No player has arguably been better than their peers at their respective position than Fred Warner since the turn of the decade. But as the San Francisco 49ers’ star returns from a gruesome ankle injury that ended his 2025 season prematurely, is Warner still the NFL’s best linebacker ahead of the 2026 campaign? 

We ranked the 10 best linebackers in the league as we prepare for the new year. Warner, a four-time first-team All-Pro, was one of two players to receive first-place votes in our rankings, with the Detroit Lions’ Jack Campbell and the Baltimore Ravens’ Roquan Smith among those vying for the top spot. 

Here’s a full look at our top 10 linebackers entering the 2026 season. 

Devin Lloyd had a Pro Bowl year with the Jaguars in 2025, landing him a rich deal with the Panthers. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

Greg Auman: Can takeaways be what takes Carolina’s defense from bad to good? In defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s first year in Charlotte in 2023, the Panthers had an NFL-low 11 takeaways, improving to 17 in 2024 and 21 last year. Lloyd signed a three-year, $42 million deal after a breakout Pro Bowl year with the Jacksonville Jaguars, in which he had five interceptions to help his former team record 31 takeaways, second-most in the NFL. 

It’s concerning that Jacksonville let Lloyd walk from the middle of its defense, but he and edge rusher Jaelan Phillips are two high-dollar additions to Carolina’s defense as they try to improve enough to repeat as NFC South champs. Lloyd is 27 and needs to show last year’s splash plays — notably absent his previous two years — can continue as a defensive spark.

Nick Bolton recorded over 100 tackles for a second straight season in 2025. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

Ben Arthur: Bolton has been one of the NFL’s most steady off-ball linebackers since entering the league in 2021, helping the Chiefs win two Super Bowls. The former second-round pick is coming off his second straight season of 100-plus tackles, six pass breakups, an interception and a forced fumble. In 2025, he tied for third in run stops (86) and 10th in hustle stops (15) among linebackers, according to Next Gen Stats. 

With Kansas City’s secondary undergoing a makeover this offseason, Bolton will take on a more pronounced role in Steve Spagnuolo’s back-seven as the green dot. Pass coverage is an area for improvement, though. Opposing quarterbacks had a 93.8 passer rating when targeting him in coverage last season, the third time in five seasons he’s allowed a 90-plus passer rating, per NGS. 

Ernest Jones IV earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2025. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Eric D. Williams: Only 26 years old, Jones has won two Super Bowl rings in six NFL seasons. Since Seattle made a midseason trade for the South Carolina product with the Tennessee Titans in 2024, Jones has been the green-dot playcaller and a leader for one of the best defensive teams in the NFL. Jones finished with a career-high five interceptions (a franchise record for a linebacker) and 126 combined tackles in 2025, earning second-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his NFL career.

Jones has finished with at least 100 tackles for four straight seasons. Jones spent his first three seasons in the league with the Los Angeles Rams, setting a single-season franchise record with 145 tackles in 2023, including a career-high 4.5 sacks.

Azeez Al-Shaair was named a Pro Bowler for the first time in his career in 2025. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Arthur: Once in the shadows of Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw in San Francisco, Al-Shaair has come into his own as a star linebacker the last couple of years. His aggressive play style sets the tone as the green dot of the Texans’ juggernaut defense. In 2025, the former undrafted free agent registered his third 100-tackle season and posted career-highs in interceptions (two) and pass breakups (nine) to make his first Pro Bowl. 

Overall, Al-Shaair is one of the league’s best coverage linebackers. Among qualified linebackers last season, he ranked ninth in both tight windows forced rate and coverage EPA and 20th in ballhawk rate, per NGS. 

Jordyn Brooks led the NFL in total tackles in 2025. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Auman: Brooks, 28, is the rare Dolphins star the franchise chose to keep this year, locking him up with a three-year, $48 million deal. He earned first-team All-Pro honors last year, leading the NFL with 183 total tackles, but he’s been productive for a while. Over the last five years, he has the third-most tackles in the league, with more tackles for loss (45) than anyone else in the top five. He’s aggressive at the line of scrimmage, with 3.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss last year, and he’ll need to be as part of a rebuilding Dolphins roster under new head coach Jeff Hafley. 

Can the Dolphins win enough games to stay ahead of the Jets and avoid the AFC East cellar? Brooks is a core piece in Miami that’s part of their past and part of their future as well. 

Zack Baun had another standout season in 2025 following his surprise breakout 2024 campaign. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Ralph Vacchiano: It is still absolutely remarkable that the Eagles viewed Baun as little more than a special teams player when they signed him away from New Orleans in 2024, and instead they got a two-time Pro Bowler and one of their best defensive starters. He was one of the best defenders in the league in 2024 and he had almost identical production last season when he had 123 tackles, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions. 

Baun’s the perfect versatile linebacker for Vic Fangio’s scheme. He’s got the speed to rush the passer and drop back in tight coverage, and he has better instincts than many linebackers in the league. Linebacker hasn’t always been a strength in Philadelphia. But thanks to the 29-year-old Baun, it is now.

Carson Schwessinger won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2025. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

Bucky Brooks: The second-year pro quickly established himself as a tackling machine in the middle of the Browns’ defense. Schweisinger’s instincts, range, and awareness as a “see ball, get ball” defender shrink the field for the opponents, leading to fewer explosive plays against the ultra-aggressive unit. 

With the youngster also controlling the game as the green dot wearer, the Pro Bowler’s intelligence and communication skills set him apart from others at the position.

Jack Campbell had the second-most tackles in the NFL this past season. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Henry McKenna: Let’s just start with last season when he had 176 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, five sacks and four pass breakups. Sort of like a quarterback whose rare arm talent allows him to use every blade of grass, Campbell has the athleticism, range and awareness to be a threat in just about every part of the field. There really isn’t a defensive phase where he doesn’t make an impact.

I’m not sure Campbell gets the love he deserves, in part because he’s a defensive playmaker and in part because his position is no longer considered “premium.” But to that point, it takes a truly special linebacker to justify the draft position of 18th overall, where the Lions got Campbell in 2023. And he has absolutely made that pick worth it.

Roquan Smith has logged at least 100 tackles in all eight seasons of his NFL career. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

Williams: One of the most explosive linebackers in the league, Smith can make plays from sideline to sideline and is one of the best tacklers in the NFL. A four-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro, Smith has eclipsed 100 tackles in all eight of his NFL seasons. 

But Smith will have to adjust to a new system with defensive-minded head coach Jesse Minter taking over as the team’s head coach. Smith is looking to take the ball away this season after finishing with zero forced fumbles, sacks and interceptions in 2025.

Fred Warner missed the majority of the 2025 season due to a dislocated and broken ankle. (Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Brooks: The NFL’s prototype at the position displays a rare combination of size, speed, intelligence, and violence. Warner is a menacing sideline-to-sideline defender who covers ground like a gazelle, but attacks runners and pass catchers like the Lion King tracking his prey. 

Given Warner’s penchant for producing big plays as a run defender and in coverage, the All-Pro is the “Mike” linebacker that every defensive coordinator would choose as a foundational piece.

The Premier League returns for the 2026-27 season with a familiar question at its heart: can anyone stop Arsenal from retaining their crown?

For Indian fans, however, the new campaign offers much more than a title race. A changing managerial landscape, Manchester City’s attempt to move on from the Rodri era, an intriguing Indian connection at Liverpool and a schedule packed with heavyweight clashes from the opening weeks have all added to the anticipation.

With the new season getting underway on August 22, here are five reasons why the Premier League promises to deliver another season of high-stakes drama.

1. A new era is taking shape in the dugouts

The Premier League will have a significantly different look on the touchline this season, with nine new managers taking charge of clubs.

The biggest change comes at Manchester City, where Pep Guardiola’s long reign has come to an end. Enzo Maresca now inherits the responsibility of steering one of England’s most successful teams through a period of transition.

There is also considerable interest surrounding the return of Xabi Alonso to Chelsea, while Alvaro Arbeloa’s arrival at Fulham adds another fresh managerial storyline to the competition.

The changes could have a significant impact on the tactical battle. With established managers facing new challengers and several clubs entering unfamiliar territory, the Premier League’s tactical landscape could look markedly different from last season.

2. Can Arsenal handle the pressure of being champions?

Arsenal finally ended a 22-year wait for the Premier League title in 2025-26. Now comes the considerably harder task: defending it.

Mikel Arteta’s team set an impressive benchmark last season, collecting 85 points from 26 victories and seven draws while suffering only five defeats. Their defensive consistency was arguably even more impressive.

Arsenal conceded just 27 goals and kept 19 clean sheets — the best defensive record in the league last season.

But being champions changes the equation. Every opponent now has an extra incentive to beat Arsenal, while the Gunners must maintain the hunger and consistency that carried them to the summit.

Arteta, now the Premier League’s longest-serving manager, will be tasked with ensuring his players don’t become victims of their own success.

3. Liverpool gets an added Indian connection

Indian viewers have another reason to keep a close eye on Liverpool this season.

British-Indian businessman Amit Bhatia is leading 1892 Holdings in an agreement to acquire a minority stake in the Merseyside club. The consortium also includes the Mittal Family Trusts, alongside Adar Poonawalla and existing investors.

The Mittal family is also set to have a major connection with the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, creating an unusual crossover between two of the world’s biggest sporting competitions.

For Indian Premier League followers who also follow English football, Liverpool’s ownership story therefore adds another layer of familiarity to the Premier League.

It may not affect what happens on the pitch, but it certainly gives Indian fans another reason to follow the Reds closely throughout the campaign.

4. The title race could explode from the opening weeks

The Premier League schedule has wasted little time in putting the biggest clubs under pressure.

Arsenal and Chelsea will meet in a major London derby on September 6, before Manchester United and Manchester City renew their rivalry at Old Trafford on September 13.

Then comes another heavyweight encounter on October 11, when Liverpool face Manchester City.

These matches could arrive before the teams have fully settled into the new season, making them even more significant.

A strong start could provide a psychological advantage in the title race, while an early defeat could force one of the contenders to play catch-up.

For supporters, it means there is little reason to wait for the traditional festive period for the Premier League to hit top gear. The biggest clubs will be tested almost immediately.

5. The post-Rodri era could define Manchester City’s season

Perhaps the most fascinating storyline at Manchester City is what comes after Rodri.

The midfielder’s departure leaves an enormous hole in City’s midfield after five seasons in which he became central to the club’s success.

Rodri made 172 Premier League appearances for City, scoring 22 goals and providing 21 assists. During his time at the club, he won four consecutive Premier League titles and was part of a remarkable 50-match unbeaten run in games he started.

Replacing that influence will be one of the biggest challenges of the season.

City are not the only club making major moves, either. Premier League spending has reached a collective £2.14 billion, underlining the scale of investment across the competition.

Tottenham’s £100 million move for Sandro Tonali is among the headline deals, while other Big Six clubs have also strengthened significantly.

The result is a league where the established hierarchy could face serious disruption.

A title race with no shortage of storylines

Arsenal begin the season as champions, but their crown is likely to be fiercely contested. Manchester City are entering a new era, Liverpool have an added Indian connection and Manchester United and Chelsea will be hoping their own rebuilds can translate into results.

Add nine new managers and a calendar that throws up blockbuster fixtures almost immediately, and the ingredients are there for another unpredictable Premier League campaign.

Premier League Season 2026-27 gets underway on August 22, with all the action LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network.

MILWAUKEE – The greatest show on the sand, silt, and clay of the pitcher’s mound these days is Milwaukee Brewers right-handed force of nature Jacob Misiorowski. The 24-year-old is not just the best pitcher in the world in 2026, he’s also the most viscerally overwhelming pitcher in the world. 

Misiorowski on Friday at the Brewers’ home yard squared off against Chris Sale, one of the best at his craft and a pitcher some 13 years Misiorowski’s senior. It was not only a clash of aces, it was also a duel between two of the best teams in baseball. The 40,130 in attendance — marking the 16th Milwaukee sell-out of the season (and this one on weekday afternoon) – surely knew it meant a little more than most August games do.  

Beyond the importance of the outcome — Milwaukee won 2-1 — and what it meant to a Brewers team trying to fend off the Cubs and secure top seed throughout the postseason and a Braves team angling to secure a bye, it was a Misiorowski start. No matter the opponent, that’s appointment viewing these days. If you were watching, here’s what you saw. 

First inning

Working from the first base side of the rubber, Misiorowski opens with a 101.8 mph fastball to greet Braves leadoff hitter Ronald Acuña Jr. It’s a ball inside. Misiorowski will go to the fastball with all five pitches that Acuña sees — all triple digits, and four of them out of the zone. Acuña flicks away the only strike, one on the outside sliver of the zone, and works a walk. 

With most starting pitchers, we’d note that they’d now be working from the stretch. Misirowski, though, is unusual among starting pitchers in that he always works from the stretch. Perhaps, with his long levers and maxed-out stuff, keeping it simple is the soundest approach. It’s certainly impossible to argue with the results, just as it’s impossible to argue with the Brewers’ faculties when it comes to pitching development. 

On Misiorowski’s sixth pitch of the game, he finally departs from the fastball and presents Drake Baldwin with a 98-mph cutter. Two offerings later, he goes to the slider for the first time on Friday. It’s not his fully gassed-up slider. He’s touched 98 with his slider this season, although when his slide-piece is at those levels, it might be more of a cutter than a true slider. If you call it a true slider, then Misiorowski has thrown 49 of the 50 fastest sliders on record. Is a 98-mph slider more impressive than his occasional 104-mph fastball? It might be, if, of course, it’s a slider in the genuine sense and not a cutter or the infelicitously named slutter. We know that his fastball is a fastball, though, so it’s fine to direct your amazement there, as you likely already were. 

Misiorowski gets his first strikeout of the game on a 101.6 mph fastball that catches the outside edge at Baldwin’s expense. 

Speaking of the typical purpose of pitching from the stretch — to hold runners — preventing the steal is a skill of Misiorowski’s that gets overlooked. On that note: 

This was a delayed steal on the part of Acuña, so the out was more an instance of poor decision-making running headlong into William Contreras‘ powerful throwing arm. Contreras is among the game’s best when it comes to controlling the running game, but let’s note that Misiorowski has allowed only one stolen base this season – the fewest among qualifiers alongside Ryan Weathers.  

Not long after, Misiorowski ends the frame with a backfoot slider to Matt Olson that he whiffs on. He throws the slider about three times as often to right-handed batters, but, as Olson will surely attest, he can back-foot it to left-handed batters as a putaway pitch. This one was 91.8 mph, so, yes, it’s a true slider. 

Second inning

It seems like the merest matter of time before Misiorowski eventually authors a no-hitter, but it won’t be today. With two out, Mauricio Dubón lines an 0-2 fastball to right for a single. At 103.1 mph, the pitch is Misiorowski’s hastiest of the day and the first pitch we’ve seen enter what’s informally known as “Miz Velo Country.” 

It’s not particularly fair to throw that hard as a starting pitcher, and what makes it even less fair from the Misiorowski standpoint is how close to the plate he releases the ball. The 6-foot-7 Misiorowski gets, on average, an absurd 7.6 feet of extension off the rubber and toward the plate. That puts him in the 99th percentile in extension among big league hurlers. 

Take a look at Misiorowski’s first inning landing spot, as amateurishly captured from the American Family Field press box: 

And here’s how it looked in the fourth inning after Sale has put his spikes on the mound: 

As you can see, the 6-foot-6 Sale had been planting well behind Misirowski. Sale gets his six-and-a-half feet in extension, on average, and that puts him in the 59th percentile, but thanks to his crossfire delivery he doesn’t get down the hill as much as Misiorowski does. 

That’s where the notion of effective velocity comes into play. The hitter obviously has vanishingly little time to react to Misiorowski’s fastball, and because he releases the ball so close to the hitter, it’s even less time than you might think. Misiorowski this season has averaged 100.6 mph with his fastball, but his average effective velocity — meaning what the pitch feels like to the hitter — is 103.1 mph thanks to his elite extension. He has a high leg lift, with the knee basically coming in line with the jersey lettering when he’s going into his delivery, and that sets him up to stride deep toward the plate. 

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When we talk about Miz’s fastball, we’ll often couch it in terms like “fastest by a starting pitcher” when talking about Aroldis Chapman in historical terms or Mason Miller on the contemporary front. Miller indeed does best Misiorowski on the radar gun, with an average four-seamer of 101.5 mph. In effective velocity, though, Miller comes in at 102.4 mph because he gets less extension than Misiorowski. Miller may throw harder, but most hitters would probably tell you that Miz seems like he throws hardest of all.  

He induced a 2-1 fly-out from Dom Smith to strand Dubón and end the inning. 

Third inning

The third frame, in which after the first two batters Misiorowski gets into the Atlanta lineup for the second time, sees him take a slider-heavy approach. Of his 11 pitches in the inning, just three are fastballs. He goes to the four-seamer more than 60% of the time overall, which is a point of distinction these days, so this is a brief departure for Misiorowski. Like most teams, the Braves are less effective against breaking stuff than fastballs, and Misiorowski is getting deeper into his secondaries a bit early, since he probably won’t go extremely deep into this game even if the zeroes continue to stack up. He’s pitching on extra rest, as is custom with him lately, as his workload continues to mount and as the Brewers increasingly operate with a focus on a deep October run. 

Misiorowski whiffs Austin Riley on a fastball after feeding him three straight sliders. Against the Braves No. 9 hitter, Mike Yastrzemski, he throws a curve for the first time. The curve is actually Miz’s best pitch in terms of whiff rate, but this one lands a bit too middle-in, and Yastrzemski lines it to right for a single. First pitch ground-outs to Acuña and Baldwin end the frame. 

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Fourth inning

Freshly staked to a 2-0 lead, Misirowski benefits from the first ABS challenge of the day by Contreras, who flips a called ball into a called strike at the top of the zone to put Olson in an 0-1 count. He’s back to a fastball-heavy approach in this inning and throws three straight balls to Olson before retiring him on back-to-back swinging strikes at the fastball. With a 2-1 count, Harris stings a 99.7 mph high fastball – it’s the first hard-hit ball that Misiorowski has permitted on this day – but center fielder Luis Lara makes a nifty ranging catch to prevent extra bases. The 16-pitch perfect frame ends on an Ozzie Albies fly-out. 

Fifth inning

For a pitcher like Misiorowski, who doesn’t throw a sinker and leans so heavily on a four-seamer he likes to spot high in the zone, you wouldn’t expect strong groundball tendencies. But Misiorowski has a ground-ball percentage of 45.1, which puts him in the 64th percentile among MLB hurlers. This is because his secondaries all get more grounders than you’d expect given their traits and types. The fifth provides a reminder, and Dubón leads off the inning by grounding out to Brice Turang at second on a Miz cutter. The pitch was at the very top of the zone, but because of the late natural sink it dipped under the barrel and registered a -3 degree launch angle. 

Another ground ball followed, but this one off the bat of Smith (with a -17 degree launch angle) sneaked into right field for a hit. Facing Riley for the second time, Misiorowski flipped his approach and went fastballs broken up by a slider. He earned a whiff. The Braves brought the potential tying run to the plate when Yastrzemski earned a four-pitch walk — not a common occurrence for Misiorowski. Yes, his stuff is electricity set on fire, but it’s all harnessed and commanded. He’s walked just 6% of opposing batters, which is figure that puts him among the league’s top control artists (a descriptor that, even so, will never be applied to him). This walk meant Misiorowski would face the perilous Acuña for the third time on Friday in a crucial spot. With a 1-2 count, he fed the former MVP a fastball above the zone followed by a slider at the very bottom of it. One -17 degree launch angle later, a 6-3 putout ended the threat. 

Sixth inning

Improbably, Misiorowski this season has permitted a .122/.230/.194 line when facing an opposing lineup for the third time in a start. Still, in-game familiarity benefits the hitter, and the theory holds even when a pitcher like Misiorowski is defying it. The sixth indeed occasioned danger for the Milwaukee ace. 

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To start, he freezes Baldwin for a punchout on the sixth pitch of their encounter. Next was Olson, and Misiorowski got ahead 0-2 thanks to two different brands of sliders – one back door and one back foot. Olson evens the count at 2-2 and then bruises a high fastball, 104.8 mph off the bat, to center. Lara, though, is on the case: 

The ball off Olson’s bat had an expected batting average of .770, but in truth that figure turned out to be .000. Two pitches later, Harris smoked a double to right off a slider, and a mound visit followed. An Albies fly-out put an end to the inning. With a pitch count of 96 Misiorowski’s day was probably already done, but the Brewers no doubt noted that against Albies he threw his slowest four-seamer at 97.2 mph and his slowest cutter at 94.7 mph. The Fatigued state is when mechanics go awry, and we know what can happen from there. Wielding the beast of unthinkable velocity means respecting it, at least if you want to keep wielding it. He wasn’t his sharpest self in that inning, and, who can say, if the sunlight didn’t break through that bank of windows at American Family Field in the sixth and complicate the hitting visuals, maybe it’s not a spotless day after all for Misiorowski. 

His final line: 

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As of that work, Misiorowski this season has an ERA of 1.68 and an FIP of 2.14 in 145 innings. He’s also struck out 216 batters, which comes to a K% of 39.3 — an absurd figure for any pitcher, let alone a starter who isn’t even a quarter-century old yet. All of that — everything, really — leads the majors.   

The Braves broke through against the Milwaukee bullpen with a run in the eighth and put the tying run on base in the ninth, but in the end the crisp two-hour and 21-minute pitcher’s duel — connoisseur’s baseball — went the way most expected it to. It went to the better team and — this is often said in reference to a probable future Hall of Famer like Sale — the better pitcher. The Brewers, thanks to the heavy lifting of Misiorowski, are now the first team to 80 wins in 2026. 

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Given the two moundsmen involved and the two teams involved, it all felt like a prelude to something bigger, say, seven or eight weeks from now. That sounds all right, does it not? 

The 2026 NFL regular season gets underway in under three weeks with the kickoff game on Wednesday, Sept. 9. With Week 2 of the NFL preseason rolling, the time has come for Fantasy football owners to lock in on preparations for another big Fantasy football draft weekend. Veterans like Josh Allen, Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs and Ja’Marr Chase all headline the 2026 Fantasy football rankings, and will likely be among the top players on most Fantasy football draft boards. The key to Fantasy success remains finding sleepers and rookies who outperform their Fantasy football ADP, and avoiding drafting players that end up being Fantasy football 2026 busts. 

Who should you target in your fantasy football draft strategy, and which players should fall on your list of potential 2026 Fantasy football busts? Before finalizing your 2026 Fantasy football draft strategy, be sure to check out the 2026 Fantasy football rankings and cheat sheets from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

Last year, the model accurately predicted that Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin would fall well short of his top-50 ADP. The result: A season after piling up nearly 1,100 receiving yards and a career-high 13 touchdown catches, McLaurin had career lows in receiving yards (582) and receiving touchdowns (3). Injuries were a factor, but his per-game averages were down across the board as well, so anybody who avoided him in Fantasy drafts dodged a major headache. 

The same model has a proven track record providing Fantasy football tips, identifying A.J. Brown as a sleeper in 2020, nailing Jonathan Taylor’s monstrous season in 2021 and correctly predicting C.J. Stroud would take a step back in 2024. Additionally, it’s called past Fantasy football sleepers like Derrick Henry in 2019, Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara in 2018, and Davante Adams in 2017. 

Now, SportsLine has simulated the entire NFL season 10,000 times and released its latest Fantasy football rankings 2026, along with plenty of sleepers, breakouts and busts. Head to SportsLine now to see them. 

Top 2026 Fantasy football busts

One of the 2026 Fantasy football busts the model is predicting: New York Giants receiver Malik Nabers. He’s going off the board around pick No. 34, but SportsLine’s model doesn’t even have him as a top-15 receiver. In fact, it has players such as DeVonta Smith and Nico Collins above him.

Nabers isn’t a lock to be ready to at the start of the season after tearing his ACL last season and then undergoing a follow-up procedure in the spring. The Giants are also expected to lean heavily on the run game under offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, making Nabers a risky pick in the second or early third round. See more busts at SportsLine.

Another bust that SportsLine’s Fantasy football rankings 2026 have identified: Bills running back James Cook. Cook is going off the board with an ADP around No. 11 overall and is the fifth running back being taken on average. SportsLine’s model, however, ranks him as RB No. 10, behind players such as Derrick Henry and Chase Brown, saying that he should be more of a late-second or even third round pick.

Cook has stacked two impressive seasons and was the RB6 a year ago, so it’s understandable why he’s getting first-round consideration in many drafts. He did fumble at a higher rate last season, however, and he’s not an elite target out of the backfield. Also, Josh Allen always looms as a touchdown vulture for Buffalo, as these factors are why the model is leaning to other high-end backs early. See which other Fantasy football busts 2026 to pick here.

How to find proven 2026 Fantasy football rankings

SportsLine is also fading one of the first five receivers off the board in early 2026 Fantasy football drafts. The model ranks this player barely inside the top 10 and is calling for him to be one of the biggest busts in the league this year. You can only see who it is, and the 2026 Fantasy football rankings for every player, at SportsLine.

So which 2026 Fantasy Football busts should you be steering clear of, and which high-end WR should you completely fade? Visit SportsLine now to get 2026 Fantasy Football cheat sheets for every single position, all from the model that helped managers avoid a disastrous Terry McLaurin season in 2025.

2026 Fantasy football ADP

(PPR, via CBS)
Get Fantasy football cheat sheets at SportsLine.

1. Jahmyr Gibbs (1.30)
2. Bijan Robinson (1.92)
3. Ja’Marr Chase (3.98)
4. Puka Nacua (4.91)
5. Jonathan Taylor (5.29)
6. Jaxon Smith-Njigba (6.98)
7. Christian McCaffrey (7.20)
8. Amon-Ra St. Brown (9.15)
9. James Cook (11.11)
10. De’Von Achane (11.75)
11. Ashton Jeanty (12.93)
12. Chase Brown (13.09)  

Pro Football Focus has ranked all 32 receiving corps entering the 2026 NFL season, and it puts the Vikings in fifth place. It’s a lofty position that shows the talent the Vikings have on offense and how highly they are viewed despite a difficult season last year.

PFF Ranks Vikings Receiving Corps in the Top 5

PFF went through the process of evaluating the complete collection of pass-catchers each offense has at its disposal. A team’s wide receivers are the focal point, but depending on how a team sets up its offense, running backs and tight ends can be a huge part of a team’s passing attack.

The Detroit Lions topped the list, followed by the Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, and Seattle Seahawks. Minnesota rounded out the top five, here is what PFF had to say about their positioning of the Vikings.

Many fans still consider Justin Jefferson the best receiver in the sport, and he will be hungrier than ever to make right on a very uncharacteristic down year in which issues at quarterback largely contributed to his lack of success. Jordan Addison is still only 24 years old, but his play really fell off toward the latter stages of last year, with a 57.0 PFF receiving grade from Week 10 onward. The addition of Jauan Jennings helps Minnesota stay ranked inside the top 10. He brings a true possession receiver presence, making 18 contested grabs last year. However, no NFL team got less receiving production from its non-wide receivers last year (1,012 yards).

The Vikings wide receivers are as good as it gets; in my WR rankings for the NFC North, I had them ahead of the Lions. Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jauan Jennings aren’t just an extremely talented trio but they also bring different styles and skill sets to the table.

If Myles Price can bring his impressive preseason form into the regular season then Minnesota will have even more firepower in their offense.

More Needed From RB & TE

PFF is correct in their assessment that the Vikings need more from their running backs and tight ends in the passing game this season. There’s no reason not to expect Kevin O’Connell to be able to do that.

T.J. Hockenson was on his way to a 1,000-yard receiving season in 2023 before a knee injury stopped him in his tracks. He’s not reached those heights since but his 2024 season was delayed as he came back from his knee injury and last year Minnesota’s QB woes are well documented.

At running back a lot will depend on what Aaron Jones has left in the tank at nearly 32. He has been a prolific pass catcher in the past but his numbers were down last season, but so were everybody else’s.

How the Vikings can use rookie RB Demond Claiborne’s dynamic speed could also be a big factor. His pass-catching skills are still very raw, but if he gets the ball in his hands early, he can make things happen.

Overall, the top five ranking for the Vikings receiving corps is a fair assessment; however, there is potential for even better if the play from the guy throwing the ball can be a lot more consistent than it was last season.

Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.

Neeraj Chopra at Lausanne Diamond League 2026© Diamond League

Even for experienced IndyCar drivers, competing on a circuit set against the backdrop of the U.S. Capitol proves remarkable.

“We get to race at a lot of cool cities, but this one is by far the best that we’ve ever had, and I can say that very truthfully,” Kyle Kirkwood noted on Friday. “Going by the Capitol building, the views here, all the architecture of all the buildings around here, all the museums, it’s stuff that you dream of.

“It’s a serious honor and privilege.”

The Freedom 250 Grand Prix taking place this weekend is the second major sporting event hosted by President Donald Trump in Washington to mark the nation’s 250th birthday celebration, following a UFC fight card staged on the White House’s South Lawn in June.

IndyCar racing — an open-wheel counterpart to NASCAR — doesn’t have quite the same association with the right-wing “manosphere” or the MAGA movement, but series owner Roger Penske received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump in 2019 and led the effort to put together this race in the District of Columbia.

For the drivers, it’s a welcome moment in the spotlight.

“What’s been the coolest part of this week? Honestly, the media covering us,” Kirkwood said. “It’s cool to see IndyCar in this light. We don’t get these opportunities very often outside of the Indy 500, and to have an event that is sought after as much as the 500 is something that’s special.”

Washington has little history with high-level motorsports. In 2002, the parking lot at RFK Stadium on the city’s east side was transformed into a course for an American Le Mans Series event.

The Freedom 250 is downtown in one of D.C.’s prime tourist areas. If you’re not in a race car, it’s not the greatest weekend to be driving around the area given all the road closures, but if the weather holds up, the setting has the potential to be spectacular.

“As a boy from the Netherlands that just got his green card, it is really cool,” said Rinus VeeKay, who has six top-10 finishes this season. “We didn’t get too much U.S. history in school … but learning so much about it here, seeing all the monuments and museums and just how every building kind of has a special purpose here around the city, is very cool. Getting to see the White House, this is stuff you see in movies.”

The White House is not part of the D.C. course, although after Turn 1, the track does include a lengthy straightaway along Pennsylvania Avenue, heading northwest away from the Capitol. Then there’s a sharp left turn between the National Archives and the main Justice Department building, followed by a couple quick 90-degree turns as the track navigates the city’s grid system.

After a straightaway takes drivers across the National Mall, they turn left onto Independence Avenue, passing the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum. and the Eisenhower Memorial before heading north on 3rd Street to the finish line, which is just west of the Capitol.

“I think it’s more exciting when you actually get on the grounds and see what you’re about to do. I mean, when is this ever going to happen again?” said Josef Newgarden, a driver for Team Penske. “I hope it’s great visibility. That’s probably the biggest thing that it could bring to us — is visibility to people that aren’t maybe as familiar with IndyCar racing.”

IndyCar practice and qualifying are scheduled for Saturday, along with an IROC race. The IndyCar race is Sunday and set for 250 miles (147 laps) — the second-longest street circuit race in IndyCar history.

The 1.7-mile track includes seven turns in all. The Air & Space Museum and National Gallery of Art are both inside the course’s perimeter, with a fan zone between them. The track is shorter and has fewer turns than several others on the IndyCar schedule, but it’s not much different from the 1.6-mile, nine-turn circuit used in downtown Detroit.

“It’s short and snappy, but you know what? We don’t know. We haven’t driven on it yet,” driver Marcus Armstrong said. “We’ll find out tomorrow. It might even be wet tomorrow. There’s a lot of crosswalks, a lot of paint on the track, so that could be super slippery.”

Joe Pride, the trainer of Ceolwulf, has solid grounds to believe the four-time Group One champion can regain his top form this preparation, following the premature end to his autumn campaign.

The highly-rated miler was spelled after only two starts last time in, owing to a combination of foot issues and a minor bleed. He is now slated to make his comeback this Saturday in the Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.

Pride is not anticipating a victory on his return but is looking for a spirited performance from the gelding as he heads towards his main objective, a third consecutive win in the King Charles III Stakes (1600m).

“He needed a good rest, and he’s now had that rest,” Pride remarked.

“We’ll see a better version of him this spring, and it has always been a good time of year for him. He’s won his four Group Ones all in the spring, and I don’t think it’s coincidental.”

Ceolwulf’s only occasion featuring in the placings first-up was on his debut. Last year, however, he showed competitive spirit in the Winx Stakes (1400m), finishing fourth to Via Sistina after a late closing effort.

Facing a formidable line-up on Saturday, Pride will be content to see him hitting the line with vigour. A downgrade in track conditions from the current soft 7 rating would also be beneficial for the horse.

“I think it’s going to come down to track conditions on the day. If it ends up being a bit wet and a few of the key chances come out, he could end up being a top three chance,” Pride stated.

“But I’ve certainly learned not to expect too much of him early in his preparations. He’s never won first-up. He’s run some nice races, but that’s all I need to see from him, a nice return, and he’ll build into the preparation as he always does.”

The regular rider, Chad Schofield, will guide Ceolwulf, who was listed as a $34 chance on Thursday. The betting markets are dominated by the outstanding mares Autumn Glow ($1.85 favourite) and Sheza Alibi ($3.10).

Sheza Alibi was initially anticipated to resume in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield next week, but connections elected to change their minds and enter her for the Sydney event.

Co-trainer Katherine Coleman indicated that the Doncaster Mile champion is on schedule to participate at Randwick, with training partner Peter Moody preparing to travel with the Victorian mare on Thursday night.

“Pete and her strapper Mitch are heading up with her tonight (Thursday)…and hopefully they can get the job done,” Coleman told Sydney’s Sky Sports Radio.

“She’s by no means screwed down going into Saturday. We’ve been pretty vocal the grand final this time around is the Golden Eagle, so there is plenty of water to go under the bridge before we get there and that’s when we want to be peaking.

“Definitely plenty of improvement to come out of having the trip away and the run on Saturday, but she goes there in really good order.”

Stay updated with the latest racing news and odds at racing odds.

Fans hailed the performance of midfielder Martin Odegaard as Arsenal opened their Premier League title defence with a statement 3-0 verdict over Championship winners Coventry City at the Emirates on Friday (August 21).

The Gunners broke the deadlock through Kai Havertz in the 15th minute before Bukayo Saka doubled their advantage eight minutes later. Martin Odegaard applied the coup de grace three minutes after the break as Mikel Arteta’s side laid down a marker to the rest of the competition.

Having also scored in the 3-0 FA Community Shield against Manchester City in Cardiff last weekend, Odegaard scored for the second game running, earning plaudits from fans:

“Martin Odegaard back to his brilliant best. Make your apologies as loud as your disrespect. You know who you are,” one tweeted.

“Odegaard seems like he’s really enjoying football since the World Cup Felt totally opposite last season Huge for us,” another commented.

“The World Cup transformed Odegaard and reshaped his mentality. Eze might get benched for many games this season,” one commented.

“Some ungrateful Arsenal fans wanted him out,” another posted.

“Martin Odegaard, there are statements to be made this season,” one tweeted.

The loss meant that Frank Lampard has won just one of his last 18 Premier League games as manager, losing 13, and failing to keep a clean sheet in 17 straight matches, with his Coventry team losing on their return to the competition after 25 years.

What’s next for Arsenal?

Following their comprehensive opening-day victory in the Premier League as they seek back-to-back league titles for the first time in nearly a century, Arsenal return to action after 10 days.

Mikel Arteta’s side next travel to Aston Villa for their first away game of the campaign before hosting Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea six days later at the Emirates, hoping to continue their winning run.

Last season, the Gunners ended a 22-year league title drought since registering a historic ‘Invincibles’ triumph under the legendary Arsene Wenger. Fast forward two decades, they finished runners-up three straight times before winning the title again last season.