The Seattle Seahawks are led by Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but another player may prove to be their most valuable player in 2026.CBS Sports labeled Byron Murphy II as the Seahawks non-quarterback MVP for next season, placing him above Smith-Njigba and the other players on Seattles roster.We could have gone with any number of players for Seattle, CBS Sports Jared Dubin said. Jaxon Smith-NjigbaandLeonard Williamswould have been excellent candidates, for example. But Murphy is a rising star who broke out last season with seven sacks from the interior of the defensive line and is one of the keys to Mike Macdonald's explosive defense. He's ready to take the next step in his development and dominate even further than he did a year ago.Murphy had a good year in 2025. He recorded seven sacks last season and played brilliantly in the interior, making plays against the quarterback all throughout the year. He has the potential to be the biggest impact player for the Seahawks in their quest to win the Super Bowl again in 2026.This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Seahawks DT named as Seahawks' top non-QB MVP option in 2026

With Yahoo Sports opening the 2026 College Fantasy Football last week, we assembled a team of 12 analysts from around the industry to conduct a Yahoo Standard 1QB League draft. In an effort to give you a variety of different perspectives, here is a collection of thoughts from the 12 experts regarding their draft strategy and roster construction.Here is a look at eachs teams final roster.Play Yahoo's new College Fantasy Football game: Create or join a league now!John Laub, FantraxFor the fourth time this year, I got the first overall pick, and in the previous three drafts, I selected Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith twice. Once again, I opened by taking Smith and knew that I would need to play catch-up at running back throughout the draft. Watching runners fly off the board until my pick in the second round, I needed to pivot my strategy and wanted to acquire a top-five quarterback with high-end rushing ability. I was ecstatic when Utah dual-threat signal-caller Devon Dampier remained on the board, showing how adapting to draft flow can pay off.Of course, I had to address my backfield and drafted Miami RB Mark Fletcher. Not settled with my runners, I selected three in a rowUSC's King Miller, Virginia Tech's Marcellous Harkins and Michigan State's Cam Edwardsto provide a sense of security. I couldn't believe so many tight ends were coming off the board, so I grabbed Maryland's Dorian Fleming illustrating how reacting to positional runs. CFF ListsOur team assembly strategy focused on positional scarcity. With a deep QB pool, and only needing one starter, we waited until Round 11 for Maiava (and also managed Barnett as a bargain with our last pick). Conversely, a more shallow RB pool made them an early priority; so, we used our first back-to-back picks on Haynes and Williams and added Davison with our third pick. This allowed us to secure top-tier RBs (all in our top 11) before the talent dipped.After securing our RBs, we drafted four consecutive WRs, landing three of our top 12. Finally, we targeted historically strong systems for our team offense and defense, selecting Tennessee and Clemson. This balanced approach maximized value across every starting slot while prioritizing the most competitive position groups.G5 HiveYahoo CFF! Let's go! I opened with a swerve nobody saw coming, taking quarterback Trinidad Chambliss in Round 2. With four-point passing touchdowns, mobile quarterbacks can rack up points. Looking back, though, I had some regret. Quarterback value kept sliding down the draft board, with players like Michael Hawkins Jr. still available in Round 16. In a 1QB league, I'd rather roster just two signal-callers and let the running backs headline the card, because that's where the real value lives in a half-PPR format.My late-round running backs are long-shot prospects like Lee Beebe Jr. and Lloyd Avant, each hoping for their breakout moment. If I got a chance to reboot this draft, I'd lean into a three-WR strategy while loading up on running backs in Rounds 1-4. By passing on the Round 2 quarterback and my Round 3 receiver, Wyatt Young, I could have gathered RB talent and still assembled a solid WR room like I did: Ryan Coleman-Williams (fifth), Dezmen Roebuck (eighth) and Evan Stewart (14th). This trio could emerge from the middle rounds and carry the roster all the way to the championship match.If those three hit and the running backs carry the day, this roster could deliver a memorable season for years to come.Half-point per reception rankingsTop 300QBRBWRTETeam OffenseD/STPPR rankingsTop 300RBWRTESteve Bulanda, RotoWireHere's my Yahoo draft writeup. Appreciate the invite!I entered this draft knowing that I'd start by grabbing the top-two running backs available. I got the lucky draw of the 11th pick, which allowed me to get two potential league-winning workhorse backs before a tier drop.Then the plan was to just go with the flow and get "My Guys" when it felt right. Especially when you're slotted near the turn, you can't get too hung up on ADP because you can't predict if a player you are targeting will make it back to you. That led me to take guys like Arizona State RB Kyson Brown and SMU WR Yamir Knight, who we love at RotoWire, ahead of the market.The biggest mystery to me was when everyone would start drafting Team Offense and Defense. I ended up being one of the last to fill those positions, which is fine because I'll just stream based on matchups. Hello, Eastern Illinois and Tennessee State!Chris Kay, Campus 2 CantonWith an early pick in the draft, I wanted to secure a top receiver and landed Malachi Toney with the 1.02. From there, running back was my focus as I knew running backs would go off the board quickly the first few rounds. Quarterback wasn't of concern due to starting just one weekly and tight end was not worth targeting early with multiple flex spots. With this being a redraft league format, I had no issue taking riskier options with late picks. Daniel Hill, Luke Dehnicke, Duke Watson and Louis Brown IV are all guys I think could have a lot of value or could have none. I'll use the first few weeks of the season to see their roles and ultimately drop them for surprise players on waivers at that time. The plan was executed flawlessly and Yahoo agrees with my A+ grade.Josh Chevalier, Fantasy PointsMy strategy in this draft was shaped heavily by Yahoo's unique format. This is a 1-QB, P4-only league with four-point passing touchdowns and 0.5 PPR, which changes how I value positions considerably. I wanted to hammer RB early, where I believe the player pool gets thin much faster than WR or QB. That led to starting Kewan Lacy, Kendrick Raphael, Joe Jackson, Ahmad Hardy and Jamal Roberts before attacking WR depth throughout the middle rounds.The biggest difference from traditional CFF was my willingness to punt QB. In a 1QB league with four-point passing TDs, I simply don't see the need to pay the normal CFF premium at the position. Ironically, I didn't even intend to take CJ Bailey in Round 8. My preferred approach was reflected by Bear Bachmeier in Round 12 and Darian Mensah in Round 16.Overall, I wanted to invest in high-end RB production up front while trusting the depth at QB and value at WR throughout the draft.Justin Leo, Volume PigsSurprise, surprise, I went with a RB-heavy strategy early on. Even more so than usual, P4 drafts further emphasize the need to secure that position early on, lest you be left wandering astray with a group of backs trapped in committee city as your key contributors.I think by now, we all understand that there is a premium on this position, because an astounding 19 of the first 24(!) picks were spent on RBs. And 25 of the first 36 picks.And you can just imagine the perverted smile that was perched on my face when I noticed Josh Chevalier (CFFGuys) had five-tapped RBs right off the bat. That's gangster, and I've done it many times myself.Personally, with what was left on the board by my fifth pick, I simply could not countenance selecting another back there, and opted for Louisville's Tre Richardson. Of course, being the Godfather of the #VolumePig doctrine, I wasn't happy about it. But if you're going to hang with elite drafters, you must demonstrate the ability to adapt on the fly and take what the board gives you.Final thought: I was plum chuffed to see Bothwell make it back to me there in the seventh round. These other drafters will rue the day they let Jeff Lebby's 2026 bellcow fall in my lap, I tell you. Rue the day.CFF JackoMy draft strategy was to secure high-volume running backs early and then layer in upside throughout the roster. DeSean Bishop and Adam Mohammed gave me a strong foundation, while Nate Frazier, Reuben Owens and Savion Hiter added high ceiling at a position that dries up quickly in P4-only formats. At quarterback, I was content to wait for value and came away with several players who fell well beyond their FantasyPoints ADP, including Drew Mestemaker, Kevin Jennings and my boy, Bryce Underwood. At wide receiver and tight end, I targeted proven producers early with Cam Coleman and Trey'Dez Green, then "reached" for upside later with players whose stock has been rising during camp. Winston Watkins has been working with LSU's top offense and drawing praise in fall camp. Drelon Miller is expected to have a significant role in Baylor's passing attack and has generated positive camp buzz.Mike Bainbridge, TheCFFSite.comYou won't find a group as overly obsessive about the running back position than college fantasy football analysts. That should be the case, within reason, in a 1QB, 0.5 PPR scoring format, but this group takes it a step further with 20 running backs chosen in the first 30 selections. Whether that's the optimal strategy will be determined this fall, but one takeaway is clear: when entering Yahoo CFF drafts this summer, plan on securing 2-3 running backs within the first several rounds or you'll be dumpster diving at the position earlier than you'd like. The other extreme was how far quarterbacks slid as drafters continued to prioritize the skill positions. Potential top-10 fantasy QBs like Darian Mensah and Keelon Russell weren't selected until Round 16 and beyond, creating great value for patient managers. Pair those discounted quarterbacks with a few savvy mid-round wide receivers from explosive offenses and you'll be in excellent shape heading into September.Eliot Mays, Fantasy PointsDrafting against some of the sharpest minds in college fantasy football, my strategy was straightforward: lock in running back talent early, as the talent pool drops off quickly in the P4 environment. Given the four-point passing touchdown scoring, I prioritized securing a top-tier, dual-threat quarterback on a competitive offense as my QB1. I was also willing to reach for my top-ranked tight end, as consistent production at that position can be a huge weekly differentiator, especially if they are utilized in scoring situations. At wide receiver, I looked for value and avoided too many speculative picks in crowded situations, targeting offenses with high volume or concentrated target shares. I waited until the later rounds to draft my team defense and offense, as the scoring gap between top-five and top-15 units is minimal, making streaming based on weekly matchups a viable strategy. Looking back, my plan worked well, but in hindsight, I would have waited a couple more rounds to grab my first quarterback, using that earlier pick to further strengthen my running back room. Thank you to Eric Froton for putting it on, and more importantly, Yahoo, for bringing the game we all love to the masses!Jared Palmgren, Campus2Canton.comI just want to start off by saying how cool it is to have college fantasy on another major platform. Not only that, but with Yahoo keeping it to Power 4 only schools AND adding in Team Offenses, these drafts will have their own feel to them. I walked into the draft expecting things to go similar to other P4-only drafts, where quarterbacks go quickly due to the supply of them being cut short after a certain point. That did not happen. I wish I had waited on the position and let someone else start the run. It made me miss out on some early value at running back and put me in a tough spot at the position the rest of the draft. Last note, for Team Offenses and Defenses, once the first one goes in the draft, just hit both of those positions with your next two picks and just grab strong dependable teams. You'll likely stream both at some point during the season, but having some consistency at the relatively unknown positions should help.Eric Froton, Yahoo SportsLocking down a good base of starting RBs was top of mind before swinging for the fences with Oregon sophomore sensation, Dierre Hill in Round 4. I locked down the Indiana and Virginia RB duos later on rather than throw darts at high-variance WRs. I couldn't resist taking my WR3 Nick Marsh at 3.10 before rounding out a lean top-five WR build with a pair of rising playmakers in Chris Barnes and Dallas Wilson. Vonnahme is the only TE worth taking after the top-three, and you could argue he should be considered Elite. I was happy to get Notre Dame QB CJ Carr and Pitt QB Mason Heintschel in the late stages of the draft, while securing an alpha Offense/Defense tandem of Miami and Ohio State at reasonable cost. I should be able to stream a running-QB from the wire and be competitive with this balance, but RB-heavy, build.

The Chicago Bears signed former Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud on Monday afternoon, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported. McCloud was in Atlanta for about a season and a half, posting a career-high 62 catches for 686 receiving yards in 2024.The 29-year-old return specialist proved to be a valuable weapon in the slot during his first season, however, McCloud fell out of favor with the team in 2025. He appeared in just four games and was a healthy scratch for three consecutive weeks before getting released by Atlanta at mid-season.The Falcons failed to find an adequate slot receiver for the rest of the season and they still have question marks at the position entering the 2026 NFL season. Atlanta signed Jahan Dotson in free agency and drafted Zachariah Branch to boost their wide receiver room over the offseason. League transactions: *Dolphins trade a 2029 seventh-round pick to New England for OT Caedan Wallace and a 2028 sixth-round pick. *Bears sign veteran receiver Ray-Ray McCloud*Lions make Josh Dobbs signing official. Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) August 10, 2026McCloud reportedly worked out for the Detroit Lions on Sunday, and now he signs with their NFC North rivals and reigning division champs. Bears head coach Ben Johnson is arguably the league's top play-caller, so it will be interesting to see if McCloud can recapture the magic from his 2024 campaign in Chicago this season.Over eight NFL seasons, the former sixth-round pick has recorded 159 catches for 1,523 receiving yards and two touchdowns. This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Former Falcons WR finds new home with Chicago Bears

BATON ROUGE There arguably may not be another college football analyst this season that has more insight into LSU football than Brian Kelly.Kelly is formerly the Tigers' head coach but joined the desk at CBS Sports a couple of months back as an in-studio analyst as well as a color commentator for the 2026 season.As part of his new gig, Kelly gave out game-by-game predictions for his former team ahead of the start of the season. How does LSU fare with new coach Lane Kiffin in 2026 according to Kelly?SAM LEAVITT Why LSU QB Sam Leavitt is reaping 'delayed gratification' in fall campThe former coach sees the Tigers going 10-2 and qualifying for the College Football Playoff in 2026. Kelly predicts LSU will beat Clemson in the season opener, along with other big games versus Texas A&M and Alabama with the two losses coming at Ole Miss and against Texas at home in November."I think this comes down to which quarterback is playing better," Kelly said in a video posted on CBS Sports' X page. "If (Ole Miss quarterback) Trinidad Chambliss plays to the level that we all think he can, this could be a game that Ole Miss beats LSU.""This is difficult," Kelly said about the LSU-Texas matchup. "I think they probably get beat at the end here and I expect that Texas will win this game."Kelly was unceremoniously fired as LSU's football coach in the midst of the 2025 season following an embarrassing 49-25 defeat to Texas A&M in Tiger Stadium. He coached the Tigers for three-plus seasons, winning 34 games (34-14) and leading LSU to three straight bowl game victories. But he couldn't get LSU back to the College Football Playoffs and had a difficult time winning the big games while in Baton Rouge.How will @LSUfootball perform in its first season under Lane Kiffin?@CoachBrianKelly gives his game-by-game predictions for the Tigers pic.twitter.com/dEnRxiLZSu CBS Sports College Football (@CBSSportsCFB) August 10, 2026

Jackson State football is expected to have multiple players be among the best in the FCS.Offensive lineman Quaveon Davis and defensive back Kam Sallis were named preseason FCS All-Americans. Sallis made the second-team defense in FCS Football Central's list, and Davis made the third-team offense in Stats Perform's list.Sallis started 11 games at safety last season, finishing fourth on the team with 53 tackles. He also recorded two interceptions and two forced fumbles. He was named second-team All-SWAC at the end of the season. This year he is the conference's preseason Defensive Player of the Year.Davis started all 12 games last season at right tackle and is JSU's only returning offensive line starter. He made the All-SWAC second team last year and made the preseason All-SWAC first team in 2026.Davis and Sallis were also named preseason HBCU All-Americans, along with wide receiver Nate Rembert. Rembert led JSU with 750 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last season and was second-team All-SWAC. He was named an HBCU All-American at Mississippi Valley State in 2024.Jackson State's 2026 season begins in Nashville against Tennessee State on Aug. 29 (7:30 p.m. CT, ESPN+).Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at treid@usatodayco.com and follow her on X@tiareid65.This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson State football's Kam Sallis, Quaveon Davis named preseason FCS All-Americans

As the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare for their preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers, the team has signed a former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver during training camp.On Monday, it was reported that the Steelers were signing ex-Chiefs wide receiver Cornell Powell, who previously was brought in for a workout.News: The Pittsburgh #Steelers have also signed DC #Defenders WR Cornell Powell.Powell has spent the past two #UFL seasons with the Defenders, with 909 yards & 8 TD's throughout that span.One of spring football's best gets another NFL look. pic.twitter.com/P8iXbnzvzD James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) August 10, 2026Powell, selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, had a breakout collegiate season in 2020 with the Clemson Tigers, in which he recorded 882 yards and seven touchdowns. Powell also found tremendous success in the UFL with the DC Defenders, including leading the league in touchdown receptions in 2025. He is also the first player to become an NCAA champion, a Super Bowl champion, and a UFL champion.Powell, who spent time with the Steelers' practice squad in November 2025, will likely play in the upcoming preseason opener against the Packers, along with another new wide receiver who just signed with Pittsburgh.For up-to-dateSteelerscoverage, including any training camp news and updates, follow us on X@TheSteelersWireand give ourFacebook pagea like.This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers sign former Chiefs wide receiver at training camp

The Eagles are teaming up with the City of Philadelphia to bring back the HBCU Classic in 2026.Details for the event were unveiled on Monday afternoon in South Philadelphia.For the second straight year, a pair of Eagles legends will bring their teams to Lincoln Financial Field to compete.Desean Jackson's Delaware State squad will look to come out on top once again versus Norfolk State, coached by Michael Vick.'HBCU Battle of the Legends' brings excitement, opportunityThat matchup will take place on Halloween.New this year is a game between Virginia Union University and Chester County's Lincoln University on Friday, October 30th.Tickets for both games go on sale Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Micky van de Ven signs new Tottenham contractTottenham defender Micky van de Ven has committed his future to the club by signing a new long-term contract, keeping him in north London until 2031.The Netherlands international had two years remaining on his previous deal, but Spurs have moved quickly to secure one of their most important defenders on improved terms.Van de Ven joined Tottenham from Wolfsburg in 2023 for a reported 43 million including add-ons and has since made 96 appearances for the club.He enjoyed a particularly productive campaign last season, making 45 appearances and scoring seven goals as Spurs finished 17th in the Premier League. He also captained the side 18 times.There had been speculation over his future following Tottenhams difficult season, but the new agreement represents a major vote of confidence in the defender.Van de Ven was also part of the Spurs side that won the Europa League in 2025, ending the clubs 17-year wait for silverware.

LAWRENCE Although Kansas football has yet to announce a starting quarterback, head coach Lance Leipold acknowledged Monday that they have talked with Cole Ballard and Isaiah Marshall about carrying themselves as a starter regardless.Ballard, a redshirt junior, and Marshall, a redshirt sophomore, are in contention to earn the job this fall. As fall camp progresses, theyll continue to have opportunities to show they are the right one to lead the team in 2026. And thats not something thats gone unnoticed by Leipold.There is the need to manage things mentally, considering some days it might be Ballard who runs out first and others it might be Marshall. As much as the Jayhawks track every rep thats taken, whether its 11-on-11 or 7-on-7 or 1-on-1, to provide holistic evaluation of the starting quarterback battle and any other, that hurdle has to be cleared. But regardless of who wins the job, the need to be prepared to act as a starter will always be there.RELATED: How Kansas football quarterback Chase Jenkins fits into KUs plansWe always say youre one play away anyway, at any position, if youre not the starter, so youve got to act that way, Leipold said. One of the things we said in the evaluation process: Who can lead this football team? OK? Who can have a command of the huddle, and command of the situation and do all the things there? And I think both of them have worked on that extremely well, OK? And I cant say thats been a disappointment by either one.The two arent alone in the quarterback position group. Theres also redshirt junior Chase Jenkins, who transferred in from Rice, as well as freshman Jaylen Mason. But while theyll look to remain ready as well, the emphasis is going to remain on Ballard and Marshall.Whether its Ballard or Marshall who starts, Leipold described how Jalon Daniels operated at quarterback for the Jayhawks in recent years as a lesson every player at the position at KU can learn from. Even when Daniels wasnt healthy enough to play, or simply wasnt starting, Daniels still prepared at a level that would help him be ready for when he stepped onto the field again. Its part of why hes capable of now pursuing a professional opportunity in the NFL.Time will tell if Ballard or Marshall opens the fall as the starter, but in the days to come therell be more opportunities for the coaching staff to evaluate them. Thatll include things like decision-making, ball security and more, like the choice made amid a run-pass option. Whatever decision is made will play a key role in how the 2026 season unfolds for the Jayhawks.Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Associations sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas football coach Lance Leipold shares view on starting QB battle

Elijah Sarratt has spent much of his football career adapting to new environments. The Baltimore Ravens rookie wide receiver worked his way from Saint Francis to James Madison before helping the Indiana Hoosiers capture a national championship. Each stop brought a higher level of competition and a new set of expectations. Now that he has reached the NFL, he says the biggest adjustment hasn't been the speed of the game or the physicality of opposing defenders.He talks about the details. He recently spoke with the media, and when asked what has stood out most during his transition to the professional level, he pointed directly to the precision demanded throughout the Ravens' organization."Just [the] details... We're super detailed over here. I came from a school that was super detailed, but it's on a whole other level here, just split-wise, assignment-wise, [really] everything."For a rookie receiver trying to earn opportunities in a crowded room, those details can make the difference between seeing the field and watching from the sideline. Sarratt is expected to be among the most important players on the roster this season. Baltimore's coaching staff has repeatedly emphasized discipline and execution throughout training camp. Head coach Jesse Minter recently described the team's focus on cadence, communication and situational football as areas the Ravens continue to chase every day. Sarratt's comments suggest that philosophy extends throughout the entire organization."I feel like that's just been the biggest adjustment, just continuing to get down those little details on routes, run plays and everything," That attention to detail is hardly surprising considering the expectations facing Baltimore this season. The Ravens aren't rebuilding. They're attempting to compete for a championship while simultaneously integrating new coaches, new concepts and a wave of young talent.The Ravens demand precision from everyoneFor rookies and veterans, what Sarratt is describing is mastering far more than athletic ability. Elijah Sarratt is embracing the learning process. To his credit, Sarratt doesn't sound overwhelmed by the challenge. Instead, he appears to understand exactly what is required.The rookie described his approach as simply stacking productive days and remaining coachable while learning from veterans such as Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman."I came from winning the national championship, but that means nothing once you get here. I'm back at ground zero."That mindset has helped him navigate every previous stop in his football journey, and it could serve him well in Baltimore. The Ravens have assembled a receiver room filled with competition, but they have also created an environment where development is expected. If Sarratt continues embracing the details that have impressed him so much during camp, he may eventually discover why Baltimore places such a premium on them. After all, in the NFL, talent gets players noticed. The details often determine who stays on the field.This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens rookie explains why NFL preparation is distinctively different