Ranking the 10 Best NFL Defenses Entering Offseason Workouts

With the primary player acquisition periods in the books, which NFL defenses are poised to be the most feared in 2026? Here’s my prediction for the top 10 defenses in the upcoming season, in descending order: Key additions: OLB Jaelan Phillips (FA), LB Devin Lloyd (FA), DT Lee Hunter (draft)Key losses: DT A’Shawn Robinson (FA) Don’t be surprised to see the Panthers, who ranked 15th in points allowed and 16th in yards given up last season, make the leap into the top-10 conversation in 2026. They added two of the marquee defensive free agents in edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd. Cornerback Jaycee Horn is coming off back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons. Carolina lost starting defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson in free agency but essentially replaced him with second-round pick Lee Hunter, who had 10.5 tackles for loss at Texas Tech last season. Ejiro Evero, one of the NFL’s most respected defensive coordinators, has plenty of talent to work with. Key additions: OLB Trey Hendrickson (FA), S Jaylinn Hawkins (FA), OLB Zion Young (draft)Key losses: DL Dre’Mont Jones (FA), S Alohi Gilman (FA) The Maxx Crosby deal may have fallen through, but the Ravens will have much more pass rush juice in 2026 with the additions of former All-Pro Trey Hendrickson, who had 35 sacks from 2023-24, and second-round rookie Zion Young, who had 16.5 tackles for loss last season at Missouri. There has also been optimism about the potential return of former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, who suffered a career-threatening neck injury at the start of last season. Key additions: DT Javon Hargrave (FA), LB Zaire Franklin (trade), CB Benjamin St-Juste (FA), CB Brandon Cisse (draft), DT Chris McClellan (draft), OLB Dani Dennis-Sutton (draft)Key losses: OLB Rashan Gary (trade), LB Quay Walker (FA), DL Colby Wooden (trade), DE Kingsley Enagbare (FA) If All-Pro edge Micah Parsons is healthy — he tore his ACL in December — the Packers are equipped to take a step forward in 2026, even after trading Rashan Gary. Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and linebacker Zaire Franklin replace Colby Wooden and Quay Walker, respectively — on paper, both upgrades. Green Bay is also deeper at cornerback than a year ago with veteran Benjamin St-Juste and second-round rookie Brandon Cisse in the fold. Key additions: LB Quincy Williams (FA), S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (draft)Key losses: LB Devin Bush (FA), DL Shelby Harris (FA) While the impact of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz’s departure remains unclear, the Browns should still have one of the league’s best units. Cleveland lost just one full-time starter in Devin Bush Jr., and found a replacement who should suffice in former All-Pro Quincy Williams. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, the 58th overall pick in this year’s draft, bolsters an already strong secondary. Key additions: S Kevin Byard (FA), DL Dre’Mont Jones (FA), OLB Gabe Jacas (draft)Key losses: LB Jack Gibbens (FA), DT Khyiris Tonga (FA), OLB K’Lavon Chaisson (FA), S Jaylinn Hawkins (FA) The reigning AFC champion Patriots, who ranked fourth in scoring defense and eighth in yards allowed in 2025, added more playmaking in the back end with All-Pro safety Kevin Byard, who led the NFL with seven interceptions last season. They also brought in much-needed depth to the edge rusher spot in veteran Dre’Mont Jones and second-round pick Gabe Jacas. Key additions: CB Jaylen Watson (FA), CB Trent McDuffie (trade)Key losses: CB Cobie Durant (FA) The Rams already had one of the best defensive fronts in football and now have a top-tier cornerback tandem in former All-Pro Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, both of whom were previously with the Chiefs. With Chris Shula returning as coordinator, Los Angeles has a championship-caliber defense. Key additions: OLB Jonathan Greenard (trade), CB Riq Woolen (FA), OLB Arnold Ebiketie (FA)Key losses: OLB Jaelan Phillips (FA), LB Nakobe Dean (FA), S Reed Blankenship (FA) Despite losing Jaelen Phillips in free agency, the Eagles made up for the void at edge rusher by trading for former Vikings Pro Bowler Jonathan Greenard. They’re also better at cornerback with the addition of former Seahawks Pro Bowler Riq Woolen. A healthy Jalen Carter gives DC Vic Fangio one of the best defenses in all of football. Key addition: DT Tyler Onyedim (draft)Key losses: DL John Franklin-Myers (FA), S P.J. Locke (FA) With the exception of standout defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers, who signed with the Titans, the Broncos have the core of their top-three defense from last season intact. Third-round rookie Tyler Onyedim figures to be part of the equation in replacing Franklin-Myers’ production (7.5 sacks in 2025). Key additions: DE Dante Fowler Jr. (FA), S Bud Clark (draft), CB Julian Neal (draft)Key losses: S Coby Bryant (FA), DE Boye Mafe (FA), CB Riq Woolen (FA) The Seahawks lost three contributors from their defense that led the team to a Super Bowl LX victory, so there’s some uncertainty there. But Mike Macdonald’s unit still returns 10 full-time starters. Rookie defensive backs Bud Clark (second round) and Julian Neal (third round) could have significant roles early. Key additions: S Reed Blankenship (FA), DL Logan Hall (FA), DT Kayden McDonald (draft)Key loss: DT Tim Settle (FA) DeMeco Ryans returns 10 starters to his defense that ranked first in yards allowed and second in scoring in 2025. Adding standout veteran safety Reed Blankenship and second-round rookie defensive tackle Kayden McDonald raises the ceiling of a defense that’s already Super Bowl-caliber.

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NFL Offseason Check-in: When Should the Raiders Start No. 1 Pick Fernando Mendoza?

If Fernando Mendoza were not the No. 1 overall pick, there would be no rush to get him onto the field. In that alternate scenario, the Las Vegas Raiders could slot veteran Kirk Cousins into the QB1 spot and no one would give it a second thought. There would be no pressure. No stress. No reason to push the young quarterback, especially not when the team's offensive line (while rebuilt) was as bad as it was last year. Can the Raiders pretend Mendoza was not the No. 1 overall pick? Can they avoid the history of what teams have done with their rookie QB after taking him No. 1 overall? Of the 16 quarterbacks drafted at No. 1 overall in the past 20 years, every single one started in his rookie season, per FOX Sports Research. And of those 16 QBs, 12 of them started in Week 1. All of the past six first-overall QBs have started in Week 1. So you take my point — hopefully. The Raiders would have to fight what is historically inevitable. It's no mystery that the Raiders want to keep Mendoza off the field at the start of his NFL career. Not long ago, part-owner Tom Brady called it a "tragedy" that teams are "forcing these rookies to play early." At the NFL Combine, new Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said, "Ideally, you don't want a rookie to start from Day 1." That’s why Cousins, a legit bridge quarterback, arrived via free agency before the draft. He would be a worthy starter. But even he seems to know that he might not be the best quarterback on the team over the next 10 months. And at that point, Cousins wants the best QB to play, even if that’s Mendoza. "I honestly don’t want to start unless I’m the best option, and I told Klint that," Cousins told reporters at his introductory press conference. "The best player should play. As long as that’s the case, I have no qualms about however it plays out." For those who don't want Mendoza rushed onto the field, there's good(-ish) news: He isn’t even close to ready. At his first rookie minicamp practice last week, Mendoza took more under-center snaps than he did in his entire season at Indiana. And perhaps that’s why he had a startling realization. "Wow, I have a lot to work on," he remembered thinking during his first practice. "Wow, the NFL players, everybody here in rookie camp — these are all really, really good players." Many of those players won’t even make the 53-man roster. So that means that when OTAs, minicamp and training camp get underway, Mendoza is due for another surprise regarding the quality of his teammates. And then he’ll see two more surprises during the preseason and regular season. If all goes well, he’ll see how the game only gets faster in the postseason and the Super Bowl. That’s me getting ahead of myself. I won’t be the only one. But at least I know I’m getting ahead of myself. Some others won’t think twice about putting pressure on a guy the Raiders picked with the first selection in a draft of 257 selections. People will want Mendoza to play. People always want the No. 1 overall pick to play. Let’s juxtapose those expectations with what is actually happening. The No. 1 overall pick is learning how to take snaps under center. You’d think, of course, that’s built into being a quarterback. A kid learns that when he’s in middle school and it sticks with him. But Mendoza was a shotgun QB for the Hoosiers. And while he was touted as a quick-thinking draft prospect, he’ll have to figure out how to translate his superpower — his processing speed — into Kubiak’s dropback offense. "Instead of being back there in shotgun, we have to get back to make sure you best serve your offensive linemen, still be on time, still decipher the defense," Mendoza told reporters at minicamp. "And with that, actually having an emphasis on those first two steps, on securing the snap and getting out of there, and be powerful with having quick feet." The basics. He’s not behind or ahead of schedule. That is how rookie minicamp works. He’s getting comfortable handing off the football, checking down the football and throwing into one-on-one drills. He is not yet operating the entire scheme, let alone 11-on-11, full-speed, fully-padded reps. It’s a process and, hopefully, a progression that Mendoza will embrace wholeheartedly. By all accounts, he is the type of player who wants nothing more than to live the cliché of getting better every day. But that doesn’t mean that he won’t and can’t regress. In fact, I’ll assure you: He will. The danger of inserting a player like Mendoza into the lineup too early isn’t just that he’ll regress. It’s that early playtime might instill those bad habits. By nature of the draft order, the No. 1 overall pick goes to the NFL’s worst team. Contrast that to Mendoza coming from college football’s best team. It’s going to be different. When coach Ben Johnson arrived in Chicago last year, he got to work with Bears QB Caleb Williams. But it seemed as if Johnson had to break through some of the bad habits Williams learned in his rookie season (before Johnson arrived). That’s the risk of putting a QB in too early. It might create a new laundry list of issues to address in the ensuing offseason. The Green Bay Packers have a strong legacy of letting their quarterbacks sit and develop. And perhaps not coincidentally, they have also enjoyed a level of sustained success that’s basically beyond comparison. Green Bay sat Aaron Rodgers behind Brett Favre before sitting Jordan Love behind Rodgers. And that has covered their QB spot going back to 1992. And, of course, the Kansas City Chiefs famously sat Patrick Mahomes behind Alex Smith for a year. And that was despite — as the myth now goes — Mahomes playing better than Smith at practice for parts of Mahomes’ rookie season. Those were organizations that had success despite drafting a QB in Round 1. But none of those teams took its QB at No. 1 overall. One of the best imaginable outcomes for Mendoza would be that he could turn into Joe Burrow or Matt Ryan. In the case of Burrow, drafted No. 1 overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020, he started in Week 1 and played well. But he took too many hits, including the one that prematurely ended his season in Week 11 with an ACL and MCL tear. As for Ryan, he was solid as a rookie in 2008, with 3,440 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He won Offensive Rookie of the Year and led the Atlanta Falcons to an 11-5 record. Ryan, however, went third overall — and, in turn, had a better supporting cast. This is to say that the final decision should probably come down to more than Mendoza. Yes, he'll have to be ready. But there's more to it than that. Even if Mendoza is ready for the NFL, the Raiders might not be ready for him.

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NFL Offseason Check-in: Can Carnell Tate Be Titans’ WR1 After Being Ohio State’s WR2?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Carnell Tate spent his first two Titans practices largely out of sight. After a team stretch during rookie minicamp last week, the No. 4 overall pick — like the rest of Tennessee’s 2026 draft selections— worked with the strength and conditioning staff. But there will come a time when the receiver will be on the field, running routes and catching passes from quarterback Cam Ward, last year's No. 1 overall pick. Tate's draft slot makes the expectation clear: Eventually, he needs to be a WR1-caliber player. He’s pivotal to Ward’s development and to the Titans’ offense. Tate doesn’t sound overwhelmed by that expectation. "I just go out there and play football," he told reporters on Friday. "The ball will find you. You just go out there and make the best of your opportunities, like I've always done." But not as a WR1. It’s well documented: In Ohio State’s (always) loaded wide receiver room, Tate was WR2 behind Jeremiah Smith last season. As a sophomore in 2024, Tate was the third option behind Smith and Emeka Egbuka, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' first-round pick last year. That means that at the highest level of football, Tate will need to grow into something he hasn’t been. "He's got to compete; he has got to prove that he belongs," new Titans head coach Robert Saleh said Friday. "He’s got to [show] that he deserves the ball, and it's going to start day one once he gets here." As a rookie, Ward never had a go-to target in Tennessee’s abysmal offense, which ranked third-worst in the NFL in scoring (16.7 points per game). Titans receivers were plagued by dropped passes and issues creating separation. Former All-Pro Calvin Ridley was a disappointment in 2025, missing 10 games due to injury and averaging just 43.3 receiving yards per contest when he was on the field. The Titans’ leading pass-catcher was tight end Chig Okonkwo (560 receiving yards), who signed with the Washington Commanders in free agency. Tennessee added free-agent Wan’Dale Robinson, who was a 1,000-yard receiver last season for the Giants. Robinson spent the first three-plus years of his NFL career playing under Brian Daboll, the former New York head coach and now the Titans' offensive coordinator. Second-year pros Chimere Dike — an All-Pro returner as a rookie — and Elic Ayomanor are ascending players. But Tate is the high-end, young talent the team desperately needs at the position. In the Titans’ eyes, he’s a complete wide receiver. The 6-foot-2, 192-pound Tate is a big target with contested-catch ability. He has great tracking skills and the catch radius to match. He’s an efficient route-runner and a willing blocker. What Tate lacks as a burner (4.53-second 40-yard dash) he makes up for in play speed. He’s "elusive and sudden" off the line of scrimmage, as Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi puts it, and can separate from defensive backs at the top of his routes. With Tate’s presence, Ward may be able to let it fly more downfield. Among the 33 qualified quarterbacks last season, he ranked 28th in deep passing rate (8.1%), according to Next Gen Stats. At Ohio State in 2025, Tate ranked second in the FBS with nine catches of 40-plus yards. "He got behind the defense in a pretty good league in college," Daboll said at rookie minicamp. "And then his range and ability to track the ball and his hands. His hands have been very good. His ability to pluck it and high point it and make catches in traffic. He’s a crafty route-runner. "Look, he’s going to have a lot of challenging things that happen to him as a young receiver," Daboll added. "There’s a transition from college to the NFL, as there is with every position. But his mindset, his makeup [stand out]. … We had a really good 30 visit. He’s a very mature young man for only being 21 years old." In Daboll’s offense, the wide receivers are expected to know all the spots in the formation. So the plan is to move Tate around. How he processes that remains to be seen. "We’ll give him as much as he can handle," Daboll said. The Titans have a "consensus vision" on what Tate will be in the offense, according to assistant GM Dave Zeiger. "A lot of times, you get the bigger, taller, linear receivers. … I call them first- and second-down guys," Zeigler told reporters last week. "They’re not productive on third down because they don't have the route tree to do that. Or you have a bigger guy that doesn't consistently play big at the catch point. "Carnell checked a lot of those boxes. We're feeling we're really getting a complete three-down player that can contribute on these critical downs and these critical situations, third down and the red zone." When Tate starts to practice, we’ll see if the former college WR2 can be a true WR1 in the NFL.

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Sound Smart: 5 Observations on the Biggest Post-Draft Storylines

The NFL offseason — which is basically a whole season unto itself — is about to come to a screeching halt. Free agency has come and mostly gone. The draft is complete. And now, teams will likely wait until June 1 before making any more moves, because of the salary-cap and compensatory-pick considerations. (That’s when we’ll no doubt see the Philadelphia Eagles trade disgruntled receiver A.J. Brown.) But there is always something to discuss in the NFL offseason. Always. This is "Sound Smart," where I try to spin forward, dive deeper and think outside the box. If I do my job, you’ll have a better understanding of what really happened over the past week of the NFL offseason. 1. IF THERE’S ONE THING YOU SHOULD KNOW, IT’S… George Pickens’ contract situation says one thing about the Dallas Cowboys — and another about the NFL. When it comes to extending the All-Pro receiver, the Cowboys aren’t going to change the way they do business — not even after the Micah Parsons situation blew up last year. You know the story: Dallas and Parsons never agreed on a contract and negotiations went forgotten-milk sour. Parsons is now a Green Bay Packer. The Cowboys have players and picks to show for the trade. A new-look defense is under construction after last year's version was putrid without All-Pro edge Parsons. And you’d think maybe the Cowboys might be more generous with their players, perhaps to earn more goodwill — or perhaps to avoid fallout with another mercurial star. You’d think wrong. At the NFL owners meetings in March, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones set the table for how negotiations would go with Pickens, calling the franchise tag "an integral part of our strategy over the next two or three years as we look to keep our best players." And ahead of the draft, executive vice president and director of player personnel Stephen Jones doubled down. "We've made a decision that we're gonna have George play under the franchise tag, which won't be a first for us," Jones said. "There won't be negotiations on a long-term deal. That's certainly not a first for this organization and won't be a first in the league." Pickens signed his franchise tag on April 30. On the Cowboys’ end, this is a shrewd decision for roster management. It’s what’s best for the organization, forcing the receiver — who could likely have made $40 million per year (and probably on a three- or four-year deal) on the open market — to play for a one-year, $27.3 million deal. And with Pickens, it’s important to note how he’s not like CeeDee Lamb or Ja’Marr Chase, veteran receivers who repeatedly proved themselves on and off the field before signing huge deals. No, Pickens is more of a wild-card, whose play had been spotty at times until he arrived in Dallas last season. And he only landed with the Cowboys because the Pittsburgh Steelers were fed up with him, shipping him off for a third-round pick. That isn’t to say that Dallas' decision is fair. But it is analytical and calculated. The Cowboys aren’t changing. Not for Parsons. Not for Pickens. Now for the NFL, it’s yet another reminder of how little power the players have. At the owners meetings, Jerry Jones mentioned that Pickens entered the league under the collective bargaining agreement, which players negotiated. And so Pickens must follow the NFL and NFLPA’s agreed-upon contract rules, which include the franchise tag. In other words, Jones is saying: Don’t hold out, don’t hold in, don’t fight this franchise tag. But of course, Pickens doesn’t have much of an alternative. When he entered the draft in 2022, the NIL era was not fully launched in college football — not like the raging business it is now. Nowadays, star players can stay in college and make plenty of money. As we saw in this year’s draft, many do. But when it comes to going pro in football, the NFL has no competitor. And the league’s contract system is extremely team-friendly. It prevented Pickens from cashing in and securing the long-term financial deal that he could absolutely demand, if not for the franchise tag. Because of that, Pickens has no real recourse — except to demand a trade and/or to stage a holdout or hold-in. That doesn’t seem to be on the table. Instead, he’ll work to change the narrative that he’s difficult to work with. He’ll play on an improperly valued contract. And in 2027, if all goes well, he’ll cash in big. 2. MONDAY MORNING CONTROVERSY Where in the world is Shedeur Sanders? Deshaun Watson is in pole position to start at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns in 2026, per Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. And … my goodness, why and how? Where is Shedeur Sanders? This is one of the more promising Browns teams we’ve seen in quite some time, which — I know, I know — might not be saying much. But I genuinely believe that Cleveland is agonizingly close to pulling itself out of the basement and away from the purgatory of rebuilding, year after year. But the Browns are not going to be competitive if they play Watson, one of the worst QBs in recent NFL history. I’m not even being hyperbolic. Consider this telling statistic from ESPN’s Benjamin Solak: Over the past 26 years, we’ve seen 907 seasons of quarterbacks with 200 passing attempts or more. In 2024, Watson’s season ranked 902nd in yards per dropback. And of course, the QB tore his Achilles twice since that season. That’s your guy, Cleveland? So I’ll ask again: Where is Sanders? I get it. In all likelihood, Cleveland will draft its guy in 2027 — and that will be the year the Browns can legitimately turn this around. Maybe it’s as simple as: The Browns want to lose a lot of games in 2026 — to rise to the top of the 2027 draft (aka tanking). But that would surprise me. The Browns can’t really afford to tank, not with GM Andrew Berry and head coach Todd Monken on hot seats. Yeah, that’s right, they could both get fired. Monken hasn’t coached a single down yet, but the Browns struggled to attract a top candidate in the 2026 hiring cycle, mainly because of the team’s salary cap issues and quarterback issues — which all tie back to Watson. If they have a strong, young team with a high draft pick in a QB-rich 2027 draft, the Browns could hire a big-name coach or hot coordinator prospect. (Monken joined Cleveland after getting fired from his OC gig with the Baltimore Ravens.) Think about how the Chicago Bears attracted Ben Johnson with a well-timed hire a year after selecting QB Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft. It’s starting to feel clear that Sanders is not a part of the Browns’ plan, that I’m inserting him into the conversation — because he is not inserting or asserting himself as QB1. Time is running out. Now would be a great time for Sanders to step up. To prove he’s "LEGENDARY." 3. PEELING BACK THE CURTAIN Eric DeCosta did a brilliant job of defusing tension between NFL teams and the Consensus Draft Board. There has been an ongoing discussion in the NFL about the "Consensus Board," an aggregation of media-based big boards ranking the top draft prospects. It’s an effort to use the immense draft data to set the averages. The discussion is often contentious after a team veers from the consensus ranking. But finally, the discussion took a more productive turn this week. And that was when Ravens GM Eric Decosta took the time to explain what he’s seeing when he works with his team’s board — and compares it to the consensus. "Over the last three years or so, more teams seem to be drafting the same as the Ravens," DeCosta said on "The Lounge" podcast. "There seems to be an alignment in some ways of boards. And some of that might be based on modeling and analytics and more data being used, some of that data which is industry data and various things. I'm not sure if that's good or not." He said there are draft prospects he calls "outlier players" who he might rank, for example, as first- or second-round picks but who the consensus boards show as fourth- or fifth-round picks. "That was concerning except that, in most of those cases, those players were drafted closer to where we had them by other teams," DeCosta said. "Meaning, they weren’t falling [toward their consensus value]. … We see those guys getting drafted closer to 35 than 105. So what that tells me — and again, I think we’re just scratching the surface on this — but it tells me that there are players that teams like that the consensus boards haven’t heard about, valued properly or latched onto." He added: "There are these outlier prospects that the teams know about that the consensus boards haven’t caught up to." DeCosta felt like the open access to data and analytics has helped the media’s consensus board align more closely with teams’ boards — particularly as the years go on. But they don’t match universally. The entire discussion started with the examination of the San Francisco 49ers’ draft class, which included a handful of "reaches," when using the consensus board. In this year’s class, 49ers receiver De’Zhaun Stribling might be the best example of an "outlier player." The 49ers took him at 33rd overall — despite him sitting at 85th on the consensus board — because San Francisco feared he'd get drafted soon after their slot. Reports indicate that the 49ers were right — multiple teams had Stribling circled for Round 2. And all it takes is one other team. If the 49ers wanted Stribling, they probably needed to take him at No. 33. And it’s now upon them to make sure he delivers upon that draft status. San Francisco GM John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan were not as open as DeCosta to talk about the process and the way the consensus board does (and does not) steer their line of thinking. They were more defensive and flippant, with Lynch saying, "We’ve got consensus in this building. That’s the consensus that I care about." So I appreciate that DeCosta took the time to reach the draft community with a more generous spirit. 4. RANDOM RANKINGS Here are six sleeper rookies that I love for fantasy football. I’ll do three for dynasty and three for redraft. Ted Hurst, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Dynasty) The Bucs' offense came down to earth last year, which is why they pivoted from OC Josh Grizzard to Zac Robinson, an apple that fell off the Sean McVay tree. You can bet that GM Jason Licht drafted Hurst with Robinson’s offense in mind, and the rookie wideout will join a unit that has some uncertainty at the receiver spots beyond Emeka Egbuka. Jalen McMillan has yet to take a full-time starting role and Chris Godwin is aging and oft-injured. Hurst is a developmental prospect out of Georgia State but has incredible physical abilities and was dominant at the FCS level. Maybe he breaks out in 2027. Mike Washington, RB, Las Vegas Raiders (Dynasty) New Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak ran a two-back backfield in Seattle. Now, Kubiak didn’t have Ashton Jeanty last year, and it’s likely the 2025 first-round pick gets a massive share of the touches. But there is a chance that Washington has a bigger role than expected, particularly given how ideally he fits Kubiak's system. He will be a really good handcuff in Vegas. Chris Bell, WR, Miami Dolphins (Dynasty) Bell is the ultimate high-risk, high-upside play. He was an outstanding player at Louisville, where he would have likely earned his way into the top 50 picks in the NFL Draft. But he tore his ACL, which landed him in Round 4 and on a Dolphins team devoid of receivers. Can he earn a sizable role while overcoming the knee injury? Draft him if you want to be along for that journey. Ja’Kobi Lane, WR, Baltimore Ravens (Redraft): If you want a late-round flier with high upside, Lane could be among the best options. Baltimore has long needed an explosive, outside option with good hands. That’s Lane. He should supplant veteran receiver Rashod Bateman for playing time, and the question will simply be whether Lane can convert his snaps in a more efficient way than Bateman has. Justin Joly, TE, Denver Broncos (Redraft): The Broncos have been looking for a tight end who fits Sean Payton’s sensibilities. (He wants another Jimmy Graham, but of course, those guys don’t grow on trees.) It doesn’t seem like Evan Engram or Adam Trautman have quite gotten it done in Denver. So Joly is a compelling guy, particularly if we see him running with the first-team in training camp. Jonah Coleman, RB, Denver Broncos (Redraft) I’ll say it: I don’t think second-round pick RJ Harvey was very impressive last year as a rookie. Not in fantasy. Not in reality. He’s not so impressive that a guy like Coleman can’t vulture carries. And that’s even more true of J.K. Dobbins, who will likely be Coleman’s more direct competition. So if Coleman can steal Dobbins’ job and eat into Harvey’s touches, the rookie will be a really good fantasy option. But for now, that’s a big if. 5. HE SAID WHAT?! *Silence* Normally, this is the space where I explore a controversial statement — or an exciting quote. But I want to explore an unusual silence that surrounded QB Fernando Mendoza, the draft’s No. 1 overall pick. No one is talking about him. No one has really discussed him since the combine, when it became clear that he was the sure-thing at first overall. There’s nothing controversial about the squeaky-clean Mendoza. From my vantage point, it has been intentional. Mendoza has made appearances here and there. He has let his aw-shucks persona shine. He has embraced his cultural achievements as one of the NFL’s few Latino quarterbacks. And he has used his spotlight for good, raising funds for the National MS Society in honor of his mother. But he has not generated a compelling headline since winning the national championship. That’s authentic to Mendoza, for sure. But it has all been in the name of securing the No. 1 overall pick. That didn’t help draft ratings. That thrust undersized and inexperienced Alabama QB Ty Simpson into the pre-draft discussion as a sacrificial lamb in the embrace-debate TV world. But it was all to benefit Mendoza, who has made the leap to the NFL as quietly as any first-overall pick in recent memory. That includes understated personalities like Cam Ward and Bryce Young going to understated teams like the Titans and Panthers. Despite the lack of fanfare for Mendoza, you can count me as someone who believes in his prospects. Give him some time. He’ll grow on people, both on and off the field. He may very well be a superstar in 2027.

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Best Super Bowl Betting Sites & Sportsbook Promos

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Football is here! Super Bowl LX will take place at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California — home of the San Francisco 49ers — on Feb. 8, 2026. The Super Bowl is a prime opportunity for sports betting, so it is time to look at the best Super Bowl betting sites. Sports betting is legal in several states via licensed sportsbook. In this guide, we'll cover top Super Bowl betting sites and apps, as well as top sportsbook promos. Best Super Bowl Betting Sites 2026 When it comes to betting on the Super Bowl, there are numerous opportunities available across various sportsbooks, as it is arguably the biggest betting event of the year. Between DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Fanatics, bet365 and Caesars, there’s a betting opportunity for all. New users can also stack promotions across multiple books before deciding which sportsbook best fits their betting style. Don’t settle on just one — claim as many offers as possible to maximize your bonus value, then stick with the book that feels right for you. Here are the best Super Bowl betting sites you can use for 2026. DraftKings Overview Welcome Bonus Why It’s Great for Super Bowl Betting Standout Features Verdict FanDuel Overview Welcome Bonus Why It’s Great for Super Bowl Betting Standout Features Verdict BetMGM Overview Welcome Bonus Why It’s Great for Super Bowl Betting Standout Features Verdict Fanatics Sportsbook Overview Welcome Bonus Why It’s Great for Super Bowl Betting Standout Features Verdict bet365 Overview Welcome Bonus Minimum $10 deposit required. Minimum odds -500 of greater. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. New customers only. T&CS, time limits and exclusions apply. Why It’s Great for Super Bowl Betting Standout Features Verdict Caesars Overview Welcome Bonus Why It’s Great for Super Bowl Betting Standout Features Verdict Best Super Bowl Betting Promos & Welcome Offers Like with many websites in general, there are incentives just for signing up. If you create accounts at these popular sports gambling sites, usually you will get some form of welcome offer. Let's check out the options. DraftKings: Bet $5, Get $300 If Your Bet Wins New DraftKings customers can bet $5 and get $300 if your bet wins. The instant credit gives you immediate flexibility, and adds strong football-season value. Deposit at least $10, place a $5 qualifying wager (minimum odds often -150 or longer), and the bonus bets arrive right away. This is a Bet & Get offer; bonus bets typically expire in 7 days and only winnings are withdrawable. FanDuel: Bet $5, Win, Get $250 in Bonus Bets Place a $5 first cash wager and, if it wins, you’ll receive $250 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins. No promo code is needed. This suits bettors who already like a favorite and want extra upside on a small first play. Deposit $5 or more, place your first $5+ cash bet, and if it wins FanDuel credits the bonus (usually within about 72 hours). This is a Bet & Get (win-triggered) offer; bonus bets generally expire in 7 days, and only bonus winnings can be withdrawn. BetMGM: First Bet Offer up to $1,500 paid back in Bonus Bets if your first wager loses With BetMGM, your first wager is protected up to $1,500 with promo code FOXSPORTS. If it loses, BetMGM refunds you in bonus bets. No promo code is required in-app. This "safety net" is ideal if you want to take a bigger first swing with less downside. Deposit at least $10, place your first cash bet of $10+, and if it loses you’ll get a refund in bonus bets (bets $50+ are typically split into five equal tokens; <$50 returns as one token). This is a First-Bet Safety Net; bonus bets usually expire in 7 days and only winnings are withdrawable. bet365: Bet $10, Get $200 in Bonus Bets (win or lose) Bet365’s welcome is simple: wager $10 and get $200 in Bonus Bets, win or lose with promo code FOX365. The low qualifier and outcome-independent credit make this one of the easiest ways to get started. Deposit $10+ and place a $5+ qualifying bet to unlock the bonus after settlement. This is a Bet & Get offer; bonus bets typically expire in 7 days, only the winnings can be withdrawn, and a minimum-odds requirement applies (often -500 or longer). Fanatics: Get a 100% bet match up to $100 in FanCash for 10 days. Fanatics often runs Bet & Get structured promotions, such as a daily match on bets (e.g. Get a 100% bet match up to $100 in FanCash for 10 days.)— though the specific Indiana offer must be confirmed. Sign up today. Caesars: $250 First Bet Match Caesars often offers First bet matched up to $250 as a bonus bet with code FOX250BM, win or lose, for new users. The exact structure can vary by state and promotion period. Check it out here. Popular Super Bowl Betting Markets There are multiple ways to bet on the Super Bowl that involve the score of the game, player statistics and even Gatorade bath color. Let's take a look at a few major betting markets. Moneyline & Point Spread A moneyline bet is the simplest form of wagering — you’re just picking which side will win the game outright, disregarding the score. The odds determine how much money you will make. Heading into the Super Bowl, there will be a favorite and an underdog. A heavy favorite might only return a small profit, while backing the underdog can lead to more money if they pull off the upset. The point spread is the expected final score difference between two teams. If the spread is 3 points, you'll see that as both -3 and +3. The team that is favored to win the Super Bowl gets the minus-number (-3); the underdog gets the plus-number (+3). If the favorite is -3, that means it must win by more than three points to cover the spread. If the underdog is +3, that means it must lose by fewer than three points or win outright to cover the spread. Totals (Over/Under) An Over/Under bet, also called a total, is a wager on the combined number of points, runs, or goals scored in a game. So for the Super Bowl, the sportsbook sets a line, and bettors choose whether the final score will go over (more than the posted total) or under (less than the posted total). Player Props A player prop bet is a wager on an outcome other than the final score, like player stats in the Super Bowl. Examples include: Same-Game Parlays (SGPs) A same-game parlay (SGP) is a wager in which you bet on multiple outcomes occurring from one specific game. Unlike a traditional parlay, SGPs focus solely on events within this one specific game, such as the Super Bowl. A bettor could wager on the moneyline, spread and how many passing TDs for a quarterback in the Super Bowl on a single betting slip. Novelty Props Novelty props are wagers that don't always relate directly to the outcome of the game. Examples include: Super Bowl Live Betting Sites Live betting (also called in-play betting) is just that: instead of betting before the game, you are actually gambling as the game is going on. This kind of gambling is prominent in the Super Bowl because of the high viewership, frequent stoppages, and dynamic odds changes. Examples of live betting include wagering on the next scoring play, updated point spreads, or quarter/half totals. The benefits of live betting include reacting to game flow, hedging and capitalizing on momentum shifts, and potential drawbacks include fast-moving odds and risk of impulsive bets. Gambling disclaimer: Only individuals aged 21 and over are permitted to gamble. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER. Gambling is subject to local state regulation and is illegal in some states. Please gamble responsibly – information relating to responsible gambling can be found here. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!

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2026 NFL Draft: The 10 Rookies Who Could Make the Most Fantasy Football Impact

We will admit this from the start: 2025 was a bad year for rookies in fantasy football. Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty came into the league with huge expectations and finished 15th among fantasy running backs. No rookie wide receiver finished higher than 15th — that was Carolina Panthers standout Tetairoa McMillan — and the only rookie quarterback in the top 20 was the Giants' Jaxson Dart, who finished 13th and was too uneven to start with any hope of winning. But 2026 could be different. We only said "could" be, not "should" or "will" be. It's exciting to take a rookie in your fantasy draft. It represents the unknown, boundless potential, a chance to land the steal of the draft compared to the big-name returning veterans. So who are the rookies in the best position to play a role big enough to have a real fantasy impact? We're offering up 10 names, including some obvious names, along with mid-round selections we're keeping an eye on ahead of minicamp in June. Dallas Goedert had an outlier breakout with 11 touchdown receptions last year — he'd totaled eight in the previous three years combined — but it shows that Jalen Hurts will throw to tight ends in the red zone. The Philadelphia Eagles, even as they likely deal A.J. Brown away soon, have added a ton to their passing game, in rookie Makai Lemon and veterans Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown. Still, we like Eli Stowers as a surprise-stash rookie, someone new to the position and athletic enough to steal snaps, catches and touchdowns from Goedert in what could be the veteran's final NFL season. The Cleveland Browns didn't have a receiver with more than two touchdown catches last season, and there's the ongoing question of who exactly is throwing passes for them. But they put first- and second-round picks into rookie receivers who could easily be their two most productive pass-catchers in 2026. Texas A&M's KC Concepcion went 24th overall, but keep an eye on Boston, who went 39th but has much more size (6-foot-4, 212 pounds) and caught 20 touchdown passes in his last two years at Washington. Harold Fannin shined as a third-round rookie last year, and if we had to pick a late-rounder from a deep group of rookie tight ends, it would be Justin Joly, who averaged 49 catches and 576 yards over his last three college seasons, with seven touchdown catches last year. The Denver Broncos have an older tight end in Evan Engram, who managed just one touchdown catch last season, so it's not hard to see Joly stepping into a larger role than, say, Max Klare with the Los Angeles Rams or Sam Roush with the Chicago Bears, joining loaded position rooms. Christian McCaffrey stayed healthy and played all 17 games in 2025, an oasis in an offense mired in injuries everywhere else. Can he do it again in 2026? If not, Kaelon Black could be the beneficiary, a third-round pick from Indiana who rushed for 1,039 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Grabbing a McCaffrey understudy has paid off before — see Elijah Mitchell in 2021 or Jordan Mason in 2024 — and with Brian Robinson signing with the Atlanta Falcons, Black has a chance to step into that high-potential backup role. To be clear, Fernando Mendoza is unlikely to be helping any good fantasy football team in 2026. We got spoiled by Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix in 2024, but Mendoza is closer to Ward and Dart last year — his over-under for passing yards is 2,499.5, via DraftKings Sportsbook. That's a reminder that the Las Vegas Raiders are paying Kirk Cousins well and may start him instead, at least early in the season. So, taking Mendoza is strictly a late-round dynasty flier, someone you can grab in the 14th round with the hopes that he's a solid starter in 2027. Tight end was a great position for rookie fantasy impact last year, with the Indianapolis Colts' Tyler Warren, the Chicago Bears' Colston Loveland and Fannin all finishing as top-10 tight ends in fantasy. So, it checks out that we would have three tight ends in our top 10. But what's complicated this year is that most of the top tight ends went to teams that already have good tight ends, like Sadiq, who goes to a New York Jets team whose leading receiver last year was rookie tight end Mason Taylor. It would be easy, however, for Sadiq to surpass Taylor's modest rookie totals (44 receptions for 369 yards and a touchdown) and for the Jets' offense in general to be an improved unit as Geno Smith is an upgrade over the three bad quarterbacks who started in 2025. Once the New Orleans Saints traded Rashid Shaheed to the Seattle Seahawks, there was a glaring need for a strong No. 2 receiver to complement Chris Olave. New Orleans found that at No. 8 in selecting Jordyn Tyson from Arizona State. The Saints have been busy this offseason in surrounding Tyler Shough with offensive talent, from running back Travis Etienne and guard David Edwards in free agency before getting Tyson and tight end Oscar Delp in the draft. They'll be set up much better to show off Kellen Moore's offensive mind, and with opposing defenses focusing on Olave, Tyson is in a good position to take advantage of that as a productive No. 2. Jadarian Price, taken by Seattle with the final pick of the first round, is an intriguing prospecthttps://https://ift.tt/d3HfGux. He never started a game in college, stuck behind Jeremiyah Love at Notre Dame, and never had more than 15 touches in a game. But for sheer value, he's much more likely to exceed expectations than Love, because Price goes to an amazing offense on a dominant team that will have the lead plenty, one that lost star Kenneth Walker to the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency and has Zach Charbonnet recovering from a torn ACL. Fantasy impact is as much about opportunity as it is talent, and Price might go into the year with the best situational opportunity of any rookie. He should have a window in September to show what he can do before Charbonnet is back, and to set himself up to have the larger split of that job share if he can play consistently as a rookie and show pass-catching ability that wasn't used much in college. His over-under for rushing yards is 750.5 (via BetOnline), which is actually just 150 fewer than Love's. We'll open with a caveat: in the last decade, only two rookie receivers have had 1,000-plus receiving yards and 10-plus touchdowns — Brian Thomas Jr. with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024 and Ja'Marr Chase with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021. So to ask for both of those things for a rookie receiver is to set the bar almost unfairly high. Carnell Tate, picked fourth overall by the Tennessee Titans, is the favorite to lead all rookies in receiving yards at multiple sportsbooks, but his over-under is also 900.5 (via BetOnline) and his over-under for touchdowns is just 4.5. For Tate to really shine as a fantasy football star, you need quarterback Cam Ward to take a big step forward. As a rookie on a bad team, he threw for 15 touchdowns all season, and that number should rise in Year 2. Getting to 25 would be a huge step up, and it could happen with better coaching and new receiving targets in Tate and free-agent signee Wan'Dale Robinson. Robinson is still only 25 and has gotten 140 targets in each of the last two seasons, which could be seen as a threat to Tate, but Robinson also has only nine touchdown catches in four NFL seasons, so the red-zone targets are more likely to go to Tate, the latest in a prolific pipeline of star receivers from Ohio State to the NFL. You see a running back taken in the top five, you want to see a Saquon Barkley impact. Barkley had 2,000-plus total yards and 15 touchdowns for the New York Giants in 2018. All you need is Love: That's what we will hear in our minds as drafts begin, with his 40 touchdowns in his last two years at Notre Dame and a No. 3 overall pick to boot. What complicates things is that Arizona will be a bad team — their over-under is 4.5 wins, matching the Dolphins for the lowest in the league — and teams constantly trailing generally throw more and run less. That wasn't the problem with Jeanty on a bad Raiders team last year. He got 311 touches, but just wasn't able to do much with them, disappointing just about anyone who drafted him. Now, Love has a young, offensive-minded coach, and there isn't a great quarterback to make a compelling case to throw a lot instead of building around the run game. Love's over-unders for rushing yards (900.5) and rushing touchdowns (6.5) lead all rookie running backs (via BetOnline). He also has an over-under of 450.5 receiving yards, and if he stays healthy, he could cover all three of those easily. One familiar concern: Tyler Allgeier. If you've had Bijan Robinson on your team in recent years, you know Allgeier's ability to cull touchdowns and touches away from an elite running back. Arizona gave him $12 million for two years, so even with a much bigger investment in Love, they'll want him to be a solid No. 2, the question being at what fantasy expense.

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Back Patriots to Suffer from Super Bowl Hangover, Difficult Schedule

With the 2026 NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror, the look ahead to the regular season becomes clearer, with rosters now mostly established. Last week, the Las Vegas Raiders drafted Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza first overall, as expected — but the remainder of the first round presented a few curveballs. The Tennessee Titans drafting Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate fourth overall was not predicted in any major mock draft, and made for a stunning selection. Then, some were surprised when the Los Angeles Rams decided to draft Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, a position where they have the league’s reigning MVP in Matthew Stafford. But, a major story that hung over the NFL this weekend was Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel not attending the third day of the draft to attend counseling for personal issues. While Vrabel seems on track to coach the Patriots when the season begins, I believe this tumultuous offseason is an ominous sign for the team in 2026. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. The Patriots, who have an Over/Under of 9.5 regular season wins, were already going to be up against some obstacles even before the news of Vrabel broke. "The Super Bowl hangover" refers to the team that loses the Super Bowl and often underperforms the following season. The physical toll of playing an extra month of football, or not recovering from the disappointment of losing the Super Bowl, has proven tough to bounce back from. None of the last three Super Bowl losers (Chiefs, 49ers, and Eagles) have won a playoff game the following year, with two of those teams missing the playoffs altogether. The Patriots also notably had one of the easier schedules in league history last season, as their opponents had a combined winning percentage of .366, the lowest mark in the NFL since 1999. That will not only change this year, but it will do so in dramatic fashion, as the Patriots will now battle a first-place schedule. N.E. will have to play the other division winners in the AFC (Steelers, Jaguars, and Broncos), as well as the Seahawks, Chiefs, Bears, Lions, along with two games against the Bills. When you consider the swing of going from a historically easy schedule to now a very difficult one, the Super Bowl hangover concern, and the offseason issues for Vrabel, it all adds up to a step back for the AFC champions. The Patriots are +165 to miss the playoffs, which I think is a good bet as well, but I’ll place my bet that the team does not win 10 games against that challenging schedule. PICK: New England Patriots Under 9.5 regular-season wins

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