February 23, 2026

After a Pro Bowl season as a rookie in 2024, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was a big disappointment in his sophomore season, catching 48 of 91 targets for 707 yards and two touchdowns in 14 regular-season games. Thomas had an impressive 87-1,282-10 line on 133 targets in 17 games as a rookie. ESPN's Michael DiRocco writes that Thomas' stats "may not reach what they were in 2024," but he should still be a key piece of head coach Liam Coen's offense in 2026. Beginning in Week 13 after he missed three games with an ankle injury, the Jags used Thomas more on the outside, and he was more productive the rest of the way. Travis Hunter will spend more time on defense next season, but the addition of Jakobi Meyers and the emergence of Parker Washington will ultimately cap Thomas' fantasy ceiling going into Year 3. The former first-rounder could improve on his 2025 numbers, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect a repeat of his rookie season.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Michael DiRocco

February 23, 2026

The Arizona Cardinals, who are now coached by former New York Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, could be a "potential suitor" for Jets impending free-agent running back Breece Hall, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. If Hall makes it to the open market in March, he'll be one of the best available offensive players in free agency, and the Jets would like to prevent that from happening. It means there's a good chance the Jets will slap the franchise tag on the 24-year-old. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, "there's a current belief in league circles that the Jets eventually will apply the transition tag." The transition tag is projected at $11.5 million and would give the Jets the right of first refusal if another team offers Hall a deal. The franchise tag would cost roughly $14.5 million for 2026. A tag-and-trade scenario could also be in play. Hall's explosive-run percentage dropped in 2025, as did his average speed, but he was still one of the Jets' top offensive playmakers as he ran for a career-high 1,065 yards.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN New York - Rich Cimini

February 23, 2026

Anthony Hernandez suffered a third-round TKO loss to former middleweight champion Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC Houston on Saturday. After a slow start in the first round, Strickland started taking over, and in the third round, Strickland landed a devastating knee that hurt Hernandez. Strickland then followed up with punches, forcing the referee to stop the fight. In 12:23 of action, Hernandez landed 55 significant strikes. This is Hernandez's first defeat in almost six years. With the loss, Hernandez dropped to 9-3 in the UFC.--Alen Kurbasic
Source: UFC

February 23, 2026

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle's (Achilles) optimism for a speedy return in 2026 following a torn Achilles that he suffered in the Wild-Card round win over the Philadelphia Eagles is realistic, according to Dr. Daniel Kaplan, an orthopedic surgeon. Kittle suffered a clean tear that happened high up by his soleus. "They didn't have to drill into my heel," Kittle said. "And where the repair was is where there's more blood flow. And so, it takes some time off the recovery time." Barring a setback during his rehab, it's possible that Kittle could return to the field sometime around September. "It's reasonable to think Week 5 or so would be on the long end of a return," according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. Kittle and the Niners are hopeful that when he's back, he'll be able to "return to somewhere close to his usual level of production." The 32-year-old will obviously be pretty risky in fantasy in 2026, but he'll be worth stashing everywhere. If Jake Tongues returns as a restricted free agent, he'll be a low-end TE1 sleeper in the first part of the year until Kittle returns.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner

February 23, 2026

Former middleweight champion Sean Strickland got back in the win column by defeating Anthony Hernandez via third-round TKO in the main event of UFC Houston on Saturday. Strickland outclassed Hernandez, who odly enough, decided to strike with Strickland. In the third round, Strickland landed a nasty knee to the body of Hernandez, hurting him. Strickland followed up with punches, forcing the referee to stop the fight. In 12:23 of action, Strickland landed 110 significant strikes. This was a much-needed win for Strickland, who is now back in the title contention.--Alen Kurbasic
Source: UFC

February 23, 2026

Projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza will not throw at the NFL scouting combine this week, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN. The Indiana quarterback will instead throw at the Hoosiers' pro day on April 1, when the school has multiple receivers that Mendoza wants to help showcase. The 22-year-old doesn't really need to do anything more at this point for the Las Vegas Raiders to be comfortable taking him with the first overall selection in the 2026 NFL draft. On his way to leading Indiana to a perfect season and the national title in 2025, the Heisman Trophy winner threw for 3,535 yards and a league-high 41 touchdowns while throwing just six interceptions in 16 games played. Mendoza also ran for 276 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground on 90 rushing attempts. He could have some ups and downs in his first year in the NFL with the rebuilding Raiders, but he will be the unquestioned top pick in all rookie-only dynasty drafts.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter

February 23, 2026

The Atlanta Falcons are planning to use the franchise tag on standout tight end Kyle Pitts Sr., sources told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Pitts will receive a one-year, fully guaranteed deal worth more than $15 million in 2026 if the two sides don't come to a long-term contract extension before the deadline in July. The 25-year-old former fourth overall pick in 2021 out of the University of Florida finally came through for fantasy managers in 2025 in his fifth year in the league, finishing as the TE2 in half-PPR scoring with career-highs in catches (88), targets (118), and touchdowns (five) while recording 928 receiving yards in 17 games played. He will certainly be a TE1 in fantasy this fall, but there is still some volatility with Pitts, especially with quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s (knee) health in question. Pitts came on strong in the final six games in 2025, going for 39 receptions for 469 yards and four TDs during that stretch.--Keith Hernandez
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport

February 23, 2026

UFC veteran Geoff Neal suffered a first-round knockout loss to Uros Medic in the co-main event of UFC Houston on Saturday. As soon as the fight started, Neal was on the back foot as Medic started aggressively, and it took Medic only 79 seconds to land a left hand that knocked Neal out cold. In 1:19 of action, Neal landed three significant strikes. Neal is now in a tough spot, as this is his second straight first-round knockout loss and his fourth loss in his last five fights.--Alen Kurbasic
Source: UFC

February 23, 2026

The Dallas Cowboys will finalize the franchise tag for wide receiver George Pickens in the next week, according to executive vice president Stephen Jones. The Dallas Morning News' Calvin Watkins writes that if Pickens gets franchise-tagged, "there's a strong possibility he will not report to the offseason programs as the team engages in contract talks with his agents." Edge rusher Micah Parsons didn't show up for the offseason program last year while in contract talks with the club before eventually being traded to the Green Bay Packers. Pickens, 24, will be back with Dallas in 2026 after earning his first Pro Bowl berth with career-highs in catches (93), receiving yards (1,429), and touchdowns (nine). The franchise tag for receivers is projected at $28 million. A tag-and-trade scenario is possible, but both sides have an interest in a reunion in 2026 and beyond. With Pickens expected to be in Dallas again this year, he'll be firmly in the WR1 range in fantasy football drafts this fall after his big 2025 campaign.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Dallas Morning News - Calvin Watkins

February 23, 2026

Uros Medic extended his win streak by beating Geoff Neal via first-round knockout in the co-main event of UFC Houston on Saturday. Medic was in control from the start, coming out of the gate aggressively as he was trying to knock Neal out, and it didn't take long for Medic to land a knockout. The 32-year old Medic only needed 79 to land a grazing left hook to the temple of Neal that knocked the UFC veteran out cold. In 1:19 of action, Medic landed 10 significant strikes. This is a massive statement by Medic, who has now won three straight by first-round finish. --Alen Kurbasic
Source: UFC

February 23, 2026

Kansas City Royals outfielder Isaac Collins (knees) received platelet-rich plasma injections in his knees this offseason, according to MLB.com's Anne Rogers. Collins didn't play in a Cactus League game over the weekend, but he's scheduled to play in Tuesday's road game against the Cincinnati Reds, and then again on Friday at home against the Athletics. He has been taking live at-bats against Royals pitchers and participating in all working, but the Royals are intentionally taking it slow with Collins. The 28-year-old has otherwise felt great. After Friday's game, he'll be a full-go and will be on a normal build-up schedule. At the time the Royals traded for Collins in December, manager Matt Quatraro said the team knew about his knee injections. Barring an injury before Opening Day, Collins projects as the Royals' fourth outfielder, limiting his fantasy appeal to deep-mixed and AL-only leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Anne Rogers

February 23, 2026

Dan Ige suffered a first-round TKO loss to surging Melquizael Costa on the main card of UFC Houston on Saturday. Ige landed an early takedown at the start of the first round, but it didn't take long for Costa to get back up. Just after the 10-second clacker hit, Costa landed a spinning back kick that dropped Ige, and after landing a few ground punches, the referee decided to intervene and save Ige from further damage. In 4:56 of action, Ige landed a takedown and seven significant strikes. With the loss, Ige dropped to 11-10 in the UFC.--Alen Kurbasic
Source: UFC

February 23, 2026

New York Yankees speedy infielder Jose Caballero, who hit a 402-foot home run in the Grapefruit League game on Sunday against the New York Mets, said his goal in the offseason was to "improve his average bat speed to 71 mph this season," according to Brendan Kuty and Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. Caballero also spent time working at Driveline Baseball in Tampa. In 2025, Caballero had an average bat speed of 69.1 mph, according to Baseball Savant. His average exit velocity of 86 mph last year was among the lowest in baseball. At least for the first month of the 2026 season, the 29-year-old from Panama will be the Yankees' everyday shortstop with Anthony Volpe recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. Caballero's fantasy value will receive a bump early on, mainly because of his speed, but if he can add some more power, it'll be a plus. He has never hit more than nine homers in his three MLB seasons.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Brendan Kuty and Chris Kirschner

February 23, 2026

Melquizael Costa extended his win streak by defeating Dan Ige via first-round TKO on the main card of UFC Houston on Saturday. With only a few seconds left in the first round, Costa landed a spinning kick to the face of Ige, knocking him down. Costa then pounced on Ige, and after landing some punches on Ige, Referee Dan Miragliotta jumped in to stop the fight. In 4:56 of action, Costa landed a takedown and 19 significant strikes. With the win, Costa improved to 7-2 in the UFC.--Alen Kurbasic
Source: UFC

February 23, 2026

Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday (hand), who had the stitches removed from his surgically repaired right hand on Monday, doesn't have his hand wrapped, according to MASN Sports' Roch Kubatko. Holliday said he's been cleared to take ground balls and one-handed swings in camp. The 22-year-old is expected to slowly ramp up his baseball activities in spring training after having the hamate bone removed from his hand. Holliday is expected to open the 2026 regular season on the injured list, but barring a setback, it could be a minimal IL stay for the young infielder. When healthy, he'll resume starting duties at the keystone for the O's. In the meantime, offseason acquisition Blaze Alexander is expected to see most of the playing time at second base. After showing improvement in Year 2 in 2025, the former first overall pick in 2022 is RotoBaller's No. 14-ranked fantasy second baseman.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MASN Sports - Roch Kubatko

February 23, 2026

23XI Racing's Bubba Wallace had another strong performance end with promise of what could've been in Sunday's Autotrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway. The No. 23 Toyota driver started from the ninth position and quietly made his way through to the front of the pack. At the end of the first stage, he competed with Austin Cindric for the stage win and fell short behind Cindric, finishing second at the stage end and earning nine stage points. In the second stage, Wallace made a pit stop that sent him further back in the field, but he quickly made it back up to the front with his teammate, Tyler Reddick. Although he traded the lead a few times with different drivers, Wallace ended the second stage on top, winning it over William Byron after a crash between Kyle Larson and Shane Van Gisbergen ended the stage. In the final stage, Wallace continued to show plenty of speed, despite falling out of the top 10 due to pitting, he came back up and competed for the win on the last restart. On that last restart, Wallace went to block Carson Hocevar, but was shuffled to the top by Hocevar, causing Wallace to fall back. The 23XI driver did catch up to eighth position and finished there, nabbing his second consecutive top-10 finish of the year and the third of his Cup career at EchoPark Speedway.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: NASCAR.com

February 23, 2026

Spire Motorsports driver Carson Hocevar finished in fourth in Sunday's Autotrader 400 after an eventful performance at EchoPark Speedway. Hocevar began the race from the 15th position and was working his way to the top 10 until he brushed the wall on lap 32. The No. 77 Chevrolet driver then went to pit road and fell two laps down. Hocevar got one of his laps back through the stage caution at the end of stage one, where he finished 38th. In the second stage, Hocevar got his second lap back and then spent the rest of the stage working back to the top 10. He made it back to the top 10 despite another brush with the wall on lap 153 and went on to finish the second stage in sixth, obtaining five stage points. Despite a couple of pit stops off sequence for the No. 77 Chevrolet driver, he positioned himself for the win by the final restart. After making a few aggressive moves on the final restart that also prevented other drivers from winning like Bubba Wallace, he got shuffled back a few positions and then made it back up to fourth at the checkered flag. This was Hocevar's second top-5 finish at the Atlanta track and his first of the 2026 season. --Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: NASCAR.com

February 23, 2026

Ross Chastain of Trackhouse Racing had an up-and-down performance throughout the Autotrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway. In the first stage, he started from the 21st position, but did not move up much, finishing the stage in 14th. Chastain reached the top 10 during the second stage and even competed for the lead a few times, but he was shuffled out of the top 10 at the end of the stage, placing 11th. Although he earned no stage points, Chastain remained competitive in the final stage, as he returned to the top five in the late part of the race. He would eventually help to push Carson Hocevar on the final restart to compete for the win, but Hocevar fell back behind Chastain during the final lap. Chastain, however, did not have enough speed to move past Tyler Reddick and Chase Briscoe, leaving him to settle for third place, his best finish at EchoPark Speedway since 2022.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: NASCAR.com

February 23, 2026

Joe Gibbs Racing's Chase Briscoe finished as the runner-up in Sunday's Autotrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway. Briscoe started from the back of the pack in the 34th position and spent the first stage trying to work through the field. At the end of the first stage, Briscoe finished 20th and did not earn any stage points. In the middle portion of the second stage, Briscoe cracked the top five thanks to pit strategy and continuing to make moves through the pack. Briscoe eventually traded the lead with Bubba Wallace a few times during the end of the stage, but settled for third behind Wallace and William Byron, earning eight stage points. In the final stage, Briscoe remained competitive and led the early section. He failed to return to the lead for the rest of the race after lap 200, but he played a role in the finish as he pushed Tyler Reddick to the win on the final restart past Carson Hocevar. Briscoe could not pass Reddick for the win, but set a new career-best finish at EchoPark Speedway in the process with his second-place finish.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: NASCAR.com

February 23, 2026

Tyler Reddick won Sunday's Autotrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway in dramatic fashion. The No. 45 23XI Racing driver began the race from first after qualifying was cancelled due to the weather on Saturday. Throughout the first stage, Reddick traded the lead with several drivers, but ultimately fell out of the lead by the end of the stage. He finished stage one in sixth place and earned five stage points. In the second stage, Reddick made use of pit strategy to maintain a top-10 running position and soon returned to the front of the pack to fight for the lead. Late in the second stage, he fell behind, but thanks to a stage-ending caution between Kyle Larson and Shane Van Gisbergen, he caught back up to fourth at the end of the stage, nabbing seven more stage points. In the final stage, Reddick kept his car clean until he was involved in a late multi-car accident on lap 224. The No. 45 team repaired the damage, put on new tires, and Reddick was able to continue. Reddick worked back to the front by the end of the stage and lined up behind his teammate Bubba Wallace for the last two restarts. Although Reddick pushed Wallace to the lead on the final two restarts, Wallace got shuffled back, and Reddick continued onto the lead with a push from Chase Briscoe. Reddick then held off the field to earn his second win of the season, his first at EchoPark Speedway, and became the first driver since Matt Kenseth in 2009 to open the season by winning back-to-back races in the Cup Series.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: NASCAR.com

February 23, 2026

The Baltimore Orioles agreed to a minor-league contract with free-agent infielder Thairo Estrada on Monday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports. Estrada will give the Orioles more insurance with both infielders Jackson Holliday (hand) and Jordan Westburg (elbow) set to open the 2026 regular season on the injured list due to injuries. Coby Mayo is expected to open the season as Baltimore's regular third baseman, with Blaze Alexander likely to operate as the starter at the keystone. The 30-year-old Estrada won't be a lock to make the Opening Day roster as infield depth. The Venezuelan hit .253/285/.370 with a .655 OPS, three home runs, 21 RBI, and 14 runs scored in only 39 games played last year with the Colorado Rockies. Even if Estrada breaks camp with the big-league club, he'll be a bench player who won't warrant fantasy attention in mixed leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MASN Sports - Roch Kubatko

February 23, 2026

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Sunday that no NFL team has offered a proposal to ban the tush push, and there have been no recent talks about changing the rule, competition committee co-chairman Rick McKay said. The Green Bay Packers pushed hard last year to have the play banned, but NFL rules require approval from 24 owners to enact a rule change, and only 16 supported the ban as it was written at the time. The short-yardage play has mostly been utilized by the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills, but more tush pushes occurred in 2025, with other teams experimenting with using tight ends rather than quarterbacks to take the snap. The NFL saw slightly more tush pushes last year (112) than in 2024 (101). The Eagles (27) and Bills (17) led the league by far in tush-push attempts. The conversion rate was slightly lower in 2025, with teams succeeding 76.8% of the time, which was down from 82% from 2022 through 2024.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter

February 23, 2026

Houston Astros left-hander closer Josh Hader (biceps) is playing light catch off flat ground in camp as he works his way through biceps inflammation, but "it's difficult to envision Houston rushing" Hader to be ready for Opening Day, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. The 31-year-old six-time All-Star also missed time last season with a shoulder capsule strain, so the Astros are going to play it safe here. If Hader is not ready for Opening Day in late March, setup man Bryan Abreu figures to take over closing duties for the team to begin the 2026 campaign. When healthy, Hader was still one of the most dominant high-leverage relievers in baseball, posting a 6-2 record, 2.05 ERA (3.25 FIP), 0.85 WHIP, 28 saves, 76 strikeouts, and 16 walks in 52 2/3 innings. But because of his injuries going into this season, Hader carries more injury risk and has dropped to No. 15 in RotoBaller's fantasy closer rankings.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Chandler Rome

February 23, 2026

Free-agent outfielder Michael Conforto signed with the Chicago Cubs on a minor-league deal on Sunday, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Conforto will have to prove himself in spring training to earn an Opening Day roster spot with Chicago, likely in a bench role. The 32-year-old veteran left-handed-hitting outfielder really struggled in 2025 with the World Series-champion Los Angeles Dodgers, slashing .199/.305/.333 with 12 home runs in 486 plate appearances during the regular season. Conforto struck out 121 times in 138 games played and drove in only 36 runs. If he makes the roster, Conforto will most likely be an option against right-handed pitchers in right field if the Cubs want to give Seiya Suzuki a day off in the field. His xBA of .237 in 2025 suggests that he could bounce back in 2026, but he probably isn't going to see enough volume to be relevant in shallow mixed fantasy leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: New York Post - Jon Heyman

February 23, 2026

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Memphis Grizzlies are signing guard Rayan Rupert to a 10-day contract. The 21-year-old has appeared in 139 games across parts of three seasons with Portland and averaged 2.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 12.0 minutes this year before being waived. Memphis is navigating multiple injuries, but Rupert enters a crowded backcourt rotation that includes Scotty Pippen Jr., Walter Clayton Jr., and Cam Spencer. He projects as depth for now and is not on the fantasy radar outside of very deep leagues.--Brian Dailisan
Source: Shams Charania

February 23, 2026

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Sacramento Kings are signing former No. 7 overall pick Killian Hayes to a 10-day contract. Hayes has spent the season with the Cleveland Charge, where he posted 23.1 points, 8.1 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 2.3 threes, and 1.7 steals in 31.8 minutes per game. With Zach LaVine (finger) and De'Andre Hunter (eye) done for the year, Hayes could absorb reserve backcourt minutes behind Russell Westbrook and Devin Carter. He could surface as a deeper-league option for assists and steals if he carves out steady minutes.--Brian Dailisan
Source: Shams Charania

February 23, 2026

Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Cason Wallace produced 20 points, 10 assists, four rebounds, and three steals in 34 minutes during Sunday's 121-113 win over Cleveland, adding four triples while setting a new career high in assists. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdomen) and Jalen Williams (hamstring) both sidelined, Wallace has operated as the primary initiator and is averaging 12.8 points, 4.7 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 2.4 steals, and 1.4 threes across nine February starts. He is a strong short-term hold and category streamer, while Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Joe should continue seeing steady usage bumps.--Brian Dailisan
Source: OKC THUNDER

February 23, 2026

Memphis Grizzlies forward/center Santi Aldama (knee) is out for Monday's matchup against the Kings, marking his seventh straight absence due to right knee injury management. His next chance to return is Wednesday versus Golden State. With Aldama sidelined, GG Jackson II erupted for 28 points, nine rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block in 26 minutes off the bench last game and remains the top fantasy beneficiary. Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Taylor Hendricks continue to see steady minutes, but Jackson profiles as the strongest short-term add across standard formats.--Brian Dailisan
Source: NBA Injury Report

February 23, 2026

Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (ankle) will not return to Sunday's loss against the Celtics after suffering a right ankle injury in the first quarter. His availability for Tuesday against Orlando is uncertain. Hayes typically logs around 18 minutes off the bench, so his absence is unlikely to move the needle much in standard fantasy formats. Jarred Vanderbilt logged 11 minutes and posted three points and five rebounds, while Maxi Kleber saw only three minutes. Vanderbilt is the more viable deep-league streamer if Hayes misses time, though Deandre Ayton should continue handling the bulk of center minutes.--Brian Dailisan
Source: Dan Woike

February 23, 2026

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (back) will not return to Sunday's game against the Suns after aggravating a preexisting low back issue less than one minute into the contest. His availability for Tuesday against Minnesota is uncertain. Avdija's 29.8 usage rate leaves a sizable void. Scoot Henderson logged 30 minutes Sunday and produced 11 points, six assists, and four rebounds, positioning him as a viable short-term add. Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday should see added scoring responsibility, while Sidy Cissoko and Vit Krejci profile as deeper-league streamers if Avdija misses time.--Brian Dailisan
Source: Trail Blazers PR