The Denver Broncos were in a desperate situation entering the 2026 AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots. With starting quarterback Bo Nix injured and missing the game, the team reportedly reached out to Hall of Famer Drew Brees to see if he was interested in what could have been one of the most surreal moments in the sport's history.
The Broncos had homefield advantage, but were dealt a cruel blow with Nix breaking his ankle late in their Divisional Round overtime win against the Buffalo Bills. Backup Jarrett Stidham started the game and in blizzard-like conditions, could only muster seven points as the Patriots won 10-7 to advance to the Super Bowl.
But what if it was one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time under center for the Broncos that day?
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the Broncos did indeed reach out to Drew Brees to gauge his interest in an improbable comeback. Considering that Sean Payton coaches the Broncos and the pairing is one of the most successful in NFL history while winning a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints, it's easy to see why Denver made the call. Brees and Payton are the second-winningest QB/Coach combo in NFL history, only behind Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.
Of course, there would have been one major obstacle to overcome. Drew Brees had just turned 47 and hadn't played a competitive NFL game since January 17, 2021 in a playoff loss to Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, Brees wouldn't have been alone in making an incredible return as Philip Rivers had come out of five years of retirement to play three games for the injury-plagued Indianapolis Colts. While Rivers went 0-3 as a starter, he completed 63% of his passes and threw 4 TDs to 3 INTS.

#super #payton

Like a majority of the rookie quarterbacks, even Patrick Mahomes had to start behind a veteran QB, who happened to be Alex Smith.
Smith moved to the Kansas City Chiefs after spending seven years in San Francisco. He had been with the team for four years at the time Mahomes was drafted.
A veteran in the league, starting Smith was the easy decision for the organization. However, he had already seen habits from Mahomes that convinced him about the QB's work ethic.
After one season of being on the bench, Mahomes was handed the reins of the team, and Smith was traded to the Washington Redskins. The rest is history, as the 30-year-old has gone on to achieve everything there is in the NFL going into Year 10.
The three-time Super Bowl champion is all set to make his return to the Chiefs lineup after recovering from an ACL/LCL injury that he suffered in December 2025.

#like

Eagles news: What Donovan McNabb wished Sean Mannion called more for Jalen Hurts appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Donovan McNabb believes there is room for improvement regarding Sean Mannion's play-calling for Jalen Hurts in the Philadelphia Eagles' 24-22 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday afternoon.
Hurts got the seventh season of his NFL career underway with the Eagle. He shines as one of the best quarterbacks in the league, having led the team to the Super Bowl in 2024.
Hurts had a solid day in the season opener, completing 14 out of 25 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns while rushing seven times for 46 yards.
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#jalen #yards

Chiefs news: Patrick Mahomes' knee recovery admission will have fans hyped appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Patrick Mahomes is taking part in his first game back from injury as the Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback gave exciting information for fans to take in.
Mahomes is preparing for the 10th season of his career in the league with the Chiefs. He has enjoyed incredible campaigns that saw him win three Super Bowl ***** les and two MVP awards, building his case as one of the best quarterbacks of all time. Following a rehab process from his torn ACL and LCL, Mahomes looks to be back in full force for Kansas City.
Lisa Salters is present in Kansas City for the Chiefs' Monday night clash with the Denver Broncos. The ESPN reporter talked about Mahomes, who revealed to her that he is excited to get back in action this season.
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#first

What did Pro Football Focus make of the New Orleans Saints' season-opening loss to the Detroit Lions? PFF's unique grading system leaves a lot to be desired as far as valuable ****** ysis, but it's a good starting point for highlighting which players pulled their weight and which performances deserve more scrutiny. With the Saints having fought their into overtime after stumbling out of the gates, let's check in on the best and worst player grades on offense and defense after Week 1.
WR Chris Olave: 82.6. Olave wasn't as effective blocking on run plays as he'd like to be, but that's nearly the only negative about his game (he did also drop a pass deep downfield early on). He caught 10 of 13 targets for a career-high 182 receiving yards, went 2-of-4 on contested catches, and converted seven first downs. His 30 yards gained after the catch were also impressive.
TE Noah Fant: 79.6. Fant had some miscues -- Shough overthrew and underthrew him a few times as the pair worked to get in sync -- but you can see why the ball continued to go his way. Fant picked up almost half of his yardage after the catch and looked comfortable while drawing targets in traffic.
QB Tyler Shough: 75.0. How impressive is it that Shough clawed his way back up the list after starting so poorly? PFF had him with six "big time throws" this week, as many as the next two quarterbacks combined, which they define as "a pass with excellent ball location and timing, generally thrown further down the field and/or into a tighter window." He just needs to cut down on the turnover-worthy plays, sacks, and penalties. That's easier said than done but should come with experience.
TE Juwan Johnson: 73.4. Johnson was the team's highest-rated run blocker (75.1), and while he didn't see many targets until late in the game, he made them count by going 3-of-6 for 54 yards and a critical touchdown. He also forced the Lions defense into committing a costly coverage penalty early on.

#shough

Three Polk County runners won their individual cross country meet on Saturday, and two county quarterbacks excelled in both running and passing to lead their team and are among the top athletes in this week's Tremendous 10 poll. They joined by volleyball players and a boys golfer to fill out the list.
In last week's poll, Lake Gibson running back Raymond Diaz finished with 48 percent of the vote to edge Lake Wales boys cross country Gabriel Harris (41.5 percent).
Nominees for the Tremendous 10 poll can be sent to roy.fuocotheledger.com by 9 a.m. every Monday.
Football: Lakeland Christian still finds challenges in blowout victory
Football: Fort Meade wins defensive showdown over Tenoroc

#lake #boys

Patrick Mahomes recovery vs. Bo Nix: How Chiefs, Broncos QB battled back to overcome season-ending injuries originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The final game of the Week 1 NFL slate will pit a pair of AFC West quarterbacks looking to make momentous returns to the gridiron after lengthy injury absences.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and Broncos QB Bo Nix have drawn plenty of admirers, helping propel their teams to postseason contention — and in Mahomes' case, championships — throughout their glittering careers.
Both Mahomes and Nix were confronted with hardship after sustaining season-ending injuries at the back end of the 2025 season. They'll look to shake off the cobwebs when they joust against one another in 2026.
With that, here's a look at Mahomes and Nix's injury recoveries, journeys slated to take their next step on Monday Night Football.

#chiefs #Broncos #injuries

2027 NFL Draft QB rankings: Darian Mensah, Drew Mestemaker on the rise appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 2027 NFL Draft class was talked up to be loaded with quarterbacks, which was much-needed for many NFL teams coming off of what many claimed was a one-QB class in 2026. Before the college football season, this was billed as one of the most talented QB classes in recent memory.
So far, that hasn't necessarily played out on the field. Dante Moore, our No. 1 quarterback on the board in the preseason, has looked awful, to put it bluntly. Arch Manning and Julian Sayin were up-and-down in their blockbuster Week 2 clash between Ohio State and Texas.
On the other side of the coin, Darian Mensah and Trinidad Chambliss have been very impressive so far in the opening few weeks, and CJ Carr has also played very well against a soft schedule to open the year.
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#darian

Ravens news: Lamar Jackson, the NFL's first $70 million QB? Insider thinks it's possible appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Plenty of superstar quarterbacks garner massive contracts as some of the best players in the NFL. Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson may be on pace to make history with his next contract later down the line.
Jackson is starting the ninth year of his career with the Ravens. He dominates on the field as one of the best players in the league, often having Baltimore in serious playoff contention.
Jackson is secure under his current contract, ending after the 2027 season concludes. NFL insider Jeremy Fowler discussed Jackson's contract situation, bringing up the idea that a $70 million contract will be on the table for the superstar quarterback.
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#Ravens #lamar #clutchpoints

The Cleveland Browns are set to kick off their 2026 regular season Sunday afternoon when they take on the Jacksonville Jaguars on the road. The team announced on Friday that they would be starting two rookies on their offensive line, ruling out Teven Jenkins and announcing that third-round pick Austin Barber would get the start at right guard.
Cleveland is also calling up two players from its practice squad to the active roster for Sunday's game, elevating linebacker Nathaniel Watson and cornerback D'Angelo Ross. ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi reports that both elevations are special teams-related, which makes sense, as both have clear skill sets to contribute in that area of the game.
It will be interesting to see who ends up on the inactive list after these elevations; we know at least one of them is already Tevin Jenkins. Todd Monken talked about having all three quarterbacks active to use a package for rookie Taylen Green, which will be something to watch as kickoff gets closer.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns elevate two from practice squad for the season opener Sunday

#cleveland #practice #elevations

TROY - With a pair of former University at Albany quarterbacks at the controls, the Utica offense shredded RPI again on Saturday.
Former Great Danes backup Tyler Szalkowski completed 29 of 38 passes for 402 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the Pioneers to a 38-14 victory over the Engineers at East Campus Stadium.
"I enjoyed my time at Albany," said Szalkowski, who spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons with the Great Danes. "Everything they did for me just made me who I am today."
Utica improved to 2-0, while RPI fell to 1-1.
It was the second straight year Szalkowski picked apart RPI. He was 27-of-29 passing for 385 yards and six touchdowns when the Pioneers blew out the Engineers 41-14 in Utica last season.

#utica #great #former

SOUTH BEND — Notre Dame football's trio of backup quarterbacks entered the 2026 season with zero college snaps to their credit.
That changed Saturday, Sept. 12 against overmatched Rice, when preseason Heisman Trophy candidate CJ Carr gave way to No. 2 quarterback Noah Grubbs with the Irish leading 49-0 at the 9:22 mark of the third quarter.
Here are three things to know about Grubbs, a freshman from Lake Mary, FL.
No, he isn't. At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Grubbs' physical measurements are an exact match for fellow first-year signal caller Teddy Jarrard.
Both Carr and second-year man Blake Hebert are listed at 6-2 and right around the same weight: Carr tips the scales at 215 pounds while Hebert is listed at 216.

#pounds

Jared Curtis has entered Vanderbilt football's game against Delaware at FirstBank Stadium.
Curtis entered after Blaze Berlowitz ran the Commodores' first two drives. On those drives, both of which ended in punts, Berlowitz was 0-for-4 passing and did not have a carry. The score was tied, 0-0, with 4:44 remaining in the first quarter.
Curtis was a five-star recruit and the No. 2 quarterback in the class of 2026 who flipped to Vanderbilt from Georgia. He is an in-state product from Nashville Christian School. He battled with Berlowitz for the starting job throughout the preseason, but Berlowitz was selected to start both the first two games.
Coach Clark Lea committed to playing both quarterbacks in the first two contests. Against Austin Peay in the season opener Sept. 5, Curtis went 7-for-9 passing for 60 yards and rushed three times for 22 yards. He did not commit any turnovers and was not sacked.
Berlowitz was 11-for-16 against the Governors for 149 yards and ran 11 times for 47 yards. He also did not commit any turnovers and his lone sack came on a 2-point conversion attempt.

#berlowitz #curtis #first #entered

Jared Curtis has entered Vanderbilt football's game against Delaware at FirstBank Stadium.
Curtis entered after Blaze Berlowitz ran the Commodores' first two drives. On those drives, both of which ended in punts, Berlowitz was 0-for-4 passing and did not have a carry. The score was tied, 0-0, with 4:44 remaining in the first quarter.
Curtis was a five-star recruit and the No. 2 quarterback in the class of 2026 who flipped to Vanderbilt from Georgia. He is an in-state product from Nashville Christian School. He battled with Berlowitz for the starting job throughout the preseason, but Berlowitz was selected to start both the first two games.
Coach Clark Lea committed to playing both quarterbacks in the first two contests. Against Austin Peay in the season opener Sept. 5, Curtis went 7-for-9 passing for 60 yards and rushed three times for 22 yards. He did not commit any turnovers and was not sacked.
Berlowitz was 11-for-16 against the Governors for 149 yards and ran 11 times for 47 yards. He also did not commit any turnovers and his lone sack came on a 2-point conversion attempt.

#berlowitz #curtis #yards #entered

Over time NFL teams tend to develop identities, and they often stay the same through different coaches, different quarterbacks and different front office regimes. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, their calling card has long been physical defense and getting to the quarterback paired with a potent run game.
That dynamic is at least half true going into the 2026 season. They ranked near the bottom of the NFL in rushing yards last year but remain an excellent pass-rushing team, finishing sixth with 48 last year.
Outside of the trenches, Pittsburgh's best skill player is former Seattle Seahawks star DK Metcalf, a rare athlete who the Atlanta Falcons are going to need to contain if they're going to upset the Steelers this week.
Last season Metcalf posted 59 catches, a team-high 860 receiving yards and six touchdowns - which was less than his usual production in Seattle, but it would be a mistake to write Metcalf off. The Seahawks' playoff loss to the 49ers a few years ago proves he can thrash even elite defenses, going off for 10 catches, 136 yards and two touchdowns.
For one thing, Metcalf is bigger, stronger and faster than any defensive back that Atlanta can put on the field. That means the Falcons have to be smarter about defending him.

#going

Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo spoke with reporters on Friday. He shared his expectations for the defense against the Denver Broncos in Week 1 and improvement goals throughout the season.
"Listen, other coaches have said it, and I feel the same. It might take the first month, that's four games. I guess we're going to have the bye (week) into it; it may take that (long) to figure out exactly," said Spagnuolo. "Now, you just hope that while you're figuring it out, you're finding a way to win some games because you don't want to be behind the eight ball after the first month, but that's real."
The Chiefs defense has done well over the last few seasons against a team's top wide receiver. In 2025, the unit held quarterbacks to under 200 yards passing per game. Spagnuolo hopes to build on that, with veterans influencing the new players.
"I think that's real, now, if you have a really, really veteran team, it might be a little bit different, but because of the way the league is with free agency and all that, it seems like we've always got some new pieces that we've got to get used to, probably more so this year," said Spagnuolo. It's going to take a little while, but it's the reason why, when we went into this game plan, we tried to shave things off because we want the guys to play as fast as they can."
Kansas City ranked in the top 10 in points allowed, giving up 19.3 points per game. They will be in for a battle on Monday Night Football against a lethal Broncos offense with their starting quarterback Bo Nix back on the field. He is confident in the defense being up for the challenge after three preseason games.

#spagnuolo #kansas #city #Broncos

An elite Denver defense is the Week 1 ******* ignment, and Mahomes gets it right out of the gate. He checks in 13th among quarterbacks in PFN's Week 1 rankings, and the matchup is clearly difficult. Still, you've given Andy Reid all summer to scheme. If you drafted Mahomes, you're playing Mahomes.
Mahomes faced this elite defense once last season, and Andy Reid made it pretty clear as to how he wanted to attack: 45 pass attempts and 14 rushes (one of which came from Mahomes).
They didn't bring in Kenneth Walker III to be a one-dimensional offense, and even if the long-term goal is to put their fate in the hands of their future Hall of Fame QB, it's fair to ******* ume we don't see that in September.
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If you drafted Mahomes, you're playing Mahomes. There are a ton of players in this league where I'm happy to be a week late to starting rather than a week early, but this isn't one of those situations. The matchup is clearly difficult, but you've given Andy Reid all summer to scheme, and that's something I'm happy to bet on.

#week #elite #you 've

The Indianapolis Colts open the regular season at home against the Baltimore Ravens.
To help us preview this matchup, Glenn Erby, the managing editor of Ravens Wire, answered a handful of our questions to provide some insights into this Baltimore team.
Ravens Wire: Minter has been organized, direct, and consistent since taking over. He brings energy without manufacturing it, and players have responded to his detailed but collaborative approach. He has also allowed his coordinators to establish their identities while remaining heavily involved with the defense. The biggest takeaway is that he appears comfortable leading the entire operation rather than simply functioning as a defensive-minded head coach. The regular season will present different challenges, but the transition from John Harbaugh has been smoother than many expected.
Ravens Wire: Baltimore's defensive front should be its biggest strength. The Ravens added Trey Hendrickson to a group that could regain Nnamdi Madubuike while also featuring Calais Campbell, Travis Jones, and second-round pick Zion Young. Roquan Smith and Kyle Hamilton give the defense elite talent behind that front. If Madubuike remains healthy, Baltimore should be able to stop the run without sacrificing its ability to pressure quarterbacks.
Ravens Wire: The interior offensive line is the primary concern. Baltimore will start Jovaughn Gwyn at center and rookie first-round pick Vega Ioane at right guard. Gwyn has never started an NFL game, while Ioane will make his regular-season debut against DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart. The Ravens are also installing Declan Doyle's offense, so communication and protection errors could occur early. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry can cover plenty of weaknesses, but Indianapolis has the personnel to test that inexperienced interior.

#Ravens

If you think Army is going to run over, around and through the South Florida defense the way the Black Knights did against Bryant in week one, think again.
There were a lot of positives to draw from as Army rolled up a school-record 648 yards of total offense and 569 rushing yards on the way to a 59-3 victory over Bryant. With a rout in progress, Army went deep into its bench and utilized 16 different ball carries, including three quarterbacks.
South Florida is not Bryant. The Bulls feature a defensive front that averages 6-foot-3, 293 pounds per man (Major Dillard is 330 pounds at nose, Asani Redwood is 300 at tackle and Michael Williams is 250 at end), compared to the Bryant squad that averaged 30 pounds less. Jump to the linebackers, and USF features a group that averages 6-3, 233 pounds, more than a dozen pounds heavier than the similar Bryant unit. You can also expect South Florida's defenders will be quicker to close off the edges, perhaps cutting off Army's success on the perimeter.
The Bulls held Florida International to 80 yards on 25 carries in a 19-9 win on the evening of Sept 5. FIU did roll up 301 yards of passing, on 62% of completed throws, but run-dominant Army has not been a passing threat for many years.
Based off last week's starting lineup (the Bulls do not release depth charts to the media), the South Florida defense fields nine starters who transferred in from other Division I schools. Linebackers C.J. Hicks (Ohio State), Grayson Howard (South Carolina and Florida) and Sam Robinson (Rutgers) played Power 4 ball, as did Redwood (West Virginia) up front. Corner Teddy Foster (Florida) and 'Star' Amanio Fortenberry (Kansas State) help anchor the secondary.

#south #Bulls #linebackers

The Virginia Cavaliers did not mess around on Friday night, taking care of Norfolk State, 59-3. As expected, the 'Hoos overmatched the Spartans for 60 minutes, allowing all sorts of reserves to get live reps in the second half.
Three different UVA quarterbacks threw touchdown passes. Beau Pribula, who played the first two quarters, was once again ultra efficient, throwing for 162 yards on 12-of-14 passing with three touchdowns. Of note, Pribula did not have a single designed rushing attempt; offensive coordinator Des Kitchings chose to keep him upright and allow him to sling the rock from the pocket instead.
Backups Eli Holstein and Cole Geer ultimately had limited passing attempts, but both had one impressive throw to build on. Holstein opened the second half with a beautiful goal line fade to Ty'Lyric Coleman in the back corner of the end zone, while Geer found high school teammate Williem Thurber on a tight window up the seam for 28 yards in the fourth.
At the skill positions, wide receiver Jacquon Gibson got himself on the board with two touchdown catches from Pribula, after failing to reach the end zone a single time with UMass in 2025. Meanwhile, sophomore Xay Davis showcased his burst out of the backfield, totaling 107 ticks on 13 attempts.
On the defensive end, Kam Robinson made his way back to the field (in a limited capacity), a welcomed sight for the Cavalier faithful. The first-team secondary looked particularly strong, with Brandyn Hillman hauling in his second and third interceptions of the season, and Jacobie Henderson displaying some playmaking ability of his own. Sophomore linebacker Justin Rowe added a pick six in the final minutes for good measure.

#three

It's Week 1 of the fantasy football season, and while we're not dealing with any bye weeks yet, we're always dealing with injuries. Players you drafted a few weeks ago could be a bit banged up by this point. This will be a weekly piece where I look at readily available players to grab and drop into your lineups.
*Streamers are players who are rostered in 50% or fewer of Yahoo! leagues.
Shough and the Saints visit the Detroit Lions, where we see a big 49.5 over/under. Shough posted 18 fantasy points or more in each of his final six games last season, pretty darn good for a player rostered in only 40% of leagues this season. The Lions allowed the 9th most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks last season (18.2) and have a bad secondary, putting Shough in a good spot.
With Tua Tagovailoa potentially out for Week 1, the Falcons might get back to basics and aim for a run-heavy game. Of course, Bijan Robinson leads the way, but there's no reason for the Falcons to run him into the ground in Week 1.
It's a lower total vs. the Steelers, but a few carries and a vulture at the goal line is a path to production for Brian Robinson.

#robinson

The first time Sean Mannion stood in front of the Eagles offensive players, the new coordinator delivered a clear message about where the group needed to begin.
"He got up there and said, 'Our foundation is outside zone," Eagles right tackle Jordan Mailata said Friday. "Everything is going to start from that.'"
After an offseason full of intrigue about what the Eagles' revamped offense will look like under Sean Mannion, things are starting to come into better focus in the closing days before the season opener against the Washington Commanders.
Much of the discourse and scrutiny from afar has come around the pass game. Jalen Hurts' interception tally became a topic of conversation during training camp as Mannion installed the new system, and the questions about how the former Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach could get the best out of Hurts has been central over the last few months, as well.
But Mannion's eyes are fixed on what he refers to as, "the engine."

#mannion #sean #hurts #washington

Brock Purdy continues to prove doubters by exceeding his career expectations. And following the San Francisco 49ers' 2026 opener against the Los Angeles Rams in Australia on Thursday, he obtained another record to his collection.
Despite a slow start, Purdy had a great performance leading the offense. He completed 25 out of 34 passes for 205 yards and three touchdowns and one interception.
Purdy completed the 50th game of his career, including his 46th start. His passing accuracy has been remarkable, getting 68.1% of his throws to fellow receivers. This paved the way for him to make NFL history, via Real App.
When healthy, Purdy shines as one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He was the final pick in the 2022 draft, adding more lore to his resume as a player that defied expectations and achieved remarkable success in the NFL.
Aug 20, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) throws the ball against the Los Angeles Chargers in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

#francisco #reuters

When the NFL released its season schedule in May, the league's calculated risk flashed.
In a vacuum, scheduling the Denver Broncos to face the Kansas City Chiefs for the "Monday Night Football" season opener made perfect sense. Two competitive teams with star quarterbacks and Super Bowl-winning coaches playing a division game? The intrigue was obvious.
But zoom out, and zoom back to May: The schedule-makers were banking on answers yet undelivered. The Chiefs' quarterback, two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes, was still rehabilitating from tearing his left ACL and LCL on Dec. 14. The Broncos' quarterback, Bo Nix, had undergone one surgery after a Jan. 17 ankle fracture and another in April to clean up bone spurs.
Neither injury seemed likely to threaten the quarterbacks' careers. But starting Week 1? Back in May, banking on that was more optimistic than certain.
Fast forward to now, and both Nix and Mahomes are on track to start Monday night after fully participating in their respective training camps. Nix dissolved concerns about his limitations early in camp when throwing a 48-yard pass on the run, Broncos head coach Sean Payton told Yahoo Sports. Nix also played in the preseason.

#chiefs #season #quarterbacks

The Chicago Bears' 2026 season has finally arrived, and it couldn't come soon enough. Fresh off their 11-6 regular season in 2025 that saw them capture the NFC North and advance to the divisional round of the postseason, hopes are sky high for the Bears going into 2026, led by head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams. And for good reason.
Williams broke through and ascended to become one of the upper-echelon quarterbacks in the league last season thanks to unreal throws and miraculous comebacks, while Johnson brought a tenacity to the locker room, along with his ever-evolving offensive mind, to build the Bears into a powerhouse. Now the Bears enter the year as contenders and aim to do something they haven't done in 20 years: Go to the postseason two years in a row.
As with any NFL season, things will ebb and flow each week. Legendary performances will be followed by clunky outings, and each game will be seen as a referendum on the entire year as it's dissected for six straight days. A lot is going to happen, and we're taking our best guesses as to what will take place in 2026. Here are our yearly bold predictions for the upcoming Chicago Bears season.

#season #year

The New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys are set to kick off the 2026 regular season, which means fantasy football is in full swing.
With drafts already taken place, the majority of lineups are going to reflect the order in which managers drafted. Even so, there are still a handful of players who may be on the fringe in terms of their fantasy viability in Week 1.
We're not counting the likes of CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Malik Nabers and Javonte Williams — all of whom should be started without thought.
Meanwhile, here's a look at five players from this matchup to start or sit in Week 1:
Both quarterbacks should be in fantasy lineups this week to open the season, but we're going to focus a bit more on Dart here. Though the second-year quarterback was going relatively late in drafts, he's in a fantastic spot this week. The Cowboys defense has gotten better, but they still allowed the most fantasy points per game (23.4) to the quarterback position last season. Given that and his rushing upside, Dart is a strong option at quarterback.

#week #going

The state of Utah has produced some elite quarterbacks over the years whether from high school or college – Jaxson Dart, Steve Young, Ty Detmer, Jim McMahon, Steve Sarkisian – so the place knows the position.
So far this season heading into another weekend of games, high school quarterbacks in Utah are putting up huge numbers, some of the best in the country and there are not only a few of them.
The depth among stat-stuffing quarterbacks in the Beehive State is striking and influencing some of their recruitments as well.
In terms of overall passing yards, Utah high school quarterbacks have an advantage because many of them have played four games when the rest of the country has only played three but, still, their passing yards per game numbers are through the roof.
Through four games, Kingston Wright from Manti, Utah leads the country averaging 404 passing yards per game.

#utah #quarterbacks #school #yards

The Gophers originally opened as high as 2.5-point betting favorites for this week's game against Mississippi State. According to The Action Network, the consensus odds have continued to flip back and forth throughout the week, with the Bulldogs being favored by as much as 1.5. As of Friday morning, Minnesota is currently a one-point favorite. Could we be looking at a potential classic on Saturday afternoon?
Realistically, the consistent change in betting odds is pretty standard for a nonconference matchup in Week 2. Mississippi State and Minnesota were both viewed as potential wildcard teams with young quarterbacks heading into the season, and blowout wins in Week 1 didn't tell us much. **** ody really knows who should be favored in Saturday's game. But approaching college football with common sense and reason is boring.
Sep 3, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive lineman Anthony Smith (0) and defensive lineman TJ Bush Jr. (3) celebrate during the second half against the Eastern Illinois Panthers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
With the current total set at over/under 54.5 points, there's a scenario where Minnesota and Mississippi State easily clear that number, and we see a back-and-forth shootout. Both teams made improvements to their defenses in the offseason after rather disappointing 2025 campaigns.
The Gophers made transfer portal splashes with Cal pass rusher TJ Bush Jr. and Michigan State cornerback Aydan West, while the Bulldogs brought in Zach Arnett as their new defensive coordinator. After Mississippi State opened with a 62-13 win over UL Monroe and the Gophers comfortably beat Eastern Illinois 59-7, their new-look defenses will be tested in Week 2.

#state

The Yahoo Fantasy Football crew is ready to get bold for Week 1. Which one of these predictions will come true?
I know the quarterback situation in New Orleans is going to make people nervous, but this matchup has all the ingredients for the Chris Olave show. Alvin Kamara looks questionable, first-round rookie Jordyn Tyson will not play and the Saints are facing what many expect to be the best offense in the NFL.
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Detroit is going to score points. If New Orleans wants to keep up, Tyler Shough is going to have to throw the football and his easiest answer will be feeding Olave. Olave is coming off career highs with 100 catches, 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns on 155 targets. He finished as the WR7 in fantasy points per game and already showed us this exact ceiling with a 10-catch, 148-yard, two-touchdown performance last season.
I am calling for double-digit targets, more than 125 receiving yards and two touchdowns. There will be bigger names attached to better quarterbacks across the Week 1 slate, but very few receivers have a clearer path to dominating their team's passing volume. Olave takes advantage of the game environment and opens the season as the overall WR1. — Ray Garvin

#season #points

The useful part of these matchup conversations is figuring out which players outside the obvious tier have a chance to outkick their ranking and give you more than the market is pricing in. That's what we're looking at here.
Every player on this list sits outside the top 10 at his position in both Yahoo Sports' Week 1 half-PPR consensus rankings and FantasyPros' half-PPR Expert Consensus Rankings. From there, I'm looking at the matchup and the higher-end outcomes from my projection model.
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The boom and nuke percentages come from my simulation model. Boom thresholds are 27 points for quarterbacks, 24 for running backs and wide receivers and 20 for tight ends. Nuke thresholds are 35, 33, 34 and 28, respectively.
Yahoo: QB13 | ECR: QB16 | My projection: QB13 Boom: 10% | Nuke: 1% | Hit: 41%

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