Alec Bohm to Return From Injured List on Sunday
Alec Bohm (ribs) will come off the 10-day injured list on Sunday, Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic reports. Bohm has missed almost a month after going on the IL on July 19 with a fractured left rib. Before suffering the injury, the 29-year-old hit an unspectacular .278/.324/.391 with eight homers, 42 RBI, and 39 runs scored in 383 plate appearances. Bohm has never been a great source of power, but this year's .113 ISO is among the worst of his career and falls well short of the .165 mark he combined for from 2023-24. The Phillies will be glad to welcome Bohm back, though, as he should provide an upgrade over reserves Edmundo Sosa and Otto Kemp.Source: Charlotte Varnes - The Athletic
Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Brad Keselowski Probably the Best RFK Racing DFS Option at Richmond
Source: Racing Reference
After a terrible first 16 races when he sat 32nd in the championship with five crash DNFs, Brad Keselowski has suddenly looked like a playoff contender in the weeks since he and his crew chief Jeremy Bullins have developed chemistry. However, it will be too little, too late to make the playoffs unless he can grab a win in the last two races of the regular season. Given the speed he had at Atlanta and especially the very similar Iowa two weeks ago when he had his best run as an owner-driver, that's a definite possibility. Keselowski starts 6th behind his pole-winning teammate Ryan Preece but ahead of his previously faster teammate Chris Buescher. He typically is the best Richmond driver among the RFK Racing trio with two wins and 1,280 laps led here, but he only significantly contended once in the Next Gen era in 2023. Nonetheless, he seems intensely motivated to win and after his Iowa run, that's a definite possibility.Chase Briscoe Still Figuring Out Richmond
Source: Driver Averages
Richmond Raceway has been a bit of a struggle for Chase Briscoe throughout his career. In eight total starts here with Stewart-Haas Racing, Briscoe never cracked the top 10, although he does have a couple of 11th-place finishes to his credit. With him moving over to Joe Gibbs Racing this season, many people expected Briscoe to instantly gain a step at "The Action Track," but that hasn't really been the case this weekend, as the No. 19 Toyota was pedestrian in practice and Briscoe qualified back in 19th-place. He was interviewed after qualifying and noted that he felt like a "fish out of water" at this race track. Although there is some Place Differential upside for Chase Briscoe in Saturday night's Cook Out 400, he's probably not worth the $9,500 salary on DraftKings, as he's unlikely to dominate much, if at all. Chris Buescher a Solid Choice for DFS Play, but Teammates Look Faster
Source: Racing Reference
After years of mediocrity at Richmond, Chris Buescher has typically been very good here in the Next Gen era, winning from 26th in 2023. Although that was the only race he led, he also threatened for the win in the 2022 summer race where he finished third and he finished ninth in the spring race last year. However, he hasn't been as fast in general this year as he was from 2022-2024 and his teammates Ryan Preece and Brad Keselowski both look faster and like potential winning contenders, which is very worrisome for a driver sitting on the playoff bubble who has also seemed to frequently lose speed in the later stages of races this year. Given RFK Racing's speed, all three cars will likely run well and Buescher is certainly worthy of DFS consideration since he is qualifying worse than his teammates, but he's also more expensive than Preece, which probably makes Preece the better choice.Ty Gibbs is Mediocre at a Track Where his Grandfather's Team Won 19 Times
Source: Racing Reference
People tend to think of Ty Gibbs as a short track racer more than they probably should because Bristol is arguably his best track, but he has been nowhere near as fast at Richmond and has never finished better than ninth here or led at a track where Joe Gibbs Racing has won 19 times. Furthermore, Gibbs' qualifying position of 23rd is his worst ever at this track. He qualified poorly enough for a team that has frequently dominated here that you have to give him some measure of consideration, particularly because he only costs $7,000 and will probably be intensely motivated to win his way into the playoffs, but he just doesn't seem to be fast enough here to significantly contend for a win.Commanders' Zach Ertz Out for MNF
Zach Ertz will sit out Monday's preseason matchup with the Bengals. While he's not listed on the injury report, the team is expected to rest the 33-year-old veteran as a precaution. Ertz has secured the starting role and should remain a steady option for quarterback Jayden Daniels this season. The veteran played all 17 games last year, his first full campaign since 2021. Ertz projects as a low-end TE2 in fantasy and is unlikely to be drafted outside of deeper formats, but he remains a reliable security blanket in Washington's offense.Source: Ben Standig
Washington Commanders tight end Despite Qualifying 33rd, Ross Chastain Not As Strong a DFS Option As Usual
Source: Racing Reference
Although Ross Chastain's consistently poor qualifying and somewhat improved racecraft made him a must-have a lot of weeks this year, Richmond probably isn't one of the best tracks to start him for DFS play even though he's starting 33rd. Chastain tends to finish better than he starts this season, but at Richmond, that has tended not to be the case as he finished worse than he started in four of the six races as his cars went away, especially in the 2022 race when he started second and finished eighteenth after leading 80 laps. Now his cars are much slower than they were in 2022 and Trackhouse Racing has always had shaky speed on short tracks. You can probably still count on Chastain to finish better than he starts, but he probably won't gain enough positions to make him one of the top DFS options.\Will Carson Hocevar's Speed Overcome His Lack of Racecraft?
Source: Racing Reference
Carson Hocevar has had a confusing season as he has shown an increase in speed from his rookie season while also seeming to show less racecraft. Although he has probably had better performance this year, his season somehow feels like a sophomore slump because he exceeded expectations last year and failed to meet them this year, especially considering his Rookie of the Year opponent Josh Berry won this year. It seems like most of his good luck from last year when he managed to consistently pull off his dangerous moves went away this year, which has led to a regression to the mean in some respects. Nonetheless, Hocevar might be a decent choice tonight since he drove from 19th to 8th last year and is starting better in 15th this year. Since he's been faster this year, he might have a solid chance for a top ten - if he can keep his cool.Not Enough Attrition at Richmond for Shane Van Gisbergen to Be Viable
Source: Racing Reference
Shane van Gisbergen has never started a race at Richmond in the NASCAR Cup Series and he wasn't much of a contender in last year's Xfinity race either, where he finished 15th a lap down. He did outqualify his teammate Ross Chastain in 27th, which isn't as much of a surprise as you might expect because Chastain has been qualifying terribly. However, SVG is still something of an oval novice and he doesn't seem to have many oval skills yet other than avoiding crashes. That won't matter much at Richmond, which has been one of the cleanest tracks in the Next Gen era with only seven DNFs in the six previous races here, only four of which resulted from crashes. His great car control won't likely help him much at a track so clean, so his lack of speed will be more paramount here, which means he should probably be avoided.Bubba Wallace Looking for Another Solid Richmond Race
Source: ifantasyrace
Bubba Wallace has been strong at Richmond Raceway over the last couple of years, as the 23XI Racing driver has finished 13th or better in the last three races at "The Action Track," including a career-best fourth-place finish last year. In Saturday night's Cook Out 400, the No. 23 Toyota will roll off the starting grid from seventh-place, and Bubba should be able to contend for a solid top-10 finish. In practice on Friday, he was one of the faster cars on the long run in the second group, which will pay dividends on Saturday night during the race. Additionally, Bubba finished third at Martinsville this season--which used the same tire combination that Goodyear brought this weekend to Richmond--and he was also strong at Bowman Gray and North Wilkesboro. In DFS, Bubba Wallace is under-priced ($7,500 on DraftKings) but doesn't have much Place Differential upside. He's a tournament option, though, as a top-five finish is definitely within his reach. After Strong Iowa Run, Austin Cindric Might Surprise
Source: Racing Reference
After the speed he showed earlier in the season, Austin Cindric had a downturn in performance for most of the summer, but he had one of his best short-track drives two weeks ago at Iowa when he started fourth and finished 12th. It's possible he'll be fast at Richmond. Cindric doesn't typically run well here, as he only finished better than 20th once, but he has also tends to be faster at most tracks this year than he was in previous seasons. Coming off a run of four consecutive finishes between 12th and 16th, he will probably run better than most models would predict. However, he is starting 13th, so it is likely that he will finish worse than he starts, meaning he probably doesn't have a great deal of DFS value.Corey Heim Probably Too Inexperienced to Contend at Richmond
Source: Racing Reference
After winning his seventh NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race of the season and first at Richmond on Friday night, Corey Heim returns to the track for Saturday's Cup Series race, but it's hard to see him contending since he qualified 32nd when his more experienced teammates Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace both qualified in the top 10, and even Riley Herbst outqualified him. Heim has never started a Cup Series race on a short track before unless you erroneously think Dover counts. As a result, it's hard to predict how he'll do in a race with more than one very good driver in it. Ultimately, it seems like it takes most drivers a couple years to figure out the Next Gen chassis on ovals, as has also proven true for Heim's truck predecessor Zane Smith. As dominant as he has been in the Truck Series, he probably won't break this trend, but he qualified poorly enough in a fast enough car that you should consider him anyway.Willson Contreras Out Again on Saturday
Willson Contreras (foot) remains out of the lineup on Saturday against the New York Yankees. Alec Burleson will play first and bat second against left-handed ace Max Fried. Contreras hasn't played since he took a pitch off the right foot on Tuesday and had to leave early in a 3-0 loss to the Colorado Rockies. Manager Oliver Marmol said Friday that Conteras was doing better, but he was still sore. It doesn't seem like this is anything more than a day-to-day injury, so perhaps Contreras will return Sunday. UPDATE: If Contreras' pre-game workout goes well, he could serve as a pinch-hitter on Saturday or start in the series finale on Sunday, according to Marmol.Source: MLB.com
St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Daniel Suarez Won't Benefit From the Same Strategy Play This Year
Source: Racing Reference
After years of futility at Richmond, Daniel Suárez surprisingly had one of the best runs of his Cup Series career here last year, where he led 93 laps and finished 10th, although Suárez's good run was predicted here. Nonetheless, don't expect him to repeat that feat this week. Last year, Suárez benefited from going on alternate tires, but there will be no such possiblity this year, as NASCAR has not decided to repeat last year's optional tire experiment. Furthermore, Suárez has been a lot slower pretty much everywhere than his earlier Trackhouse Racing seasons, so it seems like he doesn't even have the speed to benefit from strategy plays most of the time anymore. When you further consider that Trackhouse Racing has typically not had amazing speed on short tracks to begin with, and his qualifying position was a decent 21st, you should look elsewhere in DFS.Erik Jones Was Slow at Richmond Even When He Had Fast Cars
Source: Racing Reference
While Erik Jones has been nowhere near as slow as he was in 2023 and 2024, he's still been little more than a mid-packer this year and he hasn't been particularly known for his short track prowess especially after Joe Gibbs Racing fired him. That Jones Boi used to be strong at some short tracks (especially Bristol) at JGR, but Richmond was not one of them as he has never finished better than sixth or led a single lap, although he did finish fourth on track in 2019 before being disqualified. In the No. 43 car, he has been significantly slower on all short tracks and when you consider that he wasn't good here even then and he actually qualified pretty well in 18th, he's a pretty bad choice for DFS play.Zane Smith Not a Great DFS Option on Paper, but Typically Outperforms His Expectations
Source: Racing Reference
Like his Front Row Motorsports teammate Noah Gragson, Zane Smith has never finished in the top ten on a short track and his overall Richmond record is even worse than Gragson's as his best finish in last year's race was 23rd and even in the Craftsman Truck Series, he never finished better than fifth. However, he qualified 29th and he tends to be most likely to be the highest FRM finisher at most tracks. Couple that with him only being in his second season while Gragson and Todd Gilliland have been around longer and it's easier to see Smith making a sudden improvement at tracks where he's struggled in the past. However, attempting to predict which race a driver will suddenly figure out a track is a bit of a fool's errand and there's no way of really figuring that out with any certainty, so Smith should probably be avoided.Noah Gragson Outqualifies His Teammates at Richmond But is Unlikely to Contend
Source: Racing Reference
Noah Gragson has never earned a top-10 finish on a short track before, but he did earn his second-best finish on this track type in the spring Richmond race in 2024 when he finished 12th. He also won the Xfinity Series race in 2021. Gragson starts 22nd in Saturday evening's event, where he did outqualify both his Front Row Motorsports teammates Zane Smith and Todd Gilliland. While the FRM team has shown some speed here periodically (especially Gilliland), it's hard to imagine Gragson being much of a contender when he has been consistently slow in races throughout this year. When you further consider that he outqualified both his teammates who are more likely to have a decent finish, Gragson's value for DFS lineups is extremely low.Packers' Marshawn Lloyd Set for Preseason Debut
MarShawn Lloyd (groin) is expected to make his preseason debut Sunday against the Colts. The 2024 rookie appeared in just one game before suffering an ankle injury and later required an emergency appendectomy that ended his season. Lloyd enters 2025 healthy and projects as the primary change-of-pace option behind starter Josh Jacobs. For fantasy purposes, Lloyd is an intriguing handcuff with upside, particularly in deeper formats. If Jacobs were to miss time, Lloyd's explosiveness and versatility could give him immediate flex appeal.Source: Rob Demovsky
Green Bay Packers running back Jhoan Duran Feels "100%"
Jhoan Duran (ankle) told Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he feels "100%" after taking a comebacker off his right ankle Friday. Duran is walking without a limp, according to Lauber. The hard-throwing right-hander left on a cart after the Washington Nationals' Paul DeJong lined an infield single off him in the Phillies' 6-2 win. X-rays came back negative after the game, and a day later, it appears Duran is out of the woods. That's welcome news for the Phillies and fantasy managers, as Duran has been outstanding in 2025. The trade deadline pickup from the Minnesota Twins has converted 20 of his 22 save opportunities while pitching to a 1.86 ERA with a 1.13 WHIP and 56:18 K:BB in 53 1/3 innings.Source: Scott Lauber - Philadelphia Inquirer
Philadelphia Phillies closer Alan Roden Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Alan Roden (thumb) on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left thumb and recalled fellow outfielder James Outman from Triple-A St. Paul. The Twins scratched Roden from their lineup on Friday, and now he'll miss at least a week and a half because of the injury. Roden joined the Twins in a July 31 trade deadline deal and has gone just 6-for-38 with one home run, one RBI, 13 strikeouts, and no walks since then. Between Minnesota and Toronto, the 25-year-old has hit an unsightly .191/.261/.294 with two homers, nine RBI, and 17 runs scored in 153 plate appearances.Source: Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins announced that they have placed outfielder Pirates' Bubba Chandler Staying at Triple-A
Bubba Chandler. The 22-year-old right-hander will remain in Triple-A, where he's scheduled to start tonight. Many expected Chandler to make his MLB debut this weekend, but the Pirates are opting for more development time. The hard-throwing prospect owns a 5-5 record with a 3.82 ERA and a strong 27.6% strikeout rate this season. While fantasy managers will need to remain patient, Chandler remains one of the system's most exciting arms and could debut late this year or open 2026 in the rotation.Source: Noah Hiles
The Pittsburgh Pirates have yet to announce their starter for Sunday, but it won't be Bowden Francis has Started a Throwing Progression
Bowden Francis (shoulder) has begun throwing while rehabbing at the team's Florida complex. It's unclear as to how far he has been able to throw, but it's good news nonetheless that he has progressed to this point. He plans on ramping up his distance thrown and pitch count, but he is still in the early stages of his recovery. The next step forward in his recovery would be completing moundwork. How quickly he progresses will be closely monitored, given that he suffered a setback with discomfort on July 18. Fantasy managers will want to keep him on the waiver wire in all redraft leagues because even if he does return, his role is largely unknown.Source: Arden Zwelling
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Bubba Chandler Staying at Triple-A for Now
Bubba Chandler. The 22-year-old right-hander will remain in Triple-A, where he's scheduled to start tonight. Many expected Chandler to make his MLB debut this weekend, but the Pirates are opting for more development time. The hard-throwing prospect owns a 5-5 record with a 3.82 ERA and a strong 27.6% strikeout rate this season. While fantasy managers will need to remain patient, Chandler remains one of the system's most exciting arms and could debut late this year or open 2026 in the rotation.Source: Noah Hiles
The Pittsburgh Pirates have yet to announce their starter for Sunday, but it won't be Harry Ford Homers Again Friday
Harry Ford launched a 411-foot homer on Friday, bringing his total to 15 on the year. The 22-year-old has impressed at Triple-A with a strong plate approach, walking at a 15.3% rate while keeping his strikeouts at just 18.9%. Ford is slashing .294/.412/.479 this season and looks ready for the next step. However, with Cal Raleigh entrenched as Seattle's starting catcher, Ford's MLB debut may not come until 2026. Dynasty managers should already be stashing him, as his on-base skills and power make him a premium long-term asset.Source: MLB Pipeline
Seattle Mariners prospect Josh Jacobs Not Playing in Second Preseason Game
Josh Jacobs will not play in Saturday's second preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts, according to Packers beat writer Mike Spofford. Jacobs will take a seat after playing just one offensive snap in the preseason opener last week against the New York Jets. Most of the team's key starters won't feature this weekend, including quarterback Jordan Love (thumb) and receivers Jayden Reed (knee), Dontayvion Wicks (calf) and Romeo Doubs (back). In his first year in Green Bay in 2024, Jacobs topped 1,000 rushing yards for the fourth time in his six NFL seasons and scored a career-high 15 rushing touchdowns on 301 carries. Jacobs should again be the workhorse in the Packers' backfield this year, but fantasy managers should expect TD regression, making him more of a low-end RB1 target in fantasy.Source: Packers.com - Mike Spofford
Green Bay Packers running back Kutter Crawford Hopes to be Throwing by October
Kutter Crawford (wrist) is recovering well from the surgery that he had on his right wrist back on July 2, which was a procedure that ended his season. He anticipates that he will be throwing by October, leading to the hope that he will be ready by Spring Training. It has been a rough year for Crawford, who will end up not pitching at all in 2025. Following a breakout season in 2024, where he finished with a 4.36 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP, he started the season on the injured list with right patellar tendiopathy. While he was rehabbing, the right-hander injured himself with an off-field incident while doing yardwork at home. His progress this offseason will be something to monitor, as he could be an option late in 2026 drafts.Source: Jen McCaffrey
Boston Red Sox starter Aiva Arquette Clubs First Pro Home Run
Source: MLB Pipeline
Miami Marlins shortstop prospect Aiva Arquette launched his first professional home run Friday in just his eighth game with High-A Beloit. The seventh overall pick in June's draft, Arquette already ranks as the organization's No. 2 prospect. At 6'5", he brings rare size and raw power to the shortstop position, with legitimate 30-homer upside. While he's currently being developed exclusively at short, his defensive versatility could provide multiple paths to the majors. Arquette will be a premium dynasty prospect this offseason and should come off the board early in prospect drafts.C.J. Stroud, Several Starters to Play Against Panthers
C.J. Stroud, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Wide receiver Nico Collins will also get a few series on offense with Stroud this weekend, while running back Dameon Pierce will be held out. This will be Stroud's first preseason action this summer after he sat out of the opener last week against the Minnesota Vikings. The 23-year-old took a step back in 2024 in his sophomore season, throwing for 3,727 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while being sacked 52 times in 17 regular-season starts. Stroud showed in his rookie campaign that he can put up numbers, but a bounce-back in 2025 will depend on whether his offensive line can protect him. Treat him as a low-end QB2 in fantasy with upside.Source: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
The Houston Texans will play several starters on Saturday in their second preseason game against the Carolina Panthers, including quarterback Carlos Narvaez Battling Knee Soreness
Carlos Narvaez (knee) has been battling knee soreness of late, which is the reason for his absence from the lineup earlier in the week. While he did return to play on Friday night, he was absent from Saturday's lineup, giving way to the possibility that he could be fatigued or still suffering from recurring soreness. Since the All-Star Break, the 26-year-old has struggled at the plate to the tune of a .130/.161/.296 slash line over 16 games played. It remains to be seen if additional rest can lead to a better approach at the plate. He can stay on the waiver wire in most fantasy leagues.Source: Jen McCaffrey
Boston Red Sox catcher Andrew Heaney to Pitch in Relief for the Rest of the Year
Don
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left-hander
Andrew
Heaney
will
pitch
out
of
the
bullpen
for
the
rest
of
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according
to
Noah
Hiles
of
Pittsburgh
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