Winners Club: Skill Position Players to Watch in Indianapolis
The NFL combine is about to heat up when the top quarterback prospects take the field for their drills this weekend in Indianapolis.
There’s been recent movement in the betting market regarding the first overall pick and the results of these tests could shed some light on how things may unfold when the draft rolls around in April.
In today’s Winners Club you’ll find:
- Top QB, RB, WR and TE NFL draft prospects
- Updated NFL No. 1 pick odds
- Latest on projected top pick Jalen Carter
- American League and National League MVP odds
- March Madness teams on the bubble to watch
Top Prospects to Watch at the NFL Combine
This weekend is when fantasy managers will want to lock in to what’s going on in Indianapolis.
The NFL combine has been going on for a few days now, but skill position players are set to perform drills Saturday (quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends) and Sunday (running backs). Michael Fabiano ranked the top five players at each position ahead of those workouts and took a stab at ideal landing spots for each.
Quarterback: Everyone is talking about the size of Alabama’s Bryce Young, but there are few questions about his talent. He’s the favorite to go No. 1 in April.
Running back: Texas’ Bijan Robinson is head and shoulders above the rest of the running back class. It’s just a matter of how early a team is willing to take him.
Wide receiver: It’s a matter of personal preference for the top receivers in this class, with TCU’s Quentin Johnston, USC’s Jordan Addison and Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba all in contention to be the first pass-catcher picked.
Tight end: Led by Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer and Utah’s Dalton Kincaid, the incoming class is full of dynamic pass-catchers at the position.
Zach Bolinger/IMAGO
In more NFL combine news, Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who is facing two misdemeanor charges of racing and reckless driving and is No. 2 on SI’s big board, returned to Indianapolis Thursday.
And as always, there’s a whole lot more going on around the league. Here’s the skinny: Saints running back Alvin Kamara pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from an incident at the 2022 Pro Bowl … Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman responded to general manager Eric DeCosta’s statement about the team’s pass catchers … the Buccaneers will release tight end Cameron Brate in a cap-saving move as the team is currently well above the salary cap … the Jaguars are expected to trade or release cornerback Shaquill Griffin … and now that all 32 offensive coordinator positions have been filled, learn a little bit about each OC.
Two Heavy Favorites Atop MLB MVP Markets
There is one player in the American League and one in the National League with far better odds than their contemporaries to earn the league’s top individual honor.
In the AL, it’s Angels two-way player Shohei Ohtani at +200. The next closest player is Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, who won the award last season, at +500.
As for the NL, Padres outfielder Juan Soto has the shortest odds at +550. Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts is the next closest at +900.
Jen Piacenti broke down the odds markets for the American League and National League MVP with Opening Day now less than a month away.
Darren Yamashita/USA TODAY Sports (left); Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports (right)
In Other News
Checking in on the NCAA Tourney Bubble Teams: Preseason No. 1 team North Carolina has some work to do to get back to the Big Dance. See which other teams are on the fringe of earning a spot in the field of 68 and what they still have to do to punch their ticket.
LeBron James Diagnosed with Foot Tendon Injury: The Lakers star will be re-evaluated in three weeks after the injury he suffered Sunday against the Mavericks. L.A. is currently in 11th place in the West and is 6–10 without James this season.
Pete Maravich’s All-time NCAA Scoring Record Still Stands: Detroit Mercy’s Antoine Davis fell three points shy of tying the LSU legend’s mark of 3,367 points. Maravich set the record in 1970 before the introduction of the three-point line.
Thanks for reading Winners Club! Enjoy your weekend and be sure to look out for another edition of the newsletter in your inbox next week when conference tournaments are in full swing.
