PARIS, France -- Megan Rapinoe, the second-ever winner of the women's Ballon d'Or given to the best player on earth, had better things to do than pick up her award in Paris on Monday. "Bonsoir everyone!" she called out cheerily to the theater packed with dinner jackets and ballgowns, in a video that looked as if it was recorded in the corner of her Seattle living room. She apologised for not making it over: "It's a bummer." Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Virgil van Dijk were among those who had shown up to applaud her, yet her snubbing of the ceremony seemed fair enough: judged by her off- as well as on-field impact, she may be soccer's biggest icon today.

Messi, Rapinoe win Ballon d'Or prizes

A really good icon arrives at just the right moment in history. We're living in an era when women, sexual minorities and non-white people are saying we won't be treated as second-class humans anymore. Certain men in the traditional ruling class reply we get to decide that. And into that battle walks Rapinoe. Her expressive face, uninhibited humor and sense of style make her an ideal spokeswoman for almost any cause and as an activist, she's an update on past stars of her sport.

The face of American soccer 20 years ago, Mia Hamm, "was sort of a gateway to the world becoming used to female soccer players," says Gemma Clarke, author of Soccerwomen. "She was marketed as wholesome, as the girl next door." By contrast, adds Clarke, Rapinoe wouldn't have been accepted as an icon "even five years ago."

Now 34, Rapinoe spent most of her career just short of front-rank status yet even without the protection of stardom, she never shied away from unpopular causes. She campaigned for prisoners' rights on behalf of her brother, Brian, who has been in and out of prison with drug problems. A former white supremacist with swastika tattoos, he watched many of his sister's triumphs from behind bars.

In 2016, she became the first white American athlete to kneel during the national anthem in solidarity with the anti-racism campaigner and NFL player, Colin Kaepernick. "It took guts. It could have ended her career," says Clarke. The U.S. Soccer Federation responded by banning the act of kneeling. Meanwhile, Rapinoe and her girlfriend, WNBA star Sue Bird, were "normalizing a lesbian relationship" in American public life, notes Brenda Elsey, coauthor of Futbolera: A History of Women and Sports in Latin America.

But Rapinoe's joint careers as athlete and activist reached their crescendo this summer. If the U.S.'s victory at the World Cup in France was expected, her domination of the tournament wasn't. She hasn't been the best female player of her era, but she peaked when it mattered. "She's a big-time player," says the USWNT's coach Jill Ellis. Rapinoe's confidence -- exemplified by her trademark arms-outstretched celebration, known as "the Rapinoe" -- was a rejection of old-style submissive femininity, and particularly stunning coming from a working-class woman.

Rapinoe dared take on Trump, the candidate who had swept most voters in her rural northern Californian hometown -- including her own father. She promised she wouldn't be visiting the "[expletive] White House" if the U.S. became world champions. "Megan should win first before she talks!" tweeted Trump. A few days later she'd not only won her second World Cup, but also the Golden Ball for best player and Golden Boot for highest scorer.

Rapinoe has called herself "a walking protest" and her advocacy of the U.S. team's lawsuit for equal pay was another feet-first leap into one of the social issues of 2019. Her own career had almost been cut short by gender inequality: four years ago, she tore her ACL while practicing with the USWNT on a grass field in Hawaii so bad that it was lined with plastic-covered sewer plates. "Equal pay!" the crowd in Lyon chanted after the Americans defeated the Dutch in the World Cup final, a chant that's resounded through stadiums across the National Women's Soccer League this year. But the USWNT's lawsuit shines a light for women beyond sport, and beyond the U.S. too.

In modern sports, activism is usually treated as a potential distraction. Speaking in platitudes or sponsor-fed slogans is considered the professional thing to do. Even some of Rapinoe's teammates in the national team seem to take that view. They talked about wanting to "stay in their bubble" during the tournament, says Caitlin Murray, author of The National Team, about the USWNT. Rapinoe's spat with Trump threatened to pull them out of it but the furore didn't distract them; equally, it seemed to energize her.

Rapinoe is more than a professional: she is a performer. On the pitch she'll joke with the referee, banter with opponents, or acknowledge a fan, says Murray. "She always looks like she's having fun." Her irreverence seems to help her stay loose on the field, and lets her relax a potentially overstressed locker room.

Wowing the world has left her little time for her Seattle club, Reign FC: her stats for this season are no goals and no assists in just 333 minutes of play, but then, she's made for greater things, like further investment in women's soccer. In a video celebrating her Ballon d'Or, her father mused: "I don't know where you go from here: the best player of the universe?" In fact, her international playing career may culminate with next year's Tokyo Olympics, but that would surely just unleash her onto a new path, or maybe various paths. "At this point she's so popular that she could do almost anything," says Elsey. It's easy to picture her running for political office, but that feels perhaps too tritely obvious for her.

"That's the thing about the greatest icons," says Clarke. "There's really nobody to compare them to."

Cameron Bancroft has been left out of Australia's 13-man squad for the Test series against New Zealand, which starts in Perth next week, in an otherwise unchanged group from the one which swept Pakistan 2-0 with a brace of innings victories.

James Pattinson, who was ruled out of the opening Test against Pakistan after his code of conduct suspension, and the uncapped Michael Neser remain the support pace-bowling options.

Rotation was a theme among Australia's pace attack in the Ashes but barring any injuries it would be a surprise if they changed the current trio for the opening Test against New Zealand. Mitchell Starc, who took 14 wickets at 17 in the two Tests, grimaced at times in Pakistan's second innings in Adelaide, but Tim Paine was confident there was no significant concern.

"We're lucky not only because of how good [the quick bowlers] are but they're great athletes as well," he said. "Starcy has a bit of a cut on his big toe, he did land awkwardly at one stage yesterday but that was fine. Most of his grimacing today…I think he's waiting the nail to come off the big toe which happens to a lot of fast bowlers and until it actually happens it can be quite painful. He's battling a little bit with that but nothing he hasn't gone through before."

Bancroft was the spare batsman for the Brisbane and Adelaide Tests and will remain a standby player, but has not been officially included this time. The selection chairman, Trevor Hohns, has left it open to add a player to the squad if conditions dictate which could be the case in Sydney where two spinners may be an option.

Bancroft was released ahead of the Adelaide Test to play in the Sheffield Shield match against South Australia where he made 12 and 23 to continue a lean first-class season, his first-innings dismissal seeing him caught at leg gully for the fifth time this summer.

Given the dominance of Australia's top order against Pakistan - and the two innings wins - some of the batsmen have had limited time in the middle with Travis Head and Tim Paine batting just one in the series.

"As we said prior to the Pakistan series we are striving to maintain a core group of players," Hohns said. "The performance of the team against Pakistan was very impressive across all areas, while there is always some room to improve

"We are backing the current batting line-up to continue their form across the next three Tests. Whilst not a part of this squad, Cameron Bancroft remains one of the standby players. Similarly, depending on conditions, we reserve the right to add a player to the squad at any time during the Series.

"Michael [Neser] will play for Queensland against New South Wales in the Marsh Sheffield Shield game at the SCG, as James [Pattinson] did last week for Victoria."

The round of Sheffield Shield matches which begins on Saturday is the final one before the competition breaks for the BBL.

Squad David Warner, Joe Burns, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Matthew Wade, Travis Head, Tim Paine, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson, Michael Neser

EAGAN, Minn. -- Don't put Xavier Rhodes on the spot about the NFL's MVP race -- not when it comes to choosing between two of his South Florida brethren.

"C'mon man, next question," the Minnesota Vikings cornerback said with a smile.

The Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson has taken the league by storm as the most dynamic quarterback in years and has emerged as the front-runner for the award, but Minnesota running back Dalvin Cook is stating a strong case of his own.

Cook is putting into existence the things he once imagined. He has gone back and forth all season with Carolina running back Christian McCaffrey (and more recently Cleveland's Nick Chubb) for positioning as the rushing and scrimmage yards leader. In his first 11 games, Cook ranks second in yards from scrimmage (1,472) and third in rushing yards (1,017). But the basis of his MVP candidacy is how he makes his entire team better.

"He envisioned himself being this way, living this way," Rhodes said. "He always spoke on 'I'm going to be one of the best.' He always said, 'I'm going to be the rushing leader. I'm going to run hard.' He has great confidence. Believe me, if you're around him, you'll see his confidence.

"It's a guy you want on your team. It's a guy that you can depend on. Dalvin says, 'Just give me the ball. I can make something happen.'"

Cook's explosive playmaking abilities are the cornerstone of the Vikings' system and have boosted quarterback Kirk Cousins' play. What Cook has accomplished in 2019 -- his first healthy season in three -- is what the Vikings envisioned when they traded up to draft him 41st overall in 2017.

As the Vikings travel to perhaps their biggest game of the season on Monday against the Seattle Seahawks (8:20 p.m. ET, ESPN), the Cook effect can be felt across positional lines. He has influenced every aspect of his team's identity while restoring the Vikings to relevance in the NFC.

Before the season, Minnesota recommitted to a running game that struggled in 2018. The Vikings ranked 30th in yards (1,493), 27th in carries (357) and 25th in yards per carry (4.18). This season, a revitalized zone-blocking scheme has produced the fifth-highest output in running back yards (4.80) and open-field yards, defined as when a team's running back earns more than 10 yards past the line of scrimmage, according to Football Outsiders.

Cook is quick to credit his blockers for his success. But it's his patience to see the play develop in front of him that makes his offensive line's job easier.

"It puts a lot of confidence in us, just knowing that our block doesn't necessarily have to be perfect," Vikings right tackle Brian O'Neill said. "A lot of times if you're just in the way, he'll be able to break one, and not a lot of people can do that. He's probably the best at that -- taking a lot more than he's necessarily given. He can make it into something a lot more so than I've ever seen anybody do or block for. All we need is one or two inches, and he can do it."

Going into Week 13, Cook leads the NFL with 63 rushes this season on which he hit a maximum speed of 15-plus mph, per NFL Next Gen Stats. He also has the fastest average speed at the line of scrimmage among running backs on rushes (10.9 mph).

The zone scheme allows Cook to "literally go anywhere," according to left guard Pat Elflein, forcing defenses to chase him to the perimeter on outside runs or whiff on tackles as he cuts up the middle of the field. Cook leads the league in scrimmage yards after contact (533) and receiving yards after contact (161), according to ESPN Stats & Information.

"Now that he's healthy, he's just such an explosive player," Elflein said. "Every time he touches the ball, he can break two, three, four tackles, and he does it consistently."

Cousins has benefited largely from Cook's shouldering a heavy load.

The Vikings quarterback leads the NFL with 11 play-action touchdown passes, averaging 10.4 yards per attempt on such throws when Cook is on the field and 7.7 when he isn't.

"The more I watch these defenses, the more I see defenses that want to prevent big plays," Cousins said. "So what ends up happening is your running back becomes a primary target in the pass game because defenses are going to take away a lot of deep shots and make you have to earn it.

"How effective he's been not only running the football but helping us in the pass game with screens and checkdowns and different things, it's been a huge benefit as a quarterback. Great running backs tend to make the first guy miss. You can't block them all, and the ones who are really good make the unblocked guy have to miss, and he's done that time and time again."

Much of the success in the passing game is a result of how effectively the Vikings run the ball. This season, Cousins is averaging an NFL-high 9.3 yards per pass attempt when the previous play was a run (minimum 50 attempts).

When Cook is on the field, the success rate for receivers Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen is greater.

"When you have a running back, when you have a running game like we have, it allows you to not see some of the coverages or defenses that we've seen in the past when our running game wasn't where it was at," Thielen said. "It just makes it more versatile. The run and the play-action, they look similar, and it's just tougher for teams to play a shell coverage and just take two guys, three guys out of the game.

"Obviously, in this league, we've seen it. You can't just have a run game, and you can't just have a pass game. You need to have both working together to have success, and you see it across the league. You look at the playoff teams, you look at the teams that have won Super Bowls. They have the ability to run and pass and make it all look the same."

The Vikings rank 17th in time of possession, but they are seventh in number of 10-play drives (22).

The efforts of Cook and the run game help keep the Vikings' defense fresh and off the field. In Minnesota's Week 10 win at Dallas, the Vikings scored the winning touchdown off a drive that featured 10 straight runs.

"Dalvin? [He] gets us juiced!" Rhodes said. "The runs he makes, it's just unbelievable watching him. How explosive, how he hits the holes. You see him one moment -- then you don't. He runs through the holes so fast. He runs fearless. That's one thing I can say: He runs fearless. There ain't no tip[toeing] through the hole or 'I'm afraid of this linebacker, this D-lineman.' He's trying to run through you."

Practicing against Cook gives Minnesota's defense a tutorial on how to slow players with similar traits. The old adage of beating the best by competing against the best is a teaching tool for the Vikings, albeit one they know might be a harder test than the backs they'll have to cover in games.

"With a guy like him that can actually outrun you if you're a step behind or he can run you over if you're on your heels, a guy like Dalvin, he can read all that," Rhodes said. "He can read your body language, so you have to be careful with how you are. You have to have him in a great position where he can only go one way, and that's inside.

"You have to force him inside to your help because if you allow him to have a two-way street on you, it's over. There's no tackling him. There's no catching him because he's really explosive."

Cook's health has been a matter of high importance. After knee and hamstring injuries to his right leg limited him to 15 games in his first two seasons, he has shown just how critical his staying healthy is for his team to sustain success.

"If it's a win or loss, just stick to the routine," Cook said. "So you get your body back right physically and mentally. It can drain you in both ways."

A routine built off what has worked for him, along with ideas he has gotten from teammates, makes Cook's off-field rehab just as important as the time he spends cramming for an opponent.

"You can tell he's hungry and it means a lot to him," O'Neill said. "I see him in here on Tuesdays, on the days off when people aren't here. He's in here with the strength coaches, by himself, and it's just no surprise to us that it's happening."

Over the summer, Cook worked out with Bills running back Frank Gore, who is 12 years his senior and shared some tips on career longevity, along with former Jaguars backs Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor.

Following games, Cook checks off a host of things on his to-do list: Pilates, massages, dry needling, boxing with strength and conditioning coaches to work on his rhythm. Sharpening his reactionary speed from a mental standpoint was also important after almost a season out of the game while recovering from his ACL injury.

"It kind of sets you back on your timing, how you hit holes, how you see things," Cook said. "My vision is never going to fall off, but the timing of everything is the key to playing running back, and I felt like that was missing last year."

Cook ranks fourth overall in fan voting (259,313 votes), but his chance to win the MVP is probably a long shot. It is often viewed as a quarterback's award, as only four running backs have won the MVP in the past 20 years.

Accolades aside, the numbers prove the obvious: Minnesota is better with Cook on the field. Down the stretch of the season, Cook's explosive playmaking abilities will be relied on to carry the Vikings into the playoffs.

It all adds up to an MVP run that rivals that of the league's best players. In Minnesota, that race has already been decided.

"I feel like we're kind of going as he's going," linebacker Anthony Barr said. "Any time he gets going, even on defense, it really gives us a boost. He's doing just an amazing job taking pressure off the rest of the offense, the rest of defense and allowing, I'm sure, [offensive coordinator] Kevin [Stefanski] to make some easy calls for him. We can trust him back there."

INDIANAPOLIS – Ian Madsen’s season is not quite finished as the St. Marys, New South Wales, native is set to return to his native Australia to compete for DTM Motorsport to close 2019 and open 2020.

“I am very much looking forward to driving for Sydney, Australia, based DTM Motorsports for about a month over in Australia,” Madsen said. “It is a very professional outfit, and I am super pumped to try and pick up a couple wins for them.”

Madsen’s schedule will kick off on Boxing Day at Sydney Speedway, where he will kick off the International Series. Running the entire series, the team will then head towards some of Australia’s premier events.

Madsen and DTM Motorsport will contest the President’s Cup, The King’s Challenge, and the prestigious Grand Annual Classic.

“The team has had a really good season so far with Jake Baines in the driver’s seat,” Madsen said. “When I get down there, Baines will actually turn into the crew chief, and I am really excited to work with him and build on their early success.”

Following the Grand Annual Classic, Madsen will then return home and set his sights on his eighth season with Iowa-based KCP Racing.

“It will be nice to have some time off to de compress and reflect on 2019, but I am excited to get back after and really kick 2020 off,” Madsen said. “I really believe it helps to get down there and race, and I hope it leads to the start of a great eighth season with KCP Racing when I return home.”

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SONOMA, Calif. – Flying Lizard Motorsports is returning to Willows, Calif., to compete in their fifth consecutive NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill Presented by HAWK Performance.

The reigning champions of the last four 25 Hours of Thunderhill have put together a last minute effort to defend their title, entering an Audi R8 GT4 in the GT Challenge class.

“We originally weren’t planning on entering this year,” said Flying Lizard Motorsports Program Manager Darren Law. “However at the last minute, we were given an opportunity to run and we thought it would be great to support our longtime partner, Toyo Tires, for another year and go for another win.”

Four of the five drivers for the No. 45 Audi R8 GT4 have competed previously with Flying Lizard at the endurance event. Charlie Hayes, Tommy Sadler, Ross Thompson and Andy Wilzoch, will be joined by newcomer Masato Kawabata, a Japanese professional drifting driver.

The team first participated in the event in 2015, in which they won in class and the event overall. In the last four years, the team has entered seven cars in the endurance event, not only winning overall each time, but also clinching each eligible class win.

Introduced as the newest class in the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill last year, the GT Challenge class will run on a DOT spec tire, the Toyo Proxes RR. Toyo Tires recently announced a cash prize of $10,000 to the winner of this year’s GT Challenge class, which is open to any vehicle homologated to FIA GT3 or GT4 regulations.

“Through our long-term partnership with Toyo Tires, we’ve tested many of their motorsports tires, including the Proxes RR that is spec for the GT Challenge class,” concluded Law. “We know that the Proxes RR is a proven tire that gives our drivers fast and consistent lap times, and the ability to double or triple stint a tire, providing a more cost effective option to a race slick.”

NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill Presented by HAWK Performance will be held Dec. 7-8, 2019 at Thunderhill Raceway in Northern California.

DENVER, N.C. – Eric Curran is stepping away from his role as an IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Daytona Prototype international driver for Whelen Engineering Racing.

Curran, who scored the 2016 and 2018 IMSA WeatherTech driver championships for Whelen Engineering Racing, has no plans of slowing down.

The American racer had a remarkable season, co-driving the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R with series regulars Felipe Nasr and Pipo Derani in the four IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup races. The trio won the 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans in addition to finishing second in the Rolex 24 At Daytona on the way to bringing the sixth consecutive IMEC title to Action Express Racing.

Having moved from a full-time role during his 2018 IMSA title run with Nasr to contest the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup in 2019, Curran took on the challenge of delivering performance despite extended breaks between the races.

Curran will step aside from his driving role with Action Express to focus on a growing roster of programs outside of the cockpit as well as his commitments to Whelen Engineering.

“It’s the same thing Christian [Fittipaldi] experienced,” Curran said, recalling his Action Express Racing teammate who retired following the 2019 Rolex 24 At Daytona. “It is a big challenge to just jump into one of these DPi’s after being out of the car for a few months and be exactly where you were when you got out a couple of months before. I felt comfortable, but it was still a big challenge to take on. And part of that is the fact that IMSA is so incredibly competitive. If you want to be successful, everything on the team has to be operating at 100 percent — from the driver to the pit stops to the strategy.”

Despite those challenges, Curran had a season to remember with victories in two of IMSA’s biggest races as well as the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup title.

Curran’s list of projects has indeed continued to multiply. Between the West Coast Exotic Cars dealership that he started five years ago in Murrieta, Calif., working to bring a new race track to the Southern Californian market, and his duties as a test driver for the Saleen brand; as well as continuing to coach and drive in historic sports car competition, the Florida resident has not let off the gas in his other professional roles.

“The dealership was meant to be something that I was going to shift into as I started to race less,” Curran said. “It has only grown leaps and bounds since then. I think this is the right time to say ‘thank you,’ to Action Express. My schedule isn’t getting any slower—I am going to keep working on some of these other projects and be rooting for the team instead of racing with them. Winning the IMSA championship last year, then being on the Daytona podium for the second year in a row, and finally closing the year by getting a sixth consecutive Michelin Cup with Action Express and winning in my last race in the car, this has been a really fantastic run.”

Curran has raced for Sonny Whelen and Whelen Engineering for the past 13 seasons, beginning in 2007 in the World Challenge. The relationship continued in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series plus NASCAR’s Xfinity Series and K&N Pro Series East, as Curran will continue working with Whelen Engineering in a different capacity in 2020 and beyond.

“Sonny and I have had an amazing run together in the racing world winning 17 professional races and two championships,” said Curran. “I can’t thank Sonny and Whelen Engineering enough for their support and I’m excited to move into other roles within the company.”

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Nicklas Backstrom is in the final season of a 10-year contract with the Washington Capitals, facing unrestricted free agency next summer. To determine his future in the NHL, he's put his faith in someone he knows he can trust -- himself.

Backstrom, 32, is negotiating without an agent in contract extension talks with the Capitals. He said he parted ways with agent Marc Levine before the season.

Washington is the only NHL team with whom Backstrom has played, after the Capitals selected him fourth overall in the 2006 NHL draft. That's given him a level of trust with the organization to attempt these talks without an agent.

"I feel like I've been here long enough. I've seen everything. I don't think there's anything to hide," he said on Monday. "We'll see what happens here going forward. I just felt like I wanted to do it myself. I have a good enough relationship with the organization where we can be honest and talk. That's just how it is."

Backstrom said he'd hoped contract talks wouldn't still be ongoing with the team.

"To be honest with you, I would have liked it done before the season," said the centerman.

He declined to get specific about the contract talks, including which members of the Capitals' front office he's negotiating with or how often they talk. But he did offer a brief summation of his work as his own agent.

"I don't have a contract for next year, so I'm not doing that good," he said with a laugh. "We'll see what happens."

Backstrom has been limited to 23 games this season due to injury but has 18 points. For his career, he has 891 points in 918 NHL games. Outside of Alex Ovechkin, no player has meant more to the Capitals' decade of success than Backstrom.

Coincidentally, Ovechkin also represented himself when he signed his then-record 13-year, $124 million contract extension in 2008 with the Capitals.

"He wanted to be my agent, actually," said Backstrom of Ovechkin. "I said no, but thanks for the help, though."

Every week, we'll mine the waiver wire for lesser-rostered assets to help your squad, whether you favor dynasty or the redraft format, and we'll also toss in some tips for DFS players out there. Finally, we will look at some former go-to fantasy assets who may be overvalued - in the short- or long-term - for one reason or another.

Forwards

Joonas Donskoi, F, Colorado Avalanche (Rostered in 20.2 percent of ESPN.com leagues): The top-line substitute celebrated Mikko Rantanen's first game back by potting two goals and two assists in Saturday's 7-3 drubbing of the Blackhawks. Even with the return of Gabriel Landeskog seemingly on the horizon, Donskoi has value in deeper leagues as linemate to Nazem Kadri and Andre Burakovsky (once healthy himself). But for now fantasy managers should, however possible, exploit the most from the lucky forward's current role aside Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon.

Joel Armia, F, Montreal Canadiens (19.0 percent): If the three goals in three games don't move you, the 21 shots(!) over that span should seize your attention. Armia is clearly feeling it at present, even while his club struggles as a whole. Give the top-power play participant consideration in Daily Fantasy competition before he cools off.

Charlie Coyle, F, Boston Bruins (9.2 percent): For however long it lasts, I like Coyle a lot as substitute for Patrice Bergeron on the Bruins' No. 1 power play, especially since he's also filling in for David Krejci - Bergeron's top-line plug - aside Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen at even strength. The recently extended forward has a goal and three helpers in the four games Bergeron has missed. Just keep up on the top center's recovery, listed as day-to-day.

Tanner Pearson, F, Vancouver Canucks (Rostered in 7.0 percent of ESPN.com leagues): A top-six staple in Vancouver, Pearson has five goals and six assists in 10 recent games, including four points with the extra skater and two-short-handed goals. Seemingly settled in with the Canucks after a three-team tour of the league last season, the 27-year-old has fantasy use in deeper ESPN.com competition.

Kevin Fiala, F, Minnesota Wild (6.2 percent): Turns out the Wild might not be as hopeless as they had us believe. Having lost in regulation just the once in 11 recent contests, Bruce Boudreau's assembly is clearly determined to turn the page on an ugly launch to 2019-20, both on ice and off. Credit Fiala for contributing his bit to the cause, pacing near a point-per-game with six goals and seven assists through 14 contests. Only Fiala's linemate, Zach Parise, has been more impressive of late, and he isn't freely available in most leagues.

Defenders

Rasmus Ristolainen, Buffalo Sabres (43.5 percent): If by chance available, Ristolainen should be scooped up immediately considering the current blue-line climate in Buffalo. Suffering a concussion, Rasmus Dahlin is out indefinitely, cementing Ristolainen's role on the Sabres' top pair and No. 1 power play. Already appreciated for his physical play - he ranks ninth in the league with 85 hits - Ristolainen can anticipate a bump in production for as long as Dahlin remains in recovery. Defenseman Brandon Montour might also be worth a whirl in playing a more prominent role at even-strength and with the extra skater.

Adam Fox, New York Rangers (16.1 percent): Boasting four goals and eight assists in 14 games, the 21-year-old rookie has one more point than Tony DeAngelo and twice the number as Jacob Trouba since Nov. 4. Yet Fox remains available in near 84% of ESPN.com leagues.

Ryan Murray, Columbus Blue Jackets (0.5 percent): With Zach Werenski expected to miss at least a month with a shoulder injury, Murray appears the top candidate to fill in on the Blue Jackets' No. 1 pair aside Seth Jones, and in anchoring the secondary power play (assuming Jones ascends to the first). Here's his chance to, again, prove he can contribute after collecting 29 points in 56 games this past season. By no means a game-changer, Murray could still serve as a valuable plug on some fantasy blue lines affected by injury.

Goaltenders

Brian Elliott, Philadelphia Flyers (2.9 percent): Widely recognized for his colorful history of playing either very well in stretches, or the very opposite, the 34-year-old veteran is enjoying an impressive November, rocking a .932 SV% and 2.30 GAA through six recent appearances. He hasn't lost in regulation since the end of October. Splitting time in the Flyers' net with Carter Hart, Elliott presents as an attractive streaming or DFS option in the here and now. Just don't get too attached.

Alex Stalock, Minnesota Wild (2.9 percent): Filling in as Minnesota's No. 1 as Devan Dubnyk attends to a family matter, Stalock has been good-to-great in five of his past six appearances. The Wild's backup might merit rolling out again this week while Dubnyk is expected to miss all three stops on the club's upcoming road trip.

Lowered expectations

Kevin Labanc, F, San Jose Sharks (51.9 percent): With only a pair of assists to show for his past half-dozen games, Labanc has been demoted to the Sharks' third line (although he's still seeing quality minutes with the power play). Bench the 23-year-old until he snaps out of his current funk and again rises up the forward ranks. For now, fantasy dark horse Barclay Goodrow is benefitting from skating on a top line with Evander Kane and Logan Couture. And, hey, the Sharks are winning.

Liverpool will host Everton in the third round of the FA Cup, while Manchester United travel to Wolves as Premier League teams enter the competition, with matches streaming live on ESPN+ from Jan. 3-6.

Other third round matches include Chelsea vs. Nottingham Forest, holders Manchester City host Port Vale, Middlesbrough face Tottenham and Arsenal were drawn at home to Leeds United.

Liverpool and Everton will meet in the Premier League on Wednesday for the 234th edition of the Merseyside Derby, with Everton failing to win any of the last 19. Liverpool last won the FA Cup in 2006.

Man United are up against a Wolves team that eliminated the Old Trafford side in the quarterfinals of last year's FA Cup, while Leeds' visit to the Emirates will see their manager Marcelo Bielsa up against Premier League opposition.

Wayne Rooney, who was introduced as Derby player-coach on Saturday, comes up against his former England manager Roy Hodgson and Crystal Palace.

Boston United of the National League North, the sixth tier of English football, could face Newcastle United if they overcome Rochdale in a second-round home replay.

Full list of third-round fixtures to be played on Jan 3-6 (select ties streaming live on ESPN+):

Leicester City v Wigan Athletic
QPR v Swansea
Fulham v Aston Villa
Chelsea v Nottingham Forest
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester United
Charlton Athletic v West Bromwich Albion
Rochdale/Boston United v Newcastle United
Cardiff City v Forest Green Rovers/Carlisle United
Oxford United v Exeter City/Hartlepool United
Sheffield United v AFC Fylde
Southampton v Huddersfield Town
Liverpool v Everton
Bristol City v Shrewsbury Town
AFC Bournemouth v Luton Town
Brighton & Hove Albion v Sheffield Wednesday
Bristol Rovers/Plymouth Argyle v Coventry City/Ipswich Town
Eastleigh/Crewe Alexandra v Barnsley
Manchester City v Port Vale
Middlesbrough v Tottenham Hotspur
Reading v Blackpool
Watford v Tranmere Rovers
Preston North End v Norwich City
Millwall v Newport County
Crystal Palace v Derby County
Solihull Moors/Rotherham United v Hull City
Brentford v Stoke City
Fleetwood Town v Portsmouth
Arsenal v Leeds United
Gillingham v West Ham United
Burton Albion v Northampton Town
Burnley v Peterborough United
Birmingham City v Blackburn Rovers

Information from Reuters was used in this story.

Megan Rapinoe won the women's Ballon d'Or award on Monday after leading the United States to a record-extending fourth World Cup title in France this year.

The 34-year-old midfielder, the standout player at the June-July tournament, succeeded Norway's Ada Hegerberg, who did not take part in the World Cup.

Us to Pinoe everyday since July 7, 2019.

? @mPinoe ? #ballondor pic.twitter.com/VQOSfmDNzI

— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) December 2, 2019

Rapinoe was not present at the ceremony to collect soccer's most prestigious individual accolade in the Theatre du Chatelet, where the show "An American In Paris" is on.

"I'm so sad I can't make it tonight. It's absolutely incredible; congrats to the other nominees. I can't believe I'm the one winning in this field, it's been an incredible year," Rapinoe said in a recorded message, adding, "I want to thank my teammates and the U.S. federation."