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Player News
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Kyren Williams LAR RBRams' Kyren Williams: Could lose some work to Corum
23m agoRams coach Sean McVay said Saturday that third-round pick Blake Corum reminds him a lot of Williams (hand), Stu Jackson of the Rams' official website reports.
McVay isn't the first to make that comparison, and while it's arguably a compliment that the Rams sought out a similar player, it also means Williams could cede more work to backups than he did last year. The comparison between the two players is imperfect, with Corum being an inch shorter yet 11 pounds heavier (based on combine measurements) and having enjoyed a far more prolific college career in terms of rushing stats. On the other hand, Williams was much more active as a pass catcher in his college days, and he's since proven to be a quality player at the NFL level, scoring 15 TDs in 12 games last season while averaging a league-high 95.3 rushing yards per game. He thus figures to remain the lead back, though he now has much lower odds to match the massive snap shares he handled last season (90 percent or higher five times, 77 percent or higher nine times). The hand fracture Williams suffered in a playoff loss to Detroit shouldn't impact his preparation for 2024.
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Gus Edwards LAC RBChargers' Gus Edwards: Projected lead back
27m agoFollowing the recent NFL draft, Edwards profiles as the Chargers' lead back as the 2024 season approaches, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports.
In the wake of the offseason departure of prior lead back Austin Ekeler, the Chargers' backfield has undergone an overhaul, with Edwards and J.K. Dobbins (Achilles) -- both former Baltimore Ravens -- arriving via free agency and Kimani Vidal through the 2024 draft, joining returnee Isaiah Spiller, a 2022 fourth-rounder. In that context, Popper suggests that Edwards, who GM Joe Hortiz described as a "bell cow" back in March, is in line to get the bulk of the team's work out of the gate this season, while Dobbins bounces back from his Achilles' injury and Vidal and Spiller make their cases to carve out complementary roles in the Los Angeles offense.
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Jaelan Phillips MIA LBDolphins' Jaelan Phillips: Gets final year
32m agoPhillips (Achilles) had his fifth-year option exercised by the Dolphins on Monday.
Phillips is expected to be ready by Week 1, and it was previously reported by Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com, that picking up his option was the plan, according to general manager Chris Grier. The 2021 first-round selection was on pace to smash all his career-best totals before tearing his right Achilles in Week 12 and will now look to build off that going into 2024 with two years now left on his contract.
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Christian Darrisaw MIN OTVikings' Christian Darrisaw: Option exercised
33m agoThe Vikings exercised Darrisaw's 2025 fifth-year option.
The 24-year-old was the No. 23 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and has started 39-of-41 games he's appeared in since entering the league. Darrisaw has yet to make a Pro Bowl or be named an All-Pro, but he's an above-average, rock-solid left tackle and will either protect Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy's blind side this upcoming season.
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Rico Dowdle DAL RBCowboys' Rico Dowdle: Joined by Zeke in shaky backfield
34m agoThe Cowboys are signing Ezekiel Elliott to join Dowdle in a backfield that otherwise lacks experienced players and early draft picks, ESPN.com's Todd Archer reports.
The Zeke reunion has been in the works for weeks, but most people still expected the Cowboys to add at least one running back during the 2024 NFL Draft. They ultimately didn't select one, leaving Royce Freeman, Malik Davis, Snoop Conner and 2023 sixth-round pick Deuce Vaughn as the competition behind Elliott and Dowdle. An undrafted free agent or two likely will be added to that mix, but it should still be a favorable situation for Elliott and Dowdle to earn playing time.
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Jaylen Waddle MIA WRDolphins' Jaylen Waddle: Miami picks up fifth-year option
35m agoThe Dolphins officially exercised Waddle's fifth-year option Monday.
Miami has made no secret of plans to pick up Waddle's fifth-year option this offseason, and the move is now official prior to Thursday's deadline. That keeps the third-year standout under contract for two more seasons, and provides the Dolphins more time to negotiate a long-term deal with Waddle. The team added depth to the wideout room in the form of late-round rookies Malik Washington and Tahj Washington during the 2024 NFL Draft, but Waddle and Tyreek Hill remain the clear top targets for Tua Tagovailoa, with incumbents Braxton Berrios and River Cracraft available to split No. 3 duties.
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Luis Morales OAK SPAthletics' Luis Morales: Set to be activated Tuesday
5m agoHigh-A Lansing will activate Morales (shoulder) from its 7-day injured list Tuesday, baseball writer Francys Romero reports.
Morales opened the season on the IL with an previously unknown issue, but Romero's report relays that the 21-year-old right-hander was still working through some shoulder discomfort that had cropped up late in the 2023 campaign. The injury ultimately cost Morales just under a month of game action, but the Athletics were likely planning to limit his innings count in 2024 anyway. Morales made just two starts for Lansing last season, giving up three earned runs on six hits and three walks while striking out eight over 7.2 innings.
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Craig Kimbrel BAL RPOrioles' Craig Kimbrel: Day-to-day with back tightness
8m agoOrioles manager Brandon Hyde said Monday that Kimbrel (back) is considered day-to-day, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.
Kimbrel had to be removed from an appearance Sunday against the Athletics due upper-back tightness. The team is hopeful that Kimbrel can avoid a stint on the injured list, but he presumably won't be available Monday and potentially for a few more days. Yennier Cano is the favorite to close for the Orioles while Kimbrel recovers.
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Cionel Perez BAL RPOrioles' Cionel Perez: Activated from injured list
11m agoThe Orioles activated Perez (oblique) from the 15-day injured list Monday, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.
Perez has been out most of this season with a right oblique strain but is ready to go after making two rehab appearances. Dillon Tate was optioned in a corresponding move.
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Dillon Tate BAL RPOrioles' Dillon Tate: Sent down to Triple-A
14m agoThe Orioles optioned Tate to Triple-A Norfolk on Monday, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.
Tate holds a 2.84 ERA this season, although that's come with a 6:6 K:BB over 12.2 innings. This seems to mostly be a case of him having options left working against him, however. Cionel Perez (oblique) is back from the injured list to absorb Tate's roster spot.
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Tommy Pham CHW CFWhite Sox's Tommy Pham: Gets rest Monday
18m agoPham is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Twins.
Pham will get a breather after he started all three games in center field against the Rays over the weekend after the White Sox selected his contract from Triple-A Charlotte on Friday. He batted out of the No. 2 spot in each of those contests, going 5-for-14 with three runs. Rafael Ortega will get the nod in center field Monday, but Pham should hold down a near-everyday role for a White Sox squad lacking in competent bats.
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Jesus Luzardo MIA SPMarlins' Jesus Luzardo: Diagnosed with mild flexor strain
19m agoLuzardo has been diagnosed with a mild flexor strain in his left elbow, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
It's relatively good news, especially considering that Luzardo was able to play catch Monday, just three days after tightness in his pitching arm forced him to the injured list. There is no timetable at this juncture for Luzardo's return to the Marlins' rotation, but there could be more clarity later this week.
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Joel Embiid PHI C76ers' Joel Embiid: Listed questionable for Tuesday
3h agoEmbiid is questionable for Tuesday's Game 5 against the Knicks due to left knee injury recovery.
Embiid has averaged 35.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks in 40.3 minutes over the first four games of the opening-round series. However, the reigning MVP, who missed two months during the regular season after undergoing meniscus surgery, continues to be listed as questionable and has struggled in every fourth quarter thus far. With the 76ers facing elimination in New York on Tuesday, it'd be shocking if Embiid didn't suit up.
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Delon Wright MIA SGHeat's Delon Wright: Cleared to play Monday
4h 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.
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Jusuf Nurkic PHO CSuns' Jusuf Nurkic: Nearly double-doubles
5h 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.
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Bradley Beal PHO SGSuns' Bradley Beal: Ineffective in Game 4 loss
5h 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.
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Kevin Durant PHO PFSuns' Kevin Durant: Plays well in Game 4 loss
5h 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.
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Nickeil Alexander-Walker MIN SFTimberwolves' Nickeil Alexander-Walker: Quiet in Game 4 win
5h 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.
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Joel Kiviranta COL LWAvalanche's Joel Kiviranta: Traveling with team
2h agoKiviranta (lower body) will make the trip to Winnipeg ahead of Tuesday's Game 5 versus the Jets, Aarif Deen of Mile High Sports reports.
Kiviranta missed Sunday's Game 4 win over the Jets due to a lower-body issue, but it appears he could be available for Game 5. The 28-year-old winger has picked up one helper and a plus-2 rating through three playoff games this year.
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Logan Thompson LV GGolden Knights' Logan Thompson: First off ahead of Game 4
2h agoThompson was the first goalie off the ice at the morning skate, per Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, indicating he will patrol the home crease Monday in Game 4 against Dallas.
Thompson is coming off a 43-save performance in Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Stars in Game 3. He has stopped 89 of 96 shots in Vegas' first-round series en route to a 2-1 record.
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Vladislav Namestnikov WPG CJets' Vladislav Namestnikov: Dealing with fractured cheekbone
3h agoNamestnikov (face) has a fractured cheekbone, but he hasn't been ruled out of Tuesday's must-win Game 5 versus the Avalanche, Mitchell Clinton of the Jets' official site reports.
It sounds like Namestnikov may put on a full cage and try to gut it out Tuesday, but his status for Game 5 may not be confirmed until the Jets take the ice for pregame warmups. He's picked up one goal, eight hits and a minus-3 rating through the first four games of the Jets' first-round series versus Colorado.
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Brenden Dillon WPG DJets' Brenden Dillon: Ruled out for Game 5
3h agoDillon (hand) will not be available against Colorado for Game 5 on Tuesday, John Lu of TSN reports.
Dillon is stuck in a 12-game goal drought during which he has recorded four assists, 10 shots on goal and 45 hits while averaging 19:49 of ice time per contest. With Dillon sidelined, Logan Stanley stepped into the lineup for Game 4 and figures to remain in that role heading into Tuesday's contest.
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Morgan Barron WPG CJets' Morgan Barron: Still not skating
4h agoBarron (lower body) won't be available for Game 5 versus Colorado on Tuesday, Ken Wiebe of The Winnipeg Free Press reports.
Barron, who hasn't resumed skating yet, will miss his sixth straight contest after getting hurt in the penultimate game of the regular season. He registered 11 goals, 18 points, 94 shots on net and 122 hits in 80 appearances during the 2023-24 campaign.
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Auston Matthews TOR CMaple Leafs' Auston Matthews: Traveling with team
4h agoMatthews (illness) will join the Maple Leafs when they travel to Boston for Game 5 on Tuesday but remains questionable after head 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 and adding two assists 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. If Matthews can get even close to 100 percent, he should reclaim both those roles heading into Tuesday's must-win game for Toronto.
