13 hours agoThe Miami Dolphins are signing veteran free-agent wide receiver
Odell Beckham Jr. to a one-year deal worth up to $8.25 million, according to Tom Pelissero. The three-time Pro Bowler has been linked to Miami for much of the offseason, and he finally found his home for the 2024 season on Friday. While this is an exciting signing for the former superstar, fantasy football expectations should be tempered. The 31-year-old has not reached the 600-yard mark in a single season since 2019, and he will now compete with
Tyreek Hill and
Jaylen Waddle for targets. He's a nice depth boost for Mike McDaniel's offense, but he is nothing more than a late-round flyer in 2024 fantasy drafts. Despite playing in 14 games for the Ravens last year, he caught just 35 passes for 565 yards and three touchdowns, finishing as the WR63 in PPR leagues.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Tom Pelissero
13 hours agoMichel Pereira (30-11) is set to take on always dangerous Ihor Potieria on the main card of UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In his most recent outing to the octagon, Pereira squared off against Michal Oleksiejczuk at UFC 299. He finished Oleksiejczuk via first-round rear-naked choke. DraftKings sees Pereira as the favorite with a salary of $9,600. In his UFC career, he averages 77.0 fantasy points per contest. This is an opportunity for Pereira to jump in the rankings and prove that he's a force to be reckoned with in the welterweight division.
--Alen Kurbasic - RotoBallerSource: UFC
13 hours agoPaul Craig is set to open Saturday's UFC 301 pay-per-view main card in Rio de Janeiro, as he looks for an upset against Brazil's own Caio Borralho. Former light heavyweight fighter, Craig looks to bounce back from his first defeat since moving to middleweight. In his last bout, he was defeated by Brenan Allen via submission. DraftKings sees Craig as a huge underdog with a salary of $6,700. Throughout his UFC career (17 bouts), he averages 58.1 fantasy points per contest.
--Alen Kurbasic - RotoBallerSource: UFC
13 hours agoNew York Knicks guard
Jalen Brunson turned in a historic performance after posting a third-straight 40-point performance and his fourth game of at least 39 points and six assists. In Game 6, Brunson finished with 41 points, 12 assists, three rebounds, and two turnovers while shooting 13-for-27 from the floor and 3-for-8 from deep. The Villanova product hit multiple big shots down the stretch of the game to put it just out of reach for the 76ers and lead the Knicks to their second playoff series win since the 2012-13 season. Despite a rough start in the first two games of the series, he found his rhythm and carried the offense to the tune of 35.5 points per game and he's currently the leading scorer throughout the entire playoffs so far.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Basketball Reference
14 hours agoCleveland Guardians shortstop
Brayan Rocchio went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Thursday's loss against the Houston Astros. The stolen base would be the fifth of the season for the 23-year-old. Outside of the basepaths, Rocchio has struggled to swing the bat. On the season, he is hitting a weak .218 and is homerless with four RBI. Despite playing on most days, the Guardians No. 9 prospect just hasn't done enough with the bat to convince managers to roster him. He can safely remain on the waiver wire.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
14 hours agoCleveland Guardians outfielder
Will Brennan went 3-for-4 with three singles in Thursday's loss versus the Houston Astros. Brennen has now had multi-hit games in five of his last nine games. His performance on Thursday raised his batting average to .253 on the season and he has four homers, 11 RBI and two stolen bases on the young campaign. Brennan quietly has put together a good season, but he is a platoon player with outfielder
Ramon Laureano and that limits his upside. He is worth a look in deeper formats as he continues to swing well, but there are likely players with better upside and opportunity on the waiver wire.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
15 hours agoThe Arizona Diamondbacks have sent pitcher
Blake Walston back down to Triple-A Reno. Walston made his debut on Monday versus the Los Angeles Dodgers. Walston went 3 2/3 out of the bullpen for the Diamondbacks and was wild with four walks and two runs allowed. Walston's trip was brief, but it is likely that he will be back with the Diamondbacks when they need more pitching depth or an injury occurs. Replacing Walston on the active roster will be pitcher
Matt Bowman. Bowman was acquired from the Minnesota Twins for cash considerations on Thursday. Both Walston and Bowman can remain on the waiver wire in all formats.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: Arizona Diamondbacks
15 hours agoBoston Red Sox starting pitcher
Nick Pivetta (elbow) got roughed up in his first rehab start for Triple-A Worcester. Pivetta went three innings and allowed three hits, four runs, four walks and recorded five strikeouts. He also threw 62 pitches in the contest, as he builds up for his return to the Red Sox rotation. Pivetta has been sidelined since April with a right elbow flexor strain, but was pitching very well in his first two starts of the season with one run allowed and 13 strikeouts over his first two starts. Pivetta is inching closer to his return and that would mean that
Cooper Criswell or
Chase Anderson will be replaced in the rotation. Pivetta may need a start or two to shake off the rust, but he is worth rostering in most formats with his ability to rack up strikeouts being a big reason why.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
15 hours agoChicago Cubs starting pitcher
Kyle Hendricks (back) looked healthy in a rehab start for Double-A Tennessee on Thursday. The veteran tossed five innings and allowed six hits, two runs, no walks and struck out seven on the evening, Hendricks has been shelved since late April with a minor lower back injury and it has yet to be determined if this will be his one and only rehab start or if he will make another one. When on the mound for the Cubs this season, Hendricks has gotten rocked with 28 runs allowed in 21 innings. The once consistent starter has fallen on hard times and can be left on the waiver wire in all formats when he is activated.
--Daniel Burdeen - RotoBallerSource: Tennessee Smokies
15 hours agoSeattle Mariners outfield prospect
Lazaro Montes launched his fourth and fifth home runs of the season in Thursday's victory. This big performance brings Montes to an excellent .291/.404/.535 stat line with 27 RBI at Single-A. The 19-year-old is quickly approaching last season's home run count of seven that he posted at the same level. Montes is the fourth-best prospect in the Seattle system on MLB Pipeline but should not be expected to reach the major leagues for several years. However, dynasty managers may want to consider stashing him if he reaches High-A or even Double-A by the end of the summer, as he is flashing stellar power potential at just 19 years old and could grow into a top prospect in baseball.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
15 hours agoChicago White Sox shortstop prospect
Colson Montgomery went 2-for-3 at the plate and launched his fourth home run of the campaign on Thursday. Through his first 26 games at the Triple-A level, the 22-year-old is riding a .228/.345/.396 slash line with three stolen bases. Montgomery spent the majority of the last season with Double-A, and it is promising to see the budding shortstop already match his home run total of the four he posted there last year. The top prospect in the Chicago system should push for a late-season promotion. He should be rostered in all dynasty and keeper leagues and could even be worth stashing in deeper redraft formats fairly soon if he continues to showcase his power potential.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
15 hours agoSeattle Mariners shortstop prospect
Tai Peete went 3-for-6 at the plate on Thursday with two doubles, three RBI, and two stolen bases. Peete ripped two RBI doubles, one in the third frame and the other in the eighth, to lead Modesto to the victory. The 18-year-old also added two more stolen bases to bring his season count to five. After getting a brief stint with Single-A last year, Peete has posted a solid .256/.376/.423 slash line through 20 games at Single-A this season. The seventh-ranked prospect in the Seattle system is still several years away from the major leagues but is worth monitoring in dynasty leagues down the road.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
15 hours agoKansas City Royals starting pitching prospect
Chandler Champlain tossed five innings of one-run ball with just two hits, and one free pass to earn his first victory of the season. The 24-year-old tallied seven punchouts to increase his season total to 31. The former USC Trojan has a 5.32 ERA and 1.10 WHIP across 23 ⅔ innings at Double-A this season. However, Champlain has been pitching much better as of late, and his ERA seems to remain inflated by his first start of the season, where he surrendered eight earned runs. Since then, he has never allowed more than two earned runs in a start. The 24-year-old could see time in Triple-A this season and is worth keeping an eye on in dynasty formats, especially if he can continue this turnaround.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
15 hours agoWashington Nationals outfield prospect
Dylan Crews broke out of his slump on Thursday by hitting a double and triple and bringing in three runs to lead the Harrisburg Senators to a victory. Crews ripped his first triple of the season which scored two in the third frame, and then knocked an RBI double to bring in the game's winning run in the seventh. The former LSU Tiger has posted a .250/.316/.442 stat line with two home runs, two swiped bags, and 14 RBI in his first 13 games of the season with Double-A. This game should provide the 22-year-old with some much-needed momentum, as he hit just one extra-base hit in his previous five games. Crews is the top prospect in the Washington system and could make a late-season push for a promotion to the major leagues. Redraft managers should pay close attention to when he is promoted to Triple-A as that could be a telling sign when he could reach the majors.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
16 hours agoTexas Rangers starting pitching prospect
Jack Leiter posted another strong outing since returning to the minor leagues. On Thursday evening, he tossed five innings of two-run ball with three hits, two free passes, and four strikeouts. This start brings him to a 2.84 ERA and 0.91 WHIP across 25 ⅓ innings with Triple-A Round Rock. Leiter made his major league debut earlier in April but struggled, so the Rangers decided to have him continue to develop in Triple-A for the time being. The former second-overall pick has given up just two runs in each of his previous two starts and looks like he could be back in the majors reasonably soon. The 24-year-old should be rostered in all keeper and dynasty leagues and is worth monitoring in deeper redraft formats.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
16 hours agoBaltimore Orioles third base prospect
Coby Mayo launched his fourth home run in as many games and tallied five RBI on Thursday evening to increase his total long ball count of the young season to 11 and RBI total to 31. The 22-year-old is on the verge of a promotion and with his stellar .333/.397/.683 stat line across 30 games, it could be any day. Mayo has taken a big step forward this season with Triple-A Norfolk as he posted a .267/.393/.512 line with just 12 home runs in 62 games with them last season. The former fourth-round pick is considered a must-stash in all standard leagues and should make an immediate impact in the major leagues with his elite power potential.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
17 hours agoCleveland Guardians left-hander
Logan Allen took the loss in an 8-2 defeat at the hands of the Houston Astros on Thursday. Allen allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings while striking out five and walking one as his record fell to 3-2 on the year. Most of the damage came via a two-run homer off the bat of
Jon Singleton in the sixth inning. It has been a slow start to the season for the lefty as Allen now has a 5.11 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP across 37 innings of work. That being said, Thursday's start against the Astros provides a slight glimmer of hope for the southpaw who broke out as a rookie in 2023. He will look to keep it going in his next start, which is slated to come on Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers at home.
--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
17 hours agoWashington Nationals left-hander
Mitchell Parker pitched well in a 7-0 loss to the Texas Rangers on Thursday. Parker allowed three runs on six hits over five innings while striking out five and walking two while settling for a no-decision in the outing. The 24-year-old rookie has been excellent across his four starts for the Nationals this season, compiling a 2-1 record, 2.53 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts across 21 1/3 innings of work. He is worth a look as a potential streamer in deeper leagues moving forward.
--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
18 hours agoBaltimore Orioles second baseman
Jorge Mateo turned in a big game in a 7-2 win over the New York Yankees on Thursday. Mateo went 1-for-2 with a homer and two RBI in the win over Baltimore's division rivals. He was also hit by a pitch in the win. Mateo's solo shot came in the fourth inning off
Carlos Rodon and traveled 425 feet with an exit velocity of 105.5 MPH. The blast goes down as Mateo's first of the season, to go along with a .268 average, seven runs, three RBI, and four steals. Known more for his speed, Mateo has reached double-digit homers just once in his career, so fantasy managers shouldn't expect a power surge out of him in the coming weeks.
--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
19 hours agoColorado Rockies catcher
Jacob Stallings went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer in a 5-4 loss to the Miami Marlins on Thursday. Stallings kicked off the scoring for the Rockies with a three-run blast off Edwin Cabrera in the second inning, but it wasn't enough for the Rockies as they fell to Miami in extra innings. Stallings has been swinging a hot bat as the backup catcher in Colorado as he's batting .345 with one homer, four runs, and five RBI across 29 at-bats. That being said, he will need to see more consistent playing time to work his way into the conversation as a fantasy option.
--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
19 hours agoBaltimore Orioles first baseman
Ryan Mountcastle put together a big game in a 7-2 win over the New York Yankees on Thursday. Mountcastle went 2-for-4 with a homer, two runs, and two RBI in the win over Baltimore's AL East rivals. The veteran's homer was a solo shot off of
Carlos Rodon in the third inning. The blast traveled 405 feet and had an exit velocity of 107 MPH. Mountcastle is off to a solid start in 2024, hitting .290 with five homers, 18 runs, and 16 RBI across 107 at-bats thus far.
--Matt T - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
23 hours agoSan Francisco Giants starting pitcher
Kyle Harrison issued five walks but still managed to throw five innings of one-run ball in a 3-1 win against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. Harrison didn't pick up the win as San Francisco went ahead for good in the seventh, but Harrison had a solid start nonetheless. He allowed just three hits and struck out seven to round out his line. The 22-year-old rookie has allowed three or fewer runs in six of his seven starts this season. If Harrison can put it all together, he's got major upside that warrants being rostered in most leagues.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
23 hours agoChicago Cubs second baseman
Nico Hoerner went 1-for-4 with a pair of walks in a 7-6 loss to the New York Mets on Thursday. Hoerner didn't run much early in the season, swiping just one base in April. That caused some panic among his fantasy owners, who expected much closer to the 43 stolen bases Hoerner picked up in 2023. Those owners will be happy with the last two games though, as the speedster picked up three steals to bring his season total to four. If he keeps running at that pace, there is no reason to worry about Hoerner.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
23 hours agoBaltimore Orioles starting pitcher
Kyle Bradish threw 4 ⅔ innings of one-run ball in his first start of the 2024 season against the New York Yankees on Thursday. Bradish didn't pick up the win as he didn't go five innings, but he was solid and gave his team a good chance to win. He gave up four hits and two walks while striking out five in the shortened outing, throwing 84 pitches. Bradish should get back to a normal workload soon and will hopefully return to his 2023 form where he posted a 2.83 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with 168 strikeouts in 168 ⅔ IP. The 27-year-old should be universally rostered in fantasy.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
23 hours agoHouston Astros starting pitcher
Spencer Arrighetti was solid in an 8-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday. Arrighetti didn't end up getting the win with the Astros doing most of their damage late in the game, but he spun 5 ⅔ frames of two-run ball and looked better than he has in any start this season. The 24-year-old gave up four hits and three walks while striking out six to round out his line. He has some prospect pedigree and is worth keeping an eye on in fantasy leagues as he has shown strong swing-and-miss stuff despite poor results early in his career.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
23 hours agoHouston Astros designated hitter/outfielder
Yordan Alvarez continued his slump at the dish on Thursday, going 0-for-5 with three strikeouts in an 8-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians. Alvarez is now 0-for-17 with seven strikeouts and zero walks in his last four games. Fortunately for the 26-year-old, the Astros have won three of those games anyway. Alvarez is down to a .244/.312/.439 triple-slash line to go with 18 runs, 18 RBI, and a modest seven homers. They aren't terrible numbers by any means, but they certainly aren't what fantasy managers were hoping for when they drafted the slugger with a top-20 pick in most cases. Alvarez will likely turn things around and end up being one of the best four-category contributors in fantasy, but this stretch is frustrating nonetheless.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
23 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher
Blake Treinen (lung) was used as the opener in Triple-A Oklahoma City's game on Thursday, throwing a perfect inning with two strikeouts. Treinen has looked good in his past two appearances, allowing just one hit and accumulating three strikeouts and zero walks. With five rehab appearances under his belt, he might be ready to make his 2024 season debut soon for the Dodgers after bruising his lung early in Spring Training. The veteran will be a welcome addition to the Dodgers bullpen and should see a decent share of work late in close games, making him a solid add in saves-plus-holds leagues.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Alex Freedman
24 hours agoSt. Louis Cardinals outfielder
Dylan Carlson (shoulder) went 2-for-3 with a home run in a rehab game with Triple-A Memphis. Carlson was playing in his second rehab game and was used as the designated hitter in this one after playing in center field on Wednesday. He will likely need a decent amount of time to get himself ready for a return to the majors, as he hasn't yet played in a game for the Cardinals this year after suffering a sprained left shoulder in Spring Training. The 25-year-old doesn't have much fantasy appeal, but he was once a well-regarded prospect and is still young, so a post-hype breakout is possible.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
1 day agoHouston Astros shortstop
Jeremy Pena increased his hitting streak to five games as he tallied two hits in Thursday's victory over the Cleveland Guardians. Pena tallied his first hit of the game in the fourth inning with a ground ball to second base and then swiped second base but was unable to score. Later in the sixth, Pena ripped his first triple of the campaign to score
Gabriel Arias. The shortstop would then score twice, courtesy of a
Jon Singleton blast in the same frame and sacrifice fly in the seventh. Pena has a solid .333/.375/.467 line, and his underlying metrics suggest he could be in for a big summer with a .324 xBA. The former World Series MVP should be rostered in all formats and remains a solid DFS option.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoAfter starting at right tackle, right guard, left guard and as a tackle-eligible tight end in his first four NFL seasons, New England Patriots offensive lineman Michael Onwenu signed a three-year, $57 million contract extension and is now viewed as the team's starting right tackle. He started 10 games at right tackle as a rookie and finished off last year with 11 starts at right tackle. In his 11 starts at right tackle in 2023, the 26-year-old allowed only three sacks and one QB hit. The starters before him at that spot allowed five sacks and six QB hits in just six games. He'll be learning a new offensive system in 2024 under coordinator Alex Van Pelt, which will bring a new challenge for Onwenu and the rest of the team's offensive line. Onwenu feels pretty comfortable at right tackle at this point, but he noted with enough practice, he's also confident he could play left tackle, if needed.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MassLive.com - Mark Daniels
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