2 mins agoThe New England Patriots selected North Carolina quarterback
Drake Maye with the third overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night. The Patriots will open the Jerod Mayo era with a new franchise QB in Maye after the team traded former first-rounder
Mac Jones to the Jaguars this offseason. The 21-year-old has prototypical size at 6-foot-4, 223 pounds, plenty of arm strength and the intangibles that coaches like. However, he's much more of a project than
Caleb Williams and
Jayden Daniels, and may need to sit for a year behind Jacoby Brisset and
Bailey Zappe before New England is comfortable naming him the unquestioned starter under center. Long-term, though, Maye has the talent to be a great QB in the NFL. The problem in New England, though, is that they're lacking in offensive weapons around him right now.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
7 mins agoGolden State Warriors guard
Stephen Curry was named the 2023-24 NBA Clutch Player of the Year on Thursday night. The veteran sharpshooter has had plenty of big moments throughout his career, so this shouldn't surprise anyone. With that said, Curry, who has been in the league for 15 seasons, is as good as ever. He averaged 26.4 points and 5.1 assists during the 2023-24 campaign. He also appeared in 74 games, his most since 2016-17. While Curry might only have a few seasons left, he should remain productive until he calls it quits.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Shams Charania
8 mins agoThe Washington Commanders selected LSU quarterback
Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night. Daniels should enter Week 1 as the team's starter under center after Washington traded last year's starter,
Sam Howell, to the Seahawks this offseason. The 23-year-old Heisman Trophy winner last year might be the most physically gifted QB in this draft class, although there is some concern that he might not be able to withstand the beating at the position, especially if he continues to take unnecessary hits as a runner. Like
Caleb Williams, the upside is off the charts, and he'll have a strong No. 1 receiver in
Terry McLaurin and a strong backfield behind him with
Austin Ekeler and
Brian Robinson Jr.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
16 mins agoThe Chicago Bears selected USC quarterback
Caleb Williams with the first overall pick, as expected, in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night. Last year's draft trade with the Carolina Panthers allowed Chicago to move to the No. 1 spot this year. Williams was the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick to the Bears for the entire pre-draft process, and it became more apparent when they dealt
Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers a month ago. Not only is the 22-year-old the safest QB prospect in this year's class, but he's entering a situation in Chicago that should be conducive to immediate success in real life and in fantasy. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner will be the clear top pick in rookie-only fantasy drafts this fall and should be in play in two-QB leagues in 2024 as well.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
21 mins agoPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver
A.J. Brown has signed a three-year, $96 million contract, which is the highest for any wide receiver in NFL history. This contract keeps him as an Eagle through 2029. Brown struggled toward the end of last season, and there were growing concerns that the All-Pro was interested in leaving Philadelphia. This massive extension puts those rumors to rest. Despite the disappointing finish, the 26-year-old tallied 1456 yards and seven touchdowns. Brown will again be considered a top-tier wide receiver in fantasy drafts this year and will serve as the primary target for
Jalen Hurts.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Ian Rapoport
59 mins agoThe current expectation is that the Minnesota Vikings will stay put at pick No. 11 overall in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night, and that Michigan quarterback
J.J. McCarthy will be on the board when they're on the clock. The Vikings added an extra first-round pick (No. 23) to aid a potential jump into the top five to take a franchise signal-caller, but they may not need to do that after all. The Denver Broncos have been subtly linked to McCarthy as well, and they'd only have to jump from No. 12 to No. 10 to cut in front of Minnesota. McCarthy has also been linked to the New York Giants (No. 6) in recent days, but that's believed to have been a smokescreen. The Vikings are desperate for a new QB after failing to re-sign
Kirk Cousins in free agency.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Pro Football Talk - Mike Florio
1 hour agoPer a league source, the current expectation is that the New England Patriots will sit tight at No. 3 overall in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night and take North Carolina quarterback
Drake Maye. The New York Giants (No. 6) and Minnesota Vikings (No. 11) had been linked to a potential trade up to No. 3, but the Patriots unsurprisingly have been asking for a lot in return. If the Patriots do stay in the third spot, their next challenge will be getting Maye ready after he showed plenty of inconsistencies and shaky mechanics in his final year with the Tar Heels. In an ideal world for the Pats, Maye would sit and learn behind veteran
Jacoby Brissett and
Bailey Zappe in 2024 and then be ready to go as the team's starter under center in 2025. The Patriots traded former first-rounder
Mac Jones to the Jaguars this offseason.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Pro Football Talk - Mike Florio
1 hour agoPhiladelphia 76ers center
Joel Embiid (knee) has been cleared to play in Game 3 against the Knicks on Thursday. The team has upgraded him from questionable to available. He was always going to play, and Philadelphia will need him to play well to overcome a 2-0 deficit in the first-round series. Embiid has averaged 31.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in 38.0 minutes through the first two games in the matchup.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Philadelphia 76ers
2 hours agoChicago Cubs top prospect
Pete Crow-Armstrong blasted the first home run of his major-league career during Thursday's 3-1 win over the Houston Astros. The 22-year-old came to the plate with a man on in a tie game and smoked a
Bryan Abreu offering into the seats. Crow-Armstrong is one of the top outfield prospects in baseball and should see steady playing time with
Cody Bellinger (rib) sidelined for a while. Crow-Armstrong was struggling in Triple-A prior to being called up, but his speed and power blend make him worthy of a speculative add in the short-term.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 hours agoHouston Astros starter
J.P. France was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land on Thursday evening ahead of the team's trip to Mexico City. France has struggled to the tune of a 7.46 ERA, 1.70 WHIP and 0-3 record so far this season. His demotion opens up a roster spot for
Framber Valdez (elbow), who is set to return for Sunday's game against the Colorado Rockies. It is unclear how the rest of the Astros rotation will shake out, but it looks like rookie right-hander
Spencer Arrighetti will stick in the majors for the time being. France can be dropped in all formats.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: Chandler Rome
2 hours agoCleveland Guardians closer
Emmanuel Clase picked up his eighth save of the year after firing a perfect ninth inning during Thursday's 6-4 win over the Boston Red Sox. Clase entered the game with the top of the Red Sox order due up, but quickly sat them down after 12 pitches. The 26-year-old is enjoying a phenomenal start to the season, as evidenced by his 0.69 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 14/1 K/BB. Clase struggled a bit last season, but he is back to being one of the top closers in baseball. Fantasy managers can expect him to finish the year near the top of the saves leaderboard.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 hours agoCleveland Guardians third baseman
Jose Ramirez was 3-for-4 with a grand slam, stolen base and two runs scored during Thursday's 6-4 win over the Boston Red Sox. Ramirez smoked a ball to right field in the second inning after battling through a 10-pitch at-bat against
Chase Anderson. The five-time All Star is now slashing .260/.271/.471 with five homers, 23 RBI, three stolen bases and 18 runs scored. He has had a more aggressive approach at the plate this season which has resulted in only two walks through 24 games. Despite the lower than normal OBP, Ramirez seems to be recovering nicely from a slower start to the year and remains one of the best third-base options in fantasy.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 hours agoThe Kansas City Chiefs have really been working to see if they can move up from No. 32 in the first round of Thursday night's NFL draft. The belief around the league is that the Chiefs moving up from No. 32 would be for one of the speed wide receivers in this talented draft class at the position. It makes sense given the fact that the Chiefs are expecting second-year wideout
Rashee Rice to be suspended for multiple games in 2024 after his involvement in a car accident that involved injuries. Even with Rice in the fold, KC has the need to bolster their receiving corps behind Rice and aging tight end
Travis Kelce. If the Chiefs do pull off a trade up in the latter portion of the first round, they could be targeting Texas receiver
Xavier Worthy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - James Palmer
2 hours agoDallas Mavericks forward/center
Daniel Gafford (back) is considered questionable for Friday's Game 3 against the Clippers. He couldn't practice on Thursday after being limited to only nine minutes due to a back issue in Game 2.
Maxi Kleber saw 28 minutes off the bench on Tuesday, while
Dereck Lively II also benefited. Both should figure heavily in the rotation again on Friday if Gafford can't play. Lively II could be an intriguing DFS play if he joins the first unit. The rookie from Duke averaged 8.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks as a starter during the regular season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
2 hours agoThe Jacksonville Jaguars are calling around in an effort to move up in the first round of Thursday's NFL draft, and teams taking their calls believe they are on the hunt for a specific pass-catcher, according to a source. Even though the Jaguars signed wideout
Gabe Davis in free agency this offseason, it appears the Jags are looking to make a splash early in the first round this year for another weapon for quarterback
Trevor Lawrence. Jacksonville currently holds the No. 17 overall pick. If they were to trade into the top 10, players such as Washington receiver
Rome Odunze, LSU receiver
Malik Nabers, and Georgia tight end
Brock Bowers could all be options as they look for extra pass-catchers after they lost
Calvin Ridley in free agency. Stay tuned.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Dianna Russini
2 hours agoDallas Mavericks guard/forward
Tim Hardaway Jr. (ankle) has been ruled out for Friday's Game 3 against the Clippers. Dallas' three-point bomber sprained his right ankle in Game 2 and hasn't recovered in time for Friday's game.
Josh Green and
Dante Exum will have a chance to log extra minutes without Hardaway Jr., although they aren't good fantasy options. Both players failed to score in Game 2, with the Mavericks relying heavily on their first unit.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
2 hours agoMilwaukee Brewers reliever
Trevor Megill tossed a scoreless ninth inning to notch the first save of his career during Thursday's 7-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 30-year-old has been a pleasant surprise out of the bullpen for the Brewers and has been trusted to face the heart of the opponent's order multiple times this season. He has only given up one run in five appearances thus far and has picked up three holds. The Brewers ninth-inning situation has been a bit sporadic with
Devin Williams (back) still recovering from injury, but Megill is now in the mix for saves alongside
Joel Payamps. Both players deserve to be rostered in deeper leagues, while Megill holds even more value in formats that count holds as a scoring category.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 hours agoESPN's Jeff Darlington reports that the Minnesota Vikings are very tense with the first round of the 2024 NFL draft just hours away from starting on Thursday night as they look to trade up to No. 3 with the New England Patriots in an effort to take a quarterback of the future. The Vikings currently sit at the No. 11 pick and were unable to re-sign quarterback
Kirk Cousins in the offseason. The player that has fascinated them throughout the pre-draft process has been North Carolina QB
Drake Maye, but there is serious competition for the No. 3 pick, including the Patriots themselves. If Minnesota can't get Maye at No. 3, they'd likely need to jump the Giants at No. 6 in order to get Michigan QB
J.J. McCarthy. If they whiff on Maye and McCarthy, Washington's
Michael Penix Jr. could be the fallback option for the Vikes.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Darlington
2 hours agoMilwaukee Bucks forward/center
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) continues to carry a doubtful designation on the injury report ahead of Friday's Game 3 against Indiana. Bucks head coach Doc Rivers believes that Antetokounmpo is getting "close" to returning, but it looks like his comeback won't happen on Friday.
Bobby Portis has started in Antetokounmpo's absence, averaging a double-double in the series with 14.5 points and 11.0 rebounds in 30.5 minutes. He could see a few more minutes on Friday, as
Khris Middleton (ankle) is considered questionable for the contest.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 hours agoMilwaukee Brewers starting pitcher
Freddy Peralta surrendered five runs on five hits across 4 2/3 innings of work during Thursday's 7-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. He struck out five batters and allowed a season-high five walks in the no-decision. It was not the sharpest outing for the 27-year-old, who saw his season ERA balloon from 1.90 to 3.18 with the performance. Peralta remains one of the premier arms in fantasy baseball and today's outing was merely a blip on the radar. He should still be confidently started in all formats going into his next projected outing against the Tampa Bay Rays.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 hours agoMilwaukee Bucks forward
Khris Middleton (ankle) didn't practice on Thursday and is considered questionable for Friday's Game 3 against the Pacers. Middleton hurt his right ankle in Tuesday's Game 2, although he was still able to log 36 minutes in the contest. The three-time All-Star has played well in the series, averaging 19.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. With
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) likely remaining on the shelf,
Damian Lillard would be expected to do even more offensively.
Malik Beasley and
Jae Crowder should share most of Middleton's minutes if he's out, with one of them likely moving to the first unit.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 hours agoCleveland Cavaliers forward
Dean Wade (knee) has been ruled out for the first-round series against Orlando. He missed the end of the regular season with a knee injury and hasn't featured in the first two playoff games either.
Georges Niang,
Caris LeVert, and
Isaac Okoro lead the Cavaliers bench without Wade. Okoro has been the most productive player of the trio in the playoffs, although his 7.0 points and 2.5 steals per game shouldn't excite many DFS players.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Cleveland Cavaliers
3 hours agoWashington Capitals winger Sonny Milano (undisclosed) missed practice on Thursday ahead of Friday's Game 3 against the Rangers. He was reportedly absent for maintenance purposes after averaging 11:33 of ice time across the first two games in the series. Milano has mustered only one shot on goal against the Rangers and hasn't picked up any points while skating on the third line with Max Pacioretty and Hendrix Lapierre. Michael Sgarbossa was on the line during Thursday's practice and could make his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut if Milano isn't available on Friday. Sgarbossa had four goals and seven points in 25 games with the Capitals during the regular season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Sammi Silber
3 hours agoNew York Rangers forward Filip Chytil (head) has traveled with the team to Washington and could return to action Friday when the two teams continue their first-round battle. The 24-year-old has been out of commission since early November. Before suffering a head injury, Chytil skated in 10 games, posting six assists. He would be a very good addition to an already strong squad that finished the NHL regular season with the best record in the league. Chytil has totaled eight goals and 13 points in 30 career playoff appearances.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Mollie Walker
3 hours agoCarolina Hurricanes right wing Jesper Fast (upper body) will remain unavailable for Thursday's Game 3 against the Islanders. He suffered an upper-body in the team's regular-season finale and will be forced to skip a third consecutive game. Fast had only one point in his final nine regular-season appearances, but he did well in a limited role with 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) in 73 outings. Fast's next chance to return comes on Saturday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Walt Ruff
3 hours agoNew York Islanders winger Matt Martin is considered a game-time decision for Thursday's matchup against Carolina due to an undisclosed injury. Martin didn't practice on Wednesday after averaging 10:12 of ice time across the first two games of the series. He's been anonymous against the Hurricanes so far, producing only one shot on goal and five hits. Ruslan Iskhakov is expected to jump into the lineup if Martin can't play. The 23-year-old made his NHL debut in the regular-season finale against Pittsburgh and got off to a good start in the league by logging one assist in a 5-4 win. Iskhakov bagged 50 points (18 goals, 32 assists) in 69 AHL games this season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Stefen Rosner
3 hours agoFlorida Panthers center Anton Lundell will skate on the second line in Thursday's Game 3 against the Lightning. He will be filling in for Sam Bennett (upper body), who was injured in the second game of the series. Lundell already saw some action in the spot in Game 2 and collected an assist on Carter Verhaeghe's game-winner in overtime. The Finnish forward contributed 10 points (two goals, eight assists) across 21 games as the Panthers made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final a year ago and collected 35 points (13 goals, 22 assists) in 78 regular-season outings this term.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: George Richards
3 hours agoThe San Francisco 49ers have been in trade rumors regarding star wide receiver
Brandon Aiyuk all offseason, but NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports the team has also talked with teams about trading fellow star wideout
Deebo Samuel. Russini said one of the teams the 49ers have talked with currently holds a top-10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, so a blockbuster deal could be in the works. Aiyuk is reportedly asking for more money than the 49ers are willing to give him, while Samuel has been in the trade rumor circles for multiple seasons. With high-priced assets like
George Kittle,
Christian McCaffrey, Nick Bosa, and Fred Warner on the roster, the organization will have to make moves in order to re-sign quarterback
Brock Purdy in the near future. If one of the wideouts is traded, they should retain plenty of fantasy value with their new team.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Dianna Russini -- The Athletic
3 hours agoFlorida Panthers winger Ryan Lomberg (illness) will remain out for Game 3 against Tampa Bay on Thursday. He's battling an undisclosed illness and didn't travel with the team. Florida currently has him in quarantine. Kyle Okposo will be entering the lineup on Thursday. The veteran should add some offensive threat to the team after registering 22 points (12 goals, 10 assists) in 67 regular-season games split between Buffalo and Florida. The 36-year-old is getting his first taste of playoff action since having 10 postseason outings with the Islanders in 2015-16.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: George Richards
4 hours agoAlabama offensive tackle JC Latham has seemingly been a rising prospect as the 2024 NFL draft approaches, and NFL draft expert Todd McShay suggested he could be the first offensive lineman off the board on Thursday. Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt has been the popular choice to take that honor, but McShay believes the Los Angeles Chargers could draft Latham over Alt with the No. 5 overall pick. Latham played right tackle for the Crimson Tide, making him a perfect fit on the other side of stud left tackle Rashawn Slater. Los Angeles has been one of the trickiest teams to predict during this draft cycle, and new head coach Jim Harbaugh could choose to go an unconventional route.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Todd McShay
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