RADIO
Mikael Backlund Day-to-Day With Upper-Body Injury
Calgary Flames center Mikael Backlund (upper body) is day-to-day, head coach Ryan Huska said Tuesday. The Flames captain sustained an upper-body injury in Sunday's win over Carolina. On Tuesday, Backlund wasn't at practice, but there's still a chance he will be ready to play in Thursday's contest against Minnesota. Backlund has been stuck in first gear at the start of the season, recording two points (one goal, one assist) in eight games. Usually, he's been good for around 0.5 points per game, so fantasy managers can expect better production from him going forward.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
AJ Dybantsa Ruled Out for Season Opener
Washington Wizards forward AJ Dybantsa (ankle) will miss Wednesday's season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks, according to The Athletic's Josh Robbins. The No. 1 overall pick suffered a mild sprain in Friday's preseason finale and will be considered day-to-day afterward. Dybantsa averaged 12.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.5 steals across four preseason games despite shooting 18.2% from three. Bilal Coulibaly and Tre Johnson are candidates for extra minutes in his absence. Friday's matchup with Toronto is Dybantsa's next chance to debut, though Washington also plays Saturday in Chicago.
Source: Josh Robbins
Source: Josh Robbins
Davis Thompson Having Issues with the Fall Swing as Bermuda Looms
Davis Thompson was on a hot streak going into the fall swing. The American golfer had three straight results inside the top 15, including back-to-back top-10 efforts. At Asheville, that all changed when Thompson could not get out of his own way in a second round that saw him miss the cut with a 75. Missed putts and errant shots continue to plague him in Utah and especially at the Baycurrent Classic. Thompson opened up with a 73 there and never truly factored into contention. Bermuda could feature its own issues as the golfer averages 29.45 putts per the first two rounds. Add in his 30.4% birdie or better conversion percentage (116th), and Thompson could be one to fade, especially from a betting perspective.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Coby White Will Miss Hornets Season Opener
Charlotte Hornets guard Coby White (calf) will miss Wednesday's season opener against the Brooklyn Nets despite returning to individual on-court work. White suffered the strain during training camp and missed the entire preseason, leaving Dennis Schroder in line to handle the starting point guard duties. White signed a three-year, $74 million deal in June after Charlotte traded LaMelo Ball, but his calf history remains a concern. He dealt with strains in both legs last season and missed 22 games with Chicago before being traded. Schroder averaged 10.8 points and 4.9 assists in 2025-26 and should carry short-term fantasy value while White is sidelined.
Source: Charlotte Hornets PR
Source: Charlotte Hornets PR
Austin Eckroat Returns at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Austin Eckroat has taken a little more than a month off from golf. The American golfer posted a Top 25 (T-24) at Asheville late last month. The shorter course in Bermuda (6,928 yards) should help Eckroat but his 59.8% driver accuracy - 103rd) is a mild concern. Eckroat showed in Asheville he could make birdies just consistently enough and managed all four rounds in the 60's. The Bermuda course did show its teeth last year (-12 was good for victory). Port Royal Golf Course can feature changeable conditions which may cause hesitation for those looking at Eckroat from a DFS standpoint.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Kon Knueppel Ruled Out for Season Opener
Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Kon Knueppel (hamstring) has been ruled out for Wednesday's season opener against the Brooklyn Nets. Knueppel has resumed individual on-court work after missing the entire preseason, but Charlotte has yet to announce a return date. The 21-year-old averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 3.4 threes across 81 games as a rookie while leading the NBA with 273 made triples. Grayson Allen should see more opportunity while Knueppel is sidelined and carries some short-term fantasy appeal, though Knueppel's shooting volume will be difficult for Charlotte to replace.
Source: Charlotte Hornets PR
Source: Charlotte Hornets PR
Denny McCarthy Appears in Bermuda Off Solid Baycurrent Classic Result
Denny McCarthy missed the cut in Utah and Asheville. The American golfer finished T-3 at the 3M Open three months ago. The T-29 at the Baycurrent Classic appeared like a get-well effort for McCarthy who gained 1.93 strokes to putting and was 8% more accurate on drives compared to the rest of the field. The Butterfield in Bermuda is a course that McCarthy has never played before. The one aspect that helps McCarthy is the short course (6.828 yards, Par-71). Another red flag is driver accuracy, however (59.77% - 104th). McCarthy can get hot on the putter which does make him a DFS possibility in Bermuda.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Joel Dahmen Could Struggle Once More in Bermuda
Joel Dahmen has had trouble this fall swing. The American golfer missed the cut in Asheville and then could not make enough birdies in Utah. After an opening-round 65, Dahmen mostly struggled. The final round 71 was a microcosm of the second half of 2026 so far. Off the tee, Dahmen often lacks the yardage (296.8). He is extremely accurate at 73.8% (2nd), but courses like Bermuda do not always reward that. Dahmen averages 29.48 putts per round (138th). Worse, two years ago the Butterfield turned into a complete disaster, including a missed cut and losing 3.06 strokes gained. Dahmen may be a golfer to fade in Bermuda this week.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Luke Clanton Tries to Capitalize off Big Result in Utah
Luke Clanton has had an up-and-down 2026 season. The American golfer, however, posted a T-7 at the Bank of Utah Championship earlier in October. Next to the Puerto Rican Open, it was his best result of 2026. More importantly, Clanton put four good rounds together, including a final-round 62. The problem is consistency. Part of that is metrics like putting and driving, where Clanton drove the ball 1.7 yards above the field average in Utah. Also, he gained 0.54 strokes in putting, and that was missing in Bermuda last year. That led to a missed cut for Clanton. His volatility makes the golfer a risky DFS and betting option for this week.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Eric Cole Continues to Build Momentum Going Into Next Season
After reaching the top rung of the PGA Tour ladder with solid play to begin the summer, Eric Cole is already preparing for the most crucial season of his PGA Tour career with starts this fall. He's in the field this week at Port Royal, where he's missed the cut in two previous appearances. That brief history is surprising given the shorter, precision-driven game, which has given the 38-year-old his competitive edge. He ranks inside the top 15 in strokes gained on and around the green and top 20 in birdie average (4.17), and has sub-70 scoring averages in the first three rounds of his 2026 tournament starts. The lack of total production is hard to completely ignore, but the positives about what the former PGA Tour rookie of the year does inside the ropes are too. There is a case to be made for either direction, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him finally find some success here this week.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Austin Ekeler a Short-Term, Deep-League Stash at RB in Washington
The Washington Commanders will be on their bye in Week 7, so the next time veteran running back Austin Ekeler will take the field will be in Week 8 against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles. The 31-year-old running back does not have much fantasy upside now that he is on the wrong side of 30, but he is on the waiver-wire radar in deep fantasy football leagues this week after the Commanders placed Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) on Injured Reserve. With Croskey-Merritt out in the Monday night loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Ekeler played only 10% of the offensive snaps for the second straight week and had just one carry for three yards. He added two catches on two targets for four yards. In three games played so far in 2026, Ekeler has only eight rushing attempts for 31 yards (3.9 yards per carry) and four receptions for 30 yards through the air. There could be some more opportunities for Ekeler as long as JCM is out, but Jeremy McNichols just returned from an IR stint and will also battle for touches behind Rachaad White. Ekeler suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 3 of last year and is no longer the slippery and elusive RB in space that he once was.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
J.J. McCarthy a Waiver Target as he Looks to Seize Starting Job
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy's fantasy football value hit rock bottom when he lost out to Kyler Murray in Minnesota earlier this year, but the New York Giants swung a trade for him after Jaxson Dart's season-ending knee injury, and now he potentially has a chance to start under center for the G-Men in the Week 7 contest against the Houston Texans. The 23-year-old replaced a struggling Jameis Winston on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints and made the game interesting, going 11-for-21 passing for 243 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The Giants have not revealed their plan at the QB position yet for this weekend against Houston, but there have been rumors that it will be McCarthy making his first start of 2026. The former 10th overall pick from Michigan missed his entire first year in the NFL due to a knee injury that required surgery, and he fell flat with poor accuracy, decision-making, and injuries in his first year as the starter in Minnesota in 2025. A change of scenery might just be what the doctor ordered for a McCarthy turnaround, and while he may not have Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison anymore, he has plenty of weapons in the passing game in New York as well. Fantasy managers in two-QB superflex leagues should be interested in adding McCarthy for depth.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Andrew Novak Returning to Port Royal In Search of Elusive Victory
As much as things have changed in professional golf, the search for Andrew Novak and an individual victory remains a constant. The 31-year-old has had some close calls in recent years, with a couple of opportunities in 2026. He returns to Port Royal this week, where he finished as a runner-up in 2024. It's a short and strategic test, which plays well into his approach play that fares much better under 200 yards than beyond it. It helps that he ended the summer on a positive note with T7 and T17 finishes. Novak's ultimate success will be determined on the greens, but there is enough upside to warrant DFS consideration.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Tommy Tremble a Waiver-Wire Pickup After Two-Touchdown Game?
Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble caught all four of his targets for the second straight week for 46 yards and his first two touchdowns of the season on Sunday in the 25-14 win over the hosting Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6. The 26-year-old played 68% of the offensive snaps, more than both Mitchell Evans and Darren Waller, coming out of the Week 5 bye, and he now has exactly four targets in each of the last three games. The Panthers' offense has looked much better early on this year, but Tremble still is not getting the type of volume that fantasy managers should really be chasing on the waiver wire, outside of deep two-TE leagues. Tremble has never proven to be much of a fantasy-relevant tight end in his five-plus years in the NFL, never going over 27 catches, 249 yards, or three touchdowns in a single season. He has 15 catches on 19 targets through five games in 2026 for 128 yards and two scores. Waller did not have a single reception against the Eagles, but he should still be considered the team's best red-zone weapon at the TE position as long as he is healthy.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Rookie Eli Raridon Still Mostly a Dynasty Stash at Tight End
New England Patriots rookie third-round tight end Eli Raridon has clear pass-catching potential at the position in just his first year in the league, but Hunter Henry's presence makes him a volatile, touchdown-dependent TE2/3 option every week. The 22-year-old from Notre Dame popped for a five-catch, 57-yard game on Oct. 11 in a blowout win over the Las Vegas Raiders, and he has played nearly 60% of the offensive snaps in each of the last three games. Through his first five NFL games, Raridon has caught nine of his 12 targets for 112 yards and one touchdown, while Henry has 19 receptions for 225 yards and two touchdowns on 24 targets in six games. If anything were to happen to Henry, Raridon could immediately have TE1 upside in an ascending offense led by young quarterback Drake Maye. Raridon has torn his ACL twice, but his pure athleticism and pass-catching ability are what make the 6-foot-6, 245-pounder interesting as a keeper stash.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
