This week, Phoenix star Devin Booker signed an extension with the highest AAV in NBA history; Chet Holmgren has agreed to a five-year rookie contract extension with the Thunder that could be worth a quarter billion bucks; and the NBA world lost Frank Layden, the first coach to take the Jazz to the playoffs (in 1982-83). Other Fantasy basketball stories we’re following include…

Will the Bucks deal Giannis?

Since winning 58 games two seasons ago, it’s been a downward trajectory for the Milwaukee Bucks. They managed just 49 victories in 2023-24 and had one fewer last season while being sent packing in the first round for the third straight time. That championship season in 2020-21 seems like a distant memory.

Change was needed, especially with news that Damian Lillard (Achilles’ tear) will miss the upcoming season.

And change was indeed the order of the day this summer. Gone is Brook Lopez, who signed with the Clippers as a free agent. He’ll be replaced by Myles Turner, who was signed in free agency – a much bigger fish than the Bucks were expected to reel in to replace Lopez.

Pat Connaughton was also moved out in a trade.

But the biggest move may yet to have occurred as rumours persist that Milwaukee may move on from franchise player Giannis Antetokounmpo, and he’s not exactly pouring cold water on this eventuality when he has the chance (see video below).

Early last season, he proved he can still deliver a monumental performance, and really, his numbers have more or less settled in at a very consistent level the past few year, but one concerning trend is the declining number of points he’s getting at the charity stripe.

In 2021-22, Giannis averaged a career best 8.3 points from the line, but that number has dipped to 7.9 to 7.0 to just 6.5 last season. While his rebounding work and assist numbers (he matched his personal best with 6.5 per game last season) remain strong, the FT scoring is capping his overall offense.

Still, in the playoffs, Antetokounmpo upped that aggressive play, scoring almost nine points per game from the FT line, while also increasing his accuracy.

The Greek Freak remains one of the most unique players in NBA history from a skills perspective. If Milwaukee does decide to move him, the suitors will be lining up around the block. We’re talking about a dude that ranked fifth in win shares despite missing 15 games last season.

Looking for Hope On the Hornets

Back in 2021-22, the Charlotte Hornets finally looked like they were getting somewhere, posting a winning record for the first time in a half dozen years. However, it’s been all downhill since, as they dropped to 27 wins the following season and then 21 before winning a mere 19 last season.

Now it seems like the odds overwhelmingly suggest that this coming season will mark a 10th straight campaign without a playoff appearance.

One glimmer of hope is that PG Tre Mann, acquired at the 2024 trade deadline, will be fully healthy this season after being limited to 13 games with a back injury in 2024-25.

The Hornets obviously like him, re-signing him to a three-year, $24-million deal earlier this month. And why not? Mann was flourishing off the bench for the Hornets before he got hurt, scoring a career best 14.1 PPG despite playing only 24.5 MPG.

When he was originally dealt to Charlotte, we recommended him because he was getting a chance to start. With LaMelo Ball being as injury prone as he is, there’s a high likelihood that Mann will again get the opportunity to run the Hornet offense, making him a very valuable in-season pickup. And if Mann can get his shot back to where it was two seasons ago, he could be a major sleeper.

Also, imagine a scenario in which Charlotte opts to cut bait on the seemingly permanently hurt Ball and move him out in a deal. Mann’s value would soar, and it’s not a crazy idea.

Waiver Wire Pick of the Week

T.J. McConnell, PG, Indiana Pacers (ESPN: 16.1 per cent; CBS: 19 per cent): With news that Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) is likely to miss most if not all of 2025-26, McConnell bumps up the depth chart to become the top backcourt bench option. A couple of years ago, we identified him as someone capable of producing solid numbers off the bench and it was a brilliant pick as he was lights out down the stretch that season. The following season, McConnell again was productive regardless of having a smaller role and last season he got to the line more often despite seeing even less PT. And sure, he’ll again come off the bench this season, but could be surprisingly productive with the expected boost in minutes. After all, Haliburton finished sixth in win shares last season; that’s a lot of production that will now fall to others. McConnell played under 18 MPG last season, yet still ranked as a top 30 PG, so do the math and think of what he’ll do this season should he get 20-to-25 MPG. Sleeper!

RotoRob Tune of the Day

American rock band Iron Butterfly formed in 1966 and remained active until 2021, taking three breaks of up to three years over that stretch. In 1993, they released a greatest hits package called Light and Heavy: The Best of Iron Butterfly, and from this effort comes “Termination.”

This week, San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado became the fifth active player with at least 2,000 career hits; Boston Red Sox 3B Alex Bregman (quad) thinks he could return later this week; and Los Angeles Dodgers SP Clayton Kershaw was selected as the Legend Pick to go to his 11th All-Star Game. Other Fantasy baseball related stories we’re following include…

Spencer Steer Getting Better Each Month

Other than a horrific 100-loss season in 2022, the Cincinnati Reds feel like they’ve been perfectly meh the last few years, never really good, never really bad. They’ve just been sitting around the .500 mark, much like they are this season as a recent down stretch has dropped them five games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central.

Part of the problem is that despite the Reds’ home park having the reputation of being a hitter’s paradise, they aren’t taking advantage of it. Against right-handed pitching, Cincy has an average offense at home (100 wRC+).

This was never more evident than on Monday as Miami sent three righties to the mound and they combined to hold the Reds to three hits and one run. The only Cincinnati hitter to record a hit off Marlin starter Janson Junk was Spencer Steer.

With hits in four of five games this month, Steer has gotten progressively better as the season has gone along. Just check out his OPS by month: 167 in March, 570 in April, 726 in May, 841 in June and 1111 so far in July. Sensing a trend?

Two years ago, Steer surprised many by emerging with a full-time role, but last year his power waned and that’s continued this season as his ISO is just 155. Worse yet, while his pop is down, his K rate is up.

Another concern? Steer is sitting on 10 games played in the outfield, so if your dynasty league rules need him to hit 20 to maintain eligibility in 2026, that’s something to keep an eye on. He’s shown great defensive improvements at first base, so he seems to have settled in as an infielder.

Coming out of Oregon, Steer projected as more of a bat tool type than a power hitter, but so far he’s never hit higher than .271 yet could post a third straight season of at least 20 homers this year (and for some reason, he’s Babe Ruth against the Padres — see video below).

Still, he’s trending in the right direction from a production standpoint and could very well be available in some leagues (47.8 per cent ownership rate on ESPN), so he’s definitely someone you need to consider.

MLB Draft 2025 Preview: Seth Hernandez

Back to Miami, after crashing to 100 losses last year, they have bounced back this season. Not to a level of contention, but definitely more competitive and they continue to trend in the right direction. The Fish has won seven of the last 10 games to pull within shouting distance (10 games) of the second-place Mets. The Marlins sit just 7.5 back of the final Wild Card slot, but with five teams to pass.

Hey, at least it’s a bit more interesting this season.

And next week when the MLB Draft kicks off, things will get even more interesting as Miami holds the seventh overall selection. The most recent mock draft at The Athletic has the team taking the top high school pitcher, righty Seth Hernandez. With the sixth highest odds (+2600) to go first overall as per FanDuel, there’s a good chance he’s there when the Marlins are on the clock — especially when you consider that only nine righties have ever gone as high as even second overall in history.

Armed with a ridiculously good changeup, Hernandez also possesses a mid-’90s heater that could be even better. The Corona, Calif. product has a nice pitcher’s frame (6’4”, 190) and really, he’s been the projected top high school arm in this draft for some time, really announcing his presence when he was named MVP of the National High School Invitational as a junior.

Waiver Wire Pick of the Week

Andrew Vaughn, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers (ESPN: 3.7 per cent; CBS: 9 per cent): In making his first start since Milwaukee acquired him last month, Vaughn smacked a three-run dinger and scored twice on Monday. He’s now getting a chance to start with Rhys Hoskins (thumb) on the IL, and wasted zero time in making an impact. Just two years ago, Vaughn was nearly a top 25 OFer, but things have gone downhill since. Last year, his counting cat numbers regressed and before the ChiSox dealt him, he had been hitting horribly this season. Vaughn hasn’t even been at a replacement level player since 2023, but has a chance now to provide at least some short-term value.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

American psychedelic band Joe Country and the Fish got their start in 1965 and remained active until 1970 before reforming briefly in 1977 and then again from 2004 to 2006. In 1968, they released their fourth single “Rock and Soul Music,” a tune immortalized by its inclusion on the official Woodstock festival album.

This week, Notre Dame OL Charles Jagusah suffered a broken arm in a car accident; Florida State got a commitment from four star CB Chauncey Kennon; and, back to Notre Dame, the Irish landed a commitment from WR Devin Fitzgerald – the son 11-time Pro Bowler Larry Fitzgerald. Other college football stories we’re tracking include…

Heisman Watch: DJ Lagway

The Florida Gators fell upon hard times in recent years, but last season snapped a skid of three straight losing campaigns with an eight-win effort. More winning is expected this year, especially with sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway – a popular preseason Heisman Trophy pick — now firmly ensconced as the starter.

It didn’t take long last year for a QB controversy to emerge between Lagway and incumbent starter Graham Mertz, but over time, Lagway saw more and more of the snaps and by the season finale he threw a career-high 35 passes.

All told, Lagway wound up with 115 completions while flirting with 2,000 yards as a rookie. More importantly, he flashed his leadership skills as a freshman, and that’s a key attribute for him heading forward.

A former five-star recruit, this kid is about to become a household name this season. And any worries about Lagway’s shoulder (he couldn’t throw in the spring) are gone as he’s reportedly 100 per cent healthy now.

At 6’3″, 239, he’s built to survive the pro game and has both the arm and athleticism to succeed at the next level. For what it’s worth, Lagway has been compared to Jordan Love.

Can K-State Move Up in the Big 12?

Since bottoming out at 4-6 during the Covid-shortened 2020 season, the Kansas State Wildcats have been on a nice roll, racking up four straight winning seasons – appearing in a Bowl games each time (including the coveted Pop-Tarts Bowl in 2023) – while finishing in the top 25 twice, including once as a top 10 team).

It’s been good times in K-State and more of that is expected in 2025 as the Wildcats hope to build on their recent success and perhaps challenge for a spot in the CFP. Small wonder Kansas State is a 3.5 point fave as per FanDuel to win its opener next month against Iowa State.

The Wildcats have several nice receiving options for up and coming junior QB Avery Johnson, but we’re particularly expecting big things from junior tight end Garrett Oakley.

Oakley was K-State’s leading TE in 2024, racking up 236 yards receiving while hauling in five TDs, but he has a chance to take it to the next level in 2025. In fact, some project him as a a candidate for the All Big 12 second team.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

American guitarist Albert King was active from 1949 until his death in 1992. In 1969, he released the compilation album King of the Blues Guitar which included his signature piece, “Born Under a Bad Sign,” originally released in 1967.

This week, after being traded to Miami, TE Darren Waller will unretire; still with the Dolphins, they traded three-time All Pro CB Jalen Ramsey and TE Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh for Minkah Fitzpatrick; and teams are lining up to plan trade offers for holdout pass rusher T.J. Watt, even if he’s not technically available… yet. Other Fantasy football stories we’re tracking include…

Pittsburgh Keeps Revamping Offense

As mentioned above, Jonnu Smith is now a Steeler, and his addition should provide a boost to a revamped Pittsburgh offense.

But does the move north from Miami help or hurt his Fantasy value, especially with Pat Freiermuth enjoying such a solid bounce back effort in 2024?

The last time 2024 Pro Bowl selection Smith wound up in a two-TE environment (with Hunter Harvey in New England), he basically became a very expensive blocker, getting just 45 targets all season. The following year was even worse before Smith broke out in 2023 with Atlanta and then took it to a whole new level last year with the Fins.

However, now Pittsburgh has two tight ends that both finished among the top 10 at the position last year, so surely this trade hurts each from a Fantasy perspective.

For what it’s worth, Raider (and former Dolphin) RB Raheem Mostert was not impressed with the fact that Smith was sent packing.

When Smith was drafted out of Florida International, he was projected to be an average backup or even a special teams player, so he’s vastly exceeded expectations thanks to his athleticism and burning effort to make each play count.

But now — a season removed from being the NFL’s TE4 – he’s likely been rendered to barely being a top 10 option, while Freiermuth drops to being a low-end Fantasy backup.

Jarred Goff Due for Regression

When we last checked in on the Detroit Lions near the halfway point of the 2024 season, they looked like a team built to win it all. And while they continued to soar — going 8-1 down the stretch to finish with a team-record 15 wins — the Lions were shocked in the Divisional Round by Washington, 45-31.

Detroit certainly had no problem moving the ball that day, recording a whopping 30 first downs, but was doomed by a ridiculous five turnovers. Heading into 2025, the Lions are again expected to be a team that will score consistently (-270 to post at least one touchdown in every regular season game as per FanDuel).

It was an ugly ending to a career year by quarterback Jared Goff, who was picked three times and lost a fumble while being sacked twice in the playoff loss. He only had one game in the regular season that was as bad, and it’s really a shame as 2024 looked like Detroit’s year to finally bust its Super Bowl cherry.

For the third straight year, Goff did not miss a single game and he shattered his best completion rate while setting new career highs in YPA and touchdowns. And this offseason the former Ram really helped the team with a contract tweak that allowed the Lions to pen some important players to extensions.

In 2024, Goff ranked third in the NFL in passing TD rate en route to posting the seventh highest Fantasy points per game among all QBs. That will likely regress this season; expect him to be a high end QB2 or streaming option, or at best, a low-end starter in 12-team leagues.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

American girl group Destiny’s Child formed in 1997 and remained active until 2006, reforming briefly in 2013 and again in 2018. In 2001, they released their third album, Survivor, and the anthemic title track and first single reached No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

This week, with one season left on his three-year deal, defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo was sent packing by Cleveland; Seattle added some experience to its young group of cornerbacks by bringing Shaquill Griffin back for a second stint with the team; and Gerry Philbin – a superb pass rusher who helped the Jets win the Super Bowl in 1968 – passed away at the age of 83. Other Fantasy football stories we’re following include…

Will Dissly Coming Off Career Year

After winning just five games in 2023, the Los Angeles Chargers rode a suffocating defense and surged to 11 victories last year. Unfortunately, many believe regression is coming and that the team will be hard pressed to win even nine times in 2025.

Still, the general consensus is that the offense will be better this year and among the reasons was the 2024 breakout of tight end Will Dissly. We correctly identified him as a sleeper for MNF in late-October and it turns out that became a real before-and-after moment for him.

In the first five games, Dissly had failed to haul in more than four catches, but he pulled in a season-best eight grabs that game, the first of four performances of at least four receptions from that point on, with some big plays included in that run (see video below). So, despite playing just 15 games in his first season with the Chargers, he set new career highs with 50 receptions, 64 targets and 24 first downs.

Okay, so Dissly managed a mere 16 yards in the Wild Card game to Houston, but seriously? You can’t pin that loss on him given how poorly Justin Herbert played that day.

While Dissly has taken over as TE1 for the Chargers, he’s still offers little more than depth on a Fantasy squad, and it wouldn’t be a shock if at some point this season he loses snaps to sleeper rookie Oronde Gadsden II, the Chargers’ fifth round pick. Still, for a dude that hails from a state not known for producing high-end talent (Montana), Dissly has exceedede his projection as an above-average backup.

Dallas Seeking Bounce Back

After posting three straight 12-win efforts, the wheels came off for the Dallas Cowboys last year as they plummeted to just seven victories, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020 in the process.

Both the offense and defense cratered, and believe it or not, having the offense rank 17th in yardage was the best statistical result they managed.

Having said that, one dude the ‘Boys don’t have to worry about is wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. Despite a holdout last summer, he still posted a fine campaign – even with regular QB Dak Prescott missing half the season.

After perfect attendance for the previous two seasons, Lamb missed two games last year with an AC joint injury, yet still managed to top 100 receptions for the third straight time, so small wonder that this year – with his regular QB back – he’s a slam dunk to post at least 750 yards receiving (-2000 as per FanDuel).

Now that the rehab process is done, expect him to be a top four WR for 2025, especially with George Pickens aboard to help ease coverage.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

American rock band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club hails from San Francisco and has been active since 1998. Here’s “Rise or Fall,” another deep album track from their second release, Take Them On, On Your Own.

This week, we learned that prosecutors are seeking a five-year jail term for Wander Franco; Corbin Carroll’s power breakout has been interrupted by a broken wrist; and Cal Raleigh remains on pace to break the record for the most homers before the All-Star break. Other Fantasy baseball stories we’re tracking include…

Adolis Garcia Hitting Better

Since coming out of nowhere to win the World Series in 2023, it’s been tough sledding for the Texas Rangers. Last year, they dropped back under .500 – for the seventh time in eight campaigns, and it looks like they will repeat that feat this season.

The Rangers have actually held their own lately, but have failed to gain any ground in the AL West as no one within the division is really struggling right now. So despite a decent 5-5 stretch over the last 10, Texas has actually fallen three games behind second-place Seattle, which also holds down the third AL Wild Card slot.

It’s not out of the realm of possibility to turn things around, but with five teams to pass, the Rangers need to really start stringing wins together.

What would really help is if outfielder Adolis Garcia could rediscover his 2023 form when he had a career year (39 homers, 836 OPS), as it’s been a tough year and a half since then. Despite serious regression last year, he was still chosen to participate in the Home Run Derby, but we sure can’t see him being invited back given that he’s only managed nine homers through 74 games this season. Unfortunately, what you’re about to watch below has been rare footage in 2025…

The good news is that Garcia has definitely picked up the pace in June. With another hit on Monday, he’s now batting .308 with a sweet .370 OBP and a season-best 10 runs for the month. The power is still lacking with just two jacks in June, so Garcia is going to need a big second half just to reach 20 homers this year after averaging over 30 for the last four seasons.

We strongly doubt he maintains such a nice OBP going forward as he’s always been a weaker asset in this regard with a sub-.300 mark for his career. But you could suck that up when Garcia was mashing 30 or more homers and driving in over 100. His strong June has increased his Fantasy profile, but unless that power or speed comes back, he’s a tough player to roster in some formats.

Garcia plays a strong right field (his 10 defensive runs saved is tops among AL RFers), so at least there’s little worry he’s going to be shifted to an infield slot or DH.

He’s swinging a bit more this year and is making significantly more contact with pitches outside the zone, yet his swinging strike percentage is down. At the age of 32, Garcia’s tools – which were very evident when he was a prospect nearly a decade ago – are obviously in decline, especially his speed. If you can parlay his big June into a nice return, it may be a wise move to consider. And the same goes for Texas as Garcia’s name continues to crop up in trade rumours.

Brandon Marsh Has Been Sneaky Good

When Brandon Marsh was dealt from the Halos to the Phillies, he paid immediate dividends, piling up more counting cat numbers and flashing some pop (.455 SLG) down the stretch of 2022 before posting a career year in 2023 (829 OPS).

He regressed last year and even more this season as his role has been reduced. Before getting hurt in mid-April, he had gone 0-for-29 for the month. Yikes.

But quietly, Marsh has bucked the odds and looked very good since returning early last month. Despite going hitless in his last two games and three of the last four, he’s posted a .347/.400/.469 slash line for June, coming off the heels of a .298/.385/.439 showing in May.

Marsh is clearly making a case for more PT, and makes for an attractive pickup in NL-only leagues at the very least. His overall counting cat numbers don’t pop given the injury and PT limitations, but his walk rate has bounced back, making him a more palatable option in deeper OBP leagues as well.

Marsh is obviously going to fall well short of his projected at-bats for the year, but that doesn’t mean he can’t start earning more action as the season progresses, especially if he maintains this pace of production. The fact his fielding has been better this year and he’s capable of manning all three outfield slots doesn’t hurt.

Waiver Wire Pick of the Week

Michael Toglia, 1B, Colorado Rockies (ESPN: 3.3 per cent; CBS: 30 per cent): Toglia flashed tremendous power potential in what was more or less his first full season last year, making him a very popular preseason breakout choice. However, he was meh in April and worse in May, prompting the Rox to farm him out for a spell. Toglia went back to Triple-A, mashed and was recalled, and since then, he’s been much better (871 OPS), making him an intriguing wire option. He’s big, has crazy pop and will strike out a bunch, but if he can get his walk rate back to where it was last year, he won’t be too big a drain in OBP formats. It would be nice if Toglia’s fielding also returned to its 2024 form, but for Fantasy purposes in leagues 12 teams or larger, this shouldn’t sway you from picking him up for the second half.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

The Doors signed with Elektra Records in 1966 and proceeded to record six albums over the next five years. The first was the eponymous The Doors in 1967, and the second single was “Light My Fire,” which became a No. 1 hit for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.

This week, Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani made his second start, and while it was again just one frame, he did record his first two Ks of the season; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh has become an unstoppable home run beast; and New York Yankees outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. lost both his cleats rounding third base. Other Fantasy baseball stories we’re tracking include…

Francisco Lindor Shakes Off Slump

And just like that, the scuffling New York Mets have lost their grip on the NL East, dropping two of three this weekend to Philadelphia in a series consisting of nothing but one-sided wins.

At 2-8 over the last 10, the Mets are suddenly the coldest team in the entire NL.

The only good news is that it seems clear that Francisco Lindor’s slump is over. He entered Saturday mired in a five-game hitless skid (0-for-18), but came through with a solo shot and a crazy two-run double (see video below). On Sunday, Lindor went yard again while adding a single.

Amazingly, Sunday marked the first time the Mets had lost a game in which he went deep after 28 straight wins. Since 1900, only one player had a longer streak of only homering in wins, and that was Carl Furillo, whose team won 29 straight when he hit a bomb between 1951-1953.

As for Lindor, he’s really cooled off after a big April, and is still batting just .230 in June despite the thaw this weekend. As mentioned, he got off to a great start this year, looking like he was going to build off his tremendous 2024 when he had so many heroic moments, but his BA is down a smidge and his overall slash line has regressed.

Pitchers are attacking Lindor with more velocity this year as he’s never faced harder fastballs, cutters, sinkers, curveballs or changeups, but only the latter two have given him issues this season. The switch-hitter remains a solid source of speed, and while it took him a couple of seasons to find his power stroke, he’s managed at least 20 homers in every full campaign since 2017.

The Decline of J.T. Realmuto

While the Phillies have ridden a red-hot patch to take over first place in the NL East, it hasn’t been all roses and wine. J.T. Realmuto – despite taking an 0-fer on Sunday – has been picking up the pace lately, but heading into the season, what were the odds that he wasn’t going to be a must-own Fantasy asset?

Still, that’s exactly how things have played out as he’s regressed offensively for the third straight season. Last year, you may recall, knee surgery cost him nearly six weeks, so he failed to appear in 100 games for the first time in a non-Covid-shortened season.

This year, Realmuto is in danger of falling short of double-digit dingers for the first time in his career, and that – combined with his waning speed and declining percentages – makes him a far less attractive Fantasy commodity. He’s been much better in June (770 OPS, hits in nine of 10 before Sunday), but he’s got some heavy lifting to do to get back to where he was in 2023, never mind 2022.

The big issue for Realmuto this season has been his work against southpaws. Strangely, the right-handed hitter has always done better against righties in his career (.276 BA), but it’s not as if he’s struggled vs. lefties (.255). This season, however, Realmuto has been one of if not the worst RHB vs. LHP in the bigs with a .195/.181/.375 slash line.

The other problem is he’s had a tough time with curveballs after a solid showing against the pitch in 2024. Really, Realmuto is only handling fastballs, splitters and sliders well this season; he’s scuffled against all other pitches.

Waiver Wire Pick of the Week

Allan Winans, SP, New York Yankees (ESPN: 4.2 per cent; CBS: 5 per cent): Winans has never been on the Fantasy radar thanks to the fact that he’s already 29 and struggled to a 7.20 ERA over eight starts through two seasons with the Braves. But what he’s done at Triple-A this season cannot be ignored. Over 50 frames, Winans has whiffed 59 while posting a 0.90 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. And now he’s been recalled with Ryan Yarbrough (oblique strain) hitting the IL. Winans will take the bump Monday, so at the very least he makes for an intriguing DFS option, but who knows? He could also get another start this weekend if things go well. In the minors this year, Winans was generating more swings at pitches outside the strike zone and the contact rate against him was way down.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

Musical duo Jon and Vangelis consisted of Yes lead singer Jon Anderson and Greek synthesiser player Vangelis. Active from 1979 to 1991, their second album, The Friends of Mr Cairo, was released in 1981 and included the single “State of Independence.” The song failed to chart, but was covered by Donna Summer a year later and became a top 20 hit.

This week, Lamar Jackson said he still hasn’t gotten over the playoff loss to Buffalo; former Raider WR Henry Ruggs III apologized to the family of the woman that died in the 2021 car crash that ultimately sent him to the big house; and Olympic sprinter Noah Lyles has cancelled his 50-yard race with Miami WR Tyreek Hill. Fantasy football stories we’re tracking include…

Will Philly Deal Reed Blankenship?

When we last checked in on the Philadelphia Eagles, they were headed to their second NFC title game in three years and just a couple of weeks away from winning the Super Bowl for the second time in eight years.

They’ve now been to the playoffs four straight years and seven of the last eight, while winning a franchise record 14 games twice in three years. Needless to say, it’s been a great ride in Philly over the last several seasons.

But looking forward, the team may be in line for some regression; some believe they will only win 10 or 11 games in 2025.

And as good as Philly has been in recent years, as we all know, it’s really difficult to keep a great team intact in the salary cap era. More major changes could be coming real soon.

For instance, safety Reed Blankenship, heading into the final year of his rookie deal, could be a surprise trade candidate to help free up cap space.

This would be a shock given that he’s one of Philly’s best defensive starters, tying his career high in games played and stuffs while setting new personal bests in interceptions last season. Blankenship’s tackle numbers were down substantially from his breakout 2023 campaign, but he’s still a top 15 safety in the NFL, so you’d think the Eagles would have tried to extend him by this point. Still, there are rumours that a contract extension is possibly coming, so it’s clear that there’s mixed signals out there.

He’s been a real success story for the Eagles, signing as an UDFA in 2022. Coming out of Middle Tennessee State after a renowned high school career (see video below), Blankenship projected as a bottom of the roster type at best, so he’s vastly exceeded those expectations. He was a starter all five years at college, which is a rarity, but his patience and positioning were question marks.

CMC’s Decline

It’s pretty amazing how fast things can change in Fantasy football. Heading into the 2024 season, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey was the clear-cut No. 1 overall pick in Fantasy drafts.

But after being held to 50 carries over four games thanks to bilateral Achilles tendonitis, he’s projected to go off the boards at the end of the first round this season. CMC only averaged four yards per tote last season, and while he’s still expected to top 750 rushing yards this year (-380 as per FanDuel), he’s now 29 with a significant history of injuries, so we can understand how some owners are a bit skittish about spending top draft capital on him.

There’s arguably no player more important to the 49ers in terms having an offense capable of returning the team to the postseason, so as usual, all eyes will be on him this summer.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

American vocal group The 5th Dimension formed in 1966 and are still at it today. In 1969, they released the single “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine in,” and the B-side was “The Worst That Could Happen.”

T.J. Watt – seeking a new contract – didn’t participate in any events at the Steelers’ mandatory mini camp; similarly, Washington WR Terry McLaurin did not report to camp; and to round out the no-shows, Cincy DE Trey Hendrickson didn’t attend the Bengals’ camp (although he’s now resumed contract talks with the Bengals). Other Fantasy football stories we’re tracking include…

Projecting Regression in Pittsburgh

Despite coming off back-to-back double-digit win seasons and adding future HoF QB Aaron Rodgers, some project the Pittsburgh Steelers to win just seven games this season.

One of the big issues, as alluded to in the intro, is that a strong defense was missing its lynchpin for minicamp. Watt’s absence was concerning, especially given his obvious frustration – he hasn’t said a word to the media since the end of last season while putting a post on social media that suggests he’s not pleased with the situation.

The Steelers still maintain (at least publicly) that a deal will get done, but the longer this stalemate lingers, the tougher it gets to be bullish on Pittsburgh this year.

For what it’s worth, the last time Watt’s contract was set to expire, he did a “hold-in.” He showed up to training camp, but would not participate in any hitting or team drills. Ultimately, the Steelers inked Watt to a big time extension, and perhaps they will acquiesce again given how vital he is to the team’s defense. At least one former Steeler great believes Watt deserves a renewed contract.

Last season, his solo tackle total dipped as did his sacks, but he set career highs in assisted tackles and stuffs. Projected to be a plus starter when he came out of Wisconsin, Watt has exceeded those expectations, developing into a real terror for opposing quarterbacks with his sacks (108 in 121 career games).

Caleb Williams Is the Key

Shifting from the AFC North to the NFC North, the Chicago Bears showed nice progress in 2023, experiencing a four-win increase, and an even greater bump was expected after they landed quarterback Caleb Williams first overall last year.

Unfortunately, he didn’t exactly show franchise QB stuff in year one as the Bears finished dead last in passing yards en route to a very disappointing five-win campaign. Of course, Williams didn’t have much in the way of protection, getting sacked more than any other quarterback. Then again, a lot of that is on him, given his tendency to try to make a big play instead of getting rid of the ball before disaster strikes.

In fairness, Williams wasn’t completely awful. He did manage 20 touchdown passes and over 3,500 yards passing, so there’s definitely much to build on here. In fact, Williams should be considered a high-end QB2/low-end QB1 that is poised for a breakout season.

Chicago has never had a quarterback throw for 4,000 or more yards with 30 or more TD passes, but under new OC Ben Johnson, Williams could change that, even if he’s only +2700 to lead the NFL in passing yards this season as per FanDuel.

In some ways, this feels like a make or break year for Williams, fairly or not. Now let’s see how much better he can do with an improved offensive line and more advanced offensive schemes.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

Founded in the late-’60s by Edgar Froese, Tangerine Dream has undergone many band member changes over the years. Here’s “Scrap Yard,” another track from its 1981 soundtrack to Thief. The tune was used by Toronto TV station CITY-DT in the ’80s as the background music when they had technical difficulties.

This week, we learned that rookie Jackson Jobe needs Tommy John surgery; the Hunter Dobbins-Yankees rivalry just won’t go away; and Byron Buxton crushed the second longest homer in the bigs this season. Other Fantasy baseball stories we’re tracking include…

Sell High On Zack Littell?

The Tampa Bay Rays won just 80 games last season, snapping a streak of six straight winning campaigns and five straight playoff appearances. But they’ve bounced back this year, and despite dropping their last two, have won six of 10 to move to four games over .500, good enough to bag the final wild card slot in the AL if the season were to end today.

One of the reasons for the Rays’ turnaround this year has been the continued solid pitching of Zack Littell. Heading into his start against Boston on Wednesday, he’d been on a very nice roll that included a 2.70 ERA over his last seven starts and 10 straight outings in which he had yielded three or fewer earned runs.

Now, while Littell wasn’t awful against the BoSox (eight hits over six innings, six Ks vs. zero walks), half the hits he surrendered were solo homers leading to his sixth loss against six wins.

We really liked him when he was a Yankee pitching prospect back in the day, but it wasn’t until last year that he became a full-time starter in the bigs – with fine results, despite the high loss total. This year, Littell has a better record and has become harder to hit. However, when he gets hit, it’s been harder contact (career high maximum exit velocity, and higher hard hit percentage). And if you’re seeking a big K pitcher, keep looking, although every now and then, he does this…

Given that Littell’s xERA is nearly a run higher than his actual ERA, he may be a sell high candidate. His command – as per usual – is fantastic (second lowest walk rate in the bigs), but the gopheritis is becoming a real issue – even with a lower launch angle allowed — so we’re not sure we like where his season is headed.

Max Kepler Not Working Out for Philly

We didn’t have high hopes for Max Kepler heading into 2023, only slotting him at No. 79 in our Outfield Rankings, but he surprised us. Still, that big year he had sure looks like an outlier given his regression since. Regardless, Philadelphia banked on him bouncing back when it signed him to a one-year, $10 million deal in late-December, and so far the returns have been underwhelming,

Kepler has shown signs of life with hits, runs and RBI in back-to-back games, including a two-run homer on Tuesday, but had been ice cold in June before this mini outburst, and really, he’s gotten progressively worse since a hot start in the first week of the season.

He’s on pace for his most at-bats since 2019, so that will help bump up his counting cat numbers, but saddled with a career-worst .210 BA and another sub-.400 SLG, he’s really hard to roster except in NL-only formats.

Even so, there’s an unknown big league pitcher who picked Kepler as the hitter he’d least like to face in Game Seven of the World Series. Um… okay.

ZIPS had higher expectations of him for 2025, projecting a .241/.314/.428 slash line, but given that his career OPS is worse in the second half (726 vs. 754 in the first half), those numbers look like a poor bet if you’re playing the odds.

Waiver Wire Pick of the Week

JP Sears, SP, Athletics (ESPN: 8.5 per cent; CBS: 38 per cent): A couple of years ago we pimped Sears, and it offered mix results as he got roughed up to finish August, but then enjoyed his finest month of the season in September. He showed modest improvement last year and at the very least morphed into an innings eater. This season, Sears has been inconsistent, but with two solid starts in his last three outings, he’s bouncing back from a rough May. His record is decent for a bad team and he ranks in the top 10 in BB/9 as his control has improved each season. Given that Sears’ xERA is exactly a run lower than his actual ERA, we’re banking on better ROS results, however the regression in his soft contact rate (replaced by medium contact) is worrisome. Even so, a career best SIERA of 4.25 suggests he’s never pitched better, so give him a look if you need pitching help.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

In 1972, David Bowie started to really hit it big in the wake of his single “Starman” and his album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Five years later, he released his ninth album, Heroes, and the title track and lead single remains among his most iconic tracks.

This week, Red Sox rookie Hunter Dobbins riled up the Yankees, and Aaron Judge made him pay; you can add gun possession to the charges Wander Franco is facing; and Paul Skenes is starting to understand what it means to be a Pirate – Ws are hard to come up regardless of how well you pitch. Other Fantasy baseball stories we’re following include…

Manny Machado Has Been Massive

The San Diego Padres have alternated making the playoffs and missing them over the last five years, and with this being an odd year, they are projected to be on the outside looking in again if the trend holds true.

But don’t try to tell them this news because after a solid 6-4 mark over the last 10 games, the Friars have pulled within one game of the NL West leading Dodgers. One of the keys to San Diego’s season to date has been its excellent strikeout rate vs. right-handers; at 18.5 per cent, the team ranks fourth in the NL in this department.

Helping drive this dynamic is veteran contact hitter supreme Manny Machado, who is fanning just 16.1 per cent of the time, his lowest rate since 2021. He played the hero on Sunday with his 425-foot home run providing the game’s only scoring in a 1-0 win over the Brewers that earned the Pads a series win.

Machado is heating up, hitting safely in six straight while going yard in three of the last four. He didn’t hit very well in April, but turned things around last month (.340 BA) and is piling up the counting cats early in June. Power-wise, Machado got off to a sluggish start, but his recent run has him back on pace for 25 homers, which would still be a bit of a disappointment. However, he’s made up for that with career bests in BA, OBP and wRC+ (155) so far, so we’ll let the slight power dip ride.

Among the keys to his season has been health. He’s managed to play 64 of 67 games so far after remaining relatively healthy last season as well (playing 152 games, although not completely avoiding injury).

Formerly ticketed to be a perennial All-Star shortstop, he’s settled in at the hot corner, and if Machado can stay healthy going forward, some believe he has a chance to be a top five third baseman of all time.

Alec Bohm’s Lack of Productivity

Staying at the hot corner, Alec Bohm is on the opposite side of the spectrum, enduring one of the worst seasons of his career. Considering he’s flirted with 100 RBI in back-to-back seasons (despite missing a combined 36 games), what do you think the odds are that he’d still be working his way to 25 RBI over two-fifths of the way through 2025?

You may recall that Bohm enjoyed 1B qualification for a couple of years, and with nine games there already, he could regain eligibility, which would take some of the sting out of what’s been an underwhelming performance to date.

After taking an 0-fer on Sunday, he’s stuck in a 3-for-21 skid over the last five games, which really is a kick in the ass after it looked like he was turning things around last month (five homers, .324 BA). Bohm’s BA has been quite steady over the last four years, but the power has been dipping since hitting a career high 20 jacks in 2023 (15 last year, and on pace for just a dozen this season). Without the high RBI count, that’s not going to cut it for a corner infielder, so small wonder he’s getting dumped in some shallow formats.

Usually a reliable and productive hitter, Bohm’s RBI count has clearly been affected by a disproportionate amount of singles among his hits (almost 77 per cent after just 60 last year). His owners can only hope he has a bigger second half, but that’s not generally the way things go for him.

Waiver Wire Pick of the Week

Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 1B, Cincinnati Reds (ESPN: 7.8 per cent; CBS: 52 per cent): Wow, has CES ever been a tear since returning from a back injury. He’s gone yard in all three games since being activated, posting multi-hit efforts in each contest. In fact, Encarnacion-Strand became the first player this season to have seven or more hits, three or more homers, six or more RBI and a walk-off hit in a three-game series. It’s been an amazing turnaround after Encarnacion-Strand hit so poorly in April before getting hurt. After dealing with a broken hand that cost him most of last season, CES should blow past his at-bat count from 2024 in short order. His modest speed has waned since he debuted in 2023, but if he keeps mashing like this, no one’s going to complain about that.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

By the mid-’80s, Depeche Mode had established itself as a key player in the electronic and alternative scenes. A decade later, they released their ninth album, Ultra, which included a hidden track, “Junior Painkiller,” on the U.S. CD and digital releases.

This week, Leon Draisaitl capped a big rally as the Oilers struck first in the Stanley Cup Finals; by doing so, they snapped Florida’s incredible streak of 31 straight playoff wins when they it after the first or second periods; and a work stoppage seems highly unlikely given that both sides are pleased with the progress of the CBA negotiations. Other Fantasy hockey stories we’re following include…

Stuart Skinner Stepping Up

After losing to Florida in last season’s Stanley Cup Final in dramatic fashion, the Edmonton Oilers looked they were going to drop the opener of the rematch series on Wednesday.

Down 3-1 early in the second period, things didn’t look great for Edmonton. But this team has shown tremendous resilience in coming from behind throughout the playoffs, and that trend continued as they battled back, forced overtime, and then won it with just 31 seconds left in the first extra frame.

Oiler goaltender Stuart Skinner – who has dramatically elevated his play in the playoffs despite some early hiccups – wasn’t incredible in surrendering a trio of goals over the first 22 minutes, but his work over the next 57-plus minutes allowed his team to creep back in and ultimately pull out the W.

He made 29 saves overall, raising his postseason save percentage to .904 to go along with a strong 2.50 GAA. For perspective, in the regular season Skinner posted a 2.81 GAA with an .896 save percentage – the worst numbers of his career. His expected goals allowed rate compared to his actual goals also suggests he was not up to snuff.

Skinner’s rookie season in 2022-23 was notable and even earned him consideration for a RotoRob Award. He was even better as a sophomore before regressing this season.

Skinner has now won five straight playoff games and it’s pretty clear Edmonton — after switching horses midstream and turning to Calvin Pickard, then going back to Skinner when Pickard got hurt — is going to ride Skinner to the end at this point. What’s especially notable is that over his short career he generally has underperformed in the postseason, and realistically he has not cemented himself as the long-term answer in net for the Oilers. But a Stanley Cup ring sure would go a long way towards changing that.

Skinner brings the size (6’4”, 230) to the crease that teams love (although that didn’t stop Jamie Benn from trying to destroy him — see video below) and offers the athletic skills needed to be successful, but foot quickness will always be a challenge. Still, at the age of only 26, Skinner remains a goalie with potential upside going forward.

Buffalo Finds Gem in Ryan McLeod

Two seasons ago, the Buffalo Sabres seemed to finally be making some progress, recording 91 points for their best season since they last made the playoffs. However, in the two seasons since, they dipped to 84 and then 79, marking 14 straight campaigns of missing the postseason.

Yikes.

That extends the all-time NHL playoff drought, which is now three years longer than the second-worst (Florida, 11 straight seasons). While the Panthers are definitely making up for that now, when will Buffalo be able to say the same? It sure doesn’t look like it will happen next season as the Sabres are currently +14,000 to win the Stanley Cup in 2025-26 as per FanDuel.

Obviously, not a ton of good things happened in Buffalo this season, but if you’re seeking a bright spot, the breakout campaign by Ryan McLeod in his first season with the team definitely qualifies.

A few years back, we recommended McLeod as a speculative add for the second half of 2021-22, and it offered mix results as he did manage six points in 15 games in March before seeing his role reduced over the final month.

He’s continuously improved since, setting a career high with 11 goals in 2022-23, upping that last season, and then exploding for his first 20-goal effort while topping 50 points in his Buffalo debut.

The Oilers had high hopes for McLeod when they drafted him in the second round (40th overall) in 2018, but last summer packaged him with Tyler Tullio to acquire Matthew Savoie. Savoie, the ninth overall pick in 2022, saw a bit more NHL time this season (four games) while enjoying a solid campaign in the AHL, but so far, this deal favours the Sabres, even if Tullio looks like organizational depth at best.

Best of all, McLeod has played 56 playoff games from his days in Edmonton, which will make him a valuable asset should the Sabres ever find their way back to postseason play.

Waiver Wire Pick of the Week

Jackson Blake, RW, Carolina Hurricanes (ESPN: 5.1 per cent; CBS: 14 per cent): In his rookie season, Blake quietly climbed the depth chart and enjoyed a solid effort, accumulating 34 points in 80 games. He saw a nice boost in PT in the playoffs while contributing six points over 15 games, and gets a bit of a long-term boost with news that Jesper Fast (neck) has retired. Taken just 109th overall in 2021, Blake looks like a great draft find by the Canes based on him flirting with 20 goals in his debut. With great playdriving skills (61.6 CF percentage) and a clear-cut top six role (pending Carolina’s offseason moves, of course), this 21-year-old kid looks like a major sleeper heading into 2025-26.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

When most people get to a certain age, they get fairly sedentary in their musical tastes, but every now and then a band comes along that just tears down the walls. For us, one of those was Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, sometimes referred to as BRMC. In 2003, they released their second album, Take Them On, On Your Own, a record which ended with the epic and powerful “Heart and Soul.”

This week, Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov took home his third Selke Trophy; Noah Cates was rewarded with a four-year, $16 million extension; and Jesper Fast, who missed the entire season in the wake of a neck injury, has opted to call it a career after scoring 91 goals over 11 seasons. Other Fantasy hockey stories we’re tracking…

Matthew Tkachuk Mauled the Canes

This is getting routine for the Florida Panthers, as the defending champions have made a third straight trip to the Finals.

And while Edmonton is favoured to unseat Florida, a really great sign for the Panthers has been the recent play of left winger Matthew Tkachuk, who seems to be getting healthier, at least based on his production last round.

After suffering an LBI in the 4 Nations Cup, he wound up missing a ton of time down the stretch, only returning in time for the first game of the playoffs. Tkachuk promptly put any doubts about his health to rest when he fired a pair of goals and an assist in the opener vs. TB. Over the next four games, he wasn’t quite as dynamic, but still managed a goal and an assist while his PT started to rise closer to his usual level.

In the next round, Tkachuk was held in check, managing just four assists over the seven game series vs. Toronto. And while his ice time continued to rise, it was reasonable to wonder just how fit he was.

That narrative changed vs. Carolina in the ECF as Tkachuk recorded points in four of the five games, totaling a pair of goals and five assists. He’s now averaging nearly a point over the course of the postseason despite not getting his usual allotment of PT, so it’s no surprise he’s among the favourites to win the Conn Smythe Trophy (currently +2600 as per FanDuel). Let’s just hope Tkachuk can avoid the struggles he endured when these two teams met for the Cup last season.

But how badly has he been craving this rematch? Hell, Tkachuk called it a year ago.

Keith’s oldest son is on a mission to add another ring to his collection, so we’ll see what the Oilers cook up to negate his scoring, edge and agitating presence.

Waiver Wire Pick of the Week

Kiefer Sherwood, RW, Vancouver Canucks (ESPN: 35.4 per cent; CBS: 25 per cent): Sherwood’s first season with the Canucks was a resounding success. Over his first six seasons, he never really showed anything worth of Fantasy attention, but man, did he ever put himself on the map in 2024-25. Not only did Sherwood set personal highs with 19 goals and 21 assists plus his first ever shorthanded goal and assist, but he somehow managed to rifle home six game-winning tallies. The best part, however, was that he drilled everything that moved. In seeing his most ice time ever, Sherwood laid out a ridiculous 462 hits – 156 more than anyone else in the NHL. In formats that reward this category, that alone made him worth owning, but toss in the solid secondary scoring, and he proved a real asset. He’s no spring chicken at 30, but do not sleep on this fan favourite (see below) for 2025-26, as he’s clearly part of Vancouver’s go-forward plan.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

Bryan Guy Adams is better known to the world as Bryan Adams, the British/Canadian singer-songwriter. In 2014, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of his album Reckless, an expanded version was released. From this comes a live version of his hit “Cuts Like a Knife.”

This week, we learned that Edmonton Oiler forward Connor Brown will be able to return for Game One of the Finals; Jake Oettinger expressed surprise and embarrassment when he was pulled in Game Five of the WCF; and Florida forwards Eetu Luostarinen and Anton Lundell will both be good to go for the Finals. Other Fantasy hockey stories we’re tracking include…

Detroit’s Extended Playoff Drought

We’re in a break between rounds in the NHL playoffs, so this gives us an opportunity to take a look at where the Detroit Red Wings are in their seemingly ill-fated Yzerplan. Last season Detroit continued to progress, raising its point total for the fourth straight season while finishing with a winning record for the first time since 2015-16.

Yet, while the Red Wings only missed bagging the second wild card spot by a tiebreaker, they still missed the playoffs for an eighth straight season.

This season, the Wings got off to an awful start, costing coach Derek Lalonde his job. And while Todd McLellan helped turn the team around, the hill was too big to climb and they once again sat out postseason play.

This current run is a bitter pill to swallow for a team with as rich a history as the Red Wings. Consider that only Montreal has more streaks of winning Stanley Cups in at least two straight seasons than Detroit.

Looking forward, Detroit could definitely benefit from more scoring and a true No. 1 goalie, but could also use an upgrade on the blueline. After all, this is a team that employed defenseman Justin Holl as a full-timer this season despite the fact that he’s proven to be a substandard player throughout his career.

Sure, the offensively-challenged Holl somehow managed a goal and two helpers over the last three games of the season, but his play-driving metrics have always been poor since he became a full-time NHLer in 2019-20. Small wonder Detroit is considering buying him out this summer.

From a Fantasy standpoint, Holl was among the most undesirable assets in the league considering how few hits he layed out, although he did manage nearly 80 blocks, so that’s something. Obviously, even in the deepest of formats, you’re not counting on him to provide much offensive contribution to your team, although, every now and then, he does something like this…

But 66 giveaways and a 39.1 per cent goal rate (even with a bit of bad luck with that percentage)? Of course Detroit wants out from the final year of this contract.

Could John Farinacci Help Boston?

Speaking of Original Six teams falling on hard times, how about the Boston Bruins?

After 17 straight winning seasons, Boston managed just 76 points and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2015-16.

Sure, things could change based on free agency and the draft, but with Boston finally leaning into a rebuild, it’s no surprise that only six teams currently have longer odds to win the Stanley Cup in 2025-26 than Boston (+12,000 as per FanDuel).

The Bruins traded away several key forwards (Brad Marchand, Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic), so their depth up front could use a boost. Don’t be shocked if they send out an offer sheet or two at an RFA.

But maybe Boston has found something useful in C/RW John Farinacci. A third round pick by Arizona in 2019, he played out his college career at Harvard (acting as captain in his senior season) before opting to not sign with the Coyotes, thereby becoming a free agent.

The Bruins pounced and signed him to an ELC in mid-August 2023, and after a decent pro rookie season in the AHL in 2023-24 and an even better campaign in 2024-25, Farinacci was rewarded with a look in the Bruins’ season finale and all he did was score a goal on his only shot in his first NHL game.

He’ll be an RFA this summer, but certainly hasn’t done anything to suggest Boston won’t re-sign him. Nothing in Farinacci’s NHL Edge stats jump out, but there’s really not much to glean from one game of data. Still, given Boston’s needs, he’s a name to track this offseason as a potential sleeper for 2025-26.

Waiver Wire Pick of the Week

Jack Quinn, RW, Buffalo Sabres (ESPN: 2.5 per cent; CBS: 18 per cent): Quinn is a dude that hasn’t really popped up much on the Fantasy radar, but the eighth overall pick from 2020 is coming off a career season, making him an intriguing dynasty league add. Okay, so maybe he didn’t have the true breakout many projected as his play driving metrics regressed, but 15 goals and 24 assists through 74 games was a good step forward for a kid who won’t turn 24 until training camp. Bear in mind that Quinn – still getting over an Achilles’ injury — got off to a really crappy start with just five points through the first two months, but then posted a point per game in December before cooling slightly in January. He really picked things up in March (11 points in 15 games) and as an RFA this summer, he may not have earned himself more than a bridge deal, but there remains tantalizing upside here.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

American country singer Lynn Rene Anderson performed simply as Lynn Anderson. She had a huge hit in 1970 with her cover of “Rose Garden,” and the B-Side was “Nothing Between Us.”

This week, the Knicks came back from the brink despite some foul trouble and poor shooting from Jalen Brunson; the Pacers found out what Boston already knew – 20-point leads aren’t comfortable against the Knicks; and Minnesota held MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in check to claw its way back into the series. Other Fantasy basketball related stories we’re tracking include…

Julius Randle Turning Things Around

Julius Randle has had a tough go since being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The injury-prone forward shot better this season, but had a reduced role on the Wolves. However, he’s really made up for that in the postseason, and was a big part of a huge win in Game Three on Saturday when Minnesota sent OKC a very loud message.

Randle bounced back from a brutal showing in Game Two (six points on 2-of-11 shooting – really his first off game of the postseason) to pour in 24 points (9-of-15) while adding a pair of treys. He really regressed in rebounding this season, and it’s been even worse in the playoffs, but with nearly 23 PPG he’s come up way bigger this spring after averaging under 19 during the regular season (his worst scoring effort since he was a Laker, just before his breakout in 2018-19).

Since the playoffs began, Randle has looked a lot more like Robin to Anthony Edwards’s Batman, which bodes well for Minnesota as it seeks to square its Western Conference Finals matchup against the Thunder on Monday.

Among the best signs for the Wolves was that Randle – after pulling disappearing acts in the second half of the first two games – was highly visible down the stretch in Game Three. That’s a trend that must continue, because Edwards cannot carry this team on his back alone during crunch time.

Coming out of Kentucky as the seventh overall pick in 2014, Randle was considered ready for the league because of his strength, but questions remained about his defense and leadership. Concerns about his defense have been answered as he was better this season, but he still derives most of his value on the offensive side. Further, Randle has developed into a fine leader.

Pascal Siakam Needs to Step Up

As discussed above, the Indiana Pacers let a 20-point lead slip away on Sunday, blowing a golden opportunity to put the Knicks in a 3-0 hole in this series. Instead, we may suddenly have a real battle in the Eastern Conference Finals after Indiana looked like it was going to run away with the series after winning the first two games on the road.

One of the keys to winning Game Three for the Knicks was that they were able to slow down Pascal Siakam, holding him to 17 points after he had exploded for 39 in Game Two.

In his first full season as a Pacer, he wasn’t quite as good as he’d been down the stretch after the trade in 2023-24, but he did manage a few more blocks than he had in recent years. In the playoffs so far, Spice P has more or less maintained his scoring pace, despite some spotty free throw shooting.

Siakam, who offers similar Fantasy value to Nikola Vucevic, will need to step up on Tuesday in Game Four or this series will be right back at square one, with each team still seeking its first home win in this round. Crazy stuff!

Could Siakam play hero in the ECF? Well, he’s currently listed at +10000 on FanDuel to sink the game winning field goal at time expires in the series.

Waiver Wire Pick of the Week

Terrence Shannon Jr., SG, Minnesota Timberwolves (ESPN: 0.4 per cent; CBS: 4 per cent): This is more of a dynasty pick than anything else, but Shannon showed what he can do given the chance to play more than usual in Saturday’s blowout win, pouring in 15 points in just 13 minutes (and it wasn’t merely garbage time, either) — and he could continue to see extra PT going forward. Taken 27th overall last year after having some legal issues in his last season at Illinois, he played sparingly as a rookie this season and before this weekend, had been squeezed for PT even more in the playoffs. Still, Shannon showed flashes of solid three-point and free throw shooting in his limited action. His assist percentage in particular was intriguing, as it landed him near the top 75 percentile among shooting guards (not far behind Jeremy Sochan), impressive given the paucity of PT.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

Pink Floyd developed into one of the top progressive rock bands on the planet. In 1971, they released their sixth album, Meddle, which included “Seamus,” often cited as one of the band’s worst songs ever. But even the worst Floyd tune can kick the ass of most band’s best material, right?

This week, Detroit withdrew a proposal designed to make late-season games more competitive; Justin Jefferson is stoked that NFL players will be able to compete in flag football at the 2028 Olympics; and the Raiders are pushing for rookie RB Ashton Jeanty to get rid of his Halloween stance. Other Fantasy football stories we’re following include…

Improving the Cincy Run Game

You may recall that the Cincinnati Bengals endured yet another slow start last season, taking until Week Four before finally bagging a W. Later, a second three-game skid put them in a hole big enough (4-8) that they couldn’t dig their way out of.

Five straight wins to finish the season was commendable, but it was too little, too late for Cincy as it missed the playoffs for a second straight season. It’s not a good look for a team that has one of the top five quarterbacks in the game in Joe Burrow.

One of two current NFL QBs that were recent Heisman Trophy winners at LSU, Burrow is always a candidate for hardware as long as he’s healthy, and next season is no different as he’s currently listed at +600 to win 2025-26 AP Regular Season MVP as per FanDuel.

He’s coming off perhaps his best season yet, staying healthy after an injury-plagued 2023 and setting personal highs in completions, passes, completion percentage, yards and touchdowns. So how the hell did the Bengals struggle to reach even nine wins?

Well, for starters, Cincy had one of the worst rush attacks in the league, relying too much on its No. 1 pass attack. Defensively, they were too easy to score on, surrendering 25.5 points per game (25th in the NFL).

In the run game, the Bengals will hope for some organic growth in the form of Chase Brown’s continued ascension into an elite back and an even better dude (see video below). They also signed free agent Samaje Perine, who had a reduced role in KC last year, but enjoyed his finest seasons with Cincinnati from 2020 to 2022. He brings needed size and pass blocking skills.

Fifth round pick Jalen Rivers, a tackle out of Miami, should also help the rush attack, as should sixth round pick, RB Tahj Brooks out of Texas Tech, who could be a steal this late in the draft given his quickness and power.

A now healthy Zack Moss is also in the mix, but who knows? Maybe Cincy will go after J.K. Dobbins, who somehow remains available as a free agent.

While the Bengals made several modes to address their defensive deficiencies, safety remains a problem area heading into 2025.

Still, it’s reasonable to expect modest improvement from Cincinnati in 2025. We anticipate a 10-win effort, which should be good enough for this team to return to the postseason.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

German electronic gods Tangerine Dream have always been a personal fave of ours, a band we’ve seen live four times over the years. They launched in 1967 and are still going strong today. In 1981, they released their 15th album, Thief, one of many soundtracks they’ve done. From this effort comes “Burning Bar,” a song used as the theme for WFLD-TV’s late night teletext service.

This week, Brad Marchand continued to prove Florida right for acquiring him at the trade deadline; Thomas Harley’s power play goal in OT propelled Dallas into the Western Conference Finals for the third straight season; and Canada suffered its first loss at the World Hockey Championship, dropping a decision to Finland in a shootout. Other Fantasy hockey stories we’re tracking include…

Joseph Woll Fails to Deliver

The Toronto Maple Leafs again came up short in their quest to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2001-02. These playoffs proved to be a real rollercoaster for the Leafs and their fans, as the team vacillated between looking like a contender and a pretender.

In Game Seven on Sunday against defending champion Florida, Toronto turned in another major stinker, getting thrashed 6-1 in front of their own fans.

No clearer did this rollercoaster ride play out for the Buds than between the pipes as backup goalie Joseph Woll – thrust between the pipes when starter Anthony Stolarz suffered a concussion in Game One – had some good outings, but mostly bad ones.

Coming in halfway through Game One, Woll stopped just 17 of 20 shots. He was a bit better in Game Two’s win, stopping 25 of 28, but then surrendered five goals on 36 shots the following game. In Game Four, he was superb in making 35 saves, but then struggled again the next contest (saving just 20 of 25). Woll helped keep Toronto’s season alive in Game Six with a shutout, but in Game Seven, he was shredded for another five goals.

All told, he managed just an .886 save percentage and 3.56 GAA in the playoffs, well below his regular season success rates (.909, 2.73).

Two plus years ago, Woll looked like an exciting dynasty league option, but his numbers dipped last season before bouncing back in 2024-25.

However, based on his postseason performance, he hardly qualified as a Wonder Woll. He really started to degrade in January (which included a stretch during which he allowed four or more goals in three out of four starts), and while he bounced back in February, he was downright awful in March, paving the way for Stolarz to get the nod as the No. 1 for the playoffs.

Former Boston College star Woll will likely again battle Stolarz for crease duties in 2025-26, but will need to show more consistency to be a strong Fantasy choice.

Can Oilers Win West Again?

The Edmonton Oilers returned to the Western Conference Finals when they dispatched Vegas in a surprisingly easy manner, taking the series 4-1. Wednesday’s clincher was a hard-fought game, with the game’s only goal in overtime scored by an unlikely hero -– Kasperi Kapanen.

He had been a healthy scratch through the entire playoffs until being inserted into the Edmonton lineup in Game Four of the second round, and while Kapanen managed two shots in that game, he also took a minor. In Game Five, he looked extremely dangerous, firing six shots on goal before being rewarded with the series-clinching marker to end a 32-game drought.

Once an up and coming prospect in Toronto, Kapanen offered extremely limited Fantasy value this season. After a down season in 2023-24 (despite getting early season PT on a line with Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich), he again struggled for the Blues to begin this season, and was waived after just 10 games. The Oilers took a shot, but with just five goals in 57 games for Edmonton, he didn’t exactly entrench himself in the lineup.

However, if pending UFA Kapanen is done in Edmonton after this season, he will always be remembered for scoring that one huge goal.

As for the Oilers, they find themselves as the underdog against Dallas (currently -118 to win the series as per FanDuel), so have their work cut out for them if they plan to return to the Finals this season.

Waiver Wire Pick of the Week

Jack Roslovic, C, Carolina Hurricanes (ESPN: 3.7 per cent; CBS: 16 per cent): Pickings are slim at this time of year, but why not take a shot on Roslovic, who stands to pick up a bit of extra PT with Mark Jankowski out for at least Game One? Roslovic has been shuttled in and out of the lineup during the playoffs, but with three points over the last three games, he looks like he’s solidified his role for now. Two seasons ago, we recommended him early on and he wound up enjoying a career high in assists before scuffling through an injury-plagued campaign in 2023-24. This season, Roslovic matched his personal high in goals with 22, so he’s capable of tickling the twine, and with a role as 2C between Taylor Hall and Logan Stankoven, he could do some damage. No, Roslovic didn’t enjoy his finest season from a Fantasy perspective, but he was definitely better than he was in 2023-24.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

Classic rockers Chicago added to their lineup when Brazlian Laudir de Oliveira joined in 1974 as a second drummer. In 1969, they released their second album, the eponymous Chicago, featuring their first Top five hit, “25 or 6 to 4.”

This week, Jamal Murray shook off an illness to help Denver take OKC to the limit; Stephen Curry believes the Warriors still have a two-year championship window with Jimmy Butler on board; and the lawsuits against the Suns keep piling up. Other Fantasy basketball stories we’re following include…

Mikal Bridges Needs to Step Up

In failing to close out the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, the New York Knicks were almost completely negated down low, scoring a mere 26 points in the paint. That will need to change on Friday.

Another thing that needs to change? How about a big offensive game from Mikal Bridges?

Bridges’ first season as a Knick has been marred by stinkers, which really smarts considering the team outbid Houston by shelling out five first round picks to acquire him from a constantly rebuilding Brooklyn squad. And while he came up huge in Game Four with 23 points, seven boards and four steals, that was his only time scoring over 14 in this series. In fairness, Bridges has been getting it done on D (see video below).

His PT dipped down the stretch, but is way up during the postseason, yet the production has not followed as he’s actually getting fewer touches. It sort of mirrors Bridges’ regular season when he set a career high in MPG, yet saw his scoring regress for a second straight campaign.

At this point, can we admit that his performance down the stretch in 2022-23 after getting dealt to Brooklyn was an outlier? Still, there’s a lot to like about his game. Coming out of Villanova, Bridges offered great size for a combo guard and was considered a stellar defender with a very strong jumper. Passing, however, was not a strength, although he’s improved in this regard.

Bridges shot the ball better this season and he pitched in with a few more blocks, but consistency continues to be his bugaboo, both from game to game and month to month. The Knicks will need to see more predictability here for their investment to pay off (for instance, when he scores 20 or more points, the team is 3-0 in these playoffs).

So a big performance Friday to help push New York into the Eastern Conference Final would go a long way.

Thunder Facing Elimination

The Oklahoma City Thunder – despite having the best record in the NBA this season – find themselves pushed to the brink, with a Game Seven against Denver on tap for Sunday.

If OKC is going to take this game as the odds suggest (eight-point faves as per FanDuel), it will need contributions from others beyond star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. How about starting SG Luguentz Dort?

He dealt with some injuries earlier in his career, but has never quite been able to duplicate his breakout 2021-22 campaign as his offense has regressed since.

No longer a dude who gets even double-digit shots per game, Dort almost matched his career-best FG accuracy from last season, but his scoring from the free throw line has really dried up in the last few years.

Even if he’s not the most desired Fantasy asset, he’s capable of a bit more offense than he’s shown in these playoffs so far (notwithstanding that great fourth quarter in Game Five when he canned three straight treys to key a comeback win), so some more secondary scoring from him in Game Seven would go a long way.

Waiver Wire Pick of the Week

Luke Kornet, C, Boston Celtics (ESPN: 1.9 per cent; CBS: 6 per cent): Kornet is certainly not the first player we thought would benefit from Jayson Tatum’s injury, but when combined with the fact that Kristaps Porzingis continues to have health issues it’s carved a path to more PT for Kornet. And Kornet responded in Game Five, reaching double-digit points for the first time in over two months while flirting with a triple-double (10 points, nine boards and seven blocks). Back in 2020, we pimped him, and it was a good pick as he played well before injury cut short his season. Kornet never quite duplicated that level of production, until this season, when he saw his most PT ever and proved an asset in blocks and steals in deeper formats. His unexpected heroics (which earned him a new nickname) may have just saved Boston’s season, and while he’s not attractive as a dynasty option, he may help you right now, for another game or two, or perhaps longer should the C’s dig their way out of this hole.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

After some early lineup changes, Depeche Mode had the same personnel from 1981 until 1995. In 1998, they released another compilation album, The Singles 86-98, which included the track “Home,” originally from 1997’s Ultra.

This week, we learned that KC and Denver will square off on Christmas Day, marking the third straight year the Chiefs will play on X-Mas; former Charger and current free agent CB Asante Samuel Jr. plans to wait before signing with anyone; and Cincy DE Trey Hendrickson says the team has stopped talking about a new deal with him and a holdout seems to be imminent. Other Fantasy football related stories we’re tracking include…

Jets Enjoy Strong Draft

After back-to-back seven-win campaigns, the New York Jets sunk to just five wins last season, marking a ninth straight losing record. It’s been 15 years since this was a playoff team, yet the NFL still thinks enough of the Jets to reward them with a game in London, England this season. New York will head overseas to take on Denver in a Week Six matchup in mid-October.

So what happened to the Jets last year? For starters, their rush attack was putrid (31st overall) and they struggled to force turnovers, finishing 30th in takeaways per game. On the plus side, the pass D was very strong.

More good news? The Jets had a strong draft, starting off with landing an offensive lineman (Armand Membou, considered by many to be the top tackle available) for the second straight year, and then choosing TE Mason Taylor in the second round, a pick that everyone seems to love, and one with interesting Fantasy ramifications.

The improved line should provide a nice boost to New York’s run game, and with Justin Fields now under centre that’s a smart approach.

More good news? The Jets’ schedule is among the NFL’s easier ones, with a .460 opponents’ winning percentage – the lowest the team has faced since 2008.

Carolina Gives Bryce Young More Weapons

After bottoming out with just two wins in 2023, the Carolina Panthers more than doubled that to five victories last year. Baby steps, right?

Still, with an offense that was dead last in scoring and a defense that gave up the most yards in the league, the Cats needed help everywhere. Fortunately, they absolutely nailed it in the draft, headlined by eighth overall pick, Tetairoa McMillan, a wide receiver out of Arizona.

Later, Carolina continued to add to its WR room, grabbing Jimmy Horn Jr. with its sixth round pick, but all eyes will be on McMillan, who is currently +1000 to win AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2025-26 as per FanDuel.

TMac — as he is known by the cool kids — is expected to become a good starting WR within a couple of years based on his impressive productivity in his three seasons with the Wildcats, but his routes could use a bit more conviction and polish. From a Fantasy perspective, he really landed in the right place given Carolina’s lack of a real WR1. Obviously, it will really help McMillan if Bryce Young can show some improvement, because at this stage their Fantasy fates are linked.

So, McMillan (often compared to George Pickens) could struggle in Year One, but he could also be among the top three rookies in Fantasy scoring. At this point, McMillan is a far more attractive asset in Dynasty formats.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

Bjork may come across as a freakazoid in public, but she’s a brilliant musician. Here’s “New World,” a track from the 2000 movie she starred in, Dancer in the Dark.

This week, Sergei Bobrovsky put up his fifth career playoff shutout as Florida squared its affair with Toronto; a controversial game-winning goal allowed Dallas to take the lead over Winnipeg; and Aleksander Barkov is expected to be okay after getting leveled by Max Domi. Other Fantasy hockey related stories we’re tracking include…

The Annoyingly Successful Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights have never known true suffering. In their eight-year existence, the worst season they’ve endured was in 2021-22 – the team’s only non-playoff season, despite a still robust 94-point total. Oh boo hoo!

As defending champions in 2023-24, Vegas “only” managed 45 wins and suffered a first-round defeat. The team has bounced back this season, winning 50 games and currently battling the Edmonton Oilers in the second round.

And with a 52.8 per cent probability to win this game, Vegas is poised to tie the series at two apiece.

Things always seem to break just right for Vegas. Take Game Three, for example, when overtime loomed, giving the Oilers are real chance to take a virtually insurmountable 3-0 lead in the series. Instead, a fluky goal by Reilly Smith with 0.4 seconds left gave the Knights the win and a huge swing in the series.

It was his second goal of the game and third of the postseason in what’s been a turnaround after a couple of down seasons. Smith had some of his most successful seasons with Vegas, but after being traded to the Penguins, things went downhill.

Last summer, he was dealt for the second straight offseason, this time to the Rangers, and it was again a rough go, and things didn’t improve after the deadline when he was traded again, this time back to Sin City. Smith managed just three goals in 21 games down the stretch, but has already matched that total in just nine playoff tilts.

Hell, even his dramatic winning goal needed reviewing before officials realized it went in. Smith’s first goal was also hugely important, tying the game at 2-2 before the end of the opening period. By the way, the odds of Monday’s game reaching overtime and him scoring the winner in extra time is +12000 as per FanDuel.

A 2009 third round pick, Smith has never been a star, but is a highly useful all-situations player capable of providing consistent secondary scoring (at least before 2023-24, that is).

Waiver Wire Pick of the Week

Vasily Podkolzin, RW, Edmonton Oilers (ESPN: 0.8 per cent; CBS: 3 per cent): Podkolzin showed promise as a rookie, but hasn’t done much in the three seasons since. However, his ability to produce in these playoffs with very limited ice time is noteworthy. Tied for 12th in the playoffs in percentage of shifts started on the fly, Podkolzin had a goal and an assist in the Game Two win over Vegas and has managed a 1-5-6 line through nine playoff games despite averaging just 9:36 of playing time. In fact, he’s down over 3.5 minutes compared to what he got in the regular season, yet his production rate is way up. Go figure! Maybe Podkolzin deserves a bit more PT, and if it comes his way, he could be a great Fantasy pickup.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

After evolving out of a few different bands, the three original members (Roger Fisher, Steve Fossen and Ann Wilson) teamed with Nancy Wilson, Michael Derosier and Howard Leese to form Heart in 1975. Here they are, old as dirt, performing their classic “Barracuda” on The Tonight Show.