Latest news with #MintJuleps
Daily Mail
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Kentucky Derby's worst job revealed as a dozen workers do the dirty work for 1,400 horses
One man and his team of 12 have tackled the filthiest job at the Kentucky Derby - clearing literal tons of poop left behind from 1,400 horses. Churchill Downs, the iconic horse racing complex in Louisville, is renowned for hosting the world's most prestigious race, where thousands of spectators arrive in fancy hats, sip signature Mint Juleps and gather to watch what many consider the most exciting two minutes in sports. However, behind the glitz of the southern tradition is a very dirty secret - massive piles of horse poop. For more than two decades, Ramiro Palacios and his small crew have been the uncelebrated heroes behind the scenes, keeping the stables spotless and the smells at bay. 'When you got 1,400 horses here pooping every day, you got to pick it up every day. It's a handful,' Palacios told NBC News. 'It stinks, but it's a job,' he added. 'Somebody has to do it, somebody they really know how to do it.' As General Manager of Fastrak Express - the company hired to deal with the mess - Palacios and his team have been knee-deep in the dirty work, day in and day out, all to keep the beauty of the complex intact and ensure smooth operations. The real work begins each day around 10am, once the horses finish their morning workouts and are tucked away in their stables. From there, heavy machinery rolls in - skid steers and tractor-trailers weaving through the stables, hauling away massive loads of manure until the job is completely finished. Incredibly, Palacios runs this massive operation with only a dozen men by his side - an incredibly small team for the mountain of mess they take on every day. 'A lot of people think, you know, 'It's just horses,'' Palacios told NBC. 'They don't realize how much they do every day, how much manure they put out every day.' With so many horses, tons of poop - literally - is removed from the Churchill Downs day after day. Palacios keeps track of the chaos by the size of his trucks, with each vehicle being able to hold roughly 165 yards of spent hay. With 48 barns and more than 70 pits on the backside of the complex, it's no shock that collecting the mess is a full-time job in itself. The team fills about seven truckloads of spent hay a day, totaling anywhere between 6,000 to 8,000 yards per week - enough to fill several swimming pools. 'If you skip one day, those horses don't stop,' Palacios told NBC. 'It really can get out of hand, really easy. So you really have to stay on top of it every single day.' But the job doesn't end once the stables are spick and span. Now, the team has to figure out where to dump the mountain of muck. At Churchill Downs, though, nothing goes to waste - not even waste itself. 'You have to know where to take it, how to take it,' Palacios explained. Once the poop is scooped up and hauled away, its taken to the Thoroughbred Center in Lexington to be dumped, processed and given a second life. Some lucky farmers get the goods, but most of it is shipped hundreds of miles away to mushrooms farms in Pennsylvania and Tennessee - because yes, horse poop helps mushrooms grow. However, Fastrak's crew doesn't stop in Kentucky - they're completing the same filthy work at tracks all across the country with contracts at Keeneland in Lexington and tracks in Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. It's a dirty job, but it's got its perks. Derby 151 marks 25 years of Palacios working behind the scenes at the super bowl of horse racing - though you won't find him saddled up on a thoroughbred. Palacios's slice of heaven isn't in the spotlight - it's tucked away beyond the cameras and chaos, on the gritty, unglamorous side of the legendary complex. 'Every morning you see the people, you see the horses, you work around the animals,' Palacios told NBC. 'It gets you relaxed.' Of course things can go wrong - broken machines, bad weather, no appreciation - but for Palacios, it's all about his hardworking crew. 'We work together and just make the horsemen happy and it just floats,' he said. 'You know, when everything works with as a team, it's a good thing.' The 151st Kentucky Derby race is scheduled to kick off 6:57 pm ET is scheduled for Saturday. Mint Juleps will be consumed, the most extravagant hats will be worn, celebrities will step out in designer clothes, wagers will be placed and, most importantly, 19 thoroughbreds and their jockeys will race for their shot at immortality. Over $350 million in wagers were placed on The Run for the Roses last year, and we expect that number to taken an even further step forward this year - potentially up to $400 million.
Fox Sports
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 Kentucky Derby: Chris 'The Bear' Fallica's expert picks, best bets
"Bear Bets" are real wagers that Chris "The Bear" Fallica is actually making. Every year, sports fans shift their attention to Louisville on the first Saturday in May for the Kentucky Derby. There's just something incredibly special about the event, dubbed "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports." This is the 151st "Run for the Roses," and regardless of whether you indulge in a few Mint Juleps, there is fun to be had for all — particularly when it comes to laying a few wagers. So, let's jump into the action. 1. Citizen Bull: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total) Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: Martin Garcia The Breeders' Cup Juvenile champion appears to be an outsider here. Stuck on the rail, he's destined to be part of what is expected to be a fast pace and that doesn't bode well for his chances. Add in a ridiculously fast work at Churchill Downs earlier this week, and he just might have left his race on the track. He'd be someone I'd look at fading in head-to-head matchups and potentially finishing last. 2. Neoequos: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total) Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr. Jockey: Luis Saez He wasn't embarrassed by Sovereignty in either Derby prep in Florida. But he, too, appears to be a pace casualty, given where he drew down inside. He might hang around for a bit, but he can't win. 3. Final Gambit: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total) Trainer: Brad Cox Jockey: Luan Machado The upset winner of the Jeff Ruby Steaks on the synthetic surface should be coming from off the pace and does have some distance breeding. But this is a far tougher ask than anything this colt has seen so far. And it's also the first time he'll race on a traditional dirt track. Could he pass the tiring speed horses in front of him and finish in the top half of the field? Sure. But that's about it. 4. Rodriguez: SCRATCHED Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: Mike Smith 5. American Promise: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total) Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas Jockey: Nik Juarez Don't expect anything close to the 30-1 ML, as he's been an extremely popular long-shot play this week. His Virginia Derby was great, but that was a terrible field on a different surface at Colonial Downs. He was nowhere at Oaklawn in the Risen Star and Southwest, so my gut says he's a cut below here. He, too, should be part of the early pace and does have distance breeding, but I'm worried about a regression and about the step-up in competition. None of D. Wayne Lukas' last 11 Derby starters have finished better than sixth. Great story if he wins — or even hits the board — but I have mixed feelings. 6. Admire Daytona: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total) Trainer: Yukihiro Kato Jockey: Christophe Lemaire I don't see it here. He won the 1 3/16 UAE Derby by a nose, but a 20-horse field at Churchill Downs is an entirely different story. Sire was primarily a sprinter to miler, and I think 1 1/4 is out of this horse's scope. I will not be using this. 7. Luxor Cafe: +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total) Trainer: Noriyuki Hori Jockey: Joao Moreira This is the Japanese runner that interests me. I'm a little concerned he could be a bit of an underlay, given Forever Young's near-win last year. But so far, it seems like he hasn't gotten the hype that Forever Young got last year. As was the case in 2024, interpretation of his workout at Churchill Downs varies, but I'm not going to overreact one way or the other. What I do think, however, is that it's clear they plan on taking the horse back, given the way he worked. That's a wise plan, as we expect a fast pace. We don't know what he has been facing in Japan, but he's won his last four races and should have the right running-style profile for the winner here, and it will be a nice price. He's one of the few horses in which I see an upside. The last six Derby winners were the seventh choice, eighth choice, longest shot in the field (20th), eighth choice, third choice and 18th choice. None was shorter than 8-1 and five were at least 15-1. He's one of the few horses I can see winning this race and will be prominent on my tickets. 8. Journalism: +300 (bet $10 to win $40 total) Trainer: Mike McCarthy Jockey: Umberto Rispoli He's a well-deserved favorite, as he's undefeated in route races and has a running style that is desired to win. If you want to knock the horse and his chances, about the only thing you can say is, in four of his five races, he's faced just four horses. So he'll face more horses here than he has in four of his five lifetime starts combined. His jockey, Umberto Rispoli, doesn't have a ton of Derby experience. How will he react in a 20-horse field? Trainer Mike McCarthy is as good as they come at shipping horses to different circuits for big-stakes races. So I have no concerns about Journalism taking to the Churchill surface, unless he just doesn't like a potential off going. His daddy, Curlin, sure liked the off going, so I'm not too concerned about that. My bets will involve him occupying one spot in the exacta and trifecta, as 11 of the last 13 favorites have finished in the money. I'll have to press pick four and pick five tickets with him as well. I think he's that good and will be tough to deny. 9. Burnham Square: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total) Trainer: Ian Wilkes Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr. The 2024 Derby-winning jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount on the winner of the Holy Bull and Blue Grass. He was beaten pretty soundly by Sovereignty in the Fountain of Youth, but Ian Wilkes isn't someone just to show up for a Derby party. He's had just one Derby starter (McCraken, who was eighth in 2017), so my guess is he's in here with a solid chance to hit the board. A win might be out of the question for the late runner that began his career in a 150k maiden claimer, but he could be a decently priced option in the exotics. 10. Grande: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total) Trainer: Todd Pletcher Jockey: John Velazquez It feels like Grande has some upside in just the fourth start of his lifetime. He wasn't getting to Rodriguez in the Wood at Aqueduct, but if he improves here, nobody should be surprised. However, I wonder if he might be a need-the-lead type based on his wins in his maiden and second starts. Was the Wood run an educational run? I doubt it, considering he needed to finish second to get a spot in the gate here. Remember, too, the Todd Pletcher-John Velazquez, trainer-jockey combo isn't a positive ROI in the Derby. There have been 14 starters — with seven being top-five betting choices — and the duo has one win with Always Dreaming, one runner-up back in 2001 with Invisible Ink and only one other runner even finished in the top five. Ten of the 14 starters finished ninth or worse. So you may get a shorter price on a horse that may not have a chance reflective of the price. He'll be sporadically used on my tickets, as I do think he has some upside, and maybe he runs evenly around the track to grab a piece of the tri or super. 11. Flying Mohawk: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total) Trainer: Whit Beckman Jockey: Joseph Ramos A no-chancer who is here based on a second-place finish in the Jeff Ruby Steaks. He's a turf horse (by Karakontie) that has points to run, so they are. 12. East Avenue: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total) Trainer: Brendan Walsh Jockey: Manny Franco The Breeders' Cup Juvenile favorite has been a disappointment, as he was never in it at Del Mar and then ran terribly at 4/5 in the Risen Star. He did run an admirable Blue Grass, cutting out a speedy half mile and nearly holding off Burnham Square. That was huge, as it guaranteed him a spot in the gate and ensured the pace to be hot (we think). He's shown no affinity to pass horses if he doesn't break on top, and with blinkers on again, I don't think we'll have to worry about that being an option. He's much more likely to finish last than first. 13. Publisher: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total) Trainer: Steve Asmussen Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. No trainer has sent more horses to the Derby starting gate without a win than Steve Asmussen's 26. I don't think Publisher will be breaking his maiden — or Asmussen's — in this race, but he could be a non-threatening third or fourth. He was a massive beneficiary of the pace collapse in the Arkansas Derby, and maybe we get a situation like that here. Asmussen's string wasn't great at Oaklawn this year, so we could totally see an improvement. Whether it's good enough — or how good it is — remains to be seen. 14. Tiztastic: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total) Trainer: Steve Asmussen Jockey: Joel Rosario Of the two Asmussen runners, this is the one I prefer. Remember, at least one 15-1 shot or longer has hit the board each of the last six years, so it wouldn't be too unreasonable to think Tiztastic could be that runner this year. I mentioned earlier how Asmussen's barn wasn't great at Oaklawn Park this year. He's a great example. He didn't run exceptionally well, although he had a couple of troubled trips at Oaklawn, then exploded to win the Louisiana Derby. Granted, Chunk of Gold was the second-place horse, so let's not overreact. But add it all up, and we have a closer who has a second- and third-place finish in graded stakes at Churchill Downs as a two-year-old, someone who has finished in front of Sandman and has a Derby-winning jockey. He might not be good enough to win, but hitting the board in a non-threatening fashion is something I can see. 15. Render Judgment: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total) Trainer: Ken McPeek Jockey: Julien Leparoux He's taking up space in the starting gate. That's all. 16. Coal Battle: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total) Trainer: Lonnie Briley Jockey: Juan Vargas There's plenty of reason to be skeptical of the runner that has done most of his running on minor circuits, but his last two races have me rethinking my skeptical stance on him. He was great in the Rebel, beating what was thought to be Bob Baffert's big gun in Madaket Road and then still managed to stay for third in the Arkansas Derby when he was much closer to a ridiculous pace than either Sandman or Publisher. Mike Joyce mentioned on the "Bear Bets Pod" that trainer Lonnie Briley even said he had a short horse that day — that he decided to only work him three times as opposed to four and that loss was on him. He will not have a short horse on Saturday. Maybe he will have a horse that's not good enough, but he will be plenty fit. The 30-1 odds seem ridiculously long on a horse that was 3-1 last race and finished third. If you're looking for a stalker that could be bombs away, you could do a lot worse than him. I'll be using in my exacta bets. 17. Sandman: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total) Trainer: Mark Casse Jockey: Jose Ortiz I'll be standing against someone who will be a massive publicly backed horse because of the connections. He has a maiden win, a win in an optional claimer and then ran a huge figure in the Arkansas Derby when a 45.1 and 1:10.1 pace on the front end just collapsed and set it up for a closer. His races at Churchill haven't been great either — fifth beaten ten lengths and third beaten five (by Sovereignty). His best running has come at Oaklawn. None of Mark Casse's then-Derby runners have hit the board, but in fairness, only Classic Empire was single digits. You can't bet them all and need to find a way to maximize your value. He's a closer that's been beaten by one of the top choices, will be heavily bet and hasn't necessarily run well yet at Churchill Downs. If you like him, that's fine. But I'm opposed. 18. Sovereignty: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total) Trainer: Bill Mott Jockey: Junior Alvarado The biggest threat to Sovereignty and the list that prefer him to Journalism isn't short. A run through his past performances shows a perfect Bill Mott progression. Didn't take much money on his debut and used the race to just get a foundation. In the second race, he stretched out and just missed, losing to a very nice Chad Brown colt named Praetor — one who might be headed to the Preakness. Next start, he was favored in the Street Sense at Churchill and absolutely crushed a field that included Tiztastic and Sandman. Off a four-month layoff, he secured his spot in the Derby with a huge turn of foot to win the Fountain of Youth. Then he got a perfect prep for the Derby in the Florida Derby, where he wasn't fully extended and was second to the perfect trip winner Tappan Street. As is always the case with closers, traffic is the concern. But reports are that Bill Mott couldn't be in a better mood this week and is exuding confidence. On the negative side, in Derby history, just two of Mott's 13 runners finished in the money. That's Country House, who crossed the wire second and was put up, and Tacitus, who was third. The second choice hasn't won since Super Saver in 2010. That said, he's got a huge shot and would be no surprise. 19. Chunk of Gold: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total) Trainer: Ethan West Jockey: Jareth Loveberry He was a distant second at boxcars in the Risen Star and a distant second at double-digit odds to Tiztastic in the Louisiana Derby. I'm not seeing it. 20. Owen Almighty: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total Trainer: Brian Lynch Jockey: Javier Castellano An honest horse that was 7/2 in the Blue Grass, which is the only time he's finished off the board. This will be the second time in his career he's finished off the board, as a speed horse from post 20 that has all the makings of being in the five path pressing a fast pace. He's someone you might want to look at finishing last. 21. Baeza: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total) Trainer: John Shirreffs Jockey: Flavien Prat This is a horse most people wanted to see draw in. He was a game second to Journalism in the Santa Anita Derby, in what was his first race against winners. This was Flavien Prat's first call, and he'll cede the mount on Neoequos to Luis Saez. Was his Santa Anita Derby the result of a small field and the fact that someone had to be second to Journalism? After all, he's been north of 14-1 in two of his four races. What type of trip can he work out from post 20? He's someone who is kind of in between being a pace presser and a stalker, so what will Flavien Prat do? Remember, Prat worked out a trip for Country House from a far outside post in 2019. He's definitely in with a shot. However, the surrounding hype may result in an underlay. I'll still be using. Suggested Ways to Bet the Derby $10 Win 8 ($10) $5 Win-Place 7 ($10)$4 Win-Place 16 (8) $5 Win-Place 21 ($10) $5 Exacta Key ($20) 8/7-13-14-16-21 $4 Exacta Key ($16) 18/7-13-14-16-21 $4 Exacta Key ($12) 7-16-21/8 $3 Exacta Key ($9) 7-16-21/18 $1 Trifecta ($45) 8/7-13-14-16-18-21/5-7-9-10-13-14-16-17-18-21 $1 Trifecta ($36) 7-16-18-21/8/5-7-9-10-13-14-16-17-18-21 Other plays I like this weekend. I'd play these win-place or in an exacta box with a couple of others. Friday Eight Belles (ninth race) 11 Look Forward 12-1 Mike McCarthy can get the weekend started right with this one. She's two-for-two sprinting and should be full of run on the cutback from 1 1/16 to 7 furlongs. Kentucky Oaks (11th race) Exacta Key Box 11 Good Cheer (6-5)with 1 Early On (30-1)3 Fondly (20-1)9 Tenma (12-1) 10 Take Charge Milady (12-1) The undefeated favorite will be hard to beat, so I will use her first and second in the exacts, with four price horses. Good Cheer should get a nice setup up front, and I'll be looking for one of the other four to complete the other exacta spot. Saturday CD Distaff Turf Mile (fifth race) 5 Five Towns 10-1 She's run huge in her second off a layoff in her previous two instances. Guess what? This is also her second race off a layoff. Graham Motion's filly gets a huge rider upgrade to Irad Ortiz Jr., who is the best finisher in the business. Turf Sprint (seventh race) 11 Eamonn 12-1 Eamonn needs a pace set up and clear path to close but might get it from post 11. He just has to avoid getting hung out too wide. American Turf (ninth race) 12 Golden Afternoon 20-1 I think the favorites are vulnerable here and the pace doesn't look superfast, so I'll take a shot with a huge price. I'm totally drawing a line through her last race because she was rank and never comfortable. With a very good rider on the front end (Mike Smith), she might get brave on or near the lead and have a big say in the outcome. Derby City Distaff (10th race) 7 Vahva 6-1 I'll be a bit surprised if we get 6-1 odds on her. She's four-for-four at Churchill Downs, including a win in this race last year. She's worked bullets gearing up for her return, so that's good enough for me. I can appreciate those who are concerned with her last two races, but I'm taking the approach that she simply didn't like the Del Mar surface in the Breeders' Cup and the track at Saratoga on Ballerina Day was very speed favoring and working against her. This is a really good race. Turf Classic (11th race) 4 Redistricting 10-1 I absolutely love this horse. There's no way we're gonna get 10-1, but I'll take what we can get. He's been favored in four of his seven starts, was 5-2 in his last race at FG off the nearly four-month layoff and just never had a great trip. Chad Brown has his main man Irad Ortiz Jr. up, and that tells me it's all systems go for a horse that should be finishing like a freight train. Chris "The Bear" Fallica has covered sports for nearly three decades. While college football has been his focus, he also enjoys the NFL, Soccer, Golf, Tennis, MLB, NHL and Horse Racing, with an "occasional" wager on such events. Chris recently won the inaugural Circa Football Invitational and finished in the Top 10 of the Golden Nugget Football Contest. He's a multiple-time qualifier for the NHC Handicapping Championship. Remember, "The less you bet, the more you lose when you win!" Follow him on Twitter @ chrisfallica . 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USA Today
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
An easy mint julep recipe for your Kentucky Derby party
An easy mint julep recipe for your Kentucky Derby party It's almost Kentucky Derby time! You know what that means: lots of colorful hats and fashions, celebrities who will enjoy the race ... and, oh yeah, the horses who will compete at Churchill Downs. EVERY KENTUCKY DERBY HORSE NAME, RANKED: The best names in the 2025 race It also means it's time to talk Mint Juleps, the classic bourbon cocktail that people love to drink at Churchill Downs and beyond. If you're not experienced at making cocktails, it's OK! I've made something like this recipe every year with much success, which is basically just like the usual version (and when I say basically, I mean that I ignore the measurements, eyeball it and taste along the way): 1. Take a tall glass, mix some sugar with a little water at the bottom (if you want to get REAL fancy, here's a good recipe for a simple syrup). 2. Muddle some mint at the bottom of your glass. 3. Throw in some ice. 4. Pour in your favorite bourbon. 5. Add some mint for garnish 6. Stir the whole thing together. That's it! Cheers!
NBC Sports
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC Sports
Matthew Berry's Love/Hate post 2025 NFL Draft
The Fantasy Football Happy Hour crew discuss which players benefited the most following their team's additions in the 2025 NFL Draft, including Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams and Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert. So, as I write this I am in Louisville, Kentucky. It's the 151st Kentucky Derby this Saturday and we are doing Fantasy Football Happy Hour from Churchill Downs, which you can watch at your leisure on the NFL on NBC YouTube channel or listen to it where ever you get your podcasts. I mention that because I'm not writing an opening story this week. If I did, it would be less time for Mint Juleps, now, wouldn't it? I'm working smarter here, not harder. If you're interested in my dynasty rookie rankings for Superflex and 1QB leagues, you can find them here. And gotta give a shout out to my friends at especially Dwain McFarland whose Rookie Super Models for all the positions are always must see. So, let's get right to it. This is a 'post draft' Love/Hate where the premise is slightly different than usual. This is all about how the NFL draft went for respective players. Players who saw their fantasy stock rise as a result of the NFL draft are 'Loves' and players who saw their fantasy stock fall after the NFL draft make the Hate List. Got it? Good. If you have a horse you like for either The Oaks (on Friday) or the Kentucky Derby (Saturday), holler at me on social media where I am @MatthewBerryTMR on every platform except the Bleacher Nation Fantasy App where I am merely @MatthewBerry. Thanks as always to my producer Damian Dabrowski for his help at various points in this column. Here we go: Quarterbacks I Love Post Draft Caleb Williams, Chicago The Bears used the 2025 NFL Draft to continue to build around their 2024 No. 1 overall pick, taking two offensive tackles, an explosive slot receiver in Luther Burden III and a playmaking tight end in Colston Loveland. All of that is more than enough to put Caleb Williams into … wait for it … Love land. (Hey, it's the offseason. You get offseason-quality jokes.) Don't forget: Chicago also added three other offensive linemen before the draft in Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson, and Drew Dalman. Add to that the arrival of new head coach Ben Johnson, and Williams has everything he needs to make the leap in 2025. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Four years ago, Baker Mayfield was playing quarterback for one of the worst organizations in pro sports while living in the Browns stadium (assuming those Progressive commercials were true). Now? He's got arguably the best receiving corps in football, while the Browns have more quarterbacks than seats in their stadium. Wild times. Granted, being drafted by Tampa isn't great for Emeka Egbuka's immediate fantasy prospects due to all the other mouths to feed in that offense. But it's hard to think of how things could be better for Mayfield. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin … and now Egbuka and Jalen McMillan as his WR3 and WR4? And an emerging Cade Otton at TE? And he's moved out of the Browns stadium into an actual house? These days, it's good to be Baker Mayfield. Others receiving votes: The New York Jets used three of their first four picks on offense (OT, TE, WR), yet spent nary a pick on a quarterback over all three days of the draft. It's the Justin Fields show in 2025. … From Justin Fields to Justin Herbert. The Chargers added three pass catchers in the draft in Tre Harris, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, and Oronde Gadsen II, completing the remake of the LAC pass-catching group that was essentially an empty room heading into last year's draft. Harris and Lambert-Smith also bring an additional vertical element to the passing game, which is a great fit for Justin Herbert, who was already top 10 in aDOT last season. Maybe 2025 will be the year of Justins. (Love you, Biebs.) … Despite having little to work with last season, Drake Maye still put up 17-plus fantasy points in six of his nine completed games. Some help has now arrived. The Patriots used their first four picks on offense, taking two linemen, along with running back TreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver Kyle Williams. … It's a similar story for Bryce Young in Carolina. From Weeks 8-18 last season, he was QB14 in PPG (18.1) and posted three games with 23-plus fantasy points over that span. Now, he's got an exciting new weapon in wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who the Panthers took No. 8 overall. Carolina also added WR Jimmy Horn, Jr. and TE Mitchell Evans on Day 3. … Houston is yet another team that wisely used early picks to provide weapons for their young quarterback. The Texans drafted two wide receivers and an offensive tackle with their first three picks and then added a pass-catching back in Round 4. Last year may have been a sophomore slump for C.J. Stroud, but this year could be a junior … jackpot? A junior jamboree? A junior jetpack-ride-to-the-moon? I don't know, okay? Something good that starts with a 'J.' I'll keep workshopping it over the summer. … Considering Derek Carr's apparent injury, Spencer Rattler's late-season ineffectiveness and the draft capital (40th overall, third QB selected) that the Saints spent on Tyler Shough, there's plenty of reasons to think the rookie could be New Orleans' Week 1 starter. Heck, I may just say 'Fhough it' and draft him in a lot of dynasty leagues. Quarterbacks I Hate Post Draft Dak Prescott, Dallas Well, I guess you can't doubt the Cowboys' faith in Dak Prescott, because they gave him essentially nothing to work with in the draft. Thanks to not selecting ANY wide receivers, Dak's WR depth chart after CeeDee Lamb remains Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin. I mean, it's hard to call that depth. That's the WR equivalent of a pool sign that says, 'no diving.' It's really no surprise that since 2021, Dallas hasn't had a single receiver other than Lamb reach 700 receiving yards. Looks like they want to keep that streak going in 2025. Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland At the risk of Mel Kiper, Jr. yelling at me, I'm putting Shedeur Sanders on the Hate List. But it's not because of the potential reasons for his drop in the draft that I've written about before. And it's not because of his talent or athleticism, no matter how much or little he may have. It's because Sanders has to beat out Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and a guy the Browns obviously like a lot more on tape (due to them picking him 50 spots earlier) in Dillon Gabriel. I don't think there is any way the Browns keep four QBs, so one of these guys isn't making the team. Maybe that guy is Sanders. And even if Sanders makes the team and does immediately show he's the best quarterback of the group, what's his reward? It's taking the controls of one of the worst offenses in football. Last season, Cleveland ranked 28th in QB fantasy points. Maybe Sanders emerges as the Browns QB1 at some point in the future, but it's unlikely he sees the field much early in his career. Running Backs I Love Post Draft Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas It would be hard not to be excited about Ashton Jeanty's fantasy prospects no matter where he landed in the draft. But he just so happened to be drafted into an ideal situation. Let's start with new Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. In his four seasons as an NFL head coach, Kelly's teams ranked top seven in rush attempts three times. During Kelly's three-year Eagles tenure, Philadelphia's backfields ranked fourth in fantasy PPG (27.7). That includes the 2013 season when LeSean McCoy led the NFL in carries (314) and rushing yards (1,607). Jeanty has the perfect coordinator in Chip Kelly. He also has the ideal draft capital, going No. 6 overall. Get this: Since 2012, five of the seven RBs drafted inside the top 10 averaged at least 19 touches per game as rookies. And all five of those seven finished as top seven backs in PPG. So, yeah, Jeanty has a lot going for him. But one thing he doesn't have? Any semblance of competition for touches. Raheem Mostert, Sincere McCormick, and Zamir White are the backs behind him on the Raiders depth chart. It will be Jeanty's show right out of the gate as a rookie. I have him as a top five fantasy back and a first-round pick. Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers I promise you that Omarion Hampton is not on the Love List just because he may be the largest human who has ever lived. (See: photo evidence.) Okay, sure that's part of the reason. But I also like him being drafted into a Chargers offense that ranked top 12 in both RB carries and RB rushing touchdowns last season and was 10th overall in rush rate. Yes, the Chargers signed Najee Harris in the offseason. But a) it was to a one-year deal, while Los Angeles used the 22nd overall pick on Hampton; and b) it's Najee Harris. Harris will do … fine. But all RB roads point to Hampton putting the bulk of the LAC ground game on his (extremely enormous) shoulders as the season progresses. Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Look for Quinshon Judkins to fill the Nick Chubb role on early downs in the Cleveland offense. The Browns surely didn't spend the 36th overall pick in the draft to have Judkins watch Jerome Ford play football. Or for him to watch any of their QB's pass. Don't forget, Chubb averaged at least 17 touches per game in all four of his full seasons as a starter. Chubb also finished as a top 12 RB in PPG in all four of those seasons. Coach Kevin Stefanski loves (needs?) a strong run game, so even with some of the workload still going to Ford (or fellow rookie Dylan Sampson) this season, Judkins should get plenty of work and be a solid RB2 as a rookie. RJ Harvey, Denver Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, Sean Payton had taken only three RBs before Day 3 in his career as a head coach: Reggie Bush, Mark Ingram, and Alvin Kamara. RJ Harvey makes four. Not a bad group to be in. Another good group to be in? Sean Payton's run offense. Since taking over as head coach in 2023, Payton's Denver offense ranks top 10 in RB fantasy points (22.3 PPG). With only Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime, and Tyler Badie on the RB depth chart with him, Harvey figures to get the bulk of the work. I have him in that low-end RB2 range with Judkins. Kaleb Johnson, Pittsburgh Kaleb Johnson is a great schematic fit for Arthur Smith's zone-running game. And to avoid getting too far into the X's and O's, let's just simplify Smith's run game approach by saying this: He likes to do it. A lot. Smith's offenses have ranked top three in rush attempts in four of his last five seasons as a head coach or offensive coordinator. His teams have also totaled 500-plus RB touches in each of the past three seasons. So, with Najee Harris vacating 299 touches, and Pittsburgh using the 83rd overall pick on the bruising Iowa product, Johnson figures to slot right into that workload. Yes, Jaylen Warren will still factor into the run game, but the Steelers clearly see him as more of a change-of-pace back. Pittsburgh has only let Warren get 15-plus touches in a game just eight times in his three-year career. Johnson looks to be in the RB20-26 range as a rookie. Others receiving votes: Over the final eight games of the 2024 season, Chase Brown averaged 20.6 PPG (RB4 over that span) and saw 23.6 touches per game. Cincinnati clearly liked what it saw, because the only RB the Bengals drafted was sixth-rounder Tahj Brooks. … One round after the Bengals took Brooks, the Commanders selected their only back of the draft in the seventh round. That's a huge vote of confidence for Brian Robinson, who averaged 13.9 PPG last season when seeing 15-plus touches. … It seems the Chiefs are still all-in on Isiah Pacheco. While Kareem Hunt is still around, he's pushing 30. And in the draft, the Chiefs essentially ignored the RB position, only taking Brashard Smith in the seventh round. … The Cowboys took Jaydon Blue in the fifth round and Phil Mafah in the seventh. You'll obviously want to monitor the Cowboys' RB workload in the preseason, but considering the lack of draft capital spent on the position, Javonte Williams is still the clear favorite for the RB1 job in Dallas. … The only football player as synonymous with insurance as Peyton Manning might be Christian McCaffrey. Because if you have McCaffrey, you definitely need insurance. And the best McCaffrey insurance in 2025 may just be rookie Jordan James. He offers more reliability than Isaac Guerendo, who is better suited to work more as a change-of-pace back. … Another rookie dart throw I like? Devin Neal. With only Kendre Miller and Clyde Edwards-Helaire in his way, he has a path to the RB2 job in New Orleans behind Alvin Kamara. … And let's go with one more, and the longest dart throw of all, in Kyle Monangai. Yes, D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson are the clear front-runners in Chicago, but Monangai could eventually project into that David Montgomery role in Ben Johnson's offense. Remember, during Ben Johnson's three seasons as offensive coordinator in Detroit, the Lions led the NFL in RB fantasy points. Running Backs I Hate Post Draft Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Last season, Rhamondre Stevenson was 40th among qualified running backs in fantasy points per touch and, in games in which he saw fewer than 15 touches, he averaged just 5.0 PPG. Not good. That's as volume dependent as you can get. Maybe Stevenson's nickname should be 'death metal' because that kind of music and his game both only work with a ton of volume. Unfortunately for Stevenson managers, his volume is going to be turned way down this year with the arrival of TreVeyon Henderson. The rookie will presumably take over the receiving role, and 34% of Stevenson's fantasy points last year came from receiving. Add in a portion of the carries that will go Henderson's way, and Stevenson's fantasy value in 2025 will be barely audible. Najee Harris, Los Angeles Chargers I tend to stick to fantasy advice in this column, but if I may briefly offer some real estate advice, it's this: Maybe Najee Harris should rent in Los Angeles instead of buying? Harris' one-year deal and the draft capital the Chargers spent on Omarion Hampton means L.A. won't force Harris touches if – and when – Hampton outperforms him. Harris is also coming off a season in which he had a career low in fantasy points per touch. In fact, over the past two seasons, in games in which he sees between 10 and 15 touches, Harris is averaging just 8.0 PPG. Like Stevenson, he needs volume to be effective in fantasy. Also, like Stevenson, he's probably not going to get it. Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Pittsburgh has given Jaylen Warren fewer than 15 touches in 83% of his career games, and he averaged just 10.5 touches per game in 2024. Last season, he also had less than 20% of Pittsburgh's red zone rushes, and only 12% of their goal-line rushes. Could Warren handle a bigger workload? Possibly. Is Pittsburgh going to give it to him? Almost definitely not. Kaleb Johnson is slated to be the new Najee Harris in Pittsburgh, while Warren is slated to be … the same Jaylen Warren. He's got his role, and it doesn't look like Pittsburgh is going to increase it. Tyrone Tracy, New York Giants Cam Skattebo's skill set should see him get a lot of work in the passing game and in goal-to-go situations, both of which will cut heavily into Tyrone Tracy's workload. Last season, in games in which Tracy got fewer than 19 touches, he only put up 12-plus fantasy points twice. And while Tracy and Skattebo will get the bulk of the work, don't forget that Devin Singletary is still hanging around and the Giants can't easily get out of Singletary's contract until after the season. Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Where to start with the bad news for Travis Etienne? Let's go chronologically and start with last year when Tank Bigsby significantly outperformed Etienne as a rusher. Now, let's fast-forward to the 2025 draft, when the Jaguars spent two picks on running backs in fourth-rounder Bhayshul Tuten and seventh-rounder LeQuint Allen. Tuten is a very good receiving back who, if he makes the team, could seriously threaten Etienne's target share. And now let's jump ahead to 2026, which is when Etienne is no longer under contract with the Jaguars. It doesn't seem by any measure that Etienne is factoring into Jacksonville's plans moving forward. So much so that Etienne's best shot at returning to fantasy relevance is to be traded to an RB-needy team. That's something to monitor as the season nears. But until then, Etienne is entrenched on the Hate List. Pass Catchers I Love Post Draft Travis Hunter, Jacksonville Going at No. 2 to Jacksonville instead of No. 2 to Cleveland was the best possible outcome for Travis Hunter. Trevor Lawrence is better than Cleveland's Frankenquaterback, and Brian Thomas, Jr. is the only other player on Jacksonville's roster who saw more than 53 targets last season. So, there are targets to be had. I like Hunter in Liam Cohen's offense, too. Last season, the Bucs ranked third in WR fantasy points, and that was with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin missing a combined 13 games. Tampa Bay also led the league in wide receiver yards on screens, and Hunter had a lot of production on screens in college. Maybe best of all? Travis Hunter will never have to play against elite NFL cornerback Travis Hunter. I have him as a low-end WR2 as a rookie in 2025. Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Last season the Panthers ranked top eight in wide receiver target share and WR red zone targets. Now, they have a 6-foot-4 receiver who can jump and boasts a massive catch radius. I like that upside. I also like Tetairoa McMillan's draft capital as the No. 8 overall pick. Get this: The last eight WRs to be drafted inside the top 10 all saw 100-plus targets as rookies. I'm putting McMillan right there with Hunter in 2025 in that WR18-24 range. Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Calvin Ridley will be aided significantly by catching passes from Cam Ward. I mean, just think how nice it will be for him to not have to try to catch footballs covered in mayonnaise anymore. But my analysis extends beyond egg-based condiments. Similar to how Ridley extends defenses. In 2024, Ridley led all NFL wide receivers with 60 deep targets and his 15.7 aDOT ranked second at the position. Now, he is paired with Ward, who had the fourth-most completions in college last season on passes of 20-plus air yards. And while Ridley is 30, the Titans don't seem to care much. They signed Tyler Lockett, who is two years older, and then didn't draft a receiver until the fourth round. Without a ton of competition for targets, Ridley will produce. Last season, in games in which he had a target share of at least 20%, he averaged 13.8 PPG. Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland The wide receiver depth chart in Cleveland behind Jerry Jeudy is Cedric Tillman, Diontae Johnson, Michael Woods, and Jamari Thrash. Maybe the Browns will use their QB surplus to bolster their WR depth chart. I know I'd love to see Joe Flacco running fly patterns. I guess we'll have to wait and see. But anyway, there's a reason Jeudy got 145 targets last season – seventh among WRs – and why he might get even more this season. By the way, in Jeudy's games last season in which he had six or more targets? He averaged 16.4 PPG. Colston Loveland, Chicago During Ben Johnson's tenure as Detroit's offensive coordinator from 2022-2024, the Lions ranked eighth in TE fantasy points. Over that same span, Lions tight ends combined for 32 receiving touchdowns, tied for second most in the NFL. So, when Johnson said that he sees a lot of similarities between Sam LaPorta and Colston Loveland? Oh, baby. I'm all in. (I'm also all out on Cole Kmet, whose contract has an out following the 2025 season.) Others receiving votes: The Raiders likely found their No. 2 WR with the 58th overall pick in Jack Bech. Last season, Tre Tucker ranked top 10 in routes run. Bech should take on that role in the offense. And not for nothing, but as a freshman in 2021 on an LSU team that included Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas, Jr., and Kayshon Boutte, Bech led the Tigers in receptions. … Quentin Johnston ranked bottom 10 in catch rate among wide receivers with 90-plus targets last year. So, it's not out of the realm of possibility that Tre Harris could supplant Johnson very quickly as the Chargers' WR2. I also happen to love his skill set as a new deep ball threat for Justin Herbert. … Demario Douglas is the only Patriots returning WR to have seen 70-plus targets last season. And while Stefon Diggs is now on the Patriots, he's coming off of a torn ACL. So, that means the depth chart is wide open for Kyle Williams to make some noise in New England. Williams' speed provides a much-needed element to the Patriots' offense. … The Cowboys didn't select any WRs in the draft. That's bad news for Dak Prescott, but good for Jalen Tolbert. He's the only wide receiver on the roster, other than CeeDee Lamb, who saw more than 55 targets last season. … Courtland Sutton is 30 and entering the final year of his deal, while Marvin Mims, Jr. and Devaughn Vele are not volume receivers. That leaves a path to fantasy production in Denver for third-round pick Pat Bryant. … You have to feel positive about any young, talented receiver that lands with the Chiefs. Even a middle-aged, talent-challenged receiver could put up numbers with Patrick Mahomes. (Which is what I keep telling their GM, but he won't return my calls anymore.) Anyway, Jalen Royals has even more upside considering Rashee Rice is coming off injury, Hollywood Brown is on a one-year deal, and they likely will wat to limit Travis Kelce's snaps during the regular season.… After Garrett Wilson, the WR depth chart on the Jets is Allen Lazard and Josh Reynolds. So don't be surprised if Mason Taylor, the third TE selected in the draft, immediately becomes the No. 2 target in the Jets' offense. … The Rams used their first pick of the draft, and the 46th pick overall, on tight end Terrance Ferguson. With Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson on expiring deals, Ferguson is clearly the TE of the future with the Rams. … Cleveland ranked top 10 in slot targets last season and were led in that category by Elijah Moore. Well, he just signed with the Bills, making Harold Fannin, Jr. most likely to fill that role. Pass Catchers I Hate Post Draft DJ Moore, Chicago The additions of Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III mean consistent targets could be difficult to come by. DJ Moore is coming off career lows in yards per target and yards per route run. Even worse for Moore? Burden is essentially more … Moore. Their skill sets overlap. Last season, more than 60% of Moore's receiving yards came after the catch and he led the NFL in screen targets. That essentially was Burden's game at Missouri and the second-round pick Chicago used on Burden means Ben Johnson already likes him. We don't know yet how he feels about Moore. Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Tampa taking Emeka Ebuka is one of those football moves that is great for real football, but mostly bad for fantasy football. Yes, it's great for Baker Mayfield's fantasy prospects, as stated above. But bad for everyone else. The Ebuka pick can only make you wonder if Godwin's return from injury has slowed. At the very least, the Bucs will now feel no pressure to rush him back from injury. As for Jalen McMillan? He might be the best WR4 in football. But that makes a player close to unusable in fantasy. We already saw how receiver depth hurt McMillan last season. Remember that in the five games McMillan played with Godwin active, he averaged a paltry 4.1 PPG and had a 9% target share with a route participation rate of just 63%. And now Ebuka is in the mix, too? Not ideal. Jayden Reed, Green Bay Matthew Golden is the first WR drafted by the Packers in the first round since 2002. To put that into perspective, 2002 is so long ago that Matthew Golden wasn't even alive then. Which, if you think about it, is probably why the Packers didn't take him then. Anyway, my point is that the Packers clearly like Golden. So much so that he profiles to be their WR1, while Jayden Reed will have to compete for targets with the rest of Green Bay's pass catchers. And even forgetting Golden's arrival, the Packers clearly don't see Reed as a full-time player. Last year, he had a 63% snap rate and – over the final 11 games of the season – he had a target share of just 14% and averaged 8.3 PPG (WR61 over that span). I can also see third-round pick Savion Williams, an RB/WR hybrid, getting some of Reed's manufactured touches. Tank Dell, Houston Due to a devastating knee injury in which most any and everything in a human knee was damaged, Tank Dell was already on track to miss the bulk of the 2025 season. So, it would be no surprise if the Texans sought fill-ins. But it seems more like they went out and got permanent replacements in Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. If, and hopefully when, Dell returns to action, he will return to what will be a greatly reduced role in the Houston offense. Tyler Warren, Indianapolis The do-everything Penn State tight end was drafted into an offense that will make it a challenge to do much of anything. The Colts are a run-first team that ranked 27th in pass attempts last season. And while Warren can contribute on the ground, he's in an offense that obviously likes to feed Jonathan Taylor first and will include a quarterback – no matter if it's Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones – who can grab a share of carries, as well. There is also a lot of competition in Indianapolis for the limited targets the passing game provides. Last season, the Colts had two wide receivers with 100-plus targets and four with 55-plus. And it will be even worse for Warren if Richardson gets the job due to Richardson's accuracy issues. Last season, Richardson ranked last among qualified QBs in completion percentage, off-target rate, and passer rating. I love Warren in fantasy long term, but it's hard to see him popping until the Colts upgrade their QB room.
