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 Tuesday

1. No. 19 SMU survived a power outage and sloppy performance to beat FSU. A win is a win. That’s got to be what the Mustangs are thinking after beating the Seminoles 27-24 on Monday night. The game got off to an inauspicious start when a power outage in Doak Campbell Stadium delayed kickoff for an hour and 40 minutes. Then, SMU made one mistake after another — including four turnovers — but managed to survive for a very sloppy ACC road win. Winning the turnover battle 4-0 and still losing the game won’t make Mike Norvell’s seat any cooler.
2. Patriots and star cornerback Christian Gonzalez agree to a record extension. According to multiple reports, Gonzalez has agreed to a four-year, $135 million extension that has also reset the market for his position. With $102 million in guaranteed money, the blockbuster deal makes him the highest-paid cornerback in league history by average annual value — as well as the highest-paid player to ever wear a Patriots uniform.
3. Tua Tagovailoa will start for the Falcons in Week 1. The quarterback battle in Atlanta is over — at least for one week. Kevin Stefanski has announced that Tagovailoa will start against the Steelers on Sunday. Tagovailoa, who was released by the Dolphins in the offseason, got the nod by default. Michael Penix Jr. has been dealing with an injury and may not even suit up in Pittsburgh. If Tagovailoa is going to hold off Penix all season, he will need a big bounce-back campaign.
4. Aaron Judge will return to the Yankees’ lineup tonight. With the Red Sox nipping at their heels in the wild-card race, the Yankees are getting some major reinforcements. New York activated Judge from the IL on Monday, and he’s slated to be in the lineup against the Rockies tonight. Even if Judge isn’t 100 percent, he should improve New York’s anemic offense immediately. With the MVP back in the lineup, the Yankees do face some key questions as they roll into the home stretch of the regular season.
5. We’ve got your last-minute fantasy football draft tips. If you’ve put off drafting for this long, just over a day before the season begins, you may be a procrastinator by nature. That’s OK. Our crack team of fantasy football experts has all the info you need. Each member of our “Fantasy Football Today” team has put together must-draft lists. Plus, Jamey Eisenberg has 12 sleepers you can target in the later rounds of your draft, and Heath Cummings has updated RB tiers. Good luck and happy drafting.

🏈 Do not miss this: Week 1 NFL Power Rankings

We’re so close to NFL football, you can practically smell it. But let’s not put the cart before the horse.

Before the season officially kicks off, you need to read the Week 1 edition of Pete Prisco’s NFL Power Rankings. Pete has a pair of NFC West teams — the Rams and the Seahawks — at the top to begin the season, but he doesn’t expect them to finish there.

Instead, Pete has called his Super Bowl shot with the Jaguars and Cowboys, both of whom begin the season in the top five. Roll your eyes all you want, but Pete has a message for the doubters: “Talk to me in February.”

• Prisco: “The Jaguars are third in my rankings to open the season with the Cowboys fifth. When I made the Super pick last week, people said I was either crazy, on drugs or just too damn old — many in nastier tones than that. I just think the Jaguars, who won 13 games last year, will be a better team this time around. The Cowboys were already good on offense, but now will be much better on defense with a new coordinator in Christian Parker and a lot of new, talented faces.”

You can check out the full rankings right here, but for now, here’s a brief peek:

16. Patriots
17. Chargers
18. Vikings
19. Lions
20. Steelers

The Cowboys might be at No. 5 in the rankings, but they could struggle to stay there following a significant offensive line injury. Three-time Pro Bowl guard Tyler Smith is expected to miss four to six weeks after undergoing thumb surgery.

🔥 NFL coaches on the hottest seats

If you’ve been outside at all in the past week, you know it has been unreasonably hot for this time of year. That said, I can guarantee you there are a handful of NFL coaches sweating more than the rest of us.

Our own Zach Pereles highlighted five coaches sitting on the hottest seats as we enter the 2026 season, and it may not surprise you to see Bengals coach Zac Taylor on the list. Taylor has survived a couple disappointing seasons already, but he’s running out of excuses — especially with an upgraded defense and a division full of first-year coaches.

• Pereles: “Taylor is the only AFC North coach not in his first season. The Ravens, Browns and Steelers all moved on from coaches who had previously had major success. John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin were both Super Bowl winners. Kevin Stefanski won two Coach of the Year awards. Taylor remains despite having accomplished neither. If this year isn’t the year to return to the postseason — the drought is up to three years now — Taylor might not return, period.”

Without spoiling too much, Jets coach Aaron Glenn is also sitting on a toasty seat. But … what if the Jets are better than expected? Don’t laugh. Just read Josh Edwards as he lays out the best-case scenario for every Super Bowl longshot.

👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest

• Could Dante Moore actually be the No. 1 QB in the 2027 NFL Draft?
• The Giants have released Darius Slayton in a rather shocking move. Could the productive veteran wideout have a reunion with former coach Brian Daboll on the Titans?
• Michigan is sticking with Bryce Underwood at QB — but it’s not “infinite.”
• Arch Manning is taking his bizarre pregame tunnel tumble in stride.
• We’re on to ETSU: Bill Belichick remains mum on the investigation into UNC football.
• Tennessee LB Arion Carter is making the best of a bad situation with his cancer donation drive.
• Paige Bueckers aced the FIBA World Cup group stage for Team USA.
• The MLB playoff race is heating up, so stay locked in with our updated projections.
• The WMU vs. Michigan debacle is among the most controversial CFB endings ever.
• The UEFA Champions League begins today, and we have expert picks right here.
• Fresh blood: USMNT plans to mix in rising stars in its post-World Cup matches.

📺 What we’re watching Tuesday

⚽ UEFA Champions League: Aston Villa at Club Brugge, 12:45 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
🏀 FIBA World Cup: Germany vs. South Korea, 2:45 p.m. on truTV
⚽ UEFA Champions League: Villareal at Borussia Dortmund, 3 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
⚾ Astros at Phillies, 6:40 p.m. on TBS