Category: Sport

No. 5 Texas A&M is the first team in the College Football Playoff Leaderboard.

The Aggies are 7-1 and won’t play in the SEC championship game, but their path to the four-team playoffs isn’t overly complicated.

Texas A&M must win its regular season finale against Tennessee on December 19th to keep the conversation going. What else do the Aggies have to do before the College Football Playoff Selection Show on December 20th?

Let’s play the rest with the three key pieces:

BENDER: The Big Ten’s decision to protect the Ohio state season is the right one

College Football Playoff Scenarios for Texas A&M

A Christmas miracle of Arkansas versus Alabama or LSU versus Florida this weekend would obviously work in favor of the Aggies. For this scenario, we don’t expect any of these issues to occur.

So let’s be more realistic:

• No. 1 Alabama (10-0) must beat No. 6 Florida in the SEC championship game. That puts the Gators out of the competition with two losses.
• Notre Dame # 2 (11-0) must beat Clemson # 3 in the ACC championship game. That gives the tigers two losses.
• A No. 4 Ohio State loss would help, but it’s unlikely not worth counting on.

That would give Alabama, Notre Dame, and Ohio State three spots and leave a big debate for that # 4 spot:

Who else could argue?

Texas A&M (8-1) would be the best one-loss team but would not have the advantage of attending a conference championship.

Clemson (9-2) and Florida (9-2) had two losses.

No. 7 Iowa State (9-2) or No. 11 Oklahoma (8-2) would have a conference championship.

No. 15 USC (6-0) or No. 21 Colorado (6-0) could be undefeated and have a Pac-12 championship.

No. 8 Cincinnati (9-0) would be the top-ranked group of 5 undefeated teams if they beat No. 24 Tulsa in the American Athletic Conference championship.

Would Texas A&M get in?

That’s a lot to play, but the Aggies would be a good bet to secure that last spot if that scenario unfolds. It’s not that unrealistic, but it does require Notre Dame – a likely underdog in the rematch with Clemson – to deliver another surprise.

Remember, the college football playoffs have never seen a team with two losses. Clemson would have an argument, but the committee could bow to the Aggies at a loss.

That said, the loss is dire. Alabama defeated Texas A&M on October 3, 52-24. This would be the worst loss for a CFP team since Georgia in 2017. The Bulldogs lost 40-17 to Auburn in the regular season, but Georgia corrected that mistake at 28 : 7 victory in SEC championship game. The 15 one-loss teams that qualified for the CFP lost an average of 7.5 points per game.

Some other teams might consider that.

USC – a Power 5 champion with a big brand – has a lot to do in two weeks.

The argument would likely be based on Texas A&M versus Cincinnati at this point. Would the committee put an unbeaten G5 school over a one-loss team?

It’s still an argument that we believe Texas A&M would win – even if the Bearcats could be the more deserving team at the time.

The half-made piñata would sit on the bottom of Pinatas Moreno in Tijuana, Mexico, and the shop owner Alfredo Moreno wouldn’t be happy.

The job wasn’t done, and his son’s other interest was probably to blame.

Brandon Moreno began his mixed martial arts training when he was 12 years old while also working part-time in his family’s company. One was a job. The other was a passion. But both have helped shape the athlete who will be the first Mexico-born fighter to fight for a UFC title on Saturday when he challenges flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo in the main UFC 256 event.

The piñata business exposed Brandon to his parents’ work ethic, which served him well in his unlikely rise to the UFC rankings. The business also served as a financial liferaft after it was cut by the UFC in 2018 and had surgery on his newborn daughter. Although Brandon was never that good at making pinatas, his efforts in the family business helped him figure out what he wanted in life.

“Every day I saw my parents work so hard to give us the best opportunities and the best possible lives,” said Moreno.

Brandon Moreno’s mother, Cecilia Carrillo, and father, Alfredo Moreno, run Pinatas Moreno in Tijuana, Mexico. The family business helped advance her son’s historic UFC title quest. ESPN

When Moreno started MMA training in 2005 at the age of 12, he was a “shabby” kid, he said. Chubby. When he was younger, his main hobbies after school were video games and junk food. At first, MMA was just a way to get the exercise you need.

In the same year Moreno started working part-time at Piñatas Moreno. Some of the work was done from home and the other part in a small warehouse nearby. Moreno’s day consisted of school, making piñatas, and then running to practice.

The more Moreno trained, the more he fell in love with fighting – the physicality and the competition. The original plan was for Moreno to go to college and then law school. But it quickly became clear that fighting wasn’t a random interest.

Deiveson Figueiredo will achieve the fastest turnaround of a UFC champion when he defends the men’s flyweight title in Saturday’s UFC 256 main event. Figueiredo, who defeated Alex Perez at UFC 255 on November 21, faces top candidate Brandon Moreno. In the co-main event, Tony Ferguson competes against Charles Oliveira. Ferguson has won 12 of their last 13 fights while Oliveira has won seven in a row.

Buy UFC 256 here

UFC 256: Figueiredo versus Moreno
• Saturday, Las Vegas
• 7:30 PM ET on ESPN2 and ESPN + PPV

“At first I thought [MMA] was a distraction for him, a hobby, “said Moreno’s mother Cecilia Carrillo.” I always wanted him to study, go to college. It was very important to me that he do it so that he can have a good life.

“But he never wavered, he always worked out and he really liked it. Since he was little he started setting goals. He always told me he would be the best in whatever he did in life,” Me become a lawyer – the best, “he told me.

Moreno’s parents supported his decision to fight rather than study. But there was a requirement. In order to cover the costs of the training and to make ends meet, Moreno had to work full time in the family business.

It was a busy schedule. Moreno woke up in the morning, exercised for two hours, and then came home for five or six hours to make piñatas. After dinner, he went to the gym for two hours before finishing the night in the warehouse and putting the finishing touches on the piñatas.

“I could make my own schedule because I wanted to train,” said Moreno. “That’s why my parents helped me so much. … I started making money myself. I grew up and started to know hard work.”

Things didn’t always go smoothly. Admittedly, Moreno was never a very good piñata maker. The process, he said, starts with cardboard glued together with homemade glue – a combination of hot water and flour. Moreno said it would take him about 30 minutes to build a piñata. Alfredo became impatient at times.

“In the end, he’d run Brandon out of the room because he couldn’t,” Carrillo said with a laugh.

“I never had the right skill to make the piñatas, but it has been a fun part of my life. I’m a better fighter than a piñata maker.” Brandon Moreno

The Morenos founded the small company in 1997. Their Colonia Guerrero neighborhood had many families making piñatas, said Carrillo, who also grew up making piñatas. The business started a few years later when the family began selling piñatas across the border in San Diego and Los Angeles.

Alfredo, Moreno’s brother, and another worker made the shells for the piñatas. Then Carrillo came in and decorated them. The piñatas come in different shapes and sizes – like stars, animals and numbers. While building the piñatas wasn’t his forte, Moreno eventually found his niche.

“He would come home and help put on the piñata sticks, and he was very good at it,” said Carrillo. “And he kept on doing it, even though at that point he was 100% committed to the sport.”

The 26-year-old Moreno worked full time at Piñatas Moreno for four years until he got a place on the UFC reality show “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2016. It was a great achievement – and a relief – for Moreno.

“I never had the right skill to make the piñatas,” Moreno said with a laugh. “But it’s been a fun part of my life. I’m a better fighter than a piñata maker.”

Moreno lost in the first round of The Ultimate Fighter in 2016, but he was impressive enough to be the only first-round loser to get a UFC contract. Brandon Magnus / Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

The Ultimate Fighter 24 was a tournament to decide who would be the next challenger to UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson. To say Moreno is an unannounced prospect would be an understatement. It was last sown among the 16 participants.

Moreno lost his first fight by filing in the second round to Alexandre Pantoja, but Moreno was impressive enough to land a UFC contract. No other first-round loser received an offer.

If he steps into the octagon against Figueiredo, many will again expect Moreno to lose. Figureido is a 3: 1 betting favorite.

“I was – and always am – the outsider,” said Moreno. “I think I’m the underdog in life. But I always win. I always win [in the end]. For me, that’s the most important thing. “

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After losing to Pantoja, Moreno won his first three official UFC bouts. But then he lost two fights and uncertainty about the future of the flyweight division prompted the UFC to release him.

The timing couldn’t have been worse. Eight months after his release, in September 2018, Moreno’s second child, Megan, was born with health problems. The family does not want to elaborate on their illness, but at some point they feared they had a tumor on their stomach. She had to be operated on. And at that time it was hard to get hold of money. Moreno’s parents came to Megan’s help with money from the piñata business.

“When we knew it was Friday and the doctor told them they could operate as soon as possible [my son] I didn’t have the money, “said Alfredo.” I told him if he needed it I would give it to him so they could operate on Monday. And so it went and everything worked out. Thank you God. We were concerned, but it went well.

“She’s strong. She’s like Brandon, he’s a fighter. He’s got a lot of energy. He never takes a step back.”

Moreno will be the first Mexico-born fighter to compete for UFC gold on Saturday. A win could help grow the sport in a country known for its rich boxing history. Jeff Bottari / Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Moreno, who lives with his wife Shirley and their three daughters, said Megan is now healthy and “amazing”.

And Moreno is excellent at what he does.

In June 2019, Moreno fought in the Legacy Fighting Alliance and won the flyweight title in that promotion. He was back in the UFC three months later – and hasn’t lost since.

Now he will make history and represent a country that is not alien to martial arts. Mexico has produced some of the greatest boxers such as Julio Cesar Chavez and Salvador Sanchez, as well as current superstar Canelo Alvarez. There have been Mexican-American UFC champions like Cain Velasquez, but never one born in Mexico.

“It means everything to me,” said Moreno. “We have a lot of the future of martial arts in Tijuana and Mexico in general. … But mixed martial arts is a relatively new sport in my country.

“I know I can change the game in my country when they have the first 100% Mexican champion in the UFC.”

From dreams of law school to pinatas in Tijuana to leaving the UFC and headlining a pay-per-view, Moreno’s trip has been a unique testament to his work ethic and perseverance.

“My life is a roller coaster,” said Moreno. “Lots of good moments, lots of bad moments too.

“At the end of the day, it’s all part of my experience.”

Game week 12 of 2020-21 Fantasy Premier League is here and we have an early deadline to make changes as Leeds hosts West Ham on Friday night.

The Manchester derby will then take center stage on Saturday, while Tottenham and Liverpool both play on Sunday to extend their lead at the top of the table.

So as we head out on another busy weekend goal is at your disposal with advice on team selection, possible captain choices and much more if you want to color those arrows green and climb your leaderboards.

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1. Game week games
2. Team selection tips
3. Who is the best captain?
4. Who are the players with the highest score?

Game week 12 games

date	Attachment	Time (GMT)
11th December	Leeds versus West Ham	20:00
12th of December	Wolves versus Aston Villa	12:30
12th of December	Newcastle versus West Brom	15:00
12th of December	Man Utd versus Man City	17:30
12th of December	Everton versus Chelsea	20:00
13th December	Southampton v Sheff Utd	12:00
13th December	Crystal palace against spurs	14:15
13th December	Fulham versus Liverpool	16:30
13th December	Arsenal versus Burnley	19:15
13th December	Leicester versus Brighton	19:15

GAMEWEEK 12 CHANGES DEADLINE: December 11th, 6:30 p.m.

Team selection tips

goalkeeper

Hugo Lloris (£ 5.5m) is the most broadcast goalkeeper, playing with a little less than 50,000 FPL bosses in Gameweek 12 at the time of writing, and choosing to bring the Tottenham captain in.

A quick look at the fixtures and Tottenham meet Crystal Palace on Sunday – with Roy Hodgson’s side inspired by an in-shape Wilfried Zaha (£ 7.4m), I just hit five to West Brom – before heading to Anfield in a top duel with Liverpool.

Spurs also have Leicester (H) and Wolves (A) to play before the end of the year and a better time to pick up the French could be at Gameweek 16 when Jose Mourinho Fulham’s men are ahead of Leeds (H ) align. , Aston Villa (A) and Sheffield United (A).

A better option could be Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier (£ 4.6m).

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have back-to-back home games against West Ham and Newcastle, while also facing Burnley and West Brom in December.

The 20-year-old Frenchman has scored 46 points so far this season – the third highest of all goalkeepers in the game – and made 40 saves in the process – the fourth highest total in the Premier League.

defender

Over 250,000 FPL managers have decided to include both Kurt Zouma (£ 5.7m) or Reece James (£ 5.3m) in the past week and it’s not hard to see why.

The blues duo has become a fixture in Frank Lampard’s starting XI in the Premier League Ben Chilwell (£ 6.2m), are the defenders with the highest number of points in the game after the first 11 games of the 2020-21 season.

Chelsea have friendly matches against Everton and Wolves in their next two games, both away, but even when they miss a goal or two, Zouma, James and Chilwell have come in handy in attacking areas.

Now could be the perfect time to contribute Trent Alexander-Arnold (£ 7.2m) after recovering from a calf injury.

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The Liverpool full-back, who collected a total of 210 points last season, will now return to the starting line-up of the reds of the league and is not expected to see a price increase until the coming weeks.

However, if you’re looking for a cheaper option then West Ham is Defender Fabian Balbuena (£ 4.4m) could be your man

After not being selected in the first two games of the season, the Paraguayan is now a regular on David Moyes’ first team and one of the best players to face Leeds (A) and Crystal Palace (H).

midfield player

After his 14-point win in a 4-0 win against the Wolves Mohamed Salah (£ 12.3m) proves the most popular addition in midfield in Gameweek 12.

Given its high price tag, after the Egyptian’s positive Covid-19 test, many FPL bosses have chosen Gameweek 9, although getting him back into your XI is crucial as he is the strongest attacker in the midfielder category is.

Oddly enough, Salah played the full 90 minutes in Liverpool’s 1-1 Champions League game against Midtjylland on Wednesday night, but it is highly unlikely that Jurgen Klopp would rest him for the trip to Fulham on Sunday as things are getting tight at the top the table.

Elsewhere the injuries too Hakim Ziyech (£ 8.2m) and Callum Hudson-Odoi (£ 5.7m) opened the door Christian Pulisic (£ 8.2m) Reintegration into Chelsea’s starting XI.

Frank Lampard confirmed on Thursday that the USMNT star is available for the trip to Everton on Saturday. After the huge success in the 3-1 win over Leeds last time in the league, Pulisic is likely to play a big role at Goodison Park.

After what is expected to be a welcome week off for Aston Villa following the postponement of the Newcastle game due to a Covid-19 outbreak Jack Grealish (£ 7.7m) rarely goes as he tries to increase the 71 points he has already accumulated this season.

The England international is in second place Bruno Fernandes (£ 10.9m) and Kevin De Bruyne (£ 11.8m) For the chances created in the Premier League with 26 and the favorable pairings for Dean Smith’s team, Villa will face Wolves (A), Burnley (H), West Brom (H) and Crystal Palace (A) in the next four games.

Forward

Patrick Bamford (£ 6.2m) scored his eighth Premier League goal of the season in their last loss to Chelsea and although his price rose ahead of Gameweek 12, the Leeds forward remains an excellent pick.

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West Ham head to Elland Road on Friday night and after the Hammers delivered three in their last game against Manchester United in the second half, Bamford will be confident of improving their record.

Another Englishman that is available at a relatively cheap price is Newcastle Forward Callum Wilson (£ 6.6m).

The 28-year-old took 12 points from his last game, a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, and Newcastle will face West Brom, the team with the worst defensive record in the Premier League, on Saturday.

And finally, it goes without saying, but when you have the money and don’t already have it Harry Kane (£ 10.9m) Then it is probably time to think about getting him. The Tottenham forward was at his best last time out against Arsenal and he will appreciate his chances of making it to the net against Palace on Sunday.

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Who is the best captain for Gameweek 12?

With the Manchester derby going on and Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham not playing at home, predicting who will be the most effective captain is not the easiest week.

That said Not correct has scored in his last two games in a row and the chances of scoring three against Fulham are relatively high.

Jamie Vardy (£ 10.3m) looks like a sensible replacement option too – the Leicester forward has scored six goals in his last eight games in all competitions and can look forward to meeting Brighton at King Power Stadium on Sunday.

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The top five players with the highest score

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LAS VEGAS – Tony Ferguson believes he is a big part of the UFC’s resumption of operations as soon as it did in 2020, and he suspects that this swift return has benefited everyone – except him.

Ferguson (25-4) will face Charles Oliveira (29-8) at UFC 256 on Saturday, in his first appearance since Justin Gaethje on May 9 in five rounds. The UFC 249 event marked the end of an eight-week stretch in which the UFC canceled five events due to the pandemic, and it came while the NBA, NFL, MLB and NCAA delayed operations.

Ferguson was set to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov for the undisputed lightweight championship at UFC 249, but the pandemic canceled the scheduled April date. Instead of waiting for the UFC to rebook this lucrative title fight, Ferguson agreed to a new opponent and location. Then another new place came when the UFC’s backup plan failed. Then there was a new date on which these plans changed again.

Deiveson Figueiredo will achieve the fastest turnaround of a UFC champion when he defends the men’s flyweight title in Saturday’s UFC 256 main event. Figueiredo, who defeated Alex Perez at UFC 255 on November 21, faces top candidate Brandon Moreno. In the co-main event, Tony Ferguson competes against Charles Oliveira. Ferguson has won 12 of their last 13 fights while Oliveira has won seven in a row.

Buy UFC 255 here

UFC 256: Figueiredo versus Moreno
• Saturday, Las Vegas
• 7:30 PM ET on ESPN2 and ESPN + PPV

In the middle of it all, Ferguson decided to cut weight for an event that had already been postponed. He said it was because he was committed and wanted to give the world something to follow. It was a move that many in the MMA world have questioned and even derided. He eventually suffered the loss and achieved a winning streak of 12 fights. Gaethje then lost in the second round at Nurmagomedov for the undisputed title on October 24th.

What did Ferguson make of the whole experience? When he fights Oliveira on Saturday, Ferguson says he’s fighting 100% for himself.

“I pointed out directly, directly and directly that I would never feel that way again for anyone else,” Ferguson told ESPN. “As toxic as everyone is, f — ’em.

Tony Ferguson started 2020 with a winning streak of 12 fights and dreams of beating Khabib Nurmagomedov for the lightweight title. But things didn’t go according to plan and Ferguson may need a win on Saturday to stay in the competition. Stephen R. Sylvanie / USA TODAY Sports

“You save the world, you think you get a medal? No. You don’t get s —. You hear, ‘You didn’t do it well enough. You didn’t do it great. You got hit. You never get the same ‘What I am saying is: “You’re welcome, everyone. You’re welcome “Because it took this guy to get things going again.”

Well, maybe a “me versus the world” mentality is exactly what Ferguson needs. Because he’s right, the MMA world doesn’t believe he fought well in his past performance, and many have questions if he’ll ever be the same.

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Nurmagomedov said Ferguson was done. “If you suffer such damage, you will never be the same,” he said. “Never. Even if you are Tony Ferguson.” UFC commentator Jon Anik asked during the fight, “How many shots can a human take?” ESPN analyst and retired UFC veteran Chael Sonnen didn’t go as far as to demand Ferguson’s resignation after the fight, but he did admit that it should be on the table as the next step.

Ferguson has just lost its first loss in eight years but will turn 37 in February. The amount of damage he sustained seven months ago, as well as major knee surgery in 2018, is cause for concern. Although he won 12 fights in a row between 2013 and 2020, he has never fought for an undisputed championship, despite having planned to do so several times.

Ferguson says he no longer cares about the elusive title shot. He’s basically saying the rug has been pulled from under him too many times when it comes to championship opportunities, so he’s done chasing them.

How will Ferguson recover from his May 9 beating against Justin Gaethje? Cooper Neill for ESPN

Whether or not that’s true, the reality is that Saturday is likely a must-see for Ferguson if he’s ever looking to battle for the undisputed title. He’s right as the UFC is not handing out medals for headlining the first pay-per-view event of a pandemic. No medal – and no title shot either.

The clock is ticking for this, and in a crowded division where champion Nurmagomedov says he’s retired but still has the belt in hand – times are uncertain and title shots will be paramount. For the first time in years there are serious doubts as to whether Ferguson can prove himself to be the best lightweight in the UFC.

If Ferguson’s fight at UFC 249 was supposed to save the sports world, then his fight at UFC 256 should save his career.

With a 6-6 week 14 record against the Rams in Los Angeles on Thursday night, the Patriots live in the NFL playoff picture. However, New England still has a chance of making the NFL playoffs for the 18th consecutive year.

The Patriots are currently number 10 in the conference with their 500 record. Before considering catching either the No. 6 Dolphins (8-4) or the No. 7 Colts (8-4) for either of the final two AFC wildcard spots, they must also both No. 8 Raiders (7 ) jump -5) and No. 9 Ravens (7-5).

The bad news is that two games in just four weeks have a lot of catching up to do. The good news is that the Patriots already have the right wins that can help them extend their postseason with Bill Belichick and without Tom Brady.

Here’s a look at New England’s schedule and résumé, and what help it takes to get into the playoffs:

MORE: Complete Betting Guide for Patriots vs. Rams

Can the Patriots make the playoffs?

The NFC West-leading Rams (8-4) on the road are a tough start. Then it’s all division game rematches, with the Dolphins (8-4) in week 15, against the Bills (9-3) in week 16 and against the Jets in week 17.

While it is unreasonable for the Patriots to lead the table 4-0 and finish 10-6, there is a fair shot at 3-1 and 9-7. Going 2-2 or worse is just not enough to hit .500 at 8: 8 at best as that would take a lot of help to jump three teams.

In front of the Patriots, which team is in the most trouble?

The Raiders will host the Colts in Week 14 and the Dolphins in Week 16 as their toughest games. The Colts are due to join the Steelers in week 16 two weeks after their trip to Las Vegas.

While this seems pretty daunting, there is no doubt that the dolphins are having the worst. You need to line up the Chiefs in week 14, go to Las Vegas in week 16, and close on the bills in week 17. The missing game in between is the home game against the Patriots.

On the flip side, the Ravens have it easiest by far, having climbed back above .500 in week 13. They play for the Browns in week 14 but that is made up for by jaguars, giants and bengals in the final three weeks.

With all of this in mind, the Raiders, Colts, and Dolphins can harm each other while having a tough time in their other games as well.

The Patriots should aim for the Raiders to lose both the Colts and Dolphins games to end 2-2 and 9-7 or worse. In that case, the Colts would likely finish 3-1 and get in at 11-5. The Dolphins are also a good bet with the Raiders victory to lose the Chiefs and Bills games. The Ravens then have to finish 2-2 against a favorable schedule.

It may not sound good to the Patriots when the Colts climb to big double-digit wins, but it makes more sense to beat the Raiders, Dolphins and Ravens 9-7 for 7th place.

How the Patriots can make the playoffs

Three quarters of the answers are simple. The Patriots beat the dolphins at home in week 1, the raiders at home in week 3, and the ravens at home in week 10. They keep all the tiebreakers there and can keep them going by sweeping the dolphins in week 15.

So if the Raiders, Dolphins, Ravens, and Patriots all land 9-7, the Patriots would be the last team behind the Browns and Colts.

Now let’s face the Patriots against the Colts. The Rams game does not affect the Patriots’ conference recording. If the Patriots go 3-1 and that is their only loss, they have an 8-4 mark in the AFC game. The Colts would have to go 1-3 to finish 9-7. That would set their conference record to 5-7, so the Patriots would win that tiebreaker too.

Unlike the Packers in Week 16, the Titans have a very favorable schedule. Whichever way you look at the Colts at AFC South, both the division winner and the wild card should have double-digit wins, which doesn’t do the Patriots any good.

If the titans, bay horses, and stallions are removed from the equation due to future odds of winning, there’s a good chance the Patriots will get the proper help beyond their direct second shot at the dolphins. At 9-7, the Patriots would have a real chance to step in if there weren’t more than six AFC playoff teams with 10 or more wins. If the Patriots can also somehow take care of the Rams and end the season with a six-game winning streak to get to 10-6, they would be near locks to get in.

It takes several events for the Patriots to break their path, starting with their own improved performance, but based on who they beat, who they play, and who their playoff competition is playing, it can all add up well for the calculated belichick.

Editor’s Note: Richard Lapchick is a human rights activist, racial equality pioneer, sports expert, scholar, and author. He is President of the Institute for Sports and Social Justice, Chairman of the DeVos Sports Business Management Program at the University of Central Florida, and Director of the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport.

The National Football League’s Race and Gender Reports 2020 report, released Wednesday by the University of Central Florida’s Institute of Diversity and Ethics in Sports (TIDES), shows that while the NFL’s racial diversity continues to improve in certain categories, it continues to improve lag racial and gender equality in some key decision-making positions, particularly at team level.

When TIDES released the 2019 report card in October 2019, no one was prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic, the race bill, and the presidential election that would dominate 2020. In March and April, the world was locked in the early stages of the world pandemic. In May and June, a social and political outbreak exacerbated the already monumental year, supported by a polarizing presidential campaign that lasted until November. Up until that point, the words “social change” and “slowly” were considered inseparable. However, in the period between the 2019 and 2020 NFL Race and Gender Reports, we saw highly competitive change that accelerated in a year.

With the aim of raising awareness and reducing systemic racism, this national mobilization was supported and often led by sport. The largest mass demonstrations in American history included strong protests from athletes, bold initiatives from professional leagues, and huge financial pledges from teams, leagues, and athletes. Highlights included how the entire Jacksonville Jaguars organization marched into the local sheriff’s office during protests against police brutality in June. Many people disapproved of it when Colin Kaepernick first got on his knees in 2016. Now many sports fans support the activism of athletes against racism. Although promising, the sustainability of these efforts is not yet certain. The promise of change cannot satisfy us. It has to be lived.

Sport was a big changer. If it lives up to its ideals, it improves its platform. However, it can also be diminished if it does not live up to these ideals. The race and gender reports are a measure of this. The leagues’ support for player activism is another measure. The NFL obviously has a huge platform due to its historic fan base popularity.

TIDES noted that the NFL a B + For racist recruitment practices, the value rose significantly to 85.5% and was thus 3.2 percentage points above the previous year’s value of 82.3%. However, it is his C, At 73.0%, this was a decrease of 3 percentage points compared to the previous year. This gave the NFL a combined grade of a B-, at 79.2% a slight decrease compared to 79.3% in the previous year. It should be noted that this has been negatively impacted by the change this year to include a note for the CEO / President and for Team Vice Presidents. Without this change, there would have been an even bigger surge in the recruitment of races in 2020. Part of the decrease to 73.0 for recruiting practices is due to the change described above. The same applies to the overall grade of 79.2.

2 relatives

Even so, the NFL has seen improvements in several breed categories since last year’s report, such as: B. an increase from 10.9% to 13.9% for C-suite executives, 12.8% to 13.7% for team vice presidents and 28.0% to 30.5% for league office management . However, the under-representation of women and people of color in key decision-making positions at the team level remains an ongoing problem. For senior administration, the NFL achieved 23.9% compared to 24.4% in the previous year. Professional administration achieved 32.3% compared to 35.9% in the previous year. (The decline in gender grades has been a trend in professional sports for several years.)

For the second straight year, the NFL had just four color head coaches and only two color general managers at the start of the season. This is in stark contrast to the percentage of color players on the NFL rosters, which is 69.4%, and the record high of eight color head coaches and six color general managers just two years ago.

On a positive note, the Cleveland Browns announced in January the hiring of Andrew Berry as general manager and executive vice president of football operations, matching him with Chris Grier of the Miami Dolphins as the only two general managers of color in the NFL. Similarly, the Houston Texans and Atlanta Falcons sacked their head coaches and replaced them with black interim coaches through Week 6 of the NFL season. Bill O’Brien was replaced by Romeo Crennel in Houston and Dan Quinn in Atlanta by Raheem Morris. It’s worth noting that the Morris-led Falcons are 4-3 after starting 5-0 under Quinn and the Texans, led by Crennel, are 4-4 after starting 4-4 ​​under O’Brien.

There is reason to be optimistic. Strong anti-racist protests led by players during Race Settlement, standard-setting hiring initiatives set up by the league office, and pioneering attitudes in cities like Washington, DC have paved a clear path for the NFL to improve.

Notable in 2020 were two groundbreaking hires by the Washington Football team. Jason Wright became the first black team president in NFL history. Washington also hired Jennifer King as the first black assistant coach in NFL history.

King’s hiring is testament to the NFL’s annual Women’s Careers in Football Forum, run by Samantha Rapoport. Despite its inception just four years ago, 118 women were hired through the program in 2017, including 15 who were hired by teams this season. Last year’s forum was held at the NFL Scouting Combine, just weeks before the pandemic forced a global shutdown. It’s important that the NFL find a way to refresh the forum for its fifth year in 2021, even if it’s virtual.

The league office headed by the commissioner was a bright spot in the report and comprised two large employees of colored people. The League hired Dasha Smith as chief people officer late last year, and she was recently promoted to chief administration officer. The league also named Jonathan Beane Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer.

While these new hires underscore the league office’s focus on improving diversity and inclusion, the challenge of getting involved at the team level has long been felt. A reassessment and revision of existing policies, including the Rooney Rule, were required.

The guidelines were revised in November 2020, when a proposal from NFL membership teams developing colored people for the positions of primary football manager, general manager or head coach presented a compensation draft for the selection of drafts in the third round . If one of these colored and / or female candidates moves to the position of primary football manager or head coach, a team will be compensated with a future draft for the third round.

According to the Rooney rule, the clubs must now interview at least two external color candidates for vacancies as head coach, at least one color candidate for one of the three vacancies as coordinator and at least one external color candidate for a senior football company or general manager position. In addition, the Rooney Rule applies for the first time to a number of managerial positions as clubs must include candidates for colored and / or female applicants in the interview processes for high-level front office positions such as club presidents and officers in communication, Finance, human resources, law, football, sales, marketing, sponsorship, information technology and security.

It’s also worth noting that the NFL updated its media policy in 2020, which has resulted in more visibility and better career advancement for paints assistant coaches. The new policy requires clubs to provide regular and appropriate access to assistant coaches – coordinators / co-head coaches and all senior position coaches – through their public relations departments for media interviews that serve the best interests of the club and the league.

These changes have taken the Rooney Rule a long way since it was passed in 2003 when teams had to interview at least one color candidate for head coaching positions. However, it is evident that these modifications are not a complete cure. As NFL top executive Troy Vincent said in a 2019 Forbes interview, “Diversity is a fact. Inclusion is a choice.”

Between the Rooney Rule and several development programs, there is no longer any question of whether adequate procedures exist to encourage upward mobility of color candidates. These programs include the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship Program founded in 1987, the Fritz Pollard Alliance Partnership founded in 2003, the Nunn-Wooten Scouting Fellowship founded in 2015, and the Quarterback Coaching Summit, first held in 2018.

With the talent pool of qualified and diverse candidates present, it may be time that everyone realized that having an adequate talent pool of qualified color candidates may never have been the problem.

Perhaps the root of the problem was never down and more likely up. Hopefully the changes made this year at the team level and to the top.

Both Troy Vincent and Jonathan Beane shared their belief that this comprehensive approach will result in lasting real change. Beane told me, “The focus on head coaches, managers and owners gets the most attention, but it is very important to know that these diversity and inclusion efforts apply to all areas of the league: our people, the executive team. In order to promote diversity, equity and inclusion across the NFL in a sustainable way, we have developed a strategic plan that focuses on data so that we can see where the opportunities are. and to make sure we have a welcoming environment, in which everyone can be their authentic selves. We want to operationalize this work throughout the organization so that we can continue to grow and prosper as the best professional sports organization in the world. “

We’ve seen change can be real and quick after player activism surfaced this year with the passionate video message from NFL players to the league and commissioner. I am convinced that Commissioner Roger Goodell heard that message and was changed by it. With player activism turning to the hiring process, I am confident that the agenda will be brought even further to the fore.

I am confident of the changes that will be made in the coming year.

AJ Forbes and Kyle Richardson made important contributions to this column.

Richard E. Lapchick is the Chair of the DeVos Sport Business Management Graduate Program at the University of Central Florida. Lapchick also directs the UCF Institute on Diversity and Ethics in Sport, author of 17 books and the annual Race and Gender Report, and President of the Institute on Sport and Social Justice. He was a regular commentator for ESPN.com on sports diversity issues. Follow him on Twitter @richardlapchick and on Facebook.

At week 14 we are officially in the last month of the 2020 NFL season. 75 percent of the results are available, “only” 64 of 256 games are still to be played. There are still plenty of ways to finish strong against the spread using our tips and predictions. But unfortunately, with more chances of getting games right, an equal percentage goes hand in hand with injustice.

After a better, fearless forecast for Week 13, we can build on the necessary positive momentum as we dig deeper into forecasting. As we say goodbye, here’s the first of four final full game boards:

MORE: Week 14 NFL Power Rankings | Picks straight up

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NFL pecks at the spread for week 14

Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET, Fox, NFL Network, Amazon Prime Video

The Patriots are at their best when they can win games with Cam Newton and their deep backcourt supported by complementary defense. The Rams can ditch this formula by winning up front and forcing Newton to pass. The Patriots are still the weakest in their run defenses and the Rams have gotten into a groove with their young committee to exonerate Jared Goff.

Selection: Rams win 20-13 and cover the spread.

Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC

The Steelers have their toughest test yet, trying to stay undefeated in the conference during the regular season. The bills are pumped for a rare Sunday night home game to show how good they are as a new, enduring AFC East power. But they also have a short week of slightly less offensive explosiveness than usual and a limited running game behind them. The Steelers can run successfully to facilitate Ben Roethlisberger’s intermediate pass. Josh Allen will make the biggest mistakes when under pressure late.

Selection: Steelers win 27-20 and cover the spread.

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Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox

The packers don’t get enough respect with this number. They roll offensively with Aaron Jones coming back to the party with Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams. The Lions have no answer for either of them, as Green Bay is free to pass and run at will without making a mistake. Detroit is not doing well enough to stay in the game and eventually Matthew Stafford succumbs to bags and freebies.

Selection: Packers win 34-21 and cover the spread.

Sunday 1 p.m. ET, CBS

The Bears got their running game going with David Montgomery and wanted to win until Mitchell Trubisky fumbled the Lions game late. Deshaun Watson is still the much better round one quarterback from the 2017 draft, but Trubisky is the one who can count on the quick attack against a poor Houston defense and knows his passing defense will be ready to take off from one tough home game against him to recover the lions.

Selection: Bears win 24-20.

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Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox

The Vikings will see their race-heavy approach hampered by the rested and powerful running defenses of the Bucs. Dalvin Cook will be included in that capacity, giving Kirk Cousins ​​and his elite recipients plenty of warmth to keep up with Tom Brady and his bevy of guns working on weak secondary and Viking zone defense. Minnesota’s recent sluggish start haunted Tampa Bay, which will be more organized after a goodbye.

Selection: Buccaneers win 30-20 and cover the spread.

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox

The Cardinals enter another tough defensive matchup in which a team gets going with the pass rush from the inside out and supports it with good coverage. Kyler Murray will see some quick wins, but passing play will continue to be limited on the road. The Giants will be able to traditionally run the ball better with the ardent Wayne Gallman and her interim recipients.

Selection: Giants win 23-20 and cover the spread.

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Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

The Chiefs know they missed some great opportunities to make the game against the Broncos tougher than it had to be. Patrick Mahomes will make amends on the field where he won the Super Bowl MVP in February. Tua Tagovailoa can continue to play well and defending the Dolphins will present some challenges, but the Dolphns got away with it on a favorable schedule and are being let down against the reoriented champions.

Selection: Chiefs win 27-14 and cover the spread.

• Titans (-7.5, 53 o / u) in jaguars

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

The Titans’ defenses have many holes, and when their offense helps by running around big chunks and playing big games to build a big head start, it is designed to be exposed by a balanced, explosive attack. Derrick Henry will be rushing back to high levels and setting up Ryan Tannehill for another great afternoon on the road. Mike Glennon, with the good help of James Robinson, started the Jaguars offensive and they’ll be hanging around again to shut it down.

Selection: Titans win 31-24 but cannot cover the spread.

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• Cowboys (-3.5, 43.5 o / u) in Bengals

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox

Andy Dalton gets a game of revenge against his former team, except that he cannot duel with his successor Joe Burrow. This is a big break in the Cowboys defense, as is a weak Bengals offensive line and no running game without Joe Mixon. With Ezekiel Elliott and Dalton’s receivers, the cowboys can get their running game rolling again. This is not prime time in Cincinnati, which means Dalton is playing well and winning a game.

Selection: Cowboys win 24-20 and cover the spread.

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

The Broncos must pick up the pieces from a tough loss to the Chiefs while the Panthers are at home after a farewell. You should have Christian McCaffrey back to take advantage of a poor Denver defense. The Broncos won’t run quite as effectively with Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay, and Drew Lock will be uncomfortable on another rough road outing than Teddy Bridgewater.

Selection: Panthers win 23-20 but cannot cover the spread.

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Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS

The Seahawks had a bad game at home against the other New York team. But the glowing giants are a different story from the ice-cold jets. Russell Wilson desperately wants to light up an opponent with Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf so that Chris Carson can play closer. Pete Carroll’s improving defense doesn’t care that Sam Darnold went to USC and continues to clap for the Jets Lame Duck QB.

Selection: Seahawks win 33-15 and cover the spread.

Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS

The Colts are always in good shape offensively when they can count on them to get great mileage in the game. The Raiders have become a sieve and will take on the eclectic Indianapolis committee. It’s gotten easier to trust Philip Rivers and it’s harder to trust Derek Carr, who is facing the tougher all-around defense in this home game too.

Pick: Colts win 27-21 and cover the spread.

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• Washington Football Team at 49ers (-4.5, 43.5 o / u)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox

Alex Smith and WFT will have good momentum when they go to Arizona to face his first NFL team. The 49ers are recovering from Monday night’s game and will have at least some experience in their new digs. Make sure both teams do offensively and San Francisco has more success in the game to help Nick Mullens.

Selection: 49ers win 23-20 but cannot cover the spread.

• Saints (-7, 45 o / u) at Eagles

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox

The Saints always look good offensively with Taysom Hill. The Eagles are looking for a similar double-threat spark from Jalen Hurts in a must-win game after the Seahawks and Packers lost hard. Philadelphia’s defense can create a couple of issues for the New Orleans offensive as it can contain the barrel. The Eagles can help hurts with a strong short to interlude and planned runs, but it won’t be enough.

Selection: The Saints win 26-20 but cannot cover the spread.

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• Falken (-2.5, 50 o / u) for chargers

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox

The Hawks will try to keep playing the ball to take the pressure off Matt Ryan, this time with productive results against a shaky charger front. You can also keep Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley together all over the field. Justin Herbert hits a kind of rookie wall with his aggressive downfield pass, while it takes more patience to pass under the pass to beat Atlanta, which usually handles the run well.

Selection: Hawks win 31-27 and cover the spread.

• Ravens (-1, 45.5) at Browns

Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN

The Ravens will face a tough Browns Run defense in another short week on the streets that Lamar Jackson can better include. The browns can be roasted on the back end, but Jackson doesn’t get help consistently. The Ravens’ run defense hasn’t been as good lately and their pass rush has been limited, which allows Baker Mayfield to stay hot and comfortable enough at home.

Selection: Browns win 20-17.

Statistics of the week

Week 13 direct: 8-6

Week 13 versus the spread: 6-8

Season straight up: 122-69

Season versus spread: 102-84

Officially, the Dallas Cowboys season is not over yet. Not even with a 3: 9 record after the 34:17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday.

But in reality it’s over. And maybe it’s been over for weeks now. Perhaps it ended when the Cowboys lost quarterback Dak Prescott for the season in October.

The Cowboys continued to cling to the idea that with the lackluster game of NFC East anything is possible, that everything is still ahead of them, and that they just have to put it all together.

You can keep saying if you want – you are only two games away from first place – but it will sound hollow. This is a bad team that does bad things and will look at a top 5 picks in next spring’s NFL draft.

All you need this week:
• Full schedule »| Ranking list »
• Depth maps for each team »
• Transactions »| Injuries »
• Ranking of the Football Power Index »
More NFL coverage »

The Cowboys have lost six of their last seven games and are guaranteed to have their first defeat since 2015. Mike McCarthy’s teams are 14-25-1 in his last 40 games.

After a 12-day hiatus due to the Ravens COVID-19 outbreak, the cowboys defenses looked like a unit that hadn’t practiced at all. How else can you explain that you gave up three rushes of at least 30 meters in the first half? The Cowboys allowed more than 200 yards on the ground for the fourth time this season, most in the NFL. That season, another 24 200-yard rushing games were allowed.

It wasn’t as bad as letting a franchise record 307 yards to the Cleveland Browns in Week 4, but it was close. Baltimore finished 294 yards on the ground, led by Gus Edwards’ 101 yards. It took seven stretcher. Lamar Jackson had 94 yards on 13 stretches. JK Dobbins had 71 yards for 11 stretches.

Unfortunately, it’s not as bad as it was in 2000 when the Cowboys had five games in which they allowed at least 200 yards of rush. But they still have four games to go.

The cowboys’ offense was functional, but still not explosive. The fighting in the red zone continued (2 of 4). Andy Dalton was only fired once, but he had no more than 19 yards to the last minute of the game. He was also intercepted in the second quarter, which turned the Ravens into a one-play touchdown ride. If this sounds familiar, it’s because the Cowboys had lower sales with 120 to 28 points. Their minus 92 point margin is the largest in the league.

Some wonder if the cowboys should fuel the rest of their games. How would anyone know if they did?

Andy Dalton couldn’t help the cowboys turn the ship against the ravens. Rob Carr / Getty Images

Biggest hole in the game plan: This may not be the biggest hole in a game that was such a disaster, but why didn’t Ezekiel Elliott get the ball anymore? He had more yards in the first quarter than he had in the entire Thanksgiving loss to Washington. In the third quarter he opened the series with runs of 14 and 3 meters and was drawn in favor of Tony Pollard. While Pollard did a good job for Elliott at times, Tuesday wasn’t one of those evenings. Elliott was crucial in his runs and was able to break a few tackles.

Worrying trend: Greg Zuerlein started on Tuesday after scoring eight straight goals and hitting a 31-yarder in the first quarter. He missed a 40-yarder in the second quarter (after a game penalty delay), a 53-yarder in the third quarter, and a 52-yarder in the fourth quarter. He came into the game with three mistakes that season. Zuerlein, once known as “Greg the Leg”, is 1: 6 this season when trying to score goals of 50 meters or more. His five mistakes over 50 are tied for most in the NFL. When a team doesn’t have a margin of error, the kicker just can’t miss.

Plenty of fantasy football owners missed out on their playoffs last week because of surprise duds from Russell Wilson, Justin Herbert, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and Terry McLaurin, among others. Meanwhile, unexpected breakouts from borderline starters like Matthew Stafford, Cam Akers, and Cole Beasley could have vaulted lots of teams into the postseason. There are sure to be more out-of-nowhere sleepers and busts this week, and we’re here to help you spot them ahead of time with our Week 14 fantasy start ‘em, sit ‘em lineup advice. 

And if you didn’t make your fantasy playoffs, don’t worry — we didn’t forget about you. We also have DFS tips so you can recoup some of your fantasy losses ahead of the holiday season. 

Fortunately, the byes are officially over, and there haven’t been any games rescheduled because of COVID (yet). There are still some other factors to take into account — injuries, weather, short rest for more teams, the 49ers playing “home” games in Arizona — but based on what we know right now, here’s who looks startable in fantasy leagues this week. 

Fantasy Football Week 14 Who To Start: Quarterbacks

Regular starts

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs (at MIA), Russell Wilson, Seahawks (vs. NYJ), Aaron Rodgers, Packers (at DET), Justin Herbert, Chargers (vs. ATL)

Stronger starts

Josh Allen, Bills (vs. PIT). Normally we wouldn’t feel the need to recommend starting Allen, but some owners might be worried because of his matchup with Pittsburgh. Don’t be. Allen is rolling too much to sit.

Lamar Jackson, Ravens (at CLE). He should begin a big fantasy playoff push against a limited pass defense after his literal get-well game against the Cowboys.

Tom Brady, Buccaneers (vs. MIN). He’ll come back dealing after the bye against a secondary with massive holes against his weapons.

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers (at BUF). He and Josh Allen will be locked into a nice shootout with high passing volume.

Taysom Hill, Saints (at PHI). Here’s to another running QB turned awesome dual threat. The boom will conitnue in Philadelphia as long as Drew Brees (ribs) remains out.

Matthew Stafford, Lions (vs. GB). Stafford will be stuck chucking a ton here, and the Packers can give up big digits in those scenarios.

Philip Rivers, Colts (at LV). They will have plenty of success running the ball, setting up comfortable deep shots for him.

DFS bargains

Ryan Tannehill, Titans (at JAX, $6,700 on DraftKings, $7,900 on FanDuel). Tannehill is red hot again, and the Titans should be able to do anything they want offensively with him and Derrick Henry in Jacksonville. He’s not dirt cheap, but he will deliver a solid return on investment.

Jalen Hurts, Eagles (vs. NO, $5,100 on DraftKings, $6,600 on FanDuel). The rookie is making his first start over Carson Wentz, and let’s remember that Wentz put up back-end QB1 numbers in fantasy despite his real-life struggles. Hurts’ running is intriguing, and he has a strong arm that can get the ball to his wideouts downfield.

Deep streamers

Mitchell Trubisky, Bears (vs. HOU), Daniel Jones, Giants (if he returns, vs. ARI).

WEEK 14 PPR RANKINGS: 
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

Fantasy Football Week 14 Who To Sit: Quarterbacks

Weaker starts

Kyler Murray, Cardinals (at NYG). He pieced together decent production in a tough spot at home against the Rams, but this is arguably equally tough on the road in the elements.

Deshaun Watson, Texans (at CHI). His overall numbers against the Colts disapopinted thanks to his late lost fumble, and this feels like another potential dud against an angry Bears’ defense.

Matt Ryan, Falcons (at LAC). You so want to play him with Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, but the numbers and the matchup don’t make you feel very good about it.

Kirk Cousins, Vikings (at TB). He is facing a one-dimensional situation against a good pass-rushing team, and that doesn’t bode well for him to stay hot.

Derek Carr, Raiders (vs. IND). You never know what the heck you’ll get from him, and this seems like a rebound game for the Colts’ defense.

Cam Newton, Patriots (at LAR). Not against this nasty defense.

Jared Goff, Rams (vs. NE). The Super Bowl 53 rematch feels like a QB-unfriendly game.

Deep traps

Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins (vs. KC), Teddy Bridgewater, Panthers (vs. DEN)

WEEK 14 STANDARD RANKINGS: 
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

Fantasy Football Week 14 Who To Start: Running backs

Regular starts

Christian McCaffrey, Panthers (if he returns, vs. DEN), Alvin Kamara, Saints (at PHI), Dalvin Cook, Vikings (at TB), Aaron Jones, Packers (at DET), Derrick Henry, Titans (at JAX), Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys (at CIN), James Robinson, JAX (vs. TEN), Josh Jacobs, Raiders (if he returns, vs. IND), Nick Chubb,, Browns (vs. BAL), Austin Ekeler, Chargers (vs. ATL), Raheem Mostert, 49ers (vs. WAS), Chris Carson, Seahawks (vs. NYJ), JK Dobbins, Ravens (at CLE), Jonathan Taylor, Colts (at LV), Kenyan Drake, Cardinals (at NYG)

Stronger starts

Myles Gaskin, Dolphins (vs. KC). He went back to big volume right away against the Bengals and should be busy in multiple capacities again.

Wayne Gallman, Giants (vs. ARI). Don’t worry too much about Alfred Morris when Gallman is still getting featured. He will return to the end zone this week.

Melvin Gordon, Broncos (at CAR). He had a vintage game against the Chiefs, and Denver should continue pounding away on the road.

D’Andre Swift, Lions (vs. GB). He is the type of back who gives the Packers problems, so expect a solid game if he can return from a three-week absence. Adrian Peterson also has some value behind him.

Cam Akers, Rams (vs. NE). The Patriots aren’t as good against the run as you think, and the Rams are blocking at a high level to make sure the rookie stays productive.

Ito Smith, Falcons (at LAC). Here’s a thought that Smith will get more run in a strong matchup over worn-down Todd Gurley.

Giovani Bernard, Bengals (vs. DAL). Cincinnati has done nothing in the running game of late, but Bernard should get decent volume in this highly favorable matchup.

DFS bargains

Ronald Jones, Buccaneers (vs. MIN, $6,100 on DraftKings, $6,200 on FanDuel). RoJo will be rising after the bye as the Bucs roll the Vikings and he plays more over Leonard Fournette.

David Montgomery, Bears (vs. HOU, $6,500 on DraftKings, $6,600 on FanDuel). Monty up one more time in another smash spot against another weak run defense at home.

WEEK 14 DFS TOURNAMENT LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel

Fantasy Football Week 14 Who To Sit: Running backs

Weaker starts

James Conner or Benny Snell Jr., Steelers (at BUF). The Steelers are struggling to run and will once again opt for a lot of short passes against the Bills.

Kareem Hunt, Browns (vs. BAL). The Ravens don’t give up a lot of receptions to RBs, plus Nick Chubb is rolling. Hunt is very TD-dependent in this one.

Damien Harris, Patriots (at LAR). The Rams can stuff him, plus he’ll give up some more touches to Sony Michel and James White again.

Miles Sanders, Eagles (vs. NO). It’s hard to think his usage will suddenly increase, and the matchup is awful.

Devin Singletary, Bills (vs. PIT). The Bills will join the Steelers in going pass-happy downfield to wideouts and tight ends.

David Johnson, Texans (at CHI). The Bears don’t allow much in the passing game to backs, and Johnson hasn’t been particularly effective on the ground.

Ty Johnson, Jets (at SEA). He could have some flex value based on volume, but the matchup is rough despite the Seahawks springing leaks of late.

WEEK 14 DFS CASH LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel

Fantasy Football Week 14 Who To Start: Wide receivers

Regular starts

Davante Adams, Packers (at DET), DeAndre Hopkins, Cardinals (at NYG), Tyreek Hill, Chiefs (at MIA), Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, Falcons (at LAC), Michael Thomas, Saints (at PHI), Stefon Diggs, Bills (vs. PIT), DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, Seahawks (vs. NYJ). A.J. Brown, Titans (at JAX), Allen Robinson, Bears (vs. HOU), Keenan Allen, Chargers (vs. ATL), Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson, Vikings (at TB), Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, Buccaneers (vs. MIN), Terry McLaurin, Washington (at SF), Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, Rams (vs. NE), Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson and JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers (at BUF), Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb Cowboys (at CIN), DeVante Parker, Dolphins (vs. KC), Deebo Samuel, 49ers (vs. WAS), Brandin Cooks, Texans (at CHI), D.J. Moore, Panthers (if he plays, vs. DEN)

Stronger starts

Marvin Jones Jr., Lions (vs. GB). Jones came through in a tough spot in Chicago and will get good volume to burn another familiar division foe.

Robby Anderson, Panthers (vs. DEN). The Panthers may be down to him at wide receiver, and that means huge targets from Teddy Bridgewater.

Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers (vs. WAS). Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel remain a dynamic duo.

Jarvis Landry, Browns (vs. BAL). He’s red hot and fully healthy, so keep rolling with him.

Cole Beasley, Bills (vs. PIT). He’s killing it in the slot and busier without John Brown (ankle).

T.Y. Hilton and Michael Pittman, Colts (at LV). They both have great matchups outside again.

Jamison Crowder and Breshad Perriman, Jets (at SEA). They can be productive in garbage time.

Mike Williams, Chargers (vs. ATL). He makes a big-play TD this week.

Tim Patrick, Broncos (at CAR). He builds on his connection with Drew Lock.

DFS Bargains

Corey Davis, Titans (at JAX, $5,700 on DraftKings, $6,800 on FanDuel). Davis keeps doing damage everywhere for Ryan Tannehill, and he continues to be underpriced.

Antonio Brown, Buccaneers (vs. MIN, $5,500 on DraftKings, $6,500 on FanDuel). Brown and the rest of the Bucs’ wideouts can go off on the Vikings’ overmatched defensive backs.

Collin Johnson, Jaguars (vs. LV, $3,600 on DraftKings, $5,100 on FanDuel). He’s sneakily been the best target for Mike Glennon for two weeks and should use his size and speed to make plays in garbage time.

MORE WEEK 14: Full waiver list | FAAB budget planner

Fantasy Football Week 14 Who To Sit: Wide receivers

Weaker starts

DJ Chark, Jaguars (vs. TEN). Chark and Mike Glennon aren’t feeling it, so no.

Keke Coutee, Texans (at CHI). He steps into a much tougher spot outside this week.

Marquise Brown, Ravens (at CLE). He is too big-play dependent to trust.

Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, Bengals (vs. DAL). Even in a good spot you can’t trust them because of QB play.

Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard, Giants (vs. ARI). They have faded together in the offense while the defense and run game are dominating.

Jerry Jeudy, Broncos (at CAR). No punch here at all behind Patrick.

Christian Kirk, Cardinals (at NYG). He’s disappeared again after that hot stretch.

Nelson Agholor, Raiders (vs. IND). No to him and Henry Ruggs III downfield.

Sammy Watkins, Chiefs (at MIA). He doesn’t get enough targets for consideration anymore.

MORE WEEK 14 DFS: Best stacks | Best values | Lineup Builder

Fantasy Football Week 14 Who To Start: Tight ends

Regular starts

Travis Kelce, Chiefs (at MIA), Darren Waller, Raiders (vs. IND), T.J. Hockenson, Lions (v. GB), Mark Andrews, Ravens (if he returns, at CLE), Robert Tonyan, Packers (at DET), Rob Gronkowski, Buccaneers (vs. MIN)

Stronger starts

Hunter Henry, Chargers (vs. ATL). He should rebound big-time in a plus matchup that’s way better than last week’s.

Eric Ebron, Steelers (at BUF). This is a smash spot on the road.

Mike Gesicki, Dolphins (vs. KC). He’s back doing things, and the Chiefs can struggle with his athleticism.

Noah Fant, Broncos (at CAR). The Panthers are better against wideouts inside.

Hayden Hurst, Falcons (at LAC). The Chargers give up a lot to the position.

Jordan Reed, 49ers (vs. WAS). Revenge-game narrative will actually play out here.

DFS Bargain

Anthony Firkser, Titans (at JAX, $5,100 on DraftKings, $3,600 on FanDuel). He’s a no-brainer if the team should be without Jonnu Smith (knee) again.

Fantasy Football Week 14 Who To Sit: Tight ends

Weaker starts

Dallas Goedert, Eagles (vs. NO). The matchup is tough, and a QB change may limit his looks.

Evan Engram, Giants (vs. ARI). The Cardinals are more vulnerable elsewhere.

Logan Thomas, Washington (at SF). The 49ers are still stingy vs. the position.

Dalton Schultz, Cowboys (at CIN). This is more of a wide receiver game.

Tyler Higbee, Rams (vs. NE). Don’t go chase that TD from Week 13.

Kyle Rudolph, Vikings (at TB). He’s hard to trust after a zero and is now facing a tough matchup.

Jared Cook, Saints (at PHI). Don’t go chase that random TD he scored against the Falcons.

Fantasy Football Week 14 Who To Start: Defenses

Stronger starts

Seahawks (vs. NYJ), Rams (vs. NE), Saints (at PHI), Panthers (vs. DEN), Patriots (at LAR), Giants (vs. ARI), Titans (at JAX), Packers (at DET), Bears (vs. HOU), Chiefs (at MIA)

DFS Bargain

Buccaneers (vs. MIN, $2,900 on DraftKings, $4,100 on FanDuel). The Vikings will not be able to run well even with Dalvin Cook, and that opens up the possibility of a Tampa Bay teeoff in the second half.

Fantasy Football Week 14 Who To Sit: Defenses

Weaker starts

Steelers (at BUF), Ravens (at CLE), 49ers (vs. WAS), Colts (at LV), Cardinals (at NYG), Cowboys (at CIN), Bills (vs. PIT), Washington (at SF), Broncos (at CAR)

ENGLEWOOD, Colorado – Denver Broncos cornerback AJ Bouye faces a multiplayer ban for violating the NFL’s guidelines on performance-enhancing substances. This was confirmed to ESPN.

According to sources, Bouye is in a similar situation to Texas recipient Will Fuller V and teammate Bradley Roby. Each game was banned from the league for six games late last month. Both said it was the result of ingesting a product that they were sure was safe but contained at least one banned substance.

In a statement last week, Fuller said in part, “Earlier this year, I sought treatment from a doctor who was prescribing drugs that he believed were allowed under the NFL drug policy. As it turned out, my confidence was in that professional Relocated because this drug was NOT a permitted substance under the NFL Performance Enhancing Substances Policy. ”

Roby posted on Twitter: “[A] A few months ago, I unknowingly used a product that was contaminated with a prohibited substance by the NFL. I realize that it is my job to know everything and to be responsible for what I put in my body. ”

Fuller and Roby’s bans will cover their last five games this year and the season opener in 2021.

If Bouye is also suspended for six games, and that suspension is officially announced by the league this week, it would mean he would miss the Broncos’ last four games this season and the first two in 2021. Bouye, 29, and Fuller were teammates with the Texans in 2016.

Bouye, who was acquired from a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars last off-season, missed four games with a shoulder injury and lost Denver in Atlanta when he was on concussion log.

He has had intermittent problems returning from each of these injuries and has contested 21 tackles this season.

With cornerback Bryce Callahan (foot) in the injured reserve, Bouye’s suspension would mean that the already injured Broncos defense would do without the first two cornerbacks in the coming weeks.

The news of Bouye’s suspension was first reported on KOA NewsRadio in Colorado.