Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason (27) carries the football during action against the Green Bay Packers on Jan. 4, 2026 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Mason handled an expanded offensive workload late in the regular season as Minnesota leaned on its rushing attack during another important NFC North showdown against Green Bay. Mandatory Credit: Dan Powers-Imagn Images
Startup dynasty fantasy football drafts are ongoing, and redraft leagues will get cracking in three months. During those events, it might be a decent idea to take a flyer on Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason.
Mason’s RB2 case depends on volume, efficiency, and whether Aaron Jones finally gives up touches.
The veteran tailback is on tap for RB1-RB2 duty in 2026, and he made a list of potential “sleepers” published by Fansided last week.
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Minnesota’s Backfield Could Create Real Fantasy Value
Mason could be an undercover stud in 2026.
Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason (27) rushes the football against the Washington Commanders during the second half on Dec. 7, 2025 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Mason handled an important role in Minnesota’s ground attack as the Vikings leaned on their rushing offense during a late-season NFC matchup against Washington. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Fansided: Mason Is a Fantasy Sleeper
Justin Carter at Fansided tossed out eight sleepers for your upcoming drafts, and on Mason, he explained, “Mason’s first season with the Minnesota Vikings was solid. He rushed for a career-high six touchdowns and came close to his previous career high in rushing yards despite playing just 44 percent of Minnesota’s offensive snaps, with Aaron Jones serving as the team’s lead back for the 12 games Jones was healthy and active for.”
“Now, Jones is a year older. He has over 1,500 career carries. He missed time last year with a variety of injuries. And he’s backed up by one of, IMO, one of the best backup running backs in the league. This is a situation where fantasy managers could get a massive reward if the Vikings end up using Mason as the starting running back at some point.”
Carter continued, “There’s one issue that caps his upside a bit, though: he’s a complete non-factor as a receiver. Mason had 159 carries last year, but just 16 targets. That’s, uhh, a pretty big disparity, and it wasn’t a result of game planning.”
“Jones had 132 carries — fewer than Mason due to missing five games — but was still targeted 41 times. Still, in standard and even half-PPR, Mason is a great player to throw a dart at later in your fantasy draft.”
His 2025 Output
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How productive was Mason in Year No. 1 with the Vikings? Quite is the answer. He logged 159 carries for 758 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns, paydirts that were ultra-refreshing because the 2024 Vikings almost refused to score rushing touchdowns altogether. Mason also caught 14 passes for 51 yards, a modest mark.
His problem? Attention. Touches. Emphasis. Like this year, Minnesota has Aaron Jones lined up to share the RB1-RB2 workload, a one-two punch of experience and dependability. Jones isn’t the type of guy teams put on the bench, so the pair basically coexist.
Had Mason been granted the touch load of an RB1 — like Travis Etienne, for example, in Jacksonville — in the arena of 260 rushing attempts, here’s what Mason’s stat line would look like:
When the offseason began in January, a large faction of Vikings fans expected the club to release Jones, who battled injuries in 2025 — and battles some form of injury nearly every season. Jones will be 32 this winter, and age-32 running backs aren’t often hot commodities.
Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason (27) carries the football against the Chicago Bears during the second half on Sep. 8, 2025 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. Mason fought through contact from Bears safety Kevin Byard III (31) while helping Minnesota establish offensive balance in an early NFC North showdown. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
But Jones accepted a paycut to stay in Minnesota, keeping in the mix for 2026. That flattened Mason’s broad outlook this season. Had Jones departed, Mason would’ve been the next man up by default and possibly a bellcow RB1.
Until it happens, Mason will encounter a familiar narrative: the guy just needs more rushing attempts. When he gets the ball, he chips off about 5 yards per carry. He can’t blossom as a true-blue RB1 unless he gets 200-300 carries.
The Fansided theory evidently operates on the pretense that Mason will get closer to RB1 duty, rather than the shared setup on the docket right now.
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RotoBaller‘s Patrick McGrath on Mason: “With a healthier offensive line and improved quarterback play, his second season with the Vikings could be marginally more productive even if his role remains largely unchanged.”
“At 27 years old, Mason is RotoBaller’s dynasty RB52, and while the breakout calls have quieted, he is still capable of playing out the final year of his contract as an occasional flex option with notable insurance upside.”
Other Vikings Sleepers?
For fantasy football sake, the Vikings don’t have too many sleepers — everyone already knows that Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings, and Kyler Murray are draftable.
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Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason (27) carries the football against the Houston Texans during first-quarter preseason action on Aug. 9, 2025 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mason picked up early rushing yards as Minnesota worked to establish rhythm on the ground during the exhibition matchup against Houston. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
But if push came to shove for a Vikings-themed fantasy sleeper list, it would probably look like this:
Second-year pass-catcher Tai Felton could bloom, too, but the probability of that shrank when interim general manager Rob Brzezinski signed Jennings.
Mason turned 27 on Sunday.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
The second round of Group C fixtures at FIFA World Cup 2026 could have a major impact on the race for the Round of 32 tonight. Scotland and Morocco meet in a clash between two sides that impressed in their opening matches, while Brazil will look to kick-start their campaign against a determined Haiti side in Philadelphia. With qualification scenarios beginning to take shape, both fixtures carry significant weight.
Scotland vs Morocco: Group Leaders Face Tournament Dark Horses
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Scotland head into their second Group C match full of confidence after ending a 28-year wait for a World Cup victory with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Haiti. Steve Clarke’s side currently sit at the top of the group, but they face a far sterner challenge against a Morocco team that looked one of the most impressive African sides in the opening round.
The Atlas Lions earned a 1-1 draw against Brazil and arguably deserved more after producing a disciplined and energetic performance against the five-time world champions. Having already proved their credentials with a historic semifinal run in 2022, Morocco appear determined to show that success was no one-off achievement.
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Scotland will need to withstand Morocco’s fast starts and attacking threat, particularly down the right flank where captain Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz have developed a dangerous partnership. Young midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi has also emerged as one of the breakout performers of the tournament, while Ismael Saibari arrives with confidence after scoring against Brazil.
A victory would move Scotland closer to a historic first-ever appearance in the World Cup knockout rounds, but Clarke’s men will need one of their strongest performances yet to overcome a Morocco side increasingly viewed as contenders to top the group.
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Brazil vs Haiti: Pressure Mounts on Selecao in Philadelphia
Brazil enter their meeting with Haiti knowing that three points are essential after a disappointing 1-1 draw against Morocco in their tournament opener. Carlo Ancelotti’s side remain among the favourites for the title, but their first performance raised questions about their sharpness and creativity.
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The clash at Lincoln Financial Field promises an intriguing tactical battle. Both teams enjoyed strong possession numbers in their opening matches and completed over 85 percent of their passes, suggesting midfield control could be decisive.
Brazil generated 12 shots and five efforts on target against Morocco, with Vinicius Junior providing the standout moment. Haiti, despite losing 1-0 to Scotland, produced 15 shots and showed plenty of attacking intent, although only two of those attempts tested the goalkeeper.
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Defensively, Brazil will again rely on the experience of Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhaes, who were heavily involved in build-up play during the opener. Haiti’s backline also impressed on the ball, with Ricardo Adé and Hannes Delcroix helping the Caribbean side maintain possession and launch attacks from deep.
Brazil are expected to remain without Neymar as he continues his recovery from a calf injury, while Haiti could also be missing forward Duckens Nazon. With Scotland and Morocco also in action, the outcome of this match could prove crucial in shaping the Group C standings heading into the final round of fixtures. Scotland vs Morocco probable starting eleven:
Scotland take on African giants Morocco in their second Group C game on Friday, knowing a draw could be enough to clinch a place in the knockout rounds of a World Cup for the first time ever. The Scots will start with five defenders, while Morocco are unchanged from their opener. Follow our live, minute-by-minute coverage.
The starting XIs
Scotland will start with five defenders, compared to four in their opening Group C win against Haiti, with Nathan Patterson and Kieran Tierney being brought into the side as coach Steve Clarke bolstered his backline.
The Moroccans are unchanged from their opening match, with a four-man defence and striker Brahim Diaz up front.
Scotland: Angus Gunn; Kieran Tierney, Andy Robertson, Grant Hanley, Jack Hendry, Nathan Patterson; Scott McTominay, John McGinn, Ryan Christie, Lewis Ferguson; Che Adams
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Morocco: Yassine Bounou; Achraf Hakimi, Issa Diop, Chadi Riad, Noussair Mazraoui; Ayyoub Bouaddi, Azzedine Ounahi, Ismael Saibari, Bilal El Khannouss, Neil El Aynaoui, Brahim Diaz.
Morocco’s Hakimi plays despite being sent for rape trial
Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi is in the starting XI, just hours after an appeals court in France confirmed he must stand trial on rape charges.
The Paris Saint-Germain defender is facing allegations that he raped a 24-year-old woman in the Paris region in 2023, which he denies.
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Scotland fans strike it rich with big baseball raffle win
Football fans are paying thousands of dollars for tickets to World Cup games this year but four Scotland supporters have been given a big help with their expenses after they won more than $10,000 in a raffle at a baseball game in Boston.
The four – two father-and-son duos – bought the winning numbers on Sunday at the Boston Red Sox stadium which was packed with members of the Tartan Army, a day after Scotland marked their first match at the World Cup in 28 years with a 1-0 win over Haiti, the BBC reports.
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“We checked in the ninth inning. We had to do a double take,” one of the sons, Paul Innes, said after receiving the prize of $10,677. “The numbers matched. I think we checked three or four times. It’s just surreal. It’s not really sunk in.”
Tartan Army steals the show
Scotland are among the few teams at the World Cup without a nickname, perhaps because their fans tend to steal the show.
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FRANCE 24’s Selina Sykes went to meet the Tartan Army in the streets of Boston.
The starting XIs
Scotland start with five defenders, compared to four in their opening Group C win against Haiti, with Nathan Patterson and Kieran Tierney being brought into the side as coach Steve Clarke bolstered his backline.
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The Moroccans are unchanged from their opening match, with a four-man defence and striker Brahim Diaz up front.
Scotland: Angus Gunn; Kieran Tierney, Andy Robertson, Grant Hanley, Jack Hendry, Nathan Patterson; Scott McTominay, John McGinn, Ryan Christie, Lewis Ferguson; Che Adams
Morocco: Yassine Bounou; Achraf Hakimi, Issa Diop, Chadi Riad, Noussair Mazraoui; Ayyoub Bouaddi, Azzedine Ounahi, Ismael Saibari, Bilal El Khannouss, Neil El Aynaoui, Brahim Diaz.
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…and when Morocco dumped the Scots out of France 98
But the Morocco game also brings back painful memories of Scotland’s last World Cup campaign in 1998 in France, when they played the North African nation in their final group game and were eliminated after a comprehensive 3-0 defeat.
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When Scotland beat Cruyff
Scotland’s win over Haiti last weekend was their first World Cup game since 1998 and their first win at the tournament since 1990, as well as only their fifth ever at the finals.
Memorable Scottish performances against higher-ranked opponents include a 3-2 win over eventual finalists the Netherlands in 1978, which was agonisingly too little to keep Scotland in the tournament.
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Welcome to our liveblog
Scotland will relish their role as underdogs in today’s World Cup group game against Morocco, who look even better now than the side that famously reached the semi-finals four years ago in Qatar.
After a nervy 1-0 win against minnows Haiti in their opener, Scotland know a draw could clinch a place in the knockout rounds of a major tournament for the first time ever.
Morocco, meawhile, will be keen to register their first win of the tournament after they were denied victory by Brazil despite dominating much of their opening game.
Nov 15, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian walks into Sanford Stadium before a game against the Georgia Bulldogs. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Five-star cornerback John Meredith III announced his commitment to Texas on Friday.
Meredith is ranked as the No. 2 overall recruit in the Class of 2027 by the 247Sports composite.
The Fort Worth, Texas, prospect chose the Longhorns over Texas A&M following official visits to both.
Coach Steve Sarkisian’s recruiting class also includes five-star wideout Easton Royal and eight four-star players, per 247Sports.
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The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Meredith was recently ruled ineligible for his senior season. According to the Dallas Morning News, a district athletic committee determined that his offseason move from Euless Trinity High School to North Crowley was a transfer for athletic purposes.
ESPN reported that Meredith planned to appeal that ruling.
Tries: Burgess, Hiku, Whitbread, Leyland Goals: Martin 3
Leigh (4) 8
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Tries: Alick-Wiencke, Hodgson
Reigning Super League champions Hull KR battled to a deserved win over Leigh Leopards.
The home side took the lead through Joe Burgess’ 17th try of the season and Peta Hiku’s score added to their advantage before Jacob Alick-Wiencke got the away side on the scoreboard to make it 10-4 at the break.
The Robins lost Burgess to what looked like a shoulder injury in the opening minutes of the second half.
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Further tries from Jai Whitbread and Bill Leyland moved the game away from the visitors to leave Bailey Hodgson’s late effort nothing more than a consolation.
Victory moved Willie Peters’ men two points behind second-placed Warrington.
Leigh, who had won their past three since losing to Rovers last month, remain seventh.
Akwa Ibom’s rising tennis stars, Etoro Bassey and Favour James, have continued to make the state proud with impressive performances at the ongoing CBN National Tennis Open in Abuja.
Etoro Bassey booked her place in the women’s singles semi-finals after a series of dominant displays. The talented youngster, who won a silver medal at the NDDC Games in Benin earlier this year, produced one of the standout results of the tournament by defeating Plateau State’s Suwa Nenrot, the NDDC Games gold medallist, 6-1, 6-0 in the quarter-finals.
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Her journey to the last four began with a convincing 6-1, 6-0 victory over Kadijat Salami of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the opening round. She followed that up with a hard-fought 6-3, 6-4 win against Mary Azi, also from the FCT, to secure her place in the quarter-finals.
The success story has not been limited to the singles event. In the women’s doubles category, the Akwa Ibom duo of Etoro Bassey and Favour James have also advanced to the semi-finals. The pair defeated Gloria Samuel and Daisy Ukechukwu 6-2, 7-5 in the quarter-finals to continue their impressive run in the competition.
The semi-final matches are scheduled to take place on June 19, 2026, at the Tennis Complex of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
Etoro Bassey’s rapid rise in Nigerian tennis continues to attract attention from stakeholders and followers of the sport. Her consistent performances on the national stage have strengthened hopes that she could soon earn opportunities to represent Nigeria in international competitions.
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The achievements of Bassey and James also reflect the growing development of tennis in Akwa Ibom State, where support from the state tennis association has played a key role in nurturing young talents and providing them with opportunities to compete at the highest level.
Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade sets the stage for the USA vs Australia FIFA World Cup match. Fox Sports analyst Alexi Lalas highlights Team USA’s historic performance and the excitement surrounding it, emphasizing the different challenge Australia will present. The winner of this Seattle match guarantees a spot in the knockout round, creating high stakes.
The United States’ second World Cup match once again got off to a dream start when Australia’s Cameron Burgess scored an own goal in the 10th minute, giving the Americans an early lead in the group stage matchup.
Folarin Balogun and Antonee Robinson celebrate after Australia’s Cameron Burgess scored an own goal, giving the United States the first goal in Seattle, Washington on June 19, 2026.(Troy Wayrynen/Imagn Images)
Fans inside the packed Seattle stadium roared as the USMNT seized the early 1-0 advantage.
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Benefiting from an own goal at the World Cup is rare. But capitalizing from one in back-to-back matches is unprecedented. Friday’s match against Australia marked the first time in FIFA men’s World Cup history that the same team gained an advantage from own goals in consecutive games.
Across the tournament’s history, only France has benefited from more own goals than the United States.
United States fans celebrate at the U.S. Soccer House in Venice, California, on June 19, 2026, after Australia’s Cameron Burgess scored an own goal giving the United States its first score in a FIFA World Cup Group Stage – Group D match.(William Navarro/Imagn Images)
In the 42nd minute, Alex Freeman scored to increase the American’s lead to 2-0.
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart is preparing for his second season with the team after a strong rookie year. During his offseason preparations, Dart and his girlfriend, Marissa Ayers, watched the New York Knicks win their historic NBA title.
Dart and Ayers attended the Knicks’ NBA Finals series against the San Antonio Spurs earlier this month. Following the Knicks’ championship parade on Thursday, Ayers shared behind-the-scenes moments of the couple’s trip to San Antonio for Game 5.
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“My New York rookie year is off to a great start,” Ayers captioned her post.
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The carousel post featured pictures of the duo in Knicks jerseys at Frost Bank Center. A picture also featured the pair on a private plane.
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Ayers and Dart reportedly started dating last season and the duo confirmed their relationship on social media in January. Ayers also shared in a TikTok video in February that she planned to move to New York to support her career as a content creator.
Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart spends time with girlfriend Marissa Ayers in offseason
Jaxson Dart and his girlfriend Marissa Ayers witnessed the Knicks end their 53-year-long championship drought by defeating the Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 in San Antonio.
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Following the Knicks’ first title in more than five decades, Ayers shared a four-word message in her Instagram story.
“Knicks in 5 babyyyyy!!!!” Ayers wrote in her story.
Apart from the NBA Finals, Dart and Ayers also attended the USA’s first game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium earlier this month.
Dart attended the Miami Swim Week to watch his girlfriend make her runway debut earlier this month. Dart was seen filming Ayers as she strutted down the runway in a purple bikini.
The result was an 8-shot improvement. In breezy sunshine at Shinnecock Hills, Morikawa fired a five-under 65, rebounding from a first-round 73 to leapfrog up the leaderboard. He finished the day at two-under for the tournament, in a tie for fourth, with much of the field still on the course.
What accounted for the turnabout?
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His wedges. Specifically, the soles of them.
On Friday afternoon, Morikawa revealed that he’d played his first round with a new wedge — same TaylorMade model he usually employs but without the bounce ground off. The move backfired.
“I usually kind of [take] a little bit of the bounce off. Stupid of me to do it,” Morikawa said.
The decision traced back to Monday’s practice round. Shinnecock had taken on rain Sunday night, leaving the course soft and wet for Morikawa’s first look at the setup. Working on chips on the back of the 10th hole, he found himself digging the club into the turf.
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A lot of golfers would read that as a reason to add bounce, not remove it, as more bounce helps keep the leading edge from digging into the ground. But Morikawa was playing the long game. He expected the course to firm up considerably by Thursday, and figured the trickier, grainier lies that come with firmer turf would suit a lower-bounce wedge just fine.
“I knew it was going to dry out,” he said. “I felt like it was okay. So I didn’t grind it off.”
He took that new wedge into Thursday’s opening round and his short game wasn’t as sharp as he’d hoped.
“Just yesterday, average chip shot,” he said. “Partially bad technically, but partially [it] felt like everything was just going to bounce. Out here, you have to just have a great low point. You have to know what the spin is going to be.”
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Golf is nothing if not a game of adjustments. After finishing his weather-delayed first round Friday morning, Morikawa undid his decision. Back into his bag went the wedge he’d trusted all season, bounce and all.
“I went back to my old wedge just after I finished up this morning,” he said. “Whether it worked or not, it just gave me enough confidence to say I can kind of dial them in. Felt like I hit a lot better chip shots out there.”
It’s been that kind of season for Morikawa, a campaign marked by changes beyond his control. A back injury sidelined him at the Players in March and kept popping up enough to cost him more starts before the Masters. He’s been managing that issue ever since. On Thursday, though, his body seemed fine. It was his decision-making and his equipment that betrayed him. By Friday, he’d gotten those right, too.
Joaquin Niemann says he is “not proud” of being the first golfer penalised for breaking the new code of conduct introduced for major championships in 2026.
The Chilean was given a two-shot penalty by US Open officials on Friday, shortly after completing a fog-delayed first round.
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The 27-year-old was punished for “serious misconduct” under rule 1.2b after throwing his sand wedge in frustration on the sixth hole after he twice hit tee shots out of bounds and then had an awkward lie while playing his next shot.
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That meant Niemann’s nine was upped to an 11 on the par-four hole and he eventually signed for an eight-over 78 before responding with a five-under 65 in the second round to sit just inside the projected cut line at three over par overall.
“I finished my round, signed my scorecard, and then a referee came up to me and said ‘I need to talk to you’,” Niemann said.
“I knew I had a misbehaviour but I feel like everybody had some and it’s never going to be anything major like two-shot penalty, you know?
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“They considered with the whole committee that it was a right decision to give me a two-shot penalty.
“I was trying to argue back but it’s their decision and I feel like I wouldn’t be happy seeing players throwing clubs and behaving that way so, yeah, I agree.”
“I hit it two times out of bounds then got pretty frustrated,” he added.
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“I had a bad lie, I saw a lot of ants and I was just asking the referee if they were fire ants and he said ‘no’.
“I wasn’t angry asking him. I think they blew the horn (to suspend play for darkness) but after I hit that shot all the frustration came inside me and I had my club in my hand and I couldn’t resist to throw it away. There was no-one there but I’m not proud of it.”
USA’s Jessica Pegula reacts during the women’s singles quarter-final match against USA’s Madison Keys during the WTA500 Berlin Tennis Open tournament in Berlin on June 19, 2026. (Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP)
BERLIN–American world number four Jessica Pegula reached the semi-finals of the Berlin Open after beating countrywoman Madison Keys on Friday.
Pegula, a 2024 champion on the Berlin grass, won 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (10/8) over her close friend and podcast co-host Keys in sweltering conditions in the German capital.
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In their first meeting since Pegula ended Keys’ title defence at the Australian Open in January, both players each broke serve once in the opening set and forced a tiebreak, which Pegula won.
Pegula ran out to a 4-2 lead in the second but Keys fought back to once again set up a tiebreak. Pegula triumphed 10-8 in the tiebreak to extend her winning run to seven without defeat over fellow Americans this calendar year.
The 32-year-old American will face either world number one Aryna Sabalenka or Nikola Bartunkova in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Eighth seed Linda Noskova defeated Spanish wildcard Paula Badosa 6-1, 6-3 in Friday’s second quarter-final.
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Later on Friday, world number eight Elina Svitolina takes on Alexandra Eala, who eliminated Elena Rybakina on Thursday.
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