5 days agoToronto Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. (back) is expected to suit up against the Wizards. He was a late addition to Friday's injury report and ultimately was ruled out heading into the Raptors' loss to Oklahoma City. Javon Freeman-Liberty moved into the starting lineup, with the rookie finishing with 10 points, the second double-digit scoring performance of his brief career. Once again, Toronto won't have RJ Barrett (personal) and Immanuel Quickley (personal), meaning Trent, averaging nearly 17 shot attempts in his previous eight appearances, should remain heavily involved, assuming he gets the green light. Unfortunately, Trent's anticipated return may limit the ceiling of Gradey Dick, who scored 21 points on Friday evening.Source: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoThe New York Jets and free-agent pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney have remained in constant contact after the two sides met, with one source describing the Jets as "highly motivated" to try and secure a deal with Clowney. In addition to the Jets, both the Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens remain interested in Clowney as well after his 9.5-sack season in Baltimore in 2023. The 31-year-old former first overall pick by the Houston Texans in 2014 out of South Carolina is in high demand on the free-agent market after producing one of his best seasons as a professional last year. In addition to his 9.5 sacks, he had 43 tackles (24 solo), nine tackles for loss, 19 QB hits, five passes defended, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 17 regular-season games (15 starts). It proved that Clowney still has it in him, but the three-time Pro Bowler's injury history isn't going away.Source: Bleacher Report - Jordan Schultz
5 days agoNew York Giants head coach Brian Daboll said there's no guarantee that quarterback Daniel Jones (knee) will be ready for Week 1, but Daboll said "when he gets back, he'll be the guy." The Giants are sticking with Jones as their starter, but he's coming off a torn right ACL in 2023 and might not be ready to go for the start of the 2024 season this fall. The 26-year-old had a career year in Daboll's first season as head coach in 2022, but Jones disappointed behind a terrible offensive line last year before blowing his knee out. Jones resumed throwing in early February and could take part in 7-on-7 drills this spring, but it appears now there's a chance that Drew Lock could be under center for the G-Men in Week 1. Jones is only one year into his four-year, $160 million extension and the Giants could be forced to move on if he doesn't improve in 2024.Source: NFL Network - Mike Garofolo
5 days agoThe Philadelphia Eagles signed former Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots quarterback Will Grier to an undisclosed one-year deal on Saturday, according to sources. In the last week, the Eagles have now added Grier and former Pittsburgh Steelers QB Kenny Pickett to their QB room behind starter Jalen Hurts. Grier was originally a third-round pick by the Carolina Panthers in 2019 out of West Virginia. The 28-year-old has only made two starts in the NFL, and they came back in his rookie season in 2019 in Carolina, when he went 28-for-52 for 228 yards, no touchdowns and four interceptions. In addition to Hurts, Pickett and Grier, the Eagles also have Tanner McKee in their quarterback room. Grier and McKee figure to battle for No. 3 duties this summer.Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
5 days agoThe Texas Rangers officially placed right-hander Jacob deGrom (elbow) on the 60-day injured list on Friday to make room for right-hander Michael Lorenzen on the active roster. deGrom, who is recovering from surgery on his right UCL, started playing catch on Feb. 12 and resumed again on the first official day of spring workouts on Feb. 14, just under eight months after the surgery to fix his torn right UCL ended his 2023 season. It was the second Tommy John surgery for the 35-year-old veteran. General manager Chris Young said that deGrom is progressing well in his rehab with an eye on returning around August. He still has a long ways to go in his recovery and shouldn't be relied on for much, if any, fantasy production late in the second half of 2024 if he returns to Texas' starting rotation.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoTexas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (hernia), who had sports-hernia surgery in January, has been taking live batting practice since March 18 and could get a few at-bats in the team's exhibition games against the Boston Red Sox next week before Opening Day on March 28. Seager, who was the runner-up for the American League MVP award in 2023, was on the injured list twice last year due to hamstring and thumb injuries. The Rangers are currently deciding if he'll need a minor-league rehab assignment to start the 2024 campaign. Even if the 29-year-old two-time World Series MVP isn't ready for the start of the 2024 regular season, he should be considered by fantasy managers as a top-10 shortstop in a strong Rangers lineup.Source: MLB.com
5 days agoChicago White Sox shortstop Braden Shewmake (ankle) is back in the team's Cactus League lineup on Saturday against the Seattle Mariners, playing shortstop and batting ninth in the order. Shewmake has recovered quickly from the left-ankle sprain that he suffered last Sunday and is back in the spring lineup this weekend. The 26-year-old rookie make his big-league debut in 2023 with the Atlanta Braves but made only two appearances, going 0-for-4 at the plate with a strikeout. He was traded to the White Sox last November and should be able to win a bench spot on the Opening Day roster as long as he doesn't suffer a setback with his ankle in the next couple of days. Shewmake figures to serve as the primary backup at the 6 in Chicago this year behind Paul DeJong.Source: Chicago White Sox
5 days agoWashington Nationals outfielder Eddie Rosario has been reassigned to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday, but it's a procedural move. The Nationals have until noon on Sunday to add Rosario to their 40-man roster. The move doesn't mean Rosario still can't make the Opening Day roster out of camp. If the 32-year-old left-handed-hitting veteran makes the team, he'll make $4 million in the majors, plus incentives. After signing with Washington on March 6, Rosario has hit just .167 with three RBI and four walks in 18 Grapefruit League at-bats. Still, given the nature of the Nationals' rebuilding roster, Rosario could make the big-league roster and at least serve in a platoon role against right-handed pitching in their outfield in 2024. That would make him fantasy relevant in NL-only leagues for his pop.Source: The Washington Post - Spencer Nusbaum
5 days agoThe St. Louis Cardinals announced on Saturday that they have reassigned outfield prospect Victor Scott II to minor-league camp. Even though the 23-year-old might be the team's best pure center fielder, the Cardinals are going to have him start the year at Triple-A Memphis so that he can play everyday. Lars Nootbaar (ribs) and Tommy Edman (wrist) are both starting the year on the injured list, but Nootbaar isn't expected to be out long, and the Cardinals would rather see Scott get regular playing time in the minors. Scott looked good this spring, batting .316 with four stolen bases in 10 Grapefruit League games and is certainly worth stashing in deep-mixed and NL-only leagues for his speed. According to MLB Pipeline, he's the team's No. 4 prospect entering the season.Source: St. Louis Cardinals
5 days agoMiami Marlins right-hander Max Meyer has made the team's Opening Day roster and has the inside track to begin the season in the team's starting rotation as their fifth starter, according to a source. If Meyer is indeed in the rotation, he would likely make his first start on April 1 in an excellent matchup against the Los Angeles Angels. The 25-year-old earned a roster spot out of camp by throwing seven scoreless Grapefruit League innings with five strikeouts and only one walk in spring training. He's getting the opportunity with Eury Perez (elbow), Braxton Garrett (shoulder) and Edward Cabrera (shoulder) all starting the year on the shelf, so as soon as one of them is ready to make their 2024 debut, Meyer could be the one to get booted from Miami's rotation.Source: Sports Grid - Craig Mish
5 days agoThe New York Mets will officially option designated hitter J.D. Martinez to the minor leagues to begin the 2024 regular season so that he can build up at-bats, meaning he won't be with the team to start the year for at least the first 10 days of the season. Martinez just signed with the Mets the other day and will need to see some live pitching in the minors first before the Mets are comfortable throwing him into the fire in the big leagues in 2024. When the Mets deem him ready, the 36-year-old is expected to be the team's primary designated hitter to help give All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso more protection in the lineup. Martinez had yet another 30-homer season in 2023 with the Los Angeles Dodgers and can provide plenty of power when he's healthy, but his lack of positional eligibility in fantasy makes him less attractive.Source: New York Post - Mike Puma
5 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (back) is back in the team's Grapefruit League lineup on Saturday against the New York Yankees, playing first base and batting third in the lineup. After getting seven at-bats on the back fields in camp on Friday, Harper is ready to return to spring action this weekend after dealing with a minor back injury. The 31-year-old former MVP has gone only 5-for-22 with three runs scored in Grapefruit League games this spring, but the only thing that really matters is that he'll be ready for Opening Day next Thursday. Moving to first base full time in 2024, Harper is ranked at RotoBaller as the No. 1 fantasy first baseman, behind only the Dodgers' Freddie Freeman.Source: Philadelphia Phillies
5 days agoVeteran third baseman Eduardo Escobar was granted his release by the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. The 35-year-old was a non-roster invitee and was a long shot to make the roster, but was hitting just .122 (5-for-41) with 17 strikeouts in 15 spring appearances. Escobar was an All-Star as recently as 2021 but has seen his Contact% fall for three consecutive seasons while his K% has increased three consecutive seasons. He may not have much left in the tank, but he does have the ability to play multiple positions and can bat from both sides of the plate, so perhaps he could latch on somewhere.Source: Toronto Blue Jays
5 days agoCincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz went 1-for-5 with a triple and two runs scored in Thursday's 7-6 Cactus League loss to the Mariners. The 22-year-old began the spring season with 11 hits in his first 11 games, but the bat has gone cold as of late with Thursday's triple being his only hit in his last 15 at-bats. The switch hitter has a spring line like you might expect, hitting .273 (12-for-44) with three doubles, two triples, one home run, four RBI, 12 runs scored, and five stolen bases to go along with seven walks and an outrageous, albeit not unexpected, 19 strikeouts (37.3%). Although he was working in the offseason to shorten his swing in order to reduce his K%, it doesn't appear to be translating into success yet with eight multi-strikeout showings in 15 total games. Despite this, his tantalizing speed and power will make him a coveted fantasy asset, but managers need to be prepared for bouts of extreme ineffectiveness mixed in with some supercharged performances.Source: ESPN
5 days agoUtah Jazz forward/center John Collins (face) has been labeled as questionable for Saturday's matchup against Houston. Collins is still dealing with the facial contusion he suffered when Anthony Edwards posterized him on Monday. He played the next game against the Thunder on Wednesday but was absent when the team also took the court on Thursday versus Dallas. Walker Kessler filled Collins' position as the starting center on Thursday and will likely do so again on Saturday if Collins can't play. Kessler had 14 points on perfect 7-for-7 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds against the Mavericks' well-equipped frontcourt. The Rockets have struggled to tame big men all season long, and we can expect Kessler to improve on Thursday's performance.Source: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoUtah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (groin) will miss a sixth consecutive game on Saturday against the Rockets. He's nursing a groin strain, and the team has no reason to rush him back after Utah decided to pull the plug on the season. With Clarkson out of commission, Kris Dunn has received a larger role on the team and is looking at a fifth consecutive start on Saturday. Talen Horton-Tucker has had more opportunities as well, while Clarkson's absence boosts the usage of Keyonte George and Collin Sexton on offense. The latter is riding a six-game 20-point streak ahead of Saturday's matchup, and George has also carried a good amount of fantasy value since starting life as a regular starter on Feb. 12.Source: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoUtah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (quadriceps) will once again come out of the lineup Saturday against Houston for injury maintenance purposes. The 2023 All-Star recently returned from a quadriceps injury, but the team is balancing his workload, and Markkanen has yet to play in two consecutive games since coming back. Brice Sensabaugh and Taylor Hendricks have a chance to pick up more minutes without Markkanen, while his absence is bound to boost the offensive usage of Keyonte George and Collin Sexton. Houston has the eighth-best defensive rating in the league, but George and Sexton should still be able to fill the box score on Saturday night, as the Rockets also like to push the pace.Source: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoWashington Wizards forward/center Marvin Bagley III (back) isn't on the injury report ahead of Saturday's contest against Toronto, suggesting he's available to return to the lineup. The 25-year-old has missed nine of the most recent games while dealing with a back problem. Bagley III has been Washington's starting center over the final stretch of the season, registering four double-doubles in his last nine appearances. His return is bad news for Richaun Holmes, who's set to be relegated to the bench. The comeback comes at a juicy spot, as Toronto is a bottom-tier rebounding team and allows centers to shoot over 58 percent from the field.Source: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoCleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez had his third straight game with a hit on Friday in a 10-0 Cactus League win over the Rangers. He's also had a hit in five out of the last six games, but he's yet to haveread more...
5 days agoWashington Wizards point guard Tyus Jones (back) will be unavailable for a fifth consecutive game on Saturday against Toronto. Jones had played in every game this season before suffering a back injury. Jordan Poole has replaced Jones in the starting lineup. recording 17.8 points and 4.0 assists. Poole himself is questionable for Saturday's matchup, meaning Jared Butler could get a big opportunity to fill starting point guard duties. The backcourt injuries also open up playing time for Johnny Davis and Justin Champagnie.Source: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoWashington Wizards guard Jordan Poole (hip) is questionable for Saturday's clash versus Toronto. The former Warrior has suffered a hip contusion, which could take Poole out of the lineup for the first time since Jan. 31. All of the last four games have been starts for Poole, who has stepped in for Tyus Jones (back). Jones is out again on Saturday, giving Poole extra fantasy value. However, apart from a 31-point performance against Boston, Poole has struggled in his most recent starts and could easily leave fantasy managers disappointed again on Saturday.Source: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoLos Angeles Clippers point guard Russell Westbrook (hand) is expected to be back in the lineup next week. Sources have told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that Westbrook's return might even come as soon as Monday versus Indiana. The former MVP is recovering from a fractured hand suffered on March 1 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 with 5.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists. There could be fireworks from Westbrook straight away in his first game back, as Indiana games are usually played at a very high pace and tend to be high-scoring affairs.Source: ESPN
5 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner went 1-for-2 with a single and a walk in Friday's 4-3 Grapefruit League loss to the Tigers. The speedster also stole a base, his second of the spring. The veteran is having a solid but unspectacular spring, hitting just .268 (11-for-41) with four doubles, zero home runs, two RBI, one runs scored, and two stolen bases. The 2x All-Star has drawn three walks while striking out ten times. You don't want to put too much stock into spring stats, but Turner got off to a slow start last season so it would be comforting for managers to see him with a little more momentum heading into the season. Nevertheless, the 30-year-old is still a top option at shortstop with his power-speed combo which, like last season, can buoy his fantasy value even if the batting average isn't there.Source: ESPN
5 days agoSeattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo threw four innings of perfect baseball in his third spring outing on Thursday in a 4-2 Cactus League win over the Brewers. The 24-year-old allowed zero hits, zero runs, and did not walk a batter while striking out five over four frames. After getting roughed up his first time out, Woo has bounced back nicely, not allowing a run or a hit over two and two-thirds IP his second time out and now four more clean innings of work Thursday. The righty has walked just one batter and struck out 11 over eight and a third spring innings. He may get one more tune-up before the regular season, but managers who drafted the youngster to fill out the back end of their fantasy rotations after a solid debut in 2023 should be feeling confident about their choice.Source: ESPN
5 days agoThe Kansas City Chiefs traded star defensive back L'Jarius Sneed to the Tennesse Titans on Friday in exchange for a 2025 third-round and 2024 seventh-round pick. Once the trade was completed, Sneed signed a four-year, $76 million contract extension with the Titans. The deal includes $55 million guaranteed. Sneed requested a trade after Kansas City placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on him before free agency, which ultimately led him to be moved this offseason. The 27-year-old racked up 78 tackles, two interceptions, one fumble recovery, and 14 passes defensed over 16 games for the Chiefs in 2023. Sneed instantly boosts the Titans' secondary and gives Tennessee a top shutdown corner heading into the 2024 season.Source: Jordan Schultz
5 days agoAtlanta Hawks forward/center Onyeka Okongwu (toe) is unlikely to suit up against the Hornets. He recently sat out a month because of a big toe injury. However, Okongwu has appeared in Atlanta's previous two games and logged nearly 20 minutes per contest. Yet, the 23-year-old is expected to get the night off to take a breather before potentially returning on Monday night versus Boston. The Hawks' injury report is loaded, so Bruno Fernando and De'Andre Hunter could be productive enough to make a difference for DFS participants.Source: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoDenver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (ankle) is questionable heading into Saturday's game in Portland. He tweaked his ankle during Thursday's 113-100 win over the New York Knicks. However, head coach Mike Malone didn't seem too concerned. With that in mind, the Nuggets' subsequent two contests are against some of the worst teams in the National Basketball Association, so Murray may not be back until Wednesday's matchup with the Phoenix Suns. But until he's cleared to play, Reggie Jackson, averaging 16.1 points and 5.4 assists in 16 starts this season, could be an attractive fantasy option for DFS managers, even more so if Nikola Jokic (back, hip) is also ruled out.Source: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoDenver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (back, hip) is questionable for Saturday's game in Portland. The back injury isn't anything new. But the hip issue is somewhat concerning. However, the multi-time MVP has only missed two games this season, so Saturday's meeting with one of the worst teams in the NBA is a good time to get a night off. With Zeke Nnaji (back) already ruled out, DeAndre Jordan might get some action in the middle. Jordan has started just one game this season, finishing with 21 points, 13 rebounds, two steals, and one block. With production like that, he'll see more than his share of attention from DFS managers looking for a value opportunity.Source: NBA Injury Report
5 days agoKansas City Royals outfielder Hunter Renfroe went 1-for-3 with a walk and hit his first home run of spring training on Friday in an 11-5 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. The home run was a welcome development for the 32-year-old veteran, who's having a very underwhelming spring after dealing with lower back tightness in February. He's hitting .179 with a .589 OPS in 28 AB this spring. He'll look to improve on a subpar 2023 season, and ATC projects a .244/.306/.437 slash line with 20 HR and 62 RBI. With an ADP of 232.3, Renfroe will likely only be a depth option for managers and is a starting option in deep-league and AL-Only formats. Source: MLB.com
5 days agoAtlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley is having an underwhelming spring by his standards. The 26-year-old is slashing .257/.297/.429 with just two homers and four RBI in 35 AB. Though his spring has been subpar, Riley is still expected to be very important to fantasy managers' lineups, as he currently has a 22.3 ADP. The projections at ATC expect Riley to perform very similarly to his 2023 season with a .279/.349/.532 slash line with 38 HR and 103 RBI. Braves fans and fantasy managers shouldn't expect Riley's spring training results to continue in the regular season, but a couple more Austin Riley-like games to finish spring training would be a welcome sight. He is a surefire top-20 pick and one of the most dependable third-base options heading into 2024 fantasy drafts.
Source: MLB.com