1 day agoLos Angeles Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto tossed a gem on Thursday, working six shutout innings on four hits and just one walk while punching out seven as part of a narrow 2-1 win over the hosting Washington Nationals. After allowing five earned runs in his MLB debut against the San Diego Padres on March 21, the 25-year-old has now allowed a total of just six earned runs over his last five starts. As a result, he has managed to lower his ERA to 3.54 through six starts with 37 strikeouts against just six walks across 28 innings of work, going 2-1 in that time. His next start is scheduled for Tuesday in Arizona to take on the D-backs in a key NL West clash.Source: MLB.com
1 day agoThe Minnesota Vikings traded up one spot from 11th to 10th with the New York Jets in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night to select Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. The Vikings wanted McCarthy all along and ended up not needing to trade into the top five to get their next franchise signal-caller. McCarthy won a national championship with the Wolverines last year but wasn't asked to do a lot with a strong running back behind him. He ran a pro-style offense in college, which should give him a high floor at the next level, and he'll be set up well for future success in Minnesota with a great one-two punch in receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. The talent is there with McCarthy, but he also didn't have the big sample size that the other big-name QB prospects in this draft did. McCarthy won't necessarily start in his rookie year in 2024 with Sam Darnold also in town.Source: NFL.com
1 day agoThe Minnesota Vikings are trading with the New York Jets from the No. 11 to the No. 10 spot in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Vikings get a 2024 first-round (No. 10) selection and a 2024 sixth-round pick, while the Jets receive a 2024 first-round pick (No. 11), 2024 fourth-round, and 2024 fifth-round pick. With the Vikings unable to deal with the New England Patriots to take Drake Maye, Minnesota selected Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Jets ended up taking Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu.Source: Ari Meirov
1 day agoColorado Rockies outfielder Brenton Doyle was all over it on Thursday as part of a 10-9 win over the visiting San Diego Padres. The 25-year-old went 3-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, three runs scored, and two stolen bases on the day, scoring the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning, as well. The massive outing raised his average to a hefty .330 on the season while he has three homers, four stolen bases, 16 runs scored, and an .898 OPS across 25 games and 97 trips to the plate. Doyle flashed signs of a nice power and speed combination with 10 homers, 16 doubles, five triples, and 22 stolen bases across 126 games in his rookie season in 2023 but also hit just .203 and struck out in 35% of his plate appearances. He has just five walks against 28 strikeouts on the season but remains a solid fantasy asset if he continues to provide value in the power and speed departments.Source: MLB.com
1 day agoThe Chicago Bears selected Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night. Thats back-to-back picks out of Washington after quarterback Michael Penix Jr. surprisingly went eighth overall to the Atlanta Falcons. Odunze led the country in receiving yards in 2023 and is a special talent. He has length and excels at contested catches down the field. It helped that he had an excellent passer to throw him the football in Penix, but this kid is still special and should have an excellent career. The Bears have now added QB Caleb Williams and Odunze with their first two picks this year. While Odunze has plenty to like in the long-term, he'll be hard-pressed to make a huge impact in his rookie season in 2024 with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen set to be target hogs in this Bears offense.Source: NFL.com
1 day agoPhiladelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler was brilliant on Thursday, tossing six shutout innings while allowing just one hit while punching out eight on the afternoon as part of a 5-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds. He walked four on the day and was at 103 pitches by the end of his outing but managed to earn his second decision of the season. With the outing, the 33-year-old lowered his ERA to a tidy 1.93 mark on the season through six starts, striking out 46 while walking 11 across 37 1/3 innings of work. Somehow, he has managed to go just 2-3 on the young season. He lines up to take on the Angels in his next scheduled start next Tuesday in Los Angeles.Source: MLB.com
1 day agoThe Atlanta Falcons selected Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night. This is the first real surprise of this year's draft after the Falcons signed quarterback Kirk Cousins this offseason. Injuries are the main concern for Penix, but besides that, he showed plenty of long-term upside in his two seasons with the Huskies, culminating in a national championship appearance earlier this year. The 23-year-old lefty will obviously enter his first season in the NFL as a clear backup in Atlanta, but this pick will give the Falcons insurance with Cousins returning from a torn Achilles in 2023. This selection will be debated for a while, especially given all of Atlanta's needs on defense.Source: NFL.com
1 day agoPhiladelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper celebrated the birth of his second child with a home run on Thursday in his return from the paternity list. Harper's third-inning two-run shot was his fifth of the season and gave the Phillies a 4-0 lead as part of an eventual 5-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Interestingly, Harper also homered in his first game back from the birth of his first child five years ago. The 31-year-old is now hitting .256 with those five long balls alongside 16 RBI and an .835 OPS across 22 games on the season. The two-time NL MVP has made a full-time transition to first base this season to take pressure off of his surgically-repaired elbow and has provided his typical big-time offense for fantasy managers early in the 2024 season.Source: MLB
1 day agoThe Tennessee Titans selected Alabama offensive tackle JC Latham with the seventh overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night. The Titans were hoping that Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt, the consensus No. 1 offensive lineman in this class, would fall to them at No. 7, but that didn't happen -- he went to the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 5. Latham is a solid fallback option, though, and should immediately boost the protection for young quarterback Will Levis in Tennessee. The 21-year-old is a mauler at right tackle and short start immediately in his rookie season in the NFL in 2024. He weighed in at 342 pounds, so he's a mountain of a man with long arms and huge hands. This pick is great news for Levis and running backs Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears.Source: NFL.com
1 day agoThe New York Giants selected LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night. There was plenty of noise in the days leading up to the draft that the G-Men wanted to trade up to draft either North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye or Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy, but that ended up being a smokescreen despite the questions about Daniel Jones as he comes off a torn ACL. Nabers is one of the fastest and most explosive receivers in a stacked class at the position and will give Jones an elite offensive weapon as he looks to bounce back in 2024. He should become New York's immediate No. 1 wideout among a group that includes Wan'Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt and Darius Slayton. Nabers will make the Giants more explosive immediately, but can Jones get him the ball consistently behind a shaky offensive line?Source: NFL.com
1 day agoThe Los Angeles Chargers selected Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt with the fifth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night. Under new head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman, the Chargers are unsurprisingly trying to build up their offensive line to help protect their ground game and quarterback Justin Herbert. Alt was the consensus best offensive-line prospect in this year's draft and should be a starter in LA from Day 1 in 2024 at right tackle across from Rashawn Slater on the left side. He stands at 6-foot-8 1/2 and 320 pounds and uses his size and strength to his advantage to climb to the second level. Despite his towering size, he's quick and nasty in the trenches. Not only will Alt help keep Herbert clean in the pocket, but he should be an asset in the run game, too.Source: NFL.com
1 day agoDallas Mavericks forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper (ankle) won't play on Friday against the Clippers. The rookie tweaked his ankle during practice on Thursday. However, he hasn't seen much action this postseason, logging just one minute in Game 1, meaning he wouldn't have garnered any attention from DFS managers even if he was available.Source: NBA Injury Report
1 day agoLos Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee) is questionable for Friday's postseason meeting with the Dallas Mavericks. The veteran battled knee inflammation, forcing him to miss time toward the end of the 2023-24 campaign. He also wasn't available for Game 1, although he was back on the floor for Tuesday's loss. Despite struggling shooting the ball, Leonard still finished with 15 points, seven boards, four steals, and one block. Nonetheless, with the series tied at one game each, the 32-year-old should be cleared to suit up and see a full workload.Source: NBA Injury Report
1 day agoThe Arizona Cardinals selected Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night. With no other team trading up with the Cardinals to make it four straight quarterbacks in a row to start this year's draft, the Cardinals will give QB Kyler Murray a big-time new receiving weapon in Harrison. It makes sense after the team lost Marquise Brown this offseason. Harrison is an absolute stud at the position and should immediately be Arizona's best wideout in his rookie year alongside names like Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch and Chris Moore. Harrison was a unanimous two-time All-American and scored 28 total touchdowns the last two years. He's bigger than his father and has incredible body control. Harrison should be fantasy relevant in Year 1 while being peppered with targets by Murray.Source: NFL.com
1 day agoThe New England Patriots selected North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye with the third overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night. The Patriots will open the Jerod Mayo era with a new franchise QB in Maye after the team traded former first-rounder Mac Jones to the Jaguars this offseason. The 21-year-old has prototypical size at 6-foot-4, 223 pounds, plenty of arm strength and the intangibles that coaches like. However, he's much more of a project than Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, and may need to sit for a year behind Jacoby Brisset and Bailey Zappe before New England is comfortable naming him the unquestioned starter under center. Long-term, though, Maye has the talent to be a great QB in the NFL. The problem in New England, though, is that they're lacking in offensive weapons around him right now.Source: NFL.com
1 day agoGolden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry was named the 2023-24 NBA Clutch Player of the Year on Thursday night. The veteran sharpshooter has had plenty of big moments throughout his career, so this shouldn't surprise anyone. With that said, Curry, who has been in the league for 15 seasons, is as good as ever. He averaged 26.4 points and 5.1 assists during the 2023-24 campaign. He also appeared in 74 games, his most since 2016-17. While Curry might only have a few seasons left, he should remain productive until he calls it quits.Source: Shams Charania
1 day agoThe Washington Commanders selected LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night. Daniels should enter Week 1 as the team's starter under center after Washington traded last year's starter, Sam Howell, to the Seahawks this offseason. The 23-year-old Heisman Trophy winner last year might be the most physically gifted QB in this draft class, although there is some concern that he might not be able to withstand the beating at the position, especially if he continues to take unnecessary hits as a runner. Like Caleb Williams, the upside is off the charts, and he'll have a strong No. 1 receiver in Terry McLaurin and a strong backfield behind him with Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson Jr.Source: NFL.com
1 day agoThe Chicago Bears selected USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick, as expected, in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night. Last year's draft trade with the Carolina Panthers allowed Chicago to move to the No. 1 spot this year. Williams was the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick to the Bears for the entire pre-draft process, and it became more apparent when they dealt Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers a month ago. Not only is the 22-year-old the safest QB prospect in this year's class, but he's entering a situation in Chicago that should be conducive to immediate success in real life and in fantasy. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner will be the clear top pick in rookie-only fantasy drafts this fall and should be in play in two-QB leagues in 2024 as well.Source: NFL.com
1 day agoPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown has signed a three-year, $96 million contract, which is the highest for any wide receiver in NFL history. This contract keeps him as an Eagle through 2029. Brown struggled toward the end of last season, and there were growing concerns that the All-Pro was interested in leaving Philadelphia. This massive extension puts those rumors to rest. Despite the disappointing finish, the 26-year-old tallied 1,456 yards and seven touchdowns. Brown will again be considered a top-tier wide receiver in fantasy drafts this year and will serve as the primary target for Jalen Hurts.Source: Ian Rapoport
1 day agoThe current expectation is that the Minnesota Vikings will stay put at pick No. 11 overall in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night, and that Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy will be on the board when they're on the clock. The Vikings added an extra first-round pick (No. 23) to aid a potential jump into the top five to take a franchise signal-caller, but they may not need to do that after all. The Denver Broncos have been subtly linked to McCarthy as well, and they'd only have to jump from No. 12 to No. 10 to cut in front of Minnesota. McCarthy has also been linked to the New York Giants (No. 6) in recent days, but that's believed to have been a smokescreen. The Vikings are desperate for a new QB after failing to re-sign Kirk Cousins in free agency.Source: Pro Football Talk - Mike Florio
1 day agoPer a league source, the current expectation is that the New England Patriots will sit tight at No. 3 overall in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night and take North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. The New York Giants (No. 6) and Minnesota Vikings (No. 11) had been linked to a potential trade up to No. 3, but the Patriots unsurprisingly have been asking for a lot in return. If the Patriots do stay in the third spot, their next challenge will be getting Maye ready after he showed plenty of inconsistencies and shaky mechanics in his final year with the Tar Heels. In an ideal world for the Pats, Maye would sit and learn behind veteran Jacoby Brissett and Bailey Zappe in 2024 and then be ready to go as the team's starter under center in 2025. The Patriots traded former first-rounder Mac Jones to the Jaguars this offseason.Source: Pro Football Talk - Mike Florio
1 day agoPhiladelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) has been cleared to play in Game 3 against the Knicks on Thursday. The team has upgraded him from questionable to available. He was always going to play, and Philadelphia will need him to play well to overcome a 2-0 deficit in the first-round series. Embiid has averaged 31.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in 38.0 minutes through the first two games in the matchup.Source: Philadelphia 76ers
2 days agoChicago Cubs top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong blasted the first home run of his major-league career during Thursday's 3-1 win over the Houston Astros. The 22-year-old came to the plate with a man on in a tie game and smoked a Bryan Abreu offering into the seats. Crow-Armstrong is one of the top outfield prospects in baseball and should see steady playing time with Cody Bellinger (rib) sidelined for a while. Crow-Armstrong was struggling in Triple-A prior to being called up, but his speed and power blend make him worthy of a speculative add in the short-term.Source: MLB.com
2 days agoHouston Astros starter J.P. France was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land on Thursday evening ahead of the team's trip to Mexico City. France has struggled to the tune of a 7.46 ERA, 1.70 WHIP and 0-3 record so far this season. His demotion opens up a roster spot for Framber Valdez (elbow), who is set to return for Sunday's game against the Colorado Rockies. It is unclear how the rest of the Astros rotation will shake out, but it looks like rookie right-hander Spencer Arrighetti will stick in the majors for the time being. France can be dropped in all formats.Source: Chandler Rome
2 days agoCleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase picked up his eighth save of the year after firing a perfect ninth inning during Thursday's 6-4 win over the Boston Red Sox. Clase entered the game with the top of the Red Sox order due up, but quickly sat them down after 12 pitches. The 26-year-old is enjoying a phenomenal start to the season, as evidenced by his 0.69 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 14/1 K/BB. Clase struggled a bit last season, but he is back to being one of the top closers in baseball. Fantasy managers can expect him to finish the year near the top of the saves leaderboard.Source: MLB.com
2 days agoCleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez was 3-for-4 with a grand slam, stolen base and two runs scored during Thursday's 6-4 win over the Boston Red Sox. Ramirez smoked a ball to right field in the second inning after battling through a 10-pitch at-bat against Chase Anderson. The five-time All Star is now slashing .260/.271/.471 with five homers, 23 RBI, three stolen bases and 18 runs scored. He has had a more aggressive approach at the plate this season which has resulted in only two walks through 24 games. Despite the lower than normal OBP, Ramirez seems to be recovering nicely from a slower start to the year and remains one of the best third-base options in fantasy.Source: MLB.com
2 days agoThe Kansas City Chiefs have really been working to see if they can move up from No. 32 in the first round of Thursday night's NFL draft. The belief around the league is that the Chiefs moving up from No. 32 would be for one of the speed wide receivers in this talented draft class at the position. It makes sense given the fact that the Chiefs are expecting second-year wideout Rashee Rice to be suspended for multiple games in 2024 after his involvement in a car accident that involved injuries. Even with Rice in the fold, KC has the need to bolster their receiving corps behind Rice and aging tight end Travis Kelce. If the Chiefs do pull off a trade up in the latter portion of the first round, they could be targeting Texas receiver Xavier Worthy.Source: NFL Network - James Palmer
2 days agoDallas Mavericks forward/center Daniel Gafford (back) is considered questionable for Friday's Game 3 against the Clippers. He couldn't practice on Thursday after being limited to only nine minutes due to a back issue in Game 2. Maxi Kleber saw 28 minutes off the bench on Tuesday, while Dereck Lively II also benefited. Both should figure heavily in the rotation again on Friday if Gafford can't play. Lively II could be an intriguing DFS play if he joins the first unit. The rookie from Duke averaged 8.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks as a starter during the regular season.Source: NBA Injury Report
2 days agoThe Jacksonville Jaguars are calling around in an effort to move up in the first round of Thursday's NFL draft, and teams taking their calls believe they are on the hunt for a specific pass-catcher, according to a source. Even though the Jaguars signed wideout Gabe Davis in free agency this offseason, it appears the Jags are looking to make a splash early in the first round this year for another weapon for quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Jacksonville currently holds the No. 17 overall pick. If they were to trade into the top 10, players such as Washington receiver Rome Odunze, LSU receiver Malik Nabers, and Georgia tight end Brock Bowers could all be options as they look for extra pass-catchers after they lost Calvin Ridley in free agency. Stay tuned.Source: The Athletic - Dianna Russini
2 days agoDallas Mavericks guard/forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (ankle) has been ruled out for Friday's Game 3 against the Clippers. Dallas' three-point bomber sprained his right ankle in Game 2 and hasn't recovered in time for Friday's game. Josh Green and Dante Exum will have a chance to log extra minutes without Hardaway Jr., although they aren't good fantasy options. Both players failed to score in Game 2, with the Mavericks relying heavily on their first unit.Source: NBA Injury Report