11 hours agoFormer Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants wide receiver John Ross, whose 4.22-second 40-yard dash was the NFL scouting combine record until Xavier Worthy broke it earlier this year, will take part in the Philadelphia Eagles' rookie camp this week on a tryout basis, according to sources. Ross had retired last year but is now attempting to make a comeback. The 28-year-old speedster ended up being a bust after the Bengals took him with the ninth overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft out of Washington. Ross last played for the G-Men in 2021 and had 11 catches for 224 yards and one touchdown in 10 games (one start). In his five years in the NFL, he caught 62 of 143 targets for 957 yards and 11 scores in 37 games (21 starts). Ross will be a long shot to make the Eagles' active roster in 2024, let alone be fantasy relevant.Source: NFL Network - Mike Garofolo
11 hours agoLos Angeles Angels third baseman Miguel Sano (knee) is still banged up after being pulled from Wednesday's game due to left knee soreness. The right-handed slugger was able to play on Friday but then sat out on Saturday. Sano had an MRI on his knee, which revealed inflammation in his left knee. The organization is currently considering Sano as day-to-day right now. Luis Rengifo figures to see additional playing time until Sano is ready again.Source: Rhett Bollinger
11 hours agoFormer Detroit Lions wide receiver Quintez Cephus, who was reinstated last week after being suspended for all of last season for violating the NFL's gambling policies, reached an undisclosed agreement with the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, according to his agents. The 26-year-old former fifth-round pick (166th overall) by the Lions in 2020 out of Wisconsin has a total of 37 receptions on 60 targets for 568 yards and four touchdowns in 22 games (six starts) in his three seasons in the league. The Bills are notably lacking receiver depth after trading Stefon Diggs to the Texans and losing Gabe Davis in free agency this offseason, so Cephus will have a chance to carve out a spot as receiving depth in Buffalo this summer in training camp. His best season came in his rookie year in 2020, when he caught 20 of 35 targets for 349 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games (two starts).Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
11 hours agoJacksonville Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said on Saturday that the team is picking up the fifth-year option for quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne Jr. It's no surprise that the Jags will pick upread more...
11 hours agoArizona Diamondbacks outfielder Alek Thomas (hamstring) started baserunning activities on April 24, with manager Torey Lovullo saying that Thomas is doing everything except running full speed. The skipper doesn't have a target date for Thomas' return, but he said Thomas is progressing well. The 24-year-old strained his left hamstring when he grounded into a double play on March 31 against the Colorado Rockies and underwent an MRI exam on April 1 that showed a strain that was greater than a Grade 1 strain. It sounds like he's getting close to being able to go on a minor-league rehab assignment. Until Thomas is able to return, Corbin Carroll will continue to operate as the team's center fielder, giving Jake McCarthy and Randal Grichuk more reps in the outfield. Thomas has still yet to show much offensively for fantasy managers, but he's a stud on defense when healthy.Source: MLB.com
11 hours agoNew York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (ankle) won't play in Sunday's contest versus the 76ers. The 26-year-old is still bothered by a left ankle injury, and although he had warmed up with the intention of playing, he won't be out there. While Robinson's DFS contributions have been scarce during this series, the Knicks could have difficulty slowing down Joel Embiid without him on the floor. But Isaiah Hartenstein will try his best, so he should get most of the minutes at the five spot. However, Hartenstein's added workload doesn't mean he'll be more productive for DFS managers.Source: Adrian Wojnarowski
12 hours agoPhiladelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) is active for Sunday's postseason clash with the Knicks. Most had already planned for Embiid to be out there, especially since he's appeared on the injury report since returning from knee surgery near the end of the regular season. The 30-year-old is coming off a big night, scoring 50 points in Thursday's win. He also logged 41 minutes, so it's apparent he can handle a full workload. Nonetheless, Embiid guaranteed that the Sixers would win the series, meaning he should be fired up and ready to produce for DFS managers in Game 4.Source: Philadelphia 76ers
12 hours agoMilwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (Achilles) won't play on Sunday against the Pacers. The former Trail Blazer injured his Achilles during Friday's overtime loss, although he still managed to log a team-high 45 minutes to finish with 28 points. However, it was revealed on Saturday that Lillard is in a walking boot, so his status for Game 5 on Tuesday night is also up in the air. With Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) also out for this one, Khris Middleton (ankle) will have a heavy load to carry, assuming he's cleared to play. Without question, Middleton will need help from Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez, Pat Connaughton, and Patrick Beverley, who all should see more scoring chances with Lillard and Antetokounmpo on the shelf.Source: Malika Andrews
12 hours agoArizona Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen (hamstring) left the series opener against the Seattle Mariners early on Friday with tightness in his right hamstring, but he is optimistic that he'll be able to make his next start. "I feel pretty encouraged," Gallen said. "So my plan is to make my next start." The 28-year-old apparently made some pretty good progress with his hamstring in just one day. It's not official just yet, but he's currently scheduled to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in Arizona on Wednesday. Gallen is a fantasy ace, but managers will want to be hesitant in deploying him next week if he indeed gets the nod to face the first-place Dodgers, who have one of the most feared lineups in baseball. Through his first six starts of 2024, Gallen is 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA and 1.22 WHIP with 35 strikeouts and nine walks in 32 innings.Source: MLB.com
12 hours agoMilwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) won't play in Sunday's matchup with the Pacers. Head coach Doc Rivers already hinted on Saturday that the multi-time MVP wouldn't be out there, and things don't look good regarding his availability moving ahead. But with Damian Lillard (Achilles) also sidelined for this one, the Bucks are in trouble. Khris Middleton (ankle), who is probable for Game 4, should pick up most of the slack offensively. In addition, Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez, and Pat Connaughton could see a surge in production for fantasy managers.Source: Malika Andrews
12 hours agoTampa Bay Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena is not in the team's starting lineup on Sunday in the series finale against the Chicago White Sox. Arozarena will get a blow after starting the team's previous nine contests while going just 4-for-34 with 13 strikeouts to drop his season line to a rough .154/.228/.260. The 29-year-old Cuban slugger has added three home runs, nine RBI, four stolen bases and 12 runs scored in his first 104 at-bats in 2024. After the day off, hopefully Arozarena will be able to start picking things up offensively for the Rays and fantasy managers. Harold Ramirez is starting in left field and batting fifth, while Austin Shenton is the designated hitter and is batting sixth against White Sox right-hander Erick Fedde. Ramirez has one hit in two career at-bats against Fedde, while Shenton has never faced Fedde.Source: MLB.com
12 hours agoSt. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson (shoulder) will start his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday or Wednesday, according to manager Oliver Marmol. Carlson has yet to make his season debut with the Cardinals due to a sprained left shoulder that he suffered in spring training, but he's getting closer and is now ready to play in live games. The 25-year-old switch-hitter could need extended minor-league action before the Cardinals are comfortable activating him from the 10-day injured list, but when he does return to the big-league roster, he could see pretty regular playing time in center field since Tommy Edman (wrist) is still sidelined. Right now, rookie Michael Siani has been seeing most of the starts in center for the Red Birds.Source: MLB.com - John Denton
12 hours agoThe Miami Marlins placed outfielder Avisail Garcia (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list on Sunday with a left-hamstring strain, according to a source. In a corresponding move, outfielder Dane Myers was recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville. The team also selected the contract of right-hander Emmanuel Ramirez from Jacksonville and designated left-hander Kent Emanuel for assignment. Garcia was pulled from Saturday's contest against the Washington Nationals with his hammy injury and will now miss at least the next 10 days. At this stage of his career, the 32-year-old isn't much of a fantasy asset in mixed leagues. He's currently hitting .240 (12-for-50) with two home runs and two RBI. Myers immediately jumps into Miami's starting lineup on Sunday and will start in right field and hit seventh against Nationals left-hander Patrick Corbin.Source: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola
12 hours agoTampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz (finger) is back at first base and is hitting in his customary leadoff spot for the Rays on Sunday versus the Chicago White Sox and right-hander Erick Fedde. Diaz left Friday's contest early after being hit on the left pinkie finger with a pitch, and he sat out on Saturday as a precaution. But now that he's back on the field, fantasy managers will want to get the 32-year-old veteran back into their starting lineups in all formats. He's hitting just .241 (26-for-108) on the season so far, but he's been better recently, batting .324 in his last nine ball games. Diaz will be looking for his first home run since going deep on Opening Day. He's never faced Fedde in his career.Source: MLB.com
12 hours agoNew York Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez will retreat to the bench on Sunday for the series finale against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. Martinez didn't make his 2024 debut with the Mets until Friday night after signing with the club late in spring training and then suffering a back injury while getting ramped up at extended spring training. The 36-year-old veteran right-handed went 3-for-8 in his first two games with an RBI, but he also struck out five times. The Mets plan on easing Martinez back into the fold, so it shouldn't be a surprise that he's on the bench in only his third game back. With Martinez starting on the bench, DJ Stewart will serve as the team's designated hitter and bat cleanup against Cardinals right-hander Lance Lynn. The 30-year-old lefty hitter isn't a bad low-cost DFS option on Sunday in the cleanup spot. He's hitting .200 (9-for-45) on the year with three homers and 11 RBI.Source: Newsday - Tim Healey
12 hours agoDetroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez was scratched from Sunday's lineup against the Kansas City Royals for undisclosed reasons. Zach McKinstry is now starting in his place and will hit seventh in the batting order against Royals right-hander Michael Wacha. Baez will start on the bench after starting the team's previous seven games. If he's dealing with an injury, we'll update you on condition when we get word. The 31-year-old free swinger has been a disappointment pretty much ever since he landed in Detroit in 2022 and he is off to another bad start in 2024, hitting .193/.233/.277 with only one home run, nine RBI, six stolen bases and 21 strikeouts in 90 plate appearances. McKinstry will be a poor sleeper option in DFS at shortstop. He's never faced Wacha in his career.Source: Detroit Tigers
12 hours agoJoe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. will start 15th in this week's race at Dover Motor Speedway, the Wurth 400. This marks the lowest start position of the year since Daytona and the third Dover race in a row where Truex will start outside the Top 10. Truex is one of the most accomplished drivers in the field at Dover with four wins, 19 top-10 finishes, and 1,064 laps led, which is the third-most of active drivers. Truex is also the defending winner of this week's cup race at DMS. After 10 races so far this year, Truex has nine top-15 finishes while leading in seven different Cup events. In practice, Truex ranked 13th in five-consecutive lap averages but fourth in 10 consecutive lap averages, displayed a car that's great on longer runs. With solid Place Differential upside and being one of the betting favorites at one of his best tracks, Truex is a driver all fantasy players should consider for DFS this week.Source: Driveraverages.com
13 hours agoTyler Reddick qualified fourth for this week's NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover. This is the highest starting position of his Cup career and just the second time Reddick will start in the Top 10 at the Delaware track. In five starts at Dover, Reddick has two top-10 finishes, including his best finish of seventh, which he collected in his first year driving for 23XI Racing. Reddick is one of the most consistent drivers so far this year, as he scored one win and is tied for the most top-10 finishes of all racers after 10 Cup events. In practice, Reddick displayed top-10 speeds in all eligible categories, including ranking seventh in five-consecutive lap averages. Despite little Place Differential upside, Reddick is a driver that can gain a quality finish regardless of track type as indicated by his 2024 consistency this season so far. Fantasy players should roster the driver of the No. 45 Toyota in tournament formats this week. Source: Driveraverages.com
13 hours agoIn qualifying for this week's Wurth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway, Michael McDowell scored a starting position of eighth. McDowell's starting position this week is the highest of his Cup career at Dover and will be the sixth time he will start from the Top 10 this season. In 23 Cup starts at DMS, McDowell has three top-20 finishes, with his best finish being 17th, which he obtained in 2022. In 10 races so far this year, McDowell has three top-20 finishes, all being 11th or better. The driver of the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford has also captured positive Place Differential thrice this year. In practice, only McDowell's single-lap and five-consecutive lap averages were ranked among the Top 10 fastest, showcasing how McDowell's car has takeoff speed early in a run. Fantasy players should not expect McDowell to remain in the Top 10, especially with his long-run practice speeds not being favorable. It is recommended to fade McDowell in all formats for this week's race at Dover, especially when his history at the site is unfavorable.Source: Driveraverages.com
13 hours agoDuring qualifying for this week's Wurth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway, Joey Logano obtained a starting position of 13th. This start position is the highest of Logano's Cup career at Dover since 2022, when the Next-Gen car was introduced. In 27 starts at DMS, Logano has 15 top-10read more...
14 hours agoSophomore Cup driver Noah Gragson will start fifth in this week's Wurth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway. This is the highest start position for Gragson in a Cup Series race to date, and the first time he will start from the Top 5 in his career. While driving for Legacy Motor Club, Gragson scored a DNF in his only previous Cup start at Dover in 2023. In the Xfinity Series, however, Gragson has five top-10 finishes in seven Dover starts. With 10 races completed in the 2024 season so far, Gragson has seven top-20 finishes, with three inside the Top 10. In practice, Gragson ranked 11th in 10-consecutive lap averages, third in 15-consecutive lap averages, and was the only driver to run at least 20-consecutive laps. Considering his starting position, Gragson is a DFS risk with little Place Differential upside. With his car looking solid in practice however, Gragson could work as a sneaky tournament play where not many would roster him, especially as he is capable of placing in the Top 10. Source: Driveraverages.com
14 hours agoUros Medic scored a first-round knockout win over Tim Means on the main card opener of UFC Vegas 91 on Saturday. Medic was forced to defend takedowns from the get-go, but after getting to his feet, he landed an uppercut that dropped Means and Medic landed one punch to put him out cold. With the win, Medic is now 4-2 in the UFC and has won all four fights by knockout.Source: UFC
14 hours agoTim Means suffered a first-round knockout loss to Uros Medic in the main card opener of UFC Vegas 91. Means was grappling Medic early on, but just seconds later, Medic landed an uppercut that dropped Means, and one punch on the ground put him out. With the loss, Means is now 15-13 and one NC in the UFC and is now 1-4 in his last five fights.Source: UFC
14 hours agoAusten Lane suffered a second-round knockout loss to Jhonata Diniz on the main card of UFC Vegas 91. Lane was coming off a knockout loss to Justin Tafa after he had a No Contest in his debut against Tafa due to an eye poke. Entering the bout, Lane was the underdog, and after winning the first round, the former NFL player got caught with a massive punch that knocked him out cold. With the loss, Lane is now 0-2 and one NC in the UFC and could be fighting for his job next time out.Source: UFC
14 hours agoJhonata Diniz scored a second-round knockout over Austen Lane at UFC Vegas 91 on Saturday. Diniz was making his UFC debut after earning his contract after winning on the Contender Series. Diniz entered the bout as the betting favorite, and the kickboxer landed a massive punch that knocked Lane out. With the win, Diniz is 7-0 as a pro with all seven wins coming by knockout.Source: UFC
14 hours agoRyan Spann suffered a second-round TKO loss to Bogdan Guskov in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 91 on Saturday. Spann entered the bout on a two-fight losing streak but was the betting favorite. The American had success in the first round, but in the second round, he was caught by a big shot that rocked him and Guskov finished him with ground-and-pound. With the loss, Spann is now 7-5 in the UFC and is now on a three-fight losing streak.Source: UFC
14 hours agoBogdan Guskov improved to 16-3 as a pro with a second-round TKO win over Ryan Spann in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 91. Guskov entered the bout as the underdog and after losing the opening round, he rallied in the second round and hurt Spann on the feet before landing ground-and-pound shots to get the TKO win. With the victory, Guskov is now 2-1 in the UFC and is on a two-fight winning streak. A top-10 opponent could be next for Guskov after UFC Vegas 91.Source: UFC
14 hours agoMinnesota Twins first baseman Carlos Santana went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, four RBI, and three runs scored in Saturday's 16-5 win over the Angels. The veteran was also hit by a pitch in the contest. The 38-year-old is experiencing a power surge of late, with all three of Santana's home runs coming in the last three games. The former All-Star hit 24 home runs last season, so the pop is certainly still there, but even after the recent resurgence, he's still slashing a paltry .181/.269/.325 on the year and is probably best left on the waiver wire.Source: ESPN
14 hours agoMinnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler hit his first home run of the season in Saturday's 16-5 blowout win over the Angels. The 31-year-old was 2-for-4 with a walk, two RBI, and two runs scored in the contest. Since returning from injury just over a week ago, Kepler has gone 8-for-19 (.421) with seven RBI, four runs scored, and a 2:2 BB:K over six games. After blasting 24 home runs last season, fantasy managers were hoping for more from the lefty, but hopefully they'll start coming in bunches as he's still putting the bat on the ball at an above-average rate (81.1% Contact%). His HR/FB% has taken a step back though, just 5.6% compared to 16.1% from last season, and a Barrel% of 6.5% compared to last season's 12.2%. If you are buying into the hot streak he's on over the past week, the outfielder is available in 85% of Yahoo leagues.Source: ESPN
15 hours agoPittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar picked up his fifth save of the season in Saturday's 4-3 win over the Giants. It wasn't without drama though. A day after allowing a walk, two hits, and three earned runs to the Giants, Bednar gave up a two-run home run to Jorge Soler to lead off the bottom of the tenth inning to bring the Giants within a run. The 29-year-old was able to strike out three of the next four batters to preserve the win. This season has not gone at all to plan for the Pirates closer who was an All-Star in 2022 and 2023. Bednar's ERA has swelled to 11.70 with a 1.60 WHIP and three blown save opportunities to go along with his five saves. His job doesn't seem to be in jeopardy at this point, but the Pirates and fantasy managers alike would relish some clean innings going forward.Source: ESPN