56 seconds agoWinnipeg Jets left wing Cole Perfetti tallied a goal and an assist during their overtime victory over the Seattle Kraken on Sunday evening. Perfetti would find the back of the net in the opening frame during 5-on-5 play. In overtime, Perfetti would tally the primary helper to set up Dylan Samberg on the game-winning goal. This was his second two-point outing over his last three contests. Before this recent surge, the 23-year-old tallied just one point (a goal) over his last six games. Through 68 total games this season, Perfetti has enjoyed a career season. He has found the back of the 14 times and added 28 helpers, with 14 of his points coming on the power play. Fantasy managers should expect Perfetti to continue to play on the second offensive line, which makes him a solid forward in all standard leagues.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
12 mins agoUtah Hockey Club goaltender Karel Vejmelka stopped 18 of the 19 shots he faced en route to defeating the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday evening. The shot remained quite even through most of the contest, but Vejmelka was able to step up when called on. His lone mistake came in the second frame when Vancouver defenseman Quinn Hughes scored on the power play. This was a nice bounce-back showing for Vejmelka, as he allowed three goals on just 21 shots during his previous game. Over his previous six contests, the 28-year-old has struggled to find consistency as he has held a 3-1-2 record with a 2.45 GAA and a .901 save percentage. Fantasy managers should expect Vejmelka to remain in the starting crease in their next contest on Tuesday evening against a potent Edmonton offense.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
20 mins agoSt. Louis Blues right wing Jordan Kyrou tallies three points during their victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday evening. In the opening frame, Kyrou would add the secondary assist on Brayden Schenn's opening goal. In the second period, Kyrou would tally another secondary assist, this time on Dylan Holloway's power-play goal. In the third period, Kyrou would tally his second power-play point with the primary assist on Jake Neighbours' 18th goal of the season. This was Kyrou's second-straight three-point outing. Over his last 11 contests, the 26-year-old has found the back of the net four times and added eight helpers. Through 68 games this season, Kyrou has tallied 56 points (27 goals) with 15 of his points coming on the power play. He remains a solid play in all standard leagues playing in the top-six of the St. Louis offense.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
24 mins agoEdmonton Oilers left wing Ryan Nugent-Hopkins tallied three helpers during their 3-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Sunday evening. In the first period, Nugent-Hopkins tallied the primary assist on Corey Perry's power-play goal. In the second, Nugent-Hopkins would set up Viktor Arvidsson to score his ninth goal of the season. Then, in the final frame, Nugent-Hopkins would tally his third primary helper of the evening, this time on Connor McDavid's 25th goal of the season. This outing snapped a three-game scoreless streak for Nugent-Hopkins. Before this skid, the 31-year-old tallied six points (five helpers) over his last nine contests. In 66 games, the former first-overall selection has found the back of the net 16 times and added 26 assists. He should continue to be viewed as a solid DFS play in favorable matchups.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
32 mins agoColorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar tallied three points during their overtime victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday evening. Makar would tally his first point with a primary assist on Martin Necas' power-play goal in the opening frame. In the second, Makar would dish out his second helper, this time the secondary assist on Valeri Nichushkin's strike. In overtime, Makar would power Colorado to the victory as he found the back of the net on a wrist shot. This outing snapped his brief three-game skid. Before this skid, Makar tallied 17 points (nine goals) over his last nine games. Through 68 total games this season, the 26-year-old has found the back of the net 25 times and added 53 helpers. Makar has tallied 31 of his points on the power play. He remains a must-start player in all leagues and a strong lineup anchor in DFS.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
39 mins agoFlorida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (upper body) sustained an injury during their loss to the New York Islanders on Sunday. Kulikov logged six minutes of ice time before exiting the contest. He did not get on the scoresheet before exiting and tallied two penalty minutes. Fantasy managers should monitor his status leading up to their next contest on Thursday evening against the Columbus Blue Jackets. If Kulikov were to sit out, the Panthers would need to promote a defenseman from their AHL affiliate. Leading up to Sunday, Kulikov tallied two points (one goal) over his past six games with 11 hits and seven blocked shots. Through 68 total contests this season, the 34-year-old has tallied 13 points (four goals) with 110 hits and 70 blocked shots.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Florida Panthers
3 hours ago23XI Racing has always been fast on flat 1.5-mile ovals and yesterday's Las Vegas race was no exception even though neither Bubba Wallace nor his teammate Tyler Reddick ended up with good finishes. Despite starting 20th, Wallace drove up to fourth at the end of Stage 1 then took the lead twice before being passed by both Kyle Larson and William Byron. However, while attempting to make a four-wide pass on Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, and Noah Gragson for sixth in the outside lane on a restart, Blaney, Wallace, and Gragson came together and Wallace ended up finishing 28th a lap down, which was not representative of how he ran. Nonetheless, he's definitely had improved speed this year likely thanks to his new crew chief Charles Denike who led over 1,000 laps with Christian Eckes in the Craftsman Truck Series last year. The fact that he's been pretty unlucky and is still 11th in points is a great sign.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
3 hours agoAlex Bowman started sixth and finished seventh at Las Vegas, so you might figure he had his typical run-of-the-mill run where he ran in the back half of the top ten of the race without really contending, but his run was actually a lot stronger than that. Bowman led two laps early after passing Austin Cindric after the first restart before Cindric repassed him, but then while running fifth on lap 90, he pitted for a loose wheel and fell to 35th. He gained considerably after staying out of the pits on the eighth caution and quickly reentered the top ten for good after that, running as high as fourth in the latter stages. It remains to be seen whether he will have the speed to dominate a race again (which he hasn't for a while), but yesterday was an encouraging sign.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
3 hours agoIn a race where all the Team Penske drivers and their Wood Brothers satellite entry for Josh Berry seemed quite fast, Austin Cindric outdueled Alex Bowman to win Stage 1 at yesterday's Las Vegas race, his first stage win on a non-drafting oval since Gateway in 2022. He still continuously ran in the top ten until he had to pit a second time during the caution for Shane van Gisbergen's crash for a loose wheel, but eventually worked his way up to 6th. If all the cars who stayed out of the pits on the eighth caution had ended up running out of fuel which seemed very possible at one point, Cindric might've been in the hunt for the win since there were times he was ahead of William Byron and Kyle Larson, the latter of whom he outfinished. Perhaps this suggests he has more staying power after strong qualifying sessions than he did in previous years.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
3 hours agoWilliam Byron entered yesterday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas as the points leader and expanded his lead over Christopher Bell to 29 points after a fourth place finish. Byron entered the race as one of the pre-race favorites and did briefly lead twice for ten laps after passing first Bubba Wallace then Michael McDowell for the lead before his teammate Kyle Larson passed him both times. Larson looked faster than Byron for most of the race, but Byron was rarely far behind and ended up passing all the drivers on the main pit strategy by race's end. However, the usual contenders outthought themselves in choosing to pit during the eighth caution and many others didn't, which (along with contact from Ross Chastain) prevented them from catching the unusual podium finishers of Josh Berry, Daniel Suárez, and Ryan Preece on the other strategy.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
3 hours agoOne week after leading at Phoenix due to his alternative tire strategy, Ryan Preece surprisingly delivered the best finish of his career on a non-drafting oval in yesterday's Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas, finishing third in a race where his two RFK Racing teammates Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski did not run very well. Although Preece qualified 12th, he fell through the field during Stage 1 before he made a furious charge from 20th to 11th at the end of Stage 2. The team made a visionary move to stay out of the pits on the caution for the multi-car crash that took out Ryan Blaney, then managed to catch a caution before they needed to pit again. This propelled Preece to third on the final restart. Although he dropped to fifth after being passed by William Byron and Ross Chastain, when they made contact he regained third as the repercussions from the contact broke the momentum of all the drivers chasing him.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
8 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers shortstop/outfielder
Mookie Betts (illness) will not play in the season-opening two-game series in Tokyo, Japan, against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, March 18, and Wednesday, March 19, according to manager Dave Roberts. Betts came down with an illness right before the team left for Japan, and it held him out of the team's exhibition games on Saturday and Sunday against the Yomiuri Giants and Hanshin Tigers, respectively. The 32-year-old former MVP isn't quite ready, and the Dodgers are considering sending him back to L.A. early so that he can continue to recover for the U.S. season opener on March 27 against the visiting Detroit Tigers. We'd be surprised if Betts isn't ready by then, but we'll continue to monitor his status closely. With Betts out this coming week against Chicago, expect veteran
Miguel Rojas to start both games at the 6 for the Blue.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
8 hours agoAfter signing wide receiver
Ja'Marr Chase to a record four-year, $161 million deal with $112 million guaranteed on Sunday night, the Cincinnati Bengals then turned around and signed receiver
Tee Higgins to a four-year, $115 million deal to make him the highest-paid No. 2 wideout in NFL history, according to FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz. The first two years of Higgins' new deal are guaranteed. Cincy put the franchise tag on Higgins for the second straight year, but it only served as a placeholder before they locked the 26-year-old up long term. Although the former second-rounder (33rd overall) in 2020 out of Clemson only played in 12 games (nine starts) in 2024 due to injuries, he excelled when on the field and finished with a 73-911-10 line. His 10 scores were a new career-high. Although Chase takes valuable targets away from Higgins, he still has two 1,000-yard seasons and two 900-yard seasons, making him a strong WR2 target in fantasy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: FOX Sports - Jordan Schultz
8 hours agoThe Cincinnati Bengals signed wide receiver
Ja'Marr Chase to a four-year, $161 million deal with $112 million guaranteed on Sunday to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, according to FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz. The 25-year-old All-Pro wideout is now under contract with the Bengals for the next five years for $182.816 million. The former fifth overall pick in 2021 out of LSU was deserving of the record contract after leading the league in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708), touchdowns (17) and yards per game (100.5) in 17 games (16 starts) for the Bengals in his fourth year in the league in 2024. Chase has now been a Pro Bowler in each of his four years in the NFL and has put up at least 1,046 yards and seven touchdowns every year. With
Tee Higgins also coming back and with
Joe Burrow throwing him the football, Chase will be the unquestioned top receiver in fantasy this fall.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: FOX Sports - Jordan Schultz
8 hours agoGolden State Warriors guard
Brandin Podziemski (back) is expected to return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Milwaukee Bucks. According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters on Saturday that Tuesday's matchup is "the target" for Podziemski's return. He has been listed as out for Monday's contest against the Denver Nuggets. Podziemski, who will miss a fifth consecutive game on Monday, will eat into the minutes of
Moses Moody,
Buddy Hield, and
Gary Payton II once he returns to the lineup.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Anthony Slater
8 hours agoDenver Nuggets guard/forward
Christian Braun (foot) is tagged as probable for Monday's contest against the Golden State Warriors. He continues to deal with inflammation in his left foot, but this hasn't yet kept Braun out of the lineup. His only absence this season came on Dec. 16. The 23-year-old has had a few quiet outings lately, but his overall numbers remain strong. Over eight March appearances, Braun has averaged 16.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.3 steals. On Monday, Braun might be called upon to do even more, as Denver leaders
Nikola Jokic (elbow, ankle) and
Jamal Murray (ankle) could miss the action.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
9 hours agoDenver Nuggets forward/center
Aaron Gordon (calf, ankle) may remain out for a second consecutive game on Monday against the Golden State Warriors after the team listed him as questionable for the contest. Gordon has been bothered by a calf injury all year and is now also dealing with a left ankle sprain. With him out on Saturday against the Washington Wizards,
Russell Westbrook returned to the starting lineup.
Peyton Watson,
Zeke Nnaji, and
Christian Braun (foot) also gain fantasy value with Gordon out of the lineup. The latter remains on the injury report but is listed as probable, which suggests that Braun will likely be available Monday night.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
9 hours agoDenver Nuggets point guard
Jamal Murray (ankle) is considered questionable for Monday's game against the Golden State Warriors. Murray has been on the injury report for much of the season due to inflammation in his left knee, but he hurt his right ankle on Saturday against the Washington Wizards, and this new injury may prevent him from playing on Monday night.
Nikola Jokic (elbow, ankle) is also uncertain for Monday night, so the keys to the offense could be handed to
Russell Westbrook.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
9 hours agoDenver Nuggets center
Nikola Jokic (elbow, ankle) is listed as questionable for Monday's matchup against the Golden State Warriors. The three-time MVP has been dealing with elbow and ankle issues recently. However, he has previously had a probable designation on the injury report. Jokic last missed a game on Jan. 15 against the Houston Rockets, leading to
DeAndre Jordan being promoted to the starting unit. If Jokic is absent again on Monday, Jordan might return to the rotation; however,
Zeke Nnaji has recently moved ahead of him on the depth chart and is likely a better fantasy option.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
9 hours agoGolden State Warriors center
Quinten Post (ankle) has been listed as questionable for Monday's contest against the Denver Nuggets. The Dutch rookie has landed on the injury report with ankle soreness. Post has been a regular in the rotation lately, offering low-tier fantasy value. He has averaged 9.3 points and 5.0 rebounds in 19.8 minutes since the All-Star break. If Post sits out Monday's game, the Warriors could use
Kevon Looney more behind
Draymond Green, although head coach Steve Kerr might also choose to utilize smaller lineups.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
9 hours agoGolden State Warriors point guard
Stephen Curry (back) has received a questionable tag on the injury report ahead of Monday's matchup with the Denver Nuggets. The two-time MVP is dealing with a back issue, which may keep Curry sidelined for the first time since Jan. 28. If Curry isn't cleared to play,
Buddy Hield would likely see an increase in playing time, while Jimmy Butler,
Jonathan Kuminga, and
Moses Moody will be expected to contribute more on the offensive end.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
10 hours agoMemphis Grizzlies forward
Vince Williams Jr. (ankle) has been removed from the injury report ahead of Monday's game against the Sacramento Kings. Williams appears ready to get back in action following a one-game absence due to a right ankle issue. Williams has been fairly quiet recently with three straight games of seven points or less. The 24-year-old doesn't exactly have a big role in the rotation, but possibly he sees more minutes with
Santi Aldama (calf) doubtful for this contest. Regardless, Williams is a fairly risky streaming option for Monday's slate.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Grizzlies PR
11 hours agoChicago Bulls guard
Coby White (toe) is listed as probable ahead of Monday's game against the Utah Jazz. White continues to play through a left toe issue, so fantasy managers should expect that to remain the case on Monday. White has been asked to pick up the slack lately with the team shorthanded at the guard spot. White has done an excellent job with 21 points or more in eight straight games. White has turned into a must-start fantasy player, especially with
Josh Giddey (ankle) and
Lonzo Ball (wrist) both sidelined.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
11 hours agoChicago Bulls guard
Josh Giddey (ankle) is listed as doubtful ahead of Monday's game against the Utah Jazz. It looks like Giddey is going to miss his third game in a row due to a right ankle sprain. This is a shame considering Giddey was on a hot streak before the injury. The absence of Giddey would mean that
Tre Jones and
Kevin Huerter continue seeing increased roles in the rotation. Huerter hasn't done much with the extra minutes lately, so Jones is the better streaming choice between the two guards right now.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
11 hours agoMilwaukee Bucks guard
Gary Trent Jr. (knee) is available to play ahead of Sunday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Trent was uncertain coming into this game due to a left knee issue. Despite that, Trent has been cleared to play and figures to play his normal role on Sunday. Trent offers low-end streaming appeal with back-to-back performances of 13 points or more. He's more worth a look in deep leagues rather than standard 12-team formats.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
11 hours agoMemphis Grizzlies guard
Scotty Pippen Jr. (wrist) is listed as questionable ahead of Monday's game against the Sacramento Kings. It appears Pippen suffered a left wrist injury during Saturday's contest. Despite that, Pippen finished with 11 points, six rebounds, and 11 assists across 29 minutes of action. Fellow guard
Ja Morant (hamstring) has already been ruled out, so Pippen should see an extended look once again, assuming he's cleared to play. Otherwise,
Luke Kennard and
Desmond Bane could be asked to play significant minutes if both Morant and Pippen are out.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Grizzlies PR
11 hours agoMemphis Grizzlies guard
Ja Morant (hamstring) has been ruled out ahead of Monday's game against the Sacramento Kings. Morant sat out on Saturday due to a shoulder issue, so it appears he is over that problem. Now, Morant will miss Monday's contest due to left hamstring tightness. When healthy, Morant is a stud as seen by his 44-point performance on Friday. Sadly, it hasn't been easy keeping it on the court lately considering this is his fourth absence this month. The absence of Morant should mean that
Luke Kennard and
Scotty Pippen Jr. (wrist) should have larger roles in the rotation. Both are worth a look as streaming options, but Pippen is the better of the two, assuming he's cleared to play.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Grizzlies PR
11 hours agoIndiana Pacers forward
Aaron Nesmith (ankle) is questionable for Monday's meeting with the Timberwolves. The 25-year-old hasn't been a consistent fantasy producer this season. Still, he can play well at times, as evident by his 30-point effort on Saturday against Milwaukee. But if Nesmith misses his first game since January 14,
Jarace Walker and
Bennedict Mathurin may enter the starting lineup. Walker and Mathurin are shaky fantasy options. But their upside will increase if
Tyrese Haliburton (back) and
Myles Turner (hip) aren't available.
Pascal Siakam (personal) has already been ruled out.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
11 hours agoIndiana Pacers guard
Tyrese Haliburton (back) is questionable for Monday's meeting with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He recently missed time because of a hip injury. However, Haliburton was back on the floor for Indiana's last three contests, recently amassing 24 points, 15 assists, six boards, and five steals in Saturday's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. But if the 25-year-old can't suit up,
Andrew Nembhard will likely slide over to the one, with
Bennedict Mathurin potentially entering the starting lineup. Mathurin has averaged 16.2 points and 5.8 rebounds in 45 starts this season, although he may be more productive if
Myles Turner (hip) and
Aaron Nesmith (ankle) don't play. In addition,
Pascal Siakam (personal) has already been ruled out for Monday night.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
11 hours agoPhil Miller of the Minnesota Star Tribune notes that Minnesota Twins pitcher
Michael Tonkin (shoulder) is set to begin the 2025 season on the injured list. The 35-year-old picked up what was labeled as a "slight" shoulder strain in his last outing on Feb. 28. Although he is progressing, it appears Tonkin won't make the team's Opening Day roster. The righty was solid in 2024 while spending time with the New York Yankees, New York Mets, and eventually, Minnesota -- pitching to a 3.63 ERA and 1.26 WHIP across 79.1 innings. Fantasy managers can expect him to slot back into his middle reliever role upon returning to health.
--Alex CiullaSource: Phil Miller
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