4 days agoFree-agent defensive tackle Austin Johnson agreed to a one-year deal with the Bills. The 29-year-old could earn up to $4 million, and the announcement comes after he recently visited the Cardinals on Friday. Johnson started every game for the Los Angeles Chargers during the 2023-24 campaign, totaling 46 tackles, a forced fumble, and two passes defensed. Johnson may not see as much action this season, so it's hard to tell what kind of impact he'll have from an IDP standpoint. However, the move at least adds depth for a club that had issues keeping guys healthy on the defensive side of the ball last season.Source: Ian Rapoport
4 days agoErik Jones and the Legacy Motor Club team had one bad afternoon on Saturday. Jones qualified 38th more than 1.9 seconds behind William Byron. The problem was that practice was even more calamitous for Jones and the Toyota. The No. 43 car was almost 3.3 seconds off the pace then. Everything seemed off on the turns unlike the other Toyota cars. He was a bit better in his lap averages placing 23rd at 133.7 mph. Unfortunately, over 68 laps, Jones may only find enough speed to move up several spots. A lot of work will need to be done to fix the Toyota for Sunday afternoon.Source: NASCAR.com
4 days agoSeattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith will enter the 2024-25 campaign as the team's starter. New head coach Mike Macdonald has avoided the topic since taking over. However, he finally addressed the situation with NFL Media's Tom Pelissero. "Very confident in Geno," said MacDonald. "Geno's going to be our starter." The signal-caller had a down season in 2023-24, throwing for 3,624 yards, 20 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He also completed just 64.7% of his throws, a significant reduction from the previous year. But Smith was the 2022 NFL Comeback Player of the Year, so if anyone can turn things around, it's him. Yet, if he struggles during the season, he could find himself sitting behind Sam Howell, who was acquired by the Commanders just over a week ago. For now, fantasy managers shouldn't reach for Smith in drafts. With that in mind, while the 33-year-old might struggle at times, especially under a new head coach, he'll likely have more than a few productive fantasy showings.Source: Tom Pelissero
4 days agoTimmy Hill felt the sting of the Austin, Texas road course on Saturday in practice and qualifying. The Power Source Ford lagged way back and ended up 37th in qualifying. The No. 66 car was several seconds off the pace of William Byron. In practice, Hill was more than eight seconds slower. Worse, he could only run four laps on the car. Hill kept losing speed coming out of the turns. A tenth here and a couple of tenths there add up quickly over the 3.426-mile course. The hope for Hill will be to gain some experience and finish all 68 laps on Sunday.Source: NASCAR.com
4 days agoJosh Berry had his first qualifying drive in the Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. It did not go well. Berry wound up 31st more than 1.3 seconds off of the time set by William Byron. The No. 4 Ford has struggled out of the gate with zero Top 10 results and an average finish of 22.4. Worse, Berry ran 15 laps in practice and still had a best lap almost three seconds behind. His five-lap average was still 31st. One wonders if the Ford can move up a few spots. That makes Berry a decent DFS option but little else on Sunday from Circuit of the Americas .Source: NASCAR.com
4 days agoLos Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (ankle) is listed as questionable ahead of Sunday's game against the Indiana Pacers. The superstar forward has been dealing with an ankle issue for what seems like months now. However, James normally plays through the issue, but fantasy managers should check back for another update ahead of tip-off. His absence would likely result in more playing time for Spencer Dinwiddie and Taurean Prince. Between the two, Dinwiddie is the better streaming option if James sits out.Source: NBA Injury Report
4 days agoPortland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (knee) is scheduled to undergo an MRI this weekend, according to head coach Chauncey Billups. This news comes after Simons was forced to exit early during Friday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. He'll sit out of Saturday's contest versus the Denver Nuggets. The assumption is that Simons will undergo the MRI on Sunday. The Blazers are likely going to be extremely cautious here with their young guard. Rayan Rupert will start in his place on Saturday, but he hasn't done anything with the extra minutes. Fantasy managers will have to check back on Sunday for another update on Simons.Source: Sean Highkin
4 days agoPortland Trail Blazers forward Matisse Thybulle (ankle) has been ruled out ahead of Saturday's game against the Denver Nuggets. This was expected as Thybulle has already missed multiple games due to an ankle issue. The Blazers are banged up right now, so Kris Murray will likely start in place of Thybulle on Saturday. Last game, Murray posted 21 points and seven rebounds in 36 minutes of action. He could be someone worth looking at as a possible streaming option for Saturday's slate.Source: Sean Highkin
4 days agoPortland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (hamstring) has been downgraded to out ahead of Saturday's game against the Denver Nuggets. This isn't shocking as Grant has already missed multiple games due to this hamstring issue. Given the Blazers place in the standings, it's unlikely that they will rush Grant back on the court. Toumani Camara should continue seeing more minutes in the rotation. He finished with 11 points and seven rebounds in 32 minutes during their last game. He'll hold some deep league streaming value for Saturday's slate.Source: Sean Highkin
4 days agoPortland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (elbow) has been ruled out ahead of Saturday's game against the Denver Nuggets. The big man continues to miss time due to a left elbow issue. The assumption is that Duop Reath will move into the starting five on Saturday. He finished with 13 points, three rebounds, and two steals in 27 minutes of action during their last game. He'll be worth a look as a streaming option until Ayton gets back on the court.Source: Sean Highkin
5 days agoRicky Stenhouse Jr. will start P30 in Sunday's EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuits of the Americas (COTA). While Stenhouse is always a bit of a wild card, particularly outside of NASCAR's superspeedways, he is always a driver to consider when building DFS lineups. In 2023, Stenhouse appearedread more...
5 days agoOn Saturday afternoon, Noah Gragson qualified 39th for Sunday's EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuits of the Americas (COTA). Gragson is off to a hot start in 2024, as he has three top 12s in just five races. Even with last week's 34th place finish, which came in a race plagued by tire issues, his average finish for the season is 19.4, which is quite impressive given how relatively inexperienced he still is. Despite the strong start to the year, there is reason to believe that the Stewart-Haas star may fall back down to earth this weekend at COTA. While Gragson has an average finish of 11.31 in his 21 Xfinity starts on road courses, he has an average finish of 21.5 in his two Cup starts on road courses, which includes a 20th-place finish at this track last season. Between his struggles on road courses at the Cup level, and the mediocre speed he showed in Saturday's practice, it is best to treat the No. 10 as nothing more than a dart throw in DFS this weekend.Source: DriverAverages.com
5 days agoMilwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (ankle) is probable for Sunday's clash with OKC. Middleton missed over a month because of an ankle injury. However, he's appeared in two of the Bucks' previous three games, so he got the night off on Thursday against Brooklyn. That said, the 32-year-old logged 32 minutes in his most recent game. As a result, Middleton is someone to consider for all fantasy formats, including those participating in DFS contests.Source: Eric Nehm
5 days agoMilwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (hamstring) is expected to play on Sunday versus OKC. He missed two games recently because of left hamstring tendinopathy. But the multi-time MVP was back in the lineup for Thursday's win over the Brooklyn Nets. However, Antetokounmpo amassed 21 points, one of his lowest scoring outputs of the 2023-24 campaign. That said, fantasy managers should always keep Antetokounmpo on the radar. But Oklahoma City has held its own defending the paint this season, so he could be in store for another below-average showing.Source: Eric Nehm
5 days agoOn Saturday afternoon, Joey Logano qualified 35th for Sunday's EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuits of the Americas (COTA). Although Logano is widely considered among NASCAR's elite drivers, his 2024 results do not reflect this. With two DNFs and an average finish of 25th, the 2022 Cup Seriesread more...
5 days agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers announced on Saturday that they have set their rotation for their final spring training series against the Los Angeles Angels. Bobby Miller will start Sunday, Gavin Stone will start Monday, and James Paxton willread more...
5 days agoPhoenix Suns guard/forward Josh Okogie (abdomen) will rejoin the action on Saturday against San Antonio. He last played on March 2, missing several weeks with a lower abdominal strain. Okogie's return is good news for the Suns, as it gives the team a versatile player to use in the rotation. However, he's been a non-factor in fantasy hoops due to his inability to hit shots all year. The 25-year-old has nailed only 29.7 percent of his three-pointers, averaging 4.9 points and 2.7 rebounds in 17.1 minutes.Source: Duane Rankin
5 days agoWashington Wizards guard Jordan Poole (hip) will play against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday. The Wizards are officially eliminated from Play-In contention, so it's somewhat surprising Poole is available. But he's good to go for a matchup with another of the league's struggling teams. The 24-year-old has averaged 18.3 points and 4.2 assists in March, his best stretch of the 2023-24 campaign. However, with the injury, Poole could see limited action.Source: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoPhoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic (eye) will be in the lineup on Saturday versus Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs. Phoenix's starting center has been upgraded from probable to available. Saturday will mark Nurkic's 14th consecutive appearance. He's been quiet offensively this month and will likely also find it tough on the attacking end against Wembanyama, but Nurkic averages 14.3 rebounds for the month with 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. He should still be productive for fantasy managers in a fast-paced game.Source: Duane Rankin
5 days agoCorey Lajoie will start fifth in Sunday's EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuits of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, TX. Despite finishing 11th in this race last year, there is little reason to be excited about Lajoie this weekend in DFS. In 24 Cup starts on road courses, he has never finished in the top 10 and has an average finish of 25.3. While there is something to be said about driver development, particularly given that he did move up 16 spots in last year's race, the fact that he has failed to crack the top 20 in the two races using the new short/road package suggests there is still work to be done. Based on a starting position that is likely to result in negative place differential and considering that he is averaging just 14.95 DraftKings points in the package that will be used for Sunday's race, it is recommended that you fade the No. 7 in DFS this weekend.Source: DriverAverages.com
5 days agoVancouver Canucks goaltender Casey DeSmith is getting his fifth straight starting nod on Saturday against the visiting Calgary Flames. DeSmith has been thrown into the No. 1 spot with the Canucks due to a long-term injury to No. 1 netminder Thatcher Demko. The 32-year-old has risen to the challenge, allowing two goals or fewer in four of his last five starts, including a shutout on March 9 against the high-octane Vancouver Canucks. For the season, the veteran has put forth a 2.75 goals-against average and an .898 save percentage across 23 appearances (20 starts). The Canucks enter Saturday's action sitting in the top spot in the Western Conference with a 44-18-8 record.Source: Jeff Paterson
5 days agoChicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso (ankle) will make a 12th consecutive appearance on Saturday against the Rockets, as the team has upgraded him from probable to available. Caruso's role on offense has taken a hit with Coby White's return, but he's on a nice four-game run with multiple steals and continues to provide value for fantasy managers in multiple areas. The 30-year-old has averaged 10.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.3 steals this month.Source: Will Gottlieb
5 days agoBoston Celtics forward/center Al Horford (toe) will play on Saturday against the Chicago Bulls. The veteran sat out Friday's win over the Detroit Pistons. But in all fairness, the Celtics didn't need him. Kristaps Porzingis (hamstring) will get the night off to rest after logging 26 minutes on Friday, so Horford will slide into the starting lineup. The 37-year-old has averaged 10.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks in 28 starts this season, meaning he has an excellent chance to crush his DFS value.Source: K.C. Johnson
5 days agoAtlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies hit his second home run of spring training in a 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday. It was Albies only hit going 1-3 in the loss. He has had a subpar spring so far, slashing 220/.304/.743 with two home runs and five RBI. The Braves second baseman is still expected to be a very productive player in 2024. Albies set new career highs with 33 homers and 109 RBI. ATC is projecting Albies to slash .273/.327/.480 with 27 HR, 93 RBI, and 13 stolen bases over 643 plate appearances. With an ADP of 24, Albies is the top-rated fantasy second baseman and will look to build on his career 2023 campaign in 2024.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoBoston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (ankle) will play on Saturday against the Chicago Bulls. He wasn't available for Friday's massive win over the Detroit Pistons because of right ankle impingement, an injury he's dealt with for the last few weeks. However, the Celtics have a firm grasp on the No. 1 spot in the Eastern Conference, so the team could afford to give him the night off versus the worst team in the National Basketball Association. With Jaylen Brown (ankle), Kristaps Porzingis (hamstring), and Jrue Holiday (shoulder) sidelined for this one, Tatum could thrive from a production standpoint.Source: K.C. Johnson
5 days agoBrad Keselowski, fresh off back-to-back top-five finishes, will start 36th in Sunday's EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuits of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, TX. While the last two weeks have given the RFK Racing driver-owner a much-needed shot in the arm, do not expect the streak ofread more...
5 days agoChicago Bulls guard Coby White (hip) has been cleared to play against Boston on Saturday and will have his minutes increased. After sitting out three games due to a hip strain, White logged 29 minutes versus Houston on Thursday, coming off the bench for the first time this season. It looks like he will be close to getting his normal workload on Saturday against a Celtics team that won't have elite backcourt defender Jrue Holiday (elbow) in the lineup. White has notched 19.5 points and 3.5 assists in 32.5 minutes across two previous meetings with Boston this season.Source: Cody Westerlund
5 days agoTampa Bay Rays pitcher Aaron Civale (1-1) allowed one run on three hits while striking out six over six innings in Saturday's 5-2 spring victory over the Atlanta Braves. He picked up his first spring win of the season. It was the 28-year-old's best spring training start, lowering his ERA to 5.25 and 1.08 WHIP over 12 innings. Civale was limited to 122 innings in 2023 due to an oblique strain. He was traded to the Rays for Kyle Manzardo during last year's deadline. Civale posted a 3.46 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and a 116:33 K: BB over 122 1/3 innings between the Guardians and Rays in 2023. ATC projects similar numbers for Civale in 2024, with the right-hander to go (9-8) with a 4.05 ERA and 133 K across 144 innings. With an ADP of 240.7, Civale is likely only to be a depth option in most league formats heading into 2024 drafts.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoHouston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman went 3-for-4 with two-three run home runs in the team's 13-5 win over the New York Mets. He took Jose Quintana deep in the first inning for his first three-run homer of the game. The 29-year-old later blasted his second three-run homer off Yohan Ramirez in the fourth inning. It improved Bregman's productive spring stats to a .383/.431/.1.027 slash line in 47 AB. The 29-year-old has an ADP of 59.0 and is projected to hit 23 HR with 86 RBI and 91 runs this season per ATC. RotoBaller has Bregman ranked eighth among all third basemen in the latest rankings, which is in line with his ADP of 85.68 in March. Both fantasy managers and Astros fans can expect Bregman to be a productive piece of their lineup in 2024.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoAustin Dillon's rocky start to the 2024 season continued on Saturday as he qualified 21st for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuits of the Americas (COTA). For fans of the former reality TV star, the last year and a half has felt more like a nightmare asread more...