By Sonny Jones
Got your NFL fantasy football team(s) yet? Late Tuesday afternoon, the Fumble Rooskis and Nerd Buckets were set during drafts in a pair of ESPN leagues.
What happens over the next 18 weeks is anyone’s guess. After all, it’s not like you can call the guys together for an impromptu practice at Bladen County Park. I tried once and not one player showed.
Fantasy sports are fun, unless you’re playing in a money league, which I’m not, but also can be conflicting. It would be great if the Carolina Panthers beat Cleveland on Sunday. However, Browns’ running back Nick Chubb is on the Nerd Buckets. Is it too much to ask for a couple of touchdowns from Chubb and the Panthers offense put up four or five touchdowns?
It kicks off Thursday with the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams playing Super Bowl contender Buffalo.
How are your teams looking? Champ or chump?
FUMBLE ROOSKIS
• QB: Lamar Jackson (Ravens), Russell Wilson (Broncos)
• RB: Jonathan Taylor (Colts), Leonard Fournette (Buccaneers), Damien Harris (Patriots), Michael Carter (Jets)
• WR: Mike Williams (Chargers), Courtland Sutton (Broncos), JuJu Smith-Schuster (Chiefs), Robbie Anderson (Panthers), Skyy Moore (Chiefs), Marvin Jones Jr. (Jaguars)
• TE: Mark Andrews (Ravens), Pat Freiermuth (Steelers)
• K: Brandon McManus (Broncos)
• DEF/ST: Buccaneers
NERD BUCKETS
• QB: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Matthew Stafford (Rams), Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins)
• RB: Derrick Henry (Titans), Nick Chubb (Browns), Clyde Edwards-Helaire (Chiefs), Michael Carter (Jets)
• WR: Tyreek Hill (Dolphins), D.J. Moore (Panthers), Gabe Davis (Bills), DeVonta Smith (Eagles), Skyy Moore (Broncos)
• TE: T.J. Hockenson (Lions), Pat Freiermuth (Steelers)
• K: Matt Gay (Rams)
• DEF/ST: Dolphins
WEDNESDAY’S PICK TO CLICK
Andrey Rublev will use a better first serve and make fewer errors to outlast Frances Tiafoe in five sets in the U.S. Open quarterfinals to avenge last years’s five-set loss in the third round in 2021. Rublev has had a successful first serve 61% of the time compared to Tiafoe’s 51%. Rublev has lost only 11% of points with errors, which ranks him seventh lowest in the field. Surely Tiafoe will have a bit of a letdown after upsetting Rafael Nadal on Monday.
TUESDAY’S PICK: Candace Parker will have a double-double in points and rebounds as defending WNBA champion Chicago will earn a return trip to the championship series by eliminating the Connecticut Sun. RESULTS: Parker came up a rebound short with 11 points and 9 rebounds as the Sky was routed 104-80 by the Sun to set up a decisive Game 5 Thursday in Chicago.
WHAT TO WATCH TODAY
• TENNIS: U.S. Open quarterfinals, noon, ESPN and 7 p.m., ESPN
• MLB: San Francisco at LA Dodgers or Chicago White Sox at Seattle, 4 p.m., MLBN
• MLB: Arizona at San Diego, 8:30 p.m., FS1
Sonny Jones can be reached at wibbyj@gmail.com and follow on Twitter @FOSonnyJones.
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