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At least one or two times a year tennis fans get an early-round matchup of two heavyweights at a major tournament when very good players are unseeded, usually due to injuries. This is one advantage tennis has over the NFL or NBA, where early-round playoff matchups are often one-sided and of little consequence. That should not be the case in the NBA playoffs this season. Assuming the Oklahoma City Thunder make the playoffs, you could make a case for any Western Conference playoff team to advance to the NBA finals....

We talk about LL Cool D right out of the gates, but then quickly transition to hot pickups, including Dan Vogelbach, Dansby Swanson, and Yandy Diaz (full list below the podcast player). We also briefly discuss potential drops, important stats, and a few streamers (hello Mike Leake)/teams to stream against (Giants and Royals, looking at you). We finish up with some hot closer talk (what’s up with David Robertson?), including a bold proclamation in relation to the Orioles’ situation....

Some of the players below (Dansby Swanson, Didi Gregorius) don’t have to worry about starting jobs, while others might begin the year in a platoon or at Triple-A. That just creates more opportunities for value during your draft, though, so don’t be discouraged if your favorite breakout pick has a slow start. The baseball season is long, and all it takes is one injury or hot streak for an under-the-radar player to really take off....

Who’s Not: For the second year in a row, Lance Lynn got off to a fast start and then faded in the second half. His rotation spot is not safe with all the talented arms in St. Louis. At the very least, Joe Kelly is a threat to send Lynn to the pen. … Like all players suspended for PED usage, Jhonny Peralta faces questions about future performance. But if you like gambles, that should ensure he comes at a very discounted price this spring....

Like second base, shortstop features numerous good players with varied skill sets, so how you’re building your team matters a lot in which players – and which tier – you should target. There are perfectly acceptable power threats as far down as Tier 4, so if you drafted speed early, you can wait quite a while to pick your shortstop. Or, given the plethora of multi-position-eligible players, you can grab more than one and figure out how you’re going to slot them into your lineup later....

That means fantasy basketball season is right around the corner, and The Sporting News is here to help you prepare for your draft. If you’ve been locked in to fantasy football and slacking on your fantasy hoops research, we have you covered with top 200 player rankings, the top 20 players at each position and one sleeper for all 30 NBA teams heading into the new season. We also had 10 members of our TSN staff run through a draft for our company fantasy league, using the results as a Mock Draft template to give readers an idea of where players may be selected....

The studs are always the easiest to list. The Cowboys (vs. Commanders) remain elite, and it’s possible they are better than ever with 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year Micah Parsons looking more like the DPOY now. The 49ers (vs. Rams) enjoyed another standout performance against Russell Wilson, and Nick Bosa and company could wreak havoc on the Rams’ inferior O-line. Indianapolis (vs. Titans) should finally welcome Shaq Leonard (back) back after an impressive victory over Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, and the aforementioned Eagles (vs....

Instead of the majority of the postponed fixtures landing in MW34 they will now land in MW37. So, what does this mean? Mostly that it will be incredibly difficult to build a team that can capitalise on double fixtures while also surviving the blank match week in MW35. It may just be possible though. To double up or not? To start, let’s look at the non-blankers. There are some in the community that are advising people to entirely shift off of these players as they will have no double fixtures....

If you play in season-long leagues, you’ll want to pay close attention to the NFFC ADP column in the chart below. If you prefer best ball, the RTSports ADP column applies to that. Let’s look at some of the latest trends in average draft position of some noteworthy fantasy assets! MORE FANTASY ALARM: 2018 Draft Kit Christian McCaffrey’s ADP McCaffrey’s ADP in the NFFC is 18.08, with picks10 and 26 being his earliest and latest selections, respectively....

Picking at “the turn” at No. 12 in the 12-team league, this is how it all came together. This is non-PPR, starting one quarterback, two running backs, three receivers, one tight end, one flex (RB/WR/TE), one defense and one kicker with six bench spots (16 rounds, 192 total picks). Hopefully, it will help with what to do and what not to do in your similar league. MORE: Check out Rounds 1-2 | 2015 fantasy football rankings | Must-have sleepers...

We also have the latest news on Saquon Barkley and LeSean McCoy’s injuries here, and for the latest on Damien Williams, Rashaad Penny, and Devin Singletary, go here. For more of the latest news and fantasy updates, follow us on Twitter (@SN_Fantasy). WEEK 4 NON-PPR RANKINGS:Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker Will Alshon Jeffery play Thursday night? Doug Pederson told reporters Monday that he’s “optimistic” Jeffery will suit up Thursday night to play the Packers....

For injury updates on banged-up WRs like A.J. Green, Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, click here, and follow us on Twitter ( @SN_Fantasy) for more updates and fantasy football advice. Week 11 Rankings:Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | D/ST | Kicker Is James Conner playing Week 11? According to Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Conner was a full participant at practice on Wednesday. Conner had been in concussion protocol, but his return to practice should ensure that he will suit up in Week 11 against Jacksonville....

5-Star Players Julio Jones, WR, Falcons. A gimpy Roddy White is making Jones an even stronger fantasy play. Keep him rolling in this week’s shootout. Tom Brady, QB, Patriots. All the personnel challenges have limited Brady’s fantasy production, but that could change this week. First, Atlanta’s pass D is struggling, allowing nearly 300 yards per game and more than 25 fantasy points per contest to QBs. Second, Brady could have TD magnet Rob Gronkowski back this week....

Week 15 QB Rankings (+ denotes injury)More rankings for Fantasy Source members : QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DEF 1. Drew Brees, Saints at Rams 2. Peyton Manning, Broncos vs. Chargers 3. Colin Kaepernick, 49ers at Bucs 4. Nick Foles, Eagles at Vikings 5. Cam Newton, Panthers vs. Jets 6. Andrew Luck, Colts vs. Texans 7. Aaron Rodgers +, Packers at Cowboys 8. Tom Brady, Patriots at Dolphins 9....

MORE: Week 5 busts | Week 5 rankings | FanDuel tournament lineup Week 5 Fantasy Football RB Sleepers Dion Lewis, Patriots at Cowboys (Matt Lutovsky). Lewis has had at least 12 fantasy points in each of New England’s first three games. His owners might be spooked by LeGarrette Blount ’s three-TD outburst in Week 3, but Lewis is still a key all-purpose cog in the Pats machine. Matt Jones, Redskins at Falcons (Brad Pinkerton)....

Are you having trouble with those lineup decisions and best DFS price choices for Week 17? Don’t worry, the Decider is back again with his midweek dose of recommended players to play and avoid based on matchups and other factors. (Note: Sit all regular Cowboys and Saints because those are the two playoff-bound teams who have nothing for which to play in Week 17). Week 17 Rankings: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Defense | Kicker...

Be sure to check out our top 200 rankings throughout the preseason, as we’ll be frequently updating them as injuries, signings, and starter announcements occur. DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2019 Fantasy Cheat Sheet Melvin Gordon holdout update The most recent news in Gordon’s holdout came out Friday, when ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Gordon’s holdout “threatens to last into the season”. Schefter added that Gordon told his representation that if the Chargers don’t give him a new deal (a boost from the $5....

Last week’s list definitely had some hits. Derek Carr continues to play well and boost his ownership. Kalen Ballage got all the work in the world (and yes, we know he’s inefficient). Hunter Renfrow and O.J. Howard both had solid games. Mike Gesicki and Ross Dwelley both saw increased roles continue. And we’ve been writing about Auden Tate and Tre’Quan Smith for much of the year, so if you read the watch list earlier in the season, maybe you’re already aware of them....