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Wednesday, August 31, 2022

2022 Fantasy Football draft prep ADP review: The best values by current, risers, fallers, targets, more more - CBS Sports

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There were a significant amount of Fantasy drafts held over the past two days during the final weekend in August, which also coincided with the end of preseason games. It's a great time to study the Average Draft Position data heading into the final stretch of draft season.

While we still have several things to monitor this week when it comes to health, NFL roster moves and depth charts, most Fantasy managers know what to expect for the upcoming season. And that's been reflective in recent drafts.

I'll give you my favorite and least favorite values at each position based on the CBS Sports ADP (insert link here), and hopefully it will help find some players to target -- and others to avoid -- for those of you still drafting before the regular season starts on Sept. 8.

Quarterbacks

Good values

Russell Wilson: ADP 71.2, QB11
Dak Prescott: ADP 72.9, QB12
Derek Carr: ADP 92.9, QB13
Trey Lance: ADP 98.1, QB14
Kirk Cousins: ADP 98.2, QB15

My ranking for these quarterbacks is Wilson (QB8), Lance (QB9), Prescott (QB10), Cousins (QB13) and Carr (QB14), and I would love to have any of them as my starting Fantasy option this year. I would draft all of these guys ahead of Aaron Rodgers, who is QB9 based on his ADP. ... Wilson is the safest of the group and has tremendous upside as the starter in Denver, and Lance could be a league winner as a top-five quarterback for the 49ers. Lance also could flop given his inexperience, and he's the only quarterback I have ranked in the top 10 who should be drafted with a backup option. ... I love pairing Lance with Cousins or Carr, and both of them are two of my favorite sleepers this season given their value and upside. Cousins benefits with new coach Kevin O'Connell, and Carr should have a career season with Davante Adams now in Las Vegas. ... I expected Prescott's value to dip with the injury to left tackle Tyron Smith (hamstring), but I still like Prescott as a No. 1 Fantasy quarterback this year. If he continues to slide, you should take advantage of it.

Bad values

Joe Burrow: ADP 58.6, QB8
Aaron Rodgers: ADP 64.6, QB9
Matthew Stafford: ADP 69.5, QB10

We've been over this many times with Burrow based on his inflated ADP, which varies on different websites. He's been as high as QB4 this offseason, and I can't draft him at that price. His ADP on CBS is closer to his value, but I wouldn't draft him ahead of Wilson or even Lance if you're chasing upside. Burrow is a solid starting Fantasy quarterback this year, but don't reach for him. ... The same goes for Rodgers, who lost his two top receivers in Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. While the latter is replaceable, we'll see how Rodgers does without Adams for a full season. I still like him as a Fantasy starter, but I would rather settle for Rodgers than target him on Draft Day. He's outside of my top 10 this year. ... Stafford seems clear of the elbow injury that scared Fantasy managers -- and likely the Rams -- at the start of training camp. It's still something to monitor and could be a concern again during the season, which is why Stafford is lower in my rankings (QB12) compared to his ADP. Like Burrow and Rodgers, I would be happy with Stafford as my starting quarterback this season, but I'm not reaching for him at this price.

Running backs

Good values

D'Andre Swift: ADP 24.4, RB14
Travis Etienne: ADP 51.4, RB22
Dameon Pierce: ADP 64.2, RB26
Antonio Gibson: ADP 85.1, RB32
Chase Edmonds: ADP 92.1, RB36
Rhamondre Stevenson: ADP 97.4, RB37
Darrell Henderson: ADP 131.9, RB44
Nyheim Hines: ADP 134.7, RB47
Isiah Pacheco: ADP 138.4, RB48
Zamir White: ADP 144.9, RB50

Swift might have been overvalued when he was being drafted as a first-round pick at the start of training camp, but he should be selected closer to Round 1 than Round 3. ... Etienne is a borderline top-15 running back in PPR, and I would draft him in early Round 4. I'm not worried about him losing value in PPR when James Robinson (Achilles) is 100 percent. ... I'm buying Pierce as a breakout candidate, and I like him as a top-24 running back in all formats. He's worth drafting in Round 6. ... At the time of publication, we don't know the status of Brian Robinson, who was shot multiple times in an attempted robbery Sunday. Clearly we hope Robinson is OK, but any absence would be a boost for Gibson, who was on the verge of losing his job to Robinson heading into Week 1. ... Edmonds should be the best running back in Miami this year and is worth drafting as early as Round 5 in PPR. ... Stevenson should benefit in a big way if Ty Montgomery (ankle) is out for an extended period of time. If Stevenson plays on passing downs, as well as splitting work with Damien Harris on the ground, then he's a borderline starter in all leagues. ... Henderson will see a rise in ADP if Cam Akers (soft-tissue injury) remains out in practice this week. Henderson could be the Rams starter in Week 1. ... Hines has been one of my favorite draft targets this year, and I like him as a flex play in PPR. He could also be a lottery ticket if something happens to Jonathan Taylor. ... Pacheco and White are two lottery tickets to target in all leagues. If Pacheco gets a chance to start for the Chiefs or White for the Raiders then both would be potential starters in all formats. 

Bad values

Nick Chubb: ADP 16.2, RB9
Ezekiel Elliott: ADP 35.9, RB16
Josh Jacobs: ADP 38.9, RB17
Cam Akers: ADP 48.5, RB21
Damien Harris: ADP 55.7, RB23

I'm not running away from Chubb even with Jacoby Brissett starting the first 11 games for the Browns with Deshaun Watson (suspension) out. But I'm not drafting Chubb as a top-10 running back in Round 2, especially in PPR. ... Elliott could be in trouble with Tyron Smith out for the Cowboys, and I was already leery of drafting Elliott in Round 3 in all leagues. I'd rather draft Tony Pollard as RB31 at his ADP of 83.1. ... Jacobs is expected to share touches with Zamir White and Ameer Abdullah, and it's hard to trust Jacobs as a must-start option in PPR. I'm definitely not drafting him in Round 4 at this price. ... Akers is hurt and seemingly headed for a committee with Henderson and potentially rookie Kyren Williams. It's not worth it to draft Akers in Round 4 with his status uncertain for Week 1. ... Harris could benefit with Montgomery out, but that doesn't mean you should draft him as a starter in all leagues. I'd rather have Stevenson over Harris in PPR, and I'm not drafting Harris in Round 5.

Wide receivers

Good values

Michael Pittman: ADP 42.2, WR15
D.J. Moore: ADP 48.4, WR16
Courtland Sutton: ADP 54.1, WR17
Michael Thomas: ADP 68.6, WR25
Brandin Cooks: ADP 70.1, WR27
Rashod Bateman: ADP 87.6, WR31
Darnell Mooney: ADP 90.8, WR32
Christian Kirk: ADP 106.5, WR39
Nico Collins: ADP 158.1, WR63
Joshua Palmer: No ADP data

Pittman and Moore are two of my favorite breakout candidates this year, and I would draft both in Round 2. This is amazing value to get both in Round 4 if this remains their ADP in the majority of leagues. ... Sutton is another breakout candidate worth drafting in Round 3 in PPR. I like Jerry Jeudy (ADP 72.4, WR28) as well, but Sutton has more upside as the likely No. 1 receiver for Russell Wilson. ... Thomas (hamstring) will hopefully be healthy for Week 1, but he's a steal at this price. He had a great training camp by all accounts in his comeback from his ankle woes the past two seasons, and he can return as a top-15 Fantasy receiver again this year. ... Cooks is always undervalued, but I thought that would change this season given how he played for the Texans last year. Apparently not, so buy him all day at this price, which is a steal. ... Bateman, Mooney and Kirk should be the No. 1 receivers for the respective teams. Bateman has to share targets with Mark Andrews, but Lamar Jackson should still lean on Bateman enough (figure about 120 targets) to where he can be a borderline starter in all leagues. Mooney should be top 10 in targets this season among all receivers, and Kirk should be the leading receiver for the Jaguars. I would draft Kirk as early as Round 7 in all formats. ... Collins has done well this preseason and should be No. 2 in targets for the Texans behind Cook. He's one of my favorite sleepers. ... Palmer should be drafted with a late-round pick in all leagues. I love him and K.J. Osborn (ADP 147.8, WR55) as lottery-ticket receivers who would benefit in a major way should someone get hurt in front of them on the depth chart.

Bad values

Deebo Samuel: ADP 20.8, WR6
Mike Evans: ADP 28.6, WR8
Jaylen Waddle: ADP 58.8, WR19
DK Metcalf: ADP 62.14, WR21
Adam Thielen: ADP 68.1, WR24

Samuel is a quality Fantasy option and worth drafting in late round 2 or early Round 3, but I don't love him as the No. 6 receiver off the board, especially in PPR. ... Evans could struggle for targets in Tampa Bay when everyone is healthy now that Russell Gage and Julio Jones have joined the Buccaneers, along with Chris Godwin (ACL) being on track for Week 1. I don't mind drafting Evans in early Round 3 in PPR, but I'm not sure he should be considered a top-10 Fantasy receiver. Godwin (ADP 60.8, WR20) is the better value by far. ... Waddle is dealing with an undisclosed leg injury following the end of preseason action, and hopefully he's ready for Week 1. I don't mind drafting him in Round 5 in all leagues, but I don't consider him a top-20 Fantasy receiver now that Tyreek Hill is in Miami. ... Metcalf will have to contend with Geno Smith as the starting quarterback for Seattle, at least early in the season. That lowers Metcalf's value, and I don't want to draft him as a starter in PPR. I'm also worried about Tyler Lockett (ADP 118.16, WR44), but he's being drafted much later. ... I like Thielen as a No. 3 receiver, but he's being drafted as a starter here, which feels risky given his injury history and the expected increased roles for Osborn and Irv Smith. The saving grace for Thielen, especially in non-PPR leagues, is he could score eight-plus touchdowns if he stays healthy.

Tight ends

Good values

Dallas Goedert: ADP 73.1, TE7
Cole Kmet: ADP 123.7, TE13
David Njoku: ADP 147.3, TE18

I'm not sure if Goedert should be drafted higher than TE7, but he might be the best value at the position among the top-tier options. He's headed for a breakout campaign this year. ... Kmet is another amazing value given his upside, and he's another one of my favorite breakout players this season. He should soak up targets from Justin Fields in Chicago's offense as the No. 2 option in the passing game behind Mooney. ... Njoku should benefit with Brissett under center with a lot of short-area passes. And he's going to be No. 2 in targets for the Browns behind Amari Cooper, which is something we like for a tight end.

Bad values

George Kittle: ADP 48.6, TE4
Dawson Knox: ADP 97.5, TE10
Mike Gesicki: ADP 105.7, TE11

I'm not panicking about Kittle like some of my colleagues, but I'm also not drafting him in Round 4 or as the No. 4 tight end. That's too soon. ... Knox has the potential to lead all tight ends in touchdowns, but I'm not drafting him at this price, especially in PPR. There are too many mouths to feed in Buffalo. ... Gesicki needs a trade out of Miami to come close to living up to this ADP. He doesn't appear to be a major factor in the Dolphins offense heading into the season.

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2022 Fantasy Football draft prep ADP review: The best values by current, risers, fallers, targets, more more - CBS Sports
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Tony La Russa: Chicago White Sox manager out indefinitely - Chicago Tribune

Right fielder Gavin Sheets had a conversation with manager Tony La Russa during batting practice Tuesday, a couple of hours before the Chicago White Sox played the Kansas City Royals.

Less than an hour before the first pitch, the Sox announced La Russa would miss the game at the direction of his doctors.

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“I was with him all day,” Sheets said Wednesday. “Kind of got blindsided by that. He seemed fine all day.”

The Sox announced Wednesday that La Russa is out indefinitely and scheduled to undergo further testing with doctors in Arizona.

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“As a team and as a player of his,” reliever Kendall Graveman said, “I want to wish him nothing but the best health and recovery and whatever that entails in his near future and moving forward. That’s obviously where our hearts and minds are. Hopefully we get the best doctors around him to see what’s going on.”

[ [Don't miss] ‘Anything can happen’: 2005 World Series champs offer support to struggling White Sox ]

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported La Russa, 77, recently had tests with a cardiologist, and the recommendation was to miss Tuesday’s game. Nightengale reported that after more tests Wednesday, La Russa was advised to see heart specialists.

“I talked to him (Wednesday), he was fine,” Sox bench coach Miguel Cairo said. “But his doctor is in Arizona. They have all the info about his medical, and we will know later in the week what is going on.”

Cairo, who managed Tuesday’s 9-7 loss, will continue to fill in. He guided the Sox to a 4-2 victory Wednesday.

Acting White Sox manager Miguel Cairo talks with injured shortstop Tim Anderson during batting practice Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)

“Health and family,” Graveman said. “You guys see us a lot in uniform and see us at the field doing our job and preparing each day to be the best baseball players we can, and Tony was preparing to be the best manager he can. But at the end of all this, outside of traveling (between) different cities and suiting up every day and going to battle with each other, we have families, we have people that are dear to us and have gone through all this together. It really puts baseball in perspective.

“I understand that we want to compete and win and prepare and do the best that we can, and that’s what we get paid to do. But there’s stuff that I feel is vital and way more important than playing baseball. He needs to go be with his family and take care of himself in the moment.”

Some of the players, such as outfielder/first baseman Andrew Vaughn, found out the news Tuesday via social media.

“I saw that the White Sox posted something,” Vaughn said, “and I was like: ‘Oh, my goodness. This is crazy.’ And then we had to just go play.

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“We were trying to talk about it, trying to figure out what was going on. They mentioned a few things, maybe his heart. Just health. Pretty scary.”

[ [Don't miss] Column: August was the month the White Sox were waiting for. Instead it might have squashed their playoff dreams. ]

La Russa is in the second season of his second stint with the Sox. Last season they won their first division title since 2008, but this year has been filled with injuries and inconsistency. The Sox entered Wednesday’s game at Guaranteed Rate Field in third place in the American League Central, three games under .500.

La Russa is second all-time among major-league managers with 2,884 victories. The 2014 Hall of Fame inductee won World Series titles with the Oakland Athletics (1989) and St. Louis Cardinals (2006, 2011).

“You look at his record and it stands for itself,” Graveman said. “He’s probably forgotten more about baseball than I’ll ever know. That is something I looked up to, seeing him show up every day and go to work and work extremely hard. And his willingness and (desire) to win, he lived and died by win and loss. He still cares. I’m sure he’s still watching and keeping up.

“When we lost, it really hurt him, and when we won, he was really excited for us. And I think he was more excited not for his own good but for the team as a whole when we won. And he was disappointed and always thinking about what he could have done better to make us win when we did lose. So I respect him for that.”

La Russa managed the Sox from 1979-86 and returned for 2021 with the hope of taking a talented young team to the next level after the Sox were eliminated in the wild-card round in 2020.

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The Sox made the playoffs last season but were eliminated in the AL Division Series by the Houston Astros in four games.

Projected to be one of the top teams in baseball this season, the Sox instead found themselves six games behind the division-leading Cleveland Guardians on the final day of August.

“First and foremost prayers up for (La Russa),” Sheets said. “You are just praying for him, praying for a quick recovery. We don’t know the full details of what’s going on, but most importantly we want to get some wins ... so when he comes back, whenever that is, hopefully we’ll be in a better spot going for the playoffs.

“I’ve loved playing for him. He’s taught me a lot. He’s been a great mentor for me, especially as a young player. From the first day I came up, he’s kind of brought me under his wing, showed me the ropes and learned from him the whole way. I want to see him back as soon as possible.”

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For Venus and Serena Williams at the U.S. Open, Day and Night Experiences - The New York Times

Unlike her sister, Venus was not prepared to deal with questions about her tennis future after a loss in the first round of the singles tournament. “I’m just focused on the doubles,” she said.

If Monday night at the U.S. Open with Serena Williams was electric, Tuesday afternoon with her sister Venus was natural lighting: sunlit yet subdued.

“That’s a good analogy,” said Kim Benjamin, a longtime fan of the Williams sisters from Baton Rouge, La., who was in Arthur Ashe Stadium for both sessions.

Serena Williams’s victory, 6-3, 6-3, over Danka Kovinic of Montenegro in the first round Monday night would have been a tough act to follow for anyone, not just a sibling.

This is Serena’s self-declared last U.S. Open and likely her final tournament, and she extended her stay in the singles draw by shaking off the rust and clicking into some familiar gears against Kovinic with the sellout crowd roaring on its feet as she arrived, as she prevailed and as she departed after an on-court tribute that featured Billie Jean King and a video tribute narrated by Oprah Winfrey.

“You could just feel the energy, and you just knew that Serena was going to come out and want to give it her all, because the crowd was amazing, from the minute she stepped out,” said Benjamin, who purchased a ticket at the last minute. “It was goose bumps.”

But Tuesday afternoon had a very different vibe. The biggest stadium in tennis was half empty and the reception comparatively muted, even if there were plenty of shouts of “We love you, Venus” and “Let’s go, V.”

It is partly a matter of perception. The sisters will be forever linked in the public’s eye as players and doubles partners: sharing the same moonshot journey from cracked public courts in Compton, Calif., to Grand Slam titles and No. 1 in the world.

But though Venus, 42, is long past the typical tennis retirement date and has not won a singles match since she returned to the tour this season, she appears to be on a different career timeline than her sister, or at least has a radically different way of making an exit.

Tuesday’s loss, 6-1, 7-6 (5) to Alison Van Uytvanck, an unseeded Belgian veteran, could well turn out to be the last U.S. Open singles match of Venus’s career but there has been no clarity on her plans, which only widened the disparity between the sisters’ night-and-day experiences this week.

They will soon be reunited on court, playing doubles in a first-round match that almost certainly will be scheduled for Thursday night in Arthur Ashe Stadium. But Venus was not prepared on Tuesday to dissolve the mist surrounding her own tennis future at one of her increasingly rare news conferences.

Question: “We know about Serena and her plans post-Open. After you have done the doubles, do you plan to evolve away from tennis and do your own thing or is tennis still in the forefront of your mind?”

Venus’s response: “Right now I’m just focused on the doubles.”

Karsten Moran for The New York Times

Retirement is a rightfully sensitive subject for any star athlete, but Venus has had to deal with the speculation and thinly veiled questions much longer than most. With her results slumping, she had to begin fending off retirement queries beginning in her late 20s, quashing them for a time when she experienced her renaissance season in 2017: reaching the finals of the Australian Open and Wimbledon, making the semifinals of the U.S. Open and soaring inspirationally back into the top five of the rankings at age 37.

She has had, by nearly any measure, a phenomenal career: reaching No. 1 in both singles and doubles, winning seven Grand Slam singles titles (five at Wimbledon and two at the U.S. Open), four Olympic gold medals and winning 14 Grand Slam doubles titles with her sister (they are 14-0 in finals).

But that stirring 2017 revival looks very much like her last hurrah. She has not reached another final at any level since then and has lost nine times in the first round of Grand Slam tournaments in the last five seasons, never advancing past the third round in any major during that span.

“When it’s my last, I’ll let you know,” she said when retirement talk resurfaced after she lost early at Wimbledon again in 2021.

At this stage, having missed nearly a year of action because of injury before returning in July, she has a world ranking of 1,504.

“It was definitely the longest time I have been away from tennis and been without a racket in my hand,” she said. “So it was a completely new experience for me, getting a racket back in my hand and trying to acclimate as quick as possible to be ready for the U.S. Open, which was not easy.”

Because of her ranking, she can only make it into tour-level events through wild cards, like the one awarded to her at this U.S. Open. At some stage, if Venus improbably extends her career well beyond this tournament and season, the largess will and should end. Young players on the rise deserve those opportunities, too, but Venus, even with a quadruple-digit ranking, remains an undeniable drawing card and a touchstone whose many fans, particularly those with siblings, can connect with her story.

“She is in her sister’s shadow in my opinion,” Benjamin said. “I think she doesn’t have obviously the family dynamics that Serena does now with a husband and a child. So, I think that she’s here for the long haul, just because she loves the game so much. I think she’s playing because win, lose, or draw, she’s just happy to be playing the game she loves.”

That is a devoted fan’s view but not the message Venus sent after her latest defeat. She was asked what was driving her out there on the court at this point of her career.

“Three letters,” she answered without hesitation. “W-I-N. That’s it. Very simple.”

If so, this must be a downbeat time, but then perhaps it’s wise to not assume too much.

She has had plenty of opportunities to gracefully step away and bask in the accolades but has continued to head to the practice court with Eric Hechtman, the coach she now shares with Serena, and has continued to step back into the arena, even if her first step is not nearly as quick.

She is hardly embarrassing herself and pushed Van Uytvanck, who is ranked 43rd, into a tiebreaker by lifting her level in the second set with the less-than-capacity crowd providing plenty of positive feedback. But in the end, she could not manufacture quite enough form or consistency.

“In the end, it’s just rust,” Venus said. “There is nothing you can do about that except for, you know, not be rusty at some point.”

She is now 0-4 in singles in 2022 but is not done just yet with Arthur Ashe Stadium. Bring on the electricity on Thursday.

Benjamin, on her way back to Baton Rouge, won’t be able to make that session, but she had some parting words as she headed for the front gate in the natural light.

“Be gentle with Venus,” she said. “Please.”

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Alize Cornet upends reigning US Open champ Emma Raducanu - New York Post

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Tuesday, August 30, 2022

Raiders news: Notes on roster cuts - Silver And Black Pride

The Las Vegas Raiders have set their initial 53-man roster (plenty of changes to come), so let’s look at some aspects of the first roster:

  • While the Raiders have a strong core of top-tier talent, it is clear the new brass of general manager Dave Ziegler and Josh McDaniels want their own infusion of youth. All six Raiders’ draft picks made the roster as did four undrafted free agents, linebackers Darien Butler and Luke Masterson, cornerback Sam Webb and safety Isaiah Pola-Mao. He was probably the biggest surprise on the initial 53. Butler and Pola-Mao benefitted from familiarity. Butler was at Arizona State with new Raiders’ linebackers coach Antonio Pearce and Pola-Mao is the great nephew of Raiders’ running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu.
  • The Raiders have eight offensive linemen and third-round pick Dylan Parham is probably the backup at both center and guard. I’d expect this unit is still a work in progress as far as roster spots go.
  • The Raiders kept six running backs, including fullback Jakob Johnson. Seventh-round pick, Brittain Brown was kept at tailback after a strong preseason. Starter Josh Jacobs is the only returner from last year’s squad of the six running backs.
  • Las Vegas kept five wide receivers with free-agent pickup Keelan Cole getting released, which we all saw coming when he played in the fourth quarter of the final preseason game. Tyron Johnson and DJ Turner are the fourth and fifth receivers and should be part of the mix on special teams.
  • The Raiders have six defensive tackles on the roster — Bilal Nichols, Johnathan Hankins, Andrew Billings, Kendal Vickers and draft picks Neil Farrell and Matthew Butler. It will be interesting to see how the playing rotation develops.
  • While Ziegler and McDaniels were loyal to 10 rookies, they cut several veterans who signed this offseason including Cole, Demarcus Robinson, Vernon Butler, Kenny Young, Alex Bars, Hroniss Grasu, Darius Phillips and Kyle Peko.
  • As expected, pass-rusher Tashawn Bower made the roster after having four sacks in the preseason.
  • As expected, the Raiders kept only Jarrett Stidham behind starting quarterback Derek Carr. Undrafted rookie Chase Garbers likely is headed to the practice squad.
  • What’s next? All waived players will be available to be claimed Wednesday. The Raiders have the 22nd highest waiver priority (and 10th lowest). Players who were released (veterans) can be signed at any time. The Raiders can also start adding to their practice squad Wednesday as well. So, expect another busy day.

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Myles Garrett: ‘We’ll take it and we’ll use’ Baker Mayfield’s ‘I’m going to (expletive) them up’ remark as mo - cleveland.com

BEREA, Ohio — Myles Garrett doesn’t hold Baker Mayfield’s “I’m going to (expletive) them up” comment against him, but says the Browns will certainly use it as motivation for the opener against him Sept. 11 in Carolina.

“We’ve known he has that type of demeanor and that attitude, and for better or for worse, it works for him,” Garrett told cleveland.com on Tuesday after practice. “And I’m not mad at him using that fire and that chip on his shoulder to help him play to the level he has. He’s been successful in what he’s done.’’

Garrett, who had an up-and-down relationship with his fellow No. 1 overall pick, watched Mayfield fire himself up like that during their four seasons together in Cleveland, which included only one playoff campaign in 2020.

“Talking like that and moving the way he does, it’s worked for him,” he said. “He uses that for fire, for motivation and I think speaking like that helps amp him up.”

But, Garrett noted, “It does the same for us as well. We’ll take it and we’ll use it, and I’m hoping for a great matchup. I don’t think any less of him because he’s going out there and doing the same thing he did when he was with us. He’s the same guy personally, and maybe we’ll see a different Baker when we get on the field. Who knows?”

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said of Mayfield’s remark: “I’m not going to get involved in that type of thing. As you know, it’s Carolina week. I get how unique it is that Baker is the starting quarterback for the Panthers. We’re really going to focus on putting a plan together to beat the Panthers. That is really the focus.”

Asked if there were copies of Mayfield’s quote circulating in the locker room now, he said, “No.’’

He said he doesn’t believe in the concept of posting Mayfield’s comments in the locker room for motivation.

“I don’t,” he said.

After the Panthers’ 21-0 victory over the Bills at Bank of America Stadium, Mayfield had an exchange with Bills sideline reporter Cynthia Frelund, saying of the opener against the Browns, “I’m going to (expletive) them up,” according to Frelund.

Frelund, also the NFL Network analystics expert, shared her postgame conversation with Mayfield during the “Around the NFL” podcast that was posted Monday night.

“You ran into Baker Mayfield, the former Browns quarterback, recently,” host Dan Hanzus said. “I was hoping you could share an exchange that you had.”

Frelund recounted the conversation.

“I walked up to him and said, ‘I’m so excited to see you, like, go kick some butt,’ I didn’t say that word,” she said with a laugh. “... ‘Go kick some butt, especially Week 1, I like cannot wait.’ And he uses some expletives and I was like, ‘I just hope you’re like ready.’ He was like, ‘I’m gonna bleep them up.’”

Hanzus asked Frelund if that was a direct quote, “‘I’m gonna f*** them up,’ is that what the quote was?”

She said, “I don’t say curse words on air. I do not want to get in trouble.”

Hanzus pressed, “But was that the quote?”

Frelund said, “Yes.”

On Tuesday morning, in response to the stories, Frelund tweeted, “Oh boy, this is silly. Don’t make this more than it is. I was wishing him good luck, colorfully. He agreed with me, colorfully. What do you expect anyone to do in this situation…”

Frelund, when challenged by Browns fans on social media about seemingly rooting against Cleveland, tweeted, “I’m not anti Browns, I am just supportive of Baker’s career and want him to succeed.”

The bulletin-board quotes — something Mayfield has been known for since back in his college days — were far different than the politically correct ones coming out of Cleveland last week.

“He’s my former teammate,” Garrett said last week. “But there’s no rivalry between me and him and there’s no rivalry between the Panthers and the Browns. Yes, he was here, but that doesn’t mean I have an added sense of urgency to get to him. I want to play my best and whatever’s in the cards, that’s it for me. If I can help my team win, if I can put them in the best position to win I’m going to do that, and if I can get a couple sacks along the way, I would kind of enjoy that too.”

Left guard Joel Bitonio has kept in touch with his good friend.

“For me, I’m playing against Carolina’s defense, and obviously Baker’s going to be there for us,” Bitonio said last week. “It’s going to be a good challenge for us, I know that the guys will be pumped up for it. But it’s the Carolina Panthers we have to face and we’re going to be ready for that.

“And me and Baker are on good terms. I texted him throughout the offseason and once he got traded there I wished him luck. I’ve always had his back and he was nothing but good to me as a person and so … we’ll be ready though for Week 1 and the Carolina Panthers.”

Linebacker Jacob Phillips echoed those sentiments.

“We still love Baker,” Phillips said. “Obviously he was a past teammate of ours. Basically every teammate we have — you know, it’s a business. People are here one year, a team’s never the same. So obviously with him going there it’s going to be cool that we have kind of an understanding of how he plays obviously competing against him every day on the practice fields so I think it’s going to be a regular game for us.

“Obviously you have more notes written down on the way he plays and different throws he makes and different things like that but it’s going to be like every other week.”

Mayfield, during his press conference in Carolina last week after he was named the Week 1 starter over Sam Darnold, was a lot more tame than he apparently was to Frelund.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of attachment there,’’ Mayfield said. “I’m not going to sit here and be a robot and say it doesn’t mean anything. It will.’’

Mayfield declined to say what could be expected of him in the opener.

“I’m not going to premeditate anything,’’ he said. “Once I step inside the lines I’m a competitor.’’

The Browns traded Mayfield, their 2018 No. 1 overall pick, to the Panthers for a fifth-round pick in 2024 that can improve to a fourth if he plays 70% of the snaps. Mayfield has $3.5 million reasons to want to beat the Browns — the amount of the pay cut he took to get the trade done with the Panthers.

The Browns are paying $10.5 million of his initially fully-guaranteed $18.86 million salary for 2022, and the Panthers picked up about $5 million. It means the Browns will have paid Mayfield $583,333 to beat them if he does, in fact expletive them up.

But Garrett, Jadeveon Clowney, and the rest of the Browns defenders — some of whom were miffed at how he behaved during the Odell Beckham Jr. departure — will have something to say about that.

Are you a die-hard Browns fan? Join us for a free live Orange and Brown Talk Podcast on Sept. 7 from 5:30-7:30 p.m., in person! Hear from cleveland.com sportswriters as they discuss the upcoming season, hot topics and special team analysis. This event has limited seats available. Get your tickets at: https://musicboxcle.com/event/orange-and-brown-talk/

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No defense: Cameron Smith bolts for LIV Golf Series, won't defend Players Championship title - The Florida Times-Union

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Chiefs releasing wide receiver Josh Gordon - NFL.com

Josh Gordon is the odd man out in Kansas City.

NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday that the Chiefs are releasing Gordon, per a source informed of the decision.

With the Chiefs adding newcomers JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, rookie Skyy Moore and the improved play of Justin Watson, Gordon had an uphill battle to make the K.C. roster from the onset of camp.

The veteran generated just one catch on five targets in 67 preseason snaps, per Next Gen Stats.

Gordon joined the Chiefs in 2021, playing in 12 games and earning five catches for 32 yards and one touchdown.

It's been nine years since the wideout blasted onto the scene with an All-Pro season in 2013 with the Cleveland Browns, in which he led the NFL with 1,646 yards. Famously, multiple season-long suspensions derailed his career. While he's been great in the community in Kansas City and the club has had nothing but great things to say about the 31-year-old, Tuesday's release could spell the end of Gordon's days in the NFL.

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Monday, August 29, 2022

US Open Live Updates: Serena Williams vs. Danka Kovinic - The New York Times

Lola Fadulu

Aug. 29, 2022, 6:20 p.m. ET
Gabriela Bhaskar for The New York Times

“What’s up? Come in! Welcome!” Elaine Vario, a U.S. Open usher with fuchsia hair, greeted people as they entered Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday for a first-round match between Daniil Medvedev and Stefan Kozlov.

Vario, 62, checked people’s tickets and asked cheerily in her Long Island accent where they were from. The section she was working already had people in it from England, Australia, California, New Jersey and Brooklyn. She gave people high-fives and introduced tennis fans to one another.

“A lot of it is diplomacy,” she said of her job. She said some people tried to sneak into sections with better views. But overall, she has had a great experience with fans. She said there were many die-hard ones, including celebrities, whom she would see every year. Some would even send her Christmas gifts.

Vario has been working as an usher at the U.S. Open since 1997. She simply smiled when asked if she was here in 1999 when Serena Williams won her first major singles title, on Ashe.

“The place gets a certain magic when a hometown person is winning that I can’t explain,” Vario said of that night. “They did it for Andre Agassi, too. The whole place lights up.”

She added: “And when people go, ‘Oh, it’s so loud,’ I say, ‘Welcome to New York.’ It’s New York, and we have an energy that’s really hard to contain.”

A lot of people came that night in 1999 just to see Serena Williams play, Vario said. “She really built up the New York audience,” she said.

Williams’s farewell match Monday night would be “tough but exciting,” Vario said. “She’s already warned us that this will be it, so everyone will be rooting for her.”

“She’s still the hometown girl,” she added. “Whether she wins or loses, she’s going to get a standing ovation beyond anything you or I could imagine because she is well loved.”

She said Serena has done a lot for the sport, similar to Billie Jean King. “She’s done a lot to make little girls think they could accomplish stuff, and that’s a strong statement in our society. Period.”

Vario, who is from Mineola, N.Y., met her partner, Jeff Hyman, an Open usher who was known among friends as “the gentle giant” because he was 6 feet 6 inches, at the tournament during a rain delay in 1997, before the roof was installed.

“I fell asleep on the steps and I woke up with a big bear arm over me,” she said. They began dating 15 years ago. Vario said they planned to be married in December. But Hyman had colon cancer, she said, and died Thursday at age 62.

As people trickled into the stadium, it would be hard for them to know that the gregarious woman directing them to their seats had just lost her soul mate, that she no longer had her best ally at the tournament. He would normally stand in a nearby section, and she would tip her white hat to him during matches. The gesture meant “I love you.”

She was still grieving Monday, but she said he would want her to be there working because, realistically, living in New York wasn’t getting any cheaper and bills needed to be paid. But also because of how special the usher experience is.

“You make friends from all around the world,” she said. “I’ve watched people grow up, where they’re driving now, and I remember when their parents were carrying them in, and they’ll come in and give me big kisses.”

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MLB Players Association takes first step toward unionizing the minor leagues, sends authorization cards to players - Yahoo Sports

In a historic move, the Major League Baseball Players Association took a significant step toward unionizing the minor leagues Sunday night, sending union authorization cards to minor league players. The MLBPA’s executive committee voted without opposition to invite the minor leaguers into the union, according to a union official.

“Minor Leaguers represent our game’s future and deserve wages and working conditions that befit elite athletes who entertain millions of baseball fans nationwide,” MLBPA executive director Tony Clark said in a statement released Monday morning.

The cards are a way for the 5,000-plus minor league players to formally indicate their desire to be represented by the MLBPA. At least 30% of minor leaguers have to fill out the authorization cards, which are kept confidential, to trigger an election that would be supervised by the National Labor Relations Board. In that election, if a simple majority of the votes — not necessarily the entire unit — support the union, the NLRB would require the league to recognize the union. But the MLBPA is likely looking for, and counting on, a much more significant show of support via the authorization cards. If a majority of minor leaguers respond in favor of unionization, MLB can — but does not necessarily have to — voluntarily recognize the union.

This is the culmination of years of agitation and advocacy by minor leaguers, who are paid a pittance, to achieve better compensation and benefits for their services. While major league salaries are collectively bargained by what is considered the strongest union in professional sports, minor league salaries have long been suppressed below minimum wage. Recent efforts have yielded a $185 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit and the voluntary awarding of free housing and increased pay from the league. Still pending is an inquiry by the Senate Judiciary Committee into MLB’s antitrust exemption and how that contributes to conditions in the minor leagues.

Minor league baseball players are receiving union authorization cards from the MLBPA, the first step toward potentially unionizing the sport's lower levels. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Minor league baseball players are receiving union authorization cards from the MLBPA, the first step toward potentially unionizing the sport's lower levels. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

In the absence of formal representation, nonprofit organizations have worked to raise awareness about minor league concerns, chief among them Advocates for Minor Leaguers. As part of the unionization effort, the group is suspending day-to-day operations and the entire staff is going to work for the MLBPA.

“We are grateful to the many people who have spoken up to demand better treatment for Minor Leaguers over the past two years. Without their courage, passion, and advocacy, none of this would have been possible,” Advocates for Minor Leaguers said in a statement released Monday. “Though there is much work left to be done, one thing is clear: better days lie ahead for Minor League baseball players.”

According to a union official, the minor leaguers would be their own distinct bargaining unit, and negotiations for their collective bargaining agreement would proceed independently of the recent MLB CBA.

The union is holding an all-day video conference on Monday to field questions from major league players about the process.

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Sunday, August 28, 2022

Commanders' Brian Robinson Jr. in stable condition after shooting - The Washington Post

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. is in stable condition after he was shot in his lower extremities during a possible attempted carjacking or armed robbery in Washington, according to a D.C. police spokesman.

The spokesman, Dustin Sternbeck, confirmed Robinson was the victim and the shooting occurred shortly before 6 p.m. Sunday in the 1000 block of H Street NE. Robinson was shot twice and was taken to a hospital for treatment. The injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Police are looking into the possibility of the incident being an armed robbery or an attempted carjacking. They said they recovered the firearm in the 700 block of 10th Street NE — about a block south of the scene of the shooting — and were looking for two juveniles with shoulder-length dreadlocks. One was wearing a black or brown shirt with yellow smiley faces on it. No further details were immediately available.

“We have been made aware that Brian Robinson Jr. was the victim of an attempted armed robbery or carjacking in Washington, D.C.,” the Commanders said in a statement Sunday night. “He sustained non-life-threatening injuries and is currently being treated at the hospital, where team officials are on site with him. We ask that you please respect Brian’s privacy at this time.”

Coach Ron Rivera was among the Commanders’ contingent with Robinson at the hospital. Team owners Daniel and Tanya Snyder, President Jason Wright, General Manager Martin Mayhew, chief medical officer Tony Casolaro and director of mental wellness Barbara Roberts also were with Robinson and his family.

“I just got done visiting [with] Brian,” Rivera tweeted Sunday night. “He is in good spirits and wanted me to thank everyone for their kind words, prayers & support. He wants his teammates to know he appreciates them all for reaching out and he loves them all & will be back soon doing what he does best.”

Robinson, 23, was drafted by the Commanders in the third round this year out of Alabama. He finished his college career tied for 10th in Crimson Tide history with 29 rushing touchdowns and 11th with 2,704 rushing yards. He impressed throughout the offseason with the Commanders, so much so that he had been expected to take on a large role in the offense when the regular season begins Sept. 11.

The first 53: Projecting the Commanders’ active roster as cut day nears

The rookie traveled with the Commanders to their final preseason game in Baltimore on Saturday but did not play, along with the team’s starters. During limited playing time in the first two preseason games, Robinson totaled 14 carries for 57 yards and one touchdown, plus two catches for 15 yards.

“Brian’s been great,” offensive coordinator Scott Turner said during the preseason. “He’s a real serious guy. Football is extremely important to him. He takes a lot of pride in being a physical runner. ... I think he’ll continue to get better, too, as the reps increase.”

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Saturday, August 27, 2022

College football Week 0 roundup: Nebraska's Scott Frost explains disastrous onside kick decision - Yahoo Sports

Things were going quite well for Nebraska on Saturday, but it took just one decision from coach Scott Frost to cause all of those good vibes to vanish.

After falling behind Northwestern 17-14 at halftime, Nebraska scored twice in a 28-second span to flip that three-point deficit into a 28-17 lead with 9:09 remaining in the third quarter.

Nebraska’s defense had already forced a punt and a fumble in the early part of the second half, so surely the Huskers would kick it deep and let the defense go back to work, right? Wrong.

Perplexingly, Frost called for an onside kick. It was a decision that completely changed the trajectory of the game.

Northwestern easily recovered the attempt and regained possession at the Nebraska 44. Gifted with excellent field position, Northwestern needed just five plays to reach the end zone and cut Nebraska’s lead to 28-24.

All of a sudden, Northwestern was given a much-needed jolt of energy and never looked back. Nebraska, meanwhile, went into a turtle shell.

Northwestern controlled play the rest of the way and would go on to win 31-28 as double-digit underdogs. After the onside kick, the Nebraska offense turned it over twice and managed to gain only 85 yards the rest of the way.

The end result was the 21st one-score loss in Frost’s head-coaching tenure at his alma mater. The onside kick was a clear turning point.

After the game, Frost took responsibility for the decision and said he wishes he could take it back. He said Northwestern’s kickoff team presented “a look that was really good for” the onside kick try.

“In hindsight, it didn’t work. Anytime something doesn’t work you want it back,” Frost said. “We had a couple things we wanted to be aggressive in. We had one earlier where we wanted to see if we got the look we wanted. We got a look that was really good for it. I made that call. It’s on me.”

Frost said he felt like his team had the momentum at its side at that point in the game. If the Huskers could recover the onside kick, he felt that they would go win the game.

“At that point in the game I thought all the momentum was on our side. I thought if we got it, we could end the game,” Frost said. “The way we were playing, I felt at that point that we had a really good chance of winning the game and I felt like maybe we were the better team. You can’t really foresee them scoring 14 straight and us sputtering after we played well to start the second half on offense. Again, those are excuses. If I had it over I wouldn’t make the call.”

With the loss, Nebraska is 15-30 under Frost and has now lost seven consecutive games dating back to last season. All seven of those losses came by a single-digit margin.

Nebraska coach Scott Frost answers questions from the media on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022, at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. (AP Photo/Ken Maguire)
Nebraska coach Scott Frost answers questions from the media on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022, at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. (AP Photo/Ken Maguire)

Illinois overwhelms Wyoming

Elsewhere in Week 0 action, Illinois took care of business at home against Wyoming.

Wyoming was actually within striking distance, down 17-6 early in the third quarter. However, the game quickly changed when Wyoming decided to punt on fourth-and-2 just inside Illinois territory. From there, Illinois closed out the game with 21 unanswered points to win 38-6.

In the win, Chase Brown rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Tommy DeVito, who threw for 192 yards and two scores in his Illinois debut.

Utah State gets scare from UConn

Utah State is the defending Mountain West champion, but got a scare from lowly UConn on Saturday.

The Huskies, in their first game under Jim Mora Jr., surprisingly jumped out to a 14-0 lead in Logan. The Aggies stayed composed, however, and fought back. USU would take a 24-14 lead into halftime and ended up pulling out a 31-20 victory.

Utah State's Logan Bonner threw for 281 yards and three touchdowns in the win.

Taking care of FCS opponents

  • After a weather delay, Florida State cruised to a 47-7 win over Duquesne. FSU, which started 0-4 in 2021, rushed for 406 yards in the win.

  • Western Kentucky had just a 21-20 lead entering the fourth quarter but was able to pull away and beat Austin Peay 38-27. West Florida transfer Austin Reed threw four TD passes in the win.

  • UNLV took care of Idaho State with ease, 52-21. The Rebels put up 45 points in the first half.

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Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes on Lamar Jackson: He’s the MVP for a reason - Arrowhead Pride

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is no stranger to high-profile matchups. Mahomes will face his biggest one of the season, h...