Sports
Texans RB Cam Akers and off-the-radar players to watch in Week 3
Houston Texans running back Cam Akers (22) runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Cam Akers knows the feeling that Houston Texans starting running back Joe Mixon and backup Dameon Pierce experienced in Week 2.
Injuries to the top two backs on the depth chart last week opened the door for Akers to practice this week as the No. 1 back and potential starter when the Texans roll into Minneapolis to face one of Akers’ former teams, the 2-0 Vikings.
There’s no Cliff’s Notes version to how Akers got here, but his mere presence on an NFL roster at age 25 after twice tearing his Achilles says everything you need to know about his drive and perseverance.
Akers had a team-high 32 yards on seven carries with Mixon (ankle) exiting last Sunday’s win against the Chicago Bears and Pierce (hamstring) sitting out.
The one-time No. 1 running back in high school is playing on a veteran minimum deal to prove, in his words, “I’m still who I am. I haven’t lost a step.”
Akers spent part of last season with the Vikings following a trade from the Los Angeles Rams. He went on injured reserve in November and denies there’s any extra motivation to melt Minnesota’s defense in a revenge play. He’s been too busy thinking about a goal-line fumble against the Bears.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Wednesday that Houston is holding out hope for Mixon to be on the field in Minnesota. In training camp, Ryans labeled the former Bengals running back “as tough as our toughest player” when defending his durability.
If Mixon can’t go, Pierce might not be the next best option for Houston because of a weeks-long fight with his ailing hamstring.
“I don’t have to get ready when you stay ready,” Akers said.
Talent has never been Akers’ issue. During a prolific prep career in Mississippi, Akers had more than 13,000 yards combined rushing and passing and 149 touchdowns. As a senior playing running back and quarterback, he rushed for 2,105 yards and 34 touchdowns and passed for 3,128 yards and 31 TDs.
A star at Florida State with 34 total TDs and two 1,000-yard seasons, Akers went to the Rams in the second round of the 2020 draft. He finished his rookie season strong with 221 rushing yards and two touchdowns in two playoff games, but tore his Achilles one week before training camp began. He made a shocking return almost exactly five months later and played in the Week 18 Christmas Day game against the San Francisco 49ers, proving that he was worthy of a playoff roster spot.
He started and had 13 carries for 21 yards in the 23-20 victory in the Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Akers requested a trade one month into the 2022 season due to a limited role, then found his way onto the field and delivered a three-touchdown game in the first of three consecutive 100-yard rushing games. He started Week 1 of 2023 but gained 29 yards on 22 carries and was inactive Week 2, the start of a path out of Los Angeles. He was traded to the Vikings in September for a sixth-round pick in the 2026 draft.
Six games into his tenure with the Vikings, Akers tore his left Achilles.
On Sunday, he vows to be ready if another opportunity arises.
“He’s been playing at a high level since I watched him in college. He’s a little more focused,” quarterback CJ Stroud said of his first impressions of Akers. “His foundational work has been great. I’m really loving his game, how patient he is and he hits the hole at the same time.”
Akers isn’t the only off-the-radar player to watch in Week 3. Here are a few others likely to fill expanded roles this week:
–Broncos RT Alex Palczewski (at Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Mike McGlinchey went down late in the Week 2 loss to the Steelers and “Palcho” entered the game with a stiff assignment: Keep T.J. Watt away from rookie QB Bo Nix in the two-minute offense.
With a week to prepare for the Buccaneers, head coach Sean Payton is confident in the 25-year-old Palczewski.
“We’ll be smart relative to what we’re doing protection wise, but he’s played in a lot of football games,” Payton said. “I know he’ll be excited about his first start.”
An All-American at Illinois in 2022, Palczewski played six college seasons and started 65 games for the Fighting Illini. He initially made the Broncos’ roster as an undrafted free agent but went on injured reserve early last season.
“There’s going to be a level of nerves, but I did six years at Illinois, so I got plenty of starts under my belt,” he said. “Obviously it’s the NFL and there’s a lot of really good players, but I’m just going to do the best job I can, work on my technique and just know that I want to give as much as effort as I can to protect the guys around me and play for the guys to the left and right of me.”
–Rams WR Tutu Atwell (vs. San Francisco 49ers)
Puka Nacua is on injured reserve with a knee injury and the Rams could be without WR Cooper Kupp for “an extended period” with a left ankle injury. Kupp was hurt last week at Arizona.
Jordan Whittington had 11 catches in the preseason and created a lot of buzz as the next best option in line for the Rams, but that would be overlooking the diminutive Atwell.
As Matthew Stafford strained to find a lead target against the Cardinals, Demarcus Robinson led the Rams with 50 receiving yards. Atwell was close behind with 48 and knows the 49ers’ scheme well. He had seven receptions for 77 yards in last year’s meeting with San Francisco in Los Angeles.
Stafford already trusts Atwell. Look back to the first four weeks of last season, when Atwell was targeted 35 times and caught 22 passes.
–Field Level Media
Sports
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
Oct 1, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) and New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) during game two of the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images LAS VEGAS — Entering her eighth season in the WNBA, Las Vegas Aces superstar A’ja Wilson is poised to build on what was arguably the most dominant individual campaign in league history.
Wilson joined Cynthia Cooper (1997) as the second player in league history to win a unanimous MVP award and joined an exclusive club as the fourth player to win the award three times. She averaged 26.9 points and 11.9 rebounds per game last season and set the all-time single-season mark for points (1,021) and rebounds (451).
Unfortunately for Las Vegas, injuries and fatigue from their two previous championship runs mounted and resulted in the team’s worst regular-season record (27-13) since 2019. The Aces’ three-peat hopes ended with a 76-62 home loss to the New York Liberty to drop their semifinal series 3-1.
It’s that loss on her home floor that served as Wilson’s motivation this offseason.
“Losing sucks, especially on your home court,” Wilson said “It still kind of burns a little bit, but I’ve used that as fuel to help my teammates understand how hard it is to win in this league. Yes, we can celebrate the two championships. They were great. But for us to move forward, we have to understand how hard this league is and value the basketball and the little things. I think that’s what we lacked last season, so we’re going to make sure that we can show up better than we did.”
While the Aces appeared to be on top of the world heading into their potential three-peat campaign in 2024, the reality inside the locker room was that both the internal and external pressure to win another championship had become suffocating. A common theme across media day was the fact that the team feels less pressure entering the 2025 season, a sentiment Wilson shared as the unquestioned leader of the team.
“(Three-peat talks) obviously impacted us, because it’s like, y’all think we don’t want to win? We’re trying as well,” Wilson said.
“I would definitely say it’s refreshing this year. I feel like this is one of my only years where it feels like there’s no weight. There’s a lot of weight to be defending champs. It’s a lot of weight to be trying to win one. We don’t have that. We actually have a clean slate to really dial into getting back to who we are culturally, like, in our system and everything.”
Leading the Aces back to the top of the mountain for a third time in four years is one of a few historically significant achievements Wilson can collect this upcoming season. Wilson could also become the first four-time MVP in league history, though the meaning of that is something she hasn’t quite allowed herself to ponder yet.
“I haven’t given it much thought, but it would be a blessing to have my name in that conversation,” Wilson said. “Every year, I try to be better than I was the year before just to give myself a chance in this league. Because the league is getting better. We’re growing. At this point, you just want to maintain your stamina. You want to maintain your mental, all of that, because the season gets hard. I can’t think too much about that just yet, but I’m definitely going to try to be better than I was last year.”
As Aces coach Becky Hammon put it, fans can expect to see an even better version of Wilson this season.
“What I see is, she went and got better,” Hammon said. “Which is hard to do when you’re already the best, but it speaks to her work ethic, her desire and her mindset this whole offseason. We talked a lot this offseason. She’s a busy lady, but I can tell you what she always does is her workouts. She’s always getting her workouts in. That comes first and foremost, she never gets her priorities jumbled up.”
When Hammon was asked what a player like Wilson would possibly need to improve after last season’s campaign, the coach did not feel like revealing too much.
“There was (something for Wilson to improve), and she did,” Hammon said. “I’m not going to tell you what it was. Actually, there were two things.”
–Will Despart, Field Level Media
Sports
Jacob Wilson joins Aaron Judge in spotlight for Yankees-A's series
May 5, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson (5) throws to first for an out against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images The top two hitters in the majors square off Friday night when the New York Yankees face the Athletics in the opener of a three-game series in Sacramento, Calif.
It’s no surprise to see Yankees star Aaron Judge off to a superb start after winning American League MVP honors last season. He has a major league-best .400 batting average and entered Thursday’s play tied for the big-league lead with 12 homers and 34 RBIs.
But who had Athletics rookie Jacob Wilson ranking second in the majors at .357 as the season nears the quarter pole? Wilson has played in just 64 career games and quickly has solidified himself as a future All-Star, perhaps even this season.
Sharing the marquee board with Judge seems quite surreal for the 23-year-old shortstop who was the No. 6 overall pick of the 2023 draft.
“It’s a great feeling, for sure,” Wilson said of his name being mentioned with Judge. “Obviously, everybody has seen what he is doing. It’s pretty incredible watching him do his thing on a daily basis. To be up there with him is pretty cool for me.
“I’m excited to play against him this week and see what it looks like in person.”
Wilson had his first career four-hit game during Wednesday’s 6-5 home loss against the Seattle Mariners and has six multi-hit outings in the past eight games. He went 8-for-14 with one game-winning hit in the three-game series against the Mariners and is 16-for-34 (.471) with four walks during the eight-game stretch.
The hot hitting led to Athletics manager Mark Kotsay moving Wilson to the leadoff spot on Wednesday. Kotsay indicated Wilson may be sticking at the top of the lineup.
“I think you’ll see Jacob up there now,” Kotsay said. “Jacob’s earned it. … Jacob has shown enough over the last week. He’s walking and taking pitches, and, obviously, swinging the bat really well.”
Judge arrives in Sacramento in the midst of a four-game funk in which he is 2-for-15.
The two-time MVP just went 1-for-10 in a three-game home series against the San Diego Padres, but the one hit was a homer.
Judge grew up 50 miles south of Sacramento in Linden and starred for Linden High but wasn’t highly sought by major league teams. The then-Oakland Athletics selected him in the 31st round in 2010.
Judge instead went the college route and starred for Fresno State. He was chosen in the first round (32nd overall) by the Yankees in the 2013 draft.
Trent Grisham was one of the heroes of Wednesday’s 4-3, 10-inning win over the Padres. He hit a tying two-run pinch-hit homer in the eighth inning.
Grisham had two homers and five RBIs in the series against the Padres — one of his former teams — and already has 10 long balls in just 89 at-bats. He hit just nine last season in 179 at-bats.
“I’m having fun with the guys, I would say that more than anything,” Grisham said. “The clubhouse is really good in here, led by Cap (Judge). So, I would say the guys have been the most enjoyable part.”
New York is starting right-hander Will Warren (1-2, 5.65 ERA) in Friday’s series opener. Right-hander Osvaldo Bido (2-2, 4.71) will be on the mound for the Athletics.
Warren, 25, struck out a career-high eight in 4 2/3 innings while losing to the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. He gave up five runs (three earned) and seven hits. Warren hasn’t previously faced the Athletics.
Bido, 29, received a no-decision against the Miami Marlins last Saturday when he gave up four runs on three hits over five innings. He is winless (0-1) over his last three starts. Bido hasn’t faced the Yankees.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao coming out of retirement
Aug 21, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada; Manny Pacquiao (right) fights Yordenis Ugas in a world welterweight championship bout at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao plans to end his retirement and return to the ring on July 19 against Mario Barrios in Las Vegas, ESPN reported Thursday.
Pacquiao, 46, will be fighting for the first time since losing a unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugas in 2021.
The fight will be for Barrios’ WBC welterweight championship belt. Barrios turns 30 on May 18.
Pacquiao is an eight-division champion who is slated to be inducted into the boxing Hall of Fame in June. He reportedly will formally announce his return to boxing next week. The report stated that Pacquiao has been cleared to compete by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
In recent years, Pacquiao has been focusing on his political career in the Philippines.
The boxer nicknamed “PacMan” has a 62-8-2 record with 39 knockouts during his career. He won his first major title — the WBC flyweight crown — at age 19 in 1998.
Pacquiao was 54-3-2 prior to turning 33 and 8-5 afterward. One of those losses was to Floyd Mayweather Jr. via unanimous decision in 2015, a bout that reportedly drew nearly $400 million in pay-per-view sales.
Barrios (29-2-1, 18 knockouts) fought to a 12-round, split-decision draw against Abel Ramos last November. This will be his third defense since winning the title by beating Ugas in 2023.
–Field Level Media
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
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