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Luke McCaffrey WAS WR
Commanders' Luke McCaffrey: Washington adds in third round
11h agoThe Commanders selected McCaffrey in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 100th overall.
McCaffrey originally arrived to Nebraska as a coveted quarterback recruit, but he couldn't stick at the position and ended up making the switch to receiver after transferring to Rice. He's a bit thin at 6-foot-2, 198 pounds and has little catch radius to speak of, but his athleticism tested well at the NFL Combine (4.46-second 40-yard dash, 6.7-second three-cone drill), and his production at Rice was generally encouraging, especially since he just started playing wideout in 2022. It's possible that McCaffrey might need some more developmental time after switching from quarterback, but the bloodlines are obviously highly favorable, and he clearly possesses starter-caliber athleticism. Washington simply now waits to see how much he can improve with experience.
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Payton Wilson PIT LB
Steelers' Payton Wilson: Pittsburgh ends fall in third round
11h agoThe Steelers selected Wilson in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 98th overall.
Wilson would have gone much earlier than this if not for his extremely long injury history at North Carolina State. Wilson's right knee and both shoulders have required multiple surgeries at various points, and he heads into the NFL a 24-year-old rookie after spending so much time on the shelf. His strengths as a prospect are obvious -- at 6-foot-4, 233 pounds Wilson is freakishly fast (4.43-second 40-yard dash), and this lends well both to his pass-rushing and his coverage abilities. Wilson will never be the linebacker you want lining up in the middle -- he stands very upright and his arms are bizarrely short, making it easy for guards to grab him first -- but in the open field, very few ballcarriers can lose Wilson's pursuit.
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Jarrian Jones JAC CB
Jaguars' Jarrian Jones: Jacksonville adds in third round
11h agoThe Jaguars selected Jones in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 96th overall.
Jones (6-feet, 190 pounds) didn't have as much hype as Florida State teammate and second-round Buffalo selection Renardo Green, but Jones was a good starting corner in his own right for the Seminoles and actually had the better athletic testing of the two players. Jones' arms are probably too short for press coverage, but his 4.38-second 40-yard dash, 39.5-inch vertical and 129-inch broad jump indicate uncommon vertical range. Jones will compete with the likes of Montaric Brown and Darnell Savage for reps behind starting corners Tyson Campbell and Ronald Darby.
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Jalyx Hunt 2005 LB
Eagles' Jalyx Hunt: Philly adds third-round pass rusher
11h agoThe Eagles selected Hunt in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 94th overall.
Hunt (6-foot-4, 252 pounds) was a non-entity as a recruit and had to take a strange path from Cornell (where he arrived as a defensive back) to Houston Christian, and he wasn't especially productive there given the low level of competition. The reason the Eagles gambled on Hunt anyway is that his rawness might be explained by his inexperience, and he otherwise has excellent athletic tools to work with (4.64-second 40-yard dash, 37.5-inch vertical, 128-inch broad jump). Hunt is now in a race against time to build up his skill set before his developmental window closes.
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Jalen McMillan TB WR
Buccaneers' Jalen McMillan: Tampa adds third-round wideout
12h agoThe Buccaneers selected McMillan in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 92nd overall.
McMillan might not have as much hype as former Washington teammate Rome Odunze or even Ja'Lynn Polk, but McMillan was about as productive as Odunze and was more productive than Polk prior to McMillan missing roughly two months with a knee injury in 2023. In other words, if McMillan never got hurt, then Polk might not have been drafted ahead of the former. McMillan (6-foot-1, 197 pounds) demonstrated his skill set by producing alongside the likes of Odunze and Polk in college, and his solid combine performance proved the NFL viability of his athleticism (4.47-second 40, 37-inch vertical). Trey Palmer should not be in the WR3 role much longer for Tampa.
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Kamren Kinchens LAR SAF
Rams' Kamren Kinchens: Joins secondary in Los Angeles
12h agoThe Rams selected Kinchens in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 99th overall.
Kinchens came into the pre-draft process with potential to go much higher, but a disastrous combine performance hurt his stock. At 5-11 and 203 pounds, Kinchens was clocked with a 4.65 40-yard dash and had a broad jump that ranks in the seventh percentile among safeties. The lack of athleticism didn't hurt his on-field performance, however, and that's what the Rams are betting on. He was a first-team All-American performer in 2022 and finished his career at Miami with 11 interceptions and 26 pass breakups. He has instincts and coverage ability on film, but how it translates to the NFL will be tested immediately by opposing offenses, given the lag in athleticism.
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Danny Mendick CHW 3B
White Sox's Danny Mendick: Hitting well
7m agoMendick went 2-for-4 with two runs scored Friday against Tampa Bay.
Mendick joined the White Sox on Monday and has started every game since. He's hit at different spots in the order, but was slotted into the seventh spot Friday and is likely to remain in the bottom third with the addition of Tommy Pham. Mendick has gone 6-for-21 with two doubles, a stolen base and four runs scored, though he is striking out at a 31.8 percent clip.
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Tyler O'Neill BOS RF
Red Sox's Tyler O'Neill: Launches homer in loss
7m agoO'Neill went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 7-1 loss to the Cubs.
O'Neill has hit safely in all three games since returning from the concussion list and five consecutive overall. His fourth-inning home run was his eighth of the season, leaving him tied for third in MLB. All eight of O'Neill's homers have been solo shots.
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Jose Siri TB CF
Rays' Jose Siri: One hit in return to lineup
14m agoSiri went 1-for-4 with an RBI on Friday against the White Sox.
Siri has been in and out of the lineup since Sunday while dealing with kidney stones. Per MLB.com, he had a procedure to resolve the issue and is no longer expected to be affected. Siri's performance at the plate is a different issue, as he's currently striking out at a 43.8 percent clip and could lose playing time with the imminent return of Josh Lowe (oblique).
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Ozzie Albies ATL 2B
Braves' Ozzie Albies: Two hits in return
18m agoAlbies went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI in Friday's 6-2 win over the Guardians.
Making his return from a toe injury that cost him eight games, Albies demonstrated quickly that he was fully healthy, ripping a double and scoring in the fifth inning before adding an RBI single in the sixth. The 27-year-old second baseman has a nine-game hitting streak going, sandwiched around the injury absence, and on the season he's slashing .328/.392/.507 with two homers, two steals, 15 runs and 15 RBI.
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Orlando Arcia ATL SS
Braves' Orlando Arcia: Launches second homer
21m agoArcia went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 6-2 win over the Guardians.
The shortstop crushed a Pedro Avila two-seamer over the fence in left-center field, giving Atlanta its last offense of the night in the eighth inning. Arcia has both his homers on the year in the last nine games, and he's slashing .311/.340/.478 through 97 plate appearances with nine RBI and 12 runs as he proves his 2023 resurgence was no fluke.
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Ian Gibaut CIN RP
Reds' Ian Gibaut: Scheduled for back-to-back outings
24m agoGibault (forearm) is scheduled to throw back-to-back games next week, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.
After experiencing renewed discomfort in his forearm, Gibault had a rehab assignment paused April 16 before returning to pitch Wednesday and again Friday. Next up are the back-to-back outings scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. Presumably, that would be the right-handed reliever's final hurdle before activation.
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Devin Booker PHO SG
Suns' Devin Booker: Delivers eight dimes in Game 3 loss
17m agoBooker accumulated 23 points (8-15 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 6-6 FT), three rebounds, eight assists and two steals in 42 minutes during Friday's 126-109 loss to the Timberwolves in Game 3 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Booker finished just two assists away from recording a double-double in Game 3, and the star guard will need to be at his best Sunday if the Suns want to avoid getting swept in the first round. Booker's scoring numbers have increased with each passing game in the series, though this was the first time he surpassed the 20-point plateau.
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Bradley Beal PHO SG
Suns' Bradley Beal: Scores team-high 28 points Friday
18m agoBeal finished Friday's 126-109 loss to the Timberwolves in Game 3 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs with 28 points (10-19 FG, 6-11 3Pt, 2-2 FT), four rebounds and four assists in 43 minutes.
Beal led the Suns in scoring Friday, but as has been the case throughout the series, Phoenix simply hasn't been able to hang on with the Timberwolves throughout an entire game, which explains the 0-3 deficit the Suns are currently in right now. This was the first team Beal surpassed the 15-point mark in the series, and the veteran guard will need to keep the momentum going for Game 4 on Sunday if the Suns want to avoid getting swept in the first round.
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Kevin Durant PHO PF
Suns' Kevin Durant: Puts up 25 points in loss Friday
20m agoDurant had 25 points (8-18 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 8-9 FT), four rebounds and five assists across 42 minutes during Friday's 126-109 loss to Minnesota in Game 3 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Durant bounced back from a subpar showing in Game 2, at least for his lofty standards, and he had a strong showing in Game 3, but once again, his contributions were not enough to lift the Suns to victory as Phoenix fell into an 0-3 deficit. Durant will need to be at his best if the Suns want to avoid the sweep in Game 4 on Sunday. He's averaging 24.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game in the series.
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Rudy Gobert MIN C
Timberwolves' Rudy Gobert: Efficient performance in Game 3 win
21m agoGobert logged 19 points (6-8 FG, 7-8 FT), 14 rebounds, one assist and one steal over 38 minutes during Friday's 126-109 victory over the Suns in Game 3 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Gobert's scoring numbers have increased with each passing game in the series, though the increased offensive responsibility in Game 3 was directly related to Karl-Anthony Towns being limited with foul trouble. Gobert also has two double-doubles in three games during he current series, averaging 17.0 points and 13.0 boards per contest.
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Karl-Anthony Towns MIN PF
Timberwolves' Karl-Anthony Towns: Double-doubles in Game 3
23m agoTowns registered 18 points (7-16 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 13 rebounds and two assists in 24 minutes during Friday's 126-109 win over the Suns in Game 3 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Towns needed 16 shots to score 18 points, but he still made his presence felt and looked active on the glass, grabbing double-digit boards despite being limited to just 24 minutes due to foul trouble. Towns has adjusted well to life operating as Minnesota's second offensive option behind Anthony Edwards, but he remains extremely valuable in fantasy as a two-way big man who can shoot threes at an above-average rate. He's averaging 16.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in the current series while shooting an elite 45.5 percent (5-for-11) from beyond the arc.
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Anthony Edwards MIN SG
Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards: Scores 36 points in Game 3
27m agoEdwards totaled 36 points (12-23 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 11-11 FT), nine rebounds, five assists and two steals in 43 minutes during Friday's 126-109 victory over the Suns in Game 3 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Edwards has reached the 30-point mark in two of the three games during the current series against the Suns, and the star guard has stepped up every time the Timberwolves have needed him despite having the tough assignment of dealing with Bradley Beal on both ends of the court. Edwards should handle his heavy workload in Game 4 on Sunday, where the Timberwolves will look to advance into the Western Conference semifinals.
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Mika Zibanejad NYR C
Rangers' Mika Zibanejad: Two helpers in Game 3 win
4m agoZibanejad notched two assists, one on the power play, in Friday's 3-1 Game 3 win over the Capitals.
That's now back-to-back two-point performances for Zibanejad, extending his point streak to nine games dating back to April 5. The 31-year-old center has a goal and five points in three playoff games, helping put the Rangers on the brink of a first-round sweep of the Caps.
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Vincent Trocheck NYR C
Rangers' Vincent Trocheck: Shines on special teams Friday
6m agoTrocheck scored a power-play goal and added a shorthanded assist in Friday's 3-1 Game 3 win over the Capitals.
That's back-to-back two-point efforts for the 30-year-old as the Rangers move closer to sweeping the Caps. Friday's power-play tally was Trocheck's first since March 9, but he has two goals and five points through three playoff games -- a big turnaround after he finished the regular season with zero goals and two assists in eight April contests.
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Igor Shesterkin NYR G
Rangers' Igor Shesterkin: Sharp in Game 3 win
12m agoShesterkin made 28 saves Friday during a 3-1 win over the Capitals in Game 3 of the Rangers' first-round series.
John Carlson beat the netminder from the blue line with a knuckleball shot less than six minutes into the first period, but it served only to get Shesterkin mad, and he shut the door on Washington the rest of the way. Shesterkin has allowed only five goals on 75 shots while going 3-0 to begin the Rangers' postseason run, and they'll look for the sweep Sunday in Game 4.
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Brenden Dillon WPG D
Jets' Brenden Dillon: Suffers hand injury
14m agoDillon suffered a hand injury at the end of Friday's 6-2 loos to Colorado, according to Mitchell Clinton of the Jets' official site.
There were fisticuffs once the game went final and Dillon picked up a couple of roughing minors. one against Jack Johnson and the other with Brandon Duhaime. It was not clear when he injured his hand and coach Rick Bowness said after the game that there was no update as Dillon was still being evaluated. Look for Logan Stanley to enter the lineup in Game 4 Sunday, if Dillon is unable to go.
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Ilya Samsonov TOR G
Maple Leafs' Ilya Samsonov: Between pipes Saturday
26m agoSamsonov was the first goaltender off the ice at morning practice, per Mark Masters of TSN, indicating he will defend the home crease versus Boston on Saturday.
This is a crucial game for the Maple Leafs as they trail the best-of-seven series 2-1. Samsonov has not been great in the first three games of the series, giving up nine goals on 86 shots (.895 save percentage). Samsonov could be replaced for Game 5 in Boston by Joseph Woll, should he come up with another weak performance Saturday.
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Ilya Lyubushkin TOR D
Maple Leafs' Ilya Lyubushkin: Back at practice Saturday
40m agoLyubushkin (personal) is back at practice Saturday and will be in the lineup for Game 4 versus Boston, according to Mark Masters of TSN.
Lyubushkin went to California after Wednesday's Game 3 loss to Boston and witnessed the birth of his daughter. Lyubushkin had four assists, 64 hits and 30 blocked shots in 19 regular-season games with Toronto after he was dealt from Anaheim at the end of February. He will team up with Morgan Rielly on the top defensive pairing for Saturday's tilt with the Bruins.