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MarQuel Mederos Returns To The Win Column
MarQuel Mederos returned to the win column by beating Mason Jones via second-round TKO on the main card of UFC Sacramento on Saturday. The fight between Mederos and Jones didn't disappoint as they spent one and a half rounds slugging it out. The ending sequence came when Mederos landed some heavy elbows and nasty strikes to finish Jones via standing TKO. In 7:07 of action, Mederos landed 73 significant strikes. With the win, Mederos improved to 12-1-1 as a pro and is now 4-0-1 in the UFC.
Source: UFC
Source: UFC
Joshua Baez Still Worth Rostering for Power/Speed Profile
St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez hit three home runs in his major-league debut against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Aug. 15, but since then, he has gone 2-for-32 (.063) at the plate with a homer, four RBI, two runs scored, two steals, three walks, and 14 strikeouts. The 23-year-old right-handed slugger is hitting .139 (5-for-36) in his first 10 MLB games, with four of his five hits clearing the fences. The Cardinals' No. 3 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, has struggled to make contact so far at the major-league level, but his power/speed upside continues to make him roster-worthy in most fantasy baseball leagues, and he's only rostered in just over half of Yahoo leagues right now. Before getting called up earlier this month, Baez was slashing .256/.328/.573 with a .901 OPS, 34 home runs, 90 RBI, 21 stolen bases, and 79 runs scored in 103 games and 461 plate appearances at Triple-A Memphis. The former second-rounder in 2021 is not going to help much with average and on-base percentage to finish out his first year in the majors, but his power and speed can still be useful.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Brenton Strange Looking More Like a TE2
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange still has a secure job, but the fantasy case is not quite as clean as it looked a few months ago. Strange caught 46 passes for 540 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games last season, then Jacksonville gave him a three-year extension in June. The Jaguars also spent the 56th overall pick on Nate Boerkircher, and their passing game is crowded with Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, Travis Hunter and Parker Washington. Strange has continued to make plays in camp, including a red-zone touchdown from Trevor Lawrence during the August 19 joint practice with Carolina. Boerkircher scored in the same red-zone period, though, and Jacksonville has talked about using more two- and three-tight-end looks. That should keep Strange involved, but it also makes another big jump in targets tougher to project. RotoBaller has him at TE17 and 146th overall in PPR. Strange is still draftable as a TE2, but the number of mouths to feed makes him harder to trust as a weekly breakout bet.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Elvis Alvarado a Saves Option in Deeper Leagues
Athletics right-handed reliever Elvis Alvarado was called upon to close things out in Saturday's game against the division-rival Houston Astros, and he was able to get the job done to earn his third save of the season. Alvarado struck out two in a clean ninth inning, while Hogan Harris worked a scoreless eighth inning for a hold. The next day, Harris was called upon in the ninth and recorded his team-leading 13th save of the year against the Astros. On the year, Alvarado is 4-3 with a 4.29 ERA (4.63 FIP) and 1.19 WHIP with 51 strikeouts and 19 walks in 42 relief innings in his second year in the big leagues with the A's. The Athletics have mostly used Harris to close out ballgames this year, but they are not exactly settled on one guy for the ninth inning, so Alvarado could see more save opportunities down the stretch in a lost season for the team. Alvarado should only be pursued off the waiver wire in the deepest of fantasy leagues by managers who are desperate for saves. He's currently rostered in only 1% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Ryan Watson Emerging as Saves Option in Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels right-handed rookie reliever Ryan Watson could be emerging as an option for saves for the Angels after picking up his first save with the team in Saturday's win over the division-rival Texas Rangers. The Angels turned to Watson on Saturday after Ben Joyce blew a save on Friday night, and the 28-year-old struck out a batter in a perfect ninth inning to pick up the save, only the second in his first year in the big leagues. Watson began the year with the Boston Red Sox, where he posted a 4.53 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, one save, 43 strikeouts, and 19 walks in 55 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. He has yet to allow a run in 5 1/3 innings pitched with eight strikeouts and one walk in his six relief appearances for the Halos. Watson could become more interesting in the deepest of fantasy leagues if Joyce struggles some more, but for now, fantasy managers in standard-sized leagues can ignore the rookie reliever on one of the worst teams in baseball. He is not currently rostered in any Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
DeVonta Smith Back to Full Participation
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring) was a full participant Monday for the first time in three weeks, according to John Clark. Smith has been working his way back from a hamstring injury and was still limited during Philadelphia's joint practices with New England last week. Getting through a full practice is his biggest step yet with the regular season approaching. Smith played all 17 games last year and caught 77 passes for 1,008 yards and four touchdowns, giving him his third 1,000-yard season. He has missed a chunk of August, but Monday's workload suggests he's getting back up to speed after the layoff. With Smith now fully practicing again, the hamstring issue appears to be moving firmly in the right direction ahead of Week 1.
Source: John Clark
Source: John Clark
Bryce Miller Loses Consecutive Starts by at Least 17 Runs
Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller became the first pitcher since George Van Haltren of the 1890 Brooklyn Wonders to lose consecutive starts by at least 17 runs, according to ESPN Insights. In the Mariners' 19-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, Miller allowed six earned runs on two hits (two homers) while walking seven and striking out five in 4 1/3 innings for his eighth loss of the year. In his previous outing, a 22-0 shutout loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, he gave up six runs (five earned) on seven hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out three in 4 2/3 innings. The Seattle Times' Adam Jude reports that Miller admitted after Sunday's loss that he has dealt with a minor right-lat injury since his July 24 start against the division-rival Texas Rangers. He allowed five earned runs to Texas on that day and has a 7.92 ERA with 15 walks and 21 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings in his last six starts for Seattle. Fantasy managers should be avoiding Miller in his next scheduled outing this Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays, and he could be relegated to the bullpen once Bryan Woo returns from his shoulder injury.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Makai Lemon Back With First-Team Offense
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon (hamstring) was back to full participation Monday and took first-team reps, according to Dave Zangaro. That's a notable step after the rookie missed most of August with a hamstring injury suffered on Aug. 3. Lemon only returned to practice Thursday and was limited to individual work, so this is the first time he has been back in team drills since the setback. The first-team work itself isn't new. Philadelphia had Lemon running with the starters during OTAs and again when training camp opened before the injury interrupted his summer. The 20th overall pick is coming off a 79-catch, 1,156-yard, 11-touchdown season at USC. He still has some catching up to do after losing nearly three weeks of practice, but Monday puts him back in the mix for the role the Eagles were already giving him before he went down. UPDATE: The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane reports that Lemon said he thinks he'll be ready for Week 1 against the division-rival Washington Commanders.
Source: Dave Zangaro
Source: Dave Zangaro
Panthers to Use RB Committee if Chuba Hubbard is Good to Go
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that if running back Chuba Hubbard (hamstring) is good to go for the start of the 2026 regular season, it will be a running back committee also involving Jonathon Brooks, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. Per Steve Reed of The Associated Press, Hubbard was a full participant in Monday's training camp practice after dealing with a hamstring injury in recent weeks, so he should be ready to roll for Week 1, barring a setback. Brooks' fantasy value has skyrocketed in recent weeks with Hubbard banged up. In fact, Brooks is currently ranked as the No. 33 RB at RotoBaller, with Hubbard coming in at No. 37. A full-on timeshare between both backs will cap their upside for fantasy managers as RB3/flex options. Brooks has more momentum, but he has also played in only three NFL games since being drafted in the second round in 2024 due to multiple ACL tears in his knee. Hubbard had a career-high 1,195 rushing yards and 10 rushing TDs in 2024, but he fell to 511 yards and one rushing touchdown in 15 games with the Panthers last year.
Source: The Athletic - Joe Person
Source: The Athletic - Joe Person
Ryan Blaney Nabs his Third Victory of 2026 at New Hampshire
Team Penske's Ryan Blaney won the Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway after leading the most laps (115). Blaney started the race from the eighth position and ran well throughout the entire race. In the first stage, Blaney ran inside the top 10 throughout the whole stage and ended the stage in sixth, earning five stage points. In the second stage, Blaney's car was improved by his team, and he gained positions to run in the top five. Midway through the second stage, Blaney made it up to second and chased down Josh Berry, passing him on lap 148. The No. 12 Ford driver ran away with the lead and went on to win the second stage. Blaney lost the lead during pit stops in the stage break, and it was not until another set of pit stops after a lap 225 caution that he returned to the lead. The rest of the third stage consisted of Blaney maintaining a gap between him and Bubba Wallace, who made a charge in the later laps of the race. Although Wallace cut the gap down to 0.5 seconds, he did not have enough time to pass Blaney, and he held on to win at New Hampshire for the second year in a row. Blaney's third win of the 2026 season now puts him second in the Cup Series standings after 25 races.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Sean Tucker a Potential Salary-Cap Casualty
FOX Sports' Greg Auman writes that Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker could be a salary-cap casualty. The Bucs played Josh Williams ahead of Tucker in their second preseason game on Saturday against the Kansas City Chiefs, and there is a chance they are lukewarm to paying Tucker $3.52 million to be their RB3 or RB4 in 2026. Auman adds that it was surprising when Tampa gave Tucker a full restricted free-agent tender back in March instead of trying to bring him back on a lesser deal. He could be cut next weekend, with the Bucs either moving on entirely or trying to bring him back for less money. Williams, an undrafted rookie last year who served a six-game suspension, would be in line for RB3 duties if Tucker is cut entirely and not re-signed. The 24-year-old Tucker has had his moments in his three seasons with the Bucs, including scoring a career-high seven rushing touchdowns on 86 rushing attempts in 17 games last year. Getting cut and landing with a new organization might be Tucker's best path to fantasy relevance in 2026 and beyond.
Source: FOX Sports - Greg Auman
Source: FOX Sports - Greg Auman
Bubba Wallace Misses Out on Victory at New Hampshire
Bubba Wallace of 23XI Racing finished Sunday's Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway as the runner-up despite a late-race charge. Wallace faced an uphill battle from the beginning as he began the race from 23rd place. In the first stage, Wallace displayed plenty of speed early as he gained several positions during the stage. He ended the first stage in 11th, falling one position short of earning stage points. In the second stage, Wallace continued to move up through the field with his fast car. Wallace's execution of pit stops by his pit crew, combined with his gaining of track position, left him placing third by the end of the second stage, scoring eight stage points. In the final stage, Wallace competed with Josh Berry for the lead for several laps until he went to pit road during a caution on lap 225. Wallace came off of pit road in sixth after taking four tires behind drivers that took two tires. For the rest of the race, Wallace passed other drivers and made it up to second, where he spent the rest of the race chasing Ryan Blaney for the victory. Despite cutting Blaney's lead from over two seconds to 0.5 seconds, Wallace could not get past Blaney and settled for second place. With 25 races completed, Wallace is now 14th in the Cup Series standings.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Josh Berry Scores his Best Finish of 2026 at New Hampshire
Wood Brothers Racing driver Josh Berry was one of the top contenders to fight for the win during the Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Berry started the race from second and displayed plenty of speed early as he ran inside the top five throughout the first stage. The No. 21 Ford driver did contend for the lead directly on a few restarts, but fell back to fifth by the end of the first stage, earning six stage points. After falling a few positions during the stage break due to other drivers staying out, Berry had a faster car than most and moved up to the lead on lap 98. Berry held onto the lead outside of pit stops until lap 148, when Ryan Blaney passed him for what eventually was the second stage win. In the final stage, Berry kept trading the lead with Bubba Wallace until a lap 225 caution caused Berry to pit for four tires and fall further back in the pack. From there, Berry rallied all the way to the third position behind Wallace and Blaney to score his best finish of the 2026 season so far. After his fourth consecutive top-10 finish in the last four races, Berry moves up to 29th in the Cup Series standings after 25 races this year.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Kyle Larson Finishes Fifth at New Hampshire and Clinches A Chase Spot
Kyle Larson was the top-finishing driver from Chevrolet in Sunday's Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Larson started ninth in Sunday's race after qualifying, but showed plenty of speed early in the first stage. The No. 5 Chevrolet driver made up positions on track and through pit road, and on lap 57, he gained the lead and went on to win the first stage without much competition. During the stage break, Larson was the first driver off pit road among the drivers who pitted, but he lost the lead because other drivers stayed out. He spent the rest of the second stage trying to return to the lead, but only made it as high as fifth, earning six more stage points. In the final stage, Larson kept his car clean and ran in the top 10 through most of the stage. By the end of the race, Larson finished in fifth position and was the only Chevrolet driver to finish in the top 10. After 25 races this season, Larson is now seventh in the Cup Series standings and has clinched a spot in The Chase for 2026.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Denny Hamlin Clinches the No. 1 Seed in The Chase After New Hampshire
Denny Hamlin ended Sunday's Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with a top-10 finish. Hamlin began the race from the fourth position but quickly dealt with a positional setback on the first lap. Tyler Reddick spun his car in front of Hamlin, causing Hamlin to slow down to avoid crashing into him. Reddick's spin caused Hamlin to move to the back of the field and made him lose positions that he spent the rest of the first stage trying to recover. By the end of the first stage, Hamlin made it back to 20th, but failed to score stage points. In the final two stages, Hamlin marched through the field and made it back to the top 10 thanks to good pit stops and a fast enough car. Hamlin scored two stage points after finishing ninth at the end of the second stage and then went on to finish seventh by the end of the race. With his best finish since 2023 at New Hampshire of seventh, Hamlin now clinched the No. 1 Seed in The Chase and is seen as one of the top favorites to win this year's NASCAR Cup Series Championship.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
