4 days agoMinnesota Twins second baseman Edouardo Julien is staying at second base and batting ninth on Monday against left-hander
Cole Irvin and the Baltimore Orioles. This will be the second straight time that Julien has stayed in Minnesota's starting lineup with the team facing a southpaw. It will be a boost for Julien's fantasy stock if he continues to play every day, although his move from the leadoff spot to the nine-hole will make him a bat to fade in DFS lineups. The Canadian infielder does have four home runs in his first 14 games of 2024, but he's also gone just 9-for-46 (.196) with five RBI, a stolen base and seven runs scored in 52 trips to the plate. Julien has never faced Irvin in his career.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoBaltimore Orioles outfielder
Anthony Santander is not in the starting lineup on Monday against the visiting Minnesota Twins. It allows the Orioles to keep
Colton Cowser in the starting lineup in right field while he hits fifth against Twins right-hander
Louie Varland. Cowser is swinging one of the hottest bats in baseball right now and has started the year going 15-for-34 (.441) with four home runs, 13 RBI, two stolen bases and seven runs scored. The 24-year-old's hot start has made
Austin Hays the odd man out in Baltimore's outfield situation on most days. Santander has three home runs on the year in 61 at-bats, but he's also hitting just .180 (11-for-61) in the early going. Cowser has never faced Varland in his career.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Baltimore Orioles
4 days agoSeattle Mariners outfielder
Dominic Canzone (shoulder) was placed on the 10-day injured list ahead of the team's matchup against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday with a left AC joint sprain. Canzone suffered the shoulder injury in Sunday's loss against the Chicago Cubs when he collided with the outfield wall in left field. Despite making the catch, he was in a lot of pain and left the game in the top of the second inning. Now he heads to the IL and won't be eligible to return until later this month. In his place,
Jonatan Clase -- the team's No. 10 prospect on MLB Pipeline -- will take his roster spot. Canzone was hitting just .219 with three home runs and six RBI through 14 games in 2024.
--Joey Pollizze - RotoBallerSource: Seattle Mariners
4 days agoGeorgia tight end
Brock Bowers will be in Florham Park on Monday on an official visit with the New York Jets. The 6-foot-3, 243-pounder would give quarterback
Aaron Rodgers yet another intriguing weapon in 2024 if the Jets were to select Bowers in the upcoming NFL draft. Bowers was a three-time first-team All American in his three years with the Bulldogs while leading Georgia in receiving all three years. He's easily regarded as the best tight end in this year's class and could come off the board as early as 10th overall in the first round to the Jets. In his three years at Georgia, Bowers caught 175 passes for 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns. He could be fantasy relevant immediately in his first year in the NFL, but if he lands with the Jets, he'll have a lot of competition for targets.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: FOX Sports - Peter Schrager
4 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals pitcher
Sonny Gray will be limited to 75 pitches in Monday's start against the Oakland A's. Gray spent a large portion of spring training dealing with a hamstring issue that limited him to just two starts, so it makes sense why the Cardinals are gradually increasing the veteran's pitch count. In his first start of the year against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 9, he threw 64 pitches across five shutout innings. Now, St. Louis has set his limit at around 75 pitches in his second start. The pitch limit shouldn't worry fantasy managers, though. If you roster the 34-year-old in fantasy, you should be starting him in a plus matchup against Oakland.
--Joey Pollizze - RotoBallerSource: Katie Woo
4 days agoBaylor freshman guard Ja'Kobe Walter, a potential top-10 pick, is declaring for the 2024 NBA draft. "I think I'm the best shooter in the draft," Walter believes, and he modeled his all-around scoring ability after the likes of
Kevin Durant,
Anthony Edwards, and
Kawhi Leonard. The 19-year-old combo guard was named the Big 12 Rookie of the Year for 2023-24, averaging 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.1 steals, and 2.0 three-pointers over 35 starts for the Bears last season. After shooting 37.6% from the field, Walker profiles nearly identically to former Bear
Keyonte George, who was selected 16th overall by the Utah Jazz in last year's draft, as an offensive-minded player and a high-volume scorer who could provide some scoring pop off the bench but is raw defensively and could struggle with turnovers as a rookie.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Shams Charania - The Athletic
4 days agoThe New England Patriots had dinner with Michigan quarterback
J.J. McCarthy on Sunday night and are hosting him on a visit on Monday in Foxborough, according to a source. The Patriots own the No. 3 overall pick and previously hosted North Carolina's
Drake Maye and LSU's
Jayden Daniels. It's no surprise that the Pats are doing their due diligence on this year's top quarterbacks not named
Caleb Williams, who is expected to be taken first overall by the Chicago Bears. McCarthy's draft stock has soared since his impressive pro day, and it seems more likely that he'll now be taken within the top-10 selections later this month. New England continues to try and figure out the QB position since
Tom Brady left, as the
Mac Jones experiment clearly didn't work out. The Patriots traded him to the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
4 days agoMiami Marlins pitcher
Max Meyer was optioned to the minors before the team's matchup against the San Francisco Giants on Monday. With
A.J. Puk (illness) being scratched from his start earlier in the day, the Marlins decided to call up
Edward Cabrera to take his spot. However, his promotion has resulted in Miami sending down Meyer -- who has been the team's best pitcher in the early going. The right-hander has given up just four earned runs across 17 innings pitched (2.12 ERA) through three starts. He is also coming off the best outing of his career, allowing only one earned run across six strong innings against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday. However, with the 25-year-old coming off Tommy John surgery, it appears the team is taking a careful approach with their young pitcher. Despite his option to the minors, he is a player you should be looking to stash in fantasy, given his upside.
--Joey Pollizze - RotoBallerSource: Christina De Nicola
4 days agoImpending free-agent guard
Lonnie Walker IV appears to be noncommittal on his future with the Brooklyn Nets. "I'm just looking for a home… Just looking for a team that finds me valuable. [I want to be] an important piece for a team that can consistently play… We'll see how things go", Walker told reporters following Sunday's blowout loss in Brooklyn's regular-season finale against the Philadelphia 76ers. The 25-year-old swingman netted a one-year pact with the Nets last offseason and was a serviceable part of their rotation when healthy during 2023-24, averaging 9.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.8 three-pointers on 38.4% shooting from beyond the arc through 58 appearances as a reserve. Walker is a decent spot-up shooter and spark plug off the bench, but he doesn't provide enough on the defensive end to consistently handle big minutes.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Erik Slater - ClutchPoints.com
4 days agoNew York Giants quarterback
Daniel Jones (knee), who is returning from a torn ACL that he suffered in 2023, told reporters on Monday that the plan is for him to be fully cleared for training camp this summer. Jones has not had any setbacks since undergoing surgery on Nov. 22 to fix his right ACL tear. The 26-year-old also said the neck injury he dealt with last year before hurting his knee is in the rearview mirror. Despite the fact that the Giants are considering drafting another QB at the end of this month, they continue to say that Jones will be the unquestioned starter under center when he returns from his knee injury. Although Jones had a career year in 2022, plenty of questions remain as to whether he can repeat that performance, especially now that running back
Saquon Barkley is no longer in town. Consider him a low-upside QB2 with more question marks coming off a serious knee injury.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The 33rd Team - Ari Meirov
4 days agoThe Atlanta Hawks are weighing the fact that guard
Vit Krejci will be a restricted free agent in the offseason, which gives them the right to match any offer sheet. The hope is that they will be able to keep Krejci on a four-year deal that begins next season. After being waived by the Minnesota Timberwolves last October, Krejci signed a two-way contract with the Hawks in late December and made an impact for Atlanta with
Trae Young sidelined for the majority of the campaign's later stages. The 23-year-old point forward averaged only 7.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists over his last 15 games (nine starts), but he hit 1.6 three-pointers per game on 43.6% shooting from deep over this period and proved he could be a versatile rotational piece.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Lauren L. Williams - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
4 days agoNew York Jets quarterback
Aaron Rodgers (Achilles), who is coming off a torn left Achilles suffered in the season opener in 2023, was present for Day 1 of the team's voluntary offseason workouts on Monday. Despite being 40 years old and coming off a pretty serious injury that knocked him out for all of last year, the future Hall of Famer is hoping to play multiple more seasons. Rodgers was able to return to practices late last season, so barring some sort of setback this offseason or in training camp this summer, Rodgers will be ready to go for Week 1 of the 2024 regular season. He has plenty of weapons around him in New York's offense, but it's fair to wonder how an aging signal-caller will do coming off a lost season. At best, fantasy managers should treat him as a low-end QB1 injury risk in drafts this fall.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
4 days agoColorado Rockies outfielder
Kris Bryant (back) is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Bryant exited Saturday's game in the fourth inning after experiencing lower back stiffness. The 32-year-old was also not in the lineup in the team's 5-0 loss on Sunday, now marking his second consecutive missed game. This injury is something that fantasy managers should keep an eye on in the coming days. He has dealt with his fair share of injuries over the past few seasons, and the Rockies could decide to take a careful approach with the veteran. If he continues to miss time or winds up landing on the injured list, look for
Michael Toglia to get more outfield reps.
--Joey Pollizze - RotoBallerSource: MLB
4 days agoThe Indianapolis Colts and three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner agreed to a two-year, $46 million contract extension on Monday that ties him to the Colts through the 2026 season, according to sources. The Colts traded the No. 13 overall pick to the San Francisco 49ers in 2020 for Buckner and quickly signed him to a four-year, $84 million extension. The 30-year-old pass-rusher will stick around in Indianapolis for two more years after recording 166 solo tackles, 32.5 sacks, 42 tackles for loss, 87 QB hits, 16 passes defended, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown) in 66 regular-season games (62 starts) since the Colts acquired him from San Fran in 2020. He'll remain relevant in IDP fantasy leagues in 2024 despite being an interior defensive lineman.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
4 days agoMilwaukee Bucks forward
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is rehabbing daily, but there's some real doubt for his status to begin the first-round series versus the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. Although Antetokounmpo has rare recovery ability, he's very much up in the air for Game 1. Antetokounmpo sustained a strained left calf in last Tuesday's win over the visiting Boston Celtics, and early indications suggest he won't be available for the Bucks at the start of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Expect Milwaukee's offense to run through co-superstar
Damian Lillard for any games he sits out, as Lillard averaged 29.9 points, 7.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 three-pointers, and 1.1 steals over eight games without Antetokounmpo this season. Additionally,
Bobby Portis averaged 20.8 points, 10.1 boards, 1.7 dimes, 1.2 swipes, and 2.0 threes across eight outings sans the Greek Freak this year.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Shams Charania - The Athletic
4 days agoKansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters that he's spoken to wide receiver
Rashee Rice, who will be virtual for the first phase of offseason conditioning. "I'm leaving that, like we've done most of these, for the law enforcement part to take place and then we will go from there with that," Reid said. Rice turned himself into authorities after an arrest warrant was issued stemming from a March 30 multi-car accident in which he was driving one of the cars. The 23-year-old is facing eight charges as a result of the incident that caused bodily injuries to some of the people involved. The legal process needs to play out first, but Rice's fantasy value going into the 2024 season could be hurt by the fact that the NFL could hand him a suspension to start the season. Rice was quarterback
Patrick Mahomes' favorite weapon outside of tight end
Travis Kelce in 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
4 days agoBoston Red Sox outfielder
Tyler O'Neill (head) exited Monday's game against the Cleveland Guardians in the seventh inning after a collision. With the Red Sox trailing 2-0 at the time, O'Neill, third baseman
Rafael Devers, and shortstop
Ceddanne Rafaela all tried to make a play on a popup hit by Guardians' outfielder
Estevan Florial in shallow left field. Devers made the catch but collided with O'Neill in the process. The outfielder eventually walked off the field under his own power and left the game. The 28-year-old appeared to have a cut on his head and will likely go into the league's concussion protocol. Either way, though, it was a good sign to see him walk off under his own power. He is off to a blazing start in 2024, hitting .313 with seven home runs and eight RBI, and he should be rostered in every fantasy league moving forward.
--Joey Pollizze - RotoBallerSource: FOX Sports
4 days agoDallas Cowboys wide receiver
CeeDee Lamb isn't expected to attend the start of the team's voluntary offseason program on Monday while he awaits a new contract to replace the one that is scheduled to pay him a fully guaranteed $17.199 million for his upcoming fifth-year option season. The 25-year-old All-Pro is seeking a new long-term deal after finishing as the WR1 in overall half-PPR points last year. Lamb caught 135 of his 181 targets for 1,749 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. He expects to be playing for the Cowboys this fall, but a holdout into training camp this summer could be realistic if the two sides haven't worked anything out by then. Contract issues aside, fantasy managers should consider Lamb a high-end, elite WR1 in drafts this fall.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
4 days agoPhoenix Suns guard
Grayson Allen has agreed on a four-year, $70 million contract extension that includes a player option. The deal keeps Allen out of unrestricted free agency this summer and rewards him for a career-best season after joining the Suns as part of last offseason's blockbuster
Damian Lillard trade. The 28-year-old three-and-D wing started all but one of his 75 games in the desert, returning top-75 fantasy numbers in nine-category leagues via averages of 13.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.7 three-pointers on an NBA-best 46.1% shooting clip from downtown. Allen should continue to be an integral contributor during Phoenix's postseason run.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
4 days agoMinnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said that wide receiver
Justin Jefferson did not report on Monday for Day 1 of voluntary workouts. The workouts this spring are voluntary, and Jefferson is angling for a new contract. It was a disappointing year for Jefferson in 2023 due to injury, as he played in a career-low 10 games. However, the three-time Pro Bowler still managed to go over 1,000 yards receiving for the fourth straight season to begin his NFL career, also adding five touchdowns. The 24-year-old remains one of the best wideouts, if not the best, in football when he's healthy. However, contract situation aside, his fantasy value for 2024 is inevitably going to take a hit after quarterback
Kirk Cousins left in free agency to play for the Atlanta Falcons.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The 33rd Team - Ari Meirov
4 days agoDetroit Red Wings forward Andrew Copp (cheek) is a game-time decision for Monday's crucial contest against the Montreal Canadiens. The veteran has missed the past two games after suffering a broken cheekbone on an undetected high stick in a 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals last Tuesday. Wings bench boss Derek Lalonde said Copp would take part in warmups on Monday before determining his status for the contest. Copp has recorded 13 goals and 33 points across 77 games this season, his second with the Red Wings. Detroit enters Monday's action tied with the Capitals and Flyers for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 87 points, but both clubs hold the tiebreaker over the Red Wings due to regulation wins.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoThe Anaheim Ducks have signed top prospect Cutter Gauthier to a three-year, entry-level deal after his season at Boston College came to a conclusion in a 2-0 loss to the University of Denver in the national championship game on Saturday. "We are excited to sign Cutter and have him begin his NHL career with the Ducks immediately," Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said. "He was the top goal-scorer in college hockey and has the dynamic ability to produce in all situations. We look forward to having him join our group of top young players already in the NHL." The 20-year-old paced the nation with 38 goals as a Sophomore this season, the most by an NCAA player since the 1999-2000 season. Drafted fifth overall in 2022 by the Flyers, Gauthier told the team he would not sign in Philadelphia and was traded to the Ducks for young defenseman Jamie Drysdale in January.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoToronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll will be between the pipes for Tuesday's road game against the Florida Panthers. Ilya Samsonov has started each of the last two games and four of the last five but it will be Woll going Tuesday with Wednesday's starter to be determined against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Woll took over the starter's role early in the season over the then-struggling Samsonov but suffered a high-ankle sprain in a Dec. 7 win over the Ottawa Senators and didn't return until Feb. 29. He hasn't been as sharp since getting back but still owns a solid 2.88 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage across 24 games (22 starts) on the season. Samsonov is likely to start Game 1 of the postseason while Woll will serve as the backup.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Jonas Siegel
5 days agoToronto Maple Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok (hand) is "not ready to play" and is questionable for Game 1 of the postseason, according to head coach Sheldon Keefe. The veteran has been out since injuring his hand for the second time this season during a 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on March 14. The versatile Swede has recorded 10 goals and 21 points across 52 games on the season after notching a career-high 20 goals and 39 points last season, his first with the Maple Leafs. The Leafs are also dealing with injuries to Bobby McMann and Max Domi up front, both of whom will also miss the final two games of the regular season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Jonas Siegel
5 days agoAlex Pereira defended his light-heavyweight title for the second time with a knockout win over Jamahal Hill in the main event of UFC 300. Hill landed a low blow, prompting the referee to try and stop the fight, but Pereira held his hand up, stopping Herb Dean from intervening. He then landed his signature left hook that dropped Hill. Pereira followed up with ground-and-pound, finishing Hill in the first round. In 3:14 of action, Pereira landed 24 significant strikes. The win not only cements Pereira's legacy as a two-division champion but also sets him up for more big blockbuster fights moving forward.
--Alen Kurbasic - RotoBallerSource: UFC
5 days agoToronto Maple Leafs forward Max Domi (undisclosed) will not be in the lineup for Tuesday's contest against the Florida Panthers and is unlikely to play in the regular-season finale on Wednesday versus the Tampa Bay Lightning. The forward didn't skate on Saturday morning prior to the team's game against the Detroit Red Wings but did dress for the contest despite dealing with an undisclosed injury. The 29-year-old was off to a sluggish start this season but has become a key member of the offense while skating alongside Auston Matthews of late. Domi has tallied two goals and 17 points over his last 21 games since the start of March while averaging a season-high 15:36 of ice time in the month of April.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Jonas Siegel
5 days agoJamahal Hill suffered a first-round knockout loss to Alex Pereira in the main event of UFC 300 to drop to 12-2 as a pro. Hill kicked Pereira low, prompting referee Herb Dean to step in and try to pause the fight, but Pereira declined. A signature left hook from Pereira knocked out Hill. In 3:14 of action, Hill landed 12 significant strikes. The loss was only Hill's second defeat in his career after he fell by submission to Paul Craig back in 2021.
--Alen Kurbasic - RotoBallerSource: UFC
5 days agoToronto Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann will not play in the club's final two regular-season games due to a lower-body injury suffered during Saturday's 5-4 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings. McMann fell awkwardly while clearing the puck short-handed and was slow to get up and get to the bench. He then went to the dressing room and did not return. His status for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs is unclear. The 27-year-old has become a key piece for the team this season, notching 15 goals and 24 points across 56 games in 11:34 of average ice time per game. However, he also has 13 goals and 17 points across 33 games since the start of February and has recently been skating on the team's second line.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Jonas Siegel
5 days agoIn the first title bout between Chinese-born fighters in UFC history, Yan Xiaonan was defeated by Zhang Weili via unanimous decision. Having secured eight of her previous 17 wins by knockout, Xiaonan was aggressive in the stand-up department and even knocked Weili down. At the end of the first round, it appeared that victory was Zhang's when she had Xiaonan unconscious from a rear-naked chokehold, but Yan was rescued by the bell. In 25 minutes of action, Xiaonan landed three takedowns and 43 significant strikes. With the loss, Xiaonan's UFC record is 8-3.
--Alen Kurbasic - RotoBallerSource: UFC
5 days agoArman Tsarukyan won the biggest fight of his career at UFC 300 on Saturday night, defeating former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira by split decision. After surviving an early guillotine attempt, Tsarukyan edged out a split-decision win by utilizing his superior wrestling and control time. In 15 minutes of action, Tsarukyan landed two takedowns and 49 significant strikes. By defeating Oliveira, Tsarukyan is likely going to face the winner of Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier.
--Alen Kurbasic - RotoBallerSource: UFC
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