SportsLine simulated the new NFL season 10,000 times and revealed its 2026 Fantasy football QB, RB, WR picks and rankings

Chiesa set to stay at Liverpool despite Serie A and Atltico linksFederico Chiesa appears set to stay at Liverpool for the coming season, despite persistent links with a return to Serie A and interest from Atltico Madrid.According to Calciomercato.it, the Italy winger, who had been tipped to head back to Italy following his spells with Fiorentina and Juventus, and was also courted by Diego Simeones Atltico, now looks highly likely to remain at Anfield.The Italian forward is said to want to fight for his place under new Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola and prove he can make his mark in the Premier League.NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE JULY 25: Jack Whitaker #40 of Sunderland AFC and Federico Chiesa #14 of Liverpool FC battle for the ball during the second half of their pre-season friendly match at GEODIS Park on July 25, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)Chiesa focused on Liverpool stay under IraolaIt represents something of a turnaround. Only a few weeks ago, the report notes, a summer sale had looked all but a foregone conclusion.Iraola, who arrived from Bournemouth to replace Arne Slot this summer, now offers Chiesa a fresh start, and the winger is reportedly keen to seize it in one of Europes most demanding leagues.With the transfer window open until the end of August, nothing is set in stone, the market can always throw up late surprises. But as things stand, the Italian looks poised to remain on Merseyside rather than engineer a move back to Serie A.

30m Serie A Midfielder Wanted By Aston Villa: Should The Club Make The Deal?Aston Villa have been handed a potential opening in the transfer market after Italian outlet Calciomercato reported that Juventus are prepared to sell Teun Koopmeiners for around 30 million (26 million). Manchester United have kept tabs on the Dutch midfielder as well, though neither Premier League club has submitted an official offer.Aston Villa receive encouragement as Juventus lower valuationJuventus stance has shifted because Koopmeiners has slipped down the midfield order following Douglas Luizs impressive return in pre-season under Luciano Spalletti. That change has left the Netherlands international facing an uncertain future in Turin despite arriving with high expectations.His league campaign never gathered momentum. Koopmeiners made 33 Serie A appearances during the 2025/26 season without scoring or providing an assist. Europe painted a different picture, however. He managed two goals and one assist across 10 UEFA Champions League matches. Away from club football, the 28-year-old represented the Netherlands four times at the 2026 FIFA World Cup before Morocco ended their run on penalties.T4O take: Why Aston Villa should make their moveHOUSTON, TEXAS JUNE 20: Teun Koopmeiners #20 of the Netherlands is seen in the tunnel for the warm up before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group F match between Netherlands and Sweden at Houston Stadium on June 20, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)Aston Villa would be wise to treat this as a genuine market opportunity rather than focusing purely on last seasons numbers. A midfielder with Koopmeiners pedigree rarely becomes available for 30 million, especially after proving himself in Serie A and European competition before joining Juventus.His disappointing domestic return tells only part of the story. Juventus struggled to establish balance in midfield and regularly asked him to perform roles that limited his strongest qualities. Koopmeiners still offers calm distribution, intelligent movement and the ability to receive possession under pressure before moving play forward with purpose.Why Aston Villa must stay disciplinedUnai Emery expects his midfielders to switch responsibilities during matches without disrupting the teams rhythm. Koopmeiners has shown throughout his career that he can operate deeper, link attacks or arrive late around the penalty area when required. That versatility would give Amadou Onana another experienced partner in demanding fixtures.Still, Aston Villa shouldnt allow emotion to dictate negotiations. Juventus have already reduced their valuation to 30 million (26 million), so there is little sense in stretching beyond 35 million if Manchester United attempt to raise the price. At the current figure, the deal carries sensible financial risk.T4O believes Aston Villa should move quickly if Juventus remain committed to the 30 million asking price. One difficult season doesnt erase Koopmeiners technical quality or tactical intelligence. Emery has rebuilt careers before, and this feels like the sort of calculated signing that carries far more upside than the statistics from last season suggest.

MLB Trade Rumors: Freddy Peralta is going to the Tampa Bay Rays from the New York Mets, per multiple reports. No word as of yet as to the return.Peralta, 30, was acquired last offseason by the Mets from the Milwaukee Brewers after putting up a 2.70 ERA and finishing fifth in the National League Cy Young voting. Peralta had had his $8 million team option for 2026 picked up, making him very inexpensive for a pitcher of his caliber, though he would be eligible for free agency after the season. The Mets gave up Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat to get Peralta.Peralta has not worked out for the Mets. He has a 4.99 ERA in 113 innings over 22 starts and a sub-0 bWAR. The Mets, who are 47-65, are in sell mode, particularly as it relates to players who are scheduled to be free agents after the season, and Peralta was expected to be moved.Peralta joins a Rays team that is in first place and has the best record in the American League. Among their starting pitchers, Nick Martinez and Drew Rasmussen both have sub-3 ERAs, and Shane McClanahan has a 3.09 ERA, though McClanahan is currently on the injured list.

No one expected Ty Simpson to come in and pick apart the Los Angeles Rams defense right away in training camp. Hes a rookie whos still learning the ropes of a very complex offense, facing a talented defense every day.Theres no question hes making progress as he attempts to beat out Stetson Bennett for the QB2 job behind Matthew Stafford.During Saturdays practice, Simpson made a terrific throw to fellow rookie CJ Daniels for a touchdown. His footwork was poor, throwing it off his back foot despite having a clean pocket, but it shows the arm strength and accuracy he possesses.There were multiple defenders in the area, including a leaping Nyzier Fourqurean underneath the route.Ty Simpson TD to CJ Daniels on the final play of practice Davante Adams showing the first-rounder some love at the end.Had a beautiful downfield throw to Jordan Whittington earlier on the drive as well. #RamsHousepic.twitter.com/7gOb2f9qpj (@ShoGotNow) August 2, 2026This end zone angle really shows how tight the window was for Simpson to fit it into..@cjaaaay_ for 6! pic.twitter.com/19Ke1vFDF3 Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 2, 2026Bennett has reportedly played well in training camp, doing nothing to cede the job to Simpson. But if the rookie keeps playing well and making tight-window throws like this one, he could make the QB2 competition very interesting. This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Watch: Ty Simpson throws dime to CJ Daniels for TD in camp

To a man, the Los Angeles Rams safety unit are all on board for 2026. More importantly, the room appears set for future years. New money was doled to primary starters Quentin Lake and Kamren Curl, locking them through 2028. Kamren Kinchens is still on his rookie deal and the rest of the individuals in the unit do not have enough accrued seasons to leave on their own, L.A. has them tied up if they so choose.2026 should be an exciting year for the Rams secondary. Alongside the shiny new cornerback additions, reports out of camp are that the L.A. defensive braintrust is really sold on the safety groups veteran leadership, versatility, and communication. And much should be expected from the safety unit, last year the Rams leaned heavily onto dime (six secondary players) formations, their 32.4 percent usage rate (per Next Gen Stats). That really stands out when compared to other NFL teams, most use it under 10 percent. The Rams also used big nickel, inserting a safety as the fifth secondary player, on 30.3 percent of defensive snaps.Guess who the ILBers are? You're right if you said Jaylen McCollough and Cobie Durant It's a dime but it aligned like a base defense Rams have 2 DL, 3 OLBer this is basically base defense with 2 DBs playing LBerlooks just like a 3-4 with gold front#Rams#RamsHousepic.twitter.com/csluv5j1ao Jim Youngblood 53 (@53_jim70721) October 20, 2024With the depth at safety, it will be tough to move up the food chain for the players towards the bottom. Lets look at them all.A pair to draw toQuentin Lake 61 205 lb.Lake has started 30 of his 50 pro games and although he missed seven games last season with an elbow injury, the Rams re-upped him last season with a three-year extension for a little over $38mil. He was on track for his best pro season in 2025 before injury struck. Pro Football Focus gave him scores of 75.1 overall (13th) broken into 72.9 for coverage (19th) and 74.6 against the run (29th).Defensive coordinator Chris Shula calls him a coach on the field and the glue of the defense. L.A. moves him around the defensive formation and recently have used in the STAR role, as a safety/slot/linebacker hybrid. Not a thumper, but good wrap-up tackler. Strong in zone coverage, using his vision, understanding of routes, read/react ability. Average athleticism, but loose-limbed and has good play speed.Kamren Curl 61 207 lb.Solid but not spectacular safety. Consistently produced over six years in the league. Curl has proven durable and sports a well-rounded game. Best suited working underneath. Last year over 10000+ snaps, he accrued a 77.8 (9th) Pro Football Focus overall grade, punctuated with a 87.9 score (2nd) against the run and 71.9 (15th) versus the pass. The Rams rewarded him with a three-year $36-39mil extension this past March.At 27, Curl should be entering his prime. Hes improved on his missed tackles and coverage over his NFL tenure. Excellent versatility and now has a deep understanding of what the Rams defense is supposed to be doing. Sure tackler, not a banger, but physical when fitting gaps at the line of scrimmage. Takes good angles and and flows to the ball fluidly. Above average speed/athleticism with good arm length. Best in zone coverage, tacks ball well and although he allows a fairly high completion rate, hes quite stingy giving up yards after catch.The future?Kamren Kinchens 511 203 lb.Comfortably settled in as the Rams S#3 and arguably has the most playmaker potential in the Rams safety room. Because the Rams use so many multi-safety personnel groupings (big nickel or dime), Kinchens gets a fair share of defensive snaps, 1356 over his first two seasons. L.A. has used him predominantly deep. Although he didnt test well at the NFL Combine or Pro Day, Kinchens came into the league with reputation as a ball hawk.In his first two pro seasons, Kinchens has given glimpses of his ability to track the ball with six interceptions, 12 passes broken up, and three fumbles recovered. He makes up for average athleticism with loose hips and good footwork. Stellar vision, instincts, and understanding space get him a jump on the football. Willing in run support, comes downhill very well and plays with an aggressive style. Angles still need some work, but hes improved on wrapping up tackles instead of always going for the big hit.Jaylen McCollough 6 211 lb.Started 51 out of 60 SEC games at Tennessee, but still went undrafted. He impressed right away with the Rams and made the roster as a rookie. Played in every game and tied for the team lead in interceptions with four. In Year 2, he did not match the picked off passes, but made strides with the rest of his game. Again, he played in every game, also adding six starts and upped his production number across the board.High-effort player with physical play style. Early on, he was best suited underneath and the Rams often used him as a pseudo-linebacker. As 2025 progressed he saw a fair share of action deeper in the secondary. Not a gifted athlete, bit of a stocky build. Plays faster and looks more athletic than his pedestrian Pro Day testing. Wins with good instincts assignment-based play. Also an important piece on special teams.Roster battleNick Anderson 511 195 lb.Safety that plays with a linebackers attitude. Very versatile, ability to play that role as an overhang, as a traditional underneath strong safety, or deep, in Cover2 and possibly single high. I say possibly, because although his instincts, read react skills, and ball tracking fit, it remains to be answered how his long speed will translate deep in the NFL.Doesnt have elite twitch, but strong football IQ and play recognition help him to quick-trigger and play fast. While likely best suited for zone coverage, Anderson does have enough move skills and the requisite physicality to match tight ends 1on1. He times hits well in the secondary and is very physical at the catch point. Strong ball tracking and hawking. Good hands, eyes and the body control to snag awry passes. Stellar in run support. Solid tackler, generally breaks down and wraps up. Anticipates well and takes good angles in pursuit.Tanner Ingle 59 179 lb.Enters his fourth season in L.A. Ingle was active in three regular-season games and one in the playoffs last year, his only action with the Rams, logging three defensive snaps and 43 on special teams. Hes an aggressive, overachieving safety who is under-sized and lacks elite athleticism.Ferocious downhill defender whose best work is done around the line of scrimmage. Theres no doubt that hes a downhill missile in run support and on short passes, but he needs a lot of coverage work. To the point of being too small for an NFL safety and currently lacks coverage skills to work out of the slot.Can his toughness overcome his size around the line of scrimmage? Fits the Rams mold of hot motor and football instincts. HIs ball pursuit and willingness to bang heads makes him fit and is his path to a possible role HIs relentless, pursuit, effort, and willingness to bang heads makes him fit for a possible role as special teams demon.Nate Valcarcel 6 194 lb.Recruited as a cornerback in college, Valcarcel switched to safety midway through his tenure. Lean build. Valcarcels pursuit to the ball, both on the ground and through the air stands out. Played a lot of single-high safety. Versus the run, he shows good pursuit angles, quick read/react processing, and an aggressive demeanor. His tackling is good, breaking down and getting himself under control, and wrapping up. Against the pass, his cornerback past clearly shows. He reads the quarterback well, shows route recognition, and is adept at both breaking downhill or flipping his hips open and turning to cover deep routes.Valcarcel is an anomaly in his second training camp with the Rams, he appears to have the game and traits of a true free safety. Can he adapt his range, ball-hawking, and pursuit skills to the pro game?Nate Valcarcel led the Rams with 10 tackles and 1 PD. Dude was everywhere today. Hopefully that continues into the next 2 preseason games. @NateValcarcel#RamsHousepic.twitter.com/ClOyxD4gYV Allen Sales (@AllenSales) August 10, 2025Alex Cook 6 195 lb.Began college as a wide receiver and transitioned to safety after his freshman season. Had a solid career as a physical safety. Adequate size and speed, Cook is at his best as a downhill attacker with relentless pursuit. Adequate in zone coverage, but doesnt appear to be a ball hawk type. Willing, physical tackler.Undrafted in 2023, the well-traveled 27 year-old has made four NFL stops. His only pro action came in his rookie season with the Carolina Panthers. Played in 10 games, two starts, 155 defensive reps and another 111 on special teams.Cook did however, post a solid season in the United Football League this past spring. Watched some of his UFL film and it matches his college work, a tough, hard-nosed defender that is best suited as a run stopper. Was able to locate him on kickoff coverage, as well.2026 outlook: Whos in and whos out?The L.A. braintrust must have cast the blame for last years pass defense problems on the cornerbacks, they brought the whole safety back intact and gave the veterans, Quentin Lake and Kamren Curl, big raises. Between those two, along with Kamren Kinchens and Jaylen McCollough, the cupboard appears pretty well stocked.With all the multi-safety packages the Rams use, it would make sense to roster a fifth safety. Alex Cook still looks too raw in coverage. It might be fun to watch Nate Valcarcel for a couple of reasons. One, hes more of a natural free safety than Rams fans are used to and two, seeing if hes gotten stronger and improved with a season under his belt. Tanner Ingle is a fun guy to watch in preseason with his hair-on-fire play style, but after three seasons, its hard to make a case for him challenging this this deep roster. I projected Nick Anderson to the opening roster because of special teams upside, but that is still a long shot.L.A. opened up last season with a total of nine secondary players and versatility is highly regarded to the defensive staff. Finding a S#5 out of this group could end up being moot. Over in the cornerback room, reports out of camp are that Cam Lampkin is showing out. If he continues on this pace, he and Josh Wallace could be the final two inclusions. Wallace played a lot of safety last year.Which safeties do you think the Rams should roster to start 2026?

I still have scars: Xabi Alonso on his Real Madrid exitSpanish coach Xabi Alonso has officially taken charge of Chelsea, marking the start of an exciting new chapter in the Premier League. At 44, after a brief spell at Real Madrid and his historic unbeaten campaign with Bayer Leverkusen, the Tolosa-born manager is fully motivated to lead the London clubs project.Self-criticism after his spell at the BernabuSpeaking to The Athletic, Alonso reflected maturely on his departure from the Madrid club and said the experience served as a learning process for his professional development:Fortunately, I dont have many scars in my career. I have one, but it heals. Now that its closed, Im very motivated. Ive been very self-critical, thinking about what I could have done better because things didnt turn out as I expected.An unprecedented role and a shared visionThe tactician is taking on a role never before seen at the British institution, serving as both head coach and sporting director. The board has already made a major investment in signings including the arrival of Colo Barco to build a competitive squad for the new season.Alonso explained that their shared assessment of the teams potential was the decisive factor in signing his contract, guided by a mix of heart and instinct to take Chelsea back to the top of European football.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in here.

Galway have won the Ladies' All-Ireland Senior Football Championship for the first time since 2004 after a dramatic 2-7 to 0-12 win over Kerry at Croke Park.Kerry had a last-gasp goal ruled out by referee Maggie Farrelly, which sparked wild celebration from Galway and protests from those in green and gold.A free from outside the arc from Kerry captain Siofra O'Shea dropped short but touched a Galway defender and went into the net, which the Kingdom felt had won them the title.But Farrelly said it had been a square ball and the effort was subsequently ruled out, which handed Galway a first senior title in 22 years.In a repeat of the 2024 decider and before the last-gasp drama, two goals from Leanne Coen had put Galway on the brink of a famous win. Galway had a wind advantage in the first half but could not pull clear of Kerry, with the sides locked at 1-4 to 0-7 at the break.Full forward Coen's superb solo goal in the 15th minute was the highlight of the half, but Kerry kept in touch in the opening 30 minutes thanks to the scoring of Niamh Ni Chonchuir, Emma Costello and captain O'Shea.The tense affair continued after the restart and Ni Chonchuir's point put Kerry in front, but Galway responded through Olivia Divilly and Roisin Leonard.Two O'Shea points and an effort from Ni Chonchuir all split the posts to put Kerry back in control, but Corofin's Coen hammered home her second goal of the game with six minutes left to turn the tide back in Galway's favour.Caoimhe Evans levelled for Kerry to set up a dramatic finale, but Eva Noone's point proved to be decisive before the last-gasp decision by Farrelly to rule out what would have been a Kerry winner.The defeat means that Kerry lost both the women's and men's All-Ireand finals, after Mayo stunned the Kingdom last month to lift the Sam Maguire for the first time in 75 years.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Sunday that FIFA President Gianni Infantino was not the right man to lead world soccers governing body in the latest fallout from the now abandoned plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.I do not believe that he is the right man to lead football forward on the world stage," Burnham said. The plan that was put forward was offensive to many people, football people, around the world, and it cant be the case that we just move on and forget that, it wasnt acceptable."On Saturday, European soccer's governing body UEFA said it had lost confidence in FIFAs leadership possibly paving the way for a challenge to Infantinos presidency. The governing body for North and Central American and Caribbean soccer (CONCACAF) said FIFA leadership had stopped putting football first.Infantino was forced into a backdown over his controversial plans to sell World Cup profits through a commercial subsidiary that would run its top competitions. Infantinos plans fell apart after UEFAs 55-member nations agreed Thursday to boycott the World Cup and all other FIFA competitions. CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation also said they opposed the plan.Despite Infantino's climbdown, UEFA said it would work with other confederations to "devise a plan to make sure that it cannot occur again.No option should be off the table, it said. While Infantino has received pockets of public support from associations including 2022 World Cup host Qatar, Burnham's words were further evidence of the anger generated by his plans. The next FIFA presidential election is in March in Rabat, Morocco. The deadline for candidates to enter the presidential contest is Nov. 18, exactly four months ahead of the vote.___James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Louisville's "Madame Butterfly" continued her career of breaking swimming records Aug. 2, nearly 40 years after her last Olympics.Mary Plant, formerly known as Mary T. Meagher, broke a state and swim meet record for the fastest 200 long course meter butterfly for women in the 60-64 age group. The weekend meet marked the first time Plant had competed at Lakeside Swim Club since the 1980s.Plant's feat came at the Lakeside Masters Invitational, an event that has been held annually for nearly half of the swim club's 102-year history. Plant, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, is in her second year of competition as a U.S. Masters swimmer, after decades away from the sport. Former Olympians have competed in U.S. Masters Swimming, though the organization is open to all adults at any level of expertise.Finishing with an official 200 long course meter butterfly time of 2:40.53, Plant just missed the world record she set in the 60-64 age group on Aug. 16, 2025, in Mission Viejo, California. The record time to beat was 2:39.31.After the race, Plant told reporters she went into the morning optimistic about the chance to break her own world record."I think at this age, that's what happens from one day to the next, you have no idea [how you'll perform]," said Plant, who is 61. "Your body, just for whatever reason, performs [better] one day than the next."A day before her Aug. 2 swim, Plant also broke the state and meet record in the 100 long course meter butterfly for women in the 60-64 age group, with a final time of 1:08.70. Plant also owns the event's world record with her 1:07.78 mark from June 2026.Plant said she kept her desire to return to competitive swimming quiet for about eight months. To prepare for the Lakeside Masters Invitational, she swam four days a week for one hour, mainly in the butterfly stroke."I had gone to the Paris Olympics [in 2024] and I had watched the swimming and thought, 'That is just so poetic, to see good swimmers do that,'" Plant said. "So I guess that was half of my mind. I thought, 'Maybe I'll just reinvent myself as a Masters swimmer.'" Even with her Olympic career behind her, Plant said she was confident about getting back in the pool and doing something she has loved since she was a child."I have high expectations. I'm still a competitor," she said. "What I enjoy is going head-to-head with people."More sports: Meet 10 KHSAA stars we'll miss from Louisville area's Class of 2026Lakeside, nestled within the tall cliffs of a former stone quarry, has attracted numerous Olympians and Paralympians to Louisville's Belknap neighborhood over the years."It's not just a really unique facility, but just obviously one that I'm emotionally connected to," Plant said. "I didn't realize they had a meet, so when I found out about this meet a year ago, I kind of thought it would be a good one to attend."Plant's world records in the 100 and 200-meter butterfly from the 1984 Summer Olympics both stood for nearly 20 years. She won gold in the 100-meter butterfly, 200-meter butterfly and 4x100-meter medley relay in 1984, before earning silver in the 4x100-meter medley relay in 1988 and bronze in the 200-meter butterfly that same year.For more than 45 years, Plant has held the Ohio Valley record in the 200-meter butterfly for girls aged 13-14.Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@usatodayco.com or @leober2chee on X, formerly known as TwitterThis article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville native Mary T. Meagher Plant sets records at Lakeside swim meet