16 hours agoDetroit Red Wings goaltender Cam Talbot stopped all 28 shots he faced in his shutout victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. The Lightning dominated the shot total in the final frame, but Talbot was able to keep the door shut to seal the victory. After a disappointing start to the season, the 37-year-old has begun to turn the corner. Over his previous eight contests, Talbot has posted a 7-1 record with a solid .906% SV and a 2.72 GAA. During this eight-game stretch, he allowed two goals or less in five of these starts. Overall, Talbot carries a 13-10-2 record with a. 906% SV and a 2.90 GAA. Talbot will look to continue this impressive stretch on Tuesday evening, facing his former team, the Los Angeles Kings.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
16 hours agoDallas Stars goaltender Casey DeSmith stopped all 33 shots he faced en route to defeating the St. Louis Blues on Saturday evening. The Stars were heavily outshot in this contest, but DeSmith was able to lead the way. Evgenii Dadonov broke the stalemate in the opening frame, which would serve as the game-winner. This was a nice bounce-back outing for DeSmith, as he allowed nine goals over his previous two starts. During this two-game stretch, he carried a poor .857% SV with a 4.65 GAA. However, over his previous five games before this stretch, the 33-year-old posted a strong .950% SV and a 1.40 GAA. Given how often Jake Oettinger controls the Dallas crease, DeSmith is best left as a streaming option in deeper formats, as he may only see one start each week.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
16 hours agoAccording to the team, Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson (upper body) exited early during Saturday's contest against the Nashville Predators. Gibson stopped nine of the 10 shots he faced in the opening frame, but Lukas Dostal took over for the final two frames. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor the 31-year-old's status leading up to their next contest on Tuesday evening against the Seattle Kraken. In his previous start, Gibson stopped 31 of the 32 shots he faced en route to defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, prior to this strong showing, Gibson posted a .889% SV and a 3.69 GAA over his previous three contests. If Gibson were to miss time, Dostal would see the majority of the starts going forward in the Anaheim crease.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Anaheim Ducks
16 hours agoAccording to head coach Sheldon Keefe, New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (undisclosed) is viewed as "day-to-day" following his early exit during Saturday's contest. Hischier sustained this injury during the third period. Before exiting, the captain scored his 24th goal of the season in the opening frame. He logged two hits and three shots on goal. Fantasy managers should continue to keep a close eye on his status leading up to Monday's contest against the Philadelphia Flyers. Entering Saturday, Hischier tallied six points over his previous five (four goals, two helpers) with a -3 rating. Overall, the 26-year-old has tallied 43 points over 51 contests. If he were to miss time, fantasy managers should expect Justin Dowling to be a candidate to move up to the second-line center role.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: New Jersey Devils
17 hours agoAccording to Andrew Gross of Newsday, New York Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock (upper body) suffered an injury during Saturday's overtime victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Pulock sustained this injury during the first period. Before exiting, Pulock logged just one shift and did not get on the scoresheet. If the 30-year-old were to miss time, fantasy managers should expect Dennis Cholowski to enter the starting lineup. Entering Sunday, Pulock tallied four points over his previous eight contests. During this stretch, he logged over two blocked shots per game and two shots on goal per game. Tony DeAngelo will likely take Pulock's spot on the power-play.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Andrew Gross
17 hours agoAccording to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan (wrist) is expected to be sidelined until mid-March after facing a setback. Monahan suffered this injury during their game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in January. He was placed on the injured reserve shortly after but now is in danger of missing more time as he was originally expected to return in February. Before the injury, Monahan tallied 41 points (14 goals, 27 helpers) across 41 contests with a +17 rating. While he continues to be sidelined, fantasy managers should expect Adam Fantilli to remain in the top center role. In his absence, the former first-round selection has begun to break out at the NHL level, as he has tallied 13 points over his previous 12.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Aaron Portzline
1 day agoKansas City Chiefs tight end
Noah Gray is a low-floor desperation play in this Sunday's Conference Championship bout with the Buffalo Bills. Gray had a stretch of four games in the middle of the season when he snagged four touchdowns and nabbed at least four passes per contest. However, he's since caught just eight balls while seeing his snap percentage drop roughly 10-20% per outing. The drop in playing time coincides with the return of wide receiver
Marquise Brown, so it makes sense that the 25-year-old has had his work cut some. He'll still be eligible to catch a short-area TD or two, but by and large, is tough to trust from a volume standpoint in a passing attack that hasn't been all that effective this season. Gray can be safely avoided for fantasy purposes, even in a game that should feature a healthy amount of points.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
1 day agoKansas City Chiefs wide receiver
Marquise Brown is an intriguing flyer for Sunday's meeting with the Buffalo Bills. The 27-year-old has seen his snap share elevate each week he's been active since working back from a preseason shoulder injury, building up to 34 (67%) in Kansas City's Divisional win over the Houston Texans. Though he got his most work on the field, Brown garnered just two targets and didn't record a catch. However, it's worth noting there were four other Chiefs pass-catchers to notch a target and nary a reception. Before his most recent goose egg, the Oklahoma product racked up at least four catches and 45 yards in his other two appearances, so he could see more work in a competitive game. Fortunately, he'll get just that, as this matchup brandishes a robust 48-point over/under with the Chiefs a slim 1.5-point home favorite.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
1 day agoBuffalo Bills linebacker Baylon Spector (calf) has been downgraded to out for Sunday's Conference Championship clash with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bills opened Spector's practice window on Wednesday, and he logged three straight full sessions before being deemed questionable in Friday's injury report. However, he won't be activated off injured reserve before this weekend's tilt. It's unfortunate news for the 26-year-old, as he'd played significant snaps for Buffalo earlier in the year and still ranks third amongst Bills linebackers in total snaps played despite missing nine outings. Teammate Dorian Williams will continue to swap in behind Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard at linebacker against Kansas City.
--Alex CiullaSource: Buffalo Bills
1 day agoPer Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, the Kansas City Chiefs are elevating wide receiver
Justyn Ross from their practice squad to the active roster ahead of their meeting with the Buffalo Bills this Sunday. The former Clemson Tiger was promoted twice earlier this season in Weeks 9 and 10, logging a total of 14 snaps and commanding just one target. Since then, though, Ross had been nothing more than a practice squad stash for the team. However, he'll get another shot at in-game action against the visiting Bills in the Conference Championship round. While the 25-year-old's path to targets is unclear, it appears he's likely to get at least some playing time in Kansas City's most pivotal contest of the year. Expect him to work in behind fellow wideout
Justin Watson.
--Alex CiullaSource: Ari Meirov
1 day agoPhoenix Suns guard
Bradley Beal (ankle) will play on Saturday against the Washington Wizards. Beal has missed three of the last four games, including a trip to Washington, but he has been upgraded from probable to available ahead of Saturday's contest. Although his most recent outing resulted in only five points, Beal has been decent in his new bench role in Phoenix. He has averaged 14.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists as a reserve.
Grayson Allen and
Royce O'Neale will play smaller roles in the rotation with Beal back in the fold.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
1 day agoLos Angeles Lakers forward/center
Anthony Davis (calf) will play against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, marking his fourth consecutive appearance. Although Davis has missed two games this month, the team typically upgrades him from probable to available before tip-off. The nine-time All-Star aims to start a new double-double streak on Saturday after having a nine-game run end in Thursday's 117-96 victory over the Boston Celtics. Davis averages 23.8 points and 12.8 rebounds for the month.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
1 day agoMemphis Grizzlies forward/center
Santi Aldama (illness) will not suit up for Saturday's tilt against the Utah Jazz. An illness will keep the Spaniard sidelined for a second consecutive game. Memphis also remains without the services of
Jake LaRavia (back), opening up additional opportunities on the frontcourt for the likes of
Brandon Clarke and
GG Jackson II. The two played well off the bench in Friday's 139-126 win over the New Orleans Pelicans and could also make noise against Utah's fragile defense.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
1 day agoUtah Jazz forward
Brice Sensabaugh (ankle) will return from a one-game absence on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies. He sprained his right ankle earlier this week but has made a swift recovery. Sensabaugh has been an interesting addition to the Jazz rotation lately, as he has averaged 18.0 points in 24.4 minutes since the calendar was flipped. He appears to be in line for extra usage again in Saturday's game, with
John Collins (illness) unavailable.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
1 day agoMemphis Grizzlies point guard
Ja Morant (illness) will jump back into the lineup for Saturday's clash against the Utah Jazz. An illness kept him sidelined for Friday's matchup versus the New Orleans Pelicans. Morant's shooting form has been shaky all month, but he has posted two double-doubles over his previous three appearances. He is in an excellent spot to deliver a big performance on Saturday, as Utah allows the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing point guard this season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
1 day agoPhiladelphia 76ers center
Andre Drummond (toe) will sit out a second consecutive game on Saturday against the Chicago Bulls. Drummond is battling a toe injury and has been in and out of the lineup recently. With
Joel Embiid (knee) also on the shelf,
Guerschon Yabusele will continue to do the heavy lifting at the center position, with
Adem Bona logging time as his backup. Yabusele has averaged 10.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in a starting role this season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
1 day agoLos Angeles Lakers forward
LeBron James (foot) is ready to face
Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night. Earlier in the day, the team downgraded James from probable to questionable, but Lakers head coach JJ Redick has told reporters that he is available for the matchup. James produced a 31-point double-double in his first meeting with the Warriors this season. He's on a run of three consecutive double-doubles leading up to Saturday's contest. The stretch includes James' ninth triple-double of the season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Dave McMenamin
1 day agoChicago Bulls guard/forward
Ayo Dosunmu (calf) will play on Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers. He was initially regarded as questionable for the game before Chicago upgraded Dosunmu to available. The Bulls will continue to be without
Coby White (ankle), which means Dosunmu will have an opportunity to contribute more on the offensive end. The 25-year-old averages 12.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists for the season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
1 day agoNew York Knicks guard/forward
Josh Hart (knee) will play in Saturday's matchup against the Sacramento Kings. Hart has been banged up lately, but he remains in the lineup, with the team upgrading him from questionable to available. In the last game against Brooklyn, Hart once again flirted with a triple-double. His scoring numbers have dipped in 2025, but Hart has made up for it in other areas. He is averaging 12.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.8 steals for January.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Kristian Winfield
1 day agoSacramento Kings guard
De'Aaron Fox (thumb) will play on Saturday versus the Knicks. The 27-year-old has missed three games this season. However, he'll avoid a fourth, at least for now. As expected, Fox has played well this season, averaging 25.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. His three-point percentage is down. Still, Fox is usually reliable for fantasy managers, even with a challenging matchup on the horizon.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
1 day agoCleveland Cavaliers guard/forward
Caris LeVert (wrist) will remain out on Saturday against the Houston Rockets, missing his fourth consecutive game. LeVert is dealing with a wrist sprain and was initially listed as questionable for the game. With LeVert sidelined and
Dean Wade (knee) going down in Friday's matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers,
Ty Jerome logged 33 minutes off the Cavaliers bench. He went off for a career-high 33 points on an incredible 8-for-8 three-point shooting. We can expect to see Jerome in a significant role again on Saturday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Serena Winters
1 day agoAtlanta Hawks forward
Larry Nance Jr. (hand) will play on Saturday versus the Raptors. The veteran hasn't played in nearly a month after undergoing surgery on his right hand. Under normal circumstances, Nance doesn't usually see much action. However, with
Jalen Johnson (shoulder),
De'Andre Hunter (illness), and
Zaccharie Risacher (hamstring) sidelined, Nance could be more involved than initially planned. Still,
David Roddy, who will likely start, should see plenty of minutes at the four, giving him streaming appeal for fantasy managers.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Atlanta Hawks
1 day agoCleveland Cavaliers forward/center
Evan Mobley (calf) will end a four-game absence on Saturday against the Houston Rockets. He has finally shaken off a calf strain that Mobley sustained a couple of weeks back. Mobley recently put together a four-game double-double streak and is averaging 19.4 points and 9.1 rebounds for the month. His form gets a big test on Saturday, as the Rockets have the second-highest rebounding rate in the league and boast the third-best defensive rating.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Serena Winters
1 day agoAccording to Ari Alexander of KPRC2, Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown believes it is a "long shot" for free-agent third baseman
Alex Bregman to return to Houston for the 2025 season. Bregman is viewed as the top bat on the free agent market and has been linked to several teams throughout the offseason, including the Chicago Cubs. However, earlier this offseason, the Houston Astros acquired
Isaac Paredes to cover the hot corner. However, if Bregman were to work out a contract with Houston, Paredes would shift to the keystone, which would move
Jose Altuve to the outfield. Last season, Bregman posted a .260/.315/.453 line with 26 home runs and three stolen bases. He showed an elite eye at the plate with a 13.6% K rate, making him more valuable in points leagues. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Bregman's status throughout the offseason, as his fantasy stock could rise if he were to join a competitive lineup.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Ari Alexander
1 day agoThe New Orleans Saints have interviewed Mike Kafka for their vacant head-coaching position. Kafka has served as the offensive coordinator on the New York Giants for each of the last three seasons. He was a popular head coaching candidate last offseason before deciding to stay in New Orleans. Now Kafka appears to be one of the top choices for the Saints job, but there's plenty of other competition. The Saints are also considering both Kellen Moore and Mike McCarthy for their head coaching job. Kafka is a smart offensive mind, so he should get his chance eventually.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: New Orleans Saints
1 day agoCharlotte Hornets guard
Seth Curry (ankle) will suit up for Saturday's matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. The veteran sharpshooter was in street clothes on Friday when Charlotte began a back-to-back set against the Portland Trail Blazers. Curry provides outside shooting and serves as a backup for the guard positions, but he doesn't contribute much in fantasy basketball. Throughout the season, Curry has averaged 5.3 points in 13.4 minutes with 44.4 percent shooting from three-point range.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
1 day agoCharlotte Hornets center
Mark Williams (foot) will miss the second leg of a back-to-back on Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans. Williams is managing a tendon injury in his right foot, and the team doesn't want to overwork him. Veteran
Taj Gibson will move to the starting lineup to fill in for Williams. Gibson was a double-double threat at the peak of his powers, but he has made minimal impact even in a starting role this season. In previous eight appearances as a starter, Gibson has averaged 3.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in 14.3 minutes.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
1 day agoAccording to Roch Kubatko, several teams are very interested in signing right-handed pitcher
Nick Anderson. Anderson threw for several teams on Thursday and is drawing interest for a one-year contract. Kubatko noted that Anderson spent the offseason with a pitching analyst, refining his mechanics to hone in on fastball metrics and split change. Last summer, Anderson posted a 4.04 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP across 35 2/3 innings in the major leagues. He struck out 29 batters and held a hefty 9.8% walk rate. In 2023, Anderson was productive with the Braves, posting a strong 3.06 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP across 35 1/3 innings of work. Fantasy managers should expect Anderson to compete for a spot on an Opening Day roster during spring training.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Roch Kubatko
1 day agoAtlanta Hawks center
Clint Capela (knee) will play in Saturday's rematch with the Raptors. The veteran didn't suit up when the Hawks and Raptors met on Thursday because of right knee soreness, his first absence of the 2024-25 campaign. But after carrying a questionable designation, he's good to go. Capela was recently bumped from the starting lineup in favor of
Onyeka Okongwu. However, with
Jalen Johnson (shoulder),
De'Andre Hunter (illness), and
Zaccharie Risacher (hamstring) sidelined, Capela could see more minutes than usual from off the bench.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
1 day agoThe Buffalo Bills will keep their offensive coordinator going into next season, as Joe Brady has decided to remain with the organization. Brady was in the running to be the head coach of the New Orleans Saints along with Kellen Moore. Both coaches were expected to get second interviews, but Brady has decided to remain in Buffalo. Brady took over as the offensive coordinator with the Bills in 2023 and he previously worked as the OC with the Carolina Panthers in 2021. The Saints will likely now shift their focus to Moore and possibly Mike McCarthy, while Brady looks to win a Super Bowl in Buffalo.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Ian Rapoport
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