With a state title on the line, the heat was turned up during the Montana Class AA State Golf Championships on Tuesday.

In a figurative sense, certainly not literally. Quite the opposite, actually.

According to 406 MT Sports, on the back nine of the tournament, as players were fighting to take home a coveted state championship, things were made a little more difficult as snow began to fall. But that didn't phase those vying to ink their names into the record books.

Sophomore Justus Verge carded a second-round 73 to take medalist honors for the Bozeman Hawks, who also won its second straight team title. On the girls' side, Billings West senior Carrie Carpenter took the individual title while the girls' at Bozeman completed the team sweep for the Class AA championship, their fourth in a row.

Whether back-to-back or back-to-back-to-back-to-back, this one has to go down as the most memorable.

Good on them for playing through it. Carl Spackler certainly would be proud.

HUMBLE, Texas – A day after Cole Hammer declared that he had what it took to win the Houston Open as an amateur, the 20-year-old University of Texas standout proved Thursday those weren’t just empty words.

Hammer shrugged off an early double bogey to card eight birdies and shoot 5-under 67 in the first round at the Golf Club of Houston.

“That’s not a bad start in my book,” said Hammer, currently the world’s second-ranked amateur.

Even in a day and age where PGA Tour winners are getting younger and younger, few could argue.

Hammer, making just his second pro start and first since the 2015 U.S. Open, began on the back side of a course in which the Houston native has played many times. He parred his opening hole before rinsing his tee ball right at the par-4 11^th. He doubled the hole but bounced right back with a 5-foot birdie make at the par-4 12^th.

That’s when the putter got hot. He holed a 10-foot birdie at No. 16, followed by a 16-foot birdie make at No. 17. He then capped his back nine by draining a 25-foot birdie bomb, and two holes later he converted another long birdie, from 16 feet.

On a day when Hammer hit just six fairways, he needed just 25 putts. He totaled almost 119 feet on the greens and ranked second in strokes gained: putting when he finished play.

“I was a little bit nervous at the beginning of the round and then kind of settled down and was able to roll in some putts,” Hammer said. “It was a great start. Just what I wanted.”

After some time in the Golf Channel booth after his first round, Hammer was excited to head to Minute Maid Park to watch his Astros play in an American League Division Series elimination game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

“I’m praying for tonight,” Hammer said.

If the Astros win Thursday night, they’ll host the Yankees for Games 1 and 2 of the ALCS, to be played Saturday and Sunday. Hammer, though, isn’t just hoping he’ll provide a nice opening act for Houston sports fans over the weekend.

As he said before, he wants to win this thing.

Iran inflicted a record-breaking 14-0 thrashing on Cambodia on Thursday, making it a night to remember for female fans allowed into Azadi Stadium for a World Cup qualifying match for the first time since the Islamic Revolution.

Striker Karim Ansarifard scored four goals and Sardar Azmoun hit a hat trick as the Iranians handed Cambodia their heaviest-ever defeat.

The win came as 3,500 female fans were permitted to buy tickets for the match, the first time women have been allowed into the stadium in Tehran for a World Cup qualifier in more than four decades.

It took just five minutes for Ahmad Nourollahi to put Marc Wilmots' side in front when his shot from distance clipped the underside of Keo Soksela's crossbar before crossing the line.

Azmoun, who some media in Britain have dubbed "The Iranian Messi," slotted his first into the bottom corner six minutes later before Hossein Kanaani headed home Ramin Rezaeian's curling cross from the right with barely 18 minutes on the clock.

Mehdi Taremi made it 4-0 when his shot was deflected over Soksela and, with 10 minutes left in the half, Azmoun grabbed his second when he slotted in from close range after a handling error by the Cambodian goalkeeper.

Ansarifard scored his side's sixth five minutes before the interval after Cambodia had conceded an indirect free kick 7 yards from goal, and the home team took a seven-goal lead into the break when Azmoun struck from close range.

Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand kept out Keo Sokpheng's penalty soon after the interval for the hapless visitors, and two further goals from Ansarifard either side of Mehdi Taremi's effort gave Iran a 10-0 lead on the hour mark.

Mohammed Mohebi added two more before substitute Mehrdad Mohammadi put his strike into the corner. Ansarifard completed the rout two minutes from time.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On Friday night, the United States men's national team opens their CONCACAF Nations League campaign at Audi Field. The opponent? Cuba, the 178th best team in the world and 25th best team in CONCACAF, according to the most recent FIFA rankings.

It's a game the Americans should not just win, but dominate. They've done so in the past, posting a 3-0 record and a +14 goal differential over the last three home matches against the island nation.

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"It's an athletic team, they have a standard level of technical ability and they will present some challenges," U.S. head coach Gregg Berhalter said of the opposition. "For us it's about speed of play, breaking them down and trying to get the ball in front of goal as quickly as possible."

Sure, but anything other than a lopsided scoreline will be a failure, full stop.

The same, frankly, could be said of Tuesday's game at BMO Field in Toronto. Canada is a quickly improving side, bolstered by a growing investment in the youth levels of the country's Major League Soccer teams and beyond, a handful of stars playing abroad, and a developing soccer culture.

That said, Canada still remains well behind the U.S. in all facets of the sport. This isn't the time to eke out a victory. It's a time to control the ball, create chances, finish them, get six points. This is about re-establishing an air of inevitability surrounding the results of matches against lesser CONCACAF foes.

To help him do so, Berhalter has called in arguably the most complete roster he's had during his now 10-month tenure as coach of the national team. DeAndre Yedlin is back for the first time since March, and newly pain-free after an 18-month saga that ultimately required groin surgery. Matt Miazga's here, too, as is D.C. United's own Paul Arriola. There are absences -- John Brooks (will he ever get healthy?), Jozy Altidore (hurt again, disappointingly), and Tyler Adams (how much can we judge this team without one of the best players at one of the most important positions?) -- but even so, it's a squad that should be able to play how the coach wants, and show more progress in terms of mastering "The System", to build on the last year-and-a-half.

So let's talk about Arriola.

"What comes to mind when I think of Paul is his relentless attacking," Berhalter said. "He just goes and goes and goes, and that has a cumulative effect on the opponent. We think with him being able to repeat his high-speed running puts us in positions to create goal scoring opportunities."

On one hand, yes, this is true. The D.C. United winger has a remarkable ability to make things happen, tallying three goals in 11 national team matches so far this season, putting in dangerous crosses, and generally running riot on the flank. He's been effective, for sure.

On the other, there's little elegance to his game, as he is largely about straight lines, verticality, work rate and repeated sprints. MLSSoccer.com's Matt Doyle called it "attritional soccer," which is a perfect phrase. This is not meant to be a criticism. Much of the traditional success of U.S. Soccer is a direct result of attritional soccer: wearing down opponents, playing together, leaning on good goalkeeping and being relentless and fit. Getting away from attritional soccer cost the Americans a spot in the 2018 World Cup.

Yet isn't the hope that the team moves beyond attritional soccer and finally get to a better place? That's part of the excitement, the forward progress fans desperately want. Cuba (and to a lesser extent Canada) are perfect opponents to see how far along this project is. One player who can help get them there is Sebastian Lletget, a creative visionary fighting for the No. 10 spot.

"I've had a good go at it so far," the Los Angeles Galaxy playmaker said. "There is a lot of good competition in that position. That's the fun part. You're playing for a spot, and I think there's room in there for me or for a lot of guys."

Hope he gets it, and hope Christian Pulisic plays out on the wing where he can create (a major part of Berhalter's system is getting his most dynamic attacker alone in pockets of space). Hope Jackson Yueill, another young guy with vision, makes a leap and presses for time. Hope that Josh Sargent, who with Altidore out should get more opportunities up top, continues to develop into his generation's lethal finisher. Berhalter likes what he's seen from the 19 year old, who responded well after being left off the Gold Cup roster over the summer.

"He has gained confidence [at Werder Bremen]," the coach said. "They've been playing him sometimes on the wing and in different positions. For Josh, it's just a matter of two things: him getting rest and being fresh in his mind, and him attacking. Him saying, 'I want something. How am I going to go about getting it?'"

"I want something. How am I going to go about getting it?" If you were thinking about a motto for the U.S. men's national team over the next 12 months, you could do worse than that refrain.

South Africa's struggles in India has put the spotlight on the country's first-class season that is currently underway. With a home summer to follow against England, the national team could be on the hunt for solid top-order batsmen, new crop of fast bowlers or maybe even just a reassurance that the level below them is strong and competitive.

The first round of matches delivered plenty of thrills, which we re-cap here.

A hat-trick to start the season

Tshepo Moreki moved to the Titans at the start of the 2018-19 summer, after stints with Dolphins and Cobras to gain consistent game time. He only featured in half of their first-class fixtures and was steady without being outstanding. But a season later, that may be about to change.

Moreki manufactured a victory against the clock with a hat-trick in the last hour of play on the final day, after Titans declared shortly before lunch, leaving themselves 71 overs to bowl Dolphins out. At 146 for 6 in the 53rd over, Dolphins may have entertained thoughts of escaping with a draw, especially after Andile Phehlukwayo looked like he'd settled in for the ultimate blockathon.

He faced 45 balls and spent 62 minutes at the crease for his five runs when Moreki tempted him into a booming drive, but Phehlukwayo only managed an edge to short-third man. Moreki's next ball bowled Eathan Bosch between the bat-pad gap and his hat-trick delivery had Daryn Dupavillon caught behind to leave the Dolphins 146 for 9 with at least 17 overs remaining. The last wicket pair held out for another seven overs before the Titans sealed their win in the dying stages of the match.

The South African who went to England but returned

Johannesburg-born Neil Brand, 23, moved to Kings College in Taunton, hoping to qualify and play for England. He represented Cardiff MCC University and the Glamorgan and Somerset second XIs before returning to South Africa in December 2017. He joined the University of Pretoria (Tuks), where former New Zealand international Kruger van Wyk heads the structure, and had immense success. Brand was player of the tournament in the T20 Varsity Cup and the leading run-scorer in the national club championship. Tuks won both competitions. He made his franchise debut last season and was contracted to Titans for this summer, where he has immediately made a big statement.

Brand scored 106 and 77 and set the Titans up for victory over Dolphins. His was not the only notable contribution, though. Farhaan Behardien's 114 in the first innings contributed to the Titans being the only team to cross 400 in an innings in what appeared to be the best-behaved pitch of the opening round.

What's with the pitch in Potch?

Early season pitches in Potchefstroom are unpredictable in every way. They have been known to have uneven bounce and pace, and the one used for the season opener appeared to have been particularly hostile. Thirty-nine wickets fell in two days in what became a low-scoring thriller. While the cricket was interesting, its quality was questionable, as a source told ESPNcricinfo.

"That pitch really wasn't fit for first-class cricket. It was completely underprepared," the insider said. "The top was completely gone and in the end, seamers were even tougher to play than spinner as there was a complete lack of bounce."

Spinners took 34 of the 40 wickets and George Linde's 11 saw him surge to the top of the wicket-taking charts after the first round of matches. Bu the Cobras walked away with only four points while defending champions, Lions, claimed 22. While they'll gladly take a winning start, they may now wonder why they didn't get their campaign underway 120 kilometers down the road in at Wanderers in Johannesburg, their other home ground.

CSA hadn't responded for a comment at the time of writing.

Coetzee marks his arrival in style

In Kimberley, legspinner Shaun von Berg made a man-of-the-match debut for the Knights where he took six wickets and scored an unbeaten second-innings 61 to steer them to victory over Warriors. But the spotlight was one another newcomer. Nineteen-year-old seamer Gerald Coetzee also took six wickets, including 4 for 53 in the second innings to announce himself on the first-class scene.

Coetzee, a product of Saint Andrews in Bloemfontein, is a former South African Schools captain. Until Thursday, he was best known for his 5 for 32 against New Zealand at the 2018 Under-19 World Cup. He was part of the Under-19 side that toured India earlier this year but had to return home early after picking up a side strain.

These are early days, but with concern raised over South Africa's resources in the face of big-name retirements and continued Kolpak-signings, Coetzee will be one to watch as the summer develops.

Sri Lanka's selectors will have to put up with a "good headache" when picking the squad for the team's tour of Australia later this month, SLC's chief selector Ashantha de Mel said on Thursday following a string of impressive performances from several fringe players in Pakistan which culminated in a 3-0 win in the T20I series.

The performances of Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Oshada Fernando, whose strokeplay made de Mel think of Mahela Jayawardene, and Wanindu Hasaranga, have now given the selectors plenty of food for thought, not just for upcoming series but also next year's T20 World Cup.

"It's a good headache to have. Earlier we had a problem of selecting form players, now we have 12-13 players that are vying for about six places, especially in the batting department," said de Mel.

"What I was impressed with the youngsters is that they took the opportunity they were given with both hands. Bhanuka was debuting, and Oshada was debuting as well, and they played out of their skins. We have watched these players, but to really come out and perform against the best T20I side in the world - their bowling is one of the strongest - for the way they played it was amazing."

"For me Wanindu [Hasaranga] is the most improved player that I've seen this year. Whether it's batting, bowling, fielding, the confidence he has is now fantastic" SL chief selector Ashantha de Mel

Sri Lanka went to Pakistan with several of their first-choice picks refusing to tour. But their second string proved so good they whitewashed the No. 1 ranked T20 team in the world.

Both Rajapaksa and Oshada's defining knocks on tour were match-winning efforts. Following a brisk 32 in the first T20I, the 27 year-old Rajapaksa blitzed a 48-ball 77 in the second game, to help Sri Lanka post a daunting 182. Then in the final game, with the series already decided, Oshada was drafted in to the side having sat out every game on tour barring the first ODI, where he was out for 1. But if there was any pressure on him to perform he scarcely let it show; coming into bat with his side struggling on 30 for 3, and then 58 for 4 after eight overs, Oshada produced a consummate counterattacking knock, breezing to a 48-ball 78, on what was a fairly sluggish batting track.

"He took no risks. He reminded me of Mahela, just placing it over extra cover, very risk-free batting," de Mel said of Oshada. "As a chief selector I was happy because we were able to give these guys a chance. Because sometimes what happens is we take them on the tour but we're not able to actually give them a chance."

De Mel however reserved his highest praise for legspinning allrounder Hasaranga. Still just 22, the youngster from Galle has been a revelation in recent times, and finally looks poised to carry over his domestic form to the national side.

Hasaranga was among the few Sri Lankan bowlers to threaten Pakistan's batsmen in the ODI series, picking up three wickets in two games, but he really came into his own in the T20Is, taking eight wickets at an average of 9.87. While he is still to show off his prowess with the bat in national colours, an average of 45.46 in first-class cricket means it's possibly only a matter of time.

"For me Wanindu [Hasaranga] is the most improved player that I've seen this year. Whether it's batting, bowling, fielding, the confidence he has is now fantastic."

For de Mel, now comes the unenviable task of picking the best possible squad. Though he explained that he had made it clear to the players that opted out of the tour that they ran the risk of losing their spot if some of the younger guys took their chance.

"In this particular instance I spoke to the [SLC] president [Shammi Silva] and he was also agreeable that we give these boys a chance, and they have now given the selectors food for thought. When it comes to selecting the squad for Australia we will have to take these performances into consideration. Because like I told the guys who didn't go, if the guys who go perform then one or two of the guys who didn't may have to get left out. Form matters."

As you might imagine, especially given my position, I have heard it my entire life.

It's been yelled at me, tweeted at me, asked pointedly to me on radio and TV shows, and it's been an accusation I've gotten from a few of my current co-workers.

Fantasy football ruins the game.

I remember former NFL quarterback Jake "The Snake" Plummer talking to ESPN about fantasy football. "I think it has ruined the game," he replied. "There are no true fans anymore. ... If I lost a game ... no Denver [Broncos] fan was mad because I lost, but happy because I threw three TDs."

Former NFL coach Todd Haley, a true football guy, told Peter King, "It's anti-team. The way fans looked at what we did on offense was so fantasy football-driven."

I remember getting into a Twitter beef with former NFL wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (seriously, Google it) after Jeremy originally tweeted, "It amazes me how 'Fantasy Football' is the only football that some of you know. It's sad. News flash for yall: I don't give a damn about ur 'Fantasy' football team."

After some back and forth with me, Jeremy wrote this in back-to-back tweets.

"you of all ppl should know what my tweet means ... football is about what a team achieves ... how can one possibly be a diehard fan of a team, but want a player on that team to do bad because he plays them in fantasy?"

And that's the crux of it, really. The old-school critics of fantasy football argue to this day -- though the arguments are fewer and farther between -- that people root for players instead of a team ... instead of THEIR team. Jeremy didn't understand why someone would rather root for random NFL players than the Kansas City Chiefs.

That's the question all the purists have: How can you root for some random group of players instead of your own team? You are ruining the game.

Twitter is, to be kind, an imperfect place to have a nuanced conversation. And at the time a tweet was limited to 140 characters, so I definitely couldn't tell him the story I recently told Peyton Manning during the fantasy football episode of Peyton's Places. (Forget me; Peyton's awesome in it and -- this is not #companyman talking -- you should definitely watch it.)

In the show, I told Peyton how fantasy football was invented. I'm not sure how many people are aware that it was invented by a guy named Wilfred "Bill" Winkenbach. Everyone called him Wink, and in November 1962, he was a minority owner of the Oakland Raiders of the old AFL. He was in New York City for a road game against the New York Titans.

It was the end of a truly miserable 16-day East Coast road swing. Wink, naturally, was frustrated with his team's struggles, and was hanging out with Raiders PR head Bill Tunnell and Oakland Tribune writer Scotty Stirling at the Hotel Manhattan in New York City (it's now called The Row NYC).

As they were complaining about the team, Wink had a question he asked of his friends. "What if we created our own football league based on actual player performances? And what if we were all team owners?"

The premise was simple. The Raiders were 0-7, had just fired their head coach, Marty Feldman, and there was no hope on the horizon. So Wink and his friends wanted players to root for who actually had a chance to win.

Hmm.

A winless team that has just fired its head coach and is devoid of hope of getting any better. Why does that sound so familiar to me?

I have been a die-hard Washington Redskins fan since I was 5 years old and living in Virginia. I moved to Texas when I was 12, but by then the Skins fandom had taken hold in a significant way. I've seen three Super Bowl wins, spent an insane amount of money on RGIII swag his rookie year and have been a very vocal and public fan of the team for more than four decades.

Did you see the quotes from Redskins team president Bruce Allen's news conference?

"It seems like a long time ago when we won the division, and in football I guess it's sort of like those doggy years," Allen said. "It does multiply with each year. But I've seen different people perform. I've seen the way people have evaluated talent. I've seen the way they've worked together and I know this group will do it again."

Allen continued, "That's part of the evaluation process right now. We're looking for solutions to get the team back on track."

Oh, I should clarify. These are Allen quotes from his news conference in December 2014, when he was addressing the media after his fourth last-place finish in his first five years on the job. Yeah, they sound familiar, don't they? A point others have made, including NBC Sports Washington, where I found this quote when I was looking up old quotes for this column:

"Well, the one thing I do love about the NFL -- and I love in all of sports -- it does have a scoreboard," Allen said. "We either win or lose as a team, and it is my responsibility to make sure that we have all the people in place throughout the organization doing their jobs. And as I said earlier, holding those people accountable. And that includes myself."

One thing is clear: Fantasy managers have a very different interpretation of the phrase "holding people accountable."

Old-school football guys like Allen sit there and deride fantasy football, but I'll tell you something. You finish last in fantasy and something happens to you. You're standing on a street corner in an embarrassing outfit, getting a tattoo, being taped to the wall, having to retake the SAT, buying everyone's drinks at the next draft, performing in public, or a million other creative punishments that I've written about for years and that we show at the end of every episode of The Fantasy Show on ESPN+ in our segment called "Don't Be This Guy."

Whatever it is, there is a consequence for last place. There always is.

Except with the Washington Redskins.

Since Allen took over full control of football operations, the team is 59-89-1. He has a win percentage of .399. The other three NFC East teams over that stretch have a .515 win percentage.

In fact, Allen's .399 win percentage is the fifth worst in the NFL since he took over in 2010. Only the Raiders, Buccaneers, Jaguars and Browns have been worse.

He has no playoff wins.

His teams have the second-most yards per play allowed (5.8) during that stretch and the third-worst scoring defense (25.0 points per game). I could do this all day with bad Bruce Allen stats, but the issue isn't that I know how bad the team has been under him. The issue is that he and owner Dan Snyder don't seem aware. Or don't seem to care. There's no other explanation, because Allen's most recent news conference was a combination of platitudes and cluelessness.

"That's a fair question," Allen said in response to the many excellent and fair questions about why fans should have confidence in the current executive team. "Right now we're all 0-5," Allen said, "I don't believe anybody is hiding from that record." (Daniel Snyder did not attend the news conference, so, uh ... )

To me, the craziest part of the news conference was Allen saying, "The culture is actually damn good."

The culture is that Trent Williams, one of the highest-paid left tackles in the NFL, is giving up well over a half million dollars per game to not play for this team. Think about that. He'd rather lose millions of dollars than play for a team whose "culture is damn good."

Current Redskins players essentially have to play 16 away games. That's because the team that once had a waiting list for tickets that was decades long now sees its stadium filled with fans of the other team. Did you see what Tom Brady said after playing last week at FedEx Field?

"That was ridiculous," Brady said. "I thought it was pretty amazing. That felt like a home game."

That's the culture.

The only way to get players (and whomever the next coach is) to come there is to massively overpay them, which is what they had to do to get Landon Collins this offseason. That's the culture Allen has fostered.

It's easy to dump on Daniel Snyder, and certainly the buck stops with him. And there's no question he's made mistakes -- he's admitted that himself. But weirdly, I don't totally blame him. Everything I have heard about him is that he actually wants to win. Desperately. And unlike a lot of NFL owners, he does spend money on players. His issue is he's trusted the wrong person. He's been brainwashed, bamboozled, hoodwinked, fooled into thinking Bruce Allen is anything other than the worst general manager in the NFL.

Winless team, fired head coach and no hope in sight. If Wink Winkenbach didn't invent fantasy football in 1962, a Redskins fan would have done it this year.

Because all any of us want is some hope. Any kind of hope. We have it on draft day with our players, we have when the season starts. Miami fans have hope. It's going to be a tough season this year, but the franchise has smart coaches with great pedigrees and a ton of draft capital. The Dolphins have a direction and a plan.

What hope is there in Washington? At least fantasy managers are aware when they've made a mistake. I had Baker Mayfield as a top-five QB this year. Bad call by me. That's entirely on me and I'll cop to it. It's not the only mistake I made in the preseason and certainly not my last. But at least I am aware of the mistake and I understand the flawed process that led me to that call. And I'm taking steps to improve on that process.

Every fantasy manager does that. Acknowledges mistakes, owns them, works to improve on them. How are we more self-aware than an NFL general manager?

As Scott Van Pelt said in his excellent "One Big Thing" from Monday night about the Redskins, "Rock-bottom isn't a moment; it is a seemingly perpetual state."

Over the years, I've been interviewed a gazillion times on fantasy football and its popularity, and the subject of fantasy ruining the game often comes up. And I would always say that I have been a die-hard Redskins fan since I was 5 years old and was living in Virginia. And that even though I love fantasy, I'd rather lose my fantasy matchup if it meant the Redskins won. And my colleagues who watch football with me every Sunday at ESPN would vouch for me that I'm telling the truth in that regard. They hear me yell much more about the Skins than I ever do about fantasy.

No longer. I'm done. Oh, if asked, I'll still tell you the Redskins are my team. I still hope they will succeed. I still love Terry McLaurin and Derrius Guice and other players. But as long as Bruce Allen is there, I won't feel anything other than numbness as loss after loss continues to pile up.

Here's the thing: To Jeremy Maclin, Jake Plummer, Todd Haley and every other NFL coach, GM, crusty old commentator and current player who feels I am ruining the game, who asks me how can I root for my fantasy football squad over MY OWN NFL TEAM?

It's very simple.

I'd much rather root for a group of players I drafted than a group Bruce Allen put together.

Because I know what I'm doing, at least.

HAIL TO MY FANTASY TEAM.

Let's get to it.

Quarterbacks I love in Week 6

Dak Prescott, Cowboys (at Jets): Do you think the Cowboys win this game? I do. And when the Cowboys win this season, Prescott averages 306.7 passing yards, completes over 74.5% of his passes and averages 27.9 fantasy points. The Jets allowed opposing QBs to average 299.7 passing yards against them in their first three games before last weekend's game against Philly, during which the Eagles scored two defensive touchdowns. Prescott is an obvious name, of course, but I listed him here because his projection is just 18.3, and man, oh man, do I want the over on that.

Matt Ryan, Falcons (at Cardinals): Another obvious name, but I'm the highest of our rankers on Ryan. I have him as a top-four play this weekend against a Cardinals team that is tied for the fifth-most red zone drives allowed. Lamar Jackson, Matthew Stafford and Kyle Allen have all scored more than 24 points against Arizona this season, and with at least 300 yards passing in every game this season, Ryan will join that list in the final weekend to take advantage of the Cardinals without Patrick Peterson.

Philip Rivers, Chargers (vs. Steelers): The Steelers blitz at the fourth-highest rate this season, and against the blitz this season all Rivers has done is go 27-of-39 for 378 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. The Steelers travel cross-country with a third-string QB and a bunch of other injuries to face an angry Chargers team that just gave Denver its first win. L.A. will take it out on Pittsburgh. By the way, want a weird fact that really isn't a predictor of anything but which I find interesting nonetheless? In his past five home games following a game in which Rivers threw zero touchdown passes, he has thrown for more than 310 yards and multiple touchdowns in each of them (averaging 19.7 points per game).

Kyler Murray, Cardinals (vs. Falcons): One of only three QBs to score at least 16 points in every game this season, Murray also leads all QBs with 189 rushing yards over the past three weeks. But his legs aren't the only thing on the up-and-up:

Completion rate in Weeks 1-2: 57.4%
Completion rate in Weeks 3-5: 67.3%

The Falcons have allowed 963 passing yards and 10 TD passes (0 INTs) to Jacoby Brissett, Marcus Mariota and Deshaun Watson over the past three weeks. Giddyup. By the way, the other two QBs with at least 16 points in every game this season: Patrick Mahomes and ...

Others receiving votes: Gardner Minshew II. Yes, Gardner Minshew has at least 16 points in every game he's played this season. He has multiple touchdown passes in four of five games, and has more mobility than he gets credit for (a rush of 10-plus yards in three of his past four games). In a decent matchup with the Saints' bottom-eight pass defense the past four weeks, Minshew is a viable QB1 streamer this weekend. ... Don't look now, but over the past two weeks, the Minnesota Vikings' passing rate has been over 60% after being in the 42% range in Weeks 1-3. Kirk Cousins has is a viable fill-in this weekend against a Philly secondary that has allowed 320-plus passing yards three times this season and season-high point totals to Aaron Rodgers (25.5) and Case Keenum (27.2). ... Just like Philly, Tampa Bay is another defense that is really strong against the run but pretty weak against the pass. Kyle Allen is going to have to throw against a Bucs squad that is allowing the most passing yards per game and just made Teddy Bridgewater look like Patrick Mahomes.

Quarterbacks I hate in Week 6

Carson Wentz, Eagles (at Vikings): Not counting the game against the semipro Washington Redskins, Wentz is averaging 209.8 passing yards per game this season. After three consecutive games with fewer than 20 completions, he now has to go on the road to face a Vikings team that is allowing just 14 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. I have Wentz just outside my top 10 this weekend.

Jared Goff, Rams (vs. 49ers): There's been some gaudy fantasy numbers recently, but from a real football perspective, Goff has been inconsistent, to be kind. He's at home in this one, which has been a good thing for him the past year-plus. That said, other than Richard Sherman saying Baker Mayfield didn't shake his hand, I believe in the Niners' defense. The unit has the second-best completion percentage against, the best passer rating against, and has allowed the second-fewest passing yards per game over the past four games. San Francisco brings pressure (the 49ers are second in disrupted dropback percentage and fifth in sack rate), and that's not good for Goff. Since the beginning of last season, Goff is 29th in completion percentage and 21st in touchdown rate when under pressure.

Aaron Rodgers, Packers (vs. Lions): If ever there was an indication we are in a new era for both teams, it's this. Rodgers, at home, on Monday night against the Lions? That used to make him an automatic top-three play, and yet I'm fading this one if I can. The Lions are quietly looking for their fifth consecutive victory against Green Bay, and have allowed just four passing touchdowns this season, tied for third-fewest in the NFL. After holding Patrick Mahomes to his lowest fantasy total of the season, head coach Matt Patricia has had two weeks to prepare to stop Rodgers, who now has just six touchdowns passes in five games, fewer fantasy points than Andy Dalton and Marcus Mariota (among others), and more than 14.5 points in a game just once this season.

Matthew Stafford, Lions (at Packers): If Rodgers isn't chucking it all over the place, it's hard to see Stafford getting into a shootout here. And that's his best hope at a big fantasy day in this one. The strength of the Packers' defense is their secondary, as Green Bay allows just 20.6 completions per game this season (tied for fifth fewest). Considering the Lions are passing at the lowest rate in Stafford's career, this is a road game against a divisional opponent, and the Packers have the 30th-ranked run defense over the past four weeks, expect a heavy dose of Kerryon Johnson, which makes Stafford a fringe QB2 play at best.

Running backs I love in Week 6

Kerryon Johnson, Lions (at Packers): See Stafford, Matthew. There have been six running backs this season to receive 10 or more carries against Green Bay. They average 5.52 yards per carry and have six rushing touchdowns among them. With 73% of the Lions' carries since Week 3, Johnson is poised for a big workload against a Packers squad that is allowing 5.16 yards per carry overall (third-most in the NFL).

Chris Carson, Seahawks (at Browns): Here's the entire list of players with at least 15 carries in all five weeks this season: Christian McCaffrey, Nick Chubb, Derrick Henry, and ... Chris Carson. Yeah, a funny thing happened on the way to Rashaad Penny-ville: People forgot Carson is actually good. I have been banging the drum for Carson (literally -- the past three years on The Fantasy Show on ESPN+, we have a Chris Carson drum that I bang) and did it again this preseason. I hope people finally get it. Fumbles or not, he's the Seahawks' guy. And Sunday will only solidify it against a Browns team that is allowing the third-most yards per carry this season. You just saw what Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman did to this run defense, right? (27 carries for 211 yards and two touchdowns, in case you didn't.) I have Carson as a top-six play this weekend.

James Conner, Steelers (at Chargers): With Jaylen Samuels out and Benny Snell Jr. not proven in the pass game (just 29 receptions in 39 career college games), expect a heavy workload for Conner, especially in the pass game, as the Steelers are either starting third-string QB Devlin Hodges or banged-up dink-and-dunker Mason Rudolph. The two running backs to get at least 15 carries against the Chargers this season (Marlon Mack and Phillip Lindsay) have combined for 40 carries, 288 yards and two touchdowns. I say Conner gets that level of work and does something with it against a Bolts team that is tied for the sixth-worst red zone defense in the league.

Sony Michel, Patriots (vs. Giants): Despite a brutal start to the season, Michel was on the "love" list last weekend, and he paid off. I'm back on him again on a short week in what should be a bad-weather game. He has at least 15 carries in four of five games this season (and a rushing score in three of his past four). I like Michel's chances of once again getting into the end zone, as he's currently top three in the NFL in both red zone carries and goal-to-go carries. The Giants are more than two-touchdown underdogs and have a bottom-eight run defense, both of which point in favor of another strong game from Michel.

Others receiving votes: Until we see it from Melvin Gordon, I am going to continue to rank Austin Ekeler ahead of him. And despite Gordon's presence, I'm starting Ekeler at home against a Steelers team that has coughed up the sixth-most RB receptions this season. Ekeler continues to lead all RBs in receiving yards (356), receptions (39), receiving TDs (3) and targets (41). ... Not the best start for Damien Williams last weekend in his return from injury, but the sledding should be smoother this weekend against a Texans team that has given up an NFL-high 45 RB receptions this season and allows the fifth-highest completion percentage on short passes. In his first game back for the Chiefs last weekend, Damien Williams (32) played more snaps than LeSean McCoy (13) and Darrel Williams (12) combined. ... In the same game, Carlos Hyde should be flex-worthy against a Chiefs team coughing up 5.3 yards per carry (second-worst in the NFL). ... And I know you are shocked after the open to this column, but yes, here I am saying something positive about the Redskins. Adrian Peterson is in line for a heavy workload against a Dolphins squad that is giving up a NFL-high 175.8 rushing yards a game. ... It should go without saying, but if David Johnson was to miss this weekend's game for the Cardinals, Chase Edmonds would be a must-start. Edmonds is averaging 6.7 yards per carry and has caught 84% of his career targets, making him a very capable fill-in against the Falcons' porous defense. Even if Johnson is healthy, Edmonds deserves consideration in deep leagues as a desperation flex play or DFS tournament punt.

Running backs I hate in Week 6

Melvin Gordon, Chargers (vs. Steelers): Obviously, there's a real chance I'm wrong here, but ... how lucky do you feel? Gordon played 10 fewer snaps than Ekeler last weekend and, honestly, looked like the worse RB. Maybe it's just rust, but maybe it's why the Chargers didn't want to pay him a lot. In his past five games (including playoffs), Gordon has 60 carries for just 169 yards (2.8 yards per carry). Off a 12-carry, 31-yard performance last weekend (his second-fewest rushing yards in a game with at least 12 carries during his career), Gordon finds himself on the wrong side of a platoon (or at least, he should, if Anthony Lynn is watching the games) against a Steelers team that ranks fourth-best in yards per carry after first contact (1.12). You're gonna need a rushing touchdown from Gordon here, and while that's obviously very possible, I'd hate to count on it, especially given how good Ekeler has been.

Joe Mixon, Bengals (at Ravens): The big play hasn't been there this season, as Mixon has 66 carries without a 20-yard rush to his name. This is a tough matchup behind one of the league's worst offensive lines. The Ravens actually rank third-best in limiting yards after first contact (1.09 per carry), which is a problem when you consider the Bengals are actually third-worst in yards per carry before first contact. On the road as a double-digit underdog, you'd expect the team with the third-most pass attempts this season to have to throw even more. Which would be fine, except so far this season, Giovani Bernard has a slight edge in targets and has run more routes than Mixon.

Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders, Eagles (at Vikings): Insert running back playing Minnesota here. Despite word out of Philly that Howard will get more touches (he has certainly earned it), the fact is Doug Pederson is and always has been a running back by committee (RBBC) coach. Only once this season has an Eagles RB gotten more than 15 touches in a game. Meanwhile, you want "Minnesota is awesome against the run" stats? I got "Minnesota is awesome against the run" stats: top five in terms of red zone defense, yards per carry allowed, lowest completion percentage to running backs, and fewest running back receptions. And the Vikings have allowed just one -- count it, one -- rushing touchdown this season.

Peyton Barber and Ronald Jones II, Buccaneers (vs. Panthers, in London): Another RBBC, we actually have some data as these two teams played in Week 2. Now, that was a weird game that was stopped and started due to bad weather, but still. That week, Barber and Jones rushed 27 times for 91 yards (3.37 YPC). And despite the Bucs' running backs getting 27 carries that week (tied for fourth-most), they ranked only 19th in RB fantasy points (18.7). And now this RBBC travels to London to play a Panthers team that has slowed the pace (and thus limited possessions) since Kyle Allen took over. The Buccaneers' offensive line is banged up, and when you look at the snap shares from last weekend's game against the Saints (Barber 34.5%, Jones 34.5%, Dare Ogunbowale 30.9%), you know this committee isn't going away anytime soon. One of these guys could have a good game against Carolina's 20th-ranked run defense, but I have no confidence in which one it'll be.

Pass-catchers I love in Week 6

Keenan Allen, Chargers (vs. Steelers): Even after last weekend's disappointment (and despite him being an obvious, must-start wide receiver), I'm putting him here because I am the only ranker (as of this writing) to have him as the No. 1 play at the position this weekend. He's getting more than 46% of the Chargers' target share from the slot, the Steelers are worst in the NFL in terms of most slot yards allowed, most slot completions allowed, and fourth-worst in slot completion percentage. Death, taxes, and you start your slot receivers against the Steelers.

DJ Chark Jr., Jaguars (vs. Saints): Chark, who somehow is still available in 15% of ESPN leagues, is merely the fifth-best WR in fantasy right now. Coming off a Week 5 in which he set career highs in catches (8), receiving yards (164) and fantasy points (36.4), Chark now has five touchdown receptions in his past five games. With a 21.8% target share, expect this to be another Chark Week (thank you, thank you! I'll show myself out) against a Saints squad that has given up the seventh-most fantasy points to WRs and the fifth-most yards to them this season.

Mohamed Sanu, Falcons (at Cardinals): If you've played fantasy football for any amount of time, you've had Sanu on your team at some point. He's the textbook example of never exciting enough to roster but also productive enough to be useful in a bye-week pinch. That week is this week. One of just 12 receivers with four or more catches in all five weeks this season, Sanu actually leads Falcons WRs in receptions (29). He is running the majority of his routes out of the slot, and if you think Pittsburgh is bad against the slot, Arizona is right there. Against slot receivers this season, the Cards have given up the third-most receptions, the third-most yards, and are tied for the second-most touchdowns allowed.

Austin Hooper, Falcons (at Cardinals): You start your slot receivers against the Steelers and you start your tight ends against the Cardinals. To be fair, you start everyone against the Cards, but whatevs. Hooper has quietly been balling out this season, with double-digit targets in each of the past two weeks and the second-most catches among all tight ends. Meanwhile, as brutal as Arizona's defense has been, it is at its brutalest (which I'm semi-positive is a word) facing tight ends. The Cardinals allow the most touchdowns, yards and fantasy points to opposing tight ends while allowing the third-most receptions. Giddyup.

Will Dissly, Seahawks (at Browns): Speaking of quiet, over the past four weeks the No. 1 tight end in fantasy is ... Will Dissly. He has at least five catches and 50 yards in each of those games, and he's been targeted on 28.9% of his routes this season (fifth-highest among TEs). The Browns have been washed for four touchdowns to opposing tight ends this season, tied for second-most in the NFL.

Others receiving votes: The Jets have been much more vulnerable to the deep pass (15-plus yards) this season than short passes, so give me some Michael Gallup in this one. More than 38% of Gallup's points have come via the deep ball, and in three games this season, he has 20 catches for 339 yards and a TD (17.0 yards per catch). ... Over the past three weeks, only four wide receivers have run more routes than Josh Gordon. He hasn't had that big game yet, but gut feeling it could come Thursday night facing a Giants defense that has allowed the most yards and third-most receptions to outside wide receivers this season. ... Speaking of defenses that are brutal against outside receivers, the Eagles allow the second-most yards, fifth-most receptions and are tied for second-most TDs to receivers lined up outside. Lord help me, but I like Stefon Diggs this weekend as Kirk Cousins continues his "get my wide receivers happy again" tour. ... Look, I have to watch the Redskins-Dolphins game because it's my job. YOU don't have to. But that doesn't mean you can't use some of the players in the game. Preston Williams has a 22.6% target share from Josh Rosen and at least five targets from him in every game they've played together. I tried to dance around it in my open, but in case it wasn't clear, the Redskins are not a good defense. ... With at least seven targets in every game this season, it's hard not to be excited about Mark Andrews this weekend against a Bengals secondary that is allowing a league-high 15.3 yards per TE reception and a league-high 12.6 air yards per TE target.

Pass-catchers I hate in Week 6

JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers (at Chargers): To be fair, he was on the hate list last week and, one missed tackle and long touchdown later, I was wrong. But I'm back again. Smith-Schuster's touchdown last week went for 35 yards, which means he was 6-for-40 the rest of the time. Yeesh. In the past two weeks, he's averaging 9.0 yards per catch (first three weeks: 17.4) and now he's likely playing with a third-string QB on the road. The Chargers have allowed the second-fewest red zone drives this season, and don't look now, but Diontae Johnson actually leads the Steelers in targets and receptions over the past three weeks. JuJu is incredibly talented and better days are ahead, but I have him outside my top 20 this week.

Marquise Brown, Ravens (vs. Bengals): Wait, what? Did I put Hollywood on the wrong list? He's playing the Bengals, isn't he? Yes and obviously he's the kind of guy who only needs one big play. But Cincy allows the most rushing yards this season, and the Ravens may not need to push the envelope. So far this season, Cincy has schemed away coverage from its opponent's top playmaker. Tyler Lockett, George Kittle, John Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster all had their season low or tied their season low in targets, receptions and receiving yards against the Bengals. None of them topped 60 yards and only one scored a touchdown. He's a little banged-up as well, so I prefer the Marks (Ingram and Andrews) in the non-Lamar stars I want from Baltimore this week.

Jared Cook, Saints (at Jaguars): Don't get sucked in by last week. There are 32 TEs with a game of 42-plus receiving yards this season. Cook is not one of them. I'm not expecting four touchdowns from Teddy Bridgewater this week, and it's a tough matchup. Opponents are completing just 58.1% of their passes when targeting the TE position vs. Jacksonville this season (third lowest).

Geronimo Allison, Packers (vs. Lions): See Rodgers, Aaron. You already know I'm down on A-Rod in this one, but remember the Lions create pressure at an above-average rate (27.2%) despite ranking last in blitz percentage. Allison has seen just a 2.6% target share this season when Aaron Rodgers is pressured. With Davante Adams expected back, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling's and Aaron Jones' increased passing-game work, Allison is at best the fourth passing option on a run-first team in a tough matchup. No thanks.

Matthew Berry -- the Talented Mr. Roto -- is pretty sure he's no longer invited to any Redskins parties. He's OK with that.

Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young is soaking up the negativity ahead of what he wants to be his first All-Star season.

Young told Yahoo Sports in a story published Thursday that he goes so far as to keep negative tweets on his phone as motivation. Whether it's shots at his 6-foot-2 stature or the 2018 draft-day trade that brought him to Atlanta, it's all fuel for the 21-year-old.

"I remember coming into high school, coming into college, they were saying, 'He's too small.' Coming into the league, 'He's too small. He has bust potential.' The whole trade with Luka Doncic. I don't know that there's just one [slight]," Young told Yahoo Sports. "And whenever they stop talking just about me, they start talking about the organization and talking about how they made the worst decision and how it could be the worst trade in NBA history. That all motivates me, for sure."

He did take one step toward fixing the size question, gaining 11 pounds of muscle during the offseason.

Young said he believes he has a chance to be an All-Star this season -- but only if he can help the Hawks win more. Last season, they finished 29-53.

"I think if we win as many games as I feel like we can and at least be in playoff contention, I think I have a good chance," Young said. "The more we win, the better my odds are of getting into the All-Star Game, and that's my main focus: winning.

"I know my numbers will be there. I'm not worried about my numbers. I feel like the way we play, the fast pace we play, my numbers will be there. For me, it's all about winning. If we're winning, I have a really good chance of being in that All-Star Game."

He will want to work on some of his individual numbers, though. Young had nine turnovers while scoring 18 points with seven rebounds and five assists during a preseason loss to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

The NBA said it does not condone stopping a reporter from asking Houston Rockets stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook a question about the recent China controversy.

During a news conference Thursday following the Rockets-Raptors preseason game in Tokyo, a reporter from CNN asked Harden and Westbrook if they would "feel differently about speaking out" about issues because of recent events.

A member of the Rockets' media relations staff interrupted, saying the players were taking basketball-related questions only.

"A team representative inappropriately interjected to prevent CNN's Christina Macfarlane from receiving an answer to her question," the league said in a statement issued Thursday. "We've apologized to Ms. Macfarlane as this was inconsistent with how the NBA conducts media events."

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey set off the controversy by posting a tweet -- which has since been deleted -- supporting anti-government protests in Hong Kong.

China has reacted strongly to the comments, canceling events during a visit to the country by the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets for two preseason games. The games themselves were in jeopardy, but the teams did play in Shanghai on Thursday with certain restrictions. Postgame media availability with players was canceled, and a scheduled news conference with NBA commissioner Adam Silver was scrapped. The game was not shown on television in China.

Silver, speaking in Japan on Tuesday, said he and the league are "apologetic" over the reaction that followed Morey's tweet, but he noted that "we are not apologizing for Daryl exercising his freedom of expression."

Harden has also commented on the situation.

On Monday, standing with Westbrook after a practice in Tokyo, Harden said: "We apologize. You know, we love China. We love playing there. For both of us individually, we go there once or twice a year. They show us the most important love.

"We appreciate them as a fan base. We love everything there about them, and we appreciate the support that they give us individually and as [an] organization."

On Wednesday, he said: "We all have freedom of speech; that is the world we live in. Everyone should [say] how they feel and their thought process, be able to speak it. Obviously some people are going to feel some type of ways, others are going to agree. That is just the world we live in. I am here for Adam Silver."

The protests in Hong Kong were sparked by a proposed extradition law that would have allowed suspects to be sent to China to face trial. Activists saw that as a threat to the legal rights that Hong Kong residents have under the current "one country, two systems" framework.

The Washington Nationals overcame a slow start and long odds to reach the National League Championship Series and are now the favorites to reach the franchise's first World Series.

The Nationals stunned the Los Angeles Dodgers with a late-inning rally in Wednesday's decisive Game 5 victory to advance to the NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals.

At Caesars Sportsbook, the Nationals opened as -120 favorites over the Cardinals in the NLCS.

Washington was considered a contender entering the season but got off to a disappointing start. The Nationals were 19-31 in late May and were listed as a 70-1 World Series long shot at that point at SugarHouse sportsbooks in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. They are 7-2 now at SugarHouse.

The Nationals winning the World Series would be a boon for some sportsbooks and costly for others. Entering the postseason, only the Tampa Bay Rays had attracted fewer bets to win the World Series at William Hill sportsbooks. There were some big World Series bets on the Nationals, though, including a $15,000 wager in October when Washington opened at 22-1 at William Hill. That ticket would pay a net $330,000.

Before the season, a bettor at DraftKings sportsbook placed three World Series bets on the Nationals, totaling just under $5,000, for a chance to win $102,476 if Washington wins it all.

Jeff Davis, head of risk for Caesars Sportsbook, told ESPN that Washington winning the World Series would be an "incredible" result for his shop. The Nationals also are the best possible result for Las Vegas sportsbook operator CG Technology.

However, the Borgata sportsbook in New Jersey said it is facing a "$200,000" net liability on the Nationals in its World Series futures market.

"They are [the] biggest loser in our book, more than the Yankees," Darren Darby, head of sports at Roar Digital, which operates the sportsbook at the Borgata, told ESPN in a text message. "Astros and all others are winners for us."

The Nationals were facing long odds Wednesday, trailing the Dodgers 3-1 entering the eighth inning, with Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw in the game. Bookmaker William Hill had the Nationals as 10-1 underdogs to pull off the comeback.

Washington's Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto led off the inning with back-to-back home runs off Kershaw to tie the score, and Howie Kendrick hit a grand slam in the 10th inning to help send the Nationals to the NLCS.

A bettor at FanDuel's sportsbook placed a $2,000 bet in-game on the Nationals at 7-1 when they were down 3-0 to the Dodgers. The bettor won a net $14,000.

The Astros host the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night in Game 5 of their American League Divisional Series. The winner will take on the Yankees in the ALCS.

Houston furniture store owner Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale has placed nearly $6 million in bets on the Astros in an effort to mitigate potential losses from a promotion he is running. McIngvale also has a $1 million bet on an AL team winning the World Series.