The Sportsletter - Surprise on the Rise ↑

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BY JEFF YODER

SEPT. 18, 2024 | SUBSCRIBE | WEB VIEW

Good Morning 👋

Excitement in the WNBA, the Champions League and MLB took over the spotlight last night (rapid-fire recaps in the second half of today's edition). But we have NFL power rankings, game balls, and injury reports to get to. If your fantasy team is banged up, join the club. Stars everywhere are hitting the IR.

Letter Rip!

PICK 'EM

The Week 3 Pick 'Em

Play The Sportsletter's NFL Pick 'Em (Week 3)

Correction: Yesterday’s Week 3 Pick ‘Em form included an error in the options for the Packers-Titans game. This game will be an automatic +1 for everybody. Thanks for your patience.

POLL RESULTS 📊

Week 2 Game Ball: Alvin Kamara 🏈

Unlike our power rankings, there was no surprise here. Saints RB Alvin Kamara (47%) dominated this week's "Game Ball" poll. Kyler Murray garnered a quarter of the vote (25%), but that 4-TD day from Kamara sent the Cowboys tumbling.

NFL POWER RANKINGS 📊

Surprise on the Rise ↑

Photo: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images

A Dozen Teams Shift by 5+ Spots in the Week 3 Update — Saints, Bucs, Vikings & Chargers Are Surprise Risers

Week 2 took a wrecking ball to the NFL Power Rankings. We could tell it was going to be a Sunday of stunners when zero pick ‘em participants were perfect after just four games. More than a dozen teams are shifting by five-or-more spots this week. There’s a thin line between 0-2 (#14 Ravens) and 2-0 (#13 Vikings). Injuries play a big role in our ranking process again, too. The Saints and Bucs just went from NFC South question marks to the top five, and even the No. 1 Chiefs are 2-0 with both games decided on the final play.

↑ Winners: All went up or stayed the same.

↓ Losers: All went down or stayed the same.

Sounds fair? Let us know where we went wrong.

NFL Power Rankings

1. Chiefs (2-0) | —

2. Bills (2-0) | ↑5

3. Texans (2-0) | ↑1

4. Saints (2-0) | ↑8

5. Buccaneers (2-0) | ↑6

6. 49ers (1-1) | ↓4

7. Chargers (2-0) | ↑7

8. Lions (1-1) | ↓5

9. Eagles (1-1) | ↓4

10. Steelers (2-0) | —

Teams 11-20

11. Cowboys (1-1) | ↓5

12. Seahawks (2-0) | ↑2

13. Vikings (2-0) | ↑11

14. Ravens (0-2) | ↓6

15. Packers (1-1) | ↑1

16. Jets (1-1) | ↑2

17. Falcons (1-1) | ↑5

18. Cardinals (1-1) | ↑9

19. Bengals (0-2) | ↓2

20. Browns (1-1) | ↑1

Teams 21-32

21. Dolphins (1-1) | ↓12

22. Colts (0-2) | ↓3

23. Patriots (1-1) | ↑2

24. Bears (1-1) | ↓2

25. Raiders (1-1) | ↑3

26. Rams (0-2) | ↓10

27. Jaguars (0-2) | ↓8

28. Commanders (1-1) | ↑2

29. Broncos (0-2) | ↓3

30. Titans (0-2) | ↓1

31. Giants (0-2) | —

32. Panthers (0-2) | —

Read More

NBC Sports: PFT’s Week 3 NFL Power Rankings

ESPN: NFL Week 3 Power Rankings: How All 32 Teams Stack Up

The Athletic: NFL Power Rankings: Cowboys & Ravens in Trouble?

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MLB

Royal Record for KC's Shortstop 👑

Photo: Ed Zurga / Getty Images

Bobby Witt Jr. Becomes 1st Shortstop in MLB History With Two 30/30 Seasons

It’s not just Judge, Ohtani and Skenes making history this season. Another milestone MLB moment occurred last night when Royals’ SS Bobby Witt Jr. became the first shortstop to log two 30/30 seasons (30 HRs, 30 stolen bases). The Royals lost to the Tigers (3-1 in extras), but Witt Jr. deserved his moment. Bobby Bats is no joke in Year 3. He leads the majors in batting average (.331) and overall hits (200), and the Royals are currently the No. 2 AL Wild Card. Kansas City hasn’t reached the postseason since they won the World Series in 2015.

Watch: Bobby Witt Jr. Completes 1st 30/30 Season by a Shortstop

MLB Quick-Hitters

Ohtani Hits 48th HR: Marlins def. Dodgers (11-9)

Happ Blasts 103-mph Pitch: A’s def. Cubs (4-3)

Altuve Gets Tossed: Astros def. Padres (4-3)

Phils Need 1 to Clinch: Phillies def. Brewers (5-1)

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Kane Insane in UCL Opener 👀

Photo: Daniel Kopatsch / Getty Images

Harry Kane (4 Goals), Bayern Score 9 Total in Exciting Matchday 1 of the UEFA Champions League

The UEFA Champions League is back. And if you didn’t know, Bayern Munich and Harry Kane made sure you do now. The Bundesliga juggernauts opened their UCL campaign with a 9-2 thrashing of Dinamo Zagreb. Kane had four finishes — FOUR! — including three from the penalty spot. He broke Wayne Rooney’s record for the most goals in UCL history by an Englishman. Michael Olise also scored two goals. Nothing like a nine-goal opener to quench your Champions League thirst. We're back, baby!

Watch: Harry Kane Nets 4 Goals in Bayern’s 9-2 Romp

Other UCL Highlights

Liverpool def. Milan (3-1)

Real Madrid def. CfB Stuttgart (3-1)

Juventus def. PSV (3-1)

🗓️ Today’s Champions League Fixtures

WNBA

Liberty Lock Up No. 1 Seed 🗽

Photo: Michelle Farsi / Getty Images

Liberty (1-Seed), Lynx (2-Seed) & A’ja Wilson Makes More WNBA History

The top two seeds in the upcoming WNBA Playoffs were claimed on Tuesday. The New York Liberty (32-7) locked up the No. 1 seed thanks to a double-double from Breanna Stewart (15 pts, 10 rebs) in their win over the Mystics (87-71). The Minnesota Lynx (30-9) earned the No. 2 seed thanks to Bridget Carleton’s game-winner in the final five seconds to clip the Sun (78-76). That gave the Lynx their seventh-straight win. Minnesota also won the Commissioner’s Cup, so watch out for this team when the playoffs start.

Watch: Liberty def. Mystics (87-71), Clinch 1-Seed

Watch: Lynx def. Sun (78-76) on Carleton’s GW 3

Other WNBA Scores

Dream def. Sky (86-70)

Mercury def. Sparks (85-81)

Aces def. Storm (85-72)

A'ja Wilson Sets Single-Season Rebound Record (447)

NEWS 📰

🥊 Sean O’Malley to Have Hip Surgery After UFC 306 Loss (Yahoo! Sports)

🏈 NFL Teams Broke League’s Single-Week Record for Field Goals in Week 2 (SI)

🏈 Dolphins Place QB Tua Tagovailoa on IR Through Week 8 Following Concussion (ESPN)

🏈 Chiefs Bring Back RB Kareem Hunt in Wake of Isiah Pacheco’s Injury (CBS Sports)