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New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Fantasy football 2025 All-Undervalued team featuring Dak Prescott, Chris Olave, Mike Evans
It's not likely Warren Buffett was talking about fantasy football when he said, 'Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.' He's too busy having all the cheese to concern himself with such frivolities. But what Buffett said holds as much truth in our hobby as when buying North Dakota. It's not the price you pay for a player. It's what you get for that price. Advertisement In the case of North Dakota, it's a lot of barley, wheat, oats, sugarbeets and sunflower seeds. Oh, and the Bismarck Bucks of the Indoor Football League. Mustn't forget them. This could be their year, you know. In fantasy football, value is the key to success. Build a roster of undervalued players whose production in 2025 surpasses their price tag, and odds are it will be a good year. Conversely, fill a roster with players who fail to live up to their draft slot, and by the end of November, your chances of making a deep playoff run will be as dead as a Thanksgiving turkey. There are many reasons why a player could be undervalued. They could be coming off an injury, have (GASP!) 30-plus candles on their birthday cake or play for a team expected to struggle. Whatever the reason, undervalued players are waiting to lead fantasy managers to glory every year. And this season, the following players are an All-Star squad of fantasy bargains. ADPs via FantasyPros Prescott's ADP is evidence that fantasy drafters love a good grudge. After missing half of last season with a hamstring injury, Prescott is being drafted outside the top 12 quarterbacks even though in 2023 he completed almost 70% of his passes, was third in the NFL with 4,516 passing yards and led the league with 36 touchdown passes. Those numbers landed Prescott third among quarterbacks in fantasy points. The addition of wide receiver George Pickens and the return of a healthy Jake Ferguson at tight end (and that CeeDee Lamb guy — hear he's good) gives Prescott a solid set of pass-catchers. And given the questions swirling around the Cowboys' ground game, Dallas could easily be one of the NFL's more pass-heavy teams this season. Brown's second-half surge last year propelled more than a few fantasy teams to championships. Brown finished his second professional season with 1,350 total yards and 11 scores — good enough for an RB10 PPR finish. From Week 8 on, he had double-digit PPR points in every game he played and ranked sixth at his position in fantasy points. Advertisement The Bengals have made it clear that Brown is the team's unquestioned lead back, with words and actions — Cincy recently released veteran running back Zack Moss. Playing for a loaded offense that prevents opponents from stacking the box as a three-down workhorse from the jump, Brown could flirt with the top-five at his position in 2025. On some level, it's understandable why fantasy managers have concerns about Conner. He's a 30-year-old running back with an injury history. As a matter of fact, the next season Conner plays every game will be his first, although in his defense, the ninth-year veteran played a career-high 16 games a year ago. Conner had arguably the best season of his career in 2024 — over 1,500 total yards, 4.6 yards per carry and an RB11 finish in PPR fantasy points. The season before that, Conner averaged 5.0 yards a pop and was RB13 in PPR points per game. Trey Benson isn't a serious threat to the veteran's three-down role — Conner is being drafted a lot closer to his floor than his ceiling. Several rituals signify the end of summer — Labor Day barbecues, the closing of public pools, children returning to school, and, for reasons that make about as much sense as the Star Wars prequels, fading Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans in drafts. Yes, Evans has played 11 years in the NFL. But in every one of those seasons, the 31-year-old has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards. Evans caught 11 touchdown passes a season ago — his fourth season in the past five years with double-digit scores. He has also posted four top-12 PPR finishes over that span. Other than that? Total bum. It's not especially easy to get excited about the Titans offense. Even their quarterback, rookie Cam Ward (the first overall pick in last April's draft), admits the team has work to do, telling reporters from training camp, 'I just think we're very mid right now.' Advertisement It's an assessment that doesn't exactly inspire fantasy enthusiasm. But Ridley was WR27 last year catching wormburners from Will, 'The Mayo Man' Levis, who dreams to one day be 'mid.' Ridley topped 1,000 receiving yards for the second straight season in 2024 despite a career-low catch percentage of just 53.3. The last time that percentage was above 60, Ridley tied for fourth in the league with 1,374 receiving yards and was fifth in PPR points at the position. Not long ago, Olave was considered a rising young star at wide receiver instead of a fringe fantasy starter. The former Ohio State star topped 1,000 receiving yards in his first two seasons and had a fantasy ADP inside the top-12 receivers a year ago. But after a concussion-marred mess of a 2024, it's downtown 'meh' for Olave's fantasy prospects in the eyes of many this season. The Saints will probably be stinky poo (it's a technical term), and the team's quarterback situation may be the worst in the league. But someone's gotta catch passes for a New Orleans team that figures to be playing from behind a lot in 2025, and Saints head coach Kellen Moore's offense has produced more than a few big years from said offense's top wideout. Engram is another player on the All-Undervalued team who missed significant time in 2024. Hamstring and shoulder injuries limited the 30-year-old to nine games, 365 receiving yards and just one score. But the season before, Engram had more catches than every player in the AFC not named Tyreek Hill and led the conference in fantasy points among tight ends. The Broncos are paying Engram a substantial amount of money this year to fill the 'Joker' role in Sean Payton's offense, which means he'll be lining up all over the formation. It's the role Jimmy Graham played for Payton with the Saints, and as the New York Post's Howard Bender wrote, over a four-year span from 2011-2014, Graham averaged 138 targets, 89 receptions, 1,099 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Is that good? It sounds good. Advertisement After an outstanding 2021 season in which he surpassed 1,700 total yards, scored 14 total touchdowns and finished third in PPR points among wide receivers, Samuel was a bona fide fantasy stud. Fast forward a few years, and after failing to hit 700 receiving yards for the second time in three seasons in 2024, it's off to downtown Dudsville for the 29-year-old in 2025. Or is it? As recently as 2023, Samuel eclipsed 1,100 total yards, scored 12 touchdowns and was a top-15 fantasy option at his position. If the Commanders were as sure as fantasy managers that Samuel was washed, they wouldn't have traded for him. And with the Terry McLaurin contract saga dragging into August and Washington's sights set squarely on Samuel's old stomping grounds (in, say, February), offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury could be all the more motivated to scheme him touches. Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on X at @IDPGodfather. (Photo of Mike Evans: Julio Aguilar / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Times
Chiya review: €9.90 Berlin-style kebab could be Dublin city's best bargain
71 Dame Street, Dublin 2★ 7/10 Could this be the most substantial, generous and incredible value dish that Dublin city centre offers? For €9.90 Chiya's heavy, generously packed, exuberantly fresh pittas — a two-handed eating experience and probably enough eating for two in one — might just be the best deal to be found on Dame Street, if not the whole city centre. In this particular precinct possibly only Umi Falafel opposite or the Detroit-style pizza shop Doom Slice could give chase in the value stakes. This Berlin-inspired kebab spot blazed on to the scene just under nine months ago, opening in mid-November at the heart of Dame Street next door to the Olympia Theatre. It comes from the Aydin family, the same team behind Reyna a few steps away, which reimagined the unit formerly home to Iskanders for almost three decades and which we reviewed in May 2023. Prior to opening, Chiya was teased first at Big Grill, the barbecue and live fire festival held in Herbert Park, exactly a year ago. The festival rolls around again this week, from Thursday to Sunday. While Reyna zones in on Turkish specialities and is sympathetic to the traditional Turkish-style kebab shop — two years ago we wrote 'a dash of old school in new school uniform', making effectively everything in-house from scratch and cooking over charcoal rather than gas — Chiya follows the German interpretation, most popularised in the city of Berlin, of Turkish kebabs served with a distinct German accent. Theoretically Berlin-style kebabs are a lighter affair with more sandwich real estate given over to salads and various sauces while the proteins pivot more crowd-pleasing (chicken, beef and halloumi) than leaning on lamb or offal. The main difference, however, lies in the bread — Turkish pide with a fluffy, chewy middle but a crisp exterior. The pide is baked in a big boule, quartered and then sliced through the middle to fan out in a triangular shape allowing the utmost surface area to layer, fill, stuff and top. The bread is also pressed on a grill plate to make the exterior extra crunchy while branding in grill marks. The dual bouncy interior and crisp exterior with griddle marks is a texture and taste most Irish palates will be familiar with, having endured the era of the panini throughout the 2000s. Chiya's mixed doner is the signature we start with and as a calling card it's fairly majestic — mega in size and invitingly open-faced. Every mouthful is memorable with lots of different fresh elements, but it is the chicken-beef mix that makes it. Shaved to order in razor-thin, tender and delicate cuttings from the vertical rotating spits, the beef and the chicken have an intensity, caramelisation and welcome charred note. • Chubbys, Dublin review: A glorified food truck with a 6 week waiting list As a vegetarian alternative, the halloumi version lacks a similar shine. Without that rich meatiness, it's an overly crunchy salad sandwich experience punctuated by squeaky cheese. Even with the additional slick of a slightly spiced red pepper houmous, it is drier and lacks the depth, intensity and juiciness of the mixed doner. There is also a müjver (courgette fritters) and gemüse (deep fried vegetables) option to fill the pitta, while you can also build your own bowl. We order extra Berliner sauce on the side, which turns out to be ranch by any other name — garlicky, herby, creamy, inoffensive and fast-foody but not particularly interesting. Two brilliant touches are the complementary fiery accompaniments, mismatched jars of properly piquant pickled Turkish peppers on every table and the pul biber chili flake sprinkle. Chiya has a polished fit-out and clearly a lot of thought pumped into a primely perched unit. There is coral-coloured scallop ceiling detailing, flashes of its signature forest green carried through from the exterior wall colour into window frames and stool tops and the whole space feels modern and contemporary. However, with only about ten tables it's a fight-for-your-life situation when busy, like last Thursday evening. Having ordered and been bestowed buzzers, it's a case of embodying your inner seagull: glaring at all the customers eating, eyes primed on the prize, judging when they might flinch and ready to pounce at moment's notice. There is no rhyme or reason to the system; twice we're beaten to seats by those who ordered after us. • Comet, Dublin: The hot new wine bar serving a small plate menu priced €78 On the sides section of the menu cheesy börek catches our eye but is sold out, so we order a few of the others. The curly fries are fine, though odd to find here, and there's not a lot of imagination you can apply to spirals of coated potato from the freezer. Deep-fried courgette fritters are more interesting — crunchy polenta-coated on the outside and mushy-middled, punctuated by cubed, cooked courgette and a whack of dill. The interior is almost akin to tzatziki, super-chilled, coated and fried the way the Spanish begin croquetas from a base of béchamel. Homemade ayran, the Turkish salted yoghurt drink, is properly tangy and tart, cool, refreshing and creamy, but inching ever so slightly on cheesy, which is definitely an acquired taste. Homemade lemonade is sharp and zingy, more sweet than tart, and would be better served with a hefty handful of ice. For the value, flavour and portion size it might be easy to overlook provenance and it appears that is the case — we see no sourcing information whatsoever, not even indications of the meat being Irish. • Wallace's Asti: an authentic taste of Sardinia in Dublin 1 It looks like Chiya does a roaring takeaway trade, but we're not convinced this type of loaded kebab travel particularly well. Much of the joy is applying to face in-person here, where the kebab arrives handsomely on a brushed metal tray set in a large branded taco holder. Chiya is a clever concept offering stonking value for the portions and flavour. All it needs is a bit more German efficiency to create a smoother, more seamless UX. Halloumi pitta €9.90Mixed doner pitta €9.90Müjver €4.50Curly fries and ayran (meal) €7Berliner sauce €2Lemonade €3.50 Total: €36.80 Three more kebab spots worth knowing in Dublin Berliner, Richmond Street South Another recent addition to the city and a fellow small, Berlin-style kebab spot specialising in sourdough pide in the city centre; @berlinerkebabdublin Baxto's, Mulhuddart A Persian/Kurdish take on kebabs and other unique specialities in Dublin 15; @baxtoskebab Zaytoon (various) Nourishing Dublin for 25 years, Zaytoon opened in 2000 and now boasts five locations across the city, from Swords in the north to Sandyford in the south; @ @chiyadublin
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
McDonald's Wants to Win Back Low-Income Diners With Menu Boards That Scream Value
Key Takeaways American customers think McDonald's lacks value when they see $10 combo meals on menu boards at the drive-thru, CEO Chris Kempczinski said Wednesday. The company is working with franchisees on adding more value to its "core menu" as traffic among low-income consumers continues to fall, Kempczinski said. McDonald's second-quarter results exceeded analyst expectations, thanks to a strong performance from international $2.99 Snack Wrap is merely an opening act. More value on McDonald's (MCD) "core menu" is crucial for the chain to stage a comeback with low-income consumers, CEO Chris Kempczinski said Wednesday. McDonald's second-quarter domestic sales were lifted by promotions, including $5 meals, the Snack Wrap's return and the option to add a number of items to an order for $1, Kempczinski said on its earnings call. The restaurant reversed a drop-off in traffic among middle-income households, but recorded a double-digit decline in visits from low-income Americans, he said. That poses a problem for McDonald's, which is working with franchisees to bring back customers who are put off by $10 combo meals at the drive-thru, Kempczinski said. "We've got to get that fixed," Kempczinski said, according to a transcript made available by AlphaSense, before concluding: "The single biggest driver of what shapes consumers' overall perception of McDonald's value is the menu board." The Chicago-based company surpassed quarterly revenue and earnings expectations, thanks to a strong performance abroad. Comparable store sales increased 3.8% year-over-year for the quarter ended June 30th, while analysts were expecting a 2.6% uptick, according to consensus estimates from Visible Alpha. Comparable store sales in the U.S. rose 2.5%, just above the 2.3% consensus estimate from Visible Alpha. McDonald's shares were up nearly 3% in recent trading. They have gained about 6% this year. Read the original article on Investopedia Sign in to access your portfolio
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
How Choice Hotels Is Winning Over Value-Conscious Travelers
Travel Is Back — But Travelers Are Evolving. In a post-pandemic era where travel demand has surged and consumer expectations have shifted, Choice Hotels is positioning itself not just as a place to sleep, but as a catalyst for value-driven, experience-rich journeys. According to Noha Abdalla, Chief Marketing Officer of Choice Hotels, travelers today are booking closer to their departure dates and demanding flexibility, but one thing remains consistent: they're not giving up on travel. 'People are continuing to prioritize travel and the experiences that they get to achieve as they go,' Abdalla shared. Whether it's sporting events, concerts, or national parks, consumers are seeking out experiences that enrich their lives — and Choice is quietly winning in this landscape by being in the right place at the right time, for the right price. Serving the 'Value + Experience' Equation Abdalla is quick to point out that 'value' doesn't mean cheap. It means delivering more than what's expected — regardless of the price point. 'Whether you are spending $80 or $300 a night, we want you to feel like you're getting a good value for that money spent,' she said. That mindset is particularly relevant in an economic climate where many consumers are trading down from luxury stays, not because they want less, but because they want their money to go further. With over 4,000 properties within a mile of an interstate exit, Choice is uniquely positioned for the rise in road trip travel. 'Some have decided not to go anywhere by air, but instead to go by car,' Abdalla noted, explaining how location, accessibility, and reliability have played to their strengths. For families, solo adventurers, or the classic 'gals trip,' a trusted hotel brand in the right location can mean the difference between stress and ease. Loyalty Evolved: From Room Nights to Experiences Choice's Choice Privileges® program isn't just keeping up with modern loyalty expectations — it's setting a new bar. The brand recently made three strategic updates: Together, these updates helped the program earn top honors from U.S. News & World Report and Wallethub. As Elizabeth Von Tersch, Senior Travel Editor at U.S. News & World Report, explained, 'What we look at the most is how quickly someone can earn a free night. On average, with Choice Hotels, you're going to stay about 9 nights before you earn a free night. Across all hotel brands, it was about 15 nights.' Ms. Von Tersch added that Choice also leads when it comes to perks that are accessible sooner: 'Starting with 10 nights with Choice, you're going to get really nice perks like early check-in, late checkout, and free room upgrades... You typically don't get all three of those perks with bigger brands until 25 or even 40 nights.' Experience Is the New Currency Perhaps what's most forward-thinking is how Choice has woven experience redemption into its loyalty program. 'We try to make available to our guests experiences that they can redeem points for at low point values — and also at high point values for things that money can't buy,' Abdalla said. 'At TFL, we see how loyalty programs that offer live event access unlock emotional connections — consumers aren't just collecting room nights or points, they're earning memories,' said Jay Harig, SVP at TFL. 'It's that experiential reward—attending a concert or game using loyalty points or cash with points—that turns customers into advocates.' Through partnerships with Learfield Sports and Trackhouse Racing, guests can trade points not just for game tickets, but for behind-the-scenes access — sideline passes or meet-and-greets with NASCAR drivers. These rewards speak to a truth about modern consumers: they're collecting stories, not just stamps. Elizabeth Von Tersch commented on this trend as well: 'I think they [loyalty programs] can get it so many other places... But it is a nice perk at the end.' She added, 'It's nice to have live event access.' Partnerships That Extend the Brand's Reach Beyond NASCAR and college football, Choice's strategic alliances are quietly expanding the brand's footprint. Their partnership with Penn Entertainment allows members to use points across 20+ casinos. A deal with Westgate Resorts provides access to more family-style condo accommodations in places like Orlando and Park City. And through Preferred Hotels & Resorts, members can even redeem points at over 300 luxury properties worldwide. 'We see a lot of people using Choice Hotels and staying at Choice Hotels on their work trips so that they can use those points for leisure with their families,' Abdalla said. That dual-purpose loyalty ecosystem — business trips that fund bucket list experiences — reflects the modern blend of work and play. In an age where consumers are stretching their dollars and chasing meaning over materialism, Choice Hotels has carved a niche that's as practical as it is emotionally intelligent. With a focus on experience, partnerships that unlock new destinations, and a loyalty program tuned to modern behaviors, they've become more than just a mid-scale stalwart — they've become an enabler of better travel. As Abdalla puts it, 'It's about helping people get more value for their money — and more memories along the way.'
Wall Street Journal
3 days ago
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Royal Caribbean Aims to Raise Prices—and Still Be a Bargain
Taking a cruise has long been a cheaper way to vacation, with prices as much as 40% lower across the industry than land-based alternatives with similar amenities. Royal Caribbean Group is looking to close its price gap without losing travelers seeking value. The plan is to upgrade its offerings with private islands and new ships and destinations as it raises ticket prices, aiming to keep the value appeal in play.
