RADIO
Rui Hachimura Leads Clippers with 16 Points in Preseason Finale
Los Angeles Clippers forward Rui Hachimura scored a team-high 16 points in Wednesday's 122-110 preseason win over the Denver Nuggets, adding five rebounds, two steals, and one assist in 24 minutes. He shot 5-for-12 from the field, 3-for-5 from three, and 3-for-3 at the line. Hachimura led Los Angeles in scoring in all three exhibitions, totaling 51 points. He averaged 11.5 points while shooting 44.3 percent from deep with the Lakers last season, but Brandon Ingram (Achilles) and Max Strus (foot) will miss the start of the year, leaving Hachimura with more scoring opportunities when the Clippers open Wednesday against Sacramento.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Pierre Strong Jr. Can Be a PPR option in Very Deep Leagues
Green Bay Packers running back Pierre Strong Jr. stepped right into a meaningful role in his Packers' debut in Week 5. Strong was released by the Packers when they acquired Kaleb Johnson before the season, but he rejoined the practice squad and was signed to the 53-man roster last week. He played ahead of Johnson in Week 5, filling in the role vacated by Chris Brooks (ankle), who is on IR. Strong played 24 snaps (41%) while Johnson only played nine (15%), which mostly came near the end of the game after the result was mostly decided. Strong only had seven rushing yards on his five carries, but did add three catches for 11 yards. Strong should have a role for the next few weeks, and he's worth a stash in very deep leagues since he could get more work if Lloyd struggles. No Packers running back has done much on the ground this season, but Strong's early contributions as a receiver out of the backfield make him interesting in PPR formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Giannis Antetokounmpo Posts 20-15 Double-Double Against Brooklyn
Miami Heat forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded 20 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists, one steal, and three blocks in 24 minutes during Wednesday's 144-128 preseason win over the Brooklyn Nets. He shot 8-for-10 from the field but went just 4-for-9 at the line. Antetokounmpo had grabbed only four rebounds in each of his first two preseason appearances, so the 15-board night was a welcome sight. His minutes have also climbed from 14 to 18 to 24 across those outings. The free throws remain the main fantasy concern, but his workload is trending in the right direction ahead of the Oct. 21 opener against Minnesota.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Oskar Back Sustains Upper-Body Injury in Wednesday's Win
Dallas Stars forward Oskar Back (upper body) joined the team's growing list of absentees in Wednesday's 3-2 shootout win over Colorado. He was on the ice for only five shifts before being ruled out for the rest of the contest with an upper-body injury. Back has one assist in seven outings this season. He generally doesn't see much action, but Back's ice time has grown in recent games because of Dallas' lineup issues. Up front, the team has lost two key contributors: Matt Duchene (abdomen) and Wyatt Johnston (illness). Dallas hopes to have Johnston back on Saturday against Chicago. Johnston will likely fill Back's spot in the lineup if he can't play.
Source: Dallas Stars
Source: Dallas Stars
Darnell Washington Worth a Stash in Deep Leagues
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington has been getting enough work in the last few weeks to be worth watching, even though Pat Freiermuth is clearly the top tight end for Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers typically does a good job spreading the ball around to multiple targets, and Washington is a big target for him to utilize, especially in the red zone. Washington has at least three targets in each of his last three games, and he got into the end zone against the Browns in Week 4. In Week 5, he had two catches on three targets for 12 yards against the Colts. He isn't getting enough work to be a regular starting option in standard-sized leagues, but he does have enough touchdown-dependent upside to be worth a stash in deep leagues. If he became a full-time starter, he'd have potential top-10 upside.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Mikel Brown Jr. Impresses in Limited Minutes Wednesday
Brooklyn Nets guard Mikel Brown Jr. scored 15 points off the bench in Wednesday's 144-128 preseason loss to the Miami Heat, adding three rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 18 minutes. The No. 6 overall pick shot 4-for-7 from the field, 2-for-5 from three and 5-for-5 at the line in his first action after missing three games with a left ankle injury. Egor Demin remained in the starting lineup, but Brown should have a chance to challenge for a larger role as his minutes restriction eases. His efficient debut was an encouraging start ahead of the Oct. 21 opener against Charlotte.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Nicolas Roy Dealing With Lower-Body Injury
Colorado Avalanche forward Nicolas Roy was a late scratch on Wednesday against Dallas due to a lower-body injury, Ryan O'Hara of The Hockey News reports. Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar labeled him day-to-day. Roy has started the season well on the fourth line, recording two goals and two assists in six games. In Roy's absence, Gavin Brindley made his season debut. He was largely anonymous, logging just 6:46 of ice time. Colorado will finish this week's slate against Pittsburgh on Friday. Roy could be back for that one, as his injury hasn't been deemed serious.
Source: Ryan O'Hara
Source: Ryan O'Hara
Michael Porter Jr. Scores 27 Points in Preseason Finale
Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. scored a game-high 27 points in Wednesday's 144-128 preseason loss to the Miami Heat, adding one rebound, one assist, and one steal in 27 minutes. He shot 9-for-17 from the field and 4-for-8 from three, closing the exhibition schedule with his best scoring night. Porter averaged 24.2 points and 7.1 rebounds over 52 games last season, and Julius Randle's arrival hasn't kept him off the floor. The one rebound was unusually quiet, but Porter's scoring role looks secure heading into the Oct. 21 opener against Charlotte.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Ty Johnson Can Be a Deep-League Stash in PPR Leagues
Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson has played more than 20% of his team's snaps in each of his three games since recovering from a hamstring injury that cost him the first two games of the season. Johnson has not gotten much going on the ground, but he has been involved as a receiver out of the backfield. He had four catches on Monday against the Rams for 72 yards, and he also had four catches for 50 yards in his first game of the season in Week 3 against the Chargers. He only has one carry (for three yards) this season, but his third-down role makes him worth a look in deep PPR leagues. He splits backup work behind James Cook III with Ray Davis, which limits his upside, but his work as a receiving back makes him a deep league FLEX play that isn't touchdown-dependent. He and the Bills are on a short week but should be in a fantasy-friendly spot in Week 6 against the Raiders in Las Vegas.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Red Wings Determined to Keep Simon Edvinsson
Detroit Red Wings interim general manager Shawn Horcoff has no interest in trading defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who is an unsigned restricted free agent, Nicholas J. Cotsonika of NHL.com reports. "I have zero interest in trading Simon Edvinsson," Horcoff said Wednesday. "I want to keep him." Horcoff called Edvinsson a "big part" of the Red Wings' future and "someone that's very hard to come by." He's open to "anything" regarding a new contract. Edvinsson, the sixth pick of the 2021 draft, has shown huge potential. In 2025-26, he recorded 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists), 88 SOG, 148 blocks, 94 hits, and a plus-12 rating across 72 games.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Kristaps Porzingis Back at Warriors Facility, Remains Out Indefinitely
Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis (undisclosed) returned to the team's practice facility Tuesday. He met with general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Rick Celebrini, the team's vice president of player health and performance. The Warriors later confirmed that Porzingis remains out indefinitely, with no timetable for returning to practice or game action. The 31-year-old averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 15 games with Golden State last season. Head coach Steve Kerr is leaning toward starting the season with Draymond Green at center, while Charles Bassey could get more frontcourt minutes during Porzingis' absence.
Source: Anthony Slater
Source: Anthony Slater
Tennessee To Start George MacIntyre On Saturday
Tennessee quarterback George MacIntyre will be getting the nod as the play caller in Saturday's matchup with Alabama. Some speculated that true freshman Faizon Brandon would be fully healthy by game day, but the team appears to be opting for MacIntyre. MacIntyre is coming off his first career start, in which he led the Volunteers to a 24-17 win over Arkansas.
Source: Pete Nakos Of On3
Source: Pete Nakos Of On3
Tucker Kraft's Reception Share Showing Crucial Growth
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft got off to a slow start near the start of the season, but he has turned a corner by posting an increased reception share over the last few weeks. Across his last three games, Kraft has 20 targets, 15 catches, 132 yards, and one touchdown. He has posted double-digit fantasy points in each of his last two games, and he has a snap share of at least 92% in two of his last four contests. This increased volume and production has come at the same time as wide receivers Christian Watson and Matthew Golden ranking as top-12 receivers in total fantasy scoring this year. The Packers have posted mixed results this year, but their offense has still managed to support fantasy relevance for Kraft, Watson, and Golden all at the same time. The 25-year-old tight end continues to operate as a top-10 fantasy option at his position heading into Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Drake Maye Flips a Switch, Starts Playing at an Elite Level
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was playing at a very concerning level through the first three weeks of the season, but he seemed to flip a switch in Week 4. Now, over his last two games, he has a whopping eight touchdowns and just two turnovers, including five total touchdowns in Week 5 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Maye has now ranked as the highest-scoring quarterback in each of the last two weeks, signifying an utterly impressive turnaround. There's no guarantee that Maye continues to play at this level for the rest of the season, but he has quickly gotten himself back into the overall QB8 spot in total scoring this year, and he should only trend upward with top wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle) likely returning from injured reserve very soon. The former No. 3 pick out of UNC is firmly back in must-start territory moving forward. He should continue to feast in Week 6 against a very shaky New York Jets defense.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jameson Williams Remains a Big-Play Threat with Large Workload
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams is trending up in fantasy football, largely due to his sizable workload and big-play upside. Williams has played at least 89% of the snaps in each of his last games, and during that two-week span, he has eight catches, 149 yards, and two touchdowns. The bulk of those catches and yards came in Week 4. In fact, he only had two catches in Week 5, but both of those catches went for touchdowns. Therein lies a little bit of risk in starting Williams; his fantasy value is somewhat dependent on big plays, including touchdowns. The good news is that Williams has repeatedly shown that he is capable of breaking off these big plays, so the boom performances typically outweigh the bust performances. Because of his consistently large workload, the 25-year-old continues to rank as a low-end WR2 or high-end WR3 going forward.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
