Tag: Fox Sport News

  • Super Bowl 60 odds, betting: Bettor wins nearly $4.5 million off preseason Seahawks futures wagers

    Despite Seattle’s preseason win total of 8.5 (-125 to the under at BetMGM) and the 12th-best odds to make the postseason in the NFC (+170) before the season began, one bettor loved the Seahawks to not only make the playoffs and win the NFC but also win Super Bowl LX.

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

    Yahoo Sports was first to report a Nevada bettor at BetMGM wagered $50,000 on three separate Seahawks-related futures back in August — $150,000 in total.

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    The three bets:

    • $50,000 on the Seahawks to win Super Bowl 60 at 60-1 odds to win $3 million

    • $50,000 on the Seahawks to win the NFC at 28-1 odds to win $1.4 million

    • $50,000 on the Seahawks to make the playoffs at +185 odds to win $92,500

    The Seahawks clinched a postseason berth a few weeks ago to win the first $50,000 bet and beat the 49ers 13-3 in Week 18 to secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

    After Seattle’s victory over the Rams on Jan. 25, that bettor cashed his second ticket worth $1.4 million.

    The $50,000 wager on Seattle to win Super Bowl 60 carried the largest liability of any reported NFL futures wager at U.S. sportsbooks, after a $50,000 bet at 66-1 odds on the Chicago Bears to win Super Bowl 60 came up short when the Bears fell 20-17 to the Rams in overtime at home in the divisional round.

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    The Seahawks beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX 29-13 to cash the third ticket, worth $3 million. It is Seattle’s first championship since Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014.

    The bettor came back in to Vegas last weekend to hedge his Seahawks Super Bowl bet, wagering $725,000 on the New England money line at +195 odds at BetMGM. That bet would win more than $1.4 million and ensured that the bettor would win roughly $1.5 million on the Super Bowl and be up nearly $3 million on all his wagers — no matter the outcome of the big game.

    Yahoo Sports also confirmed Circa Sports in Nevada took two large wagers on the Seahawks at 75-1 odds to win Super Bowl 60 with “seven-figure liability” from a new customer in late August as well.

  • Fantasy Football: 10 key stats from Week 18 and the NFL playoffs to note going into next season

    The fantasy football season ends in Week 17, up to five games before the end of certain player’’ football seasons. For players like Rhamondre Stevenson, that can be 28% of their entire year! Week 18 and the NFL playoffs may not be one-to-one in comparison, but many stats can shift the story for next year’s fantasy drafts. Analyst Joel Smyth goes over his 10 fantasy findings from what’s changed after fantasy champions were decided.

    23.4

    Fantasy PPG for Kenneth Walker III in the NFL playoffs. The Super Bowl MVP’s end-of-season hot streak continued into the playoffs as the Seahawks counted on him heavily once Zach Charbonnet went down with injury. In his final six games of the season, Walker averaged 128.5 scrimmage yards. If Charbonnet is not fully healthy to begin the 2026 season, Walker can secure a high workload and boost his stock in Seattle once more — that is, if he decides to re-sign with the team in free agency (the team could also choose to franchise-tag the RB).

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    3.4

    Fantasy PPG for TreVeyon Henderson in his four playoff games. A slight 20 points fewer than Walker’s playoff run in a larger sample. Since Stevenson returned to his full snap share in Week 13, Henderson averaged under 10 fantasy points and saw his volume and snaps decrease. Stevenson is signed in New England long-term, posted great efficiency numbers and is consistently reliable. It’s looking more and more like Henderson will have to fight to receive even half of the Patriots’ RB workload next season.

    70.3%

    Of snaps played for Stevenson in the NFL playoffs. Rookie snap counts usually rise throughout the season, but with Stevenson being the safe and more productive option, Henderson — the Patriots’ early-round selection in the 2025 draft — saw his snaps drop from the regular season. Stevenson showed that he was not only getting playing time as a reliable role player, but also because of his talent, as he averaged the fifth-best mark in yards after contact per carry.

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    1.17

    Yards per route run for Luther Burden III in his final three games of 2025. Yards per route has become popular as it’s an accurate indicator of a young player’s future, even noted by NBC commentator Cris Collinsworth during a broadcast due to Burden’s remarkable regular-season number. However, although the rookie posted elite numbers on his limited snaps throughout the season, his end-of-the-year total dropped from third to seventh when including his final three weeks. Still an incredible achievement, but pump the brakes slightly on a team full of talent.

    16.5

    Fantasy PPG for Colston Loveland in his four games since Week 17. The brakes fully fell off to end the year with the rookie tight end, who ended the fantasy season with a league-winning performance. The Bears TE had a 31% target share in his final month, equalling 48 targets. He can be dangerous in his sophomore season at a position where it’s hard to find true upside. ​

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    18.1

    Fantasy PPG for Brock Purdy, including his final three games of 2025. After averaging 21.5 points in his eight healthy games during the fantasy season, managers in the fall may picture Purdy as the overall QB2 rather than the borderline QB1 he’s been throughout his career. Adding in Week 18, his NFL playoff run and now an injured George Kittle pushes him back down to his career average.

    12

    Total carries for Rico Dowdle in his final two games of 2025. It was a rough end to the year for Dowdle, but at least his volume was still there in the regular season. But his RB1 role ended with the end of the fantasy season. With Chuba Hubbard getting healthier, the Panthers shifted focus to their higher-paid RB, as Dowdle scored only once in his final eight games of the year.

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    6.9

    Fantasy PPG for RJ Harvey in his final three games of the season. Once J.K. Dobbins went down, fantasy managers holding onto Harvey were given hope once more, and he came through with 15.3 fantasy PPG from Weeks 11 to 17 without Dobbins to help boost your starting lineup. The issue for next year is that it wasn’t the full story; when including the final three games, that 15.3 drops to a less exciting 12.5.​

    2.72

    Yards per route for Zay Flowers with Lamar Jackson this season. Most think of 2025 as a rough year for Flowers, scoring only three touchdowns during the fantasy season and playing several games without his star QB. Adding in Week 18 and isolating only games with Jackson tells a different story. His 2.72 yards per route would rank third among WRs, behind only Puka Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, as his dominant Week 18 performance would’ve helped him finish as the fantasy WR13 on the season. A key stat to note for draft season next fall.

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    15+

    Half-PPR fantasy points in each of the final four games for Jacksonville’s Parker Washington. The young WR came through for fantasy managers when it mattered most in Weeks 16 and 17, but it didn’t stop there. Even with Jakobi Meyers and Brian Thomas Jr. on the field, Washington’s presence was felt the most, as Trevor Lawrence targeted the slot specialist 41 times over the last month of the season, totaling 454 yards and three scores. He’s had mini-spurts of success throughout his career, but none bigger than his final month heading into next season.

  • 2026 Fantasy Baseball Catcher Preview: Position is ripe with depth following breakout seasons from Cal Raleigh, Shea Langeliers, more

    Cal Raleigh was the big story at catcher last year. Sixty homers, 125 RBI, a runner-up finish in the AL MVP voting, it was a monstrous year, probably the second-best catcher season of all-time (Mike Piazza, 1997). Raleigh is an early second-round pick in Yahoo fantasy baseball leagues this year, and even with some reasonable regression baked into the story, I can’t say that pick is wrong.

    [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2026 MLB season]

    But let’s not lose the global picture at catcher. The position as a whole was tremendous last year. Sixteen different catcher-eligible players collected offensive WAR of 2.0 or better, and 17 different players got to 400 at-bats. It’s a mild bump over 2024, but a significant lift over what we saw in the previous decade. Compare last year’s haul to that of 2019, when a modest 12 backstops made it to 2.0 oWAR and just nine collected 400 at-bats.

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    The position is getting younger. If we look at the 24 catchers with the most at-bats last year, only Salvador Perez (age 35, and a whopping 597 at-bats) and J.T. Realmuto (age 34, 502 at-bats) were past the age of 30. Career/breakout seasons from Raleigh, Shea Langeliers, Hunter Goodman and Ben Rice all made sense — their seasonal ages were 28, 27, 25 and 26, respectively.

    Modern managers understand load management better, and often a hitting catcher gets a partial day off through a DH assignment. The 22 busiest catchers last year all saw DH time. This feels like a win-win for everybody — the MLB clubs get to exercise some load management with players at a physically-demanding position, but fantasy managers still get exposure to the offensive stats.

    Because of the depth at the position, I’ll probably take my time assembling my catchers this year. In leagues that require multiple backstops, I might choose to be the last manager to fill the C1 slot, but early to the C2 requirement. As always, any strategy can work if you pick the right players.

    More positional previews

    Proactive Picks

    Agustín Ramírez, Marlins

    His Yahoo ADP of 126 is 50 picks cheaper than his global ADP, so appreciate the discount for now. Ramírez showed plus power and surprising speed (16 steals in 19 attempts) as a rookie, and his batting average should rise as his plate discipline matures. Miami’s roster is still fairly anonymous, which often leads to a discount on draft day.

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    Hunter Goodman, Rockies

    The batting average crashed by 59 points on the road, but Goodman also conked 18 road homers and had similar slugging percentages in both columns. The Rockies prioritize him in the lineup, giving him 39 starts at DH. Although the Colorado lineup lacks the depth of past seasons, Goodman at least will be in the top half of the order, where the production is. He’s still a decent value in the mid-80s for Yahoo ADP.

    Possible Fades

    Adley Rutschman, Orioles

    He was a god as a rookie, very good his second year, tailed off in Year 3 and collapsed last season. Okay, oblique injuries were part of the story, but what especially concerns me is that Rutschman’s career arc closely tracks to Matt Wieters; same team, same position. Wieters had his best WAR seasons at age 25 and 26 but was hurt and/or ineffective the rest of his career. I’ll allow my heart to root for a Rutschman turnaround, but I can’t spend fantasy capital on him.

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    J.T. Realmuto, Phillies

    Realmuto still bats for a credible average, but the power continues to fade — he slugged just .384 last year. He also had a 91 OPS+ in 2025, the first time in a decade he’s been a below-average offensive player. Stepping into his age-35 season, it’s a good time to eschew Realmuto, even with an inexpensive ADP. Player development is not always linear, but player decline almost always is.

    Potential Sleepers

    Francisco Alvarez, Mets

    It feels like he’s been around forever but this is just his age-24 season. Hand and thumb problems — and eventual surgery — held Alvarez back in 2025, but when he could play, the bat was solid (122 OPS+, .447 slugging percentage). He’s a lock to hit 20 homers in a full season and he could hit for a plus average, too. The Mets probably have a top-five offense, and Alvarez is an affordable way (ADP: 196) to grab a share of it.

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    Kyle Teel, White Sox

    Chicago needs this kid to make it, as he was the key player acquired in the Garrett Crochet trade. Teel looked the part in his first MLB lap, batting for a .273 average and showing more pop than initially expected. Teel already has a keen eye at the plate, ranking well above league average in chase rate and walk rate. He might be athletic and resourceful enough to mix in 6-10 steals.

    1. Cal Raleigh, Mariners

    2. William Contreras, Brewers

    3. Shea Langeliers, Athletics

    4. Hunter Goodman, Rockies

    5. Ben Rice, Yankees

    6. Agustín Ramírez, Marlins

    7. Salvador Perez, Royals

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    8. Will Smith, Dodgers

    9. Drake Baldwin, Braves

    10. Iván Herrera, Cardinals

    11. Yainer Diaz, Astros

    12. Alejandro Kirk, Blue Jays

    You can find our complete catcher rankings for 2026 fantasy baseball here.

  • 2026 Fantasy Baseball First Base Preview: Nick Kurtz gives group that lacks depth another superstar

    Although we still haven’t returned to the heyday of first base, the position is starting to look up. The arrival of Nick Kurtz has given the position another superstar, as the youngster still hasn’t played a full season and is already the top first baseman on many draft lists. And the longstanding group of veterans, including the likes of Pete Alonso and Matt Olson, is still going strong.

    [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2026 MLB season]

    But as strong as the first base position is at the top, it drops off just as quickly. Depending on format, there are about a dozen appealing options. Unfortunately, the next tier leaves much to be desired, which is especially a problem in Roto leagues, where many managers will need to secure their corner infielder from the pool of first basemen. Here are some players to target and avoid.

    More positional previews

    Proactive picks

    Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves (Yahoo ADP 33.6)

    A second-tier first baseman by ADP, Olson is closer to those in the tier ahead of him than those who trail him on the list. In four years with the Braves, the 31-year-old has hit .261 with an average of 37 homers, 109 RBI and 97 runs scored. Those numbers look an awful lot like the ones that are expected from Kurtz and Alonso, who are both being drafted roughly 15 picks earlier. Olson is boring, productive and the perfect third-round pick for those who have started their draft with a couple of speedy players.

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    Ben Rice, New York Yankees (Yahoo ADP 84.7)

    Let’s start with the obvious — the best part about drafting Rice is that he is eligible at the catcher position but will not have the physical demands of working behind the plate. And managers who come for the expanded workload will find that they get much more. Rice is an emerging star who last season logged a 95th percentile average exit velocity and 92nd percentile barrel rate. His expected stats were far ahead of his actual marks, which indicates that he could enjoy better batted-ball luck and a major uptick in performance. More volume and better on a per-game basis? Sign me up.

    Willson Contreras, Boston Red Sox (Yahoo ADP 105.9)

    The ceiling was raised for Contreras as soon as he was traded from the Cardinals to the Red Sox. Fenway Park will be the best venue he has called home in his career, and Boston has a lineup that is vastly superior to the one Contreras left behind in St. Louis. Expected to hit out of the cleanup spot with his new team, the 33-year-old could produce 25 homers and 90 RBI across 150 games.

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    Fades

    Josh Naylor, Seattle Mariners (Yahoo ADP 58.5)

    No one truly knows what to make of a player with third percentile sprint speed who surprisingly stole 30 bases last season. The guess here is that Naylor’s steals total comes crashing back to Earth now that he is in possession of a long-term contract, and he finishes closer to 10 steals than 20. And when we take away the swipes, Naylor doesn’t look so special as a career .269 hitter who has hit more than 20 homers just once.

    Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers (Yahoo ADP 52.7)

    Let’s take away the name value of Freeman and look at his stats from the past two seasons. Over 2024-25, the Dodgers’ star has averaged 147 games, 23 homers, 81 runs, 89.5 RBI, 7.5 steals and a .289 average. Those are excellent numbers, but they aren’t much better than the production that can be expected from a group of first basemen who have an ADP that is 30-40 picks later than Freeman. Add in his advanced age (36), and there are reasons to let someone else use a premium pick on him.

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    Spencer Torkelson, Detroit Tigers (Yahoo ADP 185.4)

    Torkelson was one of the biggest busts of 2024, and after getting off to a hot start last season, he compiled just 17 homers and 36 RBI over the final four months of the campaign. The career .227 hitter needs to be a premium home-run hitter to have value in standard leagues. So far, his power stroke has been too inconsistent.

    Sleepers

    Kazuma Okamoto, Toronto Blue Jays (Yahoo ADP 179.6)

    A quick look at Okamoto’s stats from Japan will make fantasy managers excited. The 29-year-old has strong contact skills and posted six 30-homer seasons overseas. He may play multiple positions (which would be great for his fantasy value) and will be a full-time member of Toronto’s lineup. He could also earn a premium lineup spot by getting off to a good start. Late-round picks are best used on players with upside, and Okamoto fits that profile.

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    Alec Burleson, St. Louis Cardinals (Yahoo ADP: 184.1)

    Burleson improved in several areas last season, including walk rate (7.1%), average exit velocity (91.0 mph) and fly ball rate (42.1%). On a rebuilding Cardinals team, he has virtually no competition to play every day and bat out of a premium lineup spot. He should post a batting average similar to his .290 mark from 2025, while also hitting more than 20 homers and chipping in a few steals.

    Andrew Vaughn, Milwaukee Brewers (Yahoo ADP 219.0)

    Vaughn was terrific after joining the Brewers, hitting .308 with nine homers and 46 RBI in 64 games. One of the smartest organizations must be confident in the sustainability of his contributions, as they did not pursue other first-base options in the offseason. Vaughn is going undrafted in most leagues despite his potential to provide a helpful batting average and solid counting stats while playing regularly in one of baseball’s best lineups.

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    1. Nick Kurtz, Athletics

    2. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays

    3. Pete Alonso, Orioles

    4. Bryce Harper, Phillies

    5. Matt Olson, Braves

    6. Rafael Devers, Giants

    7. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers

    8. Josh Naylor, Mariners

    9. Tyler Soderstrom, Athletics

    10.  Vinnie Pasquantino, Royals

    11.  Ben Rice, Yankees

    12.  Michael Busch, Cubs

    You can find our complete first basemen rankings for the 2026 fantasy baseball season here.

  • 2026 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Preview: How should you address the thinnest infield position?

    The first thing to recognize about second base this year is that it’s not deep at the top. A modest six players at the keystone currently have Yahoo ADPs in the top 100, and that’s if we graciously include Jose Altuve and Nico Hoerner, who are percentage points over the cutoff. This makes second base the least bountiful infield slot of the four positions. Third base is the next position of concern, first base is on the upswing, and there are fun shortstops everywhere you look.

    [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2026 MLB season]

    If you don’t land one of the top six at second base, you’ll have to accept some flags from your later picks. Some players are clearly missing a skill or two. Some are talented players coming off poor years or injury-wrecked ones. There are players changing teams. And a few candidates are on the back-nine of their careers, when decline is obviously a risk.

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    On the plus side, a lot of these players are versatile, too. Two-thirds of the top-30 second basemen offer multiple positions of eligibility, and several of these players can cover three positions or more. I always prefer being as flexible as possible with my roster builds (allowing me to be positionless when I need fill-ins), and several of these players can help with that goal.

    More positional previews

    Proactive Picks

    Brice Turang, Brewers (Yahoo ADP 54.3)

    Bill James told us moons ago that versatile players tend to be underrated, and Turang is one of those guys. He quietly led all second basemen in oWAR last year and yet is just the third keystoner off the board, 2-3 rounds after Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ketel Marte. Even if Turang doesn’t keep last year’s power spike, his plate-discipline skills point to a plus average, and he could easily swipe more than the 24 bags he collected last year (he stole 50 in 2024). Turang also holds a good batting slot, hitting second for a plus Milwaukee offense. The Brewers are a quietly-efficient team (they’ve become the NL’s version of the Rays), and Turang is an eat-your-veggies type of pick.

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    Xavier Edwards, Marlins (Yahoo ADP 181.7)

    Okay, you’ll have to make up the power elsewhere. But Edwards has a .298 average and .343 OBP since hitting the majors, which marks his territory in the leadoff spot. And with a glittering success rate of 85.1% on steals, Edwards probably has the upside to swipe 40-60 if so inclined. Remember, he stole 31 bags in just 70 games two years ago.

    Possible Fades

    Jose Altuve, Astros (Yahoo ADP 100.6)

    Altuve’s 26 homers last year obscured some leakage elsewhere — he lost 30 points in his batting average and his steals dropped from 22 to 10. And his bat speed has been well under league average ever since Baseball Savant started tracking it. Altuve is a guess hitter at this point in his career, and he’s stepping into his age-36 season. I’d rather be a year early than a year late with a player holding this career arc.

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    Ozzie Albies, Braves (Yahoo ADP 124.7)

    Albies has been a below-average offensive player (by OPS+) in three of the past four seasons. He continues to swing at too many pitches out of the strike zone, and his batted-ball metrics have been below code for two straight years. The Braves have caught on; Albies will probably open the year in the bottom third of the order.

    Marcus Semien, Mets (Yahoo ADP 181)

    Semien has long been one of my favorite players, but I can’t ignore that his OPS+ has been merely 100 — that’s exactly league average — for two straight years. He’s now in his age-35 season, and he’ll lose some volume with the Mets, who won’t need him batting first like the Rangers did.

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    Sleepers

    JJ Wetherholt, Cardinals (Yahoo ADP 200.7)

    The Cardinals have openings at second base and third base with Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado gone, so Wetherholt should settle in somewhere, assuming he has a decent camp. The team’s No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft (seventh overall), Wetherholt posted a snappy .306/.421/.510 slash between Double-A and Triple-A last year, with 17 homers and 23 steals through just 109 games. He’s already receiving some Rookie of the Year buzz.

    Luis García Jr., Nationals (Yahoo ADP 193.2)

    It’s encouraging that García had 16 homers and 14 steals in what could fairly be termed an off year — that’s probably his floor. He’s still just 26 and a year removed from a .282 average and .444 slugging percentage. It’s possible García will shift to first base this year and he could fall into a platoon as well — at least it would be the heavier side of the platoon. There’s no reason to jump the line with García’s ADP. But he’s affordably priced for a player who’s already shown the ability to be a top-100 fantasy asset.

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    1. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Yankees

    2. Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks

    3. Maikel Garcia, Royals

    4. Brice Turang, Brewers

    5. Nico Hoerner, Cubs

    6. Jose Altuve, Astros

    7. Luke Keaschall, Twins

    8. Jordan Westburg, Orioles

    9. Ozzie Albies, Braves

    10. Xavier Edwards, Marlins

    11. Ceddanne Rafaela, Red Sox

    12. Brandon Lowe, Pirates

    You can find our complete second basemen rankings for the 2026 fantasy baseball season here.

  • 2026 Fantasy Baseball Third Baseman Preview: Despite leading the position, should you avoid José Ramírez?

    The third base position is going to give fantasy managers plenty of headaches this season. Outside of catcher, this is the weakest positional group, as there are no more than seven players who managers should be excited to have in their lineup.

    Drafters will need to make tough choices when handling third base. Some managers may insist on filling the position early, even if that means that they need to reach a few picks during the initial rounds. The opposite approach is also viable — a manager could wait until the final rounds of their draft, knowing that there is plenty of risk in every third baseman who is ranked eighth or lower at the position.

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    There is also a lack of diversity within the skill sets at third base, which will be an issue for Roto managers. Aside from José Caballero, every third baseman who is being selected in the majority of leagues past pick 100 has limited speed and therefore draws all of his value from the power and/or batting average categories.

    Optimists will see an opportunity to gain an advantage at third base. After all, the weak depth among this group means that managers who correctly determine a late-round sleeper will gain a massive advantage over their competitors.

    Here are a few players to either target or avoid.

    More positional previews

    Proactive picks

    Maikel Garcia, Kansas City Royals (Yahoo ADP 83.0)

    Garcia’s 2025 breakout season was well-supported by skill improvements. His strikeout rate (12.6%) and walk rate (9.3%) were career-best marks by a wide margin. Both his average exit velocity (91.3 mph) and barrel rate (5.6%) improved as well. By keeping most of his skill gains, the native Venezuelan could be even more effective this year, thanks to the changes to the outfield walls at Kauffman Stadium. And there is room for his steals total to rebound after it dropped by 14 last year.

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    Colson Montgomery, Chicago White Sox (Yahoo ADP 160.4)

    Montgomery showed exciting power potential when he homered 21 times in 71 games during his rookie year. Sure, he isn’t likely to maintain a 45-homer pace during his first full season in the Majors, but he could regress significantly and still justify his current ADP. Montgomery produces oodles of pulled fly balls, which should keep the homers coming while he works on lowering the 29.2% strikeout rate from his rookie year.

    Fades

    José Ramírez, Cleveland Guardians (Yahoo ADP 7.2)

    This pick is controversial, as Ramírez is being selected as early as fifth overall in some drafts. I want to be clear that I have no issues with the 33-year-old’s skill set. He’s a legitimate superstar, although I expect some pullback after two consecutive 40-steal seasons. My main issue with drafting Ramírez is my massive distaste for a Guardians lineup that finished 28th in runs scored last year and failed to add significant help in the offseason. I want my Round 1 hitter to be part of an above-average offense.

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    Matt Chapman, San Francisco Giants (Yahoo ADP 144.5)

    While Chapman can be a solid accumulator at his position, he offers little more than the third basemen who rank behind him in ADP. The career .240 hitter will likely be a drain on the batting average category. His homer and RBI totals are more likely to be respectable than great, as he tries to overcome the power-suppressing nature of his home park. And although Chapman has swiped 24 bases in the past two seasons, he tallied 11 swipes in his previous seven campaigns and therefore cannot be considered a reliable base stealer for his age-33 season. There are more exciting options at other positions in his ADP range.

    Addison Barger, Toronto Blue Jays (Yahoo ADP 190.7)

    Barger was one of October’s best stories when he hit .367 with a 1.025 OPS during Toronto’s run to the brink of a World Series title. Unfortunately, the longer sample size from the regular season paints a less-exciting picture. Barger slumped in the second half (.679 OPS), and the lefty slugger struggled against southpaws (.607 OPS) throughout the season. On a deep Toronto roster, he’s likely to be a platoon player who leaves fantasy managers disappointed.

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    Sleepers

    Jorge Polanco, New York Mets (Yahoo ADP 191.8)

    Want to wait for a third baseman? This is your guy. Polanco finally stayed healthy, which allowed him to rejuvenate his plate skills and hit .265 with 26 homers and 78 RBI last year. But a bounce-back season isn’t the biggest reason that the 32-year-old tops my sleepers list. By signing a two-year deal with the Mets, Polanco is suddenly locked into one of the best lineup spots in baseball, as his cleanup role behind Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto and Bo Bichette could lead to a 100-RBI season.

    JJ Wetherholt, St. Louis Cardinals (Yahoo ADP 200.0)

    One of baseball’s most exciting prospects, Wetherholt has an excellent chance to make the Opening Day roster for the rebuilding Cardinals. And after hitting .306 with 17 homers and 23 steals in 109 minor league games last season, the seventh overall pick of the 2024 MLB Draft has proven to have the versatile skill set that fantasy managers covet. Wetherholt is already a favorite for the NL Rookie of the Year award and could be one of this year’s best value picks by producing a 20-20 debut season.

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    José Caballero, New York Yankees (Yahoo ADP 201.5)

    Caballero is an especially good pick in standard Yahoo Roto leagues. After all, the waiver wire is usually fruitful in these contests, which means that managers can finish their drafts with players who have significant immediate value. Such is the case with Caballero, who should be the Yankees starting shortstop until Anthony Volpe returns from a season-opening IL stint. The speedster needed just 314 at-bats to lead the Majors with 49 steals last season, and he could single-handedly put fantasy teams ahead of the pack in swipes while holding a starting role in April.

    Carlos Correa, Houston Astros (Yahoo ADP 198.4)

    During his best seasons, Correa was often on my “fades” list. After all, he was highly coveted in drafts despite spending significant time on the IL, stealing zero bases and having good-but-not-great contributions in other categories. But the hate for the 31-year-old has gone too far, as he is now going undrafted in most leagues despite having similar plate skills to his prime years and holding a premium spot in a solid lineup. As a last-round pick at a weak position, Correa could hold down the fort early in the season while his manager looks for breakout players on the waiver wire.

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    1. José Ramírez, Guardians

    2. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Yankees

    3. Colson Montgomery, White Sox

    You can find our complete third baseman rankings for the 2026 fantasy baseball season here.

  • 2026 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Preview: It might be time to fade veteran stars and bet on young talent at loaded position

    Shortstop is the fun zone of fantasy baseball, the donut shop with endless variety. Everything you want is here, just choose your own adventure. A whopping 16 players with shortstop eligibility finished in the top 100 fantasy players last season, assuming a 5×5 scoring system.

    In an earlier era, the shortstop position was seen as “glove first, hitting a bonus” situation, but that’s gone the way of the dinosaur now. MLB clubs understand you need offense and defense at this critical spot.

    Because the position has so many good options, you don’t really need a specific strategy for filling the shortstop spot. You’re going to draft these guys by accident because you’re focused on getting the offensive stats you need. Take note that if your league requires starting a utility middle in addition to a second baseman and shortstop, that UM player will probably be a shortstop because that position is considerably deeper.

    More positional previews

    Proactive Picks

    Zach Neto, Angels (Yahoo ADP 39.0)

    Neto won’t be a screaming bargain, but he’s likely undervalued simply because he missed 36 games last year and it slightly muted his counting stats. Neto has improved his average every season and already has the category juice you demand in the early rounds. Even with a pedestrian Anaheim lineup supporting him, I’ll consider Neto in the second round and pounce on him in the third. You want players on the escalator, and Neto steps into his age-25 season.

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    Geraldo Perdomo, Diamondbacks (ADP 62.9)

    Perdomo was the No. 11 player in 5×5 value last year but his ADP is nowhere near that for the fresh season. This presents an attractive “regress and win” opportunity where Perdomo can actually give back a significant amount of last year’s stats and still be a fantasy profit. Perdomo is a high-percentage base stealer, just entering his age-26 season, so I’m not worried about that column. And he’s the rare player who had more walks than strikeouts last year, and those players are always attractive targets. Maybe the 20 homers won’t come back, but there’s enough broad profile here to make Perdomo a cornerstone player.

    Colson Montgomery, White Sox (ADP 160.9)

    It’s fair to worry about the average, which was .239 with the White Sox last year and just .246 during 376 games in the minors. But Montgomery at least does exciting things when he does make contact, conking 21 homers in just 255 at-bats with Chicago. His Baseball Savant page is full of validation, with plus marks in expected slugging, hard-hit rate, barrel rate and bat speed. Montgomery feels like a cinch for 30-plus homers and he’ll get extra volume as the No. 3 hitter in Chicago. Picking him might require some batting average care later, but we can manage that.

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    [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2026 MLB season]

    Likely Fades

    Mookie Betts, Dodgers (ADP 38.5)

    I’ve often stated that you never lose money on a player like Betts, but maybe the loss years are here. It’s his age-33 season. The steals have all but evaporated. He’s playing a more demanding defensive position. His OPS+ last year was merely 104, slightly above the league mean. He’s also coming off his worst season in all three slash columns. Player ascension isn’t always linear, but player decline almost always is. I take no joy in writing any of this, because Betts himself is a joy.

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    Corey Seager, Rangers (ADP 65.9)

    It hurt me to fade Betts above and the same applies to Seager, one of the best hitters in baseball. Seager’s plate discipline is so perfect that there’s a popular zone-judgment metric that’s named after him. But the reality is that Seager has played just one full season out of the last seven (ignoring the 2020 truncated year) and that’s not a trend to swim against as he turns 32. Seager’s average has dropped into the .270s the last two years and he’s never been interested in stealing bases. I’ll stay open-minded if his price slips in my rooms, but I can’t consider him at current ADP.

    Carlos Correa, Astros (ADP 200)

    Esteemed colleague Fred Zinkie listed Correa as one of his third base sleepers, and I know from experience that disagreeing with Fred is not a +EV strategy. But I’d like to point out that Correa’s Yahoo ADP is about 60 spots higher than his global ADP, and he’s always going to carry batting-average and injury risk, in addition to the zero you’ll get in the stolen base column. This is also the weakest Houston lineup we’ve seen in a while; the Astros were 21st in runs scored last season.

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    Sleepers

    Otto Lopez, Marlins (ADP 213.1)

    Lopez already showed us category juice last year (15 homers, 15 steals), and his .246 average is somewhat misleading. Lopez gets plus marks for his contact rate and zone discipline, and his expected average based on contact data was a solid .269. The typical Miami discount applies, too; it’s a fairly pedestrian roster, which often makes players like Lopez a few rounds cheaper in drafts than is justified.

    Ezequiel Tovar, Rockies (ADP 197.7)

    Let’s play some Occam’s Razor with the Tovar case. He plays in Colorado. He was a 26-homer guy two years ago. The 2025 mess is mostly excused by injury. Tovar will swing at just about anything but he’s maintained a career .258 average despite that approach. He also has a reasonable chance at double-digit steals over a full season.

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    1. Bobby Witt Jr., Royals

    2. Elly De La Cruz, Reds

    3. Gunnar Henderson, Orioles

    4. Francisco Lindor, Mets

    5. Zach Neto, Angels

    6. Trea Turner, Phillies

    7. Mookie Betts, Dodgers

    8. Geraldo Perdomo, Diamondbacks

    9. Corey Seager, Rangers

    10. Jeremy Peña, Astros

    11. Bo Bichette, Mets

    12. Maikel Garcia, Royals

    You can find our complete shortstop rankings for the 2026 fantasy baseball season here.

  • 2026 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Preview: From stars to sleepers, position offers whatever you need in drafts

    Simple math shows that having a productive outfield group is essential to a winning fantasy lineup. After all, outfielders comprise 30-50% of the hitter lineup spots in a standard Yahoo leagues, depending on how each manager chooses to use their utility spots.

    The number of outfield spots is just part of the equation, as the variety of skill sets available from this group provides an appealing amount of flexibility. Fantasy managers who need to make up for skill deficiencies at other positions — whether power, speed or batting average — can find what they need in the outfield at all points in the draft.

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    Wise managers will spread out their outfield selections, hitting the position at various points throughout the draft. Getting a couple stars will be hard to resist, especially since there are eight outfielders who have an ADP within the initial 20 picks. But it also makes sense to save a couple outfield spots for the later rounds, especially in head-to-head category and rotisserie leagues, where managers can finish off their active lineup by using the depth at the position to find the exact type of player they need.

    More positional previews

    Proactive Picks

    Kyle Tucker, Dodgers (Yahoo ADP 17.1)

    The draft market has not yet adjusted to Tucker’s choice to sign with the Dodgers. Sure, he struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness last summer, but Tucker has a long track record of excellence that should override any recent results. The 29-year-old now calls home to a park that maximizes power and will be surrounded by talented hitters. He belongs in the first round and could produce career-best marks in every standard category.

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    Cody Bellinger, Yankees (Yahoo ADP 66.1)

    Staying with the Yankees on a five-year contract was the best possible outcome for Bellinger. The homer-happy nature of Yankee Stadium raises both his power ceiling and floor, as is evidenced by the fact that he produced 18 of his 29 long balls at home in 2025. And beyond the pure power numbers, his membership in a lineup that led MLB in runs scored last year increases his odds of producing a substantial R+RBI total. His sneaky speed (six seasons with double-digit steals) makes Bellinger a top-50 asset for 2026 drafts.

    [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2026 MLB season]

    Christian Yelich, Brewers (Yahoo ADP 101.0)

    Yelich isn’t being given enough credit for his terrific 2025 season. The 34-year-old was a major contributor in homers (29), runs (88) and RBI (103) last year, while also stealing more than 15 bases for the fourth straight season. Working almost exclusively as the DH has reduced his injury risk, and he is well-supported by a strong lineup that ranked third in runs scored last year. Currently being selected in the range of pick 100, Yelich should be drafted at least two rounds earlier.

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    Possible Fades

    Byron Buxton, Twins (Yahoo ADP 95.2)

    Can lightning strike twice? That’s what needs to happen for Buxton to be a major fantasy contributor for a second straight year. There is no doubt that the 32-year-old can excel on a per-game basis. But even in a relatively healthy 2025 season, Buxton still managed to play in just 126 games. Most of his games played totals are two-digit numbers, which means that managers who are expecting another healthy season are probably setting themselves up for disappointment.

    Ceddanne Rafaela, Red Sox (Yahoo ADP 159.6)

    An excellent fielder, Rafaela has tremendous value to the Red Sox. Unfortunately, fantasy managers can’t extract value from his fielding acumen, and his offensive numbers leave something to be desired. Rafaela’s respectable 2025 season was mostly spurred by two good months in June and July, as he logged a sub-.700 OPS in each of the other four months and a lowly .587 OPS in the second half. The Red Sox have a crowded outfield and could reduce the 25-year-old’s playing time if he gets off to a poor start.

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    Mike Trout, Angels (Yahoo ADP 167.8)

    Trout has some similarities to Buxton, as even though he played in 130 games last year, he is likely to miss significant time in any given season. And with Trout, the ceiling is much lower than that of Buxton. After all, Trout has hit .230 across the past two seasons, and he offers minimal steals contributions. Unfortunately, the reward is no longer worth the risk in standard-sized leagues.

    Sleepers

    Konnor Griffin, Pirates (Yahoo ADP 207.1)

    The consensus best prospect in baseball, Griffin could debut as soon as Opening Day. After all, while the Pirates are traditionally slow to promote their prospects, they are starting to turn the corner in a long rebuild and have a limited window to maximize the talent that surrounds ace right-hander Paul Skenes. Griffin has a fantasy-friendly skill set (.333 BA, 21 HR, 65 SB in 2025) and could be a top-50 player this season. He’s worth stashing in every league.

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    Ramón Laureano, Padres (Yahoo ADP 217.3)

    Fantasy managers aren’t recognizing Laureano’s terrific 2025 season in which he hit .281 with 24 homers in 132 games. Sure, the memorable campaign mostly came out of nowhere, but this isn’t the 31-year-old’s first strong season, as he hit .288 with 24 long balls and 13 steals way back in 2019. Some regression on a per-game basis will be offset by logging a heavier workload on a Padres team that has some stars but lacks depth.

    Daylen Lile, Nationals (Yahoo ADP 216.3)

    At the exact moment when most fantasy managers turned their attention to football, Lile decided to break out. He hit .391 with six homers and a 1.212 OPS in September and ranked among the top-10 players in both runs (20) and RBI (19). The memorable finish ensures the 23-year-old a heavy workload and premium lineup spot on the rebuilding Nats, and his Yahoo roster rate should be much higher than its current mark of 54%.

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    1. Aaron Judge, Yankees

    2. Juan Soto, Mets

    3. Kyle Tucker, Dodgers

    4. Julio Rodríguez, Mariners

    5. Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves

    6. Jackson Chourio, Brewers

    7. Kyle Schwarber, Phillies

    8. Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres

    9. Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks

    10. Yordan Alvarez, Astros

    11. Brent Rooker, Athletics

    12. Jarren Duran, Red Sox

    You can find our complete outfield rankings for the 2026 fantasy baseball season here.

  • Milan Cortina 2026: The vibes are back at the Winter Olympics

    Yahoo Sports AM is our daily newsletter that keeps you up to date on all things sports. Sign up here to get it every weekday morning.

    🚨 Headlines

    🎿 Vonn speaks: In her first public statement since Sunday’s devastating crash, Lindsey Vonn said she has “no regrets” about racing on her torn ACL, which “had nothing to do with my crash.” Regardless, her father hopes she never races again.

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    🏀 Perfect no more: No. 9 Kansas handed top-ranked Arizona its first loss of the season, rallying in the second half for an 82-78 victory at home that marked the Jayhawks’ first win over a No. 1 team since 2003. With that, No. 23 Miami (Ohio) is now the last undefeated men’s team in the nation.

    🏈 Pearce arrested: Falcons rookie James Pearce Jr. was arrested Saturday on domestic violence-related charges following a dispute with WNBA player Rickea Jackson. Pearce fled the scene before crashing his car at the end of a police chase.

    🏀 Benches clear in Charlotte: Four players and Charlotte’s head coach were ejected in the second half of the Pistons’ win over the Hornets after a heated exchange following a shooting foul led to an all-out brawl.

    ⚾️ MLB moves: DH Marcell Ozuna is heading to the Pirates on a one-year, $12 million deal; the Red Sox acquired 3B Caleb Durbin in a trade with the Brewers; the Marlins signed veteran RHP Chris Paddack to a one-year, $4 million deal.

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    🇮🇹 Winter Games: The vibes are back

    The Olympic rings surrounded by fireworks are displayed during the Milan Cortina Opening Ceremony. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

    The Olympic rings surrounded by fireworks are displayed during the Milan Cortina Opening Ceremony. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

    Interest in the Winter Olympics has declined precipitously after three straight editions in locales cursed by authoritarian regimes, COVID, a lack of real snow, and more.

    Flipping the script: Milan Cortina 2026 offers a return to normalcy; a much-needed respite from the cynicism. And if the response to Paris 2024 was any indication, we could be in for the most enjoyable Winter Games in quite some time.

    From Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wolken:

    On one hand, the Olympics are compelling no matter where you put them. For the athletes, who are mostly globetrotting anyway for big competitions, a gold medal won in Milan is no different than a gold medal won in Beijing. And for most of the world it’s all just a TV show anyway. Who cares where you put the hockey rink?

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    But if you rewind to the summer of 2024, Paris was different. From the racy, bizarre and very French take on the Opening Ceremony to iconic Paris landmarks being used as the backdrop for competition venues, something clicked in the zeitgeist.

    After several cycles of audience decline for its Olympic broadcasts, NBC rebounded with a whopping 30.6 million viewers per day across its platforms — an 80 percent increase over Tokyo three years earlier.

    It felt like the Olympics as a big, galvanizing cultural force were truly back. Can Italy deliver the same irresistible experience?

    The 2024 Paris Olympics saw a major viewership bump after 2021's COVID-induced decline. Will Milan Cortina experience something similar? (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

    The 2024 Paris Olympics saw a major viewership bump after 2021’s COVID-induced decline. Will Milan Cortina experience something similar? (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

    Don’t discount the possibility, albeit with one big caveat: The Winter Games are not the Summer Games. There are fewer sports, fewer athletes, fewer countries involved and most importantly fewer mainstream superstars.

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    But relative to the last three Winter Games held in Sochi, PyeongChang and Beijing, these Olympics are going to visually present like a storybook Alpine adventure in a way that you simply could not pull off at a Russian Black Sea resort or on the Korean peninsula or in a smog-filled megalopolis where it almost never snows.

    Another difference: NHL players are back for the first time since 2014. With all due respect to the minor-leaguers who stepped in and put on a good show in PyeongChang and Beijing, the Winter Olympics were significantly diminished by not having the elite of the elite competing in one of its marquee events.

    Fresh pow. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

    Fresh pow. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

    Milan is also going to be different because of what we don’t have to talk about. We are not in a host country rife with human rights abuses like China. We are not in a host country getting ready to invade a neighbor. And, perhaps of utmost relevance from an audience perspective, we are not in the middle of an Olympics defined by COVID infections and empty stands.

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    Of course, these Games are not taking place at a perfect moment for the world either. Russia will not be recognized as the war in Ukraine rages on. Tensions in the Middle East are simmering. And if the recent Australian Open is any indication, American athletes should expect to be asked about ICE raids and Venezuela and other actions by the Trump Administration generating international headlines.

    There will never be an Olympics without political tension. But all in all, it has been since Vancouver 16 years ago that a Winter Games was hosted by a Western country, in a true winter wonderland, without being served on a platter of cynicism.

    Instead, this one comes on a big plate of pasta. Eat up.

    💯 Big numbers

    (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

    (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

    🏈 1 of 9

    Drake Maye is one of nine QBs to start in a Super Bowl as an NFL sophomore, joining Dan Marino, Kurt Warner, Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Russell Wilson, Joe Burrow, Brock Purdy and Colin Kaepernick.

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    The long road back: “That group is an interesting mashup, showcasing that while some QBs are destined for more Super Bowl opportunities (Brady, Warner, Roethlisberger and Wilson), others either never again stepped on the biggest stage (Marino and Kaepernick) or are still trying to find their way back (Burrow and Purdy),” writes Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson.

    🏀 183 triple-doubles

    Nikola Jokić (183) has moved past Oscar Robertson (181) for second on the NBA’s all-time triple-doubles list. He now trails only former teammate Russell Westbrook (207), who has added four to his tally so far this season with the Kings.

    Rounding out the top 10: Magic Johnson is fourth on the list (138), followed by LeBron James (122), Jason Kidd (107), Luke Donćić (88), James Harden (82), Wilt Chamberlain (78) and Domantas Sabonis (68).

    (Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

    (Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

    🏀 61 straight home wins

    Kansas loves Mondays. With their victory over top-ranked Arizona, the Jayhawks have now won 61 consecutive home games played on Mondays over a 25-year span.

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    Their last home loss on a Monday? That came all the way back on Feb. 5, 2001, when the Drew Gooden-led Jayhawks fell 79-77 to Jamaal Tinsley and Iowa State.

    📺 $65 per month

    YouTube TV is introducing lower-priced bundles to allow subscribers to better tailor their plans to their interests. The Sports Plan will begin rolling out this week at $65 per month, which is $18 cheaper than the main YouTube TV plan.

    What you get: The Sports Plan includes “all the major broadcast networks,” including ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC, as well as TBS, TNT, FS1, USA, NBCSN, CBSSN, NBA TV, NFL Network, all of the ESPN networks. Premium channels like NFL RedZone will continue to be sold as add-ons.

    (Rich Gagnon/Getty Images)

    (Rich Gagnon/Getty Images)

    🏒 10 years

    Boston College are Beanpot champions for the first time in a decade after dominating Boston University, 6-2, in Monday’s championship game, which was also the 300th meeting between the rival programs.

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    The Battle of Comm Ave: BU still leads the all-time series, but it’s incredibly close. 141 wins for the Terriers, 138 wins for the Eagles, 21 games ended in a tie.

    ✈️ 13 hours

    Roughly 13 hours after departing California where he called Super Bowl LX, Mike Tirico stepped into Studio A at the International Broadcast Center in Milan, Italy, on Monday night to host “Primetime in Milan.”

    The man behind the mic: “For an only child, raised by a single mom in Queens, growing up dreaming of being the next Marv Albert, Tirico is a sportscaster’s sportscaster, with a rare dual ability to lead a studio and call play-by-play at the highest level. Headlining a portfolio of sports’ biggest events now puts him on the path to be considered among the all-time greats in sports TV.” (Andrew Marchand, The Athletic)

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    🇺🇸 Spotlight: Ilia Malinin

    (Amber Matsumoto/Yahoo Sports)

    (Amber Matsumoto/Yahoo Sports)

    After helping Team USA defend its championship in the team event over the weekend, young figure skating sensation Ilia Malinin begins his quest today to win individual Olympic gold as the men’s singles program gets underway in Milan.

    • Hometown: Fairfax, Virginia

    • Fun fact: His parents were also Olympic figure skaters, competing for Uzbekistan in the 1998 and 2002 Games.

    • College: George Mason University

    The Quad God: The two-time defending world champion, undefeated in his last 15 competitions, dominates figure skating to an astonishing degree thanks to his singular ability to pull off the hardest move in the sport: a quadruple axel.

    • In 2022, at age 17, the teenager who’d already nicknamed himself the “Quad God” became the first skater ever to land a quad axel in competition. And while he’s repeated the move more than a dozen times since, he remains the only skater who’s ever landed one.

    • Similar to Simone Biles, Malinin is difficult to beat not only due to his immense skill but because the base values of his routines are so high. A few minor errors won’t sink him like they would someone else.

    What they’re saying: “It’s not a shoo-in. Ilia still has to skate well to win. His competitors are good,” 1988 Olympic champion Brian Boitano told AP. “But yeah, as far as the advantage of being the favorite, it’s him and — well, you know, he’s far ahead.”

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    Good read: The impossible jump, for all but one (New York Times)

    More athletes in action:

    • 🛷 Ashley Farquharson: The Utah native sits in fifth entering today’s final two luge runs. If she can make up the 0.113-second deficit separating her from the podium, she’ll become just the second American woman ever to medal in the event (Erin Hamlin, 2014).

    We’ll be spotlighting America’s best athletes throughout the Games. Follow Team USA’s progress on their homepage, and for in-depth Olympics coverage, go to ours.

    🥇 Medal table: Day 4

    (Yahoo Sports)

    (Yahoo Sports)

    20 of 116 events completed. Full table.

    📺 Watchlist: Tuesday, Feb. 10

    An American and Canadian player fight for the puck during 2022's gold-medal match. (Meng Yongmin/Xinhua via Getty Images)

    An American and Canadian player fight for the puck during 2022’s gold-medal match. (Meng Yongmin/Xinhua via Getty Images)

    🏒 Women’s Hockey, Canada vs. USA

    The world’s top two teams square off in their group stage finale (2:10pm ET, USA) before likely meeting again in next week’s gold-medal game.

    Head-to-head: Canada leads the all-time series, 106-86-2, and has a 5-2 edge in Olympic golds. But the Americans are riding a six-game winning streak against them that includes last year’s World Championship final and a sweep in their annual Rivalry Series.

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    🎿 Alpine Skiing, Women’s Team Combined

    Childhood friends and USA teammates Mikaela Shiffrin and Breezy Johnson go for gold in the Olympic debut of this event that, ahem, combines two disciplines. Downhill began while you were sleeping, and slalom gets underway soon (8am, USA).

    Heavy favorites: Johnson already won downhill gold on Sunday, Shiffrin is the most decorated slalom skier of all-time (by a mile) and the duo took the title last year in the event’s World Championship debut.

    🥌 Curling, Mixed Doubles Finals

    Team USA upset Italy to reach the championship (12pm, USA), where Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin will face Sweden as they seek America’s third curling medal ever — and first since 2018.

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    Third-place matchup: Italy and Great Britain will meet in the bronze-medal match earlier in the day (8am, Peacock).

    ⛸️ Figure Skating, Men’s Short Program

    American sensation Ilia Malinin headlines the men’s singles, which kicks off today with the short program (12:15pm, USA). The top 24 skaters will advance to Friday’s free skate, and the combined scores will determine the medalists.

    🥇 Medal events

    • 🎿 Cross-Country Skiing: Sprint Classic Finals (6:10am, USA)

    • 🎿 Freeskiing: Men’s Slopestyle Final (6:30am, USA)

    • 🎯 Biathlon: Men’s 20km Individual (7:30am, Peacock)

    • ⛸️ Short Track Speed Skating: Mixed Team Relay Finals (11:30am, USA)

    • ⛷️ Ski Jumping: Mixed Team Normal Hill (11:30am, Peacock)

    • 🛷 Luge: Women’s Singles Final (12:30pm, Peacock)

    Daily schedule.

    Wemby and the Spurs are rolling. (Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

    Wemby and the Spurs are rolling. (Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

    More to watch:

    • 🏀 NBA: Clippers at Rockets (8pm, NBA); Spurs at Lakers (10:30pm, NBA) … San Antonio (36-16) has won four straight to climb within four games of the league-leading Thunder.

    • 🏀 NCAAM: No. 13 Purdue at No. 7 Nebraska (7pm, FS1) … Boilermakers All-American Braden Smith ranks second nationally with 8.7 assists per game.

    • ⚽️ Premier League: West Ham vs. Manchester United (3:15pm, Peacock) … The Red Devils are 4-0-0 under interim manager Michael Carrick.

    Got plans tonight? Gametime is the best place to score last-minute tickets to the events happening in your city. Get tickets now!

    🌎 Olympics trivia

    Team USA flagbearer Erin Jackson walks in the athlete parade with her teammates. (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

    Team USA flagbearer Erin Jackson walks in the athlete parade with her teammates. (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

    The United States has the largest delegation (232 athletes) at the Milan Cortina Games.

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    Question: Which country has the second-largest delegation (211 athletes)?

    Hint: Host nation Italy is third (195) and Germany is fourth (189), so you can rule them both out.

    Answer at the bottom.

    📸 Photo finish

    Athletes compete in the Mixed Relay at Anterselva Biathlon Arena. (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

    Athletes compete in the Mixed Relay at Anterselva Biathlon Arena. (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

    Biathlon (cross-country skiing + rifle shooting) is one of those sports that sounds fake until you watch it for five minutes and go, “Oh wow, this rules.”

    _________________________________________________________________________________

    Trivia answer: Canada

    We hope you enjoyed this edition of Yahoo Sports AM, our daily newsletter that keeps you up to date on all things sports. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.

  • The High Score 100: The biggest rankings risers and fallers as we navigate Week 17 in fantasy basketball

    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.

    Here’s a breakdown of the biggest risers and fallers through the 16th week of fantasy basketball, right before the All-Star break — 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 — Pre-All-Star surges

    Player

    Team

    Previous Rank

    Current Rank

    Rank Change

    Donovan Clingan

    POR

    100

    90

    +10

    Dillon Brooks

    PHX

    93

    85

    +8

    Brandon Ingram

    TOR

    46

    41

    +5

    Donovan Clingan — FC, Portland Trail Blazers: 90th overall (⬆️ 10)

    Clingan’s having a moment. The second-year big man is ranked 48th over the last 14 days and smashed in Week 16, averaging 41.5 fantasy points per game while rattling off three straight double-doubles through Feb. 7. Over a stretch of seven games, his numbers rose to 12 points, 15 boards, 2 assists and 2 blocks per game. That’s exactly the kind of production that moves you up in High Score rankings.

    Clingan’s been a force on the glass all season, but with rebounds devalued in High Score, fantasy managers needed to see more from him as a scoring threat and shot blocker — and that’s where he’s been steadily improving as the All-Star break approaches. While I don’t expect his minutes to clear 30 a night, if he keeps this up, he’ll comfortably remain inside the top 100.

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    Dillon Brooks – FC, Phoenix Suns: 85th overall (⬆️8)

    With Stephen Curry out through the All-Star break, Brooks could earn his first All-Star Game selection in 2026. He’s in the midst of a career year, being one of the primary drivers of the Suns’ success thus far.

    Over the past seven games, though, his numbers have spiked to an average of 37.8 fantasy points per game, good for 50th overall in High Score. On Jan. 29, he scored a season-best 62 fantasy points by way of his first 40-point game against one of the best defenses in the league (Detroit Pistons).

    Brooks continues to shine as a scorer without being penalized for his inefficiency or poor assist-to-turnover ratio, making him a strong player for this format.

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    [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]

    Brandon Ingram — G/FC, Toronto Raptors: 41st overall (⬆️ 5)

    BI’s averaging 42 fantasy points per game over the last 14 days, ranking inside the top 35 in High Score during that stretch. For the year, he sits 47th, but the trend is clearly upward — exactly what you want to see heading into the second half.

    Over his last six games, he’s putting up around 25 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and over 1.5 stocks per game. The five-spot climb is modest, but it reflects his consistent performance as a top-50 player this season.

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    📉 Fallers — The tank is on

    Player

    Team

    Previous Rank

    Current Rank

    Rank Change

    Trae Young

    WAS

    75

    100

    -25

    Ja Morant

    MEM

    55

    75

    -20

    Lauri Markkanen

    UTA

    34

    53

    -19

    Trae Young — G, Washington Wizards: 100th overall (⬇️ 25)

    Trae’s on the verge of falling off the rankings entirely. He’ll be re-evaluated after the All-Star break, but with Anthony Davis done for the season, it’s increasingly unlikely we’ll see Young again this year. The Wizards are tanking hard for a top pick, leaving little incentive to rush him back.

    I’m keeping him at 100 for now — barely hanging on — but if we don’t get anything concrete post-break, he’s gone. Fantasy managers holding should be preparing to move on.

    Ja Morant — G, Memphis Grizzlies: 75th overall (⬇️ 20)

    Ja’s situation is looking just as murky as Trae’s. He’ll also be re-evaluated after the break, but Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman said it’ll take a medical determination for Morant to return. Don’t count on that coming.

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    Memphis traded Jaren Jackson Jr., lost nine of its last 11 games and clearly doesn’t care about winning. The Grizz put Ja on the trade block, but received minimal interest. There’s no reason to bring him back now that Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr. are back, plus Cam Spencer is still in the rotation.

    The 20-spot drop reflects reality — Morant’s probably done. And without more clarity, he could find himself off the list by Week 18.

    Lauri Markkanen — FC, Utah Jazz: 53rd overall (⬇️ 19)

    Tank season is here, and Lauri’s getting benched in third quarters. He’s played under 30 minutes in four of his last five games, and the Jazz are clearly managing his workload with an eye toward the lottery. It’s ridiculous.

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    I’m getting ahead of this now because post-All-Star break, expect more rest days and “load management” games. Utah has no incentive to play Lauri heavy minutes, which directly hurts his fantasy value. The 19-spot slide is just the beginning if this continues.

    Complete High Score 100 rankings

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