February 2026

There were 1,487 posts published in February 2026 (this is page 95 of 149).

2026 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Preview: It might be time to fade veteran stars and bet on young talent at loaded position

Shortstop is the fun zone of fantasy baseball, the donut shop with endless variety. Everything you want is here, just choose your own adventure. A whopping 16 players with shortstop eligibility finished in the top 100 fantasy players last season, assuming a 5×5 scoring system.

In an earlier era, the shortstop position was seen as “glove first, hitting a bonus” situation, but that’s gone the way of the dinosaur now. MLB clubs understand you need offense and defense at this critical spot.

Because the position has so many good options, you don’t really need a specific strategy for filling the shortstop spot. You’re going to draft these guys by accident because you’re focused on getting the offensive stats you need. Take note that if your league requires starting a utility middle in addition to a second baseman and shortstop, that UM player will probably be a shortstop because that position is considerably deeper.

Neto won’t be a screaming bargain, but he’s likely undervalued simply because he missed 36 games last year and it slightly muted his counting stats. Neto has improved his average every season and already has the category juice you demand in the early rounds. Even with a pedestrian Anaheim lineup supporting him, I’ll consider Neto in the second round and pounce on him in the third. You want players on the escalator, and Neto steps into his age-25 season.

Perdomo was the No. 11 player in 5×5 value last year but his ADP is nowhere near that for the fresh season. This presents an attractive “regress and win” opportunity where Perdomo can actually give back a significant amount of last year’s stats and still be a fantasy profit. Perdomo is a high-percentage base stealer, just entering his age-26 season, so I’m not worried about that column. And he’s the rare player who had more walks than strikeouts last year, and those players are always attractive targets. Maybe the 20 homers won’t come back, but there’s enough broad profile here to make Perdomo a cornerstone player.

It’s fair to worry about the average, which was .239 with the White Sox last year and just .246 during 376 games in the minors. But Montgomery at least does exciting things when he does make contact, conking 21 homers in just 255 at-bats with Chicago. His Baseball Savant page is full of validation, with plus marks in expected slugging, hard-hit rate, barrel rate and bat speed. Montgomery feels like a cinch for 30-plus homers and he’ll get extra volume as the No. 3 hitter in Chicago. Picking him might require some batting average care later, but we can manage that.

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I’ve often stated that you never lose money on a player like Betts, but maybe the loss years are here. It’s his age-33 season. The steals have all but evaporated. He’s playing a more demanding defensive position. His OPS+ last year was merely 104, slightly above the league mean. He’s also coming off his worst season in all three slash columns. Player ascension isn’t always linear, but player decline almost always is. I take no joy in writing any of this, because Betts himself is a joy. 

It hurt me to fade Betts above and the same applies to Seager, one of the best hitters in baseball. Seager’s plate discipline is so perfect that there’s a popular zone-judgment metric that’s named after him. But the reality is that Seager has played just one full season out of the last seven (ignoring the 2020 truncated year) and that’s not a trend to swim against as he turns 32. Seager’s average has dropped into the .270s the last two years and he’s never been interested in stealing bases. I’ll stay open-minded if his price slips in my rooms, but I can’t consider him at current ADP.

Esteemed colleague Fred Zinkie listed Correa as one of his third base sleepers, and I know from experience that disagreeing with Fred is not a +EV strategy. But I’d like to point out that Correa’s Yahoo ADP is about 60 spots higher than his global ADP, and he’s always going to carry batting-average and injury risk, in addition to the zero you’ll get in the stolen base column. This is also the weakest Houston lineup we’ve seen in a while; the Astros were 21st in runs scored last season.

Lopez already showed us category juice last year (15 homers, 15 steals), and his .246 average is somewhat misleading. Lopez gets plus marks for his contact rate and zone discipline, and his expected average based on contact data was a solid .269. The typical Miami discount applies, too; it’s a fairly pedestrian roster, which often makes players like Lopez a few rounds cheaper in drafts than is justified.

Let’s play some Occam’s Razor with the Tovar case. He plays in Colorado. He was a 26-homer guy two years ago. The 2025 mess is mostly excused by injury. Tovar will swing at just about anything but he’s maintained a career .258 average despite that approach. He also has a reasonable chance at double-digit steals over a full season.

1. Bobby Witt Jr., Royals

2. Elly De La Cruz, Reds

3. Gunnar Henderson, Orioles

4. Francisco Lindor, Mets

5. Zach Neto, Angels

6. Trea Turner, Phillies

7. Mookie Betts, Dodgers

8. Geraldo Perdomo, Diamondbacks

9. Corey Seager, Rangers

10. Jeremy Peña, Astros

11. Bo Bichette, Mets

12. Maikel Garcia, Royals

You can find our complete shortstop rankings for the 2026 fantasy baseball season here.

2026 Fantasy Baseball Third Baseman Preview: Despite leading the position, should you avoid José Ramírez?

The third base position is going to give fantasy managers plenty of headaches this season. Outside of catcher, this is the weakest positional group, as there are no more than seven players who managers should be excited to have in their lineup.

Drafters will need to make tough choices when handling third base. Some managers may insist on filling the position early, even if that means that they need to reach a few picks during the initial rounds. The opposite approach is also viable — a manager could wait until the final rounds of their draft, knowing that there is plenty of risk in every third baseman who is ranked eighth or lower at the position.

There is also a lack of diversity within the skill sets at third base, which will be an issue for Roto managers. Aside from José Caballero, every third baseman who is being selected in the majority of leagues past pick 100 has limited speed and therefore draws all of his value from the power and/or batting average categories.

Optimists will see an opportunity to gain an advantage at third base. After all, the weak depth among this group means that managers who correctly determine a late-round sleeper will gain a massive advantage over their competitors.

Here are a few players to either target or avoid.

Garcia’s 2025 breakout season was well-supported by skill improvements. His strikeout rate (12.6%) and walk rate (9.3%) were career-best marks by a wide margin. Both his average exit velocity (91.3 mph) and barrel rate (5.6%) improved as well. By keeping most of his skill gains, the native Venezuelan could be even more effective this year, thanks to the changes to the outfield walls at Kauffman Stadium. And there is room for his steals total to rebound after it dropped by 14 last year.

Montgomery showed exciting power potential when he homered 21 times in 71 games during his rookie year. Sure, he isn’t likely to maintain a 45-homer pace during his first full season in the Majors, but he could regress significantly and still justify his current ADP. Montgomery produces oodles of pulled fly balls, which should keep the homers coming while he works on lowering the 29.2% strikeout rate from his rookie year.

This pick is controversial, as Ramírez is being selected as early as fifth overall in some drafts. I want to be clear that I have no issues with the 33-year-old’s skill set. He’s a legitimate superstar, although I expect some pullback after two consecutive 40-steal seasons. My main issue with drafting Ramírez is my massive distaste for a Guardians lineup that finished 28th in runs scored last year and failed to add significant help in the offseason. I want my Round 1 hitter to be part of an above-average offense.

While Chapman can be a solid accumulator at his position, he offers little more than the third basemen who rank behind him in ADP. The career .240 hitter will likely be a drain on the batting average category. His homer and RBI totals are more likely to be respectable than great, as he tries to overcome the power-suppressing nature of his home park. And although Chapman has swiped 24 bases in the past two seasons, he tallied 11 swipes in his previous seven campaigns and therefore cannot be considered a reliable base stealer for his age-33 season. There are more exciting options at other positions in his ADP range.

Barger was one of October’s best stories when he hit .367 with a 1.025 OPS during Toronto’s run to the brink of a World Series title. Unfortunately, the longer sample size from the regular season paints a less-exciting picture. Barger slumped in the second half (.679 OPS), and the lefty slugger struggled against southpaws (.607 OPS) throughout the season. On a deep Toronto roster, he’s likely to be a platoon player who leaves fantasy managers disappointed.

Want to wait for a third baseman? This is your guy. Polanco finally stayed healthy, which allowed him to rejuvenate his plate skills and hit .265 with 26 homers and 78 RBI last year. But a bounce-back season isn’t the biggest reason that the 32-year-old tops my sleepers list. By signing a two-year deal with the Mets, Polanco is suddenly locked into one of the best lineup spots in baseball, as his cleanup role behind Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto and Bo Bichette could lead to a 100-RBI season.

One of baseball’s most exciting prospects, Wetherholt has an excellent chance to make the Opening Day roster for the rebuilding Cardinals. And after hitting .306 with 17 homers and 23 steals in 109 minor league games last season, the seventh overall pick of the 2024 MLB Draft has proven to have the versatile skill set that fantasy managers covet. Wetherholt is already a favorite for the NL Rookie of the Year award and could be one of this year’s best value picks by producing a 20-20 debut season.

Caballero is an especially good pick in standard Yahoo Roto leagues. After all, the waiver wire is usually fruitful in these contests, which means that managers can finish their drafts with players who have significant immediate value. Such is the case with Caballero, who should be the Yankees starting shortstop until Anthony Volpe returns from a season-opening IL stint. The speedster needed just 314 at-bats to lead the Majors with 49 steals last season, and he could single-handedly put fantasy teams ahead of the pack in swipes while holding a starting role in April.

During his best seasons, Correa was often on my “fades” list. After all, he was highly coveted in drafts despite spending significant time on the IL, stealing zero bases and having good-but-not-great contributions in other categories. But the hate for the 31-year-old has gone too far, as he is now going undrafted in most leagues despite having similar plate skills to his prime years and holding a premium spot in a solid lineup. As a last-round pick at a weak position, Correa could hold down the fort early in the season while his manager looks for breakout players on the waiver wire.

  1. José Ramírez, Guardians

  2. Junior Caminero, Rays

  3. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Yankees

  4. Manny Machado, Padres

  5. Maikel Garcia, Royals

  6. Austin Riley, Braves

  7. Alex Bregman, Cubs

  8. Eugenio Suárez, Reds

  9. Jordan Westburg, Orioles

  10. JJ Wetherholt, Cardinals

  11. Noelvi Marte, Reds

  12. Colson Montgomery, White Sox

You can find our complete third baseman rankings for the 2026 fantasy baseball season here.

2026 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Preview: How should you address the thinnest infield position?

The first thing to recognize about second base this year is that it’s not deep at the top. A modest six players at the keystone currently have Yahoo ADPs in the top 100, and that’s if we graciously include Jose Altuve and Nico Hoerner, who are percentage points over the cutoff. This makes second base the least bountiful infield slot of the four positions. Third base is the next position of concern, first base is on the upswing, and there are fun shortstops everywhere you look.

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If you don’t land one of the top six at second base, you’ll have to accept some flags from your later picks. Some players are clearly missing a skill or two. Some are talented players coming off poor years or injury-wrecked ones. There are players changing teams. And a few candidates are on the back-nine of their careers, when decline is obviously a risk.

On the plus side, a lot of these players are versatile, too. Two-thirds of the top-30 second basemen offer multiple positions of eligibility, and several of these players can cover three positions or more. I always prefer being as flexible as possible with my roster builds (allowing me to be positionless when I need fill-ins), and several of these players can help with that goal.

Bill James told us moons ago that versatile players tend to be underrated, and Turang is one of those guys. He quietly led all second basemen in oWAR last year and yet is just the third keystoner off the board, 2-3 rounds after Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ketel Marte. Even if Turang doesn’t keep last year’s power spike, his plate-discipline skills point to a plus average, and he could easily swipe more than the 24 bags he collected last year (he stole 50 in 2024). Turang also holds a good batting slot, hitting second for a plus Milwaukee offense. The Brewers are a quietly-efficient team (they’ve become the NL’s version of the Rays), and Turang is an eat-your-veggies type of pick. 

Okay, you’ll have to make up the power elsewhere. But Edwards has a .298 average and .343 OBP since hitting the majors, which marks his territory in the leadoff spot. And with a glittering success rate of 85.1% on steals, Edwards probably has the upside to swipe 40-60 if so inclined. Remember, he stole 31 bags in just 70 games two years ago.

Altuve’s 26 homers last year obscured some leakage elsewhere — he lost 30 points in his batting average and his steals dropped from 22 to 10. And his bat speed has been well under league average ever since Baseball Savant started tracking it. Altuve is a guess hitter at this point in his career, and he’s stepping into his age-36 season. I’d rather be a year early than a year late with a player holding this career arc.

Albies has been a below-average offensive player (by OPS+) in three of the past four seasons. He continues to swing at too many pitches out of the strike zone, and his batted-ball metrics have been below code for two straight years. The Braves have caught on; Albies will probably open the year in the bottom third of the order.

Semien has long been one of my favorite players, but I can’t ignore that his OPS+ has been merely 100 — that’s exactly league average — for two straight years. He’s now in his age-35 season, and he’ll lose some volume with the Mets, who won’t need him batting first like the Rangers did.

The Cardinals have openings at second base and third base with Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado gone, so Wetherholt should settle in somewhere, assuming he has a decent camp. The team’s No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft (seventh overall), Wetherholt posted a snappy .306/.421/.510 slash between Double-A and Triple-A last year, with 17 homers and 23 steals through just 109 games. He’s already receiving some Rookie of the Year buzz.

It’s encouraging that García had 16 homers and 14 steals in what could fairly be termed an off year — that’s probably his floor. He’s still just 26 and a year removed from a .282 average and .444 slugging percentage. It’s possible García will shift to first base this year and he could fall into a platoon as well — at least it would be the heavier side of the platoon. There’s no reason to jump the line with García’s ADP. But he’s affordably priced for a player who’s already shown the ability to be a top-100 fantasy asset.

1. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Yankees

2. Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks

3. Brice Turang, Brewers

4. Maikel Garcia, Royals

5. Nico Hoerner, Cubs

6. Jose Altuve, Astros

7. Luke Keaschall, Twins

8. Jordan Westburg, Orioles

9. Ozzie Albies, Braves

10. Jackson Holliday, Orioles

11. Xavier Edwards, Marlins

12. Ceddanne Rafaela, Red Sox

You can find our complete second basemen rankings for the 2026 fantasy baseball season here.

2026 Fantasy Baseball First Base Preview: Nick Kurtz gives group that lacks depth another superstar

Although we still haven’t returned to the heyday of first base, the position is starting to look up. The arrival of Nick Kurtz has given the position another superstar, as the youngster still hasn’t played a full season and is already the top first baseman on many draft lists. And the longstanding group of veterans, including the likes of Pete Alonso and Matt Olson, is still going strong.

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But as strong as the first base position is at the top, it drops off just as quickly. Depending on format, there are about a dozen appealing options. Unfortunately, the next tier leaves much to be desired, which is especially a problem in Roto leagues, where many managers will need to secure their corner infielder from the pool of first basemen. Here are some players to target and avoid.

A second-tier first baseman by ADP, Olson is closer to those in the tier ahead of him than those who trail him on the list. In four years with the Braves, the 31-year-old has hit .261 with an average of 37 homers, 109 RBI and 97 runs scored. Those numbers look an awful lot like the ones that are expected from Kurtz and Alonso, who are both being drafted roughly 15 picks earlier. Olson is boring, productive and the perfect third-round pick for those who have started their draft with a couple of speedy players.

Let’s start with the obvious — the best part about drafting Rice is that he is eligible at the catcher position but will not have the physical demands of working behind the plate. And managers who come for the expanded workload will find that they get much more. Rice is an emerging star who last season logged a 95th percentile average exit velocity and 92nd percentile barrel rate. His expected stats were far ahead of his actual marks, which indicates that he could enjoy better batted-ball luck and a major uptick in performance. More volume and better on a per-game basis? Sign me up.

The ceiling was raised for Contreras as soon as he was traded from the Cardinals to the Red Sox. Fenway Park will be the best venue he has called home in his career, and Boston has a lineup that is vastly superior to the one Contreras left behind in St. Louis. Expected to hit out of the cleanup spot with his new team, the 33-year-old could produce 25 homers and 90 RBI across 150 games.

No one truly knows what to make of a player with third percentile sprint speed who surprisingly stole 30 bases last season. The guess here is that Naylor’s steals total comes crashing back to Earth now that he is in possession of a long-term contract, and he finishes closer to 10 steals than 20. And when we take away the swipes, Naylor doesn’t look so special as a career .269 hitter who has hit more than 20 homers just once.

Let’s take away the name value of Freeman and look at his stats from the past two seasons. Over 2024-25, the Dodgers’ star has averaged 147 games, 23 homers, 81 runs, 89.5 RBI, 7.5 steals and a .289 average. Those are excellent numbers, but they aren’t much better than the production that can be expected from a group of first basemen who have an ADP that is 30-40 picks later than Freeman. Add in his advanced age (36), and there are reasons to let someone else use a premium pick on him.

Torkelson was one of the biggest busts of 2024, and after getting off to a hot start last season, he compiled just 17 homers and 36 RBI over the final four months of the campaign. The career .227 hitter needs to be a premium home-run hitter to have value in standard leagues. So far, his power stroke has been too inconsistent.

A quick look at Okamoto’s stats from Japan will make fantasy managers excited. The 29-year-old has strong contact skills and posted six 30-homer seasons overseas. He may play multiple positions (which would be great for his fantasy value) and will be a full-time member of Toronto’s lineup. He could also earn a premium lineup spot by getting off to a good start. Late-round picks are best used on players with upside, and Okamoto fits that profile.

Burleson improved in several areas last season, including walk rate (7.1%), average exit velocity (91.0 mph) and fly ball rate (42.1%). On a rebuilding Cardinals team, he has virtually no competition to play every day and bat out of a premium lineup spot. He should post a batting average similar to his .290 mark from 2025, while also hitting more than 20 homers and chipping in a few steals.

Vaughn was terrific after joining the Brewers, hitting .308 with nine homers and 46 RBI in 64 games. One of the smartest organizations must be confident in the sustainability of his contributions, as they did not pursue other first-base options in the offseason. Vaughn is going undrafted in most leagues despite his potential to provide a helpful batting average and solid counting stats while playing regularly in one of baseball’s best lineups.

1. Nick Kurtz, Athletics

2. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays

3. Pete Alonso, Orioles

4. Bryce Harper, Phillies

5. Matt Olson, Braves

6. Rafael Devers, Giants

7. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers

8. Josh Naylor, Mariners

9. Tyler Soderstrom, Athletics

10.  Vinnie Pasquantino, Royals

11.  Ben Rice, Yankees

12.  Michael Busch, Cubs

You can find our complete first basemen rankings for the 2026 fantasy baseball season here.

Cardi B’s appearance at Super Bowl LX halftime roils prediction markets

The prediction markets are roiling over the question of what the word “performing” means.

Via Ben Horney of Front Office Sports, a controversy has emerged over whether Cardi B actually performed during the Super Bowl LX halftime show.

More than $47 million was wagered on the question who will “perform” at the game. Cardi B was involved in the show, but she didn’t have a microphone.

For Kalshi, the fine print became relevant. “Performing” meant singing and dancing. Simply dancing in the background didn’t count.

Polymarket applied more liberal rules, allowing “performance” to mean participation without singing.

It’s all another example of the bizarre reality of prediction markets, where inside information is fair game and there’s often room for plenty of gray in otherwise black and white predictions.

The situation remains ripe for corruption and malfeasance, with opportunities for plenty of shrewd predictors to exploit the foibles of folks who may be better off lighting their cash on fire.

2026 Season Preview: Bucheon FC 1995

2026 Season Preview: Bucheon FC 1995

A season like no other for Bucheon ended in glory at Castle Park. For the first time ever, Bucheon FC 1995 are a K League 1 club, and given the upcoming changes to Korean domestic football at the end of 2026, this is arguably the best season ever to go up.

Last Season

19W – 10D – 10L, 3rd.

*Defeated Suwon FC 4-2 on aggregate in the playoffs.

Bucheon FC are no strangers to playoff football in K League 2, having suffered more heartbreak than any other club. That is no longer the case. Two swashbuckling performances against Suwon FC saw them win the promotion decider and finally advance to K League 1. Don’t be fooled by the 4–2 aggregate scoreline — this was more comprehensive than that. What makes it even more astonishing is that Bucheon finished 8th in 2024.

The campaign began well before stuttering, as happens, in the middle third. Despite a couple of rollercoaster spells, it ended with a remarkably consistent finish. As their main rivals for third dropped points late on, Bucheon suffered just one defeat in ten. When I visited the club during this run, their confidence was striking. With two months still to play, they were already calling their destiny.

It helped having one of the league’s best foreign players in Rodrigo Bassani (14 goals, six assists), alongside the most destructive young midfielder in Park Hyun-bin. Park formed a formidable partnership with Japanese midfielder Takahashi Kazuki, creating an almost indestructible shield in front of the three-man defence. At the same time, Bucheon were also slaying K League 1 opposition en route to the Korea Cup semi-finals.

Was Lee Young-min robbed of the Manager of the Year award?

Incredibly, Lee Young-min did not win the K League 2 Manager of the Year award, which instead went to Incheon’s Yoon Jung-hwan. Yoon won the title with a K League 1-calibre squad containing several internationals. Lee, by contrast, improved Bucheon’s points total by 18, climbed five places, secured promotion, and reached the last four of the cup. It was nothing short of sensational.

Notable Moves

Park Hyun-bin

Park’s departure from Bucheon to Suwon is a hammer blow for the club. Still only 22, Park looks like a future captain and national team defensive midfielder in waiting. After joining from Incheon United, he became a mainstay in Bucheon’s midfield, amassing 62 appearances, mostly starts. His disciplinary record shows a player who loves to get stuck in. Park was a destructive force in front of the central defence, thwarting attacks and tidying up. A huge loss.

Yoon Bit-garam at pre-season training.

Yoon Bit-garam

Former Korean international midfielder Yoon signed on a free transfer from Suwon FC over the winter break. It is unlikely Yoon will be a direct replacement for Park, but a player of his quality, experience, and popularity will always be valuable. Yoon made his league debut back in 2010 for Gyeongnam FC and has since enjoyed spells at Jeju SK, Ulsan, Seongnam, and Suwon FC, as well as a sojourn in China.

Vitor Gabriel

With much of the focus on Bassani, John Montaño flew under the radar for Bucheon in 2025. Twelve goals is a decent return for the Colombian, and he will lead the line in the first division. However, depth is important, and that’s where Vitor Gabriel fits in. The Brazilian joins from Gangwon FC, where his four goals in 27 appearances didn’t exactly strike fear into opponents. He will be a valuable asset off the bench as K League crams in a lot of football ahead of the World Cup. Vitor Gabriel will always be a legend at Gangwon for keeping them up in 2023.

Patrick William

Patrick spent last season in J1 with Kyoto Sanga and arrives in Bucheon on a free transfer. In total, the Brazilian (he’ll feel right at home in K League 2) represented Kyoto 17 times, but only six were starts, and none since May. In fact, his last outing was back in July. Like Vitor, Patrick will be a squad player — but that’s exactly what Bucheon need now. The step up in class will be enormous.

Key Player

Rodrigo Bassani 

Bassani has prior K League 1 experience after an unhappy spell at Suwon Bluewings. That 2023 season ended in relegation, but he briefly gave Suwon hope by scoring the winner away to FC Seoul in the penultimate round. It ultimately proved futile, and Bassani departed soon after for Bucheon. He now returns to the top flight a very different player.

At 28, Bassani is in the prime of his career. He captained Bucheon throughout the season, underlining his leadership and importance. The club’s focal point, he thrives on responsibility. While his left foot remains the best in the league — making him deadly from set pieces — he has also evolved into a consistent goal threat from open play. His playoff performance against Suwon FC, particularly in the second leg, was a masterclass that should be compulsory viewing for young players nationwide.

Will Kim Kyu-min get to shine in K League 1?

Local lad Kim Kyu-min takes over from Park Hyun-bin as the young player to watch. The 22-year-old winger saw plenty of action last season, playing 30 times and scoring his only goal in a vital 1–0 away win over Ansan Greeners. If you want to know how highly the club rate him, consider that he started matches on the left wing against both Incheon United and Suwon Bluewings last term. The right-footed winger usually plays on the left flank, using his pace to beat defenders before cutting inside onto his favoured right foot.

This is arguably the best season ever to be promoted to K League 1. Structural changes at the end of the campaign — most notably the expansion from 12 to 14 teams — mean Bucheon cannot be automatically relegated. Only Gimcheon Sangmu are guaranteed to go down, regardless of their finish, due to the expiry of their agreement with Gimcheon City. Even a 12th-place finish would still offer Bucheon a playoff lifeline.

As a result, some pressure is eased. That said, the club will want to make an immediate impression and secure survival early, much like Anyang did in 2025. Another small-budget, city-owned club enjoying top-flight football for the first time, Anyang relied on smart recruitment and an experienced squad. For Bucheon, the priority is clear: turn Bucheon Stadium into a fortress. Two temporary pitchside stands have already been installed, and full houses should follow.

Maximising points at home and grinding out draws against fellow strugglers will go a long way toward survival. But Bucheon should also allow themselves to dream. Anyang beat defending champions Ulsan HD away on opening day, took four points from FC Seoul, and thrashed Gimcheon Sangmu in October. If Bucheon can replicate even part of that, they will more than justify their place.

Reason to Watch

For consecutive seasons, K League 1 welcomes a brand-new club. Yet Bucheon’s history adds extra spice. Yukong Elephants, later Bucheon SK, once played in the top flight before abruptly relocating to Jeju in early 2006. Bucheon fans understandably still resent Jeju, in a saga eerily reminiscent of the Anyang–FC Seoul split.

Meetings between the two promise intensity. Despite their size, Jeju have only been relegated once, while competitive fixtures between the clubs have been rare. Bucheon did eliminate Jeju from the 2025 Korea Cup, however, and the rematch arrives on Saturday, September 12. With both sides likely near the bottom, bragging rights — and vital points in the relegation fight — will be firmly on the line.

Raiders introduce new coach Klint Kubiak with a nod to their storied past

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — They were introduced one by one, six ex-players who represent Raiders royalty. Four Hall of Famers. Five Super Bowl champions. All six at least made the big game.

Three took seats to the left and the other three to the right before new Las Vegas coach Klint Kubiak was formally introduced Tuesday and sat with general manager John Spytek in the middle with the club’s three Lombardi Trophies in front of them.

Those players — Marcus Allen, Rich Gannon, Mike Haynes, Howie Long, Jim Plunkett and Charles Woodson — maintained serious looks on their faces as if kickoff was about to begin. And, in a sense, it was.

Their presence was a reminder of the daunting challenge Kubiak faces in trying to connect the present to the Raiders’ long-ago glorious past.

The Raiders haven’t won a playoff game since their last Super Bowl appearance in the 2002 season. They have made the postseason just twice since, most recently in the 2021 season. Kubiak will be their fifth full-time coach since moving to Las Vegas in 2020.

“This is no ordinary job,” said Kubiak, just two days removed from serving as offensive coordinator on the Seahawks’ Super Bowl-championship team. “This is the silver and black. This is the Raiders. This is a historic franchise. So when the opportunity came up to stay in Seattle and continue there or to have a chance to come here and compete with this organization, it was a no-brainer.”

Kubiak acknowledged the task in front of him, but will take a day to bask in the Super Bowl parade on Wednesday in Seattle.

Then he will have a number of issues to confront, including hiring a coaching staff — most notably offensive and defensive coordinators. He also will begin to dig into what to do with the No. 1 overall draft pick the Raiders own, as well as the more than $91 million in salary-cap space, according to overthecap.com. And then there’s the Maxx Crosby situation.

Kubiak said he was just getting started when it comes to hiring his assistants as well as examining the roster needs. He stopped far short of saying the Raiders will draft Fernando Mendoza, even though it’s widely believed Las Vegas will take the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback who guided Indiana to a highly unlikely national championship.

Owner Mark Davis watched Mendoza that night in Miami Gardens, Florida, and was joined by Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady. Davis hinted the organization was taking a strong look at Mendoza, and the Raiders preferred to hire a coach with an offensive background “that could grow with somebody.”

“It started being, in my mind, that’s the direction we wanted to go,” Davis said. “But at the same time, he had to win the job because there were some good candidates that we spoke to.”

One big selling point was Kubiak’s work with quarterback Sam Darnold.

Darnold completed 67.7% of his passes for 4,048 yards with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions this season. Drafted third overall by the New York Jets in 2018, Darnold was considered a bust until leading Minnesota to a 14-win season in 2024. Then came another 14-win season with the Seahawks that culminated with Darnold hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

“I’m really proud of the process that we put in place,” Spytek said. “We set out to take our time, to be deliberate, to be meticulous, to find the right leader for this organization going forward. We have a uniquely challenging offseason with the first overall pick and new leadership with the head coach, but that’s why it was so important to us to find the right man to lead this organization forward.”

The elephant that wasn’t in the room during the presser was Crosby. Multiple reports have said the star pass rusher wants out of the Raiders after being sidelined the final two games this past season and that he also wasn’t interested in a rebuild.

But Crosby, even if he wasn’t in the team room for the news conference, was in the building and among the Raiders to greet Kubiak upon his arrival. They even had coffee together.

“We want him to be a part of our success going forward,” Kubiak said. “There’s no doubt about that. He’s one of the best players in the NFL, so that’s a no brainer to get to work with Maxx and see him continue to have success with this organization.”

Davis said he definitely wanted to keep Crosby in Las Vegas.

“Maxx has been a great, great Raider,” Davis said. “He is a great Raider.”

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Raiders introduce new coach Klint Kubiak with a nod to their storied past

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — They were introduced one by one, six ex-players who represent Raiders royalty. Four Hall of Famers. Five Super Bowl champions. All six at least made the big game.

Three took seats to the left and the other three to the right before new Las Vegas coach Klint Kubiak was formally introduced Tuesday and sat with general manager John Spytek in the middle with the club’s three Lombardi Trophies in front of them.

Those players — Marcus Allen, Rich Gannon, Mike Haynes, Howie Long, Jim Plunkett and Charles Woodson — maintained serious looks on their faces as if kickoff was about to begin. And, in a sense, it was.

Their presence was a reminder of the daunting challenge Kubiak faces in trying to connect the present to the Raiders’ long-ago glorious past.

The Raiders haven’t won a playoff game since their last Super Bowl appearance in the 2002 season. They have made the postseason just twice since, most recently in the 2021 season. Kubiak will be their fifth full-time coach since moving to Las Vegas in 2020.

“This is no ordinary job,” said Kubiak, just two days removed from serving as offensive coordinator on the Seahawks’ Super Bowl-championship team. “This is the silver and black. This is the Raiders. This is a historic franchise. So when the opportunity came up to stay in Seattle and continue there or to have a chance to come here and compete with this organization, it was a no-brainer.”

Kubiak acknowledged the task in front of him, but will take a day to bask in the Super Bowl parade on Wednesday in Seattle.

Then he will have a number of issues to confront, including hiring a coaching staff — most notably offensive and defensive coordinators. He also will begin to dig into what to do with the No. 1 overall draft pick the Raiders own, as well as the more than $91 million in salary-cap space, according to overthecap.com. And then there’s the Maxx Crosby situation.

Kubiak said he was just getting started when it comes to hiring his assistants as well as examining the roster needs. He stopped far short of saying the Raiders will draft Fernando Mendoza, even though it’s widely believed Las Vegas will take the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback who guided Indiana to a highly unlikely national championship.

Owner Mark Davis watched Mendoza that night in Miami Gardens, Florida, and was joined by Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady. Davis hinted the organization was taking a strong look at Mendoza, and the Raiders preferred to hire a coach with an offensive background “that could grow with somebody.”

“It started being, in my mind, that’s the direction we wanted to go,” Davis said. “But at the same time, he had to win the job because there were some good candidates that we spoke to.”

One big selling point was Kubiak’s work with quarterback Sam Darnold.

Darnold completed 67.7% of his passes for 4,048 yards with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions this season. Drafted third overall by the New York Jets in 2018, Darnold was considered a bust until leading Minnesota to a 14-win season in 2024. Then came another 14-win season with the Seahawks that culminated with Darnold hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

“I’m really proud of the process that we put in place,” Spytek said. “We set out to take our time, to be deliberate, to be meticulous, to find the right leader for this organization going forward. We have a uniquely challenging offseason with the first overall pick and new leadership with the head coach, but that’s why it was so important to us to find the right man to lead this organization forward.”

The elephant that wasn’t in the room during the presser was Crosby. Multiple reports have said the star pass rusher wants out of the Raiders after being sidelined the final two games this past season and that he also wasn’t interested in a rebuild.

But Crosby, even if he wasn’t in the team room for the news conference, was in the building and among the Raiders to greet Kubiak upon his arrival. They even had coffee together.

“We want him to be a part of our success going forward,” Kubiak said. “There’s no doubt about that. He’s one of the best players in the NFL, so that’s a no brainer to get to work with Maxx and see him continue to have success with this organization.”

Davis said he definitely wanted to keep Crosby in Las Vegas.

“Maxx has been a great, great Raider,” Davis said. “He is a great Raider.”

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

2026 Winter Olympic Games: five medal Tuesday for Team USA

The United States have a lot of star power at the Olympic Winter Games in Milan. They include Mikaela Shiffrin, Jordan Stolz, Lindsey Vonn, Chloe Kim, and Ilya Malinin. However, on Tuesday, it was the American supporting cast that came away with Olympic hardware, and in the process made names for themselves that will bring them temporary fame.

Jacqueline Wiles and Paula Moltzan

Heading into the slalom portion of the women’s team alpine combined, Breezy Johnson and Mikaela Shiffrin were the heavy favourites, as they were the defending world champions and even had the lead as Johnson was the fastest women’s downhill skier of the event. However, it was Shiffrin who had a poor slalom run, and the Johnson/Shiffrin tandem shockingly finished in fourth place. The Americans still got on to the podium in the event as Jacqueline Wiles of Portland, Oregon and Paula Moltzan of Lakeville, Minnesota posted a third place time of 2:21.91 to beat Shiffrin and Johnson by six one-hundredths of a second.

Ben Ogden

What we saw on Tuesday was a gigantic upset from American cross country skier Ben Ogden of Lebanon, New Hampshire. The odds of Ogden coming through with a medal was +6500 according to 3wiresports.com. However, it was Ogden that had the second fastest time in the men’s sprint, and was only behind the heavy favourite, Johannes Hesflot Klaebo of Norway. For Klaebo, it was his second Olympic gold in Milan, as he also was first in Saturday’s skiathlon.

Cory Thiesse and Corey Dropkin

The mixed doubles curling event came to completion on Tuesday, with the United States winning silver behind only Sweden. It ws a notable week for American curler Cory Thiesse of Duluth, Minnesota. Thiesse became the very first American female curler to win an Olympic medal. The only other American medal in Olympic curling came in 2018, when John Shuster of Duluth shocked the curling world with a win over Sweden in the gold medal final in the men’s event.

Alex Hall

The native of Fairbanks, Alaska is now a two-time Olympic medalist in slopestyle. After winning gold four years ago in Beijing, Alex Hall won silver on Tuesday at the Livigno Snow Park. Hall had a score of 85.75 points, and was beaten by the slimmest of margins–0.53 points. The gold medalist was Norway’s Birk Ruud, the Olympic gold medalist from men’a big air skiing in Beijing.

Ashley Farquharson

It has been a tough time for the Sacramento Kings over the last month, as the Kings are losers of 13 straight games. However, Olympic bronze medalist Ashley Farquharson calls Sacramento home and was marvelous on Tuesday as she claimed an unexpected bronze in the women’s luge event. Faquharson had a four run time of 3:31.582.

The post 2026 Winter Olympic Games: five medal Tuesday for Team USA appeared first on The Big Lead.

Bully Ray Has Idea For Big WWE WrestleMania Match Following Super Bowl Halftime Show

Bully Ray holding up his fists – Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

The road to WWE WrestleMania 42 has officially begun, and so has the speculation about its potential matches. So far, fans know that Roman Reigns will challenge for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at “The Show of Shows.” Elsewhere, WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray hopes to see a crossover between rapper Bad Bunny and social-media-sensation-turned-wrestler Logan Paul.

According to Ray, Logan’s recent response to Bunny performing at the Super Bowl Halftime Show could be the perfect catalyst to make it happen. “Bad Bunny with like 51 million followers on Instagram. Logan Paul with probably close to, if not the same amount. You want to talk about attracting eyes to the product that maybe have never watched before,” Ray said on “Busted Open Radio.” “You want to talk about morbid curiosity to tune in to WrestleMania because we’re getting to see these two outside of the professional wrestling business actually fight each other?

“The WWE has to be salivating today, especially after Logan Paul was walking into the Super Bowl, [Fox News] caught him on camera, and they’re like, ‘Hey, are you going to watch Bad Bunny’s performance?’ And he just went, ‘No.’ Bang! Right there, you booked your match.”

Like Logan, Bunny has experience wrestling in WWE as a celebrity guest. In Bunny’s case, he marked his in-ring debut in a tag team match alongside Damian Priest at WrestleMania 37. In 2023, Bunny and Priest then faced each other in a San Juan Street Fight at WWE Backlash.  For Logan, his WWE work has greatly expanded, with him now being a full-time member of the “WWE Raw” roster alongside his Vision stablemates.

Read more: 30 Best Wrestlers Under 30 In 2025, Ranked By Wrestling Inc.

WrestleMania Tag Team Match?

Logan Paul is smiling – Cindy Ord/Getty Images

Should WWE indeed want to capitalize on the chatter surrounding Bad Bunny and Logan Paul, Ray believes a tag match could be another viable possibility for WrestleMania 42. In that case, Logan would team with his brother Jake Paul, while Bunny reunites with Priest, now a former WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

“Listen, Logan Paul has done a phenomenal job with the world of pro wrestling, his Pokemon cards, and Prime energy drink. Jake Paul ain’t no slouch,” Ray said. “Jake Paul’s got every retired boxer and their mother coming out of the woodwork to fight him and then make him millions. These guys, whether you like them or hate them, they know how to put an ass in a seat. They know how to sell a ticket. They know how to sell a show.

“You’re going to tell me that if you got Logan Paul, maybe with Jake Paul in his corner or The Vision in his corner, and Bad Bunny with Damian Priest in his corner, or let’s make the match a little bit more fool-proof, The Paul brothers versus Bad Bunny and Damian Priest.”

As of 2026, Jake Paul has yet to make his professional wrestling debut, though he has gotten physical with WWE Superstars, namely Jimmy and Jey Uso, in the past. At WWE Crown Jewel 2022, Jake knocked out Jimmy and Jey with a pair of right hands during Logan’s Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match against Roman Reigns. Logan still went on to lose after eating a Superman Punch and spear from “The Tribal Chief.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Busted Open Radio” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.