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The NBA announced the 10 players who’d been voted in as starters for the 2026 All-Star Game last week. Eight of the players on my official media ballot made the final cut: Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić and Victor Wembanyama in the West, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Cade Cunningham, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown in the East. Jalen Brunson earned the final starting spot in the East over my pick, Donovan Mitchell; Stephen Curry finished ahead of my pick, Anthony Edwards, in the West.

Those results are neither stunning nor injustices; Brunson and Steph would’ve been my first picks as reserves if they hadn’t made the starting lineups. Instead, it’ll be Mitchell and Ant kicking off my reserve picks — which, I hasten to remind you, are wholly and completely irrelevant and for entertainment purposes only. Fans, players and media members vote on starting lineups, but NBA coaches alone choose which players wind up comprising each conference’s reserve corps; my thoughts don’t matter at all!

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That said: I do have some thoughts. Here are seven* players from each conference — chosen irrespective of position this year, in accordance with the most recent round of All-Star alterations decreed by the league office — that I’d pick to complete the 2026 NBA All-Star Game rosters:

* There’ll be more than seven, due to me making some assumptions on injury replacements.

All stats and records entering Tuesday’s games.

Western Conference

• Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves

• Deni Avdija, Trail Blazers

• Alperen Şengün, Rockets **

(* will miss game due to injury)

(** injury replacement) 

I made my case for Edwards in voting him a starter. The 37-year-old Durant remains one of the sport’s most remarkable offensive players, averaging 26.4 points on 51/41/88 shooting splits to go with 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game to help elevate Houston to fifth in the NBA in offensive efficiency and fourth in the Western standings. While the Clippers scuffled through an absolutely brutal start, they’ve been arguably the hottest team in the NBA for weeks now, owning the league’s best record and second-best net rating since Dec. 20 — and Leonard has been at the heart of that turnaround.

In his 14th season, Kawhi’s averaging a career-high 28.1 points per game, shooting 49.8% from the field, 39.7% from 3-point range and an NBA-best 94% from the foul line, while also leading the league in steals. Advanced metrics like estimated plus-minus, LEBRON, DARKO, value over replacement player and player efficiency rating peg Leonard as a top-five-to-10 performer in the league this season. Sure, there’s still the nettlesome matter of that whole independent investigation into whether or not the Clippers conspired to circumvent the salary cap to pay Leonard more than the league’s bylaws allow, which promises to draw a fresh round of attention considering that the Clippers are hosting the All-Star Game, and sure, Leonard’s presence would likely only further inflame the interest. Oh, well. Should’ve been less good at basketball, then, I guess.

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Also good at basketball: three dudes to whom I’d give their first All-Star selections!

Holmgren gets the nod for the way he’s leveled up in his third season, as both a scorer (17.8 points per game, 57.1% shooting from the field, 37.6% from 3-point land) and a rim protector (holding opponents to microscopic 46.9% shooting at the rim, second-lowest among players to guard at least 100 up-close shots) for the best team in the NBA. Murray was already trending toward his first selection, putting up career-best scoring, assist and shooting efficiency numbers to help keep Denver within striking distance of Oklahoma City. The way he’s performed since his longtime running buddy went down, though — 28.2 points and 8.4 assists in 36.5 minutes per game, 50/43/91 shooting splits, helping Denver not only stay afloat but win more than it’s lost without the three-time MVP — cemented it. Avdija has been an absolute monster in Portland, kicking the breakout that began years ago in Washington into hyperdrive and averaging 26-7-7 on elite shooting efficiency to propel the Blazers into the play-in picture.

I wrote last week about Butler, and the All-Star campaign he was having. We’ll give him the nod here, with the understanding that his season-ending ACL tear will require an injury replacement; if Jokić isn’t able to play after recovering from his hyperextended left knee, we’ll need two.

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The first spot goes to Booker, averaging more than 25 points and six assists per game as the leading light for the seventh-seeded Suns, whose attitude adjustment and attendant turnaround have been the best story in the league this season. The second goes to Şengün, the ball-handling, playmaking hub of Houston’s top-five offense and massive paint-plugging deterrent at the heart of its top-five defense.

Apologies to: Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, James Harden, Amen Thompson, De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, LeBron James, Trey Murphy III, Austin Reaves.

Eastern Conference

• Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers

• Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks

(** injury replacement)

I covered the case for Mitchell with my starters last week. Barnes gets a spot for serving as the two-way heartbeat of the surprising third-seeded Raptors, averaging 19.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists and nearly three combined steals and blocks while routinely guarding some of the toughest covers the league has to offer, from all across the positional spectrum. Duren has shined in a larger offensive role (17.8 points on 63.2% shooting) while remaining a rebounding menace and taking a significant step forward as a rim protector and defender in space — one major reason why the Pistons have risen to second in the NBA in defensive efficiency, and all the way to the top of the Eastern Conference.

Johnson was in contention for an All-Star nod last season before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. This time around, the fifth-year forward has stayed healthy and kicked his all-around production to an even higher level, joining Jokić as one of just two NBA players averaging more than 20 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists per game as the centerpiece of a post-Trae Young Hawks team that is, as is seemingly its ancestral birthright, jockeying for play-in position.

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There’s been plenty of sturm und drang and rending of garments about the role Towns has played in the Knicks’ post-NBA Cup swoon, and it’s inarguably been a down season for him on the offensive end, with his per-game scoring, 2-point shooting and 3-point accuracy all at or near career lows. But he’s still averaging 20 a game on .600 true shooting and leading the NBA in rebounding for a No. 4 seed playing at a 50-win pace — and, quiet as it’s kept, the Knicks’ defense has been better with him on the floor than off it, and top-five-caliber in the minutes he’s played without Brunson. I still feel like he’s done enough to get the nod.

I’d round out my list with two more first-timers. I thought Powell deserved a Western spot last season, and he’s been even better in his first season in Miami, averaging a career-high 23.1 points per game on 47/39/84 shooting splits, launching 3s and getting to the free-throw line more than ever, and fitting seamlessly into the Heat’s new perpetual-motion-machine offense — which, by the way, scores at a top-six clip when he’s on the floor.

A reasonable observer could argue that Bam Adebayo, Erik Spoelstra’s beloved Giving Tree, is more central to the Heat’s success (especially, obviously, on the defensive end) than Powell has been. But in the consequence-free sandbox of this non-binding thought exercise, I think it’d be more fun to reward Powell for just continuing to get better and better as he nears his 33rd birthday. Similarly, while White has had a really rough go of it shooting the ball this season — just 48.4% inside the arc and 32.3% beyond it — he’s been an indispensable playmaker for Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics, who have overcome all manner of injuries, trades and free agency exits to somehow sit second in the East. He’s been a defensive monster — 1.3 steals, 1.5 blocks and 2.9 deflections per game — while toting a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio at the controls of what’s been the NBA’s second-best offense. The Celtics wouldn’t be where they are without White’s ability to give them whatever they need on a night-to-night basis. Sounds like an All-Star to me.

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That gives me seven. It sounds, though, like we’re going to need an eighth — at least, if Antetokounmpo’s assessment of his latest calf injury winds up bearing out. And with respect to a number of very good players on pretty good teams, I’m going with Siakam, an excellent player on a very, very bad Indiana team that is very bad through absolutely no fault of his own.

Everybody knew this Pacers season was going to be hopeless as soon as Tyrese Haliburton hit the ground in Oklahoma City last June. But even without the point guard who makes the Pacers special, and with a handful of other rotation players missing time to turn Indiana into arguably the most injury-ravaged team in the NBA, Siakam has just kept showing up for work and excelling: 23.8 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists per game, shooting 48% from the field and 37.8% from 3-point land — all while shouldering the highest usage rate of his career, despite being double-teamed more often than ever, with a rotating cast of not-quite-ready-for-prime-time-players around him.

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The Pacers have only 11 wins. Siakam has hit the game-winner in four of them, and is 14-for-28 overall on shots to tie or take the lead in the final two minutes, tied for the fourth-most makes in the league in those close-and-late situations. There’s a certain nobility in the way Siakam is performing this season, and I’m kind of a sucker for tilting at windmills. If things shake out the way I’ve sketched them out here, maybe Adam Silver rings up Adebayo or Evan Mobley — fellow established All-Stars on significantly better teams — to take Giannis’ spot. Here, though, we’ll tip the cap to Siakam, the missing piece who has continued to rage against the dying of the light on a team missing damn near everything this season.

Apologies to: Adebayo, Mobley, Michael Porter Jr., Joel Embiid (just FYI, you guys: 28.3 points on .631 true shooting in 33.6 minutes per game over his last 15 games), Josh Giddey, LaMelo Ball, Franz Wagner, Mikal Bridges.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is going to take some time before deciding on his NFL future. Stafford said he had a lot of fun this season and wanted to take time to reflect on that before determining what’s next for him.

Stafford made those comments on an episode of the “Let’s Go” podcast Monday. When asked about “looking forward,” Stafford said he would take some time to consider all the variables.

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His full answer:

“It will be a lot. There will be a lot that goes into it. It’s a physical, mental and emotional decision. A personal and a family decision as well. So, we’ll figure all that kind of stuff out with some time.

“I know I had a ton of fun playing football this season and so much fun playing for the Rams. So, when I’m ready to figure that out, I’ll be ready to figure that out. That moment isn’t right now.

“I have so much more time, I feel like, to reflect on the people and the season we just had. I want to appreciate that and give it the time that it deserves before I start thinking personally about what’s next for me and my family.”

Stafford, 37, arguably had his finest NFL season in 2025. He led the league in both passing yards and passing touchdowns and has a strong shot to be named the league’s MVP in his 17th season. Stafford was already named first-team All-Pro. It marked the first time in his career he received that honor.

Despite being under contract with the Rams through the 2026 season, Stafford is now at an age where retirement is a viable option every offseason. Stafford didn’t want to talk much about the issue Monday, but made it clear he would have conversations with his family regarding his future in football.

That’s a far more contemplative answer than the one given by Stafford’s head coach. When asked about Stafford’s NFL future, Sean McVay said he expected Stafford to return before adding, “What the hell kinda question is that?”

McVay, however, did add, “If [Stafford] wants to play,” leaving some uncertainty about the quarterback’s future.

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This far into his career, there’s not much more Stafford needs to accomplish in the NFL. He was the No. 1 overall pick in 2009 and has lived up to that draft position. Over his career, Stafford has three Pro Bowl appearances, one All-Pro selection, a Comeback Player of the Year award and a Super Bowl championship. He’ll likely add an MVP award to his achievements soon.

But, as he showed in 2025, Stafford still appears to be at the top of his game. While the veteran could walk away in the offseason, it’s possible his 2025 performance, combined with the Rams nearly making the Super Bowl, could compel Stafford to return for one more shot at securing a second Super Bowl title.

The High Score 100 — the top 100 players in Yahoo’s newest fantasy basketball format — is a running reflection of year-to-date performance and trending production. Each weekly update captures who’s actually delivering value and who’s fading.

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

Here’s a breakdown of the biggest risers and fallers through the 14th week of fantasy basketball — with the complete High Score 100 at the bottom of the article. I’ll be updating my rankings every Tuesday throughout the fantasy basketball season.

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📈 Risers — Nurk alert + more!

Jusuf Nurkić — FC, Utah Jazz: 75th overall (⬆️ 22)

Nurkić just rattled off three straight triple-doubles past week while averaging 17/12/10 in Week 14. The playmaking has been ridiculous, finding cutters and being a bully in the paint.

With the February 5 trade deadline approaching, I expect his name to be floating around along with his $19M expiring contract. Despite that unknown, Nurk’s seen a resurgence in Utah, playing wayyy better than his recent stints with the Hornets and Suns. Because he’s been playing so well, it smells like a prime moment to sell high.

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Immanuel Quickley — G, Toronto Raptors: 60th overall (⬆️ 15)

Quickley just made NBA history, becoming the first player to record 40+ PTS, 10+ AST and 5+ 3s while shooting over 80% from the floor. One of those very specific types of stats, but still, a substantial accomplishment nonetheless. He racked up 68 fantasy points in High Score from that performance and it helped him win Eastern Conference Player of the Week for Week 14, averaging 25.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 6.8 APG and 2 steals over the past seven days.

The timing couldn’t be better with trade deadline noise everywhere. After an injury-wrecked 2024-25, IQ is back to ballin, making a statement for fantasy managers and Raptors fans.

Amen Thompson — G/FC, Houston Rockets: 35th overall (⬆️ 6)

Thompson is starting to find his stride, finishing Week 14 inside the top 20 and is in the top 35 over his last 14 days. He’s averaging 18.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 5.6 APG and 2.1 stocks in January with no signs of letting up.

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He’s once again making his case for All-Defensive first-team and his six-spot jump from 41 to 35 shows he remains a critical asset to fantasy managers weekly.

📉 Fallers — Midseason struggles

Mikal Bridges — G/FC, New York Knicks: 73rd overall (⬇️ 13)

The Knicks are 4-8 over their last 12 games, and Bridges has disappeared. He’s averaging 27.6 fantasy points over the past two weeks and just 24.8 over the past week — both outside the top 150. During a five-game stretch, he averaged 12.6 points, 3.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game.

New York gave up FIVE first-rounders for this guy. His scoring dropped from 16.5 PPG in December to 13.8 PPG in January, while his efficiency declined (his TS% dropped from 62% to 51%). The 13-spot decline to 73 reflects what we’ve seen all year: he just hasn’t been consistent enough to trust.

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Isaiah Hartenstein — FC, Oklahoma City Thunder: 93rd overall (⬇️ 9)

Hartenstein missed 15 straight with a recurring calf strain that’s left him with no timetable for his return. OKC continues to list him as questionable on the injury report, only to rule him out later. It’s not looking good, and the fewer answers fantasy managers have, the more we’re running out of patience keeping him stashed in IL.

When healthy, Hartenstein was putting up a low-end double-double with three dimes and nearly two stocks per contest. His absence, among others, is telling as the Thunder have lost three of their last five games. Hartenstein will continue to slide if we don’t get any meaningful updates.

Desmond Bane — G/FC, Orlando Magic: 68th overall (⬇️ 5)

Not a big slide by any means, but Bane hasn’t put together a 40-point fantasy performance in High Score since Jan 11. The Magic are slumping hard right now and their defense is starting to look as bad as their offense.

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Last week, Bane averaged 20/4/2 with 1 steal per game, not really enough for fantasy managers to keep in their lineups all week. He was brought in to help solve their issues offensively — primarily 3-point shooting — but it seems he’s caught up in the Magic funk, too. Bane is averaging a mere 32 fantasy points across Weeks 13 and 14.

Complete High Score 100 rankings

The High Score 100 is a running reflection of year-to-date performance and trending production.

Injury notes:

Jimmy Butler III (torn ACL) has been removed from the top 100. The top player in High Score (and across all formats), Nikola Jokić, remains out with a hyperextended knee. He’s resumed on-court workouts and could return soon. He’s far and away the best fantasy player in High Score. He’s the only player averaging north of 70 fantasy points per game and he should still be the No. 1 overall pick if drafting a team right now.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury timeline with a calf strain is unclear at this point, while Ja Morant will miss at least three weeks with a UCL sprain.

One of the biggest questions of the Kansas City Chiefs’ offseason is whether tight end Travis Kelce will return for a 14th NFL season.

On Tuesday, Chiefs owner Clark Hunt chimed in with a supportive voice, saying that the team will give Kelce time to make up his mind and that he hopes the future Hall of Famer will return.

“Well, as an organization, we certainly hope that he will come back,” Hunt told “Good Morning Football” on Tuesday. “He had another great year, maybe not on par with where he was four or five years ago, but still had over 800 yards, and was really one of the leaders on the offensive side of the ball for us. So there’s no doubt in my mind that he can still play. We’re trying to be respectful and let him have the time that he needs to make a decision.

“He has sort of a busy offseason coming up with his engagement and marriage, so we want to be respectful and give him the time he needs to make a decision. But we certainly hope that he’ll be back.”

Days after the Chiefs’ season came to an end without playoff football for the first time since 2014, the 36-year-old Kelce said on his “New Heights” podcast with brother Jason that he was undecided about his future, and that while he still has “a lot of love” for football he wanted to see how his body responded to rest.

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Kelce had an emotional send-off in the Chiefs’ final regular season home game in Week 17 with his mom, Donna, and his fiancée, Taylor Swift, both in attendance. Speaking to reporters following Week 18, the four-time All-Pro said that last season he knew immediately he wanted to return. This time around? It’s not as simple.

“Who knows?” Kelce said. “Either it hits me quick or I’ve got to take some time. Last year was a little bit easier. I think I knew right away I wanted to kind of give this one a shot. So I dunno. We’ll see.”

Kelce’s production was similar to that of what he did in 2024. This past season he caught 76 passes for 851 yards and five touchdowns. While those numbers weren’t anywhere near his output during his prime, he still average 11.2 yards per reception, his highest since 2022.

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If Kelce, who pulled out of the Pro Bowl this week, does choose to return for 2026, quarterback Patrick Mahomes may not be there at the start of the season after tearing his ACL in December. No timeline has been put on his return, but Hunt said Tuesday “I wouldn’t put it past him” for the two-time MVP to be ready for Week 1.

Fantasy analyst Joel Smyth goes over the most frustrating fantasy football backfields from 2025. How will teams like the conference champion Seahawks and Patriots look a season from now? With offseason changes galore, which talented RBs could have better scenarios in 2026?

Seattle Seahawks

Zach Charbonnet went from the top backup RB stash in 2025 drafts to a thorn in the side of Kenneth Walker III managers. Over the last few weeks, however, the talent of Walker has been on full display, showing why he was drafted inside the top 20 RBs last August. In his three games without Zach Charbonnet healthy, Walker has averaged an astounding 23.5 fantasy PPG. In comparison, overall RB1 Christian McCaffrey averaged 21.5 this season.

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The main topic this offseason won’t be about the confidence in Walker’s talent, but about another round of changes in Seattle.

With Charbonnet going down with a late-season ACL tear, the chances of him being ready for Week 1 are up in the air. However, it also increases the likelihood of Walker resigning in free agency. Another factor to consider is the potential departure of playcaller Klint Kubiak. Although he praised Walker’s potential as a feature back this offseason, only one game saw a Seattle RB receive over 60% of the RB touches. Walker will need to either take advantage of Charbonnet’s potential early absence, establishing himself as a bellcow, or earn the favor of a new playcaller in Seattle. If either occurs, Walker’s ceiling with increased volume or red-zone work is top-notch.

The risk is that all the offseason changes will ultimately result in the same on-field situation. I would let the facts lead you to your draft-day decision rather than hurt feelings from the 2025 season.

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New England Patriots

The other Super Bowl team had its own murky backfield in 2025. After drafting TreVeyon Henderson at the top of the second round, fantasy managers had to wait until an injury took Rhamondre Stevenson off the field to fully benefit. From Weeks 9-12 with Henderson as the feature back, the rookie averaged 19.4 fantasy PPG, as he looked to be on his way to becoming a league winner.

Then it all crumbled. After a classic post-bye rookie blowup game in Week 15 with 29.1 fantasy points, Henderson crossed 10+ points in one of his last seven games, which happened to be in a primarily useless Week 18 game.

The common complaint is, “Why is Henderson not being used more?!” The issue is that he has largely failed to provide a consistent reason to. The Patriots’ coaching staff trusts the veteran Stevenson far more, especially in key areas such as the red zone and passing game. Henderson needs to take the next step this offseason to be worth a potentially high ADP. Stevenson ranked third in yards after contact per attempt to De’Von Achane and Bijan Robinson, proving he is not just a backup role player who will be passed over by anyone. With the Patriots offense, Henderson won’t need bellcow volume, but the need for either increased receiving work or red-zone carries is high.

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Kansas City Chiefs

Andy Reid has no shortage of elite fantasy running backs produced, but he has failed to have a top-20 RB over the last two seasons and has not had an RB1 since 2018 Kareem Hunt. The Chiefs offense has been dominant over the years, yet the RB production has been average — and split. Over the last three seasons with Matt Nagy as the offensive coordinator, KC running backs rank 32nd in explosive carries and, frankly, it’s not even close. Only 20 attempts have gone for 15+ yards (in three years!!), while the 31st-ranked team, the Las Vegas Raiders, had 26.

The ideal scenario is a new RB, whether through free agency or the draft, enters with Eric Bieniemy returning to Kansas City as the offensive coordinator, where he helped lead an explosive offense from 2018-2022. If the RB room does stay put, the odds of Isiah Pacheco or another RB returning into the top 20 still heavily increase.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In fantasy PPG, excluding touchdowns, Bucky Irving would rank as the RB9. The obvious issue: he scored one rushing touchdown with zero goal-line carries. Whenever a play caller has a one-year stint — and it’s not because they received a promotion — some big fantasy names are bound to go down with them.

The positive is that, following the Josh Grizzard experience, Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers offense will have former Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson enter the fold. After Bijan Robinson finished as the RB21 with Arthur Smith, Zac Robinson turned the superstar running back into the overall RB4 and RB3, respectively, the last two seasons. Irving can be a bounce-back candidate in 2026 with an improved offense and increased touchdown opportunities.

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Carolina Panthers

For a short window, Rico Dowdle averaged 18.8 PPG from Week 5-11. The rest of the season, Dowdle scored an underwhelming 8.8 per game. An even bigger issue came in the NFL Playoffs. Dowdle’s 27.3% of the RB touches was the lowest since his mid-season breakout, as his volume became inconsistent with a healthy Chuba Hubbard. I wouldn’t expect much of a change if Dowdle were to return to Carolina, as Hubbard is signed to an expensive contract through 2028. For both running backs’ sake, it may be better off for their fantasy upside if Dowdle were to chase a bigger contract elsewhere after his one-year stint with the Panthers.

The New England Patriots are back in the Super Bowl for the first time since 2018 and second-year QB Drake Maye is a big reason why. The Patriots were able to outlast the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, 10-7, in inclement weather. Maye only threw for 86 yards but also rushed for 65 and a score to help lead New England to a matchup with the Seattle Seahawks.

None of that mattered much for fantasy football, but coming off the season Maye just had it’s fair to wonder if he’s next up for the crown as QB1 overall. He nearly took that title from Bills QB Josh Allen this season and will be a hot commodity going into 2026. Matt Harmon and Scott Pianowski discuss Maye’s outlook for next season and if he has a shot at overtaking Allen for the No. 1 QB honors.

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Pianowski immediately mentions the supporting cast. Like Allen, Maye operated all season without an alpha receiver. Sure, the Patriots got plenty out of Stefon Diggs at age 32 and Kayshon Boutte flashed some upside throughout the season. But New England lacked a clear No. 1 option in the passing game. Perhaps adding a top wideout will further increase Maye’s fantasy potential.

That could come in the form of a trade (perhaps for Eagles WR A.J. Brown) or via the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, where the Patriots will select at the back-end of the first round.

Harmon is also excited to see what Maye can do with better receivers but more importantly, when he grows up. Maye will turn just 24 years old prior to the start of the 2026 regular season. Assuming he stays on this trajectory, Maye should only continue to improve. Harmon thinks Maye still looks like “a little Bambi” out on the field and hasn’t fully developed.

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When he does, look out.

Maye led the NFL in completion percentage in 2025 at 72% on the season while throwing for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also rushed for 450 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 21.5 fantasy points per game.

Yahoo analyst Justin Boone has Maye ranked third in his early QB rankings for 2026 fantasy football. Maye jumps up one spot to QB2 overall in Boone’s dynasty rankings and trade value charts.

New York Yankees star Aaron Judge has been announced as the cover athlete for “MLB The Show 26,” San Diego Studios announced Tuesday.

Judge, who was previously the cover athlete for the game’s 2018 version, follows after last year’s cover athletes were Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz and Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson.

On Monday, SDS put out a statement that the 2026 game would not feature a “new cover athlete,” leading to speculation about whether a current or former MLB player would even grace the front of the video game.

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In the SDS promotional materials, Judge is featured in both his Yankees uniform and Team USA gear. The World Baseball Classic will be part of Diamond Dynasty mode in “MLB The Show 26” after first being part of the game in 2023.

“MLB The Show 26” will be released March 17 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2.

The Buffalo Bills sent a strong message following yet another early playoff exit in 2025: Merely making the postseason is not enough. After nine excellent regular-season performances, Sean McDermott was fired, closing the door on one of the most productive eras in Bills history.

On Tuesday, the franchise found the man it believes can succeed where McDermott failed, promoting offensive coordinator Joe Brady to become its next head coach, the team confirmed.

Brady signed a five-year deal with the franchise. The financial details of his contract were not made available.

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The Bills know the 36-year-old Brady well after bringing him on as quarterbacks coach in 2022 following his two seasons as the Carolina Panthers’ offensive coordinator. Josh Allen threw for over 4,000 yards in each of those two seasons and added 64 total passing touchdowns over that stretch. In 2023, Brady would take over offensive coordinator duties on an interim basis following Ken Dorsey’s dismissal. A season later, Brady was promoted into the full-time role and was voted a finalist for the Assistant Coach of the Year award.

[Get more Bills news: Buffalo team feed]

Brady will face extremely high expectations with the Bills. Under McDermott, the team reached the playoffs in eight of nine seasons. The Bills won at least one playoff game in six of those appearances, making it to the AFC championship twice, where they were defeated by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs both times.

That sets up a scenario where Brady will have to lead the team to the Super Bowl — or at least make multiple deep postseason runs — to make his early tenure with the Bills a success beyond what McDermott did.

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That’s an unfair expectation to place on any coach, but that’s the reality when Josh Allen is your quarterback. Allen’s presence made the Bills one of the most desirable landing spots this offseason. Allen is one of the best quarterbacks in the game, a perennial Pro Bowler, a consistent threat to be named first-team All-Pro and league MVP. The 29-year-old is signed through the 2030 season, ensuring he’ll remain in Buffalo for years to come. The only thing he’s missing is a Super Bowl win, and the Bills believe Brady will be the one to get Allen there.

While Buffalo was considered a strong landing spot the instant McDermott was fired, the timing of that move put the Bills behind the eight ball. John Harbaugh and Kevin Stefanski — two of the best head coaches on the market — had already committed to other teams by the time the Bills made the move.

Since the firing came after the divisional round of the playoffs, the Bills were prohibited from interviewing any coach on a still-active NFL team, meaning any assistants on the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks could not speak to Buffalo until their teams were eliminated from the playoffs. That wasn’t the case for teams that fired coaches before the divisional round. They were allowed to schedule interviews with assistants on those teams, with some restrictions regarding when those interviews could take place.

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In the end, that didn’t matter, as the Bills opted to go with a coach already on staff.

Notably, while McDermott was shown the door, general manager Brandon Beane was allowed to stay. The Bills promoted Beane to team president and allowed him to lead the search for the Bills’ next coach. Beane ultimately decided on Brady, and the success of that partnership could determine how long Beane stays in his new role.

With Brady on board, the hard work can begin. As long as Allen remains healthy, the Bills should be considered perennial contenders to win the Super Bowl. While the Allen era has been incredibly productive, the Bills have yet to reach the big game with the All-Pro under center, something the team did four times in a row in the early ’90s with QB Jim Kelly.

Everyone knows how that run ended. Despite four straight Super Bowl appearances, the Bills are still looking for their first Super Bowl win.

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The team hasn’t made it that far with Allen just yet, but the parallels are similar. After repeated seasons of falling short with Allen, Bills ownership decided it did not want to waste the prime of another generational passer.

It will be up to Brady to end that cycle and deliver Buffalo its first Super Bowl win in franchise history. Having Allen under center makes that task significantly more attainable, but it’s still a massive ask for any coach in his first year on the job, let alone a first-time head coach.

Agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are expected to play a security role at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics in February, according to the Associated Press.

ICE agents are expected to support “diplomatic security details” at the Olympics, and will reportedly not run any “immigration enforcement operations,” per the AP.

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) — under which ICE operates — confirmed ICE will not “conduct immigration enforcement operations in foreign countries.”

DHS noted that security operations will fall under Italian authority during the Olympics.

Federal agencies have provided security for U.S. diplomats during previous Olympics, per the Associated Press.

During previous Olympics, several federal agencies have supported security for U.S. diplomats, including the investigative component of ICE called Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the officials said. They could not be named because they are not authorized to speak publicly.

While the U.S. has engaged in similar actions in the past, news that ICE agents will be present at the Olympics could cause more controversy than normal. The AP’s report comes at a time where President Donald Trump’s use of ICE agents has faced harsh criticism. Polls conducted by Reuters on Monday showed a record-low approval rating for Trump’s handling of immigration. A separate poll showed 58 percent of Americans believe ICE has gone “too far” with their actions around the U.S.

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ICE agents have come under fire in recent weeks for their presence in Minnesota, where federal agents have shot and killed two people — 37-year-old Renee Good and 37-year-old VA nurse Alex Pretti — in January. Thousands of protesters took the streets in Minneapolis and other areas in Minnesota over the weekend to voice their displeasure for ICE’s presence in the state.

ICE agents have also conducted operations in both Illinois and Maine, among other U.S. states.

At least one Italian politician — Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala — has spoken out about ICE’s presence at the Olympics, saying they “are not welcome in Milan,” per the AP.

“This is a militia that kills, a militia that enters into the homes of people, signing their own permission slips. It is clear they are not welcome in Milan, without a doubt,’’ Sala told RTL Radio 102 before ICE’s deployment to the Games was confirmed.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said he wasn’t sure whether ICE agents would be at the Olympics, but said he did not see a problem if that was the case.

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U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, along with his wife Usha and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are expected to attend the Opening Ceremony at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, the White House announced.

The Opening Ceremony is set to take place Feb. 6. The Milan-Cortina Olympics will run from Feb. 6 through Feb. 22.

Former Giants head coach Brian Daboll is set to become the Tennessee Titans’ next offensive coordinator if he isn’t hired by the Las Vegas Raiders, according to multiple reports. Daboll will join former Jets head coach Robert Saleh’s staff, after Saleh was hired by the Titans last week. The pair will be tasked with developing quarterback Cam Ward after a rocky rookie season.

Daboll has completed two interviews with Las Vegas, most recently on Monday. Broncos offensive pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb and Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak are also thought to be frontrunners for the job.

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Daboll had a 2-8 record with the Giants last season before his firing, and compiled a 20-40 record overall. He joins a Titans team that fired head coach Brian Callahan in October 2025, after a 1-5 start to the season. The Titans finished 3-14, while Ward threw for 15 touchdowns, 3,169 yards and 7 interceptions. He was sacked a league-high 55 times.

Daboll, 50, served as the Bills’ offensive coordinator from 2018-2021, which coincided with the first four seasons of Josh Allen’s NFL career. His success running the Bills’ offense led to him being hired as New York Giants head coach in 2022. The Giants made the playoffs in Daboll’s first season, but slowly declined over the next few seasons, leading to his firing in November 2025.