The futures betting markets have established the high-dollar Dodgers as the team to beat next season.

With the risk of a labor stoppage looming, the Dodgers do have roster matters to wrangle. But with a seemingly infinite payroll and the use of deferred payments, can anyone compete with Los Angeles?

FanDuel placed the opening 2027 World Series futures odds at Dodgers +360, Brewers +600, Yankees +750 and reigning American League champion Tampa Bay at +1800.

DraftKings is even more bullish on the Dodgers (+310) over the field. Milwaukee (+500) and the Yankees (+700) are next with the Red Sox (+1100), Mariners (+1800) and Phillies (+1800) on the second tier.

Of course, when the Dodgers recorded the final out in the 2025 World Series, sportsbooks picked them to return. FanDuel and BetMGM had the Dodgers at +350 to win the 2026 World Series. The Yankees were second at both sportsbooks -- +700 at FanDuel and +750 at BetMGM -- and Philadelphia was third.

For the second consecutive season, the Colorado Rockies have the longest odds to win it all as the World Series ended. Each of the past two years they were at +50000 at the end of October to win the next World Series.

Could there be hope in the Rockies?

Perhaps, as the Chicago White Sox were even with Colorado at the end of the 2025 World Series at +50000 and reached the American League Division Series before losing a deciding Game 5 to Cleveland.

The Titans reportedly will receive first-round draft picks in 2027 and 2028 and a fourth-round selection in 2027, while the Bears will get a fifth-round pick in 2028.

Simmons signed a three-year extension this summer worth $105.8 million -- with $100 million guaranteed -- through the 2030 season. The $35.27 million annual average salary made him the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history, surpassing the Kansas City Chiefs' Chris Jones ($31.75M average).

Simmons, 29, has four sacks and 38 tackles in seven games (all starts) this season.

A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Simmons recorded a career-best 11 sacks in 2025. He also set personal bests with 17 tackles for loss and 21 quarterback hits.

Simmons has 414 tackles, 46.5 sacks, 72 tackles for loss, nine forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries in 106 games (104 starts) since being selected by the Titans with the 19th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft.

The Pelicans joined the Kings and the Brooklyn Nets of the Eastern Conference in the four-loss column Wednesday, beaten 104-91 at home by the Denver Nuggets.

The one-sided loss was the first of the season for the Pelicans, who took the court hoping lessons learned from three previous losses by a combined 10 points would inspire them to treat the home fans with a first win.

"We can make a run and go on a streak and see what happens," Saddiq Bey optimistically said before Wednesday's game. "It's a long season. We can't get down."

The good news for the Pelicans has been the play of Zion Williamson, the oft-injured big man who has averaged just 47.8 games the last four seasons after sitting out the entire 2021-22 campaign with a foot injury.

Williamson has played in all four New Orleans contests this season, scoring upward of 20 points three times, including a season-best 25 in Wednesday's loss.

The No. 1 pick of the 2019 draft has gone head-to-head with Kings star big man Domantas Sabonis just eight times in their careers, with the Pelicans winning five of them. Williamson has outscored his rival by an average of 25.9 to 18.4 in those games, but Sabonis has gotten the better of the rebounds (11.3-5.6) and assists (5.9-5.1).

Like Williamson, it's been hard to blame Sabonis for the Kings' slow start. He has snatched at least 14 rebounds in all four games, scored 20 or more points twice and recorded a triple-double with 27 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists in a home loss to Portland.

That game - a 128-120 defeat - was the Kings' most competitive of the season. Their total margin of defeat in the four losses is 71 points.

"Stay the course," Sabonis stressed after Tuesday's 130-103 blowout loss at San Antonio. "Lot of ball left to be played."

Thursday night's game pits a Pelicans team playing for the second time in a three-game homestand against a Kings club whose loss to the Spurs tipped off a four-game trip.

One of each team's major shortcomings was on display in its most recent game.

With Dejounte Murray, Jeremiah Fears and Jordan Poole combining to make just one 3-pointer, the Pelicans shot just 7-for-30 (23.3%) from beyond the arc against the Nuggets. New Orleans had entered the game 24th in the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage at 30.9%.

The Kings, meanwhile, watched as the Spurs buried 17 shots from deep in their meeting Tuesday. At the beginning of play Wednesday, Sacramento had allowed the league's seventh-highest percentage from deep, 37.3%.

The Pelicans won two of three in the season series last year, taking advantage of the absence of Sabonis, who missed all three games with injuries.

Both teams are on the second night of a back-to-back. The Cavs won their third straight game on Wednesday, a 121-111 victory over Washington. The Hawks lost their third in a row, falling to Miami 129-117 on Wednesday.

Tipoff on Thursday was pushed back an hour to 8 p.m. to make State Farm Arena available for the Atlanta Dream, who are playing Golden State in Game 6 of the WNBA Finals.

Peyton Watson said Wednesday that the Cavs can't overlook the struggling Hawks.

"Every team in the East presents its own challenge when we walk out there to play," Watson said. "But we're going to be ready for it. We're aware this is an 82-game season. It's tedious and this is exactly what we signed up for."

Watson, acquired from Denver in the offseason, scored a season-high 22 points on Wednesday and surpassed the 2,000-point career mark. He is averaging 14 points.

"It's just stuff I could always do," Watson said. "I grew up doing this stuff with my Pops every single day. I'm a real problem on offense and I can't wait to show more of that, but just getting these wins is what matters most, so we're going to keep that up."

Veterans Donovan Mitchell and James Harden have been perpetual matchup problems for the Hawks in the past. Mitchell, who is averaging 24.7 points, has averaged 26.8 in 20 career games against Atlanta. Harden, who is averaging 15.8 points, has averaged 25 points, 7.8 assists and 5.6 rebounds against the Hawks.

The Hawks opened the season with two wins, but struggled in two losses to Houston and the loss to Miami - both larger, more physical teams. On Wednesday it was Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo who each torched them for 24 points, as the Heat shot 53.1% from the field.

"When we play the way we're capable of playing and need to play, we're very competitive, meaning on the scoreboard," Atlanta coach Quin Snyder said. "When we don't change side-to-side, we don't run, we don't pass the ball, we're just not a good team."

Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 23 against Miami, his most since scoring 31 on opening night, but Jalen Johnson was limited to 12 points to go with 11 assists and nine rebounds. Kingston Flemings, the team's first-round draft choice, scored a career-high 23 points on Wednesday.

"We just have to stay committed to who we are and who we need to be successful," Snyder said. "We'll drill down and see the situation where we can better, but we have to stay committed to the way that's our way. It's not a right way or a wrong way. It's the way we need to play and when we don't do that, we're not as good."

The teams split their four games last season, each winning twice on their respective home court.

Kansas City (5-1) has a half-game lead over the Denver Broncos (5-2), but that could flip when the teams face off in Denver in Week 8.

The Chiefs opened the season at home by routing the Broncos, 31-10, and reeled off four more wins before running into a brick wall in a 20-3 loss at Seattle last week. Head coach Andy Reid said his team struggled in "all three phases" against the Seahawks and now faces another tough defense on the road.

Kansas City could have wide receiver Rashee Rice back after he was a limited participant in the first practice of the week on Wednesday, which will give quarterback Patrick Mahomes another weapon. Mahomes has just nine touchdown passes in six games, in part because the Chiefs have lacked a downfield threat at receiver.

Their best offensive weapon has been running back Kenneth Walker III, whose 701 rushing yards are second to Atlanta's Bijan Robinson's 704 despite Walker playing one less game than Robinson.

One area Kansas City has struggled is at placekicker. Harrison Butker had been nearly automatic since his 2017 rookie season but has struggled this year. He is just 11-for-16 on field goal attempts, and his five misses match his total on 38 attempts over 17 games in 2025.

Butker was the only kicker on the roster until the Chiefs signed five-time All-Pro Justin Tucker, who served a 10-game suspension last season for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.

Reid defended the signing Wednesday.

"He's done his suspension and took care of that business," Reid said. "I'll leave it at that."

Denver heads into the showdown on a three-game winning streak but still wanting more on offense. Quarterback Bo Nix had a turnaround game in a 30-16 win at Arizona last week, throwing for a score and running 62 yards for another touchdown.

But he has only seven TD passes to go with three interceptions and may not have his top pass catcher available this week. Jaylen Waddle aggravated a chest injury in the win at the Cardinals and is questionable for the game against Kansas City.

The return of rookie running back Jonah Coleman boosted the rushing game last week. He had 54 yards on nine carries after missing four games with a high ankle sprain.

The defense has picked up the slack but could be without lineman Zach Allen (hamstring) and safety Talanoa Hufanga (ankle), who did not practice Wednesday. The Broncos got a boost when Pat Surtain II was a full participant; he has missed the last two games with an ankle injury suffered in the Oct. 4 loss at San Francisco.

Denver's depth on defense was vital in wins over Seattle and Arizona.

"It is an attrition league," head coach Sean Payton said. "You hope that your offseason, how you've prepared, you're reducing your injuries. Yet with the rosters the way they are, it's very likely. So, I'm pleased that we've got that depth."

While a season-high scoring output last week has the Los Angeles Rams still believing that their best football lies ahead, the Los Angeles Chargers have spent the past two weeks pondering their options to revive a season that has gone completely astray.

The teams will meet Sunday for just the second time since moving into their Inglewood, Calif., address and the third time during their most recent L.A. eras.

The Rams (3-4) have been here before while preparing for a winnable home game. But facing the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6, they absorbed a confounding 18-16 defeat when they lost the second of their three kickers this season to an injury.

A much-improved 35-21 road victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday has the Rams once again feeling like they are about to distance themselves from a slow start.

Matthew Stafford threw three touchdown passes on just 195 yards and the running game topped that total with 199 net yards behind Kyren Williams (99 yards, one TD) and Blake Corum (93 yards, one TD).

"I trust both of those guys to execute any play we have in our offense at any time," Stafford said. "It's a unique situation. I haven't been a part of that before where ... you feel really comfortable with everything we ask of (either) halfback in this offense. It's an awesome feeling that you're getting a player who is fresh and motivated and ready to rock and roll."

Nothing about the Chargers seems fresh or worthy of energetic music. They went into their bye last week winless in six games and were last seen starting four rookies on the offensive line in a 22-6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 18.

Injuries on the line were devastating for the Chargers last season, when they still advanced to the playoffs, and are even worse now.

Quarterback Justin Herbert did not have a touchdown pass against the Chiefs and has at least one interception in each game this season. He has been sacked 21 times, tied for third most in the NFL.

The Chargers are last in the NFL with 15.0 points per game. The defense that was so strong a year ago is allowing 123.8 rushing yards per contest (21st in the NFL) and 25.2 points (22nd).

The addition of former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator was much anticipated but it has yet to make a difference. Head coach Jim Harbaugh said this week that McDaniel will keep his play-call duties.

"Everyone in the organization approached this bye week and, going forward, I mean, every resource, everybody contributing from analytics to coaching to every corner of the building (is involved)," Harbaugh said. "We need to win, and that's what it starts with today."

In addition to injuries on the offensive line, safety Derwin James Jr. has missed the last three games with a hamstring issue and might be headed to injured reserve after a setback in his recovery. Wide receiver Ladd McConkey (concussion) was a full practice participant Wednesday.

Rams center Coleman Shelton (hip) and tight end Colby Parkinson (rib) did not practice. Cornerback Trent McDuffie (groin) was limited after missing two games, and linebacker Nate Landman (concussion) was a full participant after not playing against the Raiders.

Five quarterbacks collected zero wins in a combined seven games last month for the NFC East rivals, who now find themselves buried in the division. Philadelphia (2-5) sits in third place, ahead of only Washington (1-4-1).

Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota and rookie Athan Kaliakmanis took snaps as the Commanders went 0-2-1 in October, while Tanner McKee took the reins from an ailing Jalen Hurts as the Eagles staggered through an 0-4 month.

The Commanders have not won a game since Sept. 27. The Eagles, who beat Washington behind Hurts' three touchdown passes in the season opener, have not cracked the win column since Sept. 20.

"It's going to be an absolute battle. I think it's two angry teams willing to fight for the last snap and significant matchups in all three phases," Commanders coach Dan Quinn said Wednesday. "For us, what I'm really digging in and pushing on is I'm looking for winning football for all four quarters. We know the plan. We know what needs to be done."

There is at least one more thing both teams have in common besides awful Octobers. Injuries to the starting QBs -- Daniels' left elbow and Hurts' blood clots -- have largely overshadowed the struggles of both defenses.

Philadelphia is tied with the Indianapolis Colts for the fewest takeaways (three) and is the only team that hasn't recovered an opponent's fumble. Only Miami (six) has fewer sacks than the Eagles (eight), and the Dolphins have played one fewer game.

Only the Arizona Cardinals (29.7) are giving up more points per game than Washington (28.7). The Commanders also have the NFL's second-worst red-zone defense, allowing touchdowns on 18 of their opponents' 22 trips inside the 20.

The Eagles are on a short week, coming off a 38-21 home loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night in which they led 21-20 late in the third quarter. They are trying to avoid their first six-game losing streak since an eight-game skid in 2012.

Against the Cowboys, Philadelphia gave up 416 total yards -- 204 on the ground -- and did not record a sack or a tackle for loss.

"I did not see an effort issue on Monday night," Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said Wednesday. "Obviously, it was other things. ... But effort in no way, shape or form was an issue there.

"Now, do you bat 100% on effort? No, you don't play a perfect football game. So anytime there is an effort standout in a positive way, we show it to the team, we show what the standard is. And anytime there is one that we feel there was a loaf, we point that out and show that to the team. But ... I didn't look at the tape and say, 'Hey, this was an effort issue and this is why this play happened or that play happened.'"

Six Eagles did not practice on Wednesday, including star running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring/back) and top wide receivers DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (ankle). Six others practiced on a limited basis.

The Commanders are rested after a bye week and looking for their first win in the division. They were stuffed on a late two-point try in the 24-22 loss at Philadelphia in Week 1, lost 37-20 at Dallas in Week 2, then ran out of time in a 27-27 overtime tie with the division-leading New York Giants in Week 5.

Tight end John Bates (shoulder) and defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (knee) missed Washington's Wednesday practice.

But Dallas (3-4) has exhibited a tendency to play down to its opposition of late and Arizona (2-5) fits the bill of that kind of team. In fact, the Cardinals haven't lost in AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, going 4-0.

The Cowboys are also coming off a short week, although they did win 38-21 on Monday night in Philadelphia. They saddled up Javonte Williams for a career-high 155 rushing yards, and the Cowboys finished with more than 200 yards rushing and passing.

Can they do it again? Recent history says it's unlikely. Dallas has won consecutive games just once under coach Brian Schottenheimer, taking three in a row last November.

Quarterback Dak Prescott said the Cowboys' momentum can pick up quickly if the team can replicate its Monday night effort over time.

"We say the division is right in front of us," Prescott said. "It is as long as we win, Momentum's real, especially in this league. ... We've just got to make sure we have a great week of preparations to make sure that translates into a big win. You get two in a row, you start stacking."

The schedule would seem to suggest that the Cowboys can do quite a bit of stacking. The win in Philadelphia started a six-game stretch where they will play just one team with a winning record in 6-1 San Francisco. Matchups with 2-5 Indianapolis, 1-6 Tennessee and the 2-5 Eagles are also on the docket before the calendar flips to December.

While Dallas strives for consistency, Arizona aims to bounce back after a 30-16 home loss last week against Denver. The Cardinals moved the ball fairly well against an elite defense but scored just one touchdown on five trips inside the red zone.

That was still an improvement over the previous game, an 18-16 win at the Los Angeles Rams where Arizona went 0-for-5, getting all its points via six field goals.

"We have to finish, and that's a collective effort," said first-year coach Mike LaFleur.

The bigger question for some is the status of starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett. With Arizona a long shot to make the playoffs, speculation has started that Brissett could be benched for either veteran backup Gardner Minshew or rookie Carson Beck.

LaFleur did his part to shoot down that theory on Wednesday.

"If the ball was just stagnant for 60 minutes and didn't cross the 50-yard line, that would be one thing," LaFleur said. "We've been down inside the 10 (yard line) 10 times the last two games, so the ball's moving."

The inability to finish drives has put more pressure on a defense that isn't quite capable of handling it. The Cardinals are permitting a league-worst 29.7 points per game, undone by a lack of impactful defensive plays. They're tied for 19th in sacks (15) and have only three interceptions.

Nine Arizona players didn't practice on Wednesday, including the right side of the Cardinals' offensive line in tackle Elijah Wilkinson (knee) and guard Jon Gaines II (ankle). Rookie running back Jeremiyah Love (ankle) practiced on a limited basis and could return this week.

Dallas wide receiver George Pickens (shoulder/hamstring) got a limited designation on his team's injury report, although the team only held a walkthrough.

The Kings won games at Washington (5-2), the New York Islanders (3-2 in OT) and the New York Rangers (6-3) but lost at New Jersey (3-1) and ended the trip with a 2-1 setback at Chicago on Tuesday. Los Angeles blew an early 1-0 lead in that contest and surrendered the go-ahead goal to Wyatt Kaiser midway through the third period following a turnover.

Normally a 3-2-0 road trip would have been reason to celebrate. But after starting the season with a dismal 0-4-2 record, a 4-1-0 trip would have felt a whole lot better for Peter Laviolette's squad.

"We had an opportunity to move up in the (Pacific Division) standings and continue to climb out of a hole that we had at the beginning of the year," Laviolette said. "We didn't get it done."

The Kings are seventh in the eight-team Pacific with eight points, just one more than last-place Vancouver, which has the fewest points in the NHL.

"It sucks not winning the last game," Los Angeles center Quinton Byfield said. "Going 3-2 is still a little bit of a positive for us. Obviously, it would be a lot better (going) 4-1, so it stings on the way back here. But from where we started, I feel it's getting a lot better, and it's got to keep going that way."

The seven-game homestand is tied for the longest of the season for the Kings, which is 0-3-0 at Crypto Arena.

Ottawa will be playing the second contest of a five-game road trip that began with a 4-1 loss to the reigning Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.

The Senators dominated the start of the contest, outshooting the Golden Knights, 11-4, in the first period and holding Vegas to just six shots over the first 30 minutes. But the contest remained scoreless until the final 11 seconds of the second period when Braeden Bowman scored a power-play goal to put the Golden Knights in front.

Ottawa rallied to tie it, 1-1, early in the third period on Shane Pinto's breakaway power-play goal. But Raphael Lavoie scored his first career NHL goal at the 8:01 mark when he slammed in a rebound of a Nic Dowd shot to put Vegas back in front, and William Karlsson and Jack Eichel each found the empty net to seal the win.

"It was a hard-fought game," Ottawa coach Travis Green said. "I thought our team played well. Loved our start, really liked our first period. I thought Vegas pushed back in the second period like a good team will do. We had so many looks that we didn't capitalize on. I thought both goalies played well, and it was one of those games where it was just going to be decided by a bounce here or there, and we were on the wrong side of it."

Senators forward Warren Foegele left the contest midway through the third period with assistance after a knee-to-knee hit by Jeremy Lauzon along the right boards on his right knee.

"He didn't come back, so it's never a good sign," Green said.

The Kings swept two games from the Senators last season, winning 2-1 in Los Angeles and 1-0 behind 17 saves by goalie Anton Forsberg at Ottawa.

Tuch enjoyed his second straight two-goal game in Washington's 5-2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night as the Capitals completed a 4-1 homestand.

The Thursday game will mark Alex Ovechkin's final regular-season appearance at Bridgestone Arena.

The Predators, playing the middle outing of a five-game homestand, are coming off a 4-3 shootout loss to the New York Islanders. Nashville rallied from a 3-0 second-period deficit to force overtime and has earned points in three straight games (1-0-2).

On Wednesday night, Tuch's linemates filled the scoresheet against the Flyers as well. Jordan Kyrou scored twice and center Dylan Strome had three assists. Aliaksei Protas scored his first goal of the season and Logan Thompson, who returned after missing one game with a lower-body injury, made 23 saves.

"Probably our most complete 60 minutes and didn't let them get a whole lot of sustained zone time besides the two penalties in the third (period), but other than that, a really solid game," Strome said. "And when we did have a little bit of a blunder, (Thompson) was there for us."

Strome has six points (two goals, four assists) in his past two games, and Kyrou has eight points (three goals, five assists) in his past five. Tuch has nine goals on the season.

The Capitals have only played three road games this season, losing two.

"Nashville's a tough team, I've played against them a bunch in my past," Kyrou, formerly of the St. Louis Blues, said. "It's not going to be an easy game. We just want to play aggressive and support each other out there."

Ovechkin has a goal and three assists in 11 games this season. Against the Predators he has 20 goals and 12 assists in 31 career games.

On the Nashville side, Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist against the Islanders, and Alex Kerfoot and Ryan O'Reilly also scored. The Predators are 0-0-5 in games decided in overtime or a shootout. Juuse Saros made 25 saves.

"We've had some hard nights here of late, either letting some leads slip away or not winning overtime or shootout," Predators coach Andrew Brunette said.

Forsberg has five points (two goals, three assists) in his past two games.

New York scored twice in the first period and added another goal just over a minute into the second.

"The start of the game wasn't where we wanted to be," Brunette said. "I don't know, I'm trying to put my finger on it. It seems like it's been a year (or) year and a half of talking about this, but we're having trouble grabbing it.

Saros is 5-5-0 with a 2.74 goals-against average (GAA) and .907 save percentage in his career versus Washington. Likely Capitals starter Charlie Lindgren is 0-3 with a 3.10 GAA and .862 save percentage against the Predators.

The teams split two games last season. Roman Josi had a goal and two assists in a 3-2 Predators win on Jan. 11 in Nashville. On Feb. 5 in Washington, Jakob Chychrun had two goals and an assist in a 4-2 Capitals win.