5 mins agoThe Buffalo Bills signed former Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver
Chase Claypool to an undisclosed one-year deal on Friday. Even with the departures of
Stefon Diggs and
Gabe Davis this offseason, Claypool could face an uphill battle to crack the top three in Buffalo after the addition of rookie
Keon Coleman with the first pick of the second round of this year's draft. The 25-year-old former second-rounder by the Steelers in 2020 out of Notre Dame had a career-low eight receptions on 21 targets for 77 yards and one touchdown in 12 games (two starts) with the Bears and Miami Dolphins in 2023. Claypool could connect on some deep plays down the field with quarterback
Josh Allen in 2024, but unless injuries open up a starting spot for Claypool, he's a long shot for consistent fantasy production.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
31 mins agoMilwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy said that catcher
Gary Sanchez (hamstring) is "good to go" but not at 100 percent yet.
Eric Haase is currently with the team as catching insurance, but it sounds like Sanchez is available off the bench for Friday's series opener against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The 31-year-old veteran backstop was removed from Tuesday's game early with right-hamstring tightness, but it appears he will stay with the team and will avoid a trip to the injured list. Sanchez will continue to work as
William Contreras' backup and is worth rostering in two-catcher leagues for his power potential from the right side of the plate. Through his first 18 games with Milwaukee, Sanchez has gone 10-for-48 (.208) with three home runs and six RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Curt Hogg
35 mins agoSt. Louis Cardinals left-hander
Steven Matz (back) was placed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to May 1) on Friday with a lower-back strain. In a corresponding move, right-hander
Kyle Leahy was recalled from Triple-A Memphis. It's unclear how long it will take the 32-year-old veteran southpaw to return, but fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if he's out longer than two weeks. Matz attempted to pitch through his back issue in his latest start on Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers but wasn't effective. He's opened the year 1-2 with a bloated 6.18 ERA and 1.73 WHIP with only 17 strikeouts and 11 walks in 27 2/3 innings over six starts for the Cardinals. Matz isn't a must-hold in deep-mixed leagues, especially if he's out longer than two weeks. It's unclear who might take his rotation spot in St. Louis.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: St. Louis Cardinals
1 hour agoChicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that right-hander
Kyle Hendricks' (back) minor-league rehab start with Double-A Tennessee on Thursday was "encouraging," but Hendricks will make another rehab start on Tuesday with Iowa. The 34-year-old veteran gave up two runs while fanning seven batters in five innings for Tennessee on Thursday, but the Cubs want to see more before bringing him back to the big-league starting rotation. In his five starts with Chicago before landing on the IL, Hendricks had a disastrous 12.00 ERA (7.71 FIP) and 2.09 WHIP with seven walks and 16 strikeouts in 21 innings pitched. Given how bad Hendricks was with the Cubs, it's fair for fantasy managers in mixed leagues to not want anything to do with him when he's back in Chicago's rotation.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Taylor McGregor
1 hour agoUpdating a previous report, Chicago Cubs left-hander
Justin Steele (hamstring) will come off the injured list and start on Monday at Wrigley Field against the visiting San Diego Padres, assuming his bullpen session on Saturday goes well. Steele made just one minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday and gave up three runs on six hits in just 3 1/3 innings while throwing 63 pitches, so the 28-year-old southpaw will almost certainly be on a lowered pitch count in his return on Monday. Steele isn't dealing with an arm injury, but he'll be a pretty risky fantasy starter on Monday against the Friars regardless. Monday's start will be his first since he injured his hamstring on Opening Day on March 28.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Taylor McGregor
2 hours agoWashington Nationals outfielder
Eddie Rosario is hitting .086 in 23 games so far this year, including an 0-for-2 performance with two strikeouts in Thursday's loss to the Texas Rangers. Despite his slow start, manager Dave Martinez plans to stick with the nine-year big-leaguer who has a history of struggling at the plate in March and April. "It's early," said Martinez. "You've got to give him a chance, you really do. I'm not going to sit him down yet right now. He's got to go out there and play. … I've seen him play before. This kid can hit. He can put you on his shoulders." The 32-year-old is a career .265 hitter, but he's hit just .205 in March and April. But Rosario's average exit velocity (88.6 mph) and hard-hit rate (38.5%) are below league average, and fantasy managers in deeper leagues shouldn't have the same patience as Martinez.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Jessica Camerato
2 hours agoChicago Cubs left-handers
Jordan Wicks (forearm) and
Drew Smyly (hip) have been cleared to resume playing catch. Wicks just landed on the 15-day injured list this past Sunday with a left-forearm strain, while Smyly has been out for two weeks due to a right-hip impingement. Wicks' injury is obviously a bit less serious, but it's good news for the Cubs pitching staff that both southpaws are ramping back up. It's unclear when either hurler will be able to return to the big-league roster, but when Wicks is ready, he should return to the rotation. The 24-year-old went 1-2 with a 4.70 ERA and 1.52 WHIP with 28 K's in 23 innings in his first five starts. Smyly has plenty of starting experience, but he figures to return to the Cubs' bullpen when he's activated.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Tony Andracki
2 hours agoOn Saturday night in the main event of UFC 301, the flyweight title is on the line as flyweight contender Steve Erceg looks to defeat Alexandre Pantoja to become the new champion. Erceg gets this title shot after knocking out Matt Schnell two months ago. That was just his third fight inside the Octagon. DraftKings has him as the underdog with a salary of $7,300. In his UFC tenure, Erceg is averaging 83.6 fantasy points per fight. Erceg has frequently been referred to as an unlikely title-fight challenger. But on the other hand, Pantoja has defeated several top-10 contenders, and other contenders aren't available at this moment.
--Alen Kurbasic - RotoBallerSource: UFC
2 hours agoUFC heads to Brazil as Alexandre Pantoja (27-5) defends his flyweight title against Australia's Steve Erceg in the main event of UFC 301 on Saturday. Pantoja defeated Brandon Moreno for the third time in 2023 to claim the belt, in what was one of the better fights of the year. He then defeated Brandon Royval by decision for his first title defense. DraftKings has him as the favorite with a salary of $8,800. In his UFC tenure, Pantoja is averaging 87.6 fantasy points per fight. Pantoja is 11-3 in the UFC.
--Alen Kurbasic - RotoBallerSource: UFC
2 hours agoChicago Cubs outfielder
Seiya Suzuki (oblique) took batting practice on the field this week and continues to progress from the right-oblique strain that he suffered on April 14. It was the first time that Suzuki took batting practice, so he's certainly getting closer to a return from the injured list. The 29-year-old said he's around 80 percent recovered from the injury and he could start a minor-league rehab assignment next week as long as he doesn't suffer a setback. The Japanese outfielder was hitting a cool .305 (18-for-59) with three home runs, 13 RBI and 11 runs scored at the time of his injury, and he'll return to an everyday role with the Cubs when he's healthy, so he shouldn't be floating around on any waiver wires.
Mike Tauchman could be the biggest loser in terms of playing time for the Cubs once Suzuki returns.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Tony Andracki
2 hours agoChicago Cubs left-hander
Justin Steele (hamstring) is slated to throw a bullpen session on Saturday in Chicago and will be re-evaluated from there. Manager Craig Counsell said that Steele had a successful minor-league rehab outing for Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday despite giving up three runs on six hits in just 3 1/3 innings pitched. He appears to be progressing well, and there's a chance he's activated from the injured list if everything goes well with his bullpen session this weekend. However, the fact that the 28-year-old southpaw didn't even go four full innings in his last rehab start would suggest that he'll need to make at least one more start in the minors before returning to Chicago's rotation. Regardless, Steele needs to be rostered in all fantasy leagues after breaking out in 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Tony Andracki
2 hours agoTexas Rangers right-hander
Nathan Eovaldi (groin) is scheduled to undergo an MRI exam on Friday after being forced to leave his start early on Thursday against the visiting Washington Nationals with a groin injury. Manager Bruce Bochy said the club is "being cautious" with the 34-year-old veteran starter, but it doesn't mean the oft-injured pitcher won't require a stint on the injured list and miss a couple turns through the rotation. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Eovaldi to make his next scheduled start on Tuesday in Oakland against the Athletics, but we should know more on that this weekend. If we had to guess, we'd expect Eovaldi to go on the shelf. Despite his groin injury on Thursday, he tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings with eight strikeouts to pick up his second win of the year. Eovaldi should be stashed in all fantasy formats if he does land on the IL.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Dallas Morning News - Evan Grant
2 hours agoCleveland Cavaliers center
Jarrett Allen (ribs) remains listed as questionable for Friday night's Game 6 against the Orlando Magic. The big man was spotted at shootaround on Friday morning but his level of participation is unclear. He was unable to play in Game 5 on Tuesday due to the rib contusion, so it seems like he'll be a game-time decision in this potential series-clinching game. DFS managers will want to check back when it gets closer to tipoff since his presence usually means a bit of a value hit to
Evan Mobley when it comes to rebounds and defensive stats.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Chris Fedor
2 hours agoMilwaukee Brewers rookie outfielder
Jackson Chourio will take another day off on Friday for the series opener against the division-rival Chicago Cubs. Infielder
Joey Ortiz is also starting on the bench. Chourio is now on the bench for the second straight game as he tries to get through a slump after a strong start to his first MLB season. The 20-year-old is hitting .140/.196/.233 with no homers or RBI and 12 strikeouts in 31 plate appearances in his last 10 games since April 16 to drop his season line to .206/.257/.351 on the season. The Brewers aren't giving up on the talented Venezuelan outfielder, but hopefully the little break will get him going.
Jake Bauers is getting another start in left field and is hitting fifth on Friday against Cubs right-hander
Hayden Wesneski.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 hours agoOrlando Magic guard
Gary Harris (hamstring) was officially listed as questionable when the injury report first came out, and head coach Jamahl Mosley confirmed that to still be the case. During shootaround on Friday morning, Mosley was asked if Harris was likely to play and he said, "He went through walk-through. He's going to go through his shooting slot, so he'll still be more of a game-time decision." While it's encouraging that he went through the walk-through and is still scheduled to get his shooting in, there could be some discomfort leading up to game time. DFS managers will want to monitor his situation if thinking about using him in any lineups.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Josh Robbins
2 hours agoNew York Knicks guard/forward
Josh Hart delivered yet again with huge hustle plays and a dagger three that officially moved the team into the second round of the playoffs. The former Villanova Wildcat finished the game with 16 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, and two turnovers while shooting 5-for-11 overall and 3-for-5 from three. He was the Knicks' second-leading scorer in this series and had double the amount of rebounds per game compared to their second-best rebounder. On top of that, he shot some of his best percentages from three in his career as he registered 43.2% from deep on 6.2 attempts per game.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Basketball Reference
3 hours agoAfter Makhmud Muradov withdrew from the card with an infection, Ihor Potieria stepped in on short notice to face off against Michel Pereira on Saturday at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro. Potieria (21-5) was originally slated to face Shara Magomedov on June 22 but was moved to the UFC 301 card instead. He snapped his two-fight losing skid with a unanimous-decision win over Robert Bryczek at UFC Vegas 86 in February. DraftKings has him as the underdog with a salary of $6,600. In his UFC tenure, Potieria is averaging 50.1 fantasy points per fight. Potieria is 2-3 in the UFC.
--Alen Kurbasic - RotoBallerSource: UFC
3 hours agoPhiladelphia 76ers center
Joel Embiid fouled out late in Game 6 after intentionally fouling with the clock ticking down, but he was able to keep the team in the game while battling on the offensive end and on the boards. The former MVP posted 39 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block, and five turnovers. He also shot 12-for-25 from the floor, 2-for-5 from beyond the arc, and 13-for-13 from the free throw line. Despite the injured knee and Bells Palsy, the superstar big man ended this series with averages of 33.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game with shooting splits of .444/.333/.859.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Basketball Reference
3 hours agoThe Miami Dolphins are signing veteran free-agent wide receiver
Odell Beckham Jr. to a one-year deal worth up to $8.25 million, according to Tom Pelissero. The three-time Pro Bowler has been linked to Miami for much of the offseason, and he finally found his home for the 2024 season on Friday. While this is an exciting signing for the former superstar, fantasy football expectations should be tempered. The 31-year-old has not reached the 600-yard mark in a single season since 2019, and he will now compete with
Tyreek Hill and
Jaylen Waddle for targets. He's a nice depth boost for Mike McDaniel's offense, but he is nothing more than a late-round flyer in 2024 fantasy drafts. Despite playing in 14 games for the Ravens last year, he caught just 35 passes for 565 yards and three touchdowns, finishing as the WR63 in PPR leagues.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Tom Pelissero
3 hours agoMichel Pereira (30-11) is set to take on always dangerous Ihor Potieria on the main card of UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In his most recent outing to the octagon, Pereira squared off against Michal Oleksiejczuk at UFC 299. He finished Oleksiejczuk via first-round rear-naked choke. DraftKings sees Pereira as the favorite with a salary of $9,600. In his UFC career, he averages 77.0 fantasy points per contest. This is an opportunity for Pereira to jump in the rankings and prove that he's a force to be reckoned with in the welterweight division.
--Alen Kurbasic - RotoBallerSource: UFC
3 hours agoPaul Craig is set to open Saturday's UFC 301 pay-per-view main card in Rio de Janeiro, as he looks for an upset against Brazil's own Caio Borralho. Former light heavyweight fighter, Craig looks to bounce back from his first defeat since moving to middleweight. In his last bout, he was defeated by Brenan Allen via submission. DraftKings sees Craig as a huge underdog with a salary of $6,700. Throughout his UFC career (17 bouts), he averages 58.1 fantasy points per contest.
--Alen Kurbasic - RotoBallerSource: UFC
3 hours agoNew York Knicks guard
Jalen Brunson turned in a historic performance after posting a third-straight 40-point performance and his fourth game of at least 39 points and six assists. In Game 6, Brunson finished with 41 points, 12 assists, three rebounds, and two turnovers while shooting 13-for-27 from the floor and 3-for-8 from deep. The Villanova product hit multiple big shots down the stretch of the game to put it just out of reach for the 76ers and lead the Knicks to their second playoff series win since the 2012-13 season. Despite a rough start in the first two games of the series, he found his rhythm and carried the offense to the tune of 35.5 points per game and he's currently the leading scorer throughout the entire playoffs so far.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Basketball Reference
4 hours agoCleveland Guardians shortstop
Brayan Rocchio went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Thursday's loss against the Houston Astros. The stolen base would be the fifth of the season for the 23-year-old. Outside of the basepaths, Rocchio has struggled to swing the bat. On the season, he is hitting a weak .218 and is homerless with four RBI. Despite playing on most days, the Guardians No. 9 prospect just hasn't done enough with the bat to convince managers to roster him. He can safely remain on the waiver wire.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 hours agoCleveland Guardians outfielder
Will Brennan went 3-for-4 with three singles in Thursday's loss versus the Houston Astros. Brennen has now had multi-hit games in five of his last nine games. His performance on Thursday raised his batting average to .253 on the season and he has four homers, 11 RBI and two stolen bases on the young campaign. Brennan quietly has put together a good season, but he is a platoon player with outfielder
Ramon Laureano and that limits his upside. He is worth a look in deeper formats as he continues to swing well, but there are likely players with better upside and opportunity on the waiver wire.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 hours agoThe Arizona Diamondbacks have sent pitcher
Blake Walston back down to Triple-A Reno. Walston made his debut on Monday versus the Los Angeles Dodgers. Walston went 3 2/3 out of the bullpen for the Diamondbacks and was wild with four walks and two runs allowed. Walston's trip was brief, but it is likely that he will be back with the Diamondbacks when they need more pitching depth or an injury occurs. Replacing Walston on the active roster will be pitcher
Matt Bowman. Bowman was acquired from the Minnesota Twins for cash considerations on Thursday. Both Walston and Bowman can remain on the waiver wire in all formats.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: Arizona Diamondbacks
5 hours agoBoston Red Sox starting pitcher
Nick Pivetta (elbow) got roughed up in his first rehab start for Triple-A Worcester. Pivetta went three innings and allowed three hits, four runs, four walks and recorded five strikeouts. He also threw 62 pitches in the contest, as he builds up for his return to the Red Sox rotation. Pivetta has been sidelined since April with a right elbow flexor strain, but was pitching very well in his first two starts of the season with one run allowed and 13 strikeouts over his first two starts. Pivetta is inching closer to his return and that would mean that
Cooper Criswell or
Chase Anderson will be replaced in the rotation. Pivetta may need a start or two to shake off the rust, but he is worth rostering in most formats with his ability to rack up strikeouts being a big reason why.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
5 hours agoChicago Cubs starting pitcher
Kyle Hendricks (back) looked healthy in a rehab start for Double-A Tennessee on Thursday. The veteran tossed five innings and allowed six hits, two runs, no walks and struck out seven on the evening, Hendricks has been shelved since late April with a minor lower back injury and it has yet to be determined if this will be his one and only rehab start or if he will make another one. When on the mound for the Cubs this season, Hendricks has gotten rocked with 28 runs allowed in 21 innings. The once consistent starter has fallen on hard times and can be left on the waiver wire in all formats when he is activated.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: Tennessee Smokies
5 hours agoSeattle Mariners outfield prospect
Lazaro Montes launched his fourth and fifth home runs of the season in Thursday's victory. This big performance brings Montes to an excellent .291/.404/.535 stat line with 27 RBI at Single-A. The 19-year-old is quickly approaching last season's home run count of seven that he posted at the same level. Montes is the fourth-best prospect in the Seattle system on MLB Pipeline but should not be expected to reach the major leagues for several years. However, dynasty managers may want to consider stashing him if he reaches High-A or even Double-A by the end of the summer, as he is flashing stellar power potential at just 19 years old and could grow into a top prospect in baseball.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 hours agoChicago White Sox shortstop prospect
Colson Montgomery went 2-for-3 at the plate and launched his fourth home run of the campaign on Thursday. Through his first 26 games at the Triple-A level, the 22-year-old is riding a .228/.345/.396 slash line with three stolen bases. Montgomery spent the majority of the last season with Double-A, and it is promising to see the budding shortstop already match his home run total of the four he posted there last year. The top prospect in the Chicago system should push for a late-season promotion. He should be rostered in all dynasty and keeper leagues and could even be worth stashing in deeper redraft formats fairly soon if he continues to showcase his power potential.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
5 hours agoSeattle Mariners shortstop prospect
Tai Peete went 3-for-6 at the plate on Thursday with two doubles, three RBI, and two stolen bases. Peete ripped two RBI doubles, one in the third frame and the other in the eighth, to lead Modesto to the victory. The 18-year-old also added two more stolen bases to bring his season count to five. After getting a brief stint with Single-A last year, Peete has posted a solid .256/.376/.423 slash line through 20 games at Single-A this season. The seventh-ranked prospect in the Seattle system is still several years away from the major leagues but is worth monitoring in dynasty leagues down the road.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
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