2 days agoFresh off a second-place finish at Texas, Brad Keselowski will start 22nd in Sunday's Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Despite being a former series champion, a perennial title contender, and a future hall of famer, Brad Keselowski has not won since the 2021 Talladega spring race, a drought that has now reached 107 races. While 107 races is a long time, the RFK Racing driver-owner has remained relevant and competitive, earning 39 top-10s, including four second-place finishes. Interestingly, aside from last week's race at Texas, Keselowski's other three second-place finishes over this drought occurred at Atlanta, Daytona, and Talladega, NASCAR's three restrictor plate tracks. With six wins and 14 top-10s in 30 Cup starts at this track, as a driver that is competitive on superspeedways, and given that he has finished in the top-five in 33% of his starts this season, the No. 6 looks like a solid play this weekend in DFS.
--Adam Erhardt - RotoBallerSource: Racing-Reference.info
2 days agoBoston Red Sox right-hander
Kutter Crawford (1-0) allowed one run on three walks while striking out six over six innings in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. He picked up his first win of the season. The 28-year-old was sharp in Saturday's victory, throwing 68 strikes on 100 pitches. He drew 17 swings and misses, which was a season-best. Crawford has yielded only one run or less over five starts this season. He owns a dazzling 0.68 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 30 strikeouts over 27 1/3 innings in 2024. Crawford will look to build on his strong start to the season in his next start on Friday against the Chicago Cubs.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: MLB
2 days agoOn Saturday afternoon, Erik Jones qualified 28th for Sunday's Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. On a slate with so much uncertainty, Jones looks to be one of the more reliable plays heading into the weekend. In his four starts in the Next Gen car at Talladega, the Legacy Motor Club star has finished in sixth place three times , has two appearances in the DraftKings optimal lineup, and is averaging 45.79 DraftKings points, which is the third-highest average among full-time drivers in the series. It is also worth noting that while 2024 is not off to a hot start for the 27-year-old, his one top-10 finish this season came at Daytona, NASCAR's other true superspeedway. Because racing on this style of track is so unpredictable, there are no true "core" plays this weekend as you do not want to go overweight on any driver. Having said this, given his past performances on this track, Erik Jones is a driver that you will want to be deliberate about targeting when building your DFS lineups on Sunday.
--Adam Erhardt - RotoBallerSource: Racing-Reference.info
2 days agoPhiladelphia Phillies ace
Zack Wheeler (1-3) allowed one hit and two walks while striking out eight over 7 1/3 scoreless innings in Saturday's 9-5 win over the Chicago White Sox. Wheeler cruised to his first victory of the year by carrying a no-hitter into the eighth inning. White Sox catcher Kodie Lee broke up Wheeler's no-hit bid with a ground ball single to right field. The 33-year-old threw 106 pitches, landing 75 pitches for strikes. Wheeler owns a 2.30 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts over 31 1/3 innings this season. The Phillies ace will look to build on Saturday's performance in his next start on Thursday against the Cincinnati Reds.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: MLB
2 days agoDaniel Hemric will start 19th in Sunday's Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Despite 2024 being a largely disappointing season for Hemric, he did have a solid fantasy performance last weekend at Texas. After starting 38th, the 33-year-old ended the day with a 20th-place finish, earning 41 DraftKings points
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2 days agoPhiladelphia 76ers center
Joel Embiid (knee) finished with 29 points, eight boards, six assists, and two steals in Saturday's playoff loss to the Knicks. The reigning MVP had trouble shooting the ball, going 8-for-22 from the field and 2-for-8 from deep. But more importantly, he came down hard on his left knee after a dunk late in the second quarter and exited the contest. Fortunately, he returned to start the third quarter and finished the contest. However, Embiid should undergo more tests ahead of Game 2 on Monday night. But it's possible he won't be out there for that one, opening the door for
Mo Bamba and
Paul Reed to take over in the middle.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoBoston Red Sox right-hander
Kenley Jansen struck out the side to earn the save in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jansen entered Saturday's game in the ninth inning to protect a two-run lead. The 36-year-old struck out all three hitters he faced to earn his fifth save of the year. Jansen has converted 5-of-6 save chances with a 2.35 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, and 12 strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings in 2024. Fantasy managers should continue to roll with Jansen as he continues to rack up saves as Boston's primary closer.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: MLB
2 days agoPhoenix Suns guard/forward
Grayson Allen (ankle) exited Saturday's postseason loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The former Duke Blue Devil tweaked his ankle, so he'd finish the day with four points, five rebounds, and two assists in 25 minutes of work. Luckily, X-rays were negative, and the team will now take things day by day before deciding his availability for Game 2 on Tuesday evening. If he can't suit up,
Royce O'Neale, finishing with 14 points in Game 1, would likely slide into the starting lineup and immediately become an enticing DFS option for any contest.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Donnie Druin
2 days agoMinnesota Twins right-hander
Griffin Jax struck out two over a perfect inning to earn the save in Saturday's 4-3 win over the Detroit Tigers. Griffin entered the ninth inning to protect a one-run lead. The 29-year-old needed just 12 pitches to retire the side for his second save of the year. Jax owns a 3.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 13 strikeouts over nine innings in 2024.
Jhoan Duran (oblique) is set to begin a rehab assignment soon and will take back Minnesota's closer role once activated from the injured list. Fantasy managers should continue to hold onto Jax for now, as he is a favorite for save chances in the Twins bullpen while Duran is sidelined.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: MLB
2 days agoMiami Heat guard/forward
Duncan Robinson (back) is questionable for Sunday's playoff matchup versus the Celtics. The 29-year-old is on the injury report again because of Left Facet Syndrome, something he's battled for weeks. While Robinson was available for Wednesday's Play-In loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, he remained on the bench. However, he saw 12 minutes in Friday's victory over the Chicago Bulls and ended the night by amassing eight points, three boards, and one assist. With
Jimmy Butler (knee) and
Terry Rozier (neck) out for Game 1, Robinson should get on the floor. Yet, he's likely not fully healthy, making him hard to trust for DFS contests.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
2 days agoLos Angeles Angels third baseman
Anthony Rendon (hamstring) exited Saturday's game against the Cincinnati Reds early with a hamstring injury. Rendon injured himself while running out an infield single. The 33-year-old came off the field with the trainers and was replaced by
Zach Neto. Rendon found his groove at the place recently, slashing .382/.421/.833 with three RBI and five runs scored over his last eight games. The severity of his hamstring injury is unknown at this time, and he's considered day-to-day.
Luis Rengifo and
Miguel Sano should see an uptick in at-bats while Rendon is sidelined. Rengifo is a speculative add in all leagues after hitting .283 (15-for-53) with six stolen bases over 16 games in 2024.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Rhett Bollinger
2 days agoBoston Celtics center
Luke Kornet (calf) won't play in Sunday's postseason showdown with the Miami Heat. Kornet holds a semi-regular spot in the rotation, averaging 5.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks this season. But he's sidelined because of a strained calf, meaning the 28-year-old could miss more time beyond Sunday's contest. Fortunately,
Kristaps Porzingis and
Al Horford are available, so they should absorb most of the minutes at the five.
Xavier Tillman Sr. could potentially see the floor. However, Tillman won't play enough to warrant DFS consideration.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
2 days agoDallas Mavericks guard/forward
Tim Hardaway Jr. (illness) is questionable for Sunday's postseason clash with the Clippers. He's not feeling well. As a result, Hardaway has missed practice time over the last few days. With that in mind, the 32-year-old has posted double-digit scoring performances in just two of his eight appearances in April, meaning he'll be hard to trust from a DFS standpoint if he's healthy enough to get on the floor.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
2 days agoMilwaukee Bucks guard
Damian Lillard (groin) isn't listed on the league's official injury report ahead of Sunday's postseason opener versus the Pacers. The former Trail Blazer has been burdened by a groin strain over the last week or so. However, he practiced over the last few days, so DFS managers had a feeling things were moving in this direction. With
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) unlikely to suit up, Lillard will be a popular fantasy option on Sunday.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
2 days agoToronto Blue Jays right-hander
Chad Green (shoulder) was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right teres major strain. Green has been sidelined since Monday due to shoulder soreness and will miss at least the next few weeks with the move to the IL. The 32-year-old owned a 2.35 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and a 7:2 K: BB across 7 2/3 innings in 2024.
Nate Pearson was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo in a corresponding move to replace Green in the bullpen. Pearson posted a 1.11 WHIP and a 9:3 K: BB across 6 1/3 innings in 2024. With
Jordan Romano (elbow) returning from injury and
Yimi Garcia as the team's top setup man, Pearson is buried in Toronto's bullpen and mainly a fantasy option in deep leagues that reward holds.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Toronto Blue Jays
2 days agoNoah Gragson qualified 36th for Sunday's Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in what will be just his fourth Cup start at the famed track. While his three previous Cup starts here have been largely disappointing, averaging 23.7 for his finishing position, his Xfinity results are much more impressive.
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2 days agoNew York Mets catcher
Francisco Alvarez (thumb) will require surgery after being diagnosed with a torn UCL in his left thumb. Alvarez injured his thumb while running the bases in the second inning of Friday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. A cleared timeframe for his return will be determined after he undergoes surgery. Although the Mets haven't given an official timetable, Alvarez told teammates he expects to miss 6-8 weeks. Before the injury, he was slashing .236/.288/.364 with a homer, eight RBI, eight runs, and a stolen base over 59 plate appearances.
Tomas Nido and
Omar Narvaez will handle catcher duties while Alvarez is sidelined. Narvaez should see the bulk of the starts, and it is a speculative add in two-catcher formats.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Anthony DiComo
2 days agoTy Gibbs will start P15 in Sunday's Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Since starting out the season with an impressive five top-10 finishes in the first six races, Gibbs has finished 13th or worse over the last three weeks. Since we know a driver the caliber of Gibbs
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2 days agoOn Saturday afternoon, Austin Dillon qualified fifth for the Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Because of his two Cup wins and his nine top 10 finishes at Daytona, Dillon has earned a reputation for being a solid restrictor plate racer. Despite his impressive performances at The World Center
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2 days agoLos Angeles Lakers forward
LeBron James (ankle) will play on Saturday against the Nuggets. There wasn't much doubt regarding his availability for the series opener, especially since he's battled a nagging ankle injury for months. James is coming off a few potent performances. That trend could continue, with the multi-time All-Star averaging 24.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in three meetings with the champs throughout the 2023-24 campaign.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
2 days agoLos Angeles Lakers forward/center
Anthony Davis (back) will play in Saturday's game versus the Denver Nuggets. He was listed as questionable because of a back issue, although there wasn't any doubt regarding his availability for Game 1. With that in mind, AD has had trouble in three meetings with the champs this season, at least compared to his encounters with other clubs, averaging 22.0 points, 9.3 boards, and 3.0 blocks. He's also shot 47.4% from the field in those contests, much lower than his seasonal average.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
2 days agoMilwaukee Bucks forward
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is doubtful ahead of Sunday's postseason battle with the Indiana Pacers. Although the injury report suggests he has a chance to play, he likely won't be out there for Game 1. In fact, his absence could extend beyond Sunday's contest. Fortunately,
Damian Lillard (groin) is off the injury report, so his presence will help lessen the blow.
Khris Middleton,
Bobby Portis, and
Brook Lopez should pick up the rest of the surplus opportunities on the offensive end.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
2 days agoPhiladelphia 76ers center
Joel Embiid (knee) exited Saturday's postseason meeting with the Knicks. The reigning MVP went up for a dunk late in the second quarter. Unfortunately, he came down hard on his surgically repaired left knee and immediately fell to the court in obvious pain. There hasn't been an official update on his status. However, the team likely won't take chances with Embiid, so
Paul Reed and
Mo Bamba may handle things in the middle for the remainder of Game 1.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoHouston Astros starting pitcher
Justin Verlander went six innings in his season debut on Friday and picked up the win in a 5-3 victory over the Nationals. The veteran hurler allowed two earned runs on four hits (one HR) and didn't walk a batter while striking out four. It looks like the 41-year-old won't miss a beat despite missing the first few weeks of the season. Even though his K% has gone down in three consecutive seasons and Contact% has gone up in each of those seasons, the 3x Cy Young winner has remained effective, going 13-8 last season with a 3.22 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 14.8% K-BB%. His next start lines up with the Cubs next Thursday in Chicago.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoMiami Marlins closer
Tanner Scott picked up his third save of the season in Saturday's 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs. Scott gave up two singles to start the ninth but then retired the next three batter to avoid damage and seal the win without giving up a run. The 29-year-old hasn't gotten many opportunities for closes this season with the Marlins reeling, but he is now three-for-four in close situations and has a 3.72 ERA. Scott will look to pick up at least one more save this weekend with game two of the Saturday doubleheader happening tonight and the series finale against the Cubs happening on Sunday.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 days agoTampa Bay Rays starting pitcher
Zach Eflin threw six shutout innings and struck out six in the Rays 2-0 extra innings win over the New York Yankees on Saturday. Though Eflin only gave up three hits, Tampa Bay's offense didn't show up until extra innings and prevented Eflin from picking up a deserved win. The right-hander now has back-to-back starts without allowing an earned run. It's a good sign after having giving up five-plus runs in two of his first three starts of the season. The 30-year-old now has a 3.68 ERA to go along with a 1.06 WHIP. He'll get a tasty matchup in his next scheduled start on Friday against the Chicago White Sox and will hold value in all fantasy formats.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 days agoNew York Yankees starting pitcher
Nestor Cortes struck out nine in seven shutout innings on Saturday in the Yankees 2-0 extra innings loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. Cortes didn't walk a single batter but gave up six hits. It was the lefty's second-best start of the season but he unfortunately didn't record a win with New York's offense putting up a bagel on the scoreboard. Through five starts, Cortes now has a 3.41 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. The 29-year-old should continue his dominant ways in his next scheduled start on Thursday when the Yankees host the Oakland A's, who are hitting lefties for just a .637 OPS.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 days agoTexas Rangers starting pitcher
Max Scherzer (back) is slated for a rehab start on Wednesday. Scherzer recovered well from his live batting practice session and the team feels comfortable enough to move him forward in his recovery process. The expectation is that Scherzer may be ready to return to the Rangers' rotation in early May. The 39-year-old was solid in the regular season with the Rangers in 2023, posting up a 3.20 ERA in eight starts. Scherzer did show some cracks late in the season, though, and expectations for the veteran right-hander may need to be tempered by fantasy managers who are used to Scherzer's gaudy numbers. When he joins the AL West leading Rangers, his value may be best in DFS formats
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: Evan Grant
2 days agoDon't be afraid to roll the dice with Alex Bowman in your DFS contests this weekend. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has posted top-10 finishes in four of his last eleven starts at this track along with 13th- and 14th-place finishes during that same span. He will roll off the grid from 12th in this weekend's GEICO 500, so there is some place differential upside for Bowman in this weekend's race, which is what you should be targeting with your DraftKings lineups. Priced at $7,800 for this slate, Bowman is by no means a core driver pick at Talladega, but he can be sprinkled in for large-field tournaments. Remember, Bowman finished second in this year's Daytona 500, another superspeedway race.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: ifantasyrace
2 days agoLook for Chris Buescher to potentially be a factor in the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. He ended up with a third-place result in this race last season and has finished sixth or better in three of the last eight races at this track. Additionally, Buescher's No. 17 Ford has been strong at superspeedways overall, as he has the fifth-best average running position at Daytona and Talladega since the start of the 2023 season. With a starting position of eighth this weekend, Buescher becomes a relatively risky DFS pick, and his $8,500 salary on DraftKings will likely keep his ownership level low as well. Use Buescher sparingly in your lineups this weekend, but don't avoid him entirely.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: ifantasyrace
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