Nikola Mirotic Traded To Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans have acquired Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic in exchange for center Omer Asik and guards Tony Allen and Jameer Nelson as well as a first-round draft pick. For the Pelicans, this represents a win-now move in the wake of DeMarcus Cousins' season-ending Achilles injury. Mirotic will likely step into the starting lineup and […]

Patriots Employ Bend-But-Don't-Break Defense

The New England Patriots defense allowed 366 yards per game in 2017, which was 29th in the league, but they also gave up just 18.5 points per game, which was fifth fewest in the league. In their last 14 games, the Patriots defense has given up 21 or more points just twice. They also lead […]

Alshon Jeffery Will Face Yet Another Strong Cornerback in the Super Bowl

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery was no stranger to elite cornerback play this season, and he'll get to deal with it yet again in the Super Bowl this Sunday. Jeffery will face off against Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore for most of Sunday's snaps. While Jeffery did not record a single 100-yard game this season […]

Zach Ertz Faces a Tough Matchup In Super Bowl

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz faces a tough matchup in the New England Patriots defense this Sunday in the Super Bowl. He is still Zach Ertz, though, and that always makes for a good option at tight end. The Patriots defense only allowed four tight ends to reach 50 yards this season, with 68 […]

Corey Clement Could Have a Sneakily Good Game in the Super Bowl

Philadelphia Eagles rookie running back Corey Clement could be a darkhorse for some nice production in the Super Bowl on Sunday. Clement has carved out a role as the team's third-down and passing-play back. If the Eagles were to fall behind early on Sunday, they would undoubtedly go all out in trying to get back […]

LeGarrette Blount Will Play a Specific Role in the Super Bowl

Philadelphia Eagles running back LeGarrette Blount will be playing a very specific role in the Super Bowl on Sunday. Since the emergence of Jay Ajayi as the feature back, Blount has taken on a goal-line/short-yardage role. He's very much set in that role, though, as Ajayi has only rushed once inside the five-yard line since […]

Jay Ajayi a Good Choice at Running Back in the Super Bowl

Philadelphia Eagles running back Jay Ajayi is a strong choice at the running back position for Super Bowl 52 against the New England Patriots. The Eagles offense has relied heavily on Ajayi in the playoffs, and there's no reason to think that will change. Barring injury or a game that quickly gets away from the […]

Ryan Shazier Released From Hospital

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier (spine) was released from The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Thursday after having spinal-stabilization surgery in December. He'll continue with outpatient work, and he posted a picture on Instagram showing him standing with a brace on one leg. Shazier suffered a potentially career-threatening spinal injury against the Bengals in December, […]

Taj Gibson Has Good Matchup Against Milwaukee

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Taj Gibson should see plenty of fantasy points against the Bucks. Milwaukee has struggled around the rim this season, allowing 22 points and 11 boards to opposing power forwards this season. Gibson is having the best season of his career, posting 12 points and seven boards per contest in addition to shooting […]

Nick Foles Looking Like a Serviceable Quarterback Option in the Super Bowl

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles will certainly be the second best quarterback playing in the Super Bowl, but he should be a serviceable option this Sunday. Foles has had two huge games and two mediocre games since taking over for the injured Carson Wentz (knee). Foles threw seven touchdowns in 71 pass attempts in the two […]

Michael Martinez Undergoes Surgery to Repair a Ruptured Achilles Tendon

Cleveland Indians utility player Michael Martinez underwent surgery this week to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon. He was performing agility exercises in his native Dominican Republic when he was injured. Rehabilitation for a ruptured Achilles usually takes at least six months, so Martinez's entire 2018 season is in jeopardy right now. He had signed a […]

Malcolm Butler Is Good To Go

New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler (flu) arrived late to Minnesota this week after dealing with an illness. "They told me I just had some flu-like symptoms and just needed to rest up a little bit," Butler said after the team's first practice of the week. "I'm good to go." Butler was limited in practice […]

Several Eagles Starters Dealing With Illnesses

Several Philadelphia Eagles players are dealing with illnesses with only a few days to go before the Super Bowl. Defensive tackle Tim Jernigan and cornerback Ronald Darby both missed Thursday's media availability. Linebacker Mychal Kendricks said, "I'm getting over it right now. It's like a cold, dude. I don't know. The whole team has it, […]

Travis Kelce Has Confidence In Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is looking forward to playing with quarterback Patrick Mahomes in 2018 after the team traded Alex Smith to the Redskins this week. "Yeah, without a doubt. I feel like Patty Cakes can come in and roll the dice on anybody," Kelce told NFL Network's Andrew Siciliano and Brian […]

Jordan Howard Looking Forward To Less Predictable Offense

Chicago Bears running back Jordan Howard is looking forward to a less predictable offense under new head coach Matt Nagy in 2018. The offense last season under head coach John Fox and offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains ranked third to last in the league with 287.4 yards per game, and they were dead last with 175.7 […]

Kyle Lowry Could See Strong Showing Against Wizards

Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry has a favorable matchup against Washington. The Wizards have been one of the most inefficient teams against opposing point guards over the past five games, allowing 31 points, seven assists and 10 boards per 48 minutes. With a projected close and elevated score between the two clubs, Lowry could serve […]

Mark Appel Stepping Away From Baseball

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Mark Appel and former No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 draft (ahead of Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant) is stepping away from baseball after struggling for several seasons. The 26-year-old right-hander said he's taking an "indefinite break" after posting a 5.60 ERA at Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2017. He has […]

Mets Still Unlikely To Sign Bartolo Colon

New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said it's still unlikely that the team signs free-agent starting pitcher Bartolo Colon, even to a minor league deal. The 44-year-old veteran pitcher would only like to play for the Mets for one more season, but it appears that they won't give him that opportunity. The right-hander was […]

Brewers Still In Contact With Jake Arrieta, Alex Cobb

The Milwaukee Brewers remain in contact with free-agent starting pitchers Jake Arrieta, Alex Cobb and Lance Lynn, although free-agent starter Yu Darvish is at the top of their wish list. However, there aren't believed to be any offers out to Arrieta and Cobb. Milwaukee is clearly going for it in the competitive National League Central […]

Cubs Sign Peter Bourjos To Minor League Deal

Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports that the Chicago Cubs have signed free-agent outfielder Peter Bourjos to a minor league deal. Bourjos spent last season with the Rays, where he hit .223. The Cubs seem to be set with their position players, but Bourjos should operate as organizational depth and will give the Cubs a speed […]

Consider Russell Westbrook on Thursday Night

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook could have a solid outing against Denver. With the matchup between the Thunder and Nuggets projected to be close in nature, high-scoring and fast-paced, Westbrook will be primed for an efficient night. Denver is allowing some of the worst numbers in the league to opposing playmakers over the past […]

Kyle Anderson Has a Favorable Matchup Against Houston

San Antonio Spurs forward Kyle Anderson could be in line for a solid game against the Rockets on Thursday. With the team missing forward Trevor Ariza (hamstring) and possibly guards Eric Gordon (back) and Chris Paul (groin), Anderson will likely be matched up initially with forward Luc Mbah a Moute, who is sporting a defensive […]

Elfrid Payton Bounces Back With Nice Stat Line

Orlando Magic point guard Elfrid Payton filled up the stat sheet in a win against the Lakers on Wednesday. Payton scored 15 points on 6-for-10 shooting, but it was his contributions across the board that were noteworthy. He grabbed seven rebounds, dished out six assists, nabbed four steals and even recorded a block in the […]

Dwight Howard Scores 10th Straight Double-Double

Charlotte Hornets center Dwight Howard scored 20 points with 12 rebounds in a win over Atlanta on Wednesday. Howard continued his stellar play against the Hawks. It was his 10th straight double-double, and he has 32 for the season. If there's one negative from Howard's game it's that he was unable to get a block. […]

Nicolas Batum Scores A Triple-Double

Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Nicolas Batum scored 10 points with 10 rebounds and 11 assists in a win over Atlanta on Wednesday. It was Batum's eighth career triple-double and fourth triple-double as a Hornet -- third highest in franchise history, Batum looks to be finally rounding into shape. Over the last two weeks, Batum is averaging […]

Kemba Walker Breaks Franchise Record With Nine Threes

Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker scored 38 points, including nine threes, in a win over Atlanta on Wednesday. Walker was 9-for-13 from distance and 12-for-20 overall. The nine threes were a career and franchise high. "The ball was falling, I got great looks. I was just locked in," Walker said after the game. Walker also […]

Darren Collison Scores 16 Points on Wednesday

Indiana Pacers guard Darren Collison was productive during Wednesday night's win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Collison scored 16 points on 5-for-11 shooting from the field as well as a respectable 2-for-6 from deep. He was also solid on the defensive end, grabbing three steals in 34 minutes on the court. This performance falls right in […]

DraftKings Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks (2/1/18): NBA DFS Lineups

Happy Blake Griffin day! I'm assuming Griffin will make his debut Thursday night, and while it's tough to know how his new role will affect his DFS production, it will be fun to watch regardless. We have five games total tonight, and although injuries and trades have Vegas hesitant on most of the lines, we […]

Using Sabermetrics For Fantasy Baseball Part 1 - BABIP for Hitters

Hello fellow RotoBallers! Sabermetrics have become an integral tool for fantasy baseball draft prep, but a concise resource for understanding the basics can be difficult to find. This series attempts to define and explain all of the metrics fantasy owners may find useful, citing examples of how to use them in the process. Twenty degrees […]

Fantasy Premier League Lineup Picks - Gameweek 26 EPL Preview

One of the fastest growing fantasy games is the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) - a season-long version of fantasy soccer for the English Premier League (EPL). With almost six million players this year, the FPL game is becoming a fixture for soccer enthusiasts across the globe. Here at RotoBaller, we will try to give you the […]