Author: Mat Daily

When it comes to picking the Kentucky Derby, the first thing you’ll want to check out is the horse, its talent, stamina, and pedigree. Can he outduel the rest of the horses, and is he in the right post position to come out ahead of the other 19 horses (usually) in the 1 ¼ run? But another key factor in betting on the race is the jockey.

The jockeys are navigators of the horse, so they need to get a clean start and the position of the horse before the first turn. They also have to judge the pace so that the horse doesn’t burn out early and find running room in a crowded stretch.

Even the great jockeys make mistakes, but if you go by experience, talent and performance at the Derby, that could be the difference between being in the money or out of it.

Of course, having the best horse or one of the best horses doesn’t hurt. The best jockeys are usually on the best horses, but unless there’s a dominant horse like Secretariat out there, the biggest difference between these horses might end up being the jockey.

Sovereignty won last year’s Kentucky Derby, and his jockey was Junior Alvarado with the trainer Bill Mott, who won his second Derby. Alvarado won his first Kentucky Derby and is expected to be on board another Mott horse in Chief Wallabee (13-1) in the 2026 Derby.

Projected Jockeys. 

Junior Alvarado, Chief Wallabee. Alvarado has six previous rides at the Derby and finally won it last year riding Sovereignty.

Hector Barrios, Intrepido. This will be Barrios’ first ride in the Derby. He’s primarily a West Coast jockey, who has 148 starts this year with 25 firsts, 39 seconds and 19 thirds.

Javier Castellano, The Puma. Castellano is 48 and won a Derby three years ago with Mage. The Hall of Famer also has two Preakness Stakes wins and one Belmont Stakes win in 2023 (same year as Mage).

Chris Elliott, Right to Party. The 20-year-old from New Jersey is making his first start in the Derby. His father, Stewart, won both the Derby and Preakness Stakes in 2004 aboard Smarty Jones.

Manny Franco, Albus. The 31-year-old from Puerto Rico has six previous rides in the Derby. His best finish came in 2020, when Tiz the Law came in second.

Tyler Gaffalione, Fulleffort. The 31-year-old from Florida has seven previous rides in the Derby and rode Sierra Leon to a second-place finish in 2024.

Martin Garcia, Litmus Test. Garcia won the 2010 Preakness on Lookin at Lucky and finished third in the 2015 Derby with Dortmund.

Brian Hernandez Jr., Six Speed. The 40-year-old from Louisiana won the Kentucky Derby in 2024 and the Kentucky Oaks in the same year. He won the Derby on Mystik Dan in 2024.

Juan Hernández, Potente. The 34-year-old from Mexico has never ridden in the Derby. He’s very accomplished on the Southern California circuit and will ride for Bob Baffert. Hernandez was on board Potente when he finished second in the Santa Anita Derby for Baffert.

Edwin Maldonado, Pavlovian. The 43-year-old from Puerto Rico is making his debut at the Derby. He’s another veteran rider who has been successful in California. He rode Pavlovian to his first stakes win by a nose and lost by a head at the Louisiana Derby (G2).

Atsuya Nishimura, Danon Bourbon. The young jockey from Japan has not only never raced at the Kentucky Derby, but this will be his first start in North America. He has been aboard undefeated Danon Bourbon for two of his three career starts.

Irad Ortiz Jr., Renegade. Ortiz Jr. is one of the veterans of his big race. He has nine previous rides and finished in fourth in the KY Derby in 2019 with Probable. Ortiz Jr. is one of those great jockeys who is due for a big win at Churchill. He did win the 2016 Belmont Stakes on Creator and the 2022 Belmont on Mo Donegal.

Jose Ortiz, Golden Tempo. The 32-year-old from Puerto Rico has had 10 rides at the Derby, and his best finish was in 2018, when he rode Good Magic to a 2^nd place finish. He’s a very accomplished jockey, having won the Belmont Stakes in 2017 with Tapwrit and the Preakness Stakes in 2022 with Early Voting.

Flavien Prat, Emerging Market. Prat, a 33-year-old from France, won the Derby in 2019 with Country House. He has an overall Derby record of one win, one second, and four thirds in eight overall starts. He was in third-place Baeza in last year’s race, just missing second by a neck. He’s riding the Louisiana Derby (G2) winner in Emerging Market.

Luis Saez, Commandment. Saez is a 33-year old form Panama, whose best finish in the Derby came in 2021 with Essential Quality. He could have had his first win in 2019, but Maximum Security was taken down from first to 17^th due to an incident in the upper stretch where he interfered with several horses. Saez is one of the best jockeys in North America and this might be his best chance since 2021. He’s riding Commandment, who won the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) and the Florida Derby.

Ryusei Sakai, Wonder Dean. The 28-year-old from Japan is making his second start in the Derby. His only other ride came in 2024 when Forever Young finished in third place.

Mike Smith, So Happy. Smith is 59 and one of the all-time greats in the sport. He will be in his 29^th Derby with two wins. In 2005, he rode Giacomo to a win and also won in 2018 with Justify. If he wins with So Happy, he’ll surpass legendary Bill Shoemaker as the oldest jockey to win the Derby.

Cristian Torres, Silent Tactic. The 28-year-old from Puerto Rico is making his debut with Silent Tactic. He’s been successful at Oakland Park in Arkansas.

Jamie Torres, Incredibolt. Torres is another youngster (27) making his first Derby start. He did ride Seize the Grey at the Preakness, going gate-to-wire for the legendary trainer D. Wayne Lukas. This became the 15^th and final Triple Crown win for Lukas, who passed away last June at 89. His trainer is Bill Mott’s son Riley, who is also training Incredibolt.

John Velazquez, Further Ado. Like Mike Smith, Velazquez is a legendary jockey who is 54. This will be his 27^th Derby, and he has three wins with Animal Kingdom in 2011, Always Dreaming in 2017 and Authentic at 2020. He was also on Medina Spirit in 2021, who won the race, but was disqualified due to a medical violation. Further Ado is coming off an 11-length win at the recent Blue Grass Stakes.

2026 Kentucky Derby Post Positions, Horses, Trainers, Jockeys and Morning-Line Odds

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Another Great Commodity at ATS is the Kentucky Derby!

Last year, ATS had the first 2 horses across the Finish Line in the Derby with Sovereignty and Exacta Baeza, and average clients won $7,500 on just one race! Check out this link for more details. 

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How important is post position when picking the Kentucky Derby?

The 152nd Kentucky Derby goes on Saturday, May 2nd, from Churchill Downs, and if you are new or a casual fan, several factors will impact handicapping, including surface, track length, horse and trainer records, jockey records, and more.

The best horse doesn’t always win the Derby. That’s because the post position draw plays a huge role in success due to potential traffic issues, the banging of the horses coming out of the gate, and the demands of running 1 ¼ miles.

Inside horses often face early and mid-pack traffic with limited room to escape the traffic due to the field closing down towards the rail as the Derby proceeds.

Last year, Sovereignty came from the 18^th post position to win the 151^st Kentucky Derby.

In terms of coming out as the best position, 10 of the 96 horses that came from the No. 5 position went on to become champions. The most recent horse to come out of the No. 5 spot was Always Dreaming in 2017.

Since 1995, 16 of the 31 Kentucky Derby winners have broken from gate 13 or higher. From the 65 races that used a gate before 1995, just seven winners broke from gate 13 or higher. 

The No. 5-15 spot gives the horses flexibility as they can go inside, swing wide or stay mid-pack. Many of the Derby winners come from this range.

Post 1 is one of the most difficult positions to win in this race. The last horse to win from Post 1 was Ferdinand in 1986. In fact, in the last 96 starts, there have been just eight wins from Post 1, seven wins from Post 2 (last winner in 1978) and six wins from Post 3 (last winner in 2024).

 Starting too far outside creates a longer path to the inside of the track. In the last 132 starts, the No. 17-20 post positions have combined for six wins in 133 starts, which included last season’s win with Sovereignty in the 2025 Kentucky Derby. The winner was trained by Bill Mott, which was run on a sloppy track at 7-1 odds.

The post positions were held on Saturday. 

2026 Kentucky Derby Post Positions, Horses, Trainers, Jockeys and Morning-Line Odds

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The 2026 NFL Draft is over and bettors can now make decisions on future bets as most of free agency is over as well. These are going to be the finished rosters for the most part with a few changes as we enter training camp in late July. Let’s look at each team, their future odds and how they look after the NFL Draft.

(Odds from DraftKings)

Arizona Cardinals: Needs Before Draft: OT, QB, LB, EDGE. Super Bowl Odds: +4000

Arizona surprisingly took RB Jeremiyah Love from Notre Dame when they could have gone EDGE there or traded down, but took the electrifying Love. They didn’t address the quarterback position (with Kyler Murray gone), until the third round, when they took Carson Beck from Miami-Fla. It wasn’t a strong QB draft, so that pick made sense, but they didn’t draft an OT until the 7^th round. They did address the offensive line when they took G Chase Bisontis from Texas A&M. The Raiders took Ashton Jeanty with the sixth overall pick last season, and he struggled to find holes because the offensive line was awful. Draft Grade: C

Atlanta Falcons: Needs Before Draft: WR, CB, DL, OT Super Bowl Odds: +12000

This is a Falcons team that needs a spark from new GM Ian Cunningham, who will try to erase the mistakes of the past. They did not have a first-round pick and had just five picks overall. They had a ton of needs and it was going to be tough to fill them all. Avieon Terrell was their pick in the second round, and he’s another corner just like his brother A.J. Terrell Jr. Avieon is more of a nickel, but having two of three brothers at corner is certainly interesting. They should be ok in terms of communication. They also added WT Zachariah Branch from Clemson in the third round. He’s just 5-9 but runs a 4.35, so they get some speed on the outside. The key here is new quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is likely to start until Michael Penix Jr. is back from injury. Draft Grade: C+

Baltimore Ravens: Needs Before Draft: IOL, OT, TE, DL. Super Bowl Odds: +1000

The Ravens came into the draft needing a center with Tyler Linderbaum gone in free agency and with their other guards struggling big-time last season. They addressed that need right away with the selection of Olaivavega Ione from Penn State. He’s a beast of a guard who allowed just two sacks in 2,231 snaps. They didn’t draft a true center, or this draft would be rated an A. Some questionable picks, including long strider WR Ja’Kobki Lane from USC, who is 6-4 but has struggled to separate. He should be a threat in the red zone. They didn’t address the tight end position until the middle rounds when they grabbed TE Matthew Hibner from SMU in the 4^th and Josh Cuevas from Alabama in the 5^th. Draft Grade: B-

Buffalo Bills: Needs Before Draft: WR, EDGE, DL, LB Super Bowl Odds: +1000

Buffalo traded back three times to finally get 35, so they didn’t have a first-round pick, but they wound up with two picks in the second round and three in the fourth round. T.J. Parker from Clemson was their first pick at 35. He’s an EDGE who had 11 sacks in 2024, but just five in 2025. They added LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr from TCU, which was a need considering the fact that Matt Milano is still unsigned. Skyler Bell was another need in the second round. The WR from UConn is a slot receiver with good speed and yards-after-the-catch potential. Draft Grade: C+

Carolina Panthers: Needs Before Draft: WR, TE, OT, S. Super Bowl Odds: +8000

The Panthers are on the rise. This draft was a solid one, but the addition of LT Monroe Feeling was more for the future, because the Georgia tackle must improve his run blocking. That’s also not a desperate need since they have two starting tackles. They added Lee Hunter from Texas Tech at DT, who will help against the run. Again, not a huge need, but it’s never a bad thing to help in the trenchers. They needed help at wide receiver and added Christ Brazzell II from Tennessee. He’s an explosive receiver at 6-4, who has run a 4.37 40. They also could have used a tight end, but did not address that need. They passed on S Dillon Thieneman in the first round and didn’t draft a safety until the fifth round, when they picked Zakee Wheatley from Penn State. Draft Grade: B-.

Chicago Bears: Needs Before Draft: EDGE, C, DL, S, OT. Super Bowl Odds: +2500

The Bears are not far away from being a Super Bowl contender. From 2019-2025, they addressed offense on Day 1. This time, they addressed defense, adding safety Dillon Thieneman from Oregon at 25. He can play in the slot, the box or deep safety. The drafted center Logan Jones from Iowa and then TE Sam Roush from Stanford to replace Drew Dalman. They also traded Garrett Bradbury, who is a short-term replacement. They reached for WR Zavion Thomas from LSU in the third round. They didn’t address DT until the sixth round when they took Jordan van den Berg from Georgia Tech. They also didn’t draft an EDGE rusher. Draft Grade: C-

Cincinnati Bengals: Needs Before Draft: S, CB, EDGE, LB, Slot WR. Super Bowl Odds: +2200

The Bengals have Joe Burrow, and if he’s healthy, they can go far. But they had to address the defense, and they did it before the draft by trading their No 10 for Dexter Lawrence II from Dallas. So they didn’t have a first-round pick and came up with EDGE Cashius Howell at 41 to replace Trey Hendrickson, who is now with Baltimore. He did have 11.5 sacks and 16.5 TFLs last season, but has just 30 ¼ arms. Will his 4.59 40 speed negate that weakness? They also needed help at corner and brought in Tacario Davis in the third round from Washington, but he’s not a first-round talent. Time will tell if moving the 10^th pick for a 28-year-old DT coming off a subpar season was a good move. Grade: C-

Cleveland Browns: Needs Before Draft: QB, WR, OT, EDGE, CB. Super Bowl Odds: +15000

The Browns usually are going to Brown. But not in this draft. This was a very strong effort with so many needs addressed with 10 picks. The key will be OT Spencer Fano from Utah, and whether he can play left tackle. He spent the past two seasons on the right side, but has 32 1/8 in arms, which might force him inside. They might not have a sure-fire quarterback, but they added two solid receivers in KC Concepcion from Texas A&M in the 24^th pick and Denzel Boston from Washington in the second round. Arkansas QB Taylen Green was taken in the sixth round and he’s an exceptional athlete with 4.36 speed and a big arm, but he needs to work on accuracy. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren comes in from Toledo at safety, has 10 forced fumbles and five INTs. However, the dreaded quarterback position will be the key, as always, for new coach Todd Monken. Draft Grade: A-.

Dallas Cowboys: Needs Before Draft: CB, EDGE, LB, S, DT. Super Bowl Odds: +2500.

The Cowboys added the 10^th pick in the Dexter Lawrence II trade with Cincinnati. That could end up being a genius move because they added the best safety in the draft in Caleb Downs from Ohio State, who is a can’t-miss prospect. They were awful in the back end last season, allowing 6.1 yards per play to rank 31^st, and were 47.3%  opponent third down (32^nd). They added another Lawrence in the 23^rd pick when they took Malachi from UCF. He’s an EDGE rusher, and they also took another EDGE in Jaishawn Barham from Michigan in the third round. They also traded for Rashawn Gary (7.5 sacks) from Green Bay, so they are in much better shape at the EDGE after trading away Micah Parsons to the Packers last season. They also brought in free agent Jalen Thompson from Arizona to improve the safety room. At the corner, Devin Moore was added in the fourth round from Florida, but that will be the biggest concern on defense. Jerry Jones and company were wheeling and dealing in this one. Draft Grade: A

Denver Broncos: Needs Before Draft: LB, TE, DL, CB, OL, RB. Super Bowl Odds: +1900

Denver traded away the 30^th pick and did not have a pick until the third round. The good news is that they picked up WR Jaylen Waddle before the draft, and they added an immediate playmaker on offense. Defense was certainly a need as they drafted DT Tyler Onyedim from Texas A&M in the third round and RB Jonah Coleman from Washington in the fourth. Onyedim is a run-stopper and had 5.5 sacks over 53 games. Coleman scored 17 touchdowns last season.  Draft Grade: D+

Detroit Lions: Needs Before Draft: EDGE, OT, IO, DL. Super Bowl Odds: +1800

The Lions need to get back on track and had a solid draft beginning with the selection of Blake Miller, a solid right tackle at Clemson for three seasons, who will force Detroit to move Penei Sewell to left tackle.  He should elevate the running game and the pass protection. In the second round, they took Derrick Moore from Michigan, who had 10 sacks last season. They took another Michigan player (shocker) in the third round, when the Lions chose LB Jimmy Rolder, who is versatile and can rush the quarterback. Draft Grade: B

Green Bay Packers: Needs Before Draft: DL, CB, EDGE, OT Super Bowl Odds: +1600

The Packers traded for EDGE Michael Parsons from Dallas and did not have a first-round pick. Then Parsons tore his ACL last season and also dealt Rashan Gary away to the Cowboys. So it starts up front, but with just six picks, they were limited in what they could do. In the second round, they chose CB Brandon Cisse from South Carolina. He was the best corner available and has long arms to make plays. They added Chris McClellan and Dani Denni-Sutton to help the defensive line. McClellan added six sacks last season from Missouri, while Dennis-Sutton from Penn State, in the fourth round, will likely be a situational pass rusher. This was a pretty good draft considering their limitations. Draft Grade: B-

Houston Texans: Needs Before Draft: OT, DT, IOL, LB. Super Bowl Odds: +1800

The Texans needed some help on the offensive line to help protect C.J. Stroud, who struggled last season. It started at guard with Kelyan Rutledge from Georgia Tech in the 26^th pick. In the second round, they added DT Kayden McDonald from Ohio State, who is 326 pounds. He had 67 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks last season. They had another guard in the fourth round in Febechi Nwaiwu from Oklahoma in the fourth round and tight end Martin Klein, a reach in the second round from Michigan. Draft Grade: B-

Indianapolis Colts: Needs Before Draft: DL, EDGE, OT, IOL. Super Bowl Odds: +6000

The Colts lost QB Daniel Jones to an Achilles tear in Week 14, so that’s an issue in terms of his recovery. Defense is their biggest needed and while they didn’t have a first-round pick, they got a steal in the second round with CJ Allen, a LB from Georgia. That wasn’t a huge need, but Allen was too good to pass up. They also needed some pass rush help and found it in George Gumbs Jr. and Caden Curry, with Laiatu Latu, who had 8.5 sacks as a promising player. Gumbs (Florida) and Curry (Ohio State) were developmental and late-round picks. The key to this draft will be Allen and S A.J. Haulcy in the third round from LSU, who had eight picks and 12 pass breakups in the last two seasons. Draft Grade: B

Jacksonville Jaguars: Needs Before Draft: DL, LB, S, RB. Super Bowl Odds: +2800

The Jags did not have a pick until 56 in the second round, thanks to the trade to get CB/WR Travis Hunter last season. That didn’t turn out too well, but Hunter was injured. They drafted out with the selection of TE Nate Boerkircher from Texas A&M. He is a strong blocker, but had just 19 catches last season. That was a strange pick for the second round. In the next pick, they took DT Albert Regis, more of a need, and another player from Texas A&M. The steal was in the third round when they chose G Emmanuel Pregon from Oregon. CB Jalen Huskey was another solid pick from Maryland, who was also taken in the third round. Huskey brings very good ball skills.

Kansas City Chiefs: Needs Before Draft. EDGE, DT, CB, WR, OT Super Bowl Odds: +1500

The Chiefs focused on defense in their first four picks. But the most obvious pick was at corner after losing Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson in March. They moved up to take LBU corner Mansoor Delane at No. 6. This wasn’t a value pick, but one for need. He’s a very productive corner who forces turnovers and starts in day one. The Chiefs also struggled to rush the passer last season and picked up R Mason Thomas, and EDGE from Oklahoma in the second round. Thomas had 15 sacks over the last two seasons. They traded back in the first round to take DT Peter Woods from Clemson, who eventually might replace future HOFer Chris Jones. But he had just two sacks last season and projects as a 3-technique. Draft Grade: B-

Las Vegas Raiders: Needs Before Draft: QB, WR, OL, DL. Super Bowl Odds: +15000

This draft is all about one player, and that’s Fernando Mendoza. The QB from Indiana takes over for Geno Smith, who threw 17 picks last season. They still needed help on the offensive line, which they didn’t address until the third round. They chose C Trey Zuhn III from Texas A&M. In the second and third rounds, they went for defense, taking S Treydan Stukes from Alabama and EDGE Keyron Crawford from Alabama. Stukes has great speed (4.33 40) and can hit. A torn ACL in 2024 cost him some of last season, which is why he went in the second round. Draft Grade: A-

Los Angeles Chargers: Needs Before Draft:  EDGE, IOL, DL, OT: Super Bowl Odds: +1600

The Chargers allowed 54 sacks last season, so getting some help up front was crucial. Part of that was due to injuries at tackle. In free agency, GM Joe Hortiz added Tyler Biadasz and Cole Strange. They still needed help at guard and instead took Akeem Mesidor at No. 22 to replace Odafe Oweh at the EDGE. That was a strong pick as Mesidor had 12.5 sacks at Miami-Fla last season. Jake Slaughter, a center from Florida , was taken in the second round from Florida, and could start right away. In the fourth round, the Chargers took WR Brenen Thompson from Mississippi State, who adds tremendous speed (4.26 40) from the slot. Draft Grade: B-

Los Angeles Rams: Needs Before Draft: OT, WR, TE, LB, QB. Super Bowl Odds: +800

The Super Bowl favorite will have 38-year-old Matthew Stafford back for at least one season. They also added CB Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson to help heal their biggest needs, which was the secondary. Here’s the problem. For them to get to the Super Bowl, they need to address the offensive line, and instead, they took QB Ty Simpson from Alabama. That would be fine if they were not a few players away from winning the big game. They also needed another wide receiver, with Davante Adams getting up there in age, and the fact that they needed a third receiver. CJ Daniels was taken in the sixth round from Miami-Fla to fill that need, but he might not be ready. In the second round, they took Max Klare from Ohio State, a tight end, who was a bit of a reach. They did address their needs in the third round when they took OT Keagen Trost from Missouri, who might be more of a guard.

Miami Dolphins: Needs Before Draft: CB, WR, EDGE, S, OT. Super Bowl Odds: +30000

The Dolphins are in rebuilding mode, so they have many needs. They have a new quarterback in Malik Willis, but if he doesn’t work out, they can draft one next season when there should be a stronger QB class. Thanks to the Jaylen Waddle trade, they wound up with two first-round picks. They addressed their OL needs with the 12^th pick as they took tackle Kadyn Proctor from Alabama. In their 27^th pick, they took CB Chris Johnson from San Diego State. Proctor is a left tackle but is expected to play the right side. Johnson brings ball skills with 16 pass breakups and six picks over the last three seasons. Draft Grade: B+

Minnesota Vikings: Needs Before Draft: DL, S, CB, RB. Super Bowl Odds: +5500

The Vikes have two quarterbacks now in Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy, but do they have the right QB to take them to their first Super Bowl win? In their first pick at 18, they took DT Caleb Banks from Florida.  He can rush the passer from the interior, and at 6-6, 327, he has the size to be productive. However, he played just three games last season due to a broken foot, and he also broke it at the combine. In the second round, they took LB Jake Golday from Cincinnati, who will help with their depth. In the third round, they took safety Jakobe Thomas, who had five picks in 2025. They went for defensive help in four of their first five picks. Draft Grade: C-

New England Patriots: Needs Before Draft: EDGE, WR, OT, LB. Super Bowl Odds: +1600.

The Pats haven’t had a great time in the off-season after losing in the Super Bowl to Seattle. Mike Vrabel has had more to deal with than just his draft. However, the Pats are in pretty good shape with a young quarterback in Drake Maye and not a tremendous amount of needs. They moved up slightly in the first round to take Caleb Lomu at No. 25. He’s an OT from Utah who is a potential replacement at right tackle for Morgan Moses. They also added LB Dre’Mont Jones to replace K’Lavon Chaisson, but they could still use some help in getting pressure on the QB. Gabe Lucas was drafted in the second round as an EDGE from Illinois. Draft Grade: B-

New Orleans Saints: Needs Before Draft: WR, CB, EDGE, LB. Super Bowl Odds: +8000

The Saints will have Tyler Shough at quarterback, but they are still in rebuilding mode. They desperately needed a receiver and found one in Jordyn Tyson out of Arizona State at the ninth pick. He was the best receiver in the draft but has had injuries in his college career, including a hamstring issue that hampered his play in 2025. They also drafted DT Christen Miller from Georgia in the second round and he can push the pocket from the interior. They went back to Athens in the third round, taking TE Oscar Delp from Georgia, who will develop along with WR Bryce Lance from North Dakota State in the fifth round. Those are more developmental picks. Draft Grade: B+

New York Giants: Needs Before Draft: S, LB, WR, OT. Super Bowl Odds: +7000

The Giants were very busy under new coach John Harbaugh. First off, they traded DT Dexter Lawrence II to Cincinnati for the 10^th pick. They are certainly loading up on pass rushers with the selection of LB Arvell Reese from Ohio State. Last year, they picked Abdul Carter at three and also have Brian Burns with Kayvon Thobodeaux. Rushing the passer from the Edge wasn’t a big need. It was stopping the run as they were the worst in the league, giving up 5.3 yards per rush in 2025. Reese, who is 6-4, 241, can play the Edge or weak side. At No. 10, they went for OT help with Francis Mauigoa from Miami, Fla. They took a chance in the second round on Colton Hood, a corner from Tennessee. Not that Hood is a bad player, but he had just three picks in 20 games and didn’t have a strong Senior Bowl week. But he is also very tight in coverage. In the third round, they took Malachi Fields, a solid receiver from Notre Dame, who could be their No. 2 WR. Draft Grade: A-

New York Jets: Needs Before Draft: LB, WR, EDGE, CB. Super Bowl Odds: +20000

The Jets had three picks in the first round, so they couldn’t completely mess this draft up or could they? New York took EDGE David Bailey with their second pick in the draft, and that was a bit controversial because Arvell Reese was around. But the Jets needed a pass rusher more than a complete linebacker. Bailey led the nation in pressure rate at Texas Tech and had 14.5 sacks. He’s also a 4.5 40 guy who can get to the passer quicker. With the 16^th pick, they were fortunate that TE Kenyon Sadiq from Oregon was still around, and he was by far the best tight end in the draft. They also took one of the best receivers in the draft, who fell to 30 in Omar Cooper Jr. from Indiana. In the second round, they went back to Indiana to take CB D’Angelo Ponds. He’s just 5-9, 182, and is a slot corner, but did have seven picks and a 43-inch vertical leap. Yes, the Jets should finally have a pick this season after not having one last season. Draft Grade: A.

Philadelphia Eagles: Needs Before Draft: WR, OT, EDGE, TE. Super Bowl Odds: +20000

It’s never a dull draft when Howie Roseman runs it. The Eagles were reportedly looking to move WR A.J. Brown, and that likely came to fruition when they moved up to 20^th to take USC Makail Lemon. He’s not as big as Brown (5-11, 192), but he has no fear. They also addressed tight end by taking Eli Stowers from Vanderbilt in the second round. He’s more for the future with Dallas Goedert at 31, but Stowers is a playmaker. Markel Bell was added to help at offensive tackle, considering Lane Johnson is 35. Bell was taken in the third round from Miami-Fla. Draft Grade: B+

Pittsburgh Steelers: Needs Before Draft: WR, OT, IOL, QB. Super Bowl Odds: +5000

The Steelers hosted the draft and while quarterback was their biggest need, they went for offensive line help with their first pick. Max Iheanachor from Arizona State was their first pick, who is talented and somewhat raw, considering he didn’t play his first game until 2022 after coming over from Nigeria. But they don’t need him this season to play tackle. What they do need is a quarterback, and they may have found a developmental one in the third round with Drew Allar, from Penn State. Aaron Rodgers may return as the starter, but with Allar, Will Howard, and Mason Rudolph, they can duke it out in camp. They also needed a wide receiver and found one in Germie Bernard from Alabama in the second round, who should fit in well in the second round.

San Francisco 49ers: Needs before Draft: OT, EDGE, S, CB, WR. Super Bowl Odds: +1600

The 49ers were decimated by injuries last season. DE Nick Bosa (knee) missed 14 games and LB Fred Warner (ankle) missed 11. Yet, they still went 12-5 and lost in the divisional round. They didn’t have a first-round pick, and they had several needs. It started in the second round as John Lynch took WR De’Zhaun Stribling from Ole Miss. They also added some depth at running back, with the addition of RB Kaelon Black from Indiana. They didn’t address the OT situation with Trent Williams at 38-years old, finding Carver Willis from Washington in the fourth round. This draft was mainly about depth and having support in case they get decimated by injuries again. Draft Pick: B+

Seattle Seahawks: Needs Before Draft: RB, CB, EDGE, IOL: Super Bowl Odds: +9500

Seattle won the Super Bowl, but lost MVP Kenneth Walker III in free agency. So running back was a big need with Zach Charbonnet also coming off a torn ACL during the playoffs. Jadarian Price is a change-of-pace runner who was taken with the 32^nd pick from Notre Dame. Yes, the Irish had two outstanding running backs taken in the first round. In the second round, they took safety, Bud Clark from TCU. He’s a ballhawk who runs a 4.4 1 40 and has 15 picks in four seasons in college. In the third round, they took corner Julian Neal from Arkansas. They lost RIq Woolen in free agency so the 6-foot-2 Neal should work out fine as the No. 2 corner. This was a solid draft for an organization that rarely makes mistakes under GM John Schneider. Draft Grade: B.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Needs Before Draft: EDGE, CB, TE, LB. Super Bowl Odds: +5000

The Bucs dominated the NFC South from 2021-24, winning four straight division titles. They also do not have WR Mike Evans on the roster for the first time since 2013, and LB Lavonte David is gone for the first time since 2011. They still have Baker Mayfield, who gets another big receiver in 6-4 Ted Hurst in the third round from Georgia State. But this whole draft starts and ends at 15, when they chose EDGE Rueben Bain from Miami-Fla. Bain Jr. is a pure pass rusher with power and burst, who had 9.5 sacks and 71 pressures last season. He does have 30 7/8 inch arms, but it didn’t bother him at the highest level of college football. They also went to Miami to select Keionte Scott, a corner in the fourth round. He’s a potential slot corner or a safety. Draft Grade: B+.

Tennessee Titans: Needs Before Draft: LB, RB, EDGE, WR.  Super Bowl Odds: +12000

The Titans have a new coach in Robert Saleh (former Jets head coach), who brought in Brian Daboll (former Giants head coach) to run the offense. QB Cam Ward is the present and the future. They needed to give him some more help, and they did by drafting WR Carnell Tate from Ohio State with the fourth pick. Tate is a strong route runner who could have probably been taken a few picks later. A trade down might have made more sense, or a pick of Arvell Reese, but instead, they went for some receiving help. They did find an EDGE at the 31^st pick when they traded up to get Keldric Faulk from Auburn. This was a solid pick based on potential, even though Faulk had just two sacks in 2025. LB Anthony Hill from Texas was added I the second round to provide some help. Draft Grade: B-

Washington Commanders: WR, LB, S, RB: Needs Before Draft: Super Bowl Odds: +6500

Washington needs a healthy Jayden Daniels at quarterback, who missed 10 games due to various injuries. The problems have been on the defensive end, especially at linebacker, with Bobby Wagner turning 36 and the defense allowing 6.0 yards per play in 2025. With the seventh pick, Washington went with LB Sonny Styles, a former safety with 4.46 speed, who will replace Wagner and give the Commanders much-needed speed. They didn’t have a pick until the third round and went with another need as they went with WR Antonio Williams from Clemson. Williams is really good after the catch, while Kaytron Allen, a running back from Penn State, was a sixth-round pick. He might be a steal after breaking 30 runs of at least 10 yards with 15 TDs on the ground. Draft Grade: B+

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First Round Grades of the NFL Draft

I like to look into how a team addresses their major needs when it comes to the NFL Draft. My grade will reflect that unless the team makes a major reach for a player instead of trading down to get that player.

Arizona Cardinals (Top pick: 3): QB, OT, EDGE, LB

Pick: 3. RB Jeremiyah Love (6-0, 214), Notre Dame. Grade B-. Love is an amazing talent, but running backs picked this high for teams with offensive line issues often struggle early (see Raiders).

Atlanta Falcons (Top pick: 48): CB, WR, DL, OT

Has no first-round pick.

Baltimore Ravens (Top pick: 14): IOL, WR, TE, EDGE

Pick: 14. OG Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State (6-4, 323). Grade: A- Ravens don’t always draft for need, but they usually get the player they want. And they desperately needed a guard. Ioane is a very good one who allowed no sacks last season. They did pass up Edge Rueben Bain and TE Kenyon Sadiq.

Buffalo Bills (Top pick: 26): WR, EDGE, LB, DL

Pick: None. The Bills were busy dealing out of the first round

Carolina Panthers (Top pick: 19):  WR, TE, OT, CB

Pick: 19. LT Monroe Freeling, Georgia, 6-7, 315: B. Carolina needed a tackle, but he’s more of a developing one. They also signed Rasheed Walker, so they don’t need him right away. Feeling will need a year to continue improving.

Chicago Bears (Top pick: 25): EDGE, DB, DT, WR

Pick: 25. S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon (6-0, 210), Grade: B+. Began his career at Purdue. Wowed with his speed (4.35). Has great range for a safety and had eight picks. Not a major need, but at 25. It was worth taking a potential starter.

Cincinnati Bengals (Top pick: 10): EDGE, S, DB, LB

The Bengals dealt away their pick to the NY Giants for DT Dexter Lawrence.

Cleveland Browns (Top pick: 6): OL, WR, QB, EDGE

The Browns were busy trading away their 6^th for the 9^th pick with Kansas City and picking up the 24^th pick from Jacksonville.

Pick 9: OT Spencer Fano, Utah (6-6, 311).

Pick 24: WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M (6-0, 196)

Overall Grade: A-. Fano could end up playing guard only because of his short arms, but he’s athletic enough to play both tackle spots. Concepcion was a nice value pick at 24 with great speed, but also has a 9.3% career drop rate.

Dallas Cowboys (Top pick: 12): CB, EDGE, S, LB

An exciting draft for Jerry and Stephen Jones. They traded with Miami to get the 11^th spot and with rival Philadelphia to move down to get the 23^rd.

Pick: 11: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State (6-0, 205).

Pick: 23: Edge Malachi Lawrence, UCF (6-4, 253). Grades: B-. Downs is a special player with no major weaknesses. He’ll start from Day 1 and solidify the back end. Lawrence is a talented player, but has struggled against the run, so he has some work to do.

Denver Broncos (Top pick: 62): TE, LB, RB, DL

No first-round pick

Detroit Lions (Top Pick: 17): EDGE, OT, IOL, DB

Pick: 17. OT Blake Miller, Clemson (6-7, 317). Grade: C-. This was a bit of a reach for a need pick. The Lions will also have to move Penei Sewell to left tackle since Miller is more of a right tackle.

Green Bay Packers (Top pick: 52): CB, EDGE, DL, OT

No first-round pick.

Houston Texans (Top pick: 28): DL, IOL, OT, LB

Pick:  26 (from Buffalo). Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech (6-4, 316). Grade: B+. Houston did need guard help, and this is what the Texans needed. Rutledge plays hard and should help to protect QB C.J. Stroud.

Indianapolis Colts (Top pick: 47): LB, EDGE, WR, OT

No first-round pick.

Jacksonville Jaguars (Top pick: 56): DT, CB, LB, RB

No first-round pick.

Kansas City Chiefs (Top pick: 9):  CB, OT, EDGE, WR

The Chiefs were busy, trading up from 9 to get to 6 and then getting the 29^th from the LA Rams.

6^th pick: CB Mansoor Delane, LSU (6-0, 187).

29^th pick: DT Peter Woods, Clemson (6-2, 298). Grades: B+. They gave up a third-round pick to move up three spots to get Delane. He was the best corner in the draft, but is not someone you normally pick that high. Woods was a nice pick up as a 3-technique to eventually take over for 32-year-old Chris Jones. He has some potential, but a long way to go to be the next Chris Jones.

Las Vegas Raiders (Top pick: 1): WR, OT, QB, DT, DB

Pick: 1. QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana. Grade: A. This was a no-brainer, but the Raiders will need to find some offensive linemen to protect him because they were hideous last season, allowing 64 sacks. With Kirk Cousins in the QB room, they could afford to bring him along slowly in 2026.

Los Angeles Chargers (Top pick: 22): OL, DL, CB, EDGE

Pick: 22. Edge Akheem Mesidor, Miami-Fla. (6-3, 259). Grade: B. Mesidor is 25-years old, so there is not much of a ceiling, but at least he can help right away. He was dominant against the run and pass.

Los Angeles Rams (Top pick: 13): WR, OT, LB, TE

Pick: 13. QB Ty Simpson, Alabama, (6-1, 211). Grade: C.  If you want to draft a quarterback, you don’t worry about where he is on your draft board. Simpson will be a project because he has started just 15 games and is only 6-1. But the Rams have Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford has at least one year left. He was the second-best QB on most boards.

Miami Dolphins (Top pick: 11): WR, OL, CB, EDGE

Pick 12: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama (6-7, 352).

Pick: 27. CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State (6-0, 195). Grades: A. Miami made a bunch of moves to grab a massive tackle in Proctor and a solid corner in Johnson. Proctor is the key, who has had weight issues and might end up at guard. Johnson was very good in the Senior Bowl and is a very sound player.

Minnesota Vikings (Top pick: 18): OL, DB, WR, S

Pick: 18. DL Caleb Banks, Florida (6-6, 327). Grades: C-. Banks is an imposing player, but the Vikes had other needs. He’s also coming off a foot injury that required surgery. This is quite the risk for a middle-first round pick.

New England Patriots (Top pick: 31). OL, EDGE, LB, WR

Pick: 28. OT Caleb Lomu, Utah (6-6, 308). Grade: A. The Pats moved up a few spots to get one of the best offensive linemen in the draft. He has excellent feet and just needs to get bigger and meaner. But to get Lomu this late was a steal for the Super Bowl-runner-up (that was having a rough week).

New Orleans Saints (Top pick: 8): WR, CB, LB, S

Pick: 8. WR Jordyn Tyson (6-2, 203), Arizona State. Grade: B. This was a boom-or-bust pick due to Tyson’s injury issues. His talent is off the charts, and hopefully, he’ll have a consistent QB throwing him the ball.

New York Giants (Top pick: 5): OL, CB, RB, LB

John Harbaugh’s first draft with the Giants wasn’t a boring one. They were able to trade a 28-year-old (declining) Dexter Lawrence for the 10^th pick in the draft.

Pick: 5. Edge Arvell Reese, Ohio State (6-4, 243).

Pick: 10. OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami-Fla. (6-6, 329). Grade: A+ The Giants went for talent in the 5^th pick and need in the 10^th. Reese is just 20, so they can bring him along a little more slowly, but he has 4.46 speed with tremendous upside. Mauigoa is also 20, but he’ll start right away, most likely at right guard. He’ll be dominant in the running game and eventually move to tackle to protect Jaxson Dart.

New York Jets (Top pick: 2): QB, WR, EDGE, CB

The Jets needed a lot of help, and they got it, by making several trades to add the 16^th and 30^th picks.

Pick 2: Edge David Bailey, Texas Tech (6-4, 250)

Pick: 16: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon (6-3, 241)

Pick 30: WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana (6-0, 199). Grades: B+. You have to give the Jets an A for effort, though the Bailey pick is a slight head-scratcher because he’s not a complete player with struggles against the run. Sadiq was an excellent pick and will flourish if they can find a passer. Same with Cooper, who was a steal at 30.

Philadelphia Eagles (Top pick: 23): OT, EDGE, WR, TE

Howie Rosenman is going to make moves in most drafts. He moved up in this draft, trading with Dallas to get a wide receiver, which probably means the end of A.J. Brown.

Pick 20: WR Makai Lemon, USC (5-11, 192). Grade: B+. Lemon isn’t very big, but he’s strong with good physicality and should be able to play the slot right away.

Pittsburgh Steelers (Top pick: 21): QB, WR, IOL, OT

Pick: 21. OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State (6-6, 321). Grade: B+.  The Steelers needed offensive line help (more with depth), and they addressed it. However, they have their tackles set to big Max, who will likely sit for a year.

San Francisco 49ers (Top pick: 27): OL, S, TE, WR

No picks in the first round.

Seattle Seahawks (Top pick: 32): DB, RB, EDGE, WR

Pick: 32. Grade: B-. RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame (5-11, 203). The Seahawks lost Kenneth Walker in the offseason and while Price is not Walker, he was the second-best back after his teammate Love. He has very good vision and will do fine in a backup role.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Top Pick: 15): EDGE, LB, TE, CB

Pick 15: Edge Rueben Bain, Miami-Fla, (6-2, 263). Bain could end up being the best Edge in this draft despite the issues with his lack of arm length. He’s very strong and aggressive. Also plays strongly against the run. There are the red flags aside from the arm length, which probably kept him this late or else he’d be a top-10 pick.

Tennessee Titans (Top pick: 4): WR, EDGE, S, RB

Pick 4: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State (6-2, 192).

Pick: 31: Edge Keldric Faulk, Auburn (6-6, 276). Grade: C. This was an odd draft for the Titans, who traded up get the 31^st pick and wound up with a strong run defender in Faulk, who also appears to be a tweener (tackle/end). Tate was considered the best or second-best receiver in the draft and the Titans did need a wide receiver. But they could have traded down to get one. Tate is a strong route-runner, but he’s not the typical top-five receiver that you see.

Washington Commanders (Top pick: 7): LB, WR, CB, EDGE

Pick: 7. LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State (6-5, 243). Grade: A-. Washington needed to get younger and faster. They did so with Styles, who gives them flexibility as a big inside linebacker or a speedy outside linebacker.

__________________________________________________________________ 

There are two months left in the NBA season, including the playoffs, which have begun. The ATS Basketball Financial Program has won eight of 10 weeks, and average players are up $3,500 in that span. Join our Basketball Financial Program for just $199 and get the playoffs through mid-June.

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2026 Baseball won for the week! Now is the time to join as the first 1st month of the regular season, while pitchers settle in and team chemistry takes shape.

Baseball is one of the most profitable sports at ATS. Get 2-3 games every single day through October.  We project average bettors to win over $31,000 in the first half.

• Join our Baseball Financial Program for $399 and get the Basketball Financial Program for FREE. The ATS Basketball Financial Program is just $199 from now through the NBA Finals in mid-June. Contact us below for special deals so you can start winning today.

Top NFL Draft Prospects by Position

One of the most important three days for the NFL fans is here: the NFL Draft. The show starts at 8 p.m. ET from Pittsburgh, but more like 8:15 p.m. ET when the Las Vegas Raiders select QB Fernando Mendoza from Indiana. After that, is basically anybody’s guess and that’s where the fun starts as trades, speculation and fans worry that their favorite player is going to their rival. However, bettors also need to pay attention not just to the talking heads on ESPN and ABC, but also to some of the articles written about how teams fared in this draft.

Again, a lot of this is educated guessing and while “experts” may talk about every positive intangible that a player has coming out of college, not everyone is going to be the next Tom Brady or Saquon Barkley. Let’s take a look at some of the top players by position in this year’s draft.

QB

1)Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (6-5, 225). Top prospect in a poor draft for QBs. Very accurate and smart.

2)Ty Simpson, Alabama (6-1, 211). Undersized but very productive with quick feet.

3)Garrett Nussmeier, LSU (6-2, 203). Was Senior Bowl MVP. Smart QB who throws with touch. Not a very strong arm and is coming off an injury-prone season.

4)Cole Payton, North Dakota State (6-3, 233). Comes from the top FCS program headed to FBS. Averaged 12 yards per attempt. Strong and good size who can run (4.56 40). Still raw and a starter for just one season.

5)Drew Allar, Penn State (6-5, 235). Played about ½ the season due to injury. Good size and strong arm. Footwork and mechanics have been an issue.

RB

1)Jermiyah Love, Notre Dame (6-0, 214). A burner who is the best back by far. Pretty good in pass protection and a home run hitter. Complete package.

2)Emmett Johnson, Nebraska (5-11, 200)

3)Jadarian Price, Notre Dame (5-11, 203)

4)Jonah Coleman, Washington (5-8, 220)

5)Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas (6-2, 228)

WR

1)Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State (6-2, 203). Tyson is an outstanding route-runner who can make difficult catches across the middle. This is a strong WR class and if Tyson drops, it’s due to his durability issues.

2)Carnell Tate, Ohio State (6-3, 195).

3)Makai Lemon, USC (5-11, 195).

4)Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana (6-0, 204).

5)KC Concepcion, Texas A&M (5-11, 190).

TE

1)Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon (6-3, 245). Smallish tight end who makes up for his lack of height with great athleticism. He’s more than just a receiver, as his blocking is top-notch.

2)Dallen Bentley, Utah (6-4, 260)

3)Max Klare, Ohio State (6-4, 246)

4)Nate Boerkicircher, Texas A&M (6-6, 245)

5)Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt (6-4, 240)

OL (including guards, centers and tackles)

1)Spencer Fano, OT/G/C, Utah (6-6, 310)

2)Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami-Fla. (6-6, 329)

3)Olaivavega Ioane, OG Penn State (6-4, 328)

4)Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama, (6-7, 352)

5)Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia (6-7, 315)

6)Blake Miller, OT, Clemson, (6-6, 315)

7)Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State (6-6, 330)

8)Emmanuel Pregnon, G/C, Oregon (6-5, 318)

9)Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah (6-6, 308)

10)Caleb Tiernan, Northwestern (6-8, 323)

Defensive Tackles/Ends

1)Peter Woods, Clemson (6-3, 298)

2)Lee Hunter, Texas Tech (6-4, 318)

3)Kayden McDonald, Ohio State (6-3, 326)

4)Caleb Banks, Florida (6-6, 330)

5)Christen Miller, Georgia (6-4, 310)

EDGE

1)David Bailey, Texas Tech (6-3, 250)

2)Rueben Bain Jr., Miami-Fla (6-3, 270)

3)Arvell Reese, Ohio State (6-4, 243).

4)Kedric Faulk, Auburn (6-6, 285)

5)Akheem Mesidor (6-3, 280)

Linebackers

1)Sonny Styles, Ohio State (6-5, 243)

2)Josiah Trotter, Missouri (6-2, 237)

3)CJ Allen, Georgia (6-1, 235)

4)Jake Golday, Cincinnati (6-2, 237)

5)Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech (6-1, 235)

Cornerbacks

1)Mansoor Delane, LSU (6-0, 190)

2)Jermod McCoy, Tennessee (6-1, 188)

3)Avieon Terrell, Clemson (5-11, 180)

4)Chris Johnson, San Diego State (6-0, 195)

5)Treydan Stukes, Arizona (6-1, 190)

Safeties

1)Caleb Downs, Ohio State (6-0, 205)

2)Dillon Thieneman, Oregon (6-0, 205)

3)Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo (6-2, 202)

4)A.J. Haulcy, LSU (6-0, 222)

5)Kamari Ramsey, USC, (6-0, 205)

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There are two months left in the NBA season, including the playoffs, which have begun. The ATS Basketball Financial Program has won eight of 10 weeks, and average players are up $3,500 in that span. Join our Basketball Financial Program for just $199 and get the playoffs through mid-June.

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2026 Baseball won for the week! Now is the time to join as the first 1st month of the regular season, while pitchers settle in and team chemistry takes shape.

Baseball is one of the most profitable sports at ATS. Get 2-3 games every single day through October.  We project average bettors to win over $31,000 in the first half.

• Join our Baseball Financial Program for $399 and get the Basketball Financial Program for FREE. The ATS Basketball Financial Program is just $199 from now through the NBA Finals in mid-June. Contact us below for special deals so you can start winning today.

Guide to Picking Prop Bets in the NBA Playoffs

The NBA Playoffs have begun, and if you’re picking the side, totals and money line, there are several other options to earn a profit in these two months of the postseason.

If you want to bet on exact scores, quarters, individual player performances and more, then NBA Props bets are a strong option.

The most popular are stat props, which are usually the over/under on points. So for example, on Tuesday, Boston’s  Jaylen Brown is 26+ (-111) against Philadelphia (on DraftKings), which means he needs to score at least 27 to win the bet or there is a push if he scores 26, but you lose the juice. A more profitable bet would be to take Brown 30+ (+205). The best option is to go to any decent website. Pick ESPN.com, for example, and look at Brown’s splits. He’s averaging 28.7 points per game, 27.9 points at home, 30.6 points in April and 27 points against Philly this season. It’s that simple but it takes some time and work.

You can also wager on rebounds, assists, 3-pointers made, steals, blocks, turnovers, etc. In the Portland/San Antonio game, Victor Wembanyama for the Spurs set at 45+ (+109) in points+rebounds+assists. This is a combo prop, also called PRA. “Wemby” recorded 35 points, five rebounds and one assist in his last game. So he would have gone under, but if he normally puts up 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, which still would have put him under that total. However, in the last 10 games, he’s averaging 30.7 points, 4.1 assists, and 14.3 rebounds, which would put him over that 45 total.

There are also triple-double and double-double bets, which are known as yes/no bets. Those are a little more difficult, unless you’re talking about players who average double-doubles or triple-doubles. But then there isn’t much value to picking Nikola Jokic to get a triple double when Denver meets the Timberwolves in Minnesota on Thursday.

Team props are about betting on the first team to score, a winning margin range, team rebounds, team total points, etc. You can also go with same-game parlays, picking a player’s points, another player’s assists and a team’s over, for example.

This is a three-point league and a lot of teams have players who can get hot from beyond the arc and carry them. If you really want to make a score, look at some of the good three-point shooters and check if you can find good value. Payton Pritchard of Boston is 3+ (+135), and he’s averaging 20.3 points per game over the last nine, shooting 49.2% from 3-point range. He hasn’t shot that well from 3-point range against Philadelphia (12%). Without doing research, it seemed like a good play to pick him over 3, but on the other hand, under might be the play here.

If you are a beginner when it comes to picking props in the NBA, keep it simple. Make sure you have a strategy and do the research.

____________________________________________________________________ 

There are two months left in the NBA season, including the playoffs, which have begun. The ATS Basketball Financial Program has won eight of 10 weeks, and average players are up nearly $3,500 in that span. Join our Basketball Financial Program for just $199 and get the playoffs through mid-June.

_________________________________________________________________________ 

2026 Baseball won for the week! Now is the time to join as the first 1st month of the regular season, while pitchers settle in and team chemistry takes shape.

Baseball is one of the most profitable sports at ATS. Get 2-3 games every single day through October.  We project average bettors to win over $31,000 in the first half.

• Join our Baseball Financial Program for $399 and get the Basketball Financial Program for FREE. The ATS Basketball Financial Program is just $199 from now through the NBA Finals in mid-June. Contact us below for special deals so you can start winning today.

The Early Winners of the College Basketball Portal

The money is flowing in college basketball even after the transfer portal closed on April 21, around midnight EST. The portal opened right after the National Championship game on April 7. Those who haven’t committed after the deadline have time to make a decision, but teams start off-season workouts shortly after the season ends, and then practice on a limited basis right after the school year ends. That decision will need to be made in the next few weeks or many players will be scrambling to find schools (and probably will have to lower their price). 

From a betting perspective, if you want a firm grasp of the 2026-27 college basketball season or are just looking to bet futures, we have a look at the top as of April 21, near the deadline. Check out the NCAA Tournament Championship Odds from DK in parentheses.

1)Indiana (+7500): Head coach Darian DeVries missed the tournament in his first season, but that won’t happen this season with Markus Burton (Notre Dame), Aidan Sherrell (Alabama), Darren Harris (Duke), Samet Yigitoglu (SMU), Bryce Lindsay (Villanova) and Jaedan Mustaf (Georgia Tech). It’s not just about quantity, as Burton is an underrated player who suffered a season-ending ankle injury at Notre Dame. Sherrell provides shot blocking and rebounding. Yigitloglu is a 7-2 shotblocker and rebounder. This is going to be a tough team to score against in the paint. The Big 10 is usually not shy of quality big men, so Indiana did a nice job of counteracting that.

2)Louisville (+2500): They could claim the first spot after picking up Flory Bidunga, a 6-9 big man from Kansas, a strong defender and great athlete. Not only did they add one of Kansas’ best players, but they just added another solid big man in Alvaro Folgueiras (Iowa), who is more of a stretch 4 or 5. They also added Jackson Shelstad from Oregon, who played just 12 games due to injury, but was one of the best guards in the portal. Then add Karter Knox from Arkansas as a big wing who can shoot spot-up threes, and Pat Kelsey should have Louisville contending in the ACC.

3)Tennessee (+3500): He’s not retiring yet, folks and maybe there was a reason. Rick Barnes has gone to three straight Elite Eights, and he’s about to turn 72. Could this be the season? Terrence Hill Jr. goes from hitting a big shot for VCU to playing for Tennessee (hello $$$). They add Jalen Harlson from Notre Dame, who goes from a struggling program to a place where he should shine with better players as a 6-7 wing. Miles Rubin is another athletic big man who can defend from Loyola-Chicago. Tyler Lundblade from Belmont adds a strong shooter along with Dai Dai Ames from Cal.

4)Texas (+4000): Sean Miller made a Sweet 16 run last season and could go farther this season. The key addition was TCU forward David Punch, a strong shotblocker at 6-7, who is also a good mid-range shooter. Elyjah Freeman goes from D2 to Auburn and now Texas, though he was inconsistent last season. He has all the tools to play at the next level. Isaiah Johnson (Colorado) is a very quick guard who can also make threes (37%). They also get center Matas Vokietaitis back ($$), and they add an All-American freshman in Austin Goosby.

5)DePaul (+50000): Chris Hotlmann may finally have a really good squad in Chicago after going .500 for the first time since 2019-20 last season. That’s because they brought in six quality players thanks to some increased money. It starts with center Magoon Gwath from San Diego State after spurring some pretty good high major programs because he’s a 7-footer who can block shots and is still developing. Wing Ade Popoola comes from Tulsa, where he shot 41% from three-point range. The Blue Demons desperately needed three-point shooters who could defend. They also added Kahmare Holmes, who averaged nearly 20 points per game at Wofford last season.

6)Iowa State (+5000): If Joshua Jefferson had stayed healthy….we’ll never know. But TJ Otzelberger didn’t dwell on his injury and his loss to graduation, along with Milan Momcilovic, to the portal. Those were huge losses, but then the Cyclones added JaQuan Johnson from Bradley, a dominant defender who hounds opponents as a diminutive point guard, who can also knock down threes. Tre Singleton comes from Northwestern as a 6-8 power forward who finishes well near the rim and has a lot of growth potential. Ryan Prather is making a big leap from Robert Morris, but so did Alvaro Foluieras at Iowa. They added some solid talent, but they also lost a lot to graduation and the portal.

7)Miami-Florida (+6000): Jai Lucas did an excellent job in his first season at Miami. He adds Somto Cyril, who is 6-11 with a 7-7 wingspan at 260 pounds. He averaged a little over 9 points and a little over 5.0 rebounds at Georgia, but with better pieces around him? DeSean Goode is from….Robert Morris. Of course, the Colonials are becoming a mid-major AAA team for the big leagues. He can really score and was the Horizon League Player of the Year. Acaden Lewis was a very good freshman point guard at Villanova and could be even better in the ACC with Cyril running the rim and freshman All-American Caleb Gaskins coming in.

8)Providence (+9000): New coach Bryan Hodgson comes from South Florida, where he brought Gavin Hightower with him as a solid playmaker and defender. They added another strong off-ball defender in Miles Byrd from San Diego State. Arrinten Page comes from Northwestern as (you guessed it), a shotblocker and rebounder, who also spend team at USC and Cincinnati. Devin Vanterpool from FAU, a 6-4 guard who averaged nearly 16 points and 6.3 rebounds. Ryan Sabol is a 39.9% three-point shooter from Buffalo, who adds scoring. There were some nice gets for Hodgson in his first portal additions.

9)UConn (+1500): You could say that Dan Hurley’s best transfer was keeping Braylon Mullins. When there was just a little money in NIL, Mullins would have gone to the NBA Draft, but not nowadays. The Huskies also kept point guard Silas Demary, which was huge. They added one of the better bigs in the portal to replace another great one (Tarris Reed). Najai Hines (6-10, 265) from Seton Hall is just a sophomore, so he’ll have a chance to get better, but he will have big shoes to fill. The bigger pickup was Nik Khamenia from Duke, who is a former five-star recruit who was nearly forgotten in Durham because of the Boozer brothers and all that talent. He can replace Alex Karaban in the lineup.

10)Missouri (+6000): The Tigers have done a nice job under Dennis Gates, making two straight NCAA Tournament appearances. They also have a very strong freshman class coming in with Jason Crowe and Toni Bryant, who are McDonald’s All-Americans. Jamier Jones (Providence) is coming off a strong season as a freshman, averaging nearly 12ppg and 38.7% from three-point range. Bryson Tiller (6-11, 240) arrives from Kansas as a 6-10 shotblocker who can score and rebound. Jaylen Carey (6-8, 270) is a dominant rebounder coming from Tennessee. The Tigers really beefed up their frontcourt and should be one of the better SEC rebounding squads.

____________________________________________________________________ 

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Baseball is one of the most profitable sports at ATS. Get 2-3 games every single day through October.  We project average bettors to win over $31,000 in the first half.

• Join our Baseball Financial Program for $399 and get the Basketball Financial Program for FREE. The ATS Basketball Financial Program is just $199 from now through the NBA Finals in mid-June. Contact us below for special deals so you can start winning today.

ATS’ 2026 NFL Mock Draft

The NFL Draft starts on Thursday, April 23, and there is a big question about who the draft picks will be after the first pick. If you wager on the NFL, it’s important to keep track of the offseason moves, especially if you want to bet on the futures.

For example, before the draft (from DK), the LA Rams (+750) are the Super Bowl favorites, followed by Seattle (+950), Buffalo and Baltimore (both +1000) and Kansas City/Green Bay (+1500).

Things can change and there has already been a massive trade involving the NY Giants and Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday. The Giants traded DT Dexter Lawrence II to Cincinnati for the No. 10 pick in the draft. They also extended him for one year, which means Lawrence is under contract for the next three seasons. That’s a big risk for the Bengals, but if they want to win now, they are adding a player who had nine sacks in 2014 in just 12 games, but recorded just 0.5 sacks and 48 tackles last season with a pick, but did have 34 pressures.

Check out team needs and an NFL Draft betting preview here.

First Round

1)Las Vegas Raiders: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (6-5, 236)

Comments: It’s not a great draft for quarterbacks. Mendoza led a school known for basketball to a national title by throwing 41 TDs and just six picks. He’s not a great runner, but can get yards when needed. The Raiders need to get him some help and the addition of Kirk Cousins can’t hurt as a veteran who can either start or help teach him the rigors of being a starting QB.

2)NY Jets: EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech (6-4, 251)

Comments: This is the biggest question in the top two picks: Bailey or Avrell Reece? Both are outstanding pass rushers and a huge need for a Jets team that had no picks last season. They were 31^st in sacks last season with 26. Bailey is one of the best pass rushers in college football, but will need to get stronger to overpower so many bigger tackles.

3)Arizona Cardinals: EDGE Avrell Reese, Ohio State (6-4, 243)

This could also be David Bailey, as both players are Edge rushers. Reese is a very explosive athlete and does a nice job against the run. He has the power but will need to polish his pass rush moves at the next level. He can play inside or outside, with 4.46 speed gives the Cardinals a lot of versatility.

4)Tennessee Titans: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame (6-0, 212)

Comments Love might be the only RB drafted. He has great burst and explosion. He’s more than just a 4.3 40 burner. He also has good vision and is a complete back, though he does need to work on pass blocking, which most backs do.

5)NY Giants: OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami-Fla. (6-6, 329).

Comments: The Giants have plenty of needs, especially with Dexter Lawrence gone, but they can go DT for 10 and offensive line help. Again, not a great offensive tackle draft. Mauigoa is an athletic tackle who is light on his feet. He has a very strong base, which will help against power rushers.

6)Cleveland Browns: OT/G Spencer Fano, Utah (6-5, 311)

Comments: He’s the most versatile of the top linemen who can play guard, tackle and center. Cleveland is desperate for offensive line help. He played right and left tackle at Utah. But his 32 1/8 inch arms limited him to right tackle and he’ll probably end up in the interior.

7)Washington Commanders: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State (6-5, 244)

Comments: Styles ran a 4.46 40 and jumped 43.5 inches, so he’s an athletic freak. He can play the Edge, but can also cover tight ends and running backs. He’s a complete linebacker.

8)New Orleans Saints: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State (6-2, 192)

Comments: Not a big draft for wide receivers. Tate gives the team another former Ohio State WR (Terry McLaurin) and potentially his replacement. He’s one of the best route runners in the draft and can get downfield.

9)Kansas City Chiefs: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State (5-11, 206)

Comments: Downs is the biggest safety, but is very smart with great instincts and has the speed to defend the pass and play some nickel. He can also play close to the line of scrimmage.

10)NY Giants (From Cincinnati): DT Peter Woods (6-3, 298)

Comments: The Giants could also trade out of this spot, but with Lawrence gone, they should go for need here. Woods is a defensive tackle but can also play some Edge despite having short arms (31 ¼). He has strong pass rush moves.

11)Miami Dolphins: CB Mansoor Delane, LSU (6-0, 187)

12)Dallas Cowboys: Edge Rueben Bain, Miami-Fla (6-2, 263)

13)LA Rams: WR Makai Lemon, USC, (5-11, 192)

14)Baltimore Ravens: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon (6-3, 241).

15)Tampa Bay Bucs: G Olaivavega Iaone, Penn State (6-4, 323)

16)NY Jets: QB Ty Simpson, Alabama (6-1, 211)

17)Detroit Lions: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama (6-7, 352)

18)Minnesota Vikings: EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami-Fla. (6-3, 259)

19)Carolina Panthers: WR Omar Cooper, Indiana (6-0, 199)

20)Dallas Cowboys: CB Colton Hood, Tennessee (6-0, 195)

21)Pittsburgh Steelers:  WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M (6-0, 196)

22)LA Chargers: WR Jordan Tyson, Arizona State (6-2, 203)

23)Philadelphia Eagles: OT Blake Miller, Clemson (6-7, 317)

24)Cleveland Browns: OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia (6-7, 315)

25)Chicago Bears: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee (6-1, 188)

26)Buffalo Bills: DT Caleb Banks, Florida (6-6, 327)

27)San Francisco 49ers: OT Caleb Lomu, Utah (6-6, 313)

28)Houston Texans: OT Max Iheadnachor, Arizona State (6-6, 321)

29)Kansas City Chiefs: S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon (6-0, 210)

30)Miami Dolphins: WR Denzel Boston, Washington (6-4, 212)

31)New England Patriots: EDGE  R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma (6-2, 241)

32)Seattle Seahawks:  EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn (6-6, 274)

____________________________________________________________________ 

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2026 Baseball won for the week! Now is the time to join as the first 1st month of the regular season, while pitchers settle in and team chemistry takes shape.

Baseball is one of the most profitable sports at ATS. Get 2-3 games every single day through October.  We project $250/unit bettors to win over $31,000 in the first half.

• Join our Baseball Financial Program for $399 and get the Basketball Financial Program for FREE. The ATS Basketball Financial Program is just $199 from now through the NBA Finals in mid-June. Contact us below for special deals so you can start winning today.
  ___________________________________________________

The first round series of the NBA Playoffs begins on Saturday, April 18, after the final Play-in Tournament ends on Friday night. 

These series begin on Saturday, April 18.

 5)Toronto (46-36 SU, 43-39 ATS, 33-49 O/U) vs. 4)Cleveland (52-30 SU, 33-48-1 ATS, 41-41 O/U)

Series: Cleveland -550/Toronto +400 (from DK)

*-DunkandThrees

Head-to-Head: These teams met three times, with the Raptors winning all three SU and ATS. They have not met since November 24, 2025, with Toronto winning 110-99.

Key Stats*: Toronto is 11th in Adjusted Net Rating, 15th in Adjusted Offensive Rating, 6^th in Adjusted Defense. 22nd in Pace, 18^th in Rebound Rate.

Cleveland is 9^th in Adjusted Net Rating, 5^th in Adjusted Offense and 16^th in Adjusted Defense, 12th in Pace, 11^th in Rebound Rate.

Analysis: This should be quite the matchup despite Toronto dominating the first three games. That came early in the season. Toronto comes into this game having won three of its last four games. They have as much talent as just about anybody in the Eastern Conference. The problem has been staying healthy, and they appear to be 100% coming into the playoffs. They have a lot of length, and it allows them to rank in the top 10 in field goal defense (46.7%) and three-point defense (34.9%). They are led by 6-9 Brandon Ingram (21.6ppg, 5.6rpg, 3.7apg) and Scottie Barnes (18.1ppg, 7.5rpg, 5.9apg). Jakob Poeltl (10.7ppg, 7rpg) sets the tone in the middle. They are also very deep, with 10 players averaging six or more points per game.

Cleveland is another dangerous team because they have Donovan Mitchell (27.9ppg, 5.7apg) and veteran James Harden (20.5ppg, 7.7apg) in the backcourt. Their frontcourt is loaded with Evan Mobley (18.2ppg, 9rpg) and Jarrett Allen (154.ppg, 8.5rpg). Their biggest issue is their three-point defense, which ranks 26^th in the NBA (37.2%). The bigger question is whether Harden can put them over the top after they gave up Darius Garland for him. The Cavs did win five of their last six games, though mostly against non-playoff teams. Dennis Schroder was also added and while he’s not Garland, he knows how to get things done in the playoffs, backing up Harden and Mitchell. Lean? Toronto in six.

6)Minnesota (49-33 SU, 37-45 ATS, 37-45 O/U) vs. 3)Denver (54-28 SU, 44-38 ATS, 52-30 O/U)

Series: Denver -350/Minnesota +280 (from DK)

*-DunkandThrees

Head-to-Head: These teams met three times in the regular season with Denver winning 2 of 3 SU and ATS. They last met on March 1 with Minnesota winning at Denver 117-108 as a 3-point dog.

Key Stats*: Minnesota is 10th in Adjusted Net Rating, 13th in Adjusted Offensive Rating, 8^th in Adjusted Defense. 9th in Pace, 12^th in Rebound Rate.

Denver is 7^th in Adjusted Net Rating, 1st in Adjusted Offense, and 21st in Adjusted Defense, 19th in Pace, 8^th in Rebound Rate.

Analysis: Another potential (as the kids say) banger of a playoff series. The key for Minnesota is the health of Anthony Edwards, who has been limited by a knee injury. But he’s expected to go after resting for over a week. Edwards is a prolific scorer who averages 28.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game on 39.9% three-point shooting. An underrated pickup for the T-Wolves was Ayou Dosunmo (14.4ppg, 3.5apg), while Donte DiVincenzo (12.2ppg, 3.8apg) is a gamer who runs the show. Up front, Julius Randle (21.1ppg, 6.7rpg) is a tough lefty post player, while Rudy Gobert (10.9ppg, 11.5rpg) still protects the paint as well as most. Minnesota shoots 37% from three-point range, and they defend well. They should have more than 49 wins, and while DiVincenzo is a solid player at the point, they could have used a younger Mike Conley there.

Denver could be another contender, and they are certainly playing as well as anybody in the league after winning 12 straight games to end the regular season. Now they also faced Utah twice, Memphis, Dallas, and several teams resting their starters due to injuries or clinching berths. When you have Nikola Jokic (27.7ppg, 12.9rpg, 10.7apg), you always have a chance. He actually led the league in rebounds and assists. Jamal Murray (25.4ppg, 7.1apg) is a pure scorer who can carry a team on certain nights. But the key is Aaron Gordon (16.2ppg, 5.8rpg), who appears to be healthy after playing just 36 games. While Denver doesn’t have a great bench, they did add veteran big man Jonas Valanciunas (8.7ppg, 5.1rpg) to relieve Jokic. They also have Cam Johnson (12.2ppg) and Peyton Watson (14.6ppg, 1.1bpg) who can contribute in various ways. Lean? Minnesota is deeper, but the Nuggets are finally healthy and playing so well.

6)Atlanta (46-33 SU, 44-38 ATS, 41-41 O/U) vs. 3)NY Knicks (54-28 SU, 44-38 ATS, 52-30 O/U)

Series:  NY Knicks -275/Atlanta +220 (from DK)

*-DunkandThrees

Head-to-Head: These teams met three times in the regular season, with the Knicks winning twice but going 1-2 ATS.

Key Stats*: Atlanta is 12th in Adjusted Net Rating, 14th in Adjusted Offensive Rating, 9^th in Adjusted Defense, 4th in Pace, 15^th in Rebound Rate.

New York is 5^th in Adjusted Net Rating, 4th in Adjusted Offense and 7th in Adjusted Defense, 25th in Pace, 5^th in Rebound Rate.

Analysis:  Atlanta could pose a major threat to the Knicks because they were very good down the stretch and nearly knocked off the Knicks (108-105 loss) on April 6 when both teams shortened rotations. The addition of veteran guard CJ McCollum and subtraction of Trae Young has made this team a squad to watch. From Feb. 22 until March 18, they won 11 straight games. Dyson Daniels (6-7, 199) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (6-5, 205) have a lot of length and will attempt to slow down high-scoring Jalen Brunson. As good as Brunson has been (18.7ppg, 37.5% 3pt with Washington/Atlanta), he’s not a true point guard. Jalen Johnson (22.5ppg, 7.9apg, 10.3rpg) has been the team’s best all-around player and has been an under-the-radar star. The Hawks are shooting 37.1% from 3-point range to rank 5^th.  The defense is going to need to step up I this series as they’ve been pretty average this season (18^th).

No pressure on the Knicks, right? If they lose this series, not only is head coach Mike Brown in trouble after one season, but they may break up some of the key pieces. They appear to have everything to at least make an Eastern Conference title run. Mitchell Robinson is a huge factor in this series, considering he’s averaged 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks against Atlanta this season. Brunson (26ppg, 6.8apg) and Karl-Anthony Towns (20.1ppg, 11.9rpg) are the two top scorers, but they have help. The Knicks have the size and rebounding advantage, but what they have struggled it as Atlanta’s strength. Their three-point defense (38.4%, 22^nd) could be a huge weakness in this series. Atlanta is also quicker and more athletic. KAT and Brunson are not defensive stalwarts. Lean? Atlanta in 7.

5)Houston (52-30 SU, 36-46 ATS, 39-43 O/U) vs. 4)LA Lakers (53-20 SU, 45-36-1 ATS, 42-40 O/U)

Series: Houston -575/LA Lakers +400 (from DK)

*-DunkandThrees

Head-to-Head: These teams met three times in the regular season with the Lakers winning twice, including on March 18 (124-116).

Key Stats*: Houston is 6th in Adjusted Net Rating, 8th in Adjusted Offensive Rating, 5^th in Adjusted Defense, 29th in Pace, 1st in Rebound Rate.

LA Lakers are 14^th in Adjusted Net Rating, 9^th in Adjusted Offense and 20^th in Adjusted Defense, 28th in Pace, 9^th in Rebound Rate.

Analysis: Houston is the favorite in this series because Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) are not expected to play. Barring a minor miracle, the Rockets will be facing LeBron James and mostly role players. One player who has the ability to step up is center DeAndre Ayton (12.5ppg, 8rpg) and veteran Marcus Smart (9.3ppg, 3apg), who has played in plenty of playoff series with Boston. But this will be all about LeBron James. At 41, he’s still averaging 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds. He’ll need to average 30+ in this series for the Lakers to have a chance. They’ll need to defend better in this series, as they rank 24th in field goal defense.

Houston has an aging star in Kevin Durant, who led the team with 26 points on 52% shooting (41.3% 3pt). Alperen Sengun (20.4ppg, 8.9rpg, 6.2apg) is a poor man’s Nikola Jokic, while Amen Thompson (18.3ppg, 7.8rpg, 5.3apg) is an explosive athlete. Reed Sheppard has earned more playing time this season because he can fill it up from deep (39.4%), and they need production at the point. Defensively, Houston is top 10 in most categories including 3-poitn defense, while the Lakers are 24^th (32.9%) in 3-point shooting. The Rockets won nine of the 10 games to end the season. Lean? Rockets in six, but I’d wait until more about Doncic and Reaves before betting the series price.

Sunday, April 19

7)Philadelphia (46-37 SU, 42-38-3 ATS, 39-44 O/U) vs. 2)Boston (56-26 SU, 49-32-1 ATS, 30-52 O/U)

Boston -900/Philadelphia +600

*(stats from DunkandThrees.com and Team Rankings).

Head-to-Head: These teams spit the four games with Philly going 2-1-1 ATS.

Key Stats*: Boston is 3rd in Adjusted Net Rating, 2nd in Adjusted Offensive Rating, 4^th in Adjusted Defense. 30th in Pace, 4th in Rebound Rate.

Philadelphia is 18^th in Adjusted Net Rating, 17^th in Adjusted Offense and 16^th in Adjusted Defense, 16th in Pace, 23rd in Rebound Rate.

Analysis: This is one of the premier rivalries in the NBA. Unfortunately for Philadelphia, they are not expected to have center Joel Embiid due to an appendectomy. Without Embiid, the Sixers were able to beat Orlando 109-97 on Wednesday in the play-in tournament to advance. Tyrese Maxey went for 31 points and he’ll need to do more to get the Sixers past a very good Boston team. He’s averaging over 28 points per game, but he’ll need help from Paul “Playoff P” George, who had 16 points and doesn’t always live up to that moniker in the postseason. The Sixers struggle to shoot the three (34.9%) and they’re not great on the boards despite having Andre Drummond in the middle.

Boston lost two games to Philadelphia this season, but they didn’t have Jayson Tatum for any of those games. Tatum has come back from an Achilles injury, and he’s been good, but not great. He’s shooting just 41.1% from the field and 32.9% from beyond the arc, which is understandable since he has played in 16 games. Jaylen Brown (28.7ppg, 6.9rpg) should be an MVP candidate for keeping this team near the top of the standings with Tatum out for most of the season. This team has some flaws, but not many. Their offense could be outstanding if Tatum gets his touch back, as they are shooting just 46.7% (16^th) from the field. They also lack a dominant center, but they got veteran Nikola Vucevic back on April 5 from injury. He’ll help as the playoffs continue on offense. Lean? Boston should win this in four.

7)Portland (43-40 SU, 45-38 ATS, 43-40 O/U) vs 2)San Antonio (62-21 SU, 45-36-2 ATS, 36-47 O/U)

Series: Spurs -2000/Trail Blazers +1000 (from DK)

*-DunkandThrees

Head-to-Head: These teams met three times, with the Spurs winning twice and covering twice. All three games went under.

Key Stats*: Portland is 20th in Adjusted Net Rating, 21st in Adjusted Offensive Rating, 11^th in Adjusted Defense. 8th in Pace, 7^th in Rebound Rate.

San Antonio is 2nd in Adjusted Net Rating, 3rd in Adjusted Offense and 3rd in Adjusted Defense, 15th in Pace, 6th in Rebound Rate.

Analysis: Portland upset Phoenix on the road 114-110 on Tuesday to gain entrance to the playoffs for the first time in 10 years. Deni Avdija led the Blazers with 41 points in that game and has been the leader on the floor all season. Portland comes into this game having won six of its last eight games. Avdija averages 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.8 assists and is their assists leader. But for this team to advance, they’ll need more than Avdija to shine. Jrue Holiday (16.3ppg, 6.1apg) is one of those veterans who two rings and understands what it means to win the big one. Shaedon Sharpe (20.8ppg), Jerami Grant (18.6ppg), Scoot Henderson (14.2ppg) and Toumani Camara (13.4ppg, 5.1rpg) will all need to step up. Center Donovan Clingan (12.1ppg , 11.6rpg) is one of the most improved big men in the league.

Speaking of big men or long men, 7-4 Victor Wembanyama is an unstoppable player in many ways. The only way he can be stopped (25ppg, 11.5rpg, 3.1bpg, 3.1apg) is through injuries. That slowed him down to some extent as he was limited to 65 games this season, but he should be close to 100% and raring to go in his first playoff series. The Spurs didn’t win 62 games due to Wemby. They have a ton of talent, especially at guard with De’Aaron Fox (18.6ppg, 6.2apg), Stephon Castle (16.7ppg, 7.4apg, 5.3rpg), and Devin Vassell (13.9ppg). Rookie Dylan Harper is also starting to come on as if they needed more help. He’s averaging 13.7 points and 4.0 assists, while shooting 54.8% from the field and 53.3% from beyond the arc in his last 10 games. Lean? Come on. If Wemby is healthy, the Spurs should sweep. Pass because that’s too much to lay.

(The next two series were written before Friday night’s results. But when it comes to No. 8 vs. No. 1 in the NBA Playoffs, there have only been six upsets since 1984. The last was when Miami shocked Milwaukee in five games in 2023. Detroit appears to be a pretty vulnerable top seed only because they are pretty young and their best player, Cade Cunningham, is just returning from a collapsed lung.

8)Suns (44-37 SU, 45-33-3 ATS, 36-45 O/U) or 8)Warriors (37-44 SU, 34-46-1 ATS, 49-32 O/U) vs. 1)OKC (64-18 SU, 39-41-1 ATS, 43-38 O/U)

Key Stats*: OKC is 1st in Adjusted Net Rating, 7th in Adjusted Offensive Rating, 1st in Adjusted Defense. 15th in Pace, 25th in Rebound Rate.

Finals Odds

OKC +110/Phoenix +70000/Golden State +60000

Western Conference Odds

OKC -160/Phoenix +20000/Golden State +18000

Analysis: Oklahoma City is the team to beat this season. They have the best guard and arguably the best player in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who averages 31.1 points and 6.6 assists, while shooting 55.3% from the field and 38.6% from beyond the arc. They’ve had a ton of injuries throughout the season but everyone appears to be healthy. Chet Holmgren (17.1ppg, 8.9rpg, 1.9bpg) and Jalen Williams (17.1ppg, 5.5apg) are the other key players and difference-makers on both ends. Williams has played in just 33 games due to various injuries. Despite the injuries, they have a +11.9 net rating and a 107.3 DRTG because their depth is amazingly good. However, their rebounding numbers might be a concern when they face the Spurs (if it happens in the Finals).

8)Magic (45-36 SU, 37-43-1 ATS, 45-36 O/U) or 8)Hornets (43-38, 50-31 ATS, 31-50 O/U) vs. 1)Detroit (60-22 SU, 44-37-1 ATS, 38-44 O/U)

Key Stats*: Detroit is 4th in Adjusted Net Rating, 10^th in Adjusted Offense and 2nd in Adjusted Defense, 20th in Pace, 3^rd in Rebound Rate.

Finals Odds

Detroit +2200/Charlotte +10000/Orlando +35000

Eastern Conference Odds

Detroit +500/Charlotte +2500/Orlando +7500

Analysis:

Cade Cunningham (23.9ppg, 9.9apg, 5.5rpg) and the Detroit Pistons have the best record in the East, but they are fourth favorite (+500) to win the East behind Boston (+155), Cleveland (+330) and the Knicks (+450). That shows you the lack of a respect for a team that has won 60 games. Maybe it’s due to Cunningham’s recent return from a collapsed lung. It’s not like they didn’t finish strong, winning six of their last seven. Jalen Duren (19.5ppg, 10.5rpg) and Isaiah Stewart (10ppg, 1.6bpg) are as good a 1-2 center duo in the game. The problem is that there isn’t a whole lot of balance after Cunningham and Duren. Their defense is elite as they rank first in the NBA defending the three-point shot and that’s where Ausar Thompson (2spg) fits in. They do rank third in the NBA in field goal percentage (48.5%), but just 17^th in three-point percentage (35.6%).

____________________________________________________________________ 

The NBA Playoffs start on April 18 and don’t miss this great opportunity to boost your bankroll! The ATS Basketball Financial Program has won eight of nine weeks, and $250/unit players are up nearly $10,000 in that span. Join our Basketball Financial Program for just $199 and get the rest of the regular season and playoffs through mid-June.

_________________________________________________________________________ 

2026 Baseball won for the week! Now is the time to join as the first 1st month of the regular season, while pitchers settle in and team chemistry takes shape.

Baseball is one of the most profitable sports at ATS. Get 2-3 games every single day through October.  We project $250/unit bettors to win over $31,000 in the first half.

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NBA Play-In Tournament 8^th seed game

The NBA Play-in Tournament final is here on Friday, with the winner heading to the playoffs on Sunday as the 8^th seed. No. 9 Charlotte takes on No. 8 Orlando, while No. 10 Golden State travels to No. 7 Phoenix. The first round of the NBA Playoffs tips off on Saturday, April 18.

9)Charlotte (45-38 SU, 50-33 ATS, 32-51 O/U) vs. 8)Orlando (45-38 SU, 37-45-1 ATS, 45-38 O/U)

Charlotte: -3.5. Total: 218.5

Kia Center, Orlando. 7:30pmET

*(stats from DunkandThrees.com and Team Rankings).

Head-to-Head: These teams met four times with the Hornets winning three SU and ATS. They last met on March 19, with the Hornets winning 130-111.

Key Stats*: Charlotte is 8th in Adjusted Net Rating, 5th in Adjusted Offensive Rating, 14^th in Adjusted Defense. 27th in Pace, 2nd in Rebound Rate.

Orlando is 17^th in Adjusted Net Rating, 18^th in Adjusted Offense and 12^th in Adjusted Defense, 14th in Pace, 10th in Rebound Rate.

Analysis: Orlando lost to Philadelphia by 12 (109-97) on Wednesday, but they have one last chance to make the playoffs. They need a little more from Wendell Carter Jr. (1-7 FG, 5pts), who did have 11 rebounds, but was outplayed by backup Andre Drummond (14pts, 11 rebs). Desmond Bane did his part with 34 points on 10-of-16 shooting, but needs more help from Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero. All are capable of big offensive games, but their three-point shooting (27% against Philadelphia, 34.3% overall) may ultimately be their undoing. Wagner (20-.6ppg, 5.2rpg) played just 34 regular-season games due to injuries and has played in just seven games since Feb. 11.

However, the Hornets never met a three-point shot they didn’t like to attempt. They were able to get past Miami on Tuesday night 127-126 in overtime, despite nearly blowing a five-point lead with seconds left. LaMelo Ball, who contributed to the downfall, was able to win the game on a layup. Ball had 30 points and 10 assists, but shot 12 of 31 from the field and 2-of-16 from beyond the arc. Rookie Kon Kneuppel struggled with six points on 2-of-12 shooting (0-6 3pt) in his first non-regular season game. Charlotte took 56 3-pointers and made 18 (31%). The Hornets are usually a better three-point shooting team (37.8%), ranking third in the league. This is more about Charlotte’s guards (Braxton Miller, Ball, Kneuppel and Coby White) going up against Orlando’s talented frontcourt. Better shot selection might also help the Hornets, who somehow turned the ball over just six times in the overtime win.

10)Golden State (38-45 SU, 35-47 ATS, 50-33 O/U) vs. 7)Phoenix (45-38 SU, 46-34-3 ATS, 38-45 O/U)

Phoenix -2.5. Total: 218.5

Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, Ariz, 10pmEt

*(stats from DunkandThrees.com and Team Rankings).

Head-to-Head: Golden State has won three of the four meetings this season. The last one took place on Feb. 5 with the Warriors winning 101-97 at home as a 6.0-point favorite.

Key Stats*: Golden State is 19th in Adjusted Net Rating, 19th in Adjusted Offensive Rating, 15^th in Adjusted Defense. 18th in Pace, 21st in Rebound Rate.

Phoenix is 15^th in Adjusted Net Rating, 16^th in Adjusted Offense and 10^th in Adjusted Defense, 23rd in Pace, 18th in Rebound Rate.

Analysis: Golden State isn’t done yet. That’s because 38-year-old Stephen Curry found another gear on Wednesday, scoring 27 of his 35 points in the second half, and 39-year-old Al Hoford hit four 3-pointers during the Warriors’ fourth-quarter comeback. Golden State was down 13 early in the fourth quarter before exploding for 43 points. One x-factor is 6-7 Gui Santos (9.2ppg) who scored 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting. The Warriors shot 57% from the field and 46% (19-of-41) from long range against a pretty good LA Clippers defense. The Clippers shot 52% from the field, but they committed 17 turnovers. Curry, who played in just 43 regular-season games, is averaging 26.6 points per game and shoots 39.3% from beyond the arc. Another wild card is the play of 7-2 Kristaps Porzingis (16.7ppg, 5.2rpg), who came over from Atlanta, but has played in just 32 games this season due to injuries (the story of his career).

Phoenix is coming off a 114-110 loss at home against Portland on Tuesday. They couldn’t stop Deni Avdija, who had 41 points and a late layup and three-point play to help seal the game. Jalen Green led the Suns with 35 points on 14-of-29 shooting. Devin Booker added 22 points, and Dillon Brooks contributed 20 points, seven rebounds, and four steals before fouling out. The problem was the bench, which contributed just 17 points combined. Booker also went 8 of 13 from the free-throw line. Booker (26.1ppg, 6apg) and Brooks (20.2ppg) are talented enough to carry this team in most instances, but they need more from their frontcourt to get this win.  

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There are over two months left in the NBA season, including the playoffs, which start on April 18 (the play-in tournament began on Tuesday). The ATS Basketball Financial Program has won eight of nine weeks, and $250/unit players are up nearly $10,000 in that span. Join our Basketball Financial Program for just $199 and get the rest of the regular season and playoffs through mid-June.

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2026 Baseball won for the week! Now is the time to join as the first 1st month of the regular season, while pitchers settle in and team chemistry takes shape.

Baseball is one of the most profitable sports at ATS. Get 2-3 games every single day through October.  We project $250/unit bettors to win over $31,000 in the first half.

• Join our Baseball Financial Program for $399 and get the Basketball Financial Program for FREE. The ATS Basketball Financial Program is just $199 from now through the NBA Finals in mid-June. Contact us below for special deals so you can start winning today.
  ___________________________________________________