By Sam McPherson

There’s a lot of noise this week about upcoming trades in Major League Baseball. For example, by the time you read this, the New York Yankees may have traded their closer Aroldis Chapman. That means saves in the bullpen for the Bronx Bombers now could be in the hands of relievers Andrew Miller or Dellin Betances. The smart fantasy baseball owner has to anticipate trades like these and look for solutions before the other owners in the same league.

Even on the Yankees, it’s not just about Chapman. The team could also trade outfielder Carlos Beltran, leaving a lot of plate appearances behind for reserve player Aaron Hicks. There are similar scenarios for a lot of under-performing MLB teams this year, and the July 31 trade deadline is right around the corner. Watching the news reports and anticipating trades could be the key to success or failure for your fantasy baseball team.

Every season about this time, fantasy owners are impacted by the real MLB trades made by contending teams trying to improve rosters. Remember when the Oakland Athletics had the best record in the sport two summers ago? They didn’t stand pat: Billy Beane traded for Jon Lester and Jeff Samardzija to give his team a nasty starting rotation, but when the A’s bullpen fell apart, Oakland faded and ended up losing the American League Wild Card Game in Kansas City. When those trades were made, players for the A’s, the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox all changed roles and saw their fantasy value diminish or improve. 

Watch the news this week, and don’t let your team get the short end of the fantasy stick when it comes to losing playing time. It could make a huge difference come September when your league title is still up for grabs.

Players to Get On Your Roster Now

1. Steve Pearce, UTL, Tampa Bay Rays: He is 33 years old, but Pearce should see plenty of playing time for the rest of the season with the last-place Rays if he doesn’t get traded to a contender this week. Depending on your league rules, he also could be eligible at four positions right now (1B, 2B, 3B, OF), and Pearce is hitting .318 with 10 home runs in only 215 plate appearances so far. If you’re counting at home, that’s 46 HRs over his last 250 games in MLB since 2014. Pearce can hit and help almost any roster.

2. Carlos Estevez, RP, Colorado Rockies: No, this is not some sort of spoof from “Major League”, as this is a real ballplayer (and not Charlie Sheen, who shares his birth name with this new Colorado closer). Ignore the ERA right now (4.08), and focus on his saves (eight) and strikeouts (40 Ks in 35 1/3 innings). Estevez has half his saves and a 2.25 ERA since the All-Star break, and he is entrenching himself nicely in the closer’s role. He’s young, so the Rockies aren’t going to trade him. If you need saves, he’s your guy to grab right now.

3. Tyler Naquin, OF, Cleveland Indians: This has nothing to do with the trade deadline, as the Tribe is competing for the AL Central Division title. But Naquin is taking starts away from Rajai Davis, so it’s time to give him a look. Naquin is hitting .322 with 12 HRs right now, and with more playing time, the counting stats are going to go higher and higher. If you have Davis on your roster, it’s a smart move to grab Naquin now. He won’t replace Davis’ steals, but Naquin can swing the lumber.

4. Tommy Joseph, 1B, Philadelphia Phillies: Another cheap power source, Joseph has taken over the position from former MVP Ryan Howard, and as a rookie, the Phillies will commit to him long term now. He’s hit 13 HRs in just 52 games this season, which means he could be good for 15 more dingers between now and the end of the regular season. Philly is not a good team, so the RBI may not be plentiful, but Joseph is going to get as many as he can with his .529 slugging percentage.

Players to Sit/Drop This Week

1. Prince Fielder, DH, Texas Rangers: If you still were hoping for Fielder to have a strong second half, it’s time to let it go as his neck injury has flared up again. He could miss the rest of the season, so there’s no point into holding on to Fielder now. This is a similar injury to the one that cost Fielder most of the 2014 season, and while he recovered to have an All-Star campaign last year, it’s been another ugly season for him in 2016. We’re sorry your faith has not been rewarded with Prince.

2. Hyun-jin Ryu, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers: He’s an injury risk now, period, which is sad for fantasy baseball. Ryu won 28 games with a low 3.00s ERA in 2013 and 2014 combined, but he’s made just one start this season after missing all of 2015 due to injury. He’s not making a comeback this season, so it’s time to just release him and see if he gets any better by spring next year. If you’ve been stashing Ryu on your disabled list or bench all summer, the gamble just hasn’t paid off for you.

3. Jake McGee, RP, Colorado Rockies: The downside to Estevez’ rise is the fall of McGee, who has saved 41 games for the Rays and the Rockies in recent seasons. He wasn’t pitching super well for Colorado before he got hurt, and now that he’s back from his injury, McGee still isn’t throwing well. Even if he improves, Estevez has the closing job for now with the Rockies. McGee’s numbers (5.79 ERA, 1.500 WHIP) don’t even warrant stashing him on the bench, as the Colorado bullpen has guys with better numbers than that right now in case Estevez falters.

4. Michael Brantley, OF, Cleveland Indians: After an All-Star year in 2014 and a great follow-up season in 2015, it’s been a lost effort for Brantley in 2016. If and when he comes back from his latest injury, the Tribe will use him as a backup player and depth insurance. Brantley isn’t going to rake like he did the last two seasons, when he hit 90 doubles combined with 35 HRs and 38 SBs. Like Ryu, the gamble just has not paid off this summer, so release him and find better value elsewhere.

Sam McPherson is a freelance writer covering baseball, football, basketball, golf and fantasy sports for CBS Local. He also is an Ironman triathlete and certified triathlon coach. Follow him on Twitter @sxmcp, because he’s quite prolific despite also being a college English professor and a certified copy editor.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A 33-year-old Eden Prairie man has been charged in connection to a high-speed chase that went through a construction zone Thursday morning.

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office charged Chad Andrew Lithgow with one felony count of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle.

Minnetonka police say the pursuit started just before 9 a.m.

Officers attempted to stop Lithgow’s car for speeding near County Road 62 and Rowland Road in Minnetonka, when he took off heading north, weaving between two stopped vehicles at an intersection and running a red light. The complaint says Lithgow then entered Interstate 494 and reached speeds of over 100 mph until he exited onto eastbound I-394.

Officers from various departments joined in the pursuit, which made its way southbound onto Highway 100 and then northbound onto Gleason Road in Edina.

The pursuit ended in Edina near West 78th Street and Gleason Road. He crashed into a car that was backing out of a driveway. That driver was not injured.

Lithgow is now in custody and if convicted, faces up to 3 years and a day in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.

Lithgow has a history of fleeing police and speeding. His license is suspended, and he is also on probation for a 2014 incident where he was arrested for fleeing in a motor vehicle.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Former Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings said football is over for him.

Jennings made the announcement on the “FamiLeague” YouTube channel. In the video, Jennings said, “The past 20 years of my life has been football, but today that all changes.”

The news of Jennings’ retirement comes as reports of another Vikings’ player retiring hit the news.

According to ESPN, Vikings tackle Phil Loadholt is expected to retire Monday.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Every week, Kylie Bearse meets a child battling a serious illness, but this week she’s bringing a special “mom” edition of Kylie’s Kids.

WCCO first introduced you to Sydney the Cancer Slayer last year when she was fighting a blood cancer. But when her mom found out she had breast cancer, she became Deanna the Cancer Destroyer.

This walk along the Mississippi holds a special place for Deanna. It’s where she would come with her daughter Sydney.

“This was her happy spot, and we really enjoyed this place together,” she said. “St. Anthony Main was the place that we would come and just enjoy.”

This year, St. Anthony Main is now Deanna’s break from the hospital. Just after their Make a Wish trip to Paris in March, Deanna learned that she now had cancer, with the same doctor delivering the news.

“And she goes, ‘I’m looking at the paperwork and it’s the same date as Sydney was diagnosed,'” Deanna said.

March 28, 2015 was when Sydney was diagnosed. March 28, 2016 brought Deanna’s breast cancer diagnosis.

“Sydney immediately when she found out she had cancer, she said I’m going to be the Cancer Slayer,” Deanna said. “The moment I found out, she said: ‘Well, you’re going to have to come up with a name now.’ So it was Deanna the Cancer Destroyer.”

Just like Sydney slayed her cancer, Deanna plans to destroy hers.

“I just remember saying to myself when Sydney was diagnosed and she was lying in that bed … I would take her place, in a million years I would take her place,” she said. “Now, in my mind’s eye, Sydney will never ever have cancer again because I’m taking the place.”

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A 26-year-old Minnesota man is accused of shooting at a group of Somali men in Minneapolis late last month, wounding two, after someone he was with made a derogatory comment about Muslims.

Anthony John Sawina, of Lauderdale, faces five counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in connection to the June 29 shooting, court documents filed in Hennepin County say. If convicted of the five charges, Sawina faces a maximum penalty of 35 years in prison.

According to a criminal complaint, the shooting happened after bar close near the intersection of 14th Avenue Southeast and 6th Street Southeast, just east from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus.

The five victims, all of which were Somali men, told police that they’d gone out to play basketball that night. As they were leaving the area, they crossed paths with Sawina, who was with a group of people leaving a bar.

One of the bar-goers called out to a person in the Somali group, who was wearing traditional clothing for Ramadan. The bar-goer asked: “What’s that dress you’re wearing?” and tried to shake the Somali man’s hand. The Somali man refused, the complaint states.

As the victims were getting in their car to leave, someone in the bar-going group said, “F— Muslims,” the complaint states. One of the victims then called back, asking why someone would say that. In response, Sawina and another man walked towards the victims’ car.

As he approached, Sawina said, “What if someone said it?” What if?” the complaint states. He then pulled out a gun and pointed it at the car’s windshield. Two of the Somali men got out of the car and ran; the three others stayed. Sawina opened fire.

He shot through the windshield, the complaint states, and went around to the passenger’s side of the car, and continued shooting. Two of the Somali men were hit in the legs.

Sawina and the other man fled the scene. The two wounded victims were driven to Hennepin County Medical Center by the one person left uninjured in the car.

Officers spoke with the Somali men at the hospital, the complaint states. Surveillance video corroborated their story.

Using bar receipts and surveillance video, police were about to identify Sawina’s group. They made contact with the person who witnessed the shooting, and learned of Sawina’s identity.

About three weeks after the shooting, officers found and arrested Sawina on July 21 at his home in Lauderdale, a suburb just north of the Twin Cities. Police said they found two handguns while searching his home.

Sawina, who is currently in custody, has two previous convictions for carrying a handgun without a permit. His bail was set at $750,000.

Over the last five-plus years, the craft brewery movement has grown exponentially in Minnesota. The Associated Press says licensing records show two-thirds of Minnesota breweries have opened just since 2010. So, we decided to help you – and your livers – keep up with the taproom trend by stopping by some of these Twin Cities brewhouses. For the next brewery, Tap Talk is taking a trip to the North Loop in Minneapolis and visiting Freehouse.

What started as two servers dreaming up a breakfast restaurant concept has now blossomed into a successful restaurant company: Blue Plate Restaurant Company.

It’s been a long journey since 1993. That’s when co-founders Stephanie Shimp and David Burley, who were Nicollet Island Inn servers at the time, teamed up and opened their first restaurant, the Highland Grill.

“We noticed a lack of breakfast places in the Twin Cities market,” she said. “We were kids and didn’t know any better. I sold my car and he had some money saved up from waiting tables. We found the Highland Grill for sale for in the Star Tribune classifieds ad section for under $10,000 and we bought it.”

For 18 months, Shimp and Burley worked at the new restaurant every single day – as well as a catering job at night – until they could “feed ourselves without a second job.”

Since then, the restaurant company has opened Groveland Tap, The Edina Grill, the Longfellow Grill, 3 Squares, The Lowry, Freehouse (of course) and their newest addition: the Blue Barn at the Minnesota State Fair.

But now for the main attraction: Freehouse and its beer.

(credit: CBS)

“I got to work with three different head brewers. So, I saw their philosophies, which were very different. Some focused heavily on quality, some heavily on flavors and some heavily on consistency. And I took pieces from all of those brewers,” he said.

In addition to melding those three priorities, another aspect Pio heavily focuses on is making beers that don’t fill you up (because that’s what their food is for) and pairing them well with said food.

So, for more on the brewpub, its beer, its food and everything else, check out the interview below with Pio and Shimp.

Pio and Shimp (credit: CBS)

How did the Freehouse come about?

Shimp: It was born when we were drinking beer on the rooftop of the Walker at Rock The Garden. I’m thinking 2012. A buddy of ours who just got back from a brewery somewhere said “you know, we don’t have any real brewpubs here.” And I agreed. A month or two later, David did a big brewpub tour through Portland and Denver and I went out east to the other Portland. And we thought the brewpub thing was really cool. We fortunately hooked up with Pio, and he was able to help us put together the design and equipment package. And I think we make some pretty damn good beer.

(credit: CBS)

In regards to your food — how did comfort-food-with-a-twist come about?

Shimp: David and I grew up in small towns and we wanted a place where it doesn’t need to be a special occasion to visit us. And in order to achieve that frequency and belonging, you need to have food that’s approachable and you can come back to often.

(credit: CBS)

We really think the comfort-food-with-a-twist goes well with our Blue Plate ethos: the blue plate special of the 50s, the blue collar worker, the blue ribbon at the state fair.

So, what’s the overall aim of the Blue Plate Company? Is there one?

Shimp: We’re a collection of neighborhood restaurants. Our goal is to serve our community and to tailor each restaurant to meet the individual and specific needs of its community.

Freehouse fancy rotisserie (credit: CBS)

So, Pio, could you describe some of your brews?

Pio: The No. 1 is our Kolsh. It’s our most popular beer. It’s a light German-style ale. No. 2, our year-round IPA, is our second-most popular beer — a very close competitor to our No. 1. The No. 11 is our Belgian style witbier, which is my favorite style. I tend to drink IPAs more, but if I could only have one beer for the rest of my life, it’d be the No. 11.

No. 13 is blueberry blonde, which is not my type of beer. I make beers for guest, but I did surprise our owners when I wrote that recipe. Our guests love it. We make it in summer and keep it kind of limited. We make more and more every year because people love it.

A view of part of the brewery  (credit: CBS)

You guys make it clear that you serve competitor’s beer, too. How do you go about deciding on what to offer?

Pio: It started where we were a brand new brand in the market, so I didn’t want to have a lot of beers that would directly compete with our offerings. I don’t actually choose them, our bar manager does. But the idea was to have some worldly beer, some national craft beer and local/regional craft beer. We wanted to offer variety outside of what we make here. It is a balance.

As we saw how much of our beer we sell, my opinion changed and I told the bar manager to bring in whatever you want! I prefer they don’t directly compete, but when we do, sometimes we’ll have customers compare the two.

Pio, can you talk more about your background?

Pio: I home brewed like most people. But home brewing for me wasn’t about putting crazy ingredients in style or trying to invent styles. I did it because I really enjoyed the process. I enjoyed four hours on a Saturday, around the kettle, drinking beer and seeing how everything changed. Even before it was a dream to be in the industry, the science behind how you turn four simple ingredients into the huge selection – how it’s possible, why it works – interested me.

Pio pointing to his brew sheet (credit: CBS)

I worked at three different Rock Bottom breweries in Colorado and the benefit of that is that I got to work with three different head brewers. So, I saw their philosophies, which were very different. Some focused heavily on quality, some heavily on flavors and some heavily on consistency. And I took pieces from all of those brewers.

So, with our year-round beers, I focus heavily on consistency. Our brew sheet is electronic and it includes a ton of numbers. You can’t replicate a beer without knowing all the stats. We’ll write notes of what worked and didn’t work, so we’ll be able to make the same beer a year later.

A look at the bar (credit: CBS)

Lastly, what’s next for Freehouse/Blue Plate in general?

Shimp: We’ve got three openings this fall.

Mercury, which’ll be a 150-seat or so bistro breakfast-lunch-dinner. I’d say one-step up from our neighborhood places, but still serving the neighborhood. Downtown-east. There are very few places where people who work downtown can get an affordable lunch. You got those expensive places and then you have the food trucks, not a lot in between. So, we’re hoping to serve that in-between.

Catering event center through Shindig. We’ve had lots and lots of people who come to our restaurants and we get asked all the time about catering. So, we’ve been saying no-no-no and now we’ll be able to say yes-yes-yes.

And then we’re re-opening in St. Paul on St. Clair and Fairview the restaurant formerly known as Scusi. We’re re-opening that as Bottle Rocket. A full liquor license was made available so we acquired one of those and will be offering cocktails in a space that previously only had beer and wine.

And we opened a farm. (turns to Pio) and I’m going to need your help with that. (laughs)

With the farm, Shimp says her “Martha Stewart vision” is to get all the chefs together and decide on what to plant in the garden and create something sustainable.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The Minnesota delegation to the Democratic National Convention is commenting on the email scandal forcing chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz to resign.

The convention is off to a rocky start following the release of emails that show the Democratic National Committee coordinated efforts to help Hillary Clinton win the nomination.

Minnesota DFL state chairman Ken Martin says it comes at a time when the party is looking to unify.

“For me personally, it’s really disappointing because we work very hard in Minnesota to make sure that there’s transparency in our process, that people feel like they can have their voices heard and they can get out there and support their candidates without interference from the party,” Martin said.

Martin says the resignation of Schultz was necessary.

“She’s a lightning rod. She would not have been received well at the convention, and I think it was the right thing for her to do to step down,” Martin said.

Martin expects Bernie Sanders to stress unity and the importance of the election.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — New population estimates from the Metropolitan Council show the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are growing at a faster pace than the suburbs.

The Star Tribune reports the Twin Cities grew by 6.8 percent in the past five years.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Officials in Minnetonka say two road workers were buried in soil Monday morning for about 20 minutes after a trench collapsed.

The collapse happened around 10 a.m. at a construction site near 1900 Oakland Road.

Both of the workers were brought to a hospital. One is in serious condition, a city official said.

By Ryan Mayer

The advent of NFL training camps is almost upon us as rookies begin to report at the end of this week. With the return of football comes the return of our favorite form of legal sports betting, fantasy football. As you scour the internet for the latest news and rankings getting ready for your league’s draft, we’ll be providing you lists of the top fantasy prospects by position for this season. Today, we take a look at the guys with the best hands in the league. All fantasy point totals come from CBS Sports rankings.

Credit: Joe Robbins/Getty Images

1) Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers

Brown had a borderline insane season last year. He caught 136 of the 193 passes thrown his way (70.4%) for 1,834 yards and 10 touchdowns. That was good for 245 fantasy points, which works out to a little over 15 fantasy points per week. Keep in mind by the way, that the production for Brown came despite Ben Roethlisberger missing four games entirely and part of a fifth. Also working in Brown’s favor? Martavis Bryant is suspended the first four games of the season. Those targets have to go somewhere. 

Brown will cede some of his targets this year to Le’Veon Bell, who the Steelers hope returns fully healthy after tearing his ACL last year. The addition of LaDarius Green, who was perpetually underused in San Diego could also cut into his targets a bit. But, with a talent like Brown, the team is going to find a way to get him the football.

Credit: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

2) Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons

Jones actually led the league in receiving yards last season with 1,871. He started off the year hot and on pace to break Calvin Johnson’s single-season record for receiving yards before tailing off in Weeks 4 & 5. He resumed his normal production after that and wound up producing 233 (14.5 average) fantasy points for owners last season. He had the same number of receptions as Brown (136), making him a dominant option in PPR leagues as well.

Mohammed Sanu was added to the roster to attempt to take some of the workload off of Jones’ shoulders but, he’ll still be Ryan’s favorite target. With a more solidified offensive line following the addition of center Alex Mack, the Falcons should be able to give more time to Ryan as well, which in turn could mean Jones running roughshod over more secondaries this season.

Credit: Al Bello/Getty Images

3) Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants

Beckham has established himself as a Top 5 receiver in the league in just two seasons. He’s averaged 93.5 receptions for 1,377.5 yards and 12.5 TDs in those two years. Last season he ranked 5th among receivers in fantasy points last season (223 total, 13.9 average). He’s established himself as the number one read for Eli Manning and as long as he can stay out of fights with Josh Norman when those two meet up this year, you should expect the same level of production.

The Giants are hoping to have Victor Cruz back finally this year and they drafted Sterling Shepard out of Oklahoma in hopes of trying to take some of the pressure off of Beckham and draw some of the coverage away from him. The second leading receiver on the Giants last year was Shane Vereen followed by Rueben Randle, who is no longer with the team.

Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images

4) Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys

Bryant was injured last season and missed seven games. Add that to the fact that he played very few games with starting QB Tony Romo and you have a recipe for why Bryant put up just 31 receptions for 401 yards and three touchdowns. That meant that fantasy owners who drafted Bryant with the expectation of WR No. 1 production, instead got 58 total fantasy points, or just 6.4 per game he played.

Now for the good news. Romo is expected to be back fully healthy, playing behind one of the most dominant offensive lines in all of football. The team added a potential top running back in Ezekiel Elliott, who should force defenses to bring another defender into the box. That draws coverage away from Bryant who should also be fully healthy this season. That all adds up to Bryant returning to WR No. 1 levels of production for this fantasy season.

Credit: Dylan Buell/Getty Images

5) AJ Green, Cincinnati Bengals

AJ Green has been one of the most consistent number one receiver options since entering the league six years ago now. He’s never had less than 1,000 yards or less than 65 receptions in a season. His lowest touchdown total for a year is six, which came in 2014 when he missed three games due to injury. Last year he was 7th among receivers in fantasy points with 187 (11.6 average). That came despite starting QB Andy Dalton missing the final three games of the season due to injury.

This year, Dalton will be back healthy and the Bengals lost their 2nd and 5th leading receivers in Marvin Jones and Mohammed Sanu. The team brought in Brandon Lafell and drafted Tyler Boyd/Cody Core to try and replace that production, but until Dalton gets comfortable with those guys expect more targets to go Green’s way.

Credit: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

6) DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans

Hopkins could be higher on this list without a doubt. With a combination of Ryan Mallett, Brian Hoyer, TJ Yates and Brandon Weeden at QB last season Hopkins managed to haul in 111 catches for 1,521 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was targeted 192(!) times. His 220 fantasy points ranked 6th in the league among receivers.

Hopkins will be working with another new QB this season as Brock Osweiler, owner of a shiny new $75 million contract, which could be good or bad. Osweiler looks to be a significant improvement over what Hopkins has had to work with at the QB spot in his young career. But, there’s always a question of how long it takes for these guys to get fully on the same page. The development of Jaelen Strong and Will Fuller as secondary options would help draw some coverage away from Hopkins.

Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images

7) Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers

Nelson missed all of last season after tearing his ACL during the course of preseason. It was very evident during the Packers struggles in the latter half of the season that they missed Nelson’s ability to use his body positioning and strength to get open for Aaron Rodgers. The Packers will be hoping for a return of the Nelson from 2014 who hauled in 98 receptions for 1,519 yards and 13 touchdowns.

The biggest question mark with Nelson is his age in recovering from the injury. He’ll be 31 this season. Whether or not he’s able to show up fully recovered will determine how valuable he is in fantasy. However, with the way that recovery from ACL surgeries has trended in recent years, it would seem likely that Nelson, a full year removed from the surgery, will be able to return at top strength.

Credit: Bob Levey/Getty Images

8) Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars

With Blake Bortles breaking out in his sophomore season last year came the break out of two receivers for the Jaguars as well. Robinson and Allen Hurns each broke out as well in their second NFL seasons, both producing over 1,000 yards. Robinson was the more productive of the two putting up 80 receptions for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns. That was good for 224 fantasy points (14 per game average), which was 4th in the league.

Hurns got rewarded with a new contract this offseason, Robinson and the team haven’t come to terms on a new deal yet. So, there’s a little extra motivation to prove that last year was no fluke for him as he enters this year. One area that would surely help fantasy owners would be the improvement in his catch percentage. His 80 receptions were good, but he was targeted 151 times last year which means he caught just 53 percent of the balls thrown his way. If he can up that into the 58-60 range, fantasy owners will be praising him all season long.

Credit: Joe Robbins/Getty Images

9) Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears

Jeffery spent much of last season dealing with a nagging hamstring injury that limited his production to just 54 catches for 807 yards and four touchdowns. That production came in just nine games, which means had Jeffery been able to play the full season he likely would have been near 100 catches and 1,500 yards on the year. Jeffery was perfectly healthy in 2013-14 not missing a game.

Jeffery has a big carrot dangling in front of him this year in that he’s playing on the franchise tag and hasn’t been given a long term deal. A return to his production from 2013 and 2014 would put him in line for a nice pay day next spring. The most interesting thing is that Jeffery was the Bears leading receiver last year despite missing seven full games. That should tell you how much an offense that ranked 23rd in the NFL in passing yards per game (222.8).

Credit: Rob Foldy/Getty Images

10) Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Evans has put up 1,000 yard seasons in each of his first two years as a pro while averaging 71 catches. Now entering his third year and having had a full year of work to develop chemistry with QB Jameis Winston, Evans should be even more productive. He had just three touchdowns last season which disappointed anyone who had him on their team, but I would expect that number to be more towards the 12 that he recorded in his rookie season. Due to those three touchdowns he was just 27th in the league in fantasy points from the receiver spot at 136.

The Bucs added guard JR Sweezy in an attempt to improve the offensive line which can only help Winston and Evans connect more if Winston has more time to look over the field. While they do have a new head coach in Dirk Koetter, Koetter was the QB coach for Winston and the two developed a lot of trust which should help him continue to grow and therefore give Evans more opportunities to shine.

Snubs/Other Players To Watch

Brandon Marshall, New York Jets

I know I know Jets fans. Marshall had that 3rd best fantasy football season of any wide receiver last year when he racked up 109 receptions for 1,502 yards and 14 touchdowns, good for 230 fantasy points. So why does he find himself outside of the top 10? The answer is twofold. One, the Jets have no idea who their QB will be. Negotiations with Ryan Fitzpatrick remain at a standstill and the three options on their roster (Geno Smith, Bryce Petty, Christian Hackenberg), don’t exactly inspire confidence. Secondly, Marshall is now 32 years old and at some point those numbers are going to decline. He’ll still put up numbers this year, but I don’t expect it to be anywhere near last year’s otherworldly stats.

Sammy Watkins, Buffalo Bills

Watkins is exciting when he’s actually on the field. He missed three games last season and reports during this offseason haven’t exactly been encouraging for anyone expecting him to be 100 percent this year. If he can be on the field for a full 16 games this season, fantasy owners can likely expect somewhere between 1,000 and 1,300 yards and 8-12 touchdowns.

Amari Cooper, Oakland Raiders

Cooper had the kind of rookie year that many expected from him after Oakland took him with the 4th overall pick in last year’s draft. 72 catches, 1,070 yards and six touchdowns led to him being the 23rd best receiver in the league in terms of fantasy points at 141. Producing those kinds of numbers as a rookie is impressive. With Cooper and QB Derek Carr having a full year working with each other under their belt, expect bigger and better numbers from Cooper.

Ryan Mayer is an Associate Producer for CBS Local Sports. Ryan lives in NY but comes from Philly and life as a Philly sports fan has made him cynical. Anywhere sports are being discussed, that’s where you’ll find him.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is releasing muskie into the Gull Lake chain near Brainerd and the Fairmont chain of lakes in southern Minnesota this fall.

The muskellunge are being stocked as part of a plan to create new opportunities for muskie anglers around the state.

The DNR came up with a plan several years ago designed to balance an increased interest in muskie fishing with those opposed to muskie management and stocking.

Fisheries section chief Don Pereira says the DNR considered more than 1,800 public comments over the past two years. He says the majority of comments supported diversifying fisheries in the Gull Lake and Fairmont chain of lakes.

The DNR opted not to stock Big Marine Lake in Washington County and three lakes in Otter Tail County.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Minnesota Vikings tackle Phil Loadholt has announced his plans to retire from the NFL, following a meeting with team officials Monday.

Loadholt’s decision stemmed from soreness in his Achilles tendon, which needed to be surgically repaired after he tore the tendon in August of 2015, along with other aches and pains.

“I’ll always love this game and the opportunity to do something I dreamed about since I was seven years old,” Loadholt said. “But, my body is telling me it’s time to hang up my cleats.”

Before the injury caused him to miss the entire 2015-2016 season, Loadholt was a steady presence for the previous six seasons on the offensive line. He had been a starter since he entered the league as a second-round pick out of Oklahoma and was coming back for the 2015-2016 season after missing the final five games of the previous season with a torn pectoral muscle.

Earlier this year, the Vikings signed Andre Smith, 29, from the Cincinnati Bengals to a one-year deal to compete with Loadholt.

“I first want to thank the Wilf Family for the wonderful opportunity they gave me seven years ago,” Loadholt said. “This chapter in my life is closing and I look forward to seeing what the next one brings.”

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A garage in Albert Lea sustained $20,000 worth of damage after an early morning fire Sunday.

According to the Albert Lea Fire Department, just after 8:30 a.m. firefighters responded to a call of smoke coming from a home on the 900 block of Valley Avenue.

Upon arrival, crews found fire and heavy smoke coming from the garage.

Crews were able to extinguish the flames, limiting the damage to the garage. The structure sustained minor smoke and water damage, totaling $20,000.

No one was in the garage at the time of the fire.

The cause is currently under investigation.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A car sped through a campground running over several campsites in a Minnesota State Park early Monday morning.

According to a statement from the Pine County Sheriff’s Office, authorities received several 911 calls at around 2 a.m. Monday morning that an SUV was driving through campsites at St. Croix State Park. Callers said the male driver fled on foot into the woods with a small child.

When deputies arrived on scene, they found the SUV smashed into a tree in the campground. A witness pointed deputies in the direction the driver had fled, and officers were able to make an arrest. Authorities later found the child reported to be with the suspect with her mother, safe.

Several campsites were damaged in the incident, as the car ran over multiple tents, though no one was hurt. Authorities said a storm likely saved lives, as many campers who would’ve been in their tents had taken refuge in their cars.

Investigators said the incident started during a domestic dispute at one of the campsites, and the driver took the child and fled. He was arrested on suspicion of DWI and criminal vehicular operation, though police haven’t formally charged him yet.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A Blaine man is charged with shooting and killing his son last week.

Joseph Effertz, 61, was charged in Anoka County District Court Monday with one count of second degree murder in the death of his 38-year-old son, Joshua Effertz, on July 22.

According to the criminal complaint, police responded to a 911 call at around 7 a.m. from the Joseph Effertz, who told dispatch he had shot his son. When officers arrived at the residence, they found Joshua Effertz lying in the road, bleeding profusely.

Medics arrived shortly after and rushed the victim to Hennepin County Medical Center, where he died shortly after.

Investigators found Joseph Effertz and arrested him without incident. According to the criminal complaint, Effertz told officers he thought his son was on some sort of illicit drug and that he was afraid of him, but said his son had not acted aggressively toward him that morning.

If convicted, Joseph Effertz could face up to 40 years in prison.

By Jason Keidel

Le’Veon Bell is quickly mutating into the type of person the Steelers tend to avoid: a knucklehead.

A few days ago, we learned that Bell — perhaps the most complete running back in the NFL — will be suspended for four games after violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Again. This time it’s for failing to show up for a mandatory drug test.

Bell was already under a jeweler’s eye after getting pinched last year for DUI and marijuana possession. Bell will surely appeal the decision, but there’s increasing doubt among the Steelers and their fans about Bell’s bona-fides as a leader. It seems the very synapses that make him so special on Sundays fail him on Mondays.

We can argue the merits of the NFL’s substance abuse policy all day. Why is it fine for players to guzzle Percocet like Tic Tacs, yet smoking weed is somehow toxic?

Marijuana is increasingly viewed as cool and innocuous, a social lubricant and pungent painkiller that many athletes prefer over the highly addictive alternative — pills. More and more states are legalizing marijuana, and the movement is creeping across the map.

The NFL has long lagged behind social progressions, particularly here. But the rules are the rules. Le’Veon Bell knew he broke them the first time and surely the second time.

It’s particularly maddening because it’s Bell. His brilliance on the field and ebullience away from it make him a natural star, a corporeal billboard for football and the Steelers, who already have big-ticket players in Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown.

Bell is far from Greg Hardy, who makes you wince when he steps on the field. His style, charm and megawatt smile match his liquid grace on the gridiron. He’s one special football player, averaging more yards from scrimmage (119.0) than any player in the league since he was drafted in 2013.

Get more commentary from other CBS Local Sports Voices.

Maybe Big Ben, who knows much about toeing the line between stardom and unemployment, can counsel the young running back. Roethlisberger won a Super Bowl barely very soon he was drafted, then engaged in some dubious behavior. He smashed his motorcycle and had two publicized sex scandals.

Neither landed him in jail, or even handcuffs, but the Steelers let the QB know he was perilously close to losing his job. Since then, he has become a fine citizen, a family man and a two-time Super Bowl champion.

The Steelers are a flagship franchise, as old as almost any club in the league. The Rooney family has owned the Steelers since old man Art founded the then-Pittsburgh Pirates football team in 1933. Though they were a forlorn franchise for decades, the team became the emblem of success in the 1970s, winning more Super Bowls (six) than any other team.

Beyond the bulging trophy case, the Steelers have largely won with nobility, reflecting the hard-hat ethos of its city. While Pittsburgh isn’t really a steel town anymore, with silos belching smoke all over the horizon, it still embraces its blue-collar ethic of its football team.

And it’s easy to love Le’Veon Bell, who has rather rare gifts and fits so naturally into the the club’s coda of developing young talent. Ever since Chuck Noll picked Mean Joe Greene in 1969 and then four Hall of Famers in 1974, the Steelers have feasted on the draft, eschewing the risky and expensive free-agent binges that rarely lead a team to the Super Bowl.

But as good and likable as Bell is, his conduct has a serious bearing on his future. The Steelers have a reputation for treating players like family, and surely they would hate to jettison a prized player like Bell. But all athletes have expiration dates, especially in the NFL, which often lives up to its haunting acronym, ‘Not For Long.’ And Bell his inching toward his expiration date with every mistake.

Another wildly talented running back once decided that marijuana was more important than football. Ricky Williams quit, came back, then quit again and has since hopscotched the globe to find his inner self. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But Bell isn’t as quirky, confused or socially awkward as Williams.

No one forced Le’Veon Bell to play football for a living. And while he cashes those considerable checks, he may want to check himself before he, well, wrecks himself.

Jason writes a weekly column for CBS Local Sports. He is a native New Yorker, sans the elitist sensibilities, and believes there’s a world west of the Hudson River. A Yankees devotee and Steelers groupie, he has been scouring the forest of fertile NYC sports sections since the 1970s. He has written over 500 columns for WFAN/CBS NY, and also worked as a freelance writer for Sports Illustrated and Newsday subsidiary amNew York. He made his bones as a boxing writer, occasionally covering fights in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, but mostly inside Madison Square Garden. Follow him on Twitter @JasonKeidel.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A 90-year-old man faces a felony charge after authorities say he was masturbating last week at a public pool in Edina where children were playing.

Lloyd Kerr Rudy, of Eden Prairie, is charged with one count of fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct stemming from an incident last Tuesday, court documents filed in Hennepin County say.

According to a criminal complaint, children had reported seeing an older man exposing himself and touching himself at the Edina Pool.

When officers arrested Rudy, he admitted that he was touching himself while looking at “pretty ladies,” the complaint states. A search found three vibrating dildos in a bag he had with him.

In 1983, Rudy was convicted for second-degree criminal sexual conduct, thus upgrading his current charge to a felony.

If convicted of the current charge, Rudy faces a maximum sentence of 7 years in prison and/or a $14,000 fine.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota’s delegates prepared for the start of the Democratic National Convention on Monday with the same question in mind as political activists across the country: Can the party unite around Hillary Clinton for the presidency?

The start of the party’s nominating convention in Philadelphia comes less than a week after Republicans formally nominated business mogul Donald Trump amid some signs of their own party’s splintering. But Democratic party officials were battling the fallout from a weekend dump of emails that appeared to show staffers at the Democratic National Committee favored Clinton over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, stoking hard feelings among Sanders supporters.

Minnesota Democrats voted overwhelmingly for Sanders in the March 1 caucus, so the majority of the state’s 104-member delegation is pledged to support the Vermont senator during the nominating process. But a group of 13 so-called superdelegates — party leaders and elected officials — can cast their votes independent of those results.

Rep. Keith Ellison said he was confident the party would eventually unify behind Clinton. Ellison was among the first members of Congress to endorse Sanders but later backed Clinton after Sanders himself endorsed her. He was set to introduce Sanders at the convention Monday night.

Ellison said the key to winning over dispirited Sanders supporters is to highlight his campaign’s contributions to the broader Democratic platform, such as bringing in thousands of new voters and proposing a tuition-free college initiative that Clinton has since echoed. Those additions don’t die with Clinton, he said.

“At the end of the day, the way to help them get enthusiastic is to help them see that their efforts were really important,” Ellison said.

But the unity wasn’t coming easily. Minnesota delegate and Sanders supporter Gabe Aderhold said a roomful of the senator’s supporters booed loudly when Sanders said during a Monday morning meeting that he would back Clinton.

Aderhold said he’ll vote for Clinton. But he doubts whether Sanders’ pitch — if not Clinton, then it’s Trump — would effectively sway many of his supporters.

“It’s definitely not potent enough for new voters to back her,” he said. “But it’s a true statement, in my opinion, that the stakes are too high and it does make me inclined to support her this fall.”

Minnesota superdelegate and Clinton supporter Javier Morillo said it’s up to Sanders to help bring Democrats together after a troubling weekend, which saw the resignation of party chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz following the publication of thousands of emails from the Democratic National Committee. He said he was waiting until after Sander’s prime-time speech on the convention floor in the evening to determine whether Democrats will get behind Clinton.

“I think that Sen. Sanders will really set the tone more than the news cycle and the things that have happened. It will be how he chooses to move forward,” Morillo said.

Ellison said he had no insight into what Sanders’ message might be during that speech.

“I’ll let Bernie be Bernie. He always says what the right thing to say is,” Ellison said.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — In the winter of 1998, Ethan Casson started calling professional franchise after professional franchise, begging them to get his foot in the door in any capacity.

One night, a human resources employee for the Minnesota Timberwolves picked up the phone and Casson talked his way into a meeting. He flew from the East Coast, met with several Timberwolves executives and, during the third quarter of a game against the Golden State Warriors, was offered an entry-level position on the business side of the operation at $24,000 per year.

“To think that what started as a cold call of me begging an HR person to let me come in and prove my worth 18 years later turned into me coming back as a CEO is amazing and certainly very special to me,” Casson told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

Casson had to sell his car and some other possessions to raise the money to pay for his move from Boston to the Twin Cities, but the leap of faith has paid off. Six years after he left the Timberwolves to climb the ladder with the San Francisco 49ers, he is returning as CEO to breathe new life into one of the NBA’s struggling operations.

Timberwolves President Chris Wright remembered the impression Casson left in those first face-to-face meetings.

“I told him we’re going to find a place for you in this franchise because you are exactly the type of person that we want build this franchise around,” Wright said.

Casson’s first stint with the Timberwolves lasted 11 years. He worked his way up to senior vice president of corporate partnerships and met his future wife here before leaving for the 49ers in 2010.

When he arrived in the Bay Area, the once-proud 49ers were in the midst of an eight-year playoff drought. Their revenue had dropped to near the bottom of the league and they were playing in an outdated stadium that couldn’t compete with the shiny new ones popping up around the league. He leaves after helping to secure a 20-year, $220 million naming rights deal with Levi’s for the new stadium and rebuilding the franchise’s business operations.

The Timberwolves have not made the playoffs since 2004, the longest active drought in the league. That futility has contributed significantly to plummeting revenue and a dwindling season ticket base.

“I’m not saying it’s apples to apples, but I certainly feel I’ve been on a six-year journey that involved a lot of similar themes,” Casson said. “And I’ll apply all of those lessons to this next phase of my career.”

Casson replaces Rob Moor, the longtime CEO who stepped aside to work more closely with Wolves owner Glen Taylor’s other business interests. At 42 years old, Casson is part of a youth movement coming into the organization. Taylor also brought in 41-year-old New York real estate mogul Meyer Orbach and 35-year-old Chinese entrepreneur John Jiang as minority owners, and he hopes the three of them help bring a new perspective and energy to the business side that mirrors the vibe youngsters Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine are bringing to the team.

“I was very aware and respectful that taking on this role wasn’t about coming in and fixing things that were broken,” Casson said. “I don’t look at opportunities like this as somethings not working. I look at it as an opportunity to reset and plot out a different course or a different version of a course that moves the business forward.”

The challenges are real. The Timberwolves’ competitive dormancy buried them in a crowded sports marketplace. Tickets have been hard to sell and the NFL’s Vikings, the NHL’s Wild and MLB’s Twins are competing for the corporate dollars.

“I’ve been here for a long time,” said Wright, who is entering his 25th season with the Wolves. “I’ve tried to do it what I consider the best way for the franchise given all of the different sort of environments we’ve found ourselves in over the last 12 years as we’ve not been making the playoffs. And I think Ethan is going to just bring a completely fresh, new look to all of that and lead us in the direction we need to be as a club in the 21st century.”

The Wolves have one of the most promising young cores in the league, a brand new practice facility in downtown Minneapolis and have begun renovations on the dusty Target Center.

“There’s a lot of momentum in and around the organization that made it very exciting for me as a fan and now as someone who is coming back as CEO,” he said. “That will come and go. The renovation will eventually be complete. The team will stabilize and be competitive. You still have to make sure the business model is sustainable and drivable. That’s what we’re going to be.”

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. (WCCO) — Monday was a big day for the Animal Humane Society.

After months of waiting, a large group of puppies was available for adoption.

A long line of perspective pet owners waited for chance to adopt the yellow lab pups, all of which were rescued from a western Wisconsin home back in April.

Inspectors say the puppies were found living in filth and eating rotten meat.

“It was just horrendous conditions, lots of puppies, lots of grown, adult dogs, multiple dogs in one crate, no access to food, no access to water, no access to the outdoors, just living in filth,” said Zack Nugent of the Animal Humane Society.

The man who owned the dogs was charged with failing to care for his animals and ordered to pay for their treatment in Minnesota.

Thirty-five adult labs and 13 puppies were rescued from his home. Some 25 additional puppies were born at the Animal Humane Society.

Because of the legal case, the court couldn’t release custody of the dogs to the Humane Society until Monday.

While all the 36 puppies were adopted or placed on an adoption hold on Monday, there are still some adult dogs that need homes.

Those interested in adopting the dogs should visit the Animal Humane Society’s website.