RADIO
Kodai Senga Has Become a Saves Target
New York Mets relief pitcher Kodai Senga earned his second save in five days Friday, tossing a scoreless ninth in a 4-1 win over Washington. He allowed one hit and struck out one, and the usage was notable after Daniel Duarte handled the eighth. Senga also converted a save Monday in Atlanta and has now put together four straight scoreless relief appearances. His season numbers are still rough at a 7.95 ERA and 1.68 WHIP, so there is obvious risk attached. But Devin Williams (shoulder) is on the 15-day injured list and isn't expected back until September, leaving save chances up for grabs. Senga has gotten two of them already, and Friday's ninth-inning assignment only adds to the intrigue. Yahoo still has him rostered in just 16% of leagues. Managers chasing saves in deeper formats should have him on the radar while the Mets sort out the back end.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Denny Hamlin Looking to Tie Kyle Busch with Six Richmond Wins
Kyle Busch was always one of the best race car drivers at Richmond Raceway, and Denny Hamlin is right there with him. Busch got to victory lane six times in his career at this track, and Hamlin is close behind him, with five so far in 37 attempts. Can he tie the sure Hall of Famer this weekend? Denny will roll off the starting grid from 14th-place when the Cook Out 400 goes green this weekend, and the No. 11 Toyota was strong in practice, ranking seventh-fastest in 30-lap average. Hamlin finished 10th in this race one year ago and has finished first or second in six of his last nine starts at this track as well. He should, no doubt, be strong again on Saturday night. As far as DFS goes, Hamlin makes for an interesting tournament option, as he is the highest-priced driver on the slate ($11.5K) and may be under-owned due to daily fantasy players targeting some of the more obvious plays in that price range. Hamlin has Place Differential upside and some dominator potential, though, so don't fade him by any means.
Source: FOX Sports
Source: FOX Sports
Can Christopher Bell Finally Get a Win at Richmond?
It was another second-place finish for Christopher Bell last weekend at Iowa, as the Joe Gibbs Racing driver has now finished runner-up seven times this season (and four times in the last five races). Can he finally get to victory lane here at Richmond Raceway on Saturday night? Bell qualified eighth for this weekend's Cook Out 400, and his track record here is solid. Although he's never went to victory lane at Richmond, Bell does have seven finishes of sixth or better over his last eight starts here, and he led a career-high 122 laps in this race in 2024. Looking at practice speeds this weekend, Bell wasn't one of the best like he typically is at a short, flat track, but that shouldn't make fantasy players shy away from picking him. In DFS, Bell ($11.2K on DraftKings) is a solid pivot option in tournaments from some of the other drivers expected to garner high ownerships. One thing worth noting, though: the No. 20 Toyota did fail pre-race inspection twice, so Bell will lose his car chief and pit selection.
Source: Yahoo! Sports
Source: Yahoo! Sports
Ty Gibbs Qualifies Fourth at Richmond
Last week's winner at Iowa, Ty Gibbs, will have a good starting spot for this weekend's race at Richmond, as the No. 54 Toyota was fourth-fastest during qualifying on Friday evening. That was a bit surprising, as Gibbs struggled to find any speed during the practice session earlier that day, ranking 20th-fastest overall. Additionally, Richmond Raceway hasn't been an amazing track for Ty, as he has just one top-10 finish here in six career starts, and that ninth-place result is also his only finish better than 15th. Still, as we have learned time and time again this season, we need to disregard previous efforts by Ty Gibbs and just focus on how that No. 54 team is running this season, which is one of the fastest on track. Don't be surprised if Gibbs challenges for another top-five finish here on Saturday night under the lights.
Source: Jayski
Source: Jayski
Mason Montgomery Is Worth Chasing for Saves
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Mason Montgomery picked up his fourth save of the season Friday, getting the final out of an 8-4 win over the Boston Red Sox. Kirby Yates opened the ninth with no save opportunity but gave up three straight two-out singles, bringing Montgomery in with two runners aboard and the tying run on deck. The left-hander struck out Adley Rutschman to finish it. Three of Montgomery's four saves have now come over his last seven appearances. Montgomery has been rolling lately, posting a 1.32 ERA, 0.66 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts across his last 13 2/3 innings. Pittsburgh still hasn't settled on one closer, with Gregory Soto and Luke Weaver also getting late-inning looks. Montgomery keeps finding his way into save chances, though, and the strikeouts give him something to offer even when the ninth goes elsewhere. At 10% rostered on Yahoo, he's worth chasing in deeper leagues for managers who need saves.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kyle Larson Will Start 30th at Richmond
Kyle Larson will have some work to do at Richmond Raceway on Saturday night, as the two-time Cup Series Champion qualified back in 30th place for this weekend's Cook Out 400. Now, with that being said, it's not like Larson hasn't had to deal with this before. In fact, he started 30th in last year's Richmond race, and ended up finishing sixth when it was all said and done (even leading nine laps along the way). One of the biggest reasons why Larson qualified so poorly this weekend is because he had an early qualifying draw, which was a major disadvantage for those drivers. The No. 5 Chevrolet had some speed in it during practice, though, so that's a good sign for Larson fans. As far as DFS goes, he is a solid place-differential play at $9.7K on DraftKings. However, do you want to tie up all of that cap space for a driver that only has place-differential upside? That is a decision that daily fantasy players are going to have to make on Saturday night.
Source: Hendrick Motorsports
Source: Hendrick Motorsports
Ketel Marte Out Saturday With Left-Knee Soreness
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (left knee) is out of the starting lineup Saturday against the Atlanta Braves after leaving Friday's series opener early. Marte appeared to twist awkwardly while ranging to his right for a ground ball in the first inning and later exited with left knee soreness. The Diamondbacks are considering him day-to-day for now, so there is no indication yet that a stint on the injured list will be necessary. Marte is batting .252 with 21 home runs, 67 RBI, and four stolen bases this season. His absence Saturday is at least a short-term blow for fantasy managers, but the day-to-day designation is encouraging.
Source: Arizona Diamondbacks
Source: Arizona Diamondbacks
Mason Taylor a Sneaky Deep Sleeper for 2026?
New York Jets tight end Mason Taylor took a hit to his fantasy stock after the team drafted tight end Kenyon Sadiq (hernia) and wideout Omar Cooper Jr. in April. However, with a recent setback in Sadiq's recovery, Taylor could carve out a role this season. Sadiq underwent a minor hernia procedure in May to fix the issue he battled in his final season at Oregon. The rookie returned for the start of training camp but suffered a setback in his recovery shortly into camp. While Sadiq has been out, Taylor has put together a strong camp and was a "standout player" in their joint practices with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to Jets reporter Amanda Vogt. If Sadiq suffers another setback or misses time during the season, Taylor would be viewed as TE2 with upside.
Source: NewYorkJets.com - Amanda Vogt
Source: NewYorkJets.com - Amanda Vogt
Chase Briscoe Has Never Finished in the Top 10 at Richmond
Sometimes you come across a statistic that doesn't seem real, but it is. This weekend, that is the fact that Chase Briscoe has never finished inside the top 10 at Richmond Raceway. He has gotten close a few times, but in Chase's nine career attempts at this race track, his best finish thus far is 11th. Can that end on Saturday night, though? Briscoe is starting a career-best second at Richmond in this weekend's Cook Out 400, and the No. 19 Toyota looked really strong in practice on Friday, ranking fifth-fastest in both 25- and 30-lap average. Additionally, Briscoe drives a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, which is a great combination for success at Richmond Raceway. As far as DFS goes, Briscoe is a potential dominator of the race on Saturday night, but he's a risky pick on DraftKings with his $9.5K salary due to his shaky track history as well as the best car in practice starting on the pole.
Source: DriverAverages
Source: DriverAverages
William Byron Leads Hendrick Motorsports in Qualifying at Richmond
The Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets were all over the board in qualifying at Richmond Raceway on Friday evening, ending up fifth, 13th, 25th, and 30th. The driver leading the way? William Byron in the No. 24 Chevrolet, who will roll off the starting grid from row three on Saturday night. Surprisingly enough, Richmond Raceway hasn't been an amazing track for Willy B. He does have a third-place finish to his credit here (back in 2022), but in 14 career starts at the track, he has just three top-10 finishes, and over the last two here, the No. 24 Chevrolet has been a high-teens car at best. Finish-wise, Byron ended up 12th and 13th in those two races. He will have good track position to start the race on Saturday night, though, and Byron wasn't awful in practice. Still, with the way Hendrick Motorsports is running right now, a top 10 day might be the ceiling for William Byron on Saturday night. He's not a very attractive DFS option this weekend ($9.2K on DraftKings).
Source: ifantasyrace
Source: ifantasyrace
Is Tyler Reddick a Must-Play in DFS at Richmond?
At first glance, Tyler Reddick looks like a slam-dunk DFS pick this weekend at Richmond Raceway. He's super affordable for his skill set ($9.0K salary) and he starts way back in 32nd-place for Saturday night's Cook Out 400, giving him massive Place Differential upside. But is he a must-play? There is no doubt that Reddick has had speed at Richmond Raceway ever since joining 23XI Racing. He led 81 laps from the pole here in 2023 before finishing 16th, and he finished a career-best third here in the 2024 race. Last season, he won the first Stage and led 41 laps before ultimately finishing 34th. As far as speed this weekend, Reddick had a strong car in practice until he spun out and had to get towed back to pit road. Now the question comes up, did that damage the race car any? You definitely should have Tyler Reddick exposure with your daily fantasy lineups this weekend, but with his limited dominator upside, it may be a good strategy move to go underweight with a $9.0K driver relying so heavily on Place Differential.
Source: Catchfence
Source: Catchfence
Can Chase Elliott Get Back Into the Top 10 at Richmond?
It has been nine races since Chase Elliott last finished inside the top 10, and a full 13 races since he has notched a top-five result. And although his results during that span aren't awful--he has finished between 11th and 17th in seven of the last eight races--they're definitely not up to the standard that Hendrick Motorsports has set. But can that change this weekend at Richmond? Chase has a pretty good track record at this race track, with three top 10 finishes in his last five starts and just one result worse than 15th over his last 14 attempts. He qualified in 13th for this weekend's Cook Out 400, and as we saw at Iowa last weekend, this No. 9 team is more than willing to gamble on track position during the race. Elliott was middle-of-the-road when it came to overall speed during practice this weekend, but at a relatively cheap salary on DraftKings ($8.7K) he makes for an interesting tournament option at a track where he has found success at before.
Source: Jayski
Source: Jayski
Tez Johnson Still Has a Path to More Work
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Tez Johnson made enough noise early in camp to stay interesting, even after a groin strain interrupted his momentum. Johnson caught 28 passes for 322 yards and five touchdowns as a seventh-round rookie, and Tampa Bay's own camp coverage called him one of the early standouts this summer. Baker Mayfield has shown trust in him, and Johnson made plays both underneath and down the field before getting hurt. The issue is opportunity. Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan still sit ahead of him in the receiver pecking order, with Johnson listed behind Godwin on the current depth chart. Mike Evans is gone, which clears one major name from last year's crowded room, but the groin strain interrupted Johnson's push for more work. RotoBaller has him at WR110 in half-PPR. That's deep-league territory, and it should be. Still, five touchdowns as a rookie and the way he opened camp make him worth keeping in mind late if the injury doesn't linger.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Hunter Goodman Scratched With Shoulder Inflammation
The Colorado Rockies announced that catcher Hunter Goodman (shoulder) has been scratched from Saturday's starting lineup against the division-rival San Francisco Giants with inflammation in his left shoulder. Brett Sullivan will now catch right-hander Michael Lorenzen and will bat eighth against Giants right-hander Logan Webb. It's unclear right now what the severity of Goodman's shoulder injury is, so we'll consider him day-to-day. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Sunday for an update on the 26-year-old's status and to see if he's back in the lineup. The two-time All-Star has had a second straight outstanding season for the Rockies in 2026, as he enters Saturday with a .251/.320/.541 slash line with a career-best .861 OPS, 34 home runs, 69 RBI, 69 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 111 games across 460 plate appearances. Goodman leads all big-league catchers in home runs and is third in RBI, behind only Dillon Dingler and Liam Hicks. He's a must-start in all fantasy baseball leagues when he's active. Hopefully, it's just a minor shoulder injury for Goodman.
Source: Rockies Club Information
Source: Rockies Club Information
Dalton Kincaid Could See Increased Snap Count With Improved Pass-Blocking
Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid showed off an encouraging part of his game during Saturday's preseason action. Ryan Talbot pointed out that Kincaid stayed in to block one-on-one on a Josh Allen completion to Khalil Shakir and held up well on the rep. Talbot noted that better pass protection could help Kincaid stay on the field more often and make his usage less predictable. That would matter after injuries and Buffalo's deep tight end rotation kept his workload down last season. Kincaid logged 302 offensive snaps across 12 games, but he still caught 39 passes for 571 yards and five touchdowns. His blocking had already drawn praise in 2025, and the Bills have continued to push him toward becoming a more complete tight end. One preseason rep does not prove that his snap count is about to jump, but it is exactly the kind of play that could help him earn more work.
Source: Ryan Talbot
Source: Ryan Talbot
