Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss formed an unlikely alliance last year, and it has been fruitful for them. Not many expected The Queen to work side by side with another star, but she has surprised many by forming a successful team with Bliss.
However, all good things must eventually come to an end, as cracks have started to form in the friendship between Flair and Bliss. Given The Queen’s history, it’s more than likely that she would be the one to turn on Little Miss Bliss.
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With Elimination Chamber coming up, now would be the perfect time for Flair to betray her partner. Let’s look at three reasons for it.
WWE Just Spoiled Masked Man’s Identity? Check Here!
#3. The “Royal” mishap
Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair had an unfortunate accident at the Royal Rumble. During the titular women’s match, Flair eliminated Bliss. While it looked unintentional, one can never be sure when it comes to The Queen.
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The mishap in Saudi Arabia has caused friction between the two. While they are still together, it might not last long. With growing tensions, now would be the perfect time for the Triple H-led creative team to have Charlotte betray Alexa.
#2. Alexa Bliss has qualified for the Women’s Elimination Chamber Match; Charlotte Flair has not
After failing to win the 2026 Women’s Royal Rumble, Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair attempted to punch their WrestleMania 42 ticket by potentially winning the Women’s Elimination Chamber Match.
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However, while Bliss successfully qualified for the gimmick match, Flair didn’t. This could escalate the tensions between them, especially if Little Miss Bliss rubs it in The Queen’s face. The natural progression of this storyline would be to have Charlotte turn on Alexa.
#1. The Queen could take her partner’s place in the Women’s Elimination Chamber Match
Charlotte Flair has a special relationship with gold, which likely trumps any other relationship she has, including the one with Alexa Bliss. With the Five Feet of Fury competing in the Women’s Elimination Chamber Match, The Queen isn’t someone who would sit on the sidelines and watch.
Flair could find a way in the match at any cost. If she has to take out her partner to make it inside the steel structure on February 28, then that’s what she will do. Jealousy would be the driving factor behind the 14-time Women’s Champion’s actions.
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Iowa has reentered the top 10 of the AP Top 25 after a stellar performance from Ava Heiden led the Hawkeyes to a 62-44 victory over then-No. 6 Michigan. Jan Jensen’s team is finishing the regular season strong and is now up to No. 2 and tied with Michigan in the Big Ten standings.
Heiden registered her eighth career double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds, along with two blocks and two steals. The sophomore was a key part of Iowa’s defense, holding the now-No. 8 Wolverines to their lowest point total of the season.
Another big shake-up in the top 10 came from unranked Virginia upsetting then-No. 8 Louisville 74-72 in Kentucky. Meanwhile, then-No. 9 Duke had its 17-game winning streak snapped in a 53-51 loss against Clemson. Both winners are bubble teams, so this past weekend could have been a significant one when it comes to NCAA Tournament implications.
The top five did remain steady, although No. 5 Vanderbilt barely snuck away with an 81-79 win against Kentucky on Sunday. UConn is once again the unanimous No. 1, but this week is a little more special. The program has now appeared in the AP Top 25 poll a total of 655 times under Geno Auriemma, which passed former Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer’s record during her 41-year Hall of Fame career.
Tennessee is another historic women’s basketball program, but the team has been struggling as of late. A 100-93 loss to Oklahoma became their fourth consecutive loss and now the Lady Vols have fallen out of the rankings.
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AP Women’s Basketball Top 25
1
UConn
28-0
775 (31)
1
2
UCLA
27-1
744
2
3
South Carolina
27-1
713
3
4
Texas
26-2
665
4
5
Vanderbilt
25-3
660
5
6
LSU
24-4
624
7
7
Oklahoma
21-6
543
11
8
Michigan
22-5
531
6
9
Iowa
22-5
522
13
10
Louisville
24-5
472
8
11
TCU
25-4
462
12
12
Duke
20-7
449
9
13
Ohio State
23-5
415
10
14
Maryland
22-6
382
14
15
Michigan State
22-6
319
18
16
Kentucky
20-8
286
16
17
West Virginia
22-6
264
19
18
Baylor
23-6
224
15
19
Ole Miss
21-8
219
17
20
Texas Tech
24-5
206
20
21
North Carolina
23-6
177
22
22
Minnesota
21-7
161
23
23
Georgia
20-7
68
24
24
Alabama
21-7
55
25
25
Princeton
21-3
30
NR
Others receiving votes: Colorado 23, Fairfield 18, Tennessee 12, Columbia 10, Rhode Island 7, N Dakota St 7, Virginia 6, Villanova 6, Southern Cal 5, Rice 4, Iowa St. 3, Syracuse 2, Illinois 2, Notre Dame 1, Washington 1, NC State 1.
Last season’s heart arrhythmia halted Yorkshire’s fresh start, though his team was cautious regardless of the issue.
The rising miler returns with greater optimism this time, targeting the Liverpool City Cup (1300m) at Randwick this Saturday.
After a nine-month absence, he began previously in The Hunter (1300m), whereas now it’s merely 10 weeks post his December 13 domination of The Ingham (1600m).
“He would be more forward than that race because he was coming off a long lay-off, where he’s only had a short let-up off the Ingham,” co-trainer Tom Charlton said.
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“He will be more forward by design, but he will have a bit of improvement to come still.”
Handled methodically by the five-year-old’s team of Charlton and John O’Shea, his profile indicates a talent ascending sharply.
Eight wins in 11 races underline this, as he rebounded from The Hunter to take the Festival Stakes (1500m) and Ingham in succession, demonstrating depth beyond mere pace.
“He’s as tough as anything and just thrives on his work and racing,” Charlton said.
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“He will most likely go to the Liverpool City Cup on Saturday. That will be his first-up run, and then probably the Ajax Stakes and Doncaster Mile.”
The Ingham success provided a Doncaster Mile (1600m) ballot exemption for Yorkshire, opening the door to a matchup against fellow stable star Linebacker.
Phoenix Mercury forward Kara Braxton (45) reacts on the court against the Seattle Storm during the first half in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals in the 2010 WNBA Playoffs at US Airways Center on Sept. 5, 2010.(Jennifer Stewart/USA TODAY Sports)
“It is with profound sadness that we mourn the passing of 2x WNBA Champion Kara Braxton,” the league said. “A 10-season veteran, Kara played with the Detroit Shock, Tulsa Shock, Phoenix Mercury, and New York Liberty. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and former teammates at this time.”
The Detroit Shock selected Braxton with the No. 7 overall pick of the 2005 draft out of Georgia. She was an All-Star for Detroit in 2007 and was a member of the championship-winning teams in 2006 and 2008.
New York Liberty forward Kara Braxton (45) and Indiana Fever center Jessica Davenport (50) battle for position during the second half at the Prudential Center.(Ed Mulholland/USA TODAY Sports)
She was with them when the team moved to Tulsa but was later traded to the Phoenix Mercury and eventually the New York Liberty. She was waived by the Atlanta Dream before the 2016 season.
“We mourn the loss of Kara Braxton, a former Liberty player whose presence and passion left a lasting impact on our organization and the women’s game,” the Liberty said. “Our hearts are with her family, friends, teammates, and all who were touched by her spirit. Her impact will not be forgotten.”
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Detroit Shock players Plenette Pierson (23), Deanna Nolan (14), Cheryl Ford, Kara Braxton (45) and Elaine Powell (5) erupt as victory closes in to defeat San Antonio 76-60 for the WNBA championship at the Convocation Center on the Eastern Michigan University campus Oct. 5, 2008.(Mandi Wright/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
NEW DELHI: West Indies delivered a crushing performance to beat Zimbabwe by 107 runs in their T20 World Cup Super Eights match in Mumbai, starting their campaign in dominant fashion. With this win, West Indies have overtaken South Africa to go top of the Group 1 points table in the T20 World Cup Super 8s. The Windies currently boast a superior net run rate (NRR) of +5.350, ahead of second-placed South Africa, who have an NRR of +3.800.
Gautam Gambhir’s animated chat with Abhishek Sharma goes viral; Team India lands in Chennai
With only top two teams from the group making the semi-finals, India, currently third with a -3.800 NRR, could find it difficult to enter the knock-out stage if there is a tie on points at the end of this ongoing stage. After winning the toss and choosing to bowl, Zimbabwe were punished badly as the West Indies batters went on a scoring rampage at the Wankhede Stadium.Shimron Hetmyer was the star of the show, smashing a brilliant 85 off just 34 balls to help West Indies post a massive 254-6, the second-highest total ever in T20 World Cup history. Hetmyer was dropped early in his innings, and Zimbabwe paid a heavy price for that mistake. He raced to a fifty in just 19 balls and added a rapid century partnership with Rovman Powell, who also played a strong knock of 59 off 35 balls. After they got out, Sherfane Rutherford kept the scoring going with 31 not out, while Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder added quick runs at the end, with 38 runs coming off the final two overs.Chasing a huge target of 255, Zimbabwe had a nightmare start. They were reduced to 20-3 inside the first three overs and never recovered. Although Brad Evans fought hard with a late 43 off 21 balls, the rest of the batting collapsed under pressure. Zimbabwe were bowled out for 147 in 17.4 overs.Left-arm spinners Gudakesh Motie and Akeal Hosein dominated with the ball, taking four and three wickets respectively to seal an emphatic win. The match showed the big gap between the two sides on the day, with West Indies sending a strong message in the Super Eights stage.
Canadian curling legend Brad Gushue will have home-ice advantage in his final Montana’s Brier with the national men’s championship in St. John’s, N.L. this year.
The field includes recent Olympic gold medallist and defending Brier champ Brad Jacobs.
The competition runs Feb. 27 to March 8.
Here are the standings, schedule and results:
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Newfoundland and Labrador (Brad Gushue)
Newfoundland and Labrador (Nathan Young)
Nova Scotia (Kendal Thompson)
Nunavut (Derek Samagalski)
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Prince Edward Island (Tyler Smith)
Quebec (Jean-Michel Menard)
Saskatchewan (Kelly Knapp)
Manitoba (Braden Calvert)
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New Brunswick (James Grattan)
Northern Ontario (Dustin Montpellier)
Northern Ontario (Jamie Koe)
Saskatchewan (Mike McEwen)
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Top three teams in each pool qualify for the Page Playoffs.
Draw 1: Friday, Feb. 27, 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT
Newfoundland and Labrador (Young) vs. Nunavut Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) vs. Quebec Ontario vs. Nova Scotia Prince Edward Island vs. Canada
Draw 2: Saturday, Feb. 28, 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
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Northwest Territories vs. Saskatchewan (McEwen) Alberta vs. Manitoba (Calvert) New Brunswick vs. Manitoba (Dunstone) Northern Ontario vs. Yukon
Draw 3: Saturday, Feb. 28, 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT
Canada vs. Saskatchewan (Knapp) Ontario vs. Prince Edward Island Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) vs. Nunavut Quebec vs. Newfoundland and Labrador (Young)
Draw 4: Sunday, March 1: 8 a.m. ET / 5 a.m. PT
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Yukon vs. B.C. New Brunswick vs. Northern Ontario Alberta vs. Saskatchewan (McEwen) Manitoba (Calvert) vs. Northwest Territories
Draw 5: Sunday, March 1: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) vs. Ontario Nunavut vs. Canada Prince Edward Island vs. Newfoundland and Labrador (Young) Nova Scotia vs. Saskatchewan (Knapp)
Draw 6: Sunday, March 1: 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT
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Alberta vs. New Brunswick Saskatchewan (McEwen) vs. Yukon Northern Ontario vs. Northwest Territories Manitoba (Dunstone) vs. B.C.
Draw 7: Monday, March 2: 8 a.m. ET / 5 a.m. PT
Nunavut vs. Prince Edward Island Newfoundland and Labrador (Young) vs. Nova Scotia Saskatchewan (Knapp) vs. Quebec Canada vs. Ontario
Draw 8: Monday, March 2: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
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Saskatchewan (McEwen) vs. Northern Ontario Northwest Territories vs. Manitoba (Dunstone) B.C. vs. Manitoba (Calvert) Yukon vs. New Brunswick
Draw 9: Monday, March 2, 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT
Quebec vs. Nova Scotia Prince Edward Island vs. Saskatchewan (Knapp) Nunavut vs. Ontario Newfoundland and Labrador (Young) vs. Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue)
Draw 10: Tuesday, March 3, 8 a.m. ET / 5 a.m. PT
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Manitoba (Calvert) vs. Manitoba (Dunstone) Northern Ontario vs. B.C. Saskatchewan (McEwen) vs. New Brunswick Northwest Territories vs. Alberta
Draw 11: Tuesday, March 3, 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
Ontario vs. Newfoundland and Labrador (Young) Nova Scotia vs. Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) Quebec vs. Canada Saskatchewan (Knapp) vs. Nunavut
Draw 12: Tuesday, March 3, 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT
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New Brunswick vs. Northwest Territories Manitoba (Dunstone) vs. Alberta Manitoba (Calvert) vs. Yukon B.C. vs. Saskatchewan (McEwen)
Draw 13: Wednesday, March 4, 8 a.m. ET / 5 a.m. PT
Nova Scotia vs. Canada Quebec vs. Nunavut Newfoundland and Labrador (Young) vs. Saskatchewan (Knapp) Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) vs. Prince Edward Island
Draw 14: Wednesday, March 4, 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
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Manitoba (Dunstone) vs. Yukon Manitoba (Calvert) vs. Saskatchewan (McEwen) Northwest Territories vs. B.C. Alberta vs. Northern Ontario
Draw 15: Wednesday, March 4, 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT
Saskatchewan (Knapp) vs. Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) Canada vs. Newfoundland and Labrador (Young) Nova Scotia vs. Prince Edward Island Ontario vs. Quebec
Draw 16: Thursday, March 5, 8 a.m. ET / 5 a.m. PT
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B.C. vs. Alberta Yukon vs. Northwest Territories Manitoba (Dunstone) vs. Northern Ontario New Brunswick vs. Manitoba (Calvert)
Draw 17: Thursday, March 5, 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
Prince Edward Island vs. Quebec Saskatchewan (Knapp) vs. Ontario Canada vs. Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) Nunavut vs. Nova Scotia
Draw 18: Thursday, March 5, 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT
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Northern Ontario vs. Manitoba (Calvert) B.C. vs. New Brunswick Yukon vs. Alberta Saskatchewan (McEwen) vs. Manitoba (Dunstone)
Mark that as two wins in two weeks for TaylorMade staff players, but it’s also two wins in two weeks for players without a traditional 4-iron in their bags.
Like Collin Morikawa last week, Jacob Bridgeman also trusts a utility iron head for his 4-iron, going with a 12-year-old TaylorMade Tour Preferred UDI with the same Project X 6.5 iron shaft as the rest of his set.
Both Morikawa and Bridgeman use three different models in their iron, with Morikawa having a true split set of TaylorMade P7CBs and then P730 blades in addition to a P-DHY utility iron, while Bridgeman replaced his P7CB 5-iron with a P770 version to maintain peak heights throughout the set.
“The 770 5-iron was added to his bag to simply find a 5-iron that launched higher and landed softer into long par 3s and par 5s,” TaylorMade Senior Tour Rep Nick Springer said. “He found the 770 to be a versatile club that he could flight when he needed to.”
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Using a utility iron in the 4-iron slot is likely done for similar reasons, as many pros now choose more forgiving options for either gapping or peak height purposes.
Gotta love that it’s now two winners in a row using a TaylorMade utility iron in place of a 4-iron.
This is becoming more and more common.
Funny thing about Jacob Bridgeman’s is that it’s from 2014, when he was still in high school.
That’s exactly why Morikawa, who experimented with a 9-wood last season, is the only player on the PGA Tour regularly using TaylorMade’s P-DHY driving iron, the larger of the company’s two utility iron options.
“He was looking for a 4-iron that goes up in the air easier,” TaylorMade Tour Rep Todd Chew said last week. “With the DHY, he doesn’t have to hit it as hard as he can to make it go up in the air. It also spins enough so he can cut it, whereas with previous 4-irons, it was hard to get the spin right to create that ball flight. We added a little more loft as well to get it to go high and cut and still spin when he takes something off of it.”
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TaylorMade P-UDI Custom Utility Iron
Tour inspired shaping for a playable and balanced look at address. Strategically positioned CG for a penetrating ball flight with backspin for players who demand shot making with long irons.
INDIVIDUAL MASS OPTIMIZATION
Featuring advanced thick-thin back wall construction, sound stabilization bar, and deliberately distributed mass to maximize forgiveness. Each iron is uniquely designed with every gram strategically placed to achieve specific performance goals with premium forged feel.
OPTIMAL LAUNCH AND FORGIVENESS
Designed to deliver easy launch, increased forgiveness and enhanced consistency. The new internal weighting structure combines with proven technologies such as the forged 4140 OptiFace, Speed Pocket™ and up to 26g of tungsten.
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THRU-SLOT SPEEDPOCKET
The Thru-Slot Speed Pocket™ provides increased face flexibility while preserving ball speed and distance on low face strikes.
Shallower face height, increased sole width and longer blade length create a super forgiving and versitile long iron. Designed with a low CG for a mid-high launch and mid-range spin.
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INDIVIDUAL MASS OPTIMIZATION
Featuring advanced thick-thin back wall construction, sound stabilization bar, and deliberately distributed mass to maximize forgiveness. Each iron is uniquely designed with every gram strategically placed to achieve specific performance goals with premium forged feel.
OPTIMAL LAUNCH AND FORGIVENESS
Designed to deliver easy launch, increased forgiveness and enhanced consistency. The new internal weighting structure combines with proven technologies such as the forged 4140 OptiFace, Speed Pocket™ and up to 26g of tungsten.
THRU-SLOT SPEEDPOCKET
The Thru-Slot Speed Pocket™ provides increased face flexibility while preserving ball speed and distance on low face strikes.
Dec 2, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams (33) scores a touchdown in the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams reclaimed his career on Jerry Jones’s team in 2025 — and he’s not going anywhere in 2026 free agency. Dallas re-signed Williams over the weekend, wiping a high-profile and veteran name off the board for the Minnesota Vikings if the club has interest in a veteran tailback in the first place.
With Williams gone, Minnesota’s best paths now run through a smaller pool of vets and draft depth.
Williams wasn’t inches from signing in Minnesota, but he could have been a quasi-affordable option.
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Remaining Free-Agent RB Options for the Vikings
The list of free-agent options for Minnesota is now minus one.
Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams (33) warms up and surveys the field before kickoff at Empower Field at Mile High on Oct 26, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA. Williams returned to face his former team during a season that helped restore his value as a starting-caliber NFL runner. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Williams Back to DAL
Williams re-upping with the Cowboys is a done deal.
ESPN’s Todd Archer announced Saturday, “The Dallas Cowboys kept a key player to their offense Saturday, agreeing to a three-year deal with running back Javonte Williams that guarantees him $16 million, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The total deal is worth $24 million and includes a $6 million signing bonus, according to sources.”
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“When the Cowboys head to Indianapolis for the NFL scouting combine next week, they can turn their attention to Pro Bowl wide receiver George Pickens. The expectation is the Cowboys will put the franchise tag on Pickens at a cost of roughly $28 million before the March 3 deadline and then hope to work out a multiyear deal. Pickens set career highs last year in catches (93), yards (1,429) and touchdowns (nine).”
Williams entered the NFL in 2021 as the next big thing for the Denver Broncos, a scouting report that didn’t translate to immediate stardom. He never wholly struggled in Denver, but Williams did not pop off as a show-stopping bellcow back.
In Dallas last season, he began to reclaim his story. Now, he’ll stick around Arlington for three more years.
The Production in 2025
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Williams revitalized his career in Dallas this season, amassing 1,338 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns, fueling championship runs for fantasy managers. Williams, who will turn 26 during draft weekend, was expected to garner significant attention in free agency and likely command around $8-10 million per year. The Cowboys settled on $8 million, which seems fair.
Jan 7, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams (33) carries against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
After failing to establish himself as the Denver Broncos‘ lead running back — despite being te 2nd-Round pick in 2021 — many had written him off. His resurgence in Dallas raises questions about whether the Broncos were utilizing him effectively. Probably not. One can’t break off 1,338 yards from scrimmage by accident.
Remaining FA Options at RB for Vikings
If one assumes the Vikings will scour free agency for an RB1, Williams back to Dallas makes the board a wee bit smaller. “Legal tampering” begins in two weeks, and Minnesota, in theory, could target these men:
J.K. Dobbins (Denver Broncos)
Rico Dowdle (Carolina Panthers)
Travis Etienne (Jacksonville Jaguars)
Breece Hall (New York Jets)
Kenneth Walker III (Seattle Seahawks)
Dobbins is oft-injured, and he’s — you guessed it — recovering from a season-ending injury. Dowdle will turn 28 this summer and is probably past his prime. Etienne is the best pass-blocking running back from the group; the Vikings will probably love that. Hall is the almighty free-agent RB prize. And Walker is fresh off the steam of a Super Bowl MVP.
Will Minnesota Pursue an RB in March at All?
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The Vikings currently have just over $20 million in 2026 cap dollars committed to Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, the RB1 and RB2 from 2025. That’s a lot of dough at running back already spoken for. While it’s tempting to glance at the availability of players like Etienne, Hall, and Walker, all those men will fetch contracts over $10 million per season. So, one must wonder if Minnesota has the budget for another veteran tailback.
Many expect Jones to be released, easing the pain a bit of a cash-strapped salary cap. But Minnesota would still be on the hook for $7 million in dead cap funds if so.
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. (33) carries the football during first-half action against the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct 23, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA. Jones worked between the tackles and along the edge as Minnesota leaned on its veteran runner in road action at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
The Athletic‘sAlec Lewis opined on the possibility of Jones’s release last week: “This move would leave a major void. Jones has played nearly 60 percent of the team’s offensive snaps over the last two seasons. During that time, he ran for nearly 1,700 yards, caught 79 passes and served as a reliable pass protector on early downs.”
“Backfield mate Jordan Mason is an efficient runner, but he’s not a proven three-down guy. That’s why the Vikings could find themselves in the market for another back if they part ways with Jones. The more likely outcome would be a free-agent acquisition.”
April’s draft may be a more reasonable spot to find a running back of the future. Notre Dame runners Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, along with Jonah Coleman (Washington), Emmett Johnson (Nebraska), Mike Washington Jr. (Arkansas), and Nick Singleton (Penn State), headlining the 2026 class.
Feb 21, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) reacts during the second half against the BYU Cougars at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images
Big 12 power Iowa State is in the midst of a stretch in which five of six opponents are nationally ranked.
Tuesday’s contest against unranked Utah in Salt Lake City is supposed to be the breather.
The No. 6 Cyclones (23-4, 10-4 Big 12) are 2-1 so far on the difficult stretch after succumbing 79-69 to No. 23 BYU on Saturday night in Provo, Utah.
Iowa State began the span with a 74-56 home rout of then-No. 9 Kansas on Feb. 14 and a 70-67 home win over then-No. 2 Houston on Feb. 16.
But playing a tough team on the road didn’t go well for the Cyclones, who fell to 4-4 on enemy soil this season with the loss to BYU.
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“We know who we need to be,” Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said. “We need to come out on the road and have that same level of physical toughness mentality to turn people over. When we did that (against BYU) in short stints, we had success. We need to do it more.”
BYU held a 39-28 rebounding advantage and scored the Cyclones 40-22 in the paint. Iowa State also couldn’t stop Cougars star AJ Dybantsa, who registered 29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.
Hours before the game, the Cyclones were forecasted to be a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
Iowa State point guard Tamin Lipsey said the club didn’t play like a team of that status against BYU.
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“You have to earn it every game (and) every day,” Lipsey said afterward. “Obviously, we didn’t earn the right to be there.”
Lipsey scored 19 points for Iowa State while Joshua Jefferson had 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Jamarion Batemon excelled off the bench with 14 points to raise his scoring average to 6.4.
“We have terrific confidence in his abilities and he works so hard,” Otzelberger said of Batemon. “He cares so much. He’s a great player for us now and he has so many bright moments ahead as a Cyclone.”
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Iowa State finishes the challenging six-game stretch with a home game against No. 13 Texas Tech on Saturday before visiting No. 4 Arizona on Monday.
The Utes (10-17, 2-12) are tied for last in the Big 12 and have dropped 13 of their past 15 games.
One of the two wins over a two-month stretch was an 82-79 home win over TCU on Jan. 17. The other was last Wednesday when Utah recorded a 61-56 road win over West Virginia.
On Saturday, the Utes lost 73-71 to UCF after Themus Fulks made two free throws with 3.7 seconds to give the Knights the win.
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Utah’s Terrence Brown had a chance to force overtime but his jumper bounced off the back of the rim. Brown scored 21 points for his 16th outing of 20 or more points this season. Brown leads the Utes with a 20.2 scoring average.
Utah’s Don McHenry, who scored 19 points, was dejected following the contest.
“It just hurts to lose a game that you know you can win,” McHenry said. “It didn’t happen a bunch of times, but the feeling right now for me is just wishing we could take a couple plays back, because we were there and we could have won that game.”
First-year coach Alex Jensen feels like he was watching a replay. The Utes have four losses by six or fewer points since Jan. 10.
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“I’m getting sick of the moral victories,” Jensen said before referring to a 69-65 loss to Cincinnati on Feb. 15. “We were up five at Cincinnati. We very well could have won that one. I think we’re better than our record.”
Iowa State routed Utah 82-59 last season at Ames, Iowa.
David Benavidez has given his honest thoughts on Ryan Garcia’s unanimous decision victory over Mario Barrios, which saw him become the WBC world welterweight champion last Saturday.
Entering their showdown as the defending champion, despite coming off back-to-back draws, some felt that Barrios’ engine would prove too relentless for Garcia.
The 30-year-old had previously tied with a 46-year-old Manny Pacquiao in July, but nonetheless showed that he is capable of fighting at a considerable pace for 12 rounds.
That was his first outing since being handed a year-long drugs ban by the New York State Athletic Commission, who acted in response to him testing positive for ostarine, a banned substance, following his majority decision victory over Devin Haney.
The result of their encounter in April 2024 was then overturned to a no-contest, with Garcia openly admitting to ‘drinking and partying’ during his suspension.
Reacting to his friend’s world title triumph, WBC light-heavyweight champion Benavidez told DAZN Boxing that he was mightily impressed by Garcia’s ‘great’ performance.
“I think it was a great comeback – not only a comeback fight, but a comeback victory for Ryan.
“Now he’s world champion. He looked great; he looked fast. [His] movement was good. He has the world at his feet right now.
“I’m happy for Ryan and I just wish the best for him. I feel like, if he worked on some different stuff, he could’ve got the knockout.
“But Barrios [was] a live dog in there. Not only was he a live dog; he was the champion, so he wasn’t going down without a fight.”
Previously, ‘King Ry’ has said that he would meet the pound-for-pound star at a catchweight of 144lbs, though the finer details of their matchup are seemingly yet to be discussed.
The PGA Florida Swing gets underway on Thursday with the 2026 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches at the PGA National Champion Course. Coming off two Signature Events, the Cognizant Classic field is missing some of the top names on tour, but it does feature past major winners like Adam Scott, Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka, who is playing in his third event since rejoining the PGA this season.
The latest 2026 Cognizant Classic odds via FanDuel Sportsbook list Lowry as the +1600 favorite, followed by Scott and Ryan Gerard at +1900. Koepka is +3000 after missing the cut in his last prior event, the WM Phoenix Open. Before locking in any 2026 Cognizant Classic picks, or making any PGA DFS picks on sites like FanDuel or DraftKings, be sure to see the golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
SportsLine’s proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, simulated every PGA Tour event 10,000 times and reveals golf betting picks that have a history of being extremely profitable.
This same model has also nailed a whopping 16 majors entering the weekend, including the 2025 Masters — its fourth Masters in a row — as well as this year’s PGA Championship and Open Championship. Anyone who has followed its sports betting picks could have seen massive returns on betting sites.
One major surprise the model is calling for at the Cognizant Classic 2026: Lowry, the favorite this week and the 2019 Open Championship winner, doesn’t even crack the top 3. He’s a golfer to fade this week. Lowry hasn’t won an individual event on the PGA Tour since that major championship, though he did team up with Rory McIlroy to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2024. Lowry finished T8 at Pebble Beach earlier this month, but that marked his first top-10 finish since May of 2025. See who else to fade here.
Another surprise: The model is extremely high on Daniel Berger as a +3300 longshot, saying he’s a top-six contender despite not being in the top 10 on the odds board. Berger struggled in his past two events, though he does have a pair of top-20 finishes this season — one at the Sony Open and another at the WM Phoenix Open. He has three top-five finishes at this event, which used to be known as the Honda Classic, including one in 2022. See who else to pick here.
Shane Lowry +1600 Adam Scott +1900 Ryan Gerard +1900 Nicolai Højgaard +2200 Rasmus Højgaard +2500 Keith Mitchell +2500 Michael Thorbjornsen +2500 Brooks Koepka +3000 Christiaan Bezuidenhout +3000 Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen +3000 Aaron Rai +3300 Daniel Berger +3300 Thorbjørn Olesen +3300 Will Zalatoris +3500 Max McGreevy +3500 Davis Thompson +3500 Max Homa +4000 Kristoffer Reitan +4000 Mac Meissner +4000 Haotong Li +4000 Alex Smalley +4000 Chris Kirk +4000 Richard Hoey +4500 Jordan Smith +4500 Patrick Rodgers +5000 Stephan Jaeger +5000 Mackenzie Hughes +5000 John Parry +5500 Sami Valimaki +5500 Seamus Power +5500 Johnny Keefer +5500 Doug Ghim +6000 Austin Eckroat +6000 Tom Kim +6000 Kevin Yu +6000 Matt Wallace +6000 Ricky Castillo +6000 Nico Echavarria +6000 Sam Ryder +6000 Kris Ventura +7000 Dan Brown +7000 Michael Brennan +7000 Garrick Higgo +7000 Eric Cole +7000 Emiliano Grillo +7000 Vince Whaley +7000 Jesper Svensson +7500 Lee Hodges +7500 Matt Kuchar +7500 Gary Woodland +7500 Billy Horschel +8000 S.H. Kim +8000 Joel Dahmen +8000 Kevin Roy +8000 Steven Fisk +8000