We begin with the first meeting last October, and the eyes. May as well have been a neon billboard screaming for attention. 

“He was worn out. A little beat up, tired,” Dana Holgorsen says of his first meeting with Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola. “His head was spinning.”

This felt all but inevitable with Raiola. Just a matter of when, and who would pick up the pieces when it broke. 

That someone was Holgorsen, who fittingly was in the process of reorganizing his own unraveling as – get this – a defensive analyst at Nebraska. One of college football’s elite offensive minds and a year removed as head coach at Houston, Holgorsen was breaking down defensive game film last season for Cornhuskers coach Matt Rhule when hope in Lincoln began to look a whole lot like the ugly that got Rhule hired in the first place.

Their paths converged in one desperate bye week, after Rhule demoted offensive coordinator and play caller Marcus Satterfield. The coach whose program was spinning its wheels in his second season, and the heralded freshman quarterback who finally hit the wall. 

And Holgorsen, whose quarterbacks have averaged 31 touchdown passes a season since 2016. 

“We just sat there and talked about everything,” Holgorsen said. “Ten days later, I’m calling plays in the Coliseum at USC. It elevated pretty quickly. It was like learning Japanese in a month.”

Fast forward to this summer, and there was Raiola representing Nebraska at Big Ten media days in Las Vegas. Dressed sharply in a black suit with red piping, a pattern of playing cards on the satin lining of his coat.

As smooth as the night is long on The Strip. 

“I’ve never felt more comfortable playing football than I do right now,” Raiola said.

It has been a long road, made more difficult by what he saw coming all along, what he couldn’t see — and frankly, some difficulty of his own making. He knew what he was walking into at Nebraska, and it wasn’t just the idea of rebuilding a lost national power. 

His name was All-America royalty at Nebraska (his dad and uncle starred for the Huskers), and he played hard to get for nearly two years of high school hype before finally signing. He committed to Ohio State, then switched Georgia, and then made Rhule sweat it out before finally committing to Nebraska two days before national signing day. 

And the next thing you know, Nebraska wins five of six to begin his freshman season — before losing three in a row and staring at another season of failing to simply qualify for a bowl game. Imagine that, one of the greatest dynasties in college football history in the 1990s, working on an eighth consecutive season of failing to win six lousy games.

The Huskers eventually got bowl eligible, and a seventh win with a Pinstripe Bowl victory. But the enormity of that weight, the pressure of lifting a program – the hopes of a state – from that abyss, hasn’t subsided.

“This is what I wanted,” Raiola said. “It’s a privilege to be in this situation.”

So he got in better shape in the offseason, dropped his body fat percentage and increased strength and mobility. And he dove into all things Holgorsen, knowing full well what his quarterbacks have accomplished in the past. 

Graham Harrell, Case Keenum, Geno Smith, Will Grier, Clayton Tune. A Who’s Who of mega seasons over the 20 years of college football.

More to the point: four of those quarterbacks had breakout seasons in their second full season as starters. Keenum had 44 touchdown passes, Smith had 42, Grier had 37 and Tune had 30. 

Raiola had 13 touchdown passes in 2024.

But get this: Holgorsen says Raiola’s football IQ is better than any of his previous quarterbacks.

“He’s intelligent and highly competitive,” Holgorsen said. “He understands run checks and coverages, and fronts and protections, better than anyone I’ve been around. One hundred percent, it’s not even close.”

It’s not difficult to see where this is headed, where happenstance arrived and three paths met and the symmetry is undeniable. Rhule needs Raiola, who needs Holgorsen, who needs Nebraska.

Raiola was talking about the College Football Playoff last month, and why couldn’t Nebraska expect to be there? Why wouldn’t that be the goal?

Rhule added some key pieces from the transfer portal to energize the offense, and more than anything, he kept both Raiola and Holgorsen. It wasn’t long after Nebraska beat Boston College for its first bowl win since 2015, that vultures began circling ― for both Raiola and Holgorsen. 

Rhule told Holgorsen he needed a decision quickly, and Holgorsen found himself staring at Raiola once again. 

“I said are you staying? Because if you are, I am,” Holgorsen said. “He said he was, and we’ve been full-go since.”

Want to know how committed Holgorsen is to Nebraska and Raiola? When he started calling plays last November, Holgorsen used the existing offense and terminology — instead of his wildly successful system based on Mike Leach’s Air Raid.

Instead of doing a complete install this offseason, he kept Satterfield’s offense and verbiage, and added some of his Air Raid principles. Better for one guy to learn a new system, he says, than half a team.

How a play is called might be different, Holgorsen insists, but what it looks like is always the same. If it looks anything like the second season for previous Holgorsen quarterbacks, it won’t look anything like the last decade of Nebraska football. 

And that’s the whole point of it all. 

“I know what people are thinking, it’s Nebraska, what have they done,” Raiola said. “We have a chance to change all of that.”

There’s your inevitable. Maybe it’s just a matter of when.

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.

The NFL preseason: the best time of the NFL calendar for overreactions. Naturally, quarterbacks – and rookie quarterbacks, specifically – are the best targets for these overreactions.

Sixteen rookie quarterbacks made their NFL game debuts in the first week of preseason action over the weekend, and there was plenty of variance in the quality of their performances.

There was also plenty of room for questions as they played differing amounts of time against differing levels of opposing defenses.

In exhibition action, these young gunslingers play limited snap counts and get in reps against defenders that run the full spectrum of opponents’ depth charts. While early projections are possible after preseason action, the best evaluations can’t truly start until the ‘real thing’ – when the regular season starts and games matter more.

Nevertheless, USA TODAY Sports is here to rank the 17 rookie quarterbacks – including Chargers rookie DJ Uiagalelei, who debuted in the Hall of Fame Game July 31 – to throw a pass in the first week of preseason exhibition games in 2025.

Rookie QB rankings after Week 1 of the NFL preseason

Seventeen rookie quarterbacks threw a pass in the first week of the NFL preseason. Sixteen of them were making their pro debut – the aforementioned Uiagalelei played in his team’s Hall of Fame game matchup with the Lions.

Here’s how they all rank after the first week with a full slate of preseason action:

17. Graham Mertz, Houston Texans

An NFL debut to forget for the former Florida Gator.

One play into Mertz’s first NFL appearance, he threw an interception. Rolling out to his left, Mertz appeared to double clutch his first pass attempt before letting it sail over the head of Xavier Johnson an into the arms of a diving Ambry Thomas.

Things didn’t improve from there as Mertz threw two more interceptions – both to Kahlef Hailassie – to end his outing. Every Texans possession in the fourth quarter featured Mertz under center and all three ended with an interception before the team had advanced the ball 15 yards.

16. Quinn Ewers, Miami Dolphins

From his first snap, Ewers looked out of sorts in his NFL debut.

His first pass attempt was air-mailed, intended for a receiver running a quick out to his left. His second pass attempt also ended up too high for his target, who got crunched by a defender on both sides. When Ewers dropped back a third time, his left tackle got pancaked, and the quarterback scrambled out of the pocket as he felt the pressure. The rush eventually got home with a strip sack and another Bears defender recovered to secure the turnover.

For the rest of the game, Ewers’ poor ball placement on his throws left his receivers largely unable to make plays. When he wasn’t throwing too high, defenders were able to break up many of his throws because he’d leave the ball within reach of the defensive back. Even on several of Ewers’ completions, his receivers had to stop to make the catch before a swift tackle rather than catching on the run and turning upfield for extra yardage.

15. Kyle McCord, Philadelphia Eagles

Much like Ewers, McCord appeared unprepared for NFL action in his first game as a pro. The Eagles’ backup only completed one of his five pass attempts, which meant he had as many completions as he had interceptions.

McCord never looked comfortable in the pocket. On most of his dropbacks, his feet were chopping at the turf, preventing him from making a good base to get set and make a throw. Whenever his feet stopped moving, it started to telegraph that he intended to throw. McCord’s long time in the pocket – his time to throw of 3.24 seconds was second-longest of rookie QBs over the weekend, per PFF – allowed defenders to get pressure as well, which didn’t do him any favors.

14. Riley Leonard, Indianapolis Colts

Leonard’s outing was less overtly bad compared to those of Mertz, Ewers and McCord. He played the entire second half for the Colts and showed off some of the tools he has as a passer and runner that made him worthy of a late-round flier pick.

Leonard ran into trouble a few times because he wasn’t able to put enough touch on his passes to avoid getting them batted down – both at the line of scrimmage and downfield. Occasionally, poor ball placement let defenders get in on his receivers and gave them a chance to make a play on the ball.

Leonard’s worst plays came when he was under pressure. Though he sometimes was able to scramble his way out of it for a gain, there were too many times that he panicked, let his eyes drop and was unable to make any play. The worst two instances of this led to an intentional grounding and his interception.

Still, there were a couple of really nice throws, and Leonard made a good showing of what he can do with his legs.

13. Taylor Elgersma, Green Bay Packers

Not a ton to take away from Elgersma’s quick outing with the Packers. He completed three of his four pass attempts for 24 yards and looked decent enough.

One thing that ticks a couple of points off for Elgersma is his tendency to ‘fade away’ on his passes. On a couple of his completions, the Canadian drifted backwards after making a throw, giving the impression that he could add more zip to his throws if he had his momentum driving forward through his passes rather than backward.

12. Connor Bazelak, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bazelak looked really nice in his short outing with Tampa Bay. Similar to with Elgersma, it was hard to take too much away from just nine pass attempts – though completing six of them for a 67% completion rate is always a good touch.

There weren’t any deep bombs or highlight-reel plays, but he showed off his quick release on short throws, nice touch on some medium throws to beat zone coverage and some good zip against man coverage to find his open receivers.

11. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints

Shough had a couple of ‘welcome to the NFL’ moments but also had some really notable parts of his Sunday performance that indicated he is worthy of being an NFL quarterback.

The Saints and head coach Kellen Moore threw their rookie second-rounder right into the fire with a two-minute drill to close the first half. Shough managed to string together a 10-play, 52-yard drive – with some help on 10 yards of defensive penalties – in just over a minute and a half to get New Orleans into the red zone and in field goal range.

Shough’s performance coming out of the half is best described as ‘up-and-down.’ The Saints’ second half-opening possession was a 3-and-out that ended with a sack. Their second possession, Shough threw a pick-6 after staring down his receiver from the moment he took the snap. On the following drive, Shough completed an impressive, 54-yard touchdown pass. After that, another sack, this one on a play he should have just thrown the ball away on second down.

Shough didn’t quite crack the top 10, but his two-minute drive to end the first half and long touchdown pass were good signs in his debut.

10. Brady Cook, New York Jets

The best word to describe Cook in his debut outing with the Jets is comfortable.

The moment didn’t seem too big for the undrafted free agent, who looked poised in the pocket throughout his outing after coming in on the Jets’ second drive of the game and playing until halftime. He made easy throws with zip on quick passes, made on nice throw on the move to hit a receiver on the boundary despite a bad snap and showed off some nice touch on deeper passes downfield.

His best throw given the situation was a third-down play where he hit a receiver over the middle as the pocket collapsed toward him. Cook got hit shortly after throwing and it would have been a first down if his receiver had gotten enough depth.

Cook also showed off some of his ability with different arm angles on a couple of plays to avoid getting his pass batted at the line of scrimmage.

9. DJ Uiagalelei, Los Angeles Chargers

Uiagalelei threw one pass and completed it for a 51-yard gain. It was slightly underthrown and maybe could have been a touchdown, but it’s hard to knock him too much given the result of the play.

8. Max Brosmer, Minnesota Vikings

Brosmer didn’t play too many snaps for the Vikings in his first preseason game, but there was a lot to love about the plays he made late.

Of his eight attempts, Brosmer had five completions, a few of which showcased excellent anticipation and picture-perfect ball placement to get the ball to his receiver in tight coverage.

He gets knocked down a spot because of his fumbled snap, but it was an overall impressive day for the UDFA out of Minnesota.

7. Jalen Milroe, Seattle Seahawks

Milroe’s legs were the true star of his debut outing with Seattle, but he made several good plays with his arm too.

Milroe was second on the team with his 38 rushing yards on three attempts and had slightly better marks in his completion rate and passer rating than fellow Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock on Thursday night.

The two best throws Milroe made were his zone-beater pass that he got to Ricky White over the hand of a linebacker and just in front of the cornerback, as well as his play-action bootleg throw to Tyrone Broden Jr to get Seattle in the red zone.

Milroe could still learn to trust his arm a bit more than his legs, as there were a few scrambles that felt preemptive and unnecessary, but there’s clear dual-threat potential in his game that the Seahawks may be looking to exploit down the road.

6. Cam Miller, Las Vegas Raiders

Not a whole lot to say on Miller either, given he only attempted seven passes. But he completed six of them, including a really nice touchdown throw off of a pump fake.

He also got the Raiders into Daniel Carlson’s field goal range after starting at Las Vegas’ own 32 with 25 seconds left. Carlson’s 55-yard attempt got blocked, which soured the conclusion of an otherwise great drive for Miller.

5. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans

The Titans didn’t give fans a long look at Ward, the No. 1 pick who is expected to be the team’s Week 1 starter. But there were flashes of excellence to go with some mistakes in his debut.

The biggest takeaways on Ward’s outing is that he’s already got a great connection with lead receiver Calvin Ridley, but he just needs to polish up some parts of his game. His drifting from empty pockets without pressure got him into trouble on his first drive, and rushing a throw with poor footwork led to a near-interception on his second drive.

The anticipation and good ball placement that made Ward so highly touted were also on display though and should give Tennessee fans a reason to be excited.

4. Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns

Sanders was the only rookie quarterback to throw two touchdown passes in his debut, both of which were really nice passes placed where only his receivers could get them.

He also showed off some skill as a scrambler when he got into trouble, picking up a couple of first downs with his legs when things got dicey.

But Sanders also had more than a few missed opportunities with poor throws to open receivers that hold him back from a higher rank on this list. In addition, he took too much time in the pocket – a rookie quarterback-leading 3.48 seconds to throw, per PFF – which invited pressure and got him into those ‘dicey’ situations. That spin move he loved using to evade pressure at Colorado ended in a near-sack on one fourth down play.

Yet the two touchdown throws really stand out as the type of plays that show Sanders’ high ceiling as a passer with the anticipation he had and placements he made between defenders.

3. Ben Wooldridge, New England Patriots

Wooldridge, an undrafted free agent, completed nine of his 12 passes for the Patriots on Friday and was the team’s leading passer with 132 yards. His three incompletions: a drop and two batted balls.

Unless things go very wrong for New England, Wooldridge won’t have much of a chance to play since he’s firmly behind Drake Maye on the depth chart. But the zip on his throws and poise in the pocket against Washington will definitely make him a consideration to make the roster out of training camp if he keeps his arrow trending up.

2. Seth Henigan, Jacksonville Jaguars

Henigan had the best PFF grade of any rookie passer in the first week of the preseason. He completed 11 of his 14 passes for 78 yards and managed to complete a crazy pass to avoid taking a sack with the help of running back LeQuint Allen.

PFF also listed two of Henigan’s plays as big-time throws, which were tied with Sanders for the lead among all rookie quarterbacks in Week 1 of the preseason.

1. Jaxson Dart, New York Giants

Dart was the rookie quarterback of the week to start the preseason. He was far from perfect, but he did a ton to show why he was worth the Giants’ trade up into the first round to draft him.

The most notable play of Dart’s day was easily his 28-yard touchdown pass to Lil’Jordan Humphrey, executed with perfect touch to hit the receiver on the run despite having a defender crashing down on him. The rookie took a big hit after the throw but was fired up seeing the completion and touchdown.

Dart’s ability to avoid pressure despite occasional chaos in the pocket was what won him the weekend. The touches he added as a scrambler – his 24 rushing yards led the team – only added to his strong performance.

If he hadn’t missed a couple of third-down chances – one of which PFF called a drop – his spot at the top of this list would be even less of a question.

As it stands though, Dart’s poise and execution on Saturday made him the rookie QB king of preseason Week 1.

A new Netflix docuseries, ‘America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys,’ chronicles the Jerry Jones era of the Dallas Cowboys.
The series covers Jones’ purchase of the team, the dynasty of the 1990s, and controversies surrounding key figures.

“I don’t like it like that. I like the pain,” Jerry Jones says when he is asked the question of why he doesn’t hire a general manager for his football team, instead of him being in charge of player personnel.

That answer certainly isn’t going to fly with die-hard Dallas Cowboys fans, who for years have implored Jones to turn over those duties to a more seasoned football mind, but instead, the team is ridiculed when it reaches an early end during the NFL playoffs or misses the postseason altogether, like they did in 2024.

Being relevant in the sports world in this day and age, with the saturation of social media, talk radio, and mindless, numbing, bloviating morning shows, is a golden ticket that you can’t buy. Unless your team is the Cowboys, who haven’t sniffed a Super Bowl appearance in three decades but are talked about ad nauseum as if their exploits on the field recently warrant a minute of anyone’s time.

There is one person largely responsible for that: Jerral Wayne Jones Sr., the 82-year-old Hall of Fame owner and general manager of the five-time Super Bowl champions.

Netflix has hopped on the Jerry’s World bandwagon with a fascinating sports series, titled ‘America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys,’ premiering Aug. 19 on the streaming service, because let’s be real, there were cameras nearby and a chance for people to talk and dissect the film before the NFL starts its 106th season next month.

The film is directed with a slow, grinding pace by veteran documentarians Chapman and Maclain Way (‘The Battered Bastards of Baseball,’ ‘Untold: The Race of the Century’), who certainly benefit from getting unfettered cooperation from those intimately involved with the Cowboys.

Jones’ ‘gamble’ has certainly paid off: A $140 million investment in 1989 when he bought the team has turned into the most valuable sports franchise in the world, valued at $10 billion. They added three championships during his ownership, and in turn, have helped turn the NFL into its own money-printing press.

The eight-part series doesn’t skip any of the major contributors of the 1990s Cowboys, who would have set social media on fire if it existed back then.

The dozens of athletes and journalists featured provide context, praise, and biting criticism about Jones and do so with incredible insight, and the series also includes appearances from former President of the United States George W. Bush, Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and former Fox Corporation chairman Rupert Murdoch.

“The Saturday Night Massacre,” the first episode, centers around Jones buying the team from Bum Bright – and jettisoning anything that wasn’t nailed down – telling you all you need to know about what’s coming. It sets the tone for what essentially most documentaries are these days: In this case, a glorified infomercial with just enough tears, Texas-sized egos, downright delusion, and lies (depending on who is answering the questions) to keep even the most skeptical viewers glued to their chosen device.

Jones doesn’t mince his words: His team is the best soap opera this side of “General Hospital”, and he wants the credit for his team’s success, direct or not. Yes, even when his team was losing $1 million a month, because he is the owner, president, and general manager.

The series has time to go through the paces, consistently going from the 1990s back to Jones’ time at the University of Arkansas, just as “The Last Dance” did in telling the story of the Michael Jordan-era Chicago Bulls.

For example, when asked about the infamous White House, a party and drug den near the team’s old headquarters at Valley Ranch, it got the ‘no comment’ treatment, like it was a matter of national security from numerous interviewees – except for wide receiver Michael Irvin, who was gleefully willing to spill the tea about his exploits.

Former head coach Jimmy Johnson gets a healthy amount of play, especially in the first four episodes, as well as the other ‘Triplets,’ fellow Pro Football Hall of Famers Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith.

“Dictator” and “a–hole” are the terms most commonly used by Cowboys players to describe Johnson, who, with Jones, bickered like a bunch of third graders, debating who deserves credit for building those championship teams. The exchanges were repetitive, long-winded, and exhausting, sometimes slowing down the documentary; there are only so many times you can repeat the phrases ‘500 coaches’ or ‘I’m going to fire that (expletive),’ before it gets tiresome. But, of course, with the recent kumbaya singing, it allowed long-standing hurt feelings to be set aside, culminating with Johnson being inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor in 2023, featured in the final episode.

Perhaps the most emotional part of the documentary is the penultimate episode titled “Cocaine Cowboy,” which focuses on the literal trials and tribulations of Irvin, from his drug possession charge to being the subject of a murder-for-hire plot, to stabbing a teammate with scissors. The raw feelings from those situations, as well as the retirement of the Triplets and the crumbling of the empire, make for a compelling watch, in a ‘Taxicab Confessions’ kind of way, and almost makes you feel sorry for all involved – almost.

While nearly an entire episode is focused on Irvin, Jones skirts by with his only mere, or non-mentions of his controversies over the past 35 years, including a paternity suit, him being captured in a photo showing up at a 1957 protest to prevent six African American students from entering North Little Rock High School, or his stance concerning Cowboys players kneeling before the national anthem.

Jones seems reflective, sometimes through tears, when discussing subjects of his past, but also shines when storytelling, including mentions of Teamsters, the mob, and an interesting Jimmy Hoffa soliloquy when Jones attempted to buy the then-San Diego Chargers.

Jones has no doubt done incredible things for his team and the NFL at large, but the documentary doesn’t need eight episodes, some of which were not necessary to get the point across. It is a formulaic (and sometimes cringy) watch, complete with the cheesy western-style background for the subjects who are interviewed.

Overall, the documentary does its job, satisfying those who love and hate the Cowboys, while telling the story of one of the most fascinating franchises in sports history.

“I think the fair answer is, I’m going to take it a day at a time as well,” Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay answered on Monday, Aug. 11 when asked if he was concerned about Stafford’s back ailment. “I can’t be 27 days from now in Houston.”

It’s fair to raise an eyebrow about Stafford’s aggravated disk in his back that’s caused him to miss training camp. The veteran quarterback was supposed to practice in some capacity on Monday after a throwing session on Saturday, but he didn’t “feel great” following the workout.

“I feel for Matthew because of how much he wants to be out there and feel good. Ultimately what ended up happening, had a great workout, felt good, but then come in (Monday), it doesn’t feel great. (I) didn’t think that was the right decision to be able to push him,” McVay said. “We’re going to be smart, but he didn’t feel good enough and we didn’t think it was the right thing to do based on how he woke up feeling today.”

The Rams are “smart” to be cautious with Stafford. He’s a 37-year-old quarterback entering NFL season No. 17. He’s in the fifth year of McVay’s offense and knows the scheme. The Rams have more than three weeks until their 2025 season opener at SoFi Stadium against the Houston Texans.

Twenty-plus days out, it’s not time to be overly concerned. However, the concern meter rises incrementally each passing day Stafford is out of practice. Stafford is missing valuable practice reps with new addition wideout Davante Adams. Plus, there’s natural rust the veteran quarterback will have to work through when he does return.

How many practice reps will Stafford have before Sept. 7? Will Stafford be able to shake off any rust from his absence before it’s time for the real action? Two of the Rams’ first three games are against playoff teams from a season ago, including the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

The positive news is the Rams have shown the capability to rebound from a shaky start. They began the 2024 season 1-4 before rallying to win the NFC West title. The bad news is Stafford’s a 37-year-old quarterback with back issues. Stafford was sacked 28 times last year. He was hit 63 times, the most in his four seasons in Los Angeles. What happens when Stafford takes hits this season? Back issues tend to occasionally flare up for an athlete Stafford’s age.

The Rams are right to exercise caution. It’s not time to be concerned. But the situation can change quickly, especially with a veteran quarterback’s back.

“He looked damn good throwing the other day. Nobody’s tougher than him,” McVay said. “We also want to see if we can have him feeling as good as possible. That’s super important.”

The NBA announced its four-game slate for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 19, 2026.
The games will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
Matchups include Mavericks vs. Hawks, Timberwolves vs. Knicks, Thunder vs. Cavaliers, and Celtics vs. Pistons.

While the NBA may go head-to-head with the NFL on Christmas Day, there’s one national holiday the league can celebrate all by itself: Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The NBA will have a slate of four nationally televised games on Monday, Jan. 19, the league revealed on Tuesday, Aug. 12.

The full 2025-26 NBA schedule is set for release later this week, but details have already begun to roll out. The opening day doubleheader. The five-game Christmas Day schedule. The two-game slate in Europe.

The latest reveal is the MLK Day quadruple header that will keep hoops fans glued to NBC and Peacock for the entire day.

Martin Luther King Day NBA games

The league announced both the matchups and the game times for the MLK Day slate:

Milwaukee Bucks at Atlanta Hawks , 1 p.m. ET (Peacock)
Oklahoma City Thunder at Cleveland Cavaliers, 2:30 p.m. ET (NBC | Peacock)
Dallas Mavericks at New York Knicks, 5 p.m. ET (NBC | Peacock)
Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons, 8 p.m. ET (NBC | Peacock)

Running back has long been the most important position in fantasy football. Even as wide receivers become more valuable in modern fantasy football, running back remains a position that can win or lose your league.

Last year, Saquon Barkley was a league-winner for countless managers behind a career year with the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Jahmyr Gibbs was especially good for full-PPR leagues thanks to his receiving abilities.

It’s time to look ahead to the 2025 season as preseason action heats up. The likes of Barkley and Gibbs will command a high draft pick in snake drafts or top dollar in auction leagues.

Beyond them, it’s a challenge for managers to determine the right value of other players. We’re here to help with a tiered breakdown of the running position for fantasy football in 2025:

Tier 1

Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders
Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions

These are the bell cows of the position, though they all come with some question marks. Barkley had 378 total touches last year and the history of running backs hitting 370 is not good. He should avoid a huge drop-off thanks to an elite offensive line, but it will be tough to match his career-bests from 2024.

Robinson operated in one of the most efficient running games of the last decade with Atlanta in 2024. That may regress more towards the mean this year. Jeanty is the clear No. 2 weapon behind a tight end, something none of the other Tier 1 backs can say. Gibbs has a new coordinator but that could see him get an even bigger share of the carries as an electrifying young back.

Tier 2

Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers
De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

If you don’t get the top four guys, this group is full of league-winner as well. Henry’s shown no signs of slowing down in one of the best offenses in the league. Green Bay invested in its offensive line this offseason and that should mean Jacobs remains a fringe top-five fantasy running back.

Achane is a borderline Tier 1 running back in full PPR leagues as he’s one of the more productive receivers out of the backfield. McCaffrey is one of the toughest reads ahead of the season because of his injuries last season and the 49ers building up depth behind him. Irving was a star as a rookie behind one of the best offensive lines in the league. Without Liam Coen at coordinator, it’s unclear how things could improve in 2025.

Tier 3

James Cook, Buffalo Bills
Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks
Aaron Jones Sr., Minnesota Vikings

Cook had a top-10 fantasy RB season in 2024 on the back of his 18 touchdowns from scrimmage. If that regresses, can he churn out the yards to make up for it? Hubbard should be in for another strong season as the Panthers passing offense gets a boost from rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan. Indianapolis’ offense has lots of questions but Taylor isn’t one of them. He should be a reliable starter when healthy, unfortunately a big caveat for a player who hasn’t played a full season since 2021.

Hampton should have lots of opportunity to become the Chargers’ top running back in the first month of the season in what should be a run-first offense. Walker could thrive with more outside zone run schemes that new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is expected to bring to Seattle in 2025. Few teams signaled an intent to run the ball more and better than Minnesota this offseason with their moves in free agency and the draft, something that should greatly benefit Jones Sr.

Tier 4

Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
Breece Hall, New York Jets
Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
James Conner, Arizona Cardinals
Kaleb Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers

This tier is has some reliable players and a few with a chance to exceed expectations. Brown was one of the top six backs in fantasy football over the second half of the season and could keep that clip up in 2025. Williams was one of the least productive backs on a per-carry basis in 2024; but was that more to do with the Rams’ early-season woes or a true drop-off?

Hall was a fantasy bust after being a preseason top-five player, but he has a new coordinator and quarterback around him in 2025. Kamara just turned 30, but has a new play-calling head coach who may lean on him as a rookie quarterback gets up to speed. Conner thrived in the Cardinals’ diverse running scheme last season but, like Kamara, is entering his age-30 season. Johnson is a rookie but under Arthur Smith in Pittsburgh, it’s hard to find a better fit of player and scheme.

Tier 5

TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots
D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
RJ Harvey, Denver Broncos
Tyrone Tracy Jr., New York Giants
David Montgomery, Detroit Lions
Joe Mixon, Houston Texans
Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs
Brian Robinson Jr., Washington Commanders
Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans
Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys

Tier 5 rounds out the other starting running backs in the NFL or players whose 2025 outlook is murky. The rookie Henderson is undoubtedly the most explosive skill position player in New England but his role is unclear with the incumbent Rhamondre Stevenson in town. Swift should benefit from a change in offensive play-caller with Ben Johnson’s impressive track record of success from Detroit.

Harvey, another electric rookie back, may not be the top man to start in Denver but should grow into a bigger role, especially with his proven skills as a receiver out of the backfield. Tracy Jr. was solid in his first season but enters Year 2 with questions around him at quarterback and offensive line — and one of the toughest slates of defenses in the league.

Montgomery hit 1,100 yards and dozen touchdowns again in 2024 but his role may change with a new offensive coordinator. Mixon is dealing with injuries to open the season behind a less talented offensive line and Nick Chubb spelling him for carriers. Injury cut Pacheco’s 2024 season short so he could be in for a bounce-back season in a contract year.

Robinson Jr.’s value is limited in half- and full-PPR leagues thanks to Austin Ekeler’s presence but he’s still the top man in one of the more efficient offenses in the league. Pollard should get a big boost this season from a change in quarterback and an upgraded offensive line, the question is just how high he could go. Williams could benefit from offensive coordinator Klayton Adams’ arrival in Dallas after years helping the Cardinals create one of top rushing schemes in the league.

Tier 6

Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks
Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers
Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings
Travis Etienne Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots
J.K. Dobbins, Denver Broncos
Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Nick Chubb, Houston Texans
Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns
Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons
Najee Harris, Los Angeles Chargers
Cam Skattebo, New York Giants
Jaydon Blue, Dallas Cowboys
Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars
Isaac Guerendo, San Francisco 49ers
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans
Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears
Brashard Smith, Kansas City Chiefs
Trey Benson, Arizona Cardinals

Welcome to the land of handcuffs and low-end starters. Charbonnet, Warren and Mason should all have large roles in run-first offenses and could spell the starter if they miss time. Warren’s value as a receiver sets him apart in that trio.

The Jaguars’ backfield hierarchy is unclear but Etienne Jr. could see a bigger role with a new offensive play-caller. Stevenson and Dobbins are both proven veterans but in backfields with more dynamic rookie rushers. White could see a drop with Liam Coen’s departure but his value as a receiver keeps him relevant. Chubb may get more carries as Mixon makes his way back to healthy status ahead of Week 1.

Like Jacksonville, it’s unclear who will lead the way in Cleveland’s backfield but Sampson has the receiving ability to make a difference in fantasy. Harris is dealing with injury but is expected to spell Hampton by Week 1. The rookie Skattebo should be a complement to Tracy Jr. but his share of the carries is unclear at this point.

Blue is the most dynamic running back in the Cowboys backfield and that should work to his benefit as the season wears on. Bigsby was the Jaguars’ leading rusher in 2024 and he could get a boost from Coen’s arrival. Guerendo started in place of the injured McCaffrey at times in 2024 and looks primed to be a top handcuff in Year 2. As the Titans’ offense likely improves in 2025, Spears should benefit as a flex option in a pinch.

Johnson could see a bigger role with Ben Johnson now calling plays in Chicago. Smith’s receiving abilities give him the opportunity to take on a Jerick McKinnon-like role in Kansas City. Benson could take a step as Conner ages. If not, he’s a great handcuff option.

Taylor Swift is set to make her debut appearance on the ‘New Heights’ podcast, which is cohosted by her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

Swift’s appearance was announced Monday, Aug. 11 in a 13-second promo released by ‘New Heights.’ The ad features Swift complimenting Kelce’s attire – the star tight end is in a blue hoodie – while Kelce flirtatiously responds, ‘It’s the color of your eyes, sweetie. It’s why we match so well.’

The video then concludes with Swift saying, ‘We’re about to do a (expletive) podcast!’

The cover of Swift’s new album was obscured in the ad.

Given the pending reveal, Swifties have a lot to look forward to in Wednesday’s episode. They will also get a chance to see Swift’s personal interactions with Kelce, and could perhaps hear some stories from their relationship.

Here’s how you catch watch Swift’s appearance on the ‘New Heights’ podcast.

How to watch New Heights podcast with Taylor Swift

Date: Wednesday, Aug. 13
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Stream: YouTube

Those hoping to watch the Kelces and Swift on the ‘New Heights’ podcast can do so at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday. The episode will drop on YouTube, which will contain a full video feed of the podcast episode.

Where to watch ‘New Heights’ podcast

YouTube will be the only platform on which fans of Kelce and Swift will be able to see them interact on video. However, numerous podcast platforms will also carry the episode, allowing Swifties to listen to the entire episode.

Below are some of the listening options for viewers, listed alphabetically:

Apple Podcasts
Amazon Music
Audible
Spotify
Wondery

Last offseason, as he signed a new contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cam Heyward apparently told team brass that after he had an All-Pro season, he would be back at the negotiating table for a new deal.

Heyward made true on his prediction in 2024 and earned first-team All-Pro honors for the fourth time in his career, all 14 seasons of which have been with the Steelers.

But through the offseason and first few weeks of training camp, a new deal for Heyward has yet to materialize. The 36-year-old has been off to the side during much of the team drills at camp, while still maintaining a presence during individual work – what has been dubbed, in the NFL world, as a ‘hold in.’

Heyward’s current deal, which includes the 2025 and 2026 seasons, calls for him to be paid $29 million total.

“Honestly, I’m looking to be valued,’ Heyward said. ‘ … I know what I bring to this team and what I’m capable of on and off the field. It’s hard for me, after the year I’ve had, to justify playing at the number I’m playing at.

‘To be completely honest with you, I told them, ‘When I have an All-Pro year, expect me to come back (to the negotiating table).’ And you can look at the contract and see what it was. I think everybody kind of giggled a little bit. But in my head, I used it as my motivation to go out there and prove it.’

Heyward had eight sacks and broke up 11 passes (a career high) last season to go with 20 quarterback hits. The Ohio State product and 2011 first-round pick said that he made his request for a new deal in February. When asked whether he would consider missing regular-season games to receive a new deal, he replied: ‘There are definitely options out there that could reflect that.’

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin didn’t seem concerned with Heyward’s request and incomplete participation.

‘Cam’s been doing this a long time,’ Tomlin said. ‘I don’t work Cam a lot in these scenarios anyway.’

It has been an impatient offseason for Heyward, who in March complained on his podcast about the lack of movement when it came to the Steelers signing quarterback Aaron Rodgers.