Tazima and jockey Grima combined for their third successive victory in the Precise Air Handicap (1800m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

The promising gelding Tazima has now amassed five wins this season, a commendable achievement. Trainer Chris Waller indicated that this latest win was his horse’s most impressive effort to date.

“I feel that was close to his best win,” Waller said. “He was up in grade but he won quite easily. “We will keep him going through the winter, he’s thriving, he’s well, and he’s winning with plenty in hand. “He could be a Wyong Cup-type of horse. Those type of races will come around pretty soon and there is an 1800m race at Rosehill or Randwick next month which is going to be his next run to keep him ticking along.”

Tazima, who was heavily backed into $3.90 favouritism, completed a winning treble on the Randwick program for Grima. He accelerated clear to win by two lengths from Boniface ($5.50), who chased hard but was safely held. Sly Boots ($5) finished more than three lengths adrift in third.

Grima disclosed that her first-ever ride for the Waller stable was on Tazima, when the gelding won on the Kensington track in August last year.

“Tazima was my first winner from my first ride for Chris and that is my fourth win on the horse now,” Grima enthused.

The race didn’t entirely go to plan for Grima, as Tazima was caught three-wide early on, albeit with cover.

“I honestly don’t mind the three-wide line today if you can get a bit of cover,” said Grima, who also rode winners on Perfect Justice and Beneva. “Tazima travelled beautifully for me, he got a lovely cart into the straight and was just too good.”

Grima’s Randwick treble takes her to 33 city wins for the season, and she now leads Braith Nock by three wins in their battle for the Sydney apprentices premiership.

Although Grima took riding honours at Randwick, Reece Jones celebrated a brace of wins in close finishes.

Jones found the shortest path home on Zouripper to score narrowly in the Kieran Moore Handicap (1000m).

This was the second tight but successful finish for Jones after he won the opener on Proxima Dea.

But just as in Jones’ win on Proxima Dea, the jockey was unsure if Zouripper had won in another finish that left everyone guessing.

“I didn’t know if we got there, I just put my head down and went for it,” Jones said. “To his credit, Zouripper tried very hard. He got through the heavy pretty well and I’m glad we got there right on the line.”

Zouripper settled three pairs back, one off the fence early. As they approached the turns, Jones could have easily moved the sprinter out towards the centre of the home straight to make his finishing run.

Instead, Jones made a tactical decision to switch back to near the inside rail, a move that proved to be a masterstroke, providing the jockey with the second leg of his Randwick double.

Zouripper ($4.40) arrived in time to edge out the brave Petticoat ($3 favourite), with Prima Bella ($3.50) a half-length away third.

Trainer Joe Pride had a rare Saturday off racing, but stable representative Orla Pearl stated that Zouripper is only just getting started this winter.

“This was Zouripper’s third run this time in and he’s going well,” Pearl said. “He ran such a strong race last time we were pretty confident coming here today because he handles these wet tracks.”

Compare the leading online bookmakers for racing odds.

FIFA’s chief refereeing officer, Pierluigi Collina, has strongly dismissed allegations that match officials have been favouring Argentina during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The claims emerged after Egypt’s dramatic round-of-16 defeat to Argentina, with Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan accusing the refereeing team of being influenced during the match.

Hassan was left frustrated after a goal scored by Egypt was ruled out, while he also believed his side should have been awarded a penalty deep into stoppage time before Argentina went on to score the winning goal. Following the match, he claimed there had been “pressure” on French referee François Letexier and described the result as “unfair.”

Responding to the accusations, Collina insisted that FIFA referees operate independently and are not influenced by anyone, including FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

“Nobody can claim that FIFA refereeing can be influenced by anyone, not even by the FIFA president Gianni Infantino. He has always shown his full support for FIFA Team One while trusting us to work with complete independence.”

Collina also defended the integrity of match officials, stressing that referees, like players and coaches, always strive to make the correct decisions during games.

“Match officials make honest decisions and, just like players and coaches, they always try to do their best. Of course, constructive discussion about decisions will always be part of football, but unfounded allegations have no place in our sport.”

FIFA’s response comes amid growing debate over officiating standards at the 2026 World Cup, but the governing body has maintained that its referees remain independent and committed to making fair decisions throughout the tournament.

The 2026 Open Championship tees off on Thursday, July 16, at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England. Rory McIlroy (Masters), Aaron Rai (PGA Championship) and Wyndham Clark (U.S. Open) were the year’s first three major winners, and they’re all in the 2026 Open Championship field. Scottie Scheffler is the defending Open Championship winner, while Jordan Spieth won this event the last time it was at Royal Birkdale in 2017.

Scheffler is the +750 co-favorites (risk $100 to win $750) in the latest 2026 Open Championship odds, followed by McIlroy at +850. Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood (+1800) and Matt Fitzpatrick (+2000) are next on the PGA odds board for this event, with Tom Kim, who is coming off a win at the Scottish Open, a +6500 longshot. Before locking in any 2026 Open Championship picks, be sure to see the 2026 British Open predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

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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 17 majors entering the weekend, including the 2026 Masters — its fifth Masters in a row — as well as last year’s PGA Championship and Open Championship. Anyone who has followed its sports betting picks could have seen massive returns on betting sites. 

Now that the 2026 Open Championship field is finalizing, the model simulated the tournament 10,000 times, and the results were surprising. Head to SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard.

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2026 Open Championship predictions 

One major surprise the model is calling for at the Open Championship 2026: Fleetwood, the third favorite and the lowest English golfer on the board at +1800, stumbles and barely finishes inside top 5. He’s a golfer to fade in Open Championship best bets. Fleetwood has a pair of top-5 finishes at the Open Championship, but also missed the cut in 2024 and finished outside the top 10 last year. He finished 27th the last time this event was at the Royal Birkdale. With no finishes better than T11 in any major this year, the model has found better values on the board. See who else to fade here. 

Another surprise: Ludvig Aberg is a top-3 contender on the projected leaderboard despite never having won a major and having longer odds at +3000. This will be just his third British Open appearance, but he finished in the top 25 in this event last year. He’s also been steady at the majors this year, which was highlighted by a T4 finish at the PGA Championship. He’s one of the best drivers in both distance and accuracy on tour right now, and that quality alone makes him a top contender at Royal Birkdale. See who else to pick here. 

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How to make 2026 Open Championship picks

The model is also targeting several longshots, including one shocking pick who is going off around 35-1. You can only see the model’s picks here. 

Who will win the 2026 Open Championship, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Check out the 2026 Open Championship odds below and then visit SportsLine to see the projected leaderboard, all from the model that’s nailed 17 golf majors, including three in 2025.

2026 Open Championship odds, favorites 

Get full 2026 Open Championship picks, best bets and predictions here.
(odds via FanDuel and subject to change)

Scottie Scheffler +750
Rory McIlroy +850
Tommy Fleetwood +1800
Matt Fitzpatrick +2000
Jon Rahm +2000
Xander Schauffele +2200
Chris Gotterup +3000
Collin Morikawa +3000
Ludvig Åberg +3000
Wyndham Clark +3300
Cameron Young +3300
Tyrrell Hatton +3300
Justin Rose +3300
Robert MacIntyre +3300
Viktor Hovland +3500
Bryson DeChambeau +4500
Sam Burns +4500
Patrick Reed +5000
Shane Lowry +5500
Brooks Koepka +5500
Russell Henley +5500
Justin Thomas +5500
Jordan Spieth +6000
Joaquin Niemann +6000
Patrick Cantlay +6000
Aaron Rai +6500
Tom Kim +6500
Si Woo Kim +7000
Min Woo Lee +8000
Nicolai Højgaard +8000
Hideki Matsuyama +8000
David Puig +10000
Rickie Fowler +10000
Maverick McNealy +10000
Brian Harman +10000
Marco Penge +10000
Alex Fitzpatrick +10000
Corey Conners +10000
Adam Scott +10000
Harris English +10000
Kurt Kitayama +10000
Cameron Smith +10000
JJ Spaun +10000
Akshay Bhatia +10000
Kristoffer Reitan +10000
Ben Griffin +10000
Sepp Straka +12500
Bud Cauley +12500
Jake Knapp +12500
Jordan Smith +12500
Rasmus Højgaard +12500
Max Homa +12500
Ryan Gerard +12500
Ryan Fox +12500
Alex Noren +12500
Jason Day +12500
Sungjae Im +15000
Tom McKibbin +15000
Eugenio Chacarra +15000
Keegan Bradley +15000
Angel Ayora +15000
Harry Hall +15000
Keith Mitchell +15000
Gary Woodland +15000
Jacob Bridgeman +17500
Alex Smalley +17500
Jayden Schaper +17500
Pierceson Coody +17500
Haotong Li +17500
Sahith Theegala +17500
Jackson Suber +17500
Matt Wallace +17500
Lucas Herbert +17500
Thomas Detry +17500
Daniel Berger +17500
Max Greyserman +17500
Michael Brennan +17500
Ryo Hisatsune +17500
Eric Cole +17500
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen +17500
J.T. Poston +17500
Daniel Hillier +22500
Billy Horschel +22500
Andrew Novak +22500
Casey Jarvis +22500
Nick Taylor +22500
Bernd Wiesberger +22500
Sami Valimaki +25000
Louis Oosthuizen +25000
John Parry +25000
Michael Kim +25000
Daniel Brown +25000
Matthew Jordan +25000
Matt McCarty +25000
Hennie du Plessis +35000
Jesper Svensson +35000
Sam Stevens +35000
Scott Vincent +35000
Laurie Canter +35000
Michael Hollick +35000
Jose Luis Ballester +35000
Peter Uihlein +50000
Martin Couvra +50000
Frederic Lacroix +50000
Keita Nakajima +50000
Padraig Harrington +50000
Nico Echavarria +50000
Kazuma Kobori +50000
Andy Sullivan +50000
Francesco Molinari +50000
Francesco Laporta +50000
Antoine Rozner +50000
Alejandro De Castro Piera +75000
Kota Kaneko +75000
Matthew Southgate +75000
Dan Bradbury +75000
MJ Daffue +75000
Joakim Lagergren +75000
Shaun Norris +75000
Stewart Cink +75000
Adrien Saddier +75000
Caleb Surratt +75000
Nevill Ruiter +100000
Baard Bjoernevik Skogen +100000
Travis Smyth +100000
Naoyuki Kataoka +100000
Marcus Plunkett +100000
Cameron John +100000
Tiger Christensen +100000
Ryutaro Nagano +100000
Jeong Woo Ham +100000
Lev Grinberg +100000
Jack Buchanan +100000
Stuart Grehan +100000
Matthew Baldwin +100000
Kazuki Higa +100000
Sam Bairstow +100000
Darren Clarke +100000
Fifa Laopakdee +100000
David Duval +100000
Mason Howell +100000
Ren Yonezawa +100000
Jiho Yang +100000
James Nicholas +100000
David Howard +100000
Mateo Pulcini +100000
Henrik Stenson +100000
Tim Wiedemeyer +100000
Jack McDonald +100000
Alistair Docherty +100000
Austen Truslow +100000
Tom Sloman +100000

Rhea Ripley successfully defended the WWE Women’s Championship at Clash in Italy against Jade Cargill, seemingly putting an end to their rivalry for the time being.

But Ripley’s appearances on “Friday Night SmackDown” have been few and far between. She didn’t appear at Night Champions last month and hasn’t been on the show to defend her on-screen partners in Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss as they deal with Cargill, Michin and B-Fab since June 5.

COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL

Rhea Ripley is in action against Jade Cargill during Clash in Italy at Inalpi Arena in Torino di Sangro, Italy, on May 31, 2026. (Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images)

Ripley was seen at a Power Slap event on Friday and she provided an update on her health, revealing she suffered a slight tear in her meniscus.

“I hurt my knee. I got a slight tear in my meniscus, it’s just healing. It’s getting there. It’s getting stronger. I just can’t bend it very well. Kind of need to bend, guys,” she told content creator Nina Drama.

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Rhea Ripley makes her entrance during Clash in Italy at Inalpi Arena in Torino di Sangro, Italy, on May 31, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE via Getty Images)

She added that she didn’t have a timeline for her return.

“I tore it in a really weird spot, so it’s kind of a little bit up in the air with just how fast my body recovers. But I’ve been out for probably about a month now. I think it’s been a month and one week,” she said. “It feels better. It still starts to hurt and throb and it gets tired. I can’t get up or bend down really or kind of move side to side while crouching. We’ll see how it goes.”

Ripley is one of the most popular superstars on the WWE roster – men or women.

Rhea Ripley, the WWE Women’s Champion, stands in the ring during Friday Night SmackDown at Olimpic Arena in Barcelona, Spain, on May 29, 2026. (Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images)

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She recaptured the WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 42 when she defeated Cargill.

The Ciaron Maher stable presented a strong pair in a Caulfield three-year-old race, with the less fancied runner ultimately emerging victorious.

Maher’s team fielded both the $2.40 favourite Decalogue and the $6.50 outsider Ichnusa in the Sportsbet Feed Handicap (2000m) on Saturday.

Decalogue’s chances were diminished by its tendency to over-race, finishing the event in fifth place. In contrast, Ichnusa charged along the outside to claim a half-length win over Our Chief ($5), with Dirnaseer ($9) securing third position, a further three-quarters of a length behind.

While the Maher camp had anticipated a win from Decalogue, Ichnusa’s performance was not entirely unexpected.

This marked Ichnusa’s second race start, following a debut victory over 1600m at Seymour.

Jack Turnbull, National Assistant Trainer for Ciaron Maher Racing, explained that the stable had been patient with Ichnusa, acting on the counsel of part-owner and breeder Rick Jamieson.

“I thought he did a really good job as he travelled in patches,” Turnbull conveyed.

“The race was run at a farcical tempo. He was on the bit, he was off the bit, and he was running in and out.”

“He’s got such a big action and he’s such a talented horse and does it so easily.”

“His half-sister is Suntora which gets over a trip, and he is bred to get a mile-and-a-half and beyond.”

“Looking at genes, he’s a TT which suggests he’s going to be better for further development, and time.”

“When we were training him in his earlier stages, Rick was very keen for us to be patient and let him grow out, strengthen, and this is reward for that.”

Turnbull stated that the stable would assess Ichnusa’s recovery post-race before determining its next race.

Although Decalogue’s finishing position was disappointing, Turnbull felt the gelding’s effort was fair.

“He’s a bold travelling horse and when Jabez (Johnstone) wanted to come back and get cover, they were running trackwork times and that is not his go,” Turnbull commented.

“It is disappointing the race was run like that and if he was able to get out and run his own race, I’m sure he would have run much better.”

“He’s tricky in that he needs things to go his way, he needs galloping room but needs to take a sit.”

Explore the latest online bookmakers for your racing bets.

Find the best betting markets for the race at leading platforms.

Not every World Cup goal is a classic. Sometimes a half-hearted shot goes in as a result of little more than goalkeeper error. And on those occasions, goalies may be inclined to find an excuse.

During the 2026 tournament, some members of what is jokingly referred to as the “goalkeepers’ union” have pointed toward the performance of the ball. Joe Hart, a former England goalkeeper and serving BBC pundit, noted after one blunder: “The ball is coming into the keepers a lot faster than it feels when it comes off the foot.”

But are his concerns justified? The Conversation turned to John Eric Goff, who has been studying the physics of World Cup balls for two decades and previously wrote about what to expect from the Trionda ball being used at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

What did your lab tests predict?

Colleagues of mine at the University of Tsukuba in Japan took the World Cup ball, put a little hole in it, stuck it on a rod, attached force sensors and then set it up in a wind tunnel to obtain all kinds of aerodynamic data. They sent that data to me to look at what the trajectory modeling for the ball suggested about how it would perform in comparison to its predecessors.

Central to the performance is the airflow around the ball and how it changes as the speed of the ball increases. For the Jabulani ball used in the 2010 World Cup, for example, this airflow change happened at a speed that was right in the middle of typical free kicks and corner kicks. That caused problems for goalkeepers, as it moved in the air unpredictably as a result.

Among the recent World Cup balls we tested, Trionda has the lowest critical speed at which that airflow change takes place. That led us to predict free kicks and corner kicks with fairly consistent, stable flight.

But we also found that Trionda’s drag coefficient was slightly larger than that of its predecessors, which implied a slightly rougher surface. So there was a possible trade-off; it might fall a couple of meters short.

Has the real pitch experience followed those predictions?

It has depended a little on conditions. Take the Mexico vs. England game at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, which took place at high elevation.

That meant the ball had less air drag on it, so it could actually go farther than it would when kicked with the same launch speed in lower-altitude conditions. It also meant that because the sideways, or Magnus forces, are proportional to air density, it would curve less.

During the England vs. Mexico game, what I noticed, especially early on, was many of England’s kicks tended to go a little long. They would kick the ball down the pitch in those first 20 minutes and it would be just out of reach of teammates.

The sense I got was they weren’t quite adjusting for the higher elevation and lower air density.

Some have questioned the flight. Do they have a point?

I have heard the complaints by former England goalkeeper Joe Hart about the ball. But I haven’t heard a whole lot of detail about the substance of those complaints.

In other words, I’ve heard about the ball not being their favorite, but not why. The scientist in me really wants to interview a goalkeeper and find out: “Do you think it’s moving in erratic ways? Or is it something to do with the color scheme that’s flummoxing you on the pitch?”

I think goalkeepers are always going to complain about a new ball. But the Nike Flight, which was used in the 2024-25 English Premier League season, has an aerodynamic profile most similar to that of the current World Cup ball. So players who used that ball might already be somewhat familiar with the motion of Trionda.

As far as I can tell, the ball appears to be flying in ways that not only we predicted but that don’t look completely out of touch with what players would have seen with other balls.

As the World Cup has progressed, I’ve been watching the ball come in toward the goalkeepers, and it could be that the reds, blues and greens twirling in front of the goalkeepers’ eyes are confusing them.

There’s been talk of more long-range goals. Is the ball playing a role?

I have read there are more goals coming from farther out than in previous World Cups. But I don’t know if I could attribute it specifically to the ball.

It’s possible, of course. But I would really have to see what the actual number is and see what the percentage increase has been, because, for a sport like soccer where you only get two or three goals in a match, the sample size is so small.

It would certainly be a very interesting research question to pursue. But I don’t think the ball alone can be credited for these longer-range goals.

Overall, how has this ball performed?

I think the ball has been fine. It is an attractive ball, with the colors of the original version representing the three host countries – all of whom are now out of the tournament, so it didn’t bring them much luck, unfortunately.

Boxing fans are always keen for the heavyweight elite to fight one another, but in the eyes of two-time divisional ruler Hasim Rahman, two former champions’ willingness to fight proved consequential to both. 

Rahman famously dethroned Lennox Lewis to claim the WBC, IBF and lineal title in a shock knockout win back in 2001, but he was stopped himself in their rematch just seven months on, finding himself on the wrong side of one of boxing’s most devastating KO’s.

Although, he returned to the throne five years later, elevated to world champion after winning the vacant WBC interim strap against Monte Barrett, later losing the full title to Oleg Maskaev.

Speaking with Sean Zittel, Rahman highlighted the decline of a fellow two-time heavyweight world champion, believing that Tyson Fury’s iconic trilogy with Deontay Wilder had a severe impact on the careers of both combatants.

“Absolutely, [Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury ruined each other]. The amount of shots that they both gave and received was so damaging to their career. I think that they beat their careers out of each other, in my opinion. 

“I don’t think that either one of them would be the same and I think, had they never fought each other, but of them would still be reigning, and at a much higher level, right now.”

Fury and Wilder met on three occasions between 2018 and 2021, with the first bout ending in a draw while Fury claimed two stoppage wins in the fights that followed, with a total of nine knockdowns dished out between the duo.

Wilder has suffered two further defeats to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang since the trilogy, but did claim a victory over Derek Chisora in April, while Fury lost twice to Oleksandr Usyk, perhaps adding credence to Rahman’s claim.

Fury will return to action in less than two weeks as he fights for the second time this year in an unconventional low-profile scrap with Mariusz Wach at the Max Muaythai Stadium in Pattaya, Thailand.

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Jannik Sinner retains his crown. The 24-year-old Italian won the Wimbledon title for the second consecutive year after defeating Germany’s Alexander Zverev in four sets. It is Sinner’s fifth Grand Slam title, his first of the year, further strengthening his position as world No. 1.

The NFL regular season is 59 days away, and according to sportsbooks, the Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills will probably meet in the Super Bowl. There’s a long way to go before that, though, so in the meantime, VikingsTerritory is embarking on an annual tradition — ranking the league’s starting quarterbacks.

This year was more difficult than usual, mainly because the section between Caleb Williams and Bo Nix below has similarly efficient signal-callers.

QB Stability Separates the NFL’s Contenders from Everyone Else

32 | Deshaun Watson (CLE)

Until Watson proves he can return to 2019 or 2020 form — assuming he starts for the Browns at all — he lives at the bottom of quarterback power rankings. Them’s are the rules.

31 | Geno Smith (NYJ)

It’s laughable that the Jets will make Smith their QB1 solution with a head coach who may already be on the hot seat. At best, Smith is a bridge quarterback to someone promising.

30 | Cam Ward (TEN)

Ward’s numbers and efficiency metrics were just as bad, if not worse, than J.J. McCarthy’s last year, but nobody cared. He must take a developmental step in 2026.

29 | Malik Willis (MIA)

Willis put good games and memorable moments on tape in Green Bay, and good for him. Now, he must prove he can handle the full brunt of a passing attack when defensive coordinators plan for him every week.

28 | Kirk Cousins (LV)

Cousins can pop off for a 400-yard passing game at any time, but he’s also old and slow.

27 | Jacoby Brissett (ARI)

Brissett is the best backup quarterback in the league, but that’s where it ends. It’s wild that the Arizona Cardinals think he’s a better QB1 solution than Kyler Murray. They must be biding their time for the 2027 NFL Draft.

26 | Jaxson Dart (NYG)

Dart can easily climb this list in no time, but by NFL standards, his team needs a record better than 4-8, which is what the Giants fired up on his watch. He also looked lost in the December game against the Vikings. Buffonish, even.

25 | Bryce Young (CAR)

Young ranked 25th in EPA+CPOE last year, but because his team made the playoffs, many saw hope in his future.

24 | Tua Tagovailoa (ATL)

Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. will probably play hot potato with the QB1 job in Atlanta. Still, with Kevin Stefanski running the show, there’s a path for Tagovailoa to throw for 3,500+ yards and 25+ touchdowns with all those weapons.

23 | Daniel Jones (IND)

Jones looked great for two months before he began tailing off and then tore his Achilles. That injury is never a straightforward recovery, and folks wondered about Jones’s long-term consistency in the first place. He has to prove himself all over again in 2026.

22 | Aaron Rodgers (PIT)

It feels disrespectful to place Rodgers this low based on career achievement. But let’s face it: he ranked 22nd per EPA+CPOE in 2025. This spot is just.

21 | C.J. Stroud (HOU)

Stroud produced 19 passing touchdowns last year with a completion percentage below 65%. His numbers are supposed to be ascending, not declining.

20 | Bo Nix (DEN)

Nix ranked 18th per EPA+CPOE last year. He’s propped up by a Top 3 defense. He has limitations that eventually will be exposed.

19 | Tyler Shough (NO)

Shough’s stat line as a rookie — if he played 17 games — would’ve looked like this:

4,261 Passing Yards
25 TDs
9 INTs
69.2% Comp

Is the entire NFL sleeping on Shough? The numbers say yes.

18 | Kyler Murray (MIN)

Murray averages 3,900+ passing yards, 30 total touchdowns, and 600+ rushing every 17 starts. Why he’s considered a big reclamation project is an utter mystery. The guy is productive when healthy, just a step below Lamar Jackson’s numbers.

17 | Sam Darnold (SEA)

Darnold’s performance dipped late in 2025, but the Seahawks’ defense masked everything. He has a Super Bowl now that can never be taken away. But you must ask yourself: is he better than the remaining men on this list?

16 | Jared Goff (DET)

How long will the Lions carry on the Goff experience without reaching a Super Bowl? Will it ever get stale? He’s in the old Kirk Cousins boat where his stats are great, but it feels like the Lions peaked in 2023 with Goff under center.

15 | Baker Mayfield (TB)

Mayfield’s grit ranks No. 1 or No. 2 in the NFL, but his EPA+CPOE quietly ranked 19th last season.

14 | Brock Purdy (SF)

Purdy missed eight games in 2025, and the 49ers’ offense didn’t miss a beat with Mac Jones under center. Strange.

13 | Jayden Daniels (WAS)

Daniels, probably because of injuries, endured a textbook sophomore slump. He needs a big rebound season in 2026, and he has physical tools to do precisely that.

12 | Jordan Love (GB)

Love is not good enough to be feared every Sunday, but he’s good enough to start every Sunday and get his team the seventh seed in the postseason tournament like clockwork.

11 | Trevor Lawrence (JAX)

Lawrence threw for 4,007 passing yards and 29 touchdowns in 2025. Has he turned the corner under the tutelage of Liam Coen and Grant Udinski?

10 | Dak Prescott (DAL)

Draft this guy late in our redraft fantasy leagues; he won’t disappoint. It’s 4,000+ yards and about 30 touchdowns like clockwork when he plays a full season.

9 | Caleb Williams (CHI)

Williams ranks 20th per EPA+CPOE last year but bedazzled the masses in the postseason. There’s a chance he totally turns the corner this season and morphs into the next big thing.

8 | Jalen Hurts (PHI)

Hurts’s career stock might be a low point, but he still accounted for 65 touchdowns since the start of 2024. That ain’t nothin’, and it doesn’t grow on trees.

7 | Drake Maye (NE)

Maye had a case for the MVP award last season; Maye also faced one of the easiest schedules in NFL history — before turning into a shell of himself in the AFC Championship and Super Bowl.

6 | Justin Herbert (LAC)

Another steady-eddy, Herbert is desperately searching for his breakthrough moment. Ranking him below six doesn’t feel right.

5 | Matthew Stafford (LAR)

The league MVP should probably be higher on this list, but he’s old and always has confusing moments with gaffes that everyone just sweeps under the rug and then smirks.

4 | Joe Burrow (CIN)

Burrow has missed 32% of all games from 2023 to 2025. If he plays 17 in 2026, the Bengals will return to the playoffs and maybe even the AFC Title Game.

3 | Lamar Jackson (BAL)

Jackson’s numbers tumbled a bit in 2025, and he also missed four games. But with a game on the line, he just has to be a Top 3 selection.

2 | Patrick Mahomes (KC)

Bounceback and revenge season incoming.

1 | Josh Allen (BUF)

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Reece James has expressed his relief and satisfaction at recovering from injury just in time for England’s crucial World Cup semi-final clash against holders Argentina.

The Chelsea captain made a timely return to action by featuring as a second-half substitute in the Three Lions’ 2-1 quarter-final victory over Norway after extra time on Saturday.

James had been sidelined for three matches due to a hamstring problem sustained during the second group stage fixture against Ghana. His re-entry into the squad saw him initially deployed in central midfield before shifting to his more familiar right-back position, as two goals from Jude Bellingham secured England’s progression.

Speaking to Lions Den, James reflected on his comeback: “It’s good to be back out there with the boys. Picking up an injury at a tournament is always a race against the clock. I applied myself and happy to be back out there.”

Despite not consistently delivering their peak performance throughout the tournament, the England squad has consistently found a way to overcome each challenge, though a formidable test now awaits them.

The historic rivalry between England and Argentina adds another layer of intensity to the semi-final, but James believes the team is equipped to handle the pressure.

“It comes with experience. The higher stakes the game is, the more pressure,” he explained. “We’ve been doing it for years, the fundamentals are the same, but the prize is slightly different.

“We’re in a bubble, trying to complete our mission. It’s hard to see the outside. We’re happy we’re making everyone at home proud. This is what dreams are made of. Everyone as a little boy dreamt of playing and winning a World Cup. We’re against one of the best nations in the semi-final.”

England are currently enjoying a golden era of tournament football, having reached two World Cup semi-finals in their last three attempts, alongside consecutive European Championship finals. James attributes this success to the strength of the domestic game.

“I think it starts with the Premier League,” he added. “The best league in the world for me and I’m sure many fans. It’s the highest level. A lot of the good quality players are English. It shows how much English football has come on in recent years.

‘We’re (knocking at) the door, in and around it, at the latter stages of tournaments when it is crunch time.”