March 15, 2026
Los Angeles Angels infielder
Nick Madrigal has been optioned to minor-league camp. Despite a strong performance in camp, Madrigal appears set to begin the season in Triple-A. He slashed .333/.391/.429 with three RBI in 23 plate appearances this spring. The former first-round pick hasn't played in the big leagues since the 2024 season with the Chicago Cubs. Madrigal is a solid contact hitter, but his lack of power and ability to draw walks hurts his overall value. He'll head to the minors alongside outfielders
Gustavo Campero and
Wade Meckler, who were also optioned this weekend.
--Andy WebbSource: Angels PR
March 15, 2026
Utah Jazz guard/forward
Ace Bailey (concussion) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Kings after entering the league's concussion protocol following a head injury Friday. With Utah not playing again until Wednesday, the rookie will have added recovery time.
Elijah Harkless could see more opportunity after recording 10 points, two three-pointers, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 30 minutes last game, while
Andersson Garcia added six points, three rebounds, and two steals in 29 minutes. Harkless and Garcia remain fringe streaming options due to uncertain roles, while
Brice Sensabaugh and
Isaiah Collier are better bets to absorb additional usage in Bailey's absence.
--Brian DailisanSource: NBA Injury Report
March 15, 2026
New York Mets shortstop
Francisco Lindor (hand) is in the starting lineup and will make his Grapefruit League debut against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. Lindor has made a remarkable recovery after having surgery to address a fractured hamate bone in his left hand in mid-February. He took batting practice on Friday and didn't have any issues, so he has officially been cleared for game action. Lindor will be in the leadoff spot and play shortstop during his spring debut. Barring any setbacks, Lindor should be ready on a full-time basis for Opening Day against the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 26. This is great news for Mets fans and fantasy managers who took the risk of selecting injured Lindor on draft day.
--Andy WebbSource: Anthony DiComo
March 15, 2026
Kansas City Royals outfielder
Jac Caglianone could be ready to take the next step in 2026. Caglianone got his first taste of big league action last season, but struggled to adjust. He slashed .157/.237/.295 with seven home runs and 18 RBI in 62 games in 2025. The 23-year-old appears to have made the proper adjustments as he's tearing the cover off the ball in camp. Through six games, Caglianone is slashing .455/581/.970 with one homer, four RBI, and five walks. Caglianone was also impressive during his four games in the World Baseball Classic. The former first-round pick came into the league with a ton of hype, and wasn't ready last season. Early in camp, it looks like he's made the right adjustments and is ready to crush big league pitching.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
March 15, 2026
Florida Panthers forwards Carter Verhaeghe (undisclosed) and Anton Lundell (undisclosed) will rejoin the lineup on Sunday against the Seattle Kraken, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports. Both players were held out of Thursday's 2-1 overtime victory against Columbus. With Sam Bennett (undisclosed) unavailable on Sunday, Lundell and Evan Rodrigues will serve as the top-six centers. Verhaeghe, who netted two goals in his last appearance against Detroit, is expected to link up with Rodrigues and Mackie Samoskevich. Lundell will partner with Eetu Luostarinen and Matthew Tkachuk.
--Taavi PailkSource: Jameson Olive
March 15, 2026
Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports will start in the fifth position for this week's Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Pennzoil 400. Larson is the highest-qualifying Chevrolet driver in the field this week for Las Vegas. In 19 Cup races at the site, Larson has three wins, 14 top-10 finishes, an average finish of 9.0 (best of all drivers), and 819 laps led, which is the most of active drivers. He also won the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race at the site on Saturday. Through four races this year, Larson has two top-10 finishes, an average finish of 14.3, and sits 10th in the regular-season standings. In practice for this week's race, Larson ranked first in overall lap averages and ranked 17th in 15 consecutive lap averages. Considering how Vegas is one of Larson's top tracks, he can be a threat to win during any race at the site while he is still driving the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
March 15, 2026
Los Angeles Angels pitcher
Reid Detmers appeared to have finally turned a corner when he became a full-time reliever last season. According to Jeff Passan, he wouldn't be shocked if Detmers leads the Angels in saves in 2026. Detmers was a struggling starter for the first four years of his career before shifting to the bullpen in 2025. He registered a 3.96 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and an 80/25 K/BB across 61 appearances last season. The Angels are giving him another chance in the rotation this spring. However, it's not going well with a 7.27 ERA across three starts. The best route for him could be as a late-inning reliever. Detmers recorded three saves last season, and it sounds like he could be the favorite for the closer role in 2026.
--Andy WebbSource: ESPN
March 15, 2026
Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (undisclosed) is expected to miss Sunday's clash against the Seattle Kraken and is considered day-to-day, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports. Bennett has been part of the Panthers' lineup in all 65 games this season, but he's dealing with an undisclosed injury and is set to miss his first action of the campaign. The 29-year-old has scored 24 goals and 50 points, sitting just two points away from setting a new career high. Fortunately for the Panthers, Anton Lundell (undisclosed) is on track to return from a one-game absence on Sunday, and his presence in the lineup will somewhat compensate for Bennett's absence.
--Taavi PailkSource: Jameson Olive
March 15, 2026
William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports will start ninth in the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Byron's starting position for this week's race continues a perfect streak of the No. 24 Chevrolet driver starting in the top 10 in every Vegas Cup race since October 2023. In 16 Cup races at the site in his career, Byron has one win, eight top-10 finishes, including five of the last six Cup events, and an average finish of 15.0. After the first four races of the season, Byron has one top-10 finish with an average finish of 15.0. In practice for this week's race, Byron ranked 14th in overall lap averages and displayed top-10 speeds in the 10-30 consecutive lap average categories, including second in 20 and 25 consecutive lap averages. Las Vegas is one of the better tracks in the Cup Series for Byron, and although he may not offer much upside, his car has shown to be fast enough to compete for a top-5 finish in pre-race events.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
March 15, 2026
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher
Mick Abel has put together impressive numbers early in camp. Through four starts, Abel has a 1.35 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and a 17/1 K/BB ratio. The 24-year-old is making a strong case to crack the 26-man roster to begin the season. Abel was part of the trade that sent closer
Jhoan Duran to Philadelphia last July. He posted an ugly 6.23 ERA with eight home runs allowed across 39.0 innings of work with the Phillies and Twins last season. The Twins have already lost starter
Pablo Lopez (elbow) for the entire 2026 season. They definitely need help in the rotation, and Abel could provide that if he keeps pitching like this. He's someone worth monitoring in deep league fantasy drafts.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
March 15, 2026
Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart (undisclosed) will not join the team for an upcoming four-game road trip, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports. According to Panthers head coach Paul Maurice, Reinhart is dealing with several health issues. The 30-year-old missed his first game of the season on Tuesday against Detroit. He returned to the lineup on Thursday night against Columbus, recording a goal and an assist, but the Panthers will have to cope without Reinhart again for at least four games. Reinhart leads Florida with 61 points (29 goals, 32 assists) in 64 games, so his absence creates a significant gap in the lineup.
--Taavi PailkSource: Jameson Olive
March 15, 2026
Ryan Blaney of Team Penske will start in the sixth position for the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This will be the first time that Blaney will start inside the top 10 at a Vegas Cup race since 2023. In 19 Cup starts at the site, Blaney has 10 top-10 finishes with an average finish of 15.2. Through the first four Cup races this season, Blaney has one win, three top-10 finishes, an average finish of 11.5, and is currently second in the regular-season standings. In practice for this week's Cup race at Las Vegas, Blaney ranked 25th in overall lap averages and 10 consecutive lap averages. Although his practice speeds were underwhelming, Blaney has displayed plenty of raw speed on 1.5-mile Intermediate tracks in recent years and should not be overlooked as a tournament option, especially after winning last week's race at Phoenix.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
March 15, 2026
Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen (undisclosed) is expected to miss one week, Ted Kuflan of the Detroit News reports. Due to an undisclosed injury, Rasmussen sat out Saturday's overtime loss to the Dallas Stars. He will likely miss at least three more games. The Red Wings have also recently lost Dylan Larkin (leg), Andrew Copp (lower body), and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (undisclosed). While the latter is considered day-to-day, Larkin and Copp have been ruled out for two weeks. Due to the injury situation, J.T. Compher and Marco Kasper have moved up in the lineup. Meanwhile, David Perron rejoined the action on Saturday as a member of the second line.
--Taavi PailkSource: Ted Kulfan
March 15, 2026
Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing scored a starting position of seventh for this year's Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This will mark the first time in Reddick's Cup career that he will start in the top 10 in two consecutive races at the site since 2022. In 12 Cup starts at Las Vegas, Reddick has six top-10 finishes and an average finish of 15.5. He also placed fifth in the most recent Vegas race and led at least once in each of the last four at the track. In four races completed this season, Reddick has three wins, four top-10 finishes, an average finish of 2.8, and leads the regular-season standings. In practice for this week's Cup race at Las Vegas, Reddick ranked 18th in overall lap averages and seventh in 10 consecutive lap averages. Based on equipment and overall history at Vegas, Reddick is expected to finish inside the top 10, making him a solid option to consider for DFS lineups this week.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
March 15, 2026
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Declan Carlile (lower body) will be sidelined for 4-5 weeks, the team announced. The rookie defenseman suffered a lower-body injury earlier this week and missed Saturday's loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Based on his projected recovery timeline, Carlile might be out for the remainder of the regular season. Through 38 appearances in 2025-26, Carlile has registered three points (one goal, two assists), 29 shots, 30 blocks, 46 hits, and 23 penalty minutes. Erik Cernak returned from injury on Saturday and filled the void in the lineup.
--Taavi PailkSource: Tampa Bay Lightning
March 15, 2026
Team Penske's Joey Logano will start in the 21st position for the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The No. 22 Ford driver will have his lowest starting position for a Cup Series race at the site since 2019. In 25 starts at Las Vegas, Logano has four wins (most of all drivers), 15 top-10 finishes, 585 laps led (second-most of active drivers), and an average finish of 9.6 (second-best of active drivers). Logano placed in the top 15 in each of the last five Vegas races and led at least once in each of the last four. With four races completed this year, Logano has three top-20 finishes with an average finish of 16.8. In practice for this week's race, Logano ranked 30th in overall lap averages, but displayed top-20 speeds in the 15-25 consecutive lap average categories. The Penske driver has solid upside based on his starting position, but with Vegas being one of his best tracks statistically, Logano should not be underestimated as a DFS option this week.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
March 15, 2026
San Jose Sharks winger Igor Chernyshov (upper body) was limited to 28 seconds of ice time in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. He was injured after a high hit from Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson. The 20-year-old Russian rookie fell hard and struggled to get up. He needed assistance to leave the ice and was taken to the hospital. Chernyshov has made a positive impression in his first 16 career games, recording three goals and eight assists. He is traveling with the team for Sunday's matchup with the Ottawa Senators, but it seems likely that Chernyshov will sit out the game. Philipp Kurashev and Ryan Reaves are the candidates to replace him in the lineup.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
March 15, 2026
Chris Buescher of RFK Racing will start in the 10th position for this week's Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It will be the third race in Buescher's Cup Series career at the site with a top-10 starting position. In 18 Cup starts at Las Vegas, Buescher has two top-10 finishes and an average finish of 17.4. He also placed in the top 15 in each of his last three Vegas Cup appearances. Through four races so far this season, Buescher has one top-10 finish with an average finish of 15.0 and sits ninth in the regular-season standings. In practice for this week's Pennzoil 400, Buescher ranked 32nd in overall lap averages and as high as 18th in 20 consecutive lap averages. Despite slower practice speeds, Buescher is a solid driver at Vegas historically and has performed adequately during the 2026 season. Fantasy players, however, should only consider him for tournament lineups due to his low upside, and perhaps consider other options for DFS who have a higher ceiling and more cap flexibility.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
March 15, 2026
Bubba Wallace of 23XI Racing will start the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway from the fourth position after qualifying. Wallace's qualifying position is a new career best at Las Vegas and marks only the second time in his Cup career that he will start inside the top five at the site. In 16 races at Las Vegas, Wallace has an average finish of 22.6 with two top-10 finishes, with his last one coming in 2023. After four races so far this year, Wallace sits third in the regular-season standings with an average finish of 8.8, three top-10 finishes, and never finishing worse than 11th. In practice for Sunday's Cup race, Wallace ranked 22nd in overall lap averages, but ranked among the top 10 fastest in 10, 15, and 25 consecutive lap averages. Although he has little upside from his starting position, Wallace was fast in practice and is one of the most consistent drivers since the start of the season. Fantasy players could consider Wallace rosterable in tournament lineups, especially since he has top-notch equipment that can run inside the top 10.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
March 15, 2026
Josh Berry of Wood Brothers Racing is starting in the 32nd position for the Pennzoil 400 this week after qualifying at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This qualifying position matches the worst of Berry's Cup career at the site. In five previous races at Vegas, Berry has one win, two top-20 finishes, and an average finish of 20.0. In the first four races this year, Berry has one top-10 finish and currently sits 32nd in the regular-season standings with an average finish of 26.3. In practice for Sunday's race at Las Vegas, Berry ranked 24th in overall lap averages and displayed top-20 speeds in the 10-30 consecutive lap average categories. Considering how his starting position is towards the back of the pack with plenty of upside, fantasy players should find Berry a favorable DFS option for all formats this week in Las Vegas.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
March 15, 2026
RFK Racing driver Ryan Preece will start in the eighth position for this week's Pennzoil 400, taking place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This will mark the first time that Preece will start a race at the site inside the top 10 in his Cup career. In 12 previous races at Las Vegas, Preece has two top-10 finishes, which were scored in his last two appearances at the site in 2025. After four races this year, Preece has one top-10 finish, an average finish of 16.3, and sits 18th in the regular season standings. In practice for this week's Cup race at Vegas, Preece ranked 35th in overall lap averages and 15th in five consecutive lap averages. Despite positive results in his last two Vegas races, Preece's high starting position makes him a big DFS risk this week. Fantasy players should only consider the RFK driver rosterable in tournament lineups.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
March 15, 2026
Justin Allgaier will fill in for Alex Bowman in the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in this week's Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after doctors did not clear Bowman to race this week due to symptoms of vertigo. In qualifying for Sunday's race at Vegas, which will mark his first in the Cup Series at the site since 2015, Allgaier qualified 22nd. In two previous Cup races at Las Vegas, Allgaier has never finished better than 31st, but those were with HScott Motorsports, whose equipment was far from top-tier. This will also be Allgaier's second start of the 2026 season, as he previously finished 38th in the Daytona 500 after leading three laps and crashing out of the race in the JR Motorsports No. 40 car. In practice for this week's Cup race, Allgaier ranked fifth in overall lap averages and ranked 16th in 20 consecutive lap averages. Fantasy players should consider the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series regular for lineups in this week's race due to his great equipment, decent upside from his starting position, and a cheap salary, allowing some solid cap flexibility.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
March 14, 2026
The Carolina Panthers re-signed starting safety Nick Scott on a one-year deal worth up to $3.25 million on Saturday, agents Jeremy Appledorf and Ed Wasielewski told Joe Person of The Athletic. Scott is one of the leaders of defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero's scheme, and he was second on the team last year with a career-high 111 tackles (64 solo). In addition to his 111 tackles, Scott had an interception, three pass breakups, and a fumble recovery in 17 regular-season starts in his second year with the team. The 30-year-old former seventh-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 2019 out of Penn State finished as the No. 33 defensive back in IDP fantasy scoring in his seventh year in the NFL. He will return to Carolina's secondary again next season and start opposite Tre'von Moehrig. Scott has 355 career tackles (216 solo), five interceptions, 14 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 108 games (48 starts).
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Joe Person
March 14, 2026
New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier scored two goals and assisted twice in a 6-4 win versus the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. He scored one in the first period and added another in the final frame on a power play to give his team a 4-3 lead. Hischier has 23 goals and 27 assists on the season and is second on the Devils in total points, just trailing Jesper Bratt.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 14, 2026
The New York Jets re-signed running back/return man
Kene Nwangwu to a one-year, $2 million deal on Saturday, a source told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Nwangwu will receive $1 million guaranteed and can earn up to $3 million with incentives. The 28-year-old former fourth-rounder in 2021 out of Iowa State by the Minnesota Vikings didn't see a single carry in only two games with the Jets in 2024. He had a slightly bigger role last year, seeing 13 rushing attempts for 49 yards. Nwangwu only has 40 carries for 137 yards (3.4 yards per carry) and no touchdowns in his five years in the NFL, so fantasy managers shouldn't really expect much of him in 2026 behind
Breece Hall,
Braelon Allen, and
Isaiah Davis. He hasn't been much of a factor on offense, but Nwangwu had 604 yards and a touchdown on 18 kickoff returns for Gang Green in 2025. The Jets will hope he can continue to excel on special teams as a returner.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
March 14, 2026
Chicago Cubs outfielder
Seiya Suzuki (knee) was forced from the World Baseball Classic game for Team Japan on Saturday with right-knee discomfort against Venezuela, according to the Miami Herald's Jordan McPherson. Suzuki will continue to be evaluated. ESPN's Alden Gonzalez reports that Suzuki limped off the field with a right-knee injury after attempting to steal second base in the bottom of the first inning. The 31-year-old hurt his knee on the slide and eventually walked off the field with a trainer. Suzuki is probably done competing in the WBC, even if Japan advances to the semifinals. For now, he should be considered day-to-day, but we'll know more after Suzuki is evaluated. Depending on the severity of his knee injury, he could be looking at an injured list stint to begin the 2026 regular season. Suzuki hit 30 homers and drove in over 100 runs in Chicago in 2025, putting him in top-25 outfield territory in fantasy. If he were to miss extended time to begin the season, it would open up more playing time in right field for
Matt Shaw and perhaps
Kevin Alcantara.
--Keith HernandezSource: Miami Herald - Jordan McPherson
March 14, 2026
San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini scored twice and added an assist in a 4-2 road victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. The 19-year-old continues to show why he is already one of the best players in the world, as he now has 35 goals and 94 points in 64 games in just his second NHL season. Celebrini may be the favorite to win the Hart Memorial trophy this year, as he has the Sharks exceeding expectations and competing for a playoff spot.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 14, 2026
Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar scored two goals in Saturday's 6-4 loss against the New Jersey Devils. Kopitar's multi-goal game helped him pass Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne as the Kings' all-time leading scorer with 1,308 career points. The Kings' captain is in his final NHL season, his 20th overall, and he holds the franchise record for games played and assists, while ranking third in goals scored through 1,505 contests. Kopitar's fantasy value is limited to deeper fantasy formats, as he has totals of 10 goals and 30 points through 51 games in the 2025-26 NHL season.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 14, 2026
Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark stopped all 23 shots that he faced in Saturday's 2-0 victory against the Ducks. It was the second shutout of the season for Ullmark, who has put together some encouraging performances in recent outings while his overall campaign has been inconsistent with totals of an .886 save percentage and 2.77 goals against average through 37 appearances. Ullmark remains the Senators' starting netminder as they currently sit four points out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
--Marko23Source: NHL.com
March 14, 2026
Jacksonville Jaguars two-way player
Travis Hunter (knee) saw nearly a 2:1 offense-to-defense snap-count split in his rookie campaign and appeared to be on the verge of a breakout before an LCL knee injury ended his season in Week 7. With reports out of Jacksonville that Hunter will spend year two as a full-time defensive back with part-time offensive usage, the 22-year-old has slipped outside the top-100 dynasty players in consensus rankings. The Jaguars remain adamant that they will not trade receiver
Brian Thomas Jr., creating a bit of a bottleneck at the position with
Jakobi Meyers and
Parker Washington, and making Hunter more valuable to the team on defense. Even in IDP formats, cornerbacks often rely on outlier seasons to gain fantasy relevance, and Hunter's limited work at receiver might not be enough to make him anything more than a late-round upside-play.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
RADIO
