This piece is adapted from the CBS Sports HQ AM Newsletter, your essential daily sports briefing. To receive this directly in your email every weekday morning, register here.
🏈 Five key updates for Wednesday
- NFL action returns today! Occurring only for the second time in over a century, the football year begins on a Wednesday with New England traveling to Seattle for a rematch of their famous Super Bowl clash. Several dynamics have shifted since that winter matchup, potentially offering a more closely contested battle this time around. Nevertheless, John Breech of our team remains confident in the titleholders. Furthermore, there are numerous league updates to review before kickoff, including fresh special teams regulations and a larger global lineup. While fans can expect the return of Patrick Mahomes this week, they will need to wait a bit longer to witness Aaron Donald back on the field for Los Angeles.
- Remember to finalize your fantasy rosters. If you are starting any players from Seattle or New England, ensure they are in your starting lineup before tonight’s unusual mid-week game begins. Missed out on your top target at QB during the draft? You still have options, as several under-the-radar passers could be sitting on the waiver wire. For your backfield, it is highly recommended to grab these backup running backs for insurance purposes (as they could end up playing a much larger role than anticipated). Lastly, ensure Chris Olave is active in your receiver slots, as he is primed for a massive performance against Detroit.
- Following the release of the Week 2 college football polls, Michigan has dropped out. Even after a win against Western Michigan, the Wolverines fell completely out of the AP poll after a highly scrutinized performance. This represents an unprecedented decline. After starting the season ranked 16th, Michigan is the highest-rated team to lose its ranking after winning a game since the late eighties. Kyle Whittingham’s roster remains in the Coaches Poll for now, though they fell significantly there as well. Oregon also dropped slightly following a tight win, yet analyst Tom Fornelli retains the Ducks in his second spot and continues to project their inclusion in the postseason bracket. Meanwhile, the upcoming clash between top-ranked Ohio State and fourth-ranked Texas could challenge all-time broadcast ratings records for a regular-season game.
- While the LSU-NFL controversy appears to be settling, collegiate sports off-field drama persists. The Tigers conceded to the SEC by completing their roster requirements, thereby excluding former professional athletes Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris. LSU determined that the benefits of keeping the pro veterans were far outweighed by the risks, especially since the conference was actively preparing to suspend the program. Meanwhile, in another twist, the MAC requested that the NCAA and CFP declare Western Michigan the official winner over Michigan, a plea that the governing body promptly declined. Additionally, the postseason organization moved closer to broadening the tournament by initiating a month-long exclusive discussion period with ESPN.
- The action continues on Champions League Matchday 1. The opening round of league fixtures has concluded. Manchester City comfortably defeated Porto 2-0, marking a successful European debut under Enzo Maresca, while Real Madrid’s hard-fought 2-1 victory over Inter indicated that Jose Mourinho still has substantial adjustments to make to build a championship team. Today’s schedule showcases several elite English clubs, and we have compiled outlooks for Arsenal and Liverpool as they begin their European journeys. Arsenal returns Riccardo Calafiori to Italian soil to face Napoli, while a red-hot Barcelona aims to continue their winning streak against Feyenoord.
🔮 Essential Reading: Late-breaking NFL projections
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With only hours remaining before the season officially begins, we are locking in our final predictions for division leaders, struggling franchises, standout first-year players, and individual awards.
We begin with our forecasts for which clubs will top their divisions and advance to the playoffs. The analysts view the NFC North as the most unpredictable group, with support spread across all four franchises. Three experts have chosen the Lions, three expect the Bears to win, two have selected the Packers, and a single contrarian, Josh Edwards, is backing the long-shot Vikings.
- Edwards: “Brian Flores will have his defensive unit playing with intense, high-pressure energy. If Kyler Murray is able to stabilize the offense in Minnesota, they are well-positioned to take advantage of rivals who are already facing key injuries.”
Alongside the division champions, someone must occupy the cellar. The team with the poorest overall record will claim the ultimate draft prize. Among the franchises expected to struggle, these five are most likely to land the first overall selection in the 2027 draft.
On the rookie front, which newcomers from the recent draft class will stand out? While first-round selections get the headlines, keep an eye on some late-round finds who could earn places on the All-Rookie roster. These non-first-round draft picks are favored by our staff:
- Browns WR Denzel Boston
- Chargers C Jake Slaughter
- Texans DT Kayden McDonald
- Saints DT Christen Miller
- Packers CB Brandon Cisse
- Raiders S Treydan Stukes
Naturally, we must also look at individual accolades. The MVP award remains the most coveted, and our panel of 15 writers offers a wide range of candidates. While Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson received the bulk of the support, six other contenders garnered votes. Additionally, the computer models at SportsLine predict the complete 14-team postseason field and pick the ultimate champion of Super Bowl LXI.
📈 Senior Circuit dominates in latest MLB Power Rankings
Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports
The shifts in the newest MLB Power Rankings highlight the current gap in quality between the National League and the American League. This abundance of top-tier talent in the NL guarantees an exciting path to October. Because postseason berths are limited, several formidable rosters will find themselves in lower-seeded positions than expected.
Take a look at these notable NL storylines from this week’s rankings:
- The NL boasts seven of the top ten clubs in baseball, with three representing the West division.
- Cincinnati registered the most impressive gain, climbing four spots (↑4).
- Despite ranking ninth overall, Arizona barely holds onto the final NL wild-card spot.
These National League franchises all improved their standing this week:
2. Dodgers (↑2)
9. Diamondbacks (↑1)
10. Padres (↑1)
15. Cardinals (↑2)
17. Pirates (↑2)
20. Reds (↑4)
23. Mets (↑3)
👍👎 Hit or Miss: The rest of the sports world
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- An unexpected twist! Baker Mayfield has secured a new deal. He and Tampa Bay re-entered negotiations to finalize a lucrative three-year contract extension.
- We’ve analyzed the top ten impending free agents who will dominate baseball’s hot stove season, along with their best fits.
- Frances Tiafoe engineered an unprecedented grand slam turnaround against compatriot Alex Michelsen to secure a spot in the US Open final four. Up next, he will duel with fellow American Ben Shelton, who defeated second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz in an epic five-set battle finishing in the early morning.
- Ex-Cincinnati guard Jizzle James has departed the Charlotte basketball team, with his father, former NFL running back Edgerrin James, sharing that his son is currently seeking help for addiction.
- Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney vented his anger at a reporter after his team suffered a heavy defeat against LSU.
- On the very evening of Aaron Judge’s return, the New York Yankees extended an incredible franchise streak for a 34th straight year.
- Los Angeles has revealed that an iconic former head coach will be honored with a statue at the Crypto.com Arena plaza.
- The breakaway LIV Golf tour has initiated bankruptcy proceedings and reportedly owes substantial payouts to high-profile golfers.
- While Shohei Ohtani has re-entered the Los Angeles batting order, indications suggest his return to the mound won’t happen until after 2026. Conversely, Red Sox star pitcher Garrett Crochet may work his way back this year, though potentially out of the bullpen.
- Former AAC head coaches Eric Morris, Ryan Silverfield, and Alex Golesh encountered tough results during their transition to Power Four matchups.
- Prepare for this weekend’s Noche UFC event with five essential details about the upcoming matches.
- Discover the shortlist of nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or award.
- Pittsburgh rookie Max Iheanachor was the victim of a home burglary resulting in nearly $200,000 in missing valuables.
- Both AC Milan and Juventus saw their positions slide in the newest Serie A club rankings.
- An additional four competitors secured promotional contracts on the fifth week of Dana White’s Contender Series.
📺 Midweek TV Guide: Wednesday’s Lineup
🎾 US Open: Quarterfinal Matches, 11:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. ET via ESPN
⚽ UEFA Champions League: Feyenoord vs. Barcelona, 12:45 p.m. ET via Paramount+
⚾ Minnesota Twins at Detroit Tigers, 1:10 p.m. ET via MLB Network
⚽ UEFA Champions League: Atletico Madrid vs. Liverpool, 3:00 p.m. ET via Paramount+
⚾ Texas Rangers at Seattle Mariners, 4:10 p.m. ET via MLB Network
⚾ Tampa Bay Rays at Atlanta Braves or Colorado Rockies at New York Yankees, 7:05 p.m. ET via MLB Network
⚽ New England Revolution at NYCFC, 7:30 p.m. ET via Apple TV
⚾ Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee Brewers, 7:40 p.m. ET via ESPN Unlimited
⚾ Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago White Sox, 7:40 p.m. ET via Peacock
🏈 New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks, 8:20 p.m. ET via NBC
⚽ Inter Miami at Chicago Fire, 8:30 p.m. ET via Apple TV
⚾ Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles Dodgers, 10:10 p.m. ET via MLB Network
⚽ St. Louis City SC at Portland Timbers, 10:30 p.m. ET via Apple TV
