February 22, 2026
In one of their bigger moves this winter, the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired long-time Tampa Bay Rays second baseman
Brandon Lowe this offseason. Lowe has struggled to consistently stay healthy throughout his career, as he's reached 600 plate appearances just once in eight big league seasons. However, he was productive in 2025, hitting .256/.307/.477 with 31 home runs, 83 RBI, 79 runs scored, and three stolen bases. Another reason for the lefty-swinging Lowe's low plate appearance totals is his career splits against same-handed pitching, which has caused him to lose playing time in the past. Across 695 career plate appearances against lefties, Lowe owns a .695 OPS with a 32.4% strikeout rate. Now in Pittsburgh, Lowe may be given more of an opportunity to play against lefties, which could help his counting stats, but may cause his overall batting average to suffer. Still, with an average draft position of pick 172, Lowe could outperform his draft-day cost in a true everyday role with the Pirates.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 22, 2026
After an injury-marred 2024 campaign, Cincinnati Reds outfielder
TJ Friedl bounced back and re-established himself as his team's everyday leadoff hitter in 2025. Across 685 plate appearances, the 30-year-old hit .261/.364/.378 with 14 home runs, 53 RBI, 82 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases. Friedl increased his walk rate to a career-best 11.8%, which helped him stay in the leadoff spot and allowed him to set his career-high in runs scored. However, Friedl's speed fell off considerably from his banner year in 2023, when he recorded 27 stolen bases in just 138 games. Friedl's underlying batted ball metrics also indicate that his power ceiling is minimal. He posted a single-season-worst 2.7% barrel rate in 2025, and his 3.3% career mark is not much better. As long as Friedl remains in the leadoff spot in Cincinnati, he offers a safe fantasy floor as a compiler. However, his lack of power means he will need to have a resurgent season in the speed department to provide much surplus value from his current average draft position of pick 257.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 22, 2026
Across 560 plate appearances in 2025, Philadelphia Phillies second baseman
Bryson Stott hit .257/.328/.391 with 13 home runs, 66 RBI, 66 runs scored, and 24 stolen bases. Stott looked like a potential future star in 2023, when he hit .280 with 15 home runs and 31 stolen bases. However, the 28-year-old has settled in a level a notch below what he showed in that banner year, as he's hit .251 and averaged 12 home runs over the last two seasons. With a 9.6% walk rate and 16.3% strikeout rate in 2025, Stott has quality plate skills that provide him with a high floor. However, he owns just a 4.4% career barrel rate and made hard contact just 29.5% of the time in 2025, so his power upside is limited. Perhaps most worryingly for his fantasy profile, the lefty-swinging Stott owns a .666 OPS in 529 career plate appearances against left-handed pitching and has lost some playing time against same-handed starters over the past two years. The Phillies have a quality right-handed infielder in
Edmundo Sosa on their bench, which could mean Stott functions as a platoon bat once again in 2026. The lost playing time hurts Stott's ability to compile counting stats, which is his main appeal to fantasy managers. His speed gives him a safe floor, but Stott's fantasy upside has a firm ceiling.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
February 22, 2026
Chicago Bulls guard
Anfernee Simons (wrist) won't play on Sunday against the Knicks. Simons had four points and two rebounds in Saturday's loss to the Detroit Pistons. Unfortunately, he lasted only 13 minutes before exiting due to a sprained left wrist. With
Jaden Ivey (knee) also ruled out,
Collin Sexton should see more action. The same can be said for
Rob Dillingham, with the 21-year-old amassing two points in eight minutes versus the Pistons. With that said, it's logical to assume Dillingham will be more productive, although he's still tough to trust in any fantasy format.
--Dennis ClausenSource: NBA Injury Report
February 22, 2026
New York Knicks center
Mitchell Robinson (ankle) won't play on Sunday in Chicago. He logged six points and four rebounds in Saturday's two-point win over the Houston Rockets. However, as has been the norm, Robinson won't suit up for the second game of the back-to-back.
Ariel Hukporti should see more action, with the 23-year-old amassing seven points, five boards, and one block in the most recent contest when Robinson wasn't available.
--Dennis ClausenSource: NBA Injury Report
February 22, 2026
Houston Astros manager Joe Espada has confirmed that shortstop
Jeremy Pena will be the team's leadoff hitter in 2026, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Pena took over as the team's primary leadoff hitter in 2025 and delivered his best season since his breakout rookie year in 2022. Across 543 plate appearances, the 28-year-old slashed .304/.363/.477 with 17 home runs, 62 RBI, 68 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases. Pena missed time due to injury in 2025, but he should be able to push 700 plate appearances in 2026 if he can remain healthy and produce well enough to remain in the leadoff spot in the Houston lineup. Pena may sacrifice some RBI opportunities while batting first, but he should score plenty of runs with Astros sluggers
Yordan Alvarez and
Jose Altuve behind him.
--Will BradySource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
February 22, 2026
Milwaukee Bucks center
Myles Turner (calf) will return for Sunday's meeting with Toronto after missing the last two contests.
Jericho Sims has been rolling with the starters of late, most recently amassing four points, six rebounds, and two blocks in 19 minutes in the recent win over the New Orleans Pelicans. As far as Turner is concerned, he hasn't looked the same since arriving in Milwaukee, averaging 12.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.7 blocks. Although his decreased production has been frustrating for managers, he still does enough to warrant starting fantasy consideration whenever he's on the floor.
--Dennis ClausenSource: Eric Nehm
February 22, 2026
Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss said that outfielder
Ronald Acuna Jr. will move back into the team's leadoff spot in 2026, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Acuna Jr. batted third in 46 games in 2025, compared to 43 batting first. However, for his career, he's spent significantly more time leading off. Acuna Jr. has seen over 3,000 career plate appearances as a leadoff hitter, including all 735 of his plate appearances in his MVP season in 2023. From a fantasy perspective, Acuna Jr. may see fewer chances to rack up RBI from the number one slot in the batting order. However, he will be among the league leaders in plate appearances if he can stay healthy, and should have a chance to score a boatload of runs. In Acuna Jr.'s last full healthy season in 2023, he hit .337/.416/.596 with 41 home runs, 106 RBI, 149 runs scored, and 73 stolen bases.
--Will BradySource: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
February 22, 2026
Golden State Warriors center
Kristaps Porzingis (illness) won't play on Sunday versus Denver. He was listed as probable on the injury report for left Achilles injury management. However, the veteran woke up early on Sunday and was feeling "pretty sick." Porzingis has appeared in only one game for the Dubs since being acquired ahead of the deadline, amassing 12 points in 17 minutes off the bench in the loss to Boston on Thursday. It's unknown if he'll be available for the Warriors' upcoming two-game road trip. In the meantime,
Al Horford may take on more minutes after finishing with five points, eight boards, four assists, and one block against the Celtics.
--Dennis ClausenSource: Anthony Slater
February 22, 2026
Joey Logano will likely be a popular daily fantasy pick at EchoPark Speedway for Sunday afternoon's Autotrader 400, but you have to question whether or not that is worth the risk. When it comes to races at this track and DFS strategy, it's best to focus on Place Differential, and Logano offers virtually no upside in that statistical category. However, Joey is one of the strongest drivers at EchoPark Speedway and has won two of the last six races here. He has also led a combined 321 laps over the last six events at this track. However, dominator FPTS are not as important to grab for DFS players at this track as they are at others. It's more likely that Logano goes over-valued by the daily fantasy players this weekend, and strategy-wise, it could be a better option to look for a different play on Sunday.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Racing-Reference
February 22, 2026
The 2026 Daytona 500 Champion, Tyler Reddick, will start from the pole position for this weekend's Autotrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway after weather washed out qualifying on Saturday morning. Although races at EchoPark Speedway tend to be quite unpredictable, having the track position and good pit stall selection definitely won't hurt Reddick's chances on Sunday afternoon. Reddick finished a career-best fourth here at EchoPark last summer, and has two top-10 results over his last three starts at this speedway. With that being said, Reddick is also a super-risky DFS play on Sunday, as those fantasy lineups should be focused on Place Differential (with this type of racing at EchoPark) and Reddick does not have any upside there. It's probably best to stay away from him in daily fantasy this weekend.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: NASCAR
February 22, 2026
Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports will start in the fourth position for this week's race at EchoPark Speedway, the Autotrader 400. This will be Elliott's first time starting inside the top five at the Atlanta track since 2022. In seven races completed at the site since 2022, Elliott has two wins and has placed in the top 20 every time. He also leads all drivers at Atlanta with a 9.1 average finish and is the track's most recent winner. In last week's Daytona 500, Elliott led two laps and looked like he could have won before fading back and finishing the race in fourth position. The No. 9 Chevrolet driver does not carry much upside from his starting position, but this is one of his top tracks, and it is a hometown race. Elliott is not recommended for cash lineups due to very low upside, but for tournaments, he can be a sneaky option that is capable of competing for the win.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: racing-reference.info
February 22, 2026
Team Penske's Ryan Blaney will start in the 22nd position for the Autotrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway. This will be the first time that Blaney will start outside of the top 10 at the Atlanta track since its 2022 reconfiguration. In eight races at the site since 2022, Blaney has six top-10 finishes, which is the most of all drivers in that span. He is also tied for the most top-5 finishes at the track since 2022 as well. Last week at the Daytona 500, Blaney finished 27th after leading two laps and was involved in an accident at the end of the race. Blaney is one of the best drivers at drafting tracks and is always a top threat to win. Considering how he also has some upside from his starting position, he is one of the top drivers to roster for DFS this week.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: racing-reference.info
February 22, 2026
Miami Marlins infielder
Christopher Morel is feeling more comfortable at first base, according to Christina De Nicola. Morel got his first taste at first base during Saturday's Grapefruit League contest against the New York Mets. He received praise from manager Clayton McCullough following Saturday's win. Morel signed a one-year deal with the Marlins during the offseason. In December, Morel began practicing at first base five times a week. This is the first time that Morel has played first base during his professional career, but he appears happy to make the switch in positions. He'll likely need to be more consistent with the bat if he wants to play every day in 2026. Last season, Morel slashed .219/.289/.396 with 11 home runs and 33 RBI in 105 games with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Marlins do have a handful of other options to play first base if Morel fizzles out, but he appears to be getting a fair shot at earning the job in camp.
--Andy WebbSource: Christian De Nicola
February 22, 2026
Washington Commanders wide receiver
Luke McCaffrey (collarbone) had been ascending into a larger role on offense before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 9. McCaffrey suffered a broken collarbone on a kickoff return, ending his season roughly halfway through the year. He only had 11 catches at the time, as most of his contributions had come on special teams. However, he had started to take on more volume just prior to the injury. From Week 3 through Week 8, McCaffrey had 10 catches, 184 yards, and three touchdowns. He ranked as the overall WR42 in PPR leagues during that six-week span. Once the former third-round pick out of Rice recovers from his injury, he'll have a chance to compete for even more targets in this Commanders offense led by new offensive coordinator
David Blough.
Terry McLaurin remains the top pass-catcher in Washington, but veteran wide receiver
Deebo Samuel Sr. and veteran tight end
Zach Ertz (knee) are both headed for free agency. There are plenty of vacated targets to go around, and while the Commanders will surely add pass-catchers in the draft and free agency, McCaffrey might get first dibs on the lion's share of those targets because of his experience and familiarity within the Washington system.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 22, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop
Taylor Walls (hernia) is set to make his Spring Training debut versus the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. Walls underwent sports hernia surgery in September, but appears to be fully healthy now. The 29-year-old figures to begin the season as the starting shortstop with
Carson Williams waiting in the wings. Last season, Walls slashed .220/.280/.319 with four home runs, 38 RBI, and 14 stolen bases in 101 games. Walls is a below-average hitter, but makes up for it with his elite fielding ability. The Rays will likely stick with Walls to begin the season due to his defensive ability, but his struggles as a hitter make him a shaky fantasy option.
--Andy WebbSource: Marc Topkin
February 22, 2026
Detroit Lions quarterback
Jared Goff had another strong season in 2025, completing 68% of his passes for 4,563 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He also lost five fumbles. Goff ranked as the overall QB9 in fantasy football, delivering his fourth consecutive top-10 finish. The Lions dealt with a lot of adversity last season, including the departure of superstar offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, and Detroit ultimately missed the playoffs. However, from a fantasy perspective, Goff appeared unaffected. He turned in his lowest interception total since 2022, though his increased fumble total wasn't ideal. Part of Goff's fantasy success can be attributed to the superstar group of offensive weapons around him, but he deserves plenty of credit, too. The veteran quarterback has learned how to protect the football while still making aggressive passes that rack up yards or result in a touchdown. Goff doesn't have the rushing upside that makes so many fantasy quarterbacks great, but his talent as a passer keeps him in the top-10 range for 2026 redraft leagues. Dynasty managers might consider selling high on Goff, because he is a candidate for regression over the next few seasons, even if it doesn't happen right away.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 22, 2026
Chicago White Sox infielder
Lenyn Sosa is unlikely to have a defensive home to begin the 2026 season. According to Mark Gonzales, Sosa could be on the roster bubble due to the fact that he doesn't have a starting spot on the roster. Last season, Sosa played 99 games at second base, while playing 42 contests at first base. He also saw a few games at third base, but is mostly being used at two positions.
Chase Meidroth should have second base locked down, and Murataka Murakami figures to push Sosa out of a role at first base. The White Sox could use Sosa at third base, but they seem committed to playing
Miguel Vargas there full-time. Sosa isn't exactly a reliable defender, so his bat will likely need to carry him to a roster spot. Last season, Sosa slashed .264/.293/.434 with a career-high 22 home runs and 75 RBI in 140 games. The 26-year-old is unlikely to have consistent fantasy value if he does end up in a bench role in 2026.
--Andy WebbSource: Chicago Sun Times
February 22, 2026
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback
Baker Mayfield had a very disappointing 2025 season. Just one year removed from ranking as the fantasy QB4 with 44 touchdowns, the former first-round pick responded with just 3,693 passing yards, 27 total touchdowns, and 14 turnovers. He ranked as the QB12 in fantasy football, which was his lowest mark since 2022 with the Panthers and Rams. Wide receiver injuries and poor coaching could be to blame, as the Bucs' entire offense struggled in their first year without Liam Coen. Tampa Bay fired their Coen replacement, offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, after just one year, replacing him with Zac Robinson for 2026. It's unclear how much that will change, but Mayfield is certainly a candidate for positive regression (bouncing back to top-10 form) next year. He's worth buying low in dynasty leagues if his current manager is looking to sell at a discount.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 22, 2026
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher
Joe Ryan (back) appears to have avoided a significant injury after being scratched ahead of his scheduled start on Saturday. An MRI has revealed that Ryan is dealing with back inflammation, which seems like a minor issue. There is no word on when Ryan will be able to take the mound again. The assumption is that Ryan is day-to-day and should be back to throwing off the mound soon. This is overall good news for the Twins who have already lost
Pablo Lopez (elbow) for the entire season due to Tommy John surgery. They'll need to lean on Ryan as the ace of the rotation after posting a stellar campaign in 2025. If healthy, Ryan should be viewed as a top-20 starting pitcher heading into the regular season.
--Andy WebbSource: Dan Hayes
February 22, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver
Ja'Marr Chase had another strong season in 2025. While he wasn't able to replicate his WR1 finish from 2024, he still had a big year with 125 catches, 1,412 yards, and eight touchdowns across 16 games. He was the WR4 in PPR leagues, extending his streak to five consecutive finishes within the top 12. It was impressive to see Chase thrive even without
Joe Burrow throwing him passes for the whole season. He spent plenty of games with
Joe Flacco and
Jake Browning, which limited his upside on a week-by-week basis. That partial-season quarterback downgrade is likely why Chase only scored eight touchdowns, relative to his 17 from the year before. Burrow's health is never a guarantee, but if the quarterback can stay healthy for most of 2026, Chase and fellow receiver
Tee Higgins should both benefit. He's still a top-three receiver with overall WR1 upside in both redraft and dynasty leagues. If there's ever a time to get him at a slight discount in dynasty trades, it might be now.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 22, 2026
Buffalo Bills wide receiver
Joshua Palmer (ankle) didn't quite live up to expectations during his first season with the team. After four years with the Los Angeles Chargers, Palmer inked a three-year deal with the Bills. He played 12 games last season, catching a modest 22 passes for 303 yards. This was also the first season in which he failed to score a touchdown. Palmer finished the year as the overall WR106 in PPR leagues, setting a new career-worst mark. He also ended up on injured reserve with an ankle injury before the Bills' first playoff game. As much as Buffalo did a good job spreading the ball around this year, Palmer was not a main beneficiary. That's unlikely to change much going forward, given that the Bills don't have many wide receiver free agents.
Brandin Cooks and
Gabe Davis (knee) will hit the open market, but key pass-catchers like
Khalil Shakir,
Keon Coleman, and
Tyrell Shavers are returning. Plus, we wouldn't be surprised to see the Bills add more wide receiver starpower via the draft or free agency under new head coach Joe Brady. Palmer can be dropped in many dynasty leagues, and he's not a reasonable draft target in redraft formats.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
February 22, 2026
Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron will start in the 13th position for Sunday's Autotrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway after qualifying was cancelled due to weather. Since the Atlanta track was reconfigured in 2022, Byron has maintained a perfect streak of starting every race at the site in the top 20. In eight races since 2022 at Atlanta, Byron has four top-20 finishes, including two victories. Byron is one of only three drivers since 2022 to have won twice at EchoPark Speedway. The No. 24 Chevrolet driver finished 12th after starting 39th in last week's Daytona 500. Although Byron does not offer as much upside as some based on his starting position, his history shows that he is capable of scoring a top finish and competing for wins. Byron is usable in all DFS formats, but is especially preferred for tournaments as a pivot option who could pay off.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: racing-reference.info
February 22, 2026
Baltimore Orioles third baseman
Jordan Westburg (elbow) will begin the 2026 campaign on the injured list. Westburg is dealing with a partially torn UCL and will be sidelined through April. The 27-year-old is uncertain about his timetable and when he'll be able to get back to playing baseball. Westburg won't have Tommy John surgery and instead will opt for platelet-rich plasma injections. The Orioles are hopeful the PRP injections will be enough to solve the problem. This is basically going to be a waiting game to see how Westburg responds to the injections. He is going to be out through April and it wouldn't be shocking to see Westburg miss more time than that. In the meantime,
Coby Mayo figures to see the bulk of the playing time at third base, while
Blaze Alexander could be mixed in as well.
--Andy WebbSource: Roch Kubatko
February 22, 2026
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver
Rondale Moore has passed away at 25 years old, according to Ahmad Hicks of FOX9. His death is under investigation, but law enforcement officials said they found Moore in a garage with a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound. Moore entered the NFL as a second-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2021. He made an immediate impact as a rookie, catching 54 passes for 435 yards and a touchdown. He posted similar numbers over his next two years in Arizona. He was traded to the Atlanta Falcons prior to the 2024 season, but ultimately missed the entire year due to a knee injury that he suffered in training camp. One year later, during a preseason game with the Vikings, he suffered another season-ending knee injury, forcing him out for the entire 2025 campaign. He was scheduled to enter unrestricted free agency next month.
--Andersen PickardSource: Ahmad Hicks
February 22, 2026
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin is starting 29th for the Autotrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway after qualifying was cancelled by weather. This marks the fourth consecutive race where Hamlin will start outside of the top 25 at the Atlanta track since 2022. In the eight previous races at Atlanta, Hamlin has three top-15 finishes and an average finish of 19.8. Last week in the Daytona 500, Hamlin led three laps and placed 31st after a crash left him with damage, eventually leading him to finish two laps down. Hamlin has plenty of upside from his starting position for this week's race since he starts towards the back. Although Hamlin does not have the strongest finishing history, he is usable and worth consideration for all lineup formats based on his large potential ceiling.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: racing-reference.info
February 22, 2026
RFK Racing's Brad Keselowski will start in fifth for Sunday's race at EchoPark Speedway, the Autotrader 400. This will be Keselowski's fourth top-10 start at the Atlanta track since 2022. In his last eight races at Atlanta, the No. 6 Ford driver has six top-20 finishes with only three inside the top 10, and an average finish of 16.4. Keselowski was also the runner-up in the last Atlanta race, where he also led 46 laps. In last week's Daytona race, the Daytona 500, Keselowski finished in fifth position. Keselowski offers little upside for DFS based on his starting position this week, making him difficult to recommend outside of tournament lineups. Although he will likely have a fast car and has some potential to compete for the win, Keselowski is a risk to roster in DFS on Sunday.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: racing-reference.info
February 22, 2026
Bubba Wallace of 23XI Racing will start in the ninth position for this week's race at EchoPark Speedway, the Autotrader 400. This will be the first time that Wallace will start in the top 10 at the Atlanta track since it was reconfigured in 2022. In eight races since 2022 at Atlanta, Wallace has four top-15 finishes, including two inside the top 10, and an average finish of 18.0. Last week at the Daytona 500, Wallace won the second stage and led the most laps (40) before finishing in 10th place. The No. 23 Toyota driver does not carry much upside for this week's race, and despite his favorable history of finishes at drafting tracks, he is only recommended for use in tournament lineups in DFS.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: racing-reference.info
February 22, 2026
Team Penske driver Austin Cindric is starting in 30th place for the Autotrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway after qualifying was cancelled due to the weather. This will be the first time in his Cup career that Cindric will start a race at the Atlanta track outside of the top 20. In eight previous races at the site, Cindric has five finishes of 12th or better with an average finish of 17.3 and led in seven different events. Last week at Daytona for the Daytona 500, Cindric led five laps and finished 34th, seven laps down after he was damaged in a crash. With Cindric starting towards the back of the pack, he has plenty of upside, and Penske tends to be one of the fastest teams on drafting tracks. Look for Cindric to be one of the higher-end scorers for DFS this week, making him a great option for all formats.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: racing-reference.info
February 22, 2026
Trackhouse Racing's Ross Chastain will start in the 21st position for the Autotrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway after qualifying was cancelled due to weather. This will be the seventh consecutive race at the site where Chastain will start outside of the top 10 since 2022. In the last eight Atlanta races, Chastain has six finishes of 13th or better with an average finish of 14.1. Four of those finishes were top-10 finishes for Chastain in that span. He also participated in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Atlanta, where he finished in sixth position after leading at the white flag. The No. 1 Chevrolet driver also finished 20th and led 12 laps last week in the Daytona 500. For this week's race at Atlanta, Chastain has solid upside and favorable track history. Fantasy players should highly consider Chastain for all formats, especially as he can be a sneaky option who can pay off well for DFS.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: racing-reference.info
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