College Football Storylines to Watch, MLB Matchup Insights, U.S. Open Analysis + 49ers Fantasy Preview

In today’s newsletter…

• Leading Off: Five college football storylines to watch in Week 1

• Bets to Watch: Alcaraz has won 4 of 5 tournaments

• Matchups: MLB, WNBA and tennis head-to-heads

• Player to Watch: Wilson has Aces up to 3rd after 10 game winning streak

• NFL: San Francisco 49ers fantasy preview

• Overtime: Part 1 of Sanders-watch is complete

With Week 0 behind us, the college football season officially begins now. There are three games featuring top-10 teams playing each other this week: No. 1 Texas vs. No. 3 Ohio State (Saturday, 12pm on FOX), No. 9 LSU vs. No. 4 Clemson (Saturday, 7:30pm on ABC) and No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 Miami (Sunday, 7:30pm on ABC). Here are the five storylines we’re watching in Week 1:

• Arch Manning’s debut: Texas’s superstar-in-waiting has seen playing time, including two starts last year, but the college football world has been waiting for the moment for Arch to take over the most valuable program in the sport. There are no training wheels here, as how the prodigy plays in Columbus will determine how he is viewed for the first third of the season because the Longhorns face three second-tier opponents after their opening heavyweight matchup against the Buckeyes.

• LSU’s start to the season: The Tigers have lost the first game of the season in each of Brian Kelly’s three seasons in charge. They have another tough matchup this year, as they travel to Clemson, but bring back a Heisman hopeful at quarterback in Garrett Nussmeier.

• Notre Dame and Miami breaking in new QBs: The Fighting Irish are entering their fifth season in a row with a new starting QB, while the Hurricanes have to replace the NFL’s No. 1 draft pick in Cam Ward. Miami has the experience advantage, as they lured former Georgia starter Carson Beck to Coral Gables, while Notre Dame is breaking in redshirt freshman CJ Carr, who was Riley Leonard’s backup last season.

• Florida State’s progress: The Seminoles are coming off their worst season since 1974 — Bobby Bowden arrived two years later — and start the year with a visit from No. 8 Alabama. Nobody is looking for an FSU win, but can they keep it within the 13.5-point spread?

• Boise’s State’s road to the CFP: No. 25 Boise State’s game at South Florida won’t impact its chances to make the CFP because it’s a non-conference contest, but a loss could make the 12-seed even more likely if they get in as the Mountain West’s champion.

—Abe Rakov

Insights on 10 U.S. Open Bets as Day 2 Kicks Off in New York

By Chris Farley

Petra Kvitova +3.5 (+100 at BetOnline)
A two-time Grand Slam champion and now a legend of the sport, Kvitova announced her upcoming retirement after this season. At 35 years old, the Czech has seen it all, a titleist who's faced off against the best of the best in the WTA for the last two decades. Although we'd be foolish to suggest that she should not be the underdog in her first round matchup. Despite a tenured, successful career, she's just 1-7 this year, picking her spots in a calculated manner but unable to compete with younger, refined players. Diane Perry fits that archetype, a 22-year-old French competitor who had a surprising run into the third round at Wimbledon. But this could be the veteran's final moment in an admirable career, and we doubt she'll go out easily.

Barbora Krejcikova (+184 at FanDuel)
We've shown support for Krejcikova in past newsletters, and it's been hit or miss this season. Last year's Wimbledon champion has been fending off nagging injuries in 2025 — she's just 8-6 this year. Contrarily, we like that she recently found her stride in Cincinnati, beating up on formidable foes like Elina Svitolina and Iva Jovic to get to a Round of 16 battle against Jasmine Paolini, where she suddenly looked out of sorts. Today she battles one of tennis' bright young stars, Victoria Mboko of Canada, who just had a scintillating win at the Montreal Open. The 18-year-old doesn't have the experience and psyche of Krejcikova though, not yet, and we like the veteran to rise up in Flushing.

Liudmila Samsonova 2-0 (-140 at DraftKings)
Samsonova has been one of the WTA's stalwart threats to win a tournament for two years and running. The 26-year-old has experienced plenty of ups and downs throughout her seven-year pro career, but now ranked 20th and with plenty of big-match experience under her belt, she is not a contender to sleep on. After initially struggling to find her form on hard courts in 2025, the 6'0" power-hitter had a nice run in Cleveland, taking out Y.F. Wang and Caroline Dolehide. One thing Samsonova rarely has issues with is swiftly defeating opponents outside of the top-100. Yue Yuan is currently ranked 836th. Although she competed well in the qualifiers, she should be completely outmatched in skill and experience here.

Renata Zarazua +6 (+102 at Bookmaker)
There are reasons to believe that Madison Keys is beginning to fade as we near the end of the 2025 season. The top-6 ranked American, who started off the calendar year with her first Grand Slam title in Melbourne, hasn't been quite as consistent down the stretch. She stumbled in the third round at Wimbledon, knocked out by Laura Siegemund, and she hasn't come close to another tournament win this year. Renata Zarazua is a scary first opponent in this situation. The Mexican tennis star hasn't accomplished anything particularly impressive in her career but when you look at who she beat in 2025 (names like Putinseva, Boulter, Townson, Busca), it's a microcosm of the Zarazua brand. In an instant she can take out any opponent, especially ones that lose confidence, with her aggressive style of play. Keys is showing signs of a breakdown and we see clear value here.

Anna Kalinskaya -4.5 (-110 at BetOnline)
19-year-old Clervie Ngounoue could be a rising player to look out for, 33-11 overall in 2025. She had a standout performance at Indian Wells, upsetting Rebecca Marino and Sonay Kartal. She followed it up with a great showing in Cincinnati last month, rallying past Hailey Baptiste and Yue Yuan before losing to Elise Mertens in a barnburner, 34-game match. We have no doubt she has potential, but she's running into the wrong enemy in the first round. Anna Kalinskaya has been playing some of the best tennis of her career lately, losing only to Iga Swiatek, who's annihilating everyone the past month, and other 2025 elites (Svitolina, Fernandez). She has been automatic in early rounds, earning a second round showing in four of her last five events. We trust the Russian to dominate.

Iva Jokic -4.5 (-122 at Bookmaker)
Iva Jovic's rise is happening quicker than most anticipated. Many already consider the hyper-gifted 17-year-old a threat to win a Grand Slam tournament. Her results aren't consistent enough yet, but the Serbian-American enigma is 29-12 this season and has risen to 73rd in the world. Her deep run in Cincinnati felt like it should have gone further, but her lack of resolve showed in a big moment, an intangible that only improves with more experience. Meanwhile, 31-year-old Aliaksandra Sasnovich can't speak of the same success in 2025, although she's certainly had her moments, beating a few notable names like Blinkova, Gracheva, Busca, Joint, Siniakova, and Fernandez. Her record is lackluster on hard courts, though, just 28-38 on the surface over the past three seasons. This is Iva's homefield, and we don't see a hiccup coming here.

Daria Kasatkina vs. Elena-Gabriela Ruse over 21.5 games (-110 at BetOnline)
One of the most consistent contenders on tour, Kasatkina is the definition of a professional, known for her cerebral, tireless approach. The Aussie is 18th in the world and has had another steady season, although lately she hasn't been winning as much as she had earlier in the year. A few deep runs in Australia, Qatar, and French Open were followed by a relatively uneventful summer, but one cannot understate her pedigree in majors. On Monday she'll face Romanian Elena-Gabriela Ruse, a player who regressed this season (7-9 overall). Last year she made it further in Flushing than ever before, succeeding to the third round, and Kasatkina can't claim anything superior (one third round appearance in 2017). We see this as an even battle that will wage on, likely for three sets.

Elsa Jacquemot +4.5 (-124 at FanDuel)
Born in Lyon, France, 22-year-old Jacquemot has finally joined the ranks of the WTA, officially 91st overall. Jacquemot is a power-hitter who overwhelms her opponents, capable of roaming the baseline and placing well-timed returns where opponents can't get them. Her style showed admirably in Cleveland, where she blew out four straight foes in straight sets. Marie Bouzkova is coming off a solid performance in Monterrey, where she fell to Ekaterina Alexandrova in the semifinals. She also had deep runs in Prague and Montreal. While we're impressed by her recent wins, Bouzkova is hardly consistent, a roller-coaster of results the past three seasons, and just because she's won recently doesn't give us faith against an up-and-comer she won't see coming. 

Francis Tiafoe -7.5 (+100 at BetOnline and DraftKings)
Japan's #2 ranked singles player Yoshihito Nishioka was once on a sharp upwards trajectory, ranked 24th in the summer of 2023 following deep runs at the Australian Open and French Open. Since that brief moment in the sun Nishioka hasn't been as sharp, now ranked 149th and just 8-13 this season. In 12 of his last 13 events, he failed to make it beyond the first round. Francis Tiafoe cannot relate, winning 63% of his matches on hard courts the last three seasons (53-31) and entering Monday after good runs in D.C., Montreal, and Cincinnati. Tiafoe is also in a very friendly environment, where he'll be far more comfortable and experienced.

Carlos Alcaraz 3-0 (-135 at DraftKings)
Tennis phenom and the World's #2, Alcaraz has won four of the past five tournaments he's competed in. After a loss to Jannik Sinner at the French Open, the Spaniard bounced right back and conquered in Cincinnati, losing just two sets in six matches. He looks fit, focused, and in the best form we've ever seen. On the other side, Reilly Opelka always conjures respect, if nothing else due to his sheer size. The 6'11" American is a puzzling opponent, with unimaginable reach and an incomparable 655 aces in competition this year. Still, the fact is Opelka rarely beats a top-25 player, particularly at Grand Slams, and Alcaraz has phenomenal momentum right now. We like the chalk to clobber the fan favorite. 

Athletics’ Rooker Has 3 Home Runs in 17 At Bats against Cy Young Winner

MLB Batters

• Brent Rooker (Athletics) vs. Tarik Skubal (Tigers): 8-17, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 4 K

• Francisco Lindor (Mets) vs. Cristopher Sanchez (Phillies): 6-14, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K

• Brandon Nimmo (Mets) vs. Cristopher Sanchez (Phillies): 5-16, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K

• Mark Vientos (Mets) vs. Cristopher Sanchez (Phillies): 3-10, 2 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 6 K

• Corey Seager (Rangers) vs. Jose Soriano (Angels): 4-9, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K

MLB Pitchers

• Padres starter JP Sears has held current Mariners batters to just 20 hits in 116 at bats (.172 average, .262 OBP). Sears has given up 2 doubles, 4 home runs, 13 RBI, and 13 walks, while striking out 29.

• Mets starter Kodai Senga has given up just 6 hits in 49 at bats against current Phillies hitters (.122 average, .189 OBP). Senga has given up 1 double, 1 home run, 3 RBI, and 4 walks, while striking out 17.

WNBA

• Sun (9-27) vs. Liberty (22-15)

  • Spread: New York -14 (-110), Connecticut +14 (-110)

  • Moneyline: New York -1000, Connecticut +610

  • Total 168: Over/Under -110

• Aces (24-14) vs. Sky (9-27)

  • Spread: Vegas -10.5 (-112), Chicago +10.5 (-108)

  • Moneyline: Vegas -590, Chicago +410

  • Total (162.5): Over/Under -110

Tennis

• Maria Sakkari vs. Tatjana Maria: Each has won two matches in the series, with Sakkari taking the most recent matchup in three sets in the first round of the 2022 U.S. Open. Sakkari is 20-24 on the year while Maria is 26-25.

• Venus Williams vs. No. 11 Karolina Muchova: They have only played once head-to-head, a straight-set win for Munchova in the first round of the 2020 U.S. Open. The 45-year-old Williams is just 1-2 on the year, while Munchova is 16-12.

• Cameron Norrie vs. Sebastian Korda: Korda has won 3 of 4 matchups, with the most recent one coming on grass in 2023. Norrie is 22-19 on the year while the American is 14-10.

Wilson Scored 30+ in 5 of 7 Games, Aces Have Won 10 Straight

Name: A'ja Wilson
Team: Las Vegas Aces (24-14)
Position: Center
Matchup: at Chicago Sky (9-27)
2025 Stats: 23.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.6 steals, 2.2 blocks

Past 5 Games

• at Washington (8/23): 36 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks

• vs. Phoenix (8/21): 19 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block

• vs. Atlanta (8/19): 32 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 5 blocks

• vs. Dallas (8/17): 34 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 3 blocks

• at Phoenix (8/15): 30 points, 16 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks

Head-to-Head

• Wilson hasn’t faced the Sky this season. This is the first of three matchups between the teams in the next 15 days.

Potential Bets

• Total points (25.5): Over +102, Under -132

• Total rebounds (10.5): Over -138, Under +104

• Total assists (2.5): Over -140, Under +106

• Points + Rebounds + Assists (38.5): Over -118, Under -112

Fantasy Preview: 49ers Are Already Dealing With Injuries Again, But Purdy Is Still A Solid Choice

By Jack Dougherty

The San Francisco 49ers were ravaged by injuries last season, leading to a 6-11 record and a last-place finish in the NFC West. Things aren’t looking much better heading into 2025, as the wide receiver room (Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, Jacob Cowing, Russell Gage), defensive line (Kevin Givens, Mykel Williams, Yetur Gross-Matos) and secondary (Malik Mustapha, Deommodore Lenoir, Uptown Stout, Jason Pinnock) are already dealing with injuries. 

The 49ers also lost Deebo Samuel, Jordan Mason, Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins, Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, Charvarius Ward and others in the offseason. Still, with Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Trent Williams, Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and head coach Kyle Shanahan back, and Robert Saleh returning as the defensive coordinator, San Fran is the heavy favorite to win the NFC West. 

Click here to read our full 49ers fantasy preview on our website, Sportmoney.com

In the News 

• CBS Sports ranked the top-10 wide receiver tandems in the NFL.

• In more Sanders news, Shilo was waived by the Buccaneers while the Browns released quarterback Tyler Huntley, clearing the way to keep Shedeur if the team decides to have four QBs on the roster.

• What college football teams are doing to increase revenue now that they can pay players.

• Chinese Taipei’s pitcher retired the first 13 batters he faced en route to his country’s Little League World Series championship over Nevada.

What to Watch (times are ET)

• 11:30am: All-day U.S. Open coverage on ESPN

• 3pm: Newcastle vs. Liverpool on USA

• 6:40pm: Rays vs. Guardians on FS1

• 8pm: Aces vs. Sky on NBA TV

• 10:05pm: Tigers vs. Athletics or Reds vs. Dodgers on MLB Network

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