Ron Jeremy Is Charged With Sexually Assaulting 13 More Women

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Facebook threatens news sharing ban in Australia

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BTS: K-pop group reacts with 'tears' after making Billboard history

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JEE: India holds crucial college exam amid Covid-19 fears

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Bella Thorne, OnlyFans and the battle over monetising content

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New on Sports Illustrated: NFL Takes Over Investigation Into Washington Football Team

The team launched the investigation after allegations of sexual harassment within the workplace were reported in July.

The NFL has taken over the investigation into allegations of sexual harassment within the Washington Football Team's workplace.

Owner Dan Snyder confirmed the decision in a statement, saying he suggested the move to commissioner Roger Goodell. 

"Recently, The Washington Football Team launched an independent third-party investigation into allegations about our culture and incidents of harassment. In conversations with Commissioner Goodell, Tanya and I suggested that the NFL assume full oversight of the investigation so that the results are thorough, complete and trusted by the fans, the players, our employees and the public," Snyder said in a statement,

via ESPN's Adam Schefter. "I appreciate Commissioner Goodell agreeing to our suggestion and the entire Washington Football Team remains committed to fully cooperating with all aspects of the investigation."

Attorney Beth Wilkinson, who is conducting the investigation, will now report to the NFL instead of the team. Washington hired Wilkinson following a report from The Washington Post last month that included 15 former female employees of the team describing their experiences with sexual harassment within the organization. Last week, the Post published another report alleging a former senior executive instructed employees to create a behind-the-scenes video for Snyder, featuring outtakes of partially nude team cheerleaders from a 2008 team swimsuit calendar shoot. Snyder later denied the allegations.

"While I was unaware of these allegations until they surfaced in the media, I take full responsibility for the culture of our organization," Snyder said in a statement. "Even before today's article, I have begun taking any and all steps necessary to ensure that the Washington Football Team is an organization that is diverse, inclusive and respectful of all."

Between its two stories, The Post interviewed 40 female employees about being sexual harassed in the workplace.

Attorneys Lisa Banks and Debra Katz, who represent over 12 former Washington employees, demanded last week that the NFL should launch its own independent investigation into the allegations and suspend Snyder pending the outcome of the probe. They also asked for Snyder's removal as majority owner if the investigation substantiates the claims.

In a statement, the Washington firm Katz, Marshall and Banks said Snyder will "release employees or former employees from any non-disclosure agreement for purposes of speaking with the investigators."

Saudi king sacks defence officials

Six men, including two princes, are arrested as part of the country's latest anti-corruption drive.

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New on Sports Illustrated: Iowa State to Allow 25,000 Fans at Season Opener vs. Louisiana

The Cyclones will kick off their season against Louisiana on Sept. 12.

Iowa State will allow fans to attend its season opener at Jack Trice Stadium next month amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Cyclones announced Monday that approximately 25,000 spectators are expected to attend their Sept. 12 matchup against Louisiana. 

In a letter to fans, athletic director Jamie Pollard said the crowd will consist of season ticket holders only. Everyone in attendance must wear a face covering at all times, and anyone who refuses to wear one will be denied access and/or removed from the stadium. No tailgating will be permitted, and Pollard asked everyone to "honor other fans' wishes for physical distancing."

"An important factor in the decision to allow fans is our belief that Cyclone fans are willing to adhere to our mitigation measures," Pollard wrote. "The purpose of this letter is to ask for your support in helping create a safe environment while also providing our team an impactful home field advantage. This is an incredible opportunity for Iowa State University to showcase its ability to successfully navigate the challenges associated with large outdoor events during a pandemic."

Pollard said if the mitigation actions are successful, the Cyclones will allow season ticket holders to attend the Oct. 3 game against Oklahoma. If Iowa State determines mitigation measures were not followed adequately at the first game, no fans will be allowed at games for the rest of the season.

Iowa State's announcement comes shortly after The New York Times identified Ames, Iowa, as a coronavirus "hotspot" city over the weekend. The Times reported Ames, which has a population of 97,117, had 964 cases in the last two weeks. Iowa City, home to the University of Iowa, was second on the list.

Iowa State began holding in-person classes on Aug. 17 and has no current plans to move to online-only instruction.

New on Sports Illustrated: History up for grabs in Nuggets-Jazz Game 7

The Denver Nuggets will be seeking a first in franchise history, while the Utah Jazz are looking to avoid one, when the Northwest Division rivals meet in Game 7 of their NBA first-round playoff series Tuesday night near Orlando.

The Nuggets have ridden a scoring explosion by Jamal Murray to earn consecutive wins and necessitate a win-or-go-home series finale for both teams.

The winner earns the right to tackle the second-seeded Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference semifinals.

Playing in the sixth Game 7 in the franchise's NBA history, the third-seeded Nuggets will be attempting to advance for the first time ever in a best-of-seven in which they fell behind 3-1. Only 11 teams in the NBA's history have pulled off the series comeback from such a deficit.

Denver played a pair of seven-gamers last year, beating San Antonio in the first round before falling to Portland in the Western Conference semifinals.

The sixth-seeded Jazz will also be taking their sixth swing at a Game 7, including beating the Clippers in a deciding contest in the first round in 2017.

Utah has never failed to advance after leading a series 3-1.

Murray and Utah's Donovan Mitchell have engaged in a historic duel through six games, with each having topped 50 points twice.

Mitchell outscored his counterpart in each of the first four games, leading to three Utah wins, before Murray turned the tables in the last two meetings, winning the personal duels 42-30 and 50-44.

"I'm running out of things and superlatives for Jamal Murray," Nuggets coach Michael Malone gushed after the game. "I just want to say I'm proud of him."

Murray and Mitchell have each made 31 3-pointers in the series. The next one by either will tie the single-series playoff record of 32 set by Golden State's Stephen Curry in 2016.

Mitchell needs 10 points to break LeBron James' record of 241 in a first-round series, set in 2018. Murray, with 204 points, also stands within striking distance of that mark.

Mitchell would need a third 50-point game -- and more -- to surpass former Los Angeles Lakers great Elgin Baylor's single-series record of 284 points, set in 1962.

The All-Star tried to get his team to look ahead -- rather than back -- after Sunday's loss.

"If we're down (emotionally) now, then we've already lost Game 7," he assured reporters afterward. "There were things we could do to win this game."

Two other factors have led to the Nuggets' revival in the past two games.

Nikola Jokic, who had played Jazz center Rudy Gobert basically on even terms for four games, got the better of the head-to-head in Games 5 and 6. Jokic averaged 26.5 points in the two wins, largely on the strength of 10-for-16 shooting from 3-point range.

Gobert has countered with just an 11.0-point average, although he has completed double-doubles on both occasions with an average of 11.5 rebounds.

Also, the Denver bench was a huge difference-maker in Game 6, contributing 14 points and 26 rebounds to the win, as opposed to Utah's 21 points and five boards.

All four Nuggets reserves -- including guard Gary Harris, playing for the first time since the restart -- had plus-11 or better plus/minus figures in the 12-point win.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Islanders try to close out top-seeded Flyers

The last time the New York Islanders were this close to the NHL's version of the final four, their two leading goal scorers in the Eastern Conference semifinals -- Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau -- were two years old and six months old, respectively.

Head coach Barry Trotz was 30 years old and coaching in the American Hockey League.

But don't expect Trotz and his players to focus too much on just how long it's been since the Islanders have been in the position they'll be in Tuesday night.

The Islanders will look to reach the conference finals for the first time since 1993 when they face the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 5 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series in Toronto.

The Islanders took a 3-1 lead in the series during Game 4 Sunday night, when Pageau scored the tie-breaking goal in the third period of a 3-2 win.

With one more victory, the sixth-seeded Islanders will continue the NHL's summer Cinderella story and end the league's longest conference finals drought. New York advanced to -- as it was known then --the Wales Conference finals in 1993 by knocking off the Washington Capitals in the Patrick Division semifinals before upsetting the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins in a seven-game Patrick Division finals series.

The only other team that hasn't been to the conference finals since 1993 is the Columbus Blue Jackets, who didn't begin play until 2000.

But the Islanders, who were a point out of the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference when the regular season ended due to the pandemic on March 11, aren't getting wrapped up in the history they can create Tuesday -- especially after winning Sunday despite playing what Trotz called their worst game of the playoffs.

"Let's look at the task at hand," Trotz said Sunday night. "The task at hand is we've got to win one more game. And that last game's the toughest. We're going to have to go earn it. No one's going to walk out of the room and give us a game.

"We've got to go earn it. And today, we didn't play well enough to earn it. We were able to get a win and that says a lot about this group."

Teams trailing 3-1 are 29-284 (9.3 percent) in winning a best-of-7 Stanley Cup Playoff series, including 0-6 in the first round this season.

Despite falling into a hole which has been historically difficult to climb out of, the top-seeded Flyers are hopeful they generated some momentum in Sunday's loss.

In the first round this season, teams that were down 3-1 in a series were 0-6 in series wins. But that can't matter to Philadelphia, which had the last 12 shots of the second period, outshot the Islanders 17-3 in the period and 38-33 overall.

"It's tough," Flyers goalie Brian Elliott said Sunday night. "You want to get a win, especially in this pivotal game here. But we're down, but we're not out and I think the guys realize that.

"I think if we play our consistent game, we'll give ourselves a good chance."

And Flyers coach Alain Vigneault has engineered such comebacks before. He guided the New York Rangers back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Penguins in the 2014 second round. His Rangers did it again in 2015, when a 3-1 deficit didn't stop New York from beating the Washington Capitals (coached by Trotz) in the second round.

"The beauty of the playoffs is it can flip quick, and I think we're close to busting through," Philadelphia defenseman Matt Niskanen said Monday. "I believe in our group that we can do that. We've got to have something go right for us here in Game 5 and we can start flipping the series."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Galaxy-Timbers Preview

The resumption of the MLS regular season has been good to the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Though there is plenty of work to be done, the visiting Galaxy aim for a third straight victory on Wednesday night against the Portland Timbers.

It took some time, but Los Angeles (2-3-2) might finally have found a rhythm during this unprecedented 2020 season. The Galaxy drew and lost their first two matches before the coronavirus pandemic halted the campaign in March. Things did not get any better at the "MLS is Back Tournament," where L.A. went 0-2-1 in group play and failed to advance into the knockout round.

That included a 2-1 loss to Portland at the Walt Disney World Sports Complex.

However, since then, the Galaxy won 2-0 at rival Los Angeles FC and 3-2 over San Jose at home over the weekend. In the latter, Cristian Pavon leveled the match with a successful penalty kick in the 72nd minute and Sebastian Lletget's goal proved to be the winner on 82 minutes.

"(At the "MIBT") as the games went on, we felt better," Pavon, who has scored four of Los Angeles' 10 goals this season, told the club's official website. "It think we're enjoying the moment right now."

That's great for the Galaxy's collective confidence, but another serious test awaits at Portland on Wednesday. Sebastian Blanco recorded a goal and assist in the victory over Los Angeles in Florida last month. Jeremy Ebobisse also scored for the Timbers, who won the "MLS is Back Tournament" with three consecutive victories.

However, since returning to regular-season action, Portland lost 3-0 to rival Seattle and played Real Salt Lake to a 4-4 draw over the weekend. Blanco (four goals with six assists in 2020) had a goal with an assist in the latter, which was severely frustrating considering the Timbers allowed two scores in stoppage time to blow a two-goal lead and seemingly an easy three points.

"It's a mental lapse that we just gave the game away in the last four minutes, and it has to be much better," manager Giovanni Savarese told the Timbers' official website. "When you score four goals you should win, at home especially. To give up the points, to tie 4-4, especially allowing them to score two goals in the last four minutes. It's not good enough.

"The mentality of the group has been very, very good. The guys are working hard, but we cannot have lapses at the end that allow (a team) to score two goals."

New on Sports Illustrated: Sounders-Real Salt Lake Preview

While the Seattle Sounders are aiming to stay hot, Real Salt Lake is moving forward looking for new ownership.

The Sounders eye a fourth consecutive victory on Wednesday night when they visit Salt Lake.

Though Seattle has played well since the resumption of the league's regular season, the storyline entering this contest is the decision by owner Dell Loy Hansen to sell Real Salt Lake - also the National Women's Soccer League's Utah Royals FC and the USL's Real Monarchs. The decision comes after Hansen blasted RSL players, coaches and staff for boycotting last Wednesday's home match to show awareness in the wake unrest and violence following the police shooting of black 29-year-old Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis.

Hansen caught plenty of heat for his comments and lack of understanding on the issue, and later apologized - somewhat. He then succumbed to calls to sell the three sides.

In a statement, MLS commissioner Don Garber said: "MLS will work with Mr. Hansen on supporting the sale efforts for the company and will work closely with the club's executive staff to support the operations of the team during the transition period."

RSL will take to its home pitch for the first this since all this came down, so it will be interesting to see what the reception will be, if any. The club is reportedly allowing a limited number of supporters to attend home matches. Salt Lake returned from the "MLS is Back Tournament" with a 4-1 victory at Colorado then played Portland to a wild 4-4 draw over the weekend.

Now, the challenge could be greater against Seattle (4-1-2), which has won three straight official games - not including the knockout round of the "MIBT."

"It's going to be a tough game with Seattle," coach Freddy Juarez told Real Salt Lake's official website.

"Right now, we're scoring goals and the team spirit is good ... (Seattle has) a lot of good attacking players. We have to treat it similar and not shoot ourselves in the foot to make it too tough on ourselves."

Upon resumption of the regular season, the Sounders beat Portland and Los Angeles FC by a combined 6-1 scoreline. Raul Ruidiaz recorded a brace against Portland while Jordan Morris did the same versus LAFC last week. That pair has totaled 10 combined goals for Seattle.

"We're a proud franchise, we are the defending champions," Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer told the official website of MLS. "There are so many different reasons why this organization is not going to let our foot off the gas. We're too smart for that, we have too many veteran players for that. We have a good locker room."

Though Seattle and RSL split their two regular-season meetings in 2019, the Sounders prevailed 2-0 when they hooked up in the playoffs. Morris, though, has just one goal in seven matches versus RSL. Ruidiaz did not have a goal in two games against Salt Lake in 2019.

RSL's Damir Kreilach (four goals in 2020) has a goal in three straight matches, including the "MIBT" knockout round. He has not scored in four career games versus Seattle.

New on Sports Illustrated: FC Dallas-Sporting Kansas City Preview

Sporting Kansas City still sits atop the Western Conference, but would certainly like to get back to its winning ways on Wednesday night following a rather sub-par week of play.

Looking to avoid going winless in a third straight contest, SKC hosts an FC Dallas squad that's trying to build on a much-needed victory.

Kansas City (8-5-2) enjoys a two-point lead in the West and has every reason to be pleased with its state of affairs thus far. However, Sporting lost 5-2 to struggling Houston last week before salvaging a 1-1 draw at Colorado over the weekend.

While it's certainly no time to panic in the least, SKC's current stretch might be an example of the uncertainty this unique season presents for every club within the league.

"Right now, this year in its entirety is going to breed inconsistencies and we've got to make sure that we're mentally focused and rolling with the punches," goalkeeper Tim Melia told Sporting Kansas City's official website. "It's something we're capable of doing."

FC Dallas (2-1-3), meanwhile, proved it's capable of winning another match. Dallas opened the season with a 2-0 victory over Philadelphia, but did not win again until an impressive 3-1 home triumph over Minnesota United FC over the weekend.

After not scoring in any of its previous three contests, FCD got goals from Fafa Picault and Jesus Ferreira within the first 12 minutes and some late insurance via Reto Ziegler to take down one of the top teams in MLS.

It was the first goal of the season for all three players, and perhaps a good sign moving forward for a squad that needs to start stringing together some victories. However, budding star Paxton Pomykal could be lost for the season due to a hip issue that has cast a bit of a dark cloud over the club.

"He hasn't had any surgery yet, but it is a very strong discussion and it's very possible, so we're just preparing for that," Dallas coach Luchi Gonzalez told the official website of MLS. "That's not ideal for the team."

Especially since fellow star and defender Reggie Cannon is to be transferred to Portuguese side Boavista.

FCD took both matches from Sporting last season by a combined 8-0 scoreline. Ferreira and Zdenek Ondrasek (two goals in 2020) combined for half of those goals.

New on Sports Illustrated: D.C. United-Red Bulls Preview

While New York Red Bulls would like to see some increased production produce more victories, banged-up D.C. United simply needs a win at the moment.

United looks to avoid a third straight defeat when they visit Red Bull Arena on Wednesday night.

D.C. (1-4-3) has been bothered by various injuries, and lately an offense that's managed just two goals in its last four official contests. Justin Gressel finally scored his first goal with United on Saturday at Philadelphia, but that was after it was already trailing 4-0 at the time. D.C. lost the match by a 4-1 scoreline.

It's 0-2-1 since the resumption of the regular season, and is dealing with injuries to winger Paul Arriola (knee), forward Edison Flores (facial fractures) and defenders Steven Birnbaum (bone bruise), Frederic Brillant (ankle) and Russell Canouse (hamstring). It's also uncertain if goalkeeper Bill Hamid will be back in net after he did not travel with the club, due to personal reasons, to Philadelphia.

"I don't care necessarily about the personnel," D.C. coach Ben Olsen, whose club's lone victory came against Inter Miami on March 7, told The Washington Post. "We could've made it much more difficult on them."

D.C. has not made things particularly tough in recent meetings with Red Bulls, who are amid a 5-0-5 stretch in this series.

New York (3-3-2) returned from the MLS is Back Tournament to record a 1-0 win over rival New York City FC. However, Red Bulls followed with a 1-0 loss at Philadelphia then played New England to a 1-1 draw over the weekend.

In that most recent match, New York started seven players age 25 or under. In part because the schedule has been tight of late, but also to showcase some impressive young talent. That includes homegrown Omir Fernandez, who opened the scoring in the 35th minute.

While the promise seems there for Red Bulls, the reality is that the club has posted just two goals over their last five official matches. The club's starting XI remains uncertain.

"We're going to keep pushing them in the final round," New York coach Chris Armas told the official MLS website. "Can we get more plays right? Can we get a few more of these transition moments right? So, it's not one goal on the night of 10 shots whatever it is.

"If you went around the field a bit, you'd understand how proud we are of that effort to get a hard-fought point against a good team."

Six different players have scored seven of New York's official goals in 2020

New on Sports Illustrated: Inter Miami-Atlanta United Preview

The inconsistency that is Atlanta United FC can be a bit frustrating for a club that expects to be among the elite in MLS. Still, the club will press forward looking to build some positivity.

Atlanta aims to rebound from its most recent defeat as it hosts expansion Inter Miami on Wednesday night.

Atlanta (3-4-0) thought it might be in for a turnaround after a 2-0 win over Nashville SC in the league's resumption of the regular season. However, that notion was momentarily hindered with last weekend's 3-1 loss to upstart Orlando City.

Brooks Lennon's 83rd-minute goal was all the offense Atlanta could muster on the match. United has managed just seven goals on the season, and continues to struggle without injured star Josef Martinez on the pitch to lead the way.

Some potential good news for Atlanta is that two of its three wins in 2020 came against expansion Nashville SC. Now, United gets its first crack at another first-year club. Looking forward is the only focus for Atlanta, as a collective, at the moment.

"You have to put things right. We don't want to lose," defender Anton Walkes told Atlanta's official website.

"We've got the identity that teams know we are one of the bigger names in the league, and we have to back ourselves and show what we are worth because we have to give something back to all of the people that are supporting us and the club."

Miami (1-6-0) returned to regular-season action by recording the club's first MLS victory, 3-2 over Orlando. However, it too suffered a setback in progress through a 1-0 loss at Nashville over the weekend.

It was the third time this season that Miami failed to score. Matters were made even more frustrating since Miami recorded 18 total shots, compared to just five for Nashville.

"I think the stats kind of point that we were probably the dominant team in the game," winger Lewis Morgan told Miami's official website.

"The only thing we were missing (against Nashville) was the finishing touch. That last pass. That last finishing action. But, we've got a chance to put that right on Wednesday."

Three Miami players - Rodolfo Pizarro (three goals in 2020), Julian Carranza (two goals) and Juan Agudelo - are responsible for all six of the club's scores this season.

Meanwhile, Ezequiel Barco, Emerson Hyndman and Pity Martinez each have scored two goals apiece for Atlanta this season.

New on Sports Illustrated: Orlando City-Nashville Preview

Last Wednesday, five of the six matches on the MLS schedule were boycotted in awareness of continued racial and social injustice issues in the United States. The one game that did go on as planned featured Orlando City and Nashville SC.

Those two teams will meet up again at Nashville on Wednesday night.

In some circles, Orlando and Nashville took heat over not postponing their match while the rest of the league stepped aside to show awareness in the wake of the unrest and violence following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis. Both teams have claimed they were not completely aware of what was being planned or going on with the other MLS matches scheduled, considering theirs was the first game of the night.

"The timeline was just a little too crunched, and it was a little too soon for us to effectively communicate with other teams in the league about what was going to happen," Nashville midfielder Dax McCarty told the official MLS website. "Obviously, coming into the locker room, seeing the news of everything that had happened, after the game, soccer takes a backseat."

While both clubs have publicly supported the league's other teams in terms of the boycott, it's uncertain if either has any plans to do something similar going forward.

In last Wednesday's match, Orlando rookie Daryl Dike recorded a brace and Chris Mueller also scored in City's 3-1 home win.

In five MLS seasons, Orlando (4-2-2) has yet to make a playoff appearance. However, it's quite possible this might be the season that all changes. City enjoyed major success at the MLS is Back Tournament in its own backyard by reaching the championship game.

Upon the league's resumption of the regular season, Orlando lost 3-2 to expansion Inter Miami. However, it's bounced back nicely by posting back-to-back 3-1 victories over Nashville SC and Atlanta United.

"We're happy," coach Oscar Pareja told Orlando's official website. "We keep going. There's a short turnaround and we're proud of those boys, they're doing well."

Dike has drawn a lot of attention thanks to some stellar play of late. The highly touted player has totaled three goals with two assists in the three matches following the MLS is Back Tournament.

"Daryl is doing very well," Pareja told the official MLS website. "He's a young player who has absorbed all the information in the best way, and fast. He has rapidly taken responsibility, concepts and ideas of our game and implemented into his game. He's been very productive."

Nashville (2-4-1) lost its first two games upon the resumption of the regular season, but halted that rut with a 1-0 win over Inter Miami this weekend. Anibal Godoy's goal in the 53rd minute was all Nashville needed to win, but the clean sheet was a bigger deal considering it conceded five goals in losing the previous two matches.

Nashville has recorded just four goals on the season.

Mueller, meanwhile, scored his sixth goal of the year and had an assist during Orlando's win over Atlanta on Saturday.

New on Sports Illustrated: Why Jacksonville Drafted Leonard Fournette Will Really Disappoint Jaguars Fans Now

With Leonard Fournette now on the waiver wire, let's revisit the decision to draft him fourth overall in 2017. Plus, which other running backs are watching Alvin Kamara's contract situation, Ja'Marr Chase opts out, Logan Ryan to the Giants and more.

So here we are, 10 days away from the regular season…

• The backstory of Leonard Fournette is relevant today, as the former fourth overall pick

hits the waiver wire, and (fair warning) what I’ll write here is going to be painful for Jaguars fans to hear. After Gus Bradley was fired late in the 2016 season, the team started the process of finding a new coach—and a number of guys that interviewed for the job (Josh McDaniels and Kyle Shanahan were on the list) told the team in no uncertain terms that it needed to move on from 2014 first-rounder Blake Bortles. In fact, one reason Doug Marrone was able to win the promotion from interim coach was because he was pragmatic in his thought the process, and willing to try and get Bortles right. His plan to do it was interesting: Take the ball out of the quarterback’s hands. So that offseason, the Jags went about building a ball-control offense. And in the draft, there was a perfect back to play that style, in LSU’s Leonard Fournette. Jacksonville took him, with the decision made to run it back for another year with Bortles, eliminating the chance the team would take Deshaun Watson or Patrick Mahomes. Again, in summary, the organization made the call to stick with Bortles, then did all it could to minimize his impact on games by taking a back that would fit the kind of offense that he would necessitate (rather than more-versatile Stanford star Christian McCaffrey). For a year, to Marrone’s credit, it worked. The Jags made the AFC title game. But the long-term fallout has been undeniable. Bortles wound up lasting two more years, and his failure necessitated overspending on Nick Foles, who lasted just one year. Meanwhile, while Fournette’s fit worked in the short-term, the price paid there was missing out on McCaffrey. Three years later, both Bortles and Fournette are without jobs, and Mahomes, Watson and McCaffrey are stars. And it can all trace back to the team sticking with Bortles for a season too long.

• As for Fournette’s future, he hits the wire Monday carrying a $4.17 million number for 2020, which is why he could go unclaimed—that’s a pretty decent chunk of money to be spending on a back less than two weeks before the opener. If he does clear, the idea of Pittsburgh makes sense to me, maybe because I remember what the similarly-old-school Jerome Bettis was before he went there, and how becoming a Steeler resurrected his career. And, for what it’s worth, Fournette’s got old offensive coordinators of his in Green Bay and Chicago. It’ll be interesting to see what’s next for him.

• Alvin Kamara’s run at a contract, presuming that’s what his absence from practice is, is interesting in a number of ways. One, there’s the fact that the Saints can report the absence as unexcused, which would cost Kamara an accrued season and make him a restricted (rather than unrestricted) free agent after the season. Two, there’s the choice to do this now, rather than at the beginning of camp, which actually could be solid strategically, in that the Saints need him present a lot more now than they would in late July or early August, when a holdout would typically be staged. Three, he’s a great player, and the team is in a win-now spot. They need him. So if this is the way to get a contract, and he’s confident it’s going to happen, Kamara doesn’t need to worry about accruing that season (even if does have an impact on his post-career benefits). Lots of push and pull on this one. Stay tuned.

• Also likely watching the Kamara situation: Cincinnati’s Joe Mixon and Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook. Both guys are going into contract years. How close Kamara gets to draft classmate Christian McCaffrey’s four-year, $64 million extension should at least clarify the landscape in negotiations for the other two. Kamara and McCaffrey, to be sure, are unique weapons not tied down to simply playing tailback. But Mixon and Cook have versatility too. And even if they aren’t what Kamara and McCaffrey are, if both Kamara and McCaffrey are over $15 million per year, it becomes clearer that the latter’s deal isn’t simply an outlier.

• Shout out to NFLPA president J.C. Tretter on asking the league, via a post on the union web site, for the continuation of daily testing into the season. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from the success the league has had—just four of 2,600 players are on the COVID-19 list as of this writing—it’s the importance of constantly testing players. It’s pretty simple. If you don’t let COVID-19 into the building, then it can’t spread. And as well as it has worked, I think Tretter’s right. Continuing with the testing would be money well invested for the NFL.

• One thing that was interesting to hear while I was in Tampa: Fourth-year TE O.J. Howard was ecstatic to be working with Rob Gronkowski. In checking in with some people there, some concern did exist as the Gronkowski trade went down in April that Howard might not take the news well. Instead, the opposite happened—and Howard’s agent actually called the team soon thereafter to tell them that the former top-10 pick couldn’t be happier. So when I talked to Howard on Sunday, I made sure to ask him about that. “Rob is one of the greatest ever to play the position,” Howard told me. “It was an opportunity for me to go and learn, and just become a sponge and soak up a lot of knowledge. I’m always about learning more, putting more things in my toolbox, continuing to sharpen those tools and become a better player. So this is an opportunity for me to do that with him and Tom [Brady]. I couldn’t be put in a better situation at a young age, Year 4. This is only the beginning for me, it’s been a great opportunity for me to have a chance to have my career take off.” That, of course, is a great attitude to have, and it’s showing up in his play, too. Howard’s cleaned up his problem with drops, and been a star in making circus catches in contested situations all month.

• While we’re there, and just to accentuate the point I made in the MMQB column, here’s promising second-year receiver Scotty Miller on how positive Tom Brady’s been in camp: “That’s something I’ve noticed from him since the day I met him. Just extremely positive. I’d heard stuff about him, that in New England, he’d get on guys or whatever. But with us, he’s as humble as it gets. I mean, if he puts the ball on my chest and I drop the ball, he’ll be like, ‘My bad, I gotta give you a better ball,’ where it’s not his fault at all. That gives us all confidence, when we see our leader being humble and wanting to work on his game every single day. It tells us, if he’s doing that, we need to be doing the exact same thing, always willing to take the blame, and always doing your best on every single play.” And how have his teammates taken to following him? Well, I was told last week that among the veteran skill players—guys who worked with him over the spring and summer—the Bucs have seen zero (0!) soft-tissue injuries. That’s despite the adverse summer conditions in Tampa, and despite the COVID-affected camp schedule. I can’t say whether they all took up Brady’s training methods, but I do know the team thinks those guys watching and being around Brady over that time helped.

• Four weeks ago today, I gave you 12 non-quarterbacks who I believed had the sort of NFL standing to seriously consider opting out of the 2020 college season. LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase, on Monday, officially became the fourth guy on that list to do it. Those left: Clemson RB Travis Etienne, Oregon OT Penei Sewell, Alabama WR Devonta Smith, Alabama CB Patrick Surtain, Alabama WR Jaylen Waddle, Ohio State CB Shaun Wade, Florida State DT Marvin Wilson, and Alabama LB Dylan Moses. LSU had another player opt out Monday as well—per our own Ross Dellenger, massive Tiger DT Tyler Shelvin won’t play this fall, and move his focus to getting ready for April’s draft. As it stands now, he’s probably a Day 2 pick, and so the decision to go is understandable. Also, the sudden exodus from LSU highlights something pretty interesting—the three programs that have the most sustained national success over the last decade (Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State) haven’t had a single opt-out yet.

• Good signing by the Giants, bringing Logan Ryan aboard at $7.5 million for this year. Before becoming a starting corner for the Patriots, Ryan was a core special-teamer for Joe Judge in Foxboro—Ryan was a gunner on the punt team as a rookie—so the two know each other exceedingly well. And just as Ryan was able to help Mike Vrabel establish some of those New England standards in Nashville the last two years, he should be able to do the same for Judge in Jersey the next four months. But really, this was about Ryan as a player. The Giants believe he’s still got plenty to give in that department.

• The Derwin James news is super disappointing, but another reminder that, many times, pre-draft concerns are warranted. I got asked a lot in 2018 how James slipped all the way to the 17th overall pick, where the Chargers snapped him up. Well, James was outstanding as a true freshman at Florida State, suffered a catastrophic knee injury as a sophomore, then came back and was less than 100% himself as a junior before declaring for the draft. The concern wasn’t over James’s ability to play. It was over his ability to stay healthy. Sadly, that concern’s proving warranted as a pro.

New on Sports Illustrated: Pelicans' Brandon Ingram Named NBA's Most Improved Player

Ingram received 42 first-place votes from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters and earned 326 total points.

Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram has been named the NBA’s most improved player in a season that saw him bounce back from a life-altering blood clot and a trade from the team that drafted him second-overall in 2016.

Ingram, who came to New Orleans as part of a block-buster trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers, averaged a team-leading and career-best 23.8 points per game while hitting 46.3% of his shots. He also became an NBA All-Star for the first time.

“It goes back to last March, me getting injured, and not being able to be back on the court until September,” Ingram said on a Zoom call Monday with TNT after being informed he had won the award by his parents. “That’s very little time to start preseason and to start the regular season, but I was ready for it. Since Day 1...I just wanted to put in my work every single day and just get the best out of it.”

Ingram credited former Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry for his success, saying the coach that was fired on Aug. 15 “gave me a great opportunity for me to go out there and do what I wanted to do.”

Ingram received 42 first-place votes from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters and earned 326 total points. He edged Miami Heat center-forward Bam Adebayo, who finished in second place with 295 points (38 first-place votes). Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic finished in third place with 101 points (12 first-place votes).

Ingram talked about his season earlier this month when he was a just a finalist for the award.

“It was a great year for me,” Ingram said. “People are seeing my work that I’ve put in, and it’s definitely shown on the basketball floor.”

The former Duke standout, who turns 23 on Wednesday, became a more dynamic scorer by significantly improving both his 3-point and free-throw shooting.

Ingram shot a career-best 39.1% from 3-point range, up from 33% from deep during his final season with the Lakers.

“First, it was me figuring out the mechanics and the right way to shoot the basketball ... shooting from my legs and stuff instead of my arms, just the consistency and how to shoot,” Ingram said. “Then it was the amount of attempts that I took, having the confidence to take those shots and continue to take those shots. I think that helped me with my confidence and continuing to make them.”

Ingram’s free-throw percentage rose from 67.5% last season to 85.1% this season.

Meanwhile, he remained largely healthy, playing and starting in all but 10 of New Orleans’ 72 games without experiencing a recurrence of the deep vein thrombosis in his right arm that sidelined him for his final 19 games with the Lakers.

The timing of his improved play–and the accompanying recognition–comes at a fortuitous time for Ingram, who is a restricted free agent this offseason. The Pelicans can either choose to offer him a maximum contract of about $167 million for the next five seasons or match any offer he agrees to with another team.

David Griffin, the Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations, has not yet detailed his plans for Ingram, but has been highly complimentary him as both a player and person.

For his part, Ingram has shown little interest in leaving New Orleans, where he has an opportunity to continue playing with another former Duke star, 2019 No.1 overall draft choice Zion Williamson.

“I’m enjoying where I’m at,” Ingram said.

New on Sports Illustrated: Coco Gauff Knocked Out of U.S. Open in First Round

Gauff fell to Anastasija Sevastova, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, in the first round at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

American teenager Coco Gauff had a short run at the U.S. Open after falling to Latvian Anastasija Sevastova, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, Monday.

During the first-round match, Gauff's struggles were apparent early on at Louis Armstrong Stadium. She dropped the first set, 6–3, but rallied to win the first two games of the second set. However, the 16-year-old struggled with her serve throughout the day.

Gauff reminded fans why she loves to battle and took advantage of Sevastova's forehand errors to win the final three games of the second set, 7–5, and force a third set.

Although they remained close early on, Sevastova pulled away to win the final set, 6–4, to knock out Gauff. The young superstar's serve worried many, as well as her 13 double faults against Sevastova.

Gauff, who is currently ranked No. 52 in the world, had an incredible run at the 2019 U.S. Open, which culminated in her facing No. 1 Naomi Osaka in the third round. Osaka beat Gauff, 6-3, 6-0, sparking an emotional conversation between the two stars following their match. Osaka appeared to dole out advice to Gauff, who became the youngest woman to reach the tournament's third round since 1991.

New on Sports Illustrated: Raptors try to rebound vs. Celtics after ugly loss

The Toronto Raptors will look to rebound from a sluggish Game 1 loss when they take on the Boston Celtics in the second game of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series Tuesday evening near Orlando.

The Raptors easily were turned away 112-94 in the first contest of the series Sunday, never leading in the game after trailing by 19 in the first quarter. Toronto shot 36.9 percent as a team, 25.0 percent from 3-point range and didn't look close to the club that put up 150 points in finishing off a four-game sweep of the Brooklyn Nets in the playoffs' first round a week earlier.

"Tough day for us, right?" said Raptors coach Nick Nurse after the defeat. "Nothing was much fun out there today.

"They were great. We weren't very good. So we're going to have to bounce back."

Losing has been an unfamiliar feeling for Toronto in the NBA bubble -- the team had only dropped one game during seeding, a 122-100 setback against Boston. The Raptors had carried an eight-game winning streak into Sunday's contest.

The Celtics, meanwhile, have won five straight and nine of 10 overall as they flexed what many believed to be one of their weaknesses -- depth -- in dominating Game 1. Six Boston players scored in double figures, led by Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart with 21 points apiece, and Daniel Theis (13 points, 15 rebounds) and Kemba Walker (18 points, 10 assists) each had double-doubles. Backup center Robert Williams III added 10 points off the bench in forming a dynamic duo with Theis.

"Everybody's got a role to play, we've gotten great play from our centers all year because they complement our other guys extremely well," said Celtics coach Brad Stevens.

Despite it being a playoff game -- the first ever between the two Atlantic Division rivals -- basketball took a backseat during Sunday's contest. The game had been originally scheduled to be played Thursday before player protests related to the police shooting of Black man Jacob Blake in Wisconsin the weekend prior pushed back the NBA schedule by three days. The emotional toll of the situation was still heavy on the mind of the players, as it figures to be throughout the remainder of the playoffs.

"There's no excuses, but we have an obligation right now to use our platform," said Raptors guard Kyle Lowry. "That's why we're still here."

Lowry had been questionable for Game 1 with a left ankle sprain. He led the Raptors with 17 points in the loss, while Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet struggled in combining to shoot 8-of-32 for 24 points.

The Celtics remain without starting forward Gordon Hayward, who is sidelined by a Grade 3 right ankle sprain. Hayward is expected to rejoin Boston in the bubble soon but won't be rushed back to the court, Stevens said Monday.

"I think he'll rejoin us in the bubble at some point soon, but he still will be some time away when he does do that," Stevens said.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Red Sox, Braves look to keep scoreboard busy

If Sunday's offensive explosions are any indication, the Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves should be swinging for the fences on Monday night at Fenway Park.

Both teams put up crooked numbers over the weekend against the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies, respectively, gearing up for another anticipated slugfest.

The Braves used a 10-run second inning in their 12-10 win over the Phillies. Austin Riley homered and had three RBIs while Nick Markakis and Marcell Ozuna each had three hits and two RBIs.

Atlanta manager Brian Snitker breathed a sigh of relief after his team held on to the lead in Philadelphia.

"You're never safe in this ballpark," Snitker said afterward. "You don't feel comfortable ever with any lead."

Winners of six of their last 10 games, the Red Sox are fresh off a 9-5 victory over the Nationals on Sunday at Fenway Park. The Red Sox feasted off Washington pitching with 15 hits, including four home runs.

Third baseman Rafael Devers led the hit parade going 4-for-4 with two homers and three RBI. He's been on fire at Fenway as of late, going a combined 11-for-21 in his last five games, including three doubles, three homers and eight RBI.

"I'm hoping this gets him going," Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke told reporters. "(Rafael brought) an energy and was smiling. He just seemed to be really happy today, not just on those hits, but from the beginning of the game. Hopefully, we continue this, and we can get him in a stretch where he's really raking."

All-Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts fanned the flames by going 6-for-11 in the three-game series with two homers and five RBI.

Rookie first baseman Bobby Dalbec also had two hits, including a two-run home run in his major league debut.

"That's pretty fun to see," Roenicke said. "First game in the big leagues and hitting a homer, pretty cool. I thought it was a great day for him."

Boston may need the added bat, after losing J.D. Martinez late in the contest. The Red Sox slugger is listed as day-to-day for Monday, after getting hit by a pitch from Nationals reliever Daniel Hudson.

"They took X-rays on it and he's fine," Roenicke said. "It will just be day-to-day to see how much pain he has. It got him right on the bone in the back of the hand. I'm sure that spots going to be pretty sore."

Red Sox right-hander Colten Brewer will be on the mound for Boston on Monday. The 6-foot-4, 222-pound hurler is 0-2 with a 4.57 ERA, walking 12 and fanning 21 in 21 2/3 innings this season. Monday will mark his first career appearance against Atlanta.

Although the starting pitching has battled injuries and inconsistency, the Boston bullpen has held up well and hasn't allowed a run over its last 12 innings.

Atlanta will counter with National League ERA leader Max Fried.

The left-hander is 5-0 with a 1.35 ERA that is tied for the best in baseball and is holding opponents to a .190 batting average. He also has a 0.95 WHIP.

Fried has allowed just 26 hits in 40 innings over seven starts. He beat the New York Yankees in his last turn when he gave up one run and four hits over six innings on Wednesday.

The Braves have been swinging the bat well. They chased Phillies starter Jake Arrieta after 1 1/3 innings on Sunday night. Riley homered and doubled in the big 10-run inning.

Outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. was removed from Sunday's action as a precaution after experiencing some hamstring issues in the second inning.

"If you push that, something bad is going to happen," Snitker said of Acuna. "We'll just see how he is tomorrow."

Ozuna has five homers and 15 RBIs over his past 15 games. Shortstop Dansby Swanson, who homered Sunday, is 22-for-61 (.361) with three homers and 15 runs scored over his last 15 contests.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Cole, Yankees begin key series with rival Rays

When the Tampa Bay Rays made their first trip to Yankee Stadium two weeks ago, they were just starting to roll.

Now they are on a full-blown surge and will attempt to get their sixth straight win and widen their lead in the AL East on Monday night when they visit the New York Yankees for the opener of an important three-game series.

The Rays lead the season series 6-1. They took three of four at home Aug. 7-9 and then completed their first sweep in New York since 2014 on Aug. 18-20.

Tampa Bay entered its first series with the Yankees holding a 5-7 record and trailing in the division. Since then, the Rays are a sizzling 19-4 and own a 3 1/2 game edge on the Yankees.

The Rays head to New York coming off a 12-7 win over the Miami Marlins that completed a three-game sweep and gave them a 12th win in 14 games.

"This team is talented," said Rays left-hander Blake Snell, who noted before the first series that his team celebrates wins over the Yankees a little bit more. "We're so excited to play, and it's refreshing. Through all this, with no fans and everything, we still show up and the guys work hard. It's a fun team to be a part of. Everybody wants to win, everybody knows we're going to win. That's the whole goal."

Tampa Bay posted shutouts in the first two games and then scored its third-most runs of the season by hitting four homers on Sunday. Willy Adames hit a grand slam while Joey Wendle, Yoshi Tsutsugo and Kevin Kiermaier also homered.

"When you're winning, everything is fun," Adames said. "We talked about this at the beginning of the season, how it was going to be a little different, but I think we're feeling really comfortable right now with the way that we're playing and how we're enjoying the season."

New York's three home losses to Tampa Bay were part of its first seven-game losing streak since June 13-20, 2013. The Yankees snapped the skid by getting three close wins over the New York Mets in games that were decided in their last at-bat.

On Sunday, the Yankees completed a doubleheader sweep by getting an 8-7 win in the opener and a 5-2 victory in the nightcap. Gio Urshela had the game-winning hit in the eighth inning of the first game and slumping catcher Gary Sanchez hit a pinch-hit grand slam in the eighth inning of the nightcap.

"It's just very important for us to get wins, especially with the Rays coming in," Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks said. "That's a team that we need to beat. We need to get back kind of into that winning spirit of expecting to win and knowing we have the ability to win, because we do."

The first pitching matchup will be the third meeting between Tampa Bay's Tyler Glasnow (1-1, 5.14 ERA) and Gerrit Cole (4-1, 3.51 ERA).

They opposed each other in the Yankees' 5-3 win in the first game of a doubleheader on Aug. 8 when Cole fell an out of qualifying for a win, and then again on Aug. 19 in New York in Tampa Bay's 4-2 win.

Glasnow last pitched Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles when he struck out a career-high 13 while allowing two runs on five hits in seven innings.

Cole last pitched in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader at Atlanta when his 20-game winning streak ended in a 5-1 loss. He allowed three homers in five innings and lost for the first time since May 2019.

Glasnow is 0-2 with a 4.91 ERA in four career starts against the Yankees while Cole is 0-2 with a 3.65 ERA in six career starts against the Rays.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Angels, Mariners to close out four-game set

Jo Adell will be in the starting lineup for the Los Angeles Angels on Monday afternoon against the Seattle Mariners in Anaheim, Calif., and will take his spot in right field, which the Angels are hoping will be his for years to come.

Adell was not on the major league roster to start the season. But after Justin Upton's slow start, the Angels decided to call up the 21-year old on Aug. 4 and handed him the job in right field.

Adell has started 19 of the Angels 25 games since he joined the club, but his first few weeks were anything but smooth. He struggled offensively, hitting just .175 with no homers, only one RBI and 28 strikeouts in 63 at-bats over 17 games.

He also has been a work in progress defensively and had an embarrassing moment when a ball caromed off his glove and went over the fence for a four-base error at Texas.

Adell, however, may have had his breakthrough performance on Saturday against the Mariners, hitting the first two home runs of his major league career. It was something the Angels have waited for patiently, and something Adell said he believed would come eventually. No matter what level, Adell has been a slow starter each professional season.

"For me, it's exposure, it's education," Adell said. "My mom used to say that all the time. The more you get to see these pitchers and see what they're trying to do, the more you're able to make the adjustments and perform at a higher level. I think that's kind of what had to happen for me to have success."

Adell, however, followed up his big day Saturday by going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Mariners, so his growing pains aren't over.

"He's becoming a little bit more comfortable being here," Angels manager Joe Maddon said. "And as he does that, you're going to see what everybody else has seen when he was drafted or was playing in the minor leagues. Sometimes it's not easy."

Adell and his Angels teammates Monday will face Mariners lefty Marco Gonzales (3-2, 3.63 ERA), who has pitched well against them this season -- he's 2-0 with a 2.03 ERA in two starts versus Los Angeles.

Adell wasn't up with the Angels yet in the first game (July 30), but in the second game (Aug.5), Gonzales struck out Adell twice in two at-bats.

Gonzales is just 28, but he has become a mentor to many of the Mariners' young players, particularly their young pitchers. Gonzales' best game of the season came on Aug. 18 when, despite getting a no-decision, he held the Los Angeles Dodgers to one run and five hits in seven innings, striking out nine and walking none.

"Shutting down a team like that says a lot," Mariners manager Scott Servais said. "I'm thinking as I'm watching the game, I don't think you can draw it up any better as far as what you're looking for young pitchers to emulate than what Marco Gonzales does. His preparation, execution, competitiveness, I can't say enough about the job he did and continues to do."

The Angels will go with Jaime Barria (0-0, 2.89 ERA), who has been building up his arm to get to his first start of the season after 9 1/3 innings so far in two appearances.

Angels infielder David Fletcher is questionable for Monday's game after rolling his left ankle running out an infield grounder Sunday in the third inning. Fletcher initially remained in the game before he was removed to start the fifth. He had played every inning of every game for the Angels this season before Sunday.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Cardinals look to build momentum against Reds

Following a needed offensive breakout, the St. Louis Cardinals look to keep producing and start stringing together some victories. A series with the Cincinnati Reds might help.

The Cardinals aim to build on their latest win when they open a three-game road set against the Reds on Monday night.

St. Louis totaled six runs during a four-game losing streak that ended with Sunday's 7-2 win over Cleveland that concluded a 6-6 home stretch.

"At the end of the day, it's about scoring runs," manager Mike Shildt, whose club has not had an off day since returning to action after a COVID-19 outbreak kept it out of action from July 30-Aug. 14, told the Cardinals' official website.

"I don't think we're going to make any excuses."

St. Louis opened that recent homestand by taking three of four against Cincinnati from Aug. 20-23. Since Sept. 14, 2017, the Cardinals are 31-15 against the Reds, who are toiling below .500 and coming off a four-game home split versus the Chicago Cubs.

Star Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina went 7-for-17 (.412) with five RBIs versus Cincinnati earlier this season. He's 11-for-25 (.440) with a home run and seven RBIs in his last seven contests against the Reds.

Dakota Hudson (0-2, 3.32 ERA) takes the ball for the Cardinals as he tries a fifth time for his first 2020 victory. The right-hander lasted a season-high six innings on Wednesday against Kansas City, when he allowed a two-run homer and two other hits over six innings of a 6-5 win.

In his four starts, Hudson has received just four runs of support when he's physically been on the mound. His Cardinal teammates managed just one while he allowed one hit over 4 2/3 innings while not factoring in the decision of a 4-2 loss to Cincinnati on Aug. 21.

The Reds' Eugenio Suarez is 6-for-13 with a double and two home runs versus Hudson, while teammate Jesse Winker is 4-for-10 against him. Joey Votto, meanwhile, is just 3-for-14 when facing Hudson.

Votto, who was briefly benched during the week while enduring an 0-for-18 stretch, appears to be back on track. Since returning to the lineup, Votto is 4-for-9 with a double and two solo home runs in the last three games.

"I can't become a completely different player. I have to be true to myself, but I clearly have to make adjustments," Votto, who turns 37 on Sept. 10, told the Reds' official website.

Following the birth of his first child, Anthony DeSclafani (1-1, 5.71) is slated to take the mound for Cincinnati on Monday. The right-hander last pitched on Aug. 21, when he allowed two runs, three hits and walked four while not factoring in the decision of that victory over Hudson and the Cardinals.

St. Louis' Paul Goldschmidt is 11-for-23 with a home run and four doubles versus DeSclafani. Teammate Matt Carpenter is 13-for-29 with four homers, two doubles and one triple against him.

Carpenter, however, has only one hit in 16 at-bats in his last six contests.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Blue Jays seek 4-game sweep over Orioles

The Toronto Blue Jays will go for a four-game sweep over the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Monday afternoon in the finale of their series at Buffalo.

Toronto has won all six games between the teams this season, starting with a three-game sweep in Baltimore from Aug. 17-19.

The Orioles have not helped themselves against Toronto with an array of defensive and baserunning mistakes.

The Blue Jays have had two walk-off wins in their three victories in Buffalo, including Sunday when Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run single with two out in the bottom of the ninth. The 6-5 victory gives the Blue Jays 11 wins in their past 14 games.

The Orioles have lost five in a row.

Both of Toronto's walkoff wins in the series came against closer Cole Sulser, who also gave up Randal Grichuk's two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th on Friday.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde did not commit to keeping Sulser in the closer's role.

"I think anything's open right now, to be honest with you," Hyde said. "He's hit a little bit of a bump in the road in the ninth inning as of late, so I'll keep my options open with whoever."

There was a positive development for the Orioles in the loss on Sunday. Left fielder Ryan Mountcastle hit his first two major-league home runs for three RBIs and added a single.

"You saw the raw power," Hyde said. "You saw his potential there. Just took really good at-bats."

The Blue Jays, meanwhile, have thrust themselves into contention for a playoff spot.

"It's exciting," said Blue Jays second baseman Cavan Biggio, who was 1-for-5 Sunday with one RBI to extend his on-base streak to 22 straight games. "If you look at our team, pitching and offensively, we've had some injuries that have hurt us a little bit. Seeing the front office going out and getting a guy like (starting pitcher Taijuan) Walker is nice to see."

Walker, obtained in a trade with the Seattle Mariners, pitched six runless innings Saturday in a 5-0 victory in his Blue Jays' debut.

"We've been grinding and had some success over the last couple of weeks," Biggio said. "But he's going to help us and when we get the other guys back, we're going to be even better."

Biggio is 26-for-81 (.321) with seven doubles, four doubles, four homers, 14 RBIs and 18 walks during his streak.

Hernandez had two hits Sunday and has a career-best 11-game hitting streak, going 14-for-38 (.368) with five homers and eight RBIs.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had an RBI single for Toronto and is on a career-best 12-game hit streak. Guerrero is batting 16-for-44 (.364) with four doubles, one triple, two homers and 11 RBIs during his streak.

Right-hander Chase Anderson (0-0, 3.68 ERA) will make his fifth start for the Blue Jays on Monday. It will be his first career start against Baltimore.

The Orioles will start left-hander Keegan Akin (0-0, 8.10), who will be making his third major-league appearance and first start. He led the Triple-A International League with 131 strikeouts last season.

Left-hander Tommy Milone was supposed to start Monday for Baltimore but he was traded Sunday to the Atlanta Braves. The Orioles also traded right-handed reliever Mychal Givens to the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Marlins hit road to face Mets, deGrom

After a flood of emotional games over the weekend, the New York Mets will play host to the Miami Marlins on Monday afternoon.

Monday's game, which was rescheduled after both the Mets and Marlins declined to play at Citi Field on Thursday as part of MLB's social awareness movement, comes after the Mets played five games in three days across town against the New York Yankees.

The Marlins, meanwhile, returned home from New York to face the Tampa Bay Rays this past weekend before flying back to New York for the one game Monday. The Marlins then will travel back home for a pair of games against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Perhaps all that flying won't bother them. The Marlins are just 1-8 at home this season and 13-7 on the road.

"I can't explain home, why we haven't played as well (at home)," Marlins manager Don Mattingly told reporters. "... On the road, you have nothing else but going to the ballpark. You're stuck in a hotel. The only time you get out is when you've got to go to the ballpark. It's the one time you have a little freedom."

Monday's game will mark yet another outing against the Marlins for Mets ace right-hander Jacob deGrom (2-0, 1.80 ERA). Each of his last three starts have come against the Marlins.

On Aug. 9, he earned the victory over Miami after allowing two earned runs over five innings. He then skipped a start because of a mild neck injury, before delivering two more solid starts against the Marlins.

The Mets won all three of those deGrom starts, with the two-time defending National League Cy Young Award winner going 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in the stretch, adding 27 strikeouts over 18 innings.

In 25 career starts against the Marlins, deGrom is 10-7 with a 3.06 ERA over 156 innings. It is his highest career ERA against any NL East opponent.

After a doubleheader sweep of the Mets on Tuesday, the Marlins are on a four-game losing streak. The Miami offense was shut out in each of the first two games while getting swept by the Rays before scoring seven runs in Sunday's defeat.

Miami will send left-hander Trevor Rogers (0-0, 0.00) to the mound Monday for his second career appearance. He delivered four scoreless innings in Game 2 against the Mets on Tuesday.

After going 5-0 earlier this month in their return from a team-wide COVID-19 outbreak, the Marlins are 7-14 since. Miami is now 14-15, the first time it has been under .500 this season.

The Marlins are 3-6 against the Mets this season with Monday's game the last on the regular-season schedule between the teams.

The Mets swept a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on Friday, but lost the last three games of the series, including a Yankees sweep on Sunday with both games going into extra innings.

"You never like to lose, especially when you're winning a ballgame and end up giving it up late, it hurts," Mets right-hander Rick Porcello said after the Game 1 defeat. "But this is something that you play baseball long enough, you deal with on more than one occasion and you know how to respond."

The Mets revealed Sunday that both left-hander Steven Matz (shoulder) and right-hander Dellin Betances (lat) were headed to the 10-day injured list. Both pitchers are headed for further evaluations Monday.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Morris scores twice, Sounders return home and top LAFC 3-1

SEATTLE (AP) Jordan Morris scored two goals less than a minute apart early in the second half, and Seattle rolled past Los Angeles FC 3-1 on Sunday night in the Sounders first home match in 5 1/2 months.

Playing in an eerily empty CenturyLink Field, Morris scored 59 seconds apart in the opening moments of the second half as Seattle gained a bit of revenge after LAFC's 4-1 thumping of the Sounders during the MLS is Back tournament in Florida.

In the past, two goals that close together would have sent Seattle's home crowd into a frenzy. But it was instead met with a murmur of piped-in crowd noise as the stadium is expected to remain empty for the rest of the MLS season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was a decidedly un-Seattle atmosphere for the Sounders' first home match since March 7. Instead of the normal, with nearly 40,000 fans in attendance, some of the lower bowl seats were replaced by tarps with advertisements.

''The Brougham End,'' where Seattle's most rabid fans of the ''Emerald City Supporters'' normally stand and chant the entire 90 minutes, was replaced by a smattering of banners, including a large ''Black Lives Matter,'' banner directly behind the goal.

It was at that end of the stadium where Morris scored his two goals. On the first, Morris collected a long pass from Nicolas Lodeiro and dribbled around LAFC goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer, who was late coming out from goal. Morris finished easily into the open net.

Moments after restarting, Seattle's Joao Paulo sent a cross into the box and Morris was unmarked, giving Seattle a 3-0 lead.

Raul Ruidiaz scored in the first half with a stunning 35-yard left-footed shot that caught Vermeer by surprise and out of position. Ruidiaz was subbed off at halftime for precautionary reasons due to a heel contusion.

Diego Rossi scored in the 60th minute but LAFC lost consecutive matches for the first time since the 2018 season. It was the first match for LAFC since learning league MVP Carlos Vela is out indefinitely with a left knee injury.

Both teams had midweek matches postponed after players made a collective statement against racial injustice.

The Sounders last home match in early March came as the COVID-19 pandemic was in its initial outbreak in the United States and with the Seattle region as the epicenter. The Sounders played to a 1-1 draw with Columbus before an announced crowd of 33,080. It was the smallest crowd for a Sounders home match since its inaugural season of 2009.

At the time, there had been 16 deaths and 102 diagnosed coronavirus cases in Washington state. Now, there have been more than 74,000 confirmed cases and 1,900 deaths attributed to the virus in the state, according to the Washington Department of Health.

---

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports

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New on Sports Illustrated: Roman Reigns Becomes New Universal Champion at WWE's 'Payback'

For the first time since October 2018, Roman Reigns is WWE's Universal Champion.

Roman Reigns pinned Braun Strowman in the main event of Payback to become the new Universal Champion, capping off a successful WWE pay per view that felt more like the second part of SummerSlam.

Taking place only a week after SummerSlam, this show

continued the top stories from last week, as well as added more clarity to the future of WWE. Keith Lee delivered the most significant win of his career in a dominating performance against Randy Orton, Big E took a big step toward becoming one of WWE’s building blocks in his victory against Sheamus, and Shayna Baszler starred in her tag title win with Nia Jax against Sasha Banks and Bayley.

Three titles changed hands in all at Payback, with Bobby Lashley opening the card by defeating Apollo Crews to become the new United States champ. Matt Riddle was also given a main roster moment with a win against Baron Corbin, though the post-match beatdown from Corbin means their program is extending beyond tonight. The father-son duo of Rey and Dominik Mysterio also teamed up to finally earn revenge on Seth Rollins. Though the card clocked in at under three hours, it served its purpose in advancing key storylines and helping create new stars.

The pressing question of whether Roman Reigns is a heel still remains unanswered. Yes, Reigns hit Bray Wyatt with a low blow, but that was only making use of the no holds barred stipulation. Reigns showed off his new opportunistic mentality, signing the contract to enter the match after Strowman and Wyatt had already wrestled for over 10 minutes. Now, for the first time since October of 2018, Reigns is WWE’s Universal Champion.

Here are the results:

— Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan defeated Billie Kay and Peyton Royce on the pre-show

— Bobby Lashley defeated Apollo Crews to become the new United States Champion

— Big E defeated Sheamus

— Matt Riddle defeated King Corbin

— Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax defeated Sasha Banks and Bayley to become the new Women’s Tag Team Champions

— Keith Lee defeated Randy Orton

— Rey and Dominik Mysterio defeated Seth Rollins and Buddy Murphy

— Roman Reigns won the Universal Championship in a triple threat against The Fiend and Braun Strowman

****

And here are my takeaways:

Roman Reigns is the new Universal Champion.

The main event match was not without its holes. How could Reigns sign the contract for a title match after the bout had already started? The answer to that question is likely his association with new advocate Paul Heyman, who is fulfilling his role by ensuring Reigns gets what he deserves.

Despite some foul language to the referee following a chair shot on Strowman, I am still hesitant to believe Vince McMahon is ready to go all-in on Reigns as a villain in an era without live crowds, though it does appear headed in that direction. But Reigns has been placed in a position over the past week where he is the most widely discussed person in all of wrestling, so the current method is working.

As for Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman, they worked their best match together yet at Payback. It made more sense than the Swamp Fight, and was flat out more entertaining than their battles at Money in the Bank and SummerSlam. WWE gave viewers an extra treat with a broken ring, which took place following the two monsters hitting the mat after a superplex.

For the second straight Sunday, the main event ended with Strowman looking up at the lights while taking the pin. Wyatt and Strowman, along with Alexa Bliss, still have a lot more of their story to tell, but adding Reigns into the mix has really livened up the title picture.

****

Shayna Baszler reintroduced herself to the WWE with a brilliant performance in her tag team match with Nia Jax against Sasha Banks and Bayley.

Banks and Bayley have helped define WWE programming over the summer, starring across the three brands. Their tag team title run was magnificent and accomplished so many of the goals they had when first winning the belts in February of 2019. Banks and Bayley did a tremendous job of infusing excitement into the product at a time when it was in desperate need of it. Though WrestleMania is still months away, they are laying the groundwork for a main event match next April. That match has the potential to be an all-time WrestleMania moment, especially with the work they have already put into their story. So it was especially meaningful to see Banks and Bayley put Baszler in a position to shine at Payback, as the product only benefits by highlighting Baszler, who is enormously talented and very believable as a submission specialist.

Jax’s power also added to the match, but this was Baszler’s chance to shine. She has struggled to find any real direction since losing to Becky Lynch at WrestleMania, but hopefully, that changes after this performance. The finish was incredibly creative, with Baszler locking her Kirifuda Clutch submission chokehold—using a combination of her own arm and Banks’ arm, while also having Banks in a Muta Lock—to force Bayley to tap.

The story can go in multiple directions from here. Banks no longer has a belt, while Bayley still holds the SmackDown title–and WWE is playing up the disharmony between Baszler and Jax, so this program is far from finished.

****

A star was made as Keith Lee picked up the biggest win of his career with a victory against Randy Orton.

Lee, looking more comfortable in his signature shorts/tights, made surprisingly short work of Orton. Just before the seven-minute mark, Lee hit a Spirit Bomb on Orton for the victory. This wasn’t treated as a fluke or a shock for Lee, but rather as a statement.

To Orton’s credit, his reactions made the defeat look that much more painful and harrowing. As much as Orton has been the star of the show recently, he put the full spotlight on Lee in this match.

Lee’s win also adds another layer to the WWE title picture. Does Orton defeat Drew McIntyre for the belt, then get challenged by Lee? Or is Lee the number one contender after defeating Orton? McIntyre-Lee would also be a dynamic and entertaining match.

****

Rey and Dominik Mysterio starred for a second straight week, this time earning their first-ever tag win in a highly entertaining bout against Seth Rollins and Buddy Murphy.

Redemption for the Mysterios was the right finish. Rollins inadvertently took a kick to the face from Murphy, then Dominik hit a 619 and frog splash on Murphy for the win. This was an excellent installment in their ongoing story. And with the Street Profits always in need of more compelling opponents for their Raw Tag Titles, a program with the Mysterios could be fantastic.

****

The opening match of the card saw Bobby Lashley defeat Apollo Crews to become the new United States Champion. It has certainly taken enough time, but WWE is finally presenting Lashley in the right manner.

Lashley is one of the most powerful, dominant individuals in all of wrestling. Presenting Lashley as “The CEO of The Hurt Business” is a legitimate and compelling way to showcase his work, and pairing him with MVP has been a phenomenal move. Crews also played his role extremely well, serving as the underdog and taking Lashley’s punishment in a believable fashion.

My sole complaint with this match was the aftermath. Crews tapped out to Full Lashley, a fitting name for his Full Nelson, but despite submitting due to the excruciating pain, he was back on his feet almost immediately to attack Lashley after the bell. This is another program that will continue. Lashley makes a great choice for U.S. champ and Crews continues to get meaningful minutes on the card, but I hope that Lashley never strays too far from the WWE Championship picture.

****

On the subject of a future WWE Champion, Big E proved again that he has all the tools necessary to be the face of the company and wear its most prestigious title.

Big E worked a classic babyface match against Sheamus, overcoming an in-match knee injury to defeat his opponent. The program with Sheamus is just the beginning of Big E’s singles push. In addition to bringing an element of excitement to his matches and interviews, Big E also showed off fire and passion in his comeback against Sheamus.

A fan favorite, Big E would benefit immensely from a live crowd in his push to the top of the card. He would make a perfect fit for winner of January’s Royal Rumble match, and a live crowd would explode during a world title win for E at WrestleMania.

****

This felt more like the second night of SummerSlam than it did its own standalone show. The biggest takeaway from the night is Reigns reclaiming the Universal Championship, which is quickly becoming one of WWE’s biggest storylines of the year.

The victory by Keith Lee will also help define this show. Lee has the potential to add an entirely new element into the title picture on Raw, especially with the potential of a McIntyre-Lee match. WWE should not get itself in the habit of airing back-to-back pay per views on consecutive weekends, but Payback was a very entertaining show.

Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.

New on Sports Illustrated: Bronny James, LeBron's Son, Joins Professional Esports Organization

Bronny James has 4.3 million followers on TikTok and over 300,000 followers on streaming platform Twitch.

LOS ANGELES — Bronny James is going pro — in video games.

The son of NBA star LeBron James has joined professional esports organization FaZe Clan, where he’s expected to stream Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone under the handle “FaZe Bronny.”

The 15-year-old James is a promising basketball player who could follow his dad into the pros, but he’s already reached celebrity status online. He has 4.3 million followers on TikTok and over 300,000 followers on streaming platform Twitch.

Terms of James’ deal were not disclosed.

James has streamed Fortnite, Warzone and NBA 2K and could create content for FaZe Clan on those titles and others. FaZe Clan has seven competitive teams, including a Call of Duty team based in Atlanta that was set to play Sunday for the CoD League championship, but James is unlikely to serve as a competitive player.

FaZe Clan has longstanding ties to the traditional sports world, and its roster of influencers include the NFL’s JuJu Smith-Schuster and the NBA’s Ben Simmons and Meyers Leonard. Simmons was announced as a FaZe Clan investor Monday.

Covid-19 Live Updates: U.S. Cases Pass 6 Million

By Unknown Author from NYT World https://ift.tt/3gHN9hl

New on Sports Illustrated: What Are the Fantasy Implications of the Jalen Reagor Injury for the Eagles?

SI Fantasy's Michael Fabiano breaks down what to do with the Eagles receiving core as the Fantasy Football season approaches

Jalen Reagor of the Eagles will reportedly be out for the first few weeks of the 2020 NFL season with a shoulder injury. Reagor is a rookie for the Eagles but was expected to make an impact on the receiving core quickly. SI Fantasy's Michael Fabiano breaks down what to do with the Eagles receiving core as the Fantasy Football season approaches.

New on Sports Illustrated: Jon Rahm Makes 66-Foot Putt in Playoff to Win BMW Championship

Jon Rahm outlasted Dustin Johnson with a thrilling playoff finish to take the BMW Championship title.

Jon Rahm clinched his BMW Championship victory with some flare on Sunday.

After standing tied at four-under with Dustin Johnson at the end of 72 holes, Rahm pulled ahead by draining a 66-foot putt in a playoff. The victory marks the 25-year-old's second win in his last five PGA Tour starts.

The impressive feat wrapped up a closely contested tournament that saw a crowded leaderboard heading into Sunday. Johnson found himself tied for the lead with Hideki Matsuyama entering the final round. Meanwhile, Rahm worked his way from being tied at 51st place in the standings after a five-over first round to completing a six-under fourth round and playoff for the victory. 

Rahm was not alone in making impressive putts down the stretch of the BMW Championship. Johnson made one himself to clinch a playoff with Rahm as he drained a birdie on the 18th hole. 

With his BMW Championship victory, Rahm moves back to No. 1 in the world golf rankings. Johnson overtook Rahm in the standings last week after recording a victory in The Northern Trust. 

Rahm's BMW Championship title marks his fifth PGA victory since joining the Tour in 2016. Prior to Sunday, his latest Tour title came at the Memorial Tournament in July. 

The 2019-20 PGA Tour schedule concludes next week with the TOUR Championship in Atlanta, Ga. The U.S. Open will take place from Sept. 17-20 at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y., while the Masters will run from Nov. 12-15 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. 

New on Sports Illustrated: Bruins face elimination against Lightning in Game 5

The Boston Bruins have their backs against the wall as they take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of their Stanley Cup Playoff second-round series Monday night at Toronto.

Since taking the first contest of the best-of-seven series, the Bruins have dropped three straight, getting outscored 10-2 between Games 3 and 4. A promising season for Boston, after coming one game short of a Stanley Cup title last year, would come to an end with one more loss.

"Can give you a bunch of cliches, but it truly is one game at a time here," said Bruins defenseman Torey Krug. "We're just focusing on (Game 5), and trying not to let things spiral out of control within a hockey game is a big part of it. We've just got to bring it next game."

For the Lightning, a win Monday would mean advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals for the fourth time in the last six seasons. After last year's disastrous playoff showing -- when the team was swept in the first round -- such a return would represent a level of redemption.

"Right now the guys are feeling it," said Lightning coach Jon Cooper after the team's latest win. "Let's hope it continues."

The Lightning have never lost a playoff series when up 3-1 (7-0).

In Game 4 on Saturday afternoon, Tampa Bay jumped out to a 3-0 lead through the first two periods on the strength of two goals from Ondrej Palat. Andrei Vasilevskiy held firm in net the rest of the way in an eventual 3-1 victory.

Palat now has four goals in the team's last three games and six points total in the series. He's stepping up with captain Steven Stamkos still sidelined by injury and serving as a complement to the potent production of Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov (16 playoff points apiece).

"He's always the guy that's talked about the least," Cooper said of Palat. "It's probably unfair to him, but it's probably just the way he likes it."

Though the Bruins' showing Saturday was not as disastrous as their 7-1 setback in Game 3, the goaltending remains an area in need of improvement. Jaroslav Halak, thrust into the starting role when Tuukka Rask opted out two games into the first round, allowed a bad second goal in Saturday's loss and is struggling to keep up with Tampa Bay's high-powered offense.

"This is a good hockey club, we're not scoring a lot right now. Part of that is our own issue about hitting the net," said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. "But they've got a very good goaltender and a good defense, so every goal matters."

Boston will be without forward Chris Wagner for Game 5 after he exited Saturday's loss early. Sean Kuraly, who has missed the last two games in the series, skated Sunday and is "progressing," though Cassidy didn't say if he would play Monday.

The Lightning have been without defenseman Ryan McDonagh due to an undisclosed injury since Game 1 of the series.

--Field Level Media

Norway bunker partygoers poisoned with carbon monoxide

More than 20 people were hospitalised after attending the party in the Norwegian capital Oslo.

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The search engine boss who wants to help us all plant trees

Christian Kroll is the boss of Ecosia, which donates 80% of its profits to tree-planting projects.

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Letter from Africa: Why Kenyans are no longer cheering their constitution

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New on Sports Illustrated: Eagles WR Jalen Reagor Out 3-4 Weeks With Shoulder Injury

The Eagles rookie WR is expected to miss a month after injuring his shoulder making a tackle in practice. SI Fantasy insider Ben Heisler discusses the fantasy ramifications.

Eagles rookie wide receiver Jalen Reagor is expected to miss 3-4 weeks after suffering a shoulder injury during practice on Sunday.

John McMullen of EagleMaven reports the injury was suffered as a result of trying to make a tackle after a pass was intercepted:

"Reagor was blanketed in coverage by Avonte Maddox and a pass-breakup hung in the air for Will Parks and the Philadelphia native intercepted it before being tackled by Reagor.

The TCU product seemed to be favoring his hand or wrist and was taken inside. Sources then confirmed that the injury was with the left shoulder."

Initial reports from Geoff Mosher were that Reagor suffered a left shoulder injury on the play, and that surgery will not be required. Mosher adds that Reagor may have a slight labrum tear.

From a fantasy standpoint, Reagor's ADP (average draft position) had continued to climb since making a noticeable first impression in Training Camp. With Marquise Goodwin opting out for 2020 due to COVID-19 and Alshon Jeffery rehabbing from Lisfranc surgery, Reagor was set to be the starting "X" receiver for Carson Wentz and the Eagles when they open the season against the Washington Football Team on Sunday, September 13th.

Reagor currently is ranked as the WR49 on the board according to SI Fantasy's Advanced ADP rankings. SI Fantasy expert Michael Fabiano is ahead of consensus on Reagor, ranking him as his WR42 in his latest up-to-date Top 200 PPR Rankings. 

Even with the injury, Reagor still remains my top sleeper for the 2020 season on my SI Preason Pro Breakdown. 

Check out SI Fantasy team's full list of Top Sleepers for 2020 here.

Unless Jeffery is able to start the season healthy, JJ Arcega-Whiteside would be the other starting outside WR alongside DeSean Jackson. Greg Ward would play in the slot.

Additionally, the injury to Reagor could also indicate a higher role for tight end Dallas Goedert if the Eagles choose to go to more two-TE sets. 

We're taking YOUR fantasy game... to the next level..Get your SI Fantasy Plus membership TODAY.

For more SI Fantasy and Gambling:

• 2020 Fantasy Football Rankings

• Michael Fabiano’s Top Sleeper

• Michael Fabiano’s Top Bust

• Michael Fabiano’s Top 200

• World Series Odds

• NFC West Preview

• NFC East Preview

• NFC South Preview

• NFC North Preview

New on Sports Illustrated: Eagles WR Jalen Reagor Out 3-4 Weeks With Shoulder Injury

The Eagles rookie WR is expected to miss a month after injuring his shoulder making a tackle in practice. SI Fantasy insider Ben Heisler discusses the fantasy ramifications.

Eagles rookie wide receiver Jalen Reagor is expected to miss 3-4 weeks after suffering a shoulder injury during practice on Sunday.

John McMullen of EagleMaven reports the injury was suffered as a result of trying to make a tackle after a pass was intercepted:

"Reagor was blanketed in coverage by Avonte Maddox and a pass-breakup hung in the air for Will Parks and the Philadelphia native intercepted it before being tackled by Reagor.

The TCU product seemed to be favoring his hand or wrist and was taken inside. Sources then confirmed that the injury was with the left shoulder."

Initial reports from Geoff Mosher were that Reagor suffered a left shoulder injury on the play, and that surgery will not be required. Mosher adds that Reagor may have a slight labrum tear.

From a fantasy standpoint, Reagor's ADP (average draft position) had continued to climb since making a noticeable first impression in Training Camp. With Marquise Goodwin opting out for 2020 due to COVID-19 and Alshon Jeffery rehabbing from Lisfranc surgery, Reagor was set to be the starting "X" receiver for Carson Wentz and the Eagles when they open the season against the Washington Football Team on Sunday, September 13th.

Reagor currently is ranked as the WR49 on the board according to SI Fantasy's Advanced ADP rankings. SI Fantasy expert Michael Fabiano is ahead of consensus on Reagor, ranking him as his WR42 in his latest up-to-date Top 200 PPR Rankings. 

Even with the injury, Reagor still remains my top sleeper for the 2020 season on my SI Preason Pro Breakdown. 

Check out SI Fantasy team's full list of Top Sleepers for 2020 here.

Unless Jeffery is able to start the season healthy, JJ Arcega-Whiteside would be the other starting outside WR alongside DeSean Jackson. Greg Ward would play in the slot.

Additionally, the injury to Reagor could also indicate a higher role for tight end Dallas Goedert if the Eagles choose to go to more two-TE sets. 

We're taking YOUR fantasy game... to the next level..Get your SI Fantasy Plus membership TODAY.

For more SI Fantasy and Gambling:

• 2020 Fantasy Football Rankings

• Michael Fabiano’s Top Sleeper

• Michael Fabiano’s Top Bust

• Michael Fabiano’s Top 200

• World Series Odds

• NFC West Preview

• NFC East Preview

• NFC South Preview

• NFC North Preview