SPORTS NEWS

The Dolphins, the Bills, the Jets and the rest of the AFC might see a lot of opportunity knocking. But we all know the Patriots are still the favorites to slam every door shut. At the most, before an appeal, New England will be without Tom Brady for the first four games of the 2015 NFL regular season. The bad news for their division and conference foes is that it's hard to see the Patriots losing some (any?) ground without their quarterback. MORE: Classic photos of Tom Brady | Iyer: Pats' shady past to blame for bad decision The last time Brady wasn't the Patriots' starter was 2008. He tore his ACL in the first quarter of the first game against the Chiefs and missed the remainder of the season. They were still able to go 11-5, partly because they had a well-prepared backup, Matt Cassel, but more for having Bill Belichick, the league's most adjustable (also best) coach. That record did tie them for the AFC East lead, but it also marked the last time the Patriots did...

The 2015 NBA Draft Scouting Combine begins Tuesday and goes through Sunday, with the measurements and athleticism testing and primary media availability being Thursday and Friday. You’ll notice from the lists below, though, that a few big names are missing. Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor, the centers topping most draft boards, have decided to stay home for the Chicago function. The same is true for the top three overseas products: point guard Emmanuel Mudiay, shooting guard Mario Hezonja and power forward Kristaps Porzingis. MORE: Latest NBA Mock Draft | Early-entry list | Biggest busts in draft history There still are plenty of top-notch players, headlined by potential top pick D’Angelo Russell. Here’s the full list of participants: Ryan Boatright, Connecticut Quinn Cook, Duke Jerian Grant, Notre Dame Olivier Hanlan, Boston College Andrew Harrison, Kentucky Tyus Jones, Duke George de Paula, Pinheiros (Brazil) Cameron Payne, Murray State Chasson Randle, Stanford Terry Rozier, Lo...

The Raiders have signed well-traveled running back Michael Dyer, the team announced Monday evening. The move was first reported by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The 24-year-old Dyer was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine despite his troubled past. He was signed by the Raiders following a tryout at the team's rookie minicamp after going undrafted and not being offered a free-agent deal. Dyer was one of six tryout players signed. MORE: Raiders' worst first-round draft picks | Bengals sign Terrelle Pryor The 5-8, 218-pound Dyer was an integral part of Auburn's BCS national championship run with 1,093 rushing yards as a true freshman in 2010. He ran for 1,242 yards as a sophomore but was dismissed from the team prior to Auburn's appearance in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.  Dyer transferred to Arkansas State, following Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn to Jonesboro when Malzahn accepted the head coaching job there. NCAA transfer rules mandated a redshirt season for Dyer. W...

Welcome to the Tuesday, May 12, DFS MLB Playbook, courtesy of Sporting News partners FantasyAlarm.com. Every day, the experts at FantasyAlarm.com will publish their top daily fantasy baseball plays at each position across various DFS sites in the Playbook. It's a great place to start your MLB DFS research for the day, but there's much more behind the curtain.  The DFS MLB Playbook PRO  comes with a full top 10 at each position every day, optimal lineups for each DFS site, deep stats and daily projections, hitting and pitching strategies, a live DFS scoreboard to track your players and much more. So, enjoy the free sneak peek into the best DFS MLB plays for Tuesday night's games below and check out FantasyAlarm.com's premium product when you're ready to go PRO.  READ MORE: Today's SP rankings & more | Sporting News DFS | Play FanDuel! TUESDAY'S DFS MLB PLAYBOOK   Check for pregame updates to the Playbook at FantasyAlarm.com READ MORE: Today's SP ranki...

Red Wings coach Mike Babcock met with Sabres owner Terry Pegula and general manager Tim Murray on Sunday to discuss a potential role with the franchise, The Associated Press reported Monday. The longest-tenured coach in the NHL flew to Buffalo and spent the afternoon with Pegula and Murray. According to Buffalo television station WMUR, Babcock is seeking at least $4 million per year, which is double his current salary, after he turned down Detroit's offer of $3.25 million annually for four years. MORE: Possible coaching scenarios | Devils won't rule out pursuing Babcock | Top 2016 draft prospect eyeing Europe The Sabres, who fired coach Ted Nolan on April 12 after finishing with the league's worst record for the second straight year, are one of five teams with a vacant coaching position. The Devils, Flyers, Sharks and Maple Leafs are also pursuing new coaches. Babcock’s contract with Detroit is set to expire June 30. The Red Wings granted Babcock permission to speak with o...

Aaron Hernandez was indicted Monday on a charge related to allegedly shooting a former friend in the face in 2013 and leaving him on the side of a Florida highway. The former Patriots tight end was charged in Boston under the state’s witness intimidation statute, The Boston Globe reported. The victim, Alexander Bradley, already has sued Hernandez in federal court in Florida for shooting him in the face. MORE: Madden Ultimate Team Cards | Former QB: Witch hunt vs. Pats According to Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley’s office, Hernandez and Bradley got into an altercation on Feb. 12, 2013. Bradley was shot in the face after he made comments about two homicides in the South End neighborhood of Boston. Bradley is expected to be a witness in the double-homicide trial.  Even though the shooting took place outside of Massachusetts, "it could be prosecuted under a state law that makes it illegal to injure a witness with the intent to impede a criminal investigation," ...

Each night we'll provide you with the nine top story lines from the day's action, beginning with the stars of the day, and look ahead to the next day's matchups. With Baltimore fans referring to it as "Re-Opening Day", the Orioles beat the Blue Jays Monday night in their first home game since April 29.  The Orioles had two games versus the White Sox postponed at the end of April before playing to an empty stadium on April 29 because of civil unrest in the city following the death of Freddie Gray. Baltimore then played a scheduled home series against the Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla.   On Monday, the Orioles wore special white jerseys with "Baltimore" on the front just for the occasion. The 5-2 victory was the first time since April 25 the Orioles played a game in front of their home fans. After that, 15 of their next 18 games will be inside Orioles Park at Camden Yards. The Nationals stayed hot in the desert, blasting their way to an 11-1 win over the Di...