Best DFS picks for Chiefs vs Texans in Week 14

Best DFS picks for Chiefs vs Texans in Week 14

The 6-6 Kansas City Chiefs host the 7-5 Houston Texans on Sunday Night Football. It’s a game most didn’t expect to be as important as it is. Both teams are on the bubble for the playoffs, with the Texans currently grabbing the final No. 8 spot and the Chiefs out of the playoffs with the No. 10 spot. With five games left, every game is a must win game for both teams.

As far as offensive playmakers go, both teams are fairly healthy, but the Chiefs are hurting on their offensive line.

Patrick Mahomes and company can get away with offensive line injuries, but against the Texans strong pass rush, it will be tougher than normal. Overall, this game sets up for a defensive battle, as the Texans are the best pass defense in the league based on EPA, DVOA and fantasy stats. They haven’t allowed a single quarterback to top 20 fantasy points in a game this season.

The Chiefs defense has also been playing good football, but not to the smothering extent of the Texans. Of course, the Texans offense isn’t as good as the Chiefs, so I expect the Chiefs defense to be able to hold their own, but they are overall an easier defense to put fantasy points on, depending on how well your offensive line can handle their frequent blitzes.

Below we will take a look at the best DFS plays for this Sunday night showdown.

Captain’s Picks

Rashee Rice, WR, Chiefs (FLEX $13,200, CPT $19,800)

At this point, Rice is truly the key to the Chiefs offense. Of course, Patrick Mahomes is the driver, but if he doesn’t have Rice, the offense is stuck in the mud. The Texans have Derrick Stingley, who might be the best corner in the league, but Kansas City knows how to get Rice the ball and avoid lockdown matchups by moving Rice around. The combination of Mahomes’ ability, Andy Reid’s play calling, and Rice’s quickness and hands near the goal line, make covering him in short areas extremely tough.

Nico Collins, WR, Texans (FLEX $12,000, CPT $18,000)

Collins saw 31% of the targets in C.J. Stroud’s first game back fro a concussion and on the season has had the fourth-highest target rate when the defense blitzes. Steve Spagnuolo’s defense blitz’s on 31% of plays, which ranks third in the league. Collins should see plenty of short, hot read targets while also getting his usual WR1 work.

Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs (FLEX $12,800, CPT $19,200)

I don’t expect C.J. Stroud to run much, but Mahomes will take off and a rushing touchdown is very much a possibility in a must win game against the top defense in the league. We know he runs more in must win games and there’s a good chance he spreads the ball around a bunch, making it tough to pick the right receiver not names Rice.

Value flex plays

Isiah Pacheco, RB, Chiefs (FLEX $7,000, CPT $10,500)

Before Pacheco’s injury, he had been clearly playing ahead of Kareem Hunt, but in his first game back last week, Pacheco took a backseat to Hunt. I think we can predict that Pacheco at least evens the touches and snap count out, with a chance that he takes over as the lead back once again. Hunt still has more touchdown upside, but Pacheco’s price has fallen enough to make him a useful value play with a good chance at seeing an uptick in work.

Dalton Schultz, TE, Texans (FLEX $5,800, CPT $8,700)

Schultz has a good price for his usual strong floor built on 7.5 targets per game over the last seven games. There’s nothing flashy here, but compared to the rest of the team, he is far ahead of anyone not named Nico Collins in usage.

Tyquan Thornton, WR, Chiefs (FLEX $3,600, CPT $5,400)

Thornton didn’t see a target last week against the Cowboys, which shows you exactly what his floor is. But, he still was out there 16 snaps and he usually gets one or two deep targets a game, In a game that could be low scoring, Thornton could be a strong play with just one long touchdown catch.

by Editor

Chris Paul: 'I'm still scared by it all. Still processing everything. But I'm staying ready.'

Chris Paul: 'I'm still scared by it all. Still processing everything. But I'm staying ready.'

What’s next for Chris Paul?

He has been sent away from the Clippers (something handled sloppily), but what comes next? NBA insider Chris Haynes texted with Paul and got this response:

“I’m just staying ready. I’m hooping right now. I don’t know what’s next. I’m still scarred by it all. Still processing everything. But I’m staying ready.”

Haynes also got CP3’s thought process behind his cryptic Instagram story of the definition of “leeway.”

The reality of what is next for Chris Paul is a little more complex.

While he is away from the team, the Clippers have not released him and reportedly are working with him on a potential trade. However, league sources told NBC Sports that teams with interest in Paul are going to sit back and wait for him to be released, then sign him as a free agent rather than giving up anything in a deal. The Clippers are up against their first-apron hard cap and can’t release Paul and replace him with another veteran minimum contract. LA can’t afford that until January (they could release him and promote two-way player Kobe Sanders to a regular contract, staying below that line). Beyond that, Paul signed in Los Angeles to be close to his family, he’s not likely to want to go far away to end his career (there is one other team in Los Angeles, but it also is up against a first apron hard cap and is not in a position to bring anyone in for a while, and when they do an older backup guard is not likely the need). It will be interesting to see which teams step up to try to sign him once they can.

Paul may need to be hooping and staying ready on his own for a while.

by Editor

Cam Reddish Leaves Lithuanian Team Due To Personal Reasons

Cam Reddish Leaves Lithuanian Team Due To Personal Reasons

Cam Reddish will part ways with BC Siauliai due to personal reasons, reported Basketnews.

Reddish averaged 14.7 points and 3.8 rebounds in nine games in Lithuania.

Reddish’s best game came when he scored 27 points and 9 rebounds against Rytas Vilnius.

Reddish averaged 3.2 points and 1.5 rebounds last season for the Lakers.

by Editor

Bulls' rookie Noa Essengue is out for remainder of season following shoulder surgery.

Bulls' rookie Noa Essengue is out for remainder of season following shoulder surgery.

Bulls rookie Noa Essengue will undergo season-ending surgery on his left shoulder.

On Saturday, the Bulls made official what coach Billy Donovan had said a few days earlier: surgery was required, and the usual recovery time is six to seven months. Essengue injured his shoulder in a G-League game and, while the team first said it was a contusion, it turned out to be more than that.

Essengue was the No. 12 pick in last June’s draft and at Summer League showed his fluid athleticism and potential, but also was raw (as expected). He was mainly remembered for being on the wrong end of a meme during his first trip to Las Vegas. The Bulls wanted to deal with this injury now so that Essengue will have next summer to work on his game (whether he will play in Summer League remains to be seen).

This season, Essengue played just six total minutes for the Bulls. In four G-League games, Essengue averaged 23 points a game on 50.8% from the floor, plus grabbing 8.5 rebounds a game.

by Editor

NBA Trade Rumors 2025-26: The latest on Giannis Antetokounmpo, plus Anthony Davis, Trae Young, more

NBA Trade Rumors 2025-26: The latest on Giannis Antetokounmpo, plus Anthony Davis, Trae Young, more

The conventional wisdom holds that Dec. 15 marks the unofficial opening of the NBA trade season, because that’s when many players who signed new contracts or extensions this past summer become eligible to be traded. The reality is that it will be Dec. 19-22 in Orlando — when the NBA G League Winter Showcase takes place — that talks really start to ramp up. It’s when the GMs and front offices of all 30 teams gather together, ostensibly to watch the best G-League players, but it’s an event without fans (just basketball people and some media), and you can watch as certain GMs peel off and start side conversations just 30 feet from the court. It’s where business starts to get done.

Heading into all of that, here are the latest NBA Trade rumors, starting with the biggest name potentially on the board.

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Antetokounmpo being off the court for 2-4 weeks with a calf strain is not about to slow the trade rumors surrounding him, or the fake trades we are all seeing, after he reportedly restarted talks about his future with the Bucks front office. Here are a few updates.

• Milwaukee may find it hard to land a lot of first-round picks. Antetokounmpo’s performance is not in question, he has been playing at an MVP-level this season. However, he turns 31 on Saturday and is looking for a massive contract extension that will start in the 2027-28 or 2028-29 season, his age-33 or age-34 season (he has a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28). The recent history of teams giving up a massive haul of first-round picks for players entering their mid-30s — even elite players — has them pausing and seriously considering how many picks they would trade for Antetokounmpo. Brian Windhorst of ESPN put it this way on his Hoop Collective Podcast:

“What I’m telling you is that when I talk to executives and these executives are not in trade talks with the Bucks or another for a star player right now, the mood in the NBA right now is not give up four first round picks for anybody … All these teams are worried about getting into apron trouble where they can’t reset their rosters…

“This is how teams are thinking right now. They’re a little freaked about the aprons. There ain’t going to be no five first round pick trades. I know that we saw those for a while. That’s just not to happen.”

• The Pelicans’ 2026 draft pick could determine where Antetokounmpo lands. Antetokounmpo may have New York at the top of his wish list, but talking to league sources the last 48 hours, three teams come up as being able to put together better offers and may be places Antetokounmpo would be open to: Atlanta, San Antonio and Houston.

Atlanta is the team I hear the most (assuming Antetokounmpo wants to stay in the East). It can make a trade based around Trae Young and recent No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher, but the biggest prize would be the Pelicans’ first-round pick in next June’s draft (which Atlanta controls because Joe Dumars traded it away to move up last June and select Derik Queen in a head-shaking move). NBA insider Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report and The Stein Line said he had been told all season there was no way the Hawks were surrendering what could be a very high pick in a deep draft at the top, but then added that landing Antetokounmpo in his prime and just going for it — with a team that has gone 11-7 while Young is out injured and has had a much improved defense — has to have the Atlanta front office rethinking that stance.

• The Oklahoma City factor. While Oklahoma City has the picks and players to make a serious offer for Antetokounmpo if they wanted to, why would they? At 21-1 with a record point differential and a locker room that gets along well, OKC looks like a juggernaut this season.

OKC’s dominance is something Houston and San Antonio have to take into consideration, as Zach Lowe of The Ringer discussed on his podcast. Do the Spurs look at this season’s Thunder, then look at how young their roster is, and decide to be patient and take their swings at OKC in a couple of years, when their roster is peaking, and the luxury tax is forcing changes to the Thunder? Same thing with Houston, which looks like a contender now, although Kevin Durant being on that team does somewhat change the equation. The bottom line is that both of those teams may look at the big picture and step back.

• The two big questions about an Antetokounmpo trade. In talking to league sources about the trade, two big themes and questions emerged:

1) Will Antetokounmpo (through his agent) actually demand a trade this time? He has danced up to this line but stepped back, not wanting to come off as the bad guy forcing his way out of Milwaukee (a tactic that has worked; the Bucks have upgraded their roster as best they could each time). Yes, Antetokounmpo asked the Bucks to explore a trade with the Knicks last summer, but by the time he did there was no deal to be made. This would be different. It also feels different on Antetokounmpo’s end this time.

2) If Antetokounmpo is available via trade, will the Bucks work with the two-time MVP to get him where he wants to go (presumably New York, although maybe another city or two is on the list), or will they look for the best offer regardless of destination? Antetokounmpo has some leverage because he can be a free agent in the summer of 2027, but plenty of teams would be willing to take the risk on him for a year at the right price.

Anthony Davis

Davis getting traded feels more like an offseason move than one that happens during the season, especially since the team has looked better of late, winning three straight (games against Oklahoma City and Houston in the coming days are good measuring sticks).

When ESPN’s Windhorst was talking about teams not wanting to give up many first-round picks in a trade, that was aimed more at Anthony Davis and the market for him than at Antetokounmpo. Davis is 32, with a history of nagging injuries, and also is up for a contract extension this summer — a potentially massive one — which has teams a little hesitant. Is an aging Davis going to be worth the money he is asking? Windhorst added this on his podcast.

“When I have heard what people are saying Anthony Davis’ trade value is right now, not because of him as a player, to be clear, not because he’s diminished as a player, but because of the idea of paying an injury-prone mid-30s guy $50, $60 million dollars in the apron era is unpalatable.”

James Harden, Kawhi Leonard

The Clippers have never hit the fact that they are built to pivot in 2027, when everyone except Ivica Zubac comes off the books. However, after a dreadful start to this season, could the Clippers accelerate that timeline by trading James Harden or Kawhi Leonard?

Good luck with that. Especially with Leonard, who is making $50 million this season and is guaranteed the same next season, and comes with a lengthy injury history. Harden, playing like an All-Star at a more reasonable $39.2 million (with a player option for $42 million next season), might be a different story, as Tim Bontemps wrote at ESPN.

“The feedback from league insiders has been that, while a team would take on Harden, it may be more difficult to find a landing spot for Leonard because of his injury and the Aspiration case still ongoing. “James has maybe neutral value,” an East scout said. “Kawhi Leonard has negative value.”

Trae Young/LaMelo Ball/Ja Morant

This group of point guards is who I am watching most closely heading into the trade deadline, thinking that one of their teams might decide it’s time to make a major pivot and move on if the right deal comes along.

Except that deal is unlikely to materialize, as ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Bobby Marks wrote. They said these comments summed up the prevailing opinion on all three.

“I wouldn’t want any of them,” a Western Conference general manager told ESPN.

“They all might have negative value,” an Eastern Conference executive said.

When we get to next offseason that may change for at least one and maybe all three of them, but don’t bet on a deadline deal.

by Editor

The World Cup draw show was the world’s worst, most embarassing, sycophantic mess

The World Cup draw show was the world’s worst, most embarassing, sycophantic mess

The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw aired on Friday, and I’m envious if you didn’t waste your time on the worst sports-adjacent broadcast of all time. It somehow managed to have everything, and nothing — with a two-hour run time which found a way to be devoid of entertainment, and overflowing with cringe embarrassment, culminating with a fake, made-up award so FIFA president Gianni Infantino could curry favor with President Donald Trump in front of a global audience.

It all kicked off with two hosts who had zero chemistry. Heidi Klum, who we assume was picked because she’s a German-American, and Kevin Hart who was chosen because he will accept any job that pays him money. Klum did her best to carry the broadcast, while Hart quipped about not reading the script, forcing sad jokes, and plugging his Netflix special in the middle of the damn draw.

We then got the anthem of the World Cup, which could have pulled from the incredible musical legacies of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Instead we had Robbie Williams perform “Desire” with Nicole Scherzinger. I was going to embed the video of the song here, as my way of sharing part of the pain — but FIFA has blocked embeds. Now you have to click here to find it and punish yourself with this ass song.

Was it time for the draw? Hell no, because the moment one man was waiting for had arrived: Giving Donald Trump a fake, made-up FIFA Peace Prize award to make him feel better about not getting a Nobel.

What ensued was a solid 20 minutes of Infantino bragging about what a wonderful man Trump was and how he’s changed the world. Trump credited himself with saving “10 million lives” by brokering peace between The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, which he said has led to “10 million deaths” before he intervened.

There have been 3,000 deaths since the conflict began in 2022, which is a number fewer than 10 million.

Then Trump got a medal, which he picked up the same way I carry a bag of dog poop after a walk.

The FIFA Peace Prize trophy, which was larger than the World Cup itself, appeared to be a shriveled, damaged globe being supported by the wisened hands of the dead thrusting their arms from the grave.

It was then speech time for Trump, who asserted that the NFL should be forced to change its name, because soccer is the true football. He also said he used to watch Pelé play for the New York Cosmos, who he “assumed was a great.”

Assumed.

Pelé.

With that block of garbage over we then had a totally meaningless photo op for Infantino, who brimmed with excitement like a toddler that he got to take a selfie with Donald Trump as the U.S. president, Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney ceremonially drew balls for their own teams in an utterly pointless waste of time. Even Trump mocked the proceedings and how worthless it all was.

Next up was Lauryn Hill, which was the only part of this worth a damn. It was great. And she was on time!

Then a “skit” featuring Rio Ferdinand, Matthew McConaughey, and Salma Hayek. I use quotation marks around “skit,” because it was so painful to watch. I would have rather had a root canal. Though Salma did tease a special guest to help Rio with the complicated draw process, which could be ANYONE — nah, it was some children in another prerecorded sketch that was painful.

FINALLY it was time for the actual draw. The highlight was Wayne Gretzky struggling to pronounce almost every nation’s name. The man was sweating bullets and not sure how he drew the short straw of announcing all the playoff teams.

To close the show was The Village People, who I assume were only booked so Trump could do his little child dance, but they only cut to him once and he didn’t dance. It’s entirely likely this was the first time he ever saw The Village People or realized they were LGBTQ icons.

So, there you have it. A sports show that had 15 minutes of sports and almost two hours of pointless crap. I’m going to leave now and get some fresh air. I need to remember there’s actual beauty in the world.

by Editor

Skechers World Champions Cup is great golf happening this week

Skechers World Champions Cup is great golf happening this week

The Skechers World Champions Cup is going on this week and it is some seriously awesome golf.

If you love things like the Ryder Cup, President’s Cup, or Solheim Cup then this is right up your alley. The Skechers World Champions Cup is a bit different those in that it pits three teams against one another (United States, Europe, and an International group), but the level of intensity and competition is the same.

Recently the Tournament Chairman for the event, the great Peter Jacobsen, joined us to talk about the event as the opening round was underway on Friday. You can watch my entire conversation with him here.

This is an event that the world of golf has been looking forward to for some time now. Back in October we spoke with the United States captain in Jim Furyk and personally speaking I’ll be rooting him and our fellow Americans on. As Peter put it though, this is an event that features a lot of competitive drive from everyone involved, but it is great to see these players out there in general, especially at this part of the calendar/year.

Peter mentioned in our chat that part of the benefit of this event is the awareness that it raises for the Champions Tour at large. The Tour is one of great value and skill and that people have an opportunity to see that through this Cup is very cool indeed.

On the subject of seeing… you can watch the second round all day Friday and the final one on Sunday. Coverage is on ESPN+, ESPN, and ABC (final round afternoon session only) and you will surely enjoy it all.

by Editor

What now for Chris Paul and the Clippers? We answered six questions on the stunning news

What now for Chris Paul and the Clippers? We answered six questions on the stunning news

What’s next for Paul? What about the Clippers, who are struggling badly? We look at the big roster shakeup.

by Editor

Power Rankings: Lakers back near top of West; OKC continues dominance

Power Rankings: Lakers back near top of West; OKC continues dominance

NBA insiders break down the first Power Rankings of December, evaluating all 30 teams as the end of the year draws near.

by Editor

Conor McGregor's sexual-assault lawsuit stemming from 2023 NBA Finals dismissed in Florida

Conor McGregor's sexual-assault lawsuit stemming from 2023 NBA Finals dismissed in Florida

Irish professional mixed martial artist and businessman Conor McGregor speaks from the White House briefing room podium in Washington, DC, on March 17, 2025. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Conor McGregor had a sexual assault lawsuit dropped in Florida. (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
JIM WATSON via Getty Images

Content warning: This story contains depictions of alleged sexual assault.

A sexual-assault lawsuit filed against MMA fighter Conor McGregor stemming from an alleged incident at the 2023 NBA Finals was dismissed in Florida on Wednesday, according to The Athletic. 

The plaintiff, who filed the lawsuit against McGregor, filed to have the lawsuit dismissed. That was granted Wednesday, as a judge in Florida dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning the plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, cannot re-file the case. 

The lawsuit stemmed from an alleged incident at the 2023 NBA Finals, where the plaintiff claimed she was sexually assaulted by McGregor during Game 4 of the Finals between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets. 

The woman claimed she was “violently” assaulted by McGregor in a men’s bathroom after the game. The woman accused McGregor of forcibly kissing her and making her perform oral sex against her will. McGregor was also accused of trying to sodomize the woman.

Days after those allegations became public, video emerged appearing to show McGregor leading his accuser into the bathroom at the Heat’s stadium.

McGregor and his reps called the accusations “false” at the time. 

McGregor was in attendance at Game 4 of the NBA Finals, which were held at Kaseya Center in Miami. During the game, McGregor was involved in a promotional stunt in which he punched the Heat’s mascot. The stunt took a turn after the person in the mascot costume was taken to the emergency room after taking two punches to the head. 

The plaintiff filed a police report after the alleged incident. After an investigation, McGregor did not face criminal charges. 

McGregor, 37, has faced multiple sexual-assault allegations over his career. Last year, McGregor lost a sexual assault civil case in Ireland, and had to pay $259,149.36 to a woman after a jury determined McGregor sexually assaulted the woman in a Dublin hotel in 2018.

by Editor