NBA hammers Clippers over Kawhi Leonard scandal; Dante Moore No. 1 in CFB QB rankings

Plus, your 2026 fantasy football draft guides are here Sep 3, 2026 at 9:11 am ET • 6 min read This is an article version of the CBS Sports HQ AM Newsletter, the ultimate guide to every day in sports. You can sign up to get it in your inbox every weekday morning here. 🤯 Five things to know Thursday The NBA hammered the Clippers for cap circumvention in the Kawhi Leonard scandal. On Wednesday, the NBA handed out a penalty that would make SMU blush. The league suspended Clippers owner Steve Ballmer for one year, fined the team $30 million and forced the team to forfeit five first-round picks. L.A. has already vowed to "fight" those punishments, but there's no guarantee any of them get reduced. The one party who got off rather easily in this saga was Leonard, who got the best-case result while leaving the Clippers in his wake. With this lengthy saga now at an end, here is the path forward for both the Clips and Leonard.Kirk Cousins will start over Fernando Mendoza in Week 1. The Raiders have named their starting quarterback for next week, and it isn't the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Instead, Klint Kubiak will roll with a steady veteran hand in Cousins while Mendoza continues to find his footing in the NFL. With that decision, Las Vegas snaps a streak of five straight No. 1 overall quarterbacks starting in Week 1 of their rookie seasons. Based on Mendoza's uneven preseason, this decision isn't exactly a shocker.Tiger Woods accepted a plea deal in his DUI case. Back in March, Woods was arrested and charged with DUI after a rollover car crash in Florida. The golfing legend initially pled not guilty, but he has since changed his legal stance. Woods has agreed to a plea deal that includes a reduced charge of reckless driving and refusal to submit to a lawful test. As a result, Woods will avoid jail time, but his license will be suspended for five years. Following his arrest, Woods missed the entire PGA Tour while seeking treatment outside the country.The Georgia attorney general has called on the SEC to suspend or expel LSU. If you thought "it just means more" was an empty slogan, you would be wrong. The Georgia attorney general has urged SEC commissioner Greg Sankey to "use all measures available" to keep LSU from rostering former NFL players this fall. One of the suggested punishments from the Georgia AG was expulsion. Let's hope it doesn't get that far. Still, if there's one coach who isn't afraid to be a lightning rod for controversy, it's Lane Kiffin.Eight-time All-Pro kicker Justin Tucker worked out with the Jets. Tucker hasn't kicked in the NFL since 2024, when 16 massage therapists accused him of sexual misconduct, but he is getting a look from the Jets with just over a week until the regular season. When the allegations became public, Tucker described the accusations as "unequivocally false." Since then, Tucker has worked out for the Colts and Saints, but he didn't sign with either team. Tucker was one of three kickers hosted by the Jets, along with Michael Badgley and Josh Karty. 🏈 Do not miss this: Dante Moore tops CFB QB rankings CBS Sports graphic There is an excellent crop of QBs in college football this year, and trying to properly rank each one of them is an impossible task. Luckily for you all, my colleague David Cobb is here to do the impossible with his first batch of QB Power Rankings. There was plenty of competition for the No. 1 spot, including Texas superstar Arch Manning and Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin, but Oregon QB Dante Moore starts the season at the top of the pile. An improved supporting cast around Moore should allow him to elevate his game beyond already stratospheric levels. Cobb: "Oregon's receiver room is improved and in vastly better health than it was for much of last season. The improvement of Moore's supporting cast will be more than enough to offset any minor complications that may arise from the transition to a new offensive coordinator. Look for him to surpass last season's totals of 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns while guiding the Ducks deep into the postseason."The full rankings can be found here, but since I'm excited about Week 1, here's a little taste: 41. Colton Joseph, Wisconsin 42. Aaron Philo, Florida 43. Faizon Brandon, Tennessee 44. Owen McCown, UTSA 45. Davis Warren, Stanford One QB who is not on the list (yet), but is extraordinary in his own right is Ball State signal caller Keldric Luster. After becoming somewhat of an internet sensation, Luster will lead the Cardinals against No. 1 Ohio State this weekend. 🏆 Fantasy football draft prep Getty Images We're rapidly approaching the biggest draft weekend of the fantasy football season -- perhaps you're even drafting tonight -- and you're woefully underprepared. The bad news is that you're behind the eight ball. The good news is that our industry-leading team can get you caught up before you're on the clock. In some cases, knowing who not to draft is just as important as knowing who to draft. Heath Cummings can help you avoid those land mines with his Fantasy Football Busts 3.0 column, in which he lays out a few players to avoid. Texans RB David Mongtomery may have that backfield all to himself, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll pile up fantasy points. Cummings: "This is one of the busts that has stuck throughout the summer. Unlike Irving, Montgomery is pretty much guaranteed short touchdowns; I am not sure there will be much else to like, though. Woody Marks will handle at least a third of the team's rush attempts and serve as their primary pass-catching running back. And it is hard to quantify how much worse the Texans' line blocking for Montgomery is than the Lions' line he has run behind over the last few seasons. I would not draft Montgomery until Round 6."It probably goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway. You need to be locked in and subscribed to "Fantasy Football Today" for all the latest news and best fantasy football advice you're ever going to find on the world wide web. Here's a mini draft guide for all you procrastinators (or overachievers): The official must-draft list from every FFT expert.Dave Richard will help you rob your fellow managers in the late rounds.Jamey Eisenberg has identified the best and worst ADP values heading into draft weekend.Here's a little strategy roadmap for those of you in Superflex leagues. 👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest Getty Images Deion Sanders has done a lot for Colorado, but now he must win football games.KC Concepcion is one of the top players to watch for NFL Rookie of the Year.The spotlight is squarely on Dodgers star Will Smith as October approaches.Burn the tape: Todd Monken hasn't rewatched Deshaun Watson's disastrous stretch in Cleveland.Giants RB Cam Skattebo needs to find better advice before things turn sour.Week 1 of CFB is here, and we have expert picks and predictions for you.It doesn't seem like Mike Trout is very upset about new ownership in Anaheim.One UConn squad won a narrow vote for best CBB team of the 21st century.How many FIBA World Cup teams are a true threat to Team USA?Dan Hooker is more than happy to play the villain against Salahdine Parnasse. 📺 What we're watching Thursday 🏈 UMass at Rutgers, 6 p.m. on Big Ten Network ⚾ Red Sox at Orioles, 7:15 p.m. on Fox ⚾ Brewers at Cubs, 7:15 p.m. on Fox 🏈 Colorado at Georgia Tech, 8 p.m. on ESPN 🏈 Arkansas-Pine Bluff at No. 25 Missouri, 8 p.m. on SEC Network 🏈 UAB at Illinois, 9 p.m. on Big Ten Network