The Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, and Los Angeles Rams are all on byes in Week 10. That’s four teams with multiple fantasy stars each that will be unavailable this week. Clearly, fantasy owners will be scrambling to put together an entire starting lineup capable of winning this pivotal matchup just five weeks removed from the fantasy football playoffs.

Now is when the best fantasy managers strike. Now is when championships are won. Now is when people will panic, and that makes it the best opportunity to make a trade that will set you up for the future.

Here are five players to target in trades and five more to sell high after big performances.

Buy low on these fantasy football players in Week 10:

Arizona Cardinals WR Marquise Brown

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If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times. Marquise Brown is a league-winner waiting in the wings. Kyler Murray is likely to return in Week 10 alongside running back James Conner (more on him in a little bit). With his return, Marquise Brown’s production shouldn’t just rise, it should shoot up into WR1 territory.

First and foremost, Murray is returning from an ACL injury, implying that Murray should be near his pre-injury form as a passer, but he could take a hit as a runner. That means more passing volume for Brown and more carries for James Conner, win-win. But while we always knew Conner would be the workhorse back and would likely return to form once he was taken off IR, Brown has not had the same fortune.

Lest I remind you that Brown averaged 17 fantasy points per game with Murray and no Hopkins last season. Lest I remind you that Brown currently ranks 84th in the NFL in target quality rating (3.84) and 85th in catchable target rate (62.3 percent). Both of those numbers should improve drastically when Murray returns this weekend. While Brown may not light up the stat sheet this week, assuming the Cardinals play it safe with Murray in his return, this could be your last chance to secure Hollywood before he takes off into the stratosphere. Don’t delay.

Chicago Bears WR DJ Moore

Tyson Bagent has been a surprisingly decent quarterback for the Chicago Bears in Justin Fields’ absence. He may be just 1-3, but he put up good fights against the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings, ultimately falling by one possession in both games though. That said, he’s not good for fantasy WRs.

Fields and star wide receiver DJ Moore were just starting to get into a groove when Fields went down. Prior to Fields’ injury, Moore had reached the endzone in three straight games and was coming off a 49 point performance against the Washington Commanders. All that momentum was stopped in its tracks the next week though with Bagent under center.

Unfortunately for Moore owners, the Bears play on ‘Thursday Night Football,’ giving Fields less time to get healthy and return. If Fields does return, all the memories of Moore’s remarkable start to the season will come flooding back, and by then it will be too late. Buy Moore, regardless of Fields’ status.

Baltimore Ravens WR Zay Flowers

One target, eleven receiving yards. Rookie receiver Zay Flowers was atrocious in Week 9 from a fantasy standpoint. True, but a lot of that can be pinned on game script. Sure, other players like Mark Andrews and OBJ got their fill, but the Ravens were up by two scores at halftime and were up by 27 at the end of the third.

Prior to Week 9, Flowers had six or more targets in four straight games. He has proven himself Lamar’s favorite target and luckily, Lamar avoided any serious injury in their win. Flowers is not someone you want as your WR1, but he’s a very suitable FLEX option. In one score games this year, Flowers is averaging 8.2 targets, 5.6 receptions, 48.4 receiving yards, and 0.2 touchdowns. He’s averaging 12.42 fantasy points in those games. Nearly a point and a half more than his season average. The Ravens play the Jaguars, Dolphins, and 49ers during the fantasy playoffs. Those are all sure to be close games.

Dallas Cowboys RB Tony Pollard

Drafted as a late-first round/early-second round player, Tony Pollard has been one of the biggest disappointments of the 2023 fantasy season, failing to reach even 10 points in four of his last five games. At the same time though, Pollard has also scored eight or more points in all but one game this year. That’s consistency, which has been seemingly impossible to come by this year.

Volume is king in fantasy football, and Pollard still gets good volume on a potent Dallas offense. The hope is that something kicks Pollard back into gear and Week 10 could provide just the spark he needs when the Cowboys face the New York Giants, the same team they dominated to the tune of a 40-0 victory in Week 1. Pollard had two touchdowns in that game. Those are still his only touchdowns of the season.

Pollard owners are hoping the positive game script will mean lots of work for Pollard and several goal line opportunities, and it’s hard to argue against that outlook. Expect Pollard to receive near 20 carries in this game as the Cowboys get out to a massive early lead. While there will be concerns for Pollard moving forward past Week 10, the hope is that one big game can spiral into several down the final stretch. That’s definitely a possibility.

Philadelphia Eagles WR DeVonta Smith

Despite a tremendously close game against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9, Smith received only three targets from quarterback Jalen Hurts. His fantasy day was salvaged thanks to a touchdown. Without that score, Smith would’ve put up only eight fantasy points, which would’ve been his fourth time scoring less than ten points in his last five games. Smith owners have to be disenfranchised with the former Heisman winner, and now is the perfect time to buy him.

Eagles’ tight end Dallas Goedert suffered a broken forearm during Sunday’s win over Dallas. He’s going to be out for the foreseeable future, likely 4-6 weeks. Last season, in five games where Goedert was hurt, Smith averaged five receptions, 84 yards, and 0.4 touchdowns, equivalent to 15.8 fantasy points per game. History is repeating itself and Smith could be a huge addition for anyone on the playoff bubble.

Sell high on these fantasy football players in Week 10:

Houston Texans WR Nico Collins

32 targets through the first four games; 21 targets in the next: Collins saved his fantasy day in Week 9 with a touchdown. But what Week 9 showed us is that when push came to shove and quarterback CJ Stroud needed to be his best, he didn’t look to Collins. He looked to Tank Dell and Dalton Schultz.

Collins is fading fast, and trading him now after a double-digit fantasy performance and a touchdown may be your last chance to sell him while the memories of his stellar first four weeks are still in people’s minds.

Baltimore Ravens RB Gus Edwards

Contrary to speculation, Edwards did not suffer an injury during the Ravens’ Week 9 win over Seattle. There is a chance that the game script and success of rookie Keaton Mitchell meant the Ravens just didn’t see the need to throw Edwards onto the field outside of goal-to-goal situations. But there’s also an equal chance that, despite Edwards’ remarkable touchdown streak, the Ravens are a committee backfield and Edwards is just a touchdown-dependent player.

After Mitchell’s remarkable 138-yard performance in Week 9, he’s going to see more snaps. While Edwards has been remarkably efficient, he’s still been outsnapped by Hill in four of the eight games they’ve played together. Throw Mitchell into the mix and now everything is just one huge question mark that I want no part of.

While the first instinct may be to hold on to Edwards through Week 10 to get a better idea of what the backfield looks like, the Ravens will play the Browns this week, arguably the best run defense in the NFL. Edwards will more than likely not have a good day, meaning his price will drop. Couple that with his lack of usage in the passing game, and now is the time to sell, at the height of his touchdown streak.

New England Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson

Don’t let his season-high 22 points fool you. Stevenson has been a horribly inefficient running back in 2023. Week 9 was his first game all season averaging over five yards a carry and just his second averaging over four. Most of his success on the ground came on one singular carry that went for 64 yards and a score. He would’ve once again averaged less than three yards a carry without that run. His first run of 40-plus yards all season. Actually, that was also his first run of 20-plus yards all season.

Make no mistake. Stevenson has not proven capable of repeating his remarkable 2022 season. Stevenson’s only saving grace is that he plays the Broncos and Bills during the fantasy playoffs, who’ve been atrocious against opposing running backs in PPR formats. Still, if you can flip Stevenson and a FLEX-worthy WR for a high-end WR2 like Chris Olave, take that deal in a heartbeat.

Chicago Bears RB D’Onta Foreman

Volume is king, right? So why on Earth would you want to trade someone that just had 20 carries? Well, there’s a few reasons. The biggest reason is the return of Khalil Herbert from IR. Herbert was the team’s lead back before injury and despite Foreman’s impressive efficiency in his absence, Herbert is younger, more explosive, and will likely take most of those carries back for himself.

Sure, Foreman has earned himself a role in this offense, but that’s less an endorsement for Foreman and more an indictment of anyone in that Chicago Bears’ backfield. With the return of Roschon Johnson as well, Foreman will get barely any looks in the passing game and has become a touchdown-dependent player who will be lucky to see 10 carries any given week. Sell him now before people wise up.

Buffalo Bills TE Dalton Kincaid

This one is going to ruffle some feathers. So, let me start by saying that prior to the season, I was the biggest Kincaid advocate of them all. I stuck with him through his abysmal start to the season and am reaping the benefits now. My league chat is inundated with ‘I told you so’ messages regarding the former Utah Ute. That said, if you can trade Kincaid and a borderline FLEX player for someone like Mark Andrews, now would be the time to do so.

Kincaid is coming off three straight weeks with 15 or more PPR fantasy points, but that streak is likely due in large part to the injury to Dawson Knox. When Knox was healthy, Kincaid’s target share and snap count were both far lower than what they are now. While the first of Kincaid’s 15-point games came when Knox was still active, the injury that forced Knox to the IR had been nagging Knox since Week 5. He was not at 100 percent when Kincaid went off for eight receptions and 75 yards in Week 7.

That said, Knox is still out for at least the next two weeks and the official timetable for Knox’s return is still up in the air. With that in mind, there is still a case to hold on to Kincaid for a few more weeks. However, the Bills play the Broncos in Week 10, who held Travis Kelce to a mediocre day in Week 8 and limited Packers’ tight ends to just five catches and 32 yards in Week 7. Then, they play the Jets in Week 11, who have not allowed opposing tight ends to go for 50 or more receiving yards since Travis Kelce got them for 60 yards in Week 4. After that, Knox could return. The timeline isn’t great for Kincaid, and that’s why now might be the best time to trade for someone with a more secure future.

The 2023 NFL season has been one of the most difficult to predict in recent memory, much to the dismay of fantasy football players everywhere. Injuries are running amok, star players are having down seasons everywhere, even players we thought matchup-proof are struggling to string together consistent performance. Looking at you, Travis Kelce. Four points? You better come out of the bye with a renewed sense of purpose or something.

Regardless of who you’re angry with this week, we’re here to make sure you aren’t angry with any of your decisions in Week 10. Here’s who to start and sit at every position in your next matchup.

Quarterbacks to start in Week 10

Denver Broncos QB Russell Wilson

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The Buffalo Bills are not the same team that dominated every game they played in just a few years ago. They’re still a great team, don’t get me wrong, but their defense has struggled to limit opposing quarterbacks on the stat sheet. They’ve surrendered at least 20 fantasy points to quarterbacks in three straight games, and two of those quarterbacks were Baker Mayfield and Mac Jones.

Not only are the Denver Broncos coming off of their bye – meaning Wilson and the rest of the Broncos’ defense should be feeling refreshed and having had two weeks of preparation for the Bills – but Wilson has scored at least 17 points in three of his last five games. Furthermore, the Bills’ offense could also get off to a hot start and put Denver behind early, forcing them to pass often. Playing on the road in Buffalo is always tough, but the situation is perfect for a strong performance from Russ.

Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff

The Lions are also coming off their bye. In Week 10, they’ll face a Los Angeles Chargers squad that ranks 25th in pass yards allowed and that’s before they’ve played their Monday Night game this week.

The biggest problem with Goff’s fantasy outlook has been the success of running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. When they do well, Goff tends to take a back seat. That said, Goff has still sored 20 or more fantasy points in two of his last four games. When game script favors a heavy pass attack, Goff can still get good work done. He has reached at least 270 passing yards in three straight games, and this matchup with the Chargers is sure to be a shootout, meaning the Lions should be in a position to pass early and often.

Quarterbacks to sit in Week 10

San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy

Even when the San Francisco 49ers were on top of the world and dominating every team they came across, Brock Purdy’s fantasy output was not what you’d expect from an MVP candidate. He reached 20 points a few times but needed rushing touchdowns in others to even get to double digits.

In Week 10, Purdy and the Niners face the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have allowed 11, 19, and 12 points respectively to opposing quarterbacks over their last three games. Since Week 6 against Cleveland, Purdy has thrown just one touchdown in every game he’s played and has scored more than 15 points just once.

While wide receiver Deebo Samuel did return to practice on Monday, there is no guarantee that he will play this weekend against the Jaguars. Furthermore, if left tackle Trent Williams misses Sunday’s game as well, which seems likely considering he was not at the team’s practice on Monday, Purdy’s ceiling drops tremendously. Per Player Profiler, when Purdy is pressured, only 50.8 percent of his passes are deemed catchable. That’s 22nd in the league. Even worse, this season the Jaguars have 84 quarterback pressures, which ranks 7th in the NFL.

Minnesota Vikings QB Joshua Dobbs

Yes, yes, yes. I know everybody loves Dobbs for taking down the Falcons on a short week in come-from-behind fashion. Hurrah! He’s awesome, but Arizona Cardinals fans will be the first people to tell you that Dobbs probably isn’t that guy. Sure, he’s been a decent fantasy option most weeks, but that hasn’t been due to his passing prowess.

Dobbs has thrown for more than 250 receiving yards just once all season, and while that doesn’t matter as long as you throw touchdowns, those could be hard to come by in Week 10 as Justin Jefferson, KJ Osborn, and TJ Hockenson are all dealing with injuries. At least in Arizona, Dobbs had Marquise Brown and either Zach Ertz or Trey McBride each week. He’ll be playing with a skeleton crew on Sunday.

Dobbs also scores many of his points with his feet. He’s a great mobile quarterback. In fact, he’s secured a rushing touchdown in three straight games. That streak might come to an end this weekend though. The Saints have not allowed a quarterback to rush into the endzone since Week 2. They did surrender 70 yards on the ground to Tyson Bagent in Week 9, but they also forced three interceptions, which obviously isn’t great.

Running backs to start in Week 10

Atlanta Falcons RB Tyler Allgeier

Why not, right?

As long as Arthur Smith refuses to use his generational talent, Tyler Allgeier will continue seeing the goal-line carries. Against an Arizona defense that has allowed five halfback scores in their last four games, the Falcons should be near the goal-line plenty, which gives Falcons’ head coach Arthur Smith ample opportunity to use Bijan Robinson. He won’t though. Allgeier will get those carries for some godforsaken reason.

Allgeier has had as many or more carries than Bijan in three of the last four games, but Allgeier gets the important carries. It will be ugly, but Allgeier’s ceiling is higher than Bijan’s at the moment.

Dallas Cowboys RB Tony Pollard

Cowboys halfback Tony Pollard has two rushing touchdowns on the season. Both came in Week 1 against the New York Giants.

With Big Blue’s top two options at quarterback both sidelined with injuries, this game will likely be a slaughter, similar to what we saw in Week 1, and that’s exactly what Pollard owners are hoping for. Game script should be heavily in Pollard’s favor, and while that could mean Pollard doesn’t see the field much in the fourth quarter, he should have a big enough performance when he is on the field.

Running backs to sit in Week 10

Los Angeles Chargers RB Austin Ekeler

Sure, Chargers running back Austin Ekeler just had his first big game of the season in Week 8, but he still wasn’t very efficient on the ground, putting up just 1.93 yards per carry. Now, the Chargers get the Detroit Lions who, including their horrendous Week 7 showing against Baltimore, have allowed double digit fantasy points to running backs in just two of their last six games.

Of course, a lot of Ekeler’s value comes through the air. Well, the Lions have that covered as well. Since Week 4, the Lions have allowed just three or fewer receptions by running backs in all but one game, and that one game saw the Ravens’ halfbacks record only five receptions on five targets. All around, just not a great matchup for Ekeler. It’s hard to sit last year’s top fantasy player in any situation, but it’s more likely Ekeler busts this week than booms.

Baltimore Ravens RB Gus Edwards

Gus Edwards is on a touchdown streak that would make even 2021 Austin Ekeler jealous, but if Week 9 was any indication, head coach John Harbaugh will be shifting gears in the near future, looking to rookie Keaton Mitchell instead.

The East Carolina product made the most of every opportunity he had in Week 9, turning nine carries into 138 yards and a touchdown. Edwards only had five carries, and both were outcarried by Justice Hill. Hill was undoubtedly the least efficient of the bunch though, and it’s hard to imagine a future where Hill serves as the lead back.

There is, of course, a chance that Edwards’ usage in Week 9 was not indicative of his usage in the future. At the very worst, he would still serve as the team’s goal-line back, which was the only reason he scored double digit fantasy points in Week 9. But in Week 10, against the Cleveland Browns stout run defense, it’s best to leave him on the bench.

Wide receivers to start in Week 10

Washington Commanders WR Jahan Dotson

Labeled a fantasy bust at the start of the season, Dotson has turned his campaign around the last two weeks, racking up 24.8 and 16.9 points respectively over the last two weeks. Sure, there is some worry that those point totals lean heavily on Dotson’s two touchdowns, but the biggest takeaway is Dotson’s volume.

Through the first six games of the season, Dotson tallied eight targets just once. He’s reached that mark in each of his last three games. He’s still the number two option in this offense behind Terry McLaurin, but the Commanders are starting to realize what they have in the former first-round pick and we’re starting to see flashes of the potential he showed at the end of last season.

In Week 10, the Commanders face the Seattle Seahawks. Recently, the Seahawks allowed just 14 points to Ravens’ receivers, 11 points to Browns’ receivers, and nine points to Cardinals’ receivers. That shouldn’t dissuade you though. The Ravens got out to a big lead early and barely had to pass the ball at all. The Browns were trotting PJ Walker under center against Seattle, and the Cardinals…well, they’re the Cardinals. The last time the Seahawks really had to buckle down against wideouts was Week 6 when they surrendered 26 fantasy points to Bengals wide receivers. In fact, the Seahawks had allowed 20 or more fantasy points to opposing wide receivers in four of five games to that point, and 35 or more in two of those games.

New Orleans Saints WR Chris Olave

Chris Olave has been a disappointment this season. Although he salvaged his Week 9 performance by getting into the endzone for just the second time this season, Olave’s six catches for 48 yards were underwhelming to say the least. In Week 10 though, Olave faces the abysmal Minnesota Vikings defense, who surrendered 22 points to the atrocious Packers’ wide receiver room in Week 8. Olave still gets the most targets of anyone in this Saints offense not named Alvin Kamara. He should eat in Week 10.

Wide receivers to sit in Week 10

Las Vegas Raiders WR Davante Adams

It sucks to say this, but yeah, Adams is not a must-start anymore. He hasn’t scored 15 or more fantasy points in five straight weeks. In that same span, he’s only received eight or more targets once, and he hasn’t found the endzone at all. Adams is still tremendously talented but the Raiders are in a stage of figuring out what their offense should be, and Adams unfortunately isn’t that big a part of their current scheme.

In Week 10, the Raiders face the New York Jets. They’ve allowed ten or more fantasy points to opposing wide receivers just once in their past five games barring anything big happening during Monday Night Football.

Cleveland Browns WR Amari Cooper

The Baltimore Ravens are tough, and this game between two of the top defenses in the NFL is sure to be a low-scoring, grind-it-out affair. Time of possession will be a monumental factor in determining the winner of this game, and with that in mind, starting anyone on either team, outside of Lamar Jackson, is probably not a wise decision.

Cooper is a great wide receiver and has still put up tremendous games this year, but that won’t happen in Week 10 against a Baltimore defense that hasn’t allowed 20 points to opposing wide receivers in four straight weeks and has surrendered just one touchdown through the air in that span.

Tight end to start in Week 10

Houston Texans TE Dalton Schultz

Much like Derek Zoolander, CJ Stroud is so hot right now. As he heats up, his top targets are heating up as well. Dalton Schultz earned 11 targets in Week 9 en route to season highs in receptions and yards. Stroud was forced to throw a lot with Tampa Bay keeping pace on offense and keeping Dameon Pierce out for the Texans. A similar situation could be on tap for Week 10. Pierce is still questionable, and the Texans play the Bengals, who are sure to light up the score sheet every time they touch the field. Schultz could be in for another big week come Sunday.

Tight end to sit in Week 10:

Cleveland Browns TE David Njoku

Much like Amari Cooper, Njoku has been good and sometimes great this year, but he faces the Baltimore Ravens in Week 10. Nobody should get the nod when a game between two defensive titans hits the gridiron.

The Ravens defense has been especially great against tight ends this year too, allowing five or fewer fantasy points to opposing tight ends in all but one game this season. Njoku has received 23 targets over his last three games, sure. But he won’t get much success with his work in Week 10.

Defense/special teams to start in Week 10

Chicago Bears

In their last two home games, the Bears defense, which came into Week 9 ranking 29th in fantasy scoring among defenses, scored 18 and 11 respectively. Now, they return home to face a Carolina offense that not only just allowed the 31st-ranked defense, Indianapolis, to put up 30 points on them, but has also allowed ten or more points to opposing defenses in more than half of their games.

Montez Sweat did not light up the stat sheet in his first game with the Bears, but he did still cause problems for the New Orleans Saints offensive line. He should only become more disruptive with a full week of practice with Chicago under his belt. There’s a lot to like about this matchup if you’re a Chicago fan.

Defense/special teams to sit in Week 10

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Green Bay Packers are not a good offensive team, so why worry about the Steelers? Aaron Jones. That’s why. Even though Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said that Week 9 would be the week they unleash Aaron Jones, Jones still did not look like he was at full strength. Normally one of the most efficient backs in the NFL, Jones averaged less than four yards per carry against the Rams. There’s a decent chance that Jones could be even better in Week 10, and that is scary news for a Steelers defense that has allowed 18 or more fantasy points to opposing running backs in six of their eight games this year.

The injury to Cole Holcomb won’t help either. Holcomb ranks 20th in the NFL in run stuffs for 2023 (7). Without him in the middle of the field, Aaron Jones’ day will be much easier.

Thirty-seven days after a forgettable Yankees season ended well shy of expectations, Hal Steinbrenner belatedly acknowledged a “bad year’’ on his watch.

“It was awful. We accomplished nothing,’’ said the Yankees managing general partner in a Tuesday press conference. “The fans didn’t get anywhere close to what they deserve.’’

Outside of that assessment, the largely out-of-patience Yankees fan base won’t be satisfied by Steinbrenner’s take on coming changes – “might be some, might be none’’ – with the same principal players charged with improving on a playoff-less 82-80 season.

“But we’re all very passionate about this and we’re working our (butts) off and we’re going to do everything we can to right the ship for 2024.’

Hal Steinbrenner on Yankees payroll

With a payroll already bloated by bad, long-term contracts, the Yankees’ ability to quickly steer out of their current mess might require two or three costly player additions.

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Identifying those targets will take place soon, said Steinbrenner, though he wouldn’t divulge much more than a general approach: “Everything is on the table when it comes to free agents.’’

Steinbrenner said that $300 million “isn’t a hard threshold’’ for payroll, but he restated that “a team shouldn’t need a $300 million’’ payroll to win.

If the Yankees were to hold that line, the idea of making more than just one expensive addition seems unrealistic.

Yankees’ targets this winter

Meanwhile, Steinbrenner admitted the need to improve a woeful lineup.

And this club is in desperate need of an impact lefty bat at a time when Cody Bellinger is a free agent and the San Diego Padres’ Juan Soto is potentially available via trade.

Japanese pitching ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, due to be posted, is on the Yankees’ radar (“we’ve certainly done our homework on him and many others,’’ Steinbrenner said.

But how aggressive will they get?

“We have not talked about (targets) at length,’’ Steinbrenner said, adding that “we’re going to be active, as we always are, in the free agent/trade market.’’

Aaron Boone was not a lock to return as manager

“Should Aaron Boone be our manager next year?’ was among Steinbrenner’s first offseason questions.

Steinbrenner’s favorable opinion of Boone aside, the managing general partner sought opinions of his players (like Aaron Judge), advisors (like Andy Pettitte and Nick Swisher) and front office vets (Brian Sabean, Omar Minaya) and “they all came to the same conclusion.

“Aaron is a good manager, and he should be our manager in 2024,’’ Steinbrenner said of Boone, who has one guaranteed year remaining on his contract.

Tough questions at Yankees meetings

Steinbrenner purposely stayed out of the organization’s lengthy three-day breakdown sessions immediately after the regular season, so as to foster a frank dialogue and not influence opinion.

But before the meetings began, Steinbrenner reminded his baseball ops personnel to keep their egos in check.

“If anybody thought everything in your world was just perfect and you’re doing everything right, then you should just leave, because you’ll be useless to the proceedings,’’ Steinbrenner said.

Reading the transcripts of those meetings, Steinbrenner categorized them as honest, heated at times, but respectful and productive.

Steinbrenner’s close working relationship with GM Brian Cashman is intact, and Minaya and Sabean “are going to be an integral part in everything we do.’’

Yankees’ analytics review

Steinbrenner says the review by outside company Zelus Analytics will be ongoing, comparing its ideas with how the Yankees apply analytics – an area in need of improvement, as Judge mentioned last month.

“I don’t know if it’s going to lead to any changes or not in analytics,’’ said Steinbrenner, adding that it remains Boone’s decision on how to incorporate in-game data.

As an aside, Steinbrenner said Boone felt the team wasn’t bunting enough, and that an emphasis on bunting will be made on the player development level.

“I can assure you we don’t have an analyst standing behind Boone in the dugout, telling him you need to pinch-hit here, you need to get this pitcher out of here,’’ said Steinbrenner.

Steinbrenner said it was assistant GM Michael Fishman’s recommendation to hire Zelus for the review. It was Fishman’s analytical department that has come under fire in recent years.

Yankees’ strength and conditioning staff

The physical issues of veteran players, many with injury track records, contributed to the Yankees’ first postseason miss since 2016.

Losing expensive players to the injured list isn’t a new theme around the Yankees, but Steinbrenner said he’s “very comfortable’’ with his training and strength and conditioning staff.

In a midseason look into the methods and practices of the staff, led by Eric Cressey, “there were a lot of injuries, but… there really wasn’t a smoking gun,’’ said Steinbrenner.

PHILADELPHIA – Escaping the threat of a catastrophic defeat before embarking on a bye week came with quite the bonus for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Imagine if they had lost against the Dallas Cowboys?

It would have been two weeks of pure hell in the City of Brotherly Love.

Instead, the Eagles can exhale. For all that almost went wrong with the crunchtime drama against their arch division rival on Sunday, they survived yet another scare on a hard-earned journey to 8-1 and can get on with the business of a midseason R&R break while carrying the NFL’s best record.

“What did Bill Parcells say?” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said on Sunday night, reciting some wisdom from the Hall of Fame coach. “You are what your record says you are.”

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True, and this record for these Eagles – the same as it was at this point last season, when they went all the way to Super Bowl 57 – has been wrapped in resilience. They keep finding ways to win. Yet one close call after another, including the defensive stands that held off the Cowboys comeback, has also provided so many reminders of how the W’s and turn to L’s.

“It’s a pretty good record,” Eagles center Jason Kelce told reporters on Sunday night. “I’ll take it. But we know we’ve got to play a lot better in a lot of areas. A lot of things to clean up.”

Jalen Hurts, the battered quarterback who has played on a gimpy left knee for several weeks – yet again on Sunday night refused to specifically acknowledge the injury – was undoubtedly speaking of the physical break when he contended that the bye could not come at a better time.

Another reminder of the physical toll came on Sunday, when the Eagles lost tight end Dallas Goedert to a broken forearm that would sideline him for an extended period, per multiple reports.

Hurts, meanwhile, gutted it out again against Dallas after he was shaken up just before halftime after absorbing another blow to his knee. Afterward, though, he seemed just as concerned with the mental flow and execution that have been spotty at times. The Eagles have had trouble this season in finishing drives and games – including the three three-and-outs in the fourth quarter and other mistakes that stung them in nearly melting down against Dallas.

“We can’t be repeat offenders,” Hurts said. “It’s about winning, but it’s about standards, too.”

Several Eagles expressed similar sentiments, mindful of the road ahead. The Eagles have opened up a commanding, 2 ½-game advantage over the Cowboys in the NFC East, but with so much of the season to play, it is hardly an insurmountable lead.

No, complacency won’t cut it – especially when considering the tests that loom before they face Dallas again in five weeks.

After the bye, the Eagles visit the Kansas City Chiefs in a Super Bowl rematch. Then they’ll host the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers, the latter contest a rematch of the NFC title game.

“We’ve got a big stretch coming up,” veteran defensive end Brandon Graham said. “It’s going to be physical, these next three, four weeks before we see Dallas again…We’ve got to make sure we’re healthy.”

Graham knows. The schedule affords a moment to exhale – and reflect.

“We’ve got a week off,” said Graham, who helped save the day with 1 ½ sacks on consecutive plays on Dallas’ next-to-last possession. “We’ve just got to make sure that we come ready and focused. Don’t lose what we’ve been building.”

It’s a scary thought for opponents: With top-10 units on offense and defense, the Eagles can get much better as this season progresses. No doubt, it helps in that they were just on this path last year.

Since Buffalo’s run of four consecutive Super Bowl appearances in the early ‘90s, just one team in 30 years has advanced to the Super Bowl in the season following a Super Bowl loss. The Eagles are next in line to try bucking that pattern.

Sirianni came nowhere close to mentioning the Super Bowl aspirations for his team as he addressed the media on Sunday night. He didn’t have to. Instead, he emphasized the need for daily improvement and staying in the moment.

“I know there will be a lot of chatter about this and that,” he said. “ ‘Oh, now they got this lead and they have the best record.’

“We don’t care about any of that. All we care about is how we get better to win our next game, how we rest our bodies this week, how we go 1-0 the following week to try to go 1-0 against the Kansas City Chiefs. That’s our mission. There is this huge mountain to climb. You can’t climb the mountain all in one week. When you look up that mountain and you start to look up at how much more you have to climb, that’s what makes you slip.”

After all, the season is a marathon that will present the Eagles will more opportunities to prove it.

Flair’s visit to the Wolverines was thanks in part to the wrestling icon’s long friendship with Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, a bond not many people would expect. After the visit, Harbaugh explained to reporters how Flair became a ‘very close friend’ for more than 30 years.

‘It goes back to 1989. I was playing with the (Chicago) Bears and Brad Muster was a huge fan of ‘the Nature Boy’ and wrestling,’ Harbaugh said, adding Muster asked him if he wanted to go to a show that was near Chicago, and it was backstage where he met Flair.

‘(Flair’s) infectious personality, just instant friends,’ Harbaugh said. ‘The cool part was they said you ‘Grab a towel, you and Brad are on the hype squad,’ and (I) just remember going out and and cheering for Ric. Been to many of his shows and competitions, and he’s one of a kind, the best.’

Ric Flair brings ‘enthusiasm’ to Michigan

Harbaugh said his energy level was already high heading into the week, but the visit from ‘the Nature Boy’ elevated things for him and his team.

‘Got a visit from ‘the Nature Boy’ Ric Flair, very close friend and that just brought the enthusiasm to a new level,’ he said.

Jokes about Ric Flair-Jim Harbaugh friendship

Even though Flair and Harbaugh have been friends for decades, people couldn’t help but poke fun at the timing of Flair’s visit with the Wolverines, given that Michigan is under investigation for alleged sign-stealing and Flair is also known as ‘the dirtiest player in the game’ for his actions in the ring.

Roughly 24 hours after the shocking news broke that Craig Counsell was named manager of the Chicago Cubs, the former Milwaukee Brewers skipper made himself available Tuesday for a short question-and-answer session with a select group of local media, including the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Counsell, who received a record-setting, five-year, $40 million contract to replace David Ross in the home dugout at Wrigley Field, made his intentions clear ahead of time.

This was an opportunity for him to reach out and explain his decision to fans and not to rehash all the details that led him to the point of leaving the Brewers, although Counsell did offer a few brief glimpses into the process.

‘My goal here is really to say thank you to the Milwaukee community,’ Counsell said.

Counsell is scheduled to be presented as the new Cubs manager on Monday in Chicago, and it’s possible more details will become known at that point.

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In the meantime, here is what Counsell had to say.

Many Brewers fans are hurt by your decision. What do you say to them?

Counsell: “I think as I was going through this process, it became clear that I needed and wanted a new professional challenge. At the same time, look, I’m grateful to be part of this community. And that’s going to continue, hopefully, because it has nothing to do with baseball, that part of it. I’m looking forward to being part of a new community and hopefully impact our community well, too. But as I went through it, it just became clear that I needed a new challenge.”

The shock in this isn’t so much that you left the Brewers, but that you left the Brewers for the Cubs of all teams. Can you explain your thinking?

Counsell: “In looking at my decision, you’re considering a number of things, and the challenging part of this industry is that there’s one job in 30 places in 30 different cities and me still preserving what I think is a great situation (family-wise). I was able to do that, yet also get a professional challenge. But the proximity made this attractive.”

That said, how difficult was it ultimately to pull the trigger and make the move considering how you’ve been the ultimate Brewers lifer?

Counsell: “Yesterday was an emotional day. I was sad at first, then happy, then I was crying, then I was laughing. So, I went through all of it. It’s all the things that make for a really full day. So, that’s the immediacy of it. I mean, there was a lot yesterday. I understand that it was a decision that affected a lot of people. And I take that very seriously. And of course, that went into the equation.”

What do you think your legacy will be with the Brewers?

Counsell: “I mean, look, I’m grateful for my time here. My connection to the people doesn’t change in my eyes. I have developed beautiful, strong relationships really, that if anything have strengthened during an emotional time period, and those relationships will last forever. And, you know, that’s your legacy to me, are your relationships. And so, those mean the world to me, and they’re strong and deep. And I’m proud of those. That’s what meant everything to me in the phone calls with players yesterday. That’s what’s important to me. The rest, you know, it’s just kind of down the line.”

Other than the proximity, what else do you like about your new situation?

Counsell: “I mean, it’s just, it’s a challenge to me with an organization that is very much in a good place and is just trying to do some special things. So, that part of it certainly is exciting and alluring. And, you know, it’s a challenge. It’s going to be hard. It’s scary. Because change is scary. But sometimes you need to push yourself out of that comfort zone, and that makes it exciting.”

Have you allowed yourself to think ahead to next May 27, when the Cubs come to American Family Field for the first time?

Counsell: “I’ll give you another shot (at asking) then.”

When you called Mark Attanasio on Monday morning, was it strictly to tell him you were leaving?

Counsell: “Yes. We obviously had conversations before that.”

How important was it for you to reset the bar for managerial salaries in the major leagues?

Counsell: “Look, I just wanted the market to decide. That’s it.”

Can you address whether your relationship with management or ownership had become more strained at all over the past few seasons?

Counsell: “I don’t agree with that. I don’t think that’s the case at all. I think highly of Matt Arnold. I think highly of David Stearns. I think highly of Mark. Mark was incredibly graceful on our last phone call together. I don’t have any hard feelings. They had to make a decision and I had to make a decision. That’s it.”

WHAT NEXT FOR BREWERS? Who could be next manager in Milwaukee?

Do you anticipate bringing anyone from your staff in Milwaukee to Chicago with you?

Counsell: “Obviously, I have to get to those decisions but I have not. I’m in a stage of, like, hellos and goodbyes right now.”

Have you gotten out and about at all today? What have peoples’ reactions been if you have?

Counsell: “I have, in large part, been just humbled by people’s comments, for sure. I’m grateful for that. Your connection to people doesn’t change – I’m not planning on any of that changing, and your connection to a community doesn’t have to change because of this. Because that part, I know it’s because of baseball that maybe people know who I am. But that’s got nothing to do with my connection to the community. And I think it’s separate. I know fandom says it’s not, but I think it’s separate.”

The top of the second College Football Playoff rankings looks almost exactly like the initial rankings released last Tuesday. Ohio State remains in the No. 1 spot despite a struggle against Rutgers. The Buckeyes also held on despite one of their two biggest wins – at Notre Dame – being diminished when the Fighting Irish lost to Clemson.

Ohio State remains on track for a showdown with Michigan on the penultimate weekend of the regular season that will likely decide the winner of the Big Ten West. However, the Wolverines must face Penn State on the road this Saturday before that can become a winner-take-all showdown.

Georgia continues to hold down the No. 2 position. The Bulldogs defeated Missouri on Saturday for their only win against teams in this week’s ranking. However, two more opportunities are coming to strengthen their portfolio with consecutive matchups against Mississippi and Tennessee. A win in either game will secure a berth in the SEC championship game.

Michigan holds down the third position, followed by Florida State and Washington. The top five are the lone unbeatens remaining in the Power Five.

Oregon leads the teams with one loss at No. 6. Behind the Ducks are Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and Penn State. Oklahoma slips out of the top 10 this week after a loss to Oklahoma State. The Sooners fell eight spaces to No. 17. The Cowboys rose seven spots to No. 15.

The SEC leads all conferences in the top 25 with six teams, followed by the Big 12 and Pac-12 with five apiece. The Big Ten has four teams, and the ACC with three is the other league with multiple teams.

No. 23 Tulane is the only team representing the Group of Five conferences. The highest-ranked champion from those leagues earns an automatic berth in one of the New Year’s Six bowl games. Air Force was ranked No. 25 but fell out after its loss to Army.

The final ranking of the committee will take place Dec. 3, and the top four teams will earn spots in the playoff.

The semifinals will be played at the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1. The championship game will take place on Jan. 8 at NRG Stadium in Houston.

College Football Playoff committee Top 25

1. Ohio State (9-0)  

2. Georgia (9-0)

3. Michigan (9-0)

4. Florida State (9-0)

5. Washington (9-0)

6. Oregon (8-1)

7. Texas (8-1)

8. Alabama (8-1)

9. Mississippi (8-1)

10. Penn State (8-1)

11. Louisville (8-1)

12. Oregon State (7-2)

13. Tennessee (7-2)

14. Missouri (7-2)

15. Oklahoma State (7-2)

16. Kansas (7-2)

17. Oklahoma (7-2)

18. Utah (7-2)

19. LSU (6-3)

20. Notre Dame (7-3)

21. Arizona (6-3)

22. Iowa (7-2)

23. Tulane (8-1)

24. North Carolina (7-2)

25. Kansas State (6-3)

The University of Kansas and men’s basketball coach Bill Self have agreed to a new contract that will make him the highest-paid basketball coach ever at a public college. He is set to make $9.44 million for the 2023-24 season, including a $1 million signing bonus.

That moves him past Kentucky’s John Calipari, who is set to make $8.5 million in both this season and next season.

Self is scheduled to make $8.64 million next season, including the $240,000 that Kansas annually will be paying for Self to have private aircraft time for personal use.

He will be working under a five-year term that is set to renew annually. His pay is scheduled to increase by $200,000 for the 2025-26 season, $400,000 for ’26-27 and $300,000 for ’27-28.

That amount is the largest single-year pay for a college sports coach not connected to a buyout since USA TODAY Sports began tracking coaches’ pay in 2006. Alabama football coach Nick Saban received $11.1 million from the school in 2017, an amount that included a $4 million signing bonus; that season, Saban added $500,000 in incentive bonuses to that total.

The new agreement between Self and KU was unveiled a little less than a month after the NCAA’s Independent Resolution Panel announced that Self will not face additional penalties from an NCAA infractions case that dates to 2017, finding that Kansas’ self-imposed penalties in the 2022-23 basketball season were sufficient.

Kansas won the 2022 NCAA championship while in investigative limbo. At the beginning of last season, the university self-imposed a four-game suspension for Self and assistant coach Kurtis Townsend, along with various recruiting restrictions, hoping to head off more significant penalties.

The new contract specifies that the university will not fire Self for cause “due to an infractions matter that arises from the same set of operative facts considered in” the recent IARP decision.

Self has agreed to pay up to $1.5 million of the university’s costs if the team is placed on probation “due to a major, intentional, significant or repetitive violation of NCAA rules and regulations by (Self) directly.’

The 2022 NCAA title was Self’s second with Kansas, where he has compiled a 566-132 record. Overall, Self has a 773-237 mark that includes stops at Oral Roberts, Tulsa and Illinois.

“Bill Self is undoubtedly the most consistent coach in college basketball, and a restructuring of his contract terms were long overdue,” Kansas athletics director Travis Goff said in a statement. “In an ever-changing collegiate athletics environment, our strong commitment to Coach Self positions KU basketball to maintain and enhance its status as the most storied program in the country. Over his 20 years at KU, our men’s basketball program has been a primary source of positive alumni engagement, strong university enrollment, and revenue that has helped fund all other Kansas Athletics programs and invest in all 500 student-athletes every year.”

The new contract replaces one the parties executed in April 2021. Prior to that agreement, however, they had not revisited their deal since April 2012.

The amount that Kansas would owe Self if he is fired without cause increases to $23.1 million under the new contract, more than quadrupling the amount he would have been owed under the previous terms.

But unlike the previous deal, the new arrangement calls for Self to have to pay Kansas if he leaves to take a job at another school in a Power Five conference, a school that has been to the Final Four in the past five years or with an NBA team. Those amounts start at $5 million if he leaves for another school and $3 million if he leaves for the NBA, although the buyout would be cut in half if Goff is no longer KU’s athletics director.

Newly-reinstated wide receiver Martavis Bryant is joining the Dallas Cowboys, a person with knowledge of the signing told USA TODAY Sports.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the signing was not yet official.

Bryant, who last played in the NFL in 2018, is signing with the Cowboys after he worked out for the team on Tuesday. The signing comes just days after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated Bryant from a four-year suspension for multiple violations of the league’s policy on substance abuse. 

Bryant is signing to the practice squad.

Bryant, 31, played for the XFL’s Vegas Vipers earlier this year, writing on Instagram in February, ‘Blessed and thankful to be back doing what I love, but I’m hungry to get back to where I belong.’ He last played in the NFL for the Raiders in 2018 before he was suspended indefinitely in December 2018, his third suspension in five seasons.

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Bryant was drafted out of Clemson in the fourth round of the 2014 draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he recorded 28 receptions, 549 yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games (three starts) during his rookie campaign. Bryant was suspended the first four games of the 2015 season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy and finished with 50 receptions, 765 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games (five starts).

He was again suspended for the entire 2016 season for repeat violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policy. At the time, his agent told USA TODAY that Bryant was suffering from depression and would check into rehab. Bryant was conditionally reinstated in April 2017 and he had 50 receptions, 603 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games (eight starts).

The Steelers traded Bryant to the Raiders in April 2018 and he recorded 19 receptions, 266 yards and no touchdowns in eight games (two starts) before a knee injury ended his season. He was subsequently suspended indefinitely for a violation of the terms of his conditional reinstatement.

The Cowboys (5-3) rank 12th in the NFL in passing offense, generating an average of 234.9 passing yards per game. Star receiver CeeDee Lamb leads the team with 824 yards and three touchdowns, but the team has been missing a dependable No. 2 target, with tight end Jake Ferguson ranking second on the team with only 328 receiving yards.

Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks is poking the bear, again.

Ahead of the Rockets’ matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, Brooks was asked about matching up with star LeBron James, who’s averaging 25.3 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists through seven games for the Lakers in his 21st season in the NBA.

‘Ready to lock him up,’ Brooks said. ‘He’s been shooting the ball well, he’s been playing well, so just there to make him tired, make him get into that fourth quarter early.’

If Brooks’ comment feels like déjà vu, it’s because it is.

Wednesday will mark the first time that James and Brooks will play against each other since the two feuded last postseason after Brooks called James, the NBA’s all-time top scorer, ‘old’ and the Lakers ultimately eliminated the Memphis Grizzlies, Brooks’ former team, from the playoffs.

Let’s take a look down memory lane:

How did the Dillon Brooks-LeBron James feud start?

“He’s old,’ Brooks said. ‘I poke bears. I don’t respect someone until he gives me 40.”

The drama continued to escalate in Game 3 when Brooks was ejected for striking James in the groin. James, however, let his play do the talking. He put up 22 points and 22 rebounds in the Lakers’ Game 3 win. (Brooks asked for 40, right?) Los Angeles went on to clinch the series in six games with a 40-point win over the Grizzlies.

Following the series-clinching victory, James shared several highlights from the Lakers’ Game 6 win, including an unreal two-handed reverse dunk. He captioned the post with a viral freestyle from rapper Mystikal, a direct response to Brooks: ‘If you ever see me fighting in the forest with a Grizzly bear, HELP THE BEAR.’ 

Brooks averaged 10.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in six postseason games last season, while James, whose team advanced to the Western Conference Finals before losing to the Denver Nuggets, averaged 24.5 points, 9.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists in 16 games. 

Brooks’ poor postseason play and continued antics led Memphis to trade Brooks in the offseason to the Rockets, where he’s averaging 16.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists in six games this season.

Clean slate, right? Wrong. Brooks apparently didn’t learn the first time around and has yet again provoked James. Get your popcorn ready for round 2 on Wednesday.