3 days agoMiami Heat forward/center Kevin Love (heel) is nearing a return and has been listed as questionable for Tuesday's matchup against the Warriors. The veteran has missed 13 games on the bounce with a right heel injury, last appearing for Miami on Feb. 27. Love will likely push Thomas Bryant near the end of the bench again, and Nikola Jovic and Haywood Highsmith might also lose a few minutes. The five-time All-Star doesn't play a lot these days, but Love has been effective when on the court, averaging 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 17.5 minutes.Source: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoGolden State Warriors center Trayce Jackson-Davis (knee) is questionable to play on Tuesday against Miami. The rookie big man has hurt his left knee and might have to come out of the lineup in the midst of a very good stretch. Jackson-Davis has tallied 10.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in 23.0 minutes this month. If he can't play versus the Heat, Kevon Looney might jump back into the rotation, with Dario Saric also in a position to log extra minutes. However, this wouldn't change their fantasy value, as both players have only filled a minuscule role for the Warriors.Source: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoNew York Yankees outfielder Oscar Gonzalez (face) suffered a right orbital fracture during Monday's 8-5 exhibition game loss to the Diablos Rojos, per the Athletic's Brendan Kuty. The 26-year-old was taken to the hospital after fouling a ball off his face. While manager Aaron Boone announced earlier in the day that Gonzalez had been re-assigned to minor-league camp, he had put together a strong spring, batting .326 in 46 plate appearances.Source: Brendan Kuty - Twitter.com
3 days agoThe Arizona Diamondbacks selected veteran catcher Tucker Barnhart's contract Monday and designated pitcher Peter Strzelecki for assignment in a corresponding move. This means that Barnhart will serve as backup to Gabriel Moreno to start the season. The 33-year-old is a two-time Gold Glove winner and can provide experience and leadership off the bench. However, he has hit just .217 this spring and has never been much of an offensive fantasy option.Source: MLB.com
3 days agoSeattle Mariners second baseman/outfielder Sam Haggerty (personal) will start the season on the injured list with a personal medical issue, per general manager Justin Hollander. Hollander only specified that the injury is non-baseball related. The 29-year-old spent most of his time at Triple-A Tacoma last season, slashing .324/.419/.578 with eight home runs, 19 RBI, and 19 stolen bases in 222 plate appearances. However, he batted just .136 in 22 spring plate appearances.Source: Ryan Divish - Twitter.com
3 days agoSeattle Mariners relief pitcher Matt Brash (elbow) threw 25 pitches off the mound at 85 percent effort on Monday, per Seattle Times' Ryan Divish. The 25-year-old has been positively progressing through right elbow inflammation this spring. Brash played a key part in the Mariners bullpen last season, going 9-4 with four saves and 24 holds as well as a 3.06 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and 34.7% strikeout rate in 70 2/3 innings pitched. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progress for a better timetable for his return. He should be able to provide fantasy value in at least all saves-plus-holds leagues and deeper roto leagues if he can return to the team relatively soon.Source: Ryan Divish - Twitter.com
3 days agoSeattle Mariners relief pitcher Gregory Santos (lat) is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Thursday, per the Seattle Times' Ryan Divish. Santos has been dealing with a lat strain this spring which has slowed his progress on and off. The 24-year-old will continue his throwing program if the MRI comes back clean. While he may not provide a ton of fantasy value upon his return to the team, the Mariners will welcome him back as their bullpen depth is currently short with Matt Brash (elbow) dealing with right elbow inflammation.Source: Ryan Divish - Twitter.com
3 days agoToronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman (shoulder) had an encouraging start in Monday's 4-3 Grapefruit League loss to the Pirates. Gausman pitched three innings, allowing one run on three hits and no walks with seven strikeouts. The 33-year-old experienced shoulder soreness earlier in spring training, but now should avoid a stint on the injured list. His delay won't allow him to start on Opening Day, but he is lined up to start the series opener against the Houston Astros. This is great news for fantasy managers who drafted Gausman early in drafts.Source: MLB.com
3 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani (elbow) played catch Monday after addressing the media. It was the first reported time of him throwing a baseball since his second elbow surgery. Manager Dave Roberts said that he doesn't expect Ohtani to pitch until 2025 but said he may be able to play the field in 2024 if he can recover quickly enough. The 29-year-old should provide plenty of fantasy value with his bat only, as he is hitting .423 this spring with his new team.Source: Dylan Hernandez - Los Angeles Times
3 days agoSt. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist has suffered a knee injury after taking a hit from Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb on Monday night. The pivot was seen leaving the arena on crutches and in a knee brace as the ailment could be of the serious variety. The 30-year-old has tallied six goals and 21 points across 70 games on the season while adding 82 shots on goal and a minus-five rating across 70 games. After dropping a 2-1 overtime decision to the Knights on Monday, the Blues are now five points back of the second and final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.Source: David Solomon
3 days agoVancouver Canucks forward Elias Lindholm was held out of the lineup on Monday with what is believed to be a hand/wrist issue. The veteran remains day to day after he skated 15:42 against his old team, the Calgary Flames, in a 4-2 win on Saturday night. It's been a decent offensive season for the veteran who has tallied 14 goals and 41 points across 71 games, the first 49 of which came with the Flames. Since a deal to the Canucks, the Swede has notched five goals and nine points across 22 games but was also the subject of more trade rumors prior to the March 8 NHL Trade Deadline.Source: Elliotte Friedman
3 days agoVegas Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault played the overtime hero Monday in a crucial battle against the St. Louis Blues. The veteran ended the game just 49 seconds into the extra frame as the Golden Knights gained some additional breathing room on the Blues. With the win, Vegas gained an extra point on the Blues as they now sit five points up on them for the second and final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Marchessault, 33, has now registered 38 goals and 60 points across 70 games on the season and is an even rating on his plus/minus ledger.Source: NHL.com
3 days agoLos Angeles Clippers point guard Russell Westbrook (hand) is available Monday, three weeks after having hand surgery. The former MVP was recovering from a fractured hand suffered on March 1st in a matchup against Washington. Westbrook has been one of the most productive bench players in the league this season, putting up 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. While Westbrook was out, the Clippers posted a 6-6 record. In his return against the Pacers, the 35-year-old shouldn't face any minute restrictions.Source: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoSeattle Mariners right-hander Emerson Hancock will now open the 2024 season in the team's starting rotation as the fifth starter with Bryan Woo (elbow) starting the year on the injured list due to elbow inflammation. The 24-year-old Hancock, the former sixth overall pick in 2020 out of Georgia, is lined up to make his first start of 2024 next Monday in a strong matchup against the Cleveland Guardians. He made his MLB debut in 2023 and went 3-3 with a 4.50 ERA (4.09 FIP) and a 1.33 WHIP with three walks and six strikeouts in 12 innings over three starts before being shut down with a shoulder ailment. Until Hancock shows more consistency, fantasy managers in mixed leagues can probably ignore him, especially since he could only make a few starts for Seattle before being sent back to the farm.Source: The Seattle Times - Ryan Divish
3 days agoSan Francisco Giants left-hander Blake Snell will pitch either in Arizona or "something somewhere else" on Friday, according to manager Bob Melvin. Snell pitched three innings on Sunday and could get up to five innings later this week. Due to the late nature of his signing with the Giants during spring training, last year's National League Cy Young winner won't be ready to be in the team's Opening Day rotation. We should have a better idea of when the 31-year-old southpaw will be able to make his Giants debut once he gets stretched out a bit more. While Snell has lots of strikeout upside for fantasy managers, he led the league with 99 walks last year with the San Diego Padres and was fortunate to have a league-low 2.25 ERA, as evidenced by his 3.44 FIP. He's moving to a great pitcher's park, but fantasy managers should expect some regression.Source: San Francisco Chronicle - Susan Slusser
3 days agoCleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam said on Monday that they are close to reaching contract extensions with both head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry. In the last four seasons with Stefanski and Berry at the helm in Cleveland, the Browns have made the postseason twice and even won a playoff game against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns have gone 37-30 in the regular season since both men were hired. They've gone 1-2 in the postseason but advanced to the playoffs last year despite season-ending injuries to key players like Deshaun Watson, Nick Chubb, Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills. It remains to be seen how long their new contract extensions will be, but both Stefanski and Berry have earned the right to stick around longer.Source: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot
3 days agoOn Monday, Philadelphia 76ers forward Kelly Oubre Jr. (shoulder) will not suit up against the Sacramento Kings. He is suffering from a sore left shoulder. The 28-year-old was added to the injury report as a game-time decision, and after testing his shoulder in pregame warmups, he is now listed as out. 31-year-old Buddy Hield will likely start at small forward with Oubre Jr. sidelined.Source: Gina Mizell
3 days agoPittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward (groin) had a cleanup procedure this offseason to help fix a lingering issue with his groin and core-muscle surgery from in-season, but head coach Mike Tomlin doesn't think Heyward's recovery would linger into the training programs this offseason. "I'm not anticipating it to be a factor by the time we get to training camp," Tomlin said. The 34-year-old veteran should have missed 12 weeks last year after his initial surgery, but he powered back quicker than that. He also dealt with a knee issue that kept him from practicing fully throughout almost the entire season. The six-time Pro Bowler could bounce back in IDP fantasy leagues in 2024 if he's completely healthy. Heyward had only two sacks in 11 starts in 2023 but recorded 20.5 sacks the previous two seasons combined.Source: Steelers Now - Nick Farabaugh
3 days agoWhile New York Giants president and CEO John Mara still has faith in quarterback Daniel Jones (knee), he told reporters on Monday at the NFL meetings that he wouldn't stop general manager Joe Schoen from taking a quarterback in the upcoming draft. "I think the Daniel (Jones) we saw in 2022 is the real deal. I still have all the confidence in the world in him. … Yes, I think we all expect him to be the starter in 2024," Mara said. Jones is no lock to be ready for Week 1 in 2024 after tearing his ACL last year, but the Giants continue to stay that when he's healthy, he'll be the team's starter under center. The G-Men aren't giving up on the former sixth overall pick in 2019 out of Duke, but 2024 might be his make-or-break season. Drafting a QB this year would give the Giants some insurance at the position.Source: NFL Network - Mike Garofolo
3 days agoThere's a chance that quarterback Zach Wilson could end up staying with the New York Jets in 2024. "If we don't trade him, we're going to keep him," owner Woody Johnson said. The Jets gave Wilson and his representatives permission to seek a trade last month, but with the rest of the league already making moves to acquire other QBs ahead of next month's NFL draft, the demand for Wilson has been non-existent this offseason. If the Jets do end up trading Wilson, they'll basically be giving him away. The former No. 2 overall pick in 2021 out of BYU has fallen flat in his three NFL seasons and was benched in 2023 after throwing for 2,271 yards, eight touchdowns and seen picks in 12 games (11 starts) after Aaron Rodgers (Achilles) got hurt. The Jets already signed veteran Tyrod Taylor to serve as Rodgers' backup in 2024.Source: New York Post - Brian Costello
3 days agoFor now, quarterback Jarrett Stidham is the Denver Broncos' potential starter in 2024, but head coach Sean Payton declined to say Stidham was in the top position for the job. "He's definitely competing to be the starter," Payton said. "I don't think we have a term 'driver's seat' really. But he is going to compete for that position. I know he's anxious and excited to do that, and I'm sure there will be other candidates that will be competing with him." Stidham and Ben DiNucci are the only QBs on the current roster after the team released Russell Wilson this offseason, but the Broncos are a candidate to trade up in the first round of next month's draft for a potential franchise signal-caller. Stidham has flashed some potential late the last two years with the Raiders and Broncos, but not enough for him to be outright named the starter this offseason.Source: NFL.com - Kevin Patra
3 days agoMemphis Grizzlies forward Lamar Stevens (groin) will suit up Monday against the Denver Nuggets. Stevens has been dealing with a left-groin strain. He will take the court for the first time since March 10. The 26-year-old averaged 10.0 points and 4.6 rebounds in 23.5 minutes across his last five outings before getting injured. Despite a depleted Grizzlies roster, Stevens may still see limited minutes Monday night.Source: Grizzlies PR
3 days agoFormer New England Patriots running back Damien Harris announced his retirement from professional football on Monday at age 27. The Patriots selected Harris in the third round (87th overall) in the 2019 NFL draft out of Alabama, and he had 449 rushing attempts for 2,094 yards and 20 touchdowns in his four years in New England in 38 regular-season games (34 starts) while adding 40 receptions on 51 targets for an additional 281 receiving yards. Harris spent the 2023 campaign with the Buffalo Bills but played in only six games before suffering a season-ending concussion/neck injury that saw him be taken off the field in an ambulance. He'll end his NFL career after just five seasons, recording 2,188 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on 427 carries with the Pats and Bills.Source: Patriots.com - Evan Lazar
3 days agoIndianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen wouldn't say definitively that quarterback Anthony Richardson (shoulder) will be cleared by next month but he "should be" after missing most of his rookie season in 2023 with an AC joint sprain that required season-ending surgery. "I know he's super fired up and ready to roll through the spring practice and training camp and this season," Steichen said. The 21-year-old had surgery on Oct. 24 and began throwing last month. This year in training camp, Richardson will take all of the starting reps while Joe Flacco serves as his backup. Having his role clearly defined at this stage of the offseason, as well as another year in the same system, should make Richardson feel more comfortable than he did as a rookie. His brief showing in 2023 gave fantasy managers a quick glimpse into his high-end QB1 upside, mainly because of his elite rushing abilities.Source: The Athletic - James Boyd
3 days agoMemphis Grizzlies forward Jake LaRavia (illness), previously listed as a game-time decision due to illness, will be available to play against the Denver Nuggets on Monday. Despite being sick, he is healthy enough to play. In his last five games, he has averaged 11.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.2 steals. Desmond Bane (back) and Lamar Stevens (adductor), listed as questionable earlier in the day, will also be suiting up.Source: Grizzlies PR
3 days agoMemphis Grizzlies forward Vince Williams Jr. (knee) is officially out on Monday versus the Nuggets. He's still dealing with tendonitis in his left patellar tendon. The 24-year-old has played 52 contests this season, averaging 10.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. The Grizzlies lineup has been hampered with injuries this season. However, Desmond Bane (back), Scottie Pippen Jr. (shin) and Jake LaRavia (illness) will provide some relief to a depleted roster as they are available for Monday's tilt.Source: Grizzlies PR
4 days agoMemphis Grizzlies guard/forward Desmond Bane (back) is available against Denver on Monday. After missing two months with a sprained ankle, Bane is now dealing with a sore back. Following his long-awaited return, the Grizzlies star played in only three games before having some injury issues. Memphis continues to have several players on their injury list, resulting in John Konchar in the backcourt against San Antonio on Friday. Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jordan Goodwin have also been significant parts of the teams rotation.Source: Grizzlies PR
4 days agoDenver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (illness) will play on Monday against the Grizzlies. He was on the injury report because of a non-COVID-illness. However, Porter is good to go. The 25-year-old scored only 12 points in Saturday's win over the Trail Blazers. While there's a chance he'll bounce back, he may spend more time on the bench if the Nuggets build a commanding lead over the shorthanded Grizzlies.Source: Denver Nuggets
4 days agoDenver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (foot) won't play on Monday against Memphis. The veteran had a 22-point, 12-rebound double-double with three blocks in Saturday's win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Unfortunately, he popped up on the injury report late on Monday because of a right Plantar Fascia strain. There hasn't been anything to suggest the injury will keep him out beyond Monday night, meaning he could be back for Wednesday's showdown with the Suns. But as fas as the meeting with Memphis is concerned, Peyton Watson, averaging 11.8 points, 1.5 blocks, and 1.0 steals in four starts this year, should fill the void in the lineup.Source: Denver Nuggets
4 days agoDenver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (ankle) remains out on Monday against Memphis. He hasn't played in over a week because of a sprained left ankle. Unquestionably, the Nuggets need him healthy for the postseason, so he may not be back for at least a few more contests. But until Murray returns to the lineup, Reggie Jackson, who scored 23 points in Saturday's win over Portland, will presumably remain in the starting lineup. However, with Nikola Jokic (back, hip) and Michael Porter Jr. (illness) available, Jackson may not be as productive.Source: Denver Nuggets