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Player News
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Zach Ertz WAS TE
Commanders' Zach Ertz: Facing threat from second-round rookie?
1h agoRookie second-round pick Ben Sinnott is a threat to take playing time from Ertz, Ben Standig of The Athletic reports.
Ertz signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Commanders early in the offseason, getting about two-thirds of the money guaranteed. It's backup-level money, but with a good chance at a starting job given the lack of veteran competition at TE in Washington. Sinnott looks like a real threat, however, coming in as a second-rounder after putting up a 49-676-6 receiving line his final year at Kansas State and then running a 4.68 40 at 6-4, 250. The rookie could steal enough playing time to make Ertz irrelevant for fantasy even if the 33-year-old gets most of the snaps in clear passing situations early on.
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Trey Palmer TB WR
Buccaneers' Trey Palmer: Gets new competition from draft
1h agoPalmer and rookie third-round pick Jalen McMillan are the top candidates for Tampa Bay's No. 3 receiver job, Joshua Queipo of Pewter Report reports.
Palmer, a 2023 sixth-round pick, held the role for nearly all of his rookie season, though he was perhaps miscast in the slot. New offensive coordinator Liam Coen said he wants to put Chris Godwin back in the slot as his primary alignment, which means the team's No. 3 receiver this upcoming season likely will play a majority of snaps outside. While that's perhaps good news for Palmer given his 4.33 wheels, McMillan has decent speed in his own right (4.47) and is slightly taller and heavier (6-1, 197, compared to Palmer's 6-0, 192). There's also the matter of Palmer being a much later draft pick and then struggling with his opportunities as a rookie; he caught just 57.4 percent of his 68 targets and averaged 9.9 yards per catch, which works out to a RB-like 5.7 YPT.
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Marquise Brown KC WR
Chiefs' Marquise Brown: Gets competition from draft
1h agoBrown (heel) and first-round pick Xavier Worthy are the main new faces in Kansas City's revamped receiving corps, Jacob Sloan of FOX 4 KC reports.
A lot has happened since Brown signed a one-year, $7 million contract in mid-March, starting with fellow Chiefs WR Rashee Rice getting in a six-car, hit-and-run accident that's led to criminal charges. Rice figures to be suspended at some point, though not necessarily soon, with a potential absence leaving Brown, Justin Watson and Kadarius Toney as the top veteran wide receivers. Worthy may be talented enough to jet to the front of that group, coming in as a first-round pick after setting the NFL Combine record for the 40-yard dash (4.21). He'll be one of the few players in the league faster than Brown, albeit with similar questions about his size (5-11, 165) and how that impacts the rookie's transition to the NFL. As for Brown, there's been nothing reported this offseason on the heel injury that ended his 2023 season in Arizona after Week 15. He'll likely be available for offseason practices and figures to line up with the first-team offense.
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Drake Maye NE QB
Patriots' Drake Maye: Will compete with Brissett
2h agoAccording to coach Jerod Mayo, Maye and veteran QB Jacoby Brissett are slated to compete for the Patriots' starting job in the coming months, Cameron Wolfe of NFL.com reports.
In relation to which of the signal callers will get the Week 1 assignment, Mayo noted "I would say we're going to compete all spring, we're going to compete during training camp, and the best player will start." As the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Maye is no doubt viewed as the team's QB of the future, but given his limited experience (just 26 collegiate starts) and that he doesn't turn 22 until August, it's plausible that he could work behind Brissett early on during his pro career. With that in mind, Maye's standing in re-draft leagues isn't as high as it is in dynasty formats, but the North Carolina's product's upside is undeniable, given that he has the prototypical size (6-foot-4, 223 pounds), arm talent and mobility of a potential star NFL quarterback.
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Gabe Davis JAC WR
Jaguars' Gabe Davis: Fellow WR let go
4h agoWith Zay Jones having been released by the Jaguars, the team's wide receiver corps is now led by returnee Christian Kirk along with Davis and 2024 first-rounder Brian Thomas, Demetrius Harvey of the Florida Times-Union reports.
With both Jones and Calvin Ridley -- who led the team with 1,016 receiving yards last season -- no longer on the roster, Kirk, Davis and Thomas form a new clear-cut top trio, with Parker Washington, Tim Jones, Devin Duvernay and Elijah Cooks in the depth WR mix. With the Bills in 2023, Davis recorded 45 catches (on 81 targets) for 746 yards and seven TDs in 17 regular-season outings, and in his new locale the 25-year-old's fantasy upside hinges largely on what sort of volume he sees relative to the promising Thomas, who was viewed by most as the No. 4 wideout prospect available in last week's draft.
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Deebo Samuel SF WR
49ers' Deebo Samuel: Likely staying with team this year
4h agoSamuel wasn't traded during the 2024 NFL Draft and now seems likely to stay with the 49ers for at least one more season, ESPN.com's Nick Wagoner reports.
The 49ers selected WRs in Rounds 1 (Ricky Pearsall) and 4 (Jacob Cowing), and while they reportedly fielded trade offers for both Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, nothing ever came to fruition. It now seems more likely that the WR group will undergo significant changes next offseason, at which point Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings are scheduled for unrestricted free agency and Samuel will have just one year remaining on his contract (with no guaranteed money). A contract extension for Aiyuk in the coming weeks/months would further increase speculation about Samuel eventually being the odd man out.
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Kenta Maeda DET SP
Tigers' Kenta Maeda: Sharp against Cards
8m agoMaeda (1-1) earned the win Wednesday against St. Louis, allowing one run on four hits over six innings. He struck out five.
A Willson Contreras solo home run in the fourth inning was the lone mark against Maeda on Tuesday as the veteran right-hander cruised to his first win with the Tigers. After a brutal start to the year, Maeda's now allowed just one run on seven hits and no walks in his last two outings (11 innings). He's lowered his ERA to 5.02 with a 1.22 WHIP and 22:7 K:BB across six starts this season. Maeda will look to keep his momentum going in his next outing, currently lined up for early next week in Cleveland.
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Mickey Moniak LAA RF
Angels' Mickey Moniak: Filling in for Trout in CF
13m agoMoniak will start in center field and bat eighth in Wednesday's game against the Phillies, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
Moniak will get a second straight start in center field after going 1-for-4 with an RBI in Tuesday's 7-5 loss. Despite entering Wednesday's contest with a .150/.203/.217 slash line through 64 plate appearances on the season, Moniak could have a fairly long leash in center field while Mike Trout (knee) is likely headed for an extended absence as he recovers from meniscus surgery.
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Byron Buxton MIN CF
Twins' Byron Buxton: Dealing with knee injury
13m agoBuxton's removal from Wednesday's game against the White Sox was due to right knee soreness, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
Buxton tweaked his knee on a stolen base attempt in the second inning of Wednesday's contest. It's the same knee that he's had surgery on twice, with the most recent operation occurring last October. It's not clear at this point how big of a setback this could be, but the Twins could offer more detail on Buxton's condition after the game.
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Logan O'Hoppe LAA C
Angels' Logan O'Hoppe: Gets Wednesday off
16m agoO'Hoppe is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
O'Hoppe will get the afternoon off after he had started behind the plate each of the past three games. Matt Thaiss will handle catching duties for the Angels in the series finale.
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Zac Kristofak LAA RP
Angels' Zac Kristofak: Removed from 40-man roster
21m agoThe Angels designated Kristofak for assignment Wendesday.
The team needed to clear a spot on its 40-man roster for designated hitter/outfielder Willie Calhoun, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday. Kristofak, 26, made one appearance during his brief stint with the Angels, allowing two unearned runs over two innings Sunday against the Twins.
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Willie Calhoun LAA DH
Angels' Willie Calhoun: Joins big-league roster
24m agoThe Angels selected Calhoun's contract from Triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday.
Calhoun has slashed .268/.345/.361 with one home run in 26 contests this season with Salt Lake. The 29-year-old is taking Miguel Sano's (knee) spot on the active roster and could see some starts at designated hitter and/or the outfield versus righties.
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Joel Embiid PHI C
76ers' Joel Embiid: Questionable for Game 6
15m agoEmbiid (knee) is questionable for Game 6 against the Knicks on Thursday.
Embiid has been listed as "questionable" for every game in this series so far, but he's yet to miss a game, so he feels much closer to probable. Check back for official confirmation on his status closer to Thursday's tip.
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Luka Doncic DAL PG
Mavericks' Luka Doncic: Says he'll play Wednesday
2h agoDoncic (knee/illness) said he'll play in Wednesday's Game 5 against the Clippers, Grant Afseth of SI.com reports.
As expected, Doncic will play after being listed as probable with a sprained knee. The MVP candidate said if it was the regular season he probably wouldn't be playing through the knee pain and is also just getting over an illness, so despite being good to go, Doncic's effectiveness is something to keep an eye on. He's averaged 29.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.0 steals in 43.3 minutes over the first four games of the series, but he's shooting just 38.6 percent from the field, including 27.1 percent from deep.
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Caris LeVert CLE SG
Cavaliers' Caris LeVert: Held to three points
5h agoLeVert posted three points (1-3 FG, 1-2 3Pt), one rebound, one assist, one block and two steals in 19 minutes during Tuesday's 104-103 win over Orlando in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
LeVert is in the midst of a tough series, and although the Cavaliers were missing Jarrett Allen (ribs), the team opted to turn to Isaac Okoro and Marcus Morris rather than LeVert. Through five games, the guard has averaged only 7.2 points, 2.0 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 0.8 three-pointers on 33.3 percent shooting.
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Marcus Morris CLE PF
Cavaliers' Marcus Morris: Steps up for Cleveland
5h agoMorris finished Tuesday's 104-103 victory over Orlando in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with 12 points (4-9 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds and one assist in 26 minutes.
The Cavaliers were missing Jarrett Allen (ribs), and while Isaac Okoro drew the start, Morris stepped into the rotation and made a massive impact. Morris had a total of 15 minutes in this series before Tuesday, so credit to him for staying ready. For now, it remains unclear if Allen will be ready to return for Game 6 in Orlando on Friday.
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Evan Mobley CLE PF
Cavaliers' Evan Mobley: Clutch in Game 5 win
5h agoMobley accumulated 14 points (7-11 FG, 0-2 FT), 13 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals in 39 minutes during Tuesday's 104-103 victory over the Magic in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The Cavaliers were missing Jarrett Allen (ribs) for this game, so Mobley shifted to center and produced a masterclass on the defensive end. His emphatic block on Franz Wagner's game-tying layup attempt at the end of regulation secured the win for Cleveland, giving the Cavaliers a 3-2 series lead.
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Wendell Carter Jr. ORL C
Magic's Wendell Carter: Productive across the board
5h agoCarter closed Tuesday's 104-103 loss to the Cavaliers in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with seven points (3-6 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 11 rebounds, two assists, three blocks and one steal across 33 minutes.
Despite a quiet night offensively, Carter still had a big impact on the game, particularly on the boards and the defensive end. However, he's had a tough series overall, averaging just 5.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists through the first five games.
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David Rittich LA G
Kings' David Rittich: Set to start Wednesday
1h agoRittich is slated to start on the road against Edmonton in Game 5 on Wednesday, Jason Gregor of Sports 1440 Edmonton reports.
Rittich is getting his second straight start after saving 12 of 13 shots in a 1-0 loss to Edmonton in Game 4 on Sunday. Edmonton has a potent offense, which ranked fourth in the 2023-24 campaign with 3.56 goals per game, so the Oilers will probably fire considerably more shots in the upcoming tilt. Rittich had a 13-6-3 record, 2.15 GAA and .921 save percentage in 24 regular-season contests.
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Stuart Skinner EDM G
Oilers' Stuart Skinner: Set to face Kings
1h agoSkinner is expected to start at home against LA in Game 5 on Wednesday, per Jason Gregor of Sports 1440 Edmonton.
Skinner earned a 33-save shutout over the Kings in Game 4 and has stopped 60 of 61 shots (.984 save percentage) over his last two starts. That gives him a 3-1 record, 2.48 GAA and .919 save percentage in four playoff contests this year. The 25-year-old was streaky in the regular season, finishing with a 36-16-5 record, 2.62 GAA and .905 save percentage in 59 appearances, but Skinner seems to be on a roll with a chance to eliminate the Kings up for grabs.
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Brett Pesce CAR D
Hurricanes' Brett Pesce: Might play in second round
3h agoPesce (lower body) is no longer using a walking boot and might be able to return during Carolina's upcoming second-round series against the Rangers, Chip Alexander of The Raleigh News & Observer reports Wednesday.
Pesce had three goals, 13 points, 20 PIM, 25 hits and 113 blocks in 70 regular-season outings. The 29-year-old is likely to serve in a top-four capacity once he's healthy.
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Tony DeAngelo CAR D
Hurricanes' Tony DeAngelo: X-rays negative
3h agoDeAngelo's (wrist) x-rays came back negative and the blueliner is expected to be available for Game 1 against the Rangers, Chip Alexander of The Raleigh News & Observer reports Wednesday.
DeAngelo played in the last three games for the Canes while Brett Pesce (lower body) was unavailable. For now, DeAngelo should be in the lineup for Game 1, whenever it is announced, but will likely be relegated to the press box once Pesce, who is expected to return at some point versus New York, is cleared to play.
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Andrew Peeke BOS D
Bruins' Andrew Peeke: Not close to returning
3h agoPeeke (finger) is a "couple weeks away" from returning, coach Jim Montgomery told Conor Ryan of The Boston Globe on Wednesday.
Peeke had a goal, 10 points, 14 PIM, 88 hits and 78 blocks in 38 contests between Columbus and Boston during the regular season. His timetable rules him out for the remainder of the first round, but Peeke might be an option later in the playoffs if the Bruins advance. Boston holds a 3-2 series lead over Toronto heading into Game 6 on Thursday.
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Brandon Carlo BOS D
Bruins' Brandon Carlo: Available for Thursday
3h agoCarlo (undisclosed) will be available for Game 6 against Toronto on Thursday, per Conor Ryan of The Boston Globe.
Carlo has a goal, a plus-2 rating, four PIM, nine hits and 11 blocks in five playoff contests this year. He missed the overtime period in Boston's 2-1 loss to Toronto in Game 5 on Tuesday and wasn't on the ice for Wednesday's practice, but coach Jim Montgomery has nevertheless stated that the defenseman will be good to remain in the lineup versus the Leafs.