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Player News
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Deshaun Watson CLE QBBrowns' Deshaun Watson: Making 40-yard throws
38m 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
1h 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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Cam Brown NYG LBDolphins' Cam Brown: Inks deal in Miami
15h agoBrown agreed to a contract with the Dolphins on Wednesday, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.
Brown appeared in 60 career games as a special-teams ace during his first four seasons with the Giants, tallying 24 tackles over that span. The 26-year-old played exclusively on special teams in 16 games during the 2023 campaign, so he'll more than likely fulfill a similar role for Miami in 2024.
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Justin Murray CLE OTJustin Murray: Hangs it up
15h agoThe Browns placed Murray on the retired/reserve list Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Murray played for the Raiders, Cardinals, Bills and Titans during his six-year NFL career, appearing in 41 games with 20 starts during his professional tenure. The soon-to-be 31-year-old joined Cleveland's practice squad last November and then signed a futures contract in January, but he never played in any games for the team.
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J.K. Dobbins BAL RBChargers' J.K. Dobbins: Slated to join Chargers
17h agoDobbins (Achilles) is in line to sign a one-contract with the Chargers, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
A second-round pick of the Ravens in 2020, Dobbins had two of his first four pro seasons cut short due to an ACL tear in 2021 and then a torn left Achilles in Week 1 of the 2023 campaign. In his 24 career appearances, he's averaged a robust 5.8 yards on 234 carries, gathered in 27 of 35 targets for 177 yards and scored 13 total touchdowns. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache penned a letter to NFL teams in late March that Dobbins had received medical clearance to participate in football activities, but his new contract will be contingent on a physical. Once the move west to L.A. becomes official, Dobbins will join forces with former teammate Gus Edwards at the top of the RB depth chart, giving him some sway in fantasy working alongside QB Justin Herbert.
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Darius Slayton NYG WRGiants' Darius Slayton: Seeking new deal
20h agoSlayton (thumb) hasn't reported to the Giants' voluntary workouts while he seeks a contract extension, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.
Slayton, who led the team with 770 receiving yards in 17 games in 2023, has attended the Giants' voluntary offseason program in the past. The 27-year-old wideout is in line to earn $6.2 million in the final year of his contract in 2024, but Slayton is evidently looking to amend those terms. At this stage, Slayton -- who is recovering from an offseason procedure on his right thumb -- is poised to retain a key role in a Giants wideout corps that currently includes Wan'Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt.
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Michael Massey KC 2BRoyals' Michael Massey: Expected back Friday
2m agoMassey (back) is expected to be activated from the 10-day injured list Friday, Anne Rogers reports.
Nick Loftin has already been optioned and Massey is expected to be the corresponding move ahead of a weekend series against the Orioles. Massey has been out all season with a lower-back injury but slashed .382/.417/.706 with two home runs in eight rehab games. The 26-year-old should share playing time at second base with Adam Frazier.
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C.J. Abrams WAS SSNationals' CJ Abrams: Smacks fifth homer
4m agoAbrams went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's win over the Dodgers.
He drove the second big-league pitch of Landon Knack's career over the fence in right-center field, giving the Nats all the offense they would need as Jake irvin and the bullpen combined for a shutout. Abrams launched a career-high 18 homers in 2023 but he's well ahead of that pace to begin this season, slashing .295/.358/.656 with five home runs, three steals, 10 runs and 11 RBI in 15 games.
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Nick Loftin KC 2BRoyals' Nick Loftin: Optioned to Triple-A
7m agoLoftin was optioned to Triple-A Omaha by the Royals on Thursday.
It seemingly clears the way for Michael Massey (back) to be activated, but the Royals will announce a corresponding move prior to Friday's game versus the Orioles. Loftin has slashed .276/.371/.276 over 13 games in a part-time role for Kansas City this season.
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Harrison Bader NYM CFMets' Harrison Bader: Goes yard for first time in 2024
9m agoBader went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's win over the Pirates.
His sixth-inning shot down the left-field line helped break the game open for the Mets. It was Bader's first homer with the club, and after a slow start at the plate to 2024, the 29-year-old has come alive by batting .385 (10-for-26) over his last seven games. The surge has lifted his slash line to .288/.327/.365 with three steals, five RBI and eight runs on the season.
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Starling Marte NYM RFMets' Starling Marte: Belts third homer
12m agoMarte went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's win over the Pirates.
The veteran outfielder took Bailey Falter deep in the third inning to get the Mets on the board. Marte has been healthy to begin the season and appears to be back in 20-20 form, slashing .267/.321/.413 through 18 games with three homers, three steals, six RBI and 12 runs.
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Francisco Alvarez NYM CMets' Francisco Alvarez: Picks up first steal of 2024
15m agoAlvarez went 1-for--4 with a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base in Wednesday's win over the Pirates.
The 22-year-old doesn't run much, but he's never been caught stealing in the majors, going 3-for-3 in 143 MLB games. Alvarez is struggling to get going at the plate, slashing .241/.293/.370 through 15 games with a homer, a steal, seven runs and eight RBI, but he remains locked in as the Mets' near-everyday catcher.
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Nicolas Batum PHI PF76ers' Nicolas Batum: Shines off bench Wednesday
2h agoBatum provided 20 points (7-12 FG, 6-10 3Pt), five rebounds and one block in 28 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game victory over the Heat.
It was widely known that Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey were going to carry the Sixers in this matchup against the Heat, but the truth is that Philadelphia wouldn't have gotten the win hadn't it been for Batum's impressive effort off the bench. The 20-point output was a season-high mark for the veteran, and even though his role is not going to change drastically in the first-round matchup against New York, he should continue to see decent minutes on a regular basis. Perhaps surprisingly, he went scoreless in the four times he faced the Knicks during the regular season.
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Joel Embiid PHI C76ers' Joel Embiid: Plays big minutes in Play-In win
2h agoEmbiid logged 23 points (6-17 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 9-10 FT), 15 rebounds, five assists and one steal over 38 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game victory over Miami.
Embiid had a complicated matchup against Bam Adebayo, arguably one of the best defensive centers in The Association, and even though his efficiency was subpar, he still led Philadephia in scoring while coming through with a clutch performance from the charity stripe. Embiid should be in line for a productive first-round series against the Knicks, and even though he only faced them once in the regular season, he delivered a 30-point, 10-rebound, three-block performance on Jan. 5.
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Tyrese Maxey PHI PG76ers' Tyrese Maxey: Scores 19 in win over Miami
2h agoMaxey accumulated 19 points (6-16 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 6-6 FT), three rebounds and six assists across 44 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game victory over the Heat.
Maxey had a rough night from three-point range, but he still salvaged his stat line by sniffing the 20-point mark and dishing out six assists. Maxey is expected to play a prominent role on offense in the first-round matchup against the Knicks, and it's worth noting he averaged 26.3 points per game in three games vs. New York during the regular season.
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Jaime Jaquez Jr. MIA SFHeat's Jaime Jaquez: Decent stat line in loss
2h agoJaquez closed Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game loss to the 76ers with 15 points (6-11 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT), five rebounds, two assists and one steal across 22 minutes.
Jaquez looked good despite coming off the bench and was one of Miami's top contributors on offense. He's widely expected to move into the starting lineup for Friday's matchup against the Bulls due to the absence of Jimmy Butler (knee), and that would translate into an uptick in his usage rate.
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Bam Adebayo MIA CHeat's Bam Adebayo: Double-double in loss Wednesday
2h agoAdebayo posted 10 points (5-9 FG, 0-2 3Pt), 12 rebounds, one assist and two blocks across 31 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game loss to the 76ers.
Adebayo wasn't as involved as expected on the offensive end of the court, as he had to deal with a tough matchup against Joel Embiid, but he still found a way to finish with a double-double even if the Heat came up short of winning. Knowing the Heat will be without Jimmy Butler (knee) for Friday's game against the Bulls, Adebayo should experience an uptick in usage rate and volume while dealing with the matchup of Nikola Vucevic, who's nowhere near as good as Embiid on the defensive end of the court.
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Tyler Herro MIA PGHeat's Tyler Herro: Paces team in scoring in loss
2h agoHerro registered 25 points (9-27 FG, 4-14 3Pt, 3-3 FT), two rebounds and nine assists over 41 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game loss to Philadelphia.
Herro might have needed 27 shots to score 25 shots, but the uptick in usage rate happened since Jimmy Butler suffered a knee injury in the first quarter, which limited him considerably, and Bam Adebayo had a rough matchup with Joel Embiid. Herro has reached the 20-point mark in four of his last six outings, and considering Butler will miss Friday's win-or-go-home matchup against the Bulls, he should be in line for another heavy usage rate vs. Chicago.
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Brady Skjei CAR DHurricanes' Brady Skjei: Returning to lineup
4m agoSkjei (rest) was back at practice Thursday after getting Tuesday's game versus Columbus off, Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes' official site reports.
Skjei missed the last two games of the regular season, as coach Rod Brind'Amour gave him some time off in order to be healthy and ready for the playoff matchup versus the Islanders. Skjei had a five-game point streak at the end of the season, ending the 2023-24 campaign with 13 goals and a career high 47 points. He will be paired alongside Brett Pesce entering the postseason.
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Brett Pesce CAR DHurricanes' Brett Pesce: Preparing for postseason
6m agoPesce (rest) was on the ice for practice ahead of Saturday's playoff matchup with the Islanders, Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes' official site reports.
Pesce probably is still dealing with a minor injury considering he has sat out two of the Canes' last three contests. The blueliner hasn't scored a goal since mid-January, contributing zero goals and six assists over the last 36 contests. Given his limited offensive upside, Pesce is unlikely to offer much in the way of fantasy value for postseason contests.
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Seth Jarvis CAR CHurricanes' Seth Jarvis: Back in action
9m agoJarvis (rest) returned to practice Thursday, according to Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes' official site.
Jarvis sat out the Hurricanes' season finale as coach Rod Brind'Amour decided to rest Jarvis and seven other regulars. Jarvis had a career high 33 goals and 67 points in 81 games this season. He was a stud on the power play with 13 goals and seven helpers as he established himself as a first-line player, alongside Sebastian Aho and Jake Guentzel.
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Jake Guentzel CAR CHurricanes' Jake Guentzel: Back after night off
12m agoGuentzel (rest) retook his spot on the Canes' top line ahead of Saturday's matchup with the Islanders, Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes' official site reports.
Guentzel is riding an eight-game point streak during which he notched six goals and seven helpers, including five power-play points. In 67 combined games for the Penguins and Hurricanes, the elite winger racked up 77 points in 67 contests while reaching the 30-goal threshold for the third straight campaign.
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Vasily Podkolzin VAN RWCanucks' Vasily Podkolzin: Inks two-year extension
18m agoPodkolzin signed a two-year contract extension with Vancouver on Thursday.
Podkolzin has been a bit of a disappointment since he was drafted 10th overall in 2019. He has played only 18 games this season, picking up a pair of assists, Podkolzin had 15 goals and 28 points in 44 AHL games with Abbotsford before his recall. Podkolzin is only 22, and much more will be expected of him next season.
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Frederik Andersen CAR GHurricanes' Frederik Andersen: Ready for postseason
24m agoAndersen was back on the ice in the lead-up to Saturday's Game 1 matchup with the Islanders, Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes' official site reports.
Andersen was in the starter's crease at Thursday's practice session, an indication that he'll get the starting nod for Saturday's home clash. The backstop had been splitting the workload with Pyotr Kochetkov down the stretch but it seems unlikely that trend will continue into the postseason.
