2 days agoAccording to ESPN's Shams Charania, Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (knee) will undergo surgery. It was already announced he would be sidelined indefinitely. However, now that it's known Suggs will have surgery to remove a cartilage fragment from his left knee, it's tough to say if he'll return to the floor this season. The 23-year-old has averaged a career-high 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in 2024-25. But while he is on the shelf, Cole Anthony, averaging 13.6 points, 1.1 steals, and 38.9% shooting from deep in 18 starts this season, should remain with the first five.Source: Shams Charania
2 days agoNew York Mets left-handed pitcher A.J. Minter (hip) faced live hitters during his bullpen session on Sunday. This was his first time throwing against live hitters since undergoing hip surgery last August. Earlier in the offseason, Minter signed a two-year contract worth $22 million with the New York Mets. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression as he could be cleared in time for Opening Day if he continues this current pace. Before being shut down last season, the southpaw held a 2.62 ERA with a 1.02 WHIP across 34 1/3 innings of work. He tallied 35 punchouts and added nine holds. From 2021 through 2023, Minter tallied at least 20 holds in each season operating as the set up man in Atlanta. When healthy, fantasy managers should expect Minter to have a similar role in Queens, operating as the eighth inning option in front of Edwin Diaz. He should be in line to tally double-digit holds, pitching on a competing Mets roster.Source: Tim Healey
2 days agoColorado Rockies right-handed pitcher Jeff Criswell (elbow) will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the entire 2025 campaign. The 25-year-old made his MLB debut last season and was expected to compete for a bullpen role. Across his first 19 2/3 innings, Criswell held a 2.75 ERA with a 1.47 WHIP. He tallied strikeouts at a strong 31.0 percent rate and whiffs at a 39.0 percent rate. However, he did generate hefty 5.01 xERA and a .247 xBA, suggesting he should have faced some regression during the upcoming season. Across 57 2/3 innings at Triple-A last summer, Criswell posted a 6.24 ERA with a 1.79 WHIP. He tallied 83 strikeouts and allowed 28 free passes. With Criswell sidelined, fantasy managers should expect Victor Vodnik, Seth Halvorsen, and Tyler Kinley to compete for save opportunities in the Colorado bullpen.Source: Thomas Harding
2 days agoColorado Rockies starting pitcher Austin Gomber (shoulder) was scratched from his start on Sunday due to left shoulder soreness. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status in case this injury begins to linger. For the time being, it does not appear the southpaw is in danger of missing Opening Day. Over the past two seasons, Gomber has been deployed exclusively out of the bullpen. Last summer, the 31-year-old posted a 4.75 ERA with a 1.31 WHIP across 165 innings of work. He tallied 116 punchouts and showed strong command with a 5.5 percent walk rate. However, he struggled to limit hard contact as he generated a high 41.2 percent hard-hit rate and a 9.6 percent barrel rate. He also held a 5.07 xERA and a .278 xBA, which were well below the average marks. When healthy, Gomber will have a spot in the starting rotation.Source: Thomas Harding
2 days agoSt. Louis Cardinals starting pitching prospect Quinn Mathews was assigned to minor-league camp on Sunday. As a result, the budding ace will not open the season in the major leagues. Mathews was invited to camp and had an outside chance of breaking the Opening Day roster. However, the team will opt to let their top arm continue his development in the minor leagues. Last season, the 24-year-old made his professional debut and looked quite comfortable. He spent most of his season at Double-A where he logged 52 1/3 innings to the tune of a 2.41 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. He tallied 70 punchouts and served up just 15 free passes. Then, in his first 16 2/3 innings at Triple-A, the southpaw served up 12 earned runs. Fantasy managers should monitor his development as he should open the season at Triple-A. If he can take the next step at Triple-A, he could push for an early-season MLB debut.Source: St. Louis Cardinals
2
days
agoBaltimore
Orioles
starting
pitchers
Albert
Suarez
and
Cade
Povich
are
viewed
as
the
team's
No.
6
and
No.
7
starters.
While
this
may
keep
them
out
of
a
job
in
the
starting
rotation
to
open
the
season,
theyread more...
2 days agoChicago White Sox third base prospect Bryan Ramos (elbow) is in the starting lineup on Sunday afternoon. Ramos will serve as the designated hitter and bat in the seven-hole. This is Ramos' first start of the spring. The 22-year-old has been dealing with a sore elbow and has still faced defensive restrictions. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression but seeing him return to the field, even as a designated hitter, is a positive sign. Ramos was given a brief taste of the majors last summer. Across 32 games, he posted a .202/.252/.333 line with four doubles and three home runs. Earlier in the season at Triple-A, Ramos held a .263/.339/.416 slash line with 13 doubles and eight long balls. If Ramos is able to produce well offensively, he could still make the Opening Day roster even if he is limited defensively.Source: Chicago White Sox
2
days
agoThe
sense
that
ESPN's
Jeremy
Fowler
has
gotten
is
that
quarterback
Justin
Fields
has
an
edge
over
veteran
Russell
Wilson
in
the
Pittsburgh
Steelers'
free-agent
QB
pecking
order
this
offseason.
Fowler
goes
on
to
write
that
there
isread more...
2
days
agoMinnesota
Vikings
impending
free-agent
quarterback
Daniel
Jones
(knee)
is
expected
to
be
on
the
Cleveland
Browns'
radar
this
offseason,
according
to
people
that
ESPN's
Jeremy
Fowler
has
talked
to.
Because
the
Browns
still
owe
injured
quarterback
Deshaun
Watson
(Achilles)
$92read more...
2 days agoESPN's Jeremy Fowler continues to hear that the Minnesota Vikings won't mortgage their future to re-sign impending free-agent quarterback Sam Darnold. Fowler also says that there wasn't much momentum coming out of the NFL Combine this week that the Vikings will use the franchise tag on Darnold, who should have multiple suitors if he reaches the open market. The New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers could all be involved for a QB that won 14 games for the Vikes in 2024 and is the best option at the position on the market by a wide margin. Aside from Darnold, there's a real possibility Minnesota re-signs Daniel Jones (knee) as insurance for J.J. McCarthy (knee) in case last year's first-rounder needs more time. Fowler also points out that the Vikings interviewed Miami's Cam Ward at the Combine. All signs are pointing to Darnold not returning to Minnesota in 2025.Source: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
2
days
agoChicago
Cubs
starting
pitcher
Javier
Assad
(oblique)
will
not
be
ready
by
Opening
Day.
Assad
was
diagnosed
with
a
mild
oblique
strain
in
February.
He
has
begun
playing
catch
and
is
targeting
a
return
to
the
mound
sometime
next
week.
However,
it
appearsread more...
2 days agoDenver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (ankle) won't play on Sunday against Boston. The veteran has been bothered by a calf injury this season. However, he has a sprained ankle, so his next chance to suit up again will be on Wednesday versus the Sacramento Kings. Without Gordon, Russell Westbrook, averaging 14.2 points, 7.0 assists, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in 27 starts, should fill the hole in the lineup. But even if Zeke Nnaji (ankle) draws the start, if he's available, Westbrook should still benefit.Source: Bennett Durando
2 days agoThe Athletic's Dianna Russini reports that while the Cincinnati Bengals have made an offer to All-Pro wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, the two sides remain far apart in extension talks for now. Chase is fully expected to reset the non-QB market after he and the Bengals were unable to agree on an extension before the start of the 2024 season, but Cincinnati appears to be prioritizing an extension with Tee Higgins first this offseason. Cincinnati is trying to keep all three of Chase, Higgins and defensive end Trey Hendrickson, but if they can't get deals done with all three, Hendrickson is most likely to be the odd man out. The 25-year-old Chase had the league's receiving Triple Crown in 2024 by leading the NFL in catches (127), receiving yards (1,708) and receiving touchdowns (17), making him deserving of being the highest-paid non-QB. He'll be the first receiver off the board in the first round in 2025 fantasy drafts.Source: The Athletic - Dianna Russini
2 days agoBoston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito (elbow) is expected to make his spring debut on Thursday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Giolito is working his way back from an internal brace procedure he underwent which kept him sidelined for the entire 2024 campaign. Giolito has been throwing simulated games during camp and will now look to see his first game action since the 2023 season. Fantasy managers should monitor his status as he should be in a good position to claim a spot in the Opening Day rotation if he performs well during the remainder of camp. In 2023, Giolito spent time with three clubs and held a cumulative 184 1/3 innings with a high 4.88 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. He tallied 204 strikeouts but generated a high 4.61 xERA. If he performs well in spring training, he could be an intriguing late-round pick in deeper formats. UPDATE: Giolito will throw one more up-and-down session on Thursday before making his Grapefruit League debut on March 11 against the Philadelphia Phillies.Source: Ian Browne
2 days agoAccording to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (groin) is expected to return on Sunday night against Phoenix. The former Knick has struggled throughout his time in Minnesota, averaging 18.9 points, his fewest since his final year with the Lakers back in 2017-18. He's also missed the last 13 games because of a groin injury. Randle will likely need at least a few games to ramp up. However, he's a must-start for fantasy managers, especially with Rudy Gobert (back) ruled out and Anthony Edwards (calf) questionable. Either way, Randle's return should still result in fewer minutes for Donte DiVincenzo and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.Source: Chris Haynes
2 days agoThe New York Giants have been a team to watch on multiple fronts as they try to find an answer at quarterback, especially after striking out on Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford, according to league sources. One avenue for the Giants could be to trade up into the No. 1 overall draft spot to ensure they can secure their favorite QB option this year. The Tennessee Titans currently own the No. 1 pick, but there has been plenty of interest from teams wanting to move up into the top spot. If the G-Men don't outbid other teams to secure the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL draft, New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers is another option. The Giants have already spoken to Rodgers' representation about playing for their team once he's officially released by the Jets as a post-June 1 cut. There has been plenty of speculation that New York could draft a QB this year while also adding a veteran bridge signal-caller.Source: The Athletic - Dianna Russini
2 days agoBoston Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello (shoulder) may not be ready in time for Opening Day. Manager Alex Cora said, "He's behind. But I think he's been itching to throw for a while, so we took care of him, and hopefully doing that, he can actually not catch up." The manager noted, "We're still shooting for him to be on the Opening Day roster, but obviously it's March 2 now." Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression during camp as a minor setback could result in him opening the season on the injured list. The right-hander has been battling shoulder soreness during the early part of camp and was shut down for some time. Last season, the 25-year-old logged a career-high 162 1/3 innings and held a 4.49 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP. He tallied 153 punchouts and held a high 9.1 percent walk rate. When healthy, Bello will have a spot in the starting rotation.Source: Ian Browne
2 days agoBoston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (finger) won't play on Sunday against Denver. He's battled a shoulder injury throughout the 2024-25 campaign. However, a finger injury will keep him off the floor versus the Nuggets. Holiday also wasn't available in Friday's loss to the Cavaliers. As a result, Sam Hauser entered the starting lineup and finished with six points and six rebounds. Hauser should see a bump in fantasy potential on Sunday. But with Jaylen Brown (knee), Derrick White, and Jayson Tatum available, nobody on the roster is considered a lock from a scoring standpoint, even with Kristaps Porzingis (illness) sidelined.Source: NBA Injury Report
2 days agoThe Philadelphia Eagles' interest in trading for Cleveland Browns All-Pro pass-rusher Myles Garrett is real, sources have told The Athletic's Dianna Russini. "Garrett could be this year's version of Saquon Barkley for Howie (Roseman)," one NFL general manager said. "He's an impact add and isn't a free-agent overpay. Howie's not afraid to try stuff, and it fits where they are as a team." The only way to make it work for Philadelphia would be if they were to let key members of their Super Bowl-winning group walk, including linebacker Zack Baun. In addition to Baun, edge rusher Josh Sweat, defensive tackle Milton Williams and guard Mekhi Becton headline the Eagles' free-agent class, and bringing them all back would prove difficult if they added Garrett, who could easily become the highest-paid defensive player in the league on his next contract.Source: The Athletic - Dianna Russini
2 days agoBoston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (illness) isn't available for Sunday's meeting with Denver. He's not hurt, which is always a concern. However, the veteran isn't feeling well, so he'll miss a second-consecutive game. Al Horford got the start on Friday against the Cavaliers, finishing with five points and seven rebounds. Horford will likely draw the start once again versus Nikola Jokic and company, with Luke Kornet coming off the bench. Yet, with Jaylen Brown (knee) and Jayson Tatum on the floor, everyone else could have a tough time getting consistent scoring opportunities, capping Horford's fantasy potential.Source: NBA Injury Report
2 days agoSan Francisco Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos (oblique) is expected to return on Tuesday. Ramos suffered an oblique injury last week. The outfielder has begun hitting off a tee and has not faced any setbacks. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progress leading up to his return. After appearing in just 34 MLB contests during his first two seasons, Ramos logged a career-high 121 games in 2024. During this stint, the slugger launched 22 home runs with a .269/.322/.469 slash line. He swiped six bags and tallied 72 RBI. Under the hood, he generated an elite 14.5 percent barrel rate and a 47.5 percent hard-hit rate. He also placed in the 90th percentile in bat speed. When healthy, fantasy managers should expect Ramos to have an everyday role in left field and typically bat in the top half of the lineup.Source: Susan Slusser
2 days agoNFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Saturday that the San Francisco 49ers are open to trading both wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and Deebo Samuel Sr. The 49ers already traded Samuel to the Washington Commanders on Saturday in exchange for a fifth-round pick, so it's unclear if San Fran is still open to dealing Aiyuk. The 26-year-old suffered a torn ACL last October and reportedly turned down a trade to the Patriots last offseason due to their quarterback situation. It's uncertain if the Patriots would want Aiyuk now after his torn ACL, although Aiyuk could be more open to joining New England after QB Drake Maye's intriguing rookie season. Aiyuk could be ready for the start of the 2025 season, but it's not guaranteed, especially after he also suffered damage to his MCL in the Week 7 loss to the Chiefs. Aiyuk would certainly give Maye a bonafide No. 1 wideout in his second NFL season, though. Stay tuned.Source: Patriots.com - Evan Lazar
2 days agoBoston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (knee) will play on Sunday against Denver. He had 37 points in Friday's loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, the 28-year-old popped up on the injury report on Saturday because of knee pain. With Jrue Holiday (finger) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness) both ruled out, Brown and Jayson Tatum could exceed expectations from a production standpoint versus a Denver team that hasn't been the most efficient on the defensive side of the ball during the 2024-25 campaign.Source: NBA Injury Report
2 days agoNew York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga will make his spring debut on Monday evening against the Miami Marlins. The right-hander is expected to only throw one inning. The 32-year-old was limited to just four appearances during the entire 2024 campaign due to a shoulder and a calf injury. During the postseason, Senga logged five innings and allowed seven earned runs. In the regular season he made just one start where he tallied nine strikeouts with two earned runs across five 1/3 innings. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status but seeing him make his spring debut suggests he should see his normal workload by Opening Day. During the 2023 season, Senga held a strong 2.98 ERA with a 1.22 WHIP across 166 1/3 innings. He is expected to be open the season at the top of the Mets starting rotation.Source: Anthony DiComo
2 days agoLos Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (ankle) will cover first base and bat third during their contest against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday. This is Freeman's first game playing the field during spring training. During his first taste of spring training, the reigning World Series MVP has exclusively been deployed as a designated hitter. Freeman underwent offseason ankle surgery to remove loose bodies from his ankle. However, seeing him make his defensive debut early in camp suggests he should not face many limitations during the regular season. The 35-year-old is expected to typically bat in the three-hole behind Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts, which will provide him an elite total of counting stats. Last season, Freeman held a strong .278/.378/.476 slash line with 22 home runs. He should be viewed as a top first baseman in all formats while batting in the heart of one of the top lineups in the sport.Source: MLB.com
2 days agoChicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (shoulder) will miss the remainder of the season. The Bulls provided an update on Sunday morning, indicating Dosunmu will need surgery to address "left shoulder instability." The organization will provide updates "as appropriate." The 2021 No. 38 overall pick averaged a career-high 12.3 points and 4.5 assists during the 2024-25 campaign. Yet, he shot just 32.8% from deep after draining 40.3% of his tries last season. It's unknown when Dosunmu will have the procedure and how long it will take for him to get back on the floor. But Tre Jones and Kevin Huerter, combining for 25 points in Friday's overtime win over the Raptors, should see more action for the rest of the season.Source: Chicago Bulls
2 days agoTyler Reddick won the pole for this weekend's EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas on Saturday afternoon, and will now shift his focus to the race on Sunday as he looks to become the first repeat winner at this track in the Cup Series. Reddick took the checkered flag here back in 2023 and has been strong in every single race that the series has ran here. In addition to that victory, Reddick has a couple of fifth-place finishes to his credit at COTA, and has never finished worse than ninth in four career starts thus far. As far as DraftKings goes this weekend, Reddick is priced at a hefty $9,900 for the race at COTA. While he does have dominator upside, he becomes a bit of a risky play in tournaments because of the potential for negative Place Differential as well. You shouldn't consider Reddick a must-play in DFS this weekend, but he's not an awful choice either. Source: ifantasyrace
2 days agoChase Elliott, the inaugural Circuit of the Americas winner, will start third for Sunday's Echopark Texas Grand Prix. It will be the highest starting position yet for Elliott in his Cup career at the site. In three previous races at COTA, Elliott has two top-5 finishes and missed the 2023 race at the site due to injury. Outside of Chicago, Elliott has an average finish of 10.4, with seven top-5 finishes in 14 races at road courses since 2022. In final practice, Elliott ranked third in overall lap averages while ranking second in both five and 10-consecutive lap averages. Expect Elliott to compete for the win based on his strong COTA history and top-notch equipment from Hendrick Motorsports.Source: DriverAverages.com
2 days agoShane van Gisbergen came into the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix race weekend as the favorite to win, according to sportsbooks, and nothing has happened over the course of practice and qualifying for that sentiment to change. SVG was the fastest in both practice sessions on Saturday at COTA, beating second-fastest William Byron by over half of a second in the final practice. SVG qualified sixth for Sunday's race and went on X soon after to state, "[The WeatherTech] Camaro feels great and I think we should be competitive in the race tomorrow. Looking forward to it!" With his road-course prowess and strong practice speeds, SVG is a strong DFS option in all formats this weekend. He is priced at $9,800 on DraftKings this weekend and projected to be one of the highest-scoring drivers on the slate.Source: Shane van Gisbergen X Account
2 days agoKyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports will start seventh for this week's Echopark Texas Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. It will be just the second time in his Cup career that Larson will have a top-10 starting position at the Texas road course. In four previous races at COTA, Larson only has one top-10 finish, but it came in 2021, before the arrival of the Next-Gen car. Larson has been one of the top drivers in recent road course events with three wins and six top-10 finishes at the track type except for Chicago since 2022. The No. 5 Chevrolet driver also won two of the last three road course events. In final practice, Larson ranked second in overall lap averages, third in five consecutive lap averages, and had the fastest 10 consecutive lap average. With fast practice speeds and favorable recents in recent road course events, Larson is one of the favorites to compete for the win this week.Source: DriverAverages.com