NFL football is back. Sort of. Sort of NFL football.

Regardless, the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game was the first time any of the league’s teams had met between the lines since Super Bowl 59 – and, sadly, Thursday night’s contest was somehow exponentially less suspenseful than the Philadelphia Eagles’ one-night dismantling of the Kansas City Chiefs’ dynasty in February.

The Los Angeles Chargers’ 34-7 shellacking of the Detroit Lions in Canton, Ohio, didn’t feature many players likely to contribute much to those teams this season. But hey, let’s celebrate the sorta kinda return of NFL football anyway with a few of the winners and losers now that the league’s preseason is officially underway:

WINNERS

Trey Lance

The high point of his NFL career was being the No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Since then, Lance has been held back by injury, inexperience and lack of opportunity – Brock Purdy taking advantage of his absence with the Niners before Lance sat behind Dak Prescott for two years with the Dallas Cowboys.

Balling out in a preseason game won’t erase years of frustration for Lance, but he flashed the talent commensurate with a man taken so high in the draft – ripping the ball downfield, making good decisions and showing off his mobility. And, yes, he was playing against fellow backups, but the poise, confidence and joy was unmistakable as Lance finished 13-for-20 for 120 yards and two touchdowns through the air.

Thursday’s performance won’t necessarily vault him past Taylor Heinicke to be Justin Herbert’s primary backup for the Bolts. But Lance is playing for a coach, Jim Harbaugh, who’s a former quarterback with a reputation for maximizing his passers. It was just 13 years ago that Harbaugh rolled with little-known dual-threat QB Colin Kaepernick over former No. 1 pick Alex Smith, a decision that propelled the 49ers all the way to Super Bowl 47. Just sayin’.

Said Harbaugh after Thursday’s win: ‘Big night for Trey. Just played calm, cool, collected, ran the operation, threw the ball really well.’

Nikko Reed

The undrafted Chargers rookie corner carried his training camp momentum over into his professional debut, picking off a pass and returning it 60 yards to set up LA’s second first-quarter touchdown. And make no mistake, there are jobs and reps to be won in this secondary.

Pro Football Hall of Fame

Earlier on Thursday, the HOF announced that KeyBank will sponsor a new event center, its construction scheduled to begin later this fall. The Hall hopes the venue, which will have nearly 20,000 square feet of space, will be open in time for the induction of the 2027 class of Hall of Famers. Heat and rainy weather have been known to regularly disrupt enshrinement ceremonies in recent years, and this seems like the solution.

Pro Football Hall of Fame … Game

Speaking of disruption, a game that’s been plagued and/or canceled by inclement weather, poor field conditions, COVID-19 and even the 2011 lockout in recent years was functionally played without a hitch. For a change.

Nyheim Miller-Hines

He last played in the NFL in 2022, suffering a torn ACL during a jet ski accident in the summer of 2023. Now trying to make the Chargers’ roster, Miller-Hines’ versatility fueled a positive first step Thursday. He had 79 all-purpose yards on 11 touches, getting eight carries and catching a pass while returning one punt and one kickoff.

Grant Stuard

A fifth-year reserve linebacker for the Lions, he was a bright spot for Detroit’s defense, making four tackles − including a sack and another for a loss. With Malcolm Rodriguez still recovering from a torn ACL, Stuard could create an opportunity to get himself on the field this season when Detroit loads the box.

LOSERS

Grant Stuard

Lions coach Dan Campbell allowed Stuard to return the night’s opening kickoff, which he advanced 26 yards … before fumbling. The Chargers were in the end zone five plays later. There’s a reason linebackers don’t return kickoffs, Coach … though, to Stuard’s credit, he brought the next one back 36 yards. But overall, a tough outing for Detroit’s special teams, Jakobie Keeney-James also muffing a punt on a night when the Lions finished with five turnovers.

Jared Goff’s backups

Neither Kyle Allen, who started behind center for Detroit, nor Hendon Hooker distinguished themselves while trying to earn the nod to back up Goff, the Lions’ QB1, this year. Heading into his seventh season, Allen’s experience should serve him well. And yet he served up a pair of bad interceptions instead − and both were poor decisions, not the functions of playing with bottom-of-the-roster players.

And Hooker, a third-round pick two years ago who effectively took a medical redshirt as a rookie, still needs to show he’s ready for a bigger role. He was also pilfered, though his INT can be fairly attributed to rookie WR Dominic Lovett, who had the ball taken away from him downfield.

Detroit Lions

The HOF Game typically pits two teams sending at least one former star apiece into the Hall, and longtime Bolts TE Antonio Gates will be enshrined Saturday as will San Diego native Eric Allen. But not only did no Lions go in this year, two players who victimized them for years – former Green Bay Packers WR Sterling Sharpe and former Minnesota Vikings DE Jared Allen – will be honored. Sorry, Lions fans, you’ll have to take pride in the fact that Gates hails from Motown.

PHOENIX — It’s like handing a basketball to Michael Jordan.

It’s like giving a microphone to Beyoncé.

It’s like providing Tony Robbins an audience.

Granting San Diego Padres GM A.J. Preller a trade deadline.

Preller, who lives for this time of year, and loves to play pick-up basketball at any opportunity, slam-dunked on his competition by pulling off the biggest moves at the trade deadline.

Once again.

Preller, knowing that there’s nothing more valuable in the postseason than a great bullpen, made sure that he’s got the best in the land by acquiring flamethrowing Athletics closer Mason Miller and starter JP Sears. The cost was steep, surrendering four of San Diego’s top 17 prospects, including the best of the bunch in 18-year-old shortstop Leo De Vries.

Oh, he didn’t stop there. He pulled off another doozy with the Baltimore Orioles, acquiring first baseman Ryan O’Hearn and outfielder Ramon Laureano. He grabbed catcher Freddy Fermin from the Kansas City Royals, who will be an offensive upgrade over Elias Diaz and Martín Maldonado. He acquired starter Nestor Cortes from the Milwaukee Brewers. And just for kicks, traded for infielder Will Wagner, the son of Hall of Famer Billy Wagner, from the Toronto Blue Jays.

When the smoke cleared from Preller’s phone at the end of the day, he had traded a stunning 22 prospects, including nine of the top 30 in the organization.

Preller, of course, has never been shy trading prospects. He has traded away future All-Stars like Trea Turner, James Wood, Max Fried, MacKenzie Gore, C.J. Abrams, David Bednar, Josh Naylor and Andes Muñoz. So, he isn’t about to hang onto prospects now.

“It’s probably the toughest part of the job,’ Preller said. “It’s a testament to our scouting, player delveiopment group, that we’ve been able to be in this position to make these types of decisions and calls. We just have good players that other teams want. …

“I think we understand you’ve got to give up good players to get good players. And at the end, if it puts oir team in a good position for now, and for the future, that’s a positive outcome.’

Miller becomes Preller’s latest star acquisition, joining the likes of Juan Soto, Josh Hader and Tanner Scott in recent years. This is a guy who leads all of baseball with an average fastball velocity of 101.1-mph, is second in strikeout percentage (39.1%) and sixth in opponent’s batting average (.163).

The next assignment is to be on the mound for the Padres’ World Series clincher, capturing the first title in franchise history.

“The expectation is to go win a ring, go win a championship,’ Preller said. “That’s the goal we set out at the start of spring training. Last year, we fell short. Hopefully, we learned from that.’

MLB trade deadline winners

Houston Astros

The Astros, after learning that third baseman Isaac Paredes will be out the rest of the season, made a telephone call that triggered the most stunning trade of the day. They called the Minnesota Twins to tell them they were interested in acquiring shortstop Carlos Correa. The Twins, who are up for sale, listened but had no interest. The Astros told the Twins that they’d help them financially by taking Correa off their hands. The only catch is that they wanted the Twins to pay half of the remaining $103 million he is owed, and asked for an outfielder in return. The Twins hung up the phone, called the proposal laughable and figured that was the end of it.

Owner Jim Crane, knowing the Twins are more than $400 million in debt, took over. He called Twins chairman Joe Pohlad, and let him know that he could take a big financlal burden off his hand by moving Correa. In the meantime, Correa went to the front office and informed them that if they are selling, he’d gladly waive his no-trade clause for Houston. Crane and Pohlad talked, and talked, and talked some more. By the end of the day, the Twins agreed to send Correa to Houston, pay $33 million of his remaining contract and got only minor league lefty Matt Mikulsi in return. The Astros have their third baseman for $70 million through 2028.

The Astros didn’t stop there, with GM Dana Brown grabbing left-handed hitting outfielder Jesus Sanchez from the Miami Marlins and utility infielder Ramon Urias from the Baltimore Orioles. He nearly traded for Padres starter Dylan Cease until balking at the demand of pitcher Spencer Arrighetti and three prospects.

At the end of the day, no one obtained more talent and gave up less, than the Astros.

Philadelphia Phillies

In the eyes of Dave Dombrowski, prospects are suspects who can be used for valuable trade chips. Dombrowski, Phillies president of baseball operations, made sure that a leaky bullpen wouldn’t sink their World Series hopes by landing Minnesota Twins All-Star closer Jhoan Duran. It cost them two of their better prospects, but not any of their elite ones, keeping Andrew Painter. It’s a significant upgrade over struggling Jordan Romano (6.81 ERA), knowing that Jose Alvarado won’t be eligible to pitch in the postseason.

Now, after acquiring Duran (who’s under team control through 2027), signing David Robertson and acquiring outfielder Harrison Bader, the defensive whiz from the Minnesota Twins, they’ve got a message for the rest of baseball: See you in October.

New York Mets

They got not only one, or two, but three relievers, giving them one of the best bullpens in the game. The Mets, after acquiring Gregory Soto earlier in the week, didn’t blink trading away four of their top 20 prospects for St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley and San Franciso Giants reliever Tyler Rogers. The bullpen, anchored by All-Star Edwin Diaz, is so deep that reliever Ryne Stanek told reporters in the Mets clubhouse: “I might be pitching the fourth inning.’

Well, he may be right, with Mets baseball operations chief David Stearns going all in, doing everything possible to get the Mets’ their first title since 1986, trading away their 8th, 10th, 12th and 14th prospects. They also acquired veteran center fielder Cedric Mullins from the Baltimore Orioles, which gives them a true center fielder, allowing the Mets to move Jeff McNeil around the diamond.

“Our responsibility here is to give ourselves a chance to make the playoffs,’ said David Stearns, Mets president of baseball operations, “and ultimately win a World Series every single year.  … So I don’t view this period of Mets’ competitiveness in a defined window. I view it as the beginning of what should be a very long and sustained period of competitiveness at the highest level.’

Seattle Mariners

Finally, the Mariners acted with urgency. Finally, they got much-needed power bats. Finally, they acted like a team ready to not only make the playoffs, but reach their first World Series in franchise history. All it took was swallowing their pride, trading for the power hitter they gave up two years ago, and now they have the most powerful 1-2 power combination in baseball with catcher Cal Raleigh (41 homers) and new third baseman Eugenio Suarez (36 homers). The cost was relatively cheap getting back Suarez too, trading away their ninth-best prospect in first baseman Tyler Lockear, 16th-best prospect in Hunter Cranton and 17th-best prospect in Juan Burgos. The Mariners also acquired Pirates reliever Caleb Ferguson.

New York Yankees

The Yankees, who have had the second-worst bullpen since July 1 (6.29 ERA), completely overhauled their relievers. They landed one of the premier closers in the game in Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar, acquired San Francisco Giants closer Camilo Doval, and right-handed reliever Jake Bird from the Colorado Rockies. They badly needed a third baseman, and grabbed defensive whiz Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies. They wanted another shortstop, and took Jose Caballero from the Tampa Bay Rays. They wanted depth, and acquired outfielder Austin Slater from the Chicago White Sox. Their only flaw was not getting another starter.

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds are on the outside looking in, three games out of the final wild-card berth and a 16.8% chance of reaching the postseason, according to FanGraphs. Yet, here they are, acting like they’re fine-tuning the Big Red Machine. They were in on Eugenio Suarez, but pivoted, deciding they would rather have four years of elite defense with Ke’Bryan Hayes than two months of power hitting. They grabbed Tampa Bay Rays starter Zack Littell. And they acquired outfielder Miguel Anduijar from the A’s.

Is it a longshot the Reds make the postseason? Yes. Is it at least possible? Indeed.

MLB trade deadline losers

Minnesota Twins

Has there ever been a worse day in Twins’ franchise history? Anyone? It was a nightmare beyond belief. The Twins, with sudden orders from ownership to slash payroll, conducted the biggest firesale in a single day in baseball history. They unloaded 10 players from their 26-man roster, shedding nearly $100 million in payroll. It was so ugly they even paid the Houston Astros $33 million to take Carlos Correa and the remaining $103 million off their hands.

It was ugly. It was embarrassing. And for all of those fans who paid for season tickets, they will now be relegated to watching a minor league perform the final two months.

Their only hope now is that the Twins can be sold as quickly as possible to erase the memory of the darkest day since they moved to Minneapolis.

San Francisco Giants

Remember when the Giants were taking baseball by storm, stealing Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox and shouting to the world that this was only the beginning, and they were ready to take on the mighty Dodgers? Well, a funny thing happened along the way. They have since posted the worst record in baseball since the trade, just went an entire six-game homestand without winning a single game for the first time in 129 years, and then officially raised the white flag at the deadline.

They traded away setup man Tyler Rogers and let everyone know they were conducting a semi-firesale, and followed it by dumping closer Camilo Doval and outfielder Mike Yastrzemski. The biggest question now is what the Giants do this winter, and whether they will enter the 2026 season with a new manager, new coaches, or a brand new team.

Boston Red Sox

Hey, weren’t the Red Sox supposed to do something? They promised. They were going to make this team a legitimate contender. Instead, the trade deadline came and went, and all they did was acquire struggling Dodgers starter Dustin May and swingman Steven Matz from the St. Louis Cardinals. It wasn’t nearly enough.

“We pursued a number of really impact opportunities,’ said Craig Breslow, chief baseball officer. “Obviously, not all of them work out, but it wasn’t from a lack of trying to be as aggressive as possible or from an unwillingness to get uncomfortable.’

The only thing uncomfortable now is Red Sox Nation squirming in their seats wondering how they can still hang with the Blue Jays and Yankees in the AL East.

Milwaukee Brewers

We should never question the Brewers considering how they are ridiculed for their lack of activity every winter, and still win the NL Central virtually every year. Still, the team with the best record in baseball did absolutely nothing but pick up injured Diamondbacks closer Shelby Miller. Who knows, maybe the Brewers will get the last laugh again. Or maybe, they’ll be tormented all winter knowing they passed up a golden opportunity.

Chicago White Sox

They could have traded center fielder Luis Robert Jr. during the winter, but passed, believing his value would rise during the season. Instead, it was another injury-prone, underachieving season. He’s hitting .211 with 11 homers, 43 RBIs and a .651 OPS. He’s been so bad that no one bothered to make a decent offer, with only the New York Mets showing the slightest interest. And now the White Sox have no choice but to exercise a $20 million option on him and pray that something changes in a year. They were able to move starter Adrian Houser and Austin Slater for fringe prospects, but that was it.

Chicago Cubs

The Cubs were supposed to be all-in from the moment they traded for All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker. Instead, they were almost all-out at the deadline. The only starter they acquired was Mike Soroka (3-8 with a 4.87 ERA). The only position player was utilityman Willi Castro from the Minnesota Twins. They did solidify the bullpen with Andrew Kittredge from the Baltimore Orioles and Taylor Rogers, who was acquired in a salary dump from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Failing to land another starter could haunt them down the stretch, and certainly into October.

“We felt the asking price we felt was something we couldn’t do to the future,’ Jed Hoyer, Cubs president of baseball operations, told reporters. ‘We made the decision that those prices didn’t make sense for us to be sustainably successful.’

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This story was updated to include new information.

In this, the year of the flawed team, Major League Baseball’s July 31 trade deadline was appropriately odd and incomplete, largely a slew of imperfect players heading to teams with uncertain playoff prospects, and some of the better prizes ending up in situations where October baseball, let alone the World Series, are far from a certainty.

So, who ended up in the best position for a Fall Classic run?

With organizational rosters locked – barring the odd waiver pickup the next two months – USA TODAY Sports ranks the top eight World Series contenders in the wake of the industry’s annual late-season trade show:

1. Philadelphia Phillies

Sure, they’re a half-game behind the Mets in the NL East, but suddenly look so much more secure, with Jhoan Duran providing clarity to a cloudy bullpen and Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez providing a real 1-2-3 rotation punch most of their NL rivals lack. Might have been nice to get a more offensively-inclined pickup with their much-anticipated outfield add, but Harrison Bader adds to their already elite outfield defense while providing timely pop.

2. Toronto Blue Jays

They’re 35-25 against teams with winning records and are tied with Detroit for the AL’s top overall seed; not a bad place to build from. With the playoffs firmly in sight, acquiring the nearly-rehabbed Shane Bieber and eyeing him for potential Game 3 playoff starts is a daunting look. Ty France has the best K rate of his career this season and gives the infield further versatility. And a shaky bullpen was nicely solidified with the additions of right-handers Seranthony Dominguez and Louis Varland.

3. Detroit Tigers

Talk about pitching chaos: The Tigers added seven arms to their arsenal, and now it’s up to their pitching sciences folks to make sure quantity turns into quality. But Charlie Morton and Chris Paddack are nice veteran additions to a rotation that just lost Reese Olson. Whether former Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan can be effective in pennant- and playoff-type leverage situations is an open question. But they all follow Tarik Skubal, something the rest of the league cannot say.

4. Chicago Cubs

When they acquired former Washington starter Mike Soroka the night before the deadline, there was a “Surely, there must be more” feel to the transaction. But there were no more starting pitchers headed to Wrigleyville, and so the Cubs will roll out Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd and then hope for the best from the Sorokas and Colin Reas and Cade Hortons of the world. Yet there’s still a lot to like about this club, particularly after the bullpen was lengthened with the Andrew Kittredge and Taylor Rogers adds, and a lineup always down to simply score more runs than the other guys.

5. Los Angeles Dodgers

Things are looking a little dicey for the defending champs, with little wriggle room at the deadline, an extended stretch of uninspired (27-24) baseball and so many unknowns with the health status of their pitching staff. But it’s tough to argue with tonnage: Blake Snell returns this weekend and the bullpen is finally almost fully healthy. Kinda wild to see zero fireworks from them at the trade deadline (reliever Brock Stewart, reserve outfielder Alex Call), but it’s time to trot out this cliché: Mookie Betts returning to form would be a huge lift. It might not matter if they have to battle all the way from the wild-card round as a third division winner.

6. San Diego Padres

Never confuse activity with achievement, John Wooden once said. We imagine A.J. Preller was more of a Bobby Knight guy, anyway. Dude went nuts at the deadline and crafted an even nastier bullpen (thank you, Mason Miller), solved his left field problem and created a devastating defensive alignment out there (hello, Ramon Laureano), and added some desperately needed left-handed slug (Ryan O’Hearn). We’d place them a little higher if not for the high probability they’ll land in the wild-card series, as well as the absence of a true No. 1 starter so long as Dylan Cease (still a Padre) remains inconsistent.

7. Houston Astros

Dang, they really wanna win this year, eh? Could not have imagined Carlos Correa ever again walking through that Minute Maid, errr, Daikin Park door again, but the club got aggressive when third baseman Isaac Paredes popped a hamstring and now they’ll pay Correa about $75 million for the next three-plus seasons. That’s so not Jim Crane. We like them to pull away from the pack in the West and, with Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown in tow, be live dogs come October.

8. New York Mets

Like their Bronx counterparts, the Mets ignored the fallow starting pitching market and instead loaded up the bullpen, giving Ryne Stanek some set-up breathing room with Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers and Gregory Soto. Cedric Mullins will look nice in that Citi Field outfield. But the health and innings track records of starters Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes and Kodai Senga behind the steady David Peterson (who has already equaled his career high in innings) creates a little too much doubt. Enough doubt to slip behind the Phillies and take their chances in the wild-card shootout.

August is an important month in fantasy football. Maybe the most important month.

It’s when position battles take place during training camp. When exhibition games get teams out on the field against each other. It’s also when injuries, unfortunately, start to mount. And it’s when average fantasy draft positions begin to take shape.

Of course, every fantasy draft is different, and a value pick in one league can just as easily be a reach in another. That’s why ADPs and pre-draft rankings should be used as a tool, not a rule.

With that in mind, here are some thoughts about the top overall players in fantasy football for 2025.

2025 POSITION RANKINGS: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | D/ST

Fantasy football rankings: Top overall players

Obviously, a fantasy league’s format greatly affects how players are valued. Most leagues out there start one quarterback and award points for receptions. So these overall rankings are geared toward half-point PPR scoring. Let’s analyze them in chunks.

WR Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals
RB Bijan Robinson, Falcons
RB Saquon Barkley, Eagles
WR Justin Jefferson, Vikings
RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions
WR CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions
WR Puka Nacua, Rams
WR Malik Nabers, Giants
RB Derrick Henry, Ravens
WR Nico Collins, Texans
RB De’Von Achane, DolphinsElite running backs are most valuable at the top of the draft, but there is a wealth of high-volume wide receivers maong the overall top 12. Malik Nabers may be the biggest risk-reward first-round pick.
RB Ashton Jeanty, Raiders
WR A.J. Brown, Eagles
RB Christian McCaffrey, 49ers
TE Brock Bowers, Raiders
WR Brian Thomas Jr., Jaguars
WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks
RB Chase Brown, Bengals
RB Jonathan Taylor, Colts
WR Ladd McConkey, Chargers
TE Trey McBride, Cardinals
RB Kyren Williams, Rams
RB Bucky Irving, BuccaneersHow good can rookie Ashton Jeanty be? Better than established veterans such as Christian McCaffrey and Jonathan Taylor? Yeah, he can. Brock Bowers and Trey McBride are worth second-round picks at tight end.
QB Lamar Jackson, Ravens
WR Drake London, Falcons
QB Jalen Hurts, Eagles
QB Jayden Daniels, Commanders
RB Josh Jacobs, Packers
QB Josh Allen, Bills
WR Terry McLaurin, Commanders
WR Tyreek Hill, Dolphins
WR Tee Higgins, Bengals
RB Breece Hall, Jets
TE George Kittle, 49ers
WR Mike Evans, BuccaneersIf you want a top quarterback, get him in Round 3. Also, Drake London seems to mark a new tier of wide receiver here.
RB James Cook, Bills
WR Davante Adams, Rams
WR Garrett Wilson, Jets
RB Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks
WR DJ Moore, Bears
RB James Conner, Cardinals
WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Cardinals
WR DeVonta Smith, Eagles
RB Alvin Kamara, Saints
WR Courtland Sutton, Broncos
WR DK Metcalf, Steelers
WR Rashee Rice, Chiefs
RB Chuba Hubbard, Panthers
WR Jameson Williams, LionsTry to land at least a couple wide receivers in the top 50 picks.
RB Joe Mixon, Texans
RB Aaron Jones Sr., Vikings
QB Joe Burrow, Bengals
WR Zay Flowers, Ravens
RB David Montgomery, Lions
TE Sam LaPorta, Lions
RB Omarion Hampton, Chargers
WR Xavier Worthy, Chiefs
RB D’Andre Swift, Bears
WR Chris Godwin, BuccaneersThis is a good part of the draft to speculate on running backs — or get your first one if you subscribe to the Zero RB strategy. Will Sam LaPorta last this long?
QB Kyler Murray, Cardinals
QB Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
WR Jerry Jeudy, Browns
RB RJ Harvey, Broncos
RB Tony Pollard, Titans
TE T.J. Hockenson, Vikings
RB Kaleb Johnson, Steelers
WR Rome Odunze, Bears
WR George Pickens, Cowboys
RB Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr., Giants
WR Tetairoa McMillan, Panthers
WR Jordan Addison, VikingsFinding some WR gold here is definitely possible. Also, could one team possibly land both Patrick Mahomes AND Travis Kelce at this point in the draft?
TE Travis Kelce, Chiefs
RB TreVeyon Henderson, Patriots
RB Jaylen Warren, Steelers
QB Jared Goff, Lions
WR Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins
WR Jakobi Meyers, Raiders
QB Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers
RB Najee Harris, Chargers
WR Calvin Ridley, Titans
TE Evan Engram, Broncos
RB Brian Robinson Jr., Commanders
TE Mark Andrews, Ravens
WR Chris Olave, Saints
RB Travis Etienne Jr., Jaguars
QB Brock Purdy, 49ers
WR Jauan Jennings, 49ers
QB Bo Nix, BroncosWaiting on quarterbacks any later than this can turn into a high-stakes game of chicken.
WR Khalil Shakir, Bills
RB Javonte Williams, Cowboys
WR Travis Hunter, Jaguars
TE David Njoku, Browns
WR Stefon Diggs, Patriots
TE Jonnu Smith, Steelers
QB Dak Prescott, Cowboys
RB Quinshon Judkins, Browns
RB Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks
QB Justin Herbert, Chargers
WR Cooper Kupp, Seahawks
RB Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots
QB C.J. Stroud, Texans
QB Justin Fields, JetsAt this point, give serious consideration to talented rookies and players who’ve changed teams in the offseason.
TE Dalton Kincaid, Bills
WR Jayden Reed, Packers
QB J.J. McCarthy, Vikings
WR Deebo Samuel Sr., Commanders
WR Josh Downs, Colts
TE Dallas Goedert, Eagles
TE Tucker Kraft, Packers
QB Caleb Williams, Bears
RB Rachaad White, Buccaneers
WR Ricky Pearsall, 49ers
WR Michael Pittman Jr., Colts
RB Cam Skattebo, Giants
RB Tyjae Spears, Titans
QB Drake Maye, Patriots
RB Jordan Mason, Vikings
WR Matthew Golden, Packers
RB Tank Bigsby, Jaguars
WR Darnell Mooney, Falcons
TE Jake Ferguson, Cowboys
QB Jordan Love, Packers
WR Emeka Egbuka, Buccaneers
RB Tyler Allgeier, Falcons
WR Rashid Shaheed, Saints
QB Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars
RB J.K. Dobbins, Broncos
TE Kyle Pitts, Falcons
RB Isaac Guerendo, 49ers
WR Keon Coleman, BillsPlayers with raw talent and plausible upside — even if they don’t have a major role just yet — are great picks here in the middle rounds.
QB Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins
RB Jerome Ford, Browns
WR Wan’Dale Robinson, Giants
WR Rashod Bateman, Ravens
TE Hunter Henry, Patriots
QB Matthew Stafford, Rams
WR Jayden Higgins, Texans
RB Bhayshul Tuten, Jaguars
WR Luther Burden III, Bears
RB Justice Hill, Ravens
TE Isaiah Likely, Ravens
RB Rico Dowdle, Panthers
RB Austin Ekeler, Commanders
QB Bryce Young, Panthers
RB Ray Davis, Bills
WR Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers
WR Adam Thielen, Panthers
RB Jaylen Wright DolphinsIt’s all personal preference as we come to the end of the top 150. Pick your favorites and grab them, regardless of where they rank.
DST Philadelphia Eagles
QB Aaron Rodgers, Steelers
WR Marvin Mims Jr., Broncos
TE Tyler Warren, Colts
RB Trey Benson, Cardinals
RB Jaydon Blue, Cowboys
TE Colston Loveland, Bears
QB Michael Penix Jr., Falcons
RB Braelon Allen, Jets
DST Baltimore RavensTime to start thinking about the top defenses/special teams.
RB Roschon Johnson, Bears
WR Tre’ Harris, Chargers
RB Ty Johnson, Bills
WR Christian Kirk, Texans
WR Quentin Johnston, Chargers
DST Denver Broncos
WR Alec Pierce, Colts
RB Nick Chubb, Texans
WR DeAndre Hopkins, Ravens
DST Pittsburgh Steelers
DST Houston Texans
TE Cade Otton, Buccaneers
WR Marquise Brown, Chiefs
RB MarShawn Lloyd, Packers
WR Jalen McMillan, Buccaneers
RB Dylan Sampson, Browns
WR Cedric Tillman, Browns
QB Sam Darnold, Seahawks
WR Romeo Doubs, Packers
TE Pat Freiermuth, Steelers
RB Blake Corum, Rams
DST Seattle Seahawks
WR Kyle Williams, Patriots
DST Minnesota Vikings
DST Buffalo Bills
K Brandon Aubrey, Cowboys
DST Green Bay Packers
RB Kareem Hunt, Chiefs
DST Detroit Lions
DST Kansas City Chiefs
K Cameron Dicker, Chargers
K Jake Bates, Lions
DST New York Jets
WR Xavier Legette, Panthers
TE Zach Ertz, Commanders
WR DeMario Douglas, Patriots
K Chase McLaughlin, Buccaneers
WR Joshua Palmer, Bills
K Wil Lutz, Broncos
RB DJ Giddens, Colts

BRISTOL, TN — Using a cliché to describe a sporting event has become, well, cliché.

Some clichés have made a complete 360, where they start as a description of a sports situation, graduate to becoming totally figurative, and then come home to roost. Such is the situation in Bristol, Tennessee, where the NASCAR racetrack has such an uneven infield that “leveling the playing field” is literally the task at hand.

When Major League Baseball brings its 2025 jewel event to Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, Aug. 2 , it will require sufficient gravel to create a level surface for the artificial turf. Longtime MLB ballpark consultant Murray Cook of BrightView says that it required 18,000 tons of gravel to be trucked into the venue to account for the 4-foot difference in elevation between the track and the center of the infield.

Think about that. Legally, a fully loaded concrete truck is limited to a weight of 80,000 pounds, or 40 tons. That means when the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves take the field, they’ll be running across the equivalent of 450 cement trucks worth of gravel.

That’s one of the impressive feats undertaken by MLB and its partners to be able to present a baseball game where none has been attempted before.

‘We’ve explored that’

“You never know who’s watching when you’re putting on events,” says Jerry Caldwell, president of Bristol Motor Speedway, better known as “BMS” in NASCAR circles. For instance, in 2016 the facility hosted The Battle of Bristol pitting the football teams from Tennessee and Virginia Tech.

It sure took a lot of gravel to level a whole football field.

But MLB noticed the way the event was staged. Around that time, MLB had started looking for unique places to hold games.

Five years went by. Caldwell then received a call saying executives from MLB headquarters were in the area conducting business with Appalachian League teams and they wanted to look around the racetrack. Caldwell gladly obliged.

During the tour, one BMS manager spoke up and said jokingly, “You know, we could put a baseball diamond inside here. It would fit.”

There was stunned silence when an MLB exec replied, “You know what? We’ve explored that.”

“The driving force behind our ideation phase of looking for new events is always trying to find a diversified offering year over year,” says MLB’s Senior VP of Global Events Jeremiah Yolkut. “We want to bring attention to baseball outside of the 81 home games that all of our clubs play.

“Bristol checked a lot of boxes for us,” he continues. “Number one, it achieves the commissioner’s goal of playing games in states that don’t get them all the time. Also, is there a fan base that would be interested in a game there?”

Once it was decided to bring a game to this facility, there was the problem of logistics. Just because MLB wanted to play a game in Bristol, how do they pull it off? After all, this will end up being “the most complex field build that we’ve ever had,” notes Yolkut.

While Cook is enjoying the fact that this project is the closest to his home in Roanoke that MLB has ever planned an event, he still knows this is going to be a challenge getting everything installed in between events already scheduled at the venue.

The heat and long days in Bristol have been a challenge for the Brightview crew. He likened this project to preparing the Olympic Stadium in London for MLB’s games in 2019, 2023 and 2024. He faced similarly tight schedules there, and in fact is utilizing some of the same fencing and other materials used for those London Series contests. But “this project is bigger. It was only 4,000 tons of gravel over there.”

He felt better after the artificial turf had been rolled over all of that gravel. “It’s always great to see the green side up,” he chuckles.

The surface being used is made by AstroTurf. It’s the same material installed at Rogers Centre in Toronto when the Blue Jays made major renovations two years ago. Most jewel games have been on grass, but the very temporary nature of this year’s event, plus the gravel underneath, makes a natural surface impossible.

Creating a ‘spectacle’

There’s been a noticeable progression in MLB’s one-off jewel events, beginning with 2016’s salute to the military by playing a regular-season game at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. This was followed by games at the College World Series park in Omaha, the minor league park in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, while the Little League World Series was happening across the river, the “Field of Dreams” movie site in Iowa and last year’s tribute to the Negro Leagues at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.

“We’re always looking for our next event to be bigger and to shine a light on the sport,” explains Yolkut. “We knew that what they do around racing and also the football game they hosted, Bristol knows how to put on big events.

“We knew Bristol could create a spectacle.”

To make the scheduling work around this spectacle, the Reds and Braves face off in Cincinnati on July 31 at 7:10 and Aug. 1 at 12:40. Then it’s off to the hills of East Tennessee for the night game.

A rare off-day is scheduled the following day. This is to permit a game if Aug. 2 is washed out.

Progressing

There’s also been a progression in the entertainment and game-day experience presented prior to the games in these jewel events.

The first at Fort Bragg was basically the game itself between the Braves and Marlins, and that was it. Last year, MLB scheduled three days of events in Alabama, starting with a minor league game, followed by numerous tributes to the recently-passed Willie Mays, a celebrity softball game, and a stunning musical performance by Jon Batiste that rivaled a Super Bowl halftime show.

And all of this was before the first pitch of the Cardinals-Giants game had been thrown.

This year in Eastern Tennessee, the festivities will start the day before the MLB game. The Appalachian League (a college summer league and a “partner league” of MLB) will conduct its championship game in its showcase ballpark in Johnson City at 7 p.m. on Aug. 1.

Boyd Sports, owners of the Class AA Knoxville Smokies, possesses five franchises in the Appy League. “Considering we own half the teams in the circuit, we’d love for fans coming to Bristol to also attend the league championship game the day before,” says Boyd’s president Chris Allen. “TVA Credit Union Ballpark is a really cool place, and it’s only about 20 minutes from the racetrack.”

During the day Saturday, those with tickets will find an enormous amount to do in and around the speedway. If you’ve ever been to a NASCAR race, you know there is as much going on outside the seating bowl as within.

“We’ve really leaned into the operations of how this venue works,” says Michael Kinard of Populous, MLB’s longtime event planner for special games like this. “It’s such a massive venue, but we didn’t want to change too much when we put an MLB thumbprint on it. As you walk around outside, you’ll be able to stop at (various) fan activations.”

There are smaller stages with performers outside, plus sponsors have tents and stands showing off their wares. And there will be no shortage of merchandise that mixes baseball and racing themes.

Adjacent to the main stadium is the Bristol Dragway, the quarter-mile drag racing track that has as busy a schedule of races as the stock car track a few feet away. While drag races aren’t scheduled this weekend, fans would no doubt enjoy a 40-yard dash pitting the Reds’ Elly De La Cruz against Atlanta’s “The Freeze” mascot.

Once batting practice is concluded, those inside the massive seating bowl will be entertained by two of the biggest names in music – country legend Tim McGraw (whose father, Tug, racked up 180 saves during his big-league career) and hip-hop star Pitbull.

MLB has hinted that the player introductions will be handled with a true NASCAR feel as the Braves and Reds are raced around the track.

Going really big

Bristol Motor Speedway and its neighbor to the east in Martinsville are the two shortest racetracks on the regular NASCAR schedule, both coming in at about half a mile. Even though BMS is a “short track,” you won’t find it the least bit undersized when you step inside.

For one thing, it’s rare for a racetrack to have its grandstands completely encircle the track, with roughly the same number of rows all around. Imagine the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. And if your ticket is for the top row, you’ll be watching the action from the equivalent of the roof of an eight-story building.

You’ll also have 189 very steep steps to reach your seat, as there are almost 100 rows of seats in the venue nicknamed The Last Great Colosseum.

“Many people are going to be further away from the field, so we’re trying to make sure that we’re doing things in different locations in the venue so you’ll still feel connected,” notes Brian O’Gara, the VP of Special Events for MLB.

If you think that it was a tight fit getting the baseball field into this “short-track” venue, think again. Because the baseball field only occupies half of the track’s infield space, “there is so much space left for the concert stage, clubhouses, our tent village (for media and other operations), concessions, bathrooms and a fan plaza,” explains Yolkut. “All of these have always been outside the ballparks at the jewel events, but now there’s space for all of that on the inside.”

If you’re wondering why the baseball field isn’t situated in the very center of the racetrack’s infield so there would be grandstands on all sides, there’s a very, very large reason: Colossus.

Colossus is the massive video board and sound system that is suspended over the very center of the racetrack’s infield. The 30-foot-tall screens on the 700-ton beast can be seen from all points in the grandstand. However, it’s only 155 feet above the level of the infield. That’s higher than the lowest catwalk at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, but far too low to hang over the middle of a playing field.

So the solution here was to place the baseball field on one end of the infield, with the outfield fence hugging what would be Turns 1 and 2 of the track. Colossus then hangs roughly over the third-base dugout.

Yolkut notes that the placement of the stage where McGraw and Pitbull will perform opens up the opportunity to promote tickets that would ordinarily have limited or no visibility of the baseball action. With reserved seats almost sold out, “perhaps there are fans who still want to come to the venue and experience the fan zone, see the concert, watch the game on Colossus, but just not have a traditional seat.”

All told, attendance should be about 85,000 for MLB’s first regular-season game in the state of Tennessee, which will set an MLB attendance record.

Says Yolkut, “We knew we could go really big at Bristol.”

Telling the story

Yolkut notes that the Fox TV network “had a great interest in this event. They know the venue because they’ve done races there. They also love the idea of a spectacle, a show that they could put on TV in the middle of the summer on a Saturday night.”

Perhaps most important if you’re watching from home, “Fox really knows how to tell a story. One of the benefits of them as a partner is that they really know how to bring to life what’s happening in the venue.”

Never was this truer than last year when MLB honored the players of the Negro Leagues at America’s oldest ballpark, Rickwood Field in Birmingham.

As for the batters hoping to hit a long drive onto the racetrack in Turn 2, the dimensions aren’t that different from big-league norms. It’s 330 feet down each foul line, 400 to center, 385 to left center, and 375 to right center, where the wall is a little higher because there’s a building that couldn’t be moved.

“It’s just striking to see that baseball field plopped down in the middle of this half-mile track,” says Caldwell. “It’s going to be one of those memorable events that you’ll be glad you were here. It will be a spectacle.”

When Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the 2004 night race on this track, he exclaimed a phrase that has echoed through the surrounding valleys ever since: “It’s Bristol, baby!”

Expect to hear those three words on Fox’s telecast. Often.

Cook knows the clock is ticking as soon as the last out is made in the game.

“We’ll be packing up and getting everything out just as quick as we can, so they can get back to racing here,” he says.

And part of the “everything” to be removed is many, many tons of gravel. And that’s no cliché, baby.

Terry McLaurin has spent the 2025 NFL offseason attempting to negotiate a contract extension with the Washington Commanders.

With no such deal yet reached, the 29-year-old wide receiver has requested a trade.

It isn’t clear whether Washington will grant McLaurin’s request. The 2024 All-Pro second-teamer was critical to their offensive success, generating 82 catches, 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns in the regular season before starring in the postseason during the Commanders’ run to the NFC championship game.

Regardless, many NFL teams will inquire about McLaurin’s availability in the hopes of landing him. Below is a look at the clubs that could end up being the best fit for the veteran receiver if his trade request is granted.

Terry McLaurin landing spots

New England Patriots

The Patriots sported one of the worst receiver rooms in the NFL last season. They upgraded the position by signing Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins while drafting Kyle Williams, but they still don’t have a player who presently profiles as a No. 1 receiver.

McLaurin’s well-rounded skill set would pair well with Drake Maye and could help the second-year starter take a big step forward in 2025. The 29-year-old would also pair well with Diggs and allow New England’s intriguing, young receivers time to develop and jockey for position on the depth chart.

Los Angeles Chargers

Ladd McConkey was excellent in his rookie season for the Chargers. The team’s other recent high-drafted receiver, Quentin Johnston, hasn’t been as consistent, as he has struggled with drops during his two-year career.

McLaurin would be an upgrade over Johnston and would afford 2025 second-round pick Tre’ Harris time to acclimate to the NFL. He and McConkey would instantly become one of the NFL’s most feared receiver duos, which could unlock the potential of Justin Herbert in Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman’s system.

Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders drafted three receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft, and the team could eventually have big plans for Jack Bech, Dont’e Thornton Jr. and converted-quarterback Tommy Mellott. That said, the team traded for Geno Smith during the offseason, a move signaling they believe they can win now with the 34-year-old quarterback.

To do that, Las Vegas will need to find a strong complement to Jakobi Meyers. McLaurin would fill that role while allowing the young triumvirate of receivers to battle with Tre Tucker for the team’s No. 3 receiver job.

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals have Marvin Harrison Jr. in the fold as their long-term No. 1 receiver option. Why not add another former Ohio State star to the fold in McLaurin? He would be an upgrade over Michael Wilson, who generated 47 catches, 548 yards and four touchdowns as the team’s No. 2 wide-out last season, and could open up more space in which Harrison can operate.

Having Harrison, McLaurin and Trey McBride as top targets could allow Kyler Murray to enjoy the best season of his career. The Cardinals also have the cap space ($35.5 million, fifth-most in the NFL, per OverTheCap.com) needed to offer McLaurin a lucrative extension.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers and Commanders already made a big-time receiver trade earlier in the offseason, when Deebo Samuel was sent to Washington. Another deal could be sensible if McLaurin and the Commanders reach an impasse.

San Francisco no longer has Samuel, won’t have Brandon Aiyuk (torn ACL) to begin the season and may be without Jauan Jennings as he battles a calf injury. The 49ers have 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall ready to step into a bigger role, but adding another high-end target for Brock Purdy certainly wouldn’t hurt.