March 23, 2026
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the team is likely to begin the 2026 campaign with a four-man starting rotation, and right-hander
Luis Gil will not be one of the four, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
Max Fried,
Cam Schlittler,
Will Warren, and
Ryan Weathers will be the Yankees' four starters in the rotation to begin the year. Gil will remain behind in Tampa to throw live batting practice on Wednesday, according to pitching coach Matt Blake. New York is considering optioning Gil to the minors to begin the year, but if they don't, Blake said he'd be comfortable using Gil in a piggyback role. The 27-year-old Dominican had a 4.66 ERA with six homers allowed, five walks, and 24 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings pitched in six Grapefruit League starts. It's unclear if Gil will be summoned to start when the Yankees finally need a fifth starter on April 11 against the Rays. Gil was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2024, but he only made 11 starts in 2025 due to injury and was much less dominant on the mound.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
March 23, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals right-hander
Kyle Leahy will open the 2026 regular season in the team's starting rotation, according to Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He'll be joined in the rotation by
Matthew Liberatore,
Michael McGreevy,
Dustin May, and
Andre Pallante. Leahy's first start of the year won't be an easy matchup for fantasy purposes, as he'll face the New York Mets at home on March 30. The 28-year-old former 17th-rounder in 2018 out of Colorado Mesa University has made just one career start (last year) in 98 career appearances since breaking into the league in 2023 in St. Louis, so fantasy managers should expect workload restrictions after he threw 88 innings in the majors in 2025. Leahy had a lackluster 4.58 ERA in Grapefruit League play in 17 2/3 innings pitched, but he did strike out 20 and walk five. The last time Leahy was a full-time starter was in 2022 at Double-A, when he held a 5.23 ERA.
--Keith HernandezSource: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Daniel Guerrero
March 23, 2026
Michael Aswell Jr. suffered a unanimous decision loss to Luke Riley in the co-main event of UFC London on Saturday. Aswell Jr. had his moments throughout the fight, especially in the first round, but Riley's boxing proved to be superior as he landed harder and more impactful shots. In the end, all three judges scored the bout 30-27 in favor of Riley. In 15 minutes of action, Aswell Jr. landed a takedown and 61 significant strikes. With the loss, Aswell Jr. dropped to 11-4 as a pro and is now 1-2 in the UFC.
--Alen KurbasicSource: UFC
March 23, 2026
Atlanta Braves left-hander
Jose Suarez is likely to open 2026 as the team's fifth starter with starting pitcher
Spencer Strider (oblique) set to begin the year on the Injured List, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Bowman reports that Atlanta's plan for young right-hander
Didier Fuentes is still for him to open the year in the bullpen, with veteran lefty
Martin Perez the main competition for Suarez at the back end of the rotation. Suarez has made 62 starts over the course of his seven-year MLB career but has worked mostly as a reliever over the past two seasons. Across 19 1/3 innings (seven games) for Atlanta in 2025, the 28-year-old pitched to a 1.86 ERA and 1.29 WHIP but struck out just 16 while allowing 10 walks. With Strider,
Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow),
Hurston Waldrep (elbow),
AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow), and
Joey Wentz (knee) all on the Injured List, the Braves are digging deep into their pitching depth to begin 2026. Suarez could hold some fantasy appeal in deep leagues, but his lack of a proven track record as an MLB starter is a concern.
--Will BradySource: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
March 23, 2026
Luke Riley outclassed Michael Aswell Jr. for three rounds to win a unanimous decision in the co-main event of UFC London on Saturday. Although the fight was back-and-forth, it was Riley who landed more impactful shots to win a unanimous decision. Riley had some trouble in the first round, but he adjusted, and his boxing slowly took over. In 15 minutes of action, Riley landed 100 significant strikes. With the win, Riley improved to 2-0 in the UFC.
--Alen KurbasicSource: UFC
March 23, 2026
Cincinnati Reds corner infield prospect
Sal Stewart could be one of the few young players whom veteran Reds manager Terry Francona entrusts to regularly bat in the cleanup spot, speculates Reds beat writer Charlie Goldsmith. The 22-year-old Stewart made his MLB debut in 2025, hitting .253/.295/.543 with five home runs in just 58 plate appearances. It appears the team is planning for him to play a prominent role in 2026, and he turned heads by hitting .333 with three home runs and four stolen bases across 54 Cactus League plate appearances this spring. Stewart seems likely to open the year as Cincinnati's starting first baseman, although he could also rotate through designated hitter with Reds veterans
Eugenio Suarez and
Spencer Steer. If Stewart can stick in the middle of the Cincinnati lineup, he could provide positive value across all five categories for fantasy managers in 2026.
--Will BradySource: Charlie Goldsmith
March 23, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver
DeVonta Smith finished the 2025 campaign, his fifth in the NFL, with 77 catches on 113 targets for 1,008 yards and a career-low four touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. Although he had a disappointing four touchdown catches, Smith did reach the 1,000-yard mark for the third time in his career and bounced back nicely from an injury-plagued season in 2024 in which he played in a career-low 13 games. The 27-year-old former 10th overall pick in 2021 out of Alabama finished the 2025 season as the WR20 in half-PPR scoring, just behind Dallas'
CeeDee Lamb. Going into 2026 with a new offensive coordinator in an offense that is looking to reset after a disappointing showing last year, there's still plenty to like about Smith. That will especially be true if the Eagles trade
A.J. Brown this offseason. If that comes to pass, Smith would most likely operate as Philly's WR1, giving him an even higher fantasy football ceiling as he enters his sixth year in the NFL.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Focus
March 23, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers shortstop prospect
Jesus Made is set to open the 2026 season at Double-A Biloxi, per Francys Romero of Beisbol FR. The 18-year-old Made is widely considered one of the very best prospects in all of baseball. He made it to Double-A in 2025 after starting the year in Single-A, but logged just 24 plate appearances with Biloxi and will return to the level to open 2026. Across 525 plate appearances split between three levels in 2025, Made slashed .285/.379/.413 with six home runs, 61 RBI, 81 runs scored, and 47 stolen bases. If he tears the cover off the ball in the minors early in 2026, there is an outside shot Made could earn a late-season promotion to the big leagues. More likely, he will be in the mix for a role in Milwaukee in 2027 as he hits his age-20 season and has a bit more time to develop his ability to hit for power.
--Will BradySource: Beisbol FR - Francys Romero
March 23, 2026
Houston Texans running back
Woody Marks led the team with 703 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 196 rushing attempts in 16 regular-season games in his first year in the NFL, with
Joe Mixon (ankle, foot) missing the entire season. Overall for Houston, though, it was a lackluster rushing attack with Marks and veteran
Nick Chubb, as the team ranked 22nd in rushing yards per game (108). Mixon and Chubb won't return in 2026, and the Texans acquired
David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions this offseason to help bolster their ground game. ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime writes that Montgomery "will enter the 2026 season as the No. 1 back for Houston." It's bad news for the 25-year-old Marks' redraft and dynasty value heading into his sophomore campaign. The former fourth-rounder out of USC averaged 3.6 yards per carry last year and caught 24 of his 36 targets for 208 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Marks will still be involved in the Texans' backfield, but as long as Monty is healthy, he'll be more of a touchdown-dependent RB3/flex on a weekly basis.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - DJ Bien-Aime
March 23, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies pitching prospect
Andrew Painter has made the team's starting rotation to open 2026. Once considered one of the very best prospects in all of baseball, Painter posted a ridiculous 38.7% strikeout rate across 103 2/3 minor league innings as a 19-year-old in 2022. However, he missed the entirety of both 2023 and 2024 due to Tommy John surgery. Painter struggled upon his return to the mound in 2025, recording a 5.26 ERA and 1.55 WHIP with 111 strikeouts across 106 2/3 innings at Triple-A. The soon-to-be 23-year-old logged a 2.31 ERA and 0.77 WHIP across 11 2/3 innings this spring, but he also recorded just eight strikeouts. Still, Painter's performance was enough for him to win a role with the big-league club to open 2026. Phillies' ace
Zack Wheeler (shoulder) could return to the team's rotation as soon as late April, which could mean Painter's MLB time is limited. On the other hand, Painter may simply need to out-pitch Phillies veteran right-hander
Taijuan Walker, who owns a 4.88 ERA and 1.43 WHIP across 480 innings over the last three seasons for Philadelphia.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
March 23, 2026
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver
Puka Nacua is now eligible for a contract extension, but the NFL Network's Mike Garafolo says that the expectation is that an extension for Nacua with the Rams "could take a while." Seattle Seahawks wideout
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was neck-and-neck with Nacua in 2025, for Offensive Player of the Year honors, just signed a four-year, $168.6 million extension on Monday, becoming the highest-paid receiver in NFL history. It might not be until later in the summer before we see any movement between the Rams and Nacua on a possible extension. The 24-year-old former fifth-rounder in 2023 out of BYU has quickly emerged as an elite fantasy football receiver in his three years in the NFL. In 2025, he was the WR1 in half-PPR scoring with a league-high 129 receptions for a career-high 1,715 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns in 16 regular-season games played. Nacua now has already 4,191 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns on 313 catches in his first three NFL seasons. Contract situation aside, Nacua should be one of the first wideouts off the board in the first round of fantasy drafts this fall.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
March 23, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays utility man
Richie Palacios has made the team's 2026 Opening Day roster, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Topkin reports that Palacios will replace second baseman/outfielder
Gavin Lux (shoulder), who will start the year on the Injured List with a right shoulder impingement. The 28-year-old Palacios logged just 48 MLB plate appearances in 2025 but performed well, hitting .333/.396/.451 with one home run, three RBI, 10 runs scored, and four stolen bases. In a more representative sample size of playing time in 2024, Palacios slashed .223/.346/.318 with five home runs, 21 RBI, 46 runs scored, and 19 stolen bases across 319 plate appearances. His ability to line up nearly anywhere on the diamond gives him a chance at regular playing time. When in the lineup, he could be a sneaky source of speed for fantasy managers. With Lux sidelined, Palacios could land on the big side of a platoon at second base with Rays infielder
Ben Williamson.
--Will BradySource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
March 23, 2026
Tampa Bay Rays second baseman/outfielder
Gavin Lux (shoulder) is being placed on the Injured List due to a right shoulder impingement, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. It's not entirely clear at this point how long Lux is expected to be sidelined, but he will likely miss at least the first few weeks of the 2026 season. Across 503 plate appearances with the Cincinnati Reds in 2025, Lux hit .269/.350/.374 with five home runs, 53 RBI, 49 runs scored, and one stolen base. The 28-year-old owns an impressive 10.1% walk rate for his career and drew free passes at an 11.1% clip last season. However, Lux's lack of power (5.1% career barrel rate) and speed (20 career stolen bases) drastically limits his fantasy value. If this shoulder injury further impacts Lux's bat and/or affects his already questionable defense, Lux's fantasy viability could fall even further. In his absence,
Ben Williamson and
Richie Palacios could form a platoon at second base for Tampa Bay.
--Will BradySource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
March 23, 2026
Sam Patterson suffered a unanimous decision loss to Michael Page on the main card of UFC London on Saturday. The fight was slow and boring, and although Page and Patterson seemed tentative, it was Page who walked out victorious as he did a bit more. In 15 minutes, Patterson had two takedown attempts and landed 12 significant strikes. With the loss, Patterson dropped to 14-3-1 as a pro and is now 4-2 in the UFC.
--Alen KurbasicSource: UFC
March 23, 2026
Michael Page extended his win streak by beating Sam Patterson via unanimous decision on the main card of UFC London on Saturday. This was, without a doubt, the most lackluster fight of the night, if not the most boring fight of the year thus far. There was little action, but Page was a bit more accurate, active and had more control time to edge out a decision win. In 15 minutes, Page landed 27 significant strikes. With the win, Page improved to 4-1 in the UFC.
--Alen KurbasicSource: UFC
March 23, 2026
Austen Lane suffered a first-round TKO loss to undefeated Iwo Baraniewski on the main card of UFC London on Saturday. As soon as the bout started, Baraniewski set the tone, and it took him only 28 seconds to finish Lane. Baraniewski knocked down Lane with a left hook, and then he followed up with a barrage of punches, forcing the referee to stop the fight. In 28 seconds of action, Lane didn't land any significant strikes. With the loss, Lane dropped to 13-8 with one NC as a pro and is now 1-5 with one NC in the UFC
--Alen KurbasicSource: UFC
March 23, 2026
The New England Patriots are planning to release backup quarterback
Joshua Dobbs after they were unable to find a trade partner, sources told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Dobbs, 31, signed a two-year, $8 million contract with New England in March of last year. He appeared in just four games for the Patriots in 2025 and went 7-for-10 passing for 65 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions as
Drake Maye's backup. Dobbs will now be free to sign with any other teams and should latch on elsewhere as a backup with plenty of experience in the NFL. He was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round in 2017 out of Tennessee. Dobbs' best season came in 2023, when he threw for 2,464 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in 13 games (12 starts) with the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings. In his six seasons with five different teams, Dobbs has completed 62.8% of his passes for 3,346 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 15 picks in 27 games (15 starts).
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
March 23, 2026
Atlanta Braves right-hander
Spencer Strider (oblique) will start the 2026 regular season on the injured list with an oblique strain, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Strider will not pitch in his scheduled final exhibition tune-up on Monday in the Grapefruit League against the Pittsburgh Pirates. With the 27-year-old starting on the shelf,
Jose Suarez will take his rotation spot to begin the season, with pitching prospect
Didier Fuentes beginning in the bullpen. Oblique injuries are hard to predict, but the good news for fantasy managers is that Atlanta expects Strider to make his season debut in a couple of weeks. Strider was a first-time All-Star in 2023, when he won 20 games and led the league in strikeouts (281), FIP (2.85), and strikeouts per nine innings (13.5), but he had an internal-brace procedure on his elbow in 2024 and did not look the same while pitching to a 4.45 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and 9.4 K/9 in 23 starts in 2025. Strider's velocity has been down this spring, but otherwise he's looked good with 11 strikeouts and two walks in 8 1/3 innings.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
March 23, 2026
Iwo Baraniewski extended his win streak by finishing Austen Lane via first-round TKO on the main card of UFC London on Saturday. The fight didn't last long as Baraniewski needed just 28 seconds to finish Lane in his second-ever bout in the leading promotion. Baraniewski landed a thunderous left hook before following up with a flurry of ground strikes, forcing the referee to stop the fight. In 28 seconds of action, Baraniewski landed 10 significant strikes. With the win, Baraniewski improved to 2-0 in the UFC.
--Alen KurbasicSource: UFC
March 23, 2026
Utah Mammoth winger Lawson Crouse made a big impact on Sunday against the Los Angeles Kings, finishing a 4-3 overtime win with two goals and an assist. The 28-year-old already had two goals midway through the first period. He completed his second three-point effort of the season with an assist on Nick Schmaltz's 25th goal of the campaign. Schmaltz then went on to win the game for Utah in overtime. Crouse is skating with Schmaltz and Clayton Keller on the first line, which has boosted his fantasy stock. He has collected five points (three goals, two assists) over the last four games. It has been a strong bounce-back season for Crouse, who finished last term with 18 points. Currently, he is sitting on 37 points (19 goals, 18 assists) across 70 games.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 23, 2026
For the first time in his NFL career, Detroit Lions running back
Jahmyr Gibbs looks to be entering the 2026 season in a true bellcow role. The Lions selected Gibbs with the 12th overall pick in the 2023 Draft, the same year they added veteran
David Montgomery through free agency. For three seasons, Gibbs and Montgomery shared Detroit's backfield as the most productive running back tandem in the league. 2025 signalled the beginning of a shift, with Gibbs officially taking over the starter title and out-touching Montgomery by nearly a two-to-one margin, despite the latter playing 17 games for the first time in his career. With Montgomery now being shipped to Houston, Gibbs is presumably in line for the largest workload of his career, and he deserves thorough consideration as the RB1 in both redraft and dynasty leagues. Detroit added former Chief
Isiah Pacheco in free agency to fill the vacated bruiser role, but injuries and inefficiency over the past two seasons have limited his role in a room with no true standouts, and he should not be viewed as a serious threat to keep Gibbs off the field.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
March 23, 2026
Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg was the difference-maker in Sunday's matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks, tallying two goals and an assist in a 3-2 overtime win. Forsberg scored Nashville's first and last goals and assisted Steven Stamkos in the third period. He became the sixth Swedish player in history to score 350 regular-season goals in the NHL. With 32 goals through 70 outings, Forsberg has recorded his third consecutive 30-goal campaign. He has also registered 30 assists. After a four-game slump, Forsberg has looked like a different player in recent outings, putting together a four-game scoring streak with four goals and five assists. Nashville's unlikely push into the playoff picture should give Forsberg every reason to stay locked in for the rest of the season.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 23, 2026
Wide receiver
Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Seattle Seahawks have agreed on a four-year, $168.6 million extension that will make the reigning Offensive Player of the Year the highest-paid receiver in NFL history. The deal comes days after the team exercised Smith-Njigba's fifth-year option and includes over $120 million in guaranteed money, also a record according to NFL Insider Adam Schefter. A first-round pick in 2023, Smith-Njigba led the league with 1,793 receiving yards en route to a memorable Super Bowl-winning season. He is now tied to Seattle through the 2031 season, earning the kind of money that was reserved exclusively for quarterbacks only a few short years ago.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Adam Schefter
March 23, 2026
Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin netted his 1,000th career goal in Sunday's 3-2 overtime defeat against the Colorado Avalanche. He found the back of the net late in the third period on the power play, joining Wayne Gretzky as the only players to reach 1,000 goals across the regular season and the playoffs. Ovechkin broke Gretzky's regular-season goals record last term but sits 12th all-time with 77 playoff goals, with Gretzky holding the postseason record with 122 markers. Overall, Gretzky scored 1,016 career goals. With a strong finish to the regular season and a deep playoff run, Ovechkin could catch him this year. The Capitals captain has lit the lamp 26 times this season, adding 27 assists in 71 games. However, he has struggled since the Olympic break in the middle of the season, notching only five points (four goals, one assist) in 12 outings.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 23, 2026
Vanderbilt tight end
Eli Stowers is a former track star, and while it was the presumed TE1 in this rookie class,
Kenyon Sadiq, who drew most of the headlines from the NFL Combine, he wasn't the only one entering the record books. Stowers broke the Combine tight end record with an 11'-3" broad jump, while his 45.5" vertical set the new historical high mark across all positions. A former college quarterback, Stowers is still relatively new to the position, but he understands coverages, and he has the collegiate production to match his athleticism. Unlike Sadiq, his improving but still sub-par blocking will likely keep him off the field near the low red zone, but his size and movement ability will allow for a creative playcaller to utilize him in the increasingly popular big slot role. In the right landing spot, Stowers could work his way into the back end of the first round in single-QB and tight end premium rookie drafts.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
March 23, 2026
Utah Mammoth defenseman Nate Schmidt left Sunday's 4-3 overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings early due to illness. The veteran had 10 shifts in the first frame but only five in the second and didn't come out for the third period. Schmidt has bagged a modest 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) in 71 games, but he is tied with Colorado's Cale Makar for sixth among defensemen with a plus-32 rating. On the Utah roster, Schmidt sits third with 88 blocks and sixth with 75 hits. He will be a big miss for the Mammoth on Tuesday night against Edmonton if he can't shake off his illness.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 23, 2026
Oregon tight end
Kenyon Sadiq is widely expected to be the first tight end selected in both the NFL Draft and dynasty rookie drafts, with projected mid-first-round capital in both. If selected on Day 1 of the NFL Draft, he would become a historical outlier in terms of both raw production and advanced analytics. His 1.92 career yards per route run would be the lowest of any first-round tight end since
Hayden Hurst in 2018. Some of his profile can be softened by the fact that he spent his collegiate career surrounded by other NFL receiving talent, and a fourth season at Oregon would have presumably boosted his overall production had he not declared early. The biggest thing working in his favor is that, historically, one of the best predictors of fantasy success at the position has been athleticism, and Sadiq has that in spades. His 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the NFL tight end was the fastest ever by a tight end, and his game-breaking speed shows up regularly on film. In single-QB, tight end-premium leagues, Sadiq belongs in the conversation to be the fifth player selected in rookie drafts.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
March 23, 2026
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Matt Grzelcyk (upper body) won't join the team for an upcoming four-game road trip, The Athletic's Mark Lazerus reports. The 32-year-old suffered an upper-body injury in Sunday's loss to the Nashville Predators. Grzelcyk is in danger of finishing the season without scoring a goal, but he has contributed 12 assists in 69 games. Ethan Del Mastro, who was a healthy scratch on Sunday, will get a chance to re-enter the lineup with Grzelcyk on the shelf. While Del Mastro has averaged 0.4 points per game in his AHL career, he has gone scoreless in eight NHL outings this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: Mark Lazerus
March 23, 2026
Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen (lower body) will return to full practice and travel with the team during an upcoming four-game road trip, Stars radio analyst Bruce LeVine reports. The Stars will begin their trip on Thursday against the New York Islanders and finish it next Tuesday in Boston. Rantanen suffered a lower-body injury at the Olympics and has been sidelined for 13 games. The Finnish star has totaled 69 points (20 goals, 49 assists) in 54 games, averaging the eighth-most points in the league. With Roope Hintz (lower body) also on the shelf and Tyler Seguin (knee) done for the season, Mavrik Bourque and Sam Steel have played larger roles in the Stars' attack.
--Taavi PailkSource: Bruce LeVine
March 23, 2026
Ohio State wide receiver
Carnell Tate is one of five Buckeyes rookies who could hear their name called on the first night of the NFL Draft. Along with Tate, Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, and Caleb Downs all have a strong case to be selected in the top half of the first round, but as the only offensive player in the group, Tate will undoubtedly have the attention of fantasy managers when Ohio State takes the field for their Pro Day on March 25. Tate ran slower than expected at the NFL Combine, but conflicting reports have since suggested that many teams clocked him notably faster than his laser-timed 4.53-second 40-yard dash. Tate is in the conversation to be the first wide receiver selected in both the NFL and dynasty rookie drafts, and a solid showing at his Pro Day could help to cement his case.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
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