Top Headlines
-
Football
2024 Rookie RB Preview: Top-5, more
-
Most Viewed Players
-
Baseball
Bullpen Report: Yates over Leclerc?
-
Baseball
Monday's waiver wire targets
-
Baseball
Buy or sell hot starts
-
Baseball
Weekend Stockwatch: Busch breaks out
-
Football
2024 rookie Fantasy QB Preview
Player News
-
Jaelan Phillips MIA LB
Dolphins' Jaelan Phillips: Set for fifth-year option
2h agoThe Dolphins plan to pick up the fifth-year contract option of Phillips (Achilles) before May's deadline, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN reports.
General manager Chris Grier said Tuesday that Miami intends to pick up the fifth-year options of both Phillips and Jaylen Waddle. A right Achilles tear limited Phillips to just eight games last season, but he's reportedly on track to be ready for Week 1 of the 2024 campaign. He's been one of the Dolphins' more impactful pass rushers over the past three seasons, and the team will be more in need of those talents than ever with Christian Wilkins having moved on to Las Vegas.
-
De'Von Achane MIA RB
Dolphins' De'Von Achane: Bulks up during offseason
3h agoAchane looks more muscular after working out this offseason, Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post reports.
A photo of Achane showing up for OTAs went viral, with some saying he looks much larger than he did during his rookie campaign. It's his second offseason bulking up for football without also considering track and field, though at this point it's unclear how much he's added relative to his weight from the 2023 NFL Combine (where he ran a 4.32 40-yard dash at 188 pounds). Achane averaged 7.8 yards per carry and scored a TD per game last season, albeit with injuries (six missed games) and Raheem Mostert's presence (209 carries) limiting the rookie to 103 carries and 27 catches in his 11 appearances. The Dolphins still have Mostert under contract -- along with backups Jeff Wilson, Salvon Ahmed (foot) and Chris Brooks -- but they'll presumably task Achane with more of the backfield work in his second pro season.
-
Royce Freeman LAR RB
Cowboys' Royce Freeman: Picked up by Dallas
18h agoFreeman signed a one-year contract with the Cowboys on Tuesday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
Freeman spent his first three seasons with the Broncos before stops with the Panthers, Texans and Rams the last three years. The journeyman tallied 319 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in Los Angeles last year across 14 games. Dallas lost Tony Pollard to free agency, so its running back room currently consists of Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn (ankle), Malik Davis, Snoop Conner and Freeman. Freeman could get an opportunity to carve out a role for himself, but the Cowboys still seem likely to invest in the position during the 2024 Draft.
-
Trent Taylor CHI WR
49ers' Trent Taylor: Returns to Bay Area
21h agoTaylor signed a one-year contract with the 49ers on Tuesday, Lindsey Pallares of the team's official site reports.
Taylor started his career in San Francisco before a two-year stay with the Bengals, and he spent the 2023 campaign with the Bears. The 29-year-old will have the opportunity to earn a role in the return game with the Niners after the departure of Ray-Ray McCloud in free agency this offseason.
-
Trent Taylor CHI WR
Trent Taylor: Could return to Bay Area
22h agoTaylor has talked to the 49ers about a potential return to the team, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Taylor was selected by San Francisco in the fifth round of the 2017 Draft and spent three seasons there before stops in Cincinnati and Chicago. The 49ers do currently have a void in their return game, with Ray-Ray McCloud now in Atlanta, which is likely where the interest in Taylor lies.
-
Deshaun Watson CLE QB
Browns' Deshaun Watson: Throwing full speed
1d agoWatson (shoulder) said Tuesday he's already resumed "throwing full speed" but that he's uncertain how large a workload he'll handle during OTAs and minicamp, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Watson clarified that certain members of the Browns' medical staff are in favor of a more conservative approach to the quarterback's recovery from right shoulder surgery, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram, which would have him wait until training camp to fully practice. Still, Watson is confident he'll be available for the Browns' season opener, and there appears to be no real worries about his Week 1 status. In case Watson misses part of the offseason, or struggles during the fall, Cleveland can lean on experienced backups Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley.
-
Tyler Jay NYM SP
Mets' Tyler Jay: Dropped from 40-man roster
2m agoThe Mets designated Jay for assignment Wednesday, Abbey Mastracco of the New York Daily News reports.
Jay reached the majors for the first time earlier this month and gave up one earned run over four innings between his two relief appearances before being optioned to Triple-A Syracuse over the weekend. The 29-year-old lefty will now lose out on his spot on the 40-man roster after being DFA'd, though he'll stick around in the organization if he goes unclaimed off waivers.
-
Jameson Taillon CHC SP
Cubs' Jameson Taillon: Making season debut Thursday
12m agoTaillon (back) will be activated from the 15-day injured list Thursday and is listed as the Cubs' probable starting pitcher for Thursday's series opener versus the Marlins at Wrigley Field.
Taillon might operate with some light restrictions in his season debut, as he was capped at 3.2 innings and 68 pitches in his second and final rehab start with Triple-A Iowa this past Friday. Ben Brown has delivered a pair of strong starts in his two outings as the No. 5 member of the Cubs rotation, but unless manager Craig Counsell elects to expand the rotation to six men, the rookie will likely lose out on a spot once Taillon is activated.
-
Sean Bouchard COL RF
Rockies' Sean Bouchard: Recalled from Triple-A
16m agoBouchard was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque by the Rockies on Wednesday, Patrick Lyons of JustBaseball.com reports.
Bouchard has put up a 1.049 OPS over 14 games with Albuquerque this season. He's taking Kris Bryant's (back) spot on the roster and could be worth adding in fantasy leagues if he receives regular playing time, although it's unclear whether that will happen.
-
Miguel Amaya CHC C
Cubs' Miguel Amaya: Returns to bench Wednesday
18m agoAmaya is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Diamondbacks.
Amaya will head to the bench after he started at catcher over the past two games while going 3-for-8 with two extra-base knocks, two RBI and one run. Yan Gomes will be behind the dish Wednesday, but he and Amaya look poised to operate in a timeshare for the foreseeable future.
-
Kris Bryant COL DH
Rockies' Kris Bryant: Lands on IL with lower-back strain
20m agoBryant was Patrick Lyons of JustBaseball.com on the 10-day injured list by the Rockies on Wednesday, retroactive to April 14, with a lower-back strain, Patrick Lyons reports.
The Rockies gave Bryant a few days to recover to see if he was able to avoid the IL, but ultimately some additional down time is needed. Because the move is retroactive, Bryant will be eligible for activation on April 24. However, there's no word yet as to whether he'll have a chance to be ready at that time. Sean Bouchard has taken his spot on the Rockies' roster.
-
Dany Jimenez OAK RP
Athletics' Dany Jimenez: Falters again Tuesday
21m agoJimenez (1-1) was charged with a loss and a blown save against the Cardinals on Tuesday, allowing two earned runs on a hit and two walks over one-third of an inning.
Jimenez was entrusted with preserving a 2-1 lead when he entered in the sixth inning, but he immediately worked himself into trouble by allowing the first three hitters he faced to reach safely via a single and a pair of walks. Jimenez would go on to surrender back-to-back RBI sacrifice flies to allow the Cardinals to pull ahead by a run, which would prove the final margin of victory. The normally reliable right-hander has been a bit more vulnerable than usual of late, being saddled with blown saves in two of his last three outings while giving up a total of three runs on four hits over 2.2 innings in the entirety of that span.
-
Sam Merrill CLE SG
Cavaliers' Sam Merrill: Participates in practice
17m agoMerrill (neck) went through Wednesday's practice without issue, Chris Fedor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Merrill missed the final three games of the regular season due to a neck strain. However, Merrill's participation in practice is a good sign of his availability for Saturday's Game 1 against the Magic.
-
Zion Williamson NO PF
Pelicans' Zion Williamson: Won't play Friday
45m agoWilliamson (hamstring) has been ruled out for Friday's Play-In Game against the Kings, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
Williamson suffered a left hamstring injury in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's Play-In Tournament loss to the Lakers and won't be available for the win-or-go-home matchup versus Sacramento on Friday. This is a huge blow for Williamson, who shined during his first playoff exposure by posting 40 points (17-27 FG) and 11 rebounds in 36 minutes before leaving the contest. The 2019 No. 1 overall pick's career continues to be defined by injuries, but the extent of his latest one remains unclear. If the Pelicans defeat the Kings and advance to the opening-round series against the Thunder, Williamson's next chance to suit up would come Sunday night.
-
Jontay Porter TOR C
Jontay Porter: Receives lifetime ban
2h agoPorter has received a lifetime ban from the NBA for violating the league's gaming rules, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Commissioner Adam Silver suggested last week that a lifetime ban was on the table for Porter, and the league officially announced his punishment Wednesday. Per a press release from the NBA, Porter "disclosed confidential information about his own health status to an individual he knew to be an NBA bettor" and limited his playing time to impact his prop bets in at least one Raptors game. Porter also placed at least 13 bets on NBA games between January and March of 2024, although none of the wagers involved a game in which Porter played. The league's investigation remains open, but Porter will be permanently barred from playing in the league.
-
Kenyon Martin Jr. PHI SF
76ers' KJ Martin: Full participant in shootaround
4h agoMartin (toe), who is questionable for Wednesday's Play-In Game against Miami, was a full participant in Philadelphia's morning shootaround, Ky Carlin of USA Today reports.
Martin continues to deal with a toe issue that forced him to miss the final three games of the regular season, but his participation in shootaround creates optimism that he'll be able to return as postseason play begins Wednesday. Over his final five appearances during the regular season, Martin averaged 5.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per game.
-
Joel Embiid PHI C
76ers' Joel Embiid: Goes through shootaround
4h agoEmbiid (knee) participated in Wednesday's morning shootaround, Ky Carlin of USA Today reports.
Embiid logged two straight practices coming into the morning shootaround, but he's still carrying a questionable tag for Wednesday's game against Miami. Despite the questionable designation, it would be a big surprise if Embiid was unable to suit up Wednesday.
-
Kessler Edwards SAC SF
Kings' Kessler Edwards: Logs garbage time minutes in win
12h agoEdwards ended with one rebound in two minutes during Tuesday's 118-94 Play-In Game win over the Warriors.
Edwards closed the game Tuesday, handed a couple of garbage time minutes as the Kings eliminated the Warriors. It's been a disappointing season for Edwards and given his limited role, it is hard to see him featuring too much, even if the Kings advance to the playoffs.
-
Jayden Struble MON D
Canadiens' Jayden Struble: Reassigned to AHL Laval
6m agoStruble was demoted to the minors Wednesday.
Struble saw action in 56 games in his rookie campaign, registering three goals, seven assists and 120 hits while averaging 16:07 of ice time. The 22-year-old blueliner is unlikely to offer more than mid-range fantasy value given his limited offensive upside, though he could have value in formats that value hits and blocks.
-
Joshua Roy MON RW
Canadiens' Joshua Roy: Moved to minors
7m agoRoy has recovered from his upper-body injury and was sent to AHL Laval on Wednesday.
Roy hasn't played since March 19 due to the injury. He has four goals and nine points in 23 contests with the Canadiens this campaign. Montreal's season is done, so this is a chance for Roy to get in additional work. The 20-year-old has already supplied 13 goals and 32 points in 40 appearances with Laval in 2023-24.
-
Logan Mailloux MON D
Canadiens' Logan Mailloux: Sent back to minors
10m agoMailloux was returned to AHL Laval on Wednesday.
Mailloux made his NHL debut against the Red Wings on Tuesday, recording one assist, two shots and one hit while logging 21:14 of ice time. With the Habs out of the playoffs, Mailloux will get at least two more games in the minors considering the Rocket have an outside chance of making the Calder Cup playoffs. Looking ahead to next season, Mailloux should be in contention for a spot on the Opening Night roster coming out of training camp.
-
Justin Barron MON D
Canadiens' Justin Barron: Sent to AHL
10m agoBarron was reassigned to AHL Laval on Wednesday.
Barron had seven goals, 13 points, 16 PIM, 61 hits and 59 blocks in 48 contests with the Canadiens this season. He has also provided two goals and 11 points in 30 outings with Laval. Montreal's campaign is over, but the 22-year-old should factor into the big club's plans for the 2024-25 campaign. Before that, though, Barron will need a new contract, because he's set to become a restricted free agent this summer.
-
Sebastian Aho NYI D
Islanders' Sebastian Aho: Sitting out against Pens
43m agoAho will be rested for Wednesday's matchup with Pittsburgh, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports.
Aho missed time as recently as April 9 against the Rangers due to an upper-body issue, so the decision to give him the night off shouldn't come as a surprise. Without the 28-year-old Swede in the lineup, the Isles will need to either bring a player up from the minors or hope that Noah Dobson (upper body) is ready to play.
-
Morgan Barron WPG C
Jets' Morgan Barron: In doubt for postseason
1h agoBarron (lower body) is questionable for Game 1 of the playoffs, in addition to missing Thursday's clash with Vancouver, Mitchell Clinton of the Jets' official site reports.
Barron is coming off a career year in which he set new personal bests in games (80), goals (11) and hits (122). Without the 25-year-old winger in the lineup, the Jets will have to decide between David Gustafsson, Cole Perfetti and Rasmus Kupari for a spot in the lineup -- though all three could see minutes if coach Rick Bowness decides to rest some of Winnipeg's stars.