Tag: Fox Sport News

The best news to come out of the weekend for Mauricio Pochettino and the U.S. men’s national team was not Ricardo Pepi’s scoring form or Sergiño Dest’s moment of brilliance. (More on that later.) No, Pochettino was undoubtedly most heartened by the sight of Antonee Robinson in Fulham’s uniform for the first time in more than two months and in a Premier League starting lineup for the first time since May.

Returning from a persistent knee issue, the veteran left back overcame a rocky start to help set up a goal as part of a 90-minute effort in the Cottagers’ 3-2 victory at Burnley — their first win at Turf Moor in 74 years.

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“I didn’t have any doubts,” Fulham manager Marco Silva said. “He’s a great athlete. We know what he’s capable of, and he showed that. He’s a very important player for us.”

Robinson had not played since a brief appearance against Aston Villa on Sept. 28. Across all competitions, his previous start came Sept. 23 against fourth-tier Cambridge United in the League Cup, but in terms of the Premier League, his absence from the lineup went back to the May 25 season finale against Manchester City.

Robinson — who hasn’t played for the U.S. team in more than a year — was called into U.S. camp in October but suffered a setback and didn’t play in the two friendlies. Subsequently, he was unavailable for last month’s camp.

Should Robinson remain healthy and gain regular playing time in the coming months, Pochettino seems certain to summon him to the March camp in Atlanta for friendlies against Belgium and Portugal. It’s the last assembly before Pochettino names his World Cup squad in late May — two weeks before the tournament begins.

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In Robinson’s absence, Pochettino has turned to the Columbus Crew’s Max Arfsten, and lesser so, Holstein Kiel’s John Tolkin, on the left side. In his first year on the national team, Arfsten has rewarded Pochettino’s faith with a growing confidence to get forward and contribute to the attack.

Arfsten was second on the U.S. team in matches played this year with 16, one behind Real Salt Lake attacker Diego Luna, and tied for first with New York City FC goalkeeper Matt Freese in starts (13). Robinson’s experience, though, would provide a notable edge to start the World Cup opener against Paraguay — if, of course, he’s healthy.

Elsewhere in Europe …

Netherlands

Pepi, who is vying for one of probably three U.S. striker slots next summer, converted a 20th-minute penalty kick to extend his scoring streak to four matches as first-place PSV Eindhoven defeated Heracles 4-3.

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According to Opta, Pepi is the first Dutch-based U.S. national team player to score in four straight in all competitions since Aron Johannsson for AZ Alkmaar in 2013-14.

A sub most of his injury-pocked season, Pepi has started three consecutive Eredivisie matches, each with a goal. His other score during the streak came as a sub against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League.

Pepi isn’t the only American thriving at PSV. Dest, the starting right back, made a brilliant cutting run in the 81st minute to set up Guus Til’s winning goal as the club improved to 14-1-1 and increased its lead to nine points over Feyenoord.

Italy

Christian Pulisic logged 73 minutes in AC Milan’s 2-2 home draw with Sassuolo, a disappointing result that left it a point behind new frontrunner Inter Milan but, nonetheless, stretched the club’s unbeaten streak in league play to 14.

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Pulisic should have been credited with his eighth Serie A goal in the 57th minute, but his deflection inside the 6-yard box was annulled by a questionable foul on a teammate.

Coming off another Champions League goal, midfielder Weston McKennie played 90 as Juventus overtook Bologna for fifth place with a 1-0 victory.

Midfielder Yunus Musah entered in the 66th minute of Atalanta’s 2-1 victory over Cagliari.

In Serie B, goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann started again as third-place Cesena staged a two-goal comeback and edged Mantova 3-2 to pull within a point of automatic promotion.

England

Center back Chris Richards and fifth-place Crystal Palace couldn’t stop Erling Haaland, the Manchester City giant who scored twice in a 3-0 outcome.

Midfielder Brendan Aaronson entered in the 73rd minute as Leeds United rallied for a 1-1 draw at Brentford. In 17th place, Leeds is three points above the relegation zone.

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Midfielder Tyler Adams returned from a yellow card suspension Monday for Bournemouth’s visit to Manchester United, but limped off the field with an apparent knee injury in the fifth minute after making a routine block on a Matheus Cunha shot. After the match, Bournemouth coach Andoni Iraola said the injury to Adams was “the worst news from the game. I think it’s just the MCL. But we have to check him and see if it’s just a small sprain. It’s bad news for us because Tyler is massive for us.”

In the second-flight Championship, forward Haji Wright played 81 minutes and contributed to the goal as front-running Coventry City maintained its five-point lead over Middlesbrough with a 1-0 victory over Bristol City.

Middlesbrough midfielder Aidan Morris (leg injury) missed his fourth consecutive match. Norwich City forward Josh Sargent (six goals, three assists) was sidelined with a concussion, suffered last week. Forward Patrick Agyemang (five goals, three assists) scored twice in Derby County’s 3-0 rout of last-place Sheffield Wednesday on Monday.

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Germany

After sporting a low profile, midfielder Gio Reyna is getting opportunities with Mönchengladbach. His third consecutive start, though, lasted just 57 minutes in a 3-1 home loss to Wolfsburg. His first-half cross led to his club’s only score — a headed own goal.

Coach Eugen Polaski has been generally pleased with Reyna’s progress, saying Friday, “We wanted to gradually integrate him more and generate more playing time. For that to happen, it was crucial that Gio embraced it the way he did. I have rarely seen a training session from him that I wasn’t satisfied with, and I have recently seen values ​​I hadn’t seen before.”

Joe Scally, Reyna’s club and country teammate, served a yellow-card suspension.

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Midfielder Malik Tillman received high marks for his 86-minute effort in fourth-place Bayer Leverkusen’s 2-0 victory over Köln.

Center back Noahkai Banks played 90 minutes in Augsburg’s 1-0 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt, while midfielder James Sands did the same as third-to-last St. Pauli edged next-to-last Heidenheim 2-1.

In the second division, Tolkin went 90 as Holstein Kiel scored late to draw at Magdeburg 3-3.

France

Olympique Marseille’s Tim Weah and Monaco’s Folarin Balogun went head to head, with both playing 90 minutes. In the 1-0 outcome, Marseille scored the late winner at home about a minute after video replay disallowed Balogun’s apparent goal for being offside. Early in the second half, Balogun was ruled offside on Lamine Camara’s apparent goal.

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Center back Mark McKenzie helped Toulouse post its second consecutive shutout, blanking Paris FC 3-0.

Olympique Lyonnais midfielder-defender Tanner Tessmann remained sidelined with a thigh injury, missing a 1-0 victory over Le Havre.

Others

In the Scottish League Cup final, center back Auston Trusty played 90 minutes in Celtic’s 3-1 loss to lowly St. Mirren — the third consecutive defeat under new coach Wilfried Nancy.

In Spain’s La Liga, Atlético Madrid midfielder Johnny Cardoso was in uniform but didn’t play in a 2-1 victory over Valencia — the third time in four matches he hasn’t gotten off the bench.

With all but one Week 15 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.

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Once again, I’ve compiled the full weekly fantasy stock report below. These are the most notable risers and fallers coming out of Week 15. Invest accordingly!

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📈 Stock Up at RB

TreVeyon Henderson, Patriots

Perhaps one of the “mascots” of fantasy football fandom this year, TreVeyon Henderson had arguably his best game of the season Sunday, posting 29.1 fantasy points in a game Rhamondre Stevenson was also active. The rookie scored two rushing touchdowns of 50+ yards and ended up with 14 carries for 148 yards in total (10.6 per carry). Stevenson was also efficient (8.3 yards per carry) against a bad run defense, but he saw just six carries on the day. It’s undeniable at this point that Henderson isn’t just the most explosive back in New England, he’s one of the most explosive backs in the league. He’s reached must-start territory for Week 16 against Baltimore and Week 17 against the Jets.

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Tyrone Tracy Jr., Giants

Coming off the Giants’ Week 14 bye, Tyrone Tracy Jr. took complete command of the Giants backfield on Sunday. He touched the ball 18 times for 97 yards and two touchdowns (one on the ground and one in the air), while Devin Singletary had just six touches for 14 yards. Most importantly, Tracy was finally the guy in the red zone. The matchup gets much tougher next week against Minnesota, but Tracy is still a playable RB2/RB3 that week and may elevate even higher in Week 17 against the Raiders.

D’Andre Swift, Bears

D’Andre Swift had been a bit up and down the last couple months, but still produced yardage week-to-week. Then, on Sunday, he scored two touchdowns (his first multi-TD game of the year), and was the second-half, salt-the-game-away option for Chicago, heavily outpacing Kyle Monangai down the stretch. His 22.1 fantasy points were his second-most on the year and likely catapulted several managers into the semifinals. The bad news is that he plays Green Bay on Saturday, a much tougher matchup that will likely lower his ceiling. Still, it’s nice to know he’s the top back in Chicago when healthy.

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📈 Stock Up at WR

Zay Flowers, Ravens

A three-catch day may not sound like reason for a “Stock Up” on Zay Flowers, but he took those three snags for 68 yards and a touchdown and comfortably led the team in targets on a day Lamar Jackson threw just 12 passes. Yes. Twelve. Flowers’ 42% target share applied to a proper passing day for Jackson — i.e. next week against New England — would be a recipe for big fantasy success. Oh and his long overdue touchdown was a good reminder that regression to the mean sometimes works in our favor. Flowers should be a strong WR2 next weekend.

Adonai Mitchell, Jets

Take this “Stock Up” with a grain of salt. A large, New York-style grain of salt. Now led by Brady Cook, the Jets offense is anything but trustworthy. But Mitchell did catch six of nine targets for 58 yards and a touchdown on Sunday, marking his second game over the last three weeks with 14+ fantasy points. You’re not starting him with confidence, but you might still be starting him in a pinch next week against New Orleans. A very tight pinch.

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📈 Stock Up Elsewhere

Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars

Trevor Lawrence had been quietly putting it together the last month or so, especially with Jakobi Meyers added to the offense and Brian Thomas Jr. and Brenton Strange getting healthy. But it culminated in a new high on Sunday, when Lawrence threw for 330 yards and five touchdowns and added 51 yards and a score on the ground. It was a 44.3-point outing that almost certainly launched anyone who streamed him into the semifinals. Even after that performance, I’d hesitate to play him against the Broncos next week — maybe consider snagging an alternate streamer for Week 16 — but he’s going to be a strong QB1 play in Week 17 against the Colts.

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Colby Parkinson, Rams

Don’t look now, but Colby Parkinson has scored six touchdowns over the last six weeks. Specifically on Sunday, with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams both exiting for stretches with injury, Parkinson hauled in five of seven targets for 75 yards and two scores. It was his best game of the season by far, and the crescendo of his rising involvement the last month and a half. Next week, in an excellent matchup with the Seahawks, Parkinson isn’t just a strong streamer, he’s a legitimate top-end TE1. He’s almost certainly available in your league (just 4% rostered) — pick him up and play him unless you’ve got Trey McBride, George Kittle … and honestly the list might end there.

📉 Stock Down at RB

Quinshon Judkins, Browns

While Shedeur Sanders has been fun for the downfield air attack in Cleveland, he has not been great for Quinshon Judkins. The last two weeks, Judkins has managed just 47 rushing yards on 26 carries. And while he saved his Week 14 performance with a 58-yard catch-and-run, there was no such salvation in his 3.2-point outing on Sunday against the Bears. The good news is that he gets Buffalo next Sunday, a defense that has been downright porous against the run. So even with the major dip in recent weeks, Judkins will be playable in Week 16, if a little less exciting than he might have been. Whether he can be trusted in the fantasy championship against Pittsburgh in Week 17 is another story.

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Breece Hall (again), Jets

It’s been a disastrous stretch for Breece Hall and his fantasy managers. He had 14 carries for 43 yards in Week 14 and just 12 for 23 on Sunday. And he hasn’t had the receiving production to cover up the rushing mess these last few weeks. The matchup against New Orleans in Week 16 is a little softer, but it may not be enough to save Hall with this offense playing as poorly as it is. If you don’t have a better option, you can probably slot him into your flex in the semifinals, but he’ll have a low floor … and is basically unstartable in Week 17 against New England.

📉 Stock Down at WR

Justin Jefferson, Vikings

This isn’t Justin Jefferson’s first — or even second — appearance in this column, but we have to revisit just how far he’s fallen. Namely, into must-sit territory. Jefferson has posted fewer than nine fantasy points in six straight games, and has totaled 6.7 points over the last three weeks combined. He brought in just two of eight targets for 22 yards on Sunday night against the Cowboys, the softest matchup for WRs, while both Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor had better games. The lack of chemistry between Jefferson and J.J. McCarthy is baffling, but undeniable. Find another option for Week 16. And file 2025 Jefferson away as one of the biggest busts in fantasy history.

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George Pickens, Cowboys

Unfortunately, George Pickens has finally ended up struggling at the worst time of the year. He had been the most consistent receiver in fantasy for 11 straight weeks … but has now scored fewer than seven points in two straight, with fewer than 40 yards in both. Next week brings another extremely tough matchup with the Chargers, and while Pickens is still playable, he’s not the locked-and-loaded star he was through the end of November.

📉 Stock Down Elsewhere

Joe Burrow, Bengals

It’s tough to know exactly what happened to Joe Burrow and the Bengals on Sunday, but they were shut out by the Ravens at home. Burrow finished with 225 yards, no touchdowns (obviously) and two interceptions. A disastrous 7.5 fantasy points in the fantasy playoffs. This was also a bit of a surprise after two strong outings in Weeks 13 and 14 (including the first game against Baltimore), so it doesn’t mean we’re sitting him without question in Week 16 against Miami. But if you have a strong alternative, it’s definitely a possibility.

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Justin Herbert, Chargers

It was another bad day for Justin Herbert and the Chargers’ offense, with the QB totaling 210 yards, one TD and one INT in a 16-13 win over the Chiefs. That makes five straight games with fewer than 15 fantasy points for Herbert, as well as four straight with an interception. Next week brings the best matchup in the game, with Dallas, so it’s not impossible Herbert puts up one last strong fantasy outing next Sunday. But he’ll be more of a borderline QB1 at best and absolutely cannot be started against the Texans in the fantasy championship.

The 2025-26 NFL regular season is heading into the stretch run, and Week 15 saw the Kansas City Chiefs officially run out of time to make the postseason, after a 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Patrick Mahomes also tore his ACL to add injury to insult for Kansas City.

It’s never too early to look ahead to next week, though, and sportsbooks have already posted lines for every matchup.

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Here are the odds for every Week 16 NFL game at BetMGM:

Thursday

Los Angeles Rams (-1.5, 44.5) at Seattle Seahawks

[Check out all of Yahoo’s sports betting content here in our new betting hub]

Saturday

5 p.m. ET

Philadelphia Eagles (-6, 44.5) at Washington Commanders

8:20 p.m. ET

Green Bay Packers (-1.5, 46.5) at Chicago Bears

Sunday

1 p.m. ET

Buffalo Bills (-10, 42.5) at Cleveland Browns

Los Angeles Chargers at Dallas Cowboys (-1.5, 49.5)

Kansas City Chiefs (-3.5, 37.5) at Tennessee Titans

Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins (-1.5, 50.5)

New York Jets at New Orleans Saints (-4.5, 40.5)

Minnesota Vikings (-2.5, 44.5) at New York Giants

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-2.5, 45.5) at Carolina Panthers

4 p.m. ET

Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos (-3, 45.5)

Atlanta Falcons (-1.5, 46.5) at Arizona Cardinals

Pittsburgh Steelers at Detroit Lions (-7, 49.5)

Las Vegas Raiders at Houston Texans (-14.5, 37.5)

Sunday Night Football

New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens (-2.5, 48.5)

Monday

San Francisco 49ers (-5.5, 46.5) at Indianapolis Colts

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🚨 Headlines

🏐 Husker heartbreak: Texas A&M stunned previously undefeated Nebraska in the NCAA volleyball quarterfinals, knocking out the No. 1 overall seed to join Kentucky, Pitt and Wisconsin in the Final Four.

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🏒 NHL blockbuster: The Wild acquired superstar Quinn Hughes in a blockbuster trade with the Canucks, bringing the 2024 Norris Trophy winner (best defender) to Minnesota as they seek to snap their skid of nine straight playoff series defeats.

🎓 UM launches investigation: Michigan has hired a law firm to investigate how things have been handled by its athletic department in the wake of numerous scandals, most notably those involving Connor Stalions and Sherrone Moore.

⚾️ MLB deals roundup: RHP Merrill Kelly is returning to the Diamondbacks (2 years, $40M) months after they traded him away; 2B Jorge Polanco is going to the Mets (2 years, $40M); active saves leader Kenley Jansen is going to the Tigers (1 year, $11M).

🏈 FCS Final Four: No. 2 Montana State (over No. 7 Stephen F. Austin), No. 3 Montana (over No. 11 South Dakota), No. 12 Villanova (over No. 4 Tarleton State) and Illinois State (over No. 8 UC Davis) notched quarterfinal victories to reach the semifinals of the FCS playoffs.

🏈 Chiefs eliminated, Mahomes lost for season

The Chiefs’ season went from bad to worse on Sunday in Kansas City, where a 16-13 loss to the Chargers officially eliminated them from the playoffs and a late knee injury put Patrick Mahomes out for the season with a torn ACL.

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Dynasty over? Even before Mahomes’ devastating injury, many presumed the Chiefs were nearing a crossroads in the dynasty that saw them make 10 straight postseason appearances, reach seven straight AFC title games and win three Super Bowls. The question now is whether that dynasty will be put on pause, or end altogether.

From Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson:

This is what a crossroads in a dynasty feels like. You look left, there’s some problems. You look right, some more problems. The Patriots experienced it during their decade-long Super Bowl drought. And it was brought upon in some of the same ways this Chiefs team came up short.

But the key for the Patriots was that in their drought, Brady and Belichick hung in and eventually the right levers were pulled and the correct buttons were reset. They certainly had the titanic-sized egos that could have sunk it all. Go ask the early 1990s Dallas Cowboys about that.

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Maybe that’s the first real task in Kansas City. To absorb the (for now) one lost season and turn the microscope within. Some dynasties end in sports. A spare few others just pause. Distinguishing what makes the difference between the two is the next great chapter that Mahomes and Reid have to write together.

Scoreboard:

Sunday recap: Winners and losers

🏈 A Hoosier wins the Heisman

Indiana’s dream season continued on Saturday night in Manhattan, where junior QB Fernando Mendoza was awarded the Heisman Trophy.

• In addition to being Indiana’s first Heisman winner in over 127 seasons of football, he’s also the first Big Ten player to win the Heisman since Ohio State’s Troy Smith in 2006.

• Mendoza is the fourth straight Heisman winner who transferred schools during his college career, joining Travis Hunter (2024), Jayden Daniels (2023) and Caleb Williams (2022).

Voting tally: Mendoza finished with 2,362 total points (643 first-place votes) to beat out Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia, who was second with 1,435 points (189 first-place votes). Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love was third with 719 points and Ohio State QB Julian Sayin was fourth with 432 points.

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Overlooked no more: “I want every kid out there who feels overlooked, underestimated, to know I was you,” said Mendoza, a 2-star recruit out of high school. “The truth is, you don’t need the most stars, hype, or rankings. You just need discipline, heart and people who believe in you. I hope this moment shows you that chasing your dreams are worth it, no matter how big or impossible they seem.”

ICYMI: Watch his full speech

🏀 Wemby returns, Spurs down Thunder

Victor Wembanyama returned from a 12-game absence on Saturday night in Las Vegas to help the Spurs beat the league-best Thunder, 111-109, and advance to the NBA Cup Final.

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What he’s saying: “I keep asking these guys for the last 12 games, just get better, do some beautiful things,” said Wemby after posting 22 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks in 21 minutes. “I’m just glad to be a part of something that’s growing to be so beautiful. Pure and ethical basketball.”

From Yahoo Sports’ Kelly Iko:

If the first quarter of Saturday night’s semifinal was a reminder of the reign of terror the Thunder have enjoyed for months, the second was a reminder of the French force that refuses to bend the knee. His introduction to the game — coming off the bench for the first time in his career — changed everything.

The friendly skies that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had coasted in since October were now met with 7-foot-4 turbulence. Missed Spurs shots became simple second-chance opportunities for the gangly center. Half-court sequences that OKC would typically carry out in its sleep were now being second-guessed.

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For one glorious evening, the now 24-2 Thunder looked less like the most devastating team in the sport and more like a group that forgot just how impactful Wembanyama truly is.

What’s next: The Spurs will face the Knicks in tomorrow’s NBA Cup Final after New York eliminated Orlando, 132-120, behind Jalen Brunson’s season-high 40 points.

🌎 The world in photos

🇺🇸 Baltimore, Maryland — Navy retained the Commander-in-Chief’s trophy with a comeback 17-16 win over Army on Saturday in the 126th edition of their storied rivalry.

Elsewhere: Bowl season got underway as Washington routed Boise State, 38-10, in the LA Bowl and South Carolina State outlasted Prairie View A&M, 40-38 (4OT), in a thrilling Celebration Bowl.

🇨🇦 Edmonton, Canada — The U.S. women beat Canada, 4-1, on Saturday at Rogers Place to clinch the first sweep in the seven-year history of their Rivalry Series. Next up: the 2026 Winter Olympics.

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Total domination: The Americans outscored the Canadians 24-7 across the four-game series, led by five goals each from Abbey Murphy and captain Hilary Knight.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 London, England — Another day, another goal from Erling Haaland. Two, in fact, as he scored a brace in Manchester City’s 3-0 win over Crystal Palace to keep them two points shy of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table.

Wild stat: Haaland has now scored more goals with Manchester City (147) than Cristiano Ronaldo did with Manchester United (145), despite playing fewer than half as many games (168 vs. 346).

🇮🇳 Kolkata, India — Lionel Messi’s tour of India got off to a chaotic start on Saturday when fans — angry that he was barely visible during his brief appearance at Salt Lake Stadium — hurled objects onto the field. The event’s chief organizer was jailed and pledged to refund tickets.

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Immortalizing the GOAT: The three-day tour’s festivities began earlier in the day when a gargantuan 70-foot statue of Messi was unveiled in soccer-crazed Kolkata.

📺 Watchlist: Monday, Dec. 15

🏈 Dolphins at Steelers

The Steelers host the Dolphins on “Monday Night Football” (8:15pm ET, ESPN) in a game that has playoff implications for both teams.

Where it stands: Pittsburgh (7-6) narrowly leads Baltimore (7-7) in the NFC North, while Miami (6-7) has won four straight to keep its slim playoff hopes alive.

🏀 NBA on Peacock

Four of the NBA’s best teams take the floor in tonight’s doubleheader, with the Celtics (15-10) hosting the Pistons (20-5) in the first game (7pm) and the Nuggets (18-6) hosting the Rockets (16-6) in the nightcap (9:30pm).

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Jokić’s historic pace: Three-time MVP Nikola Jokić seems to have gotten better yet again, with his current player efficiency rating (35.98) sitting more than three points higher than his own previous NBA record (32.85). It’s worth noting that Giannis Antetokounmpo (34.97) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (32.94) are also both currently besting that previous record.

⚽️ College Cup Final

A first-time NCAA champion will be crowned tonight in men’s soccer, as No. 15 NC State takes on Washington in the College Cup Final (7pm, ESPNU). This is the Wolfpack’s first appearance in the title game, and the Huskies’ second in the past five years.

More to watch:

🏀 NBA trivia

The Knicks and Spurs, who will meet in the NBA Cup Final, have also faced off once in the NBA Finals.

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Question: What year did that matchup take place?

Answer at the bottom.

🍿 Baker’s Dozen: Top plays of the weekend

Watch all 13.

Trivia answer: 1999 (Spurs won, 4-1)

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One of the top quarterback prospects in the class of 2024 is already leaving Florida. DJ Lagway announced he’s entering the transfer portal after a rocky second season with the Gators.

Lagway announced his decision in a social media post. He thanked fans, friends and his coaches before saying, “After much prayer, reflection and thoughtful consideration, I have decided to enter the transfer portal.”

Lagway, 20, tossed 16 touchdowns against 14 interceptions during his second season with the Gators. The team went just 4-8, leading to Billy Napier’s firing in the middle of the season.

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Napier was replaced by Billy Gonzales, who benched Lagway during a November game against Kentucky after the sophomore threw three interceptions in the first half. Despite the performance, Gonzales stuck with Lagway the rest of the season. He turned in arguably his best performance of the year in the team’s final game, throwing three touchdowns against one interception during a 40-21 win over Florida State.

Big things were expected from Lagway — a five-star prospect and one of the best quarterbacks in the 2024 class — when he first joined the Gators. While Lagway wasn’t expected to see much playing time as a freshman, he was pushed into a starting role following an early injury to Graham Mertz.

Lagway acquitted himself well, throwing for 456 yards and three scores in his first start. He showed enough promise the rest of the way, going 6-1 in his starts and leading Florida to wins over multiple ranked opponents before helping the team win a bowl game vs. Tulane.

Because of that, Florida entered the 2025 season ranked No. 15 by the Associated Press. The team moved up to No. 13 after winning its first game, but then fell out of the Top 25 after losing to South Florida to open September. Florida wasn’t ranked in the Top 25 the rest of the way.

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Lagway dealt with an offseason shoulder issue that prevented him from throwing, which may have played a major role in his sophomore struggles.

Given his former status as a top prospect, Lagway should draw plenty of interest in the transfer portal. Things may not have gone well for him in his second season, but he’s shown flashes of brilliance at times.

After a lost sophomore year, a change of scenery could be the best thing for Lagway moving forward.

New York Giants fans experienced a similar situation in Week 15. After taking a big hit, rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart needed to briefly leave the contest against the Washington Commanders to be evaluated for a concussion. It marked the fifth time in 10 games that Dart has entered the blue tent on the sideline this season.

Despite that, interim Giants head coach Mike Kafka said the team wasn’t going to alter its offensive game plan to try and protect Dart more, per CBSSports.com.

“We’re not gonna change much in terms of how we play the game,” Kafka said. “I think just having the thought process for how we scheme it up. We had a couple opportunities where he’s protected and he’s got somebody in front of him. On that one particular play where he got out, that was a pass. I think there’s not much you can do there. Of course we have his health, and everyone’s health, in mind when we call plays.”

Dart passed concussion protocol and was allowed to return to the game. He finished the contest 20-of-36, for 246 yards and two touchdowns. Dart also threw an interception in the 29-21 loss to the Commanders. After the contest, Dart said he didn’t “really understand” why he was forced to leave the game after the hit.

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Keeping Dart healthy has been a major talking point in New York after the rookie missed two games earlier in the year with a concussion. While Dart was out, multiple pieces were written suggesting people around the Giants told Dart to play smarter and protect himself when possible. Dart has said he’s going to keep playing aggressive football, though did note he’s sliding more since his return.

Figuring out a way to keep Dart healthy will be a major challenge for Kafka, or his replacement, going forward. Dart has proven to be an exciting young rookie, with 13 touchdowns against four interceptions through 11 games. He’s also flashed potential as a dual-threat player, rushing for 400 yards and scoring seven touchdowns.

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Dart’s running ability is a true weapon, which is why the Giants need to handle the situation carefully. If he can continue to develop as a passer, Dart can be the franchise player the Giants desperately need. But that will only happen if Dart stays on the field. And while he’s mostly been able to do that as a rookie, the number of times he’s visited the blue tent this season is a concern, especially when Dart relies on his legs to make splash plays.

It was an odd week for fantasy basketball with the NBA Cup quarterfinals and semifinals taking place in Week 8. As a result, many fantasy managers had fewer games to work with. That definitely impacted the week’s High Score fantasy basketball perfect lineup. Let’s take a look at the top-six scorers on the week after recapping the NBA Cup so far.

In the Eastern Conference, the Magic took down the Heat while the Knicks defeated the Raptors last Tuesday to advance to the semifinals. Desmond Bane was brought in via trade to Orlando before the season and this was his signature performance so far, dropping 37 points on 14-of-24 shooting from the floor. The Knicks got 35 points from Jalen Brunson in their win over Toronto. Brunson would continue his strong play, scoring 40 points in the semifinal against the Magic to lift the Knicks to the NBA Cup Final.

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[High Score is a new way to play Fantasy Basketball on Yahoo with simple rosters and scoring. It’s not too late to create or join a league]

Out West, the Thunder kept up their historic win pace by demolishing the Suns 138-89. A career game from point guard Stephon Castle helped the Spurs get by the Lakers to advance. Castle had 30 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists, carrying the team with Victor Wembanyama sidelined. Then, Wemby returned in heroic fashion to help San Antonio stun OKC with a 111-109 victory for the Thunder’s second loss of the season. Wembanyama came off the bench but scored 22 points in 21 minutes with nine rebounds.

The Knicks and Spurs will meet on Tuesday in the NBA Cup final — those stats will not count for fantasy matchups this week.

A closer look at the top performers

Russell Westbrook: The Kings are likely headed for the lottery again and could start to move pieces as a result. But in the meantime, Westbrook is surprising everyone as a top-25 fantasy asset in High Score. He posted a vintage triple-double line of 24-12-14 with three stocks against the Pacers to start the wonky schedule week. There’s almost always going to volatility with his box scores but we’re seeing a 70-point ceiling for Westbrook in the right spot.

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Keyonte George: The Jazz guard has taken a huge step in Year 3 in the NBA. He’s becoming a nice 1B option to Lauri Markkanen’s 1A for Utah. Isaiah Collier missing time early on really cleared the way for George, who scored a career-high 39 points against the Grizzlies over the weekend. He has great category coverage averaging 4.0 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game this season. That will allow him to maintain his floor of around 45 fantasy points.

Derik Queen: Freezing Cold Takes must be having a field day with everyone questioning the trade for Queen at the 2025 NBA Draft. While New Orleans gave up a lot, it looks like the franchise may have a stalwart as Queen is firmly in the Rookie of the Year conversation. He lands on this list thanks to his first career triple-double with 33-10-10 to go with three blocks against the Spurs on Monday. Since Nov. 4, Queen is averaging 14.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game while playing over 28 minutes per contest.

Nikola Jokić: This feels like it’s becoming a de factor weekly Jokić update. The top High Score asset had a quiet week with just one game in which Joker and the Nuggets made swift work of the Kings on Thursday. It was one of the lower High Score totals for the big man this season but still likely helped your lineup pick up the W with scoring down last week. He had 36-12-8 with two steals in just 29 minutes of action.

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Jalen Johnson: A down week can also be said about Johnson, who failed to reach the 70-point mark but sneaks onto this list after edging out a few players at 59 points. Johnson recorded two triple-doubles on the week and now has a four-game streak of triple-doubles. He continues to make his case for Most Improved Player as we await the return of PG Trae Young. Young is expected to be back at practice this week so a return appears imminent. That will likely impact Johnson’s fantasy stock.

Stephen Curry: Steph nearly reached a 50-burger on Sunday night to make it into the top-six scorers for the week. He was lights out, shooting 16-26 from the floor and 12-19 from distance for 48 points. He also added 3 boards, 2 assists, 3 steals and a block. We talk about this a lot but the beauty of High Score is that players like Curry can still turn it back and give us a ceiling game in the right environment. That was the fourth time Steph has scored 40+ points in a game this season. The magic is still there.

Welcome back to The Playlist — your weekly scan of the fantasy basketball landscape, where we break down waiver adds for 9-cat and standard points leagues to help you stay competitive.

Week 9 offers some time off for every team except for the Spurs and Knicks, who will play in the Emirates NBA Cup championship on Tuesday. Speaking of Tuesday, the results of the NBA Cup championship will not count towards Week 9 scoring.

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Three teams play four games (MIA, HOU, TOR), 14 teams play three games and 13 teams play just two games this week. This will be the final odd scheduling week until we reach the All-Star break. Now that’s out of the way, let’s talk pickups.

You can also read my High Score pickups story for advice in that format.

🎧 Who’s in My Rotation: Shallow leagues

Jay Huff – C, Indiana Pacers (32% rostered)

Huff is building momentum as one of the best shot blockers in the NBA. He leads the league in total blocks and is averaging 2.5 blocks in just 19 minutes per game. As the starting center, he’s risen to 2.8 per game, and over his last six outings, he’s swatting 3.5 shots a game. His defense alone warrants him being on every roster, yet he’s still under 40%.

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One thing I’m expecting? Some positive regression on his shooting numbers. He’s currently sitting at 42% FG and 56% TS, which are far below his career numbers of at least 50% FG and 65% TS, respectively. Shallow leagues need to take action.

Jaylon Tyson – SG/SF, Cleveland Cavaliers (28% rostered)

Tyson is surging in his second season and, like Huff, is somehow still under-rostered. In December, he’s averaging an efficient 17.5 points, 9 rebounds, including three double-doubles. His versatility gives him real 9-cat value: strong FG%, rebounds from the wing, low turnovers and just enough stocks to matter.

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In points leagues, he’s hitting 30-38 FP with regularity thanks to rebounding and efficiency. Tyson should be rostered in all leagues, especially with Evan Mobley becoming the latest victim of the dreaded calf strain.

Tari Eason – SF/PF, Houston Rockets (25% rostered)

Eason was upgraded to questionable ahead of Monday’s tilt against Denver, indicating he’s nearing a return from his oblique injury that sidelined him for 11 games.

He’s a target in 9-cat leagues for efficiency, 3s, rebounds and stocks, especially with Houston playing four games this week, offering multiple lineup opportunities. Eason is a key factor of the Rockets’ rotation, so getting him back gives Houston another two-way weapon.

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🎧 Who’s in My Rotation: Deeper leagues

Marcus Smart – PG/SG, Los Angeles Lakers (10% rostered)

Since Austin Reaves will miss at least the next week or so with a calf strain, Smart has some short-term appeal in deeper leagues. Smart drew his 10th start of the season on Sunday, finishing with 8 points (2-7 FG, 3-4 FT), 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 3-pointer, 1 steal and 2 blocks in 31 minutes — solid all-around production. The 12-year vet remains a disruptive defender, averaging 1.7 steals per contest. While he can be helpful in any format depending on need, I prefer him in points leagues because efficiency is his primary weakness.

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Jamal Shead – PG, Toronto Raptors (6% rostered)

Shead has been one of the Raptors’ biggest surprises over the past two weeks, producing TJ McConnell-like numbers off the bench: strong assists, low turnovers and steals, but with more 3s.

With Toronto entering a favorable Week 9 schedule (four games, including a Saturday/Sunday back-to-back), Shead profiles as a streaming option in 12+ team 9-cat and points leagues.

Jock Landale – C, Memphis Grizzlies (12% rostered)

The Grizzlies will be without Zach Edey (ankle) for at least four weeks, leaving Santi Aldama and Landale to help man the frontcourt. Landale is an add for deeper 9-cat formats, since he’s more of a bench depth streamer whose upside can be a low-end double-double.

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In 14 games without Edey this year, Landale is averaging 10.5 points with 5.7 rebounds per game. That’s not too far off his seasonal numbers, with the primary difference being that he averages three more minutes per game when Edey is not active.

Welcome to The High Score Playlist: my weekly column that lets you know who to add off the waiver wire and get in your lineup for the upcoming week in fantasy basketball. You can also read my 9-cat and standard points leagues pickups story for advice in those formats.

So press play and shuffle through the latest fantasy basketball info.

🎧 Who’s in My Rotation: High Score

Jabari Smith Jr. – FC, Houston Rockets (46% rostered)

Smith isn’t a classic waiver add in shallow leagues, but he’s still available in far too many High Score formats. Over his last five games, he’s averaging 32 fantasy points in High Score with a 42-point outing in his last contest.

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The Rockets play two of their four games against fantasy-friendly teams in the Pelicans and Kings, leaving multiple chances to start Smith in an abridged week. He should be well over 50% rostered.

Cedric Coward – G/FC, Memphis Grizzlies (33% rostered)

The rookie from Washington State has been inconsistent recently; however, there have been a couple of boom performances over the past two weeks that could surge again in Week 9. He’s had two double-digit rebounding efforts with at least five assists in his last three games.

With the Clippers and Wolves on tap for Monday and Wednesday (five-game slates), you can start him with the chance at another 40-point fantasy performance. Coward dropped 50 fantasy points on the Clippers just two weeks ago, plus he has dual eligibility.

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Anthony Black- G, Orlando Magic (28% rostered)

Franz Wagner’s latest injury extended Black’s run as a player to roster in High Score. He’s been an invaluable piece of Orlando’s recent success, and it’s translated into substantial fantasy numbers. Over the past 30 days, Black ranks 76th overall in High Score, averaging 35.6 fantasy points per game thanks to his multi-category output of 16-5-4 and 1.5 steals per game.

Orlando plays two games on the biggest slates this week, so he may not fit into your lineup now, but he’s a hold across all formats.

[High Score is a new way to play Fantasy Basketball on Yahoo with simple rosters and scoring. It’s not too late to create or join a league]

Jordan Walsh – G/FC, Boston Celtics (25% rostered)

Walsh remains severely underrated in High Score and fantasy in general. He’s averaged 32 fantasy points per game over the last two weeks and has evolved into an efficient scoring option for the Celtics while leaning into his strengths as a defender and decent rebounder.

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While Walsh faces challenging opponents in Detroit, Miami and Toronto in Week 9, the Miami game falls on a small five-game slate where he can get run in a fast-paced game. He’s established himself as a viable starter for a Boston team that continues to surprise in what was assumed to be a gap year.

Noah Clowney – FC, Brooklyn Nets (31% rostered)

Clowney’s long-term outlook continues to surge after he’s been a reliable 30+ point fantasy asset over the past month, averaging 17.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.9 stocks per game. Brooklyn plays two games this week, and the only real chance to start him will be ahead of Sunday’s clash with the Raptors.

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If he hits 30+ minutes, he has 40+ point upside. Also, given the state of the organization and his contract, the Nets need to see what they have in their 21-year-old big, who is putting up career numbers in his third campaign.

The New York Jets fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, one day after a 48-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, head coach Aaron Glenn announced Monday.

Chris Harris will take over defensive coordinator duties in the interim.

The Jets are 3-11 and sit at the bottom of the AFC East. On Sunday, New York allowed six touchdowns to Trevor Lawrence — five through the air and one on the ground. This season, the Jets rank 30th in defensive scoring, giving up 28.4 points per game, and they are last in the league with three takeaways, all of which were fumbles.

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Wilks was one of Glenn’s earliest hires after he got the head coaching job during the 2025 offseason. During Wilks’ first season in New York, the Jets traded key defensive stars, including cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. Wilks was also fired after just one season as DC at his previous team in San Francisco. Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan was ready to move on from Wilks following the 2023 campaign despite the team’s success.

[Get more Jets news: New York team feed]

In 2005, Wilks began his NFL coaching career as an assistant in Washington, then became a defensive backs coach for Chicago, San Diego and ultimately Carolina in 2012. Wilks worked his way up to defensive coordinator with the Panthers in 2017 before getting his first head coaching opportunity with the Arizona Cardinals in 2018. He lasted only one season there, finishing 3-13. Wilks had a brief second stint with the Panthers in 2022, where he served as interim head coach/secondary coach.

Defensive backs coach Chris Harris steps in to finish the season as defensive coordinator. Harris is a former NFL defensive back, selected by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. During his eight-year career, Harris played for Chicago, Carolina, Detroit and Jacksonville, retiring after the 2012 season.

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The Jets’ next game will be Sunday on the road against the New Orleans Saints, before they close out a disappointing season against New England and Buffalo in Weeks 17 and 18.