1 day agoHouston Rockets guard
James Harden (thigh) is unlikely to suit up for Monday's game against the Utah Jazz. The Rockets would be thin with
Russell Westbrook (rest) already ruled out for Monday.
Ben McLemore,
Austin Rivers, and
Eric Gordon would be asked to play heavy minutes and see a spike in usage. Gordon will be a popular DFS option if Harden sits out. Fantasy owners should check back closer to tip-off for more information.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Tim MacMahon
1 day agoCleveland Browns running back
Kareem Hunt, who will be a free agent in March, emotionally admitted that he would fail a drug test to a police officer during a traffic stop recently. This was caught on video of the police officer's dash cam during the traffic stop. Hunt also admitted that the small amounts of marijuana found in the car were his, but the officer let Hunt off with just the speeding ticket. It remains to be seen if the NFL will consider a suspension for the 24-year-old from this incident. Hunt was released by the Chiefs during the 2018 season due to a domestic-violence incident, and he served a suspension before making his Browns debut in 2019. If he signs with another team this offseason and is given bell-cow duties in the backfield, Hunt could have RB1 upside.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Associated Press - Tom Withers
1 day agoThe Pittsburgh Pirates acquired pitcher Brennan Malone and shortstop Liover Peguero from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday in exchange for outfielder
Starling Marte. Malone was the 33rd overall pick in last year's draft and was Arizona's No. 9 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. The 19-year-old right-hander has made strides with his command, but it'll be at least several years before he's an option for Pittsburgh's starting rotation. Peguero, also 19, hit an impressive .326/.382/.485 with five home runs, 38 RBI and 11 steals in 60 games with Rookie League Missoula and Low-A Hillsboro last year. He was the D-backs' No. 18 prospect and is a toolsy, pure shortstop prospect. He, too, will likely spent several more seasons in the minors before the Bucs consider him for their major league roster.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
1 day agoThe Los Angeles Chargers have "moved on from
Philip Rivers," according to FOX Sports' Jay Glazer. Rivers is set to become a free agent in March, and the writing was on the wall when he recently moved his entire family from San Diego to Florida. Rivers will end a 16-year run with the Chargers, but it remains to be seen where he'll land on the free-agent market this offseason. The Buccaneers are a popular expected destination, but that'll only be if they move on from
Jameis Winston. Rivers completed 66 percent of his passes for 4,615 yards, 23 touchdowns and 20 interceptions in 2019 for a QB rating of 88.5. He might have a few more seasons left in him, but at 38 years old his arm strength is clearly deteriorating, and he'll probably be more of a QB2 in 2020, depending on where he winds up.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: FOX Sports - Jay Glazer
1 day agoFree-agent outfielder
Carlos Gonzalez, who is 34 years old, intends to play in 2020. Gonzalez, a three-time All-Star with the Rockies, spent his first season away from Colorado last year with the Indians and Cubs and struggled in his 45 games. Car-Go hit just .200/.289/.283 with three home runs and 10 RBI in 145 at-bats. He was always a much better hitter at Coors Field than on the road in his time with the Rockies, and he likely has little left to offer fantasy owners if he signs with a team and makes their major league roster. At this point in his career, Gonzalez would be nothing more than a platoon bat in a corner outfield spot.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB Network - Jon Heyman
1 day agoThe Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to acquire outfielder
Starling Marte from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday, according to sources. It's unknown which players the Pirates are receiving in return, so stay tuned for more details on the swap. The rebuilding Bucs have been in the market to trade Marte all offseason, and they have finally gotten something done. The addition of Marte, who will in all likelihood play center field, will allow the D-backs to move
Ketel Marte back to the infield. Marte should receive a little fantasy boost with this move after he slashed a healthy .295/.342/.503 with 23 home runs, 97 runs scored, 82 RBI and 25 stolen bases in 539 at-bats in 2019. The 31-year-old is a nice contributor for his owners across all categories.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
1 day agoThe Chicago Cubs continue to have interest in second baseman
Scooter Gennett. Gennett got a late start to the 2019 season due to injury and just could never get on track, hitting an anemic .226/.245/.323 with just two home runs and 11 RBI in 42 games with the Reds and Giants. The 29-year-old did hit a combined 50 home runs in 2017 and 2018 with the Reds, though, and he was an All-Star in 2018 when he slashed .310/.357/.490 with 23 homers and 92 RBI in 154 games. Still, it remains to be seen if Gennett can get back to those heights, and there wouldn't be a guarantee of consistent playing time in Chicago if he signs there.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: 670 The Score - Bruce Levine
1 day agoTony Finau is in the field for the upcoming Waste Management Phoenix Open. Finau heads to Arizona on the heels of a strong T6 result at last week's Farmers Insurance Open. The young bomber would appear to be a natural fit for the WMPO, but his track record at TPC Scottsdale is surprisingly bad. Since logging a T22 in 2015, Finau has missed four-straight cuts at the WMPO. His recent form is tempting, but the puzzling course history makes him a risky fantasy prospect this week.
--Joe Nicely - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
1 day agoWebb Simpson is in the field for the upcoming Waste Management Phoenix Open. Simpson heads to Phoenix in terrific form. He recorded a top-three finish at the Sony Open earlier this month, his second top-three outing since November. The former U.S. Open champion also has a strong track record at TPC Scottsdale and logged a runner-up finish at the 2018 WMPO. Simpson is one of several elite players in this week's field, but he deserves the highest level of DFS consideration due to his consistency.
--Joe Nicely - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
1 day agoThe San Diego Padres are willing to send two young major leaguers and at least one prospect to Boston along with outfielder
Wil Myers in exchange for Boston Red Sox outfielder
Mookie Betts, according to multiple sources speaking on condition of anonymity. But in order for the Padres to take on Betts' $27 million salary for 2020, they want the Red Sox to pay more of Myers' contract -- he's owed $61 million over the next three years and Boston is offering to cover about half that. The Padres are willing to include outfielders
Manuel Margot or
Josh Naylor and starting pitchers
Cal Quantrill or
Joey Lucchesi. Betts, the 2018 American League MVP, would likely play center field in San Diego. With Betts set to become a free agent after the 2020 season, he'd likely be a one-year rental for the Padres.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Kevin Acee
1 day agoBubba Watson is in the field for the upcoming Waste Management Phoenix Open. Watson heads to Phoenix with tons of positive momentum on the heels of a T6 in last week's Farmers Insurance Open. It was the 41-year-old's best tournament finish since March of last year. Watson was sharp in all facets of the game at Torrey and gained over eight strokes tee to green. The two-time Masters champion has played well in recent starts at TPC Scottsdale and recorded a T4 in last year's Waste Management. He's a high-upside DFS option this week.
--Joe Nicely - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
1 day agoRickie Fowler is set to begin his title defense at the Waste Management Phoenix Open this week. Fowler won a wet and wild event at TPC Scottsdale last year with a final score of 17-under par. He heads to the 2020 Waste Management on the heels of a missed cut at last week's Farmers Insurance Open. The 31-year-old has developed an annual habit of playing poorly at Torrey and well in Phoenix. Fowler is a prime rebound candidate this week and should be considered an elite DFS option.
--Joe Nicely - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
1 day agoBaltimore Ravens defensive end Matthew Judon is a candidate to receive the team's franchise tag and could also be traded, according to league sources. The Ravens would like to bring Judon back in 2020, but they are also likely to listen to trade offers if another team shows interest. The Niners dealt a second-round pick to the Chiefs last year for defensive end Dee Ford, who then signed a five-year deal worth up to $87.5 million last March. The Chiefs also traded first- and third-round picks to the Seahawks last April for defensive end Frank Clark, who then signed a five-year, $105.5 million deal. Judon has emerged as a high-end pass rusher with at least seven sacks in each of the last three years. The 27-year-old had a career-high 9.5 sacks in 2019 and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
1 day agoThe Cincinnati Reds are considering trading outfielder
Nick Senzel. It makes sense now that the Reds signed outfielder
Nicholas Castellanos to add to the team's crowded outfield picture that now includes the likes of Senzel, Castellanos,
Jesse Winker,
Shogo Akiyama,
Aristides Aquino and
Phillip Ervin. Senzel, 24, was the team's top prospect coming up through the farm system and made his debut in 2019, hitting .256/.315/.427 with 12 home runs, 55 runs scored, 42 RBI and 14 stolen bases in 104 games. Hitting leadoff atop a revamped Reds lineup should benefit Senzel in obvious ways, and his power/speed combination is certainly attractive to fantasy owners as a breakout candidate in 2020. However, it looks like he may not be long for Cincinnati. Stay tuned.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB Network - Jon Heyman
1 day agoThe Cincinnati Reds agreed to a four-year, $64 million deal with outfielder
Nicholas Castellanos on Monday, according to sources. The opt-out clause in the contract will be after the first season. This is a great landing spot for Castellanos from a fantasy perspective at hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark. The 27-year-old (28 in March) hit .289/.337/.525 with 27 home runs, 100 runs and 73 RBI in 615 at-bats with the Tigers and Cubs in 2019. He really turned it on with Chicago to close out the season, slashing .321/.356/.646 with 16 home runs and 36 RBI in 51 games. He joins a crowded outfield picture in Cincy that also includes
Nick Senzel,
Shogo Akiyama,
Jesse Winker and
Aristides Aquino, but Castellanos will be an everyday starter.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
1 day agoMarc Leishman certainly wasn't the biggest star in the mix Sunday at the Farmers Insurance Open, but the big Aussie outplayed some of golf's elite to take down the title at Torrey Pines. Leishman started the day four shots back of the 54-hole leader Jon Rahm, but Rahm and his playing partner Rory McIlroy both struggled badly out of the gate, while Leishman set Torrey South's front nine on fire with a blistering five-under par 31. Despite some erratic drives on the back nine, the 36-year-old finished at 15-under par for the week, one shot clear of a late-charging Rahm. It was Leishman's fifth-career victory on the PGA Tour. He is not scheduled to play in the upcoming Waste Management Phoenix Open.
--Joe Nicely - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
2 days agoDallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen has been cleared and will make his return to the lineup as his team hosts the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday. The 20-year-old, who suffered a head injury in the second period of the Stars' 4-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on January 16th, missed just one game (with the All-Star break) due to the injury. In just his second NHL season, Heiskanen has already developed into a key cog on the Stars blueline - posting 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists), a plus-eight rating and 116 shots while averaging 24:06 of ice time per game. Fantasy owners would be wise to ensure he's active in lineups ahead of his return on Monday night.
--Chase Davis - RotoBallerSource: Mike Heika
2 days agoPhoenix Suns small forward
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 27 points on 8-for-19 shooting on Sunday against Memphis, adding nine rebounds and three assists. He also had five turnovers in a tight game, but he was at least able to provide some good scoring for the team again. Oubre Jr. had a number of 20-point games in the first half of the month before going four straight outings without reaching the mark. He's made up for it a bit with some great work on the boards, averaging 8.1 rebounds for the month. The Suns face Dallas next against whom Oubre Jr. recorded a nice 22-point, 10-rebound double-double in the first meeting of the season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoPhoenix Suns shooting guard
Devin Booker scored a game-high 36 points in Sunday's loss to Memphis, shooting 11-for-24 from the field and 7-for-11 from three-point land. He also made nine of his 10 free throws, adding five dimes, a pair of rebounds and one block. Booker had made 39 straight free throws before missing one in the third quarter. The 23-year-old sniper has now dropped at least 30 points in four of the past five games. Getting another one in the next matchup against Dallas could be difficult, though, as the Mavs own the best defensive record against shooting guards this season, and they limited Booker to only 18 points in the first meeting of the season on Nov. 29.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoMemphis Grizzlies center
Jonas Valanciunas had a perfect shooting night in Sunday's win over Phoenix, going 5-for-5 from the field and 2-for-2 at the line to finish with 12 points, seven rebounds, one steal, and one block. It was a solid bounce-back performance after he had shot just 3-for-9 from the field in Friday's win over Detroit. Valanciunas got quickly going again at a perfect time, as the Grizzlies have a juicy matchup coming up for bigs like him. The Nuggets are solid defensively, but the same can't be said about center
Nikola Jokic, who struggles against opposing bigs. Valanciunas is averaging a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double on 60 percent shooting this season against Denver.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoMemphis Grizzlies shooting guard
Dillon Brooks did it all against Phoenix on Sunday, finishing a 114-109 win with 20 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks. He shot a very good 9-for-17 from the field and 2-for-4 from downtown. Brooks has failed to hit the 20-point mark just four times in 12 appearances this month, shooting over 47 percent from deep. He generally doesn't do much in other categories, so his Sunday's effort was a nice bonus. Brooks gets an ugly matchup against Denver next on Tuesday, as the Nuggets have limited him to just 11 total points in two matchups this season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoMemphis Grizzlies point guard
JA Morant had a big fourth quarter on Sunday against the Suns, helping the team to a 114-109 victory. He scored 14 fourth-quarter points and finished with a team-high 23 overall on 8-for-18 shooting. Morant shot 7-for-11 from the charity stripe, adding eight assists, five rebounds and one steal with three turnovers. The 20-year-old rookie is shooting a very good 53.9 percent from the field this month, so his Sunday's performance was a bit of an anomaly. He should do better in the next matchup vs. Denver, who allowed Morant to shoot 54.5 percent in the previous meeting between the two.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoNew Orleans Pelicans power forward/center
Zion Williamson looked excellent again on Sunday, and this time he saw his minutes ramp up to a season-high 27 in the win over the Celtics. Williams was efficient once again, as he connected on 9-for-16 shooting en route to 21 points, and he also hauled in 11 rebounds for his first career double-double. Williamson went on to add two assists with a steal but did have four turnovers. He is averaging 19.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.7 steals on 66.7% shooting from the floor in his first three games, and we should continue to see these numbers rise with his minutes on the uptick.
--Gianni Costantiello - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoNew Orleans Pelicans guard
Jrue Holiday was excellent on Sunday, and his solid play helped secure the 123-108 win over the Celtics. Holiday poured in 25 points with six rebounds, five assists and four makes from three as he battled with the Celtics'
Kemba Walker. Holiday has scored 20-plus points just two times over his previous six games, but keep in mind he was listed as probable entering this one with a sore left knee. The Pelicans look to be making a push for the playoffs with a healthy roster, so this has led to trade rumors simmering down for the fantasy stud.
--Gianni Costantiello - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoNew Orleans Pelicans guard/forward
Brandon Ingram struggled to get going again on Sunday as he tallied just 13 points on 5-for-13 shooting. Ingram managed to add some extras with three assists, three rebounds and a steal in 30 minutes in the win over the Celtics. Ingram has seen his production dip to 17.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in the three games since
Zion Williamson has entered the lineup. We could have assumed his production would have taken a slight hit, but not to this extent. We should see Ingram get back in his groove soon, so hang in there owners.
--Gianni Costantiello - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoBoston Celtics guard
Kemba Walker managed to stuff the score sheet on Sunday, but his monster line was not enough in the defeat at the hands of the Pelicans. Walker contributed 35 points on 10 of 24 shooting while adding five rebounds, four assists and two steals with makes from three. Walker has stepped things up with
Jayson Tatum (groin) out and in his last two games is averaging 36.0 points, 5.0 assists, and three steals after recording just eight points three games ago on January 22nd.
--Gianni Costantiello - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoBoston Celtics power forward/center
Daniel Theis hurt his back on a dunk attempt on Sunday but still managed to finish the game in the loss to the Pelicans. Theis played 31 minutes and scored 15 points with nine rebounds while blocking two shots and an assist. Theis has been just awesome over his last seven games with averages of 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds. 2.7 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.9 blocks while shooting 67.3% from the floor. He should be good to go on Tuesday and has entered must-own territory in 12-team leagues.
--Gianni Costantiello - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoSan Antonio Spurs power forward/center
LaMarcus Aldridge was held in check on Sunday against the Raptors. Aldridge managed to record just 10 points on 3-for-6 shooting and added 10 rebounds with nothing else except a make from three in 35 minutes of action. Aldridge could not get things going and this can happen against the daunting frontcourt of the Raptors. He will look to get back on track on Monday when his club takes on the Bulls in Chicago who are one of the worst teams at defending the center position.
--Gianni Costantiello - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoSan Antonio Spurs guard
Derrick White provided another excellent line, but it was not enough in the four-point loss to the Raptors on Sunday. White recorded 14 points with four rebounds and also connected on two triples with four blocks and four assists across 28 minutes of action. White did commit six turnovers, but overall, White is making a case to be owned in 10-team leagues and deeper with averages of 15.0 points, 5.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.2 steals over his last five games. Take a look to see if he still on your waiver wire.
--Gianni Costantiello - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoToronto Raptors forward
Pascal Siakam had his best game since returning from injury back on Jan. 12 as he posted a 2020 high of 35 points in the win over San Antonio. Siakam was excellent, as he nailed 12 of 23 from the floor, which included five makes from three with eight rebounds and three assists while he also chipped in a single steal in 37 minutes of action. Siakam got going early, as he recorded a franchise-record 25 points in the opening period, and he is now averaging 29.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and three assists over his last two games as he looks to be getting back on track after struggling a bit since returning from his groin injury.
--Gianni Costantiello - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
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