22 hours agoTy Gibbs qualified 19th at Dover this weekend, but expect him to carve his way through the field at least to a certain extent. In last year's race, Gibbs started 24th and finished 13th in a race his teammate, Martin Truex, Jr., won. Additionally all of Gibbs' teammates finished inside the top six, indicating that the Joe Gibbs Racing cars were arguably the fastest in that race. While the Toyota chassis has changed in the intervening period, JGR's dominance at Bristol (where Gibbs also started 19th before leading 137 laps) may indicate they will dominate at Dover as well, as both tracks have a shared concrete surface. Although most people say Dover drives more like a superspeedway than a short track, some pundits speculate that the tire falloff may be similar to the Bristol race, which could play into JGR's hands. Gibbs should be an excellent dark horse candidate for the Wurth 400.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
22 hours agoAustin Cindric qualified 11th for this weekend's race at Dover, but it isn't one of his best tracks, as he failed to finish his first NASCAR Cup Series race there in 2022 and finished four laps down in 26th last year. Cindric did win his Xfinity Series start there in 2021, where he was generally much stronger, as he finished on the lead lap in ninth or better in all seven of his starts and led 130 laps. Although Cindric did have his best qualifying run as a Cup Series driver at Dover this weekend, he has pretty consistently qualified well this year despite being a complete nonfactor in the races, where he has usually faded to midpack except on drafting tracks. Expect this general trend to continue on race day.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
22 hours agoHarrison Burton scored his first top ten of the season last week at Talladega, but it is extremely unlikely to foresee him repeating that feat in this weekend's race at Dover. Although he did gain eleven positions from his starting position in both of his NASCAR Cup Series starts at Dover, he finished two laps down in both races and he has a mediocre average finish of 22nd. Additionally, in both races, his average running position was worse than his finish. Even in his Xfinity Series starts, he was essentially a nonfactor as he led no laps and finished no better than fifth for a Joe Gibbs Racing team that tends to dominate at Dover, as evidenced by Ryan Truex's back-to-back Xfinity Series wins there. With Burton qualifying 26th, it's hard to imagine any of these trends changing this weekend.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
22 hours agoMilwaukee Bucks forward
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's postseason matchup with Indiana. Head coach Doc Rivers doesn't expect the multi-time MVP to be out there for Game 4. Even worse,
Damian Lillard (Achilles), now in a walking boot, is also anticipated to miss Sunday's game. Fortunately,
Khris Middleton (ankle) is probable, so he should get most of the scoring opportunities if Lillard and Antetokounmpo aren't available. In addition,
Bobby Portis,
Pat Connaughton,
Patrick Beverley, and
Brook Lopez could also see an uptick in fantasy production.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
22 hours agoA.J. Allmendinger qualified 10th for this weekend's Würth 400 at Dover, giving Kaulig Racing its best starting position in the NASCAR Cup Series this year. Although Allmendinger has never led a lap there in the Xfinity Series, he has finished in the top six in his last three Xfinity starts there, including finishing sixth in his weekend's event. Allmendinger has had good performances in the Cup Series, but not really recently, as all three of his top ten finishes and 152 laps led came in a five-race period from 2009-2011 when he was driving for Richard Petty Motorsports. In the years since then, he has finished no better than 16th. He did have his best qualifying run in all that time today so he might be a little faster this weekend, but it definitely isn't something to count on.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
22 hours agoThe Boston Red Sox, who earlier today acquired veteran infielder
Garrett Cooper from the Chicago Cubs, have moved slugging first baseman
Triston Casas (ribs) to the 60-day IL. This was done to make room on the 40-man roster for Cooper. Casas was diagnosed with a painful cartilage tear in his left ribcage Friday. The designation to the 60-day IL means Casas will miss at least two months of the season. He reported that he was having difficulty breathing due to the injury. Casas had been off to a good start at the plate, hitting .244 with six home runs and 10 RBI. Cooper figures to take over as the everyday first baseman in Boston while relegating
Bobby Dalbec to the bench.
--Mike Carter - RotoBallerSource: Boston Red Sox
22 hours agoDallas Mavericks guard/forward
Tim Hardaway Jr. (ankle) isn't expected to meet the Clippers on Sunday. The veteran sharpshooter tweaked his ankle in Game 2 and wasn't available for Friday's win. However, Hardaway hasn't been a reliable fantasy option during this series, averaging three points and two rebounds. It's hard to imagine he'll be any more productive if he's cleared to suit up for Game 4. If anything, Hardaway missing Sunday's contest would open up minutes for
Josh Green, who would see value interest from DFS managers after amassing eight points, five rebounds, and one steal in Game 3.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
22 hours agoVeteran middle infielder Thairo Estrada (hamstring) reenters the lineup Saturday night for the San Francisco Giants, batting eighth and playing second base against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Estrada was forced out of the game on Wednesday night with hamstring tightness and missed Friday night with the aforementioned Pirates. Estrada is hitting .252 with three home runs and 12 RBI this season and is 4-for-16 with three runs in his last five games for the Giants. It appears Estrada has avoided serious injury by maintaining his spot in the lineup tonight.--Mike Carter - RotoBallerSource: Susan Slusser on X
22 hours agoLos Angeles Clippers forward
Kawhi Leonard (knee) is questionable for Sunday's postseason showdown with Dallas. After missing the end of the regular season and the series opener because of knee inflammation, Leonard finally returned for Game 2. He played well in that one, so most had assumed he was feeling better. However, the veteran logged just 25 minutes in Game 3 to finish with nine points and nine rebounds. As with any of Leonard's injuries through the years, his current knee issue is something to monitor, considering it could keep him off the floor for the rest of the playoffs. At any rate, if Leonard is ruled out,
James Harden and
Paul George would be the favorites to benefit on the scoring end. In addition, guys like
Russell Westbrook and
Norman Powell would automatically draw attention from DFS managers.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
23 hours agoThe Winnipeg Jets have recalled forward Axel Jonsson-Fjallby from AHL Manitoba and he appeared in the team's morning skate on Saturday. No corresponding move was announced. The 26-year-old flew in immediately to Colorado from Texas where he had been taking on the Texas Stars in the AHL playoffs. Jonsson-Fjallby skated in 26 games with the Jets this season, tallying two goals and five points in that time. He was far from productive with Manitoba where he recorded 12 goals and 30 points across 41 contests. The Jets trail the Avalanche 2-1 in their best-of-seven first-round series after dropping a 6-2 decision Friday.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Murat Ates
23 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers closer
Evan Phillips earned his eighth save Saturday afternoon in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Phillips surrendered a hit and unearned run in the ninth inning to go along with two strikeouts. In 12 games this year, the veteran relief pitcher has eight saves, a .77 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 15 strikeouts in 11 innings. He is striking out 29.5% of batters while limiting opponents to an 83.7 MPH average exit velocity, which is the 96th percentile in all of MLB. Phillips has surrendered only one earned run in nine April appearances. Continue to use him with confidence in all fantasy formats.
--Mike Carter - RotoBallerSource: https://www.mlb.com/dodgers
23 hours agoDallas Mavericks guard
Luka Doncic (knee) is questionable for Sunday's playoff battle with the Clippers. He's back on the injury report because of knee soreness. However, Doncic has been known to sustain minor ailments over the years, so it's hard to imagine he'll miss Game 4. The 25-year-old has struggled shooting the ball recently. However, he has still averaged 29.0 points, 9.7 boards, 8.0 assists, and 1.3 steals in this series. DFS managers should expect Doncic to see north of 40 minutes in Game 4, assuming the contest stays close, with the 25-year-old having the potential to finish as the highest-producing fantasy option on Sunday's slate.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
23 hours agoOn Saturday afternoon, Bubba Wallace qualified 16th for Sunday's Wurth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway. Despite high expectations heading into last week's race at Talladega, the eight-year Cup veteran made contact with Erik Jones on lap 154 of the 188-lap race, ending the day for both drivers. While 2024 has been a strong season for the 23XI superstar, as he already has three appearances in the DraftKings optimal lineup, it is unlikely that he will add to this total on Sunday. Despite finishing 12th at this track last season, his average DraftKings score in the Next Gen car at this venue is just 34.40 points, which ranks him 16th in the Cup Series. With no top 10s and an average finish of 20.2 in nine Cup starts at "The Monster Mile," Wallace is nothing more than a contrarian play, a driver you will want to limit your exposure to in DFS this weekend.
--Adam Erhardt - RotoBallerSource: Racing-Reference.info
23 hours agoRyan Preece will start 28th in Sunday's Wurth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway. On Saturday, Preece was largely underwhelming as he was only able to produce the 20th fastest time in practice (22.839), a time that ranked ninth among the Fords. What makes this time particularly interesting is that he was only on the track for 12 laps during practice, which was the second-fewest of anyone in the field. Given that his car was not strong, it makes you wonder why he limited himself to such few laps during practice. While drivers will sometimes limit themselves in practice in order to save something for qualifying, this does not appear to be what Preece was doing as he was just .327 faster in the qualifying session. Considering he has no top-10 finishes in seven Cup starts at this track, and that his average DraftKings score is 22.90 in the two starts in the Next Gen car here, we recommend limiting your exposure to the No. 41 in DFS this weekend.
--Adam Erhardt - RotoBallerSource: Racing-Reference.info
23 hours agoToronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann is processing well with his lower-body injury and the team hopes to see him back on the ice soon, according to head coach Sheldon Keefe. McMann hasn't appeared in a game since April 13 when he left a contest against the Detroit Red Wings early after getting hurt while clearing the puck shorthanded. Following a sluggish start, McMann enjoyed a nice season half to his season, tallying 13 goals over his final 33 games after recording just two goals through his first 23 contests. All told, the 27-year-old recorded 15 goals and 24 points across 56 games as part of his 11:34 of average ice time per game.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: David Alter
23 hours agoPhiladelphia 76ers center
Joel Embiid (knee) is questionable for Sunday's matchup against the Knicks. The injury report is misleading, considering Embiid is nearly guaranteed to be on the court for Game 4. Not only that, he's coming off a strong performance, amassing 50 points in Thursday's win over New York. While the 30-year-old is also battling Bell's Palsy, he guaranteed the Sixers would win this series. As a result, Embiid should be aggressive on both sides of the floor on Sunday afternoon.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
23 hours agoNASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson will start 27th in Sunday's Wurth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway. Every week in NASCAR DFS, there seems to be one driver in the field that is particularly difficult to assess, a driver that you can make a strong argument for and
read more...
23 hours agoTampa Bay Rays outfielder
Josh Lowe (oblique) was expected to be activated this weekend, but reports surfaced on Saturday afternoon that he felt tightness in his right hamstring. Instead of joining the team in Chicago to play the White Sox, Lowe will fly back to Tampa instead and will undergo an MRI on Monday. Lowe has not played a game this season, as he has missed all of it while recovering from an oblique injury. Lowe was a pleasant surprise for the Rays last season, hitting .292 with 20 home runs, 83 RBI, and 32 stolen bases. More information should be available early next week after he has the MRI to determine the severity of the hamstring issue. Lowe stated he was afraid of further missed time if he tried to play through the situation.
--Mike Carter - RotoBallerSource: Marc Topkin
23 hours agoWhen Carson Hocevar starts 20th in Sunday's Wurth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway, it will be just the second time the 21-year-old races on "The Monster Mile" in any of NASCAR's three major series. With no Cup or Xfinity starts, the only track history that we have to
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23 hours agoNew York Knicks center
Mitchell Robinson (ankle) is questionable for Sunday's meeting with the 76ers. Robinson began the series by nearly amassing a double-double with four blocks. Unfortunately, things have gone south since then, with the 26-year-old exiting Game 3 after reinjuring his surgically repaired left ankle. There's a real possibility he won't be out there for Game 4. But even if Robinson plays, he might not see enough minutes to justify his presence in any DFS lineup.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
23 hours agoNew York Islanders center Mathew Barzal scored in double overtime in Game 4 on Saturday, helping his team avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes. The 26-year-old tipped a Robert Bortuzzo shot to beat Frederik Andersen just 1:24 into the second overtime frame, notching his second goal of the game after tying the tilt at one apiece midway through the second period. Barzal had tallied just one assist through the first three games of the series but came up big when his team needed it the most on Saturday. Game 5 of the series goes Tuesday as the series switches back to Carolina.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
23 hours agoOn Saturday afternoon, Denny Hamlin qualified sixth for Sunday's Wurth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway. After a late race incident ended his day on lap 154 last week at Talladega, Hamlin is looking to bounce back at Dover, a track he has a lot of experience on. In 33 starts at "The Monster Mile," the Joe Gibbs Racing star has one win, seven top-fives, 15 top-10s, and an average finish of 16.1, which ranks 13th among full-time drivers at this track. From a fantasy side, in the two races in the Next Gen car in The Diamond State, the 43-year-old is averaging 48.49 DraftKings points, which ranks him ninth in the Cup Series. These numbers, while decent, leave a lot to be desired. With the fourth-highest salary on DraftKings ($10,800), you will need more than just average production to justify this play. While we fully expect the 20-year Cup veteran to be competitive on the track on Sunday, do not expect him to produce the fantasy results needed to take down a DFS contest.
--Adam Erhardt - RotoBallerSource: Racing-Reference.info
23 hours agoMilwaukee Brewers outfielder
Sal Frelick is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's tilt with the New York Yankees. Frelick will sit against the Yankees' left-hander,
Carlos Rodon.
Joey Wiemer will take his place in left field and hit ninth. Frelick is hitting .267 with no home runs, five RBI, three stolen bases, and 14 runs scored. Frelick is only 2-for-18 since last Saturday. Frelick has 101 plate appearances thus far in 2024, and only eight of those have come against left-handed pitching. This appears to be the case Saturday night. Look for him back in the lineup Sunday afternoon when veteran right-hander
Marcus Stroman takes the mound for the Yankees.
--Mike Carter - RotoBallerSource: Milwaukee Brewers
23 hours agoChase Briscoe is set to start seventh in Sunday's Wurth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway. With four top-10 finishes, and as the 12th-ranked driver in the playoff standings, Briscoe is quietly having a strong 2024 season. Despite being one of the more consistent drivers in the Cup Series this year in actual racing, as a fantasy play, he has been underwhelming. While his average DraftKings score of 32.50 is not disastrous, it does fall below value on his average salary of $7,200. What is also concerning is that in his three Cup starts at this track, he has an average finish of just 26th, with an average place differential of -10.7. Although it is important to recognize that Briscoe does have four top 10s in five Xfinity starts at this venue, his struggles at the Cup level on "The Monster Mile" cannot be ignored, which is why we recommend limiting your exposure to a max of 5-10% of your lineup builds this weekend in DFS.
--Adam Erhardt - RotoBallerSource: Racing-Reference.info
23 hours agoToronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson is moving down to the fourth line for Saturday's Game 4 versus the Boston Bruins. With William Nylander returning, Robertson is moving from the third line to the fourth line while Connor Dewar will come out of the lineup. While the 22-year-old has been held off the scoresheet through three postseason games, he was a very efficient goal-scorer during the regular season. Robertson tallied 14 goals and 27 points, nice totals not only because they were in just 56 games but in only 11:23 of average ice time per game. He has skated less than 10 minutes in each of the last two games of this series.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Mark Masters
23 hours agoAfter a disappointing 38th-place finish at Talladega, Christopher Bell will look to bounce back this weekend when he starts 33rd in Sunday's Wurth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway. Despite never winning at "The Monster Mile," there are plenty of reasons to be excited about Bell heading into this
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23 hours agoVegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson didn't participate in Saturday's morning skate but head coach Bruce Cassidy is anticipating that the Swede will still suit up for Game 3 against the Dallas Stars Saturday night. The nature of any ailment is unknown but Karlsson skated just 13:31 in the team's 3-1 Game 2 win on Wednesday. The 31-year-old enjoyed a productive regular season, notching 30 goals and 60 points on 175 shots across 70 games, going plus-15 in the process. It was his second-highest goal and point total of his career behind his 43-goal, 78-point campaign in the 2017-18 campaign, the first season of Vegas' existence.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Elliotte Friedman
24 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Tyler Glasnow (hand) exited Saturday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays with cramping in his hand. Glasnow had a dominant start, notching nine strikeouts in six innings while giving up only one run on two hits. At 95 pitches on the day it would have been likely that he'd exit after pitching six innings anyways. Given the 30-year-old's past history with injuries this should be something to keep an eye on, but hand cramps should be easier for him to overcome and the right-hander should be considered day-to-day. If Glasnow isn't forced to miss any time, his next scheduled start is slated for next Saturday at home against the Atlanta Braves.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Fabian Ardaya
24 hours agoCleveland Guardians second baseman
Andres Gimenez is back in the Guardians lineup and hitting second for Saturday night's game against the Atlanta Braves. Gimenez was out on Friday against Braves' southpaw
Chris Sale but gets a matchup today against
Charlie Morton. The lefty has never faced Morton in his career. He's hitting for a fairly average .664 OPS but has been hitting better on the road, increasing his OPS to .785 away from Progressive Field. Charlie Morton has fared much worse against lefties in 2024, putting Gimenez in a favorable matchup. Those looking for an option in DFS formats may want to entertain adding the Guardians' lefty into their lineup on Saturday night.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Cleveland Guardians
24 hours agoNew York Yankees designated hitter
Giancarlo Stanton is back in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers. The slugger was given a rest day for Friday's game but still notched a go-ahead RBI double in extra-innings in the Yankees' 7-6 loss to the Brewers. Stanton has had a solid start to the season slashing .232/.284/.476 with five HR and 13 RBI. He'll get a matchup against Brewers right-hander
Joe Ross, who Stanton is 2-10 against with a HR. With Stanton hitting for an .829 OPS against righties (compared to .658 vs lefties) he should be a viable option in DFS formats.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: New York Yankees
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