Top Headlines
-
Baseball
Stockwatch: Jo Adell breaks through
-
Baseball
Week 6 Waiver Targets
-
Most Viewed Players
-
Baseball
Week 6 sleeper hitters
-
Football
Jaylen Wright Dolphins outlook
-
Football
Blake Corum Rams outlook
-
Football
Ladd McConkey Chargers outlook
-
Football
Trey Benson Cardinals outlook
-
Football
Scouting Adonai Mitchell for Fantasy
-
Football
Jonathan Brooks Panthers outlook
-
Football
Keon Coleman Bills outlook
Player News
-
Kingsley Enagbare GB LB
Packers' Kingsley Enagbare: Injury severity downplayed
1h agoEnagbare (knee) did not sustain a "complete tear" of his ACL in Green Bay's wild-card victory over Dallas, according to Ryan Wood of USA Today.
It had been assumed up to this point that Enagbare was working back from a severe injury that -- based on the timing -- could have cost him the entire 2024 season, but GM Brian Gutenkust revealed that he has not undergone surgery and may not need to, so he could be ready to return sooner than anticipated.
-
Ezekiel Elliott NE RB
Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Returning to Dallas
4h agoElliott agreed to terms Monday to a contract with the Cowboys, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Elliott will attempt to reignite his career in Dallas, pending a physical, the team with which he spent the first seven years of his NFL career and earned two All-Pro nods. The Cowboys recently lost Tony Pollard to free agency and, to the surprise of most analysts, opted not to select a running back in the 2024 NFL Draft, giving Elliott an easy path to the No. 1 role in a backfield that also includes Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn (ankle). It's unclear how much the former rushing champ has left in the tank entering his age-29 season, as across 17 games with the Patriots last season he carried 184 times for just 642 (3.5 YPC) plus three scores, while adding a 51-313-2 receiving line.
-
Brandon Powell MIN WR
Vikings' Brandon Powell: Leading No. 3 WR candidate
12h agoPowell, Jalen Nailor and Trent Sherfield are the leading candidates for the No. 3 receiver role after the Vikings did not take a wide receiver in the 2024 Draft, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.
It was a mild surprise the Vikings didn't draft a wide receiver after the departure of K.J. Osborn (New England) in free agency, leaving Powell as the leading candidate for the No. 3 receiver role. The Vikings could add a veteran free agent later this spring to compete for the job. Whoever wins the role could get a significant number of targets early in the season with tight end T.J. Hockenson likely to miss several games in coming back from January surgery for a torn ACL.
-
Trey Sermon IND RB
Colts' Trey Sermon: Poised for backup role
13h agoWith the Colts not taking a running back in the 2024 Draft, Sermon and Evan Hull are the primary backups to starter Jonathan Taylor, Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star reports.
It was a mild surprise that the Colts didn't draft a running back or sign a prominent undrafted free agent to compete for the starting role. It's possible the Colts will sign a veteran free agent this spring for depth, but at this point Sermon could have a prominent backup role. He rushed 35 times, including 17 carries in Week 15, for 160 yards to go along with three catches for 13 yards with Indy last season.
-
Alec Pierce IND WR
Colts' Alec Pierce: Competition for starting job
13h agoPierce and 2024 second-round draft pick Adonai Mitchell will compete on the outside for the No. 3 receiver role in training camp, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.
Pierce has been the starting deep threat for the Colts the last two campaigns but without much production (just 32 receptions for 514 yards and two touchdowns last season). While that may have been due to poor quarterback play and a game plan that didn't throw the ball deep, it has opened the door for a dynamic talent like Mitchell to compete for his job. Mitchell, the former Texas and Georgia receiver, dazzled at the NFL Scouting Combine (4.34-second 40-yard dash, 136-inch broad jump) following a productive end to his Longhorns career (55 catches for 845 yards and 11 touchdowns on 92 targets in 2023).
-
Daxton Hill CIN DB
Bengals' Dax Hill: Operating as cornerback in 2024
16h agoHill is expected to be a part of the Bengals' cornerback room in 2024, Jay Morrison of ProFootballNetwork.com reports.
Hill spent his sophomore campaign operating as a starting safety for the Bengals, recording 110 tackles, including 1.5 sacks, while also intercepting two passes and deflecting 11 others over 17 contests. Head coach Zac Taylor said Sunday that Hill will "be in the cornerback room" this year, which could mean a position change is in store. The team signed former Raven Geno Stone this offseason and could replace Hill at safety in 2024.
-
Leonardo Rivas SEA SS
Mariners' Leonardo Rivas: Triples in first big-league at-bat
3m agoRivas went 1-for-2 with a triple and a run in a loss to the Diamondbacks on Sunday.
The rookie, who was just called up from Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday, finally had a chance to pay off his eight-plus season of toiling in the minors in his first big-league plate appearance, when he ripped a three-bagger in the third inning. Julio Rodriguez subsequently plated Rivas with a single, and the latter also rounded out his successful debut by making several impressive defensive plays, per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. Rivas' stay with the big-league club should have a good chance to last through J.P. Crawford's (oblique) stay on the injured list, at minimum.
-
T.J. McFarland OAK RP
Athletics' T.J. McFarland: Secures first win Sunday
13m agoMcFarland (1-0) got the win against the Orioles on Sunday, firing a perfect eighth inning during which he recorded two strikeouts.
McFarland's dominant eighth frame saw him locate eight of 10 pitches for strikes, a particularly impressive display of efficiency. The veteran southpaw has had a couple of stumbles overall, but McFarland has mostly been a reliable bullpen workhorse for manager Mark Kotsay. Factoring in Sunday's appearance, he's already logged 11.1 innings across 16 appearances, posting a 3.97 ERA and recording four holds in addition to his one victory.
-
Seth Brown OAK LF
Athletics' Seth Brown: Slugs second homer in win
18m agoBrown went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a win over the Orioles on Sunday.
Brown opened the scoring on an eventful afternoon for both teams' bats with a 409-foot shot to center in the second inning. The round tripper snapped a 13-game homerless drought for Brown, who has left the yard just twice over 86 plate appearances after averaging a homer once every 21 trips to the batter's box over the previous three seasons.
-
Tyler Nevin OAK RF
Athletics' Tyler Nevin: Leaves yard in win
24m agoNevin went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and two runs in a win over the Orioles on Sunday.
Nevin provided a key piece to the Athletics' late-game rally with his seventh-inning solo shot, inching Oakland to within a run at the time. It was Nevin's second time leaving the yard in his last four games, and he extended his hitting streak to six games in the process. The 26-year-old has served as one of the most reliable bats in a highly inconsistent A's offense, now sporting a .286/.342/.400 slash line through 76 plate appearances.
-
Will Klein KC RP
Royals' Will Klein: Sent back to minors
45m agoThe Royals optioned Klein to Triple-A Omaha on Monday.
Klein struck out two in a scoreless inning Sunday versus the Tigers in what was his major-league debut. He eventually has a chance to play an important role in the Royals bullpen this season, but for now Klein, will head back to Omaha to make room for Monday's starter, Jonathan Bowlan, who was called up from Triple-A in a corresponding move.
-
Jonathan Bowlan KC SP
Royals' Jonathan Bowlan: Called up for Monday's start
45m agoThe Royals recalled Bowlan from Triple-A Omaha ahead of his scheduled start Monday in Toronto.
Kansas City optioned right-handed reliever Will Klein to Triple-A to clear a spot on the 26-man active roster for Bowlan, who will be joining the rotation as a replacement for the injured Alec Marsh (elbow). Bowlan had covered at least five innings in each of his last three starts with Omaha and owns a 2.57 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 21:5 K:BB across 21 frames at the Triple-A level for the season.
-
Delon Wright MIA SG
Heat's Delon Wright: Cleared to play Monday
1h agoWright (personal) is available for Monday's Game 4 against the Celtics, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports.
As expected, Wright, who missed Miami's Game 3 loss for the birth of his daughter, has been upgraded from probable to available. In Game 1, Wright posted 17 points, three assists and two steals in 26 minutes off the bench, but he was a non-factor in Game 2.
-
Jusuf Nurkic PHO C
Suns' Jusuf Nurkic: Nearly double-doubles
1h agoNurkic provided nine points (3-5 FG, 3-4 FT), eight rebounds, five assists, one block and two steals over 20 minutes during Sunday's 122-116 loss to the Timberwolves in Game 4 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Nurkic was very inconsistent in the first round against the Timberwolves, which was the case for most of the team, to be fair. Overall, Nurkic had a solid regular season campaign for Phoenix, averaging 10.9 points, 11.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.1 blocks and 1.1 steals. Nurkic will remain under contract for two more seasons.
-
Bradley Beal PHO SG
Suns' Bradley Beal: Ineffective in Game 4 loss
1h agoBeal posted nine points (4-13 FG, 1-5 3Pt), one rebound, two assists and one block over 31 minutes before fouling out of Sunday's 122-116 loss to Minnesota in Game 4 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
This was Beal's worst game of the playoffs, and it resulted in the Suns getting swept by the Timberwolves in the first round. For the fifth straight campaign, Beal was unable to eclipse 60 games and struggled with injuries. He ended up making 53 appearances in his first season with the Suns, posting averages of 18.2 points, 5.0 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.9 three-pointers.
-
Kevin Durant PHO PF
Suns' Kevin Durant: Plays well in Game 4 loss
1h agoDurant supplied 33 points (12-17 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 7-9 FT), nine rebounds, five assists and four blocks over 46 minutes during Sunday's 122-116 loss to the Timberwolves in Game 4 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
With the Suns dropping Game 4, they were swept by the Timberwolves and will fall short of their hefty expectations. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Durant had "persistent issues" with the offense and felt as if he was relegated to the corner too often. It will be an interesting offseason for Phoenix, to put it mildly. Durant finished the regular season with averages of 27.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 blocks, 0.9 steals and 2.2 three-pointers.
-
Nickeil Alexander-Walker MIN SF
Timberwolves' Nickeil Alexander-Walker: Quiet in Game 4 win
2h agoAlexander-Walker finished Sunday's 122-116 victory over Phoenix in Game 4 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs with five points (2-9 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 1-1 FT), three rebounds, four assists and two steals in 31 minutes.
Alexander-Walker wasn't able to get much going offensively, but coach Chris Finch still trusted him with a significant workload. That's been the case for the entire series, as Alexander-Walker averaged 12.3 points, 4.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 2.3 three-pointers in 31.0 minutes per game as the Timberwolves completed their sweep of the Suns.
-
Anthony Edwards MIN SG
Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards: Drops 40 points in Game 4 win
2h agoEdwards recorded 40 points (13-23 FG, 7-13 3Pt, 7-10 FT), nine rebounds, six assists, two blocks and one steal across 41 minutes during Sunday's 122-116 win over Phoenix in Game 4 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
With this win, the Timberwolves will move on to face the winner of the series between the Nuggets and the Lakers. Edwards was outstanding in his first career playoff series victory, averaging 31.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 3.5 three-pointers through four games.
-
Auston Matthews TOR C
Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Traveling with team
2m agoMatthews (illness) will join the Leafs when they travel to Boston for Game 5 on Tuesday but remains questionable after coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters, "We're hopeful he's available and feeling good and back to himself," per ESPN's Kristen Shilton.
Matthews has scored just one goal in his last six contests despite having racked up 34 shots on net over that stretch. Without the world-class center at practice Tuesday, Toronto shifted Max Domi to center in addition to slotting him into Matthews' spot on the No. 1 power-play unit. Still, if Matthews can get even close to 100 percent, he should reclaim both those roles heading into Tuesday's tilt.
-
Justin Brazeau BOS RW
Bruins' Justin Brazeau: Available to return
43m agoBrazeau (upper body) will be an option for Game 5 versus Toronto on Tuesday, per Conor Ryan of The Boston Globe.
Brazeau was initially not expected to be available until the second round but was a full participant in Monday's practice. He sat out the final six games of the regular season and Boston's first four playoff outings. Brazeau had five goals, seven points, 31 shots on net and 43 hits in 19 NHL appearances during the 2023-24 campaign. If he does draw into the lineup for Game 5, the 26-year-old forward will probably occupy a bottom-six role.
-
Semyon Varlamov NYI G
Islanders' Semyon Varlamov: Gets starting nod for Tuesday
1h agoVarlamov will be between the road pipes for Game 5 against the Hurricanes on Tuesday, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports.
As expected Varlamov gets the nod after having put together a strong showing in the previous outings in which he stopped 42 of 44 shots on net. At this point, the 36-year-old Varlamov figures to continue trying to stave off elimination for the Isles as long as he can.
-
Matt Martin NYI LW
Islanders' Matt Martin: Unavailable for Game 5
1h agoMartin (lower body) won't play in Game 5 against the Hurricanes on Tuesday, according to Andrew Gross of Newsday.
Martin, who didn't practice Monday, will miss his second straight contest. He has been credited with two shots on goal, three blocked shots, seven hits and 16 PIM in three outings this postseason. Simon Holmstrom or Ruslan Iskhakov will replace Martin in the lineup for Game 5.
-
Chris Wagner COL RW
Avalanche's Chris Wagner: Elevated from minors
1h agoWagner was recalled from AHL Colorado on Monday.
Wagner will likely serve as an emergency depth option, rather than actually getting into the lineup against the Jets for Game 5 on Tuesday. With the Eagles eliminated from the Calder Cup playoffs, Wagner may not be the last player added to the Avs' roster ahead of Tuesday's matchup.
-
Ryan Lomberg FLA LW
Panthers' Ryan Lomberg: Not playing Monday
1h agoLomberg won't play Monday in Game 5 against Tampa Bay despite being cleared to return from an illness, according to Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site.
Lomberg participated in the morning skate after partaking in Sunday's practice but needs a bit more time to get back up to game speed. He picked up four hits in 6:32 of ice time in Game 1 before missing three straight contests. Lomberg had five goals, seven points, 80 PIM and 179 hits in 75 outings during the 2023-24 regular season.