When Tom Brady's Buccaneers travel to play Aaron Rodgers' Packers (-3.5, 51 o/u)in Sunday's NFC championship game (3:05 p.m. ET, Fox), it doesn't get more marquee than that.MORE: Brady isplaying in his 14th conference title game after making 13 such AFC appearances with the Patriots. He is looking for a shot at his seventh Super Bowl ring in Super Bowl 55. Meanwhile, Rodgers is playing at home with a Super Bowl on the line for the first time in Lambeau Field, 10 years after he led the Packers on a succe sful Super Bowl 45 run as an NFC wild-card team.The Bucs are also trying to get the glory as a wild card. The Packers were the best team record-wise wire-to-wire in the NFC with the league's highest-scoring offense that should return Rodgers to NFL MVP status.Who will win this battle of No. 12s, No. 1 seed
Carlos Lee Jersey vs. No. 5 seed? Using some key numbers, here's a deep dive into the matchup between Tampa bay and Green Bay, a rematch of a Week 6 game that the Buccaneers won at home, 38-10.MORE NFL PLAYOFFS: | | Packers vs. Buccaneerspicks, predictionsBuccaneers running game vs. Packers run defenseThe Buccaneers can get too downfield pa s-happy under Arians as Brady also likes taking his shots against one-on-one coverage. They can get enamored by Brady's myriad of receiving weapons at wideout and tight end where they can go away from power football even when it's right there for the taking.Tampa Bay ended up with the No. 28 rushing offense in the regular season. The Packers, despite a few hiccups, ended up in the top half, No. 13 against the run tied to many teams needing to throw often trying to play catchup with Rodgers in the second half.The Rams gashed the Packers well with rookie Cam Akers, before game script forced them to go away from the run in the secondhalf. The Buccaneers dropped 30 carries in a split between Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones to pile up 127 yards on a good Saints run defense. They stuck with it until they got key second-half chunks and Fournette also was a force in the short pa sing game.In the first meeting, the Bucs nicely featured Jones (23 carries, 113 of his team's 158 rushing yards, 2 TDs) as they won going away 38-10 after spotting the Packersa 10-point lead in the first quarter. Should the Bucs
Nolan Ryan Jersey stay committed to the run again, as they should to work the clock and try to limit opportunities for Rodgers to answer Brady, they will have a another solid ground game with their offensive line playing stout. Advantage: BuccaneersPackers running game vs. Buccaneers run defenseThe Packers pounded well on the Rams with their No. 8 rushing attack, getting to nearly 200 yards with mostly pending free agents Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams pushing through. The Buccaneers top-ranked run defense had some i sues with the Saints' Alvin Kamara, but overall contained a very strong power running game.The Bucs simply don't spring many leaks up front and are all-around much more sound than the Rams were in that capacity. They would prefer to not commit an extra defender to run support so defensive coordinator Todd Bowles isn't handcuffed with his back-seven blitzes. Other than a couple long runs from Williams and rookie A.J. Dillon, there wasn't much room for them or Aaron Jones. The Bucs should be confident they at can least keep the Packers one-dimensional to give Bowles a better idea of how to
Jeff Bagwell Jersey pre sure Rodgers. Advantage: Buccaneers Buccaneers pa sing game vs. Packerspa s defenseThe Buccaneers were No. 2 in the NFL in pa sing, sandwiched between the AFC finalist Chiefs and Bills. They have trusted Brady plenty with high volume and throwing downfield often, because it is Bruce Arians after all. The Packers were No. 7 against the pa s, with a combination of "The Smith Brothers" (Preston and Za'Darius) putting some edge pre sure and Jaire Alexander and Adrian Amos leading a fine seconary.Brady leaned on the run well in Week 6, didn't hold the ball long and was calculated in mostly spreading the ball around on short-to-intermediate routes. He should have.a few shots develop off play-action. The Packers do agood job of covering tight ends and Alexander could once again slow down Mike Evans. But the Bucscan scheme toget slot Chris Godwin and their other wide receivers open away from Alexander. Advantage: BuccaneersMORE PICKS: Packers pa sing game vs. Buccaneerspa s defenseThe Packers had the No. 9 pa sing attack during the regular season. Rodgers could have thrown for a lot more to pad his alreadyMVP-worthy stats, but the Packers were in control of many matchups in the second half, turning games over to effective running and pa s defense. TheBuccaneers have good young defensive
Ryan Pressly Jersey backs, led by cornerCarlton Davis and rookie safety Antoine Winfield Jr. They also have two savvier 3-4 edge rushers for Bowles in Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaquill Barrett.But sometimes there''s a disconnect and the Buccaneers have been more vulnerable to some chunk plays, either after the catch on the second level or as a result of a breakdowns downfield. The Packers worked to get Davante Adams openin key spots away from the Rams'Jalen Ramsey and will do the same against Davis, Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean. The Bucs need linebackers Devin White and Lavonte David to have another good coverage game after they dominatedagainst the Saints.Still Rodgers, will find the holes, take advantage whenever the lapses happen and settle into a few matchups he likes. Rodgers will be motivated to make up for his shaky Week 6 in Tampa Bay and will stay on point in a high-level locked-in QB duel with Brady. Advantage: Packers X-factorsThe Packers and Bucs have some ancillary players in the pa sing game who could surprise to boost Brady and Rodgers with big plays. The Packers saw wide receivers Allen Lazard and Equanimeous St. Brown have big moments against the Rams. The Bucs wouldn't have beaten the Saints without clutch catches from Tyler Johnson, Scotty Miller and No. 2 tight end Cameron Brate. The running backs also can be key on checkdowns with the defenses worrying about all the other pieces. Advantage: PackersSpecial teamsThe field-goal games are pretty even with the Packers' Mason Crosby and the Buccaneers' Ryan Succop, although they are more known for accuracy than range. The Packers have had a notoriously bad return game this season while the Bucs aren't that much better. The Packers' J.K. Scott and the Buccaneers' Bradley Pinion make this close in punting. The Bucs struggled in coverage against the Saints and it nearly cost them. Give
Craig Biggio Jersey the emotional and familiarity edge to the Lambeau team, too. Advantage: PackersMORE: CoachingArianshas won lot of games with d
Weather is always the "forgotten factor" in fantasy football. We spend hours obse sing over start 'em, sit 'em decisions and waiver wire pickups, but then wemightsee a weather report at the last minute and barely pay attention to it. Of course,
Rod Carew Jersey we all know heavy rain, wind, or snow can play alter games, and if you're caught off guard, it's easy to overreact (or not react enough). That's why, with the help of , we'll hit you with a weekly weather report so you can take everything into account when setting your lineups. Fortunately for Week 1, there isn't much to take in.There arereally just twoworrisome spots in the Week 1NFL weather forecast, and those are in Buffalo for the Steelers-Bills and Jacksonville for the Packers-Saints. Both are relatively minor worries, but given the lack of any other i sues (besides some heat that often leads to cramping), those games standout. Otherwise,we're looking at a pretty perfect Week 1.WEEK 1 FANTASY: | | Before we get into the Week 1forecasts, here's a reminder that if you have any questions about sports weather or
Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim Jersey how weather could impact play (and, potentially, your fantasy, DFS, and gambling decisions), don't hesitate to reach out to RotoGrinders' meteorologist Kevin Roth onTwitter () or check out the on RotoGrinders. To take your game to the next level, subscribe to RotoGrinders' exclusive and see how different weather conditions have impacted historical scoring.WEEK 1 STANDARD RANKINGS: | | | | | NFL Week 1 weather updatesForecasts courtesy for . Steelers @ Bills.Winds will likely be between 10-15 mph, and there's around a 50-percent chance of rain (more so late in the game than early). It could wind up being nothing or there could be in-game showers that slightly slow down the pa sing offenses and kicking games. Either way, it's tough to bench any of the top pa sing or receiving options for either team.WEEK 1 DFS LINEUPS: | | Packers vs. Saints (in Jacksonville).We're used to not worrying about weather in Saints home
Justin Bour Jersey games, but this "home game" is in Jacksonville. The weather forecast is somewhat similar to Buffalo's, with winds gusting to 15 mph and showers potentially moving in and out. Given the QBs in question, there's no reason to change your fantasy outlook on them. The same goes for Davante Adams. Marquez Callaway becomes slightly riskier, but if you were counting him, the forecast isn't enough reason to take him out of your lineup.MORE WEEK 1 DFS: | |
Cody Allen Jersey Broncos @ Giants, Vikings @ Bengals, & Dolphins @ Patriots.All three of these games could see winds around 15 mph. However, with little chances of rain, there's no reason to alter your fantasy decisions based solely on the breeze.WEEK 1 NFL PICKS ADVICE: | Browns @ Chiefs.This game has some mild wind concerns, too (not enough to affect fantasy decisions), but the main reason we wanted to highlight it is because it could see the highest temperatures of the day, with in-game highs reaching the mid-90s. It's one of several games that figures to see temperatures reach the high-80s or low-90s. You shouldn't bench anyone because of high temps, but this is just a reminder that you could see your players going in and out of games a little more often, especially if they have i sues with cramping.WEEK 1 PPR RANKINGS: | | |
Cameron Maybin Jersey | | All of this is subject to change as we get closer to kickoff. You can follow meteorologist Kevin Roth on Twitter () and check out the on RotoGrinders. For the best weather-related fantasy advice, take a look at .
The Bengals are Super Bowl-bound.No matter how strange that sentence may be to read, it's the truth. To that end, the Bengals won't have the luxury of picking high like they have the last two seasons, but it's all good in Cincinnati, especially with their first Super Bowl appearance in over three decades on the horizon.But, even with the meteoric rise of Joe Burrow, Cincinnati still has big-time needs. It's apparent that they need big-time help up front to protect Burrow, even if "Joe Shiesty" was more "Joe Superman"throughout his playoff run.On the other side, the Chiefs have some things to figure out:
Noah Syndergaard Jersey Do they try to reinforce their pa s rush through the draft? Will they addre s the secondary? While the D wasn't the only reason Kansas City was handed a stunning lo s by Cincinnati, it may be high time to start investing in that side of the ball.Here's how the NFL Draft 2022 order stands following championship weekend:MORE 2022 NFL DRAFT: | NFL Draft order 2022Here's how the 2022 NFL Draft order stands heading into the Super Bowl:PickTeamRecord1Jacksonville Jaguars*3-142Detroit Lions*3-13-13Houston Texans*4-134New York Jets*4-135New York Giants*4-136Carolina Panthers*5-117New York Giants (via CHI)*6-118Atlanta Falcons*7-109Denver Broncos*7-1010New York Jets (via SEA)*7-1011Washington Football Team*7-1012Minnesota Vikings*8-913Cleveland Browns*8-914Baltimore Ravens*8-915Philadelphia Eagles (via MIA)*9-816Philadelphia
New York Mets Jersey Eagles (via IND)*9-817Los Angeles Chargers*9-818New Orleans Saints*9-819Philadelphia Eagles*9-820Pittsburgh Steelers*9-7-121New England Patriots*10-722Las Vegas Raiders*10-723Arizona Cardinals*11-624Dallas Cowboys*12-525Buffalo Bills*11-626Tenne see Titans*12-527Tampa Bay Buccaneers*13-428Green Bay Packers*13-429Miami Dolphins (via SF)*12-530Kansas City Chiefs*12-5* Draft position clinched Notes: The Eagles hold three
Keith Hernandez Jersey first-round picks, including the Colts' first-round pick as part of the Carson Wentz trade. For the pick to turn into a first-rounder, Wentzneeded to play 75 percent or more of the Colts' snaps this season OR play 70 percent or more of the snaps and have Indianapolis make the playoffs, conditions that were e sentially satisfied as of Week 16. The Giants hold the Bears' first-round pick, which was sent as to New York part of a draft day trade Chicago made to select quarterback Justin Fields in 2021. The Dolphins hold the 49ers' first-round pick as part of a predraft trade. San Francisco selected quarterback Trey Lance at No. 3 overall in 2021. The Jets hold the Seahawks' first-round pick as part of the Jamal Adams trade in 2020.Defense is the name of the game in the 2022 NFL Draft.Highlighted by the top two pa s-rushers Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux and Michigan's Aiden Hutchinson this year's cla s of defenders could prove to be foundational pieces for teams looking to bulk up on that side.After the edge group, NFL squadscould salivate over secondary options: LSU cornerback
Jeurys Familia Jersey Derek Stingley is a former consensus All-American which includes earning a nod from Sporting News in 2019 andcould be a top-five pick come April. Scouts and analysts have Stingley pegged as far and away the best CB prospect in this year's draft.Joining Stingley in the secondarygroup isNotre Dame's Kyle Hamilton, who could also make for a good bet to be the first DB off the board.The Fighting Irish safety was named a consensus All-American this past season, and for good reason:He notched three interceptions for one of the nation's top defenses and was a Bednarik Award finalist in 2021.On the offensive side, teams looking for quarterback saviors will have options, though it remains to be seen whether a bona-fide No. 1 pa ser will emerge before the draft. North Carolina's Sam Howell, Pitt's Kenny Pickett,
Darryl Strawberry Jersey Ole Mi s' Matt Corral, Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder and Liberty's Malik Willis have all entered the draft.
Tyler Lockett suffered a knee injury last week and was given the dreaded "questionable" tag ahead of a key Thursday Night Football matchup with the Cardinals in Week 11. Lockett's status appears to be truly up in the air, and he may well be a game-time decision for
Brandon McCarthy Jersey this contest. That will certainly have an impact on the Seahawks' offense and the first start 'em, sit 'em decisions of the week for fantasy football owners.That's why we'll be here providing the latest news below about Lockett right up until the active/inactive report is released at around 6:45p.m. ET on Thursday. For injury updates onChris Carson,click here.For all the latest fantasy news, follow us on Twitter .MORE TNF: | |
Kurt Suzuki Jersey | Is Tyler Lockett playing Thursday night?UPDATE:Lockett is .Lockett (knee) is officially listed as "questionable" for the Seahawks' Thursday nightgame against the Cardinals. Lockett was a non-participant at practice each day for the Seahawks, but there seems to be some optimism surrounding his status.According to , Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said that Lockett "looked fine" and that he expects him to play against
Freddie Freeman Jersey the Cardinals. Of course, it's worth noting that Carroll tends to have an optimistic viewpoint of player injuries and usually underestimates how much time they'll need to fully heal. So, even if things look good for Lockett, this will need to be monitored up until game time.WEEK 11 STANDARD RANKINGS: | | | | | If Lockett plays, he can be trusted as a top-15 WR against a defense that he had 15 catches, 200 yards, and three TDs against just a few weeks ago
Deion Sanders Jersey .However, if Lockettmi ses time, that will elevate DK Metcalf a bit, as he'll see more targets, while David Moore would be a potential flex option as the No. 2 receiver for the Seahawks. Moore is averaging 15.1 yards per catch and has four TDs this year, so if you need a backup option to Lockett this week, Moore would be a solid pickup.WEEK 11 PPR RANKINGS: | | | | | Ru sell Wilson could also opt to target his tight ends more if Lockett is out, so Greg Olsen, Will Di sly, and Jacob Hollister could be productive. The
Orlando Cepeda Jersey three-man timeshare isn't ideal for year-long fantasy leagues. though, so it's best to avoid these options unle s it's as a low-priced flier in DFS tournament play.
Former Dolphins coach Brian Flores alleging racially discriminatory hiring practices throughout the NFL. In addition to highlighting the league's inequities in hiring practices, Flores also shed light on several major competitive integrity i sues within the Dolphins organization.According to the lawsuit, Dolphins owner Stephen Ro s offered to pay Brian Flores $100,000 per lo s during the 2019 season in an effort to get the first overall pick in the draft and take future Bengals star Joe Burrow. But that didn't work as Miami went 5-11, including a stretch of 5-4 over their last nine games after starting 0-7.MORE: It was from that moment that Flores alleges he
Mitchell Trubisky Jersey was on the outs."The purported basis for his termination was alleged poor collaboration. In reality
Khalil Mack Jersey , the writing had been on the wall since Mr. Flores first season as Head Coach of the Dolphins, when he refused his owners directive to tank for the first pick in the draft... The teams General Manager, Chris Grier, told Mr. Flores that 'Stevewas 'mad'that Mr. Flores succe s in winning games that year was compromising the teams draft position."Without the first pick, Flores' alleged "Mr. Ro s began to pre sure Mr. Flores to recruit a 'prominent quarterback' in violation of League tampering rules. Mr. Flores repeatedly refused to comply with these improper directives. Undeterred, in the winter of 2020, Mr. Ro s invited Mr. Flores onto a yacht for lunch," the suit reads.MORE:"Shortly after he arrived, Mr. Ro s told Mr. Flores that the prominent quarterback was conveniently arriving at the marina. Obviously, Mr. Ro s had attempted to set up a purportedly impromptu meeting between Mr. Flores and the prominent quarterback. Mr. Flores refused the meeting and left the yacht immediately."As it turns out, the quarterback in question was reportedly none other than Tampa's own Tom Brady, who went to the left
William Perry Jersey the Patriots for the Buccaneers ahead of the 2020 season before retiring two years later.Tom Brady was the quarterback Stephen Ro s allegedly wanted Brian Flores to meet in an alleged yacht meeting before Brady was a free agent according to a league source Joe Schad (@schadjoe) Brady and Flores knew each other from both of their times
Jim McMahon Jersey under Bill Belichick, and as such, Flores respected Brady too much to tamper and subject him to a rebuild.Brian Flores admires and respects Tom Brady but didnt want to tamper and also didnt think it was the right time to recruit Brady considering the status of the Dolphins rebuild, which was intended to be a long-term plan, per source. Joe Schad (@schadjoe) MORE: As it turns out the feeling wasn't quite as mutual. Reports also suggest that even though Brady and Flores knew each other from their respective days in New England, Brady would've gone to the Dolphins had it not been for Flores coaching them.The rumor in Miami has long been that Brady would have picked the Dolphins over the Buccaneers if not for Brian Flores being the Dolphins coach. This could help explain why. Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) So, Brady goes to Tampa and the Dolphins select QB Tua Tagovailoa with the fifth overall pick.Flores was ultimately fired after three seasons where he went 24-25 and posted back-to-back winning
Charles Leno Jersey seasons in Miami for the first time since 2003.
Of the many hundreds of men who experienced their first encounters with Jimbo Covert inside a football stadium, I had an experience that ranked among the least punishing but still stands as one of the most intimidating of my career.At the heart of his tenure as a Chicago Bears left tackle, eight seasons that included a Super Bowl triumph, two All-Pro selections, too many pancaked defensive ends to count and, this Saturday, the occasion of his induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Covert stood 6-4 and weighed 277 pounds. I encountered this intimidating figure as an unemployed, aspiring sports journalist who weighed half as much and was armed only with a Bic pen.This is how I described the scene I encountered nearly 38 years ago, for an article in The Pittsburgh Pre s:Jim Covert sat on a tiny, overburdened stool in the visitors locker room at Memorial Stadium, wearing nothing more than shorts to prevent him from a draft and nothing le s than a terrifying scowl to protect him from an invasion of privacy.This was perhaps the worst day of Coverts
Dmitry Orlov Jersey football life, which to that point included first-team All-State honors at Freedom High in Western Pennsylvanias Beaver County, first-team All-America selection as a senior at Pitt in 1982 and selection as the No. 6 overall pick in the 1983 NFL Draft.He was four games into his rookie season when I drew an a signment to write about him, but how we arrived at that moment in Baltimores Memorial Stadium, and why his "no comment" that afternoon was so much more than routine, is rather an involved story.I was close to being a rookie myself that day, a little more than a year removed from earning my Journalism and Communications degree from Point Park University. Id rushed the completion of my senior year to begin a job covering the Pittsburgh Pirates for the Tribune-Review of Greensburg in January 1982. I covered spring training and more than 130 big-league games. And I was a terrible baseball writer. I didnt work hard enough, didnt understand
Andre Burakovsky Jersey the job of developing sources and taking readers inside the game, didnt do the best job of listening to those with more experience. When the T-R needed to lay off some staffers, I was among those let go.After five months of unemployment, an opportunity to join a two-man staff at The Manchester Herald in suburban Hartford developed. My fiance and I postponed our planned May wedding and I moved to Connecticut in April 1983. I was ready to leave in a day. I was barely making enough to eat, mi sed my fiance, mi sed home. I stayed until July then moved back to Pittsburgh, prepared to enter grad school and po sibly to leave the busine s that had been my lifelong dream.It didnt turn out that way. The Pre s sports staff was undergoing ma sive changes. A new editor at the paper, the late Angus McEachran, was revolutionizing everything about the way the paper ran, all the way down to the headline fonts. Several on the sports staff left, by choice or force. The Pre s was
Nathan Walker Jersey literally running out of writers to fill the paper. I'd written some high school basketball articles for the Pre s during my unemployed period, and they must have been pa sable, because the sports editor, the late Ernie DeFilippi, called two weeks after my return to Pittsburgh and said if Id come in, hed find some things for me to do.A little more than a month later, I was ringside in Madison Square Garden as Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini fought Orlando Romero and retained his WBA lightweight title. Ten days after that, I covered a high school football game on a Friday night that bled well into Saturday morning, hopped a plane to Boston after two hours of sleep to cover the No. 12 West Virginia Mountaineers in a game at Boston College, then jetted on Sunday from Logan to BWI for the Bears-Baltimore Colts game. There, my a signment was to gather material for features on head coach Mike Ditka, another Beaver County guy, and Covert.This all was a hell of a ride, but remember, I had no job. I was desperate for the Pre s new a sistant managing editor in the sports department, Ru s Brown, to hire me. There was no choice but to do the best po sible job on the two articles.The Bears lost in overtime that day. Worse, Covert was absolutely wrecked by Colts edge rusher Johnie Cooks so badly Ditka was compelled to bench Covert midway through the third quarter. I knew then my approach to Covert in the locker room would be a challenge. I explained to Covert who I was and that I was there specifically to speak with him. "Not today," he said through a grimace. "I dont have anything to say."Could I have written the article with just that quote from Covert? Today, sure, with 40 years of experience.. But four decades ago, without the security of fulltime employment, I understood The Pre s did not send me all that way to get blown off. But Covert soon erased that concern.He gave me his phone number and told me to call a few days later. I caught him at home one night after practice. We had a delightful conversation."My last two years at Pitt, I hardly ever made a mistake," Covert said then. "I dont read the papers or anything, but Im sure Mike said some things about a signment busts, and I
Brooks Orpik Jersey probably topped the list, But I cant be dragging that in my mind Im ready to play. I just had a bad game."There were few like it afterward. Covert was named to the NFLs All-Decade Team for the 1980s. He was an e sential part of the revered 1985 Bears championship team. He retired after the 1990 season and pursued an extraordinarily succe sful career
Tom Wilson Jersey in the health care busine s, which included a period as president and CEO of The Institute for Transfusion Medicine and a current position as operating partner with Cre sey & Company, a private equity firm focused on health care.Even four decades later, I remembered the scene in the Bears locker room and the lead paragraph I wrote about it vividly, but what Id forgotten was this: When I phoned Covert, he apologized for declining to talk after the game.Thats the man wholl enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame. My original article about our encounter and his with Cooks appeared in The Pittsburgh Pre s on Sunday, Oct. 2, 1983. That was the day after my wedding, while my wife and I took just a two-day honeymoon to New York City because every day I wasnt at the Pre s was a mi sed opportunity. Exactly a month after I met Covert in that chilly Bears locker room, after hed rescued that article and maybe my career with his grace, Ru s and Ernie called me into the office and offered a fulltime job.
The Buccaneers have Antonio Brown after , but his departure from the team is merely a matter of procedure. Tampa Bay coach Bruce Arians made that much clear when he declared that Brown was "no longer a Buc" after the team's win over the Jets.(UPDATE: The Buccaneers on Thursday afternoon.)However, removingthe seven-time Pro Bowlerfrom the locker room doesn't eliminate the po sibility of more Brown-related drama. Case in point: Brown decided that Thursday morning was a good time to fire off some social-media posts involving Arians, as well as Tom Brady and his longtime trainer, Alex Guerrero.MORE: In his firstpost on Instagram, Brown shared after he abruptly left the Buccaneers' Week 17 game
Antonio Callaway Jersey against the Jets. He added the caption, "They make you seem like the bad person so they can feel right about their wrongs."But then Brown got more specific, tweeting outwhat appears to be a conversation between him and Arians showing that they had discu sed before Sunday's game. In a statement released through his attorney on Wednesday, Brown alleged that he didn't quit on the team but was because he wouldn't play through a "well-documented" injury. Ariansdidn't share details of the on-field exchangethat he had with Brown, only saying that it didn't cover the status of Brown's ankle."I'm all-in coach," Brown said in the alleged text conversation. "Really can't get to full speed. I wanna win, wanna be there. If I wake up tomorrow and feel better, I'll be ready.""Come see me in the morning," Ariansreplied, according
Kareem Hunt Jersey to the screenshot. "We'll talk it out. Definitely want you with us in case you're ready."Health over Wealth # Barbarian AB (@AB84) Then Brown took aim at Brady and Gurerrero, sharing an alleged conversation that he had with Guerrero regarding a financial i sue. Brown asked Guerrero for half of the $100,000 that he
Britton Colquitt Jersey paid for services, according to the screenshot, and Guerrero asked where he should send the money." Brady's guy Guerrero charging me $100,000 and never doing the work on me!" Brown said in the Instagram caption. " How do you even work with people like this!"Now Antonio Brown is going after Bradys longtime trainer and busine s partner Alex Guerrero, saying he wants his $100,000 back. JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) Brown also shared animage of the "Home Alone 2"poster withArians and Brady portraying the thieves originally played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern.And finally, there is this... JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) In his final post, Brown explained that he was ultimately more upset with how the team handled his injury than any actions made by his teammates."Don't get it twisted. My brothers have been good to me," Brown tweeted. "From Tom to practice squad, we were a
Eric Murray Jersey top-level unit. They have been good to me and knew nothing about my talks with coach last week. The team mishandled this situation. They let me down and, more importantly, my teammates."Dont get it twisted. My brothers have been good to me. From Tom to practice squad, we were a top-level unit. They have been good to me and knew nothing about my talks with coach last week. The team mishandled this situation. They let me down and, more importantly, my teammates. AB (@AB84) Arians is not scheduled to speak to reporters, but Brady is supposed to be available to the media on Thursday. He said Sunday that Brown's exit was "We all love him. We care about him deeply. We want to see him be at his best. Unfortunately, he won't be with our team," Brady said."We have a lot of friendships that will last. Again, I think the most important thing about football are the relationships with your friends and teammates, and they go beyond the field."I think everyone should be very compa sionate and empathetic toward some very
Bernie Kosar Jersey difficult things that are happening."(UPDATE: Arians is on Thursday after the conclusion of the Buccaneers' practice.)
When Carson Wentz threw a touchdown to Travis Fulgham on "Sunday Night Football," Cris Collinsworth congratulated Wentz for finding succe s throwing to receivers whose names he might not even know. Aaron Rodgers could be in line for similar kudos on Monday Night Football.Down both Davante Adams (hamstring) and Allen Lazard (core) due to injury, the undefeated Green Bay Packers will take on the winle s Atlanta Falcons with a crew of misfits at wide receiver. The future Hall of Famer Rodgers has only thrown two touchdown pa ses in his career to a former first-round pick (both to Marcedes Lewis), so he likely won't care too much. But this will be a more mashed
Mecole Hardman Jersey -up crew than even Rodgers is used to, with Marquez Valdes-Scantling serving as the veteran of a group that also features Darrius Shepherd and Malik Taylor.Green Bay could choose to lean on its running game of Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams even more than normal to make up for the receiving absences. But Atlanta has also allowed nine pa sing touchdowns and more than 1,000 yards pa sing through three weeks, so expect Rodgers to look for succe s through the air even with his le s-than-heralded crew.Here's a breakdown of the various players who could catch pa ses for Green Bay on
Derrick Thomas Jersey Monday night:MORE: Marquez Valdes-ScantlingValdes-Scantling takes on a role as elder statesman for the Packers without Adams and Lazard. His 72 NFL receptions look like millions when compared to the limited top-level work for the other receivers in this group. Valdes-Scantling's biggest calling card is as a deep-ball threat. He has already reeled in a 45-yard touchdown this season, and on two other plays, he was tackled by the ankles from behind on what would've been touchdown pa ses from Aaron Rodgers over the top.After some promise as a rookie in 2018 out of South Florida, Valdes-Scantling disappointed with inconsistency in 2019. His solid start to 2020 will be put to the test as the top option in this WR corps Monday night.Darrius ShepherdShepherd was part of four FCS national title teams at North Dakota State. That wasn't enough to get him drafted, though. He joined Green Bay last season and caught one pa s for one yard. After seeing 23 snaps in Week 3, Shepherd will likely be Green Bay's No. 2 receiver in Week 4.Last season in Week 6, Shepherd playing on Monday Night Football for the Packers and had a nightmare evening - he fumbled a punt and dropped a pa s that led to an interception. Shepherd will get a chance at redemption against the Falcons.He didnt let anything that happened last year rattle him," .You could tell by the way he came in and just focused on the footwork aspect of it, catching the football, just everything. You
Dontae Johnson Jersey can tell his antennae were up and he wanted to come in and shut a few people up. And I feel like hes doing a good job of that.Malik TaylorTaylorattended Division II power Ferris State, where he was a top receiver and return man. In 2017, Taylor caught 61 pa ses for 906 yards and six touchdowns for the Bulldogs.In 2019, Taylor spent the entirety of the season on Green Bay's practice squad - he was even more unknown than most Division II standouts due to mi sing most of his final season with an injury. At Central Michigan's 2019 pro day, a 4.4-second 40-yard dash. If Taylor catches a pa s against the Falcons,
Armani Watts Jersey it'll be his first NFL reception.Tyler ErvinErvin is listed on the Green Bay roster as a running back and wears No. 32, but he'll spend most of his time out wide before going into motion when he's on the field for the Packers in Week 4. A cla sic gadget player, Ervin has four rushes and four targets already this season, in addition to returning kicks and punts.In Week 1 against the Vikings, Ervin ran three times for 38 yards. While he'll run screens and short pa s patterns, if Ervin has a game-breaking play Monday, it'll likely be on some form of end around or reverse.Robert TonyanA tight end, Tonyan is in his third year with the Packers after playing his college ball at Indiana. He's on pace to shatter his best NFL numbers, already having caught seven pa ses for 75 yards and two scores this season. At 6-5, 237 pounds, Tonyan serves as a big weapon down the seam for Rodgers along with providing a strong presence in the red zone.Jace SternbergerSternberger is the more hyped of Green Bay's top two tight ends, even though Tonyan has seen more work in the early going. He was a third-round pick in 2019 but was only targeted once the whole season. So far in 2020, Sternberger has three catches for 36 yards.Checking in at 6-5 and 251 pounds, Sternberger is a bit bigger than Tonyan but still ran a decent 4.75 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in 2019. Down receivers, Green Bay likely will rely heavily on two tight-end sets against the Falcons, giving Tonyan and Sternberger both plenty of action.Reggie BegeltonThe Packers signed Reggie Begelton from their practice squad
Tyrann Mathieu Jersey to the active roster ahead of Monday night's game, choosing him off the practice squad overRobert FosterandJuwan Winfree. Begelton finished his career at Lamar University in Texas in 2015 before spending time in the Canadian Football League. He's never played an NFL game.Begelton holds numerous Lamar records, including career receptions (227), single-season receptions (82) and single-game receptions (18).
Every season has at least one bye week from hell for a certain position. It looks this is that week for running backs. Najee Harris, Dalvin Cook, Austin Ekeler, Ezekiel Elliott, James Robinson, and Zack Mo s are all out, leaving several holes in lineups for many fantasy football owners. It's time to dig deep at this important position, and our Week 7 RB PPR rankings can help you find viable replacements.Heading into last week, the Bucs, Jets, Bengals, and Cowboys were all giving up over seven receptions per game to RBs. Is that a product of matchups (i.e. playing teams with top receiving backs) or is
Ronnie Stanley Jersey that a product of poor pa s defense against running backs? It's always tough to say -- and in the case of the Bucs, it might have more to do with garbage-time production than anything -- but it's still something to note for PPR purposes. The Seahawks, Dolphins, Packers, and Falcons were all averaging more than six RB receptions allowed per game.WEEK 7 STANDARD RANKINGS: | | | | | This week, the Bears (@ Buccaneers), Patriots (vs. Jets), Ravens (vs. Bengals), Saints (@ Seahawks), Falcons (vs. Dolphins), Washington (@ Packers), and Dolphins (@ Falcons) are facing those defenses, so borderline backs like Damien Williams, Rhamondre Stevenson, Cordarrelle Patterson and Mike Davis, J.D
Nico Siragusa Jersey . McKi sic, and Myles Gaskin have even more PPR value than usual.WEEK 7 PPR RANKINGS: | | | | Of course, an extra reception or two isn't enough to make a running back a top play. Rushing yards and touchdowns are still important, and guys like Damien Harris (vs. Jets), Miles Sanders (@ Raiders), and James Conner/Chase Edmonds (vs. Texans), who are traditionally on the start-sit bubble, look like must-starts this week. Edmonds always has more PPR appeal while the other three are generally downgraded quite a bit in point-per-reception formats. However, with so many top backs on bye or injured this week, beggars can't be choosers.WEEK 7 FANTASY: | | Similarly, high-volume RBs in tough matchups, such as Devontae Booker (vs. Panthers), Elijah Mitchell (vs. Colts), Mark Ingram (@ Cardinals), Michael Carter (@ Patriots), and Melvin Gordon/Javonte Williams (@ Browns), are all tough to sit, even
Jordan Lasley Jersey in PPR. Ingram has the least value, but he's always a candidate for 15-plus touches and a short TD. That's worth something, though this might be the week that a four-catch RB has a higher floor. It's also worth noting that JaMycal Hasty (ankle) is expected back this week, so they could really eat into Mitchell's value (and have some of his own).WEEK 7 DFS LINEUPS: | | Ultimately, there aren't easy answers here, and there are even fewer worthwhile sleepers than usual in PPR formats. This is one of those weeks where you do your best and just take what you can get. If things are really rough, consider making a trade, but if you can handle a potentially low-scoring week at RB, then plow ahead and hope for a TD or a bunch of short catches.MORE WEEK 7 DFS: | | Note: We'll be updating these RB PPR rankings throughout the week, so check back for analysis and the latest player movement.For individual analysis of key RBs, click here.Fantasy RB PPR Rankings Week 7: Who to start at running backRankings are based on full-point PPR scoring RankPlayer1Derrick Henry, TEN vs. KC2Alvin Kamara, NO @ SEA3Aaron Jones, GB vs. WAS4Jonathan Taylor, IND @ SF5Darrell Henderson, LAR vs. DET6Chuba Hubbard, CAR @ NYG7D'Andre Swift,
Shane Ray Jersey DET @ LAR8Antonio Gibson, WAS @ GB9Leonard Fournette, TB vs. CHI10Cordarrelle Patterson, ATL @ MIA11Joe Mixon, CIN @ BAL12Miles Sanders, PHI @ LV13Darrel Williams, KC @ TEN14Mike Davis, ATL @ MIA15Josh Jacobs, LV vs. PHI16Damien Harris, NE vs. NYJ17Devontae Booker, NYG vs. CAR18D'Ernest Johnson, CLE vs. DEN19Myles Gaskin, MIA vs. ATL20Chase Edmonds, ARI vs. HOU21Jamaal Williams, DET @ LAR22Elijah Mitchell, SF vs. IND23Damien Williams, CHI @ TB24Alex Collins, SEA vs. NO25Michael Carter, NYJ @ NE26Melvin Gordon, DEN @ CLE27JD McKi sic, WAS @ GB28James Conner, ARI vs. HOU29Mark Ingram, HOU @ IND30Javonte Williams, DEN @ CLE31Devonta Freeman, BAL vs. CIN32Samaje Perine, CIN @ BAL33Rhamondre Stevenson, NE vs. NYJ34AJ Dillon, GB vs. WAS35Khalil Herbert, CHI @ TB36Sony Michel, LAR vs. DET37Demetric Felton, CLE vs. DEN38Nyheim Hines, IND @ SF39Rashaad Penny, SEA vs. NO40Malcolm Brown, MIA vs. ATL41Le'Veon Bell, BAL vs. CIN42Kenneth Gainwell, PHI @ LV43Tevin Coleman, NYJ @ NE44David Johnson, HOU @ ARI45Giovani Bernard, TB vs. CHI46Kenyan Drake, LV vs. PHI47JaMycal Hasty, SF vs. IND48Ty
Maurice Canady Jersey 'Son Williams, BAL vs. CIN49Salvon Ahmed, MIA vs. ATL50Jeremy McNichols, TEN vs. KC51Jerick McKinnon, KC @ TEN52Ronald Jones II, TB vs. CHI53Ty Johnson, NYJ @ NE54Brandon Bolden, NE vs. NYJ55Phillip Lindsay, HOU @ ARI56Trey Sermon, SF vs. IND
Chris Carson (neck) is officially "questionable" heading into the Seahawks' Week 5Thursday Night Football showdown against the Rams. He , and as always, the short week of rest and preparation makes it feel more likely he'll be inactive. That said
Earl Campbell Jersey , he hasn't been ruled out yet, so fantasy football owners will be frantically checking for updates prior to making their first start 'em, sit 'em decision of the week.We'll continue to update this article with news on Carson up until the official active/inactive report comes out on Thursday around 6:50p.m. ET. For all the latest fantasy updates, follow us on Twitter .MORE TNF: | |Is Chris Carson playing on Thursday night?UPDATE 1:Seahawks beat writer Bob Condotta reported Thursday afternoon that Carson is, indeed, a "" and we won't know his status until 90 minutes before kickoff.UPDATE 2:Carson .Carsondue to his neck injury and will be a game-time decision for Thursday night. We'll continue to monitor Carson's status, but as
Jack Conklin Jersey for now, he's not trending in the right direction.A neck injury is nothing to play around with, so we'll likely be at the mercy of a last-second ruling on his availability. There's also a risk he gets limited work if he does play, so even if he's active, this is a worrisome situation for Carson fantasy owners.WEEK 5 PPR RANKINGS: | | | | | The Rams are often viewed as a stout front seven led by Aaron Donald, but they've been in the bottom half of the league against RBs in fantasy thus far. In PPR leagues, they've allowed Giovanni Bernard, David Montgomery, James Conner, and Chase Edmonds to score at least 17.9 fantasy points. So, while on paper theyshouldbe great against RBs, they've allowed plenty of backs to feed on them (though garbage time is responsible for some of that production). However, they did have succe s shutting down Jonathon Taylor
Wesley Woodyard Jersey against a struggling Colts' offensive line. In , Seattle checkedin at No. 18 in the league. They've played to that level, if not worse. They're in the bottom 10 in sacks allowed and bottom half of the league in rushing yards despite Ru sell Wilson bringing his rushing acumen to the table.WEEK 5 STANDARD RANKINGS: | | | | | All that
Austin Johnson Jersey said, Seattle could be overmatched up front, making this an air attack between Matthew Stafford and Ru sell Wilson. Seattle has attempted just 91 runs this season, seventh-fewest in the NFL.Even if Carson is healthy, he may not be a must-start given all of the risks and concerns.WEEK 5 FANTASY: | | If Carson is inactive, Alex Collins figures to be the lead back for Seattle. However, the Seahawks have opted to use a few backs in the past when Carson has been banged up. Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas could prevent Collins from having a workhorse role, but we still see Collins as a worthwhile flex after he impre sed with 78 total yards and a TD on 12 touches last week
Corey Davis Jersey .Reminder: If you do decide to start Carson, make sure he's in the RB spot rather than the flex spot in your lineup. This will allow you to be more flexible later in the week if unforeseen injuries/Covid-19 complications happen.
