Monthly Archive 24 January 2024

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2024 NBA picks, January 17 predictions from proven model

The San Antonio Spurs will visit the Boston Celtics in a cross-conference matchup on Wednesday’s NBA schedule. Boston is 31-9 overall and 19-0 at home, while San Antonio is 7-32 overall and 4-16 on the road. The Celtics have won three straight versus the Spurs, including a 33-point victory on New Year’s Eve. Boston is 19-19-2 against the spread in the 2023-24 NBA season, while the Spurs are 17-21-1 versus the line.

Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. ET at TD Garden in Boston. The Celtics are favored by 16 points in the latest Spurs vs. Celtics odds, per SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 237.5 points. Before entering any Celtics vs. Spurs picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 13 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 42-23 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on San Antonio vs. Boston. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Spurs vs. Celtics:

Celtics vs. Spurs spread: Celtics -16
Celtics vs. Spurs over/under: 237.5 points
Celtics vs. Spurs money line: Celtics: -1482, Spurs: +867
Celtics vs. Spurs picks: See picks at SportsLine
What you need to know about the Spurs
We saw a pretty high 246-over/under line for the Spurs’ previous matchup, but the actual score was more down to earth. They fell 109-99 to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. Victor Wembanyama put forth a good effort for the losing side as he dropped a double-double on 26 points and 13 rebounds. Less helpful for the Spurs was Devin Vassell’s abysmal 0-for-5 three-point shooting.

Outside shooting has been an issue for San Antonio all year as it ranks 27th in 3-point percentage despite attempting the ninth most shots per game. The Spurs’ strength is their ball movement as they rank fourth in assists despite ranking 23rd in scoring. Each of the team’s top six scorers also average at least 3.0 assists per game as Gregg Popovich is getting this young Spurs squad to see the importance of getting everyone involved in an offensive attack. Center Zach Collins (ankle) is out for Wednesday. See which team to pick here.

What you need to know about the Celtics
Meanwhile, winning is just a little bit easier when you drain 12 more threes than your opponent, a fact the Celtics proved on Monday. They walked away with a 105-96 victory over the Toronto Raptors. Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday were among the main playmakers for the Celtics as the former dropped a double-double on 19 points and 14 rebounds, while the latter scored 22 points with seven assists and six rebounds.

Holiday (elbow), Kristaps Porzingis (knee) and Derrick White (ankle) are all questionable for Wednesday, so Boston may have to dip more into its bench. However, the duo of Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both healthy, and they are combining to average over 50 points per game. Boston leads the NBA in made 3-pointers, total rebounds, defensive rebounds and blocked shots. See which team to pick here.

Key Betting Info
The Celtics will be relying on another big game from Tatum to pull off a win. For the season, Tatum has averaged 27.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists.

Some of the betting trends to consider are:

The Spurs are 14-21-1 against the spread in their last 36 games when not the favorite.
The Spurs are 8-11 against the spread in their last 19 games as the road underdog.
The Celtics are 11-8 against the spread in their last 19 games when at home.
How to make Celtics vs. Spurs picks
The model has simulated Celtics vs. Spurs 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that hits in nearly 70% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

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2024 NBA picks, January 17 predictions from proven model

The New York Knicks will host the Houston Rockets in a cross-conference matchup on Wednesday’s NBA schedule. New York is 23-17 overall and 11-5 at home, while Houston is 19-20 overall and 4-14 on the road. The Knicks have won seven straight games versus the Rockets. Houston is 20-17-2 against the spread in the 2023-24 NBA season, while New York is 22-17-1 versus the line.

Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. ET from Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, N.Y. The Knicks are favored by 5 points in the latest Rockets vs. Knicks odds, per SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 220.5 points. Before entering any Knicks vs. Rockets picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 13 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 42-23 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on New York vs. Houston. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Rockets vs. Knicks:

Knicks vs. Rockets spread: Knicks -5
Knicks vs. Rockets over/under: 220.5 points
Knicks vs. Rockets money line: Knicks: -202, Rockets: +168
Knicks vs. Rockets picks: See picks at SportsLine
What you need to know about the Knicks
Neither the point spread nor the final result favored the Knicks on Monday as they took a 98-94 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Orlando Magic. The defeat unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for the Knicks in their matchups with the Magic: they’ve now lost three in a row. Miles McBride led the Knicks in the defeat with 20 points.

Jalen Brunson (calf) did not play in that loss, and he’s listed as questionable for Wednesday, as is Josh Hart (knee). If one or both are out, then New York will have to rely more on new acquisition OG Anunoby. The former Raptor is averaging 14.5 points since the trade on 50.6% shooting. The Knicks are both 6-2 SU and ATS in their eight games with Anunoby in the lineup. See which team to pick here.

What you need to know about the Rockets
Meanwhile, it’s hard to win when your 3-point shooting is a whole 18.8% worse than the opposition, a fact the Rockets found out the hard way on Monday. They fell 124-115 to the Philadelphia 76ers. Even though they lost, the Rockets were smashing the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive rebounds. That’s the most offensive rebounds they’ve managed all season.

Houston is one of the league’s best rebounding teams, ranking sixth in rebounds per game, but it struggles in other defensive areas. The Rockets are 20th in steals per game and 26th in blocks per game. Even with those shortcomings, Houston is holding opponents to 45.6% shooting, which is the fourth-lowest mark in the NBA. Tari Eason (leg) is out for Wednesday. See which team to pick here.

How to make Knicks vs. Rockets picks
The model has simulated Knicks vs. Rockets 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Over, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that hits almost 70% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

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Puppy race contestant relieves himself on Suns’ court

The Phoenix Suns had their 2024 puppy races on Tuesday night, and one of the contestants added a little color to the court. One puppy was either a little too excited, nervous, hydrated or some combination of all three and had to relieve himself on the playing surface.

As the dog was being baited to run across the court with toys, he just fired away and started peeing right on the hardwood. When nature calls, you have to answer.

brief delay here in phoenix. pic.twitter.com/mdgYlvsvLv

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) January 17, 2024
On an unrelated note, the Suns went on to win a thriller over the Sacramento Kings after the incident. Kevin Durant hit a pair of free throws with one second remaining to secure the victory.

The next time the Suns do have their puppy races, they may want to consider putting down some fake grass or a plastic sheet in order to avoid potential slick spots during play.

Byadmin

2024 NBA picks, January 17 predictions from proven model

The Brooklyn Nets will face off against the Portland Trail Blazers in an interconference matchup on Wednesday. Portland is 10-29 overall and 5-12 at home, while Brooklyn is 16-23 overall and 6-13 on the road. The Trail Blazers defeated the Nets, 134-127, in overtime in Brooklyn on January 7 in their first meeting this season.

Tip-off is set for 10 p.m. ET at the Rose Quarter in Portland, Ore. Brooklyn is a 6.5-point favorite in the latest Nets vs. Trail Blazers odds, according to the SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 222 points. Before entering any Trail Blazers vs. Nets picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 13 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 42-23 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Brooklyn vs. Portland. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Nets vs. Blazers:

Trail Blazers vs. Nets spread: Nets -6.5
Trail Blazers vs. Nets over/under: 222 points
Trail Blazers vs. Nets money line: Trail Blazers: +205, Nets: -253
BRK: The Nets are 9-5 ATS as a favorite this season
POR: The Trail Blazers are 7-2 ATS with 2-3 days of rest as they enter Wednesday off two days of rest
Trail Blazers vs. Nets picks: See picks at SportsLine
What to know about the Nets
The Nets are coming off a loss, but they gave the defending Eastern Conference champions all they could handle in a 96-95 overtime defeat to the Miami Heat on Monday. Brooklyn led 45-31 at halftime before a poor second half allowed the Heat to come back and force overtime. Forward Mikal Bridges had 26 points for his third straight game with at least 26 points and he’s averaging 21.4 points per game this season.

The Nets have lost three straight and eight of their last nine, resulting in some playing time re-shuffling. Dennis Smith Jr., the No. 9 overall pick in the 2017 draft, is playing an increased role in averaging 25.8 minutes over five January games, nearly five more minutes than he was averaging in December. Smith has contributed in a variety of different ways over those five contests, including a game with 12 rebounds and another with 10 assists. He’s averaging 8.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6.2 assists in January as scores like Cameron Thomas and Cameron Johnson are averaging fewer points this month than they did to begin the season. Ben Simmons (back) remains out. See which team to pick here.

What to know about the Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers haven’t been playing much better, entering with 1-7 record over their last eight games. Portland’s one victory over that stretch came in the overtime victory over the Nets. Anfernee Simons had 38 points and 11 assists in the win, shooting 13 of 25 (52%), including 5 of 10 on 3-pointers. Simons is questionable with an illness, so that’s a situation to monitor closer to tip-off.

Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, has made an immediate impact in Portland. Henderson is averaging 12.7 points and five assists per contest and is coming off a career-high 33 points in a 127-116 loss to the Suns on Sunday. Henderson added seven rebounds, nine assists and three steals in the victory. Portland is 6-5 ATS against the Eastern Conference this season, including 4-2 ATS over its last six matchups against the East. Malcolm Brogdon (adductor) is questionable for Wednesday, while Shaedon Sharpe (abdominal) is out. See which team to pick here.

How to make Trail Blazers vs. Nets picks
The model has simulated Nets vs. Trail Blazers 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Over, and it also says one side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

Byadmin

Heat star Jimmy Butler producing 200 songs for a country music album

Jimmy Butler is a superstar on the basketball court, but now he is trying to extend his greatness to the recording studio. Butler has set his sights on producing a hit country album, and he has already made good progress in that endeavor.

In an interview with The Guardian, Butler revealed that he is fully immersed in putting together a country music album. Butler is a fan of the genre, and stated he has already produced 60 songs for the project, but he is nowhere near done.

Butler said he wants to have 200 songs to choose from before finalizing and releasing the album. The Miami Heat star said it has been a good challenge and one that has forced him to humble himself in the best way possible.

“And it’s fun, and I do love it, but my goodness, it’s difficult,” Butler said. “It’s stressful — it’s completely different from basketball. I’m not saying basketball’s easy either, but just for people to be able to think they can just go do this or that – it’s like, man, look. Humble yourself. It is incredibly fun, I’ve had a blast while doing it. But I will tell you that it’s not easy.”

Anyone hoping to hear the sultry tones of Butler’s voice on the tracks will be disappointed. Butler said he is more interested in being a producer instead of a singer.

“I’m like the DJ Khaled of this thing,” Butler said.

If Butler still needs another 140 songs before he is ready to unveil the album, it might be a while before people get to hear it. Besides, Butler is in the thick of another strong season with the Heat, who sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings.

Through 25 games played, Butler is averaging 21.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per contest.

Byadmin

USFL Championship Game starting QBs J’Mar Smith, Case Cookus have overcome sizable hurdles

No position in pro football is more important than quarterback. It’s certainly true in the NFL, where the league’s elite quarterbacks command $40 million salaries. The fact is also a reality in the USFL, as two of the league’s top quarterbacks — the Stallions’ J’Mar Smith and the Stars’ Case Cookus — will look to lead their respective teams to the rebooted league’s first championship this Sunday at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

Both quarterbacks have overcome considerable hurdles to reach Sunday’s championship game. Smith, who was actually drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 24th round of the 2015 MLB Draft, went undrafted in 2020 following a successful career on the gridiron at Louisiana Tech. He was signed by the Patriots that spring before being waived in late July. Smith’s next opportunity didn’t come until 2021, when he spent several months with the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Like Smith, Cookus went undrafted in 2020 despite having an impressive career at Northern Arizona. Cookus, who in 2015 won the Jerry Rice Award as the best freshman in the FCS, spent time with four different NFL teams but was unable to find a longterm landing spot. He also had a brief CFL stint before the USFL came calling.

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For both quarterbacks, the USFL has been the light at the end of a long, winding tunnel. Cookus led the Stars’ late charge to reach Sunday’s title game, while Smith helped the Stallions get off to an 8-0 start while establishing themselves as the league’s premier team. Last Saturday, hours after the Stars’ come-from-behind win over the New Jersey Generals in the USFL’s first playoff game, the Stallions posted a 31-17 playoff win over the New Orleans Breakers. In a game that was closer than the final score would indicate, one of the biggest differences was Smith, who threw and ran for scores against arguably the USFL’s best defense.

Playing for the Stallions has given Smith a chance to reunite with his college coach Skip Holtz, who this week said that Smith is like his third son.

“Certainly grateful and appreciative for the opportunity to be together again,” Holtz said of getting the chance to reconnect with Smith. “I think J’Mar has got the talent to be a really, really good quarterback. I think the world of him.”

This connection by @jMar_Smith and @OMitchellV was too nice 🎯

The @USFLStallions tie things up in the first half

📺: @NBCSports @peacockTV pic.twitter.com/KGNIbqDCaW

— USFL (@USFL) June 26, 2022
Sunday will make the first matchup between the two teams since May 15. Philadelphia, a 2-2 outfit at the time, raced out to a surprising 17-7 lead. But the Stallions, led by Smith and a defense that pitched a shutout in the second half, scored 23 unanswered points to cruise to a 30-17 win.

Along with the possible distinction of becoming the first starting quarterback to win a USFL title, Sunday’s game provides both players with yet another opportunity to play the game they love on a championship-level stage.

“I think I have a newfound appreciation for not playing for almost two years,” Cookus said earlier this week. “So just the opportunity now, playing for a championship. It’s so exciting to have my fiancée and my mom and dad will be there (at the USFL Championship Game). I just can’t wait. I’m super excited for it.”

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How to watch on TV, stream, kickoff time, preview for Stallions vs. Stars

The USFL’s inaugural season comes down to Sunday, when the Birmingham Stallions and Philadelphia Stars will duke it out in the championship. After a 10-week regular season, both the Stallions and Stars found themselves in Canton, Ohio, for the postseason and were able to defeat their respective division rivals to be the last two clubs standing.

Given that we’ve reached championship weekend, you can say that this was undoubtedly the most successful spring league that the football world has seen thus far. Previous leagues had folded midseason, so the USFL should consider this a tremendous win. With that in mind, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that the USFL will be back for a second season in 2023. While the league will still hold office in Birmingham, Alabama (where it held all of its games for 2022), the plan is to have all eight teams play in two to four markets.

Before we go too far looking into the future of the USFL, however, let’s finish up this season. Below, you’ll find a full breakdown of the championship game along with a guide on how you’ll be able to watch the action unfold.

How to watch
Date: Sunday, July 3 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium (Canton, Ohio)
TV: Fox | Stream: fuboTV (try for free)
Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds: Stallions -4.5 (-115), O/U 45

Philadelphia Stars vs. Birmingham Stallions
The Stallions have been the team to beat in the USFL from the jump, so it isn’t surprising to see them in the championship. They flirted with a perfect season until Week 9 before falling to the Houston Gamblers, but have bounced back nicely with two wins in a row, including a 31-17 victory over the New Orleans Breakers in the first round of the playoffs last week.

All three phases contributed to that win as they poured on 21 of their points in the second quarter. During that stretch, the offense marched on a 72-yard touchdown drive, the defense forced an interception that was returned for a score, and the special teams unit got in on the action with a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown as well.

Throughout the regular season, they led the South Division with 23.4 points per game and were second in the USFL in points allowed (16.9 points per game). Birmingham has also shown a strong ability to get after the quarterback as it has 27 sacks on the year. Edge rusher DeMarquis Gates has spearheaded that attack with 6.5 sacks during the regular season. Gates also led the defensive effort in their playoff win against New Orleans, totaling six tackles to go along with a pick-six.

Birmingham’s defense will need to be just as stout in this title game as it will the high-flying offense of the Stars.

Philadelphia led the league in scoring (26.2 ppg) by a considerable amount. A large part of its success offensively has come from quarterback Case Cookus. In just seven starts, he passed for 1,334 yards (fourth-most in the USFL), completed 62.5% of his throws, and has 12 touchdowns to just five interceptions. While Cookus was stellar through the regular season, he did struggle against the Generals’ defense in the playoff opener. In that game, he completed just 50% of his passes for 133 yards and an interception. However, he did make up for those deficiencies in the passing game with 39 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

While the Stars’ offense has certainly shown it can pile up points, their defense was tied for the most points allowed per game (24.3) during the regular season.

The Stallions and Stars met just once during the regular season and it was Birmingham who came out on top with a 31-17 victory in Week 5.

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Scores, dates, times and matchups for the entire regular season and playoffs

Spring football is back, as the USFL will try to capitalize on an opportunity to expand the game. For the third time in the last four years, a new football league will attempt to stick around.

The USFL features eight franchises that were also in the original USFL, which ran from 1983 to 1986, and retained rights to key original team names (Philadelphia Stars, New Jersey Generals, New Orleans Breakers, etc.). What separates the USFL from the Alliance of American Football and the XFL is all the games in its inaugural season are being played in a centralized location in Birmingham, Alabama — at Protective Stadium and Legion Field.

As for the postseason, four teams will qualify (the top two teams in each division) and the games will be held at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. The USFL Championship Game will also be played in Canton on Sunday, July 3.

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Week 1 picks, predictions, best bets by proven pro football expert

The XFL will relaunch once again this weekend with two games on Saturday and two games on Sunday to begin the 2023 XFL season. An ownership group led by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson now leads the new spring football league after an attempted 2020 revival of the XFL had to be abandoned because of the global pandemic. The action begins on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET with the Las Vegas Vipers against the Arlington Renegades and concludes with the Seattle Sea Dragons visiting the DC Defenders on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.

The latest Week 1 XFL odds from Caesars Sportsbook list the Dragons as 1.5-point favorites against the Defenders. The Renegades are -3.5 against the Vipers, the Roughnecks are -3.5 against the Guardians and the BattleHawks are -2.5 against the Brahmas. Before locking in any Week 1 XFL picks or predictions, you need to see what SportsLine’s Emory Hunt has to say.

Hunt is the founder and CEO of Football Gameplan, which has been supplying analysis of all levels of football since 2007, and a former running back at Louisiana-Lafayette. He knows the game from a player’s perspective.

Now, Hunt has analyzed Week 1 of the 2023 XFL season from every possible angle and locked in his best bets for XFL Week 1. You can head to SportsLine to see his picks.

Top Week 1 XFL picks
One of Hunt’s strongest XFL picks for Week 1 is the Defenders (+1.5) at home against the Seattle Sea Dragons what Hunt views as the two strongest rosters in the new league. This coaching matchup will pit former NFL receiver and long-time HBCU coach Reggie Barlow against former NFL head coach Jim Haslett.

Haslett most recently coached inside linebackers for the Titans in 2021 but Barlow ran Division I programs at Alabama State and Virginia State from 2007-2021 while Haslett was last a head coach in 2009 with the Florida Tuskers. So Barlow will have the recency advantage and he should be able to get the most out of his mobile quarterback options after successfully running up-tempo, spread offenses in the SWAC and CIAA.

Hunt is expecting DC quarterbacks Jordan Ta’amu and D’Eriq King’s mobility to present a serious issue for Haslett and the Sea Dragons. Ta’amu rushed for 342 yards and six scores in his final year as the starter for Ole Miss in 2018 while King rushed for 2,055 yards and 32 scores in his six-year career with Miami and Houston in college. See more XFL picks at SportsLine.

How to make 2023 XFL predictions
Hunt has also released his best bets for each of the other three games on the Week 1 XFL schedule, including one on a team “built with being a bully in mind.” He’s sharing them only at SportsLine.

Who wins during Week 1 of the 2023 XFL season? And which team will have a big physical edge? Visit SportsLine now to see Week 1 XFL picks for every game of the weekend from a former college football player with a proven track record.

Week 1 XFL odds, schedule, start time
See XFL picks at SportsLine

Saturday, Feb. 18
Las Vegas Vipers at Arlington Renegades (-3.5, 36) | 3 p.m. ET
Orlando Guardians at Houston Roughnecks (-3.5, 35) | 8:30 p.m. ET

Sunday, Feb. 19
St. Louis Battlehawks at San Antonio Brahmas (+2.5, 36.5) | 3 p.m. ET
Seattle Sea Dragons at DC Defenders (+1.5, 36) | 8 p.m. ET

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Top DraftKings daily Fantasy football picks, lineup advice from proven expert

The XFL has had a tenuous time establishing itself since its debut season in 2001. When the league resumes play yet again for its 2023 season on Saturday, it will do so with a quarterback that has begun to make a name for himself in spring professional football leagues. Jordan Ta’amu was the quarterback for the St. Louis BattleHawks in 2020, and returns to the XFL to lead the DC Defenders in 2023, but should he also be the QB for your XFL DFS lineups?

After his first stint in St. Louis, Ta’amu bounced around several NFL teams’ practice squads before leading the USFL in passing yards (2,014) and passing touchdowns (14) last year. The XFL DFS player pool features several recognizable names at QB, like Paxton Lynch and AJ McCarron, but Ta’amu’s recent experience could push your roster over the top in tournaments and cash games on DraftKings. Before making any XFL DFS picks on DraftKings for Week 1, be sure to check out the XFL DFS advice, strategy and projections from CBS Sports Fantasy and gambling editor R.J. White.

White, a Fantasy and gambling editor for CBS Sports, consistently crushes against-the-spread picks and went 535-450-30 on his ATS picks from 2017-22, which returned more than $3,500 to $100 players. He also closed the NFL season on an incredible 107-80-6 on his last 193 against-the-spread and total NFL picks during the 2022 NFL season, returning more than $1,800 for $100 bettors.

White has crushed not only the NFL but also the XFL during its abbreviated 2020 season, going 16-4 on XFL ATS picks before the league suspended operations as sportsbooks scrambled to correctly evaluate team quality in a league where little was known heading into the season. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Now, White has turned his attention to Week 1 XFL action and locked in his top daily Fantasy football picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.

Top XFL DFS picks for Week 1
White is high on Seattle quarterback Ben DiNucci ($9,800 on DraftKings). After a mostly nondescript college career through his first three seasons at Pitt and James Madison, he lit things up in his senior season. In 2019, DiNucci completed over 70% of his passes for 3,441 yards and 29 touchdowns.

DiNucci also finished with 569 rushing yards on 122 attempts as a senior before spending a season with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020. In three appearances for Dallas, he threw for just 219 yards, but he didn’t throw any interceptions and also ran for 22 yards on five carries in his lone start against the Philadelphia Eagles. DiNucci has starter experience at every major level of football, and should be a steady arm to start the season.

White is also high on San Antonio running back Jacques Patrick ($7,800 on DraftKings). The big, bruising Florida State product played in two games for the San Francisco 49ers in 2021, and finished with just two total carries for 12 yards. Patrick finished his high school career as a high four-star prospect, but didn’t have the sort of tenure with the Seminoles that many expected, with just 1,790 total rushing yards in four seasons.

During the XFL’s last season in 2020, Patrick checked-in at 6-foot-3 and 236 pounds, and ran for 254 yards on 60 carries for the Tampa Bay Vipers. He also finished with two rushing touchdowns and 49 receiving yards in his five appearances before the league was suspended. The jury is out on the strength of San Antonio’s pass catchers, and until it’s known how effective they might be, Patrick should be expected to carry the load on offense.

How to set XFL DFS lineups
White is also targeting an undervalued player who is set to explode for huge numbers this weekend. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.