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5 early lessons of men’s basketball season: Real vs. pretend contenders, more

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5 early lessons of men’s basketball season: Real vs. pretend contenders, more


It has been 37 days since the men’s college basketball season began — and what a wild opening stretch it has been.

The freshmen class quickly emerged as one of the best in the history of the sport. The group is so good that Washington’s Hannes Steinbach, at an average of 18.5 points and 12.8 rebounds, is projected as the 21st pick in ESPN’s 2026 NBA mock draft.

The early stretch has also helped identify which preseason contenders are true threats to win the national championship — see: Michigan defeating fellow AP top-10 team Gonzaga by 40 points during Feast Week — and which look more like pretenders.

Through all of the mayhem, it’s clear this season is producing some of the best basketball of this era. The top teams are really good. The talent pool is deep. The coaching is top tier. And the atmospheres have been awesome (this is not an invitation to rant about the Players Era Festival crowds).

We’re marching toward what should be an incredible finale at the Final Four in Indianapolis, a decade after Villanova‘s Kris Jenkins hit a winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat North Carolina in the 2016 national championship. If the first month is an indicator, the 2025-26 season could end with similar fireworks.

Here are the five biggest lessons we’ve learned so far.

This freshman class could be the best of one-and-done era

In the four seasons between 2021-22 and 2024-25, KenPom‘s final Player of the Year rankings featured four freshmen combined: Chet Holmgren and Paolo Banchero in 2022, Brandon Miller in 2023 and Cooper Flagg in 2025. That’s the same number of freshmen included in this season’s rankings.

That list begins with Cameron Boozer. Duke‘s star has a higher offensive rating on KenPom than Flagg or Zion Williamson, the past two National Player of the Year winners produced by the Blue Devils, finished their award-winning seasons with. Through the first five weeks, at least, Boozer has separated himself from the field with a breathtaking effort for an undefeated Duke team.

On Boozer’s heels are a collection of first-year standouts who deserve similar recognition.

BYU‘s AJ Dybantsa has arguably been the second-best player in the country, and North Carolina star Caleb Wilson is leading a resurgence in Chapel Hill. That same bounce-back is in the works for Kansas now, too, with projected No. 1 NBA draft pick Darryn Peterson‘s return from a monthlong absence because of a hamstring injury.

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AJ Dybantsa throws down exclamation point jam for BYU

AJ Dybantsa takes the open lane to the basket and throws down a massive jam for BYU.

Each of the top eight picks in ESPN’s 2026 NBA mock draft are freshmen — a group that doesn’t even include surging prospects such as Houston‘s Kingston Flemings or ArkansasDarius Acuff Jr.

In the one-and-done era, this crew has a chance to be the best we’ve ever seen.


Florida, Kentucky and St. John’s have failed to meet expectations

Three days after it suffered through its worst scoring drought of the past eight years — a 10-minute, 25-second stretch in last week’s loss to North Carolina — Kentucky missed its first 10 shots and lost to Gonzaga by 35 points in Nashville on Friday. To say that a team that was ranked ninth in the preseason AP Top 25 is in trouble would be a vast understatement. The Wildcats are a mess, but they’re not the only preseason contenders searching for answers.

Months after winning a national title with an elite set of guards, Florida‘s Todd Golden rebooted his backcourt with former Arkansas star Boogie Fland and Princeton transfer Xaivian Lee. It hasn’t worked out as planned. In Florida’s two-player lineups — an on-court metric at EvanMiya.com that captures how teams perform when specific players are paired together — the Fland-Lee combination ranked 26th within its own team. And though Lee scored 19 points against UConn in Tuesday’s game at Madison Square Garden, that loss was another example of the Gators’ limitations when Lee and Fland (1-for-9 combined from 3 against the Huskies) aren’t equally elite on the same night.

Ultimately, Florida hasn’t looked like a defending champion thus far, despite Thomas Haugh (18.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.8 APG) playing like an All-American.

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Thomas Haugh soars for a thunderous alley-oop jam for Florida

Xaivian Lee floats the ball to Thomas Haugh for an epic and-1 alley-oop slam for Florida vs. UConn.

And after finishing second in adjusted defensive efficiency, defending Big East champion St. John’s is 51st in that same category since Nov. 24, per BartTorvik.com. Rick Pitino signed some of the top transfers in the portal but has failed to manufacture the same defensive integrity that helped his squad earn an invitation to “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” a year ago. The Red Storm have already lost three games after finishing last season with only five losses.


Michigan, Iowa State and Arizona are much better than we realized

After his colleagues had been peppered with questions at Big 12 media day, Arizona‘s Tommy Lloyd sat on the stage in Kansas City, Missouri, and acknowledged the lack of interest in his team at that same juncture. “No other questions? Really?” Lloyd said. “OK.”

Since that moment in October, Arizona has shocked college basketball. The Wildcats earned their first No. 1 ranking in the AP Top 25 since 2023 this week thanks to early wins over No. 5 UConn, No. 18 Florida, No. 21 Auburn and No. 25 UCLA. Sensational freshman Koa Peat (15.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG) leads a squad that has averaged 88.5 points.

Two teams that had not been viewed as serious preseason contenders have also managed to earn national acclaim over the first month-plus.

Michigan beat Gonzaga by 40 points in Las Vegas during Feast Week, capping a 3-0 run at the Players Era Festival with wins over San Diego State and Auburn, too. Led by All-America candidate Yaxel Lendeborg, the Wolverines have the nation’s best defense and have won six games by 25 or more points.

Joshua Jefferson (17.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 5.4 APG) and Iowa State also have dominant wins on their résumé, including last Saturday’s 23-point true road victory over then-No. 1 Purdue. That’s the best win of the season thus far. The Cyclones have also managed to force turnovers on 26.5% of their opponents’ possessions, the best mark in the country.

All three teams finished outside the top six in the preseason AP poll — Arizona (13th) and Iowa State (16th) weren’t even top 10. But those three teams have looked the part of serious national championship contenders through the first month of the season.


The 3-point revolution has reached record highs

In George Washington‘s 84-70 victory over Army on Dec. 2, the two teams combined to shoot 70 3-pointers. In the 2015 national title game, Wisconsin and Duke combined to shoot 32 3s — or seven fewer than Army took last week.

While the significance of the 3-point shot in college basketball isn’t a new phenomenon, the uptick in the first month of the 2025-26 season suggests that we could see a flurry of 3-pointers at a rate unmatched. A then-record of 121 teams took 3-pointers on at least 40% of their shots in 2021-22, an uptick from the 103 teams in the same category five years earlier, per KenPom. That number rose again to a stunning 157 teams last season.

So far this season, at least 40% of total field goal attempts for 187 teams — more than half of Division I programs — have been 3-pointers.

The game is rapidly evolving in real time, and the first month has proved as much with the multitude of 3-point attempts across the landscape.

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Alex Karaban sinks an early 3 for UConn

Alex Karaban sinks an early 3 for UConn


The ACC is … back?

The ACC sent a North Carolina team that finished 13-7 in conference play as its fourth and final NCAA tournament entry a season after finishing with only four bids for the first time in more than a decade.

Needless to say, it has been a couple of down seasons for the ACC, but the conference is already beginning to erase its recent woes. Yes, Duke is Duke. Boozer is the front-runner for National Player of the Year and is surrounded by a supporting cast that could help the Blue Devils win their first national title since 2015. That’s not new. What is though, is the role other ACC teams could have in producing a resurgence for the conference.

Louisville (Mikel Brown Jr.) and North Carolina (Caleb Wilson) are led by a pair of projected lottery picks. First-year head coaches Ryan Odom (Virginia), Jai Lucas (Miami) and Will Wade (NC State) could turn the tide for their teams this season. Overall, five ACC teams are ranked in the top 25 in adjusted offensive efficiency at the start of December.

That’s a good sign.

The ACC ended last season with only five top-100 teams in KenPom’s final rankings. So far this season, the conference already has nine. It also had eight sub-100 KenPom teams at the end of 2024-25, which is a better measuring stick for the conference’s overall strength (or lack thereof). This season, there are only three ACC teams in that same category.

With a talent boost and new faces on the sidelines, the ACC has already demonstrated that it is collectively prepared for a better season than the past two.



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Lahore Qalandars crush Hyderabad Kingsmen in PSL 11 opener – SUCH TV

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Lahore Qalandars crush Hyderabad Kingsmen in PSL 11 opener – SUCH TV



Defending champions Lahore Qalandars secured a commanding 69-run victory over Hyderabad Kingsmen in the Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) opener, powered by Fakhar Zaman’s fluent fifty and a disciplined bowling performance at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.

Set to chase a daunting 200-run target in their maiden PSL appearance, the Kingsmen’s batting unit faltered and could accumulate 130 before getting bowled out in 20 overs.

Captain Marnus Labuschagne remained the top-scorer for the Kingsmen with a cautious 26 off 22 deliveries, followed by No.9 batter Riley Meredith, who made an unbeaten 19 off 25 deliveries.

Besides them, opener Saim Ayub (17), experienced all-rounder Hammad Azam, and tailender Mohammad Ali, 10 each, were the only other batters to amass double figures.

For the Qalandars, Haris Rauf, Sikandar Raza and Ubaid Shah bagged two wickets each, while Mustafizur Rahman and captain Shaheen Shah Afridi chipped in with one scalp apiece.

Qalandars captain Shaheen Shah Afridi’s decision to bat first paid dividends as the holders racked up 199/6 in their 20 overs despite a brief top-order collapse.

The three-time champions made a flamboyant start to their innings, courtesy of an 84-run partnership between their openers, Fakhar and Mohammad Naeem.

The crucial partnership was eventually broken by Hassan Khan on the second delivery of the ninth over when he got Naeem caught at long-on by Rizwan Mehmood. The right-handed opener walked back after scoring a 19-ball 30, comprising four fours and a six.

Qalandars then lost two more wickets in the next two overs as top-order batter Abdullah Shafique (four) got run out, while Fakhar fell victim to Hassan shortly after bringing up his half-century.

The left-handed opener remained the top-scorer for the Qalandars with 53 off 39 deliveries, studded with nine fours.

Following the back-to-back setbacks, Haseebullah Khan and Parvez Hossain Emon (14) put together an anchoring 37-run partnership for the fourth wicket, which culminated with the latter’s dismissal in the 16th over.

Haseebullah was then involved in a brisk 45-run partnership with all-rounder Sikandar Raza, who played a quickfire 24-run cameo off just 10 deliveries, featuring two sixes and as many fours.

The wicketkeeper batter remained unbeaten with a 28-ball 40, while Asif Ali and captain Shaheen made handy contributions at the backend, scoring nine and 12 not out, respectively.

For the Kingsmen, Riley Meredith and Hassan picked up two wickets each, while Mohammad Ali made one scalp.



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The unexpected path that led Morgan and Frankie Price to Arkansas gymnastics

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The unexpected path that led Morgan and Frankie Price to Arkansas gymnastics


MORGAN PRICE STANDS at the kitchen table next to older sister Frankie, trailing her fingertips over the front panel of a well-worn leather vest. The faded, black material is dotted with colorful patches that offer a glimpse at the life of its owner: their father, Chris.

“I mean, shoot, this was the real him,” Morgan said after spotting a particularly playful patch, which read Bad Ass Brother. Seconds later, Frankie swallows a laugh as she finds another.

Chris Price played for the Kansas City Royals in the late 1990s. But when the sisters reach for memories of their dad, he’s often driving off on one of his custom Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Morgan remembers watching from the laundry room. Frankie is closer, in the garage.

“He would always look back and wave and have the biggest smile on his face,” she said.

But both agree the roaring rumble of the exhaust is a sound they’ll never forget. It punctuates one of the few memories the Prices have of their dad, who died after a 2009 motorcycle accident at age 36. Frankie was 6 years old, Morgan was 4, and their sister Kristin, 2.

Frankie and Morgan say it took several years before they truly understood the impact of the loss. By then, gymnastics had become the outlet through which they honored their father’s memory.

“Chris was very much behind that,” Marsha Price said of the girls’ interest in the sport, “making sure that every day it was, ‘What are you going to do to be better tomorrow?'”

The mantra is a lodestar, left by Chris for his daughters.

“My ‘why’ is representing my last name,” said Frankie, who spent the last four years overcoming injuries and honing her resilience as an Arkansas Razorback. Morgan, meanwhile, repeatedly made history in her three years with Fisk University, which launched the first HBCU gymnastics team in 2023.

But at the end of last season, the sisters came to a crossroads. With a final year of college eligibility left, they each questioned whether or where to spend it.

Individual reflection ultimately led them to the same place: Frankie and Morgan would finish their careers together in Fayetteville.

“We hold it with a lot of pride to be a Price Girl,” Morgan said.


IT’S NINE HOURS before Arkansas’ home meet against fellow SEC foe Kentucky. The Gymbacks warm up on the floor of an empty Bud Walton Arena, sliding over foam rollers as a group before breaking off to perform their own pre-meet rituals.

Frankie heads to a corner of the floor where she will later begin her routine for thousands of Arkansas faithful. For now, she only marks the moves. But her eyes hold an intensity that helps bring to mind the iconic notes of Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode,” featuring Snoop Dogg — a song that has been part of Frankie’s floor routines her entire Razorbacks career.

“I am Frank Dogg,” she said. “Like, I got that dog in me, you know what I mean?”

Frankie verbally committed to Arkansas at age 14. She spent high school dreaming of her collegiate debut. But in 2021, just before arriving on campus, she tore her ACL. The 18-month-long recovery process meant she would have to redshirt her freshman season, putting off competition for yet another year.

When she finally entered the Razorbacks vault and floor lineups — with a brace on her right knee, worn ever since — she brought big skills, and an even bigger personality.

“Frankie has this way of just captivating fans and captivating people, even her teammates,” said head coach Jordyn Wieber, who has spent the past seven seasons building Arkansas into a top-10 program. And Frankie has helped make it happen.

In 2023, during her redshirt freshman season, Frankie became the fourth Razorbacks gymnast to tally a 9.975 on floor, good for Arkansas’ highest score since 2014. The following year, she helped Arkansas earn its first 198-plus team score in program history, as well as a spot in the NCAA championship.

Last season, the Gymbacks were in pursuit of a repeat championship appearance. They had already qualified for the regional final when Frankie took the floor in the last routine of the last rotation. But at the end of her first pass, she landed her double layout short and immediately collapsed.

“It was the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life,” she said.

Frankie was carried off the floor, later learning she had ruptured her Achilles tendon. Two days later, she cheered from the sideline as Arkansas competed in the regional final — “for Frankie,” Wieber said after the injury. But the Razorbacks finished in the fourth spot, failing to progress to the national championship.

A few weeks later, Frankie, then a senior, found herself in Wieber’s office. “What do you think about one more year?” her coach asked.

“After my injuries that I’ve been through, I had to just kind of take a step back and focus on my ‘why,'” Frankie said. “My ‘why’ is representing my last name. And that goes back to my dad, because I know that he would want me to push through the hard times and do what I can to represent being a Price Girl.”

The answer to Wieber’s question was simple. She would return to Arkansas to spend her fifth and final season as a Gymback.


IT’S THREE HOURS before the meet begins, and the Razorbacks have returned to the arena floor.

This time, however, the subdued mood of the morning has given way to a lighter energy, as teammates pose for photos and recruit each other to record TikToks.

Amid the activity, Morgan pulls Frankie aside for pictures. For a few moments, they stand hip to hip, an arm around the other’s waist, before breaking off once again.

“If you walked in the gym, you wouldn’t be able to tell they’re sisters,” Wieber said, “because in the gym, they’re teammates.”

The separation is subtle. Yet the Price Girls know each has been destined to chart their own path.

In 2021, shortly after Frankie began her freshman year, Morgan also committed to Arkansas. She says her sister did not factor into her decision, citing instead an excitement to be part of a growing program. The following year, however, Fisk announced it was launching a gymnastics team. Morgan saw this as an even greater opportunity to contribute. She decommitted to Arkansas in favor of Fisk.

“I knew that the decision that I was making was bigger than just gymnastics,” she said.

By becoming a Bulldog, Morgan was making history. In 2024, as a sophomore, she won the all-around title at the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics National Invitation Championship (then known as the USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate National Championships), an end-of-season tournament for limited-scholarship teams. And in 2025, she became the first HBCU gymnast to score a perfect 10.0, before taking home a second WCGNIC all-around title.

After climbing to such heights, she couldn’t help but hear the echoes of her father’s ethos.

“I know my dad would want me to strive to be the best,” she said. “I set and reached all my goals that I wanted to at Fisk, and so I was like, ‘You know what? For my last year, I really want to challenge myself.'”

Several weeks after Wieber asked Frankie about another season in Fayetteville, the head coach received a similar question from her sister.

Morgan says she never forgot how supportive Wieber was of her decision to attend Fisk.

“She cares about us as a person first, and then an athlete,” Morgan said. So Morgan decided to reach out and see how the Razorbacks staff would receive a second commitment. “They were just super excited, fully open arms, and so I knew it was the right decision.”

Morgan would transfer to Arkansas to spend her fourth and final season as a Gymback. In May, the sisters shared the news on social media with a photo in which they stood back-to-back, arms crossed and faces focused. It would be the first of many they’d take in matching cardinal leotards. The following month, Fisk announced it was discontinuing its gymnastics program after the 2026 season, a move that shocked members of the inaugural team.

“I think the fact that we’re able to be together, train together, live together, go through our last year of college together,” Frankie said, “is just a great chance for us to bond even more and just stay connected through life.”


IN THE MINUTES before the meet begins, many of the Gymbacks have already taken the floor, their silhouettes outlined by roving spotlights and the jumbotron’s gentle glow. The voice of the PA announcer fills the darkened arena as he begins to name Arkansas’ upperclassmen.

When Morgan, then Frankie, is introduced, they each take a turn atop the podium in the center of the floor, waving back at the swell of cheers.

“They just carry this swagger about them.” Wieber said. “When we walk into an arena with Frankie and Morgan on our team, that gives the whole program, the whole team, just an extra level of confidence.”

This couldn’t have been more evident in Arkansas’ performance against Kentucky. The Razorbacks began on vault, Morgan in the anchor position. With Frankie, Marsha and Kristin cheering her on, Morgan executed a flawless Yurchenko 1.5, scoring the first perfect 10.0 in Arkansas history. Seconds after the score was announced, Frankie wrapped Morgan in an embrace.

Several Gymback sticks followed on the uneven bars, balance beam and floor, where Frankie scored a 9.925, tying her season high. Morgan was the first to congratulate her, bounding onto the floor to share an enthusiastic double high-five.

Though the regular season meet ended in a tie, Arkansas finished ahead of Kentucky at the SEC championship, placing seventh. The performance helped the Razorbacks secure the No. 9 seed in the postseason, automatically qualifying them for the second round of the NCAA tournament.

The Price Girls have spent their entire gymnastics careers in pursuit of “being better tomorrow.” As they reach the close of their final collegiate season, both say they hope it culminates with Arkansas at the NCAA championship.

“The end of it all is that we’re a family,” Frankie said of the team. “No one’s doing it alone — we’re doing it together.”





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The 2026 ESPN Fantasy Baseball draft guide: Rankings, tips, stats, strategy and more

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The 2026 ESPN Fantasy Baseball draft guide: Rankings, tips, stats, strategy and more


Whether you are trying fantasy baseball for the first time or are an experienced vet, the 2026 ESPN fantasy baseball draft guide has everything you need to help you crush your drafts.

From rankings and mock drafts to sleepers, breakouts and who you should — or should not — draft, we’ve got you covered from every angle, all in one convenient place.

This draft guide will be updated frequently, so keep checking in for more insight, analysis, and projections.


Other resources: Sign up! | Projections | Rankings | Depth charts | Eligibility Rules


Rankings, cheat sheets, mock drafts

ESPN expert rankings: Points leagues | Head-to-head categories/rotisserie

Cheat sheet central: Printable PDFs to take to your draft

The 2026 ESPN Cheat Sheet: You’ve read their names all preseason long, it’d be a shame to forget them now

Dynasty rankings: Top 300 players for 2026 and beyond

Prospect rankings: Kiley McDaniel ranks rookies for 2026 fantasy value

“The Perfect Draft” Our experts reveal the ideal outcome for the first two rounds of a 10-teamer from each slot’s POV

Mock draft No. 1 (ESPN points leagues)
Round-by-round picks and a roster snapshot of all 10 teams from our Feb. 10 mock

Mock draft No. 2 (ESPN category-based leagues)
Round-by-round picks and a roster snapshot of all 10 teams from our March 3 mock

Mock draft No. 3 (ESPN points leagues)
Round-by-round picks and a roster snapshot of all 10 teams from our March 16 mock

Fantasy baseball 101

A lapsed fan’s guide to fantasy baseball in 2026
Haven’t been paying attention this offseason? Eric Karabell catches you up

Nine tips to help you win your league
Tristan H. Cockcroft with strategies and angles that will make you a more competitive player

Everything you need to play, draft and run a league
Tristan H. Cockcroft lists the players he wants on as many fantasy teams as possible

Tools of the trade: How to use the ESPN fantasy app to your advantage
Tips for newcomers on how to best use the tools available in ESPN’s fantasy baseball game

Advice and expert intel

Read the warning label before drafting these guys
Who does Tristan H. Cockcroft think will underachieve in 2026? We have the names

20 must-have fantasy baseball draft picks for 2026
Tristan H. Cockcroft’s list of overlooked pitchers with the skills to shine in 2026

2026’s ‘Do Draft’ list: Go get Webb, Freeman and more
Eric Karabell wants these guys on his 2026 fantasy teams. You should too

Kings of Command: Nine fantasy breakout pitchers to draft late
Tristan H. Cockcroft’s list of overlooked pitchers with the skills to shine in 2026

Do NOT Draft: Why PCA, Seager and others could ruin your season
Eric Karabell warns you to steer clear of these players in 2026

Bold predictions for every team: American League | National League
Eric Karabell plants his flag with some bold fantasy-relevant predictions

Jeff Passan’s MLB season preview: Predictions, fantasy tips, more

From Vladdy to Arraez: 33 players who jump out for 2026
Tristan H. Cockcroft highlights the players — and stats — that have grabbed his attention

Should you avoid drafting players taking part in the WBC?
Tristan H. Cockcroft looks at the history of the WBC and how it has impacted fantasy

Don’t forget these injured players on draft day
Eric Karabell’s list of guys to keep on your radar for the last few rounds of your drafts

News or noise: What’s the fantasy baseball impact from news around MLB?
Hearing a lot of buzz, but don’t know what to make of it? Here’s where you should turn

Park factors: What is the true fantasy impact of where MLB teams call home?
Todd Zola breaks down what makes MLB stadiums favor pitching versus hitting

Fantasy baseball’s $100 man: Why you need to break the bank for Ohtani
Tristan H. Cockcroft discusses how much should you bid on fantasy’s top player

Top players to watch this spring: Acuna, Strider lead list
Eric Karabell outlines players in interesting new situations most likely to have fantasy impact in 2026

What to expect from Murakami, Okamoto, Imai and others
Todd Zola dives into the statistics to set expectations

Hot stove: fantasy impact of offseason trades and signings
Expectations for all of the players who have changed teams this winter


MLB betting info: World Series odds | AL futures | NL futures | 2026 Betting guide


Prospect watch

2026 fantasy baseball picks: MLB rookie, prospect rankings
Kiley McDaniel ranks rookie-eligible players for their potential 2026 fantasy contributions

Karabell’s top 10 prospects to consider drafting for 2026 leagues
A gaggle of shortstops leads the list of alluring fantasy newcomers

Ten names to know from the Arizona Fall League
Check out Eric Karabell’s eyewitness account of AFL action


Download the ESPN Fantasy Sports app, have every player at your fingertips.
Available on the App Store and Google Play.


Looking back on 2025

Which pitchers are MVPs, LVPs of 2025?
The best and the worst fantasy hurlers from last season

Which hitters are MVPs, LVPs of 2025?
Some of the top bats that surprised, for better or worse



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