April 17, 2026

Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider (oblique) made his first minor-league rehab start on Thursday with High-A Rome and gave up just one hit while walking two and striking out three in 3 1/3 shutout innings. Strider looked good, retiring the first eight batters he faced while getting up to 50 total pitches. He began the 2026 regular season on the 15-day injured list with an oblique strain that he suffered in spring training in mid-March, but he's getting closer to making his season debut in the big leagues. Strider is expected to need at least two more rehab outings before the Braves feel comfortable throwing him back into their starting rotation. Barring a setback, the 27-year-old could be back in the big leagues in early May. Until then, veteran left-hander Martin Perez could make a few more starts for Atlanta. Strider won a league-high 20 games and also led the league with 281 strikeouts in 186 2/3 innings in 2023, but he pitched in just two games in 2024 before having right-elbow surgery, and he didn't look the same in 23 starts last year. Still, Strider is worth stashing in hopes that he can rediscover his pre-surgery form in 2026.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Milb.com

April 17, 2026

The Atlanta Braves selected the contract of veteran left-hander Martin Perez to the major-league roster on Friday, and he will make the start in the series opener against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Perez recently elected free agency after he cleared waivers, but the veteran southpaw re-signed with the Braves and will now make his third start of the 2026 season. The 35-year-old Venezuelan hurler has only six strikeouts in his 14 1/3 innings pitched for the Braves in his three appearances (two starts), but he's allowed only five earned runs on nine hits while walking four. We wouldn't recommend the soft-tossing veteran lefty as a fantasy streamer for Friday night's difficult matchup on the road against the Phils, but Perez could make a couple more starts for Atlanta until Spencer Strider (oblique) is ready to make his season debut later this month or in early May.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Atlanta Braves

April 17, 2026

New York Yankees outfield prospect Spencer Jones has continued to produce at Triple-A and remains in contention to earn a call to the major leagues. Jones has gone 8-for-25 over his last seven games while carrying a .320/.379/.520 slash line. During this stretch, Jones has tallied two doubles, one home run, and added 10 RBI. However, his strikeout rate remains a major weakness, as it has sat at a high 31.0% during this stretch. Overall, through 16 games with Triple-A this season, the former 25th overall selection has posted a .254/.357/.492 line with five doubles and three long balls. Over his first taste of Triple-A action last summer, Jones went deep 19 times over a short 67-game stint. While his strikeout rate remains a major weakness, his raw power is borderline elite. Fantasy managers should monitor his progression as he could enter stash territory if he continues this pace.--Andy Smith
Source: MiLB.com

April 17, 2026

Washington Nationals top infield prospect Eli Willits has begun to tap into his power upside at Low-A Fredericksburg. The former No. 1 overall selection from last summer's draft has tallied a round-tripper in each of his last two games. These marked his first two long balls of the campaign and snapped a 10-game power drought to open the season. Since going 4-for-27 to open the regular season, Willits has begun to find his footing. Over his last five contests, Willits has gone 5-for-22 while swiping two bags and adding three extra-base hits. After joining the Nationals last summer, he was sent to Low-A for a short 15-game stint where he posted an elite .300/.397/.360 line. If Willits can return to this form, he should earn a promotion to High-A later this summer.--Andy Smith
Source: MiLB.com

April 17, 2026

Milwaukee Brewers infield prospect Luis Pena is enjoying an outstanding start with High-A Wisconsin. After going hitless in his season debut on April 4, Pena has logged at least one hit in each of his last seven games. During this stretch, Pena has gone 12-for-25, tallying one double and one triple. He has swiped four bags and only struck out five times (with four walks). The No. 2-ranked prospect in the system per MLB.com spent most of the 2025 season with Low-A Carolina before moving up to High-A in the second half. However, during his first taste of High-A, Pena struggled, posting a low .168/.220/.297 line over a 25-game stint. Seeing the 19-year-old quickly adjust to this level is very promising for his long-term outlook. Managers should expect Pena to remain at High-A for most of the season and potentially move up to Double-A after the All-Star break.--Andy Smith
Source: MiLB.com

April 17, 2026

Athletics left-handed pitching prospect Gage Jump is enjoying an impressive start to the Triple-A regular season. Through his first three outings (10 1/3 innings), Jump has struck out 16 hitters while holding a 2.61 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. In his most recent outing on April 15, Jump racked up a season-high eight punchouts over a short 4 1/3 inning stint. While the Athletics have slowly increased Jump's workload in the early going, he will need to continue this trajectory to compete for an eventual MLB promotion. During the 2025 campaign, the former 73rd overall selection spent most of his time with Double-A, where he held his own, posting a 3.64 ERA, 1.20 WIHP, and an 86:29 K:BB over 81 2/3 innings. Given that the Athletics lack much depth in their rotation, Jump should be in the mix to debut later in the second half.--Andy Smith
Source: MiLB.com

April 17, 2026

New York Yankees right-handed pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez turned in another strong showing at Triple-A and is quickly making the case to join the MLB roster in the coming weeks. On Thursday, Rodriguez faced the Syracuse Mets and tossed 5 2/3 shutout innings with six punchouts and two walks. He allowed only two hits. Over his first two games of the campaign, Rodriguez logged 10 innings (five innings in each game), while allowing three runs (two earned) with a 7:4 K:BB. Rodriguez was in the mix to break camp with the MLB roster, given their numerous pitching injuries, but was instead optioned to Triple-A. Last summer, Rodriguez spent most of the time with High-A and Double-A, logging 145 innings to the tune of a strong 2.36 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Given his steady progress at Triple-A, Rodriguez could emerge as a viable stash candidate later in the first half.--Andy Smith
Source: MiLB.com

April 17, 2026

Cleveland Guardians infield prospect Travis Bazzana is heating up at Triple-A Columbus and is quickly making the case to reach the major leagues. On Thursday, the former No. 1 overall pick tallied three hits with two of them being doubles. Bazzana is now riding a six-game hitting streak and has carried an impressive .358/.536/.708 slash line during this stretch. Prior to this surge, the former Oregon State standout went 6-for-29 over his first six games of the regular season. During the 2025 season, Bazzana spent most of his time with Double-A, where he carried a .225/.420/.438 line with a solid .858 OPS. Given his steady progression at the top level of the minors, Bazzana is quickly entering the stash territory among hitting prospects.--Andy Smith
Source: MiLB.com

April 17, 2026

Chicago White Sox outfielder Everson Pereira blasted his third home run of the season on Thursday in the White Sox's 5-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. He finished the game going 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI, and a run scored as part of his home run. Pereira has not gotten a ton of playing time thus far this season, with only 25 plate appearances through 19 games, but he has made the most of his opportunities, slashing .304/.360/.739 with five RBI and five runs scored. With a small sample size thus far in 2026, his underlying metrics support the small breakout, as evidenced by his .297 xBA, .444 xwOBA, and 93.4 mph average exit velocity. If Pereira continues to take advantage of his opportunities, he could earn more and more playing time as the season continues. The 25-year-old does not have much of a track record at the big leagues to go off of, so fantasy managers should not be chomping at the bit to pick him up just yet, but perhaps someone to keep their eye on moving forward.--Nicho Roessler
Source: Baseball Savant

April 17, 2026

With less than a week until the 2026 NFL Draft, veteran running back Najee Harris (Achilles) remains unsigned, and that is unlikely to change before teams have the chance to sort through the younger, healthier options of what is largely considered an underwhelming rookie class of runners. Following four serviceable seasons with the Steelers, Harris was signed by the Chargers, where he was expected to split time with rookie Omarion Hampton, until a Fourth of July fireworks accident raised questions about whether his career might be over. He was ultimately able to return to the field for the start of the 2025 season, but after limited offseason conditioning, he tore his Achilles in Week 3, ending his Chargers career after only 15 carries. All reports suggest that his recovery has gone well, and while his fantasy heyday is likely behind him, in the right landing spot, he could still carve out just enough of a role to siphon touches from a team's lead back. Harris recently visited with the Raiders, where new head coach Klint Kubiak has a history of dividing the workload amongst his running backs and has already expressed an interest in continuing that approach in Vegas, despite the jarring lack of depth currently behind Ashton Jeanty.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 17, 2026

Mike Malott will look to extend his win streak to four when he takes on former welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns in the main event of UFC Winnipeg on Saturday. Since suffering his loss back in January 2024 to UFC veteran Neil Magny, Malott has looked tremendous, winning three fights in a row. In those three bouts, Malott defeated Trevin Giles and Kevin Holland by unanimous decision and Charles Radtke by second-round knockout. DraftKings sees Jasudavicius as a big favorite with a salary of $9,300.--Alen Kurbasic
Source: UFC

April 17, 2026

Chicago White Sox closer Seranthony Dominguez took the loss on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays and got tagged with his second blown save of the season. Domínguez has now converted three of his five save opportunities. In Thursday's outing, Domínguez entered the contest with a 3-2 lead, allowing three earned runs on two hits and one walk in 1/3 of an inning pitched. Domínguez's other blown save came earlier in the season against Milwaukee and was also a blow-up type of outing, where he allowed two earned runs on one walk and two hits. He now has a 7.50 ERA and 1.83 WHIP through seven appearances. All five of his earned runs allowed came in the two blown save opportunities. The White Sox do not have much competition for bullpen arms to dethrone Domínguez as closer just yet; however, he is running on thin ice and could be in jeopardy of losing the role if he doesn't provide more consistency moving forward. Fantasy managers who drafted Domínguez as their back-end closer may want to begin to think of potential contingency plans on the off chance the White Sox do decide to try someone else out.--Nicho Roessler
Source: Baseball Savant

April 17, 2026

Notre Dame prospect Malachi Fields is a big-bodied outside receiver who has split opinions throughout the pre-draft process. His collegiate career was defined more by brilliant flashes than any sort of consistent production, having never topped 811 yards or five receiving touchdowns over his five years in college. At 6'4" and 218 pounds, Fields took nearly 90% of his college snaps on the boundary, with a route tree dominated by fades and hitches. While he is more than likely to find a role in an NFL receiving room, that type of profile has not typically translated to fantasy success, with the game now favoring more versatile target-earners. Once garnering first-round buzz, Fields is now projected to hear his name called on Day 2 of the NFL Draft, and, in the absence of a known landing spot, he has fallen to rookie WR11 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 17, 2026

Former title challenger Gilbert Burns will be aiming to return to the win column when he takes on Mike Malott in the main event of UFC Winnipeg on Saturday. Burns hasn't been in the greatest form, but he did have tough competition recently. The 39‑year‑old Burns' last win came via decision against former welterweight title challenger Jorge Masvidal in 2023, but since then, he has lost four consecutive bouts. DraftKings sees Burns as a massive underdog with a salary of $6,900.--Alen Kurbasic
Source: UFC

April 17, 2026

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino crushed his first home run of the season on Thursday against the Detroit Tigers. It came in his fifth at-bat of the contest off Connor Seabold and had an exit velocity of 108.0 mph and traveled 412 feet. It was his first hit of the game and first home run of the season for Pasquantino, and he finished Thursday's contest going 1-for-5. Pasquantino has struggled at the plate thus far, slashing .155/.244/.239 with nine RBI and five runs scored. The Royals' offense overall has yet to show up this season, but perhaps their nine-run outburst from Thursday will get them going. Fantasy managers who drafted Pasquantino have every right to be disappointed with his performance thus far; however, Pasquantino is a career .261/.327/.447 hitter and is coming off a career high last season with 32 home runs and 113 RBI. There is very likely positive regression coming his way. While the underlying metrics so far this season do not fully support that positive regression, his track record over the past five years certainly does. Fantasy managers should be optimistic about his home run on Thursday and the potential breakout on the horizon.--Nicho Roessler
Source: Baseball Savant

April 17, 2026

Before agreeing to a four-year, $48 million deal with the New Orleans Saints in the opening hours of free agency, running back Travis Etienne Jr. had finished as the RB17 or better in three of his four seasons with the Jaguars, and twice inside the top 10. While it was his elite efficiency that got him there in 2022, averaging over five yards per carry, his 2023 campaign was buoyed by increased goal-line usage and his resulting 11 rushing touchdowns. After a down year in 2024, he put together perhaps his most complete season in 2025, finishing the year with 1,399 yards from scrimmage and 13 total touchdowns. Now part of a Saints offense that showed much to be excited about down the stretch, Etienne is expected to see the lion's share of the work out of a backfield that heads into the draft with a soon-to-be-31-year-old Alvin Kamara, the oft-injured Kendre Miller, and 2025 sixth-round pick Devin Neal. After hitting a top-three dynasty value in his first year as a starter, the 27-year-old Etienne is now RotoBaller's RB18, presenting rebuilding managers with a rare second sell-high window after he had fallen as low as RB40 on KeepTradeCut.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 17, 2026

Kyler Phillips will look to bounce back in the win column when he faces off against Charles Jourdain in the co-main event of UFC Winnipeg on Saturday. Phillips was last seen in action in July at UFC 318, where he suffered a unanimous decision loss to Vinicius Oliveira. Prior to his fight with Oliveira, Phillips suffered a unanimous decision loss to Rob Font. DraftKings sees Phillips as the underdog with a salary of $7,500.--Alen Kurbasic
Source: UFC

April 17, 2026

Charles Jourdain will look to extend his win streak when he takes on Kyler Phillips in the co-main event of UFC Winnipeg on Saturday. Jourdain moved to the bantamweight division, and since making that move, Jourdain has looked spectacular, scoring back-to-back submission wins over Victor Henry and, more recently, Davey Grant. Since joining the leading promotion, Jourdain has gone 8-7-1. DraftKings sees Jourdain as the favorite with a salary of $8,700.--Alen Kurbasic
Source: UFC

April 17, 2026

Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier appears to have been hand-selected for Arizona's new offensive system. First-time head coach Mike LaFleur landed in the desert with a plan and wasted no time in naming Nathaniel Hackett as his offensive coordinator. The two will presumably marry Hackett's classic West Coast scheme to philosophies from the McVay-Shanahan system, with a run game dominated by outside-zone looks. Arriving in Arizona, though, they inherited a running back room of James Conner and Trey Benson, two backs who have spent the past two years in a more North-South man/gap system. Allgeier's two-year deal with the team was one of the first announced at the start of free agency, after spending the past two seasons in Atlanta with another McVay disciple, Zac Robinson. While the transition in Arizona may be more nuanced for the team's offensive linemen than its backs, Allgeier's past experience can not be discounted, as more than 76% of his career carries have come on some variant of zone run, while that number sits at a combined 42% for Conner and Benson. The most likely outcome for fantasy is that all three backs will eat into one another's workload, making all of them unreliable as weekly plays, but with Conner about to turn 31 and coming off a severe foot injury, and Trey Benson yet to deliver up his early third-round draft capital, Allgeier could be the early front-runner for a leading role in a system with which he should have some familiarity.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 17, 2026

San Diego Padres right-hander Mason Miller struck out the side Thursday night against the Seattle Mariners to earn his league-leading sixth save of the season. Miller has been nothing short of dominant thus far in 2026, converting on all six of his save opportunities, having not allowed a run, and striking out batters at a ridiculous 74.1 percent clip (23 strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings pitched) in 9 ⅓ innings pitched. In addition, he's also not allowing many baserunners, as evidenced by his 0.21 WHIP. He has walked one batter and allowed one hit in nine appearances. Fantasy managers who roster him are fortunate enough to set and forget with Miller, as he has been cementing himself as the top closer in baseball, if he hasn't already.--Nicho Roessler
Source: Baseball Savant

April 17, 2026

Jai Herbert will look to bounce back in the win column when he faces off against Mandel Nallo on the main card of UFC Winnipeg on Saturday. Since 2021, Herbert hasn't been able to stay consistent as he's been alternating wins and losses. Herbert was last seen in action in March 2025 at UFC London, where he suffered a split decision loss to Chris Padilla. Since signing with the UFC, Herbert has gone 3-5-1. DraftKings sees Herbert as the underdog with a salary of $7,400.--Alen Kurbasic
Source: UFC

April 17, 2026

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenneth Gainwell was one of the league's biggest surprises in 2025, with his career-high 73 receptions trailing only Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs at the position. After keeping such elite company, he leveraged his receiving success into a two-year, $14 million deal with the Buccaneers, where he joins a team and a new offensive coordinator with prior histories of involving running backs in the passing game. Zac Robinson raised eyebrows when he initially stated his intent to deploy Bucky Irving similarly to the way he used Robinson in Atlanta, but the signing of Gainwell on the first day of free agency would suggest the bulk of the running back targets could go elsewhere. Last season, while Gainwell was nearly doubling his career receiving production in Pittsburgh, an injury-slowed Irving was splitting time with, and ceding much of the passing game work to, Rachaad White. While both backs bring versatility to what will be a new look Buccaneers offense in 2026, the safe bet will be for Gainwell to find most of his fantasy success as the dedicated passing back, as his 114 carries in 2025 also marked a career high, but were easily surpassed by Irving in only 10 games.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 17, 2026

Tampa Bay Rays' right-hander Bryan Baker picked up his fourth save of the season on Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox, allowing no hits, one walk, and one inning pitched. The four saves for Baker are a career high, and through eight appearances on the season, he owns a solid 3.68 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and seven strikeouts in seven innings pitched. Baker does not have a ton of experience closing out games, with his previous career high being three saves in 2025, but so far this season, he has five save opportunities compared to Griffin Jax's two. Kevin Kelly also has two save chances, and Mason Englert has one. While Baker may not be deployed as the Rays' full-time closer, he appears to be the most likely reliever to pitch the ninth inning for the foreseeable future, making him a strong add off the waiver wire heading into Week 5 for fantasy managers looking to bolster their saves category.--Nicho Roessler
Source: RotoBaller

April 17, 2026

Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch is expected to receive Day 2 capital in the upcoming NFL Draft, but with one of the more unique prospect profiles in recent history, there are questions about how his game might translate to the next level. At just 5'9" and 177 pounds, over a third of Branch's career receiving yards came on screen plays, while an astonishing 45.5% of his targets came behind the line of scrimmage, which is higher than any player ever selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. While some have pointed to Luther Burden III as evidence that a player with a similar profile can succeed in the NFL, Branch's career ADoT was a full four yards lower than Burden's, and players with similar collegiate usage have had a frighteningly low fantasy hit rate. In the right landing spot, Branch could become a useful gadget player for an NFL offense, but he's unlikely to find any consistently bankable fantasy usage.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 17, 2026

Mandel Nallo is scheduled to make his promotional debut against Jai Herbert on the main card of UFC Winnipeg on Saturday. Nallo earned his UFC contract in September 2025 by defeating Samuel Silva via first-round knockout on Dana White's Contender Series. Since 2023, Nallo has been on a tear, winning five consecutive fights. DraftKings sees Nallo as the favorite with a salary of $8,800.--Alen Kurbasic
Source: UFC

April 17, 2026

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (elbow) is expected to be shopped again this offseason as the franchise continues its rebuild, with league executives believing a deal remains possible despite recent struggles. Morant played just 20 games this season before being shut down with a UCL sprain and averaged 19.5 points on 41.0 percent shooting, a dip from his All-Star peak. His uncertain situation adds risk in dynasty formats, while Memphis' youth movement could boost roles for players like GG Jackson II and Santi Aldama if the roster fully resets.--Brian Dailisan
Source: Tim MacMahon and Michael C. Wright

April 17, 2026

Karine Silva will look to bounce back in the win column when she takes on Jasmine Jasudavicius on the main card of UFC Winnipeg on Saturday. Silva was last seen competing in December at UFC 323, where she dropped a unanimous decision to Maycee Barber. Since joining the leading promotion back in 2022, Silva has gone 5-2 and is currently 1-2 in her last three bouts. DraftKings sees Silva as a big underdog with a salary of $7,000.--Alen Kurbasic
Source: UFC

April 17, 2026

Washington Wizards head coach Brian Keefe will return for the 2026-27 season after guiding the team through a 17-65 campaign that was focused on development. The move signals continuity for a roster expected to shift toward winning behind Trae Young (back) and Anthony Davis (hand), while young pieces like Alexandre Sarr (toe) and Kyshawn George (elbow) continue to grow. For fantasy purposes, Keefe's player development track record supports long-term upside for prospects, though rotations may tighten with veterans added. Bub Carrington and Tre Johnson could see reduced usage, while Young and Davis are positioned to dominate offensive roles.--Brian Dailisan
Source: Josh Robbins

April 17, 2026

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic are now eligible for all 2025-26 season honors, according to Shams Charania, after winning their Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge to the 65-game rule. Both remain elite fantasy anchors, with Doncic averaging 33.5 points, 4.0 three-pointers, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.6 steals, while Cunningham posted 23.9 points, 2.0 three-pointers, 5.5 rebounds, 9.9 assists and 1.4 steals across 64 games. This removes any award-related uncertainty in keeper formats. Anthony Edwards was denied, slightly lowering his end-of-season accolade outlook.--Brian Dailisan
Source: Shams Charania

April 17, 2026

Jasmine Jasudavicius will look to get back in the win column when she faces off against Karine Silva on the main card of UFC Winnipeg on Saturday. Jasudavicius was last seen in action in October at UFC Vancouver, where she suffered a first-round TKO loss to former title challenger Manon Fiorot. Prior to her loss to Fiorot, Jasudavicius was on a five-fight winning streak. DraftKings sees Jasudavicius as a big favorite with a salary of $9,200.--Alen Kurbasic
Source: UFC