressive. After that, you're left with nine games with projected point spreads inside of a field goal. At even money, under 8.5 wins is a decent bet, but the Raiders' actual win total will probably be pretty close to their projection. Of course, if Carr misses time, the under becomes almost a certainty.If Carr (+1000) remains healthy, he can make a run at the most passing yards in the league regardless of how many games the Raiders win. Adams being in silver and black is just another reason for McDaniels to open up the offense even more. Should the defense not hold up, Carr will be forced to air it out.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Daniel Valente on (#61CSX)
The Cincinnati Bengals and star safety Jessie Bates aren't expected to strike a long-term deal by Friday's franchise-tag deadline, a source told Kelsey Conway of The Enquirer.Franchise-tagged players like Bates have until 4 p.m. ET Friday to sign a long-term deal. If a contract isn't reached, Bates will be set to play the 2022 season under the $12.9-million tag, per Spotrac.Discussions between the two parties remain at a standstill, Conway adds.The safety market got a new front-runner this offseason when Minkah Fitzpatrick became the position's highest-paid player by averaging $18.4-million per year.Bates has been a key member of the Bengals' secondary since being selected in the 2018 NFL Draft. He's recorded 10 interceptions across 63 career starts and picked off two passes during the team's playoff run last season.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Justin Boone on (#61CQT)
Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, and Anchor.In this episode, Dave Kluge of Football Guys joins Boone to discuss the latest news and the most notable position battles that need to be monitored during training camp.
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by Caio Miari on (#61CGT)
The Cleveland Browns are interested in signing free-agent defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, a source told USA Today's Tyler Dragon.The Las Vegas Raiders and Minnesota Vikings are other known teams that reportedly have had conversations with Suh. The veteran defender said in June he likes the idea of potentially joining the Raiders.The 35-year-old is expected to make a final decision closer to the start of training camps, Dragon adds.Suh spent the last three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who opted not to re-sign him this offseason. The five-time Pro Bowler, who played all 49 regular-season games with Tampa Bay since 2019, racked up 27 tackles and six sacks in 2021.Bolstering the defensive line became a priority for Cleveland after the club let two of its top linemen - Malik Jackson and Malik McDowell - walk away in free agency. The Browns added depth to the position this offseason, signing former first-rounder Taven Bryan and drafting Perrion Winfrey in the fourth round. Cleveland also rosters defensive lineman Jordan Elliott, who started three games last year.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Matt Russell on (#619H8)
Throughout July, we are previewing every NFL team to determine the best ways to back or fade them in the betting market.Here are links to every team's preview, all in one handy place.AFC EastBuffalo Bills (July 22)
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by Matt Russell on (#61CBF)
For the second straight year, an NFC team that was deemed to be "just a quarterback away" made a big move, grabbing a Pro Bowl signal-caller. Just like that, the Rams - like the Buccaneers before them - won the Super Bowl. It was, in fact, that easy.What do Matthew Stafford and the Rams have for a Hollywood encore? Oddsmakers and the market agree - probably something pretty good.2022 season oddsMarket Odds (O/U)Win total10.5 (-105/-115)Division+125Conference+500Super Bowl+1100The Rams get the edge over the 49ers in the NFC West and up the oddsboard, as they did in the NFC Championship Game. Perhaps because of that in-division competition, Los Angeles has just enough hurdles to a repeat that it is the third choice in the NFC and has the fifth-shortest odds for what would be a Super Bowl repeat.Schedule outlookWeekOpponentLookahead line1BUF-12ATL-133@ARZ-24@SF-15DAL-4.56CAR-7.58SF-4.59@TB+1.510ARZ-611@NO-312@KC+2.513SEA-9.514LV-415@GBPK16DEN-3.517@LAC+1.518@SEA-5.5The Rams' championship defense gets cooking early with an opening night visit from the Super Bowl favorite Bills - and their former mercenary pass-rusher, Von Miller. The Rams' first-place schedule, and the NFC West's pairing with the AFC West, is the reason they will be underdogs (again) on the road against the Bucs, Chiefs, and maybe (again) Packers. Most interestingly, they are projected to be short 'dogs in Week 17 to their SoFi Stadium roommates, the Chargers.SWOT analysisStrengthsThis should probably be concerning for the rest of the NFL:
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by Matt Russell on (#61C5N)
For a team that made an exhilarating run to a conference championship game and hasn't made any significant roster changes, the 49ers sure have a lot of question marks just a few months later.The lack of roster changes is, in a way, the upheaval. Jimmy Garoppolo is, as of this writing, still in San Francisco despite the plan to move him and elevate Trey Lance to the starting position. Deebo Samuel is, as of this writing, still around despite his own trade request as part of a contract dispute - something the 49ers likely didn't plan for at all.If this were a video game, with the key pieces (currently) in place for the 49ers, there wouldn't be an issue, but that's not how it works in real life. The range of outcomes for San Francisco widens with a move toward Lance and a potentially discontented multi-positional star in Samuel.2022 season oddsMarket Odds (O/U)Win total10.0 (+100/-120)Division+160Conference+750Super Bowl+1600Since Samuel wasn't moved at the draft, it became increasingly clear that the 49ers weren't going to acquiesce to his trade demand. As a result, the market is working under the assumption that Lance - another assumption as starting quarterback - will have Samuel to rely on, making the Niners the fourth choice in the NFC.Schedule outlookWeekOpponentLookahead line1@CHI-6.52SEA-83@DEN+2.54LAR+15@CAR-2.56@ATL-6.57KC+18@LAR+4.510LACPK11@ARZ-2.512NO-413MIA-3.514TBPK15@SEA-316WSH-617@LV+1.518ARZ-3There are two survivor pool opportunities to start the season for San Francisco if you're willing to take them on the road in Week 1 or in a divisional matchup in Week 2. The schedule gets considerably tougher after that, with tighter projected spreads. So if Lance can't get it done in those two games, a scarlet flag will be raised.SWOT analysisStrengthsKyle Shanahan gets credit for making it work with whoever is taking snaps, even if the quarterback's tools are limited. Is it really that easy? Obviously not. In some cases, having exceptional talents like George Kittle gives a coordinator more options. On the other hand, the offense became more efficient when the staff deployed Samuel out of the backfield - a creative use of the high-end talent.The 49ers' defense was tied for third in the league in yards per play allowed, and they return the vast majority of the depth chart. The secondary was upgraded with an eye on forcing more takeaways, particularly when a front seven led by Nick Bosa creates the type of pressure good enough for third in sack percentage.WeaknessesAssuming Lance gets the full reins of the offense, it wouldn't be surprising if some growing pains come from inexperience, mixed in with the flash plays created by next-level athleticism. Turnovers are the great neutralizer for any high-octane offense.Even with the addition of Charvarius Ward, the 49ers' secondary is still going to be the weak link. Between second-year corner Ambry Thomas, the well-traveled Darqueze Dennard, and the oft-injured Jason Verrett, there are no reliable playmakers.OpportunitiesThe betting opportunities lie in the highs and lows for the 49ers, and as frustrating as it was at times during the regular season last year, I have had a belief in San Francisco relative to the betting markets. Until Garoppolo is dealt, there's a higher floor for the 49ers. A bet on San Francisco relies on Lance to be good, and if he is, the ceiling increases significantly.ThreatsIn turn, a bet against the 49ers suggests that Garoppolo will be moved, and Lance will struggle enough to undermine the field position the 49ers' defense sets up for him. A Week 5 loss on the road at the Cardinals last year is the prime example, where Lance ran for 89 yards, but the Niners mustered just 10 points while losing numerous high-leverage plays.How to bet the 49ersAn alternative win total of 11 is available at +250, which is a more interesting bet to me than taking the 49ers to win the division (+160), given the Rams aren't going anywhere and could win 13 games or more.If Elijah Mitchell (+3500) or any other running back were allotted anything close to 250 carries, they'd become very interesting to win the rushing title. Bosa had 15.5 sacks in his first year back after missing a season with a torn ACL, and while he's no secret at 15-1 for Defensive Player of the Year, his candidacy is undeniable. Any pass-rusher has a chance at Defensive Rookie of the Year, so second-round pick Drake Jackson is in play since he could do a lot with a little playing time at 30-1.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.
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by Justin Boone on (#61BB8)
Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.More in this series
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by C Jackson Cowart on (#61BG5)
A lot has happened since we broke down the opening odds of who will win the 2022 NFL MVP award back in February. The receiver market exploded and precipitated a flurry of moves for star wideouts; the greatest player of all time retired, then promptly unretired weeks later; and the bidding war for one maligned star sparked a QB carousel across the league.We've seen the effects of all of that in the MVP market. In some cases, it propelled former long shots into the contender circle with just two months to go before the season starts. Here are the updated NFL MVP odds at Barstool Sportsbook as of Monday, as well as three players who have seen the biggest climbs since February:PLAYERODDSJosh Allen+600Patrick Mahomes+800Tom Brady+800Aaron Rodgers+1000Joe Burrow+1100Justin Herbert+1100Dak Prescott+1500Matthew Stafford+1500Russell Wilson+1500Lamar Jackson+1800Kyler Murray+1800Derek Carr+2500Deshaun Watson+3000Jalen Hurts+3300Trey Lance+4000Kirk Cousins+5000Derrick Henry+5000Cooper Kupp+5000Matt Ryan+5000Deebo Samuel+5000Tua Tagovailoa+5000Jonathan Taylor+5000Jameis Winston+5000Trevor Lawrence+6000Christian McCaffrey+6600Ryan Tannehill+6600Carson Wentz+6600Mac Jones+7000Baker Mayfield+7500Nick Chubb+10000Dalvin Cook+10000Aaron Donald+10000Austin Ekeler+10000Justin Fields+10000Jmmy Garoppolo+10000Najee Harris+10000Taysom Hill+10000Daniel Jones+10000CeeDee Lamb+10000Elijah Mitchell+10000Micah Parsons+10000Cordarrelle Patterson+10000TJ Watt+10000Zach Wilson+10000Davante Adams+12500Justin Jefferson+12500Alvin Kamara+12500Cam Akers+15000Saquon Barkley+15000Nick Bosa+15000Teddy Bridgewater+15000Ja'Marr Chase+15000Sam Darnold+15000Stefon Diggs+15000Ezekiel Elliott+15000Jared Goff+15000Damien Harris+15000Tyreek Hill+15000Travis Kelce+15000George Kittle+15000Davis Mills+15000Joe Mixon+15000Kenny Pickett+15000Miles Sanders+15000Michael Thomas+15000Javonte Williams+15000Chase Young+15000Drew Lock+15000Marcus Mariota+15000Mitchell Trubisky+15000James Conner+20000Amari Cooper+20000A.J. Dillon+20000David Montgomery+20000Keenan Allen+25000A.J. Brown+25000J.K. Dobbins+25000Mike Evans+25000Terry McLaurin+25000D.K. Metcalf+25000D.J. Moore+25000D'Andre Swift+25000Chase Claypool+50000Clyde Edwards-Helaire+50000Travis Etienne+50000Diontae Johnson+50000Darnell Mooney+50000Kyle Pitts+50000James Robinson+50000Laviska Shenault+50000DeVonta Smith+50000Courtland Sutton+50000Jaylen Waddle+50000Darren Waller+50000Malik Willis+50000Jerry Jeudy+100000Tom Brady, QB, Buccaneers (+800)Going from retirement to the starting quarterback of the NFC favorites is a surefire way to boost your MVP stock. That's been the timeline for Brady, who was the runner-up in last year's race and already has three MVP trophies on his mantle.Even at age 44, he seemed impervious to the effects of aging, tossing a career-high 5,316 yards along with 43 touchdowns for the Buccaneers in 2021 - both of which led the league. He also finished second in QBR (68.1) behind MVP winner Aaron Rodgers (69.1) and was the MVP favorite until the season's final few weeks.There's little reason to doubt that he can do it again at age 45, especially if star wideout Chris Godwin is ready for Week 1. This number has tightened over the summer and could be even shorter by the first week of the season.Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens (+1800)We're just three years removed from Jackson's electric MVP season in 2019, when he threw for 3,127 yards and 36 touchdowns while adding a ridiculous 1,206 yards and seven scores on the ground. Yet it feels like he's the forgotten man in this loaded MVP race.The betting market is starting to catch up, playing this number down from 25-1 at open to its current price of 18-1. It certainly doesn't hurt that Jackson is mired in a contract dispute with the Ravens, which seems to have motivated him if his recent social media activity is any indication.He won't have top target Marquise Brown at his disposal this year, but the Baltimore QB appears to be in the best shape of his career following an injury-plagued 2021 campaign, which could be driving some of the hype in the MVP market. With free agency looming for Jackson, this could be another breakout season for the dual-threat superstar.Jalen Hurts, QB, Eagles (+3300)Nobody has seen their stock rise more than Hurts. He was dealing as a 50-1 long shot in February but has seen his price slashed to 33-1 as of Monday. At this rate, I'd be stunned if it doesn't reach 25-1 by Week 1.That's how much smoke there is around the Eagles quarterback, who is among the most bet players to win MVP at various shops around the market ahead of his third season and second as a full-time starter. Some of that is because of the growth expected from the former Alabama star. But this entire Philly offense should also make strides in Year 2 under head coach Nick Sirianni - especially after adding former Titans receiver A.J. Brown in April.The downside is obvious. Hurts owns a 9-10 record as a starter with a career 59% completion rate, but we've previously seen "project" QBs net massive rewards for bettors. Jackson shook off concerns about his arm en route to an MVP season in 2019, and current favorite Josh Allen nearly did the same as a 66-1 long shot in 2020. Don't be surprised to see bettors continue to bank on a similar trajectory for Hurts.C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Caio Miari on (#61BD7)
The New England Patriots traded 2019 first-round wide receiver N'Keal Harry to the Chicago Bears, sources told NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.New England will get a seventh-round draft pick in 2024 in return, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Harry has failed to meet expectations since entering the NFL as a coveted prospect out of Arizona State. The 24-year-old caught 57 passes for 598 yards and four touchdowns in 33 appearances across three seasons in New England. He played in 12 games last season, finishing the year with 12 receptions and 184 yards with no touchdowns.Harry, who has one year left on his rookie contract, requested a trade before the 2021 season, but the two sides eventually agreed to keep the wideout in Foxborough. The Pats will pick up roughly $1 million in cap space in 2022 with the move, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss.Harry was considered a long shot to make New England's final roster this season. The Patriots, who already have the likes of Kendrick Bourne, Jakobi Meyers, and Nelson Agholor, bolstered their receivers room this year, adding veteran DeVante Parker and second-round rookie Tyquan Thornton to the mix.The Bears, who lost Allen Robinson in free agency, entered this offseason with a major hole at wide receiver but didn't draft a pass-catcher until the third round (Velus Jones) in April. Harry joins a receiving corps headlined by Darnell Mooney and Byron Pringle. Chicago's depth chart also features wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown and tight end Cole Kmet, among others.Chicago kicked off a new era in 2022, hiring Matt Eberflus as head coach. The team also brought in Luke Getsy to coordinate the offense led by second-year quarterback Justin Fields.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Caio Miari on (#61B6M)
New Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield said he's embracing the battle against Sam Darnold for the starting job."Nobody has the mentality of being a backup," Mayfield said during his introductory press conference Tuesday. "We're at this level because we compete to be the very best. That's why Sam's here as well. That's why Matt Corral just got drafted and P.J. Walker has competed and fought through a lot of adversity."He added: "The team is very close to being really, really good. We just have to put the pieces together and come together as a team. ... I'm gonna do my job and fill whatever role is to be expected from me."His remarks come after Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer said he expects his team to have an open competition at quarterback, according to ESPN's Field Yates.Carolina landed Mayfield earlier in July in a trade from the Cleveland Browns for a conditional fifth-round selection in 2024. The 2018 first overall pick spent his first four NFL seasons in Cleveland, helping the team reach the divisional round in 2020. However, Mayfield struggled while battling injuries last year as the Browns posted a disappointing season.The Browns traded for former Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson in March to set in motion an offseason that Mayfield said left him "shocked," per CBS Sports."But you roll with the punches and you've got to move forward," he added.Mayfield is now trying to fix his game to help him return to his best days under center. The 27-year-old said Tuesday he's made "some small changes" to his "violent" throwing motion after undergoing shoulder surgery this year, according to Sheena Quick of FOX Sports Radio.He also wants to have more freedom on the field."For me, freedom of making sure what I'm seeing at the line of scrimmage and putting ourselves in the best position possible," he said when asked about what he wants to reclaim from his solid 2020 season, per Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal.If Mayfield beats out Darnold for the starting job, his first official game will be the Panthers' season opener at home against the Browns.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Daniel Valente on (#61B3X)
Rob Gronkowski apparently won't be coming out of retirement for a second time.The recently retired tight end told ESPN's Mike Reiss on Tuesday that he's "done with football.""Love the game and definitely blessed with all the opportunities the game of football has given me. ... But, (I'm) done with football and (I'm) stepping my feet into the business world," Gronkowski said.Gronkowski, who has been spurred out of retirement once already by Tom Brady, added that he'll remain committed to his decision, even if his longtime teammate comes calling again."I would obviously answer the greatest quarterback of all time, and ask him how he's doing, and tell him I'm doing good. But I wouldn't go back to football," Gronkowski said.The 33-year-old officially called it a career last month. However, that did little to stop speculation that he could return. Even his agent Drew Rosenhaus stated that he "wouldn't be surprised" if his client comes back at some point in the future.Gronkowski previously retired following the 2018 campaign, but that lasted only one season before Brady recruited him to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.One of the dominant tight ends in NFL history, Gronkowski collected four Super Bowls and five Pro Bowl nods over an 11-season career with the New England Patriots and Buccaneers.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Matt Russell on (#61A54)
Though it wasn't a new trend, many were still surprised the Cardinals wilted down the stretch last season. Maybe the extra few games of winning football - a 10-2 start had them in first place into December - fooled some of the betting public. The reality is that Kliff Kingsbury teams are better early than they are late, a trend that dates back to his Texas Tech stint from 2013 to 2018.YEARFIRST 7 GAMESAFTER 7TH GAME20137-01-520143-41-420155-22-420163-42-320174-32-420185-20-520193-3-12-720205-23-620217-04-6Admittedly, Texas Tech seasons begin with some cushy nonconference matchups before the Big 12 Conference schedule, which is naturally harder. But that isn't enough to explain the difference between an opening 42-20-1 record and a post-Game 7 tally of 17-44, especially considering the disparity in Kingsbury's three seasons in the NFL. What does it all mean for the Cardinals in the main betting markets in 2022?2022 season oddsMarket Odds (O/U)Win total8.5 (-115/-105)Division+400Conference+2000Super Bowl+3500The market appears to be taking a "fool me once" approach to the Cardinals, lumping them in the juicy middle of numerous teams lined around .500. With last season's NFC Championship Game contenders gobbling up a large percentage of the NFC West win probability, the +400 price might seem long for a team that started 10-2 last year.Schedule outlookWeekOpponentLookahead line1KC+32@LV+2.53LAR+24@CAR-1.55PHI-26@SEA-2.57NO-38@MIN+19SEA-6.510@LAR+611SF+2.512LAC+1.514NE-2.515@DEN+416TB+2.517@ATL-3.518@SF+3Every single game is lined inside of a converted touchdown. There's a stark contrast in Weeks 9 and 10 when Arizona could theoretically go from touchdown favorite to underdog.If we went by strict point spread expectation, the Cardinals are supposed to go 4-3 in their first seven games and 3-7 in their last 10 with this schedule.SWOT analysisStrengthsThe fear Kyler Murray's running ability puts into opposing defenses is the Cardinals' biggest difference-maker. However, would you be surprised to find out Murray had no more than seven carries in any game before he missed November due to injury?If the idea was to ensure Murray remains healthy by keeping him out of the open field, it didn't really work. Plus, he only took off twice in the offensive horror show that was Arizona's wild-card game against the Rams.DeAndre Hopkins' absence can account for much of the Cardinals' late-season woes. As much as we point fingers at Kingsbury, Hopkins was hurt during the Cards' first loss of the season in Week 8 and played just two games the rest of the year. He'll miss six games to start the 2022 season due to suspension. Arizona bolstered the position by dealing its first-round draft pick to the Ravens for Marquise Brown. Rondale Moore's development and what's left of A.J. Green will go a long way in deciding how explosive the Cards' offense is - with or without Hopkins.WeaknessesJames Conner thrilled fantasy managers with 15 touchdowns, but the Cardinals' run game left a lot to be desired, thanks to blocking struggles from a very average offensive line. Chase Edmonds had the best yards per carry, but he left to the Dolphins.The defense was just OK following the season-opening destruction of the Titans. Chandler Jones had five sacks that game but is no longer in Arizona, which could make for a very vulnerable secondary lacking in quality talent.OpportunitiesThe Cardinals are home underdogs in Week 1, and given some upheaval with the Chiefs, maybe there's some value in Arizona at a full field goal or more. If the Cards win that game, the market may overreact and give bettors a better number on the Raiders and Rams the following two weeks.ThreatsThe second half of the season is a perennial threat to Kingsbury and the Cardinals' chances, and the wear and tear on Murray doesn't help. The defense will be very vulnerable to quality passing offenses that feature quarterbacks Matthew Stafford, Justin Herbert, Russell Wilson, and Tom Brady. Overs might be on the menu come November, knowing that the market will likely be ready to sell the Cardinals as a side this time around.How to bet the CardinalsA healthy Murray (+2000) would need to drag the Cardinals to an outstanding season in an MVP-caliber campaign - first via a shorthanded offense, and then largely to overcome defensive deficiencies in Arizona. He's 25-1 to lead the league in passing yards and 40-1 to lead in passing touchdowns, but all of these accomplishments would be a big jump from previous career highs.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.
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by C Jackson Cowart on (#61A1G)
There are still two months before the start of the NFL season, but it's never early to speculate on easily the most bizarre and unpredictable award on the board: The Comeback Player of the Year.What makes this award so strange? For one, there are no clear criteria for winning it. Most players are coming back from injury - six of the last seven fall into this bucket, including reigning winner Joe Burrow - but others, like Ryan Tannehill (2019), are bouncing back from poor performance. We've even seen players return from a prison sentence to win it (see: Michael Vick, 2010).There's also the question of which is more important: Overall performance or the depth of the comeback? Alex Smith won this award in 2020 despite throwing more interceptions (8) than touchdowns (6), but his gruesome leg injury was quite the feat to overcome. Last year, Dak Prescott battled back from a similarly devastating injury, but Burrow's superior stat line gave him the edge coming off an ACL tear.That's what makes betting on this award so fun. You can make a realistic case for any player on the board, but there are a few that stand out in the early market at Barstool Sportsbook:2022 NFL Comeback Player of the Year oddsPLAYERODDSDerrick Henry+300Jameis Winston+500Christian McCaffrey+800Michael Thomas+800Marcus Mariota+1200Baker Mayfield+1200Daniel Jones+1400Chase Young+1500J.K. Dobbins+1600Cam Akers+2000JuJu Smith-Schuster+2000Mitchell Trubisky+2000Allen Robinson+2200Drew Lock+2500Khalil Mack+2500Deshaun Watson+2500Robert Woods+3000D.J. Chark+3300Travis Etienne+3300Chris Godwin+3300Tre'Davious White+3400Odell Beckham Jr.+4000Will Fuller+4000Danielle Hunter+4000Marcus Peters+4000J.J. Watt+4000Chris Carson+5000DeAndre Hopkins+5000Raheem Mostert+5000James White+5000Carl Lawson+6000Jaycee Horn+6600Marlon Humphrey+6600Darrell Henderson+8100Gus Edwards+10000Brandon Graham+10000Blake Martinez+10000Jeffrey Okudah+10000Dan Arnold+15000Ronnie Stanley+15000Maxx Williams+15000Derrick Henry, RB, Titans (+300)It's been 18 years since a running back won this award and five years since it went to a non-quarterback, so Henry has his work cut out for him as the preseason favorite. Still, if a skill position player ever deserves to be favored in this field, it's this year.The Titans star was en route to another monster season before a broken bone in his foot in Week 8 sidelined him for the second half of the campaign. He still finished with 937 yards and 10 touchdowns (!) in just eight games after leading the NFL in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns each of the previous two seasons.Henry's got a legitimate shot to do that again if he can stay healthy for 16 or 17 games, and he's got an outside shot at another 2,000-yard year. If he pulled that off right after missing half a season, he'd be in a strong position to win this award.Jameis Winston, QB, Saints (+500)Winston is the perfect archetype to win this award. Quarterbacks have won it 15 of the last 25 years, including each of the last four, while injury has been the "comeback" nature for seven of the past eight winners. That lines up well for Winston, who should reclaim his starting spot after tearing his ACL a year ago.The Saints have invested in the offense around him, adding former Pro Bowl receiver Jarvis Landry while drafting receiver Chris Olave and tackle Trevor Penning in the first round. All-Pro wideout Michael Thomas - another candidate in this field - should be healthy, too, giving Winston plenty of ammunition in a potential make-or-break year for the veteran QB.Baker Mayfield, QB, Panthers (+1200)If you're looking for someone in the "performance" category of the Comeback Player of the Year market, look no further than Mayfield, who has a chance to revive his career after last week's trade from the Browns to the Panthers.Mayfield isn't guaranteed a starting role in Carolina, but he's got a great shot to win the job after a lackluster year from fellow top-five pick Sam Darnold. If Mayfield can secure the starting spot and play like he did just two years ago - when he threw for 3,563 yards and 26 touchdowns to just eight interceptions - he'll be in the running for this award by season's end.Deshaun Watson, QB, Browns (+2500)Look, it doesn't feel good to make this bet, and there's a decent chance Watson may not even play this season for the Browns. There's an even better chance that, if he does, voters would hesitate to put him on their ballot. He's a 25-1 long shot for a reason.Don't forget, though - Vick won this award after nearly two years in prison. If Watson plays this year, he's still one of the five most talented quarterbacks in the league and has a lot to prove in 2022. If he's clearly the most productive player in this race, he's got a shot to win it.Chris Godwin, WR, Buccaneers (+3300)It's tough for a wide receiver to win this award - we've seen it just twice in 14 years - but Godwin is simply too talented to be priced this far down the board.The Buccaneers star had 98 catches for 1,103 yards a year ago before tearing his ACL and MCL in Week 15. Incredibly, the team is hopeful that he could be back by Week 1, which would put him in position for another 1,000-yard season as one of Tom Brady's top wideouts. A campaign like he had in 2019 - when he finished with 1,333 yards and a Pro Bowl nod - would be a boon for his candidacy.C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Daniel Valente on (#619A4)
Jimmy Garoppolo's agent Don Yee provided a positive update on the San Francisco 49ers quarterback's shoulder rehab and denied recent rumors involving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Yee's comments come after a report emerged last week that the Buccaneers were interested in acquiring Garoppolo to be the heir to Tom Brady."He's progressing well and on schedule. We're optimistic about the upcoming season," Yee said to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. "Over the weekend, a report came out that asserted that I had spoken to a media member about his future, but the report was false."Garoppolo was expected to be among the first pieces to be dealt in this offseason's quarterback carousel, but shoulder surgery has delayed any progress in trade talks. General manager John Lynch previously said that the signal-caller would not be released amid stalling trade talks.The expectation around the league is that the 30-year-old passer will be dealt by the end of July, Pelissero adds.The Seattle Seahawks have reportedly discussed the possibility of acquiring Garoppolo.The 49ers are expected to hand the starting quarterback job to 2021 third overall pick Trey Lance.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Daniel Valente on (#619H7)
The Pittsburgh Steelers' home stadium will undergo a major change for 2022.Heinz Field will become Acrisure Stadium after the latter secured the naming rights for the stadium, the Steelers announced Monday. The pact between Acrisure and the Steelers runs for 15 years."We are excited to partner with Acrisure for the naming rights to our stadium," Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement. "Acrisure provided us with an opportunity to ensure our stadium continues to be a valuable asset for our fans as well as keeping up with the market value of NFL stadiums."Dealing with financial technology, Acrisure is a global insurance brokerage that's based out of Michigan. The company purchased the insurance section of Tulco LLC in 2020, which is headed by Thomas Tull, a minority owner of the Steelers.Kraft Heinz said in a statement that it worked "diligently" with the Steelers on a new naming rights deal, but the team found a new partner willing to pay "significantly more" than it could justify to continue on.However, Kraft Heinz added that it will remain a significant, long-term sponsor of the team.The stadium has been known as Heinz Field since it opened in 2001.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Caitlyn Holroyd on (#619V8)
Aaron Rodgers didn't win the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament over the weekend, but his score did earn him a victory against Charles Barkley.While competing in The Match in June, Rodgers agreed to let Barkley chop off his man bun if the NBA Hall of Famer finished ahead of him at the American Century Championship. Barkley said that if Rodgers won, he would donate $25,000 to the North Valley Community Foundation in the Green Bay Packers quarterback's hometown of Chico, California."Just because you're too cheap to cut your hair, you can't make it a style," Barkley joked while promoting the tournament in Nevada last month, according to Kendra Meinert of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. "Man, here's $25. Go down to Fantastic Sam's and get that thing cut off the back of your head. Just because you don't cut your hair, that's not a style. But Aaron's a much better golfer than me, but I'll be happy to give a donation to his charity."Rodgers finished ninth overall with a score of 50, and Barkley tied for 74th with minus-26 points. Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo won the tournament for the third time.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Caio Miari on (#619V9)
The Seattle Seahawks have had internal discussions about acquiring San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, reports ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.Seattle has also done its film work to see how Garoppolo would fit in its offense, Fowler adds.The 49ers, who are turning to 2021 third overall pick Trey Lance under center this year, are expected to part ways with Garoppolo. The veteran passer was likely to be traded in the quarterback carousel earlier this offseason, but shoulder surgery has left the signal-caller in limbo. Despite stalled trade talks, 49ers general manager John Lynch said in March he doesn't plan to release Garoppolo.Garoppolo's agent Don Yee said Monday that the 30-year-old is "progressing well" and his shoulder rehab is "on schedule." He's expected to resume throwing this month.San Francisco would gain $25.55 million in cap space by trading Garoppolo while taking on $1.4 million in dead money in 2022. The 49ers currently have only $4 million in cap space, according to Spotrac.Seattle's been linked to multiple QBs since trading Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos this offseason. The Seahawks, whose quarterback depth chart is currently headlined by Drew Lock and Geno Smith, were reportedly interested in acquiring Baker Mayfield before the Cleveland Browns traded him to the Carolina Panthers last week.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Alex Chippin on (#618JT)
Five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Duane Brown was arrested Saturday at Los Angeles International Airport for carrying a concealed gun, according to the New York Post's Patrick Reilly.Brown allegedly had the weapon in his luggage as he went through security screening at Terminal 6."To err is human, and this clearly was an accident," Brown's agent Kennard McGuire said in a statement on Monday, according to CBS Sports' Josina Anderson. "As a law-abiding citizen, Duane will continue to exercise proper judgment and continue education on gun safety measures."The free agent started all 17 games for the Seattle Seahawks in 2021. He played four-plus seasons in Seattle after coming over via trade from the Houston Texans in 2017.Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said in April that the team was interested in bringing Brown back, but the 36-year-old's chances of returning hit a wall when Seattle selected Charles Cross in the first round of the NFL draft.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Matt Russell on (#619EQ)
Life after Russell Wilson was always going to be rough for the Seahawks, but given the lack of a legitimate move to replace the future Hall of Famer, this season could be as bleak as the winter weather in Seattle.2022 season oddsMarket Odds (O/U)Win total5.5 (-140/+120)Division+1600Conference+7000Super Bowl+15000The Seahawks' win total is befitting a team whose quarterback room consists of Geno Smith, Drew Lock, and Jacob Eason. With the odds above, the market looks at Smith and says, "Gee, no." It knows the key is not Lock. It understands that there is no such thing as "Eason season."Schedule outlookWeekOpponentLookahead line1DEN+42@SF+83ATL-3.54@DET+15@NO+66ARZ+2.57@LAC+8.58NYG-2.59@ARZ+6.510@TB+9.512LV+213@LAR+9.514CAR-115SF+316@KC+10.517NYJ-1.518LAR+5.5Ruthless, the NFL schedule-makers gave Russell Wilson his return to the Pacific Northwest in Week 1. The former face of the franchise could "take it easy on them" and the Broncos could still cover -4. The Hawks' home-field advantage is likely to have less effect on Wilson if the 12s even have it in their heart to make their usual noise.SWOT AnalysisStrengthsThe Seahawks are built to stop the run, with Al Woods and Poona Ford coming in at more than 300 pounds on the defensive line, and Jamal Adams often lurking in the box. They were successful - second-fewest rush yards per carry last year - but it's 2022 and many teams couldn't care less about running the football. This is a prime example of the Jurassic Era mindset that frustrated Wilson toward the end of his tenure.In the same vein, running back Rashaad Penny showed flashes at the end of last year. Of course, the Seattle decision-makers burned a valuable draft pick in April on another running back - Kenneth Walker.DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are two dynamic options at wide receiver. However, with the Hawks' quarterbacks, they won't see the same playmaking throws they're accustomed to.WeaknessesThe quarterback-receiver connections, and the running game, would be salvageable if the Seahawks had a good offensive line. They don't.At least the Seahawks acknowledged that, making moves at both tackle positions and at center. The problem is, first-round pick Charles Cross played in the air-raid offense, and Carroll wants to run. Another issue - their right tackle is a second-year undrafted free agent who has five starts, and their new center is on his fourth team since 2016.To his credit, Smith only turned the ball over twice in 3-plus games last year, and he did start the Seahawks' convincing win over Jacksonville. He was sacked 13 times in three starts. Meanwhile, Lock gave the Chiefs more than a few fits in a big game late last season.OpportunitiesThe Seahawks were a good fade the last couple of seasons because Wilson masked how bad much of the roster and coaching was. With his departure, the secret is largely out - this team is bad, and the market is aware of it. There are no clear-cut spots to fade the Seahawks, and even their near double-digit spread projections for road games at Tampa Bay, Los Angeles (Rams), and Kansas City are all games where their defense could easily get housed.ThreatsA threat for this team could potentially be an opportunity for bettors. He may have too much respect in the organization to be fired, but Carroll could step away if his team is sinking into Puget Sound early. You'll want to be vigilant about how your sportsbook words any bet about a "first coach fired" versus "first coach to leave," but Carroll is certainly a candidate since it was somewhat surprising he was back this year in the first place.How to bet the SeahawksThere's no one on this roster who's going to lead the league in anything, nor is there anyone going to win an award. If the Seahawks win less than their prescribed total of 5.5 games, it's not far-fetched to think they'll win just two or three games. In fact, maybe that's the plan with a relatively quarterback-rich draft coming in 2023. As a result, the Seahawks to win the fewest games (+750), is the only bet I'd make before the season.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.
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by Matt Russell on (#618XC)
The closest the Carolina Panthers will come to the Super Bowl this season might be when their fans watch the big game for the commercials. It appears Baker Mayfield will be the Week 1 starter for coach Matt Rhule, with his quarterback competition being Sam Darnold and the very green Matt Corral.Rhule has never had the quarterback you would hope for when taking over a franchise. He's also finding out that building a championship-caliber NFL team is vastly different than rebuilding a college football program up to the middle tier.2022 Season oddsMarket Odds (O/U)Win total6.5 (-125/+105)Division+1000Conference+6000Super Bowl+13000Oddsmakers have made the smallest adjustment upward for the Panthers with Mayfield joining the team, presumably taking just enough money on the over for the price to rise a handful of cents. Beyond that, Carolina's prospects for large-scale success aren't discernibly better.Schedule outlookWeekOpponentLookahead line1CLEPK2@NYGPK3NO+14ARZ+1.55SF+2.56@LAR+7.57TB+5.58@ATL-1.59@CIN+710ATL-4.511@BAL+5.512DEN+2.514@SEA+115PIT-116DET-417@TB+7.518@NO+3The big move stemming from Mayfield's trade to the Panthers is seen in Week 1. The Browns have gone from 4.5-point favorites to a pick'em. The market seems to think that Deshaun Watson definitely won't be available. Since Mayfield is no longer the backup plan, that means the sound you hear is Jacoby Brissett's music. It's debatable how much of that 4.5-point swing is the downgrade to Brissett versus the Panthers' upgrade to Mayfield.SWOT AnalysisStrengthsCarolina's defense was sneaky good last year, ranking in the top 10 in both rush yards per attempt allowed (4.1) and yards per pass attempt allowed (6.3), combining for the third-lowest yards per play allowed. The rush defense makes some sense with Derrick Brown anchoring the line, but a secondary perceived as quite thin held up surprisingly well in retrospect. That might have been due to a strong pressure rate from the front seven.Offensively, Christian McCaffrey's return is the reason to be optimistic for whoever takes most of the snaps. Carolina's offense changes when he's on the field, especially as an ideal pass-catching option.WeaknessesThe Panthers' offensive line needs to be overhauled after getting rated 31st by Pro Football Focus at the end of last season.OUTINLTCam ErvingIkem EkwonuLGMichael JordanBrady ChristensenCMatt ParadisBradley BozemanRGJohn MillerAustin CorbettRTTaylor MotonTaylor MotonMoton gets to stay because he had the best PFF rating of the group at 77.8. Otherwise, the rest of the offensive line should get revamped with first-round pick Ekwonu taking over someone's blindside and veterans Bozeman and Corbett added to the interior.Of course, change doesn't always mean drastic improvement. However, if the Panthers' offense is suddenly clicking midway through the season, this might be the reason that no one's talking about.OpportunitiesMcCaffrey's health, the gelling of the offensive line, and a healthy Mayfield playing with a chip on his shoulder that somehow adds to his effectiveness all add up to the possibility of this team clicking.With nine games lined near a pick'em, the market at least thinks there's some hope for Carolina, but to do what?ThreatsMcCaffrey's played less than 10 games in the last two seasons combined. History shows that you don't just get back to 100% of your former self when you miss that much time in the NFL. That said, 80% of its star at his peak would be welcome for Carolina.The Panthers are likely competing with the Falcons to see who from the NFC South can talk themselves into being in wild-card contention. After two seasons, Rhule's lack of success due to his roster is one thing, but his in-game decision-making has been suboptimal. The NFL is too competitive to give away possessions and implied points from coaching calls alone.How to bet the PanthersEven considering where the games are played, I won't have the Panthers rated as highly as any of the teams they're facing in the first five contests this season - all are lined inside of a field goal. However, a bitter Mayfield is a guy I'm willing to back, and that's what we should get in Week 1.If McCaffrey puts up numbers anywhere near those prior to his injury issues, then he should run away with Comeback Player of the Year (+750). One of his competitors for that award would be Mayfield, but what is he coming back from exactly? The days of McCaffrey lingering in the MVP conversation or atop the list of Offensive Players of the Year (+1600) might be over, so that's the better low-risk way to back his return.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.
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by Matt Russell on (#618JV)
Things got weird in New Orleans in 2021. It started with a "home" blowout win over the Packers in Jacksonville, and it ended with a makeshift quarterback situation, with Taysom Hill, Trevor Siemian, and Ian Book all getting more snaps than Sean Payton would have hoped for after a good start to the season by Jameis Winston.Speaking of Payton, he will be in a television studio on Sundays this season. Seeking continuity, the Saints tagged defensive coordinator Dennis Allen as the new boss. The market doesn't quite know what to make of the Saints after the era of Payton and Drew Brees, but their championship chances aren't considered great.2022 season oddsMarket Odds (O/U)Win total8.0 (-135/+115)Division+380Conference+2200Super Bowl+5000The Saints are lumped into the middle of the NFL where teams are lined at, or around, 8.5 wins. With the juice shaded to the over 8 wins, you could likely find an 8.5 juiced to the under if you don't think much of this team that's desperately staving off transition.Schedule outlookWeekOpponentLookahead line1@ATL-4.52TB+43@CAR+14MIN+15SEA-66CIN+17@ARZ+38LVPK9BAL+110@PIT+1.511LAR+312@SF+413@TB+6.515ATL-716@CLEN/A17@PHI+318CAR-3The number of pick'em games on the Saints' schedule shouldn't surprise, but what I prefer to look at are the games where there is a notable favorite. The first two games of the season exemplify how I'm considering playing the Saints this season. Taking the Falcons getting points in Week 1 is just as enticing as taking the points with the Saints when they themselves are home underdogs in Week 2.SWOT analysisStrengthsEven with a makeshift offense, and Brees' questionable arm strength toward the end of his career, the Saints have always been able to rely on their dominant offensive line. That's been retooled this offseason with a first-round pick spent on left tackle, Trevor Penning.For all the maligning of Winston in previous stops, the Saints were 5-2 in games he started, and he threw 14 touchdowns to just three interceptions before blowing out his knee in a win against the Buccaneers. That all came without Michael Thomas, who the Saints plan to have back in the fold, in addition to their top draft pick - Chris Olave. Throw in free agent Jarvis Landry and the always-dangerous Alvin Kamara, what's not to like about the Saints' offense?WeaknessesThe short answer is that Kamara is reportedly facing a six-game suspension, and any general reliance on Thomas's return - particularly for a full season - is beyond optimistic. While there's no reason to believe Olave isn't going to be a star, rookie wide receivers are notoriously unpredictable. Hopes are high for Penning to step in seemlessly, but what if that doesn't go as planned?OpportunitiesThe Saints would be forced to rely on their defense - which might actually provide more betting opportunities since New Orleans' defense doesn't get the credit they deserve. Their 3.7 rushing yards allowed per attempt was tops in the league last season, while the pass defense was middle of the road. However, that was due to numerous injuries throughout the season affecting the pass rush and secondary.Allen provides continuity in calling the defense, with Pete Carmichael continuing his work on offense.ThreatsThe Saints could be left with a heavier reliance on Winston if things go wrong. With Payton no longer in his ear, his turnover woes could come back, and the defense might be put in tough positions.How to bet the SaintsTheir magic voodoo spell over the Bucs might go away, but if they can continue to vex Tom Brady, there's no reason to think the Saints can't win the division with a split with Tampa.With an understatedly deep roster, those toss-up games - especially early in the season against Carolina and Minnesota - will be good chances to bet on New Orleans. Especially if the underdog covers in the Saints' first two games.For individual awards, there are too many individuals to credit. If the Saints win the division (+380), is it because of Allen (Coach of the Year +3000), Winston (Comeback Player of the Year +550), Thomas, or Kamara?Newly acquired Tyrann Mathieu has the shortest odds on the team for Defensive Player of the Year, but if I bet one, I'd try Marcus Davenport (+6500). He had nine sacks in just 11 games last season, and the fifth-year lineman might spark some interest with a big season if he can play all 17 games.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.
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by Matthew Washington on (#6185P)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill has full confidence in Tua Tagovailoa but believes the quarterback is entering a critical season.Hill was direct when addressing the heightened expectations surrounding the signal-caller ahead of his third year."You know, in the NFL, they only give you two-to-three years to be a successful quarterback, especially if you're a first-round draft pick," Hill said on his "It Needed To Be Said" podcast. "If you don't succeed after those years, it's, 'Kick rocks, man.'"Hill added, "It's basically his last year to show people what he's got."Tagovailoa led the Dolphins to a 13-8 record through two seasons. He passed for 2,653 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in 2021.The 24-year-old has been scrutinized for his arm strength. He's averaging 6.6 yards per attempt and 194.2 yards gained per game.However, Tagovailoa's pass-catchers continue to come to his defense. Hill is confident that detractors will have to apologize when they see what the young passer can do."There's gonna be a lot of people taking their words back," Hill said."I'm going to be happier when everybody else gets to see what I already know," added Dolphins wideout Jaylen Waddle.Hill also pointed out the similarities between the Kansas City Chiefs' 2019 roster and the Dolphins' current group. He noted both teams share common traits of being "explosive" and "dynamic" on offense.The Dolphins are set to usher in a new era under head coach Mike McDaniel. The AFC East club made several significant roster additions, including trading for Hill and signing veterans Terron Armstead, Connor Williams, and Raheem Mostert.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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