by Zak Drapeau 1/6/2025 Sportz Nation Photo by Adam Hunger/ Getty Images 1. Fernando Mendoza QB 6'5" 225 lbs. Indiana Las Vegas Raiders With Pete Carroll being fired yesterday after one, terrible year on the job, the Raiders will be entering the offseason ready for a fresh start, and with valuable pieces to start with. The bigger question we should be asking is if the Raiders should trade away their pick or take one of the top QBs. I believe they should look for a trade d

by Zak Drapeau and Joseph McLaughlin 1/2/2025 Sportz Nation Steelers at Ravens (Sunday @ 8:20) Photo by Nick Wass/ Associated Press The final regular-season game of the 2025 season on Sunday Night Football will be a win-or-go-home match for the AFC North title between Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Two teams that couldn't be more different besides their historical greatness, the Ravens and Steelers, will battle in Baltimore after Pittsburgh won their other matchup of the year in W

by Zak Drapeau 1/31/2025 Sportz Nation Here's a look at my list of my Top 24 Athletes of 2024 , with guys like Shohei Ohtani, Connor McDavid and a slew of Summer Olympians dominating the list. Without an Olympic event this year, this list will be compiled of mostly athletes in the big sporting leagues such as NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, various Soccer leagues and others. In the fourth year of doing this list, I am a bit biased toward the top sports leagues but will always give credi

by Zak Drapeau 12/30/2025 Sportz Nation Graphic by Bryan Logan/ clutchpoints.com/betting/miami-vs-ohio-state-prediction-odds-pick-for-cfp-quarterfinal-at-the-cotton-bowl Buckeyes-Hurricanes Preview The first matchup of Round 2 of these College Football Playoffs will be between the defending National Champion Buckeyes and the Miami Hurricanes at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. After the Hurricanes defeated the 3-seeded Texas A&M Aggies and the Buckeyes received a first-round

by Zak Drapeau 12/20/2025 Sportz Nation So this will be my third time making this list since 2018 and truth be told there isn't too much change from my most recent list in 2022 with MMA Complete but there are a few. Since the dawn of one of the greatest sports on Earth, while not the first company to do so, the UFC became one of the biggest MMA promotions in the world when it started on November 12, 1993 and has been the #1 of it's kind for over two decades to date. While I'd

by Zak Drapeau 12/19/2025 Sportz Nation Right off the gate I have to say I don't think this fight will be like others Jake Paul has name attached to. Of all the opponents he's had and fights he's been in, Anthony Joshua not only gives him the biggest challenge but has the most to lose too. Graphic by Julian Catalfo/ theScore Jake Paul's previous 6 boxing fights have been against a 58-year old, (former Heavyweight Champion and Boxing great) a 39-year old well past his prime, 2

by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen 12/18/2025 Sportz Nation Start 'Em (Matt Hylen) Quarterbacks Photo credit to Brooke Sutton/Getty Images Justin Herbert at DAL Though Justin Herbert's second-half fantasy production has dropped, I think he is in for a huge week in Week 16. In what will be his last favorable matchup of the season, Herbert gets to end his fantasy must-start ability against the worst defense against QBs in the Dallas Cowboys. Herbert has overall QB1 potential this we

by Zak Drapeau, Matt Hylen, and Joseph McLaughlin 12/18/2025 Sportz Nation Quarterbacks (Zak Drapeau) Photo by Chris Szagola/ Associated Press Josh Allen at CLE Jalen Hurts at WAS Jacoby Brissett vs ATL Joe Burrow at MIA Justin Herbert at DAL Drake Maye at BAL Lamar Jackson vs NE Dak Prescott at LAC C.J. Stroud vs LV Baker Mayfield at CAR Jared Goff vs PIT Bo Nix vs JAX Jaxson Dart vs MIN Matthew Stafford at SEA Tyler Shough vs NYJ Jalen Hurts was very close to making his deb

by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen 12/17/2025 Sportz Nation Zak Drapeau's Picks Photo by Nathan Ray Seebeck/ Imagn Images #2 Manel Kape vs Joshua Van (Flyweight Championship) In our last matchmaking I had Tatsuro Taira as the next challenger at 125 but now Manel Kape has moved into that spot with Pantoja injured. Kape has never faced someone outside of the Top-15 and now has won 7 of his last 8 with 3 knockouts in a row. _________________________________ #4 Brandon Royval vs (Winn

by Zak Drapeau 12/13/2025 Sportz Nation Honorable Mentions: Jack Della Maddelena, Mackenzie Dern and Nassourdine Imavov 10. Waldo Cortes-Acosta With a record of 3-1 in 2025 alone, Cortes-Acosta was not only the most active Heavyweight in the division but it wasn't even close. In a division that has been held up almost as much as Francis Ngannou's final days, "Salsa Boy" has said he will fight anyone and then he did. Starting the year with a win inside the Top-10 against Sergh

by Zak Drapeau 12/12/2025 Sportz Nation In two days time the Colts will be playing one of their toughest games of the season in Seattle against a white-hot Seahawks team. This game will come after losing back-to-back AFC South games and in the midst of a 3-game losing streak. The game comes after one of the most disappointing losses of the season in Jacksonville when new Colts-legend Daniel Jones went down with a torn achilles in the 2nd Quarter of their 36-19 loss to the Jag

by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen 12/11/2025 Sportz Nation Start 'Em (Matt Hylen) Quarterbacks Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images Lamar Jackson at CIN I did not think I would have to include a player of Lamar Jackson's caliber here, as he is a must-start usually every week, but here we are. Jackson has, to say the least, been terrible the past few weeks in fantasy. Though he bounced back last week, the previous three weeks have been brutal. I expect Jackson to keep the momentum g

bby Zak Drapeau, Matt Hylen and Joseph McLaughlin 12/11/2025 Sportz Nation Quarterbacks (Zak Drapeau) Photo by Gregory Fisher/ Imagn Images Josh Allen at NE Joe Burrow vs BAL Jalen Hurts at LV Matthew Stafford vs DET Lamar Jackson at CIN Jaxson Dart vs WAS Drake Maye vs BUF Dak Prescott vs MIN Patrick Mahomes vs LAC Brock Purdy vs TEN Jayden Daniels at NYG Trevor Lawrence vs NYJ Caleb Williams vs CLE Sam Darnold vs IND Justin Herbert at KC With his Burrow-like performances si

by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen 12/10/2025 Sportz Nation Zak's Picks Petr Yan vs Merab Dvalishvili 3 (Bantamweight Championship) Photo by Chris Unger/ Zuffa LLC via Getty Images If any former champion deserves an immediate rematch, it's Merab, and I believe he'll get it. Whether their trilogy concludes in the first half of 2026 or at the White House card is up for debate. Due to the lack of drawing power either of these men has, I can actually see this fight being before the ca

by Zak Drapeau 12/6/2025 Sportz Nation * Not counting Conor, Jon Jones or Amanda Nunes Honorable Mentions: To Aspinall, Kevin Holland and Alexander Volkanovski Photo by Jeff Bottari/ Zuffa LLC 10. Justin Gaethje How fitting that the first entry on our list will be headlining the first Numbered Event of 2026. Justin Gaethje has long been around the top of the Lightweig division and even though he is one of the best fighters in the world, his draw-ability is due to his style. O

by Zak Drapeau 12/5/2025 Sportz Nation SEC Championship Georgia at Alabama Photo by John David Mercer/ Imagn Images While our next Conference Championship will be the most watched, the SEC Championship is almost always most crucial when it comes to CFB Post Season games and this year is no different. For the 4th time in the last 8 seasons, Georgia and Alabama will go head to head for the crown in the SEC in Atlanta. Having already faced each other once this season, Alabama ha

by Zak Drapeau, Matt Hylen, and Joseph McLaughlin Quarterbacks (Zak Drapeau) Photo by Kiyoshi Mio/ Imagn Images Josh Allen vs CIN Dak Prescott at DET Matthew Stafford at ARI Jared Goff vs DAL Lamar Jackson vs PIT Baker Mayfield vs NO Jalen Hurts at LAC Joe Burrow at BUF Patrick Mahomes vs HOU Bo Nix at LV Daniel Jones at JAX Jordan Love vs CHI Trevor Lawrence vs IND Caleb Williams at GB Justin Herbert vs PHI For the first time that he is healthy enough to be on this list, Lam

by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen Start 'Em (Matt Hylen) Quarterbacks Photo Credit to AP Photo/David Dermer Jordan Love vs CHI Love finally came out of his slump last week on Thanksgiving, producing a stellar 234-yard and 4 TD performance. This is the kind of play managers have been hoping for from Jordan Love, who is talented enough to break down any defense. Look for Love to have another great week against a Bears defense that is bottom-10 in football in fantasy points allowed

by Zak Drapeau 12/3/2025 Sportz Nation Photo Generated by UFC via Fox News Special Report Main Events 1. Tom Aspinall vs Alex Pereira ( Heavyweight Championship ) With Dana White reiterating that Jon Jones can not be trusted to be on this card, Aspinall vs Pereira has to be the most wanted fight for this event. Alex Pereira has been the biggest name in the sport for 2 years now and for him to move up a division and challenge for the Heavyweight Championship would be an All-Ti

by Zak Drapeau 12/2/2025 Sportz Nation Graphic Made on tiermaker.com Tier 1 Elite Teams Tied-1. Seattle Seahawks 9-3 (Won 6 of last 7) Problems: Sam Darnold once a month Solutions: Rest of Team The Seahawks have the most complete team in football and probably the best defense as well. With their only loss in the last two months coming against the other team tied for 1st, it's clear they are a REAL Super Bowl Contender. This team will truly go as far as Sam Darnold allows