Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey says he should be No. 1 pick in fantasy draftsVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Christian McCaffrey has left no doubt as to who he thinks should be the No. 1 pick in this year’s fantasy football drafts. “I’d take myself, yeah,” the Panthers All-Pro running back said confidently Thursday before breaking into a wide smile. “I would always take myself in...
Fantasy Sports: Which Pirates player may heat up? Early NHL, NBA trends. Warnings about Rob Gronkowski?
Fantasy sports aren’t all about regular-season baseball and football. Jeff Erickson and I start this week’s fantasy sports podcast talking about results in the two “bubble sports,” as the NBA and NHL are underway in Orlando, Toronto, and Edmonton. In the hockey playoffs, Evgeni Malkin is off to a slow...
Bills CB Tre’Davious White considers opting outVideo
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White is unsure if he will opt in or opt out of the upcoming NFL season. White has until 4 p.m. Thursday to decide on his status for the year. The 25-year-old has established himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the league...
Ravens WR Marquise Brown sporting larger frame, more speedVideo
Marquise Brown put up respectable numbers as a rookie last year with the Baltimore Ravens, leading the team’s wide receivers in receptions and touchdowns as the primary downfield target for NFL MVP Lamar Jackson. Now, after an offseason in which Brown fastidiously lifted weights and finally put a lingering injury...
AP sources: NFL opt-out deadline set, salary cap relief OK’d
NFL players who decide to opt out of the coming season must do so by Thursday afternoon, a person familiar with the agreement between the league and the players told The Associated Press. There also are opt-out provisions for players who experience emergency or extenuating circumstances during the season due...
Giants re-sign leading sacker Markus Golden
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants improved their pass rush by re-signing linebacker Markus Golden. The Giants announced Tuesday the signing on their leader in sacks last season. Golden’s contract is a one-year tender for $5.1 million. Golden was a free agent in the offseason who went unsigned....
Buccaneers add veteran RB LeSean McCoy on 1-year contract
TAMPA, Fla. — Six-time Pro Bowl running back LeSean McCoy has finalized a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs announced the signing Tuesday, adding yet another offensive playmaker to help Tom Brady with his new team. The 32-year-old McCoy agreed to terms last week and is entering...
Odell Beckham taking part in Browns camp after covid-19 concernsVideo
CLEVELAND — Browns star wide receiver Odell Beckham has fully participated in the early stages of training camp after expressing reservations whether the NFL should forge ahead and have a season with the coronavirus still spreading. Beckham reported to Cleveland’s camp last week, passed the covid-19 testing and has taken...
Commentary: NFL opt outs should not have doubts or a deadlineVideo
What seemed like a simple enough process of players deciding whether to skip the 2020 NFL season because of the coronavirus pandemic has turned into a major story. It’s a story that will affect team makeups and, perhaps, the relative peace the clubs and players’ union had reached. The latest...
Eagles coach Doug Pederson says he feels great, has no covid-19 symptoms
PHILADELPHIA — Eagles coach Doug Pederson says he feels great and has no symptoms after testing positive for the coronavirus. Pederson is quarantining at home away from family members and plans to run the team virtually while assistant head coach Duce Staley handles leadership duties during training camp. “I know...
Drew Brees will stand for anthem but respects those who kneelVideo
NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees said he’ll remain standing for “The Star Spangled Banner,” but professed respect and support for those who protest racism and social injustice by kneeling during the national anthem. “I’ll always stand for the flag because of what it means to me...
Lions QB Matthew Stafford placed on covid-19 listVideo
DETROIT — The coronavirus does not discriminate. Tall, short, skinny, fat, star quarterback or little-known backup. On Saturday, the Detroit Lions placed quarterback Matthew Stafford on the reserve/covid-19 list, meaning he either tested positive for coronavirus on Friday or was around someone who had. Stafford is the biggest-name player in...
AP sources: Jets LB C.J. Mosley opting out of NFL seasonVideo
NEW YORK — New York Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley chose to opt out of the NFL season because of family health concerns, two people familiar with the decision told the Associated Press. The 28-year-old Mosley was entering his second season with New York after signing as a free agent in...
Belichick mum on plans for QB position as camp nearsVideo
BOSTON — Like all NFL teams, the New England Patriots face a variety of unknowns heading into a 2020 season in the midst of the ongoing pandemic. So it’s no surprise Bill Belichick is being coy about his expectations for the quarterback position as his team prepares for the start...
AP Source: ESPN tabs Levy, Griese and Riddick for MNF booth
Steve Levy, Brian Griese and Louis Riddick will be the new announce team for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” according to a person familiar with the decision. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday because the network has not announced its decision. ESPN biographer Jim Miller...
Stefanski preaches patience as Browns ramp up in unique campVideo
CLEVELAND — Instead of a whistle dangling from his neck, Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski wears a sensor that blinks and beeps whenever he’s within 6 feet of someone in the team’s facility. Nothing could have prepared him for his first training camp in Cleveland. Stefanski said Thursday he still...
On Football: NFL opt-outs more prevalent than many expectedVideo
Now we know why a key topic in talks between the NFL and the players’ union focused on opt outs. Already, more than two dozen players have decided not to play the 2020 season. It certainly is not about the money, because those opting out voluntarily are getting a $150,000...
NFL MVP Lamar Jackson insists he’s ‘got to do better’ in 2020Video
Baltimore Ravens quarterback and reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson is eager to get started at training camp after an offseason in which he had a perilous encounter with a jet ski, tossed footballs to Antonio Brown and diligently avoided the coronavirus. Jackson guided the Ravens to a 14-2 regular-season record...
Mark Madden: Covid-19 chaos is spreading from MLB to NFLVideo
MLB is imploding, and not just the Pittsburgh Pirates’ bullpen. As of this writing, 18 Miami Marlins have tested positive for covid-19. This past Sunday, when the outbreak began via three players testing positive, the Marlins players voted to play that day anyway. Memo to morons: You can’t rub dirt...
AP sources: Joey Bosa gets $135 million extension with Chargers
COSTA MESA, Calif. — Defensive end Joey Bosa has agreed to a contact extension that will make him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. Two people familiar with the deal said the five-year extension is worth $135 million, which includes $78 million guaranteed at signing and $102 million overall....
On Football: Training camps’ look defines strange timesVideo
Don’t expect any footballs — or players — on fields at NFL training camps anytime too soon. No blocking sleds. No pass-rush drills. No whistles. As teams adhere to the medical protocols that wisely and necessarily have been ordered by the league and the players’ union, any sort of football...
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes becoming part owner of Kansas City RoyalsVideo
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes is joining the ownership group of the Kansas City Royals. The Royals announced the addition of Mahomes, the star quarterback who led the Kansas City Chiefs to a Super Bowl title last season, Tuesday. Mahomes is a former baseball prospect and...
Tim Benz: You have to laugh at Le’Veon Bell’s rant against former teammate
I’m not sure how good of an arm former Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell has, but I bet he could spin a decent halfback-option pass or two for the New York Jets if needed. After Saturday, though, I am sure he can throw stones from a glass house. Over the...
Mike Ditka rips kneeling athletes: ‘Get the hell out of the country’Video
Former NFL legend and Pitt Panther Mike Ditka has some unkind words for athletes and coaches who kneel for the national anthem. In an interview with TMZ Sports about his women’s pro football X League, Ditka was asked if his players would be allowed to do it. He gave an...
Jets trade disgruntled star safety Jamal Adams to SeahawksVideo
NEW YORK — The New York Jets traded disgruntled star safety Jamal Adams to the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, splitting with a gifted player whose relationship with the franchise quickly deteriorated because of a contract dispute. The Jets received a massive haul in the stunning deal Saturday, sending a 2022...
