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Player News
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Nakobe Dean PHI LBEagles' Nakobe Dean: Nearing return
3m agoDead (foot) told reporters Thursday that he's been out of a boot since February and he could return soon, Zach Berman of The Athletic reports.
Dean has been dealing with a foot injury that forced him to miss Philadelphia's final seven games last season, but it sounds like he could be returning to the field soon. The 23-year-old linebacker told reporters that he's almost recovered from his surgery back in November, which means he could very well be ready for the start of Eagles' OTAs on Mar. 20. Dean logged 30 total tackles, including 0.5 sacks throughout his five appearances in 2023, and he's expected to remain one of the Philadelphia's top inside linebackers once he makes his return.
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Quintez Cephus DET WRQuintez Cephus: Reinstated from suspension
1h agoThe NFL reinstated Cephus from suspension Thursday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
The 2020 fifth-round pick was one of five players reinstated Thursday, out of the seven suspended indefinitely last offseason for violations of the league's gambling policy. The Lions released Cephus shortly thereafter but may now have some interest in bringing him back to compete for a depth role. He showed some promise his first two seasons while totaling 553 receiving yards and four TDs in 18 games (five starts), with a foot injury then limiting him to four appearances and 15 yards in 2022. He recently turned 26 years old and should get a tryout somewhere even if Detroit isn't interested in a reunion.
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Terrel Bernard BUF LBBills' Terrel Bernard: Moves past ankle issue
3h agoBernard, who missed the Bills' Jan. 21 playoff loss to the Chiefs due to an ankle injury, feels very good health-wise at this stage of the offseason, Sal Capaccio of WGR Sports Radio 550 Buffalo reports.
Prior to suffering his injury in the Bills' wild-card win over the Steelers on Jan. 15, Bernard racked up 143 tackles, 6.5 sacks and three interceptions in 17 regular-season contests. Now that his ankle has had time to heal up, the 2022 third-rounder is set to reprise his role as Buffalo's starting middle linebacker, which puts the 24-year-old in a position to remain a viable lineup option in IDP formats this coming season.
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Calvin Anderson NE OTPatriots' Calvin Anderson: Re-works deal
3h agoThe Patriots and Anderson have agreed to a restructured contract, Field Yates of ESPN reports.
The agreement slightly reduces the base value of Anderson's deal down from $3.35 million, with the move in line to create $990,000 in salary cap space for New England. In his second season with the Patriots, the 28-year-old -- who finished the 2023 campaign on IR -- figures to compete for a swing tackle role along the team's offensive line, per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com.
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Deshaun Watson CLE QBBrowns' Deshaun Watson: Making 40-yard throws
5h agoBrowns GM Andrew Berry said Thursday that Watson (shoulder) has been making throws of up to 40 yards, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
While not quite willing to guarantee that Watson will be ready for the regular-season opener, Berry did confirm that's the expectation and said the Browns are "pretty optimistic" about the QB's rehab process so far. Watson spoke with reporters Tuesday, mentioning that the team medical staff favors a cautious approach that would see him wait until training camp before returning to full practice participation. The 28-year-old thus figures to be limited during OTAs, giving free-agent additions Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley more chances to throw to the team's top receivers. The Browns traded for WR Jerry Jeudy in March and still have WRs Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore as well as TE David Njoku. There's also a strong chance of improved blocking this season, after 2023 saw the Browns lose their top three OTs to season-ending knee injuries. Watson is the biggest variable though, perhaps more so because of his disappointing 2022-23 performance than the ongoing rehab from Nov. 21 surgery to repair a displaced glenoid fracture in his right shoulder.
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Nick Chubb CLE RBBrowns' Nick Chubb: Running on land again
5h agoChubb (knee) resumed running on land within the last week, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.
Chubb took his rehab to the next level shortly after agreeing last Thursday to a contract alteration that converted a large portion of his scheduled $11.75 million base salary into incentives. He's entering the final season of a three-year extension and still faces a long path to complete his rehab from surgeries in September and November to address ACL, MCL and meniscus injuries in his left knee. It's the same knee in which he suffered a major injury Oct. 2015 -- his sophomore season at Georgia -- and he later had an MCL sprain in the knee Oct. 2020. The Browns hope the 28-year-old is ready for Week 1, but they're also preparing for the possibility of missed time, having added RBs D'Onta Foreman and Nyheim Hines (knee) to a roster that still has Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong.
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Ryan Pepiot TB SPRays' Ryan Pepiot: Sharp in second win
4m agoPepiot (2-2) earned the win against the Angels on Thursday, allowing one run on three hits and three walks over six innings. He struck out seven.
It was a strong bounce-back effort from Pepiot after he allowed five runs in a loss to San Francisco in his last start. The right-hander blanked the Angels through five innings Thursday, ultimately allowing a lone run on a sacrifice fly in the sixth. It's been a mixed bag for Pepiot result-wise through four starts this year, though his underlying metrics are impressive. He lowered his ERA to 4.37 with an encouraging 1.01 WHIP and 27:8 K:BB across 22.2 innings this season.
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Lourdes Gurriel ARI LFDiamondbacks' Lourdes Gurriel: Taking seat Thursday
25m agoGurriel is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Giants.
The Giants are sending right-hander Logan Webb to the hill, so it's not a bad time for a day off for Gurriel. Jake McCarthy and Randal Grichuk will occupy the corner outfield spots for the Diamondbacks.
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Gabriel Moreno ARI CDiamondbacks' Gabriel Moreno: In Thursday's lineup
27m agoMoreno (thumb) will catch and bat sixth in Thursday's game in San Francisco.
Worth noting is that Moreno was initially in Wednesday's lineup, too, before being scratched for the second straight day with a right thumb bruise. He did appear as a pinch-hitter in that contest, and for now it appears he's slated for a full workload Thursday.
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Kevin Smith NYY DHYankees' Kevin Smith: Pushed off 40-man
40m agoThe Yankees designated Smith for assignment Thursday.
Smith was selected from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Saturday, but the Yankees claiming Taylor Trammell off waivers from the Dodgers will leave Smith without a 40-man roster spot once again. The 27-year-old never appeared at the plate during his brief stint in New York, and a .516 OPS throughout his MLB career makes it likely he passes through waivers unclaimed.
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Taylor Trammell NYY LFYankees' Taylor Trammell: Claimed by Yankees
45m agoThe Yankees claimed Trammell off waivers from the Dodgers on Thursday.
The Dodgers DFA'd Trammell on Tuesday, but he will retain a spot on a 40-man roster as he moves to New York. The 26-year-old doesn't have any minor-league options remaining, so he will take a spot on the Yankees' bench and add to the team's outfield depth. Kevin Smith was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
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Tyler Nevin OAK LFAthletics' Tyler Nevin: Stands out in Wednesday's win
1h agoNevin went 3-for-4 with an RBI single, a double and a run in a win over the Cardinals on Wednesday.
Nevin drew the start in right field and delivered once again, pushing his average to .303 across 37 plate appearances. Nevin has now reached safely in five consecutive games, but Wednesday's two-bagger was his first extra-base hit of the campaign.
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Garrison Mathews ATL SFHawks' Garrison Mathews: Leads bench in scoring
24m agoMathews chipped in eight points (2-4 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 2-3 FT) over 13 minutes during Wednesday's 131-116 Play-In Game loss to Chicago.
Since the All-Star break, the 27-year-old averaged 6.9 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.7 assists on 45.8 percent from the field, playing valuable minutes during Trae Young's (finger) absence. With the Hawks looking to test the trade market around Young and possibly Dejounte Murray after a disappointing year, Atlanta will have until June 29 to decide whether they want Mathews back next season, which would fully guarantee his contract.
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De'Andre Hunter ATL SFHawks' De'Andre Hunter: Unable to find shot
25m agoHunter posted eight points (3-16 FG, 0-7 3Pt, 2-3 FT), four assists and two rebounds over 42 minutes during Wednesday's 131-116 Play-In Game loss to the Bulls.
Despite struggling with his shot in April, when Hunter averaged 37.0 percent from the field and an abysmal 24.1 percent from deep, this season was fairly successful for the 26-year-old. Hunter was a consistent part of Atlanta's rotation, starting in 38 of his 57 games and averaging 15.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting a career-high 38.5 percent from deep.
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Buddy Hield PHI SF76ers' Buddy Hield: Continues to struggle from deep
26m agoHield notched seven points (3-8 FG, 1-5 3Pt), six assists and one rebound in 18 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game win over the Heat.
Since Philadelphia acquired Hield on Feb. 8, the sharpshooter has averaged 12.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 0.8 steals in 25.5 minutes on 38.4 percent from deep. Hield has struggled to live up to his usual standards in April, as he's averaged 9.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 19.8 minutes, shooting just 35.2 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from three.
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Tobias Harris PHI PF76ers' Tobias Harris: Struggles from three in win
26m agoHarris registered nine points (4-10 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 10 rebounds and four assists over 33 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game victory over the Heat.
Harris struggled to get his shot going Wednesday and was outperformed by Nicolas Batum, who came off the bench and added 20 points and five rebounds on 6-for-10 shooting from the perimeter. Harris' inefficiency from deep has been a constant problem this season, as his 35.8 percent three-point percentage has been his worst mark since 2016-17. Since the All-Star break, the 31-year-old has averaged 15.7 points and 7.6 rebounds on 35.4 percent from three, which could be a consequence of an uptick in playing time from Joel Embiid's (knee) absence.
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Delon Wright MIA SGHeat's Delon Wright: Makes defensive impact
27m agoWright totaled six points (2-7 FG, 2-3 3Pt), six rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in 23 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game loss to the 76ers.
Wright has struggled to gain a consistent role in Miami's rotation since joining the team after the All-Star break, averaging 5.5 points, 2.6 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 20.5 minutes. The key to staying on the court for the 31-year-old has been his defensive impact; Wright has averaged 1.5 steals in 12 appearances since March, chipping in four steals twice in that span. Despite losing Jimmy Butler's (knee) defensive abilities, Wright should not be expected to see much of an increase in playing time buried behind Tyler Herro, as well as Terry Rozier (neck) and Duncan Robinson (back), if they are available for Friday.
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Haywood Highsmith MIA SFHeat's Haywood Highsmith: Does it all in loss
28m agoHighsmith posted nine points (4-8 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT), six rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block across 28 minutes in Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game loss to the 76ers.
Highsmith has seen an increase in both playing time and production in April, when he averaged 7.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals in 26.7 minutes. This is a significant improvement from March, where the 27-year-old averaged 5.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.3 steals in 16.7 minutes. With Jimmy Butler (knee) out for Friday's matchup against the Bulls, Highsmith is expected to garner an uptick in playing time behind Jaime Jaquez.
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Reilly Smith PIT RWPenguins' Reilly Smith: Struggling to score
3m agoSmith managed just one goal in his last 15 games while chipping in six assists.
Brought over from Vegas in the offseason, Smith struggled to reproduce his 2022-23 numbers when he racked up 26 goals and 30 helpers. The lack of productivity, combined with a $5 million cap hit, could see Smith on the trade block during the summer as the fit in Pittsburgh doesn't seem to be working.
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Rasmus Ristolainen PHI DFlyers' Rasmus Ristolainen: Underwent surgery
4m agoRistolainen underwent surgery for a ruptured triceps tendon, the team announced Thursday. He is expected to be fine for the start of training camp.
Ristolainen didn't play past Feb. 10 due to the injury. He finished the campaign with a goal, four points, 56 hits and 45 blocks in 31 appearances in 2023-24. Although Ristolainen comes with a $5.1 million cap hit through 2026-27, he might start 2024-25 on the third pairing after averaging just 16:41 of ice time this season.
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Marcus Pettersson PIT DPenguins' Marcus Pettersson: Sets new career highs
5m agoPettersson recorded new personal bests in goals (four), assists (26) and games played (82) this season.
It was the first time in Pettersson's seven-year NHL career that he played in every game and reached the 30-point threshold. The 27-year-old blueliner will never be known as an offensive powerhouse, but he could offer decent depth value in deeper formats that utilize hits and blocks.
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Lars Eller PIT CPenguins' Lars Eller: Features in all 82 games
17m agoEller was one of six Penguins to play in all 82 games this season, registering 15 goals and 16 helpers.
Eller was a solid addition to the Penguins roster, slotting into a third-line center role while also seeing time with the No. 2 power-play unit. Looking ahead to next year, the veteran center's ceiling figures to be in the 30-40 point range, making him a decent mid-range fantasy target.
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Rickard Rakell PIT CPenguins' Rickard Rakell: Scores goal Wednesday
21m agoRakell scored a goal on three shots in Wednesday's season-finale loss to the Islanders.
Rakell was much maligned for most of the season due to his lack of offensive production but seems to have benefitted from teaming up with Michael Bunting. In 21 post-deadline outings, the 30-year-old Rakell garnered six goals and four assists. Despite the late surge, Rakell still missed the 40-point threshold for just the second time over his last nine seasons.
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Matt Kessel STL DBlues' Matt Kessel: Moved to AHL
23m agoKessel was reassigned to AHL Springfield on Thursday.
Kessel recorded a goal and seven points in 39 games with St. Louis this season. The Blues' campaign is over, but he can get in some extra contests with Springfield. Kessel has also collected two goals and seven points in 34 appearances with the minor-league club.
