April 6, 2026
Cleveland Guardians left-handed pitching prospect
Parker Messick turned in another strong outing in his second outing of the campaign and is emerging as a must-roster pitcher in standard 12-team leagues. Messick was given the starting nod in the second game of the doubleheader against the Cubs on Sunday and logged five innings of one-run ball with two hits and three walks. He struck out six. His lone mistake came in the third frame when former top prospect
Matt Shaw hit a solo shot. In his season debut, Messick looked quite comfortable as well, logging six shutout frames against the game's most potent lineup, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Last summer in his first stint in the big leagues, the southpaw posted a 2.72 ERA over his first 39 2/3 innings. Given his impressive start to the season, Messick is a priority target for those needing pitching depth.
--Andy SmithSource: MLB.com
April 6, 2026
Chris Duncan suffered a second-round submission loss to former title challenger Renato Moicano in the main event of UFC Vegas 115 on Saturday. Duncan just couldn't find his rhythm as he was constantly tagged with a jab. Moicano pushed the pace in the second round, and midway through the round, after hurting Duncan, Moicano took his back and sank in the rear-naked choke. In 8:14 of action, Duncan landed 27 significant strikes. With the loss, Duncan dropped to 15-3 as a pro and is now 6-2 in the UFC.
--Alen KurbasicSource: UFC
April 6, 2026
Former lightweight title challenger Renato Moicano returned to the win column by defeating Chris Duncan via second-round submission in the main event of UFC Vegas 115 on Saturday. Moicano dominated his American Top Team teammate Duncan and displayed crisp boxing, bloodying him up in the process before securing a second-round submission victory. In 8:14 of action, Moicano landed a takedown and 21 significant strikes. With the win, Moicano snapped his losing streak and has improved to 13-7 in the UFC.
--Alen KurbasicSource: UFC
April 6, 2026
Tabatha Ricci suffered a unanimous decision loss to former title challenger Virna Jandiroba in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 115 on Saturday. Ricci was dominated by Jandiroba for two rounds, who outgrappled her on her way to winning a unanimous decision. In the third round, Ricci started pushing the pace and let her hands go, but Jandiroba sealed the deal with a late takedown. In 15 minutes of action, Ricci landed a takedown and 37 significant strikes. With the loss, Ricci dropped to 7-4 in the UFC.
--Alen KurbasicSource: UFC
April 6, 2026
Former title challenger Virna Jandiroba returned to the win column by beating Tabatha Ricci via unanimous decision in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 115 on Saturday. The fight was largely one-sided, and it was a dominant performance by Jandiroba, who outgrappled Ricci for two rounds. Ricci started pressuring Jandiroba and let her hands go in the third round, but it wasn't enough to get her the win. In 15 minutes of action, Jandiroba landed six takedowns and 26 significant strikes. With the win, Jandiroba improved to 23-4 as a pro.
--Alen KurbasicSource: UFC
April 6, 2026
Brendson Ribeiro suffered a first-round submission loss to Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev on the main card of UFC Vegas 115 on Saturday. Ribeiro tried to land a head kick in the first round, but Yakhyaev caught it and took Ribeiro down. The 29-year-old Ribeiro then tried to stand up, but Yakhyaev dragged him down to the mat, and after landing a few punches on the ground, Yakhyaev sank in the rear-naked choke, forcing Ribeiro to tap out. In 2:52 of action, Ribeiro landed eight significant strikes. This is Ribeiro's third consecutive loss, and he is now 2-5 in the UFC.
--Alen KurbasicSource: UFC
April 6, 2026
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev remained undefeated and extended his win streak by defeating Brendson Ribeiro via first-round submission on the main card of UFC Vegas 115 on Saturday. In the first round, Ribeiro attempted a head kick, but Yakhyaev grabbed hold of it and took Ribeiro down. After landing some punches on the ground, Yakhyaev pounced on the rear-naked choke, forcing a quick tap-out from Ribeiro. In 2:52 of action, Yakhyaev landed two takedowns and seven significant strikes. With the win, Yakhyaev improved to 2-0 in the UFC.
--Alen KurbasicSource: UFC
April 6, 2026
Rafael Estevam is no longer undefeated after suffering a third-round TKO loss to Ethyn Ewing on the main card of UFC Vegas 115 on Saturday. Estevam tried to take Ewing down time and time again, but Ewing was able to defend takedown attempts and proceeded to dominate Estevam until he finished him in the third round with a punch to the body. In 11:44 of action, Estevam landed 44 significant strikes. With the loss, Estevam dropped to 14-1 as a pro and is now 3-1 in the UFC.
--Alen KurbasicSource: UFC
April 6, 2026
Ethyn Ewing extended his win streak by defeating a previously undefeated Rafael Estevam via third-round TKO on the main card of UFC Vegas 115 on Saturday. Ewing had a dominant performance, and he became the first man to defeat Estevam when he finished him with a body shot TKO. By beating Estevam, Ewing extended his win streak to 10. In 11:44 of action, Ewing landed 114 significant strikes. With the win, Ewing improved to 10-2 as a pro and is now 2-0 in the UFC.
--Alen KurbasicSource: UFC
April 6, 2026
Denver Broncos wide receiver
Pat Bryant is no longer a top candidate to enjoy a Year 2 breakout. The second season in the league is a common time for receivers to take a major leap, and it seemed like Bryant was heading in the right direction after the 2025 campaign. After all, he had cemented himself as the Broncos' No. 3 receiver and averaged 5.3 targets over his final five games. However, his role suddenly changed when the Broncos surprisingly traded for
Jaylen Waddle out of nowhere. Denver now has Waddle and
Courtland Sutton atop its depth chart, and
Troy Franklin has a clear advantage over Bryant for the No. 3 receiver role. At this point, it seems like the Year 2 breakout is on hold for Bryant. He is a talented player, but his path to consistent fantasy production is nearly nonexistent as long as Waddle, Sutton, and Troy Franklin are healthy.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 6, 2026
Denver Broncos wide receiver
Troy Franklin enjoyed a second-year breakout as the overall WR31 in PPR leagues last season. It seemed like he was trending up and due for an even stronger showing in 2026, but then, the Broncos went out and traded for
Jaylen Waddle. That acquisition offers a major shakeup in Denver, establishing
Courtland Sutton and Waddle as the undisputed top two receivers on the team. As a result, Franklin will fall to the No. 3 role. Not only is he no longer a lock to consistently start games, but he's also due for a step backward in fantasy football. His 2025 finish as the WR31 could end up being the peak of the early portion of his career, as Franklin will have trouble being a top-36 fantasy receiver if both Sutton and Waddle are healthy. It'll be tough to sell high on the 23-year-old, so he's merely a hold in most leagues for now.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
April 6, 2026
Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks
Sam Howell and
Joe Milton III will compete for the backup role behind
Dak Prescott this summer, head coach Brian Schottenheimer told Todd Archer of ESPN.com. The Cowboys acquired Milton last offseason in hopes that he could offer a strong, accurate arm in case Prescott went down. Prescott was healthy for all 17 contests, but when Milton did get into the game, he struggled. He had three turnovers and just one touchdown across parts of four games. Perhaps because of his subpar results on the field, Dallas brought in Howell during the offseason. It appears that the Cowboys have a specific vision for their backup quarterback, as Howell offers mobility and a strong arm similar to Milton. The fantasy implications here are minimal, as we expect Prescott to start the full season unless he gives us a reason to believe otherwise.
--Andersen PickardSource: Todd Archer
April 6, 2026
Tennessee Titans quarterback
Cameron Ward (shoulder) has been "progressing very well" from a right shoulder injury that required offseason rehab, head coach Robert Saleh told Jim Wyatt of the team's official website. Saleh also noted that Ward has consistently been working in the building, sometimes on his own. It was a rookie season to forget for the No. 1 pick, who finished the 2025 campaign with just 3,169 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also took an NFL-high 55 sacks and lost seven fumbles. The turnover-to-touchdown ratio was far from ideal, and Ward will look to play cleaner football next season. He should benefit from an improved offense that now features wide receiver
Wan'Dale Robinson. We also expect
Gunnar Helm,
Elic Ayomanor, and
Chimere Dike to make significant second-year leaps. It's too early to proclaim Ward will be fantasy relevant across the board, but as he continues to recover amid his first full offseason in the NFL, he's certainly trending up.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jim Wyatt
April 6, 2026
Tennessee Titans quarterback
Will Levis could be the odd man out heading into the NFL Draft. Jim Wyatt of the team's official website writes that
Mitch Trubisky will back up
Cameron Ward next season, leaving Levis as either a trade candidate or competing with
Hendon Hooker for the No. 3 role. Wyatt even wrote that he "suspect[s] some teams have been inquiring about Levis," and he indicated that the second-round pick is talented enough to justify a trade, rather than a demotion to the third-string quarterback role. No trade has materialized yet, but we wouldn't be surprised if something came together during the NFL Draft, similar to how the Cardinals traded away
Josh Rosen during the draft after he simply didn't pan out in Arizona. One team that could be interested in Levis is the New York Jets. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com recently wrote that the Jets want to add a veteran backup before the draft, and he specifically mentioned Levis as a name to watch.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jim Wyatt
April 5, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays second baseman
Andres Gimenez has established himself as an intriguing waiver wire option for fantasy managers with his hot start to the 2026 season. The 27-year-old is in his second year with Toronto and owns an .848 OPS with two home runs in nine games. Known for his defense, Gimenez has taken a step forward with the bat this season and is worth adding as he continues to produce. It is worth noting that he has also shown a positive trend in reducing strikeouts over his career, something for fantasy managers to keep an eye on as he looks to continue this production from the bottom end of the Jays lineup.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
April 5, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays third baseman
Kazuma Okamoto struggled again Sunday in a 3-0 loss vs. the Chicago White Sox, finishing 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a walk. This marks the 29-year-old's sixth game with multiple strikeouts, as he continues to have trouble limiting swing-and-miss. Okamoto is in his first MLB season and was known for an elite contact tool in Japan before coming overseas. He may still be adjusting to increased velocity at the major league level, with his strikeout rate at 42.9 percent. He has shown positive signs, however, with two home runs while slashing .235/.333/.412 in eight games. He will look to make adjustments quickly as he works to settle into Major League pitching.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
April 5, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder
Garrett Mitchell is off to a hot start this season and has become a priority waiver wire target as he continues his early success. The 27-year-old is hitting .318 with a 1.014 OPS in eight games, showing an increase in power numbers early. Four of Mitchell's seven hits have gone for extra bases, and his average exit velocity sits at 98.4 mph, which ranks in the 99th percentile league-wide. This uptick in power has led to 11 RBI, and his strong production early is expected to create more opportunities moving forward.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
April 5, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder
Jordan Walker has enjoyed an early breakout in the 2026 season, emerging as a must-add waiver wire target with significant upside. The 23-year-old has already recorded two three-hit games along with two home runs, and is slashing .300/.382/.567 in nine games. Walker has always been a power threat, but he has displayed a major uptick in barrel percentage from 6.6% last year to 13.3% this year. He has cut down on strikeouts and taken more walks, all positive signs for the young talent in a limited sample size. These early underlying metrics point to extremely high potential for a breakout year, and fantasy managers should add Walker as soon as possible.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
April 5, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates reliever
Gregory Soto is emerging as a key waiver wire opportunity, showing strong upside early in the 2026 season. The left-hander has allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings, while relying heavily on swing-and-miss stuff with 11 strikeouts. His 52.4 K% ranks in the 99th percentile, highlighting his dominance in a small sample. Soto has already recorded his first save of the season and owns a 0.75 WHIP with a .111 opponents average. If the 31-year-old maintains control and limits walks, he can continue to thrive in the back end of the Pirates bullpen and push for more save opportunities.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
April 5, 2026
Chicago Cubs outfielder
Seiya Suzuki (knee) is expected to continue his rehab assignment Tuesday and Wednesday before rejoining the team Friday for a weekend series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Suzuki was placed on the 10-day injured list March 25 with a right knee injury and has spent the last few days playing with Double-A Knoxville. The 31-year-old has not played a game this season and will look to return to his everyday role upon activation. Suzuki is in his fifth season with Chicago and posted a .245 AVG, .326 OBP, and .478 SLG last year, providing a steady and productive bat in the lineup.
--Julian BrookeSource: Taylor McGregor
April 5, 2026
Philadelphia 76ers guard
Cameron Payne (hamstring) has been diagnosed with a strained right hamstring and is expected to miss at least two weeks, likely sidelining him for the rest of the regular season. His absence could lead to more backup point guard minutes for
Quentin Grimes behind
Tyrese Maxey. Grimes has logged 10 points and four rebounds in 25 minutes against Minnesota and 12 points with two three-pointers in 23 minutes against Washington recently, though his fantasy upside remains modest with Maxey,
VJ Edgecombe, and
Paul George handling most of the offense.
--Brian DailisanSource: Austin Krell
April 5, 2026
Detroit Pistons guard/forward
Duncan Robinson (hip) is questionable for Monday's game against the Orlando Magic after logging 11 points, two rebounds, and two assists in 23 minutes Saturday. If he sits,
Kevin Huerter,
Caris LeVert, and
Ron Holland II could all see increased opportunities, with one likely moving into the starting lineup. Huerter posted five points, five rebounds, and six assists in 25 minutes in his last outing and could offer short-term value for assists and three-pointers. Holland's recent activity also puts him on the deep-league radar if Robinson is unavailable.
--Brian DailisanSource: NBA Injury Report
April 5, 2026
Portland Trail Blazers forward
Jerami Grant (calf) will remain sidelined for Monday's game against the Denver Nuggets due to a lingering calf strain. His continued absence should keep
Scoot Henderson in an elevated role with the starting group. Henderson has averaged 16.7 points, 2.0 three-pointers, and 4.0 assists in 24.6 minutes across his last three starts, making him a viable fantasy option for points and assists while Grant remains out.
Deni Avdija should continue to see a bit more offensive responsibility, while Grant's absence leaves Portland a little short on forward depth down the stretch.
--Brian DailisanSource: NBA Injury Report
April 5, 2026
Detroit Pistons forward
Tobias Harris (knee) is questionable for Monday's game against the Orlando Magic after playing through the issue in his last outing. With Detroit already locked into playoff positioning, the team could take a cautious approach with its veteran forward. If Harris sits,
Ron Holland II,
Javonte Green, and
Caris LeVert could see expanded roles. Holland finished with 11 points, six rebounds, one steal, and one block in 20 minutes in his last appearance, making him a possible deep-league streamer, while Green could enter the starting lineup if Harris is held out.
--Brian DailisanSource: NBA Injury Report
April 5, 2026
New York Knicks forward/center
Karl-Anthony Towns (elbow) is off the injury report and expected to return Monday against the Atlanta Hawks after missing one game. His return should move
Mitchell Robinson back into a reserve role and reduce the minutes available for
Mohamed Diawara and
Ariel Hukporti. Towns has averaged 18.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 28.8 minutes over his last five games and posted a 20-point, 11-rebound, 11-assist triple-double in his last outing. He remains a must-start fantasy option, while Robinson's short-term streaming value likely takes a hit with Towns reclaiming starting duties.
--Brian DailisanSource: NBA Injury Report
April 5, 2026
Philadelphia 76ers center
Joel Embiid (oblique) is off the injury report and expected to play Monday against the San Antonio Spurs after sitting out Saturday for maintenance on the second night of a back-to-back. His return should send
Andre Drummond back to a reserve role and cut into
Adem Bona's minutes. Embiid has averaged 27.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.8 blocks across 33.1 minutes over his last four games, reinforcing his must-start status. His presence should slightly trim the offensive workload of
Tyrese Maxey and
Paul George, though both remain strong fantasy options, while Drummond and Bona take the biggest hit in playing time.
--Brian DailisanSource: NBA Injury Report
April 5, 2026
Los Angeles Angels outfielder
Mike Trout (hand) was removed early during Sunday's game against the Seattle Mariners. Trout was taken out of the contest after getting hit by a pitch during the eighth inning. According to Rhett Bollinger, it sounded like it hit Trout's hand pad, but he was pulled from the contest anyway. Before leaving, Trout went 1-for-4 with a run scored and a double. The expectation is that Trout will undergo imaging to determine the severity of the injury. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update on his status.
Bryce Teodosio took over in center field and could see an expanded role if Trout misses time.
--Andy WebbSource: Rhett Bollinger
April 5, 2026
New York Mets starting pitcher
Kodai Senga saw his velocity drop during Sunday's start against the San Francisco Giants. Senga was averaging 97.4 mph during his last start. He began Sunday's outing sitting at 96 mph on his fastball. The right-hander was averaging 93-94 mph during his final inning of work. Outside of the decreased velocity, Senga was sharp during Sunday's victory. He tossed 5.2 innings, allowing two earned runs while striking out seven batters in the no-decision. Senga has pitched well over his first two starts of the season, but the dip in velocity is concerning. Fantasy managers should monitor this situation during his next outing against the Athletics on April 11.
--Andy WebbSource: Anthony DiComo
April 5, 2026
Dallas Mavericks guard
Brandon Williams (illness) is available Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers after initially being listed as probable. The 26-year-old has averaged 15.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.0 steals across 23.7 minutes over his last five games, giving him some deep-league appeal for scoring and assists. His return should limit
Ryan Nembhard's opportunities off the bench, while
Cooper Flagg should continue handling primary playmaking duties. Williams could remain a situational fantasy option in deeper formats if his recent usage and bench role remain steady.
--Brian DailisanSource: Mavs PR
April 5, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder
Sal Frelick (side) was held out of the starting lineup during Sunday's game against the Kansas City Royals. This isn't shocking considering Frelick exited early during Saturday's contest due to a side issue. Brewers' manager Pat Murphy said Frelick could've played on Sunday, but they decided to play it safe. The Brewers were facing a southpaw on Sunday, so it's probably best for Frelick to return against right-hander
Brayan Bello on Monday. Fantasy managers should check back ahead of Monday's game to confirm Frelick is back in the mix.
--Andy WebbSource: Todd Rosiak
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