March 22, 2026
San Diego Padres starting pitcher
Walker Buehler has officially made the Opening Day roster, manager
Craig Stammen confirmed to radio host Sammy Levitt. This doesn't come as much of a surprise, as Buehler had put together an impressive spring training. Through three starts (11.2 innings) in the Cactus League, he maintained a 2.98 FIP with 10.03 K/9, 3.09 BB/9, and a 42.9% ground ball rate. Presumably, he'll end up in the No. 5 starter role, putting him in line to make his Padres regular-season debut on Tuesday, March 31, against the San Francisco Giants. Buehler was roughed up to the tune of a 5.45 ERA across 23 outings in Boston last year, but he latched on with the Phillies near the end of the season and enjoyed much better results. Across 13.2 innings with Philadelphia, he posted a 0.66 ERA with eight strikeouts and six walks.
--Andersen PickardSource: Sammy Levitt
March 22, 2026
Historically, Darlington Raceway has been a weak spot on the schedule for Ryan Blaney. Over 18 career starts at "The Lady in Black," Blaney has a middle-of-the-road average finish (18.7) and just four top-10 finishes. And despite all that time on track, Blaney has only led 24 laps in his career at this track. With that being said, the Team Penske driver is getting better, and in the spring race here last season, he walked away with a career-best fifth-place finish. This weekend, the No. 12 Ford will roll off the starting grid from seventh place, and Blaney looked to have good long-run speed in practice (seventh-fastest in 30-lap average) to challenge for a top-10 result. In DFS, Blaney is an interesting play at his $10,200 salary on DraftKings. He's definitely a viable option, though, as he has some Place Differential upside, and has a knack for racking up fastest laps late in the run at intermediate tracks.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Team Penske
March 22, 2026
Minnesota Twins relief pitcher
Matt Bowman has opted out of his minor league contract following a scoreless spring training, according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post. Bowman didn't pitch in the majors from 2020 through 2022, but he came back in 2023 and has made big-league appearances every year since then. He had been particularly effective this spring, allowing zero runs over 5.1 innings of relief work with two walks, six strikeouts, and a 50% ground ball rate. He also maintained a 0.00 ERA while pitching for Israel in the World Baseball Classic. Presumably, Bowman was told he didn't make the Twins' Opening Day roster, so he's hitting the open market in hopes of finding a better opportunity elsewhere.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jon Heyman
March 22, 2026
It has been a blazing-hot start to the 2026 season for Bubba Wallace, as the 23XI Racing driver sits second in the points standings after five races, thanks in part to a series-leading 53 stage points amassed. And the hot streak looks to continue this weekend at Darlington, as Bubba not only announced the birth of his daughter, but also qualified on the outside pole for Sunday's Goodyear 400. Bubba will be alongside his teammate, Tyler Reddick, to bring the field to the green flag on race day, as the drivers sitting 1-2 in points will start 1-2 in this race as well. As far as Darlington goes, Bubba has been solid here as of late, with five top-10 finishes over the last seven races (along with seven top-10 Stage results over the last eight). At $8,500 on DraftKings with no Place Differential upside, Bubba Wallace is a risky DFS pick this weekend, but he could pay huge dividends if his strong run continues on Sunday.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Heavy
March 22, 2026
Keep an eye on Chris Buescher this weekend at Darlington Raceway. The Roush-Fenway Keselowski Racing driver was a contender for the win here back in 2024, and over the the last six races at this track, Buescher has walked away with a top-10 finish five times. This weekend, the No. 17 Ford has been solid since the team unloaded it, ranking ninth-best in 30-lap average in practice and qualifying in sixth-place for Sunday's Goodyear 400. As far as DFS playability goes, Buescher is a risky play at $8,300 on DraftKings, simply because he has limited Place Differential upside, and he's not likely to be a main dominator during the race. Although he should have a solid top 10 race car to work with, that may not be enough for Buescher to hit value in DFS contests on Sunday--although you shouldn't fade him entirely by any means.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Catchfence
March 22, 2026
Don't sleep on Austin Cindric for Sunday's Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. Although he's definitely not the first driver to come to mind when the Cup Series visits "The Track Too Tough To Tame," Cindric has been pretty decent here (for his standards) over his career, including three straight finishes between 11th and 13th over the last year and a half here. As far as this weekend goes, the No. 2 Ford for Team Penske was one of the strongest on the long run in practice on Saturday, as Cindric had the best 10-lap average and even ranked third-quickest in 30-lap average. He qualified 12th for this weekend's Goodyear 400 and comes at a very affordable salary of $6,900 on DraftKings. In tournament/GPP formats, Cindric is absolutely worth rolling the dice on in DFS this weekend.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: ifantasyrace
March 22, 2026
It shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone to see Erik Jones' name at the top of the speed chart in practice on Saturday at Darlington Raceway. "The Lady in Black" is one of the best tracks on the schedule for Jones, as he is a two-time winner there and has one of the best average finishes (12.8) among all active drivers there as well. Erik Jones simply has a knack for racing at Darlington. Jones and his Legacy Motor Club Toyota led the way in practice with a lap of 29.925 seconds (164.331 mph) but the No. 43 wasn't able to back that speed up in qualifying, and instead Erik will start from back in 24th-place for the Goodyear 400. As far as DFS goes, that makes Jones a pretty attractive option with his Place Differential upside, especially at his affordable salary of just $7,500 on DraftKings. Remember, he finished third here last fall after starting 19th.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: RACER
March 22, 2026
Boston Bruins forward Morgan Geekie produced three assists as the team earned a 4-2 road win over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night. Geekie has become more known as a goal-scorer, but he showed off his playmaking ability in a key Atlantic Division matchup, helping David Pastrnak, Elias Lindholm, and Nikita Zadorov to score. His first assist came on the power play. Geekie has started to recover from an offensive slump, notching four assists in two games after being scoreless for five straight contests. The 27-year-old leads Boston with 34 goals and has tallied a career-high 61 points in 69 appearances.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 22, 2026
Denver Nuggets forward
Peyton Watson (hamstring) is questionable for Sunday's game against Portland after missing extended time with a right hamstring strain. Reports suggest he has a good chance to return, though he could face a minutes limit after the long layoff. Before the injury, Watson was averaging 14.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.2 blocks in 30.7 minutes. He is worth monitoring in standard leagues, but managers may want to see his workload first.
Spencer Jones and
Julian Strawther could see fewer minutes once Watson is back.
--Brian DailisanSource: NBA Injury Report
March 22, 2026
Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos had his fifth three-point outing of the campaign on Saturday, tallying two goals and one assist in a 4-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. The veteran star earned two points on the power play. Stamkos was very slow out of the gate this season, but only three players have scored more goals than him since December. He has already recorded more points than last season, with 33 goals and 22 assists in 69 games. The Predators are in desperate mode to make the playoffs, which should keep Stamkos performing at a high level for the rest of the way.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 22, 2026
Golden State Warriors guard
Stephen Curry (knee) will miss the team's next two games as he continues recovering from right knee soreness, with another evaluation scheduled when the team returns home Tuesday. Curry has begun increasing his on-court workload and could be nearing a return if that checkup goes well. In the meantime,
Brandin Podziemski and
De'Anthony Melton should continue seeing expanded backcourt roles and streaming appeal. Both guards offer fantasy value for scoring and assists, while
Draymond Green may also handle more playmaking responsibilities during Curry's absence.
--Brian DailisanSource: Anthony Slater
March 22, 2026
Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield erupted for a career-high five points in Saturday's 7-3 victory over the New York Islanders. He posted his third career hat trick and added two assists. picking up two points on the power play. The entire first line was a nightmare for the Islanders, combining for 14 points. Caufield is currently enjoying one of his best stretches of the season, having amassed eight goals and six assists over his last eight appearances. He leads the NHL with 24 goals in 2026. Overall, Caufield has lit the lamp 43 times, putting him in a race for the Rocket Richard Trophy with Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon and Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov. The 25-year-old has added 31 assists in 68 games during a career year.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 22, 2026
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin will start in ninth place for this week's Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway after qualifying. Hamlin is the only driver from JGR to qualify inside the top 10 this week. In 27 races at Darlington, Hamlin has five wins (most of active drivers), 20 top-10 finishes (most of active drivers), 1,022 laps led (second-most of active drivers), and an average finish of 7.9 (best of all drivers all-time). The No. 11 Toyota driver is also the defending winner of this week's race and has placed in the top 10 in each of the last four Darlington races. Through five races in the 2026 season, Hamlin has one win, three top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 12.0, and is currently fourth in the regular-season standings. In practice for Sunday's race, Hamlin ranked 34th in overall lap averages and as high as 12th in 30 consecutive lap averages. Although his practice speeds were underwhelming, Darlington is one of Hamlin's top statistical tracks and always is a threat to be considered for the win at the site. Fantasy players should not underestimate Hamlin because of his incredible track history at Darlington.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
March 22, 2026
Brooklyn Nets forward/center
Noah Clowney (wrist) will miss Sunday's game in Sacramento after suffering a right wrist sprain earlier in the week. This will mark his second straight absence, leaving Brooklyn thin in the frontcourt.
Ziaire Williams is expected to continue starting after posting 17 points, two three-pointers, four rebounds, one assist, and one steal in 25 minutes against the Knicks. Williams shapes up as a deep-league streaming option while Clowney remains sidelined.
Danny Wolf and
Josh Minott could also continue seeing steady minutes as the Nets adjust their rotation.
--Brian DailisanSource: Erik Slater
March 22, 2026
Chase Briscoe of Joe Gibbs Racing will start in the 23rd position for this week's Darlington Raceway Cup event, the Goodyear 400. Briscoe has not qualified this far back in the field in a Darlington Cup event since May 2023 and marks his first start at the site outside of the top 20 since joining JGR in 2025. In 10 Cup races at Darlington, Briscoe has eight top-20 finishes, two wins, and an average finish of 14.4. The No. 19 Toyota driver led more laps at this particular track than any other in the Cup Series (338). With five races completed this season, Briscoe has two top-10 finishes, but also three outside of the top 30, with an average overall finish of 24.0, and he currently is 26th in the regular-season standings. In practice for this week's Cup race, Briscoe ranked 33rd in overall lap averages, but displayed top-10 speeds in the 15-30 consecutive lap average categories. Darlington is one of Briscoe's best tracks statistically, and he has fast long-run practice speeds this week. Combine that with his high upside from his starting position, and Briscoe is one of the top DFS options of the week to consider for all formats.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
March 22, 2026
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov dominated against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night, producing two goals and two assists in a 5-2 road win. The former MVP made a mark in all situations, surpassing McDavid to take the NHL's scoring lead. Kucherov moved two points ahead of the Oilers captain and boasts 118 points (40 goals, 78 assists) in 64 games. In 2026, no one has come close to Kucherov in scoring, as he's managed 67 points (22 goals, 45 assists) in 29 outings. No other player has even reached 50 points since the turn of the year. This hot run of form makes Kucherov the favorite for the Art Ross Trophy, which he also won in 2019, 2024, and 2025.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 22, 2026
Brooklyn Nets center
Nicolas Claxton (rest) will not play Sunday against Sacramento as the team manages his workload on the first night of a back-to-back. With
Day'Ron Sharpe (thumb) already ruled out for the season and
Noah Clowney (wrist) sidelined, Brooklyn could rely more on smaller lineups.
Danny Wolf recently posted eight points, two three-pointers, six rebounds, two assists, and one steal in 24 minutes as a starter, while
Josh Minott added 22 points, six three-pointers, five rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two blocks in 26 minutes in a recent game. Both are worth a look as deep-league streaming options.
--Brian DailisanSource: Erik Slater
March 22, 2026
St. Louis Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker (lower body) is week-to-week. He didn't play in Saturday's 3-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks due to a lower-body injury and is set to miss multiple games. Tucker has appeared in a career-high 61 games this season, registering 13 points (three goals, 10 assists), 62 shots, 44 blocks, 90 hits, and 81 penalty minutes. Justin Holl rejoined the lineup on Saturday and is expected to have a regular role until Tucker returns. Saturday's game was only Holl's fourth appearance of the season in the NHL. He has recorded one assist, with two shots on goal, three blocks, two hits, and a plus-three rating.
--Taavi PailkSource: St. Louis Blues
March 22, 2026
Sacramento Kings guard
Russell Westbrook (foot) will not play Sunday against the Nets because of right foot soreness. The veteran guard's absence could open more backcourt minutes for
Killian Hayes and
Devin Carter. Hayes recently produced eight points, five rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block in 21 minutes, while Carter scored 24 points with three three-pointers, five rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 16 minutes in his last appearance. Carter stands out as a deep-league scoring streamer.
Nique Clifford could also see increased usage after posting 15 points, three three-pointers, eight rebounds, and seven assists in a recent start.
--Brian DailisanSource: NBA Injury Report
March 22, 2026
Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (upper body) is expected to miss a third consecutive game on Sunday against the Chicago Blackhawks, Vinnie Parise of The Hockey News reports. He landed on the shelf this week with an upper-body injury, prompting the team to recall Matt Murray from the minors. Justus Annunen has started back-to-back games, but Murray might get a look on Sunday since this is the second game in as many days for the Predators. Annunen has done an admirable job filling in for Saros, securing two consecutive wins and allowing just one goal in each game. Murray recorded a shutout win in his only start this season, stopping 23 shots in a 4-0 victory against Minnesota on Jan. 8.
--Taavi PailkSource: Vinnie Parise
March 22, 2026
Los Angeles Lakers guard
Luka Doncic is expected to miss Monday's game against Detroit after picking up his 16th technical foul Saturday, though the team has reportedly filed an appeal. The Slovenian superstar dominated in his last outing, recording 33 points, eight assists, five rebounds, and four steals. With 38.1 percent of the team's usage vacating the lineup,
Austin Reaves and
LeBron James become elite DFS plays.
Luke Kennard and
Jake LaRavia are viable short-term streamers in deep formats for three-point and defensive contributions. Expect a significant usage bump for Reaves, who currently averages 34.5 minutes per game.
--Brian DailisanSource: Dan Woike
March 22, 2026
Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron will start in the 13th position for this week's Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. It will be Byron's lowest starting position at the site in the Cup Series since September 2023. In 15 Cup starts at Darlington, Byron has one win, seven top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 15.4. Through the first five races this year, Byron has four finishes of 13th or better with an average finish of 12.6, while he is currently seventh in the regular-season standings. In practice for this week's Cup race, Byron ranked 14th in overall lap averages while ranking as high as 24th in 20 consecutive lap averages. The No. 24 Chevrolet driver may not have the fastest practice speeds, but his overall history at Darlington has been respectable. Fantasy players could take a chance on Byron this week in any DFS format, especially based on his season-wide performance to date.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
March 22, 2026
Milwaukee Bucks forward
Kyle Kuzma (Achilles) will not return to Saturday's game against Phoenix after exiting because of right Achilles tightness. Kuzma provided an early scoring boost before the injury, finishing with 20 points, three three-pointers, and a block in 24 minutes. If he is forced to miss time, Milwaukee could lean more on
Ousmane Dieng, who recently logged 11 points, one three-pointer, two rebounds, two assists, and one steal in 33 minutes as a starter. Dieng shapes up as a deep-league streamer, especially with
Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) still sidelined, while
Bobby Portis (ribs) could also take on a larger offensive role if cleared.
--Brian DailisanSource: Milwaukee Bucks
March 22, 2026
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz (throat) has been released from the hospital after taking a puck to the throat area before Saturday's matchup with the Ottawa Senators. Stolarz was set to start in the Battle of Ontario but was hit in the throat by a puck during the pregame warmups. He was taken to the hospital for precautionary imaging. After Saturday's game, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said Stolarz had left the hospital and would travel back to Toronto with the team. It appears the veteran netminder didn't suffer a serious injury and could be an option on Tuesday night against the Boston Bruins. Stolarz has posted an 8-9-3 record in 21 starts this season, allowing 3.34 goals with a .894 save percentage.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 22, 2026
Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing will start in the 22nd position for this week's Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. This is the lowest starting position for Bell in the Cup Series at Darlington since joining JGR in 2021. In 13 Cup races at the South Carolina track, the No. 20 Toyota driver has nine top-20 finishes, including four inside the top 10, and an average finish of 15.3. Through five races so far this season, Bell has an average finish of 13.0 with three top-5 finishes and is currently sixth in the regular-season standings. In practice for this week's Cup race, Bell ranked 27th in overall lap averages and as high as 24th in 10 consecutive lap averages. Bell's practice speeds were slow, but his Darlington track history has been decent. Since he drives for one of the top Cup Series teams in terms of equipment, Bell should not be fully underestimated for this week's race, but he is more favored in cash games than tournaments for DFS due to his upside from starting in the middle of the pack.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
March 22, 2026
Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports will start in the third position for Darlington Raceway's Goodyear 400 after qualifying. This will be Elliott's first top-5 starting position in a Darlington Cup race since 2021. In 18 Cup races at the site, Elliott has eight top-10 finishes with an average finish of 15.9. He also scored Positive Place Differential in each of the last six Darlington Cup races. After five races this year, Elliott sits fifth in the regular-season standings with an average finish of 9.4 and three top-10 finishes. In practice for this week's Cup race, Elliott ranked 19th in overall lap averages while ranking 26th in 20 consecutive lap averages. Although his practice speeds were underwhelming, his overall positive track history still makes Elliott a driver who should not be overlooked for this week's race. However, the limited upside from his high starting position makes him playable only in tournament DFS contests.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
March 22, 2026
Joey Logano of Team Penske will start 29th in the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway after setting a slower lap during qualifying. This is the lowest starting position for Logano in a Cup race at Darlington since his first race at the site with Penske in 2013. In 24 races at Darlington in his Cup career, Logano has one win, 11 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 13.6. Through the first five races this season, Logano has four top-20 finishes and scored positive Place Differential three times. In practice for Sunday's race at Darlington, Logano ranked 35th in overall lap averages, 28th in 10 consecutive lap averages, and 29th in 15 consecutive lap averages. Despite a favorable track history at Darlington, Logano's practice speeds were among the slowest in the field this week and did not improve during qualifying. It is because of his car's speed and slow start to the year that Logano is not recommended in general for DFS this week. The No. 22 Ford driver is only playable in cash lineups due to his potential ceiling from starting in the rear of the field.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
March 22, 2026
Trackhouse Racing's Ross Chastain will start 25th after qualifying for the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. This will be the fourth time that Chastain will start outside of the top 20 at the site since 2023. In 13 cup starts at Darlington, Chastain has seven finishes, including each of the last five, inside the top 15 with an overall average finish of 17.0. With five Cup races completed so far this season, Chastain has three top-20 finishes, including one inside the top five, and an average finish of 20.6 while ranking 20th in the regular-season standings. In practice for this week's Cup race at Darlington, Chastain ranked 36th in overall lap averages while displaying top-20 speeds in the 25 and 30 consecutive lap average categories. Despite his underwhelming start to the 2026 season, Darlington is a solid track historically for Chastain. Considering his starting position, which offers respectable upside, he is a driver who can be considered for all DFS formats, especially cash games.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
March 22, 2026
Kyle Busch of Richard Childress Racing is starting this Sunday's race at Darlington Raceway, the Goodyear 400, from the eighth position. This matches his starting position from this race one year ago, which was his best since joining RCR in 2023. In 28 races at Darlington, Busch has one win, 17 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 13.1, which ranks sixth among active drivers. After five Cup races so far this season, Busch has three top-20 finishes, an average finish of 21.2, and sits 22nd in the regular-season standings. In practice for this week's race, Busch ranked 22nd in overall lap averages but ranked fourth in 10 consecutive lap averages, third in 15 consecutive lap averages, and sixth in 20 consecutive lap averages. Although Busch qualified inside the top 10, he does not carry much PD upside based on his starting position. However, his practice speeds being faster on longer runs and his solid Darlington track history do make Busch a driver to consider for tournaments, as someone with low rostership who should aim to maintain a top-10 finish.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
March 22, 2026
Brad Keselowski of RFK Racing will start in fifth position for Sunday's Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. It will be the first time since Atlanta in February that Keselowski will start inside the top 10 this season. In 24 starts at Darlington, the No. 6 Ford driver has two wins, 12 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 12.1, which ranks third-best among active drivers. After five races so far this season, Keselowski has five top-20 finishes with two inside the top 10. He is also 12th in the regular-season standings so far. In practice for this week's race at Darlington, Keselowski ranked third in overall lap averages while displaying top-10 speeds in the 10-25 consecutive lap average categories, including fourth in 25 consecutive lap averages. Due to his high starting position, Keselowski does not carry much upside. However, his great track history at Darlington and fast practice speeds make him a solid contrarian tournament option for DFS.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
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