Few individual awards in sports generate more debate than the Heisman trophy. Every season brings new narratives, breakout stars and preseason favorites, but the winner is rarely as random as the offseason noise makes it seem. Two years ago, Colorado's Travis Hunter turned in one of the most unusual Heisman campaigns we've ever seen, winning the award as a true two-way star while logging more than 1,400 snaps. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty pushed him to the finish that year, running for the second-most yards in FBS history behind only Barry Sanders' 1988 season. Play Yahoo's new College Fantasy Football game: Create or join a league now!For a moment, it looked like the door had swung open for non-quarterbacks. Then Indiana's Fernando Mendoza won it in 2025, and the trophy went right back where it usually lives.The reality hasn't changed: The Heisman is still overwhelmingly a quarterback award.So before making any bets, it's worth looking at what history actually tells us about the type of player who wins the yearly award.What history says about winning the HeismanSince 2005, quarterbacks have won 16 of the past 21 Heisman trophies (76%). Running backs have taken it just three times, DeVonta Smith is still the only wide receiver ever to win it and Hunter's two-way campaign stands entirely on its own.Picking the right quarterback, though, takes more than projecting big numbers. You need production, but you also need winning, national exposure and a story that builds week to week.Over the last two decades:The average Heisman winner has just 1.25 losses.Only one preseason betting favorite has gone on to win the award since 2014.Roughly two-thirds of winners started the year with a team ranked outside the AP top five, giving voters a chance to watch them climb rather than simply meet expectations.That last point might be the most important one. The Heisman isn't just a prize for the best player. It goes to the player who gives voters a reason to change their minds as the season plays out. When I evaluate candidates, I fold all of that into what I call the Heisman Opportunity Index. The formula isn't complicated.A player needs three things:An elite team capable of winning 11 or 12 games.National television windows that put him in front of voters.Defining moments against quality opponents that separate him from the field.With that framework in mind, here are my favorite preseason bets.Arch Manning and Texas have a brutal schedule this season. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesPass: Arch Manning, QB, Texas (+800)If you read last year's Heisman preview, you know I was bullish on Arch Manning. The logic was simple: Texas would be on national television almost every week, giving Manning every chance to build momentum.That part was right.The problem is that the spotlight cuts both ways. Manning flashed the ceiling, but he never strung together the dominant stretches you need to justify being the preseason favorite.I still believe in the talent. The arm strength is elite, he's a natural playmaker and he's fully capable of producing the kind of moments that win a Heisman. I just don't love the path, as Texas has one of the toughest schedules in the country. I project four true toss-up games, three of them on the road at Oklahoma, LSU and Texas A&M. Throw in a trip to Tennessee and there's almost nowhere on the slate to exhale. Even the marquee home games against Ohio State and Ole Miss are anything but easy.Could Manning rise above all of that? Absolutely. If he plays well against that level of competition week in and week out, he'll deserve both the Heisman and a look as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL draft. The issue is the price, as I have Manning closer to13-1 to win the award. He's a player I'd rather bet into during the season than buy before Week 1.Dark horse: Josh Hoover, QB, Indiana (16-1)Indiana has quietly become one of the best quarterback factories in college football. Kurtis Rourke resurrected his career in Bloomington and turned into an NFL draft pick. Then Fernando Mendoza arrived as a prized transfer and walked out with the 2025 Heisman Trophy, the first in program history.Now it's Josh Hoover's turn.Hoover entered the portal as one of the best quarterbacks available after throwing for more than 7,000 yards and 56 touchdowns over his past two seasons at TCU. He did all of that behind an inconsistent offense that constantly forced him to create outside of structure. Do I expect him to match Mendoza's Heisman-level efficiency? Probably not. But a lot of Indiana's quarterback success traces back to Curt Cignetti's staff and the system it runs, and Hoover has every physical tool to thrive in it. The schedule helps, too. Indiana should be able to pile up numbers early before hosting marquee games against Ohio State and USC. Those national windows are exactly the kind of exposure a Heisman run is built on. If the Hoosiers win 11 or 12 games again, Hoover won't just be a fun surprise. He'll be in New York as a legitimate finalist.Winner: Darian Mensah, QB, Miami FL (+1200)Few quarterbacks have seen their stock climb faster than Darian Mensah. After breaking out at Tulane, Mensah spent last season at Duke, where he led the ACC in passing, earned ACC Championship Game MVP honors and carried the Blue Devils to their first outright league title since 1962. Now he takes over at Miami as Carson Beck's replacement, with the most talented roster he's ever had around him. The jump in supporting cast is real, and I expect his production to take another leap because of it. What stands out most isn't his athleticism though he's more mobile than he gets credit for it's how comfortable he is working from the pocket. Mensah doesn't lean on scrambling to create offense. He uses subtle movement to buy time while calmly working through his reads. His deep ball arrives on time, his intermediate accuracy puts receivers in position to pick up yards after the catch, and he rarely panics when pressure shows up. That's not something you see from many college quarterbacks. Plenty of passers lock onto their first read, peek at a second option and immediately bail into improvisation. Mensah has shown the patience to work through his progressions and lean on his legs only when necessary.The biggest question about his candidacy isn't the talent its the strength of schedule.Miami projects as one of the best teams in the country, which means the critics will inevitably ask whom the Hurricanes have actually beaten if they start 8-0 or 9-0. But national perception matters just as much as schedule quality, and Miami is never going to have a problem attracting attention. The opportunity is right there. The Hurricanes could realistically walk into November unbeaten, with Mensah putting up video-game numbers before marquee games against Clemson and Notre Dame come to define his season. Remember Carson Beck at Miami a year ago? Six weeks in, he was the Heisman favorite, largely off one signature win over Notre Dame and steady play everywhere else. Then one disastrous night wiped out all of that momentum. Mensah has a chance to walk that same path, but I think he finishes the job this time. By the time Miami reaches its biggest games, there's a real chance Mensah is already the betting favorite. At 12-1, I'd rather buy in before that happens.

Although it lacks an obvious headliner, this is one of the best two-start pitcher lists we have seen this season, which should encourage managers to get aggressive with their roster by adding multiple arms. In fact, there are five two-start options who should be added and streamed in standard Yahoo formats, and a few others who can be considered in deeper leagues. On the hitting side, the Red Sox and Pirates should provide plenty of options.Two-Start Pitchers (listed in order of preference)Keider Montero, Tigers, 41% (vs. BAL, @ ATH): Montero punctuated his return to the rotation by striking out eight Cubs over 5.1 innings of one-run ball on Wednesday. The right-hander isnt as good as is indicated by his 3.14 ERA and 0.96 WHIP, as he has benefited from a .231 BABIP. But thanks to terrific control skills and a strong ability to limit hard contact, Montero still has excellent ERA estimators (3.38 xERA, 3.57 FIP) and should be useful, albeit with a low ceiling. He will face two offenses that are middle of the pack against righties, although its worth noting that the Athletics are dangerous at their hitter-friendly home park.Zac Thornton, Mets, 33% (vs. ATL, vs. MIA): After laboring through his MLB debut on May 20 (4.1 IP, 4 ER), Thornton spent another month in the minors and came back with a vengeance. The rookie has allowed just one run over 19 innings in three summer starts, albeit with a brief return to the minors between the initial two outings. And he hasnt been picking on the leagues weakest teams, as all three outings came against clubs that are currently occupying a postseason berth. Although the sample size remains small, his recent success makes Thornton worth the risk in most formats.Walbert Urea, Angels, 37% (v. HOU, @ NYM): Ureas 2.78 ERA is a favorable mark, as his ERA estimators are mostly a full run higher. Still, the 22-year-old deserves credit for his terrific ability to induce grounders, which has made up for poor control (4.8 BB/9 rate). Urea has allowed one or zero runs in four of his past five starts, which will get him into most lineups for a two-start week that begins with a challenging matchup against the Astros and ends against a Mets lineup that ranks 28th in OPS vs. righties.Tatsuyi Imai, Astros, 42% (@ LAA, vs. TEX): Fantasy managers may want to give a second chance to Imai, who showed some encouraging signs in late June when he struck out 21 batters over a two-start stretch. And after two poor outings right before the break, Imai struck out eight Marlins across six innings of one-run ball last time out. He could have a productive week against a strikeout-prone Angels lineup and a Rangers offense that ranks 22nd in runs scored.Brady Singer, Reds, 25% (vs. CLE, vs. PIT): Singer has rebounded from a poor start to the season by logging a 2.98 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 46:13 K:BB ratio over his past eight starts. Overall, there hasnt been a notable change from the 29-year-old innings eater with mediocre career ratios (4.26 ERA, 1.32 WHIP), but he can be considered in 12-team leagues while things are going well, as he has a strong ability to throw 6+ innings. Singer will need to take advantage of his matchup with a Guardians lineup that ranks 29th in runs scored, as he finishes with a Pirates offense that is the second-highest scoring group in baseball.Mitch Keller, Pirates, 27% (vs. ARI, @ CIN): Keller is the definition of an innings eater, having produced poor ratios (4.90 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) despite finishing the sixth inning in half of his 20 starts. The right-hander has been especially ineffective of late, allowing at least three runs in all but seven of his past nine starts. He has favorable matchups this week, as the Diamondbacks (30th) and Reds (27th) are two of the least effective teams against righties. But with so many strong options, he will only make the cut in deeper formats.Kumar Rocker, Rangers, 12% (@ TB, @ HOU): After going into the break on a sour note (5.2 IP, 7 ER on July 11), Rocker rebounded by striking out six White Sox over six shutout innings on July 21. The former top prospect has been mediocre across the board in his first full season as a big league starter, showing average strikeout skills (20.9%) and control (8.8%). Having matchups against two teams that have been above average against righties makes Rocker a weak option during a scoring period with so many quality alternatives.Tyler Mahle, Giants, 4% (vs. MIL, @ SD): Mahle has pitched better than is indicated by his 5.31 ERA. His 4.30 xERA paints a more accurate picture of someone who has been plagued by poor batted-ball luck (.319 BABIP). But we shouldnt get carried away with praising the 31-year-old, as his 77:33 K:BB ratio is an average mark. Although Mahles second matchup is a favorable one against the Padres, his start against the 66-39 Brewers is enough reason to leave him on waivers in standard leagues.Brandon Sproat, Brewers, 16% (@ SF, @ LAA): After enduring some significant struggles earlier in the season, Sproat has been more effective (2.74 ERA, 1.17 WHIP) across his past five starts. The problem is that his success has coincided with abbreviated outings, as he has thrown a total of 11.2 innings over his past three appearances. Although his matchups are favorable this week, Sproat will remain a poor option in 12-team leagues until he lowers his walk rate, which will allow him to work deeper into games.MartnPrez, Braves, 15% (@ NYM, vs. WSH): Prez has been effective over 19 appearances (15 starts) with the Braves, logging a 3.38 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. The problem for fantasy managers is that he rarely works past the fifth inning and hasnt even made it through five frames in three of his past four starts. His 6.9 K/9 rate also lowers his ceiling. Managers can hope that Prez produces 6-7 strikeouts over his two starts and squeaks out a win, which is more likely to come against a Mets team that ranks 25th in OPS against southpaws than a Nats squad that leads the majors in the same statistic.One-Start StreamersIn order, here are the best streamers for the week, with their start date and Yahoo roster rate in brackets.Shane Drohan @ SF (Wednesday, 37%) Andre Pallante @ TOR (Friday, 30%) Kyle Leahy @ TOR (Saturday, 36%) Michael McGreevy vs. CHC (Wednesday, 37%) Dustin May vs. CHC (Thursday, 24%) Robert Gasser @ LAA (Friday, 15%) Zack Littell vs. TOR (Wednesday, 6%) Grant Holmes @ NYM (Wednesday, 24%) Brandon Young vs. PHI (Friday, 37%) Zebby Matthews @ SEA (Friday, 11%) Dean Kremer @ DET (Tuesday, 9%) Jansen Junk @ NYM (Friday, 4%) Brandon Pfaadt @ PIT (Tuesday, 18%) Reynaldo Lpez vs. WSH (Friday, 22%)Favorable Monday-Thursday hitting matchupsRed Sox @ Athletics: The red-hot Red Sox should stay that way when they face the 44-61 Athletics and their pitching staff that ranks 29th in ERA. With two right-handers and a pair of southpaws on the docket, fantasy managers will want to grab Boston hitters who play in all situations, which makes Caleb Durbin (40%) the top target.Pirates vs. Diamondbacks, @ Reds: A Pirates offense that ranks second in OPS against right-handers should fare well when they face manageable righties in three of their four games over the next four days. Nick Gonzales (49%) ranks among the batting average leaders and is swinging a hot bat. Jake Mangum (10%) is a good option for those who need steals, while Jacob Gonzalez (3%) could help those in deeper formats who seek power.

The Detroit Lions added to their linebacker room, adding veteran Troy Reeder, his agency announced on social media on Monday.Reeder, 31, has 106 appearances and 38 starts on his resume since entering the league in 2019 as an undrafted rookie out of Delaware, mostly with the Los Angeles Rams. Terms of his deal are not immediately known.He joins a linebacker room that has plenty of opportunity available as Detroit looks to replace the production of former captain Alex Anzalone, who left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. Behind All-Pro Jack Campbell and veteran Derrick Barnes, the Lions have a job available at LB3; Malcolm Rodriguez is the leader in the clubhouse to win the role entering camp.Detroit drafted Michigan linebacker Jimmy Rolder in Round 4 of April's NFL Draft, retained Trevor Nowaske, added Joe Bachie and Damone Clark in free agency, and signed undrafted rookie Erick Hunter to fill up their depth chart. More: Lions training camp preview: 7 starting battles to watchReeder made 25 of his 38 career starts in his first three seasons with the Rams. He has just 13 starts in 57 appearances since, dating to 2022, his first and only season with the Los Angeles Chargers. He returned to the Rams in 2023 and played the last three seasons with the club.Reeder has been a mainstay on special teams over his career, logging 1,750 snaps on the unit over his seven seasons. He'll have to find a way to become a plus-special-teamer with Detroit if he has any hope of making the initial 53-man roster out of camp. nbianchi@detroitnews.com@nolanbianchiThis article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Troy Reeder, Super Bowl-winning linebacker, to join Lions

The Washington Commanders have parted ways with tight ends coach, Ben Steele, the team announced.Washington added that it will have no further comment at this time.The move was unexpected, given that Steele was just hired by the team earlier this offseason. It leaves an opening on the staff just one day before veterans report to training camp on July 28.Steele previously served as the Arizona Cardinals tight end coach for the last three seasons. He worked as an assistant offensive line coach with the Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings prior to that.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Commanders part ways with TE coach prior to start of training camp

Trade acquisition Curtis Mead will make his Red Sox debut tonight at the Athletics

The once-struggling Braves have picked up 3 games on the Phillies since the All-Star break

Find out which players are boosting their Fantasy value and which ones are trending in the wrong direction

The Rays already uphill climb to get a $2.3 billion ballpark deal done in Tampa is facing further obstacles amid a deepening political rift between Mayor Jane Castor and the city council.As the MLB club is attempting to win over a skeptical city council on public funding for the project, that legislative body declined to move a land use plan for the ballpark project to state authorities for review. Additionally, the city council removed a planned vote on a stadium funding proposal from its Aug. 20 agenda.Those moves prompted Castor to go public with her frustration with the council.Its beyond frustrating that as city and county leaders are working tirelessly to hammer out an equitable deal to bring the Rays to Tampa, city council members want to halt our efforts in their tracks, Castor said. Some city council members are clearly intent on killing the plan before negotiations are done and an agreement is ready for review. It defies common sense that they would prefer to have no say in the benefits a Rays project would bring to our city and instead punt it to the county.City council members opposing the ballpark plan said there was no point in advancing the land use plan.I think its a waste of time to send it to the state if Im just going to vote against it, said city council member Lynn Hurtak.The Rays are attempting to build a domed ballpark, along with a mixed-use development inspired in part by The Battery in Atlanta, at Hillsborough Colleges Dale Mabry College, near Tampa International Airport and Raymond James Stadium.The rift between Castor and council bears some similarity to an arena renovation funding debate currently unfolding in Portland.Political RealitiesThe dispute also reflects the complex dynamics inherent to the Rays stadium deliberation. Castor and her administration are leading the citys negotiations with the Rays on the ballpark funding plan, but the final say on that jurisdictions participation in the project still lies with the council.As a result, Rays CEO Ken Babby is planning to meet individually with all seven council members to address complaints that the legislators have been left out of the negotiating process.Representing the public means having tough conversations even when you disagree, said city council member Bill Carlson following his meeting with Babby. The community is always better when we maintain a dialogue.In the meantime, the ongoing issues with the city raise the likelihood that Hillsborough County will need to shoulder a larger burden in the final funding plan.In May, the Rays narrowly secured city of Tampa and Hillsborough County approval on a non-binding memorandum of understanding regarding the stadium. That document outlines a framework in which the Rays will pay $1.3 billion, plus all cost overruns, while taxpayers will contribute no more than $976 million.But the structure of that $976 million in public funding, and the split between city and county payments, is almost certain to change if and when a final agreement emerges.Time is also a growing factor, as the Rays intend to complete the funding deal and begin construction later this year in advance of an intended ballpark opening in early 2029.Despite a $108.4 million luxury-tax payroll that is the third smallest in MLB, the Rays still have the American Leagues best record so far this year.The post Tampa City Council Poses New Hurdles for Rays Stadium appeared first on Front Office Sports.

An early, post-Summer League top-50 fantasy basketball draft rankings offers an updated perspective for 9-category formats. We also have news finally that LeBron James is joining the 76ers after a drawn-out process. Now that LeBron has a landing spot, let's go over my early draft rankings. Top 10Victor Wembanyama, SAS F/CNikola Joki, DEN CLuka Doni, LAL GShai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC GCade Cunningham, DET GTyrese Maxey, PHI GAnthony Edwards, MIN G/FJayson Tatum, BOS FJalen Johnson, ATL FScottie Barnes, TOR G/FMany will have Joki as the 1.01, but it's Wemby's time. Luka and SGA are interchangeable at No. 3. Cunningham's turnovers can be frustrating, but he's a stat-stuffer on both ends and can lead the league in assists. Maxey's usage will take a slight hit with Jaylen Brown and James in the fold, but expect his efficiency to improve.Tatum makes his return to the top 10, as he should be ready to go for a full season. Young bucks Jalen Johnson and Scottie Barnes' versatility earns them late first-round validity Johnson finished 13th in 9-cat last season.1120Jamal Murray, DEN GDonovan Mitchell, CLE GTyrese Haliburton, IND GGiannis Antetokounmpo, MIA F/CCooper Flagg, DAL G/FKevin Durant, HOU G/FChet Holmgren, OKC F/CAustin Reaves, LAL G/FKarl-Anthony Towns, NYK F/CKawhi Leonard, LAC FGiannis lands in the second round because of his poor free-throw shooting and lack of 3s require too much work around. Now, if we're talking points leagues, he's a top-five player. Cooper Flagg ranks high, expect a big sophomore leap. He can literally do it all.Haliburton is returning from an Achilles tear. I'd still proceed with some caution though he should produce plenty of counting stats even if he misses games due to load management. Holmgren will have his best season to date, while Reaves gets to feast on usage post-LeBron.KAT and Kawhi are both efficiency-driven, productive assets. Keep an ear out for any news regarding penalizing Leonard for his alleged cap circumvention investigation with the Clippers. 2130Josh Giddey, CHI G/FLaMelo Ball, MIN GJalen Brunson, NYK GTrae Young, WAS GStephen Curry, GSW GLauri Markkanen, UTA FDerrick White, BOS GBam Adebayo, MIA F/CJames Harden, FA GDeni Avdija, POR G/FI expect the third round to be pretty guard-heavy. Giddey and Ball offer multi-cat upside at the point, while I anticipate strong bounce-backs from Young and Curry, who were both limited by injuries last season. Brunson is recovering from offseason wrist surgery, but the King of New York should be cleared by the preseason. Markkanen was eighth in per-game value in 9-cat last year. However, he only played in 42 games. He'll play in far more this upcoming season with the Jazz finally looking to compete. An uptick in 3s could be coming for Adebayo along with his steady dose of double-doubles and stocks.Harden's usage and efficiency slipped in Cleveland where he is expected to return still useful, but no longer a top-15 lock. Avdija's assists will take a hit with Ja Morant and DamianLillard back in the fold, but he should remain Portland's top offensive option.3140Jaren Jackson Jr., UTH F/CTrey Murphy III, NOR G/FJalen Duren, DET CDevin Booker, PHO GAlperen engn, HOU F/CAmen Thompson, HOU G/FPascal Siakam, IND F/CEvan Mobley, CLE F/CBrandon Miller, CHA G/FJalen Williams, OKC G/FA deep, position-flexible tier that gives me some pause. JJJ is in a good spot to showcase his two-way ability. He just needs to rebound more. Mobley is a bit overrated, while engn and Amen Thompson offer rare stat-sheet variety for their size but still have holes in their games. engn's issue is turnovers and poor free-throw shooting and Amen can't shoot beyond 10 feet consistently. Good thing they got the best shooting coach in the game now. Trey Murphy III has a new head coach in Jamahl Mosley, who doesn't exactly know how to enhance the team's best players. I'm not out on him, but I'm somewhat hesitant. Duren's contract situation could impact his play. Let's hope not seems like the Pistons are playing with fire. Booker's scoring and assists keep him in the top 35. That said, I'm not looking to draft him. Siakam remains a steady all-around option in Indiana and gets a bump with Haliburton returning. Brandon Miller's about to go off, while Jalen Williams is ripe for a rebound campaign. Injuries crushed his confidence and ability last year. 4150Desmond Bane, ORL G/FKon Knueppel, CHA G/FNickeil Alexander-Walker, ATL G/FKeyonte George, UTA GWalker Kessler, LAL CDomantas Sabonis, SAC F/CJaylen Brown, PHI G/FKyrie Irving, DAL GLeBron James, PHI FAnthony Davis, WAS F/CThe biggest risers into the top-50 crew are Kon Knueppel and Keyonte George. It may seem early, but I'd rather be early than late. These guys are going to ball. Kessler joining the Lakers will be great for his fantasy stock. Imagine how many easy conversions he'll get playing as the roll-man for Luka and Reaves, plus he's one of the best rim protectors in the game. I doubt the Kings will get rid of Sabonis, so he'll have at least one year left of top-50 appeal as one of the best passing bigs and triple-double threats.I'm trusting that a year off allowed Kyrie's ACL to fully heal, in which case, he's in a great position to cook with the Mavs lacking any true scorers or playmakers beyond Flagg.Let's close by turning our attention to LeBron and Brown. All the stars in Philadelphia will take a usage hit. However, I don't anticipate LeBron being too far off from his final season in L.A. 20-6-7. I could also see a world where he's among the top assist generators in the league with a slight downtick in scoring.While Brown is still going to provide buckets, rebounds and steals, he'll likely be overdrafted in 9-cat leagues relative to his performance, but is a top-30 player for points leagues.