Category: Sport

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs are anticipated to be with out operating again Isiah Pacheco for his or her high-profile sport towards the Buffalo Payments on Sunday after their main rusher sprained a knee ligament in final week’s win over the Washington Commanders.

Pacheco didn’t apply Wednesday because the Chiefs turned their consideration to the rematch of final yr’s AFC Championship Sport, which implies Kareem Hunt is in line for extra carries, with Brashard Smith and Elijah Mitchell backing him up.

Pacheco, who has 329 yards speeding by way of the primary eight weeks, carried 12 occasions for 58 yards earlier than hurting his knee late in Monday night time’s win. Pacheco additionally missed a piece of final season when he fractured his fibula in a sport towards Cincinnati.

“We’ll simply see. He’s shifting round. However powerful child,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid mentioned Wednesday. “There was some extent the place he needed to return in [Monday] and I wouldn’t let him. That’s how he’s wired. It’s a must to reduce his legs off to cease him.”

Hunt has primarily been the short-yardage again this season and is a giant purpose the Chiefs have the league’s greatest offense on fourth down, changing on 14 of 16 makes an attempt with Patrick Mahomes on the sphere.

Hunt, the membership’s 2017 third-round decide, returned to the Chiefs final yr after Pacheco obtained damage in Week 2, and he crammed in admirably for them regardless of having missed the earlier offseason and coaching camp whereas recovering from his personal damage.

He signed a $1.5 million contract in March to stick with Kansas Metropolis, although incentives may push the worth a lot larger.

“He’s in all probability in higher form, simply in general higher form, not that he was in horrible form earlier than,” Reid mentioned. “However he’s had a yr to do it, and form of get again within the swing after having slightly little bit of a layoff there.”

The largest query is whether or not Hunt can maintain his effectiveness with extra carries. He has but to run the ball greater than 13 occasions in a sport this season, and he solely had 4 carries in a win over the Raiders two weeks in the past.

“I really feel the very best I’ve felt the final three or 4 years,” Hunt mentioned. “Physique is feeling good.”

Smith, a seventh-round decide within the April draft, had began to earn extra taking part in time even earlier than Pacheco obtained damage. The previous school vast receiver ran 14 occasions towards the Raiders, largely within the fourth quarter as Kansas Metropolis was attempting to complete off a 31-0 rout, and he was efficient though the Las Vegas protection knew he could be getting the ball.

Mitchell is the wild card within the equation. He ran for almost 1,000 yards throughout the 2021 season in San Francisco, however his taking part in time dwindled the next two seasons, and he missed all of final yr whereas recovering from a hamstring damage.

“Loads of guys wouldn’t even come again from that factor,” Reid mentioned. “He battled again, and you may see him getting higher each week by way of camp, and progressing by way of now. He takes a whole lot of reps with the scout-team group.”

Whomever will get the carries towards Buffalo may gain advantage from the return of standout proper guard Trey Smith, who missed final week’s win over the Commanders with again spasms. Smith returned to the apply discipline Wednesday.

ESPN’s Nate Taylor and The Related Press contributed to this report.

Eighteen days after Minnesota Vikings kicker Will Reichard missed a 51-yard subject objective try towards the Cleveland Browns in London, when his ball took an surprising flip, Amazon Prime play-by-play announcer Al Michaels reminded viewers that the unusual curve of the ball at Tottenham Stadium remains to be a delicate topic for the league.

“They’ve obtained a terrific kicker, Reichard is terrific,” Michaels stated because the kicker ready for his first subject objective try with 9 minutes left within the second quarter of Thursday night time’s 37-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. “He is available in for a 54-yard try. His solely miss this 12 months was when he hit a wire — with the digicam — in London!”

Reichard made his subject objective, and again at 345 Park Avenue, a seemingly resolved thriller sprang to life as soon as once more. Already, the NFL had rejected a request from Reichard’s agent to drop the miss from the kicker’s official statistics. The league’s soccer operations division thought it was essential sufficient to warrant a video presentation on the October house owners assembly. Now, following Michaels’ on-air feedback, NFL officiating and guidelines analyst Walt Anderson was pulled into the fray.

Anderson, the previous VP of officiating coaching and improvement and a 17-year referee, now quietly assists every community’s guidelines analysts throughout video games. The league says his function is to assist every community’s broadcasters sound smarter, however as with all job within the league workplace, the primary responsibility is to guard the protect, and Michaels’ remark reignited a dormant controversy that the league thought it had moved previous.

A league spokesperson stated Anderson instantly known as Amazon Prime’s guidelines analyst Terry McAulay, and defined to him the league’s official stance on the London subject objective, that Reichard’s ball didn’t make contact with the digicam cable in London.

A league spokesperson stated the league’s broadcasting division was in contact with Amazon’s manufacturing crew through the sport as nicely.

After a full quarter of sport time, one other subject objective try, and greater than an hour of broadcast time, Michaels, together with his trademark sarcasm, issued a correction.

“The league desires to take my lunch away as a result of I stated earlier than that Reichard’s solely miss got here when he hit a wire in London,” Michaels stated. “The league says, ‘No, no, it was an optical phantasm.’ [That’s] not what Reichard thinks.”

Reichard, for the report, advised ESPN Monday that after his miss in London, his agent (Sportstar’s Jim Ivler) advised him that he contacted the league workplace to ask about getting his miss faraway from the official statistics. Reichard says that Ivler advised him that his contact within the league workplace initially responded that his kick did hit the digicam wire and they might change his stats to 0-0 for the day, after which adopted up later to say that the league couldn’t do this.

“I assume they at first stated that they’d [change the statistic] after which got here again the subsequent day and stated they couldn’t,” Reichard stated. “However they admitted to it hitting. Take that for what it’s value.”

Ivler, who has represented NFL gamers for 32 years, confirmed to ESPN that he did attain out to the league workplace in an try and amend Reichard’s statistics, however he declined to call the precise league workplace worker who he contacted. He stated that the league workplace worker didn’t give him a right away reply, however adopted up a few half hour later after speaking with another person within the workplace, and indicated that he felt the ball hit the wire and they might be capable to change the statistic. Ivler stated that the league workplace worker then reversed course a few hours later and stated they’d be unable to vary the statistic as a result of the play had not been reviewed within the sport.

An NFL spokesperson stated in a press release to ESPN: “There isn’t a video proof of the soccer making contact with the published cable. The day after the sport, we had been in contact with our colleagues who dealt with manufacturing obligations for the NFL Community broadcast. These engineers, who had been on website in London, verified that due to the place of the digicam behind the kicker and the place the cables had been mounted within the stadium, it was not attainable for the cables to intrude with the flight of the ball. The slow-motion replay of the kick that went to air was from a low-end zone digicam on the tight finish of its lens, which compresses the airplane of focus. That’s why the soccer and one of many cables are seen in the identical shot, however the ball under no circumstances made any contact with the cable.”

A league spokesperson declined to touch upon Reichard and Ivlers’ particular allegation that somebody within the league workplace indicated to Ivler that Reichard’s statistics could be modified.

Ivler stated he was watching the Vikings’ London sport on tv at a Ravens tailgate when he noticed Reichard’s ball take a spooky flip. “Will’s ball doesn’t transfer like that,” he stated. “I knew one thing was unsuitable.”

He watched the replay a number of instances and took a screenshot of the second he believes Reichard’s ball hit the wire. “The wire clearly ripples erratically,” he stated. “The ball isn’t going end-over-end anymore however fluttering diagonally.”

Per NFL Rule 15, Part 3, Article 11, Merchandise 5: The ball touching a international object (scoreboard, information wire, every other object) is a replay reviewable play, and is a challengeable play.

However the league’s replay division didn’t provoke a evaluation of the play, and on the Monday after the London sport, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell stated he didn’t discover something in actual time. He stated subject targets are powerful to guage from his vantage level on the sideline anyway.

“[Will] advised me he thought he hit [the kick] nicely, and Will doesn’t find yourself that far off line traditionally since our time having him right here,” O’Connell stated. “Unsure what to say on that one, it’s unlucky if it did occur, and if it didn’t, so be it.”

After Minnesota’s bye week following the London sport, Vikings particular groups coordinator Matt Daniels advised reporters that the crew submitted the play to the league workplace as one among their 10 allotted performs for evaluation that prior week, however he deferred to O’Connell on the league’s response. O’Connell has not addressed the play publicly because the day after the sport.

“Perhaps it did [hit the wire], possibly it didn’t,” Daniels stated. “We are going to permit the league to work that out.”

“The largest query that I had, as a result of I’ve seen Will hit a gazillion balls,” Daniels stated, “Was simply by way of the way it got here off of his foot, and the trajectory of it and the way it went off to the aspect. How did the ball find yourself doing that? I had an excellent dialog with Will and he felt like he hit it clear.”

Reichard advised ESPN Monday that it’s “actually exhausting to inform” whether or not his ball hit the digicam wire that day in Tottenham. “My ball doesn’t normally ever do this,” he stated.

Reichard’s missed subject objective grew to become a Rorschach take a look at. Vikings followers and Ivler noticed a soccer that clearly was impacted by a digicam wire, and the Vikings teaching workers questioned it sufficient to submit it for the league workplace to evaluation, whereas the league workplace noticed no proof to counsel that it did. The controversy generated sufficient dialog that the league issued a video protection to NFL house owners and executives through the soccer replace on the fall league assembly in New York final week. Nobody within the NFL wished to perpetuate an concept that operations at a global sport had impacted the on-field product.

In keeping with two sources within the room, the soccer operations workers introduced up the controversial matter of digicam wire interference with two completely different examples from Week 5. The soccer operations workers performed Reichard’s mysterious miss in London and a play from the Cowboys at Jets sport, the place Jets quarterback Justin Fields’ cross was deflected into the digicam.

One supply within the room stated that NFL govt vp of soccer operations Troy Vincent and Anderson stated within the assembly that Reichard’s soccer appeared prefer it hit the wire, but it surely didn’t as a result of the ball didn’t have “a bizarre spin.” The supply stated that Vincent and Anderson stated Fields’ cross did hit the wire and the officiating crew ought to have began the play over because the rulebook mandates, as an alternative of ruling an incomplete cross.

A league spokesperson despatched ESPN the video of Reichard’s kick that was proven to NFL house owners and executives within the soccer replace assembly.

The 75-second video confirmed two completely different angles of Reichard’s kick, the published angle from behind the kick and a low sideline angle. Within the broadcast angle, the league highlighted the 4 digicam wires in purple and blue to indicate the place of the wires in relation to the kick. As soon as Reichard kicks the ball, wires are now not highlighted.

Within the low sideline angle, the league highlighted the ball in yellow to indicate its place in relation to the wire in purple. On this angle, each the wire’s place leads off display and so does the trajectory of the ball.

“What actually must be finished is reevaluating how low these cameras and the wires can grasp over a stay play,” Ivler stated. “That’s what the results of all this forwards and backwards needs to be.”

For his half, Reichard has not been as preoccupied with the thriller of his London kick.

“I’ve gotten requested about it tons of instances from mates, household,” he stated.” I might identical to to place it within the rear view at this level, you realize? “

And he may need been in a position to three weeks in the past, had the league’s robust protection not given this story legs.

Greetings from Bristol, the place fall is simply previous its peak and the leaves are ripe for peeping. It’s been a whirlwind few weeks on the highway and, but, I’d prefer to, for a mess of causes, freeze the current second. Partially so I can catch my breath (and perhaps a number of z’s) however largely due to how quickly time appears to be flying by.

Dwelling in Los Angeles it’s straightforward to disregard summer time rolling into fall and the eventual climb to winter. I’m not complaining about 80-degree climate in November — and I’m not silly sufficient to suppose anybody feels sorry for me — however the absence of seasons typically creates a frozen-in-carbonite delusion. Have been it not for the depth of October baseball (18 innings!!!) and the cadence of the NFL, I could be satisfied that Labor Day was simply across the nook.

Then New England occurs. And I’m crammed with bittersweet delight. The hills are dappled with shades of heat whereas the wind whips with a trademark chill. Individuals transfer with extra intention, shoulders barely hunched, evenly bundled in sweaters and hoodies. I nonetheless meander partially as a result of I’m, as my mom at all times chides, a “wanderer,” however largely as a result of I need to soak up the entire autumnal goodness. It’s a novelty and in addition a stark reminder of time’s relenting passage.

Can we pause, please? However, in fact, we will’t.

There are, in any case, occasions to arrange and stay up for. Halloween sweet to kind, Thanksgiving dishes to delegate, and vacation presents to stash away. Whether or not we’re being pushed or pulled, the ultimate two months of the yr at all times appear to return at breakneck velocity. Whereas I don’t benefit from the thought of bracing for the onslaught, I do perceive readying oneself for the inevitable rush.

And similar to that, we now have arrived on the midway level of the fantasy season. There now exists an abundance of knowledge from which to attract substantial conclusions. A listing of our rosters, for his or her strengths, weaknesses, and values will be correctly assessed. I’m hesitant to advocate for the creation of a full-blown playoff preparedness plan, however it might be silly to not at the least peek at what’s forward. Whereas accidents will, sadly, proceed to throw wrenches, exploitable matchups determine to stay gentle and figuring out these might help us keep in competition by means of the double-digit weeks.

Let’s agree, although, to crunch a number of leaves and pocket some fun-sized Snickers earlier than going full boar on the Christmas music and fruitcake, okay? We don’t have to rush to the end line… as a result of we’re going to overlook this earlier than we understand it.

Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos: Nix might have his critics throughout the footballhead set, however he’s been a boon for fantasy managers as of late, clearing 23 fantasy factors in back-to-back outings. The digital sport’s QB5 total, Denver’s franchise signal-caller presently ranks inside the highest seven on the place in passing TDs (15) and speeding scores (3). The asterisk to those numbers is, in fact, that he has confronted the Giants and Cowboys over his previous pair of outings.

A duel in Houston doesn’t determine to be as fruitful, nevertheless. The Texans have allowed the fewest fantasy factors per sport to QBs, and it’s not even shut. For context, Houston has given up a mean of 10.5 fantasy factors per sport to quarterbacks, with Buffalo giving up the second fewest at 13.8. In reality, simply one of many previous 5 QBs to face Matt Burke’s unit has registered 10 fantasy factors (Mac Jones). Moreover, given Nix’s dwelling vs. highway splits (24.1 FPPG at dwelling and 16.2 FPPG on the highway), the second-year QB figures to battle, rating outdoors of the highest 15 quarterbacks in Week 9.

Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers: McCaffrey has been on an absolute tear, averaging almost 25 fantasy factors per sport (RB2) whereas rating second on the place in whole carries (140) and first amongst RBs in receptions (56). Buyers can due to this fact forgive his momentary stumble in Week 8, whereby he managed fewer than 20 fantasy factors for the primary time in 2025. The versatile again figures to bounce again this Sunday when he faces a Giants protection that has given up the seventh-most fantasy factors to the place and allowed each Saquon Barkley in addition to Tank Bigsby to achieve double-digit yardage totals this previous weekend.

When reviewing the numbers, managers’ want to cling to McCaffrey makes a complete lot of sense. But, within the spirit of trying forward, it could be worthwhile to maneuver the 29-year-old sooner fairly than later. That’s as a result of CMC has a fairly ill-timed bye in Week 14, probably placing playoff contending groups in peril. Curiously, Jahmyr Gibbs (who took his bye this previous Sunday) will face the ever-generous Dallas protection that very same week. Moreover, Detroit’s lead again faces the gettable Steelers and Vikings defenses through the fantasy semis (Weeks 16 and 17). As compared, McCaffrey is scheduled to battle an imposing Colts protection (seventh-fewest fantasy factors to RBs allowed) in Week 16. Elite one-for-one trades are at all times spicy, however that doesn’t imply that they will’t or shouldn’t be executed. Ponder as you please.

Tyrone Tracy, RB, New York Giants: As mentioned on Tuesday’s episode of “Fantasy Focus,” Tracy is predicted to emerge as one in every of this season’s most beneficial wire-waiver provides. Whereas his ability set is vastly totally different from Cam Skattebo’s, Tracy’s anticipated quantity vaults him into quick RB2 competition. To that finish, Mike Clay has the transformed huge receiver projected to the touch the ball 19 occasions this Sunday. Curiously, Tracy averaged 17.3 fantasy factors and 108 scrimmage yards per sport when managing 19 or extra touches in 2024.

The offense is, in fact, totally different this go round, however Jaxson Dart has thrown to the RB place with extra regularity than many might understand. In reality, Skattebo collected 13 catches (RB12) with Dart because the starter from Weeks 4 to 7. That units up properly for Tracy, notably when contemplating that the 49ers have allowed the fourth-most receptions (43) to RBs. With Devin Singletary logging a snap share of 16% and having a season excessive of seven touches, Tracy is predicted to guide the Giants’ backfield by a large margin. With that sort of quantity in a succesful offense (which has averaged over 24 factors per sport with Dart because the starter), Tracy enters Week 9 with top-15 positional attraction.

Quentin Johnston, WR, Los Angeles Chargers: Followers of the digital sport have been understandably shook when Johnston posted a goose egg in Week 8. Whereas his zero targets can probably be defined away by the Vikings’ blitz-heavy strategy and a subsequent lack of deep passes on Justin Herbert’s behalf, Johnston’s clean doesn’t sting any much less. The TCU product is certain to bounce again in a plus matchup on the Titans this weekend. But, the emergence of Oronde Gadsden II in addition to Ladd McConkey’s return figures to quell the bang with which Johnston started 2025.

The Bolts’ offense is beginning to tackle a roulette wheel-like complexion — related in impact to current iterations of the 49ers — whereby two of the crew’s beginning pass-catchers increase large whereas the others backside out.

Predicting manufacturing figures to turn into an more and more irritating endeavor. As 9.5-point favorites at Tennessee, the necessity for a prolific passing sport appears unlikely, suggesting fewer alternatives for this ultra-capable corps. Given his particular ability set, Johnston presents as a shaky (albeit high-upside) flex choice.

Consistency Scores: See which gamers are boom-bust and which offer regular weekly flooring

Jordan Addison, WR, Minnesota Vikings: By both clearing 100 receiving yards or discovering the tip zone for 4 consecutive outings, Addison rewarded affected person buyers who have been keen to stash him over the primary three weeks of 2025. With Carson Wentz below heart, Addison and Justin Jefferson have emerged as an elite duo, every averaging 75 or extra receiving yards per sport. For context, the one different pair to match these numbers is CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.

A dip, nevertheless, seems to be on the horizon. J.J. McCarthy has been reinstalled because the crew’s starter below heart. Whereas he and Addison have but to share the sector, Jefferson’s numbers with McCarthy underwhelmed initially of the season, suggesting a possible cooling off for the in any other case red-hot Addison. Moreover, the matchup could be trickier than initially anticipated with the Lions’ secondary starting to return to well being. As such, think about using Addison in a flex-like capability, fairly than counting on an automated 15-plus fantasy factors.

Travis Hunter, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars: Hunter’s two-way utilization posed loads of query marks heading into the season. Over the previous 4 weeks, nevertheless, his offensive snap share has steadily elevated from 53% in Week 4 to 87% in Week 7. Moreover, the rookie posted season-high numbers simply forward of Jacksonville’s Week 8 bye, managing an 8-101-1 stat line on 13 appears in his most up-to-date effort. With ESPN’s Michael DiRocco reporting that Hunter is “going to be a major participant within the offense going ahead” and could possibly be “getting the WR1 remedy from the Jaguars within the season’s second half,” it seems as if the Heisman Trophy winner’s fantasy inventory is on the rise.

A gathering on the Raiders in Week 9 figures to additional improve Hunter’s attraction. Not solely is the versatile expertise much less prone to be wanted on protection, however his odds of changing on offense are excessive. Las Vegas has allowed the fourth-most fantasy factors to WRs. With commerce buzz surrounding Brian Thomas Jr. (regardless of these having been shot down by Liam Coen), Hunter might pleasantly shock on Sunday. Take into account him a top-30 fantasy play at huge receiver this weekend.

Colston Loveland, TE, Chicago Bears: Because the twelfth tight finish chosen in fantasy drafts, lofty expectations surrounded Loveland heading into his first professional marketing campaign. An unsettled playbook in addition to an early-season hip harm shortly quieted the excitement, sending the rookie again to benches and the free agent pool. Nonetheless, the tide appears to be shifting as soon as extra.

Loveland has recorded snap shares of 67% and 80% (highest of the season) over his previous two outings. Curiously, 23 of his 50 snaps in Week 8 got here as a large receiver (slot or out huge). Whereas his three grabs and 38 receiving yards (on 5 targets) certainly not moved the fantasy needle, these totals have been season highs. With Luther Burden III presently within the concussion protocol and Cole Kmet nursing a again ailment, Loveland’s function might proceed to develop this Sunday.

The Michigan product figures to make good on these potential alternatives given the matchup at Cincinnati. The Bengals have allowed probably the most fantasy factors to tight ends, giving up eight receiving scores to the place over the previous 4 weeks. In what’s projected to be a detailed (Bears are -2.5 favorites) and high-scoring (52.5 over/below) affair, Loveland’s breakout (or at the least his first double-digit fantasy whole) could be simply days away. Proceed with pleasure.

Making robust lineup choices every week will be essentially the most difficult a part of the fantasy soccer course of. Once you’re torn between two related gamers and easily don’t know which one to start out, begin the participant with the superior matchup.

Ah, however precisely how does one decide one of the best (and worst) weekly matchups?

The matchup rankings present a schedule-independent technique to guage positional matchups every week, rating all 32 opposing defenses so as of most to least favorable for opposing gamers in any respect 4 talent positions (quarterback, working again, extensive receiver and tight finish). As a substitute of relying upon seasonal totals, we calibrate points-allowed knowledge to point out how every protection fared relative to the issue of the schedule it has confronted. This gives a extra honest method to judging the standard of particular person matchups.

“Adj. FPA,” or adjusted fantasy factors allowed, displays how far above or beneath gamers’ weekly PPR fantasy level averages that protection held opponents at that place. A constructive quantity implies that the matchup is favorable; a detrimental quantity means it’s unfavorable. Moreover, bear in mind groups typically use a number of working backs and extensive receivers in a sport, and these plus/minus averages cowl all of a staff’s personnel at that place.

Lastly, a caveat: Matchups are just one ingredient in my rankings formulation. Not each favorable matchup needs to be exploited, nor unfavorable matchup averted. In order for you my — and the ESPN fantasy employees’s — most full supply for whom to start out and sit every week, seek the advice of our weekly rankings.

Matchups spotlight: Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts (at Pittsburgh Steelers). “Indiana Jones” has lived as much as his hero billing, scoring 22-plus fantasy factors in every of the previous three weeks, and 5 instances for the season. He by no means did both of these issues in any of his six seasons with the New York Giants. Now Jones faces a Steelers staff that has allowed the second-most fantasy factors per sport to quarterbacks (21.3), together with 25-plus to Joe Flacco and Jordan Love the previous two weeks. Exterior of the massive three of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson (when wholesome), there isn’t one other quarterback I’d begin forward of Jones this week.

Others to love: Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals (at Dallas Cowboys); Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears (at Cincinnati Bengals).

Matchup to keep away from: Bo Nix, Denver Broncos (at Houston Texans). Earlier than we get carried away with the extent of his 2025 development, think about that his 58.7 Complete QBR ranks seventeenth amongst 33 qualifiers, and he has confronted one of many best schedules of anybody on the place (his opponents have averaged 18.5 factors fantasy factors allowed to quarterbacks). Nix hasn’t been fairly as shiny a star as perceived. This week brings Nix’s hardest matchup, because the Texans are the league’s No. 1 protection towards quarterbacks for the season, going by fantasy factors allowed per sport (10.5), adjusted FPA (minus-5.1) and fantasy factors per cross try (0.31).

Matchups spotlight: Bam Knight, Cardinals (at Cowboys). Michael Carter’s launch, nevertheless short-lived, indicators Knight’s agency standing atop the depth chart. Knight paced the Cardinals’ backfield in snap charge, speeding makes an attempt, whole touches and fantasy factors in every of the staff’s two video games main as much as their Week 8 bye, making him a really perfect, matchups-based pickup within the greater than 80% of ESPN leagues through which he started the week obtainable. For the season, the opposing Cowboys have afforded working backs the second-most fantasy factors per sport (28.4), adjusted FPA (6.2) and explosive runs (27), and the third-most double-digit fantasy performances (9).

Others to love: D’Andre Swift, Bears (at Bengals); Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers (at Tennessee Titans).

Matchup to keep away from: Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints (at Los Angeles Rams). Now 30 years outdated, Kamara is within the midst of his most disappointing NFL season. He has rushed for 84 fewer yards than anticipated and is averaging a career-low 11.6 mph on speeding makes an attempt, per Subsequent Gen Stats, and he has been held beneath 13 fantasy factors in every of his previous six video games. Issues most likely received’t get significantly better for Kamara towards the Rams, one of many league’s best-performing defenses. They’ve afforded working backs just one 15-point fantasy efficiency (Christian McCaffrey, 27.9 in Week 5), in addition to a league-low 0.38 fantasy factors per carry.

Matchups spotlight: DK Metcalf, Steelers (vs. Colts). Over the previous three weeks, he has emerged as Aaron Rodgers’ go-to extensive receiver, posting a 22% goal share, three finish zone targets and 44.0 fantasy factors. Whereas it will be good to see Metcalf’s utilization return to his 2021-23 peak ranges, he’s getting sufficient targets to capitalize upon favorable matchups like this one. The opposing Colts have had seven extensive receivers rating 15-plus fantasy factors, three up to now two weeks alone. In these two video games, cornerbacks Mekhi Blackmon and Johnathan Edwards surrendered a mixed 49.7 factors on 25 targets as the closest defender.

Others to love: Michael Pittman Jr., Colts (at Steelers); Marvin Harrison Jr., Cardinals (at Cowboys); Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers (at Inexperienced Bay Packers).

Matchup to keep away from: Courtland Sutton, Broncos (at Texans). Pat Surtain II’s pectoral damage, which is able to price him no less than two video games, softens Texans extensive receiver Nico Collins’ matchup on this sport, leaving Sutton because the receiver aligned for the hardest task in that matchup. Solely twice all season has a large receiver scored 13 or extra fantasy factors towards the Texans (Puka Nacua, 23.1 in Week 1; Jaxon Smith-Njigba, 26.3 in Week 7), and even when together with these two, groups’ No. 1 wideouts have averaged solely 13.5 factors towards them.

Matchups spotlight: Kyle Pitts Sr., Atlanta Falcons (at New England Patriots). We’ll see whether or not Michael Penix Jr. (knee) is ready to return for Week 9, however even when Kirk Cousins is pressured to make a second consecutive begin, Pitts’ 27% goal charge when Cousins is his quarterback — it’s 20% when Penix is below heart — provides encouragement that he’ll get sufficient work to capitalize upon the favorable matchup. The Patriots have had six tight ends rating no less than 11 fantasy factors towards them, second most within the league behind the Cincinnati Bengals (7).

Matchup to keep away from: Travis Kelce, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (at Buffalo Payments). He’s coming off a Monday night time sport through which he set season bests in fantasy factors (21.9), targets per route (29.2%) and common depth of goal (7.6 yards), traits that make Kelce seem like a must-start. This matchup shifts within the excessive, other way, because the Payments are the one staff to haven’t had a single tight finish rating as many as eight factors in a sport. The Payments additionally contained Kelce in each of their 2024 matchups, holding him to 2.8 factors in Week 11 and three.9 within the AFC Championship Sport.

ONE HUNDRED DAYS from now, the sports activities world turns its consideration to Italy, the place alpine peaks, historic cities and trendy arenas grow to be the stage for the athletes of the Milan Winter Olympics. From returning icons to breakout stars, their tales over the 17 days of the 2026 Video games will captivate and encourage.

And simply following this Olympics can be a sport in itself: The 2026 version options extra occasions and extra athletes than any Winter Video games in historical past. It additionally would be the most geographically unfold out, with venues spanning from the guts of Milan to the slopes of Cortina d’Ampezzo. The opening ceremony alone will function 2,900 athletes staged in 4 areas and ignite twin Olympic flames that can burn beneath Milan’s grand Arco della Tempo and in Cortina’s charming Piazza Dibona.

The time to arrange is now. In order the countdown begins, seize our information and get to know the athletes to observe as Italy prepares to host its grandest Winter Video games but. — Alyssa Roenigk

1. Who: Greater than 2,900 athletes from 93 nations

2. What: Athletes will compete in 16 sports activities

3. When: Feb. 6-22, 2026

4. The place: In Milan and different venues throughout northern Italy, together with Cortina d’Ampezzo, a metropolis that hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics

5. Why: Citius, Altius, Fortius — Communiter*

*The Olympic motto: “Sooner, Greater, Stronger — Collectively”

6. Probably the most profitable alpine skier in historical past, Mikaela Shiffrin, 30, is approaching her fourth Olympics with bold but modest targets. Not like in 2022, when she competed in six occasions and failed to complete in three, Shiffrin will possible compete in three races in Italy: slalom, big slalom and the group mixed, the place she’s going to ski one run of slalom and her associate will ski the downhill. An Olympic gold medalist in slalom (2014) and big slalom (2018), Shiffrin is leaning into her strongest occasions and eschewing the pace races in hopes of creating this probably the most profitable Video games of her profession.

7. The defending Olympic slopestyle gold medalist, Alex Corridor, 27, is thought for his versatility and creativity on skis. Simply two weeks earlier than the 2022 Beijing Video games, he turned the primary freeskier to land a 2160 — six full rotations — in competitors throughout ski massive air at X Video games Aspen. He adopted that efficiency with an Olympic win. Now, after capturing the slopestyle Crystal Globe for the 2024-25 season, Corridor heads to Italy as the favourite to repeat in slopestyle and with extra to perform in massive air. He completed eighth within the occasion’s Olympic debut in 2022 however credit falling in his remaining try in massive air with refocusing him for the slopestyle contest.

“I got here into slopestyle with a special mentality, a bit extra hungry,” Corridor mentioned on Tuesday. “If I hadn’t fallen in massive air, I perhaps wouldn’t have a gold medal in slopestyle. That being mentioned, there’s unfinished enterprise in massive air. I’m going to push the inventive facet of issues and do methods which can be outdoors the field and produce me pleasure.”

8. Lindsey Vonn, 41, retired from ski racing in 2019 with 82 World Cup wins, the third most by any alpine skier in historical past. Six years later, after a partial knee alternative, Vonn returned to the game at age 40 and have become the oldest girl to step onto the rostrum of a World Cup race when she completed second within the super-G in Solar Valley, Idaho, in March. Vonn has mentioned this can be her remaining Olympics and she or he plans to take advantage of her time in Cortina, the positioning of a lot success in her profession.

“I by no means anticipated to be right here, so there may be an appreciation of the journey,” Vonn mentioned on Tuesday. “However don’t get it twisted. I’m a results-driven individual. I’m trying to do effectively. I’m not only a participant. “

9. With NHL gamers returning to the Olympics for the primary time since 2014, the U.S. males can have their arms full with a Canadian group led by Sidney Crosby, a three-time Stanley Cup champion who will deliver his management and Olympic expertise to Milan. Crosby, 38, will captain a Canadian group that additionally contains 28-year-old Connor McDavid, the star heart of the Edmonton Oilers who’s extensively thought to be the perfect present participant within the Nationwide Hockey League.

10. Jamie Anderson is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in slopestyle who’s vying to compete at her first Olympics since turning into a mother — twice. Anderson, 35, and her fiancé, Tyler Nicholson, who competed in slopestyle and large air on the 2018 Olympics for Group Canada, welcomed daughters Misty Rose in March 2023 and Nova Sky in April 2025.

Anderson returned to coaching in New Zealand in September, 5 months after giving start to Nova Sky, and broke her proper wrist throughout a coaching run. However she says the harm has solely additional ignited her hearth to push herself to return to the Olympic podium together with her household by her facet. “I’ve reconnected with part of myself I haven’t seen in years,” Anderson instructed ESPN.

11. Born in San Francisco to a Chinese language mom and American father, and raised by her mom and grandmother, Eileen Gu has competed for China since 2019. On the 2022 Olympics, she turned the primary freeskier to win three medals at a single Winter Video games, taking gold in massive air and halfpipe and silver in slopestyle. As progressive as she is constant in competitors, the 22-year-old is the primary girl to land a ahead double cork 1440 and a left double cork 1620 in freeski competitors.

Off snow, she balances life as a pupil at Stanford College and a profitable profession in modeling — two years in the past, Forbes listed her because the second highest-earning feminine athlete on this planet.

12. Hilary Knight has mentioned this can be her remaining Olympics with Group USA, and she or he needs to finish on a excessive notice. The primary U.S. participant to compete on 5 Olympic hockey groups, 36-year-old Knight has been a part of three silver medal squads (dropping every time to Group Canada). But it surely’s Group USA’s gold medal efficiency in opposition to their rivals to the north in 2018 that she hopes to repeat in her remaining Olympic efficiency. Any colour medal will tie the California native for probably the most Olympic ice hockey medals in historical past.

13. Pink Gerard received gold in his five-ring debut in 2018 and have become an Olympic sensation for his fun-loving persona as a lot as for his on-snow efficiency. Who may overlook him oversleeping and dropping his group jacket the morning of the finals? Gerard, 25, was the primary U.S. athlete to win gold on the Pyeongchang Video games and the youngest American to medal in snowboarding on the Olympics. He completed fourth in slopestyle and fifth in massive air in 2022, however is coming off a win at X Video games Aspen 2025 and a powerful season that earned him the one computerized bid onto the U.S. males’s snowboard slopestyle group.

14. Chloe Kim is the heavy favourite to grow to be the primary snowboarder to win three straight Olympic gold medals. The 2018 and 2022 Olympic champion in halfpipe took day off after Beijing to deal with her psychological well being and returned to competitors in dominant style. She ended this previous season with a document third world title and have become the primary girl to land a cab double cork 1080 in competitors.

She says the attitude she has gained by letting go of expectations has allowed her to push previous psychological blocks and discover pleasure in her driving once more. A snowboarder who needs greater than merely to stack wins, Kim, 25, plans to debut three new methods this season, together with at the least one double cork no girl has landed in competitors.

15. After taking a six-month maternity depart, Kaillie Humphries, 40, returned to competitors in December as a mother for the primary time since giving start to her son, Aulden, in June 2024. On the 2025 IBSF World Championships in Lake Placid in March, she completed fourth within the two-woman occasion and eighth within the monobob and hopes to compete as soon as once more in each occasions for Group USA. The primary girl in Olympic historical past to win gold for 2 completely different nations, Humphries represented Canada from 2010 to 2018 and switched to representing the U.S. in 2019 due to alleged abuse and harassment from the Canadian bobsled federation. She received gold within the monobob in 2022, in her first Olympics with Group USA.

16-17. Companions since 2011, Madison Chock, 33, and Evan Bates, 36, are one of the crucial profitable U.S. ice dance groups in historical past. The reigning Olympic gold medalists within the group occasion and the three-time reigning world champions, Chock and Bates are identified for his or her inventive lifts and modern choreography. 4 months after taking gold on the Beijing Video games, the pair — who started relationship in 2017 — introduced their engagement. They had been married in Hawai’i in June 2024 and can compete in Italy for the primary time on the Olympics as a married couple. — Alyssa Roenigk

18. Approximate space in sq. miles the Video games will happen throughout northern Italy: 8,500. This makes it probably the most geographically widespread Olympic Winter Video games in historical past.

19. Variety of instances Italy has hosted an Olympic Video games (Summer season or Winter): 4. That’s the third-most of any nation, behind solely the USA (eight) and France (six). As talked about earlier, the town of Cortina d’Ampezzo was house to the Winter Video games in 1956, whereas Rome hosted the 1960 Summer season Olympics and Turin the 2006 Winter Video games.

20. There can be 116 medal occasions contested on the 2026 Olympics, which is able to set a brand new document for many in a single Winter Olympics. It tops the 109 medal occasions that had been contested in Beijing in 2022.

21-22. The proportion of complete estimated athletes that can be girls: 47%. In keeping with the IOC, the 2026 Video games can be most gender-balanced Olympic Winter Video games in historical past and can embody a document 50 occasions that ladies compete in.

This comes on the heels of the 2024 Summer season Video games in Paris, which was the primary Video games ever to attain an equal variety of women and men individuals.

23. The final and solely time the USA led all nations in complete gold medals received on the Winter Video games: 1932, at house in Lake Placid, New York.

24. The variety of instances Group USA has led the entire medal rely on the Winter Video games: 2. The People earned probably the most complete medals in each 1932 and 2010. On the Summer season Video games, the USA has dominated the medal rely 19 instances.

25. The variety of complete medals earned by Norway on the 2022 Olympics: 37. The nation led in each the general medal rely and in gold medals received (16). The US was fifth in general medals and fourth in gold medals received. — ESPN Analysis

26. Torch relay begins in Rome: Dec. 6

27. Opening ceremony: Feb. 6

28. Determine skating: Group: Feb. 6-8; Ice dance: Feb. 9, 11; Males’s singles: Feb. 10, 13; Pairs: Feb. 15, 16; Ladies’s singles: Feb. 17, 19

29. Alpine snowboarding, males’s medal runs: Downhill: Feb. 7; Group mixed slalom: Feb. 9; Tremendous-G: Feb. 11; Big slalom: Feb. 14; Slalom: Feb. 16

30. Alpine snowboarding, girls’s medal runs: Downhill: Feb. 8; Group mixed slalom: Feb. 10; Tremendous-G: Feb. 12; Big slalom: Feb. 15; Slalom: Feb. 18

31. Snowboard, males’s medal runs: Huge air: Feb. 7; Parallel big slalom: Feb. 8; Snowboard cross: Feb. 12; Halfpipe: Feb. 13; Blended group snowboard cross: Feb. 16; Slopestyle: Feb. 18

32. Snowboard, girls’s medal runs: Parallel big slalom: Feb. 8; Huge air: Feb. 9; Halfpipe: Feb. 12; Snowboard cross: Feb. 13; Blended group snowboard cross: Feb. 16; Slopestyle: Feb. 17

33. Luge, medal runs: Feb. 8-12

34. Freestyle snowboarding, girls’s medal runs: Slopestyle: Feb. 9; Moguls: Feb. 11; Twin moguls: Feb. 14; Huge air: Feb. 16; Aerials: Feb. 18; Ski cross: Feb. 20; Blended group aerials: Feb. 21: Halfpipe: Feb. 21

35. Freestyle snowboarding, males’s medal runs: Slopestyle: Feb. 10; Moguls: Feb. 12; Twin moguls: Feb. 15; Huge air: Feb. 17; Aerials: Feb. 19; Halfpipe: Feb. 20; Blended group aerials: Feb. 21; Ski cross: Feb. 21

36. Bobsled medal rounds: Feb. 16-17; Feb. 21-22

37. Ice hockey: Ladies’s gold medal sport: Feb. 19; Males’s gold medal sport: Feb. 22

38. Ski mountaineering: Ladies’s and males’s dash relay: Feb. 19; Blended relay: Feb. 21

39. Curling: Males’s gold medal sport: Feb. 21; Ladies’s gold medal sport: Feb. 22

40. Closing ceremony: Feb. 22

41. Opening ceremony to the 2026 Paralympic Video games: March 6

42. The 2-time reigning world champion, Ilia Malinin is actually no stranger or up-and-comer to determine skating followers, however the 20-year-old is predicted to make his Olympic debut in Milan — and appears all however assured to grow to be a family identify the world over. Since bursting into the senior scene with a second-place end on the U.S. championships in 2022, Malinin has grow to be probably the most dominant determine within the sport and have become the primary skater in historical past to efficiently land a quadruple axel.

Nicknamed the “Quad God,” Malinin additionally was the primary to land six quad jumps in a single program final season, and his excessive diploma of issue and technical prowess gave him greater than a 31-point edge over the remainder of the sector at worlds final season. Few really feel like extra of a lock for gold in Italy than Malinin.

43. Additionally simply 20 years previous, Alysa Liu is formally in her comeback period after retiring from determine skating shortly after recording a seventh-place end on the 2022 Video games and a bronze medal at worlds later that yr. However Liu returned to the ice in 2024 — and has been nothing in need of spectacular in her second act. On the world championships in March, she shocked followers, her friends and even herself by turning into the primary American girl to win the title since 2006.

44. A local of Sestola, Flora Tabanelli may grow to be one of many faces of the Video games for host Italy as she is among the many nation’s greatest hopes for Olympic gold. Throughout her debut World Cup season in 2024/2025, the freestyle skier received Crystal Globes for giant air and the general girls’s Park & Pipe — after which earned the massive air world championship title in March. And Tabanelli is simply 17 years previous. Her older brother, Miro, 20, additionally will possible be competing and has reached a lot of massive air podiums lately.

45. Nice Britain’s Mia Brookes began snowboarding at simply 18 months previous, and was competing on the nationwide stage by 11. She greater than lived as much as the early hype by turning into the youngest world champion within the sport’s historical past in 2023, and likewise the primary from her nation to win a slopestyle world title. Since then, she has received a number of World Cup titles in slopestyle and large air, in addition to three X Video games slopestyle medals. As a result of she was unable to compete in Beijing as a result of age restrictions, the 18-year-old Brookes has been laser-focused on the 2026 Video games.

46. One other teenage snowboarding phenom who could possibly be incomes some new {hardware} in Italy is American Ollie Martin. The 17-year-old capped off a stellar debut season by profitable a pair of bronze medals on the world championships in massive air and slopestyle in March. The earlier month, he had grow to be the youngest male snowboarder to win a World Cup slopestyle occasion — and was already the youngest to ever land a 2160.

47. At the moment a senior on the Penn State girls’s hockey group and the college’s all-time main scorer, 21-year-old Tessa Janecke is a star on the rise for the USA’ nationwide group. Through the 2025 world championships, she scored the game-winning purpose in time beyond regulation through the gold medal conflict in opposition to archrival Canada — cementing her standing as one of many squad’s most necessary members and making her a near-lock to make the Olympic roster.

48. A former monitor star at UNLV and a stage 10 gymnast in highschool, Kaysha Love has had one of the crucial unorthodox journeys to 2026 hopeful. Love, who began in bobsled in 2020, made her Olympic debut lower than two years later as a push athlete and since then has made the elusive transition to pilot. After some early struggles in her new position, Love, 28, received her first monobob race on the World Cup circuit after which took house the monobob title on the 2025 world championships. Love will now look to proceed her meteoric and unbelievable rise all the best way to Italy.

49. Thought of a gold medal contender within the 500-meter, 1000-meter and 1500-meter occasions, maybe no pace skater can have extra consideration on them in Milan than American Jordan Stolz. The 21-year-old made his Olympic debut in Beijing, as one of many youngest members of Group USA, however has since kicked his profession into overdrive. In 2023, he turned the youngest single-distance world champion ever when he received the five hundred meters — then went on to win gold medals within the 1000 meters and 1500 meters as effectively. He replicated that feat at worlds once more in 2024.

And in 2025, he appeared much more dominant, with record-breaking instances and an historic 18 consecutive World Cup victories. He was derailed by sickness by the top of the season, however he has already confirmed he would be the one to beat in Italy.

50-51. The primary American curling group to qualify for Italy, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin will compete within the blended doubles occasion and have an opportunity to deliver the USA simply its third-ever medal within the sport. The pair received the world championship title in 2023 — turning into the primary People to take action in blended doubles — they usually secured their Olympic berth following their victory at Olympic trials and a fifth-place end at worlds within the spring. No American girl has ever stood on an Olympic curling podium — nor has the nation ever produced a medal-winning group in blended doubles (which made its debut in 2018). Thiesse and Dropkin can have an opportunity to make historical past.

52. Whereas many featured on this part are youngsters and rising phenoms, Deanna Stellato-Dudek is trying to put her identify within the document books because the oldest feminine determine skating champion in Olympic historical past. At 42 years previous, the previous world junior silver medalist in singles returned to the game after a 16-year absence and targeted her consideration on pairs skating. She teamed up with Maxime Deschamps in 2019, switched her citizenship from American to Canadian with the intention to compete with him, and the 2 set their sights on Milan.

In 2024, the pair received the world championship title and proved simply how severe their medal marketing campaign is. Incorporating a backflip this season, Stellato-Dudek is also the primary to compete the previously banned transfer in pairs competitors. In the event that they had been to win gold, Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps, 33, could be the oldest in mixed age to take action in historical past. — D’Arcy Maine

53. Canada has maybe probably the most adorned participant pool to select from in hockey, and the group can be headlined by veteran superstars akin to Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. Nevertheless, Group Canada administration can be trying onerous at together with youthful gamers, if solely to realize useful expertise for 2030. Enter Macklin Celebrini. The No. 1 draft decide in 2024 by the San Jose Sharks, Celebrini has all of it: clean skating, defensive prowess, and the potential to pour on the factors. The 19-year-old, who went professional after taking part in one yr at Boston College, had a powerful rookie marketing campaign in San Jose. He then went to the 2025 world championships with Canada after the Sharks season and seemed as if he belonged, scoring 3 targets and three assists in 8 video games. — Emily Kaplan

54. The official mascots are two stoats (small mammals associated to the otter and weasel) named Tina and Milo. Their names are a tribute to the host cities Cortina d’Ampezzo and Milan.

55-60. The occasions are break up up all through northern Italy. Milan will host the opening ceremony, in addition to ice hockey, speedskating, determine skating and quick monitor. The Valtellina space will maintain freestyle snowboarding and snowboard occasions in Livigno, and ski mountaineering and males’s alpine snowboarding on the Stelvio slope. The Cortina cluster will host girls’s alpine snowboarding on the Tofane mountains, in addition to curling and sliding sports activities in Cortina, with the biathlon in Anterselva. Val di Fiemme can have ski leaping in Predazzo and cross-country snowboarding in Tesero. Lastly, the closing ceremony can be in Verona.

61. Ski mountaineering (“skimo”) can be new to the 2026 Olympics. A mix of uphill climbing and downhill snowboarding on a mountain terrain, the Olympic competitors will function three occasions: males’s dash, girls’s dash and a blended relay. The game was just lately contested on the 2020 Youth Olympic Video games and was voted into the Olympic slate in 2021.

62-67. Occasions have been added in skeleton (blended group), luge (girls’s doubles, and males’s doubles will exchange open doubles), freestyle snowboarding (girls’s and males’s twin moguls) and ski leaping (girls’s giant hill particular person).

68-70. The U.S. males’s hockey group hasn’t received Olympic gold since its well-known 1980 Miracle on Ice. However with NHL gamers again, the People have their deepest ever expertise pool to select from. The match can be a showcase for the expansion of USA Hockey over the previous a number of many years, with gamers now born and raised in all corners of the nation. The People haven’t shied away from their expectations: gold or bust.

Main the emotional cost is Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, typically often called the Bash Brothers. The brothers, sons of NHL legend Keith Tkachuk, had been daring sufficient to orchestrate the three fights in 9 seconds on the 4 Nations match (although keep in mind, there’s no preventing in Olympic hockey). Brady and Matthew are additionally menaces on the ice, because of their relentless work ethic, and are beloved by teammates, setting the tone within the locker room. They’ll be the faces of Group USA in Milan, however the People have loads of different star energy.

The group is probably going captained but once more by one of many league’s most deadly purpose scorers: Auston Matthews, the previous No. 1 general decide who can be captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Matthews was born in Arizona. Vegas Stanley Cup champion Jack Eichel has grown into among the best and most offensively harmful shutdown facilities within the league. And there’s one other set of brothers: Quinn and Jack Hughes, each tremendous expert sport changers. — Emily Kaplan

71. “The bond that we have now with one another. And likewise the music actually brings us all collectively. If I’m watching somebody they usually’re skating to one thing actually good, I really feel a lot nearer to them. Even when they’re my competitor, if I can join with their program, I’m like one with them, I’m a fan.” –Alysa Liu, determine skating

72. “One factor to know in each halfpipe and slopestyle is that it’s not about the perfect trick you are able to do, however the run that you would be able to put along with the perfect mixture of methods. And you’ve got to have the ability to spin each methods fairly equally, however a method is your pure, snug manner and the opposite manner feels completely loopy. However you need to study each.” –Gus Kenworthy, ski slopestyle, halfpipe and large air

73. “It’s the sickest sport on the planet, and extra individuals have to know that. The attractive factor about my sport is that there isn’t any judging. There is no such thing as a politics. You begin on the high. 4 individuals. The gate drops and first one to the underside wins. It’s easy.” — Nick Baumgartner, snowboard cross

74. “How genuinely enjoyable it’s to seek out rhythm and stream on a slopestyle course.” –Jamie Anderson, snowboard slopestyle and large air

75. “Everybody thinks that as rivals we butt heads, however in snowboarding, we’re a judged sport and we’re really rooting quite a lot of our rivals on and good mates with quite a lot of them.” –Pink Gerard, snowboard slopestyle and large air

76-77. With two gold medals, Mikaela Shiffrin will tie the Olympic alpine snowboarding document for many gold medals received. At the moment, Croatian girl Janica Kostelic (2002-06) and Norwegian man Kjetil Andre Aamodt (1992-06) maintain the document with 4 every. With one gold medal, Shiffrin can move Ted Ligety and Andrea Mead-Lawrence for many Olympic alpine gold medals received by any American skier.

78-80. If Lindsey Vonn earns a medal in Milan, she would grow to be the primary American girl to win one in her 40s. She would even be the oldest American to win a Winter Olympic medal in 78 years — solely six People have ever received a medal at age 41 or older, and all six had been bobsledders, in 1948 or earlier.

Vonn would even be the oldest, at age 41 and 111 weeks, to ever win a medal in alpine snowboarding. The document is presently held by Johan Clarey of France, who earned silver within the males’s downhill in Beijing in 2022, at age 41, 30 days.

Lastly, if Shiffrin or Vonn wins two medals of any colour, they may break the USA Olympic girls’s alpine snowboarding document for many medals received. At the moment, Julia Mancuso (2006-14) holds the document with 4.

81-82. Sidney Crosby (who has been named to the 2026 group) and Drew Doughty (a contender for the squad) may every grow to be the primary non-Russian/Soviet hockey participant to win three Olympic gold medals — if Canada is ready to pull off Olympic victory in Milan.

83-84. With one gold and three silver medals already, a medal in Milan would make Hilary Knight probably the most adorned U.S. Olympian of all-time when it comes to complete ice hockey medals received. She would be a part of Canadians Hayley Wickenheiser and Jayna Hefford as the one Olympians to win 5 medals of any colour within the sport. Knight already owns the document for many Olympic video games performed in for Group USA at 22. With at the least three targets and 6 factors in these video games, she would grow to be the brand new Group USA record-holder for many targets and factors in Olympic play.

85-86. Knight’s quest for gold must undergo long-time rival Marie-Philip Poulin, who, like Knight, can be taking part in in her fifth Olympics — tying a Canadian Olympic document for many appearances by an athlete in ice hockey with Wickenheiser and Hefford. Poulin has notched three gold medals (2010, 2014, 2022) and one silver (2018).

Like Knight, a medal earned would tie Poulin with Wickenheiser and Hefford as the one Olympians to win 5 medals of any colour in ice hockey. And if that medal is gold, she would be a part of fellow Canadians Wickenheiser, Hefford and Caroline Ouellette as the one Olympians to win 4 gold medals in ice hockey.

87-88. As talked about earlier, if Chloe Kim as soon as once more wins gold in snowboard halfpipe, she’s going to grow to be the primary snowboarder to win three straight Olympic gold medals. She will additionally grow to be the fourth American to win three or extra gold medals on the Winter Olympics, behind speedskaters Bonnie Blair and Eric Heiden (each with 5) and snowboarder Shaun White (with three). — ESPN Analysis

89. “I’d love to observe and assist any of the snowboarders, something within the freestyle realm. However I additionally do love seeing some hockey. Hockey is a good occasion, with nice vitality. –Nick Baumgartner, snowboard cross

90. “It is going to be far-off [from the snowboard venue] in Milan, however I really like watching determine skating. They’re unbelievable and sleek and it’s cool to observe their routines come collectively.” –Jamie Anderson, snowboard slopestyle and large air

91. I’m actually trying ahead to watching the hockey, and particularly the curling.” –Pink Gerard, snowboard slopestyle and large air

92. “I’m excited to observe some speedskating in individual. I’ve by no means seen it.” –Amber Glenn, determine skating

93. “I’m all the time actually excited to see hockey and all the time actually excited to see determine skating.” — Gus Kenworthy, ski slopestyle, halfpipe and large air

94. “Snowboarding and snowboarding. I picked these up the final two years and it’s been a lot enjoyable. My siblings find it irresistible. All my mates have been snowboarding for a bit and snowboarding too, so we attempt to go up [to the mountains] as a lot as we will. Even when I don’t make the Olympic group, I’ll nonetheless be going to Milan and I can be watching the snowboarding and the snowboarding.” –Alysa Liu, determine skating

95. Curling Olympic trials: Nov. 11-16

96. Ski mountaineering athletes named to the U.S. Olympic group (One girl; one man): Dec. 8

97. Lengthy monitor speedskating Olympic trials: Jan. 2-5

98. U.S. determine skating championships: Jan. 4-11

99. U.S. Olympic bobsled group named: Jan. 19

100. Snowboard, ski and quick monitor speedskating rosters finalized (qualification interval ends Jan. 18): Jan 26