Sports

NFL Week 2 picks: Our experts face off on Lions at Bills Thursday night, Bengals vs. Texans and more

They say Week 1 is a liar, so who lied in their season opener? Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos looked like one of the worst teams in the NFL, we watched Drake Maye and Jordan Love lose to backup quarterbacks, and the Los Angeles Rams aren’t the super team some envisioned. Who can turn it around in Week 2?
This weekend, the new-look Cincinnati Bengals defense will get its shot at C.J. Stroud, the Broncos will look to get back on track with another AFC contender in the Jacksonville Jaguars, while the Kansas City Chiefs and Indianapolis Colts face off on “Sunday Night Football.” Which teams should you pick in Week 2, and which should you fade? CBS Sports writers Jordan Dajani and Jared Dubin are here to break down the biggest games of the weekend. For clarity, lines for these selections were taken on Sept. 15 over at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Detroit Lions at Buffalo Bills (-4.5) (TNF)
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime
Dajani (Bills -4.5): This could be the game of the year. Not only are these two of the best teams in the NFL, both being tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for the league’s best record since 2023 at 37-15, but it’s also the first regular-season game in the new Highmark Stadium! It’s going to be a night talked about in Buffalo forever. That’s why it’s around $400 to get in the door, per Ticketmaster.
Something has to give here. The Bills have won five straight vs. the Detroit Lions and are 10-2 in their past 12 primetime home games. But the Lions are 14-3 in primetime over the last five seasons, which is the best mark in the NFL! Jared Goff has averaged 351.7 passing yards per game against the Bills — but has an 0-3 record. Last time Goff played Buffalo, he became the only quarterback in NFL history to lose a game with 400 passing yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions, according to CBS Sports Research. Insane. I’m expecting an absolute shootout on Thursday night, and 4.5 points is more than I was anticipating. However, the Lions’ injury report has me leaning toward Buffalo. Goff is down his starting right tackle in Blake Miller, and starting left guard in Christian Mahogany. I saw Buffalo’s defensive front get an impressive push in Houston, and ultimately win that game by stripping C.J. Stroud of the football. Bills win in a thrilling home opener. … Prediction: Bills 36, Lions 30
Dubin (Lions +4.5): This should be a ridiculously high-scoring game. (The Over-Under, as of this writing, is 54.5, which is the highest of the week by 4 full points.) Both the Bills and Lions have explosive offenses paired with defenses that could best be described as charitable, which we saw last week. There are matchup advantages all over the field for both teams. I could see all of Josh Allen, James Cook, DJ Moore, Dalton Kincaid, Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams going off in a potential fireworks show. I lean toward the Bills for the win in the debut of their new stadium, but I like the Lions to keep it close enough that the Bills don’t cover the spread. … Prediction: Bills 35, Lions 31
Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots (-4.5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET on CBS (Stream on Paramount+)
Dajani (Steelers +4.5): I’m probably the only person in the world who remembers last year’s edition of Steelers at Patriots. It was an incredibly forgettable game, where the Steelers beat the Patriots by a touchdown, 21-14. Yes, Aaron Rodgers beat Drake Maye and the eventual AFC champions in Foxborough. The Patriots have had extra time to mull over their embarrassing loss to Drew Lock in the season opener, but with the point-spread being 4.5 points in a game where I’m expecting like 30 total points, I’m going to lean towards the underdog. Especially with A.J. Brown sidelined by a high ankle sprain. Believe it or not, the Steelers have won THREE STRAIGHT GAMES as an underdog of at least four points! I’ll take Pittsburgh to keep it close. … Prediction: Patriots 16, Steelers 13
Dubin (Patriots -4.5): New England did not look good at all last week. The Seahawks’ defense totally shut down everything that Drake Maye and the rest of the offense wanted to do, and it got ugly in the fourth quarter in particular. The Steelers, meanwhile, shut down everything the Falcons offense wanted to do on Sunday. But Maye is not Cooper Rush, and the Patriots are not the Falcons. This should be a relatively low-scoring game, but I still trust New England’s offense a lot more than Pittsburgh’s, and that should be enough to take home the win. … Prediction: Patriots 21, Steelers 13
New Orleans Saints at Baltimore Ravens (-7.5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET on CBS (Stream on Paramount+)
Dajani (Saints +7.5): The Baltimore Ravens were one of the big winners from Week 1. They eviscerated the Colts, 41-23, while racking up 500 yards of total offense. Derrick Henry ran for 144 yards and three touchdowns, while Zay Flowers registered a career-high 150 yards receiving and a touchdown … in the first half. However, I would say that the Saints were one of the biggest “winner losers” from Week 1. I actually like that term. “Winner losers.”
I was wildly impressed by Tyler Shough, who threw for 410 yards and three touchdowns to go with three turnovers vs. the Lions. It looked like he was flailing at the beginning of the second half with two straight turnovers, but the second-year signal-caller hung in there, relied on his playmakers like Chris Olave, and helped New Orleans overcome a 21-0 deficit on the road to get to overtime. It was remarkable. Dude is tough mentally and physically.
I’m going to take the Saints to cover the big number because Baltimore could be without two of its top wideouts in Flowers (hamstring) and Ja’Kobi Lane (wrist). Plus, Shough is 8-2 ATS in his career as the starting quarterback. That’s tied for the best mark since 1970. A gambler’s dream QB! … Prediction: Ravens 28, Saints 24
Dubin (Saints +7.5): Baltimore looked like the best offense this side of Chicago in its demolition of the Colts in Week 1. Before Zay Flowers went out after aggravating his hamstring injury, Declan Doyle’s group looked essentially unstoppable with Lamar Jackson targeting Flowers and Derrick Henry rushing through gaping holes in the line. The defense also limited the Colts to just 4.7 yards per play. It was a terrific debut. The only reason I’m taking the Saints here is the question about Flowers’ availability, and the potential for New Orleans to secure a back-door cover in comeback mode, like it did against Detroit last week. … Prediction: Ravens 27, Saints 20
Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans (-2.5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET on CBS (Stream on Paramount+)
Dajani (Texans -2.5): One of the games of the week. I found such joy in watching the Bengals’ defense force three fumbles on the Bucs’ first four possessions. The fans in the stands must have been crying tears of joy. Still, this was a competitive matchup that came down to the wire. As for the Texans, no one expected that defense to allow 36 points and for Josh Allen to register the first 300-yard passing game vs. Houston since 2024. If that’s a sign of things to come, then the Bengals are winning this game. But I think DeMeco Ryans is going to have this defense ready to roll and rebound in their second straight home game. … Prediction: Texans 27, Bengals 23
Dubin (Texans -2.5): Houston lost a heartbreaker at home to Buffalo last week and now faces another explosive offense in a Cincinnati group that scored a lot but didn’t necessarily even look its best in Week 1. Ja’Marr Chase, at least, should be a lot better after posting just two catches for 12 yards last week, even with Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter across from him. But the Texans’ offense also looked a bit better than expected last week, and were it not for some ill-timed fumbles, the Bucs would have hung a bunch more than their 27 points on Cincinnati. I think both teams can find some success offensively here, and in that case, I like the Texans to secure the win at home. … Prediction: Texans 26, Bengals 24
Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos (-3)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS (Stream on Paramount+)
Dajani (Jaguars +3): I’m sorry, but how am I supposed to feel confident laying points with the team that looked like the worst in the NFL last week? Yes, even worse than the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans. The Broncos were a nightmare of epic proportions in Kansas City on Monday night. Davis Webb couldn’t get Bo Nix into a rhythm at all, Jaylen Waddle caught one pass for 2 yards and this vaunted defense registered a missed tackle rate of 29.8%. Absurd.
I know Week 1 is a liar and I expect the Broncos to be better than what we saw on Monday night, but this Jaguars team is for real. Denver knows that, as Trevor Lawrence came to Mile High and dropped 34 points on the Broncos in Week 16 last year to end Denver’s 11-game win streak. … Prediction: Jaguars 24, Broncos 23
Dubin (Push): Jacksonville looked just about as impressive as possible in its beatdown of the Browns in Week 1, while Denver looked like a two-way disaster in its blowout loss to the Chiefs. Predicting such a stark reversal feels wrong, but I felt really good about the Broncos coming into the season and don’t want to back off that just yet. I think Denver finds much more offensive success than it did against Kansas City here, while Jacksonville slows down just a bit after its blistering start. … Prediction: Broncos 24, Jaguars 21
Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs (-6.5)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (Stream: Fubo — try for free)
Dajani (Chiefs -6.5): The Colts are one of four teams with a winning record in the regular season vs. Patrick Mahomes, and their last meeting went to overtime. However, the new-look Chiefs are all about running the rock with Kenneth Walker, who exploded for 173 rushing yards and a touchdown on Monday night. That could be a problem, since the Colts allowed 202 rushing yards and 506 yards of total offense vs. the Ravens. Derrick Henry galloped for 144 yards and three touchdowns, while Lamar Jackson found paydirt as well. It was the worst yardage margin (-255) in any game for the Colts since 2017. There are plenty of trends that back up the Colts’ case here, such as them being 3-0 ATS in their last three games vs. the Chiefs, but I’ll take Kansas City to win by a touchdown at home. … Prediction: Chiefs 24, Colts 17
Dubin (Colts +6.5): Indianapolis got run all over by the Ravens last weekend, and we could see a repeat of that this week with the Kenneth Walker-led run game for Kansas City, which looked both efficient and explosive against the Broncos last week. But if the Chiefs can’t pass the ball more efficiently than they did against Denver, it’s hard to see them consistently blowing teams out. So I like the Colts to keep things relatively close in this one, even while the Chiefs grind out a win on the ground. … Prediction: Chiefs 21, Colts 17
New York Giants at Los Angeles Rams (-7)
Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN/ABC (Stream: Fubo — try for free)
Dajani (Rams -7): I feel like the New York Giants are going to be a hot pick this week after their fun upset of the Dallas Cowboys, which makes me want to go the other way. The Rams have had a long break to lick their wounds from the atrocity in Australia, and Aaron Donald is expected to make his return to the field! I’m not expecting him to rack up sacks on Jaxson Dart, but it’s going to be fun to see him back out there.
I have the Rams bouncing back and covering with a late field goal. This isn’t going to be a best bet from me, because I think a cover is going to come late. … Prediction: Rams 30, Giants 21

Sports

Score, highlights, stats, where to watch NFL game

9:31 pm ET
DJ Moore injury update
Tom Viera
The Bills offseason acquisition was forced out of the game after landing hard on his left shoulder while trying to make a diving catch in the end zone late in the second quarter. He remained down on the ground, favoring his shoulder, before medical staff were called onto the field to tend to him.
Moore eventually walked off the field on his own. The Bills announced that Moore is questionable to return with a “shoulder and stinger.” They took him to the locker room for X-rays.
9:28 pm ET
Bills vs Lions score update: Dalton Kincaid grabs 16-yard touchdown to answer Lions’ score
Jacob Camenker
It didn’t take long for Buffalo to answer Detroit’s score. The Bills mounted a four-play, 68-yard drive that ended with Josh Allen hitting Kincaid over the middle for an easy 16-yard score.
James Cook set up the score with an excellent showing. The star running back ripped through the Lions for 62 yards on three carries, setting up the Bills in the red zone. The Lions looked helpless to stop his unique combination of shiftiness and speed, which doesn’t bode well for Detroit as Dan Campbell’s squad trails big.
The lone silver lining for the Lions? Tyler Bass missed the extra point, so Buffalo leads by only 20 with 2:52 remaining in the first half.
Bills 27, Lions 7
9:18 pm ET
Bills vs Lions score update: Jared Goff hits Jahmyr Gibbs for Lions’ first TD
Jacob Camenker
Gibbs remains the Lions’ biggest offensive threat. He made a couple of excellent catches on the Lions’ first touchdown drive of the game, including an 11-yard touchdown grab during which he held onto the ball while taking a shot in the back from a Bills defender.
Goff appeared to be in a better rhythm during the Lions’ third drive, as his protection held up a bit better. He also completed his first pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown after the star wideout went without a target across the team’s first two-and-a-half drives.
Jake Bates didn’t make great contact on the extra point, but he still coaxed it through the uprights. The Lions are now trailing by 14 and will look to stop the Bills for the first time with 5:03 remaining in the first half.
Bills 21, Lions 7
9:09 pm ET
Avonte Maddox injury update
Jacob Camenker
The Lions are already down their top two safeties, Brian Branch and Kirby Joseph, and they may have lost another one against the Bills.
Maddox was hurt on the Bills’ third drive, just before the team got into the end zone. The veteran was able to walk off the field but was later shown on the broadcast being carted into the locker room with his cleat off.
The Lions announced that Maddox is questionable to return with a foot injury.
9:06 pm ET
Bills vs Lions score update: Josh Allen logs third touchdown of first half on TD to Dawson Knox
Jacob Camenker
For a moment, it looked like the Lions had forced Josh Allen into an interception, as a ball pin-balled into the hands of Skyler Gill-Howard after Allen threw it back over the middle of the field.
However, the Lions were whistled for defensive holding on the play, which allowed the Bills to stay on the field. Shortly thereafter, Allen found Dawson Knox open after a play-action pass and hit him to give Buffalo a three-score lead.
Tyler Bass kept the extra point just inside the left upright, and the Bills are blowing out the Lions early in their “Thursday Night Football” clash.
Bills 21, Lions 0
8:54 pm ET
End of first quarter score: Bills crushing Lions 14-0
Jacob Camenker
The first official “Thursday Night Football” game of the season has been all Buffalo through the first 15 minutes. The Bills scored on each of their first two offensive drives and ended the first quarter on the edge of field-goal range.
Josh Allen has been a dynamic, dual-threat playmaker against a banged-up Lions defense and has helped the Bills outgain their opponent 168-10 early. Meanwhile, Detroit hasn’t been able to protect Jared Goff at all behind an undermanned offensive line, as Greg Rousseau has been wreaking havoc.
The Lions will need to come up with a stop, or at least sustain a drive, quickly in the second quarter. Otherwise, Thursday’s game could turn into a laugher.
8:50 pm ET
Lions drive undone by sack, bad snap
Jacob Camenker
The Lions’ offensive line woes are showing up big on their first two drives. A couple of nice Jahmyr Gibbs runs had Detroit on the cusp of field goal range, but the Lions only went backward from there.
Gregory Rousseau got around tight end Brock Wright in a one-on-one rep on second-and-1 to create a third-and-11. On that play, backup center Juice Scruggs sailed a snap that Jared Goff got a hand on but had to simply fall on to prevent a turnover.
The Lions had to punt, and a nice return by Greg Dortch has the Bills set up close to midfield.
8:43 pm ET
Bills vs Lions score update: Josh Allen tosses 43-yard touchdown to Josh Palmer
Jacob Camenker
The Lions forced the Bills into a third-and-11, but Detroit made a critical error on the play. Safety Avonte Maddox let Palmer get behind the defense after biting on an underneath route from Khalil Shakir, and Allen saw it immediately. The veteran quarterback lofted a downfield strike to Palmer, who caught it with ease and waltzed into the end zone, untouched.
Tyler Bass made the extra point and the Bills have a two-touchdown lead.
Bills 14, Lions 0
8:34 pm ET
Bills defense forces three-and-out as Lions offensive line struggles
Jacob Camenker
The Lions entered Thursday’s game dealing with a few notable injuries along their offensive line, with first-round rookie Blake Miller and starting left guard Christian Mahogany out of the lineup. Detroit struggled to block on its opening drive, and Goff took a sack on third down under pressure.
The Bills will get the ball back with a chance to build upon their lead. Meanwhile, the Lions will need to find a way to better support their blockers and give Goff a shot at making some down-the-field plays.
8:28 pm ET
Bills vs Lions score update: Josh Allen scores on QB sneak to give Bills lead
Jacob Camenker
Allen showed off his dual-threat capabilities on his first drive at the new Highmark Stadium. He helped the Bills march 85 yards over 10 plays before pushing a 1-yard sneak across the goal line on first and goal.
The Lions were having a great deal of difficulty containing Allen on the run during their first drive, allowing him to log 40 yards and a touchdown on four carries. They may need to commit a dedicated spy to the star quarterback.
Tyler Bass made the extra point, and the Bills have an early touchdown lead.
Bills 7, Lions 0
8:19 pm ET
Buffalo Bills new stadium capacity
Tom Viera
New Highmark Stadium is the smallest stadium in the NFL in 2026, with an official seating capacity of 60,108. It can hold up to 66,000 with standing-room-only seating, according to a report from Sports Business Journal.
8:17 pm ET
Why is the Canadian Anthem – ‘O, Canada’ performed at Bills games?
Jacob Camenker
The Bills typically perform “O, Canada”, the Canadian national anthem, at their games because of their close proximity to the border.
Buffalo has tried to tap into its Canadian fan base before, as the Bills played six regular-season games in Toronto from 2008 to 2013. Buffalo is located less than 100 miles from Toronto.
7:30 pm ET
Who are the Thursday Night Football announcers for Amazon Prime Video?
Tom Viera
Al Michaels (play-by-play) and Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) will be in the broadcast booth for Prime Video, with Kaylee Hartung (sideline) and Terry McAulay (rules analyst) providing additional coverage.
The Prime Video pregame, halftime and postgame shows feature Charissa Thompson as host, as well as former NFL players Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tony Gonzalez, Richard Sherman and Andrew Whitworth as analysts.
Taylor Rooks is the feature reporter for Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” coverage. James Palmer provides reports and analysis.
7:10 pm ET
What time does the NFL game start? Bills vs Lions kickoff time
Tom Viera
8:15 p.m. ET
“Thursday Night Football” between the Bills and Lions will start at 8:15 p.m. ET on Thursday, Sept. 17.
7:10 pm ET
Bills vs Lions prediction, pick against the spread
Tom Viera
The Bills should win and cover the 4.5-point spread in their home opener against the Lions on Thursday night. Detroit is coming off an overtime victory over New Orleans, where it nearly blew a 21-point lead and allowed the Saints to storm back. Now, the Lions face a brutal turnaround on a short week against Josh Allen and an explosive Buffalo offense. Allen has plenty of weapons including Dalton Kincaid, DJ Moore and James Cook to attack a Detroit defense that showed vulnerabilities. Kincaid erupted for 130 yards, while Moore topped 100 yards in his Bills debut. With Buffalo at home, expect Allen and company to pull away late.
Score prediction: Bills 36, Lions 30
7:00 pm ET
Bills vs Lions TV channel
Tom Viera
Only fans in the local markets of the Bills and Lions can watch the “Thursday Night Football” game on cable television. Here’s where those fans can tune in on Sept. 17:
TV channel (local only):
Buffalo:WKBW (ABC)
Detroit: WJBK (Fox)
Fans outside of the local markets will only be able to watch the Bills vs. Lions contest on Amazon Prime Video. The streamer remains the exclusive home of “Thursday Night Football.”
6:58 pm ET
Bills’ Ed Oliver ruled out after injury in warm-ups
Jacob Camenker
The “Thursday Night Football” game between the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions hasn’t started yet, but the Bills are already down one of their key defensive players.
Oliver, a starting defensive tackle for the Bills, suffered a hip injury in warm-ups. The team announced he will miss the game as a result.
It wasn’t immediately clear how Oliver suffered the injury. DeWayne Carter figures to handle a larger role with Oliver and second-year defensive tackle T.J. Sanders both out of the lineup.
6:56 pm ET
Lions inactives tonight vs Bills
Tom Viera
Detroit has two starting offensive linemen among their inactives tonight when they face Buffalo on a short week. Here’s a full list on the Lions inactives:
T Blake Miller
G Christian Mahogany
CB Keith Abney II
CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr.
LB Jimmy Rolder
DL Mekhi Wingo
Edge Ahmed Hassanein
6:52 pm ET
Bills inactives tonight vs. Lions
Tom Viera
Bills starting DT Ed Oliver is a surprise inactive after reportedly injuring his hip in pregame warmups. Here are the rest of the inactives for Buffalo tonight:
RB Ty Johnson
WR Skyler Bell
T Jude Bowry
G Ar’maj Reed-Adams
DL Ed Oliver (injured during warmups)
DL T.J. Sanders
S Jalon Kilgore
6:00 pm ET
Super Bowl 61 odds entering Week 2
Tom Viera
The Rams remain the favorites to win Super Bowl 61 despite losing their Week 1 game against the 49ers. The Bills are currently listed third while the Lions fall just inside the top 10. Below is a look at the full list of odds to take home the Lombardi Trophy in 2026, per DraftKings.
Los Angeles Rams (+650)
Baltimore Ravens (+900)
Buffalo Bills (+950)
Seattle Seahawks (+1100)
San Francisco 49ers (+1400)
Kansas City Chiefs (+1400)
Philadelphia Eagles (+1700)
Detroit Lions (+1800)
Cincinnati Bengals (+1900)
Houston Texans (+1900)
Denver Broncos (+2000)
Los Angeles Chargers (+2000)
Green Bay Packers (+2000)
New England Patriots (+2100)
Chicago Bears (+2100)
Dallas Cowboys (+2500)
Jacksonville Jaguars (+2500)
Minnesota Vikings (+4000)
Pittsburgh Steelers (+5000)
New York Giants (+5000)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+5500)
Washington Commanders (+6500)
Indianapolis Colts (+6500)
Carolina Panthers (+9000)
New Orleans Saints (+9000)
Atlanta Falcons (+13000)
Las Vegas Raiders (+15000)
Tennessee Titans (+20000)
New York Jets (+25000)
Cleveland Browns (+30000)
Arizona Cardinals (+30000)
Miami Dolphins (+50000)
5:30 pm ET
Thursday Night Football prediction by A.I.
Jacob Camenker
Buffalo Bills 31, Detroit Lions 27
AI’s take: Copilot opined that this “Thursday Night Football” opener is a “near toss-up” but it believes Buffalo will come out with a win in a “spotlight game in its new stadium.” It expressed confidence Josh Allen would play well but also referred to Detroit as “talented.”
Our take: This is fair analysis from Copilot. The Bills should be favored at home in what figures to be a high-scoring game between two teams with leaky defenses. Allen’s dual-threat ability should help the Bills beat a Lions team that may be tired after a short week following an overtime win over the Saints in Week 1.
5:05 pm ET
Bills vs Lions live stream
Tom Viera
Live stream (national): Prime Video
Fans looking to stream the Bills and Lions game can catch the action on Prime Video, the exclusive home of “Thursday Night Football.”
Watch “Thursday Night Football” all season with Prime
4:45 pm ET
4th & Monday: Our NFL newsletter always brings the blitz 📰
Tom Viera
Do you like football? Then you’ll enjoy getting our NFL newsletter delivered to your inbox. 📲
Get the latest news, expert analysis, game insights and the must-see moments from the NFL conveniently delivered to your email inbox. Sign up now!
4:30 pm ET
Bills vs Lions odds, moneyline, over/under
Tom Viera
The Bills are favored to defeat the Lions, according to the current NFL odds at DraftKings.
Spread: Bills (-4.5)
Moneyline: Bills (-230); Lions (+195)
Over/under: 54.5
Not interested in this game? Our guide to NFL betting odds, picks and spreads has you covered.
New to sports betting? USA TODAY readers can claimexclusive promos and bonus codes with thebest online sportsbooks and sports betting sites.
4:10 pm ET
Thursday Night Football start time
Tom Viera
Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026
Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
The Bills and Lions game will kick off Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season with “Thursday Night Football” at 8:15 p.m. ET.
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Sports

Barstool chief Dave Portnoy blasts Macklemore’s shady past, strongly supports Patriots owner Robert Kraft

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy firmly backed Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s decision to ban Macklemore from Gillette Stadium, telling the rapper to take his political activism somewhere else.
Kraft’s decision helped get Macklemore kicked off Ed Sheeran’s U.S. “Loop Tour” after the Patriots owner cited the rapper’s history of antisemitic controversies.
“I back Robert Kraft banning Macklemore from performing at Gillette 1000% and thank him for having a spine when many others in his shoes don’t,” Portnoy said in a video posted to X.
MACKLEMORE DOUBLES DOWN AFTER GETTING KICKED OFF ED SHEERAN TOUR AFTER PRO-PALESTINE STANCE
“Macklemore, who is turning this into a political rally, you’re going to come into Bob Kraft’s house and spit in his face? No f—— way!” Portnoy said. “That’s not censorship. This ain’t freedom of speech, homie. He owns the stadium! It’s his house.”
He added: “Would you have a party and invite someone over who is going to spew what you consider hatred? If I go to the Ed Sheeran concert, I don’t want to hear a ‘Free Palestine’ rant from a guy who isn’t being genuine about it all. I didn’t pay to hear Macklemore give me a political speech, I paid to hear Ed Sheeran sing.”
THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE. DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!
Portnoy spotlighted Macklemore’s antisemitic past.
“Bob Kraft, I am sure, did what I did when I saw this, he researched Macklemore,” Portnoy said. “It didn’t take long to learn that Macklemore has a pretty shady past. He already, at a prior concert, dressed in wildly antisemitic tropes.”
Portnoy was referring to a 2014 Seattle performance in which Macklemore wore a dark suit, fake beard and prosthetic nose, drawing criticism for invoking antisemitic Jewish caricatures. Macklemore later apologized.
During Sheeran’s Sept. 4 and Sept. 5 shows at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, Macklemore led anti-Israel chants, projected Gaza war imagery and performed “Hind’s Hall.”
Several venues reportedly told the tour promoter they would not host shows if Macklemore remained on the lineup. Kraft refused to host him at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and the promoter ultimately removed him from the remaining dates.
Macklemore later accused Kraft of coordinating a stadium boycott against him. He pledged his $1 million in tour earnings to Palestinian aid and challenged Kraft to match the donation.
In a statement released through Gillette Stadium, Kraft said Sheeran had contacted him privately before Macklemore’s public challenge. Sheeran asked Kraft to support a $2 million humanitarian donation, and Kraft said he agreed to support relief efforts in the region.
Kraft also cited Macklemore’s history of antisemitic tropes and his failure to acknowledge the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people.
PINK HITS BACK AMID BACKLASH FOR CRITICIZING MACKLEMORE’S PRO-PALESTINIAN CONCERT REMARKS
After Macklemore was dropped, opening acts including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Beoga pulled out of the remaining tour dates in protest.
Portnoy slammed the musicians who abandoned Sheeran’s tour, accusing them of hypocrisy and putting political posturing ahead of their commitment to fans.
“I feel bad for Ed Sheeran; his band quit, saying, ‘This is censorship, Free Palestine!’ That guy, Finneas, the brother of Billie Eilish, f—— hypocrites; they backed out,” Portnoy said.
Portnoy closed by insisting that defending Kraft required more than a token show of support.
OUTKICK IS NOW AVAILABLE ON THE FOX NEWS APP: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
“I don’t stand with Bob Kraft 5 percent, 10 percent,” Portnoy said. “I stand with Bob Kraft 110 percent. More Jews have to speak out. That’s why I am making this video, because it’s really easy for everyone just to pile on right now, but I have his back a hundred million percent.”

Sports

Nico Collins (hamstring) not spotted at practice

Collins suffered the hamstring injury during yesterday’s practice and immediately met with doctors. The team doesn’t believe the issue is serious, but that’s a cold comfort for a player with an extensive history of soft tissue injuries. Kayshon Boutte and Xavier Hutchinson will take on every-down roles if Collins misses Week 2. Neither player would push past the WR4 fantasy ranks. Second-year wideout Jaylin Noel would also see more work, though the team has been reluctant to play him much so far.
Collins popped up on the Texans’ injury report as a limited practice participant Wednesday. It’s unclear if Collins injured it during Week 1 or during practice, but soft tissue injuries tend to pop up as players ease back into the swing of the season. Collins has a history of hamstring issues and is undergoing testing for the severity of the latest injury. With Jayden Higgins (ACL) out for the season, the Texans will need Kayshon Boutte to step up fast in a banged-up pass-catching group. Also limited was EDGE Will Anderson, though there should be no concerns there as he was listed for rest. Fantasy managers should monitor practice reports later in the week to get a better idea of Collins’ health.
Collins remains the easy target leader for the Texans but they continue to rest him often — he played just 57-of-79 snaps. The touchdown strike was a post over the middle in the red zone that C.J. Stroud dotted in the only spot it could be placed. Collins adjusted to catch it. He’ll be a low-end WR1 against the Bengals in Week 2.
The new deal guarantees his contract for the next two seasons while also adding an additional $9 million in 2026 and $8 million in 2027. The contract will still expire entering the 2028 season, with the veteran alpha also recently stating that he would like to play the entirety of his career in Houston. Agents Drew and Jason Rosenhaus negotiated the amendment and are likely to get back to the negotiating table entering the 2027 season.
Collins, 27, signed a three-year, $75 million extension through 2027 back in 2024. As things currently stand, he is the 18th-highest paid wide receiver in terms of average annual value. NBC Sports Houston’s Aaron Wilson believes the team could restructure the deal for salary cap purposes, but Collins “is also likely due for a raise at some point and additional years on his contract.” He adds that the Texans could choose to address those issues “this year or before next season.” Per Over The Cap, the Texans have more than $19.3 million in salary cap space this year, but just over $1.6 million next year. Figuring out a new deal with a hefty signing bonus could free up cash for next season.
He then added, “Whoever reported it or whatever information that they had… they can take it and shove it.” Okay then. There were reports of teams calling the Texans about Collins ahead of the draft, but Houston was never going to deal their top wideout, and Caserio more than confirmed that as fact. The rumors stemmed from the idea that Collins, currently on a contract worth $24.25 million per year, should rightfully be searching for a pay raise. He is currently the 18th-highest paid wideout. Collins is under contract for two more seasons. He will likely get a multi-year extension next offseason, though Caserio could work out a deal even sooner to keep his superstar happy. Either way, Collins is locked in as a low-end WR1 for fantasy purposes in 2026.
Collins, who sustained a head injury in the Wild Card round against the Steelers, did not practice this week and was ruled out on Friday. It’s a massive blow to the Houston offense. Christian Kirk, who had 144 yards and a score last week against Pittsburgh, will profile as the team’s top receiver with Collins out. Brown tried to play but was unable to fight through an ankle injury.
Collins was unable to practice throughout the week. Texans slot WR Christian Kirk operated as the team’s No. 1 wide receiver last week, and is likely the best bet to do so again against the Patriots. It is an unfortunate development for Collins, who also missed his team’s Week 8 game against the 49ers due to concussion. Texans rookie WRs, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, have a chance to rise to the occasion.
The Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan M. Alexander believes Collins is “a long shot” to play on Sunday against the Patriots, given “the steps he must clear.” Unfortunately, he might be right. Collins still has time to advance through the NFL’s five-phase concussion protocol, but another absence at tomorrow’s practice would be discouraging. Veteran slot WR Christian Kirk stepped up last week, catching 8-of-9 targets for 144 yards and one touchdown in the Texans’ Wild Card win over the Steelers. We expect him to operate as the team’s top target earner if Collins cannot play.

Sports

UN experts say grounds to believe US committed war crimes in Iran strikes

UN human rights experts say there are reasonable grounds to believe the US committed war crimes in two strikes in Iran that killed at least 177 civilians.
A new report by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran said February’s missile strikes on a primary school in Minab and a sports complex in Lamerd constituted indiscriminate attacks causing civilian deaths and damage to civilian infrastructure.
There was no immediate comment from the US. It has previously denied striking Lamerd and said it is investigating what happened in Minab.
The experts also found Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during a crackdown on mass anti-government protests in January.
They said killings by security forces occurred on “a staggering and unprecedented scale” across all 31 provinces.
Iran has also not yet commented on the findings, but it has previously rejected allegations of systematic violations of human rights.
“Civilians in Iran are caught between gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity committed by their own government and the nation’s deadly conflict with the United States and Israel,” the fact-finding mission warned in a statement on Thursday.
For their latest report to the UN Human Rights Council, the mission’s three independent experts investigated two of the deadliest attacks on civilians during the conflict.
On 28 February, when the US and Israel launched their war against Iran, Tomahawk missiles struck Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in the southern town of Minab, killing at least 156 people, including 120 children, according to local authorities.
The fact-finding mission’s experts said the school was adjacent to an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval complex also attacked that day, but that the school was clearly identifiable and that no information indicated that it was used for military purposes.
The experts said that, based on the evidence gathered – including media reports indicating that a preliminary US military inquiry found US forces responsible, and the fact that the US is the only party to the conflict that possesses Tomahawk missiles – they had reasonable grounds to believe that the strike on the school was carried out by the US.
They also concluded that the school was “the intended point of impact and that the damage did not result from an errant strike or collateral damage” from the attack on the IRGC complex, citing survivors as saying the school was struck twice.
The US military has yet to release the findings of its investigation into the Minab strike, but Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said it would “never target civilian targets”.
Also on 28 February, Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) dispersed clouds of tungsten pellets over a sports complex and residential area in the town of Lamerd, killing at least 21 civilians, including seven children, according to local authorities.
Again, the fact-finding mission’s experts said the sports complex was clearly identifiable and that no information indicated it was used for military purposes.
They concluded by saying there were reasonable grounds to believe that the strike was carried out by the US, citing evidence including the fact that the US is the only party to the conflict that possesses PrSM missiles.
The US military has said it carried no strikes on Lamerd that day and disputed reports identifying the weapon used as a PrSM.
In both incidents, the fact-finding mission’s experts said there were “reasonable grounds to believe that the US committed the war crime of launching an indiscriminate attack resulting in loss of life or injury to civilians or damage to civilian objects”.
The fact-finding mission’s report also covers the Iranian authorities’ violent repression of the mass protests that took place across Iran in December 2025 and January 2026.
The experts said it was an unprecedented escalation from past crackdowns, marked by the widespread use of lethal force resulting in mass killings and injuries, and extensive arrests.
They cited witnesses, health workers and victims’ families as saying that security personnel positioned themselves on rooftops and other elevated positions, firing their assault rifles into crowds.
Protesters also sustained severe wounds to the head, chest and eyes from metal shotgun pellets, causing permanent blindness.
As the crackdown escalated, security forces attacked healthcare facilities, beating and arresting wounded demonstrators and arresting some healthcare workers, which deterred victims from seeking life-saving care, according to the experts.
They also found that the tens of thousands of people detained during the protests faced torture, solitary confinement and denial of legal counsel.
The experts warned that the government had since intensified its use of the death penalty against protesters, with at least 29 men executed following expedited trials on charges connected to the unrest.
The fact-finding mission’s report noted that it was not possible to independently verify the death toll from the crackdown, but said there were strong grounds to believe that it was significantly higher than the official figure of 3,000, the majority of whom the government identified as members of the security forces or bystanders.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (Hrana) has said it has confirmed the killing of more than 7,000 people, almost all of them protesters.
The fact-finding mission’s experts concluded that Iranian authorities had committed “many gross human rights violations” during the crackdown, and that these amounted to “the crimes against humanity of murder, imprisonment and other severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, and other inhumane acts, committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack directed against a civilian population”.

Sports

FLEX Finder Week 2: Running it back with Pat Bryant, Devaughn Vele

What went right in Week 1? Well, not much for this column. We had some high-profile touchdowns taken off the board from Ja’Kobi Lane and Braelon Allen. We had a fast Pat Bryant start run into an offense that simply couldn’t do anything. We had Mike Washington play well but Ashton Jeanty be much healthier than assumed as of pre-writing a column for Wednesday because the NFL opened the season early. It was a tough scene, as the kids say, for this column.
One thing I want to point out because I think it does actually matter: The 13- and 12-personnel trend (using multiple tight ends, in layman’s terms) is going to make it harder and harder for this column to hit. Only six teams in the league ran 11-personnel more than 70 percent of the time in Week 1 per Sumer Sports: The Buccaneers, Colts, Titans, Eagles, Commanders, and Cowboys. Most of those teams were trailing by major deficits. Why does that matter? Because if we’re putting a tight end on the field whose job it (mostly) is to block, we are going to condense the route tree and production outcomes. This is great for fantasy football as a whole, but terrible for an article whose job it is to find sleepers for the week.
Anyway, now that I got some complaining out of the way:
Rules for this weekly article:
1) I will not recommend quarterbacks — There are plenty of good ones. You’re on your own there.
2) I will not recommend any running back who costs more than $5,000, wideout who costs more than $4,500, or tight end that costs more than $4,000 in DraftKings’ DFS slate — This was an easy cutoff for what a FLEX really is.
3) I consider any player who garners over 50 yards or scores a victory for the column — anything more you get out of that, well, great for you. Let’s set expectations low because we are combing for outliers.
▶ Running Backs
JK Dobbins, DEN — $5,000 — Bo Nix was pressured on 45.5 percent of his dropbacks in Week 1, the fourth-highest rate in the league. Just behind him is Week 1 Jaguars opponent Deshaun Watson, at 44.8 percent. The Jaguars are well-coordinated, but they are not a team built to stop the run. Their major investments are bookend edge players Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. (It should be noted that the Jags played Walker more inside against the Browns than they usually have, but still, he’s nominally an EDGE.) I think the major takeaway that the Broncos will have from Week 1 is “uh oh, we need to run the ball more” and I think this game sets up well for that. Dobbins is still the lead back of the committee and RJ Harvey (hamstring) popped up on the injury report on Wednesday. The Broncos will try to take some pressure off of Nix with their ground game here and then Sean Payton will forget that it ever happened in Week 3.
Blake Corum, LAR — $4,900 — Corum got 10 carries for 54 yards in Week 1’s loss to the 49ers in Australia. He’s pretty much in an even split with Kyren Williams on playing time. The Giants, prior to Week 1, were not regarded as a strong opponent. I’m open to the idea that John Harbaugh has changed things, but the talent on this run defense does not scare me and I’d also bet on the Rams leaning more on the run after Matthew Stafford was pressured on 44 percent of his dropbacks in Week 1. Assuming the Rams are able to bleed clock against the Giants at some point, Corum has some real upside scenarios. And his floor is reasonable for this price tag as well.
Rico Dowdle, PIT — $4,900 — The Seahawks ran on the Patriots even with Drew Lock at quarterback, averaging 4.5 yards a tote with Jadarian Price and George Holani. Dowdle got fewer touches against the Falcons than Jaylen Warren, but he played 39 snaps to Warren’s 25 and they trusted him as a pass blocker. That isn’t how I would have expected things to go before this season. I think the only reason we’re under $5,000 here is the poor Week 1 box score, and I don’t necessarily believe there’s a reason to think that will happen again.
Kaelon Black, SF — $4,500 — Black got 28 snaps to Christian McCaffrey‘s 36 against the Rams in Week 1. The Dolphins just allowed one of 2025’s worst run offenses to put up 30 carries for 143 yards between Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr. while trailing the entire game. This Dolphins roster was born to be attacked on the ground and this looks to be a perfect opportunity assuming Jordan James doesn’t magically get active and force a carries split. I don’t really think the 49ers are going to limit McCaffrey this much going forward, but I suspect they’ll blow out the Dolphins by enough that it won’t really matter.
▶ Wide receivers
Dontayvion Wicks, PHI — $4,300 — The Eagles wound up playing Wicks for 91 percent of the snaps, putting him well ahead of Makai Lemon. It’s not a pass offense I would often endorse, but Wicks is a live deep threat playing the Titans and that generally tends to work out pretty well. The Titans allowed three 30-yard pass plays last week and created zero sacks. Against the Jets. Really.
Pat Bryant, DEN — $4,200 — Running it back from last week, Bryant went for 4/42 and played 59 percent of Denver’s snaps as they mostly kept Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims on the sideline. (It didn’t help that Franklin drew an offensive pass interference penalty on one of his few snaps.) I don’t necessarily trust Bryant to be the team’s leading target — that feels rich — but I do think he can be No. 2 behind Jaylen Waddle in an optimistic runout.
KC Concepcion, CLE — $4,100 — The lie detector did not lie on the training camp drumbeat that Concepcion would be the guy that Cleveland would feed targets to. He went for 4/43 in a bereft passing offense and also added 3/15 on the ground. There are Deebo Samuel-type outcomes here for Concepcion in the long-term. In the short-term, well, the Browns are going to throw a lot. Some of those throws will not be good because of who the quarterback is, but that’s why Concepcion is available to be played for this price in the first place. The Buccaneers are not an altogether threatening defense to play against, either.
Devaughn Vele, NO — $4,200 — Running it back from last week a second time, this time with one of the few receivers who actually worked out for me. Vele is locked into a major passing game role and the Saints may need to be throwing plenty to keep up with the Ravens. Don’t expect last week’s line — we’re not getting 60 Tyler Shough throws — but I do think he’ll be a reasonable FLEX play and contribute 50 yards with a strong touchdown chance.
Caleb Douglas, MIA — $3,700 — The big winner of Miami’s garbage-time offense, Douglas was second on the team with seven targets and finished with a team-best 94 receiving yards. We already know from the fact that Mike McDaniel couldn’t make him a thing that Malik Washington is unlikely to be a thing no matter the target count. The 49ers are going to blow out the Dolphins — many teams may blow out the Dolphins this year — and Douglas should continue to benefit from that given the lack of a good secondary option for Malik Willis to throw at.
▶ Tight ends
Juwan Johnson, NO — $3,900 — The designated survivor of the Saints receiver room, as I wrote last week, got there again. His 3/54/1 line against the Lions probably doesn’t happen without falling in a major hole, but the Saints have a pretty condensed passing tree this year and if the Ravens are going to conscript them like they did to the Colts, there should be plenty of garbage time work in Johnson’s future.