April 18, 2026
Detroit Tigers catcher
Dillon Dingler has been hot recently, collecting a hit in five of his last nine games with two home runs and seven RBI during that stretch. Overall, Dingler is slashing .259/.348/.517 with four home runs, 14 RBI, and nine runs over 18 games. The 27-year-old has seen increases across the board in xBA (.328) and xSLG (.694), and his HardHit% (59.1%). His K% (18.2%) has decreased by about five points from 2025 (23.5%). For fantasy managers needing catcher help, Dingler is emerging as an add candidate in leagues with 12 teams or more. He is currently rostered in 37% of Yahoo Fantasy leagues and is 57th overall in the latest RotoBaller waiver rankings for Week 3.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 18, 2026
Seattle Mariners first baseman/outfielder
Luke Raley went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, a walk, and two additional runs scored in Saturday's 7-3 win over the Texas Rangers. His home run traveled 381 feet with an exit velocity of 112.7 mph. Raley is heating up and has homered twice over his last four games while logging multi-hit efforts in three of his last six contests. Overall, the 31-year-old is slashing .318/.375/.636 with five home runs, 13 RBI, 11 runs, and a 1.011 OPS over 20 games in 2026. Raley is known as a streaky hitter but is emerging as a hitter to add off the waiver wire while he's swinging a hot bat. He is currently rostered in 22% of Yahoo Fantasy leagues, but is more of a streamer and an option in deep leagues. Raley is currently ranked 83rd in the latest waiver wire rankings for RotoBaller.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 18, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers reliever
Alex Vesia is becoming an elite handcuff for fantasy managers with Dodgers closer
Edwin Diaz. Vesia owns two saves, a 0.60 WHIP, and 10 strikeouts over 8 1/3 innings in 2026. The 30-year-old would be the top option to close for the Dodgers if Diaz were to miss any time. Vesia struck out the side and earned his second save of the season on Tuesday, with Diaz unavailable after throwing a bullpen session earlier in the afternoon. He is mainly used in high-leverage situations and is quickly emerging as an elite handcuff in fantasy baseball. Vesia provides elite ratios, solds, and is rostered in only 24% of Yahoo Fantasy leagues. The veteran right-hander should be added in leagues with 12 teams or more and is currently 16th in the latest RotoBaller waiver wire rankings for Week 3.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 18, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates reliever
Dennis Santana has picked up two saves over his last five innings pitched while posting a 1.80 ERA. Santana owns a (2-1) record with two saves while posting a 0.82 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 7:5 K:BB across 11 innings in 2026. The 30-year-old entered the ninth inning in Friday's win over the Tampa Bay Rays, but it ended up being a non-save situation. However, the good news is that Santana has appeared in the ninth inning or later in his last six appearances. He is coming off a career year in 2025, when he posted a 2.18 ERA and 0.87 WHIP and recorded 16 saves. Santana was the favorite to start the year as Pittsburgh's primary closer, but the Pirates opted to use
Gregory Soto in save situations to start the year. With the recent trend of Santana handling ninth-inning duties and Soto being used primarily as a setup man, Santana is quickly reclaiming his role as the main Pirates closer.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 18, 2026
Cleveland Guardians left-hander
Joey Cantillo (1-0) is off to a great start to the 2026 season, posting a 2.61 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and a 24:9 K:BB across 20 2/3 innings. He is becoming a key part of Cleveland's rotation and owns an elite 29.6 K% and a 11.4% swinging strike rate through four starts. Cantillo had been pitching well last season after joining the rotation in July, posting a 2.96 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 72:28 K:BB over 67 innings over his last 13 starts. The 26-year-old has allowed two earned runs or less in each of his four starts and will look to continue his impressive stretch in his next start Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals. Fantasy managers looking for a streamer on Sunday and a boost to their pitching staff should consider adding Cantillo. He is currently rostered in 52% of Yahoo Fantasy leagues and is becoming a priority add for fantasy managers in need of starting pitching.
--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Savant
April 18, 2026
San Antonio Spurs guard
Dylan Harper (thumb) has been removed from the injury report ahead of Sunday's Game 1 against the Portland Trail Blazers. Harper was forced to exit the regular-season finale due to a left thumb injury. It doesn't appear to be serious enough to force Harper to miss the beginning of the playoffs. Harper should resume his role as the backup guard to
De'Aaron Fox. The rookie guard averaged 11.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists across 22.6 minutes per game during the regular season. He won't be an ideal DFS option with Fox and
Stephon Castle healthy. The 20-year-old is an important part of the Spurs rotation, so they'll be glad to have him back for the beginning of this series.
--Andy WebbSource: NBA Injury Report
April 18, 2026
Phoenix Suns guard/forward
Grayson Allen (hamstring) is listed as questionable ahead of Sunday's Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Allen has been dealing with a lingering hamstring issue, but was available for Friday's game against the Golden State Warriors. Despite being available, Allen didn't suit up for Friday's Play-In victory.
Jordan Goodwin,
Collin Gillespie, and
Haywood Highsmith stand to gain the most value if Allen remains on the sideline for Sunday's contest. Goodwin is by far the best streaming choice between the three players, but he could lose value if Allen does end up playing.
--Andy WebbSource: NBA Injury Report
April 18, 2026
Phoenix Suns center
Mark Williams (foot) is listed as questionable ahead of Sunday's Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Williams was able to play 22 minutes during Tuesday's loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. The big man was unable to suit up for Friday's win over the Golden State Warriors due to a lingering foot issue.
Oso Ighodaro finished with 10 points and six rebounds across 26 minutes of action on Friday. He figures to play a similar role once again if Williams misses a second straight game.
Khaman Maluach could see an expanded role as well, but Ighodaro is the better streaming option if Williams gets downgraded.
--Andy WebbSource: NBA Injury Report
April 18, 2026
Houston Rockets guard
Reed Sheppard will move into the starting five ahead of Saturday's Game 1 against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Rockets will be without
Kevin Durant (knee), which will shift Sheppard into the starting unit. The Rockets are hopeful that this will only be a one-game absence for the superstar forward. Sheppard will be asked to take on a larger role offensively without Durant available. He should be a focal point on offense along with
Alperen Sengun and
Amen Thompson.
Tari Eason,
Dorian Finney-Smith, and
Jae'Sean Tate could all see increased run as well. Among the bench, Sheppard is the best DFS option with Durant missing at least Game 1.
--Andy WebbSource: NBA Injury Report
April 18, 2026
Houston Rockets forward
Kevin Durant (knee) has been ruled out ahead of Saturday's Game 1 against the Los Angeles Lakers. Durant will be downgraded from questionable to out due to a right knee contusion. Head coach Ime Udoka is hopeful that this will be a one-game absence for Durant. His absence from the rotation will mean that
Reed Sheppard will move into the starting five on Saturday.
Tari Eason,
Dorian Finney-Smith, and
Jae'Sean Tate are all candidates to see increased run as well. Among the bunch, Sheppard is the best DFS option ahead of Saturday's slate. He should be a focal point on offense along with
Amen Thompson and
Alperen Sengun.
--Andy WebbSource: NBA Injury Report
April 18, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher
Brad Keller could be asked to take on a larger role in the bullpen over the next few weeks. On Saturday, closer
Jhoan Duran (oblique) was placed on the 15-day Injured List. The organization is hopeful it'll be a minimal stay for Duran, but the Phillies will still be without him for the next two weeks. The expectation is that either Keller or
Jose Alvarado will take over in the closer role while Duran is down. Given Alvarado's struggles, Keller seems like the favorite to get saves right now. Fantasy managers looking for a source for saves might want to consider adding Keller if he does end up taking over the closer role.
--Andy WebbSource: Baseball Reference
April 18, 2026
Chicago Cubs relief pitcher
Caleb Thielbar was handed the ball in the ninth inning during Saturday's game against the New York Mets. The Cubs are seeking a new closer while
Daniel Palencia (oblique) is on the Injured List. Thielbar got the first crack at the closer role and did a nice job on Saturday. The veteran southpaw tossed a clean inning with two strikeouts to earn his first save of the season. Thielbar only has six career saves, but could end up getting a majority of the save chances while Palenica is out.
Ben Brown is also an option, but the Cubs likely want to keep him in his multiple-inning role. Thielbar could be worth a look in the short-term for fantasy managers looking for a source of saves.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
April 18, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher
Jhoan Duran (oblique) was placed on the 15-day Injured List, retroactive to April 15, on Saturday. The Phillies are hopeful that Duran will be back in 15 days. It's a "very mild" oblique strain, so the team believes he'll only need the minimum of 15 days on the shelf. It's unclear who is going to be the primary closer while Duran is out. It could be a closer-by-committee situation, which is never fun for fantasy managers. At the moment,
Brad Keller and
Jose Alvarado are the favorites to get the ball in the ninth while Duran is down. Fantasy managers will hopefully only be without Duran for the next two weeks, but the team should continue to update his status as Duran progresses.
--Andy WebbSource: Todd Zolecki
April 18, 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (knee) has been reinstated from the Injured List on Saturday. Gurriel is set to make his season debut after missing the beginning of the season while recovering from ACL surgery he underwent last September. The assumption was that Gurriel would be eased back into things and serve as the designated hitter. That isn't the case as Gurriel is in left field and batting cleanup against right-hander
Max Scherzer on Saturday. The 32-year-old is coming off major knee surgery, so fantasy managers should dampen their expectations. Gurriel should still be able to offer decent value in deeper mixed leagues.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
April 18, 2026
Colorado Rockies infielder
Willi Castro (hand) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. This marks the third game in a row that Castro has missed due to a lingering hand issue. Castro was hit by a pitch on Wednesday and hasn't suited up for a game since then. It doesn't sound like this issue is going to force Castro to land on the Injured List. For now, Castro should be considered day-to-day until the Rockies give another update on his status.
Edouard Julien will serve as the leadoff hitter and cover second base against right-hander
Emmet Sheehan on Saturday.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
April 18, 2026
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder
Daulton Varsho (knee) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. This doesn't come as a surprise after Varsho was forced to make an early exit from Friday's contest due to left knee discomfort. The Jays are considering Varsho as day-to-day and will give him a rest day on Saturday. His absence means that
Myles Straw draws the start in center field and will bat eighth versus right-hander
Zac Gallen. Straw doesn't offer enough upside with the bat to warrant looking at in fantasy leagues.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
April 18, 2026
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner will guard the crease in Saturday's Game 1 against the Philadelphia Flyers, Michelle Crechiolo of the Penguins' official site reports. Skinner had a 2-1-0 record against the Flyers during the regular season and is looking to make a positive start to his fourth postseason campaign. The 27-year-old has 50 NHL playoff games under his belt, but his postseason performances tend to be inconsistent. With the Edmonton Oilers, Skinner gave up nearly three goals per game during the playoffs (2.88) with a .893 save percentage.
--Taavi PailkSource: Michelle Crechiolo
April 18, 2026
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexandre Carrier (upper body) practiced on Saturday, Sean Farrell of NHL.com reports. He missed the last nine regular-season games due to an upper-body injury. Montreal ruled Carrier out for 2-4 weeks, and he now appears on the cusp of returning to the action. After being paired with Lane Hutson during Friday's practice session, Carrier worked with his usual partner, Mike Matheson, on Saturday. With Noah Dobson (upper body) out for the start of the postseason, that pairing could play a massive role in the Canadiens' first-round tilt against the Tampa Bay Lightning. During the regular season, Carrier made his presence felt on both ends of the ice, recording 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists), 56 SOG, and 155 blocks in 73 games.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sean Farrell
April 18, 2026
Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann (lower body) underwent a procedure on Friday to address a nagging injury. He missed the last three regular-season games and battled a lower-body issue throughout the campaign. Despite his ongoing health issues, McCann managed a respectable 40 points (20 goals, 20 assists) in 52 outings. He has been among Seattle's scoring leaders for several seasons and is likely to remain among the team's top offensive contributors in 2026-27. McCann will enter a career year, potentially increasing his fantasy productivity.
--Taavi PailkSource: Emerald City Hockey
April 18, 2026
Los Angeles Kings winger Andrei Kuzmenko (knee) was activated from Injured Reserve on Saturday, Zach Dooley of the Kings' official site reports. The Russian forward underwent meniscus surgery in late February, missing 25 games. However, he will be an option to return to the lineup for Sunday's postseason opener against the Colorado Avalanche. Kuzmenko finished the regular season with 13 goals and 25 points in 52 appearances. He would add scoring punch to a team that averaged the fewest goals per game during the regular season among those who qualified for the playoffs. The Kings are also expected to have Alex Turcotte (undisclosed) and Jeff Malott (undisclosed) available on Sunday, providing additional offensive options.
--Taavi PailkSource: Zach Dooley
April 18, 2026
Victor Hedman is skating for the Tampa Bay Lightning. The bad news is that the defenseman is not close to ready yet to play. Hedman has been out for basically a month now. First, there was an injury and then Hedman was out for personal reasons. It has been a tough season for the 35-year old. He is a team captain but missed 49 games in 2025-26. The normal point leader from the blueline had a mere 17 points (one goal) in 33 appearances. Right now, Hedman will not play until he is in shape to play. That means, he will be out for Game 1 on Sunday against Montreal. More than likely, the fact that Hedman has been skating appears to signal he is closer to returning than May 3rd potentially.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: Benjamin Pierce
April 18, 2026
Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson (lower body) won't be available for the start of the team's first-round playoff series against the Utah Mammoth, Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. It's also unclear whether Karlsson will play at all against Utah after Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said the team must have "some success in the playoffs for him to play again." The Swedish veteran has been out of action since early November due to a lower-body injury. He appeared in only 14 regular-season games, recording four goals and three assists.
--Taavi PailkSource: Danny Webster
April 18, 2026
Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (illness) will be in action on Saturday against the Dallas Stars, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports. Zach Bogosian (lower body) has also been cleared to play, giving Minnesota's defense a boost. Hughes has been dealing with an illness lately and didn't suit up for the Wild's last two regular-season contests. The Olympic champion had 76 points (seven goals, 69 assists) in 74 games during the regular season, ranking as the league's fifth-highest scoring defenseman. Hughes notched 53 points (five goals, 48 assists) in 48 contests, playing an integral role for the team on both ends of the ice.
--Taavi PailkSource: Elliotte Friedman
April 18, 2026
Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen (lower body) will play in Game 1 against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports. The Finnish defensive star was unavailable for the last three regular-season games due to a lower-body injury. Heiskanen finished the campaign as the NHL's ninth-highest scoring defenseman, posting 63 points (nine goals, 54 assists) in 77 contests. He averaged a point per game in four meetings with the Wild. As a member of the first defensive pairing and the top power-play unit, Heiskanen is set to have a huge workload in the playoffs and will be a popular pick among DFS managers.
--Taavi PailkSource: Elliotte Friedman
April 18, 2026
Carolina Panthers running back
Jonathon Brooks (knee) missed the entirety of the 2025 season after tearing his ACL for the second time on the ninth carry of his NFL career. Brooks went down in Week 14 of his 2024 rookie season after missing ten games during a lengthy recovery from his first ACL tear, sustained at the end of his final collegiate season at Texas. With the injuries stacking up and so much passing time between meaningful snaps, it can be easy to forget that the 2024 second-round pick was seeing an incremental increase in usage leading up to the injury, even though
Chuba Hubbard had the fourth most rushing yards in the league to that point. With
Rico Dowdle departing in free agency after only one season in Carolina, Brooks will return to a running back room strikingly similar to the one in which he last played. Hubbard will be 27 years old at the start of the season, coming off a year in which injuries and inefficiency saw him turn the room over to Dowdle for much of the season, and his career yards per route run remains well under 1.0 yards. As RotoBaller's dynasty RB37, Brooks could be severely underpriced for a running back with both the skills and the path to take over the lead back role in a steadily improving offense.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
April 18, 2026
Connecticut wide receiver
Skyler Bell set school records in 2025 with 101 receptions and 13 touchdown catches and was the first consensus All-American in school history. An older prospect who will turn 24 before the start of training camps, he has the versatility to line up across the formation but projects as an NFL slot. He received considerable pre-draft hype after winning the Stock Up Offensive Player of the Week at the Senior Bowl, but has since settled into a more reasonable projection as an early Day 3 pick. His obvious work ethic will help him get onto the field, but like many prospects in this deep rookie class, he may make stronger contributions to an NFL offense than a fantasy team. Before knowing landing spots, Bell slots in as RotoBaller's rookie WR14.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
April 18, 2026
Tennessee wide receiver
Chris Brazzell II led the SEC in receiving yards per game and touchdowns in 2025, while taking 94.3% of his snaps on the outside, and more specifically, the right side. A staggering 85 of Brazzell's 86 targets came on routes originating from the right side of the formation. While Josh Heupel's offensive system has evolved past the gimmicky label of prior seasons, stats like that make it difficult not to lump Brazzell in with past Tennessee deep threats like Dont'e Thornton Jr.,
Jalin Hyatt, and
Cedric Tillman. Brazzell does possess game-changing speed, banking a 4.37-second 40 time at the Combine after measuring in at 6'4", and his past success at Tulane is another feather in the cap of a player who could receive Day 2 draft capital and eventually earn a role as a legitimate NFL field stretcher. Heading into the draft, he is RotoBaller's rookie WR10.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
April 18, 2026
Cleveland Browns running back
Quinshon Judkins finished his first season as RB23 by points per game, the fourth-highest total in a loaded rookie class. A dislocated ankle and fractured fibula ended his season in Week 16, but by all accounts, his recovery has gone well, and he should be available for the start of training camp. The Browns have brought in a new coaching staff for 2026, but some of the surrounding elements that stood in the way of a true breakout have not been addressed. Cleveland saw some of the worst quarterback and offensive line play in the league in 2025, and those remain points of concern heading into the NFL Draft. While they will likely need to wait until 2027 to make any upgrades at quarterback, two first-round picks could have them in position to address the line at multiple spots. Judkins hard-running style and safe bet for volume should provide a healthy floor for fantasy, but with Cleveland's offense again projected to be among the worst in the league, he may not have the scoring opportunities needed to raise his ceiling, especially considering his lack of involvement in the passing game.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
April 18, 2026
At 31 years old, San Francisco 49ers tight end
George Kittle (knee) came into the 2025 season still in the conversation as a top-five dynasty tight end. Six games missed due to a hamstring injury and an unfortunate postseason Achilles tear that now threatens his availability for the start of the 2026 season have pushed him well down the rankings. However, even without the injuries, the emergence of rookie stars
Colston Loveland,
Tyler Warren, and
Harold Fannin Jr. would have already had a hand in shaking up the rankings. The two factors working together may have created a perfect buy-low window for Kittle, who could now be viewed as undervalued as RotoBaller's dynasty TE13. Yes, he will be only eight months removed from his Achilles tear by the time the 49ers next play meaningful football, and he will turn 33 shortly after that, but he has not scored fewer than 10.6 fantasy points per game since his rookie season. For reference, over the past five seasons, the TE13 has averaged 8.0 Half-PPR points per game. While it could, and likely will, take Kittle time to get back up to speed, even 80% of the player he has historically been represents a smart dynasty buy for contenders with the surrounding roster strength to bank on a fantasy playoff appearance.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
April 18, 2026
TCU wide receiver
Eric McAlister (foot) had an excellent senior season with the Horned Frogs in 2025, recording 72 receptions for 1,190 yards and 10 touchdowns across 13 games. Unfortunately for his draft prospects, McAlister suffered a Jones fracture in his foot during his pro day, which could put his availability for the early part of his rookie season in question. While McAlister should still hear his name called, he was not considered to be an elite wide receiver prospect even before the injuries. As a result, he's likely to be facing an uphill battle for playing time early in his NFL career, regardless of where he ends up getting drafted. McAlister's dynasty value is an open question as he works his way back from injury.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
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