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Player News
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Quentin Johnston LAC WR
Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Team expecting Year 2 breakout
4m agoChargers GM Joe Hortiz said he believes Johnston is "really going to launch" as a starter during the 2024 season, Kevin Patra of NFL.com reports.
Horitz mentioned that in his time as director of player personnel with Baltimore last season that Johnston "was a player we liked," and he praised the 2023 first-round pick's work ethic this offseason while acknowledging "some rawness to his game" as a rookie. Johnston finished with a subpar 431 yards last season despite suiting up for all 17 games, but with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams (knee) no longer in the picture for Los Angeles, he has a clear path to a starting role alongside incumbent Joshua Palmer, while being joined by DJ Chark rookie second-rounder Ladd McConkey. New coach Jim Harbaugh and OC Greg Roman could spark life to the Chargers' offense, though the new scheme projects as a run-heavy approach. Still, Johnston will have every opportunity to establish himself atop this depth chart, despite his uninspiring rookie production. He'll need to make some strides this offseason toward more consistently gaining separation, not to mention cleaning up issues with drops.
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Robert Tonyan CHI TE
Vikings' Robert Tonyan: Finds home in Minnesota
3h agoTonyan and the Vikings agreed to terms Thursday on a contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Tonyan suited up for all 17 games with the Bears last season, but he secured only 11 of 17 targets for 107 yards. He joins a Minnesota tight end room behind T.J. Hockenson (knee), who isn't a lock to be ready for Week 1 as he works his way back from a serious knee injury. That could give Tonyan the opportunity to compete with Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt for an expanded early season role.
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Quintez Cephus BUF WR
Quintez Cephus: Time up in Buffalo
8h agoThe Bills cut Cephus on Thursday.
Cephus landed with Buffalo back in April after having missed the entire 2023 season for violating the league's gambling policy. Now, the 2020 fifth-round pick will have to search for a chance to reignite his career with another club. He suited up for 22 regular-season games with the Lions from 2020-22.
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Jermar Jefferson DET RB
Lions' Jermar Jefferson: Healthy for offseason program
19h agoJefferson (undisclosed) was on the field last week for the start of Detroit's offseason program.
Jefferson finished the 2023 campaign on Lions' practice squad injured list after sustaining an undisclosed injury in late January. The nature of the 24-year-old's issue was never revealed, though he appears to have moved past the injury over the past few months. Jefferson hasn't seen any regular-season NFL action since 2021, as he's spent both of the past two campaigns on Detroit's practice squad.
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James Mitchell DET TE
Lions' James Mitchell: Participates in offseason program
19h agoMitchell (hand) was seen catching passes last week during the beginning of Detroit's offseason program.
Mitchell played 15 games during the 2023 regular season while primarily slotting in as a blocking tight end and contributor on special teams, as he caught just two passes. The 24-year-old then missed the Lions' postseason run with a hand injury. Mitchell's return to action during the offseason program likely means he's moved past the injury or the time being, so he'll likely slot back in behind Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright on the depth chart at tight end to begin the 2024 season.
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Rodney McLeod CLE FS
Browns' Rodney McLeod: Retiring after 2024 season
1d agoMcLeod (biceps) said Tuesday he plans to retire after the 2024 season, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.
McLeod is presumably healthy after a biceps injury limited him to 10 appearances (five starts) in 2023. He signed a one-year deal back in March to return to Cleveland for a second season. The soon-to-be 34-year-old will likely serve as a depth option in the secondary while also handling a role on special teams.
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Kodai Senga NYM SP
Mets' Kodai Senga: Positive strides in bullpen session
7m agoMets president of baseball operations David Stearns said in an interview on SNY on Thursday that Senga (shoulder) recently had "a good bullpen" session where he was "making some strides."
Senga had to pull back on facing hitters while he dealt with mechanical issues, but it sounds like he and the Mets were happy with how his last throwing session went. Stearns said he wasn't sure exactly when Senga would be ready to begin a rehab assignment, but it sounds like it could be relatively soon. The right-hander is coming back from a right posterior shoulder capsule strain.
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Nico Hoerner CHC 2B
Cubs' Nico Hoerner: Remains out Thursday
10m agoHoerner (hamstring) isn't in the Cubs' lineup for Thursday's game against the Pirates.
Hoerner was scratched from the lineup before Tuesday's game versus Atlanta due to tightness in his left hamstring, and it will now keep him from playing for the third game in a row. Nick Madrigal will cover second base Thursday while Miles Mastrobuoni starts at shortstop.
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Jonny DeLuca TB CF
Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Out of lineup again Thursday
16m agoDeLuca is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game in Boston.
It marks the third time in four games that DeLuca will be on the bench. This is after he had started the previous nine contests in a row. The recent returns of Josh Lowe and Jonathan Aranda have impacted DeLuca's playing time, and the Rays also could be re-committing to Jose Siri in handing him five starts across the last six tilts.
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Tyler Nevin OAK RF
Athletics' Tyler Nevin: Absent from lineup
22m agoNevin is not in the lineup for Thursday's contest in Houston.
Nevin's production has cratered in May (3-for-39) and with that his playing time has also slipped. He's now started just half of the Athletics' last 10 games, and the last time he was in the lineup versus a right-hander he was down in the No. 8 spot.
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Shea Langeliers OAK C
Athletics' Shea Langeliers: Taking seat Thursday
27m agoLangeliers is not in the lineup for Thursday's game in Houston.
It's a routine day off for Langeliers after he started each of the last four days behind the plate. Kyle McCann will do the catching for Joey Estes on Thursday.
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Brandon Nimmo NYM LF
Mets' Brandon Nimmo: Scratched from lineup
30m agoNimmo was scratched from the Mets' lineup prior to Thursday's game against the Phillies due to a stomach illness, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.
Nimmo wasn't feeling well heading into Thursday's contest, so the Mets will give him the day off to recover. In the meantime, DJ Stewart will take Nimmo's place in left field and bat fifth, moving Tyrone Taylor into the leadoff spot.
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Mike Conley MIN PG
Timberwolves' Mike Conley: Likely to play Thursday
2h agoConley (Achilles) is expected to play in Thursday's Game 6 against the Nuggets, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Conley is expected to return to action Thursday after missing Game 5 with right Achilles soreness. If the veteran guard is ultimately upgraded from questionable to available, he will likely reclaim his starting spot from Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
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Mike Conley MIN PG
Timberwolves' Mike Conley: Present at shootaround
5h agoConley (Achilles) is at Minnesota's shootaround ahead of Thursday's Game 6 against Denver, Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Conley is listed as questionable for Thursday's contest after missing Game 5 with right Achilles soreness. While Conley's presence at shootaround is a good sign of his availability, the veteran guard was also at shootaround ahead of Game 5 before being ruled out.
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Luguentz Dort OKC SF
Thunder's Luguentz Dort: Stuffs stat sheet in Game 5 defeat
5h agoDort finished with 12 points (4-11 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds, four assists and two steals in 38 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 loss to the Mavericks in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
Dort didn't have his best shooting performance and was particularly woeful from three-point range, but he still delivered decent fantasy value due to his ability to fill the stat sheet. Dort will need to be better Saturday, as the Thunder will try to avoid elimination in a pivotal Game 6 in Dallas, but the odds are against him. Through five games in the series, Dort is averaging just 10.4 points while shooting a meager 31.4 percent from the field.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander OKC SG
Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: Impressive outing not enough
5h agoGilgeous-Alexander racked up 30 points (12-22 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 4-6 FT), six rebounds, eight assists, one block and two steals across 43 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 loss to Dallas in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
Whether the Thunder struggle offensively or not, Gilgeous-Alexander will always get the job done. Unfortunately, he couldn't do everything on his own Wednesday, and he came up short of carrying OKC to a Game 5 victory despite filling out the stat sheet admirably. With the Thunder's back against the wall, Gilgeous-Alexander will need to be at his best on Saturday, as the Thunder will aim to avoid an early playoff exit on the road in Game 6. The star floor general is averaging 31.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game in the current series against Dallas while riding a four-game streak of appearances with 30 or more points.
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Derrick Jones Jr. DAL SF
Mavericks' Derrick Jones: Steps up offensively in win
5h agoJones had 19 points (7-9 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), one rebound, one assist, one block and one steal across 28 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 win over Oklahoma City in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
The Mavericks needed someone to step up offensively due to P.J. Washington's cold shooting and Kyrie Irving's struggles throughout the series, and Jones embraced that role to deliver a playoff-best scoring mark. Jones has scored in double digits in back-to-back contests, setting him up for having a solid role Saturday in Game 6. He's averaging 9.8 points per game in the current postseason run.
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Dereck Lively II DAL C
Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Efficient off bench in Game 5
5h agoLively totaled 11 points (3-4 FG, 5-6 FT), 10 rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal in 23 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 win over the Thunder in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
Lively has been playing off the bench due to the solid play of Daniel Gafford down low, but the rookie out of Duke made his presence felt on both ends of the court Wednesday. Aside from missing just one shot from the field, Lively was active defensively and recorded the first playoff double-double of his career. Lively is averaging 7.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in the postseason, and while he looked very good in this pivotal win, he's not expected to move to a starting role ahead of Game 6 on Saturday.
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Adam Henrique EDM C
Oilers' Adam Henrique: Drawing close to return
1h agoHenrique (ankle) will miss Thursday's Game 5 against Vancouver, but he is close to returning, Brendan Batchelor of Sportsnet 650 reports.
Henrique also wasn't in the lineup for Edmonton's previous two contests. He has a goal and an assist in six playoff outings this year after finishing the regular season with 24 markers and 51 points across 82 appearances. His next opportunity to play will be in Game 6 on Saturday.
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Mitchell Chaffee TB RW
Lightning's Mitchell Chaffee: Secures two-year pact
2h agoChaffee agreed to terms on a two-year, $1.6 million contract with Tampa Bay on Thursday.
Chaffee's deal is a one-way contract, which should increase his chances of playing in more than 30 NHL games this upcoming season. During the 2023-24 campaign, the 26-year-old winger notched four goals on 27 shots, three assists and 88 hits while averaging 11:07 of ice time. Even with his new deal in hand, Chaffee is unlikely to challenge for more than a bottom-six role next year.
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Calvin Pickard EDM G
Oilers' Calvin Pickard: In goal for Game 5
2h agoPickard will get the starting nod in Game 5 on the road against Vancouver on Thursday, Derek Van Diest of NHL.com reports.
Pickard stopped 19 of 21 shots faced in Game 4, posting a .905 save percentage and 2.00 GAA. While the 32-year-old backstop is making his second straight start, any stumbles by Pickard could see Stuart Skinner reclaim his spot as the No. 1 netminder for Edmonton.
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Arturs Silovs VAN G
Canucks' Arturs Silovs: First goalie off Thursday
3h agoSilovs was the first goalie to leave the ice Thursday, Thomas Drance of The Athletic reports, indicating he'll be in goal at home versus the Oilers in Game 5.
Silovs will make his eighth straight start since supplanting Casey DeSmith as the preferred option between the pipes -- at least while Thatcher Demko (knee) is sidelined. In his prior seven postseason outings, the 23-year-old Silovs is 4-3 with a 2.71 GAA and one shutout.
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Phillip Di Giuseppe VAN LW
Canucks' Phil Di Giuseppe: Rejoins team ahead of Game 5
3h agoDi Giuseppe (personal) was back with the team for Thursday's game-day skate prior to Game 5 versus Edmonton, Brendan Batchelor of Sportsnet 650 reports.
Di Giuseppe is goalless in 13 straight contests in which he recorded one lone helper, four shots and six blocks while dishing out 36 hits. Given his offensive limitations, Di Giuseppe is far from a lock to suit up in Game 5 and could continue watching from the press box in favor of Linus Karlsson, Vasily Podkolzin or Nils Hoglander -- all of whom will no doubt be pushing for minutes.
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Chris Kreider NYR LW
Rangers' Chris Kreider: Playing in Game 6
5h agoKreider (undisclosed) told reporters he would be in action versus the Hurricanes for Game 6 on Thursday, Peter Baugh of The Athletic reports.
Kreider didn't play it coy like coach Peter Laviolette, clearly telling reporters that he would be in the lineup Thursday. Through the first five games of this series, the 33-year-old winger has generated two goals and two assists, including three power-play points. Even with concerns about a potential minor injury, Kreider remains a top-end fantasy target heading into Game 6.