The Kansas City Chiefs have added to their wide receiver room.

Kansas City is acquiring wide receiver Josh Downs and a 2027 seventh-round pick from the Indianapolis Colts for 2027 fourth and fifth-round picks, the two teams announced on Tuesday afternoon.

Downs, who requested a trade from the Colts last month and is a free agent after this season, has totaled 33 receptions for 354 yards and one touchdown this year. Over the previous three seasons (2023-25), Downs averaged 66.0 receptions for 713.3 yards and 3.7 touchdowns per year. 

Downs joins a Kansas City wide receiver room that includes Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton, among others. In all, the Chiefs’ offense is second in the NFL in total yards (384.1 per game), fifth in rushing yards (137.8 per game) and 10th in both points (25.3 per game) and passing yards (246.4 per game).

And the wide receiver appears thrilled with the move, as depicted by Downs’ post to X following the trade.

Prior to their Week 9 win at home over the New York Jets, the Chiefs lost back-to-back games on the road to the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos. They stand second in the AFC West at 6-2.

As for the Colts, Downs is one of four players they moved before the trade deadline, the other three players being guard Quenton Nelson, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and wide receiver Keenan Allen. Indianapolis didn’t move superstar running back Jonathan Taylor or quarterback Daniel Jones.

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And just like that, the NFL trade deadline season has come to a close. 

This year’s trade deadline was almost unlike any other. We saw trades involving two top-10 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft earlier in the season, before All-Pros and Pro Bowlers got moved in recent weeks. 

And the fireworks continued on Monday and Tuesday. The Jacksonville Jaguars landed a pair of Pro Bowl-caliber defensive players on Monday, trading for safety Jessie Bates III and defensive tackle Jordan Davis. On Tuesday, the Minnesota Vikings swung a trade to bring back Kirk Cousins, as it was evident they needed quarterback help. 

Let’s grade all the notable deals that occurred in recent days and weeks before Tuesday’s deadline passed. 

  Chiefs Get WR Josh Downs

Chiefs receive: WR Josh Downs, 2027 seventh-round pick

Colts receive: 2027 fourth-round pick, 2027 fifth-round pick

Ben Arthur: The Chiefs badly needed wide receiver help. A 37-year-old Travis Kelce has been their leading receiver this season. Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy haven’t given the offense nearly enough. Speedster Tyquan Thornton has been on injured reserve since early in the year. 

Josh Downs is one of football’s best slot receivers, a great one-on-one player who can separate and get open on third down. He gives Kansas City another weapon in the middle of the field, taking pressure off tight end Kelce, and creates lighter boxes for running back Kenneth Walker. 

Two mid-round picks is not too steep a price and the Chiefs had already been set to receive a compensatory fourth-round pick in 2027 anyway, so the Downs move is equivalent to giving up just one mid-round selection. That’s good business. 

The Colts may not have a 2027 first-round pick due to last year’s Sauce Gardner deal, but the team has been able to do the next best thing: load up on mid-round picks. Between the Downs, Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner trades, Indianapolis has acquired five selections in the third- to fifth-round range in the next two drafts for its rebuild. 

Chiefs grade: B-

Colts grade: B+

  Vikings Bring Back Kirk Cousins

Vikings receive: QB Kirk Cousins

Raiders receive: 2027 third-round pick

Henry McKenna: For the Raiders, this makes total sense. They’re going to slip out of the playoff picture, and they might as well move on to their rookie QB, Fernando Mendoza, the former No. 1 overall pick. In the process, the Raiders get a Day 2 draft pick. It’s a nice deal.

For the Vikings, I’m a little skeptical about this move, if I’m totally honest. Yes, Kirk Cousins has been good this year in Las Vegas. And yes, Cousins has excelled in the past in Minnesota. But for the past two years, the Vikings have been jumpy at the quarterback position — changing their QB1 in a (not-so) merry-go-round that has yet to produce the results coach Kevin O’Connell desires.

The team moved to J.J. McCarthy last year — maybe before he was ready. Then this year, the Vikings moved on from McCarthy, which didn’t make sense because they talked a lot about how they were giving him training camp snaps in case he needed to start in the event of an injury. Well, they needed McCarthy this week because Carson Wentz was abysmal filling in for Kyler Murray, who is currently injured.

Murray hasn’t looked all that great, even when healthy. So he appears to be getting the hook, maybe altogether losing his job, with Cousins in the building. 

In some ways, Cousins is a deal — at $10 million for this year. But the trade sends a third-round pick to the Raiders, per reports. That’s a high price when the Murray signing was supposed to be all about value. The discounted QB room is getting more and more expensive. 

In Minnesota, there’s a plan. Then there’s a new plan. Then there’s a new plan again.

Forgive me for not fully buying this one.

Raiders grade: A

Vikings grade: C+

  Bills Get Amani Hooker

Bills receive: S Amani Hooker

Titans receive: 2027 second-round pick, 2027 fifth-round pick

Ben Arthur: Giving up a second-round pick for a 28-year-old at a non-premium position (safety) can look like bad business, but the Bills are built to win a Super Bowl now, and the secondary was their one glaring weakness. 

Buffalo ranks 29th in pass defense (238.8 passing yards allowed per game) and 24th in passing touchdowns allowed (15), according to Next Gen Stats. The Bills needed to shore up their back end ahead of the playoffs, and they did that with Amani Hooker, who’s been a good safety for a long time. He’s started 74 games in the NFL. He leads the league this year with five interceptions, three of which came against Bengals QB Joe Burrow. If Hooker helps the Bills reach the Super Bowl, giving up a second-rounder was more than worth it. 

The Titans are also justified in believing this is a strong trade. Getting a premium draft pick for an older safety is impressive, even with how well Hooker had been playing this season and his standing as a leader on the team. 

Between the Hooker and Jeffery Simmons trades, Tennessee has netted two first-round picks and a second-rounder over the past two weeks. The Titans now have seven selections in the first two rounds of the draft over the next two years. That’s fantastic ammunition for their rebuild. 

Bills grade: B-

Titans grade: A+

  Jaguars Make Another Swing, Landing Jordan Davis

Jaguars receive: DT Jordan Davis

Eagles receive: 2027 first-round pick, 2029 second-round pick (and clears about $65.4M in future option bonuses)

Ralph Vacchiano: In some ways, it’s the perfect trade between two teams going in polar opposite directions. The Jaguars have the Super Bowl in their sights and they’re sparing no expense to get there. The Eagles are staring at a long rebuilding effort and understand that small deals on the fringe won’t be enough.

Both needed to go big and bold, and they did.

For the Jaguars, though, the deal is a bit of a risk. They are clearly all-in, trading for three defensive players in one day. But they dealt two premium picks for Davis, a player who has been underperforming all season and carries with him a three-year, $78 million contract, much of which will go on Jacksonville’s books.

What they’re counting on is that Davis can become the player he was last season, when he earned that massive contract extension and was a terrific run-stuffer who provided a pass-rushing boost (4.5 sacks). This season, neither of those things has been true, and his role has been diminished, playing only 52% of the Eagles’ snaps. He’s only 26, so maybe he can rebound. But the Jags paid an incredibly high price to find out.

Which is why it was a bigger win for the Eagles, since everything they do now is about cap space and draft capital. With this trade, they now have 10 picks in the first two rounds of the next three drafts, including two firsts in each of the next two years. Dealing Davis also helps them deal with impending cap issues by clearing out most of the extension that officially starts in 2027 and includes more than $65 million in option bonuses they might have had to pay him over the life of the deal.

The Eagles were also dealing from a position of strength, since they have a replacement in mind for Davis in 25-year-old defensive tackle Moro Ojomo. They intend to sign him to an extension and let him anchor their line next to defensive tackle Jalen Carter. Davis was a good player who was underperforming this season. So when given a chance to get exceptional value for him, he quickly became a luxury a rebuilding team simply could not afford.

Jaguars grade: B-

Eagles grade: A+

  Jaguars Land Jessie Bates

Jaguars receive: S Jessie Bates III

Falcons receive: 2027 second-round, 2028 fifth-round pick

Greg Auman: For Jacksonville, trading for safety Jesse Bates is a chips-to-the-middle-of-the-table move, giving up a second-round pick and a 2028 fifth-rounder for what could be a nine-game rental. But the Jaguars are 6-2 and have a favorable remaining schedule, so they’re competing not just for the AFC South title but also for the top seed in the conference, which could give them multiple home games.

EverBank Stadium is in the middle of a major renovation, one that will have the Jaguars playing their home games in Orlando and London in 2027, so if there’s an urgency to make the most of this season at any expense to next year, it’s knowing that 2027 will be an unusual circumstance compared to this year.

In adding Bates, the Jaguars are upgrading a strength. They’re second in the NFL in points allowed at 15.1 per game, and third in the league in both interceptions (11) and total takeaways (15). They’ve given up more passing yards — they’re ranked 22nd there — but that’s as much a function of big leads that force opponents to throw more late in games.

The Jaguars lost in the wild-card round last year, so Bates brings postseason experience to the locker room. He made the Super Bowl with the Bengals in the 2021 season and had two interceptions in that playoff run. If Jacksonville can make a deep run in January, Bates could be a key piece of that push.

Bates, a second-team All-Pro safety last year, had been a leader and playmaker on the defensive side for the Falcons and remained productive to the very end, with 14 tackles in Sunday’s loss to the Bengals and forced fumbles in three straight games before that. His sideline interception of 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy helped Atlanta pull off a key home upset as well just two weeks ago. 

With Bates in the final year of a four-year, $64 million contract, the Falcons had a chance to shift their focus from the present to the future, gaining much-needed draft capital. Atlanta is only a half-game out of first in the NFC South, and the Falcons’ defense gave up 34 points Sunday with Bates in there, so they’re consciously making this year’s team worse to help the long-term outlook. The Falcons are trying to end one of the league’s longest playoff droughts, failing to reach the postseason since 2017.

The Falcons have enough cap space available that they’ll be active in free agency, so that likely takes away any hesitation related to losing the comp pick they’d get if Bates left in free agency. Still only 29, Bates should draw a market in free agency close to what his last contract was, and that could net the Jaguars a mid-round comp pick if they don’t re-sign him. The Falcons also agreed to pay out much of Bates’ remaining contract this season, which helped them get a higher draft pick in return from Jacksonville.

The Falcons have been smart to lock up their young offensive core in Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts this year, and even extended defensive tackle Gervon Dexter after acquiring him from the Bears before the season. Does this send a mixed message to this year’s team to trade away such a central player? That remains to be seen.

Jaguars grade: A

Falcons grade: B

  Bears Splash For Simmons

Bears receive: DT Jeffery Simmons, 2028 fifth-round pick

Titans receive: 2027 and 2028 first-round picks, 2027 fourth-round pick

Henry McKenna: This is a coup for the Bears, who’ve mortgaged two late first-round picks to secure one of the best DTs in the NFL. 

Maybe folks haven’t heard of Simmons like the other superstars — and from my vantage, that’s only because… 

1) He has gotten lost in the Titans’ mess.

2) He’s such a humble player and teammate that people just don’t talk about him. 

Simmons is just what Chicago needs. The Bears defense has allowed the 10th-fewest points per game, but those numbers look skewed by outings against bad offenses like the Vikings, Eagles and Jets. The Panthers put up 37 against Chicago, the Packers got 31 and the Patriots scored 24. 

Before the season, I spoke to a Bears staffer who felt like they’d put the right pieces in place to make a sizable improvement on that side of the ball for 2026 — and I’m not sure they’re there yet. Simmons will get them there. Simmons is 29, and isn’t “young” by NFL standards, but the Bears have plenty of youth.

On the Titans’ side, it must be hard to stomach this, losing a leader and a superstar like Simmons. The return will be tough to convert into a Simmons-type player, but Tennessee can take some solace in the fact that Simmons went 19th overall. 

The Titans need to get younger. They need to shape their roster to the new vision. These picks will help them do that. (But of course, the turnover has been so constant that I can’t help but wonder … whose vision will it be?)

Bears grade: A

Titans grade: B+

  49ers Get DeForest Buckner Back

49ers receive: DT DeForest Buckner

Colts receive: 2027 fourth-round pick

Eric D. Williams: The Indianapolis Colts shipped Buckner back to the team that selected him as the seventh overall pick of the 2016 draft as part of that team’s fire sale. Indianapolis received a fourth-round pick for the 32-year-old rangy defensive tackle. A cornerstone for the Colts defensively, Buckner has four sacks, eight quarterback hits and 31 combined tackles in seven games. 

Buckner should give San Francisco a pass rush boost. The 49ers finished with a league-low 20 sacks last season and this year hasn’t been much better, with 15 sacks (tied for 20th) so far this season. The 49ers are expecting the team’s best pass rusher, Nick Bosa, to return at some point this season from a calf injury. Paired with his former teammate in Buckner, the two should form a potent pass-rushing tandem for San Francisco, which is expected to compete for a deep postseason run. 

For the Colts, they get some draft compensation to start the rebuilding process after a disappointing start to the season that led to the firing of general manager Chris Ballard. But they’re also giving up a foundational player who is still productive and a leader within their organization and still has good ball left in him. 

The draft compensation is on the low side for a player of Buckner’s stature, even though he’s on an expiring contract and set to hit free agency at the end of this year. 

49ers grade: B+

Colts grade: C+

  Seahawks Land Quenton Nelson

Seahawks receive: G Quenton Nelson

Colts receive: 2027 third-round pick, 2028 fifth-round pick

Ben Arthur: This was a brilliant move by Seahawks general manager John Schneider. In Nelson, an eight-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro selection, Seattle gets a massive boost for Sam Darnold’s protection and an anchor upfront for what’s been an uneven rushing attack through seven weeks. 

With the Seahawks set to receive a third-round pick for losing executive Nolan Teasley, who became the Minnesota Vikings’ general manager, the team still has a third-round selection for 2027. And Seattle is also set to receive two fifth-round compensatory picks this year (free-agent departures of Kenneth Walker III, Riq Woolen), so a 2028 fifth-rounder is even more palpable than it already was for a player of Nelson’s caliber. 

The Nelson deal kicked off the Colts’ fire sale and was necessary, as Indianapolis needs all the picks it can get to supercharge a rebuild without a first-round pick. 

Seahawks grade: A

Colts grade: B+

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The Miami Dolphins placed Malik Willis on injured reserve on Tuesday afternoon, sidelining the quarterback for at least four games.

Willis has been dealing with a nagging groin injury that appeared to significantly limit his mobility in last weekend’s 19-9 loss to the Detroit Lions. He said after the game his groin “felt a little tight,” and coach Jeff Hafley echoed those words.

“It was tight today, and you could see it,” Hafley said last Sunday. “You could see he couldn’t really open up. There were a couple plays where I give him credit. He pulled it, and he ran, and he got us yards, and he got out of trouble against a good defensive line. But you could see he just wasn’t quite able to go full speed.”

Willis has completed 121 of 208 passes with six touchdowns and six interceptions this season for the 1-7 Dolphins.

The Ringer first reported the news, saying it is not expected to be a season-ending injury.

Backup Kyle McCord, who the Dolphins acquired in August from the Green Bay Packers, will be in line to start this week on the road against the Indianapolis Colts.

McCord spent the 2025 season on the practice squad of the Philadelphia Eagles, who drafted him in the sixth round a year ago. The Packers signed him on Jan. 20.

He went 46 of 70 for 446 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions while getting sacked six times in three preseason games with Green Bay.

The Dolphins also placed defensive lineman Zach Sieler on IR on Tuesday after he suffered a ruptured biceps against Detroit.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Facing the first regular-season losing streak of his eight years as head coach at Ohio State, Ryan Day acknowledged feelings of anger and frustration permeating the Woody Hayes Athletic Center as another game week began.

The 21st-ranked Buckeyes dropped 10 spots in the AP Top 25 after a humbling 41-28 loss to Oregon on Saturday. That came a week after Ohio State, then ranked No. 2, lost at Southern California 30-18.

Although they are not mathematically eliminated, the Buckeyes (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten) are staring at the possibility of missing the Big Ten Championship Game as they share third place in the standings with five other teams.

Ohio State’s College Football Playoff hopes are also hanging by a thread, but Day said he is not ready to turn his attention to other postseason opportunities or preparing for 2027 with three games remaining.

Day said, “I’m not there yet,” and noted the Big Ten has rules regarding a team potentially declining a bowl bid, but he did allow that development is still part of the equation with Northwestern coming to town this weekend. After that, the Buckeyes will go to Nebraska before concluding the regular season at home against archival Michigan.

“How do we want to be remembered knowing that we have these two games and the rivalry game at the end of the season?” Day said summing up discussions with team leaders over the last two days.

“Life is all about how you respond to things. What do we want the outcome to be? To finish the regular season with these three games and walk off that field at the end of the regular season with that win. Then we’ll figure out what goes on from there, but we have an obligation to do that as a team, and that’s it.”

To ascend to starter, Luke Fahey had to jump sophomore Tavien St. Clair, a five-star prospect from Bellefontaine, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images)

While Day did not rule out some lineup changes if younger players earn opportunities in practice, he is not planning to make a change at quarterback.

Freshman Luke Fahey started the last two games in place of Julian Sayin, who is not expected back this season after suffering an elbow injury in late October.

Fahey threw for 360 yards last week, though most of that was in garbage time after the Ducks took control of the game with 38 consecutive points from late in the second quarter to the early fourth.

To ascend to starter, Fahey had to jump sophomore Tavien St. Clair, a five-star prospect from Bellefontaine, Ohio.

“Luke is going to be our quarterback this week, and Tavien’s one snap away,” Day said. “And that has got to continue to be his mentality and he has to continue to grow. If we can continue to improve in practice and build enough trust within practice, and we feel like he gives us the best chance to win, we’ll make that move. We’re not at that point right now.”

As the coaching staff tries to figure out how to build a game plan around a new quarterback, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith did say Fahey is at least getting valuable experience.

“As the game goes and he gets in the rhythm of it, I thought he made a lot of good decisions, but that’s what you’re looking at,” Smith said. “There’s always plays as a play caller, as a player, they could tell you, ‘Hey, I wish I had that one back,’ but that experience is everything at that position for sure.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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I played offensive line for eight seasons in the NFL, and before that I spent my Saturdays in Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, blocking for guys who ended up on lists like this one. So when I watch college football now, I watch for the stuff that signaled to me in the huddle whether a guy was for real.

I’m picking the 10 players who impressed me most during the previous weekend. Not just the gaudiest stat lines, but the performances that hold up when you turn the tape on. Some weeks, that’ll be an edge rusher wreaking havoc. Other weeks, it’ll be a lineman you’ve never heard of who didn’t lose a rep all afternoon. I have a soft spot for those guys. 

Let’s take a look at this week’s group. 

Carr is the new Heisman favorite after his Irish won the biggest game of the weekend against Miami. Carr played his best game against the best opponent he’s faced. He was 29 of 40 for 319 yards and three touchdowns. The future first rounder was great when his team needed him the most, and made big play after big play. 

Hand up. I got this game wrong. I thought LSU would win and we’d see the continued downward trend of Russell’s season. Instead, the young quarterback played well against another tough defense. He was 17 of 24 for 206 yards and three touchdowns. He (and the offense) looked far more composed at LSU than earlier in the season at Tennessee. This kid has some real juice. 

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Dampier piloted Utah to a 28-20 win against BYU in the Holy War. This Utah win almost guarantees them a playoff spot in Morgan Scalley’s first season as their coach. He was 14 of 26 for 177 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 89 rushing yards and another two scores on the ground. His long rush of 30 on the Utes first drive set the tone for the win. The Utes are legit, and absolutely should run the table in the regular season.

What a gritty performance by Sellers in their win against Texas A&M. He could barely run but sealed a Gamecock win with a 41-yard rushing touchdown. He also threw for 251 with another touchdown through the air. A truly special performance on one leg by the redshirt junior. 

Sheppard is the best player the casual public doesn’t know much about. He ran the ball for 217 yards on just 18 carries. That’s just over 12 yards a carry. He added three touchdowns with a long run of 69 yards. He and the Blue Devils get Miami this week, a real chance for him to get some more national attention.

One of my favorite football plays was executed by Pellicciotta on Saturday. At the end of the first half, NC State lined up for a 50 yard field goal. It was short and Pellicciotta was waiting near the back of the end zone to catch the ball. He cleanly caught the ball and ran nearly 110 yards for a Duke touchdown to end the first half. Just an absolutely amazing play by the sophomore safety. 

Dieffenbach’s stat line on Saturday against Minnesota was just… different! He completed eight passes for a whopping 303 yards and three touchdowns. Since 1995, which as far back as FOX Sports Research could go, he is the only player to have 300-plus yards on eight or fewer completions. UCLA is now 9-0 for the first time since 1998, and for just the fourth time in program history, and the veteran quarterback has become a huge contributor towards that.

A nearly 700-yard performance for the Boise offense against Colorado State on Saturday night. Riley was the work horse with 19 carries for 192 yards. Cutforth was making a spot start for their injured starting quarterback, and played the game they needed. He went 16 of 19 for 317 yards and four touchdowns. Just excellent stuff by the backup.

Georgia’s Defense

Against Alabama, it was the Dawgs’ offensive line that I spotlighted. But in the 42-7 trashing that Georgia put on against Trinidad Chambliss and Ole Miss, it was the entire defensive unit that got my attention this past Saturday. Chris Cole, who made my top 10 after his performance against Florida, shined again with 1.5 sacks and nine total tackles. Four other Georgia players each registered a sack and KJ Bolden added an interception to shut down what has been a prolific offense all season. Chambliss was held to 170 passing yards, -12 rushing yards, an interception, and just five yards per completion on 18 of 34 passing. Just absolutely incredible stuff all around by Kirby Smart and defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann. 

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Who will improve and who will go backward in 2027?

It’s tough to know just a couple of days after the 2026 season has ended, but these are way-too-early power rankings for a reason.

This is the way I think drivers should rank at the start of 2027, and that hurts the Fords because they will have a new body. 

Everyone saw what a new body did for the Chevrolets for the first half of 2026 … before Kyle Larson made his late-season surge.

So here are my 2027 NASCAR way-too-early power rankings:

On The Verge: 

Alex Bowman, Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Chase Elliott, Carson Hocevar, Daniel Suárez

10.

Wallace went winless in 2026, but he ranked 10th in points scored in The Chase. That performance when the pressure is on is enough to keep him in these rankings ahead of some other drivers who won in 2026.

9.

Logano earned the third-most points in The Chase, and now I have him in ninth. As I indicated earlier, it’s because of an expectation that he’ll have a slow start next season. Logano had a slow start in 2026 and that was with no changes to the Ford body.

8.

Blaney ranked sixth among drivers in points scored in The Chase but does get the good feeling of having won the season finale for two consecutive years. Plus, if he wasn’t brake-checked at Martinsville, he would have been top five in points earned over the final 10 races. So he gets the nod over Logano in these rankings but just by a spot.

7.

Gibbs is the only driver who wasn’t top 10 in Chase points to make this list (he was 11th). Another year of growth and maturity should go a long way for Gibbs.

6.

Byron was eighth in points earned in The Chase, but he finished it with a win at Martinsville and a third at Homestead. That momentum and his solid performances at superspeedways (Daytona and Atlanta kick off the season) put him solidly in the rankings.

5.

Briscoe won back-to-back races in The Chase and still ranked only eighth among Chase drivers in points scored over the final 10 races. An engine failure cut short his Homestead race, or he might have had a shot at three Chase victories. 

4.

The defending Daytona 500 winner won a series-best six races in 2026 (no other driver had more than four) and had a respectable Chase, as he earned the fifth-most points. This team appeared to have some of its rhythm back late in the year after their epic start to the 2026 season.

3.

Putting Bell third and Hamlin second is probably more about Hamlin than Bell, who had just one win in 2026 despite having race-winning speed on multiple occasions. He did rank second in points scored in The Chase, and he will be a championship threat in 2027.

2.

In what is expected to be his final full season of racing, Hamlin should have a bit of gloves-off style and an attitude of taking more than he gives. That should make him dangerous. Whether it wins him the elusive Cup title remains to be seen.

1.

The fact that Larson earned 100 points more than any other driver except Bell in The Chase (he only outscored Bell by 54 points) makes him the clear No. 1 going into next season. Sure, he didn’t have a great regular season — he was seeded seventh coming into The Chase — but what he did over the last 10 races shows that he and his team are the ones to beat in 2027.

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Ryan Blaney won the night at Homestead, but Kyle Larson won the year in Cup.

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A veteran quarterback returns to his old stomping grounds and a high-flying college squad travels to face a ranked foe. 

I smell a few upsets. 

Here are my underdog picks for the NFL and college football weekend.

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All season long, college football has taught us to bet against the team that just pulled off a big, emotional win. 

In September, it was Ole Miss getting revenge against its former coach Lane Kiffin and his LSU Tigers, before getting buried the following week against Florida. The Gators, off of that huge statement win, turned around and got blown out by Missouri a week later. Just a few weeks ago, BYU pulled off a monster upset at home against Notre Dame, but followed that performance up with a loss to Central Florida. 

This week, it’s Utah coming off a victory over rival BYU, one that makes the Utes a heavy favorite to punch a ticket to the College Football Playoff. The quest for an undefeated regular season will not be easy though, and might very well come to an end on Saturday, as Utah visits a dangerous Arizona team that is undefeated at home. 

A let-down spot for Utah, I believe, will lead to Arizona and its talented offense pulling off the small upset and handing the Utes their first loss of the season.

Hill’s Pick: Arizona +2.5, +125 ML

Minnesota Vikings (+3.5 +140 Money Line) vs Green Bay Packers

“You like that?” 

The question that quarterback Kirk Cousins once famously barked out of excitement is one that most Vikings fans would answer positively following the deadline deal to bring back their former signal-caller. 

Monday night against the Bills, the Vikings displayed why they have perhaps the best defense in the NFL, while they simultaneously got one of the more dismal quarterback performances in recent memory from Carson Wentz. Cousins knows the system, will have quality weapons to work with, and will likely only need to get the team to 17 or 20 points to win games consistently, with an elite defense behind him. 

The Packers look like legitimate contenders in the NFC, but with a great defense and a rejuvenated offense, I’ll take the new-look Vikings to spring the upset and cool off the red-hot Packers.

Hill’s Pick: Vikings +3.5, +140 ML

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The Arizona Cardinals are turning to their rookie quarterback.

The Cardinals officially placed Gardner Minshew and wide receiver Michael Wilson on injured reserve Tuesday, and neither is reportedly expected to play again this season. 

That leaves rookie Carson Beck in line to make his first NFL start when Arizona hosts the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

Minshew was hurt on the final play of the first half of Sunday’s 17-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, when linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. hit his right arm as he was throwing, forcing a fumble. Minshew grabbed his arm immediately but returned to play the entire second half. He finished 21-of-30 for 166 yards.

The injury cuts short Minshew’s run as Arizona’s starter after just one start. He took over for a benched Jacoby Brissett in Week 8 and rallied the Cardinals to a 33-30 overtime win over the Dallas Cowboys, which earned him the job “moving forward.” 

The Cardinals traded Brissett to the Baltimore Ravens last week, leaving Beck as the next man up.

With Beck the only healthy quarterback on the roster, Arizona moved quickly to add depth. The Cardinals signed 40-year-old veteran Josh Johnson off the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad, his 15th NFL team.

Beck, a third-round pick out of Miami, has yet to take a regular-season snap. LaFleur said Monday that the offense won’t change much with Beck under center.

“Foundationally, we’re going to do a lot of the similar stuff, and a lot of the stuff that Carson likes and is good at is the same stuff that Gardner likes,” LaFleur told reporters.

Beck will be working with a depleted group of pass catchers. Receiver Michael Wilson suffered a season-ending neck injury against Seattle. He’s the third Cardinals receiver lost for the year, and the team also traded Marvin Harrison Jr. earlier this season.

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The NFL takes great pride in its parity, in the any-given-Sunday belief that no lead is safe and the biggest underdog has a shot to win.

The NFL trade deadline seeks the exact opposite.

The deadline wants to split the league into clear buyers and sellers — teams so close to a championship they’ll give up future first-round picks, and teams so clearly out of contention they’ll garage-sale their expiring assets to at least have the hope of draft picks.

It’s essentially a competitive balance in action, with good teams seeking a short-term fix and willing to overpay to bad teams looking for long-term solutions. Bad teams get worse, move up higher in the draft, and improve the value of their own picks.

That brings us to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who were front and center as the big all-in spenders on Trade Deadline Eve, giving up a second-round pick to the Atlanta Falcons for Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates and a late-round pick to the Saints for defensive tackle Davon Godchaux. And that was just a tease compared to a huge trade with the definitely-selling Eagles, landing defensive tackle Jordan Davis for a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 second-rounder.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – OCTOBER 26: Jordan Davis #90 of the Philadelphia Eagles walks off the field for halftime during the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field on October 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)

Already a very good team with a great defense, Jacksonville has upgraded a strength. And thanks to an easy remaining schedule in a bad division, the Jaguars now have a real path to a high seed in the AFC playoffs. The Jaguars went 13-4 last year and barely lost on their home field to the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round, but now have set themselves up for a deeper playoff run.

The Falcons are a half-game back of first place in the woeful NFC South, but made the decision that a high draft pick helps them more than a slightly higher long shot at a division title. The Eagles have been selling for a while, jettisoning receiver A.J. Brown and center Cam Jurgens already this calendar year before they’d lost seven games in a row.

But for the Jaguars, this is a chance to elevate their franchise to more than just part-time Londoners. The second-year combo of coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone is young and wildly confident, and this is a testament to that. Jacksonville’s Everbank Stadium is in the middle of massive renovations that will have the team playing in Orlando in 2027. So, no matter when the Jaguars’ playoff run ends, they can look into the camera and, yes, say they’re going to Disney World.

Trevor Lawrence and Liam Coen have quickly made the Jaguars contenders. (Photo by Logan Bowles/Getty Images)

They’re smart to trust their instincts. After a breakout 2025 season, they were willing to let two of their biggest young free agents walk: linebacker Devin Lloyd and running back Travis Etienne. Lloyd got $15 million a year from Carolina and is Pro Football Focus’ No. 20 linebacker with a pick-six this season. But his successor in Jacksonville, Ventrell Miller, is PFF’s No. 1 linebacker, stepping in remarkably well. 

Etienne has been mostly injured for the Saints, totaling 128 rushing yards in three games, while his in-house replacement, Bhayshul Tuten, has rushed for 521 yards and four touchdowns, close to Etienne’s production last year.

And to continue with their all-in approach for this year, the Jaguars didn’t even move one of the most highly speculated trade candidates ahead of this year’s deadline. They kept wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., who went from being a promising first-round rookie in 2024 to logging 10 catches so far this year. The Jaguars could’ve commanded a third-round pick back in a trade for Thomas. 

Instead, Jacksonville has made it clear that it’s focused on the present, keeping a player who was drafted before Coen and Gladstone arrived in Thomas. It’s an exciting time in Jacksonville. 

  Unsung Trade Deadline Hero

Best trade that wasn’t on Tuesday? It must be the Eagles getting a sixth-round pick from the Bengals for backup edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie, then Cincinnati pulling out of the trade only because an astute writer noticed something.

Nick Korte, who works for Over The Cap, has as good an understanding of the complicated math of the NFL’s compensatory pick system as anyone, projecting which teams are due to get what picks every year. Korte noticed that in adding Ebiketie, the Bengals would be canceling out the third-round comp pick they were due to get for losing Trey Hendrickson to the Ravens in free agency.

The Eagles and Bengals agreed to a trade involving edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie, before Cincinnati pulled out of the deal. (Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Korte posted that to X, showing that the effective cost to the Bengals wasn’t a sixth-rounder, but a third and a sixth, and within the hour, the trade had been rescinded, and entirely because someone outside the franchise had noticed something the front office had overlooked.

There’s a lot of fine print in how the NFL’s comp picks work, and some teams understand how to game the system better than others. At the very least, they need to make sure they have Korte on notification, if not on retainer.

Strangest NFL story in Week 9? That must be running back Audric Estime, who was waived by the Browns on Monday, claimed by the Saints on Tuesday, arrived in New Orleans for practice Wednesday and then rushed 15 times for 72 yards and a touchdown in the Saints’ overtime win … against the Browns.

“It was honestly a blessing to be able to come in and have a team welcome me with open arms. I appreciate the coaches allowing me to be out there for the snaps I was out there. It’s always a great feeling to win in this league, especially with a great group of guys,” the 23-year-old Estime told me.

Estime has already been with five teams in three seasons in the NFL. He was drafted by the Broncos, spent six weeks on the Eagles’ practice squad, played a year with the Saints, spent two weeks on the Vikings’ practice squad, played three weeks with the Browns, and is now back in New Orleans. 

When the Vikings played at the Saints in Week 5, he was there with Minnesota, again facing an old team and coming out with a win. The Browns had signed him as short-term injury help, but he was still surprised to see them move on from him after only three weeks.

“It’s the NFL. Things happen fast in this league,” Estime told me. “I wouldn’t call it a revenge game, but I definitely had a chip on my shoulder going into the game Sunday.”

The Saints were seeking a spark, having fired their run game coordinator after their previous game, and Estime had shown promise with them in his first stint, getting cut the day before the season opener with a thigh injury. New Orleans trusted him enough that he got more carries than veteran Alvin Kamara and had nearly as many snaps, even with the game on the line. His 2-yard touchdown gave them the lead with 58 seconds left in regulation.

New Orleans was 2-5 when it entered its Week 8 bye. But Sunday’s win means they’re tied for first place in the NFC South, and Estime could be part of a second-half resurgence for the Saints.

Get Ready For An 18-Game Season (Well, For A Few Of You)

One of the quirks of a midseason trade is that a player can go from a team that hasn’t had its bye yet to a team that’s already had a week off, which allows him the rare chance to play 18 games in a 17-game season. That will be true for a few trade deadline acquisitions. 

Kirk Cousins, who returned to the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday, didn’t get a chance to experience a bye week with the Las Vegas Raiders this season. With the Vikings already having their bye week, Cousins could now make 18 starts this season. He’s on pace to throw for 4,680 yards, 40 touchdowns and 16 interceptions if he winds up starting the Vikings’ remaining nine games. 

Kirk Cousins could start 18 games this season after his trade to the Vikings. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)

And new Jaguars arrivals Bates and Davis have already played nine games this season, but have nine games remaining with Jacksonville. Davis’ first four games with the Jaguars will be against teams he already faced with the Eagles. He had a sack against the Giants on Sunday and will face them again next week, and his Jaguars debut will be against a Titans team he already beat in Week 2. Bates will have a chance to avenge the Falcons’ losses to the Bears and Steelers with his new team.

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Lamine Yamal. Harry Kane. Kylian Mbappé. Marc Cucurella?

International soccer is BACK for the final set of matches before we flip the calendar to 2027.  That means we have the conclusion of the UEFA Nations League group stage, with some of the biggest stars from Europe’s best squads in action from Nov. 12-17.

And of all the players and playmakers, these are the 10 you should keep an eye on. We got elite goalscorers, we got midfield maestros, and we even got one long-haired defender. Let’s go through the list, shall we?

Let’s break down these 10 stars and look at what makes them so special and pivotal for their respective squads. 

10. Marc Cucurella | Defender | Spain

Marc Cucurella

Defender|Spain

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35Appearances

1Goals

4Assists

Current club: Real Madrid

Won the 2026 World Cup and Euro 2024 with Spain

Won the 2024-25 Conference League and 2025 Club World Cup with Chelsea

Joined Real Madrid from Chelsea in July 2026

His Season So Far: In his first season with Real Madrid since a summer move to Chelsea, the World Cup-winning Spanish left-back has shown why he’s considered one of the best end-to-end players with both club and country. Real Madrid had a shaky start to its La Liga season amid some poor defensive showings, but Cucurella is adjusting well at the Bernabeu.

My Take: “You’ve got to have someone with long hair, right? I have not always loved him, but he’s growing on me. Like a fungus, he’s growing on me.”

9. Declan Rice | Midfielder | England

Declan Rice

Midfielder|England

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80Appearances

8Goals

8Assists

Current club: Arsenal

Won the 2025-26 Premier League with Arsenal

Captained West Ham to the 2022-23 Conference League title

Helped England finish third at the 2026 World Cup

His Season So Far: The engine in the middle for both England and defending Premier League champions Arsenal, Rice hasn’t dropped off so far and could be in the running for Premier League Player of the Year honors. He leads the league in assists (five). Having broken Arsenal’s title drought, he’ll be instrumental in getting elusive silverware for England over the next couple of years.

My Take: “While he doesn’t always get the attention, the man is a machine when it comes to what he does in that midfield and what he does on set pieces.”
 

8. Aurélien Tchouaméni | Midfielder | France

Aurélien Tchouaméni

Midfielder|France

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50Appearances

3Goals

4Assists

Current club: Real Madrid

Won La Liga and the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2023-24

Won the 2020-21 Nations League with France

Scored in France’s 2-1 win over England in the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals

His Season So Far: A top-class midfielder when he’s healthy, but injuries have limited him at the onset of this campaign. He’s worked his way into becoming a key piece in José Mourinho’s system at Real Madrid, appearing in 10 matches. He will now miss the November matches for France under manager Zinedine Zidane due to a new groin injury, so let’s hope for a speedy recovery.

My Take: “Speaking of unsung heroes, Tchouaméni does so much great work that doesn’t necessarily show up on the stat sheet, but it’s huge.”

7. Jude Bellingham | Midfielder | England

Jude Bellingham

Midfielder|England

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60Appearances

14Goals

12Assists

Current club: Real Madrid

Won La Liga and the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2023-24

Set England’s record for goals at a single World Cup (7 in 2026)

Voted England men’s player of the year in 2026

His Season So Far: The best midfielder in the world? There are other contenders (including several on this list), but Bellingham is at the top of his game. He scores, he provides assists, and is a key defensive cog for Real Madrid. He’s firmly established himself following the World Cup to be one of England’s biggest stars and will now get a chance to play alongside his brother, Jobe, who was called up for these games. 

My Take: “I could definitely push him up higher, but I’m going to put him at No. 7.” 

6. Erling Haaland | Forward | Norway

Erling Haaland

Forward|Norway

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59Appearances

65Goals

7Assists

Current club: Manchester City

Norway’s all-time leading goalscorer

Won the 2022-23 treble (Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League) and the 2023-24 Premier League with Manchester City

Three-time Premier League Golden Boot winner, including a single-season record 36 goals in 2022-23

His Season So Far: Manchester City being found guilty of financial mismanagement has loomed over the club, and their first year under manager Enzo Maresca has been up and down. But that hasn’t stopped Haaland from continuing to score at an astronomical pace as he once again tops the Premier League goalscoring table (Nine goals in 10 games). Norway has struggled in Nations League play, so they could use a big dose of Haaland. 

My Take: “He’s worth the price of admission. His hair was flowing! It’s starting to grow out, but the man still scores goals. You’ve just got to see him.”

5. Vitinha | Midfielder | Portugal

Vitinha

Midfielder|Portugal

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47Appearances

1Goals

4Assists

Current club: Paris Saint-Germain

Won back-to-back Champions League titles with PSG (2024-25, 2025-26)

Won the 2024-25 Nations League with Portugal

Finished third in 2025 Ballon d’Or voting

His Season So Far: PSG continues its dominance in Ligue 1 and in Champions League action, in no small part by yet another do-it-all midfielder. Now it’s all a new dawn for Vitinha and his Portugal teammates following Cristiano Ronaldo’s retirement from international duty. 

My Take: “The interesting thing here with Vitinha is that it’s relative to this Portugal team, and I guess this ‘new’ Portugal team without Cristiano Ronaldo. Maybe they are unburdened, maybe they aren’t – but if they are, whether it’s Vitinha or anybody else out there, I’ve got to think we’re going to see the best version of them.”

4. Michael Olise | Forward | France

Michael Olise

Forward|France

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29Appearances

11Goals

11Assists

Current club: Bayern Munich

Two-time Bundesliga champion with Bayern Munich (2024-25, 2025-26)

Set the record for assists at a single World Cup (7 in 2026), passing Pelé’s 6 from 1970

Won a silver medal with France at the 2024 Paris Olympics

His Season So Far: Even though he didn’t score at the World Cup, the Bayern Munich star proved how pivotal he is with his assist-producing magic. With Bayern this season, he’s third in the Bundesliga with six goals and arguably forms one of the world’s best frontline alongside Harry Kane and Luis Díaz. Don’t expect the overtures from other giant clubs like Real Madrid to calm down anytime soon.

My Take: “The guy is just blown up and rightfully so. Every time he touches the ball, he seems to do something magical.”

3. Lamine Yamal | Forward | Spain

Lamine Yamal

Forward|Spain

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37Appearances

11Goals

12Assists

Current club: Barcelona

Won the 2026 World Cup and 2024 Euro with Spain

Won the 2024-25 domestic treble (La Liga, Copa del Rey, Supercopa de España) with Barcelona

Finished third in 2026 Ballon d’Or voting

His Season So Far: It’s still bewildering that he is 19 years old and is regularly considered one of the top players in the world. The numbers and accolades will continue to rack up. Yamal leads La Liga with eight assists and is third in goals with 10, behind his Barcelona teammate Raphinha (15) and Real Madrid rival Kylian Mbappé (13). An injury caution will see him sit out the Czechia match on Thursday but here’s hoping he can play in Sunday’s super clash against England. 

My Take: “Speaking of magical. It’s not just his ability to beat players, it’s not just his ability to score goals. He also has this playmaker type of characteristic that is just a whole other skill set that he brings.”

2. Kylian Mbappé | Forward | France

Kylian Mbappé

Forward|France

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107Appearances

67Goals

38Assists

Current club: Real Madrid

France’s all-time leading goalscorer

Won the 2018 World Cup with France and scored a hat-trick in the 2022 final

All-time leading goalscorer in men’s World Cup history (22 goals)

His Season So Far: After becoming the World Cup’s most prolific scorer in history, Mbappé is now on a mission to further cement his legacy as one of the all-time greats. That includes finally winning major silverware with Real Madrid – including an elusive Champions League title. His 13 goals in La Liga trail only Barcelona’s Raphinha (15). It’s a shame he’ll miss the Italy match on Thursday with an injury. 

My Take: “I previously spoke about his speed. It’s almost as if he is running on his big toes. It’s something to see, and I’ve been privileged to see it time and time again. When it comes to his speed, you have to game plan for it and if you don’t respect it will bite you in the ass.” 

1.  Harry Kane | Forward | England

Harry Kane

Forward|England

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125Appearances

91Goals

19Assists

Current club: Bayern Munich

England’s all-time leading goalscorer and joint record holder for appearances (with Peter Shilton)

Two-time Bundesliga champion with Bayern Munich (2024-25, 2025-26)

Won the 2026 Ballon d’Or

His Season So Far: It’s good to be Harry Kane. He just signed a new deal with Bayern Munich that reportedly makes him the highest-paid player in Europe. That came on the heels of winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or, becoming the first English player in 25 years to win the soccer world’s most respected individual award, and the first from the German league in 30 years.

My Take: “The Englishman. The winner of the Ballon d’Or. We’ll see if it’s a burden — a poison chalice, if you will — but I don’t think so. Harry Kane adapts to anything on and off the field.”

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