Bleacher Report is launching two new NFL-themed series as the season starts this week. “Underrated Presented by State Farm” will follow players trying to improve their Madden ’21 skill ratings by running unconventional drills in front of EA Sports ratings adjusters. Hosted by Turner’s Adam Lefkoe, the eight-episode series is produced by Mandalay Sports Media. It builds on an episode of B/R’s “Ditch the Playbook” series that saw former Patriots WR Mohamed Sanu prove his worth as a passer. “Underrated” is like the second-year B/R Gridiron football show “Untold Stories,” said BR Chief Content Officer Sam Toles, because it benefits from excitement around the season but does not totally depend on live action -- useful in a season dull of pandemic uncertainty. “Untold Stories” debuts Sept. 16 and continue biweekly only on Facebook Watch. The series is “backwards looking for football fans who want to dive deeper and learn more about their favorite stars, the mystique and cultures around this sport, and that’s obviously something that doesn’t depend on the current season,” said Toles.
EXPANDING LINEUP: Separately, B/R Betting is launching another new series, “Squad Ride,” that documents fans making prop bets with the B/R app, along with a return of its gameday fantasy show “Your Fantasy Fire Drill." B/R Gridiron launched last year, and was the No. 1 digital channel on Sundays in its first season. It will also show the long-running series “Gridiron Heights,” which follows week-to-week storylines in the season, and "The Lefkoe Show," Adam Lefkoe’s biweekly podcast.
