His first bucket of the run extended a Lakers lead to 102-98. With the game tied at 105 and 1:11 remaining, James took a pass from Luka Dončić and pulled up from 3 to retake the lead for the Lakers.
On the next Los Angeles possession with the Lakers up by 3, James faced up Quentin Grimes from the top of the key beyond the 3-point line. He then drove to the left wing past the elbow and pulled up for a fadeaway jumper with Grimes’ hand in his face.
The ball fell through the net for a 110-105 Lakers lead that iced the win and stunned the Philadelphia crowd.
The bucket capped a stellar night for James in his first game since his eight-point effort in Thursday’s win over the Toronto Raptors. That night, Austin Reaves led the way with 44 points as James struggled and Dončić didn’t play.
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Lakers stars are getting the job done early in the season
There were no struggles Sunday as James finished with 29 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block and 1 steal while shooting 12 of 17 from the floor and 4 of 6 from 3-point range. It was part of a balanced effort from their stars that the Lakers surely envisioned when they traded for Dončić last season.
Dončić led the Lakers with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists. But as James had the hot hand down the stretch, Dončić ceded the spotlight for James to close the 76ers out. On a roster with two superstars — one in his prime and another on the back end of his career — it wasn’t clear how the on-court relationship between the two would evolve.
It’s added up to a 17-6 start that’s good for second-place tie in the West with the Denver Nuggets behind the 23-1 Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Lakers’ roster may not be as complete as those of its fellow Western Conference leaders. But it’s been strong enough at the top so far to maintain the Lakers’ place among the West’s best. And it’s proven capable of winning with James leading the way or when he’s having a bad night.
With all but one Week 14 game in the books (Monday Night Football), we’ve learned a little bit more than we knew last week. Or, in some cases, thought we knew. Players impressed, players disappointed and there is fantasy football fallout to unpack.
Once again, I’ve compiled the full weekly fantasy stock report below. These are the most notable risers and fallers coming out of Week 14. Invest accordingly!
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📈 Stock Up at RB
Tony Pollard, RB, Titans
Sometimes, fantasy football laughs in our faces. Like when Tony Pollard, who has done literally nothing all season, blows up for 161 yards and two touchdowns — 28.1 fantasy points — on 25 carries … against the Cleveland Browns defense. If you started him, congratulations, but let’s not pretend this was expected. Still, it can’t be ignored either, and his matchup with the 49ers next week is theoretically better. Pollard is not trustworthy (by any means), but there’s a flash of hope heading into the fantasy playoffs after what he showed on Sunday.
RJ Harvey, RB, Broncos
RJ Harvey is finally shaping into what many rookie-loving fantasy analysts were excited about after his draft selection back in April. He’s a dynamic running back in a productive Sean Payton offense, who now possesses the lead role with JK Dobbins injured. Following the Week 12 bye, Harvey has now logged 19+ fantasy points in consecutive games, with 162 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns. He has three tough matchups in the playoffs, but should probably be started in just about every league anyway.
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Devin Neal, RB, Saints
I poo-poo’d Devin Neal quite a bit the last couple weeks, unwilling to buy into his fantasy value as the lead back of a terrible offense with very little upside. And while 3.7 yards per carry and one catch for 14 yards still isn’t all that exciting, Neal managed to post 14.9 fantasy points thanks to a touchdown in Sunday’s upset of the Buccaneers. Importantly, he has three soft matchups down the stretch, and can probably be played as a volume-based RB3 or low-end RB2 through the fantasy playoffs as long as Alvin Kamara remains sidelined.
📈 Stock Up at WR
Michael Wilson, WR, Cardinals
The dominance of Michael Wilson in a Marvin Harrison Jr.-less offense needs to be studied. This is now three games with Jacoby Brissett and no MHJ, and three fantasy Hall of Fame outings for Wilson. In Week 11, it was 15 catches for 185 yards on 18 targets. In Week 12 it was 10 catches for 118 yards on 15 targets. And on Sunday, it was 11 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns on 16 targets against the Rams. Next week brings a horrendous matchup with the Texans, but if Harrison is out again, Wilson is literally unbenchable. And at this point, you have to wonder if Wilson might have earned the WR1 role regardless.
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Zay Flowers, WR, Ravens
After an utter bust in Week 13 and basically 10 straight weeks of mediocrity prior, Zay Flowers finally had another great game on Sunday. He snagged eight of 11 targets for 124 yards against the Steelers, as Lamar Jackson started rounding back into form following a stretch of injury-hampered doldrums. The Bengals bring a curiously “red” matchup for Flowers in Week 15, but he has a chance to produce in a high-scoring affair anyway — as long as Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews don’t steal all the fantasy points.
Christian Watson, WR, Packers
Christian Watson has been playing lights out football since returning from injury in Week 8, and it’s really just the Packers’ willingness to feed him the ball — or lack thereof — that’s kept him from fantasy dominance. In Week 14, neither that unwillingness nor Chicago’s defense were enough to stop him, as he turned just four targets into 89 yards and two touchdowns. He draws a mortifying matchup with the Broncos in Week 15 (in which you can probably bench him), but gets to finish the year against the Bears (again) and the Ravens. He’s scored five TDs in his last four games and has become a lethal weapon downfield again. Watson should be a WR2 in the fantasy semis and finals.
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Jakobi Meyers, WR, Jaguars
Even with Brian Thomas Jr. starting to poke his head up again (finally), Jakobi Meyers remained consistent this Sunday, finding the end zone for a third straight game. He did only catch four of his 10 targets, but double-digit looks is encouraging and his red-zone dominance in Jacksonville is becoming almost Davante Adams-esque. He’s not quite as exciting as the three names above, but Meyers is a stalwart flex play for those of us squeaking into the playoffs with a patchwork starting lineup.
📈 Stock Up Elsewhere
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Browns
One day, Shedeur Sanders might be one of the more intriguing stories in NFL history. For now, he’s riding high off a massive breakout game against the Titans in his fourth NFL game. Sanders tagged Tennessee for 364 yards and three TDs through the air (with one INT), adding 29 rushing yards and a score on the ground as well. His 34.46 fantasy points on Sunday were comfortably more than his prior three games combined. While he’s probably a low-end QB2 or streamer in a good matchup this week against the Bears, the fact that he’s in consideration at all is a huge Stock Up. And with the overall mess at the quarterback position these days, he should probably end up in a few starting lineups for playoff teams this Sunday and maybe in Week 17 against Pittsburgh.
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J.J. McCarthy, QB, Vikings
J.J. McCarthy had a slightly larger sample of “quite bad” in comparison to Sanders, and his “great game” on Sunday against Washington wasn’t quite as monumental — 20.42 fantasy points, with three passing TDs but just 163 yards. Still, McCarthy proved that he can be fantasy viable in the right matchup … you know, like the ones against the Cowboys, Giants and Lions through the fantasy playoffs. It’s undoubtedly the best schedule in the game, so if he can maintain the TD-INT efficiency — which he’d struggled to do through the first 13 weeks — McCarthy might be a legitimate three-week streamer for teams in desperate need.
📉 Stock Down at RB
Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seahawks
After 14 weeks of this, we have to come to terms with reality. For every great fantasy day Kenneth Walker III has — of which there have been three this season — there are at least two or three stinkers. Like the one on Sunday, where he totaled just 28 yards on 11 touches, for 3.3 fantasy points against the Falcons. He has tough matchups against the Colts and Rams upcoming, and is hurting your lineup more than he’s helping it. It’s probably time to look elsewhere — maybe even to names like Neal — for a more promising weekly floor. Though, if you’re looking for some questionable hope, he and the Seahawks will have an extremely favorable game script against a backup QB for the Colts next week.
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Breece Hall, RB, Jets
The Dolphins defense has gotten strangely good against the run and the Jets lost their “starting QB” when Tyrod Taylor exited with a groin injury. Still, it’s hard to excuse 43 yards on 15 opportunities for just 4.3 fantasy points by Breece Hall. And there’s not much reason to expect improvement in the fantasy playoffs, with the quarterback room in shambles and matchups against the Jaguars, Saints and Patriots on the docket. Hall always has a chance to break a big play or two, but he’ll have an unbelievably tough uphill climb against frequently loaded boxes and a couple of very tough run defenses over the next few weeks. He was never a reliable RB1 this season, but Hall might now be falling out of reliable RB2 range as well.
📉 Stock Down at WR
Chris Olave, WR, Saints
While I wouldn’t say that Devaughn Vele has “broken out” or “taken over” in New Orleans, Chris Olave was previously thriving in a subpar offense on the merits of monster target volume. The last couple weeks, with Vele and Juwan Johnson more involved, Olave has seen just seven and five targets, caught just four and three passes and totaled just 77 yards across both games combined. He doesn’t have great matchups on the horizon, and we can no longer rely on double-digit opportunities to bail him out of otherwise inefficient fantasy days. Olave might still be a viable flex play, but he suddenly has a much lower floor heading into the fantasy playoffs.
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Troy Franklin, WR, Broncos
I think Sean Payton and the Broncos might play some sort of pre-week roulette to decide who to feature any given Sunday in the passing attack. Either that, or they have a very nuanced plan that we fantasy analysts are struggling to predict. After taking over in Denver from Weeks 7-11, Troy Franklin has exited the bye with two straight games under 4.0 fantasy points. And on Sunday against the Raiders, a mind-boggling 11 players caught a pass for the Broncos, with Courtland Sutton, Pat Bryant, Harvey and even Lil’Jordan Humphrey all outdoing Franklin in the box score. Whatever happened during the bye, it’s been terrible for Franklin’s fantasy breakout, and he should be sent back to the bench in every fantasy league.
Jets “Breakouts”
Speaking of the Jets. Youch. The move to backup QB Brady Cook did not go well for the offense. And whether it’s him, Tyrod Taylor or Justin Fields, it will be pretty much impossible to trust either John Metchie III or Adonai Mitchell, both of whom cropped up in waiver wire articles the last couple weeks following spotty “breakout” games. Neither crested 6.0 fantasy points on Sunday. You can send both right back to the wire, or at least to the bench, until further notice.
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📉 Stock Down Elsewhere
Baker Mayfield, QB, Bucs
Maybe there’s some lingering injury restrictions from the shoulder issue he picked up against the Rams, but Baker Mayfield has not been great for a few weeks now. He hasn’t thrown more than one touchdown pass in a game since Week 10, has fewer than 200 passing yards in each of his last four games (one of which he exited early) and has thrown four interceptions over that same span. And while he might get Mike Evans back next week, he’s been on completely different pages from Emeka Egbuka for months and simply has not had the fantasy upside he’d uncovered last year. Matchups with the Falcons and Panthers defenses don’t promise an easy road to improvement, and you can probably send Mayfield to the bench for better streaming options.
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Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs
Travis Kelce and the entire Chiefs offense looked lost against the Texans … and in fairness, almost everyone has this year. But with Kansas City reeling and extremely tough matchups with the Chargers, Titans and Broncos on the horizon, there’s no guarantee that the fantasy Hall of Famer gets it back on track in the fantasy playoffs. His 1.3 fantasy points from Sunday night would be potentially season-ending for fantasy managers these next few weeks, so you may want to consider strong streaming options like Brenton Strange, Darren Waller, Isaiah Likely or Kyle Pitts Sr. instead.
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🏈 The College Football Playoff is set
(Yahoo Sports)
The 12-team College Football Playoff bracket was finalized on Sunday. Shockingly, not everyone is happy.
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The controversy: Notre Dame was left out of the field in favor of Miami, who had been ranked behind them for every iteration of the CFP rankings prior to Sunday.
How did the Hurricanes leapfrog the Irish despite neither team playing a game? It came down to head-to-head.
With BYU losing in the Big 12 title game, there was no longer a buffer between Notre Dame and Miami, allowing the committee to prioritize the Hurricanes’ win over the Irish back in August.
What they’re saying: “There is no explanation that could possibly be given to explain the outcome,” Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua told Yahoo Sports. “Any rankings or show prior to this last one is an absolute joke and a waste of time.”
In an interesting wrinkle, as part of a memorandum of understanding signed by CFP officials last spring, Notre Dame will be assured of making the playoff if it is ranked in the top 12 starting next year, Bevacqua tells Yahoo Sports.
So if this year’s circumstances unfolded next year, the final at-large team (Miami) would have been automatically bumped from the field for No. 11 Notre Dame.
Looking ahead: Duke’s win in the ACC title game opened the door for both Tulane and James Madison to make the playoff, where they’ll be significant underdogs.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida — Inter Miami beat the Vancouver Whitecaps, 3-1, on Saturday to claim their first MLS championship and provide the signature moment of Lionel Messi’s brief but stunningly successful career in North America’s top league.
More hardware: After winning league MVP for the second straight year, Messi was named MVP of the MLS Cup. He had two assists in the final to give him 15 goal contributions in the playoffs (six goals, nine assists), the most ever in a single postseason.
Mark your calendars: The Americans open play in Group D against Paraguay in Los Angeles (June 12), then take on Australia in Seattle (June 19) before returning to Los Angeles for their final group stage matchup against either Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo (June 25).
(Ian Maule/Getty Images)
Las Vegas — Petr Yan stunned Merab Dvalishvili on Saturday to reclaim the UFC bantamweight title with one of the most shocking upsets in recent memory, handing the Georgian his first loss since 2018 to snap the longest win streak in bantamweight history (13 in a row).
End of an era: UFC 323 marked the final pay-per-view event of the year, if not ever. The MMA promotion is moving from ESPN to Paramount+ beginning next year, with all major events included in the standard subscription rather than put behind an additional paywall.
💯 Big numbers
(Mario Renzi/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
🏎️ 423-421
Though Max Verstappen (Red Bull) won Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lando Norris (McLaren) finished third to eke out his first F1 championship by the slimmest of margins, snapping Verstappen’s four-year title streak with a 423-421 advantage.
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Close calls: Norris’ two-point victory was the closest since Lewis Hamilton won by a single point in 2008. Overall, in 76 seasons, there have been eight wins by one point and one win by a half-point (Niki Lauda over Alain Prost in 1984).
⚾️ 14 of 16 votes
Jeff Kent was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday by the 16-member Contemporary Era Committee. Candidates needed 12 votes for election, and the five-time All-Star second baseman received 14.
Who missed the cut? Carlos Delgado got the second-most votes with nine, followed by Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy with six. Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela all got fewer than five, which means they’ll be ineligible for the next Contemporary Era ballot in 2028.
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🏀 28,303 points
James Harden (28,303 points) made history on Saturday when he passed Carmelo Anthony (28,289) for 10th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. LeBron James (first) and Kevin Durant (eighth) are the only active players ahead of him.
All-time rankings: Harden is second on the 3-point list (behind only Stephen Curry) and fifth on the free-throw list (Karl Malone, James, Moses Malone, Kobe Bryant). He’s also 13th on the assist list — and fourth on the turnover list.
(Illinois State Athletics)
🏈 +23.5
Illinois State pulled off a stunning upset over North Dakota State in the second round of the FCS playoffs on Saturday, scoring 15 points in the final three minutes to beat the top-ranked Bison, 29-28, as 23.5-point underdogs. Even that undersells the magnitude of this upset, though. North Dakota State, which came in with a 16-game win streak, hadn’t lost a home playoff game since 2016 and was so good this year that they received AP poll votes!
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Last eight standing: The Redbirds were the only unseeded team to reach the quarterfinals, where they’ll play No. 8 UC Davis. The other matchups: No. 2 Montana State vs. No. 7 Stephen F. Austin, No. 3 Montana vs. No. 11 South Dakota and No. 4 Tarleton State vs. No. 12 Villanova.
🏀 81-58
No. 10 Iowa State stormed to an 81-58 victory over No. 1 Purdue on Saturday afternoon, overwhelming the previously undefeated Boilermakers in a way nobody does at Mackey Arena.
Historic blowout: The 23-point margin of victory matches the largest-ever home defeat in college basketball history by a top-ranked program. Not since Villanova beat UConn, 96-73, in 1995 has the AP poll’s No. 1 team suffered such a one-sided loss.
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⚽️ 4 teams left
The men’s College Cup (Final Four) is set, with No. 15 NC State, No. 16 Furman, Washington and Saint Louis emerging from the 48-team field of an upset-laden tournament that saw five of the top six seeds lose before the third round.
Davids vs. Goliath: Saint Louis has won an NCAA men’s record 10 national championships, while NC State, Furman and Washington are all seeking their first.
📺 Watchlist: Monday, Dec. 8
(Kirby Lee/Getty Images)
🏈 Eagles at Chargers
Philly and Los Angeles square off tonight at SoFi Stadium (8:15pm ET, ABC/ESPN) in a matchup of 8-4 teams trending in different directions. The Eagles have lost two straight while the Chargers have won four of five.
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Injury report: Chargers QB Justin Herbert is questionable after undergoing surgery on his non-throwing hand. If he can’t suit up, former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance will get his first start for the Bolts.
⚽️ Women’s College Cup Final
Top-seeded Stanford and third-seeded Florida State meet tonight in Kansas City (7pm ESPNU) for an all-ACC national championship. The Cardinal are seeking their fourth title, while the Seminoles are seeking their fifth (and third in five years).
More to watch:
🏀 NBA: Suns at Timberwolves (7:30pm, Peacock) … Minnesota (15-8) has won five straight to pass Phoenix (13-10) for sixth in the West.
🏒 NHL: Lightning at Maple Leafs (7:30pm, NHL) … Tampa (16-10-2) has lost three straight but is still clinging to first place in the Atlantic.
The Jets last made the playoffs in 2011. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
The NFL’s two longest active playoff droughts were extended on Sunday when the Jets (15 straight seasons) and Falcons (8 straight) were officially eliminated.
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Question: Which team has the third-longest active playoff drought (7 straight)?
Hint: They’ve never won a Super Bowl (but they’ve appeared in two).
Answer at the bottom.
🏈 Talking the talk, walking the walk
(Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
On Dec. 20, 2023, Indiana’s newly-hired football coach Curt Cignetti was asked how he planned to sell his vision to recruits.
Walking the walk: Since his arrival in Bloomington, Cignetti’s Hoosiers have authored one of the great turnarounds in college football history. They’ve gone 24-2, made back-to-back playoffs, and now they’re Big Ten champions for the first time since 1967 and the No. 1 team in the land.
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Commercial breaks are essentially coming to the World Cup in 2026. FIFA announced Sunday that each World Cup game will feature three-minute hydration breaks in the middle of every half. The measure was reportedly discussed at meetings featuring coaches and broadcasters following Friday’s World Cup draw, per Henry Bushnell of The Athletic.
FIFA said the new policy will be adopted to assist with player safety. There was concern about hydration and player safety after a number of Club World Cup games in the U.S. occurred in the middle of the day in high temperatures. FIFA already attempted to mitigate that in its World Cup 2026 planning, as many games in the U.S. will occur in domed stadiums or at night to lessen the heat factor for players.
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The hydration breaks — which will occur at 22 minutes in each half — essentially break up games into four quarters. The clock will still run during hydration breaks, with three minutes being added to stoppage time at the end of each half.
The hydration breaks will occur no matter the weather conditions. This will ensure every single team and game faces equal conditions, per Inside FIFA.
“For every game, no matter where the games are played, no matter if there’s a roof, (or) temperature-wise, there will be a three-minute hydration break. It will be three minutes from whistle to whistle in both halves,” said Manolo Zubiria, Chief Tournament Officer, USA, for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in announcing the initiative at the World Broadcaster Meeting which was held in Washington DC.
The breaks conveniently also allow networks to schedule commercial breaks during games.
In addition to making sure players remain hydrated, the breaks will have other potentially major impacts on the game. Coaches will now be able to speak with players and adjust their strategies during halves, per The Athletic, allowing teams to alter tactics on the fly.
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The 2026 World Cup will begin June 11, 2026, and continue through July 19, 2026. Games will be held in a number of cities throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.
After all, if Mendoza could deliver a championship to one historically and legendarily moribund Midwestern football program, why couldn’t he do the same thing for another? (Don’t judge. Part of being a Browns fan is holding on to irrational hopes like this one.)
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About 17 hours after Mendoza’s exuberance, Shedeur Sanders put the finishing touches on his finest outing yet as a pro: 364 yards passing, three touchdowns, including two late-fourth-quarter all-or-nothing drives. (Naturally, since this is the Browns we’re talking, all those gaudy stats came in a losing effort, but still.)
Let’s dispense with the past as quickly as possible. Watson — who has played just 19 games since the 2020 season, and none since October 2024 — returned to practice this week as he rehabs a ruptured Achilles.
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The Browns insist that Watson’s veteran presence is useful for the rookies in the quarterback room, but the likely truth is far more mundane: Watson carries a dead-cap hit of $131 million if Cleveland releases him before June 1, and an $80 million hit whether he’s cut or on the roster next season, per Spotrac. That’s rough, given that both his on-field and trade values are pretty much nonexistent.
So you can see why Cleveland would want to invest its hopes, and its limited funds, in a young, inexpensive quarterback with high upside. And on Sunday, the Browns got a glimpse of what that could look like. Perhaps something like this:
Sanders’ Sunday comes with mountains of caveats. First of all, the Browns lost, and lost to the previously 1-11 Titans. Plus, Sanders was ineffective for long stretches of the second half, unable to move the chains, slow to react to the Titans’ pass rush, late to pick up on the secondary’s deceptions. He holds the football too long, patting it as he prepares to throw — a glowing signal to defenders that the ball is about to take flight.
But Sanders orchestrated two touchdown drives in the final five minutes of the game, a sign of growing maturity and presence. It’s not his fault the Browns called one of the dumbest plays of the season for a would-be tying 2-point conversion that, naturally, fell short.
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Sanders will play out the rest of the season after Dillon Gabriel played the first half, with games still to come against Chicago, Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. At that point, Cleveland will make its assessments on what, if anything, it has in the quarterback room.
Which brings us to the 2026 NFL Draft. Cleveland has the luxury of two first-round picks, thanks to the deal last year that sent the pick that would become Travis Hunter to Jacksonville. After Sunday, Cleveland’s own pick is No. 4, per Tankathon. Naturally, Jacksonville decided to go and get good this year; its pick is currently the 27th.
A few months ago, this looked like a quarterback-heavy draft. You don’t hear much about names like Cade Klubnik and Garrett Nussmeier anymore, and Arch Manning isn’t getting anywhere near the draft if he knows what’s good for him. So now? Not so much.
Still, there are potential gems out there. Yahoo Sports’ most recent mock draft projects Mendoza to go No. 1 overall, with our Nate Tice praising his “high floor” and “underrated ceiling.” After Mendoza, Yahoo Sports projects Oregon QB Dante Moore at No. 2, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers at No. 6 and Alabama’s Ty Simpson at No. 11. (This mock was created before Alabama’s ugly SEC championship loss.)
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Mendoza might not be around by the time Cleveland picks, unless the 3-10 Browns can hurdle the 2-11 Raiders. But there ought to be quarterback talent still on the board when Cleveland makes its selection. Is that talent first-round, lead-a-team-for-a-decade level? Well, we can’t answer that one yet, can we?
You probably already know the legend of the Cleveland Browns quarterback jersey, the ongoing visual testament to the Browns’ quarterback futility. Starting with Tim Couch, the No. 1 overall pick in 1999, Cleveland has churned through more than 40 starting quarterbacks … with no end in sight.
Cleveland’s defense, led by the otherworldly Myles Garrett, is already postseason-level. Will the offense, and the quarterback position, step up its game? Or will the hauntings of Quarterbacks Past, Present and Future continue?
Welcome back to The Playlist — your weekly scan of the fantasy basketball landscape, where we break down the waiver adds who can keep your roster competitive in 9-cat and points leagues.
Week 8 comes with a twist: the NBA Cup. The Yahoo Fantasy Basketball default schedule doesn’t combine this week and next, which means your outcome will largely depend on how your schedule shakes out.
NBA Cup games take place Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, with the championship next Tuesday.
The Kings, Pacers, Pelicans and Timberwolves are locked into three games.
The Heat, Knicks, Magic, Thunder, Suns and Raptors will play either two or three games, depending on the outcomes of the quarterfinal games on Tuesday and Wednesday night.
Spurs and Lakers will play one or two games, depending on whether they advance.
It’ll be tough to stream this week, but let’s get to the waiver adds.
🎧 Who’s in My Rotation: 9-cat and standard points leagues
Maxime Raynaud – C, Sacramento Kings (19% rostered)
Raynaud should be added in all 12-team or deeper formats — 9-cat or points — as one of the highest-upside stashes under 20% rostered. With Domantas Sabonis sidelined, Raynaud’s minutes have jumped, and Sacramento’s poor record all but guarantees the Kings will shop veterans (like Sabonis) once Dec. 15 rolls around. That clears a long runway for the rookie to emerge as a rest-of-season asset.
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He provides rebounds, blocks and efficiency for 9-cat managers, and his overall counting stats will translate to points leagues.
TJ McConnell – PG, Indiana Pacers (15% rostered)
The Pacers play three games in Week 8, making him a strong streaming option. McConnell is efficient, providing a solid source of steals and assists while minimizing turnovers.
In points leagues, his contributions across categories provide a safe 21-30 fantasy-point floor any time he sees extra run. That’s bound to happen in Week 8, facing the Kings, Sixers and Wizards.
Jordan Walsh – SG/SF/PF, Boston Celtics (17% rostered)
Walsh is no longer just a deep-league watchlist guy. He ranks 54th over the past month and 40th over the last two weeks in 9-cat, thanks to his efficiency and stocks. With three-position eligibility, he’s a valuable piece to plug throughout your lineup.
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The Celtics only play one game this week, but if you have space, I’d add him after averaging 14 points, 7 rebounds and almost 3 stocks in 28 minutes per game over his last five contests.
Jose Alvarado – PG, New Orleans Pelicans (10% rostered)
I’d add Jeremiah Fears (28%) as the priority in shallow leagues, but Alvarado is a player to consider if Fears isn’t available. Now, Alvarado is likely playing with borrowed time, but with the Pelicans having three games and Jordan Poole still not ready, I’d stream him on Monday and hold for later in the week if Poole remains out.
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Over the past two weeks, Alvarado has averaged 1.6 steals per game while shooting an uncharacteristic 48% from the field. In a tricky schedule week due to the NBA Cup where the volume of games could be the difference between a win and a loss, bet on volume and sneak in another game of production.
Final tip for Week 8
Before picking up Week 7 streaming gems like Pat and Cam Spencer or Jaylen Wells, wait until mid-week to get a clearer picture of stars likes Ja Morant, Stephen Curry, Tyler Herro, Devin Booker and others returning from injury. Since a bulk of the games will come on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, there’s no need to pick up fringe guys who could eventually be dropped preemptively.
So press play and shuffle through the latest fantasy basketball info.
Fantasy basketball pickups and advice.
Week 8 in High Score is pure chaos — the NBA Cup has the schedule in flux, and depending on outcomes, teams could play anywhere from 1-3 games. Volume doesn’t matter as much in High Score, but you still want to maximize your efforts in locking in the highest score for your team.
Yes, we’re going back to McDaniels in consecutive weeks — and the Wolves’ Week 8 schedule makes it unavoidable. Minnesota is locked into three games, and McDaniels closed Week 7 with back-to-back 40+ fantasy points in High Score. As one of the best wing defenders in the league, the Wolves will lean on him for heavy minutes, offering more time for production.
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He’s averaging two stocks per game over his last six contests and is posting the highest assist rate of his career. In a week where a couple of extra opportunities can matter, McDaniels is a must-add in High Score.
Grayson Allen – G/FC, Suns (32% rostered)
Allen returned in Week 7 after missing seven games, and while the performance wasn’t to the standard we’ve seen this season, the opportunity is there. Before the injury, he averaged 34 fantasy points per game in High Score. Allen is one of four players under 40% rostered who is in the top-100 overall in per-game production.
With Devin Booker still sidelined by a groin injury and the Suns potentially playing three games depending on NBA Cup results, Allen’s fantasy potential is worth exploring. A proven producer (this year) + a favorable schedule = a player you should add in Week 8.
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Jeremiah Fears – G, Pelicans (28% rostered)
The Pelicans play three games in Week 8, and Fears has posted 32+ fantasy points in High Score in four of his last five outings. New Orleans is bad — straight up — but that actually helps Fears maintain a stable, high-usage role even when Jordan Poole returns. Fears scores, hits 3s, gets to the line and contributes enough steals to keep his floor sturdy.
In a week with volume scattered across the league, Fears is a viable option widely available in this format.
Anthony Black – G, Magic (29% rostered)
Black continues to trend up across all formats because of his play, but he is also making the most of his minutes. Franz Wagner (leg) and Jalen Suggs (groin) both left Sunday’s contest early and with Paolo Banchero still working his way back, Black held it down with 14 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 block in 30 minutes. He’s been averaging 16/5/4 with 1.6 steals per game over his past 10 outings. Keep him locked into your lineups because he’s not going anywhere.
Ryan Nembhard – G, Mavericks (26% rostered)
Dallas only plays one game this week, which keeps Nembhard last on the list — but make no mistake, he should still be rostered in High Score. Jason Kidd’s rotations have been unpredictable. However, the Mavs are 4-2 with Nembhard as the starting point guard and he initiates the offense far better than D’Angelo Russell and Brandon Williams. Nembhard will generate a ton of assists, which is key for High Score, so if you have room on your bench, stash him; it’ll pay off beyond Week 8.
The 2025 season marked Hall’s second stint with the Green Wave, first serving as the offensive coordinator in 2019-20 under former head coach Willie Fritz. Hall was also a former head coach at Southern Mississippi, West Georgia and West Alabama. Hall has a 70-50 record across the three schools.
Hall helped quarterback Jake Retzlaff have an efficient season in his first season at Tulane. Retzlaff, who transferred from BYU late this offseason, has thrown for 2,862 yards, 14 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Hall also recruited and coached quarterback Michael Pratt during his first stint at Tulane, and Pratt is the program’s all-time leading passer with 9,602 yards.
Tulane is coming off a 34-21 victory over North Texas to clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff. It was the Green Wave’s second American Conference championship in program history and their fourth straight appearance in the conference championship game.
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Despite this being Tulane’s first appearance in the College Football Playoffs, the Green Wave have been one of the most successful Group of Five teams in recent years; Tulane has won 43 games in the last four seasons. Sumrall has gone 20-7 overall and 14-2 in the American in two seasons with the team.
This will be Tulane’s second matchup with Ole Miss this season. In early September, Ole Miss beat Tulane 45-10. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, running back Kewan Lacy and wide receiver Deuce Alexander led the way for Ole Miss on offense. Retzlaff had his worst performance of the season against the Rebels, going 5-for-17 for 56 yards passing, adding 51 yards on the ground.
As the 2025-26 NBA season approaches the two-month mark, we should all be talking about how dominant the Oklahoma City Thunder have been sitting at 22-1. Or perhaps we should also be talking about how Denver Nuggets big Nikola Jokić appears poised to win a fourth MVP award. Or maybe bring up how this could be the end of an era with LeBron James potentially in his final season.
Nope. Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors are what’s on everybody’s mind right now. The Greek Freak could be sidelined for about a month due to a calf strain. The Bucks don’t appear to be a contender in the East (though it’s early). Milwaukee needs to weigh what’s best for the franchise and whether the team can compete before Giannis can hit free agency again in 2027. So Antetokounmpo is back in the mill and could be on the move at some point this season before the NBA trade deadline.
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Whatever happens with Giannis will surely have a huge echo for fantasy basketball. If you haven’t stockpiled some Bucks exposure now, the only player who is above 60% rostered on Yahoo is Myles Turner. Everyone else on Milwaukee’s roster can be had in most shallow High Score leagues and are worth considering. Some contingent of Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr., Bobby Portis and Kyle Kuzma will have to carry the load while Giannis is out (and if he’s ultimately traded).
Anyway, with the Greek Freak sidelined, he’s not making an appearance in this week’s High Score perfect lineup (though he’s been in there a few times). Let’s take a look at the top-six scorers from this week.
The top-six performances overall by position from Week 7.
(Taylor Wilhelm)
More on the top performers
Luka Dončić, guard: Luka had missed the past two games this week due to personal reasons before returning on Sunday to make the list. He had a 31-15-11 triple-double to help the Lakers get back in the win column against the 76ers. This score likely swung a decent amount of matchups one way or the other on Sunday; had Dončić not played, his High Score for the week would have settled at 59 points. L.A. could have only one game this week (vs. the Spurs in the NBA Cup Quarterfinals), so you’ll need a good one from Dončić to pay off.
Cade Cunningham, guard: In a four-game week for the Pistons, Cade managed his best score last Monday. Everyone is still chasing his 101 points from early November that stands as the highest output of any player in a single game all season.
Alperen Şengün, frontcourt: The Rockets big man started the week off right with the top overall score but did very little else after that. Şengün missed a Friday-Saturday back-to-back due to an illness. The Rockets continue to run Şengün like a point-center (remind you of anyone?) and it’s paying off big in fantasy basketball. He finished with 31-14-8 with seven stocks. Şengün now has 11 games this season with multiple stocks, which will always elevate his floor/ceiling combo.
Nikola Jokić, frontcourt: Nikola Jokić. Part of me wants to just leave this paragraph with that, just the future Hall of Famer’s name. Jokić has made his way into the perfect lineup in five of seven weeks this season. But this score is special since it was the star’s first 20-rebound game of the season. It was also his NBA-leading 11th triple-double of the season.
Jalen Johnson, frontcourt: Johnson is also getting some Most Improved Player hype and will continue to be the guy in ATL so long as Trae Young is hurt. Young is set to be reevaluated at some point this month, so a return could be on the horizon. Whenever Young gets back, it’ll impact Johnson, but the Hawks may be wise to continue to run their offense through the forward. He turned in back-to-back triple-doubles on Friday-Saturday, the first score helping him land in this lineup. That line read 21-18-16 with a pair of steals.
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Jamal Murray, UTIL: This is Murray’s first appearance of the season on the perfect lineup. With the Pacers already staring down the lottery, Murray took advantage, going off for a season-high 52 points, three points shy of his career high he set last season. The veteran guard turned in one of the best scoring performances in NBA history, shooting 19-25 from the field while going a near-perfect 10-11 from downtown. Unfortunately, we likely won’t see Murray hit this number often in High Score given his lack of peripheral stats. His only path to gaudy fantasy point totals is scoring volume and while Murray is capable, he just isn’t going to shoot like this every game. In fact, he may never do something like this ever again. Cherish these moments.
Austin Reaves, UTIL: The Lakers swingman will have a good case for Most Improved Player for 2025-26 and has kept up his numbers despite Luka Dončić and LeBron James being in and out of the lineup. With Luka sidelined due to personal reasons last week, Reaves took advantage of the extra usage by dropping 44 points with 10 assists and 5 boards against Toronto. With Dončić and James missing games pretty consistently, Reaves should continue to be a top High Score asset. All it takes is one game with Dončić sidelined and we see the type of ceiling Reaves can provide.
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Karl-Anthony Towns, UTIL: KAT was held out Sunday vs. the Magic due to a calf injury. Hopefully he can get back on the court Tuesday vs. the Raptors, the Knicks lone game this week depending on how they do in the NBA Cup. Last week, Towns was one of four players to post 69 as a High Score and make it onto this list. It was a smash spot against the Hornets with the big man scoring 35 points with 18 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals.