That makes researching potential waiver wire candidates to add all the more important, as it’s critical to beat your league mates to finding quality bye-week and injury fill-ins.

Ahead of Week 6, there are plenty of intriguing players who could join starting lineups. There are a handful of running backs stepping into larger roles thanks to injuries in front of them, while numerous tight ends are emerging as potential fantasy factors at a fickle position.

Here’s a look at the best players to target on the waiver wire ahead of fantasy football Week 6, from a near-record-breaking running back to a little-known receiver who topped his team in receiving yardage in Week 5.

Week 6 fantasy football waiver wire targets

RB Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers (Rostered in 58% of Yahoo leagues)

OK, Dowdle is a bit more than 50% owned, so he may not be widely available. Still, if he is on the waiver wire in your league, you need to add him immediately.

Dowdle recorded 206 rushing yards in the Panthers’ Week 5 win over the Miami Dolphins, good for the second-most in franchise history. He handled 26 total touches and should continue to see a lion’s share of the Carolina workload as long as Chuba Hubbard (calf) remains out of action.

And given how well Dowdle performed Sunday, it shouldn’t surprise anyone if the 27-year-old eats into Hubbard’s workload, especially if the Panthers decide to slow-play the Oklahoma State product’s return.

RB Michael Carter, Arizona Cardinals (Rostered in 39% of Yahoo leagues)

Many anticipated Emari Demercado would emerge as the top replacement for Trey Benson after the second-year back was placed on IR with a knee injury. Instead, Carter emerged as Arizona’s top back while Demercado was used sparingly – and critically fumbled away a potential touchdown – in the Cardinals’ loss to the Tennessee Titans.

Carter racked up 23 touches for 73 yards against the Titans and found his way into the end-zone in the first half. He should remain the Cardinals’ lead back as long as Benson is injured, though Demercado – Arizona’s preferred third-down option – could see more action in games where the Cardinals need to pass more or are playing from behind.

RB Kenneth Gainwell, Pittsburgh Steelers (Rostered in 36% of Yahoo leagues)

Hey, don’t forget about Gainwell just because the Steelers were on bye in Week 5. He had 134 total yards and two rushing touchdowns in Pittsburgh’s win over the Minnesota Vikings. He should continue to be involved in the Steelers’ backfield even if Jaylen Warren returns from a knee injury in Week 6.

Gainwell has a tough matchup against the Cleveland Browns in Week 6 but will have great flex potential in Week 7 against a weak Cincinnati Bengals defense. Stash him now as a matchup-based flex who should be a great bye-week fill-in.

QB Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks (Rostered in 31% of Yahoo leagues)

Darnold is starting to establish himself as an ideal streaming quarterback. The Seahawks quarterback has now logged multiple passing touchdowns in three of his last four games and just posted 341 yards, four touchdowns and an interception against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Darnold entered Week 5 leading the NFL in yards per attempt (9.1), further demonstrating his ability to push the ball downfield consistently and effectively. Feel free to target him if you’re thin at quarterback or are looking for less volatility at the position.

RB Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints (Rostered in 31% of Yahoo leagues)

Miller saw his ownership balloon ahead of Week 5, and it should rise again heading into Week 6. Alvin Kamara only out-touched Miller 12-11 against the Giants and Miller saw more carries (10) than Kamara did (8) during Sunday’s game.

Miller was more effective between the tackles, averaging 4.1 yards per carry compared to Kamara’s mark of 3.5. The TCU product could be vultured by Taysom Hill in the red-zone, but it still looks like the 23-year-old will have a significant role in New Orleans’ rushing attack as the season continues.

TE Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints (Rostered in 14% of Yahoo leagues)

Hill’s numbers against the Giants won’t jump off the page, but the 35-year-old did carve out a gadget role in his first game back since suffering a torn ACL during the 2024 NFL season. He handled six carries and completed his lone pass for 19 yards in limited action.

Hill’s rushing ability gives him a uniquely high floor compared to other fantasy tight ends. The 6-2, 211-pound playmaker has also typically been heavily utilized in the red-zone, which could give him plenty of opportunities to record touchdowns.

Add in NOLA.com’s report that Hill was serving as the team’s backup quarterback ahead of second-round rookie Tyler Shough on Sunday, and the veteran could provide an oasis for fantasy managers seeking an answer at the wasteland that is the tight end position.

TE Theo Johnson, New York Giants (Rostered in 11% of Yahoo leagues)

Jaxson Dart targeted three different players seven times in the Giants’ Week 5 loss to the Saints. They were Wan’Dale Robinson, Cam Skattebo and Johnson.

Johnson was able to turn his targets into six receptions, 33 yards and two touchdowns. Nobody will confuse the second-year tight end with a downfield game-breaker, but his 6-6, 264-pound frame is clearly making him a red-zone weapon. He should continue to be targeted frequently there by Dart, which will make him an intriguing pickup in PPR leagues.

WR Ryan Flournoy, Dallas Cowboys (Rostered in 0% of Yahoo leagues)

Where did that come from? Flournoy tied for the team lead in targets in the Cowboys’ 37-22 Week 5 win over the New York Jets with nine and racked up six catches for a team-high 114 receiving yards.

Flournoy’s productivity may have been a direct result of KaVontae Turpin’s absence due to a foot injury, as Flournoy also handled two carries for 10 yards. His production could dry up upon Turpin’s return, but the 25-year-old could still be worth adding, given that Dallas sports a high-volume passing offense and has a good-looking Week 6 matchup against the Panthers.

Fantasy football lineups might have been slightly depleted in Week 5 with the first set of byes taking place, but fortunately there was no shortage of interesting fill-ins ready to pick up the slack.

Hopefully, if your team was missing the likes of Bijan Robinson, Josh Jacobs or Rome Odunze, you were able to slide in one of this week’s unsung heroes. On the flip side, surprisingly subpar efforts from some usually reliable players could have sent your team down to a painful defeat.

Here’s a look at some of the biggest fantasy winners and losers from Sunday’s NFL action:

Fantasy football winners for Week 5

RB Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers

The fantasy hero of the week, Dowdle stepped into the starting role when Chuba Hubbard was ruled out and put up the first 200-yard rushing day of the season. The five-year veteran carried 23 times for 206 yards and a touchdown in singlehandedly leading many fantasy teams who picked him up off the waiver wire to victory. Even if Hubbard is 100% next week, Dowdle’s performance should certainly earn him a greater share of the workload.

QB Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Even without top wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, Prescott continues to put up QB1 numbers. He accounted for four touchdowns for the second week in a row, throwing for 237 yards and rushing for 28 more. Prescott has turned Jake Ferguson into a top-tier tight end, and on Sunday even made Ryan Flournoy (6-114) productive.

QB C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

Is Stroud back … or did he just take advantage of the injury-ravaged Baltimore Ravens defense? Whatever the reason, Stroud hit on 23 of 27 passes for 244 yards and four TDs. He even added a 30-yard scramble to finish Sunday as the fantasy QB1 on the week. Nico Collins’ fantasy managers were happy to see him on the receiving end of one of those touchdowns. The only problem: the Texans are on bye in Week 6.

RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders

A crowded Washington backfield showed few signs of sorting itself out since Austin Ekeler’s season-ending injury in Week 2. That might have changed with Croskey-Merritt’s dominating effort against the Chargers. He carried 14 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns in an upset win. Having QB Jayden Daniels back and healthy after missing two games certainly helped, but Croskey-Merritt now seems to fit the bill as a lead back.

WR Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins

The season-ending injury to Tyreek Hill has put more pressure on Waddle and also raised expectations on him. In a shootout against the Panthers, Waddle had a season-high nine targets, catching six of them for 110 yards, including a 46-yard TD. He ran the entire route tree and even came back from what looked like (yet another) in-game injury. The emergence of TE Darren Waller as a legitimate receiving threat could open things up for Waddle going forward.

Fantasy football losers for Week 5

RB Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles

Barkley was either the first or second running back taken in most fantasy drafts this season. And he seemed like one of the safest possible bets, coming off a 2,000-yard season on the ground in 2024. However, this season has been a major disappointment with Barkley averaging under 60 rushing yards per game for the first four weeks. Against the Denver Broncos, he carried the ball just six times for 30 yards. Although Barkley salvaged his fantasy day with a 47-yard touchdown reception, his lack of rushing production is a major concern.

RB Emari Demercado, Arizona Cardinals

With injuries to James Conner and Trey Benson, Demarcado looked like the next back up in Arizona. That didn’t prove to be the case. Michael Carter, just activated off the practice squad, had 18 carries to three for Demercado. Carter also caught all five of his targets in the passing game, while Demercado wasn’t targeted. But the one play that had the greatest impact was Demercado’s breakaway early in the fourth quarter when he appeared to score on a 72-yard run, but lost control of the ball just before crossing the goal line.

That’s the second time in as many weeks a player has celebrated too early and cost himself (and his fantasy managers) a touchdown.

WR Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers

Just when we all finally started to believe in Johnston, a great home matchup against the Commanders turned out to be a dud. After having at least seven targets, and 70 yards in each of his first four games, Johnston caught only four for 40 in Week 5. It wasn’t like he was ignored either. Fellow wideouts Keenan Allen and Ladd McConkey have five receptions each and no one topped 60 yards. It’s going to be tough for all three Chargers receivers to thrive every week, but this was a game in which none of them did.

K Spencer Shrader, Indianapolis Colts

Entering the week as the No. 2 fantasy kicker, Shrader and the Colts were eyeing a potential blowout game against the Raiders. While the blowout materialized, Shrader wasn’t able to share in it after he was injured on an extra point attempt following the Colts’ second touchdown. He didn’t return and finished with only two points in a 40-6 win. Hopefully, he’ll be able to return in Week 6.

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The Toronto Blue Jays administered a historic two-game beatdown against the New York Yankees, unleashing a special rookie and a relentless offensive attack before getting out of Canada with a 2-0 lead in the American League Division Series.

Behind a suffocating no-hit effort from Trey Yesavage, who was making just his fourth major league start, and an offense that lashed five home runs, the Blue Jays defeated the Yankees 13-7 in Game 2 of the ALDS before an overflow crowd of dopamine-addled fans at Rogers Centre.

‘This has got to be cloud nine,’ Yesavage told reporters after the game. ‘I couldn’t imagine a better feeling right now.’

Toronto, the top seed in these AL playoffs, can eliminate New York in Game 3 on Oct. 7. Right-hander Shane Bieber will oppose Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodón.

The proceedings in the Bronx almost have to be tenser than the laughers up north.

The Blue Jays won Game 1 10-1 and outscored the Yankees 23-8 in the two games as New York gave up 10 or more runs in consecutive playoff games for the first time in their history.

In Game 2, it was the Yesavage show for the first five-plus innings, as he struck out 11, walked just one and allowed no hits in 5 ⅓ innings. The Yankees were helpless against his split-finger pitch flailing at balls in the dirt and looking at splits he landed in the strike zone.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Guerrero’s grand slam and Daulton Varsho’s two-homer, two-double staked Toronto to leads of 11-0 after four innings and 13-2 after six. They chased Yankee ace Max Fried after three-plus innings and hit four homers off long man Will Warren, who gamely nudged the game into the eighth inning.

New York’s five-run seventh forced Toronto to deploy seven relief pitchers, but only one number mattered in the end: The Blue Jays are up 2-0, with three chances to eliminate the defending AL champs. 

Here’s how Sunday’s game unfolded:

Yankees cut into Jays’ lead, trail 13-7

It’s not getting uncomfortable just yet for the Toronto Blue Jays. Just a little closer than they’d prefer. 

After scoring the first 12 runs of AL Division Series Game 2, the Blue Jays bullpen could not usher the game safely into garbage time, as the New York Yankees scored seven runs in the sixth and seventh innings to cut Toronto’s advantage to 13-7. 

After Blue Jays manager John Schneider lifted rookie sensation Trey Yesavage with one out in the sixth inning, the Yankees pounced on five Blue Jays relievers, with lefty Eric Lauer and right-hander Tommy Nance each recording just one out while combining to give up five runs. 

By the end of five-run seventh, Schneider had to turn to one of his higher-leverage relievers, Mason Fluharty, to record the final out. Yet even if the Blue Jays dig all the way through their bullpen, both clubs are off Monday before Game 3 at Yankee Stadium on Oct. 7. 

Daulton Varsho hits another home run

Blue Jays center fielder Daulton Varsho is putting on a legendary performance, clubbing his second home run of the game in the bottom of the sixth, running Toronto’s advantage to 13-2.

Varsho is 4-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs to go with the homers.

Yankees end no-hitter, Cody Bellinger homers

Trey Yesavage was relieved after 5.1 hitless innings and 11 strikeouts, getting a rousing standing ovation at the Rogers Centre. Justin Bruihl came in for the Blue Jays and gave up a single to Aaron Judge, ending the combined no-hit bid in the bottom of hte sixth. Cody Bellinger followed with a two-run homer for the Yankees’ first runs of the game.

Daulton Varsho home run makes it 11-0

Two batters after Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s monstrous grand slam gave the Blue Jays a 9-0 lead, Daulton Varsho hit a two-run homer off Will Warren to push Toronto’s total into double digits.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grand slam blows it open

Trey Yesavage has 10 Ks through four

Making just his fourth MLB start, Trey Yesavage has been utterly dominating, racking up 10 strikeouts through four innings – already a franchise postseason record. The Yankees have only managed one hit against the 22-year-old right-hander.

Blue Jays extend lead to 5-0

The Blue Jays have tagged Max Fried for seven hits, adding three runs in the bottom of the third to extend their lead to 5-0. Alejandro Kirk had an RBI groundout to start the frame’s scoring, then Daulton Varsho hit an RBI double and Ernie Clement added an RBI single.

Ernie Clement home run puts Blue Jays in front

An early home run has once again given the Toronto Blue Jays the upper hand in their AL Division Series against the New York Yankees. 

Ernie Clement, who had not gone deep since Aug. 12, golfed a Max Fried pitch over the wall in left field as the Blue Jays took a 2-0 lead heading to the bottom of the third. 

Daulton Varsho got the first jab in on 19-game winner Fried, pulling a double down the right field line that took a funny hop past Aaron Judge for an error. Clement, who had nine homers in 545 plate appearances this year, took advantage of a first-pitch curveball that hung in the zone. 

Meanwhile, rookie Trey Yesavage, making just his fourth career major league start, struck out seven in his first three innings. 

Trey Yesavage dazzles in first inning

Making just his fourth big league start, 22-year-old Trey Yesavage struck out three Yankees in the top of the first, working around a one-out walk for Aaron Judge.

Toronto’s first round pick in 2024, Yesavage made his MLB debut in September against the Tampa Bay Rays, striking out nine in five innings.

Yankees vs Blue Jays prediction, odds for Game 2

Yankees lineup today

Trent Grisham (L) CF
Aaron Judge (R) RF
Cody Bellinger (L) LF
Ben Rice (L) 1B
Giancarlo Stanton (R) DH
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L) 2B
Ryan McMahon (L) 3B
Anthony Volpe (R) SS
Austin Wells (L) C

Blue Jays lineup

George Springer (R) DH
Davis Schneider (R) LF
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B
Alejandro Kirk (R) C
Daulton Varsho (L) CF
Ernie Clement (R) 3B
Isiah Kiner-Falefa (R) 2B
Andrés Giménez (L) SS
Myles Straw (R) RF

Who is pitching for the Yankees today?

Left-hander Max Fried (19-5, 2.86 ERA) starts for the Yankees in Game 2. He tossed 6 ⅓ shutout innings in the firsst game of the AL wild card series against the Red Sox.

Fried signed an eight-year, $218 million free agent deal with the Yankees last winter after pitching eight seasons or the Atlanta Braves.

Trey Yesavage stats, scouting report

TORONTO — In his fourth MLB start, Blue Jays’ right-hander Trey Yesavage draws the Yankees in a playoff game.

It’s Game 2 of the AL Division Series, and the Yankees will try to get even in this best-of-five with veteran lefty Max Fried going against Toronto’s top prospect – a 2024 first-round draft pick out of East Carolina. The 6-foot-4 Yesavage, 22, has pitched just 14 big-league innings, not going more than five innings in any of his three MLB starts – two against Tampa Bay, one against Kansas City.

Veteran starters Chris Bassitt (back) and Max Scherzer (9.00 ERA last 6 starts) are not on the Jays’ ALDS roster, and Yesavage said he was ‘beyond floored” when manager John Schneider told him he’d pitch Game 2.

– Pete Caldera, NorthJersey.com

Aaron Boone on Trey Yesavage

Before Game 2, Yankees manager Aaron Boone discussed facing Trey Yesavage for the first time.

‘He looks tough. He looks good. He’s obviously had some success here to start out his big league career,’ Boone said. ‘Kind of a unique delivery, real over the top, downhill, obviously a very good split-fingered. Typically tough on lefties, and obviously we run a lot of those out there.’

José Caballero talks time with Yankees

The Yankees acquired José Caballero from the Rays at the trade deadline and the speedy infielder delivered down the stretch with 15 steals and an .828 OPS in 40 games.

‘It feels really good to fit in the group with so many stars, so many good players that are being proved in the league,’ Caballero told reporters before Game 2. ‘Just being here is something that I take pride of just because being in this group is such an honor for me.

‘It’s a complete team. I just add a little more speed. That’s pretty much it. That’s what I can see. But this team is just amazing, and I’m really proud to be here and to be around this group of guys.’

What time is Yankees vs Blue Jays Game 2?

First pitch is at 4:08 p.m. ET at the Rogers Centre In Toronto.

Aaron Judge ‘didn’t get the job done’ in Game 1

Aaron Judge had two hits for the Yankees in Game 1, but the superstar struck out with the bases loaded and none out in the sixth with New York trailing just 2-0. Judge flailed at a 3-2 splitter from Kevin Gausman that wound up low and outside.

‘I wouldn’t say overanxious,’ Judge said. ‘If you saw the whole at-bat, I definitely took some tough pitches. But in the end, I didn’t get the job done. That’s why he’s been in this game for a long time and had a lot of success. That’s his bread and butter.’ — Field Level Media

If you’re a ‘Game of Thrones’ fan, then you might like the new uniforms the Buffalo Bills will be wearing Sunday night. The look, not to mention the team’s social media promotion of the new threads, has quite the White Walkers vibe. And if ever there was a team that seems based north of the Wall − heck, the Bills even have a new stadium rising from the frost, much like Winterfell in the famous opening credits of ‘Thrones.’

The undefeated AFC East leaders are also promoting a white-out environment − hopefully more effective than Penn State’s yet as unforgiving a landscape as that of northern Westeros − for a ‘Sunday Night Football’ battle with their longtime divisional foes, the New England Patriots. The Bills are encouraging fans to wear all white to Highmark Stadium for what could be the venue’s final ‘SNF’ showcase.

And whether or not you’re a fan of HBO’s fantasy series, or even a member of Buffalo’s vaunted Mafia, you might appreciate Nike’s latest installment of its new ‘Rivalries’ uniforms − the Bills following the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins as the third team to wear them this season.

What’s new about the Bills’ ‘Rivalries’ uniforms?

Dubbed their ‘Cold Front’ alternates, according to the Bills’ website, they are meant to symbolize ‘the city’s DNA stitched into fabric. When you think Buffalo Bills Football, you think ice in the air, grit in the soul, and a city that thrives in the cold. It’s not just iconic. It’s Buffalo.’

The red trim long associated with Buffalo’s unis is also notably absent. According to the Bills, ‘Every trace of red has been stripped away to unleash the heart of a Buffalo winter. Red means warmth — and there’s no warmth here. This uniform is forged from snow, ice, and the unforgiving cold. It doesn’t just represent winter… it is winter.’

It’s only Oct. 5, guys − throes of autumn − but details, details.

Regardless, this getup is icy, the stripes on the helmets and pants evoking a frozen body of water like the one the unfortunate dragon Viserion crash landed onto in ‘Thrones.’ The numbers and helmet insignia are meant to appear frosty and metallic − though NBC play-by-play man Mike Tirico noted that the shimmery digits were hard to discern from the booth. The team’s legion of supporters should be thrilled to see “Bills Mafia” stitched inside the collar. But the coolest detail is the silvery, texturized charging buffalo logo on the sleeve.

What are NFL ‘Rivalries’ uniforms by Nike?

Think of them as the football version of the sports apparel company’s NBA ‘City Edition’ uniforms or Major League Baseball’s ‘City Connect’ jerseys. Signaled during the NFL draft and unveiled in August, Nike has strived to create something that further strengthens NFL teams’ bonds to their unique civic environments. And, as “rivalries” would suggest, all of them will be worn in intra-divisional matchups.

‘The 2025 Rivalries uniforms will celebrate storied local traditions and unite fan communities with designs unique to select cities and teams,” Nike announced during the rollout.

‘The designs are rooted extensively in the legacies and inspirations true to each team, serving as authentic, competitive expressions of community pride while giving athletes and fans an opportunity to connect like never before.’

Which NFL teams have ‘Rivalries’ uniforms?

Eventually all of them. But for 2025, each team in the AFC East and NFC West is scheduled to wear its “Rivalries” unis one time this season. Two additional divisions will be added to the rotation in each of the next three seasons, and the “Rivalries” option then becomes part of a team’s closet for the following three years.

When will NFL teams wear ‘Rivalries’ uniforms in 2025?

 Los Angeles Rams: Nov. 16 vs. Seattle Seahawks

 New England Patriots: Nov. 13 vs. New York Jets

 New York Jets: Dec. 7 vs. Miami Dolphins

 San Francisco 49ers: Jan. 4, 2026 vs. Seattle Seahawks

 Seattle Seahawks: Dec. 18 vs. Los Angeles Rams

The Las Vegas Aces didn’t just win Game 2 of the WNBA Finals, they cut the heart and soul out of the Phoenix Mercury’s title hopes.

Whatever chance the Mercury had of winning the 2025 championship, or at least keeping the Aces honest, evaporated after the first quarter, Sunday at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. Phoenix couldn’t capitalize on its big leads – first seven points and then eight – letting Las Vegas back in each time. Then the Aces stars started cooking, and the Mercury had no answer.

That second quarter, when A’ja Wilson single-handedly outscored Phoenix? That third, when Jackie Young popped off for 21? That’s how titles are won. When you get an edge on your opponent, you jam your foot on the gas and you don’t take it off.

“That’s the goal, to not let up,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said after her team took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-7 series with their 91-78 dismantling of Phoenix.

“You just don’t want to have a satisfied locker room because we’re not there yet,” Hammon said. “We did what we’re supposed to do.”

But it’s the way Las Vegas did it that will give Phoenix sleepless nights in the offseason.

No on-the-job training in Finals

The Finals are a different beast, even from other playoff series. The Aces know that intimately, the core of their teams that won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023 still here. They know you can’t give the other team openings, or you might never recover. They know, too, that if you get one of those openings, you have to take advantage of it.

And then some.

After the Mercury dominated the opening minutes of the game, Las Vegas’ defense started clicking. A defensive rebound became a layup for Wilson. A steal became a stepback jumper. An offensive rebound became a putback. Within a few possessions, the game had gone sideways for Phoenix, and they were never able to get it back.

“I thought we were pretty stagnant offensively,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said. “We tried to force it a little bit ourselves and tried to go get it. That’s part of us just trying to figure it out as a group.”

There isn’t time for that in the Finals. You have to find an answer in the moment or you’re going to be roadkill.

That’s what Las Vegas did in Game 1. Young had, as Hammon said, “no legs, no lift” Friday night. Wilson had 21 points, but seven came at the free throw line. So how did the Aces win that one? They got monster efforts from Dana Evans and Jewell Loyd.

You figure it out. You get other people involved. You change up your schemes. You do whatever you have to or this window will be gone.

“Even our whole year, the process is always equipping you for what’s coming next. I think they really embraced that,” Hammon said. “It takes a special group to embrace hard.”

But the Aces know what the reward is when they do.

Hard work pays off

Wilson, Young and Chelsea Gray might not have a monster collective effort like this in Game 3. Young had 32 points and eight rebounds Sunday, while Wilson had a double-double with 28 and 14. Gray had 10 assists, eight rebounds, three steals and three blocks to go with her 10 points.

If they don’t, though, the Aces know how to adjust. They know how to weather storms. They know how to go to Plan B. They know how to respond.

They know how to win at this time of year.

“We just have to play the game that’s in front of us,” Wilson said. “We don’t look at the series as just the numbers. We look it at as, ‘This is another opportunity for us to play basketball the right way.’ Going into Phoenix, that’s the same mindset we’re going to have.’

“We’ve been through a lot,” she added. “We can’t stop here. We can’t be satisfied.”

It is not easy to win a championship. It takes a relentlessness and a commitment like no other time, be it in the regular season or even the playoffs. The Aces know this. The Mercury are learning it the hard way.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Aces are two wins away from their third WNBA title in four years.

The No. 2 seed Aces took a commanding 2-0 lead over the No. 4 seed Phoenix Mercury in the best-of-seven 2025 WNBA Finals with a 91-78 Game 2 win on Sunday, Oct. 5 at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.

Aces guard Jackie Young finished with a game-high 32 points, shooting 12-of-20 from the field and 3-of-7 from the 3-point line, while A’ja Wilson added 28 points and 14 rebounds.

The Aces duo of Young and Wilson are among the winners of Game 2 of the WNBA Finals, while Mercury forward Satou Sabally rounds up the list of losers after suffering an apparent ankle injury in the loss.

WNBA FINALS, GAME 2: Aces take commanding 2-0 lead in WNBA Finals with Game 2 rout of Mercury

Winners

Jackie Young

Jackie Young was in street clothes during the Aces’ practice on Saturday, with head coach Becky Hammon admitting that Young’s “legs were heavy” due to fatigue. But Young looked fresh for Game 2 on Sunday and dropped 32 points, tying her playoff career high. Young scored 21 of her 32 points in the third quarter, the most scored in a single quarter in WNBA Finals history. “Last game, (Young) had no legs. No lift. Apparently she went and found some legs because she was cooking today… She’s a bad, bad girl,” Hammon said.

A’ja Wilson

A’ja Wilson scored 20 of her 28 points in the first half, becoming the third player in WNBA Finals history to score 20 or more points in the first half. Wilson also recorded 14 rebounds, three assists and one steal. She finished just shy of her ninth 30-plus point playoff game. If Wilson scored 30 points, Wilson and Young would’ve become the first duo to each score 30-plus points in a WNBA Finals Game. ‘I dropped the ball on that one. Sorry, Jack,’ Wilson joked after the game.

Aces Big 3

Las Vegas’ superstar trio of A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray were borderline unstoppable on Sunday. Wilson (28 points, 13 rebounds), Young (32 points, eight rebounds) and Chelsea Gray (10 points and 10 assists) combined for 70 of the Aces 91 points and the Mercury had no answer. ‘They’re studs… That is why the expectation is so high, because of those three,’ Hammon said. Meanwhile, Phoenix’s Big 3 of Alyssa Thomas (10 points, six rebounds, five assists), Satou Sabally (22 points, nine rebounds) and Kahleah Copper (23 points, three rebounds) combined for 55 of the Mercury’s 78 points.

Alyssa Thomas sets assist record

Not much went right for the Mercury, but Alyssa Thomas passed Courtney Vandersloot to become the all-time leader in assists in WNBA postseason history with 391 (and counting). Thomas finished with 10 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals in the Game 2 loss. A small consolation prize in the loss. 

Losers

Satou Sabally’s possible ankle injury

The Mercury could be in trouble if Satou Sabally’s ankle injury, which she suffered in the 3:57 mark of the fourth quarter, lingers. The Phoenix star had a collision with Aces forward A’ja Wilson that was ruled just a common foul. However, Sabally did not return to play after the incident and was limping as she walked to the bench. Postgame, Tibbetts mentioned that he pulled Sabally because the team was “being smart with going forward.” When asked personally how she was doing after her injury, Sabally simply responded, “Fine.”

Mercury 3-point shooting 

Kahleah Copper got the Mercury on the board with a 3-point shot, but Phoenix was ice cold beyond the arc the rest of the game. The Mercury missed 15 consecutive 3-point attempts at one point and finished shooting a dismal 17.9% (5-of-28) from the 3-point line, marking their second-worst 3-point performance this postseason. The 3-point shot was crucial to the Mercury’s two double-digit comeback wins over the Minnesota Lynx in the semifinals, but as the Mercury’s deficit stretched to as many as 22 points on Sunday, they couldn’t get it going from 3 and ‘tried to force it a little,” Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts said, adding ‘we were pretty stagnant offensively.’ The Mercury are 2-1 in the playoffs when they score 10 or more 3-pointers. 

Nate Tibbetts’ coaching decisions

Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts’ inexperience in the WNBA Finals showed mightily in Game 2. Tibbetts didn’t go deeper into his bench, opting to use an eight-person rotation until the lead ballooned to nearly twenty. The bench players he did play early with his starters (DeWanna Bonner, Sami Whitcomb and Kathryn Westbeld) only scored eight total points for the entire game. What’s more, Tibbetts shockingly did not call a timeout as the Aces continued stacking sequences during a brutal 30-point third quarter.

Mercury’s depth 

Tibbetts emptied his bench with 3:58 remaining in the fourth quarter as the Mercury trailed the Aces 90-73, essentially waving the white flag. The Mercury entered the postseason with the league’s highest scoring bench, but it’s been virtually nonexistent in the WNBA Finals so far. The Mercury’s bench was outscored 41-16 in Game 1 and 16-8 in Game 2. DeWanna Bonner was held to four points in 23 minutes in Game 2, shooting 1-of-5 from the field and 0-of-2 from the 3-point line, while Sami Whitcomb was scoreless (0-of-3 FG, 0-of-2 3PT) in 14 minutes. The Mercury have struggled to find offensive production outside of their Big 3 so far.

WNBA referees

It’s going to sound like a broken record at this point, but the league’s officials made and missed several calls on Sunday that either infuriated players, like Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas, or the crowd at Michaelob Ultra Arena. Like Game 1, chants of “Refs, you suck” rang out from the stands as fans displayed their displeasure with the officiating. Thomas also gave the refs an earful multiple times over what she felt like were missed fouls.

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Shane van Gisbergen continued to prove, without a doubt, that he is the best road-course racer in the NASCAR Cup Series after winning the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. But while van Gisbergen was winning his series-high fifth race of the season – all on road or street courses – battles were taking place throughout the rest of the field in Sunday’s elimination race to end the second round of the playoffs.

Playoff drivers Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell tried their best to knock off the Trackhouse Racing star from New Zealand, but in the end, neither could overtake van Gisbergen even with fresher tires. Van Gisbergen led a race-high 57 laps to Larson’s 27 on the part oval-part road course circuit at Charlotte and prevailed by 15.160 seconds after Larson opted for new tires to finish the 109-lap race.

But, the more intense drama was taking place further back in the field as playoff drivers battled for position in the final race of the Round of 12, hoping to avoid elimination and be among the eight drivers to advance to the next round.

SUNDAY’S RESULTS: Full finishing order from Charlotte Roval race

Entering Sunday’s race, Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott had already secured their spots in the Round of 8 by virtue of their victories the past two weeks at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway, respectively. That left six additional spots up for grabs, though Larson and Bell advanced even before Sunday’s race concluded, having compiled enough points in the three second-round races to guarantee their berths in the third round.

As the Roval race entered the final stage, four Round of 8 playoff berths remained, with some drivers like Denny Hamlin and William Byron knowing they likely only needed clean finishes to advance, while others – including 23XI Racing drivers Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace, Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain and Team Penske’s Joey Logano – were racing in must-win situations.

With the laps winding down, the final berth came down to a battle between Logano, the three-time and reigning series champion, and Chastain, who finished runner-up to Logano in 2022. Logano’s No. 22 Team Penske crew elected to bring their driver down pit road for fresher tires in the closing laps of the stage, putting him at a deficit to Chastain, whose team kept him out on the track.

It appeared Chastain would have just enough tires left to keep his miniscule cushion over Logano, but after Hamlin passed Chastain on the final lap, zero points separated the Trackhouse Racing driver and the Team Penske star. With no recourse left, Chastain floored his No. 1 Chevrolet to get side-by-side with Hamlin, hoping to steal the position back, but the move and resulting contact turned both cars around, leaving Chastain to cross the finish line in reverse. Unfortunately for Chastain, the maneuver allowed a few drivers, including Logano, to edge past him.

Logano became the final driver to advance to the third round, joining Blaney, Elliott, Larson, Bell, Hamlin, Byron and Chase Briscoe. Chastain was eliminated along with Reddick, Wallace and Team Penske driver Austin Cindric.

The NASCAR Cup Series heads West next weekend to open the three-race Round of 8 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Talladega Superspeedway follows before the final elimination race at Martinsville Speedway.

NASCAR playoffs Round of 8 is set after Charlotte Roval race

Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Chase Briscoe and Joey Logano advanced to the third round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, joining Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott. Blaney and Elliott secured their positions by winning the first two races of the Round of 12, while the other six drivers advanced on points.

Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing put three drivers apiece into the Round of 8, with Ellliott, Larson and Byron representing HMS, and Bell, Hamlin and Briscoe representing JGR. Team Penske has two drivers remaining in the championship chase, with Blaney and Logano.

Four drivers eliminated from NASCAR playoffs

In a frantic battle to advance to the Round of 8 of the NASCAR playoffs, reigning series champion Joey Logano edged Ross Chastain for the final spot in the third round as the two traded positions just above and below the cut line in the final stage of the Bank of America Roval 400. Chastain was eliminated along with 23XI Racing teammates Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace and Team Penske driver Austin Cindric.

Ross Chastain crosses Charlotte Roval finish line in reverse

Ross Chastain did everything he could to clinch the final spot in the Round of 8 of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs – even after making contact with Denny Hamlin for position on the final lap. Chastain spun in his No. 1 Chevrolet and then crossed the finish line in reverse, hoping to keep a miniscule point lead over reigning series champion Joey Logano, but to no avail.

Shane van Gisbergen wins NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte

Shane van Gisbergen outclassed the field of the Bank of America 400 on the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval to earn his series-leading fifth race of the season. Van Gisbergen dominated on road courses this season, winning five straight on non-oval circuits, adding the Roval to Mexico City, Chicago, Sonoma and Watkins Glen.

Kyle Larson finished second, 15.160 seconds behind van Gisbergen. Christopher Bell finished third, Chris Buescher fourth and Michael McDowell fifth.

Shane van Gisbergen retakes lead in NASCAR Charlotte playoff race

Shane van Gisbergen passed Kyle Larson with 23 laps remaining in the Bank of America 400 to retake the lead. Drivers are in the middle of green flag pit stops – and could pit an additional time – so leads are likely to flip multiple times before the race ends.

Kyle Larson passes Shane van Gisbergen for lead

Kyle Larson passed Shane Gisbergen on Lap 63 to take the lead at the Bank of America Roval 400 following restart. Christopher Bell also passed van Gisbergen to move up to second. AJ Allmendinger runs fourth and Michael McDowell fifth.

Caution flag flies in Bank of America Roval 400

Austin Dillon brings out the yellow flag on Lap 58 of 109 of the Bank of America Roval 400 after crashing into the tire barrier. This is the first race caution of the day. Shane van Gisbergen leads Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, AJ Allmendinger and Chris Buescher.

Playoff drivers William Bryon and Bubba Wallace came down pit road for tires under caution. Byron is in strong position to advance on points, while Wallace needs to win the race to advance.

Christopher Bell clinches berth in Round 3 of NASCAR playoffs

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell has clinched enough points through three races of the second round to guarantee a spot in the Round 8 of the NASCAR playoffs. Bell joins Ryan Blaney, who won two weeks ago at New Hampshire, Chase Elliott, who won last week at Kansas, and Kyle Larson, who also clinched a spot in the third round on points.

Ryan Blaney wins Stage 2 of Charlotte Roval playoff race

Shane van Gisbergen elected to pit with two laps remaining in the second segment for new tires, giving up the lead and the stage win. Ryan Blaney, who already clinched a berth in the third round of the playoffs, took the checkered flag in Stage 2, his ninth stage win of the season, tying Kyle Larson for most in the 2025 season.

Tyler Reddick, who most likely needs a win to make the Round of 8, finished second, followed by Chase Elliott, Ross Chastain and van Gisbergen. Chastain entered the race below the eight-driver cut line but has collected a number of points to give himself an oppurtinity to advance.

Kyle Larson finished sixth, followed by Christopher Bell, Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez and Cole Custer.

Kyle Larson clinches berth in third round of playoffs

Kyle Larson collected enough points in the three-race second round to clinch a spot in the Round of 8 along with Ryan Blaney, who won at New Hampshire, and Chase Elliott, who won last week at Kansas. Hendrick Motorsports has a chance to add a third driver to the Round of 8, with William Byron hoping to join Larson and Elliott.

AJ Allmendinger leads field to green to start Stage 2

AJ Allmendinger elected to stay on track at the end of Stage 2 and took the lead on the restart to start the second segment. Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher, Daniel Suarez and Tyler Reddick also stayed on track and run in the top 5. Shane van Gisbergen, who won the opening stage, took new tires and moved up to sixth place immediately.

Kyle Larson, who also took new tires to start the stage, runs in seventh.

Shane van Gisbergen wins Stage 1 of NASCAR Roval playoff race

Shane van Gisbergen retook the lead with six laps remaining in the opening stage of the Bank of America Roval 400 and cruised to the Stage 1 win over Kyle Larson. Van Gisbergen led 17 of 25 laps, beating Larson by nearly 8 seconds. Ty Gibbs finished third, Christopher Bell fourth and Ross Chastain fifth. Michael McDowell, Chase Briscoe, Chase Elliott, William Byron and Ty Dillon rounded out the top 10.

With tire falloff a big issue on the part oval-part road course circuit, the majority of drivers elected to change tires during the middle of the stage. There were a few exceptions, however, including 23XI Racing teammates Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace and Team Penske teammates Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric, electing to pit with three laps remaining in order to stay out on track at the end of the stage.

NASCAR Roval playoff race goes green

Playoff driver Tyler Reddick won the pole Saturday and leads the field to start the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Road course ace Shane van Gisbergen starts second.

What time does the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte start?

The Bank of America Roval 400 is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 5 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

What TV channel is the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte on?

The Bank of America Roval 400 will be broadcast on USA Network, the home for the Round of 12 part of the Cup Series playoffs. Pre-race coverage will start at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte?

Yes, the Bank of America Roval 400 will be streamed on Peacock, HBO Max, Sling TV and Fubo, which is offering a free trial to new subscribers.

Stream the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte on Fubo

How many laps is the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte?

The Bank of America Roval 400 is 109 laps around the 2.32-mile track for a total of 252.9 miles. The race will have three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 25 laps; Stage 2: 25 laps; Stage 3: 59 laps.

NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings

Here’s how things look after the playoff round in Kansas with the gap to the leader in parentheses. The bottom four drivers will be eliminated after Charlotte as the playoffs move on to the Round of 8.

Kyle Larson
Denny Hamlin (+6)
Christopher Bell (+10)
William Byron (+14)
Chase Elliott (+20)
Ryan Blaney (+25)
Chase Briscoe (+33)
Joey Logano (+41)
Ross Chastain (+54)
Bubba Wallace (+67)
Tyler Reddick (+70)
Austin Cindric (+89)

Who won the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte last year?

Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson took his second playoff win of 2024 with a comfortable victory over Christopher Bell in last year’s playoff race at Charlotte. Larson led the most laps – including most of the Stage 3 running – to take the win at the final road course event of the season. Bell, William Byron, Austin Cindric and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five runners. One of the biggest stories from the race was Alex Bowman’s disqualification after he failed post-race weight inspection.

NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte starting lineup

Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford
Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford
Riley Herbst, No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota
Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 HYAK Motorsports Chevrolet
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford
Noah Gragson, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford
Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Josh Bilicki, No. 66 Garage 66 Ford
John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota

The man who stabbed Fox NFL analyst Mark Sanchez said he feared for his life, according to new details revealed in an affidavit for probable cause.

Sanchez, 38, was hospitalized in Indianapolis early Saturday morning with a stab wound. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department announced Saturday afternoon that it arrested the former New York Jets quarterback and charged him with ‘battery with injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication, all which are misdemeanors.’

According to an affidavit obtained by USA TODAY Sports, Sanchez allegedly approached a box truck in a loading dock outside of the Westin hotel and confronted the driver. The ensuing interaction led the driver to think, ‘this guy is trying to kill me,’ according to the affidavit.

According to the affidavit, Sanchez allegedly opened the door to the truck and told the driver, who was exchanging frying oil for the hotel, that he wasn’t allowed to be at the loading dock.

After the driver exited the truck cab, Sanchez then allegedly entered it, according to the affidavit, before the driver told him he was not allowed there. According to the affidavit, the Fox NFL analyst allegedly got out from the cab, then allegedly prevented the driver from re-entering to get his phone to call the hotel manager.

At one point, the affidavit says, Sanchez allegedly shoved the driver, leading the driver to use his pepper spray on Sanchez. In a statement included in the affidavit, the driver said he feared for his life when Sanchez continued to approach him after he had used the pepper spray, leading him to pull out his knife before he ‘struck [Sanchez] two or three times.’

According to a security video cited in the affidavit, Sanchez allegedly threw the driver toward the wall of the hotel then threw him on the ground. The driver eventually regained his feet, the affidavit says, and ‘stabbed Sanchez the last time.’

According to the affidavit, that is when Sanchez fled the scene, ‘running northbound.’

As of Saturday, Sanchez was reported to be in stable condition after the stabbing.

Sanchez was in Indianapolis to announce the Indianapolis Colts game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday that former NFL player and current Fox analyst Brady Quinn will replace Sanchez on the broadcast.

Sanchez was the No. 5 overall pick by the Jets in the 2009 NFL Draft after playing his collegiate career at Southern California. He retired in 2019 after stints with five other teams and joined Fox as an NFL analyst in 2021.