Middlesex 75 (Robinson 8 for 34) and 149 for 4 (Robson 61*) trail Sussex 309 (Wells 62, Carey 56, Beer 77, Roland-Jones 5 for 70) by 85 runs

A quorum of former Guardian cricket writers had descended upon Hove by pure happenstance on the second day and after much reminiscing about Great Stories We Have Known nobody had the faintest idea how to best write this piece. For much of the day nothing hugely newsworthy had happened. Which, in a funny sort of way, was exactly what Middlesex needed.

When you are bowled out for 75 on the first day, and suffer a heavy first-innings deficit as a consequence, about the best you could hope for in Middlesex's position was that the pitch quietened, the match became a backdrop for spectators' idle chatter and the second-innings score mounted quietly without anybody really noticing.

Sam Robson, a good player, slight yet judicious, and eminently capable of going about his work with barely a murmur, made an admirable to maintain that mood until the close. He closed on 61 from 140 balls, a selective knock with 10 boundaries, but Middlesex, at 149 for 4, still trailed by 85.

Middlesex's first task if they were to get back into the match, was to subdue Ollie Robinson who had returned 8 for 34 - the best figures in the Championship this season - in the first innings. Robson did so admirably, taking 26 from 42 balls from Robinson without much sign of risk. On this occasion, he met the medium pace of Tom Haines more cautiously, finding release only once in a drive down the ground.

By the close, however, Robinson's match tally had swollen to 10 wickets. Stevie Eskinazi was bowled through the gate in the first over and Paul Stirling, who made a third-ball nought, was to fall in identical fashion on a floodlit evening. Jared Warner had Nick Gubbins caught at second slip, although his most dangerous ball came late on when he had Robson leaping in self preservation.

That left Dawid Malan, a prize wicket, an excellent first scalp for the debutant left-arm spinner, Elliot Hooper. Malan was unfortunate as his dead bat could not prevent the ball from running into the stumps. He has had a fine season for all that and one senses that in a parallel universe, with England clearly needing an uncompromising character in the middle order, he would be batting against Australia in the Ashes.

If Middlesex's descent to 74 all out was galling enough on the opening day, at least it owed much to the excellence of Robinson on a surface that seamed little and often. But their concession of a first-innings lead of 234 must have been more exasperating for their coach Stuart Law as they dragged them back into the match only to throw it all away in a careless half-hour before lunch.

Sussex resumed at 128 for three with a lead of 53 and, although Luke Wells and Alex Carey both registered half-centuries in extending their fourth-wicket stand to 125 in 38 overs, the loss of four wickets for 11 runs in 37 balls thrust Middlesex back into the match.

Toby Roland-Jones took three of them, running in long and languidly from the Cromwell Road End, a bowler with an approach so extensive that it might have a bus stop en route. He did not find the movement that Robinson had on the first day, but he finished with a creditable 5 for 70, removing Wells with a chip into the leg side, Carey to an on-drive that flew to second slip and David Wiese, caught at the wicket for nought. Ben Brown perished, too, for nought, cutting at Tim Murtagh.

With Sussex's lead 76, and three wickets to get, Middlesex were back in the match, only to cast aside their recovery in a dreadful half hour before lunch when Steven Finn and James Harris leaked 57 in six overs down the slope - and one of those was a Finn maiden.

There were 13 boundaries in that spell and, as well as Robinson and Will Beer counter-attacked, many of them were gifts. As another half volley was dispatched to an invitingly short leg side boundary, the opening line of Amy Winehouse's song, "Me & Mr Jones", came to mind.

Ever since he made a century on debut for Sussex, Robinson's danger with the bat has been apparent and Beer, primarily a legspinner, has busied himself over much of the past decade as Sussex 2nd XI's most reliable batsman. Nevertheless, as a soft period that exemplified why Middlesex why lie sixth when many expected them to be comfortably in the top three it took some beating.

By the time Robinson tapped back a full toss from the legspinner Nathan Sowter immediately after lunch, Sussex were running free. Even at nine down, Middlesex were not free from self-inflicted wounds, this time quite literally as Beer slapped Sowter's long hop to long off where Finn was struck in the face as the ball ran through his hands.

Vijay Shankar and Shardul Thakur are set to return to top-flight cricket with the upcoming five-match one-day series against South Africa A in Thiruvananthapuram. The BCCI named two India A squads - one for the first three matches and another for the last two games - and Vijay and Thakur were named in both of them, with Manish Pandey and Shreyas Iyer sharing captaincy duties.

Thakur returns to competitive cricket after recovering from his foot surgery right after the IPL. Vijay, meanwhile, had his maiden World Cup campaign brought to a premature end by a Jasprit Bumrah toe-crusher in the nets, only three games since his tournament debut. His recent outings at the TNPL fetched him only 10 runs and three wickets in three games for Chepauk Super Gillies.

Nitish Rana and Sanju Samson, whose last appearances in competitive cricket came during the IPL, were also among the 22 players who were picked for the series, which will run from August 29 to September 6.

While Rana, the Kolkata Knights Riders batting allrounder, also made it to both squads - each comprising 15 players - Samson was assigned wicketkeeping duties for only the fourth and fifth games, in which Iyer will lead the side. Ishan Kishan, meanwhile, will keep wickets for the first three matches, under Pandey's captaincy.

Samson and Iyer were among the seven players to have been named only for the last two games, alongside quick bowlers Tushar Deshpande and Ishan Porel, batsman Prashant Chopra, and spinners Washington Sundar and Rahul Chahar who were both part of the T20I side that played against West Indies recently.

India mainstay Yuzvendra Chahal, meanwhile, featured in both squads, so did Shubman Gill, Shivam Dube, Anmolpreet Singh, Ricky Bhui, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, and Rana. Krunal Pandya, Khaleel Ahmed, Deepak Chahar and Pandey were the absentees from the squad for the last two matches.

Gill, the top-scorer during India A's four-match one-day series against West Indies, might be the first-choice opener for all five matches, with Ruturaj Gaikwad, who finished second on the run-scorers' list during the same series was picked only for the first three games against South Africa A, as his opening partner.

A squad for first three one-dayers: Manish Pandey (capt.), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Anmolpreet Singh, Ricky Bhui, Ishan Kishan (wk), Vijay Shankar, Shivam Dube, Krunal Pandya, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, Nitish Rana

A squad for last two one-dayers: Shreyas Iyer (capt.), Shubman Gill, Prashant Chopra, Anmolpreet Singh, Ricky Bhui, Sanju Samson (wk), Nitish Rana, Vijay Shankar, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Rahul Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande, Ishan Porel

Two Tests into a pulsating Ashes series, and the notion of "redemption" is already becoming very tedious. One journalist at Lord's even added the word to his listed of muted phrases on Twitter on Sunday afternoon, at the moment that Ben Stokes clipped Nathan Lyon off his toes to jog through to his seventh Test century and - lest we fail to notice the elephant in the room, let alone ignore it - his first since the events outside Mbargo nightclub on September 25, 2017.

Before the Fall. After the Fall … can't we all just move on? Just as Steven Smith is still being expected by some to keep apologising for events that occurred close to two years ago now, in spite a series of on-field performances that confirm that the sport is so much richer for his involvement than his banishment, so Stokes too can't help but be judged by his returns in the context of that incident.

And yet, it is clear that for Stokes in particular, that terrible night in Bristol and its career-threatening aftermath remain as enduringly relevant as ever, not because he feels he deserves to be punished for evermore, but because of his desire to bury those lingering bad memories between a mountain of new accolades.

And so it wasn't enough for Stokes to light the flame of the 2019 World Cup with that extraordinary outfield catch in the tournament opener at The Oval. Or to carry the team's batting when the wheels started to wobble in defeats against Sri Lanka and Australia. Or to dig deep and refuse to falter when New Zealand surged in the early stages of England's run chase in the final. Or to go beyond even his own exhausting limits, and do it all again minutes later in the Super Over.

No, that was just the start for Stokes as he enters, at 28, his prime as an international sportsman. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo's George Dobell in Jaipur earlier this year, Stokes said that his personal motivation for winning the World Cup was to ensure that the feat became the first paragraph of his rewritten player profile. That objective duly achieved, he's making a play for the rest of the word-count.

And so, in that context, a first Test century since Bristol feels very significant indeed. Not to mention, a first Test century at Lord's since his riotously carefree 101 from 92 against New Zealand four years ago. And his first against Australia since in December 2013 when, in only his second Test, he went toe-to-toe with Mitchell Johnson on a Perth flier, scoring 120 from 195 in an exhibition of pugnacity that was entirely at odds with the timid tone of England's overall campaign.

Self-evidently he's not the same cricketer that he was before his life choices became tabloid fodder. Prior to his recall in New Zealand in February 2018, Stokes' international career been rattling along at a strike-rate of 98.74 in ODIs and 63.77 in Tests (or 3.82 an over, brisk by any standards). Now that he has placed a greater premium on his wicket, those numbers have slipped to 87.16 and 48.45 respectively. And if, in doing so, he has sacrificed a few top-notes of destruction, then he's also sent self-destruction packing at the same time. That run of ODI form in early 2014, for instance - 0, 5, 5, 4, 0, 4, 0, punched locker, broken hand - isn't going to be replicated in a hurry.

And so it was fitting that Stokes' first Test century of his new era was a hard-fought grind. He could have been out three times in his first six balls as Lyon ragged it out of the rough outside the left-hander's off stump, and would have been out for 6 from 13 balls had Lyon again reviewed an lbw appeal that was hitting leg.

But somehow, he found a means to endure, by sliding ever deeper into his crease, watching the turn and shelving the sweep, and taking it upon himself to be the sheet-anchor that this England batting line-up so desperately needs, as it attempts an urgent and cruelly abrupt metamorphosis from pro-active, hard-handed white-ball bullies to soft-power Test survivors.

And on that note, it is also telling how Stokes' name has been exempt from the mutterings of post-World Cup burn-out that have afflicted so many of his team-mates in that glorious campaign. Jason Roy looks lost at the top of the order, Joe Root's form is in freefall, Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow are fighting against instinct to make that transition. Moeen Ali has been canned, and is currently bowling seam-up for Worcestershire in a losing cause at Northampton. Aside from Stokes, only Chris Woakes and the new boy Jofra Archer seem genuinely unaffected by what's gone before, though Archer may be facing exhaustion issues of a different type if 44 overs per Test becomes the norm.

ALSO READ: Archer could be the weapon that turns the series - Root

"It was a dogged hundred," Stokes admitted of an innings in which his first fifty came from 106 balls, a notch below that post-Bristol strike-rate. "I'm proud of how I managed to get through from not feeling great to playing my shots. That comes from experience and knowing all kinds of situations, Tests, ODIs, just finding a way to get there, keeping an eye on how many overs, how many runs to get us there."

"I looked at the score at 60-70 and I had no idea how I was still there," he added. "I was speaking to Graham Thorpe [the batting coach], saying 'nothing is working', and he said 'just find a way'. I know the bigger picture but sometimes you get annoyed. When it got to the stage where I could start playing my shots, everything felt a bit easier."

And it's a measure of Stokes' exhaustive groundwork that, once the time came to flick that switch, with England suddenly 200 runs to the good and scenting an opportunity to square the series with an aggressive declaration, he was able to up the tempo as surely as he had done in the World Cup final, powering Lyon out of the rough for consecutive sweeps for six, before calibrating his angles and options with a thinking-man's swagger to rattle through to his second fifty from 54 balls.

And in doing so, Stokes left a dent in one of Australia's key weapons in the series. Lyon began the innings level with Dennis Lillee on 355 Test wickets, and ended it on the same number after an admittedly luckless but nevertheless expensive analysis of 26-3-102-0.

"We kept out Nathan's good balls and when we attacked we really committed to doing it," said Stokes. "He could have had me five or six times to be honest, but I thought attack was the best form of defence by the end because every time I defended one I kept nicking it but finding the gap which was remarkable.

"I was running down the wicket and laughing at some points, thinking I can't be placing it any better. From a five-fer to none for 100 will give our batting unit a lot of confidence, especially on a pretty helpful wicket from spin. Not taking anything away from him, he bowled really well and probably didn't deserve none for 100."

And as the teams regroup and head for Headingley with the series at an apex, Stokes' quiet authority begins to take on an altogether new significance, especially if - as anticipated - Smith is deemed unfit to take his place in Australia's line-up.

In case it needs restating, Stokes missed the last Ashes due to those events he'd sooner not remember. He could be about to reach this series' make-or-break moment as the most prized wicket on either side.

Ben Stokes believes that "the sky is the limit" for Jofra Archer after his remarkable display on Test debut at Lord's, but admitted that the aftermath of his thunderous bouncer to Steven Smith caused "a pretty scary few minutes" as the medical teams assessed Smith for concussion following a direct hit to the side of the neck during his innings of 92.

Stokes, whose reduced workload with the ball played a part in his promotion to No. 5 in England's second innings - from where he scored a hard-earned seventh Test century - also confirmed that Smith had been in good spirits since the incident, with the pair and Archer all knowing each other well from their time together at Rajasthan Royals.

"I messaged him last night [Saturday] to see how everything was," Stokes said. "We've got a good relationship from playing together at Rajasthan and so does Jofra. I had a little giggle with him, which was good, saying Jofra's a good shot to hit that pea-head!

"I think he was as in good a fettle as he could have been but yeah it was good to see him get back up and walk of the pitch."

ALSO READ: Miller: Archer evokes Jonah Lomu on 'frightening' debut

The incident occurred during a remarkable eight-over spell from Archer in which he exceeded 90mph with 16 consecutive deliveries, and also struck Smith a painful blow on the left forearm which later required a scan to rule out a fracture. With England on the attack, Stokes had been posted at leg gully so was at close quarters to witness and hear the impact.

"It just hit flesh," he said. "[It was] not one of the nicest things to see on a cricket field, seeing someone go straight down like that was a pretty scary couple of minutes for everyone out there, but it was great seeing him get back up.

"Marnus [Labuschagne] took a heavy blow [in the second innings] but the difference was he got straight back up and was ready for the next ball. In that moment it's never nice but you look for the reaction - Steve stayed down so that was the scary thing, he laid flat and we weren't quite sure where everything was out there."

Despite the unease in the moment, Stokes has no doubt that Archer's use of the short ball had not crossed any line, and that England wouldn't hesitate to unleash him again at Headingley next week, where Australia could be without Smith once again as he recovers from delayed concussion.

"It's part of the game and a big part of Jofra's game, being aggressive, not letting batsmen settle," said Stokes. "That bouncer of his is a huge asset and he's going to keep on doing it. When someone takes a nasty blow, no bowler is going to say 'I'm not going to bowl that again because I don't want to hit them again' - the concern is always there when someone takes it but next ball, when you get back to the mark, it's 'I'm going to keep doing it'."

Despite watching Archer at close quarters both with England and at Rajasthan, Stokes admitted he too struggles to pick up the short ball, because, he says, Archer's rhythmical approach to the crease gives no hint of what's to come.

"He doesn't have any tells," said Stokes. "Some bowlers you get a tell when they're going to bowl a bouncer or a different ball, but because everything is so rhythmical with Jofra it is tough to see when that bouncer is coming. He's very tight to the stumps as well. Everything looks just so languid, you wonder if he's loose and then he fires one … watching he ball fly through, it was very impressive to watch.

"He gives another dimension to our bowling attack and what we are able to do. The first innings he bowled 29 maybe 30 overs, but his last spell of eight overs was one of the best out-and-out fast bowling spells I have seen since I started playing.

"We've seen Mitchell Johnson do it to us, especially in 2013, but Jofra just makes it look so easy … like he's walking in to bowl. And I'd rather have him on my team than have to face him. He's a frightening talent and he's announced himself on the world stage, just in a different format again this year. Literally the sky is the limit for him and he's a great addition to our Test team."

One area of concern, however, revolved around Archer's workload in his maiden Test, which his match tally of 44 overs being exactly twice as many as that of Chris Woakes, and four times as many as Stokes was called upon to deliver. Stokes, however, insisted that the rain-reduced nature of the contest - as well as England's desire to claw back their 1-0 deficit - played a part in Joe Root's tactics.

"A lot played into the fact we lost two days to rain," he said. "Jofra was the biggest threat and you're going to throw the ball to your biggest threat, and that's Jofra and Stuart [Broad]. I'm easy whether I'm not bowling or bowling long spells. I just do whatever Joe says to be honest."

In the wake of the Euro T20 slam tournament being cancelled, the Federation of International Cricketers' Association (FICA) is working with the players to see if "any potential recourse is open to them".

Two weeks before the tournament was due to start, the organisers of the Euro T20 slam had pulled the plug citing financial problems. This left several players from Scotland, Netherlands and Ireland - including marquee picks like Rashid Khan and Eoin Morgan - out of contract and with little hope of securing the wages promised to them.

This isn't new though. A FICA survey of almost 400 current men's and women's professional players conducted in 2018-19 suggests over 34% of them have experienced late payment or non-payment under a cricket contract. The Euro T20 slam was set up by the same group of people that ran the Global T20 Canada where too there were issues of players not being compensated on time.

"Some players had foregone other opportunities to commit to the league," FICA head Tony Irish said in a press release on Monday. "And we also believe the league has an obligation to players to demonstrate some goodwill given the expectation created, especially if there is a genuine plan to go ahead with the event in the future.

"FICA had been in the process of assisting SCA (Scottish Cricketers' Association), ICA (Irish Cricketers' Association) and the players to put in place some basic contractual protections, in particular relating to player payments specific to the Euro T20 Slam. What has happened now simply emphasises the need for these protections.

"Separately, FICA is also aware of numerous cases of players not being paid what is owed to them under their playing contracts for other previously completed domestic T20 leagues."

That the players themselves - many of them from Associate nations who don't normally get jobs at IPL or BBL level - were looking forward to the competition was made clear by Scotland captain Kyle Coetzer earlier this week.

"Let's be honest, pretty much every one of the players was going to earn more in that space of time, to what they would earn in a full year playing cricket," he told ESPNcricinfo. "You have to look at the impact it may have on some guys and certainly there's a couple of boys that were potentially looking to go away at some time during the winter and now they probably need to get a job. It would have created giving guys an opportunity to feel an element of security in what we try and do."

Irish sympathised with them saying, "The players also play a critical role for the sport globally, and it's time for enforceable protections to be put in place for players too. They should not be left to exercise leverage or litigate in various part of the world to enforce basic contractual rights, especially when they've delivered the value that they've been contracted for. Like employees in all other industries, players make life decisions based on what is owed to them.

"This is an issue that we are working in global regulations discussions with the ICC and member Boards and FICA has proposed proactive solutions to non-payment issues. We will continue to advocate for appropriate protections to form part of the game's regulatory framework, including minimum contract standards, payment enforcement mechanisms, and a fit for purpose dispute resolution body. There is precedent for similar measures in progressive sports around the world."

Paris Saint-Germain are set to reject an expected loan offer from Barcelona for wantaway striker Neymar, according to ESPN FC sources.

Earlier on Monday, ESPN FC sources in Barcelona said that the Catalans were set to make a loan offer for Neymar with an option to buy next summer, but it appears that proposal would be dead on arrival in Paris.

The Parisians expect the loan offer to land on Tuesday or Wednesday, but that option does not suit the Ligue 1 holders, according to sources.

PSG's Qatari owners have been disappointed by the attitude of Neymar this summer and are ready to let him leave, but only if they can recoup as much of the €222 million they spent to bring him to Paris in the summer of 2017.

There is also the belief in Paris that Barcelona will not be able to pay the transfer fee in one lump sum next summer should they make the move permanent and would ask to pay in annual installments, which is not ideal for the French club.

PSG sporting director Leonardo is trying to get as much money in cash as possible for Neymar, hoping to recoup at least €200m. The situation is further complicated by Philippe Coutinho's loan move to Bayern Munich, making a potential deal for Neymar harder to pull off as PSG had hoped the Barcelona midfielder could be a makeweight in some kind of cash-plus-players deal.

Neymar still wants to leave the Parc des Princes this summer and his preference is to go back to Barcelona where he played between 2013 and 2017.

Sources say the Brazilian superstar is trying to stay positive but he knows that a deal to see him returning to the Camp Nou is getting more and more difficult.

Neymar, who continues to train on his own away from the first team, has not played in either of PSG's two opening Ligue 1 matches so far this season, with Leonardo saying that he will not be involved until his situation is resolved.

Ezekiel Elliott was not amused by Saturday's "Zeke who?" quip from Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and thought it was "disrespectful," according to Elliott's agent.

"I didn't think it was funny and neither did Zeke -- we actually thought it was disrespectful," agent Rocky Arceneaux told ESPN on Monday afternoon.

Arceneaux said Elliott continues his contract holdout while training in Cabo San Lucas "at a great facility."

Jones answered a question about Elliott after the Cowboys' preseason game Saturday in Hawaii with "Zeke who?"

The Cowboys owner then clarified he wanted Elliott to know he was just "cracking a joke at Zeke's expense."

Jones had been asked if running back Tony Pollard, who is having a strong training camp, was the best negotiating ploy the Cowboys have in talks with Elliott, which drew his response.

Arceneaux did not reveal any details related to contract negotiations.

Elliott has yet to report to training camp and is subject to fines totaling more than $900,000 as he seeks a contract extension.

Pollard had 51 yards on the Cowboys' first drive Saturday, which ended with his 14-yard touchdown run.

"He knows exactly what to do, and he knows how to do it, so it is, he goes out there and he plays to that level," Jones said. "If he continues this through the next several weeks, he's going to be right in the middle of it early, and that will really complement what we're doing with Zeke. Not replace that. And I mean that, not replace that. Nobody's getting cute here, but it'll certainly be a great complement. ... I can picture those guys same sets at the same times out there and really giving those defenses fits."

ESPN's Todd Archer contributed to this report.

During the offseason, 2,880 human beings (32 teams x 90 players) can be rostered by an NFL team. Once Week 1 rolls around, that number is cut down to 1,696 (32 x 53). The ESPN Fantasy player database includes nearly 2,500 players.

You can't be expected to know all of those players, which is why "The 192" is here to make your life easier.

Why 192? Fantasy leagues come in all shapes and sizes, but many have settled into leagues featuring 12 teams of 16 players. "The 192" is a list of the 192 players who should be drafted (and thus rostered) in a 12-team, 16-round PPR league with relatively standard scoring and lineup settings. The players are technically listed in the order they should be drafted, though it's important to remember that drafts are fluid and your decisions should be altered based on what's left on the board and your previous selections.

So what if you're in an eight-team league? Or a 16-teamer? "The 192" can still help you win, but you'll certainly need to make tweaks in the mid-to-late rounds. For example, in a smaller league, you might want to wait even longer at quarterback since the position is so deep. In deeper leagues, running backs and tight ends should be more of a priority, as those positions lack depth and could leave you with a weak spot if you wait too long.

Although some player analysis is included throughout the piece, strategy is the primary topic of discussion. For more thorough player analysis, check out our player profiles, which were drawn up by yours truly. For a deeper look at the rankings, check out Cheat Sheet Central.

The 192 should serve as a simple guide to help you maximize the value of your starting lineup while making the best possible decision every round.

1. Saquon Barkley, NYG, RB1

Not everyone agrees with this, but I say Barkley is the no-brainer No. 1 overall pick in all 2019 fantasy drafts. The Penn State product ranked top-three among backs in carries, pass routes and targets en route to pacing the position in fantasy points as a rookie. He's running unopposed in a Giants backfield that will benefit from an offense that will lean even more on the run in 2019. If you can choose your draft spot, roll with 1.1 and get your hands on the top asset in fantasy football.

2. Christian McCaffrey, CAR, RB2
3. Alvin Kamara, NO, RB3
4. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL, RB4

The running back position has been rejuvenated with young backs playing workhorse roles, and fantasy managers will be itching to grab one early. Is it worth the risk, considering the high injury rate? Yes, when it's a clear, feature back set for a significant passing-game role. This trio fits that bill, though Elliott's holdout knocks him to the bottom of the list.

5. DeAndre Hopkins, HOU, WR1
6. Michael Thomas, NO, WR2
7. David Johnson, ARI, RB5
8. Le'Veon Bell, NYJ, RB6
9. Davante Adams, GB, WR3
10. Julio Jones, ATL, WR4
11. Odell Beckham Jr., CLE, WR5
12. Tyreek Hill, KC, WR6
13. JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT, WR7

Johnson and Bell are two more clear feature backs worth your attention in the first round. Johnson is trending up with so much positivity surrounding the progress of rookie QB Kyler Murray, as well as Johnson's role in a high-volume Kliff Kingsbury offense.

The debate over who should be the first wide receiver off the board will continue all offseason. Following reports that Green Bay will run more than we anticipated, Hopkins now gets the nod over Adams, who paced the position in fantasy points before sitting out Week 17 last season and leads the NFL in touchdowns over the past three seasons. Adams is still a fine WR1 option, as are Thomas, Jones, Beckham, Smith-Schuster and Hill. Landing one of these wideouts in Round 2 is both possible and a terrific value.

14. Todd Gurley II, LAR, RB7
15. Travis Kelce, KC, TE1
16. Antonio Brown, OAK, WR8

Gurley paced all backs in fantasy points in 2017 and finished top-10 a position-high 11 times in 2018, but a troublesome knee will mean fewer touches in 2019. Of course, he can afford a lesser role and still deliver elite fantasy production in the Rams' terrific offense. He's a fine Round 2 pick.

Kelce belongs in the first-round discussion after pacing all tight ends in fantasy points for a third straight season. Brown has missed time due to a foot injury and helmet drama; knock him down a few spots.

17. Joe Mixon, CIN, RB8
18. James Conner, PIT, RB9
19. Dalvin Cook, MIN, RB10
20. Mike Evans, TB, WR9
21. Keenan Allen, LAC, WR10
22. Nick Chubb, CLE, RB11
23. Kerryon Johnson, DET, RB12
24. Leonard Fournette, JAX, RB13
25. Devonta Freeman, ATL, RB14
26. Melvin Gordon, LAC, RB15

Many don't like picking first overall because of the perceived drop in value as the second round progresses, but this list shows that even in 12-team leagues, you're going to have plenty of terrific options at the Round 2/3 turn. Chubb might seem low, but Kareem Hunt's midseason return looms large and could limit the second-year back's production during the all-important fantasy playoffs. Johnson is trending up following the Lions' release of Theo Riddick. There seems to be a very real chance that Gordon will miss regular season action, which knocks him into Round 3.

27. Amari Cooper, DAL, WR11
28. T.Y. Hilton, IND, WR12
29. George Kittle, SF, TE2
30. Zach Ertz, PHI, TE3

Andrew Luck's Week 1 status is up in the air, which makes Hilton a bit risky, so that's a situation to monitor. Kittle (who set the tight end receiving yardage record last season) and Ertz (who set the tight end reception record last season) are candidates for a dip in targets and/or some regression and thus find themselves a tier below Kelce. Nonetheless, both are solid Round 3 targets.

31. Josh Jacobs, OAK, RB16
32. Derrick Henry, TEN, RB17
33. Chris Carson, SEA, RB18
34. Marlon Mack, IND, RB19
35. Aaron Jones, GB, RB20

This is an intriguing tier of running backs. All five are in good situations and have RB1 upside but also hold some risk. Henry and Mack have been limited as receivers thus far, Jacobs is a rookie and will defer passing-down work to Jalen Richard, Jones has yet to lock down clear lead back duties in Green Bay, and Carson will need to fend off second-year back Rashaad Penny. Carson is trending up following reports that he'll play a much larger role as a receiver.

36. Julian Edelman, NE, WR13
37. Adam Thielen, MIN, WR14
38. Brandin Cooks, LAR, WR15
39. Stefon Diggs, MIN, WR16
40. Robert Woods, LAR, WR17
41. Kenny Golladay, DET, WR18
42. Cooper Kupp, LAR, WR19

The depth at wide receiver really shows up here and suggests it makes sense to grab a running back in the first round before attacking hard at wide receiver. Minnesota will run the ball more this season, but huge target shares for Thielen and Diggs should allow for WR2 campaigns. All three Rams wide receivers were top-11 in fantasy points during the seven games the trio played together last season.

43. Patrick Mahomes, KC, QB1

Mahomes will (and should) be the top quarterback off the board in 2019 drafts. Of course, the question is: When is the right time? I say Round 4 for the reasons laid out here and here. Yes, Mahomes will be drafted earlier than 43rd in most drafts, but I can't justify going much earlier on a quarterback.

44. Damien Williams, KC, RB21
45. Mark Ingram II, BAL, RB22
46. Alshon Jeffery, PHI, WR20
47. Chris Godwin, TB, WR21
48. Tyler Lockett, SEA, WR22
49. Mike Williams, LAC, WR23
50. DJ Moore, CAR, WR24
51. Tyler Boyd, CIN, WR25
52. Allen Robinson, CHI, WR26
53. Calvin Ridley, ATL, WR27
54. Josh Gordon, NE, WR28
55. Sammy Watkins, KC, WR29
56. A.J. Green, CIN, WR30

I'm lower on Damien Williams than most. The journeyman back flashed in relief of Kareem Hunt last season, but he's also 27 years old and has yet to clear 50 carries or 23 receptions in a single season. He has upside, but he's also risky, and both need to be considered.

This is a terrific area to go shopping for a third wide receiver. Lockett's efficiency stats will regress this season, but Doug Baldwin's retirement will mean a larger target share. Robinson is a candidate for a better season now that he's fully recovered from his 2017 torn Achilles. Don't sleep on Ridley, who is positioned for a big role in a highly productive Falcons offense that isn't deep with reliable targets. Green will miss a few weeks, but we know he'll supply fringe WR1 numbers once healthy.

Gordon is worth an extended mention after he was reinstated. The veteran wide receiver wasn't nearly as dominant last season as he was back at his peak in 2013 but was still very effective, ranking sixth among wide receivers in YPR (18.0), 10th in YPT (10.2) and fourth in RAC (6.7). Gordon was often utilized as a vertical threat (13.8 aDOT), which limited his volume a bit; during the nine full games he played, Gordon (63) was behind both Julian Edelman (83) and James White (70) in targets. Gordon ranked 24th in fantasy points during those nine weeks. He's back in the WR3 discussion, but his off-field troubles make him a risky early-round investment.

57. James White, NE, RB23
58. Sony Michel, NE, RB24
59. Kenyan Drake, MIA, RB25
60. David Montgomery, CHI, RB26
61. Tarik Cohen, CHI, RB27
62. Phillip Lindsay, DEN, RB28
63. Derrius Guice, WAS, RB29
64. Lamar Miller, HOU, RB30

Round 5/6 presents a significant chunk of the top RB3 options.

New England's top two backs are worth a look here, though we know White will be limited as a rusher and Michel contributes very little as a receiver. Montgomery and Guice were recent Day 2 draft picks and are positioned for big 2019 roles. Lindsay's stock is trending down with Denver committed to a big role for Royce Freeman. Same for Miller, who will defer touches to newcomer Duke Johnson Jr.

65. Evan Engram, NYG, TE4
66. O.J. Howard, TB, TE5
67. Hunter Henry, LAC, TE6
68. Jared Cook, NO, TE7

Round 6-7 has become the sweet spot for finding your tight end in 2019. Engram will be a featured target in New York, especially with Golden Tate suspended. Injuries have been a problem for Henry and Howard, but both have elite upside. Cook is expected to play a massive role in New Orleans' elite offense.

69. Deshaun Watson, HOU, QB2
70. Matt Ryan, ATL, QB3
71. Aaron Rodgers, GB, QB4

Finally we reach the second tier of quarterbacks. Watson, Rodgers and Ryan are very good QB1 plays, but none is worth reaching for. As we'll see throughout this piece, the position is deeper than ever.

72. Sterling Shepard, NYG, WR31
73. Jarvis Landry, CLE, WR32
74. Robby Anderson, NYJ, WR33
75. Dede Westbrook, JAX, WR34
76. Will Fuller V, HOU, WR35
77. Marvin Jones Jr., DET, WR36
78. Christian Kirk, ARI, WR37
79. Emmanuel Sanders, DEN, WR38
80. Tevin Coleman, SF, RB31
81. Miles Sanders, PHI, RB32
82. Austin Ekeler, LAC, RB33
83. Duke Johnson Jr., HOU, RB34
84. Royce Freeman, DEN, RB35
85. Rashaad Penny, SEA, RB36
86. Nyheim Hines, IND, RB37

Round 7 presents a chunk of solid, veteran WR3 options, as well as some potential breakout running backs.

Shepard is one of my favorite mid-round targets as the Giants' clear No. 1 wide receiver. Anderson is entering his first contract year and could take a huge leap if Sam Darnold takes a step forward. Sanders is trending up following a quick recovery from a torn Achilles. He seems likely to suit up for Week 1.

Especially with Jerick McKinnon still not recovered from a torn ACL, Coleman is your top option in the 49ers' backfield committee. Ekeler is a hot mid-round target as the presumed starter in Los Angeles if Gordon holds out. Johnson's stock is way up after a trade from Cleveland to Houston.

87. Cam Newton, CAR, QB5
88. Baker Mayfield, CLE, QB6
89. Carson Wentz, PHI, QB7
90. Andrew Luck, IND, QB8

Each of these quarterbacks has the upside to finish 2019 as the top scorer at the position. Luck (calf) is trending down with his Week 1 status in question. Mayfield will be picked earlier than this in most drafts. The hype makes sense, but a lack of rushing production, a high interception rate and a shaky pair of offensive tackles means there's more risk than advertised. Healthy and ready to roll, Newton will be a value in 2019 drafts.

91. Corey Davis, TEN, WR39
92. Jamison Crowder, NYJ, WR40
93. Curtis Samuel, CAR, WR41
94. Larry Fitzgerald, ARI, WR42
95. Courtland Sutton, DEN, WR43
96. Keke Coutee, HOU, WR44
97. Michael Gallup, DAL, WR45
98. Dante Pettis, SF, WR46
99. Jordan Howard, PHI, RB38
100. Peyton Barber, TB, RB39
101. Matt Breida, SF, RB40
102. Latavius Murray, NO, RB41
103. LeSean McCoy, BUF, RB42
104. Darrell Henderson, LAR, RB43
105. Carlos Hyde, KC, RB44
106. Donte Moncrief, PIT, WR47
107. James Washington, PIT, WR48
108. Geronimo Allison, GB, WR49
109. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, GB, WR50

At this point, the core of your team is in place, so we're primarily looking to find flex options and upside bench players.

Davis is in a make-or-break season in Tennessee. Crowder's stock is on the rise as he's positioned for a featured role in New York. Fitzgerald should be reinvigorated in a better Cardinals offense. Allison and Valdes-Scantling could easily push for WR3/flex numbers if they lock down Nos. 2/3 duties in Green Bay. Sutton, Gallup and Washington are Year 2 leap candidates. Washington will compete with Moncrief for a bountiful No. 2 gig in Pittsburgh. Pettis is trending down following reports of a rough training camp.

At running back, Barber lacks a high ceiling but appears to be locking down lead back duties in Tampa. Henderson's value will depend mostly on the health of Gurley. If Gurley is out, he'll be an RB2 option. If Gurley is a full go, Henderson will struggle for standalone value. Henderson, Murray and Hyde are among the most valuable handcuffs in fantasy. Though he isn't what he used to be, McCoy remains the lead back in a run-heavy Bills offense.

110. Vance McDonald, PIT, TE8
111. David Njoku, CLE, TE9
112. Delanie Walker, TEN, TE10
113. Eric Ebron, IND, TE11
114. Dak Prescott, DAL, QB9
115. Drew Brees, NO, QB10
116. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT, QB11
117. Russell Wilson, SEA, QB12
118. Kyler Murray, ARI, QB13
119. Jared Goff, LAR, QB14

If you waited at tight end or quarterback, Round 10 isn't a bad spot to make a move.

The always-underrated Walker joins McDonald, Njoku and regression lock Ebron as solid TE1 options. Prescott's rushing prowess, improved supporting cast and super-light early-season schedule make him an excellent value. You never need to take a second quarterback, but a few of your top options are listed here if you choose to do so. Murray's outstanding rushing ability supplies him with a high floor.

120. DeSean Jackson, PHI, WR51
121. Tyrell Williams, OAK, WR52
122. Devin Funchess, IND, WR53
123. Anthony Miller, CHI, WR54
124. Tom Brady, NE, QB15
125. Lamar Jackson, BAL, QB16
126. DK Metcalf, SEA, WR55
127. Kenny Stills, MIA, WR56
128. Golden Tate, NYG, WR57
129. Adam Humphries, TEN, WR58
130. Albert Wilson, MIA, WR59
131. Austin Hooper, ATL, TE12
132. Jordan Reed, WAS, TE13
133. Trey Burton, CHI, TE14
134. Mark Andrews, BAL, TE15
135. Ronald Jones, TB, RB45
136. Jalen Richard, OAK, RB46
137. Dion Lewis, TEN, RB47
138. Giovani Bernard, CIN, RB48
139. John Brown, BUF, WR60

We're into Rounds 11-12, so we're looking for potential flex options, as well as breakout candidates. Metcalf is our first rookie wide receiver, as he locks down a significant role in Seattle. Jackson and Williams lead a long list of veteran wide receivers who will push for weekly fantasy value.

Those of you in PPR leagues with at least 12 teams will have more use for dedicated passing-down backs like veterans Richard, Lewis and Bernard. All three will be limited as rushers, but all are strong bets for 40-plus receptions.

140. DaeSean Hamilton, DEN, WR61
141. Mohamed Sanu, ATL, WR62
142. Deebo Samuel, SF, WR63
143. Chris Conley, JAX, WR64
144. Greg Olsen, CAR, TE16
145. Jack Doyle, IND, TE17
146. Jimmy Graham, GB, TE18
147. Mitchell Trubisky, CHI, QB17
148. Jameis Winston, TB, QB18
149. Philip Rivers, LAC, QB19
150. Kalen Ballage, MIA, RB49
151. Jaylen Samuels, PIT, RB50
152. Devin Singletary, BUF, RB51
153. Tony Pollard, DAL, RB52
154. Justin Jackson, LAC, RB53

These are some of your best options when looking to round out your bench. Ballage (Drake), Samuels (Conner) and Singletary (McCoy) are notable handcuffs with RB2 upside in the event of an injury above them on the depth chart. Pollard and Jackson should be on benches until the Elliott and Gordon contract situations are resolved. Youngsters Hamilton and Samuel are excellent late-round fliers as potential breakout wide receivers. Veterans Conley (teammate D.J. Chark just missed the cut) and Sanu should also be on your radar.

At tight end, Doyle is nearing full health, and don't forget that he easily out-targeted Eric Ebron and was fantasy's No. 6 tight end when healthy last season.

155. Marquise Brown, BAL, WR65
156. Paul Richardson, WAS, WR66
157. Mecole Hardman, KC, WR67
158. Tre'Quan Smith, NO, WR68
159. Andy Isabella, ARI, WR69
160. A.J. Brown, TEN, WR70
161. Deon Cain, IND, WR71
162. Kirk Cousins, MIN, QB20
163. Kyle Rudolph, MIN, TE19
164. Chris Thompson, WAS, RB54
165. Mike Davis, CHI, RB55
166. Jerick McKinnon, SF, RB56
167. Kareem Hunt, CLE, RB57
168. Darwin Thompson, KC, RB58

These are your top targets as we head toward the D/ST and kicker portion of the draft. The list includes a few more post-hype and/or upside fliers at wide receiver like Cain, Richardson and Smith. Also, here are rookie fliers Brown (x2), Isabella and Hardman (N'Keal Harry fell off the board following the activation of Gordon). Hunt is also a highly valuable handcuff, but his eight-game suspension limits his draft-day appeal. Thompson could make serious noise in Kansas City if Williams and/or Hyde flame out.

169. Bears D/ST, DST1
170. Jaguars D/ST, DST2
171. Bills D/ST, DST3
172. Rams D/ST, DST4
173. Vikings D/ST, DST5
174. Saints D/ST, DST6
175. Chargers D/ST, DST7
176. Patriots D/ST, DST8
177. Colts D/ST, DST9
178. Titans D/ST, DST10
179. Greg Zuerlein, LAR, K1
180. Justin Tucker, BAL, K2
181. Wil Lutz, NO, K3
182. Harrison Butker, KC, K4
183. Stephen Gostkowski, NE, K5
184. Ka'imi Fairbairn, HOU, K6
185. Robbie Gould, SF, K7
186. Mike Badgley, LAC, K8
187. Adam Vinatieri, IND, K9
188. Brett Maher, DAL, K10
189. Broncos D/ST, DST11
190. Texans D/ST, DST12
191. Matt Prater, DET, K11
192. Jake Elliott, PHI, K12

Did you learn nothing from the Jaguars D/ST last season?! With few exceptions, wait until the final two rounds to select your defense and kicker. These, of course, are the top kicker and D/ST options in 12-team leagues.

PIRAEUS, Greece -- Former Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

In a statement posted Monday on the website of Greek club Olympiakos, Blatt said he was diagnosed "a few months ago" with the condition, which attacks the central nervous system, and has experienced fatigue, weakness in his legs and balance problems.

"I am a coach and my job is to lead and teach and inspire a lot of people. Not being as agile or active doesn't affect my ability to do those things,'' Blatt, 60, said in the statement.

"How could I possibly complain? I absolutely cannot and will not. It's wasted effort and while I ask my players and staff to be the best version of themselves, I must ask and even demand from myself to do the same.''

Blatt was appointed coach of Cleveland in June 2014 and took the team to the NBA Finals in his first season, losing to the Golden State Warriors.

He was fired partway through the 2015-16 season, in which Cleveland won the NBA championship for the first time under coach Tyronn Lue. Blatt has coached Olympiakos since June 2018.

Howard University is bringing back its golf teams for the first time in decades -- with a big assist from NBA star Stephen Curry.

Curry announced Monday that he will financially support the Bison's golf teams for the next six years. Howard, a historically black university in Washington, D.C., plans to have men's and women's teams in place for the 2020-21 season.

"This is one of the most generous gifts in the history of Howard University," said athletic director Kery Davis.

Curry, a three-time NBA champion and two-time MVP with Golden State, attended a news conference at the school Monday.

Howard previously competed in golf at the Division II level; school officials believe its teams were disbanded sometime during the 1970s. The school will begin a search for coaches, potential players and a course for practice and competitive rounds in the next few months.

Curry, who attended Davidson College, became interested in helping bring back the Bison's golf teams after meeting Howard senior and golfer Otis Ferguson IV during a campus visit to watch a documentary film in January.

"The idea around re-creating Howard's golf team and turning it into a Division I program for men and women was born on that specific night," Curry said. "Now, seven and a half or eight months later, we're here."

Curry played golf on his high school team and has appeared as an amateur and celebrity golfer in tournaments during his NBA career. In 2017, he fired an opening-round 74 while playing on an exemption at the Web.com Tour's Ellie Mae Classic. He shot 71 in the same event the next year. He missed the cut in both tournaments.

Curry is also a co-host of the ABC mini-golf TV show "Holey Moley."

"Golf is a sport that has changed my life in ways that are less tangible, but just as impactful," Curry said previously in a release. "It's a discipline that challenges your mental wherewithal from patience to focus, and is impossible to truly master, so when you hear about these passionate student athletes who have the talent but don't have a fair shot at the game, it's tough. I feel really honored to play a small role in the rich history of Howard University."