Judkins, Burden III find intriguing fantasy homes
TreVeyon Henderson gives Patriots juice to the offense and can be Drake Maye's best friend | NFL Draft Live
Yahoo Sports' 'Draft Live' crew reacts to the New England Patriots selecting Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson in the second round of the draft.
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Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
The 2026 World Cup is one year away: How plans for Boston's seven games are progressing and what comes next
Or New England, for that matter. 'It's bigger than I've ever seen in my lifetime and perhaps that we'll see in the next lifetime, I'm not sure,' said Martha Sheridan, president and CEO of Meet Boston. 'Nothing would compare to this. This is what we would call an outlier.' Next year's World Cup will be the first with 104 games to be played by 48 teams, an increase of 12 countries over the World Cups since 1998, and twice as many games and teams as there were in 1994, when the US last hosted the World Cup. In that World Cup, the six games at the smaller Foxboro Stadium generated some $50 million in revenues. Advertisement Organizers expect this one to create more than 5,000 jobs and for $60 million in revenues for the state and city. Not included in the $1.1 billion, a figure the organizing committee said is based on independent studies, is free media exposure estimated to be worth 'hundreds of millions of dollars,' said Mike Loynd, president and CEO of FIFA World Cup Boston 2026. Also left out of the billion-dollar equation is 'future legacy,' which Loynd said refers to economic growth that will accrue from 'the region being recognized as a great place to do business and visit. Advertisement 'I don't think we've ever seen this sort of density of events this close together with this amount of attention paid internationally. We're seeing hundreds of thousands of viewers per event, at a minimum, on average for the games, and the quarterfinal [on July 9] will be massive. The eyes of the world will be on us.' Before the hordes and cameras arrive, Boston organizers will continue to chip away at a formidable to-do list that's been growing since FIFA included Boston on its list of 16 North American host cities almost three years ago. A few items, such as festooning South Station with 'Boston 26″ paraphernalia and unveiling a countdown clock at Faneuil Hall Wednesday morning, are being activated at one year away. The biggest pieces of the puzzle, such as security, transportation, funding, and FanFest specifics, are still being hammered out. Other items, such as many of the stadium modifications, have to wait for the Patriots' upcoming season to end. There's a lot of legwork left before visitors start swiping and tapping their credit cards. Loynd and Sheridan sat down with the Globe recently to provide a progress report. Pillow talk There are enough beds for everyone. 'We'll be fine,' said Sheridan, citing a high density of hotel properties across Boston and southern New England. FIFA is holding about 3,900 rooms a night for approximately 40 days. Reservations should roughly happen in three waves, beginning this week when hotels open their systems 12 months out, after the draw in December when fans across the globe learn where their team will be playing, and in the weeks and days as the tournament approaches. Advertisement Immigration worries Because the Trump administration's aggressive stance and actions regarding illegal and legal immigrants is well-documented and ongoing, an influx of foreigners in every one of the 11 US host cities will be fraught. However, Boston organizers voiced confidence that the close relationship between FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Trump, as well as the president's desire to pull off a tournament without controversy, will decrease the possibility of problems. 'The administration is hyperfocused on making this event successful; they know they're in the spotlight,' said Sheridan. 'I think the administration is going to be uber-focused on making sure that the inbound process is as smooth as possible.' Safe and sound Each host city has been in talks with the Department of Homeland Security and FIFA over the last two years to coordinate over common concerns and to anticipate trouble spots at the stadium, traffic routes, and fan-gathering sites. Locally, Loynd's organizing committee and the state chair a steering committee on security that has 18 subgroups that include representation from about 30 public agencies, including the Boston and state police, chiefs of staff from the governor and Boston mayor's office, the state's emergency operations center, MBTA, and Amtrak security. The federal government has dedicated $625 million to help with security in the US cities. No texting while idling Nobody should be under the impression that getting in and out of Boston Stadium will somehow be quicker and easier than the usual congestion around Gillette Stadium for concerts and Patriots and Revolution games. Because fewer spectators will be traveling to the Boston area with a car than for normal stadium events, there will be an even heavier reliance on public transportation. Advertisement The frequency of commuter rail trips will increase and bus routes will be added to supplement train service. Boston organizers and MBTA officials are working together on transportation issues. Organizers are still finalizing plans on whether satellite parking lots for buses will be used, plus working on other solutions to mitigate congestion. Stadium makeover In order to provide enough space for a properly sized FIFA pitch, crews will have to make four corner cuts in the curved corners of the lower seating bowl. Those will happen soon, with temporary seating provided during the Patriots season so capacity will not shrink. An exact capacity figure for the soccer games is not available, but with the corner cuts and an extra media tribune being built over seating in the south end of the stadium, capacity will be less than the 65,878 for Patriots games. Whenever the Patriots' season ends, crews will finish installing the subair system that, along with grow lights, will be needed for the new grass field. In addition to removing Gillette Stadium signage, any current corporate signage will be covered so that only FIFA's corporate sponsors' logos can be seen by fans and TV viewers. A Gillette Stadium makeover for World Cup games next year will be completed once the Patriots' upcoming season ends. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Who's got tickets FIFA maintains tight control on the vast majority of tickets for each game and has yet to provide information on sales and pricing. The Boston committee will receive a modest allotment that will be reserved mainly for its sponsors and donors. There will not be more information on tickets before the end of FIFA's Club World Cup taking place in the US now through mid-July. Keep an eye out for Advertisement More than a game There will be a central FanFest site located in Boston, but the big reveal on where and what it will entail is not ready. There also will be public viewing sites across New England. Once the draw is completed, the committee will try, if possible, to focus celebratory activities in any regional area heavily populated by native fans of incoming national teams. On Wednesday morning, a countdown clock for the start of the World Cup will start ticking outside Faneuil Hall. In the afternoon, Governor Maura Healey and assorted soccer luminaries will take part in a soccer demonstration and panel discussion at Boston University's Nickerson Field. There will be costs Loynd said the committee is working on a budget with an unknown final figure but one that is expected to fall between $75 million and $100 million. 'We're never going to build anything more than what we can financially afford,' said Loynd. Besides security and transportation costs, there are costs associated with FanFest and other celebratory sites, none of which have been finalized. Ronald O'Hanley, chair and CEO of State Street Bank, is chairing an honorary board with members, many of whom will be donors, being announced in the coming weeks. Meet Boston provided $5 million for Boston 26, said Sheridan. What's left behind It's too early for details, but Boston 26 will be building multiple soccer fields in underserved communities, said Loynd. Boston 26 also intends to develop programming for a 'collective group of social impact programs that exist across New England to work together,' he said. Advertisement Boston's World Cup games Boston will host seven games in the 2026 World Cup. The matchups and details will come after the draw is announced in December. Saturday, June 13 : Group C game Tuesday, June 16 : Group I game Friday, June 19 : Group C game Tuesday, June 23 : Group L game Friday, June 26 : Group I game Monday, June 29 : Group E winner vs. Group A/B/C/D/F third-place game Thursday, July 9 : Quarterfinal game Michael Silverman can be reached at
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
2025 breakout running backs, including Ashton Jeanty, Bhayshul Tuten and six more rookies
Normally, I focus on veteran running backs in this series. I don't include rookies I think will have great NFL debuts because they aren't really 'breaking out' from anything. Given all the rookie coverage I offer each year, it's also fun to highlight the veterans who are being overlooked. That said, this draft class essentially told me, 'Too bad, tough cookies.' (Mmm, cookies!) If I eliminated running backs with a previous RB1 finish and didn't include rookies, I'd struggle to find one breakout this year. So, in an unprecedented event, this year's breakout running backs piece will include rookies only. Case For: Even if Jeanty 'only' has a Bijan Robinson-like rookie season, he'd still be a Top 10 RB. Next! Case Against: He gets hurt? RB1 Likelihood: 9.5/10 (-0.5, only for injury risk) Case For: All the 'E's in his name stand for 'explosive.' Henderson has Top 20 upside, even in a timeshare. And he doesn't have to be limited to a timeshare, as Henderson has three-down ability. For a fantasy comparison, touch-wise, think of James Cook. Rhamondre Stevenson has struggled with performance and injury since his strong 2022 season. Advertisement Case Against: The Patriots offense could limit Henderson's ceiling, including touchdowns. Head coach Mike Vrabel might purposefully limit the workload due to Henderson's injury history. The average fantasy points needed to finish RB12 the past 10 years has been 221.6, and there has been just one instance of a running back having fewer than 200 touches and reaching the Top 12: James White in 2018, thanks in part to 87 receptions and 12 total touchdowns. Also, for Top 12 running backs without double-digit touchdowns, the minimum workload over the past 10 seasons was 272 touches. RB1 Likelihood: 6.5/10 Case For: Similar to 2023 draftees Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs, the gap from Jeanty to Hampton is not as wide as some make it out to be. Hampton possesses workhorse ability, including significant receiving upside. In fact, you could use Robinson's 2024 campaign (RB4) as the statistical ceiling for Hampton. The Chargers, under Jim Harbaugh, have a high-quality rushing offense, which included a combined 296 carries for 1,270 yards and 13 touchdowns for J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, neither of whom played a full season. It helps that the Chargers have a really good offensive line. Case Against: Najee Harris has been rather volume-reliant, but he's still a productive running back with four-straight 1,000+ rushing yards seasons. Weeks 3-4 were the only games Dobbins had over 60.0% of the RB touches with Gus Edwards active. The Chargers have one of the toughest schedules for running backs … on paper. RB1 Likelihood: 6.5/10 Case For: Harvey is similar in style to Alvin Kamara, who not only was an RB1 under Sean Payton but the No. 1 RB1 in 2020. In fact, Kamara put up 274.4 fantasy points during his rookie season, finishing third in fantasy behind Todd Gurley and Le'Veon Bell. Audric Estime is a thumper, and Jaleel McLaughlin is a nice complementary piece, but neither has the upside of Harvey with his burst, elusiveness and receiving. Clearly, Payton believes the same, as during this write-up, the Broncos signed J.K Dobbins. Even so, Harvey doesn't move much in my ranks, as quick mathing of my early projections (coming soon!) spit him out as a mid-low RB2. Oh, and the Broncos have one of the best offensive lines in the league. Advertisement Case Against: There are workload questions and snap-share risks, given Harvey's struggles with pass blocking. Payton uses multiple running backs, including four active ones on game day, at times. Somewhat a chicken-and-egg situation, but the Broncos' rushing offense finished mid-pack with just 12 touchdowns. Dobbins was recently signed, raising serious concerns that this backfield could become a full-blown committee and that anyone but Harvey sees the goal-line work. RB1 Likelihood: 5.0/10 Case For: Immediate lead option. Judkins has some overlap with Brian Robinson and Jordan Mason as an appealing RB2 … if given 65% or more of the work in Cleveland (more on that shortly). When drafted, Judkins had little preventing him from assuming a workhorse role (or one close to it). Case Against: The Browns followed up their early second-round Judkins pick by taking Dylan Sampson in Round 4. Sampson is a speedy weapon with some similarities to Justice Hill. Also, Jerome Ford is no slouch despite likely falling behind Judkins. The offensive line isn't what it was years ago, which, coupled with a likely low-scoring offense, will hamper any running back, even before factoring in a shared workload. RB1 Likelihood: 4.5/10 Case For: Johnson is a power back who fights for yards and rarely goes down easy — in other words, a tailor-made replacement for Najee Harris. For all the fantasy managers screaming the past two years, the Steelers haven't shown the willingness to let Jaylen Warren be a true lead/workhorse. And, we know how reliant they have been on the running game since Ben Roethlisberger retired. They are second only to the Eagles in Rush% in goal-to-go situations (62.6%) since Big Ben's exit, and Harris had 58 of those rushes over the past three seasons. That's the fourth-most attempts among running backs in that span, and that's with Warren in the mix. Case Against: Power backs carry more risk in fantasy due to limited passing game upside, especially when the second option is good in that area. The backfield split adds risk already. Warren could look and perform better, as he did in comparison to Harris, and get the lead. If Warren leads, Johnson's floor is more worrisome, as a power complementary piece could see a 30% share, whereas a nice receiving option would normally see more, around 40%, or even 45-50%. The offensive line is still worrisome. Advertisement RB1 Likelihood: 4.0/10 Case For: Tough as nails. Grittier than this … guy? A good receiver with three-down ability, Skattebo brings something the Giants have lacked for some time — unrelenting power. And they could lean into the run more often, given the quarterback situation. Even if Skattebo is in a timeshare, there's a great chance he's the goal-line option. Case Against: Not overly elusive. Tyrone Tracy is no slouch and is still in the mix to lead in touches, similar to Warren in Pittsburgh. The offense could easily limit any running back for the Giants, given the potential lack of scoring and offensive line concerns. The schedule — albeit, again, on paper — is brutal for any position. RB1 Likelihood: 3.0/10 Case For: Tuten is not only speedy, but he's also shown great ability at getting outside and to the edge with nice moves in space, making defenders miss. Head coach Liam Coen has no ties to Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby, drafting Tuten in Round 4, LeQuint Allen in Round 7 and adding Ja'Quinden Jackson as an undrafted free agent. Hopefully, Coen can maximize Trevor Lawrence and this offense, which produced a Top 5 fantasy RB finish for Etienne in 2023. Case Against: Etienne has been sorely inefficient, but his career isn't dead … yet. Coen helping Etienne rebound isn't out of the question. Tuten isn't overly powerful, has fumbling concerns and won't shed many tackles. That means whether it's Etienne, Bigsby or even Allen, someone is likely sharing the touches. While Coen has been known to lean on his lead, there is still the potential for a full-blown committee, and the offensive line appears questionable at best. RB1 Likelihood: 3.0/10 Jordan Mason, MIN — Mason has been extremely efficient in his opportunities with 5.3 YPC and 8.7 YPR. Granted, that came in Kyle Shanahan's 49ers' offense, but Kevin O'Connell has proven to be one of the best offensive minds in the NFL. You could argue there isn't much, if any, of a downgrade for Mason. Aaron Jones had over 300 touches for the first time in his career, partly due to the lackluster backup options, and he's now 30 years old. Mason would need a Jones injury to break out, but if you're looking for a high-end backup to target in drafts, Mason could push into the RB1 tier if Jones gets hurt. (Top photo of Ashton Jeanty: Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
Fox News
6 hours ago
- Fox News
Trace Gallagher: These pictures are worth a million votes
All times eastern Legends & Lies: The Patriots Legends & Lies: The Patriots FOX News Radio Live Channel Coverage
