4 days agoNew York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin shut down the Washington Capitals again in Game 3 on Friday, leading the team to a commanding 3-0 lead in their first-round series. Shesterkin has won all three games so far, posting a .933 SV% and 1.67 GAA. The Rangers haven't needed much help from Shesterkin to dispose of the Capitals, but he's been steady anyway. If he continues his solid play, the Rangers could be in for a long playoff run.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoChicago Cubs left-hander
Justin Steele (hamstring) is moving on to the next step of his rehab and is likely to pitch for Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, according to skipper Craig Counsell. The 28-year-old tossed 47 pitches in an extended spring game in Arizona on Friday and has seemingly come out of the outing feeling fine. The southpaw tossed 4 2/3 innings of one-run ball on Opening Day against the Texas Rangers but suffered a hamstring strain that has cost him significant time. Steele was in Cy Young contention for much of the 2023 season before struggling late in the year but still posted a 3.06 ERA and a 19.6% K-BB% on the back of an elite 5% BB% across 30 starts a season ago.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Meghan Montemurro
4 days agoNew York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad continued his strong start to the postseason on Friday, posting two more assists in Game 3 against the Washington Capitals, helping the team take a commanding 3-0 series lead. Zibanejad had a bit of a down year, by his standards, with 72 points (26 goals, 46 assists) in 81 games, which was his lowest points-per-game since 2017-18. He looks fine now though, with five points in just three playoff games. He will be a key part of the Rangers playoff run and will need to continue producing at a high rate, especially once the competition stiffens.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoDetroit Tigers outfielder
Parker Meadows is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's contest against the visiting Kansas City Royals. The young outfielder's tough season continued with an 0-for-2 effort in Friday's series opener, although he was robbed of a home run by the Royals'
Adam Frazier at the right field wall. Meadows has been a major disappointment for fantasy managers who took a chance on the 24-year-old in drafts this spring as he's hitting just .079 (5-for-63) with two homers, three steals, and a .400 OPS across 72 plate appearances. He has posted a 12.5% BB% and has been bitten by a tiny .127 BABIP but he has also struck out in a whopping 40.3% of his plate appearances. His elite defense in center field has kept him in the big leagues but it wouldn't be surprising to see the club option him to the minors if his disastrous start at the plate continues.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoWashington Capitals defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk (upper body) left Game 3 against the New York Rangers on Friday after taking a massive hit from Matt Rempe. The hit was called for interference but was only given a two-minute penalty. It seemed to be a grey area hit, with fans of the Rangers arguing that it was clean while Capitals fans thought it deserved more than just a two-minute call. Either way, van Riemsdyk appears to be in danger of missing Game 4, which could be the last game of the Capitals season if things don't turn around.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Sammi Silber
4 days agoTampa Bay Rays right-hander
Aaron Civale will look for a bounce-back effort on Saturday when he takes on the Chicago White Sox on the road. Civale was touched up for five earned runs on eight hits and a hefty five walks while striking out five across just 4 2/3 innings in his last start against the Yankees. The rough outing was a rare one as the 28-year-old had allowed just seven runs across his first four starts of the season and he allowed two runs or fewer across his first three starts of the campaign. Civale will enter Saturday's contest sporting a 3.90 ERA and a healthy 19% K-BB% on the back of an increased 26.7% K% across 27 2/3 innings of work.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoWinnipeg Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon (hand) suffered an injury after the final whistle in Game 3 of their first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche on Friday. The two teams got into a massive scrum after the Avs beat the Jets 6-2 to go up 2-1 in the series, and Dillon appeared to cut his hand badly during the fracas. Head coach Rick Bowness didn't have an update on the veteran defender after the game, but if he unable to go in Game 4 it would not be a surprise.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Mitchell Clinton
4 days agoTexas Rangers outfielder
Adolis Garcia is not in the starting lineup on Saturday afternoon against the Cincinnati Reds and right-hander
Hunter Greene. It appears it's simply a day off for the slugger after the two teams played a night game on Friday when Garcia went 0-for-3 as part of a 2-1 series-opening win. The 31-year-old is enjoying a massive start to the 2024 season, hitting .290 with seven home runs, four stolen bases, and a .906 OPS across 27 games and 110 trips to the plate. While he slugged a career-high 39 home runs last season, Garcia swiped just nine bags after a 25-steal 2022 season. Fantasy managers will certainly welcome back his speed to begin this season while he continues to offer big-time power as one of the top outfielders in fantasy baseball.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoBoston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman appears to be the starting goalie for Game 4 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Swayman has been brilliant so far, winning both his starts while posting a .955 SV% and 1.51 GAA. Although the Bruins went with Linus Ullmark in Game 2 and head coach Jim Montgomery implied they were going with a rotation, it appears that the organization has changed its approach after seeing the results of the first three games.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Fluto Shinzawa
4 days agoToronto Maple Leafs defenseman T.J. Brodie will make his 2024 playoff debut on Saturday in Game 4 of the team's first-round series against the Boston Bruins. Brodie had been a healthy scratch in each of the team's first three games, but head coach Sheldon Keefe has decided to bring the veteran defender in after going down 2-1 in the series. Brodie should be able to help out the team's penalty kill, which has been brutal so far. Timothy Liljegren will be the odd man out on Saturday and Brodie will take his spot on a pairing with Joel Edmundson.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Jonas Siegel
4 days agoToronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander (undisclosed) is expected to play in Game 4 of their first-round series against the Boston Bruins on Saturday. Nylander missed the first three games of the series with an undisclosed injury that has been widely speculated on, but the team hasn't confirmed what the injury was. Willy will slot back into the third line and first powerplay unit and the team will hope that he can provide an offensive spark. Connor Dewar will be healthy scratched if Nylander does end up playing.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Jonas Siegel
4 days agoThe New York Mets have placed outfielder
Starling Marte on the bereavement list while infielder
Mark Vientos has been recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to take his spot on the active roster. The 35-year-old has been off to a hot start this season, hitting .288 with four home runs, six stolen bases, and a .769 OPS across 111 trips to the plate, good for a 119 wRC+ that sits 19% above the league average. Marte plummeted down draft boards after a 2023 season that saw him hit .248 with only five homers alongside 24 stolen bases and a .625 OPS across 86 games in 2023, by far the worst offensive season of his career. However, he has rewarded managers who bet on a bounce back in drafts this spring.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: New York Mets
4 days agoBaltimore Orioles starting pitcher
Kyle Bradish (elbow) is slated to rejoin the Baltimore rotation, according to manager Brandon Hyde. The 27-year-old made three rehab appearances with Triple-A over the past two weeks and is officially on his way to the major leagues. Bradish looked great in his final rehab appearance on Friday, where he tossed five innings of one-run ball with ten punchouts. Last season, Bradish posted an overall 2.83 ERA and 1.04 WHIP but was especially outstanding down the stretch, where he posted a 2.34 ERA and 0.91 WHIP in the second half. Bradish should be rostered in all formats. He should be given ample opportunities to win games behind an excellent lineup and provide strong ratios.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Roch Kubatko
4 days agoThe Seattle Seahawks selected Michigan tight end
AJ Barner with the No. 121 overall pick in the fourth round on Saturday in the 2024 NFL draft. Barner is a mountain of a man at 6-foot-6, but his lack of production in four seasons at Indiana and Michigan (64 catches, 610 yards, five touchdowns) leaves a lot to be desired as he moves to the next level. The 21-year-old also isn't extremely athletic, but he'll have some opportunity in Seattle to make a name for himself as he starts out behind
Noah Fant and
Pharaoh Brown on the tight end depth chart in his rookie season in 2024. Fantasy managers should only consider Barner as a developmental prospect in deep rookie-only drafts this fall.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
4 days agoOne sneaky option in DFS tournaments this weekend at Dover is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The JTG Daugherty Racing driver has struggled for much of the season, but has shown speed in the intermediate package this year, which is what the Cup Series is running this weekend. Additionally, Dover has been a decently strong track for Stenhouse, as he has posted finishes of 15th and second in the two Next Gen era races here. Additionally, Stenhouse has ended up 16th or better in six of his last nine starts at this track. The No. 47 Chevrolet will roll off the grid from 17th for this weekend's Würth 400 and at just $6,500 on DraftKings, Stenhouse looks to be one of the low-priced drivers that it would be worth being overweight on in tournaments this weekend.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Speedway Digest
4 days agoCorey Lajoie hasn't shown much speed at Dover Motor Speedway this weekend, but that doesn't mean you should stay away from him in DFS contests. In practice on Saturday morning, Lajoie's No. 7 Chevrolet ranked 37th-fastest on the board and he will start from back in 25th when the Würth 400 goes green as well. Despite Lajoie himself not showing a ton of speed thus far, though, there is still some upside here. Lajoie's teammates, Carson Hocevar and Zane Smith, both showed better-than-expected long-run speed during practice, so that's a good thing for Lajoie. Additionally, in the two Next Gen era races here at Dover, Corey has been able to muster 14th- and 18th-place finishes. At $5,600 on DraftKings this weekend, it's worth taking a shot on Lajoie in tournaments.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Speedway Digest
4 days agoWashington Nationals outfielder
Joey Gallo (shoulder) was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left-shoulder sprain on Saturday. Outfielder
Alex Call was promoted from Triple-A Rochester as a result. The 30-year-old has posted a .122/.286/.311 stat line with three home runs and five RBI. Even though Gallo has struggled at the plate, he still maintained an impressive 19.4% barrel rate, which placed him in the 99th percentile among qualified hitters. Gallo should be expected to be sidelined for at least the next ten days. Call should make his season debut sometime next week. The 29-year-old flashed speed at times as he swiped nine bags last season and could be a target in NL-Only formats.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Bobby Blanco
4 days agoThe Miami Dolphins selected Tennessee running back
Jaylen Wright to help beef up their RB room in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft on Saturday at pick No. 120. Wright, who ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, adds even more blazing speed to Miami's backfield alongside
Raheem Mostert and
De'Von Achane. The 21-year-old isn't going to have much of a role in 2024 as long as both Mostert and Achane stay healthy, but it's a good long-term fit for those in dynasty/keeper leagues. Wright will see touches in his rookie season as the Dolphins look to manage the workloads of both Mostert and Achane, but it's not going to be enough to warrant attention in single-season leagues. He stands at 5-foot-11, 210 pounds.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
4 days agoComing into the Würth 400 race weekend, Daniel Suarez was one of the drivers that many pointed to as a sleeper pick on Sunday. But after practice and qualifying on Saturday, you may need to temper your expectations with Suarez a bit. The No. 99 Chevrolet was just 28th-fastest in practice on Saturday and Daniel ended up qualifying 31st for this weekend's race. However, there is still some hope, as track conditions during the race are expected to be much different than they were on Saturday, which could help Suarez. In 11 career starts at Dover, Suarez has finished 14th or better eight times. At $6,700 on DraftKings this weekend, he makes for a sneaky pick based on his track history alone.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Action Network
4 days agoTampa Bay Rays starting pitcher
Taj Bradley (pectoral) is expected to join Triple-A Durham for a rehab assignment beginning on Sunday, April 28. Bradley felt tightness in his pectoral muscle before a scheduled start on March 12 and has remained on the sideline since. This a great sign for the 23-year-old as he is nearing the final step of his recovery process. Bradley made his major league debut last season and showcased high strikeout potential as he tallied 129 punchouts in 104 ⅔ innings. However, he did post a hefty 5.59 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. Bradley should be expected to join the Rays rotation when cleared and could be worth rostering in deeper formats.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoThe Cincinnati Bengals selected Iowa tight end
Erick All with the No. 115 overall selection in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft on Saturday. All will join a tight end corps in Cincinnati that already includes newcomer
Mike Gesicki and
Drew Sample. All led Iowa in receiving yards (299) and touchdowns (three) last year despite missing half of the year due to a torn ACL. He also had spinal surgery in 2022, so there is a real injury concern with All at the next level. When he's healthy, though, he's an intriguing tight end prospect for a Bengals team that lacks any real big-name player at the position. Even if All is healthy in his rookie year in 2024, it's hard to envision him becoming a major player in an offense that already has plenty of mouths to feed.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
4 days agoThe Baltimore Ravens selected North Carolina wide receiver
Devontez Walker with the No. 113 overall pick on Saturday in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft. Walker was highly productive at Kent State before eventually transferring to play for the Tar Heels and with quarterback
Drake Maye, who went third overall to the Patriots in the first round on Thursday. The 22-year-old ended up playing in only eight games in 2023, but he still led the team in touchdowns. His 4.36-second 40-yard dash speed will make him a threat deep down the field at the NFL level, although he's unlikely to make a big impact right away for a run-first Ravens team that already has receivers
Zay Flowers and
Rashod Bateman as their top two options, not to mention tight end
Mark Andrews.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
4 days agoTampa Bay Rays relief pitcher
Pete Fairbanks (hand) underwent several screenings over the past week, and the final results came back clean on Friday, per manager Kevin Cash. Even though all of the tests do not show any severe or structural damage, it is still very uncertain when the 30-year-old will begin to throw again, but it does suggest that his injured-list stint may not be that lengthy. Fairbanks served as the primary closer in Tampa Bay last season and finished with 25 saves and was placed in that role in the early part of this season.
Jason Adam should be expected to see the majority of save opportunities during his absence, especially since
Colin Poche (back) landed on the IL on Friday. Adam is worth picking up in all formats, as he is riding a stellar 1.50 ERA and 0.50 WHIP through 12 innings.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoThe New England Patriots continue to try and beef up their receiving corps for new franchise quarterback
Drake Maye, taking Central Florida wide receiver
Javon Baker with the 110th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft on Saturday. The Pats also added wideout
Ja'Lynn Polk with the 34th overall pick early in the second round on Friday. Before starring at Central Florida, the 22-year-old spent two years trying to make a name for himself at Alabama before eventually transferring. He showed his big-play abilities when he finally got playing time at Central Florida, catching 108 passes for 1,936 yards and 12 touchdowns in the last two seasons. Baker will have to overcome his mediocre speed at the NFL level and will merely be a receiver project for a team looking for players to step up at the position.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
4 days agoTampa Bay Rays infielder
Jonathan Aranda (finger) joined Triple-A Durham on Friday to begin a rehab assignment. The 25-year-old sustained a fracture in his right finger during spring training, which has kept him out of the 2024 season so far. He underwent surgery on March 21 and has not faced any setbacks. Aranda posted a .230/.340/.368 stat line last season with two home runs and 13 RBI in 34 games. When he returns to Tampa Bay, he should slot in as a utility infielder and is worth looking into in deeper formats.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoThe New York Giants selected Penn State tight end
Theo Johnson with the No. 107 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft on Saturday. This pick makes a lot of sense with the Giants still unsure if
Darren Waller will hang up his cleats. The 23-year-old Johnson is extremely athletic with plenty of speed to spare despite standing at a monstrous 6-foot-6 and 259 pounds. In his final year with the Nittany Lions in 2023, he had seven touchdowns, although it came on just 34 receptions and 341 yards. Even if Waller decides to retire, Johnson may have an uphill battle to climb to reach any kind of fantasy relevance in single-year leagues with
Daniel Bellinger still around. At best, he'll probably be a red-zone weapon for quarterback
Daniel Jones.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
4 days agoDover Motor Speedway has been a pretty good track for Justin Haley in the Next Gen era, as he has finishes of 11th and 23rd in the two races there. However, it's going to take a lot for Haley to finish up there this weekend in the Würth 400. Haley's No. 51 Ford was 33rd-fastest (out of 37 cars) during practice on Saturday, and he was the slowest in his group during qualifying as well. Officially, Haley will start from 36th-place for this weekend's race. At just $5,400 and with his track history, you should still have some Justin Haley exposure on DraftKings this weekend, but don't expect a world-beating fantasy score out of this Rick Ware Racing driver at "The Monster Mile."
--Jordan McAbeeSource: ifantasyrace
4 days agoNew York Mets outfielders
Harrison Bader and
Starling Marte are both out of Saturday's lineup. As a result,
Tyrone Taylor will play in center field and bat seventh, and
DJ Stewart will man right field and bat fifth. Bader has put up a solid .267 AVG during his first month in Queens but will get a breather since he has not registered a hit in his past three games. Marte, who has been off to a great start with a .288 AVG and four home runs, will miss his first game of the season. Both Taylor and Stewart have a tough matchup today as they will face
Sonny Gray, who enters Saturday with a dominant 1.04 ERA and 0.87 WHIP, and both will be popular fades in DFS.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoThe Carolina Panthers selected Texas tight end
Ja'Tavion Sanders with the 101st overall pick to start the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft on Saturday. This appears to be a pretty good value pick as tight ends begin to come off the board in the fourth round. The 21-year-old Sanders was considered one of this year's best prospects at the position and will now join
Tommy Tremble and Ian Thomas at the tight end position in Carolina to give second-year quarterback
Bryce Young some more help. Tremble and Thomas are more of the blocking variety, so Sanders could have an impact on offense in his rookie year in 2024 after posting the fourth-most receiving yards after the catch in college last year. Still, in an offense that looked awful in 2023, we'd be surprised if Sanders is on the fantasy radar in redraft leagues in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
4 days agoThe Los Angeles Chargers exercised the 2025 fifth-year option on left tackle Rashawn Slater on Saturday, according to a source. Slater and Joe Alt, the No. 5 overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night, will now bookend the team's offensive line for quarterback
Justin Herbert going forward. This one comes as no surprise as new head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman look to shore up the team's offensive line with a new emphasis on the ground game in 2024 and beyond. Slater graded out as Pro Football Focus' fourth-best pass-blocking offensive lineman on Herbert's blind side. The addition of Alt to the right side should only strengthen Herbert's protection while also being good news for LA's ground game.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Field Yates
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